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 New York Times [1/18/2025 3:20 AM, Miriam Jordan, 740K, Neutral] reports a federal appeals court on Friday ruled against an Obama-era program that has shielded hundreds of thousands of undocumented people from deportation. But in its decision on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, the three-judge panel stopped short of allowing current beneficiaries to be deported and said it was staying its decision to allow the ruling to be appealed. The opinion, by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, is the latest legal turn in a long-running fight over the fate of DACA, and it comes just three days before the inauguration of President-elect Donald J. Trump, who sought to end the program during his first term. A federal district court in Texas had ruled in 2021 that DACA was unlawful, and that decision was upheld in part by the Fifth Circuit in its decision on Friday. But the appeals court ruled that an injunction ordered by the lower court for the entire country should instead be limited to Texas, and that current DACA recipients could continue to renew their status nationwide. “Because Texas is the only plaintiff that has demonstrated or even attempted to demonstrate an actual injury, and because that injury is fully redressable by a geographically limited injunction, we narrow the scope of the injunction to Texas,” the ruling said. The appeals court stayed its ruling, and, therefore, no current beneficiary of DACA is immediately vulnerable to deportation from the country. They will also be able to continue working in the country legally, at least for the time being, and likely until an appeals process runs its course. Currently, about 540,000 people are enrolled in the program. Reuters [1/17/2025 5:43 PM, Staff, 30936K, Neutral] reports that the program for so-called "Dreamer" immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children provides 537,000 people with deportation relief and work permits, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services data. The appeals court left in place a stay that allows current DACA enrollees to retain the quasi-legal status pending the outcome of litigation. Trump plans to embark on a sweeping immigration crackdown after he takes office on Monday and aims to deport record numbers of immigrants in the U.S. illegally. The Republican president-elect sought to terminate the DACA program during his 2017-2021 presidency but was rebuffed by the Supreme Court. In a December interview, Trump said he was open to a deal with Democrats to protect Dreamers. The Hill [1/17/2025 5:50 PM, Rebecca Beitsch, 16346K, Neutral] reports "The [Immigration and Nationality Act] ‘expressly and carefully provides legal designations allowing defined classes of aliens to be lawfully present.’ In the INA, Congress enacted a ‘comprehensive federal statutory scheme for regulation of immigration and naturalization’ and ‘set the terms and conditions of admission to the country,’" the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals wrote in its decision. "Because it chose not to include DACA recipients in that comprehensive scheme, ‘Congress’s rigorous classification scheme forecloses the contrary scheme in the DACA Memorandum.’". The ruling largely upholds an earlier decision from U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen. Hanen had found that the coalition of states led by Texas had standing and ruled in September 2023 against the Biden administration’s revamp of DACA as a memorandum replacing Obama’s 2012 executive order. The Friday ruling also created another complex dynamic in the case. The suspension of DACA is only applicable in Texas, but other Dreamers are protected while the case proceeds.

Reported similarly:
CBS News [1/17/2025 4:56 PM, Camilo Montoya-Galvez, 52225K, Negative]
CNN [1/17/2025 6:04 PM, Devan Cole, Priscilla Alvarez and Tierney Sneed, 987K, Negative]

The New York Times [1/17/2025 12:00 PM, Maya C. Miller, 161405K, Neutral] reports that the Senate on Friday cleared away the final major hurdle to enactment of legislation that would require the detention and deportation of undocumented migrants accused of minor crimes or assaulting a police officer, after several Democrats joined Republicans to advance it. In a test vote of 61 to 35 that put the measure on a path to clear Congress within days, 10 Democrats teamed with Republicans to support moving to a final vote in the chamber, enough to surpass the 60-vote threshold to avoid a filibuster. That all but guaranteed that the legislation, which passed the House with bipartisan support last week, would make it to President-elect Donald J. Trump’s desk to be signed after he is sworn in on Monday. It still must win approval in the Senate in a vote scheduled for late Monday afternoon, just hours after Mr. Trump takes office, and return to the House before heading to the White House. The Senate action came after senators spent several days debating changes to the bill, a process that exposed deep divisions among Democrats over immigration as some in the party move to the right following their party’s electoral losses in November. The bill is the opening legislative move for Republicans in a broader push to crack down on immigration and significantly step up deportations, a promise that Mr. Trump made a centerpiece of his campaign. It is named for Laken Riley, a 22-year-old Georgia nursing student who was killed last year by a migrant who crossed into the United States illegally from Venezuela and who had previously been arrested for shoplifting, but had not been detained. The Hill [1/17/2025 10:49 AM, Al Weaver, 16346K, Negative] reports Senators voted 61-35 to end debate on the bill, with 10 Democrats voting with every Republican; 60 votes were needed. Democrats who voted "aye" were Sens. Ruben Gallego (Ariz.), Mark Kelly (Ariz.), Jon Ossoff (Ga.), Gary Peters (Mich.), Jacky Rosen (Nev.), Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.), Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), Maggie Hassan (N.H.), Mark Warner (Va.) and Elissa Slotkin (Mich.). Gallego and Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), who did not vote, were co-sponsors of the legislation. The vote tees up final passage of the immigration-related bill in the upper chamber early next week. Because the bill was amended, it will need to head back to the House for approval once again before Trump can sign it. The legislation would mandate federal detention of immigrants without legal status who are accused of theft, burglary and assaulting a law enforcement officer, among other things. The Wall Street Journal [1/17/2025 12:10 PM, Xavier Martinez, Neutral] reports that the vote puts the bill on track to clear the Senate next week on a simple majority, which would then send it back to the House to be approved and forwarded on to President-elect Donald Trump’s desk. Supporters say the measure would provide justice to families who have had loved ones killed by undocumented immigrants and prevent more deaths. Pro-immigrant groups and some law enforcement argue it manipulates a personal tragedy, raises due-process concerns and would require billions of dollars in new spending to be properly implemented. “We have irresponsible, open-border, soft-on-crime policies, and that must end,” said Sen. Katie Britt (R., Ala.), who led the legislation that was joined by two Democratic co-sponsors, Ruben Gallego of Arizona and Pennsylvania’s John Fetterman. “This bill will prevent countless nightmares,” she said. Some Democrats attempted to force votes on amendments to exclude Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, recipients, as well as minors who arrived in the country illegally but aren’t DACA-eligible. But Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R., S.D.) declined to bring any to a vote. Friday’s vote occurred at the same time as a confirmation hearing for Kristi Noem, Trump’s nominee to lead DHS. Led by Noem and border czar Tom Homan, the new Trump border push will include declaring a national emergency on immigration, which would allow the administration to divert money from the Pentagon for immigration purposes. The Laken Riley bill would widen the group of people eligible for deportation by including nonconvicted individuals, raising due-process concerns and rapidly expanding the pool of individuals who would be eligible for deportation.

Reported similarly:
AP [1/17/2025 2:38 PM, Stephen Groves, 30936K, Negative]
Reuters [1/17/2025 12:27 PM, Richard Cowan and Bo Erickson, 30936K, Neutral]
Miami Herald [1/17/2025 12:38 PM, Maya C. Miller, 6595K, Neutral]
USA Today [1/17/2025 2:15 PM, Riley Beggin and Lauren Villagran, 89965K, Negative]
Washington Examiner [1/17/2025 11:02 AM, Ramsey Touchberry, 2365K, Neutral]

CNBC [1/17/2025 9:34 AM, Staff, 36472K, Negative] reports that Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas joins ‘Squawk Box’ to discuss his tenure leading the Department of Homeland Security, the fight over H-1B worker visas, state of immigration, future of border security, and more. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

ABC News [1/17/2025 2:04 PM, Luke Barr, 57114K, Neutral] reports that outgoing Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, who for four years has been a target of Republican criticism, said that national tragedies should not be used for "political disagreements." "There are people that lobby vitriol in public, and have relationships in private, that are quite inconsistent with the vitriol," he told ABC News in an exit interview from his office at DHS headquarters in Washington. "Times of tragedy should drive unity of effort and unity of care, whether that be the hurricanes and tornadoes of Helene and Milton, or whether that be the wildfires in California, or whether that be the tragic death of 14 individuals on in the early morning hours of January 1, and not be ammunition for political disagreement," he said. "We’ve got to get back to a place where we can disagree and we can unify when the American people need it." He said his hope is that "we can disagree with civility and mutual respect." Mayorkas’ time as DHS secretary saw one crisis after another, including big increases in migrants crossing the southern border illegally to an unprecedented threat environment to an evolving cybersecurity landscape. Through it all, he said remains proud of the department’s work. "I am on the ground with the people of this department in in times of success, in times of tragedy," Mayorkas said. He personally traveled to funerals for Border Patrol agents who died in the line of duty, recalling how at one he was moved by the outpouring of honor and respect. "... along the highway in Texas," he said, "one saw police officers, firefighters, citizens standing outside of their cars at bus stops all along the multi-mile stretch of highway, saluting the car and the motorcade. Incredibly powerful message of the impact of our work and the impact of people doing the work on the broader community." [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Washington Post [1/17/2025 6:00 AM, Joe Davidson, 40736K, Neutral] reports Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas leaves office as one of President Joe Biden’s most controversial Cabinet officials, but a little-known accomplishment inside the agency could have lasting impact. While hot-button immigration polemics shadowed his four years leading the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), culminating in a failed, performative Republican attempt to remove him from office, Mayorkas (Ali to his friends) can take pride from his notable improvements in employee morale — a key element in organizational performance. Now comes this question: Will that trend continue after President-elect Donald Trump takes office Monday? His first term demonstrated, by word and deed, his disdain for federal employees. He undermined federal workplace protections and slashed the ability of federal unions to represent employees with executive orders that Biden promptly reversed. Mayorkas, a Havana-born political refugee, first served as Homeland Security’s deputy secretary and its Citizenship and Immigration Services director during the Obama administration. When he became secretary in 2021, he decided his "number one organizational priority was investing in our workforce, identifying their needs and addressing those needs." Mayorkas spoke in his office on the department’s sprawling campus in Southeast D.C. on Tuesday, less than a week before Trump’s inauguration. That location provides a panoramic view of majestic Washington, with the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol framing the scene. Yet the commanding surroundings didn’t stop the department, cobbled from 22 agencies 22 years ago, from suffering pathetic workforce engagement ratings among its quarter-million staffers. Boosting morale might not mean much to the House Republicans who last year impeached Mayorkas, despite bipartisan opposition. The Democratically led Senate quickly dispatched two articles of impeachment, over immigration practices, because partisan policy disputes are not high crimes and misdemeanors. "I really think that Ali Mayorkas deserves real credit for doing something remarkable and that so few Cabinet secretaries ever do, which is focus real energy on trying to improve morale," said Max Stier, president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, which studies federal agencies. "And he succeeded."

FOX News [1/17/2025 9:46 AM, Adam Shaw, 49889K, Neutral] reports that a congressman, whose district covers part of the southern border, is introducing legislation that would take a step closer to declaring Tren de Aragua (TdA) and Mexican cartels foreign terrorist organizations. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, is introducing the "Security First Act" which would require the secretary of state to consider designating Mexican drug cartels and TdA as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). An FTO designation allows for targeted action against members, including financial penalties. It is illegal for anyone to provide support or resources to an FTO, and financial institutions must report those funds to the Treasury. According to the State Department, designations also deter donations and support efforts to curb financing. Gonzales’ bill would also increase funding to Operation Stonegarden, which is a federal grant to provide resources to states and local law enforcement for border security. It would also demand a report on technology needed at the border to stop terrorists entering the U.S., and another report on Customs and Border Protection hiring practices. The crisis at the southern border saw a sharp increase in the presence of TdA, a gang that is believed to have originated in Venezuelan prisons and moved north. Border officials told Fox last year that they see the gang as a top priority, as its presence has been felt in states like Texas, Colorado and New York.

CBS 7 [1/17/2025 6:36 PM, Stetson Miller, 11K, Neutral] reports Gov. Noem also said she plans to eliminate border policy programs in place now like the use of an app for migrants and bring back one policy from the first Trump administration. “Will you work with President Trump to reinstate the ‘Remain in Mexico’ program that the president had in place in his first term?’ asked Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO). “Which does so much to ensure that those who would seek to abuse our asylum system are not allowed into the country, and those who have legitimate asylum claims, their claims are processed in due order and in due course, but they wait in Mexico until those claims are fully processed. Will you work to reinstate that program?” “Yes, senator. The president and I have talked extensively about this and will 100% partner with him to reinstate the Remain in Mexico policy,” said Gov. Noem. Noem also spoke about bringing law enforcement agencies together in her opening remarks to combat terrorism. “I’m very proud of the work that we’ve done in cooperation with our tribes to help make their communities more safe,” said Noem. “And we must remain vigilant against terrorism and against others who wish to do us harm to our country and to our great people. I’ll ensure that our intelligence and our law enforcement agencies are working together, hand in hand, that they’re fully equipped to detect, prevent and respond to threats from radical ideologies and foreign adversaries.” Noem faced some sharp questioning from Democrats including how she would handle a possible request from Trump to withhold aid from political opponents. “If President Trump, we’re to say to you, we’re going to withhold money from Connecticut or Michigan or any of the states, Iowa, because we don’t like the governor or we don’t like the politics of the state, you stand up to him and say, ‘Mr. President, we need to allocate that money?’” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, (D-CT). “Senator in three days, President Trump will take an oath to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law in this country. And and he will do that, and I’ll be glad to have him back. And I don’t speak to hypotheticals, which is what you’re asking me to do,” she said. Sen. Blumenthal then went on to say that his question was “based on experience with President Trump withholding money from Washington state and elsewhere...” “Sir, I don’t know about the scenarios that you’re referencing with President Trump, but what I will tell you is that if given the chance to be Secretary of Homeland Security, that I will deliver the programs according to the law and that it will be done with no political bias.”

Reported similarly:
Roll Call [1/17/2025 10:04 AM, Chris Johnson, 440K, Negative]
Bloomberg [1/17/2025 11:06 AM, Alicia Diaz and Jamie Tarabay, 21617K, Neutral]
Washington Examiner [1/17/2025 3:59 PM, Anna Giaritelli, 2365K, Neutral]

Washington Post [1/17/2025 David Nakamura and Maria Sacchetti, 40736K, Neutral] reports South Dakota Gov. Kristi L. Noem (R) on Friday pledged that if confirmed to lead the Department of Homeland Security she would halt a border control program that the Biden administration has credited for helping bring a sharp reduction in illegal crossings. At her confirmation hearing before the Senate’s Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Noem reiterated a promise from President-elect Donald Trump to put an end to CBP One, which allows migrants outside the country to use a free mobile app to request an appointment at an official port of entry on the U.S. southern border so that they can apply for asylum. The number of migrants arrested at the border has dropped in recent months to the lowest level of President Joe Biden’s tenure after rising to all-time highs in 2023. More than 930,000 people have used the CBP One app to schedule appointments since its introduction in January of that year, according to federal officials. “We will eliminate the CBP One app,” Noem told Sen. James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), who expressed skepticism of the program. Noem said DHS would maintain some of the data to track who has been admitted into the United States, but she emphasized “that app will no longer be in use.” Trump nominated Noem, 53, who has sought to project a tough stance on immigration as governor, to lead DHS, a sprawling agency that includes 22 departments, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection and Citizenship and Immigration Services. If confirmed, she also would oversee other crucial areas, including the U.S. Secret Service, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Transportation Security Administration.

New York Times [1/17/2025 5:32 PM, Hamed Aleaziz, 161405K, Neutral] reports Gov. Kristi Noem of South Dakota, President-elect Donald J. Trump’s pick to run the Homeland Security Department, said that, if confirmed, she would end a program that allows migrants to schedule appointments at a port of entry and would pursue the return of a policy that forces asylum seekers to stay in Mexico for the duration of their U.S. cases. Ms. Noem faced questions from senators on the Homeland Security Committee for nearly three hours on Friday in her effort to run the agency most critical to Mr. Trump’s promise to conduct mass deportations and seal the southern border. She echoed Mr. Trump’s commitment to crack down on immigration and referred to the border crossings in recent years as an “invasion.” “Border security must remain a top priority,” she said. “As a nation, we have the right and the responsibility to secure our borders against those who would do us harm, and we must create a fair and a lawful immigration system that is efficient and is effective and that reflects our values.” While Ms. Noem, South Dakota’s governor since 2019, has largely avoided the intense scrutiny given some of Mr. Trump’s other candidates, the agency she seeks to oversee runs the nation’s immigration system, including law enforcement at the southern border. The department also includes the Secret Service, the Coast Guard and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Mr. Trump’s vows to aggressively police the border and carry out mass deportations helped propel him to victory in November, and some Democrats have signaled support of increased enforcement. Ms. Noem, 53, favors the immigration restrictions that Mr. Trump campaigned on. She regularly criticized the Biden administration’s policies and as governor even sent the state’s National Guard to the southern border. As homeland security chief, she said, she would wind down the use of the CBP One app, a program that allows migrants to schedule appointments to enter the United States at a port of entry. The effort was a key part of the Biden administration’s immigration policy as a way to incentivize migrants to avoid crossing into the country illegally. Ms. Noem also indicated a desire to bring back a policy that forces migrants to remain in Mexico for their U.S. asylum cases. In place during the first Trump administration, it was roundly criticized by immigration rights activists and Democrats. She said she and Mr. Trump had talked “extensively” about the program and that she would work with him to reinstate it. The United States would need to work with Mexico to implement such a process, as officials did in 2019 during the first Trump administration. Ms. Noem also said the U.S. Secret Service was in need of major changes. “As secretary, I will oversee the Secret Service, an agency that is in serious need of reforms,” she said. “We all saw the threats to President-elect Trump last year and the consequences of failure. Now, that should never happen again.”

Roll Call [1/17/2025 10:21 AM, Chris Johnson, 440K, Neutral] reports that Kristi Noem used her opening statement Friday to articulate a broader overview of her priorities if she becomes Homeland Security secretary, saying her experience as governor of South Dakota has prepared her to act on an array of national security concerns. On border security, Noem told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee that she was "the first governor to send National Guard troops to our southern border when Texas asked for help and when they were being overwhelmed by an unprecedented border crisis." On cybersecurity, Noem said she will "advance cutting-edge, state-of-the-art technologies to protect our nation’s digital landscape," and that she has helped make Dakota State University a global leader in cybersecurity education. And she said she has worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency in response to a dozen natural disasters in South Dakota, including historic floods, tornadoes, blizzards, wildfires, a derecho and even a global pandemic. "As secretary, I will enhance our emergency preparedness and strengthen FEMA capabilities, and we will ensure that no community is left behind and that lifesaving services like electricity and water are quickly restored," Noem said. The top members of the panel articulated their own priorities for the agency as well as broad issues she would need to address as head of the Department of Homeland Security.

Yahoo! News [1/17/2025 10:19 AM, Staff, 57114K, Neutral] reports that US Homeland Security secretary nominee Kristi Noem said Friday weaknesses at the southern border are the country’s "number one threat" as she set out her vision for the department that will oversee Donald Trump’s promised immigration crackdown. The South Dakota governor would be in overall charge of Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) -- agencies on the front line of US efforts to get to grips with a surge in undocumented migrants in recent years. The department also leads on cybersecurity, terrorism and federal emergency management -- another hot-button issue in the wake of last year’s two devastating hurricanes and the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles. Noem, 53, is best known internationally for sinking her chances of being Trump’s vice-presidential pick with her cheerful admission that she had shot her dog, Cricket, because it was "untrainable." Despite her state’s distance from Mexico, Noem sent National Guards troops to the frontier, earning plaudits from the Republican right. The Democratic appointee that Noem would replace, Alejandro Mayorkas, was a target of Republican fury as illegal entries across the southern border soared in 2023 and he was impeached last year. Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rand Paul described the 260,000-employee DHS as an agency that "epitomizes unchecked power" and "demands rigorous scrutiny." He said Noem would have the task of restoring "transparency and accountability" to a bureaucracy that had "lost its way."

Reported similarly:
NBC News [1/17/2025 9:33 AM, Staff, 50804K, Neutral]
Washington Examiner [1/17/2025 10:12 AM, Anna Giaritelli and Cami Mondeaux, 2365K, Neutral]

AZ Central [1/17/2025 2:34 PM, Ronald J. Hansen, 6018K, Neutral] reports that Kristi Noem, the nominee to head Homeland Security under President-elect Donald Trump, said Friday that mass deportations will focus on those with criminal convictions, not displacing agricultural workers in border communities. Noem, the Republican South Dakota governor, also told Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., during her confirmation hearing that she would look to work respectfully with Native American tribes whose land helps form part of the nation’s southern border. Gallego wanted an assurance that dairy and agricultural work would not be disrupted by the next administration’s plans for mass deportations. Noem said that area of the country is not the focus. "President Trump has been very clear that his priority is going to be deporting criminals, those who have broken our laws and (perpetrated) violence in our communities. That will be the priority," she said. "Having over 425,000 of those with criminal convictions in our country, that will be a focus that we need to tackle right away, and it will be a big one. "Beyond that, his next priority is going to be those with final removal orders and focus on those individuals who have long overstayed and that there is a consequence for ignoring our federal laws."

FOX News [1/17/2025 1:33 PM, Adam Shaw, 49889K, Neutral] reports that Kristi Noem, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security, told lawmakers that she will end the controversial CBP One app, and a related migrant parole program that has allowed nearly 1.5 million immigrants into the US. "Yes, Senator, if confirmed and I have the opportunity to be secretary, on day one CBP One will be shut down," Noem told Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., at her confirmation hearing before the Senate Homeland Security Committee. Noem was first asked by Hawley if the southern border was secure. "Senator, no, the southern border is not secure today. But in just three days, we will have a new president in this country, President Donald J. Trump. And he will secure our border," she said. She was then asked about the use of the CBP One app, which allows immigrants to be paroled into the U.S. The app was created during the first Trump administration to assist with scheduling cargo inspections. However, it was controversially expanded in 2023 to allow migrants to make an appointment at a port of entry to be allowed in, initially due to an exception from the Title 42 public health order and then, since May, to be paroled into the U.S. as part of the Biden administration’s expansion of "lawful pathways." As of the end of December, more than 936,500 individuals had made appointments to be paroled through the app, according to Customs and Border Protection.

FOX News [1/17/2025 4:03 PM, Andrew Mark Miller, 49889K, Negative] reports that freshman GOP Sen. Bernie Moreno ripped the Biden administration’s immigration policy in his first hearing in the Senate as President-elect Trump’s DHS secretary nominee Kristi Noem sat in front of the Senate Homeland Security Committee. "Just to be clear, Laken Riley would be alive today if you had been the secretary of Homeland Security?" Moreno asked Noem during her confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Friday. "Senator, my hope is that that would be true, yes," Noem responded, as the Laken Riley Act is being debated in the Senate with the aim of preventing crimes like the murder of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley, who was murdered last year by an illegal immigrant, who was sentenced to life without parole. During his line of questioning, Moreno implemented a theme of asking Noem about the Mayorkas immigration record and whether the illegal immigration statistics would continue under her watch. "So, I think sometimes, in D.C., we tend to complicate things," Moreno told Noem. "There is a current secretary of Homeland Security, so why don’t we take this opportunity to do a little job review and compare and contrast him to you? So just if you don’t mind, I’ll ask you some questions, and you can give me an answer. Secretary Mayorkas allowed about 400 people on a terror watch list to come into this country illegally. If you were confirmed as secretary of Homeland Security, how many people on the terror watch list would you allow into this country?"

Government Executive [1/17/2025 10:22 AM, Eric Katz, 342K, Neutral] reports that President-elect Trump’s pick to lead the Homeland Security Department sharply criticized vast swaths of the workforce she is likely to soon lead during her confirmation hearing on Friday, even as she promised to improve morale at the agency. Several DHS components have lost track of their missions and are in need of sweeping reforms, Gov. Kristi Noem, R-S.D., told the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, as she promised to reshape their focuses. Noem laid out a series of areas in which she would reverse course from current Biden administration policy, vowing to follow through on all Trump’s campaign promises. Among those changes would be building more wall and fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border, "on day one" getting rid of the CBP One app that allowed immigrants to sign up for scheduled interviews with DHS staff, reinstating the "Remain in Mexico" policy that requires migrants to stay outside the U.S. while awaiting an asylum interview and ending the policy that allows migrants to be released into the country after they are detained at the border. While Noem criticized much of DHS, she praised employees at Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which will play key roles in enforcing Trump’s restrictionist agenda. NBC News [1/17/2025 9:16 AM, Staff, 50804K, Negative] reports that Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., delivered his opening statement at the confirmation hearing for Gov. Kristi Noem to serve as the head as the Department of Homeland Security. Paul knocked the department’s past of "bureaucratic incompetence" and believed Noem could bring "transparency and accountability." [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

FOX News [1/17/2025 4:24 PM, Adam Shaw, 49889K, Positive] reports that Kristi Noem, President-elect Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security, was questioned Friday about how she would work with "border czar" Tom Homan and who is in charge of securing the U.S. border. Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., asked Noem at her Senate confirmation hearing who is "going to be in charge of the border," saying he was uncertain about how her role relates to Homan’s. "Well, the president will be in charge of the border. It’s a national security issue. And the president is in charge of this country and has made a promise to the American people, and we will fulfill his agenda," Noem replied. Kim said it was a "good answer" but sought clarification, asking what the division is between her and Homan. "I’m trying to get a better sense of who is in charge," he said. Noem called Homan "an incredible human being." "He is an adviser to the president, the border czar. I obviously will be, if nominated and confirmed, and put into the position of being the Department of Homeland Security secretary and responsible for the authorities that we have in the actions that we take," she said. Kim pushed back by quoting remarks by Homan saying he would be making decisions on border security and deportations.

The Hill [1/17/2025 3:31 PM, Zack Budryk, 16346K, Negative] reports that Democrats on the Senate Homeland Security Committee pressed Kristi Noem, President-elect Trump’s nominee for secretary of Homeland Security, on whether she would apply conditions to or withhold disaster aid based on politics at her confirmation hearing Friday. If confirmed, Noem, the former governor of South Dakota, would take office as wildfires ravage California. Both Trump and Noem have placed the blame for the devastating fires on Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), a Trump critic and frequent target, and multiple GOP lawmakers have suggested conditions should be attached to any federal aid. In his first term, Trump disregarded a request for wildfire aid from another rival, then-Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D). In a largely low-key hearing, Noem said unequivocally that she would not politicize aid as head of the Department of Homeland Security, a department that includes the Federal Emergency Management Agency. However, she was cagier on whether she would obey or refuse a directive from Trump to do the same. "I will deliver the programs according to the law, and that it will be done with no political bias," Noem said, adding that "every American deserves to be there and have disaster relief, the same as their neighbors."

AP [1/17/2025 6:04 PM, Staff, 47097K, Neutral] reports New York City Mayor Eric Adams said his meeting with President-elect Donald Trump on Friday included discussions of bringing manufacturing jobs back to the city and the Gaza ceasefire deal — but not the mayor’s federal bribery case. In a statement released Friday evening following the visit in Florida earlier in the day, the Democratic mayor said he and Trump "had a productive conversation about New York’s needs and what’s best for our city, and how the federal government can play a more helpful role in improving the lives of New Yorkers.” "To be clear, we did not discuss my legal case," he added. The mayor’s visit to see Trump had been castigated by several of his potential opponents in this year’s Democratic mayoral primary, who accused Adams of cozying up to Trump in an effort to get a presidential pardon. Adams hit back in the statement, saying that "those who suggest the mayor of the largest city in the nation shouldn’t meet with the incoming president to discuss our city’s priorities because of inaccurate speculation or because we’re from different parties clearly care more about politics than people.” A federal grand jury indicted Adams in September on charges that he accepted luxury travel perks and illegal campaign contributions from foreign nationals in exchange for favors that included helping Turkish diplomatic officials resolve issues with fire safety inspectors at a diplomatic building in Manhattan. He is scheduled to go on trial in April and has pleaded not guilty. Trump said in December that he was open to giving Adams a pardon and has criticized the case against him.

Reported similarly:
CBS New York [1/17/2025 7:28 PM, Marcia Kramer and Natalie Duddridge, 52225K, Neutral]

The Hill [1/17/2025 1:47 PM, Ashleigh Fields, 16346K, Negative] reports that the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe announced Friday it was lifting restrictions on South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem that barred her from stepping foot on its reservation land. The news comes as Noem, who was tapped by President-elect Trump to lead the Department of Homeland Security, faces Senate questioning during the confirmation process. Noem has publicly apologized for comments she made about the tribe that were deemed offensive. Tribe President Anthony Reider said the executive committee and leadership council voted to remove the ban in a Tuesday letter obtained by the local newspaper, the Argus Leader. "One of the stipulations contained in the banishment resolution was that you apologize for the comments that were made regarding tribal members and the education of tribal member children, which were deemed offensive by some," Reider wrote in the letter. "In several meetings before and after the resolution was passed, you not only explained your position, but apologized if the comments offended the Tribe," he continued. "You additionally sought advice on how to phrase such communications moving forward, which the tribe and I appreciated."

Washington Examiner [1/17/2025 11:02 AM, Emily Hallas, 2365K, Negative] reports that officials in El Cajon, California, postponed a vote on a city resolution giving local officials more freedom to assist President-elect Donald Trump’s promised effort to deport illegal immigrants. City staff are reworking language on the resolution after some residents expressed concern about the proposal during a city council meeting this week. Bill Wells, the city’s Republican mayor, spearheaded the measure to provide federal law enforcement more leeway to support Trump and his "border czar," Tom Homan, as they prepare to remove illegal immigrants from the country, particularly those who have committed violent crimes. The resolution seeks to address a 2017 California law, Senate Bill 54, that restricts the extent to which state and local law enforcement officials can cooperate with federal immigration authorities. However, some residents, among them Sergio Conti, expressed concern that the move would "destroy the life of many families that only want to work in peace and give a future to their children." The debate comes as Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D-CA) administration has vowed to resist Trump’s deportation effort, with Attorney General Rob Bonta warning his office would "step in" if state and local law enforcement agencies violate SB 54.

Los Angeles Times [1/17/2025 10:17 PM, Matthew Ormseth, 17996K, Negative] reports that, in 1989, Ronaldo Ayala was sentenced to death for murdering three men in a San Diego auto repair shop. Instead of facing the gas chamber at San Quentin, the reputed Mexican Mafia member turned death row into a base of power, law enforcement authorities and gang defectors say, collecting extortion payments, trafficking drugs and orchestrating acts of violence through a vast network of underlings from San Diego to Seattle. Ayala, 74, now faces racketeering charges brought by federal prosecutors in Sacramento, who allege the National City native conspired with members of the Sinaloa cartel to distribute methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl throughout the western United States. Ayala, who was transferred last year from San Quentin to Centinela state prison as Gov. Gavin Newsom shut down death row, has yet to enter a plea. It wasn’t clear Friday whether he was represented by a lawyer. In a bare-bones indictment made public Friday, prosecutors allege Ayala oversaw a partnership between the Mexican Mafia and the Sinaloa cartel, Mexico’s most powerful drug trafficking group, and offered protection to its former leader, Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. It wasn’t clear from the indictment whether Guzman accepted — or would even need — the alleged offer. The former kingpin is serving a life term at ADX Florence, a maximum security federal penitentiary in Colorado where he has no contact with other inmates. San Diego has produced many Mexican Mafia members, but none as powerful as Ayala, a witness told FBI agents in 2023.

The Hill [1/17/2025 1:30 PM, Anthony Enriquez, 16346K, Negative] reports that private prison executives look poised to pull off a multi-billion dollar cash grab at taxpayer expense via a cynical ploy to capitalize on the tragic death of a Georgia nursing student. This week, the Senate took up debate on the Laken Riley Act, which would expand mandatory immigration detention, after it was passed by the House. Current law already grants officials sweeping authority to arrest anyone they suspect lacks legal immigration status and to imprison them thousands of miles away in isolated jails in remote parts of the country. The law also already makes detention mandatory for people who lack a legal right to admission to the U.S. and for people convicted of certain crimes, including minor theft offenses. But the Laken Riley Act goes a step further by making immigration detention mandatory for people merely accused of theft offenses such as shoplifting — however minor those acts are considered in the jurisdiction where they occurred, however long ago they occurred and even without any evidence that they actually did occur. An adopted amendment to the bill adds additional grounds for mandatory detention based on accusations alone. The only way out of mandatory immigration detention is accepting deportation or winning an immigration case — even though such cases can take years to wind their way through court. Right now, over 700 people have been held for longer than a year in immigration detention, with nearly 10 percent of them held longer than two years.

New York Times [1/17/2025 12:08 AM, Zolan Kanno-Youngs and Hamed Aleaziz, 161405K, Negative] reports the incoming Trump administration intends to carry out “post-inauguration” immigration raids in Chicago next week, according to two people familiar with the planning and correspondence reviewed by New York Times, an opening step in President-elect Donald J. Trump’s goal to oversee the largest deportation operation in American history. The plan, called “Operation Safeguard” by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, would start on Tuesday, the day after Mr. Trump is inaugurated, and last until the following Monday, according to the people familiar with it and the correspondence. The dates were still being finalized, however, and could change. The size of the planned operation was unclear. ICE routinely conducts deportations in cities throughout the United States. But the agency was taking additional steps to ramp up enforcement for the operation and tied it to Mr. Trump’s inauguration in a message sent to personnel throughout the agency. Hundreds of agents were asked to volunteer and participate in the “post-inauguration” operation targeting immigrants in the United States illegally. ICE is planning on sending roughly 150 agents to Chicago for the raids. For Mr. Trump, the optics of immigration agents sporting ballistic gear and arresting immigrants with uncertain or contested status in a Democratic-led city could be enough. The incoming administration is eager to find ways to send a message that it is cracking down on undocumented immigrants and punishing so-called sanctuary cities — communities like Chicago that refuse to hand over immigrants detained by the police to federal immigration authorities. Don Terry, a spokesman for the Chicago police, said the department would not “intervene or interfere with any other government agencies performing their duties,” but said that it “does not document immigration status” and “will not share information with federal immigration authorities.” The planned raids were reported earlier by The Wall Street Journal. Tom Homan, Mr. Trump’s pick to oversee his promised mass deportations, has said the public should expect immigration action in the early days of the Trump presidency that creates “shock and awe.”

Reported similarly:
Wall Street Journal [1/17/2025 11:11 PM, Michelle Hackman, Joe Barrett and Paul Kiernan, Negative]

CBS News [1/17/2025 11:39 PM, Camilo Montoya-Galvez, Fin Gómez, 52225K, Neutral] reports the incoming Trump administration is planning to ramp up operations to arrest unauthorized immigrants across major U.S. cities next week after President-elect Donald Trump takes office, targeting "sanctuary" jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration officials, two sources familiar with the plans tell CBS News. The locations expected to be targeted by deportation teams from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement include those with large populations of immigrants, such as the Chicago area, one of the sources said. Asked on Fox News about a potential ICE operation in Chicago next week — a plan first reported by The Wall Street Journal — incoming White House "border czar" Tom Homan said "there’s gonna be a big raid all across the country." Trump has promised to stage a sweeping crackdown on illegal immigration immediately after being sworn in, pledging to oversee the largest deportation effort in U.S. history. The incoming administration is expected to quickly undo Biden administration rules that limit who ICE agents should prioritize for arrest and deportation, making most of those in the U.S. illegally subject to being detained and removed from the country. The Biden-era rules generally limited ICE enforcement to serious criminals, recent border-crossers and national security threats, largely shielding long-standing undocumented immigrants without criminal histories from deportation. Homan has also pledged to reinstate large-scale immigration arrests at worksites that hire workers living in the country unlawfully, a practice that was discontinued by the Biden administration. While Homan has said the incoming administration will still prioritize unauthorized immigrants with criminal records for arrest, he has stressed that no one in the country unlawfully will be exempted from immigration enforcement. If ICE agents find unauthorized immigrants who are not criminals during operations, they could be arrested in what are known as "collateral arrests," Homan has said.

Reuters [1/17/2025 6:10 AM, Leah Douglas, 48128K, Neutral] reports immigrant farmworkers are preparing for incoming U.S. president Donald Trump’s promise of mass deportations, including by assigning guardians for their children if they are detained, according to groups providing them legal support. Rising demand for such legal services reflects anxiety that Trump will follow through on a campaign vow to deport millions of undocumented immigrants once he is sworn in to office Jan. 20, something that could have an outsized impact on the country’s agricultural sector, which heavily relies on their labor. About half of hired farmworkers nationwide lack legal immigration status, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and farm trade groups have warned deporting them could bring the country’s food production to a halt. "The administration is not yet sworn in, but people are already afraid," said Sarait Martinez, executive director of the Centro Binacional para el Desarrollo Indígena Oaxaqueño (CBDIO), an organization that supports indigenous Mexican farmworkers in the Central Valley of California. Representatives of four U.S. rural and legal advocacy organizations, including CBDIO, told Reuters they have seen as much as a ten-fold increase in interest from immigrant farmworkers in workshops and resources they provide on what to do if confronted by immigration officials and how to ensure their family’s security if they are detained.

Yahoo! News [1/17/2025 7:47 AM, Sri Taylor, 57114K, Neutral] reports Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey pledged to work with the state’s legislature to reform an overloaded emergency shelter system that’s costing about $1 billion a year. The massive influx of people seeking shelter in Massachusetts is "due to a failure of federal border control and a nationwide housing crisis," Healey said Thursday evening in her annual State of the Commonwealth address. "I want to be absolutely clear: we’re dramatically reducing costs. We have — and we will — prioritize Massachusetts families.” The pledge builds on a proposal unveiled by Healey earlier this week to tighten access to Massachusetts shelters by requiring individuals to prove residency or provide documents showing an intent to remain in the state. Her plan would also eliminate presumed eligibility for shelter services. The changes would mark a dramatic overhaul of Massachusetts’ right-to-shelter law, the only one of its kind in the US and a policy dating back more than four decades. States across the US have seen a surge of migrants over the past several years, with some arriving by bus under a Texas program targeting liberal cities to protest federal immigration policies. The arrivals have strained resources and overwhelmed the shelter system. Healey’s call for reform comes days before President-elect Donald Trump is set to take office on Jan. 20 with a pledge to launch mass deportations of undocumented immigrants. The budget impact from overburdened shelter systems and signs that large swaths of voters backed Trump’s more aggressive approach has shifted the political calculus on immigration issues across the US. Healey, who is set to face reelection in 2026, devoted most of her speech Thursday to celebrating the accomplishments of the first half of her current term, including landmark economic development and housing bills and improvements in the reliability of the public transit system. "We focused on the stuff that matters — the stuff that matters to most people," Healey said, heralding the most recent legislative session as one of the most productive in Massachusetts history.

Yahoo! News [1/17/2025 11:54 AM, Dennis Bright, 57114K, Negative] reports that two Hartsville men are in custody after being accused of having materials depicting child sexual abuse, state authorities said. Michael Thomas Allen, 24, and Wyman Troy Manuel, 55, were booked into the W. Glenn Campbell Detention Center after their arrest on Wednesday. Their cases are not related. They were arrested after Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigators with the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office Investigators received a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Allen allegedly distributed child sexual abuse material, according to the attorney general’s office. Manuel allegedly possessed files of child sexual abuse material. The task force includes investigators from the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Secret Service. Allen was being held on a $40,000 bond on Friday after being charged with two counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, according to online jail records. He faces up to 10 years in prison for each count if convicted. Manuel was being held on a $50,000 bond on Friday after being charged with five third-degree counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Miami Herald [1/17/2025 3:50 PM, Milena Malaver, 6595K, Negative] reports that more than 20 Chinese migrants were found inside the back of a U-Haul truck in Coral Gables on Friday morning, according to police. Around 9:30 a.m., a Coral Gables police officer was flagged down by a witness who reported seeing a woman being forced into a car. Suspecting a possible abduction, the officer provided over police radio a description of two vehicles traveling together: a U-Haul van and a sedan, according to Coral Gables Police Department spokeswoman Natalie Flores. Officers stopped both vehicles simultaneously and discovered 21 individuals in the U-Haul. They are believed to be from China, said Flores. Based on interviews at the scene, authorities said theybelieve the group arrived early Friday morning, having been dropped off by a boat somewhere along Coral Gables’ waterways. "Our marine patrol did stop numerous boats leaving the area after this call came out, but they were not able to identify any vessels involved in the incident," Flores said. All of the migrants, who are adults, along with the drivers of both vehicles, were handed over to Homeland Security for further investigation. A Homeland Security Investigations spokesperson declined to comment on the case when reached Friday afternoon.

Yahoo! News [1/17/2025 4:27 PM, Jeffrey Schweers, Steven Lemongello, 57114K, Neutral] reports that Gov. Ron DeSantis wants the power to suspend or criminally charge local officials who don’t train at least 10% of their law enforcement staff to detain and deport undocumented immigrants or follow other tough new immigration rules he’s proposed. In a 4-page memo to legislative leaders, DeSantis said he wants to make it mandatory for all law enforcement agencies and local governments to cooperate with the Department of Homeland Security to help enforce federal immigration law. It is now voluntary. That includes training at least 10% of state and local law enforcement staff to help Immigration and Customs Enforcement round up, detain and deport immigrants who entered the country illegally. Elected officials and law enforcement officers who refuse to cooperate would face criminal charges and possible suspension. The memo details the governor’s proposals for the upcoming special session of the Florida Legislature he’s scheduled for the week of Jan. 27 and was obtained by the Orlando Sentinel late Thursday. DeSantis provided some details Wednesday, but the memo offers a clearer look at what he wants lawmakers to approve later this month.

Yahoo! News [1/17/2025 6:07 AM, Sophie Carson, 57114K, Negative] reports that, while one Milwaukee alderwoman is backtracking after she incorrectly called attention to a new "detention facility" for immigrant "prisoners," several of her Common Council colleagues continued to refer to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s planned office move as a "detention facility expansion.” The characterization of the offices as a jail or prison-like facility is inaccurate, according to the agency, city records and Ald. Larresa Taylor, who sent out the initial news release with the wording; a detention center is not planned for Milwaukee. The agency has been planning to move its downtown offices to a business park on the far northwest side since 2023. The ICE facility’s function is expected to remain the same as its downtown offices, Taylor said an ICE administrator told her after she sent the initial news release on Tuesday evening. That means immigrants facing deportation who are not detained would visit for the building for appointments, and detainees being transported to other facilities would stop there for processing. Despite that, a statement from seven Common Council members Thursday afternoon characterized the office move as an "ICE detention facility expansion," and said the agency was "possibly expanding its operations.” One of the signers, Ald. JoCasta Zamarripa, told the Journal Sentinel Thursday she was concerned the larger physical footprint of the new offices could allow ICE to change how it uses the space, such as facilitating a possible future mass deportation effort. But there was no evidence aside from the larger square footage of the building to suggest the purpose or scope of the ICE office being moved to the northwest side was expanding to hold detainees overnight in a jail or prison-like facility. A spokesperson for the agency confirmed to the Journal Sentinel that "there are no ICE detention facilities listed or planned for the location in question.” Taylor acknowledged to the Journal Sentinel on Thursday that she made a "correlation" between the planned ICE offices and a future 32-bed youth detention center in her district that faced resident opposition. She said she saw a proposal to add a sally port, which is a secure entryway often used in jails. It raised alarm bells, she said, since she is a former jail guard. She said she wanted the residents of her district to be aware that ICE could be moving into the area. "My entire intent was to say here’s a facility that is attempting to relocate into our district, and we need to be made aware of it," Taylor said. "We’re not going to let them slide in without making sure that the residents of District 9 are made aware that this facility is planning to come.”

CBS Austin [1/17/2025 12:56 PM, Jackson Walker, 581K, Neutral] reports that Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said Thursday his department will not assist federal agents in carrying out deportations of illegal migrants in the city. In a statement on its "updated immigration policing policy," the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) said its existing guidelines mandate MPD cannot involve itself in the affairs of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Updates to that policy aim to offer "clear guidance to officers during a time when community concerns are particularly prominent." "I recognize that the fear of deportation prevents some people from calling police in times of need or to report crime," O’Hara said. "I want to be clear that enforcement of civil immigration laws falls exclusively with the federal government—it is not the job of the MPD." "Any participation in immigration enforcement would have a chilling effect on our commitment to bias-free, community-oriented policing," he added. "I also want to be clear that the MPD will continue to address any criminal behavior that threatens the safety or wellbeing of others—regardless of immigration status." MPD’s updated policy now explicitly states the department is not responsible for enforcing federal immigration laws. The guidance also prohibits officers from asking about a person’s immigration status for any reason.

Border Report [1/17/2025 1:56 PM, Melissa Luna, 153K, Neutral] reports that an El Paso man was sentenced to over four years in prison on Wednesday after conspiring with others to transport migrants who had illegally entered the U.S. from April 2021 through November 2023, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas. The U.S. Attorney’s Office says since 2021, Mark Anthony Holguin, 28, supervised a smuggling organization that helped transport a significant number of migrants from Mexico into the U.S. at El Paso and Santa Teresa, New Mexico. "The outcome of this criminal case should remind those involved in human smuggling that their criminal actions are neither going unnoticed nor undetected," said Jason T. Stevens, special agent in charge for HSI El Paso. "HSI El Paso, jointly with our federal partners, is working tirelessly to secure our borders by identifying, arresting, and prosecuting transnational criminal organizations members responsible for illegally transporting people into and through our country." U.S. Border Patrol and Department of Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.

Washington Examiner [1/17/2025 2:04 PM, Emily Hallas, 2365K, Negative] reports that the Edge at Lowry will close in February due to "an immediate threat to public safety and welfare if allowed to remain open," according to the judge’s orders last Friday. The announcement brings an end to the complex’s yearslong saga with Tren de Aragua, the notorious Venezuelan criminal ring whose activity in the apartment buildings captured the country’s attention over the summer and spurred heated debate over the extent of the gang’s presence in the city. "This place is basically a cancer to the community. And we as a group of stakeholders, as community members, as law enforcement, as the city family, decided this is not going to be tolerated in Aurora," Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain said during a briefing responding to the closure. He had previously written that the complex "is an epicenter for unmitigated violent crimes and property crimes perpetuated by a criminal element that has exerted control and fear over others residing at this apartment complex.” Ever since a viral video depicting suspected TdA members prowling with guns at the apartment complex captured the country’s attention in September, Aurora officials have been at odds over the extent of the gang activity in the buildings. Some suggested TdA had "taken over" the complex. Others said claims that TdA had done so were grossly exaggerated.

CBS Austin [1/17/2025 5:40 PM, Jackson Walker, 581K, Negative] reports Douglas County, Colorado’s board of commissioners on Tuesday approved a resolution in support of President-elect Donald Trump’s mass deportation plan. The unanimous vote confirmed Douglas’s status as a "non-sanctuary county." Included in the resolution is support for citizens of other countries who are present in the U.S. legally. It also "formally opposes those who use their positions to hinder actionable solutions to the many problems arising from illegal immigration.” My colleagues and I are listening to citizens and instead of turning a blind eye, we’re going to lean into it and do the right thing," Commissioner Abe Laydon said in a video on the decision. "We’re declaring out loud we will deport immigrants who come here and commit crimes," Commissioner George Teal added over footage of a group of people robbing a jewelry store. Under the resolution, the county will "actively oppose the laws, officials and institutions" which "conspire to disrupt" Trump’s plans. The resolution also calls for similar policies to be implemented throughout the state of Colorado. "As a Board, we swore an oath to uphold the United States Constitution and protect the health, safety, and welfare of our community. It’s an oath we take seriously and live daily," Commissioner Kevin Van Winkle said. "Illegal immigration creates safety concerns, including for migrants, who frequently become the victims of crime and abuse.” The incoming Trump administration has drawn a flurry of responses from local jurisdictions, many in response to the illegal immigration plans. The Berkeley, California City Council is scheduled to vote Tuesday on a resolution reaffirming the city’s sanctuary status.

Axios [1/17/2025 2:16 PM, Alayna Alvarez, 16349K, Neutral] reports that Denver Public Schools is bracing for possible immigration raids on students and directing principals to lock down campuses if federal immigration agents come knocking. Why it matters: President-elect Trump has pledged the "largest deportation" in U.S. history and suggested rolling back long-standing policies that restrict immigration enforcement in sensitive locations, like schools. By the numbers: DPS enrolled more than 4,700 immigrant students from Venezuela, Colombia and Mexico last year, the Denver Post reports. The latest: Superintendent Alex Marrero issued guidance to principals this week after staff and families raised concerns about potential Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) presence on school grounds. The memo reaffirms DPS policy: Federal immigration enforcement is prohibited "at schools, on transportation routes, on DPS property or during school activities." Zoom in: School leaders should deny entry to any government official who arrives without prior appointments or legitimate school business, the memo states. In that instance, schools should also initiate "secure perimeter" protocols, locking all exterior doors and halting all entries or exits from school buildings.

Newsweek [1/17/2025 6:52 PM, Dan Gooding, 56005K, Negative] reports that leaders of a California city want to defy the state’s sanctuary laws and support President-elect Donald Trump’s immigration plans, including mass deportations. Huntington Beach Mayor Pat Burns said Thursday that he wants to see his city declared a "Non-Sanctuary City," pointing to a rise in violent crime across the state as one reason for doing so. Newsweek reached out to Governor Gavin Newsom’s office for comment via email. Trump is expected to enact his wide-sweeping immigration policies as early as Monday following his inauguration, including mass deportations. Many Democrat-led cities and states have doubled down on their sanctuary policies, which prevent local law enforcement from assisting federal immigration authorities. Burns is calling on the Huntington Beach City Council to vote on his motion on Tuesday, the day after Trump returns to the White House. The document says California’s sanctuary law, SB 54, "has hindered the city’s ability" to allow local law enforcement to work with agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In declaring the city as exempt from California’s laws, Burns’ motion says it would emphasize "the City’s dedication to reducing crime, safeguarding its citizens, and collaborating with federal agencies to enhance public safety" for roughly 200,000 residents, allowing local police to work with the federal government.

FOX News [1/17/2025 4:00 PM, Kendall tietz, 49889K, Neutral] reports that a southern California town with a large migrant population is considering a motion that would revoke the city’s sanctuary city status, prompting backlash from residents. The motion, debated in San Diego’s El Cajon City Council this week, would also assist federal immigration authorities in their deportation efforts "to the maximum legal extent permissible." President-elect Donald Trump has announced his intent to enact a multi-billion dollar mass deportation plan. City council members discussed "the possibility of declaring the City of El Cajon as a non-sanctuary city," according to minutes from the meeting. Mayor Bill Wells, who proposed the resolution, said the move was an attempt to get clarification on the town’s legal responsibilities since California’s Senate Bill 54 prohibits local law enforcement from assisting federal immigration efforts. "We have the federal government saying we could be prosecuted if we don’t cooperate with them, we’ve got the state government saying our police officers could be prosecuted if they do cooperate with the federal government," Wells told CBS 8. After Trump won a second term, California Gov. Gavin Newsom vowed to "Trump-proof" California’s laws. A vote on the controversial resolution was postponed following reaction from local residents, CBS 8 reported. The resolution will be returned to city staff for revision.

New York Times [1/18/2025 5:01 AM, Staff, 161405K, Neutral] reports that, when the 14th Amendment was ratified in 1868, it defined the United States nearly as deeply as the nation’s founding documents. “It’s certainly the most important change in the Constitution since the Bill of Rights,” the historian Eric Foner told me. The amendment grants citizenship to almost everyone born inside the country — a rare policy for an advanced economy in the 21st century. Among the 20 most developed countries in the world, only Canada and the United States allocate citizenship using the legal principle of jus soli, the right of soil. President-elect Donald J. Trump has vowed to overturn territorial birthright citizenship. “We’re going to have to get it changed,” he told NBC News during his first extended interview after winning the election in November. “We’re going to end that because it’s ridiculous.” Trump has said that he will release an executive order denying birthright citizenship to the children of “illegal aliens” on the first day that he takes office. Members of his team have told New York Times that his administration will not issue passports and Social Security cards to children born to undocumented parents. These moves will inevitably be challenged in court, where the fate of birthright citizenship is likely to be decided.

AP [1/18/2025 12:26 AM, Staff, 33392K, Neutral] reports resettlement agencies have raced to welcome refugees before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. The Republican vowed to “suspend refugee resettlement”. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Miami Herald [1/17/2025 9:24 AM, Lautaro Grinspan, 6595K, Neutral] reports that last week, President Joe Biden’s Department of Homeland Security extended temporary deportation protections to roughly one million U.S. immigrants. It was a sweeping move that brings a measure of stability to immigrant households nationwide ahead of an imminent crackdown promised by President-elect Donald Trump, who is just days away from returning to the White House. The deportation protections are part of a program dubbed Temporary Protected Status, which also allows recipients to access work permits. There are over 40,000 immigrants with TPS in Georgia - the fifth largest such population across all states, according to a December report from the Congressional Research Service. The outgoing Biden administration’s decision to extend TPS, which applies to people already in the U.S. from Sudan, Ukraine, El Salvador and Venezuela, is expected to impact thousands of people who live in Georgia. Their legal status in the country, which was set to lapse this spring, will now remain in effect for an additional 18 months after they reregister for the program. "This is good. I’m glad Biden did it. It at least provides some relief to people who were obviously already nervous, right?" said Jennifer Hamamoto, an immigration attorney and managing director of immigration at the Latin American Association, a nonprofit headquartered on Buford Highway. "We need to celebrate the victories that we do get."

Chicago Tribune [1/17/2025 6:00 AM, Laura Rodríguez Presa, 4917K, Neutral] reports that, when recently arrived migrants, mostly from Venezuela, received expedited work permits from the Biden administration, Mexican undocumented workers who had waited for years felt anger and disappointment. "A lot of the people that are struggling and who have been waiting for a job permit for years got passed over and it made a lot of people mad," said Sanchez, a Chicago restaurant owner and National Restaurant Association board member. Sanchez advocated at the White House for job permits, but when that effort failed, he and other Latino business leaders supported Donald Trump in the election, blaming Democrats for decades of failure on immigration reform. Now, Sanchez and others have formed Comité de 100, a coalition of Mexican American business leaders advocating for bipartisan immigration reform, border security, and legal status for "Dreamers" and long-term undocumented workers. Representing industries like agriculture, hospitality, and construction, they seek to work with the Republican-majority Congress. They aim to secure legal protections for undocumented immigrants, including a pathway to legalization and a focus on violent criminals in immigration enforcement. Comité de 100 members argue that Mexicans, who make up 60% of Latinos in the U.S., are essential to the economy, contributing $2.16 trillion to the Latino GDP and paying $42.6 billion in taxes without public benefits. Leaders like Sanchez and Sandoval, CEO of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, emphasize the need for recognition of their contributions while addressing broken immigration systems. Sanchez acknowledges the risks of working with Republicans as a longtime Democrat but says, "The Republican Party has control...and now with listening to this mass deportation and all my employees and family friends that are scared, I don’t have a choice."

Yahoo! News [1/17/2025 5:46 PM, Jordan Honeycutt, 57114K, Positive] reports that, after a naturalization ceremony in Albuquerque on Friday, New Mexico now has more than a hundred new U.S. citizens. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services welcomed 123 new citizens at the Albuquerque Convention Center on Friday. U.S. Magistrate Judge Jennifer M. Rozzoni delivered opening remarks and administered the oath of allegiance. “While today is your final step in your journey to citizenship, it is just the very first step in your journey as an American citizen…You have lived and served in this country for many years before today. Each of you are valuable members of your communities,” said Judge Rozzoni. The new citizens come from 36 different countries, including Cuba, France, New Zealand, Mexico, and Ukraine. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Washington Examiner [1/17/2025 12:59 PM, Anna Giaritelli, 2365K, Neutral] reports that U.S. Border Patrol Chief Jason Owens has been replaced at the federal law enforcement organization, and the Trump administration has selected Texas’s top border official, Mike Banks, to fill his boots starting Monday. The Washington Examiner confirmed Friday morning that Banks will start his role at the 20,000-person Border Patrol during "Trump’s swearing-in" at the Capitol on Inauguration Day. Banks is a two-decade retired Border Patrol agent who signed on as the "border czar" for Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) two years ago to oversee the state and local law enforcement’s Operation Lone Star border security initiative and cooperation with federal immigration and customs authorities. Owens will not technically leave the office for another three months, though Banks will be on the job next week, according to sources familiar with the plans. Owens submitted a letter to select colleagues in which he informed them of his forthcoming departure in three months. "On April 30th, I will retire from the United States Border Patrol," Owens wrote in the letter, which was obtained by the Washington Examiner. "Looking ahead, I will leave with a profound sense of optimism about its future and that of our country. I will take comfort knowing that you are on our frontline, standing between the innocent and the evil."

Reported similarly:
Washington Post [1/18/2025 6:00 AM, Nick Miroff, 40736K, Neutral]

FOX News [1/17/2025 5:30 PM, Adam Shaw and Griff Jenkins, 49889K, Neutral] reports Border Patrol Chief Jason Owens is stepping down from his role as head of the agency – telling Fox News that his agents have given 100% in difficult conditions, including some of the worst conditions he’s seen in his entire career. Owens, who was promoted to Border Patrol Chief in 2023, is retiring in April. Texas Border Czar Mike Banks will be tapped to be the next chief. Owens spoke to Fox News about his time as chief during some of the most intense moments of the crisis at the southern border. He said it was "bittersweet" because it is the end of a chapter in his life. "But at the same time, it’s a happy one because I feel like I made my difference, and it’s time to hand it off to the next generation.” Fox asked him about the surge in border crossings his men and women dealt with – including the surge in 2021 in Del Rio and overwhelming numbers at Eagle Pass, Texas. "I hadn’t seen anything like that. And it’s that was as bad as I had seen it in my entire career. And at every moment, the men and women are trying to find a way to take care of that so that they could get back out there on patrol and keep the bad actors from coming in," he said. Outgoing DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas praised Owens in a statement, saying he "embodies the ethos of the United States Border Patrol – ‘Honor First.’. "Chief Owens has dedicated his life to public service. Throughout his career in the Border Patrol – from his first assignment at Calexico Station to his command of the elite BORTAC unit in El Paso, from his leadership of the USBP Academy to the Laredo Sector, Del Rio Sector, Washington, D.C., and many duty stations in-between – he has always stepped up and stepped in whenever the challenges have been greatest, and wherever his talents have been most needed. He rose through the ranks of the Border Patrol by virtue of his extraordinary leadership and his bravery, integrity, and decency," he said. "It is these qualities that made Chief Owens the best and right person to lead the Border Patrol during an intensely difficult time. I am grateful that he accepted the challenge, just as he has accepted so many others throughout his distinguished law enforcement career. The Border Patrol, and the Department of Homeland Security, are stronger today because of Chief Owens," he said.

CBS News [1/17/2025 4:14 PM, Ken Molestina, Lexi Salazar, and Katie Standing, 52225K, Negative] reports that while law enforcement efforts to secure Texas’ border with Mexico have come under heavy criticism in the past years by immigrant rights advocates, many law enforcement officials say they are feeling positive as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House. Even in the weeks leading up to Trump’s inauguration, some migrants are still trying to cross the border illegally, although the numbers have dropped dramatically. One of the most criticized border security efforts in Texas has been the controversial Operation Lone Star, launched by Gov. Greg Abbott in 2021. He deployed Texas DPS troopers to border hot spots to help deter illegal crossings and ordered them to arrest those who are in the country illegally for state crimes they commit. DPS Lt. Christopher Olivarez, a spokesman for Operation Lone Star, said in an interview that he thinks the next Trump presidency will help their efforts on the border. "I think it’s also going to make it more efficient. Now that we have support now at the federal level. Something we have been wanting for the last four years. I think it’s going to be helpful to us and the governor and what he has been able to do with Operation Lone Star," Olivarez said. Operation Lone Star leaders, as well as Abbott, have long claimed the Biden administration failed to give them any support or guidance in mitigating the unprecedented spike in illegal border crossings along the Texas-Mexico border.

New York Times [1/18/2025 5:08 AM, James Wagner, Simon Romero and César Rodríguez, 161405K, Neutral] reports migrants used to gather by the hundreds in encampments in Ciudad Juárez, on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande, waiting for a chance to cross into the United States. But as President-elect Donald J. Trump prepares to take office on Monday, few people could be found this past week on the once-teeming embankments. All that remained were extinguished campfires, discarded shoes, shirts and toothbrushes. One Mexican city after another has reported a similar situation along the border with the United States, where the number of migrants has steadily dropped in recent months. The decline has been attributed largely to hardened restrictions introduced by the Biden administration and by Mexican and Panamanian officials meant to deter migration. As President Biden came under increasing pressure during his re-election campaign to curb migration flows, he issued in June an executive order effectively blocking undocumented migrants from receiving asylum. That month, U.S. border officials recorded 83,532 illegal crossings, a significant drop from the previous month’s 117,905.

Reuters [1/17/2025 2:07 PM, Staff, 48128K, Neutral] reports that the Biden administration on Friday issued last-minute proposed rules to curb duty-free imports under the $800 "de minimis" threshold, denying the low-value shipments exemption for goods that are subject to other punitive U.S. tariffs. The move marks a setback for e-commerce firms, including China-based Shein and PDD Holdings’ (PDD.O), Temu, which have exploited the de minimis threshold to ship millions of small packages a day to U.S. customers. The Biden administration first announced in September that it was taking steps to curb the trade "loophole" that it blames for shipments of fentanyl precursor chemicals to evade customs inspection and tariffs. U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency said the proposed rules would deny duty-free exemptions to low-value packages containing goods subject to Section 301 tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of Chinese imports, including many apparel items. They also would eliminate similar exemptions to goods subject to Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum and Section 201 duties on solar products. In addition, small package shippers also will be required to include the 10-digit Harmonized Tariff Schedule classifications for the package contents in order to claim the exemption. The move will allow customs officials to better identify and interdict illicit goods. Yahoo! News [1/17/2025 4:07 PM, Staff, 57114K, Neutral] reports "Both the volume and combined worth of low-value, or de minimis, shipments to the United States have risen significantly over the past ten years," said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas in a statement.He added that the exemption has "undermined American businesses and workers" while allowing foreign products to flood US ports of entry, making it harder to screen the goods for security risks. "The actions announced today to tighten this exemption will strengthen America’s economic and national security," he said. The number of shipments claiming the exemption rose from about 139 million in fiscal year 2015 to more than a billion in 2023. US officials have pointed to the growth of Chinese-founded online retailers Shein and Temu -- known for selling items at low prices -- as a key factor behind this increase.

Los Angeles Times [1/17/2025 6:00 AM, Andrea Castillo and Koko Nakajima, 17996K, Neutral] reports a historic uptick in migration during Joe Biden’s presidency led to attacks as he ran for reelection, with Donald Trump and fellow Republicans blaming Democrats for the swelling number of people crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. Now, after campaigning on promises to secure the border and deport undocumented immigrants, President-elect Trump is poised to take office Monday amid a steep drop in border crossings. Here are five key facts about migration across the U.S.-Mexico border over the last several years. When Trump left office in January 2021, people were stopped at the southern border more than 78,000 times that month, according to figures from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. That’s compared with roughly 96,000 stops last month. The highest monthly total during the Biden administration was nearly 302,000 in December 2023, and Trump’s highest total was just over 144,000 in May 2019. These figures include arrivals at land ports of entry, where asylum seekers wait for appointments to enter legally, as well as those caught crossing illegally elsewhere along the border. Figures from November and December showed, for the first time, more migrants being processed through ports of entry than those who were arrested after entering the U.S. illegally. In June, the Biden administration began effectively blocking migrants from seeking asylum along the U.S. border with Mexico. The restrictions don’t apply to those who enter at official ports of entry or use other legal means. For parts of last year, San Diego became the top destination for illegal crossings along the U.S.-Mexico border for the first time in decades. The change reflects how smuggling routes, which used to be consistent for many years, have begun to shift every few months since 2021. That’s in part because of the post-pandemic increase in global migration to the U.S. The San Diego region saw 10,117 border arrests in December — the second-highest after the Rio Grande Valley in Texas — though that’s down by 70% from a year earlier. In the weeks leading up to Trump’s inauguration, most regions across the border have seen little change in arrivals of migrants. But Chief Border Patrol Agent Gloria Chavez of the Rio Grande Valley Sector in south Texas, who posts local arrest numbers on social media every week, reported 1,206 migrant stops over the final weekend of December, and 1,276 the weekend before. That’s double the number in recent weeks of fewer than 600 arrests. “It is the first quantitative indicator of an increase in migration since the U.S. election, which raised expectations — so far unmet — that many migrants might rush to enter the United States before Election Day,” Adam Isacson, director of defense oversight at the advocacy organization the Washington Office on Latin America, wrote in a recent newsletter. That trend appeared to have waned in the new year, with Chavez reporting 669 arrests the weekend that ended Jan. 5 and 699 arrests the weekend that ended Jan. 12.

BorderReport [1/17/2025 6:26 PM, Fernie Ortiz and Sandra Sanchez, 153K, Neutral] reports U.S. Border Patrol agents from Texas are heading to Washington, D.C., for Inauguration Day on Monday. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials say agents from the Rio Grande Valley Sector are helping secure the Inauguration, adding that the deployment for the security detail is a "very short duration.” CBP could not say how many agents are going because "staffing levels of law enforcement operations are law enforcement sensitive.” "CBP is contributing assets and uniformed personnel in support of our federal, state, and local partners who are executing the security plan for the Presidential Inauguration," a CBP spokesperson told Border Report. "Our collective goal is to ensure that principals, guests, and attendees can celebrate the Presidential Inauguration in a safe and secure environment.” Agents from the Border Patrol’s El Paso Sector will also be in Washington on Monday. However, a Border Patrol spokesman said only the Honor Guard Unit from El Paso will be sent to Washington. On Friday, organizers decided to move the inauguration indoors to inside the Capitol Rotunda due to the frigid cold forecast for Monday. "The weather forecast for Washington, D.C., with the windchill factor, could take temperatures into severe record lows," Trump posted on social media. "There is an Arctic blast sweeping the Country. I don’t want to see people hurt, or injured, in any way.”

FOX News [1/17/2025 6:58 PM, Louis Casiano, 57114K, Neutral] reports a group of more than 30 migrants, most of them Chinese citizens, was found inside a U-Haul truck Friday after a report of an alleged abduction, Florida authorities said. The discovery began when a security guard for a homeowners association in the Miami suburb of Coral Gables reported seeing an abduction around 9:35 a.m., Coral Gables Police Chief Edward James Hudak Jr. told reporters. The guard reported seeing a Toyota and a U-Haul truck involved in the incident and immediately alerted a patrol officer, the chief said. The officer then issued a BOLO, a be on the lookout alert, for the vehicles. The vehicles were stopped by officers, and the woman who was allegedly abducted was taken from the Toyota. Officers then began investigating the U-Haul truck, which had 16 Chinese females, 15 Chinese males, one male from Cuba and a female from Ecuador, according to police. "Officers opened the back of the truck, which revealed 21 predominantly Chinese nationals," Hudak said. In addition to the migrants in the Toyota were a Cuban man, a Brazilian woman and a man from Ecuador, police said. "We do believe these individuals were brought here by the water," the chief said. "They were probably dropped off, we’re assuming somewhere around the southern end of Coral Gables and approached on foot to the van where they were loaded into." Investigators were looking into whether the woman who was possibly being abducted was trying to escape her alleged smugglers. The Coral Gables Fire Department responded to provide medical care to the migrants, who were "tired" but in good condition, police said. "Today’s event is a prime example of why FDLE is supportive of the governor’s proposed special session to tackle illegal immigration immediately," Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass said. "The actions of law enforcement are an integral part in preventing these smuggling ventures that happen too frequently on our southern border."

San Diego Union Tribune [1/17/2025 7:30 PM, Alexandra Mendoza, 2212K, Neutral] reports the year ended with the lowest number of migrant encounters along the U.S.-Mexico border in a long time, with San Diego no longer the busiest crossing route in December as traffic spiked in Texas, according to the latest data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It’s an outcome that the Biden administration on Friday took one last opportunity to tout — days before President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House and is expected to issue orders cracking down on the border. In December, the number of migrant encounters between ports of entry along the Southwest border dropped to about 47,300 — the lowest level since August 2020, said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in a press call Friday. Mayorkas said the decline has been a “consistent trend” since Biden’s executive order to restrict asylum eligibility for those who cross the border illegally went into effect in June. The number of migrant encounters within the U.S. Border Patrol’s San Diego sector dropped 60% from June to December, and 72% from April, when the sector was the busiest along the U.S.-Mexico border for the first time last year. Last month, the Rio Grande Valley sector took over as the busiest crossing corridor — just barely — with 10,128 encounters, 11 more than San Diego. Overall, the Tucson sector logged the most Border Patrol apprehensions in calendar 2024, with some 290,000, according to an analysis of CBP data. San Diego ranked second, with more than 263,000.

San Francisco Chronicle [1/17/2025 5:00 PM, Dan DeBree, 4368K, Neutral] reports over the past half-decade, the state of Texas has been pushing an evolution in the administration and enforcement of immigration law. Stepping into a traditional federal role, state lawmakers in 2023 passed Senate Bill 4, allowing Texas police to arrest those illegally crossing the border from Mexico. But that law, which survived court challenges, is not the only place where the state has taken on traditional federal responsibilities. The Conversation’s senior politics editor, Naomi Schalit, spoke with Texas A&M professor Dan DeBree, a former Homeland Security official and Air Force veteran, about the other moves Texas has made that likely put it in a position to be a key player in carrying out immigration enforcement actions by the Trump administration. Texas is the epicenter of the struggle between federal and state entities. Traditionally, immigration and border security has been the role of federal law enforcement agencies, first and foremost Customs and Border Protection, which includes the Border Patrol. Another essential federal agency is Immigration and Customs Enforcement, more commonly known as ICE. One portion of ICE – enforcement and removal operations – is responsible for conducting deportations and taking people back to their country of origin. Customs and Border Protection is concentrated along the southern border. They cooperate closely with Texas and its Department of Public Safety. Traditionally, the Texas Department of Public Safety would not be primarily responsible for apprehending border crossers. On the border, that is purely the purview of Customs and Border Patrol. And for a long time now, the National Guard, whether it be the Texas National Guard or from other states, has had a role in border security too. The Texas National Guard is deployed within Texas.

Yahoo! News [1/17/2025 6:29 PM, Staff, 57114K, Negative] reports US law enforcement agents carried out exercises using barbed wire and concrete blocks Friday at a crossing on the border with Mexico as tensions crept up ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. Vehicle crossings on an international bridge connecting Ciudad Juarez and El Paso, Texas were halted for about 40 minutes while US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers carried out training, an AFP journalist said. According to the CBP office in El Paso, the exercises began in 2019 and aim to ensure that agents are prepared for potential border incidents. Residents in Ciudad Juarez said the exercises have multiplied as Trump prepares to take office on Monday, having vowed the largest deportation of undocumented migrants in the history of the United States. "This is the second closure I’ve seen this week," said Yadira Martinez, who was among those trying to cross. Ciudad Juarez is one of the main gateways to the United States for migrants fleeing poverty, violence or political instability in their countries. It is also one of the official entry points for migrants with appointments to file an asylum application through the US government’s cellphone app CBP One. Earlier this week another Mexican border city, Tijuana, declared an emergency to free up funds to deal with the potential arrival of deportees. Trump, who repeatedly called the arrival of migrants an "invasion," has promised to declare a national emergency at the border with Mexico after taking office and to expel millions who lack residency papers.

Yahoo! News [1/17/2025 8:51 PM, Omar Ornelas, 57114K, Neutral] reports work is underway to close off a man-made tunnel linking El Paso to Juárez at the U.S.-Mexico border, authorities said. "The government of the United States initiated the covering of the man-made tunnel that they found last week," Claudio Herrera, a Border Patrol spokesperson, said. "It is going to be covered by concrete the access portion of it in the United States." Several Border Patrol agents and other men were seen working Thursday near the access point to the tunnel on U.S. territory. They were using sacks of concrete mix for the project. "It is going to take some time, but we pretty much initiated the first phase of covering the tunnel with concrete," Herrera said. The "sophisticated cross-border tunnel" Jan. 8, according to the news release. Narco traffickers and human smugglers have used tunnels along the U.S. border to avoid detection for years. This is the first tunnel discovered recently in El Paso. Homeland Security Investigations officials described the tunnel as being about 4-feet wide and 6-feet high connecting to El Paso’s Boone Street storm-drain system. The tunnel was reinforced with wood beams and outfitted with electrical and ventilation systems. Investigators said the tunnel "appears to be constructed within the past year." HSI is the investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees U.S. southern border security efforts. “We are proud of the agents who discovered this smuggling infrastructure used by transnational criminal organizations,” said El Paso Sector Chief Patrol Agent Anthony Scott Good upon making the tunnel’s discovery public. Meanwhile, U.S. and Mexico officials are working together to learn more about the tunnel and its use and to identify the parties responsible for its construction. "The investigations regarding the man-made tunnel found last week they are still ongoing, " Herrera said. "HSI is in charge of those investigations working with the government of Mexico to try to bring those individuals responsible of doing so to law."

Univision [1/17/2025 12:17 PM, Patricia Clarembaux, 7281K, Negative] reports that the orange fields in Bakersfield, California, have had fewer workers for a week. The same goes for the area around Home Depot, where there are no longer thirty day laborers waiting for those who require their services, but rather about five. There are those who are even afraid to go to the store to buy food, and their relatives or friends with documents do the errands for them. Last week marked the communities of this county, Kern. The phones of workers’ rights organizations did not stop ringing with warnings that Border Patrol officials were detaining community members around farms, on the streets, at gas stations and even on the main highway in California’s Central Valley, Highway 99. "They carried out what certainly seemed to us to be stops and detentions based on the profile of Spanish-speaking workers. They arrested mostly agricultural workers in and around Bakersfield, as well as some construction workers," said Antonio De Loera, communications director of the United Farm Workers organization, which defends the rights of farm workers, at a press conference. They claim that among those detained were even U.S. citizens and permanent residents, like Yolanda, interviewed in the video at the beginning of this article. Bakersfield is a populous city two hours north of Los Angeles, California. Just over half of its 413,381 inhabitants are Hispanic or Latino, according to Census figures. The area where the Border Patrol carried out its ‘Return to Sender’ operation is described by activists as an area of agricultural production, of fruits and nuts that are sold throughout the country. And on the days when the arrests took place – between Tuesday and Friday of last week – the farmers were working in the lemon and orange harvest.

Yahoo! News [1/17/2025 6:02 PM, Rhea Caoile, 57114K, Negative] reports another narcotic smuggling attempt along Interstate 5 was thwarted by U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the San Diego Sector last week, according to a release from U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Friday. On Jan. 10, around 10:30 a.m., agents stopped a suspicious vehicle near the Basilone Road exit which is near San Onofre State Park, CBP said. After an inspection by a K-9 unit, agents found multiple packages wrapped in cellophane within the vehicle. The vehicle and driver were then taken to a nearby Border Patrol station, according to CBP. A total of 22 packages containing narcotics such as methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl were removed from the vehicle. Together, the packages contained over 11 pounds of methamphetamine, more than five pounds of heroin and at least 34 pounds of fentanyl, all estimated to have a street value of nearly $300,000, authorities said. The driver and the drugs were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration while the vehicle was seized by Border Patrol. In fiscal year 2024, agents in the San Diego Sector have seized 2,862 pounds of cocaine, 4,276 pounds of methamphetamine, 67 pounds of heroin and 782 pounds of fentanyl, according to the release.

Yahoo! News [1/18/2025 12:13 AM, Domenick Candelieri, 57114K, Neutral] reports two people were detained last weekend after Customs and Border Protection officers at the Calexico East Port of Entry found liquid methamphetamine hidden in the gas tank of a vehicle. The discovery occurred Saturday afternoon during an inspection of a 2002 SUV applying for admission into the United States, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a news release Friday. CBP officers searched the vehicle, finding a total of 254.85 pounds of gasoline that tested positive for methamphetamine. “Drug traffickers will go to great lengths in their attempts to deceive our officers,” said Roque Caza, Calexico Area Port Director. “I’m proud of our highly trained officers working diligently every day to combat these dangerous drugs that have claimed so many lives.” The vehicle and drugs were seized by law enforcement, while the driver and passenger were turned over to Homeland Security Investigations for further processing.

CNN [1/18/2025 5:00 AM, David Culver, Yong Xiong, Norma Galeana, Evelio Contreras and Rachel Clarke, 22417K, Positive] reports the huge industrial park sprawls across the rural landscape with row upon row of warehouse-sized manufacturing units. Logos and signs plastered with red and gold — lucky colors in Chinese tradition — brighten the otherwise gray exteriors while aromas of Peking duck come from an on-site canteen. But this development is thousands of miles from Beijing or Shanghai — and just a few hours’ drive from the Texas border, in northern Mexico. With street signs in both Chinese and Spanish and the flag of the People’s Republic flying high alongside that of Mexico, this is one of many “industrial Chinatowns” that have been created in recent years around Monterrey, turning farmland to factories and boosting the local and national economies. Much of the growth owes to the phenomenon of “nearshoring” — Chinese companies moving production to Mexico to have tariff-free access to the US market under the USMCA trade deal. President-elect Donald Trump negotiated that deal with Mexico and Canada in his first administration but is now threatening tariffs on Mexico and other countries and an “External Revenue Service” to collect dues. With days until the beginning of Trump’s second term, these companies and their Mexican hosts are now planning their options if the trade restrictions come. Matt Harrison, president of Kuka Home North America, which has a furniture manufacturing base in Monterrey, fears the future could be bleak. “Simply put, 25% tariff on Mexico puts me out of business,” Harrison said, “We’re waiting to see what happens when Trump moves into office — if we can continue to grow or not.” “Even with a 25% tariff on Mexican goods, many companies believe it’s still a better option than manufacturing in China,” he told CNN.

CBS Detroit [1/17/2025 3:11 PM, Paula Wethington, 52225K, Negative] reports that airline passengers attempted to bring significantly fewer firearms into security checkpoints at Detroit Metropolitan Airport during 2024 as compared to recent years, the Transportation Security Administration reported. There were 60 such weapons detected and stopped last year at the DTW checkpoints, compared to 96 during 2013, 100 during 2022 and 94 during 2021. In addition, Detroit passengers brought guns to the airport at a rate less than the national average in 2024. Those details were among those in a press release the TSA issued Friday, relating the agency’s efforts for screening those preparing to board commercial aircraft at airports and preventing dangerous items from those planes. The TSA was created in November 2001 and is an agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Yahoo! News [1/17/2025 3:12 PM, Jeffrey Schweers, Steven Lemongello, 57114K, Positive] reports that a record number of firearms were detected at South Carolina airport security checkpoints in 2024. One firearm was discovered for every 79,866 passengers screened at checkpoints, according to Transportation Security Administration. 99 guns were discovered in total, up from 87 last year. Charleston International Airport led the state with 40 firearms found, which is up 13 over 2023. Greenville-Spartanburg International matched their 2023 number of 32. As of November, GSP had seen 12.8% more passengers than the previous year. Columbia Metropolitan Airport found 13 firearms, Myrtle Beach International found 13 and Hilton Head Island found one. Nationwide, one firearm was found per 135,384 passengers screened. Passengers packing firearms, ammunition and firearm parts need to declare them at the airline ticket counter. According to TSA, firearms can be transported on commercial aircraft if unloaded, put in a locked hard-sided case and placed in checked baggage.

AP [1/17/2025 2:04 PM, Russ Bynum, 47097K, Negative] reports that police at a Georgia airport arrested an airline pilot on a DUI charge as he was making pre-flight checks aboard a Southwest Airlines flight with bloodshot eyes and reeking of what smelled like alcohol, according to a police report. Passengers had boarded the Southwest Airlines flight from Savannah to Chicago and were awaiting takeoff Wednesday morning when police boarded the plane and took the pilot away in handcuffs. Officers tracked down the 52-year-old pilot after an airport security officer reported that he "smelled of alcohol and appeared intoxicated" while checking in at a flight crew screening lane Wednesday morning, the Transportation Security Administration said in a statement. An officer found the pilot "seated in the cockpit performing pre-flight checks," the incident report by airport police said. It said the pilot gave off "a strong odor of what seemed to be alcohol" and had "bloodshot, watery eyes and a flushed complexion." Police reported that the pilot said the odor came from nicotine patches. He told an officer that he had "a few light beers" to drink the night before. The pilot was arrested after taking a field sobriety test that showed he had trouble staying balanced and other signs of intoxication, the police report said. He was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence after refusing a blood-alcohol test.

Yahoo! News [1/17/2025 3:30 PM, José Mendiola, 57114K, Negative] reports that Transportation Security Administration officers have stopped a record-high total of 16 firearms at the Des Moines International Airport in 2024, which was more than double the firearms stopped in 2023. TSA officers detected seven handguns in Iowa’s largest airport in 2023, officials said. In 2022, officers had detected 15 guns for the year. "Bringing a firearm to the checkpoint is a careless, dangerous mistake that can be easily avoided," Iowa TSA Federal Security Director John Bright said. "When individuals bring firearms to our checkpoints, they are introducing a risk to everyone in the area." People bringing guns to the airport significantly slows down the checkpoint screening process because all activity in that passenger screening lane is put on a halt until police arrive, Bright said. When a firearm is detected at a security checkpoint, TSA officers immediately contact local law enforcement, officials said. Authorities will then remove the passenger and the firearm from the checkpoint area. Passengers who bring a firearm to a TSA checkpoint face a civil fine of up to about $15,000, officials said.

AP [1/17/2025 3:22 PM, Staff, 47097K, Positive] reports that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Disaster Recovery Coalition of America (DRCA) have signed a groundbreaking Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to enhance collaboration in disaster preparedness, operational readiness, response, and recovery. This partnership signifies a shared commitment to leveraging public-private resources and expertise to improve disaster resilience and support for communities across the nation. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and DRCA Chairman and former FEMA Administrator Pete Gaynor sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the two organizations on January 14, 2025. Courtesy, FEMA "Disaster recovery is a collective effort," said Pete Gaynor, Chairman of DRCA and former FEMA Administrator. "This agreement formalizes our partnership with FEMA, enabling DRCA’s member organizations to contribute more effectively to the nation’s disaster preparedness and recovery initiatives." The MOA outlines key areas of cooperation, including: "Disaster response and recovery takes all of us - every level of government, faith-based and non-profit organizations, and the private sector," said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. "FEMA is proud to partner with DRCA and work together to better support disaster survivors and build more resilient communities."

Yahoo! News [1/17/2025 1:46 PM, George Stockburger, 57114K, Negative] reports a Pennsylvania business was scammed out of $1,000 after an individual used $1 made to appear as $100 to buy gift cards. Pennsylvania State Police in Selinsgrove say on December 10 a man walked in to the Dollar General on Route 104 and presented 10 counterfeit $100 bills to load money onto two gift cards. It was later discovered the money was actually $1 bills with $100 bills printed over top. The same incident occurred approximately 30 minutes later at the Route 35 Dollar General in West Perry Township. State Police say the suspect is a man approximately in his 30s with a dark complexion, black curly hair, and a black beard.

The Hill [1/17/2025 12:50 PM, Ashleigh Fields, 16346K, Neutral] reports that North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein (D) asked for an extension on funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on Thursday to support temporary shelters for residents who lost their homes due to damage from Hurricane Helene. "The people of western North Carolina are experiencing chaos and uncertainty that is untenable," Stein said in a statement. "That is why I am urging FEMA to extend its Transitional Sheltering Assistance program for six months to get folks through the winter in safe, secure shelter as they rebuild their homes." The governor suggested the Transitional Sheltering Assistance Program allow for North Carolinians’ continued eligibility for short term accommodations until Sept. 30. He outlined his requests in a letter addressed to FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. "People in the mountains of North Carolina are facing below freezing temperatures. Next week, our state will experience another cold snap that may bring more winter weather. I know that you agree that people are entitled to pass the winter safely and securely as they rebuild their damaged or destroyed homes," he wrote in the statement. "The shock of the damage Hurricane Helene caused is still very real for the people of western North Carolina. They need assurance that they will have shelter during this time so long as their home is still uninhabitable. We owe them support, not fear or confusion." Criswell has not publicly responded to the letter but supported the state throughout the disaster. She’s currently heading response efforts for hurricanes Helene and Milton in addition to the Los Angeles wildfires.

Yahoo! News [1/17/2025 5:13 PM, Will Hofmann, 57114K, Neutral] reports the program aided 13,075 households since the beginning of Helene, the agency told the Citizen Times Jan. 14. Only 2,797 households remained in the program as of Jan. 16, the agency told the Citizen Times, but "roughly 3,000" had left the program after being deemed ineligible to continue on Jan. 3. Since the Jan. 3 eligibility review, local organizers have taken to the streets of Asheville while some staying in hotels have protested the end of their vouchers amid a housing crisis in Western North Carolina. At first, those found ineligible had a little over a week to prepare to find new housing. The goal is to make sure residents know when they will have to depart from their hotel and ensure they find housing in the meantime, Edwards said. "Many Western North Carolinians relying on FEMA’s hotel program don’t have a home to go back to, and it is inhumane to expect these folks to leave the only safe and warm shelter available with only a few days or a week’s notice. The victims of Helene deserve better from the federal government," Edwards said in a Jan. 17 news release.

Colorado Public Radio [1/17/2025 5:53 PM, Ben Markus, 688K, Negative] reports authorities arrested a 77-year-old woman with a history of mental health concerns and assault convictions for starting the Highland Lakes wildfire in Teller County last October while burning down her own home. Arson was suspected from the beginning. The Highland Lakes fire started on Oct. 28, 2024, and burned 166 acres near the town of Divide. Evacuations temporarily displaced 2,000 people in 700 homes. "This area is densely packed, even though we are a rural community, there’s a lot of homes in there, and there’s a lot of residents, so it was harrowing," Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell said in an interview. Only one home was destroyed, the home of the accused arsonist, Lowa ‘Lacey’ Tillitt. Five days before the fire, on Oct. 25, a Teller County judge ordered the sale of Tillitt’s home — she had stopped making payments on the property in September 2023. Tillitt is the second high-profile arson arrest for a fire started in 2024. In September, the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office arrested Jason Alexander Hobby on charges of starting the Alexander Mountain fire near Loveland. That fire destroyed 28 homes, causing $32 million in damages. Hobby’s next court hearing is scheduled for April.

Wall Street Journal [1/17/2025 5:24 PM, Anthony Harrup and Alyssa Lukpat, Negative] reports a fire at a major battery-storage plant in Northern California prompted the evacuation of hundreds of nearby residents and the closure of schools and parts of Highway 1 nearby. Residents of the area around the Moss Landing Power Plant in Monterey County were evacuated late Thursday after the fire broke out. Between 1,200 and 1,500 people were evacuated, a spokesman for the county said, adding that there had been no reported injuries or deaths from the fire. Schools were closed Friday in northern Monterey County. County health officials advised residents to stay indoors with windows and doors closed and to turn off ventilation systems. Officials nationwide are grappling with how to address fires started by lithium-ion batteries, which burn rapidly and can emit toxic fumes. “This is really a lot more than just a fire, it’s really a wake-up call for this industry. If we’re going to be moving ahead with sustainable energy we need to have safe battery systems in place,” county supervisor Glenn Church said. The battery-storage plant owned by Texas-based Vistra VST -1.80%decrease; red down pointing triangle is one of the world’s largest, containing thousands of lithium-ion batteries that are charged using solar power. The energy is placed on the grid when the sun goes down. The facility’s capacity was expanded last year to 3,000 megawatt-hours. Vistra said the fire was detected Thursday afternoon at the storage plant, and that all site personnel were safely evacuated.  The fire continued Friday, although local fire chief Joel Mendoza said it had largely died down. The cause of the fire hasn’t been determined, and an investigation will begin once the fire is extinguished, Vistra spokeswoman Jenny Lyon said.

Reported similarly:
Newsweek [1/17/2025 9:08 AM, Khaleda Rahman, 56005K, Neutral]

Washington Post [1/17/2025 7:36 PM, Joshua Partlow, Caroline O’Donovan, Brady Dennis and Ruby Mellen, 40736K, Neutral] reports it had been just three days since the Eaton Fire destroyed their dream home in the woods of Altadena, but Ryan and Stephanie Blank already had mobilized. They had applied for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Filed home and auto insurance claims. Lined up a showing at a rental home on a quiet street four miles from everything they had lost. The rental didn’t have the towering pine trees the couple had loved in their own backyard. And the advertised rent was $7,200 a month — more than double the $3,000 monthly mortgage they have on a house that no longer stands. When they arrived for the showing, others who had also lost homes in the fires were already waiting on the sidewalk. “I’m sure we’re the beginning of a long line of people,” said Ryan Blank, 55, the prop master for the television show “Grey’s Anatomy,” whose costume department is providing the clothes they now wear. They didn’t get the house. In the days since, Ryan and Stephanie, a 58-year-old elementary special-education teacher, have hit roadblocks and heartaches as they attempt to reclaim anything like the life they had in the foothills outside of Los Angeles. They are among the many families who, in their search for housing, have encountered bidding wars and dead ends. They have paid application fees more than 30 times only to repeatedly lose out, often because of their two large rescue dogs — Betty White and Sammy Davis Jr. While they are more financially fortunate than many, they remain underinsured and don’t have enough money to rebuild. It could be weeks before they can visit what is left of their charred home, which sits in an area cordoned off by the National Guard. They have been enveloped by support from friends and family, including the cast and crew of “Grey’s Anatomy,” but the Blanks are contemplating leaving the state — perhaps near her mother in New Mexico, or his dad in Oklahoma. “It’s a cliché,” Ryan Blank said, “but the California dream may well be over for us. In a very real way.” In the smoldering ashes of the catastrophic wildfires in and around Los Angeles, many residents find themselves wondering the same.

CNN [1/18/2025 5:01 AM, Dalia Faheid and Dakin Andone, 22417K, Neutral] reports no stranger to natural disasters, Pasadena resident Pedro Rojas keeps a safety bag in his car with essentials like a jacket, gloves and running shoes in case he needs to flee at a moment’s notice. Rojas didn’t wait for an evacuation order. He and his family rushed out of their home Tuesday night minutes after seeing strong winds and the Eaton fire start to ignite, and took refuge at his daughter’s home in nearby Eagle Rock. All he grabbed was a box of important documents. “It’s terrible because we left the house with nothing,” he told CNN Thursday. Within 12 hours, the family of 11 was forced to evacuate again. Now, Rojas is staying at a hotel in Azusa – about 15 miles east of Pasadena, and he doesn’t know when he’ll be able to return home. While the house is still standing, it will need chemical testing and smoke and ash cleanup before it’s safe for the family to live there, he said. “We don’t know if it’s going to be for one, two, three, four months, a year,” Rojas said, adding that he’s been trying to get temporary housing through his insurance company. Rojas is among the over 170,000 people who remain under evacuation notices more than a week after the LA fires started. Many are staying in temporary housing like shelters, hotels, short term rentals or with friends. Officials face multiple challenges in ensuring the areas are safe and habitable. “The properties have been damaged beyond belief. They are full of sediment, debris, silt and hazardous materials,” LA County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella said Thursday, adding the Environmental Protection Agency is working to remove toxic debris. Frustrated Los Angeles County evacuees are anxious to return to their houses to survey damage, retrieve necessities, figure out what their insured losses are and assess what can be salvaged of their remaining property. But they’ll have to wait at least another week before it’s safe to do so, LA County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said Thursday. “There’s this extreme level of frustration,” University of California, Merced professor and wildfire researcher Crystal Kolden said. “But that frustration … it is really a function of trying to keep them safe.” Wildfire evacuees tend to experience “evacuation fatigue” when they’re unable to return home due to the danger of flare-ups, toxic smoke and hidden hazards like debris flows, fallen trees, downed power lines and gas leaks, Kolden said. Additionally, the energy, water and sewer infrastructure has to be restored in impacted neighborhoods. “I feel like going back to the home, even if you know it’s gone, even if you have seen the pictures or been told by a neighbor, returning to that home that has been lost is the first step in the grieving process,” Kolden said.

FOX News [1/18/2025 6:03 AM, Staff, 49889K, Neutral] reports the Los Angeles water chief has been given a police security detail amid "threats" against her and water employees, as wildfires swept through Southern California, two Los Angeles police sources told Fox News. Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s CEO Janisse Quinones now has a 24/7 LAPD detail in response to the threats, the sources said. One LAPD source cited the recent shooting in New York of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Quinones reportedly makes $750,000 per year. She is facing public criticism over Los Angeles’ fire preparedness and water distribution amid the wildfires in the area. "We can confirm that threats have been made against our employees, including incidents in the field … that occurred at a DWP facility downtown Tuesday evening," the Department of Water and Power told Fox News. "We take every threat and incident seriously and report them immediately to law enforcement," the department continued. "We do not discuss security measures in place at our facilities in order to protect our employees." The department added: "Our employees are working tirelessly around the clock to support the City’s response, and their work is critical to those efforts. They are an essential part of the City family, they are part of this community, and there is no place in society or in our City for any threats to their safety." Quinones has also previously said she views her position through an "equity lense" and uses it to provide social justice.

The AP [1/17/2025 12:21 PM, Adriana Gomez Licon, 47097K, Negative] reports that President-elect Donald Trump will choose to lead the U.S. Secret Service one of the agents who covered him after a gunmen opened fire at the candidate during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. Donald Trump Jr. said his father will be naming Sean Curran, who heads the president-elect’s personal detail as special agent in charge, to be Secret Service director. "Sean is a great patriot and will stop all the insanity once and for all. There’s not a better person to be in this position!" Trump Jr. posted on X on Friday. The agency has been under scrutiny and pressure after Trump was wounded in the assassination attempt at a July 13, 2024 ,rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and after a second failed assassination attempt at his Florida golf course on Sept. 15. In the first attempt, Trump’s right ear was grazed by a bullet. He wasn’t injured in the second one. One of the main criticisms was that local and federal law enforcement agencies weren’t communicating effectively and that the lapse allowed the Pennsylvania gunman to climb to a rooftop and open fire on Trump. A counter-sniper shot and killed the gunman. Newsweek [1/17/2025 3:28 PM, Shamim Chowdhury, 56005K, Neutral] reports that the decision comes after a turbulent period for the Secret Service, which has been under intense pressure in the wake of the assassination attempts. Curran has a strong personal connection with Trump, according to CNN, and currently oversees a team of about 85 personnel. If appointed, he would succeed Ron Rowe, who has been serving as acting director since July. Rowe stepped into the role after Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned following intense criticism of the agency’s failure to prevent the assassination attempt. Donald Trump Jr wrote on X (formerly Twitter): "Sean is a great patriot and will stop all the insanity once and for all. There’s not a better person to be in this position!" As he takes the reins of the Secret Service, Curran faces the dual challenge of overseeing the security of the president and restoring confidence in an organization that has come under scrutiny amid the high-profile incidents.

Reported similarly:
FOX News [1/18/2025 4:00 AM, Michael Ruiz, 49889K, Neutral]

The Daily Gazette [1/17/2025 5:45 PM, Ashley Onyon, 235K, Negative] reports two women entered the Dollar General on East Main Street in Amsterdam on Wednesday night, where one of the pair allegedly attempted to make a small purchase with a $100 bill that staff recognized as counterfeit, according to Amsterdam Deputy Police Chief Sal Megna. A brief argument ensued when the women were turned away from the store before an employee called police around 7:10 p.m. The women eventually left the store and were exiting the parking lot in a white Jeep Compass as officers arrived. A pursuit ensued when the driver ignored an attempt by police to stop the vehicle, Megna said. Early in the pursuit, Megna said the suspects’ vehicle attempted to ram a city patrol car, but did not make contact. The pursuit continued westbound onto the state Thruway, where city police were joined by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and later New York State Police. The suspect vehicle "purposely" rammed a sheriff’s patrol vehicle traveling in the other lane of the Thruway three times during the pursuit before the driver lost control of the Jeep and struck a guardrail, according to Montgomery County Sheriff Jeffery Smith. No injuries were sustained in the crash that occurred between Thruway exits 28 and 29 in Root. The four occupants of the Jeep subsequently exited the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot. Three of the individuals were immediately apprehended, authorities said.

Daily Item [1/17/2025 1:48 PM, Marcia Moore, 143K, Negative] reports state police are investigating the passing of counterfeit money at two Dollar General stores in Snyder County last month. Police responded to the 8323 Route 104 store in Perry Township regarding suspected fraud on Dec. 10 by a male who provided 100 bills totaling what appeared to be $1,000 for the purchase of two gift cards, state police at Selinsgrove said. The bills were actually $1 each and made to appear as if they were each worth $100, police said. The male suspect was observed on surveillance camera and is described as in his 30s with black curly hair and a beard. The same counterfeit transaction involving the same man took place about 30 minutes later at the Dollar General Store at 14063 Route 35, West Perry Township, Snyder County, police said.

CNN [1/17/2025 5:23 PM, Kate Sullivan, Alayna Treene, Kaitlan Collins, and Holmes Lybrand, 987K, Neutral] reports that President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration will be moved indoors, he announced Friday, due to dangerously cold temperatures projected in the nation’s capital. "I have ordered the Inauguration Address, in addition to prayers and other speeches, to be delivered in the United States Capitol Rotunda, as was used by Ronald Reagan in 1985, also because of very cold weather," Trump posted on Truth Social. "We will open Capital One Arena on Monday for LIVE viewing of this Historic event, and to host the Presidential Parade. I will join the crowd at Capital One, after my Swearing In," Trump added. CNN reported earlier Friday that plans were underway for Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance to be sworn in in the Rotunda and that Trump’s team was in talks to potentially hold some of the festivities at the arena, where Trump will host a rally on Sunday. "The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies will honor the request of the President-elect and his Presidential Inaugural Committee to move the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies inside the U.S. Capitol to the Rotunda," the committee said in a statement. The Secret Service and other agencies, including DC and US Capitol Police, are working to determine how moving the inauguration and parade indoors will change security plans for Monday, two law enforcement sources familiar with the planning told CNN. [Editorial note: consult video for source link]

NBC News [1/18/2025 5:00 AM, Alex Seitz-Wald, 50804K, Neutral] reports Donald Trump’s first inauguration was marked by riots in the streets of Washington and spurred global counterprotests that included millions, including what was estimated to be the largest single-day of protest in U.S. history. The turnout set the stage for four years of vociferous demonstrations against a president whose victory was seen as a fluke. This year, ahead of Trump’s second inauguration, which falls on Monday’s Martin Luther King Day holiday, thousands are expected to turn out at demonstrations to honor King and protest Trump. But their numbers are expected to be far smaller than they were eight years ago as the burning intensity of the anti-Trump "Resistance" movement cooled to a smolder in the wake of his second victory - the first time Trump has won the popular vote. The result is an emboldened Trump and weakened grassroots opposition, with some questioning whether all the protesting, donating, door-knocking and letter-writing they did during his first term amounted to much of anything. Anti-Trump marches will be smaller, celebrities more likely to stay on the sidelines, and corporations, which at times found themselves in an uneasy alliance with left-leaning protesters, donating to Trump’s inaugural committee and sending their CEOs to attend. "This is not going to be a time of resistance like it was in 2017," said Donna Brazile, the veteran Democratic activist and former Democratic National Committee chair. Trump’s favorability rating is at an all-time high, reaching net positivity - meaning more people approve of him than disapprove of him - for the first time since pollsters began tracking him. Even Democratic polls show pluralities of Americans expecting the economy and immigration to improve on his watch. While around 60 Democratic lawmakers boycotted Trump’s first inauguration, fewer are planning to be absent this year. Some of those who plan to skip say it’s for unrelated reasons. For instance, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who attended Trump’s first inauguration, will not be at the second and is recovering from recent surgery. Some who plan to be elsewhere for the inauguration are not calling it a boycott. Even Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., one of the most outspoken progressives on Capitol Hill, chalked up her planned absence to a "general conflict of logistics" rather than an intention to snub Trump. California Democratic Rep. Jared Huffman, who boycotted Trump’s first inauguration, plans to attend Monday, telling Politico, "It’s different now. ... Whether we like it or not, this guy was just elected by the country with full disclosure of all of his ugliness." Recently elected Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., who as a member of the House in 2017 boycotted Trump’s first inauguration, said he’s going this time.

Yahoo! News [1/17/2025 8:31 AM, Rachel Looker, 57114K, Negative] reports a Missouri man who crashed a rental truck into the security barriers near the White House in 2023 has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison. Sai Varshith Kandula, then 19, stated that his intention was to overthrow the government and replace it with a "Nazi style dictatorship", prosecutors said. He also told investigators he would have arranged for the killing of the president and others if necessary, according to the Department of Justice. Kandula pleaded guilty to one count of wilful injury or federal property damage last year. The teenager flew from St Louis, Missouri, to Washington, DC where he rented a truck in May 2023, according to court documents. He then drove onto the sidewalk and crashed the vehicle into the barriers protecting the White House. Kandula then exited the truck and went to the back of the vehicle from where he pulled out a flag and a red and white banner with a Nazi Swastika before Secret Service officers jumped in. There were no weapons or explosives found in the vehicle, officials said. The incident - which happened just before 22:00 local time (02:00 GMT) - triggered evacuations of local hotels including the historic Hay-Adams. Video of the crash taken by witnesses and posted to social media show the truck stopped on a sidewalk before it accelerated and collided with a set of security posts. He attempted to gain access to the White House to seize political power, according to the plea agreement. Prosecutors said he intended to replace the US government with a dictatorship and put himself in charge of the country. Kandula planned the attack for several weeks, making prior attempts to access vehicles or armed security guards before the 2023 incident. The Justice Department says his actions were "calculated to influence or affect the conduct of government by intimidation or coercion". Kandula is an Indian national who was a permanent US resident at the time of the incident. The judge also ordered he serve three years of supervised release.

Yahoo! News [1/17/2025 10:56 AM, Kristina Webb, 57114K, Neutral] reports that Palm Beach officials are cautiously optimistic that a return to the White House for President-elect Donald Trump will bring some relief to a town that has essentially been cut in half. The closure of South Ocean Boulevard next to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club has deepened the traffic quagmire in which Palm Beach found itself following the COVID-19 pandemic, as the number of residents and visitors to the barrier island exploded. With Trump expected to spend more time away from Mar-a-Lago in the coming months, Palm Beach Town Manager Kirk Blouin has said Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration could bring the island some much-needed relief and reconnect the north and south ends. "We expect the roadblocks to be lifted shortly," he said during Tuesday’s Town Council meeting, responding to a resident concerned about the location of U.S. Secret Service checkpoints. But the timing and duration of Trump’s visits in his second term is expected to increase from his first term, when Trump followed his traditional patterns of travel to his 17-acre Mediterranean-style estate during Palm Beach’s busy social season.

The Hill [1/17/2025 1:39 PM, Sharon Udasin, 16346K, Negative] reports that as devastating wildfires continue to ravage the Los Angeles metropolitan region, local officials are warning of potential floods, landslides and toxic debris flows in the weeks and months ahead. "The properties have been damaged beyond belief," Mark Pestrella, director of Los Angeles County Public Works, said at a joint LA County and city press conference Thursday. "They are full of sediment, debris, silt and hazardous materials," added Pestrella, referring to burn scar sites in the vicinities of the Palisades and Eaton fires. The Palisades Fire, which has destroyed the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, is now 23,713 acres and only 31 percent contained, according to Cal Fire. The Eaton Fire, burning north of Pasadena, is 14,117 acres and 65 percent contained. "Both areas suffered watershed damage, burned to such a significance that we expect massive debris-laden flows when it rains," Pestrella said. "In an event that we have major rain, we do expect that all of the street areas and all the communities will be impacted by debris flows that could be hazardous to human health," he warned. To address this looming threat, Pestrella said that he and his teams are developing plans to both capture and hold back debris as much as possible during a heavy precipitation event.

Federal News Network [1/17/2025 1:52 PM, Justin Doubleday, 470K, Positive] reports President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security is signaling potential changes at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, nominated by Trump to serve as homeland security secretary, testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Friday. She fielded a range of questions, largely on border security and immigration enforcement. On the cybersecurity front, Noem in her opening statement said she would prioritize a "comprehensive, whole-of-government approach to cybersecurity," without offering further specifics. "I fully acknowledge that people in Washington, DC do not have all of the answers, and therefore I will leverage private, public partnerships," Noem added as part of her opening statement. "I will advance cutting edge state of the art technologies to protect our nation’s digital landscape.” But asked about CISA’s role during the hearing, Noem was critical of the agency’s work to combat misinformation and disinformation. Conservatives, such as the authors of Project 2025, have argued CISA’s work to address election-related misinformation and disinformation has amounted to a censorship. Noem pointed to CISA’s work with state and local governments, as well as critical infrastructure organizations, to combat cyber threats. She also referenced the recent cyber attacks on critical infrastructure, including Salt Typhoon and Volt Typhoon. "These threats are real," Noem said. "CISA needs to be much more effective, smaller, more nimble, to really fulfill their mission, which is to hunt and to help harden our nation’s critical infrastructure.” Later in the hearing, Noem was asked by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) about investigating CISA’s work with social media companies. She called CISA’s work to address misinformation and disinformation "shocking.” "Ensuring that they can’t do that in the future under any administration would be a priority," Noem said. "That they stay doing what they’re supposed to do, hardening our systems and working with local officials to do that is a priority. And I’d look forward to working with you on legislation, should you wish to rein them in.”CyberScoop [1/17/2025 12:00 PM, Tim Starks, Neutral] reports that the South Dakota governor’s remarks signal that the incoming Trump administration will act on an issue that has galvanized many conservatives who maintained that their free speech was being curtailed on social media — in areas like election security and COVID-19 — at the behest of federal agencies. “CISA’s gotten far off-mission,” Noem said in testimony before the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. “They’re using their resources in ways that [were] never intended. The misinformation and disinformation that they have stuck their toe into and meddled with should be refocused back onto what their job is. “CISA needs to be much more effective — smaller, more nimble — to fulfill their mission, which is to hunt and to help harden our nation’s critical infrastructure,” she said. DHS has already wound down a number of initiatives to combat dis- and mis-information, disbanding a Disinformation Governance Board and backing away from efforts to flag false election-related claims. Officials have repeatedly countered allegations that they were policing free speech, saying critics mischaracterized their work as such. The Supreme Court this year rejected a bid from conservative governors to limit those efforts by government agencies. In his first term, Trump himself took issue with DHS’s election security fact checks, ultimately firing then-CISA director Chris Krebs over it. GOP senators like Chairman Rand Paul of Kentucky, Josh Hawley of Missouri and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin solicited comments from Noem on the topic, with Noem saying she would never authorize anything like the Disinformation Governance Board and saying that materials CISA put out on COVID-19 were “shocking.” MeriTalk [1/17/2025 3:14 PM, Lisbeth Perez, 31K, Neutral] reports Noem told Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., that she found CISA’s work on combating disinformation related to the 2020 election and the COVID-19 pandemic "shocking" and if confirmed she would "look forward to working with [lawmakers] on legislation… to rein them in." She also explained that the agency should have a narrower focus "to support critical infrastructure and help local and small businesses ensure they can mitigate cyberattacks."

CNN [1/17/2025 4:05 PM, Sean Lyngaas, 22417K, Negative] reports that the Biden administration on Friday made one final push to expose what officials say is a rampant Chinese cyber-espionage campaign by identifying a company and a person allegedly behind a pair of damaging hacks aimed at senior US officials. The goal is to "impose real costs" on hackers who "seek to undermine our democratic processes and ultimately our way of life," as senior US official told CNN. But limiting China’s ability to gather sensitive intelligence from US networks is a decades-long challenge that the Trump administration will now inherit. Friday’s announcement included Treasury Department sanctions on a Chinese tech company for allegedly playing a key role in a sweeping breach of US telecommunication giants that became public last year. The hackers targeted the phone communications of President-elect Donald Trump, Vice President-elect JD Vance and senior Biden administration officials. Treasury also sanctioned a Shanghai-based person for allegedly participating in a separate hack of Treasury itself that was disclosed last month. The hackers targeted unclassified information belonging to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and her deputy Wally Adeyemo as part of an intelligence-gathering effort, a source familiar with the matter told CNN. They also breached the US government office that reviews foreign investments for national security risks, CNN previously reported. VOA News [1/17/2025 12:11 PM, Staff, 2717K, Neutral] reports that the intrusions, known under the name "Salt Typhoon," have allegedly exposed a huge swathe of Americans’ call logs to Chinese spies and rattled the U.S. intelligence community. In some cases, the hackers are alleged to have intercepted conversations, including between prominent U.S. politicians and government officials. Some lawmakers have described them as the worst telecom hack in America’s history. In a statement, the Treasury described Sichuan Juxinhe Network Technology Co. as a hacking company with "strong ties" to China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS), an intelligence agency. It said that Yin Kechen had worked as a hacker for over a decade and also had ties to the MSS. It further alleged that he was tied to the recent breach at the U.S. Treasury.

Yahoo! News [1/17/2025 1:10 PM, Rafael Olmeda, 57114K, Negative] reports that an Okeechobee man who scoped out Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and other South Florida locations as he planned a mass shooting at his own alma mater pleaded guilty in Palm Beach County court Friday and was sentenced to three years in prison. Henry Horton IV, 21, has already served 15 months since Jupiter police pulled him over in a traffic stop in October 2023 and found written plans to gun down 15 people at Okeechobee High School. Appearing before Palm Beach Circuit Court Judge Christine Shepherd Friday, Horton said he understood the allegations against him and confirmed he is pleading guilty because he is guilty. At the time of Horton’s initial arrest, Palm Beach Sheriff’s detectives said Horton admitted scouting numerous South Florida locations, including El Rey Jesus, a nondenominational church in Miami-Dade, and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, where a mass shooter murdered 17 people and physically wounded 17 more in 2018. They said he planned to carry out a mass stabbing at the church, though it was unclear whether he would attempt that before or after his planned attack at Okeechobee High School.

FOX News [1/17/2025 1:32 PM, Kelley Kramer, David Spunt, and Chris Pandolfo, 49889K, Negative] reports that the FBI assistant special agent in charge who told the media and the public the New Orleans attack was "not a terrorist event" has been reassigned, Fox News has learned. Multiple sources tell Fox News that FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alethea Duncan has been temporarily reassigned following her initial press conference in which she stated: "This is not a terrorist event." After the original presser, the FBI put out a statement using the word "terrorism." Attorney General Merrick Garland and President Biden also used the word "terrorism" in their statements. No other details were offered about Duncan’s new position, but she is still with the FBI. The FBI declined to comment. Authorities say that Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42,had an ISIS flag in his truck when he drove it into a crowd full of New Year’s revelers on Bourbon Street, killing 14 and injuring dozens of others. After plowing through the crowd, he jumped out of his truck and began shooting at local police officers, who returned fire and killed him. Jabbar was pronounced dead at the scene.

KPNX [1/17/2025 1:31 PM, Kyra O’Connor and Desarae Tucker, 2627K, Neutral] reports that a school safety officer arrested an armed adult at the Legacy Traditional School’s east campus Thursday afternoon. Officials say the suspect, identified as 31-year-old Daniel Hollander, was armed with a knife and gun on campus. He allegedly said he was "here to cause a school shooting with children," prosecutors claimed during Hollander’s first court appearance on Friday. Parents reported Hollander Thursday after he was seen acting "erratically in the parking lot," Tucson police said during a press conference. The school safety officer reportedly found Hollander in the gym, sitting on the ground and talking to himself with several members of students and staff present. He is facing several charges, including attempted terrorism, police said. Friday, a judge gave Hollander a $250,000 cash bond. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 27. The school released the following messages to parents: Police said during the news conference that Hollander did not have any connection to the school or students there. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Newsweek [1/18/2025 5:00 AM, Didi Kirsten Tatlow, 56005K, Neutral] reports a Chinese-made action camera used by NASA, the U.S. Air Force and many other Americans is collecting data and communicating with servers in China and Russia, posing a potential national security threat, according to a study obtained exclusively by Newsweek. Liu Jingkang, the 33-year-old founder and Vice-President of the Shenzhen-based company that makes the GoPro-style camera called Insta360 has ties to the Communist Party of China (CCP) through his appointment as a "promotion ambassador" for a United Front-affiliated event, the 5th World Hakka Youth Conference, Newsweek can reveal. The study comes with tensions high between the U.S. and China amidst concerns over espionage, technology and a growing military rivalry and with a new U.S. administration headed by Donald Trump poised to potentially take an even stronger stance on China. On Friday, the Supreme Court said that as of Sunday January 19, it would be unlawful for companies in the United States to provide services to the social media platform TikTok unless the U. S. operation of the platform was severed from Chinese control. The concerns around Bytedance-owned TikTok center around U.S. users’ privacy and data extraction, as well as censorship. The study of Insta360, to which Newsweek had exclusive access before publication, examined the latest version of the action camera and its app, made by Liu’s company, Arashi Vision Inc. The research on the Insta360 X4 was done by two U.S. security specialists, LJ Eads, Director of Research Intelligence at Pentagon-funded Parallax Research in Dayton, Ohio, and by a second technical expert at a different firm in Arlington, Virginia, who asked not to be identified. The authors said that data from the devices was communicating with 276 foreign endpoints, many in China and Russia, including about a dozen belonging to TikTok owner Bytedance as well as to Huawei and to Chinese state-owned telecoms giant China Telecom, both of which are under U.S. sanctions. "These cameras can either actively or passively collect national security-critical data continuously with a degree of fidelity and precision that is likely impossible through any other means, including human sources," Eads and his co-author wrote in the study dated January 14, 2025. Newsweek was unable to verify the details independently.

The Hill [1/17/2025 2:12 PM, Brad Dress, 16346K, Positive] reports that President-elect Trump’s talk of taking over or acquiring Greenland is highlighting bipartisan talks about the need to increase security around the Arctic island and boost defenses in the region. The GOP views Trump’s desire for Greenland as a negotiating point for enhanced Arctic security linked to his strategy on confronting China. Trump has also discussed taking back the Panama Canal, where China controls two of five ports. Democrats agree there is room to bolster security in Greenland and the high north, even if they disapprove of Trump’s suggestion he could use military force to take over a nation home to some 55,000 people. "There’s no question that Russia is much more present up there and China’s now raising their game, and they’re acquiring property in Iceland," said Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.). "That part of the world is going to be increasingly important," added Courtney, ranking member of the seapower subcommittee with the House Armed Services Committee (HASC). The Arctic is becoming more contested as climate change melts ice sheets and opens up new sea paths. China, which describes itself as a near-Arctic power, and Russia, considered an Arctic power along with the U.S., are ramping up activity to compete in the region with American and NATO forces.

ABC News [1/17/2025 6:09 AM, Patrick Reevell, 33392K, Neutral] Video: HERE reports Lt. Gen. Valeriy Kondratyuk had come to Washington, D.C., with a mission: to persuade American intelligence agencies to trust him. It was 2015, a year after Russia had seized Crimea and started a war in eastern Ukraine. It was still six years before Russia would move to its full-scale invasion, but the front-line in eastern Ukraine still smoldered amid a poorly observed ceasefire agreement. General Kondratyuk was the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence agency. Convinced Ukraine’s future was with the West, he wanted the United States to help strengthen his agency to better hold off Russia. But so far he had found American intelligence wary. To change that, he believed he needed a bold gesture. That was why his luggage was stuffed with top-secret Russian military documents. Kondratyuk said he brought the documents to meetings with senior American intelligence officials in Washington. "I was like, ‘Holy s---!’" a former U.S. official told ABC News. "And he’s like, ‘Yes, we have a gift.’" Kondratyuk’s visit to Washington was part of a remarkable story: how since 2014 the CIA and Ukraine’s intelligence services secretly forged a deep partnership, transforming them from former Cold War enemies into one of the U.S. agency’s most trusted partners. This account of the partnership is based on interviews with former U.S. and Ukrainian intelligence officials, including Kondratyuk, with knowledge of how it developed. Some of the officials have been granted anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. The partnership, according to those former officials, has been essential to Ukraine defending itself against the Kremlin. It also gave the U.S. an extraordinary window into Russia’s military and its political decision-making, thanks to Ukraine’s former closeness to Moscow. "They went from being zero to one of our most important partners, up in the realm of the Brits," a former U.S. official told ABC News. "Their access was so significant. Here was the best friend of the Russians for many, many years. They knew things we just, frankly, had no idea of."

Yahoo! News [1/18/2025 3:56 AM, Staff, 57114K, Neutral] reports the head of Germany’s military task force on assistance for Ukraine, Major General Christian Freuding, has warned that Russia is building up its forces beyond the requirements of the current conflict. "We see that the Russian armed forces are not just able to compensate for their enormous personnel and material losses on their own and with the support of their partners, but that they are successfully rearming,” he told the Sunday edition of the Welt newspaper. It is by no means certain that Russia will launch an attack on NATO states in the coming years, "but Moscow is clearly creating the conditions for it," he warned. Freuding said that month by month, the Russian military was acquiring more tanks, more ammunition, more missiles and more drones. "Production is growing, the supplies in the depots are growing," he noted. EU lawmaker Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, a defence expert with Germany’s Free Democrats, spoke of a "huge threat" to Germany and Europe from Russia, which has been waging a war against Ukraine for almost three years. "Russia has an impressive troop strength and a wide range of highly effective equipment," she told the newspaper, noting that Moscow had achieved this despite Western sanctions. However, quality issues and dependency on foreign technology were limiting factors, she added. Roderich Kiesewetter, a foreign policy expert with the centre-right Christian Democrats, considers hybrid Russian attacks a "precursor to war." This includes espionage activities and massive attacks on IT services, Kiesewetter told the newspaper. NATO has strengthened its defence against sabotage and cyberattacks, with an eye on Russia and China.

Reuters [1/17/2025 8:35 AM, James Mackenzie and Nidal Al-Mughrabi, 36472K, Neutral] reports the Israeli security cabinet has recommended approving the Gaza ceasefire and hostage return deal, ahead of a full cabinet meeting expected later on Friday, a statement from the prime minister’s office said. Cabinet is expected to meet at 3.30 p.m. (1330 GMT) to give final ratification to the agreement, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said is expected to take effect on Sunday, with the release of the first hostages. If successful, the ceasefire would halt fighting between Hamas and Israeli forces that has razed much of heavily urbanized Gaza, killed more than 46,000 people, and displaced most of the enclave’s pre-war population of 2.3 million several times over, according to local authorities. It could also ease hostilities in the Middle East, where the Gaza war spread to include Iran and its proxies - Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Yemen’s Houthis and armed groups in Iraq as well as the occupied West Bank. In Gaza itself on Friday, Israeli warplanes kept up heavy strikes, and the Civil Emergency Service said that at least 101 Palestinians, including 58 women and children, had been killed since the deal was announced on Wednesday. Under the six-week first phase of the three-stage deal, Hamas will release 33 Israeli hostages, including all women (soldiers and civilians), children, and men over 50. Israel will release all Palestinian women and children under 19 detained in Israeli jails by the end of the first phase. The total number of Palestinians released will depend on hostages released, and could be between 990 and 1,650 Palestinians, including men, women and children.

New York Times [1/17/2025 7:12 PM, Aaron Boxerman, Rawan Sheikh Ahmad, Johnatan Reiss, Ephrat Livni and Adam Rasgon, 161405K, Neutral] reports the Israeli government approved a cease-fire deal with Hamas early Saturday that calls for the release of dozens of hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners after hours of deliberations, setting up a reprieve in the 15-month, devastating war in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli prime minister’s office, which announced the agreement after the full cabinet voted, said the deal would go into effect on Sunday. Palestinians have celebrated the provisional cease-fire with the hope that it will finally end the conflict and Israelis are anxiously awaiting the return of scores of captives abducted by Hamas. Daniel Lifshitz, whose grandfather Oded, 84, was among the 250 captives taken in the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, said, “The stomach is turning, and the heart is poured out on the floor, but it’s what we’ve been waiting for.” The initial attack killed about 1,200 people, setting off a wave of bombardments by Israel that has killed over 46,000 Palestinians, according to Gazan health officials, who do not distinguish between combatants and civilians. The vote on Saturday was the second and final one required to approve the cease-fire and hostage release agreement. Hours earlier on Friday, the security cabinet voted to approve it, overcoming a key hurdle to enacting a deal that U.S. and other diplomats see as the best chance to end the war. Hamas had said that there were no longer any barriers to the agreement. President Isaac Herzog of Israel, who holds a largely ceremonial role, had hailed the security cabinet’s vote, although he acknowledged the difficulties ahead in enacting the agreement. “I harbor no illusions — the deal will bring with it great challenges and painful, agonizing moments,” he said in a statement. Under the agreement, both sides would begin a six-week truce, during which Israeli forces would withdraw eastward, away from populated areas. Hamas would free 33 of the hostages still in captivity, mostly women and older people.

New York Times [1/17/2025 2:58 AM, Aaron Boxerman, 161405K, Neutral] reports the Israeli authorities are making preparations to welcome home dozens of hostages held incommunicado by Hamas for over a year in Gaza, without knowing whether they will return starved, traumatized or dead. Thirty-three hostages are supposed to be freed in the first phase of the Gaza cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas, in the first such major release since a weeklong cease-fire seven weeks into the war. Some families have caught glimpses of their loved ones in Hamas-directed hostage videos. But it is far from clear in what condition the captives will return. At Israeli hospitals, health officials have been preparing isolated areas where the hostages can begin recuperating in privacy. Israel’s Health Ministry has drafted an extensive protocol for their psychological and physical treatment. There are particular concerns that they may be severely malnourished. “The ones who were freed back then were already poorly nourished,” Hagar Mizrahi, a senior Israeli health ministry official, said of the hostages freed during the 2023 truce. “Imagine their situation now, after an additional 400 days. We are extremely worried about this.” After Hamas led the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, killing about 1,200 people and capturing about 250 others, about 105 Israeli and foreign hostages were freed in the weeklong truce in November that year. A few were later released in Israeli military operations, and Israeli soldiers recovered the bodies of dozens of others. But around 98 hostages remained in Gaza, dozens of whom are presumed dead by the Israeli authorities.

CNN US [1/17/2025 5:10 PM, Oren Liebermann, 987K, Negative] reports a former CIA analyst pleaded guilty to leaking classified documents about Israel’s preparations to attack Iran late-last year, according to the Department of Justice. As if William Rahman had been employed by the CIA since 2016 and held a top secret security clearance with access to sensitive compartmented information, some of the most sensitive information within the US government. Beginning in the spring of 2024, the Department of Justice said Rahman repeatedly accessed and printed classified information, taking them to his home and altering them in an attempt to conceal their source. Rahman then shared the top-secret information with multiple people who were not authorized to receive it, the department said. "Mr. Rahman’s actions placed lives at risk, undermined U.S. foreign relations, and compromised our ability to collect vital intelligence in the future," said Jessica Aber, US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Newsweek [1/17/2025 7:56 AM, Amir Daftari, 56005K, Neutral] reports Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in Moscow on Friday and signed a landmark cooperation treaty with Russian President Vladimir Putin that seeks to deepen ties between the two nations amid shared geopolitical challenges. Newsweek has contacted the Kremlin for comment via email. The treaty underscores Iran’s growing reliance on Russia as it faces economic hardships and geopolitical setbacks, particularly in the Middle East. For Moscow, the partnership solidifies its influence in the region and aligns with its broader strategic goals. The timing, days before the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, signals a unified front against Western policies, particularly as both nations contend with sanctions and international isolation. Russia and Iran have nurtured closer relations since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The partnership has evolved through significant collaborations, including Russia’s construction of Iran’s first nuclear reactor. The new treaty builds on these foundations, expanding cooperation in key sectors. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the "comprehensive strategic partnership treaty" covered areas such as trade and military cooperation, science, education, and culture. The two nations share a history of opposition to American policies, particularly following the U.S.’s withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal during Trump’s first administration. Both have faced international sanctions and accusations of destabilizing activities—Russia for its actions in Ukraine and Iran for its regional ambitions and nuclear program. Iran, recently inducted into the BRICS bloc, seeks advanced Russian military technology to bolster its defenses amid growing tensions with Israel. Tehran’s influence in the Middle East has waned following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government in Syria, a significant setback for Iran’s "Axis of Resistance." This loss, compounded by Israeli military offensives against Iranian-backed groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas, has heightened Iran’s dependence on Moscow for political and military support.

NBC News [1/17/2025 10:20 AM, Alexandra Marquez, 50804K, Neutral] reports that President-elect Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post Friday that he spoke that morning with Chinese President Xi Jinping, just three days ahead of his inauguration. "I just spoke to Chairman Xi Jinping of China. The call was a very good one for both China and the U.S.A. It is my expectation that we will solve many problems together, and starting immediately," Trump wrote. "We discussed balancing Trade, Fentanyl, TikTok, and many other subjects. President Xi and I will do everything possible to make the World more peaceful and safe!" Earlier Friday morning, Chinese state media outlet Xinhua also confirmed that Xi and Trump spoke over the phone. An official readout from the Chinese Foreign Ministry stated that on the call, "President Xi stressed" that both countries "are pursuing their respective dreams" and given past cooperation, should continue to be "partners and friends." "President Xi pointed out that it is natural for two big countries with different national conditions to have some disagreements. The important thing is to respect each other’s core interests and major concerns, and find a proper solution," the statement added.

New York Times [1/17/2025 6:56 PM, Matthew Cullen, 161405K, Neutral] reports the Supreme Court upheld a law today that could ban the wildly popular social media app TikTok in the U.S. starting on Sunday, unless its Chinese owner agrees to sell it before then. The justices unanimously rejected TikTok’s First Amendment challenge and argued that Congress was entitled to effectively outlaw the app for national security reasons. The court’s decision may deal a death blow to the U.S. operations of the short-form video platform, where some 170 million Americans get information and entertainment. “We’ve seen the rise and fall of apps in the U.S., but have never seen the disappearance of one like TikTok, essentially overnight,” my colleague Sapna Maheshwari, who covers TikTok, told me. “It’s a massive moment in culture and in technology.” It is still not at all clear, however, what will happen next. The app won’t just disappear from your phone. Instead, companies like Apple and Google could be forced to remove TikTok from their app stores, and Oracle, one of its leading server providers, may need to block traffic from the app. They could face significant fines if they do not comply. “TikTok’s main option is to hope for some sort of a miracle from Trump,” Sapna told me. The Biden administration said it would leave enforcement decisions up to the president-elect, who has repeatedly said he wants the app to remain in the U.S. market. But with Congress unlikely to quickly overturn the law — which passed by wide bipartisan margins — Trump’s options may be limited. An executive order allowing TikTok to keep operating may not withstand legal scrutiny. Trump could direct the Justice Department not to enforce the law.

Reported similarly:
CNN [1/17/2025 2:46 PM, John Fritze, Devan Cole, and Clare Duffy, 987K, Neutral]
Washington Examiner [1/17/2025 10:08 AM, Kaelan Deese, 2365K, Neutral]

New York Times [1/17/2025 12:10 AM, David McCabe, 161405K, Neutral] reports TikTok said late Friday that its service would “go dark” for its 170 million American users on Sunday because of a ban in the United States over fears that its Chinese ownership poses a threat to national security. The company said in a statement that “unfortunately TikTok will be forced to go dark on January 19” unless the Biden administration assures Apple, Google and other companies that they would not be punished for delivering TikTok’s services in the United States. The statement was TikTok’s latest attempt to pressure the administration to grant it a reprieve from a law, upheld by the Supreme Court on Friday, that would effectively ban its service starting Sunday. The law says that app stores and major cloud computing providers cannot deliver TikTok to U.S. consumers unless the company is sold by its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to a non-Chinese owner. TikTok did not detail what would happen on Sunday, including whether it would voluntarily shut itself down or simply cease to function because it would lose access to services it needs to stay online. The Biden administration had earlier signaled that federal officials would not immediately take action against Apple, Google and the other companies under the law. President Biden signed the TikTok ban bill into law in April after it passed Congress with bipartisan support. Lawmakers said Beijing could pressure ByteDance to extract sensitive data on American users or influence TikTok content to serve the Chinese government’s interests. TikTok has said the Chinese government has no role in the company and that it has spent billions of dollars to address U.S. security concerns. ByteDance has headquarters in Beijing and is subject to China’s control. On Friday, the Supreme Court accepted the government’s national security rationale for the law, with the majority opinion pointing to “TikTok’s scale and susceptibility to foreign adversary control, together with the vast swaths of sensitive data the platform collects.”

NBC News [1/17/2025 1:03 PM, Kevin Collier and Kat Tenbarge, 50804K, Neutral] reports that as uncertainty hovers around the TikTok ban that could go into effect in the U.S. on Sunday, users are flocking to a Chinese app called RedNote. The app allows users to upload short-form videos and post photos like on TikTok, but technology experts and government insiders worry that RedNote poses more of a threat to security and privacy than TikTok does — the primary reason for the potential ban. "I’m concerned that Americans are flocking to a number of adversary-owned social media platforms," Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., posted Tuesday on social media platform Bluesky. "We still need a comprehensive and risk-based approach to assessing and mitigating the risks of foreign-owned apps." Warner didn’t receive warm responses from commenters. Many Americans, both TikTok users and otherwise, have expressed outrage over the legislation that forces TikTok to either sell to a non-Chinese owner or be removed from app stores. On Thursday, two officials from President Joe Biden’s administration told NBC News that it would not enforce the ban on Sunday, the last full day of Biden’s presidency and the day the ban is supposed to go into effect. But it’s still unclear what TikTok’s future holds. Meanwhile, as Americans settle into using RedNote, with some saying they’re attempting to learn Mandarin to speak with Chinese locals, experts say the app poses risks. Cooper Quintin, senior staff technologist at the nonprofit digital rights group Electronic Frontier Foundation, said the organization "strongly recommends" against using RedNote for people whose privacy is a matter of personal safety. Quintin is conducting a study of the app’s security risks.

Newsweek [1/17/2025 1:41 PM, Katherine Fung, 56005K, Neutral] reports that the geopolitical battle of the future is playing out on the app store charts. Chinese-owned apps now account for half of the top 10 free apps on Apple’s platform and hold both the number one and number two spots. Less than a month ago, they represented just a third of those apps, according to a Newsweek analysis. Newsweek reached out to Apple via email for comment. Now, things could change again. As part of a crackdown on Chinese-owned apps, TikTok—which boasts 170 million users in the U.S.—will be forced to shutter on Sunday pending a last-minute deal to punt the deadline. The TikTok ban comes after its parent company, ByteDance, refused to sell the app under the terms of a federal law signed by President Biden and endorsed on Friday by the Supreme Court. Amid increasing national security concerns, Biden signed the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act into law last year, paving the way for social network services controlled by foreign adversaries to be either divested or banned. The law applies directly to Chinese-owned ByteDance and its subsidiaries. Although owned by a Chinese internet company, TikTok in the form Americans know it is not available in China.

Yahoo! News [1/18/2025 4:45 AM, Jay Tarriela, 57114K, Negative] reports the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) issued a warning to a Chinese vessel they said was sailing unlawfully close to Philippine territory on Friday, January 17, having monitored the Chinese vessel for the past two weeks. Footage from Jay Tarriela, spokesperson for the PCG, showed a warning being issued via radio from a PCG vessel while Chinese Coast Guard vessel 5901 can be seen close by. Tarriela said the Chinese vessel was operating illegally off the Zambales coast, coming within 60-70 nautical miles from Philippine territory.

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