Prepared for the Office of Public Affairs (OPA)
U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Editorial Note: The DHS Daily Briefing is a collection of news articles related to Department’s mission. The inclusion of particular stories is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse the political viewpoints or affiliations included in news coverage.

Roll Call [4/3/2025 6:50 PM, Chris Johnson, 503K] reports a federal judge said Thursday he will decide whether to find the Trump administration in contempt of court, indicating the U.S. government may have "acted in bad faith" in a high-profile legal challenge over a presidential proclamation to remove migrants based on the Alien Enemies Act. Judge James Boasberg of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, at a hearing, pressed Trump administration attorneys about the timing of flights last month that carried migrants to a notorious El Salvador prison and his temporary restraining order to stop those removals. "It seems to me there is a fair likelihood … that the government acted in bad faith throughout that day," Boasberg said. "If you really believed everything you did that day was legal and could survive a court challenge, I can’t believe you ever would have operated in the way you did.” Boasberg has drawn criticism from President Donald Trump and other government officials after he temporarily halted the removal from the United States alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. The U.S. government transferred more than 260 migrants to El Salvador, including 137 alleged Tren de Aragua members under the proclamation. Boasberg previously has demanded the U.S. government provide information about the flights, particularly on the question of whether the planes could have returned to the United States to comply with his verbal order, which was followed up by a written order. After a 40-minute hearing Thursday, Boasberg said he would review the material and issue an order on whether he has probable cause to believe that contempt has occurred, as well as what the process would look like from there. Boasberg said he wouldn’t issue an opinion "before next week" and likely not before another upcoming hearing on a preliminary injunction. Yahoo! News [4/3/2025 7:16 PM, Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein, 52868K] reports Boasberg did not indicate which officials could be subject to contempt. But he said he believes the administration was attempting to avoid legal scrutiny when it sent planes full of Venezuelan nationals to El Salvador despite urgent legal efforts — and Boasberg’s own order — to halt any flights carrying people being deported under an unusual invocation of wartime authorities by Trump. The judge, an Obama appointee, is contemplating whether to initiate formal contempt proceedings. Holding executive branch officials in contempt would be highly unusual but not unprecedented. Yahoo! News [4/3/2025 5:42 PM, Vinay Simlot, 52868K] reports "We truly believe everybody who was on that flight was a public safety threat, national security threat, and a terrorist," said Tom Homan, the White House border czar. The ACLU disputed that claim, arguing in court the people deported didn’t get a chance to challenge ICE’s assessment they were terrorists. Judge Boasberg issued an order last month for the Trump administration to turn the planes around. The administration did not. Three airplanes landed in El Salvador on March 15. Boasberg probed Department of Justice Attorney Drew Ensign about the timeline on March 15. He asked Ensign who at the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice and the Trump administration he told about the order on March 15. FOX News [4/3/2025 6:13 PM, Breanne Deppisch, Jake Gibson, 46189K] reports at issue is the administration’s use of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan nationals, including alleged members of the violent Tren de Aragua gang. Boasberg pressed Deputy Assistant Attorney General Drew Ensign on why the government appeared to ignore an emergency injunction last month halting those deportations. The administration has appealed the underlying case to the Supreme Court. But for now, Boasberg is weighing whether there is probable cause to move forward with contempt proceedings — a question that remained open after a tense exchange in court. Boasberg said he would issue a decision as early as next week on how to proceed if he finds grounds to hold the administration in contempt. The Miami Herald [4/3/2025 5:27 PM, David Catanese, 3973K] reports that on Thursday, Boasberg strongly surmised the government had purposefully rushed the planes out of the country before he could properly hear the case, which was triggered by an early morning filing by the American Civil Liberties Union, which represents five plaintiffs. The judge also underscored how the administration had acknowledged it had mistakenly deported at least one man due to an administrative error. Perhaps the most telling indication of Boasberg’s consideration of contempt came when he began probing Ensign for a list of specific names of who Ensign communicated with about Boasberg’s original restraining order — and who held the authority to turn the planes back. Ensign listed Department of Homeland Security attorneys James Percival, a Floridian, and Joseph N. Mazzara, as well as James L. Bischoff, an assistant legal adviser for Western Hemisphere Affairs at the State Department as those he informed about the judge’s order. If Boasberg decides to hold any number of Trump administration officials in contempt, it would mark a severe intensification of a protracted legal battle that has become hotly politicized as Republican allies of the president fume at the power of a single federal judge.

Reported similarly:
Wall Street Journal [4/3/2025 5:12 PM, Jan Wolfe, Mariah Timms, and Jess Bravin, 646K]
New York Times [4/3/2025 6:04 PM, Alan Feuer, 145325K]
NPR [4/3/2025 5:33 PM, Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, Joel Rose, 29983K] Audio: HERE
The Hill [4/3/2025 5:19 PM, Rebecca Beitsch, 12829K]
CBS News [4/3/2025 5:43 PM, Jacob Rosen, Scott MacFarlane, 51661K]
Washington Examiner [4/3/2025 5:46 PM, Ashley Oliver, 2296K]
Univision [4/3/2025 11:10 PM, Staff, 5325K]

ABC News [4/3/2025 4:00 PM, Armando Garcia and Laura Romero, 34586K] reports a federal judge on Wednesday ordered the government to release a Venezuelan Temporary Protected Status holder who was wrongfully detained in January and was almost put on a deportation flight to El Salvador. U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera also ordered the government to pay for Adrian Gil Rojas’ travel back to his home in New York from a detention center in Texas. The judge recommended an ankle monitor be placed on Rojas pending a future immigration hearing. Rojas, according to court records, repeatedly told the immigration officers that he has valid TPS status and showed them his immigration paperwork. In a filing on Tuesday, a letter from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services that was included as an exhibit said that Rojas’ TPS status had been revoked and alleged that he is a member of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. According to the letter, the U.S. government determined Rojas is a member of TdA because of his social media posts that indicate he resided with a known TdA member and because of his tattoos. In the court order on Wednesday, Judge Olvera said Rojas has valid TPS status.

Federal News Network [4/3/2025 7:07 PM, Justin Doubleday, 1089K] reports DHS is planning sweeping workforce cuts across its Management Directorate, with targets including the AI Corps and the CX Directorate. The Department of Homeland Security is preparing to shed hundreds of employees from its headquarters, with targets including artificial intelligence experts and the DHS customer experience directorate. Multiple sources familiar with DHS’ plan said the goal is to cut the department’s Management Directorate by roughly 50%. They said DHS leadership has directed management offices to identify staff that they don’t consider "critical" or "essential" to the mission in line with the Trump administration’s governmentwide workforce cuts. The Management Directorate serves as a central administrative support hub for all DHS components. Its divisions include the chief financial officer, the chief information officer and the chief procurement officer, among other support functions. The directorate includes about 3,900 full-time staff, budget documents show. President Donald Trump recently nominated Karen Evans, a former federal CIO and more recently a senior executive at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, to serve as DHS undersecretary for management. "The idea is to get lean, get back to a time when management and headquarters elements were small and leaner," one person familiar with the plans said. Another source said DHS will execute the cuts by first re-opening the "deferred resignation program" to management staff "imminently." The source said DHS then plans to offer eligible employees a voluntary early retirement option. DHS may also offer voluntary separation incentive payments. DHS will then initiate a reduction in force to further cut staff, the source said.

Washington Post [4/3/2025 6:27 PM, Maeve Reston, 31735K] reports A coalition of 19 Democratic state attorneys general sued the Trump administration on Thursday seeking to block President Donald Trump’s effort to impose new voting restrictions across the country, calling his recent executive order unconstitutional, antidemocratic and un-American. Though the constitution grants most power over elections to the states, Trump signed an executive order last week demanding changes including a new requirement for voters to produce documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections. Trump’s order also attempted to bar states from counting mail ballots that arrive after Election Day for presidential, House and Senate elections, among other sweeping reforms. Eighteen states allowed ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted last year if they arrived within a specified period set by state law. Trump’s executive order raised a number of debunked claims that he has made over the years about voter fraud as he has falsely asserted that elections are rigged and made baseless claims about corruption and illegal voting by noncitizens in both the 2016 and 2020 elections. In the lawsuit filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts, the Democratic attorneys general argue that Trump has no constitutional power to try to alter state laws by decree or to modify the laws that Congress has passed governing elections. California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who is leading the coalition along with Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford, argued that order is yet another example of Trump’s “utter disdain for the rule of law” and that he does not have the power to rewrite laws “however he sees fit.” “This Executive Order is nothing but a blatantly illegal power grab and an attempt to disenfranchise voters,” Bonta said in a statement. “Neither the Constitution nor Congress authorize the President’s attempted voting restrictions. We will not be bullied by him.”

The Hill [4/3/2025 7:27 PM, Al Weaver, 12829K] reports the Senate on Thursday advanced its budget resolution, teeing up a weekend vote on a blueprint for President Trump’s tax agenda and other top priorities. Senators voted 52-48 to kick off consideration of the measure. A simple majority was needed. The resolution sets out instructions that both chambers will eventually use to craft a bill they hope to pass through a process called budget reconciliation, which bypasses the Senate filibuster. The vote was delayed on Thursday as Senate GOP leadership still had not locked down the requisite amount of votes to advance it along. The prior vote — on Harmeet Dhillon to become assistant attorney general — was held open for nearly two hours while Senate Majority John Thune (R-S.D.) and others tried to firm up the vote total. "There’s, like there always is, questions, and this is complicated stuff," Thune told reporters during the vote. "People want to do their homework and want to be really informed when they make a decision.” "We were hearing folks out and obviously giving them a chance to want to explain their concerns and hopefully get some questions answered, and just make sure everybody had a comfort level with proceeding," he added. In the end, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) voted against advancing the resolution due to the included debt ceiling increase. Other Republicans had previously expressed concern about possible Medicaid cuts that could be on the table but voted to open debate.

AP [4/3/2025 9:05 PM, Lisa Mascaro, 48304K] reports after a long wait, the Senate is launching action on President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” of tax breaks and spending cuts at a risky moment for the U.S. and global economy. More than a month after House Republicans surprised Washington by advancing their framework for Trump’s $4.5 trillion in tax breaks and $2 trillion in spending cuts, Senate Republicans voted Thursday to start working on their version. The largely party-line vote, 52-48, sets the stage for a potential Senate all-nighter Friday spilling into the weekend. But work on the multitrillion-dollar package is coming as markets at home and abroad are on edge in the aftermath Trump’s vast tariffs scheme, complicating an already difficult political and procedural undertaking on what Republicans hope will become their signature domestic policy package. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., opened the chamber Thursday saying they expected to be ready to begin. Trump says he’s on board with the plan and Republicans, in control of Congress, are eager to show the party is making progress toward delivering on their campaign promises. By nightfall, as voting began, one Republican, the libertarian-leaning Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, voted against, as did all Democrats. Democrats, as the minority party, don’t have the votes to stop the GOP plan. But they intend to use the procedural tools available to prolong the process. Democrats argue that Republicans are focusing on tax breaks for the wealthy at the expense of the programs and services millions of Americans rely on for help with health care, child care, school lunches and other everyday needs. “They’re mean, they’re nasty, they’re uncaring,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said about the Republicans. “We, tonight and tomorrow, are going to show just who they are.” Senate Democrats started consuming up to 25 hours of their available debate time, holding the floor into the night and railing against potential GOP cuts to Medicaid, veterans programs, DOGE cuts and the impact of Trump’s tariffs. Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon, the ranking Democrat on the Budget committee, repeated a slogan he has been sharing: “Families lose and billionaires win.” “That,” he said, “is the Republican plan.”

AP [4/4/2025 12:12 AM, Collin Binkley, Annie Ma and Makiya Seminera, 48304K] reports a crackdown on foreign students is alarming colleges, who say the Trump administration is using new tactics and vague justifications to push some students out of the country. College officials worry the new approach will keep foreigners from wanting to study in the U.S. Students stripped of their entry visas are receiving orders from the Department of Homeland Security to leave the country immediately — a break from past practice that often permitted them to stay and complete their studies. Some students have been targeted over pro-Palestinian activism or criminal infractions — or even traffic violations. Others have been left wondering how they ran afoul of the government. At Minnesota State University in Mankato, President Edward Inch told the campus Wednesday that visas had been revoked for five international students for unclear reasons. He said school officials learned about the revocations when they ran a status check in a database of international students after the detention of a Turkish student at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. The State Department said the detention was related to a drunken driving conviction. "These are troubling times, and this situation is unlike any we have navigated before," Inch wrote in a letter to campus. President Donald Trump campaigned on a promise to deport foreign students involved in pro-Palestinian protests, and federal agents started by detaining Columbia graduate student Mahmoud Khalil, a green-card-holder and Palestinian activist who was prominent in protests at Columbia last year. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last week students are being targeted for involvement in protests along with others tied to "potential criminal activity.” In the past two weeks, the government apparently has widened its crackdown. Officials from colleges around the country have discovered international students have had their entry visas revoked and, in many cases, their legal residency status terminated by authorities without notice — including students at Arizona State, Cornell, North Carolina State, the University of Oregon, the University of Texas and the University of Colorado.

New York Times [4/3/2025 6:39 PM, Anemona Hartocollis, 145325K] reports Rumeysa Ozturk, a Tufts student detained for pro-Palestinian activity, asked a federal judge in Boston on Thursday to have her case moved to Massachusetts, where she lives and was picked up by federal agents, from Louisiana, where she is being held in an immigration detention facility. Her lawyer, Adriana Lafaille, argued that after detaining Ms. Ozturk, the government deliberately moved her to a location where it could expect a more sympathetic hearing for its case against her. The transfer was so furtive that not even the government’s own lawyers knew where she was, Ms. Lafaille, a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union, told the court. Ms. Ozturk, a doctoral candidate, was detained on March 25 near her apartment in Somerville, Mass., by federal agents in plain clothes who surrounded her, cuffed her and drove her away in an unmarked S.U.V. Footage of the encounter, captured by a surveillance camera, was viewed by millions of people, and generated outrage that Ms. Ozturk, a Turkish citizen on a student visa, had been picked up off the street even though there were no charges against her. The government was “secretly whisking her away and making sure that no one would know where she was until she was in Louisiana,” Ms. Lafaille said, adding that she believed the government was “forum shopping” a location for the trial. (Louisiana is home to one of the most conservative appeals courts in the country.) She added that it was “quite unusual that even the government’s own lawyers” were not told where Ms. Ozturk was.

Reported similarly:
AP [4/3/2025 6:05 PM, Michael Casey] Video: HERE
Yahoo! News [4/3/2025 7:06 PM, Drew Karedes, 52868K] Video: HERE

Reuters [4/2/2025 6:14 PM, Nate Raymond, 41523K] reports a Tufts University student from Turkey, who was arrested last week in Massachusetts by U.S. immigration officials after advocating for Palestinians amid Israel’s war in Gaza, said on Thursday that she would not be deterred. A lawyer for Rumeysa Ozturk, 30, read a statement on her behalf to reporters assembled outside the federal court in Boston shortly after a judge heard arguments over whether a lawsuit challenging her detention could remain in Massachusetts even though she is now being detained in Louisiana. Ozturk’s arrest by masked agents on a street in the Boston suburb of Somerville was captured in a viral video that has turned her case into a high-profile example of Republican President Donald Trump’s efforts to deport pro-Palestinian activists on U.S. campuses. The Trump administration has threatened to cut federal funding to universities over pro-Palestinian protests that it describes as antisemitic, sympathetic to Hamas and a foreign policy threat. Ozturk’s lawyers say the arrest violated her free speech rights and was based on an opinion piece she co-authored in the university’s student newspaper that criticized Tufts’ response to calls by students to divest from companies with ties to Israel and to "acknowledge the Palestinian genocide.” Ozturk, a PhD student and Fulbright Scholar, in a statement read by her attorney Mahsa Khanbabai said that "writing is one of the most peaceful ways of addressing systemic inequality.” "Efforts to target me because of my op-ed in the Tufts Daily calling for the equal dignity and humanity of all people will not deter me from my commitment to advocate for the rights of youth and children," she said. Her attorneys in court pushed U.S. District Judge Denise Casper to reject the Trump administration’s arguments that any legal challenge over her detention can only proceed in Louisiana. Adriana Lafaille, a lawyer for Ozturk with the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, said she was only in Louisiana because the government was trying to steer the case out of New England by "whisking away the petitioner to its forum of choice.”

Axios [4/3/2025 4:47 PM, Steph Solis, 13163K] reports the mystery surrounding Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk’s whereabouts after she was picked up by federal immigration agents has shocked many — and is now complicating her legal proceedings. The case’s question about jurisdiction — typically a granular area of court proceedings — could affect how ICE detains foreign-born residents and how it communicates about detentions in the future. Masked ICE agents arrested Ozturk, a doctoral candidate from Turkey, in broad daylight in Somerville last week, and she was shuttled through multiple states that night. Now a federal judge in Boston must decide whether Ozturk’s lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging unconstitutional detainment, should proceed in Massachusetts, where she was picked up by ICE, or in Louisiana, where she ended up at an undisclosed time.

Politico [4/3/2025 4:01 PM, Ali Bianco] reports Tufts University is throwing its support behind Rümeysa Öztürk, a detained Turkish graduate student trying to fend off deportation after having her student visa revoked. The move by Tufts to intervene in Öztürk’s legal proceedings comes amid a wave of arrests and visa revocations of students who the Trump administration alleges have engaged in "pro-Hamas" activities in protest of the war in Gaza. It marks a rare instance of a university directly challenging the Trump administration amid intense scrutiny. Several institutions have caved under the pressure. But Tufts, a research university located outside of Boston, is supporting Öztürk in her legal fight, filing a declaration asking a federal judge to compel her release "so that she can return to complete her studies and finish her degree at Tufts University." A hearing in Öztürk’s case was scheduled for Thursday. NBC News [4/3/2025 11:53 AM, Matt Lavietes and Chloe Atkins, 44742K] reports that Tufts University petitioned a federal judge to release student Rümeysa Öztürk late Wednesday, some of the strongest public pushback by a school against the Trump administration’s arrests of foreign students. The university’s declaration of support came a day before a hearing in Öztürk’s case that will take place on Thursday in the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts. Öztürk, a doctoral student from Turkey, was apprehended by immigration authorities on March 25 in Sommerville, Massachusetts, the home of Tufts. She is currently being held at a detention center in Louisiana. Video shows several Department of Homeland Security officers in plainclothes surrounding Öztürk, grabbing her by the wrists and taking her away into an SUV as she screamed out in confusion. In its written declaration, Tufts said that it saw no reason for her detention, calling her "a valued member of the community." "The University seeks relief so that Ms. Öztürk is released without delay so that she can return to complete her studies and finish her degree at Tufts University," the university said. A lawyer for the Department of Justice who is representing the federal government in Öztürk’s case declined to comment.

FOX News [4/3/2025 7:49 PM, Staff, 46189K] reports the Trump administration has set new preconditions for Harvard to combat antisemitism in exchange for access to federal funding. In a letter addressed to Harvard President Dean Garber, senior administration officials claimed Harvard had "fundamentally failed to protect American students and faculty from antisemitic violence and harassment" in violation of the Civil Rights Act. "U.S. taxpayers invest enormously in U.S. colleges and universities, including Harvard," the letter, signed by Josh Gruenbaum, Commissioner of the Federal Acquisition Service at the General Services Administration (GSA); Sean Keveney, acting general counsel at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); and Thomas Wheeler, acting general counsel at the Department of Education (ED), said. "It is the responsibility of the government to ensure that all recipients are responsible stewards of taxpayer funds," the memo, obtained by Fox News Digital, read. The letter stipulated that Harvard must ban the use of masks that could conceal identities at protests and establish a clear "time, place and manner" policy for protests. Harvard must also eliminate all Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs, adopt "merit-based" admissions and hiring reform and end any admissions based on race or national origin. The university must commit to "full cooperation" with the Department of Homeland Security and all other agencies in government, according to the letter. It also said Harvard must review and make changes to programs and departments that "fuel antisemitic harassment," and cooperate with law enforcement. It must hold all recognized and unrecognized students accountable for violations of policy and ensure senior administration officials are responsible for disciplinary decisions.

Reported similarly:
New York Times [4/3/2025 10:35 PM, Michael C. Bender and Stephanie Saul, 145325K]

Reuters [4/3/2025 7:56 PM, Steve Holland and Kanishka Singh, 41523K] reports the administration of President Donald Trump plans to freeze $510 million in grants to Brown University over what it calls antisemitism on campus, a U.S. official told Reuters on Thursday, but the university said it had not yet been formally notified. The administration’s action makes Brown the latest academic institution targeted by Trump over this issue. The U.S. Education Department sent a letter last month to 60 universities, including Brown, warning it could bring enforcement actions against them. The U.S. official spoke on condition of anonymity. Trump has threatened to slash federal funding for universities over allegations of antisemitism during pro-Palestinian campus protests against U.S. ally Israel’s devastating military assault on Gaza, which has caused a humanitarian crisis in the enclave and followed a deadly October 2023 attack by Islamist group Hamas. Trump has called the protesters antisemitic, and has labeled them as sympathetic to Hamas militants and as foreign policy threats. Protesters, including some Jewish groups, say the Trump administration wrongly conflates their criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza and advocacy for Palestinian rights with antisemitism and support for Hamas. In an email to campus leaders on Thursday shared by a Brown University spokesperson, its provost, Frank Doyle, said the university was aware of "troubling rumors emerging about federal action on Brown research grants" but added it had "no information to substantiate any of these rumors.” "We are closely monitoring notifications related to grants, but have nothing more we can share as of now," he added.

Reported similarly:
FOX News [4/4/2025 3:22 AM, Elizabeth Pritchett, 46189K]

Washington Post [4/3/2025 11:43 AM, Michael O’Sullivan, 31735K] reports that that’s a name you may have heard. Born in a Syrian refugee camp to Palestinian parents, Khalil, who received his master’s degree from Columbia’s school of international affairs last semester, was one of the student leaders of the protest and a negotiator between students and the school administration. On March 8, he was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Despite having a green card and being married to an American citizen, deportation proceedings have been initiated against him. But his backstory, in which Khalil explains his journey from refugee camp to campus activism, is only a small part of "The Encampments," which arrives in the choppy wake of last month’s thematically similar documentary "October 8." Co-directed by Kei Pritsker and Michael T. Workman, "The Encampments" aims, among other things, to counter that earlier film’s narrative about spiking campus antisemitism in the aftermath of Hamas’s attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. To do so, the directors of "The Encampments" focus on the organizers of Columbia’s protest, including student spokesperson Sueda Polat and Grant Miner, a Columbia grad student and president of the Student Workers of Columbia union.

FOX News [4/3/2025 7:45 PM, Alexandra Koch, Brooke Taylor, 52868K] reports a junior at the University of South Carolina was killed Wednesday in a hit-and-run near campus involving an illegal immigrant from El Salvador, according to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials. In an X post Thursday, Tricia McLaughlin, DHS assistant secretary for public affairs, said the driver was "in our country illegally," noting 21-year-old Nathanial "Nate" G. Baker "should be alive today." "@DHSgov prays for Nate’s family, friends, and loved ones and will work every day to protect innocent Americans like Nate," McLaughlin wrote. Rosali I. Fernandez-Cruz, 24, is charged with hit-and-run resulting in death, failure to give information and render aid, failure to yield the right of way and driving without a license, according to a statement from the Columbia Police Department (CPD). At the time of the crash, Fernandez-Cruz was wanted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), police said. A DHS source told Fox News Fernandez-Cruz was arrested by border patrol in Hidalgo, Texas, on Dec. 24, 2016. Nearly two years later, on Sept. 6, 2018, an immigration judge in Charlotte, North Carolina, ordered Fernandez-Cruz to be sent back to El Salvador. Just after 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Fernandez-Cruz allegedly failed to yield the right of way while turning left at Blossom and Assembly streets, hitting Baker, who was on a motorcycle, with his truck, according to police. Baker was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead, according to the Richland County Coroner’s Office. Fernandez-Cruz is accused of not stopping or rendering aid to Baker or reporting the incident to police, according to the statement. He reportedly drove away from the accident site and ran from the vehicle. A nearby CPD officer found and detained Fernandez-Cruz on the 1100 block of Greene Street. Two men were with Fernandez-Cruz at the time of the accident and also fled, according to police. No charges are pending against them. The immigration status of the other men is unknown. FOX 57 Columbia [4/3/2025 8:33 PM, Alex Kesler] reports South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson released the following statement: "Sadly, Nathanial ‘Nate’ Baker, a USC student, has passed away after being hit by an illegal immigrant with no license, who had been wanted by ICE since 2018. Our prayers are with his family during this difficult time. Thank you to our law enforcement partners at the Columbia Police Department and ICE for taking quick action." AG Wilson said.
Reported similarly:
NBC 4 Greenville [4/3/2025 7:58 PM, Zach Rainey, 1100K]

Miami Herald [4/3/2025 7:25 PM, Nora Gámez Torres, 3973K] reports a senior Trump administration official warned Cubans and Venezuelans on Thursday to brace for "short-term pain" from measures aimed at increasing pressure on the authoritarian regimes in Havana and Caracas. Speaking at an event at Miami-Dade College, Mauricio Claver-Carone, special envoy for Latin America, defended President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, in particular its emphasis on deporting Tren de Aragua gang members, as part of a larger strategy to put pressure on Venezuela’s strongman Nicolás Maduro. Claver-Carone suggested the Maduro regime is following the playbook used by Fidel Castro when he freed criminals from Cuban prisons and sent them as part of the about 125,000 Cubans who came to Florida during the Mariel boatlift in 1980. Unlike other presidents, who were not "resolute enough" to send the criminals back, he said, "President Trump is, so we’re calling bullshit.” "We understand there are challenges, and it’s painful. There’s short-term pain," he added, speaking of emotions running high because of generalizations from administration officials depicting Venezuelans as criminals. "But the other thing all of these regimes and dictators have also learned, starting with Cuba, is that the easiest thing to do is export your problem," he said. "So the way you have totalitarian control is, you don’t like it, you leave. And that’s what happened in Venezuela. That’s what’s happening in Nicaragua.” "I can tell you this as a member of the Cuban American community, and it’s been now 60 years. If you don’t want to be 60 years in exile, then cut it off now, do the short-term sacrifices now, because if not, they’re not going anywhere," he said. Claver-Carone declined to comment on plans for a potential travel ban that would bar Cubans and Venezuelans from traveling to the United States, adding that the plans are still under discussion.

CBS Austin [4/3/2025 11:24 AM, Jamel Valencia, 602K] reports that a Texan is accused of making terroristic threats to the nation’s Homeland Security secretary and federal law enforcement officers. Robert King was arrested Wednesday in McKinney, Texas after authorities said he would "open fire" on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and at Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. King reportedly made the threat on social media indicating he would "open fire" if agents were seen in his neighborhood. Homeland Security Investigations announced the arrest of King on Wednesday, calling his post "alarming." Authorities said King is a U.S. citizen. Local media said that a DHS spokesperson reported to them that King’s social media post characterized Noem as a Nazi. The threats come amid ongoing tensions surrounding the Trump administration’s stance on illegal immigration, which has fueled public outcry and, in some cases, calls for violence against federal law enforcement. In response to such threats, Secretary Noem posted a statement on Sunday warning that any attempt to harm law enforcement would be met with swift legal action. "If you threaten or attempt to harm a law enforcement officer we will find you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law," she wrote. The National News Desk reached out DHS for a statement regarding King’s arrest.

Newsweek [4/3/2025 9:51 AM, Billal Rahman, 52220K] reports that a Texas man was apprehended after allegedly threatening on Facebook to shoot and kill federal immigrant agents. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Robert King, a U.S. citizen was taken into custody in McKinney, accused of making "terroristic threats" against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and Secretary Kristi Noem. A DHS spokesperson told Newsweek: "If you threaten or attempt to harm a law enforcement officer, we will find you and prosecute you." ICE has become a flashpoint in the national immigration debate as the Trump administration ramps up deportation efforts. The agency has been granted greater authority. Threats against federal immigration authorities have become more prevalent. President Donald Trump pledged to deport millions of undocumented immigrants suspected of living in the country illegally. The White House has said anyone living in the country illegally is a "criminal." "King’s alarming social media posts included intentions to "open fire" if agents are seen in his neighborhood," DHS Dallas wrote in a post on X. The arrest occurred just days after Noem reacted to another online threat made in response to the Trump administration’s efforts to deport migrants across the nation. Noem said in a post on X: "If you threaten or attempt to harm a law enforcement officer we will find you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law." A DHS spokesperson told Newsweek: "Like Secretary Noem said: If you threaten or attempt to harm a law enforcement officer, we will find you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law. Promises made, promises kept." King will go through legal proceedings.

FOX News [4/3/2025 7:52 PM, Staff, 46189K] Video: HERE reports Fox News correspondent Brooke Taylor reports on the arrest of Robert King, a Texas man arrested for allegedly making threats towards ICE agents and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on ‘Special Report.’

FOX News [4/3/2025 11:44 AM, Jamie Joseph, 46189K] reports that Republican California Assemblyman Bill Essayli is pledging to "dismantle" his state’s status as a popular sanctuary for illegal immigrants after President Donald Trump tapped him this week to head up a team of prosecutors for the nation’s largest federal district court by population. "I’m excited to get to work and to implement their vision and their mission for the Department of Justice," Essayli told Fox News Digital in a phone interview. "I think the first order of business is reassuring people and reinstilling trust into the Justice Department. I think for the last few years, it’s been weaponized, has been politicized, and the President’s made it clear that we’re going to restore trust into our law enforcement agencies and into the Department of Justice." Essayli, a lightning rod in California legislative politics who frequently spars with Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, said his commitment is to "restore law and order" in his new post as U.S. attorney for the Central District of California. "We’re going to get back to work," he said. "We’re going to go after these transnational organizations, which the president designated as terrorist organizations.” "We’re going to go after criminal illegal immigration," Essayli continued. Setting himself up for a potential showdown in the coming months with Newsom, who "Trump-proofed" the state with a $50 million legal fund to protect illegal immigrants in the state, Essayli vowed to "dismantle the sanctuary state status that they’ve enjoyed here in California."

San Francisco Chronicle [4/3/2025 7:00 AM, Raheem Hosseini, 5046K] reports unsatisfied with having an increasingly vast swath of the federal government and a coalition of willing red states at his disposal, President Donald Trump is trying old and new tactics to either coerce sanctuary states to get on board with his mass deportation agenda or neutralize their defenses. The stakes for California go beyond its roughly 1.8 million undocumented residents. The Trump administration’s renewed efforts to cancel funding to so-called sanctuary cities and states would imperil programs serving all aspects of Bay Area society, according to declarations filed by officials in San Francisco, Santa Clara County and elsewhere. Meanwhile, the administration is reportedly close to a deal for the Internal Revenue Service to turn over the addresses of about 700,000 people being sought by the Department of Homeland Security for immigration-related infractions, according to a federal lawsuit attempting to stop the unprecedented access. The IRS represents the largest source of names and addresses for people not authorized to be in the U.S. Penetrating its confidential trove would effectively nullify the data-sharing firewalls erected by sanctuary states like California — while also signaling to the broader American public the lengths the Trump administration will go to find people it considers enemies, say immigration advocates, attorneys and policy analysts. "This idea of going through the IRS to get people’s home addresses is scary," said Maria Romani, the immigrant rights program director at the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California. Noting that the vast majority of apprehensions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE, occur with the assistance of local authorities, she added, "They don’t need to go through local law enforcement to get people, which has been their primary strategy for more than a decade now.” The IRS is being asked to provide the names and addresses of people with individual taxpayer identification numbers, or ITINs, which are provided to those who are ineligible for Social Security numbers due to their immigration status. Immigrant service nonprofits around Chicago and in Santa Fe, and a Los Angeles nonprofit financial lender, sued over the purported deal, reported by New York Times and Washington Post, and will have their request for a preliminary injunction heard on April 16. "What’s at stake is stopping the IRS from sending taxpayer address information to DHS and ICE," said Nandan Joshi, an attorney with Public Citizen Litigation Group, the law firm representing Los Angeles’ Inclusive Action for the City and other plaintiffs. "The concern is if they sign the deal and start sharing information, it’s hard to walk that back.” Joshi, who previously worked as an attorney in both the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Federal Communications Commission, said the tax code forbids the IRS from sharing return information for civil immigration enforcement purposes and only allows for disclosures under very specific and case-by-case exceptions having to do with criminal investigations. Overturning the IRS’ decades-old promise would amount to a betrayal of taxpaying immigrants, and threaten the finances of states with large immigrant populations, said Joshua Stehlik, policy director at the California Immigrant Policy Center. "If people fear that their tax information can be used against them for deportation, they may stop filing taxes altogether," he said.

FOX News [4/3/2025 7:08 PM, Louis Casiano, 46189K] reports Mexico is slated to dump around 400 million gallons of sewage into the Tijuana River, which will mostly likely flow into the United States, a decades-old problem that has posed environmental repercussions for beaches and communities, officials said. Crews are slated to perform maintenance on the sewer system in Tijuana, which sits across the border from San Diego, which continues to be a dumping ground for Mexico’s pollution, San Diego Supervisor Jim Desmond told Fox News Digital. "Every time there’s maintenance being done on their side of the border, instead of diverting it (sewage) to a treatment plant, it just goes into the river, the gullies and eventually ends up in the U.S., and into the ocean," he said. "They put it (sewage) into the big drainage ditch called the Tijuana River that flows downhill, and unfortunately downhill is the United States," he added. Instead of re-routing the sewage, Mexico has decided to make it a U.S. problem, Desmond said. Toxic waste and sewage runoff from the Tijuana River has persisted for decades, as much of it spills downstream into the U.S., resulting in beach closures. On Tuesday, Lee Zeldin, who heads the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), said he plans to visit the border in San Diego to address issues pertaining to the "disgusting Mexican sewage" flowing into the U.S. To convince Mexican officials to fix the problem, the U.S. could restrict the number of people coming across the border and visas, as well as other forms of leverage if beaches have to be closed, Desmond said. The Tijuana River flows right behind a shopping mall on the U.S. side of the border, which poses health risks for local residents, he said. In addition to beach closures, Navy SEALs and recruits train near the toxic runoff and children and some elderly residents on the U.S. side of the border have gotten sick because of the stench from the runoff, said Desmond. "We’ve got to have a better system here as opposed to just being a sewage collection for Tijuana," he said.

FOX News [4/3/2025 2:21 PM, Danielle Wallace, 46189K] reports that the father of a 31-year-old Marine veteran from Arizona who was murdered at an illegal checkpoint while driving to the beach in Mexico in 2024 said he did not expect Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to reference his son’s name when announcing new sanctions against the Sinaloa cartel this week. Doug Quets, a U.S. military veteran himself, whose son, Nicholas Quets, served for four years in the Marines, said he was "really humbled and pleasantly surprised" that Bessent remembered him, as well as another American, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena. Camarena was abducted, tortured and killed in 1985. Bessent named both men in a video statement released Monday – what would have been Nicholas Quets’ 32nd birthday – that announced Treasury Department sanctions against six individuals and seven entities allegedly involved in a money-laundering network supporting the Sinaloa cartel. "I had full faith in President Trump… I knew we weren’t forgotten, but when the secretary mentioned my son’s name, no, I was not. I was not expecting that," Doug Quets told Fox News Digital. "I have the faith in a lot of different levels of our government and in God that things could be done, because in fact, if you apply, if you pursue these problems and you confront these problems, they’re basically bullies, right? And so if you let the bullies go, they become bolder and bolder. But if you confront them, you can defeat them. So the momentum against these groups is palpable right now. I mean, you can feel it, you know that that’s occurring. And that’s only because of the United States deciding to do something about it." [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

FOX News [4/3/2025 9:03 AM, Alex Nitzberg, 52868K] reports that President Donald Trump has invited El Salvadorian President Nayib Bukele to visit him at the White House later this month, according to an April 1 letter from Trump that Bukele shared on X Wednesday night. The White House confirmed the letter to Fox News Digital on Thursday. "Your support of my efforts to combat illegal immigration is greatly appreciated," Trump told Bukele in the message. "For far too long, our southern border has been an open door. With the assistance of friends like you, we have made great progress in protecting Americans from illegal border activity. "Also of great importance to our partnership is your willingness to use El Salvador’s new superman prison for Tren de Aragua and MS-13 gang members. You have shown real leadership and are a model for others seeking to work with the United States," Trump continued. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem toured CECOT, El Salvador’s confinement center, last month. Trump concluded the letter by inviting Bukele to join him at the White House on April 14, "for an official working visit to discuss this and other ways we can support each other."

Bloomberg [4/3/2025 2:24 PM, Michael D. McDonald, 16228K] reports that the number of migrants trying to reach the US by trekking through the jungle to Central America plunged 99% in March from a year earlier, continuing a downward trend as Panama President Jose Raul Mulino seeks to close the route. In March, 194 migrants mostly from Venezuela, Colombia and Nepal crossed the forests of the Darien Gap into Panama from Colombia, down from 408 in February, according to data from Panama’s immigration institute. That’s down from nearly 37,000 in March of last year, and the lowest since borders were shut in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. “I said I was going to close it, and I closed it,” Mulino said. The hundreds of thousands of migrants entering the country in years past overwhelmed Panama’s immigration system and led to human rights organizations setting up aid camps to assist migrants. “It was like a living in a 21st century concentration camp,” Mulino said. “Now, that camp is history.” The number of migrants encountered at the US southwest border with Mexico also plunged 94% in February as President Donald Trump increases border enforcement efforts. Mulino said that some migrants, especially Venezuelans, are starting to return through Panama on their way back home. Panama is coordinating their return with neighbors Colombia and Costa Rica and flows are “manageable, for now,” Mulino said.

Bloomberg [4/3/2025 11:17 AM, Stephanie Baker, 16228K] reports that the Trump administration denied parole to a Russian scientist working at Harvard University, saying she is a threat to US security. Kseniia Petrova was stopped by Customs and Border Patrol on Feb. 16 at Boston’s Logan Airport after a trip to France because she had failed to declare frog embryos she brought into the country as part of her research. Petrova told border officials she’ll be in danger if she’s deported back to Russia because of her criticism of the Kremlin. She was previously arrested in Russia in 2022 for protesting the war in Ukraine, according the Harvard Crimson. Her detention comes amid a widespread crackdown on immigration which has seen the Trump administration revoking student visas for pro-Palestinian activists as well as targeting those seeking asylum. After Petrova was arrested in Boston, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement revoked her visa and transferred her to an immigration jail in Louisiana, where she’s being held pending an appearance before an immigration judge on May 7. ICE notified Petrova that her request for parole before her May hearing was denied because she had not proven she isn’t a “danger to the community or US security,” according to a March 30 letter sent to her at the Richwood Correctional Center in Monroe, Louisiana. It said that ICE had taken into account “evidence of past criminal activity” and “activity contrary to US national security interests.” It also said she had not proven she isn’t a flight risk. ICE didn’t respond to a request for comment.

New York Times [4/3/2025 7:46 AM, Jeremy Engle, 145325K] reports Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish graduate student at Tufts University and a Muslim, was heading out to break her Ramadan fast with friends the night of March 25 when she was surrounded and detained by plainclothes and masked agents from the Department of Homeland Security. A surveillance camera captured Ms. Ozturk’s arrest and received millions of views and stirred widespread outrage on social media. The Trump administration said that she had “engaged in activities in support of Hamas.” Her friends and lawyers say all she did was co-write an essay critical of the war in Gaza in the student newspaper. Ms. Ozturk is not the only one being subjected to aggressive arrest tactics of the kind usually reserved for criminal suspects. She is one of at least nine students and academics legally in the United States who have expressed pro-Palestinian views and whom the Trump administration is trying to deport over what it has called ties to antisemitism on campus. And administration officials have signaled that these detentions and deportations reflect the beginning of a broader crackdown on pro-Palestinian protesters. Have you seen videos of Ms. Ozturk’s arrest? Have you read about the detention of other students, like the Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil? What have been your reactions? Do you support the Trump administration’s efforts to detain and deport international college students? Or do you think these actions are a violation of civil liberties — including free expression and due process?

The Hill [4/3/2025 11:30 AM, Lindsay Muir Harris, 12829K] reports that it would be easy to let a seemingly inane technical immigration policy change get lost in the sea of heart wrenching and searing headlines. In the past days and weeks we have seen the disturbing images of close to 300 Venezuelans removed from the United States to a notorious Salvadoran prison, including asylum seekers removed before their day in court. We’ve seen the video of plainclothes Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arresting Turkish graduate student Rümeysa Öztürk in Boston on her way home from breaking her fast. She was disappeared to a detention center in Louisiana, ostensibly for co-authoring an op-ed. We have read about countless individuals, including doctors, farmworker union leaders and activists, a Canadian actress, and so many others arrested and put into ICE detention as detention numbers skyrocket. We have watched as the Trump administration issues executive orders targeting law firms and immigration lawyers who stand up against these policies and fight for immigrants’ rights. There is quite literally something new every day, deepening the fear and unease with which noncitizens move through their daily lives. But last week, the Trump administration "paused" processing for green card (permanent resident) applications from asylees and refugees. This administrative move, a quiet "pause" is nefarious, xenophobic and deeply political. The Trump administration should resume processing of these applications immediately. When it doesn’t resume processing without a court order, support the lawyers and organizations who bring litigation forcing it to do so. "Pausing" adjudication of adjustment of status is morally wrong, xenophobic and harmful to the refugees and asylees we welcomed into the U.S. in the last decade.

The Hill [4/3/2025 11:00 AM, Veronica Cardenas, 12829K] reports that as a former assistant chief counsel with ICE, I have experienced how three different administrations have wielded immigration authority. Mahmoud Khalil’s case is different. Not because his arrest was authorized by Secretary of State Marco Rubio finding that Khalil’s "presence or activities in the U.S. would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy effect," but because the American people are watching. People watched as ICE agents went inside Khalil’s home on March 8, 2025, to arrest him, at first disclosing that his visa was being revoked, only to switch the charge when they discovered that he was a lawful permanent resident. The acting field office director, William P. Joyce, even submitted a sworn affidavit stating that Khalil was arrested "in front" of the residence, only to amend it the next day to state Khalil was arrested "in the front foyer." These contradictions aren’t anomalies but symptoms of an agency that has been afforded the presumption of reliability for too long. In immigration proceedings, judges are instructed to believe ICE officers over non-citizens, reinforcing a system where ICE’s statements are presumed truthful, even when they contradict themselves. Meanwhile, non-citizens enter the courtroom with a presumption of guilt, forced to prove their credibility in an already biased system.

The Hill [4/3/2025 1:30 PM, Don Wolfensberger, 12829K] reports that something about Washington loves a good scandal: big or small, true or false, verifiable or unreliable. Like rumors, scandals come in all shapes and sizes. Like rumors, most have some basis in fact, but then increasingly transmogrify by sprouting new appendages, all depending on who is telling the tale. At the first scent of scandal, the media buzzards start circling and the political grackles start cackling. It’s an almost electric phenomenon that excites the city as rumors grow and take on new life. This whole phenomenon surfaced again recently with, "Signalgate" after an internal executive branch national security conversation among principals over the commercial messaging app, Signal, came to light when a journalist was inadvertently included on the thread. The transcript included details on when airstrikes on Houthi militants in Yemen would occur, and what type of aircraft and munitions were being used. Signalgate is nowhere close to Watergate, but it is a reminder of how such incidents can escalate as additional evidence is uncovered displacing clever denials and deflections. Some Democrats in Congress are calling for scalps in the form of firings or resignations. But the fact that some Republicans are calling for a full accounting through investigations is a sign that this is no mere game of partisan dodgeball. This is the real deal.

New York Times [4/4/2025 1:00 AM, Rebecca Hanson, David Smilde and Verónica Zubillaga, 330K] reports the Trump administration last month deported scores of Venezuelan men to El Salvador, sending them to a maximum-security prison for gang members. The administration claimed that most of the men were members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, a group that, according to the executive order decreeing the deportations, is “conducting irregular warfare and undertaking hostile actions against the United States.” Tren de Aragua is not invading America. While the research organization InSight Crime, which has tracked the gang for years, has found that it does have a limited presence in the United States, researchers have seen no evidence that it has organized cells in the country that cooperate with one another, much less receive directions from abroad. The exaggerated government claims and ensuing public concern about the group’s activities in the United States amount to a classic moral panic, in which a handful of crimes are cited by politicians as evidence of an urgent threat to society. To be sure, Tren de Aragua is a dangerous group, responsible for horrendous crimes in Venezuela and elsewhere in South America. The three of us have spent decades studying violence in Venezuela precisely because we understand its ability to destroy lives, families and neighborhoods. But central to creating a more secure world is getting the facts, causes and solutions right. So far, many American politicians, police officers and journalists have failed to do so, and instead have perpetuated significant misconceptions about Tren de Aragua. The biggest misconception concerns the group’s organizational capacity. Tren de Aragua was recently designated a terrorist organization by the United States, alongside much more established groups like the Mara Salvatrucha in El Salvador and cartels in Mexico. Calling criminal groups terrorist is always a stretch since they usually do not aim at changing government policy.

CBS Austin [4/3/2025 12:26 PM, Austin Denean, 602K] reports that the Trump administration is continuing its immigration crackdown and targeting suspected members of foreign gangs that it says are invading the country and posing a risk to public safety. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests have skyrocketed in President Donald Trump’s first few months in office as the administration has shifted federal resources around to focus more efforts on deportations with an emphasis on removing migrants with criminal histories and suspected ties to gangs. The agency said it had already made nearly 33,000 arrests in Trump’s first 50 days in office in a move that has coincided with a sharp drop-off in encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border. Among the arrests are multiple alleged members of violent gangs like MS-13 and Tren de Aragua that have been accused of committing violent crimes in their home countries and within the U.S. after crossing the border illegally. Federal law enforcement has increased its focus on transnational gangs over the last several years after a series of violent incidents with thousands of members in the U.S. that law enforcement says pose a danger to public safety.

CNN [4/3/2025 6:00 AM, Celina Tebor, 48304K] reports that, after his two deployments to Iraq and despite falling into legal trouble, Marlon Parris learned the US government was not pursuing deportation proceedings against him. The letter had been a welcome assurance some six months before President Donald Trump’s 2016 election that the Department of Homeland Security and its Immigration and Customs Enforcement bureau didn’t intend to send the US Army veteran back to his native Trinidad and Tobago, even after he pleaded guilty and served prison time for felony conspiracy to distribute cocaine as part of a sophisticated, big-money cocaine ring. Since Parris had come to the US as a child in 1997, he had been a lawful permanent resident. As a soldier, he sought full citizenship, a benefit military recruiters often tout to entice foreigners. But his deployments, his wife told CNN, prevented him from seeing the process through, another common obstacle noncitizen service members face. During his years in the Army, Parris was among the first teams sent overseas in Operation Iraqi Freedom, then returned to Iraq two years later, according to his wife and military records. He earned awards, including a service medal for the global war on terrorism and one for good conduct. Parris, who has suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, figured immigration officials’ letter in 2016 – and his green card renewal the following year – meant he “was given full clearance to basically live life as normal,” said his wife, Tanisha Hartwell-Parris, an American citizen. But two days after Trump retook the White House this year on promises of tightening America’s borders and expelling violent criminals, Parris found himself at a red light in his Arizona neighborhood, surrounded by unmarked SUVs. It was the feds. Parris, now 45, called his wife. “ICE is about to detain me,” he told her, she recalled in February to CNN’s Victor Blackwell. Now, more than two months later, the couple is still waiting to understand why an agency that had explicitly stated it was not pursuing deportation proceedings against Parris still has him in custody and is trying to remove him from the country he served on the battlefield – a circumstance scores of veterans reportedly have faced in recent years.

CBS Austin [4/3/2025 10:55 AM, Kristine Frazao, 602K] reports that it can start out innocently enough, with an offer for a job to work in a hotel, restaurant or casino, but within days or weeks, young people across the U.S. can become victims of human trafficking. It’s a $150 billion industry. Worldwide, it impacts 27 million people a year, according to the U.S. State Department. In an interview with WEYI, Heather Pagan told her story of being a survivor of human trafficking. I met my first trafficker at the age of 14 who took advantage of a lot of vulnerabilities that I had," said Pagan. "I had some childhood trauma, came from a very disturbed family.” Pagan told her story publicly as a way to help others, including in a new Fisher Films Documentary, "The Slave in your Backyard." If they want to ship you in a container, they can and they will," she says in the trailer. The documentary focuses on the subtle reality of human trafficking, that "predators hide in plain sight.” In an interview with Sinclair, Brandi Bynum, who is the acting unit chief, at the DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking, said one of the biggest myths is that it only happens in other countries. In fact, she said it’s a big issue in the U.S. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

PBS [4/3/2025 6:35 PM, John Yang, 10355K] Video: HERE reports one of the most contentious immigration policies in recent decades has been the detention of undocumented immigrant families. The Trump administration plans to detain thousands more in an effort to crack down on border crossings and legal pathways to asylum. John Yang discussed more with Caitlin Dickerson of The Atlantic.

ABC News [4/3/2025 4:54 PM, Bill Hutchinson] reports the Trump administration has set off a legal and ethical firestorm by targeting international students at U.S. colleges for deportation, including some whom the government alleges participated in pro-Palestinian protests or activities on campuses. The Trump administration has claimed without presenting evidence that some of those students support the terrorist organization Hamas, while the students say the White House is treading on their constitutional right to free speech and the longstanding tradition of participating in campus demonstrations. Since President Trump’s Jan. 30 executive order to "combat the explosion of anti-Semitism on our campuses and streets" in the aftermath of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, the State Department has revoked around 300 visas so far, many of them held by college students alleged to have participated in pro-Palestinian activities on the nation’s campuses, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The Hill [4/3/2025 1:13 PM, Tara Suter, 12829K] reports that a majority of Americans oppose deporting migrants who have not been convicted to El Salvador without due process, according to a new survey, as the Trump administration defends its deportation efforts amid broad scrutiny. Six in 10 respondents in a YouGov survey released Wednesday said they did not support "deporting immigrants without criminal convictions to El Salvador to be imprisoned, without letting them challenge the deportation in court." That included 46 percent who "strongly" opposed such deportations. Meanwhile, 26 percent of respondents said they were in favor of such deportations, and another 13 percent were unsure. The Trump administration has recently used the Alien Enemies Act and immigration authorities to send hundreds of migrants it has alleged are gang members to a Salvadoran prison. But critics have called for outside oversight, with civil liberty advocates warning the administration is rushing to deport individuals without offering full evidence to support allegations of gang affiliation. The Trump administration on Monday acknowledged in a filing in court that it accidentally deported someone protected from removal, sending the man to the Salvadoran prison where they said they could not secure his return. "Although ICE was aware of his protection from removal to El Salvador, Abrego Garcia was removed to El Salvador because of an administrative error," the Justice Department said in the court filing, using an abbreviation for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

CNN [4/4/2025 5:00 AM, Priscilla Alvarez, Katelyn Polantz and Evan Perez, 22131K] reports the Trump administration’s aggressive and fast-paced effort to advance its immigration agenda has exposed existing challenges with a dated system and raised concerns that authorities are flouting due process to ram deportations through. Since taking office, President Donald Trump and his team have taken extraordinary measures to crack down on immigration, including invoking a rarely used wartime authority, known as the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, that has pitted the administration against a federal judge and prompted public backlash. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has made multiple missteps in recent weeks, including mistakenly deporting a Salvadoran man whose case will be heard in a federal courtroom on Friday. The errors kept happening despite federal agents assuring they are carefully vetting each person before putting them on flights to a notorious prison in El Salvador. Trump’s border czar Tom Homan has repeatedly maintained that authorities have done due diligence to gather information that the migrants they are deporting should be removed, especially from the Latin American gangs MS-13 or Tren de Aragua. After hundreds of alleged gang members were flown to El Salvador last month in possible violation of a judge’s order, Homan said in an interview with ABC that "every single" migrant was a member of one of the gangs "according to the information" given to him "from the field.” "A lot of gang members don’t have criminal histories, like a lot of terrorists in this world," Homan said. "We have to count on social media, we have to count on surveillance techniques, we have to count on sworn statements from other gang members.” Multiple detainees on those flights were eventually returned to the US because the Salvadoran prison wouldn’t take them once they landed there.

Dallas Morning News [4/4/2025 2:30 AM, Staff, 2778K] reports that, if you eat American-grown produce or meat, then you should be concerned about the current status of America’s food security. We’re not talking about scarce water supplies or Chinese investment in American farms. What we’re talking about is what it takes to plant, nourish, harvest and prepare the food we consume on a daily basis. And what it takes is the hard work of millions of people spread out across farms from Alaska to Florida and everywhere in between. President Donald Trump has begun making good on key pillars of his political agenda, chief among them is his focus on immigration. From downtown Chicago to orange farms in Bakersfield, Calif., sweeping immigration raids are having an impact throughout towns and cities, but perhaps most acutely on American farms. With an estimated 40% of farmworkers in the United States being undocumented, President Trump’s immigration policy priorities could have a direct impact on American food security. That is to say that the detention or removal of thousands of farm workers will lead to chain reactions of lost crops, skyrocketing labor costs, higher food prices and, ultimately, the deterioration of our American agricultural sector. Even before the recent uptick in deportations, labor shortages were considered the single most pressing issue facing the U.S. agricultural sector. In 2023, of the more than 380,000 positions requested, farmers received fewer than 10,000 job applications from American workers, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. In 2024, the U.S. agricultural sector estimated a nationwide 2.4 million worker deficit. Simply put, there are not sufficient numbers of American workers to meet the labor needs of American farms. Without U.S.-based workers, some farms are giving automation a try. From cotton-picking robots in Texas to AI-trained apple harvesters in Oregon, technological solutions are finding their way to the fields. However, in addition to often being more expensive than hiring people, the machines frequently damage produce, can’t distinguish ripeness and are slower than their human counterparts. Automation has proven particularly tricky for delicate crops like strawberries, which are often damaged by the machines, rendering the fruit unattractive to American consumers.

USA Today [4/3/2025 2:59 PM, Trevor Hughes, 75858K] reports a Boston judge held an ICE agent in contempt after the agent detained a defendant during a trial recess and refused to return him to court. Wilson Martell-Lebron was on trial for making false statements on his driver’s license application when plainclothes ICE agents took him into custody. A Boston judge has issued contempt-of-court charges against an ICE agent after he detained a criminal defendant mid-trial and refused to return him to the courtroom. Boston Municipal Court Judge Mark Summerville ordered a contempt charge against ICE agent Brian Sullivan after federal agents took Wilson Martell-Lebron into custody last week during a break in proceedings. Martell-Lebron was on trial for making false statements on his driver’s license application, and witnesses described how plainclothes agents surrounded Martell-Lebron and whisked him away in an unmarked truck. Because ICE refused to return the defendant to court, Summerville dismissed the charges against him before issuing the contempt charge against Sullivan. Hayden said Martell-Lebron is from the Dominican Republic, and has been accused by ICE of living without permission in the United States. Hayden said ICE’s actions set a dangerous precedent by scaring victims and witnesses from coming forward in other cases.

PIX11 [4/3/2025 4:29 PM, Mira Wassef, Emily Rahhal] reports more than 300 migrants were arrested at JFK Airport in the last two months, according to U.S. border officials. U. S. Customs and Border Protection officers detained 194 migrants in March and 135 in February, authorities said. In January, ICE agents arrested dozens of migrants in New York City accused of committing crimes, authorities said. A top target in raids was 25-year-old Anderson Zambrano-Pacheco, an alleged leader of the Tren de Aragua terrorist gang from Venezuela, DHS told PIX11 News. After the influx of hundreds of thousands of migrants in the past few years, the city has begun shutting down migrant shelters.

Yahoo! News [4/3/2025 9:35 AM, Jim Ehmke, 52868K] reports that ICE agents have conducted a raid on a construction company in Delaware County. According to the Oneonta Daily Star, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers made several arrests at Alpine Metal Roofing on River Street. Local police agencies told the Daily Star that they were made aware of the arrests but did not participate in them. News 34 reached out to Alpine for comment but has not received a reply.

Newsweek [4/3/2025 11:37 AM, Dan Gooding, 52220K] reports that as more stories emerge of the migrants deported from the United States to El Salvador, the "administrative error" that put Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Maryland father said to have legal status, on one of the planes has caused outrage among many Americans who see the deportation flights as a flagrant miscarriage of due process. But the man’s alleged gang ties have made this case more complex. The U.S. government has long-argued that Abrego Garcia resident has ties to MS-13, a criminal gang that began in immigrant communities in Los Angeles with ties to Central and South American countries. His attorneys argue he doesn’t have a criminal history and has never been charged with a crime in the U.S., El Salvador, or anywhere else. In 2019 during an immigration hearing, a judge issued a removal order, but added a clause preventing Abrego Garcia’s removal to El Salvador because there was enough evidence he could be persecuted if returned home. That order appeared to have been missed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) a few weeks ago, when the Salvadoran national was put on a plane to his home country destined for its notorious CECOT prison, separating him from his U.S. citizen wife and disabled son, according to court filings. "The judge found he was in MS-13 and then granted him protection from a rival gang," a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told Newsweek Wednesday.

AP [4/3/2025 8:19 AM, Ben Finley, 44742K] reports that, in the 22 days since Maryland resident Kilmar Abrego Garcia was mistakenly deported to a notoriously violent prison in El Salvador, his young son has sought comfort in the scent of his missing father’s clothes. “He shows me how much he missed Kilmar,” Abrego Garcia’s wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, said in court documents. “He has been finding Kilmar’s work shirts and smelling them, to smell Kilmar’s familiar scent.” Abrego Garcia, 29, who worked as a sheet metal apprentice and was pursuing his journeyman license, was pulled over in an Ikea parking lot and arrested on March 12, with his 5-year-old son in the car. An immigration judge in 2019 had granted him protection from being deported back to El Salvador, where Abrego Garcia was likely to face persecution by local gangs. He had a legal work permit issued by the Department of Homeland Security, his lawyer said. Yet he was sent back to his native El Salvador, which President Donald Trump ‘s administration acknowledged on Monday was an “administrative error.” Despite this, White House officials have argued against bringing him back, alleging without showing proof that he has ties to the MS-13 gang. The administration further says it lacks the power to seek his return from El Salvador’s government, noting that a U.S. court could at best order the White House to “entreat — or even cajole — a close ally.” Abrego Garcia’s mistaken deportation has outraged many while raising concerns about the expulsion of noncitizens who were granted permission to be in the United States. Abrego Garcia’s family and attorneys have denied any gang ties and argue that the U.S. has little evidence to support its claim. In court documents filed Wednesday, his lawyers argued that the U.S. government’s mistake must be corrected and that he be returned. Otherwise, immigration court orders are “meaningless, because the government can deport whomever they want, wherever they want, whenever they want,” attorney Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg wrote. Sandoval-Moshenberg noted the U.S. has been paying El Salvador’s government to incarcerate Abrego Garcia and other deportees. He argued that efforts to return him would likely be successful: “First, just ask them nicely to please give him back to us.” [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

The Hill [4/3/2025 6:00 AM, Rebecca Beitsch, 12829K] reports the Trump administration’s admission that it sent a Maryland man to a Salvadoran prison in error shows the need for outside oversight, critics say, as they fight efforts to ship migrants to overseas facilities. Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national, was sent by the Trump administration to El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) despite being granted protection from removal in 2019 by an immigration judge. The Trump team admitted the mistake — something it said was due to "an administrative error" — but has argued it would be difficult to secure Abrego Garcia’s return from outside the U.S. where they must "entreat—or even cajole" a close ally to release him. The disclosure comes as the Trump administration has used both the Alien Enemies Act and immigration authorities to fly both Venezuelan and Salvadoran men it’s accused of being gang members to CECOT without any review of their alleged ties. "The critical need for due process is becoming clearer every day as more and more evidence emerges that the government is making mistakes in rushing people off to a notorious foreign prison," Lee Gelernt, the lead attorney in a case from the American Civil Liberties Union challenging President Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act, told The Hill by email. While Abrego Garcia is the only man who the Trump administration has said was sent to the prison in error, others whose families have challenged their removal to El Salvador have said they were wrongly deported. Some had entered the country legally and had pending cases before immigration court judges. One man, Andry José Hernández Romero, was flown to El Salvador as his attorneys were preparing to respond to the allegations in court, only to be suddenly unable to reach their client. And like Abrego Garcia, attorneys for many of the imprisoned men have said they were falsely accused of gang ties, often based simply on the presence of tattoos. Hernández Romero, who is a gay makeup artist from Venezuela, was accused of being a member of the Tren de Aragua gang based on having tattoos reading "mom" and "dad" in Spanish beneath a crown. Friends have said the crown was a nod to the Three Kings Day celebrations his hometown is known for. Another, a soccer player, was identified as a gang member citing his tattoos, but the designs were a nod to the soccer team Real Madrid. Nayna Gupta, policy director at the American Immigration Council, said the Trump administration is essentially disappearing people. "What the Trump administration is doing with these removals to El Salvador is sidestepping that already low level of due process in immigration proceedings and taking us to a place where they’re essentially yanking people out of their ongoing cases or the street and putting them on a flight somewhere else based on an accusation that they have not proved at all."

Yahoo! News [4/3/2025 5:26 PM, Bailey Striepling, 52868K] reports three suspects have been arrested following a residential burglary that occurred in a Weddington neighborhood. On February 2, deputies responded to a call regarding an active break-in at a residence within the Highgate neighborhood. The suspects, however, managed to flee the scene before deputies arrived. UCSO detectives, working in close collaboration with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the York County Sheriff’s Office, the Huntersville Police Department, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, successfully identified three individuals connected to the crime and arrested the individuals Tuesday, April 1 in Columbia, South Carolina. The three individuals taken into custody have been identified as Joiner Jhosuet Cortes. Morales, Terry Stiven Cajamarca-Grijalba, and Cristian Hernan Pirajan-Rivera, all of whom are foreign nationals from Colombia. Each suspect has a criminal history spanning multiple states and is wanted for numerous burglary-related offenses across the United States. All three are currently being held at the York County Detention Center in South Carolina under secured bonds of $300,000 each. In addition to their local charges, they are also being held on detainers issued by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and each offender will face extradition to other jurisdictions where they are wanted for additional crimes.

Yahoo! News [4/3/2025 6:11 PM, Staff, 52868K] reports three Colombian nationals have been arrested in connection with a residential burglary in the Highgate neighborhood of Weddington, following an extensive investigation by the Union County Sheriff’s Office and multiple law enforcement agencies. The suspects, identified as Joiner Jhosuet Cortes Morales, Terry Stiven Cajamarca-Grijalba, and Cristian Hernan Pirajan-Rivera, were apprehended in Columbia, South Carolina. They are believed to be part of a transnational criminal enterprise known as the ‘South American Theft Group,’ which targets high-end residential properties across the United States. "These arrests are a direct result of determined, coordinated law enforcement efforts across multiple jurisdictions," said Sheriff Eddie Cathey. "Our investigators, alongside our law enforcement partners, have worked relentlessly to identify, track, and apprehend these dangerous criminals.” The burglary occurred on February 2, 2025, in the Highgate neighborhood of Weddington. Despite a rapid response from deputies, the suspects managed to flee the scene before law enforcement arrived. Following the incident, the Union County Sheriff’s Office (UCSO) initiated a comprehensive investigation, collaborating with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the York County Sheriff’s Office, the Huntersville Police Department, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED). The three suspects, who have criminal histories spanning multiple states, are currently held at the York County Detention Center in South Carolina under secured bonds of $300,000 each. They are also subject to detainers issued by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and face extradition to other jurisdictions for additional crimes.

FOX News [4/3/2025 10:57 AM, Peter D’Abrosca, 52868K] reports that as the Trump administration continues to ramp up detainment and deportation operations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will have 500 more beds for detainees thanks to a new partnership with the Glades County Sheriff’s Office in Florida. "The Glades County Jail center will serve as a staging area and allow greater capacity to address our immigration enforcement mission," acting Miami ICE Field Office Director Juan Agudelo said in a statement. "The central location streamlines logistics and helps facilitate the timely processing of illegal aliens in our custody that are subject to arrest, detention and removal from our country." The move is a reinstatement of a previous intergovernmental service agreement with the Glades County Board of County Commissioners, according to ICE. "The facility will expand ICE’s detention capacity in Florida, enhancing the agency’s ability to manage the region’s growing enforcement and removal operations," the statement said. ICE is conducting flights to remove illegal immigrants from the U.S. and back to their home countries. The announcement was made at the same time that The Miami Herald reported that the Florida Highway Patrol had been directed by state authorities to arrest and jail illegal immigrants for offenses like driving without a valid license.

Axios [4/3/2025 3:30 PM, Martin Vassolo, Sommer Brugal, 13163K] reports the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown is sparking fear among members of Miami’s Venezuelan and Haitian communities, some of whom could be deported if their humanitarian protections end. The Trump administration moved to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 350,000 Venezuelan citizens effective April 7, though a judge temporarily suspended the order on Monday. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced an end to humanitarian parole for citizens of Haiti, Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua, which would take effect later this month. Noem is also curtailing TPS protections for about 500,000 Haitian citizens, which will expire in August instead of early 2026.

Newsweek [4/3/2025 6:47 AM, Billal Rahman, 52220K] reports a gay Russian scientist who has spent nearly 10 months in ICE detention after a mistake led to the revocation of his visa has told Newsweek of the harsh conditions he is living in, saying he was treated like an "animal in a cage.” He fears being deported to Russia, where the government has cracked down on LGBTQ+ individuals, labeling them as extremists. In November 2023, Russia officially classified LGBTQ+ individuals and activists as extremists. This designation has led to increased persecution, arrests, and violence against the community. President Donald Trump has promised large-scale deportations as he looks to remove millions of undocumented immigrants from the country. The White House has previously said that anyone in the country illegally is a "criminal.” Egor arrived in the United States legally on a visa in May 2024 to visit a friend in Los Angeles. A few days later, he took a short trip to Tijuana, Mexico. To comply with U.S. immigration rules, he attempted to notify authorities of his exit and reentry. However, due to an error in the process, he mistakenly submitted an asylum request instead of the required I-94 form. When he tried to return to the U.S., he was immediately detained, his visa was revoked, and he was transferred to ICE custody during the Joe Biden administration. Since then, he has spent nearly 10 months at Winn Correctional Center in Louisiana, a facility with allegedly harsh conditions. "My passport was "grabbed" by DHS [Department of Homeland Security] forces, and I was put in humiliating conditions without any understanding about the duration when I would be released. Winn Correctional Center, where I am ‘staying’ right now, has a very bad reputation for the swampy hole. If you come here, it means you can stay here a very long time," Egor said. "Conditions in every facility were different from one another, but had the same description in common—it looks like we are in the human traffic machine," he added. "All day we are sitting in the room for 48 people, a blurred window with a 5-mm layer of dust. TV with antenna problems. Toilets in the same space, with plastic transparent walls," Egor said. He has described the "harsh" conditions inside ICE detention as grim. He shares a dormitory with 47 other detainees in an overcrowded and stressful environment. "I’m scared I will go nuts if I stay here longer. My sister is trying to help me get deported to Mexico, where she has been living for almost three years. I hope that will be possible, and soon I will forget all these terrible places. I didn’t expect that the United States could treat me like an animal in a cage," Egor said in a statement shared through his sister, Katya.

NBC News [4/3/2025 11:59 AM, Nicole Acevedo, 44742K] reports that a Venezuelan man who was arrested by immigration authorities last month before he was able to become an organ donor to help his ailing brother is being released from detention, according to the Chicago-based nonprofit representing the family. José Gregorio González, who is being held in the Clay County Detention Center in Indiana, could be released as early as Friday, an advocate and a spokesperson for The Resurrection Project confirmed to NBC News on Thursday. The nonprofit had been rallying community members in the Chicago area in support of the brothers, organizing a vigil Monday evening to demand González’s release on humanitarian parole. "This marks a victory for humanity and compassion," Eréndira Rendón, chief program officer for The Resurrection Project, said in a statement. "ICE will temporarily release José Gregorio González, allowing him to save his brother’s life through kidney donation.” Rendón applauded the decision, saying it "recognizes that our fundamental human rights transcend immigration status.” "We are grateful to everyone who stood with the Gonzalez family," she added. NBC News has reached out to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for comment. The Hill [4/3/2025 2:33 PM, Gabriel Castillo and Dana Rebik, 12829K] reports attorneys received a call on Wednesday morning informing them that 43-year-old Jose Gregorio Gonzalez would be released from custody after spending the last month at the Clay County Detention Center in Brazil, Ind., just west of Indianapolis. Gonzalez had been detained by ICE after he accompanied his brother, Jose Alfredo Gonzalez, to a kidney dialysis appointment. Gonzalez had served as his brother’s caregiver since coming to the U.S. from Venezuela one year ago and was being monitored by immigration officials after being released on humanitarian parole. The brothers had upcoming appointments at the University of Illinois Hospital to discuss the next steps in the transplant process. Even if he was not a match for his brother, Gonzalez could donate his kidney to someone else through an organ-swap program, and his brother could move up the list to get an organ in return. After being detained last month, lawyers filed for a stay of removal, which was denied. On Monday, advocates rallied on his behalf, holding a vigil calling for his release. ICE did not provide details on the terms or length of the release, only that it is an alternative to detention, meaning Gonzalez will likely be under some kind of monitoring. Attorneys on Wednesday said they do not know exactly when Gonzalez would be released, but they expected it in the coming days.

Yahoo! News [4/3/2025 8:42 PM, Adam Rosen, 52868K] reports a 37-year-old Mexican citizen illegally in the United States was sentenced on Wednesday by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 51 months in federal prison for drug trafficking. According to Timothy M. O’Shea, the United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, Eli Torres-Banos pled guilty on January 14 to a charge of possession of over five kilograms of cocaine intended for distribution. In November 2023, Torres-Banos was indicted for illegally entering the United States after he was previously deported and a warrant was issued. He was arrested in Ixonia, Wisconsin, by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. That same day, he made a phone call to somebody he claimed was his wife, but an ICE agent overheard him say in Spanish that drugs were in a vehicle’s trunk. The Jefferson County Drug Task Force was alerted and searched the car, finding about 8.5 kilograms of cocaine. Torres-Banos was sentenced to a year in federal prison on June 4, 2024, due to his conviction of illegal reentry. The drug crime sentence stemmed from his criminal history, and the crime arose from a previous arrest. No additional details were provided.

CBS Minnesota [4/3/2025 11:26 AM, Staff, 51661K] reports that a federal judge is ordering federal and state officials — including President Trump — to give reasoning for a University of Minnesota grad student’s detainment by immigration agents. U.S. District Judge Douglas Micko issued the ruling Wednesday evening, saying the federal government must respond to 28-year-old Dogukan Gunaydin’s petition for his immediate release. The government must respond no later than Friday, the judge ruled, and its response needs to "[certify] the true cause and proper duration of [Gunaydin’s] confinement and [show] cause why the writ should not be granted in this case." Gunaydin and his attorneys will have a week to respond after the administration’s filing. In addition to Trump, the order is addressed to Sherburne County Sheriff Joel Brott, local ICE and Department of Homeland Security representatives, ICE acting directors Todd Lyons and Kristi Noem and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The Department of Homeland Security told WCCO Gunaydin was arrested after his visa was revoked because of a DWI in 2023. But Gunaydin’s lawyer provided records that show the visa was revoked several hours after the arrest, so she says he was detained while having lawful student status. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Houston Chronicle [4/3/2025 11:12 AM, Matt deGrood, 1769K] reports that around 174 people in the Houston region were deported to Mexico the last two weeks of March, according to officials with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The announcement on Thursday was the latest high-profile news releases about the agency’s efforts under the second President Donald Trump administration. It follows on the heels of a raid on Colony Ridge and other raids around the region. While the release contained allegations that those deported included 24 gang members, a combined 610 criminal convictions and 415 removal orders against them, it contained few details about their identities. The Chronicle has filed a records request seeking information about those that ICE has detained since the start of the Trump administration. As of Thursday, that request had gone unanswered. ICE officials said the 174 people were deported between March 17 and March 28.

FOX News [4/3/2025 3:45 PM, Michael Dorgan Fox, 46189K] reports a two-week clampdown on illegal immigration in Texas has resulted in more than 170 criminal migrants being arrested and deported to Mexico, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). ICE Houston said Thursday that those arrested included two convicted on homicide-related charges, and Julian Estrada-Garcia, an alien from Mexico who had illegally entered the U.S. 39 times. In total, 174 criminal illegal migrants, including 24 gang members, were nabbed in the operation from March 17 through March 28. The group accounted for 610 criminal convictions with four convictions for rape or sexual assault and five convictions for child sex offenses. Other serious offenses included 146 convictions for driving while intoxicated, 72 convictions for aggravated assault or assault, while other offenses included eight hit and runs, human smuggling convictions and drug trafficking. Bret Bradford, field office director for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston, said the operation was a small snapshot of the work ICE agents carry out every day to enhance public safety. It follows a previous weeklong multiagency operation in the area that netted nearly 543 criminal migrants, seven of whom were gang members.

Houston Chronicle [4/3/2025 4:46 PM, John Wayne Ferguson, 1769K] reports hundreds of officers from more than a dozen law enforcement agencies raided 30 Houston game rooms Wednesday in an attempt to dismantle a large illegal gambling network, officials said. The U.S. Department of Justice announced charges against 16 people Thursday, including a man they said was the mastermind behind the multi-million dollar operation. The raids were carried out across the Houston region from Nassau Bay to Jersey Village and from Missouri City to Baytown. During the raids, authorities seized $4.5 million in cash, $5 million in property and vehicles and 2,000 slot machines, according to the Department of Justice. Nicholas Ganjei, the interim U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, said the raids were the result of a five-year investigation into game rooms allegedly operated by Nizar Ali. He is accused of operating a network of illegal casinos that generated as much as $22 million in illegal proceeds over the last five years, Ganjei said. An unsealed indictment revealed Ali and 15 other people were charged in connection to the investigation. All of the defendants were charged with conspiracy, illegal gambling business, interstate travel in aid of racketeering and money laundering conspiracy. Ali is also charged with bribery, according to court records. Along with those named in the indictment, the Justice Department said 31 people were arrested on "various immigration and firearms charges." Authorities said those people were all in the country without permission, and were either game room patrons or employees. Their names and the charges against them weren’t announced Thursday. Those people were transferred into ICE custody, officials said.

Washington Examiner [4/3/2025 1:08 PM, Anna Giaritelli, 2296K] reports that federal immigration authorities in Houston deported 174 illegal immigrants with more than 600 criminal convictions across the group, including a number of previously deported repeat offenders, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Between March 17 and 28, ICE’s Houston office removed illegal immigrants with significant criminal histories to Mexico, the agency announced in a press release Thursday. The group of illegal immigrants had been deported previously a combined 415 times. ICE did not release the names of the immigrants but provided details on some of their backgrounds. "This is just a small snapshot of the amazing work that the brave men and women at ICE do every day to enhance public safety in Southeast Texas," ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston Field Office Director Bret Bradford said in a statement. "Fueled by our unwavering commitment to protect the public from harm, and united in our determination to restore integrity to our nation’s system of laws, ICE will continue to aggressively pursue and remove anyone who threatens the safety of our communities and the national security of our country."

Yahoo! News [4/3/2025 1:57 PM, Cooper Worth, 52868K] reports that in the months since President Donald Trump resumed office, there has been much discussion in Iowa and abroad on sanctuary cities. Trump signed an executive order on his first day in office threatening to exclude sanctuary cities that "seek to interfere with the lawful exercise of Federal law enforcement operations" from receiving federal funds. In February, Winneshiek County Sheriff Dan Marx was given the title "Sanctuary Sheriff" after he wrote in a Facebook post that his office would not cooperate with detainer requests from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Immigration detainers are requests from ICE to federal, state or local law enforcement to hold a person for up to 48 hours beyond the time they would ordinarily be released. Marx’s move spurred backlash from Republican lawmakers in the state. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird filed a lawsuit against the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office, alleging Marx violated state law by refusing to comply with ICE requests, which was supported by Gov. Kim Reynolds.

FOX News [4/3/2025 11:45 AM, Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, 46189K] reports that a crew of "highly sophisticated" Colombian nationals has been arrested in Aurora, Colorado, after allegedly targeting and burglarizing nearly two dozen homes, authorities revealed. The Auroroa Police Department announced in a release that authorities arrested five suspects Thursday, March 27, during searches of two homes. Police said multiple agencies recovered hundreds of pieces of stolen property, including cash, jewelry, and high-priced clothing and accessories. Police said the suspects operated a "sophisticated" burglary ring and used counter-surveillance measures to target their victims, using signal jamming technology to bypass residential alarm systems. "This was a thorough and exhaustive investigation conducted by our detectives," said Marc Paolino, commander of the Aurora Police Department Investigations Bureau. "I couldn’t be prouder of the commitment and dedication of our officers and investigators.” The department announced the arrest of Yesid Alexander Espinosa-Castro, 27; Freddy Giovanni Castro Garzon, 44; Yineth Karina Medina Acevedo, 29; Joseph Michud Cruz Marquez, 27; and Jhoan Sebastian Vanegas-Garcia, 26. Four suspects were taken into custody in Colorado, while police in Ohio picked up the fifth. Authorities said the suspects are in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

The Financial Express [4/4/2025 3:53 AM, Staff, 9411K] reports the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has updated its policy to clarify that it will now only recognize two biological sexes while processing immigration benefit applications: one is male, and the other is female. The change has been implemented since April 2, 2025, and follows the executive order announced by President Donald Trump in January. The order was titled "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.” The policy directs USCIS officers to depend on the sex designation recorded on a birth certificate issued during the time of birth or closest to it. If, in a case, the birth certificate does not mention a non-binary or unspecified gender, then secondary evidence will be utilised for determining the sex of the applicant. This explanation has been published across many volumes of the USCIS Policy Manual and replaces any earlier guidance. National security is cited as a reason behind the decision. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin defended the change, stating, "There are only two sexes-male and female." She added that the change in policy is part of a broader initiative to ensure that federal practices reflect what she explained as ‘biological realty’. "This is about national security and good governance," McLaughlin added further. It’s not a place to accredit ideologies that undermine biological truth or harm women and children.” The USCIS highlighted that it would not reject applications solely based on an applicant’s sex designation. It also clarified that it will not issue documents with blank or alternative sex fields that conflict with the official record. Any discrepancies might result in the delay of the processing, and applicants may be informed if the sex mentioned in the official documents is different from the one they have submitted in the application. The Washington Blade [4/3/2025 7:05 PM, Michael K. Lavers, 87K] reports “Proper management of our immigration system is a matter of national security, not a place to promote and coddle an ideology that permanently harms children and robs real women of their dignity, safety, and well-being,” [McLaughlin] added. The press release notes USCIS “considers a person’s sex as that which is generally evidenced on the birth certificate issued at or nearest to the time of birth.” “If the birth certificate issued at or nearest to the time of birth indicates a sex other than male or female, USCIS will base the determination of sex on secondary evidence,” it reads. The USCIS Policy Manuel defines “secondary evidence” as “evidence that may demonstrate a fact is more likely than not true, but the evidence does not derive from a primary, authoritative source.” “Records maintained by religious or faith-based organizations showing that a person was divorced at a certain time are an example of secondary evidence of the divorce,” it says. USCIS in its press release notes it “will not deny benefits solely because the benefit requestor did not properly indicate his or her sex.” “This is a cruel and unnecessary policy that puts transgender, nonbinary, and intersex immigrants in danger,” said Immigration Equality Law and Policy Director Bridget Crawford on Wednesday. “The U.S. government is now forcing people to carry identity documents that do not reflect who they are, opening them up to increased discrimination, harassment, and violence. This policy does not just impact individuals — it affects their ability to travel, work, access healthcare, and live their lives authentically.”

Bloomberg Law [4/3/2025 11:39 AM, Andrew Kreighbaum, 120K] reports US businesses can keep thousands of Venezuelan workers on the job for now as litigation proceeds over the Trump administration’s efforts to remove temporary deportation protections, immigration attorneys and advocates say. Some 350,000 Venezuelans with Temporary Protected Status faced loss of protections as soon as this week before a court order blocked their termination. Plaintiffs said many had already gotten notifications from employers that they’d be out of a job because of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s termination of TPS protections in February. Terminating TPS relief, which President Donald Trump promised on the campaign trail last year, would boost his mass deportation agenda by making hundreds of thousands of immigrants newly unauthorized. Immigration advocates say it would also wipe out billions in economic contributions from TPS holders and exacerbate labor shortages in many sectors. Attorneys say a California federal judge’s March 31 order postponing the TPS cancellation means Venezuelan TPS holders should retain work authorization for their roles in food service, home healthcare, education, and other industries. The Department of Homeland Security indicated it plans to appeal the judge’s order, but noted in an alert on its website Wednesday that a January Biden administration extension of protections is now in effect. About 600,000 Venezuelans were eligible for TPS protection through 2026 after the Biden administration issued an extension in January. That move included two groups of immigrants covered by TPS designations for Venezuela in 2021 and 2023. Noem canceled that extension, saying she wouldn’t follow through on a move “to tie our hands,” and later terminated protections entirely. That would expose immigrants covered by the 2023 designation to deportation after April 7. Judge Edward Chen’s order in the Northern District of California postponing TPS terminations returns Venezuelans to the status quo before those actions by the Trump administration, attorneys say. Tricia McLaughlin, Homeland Security assistant secretary of public affairs, said in a statement that Chen’s order “is yet another example of an activist judge trying to obstruct President Trump’s agenda.” “Secretary Noem will continue fighting to return integrity to the TPS system, which has been abused and exploited by illegal aliens for decades. We will return TPS to its original status: temporary,” McLaughlin said.

FOX News [4/3/2025 3:07 PM, Beth Bailey, 46189K] reports a 1947 agreement outlining obligations as host of the United Nations continues to give employees and their family members relatively unfettered access to the U.S. At a time of increased national security fears and immigration enforcement by the Trump administration, experts are urging a re-examination of the host nation agreement with an eye to the functional immunity granted to U.N. staff and the limited vetting given to those with U.N. visas. Gallo claimed that there is an epidemic of sexual offenses and misconduct among U.N. staff. Gallo said that if employees take part in misconduct while based at U.N. headquarters, the U.S. government should be able to examine cases and determine whether staff should retain their G visas. In response to questions about whether U.N. staff have been accused of sexual misconduct in the U.S., or whether U.N. staff who engaged in misconduct have had their G visas revoked, a State Department spokesperson explained the department "generally does not provide" revocation statistics. They also said that "all visa applicants, no matter the visa type and where they are located, are continuously vetted. Security vetting runs from the time of each application, through adjudication of the visa, and afterwards during the validity period of every issued visa, to ensure the individual remains eligible to travel to the United States." In addition to qualifying for "rubber stamp" G visas, staff of international organizations like the United Nations can qualify for green cards if they have spent half of at least seven years of employment inside the U.S., or have been in the U.S. for a combined total of 15 years prior to retirement.

Newsweek [4/3/2025 5:57 PM, Mandy Taheri, 52220K] reports that the Trump administration has introduced some changes to the green card application process for married couples, including updated forms, marriage interviews, and increased financial disclosures. President Donald Trump campaigned heavily on cracking down on illegal immigration, pledging to carry out the largest mass deportation in U.S. history. In the initial months of his presidency, his administration has deported around 100,000 illegal immigrants and has detained and deported some legal residents and individuals without criminal or gang affiliations. The Trump administration has made it clear that it is getting tough on immigration enforcement, both when it comes to those who crossed the southern border illegally and those who violate immigration laws. Green card holders, who are lawful permanent residents, have faced challenges in certain cases, including a recent Columbia graduate student and Palestinian activist, Mahmoud Khalil. Changes to the green card marriage process suggest that all areas of the immigration system could be subject to reform and may continue to change in coming weeks. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) says that a green card holder has the right to live permanently in the U.S. provided they do not commit any actions that "would make you removable under immigration law." This includes breaking laws and not filing taxes. Newsweek reached out to USCIS for comment and confirmation via email on Thursday.

Telemundo [4/3/2025 2:00 PM, Vanessa G. Sanchez and Daniel Chang, 2454K] reports that Alanys Ortiz interprets Josephine Senek’s gestures before she speaks. Josephine, who suffers from a rare genetic disorder, wiggles her fingers when she’s tired and bites the air when she’s in pain. Josephine, 16, has been diagnosed with mosaic trisomy 8, severe autism, severe obsessive-compulsive disorder, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, among other conditions, requiring constant assistance and supervision for the rest of her life. Ortiz, a 25-year-old Venezuelan immigrant, is Josephine’s caregiver. She helps her eat, bathe, and perform other daily tasks the teenager can’t do alone in her home in West Orange, New Jersey. Over the past two and a half years, Ortiz said, she has learned to stop certain things that trigger serious meltdowns in the young woman: she now locks doors and peels off apple labels to calm her anxiety. But Ortiz’s ability to work in the United States has been called into question by the Trump administration, which ordered the end of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program for some Venezuelans starting April 7. The order is stuck in court. If the termination goes forward, Ortiz would have to leave the country or risk being detained and deported.

CNN [4/3/2025 6:14 AM, Lilit Marcus, 908K] reports many would-be travelers go online to plan their vacations, whether that means looking for the best flight deals and hotel recommendations or more nitty-gritty info about whether their destination of choice requires a visa. In the United States, those preparing for an international trip can check out the State Department’s website for up-to-date info about other countries, which are ranked from “Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions” to “Level 4: Do Not Travel.” These rankings can change based on political conflicts, natural disasters and other current events as things happen in real time. But the travel advisory system also works in the other direction. Countries around the world maintain their own guidelines for their citizens who are planning to visit the United States. In 2023, amid high-profile incidents of gun violence in the US, several nations issued travel warnings about potential safety risks in America, including Japan, Australia and Canada. Now, a series of European countries have begun warning residents about what could happen if they travel to the United States if they are trans, non-binary or hold a third-gender passport. President Donald Trump has enacted, or announced plans to enact, policies regarding this community, including moving to ban trans people from serving in the military and blocking support for gender-affirming health care for minors. In January, he signed an executive order stating that there are only two biological sexes, male and female, and that US passport holders would need to have a passport that reflected the sex they were assigned at birth.

The Hill [4/3/2025 6:00 AM, Lexi Lonas Cochran, 12829K] reports colleges are increasingly worried about President Trump scaring away their international students. More than a million foreign-born scholars attend U.S. universities every year, bringing billions of dollars to the economy and a pipeline of high-value workers. But Trump’s crackdown on student demonstrators, coming alongside his attacks on higher education more broadly, could have them looking elsewhere. "The Trump administration is purportedly trying to improve the economic and business climate for U.S.-based companies, and to grow American jobs and salaries. But the apprehension now felt by countless prospective international students and their families are undermining those very important goals," said Eddie West, assistant vice president of international affairs at California State University, Fresno. In the 2023-2024 academic year, there were approximately 1.1 million foreign students who contributed $43.8 billion to the U.S. economy, according to data collected by the Association for International Educators, or NAFSA, and JB International. Those numbers represent both a record and the third straight year of growth after the COVID-19 pandemic. NAFSA found that for every three international students, one U.S. job is created or supported. And U.S.-educated foreign graduates have a terrific success rate: A study by the National Foundation for American Policy in 2018 found that one out of every four billion-dollar startups in America were created by former international students who studied here. "It’s worth remembering that it’s not just colleges and universities whose finances will be impacted, but their local communities will be as well. Think restaurants, accommodation providers, inbound visits by international students’ family members and other so-called economic multipliers," West said. Those students, who often pay far more in tuition than domestic ones, can also help fill in gaps as overall enrollment declines — down 15 percent from 2010 to 2021, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. "Colleges and universities are already facing reduced enrollments due to the demographic cliff and diminishing public support for higher education in some parts of the U.S.," said Ruth Johnston, vice president of consulting services at NACUBO.

Washington Examiner [4/3/2025 7:58 PM, Emily Hallas, 2296K] reports President Donald Trump revealed the first "gold card" visa that the White House hopes to sell to immigrants to reduce the national debt on Thursday. As he interacted with reporters aboard Air Force One, the president waved what he called the "Trump card," which was emblazoned with his image, saying that the visa would "be out in less than two weeks, probably.” "For $5 million, this could be used. It was the first of the cards," he told the media. "You know what that card is, it’s the gold card, the Trump card.” When asked who the first buyer was, Trump said, "Me. … I’m the first buyer.” "Pretty exciting, right? Anybody want to buy one?" he asked. The gold card proposal modifies the government’s EB-5 immigrant visa program and would be sold to foreigners for $5 million, affording them work privileges and giving them a path to citizenship. The Trump administration has touted the proposal as an avenue to reduce the federal debt, which sits at a whopping $36 trillion. Trump’s idea could raise $1 trillion if just 200,000 gold cards are issued, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said during a Cabinet meeting in February. The president believes creating gold cards could provide a way for companies such as Apple to retain or attract top talent. Any company or person could buy the cards on behalf of people wanting to get into the country and then hire those people. "I get calls from, as an example, companies where they want to hire the No. 1 student at a school. Person comes from India, China, Japan, lots of different places. And they go to Harvard, the Wharton School of Finance, they go to Yale," Trump said. "And they make job offers, but the offer is immediately rescinded because you have no idea whether or not that person can stay in the country. I want to be able to have that person stay in the country. These companies can go and buy a gold card, and they can use it as a matter of recruitment.”

Newsweek [4/4/2025 4:09 AM, Billal Rahman, 52220K] reports President Donald Trump has unveiled his $5 million ‘gold card’ visa, featuring his own likeness. "For $5 million, this could be yours," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. "You know what that card is? It’s the Gold Card, the Trump Card," Trump said Thursday. Trump’s proposed "gold card" program would offer U.S. residency to individuals who invest $5 million in the country. This announcement comes as part U.S. stock futures plummeted Wednesday evening after Trump announced plans to impose a minimum 10% "baseline" tariff on all imports. He also targeted around 60 countries for "discounted reciprocal tariffs," citing what he views as unfair trade practices. "Who is the first buyer?" a reporter asked. "The second?" the reporter added. "I don’t know, but I’m the first buyer. It’ll be out in ... less than two weeks. Pretty exciting, right?" the president responded. "Anybody want to buy one?" Trump asked the room. Late last month, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick announced the "sale of 1,000 Gold Cards this week, raising $5 billion in a single day.” Lutnick also claimed the "Gold Card" visa program already has 250,000 applicants. However, applications on the UCIS website do not appear to have been launched. Trump’s proposed "Gold Card" program would grant U.S. residency to individuals investing $5 million in American businesses, replacing the existing EB-5 visa. Announced as part of a broader immigration system overhaul, the initiative signals the president’s focus on investment-driven immigration. Supporters argue it could bring significant capital into the U.S., while critics contend that the priority should be attracting skilled talent instead. The "Gold Card" is part of a wider effort to replace the current EB-5 immigrant investor visa with the new program, granting U.S. citizenship to foreign investors in American businesses. Under the existing EB-5 program, applicants must pay between $100,000 and $200,000 in fees to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), invest between $800,000 and $1 million, and create at least 10 jobs for American workers. Calling the Gold Card a "green card plus," Trump suggested it would offer more benefits than standard permanent residency. However, critics argue that the policy prioritizes wealth over skills or merit and fails to address broader economic concerns—especially as the administration continues efforts to deport millions of undocumented immigrants. Unlike American citizens, Gold Card holders are exempt from paying U.S. taxes on their overseas income. The announcement comes as global markets go through a tailspin due to the fallout from the president’s new tariffs. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Yahoo! News [4/3/2025 6:26 PM, David Ferrara, 52868K] reports the Trump administration revoked visas for "a small number" of international students at the University of Cincinnati, the school’s president said in an email Thursday evening. The university learned that the F-1 visas of those students were revoked by the Department of Homeland Security. UC President Neville Pinto said the school was not contacted by the department or given specific reasons for the students’ visas being revoked. F-1 visas allow international students to study in the United States. "UC representatives are in touch with each of our impacted students, and we are doing what we can to support them during this incredibly challenging time," Pinto said in the letter addressed to the campus community. The Enquirer has reached out to a UC spokeswoman for more information. The revocation for students at UC comes as a handful of students at universities across the country have had their visas revoked. The Trump administration issued an executive order earlier this year prompting the U.S. State Department to do a full review of all visa programs and ensure foreign nationals do not pose a threat to national security, a spokesperson for the agency told The Enquirer’s network partner USA TODAY.

Miami Herald [4/3/2025 11:58 AM, Lautaro Grinspan, 3973K] reports that President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown has in its early stages separated local families and led to a surge in detainee populations inside Georgia’s immigrant jails. There are signs that the administration’s deportation campaign also has begun impacting the local labor market. According to HireQuest, a recruiting agency with offices nationwide, there has been a surge in staffing inquiries for construction jobs in Atlanta. Rick Hermanns, the company’s CEO, said that uptick probably comes from employers becoming more diligent about hiring only people living in the city legally, after historically relying on some undocumented immigrant workers. For every position it fills, HireQuest uses E-Verify - the federal government’s electronic system to check Social Security numbers and verify the work eligibility. "Some companies are more aggressive in employing undocumented workers and it’s really more blatant in Atlanta than it is in most other places," Hermanns said. He also noted that a "fairly significant number" of HireQuest’s construction clients have reported receiving visits from immigration authorities to job sites in recent weeks. Besides construction, waste management and junk removal services also have registered 10% year-over-year increases in staffing inquiries at HireQuest’s Atlanta offices. Georgia law mandates that businesses with more than 10 employees use E-Verify.

Dallas Morning News [4/3/2025 9:00 AM, Maria Ramos Pacheco, 2778K] reports that after a federal judge in California granted a request to delay an attempt to end the program that temporarily protects Venezuelans from deportation, some of those who have migrated to North Texas feel a sense of relief for now. Néstor Cuevas, his wife and three daughters are among those who have made North Texas their home for the past three years. Many Venezuelans have made North Texas their home in recent years. President Donald Trump’s plan for mass deportations have left people with Temporary Protected Status worried about their future even after a court ruling that put off the end of TPS. Cuevas was leaving work Monday night when a friend called to tell him what he was seeing on the news. U.S. District Judge Edward Chen in San Francisco delayed President Donald Trump’s action to end Temporary Protection Status for Venezuelans, which provides deportation relief and work authorization. "This is yet another example of an activist judge trying to obstruct President Trump’s agenda," Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. "This unelected judge didn’t get the memo that on November 5th, the American people voted for reinstituting the integrity of our immigration enforcement and mass deportations of illegal aliens." The statement went on to say Noem would "return integrity" to the TPS system, saying it has been "abused and exploited" by undocumented immigrants for decades.

Yahoo! News [4/3/2025 12:37 PM, Kelly Lyell, 52868K] reports that at least six international students at Colorado State University and four at the University of Colorado have had their visas revoked by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security this semester, spokespeople for both universities said. Tiana Kennedy, a spokesperson for CSU, said Wednesday that six of its international students have had their F-1 visas, commonly known as student visas, revoked. CU spokesperson Nikole Mueksch said a total of four students on its Boulder and Colorado Springs campuses have had their F-1 visas revoked. Citing privacy concerns, Kennedy and Mueksch declined to provide any additional information about the impacted students, including their home countries or the reasons cited by the Department of Homeland Security for revoking the visas. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, citing immigration law, said last month his agency had revoked more than 300 student visas from those found to be acting against national interests or to have been involved in a crime, the Arizona Republic reported Thursday. Last week, Rubio cited a 1952 immigration law saying he intended to deport foreign students who "participate in movements that are involved in doing things like vandalizing universities, harassing students, taking over buildings, creating a ruckus," the New York Times reported Tuesday.

AZCentral [4/3/2025 8:02 AM, Helen Rummel, 4457K] reports public universities across Arizona are recommending international students keep their immigration documents available in the wake of crackdowns from federal authorities. Arizona State University and the University of Arizona are also telling international students to stay informed of updates from federal officials that could impact their stay. The guidance comes as ASU spokesperson Jay Thorne confirmed eight international students at the university have had their visas revoked. Phoenix immigration attorney Marshall Whitehead told The Arizona Republic that he has rarely seen student visas be revoked in his decades-long career. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been on ASU’s campus at least once, Thorne said. UA spokesperson Mitch Zak declined to share if any students at the school had their visas revoked, citing privacy concerns. He directed questions about ICE agents to the federal agency, which did not provide a response to The Republic by Wednesday evening. "As far as why the notification was sent, U of A International Student Services and International Faculty/Scholar Services monitor immigration-related developments and provide students and scholars with updates to ensure they are informed and in compliance with federal regulations," Zak said. Northern Arizona University spokesperson Kim Ott said officials are engaging with students on an individual basis when needed, but did not comment on whether any visas had been revoked. In March, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said his agency had revoked more than 300 student visas from those found to be acting against national interests or have been involved in a crime. Leaders with the Trump administration have come down against pro-Palestinian advocates in particular, calling them "anti-American" and saying the administration has the right to revoke the privilege of studying in the U.S. "My standard ‒ If we knew this information about them before we gave them a visa, would we have allowed them in?" Rubio said. "And if the answer is no, then we revoke the visa.” Thorne said ASU officials did not believe the visa cancellations were affiliated with protests or the war in Gaza.

Reported similarly:
Yahoo! News [4/3/2025 8:13 PM, Staff, 52868K]

CBS News [4/3/2025 7:06 AM, Staff, 51661K] reports the U.S. State Department revoked the visas of members of a Mexican band after they projected the face of a drug cartel boss onto a large screen during a performance in the western state of Jalisco over the weekend. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, who was U.S. ambassador to Mexico during the first Trump administration, said late Tuesday on social media that the work and tourism visas of members of Los Alegres del Barranco were revoked. The visa revocations follow widespread outrage in Mexico over the concert as prosecutors in two states have launched investigations into the projected images, and a larger national reckoning over how to address the rise of a popular musical genre criticized for romanticizing drug cartels. "I’m a firm believer in freedom of expression, but that doesn’t mean that expression should be free of consequences," Landau wrote on X. "The last thing we need is a welcome mat for people who extol criminals and terrorists." The controversy broke out over the weekend when the face of Nemesio Rubén "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes layered over flames was projected behind the band, originally hailing from Sinaloa, during the concert. Finger pointing ensued among the band, concert producers and the venue. Oseguera is the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, which has been connected to a ranch authorities say was used to train cartel recruits and possibly dispose of bodies in Jalisco, where searchers found human bone fragments, heaps of clothing and shoes. The U.S. government has offered a $15 million reward for information leading to Oseguera’s capture. In November, his son-in-law was arrested in California after U.S. officials say he faked his own death to "live a life of luxury" north of the border. The Jalisco cartel is among other criminal groups in Mexico that have been designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the Trump administration. While the image was met by applause during the concert, Jalisco prosecutors quickly announced they were summoning the band to testify in an investigation into whether they were promoting violence, a crime which could result in a penalty of up to six months in prison. The state of Michoacan also announced an investigation into the Los Alegres del Barranco for projecting the same images during a concert in the city of Uruapan. Jalisco Gov. Pablo Lemus said that the state would ban musical performances that glorify violence, adding that violators would "face monetary and criminal sanctions."

Washington Examiner [4/3/2025 9:50 AM, Jenny Goldsberry, 2296K] reports that the State Department revoked the visa of former Costa Rican President Oscar Arias on Tuesday. Arias is a Nobel Peace Prize winner who often traveled to the United States to receive further accolades for his work while he was president. The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to him in 1987 during his first term, during which he negotiated peace for a brewing civil war in Latin America due to an uprising from Nicaraguan rebels. This decision was announced via email, as Arias told the Associated Press the message said the loss of his visa "is based on the fact that subsequent to visa issuance, information has come to light that you may be ineligible for your visa." "The United States already gave me 93 honorary degrees," Arias said. "They aren’t going to give me any more. The main reason for my trips [to the U.S.] was to receive those doctorates. I would have preferred this didn’t happen because I admire that country, I admire its people." President Donald Trump issued a 10% tariff against Costa Rica on Wednesday. Arias, a proponent of free trade who helped accomplish the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement, criticized the move. In 2022, the last year the investment summary was reported, U.S. goods and services totaled an estimated $108.5 billion within the region, with $58.3 billion in exports and $50.2 billion in imports.

DailySignal [4/3/2025 7:32 PM, Virginia Allen, 495K] reports the number of migrant children arriving alone at the southern border reached an all-time low in March. Border Patrol encountered 631 unaccompanied alien children at the southwest border last month, down 97% from the record high of 18,716 under the administration of then-President Joe Biden in March 2021, according to a senior Department of Homeland Security official. "March was the lowest number of unaccompanied children arriving at our southern border in recorded history," Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, told The Daily Signal. President Donald Trump and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem "are stopping the exploitation and trafficking of children," McLaughlin said. "Thanks to strong leadership, we now have the most secure border in American history.” On average, 11,132 unaccompanied children were encountered at the southern border monthly under the Biden administration, according to the DHS official. So far under the Trump administration, the monthly average is below 700. Encounters of illegal aliens at the southern border have seen a steady decline since Trump returned to office, with total Border Patrol encounters between ports of entry reaching a historic low in March. "Border Patrol encounters for the month of March were 7,181 total," Noem wrote on X on Tuesday, adding, "Compare that to the ~160,000 average monthly encounters under Joe Biden.” Following extensive reporting and a number of congressional hearings on missing migrant children during the Biden administration, DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari conducted an audit "to determine [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s] ability to monitor the location and status of [unaccompanied alien children] once released or transferred from DHS and HHS’ custody.”

Yahoo! News [4/3/2025 6:36 PM, Staff, 52868K] reports a local man was arrested Wednesday as part of a drug and firearm investigation, according to a Thursday news release from the Rumford Police Department. Alexander Taylor Kubesh, 33, was charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of fentanyl and possession of crack cocaine, all felonies, and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Kubesh was transported to Oxford County Jail where he awaits a Friday arraignment, the release said. Rumford police executed a search warrant around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at 244 Pine St. in Rumford with the assistance of Norway police, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. The warrant was issued in the ongoing investigation of unlawful firearm possession and drug trafficking spurred by reports from the community of alleged illegal activities at the residence, according to the release. "The search operation involved two coordinated teams," the release said. "One team took Kubesh into custody on Lincoln Avenue while the other team entered the residence to search for evidence.” Once inside the home, officers said they were met by living conditions "severely unsanitary and unsafe," raising concern for two children, ages 4 and 5, and two young dogs, the release said.

Newsweek [4/3/2025 3:27 PM, Dan Gooding, 52220K] reports in a rare move, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has revealed how many travelers it barred from entering the country at New York City’s John F. Kennedy Airport. CBP announced figures for February and March on Thursday, the first two full months of the second Trump administration, with more than 320 people declared inadmissible. CBP said in a press release that its officers stopped 135 "inadmissible aliens" from entering the country in February, while 194 were stopped in March. The numbers are relatively small in comparison to the 1.1 million travelers who passed through CBP control at JFK, one of the country’s busiest airports, in February alone, the latest month of data available, but the agency appeared keen to highlight its work as part of wider immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump.

Yahoo! News [4/3/2025 5:08 PM, Damon Fletcher, 52868K] Video: HERE reports the City of Rochester has released body worn camera footage from the controversial traffic stop in the city involving Border Patrol. On March 25 around 5:30 p.m. Homeland Security Investigations Special agents conducted surveillance on an Orange Street home in Rochester that targeted 25-year-old Wilson Oswaldo Galvan-Lope. According to prosecutors, Galvan-Lope was an illegal-alien at the time and was under investigation for entering the U.S. after being deported in May 2023. As a truck exited the driveway of the home, prosecutors said agents determined that Galvan-Lope and two passengers were in the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop near the intersection of Whitney Street and Lyell Avenue. As CBP Agents attempted to detain Galvan-Lope and the two other individuals at the traffic stop, CBP called Monroe County 911 for backup, and an RPD supervisor arrived on the scene minutes later. According to Chief Smith, when the RPD supervisor on scene became distracted, the other RPD officers called to the scene began to take matters into their own hands, verbally communicating with the occupants of the vehicle, and detaining at least one person, Chief Smith said. All three were eventually arrested, and Galvan-Lope was charged with illegal re-entry. Following the arrest, the traffic stop gained a lot of attention. Mayor Malik Evans said this was a direct violation of city policy.

Miami Herald [4/3/2025 5:48 PM, David Goodhue, 3973K] reports a multi-agency search for two Guatemalan men who fled Border Patrol agents during a Florida Keys traffic stop Wednesday was linked to an ongoing investigation, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court Thursday. Two men were apprehended by the end of the day, but Monroe County sheriff’s deputies, Florida Highway Patrol troopers and Florida fish and wildlife police flooded the Lower Keys Wednesday morning aiding Border Patrol agents in their search. Border Patrol agents were surveilling a house on Avenue A in Big Pine Key "pursuant to a separate investigation related to a male target associated with the residence," agents said in the complaint. Adam Hoffner, assistant chief patrol agent for the Border Patrol’s Miami sector, said Wednesday that both Perez-Tecu and the man who was in the back seat of the pickup, were handed over to Customs and Immigration Enforcement to be processed for removal from the country. According to the complaint, Perez-Tecu now faces a criminal charge of escaping federal law enforcement, which is punishable by up to a year in prison.

CBS Austin [4/3/2025 6:15 PM, Jahmal Kennedy, 602K] reports a proposed Texas Senate bill aiming to establish an Office of Homeland Security within the Texas Department of Public Safety could result in a $7.1 million loss by August 2027, according to a finance report. The bill, Senate Bill 36, has sparked debate over its financial implications and the state’s role in border security. Last month, CBS News reported that border crossing numbers were at their lowest in 25 years, raising questions about the necessity of increased funding for border security under the proposed legislation. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s Office previously stated that Texas has already spent over $11 billion on Operation Lone Star. Freeman Martin, Director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said that when crossing numbers decrease, DPS reduces the number of agents allocated for border protection. During a committee hearing, State Senator Sarah Eckhardt of Austin questioned the bill’s author, State Senator Tan Parker of Flower Mound, about the permanence of border security operations within the DPS command structure. Eckhardt asked, "Is it your intention that with this bill our border security operations would become a permanent fixture within the DPS command structure?". Parker responded, "While it is a federal government responsibility primarily, the federal government cannot do it alone and the state of Texas must protect itself and its citizens.” Later during the committee meeting, Eckhardt added, "we have invested a considerable amount in what I believe all of us concede was a federal obligation with regards to immigration," and added she believes Texas agents would be better used in addressing crime that happens on "Texas soil.” While explaining the bill and its details Thursday, Parker outlined the bill would help improve critical infrastructure protection and emergency preparedness. He said, "Texas faces significant challenges not only along our border but across our state and including transnational criminal activity and evolving threats against our critical infrastructure.” Parker’s bill also aims streamline the partnership between public and private sector organizations in an effort to close gaps and curb inconsistencies.

CBS 7 [4/3/2025 4:50 PM, Jordan Gartner, 4K] reports border patrol officers say they seized methamphetamine from a man attempting to hide the items in an unusual spot on his body while crossing an international checkpoint. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, officers working at the Ysleta international crossing in El Paso seized approximately one-third of a pound of methamphetamine on March 30. The drugs were hidden on the body of a 26-year-old man, who was not immediately identified by authorities, making his way back to the United States. The agency said the seizure of drugs was made just after 4 a.m. when the U.S. citizen arrived as a pedestrian from Mexico. A primary CBP officer selected the man for a secondary exam following a short interview, authorities said. A drug sniffing dog searched him and provided a positive alert to the scent of narcotics. An officer then performed a partial pat-down exam and discovered two packages concealed between the man’s buttocks. According to the agency, the contents of the packages tested positive for methamphetamine, weighing a total of .32 pounds. The man was taken into custody and turned over to Homeland Security Investigations special agents. He is facing importation of controlled substance charges.

Telemundo Amarillo [4/3/2025 5:00 PM, Lupita Benavides, 2K] reports voices coming from a drainpipe in Laredo led to the discovery of several undocumented migrants. The officers positioned themselves along the drainpipe until they found them. According to the Border Patrol union, these drainage pipes allow human traffickers to transport their victims to the city, including downtown and areas near the river.

FOX News [4/3/2025 3:22 PM, Louis Casiano, Bill Melugin, 46189K] reports a delegation of House Democratic lawmakers will visit a portion of the southern border on Friday to conduct oversight of the Trump administration’s border policies "firsthand" as authorities continue the president’s mass deportation program. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-MS., the ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, will lead the delegation. Also going will be Reps. Lou Correa and Sara Jacobs, both of California; Delia Ramirez of Illinois; LaMonica McIver and Nellie Pou, both of New Jersey; and Tim Kennedy of New York.

San Diego Union Tribune [4/3/2025 7:34 PM, Staff, 1682K] reports a Chula Vista man who was transporting two undocumented migrants in a car he crashed while fleeing from Border Patrol officers, causing both passengers’ deaths, pleaded guilty to federal charges in San Diego on Thursday. Sergio Josue Palomera, 23, fled from Border Patrol on Oct. 22 after a man and a woman were spotted getting into his car near the U.S.-Mexico border, according to the San Diego U.S. Attorney’s Office and court documents. After law enforcement attempted to pull him over on state Route 905 in Otay Mesa, prosecutors say Palomera sped away, with his car at one point reaching over 110 mph in a 65 mph zone. He ultimately lost control of the car and it rolled over. One of the migrants, a woman, was ejected from the car and died at the scene. The other migrant, a man, died at a hospital that night. Palomera, who pleaded guilty to transportation of certain aliens resulting in death, is slated for sentencing in July.

CBS New York [4/3/2025 6:29 PM, Tony Aiello, 51661K] reports in just about a month, Americans will need a Real ID to go through airport security, or enter most federal buildings. As the May 7 deadline approaches, the final warnings to be ready are increasing. "About 43% of people in New York state who have a photo ID are already Real ID-compliant," said Lisa Koumjian of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Koumjian says that leaves millions of adults who might run into trouble when they try to board a flight on or after May 7. Getting a Real ID, which has a star in the corner, requires an in-person visit to your state’s DMV. The same is true of an Enhanced Driver’s License, or EDL, but it is only currently available In New York, Michigan, Minnesota, Vermont, and Washington. An EDL, which has an American flag in the corner, also covers all of the same travel requirements. Typically you’ll need a valid ID, passport or birth certificate, proof of your Social Security number and date of birth, plus two items proving state residency to get either. A valid passport is an acceptable alternative, along with a handful of other documents, including a card from the "Global Entry" program.

Yahoo! News [4/3/2025 6:34 AM, Staff, 52868K] reports the busiest airport in the world is gearing up for a busy spring travel season. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is preparing to welcome over 8.3 million passengers during this month. With spring break underway, Friday, April 4 is expected to be one of the busiest travel days on record. The Transportation Security Administration is anticipating 115,000 security screenings, which will surpass the airport’s previous single-day record of 111,000 set in May 2024. The busiest days for leisure travel are Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Airport officials recommend you arrive at least two and a half hours before domestic flights and three hours before international departures. Firearms and ammunition must be properly stored in your checked luggage.

The New York Times [4/3/2025 9:03 PM, Mitch Smith, Amanda Holpuch and Michael Levenson, 145325K] reports at least seven people have been killed in Tennessee, Missouri and Indiana, officials said on Thursday, after more than 30 tornadoes, combined with hail and heavy rains, swept through the South and Midwest, flooding streets, snapping power lines and flattening homes and businesses. The flooding was expected to worsen as the storm stalls over the region, putting millions under severe weather advisories over the next few days. Officials warned that a “generational flooding” disaster was possible as more than a foot of rain could fall, pushing swollen rivers and creeks over their banks. Cities and counties across the Midwest and South were ramping up efforts to prepare for the severe flooding that was predicted for the days ahead. Officials said that schools in some districts in Tennessee and Kentucky would be closed on Friday. The Army Corps of Engineers said it had filled about 1,500 sandbags to reinforce a levee near Poplar Bluff, Mo., where the Black River was expected to surge to near-record flood levels over the weekend. An urban search-and-rescue team was also deploying to the area. Gov. Mike Braun of Indiana said he was activating the National Guard to help with the storm response. As much as 10 to 15 inches of rain could fall through the weekend, the National Weather Service said. The most intense rain was expected in Arkansas and Tennessee, where floodwaters were rising in parts of Nashville and rescues were underway. “We are pretty worried, about as worried as you can get,” said Jimmy Barham, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Little Rock, Ark. Isaiah Butrum, 17, went with two friends to a public sandbag-filling station in Sikeston, Mo., on Thursday. He had seen his city flood before, he said, and wanted to protect his home. “When it rains super bad, the water comes up out of the pipes,” he said. “It comes out of the sinks, it comes out of the toilets.” Reuters [4/3/2025 6:15 PM, Doyinsola Oladipo, 41523K] reports that the powerful system is expected to stall over the country’s midsection, the National Weather Service said, fueling further deluges and possible tornadoes in areas already drenched with heavy rain. The NWS upgraded the storms to a risk level four out of five on a scale used to measure the expected intensity of severe weather. The extreme weather has killed at least seven people since Wednesday, according to media reports. The fatalities include a father and his 16-year-old daughter who were killed when a tornado hit their modular home in Tennessee, according to the New York Times. Five people in total died in Tennessee in weather-related incidents, one in Indiana and one in Missouri, NBC News reported. At least 13 were injured across the region. About 34 tornadoes were reported across the region on Wednesday, according to the Storm Prediction Center. It confirmed that at least one tornado touched down in Wilmington, Ohio, about 50 miles (80 km) northeast of Cincinnati. Twisters were confirmed overnight in six states: Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee. The AP [4/3/2025 6:13 PM, Andrew DeMillo] reports that the destruction is part of a potent storm system that the National Weather Service said will bring "significant, life-threatening flash flooding" each day through Saturday. The first wave of storms killed at least four people in western Tennessee and one each in Missouri and Indiana on Wednesday and Thursday. There was massive destruction in Lake City in eastern Arkansas, where homes were flattened and cars were flipped and tossed into trees. State authorities reported damage in 22 counties due to tornadoes, wind gusts, hail and flash flooding. Seven injuries were reported, but no deaths. More than 90 million people were at risk of severe weather across an area stretching from Texas to Minnesota and Maine, according to the Oklahoma-based Storm Prediction Center.

AP [4/4/2025 1:35 AM, Adrian Sainz, George Walker Iv and John Seewer, 24727K] reports parts of the Midwest and South faced the possibility of torrential rains and life-threatening flash floods Friday, while many communities were still reeling from tornadoes that destroyed whole neighborhoods and killed at least seven people. Forecasters warned of catastrophic weather on the way, with round after round of heavy rains expected in the central U.S. through Saturday. Satellite imagery showed thunderstorms lined up like freight trains to take the same tracks over communities in Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky, according to the national Weather Prediction Center in Maryland. The bull’s-eye centered on a swath along the Mississippi River and included the more than 1.3 million people around Memphis, Tennessee. More than 90 million people were at risk of severe weather from Texas to Minnesota to Maine, according to the Oklahoma-based Storm Prediction Center. Those killed in the initial wave of storms that spawned powerful tornadoes on Wednesday and early Thursday were in Tennessee, Missouri and Indiana. They included a Tennessee man and his teen daughter whose home was destroyed, and a man whose pickup struck downed power lines in Indiana. In Missouri, Garry Moore, who was chief of the Whitewater Fire Protection District, died while likely trying to help a stranded motorist, according to Highway Patrol spokesperson Sgt. Clark Parrott. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said entire neighborhoods in the hard-hit town of Selmer were “completely wiped out” and said it was too early to know whether there were more deaths as searches continued. He warned people across the state to stay vigilant with more severe weather predicted. “Don’t let your guard down,” he said during a Thursday evening news conference. “Don’t stop watching the weather. Don’t stop preparing yourself. Have a plan.”

New York Times [4/3/2025 4:33 PM, Judson Jones, Amy Graff, and Nazaneen Ghaffar, 145325K] reports that after more than two dozen tornadoes and flooding rains pummeled the central United States on Wednesday night, the region was braced on Thursday for more days of significant rainfall that forecasters said would last through the weekend. The amount of rain and the high-end flash floods it was likely to cause had meteorologists calling the situation potentially “catastrophic.” The storm system is parked over a stretch of the country from Texas through the northeast, with the most intense and potentially historic rain around Arkansas and Tennessee. “We are pretty worried, about as worried as you can get,” said Jimmy Barham, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Little Rock, Ark.

Here are the key things to know: The rain is forecast to persist day after day, with totals well over a foot. While the tornado risk was highest on Wednesday, the potential for severe storms that could produce tornadoes will be present through the weekend, primarily in Arkansas and other states across the Deep South. The rain falling in the Northeast on Thursday is connected to the same system, which stretches back to Texas. “Last night we had two to six inches of rainfall,” Ashton Robinson Cook, a meteorologist at the Weather Prediction Center, said on Thursday morning. Going forward, three-day totals are likely to reach between six and 12 inches, on top of what has already fallen over Arkansas, southwestern Virginia, western Kentucky and western Tennessee.

AP [4/3/2025 10:13 PM, Adrian Sainz, George Walker Iv and John Seewer, 48304K] reports standing alongside the twisted steel tractors on his family farm in northeast Arkansas, Danny Qualls looked on while friends and relatives helped him begin cleaning up. The home where he spent his childhood but no longer lives was flattened by one of many tornadoes that left behind destruction from Oklahoma to Indiana - the first in a round of storms expected to bring historic rains and life-threatening flash floods across the nation’s midsection in the coming days. "My husband has been extremely tearful and emotional, but he also knows that we have to do the work," Rhonda Qualls said Thursday. "He was in shock last night, cried himself to sleep.” At least six people were killed in western Tennessee, Missouri and Indiana in the initial wave on Wednesday and early Thursday that spawned powerful tornadoes - one of which launched light debris nearly 5 miles (8 kilometers) into the air above Arkansas. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said it was too early to know whether there were more deaths as searches persisted. "The devastation is enormous. What’s most difficult about it is, you know that those are lives destroyed," Lee said in the hard-hit town of Selmer. "In some cases, true life lost, but in other cases, everything people owned, up in trees.” Those who died included a Tennessee man and his teenage daughter whose home was destroyed, and a man whose pickup struck downed power lines in Indiana. Forecasters warned Thursday of catastrophic weather soon ahead. Satellite imagery showed thunderstorms lining up like freight trains - taking the same tracks over communities in Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky, according to the national Weather Prediction Center in Maryland.

Los Angeles Times [4/3/2025 1:27 PM, Adrian Sainz, George Walker IV, and John Seewer, 13342K] reports that tornadoes and violent winds flattened homes and ripped apart buildings from Oklahoma to Indiana in the first round of storms that are expected to bring record-setting rains and life-threatening flash floods across the nation’s midsection in the coming days. At least six people were killed in western Tennessee, Missouri and Indiana in the first wave on Wednesday and early Thursday that spun off powerful tornadoes — one launching debris nearly 5 miles above the ground in Arkansas. Homes along the highway that crosses through Lake City, Ark., had completely collapsed, their brick walls crushed and roofs gone. Three cars were tossed into trees. Among the deaths, at least four people were killed in western Tennessee, including a man and his teenage daughter whose home was destroyed, and an Indiana man who died after his pickup truck struck downed power lines. More than 90 million people were at risk of severe weather across an area stretching from Texas to Minnesota and Maine, according to the Oklahoma-based Storm Prediction Center. More than half a million customers in Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee, West Virginia, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas were without power early Thursday following the peak of the storms, according to PowerOutage.us. Parts of Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois and Indiana could see rains totaling up to 15 inches, the weather service warned.

NPR [4/3/2025 3:42 PM, Alana Wise, 29983K] reports the National Weather Service (NWS) is warning of "potentially historic" rainfall sweeping across the American South and Midwest through the weekend. This intense weather pattern has already resulted in several deaths and continues to pose a significant risk to the lives and livelihoods of millions of people in the region. Reports about the number of fatalities have varied but at least six people have died in Tennessee, Missouri and Indiana due to these violent storms, according to The Associated Press. The NWS warned of potentially devastating rainstorms expected from Thursday through early Sunday morning, affecting areas as far southwest as Dallas, and as far east as West Virginia. In addition, warnings have been issued for tornadoes and flash flooding. By late Wednesday, Arkansas and Oklahoma had reported twisters, and windstorms were reported in Indiana and Kentucky on Thursday as well. Southwestern Kentucky into western Tennessee and northeastern Arkansas are at the highest risk of "life-threatening flash flooding," the NWS said, in the wake of heavy rainfall on Wednesday.

Newsweek [4/3/2025 10:31 AM, Joe Edwards, 52220K] reports that eight states have been struck by tornadoes and severe storms this week, leaving at least one person dead and multiple injured. The storms derailed train carriages in Missouri, flattened buildings in Indiana, and knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of people. Tornadoes and severe storms have been sweeping across large swaths of the South and Midwest of the United States, leaving a trail of destruction and tens of thousands of homes without power. Flash flooding is expected to follow the violent storms this week, and the National Weather Service (NWS) has warned of a threat to life. Tornadoes have been confirmed in eight states so far this week - Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Indiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Kansas - according to reports from AccuWeather. There were 27 reports of tornadoes across the U.S. on Wednesday, but the number is expected to rise further, AccuWeather meteorologist Adam Douty told Newsweek. Severe thunderstorm warnings remain in place for parts of Oklahoma and West Virginia on Thursday morning.

WREG [4/3/2025 4:27 PM, David Royer] reports two of the tornadoes that tore through the Mid-South overnight have been confirmed in a preliminary survey as EF-3 level tornadoes, the National Weather Service said Thursday. The tornado that struck Selmer, Tennessee had a peak wind speed of 160 mph, NWS said. The town of Selmer sustained extensive damage from the tornado and storm. One person in surrounding McNairy County was confirmed dead, authorities said, and the death toll could rise. The other tornado in Bay and Lake City, Arkansas had a peak wind speed of 150 mph. The Arkansas tornado injured an estimated 15 people, though no fatalities were reported, the Craighead County sheriff said Wednesday night.

CNN [4/3/2025 2:41 PM, Taylor Romlne, Mary Gilbert, and Andy Rose, 22131K] reports that Wednesday night’s tornado outbreak across at least six states had even the helpers scrambling to take cover as destructive storms beared down — and they all continued to help even as their own lives, workplaces and properties were in danger. As a tornado was making its way through Cape Girardeau, Missouri, a meteorologist at CNN affiliate KFVS talked his audience through the disaster, all while he and his colleagues sheltered as it passed over the station. As the tornado inched closer, chief meteorologist Grant Dade kept the radar up on air as they went into the basement to keep people up to date. "I’ve never had to watch a tornado hit my house, hoping it’s not hitting my house," he said, as he prepared to shelter. While the scene outside the station wasn’t broadcast, Dade noted when the tornado passed, saying, "It went right across us." "That was a little bit intense folks," he said after making his way back to the camera. "I’ve never witnessed a wedge tornado come right into the station." The station posted on its Facebook page everyone there was okay. While full reports of damage are not in yet, the station said they were seeing reports of at least one house damaged. A dangerous storm came so close to the National Weather Service office in Paducah, Kentucky, that the forecasters there had to practice what they preach and shelter in place. Forecasters sheltered for about 15 minutes as a likely tornado passed just to the west. The NWS in Davenport, Iowa, stepped in to serve as backup while the Paducah forecasters protected themselves. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Yahoo! News [4/3/2025 9:40 PM, Zoya Teirstein and Jake Bittle, 52868K] reports the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, is known for responding to extreme weather like hurricanes and wildfires — the kinds of disasters that are becoming more intense and common as climate change gets worse. But the agency also has a program that sends billions of dollars to communities, municipalities, and states proactively so that they can prepare for these events before they hit. In an internal FEMA memorandum obtained and first reported by Grist, the Trump administration announced it plans to dismantle that program — the biggest climate adaptation initiative the federal government has ever funded — even as disasters incur hundreds of billions of dollars worth of damages across the United States. The decision comes as at least seven people were killed this week as tornadoes and catastrophic flooding descended on the central United States in what meteorologists called a once in a generation event. The Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program, or BRIC, was established in 2018 during President Donald Trump’s first term, replacing a similar FEMA initiative. BRIC’s first round of funding was launched in 2020, when Trump was still in office, and in 2023, the program awarded close to a billion dollars to scores of communities, states, and Tribal Nations across the country. In January, before Trump began his second term, the agency opened its fiscal year 2024 notice of funding, with $750 million in matching grants made available to applicants from areas that received a major disaster declaration within the past seven years.

Axios [4/3/2025 5:19 PM, Yacob Reyes, 13163K] reports the Atlantic hurricane season is expected to have "above-normal" activity, with 17 named storms, nine hurricanes and four major hurricanes, a prominent forecast group said Thursday. This season isn’t expected to be as active as last year’s, but it still ranks among the highest hurricane forecasts that researchers from Colorado State University (CSU) have issued in April. Before last year’s prediction of 11 hurricanes, the previous high in an April outlook called for nine hurricanes, first made in 1995. Unusually warm waters in the Atlantic, along with the likely absence of El Niño — typically a hurricane suppressant — are driving expectations for the season. Researchers forecast a busier season than the 1991–2020 average of 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes — those with sustained winds of 111 mph or higher. The New York Times [4/3/2025 3:58 PM, Judson Jones, 145325K] reports last year was a busy hurricane season with storm after storm racing across the Caribbean, bringing multiple storms ashore in Florida, ravaging rains to the Carolina mountains and strong winds to downtown Houston; another robust season is likely to occur in the Atlantic in 2025. Phil Klotzbach, a researcher at Colorado State University, said that this year’s season was likely to be an above-average — but not hyperactive — one. In his team’s annual forecast on Thursday, the researchers said they expected a hectic season of 17 named storms, including nine hurricanes — four of them potentially reaching major status, meaning Category 3 or higher. In a typical season, there are 14 named storms with seven hurricanes, three of them major.

WSB [4/3/2025 6:02 PM, Audrey Washington] reports FEMA is implementing a hiring freeze in step with President Donald Trump’s executive order. Channel 2′s Audrey Washington spoke exclusively with a source at the federal agency that responds to tornadoes, hurricanes and other disasters. He asked to not be identified for fear of retaliation. He called the email all staffers got on the hiring changes "a gut punch." He’s worried how a possible reduction in staff could affect disaster relief efforts if tornados and hurricanes impact parts of Georgia. A representative confirmed that FEMA implemented a full hiring freeze and "instituted a (Department of Homeland Security) review process for all disaster-field positions that are up for renewal." The email also stated they were "cutting out wasteful spending and bureaucracy that slows down relief efforts."

Axios [4/3/2025 4:22 PM, Lucille Sherman, 13163K] reports the federal government’s gutting of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services forced Buncombe County to halt a door-to-door survey meant to aid its Hurricane Helene recovery efforts. The move has forced the county to find a new way to determine outstanding needs in the community six months after Helene tore up the region. Buncombe County learned Tuesday, just one day before the survey was set to begin, that the federal government had fired the 16 CDC employees assisting with the effort. The county plans to find another way to obtain the data it intended to gather as part of its Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) survey, but the CDC employees’ termination could delay its ability to do so.

AP [4/3/2025 3:20 PM, Staff] reports two wildfires that started lose to each other in the South Carolina mountains and burned an area over half the size of Hilton Head Island are nearly contained, authorities said. Four teens who did not fully extinguish their cigarettes while hiking have been charged with causing the largest Table Rock Mountain wildfire which started March 21, the South Carolina Forestry Commission said. That fire and the Persimmon Ridge fire about 8 miles (13 kilometers) away burned about 25 square miles (64.5 square kilometers) during the 10 days they were out of control in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Rain this past weekend, coupled with more humid weather, helped firefighters finally get fire breaks built and check the entire area around the blaze for hot spots Wednesday, said Mike Brod, head of the federal team helping fight the fire. No injuries were caused by the fire and no major structural damage was reported. The arrests for starting the fire were made earlier this week, authorities said. Four teens who were among seven hikers rescued off the mountain as the blaze started were charged with negligently allowing fire to spread to lands or property of another, the state Forestry Commission said. Arrest warrants said officers have evidence the teens were smoking cigarettes and did not properly extinguish them.

Yahoo! News [4/3/2025 5:24 PM, Jana Garrett, 52868K] reports Governor Andy Beshear provided an update on severe weather, Donate Life Month, action to support federal employees and the final winner of the New Kentucky Home giveaway. Officials say Dr. Steven Stack, commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health, joined Gov. Beshear to provide an update on the "Our Healthy Kentucky Home" initiative. The governor also made a leadership announcement and named Eric Friedlander, secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, this week’s Team Kentucky All-Star as he will be retiring August 1. In regard to severe weather, Gov. Beshear says so far, there have not been any fatalities reported, but there have been a few injuries, as well as damage to buildings and other property. "We are thankful everyone is safe, but the next thing we have to do is make sure everyone remains weather aware over the next few days," said Gov. Beshear. "We will continue to see heavy rains, and flash flooding is expected in western Kentucky.” Officials say more waves of storms are expected Thursday afternoon and evening. Heavy rain, high winds and hail are all possible, with a chance for isolated tornadoes in southern and eastern Kentucky. On Friday, the highest area of concern is far western Kentucky, and Saturday, storms are expected throughout the state. With heavy rain coming through the next few days, the National Weather Service is expecting major flooding, with particular concern in western Kentucky. Kentuckians should remain weather aware, have multiple ways to get weather alerts and be prepared to find higher ground if necessary. Gov. Beshear says emergency management remains activated, swift water rescue teams are activated and soldiers and airmen from the Kentucky National Guard are actively supporting communities and emergency management partners. As of Thursday morning, there were 32,604 power outages across the commonwealth. Kentucky State Police received a total of 3,464 calls Wednesday night. State highway crews are working across the state, clearing trees and debris, and assisting utility crews clearing downed power lines, to reopen roads. At least 25 state highways are blocked by floodwater so far, mainly in western Kentucky.

CBS Los Angeles [4/3/2025 6:55 PM, Matthew Rodriguez, 51661K] reports California will send urban search and rescue firefighters to Kentucky to help with the severe storms forecast to hit the state this week. "California understands the threat extreme weather poses and stands with Kentucky ahead of the storms set to impact their state," Gov. Gavin Newsom said. "These deployed resources will provide additional support to first responders across Kentucky to prepare and respond to storms.” The series of storms are expected to bring a severe weather risk that could bring a historic amount of rain and carries a strong possibility of devastating tornadoes. Ahead of the inclement weather, Gov. Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency, prompting FEMA to request additional help from California. "We are most concerned about the area of Western Kentucky that has gotten hit far too much, as well as a wider area of Western Kentucky," Gov. Beshear said. "Remember, these can be strong tornadoes, EF-2 and greater. We’re really concerned about people’s safety, especially in the overnight, because when storms or tornadoes hit while people are asleep, that’s sadly when we’ve lost the most people." "As Kentucky prepares for a series of dangerous storms, we’re proud to send California-based firefighters with expertise in responding to this type of weather," said Cal OES Director Nancy Ward. "Their experience will help bolster response efforts.”

Yahoo! News [4/3/2025 8:43 AM, Madie MacDonald, 52868K] reports that eight members of Virginia Task Force 2 (VA-TF2), based out of Virginia Beach, were deployed to Kentucky following severe weather in the area on Tuesday. According to a release, the team was activated on Tuesday, April 2 around 7 p.m. after preparing its Incident Support Team (IST) cache. Once the members arrive in Louisville, Kentucky Thursday morning, they are expected to meet with FEMA IST and other local agencies to assist when needed. The severe weather tore through cities in the south and Midwest, bringing violent tornadoes, severe thunderstorms and flooding. As of Thursday morning, three people were reported dead as a result of the storms.

Yahoo! News [4/3/2025 12:47 PM, Cassandra Stephenson, 52868K] reports that a chain of severe storms and a possible tornado killed at least five people across West Tennessee early Thursday. The storms left a path of major damage in Fayette, Hardeman and McNairy counties, according to the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA). Crews with National Weather Service Memphis have deployed to Selmer, Tennessee to assess tornado damage. Residents of West and Middle Tennessee received multiple severe storm, tornado and flood warnings throughout Wednesday night into the early morning hours Thursday. State officials warn that "generational flooding" — flooding so severe it happens once a generation or once a lifetime — continues to pose a threat to multiple counties in Middle and West Tennessee as multiple rounds of heavy rain are forecast to stretch into Sunday. Rain totals could reach at least 10 inches in areas of West Tennessee north of Interstate 40 by the end of the weekend, according to National Weather Service Memphis. The northwest corner of the state could see up to 15 total inches of rain. Gov. Bill Lee requested an Emergency Declaration for Tennessee and TEMA Director Patrick Sheehan issued a State of Emergency Wednesday evening in anticipation of the severe storms and flooding. Lee’s request includes federal assistance for debris removal, emergency protective measures and direct federal assistance.

Axios [4/3/2025 4:30 PM, Adam Tamburin, Nate Rau, 13163K] reports flooding is inundating Nashville as Middle Tennessee weathers a seemingly endless string of severe storms. The treacherous wave of weather moved into Tennessee late Wednesday, triggering a series of warnings that kept residents up overnight. So many back-to-back warnings were issued that they temporarily drained the batteries in some city tornado sirens. Another surge of rain and damaging wind is expected on Thursday afternoon and evening. Nashville has avoided a major tornado so far, but parts of West Tennessee were hit hard. State officials confirmed deaths in McNairy and Obion counties on Thursday. More rain and storms are in the forecast through Sunday. The Nashville area could see an additional 2 to 5 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service.

Yahoo! News [4/3/2025 5:51 PM, Raven Copeland, 52868K] Video: HERE reports an EF-3 tornado left scattered debris, remnants of homes, flipped vehicles, downed trees and power lines in Craighead County Wednesday. The National Weather Service says an EF-3 tornado hit the Bay and Lake City communities in Arkansas Wednesday night. Lake City, Arkansas is one of the communities hit the hardest. "No power to Lake City yet. I don’t really have an estimate, but in my opinion, I would say we’re probably two to three days out before we’ll get power restored, as many lines are damaged," said Shelby County Sheriff, Marty Boyd. Sheriff Boyd and Lake City Mayor Cameron Tate told WREG that utilities are the biggest concern right now. "We’ve worked to get the utilities back and going," said Mayor Tate. "We’re currently under a boil order because we lost pressure. We had a broken water main somewhere trees uprooted it and we’re tryna get that fixed.” As recovery continues in Lake City, the command post at Riverside High School is serving as a resource for residents.

Yahoo! News [4/3/2025 5:33 PM, Ryan Turbeville, 52868K] reports the National Weather Service has confirmed two tornadoes that touched down in east Arkansas. NWS officials said an EF-1 tornado and an EF-2 tornado touched down near the community of Almyra Wednesday night. A tornado with a rating of 2 on the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale has wind speeds of 111 miles per hour to 135 miles per hour. An EF-1 tornado has wind speeds of 86 miles per hour to 110 miles per hour. The Arkansas Storm Team has issued an Alert Day for Thursday and Friday as storms have a possibility of turning severe during the afternoon and evening hours.

Yahoo! News [4/3/2025 5:03 PM, Sethanie Smith, 52868K] reports six people were injured when severe storms moved through Mississippi April 2-3, 2025. According to the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), one injury was reported in Marshall County, two in Tate County and three in Tippah County. MEMA is in the process of filling requests for tarps, water, and food for impacted counties. Marshall County has asked for and will receive 200 tarps, 4,000 bottles of water, and over 500 Meals Ready to Eat (MREs). Fifty tarps are being sent to Tate County.

CBS Detroit [4/3/2025 4:31 PM, Elaine Rojas-Castillo, 51661K] reports for residents who live along Ecorse Creek in Dearborn Heights, heavy rains can lead to major flooding. City leaders say they’re making efforts to make sure that this doesn’t happen again. Near-record rainfall brought several inches of rain to Metro Detroit, overwhelming drainage systems and leaving dozens of homes and cars underwater. Right now, they are focusing on working with both local and federal partners to find a solution.

Interlochen Public Radio [4/3/2025 9:24 AM, Michael Livingston, 19K] reports that U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman has invited President Donald Trump to visit the region as residents deal with the aftermath of a devastating ice storm. Bergman, whose district covers all of northern Michigan, penned a letter to Trump on Wednesday emphasizing the widespread destruction, which left thousands without power and damaged critical infrastructure throughout the region in recent days. "Northern Michiganders and Yoopers are among the strongest and most resilient in the country," Bergman wrote. "But a visit from you would be a powerful reminder that we are not alone in this recovery." The letter does not mention any requests for federal aid. Earlier this year, state emergency management officials said the Trump administration froze around $56 million dollars in federal disaster reimbursements in Michigan. Because of this, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) hasn’t made payments for multiple recovery projects on previous disasters. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency for 12 northern Michigan counties this week. On Tuesday, she deployed the Michigan National Guard to assist with removing tree branches from roads and power lines.

Michigan Public Radio [4/3/2025 7:54 AM, Michael Livingston, 79K] reports that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has deployed the Michigan National Guard to help with ice storm recovery. Two specialized teams are being deployed Wednesday to help clear debris on roadways. "These are engineers with chainsaws and other equipment working with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Michigan Public Safety Communications System," said Michigan national Guard spokesman David Kennedy. The National Guard is also responding to a request from the MyMichigan Medical Center in Alpena to set up a temporary shelter. Kennedy confirmed servicemen have set up medical tents outside the hospital to support emergency room overflow. "We are continuing our all-hands-on-deck approach to help families and communities impacted by the storms in Northern Michigan," Whitmer said in a news release. "Power restoration is a top priority, and I’m grateful to our utility partners for positioning hundreds of utility workers to help get power back online as fast as possible." "The declaration authorizes the Michigan State Police, Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division (MSP/EMHSD) to coordinate state efforts above and beyond what MSP/EMHSD has already been doing in conjunction with local agencies," said a news release from the governor’s office. The state of emergency declaration now applies to Otsego, Oscoda, Montmorency, Presque Isle, Emmet, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Mackinac, Alpena, Alcona, and Antrim counties.

Indianapolis Star [4/3/2025 5:38 PM, Noe Padilla and Alysa Guffey] reports after a night of destructive winds tearing through parts of Hamilton and Hendricks County, the National Weather Service of Indianapolis confirmed Thursday afternoon that both areas had been hit by tornadoes. The National Weather Service of Indianapolis survey teams confirmed that Carmel had been hit with an EF1 tornado, which could clock between 86 to 110 mph, while the northeast end of Hendricks County was hit by an EF2 tornado, which could clock between 111 to 135 mph. Carmel city leaders confirmed at their Thursday afternoon council meeting that no one had been injured during the storm. Earlier in the night, the Hendricks County tornado severely damaged a warehouse in Brownsburg. In response to the damage, Carmel Mayor Sue Finkam declared a local state of emergency Thursday at 1 p.m. as the Hamilton County city reckons with ongoing storm damage and recovery operations. Indiana Gov. Mike Braun also announced he would activate the Indiana National Guard to help residents impacted by the severe weather. The full extent of the damage in Carmel and across the state has not been determined yet.

Yahoo! News [4/3/2025 5:22 PM, Joey Schneider, 52868K] reports the National Weather Service has confirmed at least one St. Louis-area tornado from Wednesday afternoon’s severe storms, with more official designations possible in the upcoming days. NWS officials have confirmed that an EF2 tornado ripped through Greenville, Illinois. This tornado originated near Pocahontas, Illinois and followed a path along Interstate 70, ending near Mulberry Grove, Illinois. Greenville was roughly the midpoint and where the tornado’s intensity appeared to peak. One particular area near Millersburgh Road and Cottonwood Avenue experienced the tornado at speeds of up to 135 mph, according to data FOX 2 compiled from an NWS damage assessment tool. NWS further reported that the tornado traveled 22.8 miles with a max width of 200 yards. FOX 2 learned of various damages to homes and trees in Greenville, but no storm-related deaths were reported from the area on Wednesday. NWS reported one injury in Greenville, though other details on that were not disclosed.

Chicago Tribune [4/3/2025 4:49 PM, Amy Lavalley, 5269K] reports Cornett, with tens of thousands of other people, lost power when 83 mph winds and heavy rain swept through Valparaiso, knocking down trees and power lines, damaging homes and businesses, and leaving thousands of people in the dark. The utility told Cornett Thursday that they expected to have his power back up sometime that day. While NIPSCO crews were working to restore power, a team from the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, along with representatives from the Porter County Emergency Management Agency, were doing damage assessment as part of the process to determine if financial assistance, like low-interest loans, might be available for folks hit by the storm. After a tornado came through Valparaiso on July 15 and downed trees and damaged power lines, part of a strong system that included another tornado and derecho winds, the county also took damage reports on 211 and brought in IDHS for damage assessment assistance. That time, Bella said, PCEMA documented 20 places damaged by the storm and the 211 line generated another 19. IDHS came to do assessments then, too, to determine if the damage qualified for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency or the Small Business Administration.

Chicago Tribune [4/3/2025 3:03 PM, Maya Wilkins, 5269K] reports nearly two weeks after multiple tornadoes hit Gary, the city’s council unanimously approved a resolution to continue an executive order focused on storm cleanup. Carla Morgan, corporation counsel for the city of Gary, said the executive order needed extension for city officials to apply for aid. On March 20, Gary Mayor Eddie Melton issued an executive order declaring a local disaster emergency within the city after multiple tornadoes touched down on March 19. Melton’s executive order expired on March 27. Three EF-0 tornadoes passed through Northwest Indiana, two in Gary and one in Highland. An EF-1 tornado passed through Gary’s west side. According to a news release from the city, Gary’s Emerson community, 21st Avenue and Clark Street and Black Oak areas received significant damage. The 21st Avenue corridor between Whitcomb and Hendricks streets was severely impacted. McCullough Academy, 2757 W. 21st Ave., suffered significant damage, including high winds peeling the roof off the gym, according to Post-Tribune archives.

Yahoo! News [4/3/2025 12:15 PM, Josh Kelly, 52868K] reports that the city of Owasso suffered a tornado on Wednesday morning, damaging roughly 11 miles of land. Though the city reports no injuries, damage is seen throughout the community as they rebuild on Thursday morning. The National Weather Service in Tulsa confirmed evidence of an EF1 tornado with winds estimated at around 100-110 mph. The North Tulsa City Council issued a state of emergency, hoping to get aid during their cleanup efforts. Cleanup continued into Thursday morning as the community posted photos of residents clearing their areas. Several tornado warnings were issued throughout the central portion of Oklahoma on Wednesday, and one tornado was confirmed in the eastern portion of the state. The National Weather Service confirmed a tornado in Owasso on Wednesday morning. The Mayor’s State of Emergency declaration came at 4 p.m. on Wednesday. The city reported that the tornado’s path of destruction stretched 11 miles from Hwy 75 to 76 St, with debris throughout. NWS-Tulsa declared the tornado an EF1. Owasso noted that the American Red Cross had already arrived on the scene and began delivering tarps and supplies to residents affected by the event. The NWS-Norman does not anticipate any tornadoes coming today, but another round of storms is expected later in the evening.

AP [4/3/2025 4:31 PM, Staff, 12335K] reports that flooding in rural southeastern Oregon has prompted evacuation orders, school closures and public health concerns as authorities work under challenging conditions to provide services to residents. The Harney County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday that over 1,200 people were under the highest level of evacuation orders and 18 people were using shelter spaces for displaced residents. Authorities have opened an emergency shelter at the county fairgrounds and RV shelters where people can park their vehicles. "We recognize the flooding has impacted people’s lives in significant ways. We appreciate everyone’s patience as we continue to work to mitigate issues, and we are grateful for your support of one another and your first responders," Sheriff Dan Jenkins said. Harney County School District #3 has cancelled classes for the week at its elementary, middle and high schools in the small cities of Burns and Hines. The district serves some 750 students. Drinking water is safe, but bacteria such as E. coli are present in the floodwaters, authorities said. Officials are urging residents to avoid floodwaters when possible, and to wear protective equipment such as rubber boots and gloves if they have to enter the standing water. Items worn in floodwaters should not be worn inside the home and should be decontaminated and washed, authorities said. Authorities have placed portable toilets around Burns for residents whose toilets won’t flush due to sewage system backups.

AP [4/3/2025 1:55 PM, Staff, 34586K] reports that nearly three months after two wildfires destroyed thousands of homes in the Los Angeles area, officials said the death toll from the blazes had reached 30. A team responded Wednesday following a report of possible human remains at a scorched property in Altadena, within the Eaton Fire burn zone, the Medical Examiner’s Office said in a statement. An investigation determined the remains were human, bringing the total deaths from that blaze to 18, the statement said. Twelve people died in the Palisades Fire. To identify charred remains, the medical examiner’s office said it compares dental records and DNA, reviews health records and uses radiographs to search for medical prosthetics or devices. The office also works with law enforcement to gather information on suspected missing persons. "Due to the complexity of these methods and the process, it can take considerable time to confirm a decedent’s identity in these types of cases," the statement said. The two blazes ignited during fierce winds on Jan. 7 and destroyed nearly 17,000 structures, including homes, schools, businesses and places of worship. Rebuilding will take years. The causes of the fires are still under investigation.

Newsweek [4/3/2025 5:41 PM, Gabe Whisnant, 52220K] reports that First Lady Melania Trump’s office announced that its 2025 Spring Garden Tours, originally set for Saturday have been rescheduled to Sunday out of an abundance of caution due to planned public demonstrations near the White House. Officials say the change was made to ensure the safety of all attendees. The White House is coordinating with the U.S. Secret Service and the National Park Service to accommodate all ticket holders. Melania Trump is not expected to attend the garden tours. Newsweek has reached out to the White House for comment via email on Thursday afternoon. Numerous organizations and activists across hundreds of cities in every state are galvanizing to send a message to President Donald Trump, Elon Musk with "Hands Off" protests on Saturday.

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The Hill [4/3/2025 1:51 PM, Judy Kurtz, 12829K]

Yahoo! News [4/3/2025 11:13 AM, Elizabeth Pittman, 52868K] reports that the Warsaw Police Department are seeking help identifying a suspect who passed a counterfeit $100 bill at Warsaw Hardware. The suspect was last seen leaving the area in a silver van-style vehicle. If you have any information that could assist in this investigation, please contact the Warsaw Police Department at (910) 293-7816 and ask to speak with a detective.

Newsweek [4/4/2025 5:27 AM, Ewan Palmer, 3973K] reports a man who, a local sheriff alleged, had "probably" wanted to assassinate President Donald Trump at a California campaign rally ended up being invited to his Mar-a-Lago home. Vem Miller has maintained that he never intended to kill Trump at the Coachella Valley event on October 12, 2024, and said he attended the rally as a supporter and member of the media. Miller was arrested by the Riverside County sheriff’s deputies at a checkpoint about a mile from the rally site after a shotgun, a loaded handgun, and a high-capacity magazine were allegedly found in his vehicle. Miller was never charged in connection with any assassination attempt. The FBI and Secret Service said Trump’s life was not considered to be in danger at the event. The claim that Miller’s detention prevented what would have been the third assassination attempt on Trump in four months was made by Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco while speaking to the media. Miller is now suing Bianco for $100 million in a defamation lawsuit over the disputed assassination plot claims. Four months after his arrest on lesser gun charges in Coachella Valley, Miller attended a "Celebrate American Exceptionalism" event at Trump’s resort in Palm Beach, Florida. In an interview with Newsweek, Miller said the invitation to the February 18 event proves he was not, and never was, a threat to Trump. "The biggest thing that shocks people at this point is that just a month ago, I was at Mar-a-Lago, like 500 feet away from the president with a full security clearance," Miller said in a phone interview with Newsweek. "I was in these private rooms with these individuals having zero security issue in getting in.” Newsweek contacted Bianco via the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office for comment, which replied that it does not comment on pending litigation. In a previous statement to U.K. tabloidDaily Mail, Bianco said, "When asked, I tell people all the time about what he [Miller] did. Facts are facts." [Editorial note: consult audio at source link]

YourBasin.com [4/3/2025 3:12 PM, Erica Miller] reports the Odessa Police Department conducted an undercover operation this week to find a stolen dirt bike that was purchased with counterfeit cash last month. Mattrell Green and Aushira Green have been charged with Theft of Property. According to an OPD report, on March 12, investigators received a report of a stolen black and blue 2015 Yamaha dirt bike. The victim told investigators that he’d listed his dirt bike for sale on Facebook Marketplace and had been contacted by a Facebook user by the name of Bre Green. The victim said he met with a woman with dreadlocks and later found out that the dirt bike, valued at $7,500, had been purchased with counterfeit money.

Border Report [4/3/2025 4:42 PM, Fernie Ortiz, 117K] reports the U.S. continues sending resources to the U.S.-Mexico border, and even some out to sea. The U.S. Coast Guard this week invited reporters to see how they stop other vessels suspected of smuggling migrants. Due to inclement weather, the dramatic simulation was confined to San Diego Bay but included a high-speed boat chase and sailors boarding the "non-compliant boat" with guns drawn. The captain of the supposed smuggling boat was a dummy named "Oscar," who was shot with pepper balls. Border Report correspondent Salvador Rivera watched from another boat, where he learned that the U.S. Coast Guard has "tripled" its resources and personnel to fight maritime crimes, specifically migrant smuggling. In those last two months, Border Report has noted a significant increase in reports of Coast Guard interdictions off the coast of San Diego.

Maritime Executive [4/3/2025 7:01 PM, Denise Krepp, 325K] reports earlier this week, Senator Rick Scott introduced the Coast Guard Improvement Act, a bill that establishes the Secretary of the Coast Guard, a non uniformed individual who will oversee Coast Guard operations and report directly to the Secretary of Homeland Security. I’ve spent the past twenty five years working with the Coast Guard - first as a Coast Guard officer, then as a Hill staffer responsible for the Coast Guard portfolio, Maritime Administration Chief Counsel, and registered lobbyist. These experiences taught me that a uniformed head of the agency hurts the service and the men and women who serve in it. The person who has led the Coast Guard to date has always been a US Coast Guard Academy graduate. The school’s motto is Scientiae Cedit Mare, the sea yields to knowledge. The sea does indeed bring knowledge but in the case of the Coast Guard, decades of uniformed leaders failed to act on it.

FOX 4 Cap Coral [4/3/2/5 8:31 PM, Alex Orenczuk] reports a disturbing video of a charter boat captain harassing a young fisherman in Punta Gorda is going viral, and the incident is being investigated by authorities. The video was posted to Facebook by 22-year-old Gage Towles, showing him fishing alone on his boat near the US-41 bridge in Punta Gorda. In the video, charter Captain Brock Horner, of Tarpon Coast Fishing Charters, drives his boat near Towles and begins questioning him about his use of lights. As of Thursday night, the video received more than 8.5 million views, and tens of thousands of interactions. The Punta Gorda Police Department, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and United States Coast Guard have stated the agencies are investigating the incident. A spokesperson for USCG also provided Fox 4 with a statement. "The Coast Guard is investigating the incident. The Coast Guard has authority and jurisdiction over merchant mariner credentials. Enforcement actions for violations can range from civil penalties to suspension or revocation of a merchant mariner credential. We also work with our state and local law enforcement partners regarding incidents between U.S. citizens if there is a nexus to non-federal charges."

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NBC 8 Tampa [4/3/2025 4:46 PM, Sierra Rains, 31K]

DVIDS [4/3/2025 7:30 PM, Maj. David Bedard, 777K] reports service members of the Alaska Organized Militia, Alaskan Command, and Coast Guard District 17 in partnership with Alaska Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management officials tested their disaster response capabilities March 1-7 during Exercise Vigilant Guard 25-2. Vigilant Guard is an annual large-scale exercise sponsored by US Northern Command in conjunction with the National Guard Bureau and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The exercise is designed to evaluate and enhance the integration of local, state and federal responders under one command structure. The Joint Task Force-Alaska staff comprised state and federal forces including Alaska DHS&EM, Alaska National Guard Joint Staff, Alaska State Defense Force, Alaska Naval Militia, 103rd Civil Support Team, Alaska Army National Guard and Alaska Air National Guard. Federal participation included the NORTHCOM Joint Enabling Capability, Alaskan Command and FEMA Region 10 Defense Coordinating Officer/Element.

DVIDS [4/4/2025 12:01 AM, Chief Warrant Officer Sara Muir, 777K] reports the USCGC Oliver Henry (WPC 1140) crew returned to its homeport in Guam on April 1, 2025, concluding a significant transit from Hawai’i showcasing the U.S. Coast Guard’s commitment to maritime security, safety, and partnership across the Pacific. Following several months of drydock maintenance in Honolulu, the crew leveraged their transit back to Guam to conduct operations, respond to a search and rescue (SAR) case, and make history with the first-ever U.S. government vessel to moor at the Republic of Nauru’s newly constructed wharf. Spanning 4,844 nautical miles, the 19-day voyage underscored the crew’s role in providing a sustained U.S. presence in support of U.S. territories and Compact of Free Association (COFA) partners. “Our crew showed what it means to be adaptable and committed, seamlessly shifting from planned missions to answering the call of mariners in need,” said Lt. Ray Cerrato, commanding officer of Oliver Henry. “Whether we’re rescuing people at sea or building stronger bonds with our Pacific neighbors, we’re here to help maintain a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific. It’s about peace through presence—standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our partners to keep this region free and open.” A key highlight was the cutter’s port visit to Nauru from March 25 to 27, during which the crew hosted Australia’s high commissioner and the Nauru acting police commissioner and conducted a small boat and maritime law enforcement subject matter expert exchange with the Nauru Police Force Maritime Unit. This visit continues U.S.–Nauru efforts to reinforce broader regional maritime security efforts.

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KUAM News [4/3/2025 11:15 PM, Staff]

MeriTalk [4/3/2025 3:20 PM, Weslan Hansen, 45K] reports Republicans on the House Committee on Homeland Security have said that while the Cybersecurity Infrastructure and Security Agency (CISA) isn’t going anywhere despite Federal funding and workforce cuts, the agency needs to get back to its "core mission." The statement follows recent bipartisan criticism of the Trump administration’s recent cuts of at least 4 percent of the cybersecurity agency’s workforce and funding cuts toward cybersecurity initiatives. Rep. Green said that he wants to instead expand the agency’s efforts in information sharing with its public-private partners to secure the nation’s critical infrastructure. Rep. Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., chair of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection, echoed similar sentiments while speaking yesterday at an Axonius event. The representative also shared his vision for CISA to take a larger role in securing the Federal government rather than having cybersecurity efforts fragmented across agencies, saying that he’d "like to see actually more responsibility in [CISA] having a bigger role in defending the Federal government." Rep. Garbarino also noted that he is looking to maintain CISA’s oversight of the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP) – which provides $1 billion in funding across four years and is up for reauthorization this September.

MeriTalk [4/3/2025 4:07 PM, Weslan Hansen, 45K] reports cyber threat actors are using a new cyber technique to evade detection and maintain resilient operations, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said in a joint cybersecurity advisory issued on Thursday. Fast flux, a domain-based technique that rapidly changes the domain name system (DNS) records associated with a single domain, is the latest threat spurring an advisory warning from CISA, the National Security Agency, the FBI, and international partners. To detect fast flux techniques, CISA recommended leveraging threat intelligence feeds, implementing anomaly detection systems for DNS queries, analyzing time-to-live values in DNS records, monitoring for inconsistent geolocation in DNS resolution, and using flow data to identify large-scale communications with multiple IP addresses over short periods. Phishing awareness programs, enhanced logging and monitoring, and cybersecurity community collaborations to share threat intelligence can be useful for mitigation, CISA said. CISA also warned that while cybersecurity and PDNS services are important for detecting and blocking fast flux activity, not all providers automatically offer protection.

Dallas Morning News [4/3/2025 6:01 PM, Brian Womack, 2778K] reports Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas suffered a data incident that may have exposed customer’s information over several months. It took place on its Blue Access for Members (BAM) online portal, where individuals can access information about their membership, according to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas. Its investigation detected activity affecting "certain" registrations that may have caused the disclosure of some member data between Nov. 8, 2024, and March 5. "As soon as we were aware of the activity, we took actions to help address unauthorized potential access to BAM," the organization said in an emailed statement. Individuals who are affected are being notified by mail and are eligible for one year of free identity protection services. Data breaches continue to plague businesses and organizations around the country even as cybersecurity services work to stay ahead of the technology challenges. That includes Dallas County, Parkland Health and Landmark Admin, an insurance service. Last year, the Identity Theft Resource Center tracked 3,158 data compromises that resulted in over 1.3 billion notices going to individuals. "Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas takes the security and privacy of our member and employee data very seriously," it said. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas is the state’s largest health and accident insurer with a 25% market share and taking in more than $15 billion in premiums in 2023, according to the Texas Department of Insurance. News of the breach comes after members learned two major North Texas medial systems are no longer in-network for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas insurance plans. The company failed to reach an agreement with Southwestern Health Resources, which includes the medical providers and hospitals at Texas Health Resources and UT Southwestern.

CyberScoop [4/3/2025 6:57 PM, Matt Kapko] reports Ivanti customers are confronting another string of attacks linked to an actively exploited vulnerability in the company’s VPN products. Mandiant said a nation-state backed espionage group linked to China has been exploiting the critical vulnerability, CVE-2025-22457, since mid-March. The threat group, which Google Threat Intelligence Group tracks as UNC5221, has a knack for exploiting Ivanti products and has successfully — and repeatedly — attacked the vendor’s customers since 2023. UNC5221 previously exploited a trio of zero-day vulnerabilities, including CVE-2025-0282, CVE-2023-46805 and CVE-2024-21887. Actively exploited software defects in Ivanti products are a consistent and recurring problem for the vendor’s customers, which have been subject to multiple attack sprees from various threat groups. Ivanti has made 15 appearances in the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s known exploited vulnerabilities catalog since early 2024, not including CVE-2025-22457. “This latest activity from UNC5221 underscores the ongoing targeting of edge devices globally by China-nexus espionage groups,” Mandiant Consulting CTO Charles Carmakal said in a statement. “The velocity of cyber intrusion activity by China-nexus espionage actors continues to increase and these actors are better than ever.” The latest attacks involve a vulnerability in Ivanti Connect Secure that the vendor released a patch for Feb. 11, but the company didn’t disclose the vulnerability until Thursday.

Yahoo! News [4/3/2025 12:16 PM, Steven Henshaw, 52868K] reports that a domestic-related incident involving an armed person has Alvernia University’s main campus in south Reading on lockdown along with nearby schools in adjoining school districts, according to an announcement on the university website. The announcement said no one should leave buildings as public safety officers and Reading police were working to locate the suspect near the main campus, which the college calls its Hill Campus. Shuttles to Alvernia’s downtown Reading campus have been suspended. Police have set up a command post, and Alvernia security personnel are coordinating with them, the announcement said. Gov. Mifflin and Wyomissing school district buildings were placed on emergency status, meaning no one can leave or enter. Those moves were made out of an abundance of caution, according to announcements on the district websites. A city spokesman said it is considered an active-shooter incident, meaning that the shooter hasn’t been apprehended or accounted for and remains a threat. The suspect shot at a house and car in the area. No one was injured.

USA Today [4/3/2025 8:20 AM, Kirsten Fiscus, Evan Mealins, and Craig Shoup, 75858K] reports that, just over two years after three children and three staff members were killed at the Covenant School, the Metro Nashville Police Department closed the investigation believing the shooter’s primary motive to be notoriety. Evelyn Dieckhaus, William Kinney and Hallie Scruggs, all 9, as well as Covenant School staff members Michael Hill, Katherine Koonce and Cynthia Peak were killed on March 27, 2023 when a shooter entered the school armed with two assault-style rifles and a handgun. The shooter was killed by Nashville Police officers. In announcing the closure of the case, the department also released a 48-page report detailing its findings Wednesday. Police were able to determine motive based on journals left in the suspect’s car, they said. In total, the various notebooks contained 1,299 pages of content, police said, noting the shooter did not leave a single reason for attacking the school. The shooter chose the school because of "the notoriety (they) would obtain and considered it a soft target.” The report said the shooter became fascinated with school shootings and began researching news articles, watching documentaries and gathering information on mass shootings — particularly the Columbine school shooting — in the United States. According to writings left behind, the Covenant School shooter took inspiration from the Columbine shooters because they suffered similar mental health issues and the level of notoriety they received was appealing. Stefan Banks, a parent of two children at the Covenant School, said during a Wednesday press conference there will never be closure for the families as the city concluded its investigation. Details of the report vindicated the parents’ stance in blocking the release of the documents, Banks said. "The conclusion of this investigation establishes beyond a doubt that the legal battle against the public release of the shooter’s evil material is just, appropriate, and should silence any critics of our efforts," Banks said.

Yahoo! News [4/3/2025 9:05 PM, Alex Brizee, 52868K] reports someone vandalized vehicles and property at the Tesla dealership in Meridian to the tune of over $100,000, and police are asking for help identifying the suspect. The Meridian Police Department said in a news release Thursday that it’s investigating the incident after the unknown suspect vandalized 16 Tesla Cybertrucks and spray-painted the word "Nazi" on the exterior of the dealership, located at 2554 W. Franklin Road in Meridian. Police said they also "defaced the sides" of several vehicles, and an image of one of the Cybertrucks showed a squiggly line of red spray paint down the side of the vehicle, which costs upwards of $70,000. The incident occurred sometime in a roughly 12-hour window between 6:30 p.m. Wednesday and 7 a.m. Thursday, according to the release. The estimated damage is roughly $114,000. The Meridian Police Department said it’s investigating the incident after the unknown suspect vandalized 16 Tesla Cybertrucks and spray-painted the word "Nazi" on the exterior of the dealership. This comes just days after officers arrested a 70-year-old man for allegedly hitting another man with his car outside the dealership at a protest against Tesla CEO Elon Musk, the Idaho Statesman previously reported. Counterprotesters led by the far-right Idaho Liberty Dogs showed up to oppose the rally against Musk. It also follows a national trend of attacks on the billionaire’s electric-car company, part of opposition to his leadership role with President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, which has laid off federal workers throughout the United States and caused much upset.

New York Times [4/4/2025 3:28 AM, Maggie Haberman, Jonathan Swan and Ken Bensinger, 330K] reports President Trump fired six National Security Council officials after an extraordinary meeting in the Oval Office with the far-right activist Laura Loomer, who laid out a list of people she believed were disloyal to the president, U.S. officials said on Thursday. The firings were described by one of the U.S. officials, who had direct knowledge of the matter. The decision came after Ms. Loomer vilified the staff members by name during a meeting on Wednesday, when she walked into the White House with a sheaf of papers attacking the character and loyalty of numerous N.S.C. officials. Michael Waltz, the national security adviser, joined later in the meeting and briefly defended some of his staff, though it was clear he had little if any power to protect their jobs. It was a remarkable spectacle: Ms. Loomer, who has floated the baseless conspiracy theory that the Sept. 11 attacks were an “inside job” and is viewed as extreme by even some of Mr. Trump’s far-right allies, was apparently wielding more influence over the staff of the National Security Council than Mr. Waltz, who runs the agency. A longtime supporter of Mr. Trump who has frequently spoken of her desire to work with him, Ms. Loomer was one of Mr. Trump’s most vicious online enforcers during the 2024 campaign. The account of the White House meeting with Ms. Loomer and the subsequent firings is based on interviews with eight people with knowledge of the events. They asked for anonymity to discuss confidential meetings and conversations. The people fired included Brian Walsh, the senior director for intelligence; Maggie Dougherty, the senior director for international organizations; and Thomas Boodry, the senior director for legislative affairs. None could be reached for comment.

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Wall Street Journal [4/3/2025 5:35 PM, Alexander Ward, Meridth McGraw, and Josh Dawsey, 646K]
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CBS News [4/3/2025 12:23 PM, Margaret Brennan, Jennifer Jacobs, and Weijia Jiang, 51661K]
NBC News [4/3/2025 11:43 AM, Katherine Doyle, Henry J. Gomez, Gordon Lubold, Julie Tsirkin, and Courtney Kube, 44742K]
CNN [4/3/2025 7:21 PM, Katie Bo Lillis, Alayna Treene, Kylie Atwood, and Kaitlan Collins, 22131K]
Newsweek [4/3/2025 5:59 PM, Gabe Whisnant, 52220K]
Washington Examiner [4/3/2025 1:49 PM, Jack Birle, 2296K]

CBS 58 [4/4/2025 3:20 AM, Katie Bo Lillis, Alayna Treene, Kylie Atwood and Kaitlan Collins, 257K] reports the White House has fired multiple administration officials, including at least three National Security Council staffers, three sources familiar with the move told CNN. The firings came after Laura Loomer, the far-right activist who once claimed 9/11 was an inside job, urged President Donald Trump during a Wednesday meeting to get rid of several members of his National Security Council staff, including his principal deputy national security adviser, claiming that they are disloyal. One of the sources said Loomer had compiled a list of roughly a dozen names, and that the subsequent firings were a direct result of the meeting with Loomer, who was an influential voice around Trump during his 2024 campaign last fall. Trump defended letting people go when talking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Thursday. “Always, we’re going to let go of people – people that we don’t like, or people that we don’t think can do the job, or people that may have loyalties to someone else,” Trump said. But he said Loomer was not involved in Wednesday’s firings, calling her “a very good patriot.” Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Alex Wong was not among those who had been dismissed on Wednesday. However, one White House official speculated to CNN Thursday that Wong could be out as soon as today, though a final decision remains to be seen. Wong was one of the advisers specifically targeted by Loomer, who publicly questioned his loyalty to Trump and criticized him privately as a “Never Trumper.” One of the sources speculated that National Security Adviser Michael Waltz may have been reluctant to fire Wong because he has been embroiled in the controversy surrounding the leak of controversial Signal messages related to military strikes on Yemen that Waltz and his team have been under fire for initiating. The three officials fired include Brian Walsh, a director for intelligence and a former top staffer for now-Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the Senate Intelligence Committee; Thomas Boodry, a senior director for legislative affairs who previously served as Waltz’s legislative director in Congress; and David Feith, a senior director overseeing technology and national security who served in the State Department during Trump’s first administration. “NSC doesn’t comment on personnel matters,” NSC spokesman Brian Hughes said in a statement to CNN. All of the officials who were fired went through the same vetting process in the last several months — which included questions about loyalty to Trump’s agenda — that was run by the now-director of the Presidential Personnel Office, Sergio Gor. Trump praised Loomer Thursday, saying that while she has recommended firing people in the past, “yesterday, she recommended some people for jobs.” “She is a very strong person, and I saw her yesterday for a little while and she has her, she makes recommendations of things and people,” Trump said aboard Air Force One. “And sometimes I listen to those recommendations, like I do with everybody, I listen to everybody, and then I make a decision.”

New York Times [4/4/2025 4:34 AM, Julian E. Barnes, 145325K] reports the head of the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command was removed from his job on Thursday, according to the top Democrats on the congressional intelligence committees. Senator Mark Warner of Virginia and Representative Jim Himes of Connecticut condemned the ouster of Gen. Timothy D. Haugh, who led both the spy agency and the military command. The move caught intelligence officials off guard. A spokeswoman for Cyber Command said she could not confirm General Haugh’s removal, and referred questions to the Pentagon, which did not respond to a request for comment. A White House spokeswoman did not confirm the ouster. But a U.S. official briefed on the matter said Laura Loomer, a far-right activist and outside adviser to President Trump, called for General Haugh’s removal during her Oval Office meeting on Thursday. Mr. Trump ordered Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to fire General Haugh, the official said. General Haugh was also seen by the Trump administration as moving too slowly on its mandate to eliminate diversity programs. Mr. Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said the public was owed an explanation. “I have known General Haugh to be an honest and forthright leader who followed the law and put national security first — I fear those are precisely the qualities that could lead to his firing in this administration,” Mr. Himes said. Three former officials briefed on the matter said General Haugh was informed of the decision while traveling. Current and former officials said General Haugh’s deputy at the National Security Agency, Wendy Noble, was also removed from her post, and potentially reassigned to another position at the Pentagon. One of the officials said neither General Haugh nor Ms. Noble was told why they were being removed, only that “your services are no longer required.”

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Washington Post [4/3/2025 1:19 PM, Ellen Nakashima, Warren P. Strobel and Aaron Schaffer, 31735K]
Wall Street Journal [4/4/2025 12:08 AM, Dustin Volz, 646K]

FOX News [4/4/2025 5:09 AM, Elizabeth Pritchett, 46189K] reports the Trump administration fired National Security Agency Director Gen. Timothy Haugh and civilian Deputy Director Wendy Noble, according to a report. The firings were first reported by Washington Post on Thursday. Haugh also served as commander of the U.S. Cyber Command – a position from which he was also dismissed. Noble was reassigned to serve in the office of the undersecretary of defense for intelligence, according to the Post. Sen. Mark Warner and Rep. Jim Himes, top Democrats on the Senate and House intelligence committees, reacted to the alleged firings late Thursday night. Himes, a ranking member on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said he is "deeply disturbed" by Haugh’s dismissal. "I have known General Haugh to be an honest and forthright leader who followed the law and put national security first—I fear those are precisely the qualities that could lead to his firing in this Administration," he said in a statement, adding an "immediate explanation" is needed for this decision. Warner, the vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, described Haugh’s firing as "astonishing" in a statement. "General Haugh has served our country in uniform, with honor and distinction, for more than 30 years. At a time when the United States is facing unprecedented cyber threats, as the Salt Typhoon cyberattack from China has so clearly underscored, how does firing him make Americans any safer?" Warner said. The senator described Haugh as a "nonpartisan, experienced leader" and said it is astonishing that President Donald Trump would fire him before holding "any member of his team accountable for leaking classified information on a commercial messaging app.” He continued, "even as he apparently takes staffing direction on national security from a discredited conspiracy theorist in the Oval Office.” Warner is appearing to refer to Laura Loomer, a far-right activist who reportedly presented Trump with a list of disloyal National Security Counsel staff members who should be fired. An undisclosed number of NSC employees were dismissed on Thursday, but Trump has said Loomer was not involved in those firings.

AP [4/4/2025 12:33 AM, Lou Kesten, 48304K] reports top congressional Democrats on Thursday protested the reported firing of Gen. Tim Haugh as director of the National Security Agency, with one lawmaker saying the decision “makes all of us less safe.” Washington Post reported late Thursday that Haugh and his civilian deputy at the NSA, Wendy Noble, had been dismissed from those roles. Haugh also headed U.S. Cyber Command, which coordinates the Pentagon’s cybersecurity operations. The Post report cited two current U.S. officials and one former U.S. official who requested anonymity. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said in a statement: “General Haugh has served our country in uniform, with honor and distinction, for more than 30 years. At a time when the United States is facing unprecedented cyber threats ... how does firing him make Americans any safer?” Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., the ranking member on the House Intelligence Committee, said he was “deeply disturbed by the decision.” “I have known General Haugh to be an honest and forthright leader who followed the law and put national security first — I fear those are precisely the qualities that could lead to his firing in this Administration,” Himes added. “The Intelligence Committee and the American people need an immediate explanation for this decision, which makes all of us less safe.” Earlier Thursday, President Donald Trump said he had fired “some” White House National Security Council officials, a move that came a day after far-right activist Laura Loomer raised concerns directly to him about staff loyalty. Loomer during her Oval Office conversation with Trump urged the president to purge staffers she deemed insufficiently loyal to his “Make America Great Again” agenda, according to several people familiar with the matter. They all spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive personnel manner. “Always we’re letting go of people,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he made his way to Miami on Thursday afternoon. “People that we don’t like or people that we don’t think can do the job or people that may have loyalties to somebody else.”

Wall Street Journal [4/3/2025 5:42 PM, Nancy A. Youssef, 646K] reports the Pentagon’s inspector general said Thursday it had launched a review into Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s sharing of military plans ahead of U.S. strikes on Yemen in a Signal chat group. The decision by the inspector general to publicly share its move, and that it was focused on the defense chief, was unusual. The Office of the Inspector General is an independent watchdog group within the department. “The objective of this evaluation is to determine the extent to which the Secretary of Defense and other DoD personnel complied with DoD policies and procedures for the use of a commercial messaging application for official business,” the inspector general’s office said in a statement. The office launched its review at the request of Sens. Roger Wicker (R., Miss.) and Jack Reed (D., R.I.), the chairman and ranking member, respectively, of the Senate Armed Services Committee, who wrote a letter to the inspector general last week. The White House confirmed that members of its national security team had communicated on Signal, a nongovernment app, about a coming strike in Yemen.

AP [4/3/2025 4:05 AM, Josh Boak, 531K] reports President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced far-reaching new tariffs on nearly all U.S. trading partners — a 34% tax on imports from China and 20% on the European Union, among others — that threaten to dismantle much of the architecture of the global economy and trigger broader trade wars. Trump, in a Rose Garden announcement, said he was placing elevated tariff rates on dozens of nations that run meaningful trade surpluses with the United States, while imposing a 10% baseline tax on imports from all countries in response to what he called an economic emergency. The president, who said the tariffs were designed to boost domestic manufacturing, used aggressive rhetoric to describe a global trade system that the United States helped to build after World War II, saying “our country has been looted, pillaged, raped and plundered” by other nations. The action amounts to a historic tax hike that could push the global order to a breaking point. It kickstarts what could be a painful transition for many Americans as middle-class essentials such as housing, autos and clothing are expected to become more costly, while disrupting the alliances built to ensure peace and economic stability. Trump said he was acting to bring in hundreds of billions in new revenue to the U.S. government and restore fairness to global trade. “Taxpayers have been ripped off for more than 50 years,” he said. “But it is not going to happen anymore.” Trump declared a national economic emergency to levy the tariffs. He has promised that factory jobs will return to the United States as a result of the taxes, but his policies risk a sudden economic slowdown as consumers and businesses could face sharp price hikes.

Los Angeles Times [4/3/2025 7:23 PM, Patrick J. McDonnell, 52868K] reports Mexico has avoided the worst of the Trump tariff onslaught. At least for now. That was the message of relief that Mexican officials were sending Thursday, a day after the Trump administration unveiled its much-anticipated "Liberation Day" tariff regimen, imposing import levies on scores of nations worldwide. Spared in the latest round of duties were Mexico and Canada — Washington’s two largest trading partners — which are both signatories of the North American free-trade pact inked with the United States in 2020, during Trump’s initial term. The tariff assault from Washington has chipped away at the three-nation trade deal, but much of it remains intact — with the notable exceptions of 25% tariffs that the While House has imposed on automotive imports, as well as on steel and aluminum. "Until now, we have preferential treatment," President Claudia Sheinbaum told reporters at her morning news conference. "Of course we would like to achieve a better situation.” Sobering news came Thursday in an announcement from automaker Stellantis, whose brands include Jeep, Citroën and Ram. The company said that it was temporarily halting production at some plants in Mexico and Canada because of the tariff uncertainty. Still, Marcelo Ebrard, Mexico’s economic minister, said Mexico’s actions helped address complaints and concerns aired by Trump, aiding Mexico’s standing in talks with Washington. Mexico deployed troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to control immigration and beefed up efforts to counter the production and smuggling of fentanyl, the synthetic opioid, while turning over dozens of wanted drug traffickers to the United States. Throughout the contentious tariff debate, the Mexican peso has remained relatively stable at about 20 pesos to $1, a fact that many view as a positive barometer of the government’s strategy. "Mexico President Sheinbaum has been very smart in her negotiations, and she’s done a good job of not agitating President Trump," said Mike O’Rourke, chief marketing strategist at Jones Trading, an investment group that analyzes global economic trends. But, he added, the situation remains "fluid" and not predictable.

Wall Street Journal [4/3/2025 5:00 AM, Nick Timiaros, 646K] reports the U.S. is moving to blow up the global trading order it built, ushering in an uncertain new era. President Trump’s highly anticipated announcement Wednesday represents a high-stakes gamble to transform a global economic relationship that Trump for decades has said ripped off the U.S.—even as the American economy had emerged from the pandemic as the envy of its rich-world peers. The president’s moves raise the specter of a stagflationary shock that increases prices while putting more economies, including the U.S., at risk of recession. Trump stunned markets by announcing a suite of tariff hikes on major trading partners, including 20% for the European Union and 34% on China. The tax on imported goods, which also includes at least a 10% across-the-board increase on all countries, will raise overall weighted-average tariffs to 23%—the highest in over 100 years—from 10% before the announcement and 2.5% last year, according to JPMorgan Chase. Economists said Trump’s policy shift, if it isn’t rolled back, could rival President Richard Nixon’s 1971 decision to overturn arrangements created by the U.S. and its wartime allies during World War II, when Washington had agreed to exchange dollars for gold at a rate of $35 an ounce. It would mark “probably the biggest attempt to fundamentally reshape the tax-trade structure in the U.S. since Nixon took us off the gold standard in the early 1970s,” said Michael Gapen, chief U.S. economist at Morgan Stanley.

Washington Examiner [4/3/2025 6:00 AM, Zach Halaschak, 2296K] reports some of President Donald Trump’s allies are saying that recent moves by Israel and Vietnam to lower import duties are a sign that Trump’s aggressive tariff agenda could end up helping trade. In a dramatic Rose Garden announcement declaring "Liberation Day," Trump on Wednesday announced 10% tariffs on all imports and higher reciprocal rates on other countries. In the days before the tariff rollout, Israel announced the removal of tariffs on U.S. products and Vietnam cut tariffs on several U.S. imports. "That’s kind of the goal of this thing, that’s a positive result," Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) told the Washington Examiner when asked about the moves by Israel and Vietnam. Additionally, Vietnam gave Elon Musk’s Starlink access to the country recently and has promised to purchase more U.S. imports. India has also reportedly expressed a willingness to lower tariffs on electric vehicles. A major question before Wall Street and investors is how much Trump has been playing hardball with tariffs in order to exact concessions like lower levies from other countries. Critics would say the market fallout from tariffs and threats of tariffs isn’t worth it, but supporters of Trump’s aggressive trade agenda would argue that countries preemptively lowering tariffs in response to the mere threat is proof that the strategy works. Trump, though, has cited different and sometimes conflicting goals for the tariffs. At times, he’s suggested they will bring back manufacturing to the United States. At other times, he’s said they will bring in massive tariff revenues — which would not happen if producers instead moved to the U.S. Trade negotiation partners have said that it is not clear that meeting Trump’s demands will eliminate the threat of tariffs. Mexico, for instance, worked to fulfill Trump’s conditions for avoiding tariffs that he said were meant to pressure the country into cracking down on illegal immigration and drug trafficking. The tariffs were imposed nevertheless, albeit with some concessions. Famed investor Bill Ackman, founder and CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management who endorsed Trump during this past election cycle, used Israel’s announcement to push other countries to make similar moves on trade. "Israel sets the example on how all of our allies should preemptively respond to President [Trump]’s desire to level the tariff playing field for America," Ackman said on X.

New York Times [4/3/2025 6:18 PM, Alan Rappeport, 145325K] reports that President Trump upended the international trading system on Wednesday with a blunt package of global tariffs, making the case that the United States faces a dire economic emergency as a result of trade imbalances with countries across the globe. It’s a sentiment that Mr. Trump has expressed for decades, one that helped propel him to the presidency amid anger over lost manufacturing jobs and widening trade deficits. While the United States has the largest and strongest economy in the world, Mr. Trump — and many of his supporters — have long held the view that America has been ripped off by other countries and that tariffs are the answer to rectify decades of what they call unfair treatment that has shuttered factories, decimated communities and hurt workers. “Every prediction our opponents made about trade for the last 30 years has been proven totally wrong,” Mr. Trump said on Wednesday, pointing to trade deals such as NAFTA and the Trans-Pacific Partnership as well as the tariffs he imposed during his first term. “We can’t do what we’ve been doing for the last 50 years.” Since his days as a real estate developer in the 1980s, Mr. Trump has been railing against the trade and business practices of other countries that he found to be unfair. Back then, when Japan was a booming economic rival, Mr. Trump used to assail its tactics. This week he made good on his promise to try to force more companies to make their products in the United States. He punished trading partners with stiff tariffs, despite anxiety from economists, investors and businesses that his approach could send prices soaring and tip the economy into recession.

FOX News [4/3/2025 8:17 AM, Danielle Wallace, 46189K] reports the Senate on Wednesday approved a resolution opposing President Donald Trump’s tariffs on imports from Canada hours after his event championing "Liberation Day." Four Republicans – Sens. Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell, of Kentucky; Susan Collins, of Maine; and Lisa Murkowski, of Alaska, sided with Democrats in voting for a resolution that would repeal the emergency declaration that permitted Trump to levy taxes on Canada by citing deadly fentanyl flowing across the border. The measure, introduced by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., passed the upper chamber of Congress by a 51-48 vote. The resolution likely won’t survive the GOP-controlled House, but its passage was a small victory for Democrats looking for their best attack line before the midterms. Paul defended his decision to cross party lines in a speech on the Senate floor in which he quoted American revolutionary James Otis in saying, "Taxation without representation is tyranny." The senator said it was that longstanding principle that originated from the Magna Carta that sparked the American revolution and was incorporated into the Constitution by the Founding Fathers. "And yet today, we are here before the Senate because one person in our country wishes to raise taxes," Paul said. "Well, this is contrary to everything our country was founded upon. One person is not allowed to raise tax. The Constitution forbids it." Paul said the Founding Fathers "so feared the power of taxation that they gave it only to Congress." "I stand against the idea of skipping democracy, of skipping the constitutional republic, of rejecting our founding principles, not because I have any animus towards the president," Paul said. "I do this because I love my country, and I want to see the division of power enabled such that it protects us all from the amalgamation of power into one person such that it can be abused. Another name for emergency rule is martial law." [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Bloomberg [4/3/2025 6:31 AM, Staff, 1492K] reports the notion that Canadian companies can simply switch supply chains in response to American tariffs is a fantasy, experts say. With 25 per cent duties levied on some Canadian goods and the possibility of more tariffs to come, businesses north of the border are looking elsewhere to source their material and sell their products. But companies caught up in tightly braided supply channels after decades of trade pacts and sector specialization may quickly bump into barriers around everything from transport and labour costs to resource availability, manufacturing capacity and market saturation. “There are many, many industries that can’t just flip a switch,” said Ulrich Paschen, an instructor at Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Melville School of Business. The auto sector illustrates the difficulty many firms face. Canada exports about 1.5 million fully assembled vehicles to the U.S. each year and accounts for eight to 10 per cent of American vehicle consumption — and nearly all of Canada’s auto exports — according to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. Nor are American automakers necessarily inclined to turn their back on their northern partners. Cancelling contracts with Canadian suppliers would trigger breakage fees of up to $500 million per U.S. factory, the group said. Many parts cross the border multiple times before final assembly. “Canada and the U.S. have that integrated trading relationship. It’s been built over decades,” said Pascal Chan, vice-president of strategic policy and supply chains at the chamber. “It’s not easy to unwind and just unscramble the egg that is this trading relationship.” Canadian auto suppliers considering relocation to the U.S. would confront major deterrents as well — closure costs in the tens of millions per facility, labour expenses that are over 20 per cent higher and multi-year delays to get their American plants up and running. Auto, lumber and steel producers would face some of the toughest challenges in the hunt for new markets, Paschen said. “There is a finite number of companies that can make those components, and they would not be easily replaced,” he said of vehicle parts. Forestry players face an entirely different dilemma. Lumber exports, while ample, have a low value per volume compared to some other commodities. “It makes a lot of sense to ship stuff from Canada across the border directly to the United States. It makes a lot less sense to ship it halfway across the world, because the transport cost becomes such a huge factor,” Paschen said. As for steel and aluminum, U.S. President Donald Trump imposed 25 per cent tariffs on imports from all countries in March, on the heels of duties on a range of other Canadian-made goods. Canada struck back in both cases, announcing tariffs of about $60 billion worth of goods in total last month.

New York Times [4/3/2025 3:59 PM, Ian Austen, 145325K] reports Prime Minister Mark Carney said that Canada had introduced a 25 percent tariff on cars and trucks made in the United States in retaliation for the tariffs that went into effect Thursday morning on Canadian vehicles. Five hours before the tariffs imposed by President Trump took effect, the automaker Stellantis told the union representing workers at its minivan and muscle car factory in Windsor, Ontario, that the plant would close Monday for two weeks so it could assess the effects of the tariffs, idling about 3,600 employees. Mr. Carney estimated that Canada would collect about $5.7 billion from the retaliatory tariffs he said it was imposing — on top of the $42 billion or so he said Canada would generate from the tariffs it imposed on March 4. That money, Mr. Carney said, would go toward helping workers and businesses affected by the U.S. tariffs. “We take these measures reluctantly,” Mr. Carney said at a news conference after a meeting with Canada’s premiers. “And we take them in ways that’s intended and will cause maximum impact in the United States and minimum impact here in Canada.” He added, “We can do better than the United States. Exactly where that comes out depends on how much damage they do to their economy.” Canada’s tariffs, Mr. Carney said, would exclude auto parts, and the country would still allow companies that make cars in Canada — Stellantis, Ford, General Motors, Honda and Toyota — to import vehicles built in the United States without paying tariffs. Mr. Trump has also imposed 25 percent tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum.

AP [4/4/2025 3:52 AM, Staff, 48304K] reports Denmark’s prime minister is wrapping up a three-day visit to Greenland on Friday after telling the U.S. "you cannot annex another country," even with the argument that international security is at stake. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen traveled to the strategically critical Arctic island as U.S. President Donald Trump seeks control of Greenland. He argues that Greenland, a semiautonomous territory belonging to the Kingdom of Denmark, is critical to U.S. security. A week ago, Vice President JD Vance visited a remote U.S. military base in Greenland and accused Denmark of underinvesting in the territory. Frederiksen pushed back against the U.S. criticism as she spoke on Thursday alongside Greenland’s incoming and outgoing leaders. She argued that Denmark, a NATO ally, has been a reliable friend. Speaking in English, she said that "if we let ourselves be divided as allies, then we do our foes a favor. And I will do everything that I can to prevent that from happening.” "When you ask our businesses to invest in the U.S., they do. When you ask us to spend more on our defense, we do; and when you ask of us to strengthen security in the Arctic, we are on the same page," she said. "But when you demand to take over a part of the Kingdom of Denmark’s territory, when we are met by pressure and by threats from our closest ally, what are we to believe in about the country that we have admired for so many years?". "This is about the world order that we have built together across the Atlantic over generations: you cannot annex another country, not even with an argument about international security," Frederiksen said. The Danish leader said that, if the U.S. wants to strengthen security in the Arctic, "let us do so together.”

Yahoo! News [4/3/2025 7:36 PM, Howard Altman, 52868K] reports as U.S. President Donald Trump continues to seek control of Greenland, the top U.S. military commander in Europe said the massive island is vital to America’s national security. The main issue, he said, is that Greenland’s geographic location makes it a key landmass from which to track Russian submarines before they have a chance to disappear into the Atlantic Ocean and potentially endanger the East Coast. You can read more about the strategic importance of Greenland in our deep dive here. "Access to the airspace and water space found in Greenland is absolutely critical for the United States," said U.S. Army Gen. Christopher G. Cavoli. NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) and head of U.S. European Command. Cavoli addressed the security value of Greenland during testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday. Asked about the frigid island, Cavoli made it clear he was talking about the military value of it and not the Trump administration’s policy of trying to assume Greenland from Denmark. "The key there is it forms the western border of the Greenland, Iceland, UK (GIUK) gap, which is that body of water through which Russian submarines from the Northern Fleet in Murmansk come up and then down through that gap," Cavoli stated. Murmansk is home to some of Russia’s most capable submarines, like the Yasen-M class nuclear-powered cruise missile carrying Kazan.

Washington Post [4/3/2025 7:32 AM, Ellen Francis and Missy Ryan, 31735K] reports Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived at NATO headquarters on Thursday to deliver reassurance to his European counterparts — and a warning: President Donald Trump remains committed to NATO, but only if it becomes a different alliance in which Europe shoulders the burden of its own defense as America turns elsewhere. Speaking alongside Secretary General Mark Rutte, Rubio said Trump, who has long criticized the 32-member military bloc and suggested the United States might not come to the defense of treaty allies, is not opposed to NATO. “He’s against a NATO that does not have the capabilities that it needs to fulfill the obligations that the treaty imposes upon each and every member state,” Rubio said, pointing to Trump’s demand that alliance members attain the ability to defend themselves. Trump has demanded that NATO allies raise military spending to 5 percent of annual economic output, which would require a transformational leap for most European nations and is well above what the United States itself spends. “This is a hard truth, but it is a basic one that needs to be said now,” he said. Rubio made his first visit to NATO as secretary of state as Europe’s key military powers conduct quiet but urgent assessments of how they might replace U.S. responsibilities at NATO and prevent a sudden, damaging American retreat. The transatlantic military alliance’s two-day meeting is a high-stakes gathering of allies who are starting to grasp the reality that some of their core priorities may irreconcilably diverge. Among their questions for Rubio will be whether the Trump administration’s approach to ending the war in Ukraine will hand Moscow a victory they fear will make Russia a greater threat to Europe for years to come. Unlike his predecessor, Antony Blinken, who attended many of these Brussels meetings at a time when the United States was surging forces in Europe and overseeing NATO’s latest expansion, Rubio may receive a more muted welcome. The Trump administration has excluded European leaders from its talks with Russia on Ukraine, threatened to take Greenland by force from a NATO ally and levied double-digit tariffs on the European Union. European officials hope that they can successfully appeal to Rubio to keep the alliance’s most powerful member engaged, ensuring that any U.S. military drawdown from Europe occurs on a timeline that allows them to ramp up defense spending and weapons procurement, five European and NATO diplomats familiar with the discussions said. They also hope to make sure there is enough time for them to step in and ensure Ukraine’s survival should U.S. aid be halted for good.

CNN [4/3/2025 4:27 PM, Natasha Bertrand, Alex Marquardt, Haley Britzky, and Jennifer Hansler, 22131K] reports that US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is not expected to attend next week’s meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Brussels, marking the first time since the group’s founding three years ago that a senior Pentagon official will not be there to represent the US, officials familiar with the matter told CNN. The US has for months been steadily pulling back from the group, which was founded by former Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in 2022 after Russia’s invasion as a way for dozens of countries to streamline the delivery of military equipment to Ukraine to quell Russian military advances. Whereas Austin or a senior Pentagon official always chaired the group’s monthly meetings, Hegseth has ceded that role to the UK in recent months—even as a senior US general told lawmakers on Thursday that "continuing to assist Ukraine on the battlefield daily" is "very important" when it comes to maintaining leverage over the Russians. Hegseth attended a meeting of the UDCG in February at NATO headquarters in Brussels, where he told allies that the US would no longer be a guarantor of European security and that it was highly "unlikely" that Ukraine would ever join NATO—a comment that, at the time, marked a dramatic shift from the longtime US position that Ukraine would one day join the alliance.

Washington Post [4/4/2025 3:25 AM, Robyn Dixon and Catherine Belton, 31735K] reports the Trump administration has twice claimed major progress in peace talks over the war between Russia and Ukraine, with partial ceasefires on energy infrastructure and in the Black Sea, only to see all sides present wildly different interpretations on what had been agreed on as the fighting continues. Ukraine (and initially the United States) talked about a ceasefire for all civilian infrastructure, while Russia said it was for energy infrastructure alone, and both sides claimed almost immediately the other had violated it. For the Black Sea, meanwhile, Russia saw it as a chance to lift sanctions on its banks, while Ukraine said it included port infrastructure. In remarks Wednesday in the Rose Garden, President Donald Trump insisted the negotiations were going well, saying: “We’re being given good cooperation by Russia and by Ukraine. But we have to get it stopped.” It was a conflict he said he could solve in 24 hours during his campaign, but the results since, while much trumpeted by the administration, have sapped confidence in the negotiations and the evenhandedness of the American negotiators by participants and outside observers alike. Trump’s display of temper last weekend — when he criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin for seeking Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s replacement even before peace talks could take place — was the first tacit admission that the talks so far are not going as planned, with the Kremlin offering no meaningful compromises despite a number of important gestures from the U.S. “I don’t know if it shows the inexperience in handling these matters,” said Thomas Graham, senior director for Russia at the National Security Council under the George W. Bush administration and now a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. “I think what it shows is the Trump administration is very intent on demonstrating progress, things that they can point to as success and covering up the challenges ahead.”

New York Times [4/3/2025 8:29 PM, Anton Troianovski and Edward Wong, 145325K] reports a Kremlin envoy on Thursday praised the Trump administration for hearing “Russia’s position on many issues” after two days of meetings in Washington that marked the first time in years that a senior Russian official had traveled to the United States for talks with American counterparts. The envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, met in the White House on Wednesday with President Trump’s senior aide on Russia negotiations, Steve Witkoff, according to a U.S. official in Washington with knowledge of the talks. Mr. Dmitriev, the head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund and President Vladimir V. Putin’s special representative for investment and economic cooperation, said he held further meetings on Thursday “with key members of the Trump administration,” without identifying them. He said he had discussed economic matters and claimed there was “a great desire by American companies to return to Russia.” He also said he had discussed “the possibility of cooperation on rare earth metals, in the Arctic and in various other sectors.” And he said Russia was working to restore direct flights to the United States, which banned Russian planes from its airspace after Mr. Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. “Of course, there are disagreements on various points,” Mr. Dmitriev, speaking in Russian, told reporters in Washington, according to a video of his remarks distributed by a Russian news agency. “But there is a process and a dialogue that, in our understanding, will help overcome these differences.” Mr. Dmitriev arrived in Washington with two aides on Tuesday, and he and Mr. Witkoff met in the White House on Wednesday afternoon, said the U.S. official. The two officials continued talking in the evening. The talks appeared to be the latest step in Russia’s effort to improve ties with the United States. The rapprochement appeared to be hanging in the balance after Mr. Trump said last weekend that he was “very angry” at Mr. Putin for remarks that the Russian president had made on Ukraine.

Wall Street Journal [4/3/2025 8:16 PM, Alan Cullison and Michael R. Gordon, 646K] reports a top Kremlin envoy completed two days of talks with President Trump’s Russia negotiator at the White House on Thursday, the first high-level bilateral meeting in the U.S. since before the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Kirill Dmitriev, the Russian envoy, announced his visit on his Telegram channel Thursday, saying that “productive dialogue between Russia and the U.S. isn’t optional—it is essential.” His meetings with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff came as the administration’s push to halt the Ukraine war had appeared stalled. Dmitriev has emerged as an informal Russian go-between with Washington in two rounds of peace talks held in Saudi Arabia, as well as a recent prisoner swap with the Kremlin. He declined Thursday to discuss specifics of the talks. But speaking to Russian news services outside the White house he said that he had met with “key leaders” of the Trump administration and that more talks were to come. “Unlike the Biden administration, they listen to the position of Russia, understand the worries of Russia,” he said. He said that there is “big interest” among U.S. companies to return to Russia, after departing the country en masse in 2022 after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Kremlin has used Dmitriev, who has a background in investment banking, as a channel to promote economic deals with the U.S. Since talks began in February, he has floated proposals in oil, gas and minerals, appealing to Trump’s penchant for economic dealmaking. Trump is hoping to halt the Ukraine war in part to clear away the major obstacle to a broader rapprochement with the Kremlin. But Russia has slow-walked Trump’s cease-fire drive, playing for time as it presses its battlefield gains and strives for maximum concessions in negotiations.

Yahoo! News [4/3/2025 2:07 PM, Tim Zadorozhnyy, 52868K] reports that the Russian military plans to increase its grouping in Ukraine by 150,000 soldiers in 2025, equivalent to around 15 motorized infantry divisions, Presidential Office Deputy Head Pavlo Palisa said on April 3, Ukrainian media outlet Suspilne reported. "Their formation is ongoing. The Russians have no problems with recruiting personnel now. However, it should be understood that all these formations cannot be put into action at the same time," Palisa said. This buildup comes as Russia intensifies its pressure on the front line while engaging in ceasefire consultations. According to Palisa, Moscow is not interested in peace talks except in areas concerning maritime security, where a ceasefire is more relevant to Russian interests. Ukraine had agreed to a full 30-day ceasefire in U.S.-mediated talks in Jeddah on March 11, but Russia refused unless it included conditions restricting Ukraine’s military capabilities. Instead, Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. reached a partial ceasefire agreement protecting energy infrastructure and the Black Sea. Since its implementation, both Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of violating the energy truce. Moscow has also linked the start of the Black Sea agreement to Western sanctions relief. On the battlefield, Russian forces continue advancing incrementally, attempting to break through specific sections of the front, Palisa said. He acknowledged some Russian tactical successes but said Ukraine is counterattacking and making its own gains. "If they do this, they will continue to stall (peace talks) to get time," he added.

Bloomberg [4/3/2025 7:19 AM, Staff, 16228K] reports Russia is still counting on US President Donald Trump to deliver an acceptable peace deal in Ukraine, though it’s prepared to continue the war if talks fail, according to people in Moscow familiar with the matter. The Kremlin is unconcerned by Trump’s threat to slap punitive secondary sanctions on Russian oil over the lack of progress toward a ceasefire, the people said. Still, President Vladimir Putin realizes that Trump represents his best chance of bringing the war to an end and wants to continue diplomacy, they said, asking not to be identified discussing internal policy. Having promised to achieve a rapid end to Europe’s worst conflict since World War II, Trump declared he was “pissed off” with Putin over the weekend as his frustration boiled over at the pace of negotiations. He later dialed back the criticism and said he believed the Russian leader will “fulfill his part of the deal.” Russia would “prefer to continue certain mutual efforts to search for a settlement,” which requires time and effort to achieve, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, in response to a request for comment. “Everyone would prefer not to fight, but to talk, and not only to talk but to be heard, this is what we have with the current American administration.” Putin’s economic envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, who is sanctioned by the US, said Thursday that he’s holding meetings in Washington with administration officials. “Opponents of rapprochement are afraid that Russia and the US will find common ground, begin to understand each other better, and build cooperation, both in international affairs and in the economy,” he said. The Kremlin is holding out for more US concessions, including some sanctions relief and a suspension of arms deliveries to Ukraine. When talks with the US last month in Saudi Arabia yielded a deal for a moratorium on attacks against Black Sea shipping, Russia announced it was making the accord conditional on getting one of its largest state banks reconnected to the SWIFT international messaging system.

New York Times [4/4/2025 12:01 AM, Eric Schmitt, Edward Wong and John Ismay, 145325K] reports President Trump said this week that Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen have been “decimated by the relentless strikes” that he ordered beginning on March 15. But that’s not what Pentagon and military officials are privately telling Congress and allied countries. In closed briefings in recent days, Pentagon officials have acknowledged that there has been only limited success in destroying the Houthis’ vast, largely underground arsenal of missiles, drones and launchers, according to congressional aides and allies. The officials briefed on confidential damage assessments say the bombing is consistently heavier than strikes conducted by the Biden administration, and much bigger than what the Defense Department has publicly described. But Houthi fighters, known for their resiliency, have reinforced many of their bunkers and other targeted sites, frustrating the Americans’ ability to disrupt the militia’s missile attacks against commercial ships in the Red Sea, according to three congressional and allied officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss operational matters. In just three weeks, the Pentagon has used $200 million worth of munitions, in addition to the immense operational and personnel costs to deploy two aircraft carriers, additional B-2 bombers and fighter jets, as well as Patriot and THAAD air defenses to the Middle East, the officials said. The total cost could be well over $1 billion by next week, and the Pentagon might soon need to request supplemental funds from Congress, one U.S. official said.

The Hill [4/3/2025 1:43 PM, Tara Suter, 12829K] reports that Senate Democrats in a Wednesday letter criticized the Trump administration’s response to a recent earthquake in Myanmar that left thousands dead. "We write with urgent concerns about the lagging U.S. response to the devastating earthquake that struck Burma and neighboring Thailand on March 28, 2025," the senators wrote in their letter, using an alternative name for Myanmar. "We ask that you make clear that U.S. sanctions will not impede providing critical relief in the wake of this natural disaster, and we urge you to organize a stronger emergency assistance effort as the death toll climbs and millions of displaced people endure both aftershocks from the earthquake and ongoing Burmese military airstrikes," the senators added. The letter, addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, is signed by Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Chris Coons (Del.), Tim Kaine (Va.), Tammy Duckworth (Ill.), Chris Van Hollen (Md.) and Jeff Merkley (Ore.). The earthquake in Myanmar occurred Friday, with the country’s government saying the death toll reached 3,145 on Thursday, according to The Associated Press. Thousands of buildings were toppled by the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that also resulted in damage to roads, the AP reported.

AP [4/2/2025 6:14 PM, DiDi Tang, 48304K] reports U.S. and Chinese military officials have met for their first working-level talks since President Donald Trump took office for the second time, with the two sides sharing their respective concerns over military safety on the seas. The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement that the talks, held Wednesday and Thursday in the eastern Chinese city of Shanghai, were focused on "decreasing the incidences of unsafe and unprofessional" actions by China’s naval and air forces. The Chinese defense ministry said it pointed out that U.S. military ships and aircraft have been conducting "reconnaissance, surveys and high-intensity drills in the sea and air spaces around China, which are prone to cause misunderstandings and miscalculations and jeopardize China’s sovereignty and military security.” China told the U.S. that it would continue to "respond to all dangerous provocative actions" and "resolutely safeguard national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests," the ministry statement said. The talks were held in the same week Beijing conducted large-scale drills in the waters and airspace around the island of Taiwan. The meeting also came shortly after U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told his Japanese counterpart that Japan is "our indispensable partner in deterring Communist Chinese military aggression.” Ties between Beijing and Washington have been strained in the past several years over issues such as trade, cybersecurity, Taiwan and the South China Sea. Under Trump, a trade war has worsened as his administration imposed tariffs and China announced retaliatory measures.

AP [4/3/2025 5:32 PM, Anne D’Innocenzio and Didi Tang] reports a notice to customers dazzled by the low-priced products on Chinese shopping apps: the days of getting trendy clothing, tools and gag gifts that cost less than lunch delivered to your door in 10 days are probably numbered. President Donald Trump is ending a little-known but widely used exemption that has allowed as many as 4 million low-value parcels — most of them originating in China — to arrive in the U.S. every day tax-free. An executive order the president signed Wednesday will eliminate the "de minimis provision" for goods from China and Hong Kong on May 2. The tax exemption, which applies to packages valued at $800 or less, has helped China-founded e-commerce companies like Shein and Temu to thrive while cutting into the U.S. retail market.

Newsweek [4/3/2025 6:40 AM, Staff, 52220K] reports the U.S. government has enacted a sweeping ban on romantic or sexual relationships between American government personnel and Chinese citizens in China, an unprecedented move not seen publicly since the Cold War, The Associated Press reported. Four individuals with direct knowledge of the new rules confirmed to the AP that the policy took effect in January, shortly before U.S. Ambassador Nicholas Burns left his post in Beijing. It applies to all American diplomatic staff, family members, and contractors with security clearances stationed at U.S. facilities in mainland China and Hong Kong. The directive expands on a more limited policy put in place last summer that barred relationships between U.S. personnel and Chinese support staff such as guards. The broadened rule prohibits intimate relationships with any Chinese national while in China, the AP reported. Newsweek has contacted the U.S. Embassy in Beijing for comment. The State Department said it does not comment on internal matters. Burns, now vice chair at the consultancy The Cohen Group, did not respond to AP’s request for comment. The policy reflects intensifying concerns in Washington over espionage and influence operations tied to China’s intelligence services. It revives Cold War-era restrictions once common during U.S.-Soviet tensions, signaling a return to heightened vigilance against foreign recruitment tactics. Though some agencies have historically required disclosure of intimate relationships in high-risk postings, a categorical non-fraternization order in a country as geopolitically significant as China marks a rare step. The directive also demonstrates growing unease among lawmakers. Two sources told AP the idea gained traction after members of Congress urged stricter rules, citing espionage vulnerabilities. The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party declined to comment. The policy applies to all U.S. diplomatic missions in mainland China—including Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenyang, and Wuhan—as well as the consulate in Hong Kong. It does not cover personnel stationed outside Chinese territory. Anyone with a pre-existing relationship with a Chinese citizen may seek an exemption. Denied applications mean ending the relationship or vacating the assignment. Violators face immediate expulsion from China, sources said.

The Hill [4/3/2025 7:43 PM, Zach Schonfeld, 12829K] reports President Trump was sued Thursday over the 20 percent tariffs he imposed on Chinese goods in the weeks leading up to Wednesday’s broader announcement. It marks the first known legal challenge against Trump’s tariffs, which have fulfilled a campaign promise and rattled financial markets. The lawsuit contests Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA), arguing the law authorizes asset freezes and similar economic sanctions, but not tariffs. "Congress passed the IEEPA to counter external emergencies, not to grant presidents a blank check to write domestic economic policy," the lawsuit states. The suit was brought by the New Civil Liberties Alliance (NCLA), a conservative legal advocacy group, on behalf of Simplified, a Florida-based small business that sells planners and purchases products from China. Filed in federal court in Pensacola, Fla., the suit asks a judge to declare Trump’s Chinese tariffs unlawful and block their implementation. Trump first imposed a 10 percent tariff on Chinese goods in a Feb. 1 executive order and then doubled it in another order issued March 3. Both came before Trump’s broader tariff announcement on Wednesday, which imposes a 10 percent general tariff on imports to the U.S. and higher rates for dozens of countries. It slapped China with an additional 34 percent tariff, creating a combined total of 54 percent. "But in the IEEPA’s almost 50-year history, no previous president has used it to impose tariffs. Which is not surprising, since the statute does not even mention tariffs, nor does it say anything else suggesting it authorizes presidents to tax American citizens," the lawsuit states.

Reported similarly:
Reuters [4/3/2025 7:54 PM, Staff, 41523K]
Washington Examiner [4/3/2025 8:02 PM, Emily Hallas and Kaelan Deese, 2296K]

Newsweek [4/3/2025 9:42 AM, Micah McCartney, 3973K] reports that the Philippines kept close watch this week on a Chinese fisheries research vessel transiting through its archipelagic waters on an indirect route to the Indian Ocean. Footage released by the Philippine Coast Guard shows the ship, the Song Hang, sailing through the Sulu Sea, east of Palawan. Officials say the vessel’s conduct raised suspicions, despite its stated fishing mission. Newsweek reached out to the Philippine Coast Guard and the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs with written requests for comment. The transit comes amid heightened tensions over China’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea, which overlap with the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. Manila now reports near-daily Chinese Coast Guard incursions, making any unannounced foreign presence especially sensitive. While innocent passage is allowed through archipelagic waters, survey activity is prohibited-something Chinese research vessels have repeatedly been accused of conducting. Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela on Wednesday released aerial footage from a helicopter overflight, showing the Song Hang’s position in the Sulu Sea. National Security Council Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said the Song Hang was about 49 nautical miles [56 miles] northeast of Sabah, near Tambisan Island, as of Thursday morning. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Newsweek [4/3/2025 7:04 AM, Micah McCartney, 52220K] reports Beijing has delivered a pointed response after the U.S. State Department greenlit a nearly $5.6-billion sale of F-16 fighter jets and related equipment to the Philippines. The sale is in line with other U.S. moves that are "fueling the flames" of territorial disputes in the region, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said. The sale comes amid ongoing tensions between China and the U.S. defense treaty ally over the South China Sea, where Beijing’s maritime forces have been seeking to normalize their patrols in waters hundreds of miles from Chinese shores and within the Philippines’ internationally occupied maritime zone,. This pressure has driven President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to further strengthen security ties with Washington. His administration has committed to spending roughly $35 billion over the next decade to upgrade its aging defense systems and platforms. Newsweek reached out to the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs and the U.S. Office of Congressional and Public Affairs for comment. The U.S. State Department on Tuesday announced its approval of a proposed sale to the Philippines of 16 F-16C Block 70/72 fighter aircraft and four F-16D models, along with Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, radar systems, spare parts, and training support. The department said the sale would "support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a strategic partner that continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in Southeast Asia.” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun criticized the deal during Wednesday’s regular press conference, saying the U.S. and its ally "should not target any third party or harm their interests" or "threaten regional peace and security or escalate tensions.” Guo also questioned the motives behind recent regional moves: "Who exactly is fueling the flames? Who exactly is instigating military confrontation? Who exactly is turning Asia into a ‘powder keg?’ Regional countries are not blind.” Jonathan Malaya, a spokesperson for the Philippine National Security Council, emphasized that the F-16 procurement is intended solely for defense and is not aimed at any specific country. "We would like to assure the People’s Republic of China that the planned procurement of the F-16 fighter jets to the Philippine arsenal does not in any way harm the interest of any third party," Malaya told reporters on Thursday.

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