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 Wall Street Journal [1/9/2025 1:06 AM Jennifer Calfas, Gareth Vipers and Sarah Krouse, Negative] reports portions of the heavily populated Hollywood neighborhood were ordered to evacuate Wednesday evening as a new fire broke out in the hills above the center of this city battling numerous deadly blazes. At least five people were dead and tens of thousands were forced to evacuate as six wildfires simultaneously hit the most populated county in America. More than 2,000 structures were damaged or destroyed, 123,000 people lost power, and the region’s firefighting resources were stretched to their limits. A wind-fueled fire devastated the affluent oceanside Pacific Palisades neighborhood while another, responsible for all five deaths, burned in and around Pasadena to the east of Los Angeles. Officials said the disaster in this county of 10 million people was unprecedented and the result of a combination of deadly weather conditions. “This firestorm is the big one in magnitude,” L.A. Mayor Karen Bass said Wednesday evening. “Hurricane-force winds are usually accompanied by rain storms. But these are hurricane-force winds that are combined with extremely dry drought conditions.” She warned that the region would continue to face strong and erratic winds that could spread the blazes further during the night. In a positive development, firefighters were able to drop water and retardant from aircraft Wednesday night. Earlier in the day, high winds made that impossible. The Hollywood Hills brush fire broke out as local officials were holding a press briefing Wednesday, prompting the city fire chief to leave early. The New York Times [1/8/2025 12:24 PM, Corina KnollSoumya, Karlamangla, Judson Jones, and Juliet Macur, and Corina Knoll, 161405K, Negative] reports that Wednesday afternoon brought some advances to the efforts to control the fires, though officials have cautioned that they were far from being contained. Helicopters and planes that were previously grounded because of extremely high winds were cleared to drop water on the blazes. The winds, which reached 80 to 100 miles per hour in some areas, had weakened on Wednesday afternoon to 50 to 60 m.p.h., according to Devin Black, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Another round of high winds may arrive on Thursday afternoon and continue into Friday morning, with possible isolated gusts in the mountains reaching 70 m.p.h., the National Weather Service said. The toll of the quick-moving fires was only beginning to take shape. Five people have died, Nicole Nishida, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, confirmed on Wednesday afternoon. More than 25,000 acres have burned, razing at least 1,000 buildings, as glowing embers floated through the sky like a swarm of disoriented lighting bugs and thick black smoke turned day into night. As of Wednesday afternoon, 1.5 million customers were out of power, according to PowerOutage.us. The Wall Street Journal [1/9/2025 4:51 AM, Eric Niiler, Negative] reports that Santa Ana winds are feared by Californians because they are fast-moving, dry and extremely warm—conditions that can turn a tiny spark into a raging blaze that is difficult for firefighters to control. These winds occur in the fall and winter when a high pressure system develops in the Great Basin of the interior West at the same time that a low pressure system sets up just off the Pacific. The difference in pressure creates the winds. Santa Anas, as the winds are known locally, move in the opposite direction of the normal onshore flow that carries cool, moist air from the Pacific Ocean into the region. They can blow for days. Santa Anas heat up, lose moisture and pick up speed as they are squeezed through the narrow canyons and valleys of Southern California. Gusts reached 100 miles an hour in the San Gabriel Mountains at 8 a.m. Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service, with winds from 40 to 99 miles an hour recorded throughout the region Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. Winds gusts up to 60 miles an hour are expected to continue through Thursday, according to California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or CalFire, the state’s wildfire agency. In comparison, a Category 1 hurricane is declared when winds reach 74 miles an hour, while a Category 2 is declared at 96 miles an hour. Newsweek [1/8/2025 4:45 PM, Matthew Impelli, 56005K, Negative] reports the Pacific Palisades fire has become the most destructive in Los Angeles city history with an estimated 1,000 structures lost, according to The Associated Press. The Pacific Palisades fire has been roaring through Los Angeles County, spreading throughout the region spurred by strong winds. The fire was estimated to cover more than 11,802 acres with zero containment and has forced at least 30,000 to leave their homes. Two new blazes—the Eaton Fire near Altadena and the Hurst Fire in Sylmar—erupted late Tuesday.

Reported similarly:
Bloomberg [1/8/2025 5:34 PM, Lauren Rosenthal, 21617K, Negative]
Bloomberg [1/9/2025 2:14 AM, Staff, 21617K, Negative]
NPR [1/8/2025 12:17 PM, Steve Inskeep, 35747K, Negative]
The Hill [1/8/2025 1:06 PM, Filip Timotija, 16346K, Negative]
ABC News [1/8/2025 5:47 PM, Ivan Pereira, 33392K, Neutral]
CBS News [1/8/2025 6:34 PM, Marissa Wenzke, Matthew Rodriguez, Dean Fioresi, 52225K, Neutral]

Politico [1/8/2025 3:44 PM, Melanie Mason, Neutral] reports President Joe Biden approved a sweeping disaster declaration for the Southern California fires, committing a wide range of federal assistance to the region amid fears that President-elect Donald Trump would balk at helping out the Democratic bastion. On Wednesday, Newsom submitted an expedited request for such a declaration, while the fires continued to rage. Governors sometimes request expedited declarations when it is clear that the scope of the damage will be extensive. The emergency declaration makes California eligible for federal assistance to individuals and public infrastructure. CBS Los Angeles [1/9/2025 1:30 AM, Dean Fioresi, 52225K, Neutral] reports "The Presidents action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Los Angeles County," said a statement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. "Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.” This aid comes on top of the Fire Management Assistance Grants that California Gov. Gavin Newsom had already secured in the wake of three massive fires that erupted on Tuesday. The FMAG aid focuses more on reimbursing local law enforcement departments who expended immense amounts of resources to battle fires. "The situation in Los Angeles is highly dangerous and rapidly evolving," said Gov. Newsom in a statement on Wednesday. "President Biden’s swift action is a huge lift for California — as we throw everything we can into protecting residents with substantial state, local and federal resources.” Funding is also available to state, tribal, certain nonprofit organizations and eligible local governments on a cost-sharing basis for debris removal and other emergency protective measures, the statement from Newsom’s office said. VOA News [1/8/2025 4:54 PM, Staff, 2717K, Neutral] reports that two thousand National Guard members have been deployed to help local firefighters. Later Wednesday, support aircraft that had been grounded by the strong winds were airborne again, dropping water and fire retardant on the fire. More than 400,000 homes and businesses are without power across Los Angeles, according to poweroutage.us. Washington is supporting California’s firefighting efforts with four U.S. Forest Service large air tankers and an additional tanker in on route. The federal government has also helped the firefighting efforts with 10 helicopters. Meanwhile, dozens of the Forest Service fire engines are ready to be deployed. The Hill [1/8/2025 3:17 PM, Brett Samuels, 16346K, Neutral] reports President Biden on Wednesday viewed the damage from wildfires in Southern California and pledged his administration’s support for state and local officials and first responders battling the blazes. Biden met with firefighters and California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) during a briefing at a Santa Monica, Calif., fire station, where he described the fires as "astounding" and pledged the full support of the federal government. Firefighters are battling three separate blazes in Los Angeles County, officials said. Los Angeles County Fire Chief Tony Marrone told Biden the department was receiving assistance from firefighters in Arizona, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. The White House said it was surging resources to the impacted areas of California, including five U.S. Forest Service air tankers, 10 federal firefighting helicopters and dozens of fire engines from the Forest Service. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) also approved a fire management assistance grant to reimburse the state for firefighting costs.

Reported similarly:
CBS News [1/8/2025 5:48 AM, Dean Fioresi, 52225K, Negative]

FOX News [1/8/2025 1:24 PM, Alec Schemmel, 49889K, Negative] reports that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will reimburse California for costs associated with hiring more firefighters and controlling the raging wildfires that have ripped through Southern California. News of the Fire Management Assistance Grants trickled in Tuesday, and by the evening the White House put out a statement from President Biden confirming the move. FEMA confirmed the measures on Wednesday, in an announcement laying out some details about the grants. The funding will provide federal reimbursements for up to 75% of "eligible firefighting costs" incurred by the state, as California seeks to shore up its firefighting force and put out the wildfires that have killed at least two people and driven thousands from their homes. Eligible costs include expenses for field camps, equipment, materials, supplies and mobilization or demobilization efforts attributed to fighting the fires. "My Administration will do everything it can to support the response," Biden said Tuesday, announcing news of the grant. "I am being frequently briefed on the wildfires in west Los Angeles. My team and I are in touch with state and local officials, and I have offered any federal assistance that is needed to help suppress the terrible Pacific Palisades fire." Reuters [1/8/2025 6:03 PM, Pritam Biswas, 48128K, Negative] reports U.S. private forecaster AccuWeather said on Wednesday that estimated damage and economic loss from the California wildfire, already one of the worst in history, is over $50 billion at a preliminary level. Raging wildfires in Los Angeles killed at least two people, destroyed hundreds of buildings and stretched firefighting resources and water supplies since they began on Tuesday, with fierce winds hindering firefighting operations and fueling the fires. AccuWeather, which estimates the loss between $52 billion and $57 billion, added that if the fire spread to densely populated neighborhoods the current estimates for loss would have to be revised upward. The Hill [1/8/2025 4:42 PM, Aris Folley, 16346K, Neutral] reports House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said Wednesday that lawmakers are prepared to move quickly on emergency disaster relief if necessary for California as the state battles deadly wildfires. Jeffries told reporters that lawmakers will "evaluate requests that are made from the governor of California as well as likely from the current administration" and that Democrats are prepared "to provide any support necessary." Congress passed legislation last month that provided roughly $100 billion in disaster relief, including about $30 billion in funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) disaster relief fund, as officials warned of dwindling funds in the aftermath of hurricanes Helene and Milton. A spokesperson for the agency said Wednesday that FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell has been in contact with California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) for updates on the wildfires and that the situation is being monitored closely. Fire Management Assistance Grants (FMAG) have also been approved to provide support, the agency said, though concerns could already be bubbling up about further need. Two people have died so far in the fires, which have forced widespread evacuations in Southern California.

The AP [1/8/2025 5:55 PM, Brittany Peterson, Negative] reports for some 15 hours as wildfires spiraled out of control in Los Angeles, the public water system faced four times its usual demand, causing some hydrants to run dry and hindering the fight against the flames, local water officials said Wednesday. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power was pushing water from aqueducts and groundwater into the system, but demand was so high, it wasn’t enough to refill three one-million gallon tanks in hilly Pacific Palisades that help pressurize hydrants for the neighborhood. They went dry on several occasions and at least 1,000 buildings were engulfed in flames. That prompted a swirl of criticism on social media against Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s water management policies, including from President-elect Donald Trump. Regional water officials pushed back on Wednesday, saying the system was strained due to heavy stress on a municipal water system not designed for fighting such massive blazes. Indeed, as wildfires become increasingly common in urban areas such as Boulder, Colorado and Lahaina, Hawaii, public water systems are often unable to meet the demand of fighting these large fires. Human-caused climate change is making it worse, experts say. CNN [1/8/2025 11:19 PM, Hanna Park, 22417K, Neutral] reports the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) has issued an urgent advisory for residents in Pacific Palisades, as well as parts of Topanga State Park and the Santa Monica Mountains — collectively covered by zip code 90272 — and surrounding areas. The advisory comes in response to low water pressure resulting from increased demand during the Palisades Fire. Residents are urged to only use boiled tap water or bottled water for drinking and cooking. Tap water should be boiled for at least one minute before consumption for safety, authorities said. The precaution extends to water used for brushing teeth and food preparation, including washing produce. Potential contaminants in the water supply pose health risks, including nausea, cramps, diarrhea and headaches. The advisory will remain in place for at least 48 hours, in accordance with public safety protocols, until water quality tests confirm the supply is safe for consumption. LADWP officials said that crews are working to re-pressurize the water distribution system and conduct safety testing.

Reported similarly:
NPR [1/8/2025 5:48 PM, Alina Hartounian, Negative] r
Newsweek [1/8/2025 1:03 PM, Theo Burnman, 56005K, Neutral]

The Hill [1/8/2025 3:54 PM, Brad Dress, 16346K, Negative] reports the Defense Department is sending additional assets to California to assist with the massive wildfire spreading across Los Angeles and the southern part of the state. Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters Wednesday the U.S. was sending 10 Navy helicopters with water buckets. Singh said the Pentagon is working closely with the California National Guard, which is adding two Modular Airborne FireFighting Systems. The Nevada National Guard is also readying two more of those systems, which quickly discharge a retardant to battle fires. Wildfires — the Eaton Fire, Palisades Fire, Hurst Fire, Tyler Fire and Woodley Fire — have burned thousands of acres in southern California. Two people have been killed and several injured from the Eaton Fire spreading in Los Angeles County. The Washington Examiner [1/8/2025 9:49 PM, Brady Knox, 2365K, Negative] reports President Joe Biden ordered the Department of Defense to deploy firefighting personnel to help combat the deadly fires in Los Angeles. With at least five killed and over 1,000 structures burned, the fires are the most destructive in Los Angeles history. Amid the struggling local response, Biden announced the mobilization of firefighting resources from the DOD, including 10 Navy helicopters with water buckets. "I have directed the [DOD] to rapidly provide additional firefighting personnel and capabilities to the region being impacted by the Southern California wildfires. We also continue to work closely with the National Guard," Biden said. He added that the California National Guard and Nevada National Guard have readied further Airborne Firefighting Systems. At least 100,000 residents are under evacuation orders, with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass saying that more evacuation orders will likely be forthcoming. Old infrastructure was blamed for some areas quickly running out of water, leaving firefighters powerless to stop the inferno. President-elect Donald Trump was quick to blame Biden for the lagging response to the disaster. "NO WATER IN THE FIRE HYDRANTS, NO MONEY IN FEMA. THIS IS WHAT JOE BIDEN IS LEAVING ME. THANKS JOE!" he said in a post on Truth Social. "The fires in Los Angeles may go down, in dollar amount, as the worst in the History of our Country. In many circles, they’re doubting whether insurance companies will even have enough money to pay for this catastrophe. Let this serve, and be emblematic, of the gross incompetence and mismanagement of the Biden/Newscum Duo. January 20th cannot come fast enough!" Trump added in another post.

Washington Examiner [1/8/2025 3:37 PM, Anna Giaritelli, 2365K, Negative] reports the situation in Southern California, where wildfires continue to spread, is “quite dire,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said while President Joe Biden toured the region. “Right now, the situation is quite dire,” Mayorkas said Wednesday in Washington, D.C. Mayorkas is in his final weeks as DHS secretary before Biden leaves office. The fires around Los Angeles have grown worse due to strong winds and massive blazes in the area. The high winds have contributed to how quickly the fires have spread. The federal government is continuing to communicate with and provide resources to the local and state authorities working on the fires. The raging fires have killed two people, burned down more than 1,000 structures since they erupted, and left tens of thousands of people under evacuation orders in Los Angeles County. At present, the fires are 0% contained, according to authorities.

Los Angeles [1/8/2025 1:02 PM, Taryn Luna, 6595K, Neutral] reports that Gov. Gavin Newsom canceled his trip to Washington D.C. this week for President Jimmy Carter’s funeral after deadly fires broke out across Los Angeles County. Newsom was scheduled to leave the state no later than Wednesday to attend the funeral but the governor’s office said he will remain in California. The governor was expected to appear alongside President Biden at a news conference in the Coachella Valley Tuesday to celebrate the new Chuckwalla National Monument, but scrapped those plans when high winds prevented Biden’s plane from landing. Newsom appeared at a wildfire briefing on Tuesday and is expected to be on the ground again Wednesday. The governor worked with Biden to secure Fire Management Assistance Grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst fires. Newsom also proclaimed a state of emergency in response to the Palisades Fire.

CNN [1/8/2025 4:00 PM, Betsy Klein and Donald Judd, 987K, Neutral] reports that wildfires in California have broken out and escalated significantly since President Joe Biden touched down in Los Angeles on Monday, where he had initially been set to travel to the Coachella Valley and designate a new national monument. The trip also appears to have had a personal component: Biden revealed in an interview with USA Today published Wednesday that granddaughter Naomi Biden Neal, who recently moved to California, is due to have a caesarian section on Wednesday. Intensifying winds Tuesday led to the cancellation of Biden’s monument excursion, but left the White House with a challenging decision: Scrap the trip and depart early as thousands of Californians face evacuation, or stay in town – a move that would draw on the local public safety resources required for any presidential visit. "Any time you have a presidential trip, whether it’s personal or official, it’s going to draw a lot of resources from various public safety entities," said Jonathan Wackrow, a CNN contributor and former US Secret Service agent. There are Los Angeles city police assigned to the president’s protective detail, potentially some LA county police, and state highway patrol involved in motorcades. There are very minimal fire resources and Emergency Medical Services support involved. Still, Wackrow said, "All of that is just drawing resources potentially in a critical moment that may be better utilized elsewhere."

The Hill [1/8/2025 11:20 AM, Sarah Fortinsky, 16346K, Neutral] reports that Vice President Harris’s neighborhood in Los Angeles was ordered to evacuate Tuesday night as wildfires blazed through the area, her spokesperson said Wednesday. "Last night, the Vice President’s neighborhood in Los Angeles was put under an evacuation order. No one was in her home at the time," spokesperson Ernie Apreza said on social platform X. "She and the Second Gentleman are praying for the safety of their fellow Californians, the heroic first responders, and Secret Service personnel," Apreza added. Harris, a lifelong Californian who served as the state’s U.S. senator and attorney general, said in a statement Tuesday that she was briefed about the state of the wildfires and would continue to be updated regularly "about these damaging wildfires and the coordinated efforts to contain them.". "I am also urging residents in the affected areas to listen to local officials, remain vigilant, and evacuate immediately if told to do so," Harris continued in her statement Tuesday evening. Harris said she and President Biden "are committed to ensuring that no community has to respond to this disaster alone" and that they have mobilized federal resources "to help suppress the fires, provide overhead support, and begin assisting those impacted." She said the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has already approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant to reimburse the state for some of the firefighting costs.

Reported similarly:
Washington Post [1/8/2025 12:29 PM, Toluse Olorunnipa, 40736K, Neutral]

Newsweek [1/8/2025 1:42 PM, Erin Keller, 56005K, Neutral] reports that two people have been arrested on suspicion of looting in Southern California during wildfire evacuations amid the Palisades, Eaton, and Hurst fires which have claimed two lives. Their identities and details of their alleged crimes have yet to be released. Newsweek has contacted the LA County Sheriff’s Department by email for comment. Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated as four wildfires spread in Los Angeles County: the Palisades Fire, spanning nearly 3,000 acres, the Eaton Fire, over 2,000 acres, the Hurst Fire, about 500 acres, and the Woodley Fire, 75 acres. These fires remain 0 percent contained. The Tyler Fire in Riverside County is 50 percent contained, officials said Wednesday. Robert Luna, the Sheriff of Los Angeles County, revealed the looting arrests Wednesday in a press conference. "It’s always sad when I have to say this, but part of our responsibility is to make sure no one loots or steals from our residents or our community members who are already being impacted," Luna said. "And I’m sad to report we made two arrests this morning for looting. "So if you are thinking about coming into any of these areas to steal from our residents, I’m going to tell you something: You’re going to be caught, you’re going to be arrested and you’re going to be prosecuted," he said.

ABC News [1/8/2025 10:02 PM, Lalee Ibssa, 33392K, Negative] reports as several fires spread across Southern California, President-elect Donald Trump blamed policies from California Gov. Gavin Newsom and President Joe Biden for causing the outbreak. "He is the blame for this," Trump wrote about Newsom on his social media platform Truth Social on Wednesday. But the governor’s office called Trump’s evidence "pure fiction.". "Governor Gavin Newscum refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way," he added. Trump’s administration in his first term signed a memorandum that redirected millions of gallons of water to farmers living in the Central Valley and Southern California, pumping it out of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, which Newsom quickly condemned at the time. However, new federal and state regulations limit the amount of water pumped from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta in order to protect the endangered smelt fish, which Trump claimed would have prevented the wildfires. In a statement posted on X by his press office, Newsom rebuked Trump’s claim that he had faulted on signing a "water restoration declaration" that would have freed up gallons of water for the state. "There is no such document as the water restoration declaration -- that is pure fiction," the post said. "The Governor is focused on protecting people, not playing politics, and making sure firefighters have all the resources they need.".

Roll Call [1/8/2025 5:28 PM, Chris Johnson, 440K, Neutral] reports Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., has told Senate Republicans there appears to be enough Democrats to move forward on legislation seeking to impose stricter measures on undocumented migrants who commit crimes in the United States, her office confirmed on Wednesday. A procedural vote in the Senate is expected on Thursday. The House on Tuesday voted 264-159 to pass that chamber’s version of the legislation. The legislation has two main components. One part requires the secretary of Homeland Security to issue a detainer for undocumented immigrants arrested for or convicted of burglary, theft or shoplifting. The other part lets states sue the federal government if they feel U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement doesn’t enforce the previous component of the bill. Democratic support for the bill comes to the consternation of immigration advocates who say the measure would have a negative impact on immigrant families in the United States. The legislation also appears to seek to overturn a recent Supreme Court precedent ruling that individual states do not have a right to file lawsuits over immigration enforcement, which is under the jurisdiction of the federal government. USA Today [1/8/2025 5:24 PM, Fernando Cervantes Jr., 89965K, Negative] reports that while supporters argue the bill will enhance safety, critics, including the ACLU, express concerns about potential threats to civil liberties and increased racial profiling. Supporters of the bill say that it will make the U.S. safer and that if it had been law in 2024, it may have saved Riley’s life. Authored by Rep. Mike Collins of Georgia, the bill would require U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to take custody of immigrants in the United States without legal permission who commit theft-related crimes, like shoplifting.

Reported similarly:
Spokane Public Radio [1/8/2025 7:00 PM, Monica Carrillo-Casas, 8K, Neutral]

FOX News [1/8/2025 3:42 PM, Adam Shaw, Julia Johnson, Ryan Schmelz, 49889K, Negative] reports a number of Senate Democrats say they will vote to advance a bill that would require federal authorities to detain illegal immigrants found guilty of theft – increasing the bill’s chance of passing in the upper chamber. At least nine Senate Democrats are expected to vote to advance the bill in the upper chamber, giving it the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster if all Republicans vote in favor. It would then begin debate on the bill, and eventually a vote on final passage, where it would only need 51 votes to pass and send it to the president’s desk. It not only requires the feds to detain illegal immigrants guilty of committing theft, burglary or shoplifting until they are deported, but also allows states to sue the Department of Homeland Security for harm caused to their citizens because of illegal immigration. Politico [1/8/2025 8:36 PM, Holly Otterbein and Ally Mutnick, 57114K, Neutral] reports in 2019, at the height of the anti-Trump resistance, several Democrats running for president staked out an unapologetically progressive position on immigration. Asked at a debate if they would support decriminalizing unauthorized border crossings, the vast majority of White House hopefuls on stage raised their hands, making the calculation that the fired-up liberal base was appalled at then-President Donald Trump’s handling of the border and wanted a radically different approach. The Washington Post reported at the time that White House hopeful Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) supported repealing criminal penalties for people crossing the border illegally who were pursuing asylum, and more than five years later, he veered to the center and joined another ambitious group of Democrats as they said they would vote to advance a Republican-led bill that would crack down on illegal immigration. The sharp U-turn is the latest sign of the left’s crumbling resistance movement as the second Trump era dawns on Washington. On Wednesday, eight Senate Democrats — among them many of the party’s rising stars and potential 2028 presidential candidates — said they would move legislation forward to detain undocumented immigrants charged with theft or burglary, enough to open debate in the upper chamber. Dozens of congressional House Democrats, some of whom are rumored to be eyeing higher office, backed the legislation Tuesday. It was a stark shift from Trump’s first term, when his so-called Muslim ban and family separation policy lit a fire under an enraged base, inspiring fiery protests that Democratic senators and House members attended. The street marches are no more, and in the wake of a landslide victory by Trump powered by backlash to President Joe Biden’s management of the border and a general change in public opinion on stemming immigration, a new reality has set in among Democrats: Trumpism is here to stay. And the effort to discredit Trump’s border policies has failed.

Reported similarly:
The Hill [1/8/2025 4:45 PM, Sarah Fortinsky, 16346K, Negative]

Washington Examiner [1/8/2025 11:10 AM, Ramsey Touchberry, 2365K, Negative] reports that Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) on Wednesday became the second Senate Democrat to co-sponsor a Republican-led bill to crack down on illegal immigration ahead of a procedural vote on the measure on Friday. The Laken Riley Act, which cleared the House on Tuesday with the support of 48 Democrats, would require federal authorities to detain illegal immigrants charged with theft-related crimes until deportation. "Not only am I voting yes on the Laken Riley Act, I’m cosponsoring the bill," Gallego posted. "Arizonans know better than most the real consequences of today’s border crisis. We must give law enforcement the means to take action to prevent tragedies like what occurred to Laken Riley." Riley was a 22-year-old Augusta University nursing student killed last year while jogging at the University of Georgia by a Venezuelan national in the United States illegally. The legislation would also empower states with the ability to sue the Department of Homeland Security for harm to citizens caused by illegal immigration. Gallego joins the likes of Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), an original co-sponsor when Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL) reintroduced the bill this week in the new session of Congress. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), up for reelection in the battleground state of Michigan next year, has also committed to voting for it.

Washington Examiner [1/8/2025 7:00 AM, Anna Giaritelli, 2365K, Negative] reports Tammy Nobles, whose daughter Kayla Hamilton was sexually assaulted and then murdered by an illegal immigrant in Maryland during President Joe Biden’s tenure, told the Washington Examiner on Tuesday that the GOP bill fell short of the government’s responsibility and will do little to stop illegal immigrant crime. President-elect Donald Trump made migrant crime a centerpiece of his campaign and asked Nobles and other parents of victims to join him at events and speak of their tragic losses. The House took the first step Tuesday of honoring those campaign pledges with the passage of the Laken Riley Act, signifying their priorities for the 119th Congress. Walter Javier Martinez, who pleaded guilty to Hamilton’s murder, was released into the United States and ended up living in the same trailer as Hamilton and her boyfriend in Maryland after federal law enforcement let him into the country at the border, missing or ignoring his connection to Salvadoran street gang MS-13. As is protocol, the then-underage suspect was turned over to the Department of Health and Human Services, which is tasked by Congress with caring for unaccompanied children and finding sponsors to release them to within the U.S. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) has also asked Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra to explain how the suspected killer was allowed into the U.S. after illegally crossing the border. Republicans are now going all-in on the incoming Trump administration’s anti-illegal immigration agenda, even in their first course of action this Congress. The House’s first bill in this new two-year session focused on migrant crime, a term that Trump coined during his 2024 presidential campaign to speak for crimes committed against Americans by people who have entered the U.S. unlawfully. The Laken Riley Act, which passed through the House Tuesday afternoon by a bipartisan 264-159 vote, puts the Republican Party’s policy intentions front and center as Congress is days away from welcoming Trump’s second term. "The bill doesn’t really solve too much. They need to make sure whoever is in DHS and HHS custody follows the proper protocols," Nobles said in a phone call Tuesday. Gaining the ability to detain illegal immigrants arrested on minor theft charges was a "small issue compared to the bigger issue" of federal police at the border releasing known criminals and gang members into the U.S.

NBC News [1/8/2025 3:06 PM, Julia Ainsley, 50804K, Neutral] reports as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office and carry out what he has promised will be the "largest deportation effort in U.S. history," momentum is gaining among immigration rights groups and some Democrats for policies that would move the party to the right on immigration. The shift some are advocating would push to cut the overall number of people coming into the country while at the same time advocating for revamping pathways for immigrants to come into the country legally based on the needs of the economy and humanitarian relief. Still, some Democrats in both the House and Senate are reluctant to step into the debate until they can see what Trump has in store regarding deportations. Several declined to be interviewed for this article for that reason.

CNN [1/8/2025 6:30 AM, Kayla Tausche, 987K, Neutral] reports President-elect Donald Trump is considering declaring a national economic emergency to provide legal justification for a large swath of universal tariffs on allies and adversaries, four sources familiar with the matter told CNN, as Trump seeks to reset the global balance of trade in his second term. The declaration would allow Trump to construct a new tariff program by using the International Economic Emergency Powers Act, known as “IEEPA,” which unilaterally authorizes a president to manage imports during a national emergency. Trump, one of the sources noted, has a fondness for the law, since it grants wide-ranging jurisdiction over how tariffs are implemented without strict requirements to prove the tariffs are needed on national security grounds. “Nothing is off the table,” said a second source familiar with the matter, acknowledging the robust discussion over declaring a national emergency that has taken place. The Trump transition team did not respond to a request for comment. In 2019, Trump used IEEPA to threaten a 5% tariff on all Mexican imports that would rise to 25% if Mexico declined to take action to reduce the number of undocumented immigrants crossing the border with the United States. After Mexican officials traveled to Washington for a week of in-person negotiations – and an agreement was reached to reinstate the “Remain in Mexico” immigration policy – the tariffs were never implemented. But the specter of the potential action, predicated by a national emergency Trump had declared on the southern border three months earlier, led prominent business lobbying groups like the Chamber of Commerce and the Business Roundtable to prepare lawsuits challenging the legality of such a move. No final decision has been made on whether to declare a national emergency, sources told CNN. Trump’s team is still exploring other legal avenues to buttress the tariffs that Trump pitched on the campaign trail. “I think the president has broad authority to impose tariffs for a variety of reasons, and there are a number of statutory bases to do so,” said Kelly Ann Shaw, a trade attorney who served as Trump’s deputy assistant for international economic affairs. “IEEPA is certainly one of them.”

FOX News [1/8/2025 8:01 AM, Stephen Sorace, 49889K, Negative] reports two sons of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, one of Mexico’s most notorious cartel leaders, are in plea negotiations with the U.S. government over sweeping drug-trafficking charges, attorneys said Tuesday. Joaquin Guzmán López, 38, recently began plea negotiations with federal prosecutors, attorneys confirmed in a Chicago courtroom. His brother Ovidio Guzmán López, 34, began plea negotiations in October, attorneys said at the time. Both brothers initially pleaded not guilty, and neither appeared at the brief hearing on Tuesday. "We need a bit more time," Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Erskine said in court. "We’re trying to explore whether there might be a global resolution." He did not elaborate in court and declined to talk to reporters afterward. In recent years, the brothers have led a faction of Mexico’s notorious Sinaloa cartel known as the "Chapitos," or little Chapos, that has been identified as a main exporter of fentanyl to the U.S. In 2023, federal prosecutors unsealed sprawling indictments against dozens of members of the cartel, including the brothers, in a fentanyl-trafficking investigation. In July, Joaquin Guzmán López was arrested in a dramatic capture by U.S. authorities in Texas with Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, a longtime leader of the Sinaloa cartel. Zambada has claimed that Joaquin Guzmán López kidnapped him and flew him aboard a private plane into the U.S., where Joaquin Guzmán López surrendered to authorities. The FBI alleges Zambada and Joaquin Guzmán López oversaw the trafficking of "tens of thousands of pounds of drugs into the United States, along with related violence." Zambada is due in court in New York next week. Ovidio Guzmán López is due in court Feb. 27. Joaquin Guzmán López’s next court date is March 19.

MeriTalk [1/8/2025 2:05 PM, Weslan Hansen, 31K, Positive] reports that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has released a playbook for the public sector detailing what it calls the "responsible adoption" and "mission-focused" adoption of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) capabilities. Published on Jan. 7, the Playbook for Public Sector Artificial Intelligence Deployment aims to aid officials in improving the adoption of GenAI technologies and is geared toward state, local and Federal officials use while using "lessons learned" from DHS’s deployment of pilot GenAI programs they the agency said aided investigations, mitigated hazards, and trained immigration officers. The playbook provides guidance on tools and infrastructure, responsible use practices, measurement and monitoring planning, and GenAI training and workforce talent acquisition. "The rapid evolution of GenAI presents tremendous opportunities for public sector organizations. DHS is at the forefront of federal efforts to responsibly harness the potential of AI technology," DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement. "This new resource draws from our own experiences to help state and local leaders adopt AI technologies in their own work." "Safely harnessing the potential of GenAI requires collaboration across government, industry, academia, and civil society, and we hope state and local leaders join our effort to foster a responsible, mission-focused culture of innovation," he continued.

FOX News [1/8/2025 4:08 PM, Peter Pinedo, 57114K, Negative] reports police in the Mexican state of Chihuahua believe that the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua may be behind the murder of a Mexican immigration official just south of the U.S. border. The Mexican immigration agent, Luis Alberto Olivas, was pushed down a hill and stoned to death by two Venezuelan migrants identified as David J.V. and Carlos Arichuna S.M. on Dec. 30. The murder took place by a military checkpoint close to Ciudad Juárez, just south of El Paso, Texas. According to Border Report, Mexican authorities believe that at least one of the Venezuelans is suspected of being a member of Tren de Aragua (TdA), which is a transnational criminal organization that facilitates much of the drug and human trafficking in the area. This compilation shows a suspected Tren de Aragua members and the southern border,. Chihuahua Public Safety Director Gilberto Loya told Border Report that one of the alleged killers "has the tattoos that we have identified as probably linked to Tren de Aragua" and that police have shared this information with other agencies and are "waiting for the next binational meeting to have it checked in [American] databases.". The tattoo in question depicts an owl, a symbol that according to Mexican investigative journalist Luis Chaparro is "often found on Tren de Aragua members" and often indicates a human smuggler "guide.". According to local news source "El Diario MX," the two possible Tren de Aragua members threw stones at Olivas’ chest, pushed him, causing him to fall six meters down a hill, and then smashed his head with a large stone, killing him. Migrants attempting to cross the North American side of the border between El Paso and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico in Texas, United States on March 3, 2024.

New York Times [1/8/2025 3:15 PM, David Wallace-Wells, 161405K, Neutral] reports that Tuesday night, a historic wind event swept through Southern California, spreading horrifying fires that torched a dense urban patchwork of homes, institutions and businesses. The multiple fires in greater Los Angeles have produced only two deaths so far, somewhat mercifully. But the windstorm is expected to continue, and already much of Pacific Palisades has burned to an unrecognizable gray. A decade ago, this kind of disaster seemed unthinkably rare. “There’s no number of helicopters or trucks that we can buy, no number of firefighters that we can have, no amount of brush that we can clear that will stop this,” Eric Garcetti, then the mayor of Los Angeles, told me in 2019. “The only thing that will stop this is when the earth, probably long after we’re gone, relaxes into a more predictable weather state.” Seven of the eight largest wildfires in California history have burned since then.

The Hill [1/8/2025 11:30 AM, F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr., 16346K, Neutral] reports that Harried headlines about a "Musk-MAGA civil war" over H-1B visas represent the latest effort to divide Republicans and derail efforts to reform immigration policies that contributed directly to President-elect Trump’s 312-226 electoral college rout of Vice President Harris. But behind the pseudo drama is a clear opportunity to reform the H-1B visa program to better effectuate its policy goals. H-1B visas were first established as part of the Immigration Act of 1990. The law established an annual cap on the number of "highly specialized" visas awarded to those of "distinguished merit and ability." To protect American workers from being displaced by lower wage foreign workers, employers seeking H-1B visas are required to complete a "labor condition application" establishing work, wage and benefit parity vis a vis similarly-situated U.S. workers. According to multiple sources, including the Economic Policy Institute, U.S.-based employers exploit the H-1B visa program to hire foreign workers who earn "significantly less" than their similarly-situated American counterparts. As chairman of the House Judiciary Committee from 2001-2006, I led consideration of several immigration and border reform measures, including H.R. 4437. During this time, H-1B visas were a flashpoint. While negotiating bilateral trade agreements with Chile, Singapore and Australia, those governments sought a minimum number of specialized visas to the United States.

Bloomberg [1/8/2025 3:00 PM, Catherine Thorbecke, 21617K, Neutral] reports that the US must clarify the link between consumer tech and national security threats. A messy, ongoing tech breakup between the US and China is forcing a rethink about what the industry might look like for consumers in a decoupled world. On Monday, the Pentagon blacklisted internet and gaming giant Tencent Holdings Ltd. for alleged links to the People’s Liberation Army. On Friday, TikTok will make its final arguments to the US Supreme Court as it faces an unprecedented ban due to national security concerns. The news greeted attendees this week at one of the industry’s biggest extravaganzas in Las Vegas, where companies typically convene to lay out their dreams of a techno-utopian future filled with laundry-folding robots, flying cars and other idealistic visions. And despite the tensions, more than 1,200 Chinese firms at the CES trade show are vying to enter the US market, the largest foreign representation and more than a quarter of the about 4,500 exhibitors.

FOX News [1/8/2025 6:00 AM, Gabriel Hays, 49889K, Negative] reports Boston authorities confirmed they rejected all 15 immigration detainer requests made by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for the city last year, according to a new report. Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox filed a letter to the city council, revealing that the city’s police department did nothing with all of ICE’s detainer requests for the last year, according to the Boston Herald. Cox cited the Boston Trust Act in rejecting the requests, a rule that protects the city’s sanctuary status and prohibits city departments from working with ICE to detain illegal immigrants on civil warrants. "The Boston Police Department remains committed to complying with the Boston Trust Act and to building and strengthening relationships and trust with all our communities," Cox wrote, adding, "Boston’s immigrant communities should feel safe in reporting crime and quality of life issues to the department and in proactively engaging with all members of the Boston Police Department." His letter confirmed that "no individuals were detained last year by BPD nor transferred to ICE custody, and no cost reimbursements were received from the federal government, per the requests." ICE’s Immigration detainer requests ask local, state or federal law enforcement groups to notify the immigration enforcement agency before they release an immigrant from custody that can be removed from the country. As The Boston Herald noted, these requests ask that authorities keep the illegal immigrant in custody for up to an additional 48 hours, allowing time for ICE to take them into its own custody.

NBC News [1/8/2025 4:11 PM, Julia Ainsley and Carol E. Lee, 50804K, Neutral] reports the incoming Trump administration is considering conducting a high-profile raid targeting undocumented immigrants in its initial days, according to three people familiar with the discussions. The raid could target immigrants allegedly living in the U.S. illegally at a workplace in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, the people said. In meetings between the Trump transition team and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, the Trump team has repeatedly asked about resources and logistics immediately available to carry out workplace raids, the three people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they’re not authorized to speak to the media about transition discussions, said. The people familiar with the discussions said some potential workplaces the new administration could target include businesses in the agriculture, construction, hospitality and health care industries. They did not believe a final decision had been made on a location or precise timing, though they expected the operation would take place in the first few days of Trump’s presidency, potentially even as early as Inauguration Day.

CBS Austin [1/8/2025 11:52 AM, Sydney Keller, 581K, Negative] reports that five men are in custody for their alleged involvement in a sex trafficking "brothel" in Antioch, Tennessee, officials confirm. On Wednesday morning, Metro Nashville Police Department, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) executed a search warrant at a property in the Antioch area on Hobson Pike. The federal search warrant involves suspected human trafficking. MNPD says the investigation so far suggests a "brothel" operation was underway at a 5-acre property in Antioch. When law enforcement executed the search warrant, all five men inside ran off. Two of the suspects ran across Hobson Pike. prompting officers to close the road to traffic. These men were eventually apprehended. One of the five men found at the Antioch property was wanted by MNPD for a September shooting on Mount View Road. MNPD says two men were shot in this incident on Sept. 17 at another suspected brothel. This suspect is in custody and will be charged with felonies including aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and felon with possession of a gun. The Homeland Security Investigations led Wednesday morning’s search warrant. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Reported similarly:
Yahoo! News [1/8/2025 9:11 AM, Brittney Baird, 57114K, Neutral]

Newsweek [1/8/2025 5:25 PM, Dan Gooding, 56005K, Negative] reports Georgia has begun sharing data on illegal immigrant crime in the state, and it shows non-citizens are committing crimes at a lower rate than their American-born counterparts. Just over 1,700 illegal immigrants were in jails in the state as of December 2024, making up just 3.3 percent of the overall incarcerated population. Analysis by the Cato Institute estimated that 399 per 100,000 illegal immigrants were being held, compared to 478 per 100,000 American citizens or legal migrants. The state started reporting the data following the passage of the Georgia Criminal Alien Track and Report Act, designed to make the migrant crime situation clearer. The data is slightly limited, only showing those with active detainers issued by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), meaning the rates could be higher but not necessarily by much.

CBS Austin [1/8/2025 5:41 PM, Ray Lewis, 581K, Neutral] reports a Wisconsin police chief announced Thursday his agency will not engage in immigration enforcement efforts unless the immigrant in question is suspected of a "serious" crime. Chief Andre Sayles of the Beloit Police Department wrote in a Facebook post his department will refrain from any immigration investigations based solely on an individual’s immigration status. Despite this, Sayles says the Beloit Police Department will only cooperate with requests from ICE if the person in question is engaged in or suspected of terrorism or espionage, is reasonably suspected of being involved in a criminal gang, is arrested for any violent felony or is a previously deported felon with an "independent basis" for being detained or arrested again. Beloit officers will not routinely ask about immigration status during interactions with the public, according to Sayles. Officers will also refrain from asking people to provide green cards, passports or other immigration documents in the normal course of their duties, Sayles noted.

Border Report [1/8/2025 9:12 PM, Sandra Sanchez, 153K, Neutral] reports U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been seeking information on migrant detention facilities around the country for a possible expansion under the Trump administration, and several have responded. That information, for which the American Civil Liberties Union sued ICE in September, was received last month. However, ACLU senior attorney Eunice Cho told Border Report that much of the "tranche" of information they got was redacted by the agency. What they were able to gather was that ICE last year requested information about facilities in 17 states and their services and/or how it could expand to meet growing needs. That includes migrant detention facilities run by for-profit companies, like GEO Group and CoreCivic, which operated the South Texas Family Residential Center that was shut down last year in Dilley, Texas. So far, facilities in six states have responded, including Texas facilities in and around Harlingen and El Paso, as well as San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Nevada and Salt Lake City, Utah, according to documents received by the ACLU. The facilities that are being considered in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley include the Willacy County Jail in Raymondville, which is run by the GEO Group; the Brooks County Detention Facility in Falfurrias; the Coastal Bend Detention Center in Robstown; and the East Hidalgo Detention Center in La Villa. Cho says CoreCivic has also sent information indicating it would be willing to reopen the Dilley facility, and she says that worries migrant advocates who have alleged mistreatment of immigrants at the now-closed facility. "We have serious concerns about expanding immigration detention in South Texas. Many of these facilities that I’ve just named have very serious histories of conditions, violations and abusive conditions in those detention facilities," said Cho, who works on the ACLU’s National Prison Project. She says they want more information on exactly what ICE plans to do.

Newsweek [1/8/2025 5:39 PM, Dan Gooding, 56005K, Neutral] reports undocumented migrants who applied for a program that would have given them legal status before a federal court struck it down will get their application fee returned to them. President Joe Biden’s Keeping Families Together (KFT) program was scrapped in November, but not after thousands of people had applied. Now, the government will return the $580 application fee, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) confirmed to Newsweek. Ending KFT will likely leave thousands of mixed-status families uncertain of their future ahead of the next administration’s plans to deport undocumented migrants en masse.

Yahoo! News [1/8/2025 6:10 PM, Eva Terry, 57114K, Neutral] reports Utah Sen. Mike Lee said he will reintroduce legislation that would make it more difficult for noncitizens to vote. "The House is about to pass the SAVE Act again. I am reintroducing it in the Senate in the coming days. Only American citizens should be able to register and vote in American elections," he wrote in an X post Tuesday evening. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, and Rep. Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., are reintroducing the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act in the House this week. Lee explained why he thinks the bill is necessary in another post, writing, "Yes, it’s already illegal for noncitizens to vote in federal elections, but that law has become impossible to enforce due to a combination of court rulings & other developments The SAVE Act would fix that.". The legislation was initially passed in the House last July, but stalled in the Senate and was then removed from the budget bill after it failed to pass the House, per Democracy Docket. President Joe Biden opposed the SAVE Act, vowing to veto it if it passed in the Senate and the House, according to Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla.

Newsweek [1/9/2025 5:01 AM, Billal Rahman, 56005K, Neutral] reports a Border Patrol agent has told Newsweek how a routine horse patrol turned into a life-saving rescue mission for a distressed migrant woman in the rugged terrain of the Tucson Sector in Arizona. The remarkable display of compassion and quick action was captured in a photo that has since gone viral. The image shows the agent from the Tucson Station Horse Patrol carrying the woman, who could no longer walk, over his shoulders. President-elect Donald Trump pledged during the election campaign to hire an extra 10,000 agents as he made taking a tougher stance on immigration central to his pitch to voters. However, the Border Patrol has frequently been criticized by pro-immigration and human rights advocacy groups for alleged mistreatment of migrants. The agent who carried the woman on his shoulders, and who wishes to remain anonymous due to fear of cartel reprisals, said that he wanted people to remember that "we’re human too.". "She seemed severely dehydrated, likely from the long trek they had taken from the border," the agent said. The group appeared to have no supplies, including water, suggesting they had exhausted their provisions. "My partner pulled the gear, checked her heart rate, and gave her fluids. Slowly but surely, she started coming back. She could stand on her own will again." According to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) sources, border crossings in the Tucson sector have fallen from 3,000 a day to fewer than 200 apprehensions. Rescues have decreased by 40 percent, and deaths have dropped by 15 percent in the sector, according to CBP officials. This shift is largely attributed to the deployment of new technologies that are enabling authorities to detect migrant groups much more quickly compared with previous years. However, older approaches still have their uses, according to Special Operations Supervisor Dustin Smith, coordinator for the Horse Patrol Program in the Tucson Sector. "The Border Patrol has ridden horses in the Sonoran Desert out here in Arizona for the last 100 years," Smith told Newsweek. "Upon its inception in 1924, the first immigration inspectors in our area were horseback, and we’ve continued that tradition.". He added: "Horse patrol agents are very proud of what they do. They carry on this culturally and historically significant job on a daily basis. "We’ve been patrolling the southwest border for over 100 years, and much of it has continued to be on horseback. We still continue to patrol some of the most rugged terrain in America. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Yahoo! News [1/8/2025 9:57 PM, Melissa Montalvo, 57114K, Neutral] reports Border Patrol operations in Kern County this week has likely resulted in dozens of arrests, according to immigration advocates, alarming residents, families of immigrants and the region’s agriculture industry. News of U.S. Customs and Border Protection spottings throughout Kern County, including within city limits of Bakersfield, circulated widely Tuesday afternoon on TikTok and social media, where people went to raise alarms and warn others to avoid certain areas. Television station 17 News Bakersfield reported Tuesday that the Bakersfield Police Department confirmed they had been notified by the Department of Homeland Security that U.S. Customs and Border Protection would be conducting operations "within (Bakersfield) city limits and the Kern County area.". It’s not immediately clear how many people have been detained or where they are being held. Nor was it clear Wednesday evening where else in the Central Valley federal Border Patrol agents were carrying out enforcement operations, and for how long. A spokesperson for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement told The Bee that "ICE has no involvement in this operation," and advocates said It appears CBP is leading most of the operations. This week’s enforcement activity, which immigration advocates described as significant and unusual compared to recent years, sent shockwaves throughout communities across the Central Valley. By Wednesday evening, users on TikTok reported Border Patrol sightings and operations in Sanger, east of Fresno, and at Interstate 5 near Los Banos. Fresno County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Tony Botti said the department was not aware of any Border Patrol operations in the county. He added that federal agents don’t have to inform local authorities of their operations.

Yahoo! News [1/8/2025 6:30 PM, Jose Franco, 57114K, Negative] reports federal immigration officials released a statement over its ongoing operations taking place in Kern County this week. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson said Wednesday: "The U.S. Border Patrol conducts targeted enforcement arrests of individuals involved in smuggling throughout our areas of operation as part of our efforts to dismantle transnational criminal organizations.". Border Patrol agents have been seen in Bakersfield and surrounding areas this week in its ongoing operations. Agents have been seen stopping vehicles along Kern County highways and outside a gas station and market in Bakersfield. A witness told 17 News on Tuesday she saw agents apprehend multiple people and placed them into vans. Also, advocates are hosting forums this week to advise anyone stopped by immigration officials of their rights.

Yahoo! News [1/8/2025 9:05 PM, Jenny Huh, 57114K, Neutral] reports lawmakers representing Kern County are responding to Border Patrol operations in Bakersfield and surrounding areas. "I have been in contact with Customs and Border Protection regarding the recent immigration enforcement actions in Kern County, and I’ve been informed that they are undertaking operations to apprehend known criminals or those with ties to criminal organizations currently in our community. I urge the Biden Administration to ensure CBP is prioritizing criminals and not those responsible for producing our nation’s food supply. We urgently need common-sense immigration reform that creates a pathway to earned legal status for hardworking individuals contributing to our economy and removes those who threaten the safety of our communities." "The recent Border Patrol arrests in our district have raised significant concerns among farmers and community members. Agriculture is the backbone of our local economy, and farmers are already facing immense challenges, including water issues, rising costs, and an ongoing worker shortage. These enforcement actions risk further destabilizing a workforce that is vital not only to the success of our farms but also to the food security of our state and nation. Public safety and economic stability go hand in hand. Building and maintaining trust between immigrant communities and local law enforcement is essential—not only for public safety but also for the prosperity of our agricultural sector and the broader local economy. Actions that erode trust can create unintended consequences, making it harder to address shared community challenges. I call on federal leaders to work collaboratively with local stakeholders, including farmers and community representatives, to find solutions that prioritize public safety while addressing the economic realities of our district. Only through partnership and dialogue can we ensure that enforcement actions reflect both the needs and values of our community." "Law enforcement has a responsibility to communicate clearly and accurately with the public to prevent the spread of fear and disinformation among law-abiding communities and the media. Whether a Democrat or Republican is in the White House, preventing fear and trauma must be a higher priority. With that said, Kern County is a high-intensity drug trafficking area fueled by transnational criminal networks that poison our streets with dangerous drugs like fentanyl and tranq, and I hope we can continue to work on getting drugs and drug dealers out of our communities." Rep. Vince Fong (R-Bakersfield) declined to comment.

AZCentral [1/8/2025 8:01 AM, Rey Covarrubias Jr. and Daniel Gonzalez, 6018K, Neutral] reports hundreds of migrants are traveling in a caravan through Mexico in hopes of reaching the U.S. southern border before President-elect Donald Trump takes office Jan. 20 and ushers in tougher immigration policies that could make it more difficult to enter the country. The latest migrant caravan estimated to be about 1,500 people departed from the southern Mexican state of Chiapas near the Mexico-Guatemala border on Jan. 2, and is made up mostly of migrants from Central and South America, according to Salvadoran and Mexican news outlets. It’s unlikely, however, that the group will reach the U.S. border because other recent migrant caravans have been broken up along the 2,000-mile journey through Mexico by Mexican immigration and security authorities under pressure from the U.S. Several caravans that departed from the same part of Mexico around the time of the U.S. presidential election in November dissipated before reaching the United States, according to news reports. Here’s what we know about the latest migrant caravan and previous caravans. The caravan was prompted by tougher immigration policies expected under the next Trump administration, according to Salvadoran and Mexican news outlets. Trump, who will be inaugurated Jan. 20 as the 47th president, won a second term in office in part by promising to secure the southern border and carry out mass deportations. Trump said during a visit to Phoenix in December that he would put a "stop to illegal immigration." Under the Biden administration, record numbers of migrants fleeing violence, political upheaval, persecution and poverty have arrived at the southern border seeking asylum and better opportunities in the United States. U.S. border authorities made about 8.4 million migrant encounters under the Biden administration. The Migration Policy Institute estimates an unprecedented 5.8 million migrants and asylum seekers were released into the U.S. under the Biden administration after being apprehended by U.S. border authorities. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

FOX News [1/8/2025 7:51 AM, Michael Dorgan, 49889K, Neutral] reports the Mexican government is working hard to break up migrant caravans trying to make the treacherous journey north to the U.S. ahead of President-elect Trump’s inauguration in less than two weeks’ time. Faced with the prospect of massive tariffs on goods under the new administration, Mexico has been dispersing migrants throughout the country to keep them far from the U.S. border, including dropping them off at the once vibrant tourist hotspot of Acapulco, a beach resort town on Mexico’s Pacific coast made famous by the jet set in the 1950s and ‘60s. Once a crown jewel of Mexico’s tourism industry, the city now suffers under the thumb of organized crime and is still struggling to climb back after taking a direct hit from powerful Hurricane Otis in 2023. It now has one of Mexico’s highest rates of homicides. Yet authorities are dropping busloads of migrants there with little support and few options. The Mexican government has embraced a policy of "dispersion and exhaustion" to reduce the number of migrants reaching the U.S. border. Authorities let migrants walk for days until they’re exhausted and then offer to bus them to various cities where they say their immigration status will be reviewed. The migrants tell the Associated Press that they accepted an offer from immigration officials to come to the city under the premise that they could continue their journey north toward the U.S. border, but instead they have essentially been abandoned there. On Monday, desperate migrants could be seen sleeping in the streets in tents and say they fear Mexico’s drug cartels could target them for kidnapping and extortion, though many migrants say authorities extort them too. "Immigration (officials) told us they were going to give us a permit to transit the country freely for 10, 15 days and it wasn’t like that," 28-year-old Venezuelan, Ender Antonio Castañeda, told the Associated Press. "They left us dumped here without any way to get out. They won’t sell us (bus) tickets. They won’t sell us anything."

Washington Post [1/8/2025 2:37 PM, Tobi Raji and Hannah Sampson, 40736K, Neutral] reports that when Taylor Burkett, 18, arrived at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Saturday, she noticed three or four Transportation Security Administration agents stationed near her gate. Burkett, a freshman returning to the University of Maryland, said the sight made her “uneasy.” “I thought there was some sort of threat made toward the airport or our flight,” she said. Burkett said the agents double-checked everyone’s identification, including hers, before they boarded their Alaska Airlines jet to Baltimore-Washington International Marshall Airport. She said other travelers, many of whom appeared to be young White men, were selected for pat-downs and luggage searches. TSA agents also asked for the last names of every passenger, she said. Burkett is one of dozens of travelers who flew into the Washington region from as far as Houston and San Francisco in recent days who have reported that TSA agents have stepped up their security measures, performing additional screenings at airport gates. The enhanced screenings come as Washington prepares for several high-profile events, including former president Jimmy Carter’s state funeral Thursday and President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration Jan. 20.

AP [1/8/2025 5:20 PM, Josh Funk, 47097K, Negative] repots that what is going on with aviation security? People have been found dead hiding in the wheel wells of planes twice in the past month. Two stowaways were arrested on different flights in November and December. Then a passenger opened an emergency door while a plane was taxiing in Boston Tuesday night. These incidents are being investigated, so we don’t know yet exactly where security failed. But clearly there were gaps in security. So it’s natural to wonder: is my flight safe? Passengers panicked when a man onboard a JetBlue plane taxiing for takeoff at Boston’s Logan International Airport opened an exit door over a wing, trigging an emergency slide to inflate Tuesday. Other passengers quickly restrained the man, and the plane never took off, but clearly it was a scary moment. On Monday, two dead bodies were found inside the landing gear compartment of a different JetBlue plane after it landed in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. The Transportation Security Administration, the airlines and the airports are all trying to find where those gaps are and plug them. But Price said that by design there are gaps in the system. The fact that people are getting access to these planes makes pilots worried about the system.

Yahoo! News [1/8/2025 12:09 PM, Graig Graziosi, 57114K, Negative] reports that the bodies of the stowaways who rode to Florida in a JetBlue airplane’s landing gear compartment were reportedly decomposed when they were found by airport staff, according to a report. The remains of the men were found on Monday inside the compartment after a JetBlue plane landed at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. An airline worker was inspecting the landing gear when they stumbled onto the deceased stowaways. "A gate technician in the landing gear area noticed two males who appear to be Signal 7, advised they are not moving in the landing gear area," an unidentified individual said over a police radio during the incident. "Signal 7" is a police radio code used to describe a dead body. The flight departed Jamaica earlier in the day, leading to some speculation that the men who died are Jamaican, though there has been no official identification. An anonymous law enforcement source told CNN that the bodies were badly decomposed when they were found, which, if true, likely indicates that the stowaways were onboard the aircraft for multiple flights. The Transportation Security Administration is investigating the deaths with the help of local law enforcement and the Federal Aviation Administration. "This is a heartbreaking situation, and we are committed to working closely with authorities to support their efforts to understand how this occurred," JetBlue said in a statement.

Newsweek [1/8/2025 11:17 AM, Natalie Venegas, 56005K, Neutral] reports that a JetBlue passenger was arrested after unexpectedly opening an emergency exit door on a plane taxied for takeoff at Boston Logan International Airport on Tuesday evening. This incident comes as tragic aviation incidents worldwide this year have sparked discussions on improving aviation safety, and in some countries, like South Korea, the incidents have prompted governments to start investigating the safety regulations carried out by domestic airlines. According to Massachusetts State Police spokesperson Tim McGuirk, the incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. local time as other passengers noticed the individual opening an emergency exit door before a law enforcement official swiftly restrained the individual. There were no injuries reported as a result of the incident. While authorities have not disclosed the passenger’s identity, he has been arrested and is expected to face charges on Wednesday. The airline confirmed the emergency door’s opening caused the slide to deploy and prompted a temporary evacuation of the aircraft. While the incident caused alarm, JetBlue quickly addressed the situation by transferring passengers to a new aircraft, ensuring the flight ultimately landed safely in San Juan, the original destination. JetBlue has not provided additional details about the passenger’s behavior or potential motive.

WETM [1/8/2025 2:17 PM, Brandon Kyc, Neutral] reports communities and families across several northern Pennsylvania counties will receive additional federal funding to help rebuild after severe damage was left behind by Hurricane Debby in 2024, according to information from Senator John Fetterman’s office. The relief was allocated from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to help communities in twelve counties receive important aid to rebuild. The $14.62 million in tax-payer-funded money is part of the Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery program that will support unmet recovery needs and mitigation efforts in counties severely impacted by Hurricane Debby, Fetterman’s office said.

Yahoo! News [1/8/2025 7:47 AM, Greg Jordan, 57114K, Neutral] reports more than $1.1 million in FEMA assistance has been disbursed to date for Mercer County residents working to recover from the flooding and wind damage inflicted by Hurricane Helene last September. A FEMA disaster recovery center in Mercer County is still open to assist victims of the hurricane, even as a winter storm this week has left thousands in the area once again without electricity. Winter weather closed the Mercer County Disaster Recovery Center located at the Maple View Church of Christ next door to the Mercer Mall Tuesday, according to Tiana Suber, media relations specialist with the FEMA Office of External Affairs. The Bluefield Disaster Recovery Center is now scheduled to reopen today at 10 a.m. The Disaster Recovery Center is open Tuesday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, then Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and closed Sunday. As of Monday, FEMA had distributed $1,165,048.43 to individual households, according to figures provided by Suber. There were 670 registrations for assistance. The following amounts have been distributed in the following categories: — Serious Needs Assistance $185,570 — Displacement Assistance $232,190 — Clean and Sanitize Assistance $5,700. For Helene survivors needing food assistance because of the September 2024 storm, there is the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as D-SNAP, FEMA officials said. People seeing this assistance can call 877-716-1212. The D-SNAP program may require the applicant’s nine-digit FEMA registration number to show they are a survivor of Hurricane Helene. The deadline to register for FEMA assistance is Feb. 7. County residents can also call 800-621-FEMA (3362) to apply. People who have applied for FEMA assistance are encouraged to visit the disaster recovery center again for updates after getting a home inspection, according to Julio Rivera, FEMA disaster recovery center coordinator. Jim Accurso, public affairs specialist with the U.S. Small Business Administration, said Helene survivors can also apply for SBA assistance at the Princeton Public Library Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The center is closed Sunday.

Yahoo! News [1/8/2025 6:00 AM, Greg Childress, 57114K, Neutral] reports western North Carolina received good news Tuesday in its struggle to recover from the impacts of Hurricane Helene. Gov. Josh Stein and HUD Secretary Adrianne Todman announced the region will receive two Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) awards totaling $1.65 billion. Stein and Todman announced the awards in Asheville. "These grant awards will help us make progress rebuilding homes, repairing critical infrastructure, and providing relief to small businesses," Stein said in a statement. "I will continue to work with our federal and state partners to meet the urgent and long-term needs facing our western North Carolina neighbors." CDBG-DR awards are vital to disaster recovery. Congress may appropriate CDBG-DR funds to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to meet unmet long-term recovery needs whenever the president declares a major disaster. The awards are intended to fill gaps left by short-term Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) aid and insufficient insurance payouts. "This $1.65 billion in disaster discovery funds will help rebuild homes, develop affordable housing, assist impacted small businesses, and repair roads, schools, water treatment plants and other critical infrastructure," Todman said. "The impacts of these funds will be felt for years to come — especially for disaster survivors and communities in the most impacted areas." The awards include $1.4 billion to the state of North Carolina and $225 million directly to the City of Asheville, which is an "entitlement community" within the CDBG program. The funding comes from the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2025, enacted on Dec. 21, 2024. Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer said restoring the city’s infrastructure is a top priority and that rebuilding stronger will ensure long-term resilience. "This direct allocation to Asheville demonstrates the federal government’s understanding of our city’s unique recovery challenges and the urgency of rebuilding," Manheimer said. "These funds will give us the opportunity to repair and enhance infrastructure, address housing, and support business recovery."

CBS Austin [1/8/2025 9:42 AM, Neydja Petithomme, 581K, Neutral] reports that FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance program is providing hotel rooms to thousands of Western North Carolina survivors of Helene. However, on Jan. 3, FEMA began notifying families checked into either hotel or motel rooms, that they are no longer eligible for FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance program. "I have nowhere else to go but in the streets. I’ve called them several times. They have not answered anything, they have not extended, they told me I had to be out by January 10," said Marlene Kramer, who was displaced by Helene. There are three primary reasons for the potential end of eligibly: An inspection indicated their home is now habitable. They declined an inspection. An inability to contact the applicant to update their housing needs, despite multiple attempts. Through the Transitional Sheltering Assistance program, FEMA pays directly to participating hotels and motels to cover the cost of the room, taxes and non-refundable pet fees to provide short-term accommodations. FEMA confirms continued eligibility on an individual basis. When eligibility ends, FEMA notifies survivors approximately seven days prior to their checkout date. It’s important for survivors to keep in touch with FEMA, provide regular updates on housing status and update contact information so their recovery process is not delayed. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Chicago Tribune [1/8/2025 8:19 PM, Adriana Pérez, 4917K, Neutral] reports communities in Illinois will receive a portion of $12 billion in federal disaster recovery funds for severe storms and flooding over the last two years, including $426 million for Chicago, $244 million for Cook County, $96 million for the town of Cicero and $89 million for St. Clair County. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced Tuesday it would distribute Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery assistance, using resources from the 2025 Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, across 47 grantees in two dozen U.S. states and territories. The money is meant to address gaps in disaster recovery and mitigation funding that may not be covered by insurance or other federal and local sources. On Wednesday, Illinois leaders joined HUD senior official Marion McFadden to discuss the announcement at a news conference in Austin — the West Side neighborhood where most 311 calls for basement flooding originated during heavy rains in early July 2023. That was one of many historical rain events the Chicago area has experienced in recent years, which low-income communities of color have often suffered the brunt of, particularly in July and September 2023, and in July 2024. "I’m really thrilled that we can be starting off this new year on a high note, as we think about disaster recovery and build resilience in the region," said McFadden, principal deputy assistant secretary for community planning and development at HUD. "There is truly never a time when people need the government more than when their homes and schools and businesses have been wrecked by terrible natural disasters.". McFadden said most Americans might think about the Federal Emergency Management Agency as the only way the U.S. government "shows up for disasters." While FEMA might be the first federal agency on the scene, she said, it’s limited in its ability to provide long-term help for individual families, which is where HUD’s disaster recovery funds come in.

AZ Central [1/8/2025 10:29 AM, Julia Gomez, 6018K, Negative] reports that as California battles a fire that threatens thousands of homes, another wildfire is growing in size and causing trouble as "extreme fire weather" continues to impact the southern part of the state. The Eaton Fire was first reported around 6:30 p.m. local time near the eastern Los Angeles suburb of Altadena, according to KTTV and CBS News. It has since set 1,000 acres ablaze and remains at 0% containment, according to Cal Fire. Cal Fire also states that "The fire continues to dangerously burn both east and west with spot fires within the communities of Altadena, Pasadena, and Sierra Madre.". The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but the flames have sparked evacuation orders and warnings in dozens of zones. Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency as the National Weather Service forecasts high winds and "extreme fire weather" to threaten much of Southern California until Thursday. "This is a highly dangerous windstorm that’s creating extreme fire risk – and we’re not out of the woods," Newsom said in a statement. "We’re already seeing the destructive impacts with this fire in Pacific Palisades that grew rapidly in a matter of minutes." The state secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant, approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA. "In addition to prepositioning dozens of firefighting engines and personnel in advance of the fire threat, we have secured funding from the federal government to fight this destructive, fast-moving fire," Newsom said.

Reported similarly:
NPR [1/8/2025 4:39 PM, Connor Donevan, Courtney Dorning, 35747K, Negative] Audio: HERE

Newsweek [1/8/2025 1:47 PM, Anna Skinner, 56005K, Neutral] reports that four wildfires in Los Angeles County, California, have claimed two lives as of Wednesday morning. Combined, the blazes have spread to roughly 5,700 acres in size. The Palisades Fire, which erupted on Tuesday, rapidly ballooned in size to cover more than 2,900 acres. Two new blazes—the Eaton Fire near Altadena and the Hurst Fire in Sylmar—also erupted late Tuesday. By Wednesday, a fourth, the Woodley Fire, had ignited in Los Angeles County. Thousands of people have evacuated the blazes, and 386,000 people are without power. A state of emergency has been declared. Many schools have closed. The Santa Ana winds that exacerbated fire conditions across Southern California on Tuesday are expected to continue on Wednesday. Weather-related warnings including red flag warnings and high wind warnings are expected to remain in effect throughout the day. As of the most recent update from the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), the Pacific Palisades Fire is more than 2,900 acres in size and 0 percent contained. It is the largest of the four Los Angeles County fires. Evacuation boundaries have to spread north to Mulholland Road, east to Kenter Road and south to Pacific Coast Highway. Several injuries, both to civilians and firefighters, have been reported. The Eaton Fire is the second largest fire burning in the county and has claimed two lives. It has surpassed 2,200 acres and is 0 percent contained. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Reported similarly:
Reuters [1/8/2025 1:04 PM, Mariano Zafra, Prasanta Kumar Dutta, Ally J. Levine, and Clare Farley, 48128K, Neutral]

New York Times [1/8/2025 4:19 PM, Amy Graff, 161405K, Negative] reports tens of thousands of people were ordered to flee their homes across Los Angeles County on Tuesday as multiple out-of-control wildfires, fueled by the strongest Santa Ana wind event in over a decade, threatened communities including Pacific Palisades and Altadena. Santa Anas are notorious for spreading wildfire flames, and they most often occur in colder months. By January, though, their impacts are often less dramatic, as the landscape is typically less flammable after rains in the fall and early winter. But this year, the rains have not come, leaving most of Southern California extremely dry.

Miami Herald [1/8/2025 1:18 PM, Don Sweeney, 6595K, Negative] reports that as Tricia Cosentino fled the explosive Pacific Palisades wildfire in Southern California, she came across a young man walking through the smoke and ash. She offered the man a ride into what soon became an apocalyptic scene, she told CNN. "As we turned a corner, the plumes of smoke were just billowing up the road," Cosentino said. "There was burnt ash. There were flames on either side of us." The evacuees quickly ran into problems. "The car was very quickly getting smoky," she said. "We had wet towels over our faces, and the cars ahead of us were not moving. There was also all of this debris that had fallen on the road. There were rocks and small boulders." Cosentino said it felt like a scene from the movie "The War of the Worlds," in which an alien invasion devastates entire cities. "I didn’t recognize the streets," she told CNN. More than 1,000 structures have been destroyed in the Pacific Palisades fire, KABC reported. Two people have been killed in an Eaton Canyon blaze. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

CBS Los Angeles [1/8/2025 6:03 AM, Dean Fioresi, 52225K, Neutral] reports firefighting crews from Northern California and Arizona have been deployed to assist with the trio of devastating wildfires currently raging in Southern California. Within the span of 12 hours on Tuesday, Los Angeles County saw three wildfires erupt, each quickly growing to engulf hundreds of acres and threaten homes and lives. Local fire departments have seen their own resources stretched incredibly thin, to the point that Los Angeles Fire Department asked all off-duty firefighters to report if they were able to assist with the ongoing battles happening countywide. As a result, crews from both Alameda County in Northern California and the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management were dispatched to assist as each fire burned without containment come early Wednesday morning. Along with Alameda County, a California Office of Emergency Services Strike Team will also join the Oakland, Hayward Fire and Fremont Fire Departments as they head south. Late Tuesday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom posted on X that more than 1,400 firefighting personnel and other prepositioned assets were en route to Los Angeles. CBS Phoenix affiliate KPHO-TV has confirmed that the team heading west from Arizona "comprises nine fire engines, two water tenders, and two task force leaders." The additional help will inevitably ease the immense pressure being placed on local departments, which are without their water-dropping aircraft, all that have been unable to fly due to the winds battering LA County. The three fires, dubbed the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst Fires — burning in the Pacific Palisades near Malibu, San Fernando Valley and the canyons above Altadena, respectively — are all happening in the midst of one of the worst and most powerful windstorms that the region has seen in more than a decade, according to the National Weather Service. California has secured FEMA assistance through the Fire Management Assistance Grant for all three of the fires, as thousands of homes and acres were threatened by flames. The grants allow for local departments to apply for up to 75% reimbursement for expenses used to fight the fires.

Yahoo! News [1/9/2025 2:44 AM, Samantha Lomibao, 57114K, Neutral] reports nearly 150 Washington firefighters are expected to make the long haul to Southern California to help with the devastating wildfires ravaging the area. According to the Washington Emergency Management Division, the state is working on sending 45 engines and 11 trucks to provide additional assistance. On Wednesday, crews from Snohomish County to the Canadian border got a head start answering the call for help from the state. “It was a quick turnaround. Once the call was made, everyone scrambled. The resource leaders filtering down to get the boots on the street down there,” said Battalion Chief Justyn Shevlin with Snohomish Regional Fire & Rescue. Shevlin told KIRO 7 that nine departments from Snohomish County, Island County, Skagit County and Whatcom County joined together to form two strike teams. The convoy made their first stop in Salem, Oregon on Wednesday evening before making the journey to Los Angeles. " Everyone going down there is wildland certified, red card certified and trained to meet these conditions,” Shevlin explained. Shevlin says the nearly 40 firefighters heading down are prepared to take on conditions they’re not used to here in Washington. " Wildland firefighting is different apparatus, different tools, a different skill set, a lot to do with weather patterns, topography patterns of the region that you’re in, different types of water supply,” he explained. Shevlin says these crews will be helping where they can. This means they’ll be relieving firefighters who need rest, extinguishing flames and using their engines to protect structures being threatened by the wildfires. “Normally you are put on 12-hour shifts potentially but whatever the resource managers down there need that’s what we’ll be tasked with,” he said. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

The Hill [1/8/2025 1:33 PM, Julia Manchester, 16346K, Negative] reports that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) offered assistance to California on Wednesday as the state grapples with severe wildfires in the greater Los Angeles area. "Our prayers are with everyone affected by the horrific fires in Southern California," DeSantis said in a post on social platform X. "When disaster strikes, we must come together to help our fellow Americans in any way we can.". "The state of Florida has offered help to assist the people of California in responding to these fires and in rebuilding communities that have been devastated," he wrote. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) declared a state of emergency Tuesday as the Pacific Palisades wildfire grew, forcing thousands to evacuate. The fire has grown to almost 3,000 acres with zero containment, according to Cal Fire. Additionally, two other fires, the Eaton and Hurst fires, have continued to spread. Both governors are seen as rising stars in their respective parties. DeSantis and Newsom have a rivalry going back to the coronavirus pandemic. California has long been viewed as a quintessentially blue state, while Florida has become the epicenter of the Republican Party in recent years. In 2023, the two came face to face for a Fox News debate as DeSantis was running in the Republican presidential primary. Despite their political and ideological differences, Newsom has also offered assistance to Florida when it faced its own natural disasters. In October, the Golden State leader deployed a number of California first responders to Florida as Hurricane Milton ravaged the state’s west coast.

Bloomberg [1/8/2025 7:56 AM, Lauren Rosenthal and Brian K Sullivan, 1450K, Negative] reports winter used to be the one time of year Southern California didn’t have to worry about wildfires. Instead, the region has started to burn. January is the heart of California’s rainy season, when cool storms from the Gulf of Alaska paint hillsides green with new grass. But this year, a stubborn high-pressure ridge has created a virtual force field near Los Angeles that has blocked moisture for months. Now, an outbreak of strong offshore winds has triggered an out-of-control wildfire in LA’s Pacific Palisades neighborhood near Malibu, affecting almost 3,000 acres and forcing thousands of residents to evacuate. Gusts of wind are forecast to be as strong as 100 miles (161 kilometers) per hour and last most of the week, with no rain in sight. Other states have struggled with dangerously dry weather in recent months. Persistent high pressure over the US Northeast last fall led to widespread brush fires — includinghundreds in New York City — and the region’s most severe drought in more than two decades. High pressure systems usually break down under the influence of other weather patterns, but the ridges over both the northeast and California have lasted an unusually long time. That may not be a coincidence. Researchers say prolonged fall and winter dry spells are likely linked to warming oceans, which can cause the jet stream — the band of fast-moving winds that control weather across North America — to wander off its usual track. That leaves high-pressure ridges stuck in place. It’s another example of how a warming world wreaks havoc with weather. “Because ocean heat waves usually exist for months, it’s not surprising to see weather regimes also stick around,” Jennifer Francis, senior scientist at the Woodwell Climate Research Center, said Tuesday. “These ocean heat waves are becoming stronger and larger because of heat trapped by increased human-generated greenhouse gases, so these persistent and unusual weather patterns will probably become more common.” But the usual autumn start to the state’s rainy season skipped Southern California entirely. Even as repeated atmospheric rivers drenched Northern California, high pressure kept them from reaching Los Angeles, which hasn’t recorded more than a half-inch of rain since April. By New Year’s Eve, nearly a third of California was in drought, according to the US Drought Monitor, compared to just 11% in late September. One dreaded LA weather phenomenon, however, did arrive on time — seasonal Santa Ana winds. Called Diablo or Sundowner winds elsewhere in the state, they push inland air over California’s mountain ranges, with gusts growing warmer and drier as they barrel toward the coast. Dead trees and brush in the hills surrounding Los Angeles are now starved of moisture, providing ample fuel for any fire that sparks. “Normally, strong winds this time of the year simply present a risk for wind damage,” said Jason Otkin, an associate research professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, in an email Tuesday. “But this time, they could also lead to explosive fire growth due to the very dry vegetation.”

AP [1/8/2025 3:34 PM, Staff, 47097K, Neutral] reports that Puerto Rico’s new governor appointed a so-called energy czar on Wednesday to help pull the U.S. territory out of a power-supply crisis. The nomination of Josué Colón comes days after a massive blackout hit the island, leaving nearly all its 3.2 million inhabitants in the dark as they prepared for New Year’s Eve. "Right now, we’re in an emergency," said Gov. Jenniffer González Colón. "Our electrical system is in such a precarious situation that anything can cause the power to go out.". Josué Colón is currently the executive director of Puerto Rico’s Electric Power Authority but would step down if lawmakers approve his new position, which they’re expected to do in upcoming days. In his new role, he will supervise Genera PR, which oversees the generation of power on the island, and Luma Energy, which handles transmission and distribution. As outages persist and officials investigate what caused the Dec. 31 blackout, critics have called on the government to cancel its contracts with the two private power companies.

Roll Call [1/8/2025 4:26 PM, Justin Papp, 440K, Negative] reports as President Jimmy Carter’s body lay in state Wednesday, Capitol Police arrested a man they said tried to get a machete into the building. Officers spotted a machete in the man’s bag during security screening at the Capitol Visitor Center’s north doors just after 2 p.m., according to the department’s post on X. The man, who was not immediately identified, faces multiple charges of carrying a dangerous weapon. There has been a heightened security presence at the Capitol because of the fourth anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack, the events honoring Carter and the upcoming presidential inauguration. For the first time, Congress’ certification of election results received National Special Security Event status from the Department of Homeland Security. A large perimeter of fencing has surrounded the Capitol in recent days, though Carter’s viewing is open to the public.

Yahoo! News [1/8/2025 12:10 PM, Ashley Suter, 57114K, Negative] reports that credit card skimmers were found at two 7-Eleven stores in Tampa, police said. On Tuesday, TPD responded to a 7-Eleven at 1930 North Dale Marby Highway after a maintenance worker found a skimming device on an ATM. During the investigation, officers were notified of another credit card skimmer at another 7-Eleven at 2717 West Hillsborough Avenue, according to the police department. TPD advises the community if they have used either ATM recently to view their bank or credit card activity. Some ways to protect yourself from credit card skimming are: Regularly inspect ATMs before using them. Shield your PIN by covering the keypad with your hand when entering the code. Avoid using ATMs in secluded, poorly lit areas, or unusual locations. Monitor your bank and credit card accounts. Update your PINs and passwords frequently. Report any suspicious activity to your bank or credit card company.

Mitchell Daily Republic [1/8/2025 3:26 PM, Staff, 55K, Negative] reports two men made their initial appearances in felony court on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, facing charges of attempted grand theft involving an amount between $5,000 and $100,000. The charges stem from an attempted theft at a drive-up ATM in town on December 30, 2024. Dixon Daniel Aguiar Escalona, 25, of Davie, Florida, and Jose Luis Alvarez Gonzalez, 22, of Aurora, Colorado, were identified as the suspects after video surveillance and two traffic stops linked them to the crime. According to court documents, the suspects tried to steal money by accessing the ATM’s computer components. Local authorities noted the rise in "jackpotting" incidents, a method of ATM theft that has been increasingly reported in South Dakota.

Government Executive [1/8/2025 4:37 PM, Sean Michael Newhouse, 342K, Neutral] reports the U.S. Coast Guard said it is "committed to transparency and accountability with Congress, our workforce and the public" after lawmakers in recent weeks have criticized the military service for not fully complying with investigations into its handling of sexual misconduct incidents. That stands in stark contrast to what House and Senate committees reported in December.

Yahoo! News [1/8/2025 7:00 AM, Janine L. Weisman, 57114K, Positive] reports the U.S. Coast Guard has plans to build 25 Heritage Class Offshore Patrol Cutters, including four now slated to be homeported at Naval Station Newport in Rhode Island. The number of new U.S. Coast Guard cutters destined to call Naval Station Newport home has doubled, Rhode Island’s U.S. Sen. Jack Reed announced Tuesday. Two sets of 360-foot twin U.S. Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Cutters — not the one set Reed’s office originally announced in 2020 — will be based on Aquidneck Island. Each of the new cutters will be built by Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama. The cutters are part of the Heritage-class of ships that began construction in 2019. The Coast Guard intends to build 25 vessels in all, with the first four cutters built by Eastern Shipbuilding Group in Panama, Florida. The first four were assigned to San Pedro, California, and Kodiak, Alaska. The cutters are designed to operate beyond 12 nautical miles from shore and conduct missions including law enforcement, drug and migrant interdiction, search and rescue, and other homeland security and defense operations. They will also help regulate and protect emerging commerce and energy exploration in Alaska. Austal USA will build the next 11 cutters. The Coast Guard has not publicly announced which ships are going where, except that Rhode Island will be the homeport of four of them. The cutters have room onboard for 100-plus crewmembers and weigh in at 4,500 long tons when fully loaded. "It’s a smart decision that makes strategic and economic sense for the Coast Guard and represents a significant investment in the Ocean State’s Blue Economy," Reed said in a statement. "There is a lot of work ahead, but I look forward to welcoming these vessels and their crews, support personnel, and their families to their new homeport." Reed pushed for the expansion of the Coast Guard’s footprint in Rhode Island and secured over $100 million to begin work on a new pier at Naval Station Newport. He also successfully advocated for bringing a pair of 270-foot cutters, Tahoma and Campbell, to Rhode Island in 2022 from their previous homeport at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in New Hampshire. It will likely be several years before the four new cutters arrive in Newport, according to Reed’s office.

Bloomberg [1/8/2025 5:04 PM, Katrina Manson, 21617K, Neutral] reports the Biden administration is racing to put out an executive order meant to shore up US cybersecurity in its dwindling days in office, according to four people familiar with the matter. The executive order, which has cleared some internal hurdles and is close to being published, incorporates lessons from a series of major breaches during the Biden administration, including the most recent Treasury Department hack attributed to China, according people familiar with the matter who didn’t want to be named to discuss information that hasn’t yet been made public. Among the measures, it directs the government to implement “strong identity authentication and encryption” across communications, according to an undated draft of the order seen by Bloomberg News. Whether President-elect Donald Trump will leave the executive order in place when he takes office remains unclear, though he’s vowed to pare back on federal regulation.

Reuters [1/7/2025 5:19 PM, Raphel Satter, 89965K, Negative] reports that the U.S. cyber watchdog agency CISA said on Monday there was "no indication" the recently reported breach at the U.S. Treasury Department had affected any other federal agency. Late last month the U.S. Treasury reported that an unspecified number of computers had been compromised by Chinese hackers following a breach at contractor BeyondTrust, which provides cybersecurity services. BeyondTrust said last month that a limited number of clients were affected but has not elaborated. "As the forensic investigation is ongoing, BeyondTrust is unable to confirm the other customers who may or may not have been impacted," the company said in an email on Monday. The Washington Post has reported that the hackers breached the U.S. Treasury office that administers economic sanctions, aiming in particular to steal information about Chinese entities that the U.S. government might be considering designating for financial sanctions. Republican lawmakers have demanded a briefing about the breach, which is the latest in a series of intrusions blamed on Beijing.

CBS Austin [1/8/2025 12:49 PM, Staff, 581K, Neutral] reports that the United States is in a cybersecurity arms race after Chinese hackers breached U.S. Treasury Department computers and stole documents. Cybersecurity expert and privacy attorney Leeza Garber says the hack targeted a third-party vendor that provided outsourced IT security for the Treasury. "We can think of cybersecurity as a warfront, and it is no longer a cold war," Garber said. [Editorial note: consult source link for video]

FedScoop [1/ 8/2025 9:41 AM Jim Carlton, Sara Randazzo and Katherine Sayre, Negative] reports the White House announced Tuesday the official launch of the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark, a cybersecurity labeling initiative aimed at enhancing the security of internet-connected devices. The initiative tackles rising consumer concerns about the security vulnerabilities of “smart” devices essential to modern homes. As households become more dependent on interconnected gadgets — with a 2023 Deloitte study revealing that the average U.S. household has 21 connected devices — the threat of cyberattacks becomes increasingly significant. These threats include hackers gaining unauthorized access to home security systems and illicit recordings through unsecured cameras. The Cyber Trust Mark aims to reassure users by offering clear security evaluations of the products they use every day. Anne Neuberger, the White House’s deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technology, told reporters Tuesday that consumers don’t have the confidence that they can connect a device at home and know that their private pictures and communications will be secure and the new program takes on that problem in a bipartisan and voluntary way. President Joe Biden on Saturday signed into law the Government Service Delivery Improvement Act, legislation that targets improving customer service interactions with the government. The bill was first introduced by Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., Byron Donalds, R-Fla., Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga., and William Timmons, R-S.C., in October 2023. Now as law, it requires the Office of Management and Budget to choose a senior official as a “Federal Government Service Delivery Lead” to coordinate government service delivery improvement within agencies. That service delivery lead would also work with new agency-appointed senior officials, who must be named within a year of the bill’s enactment, to oversee their organizations’ delivery improvements.

Government Executive [1/8/2025 4:25 PM, David DiMolfetta, 342K, Neutral] reports White House National Cyber Director Harry Coker will soon depart with many of his Biden administration colleagues as President-elect Donald Trump is set to take office. Coker — who has helped oversee multiple domestic cyber initiatives, like workforce development, regulatory harmonization and memory-safe programming — laid out a case on Tuesday for the incoming president: We need to up our game. Coker delivered a speech that outlined the work his office has done in the U.S. cyber policy world over the past few years and said during a fireside chat that he wishes in the future for ONCD to have more say in the federal government’s cybersecurity spending.

San Diego Union Tribune [1/8/2025 10:06 PM, Jemma Stephenson, 2212K, Neutral] reports San Diego Unified School District notified families of all its roughly 100,000 students Tuesday about a data breach of its student information system provider. PowerSchool, which is headquartered in Folsom and used by districts across the country, became aware of the incident on Dec. 28. The letter San Diego Unified sent to families said the district learned of it Tuesday. "We have been informed that some student data from our district and other districts was downloaded by an unauthorized user, and an analysis is being done by PowerSchool on the type of information accessed," W. Drew Rowlands, the district’s deputy superintendent of operations, wrote in the email to families. Rowlands wrote that PowerSchool had informed them that the situation had been contained. District spokesperson James Canning wrote in a Wednesday email that families of all current students were sent an email, and they have about 115,000 emails of current students. He wrote there are nearly 99,000 students in the district. PowerSchool said in a statement Wednesday that it had become aware of a potential incident where an unauthorized user gained access to certain information through a consumer portal. "We have taken all appropriate steps to prevent the data involved from further unauthorized access or misuse," a spokesperson wrote. "The incident is contained and we do not anticipate the data being shared or made public. PowerSchool is not experiencing, nor expects to experience, any operational disruption and continues to provide services as normal to our customers.".

Washington Examiner [1/8/2025 12:18 PM, Peter Cordi, 2365K, Negative] reports that a group with one of the largest anti-Israel campus presences in the nation, Jewish Voice for Peace, was denounced in a Tuesday report detailing its connections to and support for U.S.-designated terrorist groups. The StandWithUs report also highlighted JVP’s "questionable" funding sources, including money tied to Lebanon, Iran, and megadonor George Soros. The group called for further investigation into JVP’s funding sources after Hezbollah officials admitted to "investing in" anti-Israel groups in Western countries. "JVP’s harmful rhetoric and alliances make it clear they are not a voice for peace," StandWithUs co-founder and CEO Roz Rothstein said. "This organization fuels hate and shields extremists from accountability while doing nothing to bring about peaceful coexistence. "To help fight rising antisemitism, the public, media, and leaders across our society must finally recognize JVP’s dangerous agenda and reject it," Rothstein added. StandWithUs slammed JVP for its "record of supporting" the U.S.-designated terrorist group Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which is responsible for numerous terrorist attacks and the murder of U.S. citizens, as well as Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Yemen-based Houthis.

AP [1/8/2025 7:33 PM, Staff, 47097K, Neutral] reports a 14-year-old student has been arrested after bringing a gun on Wednesday to Apalachee High School, the same Georgia high school where a shooting in September killed two teachers and two students and wounded others. The Barrow County Sheriff’s Office said school resource officers arrested the boy "without incident" Wednesday afternoon at the school in Winder, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) northeast of Atlanta. Deputies said the student was "cooperative and compliant when encountered by law enforcement officers and there have been no reports of the student threatening anyone with the gun.". The student, who wasn’t named because of his age, was taken to a juvenile detention center in Gainesville. He’s charged with two counts of possessing a weapon on school grounds, theft and being a minor in possession of a gun. Deputies didn’t say what kind of gun was seized. Authorities said the student was arrested shortly after 2 p.m. at school, but they did not say when he arrived or release details of the circumstances of the arrest. The Barrow County school district canceled classes on Thursday at the high school with nearly 2,000 students, located about 45 miles (70 kilometers) northeast of downtown Atlanta. The Sept. 4 shooting killed teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53, and students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14. Another teacher and eight more students were wounded, seven of them hit by gunfire. Colt Gray, who was 14 at the time, was charged as an adult after the September shooting and was indicted on 55 counts, including murder and 25 counts of aggravated assault at the high school. He has pleaded not guilty. His father, Colin Gray, was indicted on 29 counts, including two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of involuntary manslaughter, based on prosecutors’ contention that Colin Gray let his son access guns and ammunition "after receiving sufficient warning" that the boy would harm others. Colin Gray has also pleaded not guilty.

NBC News [1/8/2025 12:08 PM, Tom Winter and Rich Schapiro, 50804K, Negative] reports that the New Orleans truck attacker built two bombs using what investigators believe was an explosive so powerful that they could have sprayed shrapnel hundreds of yards and potentially killed or wounded hundreds of people. The bombs did not detonate on New Year’s Day. But experts say the devices Shamsud-Din Jabbar built with a compound believed to be RDX would have had devastating effects were it not for an amateurish blunder. "As horrible as it is that he killed and injured all of these people, it could have been exponentially worse in the truest sense of the term had these devices actually functioned," said Scott Sweetow, a retired executive with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and former director of the FBI’s Terrorist Explosive Device Analytical Center. "You’d be looking at literally hundreds of casualties." A bomb made with RDX going off in a tourist section of New Orleans would be the equivalent of multiple hand grenades thrown into a crowded street, Sweetow said. "It would have been absolute carnage," he added. The bombs failed to go off because Jabbar used the wrong device to detonate the explosive, federal law enforcement officials have said.

AP [1/8/2025 9:03 PM, Jack Brook and Sara Cline, 14282K, Neutral] reports New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said she had hired former New York Police Commissioner William J. Bratton as a consultant during a tense city council meeting Wednesday as officials and residents sought answers over security lapses after a terror attack that killed 14 people in the French Quarter. Kirkpatrick also told councilmembers she won’t step down. "I will not resign," Kirkpatrick said. "I believe I can be that person to lead us forward.". Kirkpatrick assumed a defensive stance as the city council prepares to launch its own investigation into the street barrier systems within and around Bourbon Street, where on New Year’s Day an Islamic State group-inspired attacker drove his F-150 truck around a police car blockading the street and rampaged down the city’s most famous thoroughfare. Bollards, protective columns designed to block vehicle traffic, had been removed from the entrance of Bourbon Street because the city was in the process of replacing them. However, the replacement barriers being installed are not designed to stop a fast-moving truck, according to a Nola.com report. Mayor LaToya Cantrell has acknowledged she could not confirm if the new bollard system is sufficient to stop a similar vehicle attack. And on Monday, state Attorney General Liz Murrill ordered a review of security measures that were in place for New Year’s celebrations and the Sugar Bowl. Several councilmembers expressed concern over whether Bratton would work closely with the city council and complained that they had not been involved in his hiring. Councilmember J.P. Morrell urged the police department to engage the public as it evaluates security measures with Bratton. Council President Helena Moreno observed that representatives of the city’s Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness were absent from the meeting and "may have the answers that we’ve been looking for.".

CBS 58 [1/8/2025 1:32 PM, Staff, 238K, Negative] reports that a 14-year-old was arrested in connection to a school threat. Police say on Tuesday, Jan. 7 at 8:15 p.m., the suspect made a social media post threatening to shoot up Pulaski High School. The suspect was subsequently arrested. Criminal charges will be referred to the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office.

Newsweek [1/8/2025 4:01 PM, Andrew Stanton, 56005K, Neutral] reports that a plurality of Americans support a law that may ban TikTok ahead of a crucial U.S. Supreme Court hearing into the social media platform’s future, according to a new poll. Newsweek reached out to TikTok for comment via the company’s press contact form. TikTok, a popular social media platform used by millions of Americans, faces a potential ban if parent company ByteDance does not sell it by January 19. Lawmakers cited concerns about whether the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) would use TikTok to undermine U.S. national security. Calls for the ban gained momentum last spring during widespread college campus protests against support for Israel amid its war in Gaza that followed the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. The company, however, has raised First Amendment arguments about why the app shouldn’t be banned, bringing the case to the Supreme Court in hopes of preventing the ban from taking effect. A ban would also disrupt the creator economy for many influencers who have built a following and stream of income from the platform. A new poll from YouGov and The Economist found that a plurality of Americans support the law, though many are still unsure how they feel about it. The poll found that 44 percent support the law, while only 22 percent oppose it. An additional 34 percent say they aren’t sure about the law. Meanwhile, 34 percent agreed that TikTok poses a national security threat to the U.S., while 36 percent said it doesn’t. Thirty percent responded that they aren’t sure whether it poses a national security threat. The poll surveyed 1,704 U.S. adults from January 5-8.

Yahoo! News [1/8/2025 7:27 AM, Boldizsar Gyori, 57114K, Negative] reports a fleet of up to 10 NATO vessels will guard the infrastructure under the Baltic Sea until April, the Finnish broadcaster Yle reported on Jan. 7 after several cables were cut in suspected sabotage. The ships, mainly from Finland and Estonia, will patrol the Gulf of Finland, Yle reported. Over the past six months, several telecommunication and energy cables underneath the Baltic Sea have been damaged, with four telecom cables and one power cable severed on Dec. 25. Only two of those cables of the Christmas incident were repaired by Jan. 7. Authorities suspect the Russian shadow vessel Eagle S of the sabotage. The shadow fleet refers to a group of aging, poorly insured tankers Russia uses to avoid international sanctions on its oil trade. Moscow also uses these vessels for espionage. Concerns about Russian illicit activities in the Baltic Sea are rising, as Denmark reported two Russian-registered vessels circulating in a small area between Sweden and Denmark for at least a day. The purpose of the two vessels, currently monitored by the Danish authorities, remains unclear. In a separate initiative, the U.K-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) has set up a tracking system to alert allies if a ship poses a threat to undersea cable infrastructure. NATO is increasing its military presence in the Baltic Sea to bolster situational awareness and deter potential threats. Allies are also exploring measures to protect critical undersea infrastructure, supported by NATO’s Maritime Centre for Security of Critical Undersea Infrastructure, established in May. NATO officials have raised alarm over a growing number of Russian sabotage operations in Europe since the West threw its support behind Kyiv after the outbreak of the full-scale invasion in 2022. Read also: German FM warns of Russian ‘shadow fleet’ amid undersea cable incidents, calls for sanctions. We’ve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.

AP [1/8/2025 2:24 PM, Megan Janetsky, 2212K, Neutral] reports that Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum responded sarcastically on Wednesday to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s proposal to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. Standing before a global map in her daily press briefing, Sheinbaum proposed dryly that North America should be renamed "América Mexicana," or "Mexican America," because a founding document dating from 1814 that preceded Mexico’s constitution referred to it that way. "That sounds nice, no?" she added with a sarcastic tone. She also noted that the Gulf of Mexico had been named that way since 1607. The exchange has started to answer a larger question lingering over the bilateral relationship between the two regional powers: How would newly elected Sheinbaum handle Trump’s strong-handed diplomatic approach, and promises of mass-deportations and crippling taxes on trading partners like Mexico? But it was unclear if Mexico’s first woman president, a scientist and leftist lacking the folksy populism that rocketed López Obrador into power, would be able to build the same relationship.

FOX News [1/8/2025 1:44 PM, Caitlin McFall, 49889K, Negative] reports that two U.S. citizens have been arrested in Venezuela on charges that remain unclear, but which President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday claimed were related to the intent to "practice terrorism." Maduro said "very high level" Americans that he branded "mercenaries" were part of a group of seven who were arrested, though he did not provide any evidence or details of the arrests. "Just today we’ve captured seven foreign mercenaries, including two important mercenaries from the United States," said Maduro, according to a Reuters report. Maduro – who is set to once again take up the top office on Friday for a third term despite the widely contested results of the July election – said two Colombians and three Ukrainians were also arrested. He reportedly said his security forces had arrested 125 foreign mercenaries from 25 different countries who he claimed had entered the country with the intent "to practice terrorism against the Venezuelan people.". A spokesperson from the State Department flatly rejected Maduro’s claims and told Fox News Digital, "Any claims of U.S. involvement in a plot to overthrow Maduro are categorically false."

CNN [1/9/2025 5:00 AM, Alex Marquardt, 987K, Neutral] reports the Biden administration has announced the final tranche of military aid it will send to Ukraine, amounting to about $500 million. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was expected to detail the figure at the last meeting of the US-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. The last package comes as the White House prepares to announce another round of sanctions on Russia, expected at the end of this week. US officials have argued they are trying to give Ukraine the greatest leverage possible ahead of possible negotiations to end the war this year. There had been an expectation the White House could impose more sanctions on Russia before the looming inauguration and amid persistent Ukrainian pressure. The security aid announced Thursday under the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) has an estimated value of $500 million and includes missiles for air defense, air-to-ground munitions and equipment for Ukraine’s use of F-16 fighter jets. Stocks of weaponry and ammunition in Ukraine are stable for now, US officials say, while the US believes there are severe Ukrainian manpower issues. All of the remaining money that has been appropriated by Congress for Ukraine is expected to be provided. That does not mean, however, that all of the Presidential Drawdown Authority for Ukraine will be used by the time President Joe Biden leaves office.

Yahoo! News [1/9/2025 2:17 AM, Kateryna Hodunova, 57114K, Negative] reports the shutdown of Russian gas transit through Ukrainian territory is one of Moscow’s "most costly defeats," U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said, as reported by Ukrinform on Jan. 8. Ukraine terminated Russian natural gas transit through its territory on Jan. 1. Kyiv has repeatedly warned that it would not extend the agreement when it expires at the end of 2024 because it did not want to finance Russia’s war. Ukraine’s move will deprive Russia of about $6.5 billion in annual revenue from gas sales to Europe, according to Kirby. The spokesperson added that the U.S. also tries to make Russia suffer losses through sanctions and export restrictions. Meanwhile, Washington is trying to increase energy supplies to Europe, particularly liquefied natural gas (LNG). According to Kirby, currently, 50% of European LNG imports come from the U.S. The spokesperson mentioned that 25 years ago, when Russian President Vladimir Putin took office, more than 130 billion cubic meters of gas were transported to Europe through Ukraine, and today this figure is zero. Following Ukraine’s termination of Russian gas transportation through its territory, gas prices in Europe rose by 4.3% to almost 51 euros per megawatt-hour. This rise is the highest since October 2023 and comes ahead of freezing temperatures forecast across much of Europe. The halt also coincided with a major gas outage in Moldova’s Russian-occupied Transnistria region, which relied on transit through Ukraine, according to its gas supplier Tiraspoltransgaz-Pridnestrovie.

Reuters [1/9/2025 5:04 AM, Nidal Al-Mughrabi, 48128K, Negative] reports U.S. and Arab mediators have made some progress in their efforts to reach a ceasefire accord between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, but not enough to seal a deal, Palestinian sources close to the talks said on Thursday. As talks continued in Qatar, the Israeli military carried out strikes across the enclave, killing at least 17 people, Palestinian medics said. Qatar, the U.S. and Egypt are making a major push to reach a deal to halt fighting in the 15-month conflict and free remaining hostages held by Islamist group Hamas before President Joe Biden leaves office. President-elect Donald Trump has warned there will be "hell to pay", if the hostages are not released by his inauguration on Jan. 20. On Thursday, a Palestinian official close to the mediation effort said the absence of a deal so far did not mean the talks were going nowhere and said this was the most serious attempt so far to reach an accord. "There are extensive negotiations, mediators and negotiators are talking about every word and every detail. There is a breakthrough when it comes narrowing old existing gaps but there is no deal yet," he told Reuters, without giving further details. On Tuesday, Israeli Foreign Ministry Director General Eden Bar-Tal said Israel was fully committed to reaching an agreement to return its hostages from Gaza but faces obstruction from Hamas. The two sides have been an at impasse for a year over two key issues. Hamas has said it will only free its remaining hostages if Israel agrees to end the war and withdraw all its troops from Gaza. Israel says it will not end the war until Hamas is dismantled and all hostages are free. On Thursday, the death toll from Israel’s military strikes included eight Palestinians killed in a house in Jabalia, the largest of Gaza’s eight historic refugee camps, where Israeli forces have operated for more than three months. Nine others, including a father and his three children, died in two separate airstrikes on two houses in central Gaza Strip, health officials said. There was no Israeli military comment on the two incidents.

Reported similarly:
NBC News [1/8/2025 12:06 PM, Andrea Mitchell, Carol E. Lee, Courtney Kube, Vaughn Hillyard, Gabe Gutierrez, and Elyse Perlmutter-Gumbiner, 50804K, Neutral]

NBC News [1/8/2025 7:58 AM, Mushtaq Yusufzai and Jennifer Jett, 50804K, Neutral] reports the Biden administration has been in talks with the Taliban to exchange Americans detained in Afghanistan for Afghans in U.S. custody, a senior Taliban leader with direct knowledge of the negotiations told NBC News on Wednesday. The Taliban leader, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the issue publicly, said the two sides had been negotiating for the past two years but had so far failed to reach a deal. He said the Taliban had demanded three Afghan nationals including Muhammad Rahim, the only Afghan prisoner left at Guantánamo Bay, a detention site in Cuba for the mostly Muslim men taken into custody around the world in the U.S. “war on terror.” U.S. officials say Rahim, who has been held there without charge since 2008, was a senior aide in Al Qaeda, the terrorist group led by Osama bin Laden that carried out the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Others say he held a much lesser role as a courier and translator and is not a national security threat. “His mother has been protesting and made several demands for his release,” the Taliban leader said. The Taliban leader, who said he has personally participated in some of the meetings with U.S. officials, confirmed that the Taliban had captured three American nationals in the past two years. “We believe that the U.S. administration will make it happen as they are very interested in getting back their three nationals currently held in Afghanistan,” he said. He did not name the three Americans, whom he said were accused of spying and preaching Christianity in Afghanistan. But the Taliban have previously confirmed they are holding Ryan Corbett and George Glezmann, both of whom the State Department has classified as wrongfully detained.

Reuters [1/8/2025 7:25 PM, Ben Blanchard and Ryan Woo, 48128K, Negative] reports Taiwan and China traded barbs over what the government in Taipei suspects was a Chinese-linked ship’s damage to an undersea communications cable off the island’s coast, an incident that has raised alarm bells on the island. The ship owner, speaking to Reuters on Wednesday, said there was no evidence the ship was involved. Taiwan’s coast guard suspects the ship damaged the cable off the island’s northern coast late last week, but was unable to board it to investigate due to bad weather. The coast guard said it "cannot rule out the possibility" the ship, registered both in Cameroon and Tanzania but owned by a Hong Kong company, was engaged in "grey zone" activities. However, it has not provided any direct evidence of this. Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has repeatedly complained about "grey zone" Chinese activities around the island, designed to pressure it without direct confrontation, such as balloon overflights and sand dredging. Late Wednesday, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office said damage to undersea cables are "common maritime accidents" and Taiwan was making accusations "out of thin air" and intentionally hyping up the "so-called grey zone threat from the mainland". Responding to that statement, Taiwan’s China-policy making Mainland Affairs Council said the case was being investigation and would proceed based on the evidence. "Internationally, mainland Chinese ships flying flags of convenience have the mark of evil about them," it said, pointing to investigations in Baltic states about Chinese ships suspected of damaging undersea cables there. Taiwan has previously experienced damage to cables to the Kinmen and Matsu islands, the council said, referring to territories that sit right next to the Chinese coast but are controlled by Taiwan. "Of course the government must be cautious in handling this," it added. China detests Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, calling him a "separatist" and has rebuffed his repeated calls for talks. Lai and his government reject Beijing’s sovereignty claims, saying only Taiwan’s people can decide their future.

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