• Top News
  • New York Times/Reuters/The Hill: Appeals Court Rules Obama-Era Immigration Program Is Unlawful
  • New York Times/The Hill/Wall Street Journal: Senate Pushes Laken Riley Act to Deport Migrants Charged With Crimes, Teeing Up Final Vote
  • CNBC: CNBC’s full interview with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas
  • ABC News: DHS’ Mayorkas: Tragedies not the place for political disagreements
  • Washington Post: DHS Secretary Mayorkas leaves with ‘remarkable’ employee morale improvement
  • FOX News: Top border lawmaker pushes to declare bloodthirsty gang a terrorist organization: ‘Take the gloves off’
  • CBS 7: Gov. Kristi Noem faces questions on border security, disaster relief and terrorism during DHS confirmation hearing
  • Washington Post: Noem pledges to end Biden border control program if confirmed at DHS
  • New York Times: Noem Backs Revival of Trump’s ‘Remain in Mexico’ Policy
  • Roll Call: Noem touts state experience on national security issues
  • Yahoo! News: Trump homeland security pick calls border ‘number one’ threat
  • AZ Central: Trump’s Homeland Security nominee Kristi Noem says mass deportations to focus on criminals
  • FOX News: Trump DHS pick Noem pledges to end controversial app used by migrants on ‘day one’
  • FOX News: Noem optimistic Laken Riley would still be alive if she were DHS secretary, as freshman senator rips Mayorkas
  • Government Executive/NBC News: Trump’s pick for DHS chief vows to shake up ‘dysfunctional’ department, boost workforce morale, restore ‘transparency and accountability’
  • FOX News: Dem senator quizzes Noem on how she will work with Homan: ‘Who is in charge?’
  • The Hill: FEMA, wildfires loom large in Noem hearing
  • AP: [NY] NYC mayor says his meeting with Trump covered jobs and ceasefire deal, but not his criminal case
  • The Hill: [SD] South Dakota tribe lifts Noem banishment from lands
  • Washington Examiner: [CA] California city postpones vote on allowing police to assist with deportations
  • Los Angeles Times: [CA] Mexican Mafia leader offered to ensure protection for El Chapo in U.S. prison, feds say
• Opinion – Op-Eds
  • The Hill: The Laken Riley Act is a sweetheart deal for the private prison industry
• Immigration and Customs Enforcement
  • New York Times: Trump’s Deportation Plan Is Said to Start Next Week in Chicago
  • CBS News: ICE planning to ramp up arrests in major U.S. cities after Trump takes office, sources say
  • Reuters: Immigrant US farmworkers prepare for Trump mass deportation plan
  • Yahoo! News: [MA] Massachusetts Weighs Tougher Shelter Rules as Trump Looms
  • Yahoo! News: [SC] 2 Hartsville men jailed for allegedly having materials depicting child sexual abuse
  • Miami Herald: [FL] Migrant-smuggling operation is stopped in Coral Gables, police say
  • Yahoo! News: [FL] Train law officers to help immigration officials or face criminal charges, DeSantis says
  • Yahoo! News: [WI] ICE detention center not planned for Milwaukee, contrary to some city alder statements
  • CBS Austin: [TX] Minneapolis police chief vows not to help Trump admin with immigration enforcement
  • Border Report: [TX] El Paso man sentenced for supervising smuggling organization
  • Washington Examiner: [CO] Authorities close ‘crime-infested’ Aurora apartment complex after more suspected Tren de Aragua violence
  • CBS Austin: [CO] Colorado county passes resolution supporting Trump’s mass deportation plan
  • Axios: [CO] Denver Public Schools outlines lockdown rules for possible immigration raids
  • Newsweek: [CA] Huntington Beach, California Seeks Exemption From Sanctuary City Status
  • FOX News: [CA] California town with large migrant population might revoke sanctuary status
• Citizenship and Immigration Services
  • New York Times: Birthright Citizenship Defined America. Trump Wants to Redefine It.
  • AP: Resettlement agencies race to help refugees ahead of Trump’s second term
  • Miami Herald: [GA] New Biden deportation protections could help thousands in Georgia
  • Chicago Tribune: [IL] Pro-Trump Latino business leaders launch campaign for border security and legal status for ‘Dreamers’ and essential workers
  • Yahoo! News: [NM] 123 people become U.S. citizens in Albuquerque
• Customs and Border Protection
  • Washington Examiner: Trump’s new Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks starts job Monday
  • FOX News: Border Patrol Chief Owens announces retirement, Texas border czar to take over
  • CBS News: Law enforcement officials at the border looking forward to Trump administration changes
  • New York Times: Trump Vowed a Crackdown on the Mexican Border, but It’s Already Quiet
  • Reuters/Yahoo! News: Biden administration posts last-minute rule to curb low-value shipments
  • Los Angeles Times: Migration across the U.S.-Mexico border, in 5 charts
  • BorderReport: [DC] Texas border agents headed to DC for Inauguration Day
  • FOX News: [FL] Florida abduction report leads to discovery of U-Haul van filled with mostly Chinese migrants
  • San Diego Union Tribune: [TX] Texas overtakes San Diego as busiest corridor for illegal crossings — just barely
  • San Francisco Chronicle: [TX] Texas is already policing the Mexican border − and will play an outsize role in any Trump plan to crack down on immigration
  • Yahoo! News: [TX] US conducts border crossing exercises ahead of Trump inauguration
  • Yahoo! News: [TX] Work underway to seal ‘narco tunnel’ linking US-Mexico border, officials say
  • Univision: [NM] Farmworkers among Border Patrol detainees in Bakersfield: ‘This is the kind of thing we’ll see over the next four years’
  • Yahoo! News: [CA] Border Patrol agents intercept drug smuggling attempt on I-5
  • Yahoo! News: [CA] Meth found in gas tank of vehicle at border
  • CNN: [Mexico] An industrial Chinatown near the US southern border readies its options should Trump tariffs come
• Transportation Security Administration
  • CBS Detroit: TSA diverted fewer guns at Detroit Metro Airport during 2024 than in 2023
  • Yahoo! News: [SC] Record number of guns found at SC TSA checkpoints in 2024
  • AP: [GA] Southwest pilot arrested on a DUI charge while making preparations in the cockpit
  • Yahoo! News: [IA] TSA detects record number of guns in Des Moines International Airport in 2024
• Federal Emergency Management Agency
  • AP: FEMA and the Disaster Recovery Coalition of America Sign Landmark Agreement to Strengthen Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Efforts
  • Yahoo! News: [PA] $1,000 in counterfeit money used at Central Pennsylvania business
  • The Hill: [NC] NC governor asks FEMA for 6-month Helene extension on temporary shelters
  • Yahoo! News: [NC] Residents in FEMA Helene hotels will now receive advance notice to leave, Edwards says
  • Colorado Public Radio: [CO] Woman arrested and charged with arson for allegedly starting the Highland Lakes wildfire last year
  • Wall Street Journal: [CA] Fire at One of World’s Largest Battery Plants Prompts Evacuations in California
  • Washington Post: [CA] As the smoke clears, L.A. residents face a complicated and uncertain recovery
  • CNN: [CA] More than a week after the Los Angeles wildfires started, frustrated evacuees are desperate to return home
  • FOX News: [CA] Los Angeles water chief given police security detail amid ‘threats’ against her, employees
• Secret Service
  • AP/Newsweek: Trump wants one of the agents who covered him after he was shot to lead the Secret Service
  • The Daily Gazette: [NY] Authorities share new details in counterfeit bill, police chase arrests
  • Daily Item: [PA] Counterfeit money found at Snyder County stores
  • CNN: [DC] Trump’s inauguration to be moved indoors
  • NBC News: [DC] Trump’s second inauguration to see smaller protests and fewer Democratic boycotts
  • Yahoo! News: [DC] Man gets 8 years for ramming truck into White House barriers
  • Yahoo! News: [FL] Trump expected to spend more time at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach during second term
  • The Hill: [CA] Southern California’s next potential threat? Floods, landslides and toxic debris flows
• CISA/Cybersecurity
  • Federal News Network/CyberScoop/MeriTalk: Noem: No anti-disinformation, misinformation action under her as DHS secretary
  • CNN/VOA News: [China] Biden administration punishes key players in major Chinese hacks of US government
• Terrorism Investigations
  • Yahoo! News: [FL] Man pleads guilty to threatening mass shooting at his old high school in Palm Beach County
  • FOX News: [LA] FBI assistant special agent in charge who said New Orleans attack ‘not a terrorist event’ reassigned
  • KPNX: [AZ] Man arrested at Tucson charter school said he was ‘here to cause a school shooting with children,’ prosecutors claim
• National Security News
  • Newsweek: How U.S. Forces and NASA could Inadvertently be Spying for China
  • The Hill: [Greenland] Trump threats prompt talk of boosting Greenland security
  • ABC News: [Ukraine] How the CIA and Ukrainian intelligence secretly forged a deep partnership
  • Yahoo! News: [Russia] German major general warns of Russian military build-up
  • Reuters: [Israel] Israeli security cabinet recommends Gaza ceasefire deal
  • New York Times: [Israel] Israeli Government Approves Cease-Fire Deal for Gaza
  • New York Times: [Israel] Israel Prepares to Receive Hostages Held in Gaza for Over a Year
  • CNN: [Israel] Former CIA analyst pleads guilty to leaking classified documents on Israel’s plans to attack Iran
  • Newsweek: [Iran] New Treaty Strengthens Iran-Russia Military Pact
  • NBC News: [China] Trump says he spoke to Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday
  • New York Times: [China] The Supreme Court Cleared the Way for U.S. to Ban TikTok
  • New York Times: [China] TikTok to ‘Go Dark’ on Sunday for Its 170 Million American Users
  • NBC News: [China] Chinese TikTok alternative RedNote could pose greater security risks, experts say
  • Newsweek: [China] China Is Dominating the US App Stores Amid Looming TikTok Ban
  • Yahoo! News: [Philippines] Chinese Coast Guard Vessel Enters Philippines Waters, Ignores Warnings, Officials Say

DHS MORNING BRIEFING

DHS MORNING BRIEFING