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.

The Washington Post [8/26/2025 11:19 PM, Brianna Sacks, 29079K] reports the Trump administration placed more than a dozen Federal Emergency Management Agency employees on leave Tuesday after they signed an open letter of dissent about the agency’s leadership, according to people familiar with the situation and documents reviewed by Washington Post. About 180 current and former FEMA staffers sent a letter on Monday to members of Congress and other officials, arguing the current leaders’ inexperience and approach harm FEMA’s mission and could result in a disaster on the level of Hurricane Katrina. By Tuesday evening, FEMA’s office of the administrator had sent several people letters informing them that, effective immediately, they were on an administrative leave, operating “in a non-duty status while continuing to receive pay and benefits.” “It is not surprising that some of the same bureaucrats who presided over decades of inefficiency are now objecting to reform. … Our obligation is to survivors, not to protecting broken systems,” a FEMA spokesperson said. “Under the leadership of Secretary Noem, FEMA will return to its mission of assisting Americans at their most vulnerable.” Last month, the administration put nearly 140 EPA employees on leave after they sent their own letter of dissent. In their letter, FEMA employees warned that the Trump administration is sending the agency back to a pre-Katrina era, pointing to several concerns including the lack of a Senate-confirmed and qualified emergency manager at FEMA’s helm; the slashing of mitigation, disaster recovery, training and community programs; and restrictive new policies that curb agency officials’ autonomy. The letter also demanded that federal lawmakers defend FEMA from interference by the Department of Homeland Security, protect the agency’s employees from “politically motivated firings,” conduct more oversight, and ultimately take FEMA out of DHS and establish it as an independent Cabinet-level agency in the executive branch. At least two FEMA staff members who were part of the federal response to July’s flooding disaster in Texas have been placed on leave, according to an agency employee and another person familiar with the situation. One employee who manages cases for all disasters, including Texas, helped orchestrate the letter. She had spoken to The Post on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retribution about the difficult decision to sign her full name on the letter. She has now been placed on leave and pulled off her disaster casework. “The fact that 180 people signed on to the letter, with a supermajority of them still working in the building, and dozens of those people wanted to attach their real names, signifies the severity of the problem,” Jeremy Edwards, a former press secretary for FEMA who signed the letter, said in an interview. “They are that scared of us being so inadequately unprepared. It speaks a lot to the situation right now.” The AP [8/26/2025 10:39 PM, Gabriela Aoun Angueira, 34837K] reports that the dissent letter contained six "statements of opposition" to current policies at FEMA, including an expenditure approval policy by which Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem must approve contracts exceeding $100,000, which the signatories said reduces FEMA’s ability to perform its mission. It also critiqued the DHS decision to reassign some FEMA employees to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the failure to appoint a qualified FEMA administrator as stipulated by law, and cuts to mitigation programs, preparedness training and FEMA workforce. In an email Monday, FEMA spokesperson Daniel Llargues said that the Trump administration "has made accountability and reform a priority so that taxpayer dollars actually reach the people and communities they are meant to help.” Axios [8/26/2025 11:14 PM, Rebecca Falconer, 14595K] reports that among the workers who signed the letter are "individuals who were directly helping relief efforts in Kerr County, Texas" following July’s deadly floods, said a spokesperson for Stand Up for Science, the nonprofit that publicized the declaration, in a Tuesday night email that called the administration’s action "illegal." The letter warns against cuts to FEMA, opposes administration moves to end climate change research and criticizes officials including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, whose department oversees the agency, for their leadership decisions. The Stand Up for Science spokesperson shared a statement on behalf of the advocacy group calling the administration’s decision to place the staff on leave was retaliation against civil servants for whistleblowing, which it said "is both illegal and a deep betrayal of the most dedicated among us." Stand Up for Science’s statement added, "DHS said that these employees are simply ‘afraid of change’ which is an insult to anyone working at FEMA, the agency directly responsive to rapidly intensifying and changing circumstances. ... we stand by the FEMA 36." In a Bluesky post, the group wrote: "Donald Trump and Kristi Noem may be content with more Americans dying from natural disasters, but we’re not. The courageous FEMA staff who wrote the Katrina Declaration will not be silenced." Representatives for the DHS and FEMA did not immediately respond to Axios’ Tuesday evening request for comment. The FEMA workers penned the letter, dubbed the "Katrina Declaration," days ahead of the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and referenced the catastrophe. They wrote that they hoped their warning would "come in time to prevent not only another national catastrophe like Hurricane Katrina, but the effective dissolution of FEMA itself and the abandonment of the American people such an event would represent." Reuters [8/26/2025 11:52 PM, Kanishka Singh, 45746K] reports that roughly 2,000 FEMA employees, or a third of its workforce, have left the agency this year through firings, buyouts or early retirements. The Trump administration also plans to cut about $1 billion in grant funding. The protest letter was sent days before the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which caused catastrophic flooding in New Orleans and devastating destruction along the Gulf Coast in August 2005, claiming the lives of more than 1,800 people. Hurricane Katrina was one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history, in part because of the ineffective response to it. Congress passed the Post-Katrina Emergency Reform Act in 2006 to give FEMA more responsibility. The letter warned the Trump administration was undoing those reforms.

Reported similarly:
New York Times [8/26/2025 10:41 PM, Maxine Joselow, 143795K]
CBS News [8/27/2025 12:06 AM, Nicole Sganga, 45245K]
CNN [8/26/2025 9:59 PM, Gabe Cohen, 662K]
Telemundo52 [8/26/2025 11:54 PM, Gabriela Aoun Anguiera, 93K]

The New York Post [8/26/2025 8:23 PM, Caitlin McCormack, 43962K] reports the US Coast Guard made its largest-ever offload of more than 70,000 pounds of cocaine and marijuana seized along the Florida coast over just two months, the military branch announced on Monday. Guardsmen dropped a whopping 61,740 pounds of cocaine and 14,400 pounds of marijuana at Port Everglades, Florida, on Monday, officials said. The bulk of the 76,140 pounds of illegal drugs was collected between June 26 and Aug. 18 through 19 different missions on international waters, primarily surrounding Ecuador, Venezuela and Mexico, according to a news release. The sting, dubbed Operation Pacific Viper, clinched its largest seizure on waters near Socorro Island, Mexico, where the troops seized 9,160 pounds of cocaine — roughly 12% of the record-breaking haul collected by the end of the summer. On top of that, Guardsmen also intercepted 11 go-fast vessels transporting the illicit drugs and detained 34 alleged drug traffickers, officials said. Officials estimated that the heaping stash is worth around $473 million and enough to supply 23 million potential lethal doses to buyers in the US. Rear Admiral Adam Chamie, commander of the branch’s south-east district, said that it would be enough "to fatally overdose the entire population of the state of Florida," according to the release. Florida, the third most populated state in the US, has approximately 23.7 million residents, according to the 2024 census. "This represents a significant victory in the fight against transnational criminal organizations, highlighting our unwavering commitment to safeguarding the nation from illicit trafficking and its devastating impacts," Chamie said. The previous record for the branch’s largest offload was 61,130 pounds of drugs, primarily cocaine, worth a staggering $1.4 billion. In July, the Coast Guard intercepted roughly 5,000 pounds of cocaine and marijuana worth roughly $20 million as part of a massive Caribbean bust not included in the historic haul. The Coast Guard isn’t the only agency shattering records. In early August, the South Dakota Highway Patrol snatched 207 pounds of crystal meth from an illegal migrant passing through the state, making way for the largest single seizure in its history. The Hill [8/26/2025 12:46 PM, Elizabeth Crisp, 12414K] reports "To put this into perspective, the potential 23 million lethal doses of cocaine seized by the U.S. Coast Guard and our partners, are enough to fatally overdose the entire population of the state of Florida, underscoring the immense threat posed by transnational drug trafficking to our nation," Chamie said. The drug-loaded boats were intercepted in international waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea from June 28 to Aug. 18, according to the USCG. "After decades of underinvestment and severe readiness challenges, the President and Secretary of Homeland Security have directed action to renew the Coast Guard to become a more agile, capable and responsive fighting force," Coast Guard Adm. Kevin Lunday wrote in a June overview of the new plans. Lundy testified during a congressional hearing in May that from October to mid-February the USCG had already seized more cocaine than in all of the previous fiscal year.

Reported similarly:
AP [8/26/2025 9:54 AM, Staff, 37974K]
FOX News [8/26/2025 5:01 PM, Louis Casiano, 40019K]
NewsNation [8/26/2025 6:37 PM, Sierra Rains and Ashley Suter, 6811K]
Daily Caller [8/26/2025 11:10 AM, Wallace White, 985K]
Detroit Free Press [8/26/2025 12:08 PM, Michelle Del Rey, 3744K]

CNN [8/26/2025 8:42 PM, Taylor Romine, 662K] reports a man was arrested in Dallas Monday night after he allegedly walked to an entrance of an ICE facility and told officials he had a bomb in his backpack, the Department of Homeland Security said in a news release Tuesday. Bratton Dean Wilkinson, a 35-year-old US citizen, arrived at the entrance of the Dallas Field office at 6:37 p.m. local time, showing a security officer a device on his wrist he claimed was a detonator, DHS said. The location houses the Dallas Field office and Enforcement and Removal Operations, they said. A shelter-in-place was issued for the facility and local police responded with a bomb squad, which was able to clear the scene about 30 minutes later, they said. Wilkinson was taken into custody by local law enforcement and charged with making terroristic threats, DHS said. The Dallas Police Department confirmed it responded to the incident, and said Wilkinson was charged with a Class A misdemeanor false reporting to induce emergency response. CNN is working to identify if he has an attorney. The arrest comes as public attacks have risen against the agency and its agents as they face continued backlash to the Trump administration’s deportation efforts. The escalation in attacks has prompted a heavier security presence in front of DHS facilities, especially after attacks in Fort Worth and McAllen, Texas. In recent weeks, a New York ICE office was sent a white powder, and a man in San Francisco was arrested for assaults and destruction of federal property while agents were conducting immigration enforcement, the agency said. "These incidents come after months of smears and rhetoric by activists, politicians, and the media comparing ICE law enforcement to the Nazi Gestapo, kidnappers, and the Secret Police," a senior DHS official said in a statement. "This shameful rhetoric has fueled a culture of hate against law enforcement resulting in a 1,000 percent increase in assaults against them. All sanctuary politicians, activists, and the media need to turn down their temperature.” The DHS has previously warned of dramatic spikes in assaults, saying in May attacks against officers had risen to over 400%, and then up to 800% in July, with the agency now reporting a 1,000% increase.

Reported similarly:
New York Post [8/26/2025 10:43 PM, Zoe Hussain, 43962K]
CBS News [8/26/2025 5:54 PM, Nicole Sganga, Joe Walsh, 45245K]

Breitbart [8/26/2025 10:07 PM, Staff, 2608K] reports U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Tuesday approved the seventh waiver intended to hasten construction of the border wall in Texas by sidestepping environmental reviews and other requirements. The waiver applies to about five miles of a new 30-foot tall border wall in Starr and Hidalgo counties near the southern tip of the state, according to a department press release. The move is part of President Donald Trump’s long-held goal of erecting a border wall along the southern border as part of his hardline approach to immigration. With waiver in hand, Noem will be able to override the National Environmental Policy Act and other similar requirements. In a document justifying the move, Noem cited a high level of illegal border crossings and drug trafficking in the area. She wrote that in the last four years authorities had apprehended 1.5 million people trying to cross illegally and had seized more than 87 pounds of heroin, and more than 118 pounds of fentanyl, among other drugs. However, the Center for Biological Diversity blasted the decision in a press release, citing figures showing that border crossings have plummeted over the last year. The center stated that the area is home to endangered ocelots, aplomado falcons, hundreds of migratory birds as well as plants that would be harmed by the wall. "There’s a special cruelty in walling off national wildlife refuges that were created for conservation,"Laiken Jordahl, the center’s Southwest Conservation Advocate, said in the statement. "These lands exist to protect endangered species and connect fragmented habitat, not to be bulldozed for Trump’s wall.” The center has previously sued the Trump administration over past waivers. In July, the Noem signed a similar waiver for 17 miles of the barrier to prevent migrants from swimming across the Rio Grande. A month earlier, Noem took a similar action for a 27-mile stretch in Arizona near Tucson and another that extended into New Mexico. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has about 100 miles of the barrier in varying states of completion with money from previous appropriations, according to the announcement. The so-called One Big Beautiful Bill included $46.5 billion for the project that will fund secondary walls, waterborne barriers, as well as patrols, cameras, sensors and others.

Reported similarly:
Washington Examiner [8/26/2025 7:03 PM, Anna Giaritelli, 1563K]

NewsNation [8/26/2025 6:13 PM, Kellie Meyer, Jeff Arnold, 6811K] reports an elite specialized tactical unit within Immigration and Customs Enforcement will be deployed to Chicago in the near future, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told NewsNation on Tuesday. Noem, leaving a lengthy Trump administration Cabinet meeting at the White House, was asked by NewsNation if Chicago could be the next target of federal forces deployed by President Donald Trump. "We’re going to have a strike team in Chicago soon," Noem told NewsNation when asked about plans for the nation’s third-largest city. Noem’s comments come on the heels of Chicago remaining a primary talking point for Trump, who said again on Tuesday that he would consider sending the National Guard to Chicago if he were asked by Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. During Tuesday’s meeting, Trump continued to criticize Pritzker and other elected officials in Democratic-led cities, saying that they are "against crime prevention." Trump, who built a large hotel along the Chicago River that includes his name being prominently displayed, said he is "embarrassed" by the crime numbers despite city officials saying violent crime in the city is down by more than 30%. Pritzker and Johnson both took center stage at a news conference on Monday in Chicago, where both said in no uncertain terms that they had not and would not ask for National Guard troops to be sent to Chicago. However, in her comments to NewsNation, Noem was referring to ICE "strike teams," which are specialized units within the federal agency. In June, Chicago was among five cities run by Democratic leaders that were said to be considered for elite special response teams known as SRTs to be deployed, NewsNation previously reported.

NewsMax [8/26/2025 3:18 PM, Michael Katz, 4779K] reports the U.S. has gone three straight months without an illegal immigrant entering the country and 1.6 million inside the country have self-deported, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Tuesday. Noem, speaking during a Cabinet meeting that aired live on Newsmax and the Newsmax2 free online streaming platform, thanked President Donald Trump for his support and said that her department is following through on his campaign promise to make America safe again. Noem also talked about the savings made on the president’s immigration crackdown, noting it cost American taxpayers between $8,000 and $9,000 to support each illegal immigrant "in what they were taking out of our social programs, out of Social Security." Trump appeared pleased to hear Noem’s report, thanking Noem, Hegseth and Tom Homan, his point man for mass deportations and border security.

FOX News [8/26/2025 5:40 PM, Staff, 10702K] reports Department of Homeland Security Secretary Krisi Noem details President Donald Trump’s Cabinet meeting, his crime crackdown in Washington, D.C., and more on ‘The Story.’ [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Daily Wire [8/26/2025 2:39 PM, Mary Margaret Olohan, 3184K] reports the United States Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement have executed arrests of 5,000 illegal aliens in Los Angeles since June, The Daily Wire can first report. And Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has a message for criminal illegals in the United States: "This is just the beginning.” The 5,000th arrest in Los Angeles is an individual named Gustavo Garcia-Miranda, a criminal illegal alien and convicted drug trafficker from Mexico, a DHS official told The Daily Wire, sharing that Garcia-Miranda illegally entered the United States in 2008 and was arrested by Border Patrol for illegal re-entry. "That’s 5,000 criminal illegal aliens, gang members, child predators, and murderers taken off our streets," Noem told The Daily Wire. "Precious lives saved. Families protected. American taxpayers spared the cost of their crimes AND the burden of their benefits.” "THANK YOU to our brave law enforcement officers," the Homeland Security Secretary emphasized. "Make no mistake: if you are here illegally, we will find you, arrest you, and send you back. This is just the beginning.” The arrests come in spite of pushback from lawmakers and California politicians who embrace sanctuary city policies, as well as the disruption of rioters in California, who began violently protesting federal agents following increased apprehension rates by ICE agents in Los Angeles in early June. Video footage of the rioting showed individuals throwing bricks and Molotov cocktails at armored vehicles, prompting President Donald Trump to federalize 4,000 members of the California National Guard within days, arguing that the government needed to restore order to the city, and an additional 700 Marines to support local law enforcement. DHS emphasizes that despite these challenges, ICE and Border Patrol continued to push forward and deliver on the president’s promise to free American communities from illegal alien crime. "Secretary Noem has been clear: LA rioters would not stop DHS or slow us down," the agency said in a press release. "Our law enforcement will continue to enforce the law. And anyone who lays a hand on a law enforcement officer, will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Breitbart [8/26/2025 11:43 AM, Christian K. Caruzo, 2608K] reports U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reportedly detained Rogelio Enrique Bolufé Izquierdo, a former bodyguard of late communist dictator Fidel Castro, and could soon deport him to either Mexico or Ecuador, according to the U.S. outlet Martí Noticias. Martí Noticias and other Cuba-focused outlets described Bolufé Izquierdo as a former mayor of the Cuban Interior Ministry who reportedly joined the communist regime at the age of 19. Bolufé Izquierdo is a dual national of Ecuador with legal residence status in Mexico who is allegedly illegally in the United States. The Cuban official allegedly obtained Ecuadorian citizenship through a past marriage. Sources with knowledge of the case confirmed to Martí Noticias that ICE arrested Bolufé Izquierdo on August 17 at the intersection of W 4th Ave and W 29th St., Hialeah, Florida, during a routine traffic stop. According to the reports, police officers found a plastic bag "containing white powder resembling cocaine" in the man’s pockets. Bolufé Izquierdo reportedly did not resist arrest and was moved to a detention center in Texas. The sources also told Martí Noticias that ICE is evaluating the possibility of deporting Bolufé Izquierdo to Mexico or Ecuador and not to Cuba.

Reported similarly:
NewsMax [8/26/2025 5:39 PM, Nicole Weatherholtz, 4779K] r

Wall Street Journal [8/26/2025 9:00 PM, Jack Morphet, 646K] reports the Trump administration has issued $6.1 billion in fines to immigrants it says have ignored deportation orders. Now it is moving to collect those penalties. In recent weeks, the government has threatened immigrants with lawsuits, debt collectors and ruinous tax bills if they don’t pay financial penalties. If the recipient self-deports, Homeland Security says the fine will be waived and they will receive a $1,000 “exit bonus.” Since President Trump’s return to office, the Department of Homeland Security has issued 21,500 fines to persuade people in the backlogged immigration court system to leave the U.S. The penalties come as the department struggles to fulfill Trump’s promise for the largest deportation campaign in U.S. history. “It’s driving immigrants to the point where they feel like they will lose everything if they remain in the United States, so it’s better to cut their losses, pack up and self-deport,” said immigration attorney LaToya McBean Pompy. “It’s psychological warfare.” With some immigrants overstaying by decades and penalties of as much as $998 a day, the fines routinely levied retroactively for five years amount to $1,820,352. “These fines are targeted toward illegal aliens who ignore removal orders and do not honor voluntary departure agreements,” Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said.

AP [8/26/2025 8:22 AM, Rodney Muhumuza, 20690K] reports opposition figures and others in Uganda on Tuesday criticized an agreement with the United States to receive deported migrants, questioning the lack of parliamentary approval and claiming that the deal eases political pressure on the country’s authoritarian president. After facing U.S. sanctions that have targeted many government officials, including the parliamentary speaker, Ugandan President Yoweri “Museveni will be happy” to transact with Washington, said Ibrahim Ssemujju, a lawmaker who is a prominent opposition figure. “He will be asking, ‘When are you bringing them?’” Ugandan officials have released few details about the agreement, although said they preferred to receive deportees of African origin and didn’t want individuals with criminal records. However, the country is being put forward as a possible location for high-profile detainee Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an El Salvador native who has been charged with human smuggling. Abrego Garcia, the subject of a protracted immigration saga, was detained on Monday by immigration officials in Baltimore, and the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that Abrego Garcia “is being processed for removal to Uganda.” Without parliamentary oversight, “the whole scheme stinks,” said Mathias Mpuuga, until recently the leader of the opposition in Uganda’s national assembly. He said the agreement with the U.S. left him “a little perplexed” because Uganda is struggling to look after refugees fleeing violence in neighboring countries. He suggested the agreement makes sense only as a matter of “economic expediency” for the Ugandan government. It remains unclear precisely what Ugandan authorities are getting in return for accepting deportees. Uganda’s attorney-general, as well as the government ministers in charge of refugees and internal affairs, were not immediately available for comment. Okello Oryem, the deputy minister in charge of international relations, told the AP that such a deal was “complete rubbish” — the day before his permanent secretary confirmed an agreement was in place to accept individuals who are “reluctant to or may have concerns about returning to their countries of origin.” Negotiators for the Ugandan side are believed to have been reporting directly to Museveni, an authoritarian leader who has been in power in the east African country since 1986. For much of his time in power, Museveni was widely seen as a strong U.S. ally, especially for his support of counter-terrorism operations in Somalia when he deployed troops there to fight the al-Qaida-linked rebels of al-Shabab.

FOX News [8/26/2025 5:50 PM, Peter Pinedo, 40019K] reports Democrats are expressing outrage that alleged gang member and illegal immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia may be deported to Uganda. In the latest turn in Abrego Garcia’s high-profile immigration case, the alleged MS-13 gang member was arrested by ICE at an immigration check-in at a Baltimore facility on Monday and is now facing possible deportation to Uganda. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis, an Obama appointee, ruled on Monday to temporarily block Abrego Garcia’s deportation, ordering he stay detained in the U.S. pending a hearing. Xinis ordered Abrego Garcia be kept at the same facility he was moved to in Virginia. The agency said that Trump and Secretary Kristi Noem "are not going to allow this illegal alien—who is an MS-13 gang member, human trafficker, serial domestic abuser, and child predator—to terrorize American citizens any longer."

CBS Los Angeles [8/26/2025 5:54 PM, Joe Walsh, 45245K] Video: HERE reports authorities in Dallas arrested a 36-year old man who the Department of Homeland Security says issued bomb threats against an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility on Monday. Shortly after 6:30 p.m. Monday, Bratton Dean Wilkinson allegedly approached security officers and showed them what he claimed to be a "detonator" on his wrist, prompting a shelter-in-place for ICE’s Dallas Field Office, according to a senior DHS official. The Dallas resident allegedly approached the entrance of the facility and claimed he had a bomb in his backpack. An officer with the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Protective Services who was stationed outside the field office called 911, according to a senior DHS official. The Dallas Police Department dispatched a bomb squad to the scene, later arresting the man on charges of allegedly making terroristic threats. According to law enforcement officials, Wilkinson was transferred to the Dallas County Jail. Police issued an all-clear at 7:19 p.m. local time, less than an hour after the incident began. Law enforcement officials tell CBS News the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Texas is looking into pursuing federal charges. The incident comes just two weeks after a threatening letter with a non-hazardous white powdery substance was sent to an ICE office in New York City. Sources told CBS News New York there were a total of five envelopes received with letters containing "anti-ICE rhetoric.” ICE says law enforcement officials within the agency have faced a 1,000% increase in assaults against them since the beginning of the Trump administration, as President Trump looks to dramatically ramp up arrests. ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons told CBS News on Friday that the increase in violent protests targeting ICE officials has impacted the way immigration agents train and prepare for targeted operations. "We have to look at all those scenarios," Lyons said. "We’re seeing obviously different tactics being employed by these protesters, so we have to reevaluate given these actual assaults – see what the cause of it was, and then retool our training to ensure that the next officer is prepared for any type of situation that can come up.”

FOX News [8/26/2025 5:54 PM, Ashley Oliver, 40019K] reports a federal judge on Tuesday tossed out an unusual lawsuit the Trump administration brought against all 15 judges of the district court in Maryland over a policy the court has regarding deportation cases. Judge Thomas Cullen, an appointee of President Donald Trump, scolded the administration for the confrontational lawsuit and said he dismissed it because the judges were protected by judicial immunity and because the executive branch lacked standing to bring the claims in the first place. Cullen criticized the administration for suing not just the chief judge of the district court, who issued the court policy in question, but "ostensibly for good measure" all the court’s other judges. The injunctions have the effect of temporarily barring the Department of Homeland Security from deporting or changing the legal status of an immigrant until a judge has time to review the case. Chief Judge George Russell, who issued the standing order, noted in it that the policy change was necessary to help the court briefly maintain the status quo in deportation cases until a judge could examine them. Russell cited an influx of immigration lawsuits brought in the court, including on weekends and holidays. The Trump administration quickly appealed Cullen’s decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Reported similarly:
Los Angeles Times [8/26/2025 11:26 AM, Lea Skene, 12715K]
AP [8/26/2025 5:00 PM, Lea Skene and Sudhin Thanawala, 37974K]

Daily Caller [8/26/2025 3:51 PM, Jason Hopkins, 985K] reports the Trump administration is threatening to cut federal funding from three states unless they tighten English language regulations for commercial truck drivers. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned Tuesday that he would withhold federal funds from California, Washington and New Mexico if the Democrat-led states did not "adopt and enforce" English Language Proficiency requirements for commercial motor vehicle drivers, according to an announcement from the Department of Transportation (DOT). All three states have 30 days to become compliant before the DOT blocks millions in funding from the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program. The announcement follows an ongoing federal investigation into a fatal highway accident in Florida earlier in August, allegedly caused by an illegal migrant truck driver who failed basic English and road signs tests. California, Washington and New Mexico are failing to properly take drivers out of service for English Language Proficiency violations, according to an investigation by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. All three states received official notices on Tuesday, informing them they stand to lose millions of dollars in federal funds if they do not demonstrate "full compliance" with the English language standards.

Reported similarly:
AP [8/26/2025 7:20 PM, Josh Funk, 37974K]
NBC News [8/26/2025 6:47 PM, Megan Lebowitz and Owen Hayes, 43603K]
Blaze [8/26/2025 4:50 PM, Candace Hathaway, 1559K]

FOX News [8/26/2025 12:08 PM, Michael Ruiz and Bill Melugin, 40019K] Video HERE reports authorities in different parts of the country have announced the arrests of multiple illegal immigrants accused of fatally striking drivers, pedestrians and even a teen on a bicycle in recent days, according to authorities and local reports. "It seems to be almost a daily occurrence where an illegal alien driving kills innocent Americans," Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. "All of these deaths are preventable because these illegal aliens should have never been in our country." [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

CNN [8/26/2025 5:20 PM, Devan Cole, 23245K] reports Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man who was wrongly deported to El Salvador and later brought back to the US to face federal criminal charges, has renewed his bid for asylum in the United States as the Trump administration’s effort to deport him to Uganda intensifies. The request Monday to revisit his asylum application could have the impact of further delaying a potential deportation by the administration. Should an immigration judge grant the request to revisit his asylum claims, officials would be barred under federal law from removing him from the US pending resolution of his renewed asylum application. Justice Department attorneys have separately acknowledged in court papers that they would let Abrego Garcia’s request to revisit his asylum claims play out before they proceed with deporting him. Officials are already barred from deporting him for now under other court-imposed orders. A scheduling hearing in that case is set for Wednesday morning.

AP [8/26/2025 5:42 PM, Ben Finley and Travis Loller, 37974K] reports Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who has become the face of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, is in a Virginia detention center facing deportation to the east African country of Uganda. The Maryland construction worker, 30, was detained Monday in Baltimore by U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement after leaving a Tennessee jail on Friday. Administration officials have said he’s part of the dangerous MS-13 gang, an allegation Abrego Garcia denies. The Salvadoran national’s lawyers are fighting the deportation efforts in court, arguing he has the right to express fear of persecution and torture in Uganda. Abrego Garcia has also told immigration authorities he would prefer to be sent to Costa Rica if he must be removed from the U.S. It’s the latest twist in a long and complicated legal saga under the administration’s hardline deportation policies. Abrego Garcia entered the U.S. without documentation when he was 16. He settled in Maryland, worked construction, married and started a family. After the Trump administration was forced to bring Abrego Garcia back in June, ICE officials vowed to deport him to a unnamed third country. Within minutes of his release from criminal custody in Tennessee on Friday, ICE said he would be deported to Uganda. Abrego Garcia notified the U.S. government Saturday that he fears deportation to Uganda, where he believes he could be tortured. He said he also worries that Uganda will send him to El Salvador, where he said he’s been tortured before. In a separate notice, he said he would prefer to be deported to Costa Rica. The notices were included in the lawsuit filed Monday. It says the U.S. is punishing Abrego Garcia for successfully fighting his deportation to El Salvador, refusing to plead guilty to the smuggling charges and for seeking release from jail in Tennessee. Meanwhile, opposition figures and others in Uganda have criticized the agreement with the U.S. to receive deported migrants, questioning the lack of parliamentary approval and saying the deal eases political pressure on the country’s authoritarian president.

Daily Caller [8/26/2025 10:01 AM, Jason Hopkins, 985K] reports a federal judge in Maryland has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from deporting suspected gangbanger Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on Monday took custody of Abrego Garcia, an illegal migrant suspected of MS-13 membership and charged with human smuggling, and plan to remove him from the U.S. However, Federal District Judge Paula Xinis, an appointee of President Barack Obama, ordered the Trump administration later that day to halt his deportation, according to multiple media outlets. Federal immigration authorities are "absolutely forbidden at this juncture to remove Mr. Abrego Garcia from the continental United States," Xinis said, according to the Wall Street Journal. The Obama-appointed judge said she would first hear more arguments from attorneys. Xinis’ order marks the latest in a saga that has made Abrego Garcia one of the most well-known names in the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement agenda. "President Trump is not going to allow this illegal alien, who is an MS-13 gang member, human trafficker, serial domestic abuser, and child predator to terrorize American citizens any longer," Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said shortly after Abrego Garcia was re-arrested by ICE. Noem has previously said that the Trump administration "would not stop fighting" until he is removed from the U.S.

New York Post [8/26/2025 9:08 AM, Emily Crane, 43962K] reports footage of Kilmar Abrego Garcia being arrested by ICE has gone viral after the alleged MS-13 gangbanger slammed the "corrupt government" as he was being hauled away in cuffs. The 30-year-old El Salvador native is facing the possibility of being deported to Uganda after he was detained by immigration officials in Baltimore on Monday. The Department of Homeland Security shared a video of him shuffling through the ICE Field Office in the moments after he was detained. "He doesn’t belong here. He won’t be staying here. America is a safer nation without this MS-13 Gangbanger in it. Good riddance," DHS wrote alongside the footage. The clip quickly exploded online after Abrego Garcia, who was released from a Tennessee jail last week as he awaits trial on human smuggling charges, uttered "it’s a corrupt government" as an ICE agent led him away. His lawyers have claimed US officials offered to send him to Costa Rica in exchange for a guilty plea – or risk being deported to Uganda. "They’re holding Costa Rica as a carrot and using Uganda as a stick," his lawyer Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg said. "They’re weaponizing the immigration system in a way that’s completely unconstitutional.” The feds detained him again at the ICE office in Baltimore after reporting for a scheduled interview on Monday. He has since been sent to a detention facility in Virginia. "Today, ICE law enforcement arrested Kilmar Abrego Garcia and are processing him for deportation," Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said. "President Trump is not going to allow this illegal alien, who is an MS-13 gang member, human trafficker, serial domestic abuser, and child predator to terrorize American citizens any longer."

Reuters [8/26/2025 3:54 PM, Andrew Goudsward, 45746K] reports a Wisconsin judge cannot claim immunity from criminal charges accusing her of helping a migrant evade an immigration arrest outside her courtroom, a federal judge ruled on Tuesday, likely setting the stage for a trial. Wisconsin-based U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman rejected claims from Judge Hannah Dugan, an elected judge on the Milwaukee County Circuit Court, that she could not be prosecuted over the incident because she was acting in her official capacity as a judge. "There is no basis for granting immunity simply because some of the allegations in the indictment describe conduct that could be considered ‘part of a judge’s job,’" Adelman wrote in his ruling. Dugan could seek to appeal the decision before a trial is held. Dugan was charged in April with obstruction and concealing an individual wanted for arrest after prosecutors alleged she sought to thwart federal agents planning an immigration arrest of a domestic violence suspect who was due to appear in her courtroom. Dugan has pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing. The case has drawn significant attention as President Donald Trump’s administration ramps up its efforts to carry out immigration arrests at courthouses and escalates confrontations with federal judges over rulings blocking parts of Trump’s agenda. Judges are generally immune from civil lawsuits connected to their formal responsibilities, but Adelman found that immunity does not extend to criminal cases. He also rejected Dugan’s argument that the case infringed on state authority guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution. The indictment alleges that Dugan sought to divert federal agents away from her courtroom and escorted the migrant, identified as Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, through a non-public exit after learning that law enforcement was positioned in the hallway.

Reported similarly:
New York Times [8/26/2025 3:20 PM, Mitch Smith, 143795K]
AP [8/26/2025 6:13 PM, Scott Bauer]
ABC News [8/26/2025 3:33 PM, Ely Brown and James Hill, 27036K]
USA Today [8/26/2025 5:18 PM, John Diedrich, Daniel Bice, 64151K]

Federalist [8/26/2025 6:45 AM, M.D. Kittle, 982K] reports that, suspended while she faces charges for allegedly helping a violent illegal immigrant elude federal law enforcement officials, Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan continues to collect full pay and benefits on the backs of Badger State taxpayers. The Milwaukee County Circuit Court judge has raked in $48,997 in pay since the Wisconsin Supreme Court suspended Dugan from the bench in late April, according to information obtained through an open records request by The Federalist. Dugan’s biweekly pay rate is $6,712, with an annual salary of $174,512, according to the Wisconsin Court System. Meanwhile, Dugan has established a legal defense fund to pay for a high-powered team of lawyers that includes former Solicitor General Paul Clement and former federal prosecutor Steve Biskupic. In its first three weeks, the fund had raised nearly $140,000, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Dugan doesn’t have to report on who gave what until next year, the news outlet reported. "Judge Hannah Dugan deserves a full and aggressive defense," states the fund website, which bills the federal felony charge against her as "the prosecution of America’s independent judiciary.” The judge insists that she is immune from prosecution, that she has the right to do as she pleases in her courtroom — apparently up to breaking the law. She argues that the charges should be dropped. U.S. Magistrate Nancy Joseph disagrees. Last month, Joseph found Dugan’s arguments "unconvincing" in recommending Dugan’s motion to dismiss the charges be denied. "It is well-established and undisputed that judges have absolute immunity from civil lawsuits for monetary damages when engaging in judicial acts. This, however, is not a civil case," the magistrate wrote in her thorough, 37-page decision. "Accordingly, I recommend that Dugan’s motion to dismiss the indictment on judicial immunity grounds be denied.” Dugan has been charged with felony obstruction and misdemeanor concealing an individual to prevent arrest. She is accused of aiding previously deported illegal immigrant Eduardo Flores-Ruiz’s brief escape from federal law enforcement officials in April while he was appearing in front of Dugan on battery charges. Dugan faces up to six years in prison and a $350,000 fine if found guilty. As The Federalist has reported, FBI agents arrested Dugan on April 25 at the courthouse, a week after the judge, according to the criminal complaint, misdirected federal agents, delaying them from apprehending Flores-Ruiz. The illegal immigrant was set to appear before Dugan for a pretrial conference on three misdemeanor counts of domestic battery. Flores-Ruiz is expected to be deported again after he serves a federal prison term for violating immigration law, Milwaukee’s ABC affiliate, WISN, reported.

Washington Examiner [8/26/2025 5:52 AM, Staff, 1563K] reports the U.S. Department of Justice celebrated the guilty plea of notorious drug kingpin and cartel leader Ismael Zambada Garcia in a Brooklyn federal court on Monday. He was initially arrested in July 2024. Known as "El Mayo" and the chief leader of the dangerous Sinaloa Cartel, one of the most harmful drug trafficking organizations in the world, Zambada Garcia pleaded guilty to "being a principal leader of a continuing criminal enterprise" and a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations charge, according to a release from the Department of Justice. He was previously charged in multiple districts throughout the country, including the Central District of California, the District of Columbia, the Eastern District of New York, and the Southern District of California, among others. Zambada Garcia’s guilty plea validated years of suspicions of the Sinaloa Cartel’s operation in the Western Hemisphere, including a drug trafficking operation which extended from cocaine dealers in Colombia, South America, shipments of the drug to Mexico, and smuggling the product into the U.S., CNN reported. The cartel leader admitted to bribing Mexican law enforcement officers and military leaders to "operate freely" where they could have easy access to traffic drugs into the U.S. "I recognize the great harm illegal drugs have done to the people in the United States and Mexico," said Zambada Garcia through a Spanish-language interpreter, according to the Associated Press. "I apologize for all of it, and I take responsibility for my actions.” Attorney General Pamela Bondi announced that Zambada Garcia would spend the rest of his life in prison. She also lauded how his arrest made the country a safer place, protecting people in the country from drugs and violent crime. "This foreign terrorist committed horrific crimes against the American people — he will now pay for those crimes by spending the rest of his life behind bars in an American prison," said Bondi. "Today marks a crucial victory in President Trump’s ongoing fight to completely eliminate foreign terrorist organizations and protect American citizens from deadly drugs and violence.” FBI Director Kash Patel shared Bondi’s excitement for holding Zambada Garcia accountable for his crimes, which harmed many American citizens through addiction and acts of violence. Patel vowed to continue efforts to stop the Sinaloa Cartel altogether. "Today’s plea is a proud moment for the FBI and its partners as the founders of a notoriously violent drug trafficking organization, one that engages in an array of illegal activity including murder and corruption, face the consequences of their actions," said Patel. "Our work does not end here. We will continue to relentlessly leverage everything at our disposal in our efforts to thwart the Sinaloa Cartel and put an end to their drug trafficking operations and the carnage that goes along with it.”

New York Times [8/26/2025 4:12 PM, Edward Wong, 153395K] reports when one thinks of law enforcement in the nation’s capital, several agencies jump to mind: the local police, the F.B.I., the Secret Service. Now, there is the Diplomatic Security Service. It is not the most likely of crime-busting outfits to take to the streets of Washington. The agency specializes in tasks involving global diplomacy, such as providing protection for the secretary of state, conducting background security checks of State Department employees and potential hires, and helping secure U.S. embassies and consulates. But its officers are now doing beat-cop work in Washington. They are deployed in the city alongside police officers and other federal agents in what President Trump says is a crackdown on crime. Many residents call it theatrical nonsense aimed at scoring political points with voters who know little about Washington. At least one diplomatic security officer played a leading role in the nighttime arrest on Aug. 19 of Mark Bigelow, 28, a part-time delivery driver for Amazon who was arrested on a charge of having an open container of alcohol, which was in a van. A diplomatic security officer, Adam Kapettanis, worked with counterparts from other agencies to try putting a handcuffed Mr. Bigelow into a law enforcement vehicle, but Mr. Bigelow resisted, according to an F.B.I. agent’s affidavit in court documents. Mr. Bigelow kicked Mr. Kapettanis in the leg, the text said, citing that as an element in charging Mr. Bigelow with resisting and assaulting federal officers, which carries a maximum sentence of eight years in prison. Elizabeth Mullin, a federal public defender representing Mr. Bigelow, told the court that Mr. Bigelow “was caught up in this federal occupation of D.C.” — a reference to Mr. Trump’s new policy — and that “this was a case created by federal law enforcement.” When asked on Monday whether the Diplomatic Security Service was playing a role in Mr. Trump’s actions on Washington, the State Department said in a statement to The New York Times that the security service was “actively partnering with the Metropolitan Police Department and other law enforcement to provide interagency support in the ongoing mission to deter and reduce crime in the District of Columbia.”

DailySignal [8/26/2025 3:30 PM, Tim Kennedy, 668K] Video: HERE reports for years, Washington, D.C.’s sanctuary city laws barred local police from cooperating with federal immigration authorities. However, a recent order from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi effectively nullifies many of these rules—so long as President Donald Trump retains federal control of the district. Two weeks ago, Trump declared a crime emergency in the nation’s capital and federalized the Metropolitan Police Department for 30 days—the maximum period allowed for a state of emergency before an authorization from Congress is required to lengthen it. The Trump administration has been in an on-again, off-again legal battle with local officials over whether local police officers can assist federal immigration authorities like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with arresting illegal aliens. Trump recently told Daily Signal White House correspondent Elizabeth Mitchell that he plans to work with Congress to extend the 30-day federalization. The Daily Signal reached out to the Department of Justice, the D.C. Mayor’s Office, and the police department to see if the mayor has yet directed the police to cooperate with federal immigration authorities following Bondi’s Aug. 15 order.

Washington Post [8/26/2025 6:00 AM, Ellie Silverman, Juan Benn Jr. and Lauren Lumpkin, 29079K] reports the friends in Southeast Washington were gathered on the steps of their apartment complex enjoying the summer night when police swarmed. At about midnight, more than 20 officers — representing D.C. police and at least three federal agencies — surrounded the Black teenagers and young men outside. There were no blaring sirens or flashing lights, said Vincent Tyree, a 33-year-old father who lives in the neighborhood and witnessed the scene. The officers did not say why they were there, Tyree said, but pointed flashlights and began asking questions. Some people pulled out their phones and hit record. Their video of the August incident at the Renaissance Homes apartment complex — which showed one person handcuffed then released without explanation, one officer pulling his gun, and another swatting a phone away — later went viral as an early indicator of police tactics in the first few days of President Donald Trump’s crime crackdown in the nation’s capital. It is not uncommon for D.C. police to patrol this neighborhood at Congress Street SE and Wheeler Road SE, known to residents as 10th Place, an area with one of the city’s highest rates of gun violence this year. But to Tyree, the response that night felt unwarranted. “You see the police, you’re supposed to feel a warm embrace because you know they are protecting the community,” said the mentor with anti-violence nonprofit Guns Down Friday. “Now, you got these guys pulling up. You scaring people.” It has been two weeks since Trump declared a crime emergency in D.C., saying the city was in “a situation of complete and total lawlessness” and deploying hundreds of federal law enforcement officers and National Guard members onto the streets. In response, D.C. officials pointed to data that shows violent crime across the District has reached a 30-year-low, sharply declining since 2023 when the city experienced a generational spike in killings. But neither the president’s dystopian portrait of the city nor statistics that show falling crime captures the daily reality for those most exposed to gun violence.

FOX News [8/26/2025 9:22 AM, Cameron Arcand, 40019K] reports another alleged Tren de Aragua gang member was arrested in Washington, DC on Monday night, as Attorney General Pam Bondi continues to announce arrest statistics following the federal law enforcement takeover of the capital city. In total, the Department of Justice says there have been over 1094 arrests and 115 illegal guns seized. "87 more arrests and 4 illegal firearms seized last night in Washington, DC — where not a single carjacking has occurred over the past week. We also arrested another Tren de Aragua gang member and a man caught burning our American flag in Lafayette Park. Make DC Safe Again!" Bondi posted to X on Tuesday morning. Bondi announced the day prior that another alleged member of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan-based gang, was taken into custody. In past days, there have been hundreds of immigration-related arrests and arrests of those with alleged MS-13 ties. President Donald Trump announced the federal takeover earlier this month, and the streets of DC now have National Guard from numerous states, as well as numerous other federal agencies like ICE and the FBI conducting operations. The new law enforcement presence is in addition to the Metropolitan Police Department, which now has federal designee Terry Cole, who’s the administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration, monitoring.

CBS News [8/26/2025 2:24 PM, Kathryn Watson, 45245K] reports that President Trump said Tuesday the federal government would seek the death penalty for murders committed in Washington, D.C. It’s the latest move in a federal crackdown on crime, with Washington as a test case, as the president ramps up federal law enforcement efforts in Washington and seeks to establish forces in each state’s National Guard to be ready on short notice to address civil unrest. The president on Monday signed a crime-focused executive order that included a directive to the defense secretary to organize these plans. "Anybody murders something in the capital, capital punishment," Mr. Trump said during a Cabinet meeting Tuesday. "Capital, capital punishment. If somebody kills somebody in the capital, Washington, D.C., we’re going to be seeking the death penalty. And that’s a very strong preventative." The District of Columbia hasn’t executed anyone since 1957, after Robert Carter was convicted of fatally shooting an off-duty police officer. Decades ago, D.C. had mandatory death sentences for first-degree murders, a policy the Supreme Court voided in the 1972 case Furman v. Georgia when it found that the death penalty was being applied in an unconstitutionally arbitrary manner. Four years later, the high court allowed capital punishment to be reinstated with clearer sentencing guidelines. The D.C. City Council, however, abolished the death penalty in 1981.

NBC News [8/26/2025 3:39 PM, Daniella Silva and Megan Lebowitz, 43603K] reports when National Guard troops were deployed here earlier this month, President Donald Trump promised that they would fight crime and make the streets safe again. But in neighborhoods like Columbia Heights, the takeover has created a real sense of terror for immigrants, who say they feel like they are being racially targeted and living in a dystopian version of the city they love. Immigrants and immigration advocates told NBC News that the federal takeover of the nation’s capital two weeks ago has left vibrant communities and businesses "deserted." Both naturalized citizens and those who are in the country illegally said there is a palpable sense of fear now. People are afraid to go grocery shopping, show up to work and go about their daily lives, they said. They said the city’s landscape has been transformed since Trump announced the federal takeover on Aug. 11 with the goal of fighting crime and ramping up immigration arrests. He has sent more than 2,200 National Guard troops, who now carry firearms, and hundreds more federal agents to Washington. At the time of his announcement, violent crime had decreased 26% compared to last year, according to D.C. police data. Last week, the Justice Department said it was investigating whether Washington police manipulated data to make crime rates appear lower. A White House official said Tuesday that more than 1,000 total arrests have been made since the National Guard were called in. The official declined to specify how many of those were immigration arrests, but said "less than half of all arrests have involved illegal aliens." The administration has highlighted arrests of alleged gang members, or those with a history of being arrested or convicted for violent crimes, including allegations of assault and child sexual abuse. Washington residents said they have witnessed arrests by groups of what appeared to be immigration agents in the streets. Some said they are increasingly seeing checkpoints where officers are stopping every vehicle and asking drivers for their licenses. The Trump administration has denied claims of racial profiling in its immigration arrests.

FOX Business [8/26/2025 6:44 PM, Alec Schemmel, 9194K] reports a new clip released by the White House aims to shed light on the impact crime in the nation’s capital has had on businesses, highlighting one owner named Tumika, who said she is afraid just walking to her car at the end of a long day’s work. In the video, first obtained by Fox News Digital, Tumika says that teens stealing from her store has become a daily occurrence. She added that if parents won’t step in and teach their kids how to act appropriately, then the government needs to. "Sometimes I be afraid to walk out this door and go to my car," Tumika said. "People work hard for their business. I’m tired of kids looting. They stealing every day. Even adults come in here and steal – they walk beside the kids, the kids stuff in their pockets – what kind of parenting are you doing?". Tumika shared that crime has gotten so bad for her store that it has led to employees getting attacked, an incident Tumika said left her "traumatized.” Meanwhile, the D.C. store owner also shared how she tries to combat the crime with generosity, but expressed that her efforts still don’t seem to improve the problem. "I tell kids all the time. I give them free stuff all the time. I tell them, like, ‘If you hungry, I will feed you. There’s no need to steal from me,’" Tumika says in the clip. "A lot of teens need to be dealt with and [be held] accountable for their actions, because they know right from wrong. If their parents can’t be accountable for them, I mean the government needs to step in.” "Crime has plagued D.C. communities for far too long, and while businessowners like Tumika have been forced to pay the price, Democrat politicians and the Fake News have dismissed or ignored the problem," White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital. "President Trump is taking bold action to stand up for D.C. residents and make the city safe again," Jackson continued. "Everyone should listen to Tumika’s story – these are the real stories that the media isn’t reporting on.”

FOX News [8/26/2025 7:30 PM, Staff, 40019K] reports Army Secretary Dan Driscoll defended the deployment of National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., to help combat violent crime, insisting soldiers are "thrilled" to support their own communities. In an interview with Fox News Digital, Driscoll said the D.C. Guard was "purpose-built for this type of mission" and praised the 2,000 troops currently deployed — including 800 from D.C. and 1,200 from six other states. While some critics warn of a "slippery slope" toward militarized policing, Driscoll dismissed those concerns as "flawed.” "We are the wealthiest nation in the history of the world, and to have our capital kind of reflect this high-violence lack of standard that I think you would find in most other large cities around the world is kind of tragic," Driscoll said. "From the individual Guard members I have spoken to, they are thrilled to be on this mission.” The Trump administration has insisted the Guard is acting to support local and federal law enforcement agencies in the mission to crack down on D.C. crime that began August 7. This week, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced some Guardsmen would be authorized to carry weapons while conducting their mission throughout the city. City leaders have credited the Guard with helping ease pressure on overstretched police forces, though questions remain about the scope of the mission and how long troops will remain on the streets. Civil liberties advocates, meanwhile, argue the deployment risks normalizing the use of military forces in civilian policing. They warn the precedent could expand beyond the capital and create lasting tensions between communities and uniformed troops. "Most of the reporting on the slippery slope logic around this is flawed and misunderstands the actual value that the President and Secretary of Defense are providing to the people of D.C. and our nation right now," Driscoll said.

NBC News [8/26/2025 7:32 PM, Jonathan Allen, 43603K] reports in the neighborhood where Washington saw its first homicide in nearly two weeks early Tuesday, residents are divided over the value of President Donald Trump’s surge of federal law enforcement forces into the city. NBC News talked to more than a dozen people Tuesday who live and work in the area surrounding the 300 block of Anacostia Road in Southeast D.C., where, according to the Metropolitan Police Department, city officers had responded to a fatal shooting shortly after midnight. It was the first homicide reported in D.C. since Aug. 13. On Tuesday afternoon, after schools had let out for the day, more than a half-dozen children loitered on the front steps of an apartment complex on the block where the shooting occurred. The local response to Trump’s "federal takeover" of D.C. was mixed, with some crediting him for taking an active interest in public safety in the city and others criticizing him for a buildup they described as unnecessary or aimed at the wrong parts of the city. "I really don’t have no problem with police presence," said Brian Williams, 56, who reported seeing National Guard, FBI and local police forces in the neighborhood. "It’s much-needed in certain neighborhoods of the district. Not all of them is needed, but some of them is needed.” But, Williams added, "the ones that’s needed, you don’t see the presence in there.” Some residents said they had not seen National Guard or federal agents in their neighborhood at all, and a Washington Post map of such sightings, published Aug. 15, showed a much heavier presence in the wealthier and more tourist-trafficked wards west of the Anacostia River. Trump had boasted Monday that it had been "many years since we went a week without having a murder." (D.C. had a 16-day streak earlier this year.) National Guard troops began arriving in D.C. on Aug. 12 in response to Trump’s declaration of a "crime emergency" in the nation’s capital. Federal agents are focused on arresting violent offenders, including drug dealers — often by executing warrants — rather than patrolling neighborhoods, according to a White House official.

AP [8/26/2025 5:55 PM, Ashraf Khalil and Collin Binkley, 37974K] reports a pair of senior Washington, D.C., police commanders acknowledged Tuesday that the ongoing federal law enforcement surge in the nation’s capital is alienating the population and damaging community relationships that will have to be mended in the future. "What relationships do we have to repair once this surge is over? I’m prepared to do that. I’m prepared to have those long, tough conversations. But I know it’s going to be tough," said Sixth District Commander Jaron Hickman. "We are getting some violent people off the streets — but in the long run, at what cost?". Elsewhere in the city, students started to settle into the start of a new school year, which was shadowed by anxieties over increased immigration enforcement. Volunteers in some neighborhoods helped walk children to school as social media was abuzz with reports of sightings of federal officers. Hickman and Seventh District Commander James Boteler spoke Tuesday before about 50 citizens at a meeting of the Anacostia Community Council. The appearance had been scheduled well before President Donald Trump took over the Metropolitan Police Department and flooded the capital with federal law enforcement agents and National Guard troops. The ongoing consequences of Trump’s surge dominated the commanders’ 45-minute Q&A session. Both commanders deferred on some of the more pointed questions asked by the audience. But both also offered revealing glimpses into the complexity of the situation faced by the police department. "I have my own feelings but I’m also non-partisan. I have to come to work every day regardless of who’s sitting at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue," Boteler said. "I know Chief Pamela Smith and her entire executive staff is keenly aware of what people are feeling in the community. Because we’re talking about it every single day.” Hickman said he wrote a mass email to the 302 officers under his command when Trump first launched his takeover of the department earlier this month. His message: "You have morals. We have policies. If you see something that doesn’t feel right, you should be speaking up.” Yet Hickman said it was discouraging to see some checkpoints and arrests that he felt were unnecessary. "It’s disheartening as a district commander, I can’t get out of my car off-duty and say ‘Man, you guys aren’t needed here,’" he said. "I don’t know if that provides you with any comfort. I’m just being honest with you.”

AP [8/26/2025 6:44 PM, Christine Fernando, Sophia Tareen and Obed Lamy] reports President Donald Trump’s threats to deploy National Guard troops to Chicago sent ripples through America’s third-largest city as many residents defended their home against Trump’s escalating rhetoric toward its violent crime, including claims it is a "killing field." The threat of federal troops stirred a mix of fear, frustration and defiance for residents as they pointed to historic drops in violent crime. Groups constantly pressing for police reform said sending troops who lack training in de-escalating violence or any knowledge about the nuances of neighborhoods still grappling with violent crime would undo progress made in recent years. On Tuesday, Trump called Chicago a "hell hole" and repeated that Chicagoans are asking "Trump to come in" to reduce crime in the city. The statements echoed comments earlier this month when Trump indicated Chicago may be next for a federal crackdown, claiming Chicago is "a mess" and residents are "screaming for us to come." But data paints a more nuanced picture of crime — one that varies dramatically block by block and that has seen recent progress.

Daily Wire [8/26/2025 6:23 AM, Zach Jewell, 3184K] reports Illinois Democratic Governor JB Pritzker hit back at President Donald Trump on Monday, as the president considers deploying the National Guard to Chicago. Trump said in the Oval Office that he would like to work with Democratic governors and mayors to deploy the National Guard to major cities to address violent crime. Pritzker responded to Trump’s comments during a press conference with local and state Democratic leaders, saying that Trump and the National Guard are "neither wanted here nor needed here." "If this was really about fighting crime or making the streets safe, what possible justification could the White House have for planning such an exceptional action without any conversations or consultations with the governor, the mayor, or the police?" Pritzker asked. "Let me answer that question. This is not about fighting crime. This is about Donald Trump searching for any justification to deploy the military in a blue city in a blue state to try to intimidate his political rivals." The Illinois governor said that Trump’s plans to deploy the National Guard to Chicago are "exactly the type of overreach that our country’s founders warned against." "Earlier today in the Oval Office, Donald Trump looked at the assembled cameras and asked for me personally to say, ‘Mr. President, can you do us the honor of protecting our city?’" Priztker added. "Instead, I say, ‘Mr. President, do not come to Chicago. You are neither wanted here nor needed here.’".

FOX News [8/26/2025 8:40 AM, Michael Dorgan Fox, 40019K] Video: HERE reports Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker blasted President Donald Trump as a "wannabe dictator" Monday, accusing him of trying to "occupy" Chicago with National Guard troops after reports the White House is preparing a possible deployment as soon as September. The Democrat railed against a Washington Post report detailing the potential move, warning that Trump was escalating rhetoric against Chicago and its leaders over crime. "This is exactly the type of overreach that our country’s founders warned against," Pritzker said at a press conference in front of Trump Tower in downtown Chicago. "What President Trump is doing is unprecedented and unwarranted. It is illegal. It is unconstitutional. It is un-American." Pritzker vowed to fight the move in court, accusing Trump of trying to occupy a U.S. city for political gain. "Go talk to the people of Chicago who are enjoying a gorgeous afternoon in this city… ask if they want their neighborhoods turned into a war zone by a wannabe dictator," Pritzker said, flanked by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and other local officials. "Donald Trump wants to use the military to occupy a U.S. city, punish his dissidents and score political points. If this were happening in any other country, we would have no trouble calling it what it is – a dangerous power grab."

NPR [8/26/2025 5:42 PM, Staff, 34837K] Audio: HERE reports for over two weeks, members of the National Guard have been walking the streets of Washington, D.C. — alongside federal law enforcement and local police. President Trump has said there is a "crime emergency" in the nation’s capital — and has openly hinted at taking similar actions in other Democratic-led cities like Chicago, New York and Baltimore. But while the president has unique authorities over the District of Columbia, federalizing the National Guard in U.S. states will require a higher legal standard. Georgetown University law professor Steve Vladeck breaks it down.

CBS Chicago [8/26/2025 5:47 PM, Chris Tye, 45245K] Video: HERE President Trump on Tuesday claimed, "I have the right to do anything I want" as Chicago waits to see if he will follow through with his threat to send National Guard troops to Chicago, but a retired Illinois National Guard general said those troops would be very limited in what they could do. The White House has yet to say if or when the president will deploy any troops in Chicago as part of his plan to crack down on crime, similar to his approach in Washington, D.C.; but the former head of the Illinois National Guard said those soldiers would be limited in what they could do if called up. When you go to the website of the Illinois National Guard, and you click on leadership, Gov. JB Pritzker is listed at the top of the food chain. He’s authorized to deploy the National Guard, but there are exceptions. At Congress.gov you’ll find what’s called The Posse Comitatus Act, which spells out the three instances when the president can utilize a state’s National Guard: "to repel an invasion, suppress a rebellion, or execute federal laws when he is unable to execute them using the regular forces.” If the president activates the National Guard in Chicago, Gov. JB Pritzker has said he’ll take this to court, arguing the Posse Comitatus exceptions were not met, but President Trump on Tuesday asserted he can send in the National Guard no matter what the governor wants. "I would have much more respect for Pritzker if he’d call me up and say, ‘I have a problem, can you help me fix it?’ I would be so happy to do it," President Trump said. "I have the right to do anything I want to do. I’m the president of the United States. If I think our country’s in danger, and it is in danger in these cities, I can do it. No problem going in and solving his difficulties, but it would be nice if they’d call and they’d say ‘Would you do it?’ And we’d do it in conjunction.”

Breitbart [8/26/2025 6:45 PM, Ildefonso Ortiz and Brandon Darby, 2608K] reports a Texas teenager is facing several charges for having punched a local police officer during a drunken brawl in the entertainment district area of the border city of McAllen, Texas. The assault sparked much outrage across the city, where politicians have called for changes to restaurants and bars in the downtown area in an attempt to stop underage drinking and violence. The assault took place on Sunday shortly after 2 A.M. in downtown McAllen, when authorities responded to a commotion near the intersection of 17th Street and Beaumont. According to information provided to Breitbart Texas by McAllen police, when officers arrived, they found several men fighting, and responding officers began to separate them. It was during that struggle that 17-year-old Alexander Andree Flores allegedly struck a female officer who was trying to apprehend him. McAllen Police investigators tracked down Flores and arrested him later that day. He has since been formally charged with one count of resisting arrest, one count of assault on a peace officer, and one count of evading arrest. A municipal court judge set his bonds at $250,000. A series of videos shared on social media captured the moment where Flores strikes the officer, knocking her down, and then tries to run away. Other officers can be seen in the video trying to break up the fight while numerous individuals circled them and cheered on the fighting. The video went viral in South Texas, sparking outrage from numerous community members. McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos took to social media to condemn the assault and claimed that changes would be made. Since then, Villalobos has stated that he, along with city commissioners, would be looking at ways to restrict the presence of teenagers in the city’s entertainment district. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Reuters [8/26/2025 4:41 PM, Maria Paula Laguna, 45746K] reports Mexican boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. has returned to training following his release from prison as he awaits trial in Mexico for alleged cartel ties following his deportation from the United States. Video footage shared on social media from the Coliseo Boxing Club by Gallo Estrada, a boxing gym in the Sonoran state capital of Hermosillo, thanked the boxer for his visit as he trained on a punching bag wearing a gym-brand t-shirt. "Thanks for your visit," the gym said in a post on Instagram. "This is your home.” The gym told Reuters that Chavez Jr. was at the site on Monday afternoon.

AP [8/26/2025 4:41 PM, Ali Swenson, 37974K] reports a conservative election researcher whose faulty findings on voter data were cited by President Donald Trump as he tried to overturn his 2020 election loss has been appointed to an election integrity role at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Pennsylvania activist Heather Honey is now serving as the deputy assistant secretary for election integrity in the department’s Office of Strategy, Policy and Plans, an organizational chart on its website shows. The political appointment, first reported by Democracy Docket, shows how self-styled election investigators who have thrown themselves into election conspiracy theories since 2020 are now being celebrated by a presidential administration that indulges their false claims. Her new role, which didn’t exist under President Joe Biden, also comes as Trump has used election integrity concerns as a pretext to try to give his administration power over how elections are run in the U.S.

NewsNation [8/26/2025 4:31 PM, Ali Bradley, Jeff Arnold, 6811K] reports the U.S. Navy is reportedly deploying more ships filled with troops to the southern Caribbean as part of the Trump administration’s fight against Latin American criminal drug cartels that have been designated as foreign terrorist organizations. The USS Lake Erie and USS Newport News are the latest ships to be sent to the region to join the fight against criminal cartels that President Donald Trump and other top officials have characterized as "narco-terrorist" groups, Reuters reported, citing sources. The ships are expected to arrive in the southern Caribbean by early next week, the report indicated. U.S. officials will not specify how the ships or troops sent to the Caribbean will be used. However, federal officials have previously stated that the military troops will be used in the efforts to stop cartels rather than waging a war against Venezuela.

AP [8/26/2025 6:57 PM, Staff, 37974K] reports Venezuela will send military vessels to the Caribbean Sea and other waters to combat drug trafficking, the country’s defense minister announced Tuesday. The move comes as tensions with the U.S. simmer over the deployment of three warships to the region. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López said the vessels will patrol the Gulf of Venezuela as well as the country’s “territorial waters” in the Caribbean. In an Instagram reel, Padrino added that about 15,000 members of the armed forces will participate in efforts on land and at sea to fight “ the armed, terrorist, drug-trafficking groups operating on the border” with Colombia. Padrino announced the operation more than a week after the U.S. government announced the deployment of three guided-missile destroyers to the waters off Venezuela to combat threats from Latin American drug cartels. Venezuela’s initial response to the deployment was to call on Venezuelans to enlist in a volunteer militia meant to assist the armed forces in the defense of external and domestic attacks. The move to deploy U.S. destroyers and personnel comes as U.S. President Donald Trump pushes for using the military to thwart cartels he blames for the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs into American communities and for perpetuating violence in some U.S. cities. On Monday, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro insisted during a weekly television show that his country, unlike neighboring Colombia, is “free of coca leaf crops and free of cocaine production.” He also criticized the U.S. government for not addressing the drug consumption within its borders.

Reported similarly:
Univision [8/26/2025 6:38 PM, Staff, 4932K]

Washington Post [8/26/2025 11:02 AM, Douglas MacMillan, 29079K] reports a group of congressional Democrats is pushing President Donald Trump’s border czar Tom Homan to detail his past financial ties to one of the nation’s largest immigrant detention contractors, following The Washington Post’s reporting on the potential conflicts of interest. In a letter to Homan on Monday evening, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Maryland) and two other lawmakers asked for documents and communications pertaining to Homan’s consulting work for Geo Group, a private prison operator that oversees a large portion of the nation’s immigrant detainees and has won lucrative contracts from Immigration and Customs Enforcement since Homan’s appointment this year. Raskin’s office shared a copy of the letter with The Post. "As Border Czar, you are uniquely positioned to help your former business client reap a huge windfall from the Trump Administration’s spending on immigration enforcement," Raskin, the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, said in the letter, which was also signed by Reps. Pramila Jayapal (Washington) and Jasmine Crockett (Texas). The letter asks Homan to produce a full accounting of all of his consulting clients and financial benefits he received from Geo in the four years prior to joining the Trump administration, as well as all communications he’s had with past clients since becoming border czar. The lawmakers told Homan that he "may have an actual conflict of interest— and certainly the appearance of one — if you are participating in or influencing agency decisions or actions that could affect the spending of hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars with your former client.”

New York Times [8/26/2025 6:19 PM, Richard Fausset, 143795K] reports it started in Florida with “Alligator Alcatraz.” Then came news of the “Speedway Slammer” in Indiana. Most recently the Trump administration announced plans for yet another immigration detention center, this one in Nebraska, to be called the “Cornhusker Clink.” The alliteration, borrowed from the science of selling, goes down as easy as a Krispy Kreme for some Americans, for whom it is all in good fun. Memes have been made. T-shirts have been touted. The president has joked that detainees in Florida should learn the best way to run from an alligator, in the event of an escape from the center that opened last month in the Everglades. “It’s got a ring to it,” Ron Buschelman, 66, said of the name “Cornhusker Clink” as he stood on Monday outside a farm supply store on the outskirts of Omaha. Referring to Mr. Trump, he added, “He’s got a very good sense of humor. And there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s a clink. It is. And we’re the Cornhusker State. I like it.” For other people, though, there was something repugnant about a government that would make light of an expanding mass deportation program that has sent immigrants to countries that they are not from, separated parents from their children, and deployed masked officers in unmarked cars to grab people off the streets. “It’s not a reason to joke around,” said Roxana Cortes-Mills, legal director of the Center for Immigrant and Refugee Advancement, a nonprofit group in Omaha. Still, ginning up indignation appears to be the point, at least in part, in this new era of government by troll. It is a strategy that the administration is leaning into in Mr. Trump’s second term — one that his administration is particularly fond of deploying in the realm of immigration enforcement. The names given to the detention centers are only part of it. The official X accounts of the White House and the Department of Homeland Security make heavy use of the new style — an irreverence synced to the fast-moving ironic currents of the chronically online, detached from concerns about impropriety. In a subsequent news release, Homeland Security officials accused news outlets of failing to report on victims of undocumented immigrants who commit violent crimes, and of claiming that the department’s social media posts were “appealing to ‘white identity’” online. Asked by reporters last week about the post, Tricia McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for D.H.S., replied, “Where are we quoting a white supremacist?” In the same news release, Homeland Security said that its “social media reach” had exploded in the last six months, “from 3.5 million weekly impressions in February to 46.1 million in July 2025.” The growth was the result, officials said, of the department’s “enhanced ability to effectively communicate critical information to the American public.”

Washington Post [8/26/2025 5:45 AM, Carolina A. Miranda, 29079K] reports that, if you mashed together a Vietnam War epic with a Christian end-times movie, what might emerge is one of the recent social media videos produced by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. In early July, the department posted a minute-long short showing agents in tactical gear bathed in eerie red light — among them, Homeland Secretary Kristi L. Noem — piling into a helicopter, from which they survey a landscape as if preparing for an aerial attack. The soundtrack is a cover of the 1940s folk tune “God’s Gonna Cut You Down,” by the San Francisco rock band Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. As the action unfolds, a man is heard quoting from the Book of Isaiah: “I heard the voice of the Lord say, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go forth for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me.’” The theme was echoed three weeks later by another DHS video showing murky images of heavily armed agents conducting a nighttime raid on a building. This one is set to a different ominous soundtrack — “I’m the Shadows,” by the electronica act Ryutqc. A line from Proverbs appears: “The wicked flee when no man pursueth; but the righteous are as bold as a lion.” A grim voice then recites dialogue from the 2022 film “The Batman”: “They think I’m hiding in the shadows. But I am the shadows.” The videos conjure a veritable holy war, in which God’s soldiers prepare to battle evil, a.k.a. undocumented immigrants. These adversaries are largely implied, rendered as shadows visible only through night vision goggles — a stunning bit of dehumanization. As in a lot of propaganda, facts get twisted to fit the message. The quote from Isaiah is wildly out of context. Read the chapters from which it is drawn, and you’ll learn that God was asking Isaiah not to spearhead a masked army, but to warn against profligacy and corruption. “Learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor,” reads a verse in Chapter 1, “defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.” In other words, nothing to do with a helicopter full of people armed to the teeth. What’s perhaps more preposterous is that this video, created by a government agency, violated federal copyright law. In a colorfully worded Instagram post, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club demanded that DHS take down the video for using their music without permission, which is why it now appears partially or wholly disabled on social media platforms. These Christian-themed videos are part of a larger barrage of propaganda that clogs the social media feeds of DHS and those of its subdivision Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Log on to their Instagram, X and Facebook feeds, and it is as if someone took humdrum government recruitment ads, marinated them with unhinged 21st-century meme culture, then seasoned them with a bit of Bible and Batman. There are invocations to “Defend your culture!” — along with some rather inexplicable footage of Noem riding a horse in Argentina. Stuffed between are countless snapshots of undocumented immigrants apprehended by ICE, their criminal activities lavishly described. (Never mind that more than 70 percent of the nearly 60,000 detainees currently held by the agency have no criminal convictions, according to Transaction Records Clearinghouse, a Syracuse University research group that tracks ICE detentions.) Ultimately, the DHS images are united by a simple idea: that in the United States, some people belong; others do not. And principally, it’s Latino men — largely mestizo or Indigenous in appearance — who are held up as the outsiders.

Los Angeles Times [8/26/2025 11:15 AM, Staff, 12715K] reports I appreciate guest contributor Raul A. Reyes’ concern that Immigration and Customs Enforcement needs oversight ("Immigration enforcement needs oversight. ICE can’t just ban lawmakers," Aug. 21) — but unfortunately, the Rubicon has been crossed and there is no governmental interest in oversight. Those in power are only interested in instilling terror and cementing their control. Democrats need to gain control of both houses so ICE in its current form is disbanded and defunded. Most Americans are not afraid of immigrants who are undocumented or overstayed their visas, but they are afraid of ICE and take no comfort in how they are conducting business.

New York Post [8/26/2025 11:36 PM, Gianno Caldwell, 43962K] reports that, on Monday, President Trump signed an executive order ending cashless bail nationwide and creating rapid-response National Guard units that can be deployed to any city in need. Chicago, which Trump has aptly said "is a killing field right now," is one of the candidates. Send in the feds, Mr. President. Those forces should include ATF, DEA and FBI agents and other Department of Justice resources, as well as federalized National Guard troops if necessary. It’s high time to act against the dereliction of duty we’ve seen from Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker. The results of the DC takeover already speak for themselves: There have been no murders in Washington in nearly two weeks, and other crimes are also way down. We’ve seen countless video interviews with DC residents of all ages, especially in the black community, expressing gratitude to Trump for making them feel much safer. In response to Trump’s threat to federalize Chicago, Pritzker said, "Mr. President, do not come to Chicago. You are neither wanted here or needed here . . . it is illegal. It is unconstitutional. It is un-American.” He also claimed Trump is "doing this for theatrics. He wants to create chaos . . . there is not an emergency in Chicago . . . nothing that calls for troops on the street.” Likewise, Johnson has demanded "more federal resources for public safety" but complained that "an unsolicited, unwarranted military takeover is not needed.” Deploying National Guard troops across Chicago may not be what all residents want to see. However, when Chicagoans are being senselessly killed every day, it may be warranted as a temporary stopgap measure to literally stop the bleeding while federal, state and local resources are fully activated to reduce crime. On June 24, 2022, my innocent teenage baby brother, Christian, was murdered in Chicago. I started the Caldwell Institute for Public Safety to advocate against soft-on-crime policies and push policies that create safer communities across the nation. Trump is doing exactly that with his recent actions. If Trump does federalize Chicago, he’ll likely repeat the successful interagency mobilization we’re now seeing in Washington, DC. National Guard troops in Chicago would support law enforcement while serving as a deterrent "show of force.” They can temporarily detain suspects, but they cannot make arrests.

Los Angeles Times [8/26/2025 6:01 AM, Daniel R. DePetris, 12715K] reports that, on Aug. 13, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration corralled 26 narcotraffickers onto planes destined for the United States, where they will be prosecuted for a litany of drug and violent offenses. One was wanted in the killing of a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy nearly two decades ago. This wasn’t the first prisoner transfer from Mexico to the United States. In February, Sheinbaum handed over 29 cartel figures to the U.S. Justice Department. All of this is coming at a time when the Mexican security forces are accelerating counter-narcotics operations throughout the country. According to Mexico’s secretary of public security, homicides have declined by more than 25% during Sheinbaum’s first 10 months; more than 1,200 drug labs have also been dismantled. If the Trump administration is impressed with the progress, officials haven’t shown it. In fact, Washington is enlisting the U.S. military to help with the problem of cartel violence next door. President Trump signed a directive ordering the Defense Department to begin using force against Latin American drug cartels that Washington previously designated as foreign terrorist organizations. Six of those cartels are in Mexico. As if to underscore the point, the Pentagon ordered 4,000 Marines and sailors to the waters of Latin America and the Caribbean, alongside Navy destroyers, reconnaissance aircraft and a nuclear-powered missile cruiser. None of this is exactly a surprise. Trump, after all, flirted with bombing cartel fentanyl labs in Mexico during his first term. His senior advisors, from Vice President JD Vance to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, have broached the possibility of using U.S. military force to degrade the cartels’ power. And the Central Intelligence Agency, with the cooperation of the Mexican government, has increased surveillance flights over cartel-dominated territory to better map the terrain. But let there be no mistake: pulling the trigger on U.S. military force inside Mexico would be about as effective as putting a Band-Aid over a gaping wound. We can say this with a high degree of confidence because military force has already been deployed against the cartels for years, with no discernible impact other than more violence, death and a continuation of the very drug trafficking the United States wants to stem. Successive Mexican governments since the turn of the century bought into the notion that, with the right amount of military pressure, the cartels would either fold up shop, bargain with the state or collapse under their own weight. In 2006, Mexican President Felipe Calderón declared a full-scale war against narcotrafficking organizations, complete with the deployment of tens of thousands of Mexican troops to the country’s most violent states and looser rules of engagement. Calderón’s successor, Enrique Peña Nieto, had implemented the same strategy with a special emphasis on targeting the cartels’ leadership structure. Even Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who campaigned on a "Hugs, Not Bullets" approach, came to rely on the Mexican army during the latter years of his presidency. The result was precisely the opposite of what Mexico hoped to achieve. Although some high-profile narcotraffickers were captured, the cartels as a whole increased violence against the state and did so more brazenly. Politicians, police officers, soldiers and senior government officials have all been targeted by the cartels, and the massacre of civilians is now the norm. Last year, Mexico experienced its deadliest election campaign in history, with around 200 politicians, candidates and public servants murdered in the lead-up to June elections.

NewsMax [8/26/2025 8:40 AM, Charlie McCarthy, 4779K] reports U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under the Trump administration continues to focus on apprehending and deporting the ‘worst of the worst’ illegal migrants. In recent days, ICE officers arrested aliens who included "pedophiles, drug traffickers, abusers, and other violent thugs," a senior Department of Homeland Security official told The Federalist in a statement. "Day after day, ICE is going after the worst of the worst because under President [Donald] Trump and Secretary [Kristi] Noem DHS will always put AMERICANS first," the senior DHS official said in the statement. A DHS release provided exclusively to Newsmax last week said ICE had arrested Alejandro Lima-Ramirez, 46, a Mexican national and member of the violent Florencia 13 street gang. Lima-Ramirez’s record includes 24 arrests across California and Oregon and 16 convictions for crimes ranging from drug trafficking and robbery to fraud and weapons charges. Now comes news that ICE arrested Jung Choi, a 53-year-old California resident and South Korean national convicted in 2020 of voluntary manslaughter, according to DHS documents exclusively provided to The Federalist. In 2017, Choi assisted a male companion who murdered his wife. Choi was paroled Friday, when ICE agents apprehended her to begin the process of sending her back to South Korea. "We are not going to allow this murderer and criminal illegal alien to remain in our country," the DHS official told The Federalist. DHS pointed out several other "worst of the worst" illegal migrants arrested during the past several days. They included: Marion Andres Gomez-Arenas, 41, from Colombia. His rap sheet includes 23 criminal arrests and 18 convictions in the state of Georgia, according to DHS. Charges against Gomez-Arenas included fraud, forgery, shoplifting, driving under the influence, and obstruction of a law enforcement officer. Zoilo Holguin-Tavarez, from the Dominican Republic. Convicted of possession of illegal substances with intent to deliver and carrying a firearm during the commission of a drug trafficking crime in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, according to DHS. Rigoberto Morales Hernandez, from Mexico. Convicted of illegal migrant smuggling in Albany, N.Y., according to DHS. Madai Perez-Perez, 33, from Guatemala. Convicted on a charge of willful poisoning of food on a person in Placer County, California, according to DHS.

FOX News [8/26/2025 5:42 PM, Peter Pinedo, 40019K] reports the Department of Homeland Security is slamming pro-sanctuary politicians for "peddling a false sob story" about alleged gang member Kilmar Abrego Garcia while the agency continues its roundup of criminal illegal aliens, including illegals convicted of forced sodomy, injury of a child and sexual assault of a child. In a statement sent to Fox News Digital, DHS said, "While Sanctuary politicians and activists were peddling the false sob story of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a gang member, human trafficker, child predator, and wife beater, ICE was out arresting the worst of the worst." DHS said these five criminal illegal aliens represent some of the worst of the worst arrested in just one day, as it continues its crackdown on illegal immigrant crime. "In just one day, ICE officers across the U.S. nabbed illegal aliens with convictions for sexual assault with a child, sodomy, vehicle theft, and more barbaric crimes," a senior DHS official told Fox News Digital in an emailed statement.

Reuters [8/26/2025 8:25 AM, Ted Hesson, Tim Reid and Nicole Jeanine Johnson, 45746K] reports that, under President Donald Trump, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency has become the driving force of his sweeping crackdown on migrants, bolstered by record funding and new latitude to conduct raids, but staff are contending with long hours and growing public outrage over the arrests. Those internal pressures are taking a toll. Two current and nine former ICE officials told Reuters the agency is grappling with burnout and frustration among personnel as agents struggle to keep pace with the administration’s aggressive enforcement agenda. The agency has launched a recruitment drive to relieve the stress by hiring thousands of new officers as quickly as possible, but that process will likely take months or years to play out. All of those interviewed by Reuters backed immigration enforcement in principle. But they criticized the Trump administration’s push for high daily arrest quotas that have led to the detention of thousands of individuals with no criminal record, as well as long-term green card holders, others with legal visas, and even some U.S. citizens. Most of the current and former ICE officials requested anonymity due to concerns about retaliation against themselves or former colleagues. Americans have been inundated with images on social media of often masked agents in tactical gear handcuffing people on neighborhood streets, at worksites, outside schools, churches, and courthouses, and in their driveways. Videos of some arrests have gone viral, fueling public anger over the tactics. Under Trump, average daily arrests by the 21,000-strong agency have soared, up over 250% in June compared to a year earlier, although daily arrest rates dropped in July. Trump has said he wants to deport "the worst of the worst," but ICE figures show a rise in non-criminals being picked up. ICE arrests of people with no other charges or convictions beyond immigration violations during Trump’s first six months in office rose to 221 people per day, from 80 people per day during the same period under former President Joe Biden last year, according to agency data obtained by the Deportation Data Project at University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. Some 69% of immigration arrests under Trump were of people with a criminal conviction or pending charge, the figures show. Some ICE investigators are frustrated that hundreds of specialized ICE investigative agents, who normally focus on serious crimes such as human trafficking and transnational gangs, have been reassigned to routine immigration enforcement, two current and two former officials said. In an interview with Reuters, Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, acknowledged that the long hours and reassignment of specialist agents had frustrated some ICE personnel but said Trump’s January 20 declaration of a national emergency around illegal immigration warranted it. "There’s some staff that would rather be doing other types of investigations, I get that, but the president declared a national emergency," Homan said.

Blaze [8/26/2025 8:45 AM, Julio Rosas, 1559K] reports you will find over 100 agencies represented at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, where recruits are trained to become officers or agents. But no other agency or department that trains at FLETC has gotten more attention this year than U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Blaze News was able to tour and observe ICE training with acting ICE Director Todd Lyons and other members of the media last week. The basic course to become an ICE officer at FLETC takes eight weeks, with two weeks of training before and after the course. The agency has received over 115,000 applications since the Department of Homeland Security launched its recruitment drive when the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed into law by President Donald Trump in July. Lyons said the training has been streamlined to cut down on repetition so that new agents are still trained on what they need to know to get out into the field, but without wasting time. The Trump administration wants to reach 1 million deportations per year. "One of my things that I really held my ground on [was] the fact that I wasn’t going to water down training. ... Having gone through it myself, I know exactly what we need," he stated. Looking to hire an additional 10,000 deportation agents to bolster the current force of around 6,000, Lyons explained that the large pool of applicants means ICE is able to be selective on who is given an offer. Many of the applicants already have a law enforcement background. Lyons told Blaze News he is "happy" to see applicants are willing to carry out ICE’s important mission and are not deterred by the violence and threats from Democrats.

FOX News [8/26/2025 9:40 PM, Greg Wehner, 40019K] reports U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lambasted New York City for its sanctuary policies after the city’s police released a Dominican national charged with sexual misconduct with a child under the age of 11. ICE arrested Robert Reid Mendez Jimenez on Aug. 13, after he was charged with a child predatory offense. The New York City Police Department (NYPD) released Jimenez from custody after local officials ignored an immigration detainer from ICE, the federal agency said. Jimenez was released despite being arrested by the NYPD on multiple sexual abuse charges, including sexual conduct with a child under the age of 11. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations officers in Newark, New Jersey, later tracked him down through intelligence operations. "This case shows the real cost of ignoring ICE detainers: Violent offenders walk free, and public safety is put at risk," ICE ERO Newark acting Field Office Director Ruben Perez said. "I’m proud of our deportation officers, who tracked him down and took him into custody — removing a dangerous predator from the streets within weeks of his release into the community.” Fox News Digital has reached out to NYC Mayor Eric Adams for comment. ICE said Mendez has been under a final removal order since July 2018, after entering the U.S. illegally. He will remain in ICE custody until removal. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has singled out Adams in the past for New York City’s sanctuary laws, though the mayor has said, "I have nothing to do with the rules that are put in place. I just carry out the rules.” Earlier this month, Attorney General Pam Bondi said she sent letters giving sanctuary jurisdictions one week to comply with federal immigration laws or face Justice Department action. On social media, Bondi called the "demand letters" a key step to eradicating sanctuary policies nationwide. She warned that jurisdictions putting illegal immigrants ahead of citizens would face lawsuits if they refuse to comply. After Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani’s June primary win, NYPD retirements reportedly surged. Bondi, a past critic of Adams, previously told Fox News Digital strong leadership is crucial for officers’ safety. Adams has also worked with border czar Tom Homan on immigration enforcement.

Breitbart [8/26/2025 3:37 PM, John Binder, 2608K] reports an illegal alien is accused of killing a 37-year-old woman in a drunk driving crash in Nashville, Tennessee, while leaving the woman’s husband in critical condition and fighting for his life. Julio Ceasar Herrera Gonzalez, an illegal alien from Honduras, has been arrested by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department and charged with vehicular homicide, vehicular assault, drunk driving, and driving without a license. According to police, on August 10 at 3:25 a.m., Gonzalez was driving when he crossed over into oncoming traffic and struck head-on Marco Antonio Baez Del Angel and his wife, Raquel Lorena Sarabia Barajas, who were in their Nissan Rogue. Barajas was sent to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where she died from her injuries as a result of the crash. Baez Del Angel remains in a Nashville hospital in critical condition. Police said Gonzalez showed signs of impairment at the time of the fatal crash and only suffered minor injuries. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials revealed that Gonzalez was initially granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in 2008. His TPS was revoked in 2015, and he was previously convicted of vandalism. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has since issued a detainer for Gonzalez so that if he is released from jail at any time, he will be turned over to agents.

Washington Examiner [8/26/2025 9:42 AM, Emily Hallas, 1563K] reports that Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA) announced on Monday he authorized National Guard troops to support Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel in the Peach State. Several states have committed National Guard resources to help ICE with administrative and logistical functions for federal immigration agents to be further utilized in field operations targeting illegal immigrants. Kemp revealed this week that Georgia would join the effort, saying 75 National Guard troops would undergo training in mid-September "and should be on duty shortly thereafter" to work at ICE facilities in Georgia. The governor’s announcement comes after ICE arrests have already surged by 367% in the state this year, with 4,500 illegal immigrants arrested in the state between Jan. 20 and July 31. The Georgia deployment is part of a nationwide plan the Trump administration announced over the weekend, in which at least 19 states are authorizing about 1,700 troops to support ICE. In Georgia, troops will perform tasks such as appointment scheduling, biometric collection, data entry, basic vehicle maintenance, and the tracking of vehicle fleet expenses and utilization to free up ICE agents to make arrests and carry out more direct enforcement functions. The troops being authorized across 19 states will be a "force multiplier" for ICE and help with duties that include transportation and intelligence, but not arrests, said border czar Tom Homan, who oversees immigration matters for President Donald Trump.

Blaze [8/26/2025 3:32 PM, Candace Hathaway, 1559K] reports a fatal crash in Florida involving an illegal alien semi-truck driver earlier this month prompted the state to take new measures to prevent future tragedies. State Attorney General James Uthmeier announced Monday that the state would turn its weigh stations into Immigration and Customs Enforcement checkpoints. Harjinder Singh, a 28-year-old Indian national who illegally crossed the border into the United States in 2018, was arrested after he jackknifed his truck while allegedly making an illegal U-turn on August 12. The maneuver caused the truck to crush a minivan, killing everyone in the vehicle. Singh obtained his commercial driver’s license in California. The tragic incident highlighted problems in the American trucking sector related to the nation’s illegal immigration crisis. Uthmeier, alongside Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, announced immigration enforcement at Florida weigh stations, including a new station near the Alabama border on Highway 231. The move will also include the addition of more pullover lanes in north Florida and the implementation of X-ray technology.

New York Post [8/27/2025 2:29 AM, Emma Bussey, 43962K] reports a 21-year-old illegal immigrant brandished a beaming smile as he posed for an arrest photo in Polk County, Florida, on Tuesday after allegedly battering a federal officer. The Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) officer suffered an injured shoulder after the suspect, Denis Corea Miranda, fought back when two agents tried to take him into custody in Lakeland, officials said. "This is the first time we’ve had an agent injured in the line of duty, and he was significantly injured," said Sheriff Grady Judd at a press conference Tuesday. "Now the state of Florida and the taxpayers of Polk are going to have to pay for it," he said. "The state’s got to provide him with an attorney to represent him, and then the state’s got to prosecute him.” After the altercation, Corea Miranda escaped into a wooded area on foot before officials launched a full-scale perimeter operation. They were supported by helicopters and drones and managed to track him to a loading dock. Judd explained that Corea Miranda didn’t use a weapon but claimed he fought back "because he wasn’t going to be deported" and was determined to escape. This marks the first time an HSI agent in the county has been injured in the line of duty, according to Judd. Corea Miranda was taken into custody. Judd described how Corea Miranda was stopped by Border Patrol as he crossed into the US from Nicaragua and outlined how, under federal "catch and release" policies, the illegal immigrant was given a court date and released. In 2024, he was also arrested for DUI but failed to appear in court, leaving an outstanding warrant. Judd said this pattern of release and re-offense proved how the system failed. "The system is broken," he told reporters. "Had they appropriately dealt with him instead of catch and release in 2021, none of this would have happened.” Corea Miranda now faces charges including resisting arrest and battery on a federal officer and could be deported. Judd noted the suspect had previously been tied to burglary offenses in Polk County and could serve time in state prison. "And then when he gets out of state prison for his transgressions, then he’ll be deported," Judd added. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Chicago Tribune [8/26/2025 1:19 PM, Jason Meisner, 5352K] reports that two Chicago women are facing federal assault charges stemming from a scuffle with agents during an immigration enforcement action on the West Side over the weekend. The charges against Joshalin Rivera, 26, and Daishalie Urdiales, 24, are believed to be the first such case lodged in U.S. District Court against Chicago residents since the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration began earlier this year. Both Rivera and Urdiales were charged in a criminal complaint made public Tuesday with one count of assaulting a federal employee during the performance of official duties. At an initial appearance in court Monday, federal prosecutors moved to have both women detained pending trial. But U.S. Magistrate Judge Young Kim denied the motion and ordered both released on an unsecured bond instead, court records show. Lawyers for the women declined to comment Tuesday. According to the complaint, agents with U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement and other law enforcement agencies were "conducting an enforcement operation" in the 5500 block of West Jackson Boulevard on Sunday morning when bystanders began to gather near the rear entrance of an apartment building. After their arrest, Urdiales told officers she did not know Rivera and was simply trying to tell them it wasn’t her who threw the brick, the complaint stated. Public records show Rivera and Urdiales share an apartment in the 3100 block of West Walton Street, in the Humboldt Park neighborhood.

FOX News [8/26/2025 4:59 PM, Greg Wehner, 40019K] reports a U.S. District judge on Tuesday rejected Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan’s request to dismiss allegations that she helped an undocumented immigrant evade federal authorities earlier this year. Dugan was arrested in April after allegedly helping Eduardo Flores-Ruiz avoid plainclothes Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents who were trying to serve him a warrant. Her attorneys argued she is entitled to judicial immunity for her official acts. They also said the federal government overstepped its authority by arresting and charging her. The defense team also claimed the charges violate the U.S. Constitution’s 10th Amendment and the principle of separation of powers. Dugan’s attorneys further argued that Dugan can only be charged with conduct "wholly unrelated" to her judicial duties, such as taking bribes or violating constitutional rights, though she has not been accused of either in this case. U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman ruled on the motion Tuesday. "Ultimately, as the Supreme Court has stated, ‘the official seeking absolute immunity bears the burden of showing that such immunity is justified for the function in question,’" Adelman wrote, adding that Dugan has not done so here. "I cannot say as a matter of law that the defendant’s alleged conduct falls within even this more limited version of immunity.” "There is no basis for granting immunity simply because some of the allegations in the indictment describe conduct that could be considered ‘part of a judge’s job,’" Adelman added.

Blaze [8/26/2025 11:05 AM, Candace Hathaway, 1559K] reports the Trump administration opened the largest Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in the country to continue its efforts to resolve the illegal immigration crisis. Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) announced over the weekend that "Lone Star Lockup," a detention center in Fort Bliss, Texas, is officially "open for business.” "It is the largest ICE detention center in U.S. history," Abbott wrote in a post on social media. "Everything is bigger in Texas." Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas) responded to Abbott’s post, writing, "When we asked folks earlier this month what this massive new detention center should be named, the Lone Star Lockup and Texas Hold’em were the top two names suggested! And now we know, the Lone Star Lockup is operational!" The Lone Star Lockup is a 1,000-bed facility, though federal officials plan to expand the center to 5,000 beds by 2027. The center includes medical treatment areas, legal access areas, and recreational space. It is expected to hold foreign nationals who are currently in removal proceedings or have final removal orders. ICE hopes the new facility will "streamline and expedite removal processes, which is one of the Trump administration’s priorities." Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to Time, "Under President Trump’s leadership, we are working at turbo speed on cost-effective and innovative ways to deliver on the American people’s mandate for mass deportations of criminal illegal aliens." "ICE is indeed pursuing all available options to expand bedspace capacity. This process does include partnering with states and local government and housing detainees at certain military bases, including Fort Bliss," she added.

CBS News [8/26/2025 4:45 PM, Doug Myers, 45245K] reports a Venezuelan fugitive who illegally entered the U.S. after allegedly carrying out a brutal Russian roulette-style attack on a woman has been arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in North Texas, authorities announced this week. Raul Enrique Pargas Rodriquez, 31, is accused of beating and threatening the woman with a pistol during a violent tirade on Feb. 24, 2021, in Venezuela, pointing the gun at her head multiple times while removing and replacing the bullets each time, according to ICE. ICE said the victim escaped shortly after the attack. Still, Pargas was later charged with attempted aggravated femicide, which typically involves a failed or incomplete attempt to kill a woman under circumstances of cruelty, premeditation, or extreme violence. Joshua Johnson, acting field office director for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations in Dallas, called Pargas a "dangerous criminal alien" and praised the coordinated effort that led to his arrest. He remains in ICE custody as his immigration case moves forward and could be deported to Venezuela depending on the outcome.

CBS News [8/26/2025 8:10 PM, Jason Allen, 45245K] reports immigration officials are holding a two-day recruitment event in Texas to fill thousands of positions. It’s all part of the Trump administration’s effort to increase immigration enforcement and deportations across the country.

Reuters [8/27/2025 4:28 AM, Staff, 45746K] reports A job recruitment fair for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) drew applicants to Arlington, Texas on Tuesday (August 26) with officials saying they hope to hire a thousand new officers over two days. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Univision [8/26/2025 2:56 PM, Staff, 4932K] reports the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement have sent an email to members of the Utah National Guard to volunteer to participate in an operation. The mail came from the Department of Defense through the National Guard Bureau. Although the email doesn’t specify the exact roles of those responding to the call, Fox News claims it’s about joining a nationwide offensive against crime and illegal immigration. Interviewed by the media, Christopher Kroeber, lieutenant colonel of the Utah National Guard, reported that the aforementioned operation will begin on September 15, and is estimated to conclude two months later, around November 15. Those who respond to the call “will be federally mobilized under Section 502(f) of Title 32 of the United States Code, meaning Utah troops would remain under state control while assisting federal authorities.” There is no clear precedent for using Title 32 for immigration enforcement purposes. The lieutenant colonel added that the assistance will likely focus on processing paperwork, taking fingerprints, or transporting people to specific facilities.

NewsMax [8/26/2025 6:59 PM, Jim Mishler, 4779K] reports the Spokane, Washington, City Council voted Monday to restrict Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from entering permitted public events without a warrant, despite warnings that such policies could jeopardize federal funding, The Center Square reported. The Trump administration has said sanctuary jurisdictions could lose millions in federal support for limiting cooperation with immigration enforcement. While Spokane was not named in the Justice Department’s most recent list, both Washington state and Seattle were included. Officials expect the list to expand as more information is gathered. Federal courts have so far blocked attempts to withhold funds, but future rulings could put Spokane at risk. Opponents of the measure questioned its effectiveness and potential to mislead the public. "Can’t get much clearer than the chief of police telling you this is unenforceable and creates a false sense of security," said Councilmember Michael Cathcart. "Individuals will believe they are protected by a council vote that has no power over the federal government.” Police Chief Kevin Hall told the council that the ordinance was narrow in scope and would not involve the Spokane Police Department. He said his officers cannot interfere with federal immigration enforcement and warned of eroding trust if residents assume local police have greater authority than they do. Officers, he said, would respond to calls at events only to maintain peace and safety. The council split along ideological lines, approving the ordinance 5-2, with Cathcart and Councilmember Jonathan Bingle opposed.

Los Angeles Times [8/26/2025 5:46 PM, Howard Blume, 12715K] reports attorneys announced Tuesday that they have filed a $1-million damage claim against the Trump administration alleging that the recent arrest of a 15-year-old boy outside Arleta High School amounted to the "unconstitutional racial profiling" of a U.S. citizen. The claim, filed on Monday according to paperwork provided by attorneys, cited "conduct of ICE agents and Border Patrol agents that caused the false arrest, false imprisonment, assault, [and] battery" of the boy on Aug. 11. The Trump administration on Tuesday denied any wrongdoing, saying that the incident was one of mistaken identity. According to school district officials, federal agents drew weapons on the boy, who is a student with a disability, and handcuffed him before his mother persuaded the agents that her son was not the individual they were looking for. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security denied racial profiling. The department also praised the mother for being cooperative in an investigation that led to the arrest — later that same day — of the boy’s cousin, an unauthorized immigrant who, according to the department, had a 2021 misdemeanor conviction for carrying a concealed weapon. On Tuesday, attorneys for the Mejia family said the Homeland Security account misrepresented the situation. They said the man ultimately arrested is not a member of the same family and is of a different nationality. They do not look alike, the attorneys said. The claim was filed with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

CBS News [8/26/2025 4:01 PM, Camilo Montoya-Galvez, 45245K] reports the Trump administration is reinstating a long-dormant practice of conducting "neighborhood checks" to vet immigrants applying for U.S. citizenship, expanding its efforts to aggressively scrutinize immigration applications, according to a government memo obtained by CBS News. The neighborhood checks would involve on-the-ground investigations by officials at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services that could include interviews with the neighbors and coworkers of citizenship applicants. The government investigations would be conducted to determine if applicants satisfy the requirements for American citizenship, which include showing good moral character, adhering to the U.S. Constitution and being "well-disposed to the good order and happiness of the United States.” To qualify for American citizenship in the first place, applicants typically must have lived in the U.S. for three or five years as legal permanent residents. They must also not have any serious criminal records, and pass a civics and English test. The process is known as naturalization. The Trump administration’s memo upends a decades-old U.S. government policy. While the neighborhood investigations for citizenship cases are outlined in U.S. law, they can also be waived, which the U.S. government has done since 1991, government records show. Since then, the government has relied mainly on background and criminal checks by the FBI to vet citizenship applicants. The USCIS memo immediately terminated the "general waiver" for neighborhood checks, directing officers to determine whether such investigations are warranted based on the information, or lack thereof, submitted by citizenship applicants. Officers retain the ability to waive the checks, according to the memo. The directive said USCIS officers will decide whether to carry out a neighborhood investigation by requesting and reviewing testimonial letters from neighbors, employers, coworkers and business associates who know the person applying for U.S. citizenship. The memo suggested that citizenship applicants should "proactively" submit testimonial letters, to avoid receiving requests for more evidence. The agency said failure or refusal to comply with a request for evidence could lead to a neighborhood investigation and "impact" applicants’ ability to show they qualify for U.S. citizenship. Politico [8/26/2025 6:29 PM, Eric Bazail-Eimil, 14810K] reports Joseph Edlow, the director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, said in a statement that “incorporating neighborhood investigations will help enhance these statutorily required investigations to ensure that we are meeting congressional intent.” “Americans should be comforted knowing that USCIS is taking seriously it’s responsibility to ensure aliens are being properly vetted and are of good moral character, attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States, and well-disposed to the good order and happiness of the United States,” Edlow added. The agency added that it may also begin requiring applicants for U.S. citizenship to submit letters of recommendation from “neighbors, employers, co-workers, and business associates who know the alien and can provide substantiated information about the alien, including any of the requirements for naturalization.” The memorandum said the agency will encourage applicants to submit these letters proactively and will consider the testimonials as part of its decision whether to conduct in-person checks of the applicant’s workplace and the surroundings of their home.

FOX News [8/27/2025 1:28 AM, Landon Mion, 40019K] reports House Democrats are urging the Trump administration to allow children injured in Gaza during the Israel-Hamas war to enter the U.S. for emergency medical care. In an Aug. 25 letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, more than 140 lawmakers asked for the reversal of a recent move to halt the approval of all visitor visas for people from the Gaza Strip, including children in need of medical care. "This pause will deny children the medical care they desperately need. It is wrong to prevent children who are caught in the middle of this horrific conflict from receiving lifesaving medical care," the letter reads. "In addition, this decision ignores the fact that all Palestinians leaving Gaza for medical treatment or to accompany family members receiving medical treatment are already subject to rigorous vetting by the Israeli government, including an Israeli security clearance, identity verification, and an assessment whether they are linked to Hamas," it continued. The letter comes after the State Department abruptly announced earlier this month that it would stop issuing travel visas to people from Gaza, including medical-humanitarian visas, while it reviewed the process that allowed some of those individuals to enter the U.S. Some had already done so before the pause. "All visitor visas for individuals from Gaza are being stopped while we conduct a full and thorough review of the process and procedures used to issue a small number of temporary medical-humanitarian visas in recent days," the State Department wrote in a social media post on Aug. 16, without offering additional details. Rubio has said the change was made after several congressional offices reached out with allegations "that some of the organizations bragging about, and involved in, acquiring these visas have strong links to terrorist groups like Hamas.” "It’s not just kids, it’s a bunch of adults that are accompanying them," Rubio said during an appearance on CBS News’ "Face the Nation" the day after the announcement. Before the agency’s announcement, several children from Gaza arrived in the U.S. to receive medical treatment "without incident," the House Democrats wrote in the letter. "We appeal to you to immediately reverse the State Department’s decision and resume allowing those from Gaza with approved temporary medical-humanitarian visas to enter the United States to receive the lifesaving care they need," the lawmakers wrote to Rubio. The letter asks Rubio to specify the national security concerns that sparked the change to visa approvals. The lawmakers also requested a timeline for the agency’s review process and asked what safeguards are being considered to prevent the disruption of emergency medical care programs. The Democrats also called on the department to allow children from Gaza requiring emergency medical attention to be exempt from the pause. "We would appreciate any clarification regarding the policy’s basis and a reassessment of its impact on vulnerable individuals and families in desperate need," the letter reads.

Reported similarly:
The Hill [8/26/2025 6:28 PM, Mike Lillis, 12414K]

NBC News [8/26/2025 3:12 PM, Kimmy Yam, 43603K] reports President Donald Trump’s latest comments about allowing hundreds of thousands of Chinese international students into the United States have drawn criticism from some of the most outspoken members of the Republican Party. Ahead of his meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung at the White House on Monday, Trump told reporters that he plans to allow 600,000 Chinese students into the country — a figure more than double the number in the United States now. "We’re going to get along good with China. I hear so many stories about ‘We’re not going to allow their students’" to come in, Trump said. "We’re going to allow, it’s very important, 600,000 students. It’s very important.” It’s a sharp departure from an announcement Secretary of State Marco Rubio made in May, when he promised the United States would "aggressively revoke" visas for Chinese students and add more scrutiny to all future visa applications from China. While Trump stressed the United States’ "important" relationship with the country, other high-profile members of his party disagreed. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., railed against the idea on social media. "Why are we allowing 600,000 students from China to replace our American student’s opportunities?" Greene wrote on X. "We should never allow that.” Far-right influencer and twice failed Republican congressional candidate Laura Loomer also blasted the idea, labeling Chinese students as "Communist spies.” "Nobody, I repeat nobody, wants 600,000 more Chinese ‘students’ aka Communist spies in the United States," Loomer wrote on X. . Neither the White House nor the State Department immediately responded to NBC News’ questions about the shift in policy or criticisms from the members of the GOP.

Reported similarly:
AP [8/26/2025 4:23 PM, Adriana Gomez Licon and Didi Tang, 37974K]

NewsMax [8/26/2025 11:18 AM, Jim Morley, 4779K] reports President Donald Trump is facing backlash from within the conservative movement over his announcement this week that the U.S. will be permitting over half a million Chinese students to study in the country. Trump told reporters on Monday during a meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung that the U.S. would allow 600,000 Chinese students to obtain visas allowing them to study in America. "It’s a very important relationship. We’re going to get along good with China," Trump said, adding, "I hear so many stories about we’re not going to allow their students," he continued. "We’re going to allow their students to come in. We’re going to allow it. It’s very important, 600,000 students. It’s very important." Rep. Marjorie Talor Greene, R-Ga., who has clashed with the president over several issues of late, pushed back on social media writing, "We should not let in 600,000 CHINESE students to attend American colleges and universities that may be loyal to the CCP. "Why are we allowing 600,000 students from China to replace our American student’s opportunities?" Greene added. "We should never allow that. And we need more trade school graduates."

Reported similarly:
FOX News [8/26/2025 12:23 PM, Alex Nitzberg, 40019K]

New York Times [8/26/2025 7:59 PM, Anemona Hartocollis, 143795K] reports the Trump administration has not been very welcoming toward international students, and particularly those from China. So it was striking when President Trump declared that the United States not only wanted but needed Chinese students, and would let 600,000 of them into American universities. “It’s very insulting to say students can’t come here,” he said during a cabinet meeting at the White House on Tuesday. “I like that their students come here. I like that other countries’ students come here.” He added: “And you know what would happen if they didn’t? Our college system would go to hell very quickly.” It is a little late to be beckoning international students to enroll. The fall semester is beginning at many schools and the message seemed to contradict steps the administration has taken to make it more difficult for students, including those from China, to enter and study in the United States. Earlier this year, for example, the Trump administration promised to put international students through a more intensive vetting process. Since then, there have been reports that visa appointments for students in China, as well as India, Nigeria and Japan, have been hard if not impossible to get. The visa problems could cause new international student enrollment in American colleges to drop by 30 to 40 percent this fall, according to one analysis. The Trump administration has also moved to revoke visas from thousands of students, although it has not provided information about the nationalities of those it has targeted. And Trump officials have called out Chinese students in particular as potential national security threats. But Mr. Trump has recently been sounding a very different note. While meeting with the South Korean president in the Oval Office on Monday, he said it was very important that China and the United States get along. “I hear so many stories about we’re not going to allow their students — we’re going to allow their students to come in,” he said. “We’re going to allow, it’s very important, 600,000 students. It’s very important.” For years, China has been one of the top two senders of students to American campuses, along with India. China sent more than 277,000 students to the United States in 2023-24, according to the Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange, including undergraduate and graduate students. It was the top-sending country for undergraduates. Chinese undergraduates, in particular, often pay full tuition for their education, and many universities rely on them for financial support — a fact Mr. Trump acknowledged in his remarks. Chinese doctoral students carry out sophisticated research in science and technology fields that would founder without them. But they have often been portrayed as spies. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in May that the State Department would revoke visas for students associated with the Chinese Communist Party, along with the visas of those who were studying in certain sensitive fields.

Reported similarly:
Reuters [8/27/2025 12:49 AM, Trevor Hunnicutt and Jarrett Renshaw, 45746K]

AP [8/26/2025 1:46 PM, Staff, 37974K] reports that Global Immigration Partners Announces Major EB-5 Green Card Update: New Visa Bulletin and Legal Clarifications Bring Encouraging News for Investors Global Immigration Partners, a leading U.S. and global immigration law firm, is pleased to provide timely guidance following the August 2025 U.S. Visa Bulletin, which brings significant movement and clarity to the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program. 1. EB-5 Green Card Process: The EB 5 program enables foreign applicants to obtain conditional permanent residence (Green Card) by filing Form I 526 (or I 526E for Regional Center pathways). After two years of conditional status, they file Form I 829 to remove conditions and secure permanent residence. 2. EB-5 Investment Amounts: Under current law, the minimum required investment is $1,050,000, or $800,000 if investing in a Targeted Employment Area (TEA). These thresholds, rooted in the EB 5 Reform and Integrity Act (RIA) of 2022, are highly searched and remain critical benchmarks. 3. Targeted Employment Area (TEA): A TEA—either a rural area or one with high unemployment—allows investors to qualify with the lower $800,000 investment. TEA designation continues to be a key driver in project selection due to this cost-saving advantage. 4. Forms I-526 / I-526E: Form I 526 is the primary petition for EB 5 investors. Form I 526E is used by investors applying via Regional Centers, which allow indirect job counting. 5. Form I-829 (Removal of Conditions): Upon expiration of the two year conditional Green Card, investors file Form I 829 to remove conditions by proving their investment is sustained and that 10 jobs were created or preserved.

US News & World Report [8/26/2025 4:30 PM, Olivier Knox, 20690K] reports for years, the de minimis exemption has meant packages valued at less than $800 weren’t subject to duties or tariffs. That ends Aug. 29. And killing the exemption could mean higher prices and even shortages for 1) American consumers who want something from abroad, and 2) American producers who rely on relatively inexpensive foreign inputs for their final products. U.S. Customs and Border Protection estimates those shipments account for 92% of all cargo entering the U.S. The agency says it processes 4 million de minimis shipments per day. CBP also says the number of shipments claiming de minimis status has soared to 1.4 billion per year in 2024. That’s up more than 800% from 139 million 10 years ago. Around the globe, dozens of postal services have announced that they will stop shipping merchandise to the U.S. – in some cases temporarily, while they figure out how to navigate the new trade rules.

Telemundo [8/26/2025 8:01 AM, Staff, 144K] reports a federal judge has ordered a stay on any decision on the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) of thousands of Venezuelans pending before a district court in California until the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decides on an appeal there. This means that, for now, there will be no decisions on motions to dismiss or summary judgment, unless urgent circumstances arise. In the meantime, the Supreme Court decision that gave the White House the green light to terminate TPS stands. Judge Edward Chen notes in his brief that "the court has received and reviewed the parties’ briefs and hereby stays the proceedings until further order." He clarifies that he could issue a decision in the event of exigent circumstances. For now, if there is no urgent action, the TPS with 2021 registration that expires on September 10 is at risk, so that about 300,000 Venezuelans, according to figures from migration organizations and activists, could lose their legal status in the U.S. in a matter of days. The Ninth Circuit could take months to decide, but also weeks if it recognizes the severity of the crisis. TPS under the 2023 designation that was set to end on April 7, 2025 was cancelled by the Donald Trump administration, so this group is already vulnerable. In February 2025, DHS announced the termination of TPS for the 2023 designation, effective February 5. Any documentation issued after this date became invalid, even if it shows expiration through 2026. Subsequently, on May 19, the Supreme Court allowed the cancellation to move forward, but the legal battle continues. The federal court in California ruled on May 30 that those who received their documentation before February 5 maintain their TPS until the litigation is resolved.

San Diego Union Tribune [8/26/2025 8:15 PM, Alex Riggins, 1648K] reports the immigrant families who were systematically separated at the border during President Donald Trump’s first term in office will now have one additional year to seek asylum in the U.S. because of the current Trump administration’s multiple breaches of the historic legal settlement pertaining to those separations, a San Diego federal judge ruled Monday. U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw, who has twice ruled in recent months that the Trump administration has breached the class-action legal settlement, wrote in his ruling Monday that the beneficiaries of that settlement have now gone four months without the legal assistance to which they’re entitled. Sabraw cited that gap in services, and the additional time it will take to restore those services, as a reason for extending by one year certain deadlines related to asylum claims. The judge also granted one-year extensions of deadlines dealing with registering families to be part of the class-action settlement and the final termination date of the agreement. He granted six-month extensions of deadlines dealing with certain services the government must provide class members, as well as immigration parole and work authorization grants. Attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union, who represent the roughly 9,000 people covered by the settlement, hope the newly ordered extensions will provide enough time for the previously separated families to complete their asylum applications, while in the meantime being protected from deportation, as Sabraw has ordered. "The court once again rejected the Trump administration’s efforts to undermine this critical settlement and made clear these families must have an opportunity to get the services they need and to remain together," Lee Gelernt, the deputy director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, said in a statement Tuesday. In a related ruling issued Tuesday, Sabraw ordered the government to provide the ACLU with identifying information for all those who are covered by the settlement who are also required to report for check-ins with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In that order, the judge reminded the Trump administration that several federal agencies are parties to the settlement agreement, and that as such the administration has "an equal responsibility to ensure that class members receive the relief to which they are entitled, and to ensure that Class Members and (qualifying additional family members) are neither wrongfully detained nor removed.” Later on Tuesday, government attorneys filed a notice that they’ll appeal to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn two of Sabraw’s previous orders that the government alert the ACLU within 24 hours if it detains anyone covered by the settlement agreement. The settlement is part of a lawsuit the ACLU filed in February 2018 in San Diego federal court. After Sabraw ruled it was unconstitutional to systematically separate families arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border, the focus of the litigation turned to reunification. The Biden administration inherited the case and reached a settlement with the ACLU in 2023.

The Hill [8/26/2025 7:12 AM, Zach Kaplan, 12414K] reports tariff exemptions for packages shipped to the U.S. worth $800 or less are set to end this week. In July, President Trump signed an executive order to suspend the "de minimis" tax exemption rule, which has led an increasing number of postal carriers worldwide to suspend package deliveries to the U.S. On Friday, Aug. 29, imported packages valued under $800 will no longer be duty-free and will be subject to country-specific tariffs. Letters and personal gifts worth under $100, however, remain unaffected by the impending changes. What is the de minimis exemption? The de minimis tax exemption was created in 1938 under Section 321 of the Tariff Act of 1930 and allows low-value packages to enter the country duty-free. The rule has been amended several times over the years, and in 2016, the exemption was raised to include products valued at or under $800. In 2024, over 92 percent of all cargo entering the U.S., including 1.3 billion packages worth over $64 billion, arrived through the de minimis exemption, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Why is the U.S. suspending de minimis? There is bipartisan support for restructuring or eliminating de minimis shipments, as some argue they give international manufacturers an unfair advantage and make it easier for drugs and unwanted goods to enter the country, as they benefit from expedited processing and less oversight. Both the Biden and Trump administrations have expressed concern about the potentially negative impacts of de minimis shipments. Trump’s July executive order argued, "the risks of evasion, deception, and illicit-drug importation are particularly high for low-value articles that have been eligible for duty-free de minimis treatment.” Right before the president took office in January, the CBP announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking aimed at tightening the scope of the de minimis exemptions. The notice claimed that international companies take advantage of the tariff loophole to the detriment of U.S. businesses. "The exemption of these goods from duties or taxes has undermined American businesses and workers and flooded our ports of entry with foreign-made products," former Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said. In April, Trump signed an executive order to end the de minimis exemption exclusively for China and Hong Kong to counter "the ongoing health emergency posed by the illicit flow of synthetic opioids into the U.S.” This increased the duty rates for goods that would have been covered by the de minimis protection to 30 percent of their value. Now, every country is set to lose the benefits of the exemption.

Reported similarly:
The Hill [8/26/2025 3:59 PM, Filip Timotija, 12414K]

Axios [8/26/2025 4:08 PM, Carrie Shepherd, 14595K] reports the U.S. Customs and Border Protection accessed data collected from Illinois license plate readers, a violation of state law. Illinois passed a law in 2023 that prohibits automated license plate readers (ALPRs) from sharing data with police investigating out-of-state abortions or undocumented immigrants. ALPR camera operator Flock Safety gave CBP access to Illinois license plate camera data, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced this week. Illinois’ cameras were among 80,000 cameras that the immigration agency tapped into, according to 404 Media. Giannoulias’ office initiated an audit in June after reports found that Texas law enforcement accessed Flock data from police departments across the country to look into a woman who left the state to get an abortion. Suburban Mount Prospect was one of the police departments searched, and the chief said at the time he didn’t know the department had even opted into that feature. CBP had been asking local law enforcement agencies to conduct immigration-related searches of ALPR data, 404 Media reported in May, a finding confirmed by Giannoulias’ office. Giannoulias has asked local police departments to re-examine their agreements with Flock and whether they’ve violated the Illinois Trust Act, which bars local police from collaborating with federal authorities on immigration enforcement without a court warrant.

Breitbart [8/26/2025 8:20 AM, Bob Price, 2608K] reports the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas announced the arrest of 78 criminal aliens during a 3-day "Operation Pick-Off" in the Texas border region. Federal agents collaborated with state and local law enforcement to conduct the roundup. During the weekend of August 22-24, federal agents teamed up with state and local police to arrest 78 criminal aliens, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas. The arrests included many illegal aliens who had previously been deported. "For those that want to come to this country without permission and then victimize American citizens once here, we are more than happy to accommodate them with a stay at a federal facility, followed by a one-way ticket home," said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. "SDTX will not rest until we’ve brought Operation Pick-Off to each and every one of the Southern District’s 43 counties.” Of the 78 arrests, 65 of the illegal aliens had previously been deported from the United States. If convicted for illegal re-entry after removal, the alien could face up to 20 years in federal prison before being deported again. The overall effort involved the arrests of 65 people who are allegedly in the country illegally after having been previously removed. The charges allege they were serving varying terms of probation following convictions for state crimes, such as drug offenses, human smuggling, fraud, burglary and assault. "This operation reflects the strength of coordinated law enforcement at every level," said Acting Chief Patrol Agent Jason E. Schneider of Border Patrol – Rio Grande Valley Sector. "Through close collaboration, we successfully targeted and apprehended individuals who posed a threat to our communities and national security. This mission underscores our commitment to securing our borders and upholding the law through multi-agency operations.” FBI Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp, San Antonio Office, added, "Today’s threats are too complex, too dangerous, and too widespread for any one agency to handle alone. That’s why the FBI joined forces with its law enforcement partners to launch a bold, coordinated strike. Operation Pick Off stands as proof of what that unity can achieve, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the unwavering dedication of the U.S. Attorney’s Office to protecting our southern border.” In addition to the FBI and Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Operations agents joined in along with agents and officers from ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Marshals Service, ATF, IRS, and the Texas Department of Public Safety. "If you’re here illegally and you commit crimes in our community, you can expect a visit from us, and that visit is going to come sooner rather than later. This is what Operation Take Back America looks like," USA Ganjei concluded.

Los Angeles Times [8/26/2025 8:00 AM, Julia Wick, 12715K] reports that, two weeks ago, scores of masked, gun-toting federal immigration agents assembled in front of the Japanese American National Museum in downtown Los Angeles. Inside the museum, Gov. Gavin Newsom was surrounded by nearly every powerful Democrat in California, preparing to announce that he would take on President Trump’s redistricting plans with a special election campaign. Outside, Border Patrol Sector Chief Gregory Bovino was flanked by dozens of agents who looked ready for battle. Now, a number of Southern California members of Congress are demanding answers about the enforcement action outside Newsom’s news conference — and the decision-making process behind it — in a letter sent Tuesday to Department of Homeland Security leaders. "We just wanted to get some questions answered," said Rep. Laura Friedman (D-Glendale), who spearheaded the letter. "I was at Newsom’s press conference. It was really shocking to have as many as a hundred federal officers in tactical gear just appear.” The letter was sent to Bovino, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Todd Lyons and White House border advisor Tom Homan. It was signed by at least 12 other congressional Democrats, including Sen. Alex Padilla and Reps. Judy Chu (Monterey Park), Gil Cisneros (Covina), Robert Garcia (Long Beach), Luz Rivas (North Hollywood), Ted Lieu (Torrance), Nanette Diaz Barragán (San Pedro) and Brad Sherman (Sherman Oaks). The letter requests that answers to a number of questions be provided in writing by Sept. 4. The group asked who originally made the request to deploy agents outside the Japanese American National Museum on Aug. 14; whether the subject matter of Newsom’s news conference was a consideration in the decision to deploy federal agents; and whether the size of the force was standard; and what operational criteria were used to determine the size and composition of the force deployed. As the agents massed outside the building, Newsom was announcing a plan to counter a Republican-led redistricting push by redrawing California’s own congressional districts to favor Democrats. Last week, the California Legislature approved a November special election where voters will decide the fate of the measure. The letter also asks for details about the two arrests made during the Little Tokyo operation and whether Homeland Security knew those individuals would be present when it decided to conduct its immigration enforcement action. One of the individuals arrested happened to be delivering strawberries as the agents convened at the museum. He now faces deportation to Mexico. "It was outrageous that Trump and his supporters called ICE on us as we were conducting our redistricting press conference," Chu said. "It was clearly an attempt to intimidate us and to send a political message that he would use his law enforcement capabilities to make us feel afraid.”

Reported similarly:
Washington Examiner [8/26/2025 2:40 PM, Barnini Chakraborty, 1563K]

Univision [8/26/2025 3:00 PM, Staff, 4932K] reports on the morning of Monday, August 25, a Home Depot in Playa Vista became the scene of a new immigration operation led by federal agents. The incident occurred around 9:15 a.m. at the branch located on Jefferson Boulevard, when about 20 officers arrived in official vehicles and quickly got out to launch an operation. According to information confirmed by the Border Patrol, three undocumented workers were arrested during the raid. One of them was reportedly detained for not having a valid driver’s license and for allegedly resisting arrest. As the operation concluded, a young American citizen, between 20 and 25 years old, threw a glass bottle at one of the official vehicles. The incident sparked an immediate response from officers, who subdued and arrested him. Witnesses reported that the young man’s mother tried to intervene, but was unsuccessful. In total, four people were detained: three undocumented workers and one U.S. citizen. Border Patrol confirmed that all were transferred into federal custody.

Los Angeles Times [8/26/2025 8:15 PM, James Queally, 12715K] reports a U.S. Border Patrol agent who was arrested for drunkenly fighting Long Beach police last month was found dead in a Riverside County home on Friday, law enforcement officials said. Isaiah Hodgson, 29, was found dead at about 12:45 p.m. in a home in the 25000 block of Avocet Circle in an unincorporated area of Hemet on Aug. 22, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement. "When deputies arrived, they located the male and pronounced him deceased. Deputies did not locate any evidence of foul play," the statement read. Natalin Daldalian, communications director for the L.A. County Public Defender’s office, which was representing Hodgson in his criminal case, asked the media to "respect his family’s privacy during this time," but did not elaborate on a cause of death. The agent’s death was first reported by L.A. Taco. No cause of death has been reported. A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not immediately offer any comment. Hodgson played a visible role in the Trump administration’s intensive immigration enforcement efforts in Southern California over the last few months. He was involved in the controversial detention of Adrian Martinez, a U.S. citizen, who was accused on June 17 of interfering in immigration arrests at a Walmart in Pico Rivera, according to Martinez’s defense attorneys. Agents rushed the 20-year-old and shoved him to the ground after he confronted them as they tried to arrest one of his co-workers. Footage from the scene shows officers dragging Martinez to a truck. While U.S. Atty. Bill Essayli publicly accused Martinez of assaulting an officer, footage from the scene did not show Martinez striking anyone. He was indicted on a charge of conspiring to impede a federal officer last week.

NewsNation [8/26/2025 7:30 PM, Zach Kaplan and Jorge Ventura, 6811K] reports drug smugglers are becoming increasingly innovative at the southern border, with vehicle batteries recently becoming a popular method of transportation. The U.S. Border Patrol’s San Diego Sector has uncovered a concerning pattern of smugglers hiding dangerous narcotics inside car batteries. Since April 2025, agents have had "four different seizures that involved basically removing the contents of the battery and using the battery as a containment device for narcotics," Joseph Rood, a Border Patrol spokesman, told NewsNation’s Border Report. Recent drug seizures involving vehicle batteries in San Diego. The most recent drug seizure involving a vehicle battery occurred Aug. 20, when Border Patrol agents stopped a car in Carlsbad, a city in northern San Diego County. A search led to the discovery of 9.25 pounds of cocaine and 2.1 pounds of methamphetamine hidden inside the battery. "As we continue to gain, maintain, and expand operational control of the southern border, smugglers are going to great lengths to push dangerous drugs into this country," said Acting Chief Patrol Agent of the San Diego Sector Jeffrey D. Stalnaker. According to the Border Patrol, the San Diego Sector has seized 10,696 pounds of methamphetamine, 2,751 pounds of cocaine, 521 pounds of fentanyl and 56 pounds of heroin this fiscal year.

Reuters [8/27/2025 2:48 AM, David Lawder and Manoj Kumar, 45746K] reports U.S. President Donald Trump’s doubling of tariffs on goods from India to as much as 50% took effect as scheduled on Wednesday, escalating tensions between the world’s two largest democracies and strategic partners. A punitive 25% tariff imposed due to India’s purchases of Russian oil adds to Trump’s prior 25% tariff on many products from India. It takes total duties to as high as 50% for goods such as garments, gems and jewellery, footwear, sporting goods, furniture and chemicals - among the highest imposed by the U.S. and on par with Brazil and China. The new tariffs threaten thousands of small exporters and jobs, including in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state of Gujarat. India’s Commerce Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. However, a Commerce Ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said exporters hit by tariffs would receive financial assistance and be encouraged to diversify to markets such as China, Latin America and the Middle East. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection notice to shippers provides a three-week exemption for Indian goods that were loaded onto a vessel and in transit to the U.S. before the midnight deadline. These goods can still enter the U.S. at prior lower tariff rates before 12:01 a.m. EDT (0401 GMT) on September 17. Also exempted are steel, aluminum and derivative products, passenger vehicles, copper and other goods subject to separate tariffs of up to 50% under the Section 232 national security trade law. India trade ministry officials say the average tariff on U.S. imports is around 7.5%, while the U.S. Trade Representative’s office has highlighted rates of up to 100% on autos and an average applied tariff rate of 39% on U.S. farm goods. As the midnight activation deadline approached, U.S. officials offered no hope for India to avert the tariffs. "Yeah," said White House trade adviser Peter Navarro when asked if the increased tariffs on India’s U.S.-bound exports would go into effect as previously announced on Wednesday. He offered no further details. Wednesday’s tariff move follows five rounds of failed talks, during which Indian officials had signalled optimism that U.S. tariffs could be capped at 15%, the rate granted to goods from some other major U.S. trade partners including Japan, South Korea and the European Union. Officials on both sides blamed political misjudgment and missed signals for the breakdown in talks between the world’s biggest and fifth-largest economies. Their two-way goods trade totaled $129 billion in 2024, with a $45.8 billion U.S. trade deficit, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. Exporter groups estimate hikes could affect nearly 55% of India’s $87 billion in merchandise exports to the U.S., while benefiting competitors such as Vietnam, Bangladesh and China. "The move will disrupt Indian exports to the largest export market," said S.C. Ralhan, president of Federation of Indian Export Organisations, noting about 55% of exports — including textiles, chemicals and leather - will face a 30–35% price disadvantage against competitors.

Reported similarly:
New York Times [8/27/2025 12:23 AM, Alex Travelli, 143795K]
NBC News [8/27/2025 4:41 AM, Mithil Aggarwal, 43603K]

New York Post [8/26/2025 1:41 PM, Brooke Steinberg, 43962K] reports that TSA (Transportation Security Administration) PreCheck has always been a golden ticket to getting ahead in security lines at the airport — and now the system is about to get even quicker at select airports with specific airlines. Typically, travelers with TSA PreCheck must show a boarding pass or ID with the PreCheck indicator before proceeding to security. However, with this updated version — eligible airport goers will not have to show anything but their face. TSA PreCheck Touchless ID will use an enhanced facial comparison technology called Traveler Verification Service. The technology will capture a live facial image at baggage drop or boarding locations and quickly compare it to a passenger’s previously provided photo to the federal government, such as a passport photo, according to TSA’s website. Enrolled travelers will get the enhanced security screening process when flying with participating airlines: American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and Alaska Airlines. For now, the service is available at just 15 airports across the United States — including John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport. Under a program dubbed "Families on the Fly," TSA will add a family lane at security checkpoints, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said at a press conference at Nashville International Airport, per CNN. Additionally, a dedicated lane for uniformed military members, called the Honor Lane — which is already available at 11 different airports — will be expanded nationwide. It was also announced that the TSA will no longer require passengers to remove their shoes at agency checkpoints — even if you don’t have TSA PreCheck. Plus, Noem suggested that she is pushing the TSA to ease up on its liquids, aerosols and gels rule.

San Diego Union Tribune [8/26/2025 3:00 PM, Maykel Gonzalez, 1648K] reports as part of efforts to "deliver on President Trump’s vision" for travel security in the United States, several airports will soon introduce new technology to verify passenger information. In an announcement, the Transportation Security Administration said the change is intended to "enhance traveler experience.” For now, only a handful of airports will incorporate the technology, which stems from a new TSA public-private partnership, according to the agency. TSA Acting Deputy Administrator Adam Stahl said: "eGates accomplish several objectives toward achieving Secretary Noem’s goal to enhance TSA security and hospitality." Kristi Noem is U.S. secretary of Homeland Security. "This includes creating a seamless, less invasive traveler experience and shorter wait times at TSA security checkpoints. We look forward to rolling out additional eGate systems as we work to implement President Trump’s vision for a new Golden Age of American Travel," Stahl added.

ABC News [8/26/2025 8:39 AM, Staff, 27036K] Video: HERE reports Tampa International Airport is one of the first in the U.S. to roll out the new lanes, which officials hope will speed up the security process.

Axios [8/26/2025 2:18 PM, April Rubin and Sommer Brugal, 14595K] reports that Miami International Airport is expecting about 157,000 travelers per day from Thursday to Tuesday — matching last year’s "record-breaking holiday weekend." The big picture: Nationally, Labor Day weekend travel is expected to surpass last year’s record, and the Transportation Security Administration is preparing to screen hundreds of thousands more passengers. Plus, domestic flight, hotel and car rental costs have dropped compared to the holiday weekend last year. By the numbers: The TSA said it expects to screen nearly 17.4 million people between Thursday and Sept. 3. With 2.91 million passengers, Friday is projected to be the busiest travel day over Labor Day weekend. Flashback: The TSA told Axios it screened 17.1 million people during the same time period last year, with a peak of 2.91 million on the busiest day. Between the lines: Labor Day weekend will be the first holiday weekend since TSA lifted the shoe removal policy during security checks in July. The new rule, though, does not apply to passengers without a REAL ID. If you go: MIA issued a series of recommendations to make travel day easier, including pre-paying for parking, as lots may reach capacity, and checking in ahead of time.

FOX News [8/26/2025 12:25 PM, Charles Creitz, 40019K] Video: HERE reports the Department of Homeland Security released a second round of August funding for Hurricane Helene relief this week, even as the agency directs increased resources toward President Donald Trump’s "mass deportation" framework. Secretary Kristi Noem’s latest $28 million allocation formally offered Sunday brings the month’s total to $124 million in funds from FEMA, which sits within DHS, for the deadly Category 4 hurricane that made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend and devastated the Smokies. The funding will go to road repairs and critical infrastructure restoration – which is especially needed in North Carolina and Tennessee. FEMA funds have also been allocated to debris removal and "life and property" concerns. "North Carolina families suffering from this unimaginable tragedy were cruelly ignored by the Biden administration," Noem deputy Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. “Under President Trump and Secretary Noem’s leadership, FEMA is moving faster than ever before to get Americans the relief they need. This move to continue supporting North Carolina victims of Hurricane Helene is a testament to that fact." [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

NPR [8/27/2025 5:00 AM, Rebecca Hersher, 34837K] reports Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana 20 years ago this week. The storm killed more than 1,300 people, and displaced tens of thousands more. In the years since Katrina, a slew of studies and government reports have found that most of the deaths and much of the destruction could have been avoided. Levees built and maintained by the federal government collapsed during and after the storm, causing massive flooding in New Orleans. Local, state and federal officials struggled to evacuate, rescue and house people as the disaster unfolded in the hardest-hit parts of Louisiana and Mississippi. It was immediately clear that the government had failed. Then-President George W. Bush acknowledged as much in a speech in New Orleans three weeks after the storm: "The system, at every level of government, was not well-coordinated, and was overwhelmed in the first few days," Bush said. "Katrina was a catastrophic government failure by every measure," says Andy Horowitz, a historian and expert on the Gulf Coast who wrote a book about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. One agency became the public face of the botched response: the Federal Emergency Management Agency. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, some saw FEMA as irredeemably broken. There was a bipartisan effort in Congress to dismantle the agency altogether, and replace it with a new emergency office. But in 2006, Congress instead chose to strengthen and expand the agency. FEMA was given more money and power to respond to major disasters faster. And Congress required that FEMA’s leader be a disaster expert. Now, the Trump administration is reversing some of those reforms, as it cuts billions of dollars from disaster preparedness programs and even considers eliminating FEMA altogether. The administration says it is eliminating wasteful federal spending and giving states more responsibility to respond to major disasters.

CBS Colorado [8/26/2025 8:29 AM, Staff, 45245K] Video: HERE reports the Lee Fire has become the 4th-largest wildfire in Colorado history, surpassing the Hayman Fire.

Reuters [8/26/2025 12:15 PM, David Brunnstrom, 45746K] reports John Bolton, a former adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump who is now a persistent critic, said on Tuesday he was concerned about the withdrawal of his Secret Service protection and criticized raids on his home and office last week. Bolton, speaking at an online event assessing Trump’s summit on Monday with the South Korean leader, was asked if he felt safe in the current environment, where the administration was at odds with his beliefs, and said that he had been the target of an Iranian assassination attempt in the past. "And on ... the inauguration day, President Trump withdrew my Secret Service protection," he said. "So yeah, I feel ... concerned about that, more than anything else. But you know it’s the environment we operate in, and you can either just be overwhelmed by it, or keep going. So I plan to keep going.”

NewsMax [8/26/2025 8:23 AM, Sandy Fitzgerald, 4779K] reports a man identifying himself as a 20-year combat veteran was arrested in Lafayette Square, across from the White House, on Monday after setting an American flag on fire in a nearby park to protest President Donald Trump’s executive order to prosecute people who burn or otherwise desecrate a flag. "I’m burning this flag as a protest to that illegal, fascist president who sits in that house," the man said in a video posted to social media by The Bulwark, according to NBC News. "I fought for every one of your rights," he also told a small crowd at the scene. The Secret Service reported arresting the man, who was not identified, around 6:15 p.m. ET for "igniting an object," and said he was turned over to U.S. Park Police. Authorities said he was charged with violating a statute that prohibits lighting a fire in parks, forests, or on federal property, reports Washington Post. The Park Police and the Secret Service did not report specifically that the fire involved an American flag. Earlier in the day, Trump signed his executive order cracking down on flag "desecration" when tied to other crimes or actions likely to incite violence. He told reporters that flag burning will carry a penalty of "one year in jail, no early exits, no nothing.” The order directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to "vigorously prosecute" people who burn the American flag while committing other criminal offenses. It also authorizes her to "pursue litigation to clarify the scope of the First Amendment exceptions in this area.” In 1989, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that burning the American flag is protected free speech. Trump’s order does not itself establish the one-year jail penalty he mentioned, but it argues that burning flags in a way "likely to incite imminent lawless action" or that amounts to "fighting words" is not constitutionally protected. While signing the order, Trump said, "When you burn the American flag, it incites riots at levels we’ve never seen before. People go crazy.”

Reported similarly:
Breitbart [8/26/2025 6:56 AM, Staff, 2608K]
USA Today [8/26/2025 11:19 AM, Brie Anna J. Frank, 64151K]

CBS News [8/26/2025 9:59 AM, Emily Mae Czachor, 45245K] reports Two cruise passengers were medically evacuated from the ship off the coast of Washington state on Sunday, after each suffered a separate health emergency, authorities said. The United States and Canada carried out the evacuations in a coordinated effort, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. A 52-year-old woman and 99-year-old man were among the passengers on board Princess Cruises’ Ruby Princess cruise ship, which was sailing roughly 145 nautical miles west of Cape Flattery when the medical incidents occurred. The Coast Guard said members of the Ruby Princess crew requested immediate evacuations for both passengers Sunday morning because the woman had suffered sudden cardiac arrest and the man was experiencing "complete esophageal obstruction.” The Coast Guard released video of an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew hoisting the 99-year-old passenger from the cruise ship. The U.S. Coast Guard coordinated with the Royal Canadian Air Force and Canadian Coast Guard to retrieve the passengers from the Ruby Princess. Hoisting each passenger form the ship involved multiple rescue helicopters, one of which transferred the man to a Life Flight Network aircraft in Washington’s Neah Bay while another carried the woman, who required a life support machine, to Royal Jubilee Hospital across the Canadian border. "This case demonstrates how our specialized expertise and dedicated training allows us to rapidly respond to these types of time-sensitive medical evacuations at sea," said Kelly Higgins, the commanding officer of the Coast Guard Air Station at Port Angeles, which led the U.S. rescue operation, in a statement that praised their joint effort with Canadian forces.

USA Today [8/26/2025 8:01 AM, Trevor Hughes, 64151K] reports that, in a tiny gold-mining town on the edge of Alaska, the Trump administration is poised to begin building America’s first Arctic deepwater port, with significant implications for military security and tourism. Nome, Alaska, lies on the edge of the Bering Sea, less than 200 miles from mainland Russia. Nearly 30,000 people lived there during the 1899 gold rush but today only about 3,000, people call Nome home. But thanks to President Donald Trump’s focus on the Arctic ‒ and a changing climate that’s melting the ice near the North Pole ‒ Nome could be headed for a renaissance. Federal officials are preparing to begin work on a new $400 million harbor that could accommodate Coast Guard icebreakers, cargo barges and Navy warships, along with cruise ships to carry tourists north of the Arctic Circle. Longtime resident Emily Riedel, 37, said she’s hopeful the port project will boost the economy. But given its long isolation, Nome might not change as much as some think. Riedel was a star of the long-running Discovery TV show Bering Sea Gold, which showcased how locals mine for gold beneath the shallow waters around Nome. Riedel and her crew now have their own YouTube show with nearly 250,000 subscribers who watch miners screen for gold flakes carried down rivers from inland deposits. "It’s incredibly challenging to live there, not just because of the lack of roads, but most of the year the entire region is covered in impassable sea ice," Riedel said. "It can’t really change Nome that much because Nome is only a port for three or four months of the year. The ice always wins.” Aside from the Discovery Channel show, Nome is perhaps best known as the finish line of the famed Iditarod sled dog race, which commemorates the 1,000-mile rush in 1925 to deliver diphtheria treatment despite the lack of roads. The city also houses a small airport that funnels residents of about 50 Alaska Native villages to Anchorage for shopping and medical treatment. Only a handful of stores and restaurants serve people in Nome, and the population drops dramatically during the long winter. Riedel said she first arrived in Nome in 2011 thinking that dredging for alluvial gold was a "reasonable summer job." She caught gold fever and never left. Federal officials have long seen Alaska as key to the nation’s national security, with concerns rising as both Russia and China seek greater influence in the region. Increasingly, polar sea ice has been melting enough each summer to permit large ships to travel from Asia to Europe via the storied Northwest Passage, saving time and money for shippers who would otherwise have to use the Panama Canal. "This is an area of the world that the Chinese Communist Party is very interested in. The Russians are very active," Adam Telle, the new director of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers told Congress earlier this year. "It seems to me that, if we’re going to be an Arctic nation, that Alaska ought to be one of the key launching points of that force projection and power projection and economic projection.”

Federal News Network [8/26/2025 7:42 AM, Justin Doubleday, 1147K] reports CISA’s draft SBOM minimum elements guide provides agencies with an updated outline for how to use the software ingredients lists. Agencies and other organizations have new guidance on software bills of material, as SBOM adoption and tooling has advanced in the four years since the last federal publication. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency last week released a draft 2025 SBOM minimum elements guide. It updates a 2021 SBOM guide published by the Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration. SBOMs have emerged as a key software security tool in recent years, but adoption has varied across government agencies and industry. Often compared to a list of ingredients, an SBOM is generally a machine-readable inventory of components, dependencies and licenses that make up a software application. CISA acting Executive Assistant Director for Cybersecurity Chris Butera said an SBOM "is a valuable tool that helps software manufacturers with addressing supply chain risks and several best practices have evolved significantly in recent years.” "This voluntary guidance will empower federal agencies and other organizations to make risk-informed decisions, strengthen their cybersecurity posture, and support scalable, machine-readable solutions," Butera said in a statement. "We encourage members of the public to review this guidance and provide comment on how we can improve this list of minimum elements.” Agencies are required to use SBOMs that comport with guidance from CISA, per a 2022 directive from the Office of Management and Budget. CISA is accepting comments on the draft guidance through Oct. 3. When NTIA released the initial guide in 2021, SBOM adoption was in the early stages across government and industry. A 2021 cybersecurity executive order had called for agencies to explore broad adoption of SBOMs to drive increased visibility of potential software vulnerabilities. The leader of the SBOM effort at NTIA, Allan Friedman, left the Commerce agency in 2021 to join CISA as a senior advisor. Friedman continued to lead SBOM conversations at CISA. He stepped down from CISA at the end of July. In the years since NTIA’s initial guidance, the software community has coalesced around specific SBOM data formats to support automation. And incidents like the widespread Log4j software vulnerability sparked further adoption of SBOMs. Meanwhile, the Army has set new SBOM requirements, and some sectors of industry, such as healthcare, have increased their use of SBOMs, according to Julie Davila, GitLab’s vice president of product security. Davila said CISA’s new draft guidance reflects the growing adoption and tooling around SBOMs. "Now it’s starting to get a little bit more operational in terms of what’s required," she said.

CyberScoop [8/26/2025 4:20 PM, Matt Kapko] reports Google Threat Intelligence Group warned about a “widespread data theft campaign” that compromised hundreds of Salesforce customers over a 10-day span earlier this month. According to a report published Tuesday, researchers say a threat group Google tracks as UNC6395 stole large volumes of data from Salesforce customer instances by using stolen OAuth tokens from Salesloft Drift, a third-party AI chat agent for sales and leads. Google said the attack spree occurred from at least Aug. 8 to Aug. 18. “GTIG is aware of over 700 potentially impacted organizations,” Austin Larsen, principal threat analyst at GTIG, told CyberScoop. “The threat actor used a Python tool to automate the data theft process for each organization that was targeted.” The attackers primarily sought to steal credentials to compromise other systems connected to the initial victims, according to Google. UNC6395 specifically searched for Amazon Web Services access keys, virtual private network credentials and Snowflake credentials. “Using a single token stolen from Salesloft, the threat actor was able to access tokens for any Drift linked organization. The threat actor then used the Salesforce tokens to directly access that data and exfiltrate it to servers, where they looked for plaintext credentials including Amazon, Snowflake and other passwords,” said Tyler McLellan, principal threat analyst at GTIG. Mandiant Consulting, Google’s incident response firm, hasn’t observed further use of the stolen credentials in any current investigations, he said.

Federal News Network [8/26/2025 1:00 PM, Michele Sandiford and Stephanie Wright, 1147K] reports that after a high-profile hack, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) is calling for an independent review of cybersecurity in the U.S. courts system. In a letter to Chief Justice John Roberts, Wyden said the federal Judiciary has fallen short in protecting its sensitive IT systems. He pointed to a recent intrusion of the courts’ case management system. Hackers reportedly took advantage of vulnerabilities that were brought to light five years ago, after a separate hack of the case management system. Wyden says Roberts should commission a National Academy of Sciences review of the two security incidents. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Washington Post [8/27/2025 5:01 AM, Kim Bellware and Ben Brasch, 32099K] reports federal and local authorities are investigating a string of false reports of active shooters at a dozen U.S. universities this month as students returned to campus. The origin of the calls is unclear — but the response to what initially seemed like real threats, later found to be “swatting” incidents, has caused chaos and fear on campuses across the country. Villanova University, a Catholic school in Pennsylvania, was the target of two false shooting reports last week, including one that interrupted an orientation Mass for new students. The university’s president, the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, in a letter decried the actions as a “cruel hoax.” He added, “While that is a blessing and relief, I know today’s events have shaken our entire community.” The FBI is investigating the incidents, according to a spokesperson who declined to specify the nature of the probe. While universities have proved a popular swatting target, the agency “is seeing an increase in swatting events across the country,” the FBI spokesperson said. “We take potential hoax threats very seriously because it puts innocent people at risk.” Local officials are frustrated by the anonymous calls tying up first responders, straining public safety budgets and needlessly traumatizing college students who grew up in an era in which gun violence has in some way shaped their school experience. Most incoming college freshmen are likely to have started their schooling around 2012 — the year of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. “There’s no easy solution to this type of problem,” said Kevin Steinmetz, a criminology professor at Kansas State University, adding that such hoaxes preyed on “an inherent function of our emergency response system.” The recent string of swattings began Thursday with a false report to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, quickly followed by one about Villanova University later that day. Hoaxes at 10 more schools followed: the University of Arkansas; the University of Colorado at Boulder; Louisiana State University of Alexandria; Iowa State University; Kansas State University; the University of New Hampshire; Northern Arizona University; the University of South Carolina; the University of Tennessee; and West Virginia University. Villanova also received a second threat.

New York Times [8/26/2025 8:44 PM, Christina Morales, 143795K] reports less than an hour after saying his final goodbyes to his son at a dorm at Villanova University, Pedro Gutierrez got a disturbing voice mail at the airport. His son, a freshman, was running to hide from an active shooter reported on campus. “To be so close and to have left him 45 minutes earlier, the guilt was horrific,” Mr. Gutierrez said. While Mr. Gutierrez was on his way to get a rental car, trying to get back to campus, he learned the threat was a hoax. Three days later, Villanova University was the subject of a second active shooter warning, on Sunday during a Catholic Mass, which the police later deemed to be fake. On Monday, students in at least six colleges started the fall semester with lockdowns and warnings to run and hide, until police departments later said that there was no evidence of gunmen or violence. And on Tuesday, the University of Kentucky and Central Georgia Technical College also received false reports. In all, over the past week, about a dozen colleges have been the targets of fraudulent reports of active shooters on campus, known as swatting. “The F.B.I. is seeing an increase in swatting events across the country, and we take potential hoax threats very seriously because it puts innocent people at risk,” according to a statement from the F.B.I. “Knowingly providing false information to emergency service agencies about a possible threat to life drains law enforcement resources, costs thousands of dollars and, most importantly, puts innocent people at risk.” Experts said that these fake reports happen for a variety of reasons and are often made by individuals hoping the intense police response will disrupt something, like an exam. Some people are serial swatters, who make calls to random institutions around the country. Some use robot voices to call the police to make false reports. David Riedman, who collects information about school shootings for the K-12 School Shooting Database, has also tracked swatting hoaxes. He said the incidents are often pranks, like “someone pulling the fire alarm.” What is different about swatting, he added, is that “hundreds of officers arrive at the school.” Mr. Riedman said that notorious swatters like to “cause disruption and chaos with their computer,” but they may also be motivated by financial incentives, like cash payments. Many people are on edge after recent targeted shootings at a Manhattan office building, which killed four people, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, where a police officer died.

NewsNation [8/26/2025 6:17 PM, Rich McHugh, Sean Noone, 6811K] reports a spate of hoax calls about active shooters on U.S. college campuses is causing anxiety among students as the school year begins. The calls have prompted universities to issue campuswide texts to "run, hide, fight." Students and teachers have rushed to find cover, often cowering in classrooms for safety. Officers have swarmed campuses seeking out the falsified threats. The hoax calls and false alarms have hit at least 11 college campuses from Arkansas to Pennsylvania. On Monday alone, law enforcement responded to calls claiming there were active shooters at Arkansas, Northern Arizona University, Iowa State, Kansas State, Colorado University and the University of New Hampshire. More calls were made Tuesday at the University of Kentucky as well as Central Georgia Technical College and a nearby high school. The Kentucky call was determined to be a hoax before an alert could be issued. The FBI said Tuesday that it was working with law enforcement on the swatting cases on college campuses.

NewsMax [8/26/2025 7:52 AM, Staff, 4779K] reports Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., sent a letter on Aug. 22 to Scott Bessent, acting commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, asking him to investigate the funding of the Palestinian Youth Movement to see if its 501(c)(3) nonprofit, tax-exempt status should be revoked. The senator described the Palestinian Youth Movement as "a youth activist organization known for its virulently antisemitic stances, public statements in support of terrorist groups, and activities and support for anti-Israel protests in America.” He also noted that it receives funding from another 501(c)(3) organization, Honor the Earth. As evidence, Cotton pointed to PYM organizing events with Samidoun, which the U.S. designated as a terror entity last year for being an alleged front for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine terror group. He added that the Israeli government has claimed that PYM has "close ties" with PFLP affiliates and Students for Justice in Palestine, which the Israeli government said is "linked to Hamas.” Cotton further pointed to the PYM signing onto a joint statement describing "Al-Aqsa Flood"—the name Hamas uses to describe its massacre in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023—as being "an unprecedented liberation struggle" in response to "accelerating attacks on Palestinians in Jerusalem and in the West Bank.” PYM is also being listed as a defendant in a lawsuit over anti-Israel protesters blocking traffic in Washington, D.C., in February 2024, as examples of the organization’s "public support for terrorism," he noted. "An organization that supports terrorism, breaks U.S. law and sows antisemitic discord should not receive any benefits from the American tax system," Cotton stated.

NewsNation [8/26/2025 1:51 PM, Matthew Duckworth, 6811K] reports that multiple police units in Lexington responded to an active shooter report that proved to be a hoax Tuesday afternoon near the William T. Young Library on campus. According to the University of Kentucky, at 12:12 p.m. on Aug. 26, the University of Kentucky Police Department and the Lexington Police Department were called to campus regarding an active shooter report. In an announcement on Facebook just before 1 p.m., UK confirmed that within two minutes, the police responded to the scene and utilized the campus camera security system and determined the reports were a hoax. No campus alerts were issued, and community members didn’t need to take any action, according to UK. In the announcement, the university confirmed that law enforcement across the country was monitoring numerous false shooter threats this week. FOX 56 spoke with Associate Director of Strategic Communication Dani Jaffe about the reported increase of "swatting" calls being experienced across the country. "Across the country, law enforcement agencies are experiencing an increase in "swatting" calls — false reports designed to trigger a heavy police response," Jaffe told FOX 56 in a statement. "These incidents are not only disruptive and dangerous, but they also drain valuable resources that should be focused on real emergencies. UKPD, like departments nationwide, must treat each call as credible, which means time, personnel and equipment are diverted from where they may truly be needed."

FedScoop [8/26/2025 2:20 PM, Miranda Nazzaro, 56K] reports Department of Government Efficiency members stored a copy of a massive Social Security Administration database in a “vulnerable” custom cloud environment, putting more than 300 million people’s personal information at risk, the agency’s chief data officer said in a new whistleblower complaint. The complaint, filed with Congress on Tuesday, revealed new concerns from CDO Charles Borges about “serious data security lapses” allegedly involving DOGE officials working at the SSA. According to the complaint, those officials, under the direction of SSA Chief Information Officer Aram Moghaddassi, granted themselves permission to copy Americans’ Social Security information onto a cloud server with no verified oversight, violating agency protocols. “This vulnerable cloud environment is effectively a live copy of the entire country’s Social Security information from the Numerical Identification System (NUMIDENT) database, that apparently lacks any security oversight from SSA or tracking to determine who is accessing or has accessed the copy of this data,” the Government Accountability Project wrote on behalf of Borges in the complaint. The NUMIDENT data includes all the information applicants use for a Social Security card, including their name, phone number, address, place and date of birth, parents’ names and Social Security numbers along with other personal information. “Should bad actors gain access to this cloud environment, Americans may be susceptible to widespread identity theft, may lose vital healthcare and food benefits, and the government may be responsible for re-issuing every American a new Social Security Number at great cost,” the complaint warned.

Reported similarly:
Washington Post [8/26/2025 4:13 PM, Meryl Kornfield, 29079K]
AP [8/26/2025 6:08 PM, Fatima Hussein, 37974K] r

CBS News [8/26/2025 8:47 PM, Jake Rosen, Joe Walsh, 45245K] reports the Justice Department is investigating whether former senior FBI officials mishandled classified documents that were found in a "burn bag" at the bureau’s headquarters, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to CBS News. The documents in question are related to the FBI’s probe into whether Russia influenced the 2016 election in President Trump’s favor. That investigation has drawn Mr. Trump’s ire for years — he’s called the allegations that Russia sought to help him win a "hoax" and a "witch hunt," and in recent weeks, some top administration officials have claimed Obama-era intelligence leaders who looked into Russian meddling may have broken the law. Nobody has been criminally charged in the probe. The "burn bags" first entered the public discourse last month, when Fox News reported that FBI Director Kash Patel discovered thousands of Russia-related documents in bags that are typically used to hold sensitive materials that are about to be destroyed. Days later, Patel wrote on X: "We just uncovered burn bags/room filled with hidden Russia Gate files.” The FBI’s investigation into Russian election interference — dubbed "Crossfire Hurricane" — was opened during the 2016 campaign and continued into Mr. Trump’s first term. A probe run by Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller later found that the Russian government interfered in the 2016 election with a goal of benefitting the Trump campaign, though Mr. Trump and top campaign officials were not accused of any illegal coordination with Russia. A 2017 report by the U.S. intelligence community also assessed that Moscow sought to influence the election and "developed a clear preference" for Mr. Trump. Those findings have long been challenged by top Trump allies and by the president himself. Last month, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard declassified documents that she claimed called into question the 2017 intelligence community report. Gabbard accused Obama-era officials of "treasonous conspiracy" and a "years-long coup" to undermine Mr. Trump, and said she would refer the matter to the Justice Department for possible criminal investigation. Patrick Rodenbush, a spokesperson for former President Barack Obama, called the allegations "bizarre" and "ridiculous.” Patel is another vociferous critic of how the agency he now leads handled the Russia investigation. In 2023, he penned a book titled "Government Gangsters," which calls the FBI "thoroughly compromised" and rails against a sweeping "Deep State" that he alleges victimized Mr. Trump with a "witch hunt" investigation. Critics of the FBI’s Russia investigation have long accused the bureau of acting with political animus against Mr. Trump or mishandling elements of the probe. An internal Justice Department watchdog found in 2019 that the FBI did not show "political bias" and that the FBI was justified in opening the probe, but criticized some of the FBI’s practices, including the warrants that were used to surveil ex-Trump aide Carter Page. Years later, Trump-era special counsel John Durham called the investigation "seriously flawed." [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

NewsMax [8/26/2025 6:22 AM, Staff, 4779K] reports senior Chinese trade negotiator Li Chenggang is expected to travel to Washington this week to meet U.S. officials, a United States government spokesperson confirmed. Li, China’s international trade representative and a key negotiator alongside economy tsar He Lifeng, may meet deputy-level U.S. government officials, the spokesperson said, adding that the visit was not part of a formal negotiating session. The Wall Street Journal first reported on Monday that Li would travel to Washington. Traders on both sides of the Pacific are watching to see whether this month’s latest tariff truce will become permanent or if U.S. President Donald Trump will once again upend global supply chains with a fresh wave of prohibitively high duties on Chinese imports. U.S. retailers are stocking up ahead of the critical end-of-year holiday season, while Chinese producers - locked out of the world’s top consumer economy - say they are in "survival mode," scrambling to secure market share elsewhere to stay afloat. The world’s two largest economies on August 11 agreed to extend their tariff truce for another 90 days, locking in place a 30% tariff on Chinese imports and 10% Chinese duties on U.S. goods. But once Trump’s tariffs top 35%, they become prohibitively high for Chinese exporters, economists warn. The Chinese commerce ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Li’s trip would follow three previous rounds of trade negotiations between the two nations since May - in Geneva, London and, earlier this month, in Stockholm. The last time a senior Chinese trade negotiator visited the U.S. was in November 2023, when He Lifeng met then-U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in San Francisco, ahead of the 2023 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders’ summit in the city. Then vice-Premier Liu He, He Lifeng’s predecessor, was the last top Chinese trade official to travel to Washington for bilateral talks, signing the ‘Phase 1’ trade deal with the Trump administration in January 2020, committing Beijing to boost purchases of U.S. exports by $200 billion over a two-year period.

FOX News [8/26/2025 5:46 AM, Staff, 40019K] reports New Hampshire congressional candidate Lily Tang Williams joins ‘Fox & Friends First’ to discuss national security concerns over Chinese land grabs in the U.S. and her take on possibly allowing 600k Chinese students to study in America. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

{End of Report} RETURN TO TOP