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

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

The New York Times [7/13/2025 6:18 PM, Alyce McFadden, 138952K] reports Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, defended the federal government’s response on Sunday to catastrophic flooding in Texas that left more than 120 dead. She dismissed as “absolutely false” reports that recent policy changes slowed the deployment of critical disaster aid. In an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Ms. Noem denied that a new policy requiring her personal approval for contracts larger than $100,000 had left Federal Emergency Management Agency call centers understaffed for days after floodwaters swept through Texas’ Hill Country on July 4 and 5. The New York Times reported that on July 6 and 7, thousands of calls to the agency went unanswered because hundreds of contractors had been fired when their contracts lapsed on July 5. “False reporting, fake news,” Ms. Noem said. Experts and current and former FEMA employees have said the agency was slow to deploy response and search-and-rescue coordination teams. But Ms. Noem insisted that FEMA, which is a part of the Department of Homeland Security, had responded to the Texas flooding better than it had to any other disaster in “many, many years” and dismissed claims to the contrary as attacks by the Trump administration’s political opponents. “What is really unfortunate is we have a situation where so many individuals are playing politics with what happened to Texas,” she said. Representative Chip Roy, a Republican who represents parts of Texas hit hardest by the floods, appeared on “Fox News Sunday,” decried “all the finger-pointing that the media wants to point to” and said the focus should instead be on the “heroism” of emergency responders and local officials. Other Republicans in Texas and Washington have brushed aside questions about how the federal and state governments have responded to the flood. During a visit to Texas on Friday, President Trump said that “only a very evil person” would ask about reports that flood alerts weren’t sent out earlier and that people died as a result. Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas dismissed a question last Tuesday about whether he would call for an investigation into the flooding, saying that asking about blame was “the word choice of losers.” For people hit hardest by disasters, FEMA can provide a critical safety net in the immediate aftermath. Calls to the agency can help connect survivors with different kinds of assistance, including a one-time payment of $750 available for people who lost their homes, to help cover basic and immediate needs. According to documents reviewed by The Times, as Texans began to grapple with damage wrought by the flood, on July 5, FEMA answered more than 99 percent of the 3,027 calls it received. Contractors for four companies at call centers picked up the vast majority of them. The next day, after contracts with the companies lapsed, FEMA answered only 36 percent of the 2,363 calls that came in, the documents say. And on July 7, FEMA answered only 16 percent of the 16,419 calls. Politico [7/13/2025 11:14 AM, Gregory Svirnovskiy, 2100K] reports "It’s discouraging, it’s discouraging that during this time when we have such a loss of life, and so many people’s lives have turned upside down, that people are playing politics with this," Noem told NBC’s Kristen Welker in an interview airing Sunday on "Meet the Press." "Because the response time was immediate. And if you talk to anyone in Texas that was there, that was a part of this operation, they would say the federal government and President Trump immediately responded." The former South Dakota governor has faced criticism for a policy requiring her sign-off on FEMA expenditures over $100,000. She told Welker the measure was "an accountability on contracts that go forward," but experts say it hampered the disaster response. And a New York Times report Friday found that the agency laid off hundreds of call center contractors in the middle of the crisis July 5. After answering well over 99 percent of the calls coming its way on that day, FEMA responded to just 35.8 percent and 15.9 percent of calls over the following two days, respectively. Noem finally renewed the contracts five days after they first lapsed, the Times reported. Noem characterized those findings as fake news — and pushed for the publication’s anonymous sources to reveal themselves publicly. "I’m not certain it’s accurate, and I’m not sure where it came from. And the individuals who are giving you information out of FEMA, I’d love to have them put their names behind it," she told Welker. "Because the anonymous attacks to politicize a situation are completely wrong. These emergencies need to be conducted exactly how President Trump handled this one."

Reported similarly:
Reuters [7/13/2025 7:35 PM, Ted Hesson and Nathan Layne, 51390K]
USA Today [7/13/2025 2:01 PM, Kathryn Palmer, 75552K] r

DailySignal [7/13/2025 5:30 PM, Olivia Pero, 558K] reports Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem praised the rapid response of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security to the Texas flash floods on both NBC News and Fox News Sunday morning. Noem defended the speed at which her department deployed resources, despite claims that it took longer to send them due to her new policy requiring all FEMA contracts and grants above $100,000 be approved by her. "Within just an hour or two after the flooding, we had resources from the Department of Homeland Security there helping those individuals in Texas," Noem told Kristen Welker, host of "Meet the Press." According to Noem, the policy is widely used throughout the DHS "for accountability purposes.” "I want that accountability in place because it’s the taxpayer dollars, and we need to know that when those dollars are going out to help communities, it’s actually getting there," Noem said. Noem recalled the lack of aid when hurricanes hit North Carolina and Florida in recent years. "What is different about Texas is that FEMA operated how President [Donald] Trump wanted it to operate," Noem declared. "We didn’t go there and manage it. We went there and allowed the local officials to manage it. We’re there to support and give them what resources they need.” Noem said this was the fastest in years, maybe even decades, that FEMA was deployed to help individuals in flash floods, with the agency having over 700 individuals on the ground in Texas. "We didn’t just deploy FEMA. We deployed our Coast Guard and Border Patrol Tactical Unit teams," Noem said. "Border Patrol was amazing.”

NBC News [7/13/2025 11:59 AM, Megan Lebowitz, 44540K] reports Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Sunday that President Donald Trump wants the Federal Emergency Management Agency “remade” rather than dismantled entirely. “I think the president recognizes that FEMA should not exist the way that it always has been. It needs to be redeployed in a new way, and that’s what we did during this response,” Noem said in an interview on NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” referring to the federal government’s response to the Texas floods. “It’s not just FEMA that can respond in these situations. The federal government has all kinds of assets, and we deployed them,” Noem added, pointing to the Coast Guard and U.S. Customs and Border Protection helping with disaster response. Both groups routinely respond to disasters. Trump has slammed FEMA, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security, and mused about possibly “getting rid” of the agency, which administers emergency relief. Noem, too, has said the administration would eliminate FEMA. Asked on “Meet the Press” a second time whether Trump no longer wanted to end the agency, Noem reiterated that she believed the president “wants it to be remade so that it’s an agency that is new in how it deploys and supports states.” In the aftermath of the Texas floods, which have killed at least 129 people with 166 still missing, the administration has shifted away from its harsh rhetoric targeting the agency. Noem told reporters Saturday that the federal response in Texas would be how Trump envisions “what FEMA would look like into the future.” It’s a far cry from how the president has targeted the agency. Just days into his second term, he said, “FEMA has really let us down, let the country down.” That same day, Trump signed an order directing a “full-scale review” of FEMA. Noem also acknowledged reports from NBC News and other outlets that the secretary requires that she personally sign off on all agency spending over $100,000. “The $100,000 sign-off is for every contract that goes through the Department of Homeland Security,” Noem said. “It’s an accountability on contracts that go forward,” Noem added. “But there was no break in contracts. Those contracts were approved as soon as they were in front of me, and FEMA knew they were fully to deploy them the instant that the local officials asked for the request.” In the aftermath of the deadly floods, some Democrats have criticized the administration’s response, with Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., going so far as to say that Noem should resign. Noem responded to Warren on Sunday, brushing off the comment with a laugh. “I don’t care what she thinks,” Noem said, adding there was “no” chance she would resign. Gov. Andy Beshear, D-Ky., said later on "Meet the Press" that it was important "that we make sure that we learn from" the floods. He pointed to deadly floods in Kentucky, saying, "We asked every question after. We didn’t shy from anything." "What I hope happens is people embrace the questions, because the questions don’t have to be a political football, and shouldn’t be," Beshear said. "It’s: ‘How do we do better? How do we save more lives? How do we get a better weather forecast? Do we have enough people at the National Weather Service? Can we deploy faster than we did this time?’ All of those things are legitimate."

Reported similarly:
Breitbart [7/13/2025 7:25 PM, Staff, 3077K]
NBC News [7/13/2025 6:00 PM, Nick Duffy, Amina Kilpatrick and Jeremy Mikula, 44540K]

NBC News [7/13/2025 9:14 AM, Staff, 44540K] reports Sec. Noem says FEMA ‘should not exist’ in its current form after Trump called for phasing it out. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

NBC News [7/13/2025 9:13 AM, Staff, 44540K] reports that in an interview with Meet the Press, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem weighs in on the administration’s response to the deadly flooding in Texas amid claims her policies held up the government’s emergency response. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

The Hill [7/13/2025 10:41 AM, Sarah Fortinsky, 18649K] reports Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem denied reports suggesting the deployment of resources to Texas was delayed because of her new rule requiring her personal sign-off on all Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) contracts or grants worth more than $100,000. In an interview Sunday on NBC News’s "Meet the Press," Noem acknowledged that she implemented the new rule but said the resources were deployed promptly after the flooding. "Those claims are absolutely false. Within just an hour or two after the flooding, we had resources from the Department of Homeland Security there, helping those individuals in Texas. It was a heartbreaking scene. And I think it’s been well covered about what the Coast Guard did, how they were deployed immediately and helped rescue so many individuals from those floodwaters. And we had Border Patrol down there with their tactical teams, and FEMA was there just within a few hours as well," Noem told NBC News’s Kristen Welker about the reports. "So those claims are false," she continued. "They’re from people who won’t put their name behind those claims. And those call centers were fully staffed and responsive. And this is the fastest, I believe, in years, maybe decades, that FEMA has been deployed to help individuals in this type of situation.” Noem explained that her new policy is "an accountability" mechanism for contracts but insisted that "there was no break in contracts" and that resources were deployed immediately. "Those contracts were approved as soon as they were in front of me, and FEMA knew they were fully to deploy the instant that the local officials asked for their request," she said. Noem pushed back on Welker’s suggestion that her new rule amounted to "extra red tape.” "It’s not extra red tape. It’s making sure everything is getting to my level and that it’s immediately responded to. This was not slowed down at all. In fact, it was much more responsive. If you remember, I was there. I was standing right there long before this report ever came out. And people were asking, and we were granting permission in real time," she said. "So the false reporting has been something that is inappropriate and it’s something that I think we need to clear up: that this response was by far the best response we’ve seen out of FEMA, the best response we’ve seen out of the federal government in many, many years and certainly much better than what we saw under Joe Biden.”

NewsMax [7/13/2025 11:13 AM, Eric Mack, 4622K] reports Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem struck back directly at media attacks claiming DHS oversight negatively impacted the Federal Emergency Management Agency response to the deadly Texas floods early this month. "Those claims are absolutely false," Noem told NBC’s "Meet the Press," discrediting the attacks sourcing anonymous FEMA holdovers from former President Joe Biden’s administration, potentially jilted by the Trump reorganization usurping their authority. "Within just an hour or two after the flooding we had resources from the Department of Homeland Security there, helping those individuals in Texas. It was a heartbreaking scene. "And I think it’s been well covered about what the Coast Guard did, how they were deployed immediately and helped rescue so many individuals from those floodwaters. And we had Border Patrol down there with their tactical teams, and FEMA was there just within a few hours as well.” Not only did the federal government not fail to respond, but the action was more coordinated and swift than ever before, according to Noem. "So those claims are false," she continued to host Kristen Welker. "They’re from people who won’t put their name behind those claims. And those call centers were fully staffed and responsive. And this is the fastest I believe, in years, maybe decades that FEMA has been deployed to help individuals in this type of a situation.” President Donald Trump, upset with the "red tape," bureaucracy, waste, fraud, and failed responses of the past, has sought to streamline the emergency response by directing FEMA coordination up to Noem. Trump sent Noem to the Texas flood response the morning of July 4 in the early hours of search and rescue operations, allowing her to pull the levers for the federal response, she said. "They were deployed immediately, as soon as they were requested," Noem told Welker. "And I think what matters the most here is what the local officials on the ground say and what their feedback is. You know, I was there that very morning and that afternoon when the flooding was happening and was with those emergency responders right away, with the governor, with Nim Kidd, who’s running the state’s response. "And every one of them will tell you that they got everything that they needed when they asked for it immediately and that they’ve never seen a federal government respond in support of a state’s management of a disaster situation like this. So those claims, I don’t know who’s making them out of FEMA because FEMA has been incredibly responsive. "We’ve had over 700 different employees engaged right in Texas. And as soon as that disaster request was put in, forwarded to the White House, and approved within hours.” Welker, attempted to adopt liberal media attack points on the response, but those were categorically rejected by Noem, including the anonymous complaints from FEMA holdovers that criticized the new policy that require Noem’s signoffs on $100,000-plus contracts. "This is what I think is really unfortunate, is that we have a situation where so many individuals are playing politics with what happened to Texas," Noem said, noting the buck stopping with her expedited the DHS and federal response and did not cripple it. "And the governor and the emergency responders on the ground, the mayor of that city, the judge in that county who has some authority over emergency response, every one of them said, ‘As soon as we asked for help, they were here. The federal government was here.’. "And we didn’t just deploy FEMA. We deployed our Coast Guard and BORTAC [Border Patrol Tactical Unit] teams. Border Patrol was amazing. Every single agency that we had was there helping as many individuals as we possibly could. "And that’s what I think is remarkable. It was a very different response, I think, from the federal government we’ve ever seen in a disaster like this because we had so many different agencies immediately respond. And that’s the way that it should be.” The reorganization and streamlining of FEMA has been a priority for the Trump administration after poor responses, particularly in red states under Biden.

FOX News [7/13/2025 2:07 PM, Stephen Sorace, 46878K] Video HERE reports Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Sunday said criticisms over the federal response to the deadly flooding in Texas were politically motivated, calling one Democratic lawmaker’s accusations "absolutely despicable." Noem appeared on "Fox News Sunday," where she defended against claims that the FEMA response was delayed, and the assertion from Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., that President Donald Trump and Noem fired FEMA employees as flood victims called the agency. "You know, this memo and this criticism, I think, is all politics because I was there," Noem said. "I was there and every time somebody asked for something, we said, absolutely, it’ll be here as soon as possible and it’ll be done." Noem said that she and over 700 FEMA workers were in the area within hours of a call with Texas officials. The Coast Guard also immediately deployed following the call, she added. The secretary said this operation was "the fastest in history that FEMA has ever responded to a disaster" and, unlike FEMA’s poor track record under the Biden administration, this time FEMA "operated how President Trump wanted it to operate." "I’m very proud of the fact that we didn’t go there and manage it," she said. "We went there and allowed the local officials to manage it, to run it. The state did a fantastic job. We’re there to support and give them what resources they need." [Editorial note: consult video at source link] Breitbart [7/13/2025 10:48 AM, Pam Key, 3077K] reports "Within an hour or two after the flooding, we had resources from Homeland Security helping those individuals in Texas. It was a heartbreaking scene and I think it has been well covered about what the Coast Guard did, how they were deployed immediately and help the rescue so many individuals.” Host Kristen Welker asked, "When did you get a request for these search and rescues? According to reports, they do not arrive until Tuesday.” Noem said, "This is what is really unfortunate, is we have a situation where so many individuals are playing politics with what happened to Texas. The governor and emergency responders on the ground, the mayor of the city, the judge in that county who has authority over emergency response, every one of them said when they were asked for help, they were here. The federal government was here and we did not just deploy FEMA, we deployed the Coast Guard and Border Patrol was amazing. Every single agency was helping as many individuals as we possibly could, and it is a very different response from the federal government than we have seen in a disaster like this, because we have so many different agencies immediately respond, and that’s the way it should be.” The Washington Times [7/13/2025 9:59 AM, Seth McLaughlin, 2106K] reports Ms. Noem rebutted reports that her department was slow to respond because she had initiated a requirement that she must approve expenses over $100,000 and that firings at the Federal Emergency Management Agency made the situation worse. "No, it is an absolute lie," she said on "Fox News Sunday," referring to the claim that the administration had fired FEMA employees. "That is what I think is so disingenuous and horrible about the situation. Nobody was fired. No contacts were ended." "The fact that Democrats are politicizing this while people are still looking for their babies," she said. "They are still looking for their family members. I think it is absolutely despicable." Ms. Noem said the Trump administration’s response was "unprecedented." The Trump administration’s response to the flooding has been under a spotlight, and its efforts to downsize the federal workforce, including at FEMA, have faced more scrutiny.

Reported similarly:
FOX News [7/13/2025 10:28 AM, Staff, 46878K]

Washington Examiner [7/13/2025 11:04 AM, Annabella Rosciglione, 1934K]
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem dismissed calls for her resignation following multiple reports that FEMA, under her department, had a slow response to deadly flooding in central Texas. In response to a question on NBC News’s Meet the Press if there was a chance she would leave the role following Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s (D-MA) call for Noem to resign, Noem laughed and said, "No, there’s not. And I hadn’t heard that, but I don’t care what she thinks.” Multiple reports have highlighted the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s slowed response to the disaster, with New York Times reporting that FEMA did not answer thousands of calls in the wake of the disaster in large part because the agency had fired hundreds of contractors at call centers. On one day amid the flooding, the agency reportedly fielded 16,419 calls and answered 2,613, about 15.9%. In response to those figures, Noem claimed, "Those people were in those call centers, and they were picking up the phone and answering these calls from these individuals. So that report needs to be verified. I’m not certain it’s accurate, and I’m not sure where it came from.” According to a CNN report, Noem recently implemented a sweeping rule to cut spending that requires any contract or grant worth $100,000 be approved with her personal signoff before funds can be released. On that rule, Noem said, "It’s not extra red tape. It’s making sure everything is getting to my level and that it’s immediately responded to. This was not slowed down at all. In fact, it was much more responsive.”

The Hill [7/13/2025 11:05 AM, Rachel Scully, 18649K] reports Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem criticized a ruling from a federal judge that bars the Trump administration from using "unconstitutional" immigration enforcement efforts in parts of California, saying judges are "getting political" and that it is "not their job.” During an interview on "Fox News Sunday," Noem was asked about the Friday ruling from U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong, an appointee of former President Biden. The order granted two temporary restraining orders preventing officials from targeting individuals for removal on the basis of race, language or employment and requiring the Department of Homeland Security to grant detainees access to legal counsel. "Well, this federal judge’s ruling is ridiculous. We never ran our operations that way," Noem said. "We’ve seen this across the country over and over and over again, where judges are getting political. It’s not their job," she added. "I hope they can bring some dignity back to the bench because we’re lacking it now for many of these federal judges.” Noem said the judge’s ruling is "wrong" and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) does not target individuals on the basis of race, language or employment, adding that they will win their case. "It’s been done exactly how law enforcement has operated for many years in this country, and ICE is out there making sure we get the worst off the streets," she added. "So this judge made a decision that we will appeal and we will win, because he’s wrong. We’ve never targeted individuals based on those qualifications that he laid out.” Her statement follows a Fox News interview with President Trump’s border czar Tom Homan, who said that federal immigration agents do not need probable cause to detain people for a short period and that agents can "just go through the observations, get articulable facts, based on their location, their occupation, their physical appearance, their actions.”

Washington Examiner [7/13/2025 4:39 PM, Asher Notheis, 1934K] reports Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem pushed back against the latest ruling by a federal judge against the Trump administration, vowing that it will be appealed. The ruling orders the administration to halt indiscriminate immigration stops and arrests in seven California counties. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass celebrated the ruling as a win "for cities all across the nation," claiming her city has come "under assault as masked men snatch people off the street.” The judge’s ruling states U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials cannot rely on profiling factors, such as race, ethnicity, or speaking Spanish, to form reasonable suspicion for a detentive stop. Noem called the ruling "ridiculous," and stated immigration stops have been built using "casework" against illegal immigrants, including violent offenders. "It’s been done exactly how law enforcement has operated for many years in this country. and ICE is out there making sure we get the worst of the worst off the streets," Noem said on Fox News’s Fox News Sunday. "So this judge made a decision that we will appeal, and we will win because he’s wrong. We’ve never targeted individuals based on those qualifications that he laid out, and again, we’ve seen this across the country over and over and over again, where judges are getting political. It’s not their job. I hope they can bring dignity back to the bench, because we are lacking it now for many of these federal judges," Noem said.

The Hill [7/13/2025 10:49 AM, Sarah Fortinsky, 18649K] reports Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the conditions at the "Alligator Alcatraz" facility in Florida after Democrats made claims of "inhumane" treatment of the detained migrants. In an interview on NBC News’s "Meet the Press," moderator Kristen Welker asked Noem about claims from Democrats that, in the facility, more than 30 people are "stuffed into a jail cell" and that the detainees "get their drinking water and they brush their teeth from the same place where they go to the bathroom.” "Our detention centers at the federal level are held to a higher standard than most local or state centers and even federal prisons. The standards are extremely high," Noem responded, noting the facility is "state-run.” Noem also pushed back on the term "jail cells," calling them "secure facilities" that are "held to the highest levels of what the federal government requires for detention facilities.” Noem suggested that there is a double standard in the way Democrats react to facilities under the Trump administration compared with past Democratic administrations. "I wish they would have said that back during the Biden administration and back when Democrats were in the White House and they were piling people on top of each other on cement floors and literally didn’t have 2 feet to move," Noem said about claims that the migrants are in "cages" in the facility. "They never did that, and that’s why this politics has to end.” Noem said she would take cameras in the facility to "show people what these facilities look like.” "Because if you compare them to what happened under the Biden administration and under the Obama administration, these centers are at the highest levels," she continued. "And they’re even higher than what our federal prison standards are or state or local often are.”

FOX News [7/13/2025 6:00 PM, David Spector, 46878K] reports Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem clashed with NBC "Meet the Press" host Kristen Welker in a testy exchange on Sunday over alleged "inhumane" conditions at the newly-opened Alligator Alcatraz migrant detention facility in the Florida everglades. The detention facility, which currently holds 900 people but has the capacity to hold nearly 4,000, has been under scrutiny after Democratic lawmakers toured the facility on Saturday. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., described the facility as an "internment camp." Democratic lawmakers who toured the facility claimed that detainees were subjected to inhumane treatment, unsanitary conditions and sweltering heat. Wasserman Schultz claimed that detainees were forced to drink water from the same sink they use for the bathroom, and were packed into "wall-to-wall cages.” "Our detention centers at the federal level are held to a higher standard than most local or state centers and even federal prisons. The standards are extremely high, now this is a state-run facility at Alligator Alcatraz ---" Noem told Welker in response to being questioned over whether the Florida facility was inhumane, before being interrupted by the host. "More than 30 people stuffed into a jail cell?" Welker asked, cutting off Noem. "I wish they would have said that back during the Biden administration and back when the Democrats were in the White House when they were piling people on top of each other on cement floors and they didn’t have two feet to move. They never did that, and that’s why this politics has to end," Noem said. "I wouldn’t call them jail cells, I would call them a facility where they are held and that are secure facilities, but are held to the highest levels of what the federal government requires for detention facilities --" Noem said before once again being cut off by Welker. "Democrats have called them cages," the "Meet the Press" host interrupted. Noem vowed to allow cameras to document the conditions inside migrant detention centers to show how their conditions are superior to centers used in the Biden administration. She also encouraged illegal immigrants to self-deport to avoid the detention process entirely and give themselves an opportunity to return to the country legally.

Reported similarly:
FOX News [7/13/2025 10:28 AM, Staff, 46878K]

NBC News [7/13/2025 9:19 AM, Staff, 44540K] reports Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem tells Meet the Press that she will show evidence of what she describes as high-level conditions within the new immigration detention facility dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” after Florida Democrats toured the facilities and called the conditions “vile.” [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

NewsNation [7/14/2025 12:35 AM, Rob Taub, Mills Hayes, 5801K] reports that, with the recent opening of the "Alligator Alcatraz" detention center in Florida, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is looking at expansion for other states to have similar facilities. Noem says she wants to double the capacity of Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers across the U.S. as the Trump administration promises the largest mass deportation effort in history. Her focus is mainly on five Republican-led states. The development comes just a day after Democratic lawmakers got a limited tour of "Alligator Alcatraz" and denounced the facility for its overcrowding and unsanitary conditions. One of them was Florida Democrat Debbie Wasserman-Schultz. "The cruelty is the point," Wasserman-Schultz said. "This is a stunt. I mean, dropping flimsy infrastructure in the middle of the Everglades, in a swamp where they bragged about it being surrounded by alligators and pythons, I mean, the whole point is to, you know, look tough, like they’re trying to go after bad hombres.” Florida Republican Blaise Igoglia, who was also on the tour, rebuked Wasserman-Schultz’s statements. "I hate to say it, but they are flat out lying," he said. "It’s performance art on behalf of the Democrats. We walked through the facility, and it’s well-kept, well-lit, it’s clean.” Noem added that detention centers at the federal level, like "Alligator Alcatraz," are held to a higher standard than most local, state, and federal prisons, pointing out the amount of security footage made public. "We took cameras in there," Noem said. "We will take cameras in there and show people what these facilities look like. Because if you compare them to what happened under the Biden administration and under the Obama administration, these centers are at the highest levels.” The Florida Immigration Coalition says they’ve been in touch with family members of people detained at Alligator Alcatraz, who claim the facility is overcrowded and there’s a lack of medical attention for detainees. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

FOX News [7/13/2025 2:23 PM, Bonny Chu, 46878K] reports Border czar Tom Homan slammed lawmakers for criticizing the conditions of "Alligator Alcatraz" — the nation’s newest detention center — while remaining "silent" about the migrant death toll under former President Joe Biden. "Alligator Alcatraz," which was constructed in the alligator-filled swamplands of the Florida Everglades to deter escapees, has drawn scrutiny over its conditions, remote location and potential environmental impact. Critics have questioned whether the site is safe, humane or appropriate for long-term detention. Homan, however, said the center still meets guidelines under U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and maintains the "highest" standards in the industry. "Detainees complain about the conditions of detention," Homan said during an appearance on CNN’s "State of the Union" on Sunday. "You can simply go to ICE.gov and look at the detention standards ICE has. They have the highest detention standards in the industry, but these same congressmen are complaining about ‘Alligator Alcatraz.’". Homan argued that the lawmakers condemning the facility were noticeably absent when migrant deaths surged under the Biden administration. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data obtained by Fox News, 856 migrants died attempting to cross the southern border in fiscal year 2022 — the highest number ever recorded at the time.

Reported similarly:
Axios [7/13/2025 12:03 PM, Avery Lotz, 13599K]

The Hill [7/13/2025 12:06 PM, Rachel Scully, 18649K] reports President Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, said that his words were "taken out of context" when he said that federal immigration agents can detain people "based on their location, their occupation" and "their physical appearance.” During an interview on CNN’s "State of the Union," Homan said that physical appearance "can’t be the sole reason to raise reasonable suspicion," but he noted that in some cases, such as if someone had an MS-13 tattoo, it "may be one factor to add to other factors to raise reasonable suspicion." "I want to be clear because my words were taken out of context," he said. "Physical description cannot be the sole reason to detain and question somebody. That can’t be the sole reason to raise reasonable suspicion. It’s a myriad of factors." He noted that every situation and officer is different, but that they are "well trained." His clarification comes after a Fox News interview on Friday, where Homan said federal immigration agents do not need probable cause to "briefly detain" people. "People need to understand, ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] officers and Border Patrol don’t need probable cause to walk up to somebody, briefly detain them, and question them," he said at the time on "Fox & Friends." At the time, Homan was responding to a federal judge’s ruling that granted two temporary restraining orders preventing officials from targeting individuals for removal on the basis of race, language or employment and requiring the Department of Homeland Security to grant detainees access to legal counsel. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem slammed the ruling as "ridiculous," adding that ICE "never ran our operations that way." "We’ve seen this across the country over and over and over again, where judges are getting political. It’s not their job," she said on "Fox News Sunday." "I hope they can bring some dignity back to the bench because we’re lacking it now for many of these federal judges.”

Reported similarly:
FOX News [7/13/2025 5:00 PM, Hanna Panreck, 46878K]

NewsMax [7/13/2025 12:34 PM, Eric Mack, 4622K] reports President Donald Trump’s border czar Tom Homan had bold and pointed responses to an anti-ICE protester during his Turning Point USA speech Saturday, then added calls for all leftist protesters in the same vein. "You want some? Come get some," Homan told the Turning Point USA crowd, the New York Post reported, after being heckled by a protester. "I’m tired of it for the men and women of ICE. I deserve your respect. "They’re the finest 1% this country has. And Tom Homan isn’t going anywhere. Tom Homan isn’t shutting up.” The heckler that touched him off was carrying a would-be wanted poster bearing the border czar’s picture, shouting to Homan, as shown in social media video: "Are you an MS-13 member?". Amid a chorus of boos from the young conservatives conference, Homan responded with his patented fiery style. "That’s OK, no, no, no – I’ve got a question for you: Why don’t you come up here and hand me that picture?" Homan said to the man as he was escorted out of the conference room by security. A smiling Homan, reveling in the hate, starting a "USA! USA!" chant, and continued to blast the protester as a mentally unstable person who lacked the intestinal fortitude to serve law and order in America. "They’ve got morons like this all over the country," Homan continued. "This guy wouldn’t know what it’s like to serve this nation. This guy ain’t got the balls to be an ICE officer. He hasn’t got the balls to be a Border Patrol agent. While leftists might consider some of Homan’s remarks hate speech, he said the hate is aimed at him and the federal law enforcement officers and not coming from him. "Such hate against the men and women of ICE and in the Border Patrol," Homan lamented, fighting fire with fire.

FOX News [7/13/2025 3:38 PM, Staff, 46878K] Video: HERE reports Fox News’ Christina Coleman reports the latest on the ICE raid on a California cannabis farm and the reaction to a federal judge issuing a restraining order regarding raids.

Washington Examiner [7/13/2025 10:22 PM, Zach LaChance, 1934K] reports the Department of Homeland Security announced on Sunday night the arrest of over 350 illegal immigrants and the rescuing of 14 illegal immigrant children following raids on two California marijuana farms. Late last week, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection officers conducted raids at a marijuana farm in Camarillo, California, and another in Carpinteria. The raids saw immediate backlash from Democrats, who claimed the raids targeted farm workers, which the Trump administration disputed. In a new DHS update on the raids, the total of illegal immigrants arrested rose to 361, with the agency saying some have criminal convictions for rape, serial burglary, hit and run, and DUIs. The number of children found at these facilities, 14, remained unchanged from a Friday update. "This is quickly becoming one of the largest operations since President Trump took office, and we’re only getting started," the DHS statement added. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin touted the new totals in a Fox News appearance on Sunday night, pointing out the "heinous rap sheets" of the illegal immigrants who were arrested. "We also apprehended 361 illegal aliens with heinous rap sheets that include kidnapping, child molestation, rape, serial burglary, hit and runs. These are not people who should be in our communities illegally, much less around innocent children," McLaughlin said. DHS has said it had criminal search warrants for the two farms, which they raided over concerns of possible exploitation, forced labor, and human trafficking involving migrant child workers.

Reuters [7/13/2025 9:49 PM, Leah Douglas, 51390K] reports Federal officials on Sunday defended President Donald Trump’s escalating campaign to deport immigrants in the U.S. illegally, including a California farm raid that left one worker dead, and said the administration would appeal a ruling to halt some of its more aggressive tactics. Trump has vowed to deport millions of people in the country illegally and has executed raids at work sites including farms that were largely exempted from enforcement during his first term. The administration has faced dozens of lawsuits across the country for its tactics. Department of Homeland Security chief Kristi Noem and Trump’s border czar Tom Homan said on Sunday that the administration would appeal a federal judge’s Friday ruling that blocked the administration from detaining immigrants based solely on racial profiling and denying detained people the right to speak with a lawyer. In interviews with Fox News and NBC, Noem criticized the judge, an appointee of Democratic former President Joe Biden, and denied that the administration had used the tactics described in the lawsuit. "We will appeal, and we will win," she said in an interview on "Fox News Sunday.

USA Today [7/13/2025 3:06 PM, Savannah Kuchar, 75552K] reports President Donald Trump’s "border czar" Tom Homan responded to the reported death of a Mexican farmworker following an immigration raid in California, calling the fatality "unfortunate" but defending Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s actions in the area. "It’s sad. It’s unfortunate," Homan told CNN’s Dana Bash on "State of the Union.” "It’s obviously unfortunate when there’s deaths," he said. "No one wants to see people die.” Jaime Alanis, 57, died July 12 from injuries sustained the day before, when immigration agents swept through two cannabis farms north of Los Angeles and arrested around 200 people. According to multiple reports, Alanis climbed to the roof of a greenhouse in alleged attempt to evade officers. He then fell about 30 feet and broke his neck. Alanis died the next day in an area hospital. In his interview with CNN, Homan defended immigration officials, saying they were "doing their job" at the time of Alanis’ fall. "He wasn’t in ICE custody," Homan said. "ICE did not have hands on this person.” The enforcement sparked a chaotic scene at the cannabis farms, the USA TODAY Network in California reported. On the morning of July 10, immigration agents descended on Glass House Farms near Camarillo and in Carpinteria – a greenhouse complex that is one of the state’s largest marijuana farms. They blocked the main road and clashed with protesters until after dark as agents detained farm workers. The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement July 11 that, in addition to the arrests of undocumented workers, "law enforcement rescued at least 10 migrant children from what looks like exploitation, forced child labor and potentially human trafficking or smuggling.”

FOX News [7/13/2025 7:42 PM, Staff, 46878K] reports DHS assistant secretary for public affairs Tricia McLaughlin discusses the aftermath of I.C.E. raids in California and threats against President Donald Trump. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

FOX News [7/13/2025 1:19 PM, Staff, 46878K] reports El Centro Border Patrol chief Gregory Bovino joins ‘Fox & Friends Weekend’ to discuss how Democrats’ resistance to immigration enforcement is enabling criminal organizations. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Newsweek [7/13/2025 6:56 PM, Mandy Taheri, 54790K] reports a GoFundMe campaign for Jaime Alanis, a 57-year-old California farmworker who died Saturday from injuries sustained in a 30-foot fall during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid, has raised over $150,000 as of Sunday evening. Newsweek has reached out to Alanis’ niece, Yesenia Duran, for comment via GoFundMe on Sunday. Alanis’ death is among the first reported during an ICE raid under President Donald Trump’s second term. The administration has spearheaded a major immigration crackdown, vowing to carry out the largest mass deportation in U.S. history. The initiative has seen an intensification of ICE raids across the country. Congress has allocated funding for tens of thousands of additional detention beds in the current tax bill, as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) moves to expand detention capacity and ramp up arrests. A federal judge on Friday concluded that immigration agents had been "unlawfully" arresting suspected illegal immigrants in Los Angeles and six surrounding counties, marking the latest legal clashes between California and the Trump administration over immigration enforcement. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong imposed two temporary restraining orders (TRO) banning law enforcement from detaining suspected illegal migrants in the area without reasonable suspicion and insisting those arrested must have access to legal counsel. Alanis’ injuries resulted from a Thursday immigration raid at his workplace, Glass House Farms in Camarillo, which cultivates cannabis and some vegetables. A separate Glass House Farms location in Carpinteria was also raided by ICE. ICE agents, backed by National Guard troops in military-style vehicles, clashed with hundreds of protestors at the raids. California Governor Gavin Newsom posted a video on social media showing children running from tear gas reportedly deployed by federal officers during the raid in Camarillo. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said the department was executing criminal search warrants during the raids. In a Saturday X, formerly Twitter, post, she wrote: "Law enforcement rescued 14 children from potential forced labor, exploitation, and trafficking. They arrested 319 illegal aliens." Alanis, who had worked at the farm for 10 years according to the United Food Workers (UFW) union, was not among those arrested. According to family sources, Alanis called relatives saying he was hiding and possibly fleeing agents before the fatal fall that broke his neck. He was immediately airlifted to the hospital but remained on life support until his death. His niece, Duran, previously told the Associated Press that her uncle had a broken neck, fractured skull, and ruptured an artery that delivers blood to his brain. It was confirmed he passed away on Saturday, although the UFW prematurelyreported he died Friday. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Washington Examiner [7/13/2025 11:33 AM, Alan Wooten, 1934K] reports fifty-two of 104 vetoes in North Carolina’s last gubernatorial administration were overturned by the General Assembly. Tests for first-term Democratic Gov. Josh Stein are on the way. He issued 14 in 20 days, and more than once Republican chamber leaders and their legions pledged overrides. Immigration policy is definitely a disagreement for the former top prosecutor in the state with history of multiple litigations filed against lawmakers and refusals to back them. "Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill backs North Carolina law enforcement that works with ICE," said Speaker Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, of the House of Representatives. But the governor "wants North Carolina to be left behind. The House will override his open border vetoes ASAP so we can make our state safer.” The Criminal Illegal Alien Enforcement Act (House Bill 318) and North Carolina Border Protection Act (Senate Bill 153) were two vetoes from the former state attorney general. "One of the main ways ICE does its job is in local jails," Hall said. "So, when people are here illegally and they’re charged with crimes, ICE works with local sheriffs to detain and then deport those folks. Unfortunately, in our state right now, we have a small number of sheriffs who are completely refusing to cooperate with ICE, as insane as that may sound. "So, we’ve taken action here at the General Assembly. We passed a bill making it clear sheriffs have to cooperate with ICE.” Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, has had similar statements from the upper chamber. "He’d rather prioritize his far-left donors and their dangerous open-border policies over the citizens of North Carolina who are desperately pleading for us to put an end to the illegal immigration crisis," Berger said of Stein. "I look forward to the Senate overriding his veto.” The Criminal Illegal Alien Enforcement Act enhances cooperation with lawmen in the state and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Local law enforcement could not release the suspect until 48 hours after ICE is notified. Litigation is anticipated if the override happens. "I cannot sign this bill because it would require sheriffs to unconstitutionally detain people for up to 48 hours after they would otherwise be released," Stein said in his veto message. "The 4th Circuit is clear that local law enforcement officers cannot keep people in custody solely based on a suspected immigration violation.” The North Carolina Border Protection Act would give protection to taxpayer dollars through eligibility assurances for state-funded public benefits such as housing tax credits, child care subsidies and caregiver support. The Office of State Budget and Management, if the bill becomes law, would determine if unauthorized immigrants are receiving such benefits. The North Carolina Border Protection Act would instruct memorandums of agreement to be extended to the director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from the state’s law enforcement agencies – Department of Public Safety, Department of Adult Correction, State Highway Patrol, and the State Bureau of Investigation. Each would be lawfully ordered to determine immigration status of any person in custody.

New York Post [7/13/2025 1:31 PM, Staff, 49956K] reports in their desperation to show hardcore partisans that they’re all-in the "Trump resistance," Democratic electeds are encouraging violent attacks on federal immigration agents. Border Czar Tom Homan erupted in fury on the issue Friday, a day after protesters hurled rocks (and seemingly fired a gun) at agents raiding a massive marijuana operation that was apparently using illegal-migrant juveniles as slave labor. On July 4, rioters assaulted officers at an ICE facility in Portland, while Antifa types, with flags reading "Fight ICE terror with class war," ambushed ICE agents south of Dallas, shooting one officer in the neck. On July 7, heavily armed Ryan Louis Mosqueda fired dozens of rounds at Border Patrol officers in McAllen, Texas, before return fire killed him. Even before all that, the Department of Homeland Security reported a 700% increase in violent attacks against ICE agents nationwide. And a lot of Democratic politicians cheered on the extremists.

Washington Times [7/13/2025 4:53 PM, Rep. Daniel Webster, 2106K] reports after the 9/11 attacks, Fred Rogers, aka "Mr. Rogers," said that in times of crisis, we should "look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” One of the best examples of this is the U.S. Coast Guard. Barely a week goes by without a story about a rescue performed by a Coast Guard crew. More than 165 lives were saved from the horrific flash flooding of the Guadalupe River in Texas by Coast Guard swimmer Scott Ruskan. It was his first rescue mission. Coast Guard helicopters saved more than 50 others trapped by the floodwaters. Since 1790, the Coast Guard has safeguarded the American people, promoted national security and protected the nation from maritime threats. Today, it has dedicated and capable personnel stationed around the world. As a past chairman and senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee on Coast Guard and maritime transportation, I have had the privilege of meeting many of the men and women who serve in our nation’s Coast Guard. The Coast Guard protects our maritime borders against drug trafficking and mass migrations from the Caribbean, operates our nation’s only icebreakers in the Arctic and Antarctic, and counters Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific. It is expected to project American sovereignty from the Atlantic, Gulf of America and Pacific to the Arctic and beyond. However, it has been hampered by years of underinvestment, leaving it with crumbling shoreside infrastructure, cutters that are operating well beyond their intended service life and an aviation fleet that requires modernization. To continue these missions, the Coast Guard needs the right tools and resources. It needs Offshore Patrol Cutters to operate at the border in the Caribbean and the Indo-Pacific and Polar Security Cutters to continue its Arctic and Antarctic missions. In the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, our Coast Guard men and women received a significant down payment to help achieve their mission. More than $24 billion is provided to the USCG through fiscal year 2029 for new operational assets and systems, including new fixed-wing aircraft, long-range unmanned aircraft, a series of cutter vessels and enhanced shore facilities. Securing this funding was one of my priorities, and I am thankful for President Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s leadership and focus on the Coast Guard, as well as the support of my Republican colleagues in the House and Senate.

San Diego Union Tribune [7/13/2025 6:35 PM, Agustina Vergara Cid, 1611K] reports in early June, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) descended on Southern California. Since then, Californians have witnessed masked agents raid Home Depots and car washes, aggressively tackle gardeners, and level guns at bystanders for taking photos. The latest scene came on Monday, July 7, when federal agents showed up at MacArthur Park in Los Angeles in what can only be described as a military-style parade. Agents in fatigues leapt from armored trucks, sealing off nearby streets and diverting traffic. Mounted agents patrolled the park, guns slung across their chests. After an hour, they dispersed—apparently without making any arrests. Monday’s ICE parade underscores that the "mass deportations" agenda is not just about immigration. It’s a display of government power aimed at intimidating and disrupting the lives of immigrants and Americans alike. But the goal is not just to scare people. It’s also to frame immigration as an emergency that requires a military-level operation—as if the country would disappear tomorrow if immigration agents don’t detain day laborers at a Home Depot today. Americans shouldn’t be fooled by the claim that the "mass deportations" agenda is aimed at making the country safer. The administration is not targeting criminals, but mostly peaceful immigrants. A recent study by the Cato Institute suggests that 65% of individuals detained by ICE in fiscal year 2025 have no criminal convictions. Among the convictions that do exist, most are for immigration infractions, traffic tickets, and similar offenses—no violent crimes against people or property. This underscores that the administration’s concern is not to protect the individual rights of Americans, but to kick immigrants out—threat or not. (A reminder to the reader that immigration violations merely mean that an individual is present in America without government permission—a victimless offense.). ICE agents, and sometimes government officials such as Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, often pose for photos and record videos for TV and social media during ICE raids. This should make Americans suspect that agents know they are not detaining the criminals that they claim pose an unprecedented threat to America. Normally, law enforcement agencies that pursue actually dangerous fugitives don’t stage photo ops. Operational security usually keeps cameras away.

NBC’s Meet the Press [7/13/2025 10:53 AM, Staff, 5130K] reports the recent flood that took the lives of many have put the Trump Administration under scrutiny. When taking accepting her role as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem implemented a new rule concerning FEMA. It reportedly requires that every FEMA contract, every grant over $100,000 be personally approved by her. Now, officials within the agency have told multiple news outlets that the policy led to a slower deployment of some FEMA resources, including urban search and rescue crews. Secretary Noem says that those claims are absolutely false. "Within just an hour or two after the flooding we had resources from the Department of Homeland Security there, helping those individuals in Texas. It was a heartbreaking scene. And I think it’s been well covered about what the Coast Guard did, how they were deployed immediately and helped rescue so many individuals from those floodwaters. And we had Border Patrol down there with their tactical teams, and FEMA was there just within a few hours as well. So those claims are false. They’re from people who won’t put their name behind those claims. And those call centers were fully staffed and responsive. And this is the fastest I believe, in years, maybe decades, that FEMA has been deployed to help individuals in this type of a situation." Secretary Noem states. There were resources that were deployed, but the question revolves around: Were all of the necessary resources deployed? According to reports, multiple FEMA officials said you didn’t approve the deployment of these FEMA search and rescue teams until Monday, which was 72 hours after the floods started. "Nope, they were deployed immediately, as soon as they were requested. And I think what matters the most here is what the local officials on the ground say and what their feedback is. You know, I was there that very morning and that afternoon when the flooding was happening and was with those emergency responders right away, with the governor, with Nim Kidd, who’s running the state’s response. And every one of them will tell you that they got everything that they needed when they asked for it immediately and that they’ve never seen a federal government respond in support of a state’s management of a disaster situation like this. So those claims, I don’t know who’s making them out of FEMA because FEMA has been incredibly responsive. We’ve had over 700 different employees engaged right in Texas. And as soon as that disaster request was put in, forwarded to the White House, and approved within hours." Secretary Noem.

NBC’s Meet the Press [7/13/2025 10:53 AM, Staff, 5130K] reports both Trump and Noem have said FEMA needs to be eradicated. However after the Texas devastating flood, the tone had shifted. Will the President move to eradicate FEMA altogether still? "No, I think the president recognizes that FEMA should not exist the way that it always has been. It needs to be redeployed in a new way. And that’s what we did during this response. If you saw, it’s not just FEMA that can respond in these situations. The federal government has all kinds of assets, and we deployed them. The Coast Guard coming in and saving individuals with their rescue swimmers, with their helicopters. They had fixed-wing aircraft deployed as well. Border Patrol with their BORTAC teams. And now, we’ve got also some dog teams that are down there helping with recovery efforts. And then FEMA alongside of them helping people, setting up shelters, deploying supplies. It was all immediate. And that’s what the president wants to do is empower these states to run their emergency and we come in and support them. And immediately when those requests were made, they were approved and deployed." Noem stated.

FOX News Sunday [7/13/2025 11:00 AM, Staff, 1846K] reports Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem distinguishes fact from fiction regarding the future of FEMA and the department’s response to the devastating floods in Texas.

CNN’s State of the Union With Jake Tapper and Dana Bash [7/13/2025 12:00 PM, Staff, 911K] reports a judge ordered the administration to stop making indiscriminate immigration arrests in the Los Angeles area and denying detainees right to legal counsel. She wrote that -- quote -- "Roving patrols without reasonable suspicion violate the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution, and denying access to lawyers violates the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution." Will the administration comply with this order? President Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan says they plan to litigate the order because it’s wrong. "We’re going to litigate that order, because I think the order’s wrong. I mean, she’s assuming that the officers don’t have reasonable suspicion. They don’t need probable cause to briefly detain and question somebody. They just need reasonable suspicion. And that’s based on many articulable facts. So, unless she’s in the officer’s mind, I don’t know if she would make that decision that, well, they’re not using reasonable suspicion. How does she know that? I mean, every officer has to bring articulable facts to raise reasonable suspicion, and then they can briefly detain." Homan states.

CNN’s State of the Union With Jake Tapper and Dana Bash [7/13/2025 12:00 PM, Staff, 911K] reports one thing that has been heard over and over anecdotally is that people who are in the United States legally, legally, are scared about getting swept up in all of this because of the color of their skin, because they speak with an accent, because of the location where they might be going. They’re not going out. They don’t want to be detained by mistake, have their kids or themselves traumatized. Homan is asked if he is comfortable with that. "If they’re in the country legally, they got no reason to be afraid. ICE is looking for those in the country illegally. And we’re still prioritizing public safety threats and national security threats. That’s the priority. But, like I said, we do have collateral arrests in many areas because we’re out looking for those public safety threats. But we’re going to enforce immigration law too. I mean, it’s not OK to be in this country illegally. It’s not OK to enter this country illegally. It’s a crime. But legal aliens shouldn’t and U.S. citizens should not be afraid that they’re going to be swept up in a raid. We know who we’re looking for. And that’s who the agents are out there seeking. And they -- again, they use a lot of information. Most of the operations we conduct our targeted enforcement operations. When we go out, we know exactly who we’re looking for, most likely where we will find them." Homan stated.

CNN’s State of the Union With Jake Tapper and Dana Bash [7/13/2025 12:00 PM, Staff, 911K] reports Friday a judge ruled that the tactics ICE is using are likely a violation of the Constitution, suggesting that immigration agents are detaining people "based on race alone." Border Czar Tom Homan said earlier in the show that the federal judge was just plain wrong. Democratic Senator Alex Padilla of California is asked to share his thoughts on Homans reaction to the ruling. " It wouldn’t be the first time the Trump administration tries to just dismiss a court order. And so it’s our job to ensure that we uphold the law, uphold the Constitution. I mean, Homan has said it very clearly in other interviews. They’re not even asking for significant findings to detain people. They’re going based on appearance, his words, not mine, based on occupation, his words, not mine. Based on accents, physical appearance? Then what if I was outside a Home Depot because I like to do some work around the house, not dressed in a suit? Would I be a target of ICE enforcement under Tom Homan? Probably. And it’s just wrong. It’s not just due process rights that have become the concern, but racial profiling. When federal agents involved in immigration enforcement are using racial profiling, they’re not enforcing the law. They are breaking it. " Padilla stated.

CBS’ Face The Nation [7/13/2025 11:32 AM, Staff, 1292K] reports today Senator Maria Cantwell joins the show. She is the top Democrat on the Commerce Committee, which has oversight of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, and the National Weather Service. These agencies are being looked at carefully right now. Just this morning in Texas, we are seeing the National Weather Service issue another flash flood warning for that very same part of Central Texas, Kerrville. In fact, the ground search for victims had to be halted because of this warning. There’s been so much scrutiny of what went wrong or what more could have been done. Senator Cantwell gives her view at the federal level. Is the National Weather Service doing everything it should be doing? "We need to take a pause. Glad the president and first lady went. And, definitely, there’s a lot of things being said. But what the real question is, is, what can we do to improve the weather forecasting of this nation, to use science, to use better assets, to really do a once-in-a-lifetime investment to upgrade the system so that we could have given people in Kerrville a – more time, more warning? And the same for tornadoes and hurricanes and fires. And so I think what we’re learning is that, in this last week, we’ve had four events that have all broken huge records for weather and precipitation. That means more flooding. So we know now we’re having more extreme weather. What is our response to that to make sure we never have another Kerrville again?" Cantwell comments. At the same time, the Trump administration at least proposing that they’re going to do a 27 percent budget cut to NOAA. The commerce secretary, though, said he’s not going to touch public forecasting. We’ve seen, though, on the Democratic side, Leader Schumer say there should be an investigation about whether staff cuts, for example, led to or contributed to the Texas disaster. Are Democrats being too quick here to blame the politics? SENATOR CANTWELL said she liked Brennans opening story about the GAO report. Calling GAO a respected arm of our organization and government and is glad they are producing a report. " So I’m glad now that GAO, a respected arm of our organization and government, is producing a report. Do you want the same kind of report a year from now? Yes. What we want is to make sure that we understand what happened. But doing blame gaming isn’t going to bring people back." CANTWELL stated.

Reuters [7/13/2025 3:33 PM, Nate Raymond and Ted Hesson, 24051K] reports U.S. immigration officials may deport migrants to countries other than their home nations with as little as six hours’ notice, a top Trump administration official said in a memo, offering a preview of how deportations could ramp up. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will generally wait at least 24 hours to deport someone after informing them of their removal to a so-called "third country," according to a memo dated Wednesday, July 9, from the agency’s acting director, Todd Lyons. ICE could remove them, however, to a so-called "third country" with as little as six hours’ notice "in exigent circumstances," said the memo, as long as the person has been provided the chance to speak with an attorney. The memo states that migrants could be sent to nations that have pledged not to persecute or torture them "without the need for further procedures.” The new ICE policy suggests President Donald Trump’s administration could move quickly to send migrants to countries around the world. The Supreme Court in June lifted a lower court’s order limiting such deportations without a screening for fear of persecution in the destination country. Following the high court’s ruling and a subsequent order from the justices, the Trump administration sent eight migrants from Cuba, Laos, Mexico, Myanmar, Sudan and Vietnam to South Sudan. The administration last week pressed officials from five African nations - Liberia, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania and Gabon - to accept deportees from elsewhere, Reuters reported. The administration argues the third country deportations help swiftly remove migrants who should not be in the U.S., including those with criminal convictions. Advocates have criticized the deportations as dangerous and cruel, since people could be sent to countries where they could face violence, have no ties and do not speak the language.

Reported similarly:
Breitbart [7/13/2025 12:34 PM, Staff, 3077K]

New York Times [7/13/2025 9:14 PM, Mattathias Schwartz, 153395K] reports eight days after U.S. authorities deported eight migrants to war-torn South Sudan, ending a monthslong legal struggle, their fate remains unclear. The Trump administration, which called the men “the worst of the worst,” says it is no longer responsible for the group. The government of South Sudan said in a statement that the men, all of whom had been convicted of crimes in the United States, were “under the care of the relevant authorities,” but said nothing about their whereabouts or their futures. None of their family members have heard from them since they landed just before midnight on July 4, according to their legal team. Now that the Supreme Court has ruled that the South Sudan deportations pass legal muster, immigration experts say it is likely that the Trump administration will expand the use of so-called “third-country” deportations, an aggressive tactic in which migrants are sent to countries other than their home nations. Citing the ruling, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Wednesday issued new internal guidance that could help accelerate third-country deportations. According to the guidance, when a country has provided “credible diplomatic assurances” that deportees will not be subjected to torture or persecution, deportations can proceed without delay. When the United States has not received those guarantees, the guidance calls for ICE to inform migrants that they are being sent to a specific country. But it does not require the agency to ask if the migrant fears deportation to that country. The new agency rules appear to allow deportations in as few as six hours, provided the migrant does not raise objections beforehand. The men sent to South Sudan hailed from six countries; only one came from South Sudan. A New York Times investigation found that administration officials have approached more than 50 countries about accepting deportees from the United States. As President Trump builds the infrastructure to carry out mass deportations, with domestic military deployments and $165 billion for the Department of Homeland Security, third-country agreements could offer a path to swiftly move large numbers of detainees out of U.S. custody with little due process.

New York Times [7/13/2025 10:05 PM, Zolan Kanno-Youngs and Hamed Aleaziz, 153395K] reports thousands of new deportation agents deployed into American cities. A doubling of detention space to hold tens of thousands of immigrants before they are expelled. Miles of new border wall, along with surveillance towers equipped with artificial intelligence. That is the expansive plan that President Trump’s top immigration officials now intend to enact after months of struggling to overcome staffing shortages and logistical hurdles that have stymied his pledge to record the most deportations in American history. After weeks of pressuring members of Congress into supporting his signature domestic policy legislation, Mr. Trump has secured an extraordinary injection of funding for his immigration agenda — $170 billion, the vast majority of which will go to the Department of Homeland Security over four years. The annual budget of Immigration and Customs Enforcement alone will spike from about $8 billion to roughly $28 billion, making it the highest funded law enforcement agency in the federal government. The new resources will fuel an intense initiative to recruit as many as 10,000 new agents who will have a presence in cities like New York City and Los Angeles, and throughout the United States. And the money comes as a windfall for private prison companies, who have already rushed to pitch the administration on new contracts to run detention facilities. “You’re going to see immigration enforcement on a level you’ve never seen it before,” Tom Homan, Mr. Trump’s border czar, said in an interview. Even with the new funding, Mr. Trump’s aides are still hedging on whether they can deliver on their goal to deport 1 million undocumented immigrants this year and millions more before he leaves office. They are aware that it could take months to scale up new detention facilities and recruit, conduct background checks of and train thousands of immigration agents. “It’s going to take some time,” Mr. Homan said. “We’re already about six months in the game. We just got this money, so we’re going to do the best we can.” Mr. Homan says one of his top priorities is an expansion of detention capacity, an issue that has long been a challenge for the federal government. ICE often has to hold immigrants for weeks or even months given a limited number of deportation planes, backlog in immigration courts and inconsistent diplomatic agreements with other nations who take deportees. Private prison companies stand to benefit greatly from the expansion, with the ability to ramp up detention quickly. Mr. Homan said the administration had already received outreach from companies interested in new contracts. Immigrant advocates say the swift upscaling in detention could lead to dangerous conditions. Tricia McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, pushed back on any criticism of the potential surge in ICE deployments and said more attention should be paid to the challenges that agents face. She also defended the standards of ICE detention facilities. “ICE is regularly audited and inspected by external agencies to ensure that all ICE facilities comply with performance-based national detention standards,” Ms. McLaughlin said.

NBC News [7/14/2025 5:00 AM, Didi Martinez, Julia Ainsley, and Laura Strickler, 44540K] reports immigrants being held in Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers in at least seven states are complaining of hunger, food shortages and spoiled food, detainees and immigration advocates say. They say some detainees have gotten sick; others say they have lost weight. In one facility, an incident involving detainees reportedly broke out in part because of food. The food problems come amid overcrowding at ICE facilities tied to the Trump administration’s push to quickly ramp up immigration arrests. While capacity data isn’t publicly available for every ICE detention facility, nationwide figures on the availability of beds show a system beyond its overall capacity. As of mid-June, ICE was detaining nearly 60,000 people, almost 45% above the capacity provided for by Congress. Although many of ICE’s detention centers are run by private contractors, the problems are happening all over the country regardless of who’s running a given facility, advocates say. A former ICE official told NBC News it is difficult for a facility to stay stocked with the right amount of food when, on any given day, it may face an unexpected surge of new detainees. While the agency can move money around to cover the cost of detaining more immigrants, planning for unexpected daily spikes can be difficult for facilities and could lead to food being served late or in small quantities, the former ICE official said. On top of that, there are now fewer avenues for detainees to submit concerns while they are in ICE custody, advocates say, pointing to recent job cuts to an independent watchdog within the Department of Homeland Security, ICE’s parent agency. “We haven’t seen any company-specific trends,” said Vanessa Dojaquez-Torres, practice and policy counsel with the American Immigration Lawyers Association. “It just goes to the overall detention system and how overcrowded the detention system is as a whole.” Asked about specific allegations of food scarcity and substandard food, DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin told NBC News in a statement, “Any claim that there is lack of food or subprime conditions at ICE detention centers are false.” “All detainees are provided with proper meals, medical treatment and have opportunity to communicate with their family members and lawyers,” McLaughlin said. “Meals are certified by dieticians. Ensuring the safety, security and well-being of individuals in our custody is a top priority at ICE.”

Breitbart [7/13/2025 11:13 AM, Lowell Cauffiel, 3077K] reports that the darkest portrayal of immigration enforcement may now belong to Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), who over the weekend claimed the U.S. was "disappearing" people and sending them to "dungeons" around the world. "The reality is when they come for one of us, they’re eventually going to come for all of us," she told a town hall outside of Nashville on Saturday, reported the Daily Wire. "We’re seeing people be abducted and sent to dungeons in foreign countries and people disappearing with no accounting for where they’ve gone.” There was little doubt for the people in attendance that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would be a addressed at the rally held at Cane Ridge High School in Antioch. Organizers had posted a sign outside the event: "ICE NOT PERMITTED ON THE PREMISES.” Looking at the coverage of the town hall, which was held with Democrat state Rep. Justin Jones, it was difficult to believe that reporters had attended the same rally. The Nashville Tennessean portrayed it as a "love thy neighbor" event that encouraged citizens to talk with each other and reported a wildly different crowd estimation of 500, compared to the Wire’s 200. There was no mention of the ICE sign or Omar’s inflammatory rhetoric. The Wire, however, dug down. It reported Omar said the world was shocked at what was happening with the ICE raids in the U.S. "When they see these kinds of images coming out of America. To them it is really shocking and it should be to all of us as Americans" Omar told the crowd. "That is not us.” The House’s "Squad" member also pitched universal healthcare and a reduction in military funding and called for a no mask rule for ICE agents during enforcement operations. Omar was joined by a fellow traveler in state representative Jones. He’d previously said ICE raids in Nashville were kidnappings and compared federal agents to the Ku Klux Klan, the Daily Wire reported. However, the website also pointed out that of the nearly 196 arrested in those Nashville raids, 95 had prior criminal convictions or pending charges , including those for rape and drugs. Another 31 had been previously deported.

New York Post [7/13/2025 5:16 PM, Brandon Cruz, 49956K] reports Nassau County has detained more than 1,400 illegal migrants for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since February — as local cops now prepare to help with the Trump administration’s mass deportation effort. The migrants have been held at East Meadow jail under a partnership with the feds, announced by Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman earlier this year. The collaboration set aside 50 cells in the lock-up to help with the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. "If they are committing crimes in the metropolitan area — they are a threat to Nassau County," Blakeman told The Post about housing ICE’s detainees. Under the deal, migrants can be held in East Meadow jail for up to 72 hours before ICE either deports them or ships them off to a long-term detention facility, with the feds reimbursing the county for the cost of detaining them. Nassau County cops have also already handed over at least 15 migrants to ICE since January after discovering they were undocumented during unrelated arrests. The arrests involved charges ranging from grand larceny to endangering the welfare of a child, according to Nassau Detective Lt. Scott Skrynecki. Meanwhile, Nassau County officials announced last week that 10 local police officers selected to be deputized as ICE agents under the partnership have now completed their training — and are ready to begin assisting in deportations once they get the green light from the feds.

New York Post [7/13/2025 6:52 PM, Brandon Cruz, 49956K] reports Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman has carved out a key exemption to the county’s controversial mask ban — allowing local cops involved in ICE raids and working undercover to still wear face coverings. The existing law only exempts public mask-wearing for religious or health reasons, but Blakeman’s new executive order now gives federal, state and local law-enforcement officers the option to wear masks during operations such as drug and gang raids and soon, immigration enforcement alongside ICE. "Here in Nassau County, we respect our law enforcement officers," Blakeman said at the signing inside the legislative building in Mineola on Friday. "And we have their back.” The executive order comes as Nassau is gearing up to fully launch its partnership with ICE. Ten detectives have been deputized for the work and are already trained and waiting for the green light. Blakeman said the purpose of the order is to allow cops to mask up during certain police operations "when deemed necessary" to conceal their identity to "protect the integrity of their mission" and to limit any possibility of retaliation against them or their families. The county executive first signed the mask ban into law in August, after the GOP-majority local legislature passed the bill in response to anti-Israel protests across college campuses. The law makes it a misdemeanor crime to wear any face covering unless for religious or health reasons, punishable by a $1,000 fine or up to a year in jail. The law immediately sparked multiple lawsuits that have so far been unsuccessful at shutting it down, with courts citing the existing exemptions written within the legislation as valid. Blakeman’s executive order is effectively the opposite of a bill proposed Wednesday in neighboring New York City that would prevent any federal agents from wearing masks and other face coverings while on the job.

New York Times [7/13/2025 11:50 AM, Livia Albeck-Ripka and Orlando Mayorquín, 153395K] reports for months, the day laborers had decontaminated homes that survived the Los Angeles wildfires. Sweating in masks and protective suits, they vacuumed toxic soot and ash, wiped down books and framed photos, and disposed of clothes and furniture that could not be salvaged. One morning last month, they crammed into a small job center in Pasadena, Calif., ready for more work. But on this day, the situation felt too dangerous. It wasn’t the contaminants or toxic fumes. Outside the Winchell’s Donut House just blocks away, federal immigration agents had detained six people. The day laborers went home instead of heading to their job sites. “They’re living in fear,” said Jose Madera, the director of the Pasadena Community Job Center, which earlier this year helped train about 40 immigrant workers in fire cleanup. “They don’t know what can happen if they go to work — are they going to come back?” Raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have plunged workers in various occupations into a state of panic, leading many of them — regardless of immigration status — to stay home. And residents worry that the raids have already hurt recovery efforts in fire-torn neighborhoods. In two dozen interviews, residents, officials, real estate agents, contractors, community organizers and workers described ways in which the Trump administration’s raids have affected the rebuilding process in Southern California. Many of those involved agreed to speak only if they could remain anonymous because they feared retaliation from the federal government. Undocumented immigrants, who make up a sizable share of construction workers in California, have the most acute concerns about the potential for raids. But even Latino workers with legal residency or American citizenship are worried about confrontations with federal agents. The reconstruction of fire-torn communities has been a priority for President Trump, and the threat of a slowdown has revealed a potential seam in his immigration crackdown. A Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman made a point of saying that agents had not targeted construction sites in Pacific Palisades or Altadena. California Democrats have criticized President Trump for months. In late June, six Republican state lawmakers also pleaded with him to focus enforcement efforts on immigrants with criminal backgrounds. “The recent ICE workplace raids on farms, at construction sites, and in restaurants and hotels have led to unintended consequences that are harming the communities we represent and the businesses that employ our constituents,” the Republicans wrote, noting that the resulting fear was making the state’s affordability crisis worse. Pablo Alvarado, the co-executive director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, said ICE agents showed up on a street in Altadena where construction crews were repairing two roofs damaged by the fire. The workers fled, Mr. Alvarado said, leaving their tools behind. “As long as they are around,” he added, referring to the federal agents, “workers are going to stay inside.” But federal officials said that agents with ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection have not gone after workers in the fire recovery zones. “ICE and CBP have NOT targeted any construction sites in Altadena and the Palisades,” Tricia McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, wrote in an email, adding that “we will continue to work to get the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens off of America’s streets.” The dread is palpable among workers.

Washington Examiner [7/13/2025 12:41 PM, Jenny Goldsberry, 1934K] reports Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) claimed the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers are "racially profiling" to the point that he himself could be arrested under the criteria by which they are looking. Padilla has opposed President Donald Trump’s immigration policies from the start of Trump’s second term. As part of his protest, Padilla was forcibly removed from a press conference with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem when he tried to confront her on the administration’s policies. Now, border czar Tom Homan is the focus of Padilla’s ire. The California senator lamented the factors Homan is using to arrest suspected illegal immigrants in order to fulfill Trump’s mass deportation effort. "I mean, Homan has said it very clearly in other interviews: They’re not even asking for, you know, significant findings to detain people. They’re going based on appearance — his words, not mine — based on occupation — His words, not mine — based on accents, you know, physical appearance," Padilla said Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union. "What if I was outside a Home Depot? Because I like to do some work around the house, not dressed in a suit. Would I be a target of ICE enforcement under Tom Homan? Probably," Homan added. "And it’s just wrong. It’s not just due process rights that have become the concern, but racial profiling.” CNN host Dana Bash interjected to correct the record. "I basically asked him about that," Bash said. "He said that he’s being misunderstood, that it’s factors with an ‘S’ and not a factor, like the way somebody looks or the way they talk."

NPR [7/13/2025 7:55 AM, Jason DeRose, 37958K] reports that in recent weeks, Pastor Caleb Crainer began developing a plan in the event that immigration enforcement agents show up at the door of his congregation, a pressing concern after the Trump administration rescinded long-standing guidance advising them to avoid houses of worship. "So we have three of these pink binders that are around the church," he says, pulling one off a shelf behind his secretary’s desk and leafing through the pages. Crainer points out the step-by-step response to people presenting themselves as immigration officers as he flips through the pages, which include examples of what official court orders should look like as well as "know your rights" materials and important phone numbers for church leaders and advocacy groups. Other pink binders are located at the entrance to the sanctuary itself as well as in the fellowship hall, all places anyone is welcome to enter St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, in west Los Angeles. Crainer created these folders in consultation with other clergy, lawyers and immigrant rights groups. He’s also done role-play exercises with his congregation to help them practice their responses. So, if immigration agents show up, church staff, volunteer ushers, greeters or any church member will know what to do. Scores of congregations around Los Angeles have taken similar measures as the federal government has been focusing on the region with regards to immigration enforcement. While developing the plan, Crainer and his congregation have learned a lot about the law. "As a church, you need to know where your public spaces are and where your private spaces are," he says. "Because when ICE shows, they can go into any public space. But they are precluded from going into any private space without a warrant.” A public space in a house of worship is any place a visitor might be allowed to go, such as the sanctuary itself where liturgies take place or the fellowship hall where coffee and doughnuts are served after worship. Private spaces include areas such as the pastor’s office or the sacristy, a room where ritual objects are stored. Crainer says his congregation has also distributed "know your rights" brochures in English and Spanish to members, as well as houses in the surrounding neighborhood, and created a policy of not keeping records of any church member’s immigration status. Religious leaders in Los Angeles didn’t wait for President Trump’s return to office in January to take action. Given the tone and rhetoric of the 2024 presidential campaign, they began their efforts months earlier. “We started out right after the election doing a whole lot of ‘know your rights’ training, training with congregations on sanctuary, rapid response training," says Jennifer Gutierrez, executive director of the advocacy group Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice. "That’s still ongoing.”

San Diego Union Tribune [7/13/2025 8:00 AM, Alexandra Mendoza, 1611K] reports that at a Linda Vista apartment complex, masked federal agents recently swarmed an undocumented immigrant to make an arrest as an angry crowd gathered in protest, in a scene that has played out in viral videos across social media amid the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. Standing in front of yellow police tape, between the agents and bystanders, stood San Diego police officers. “All we are here for is scene security,” the officer told Arturo Gonzalez, an activist recording the operation. “We have not made any immigration arrests.” Gonzalez wasn’t convinced: “You’re not making any arrests. You are just protecting them so they can do their duties.” California law is clear. Local law enforcement agencies cannot assist federal agents with immigration enforcement. But local cops have been increasingly called to the scenes of such arrests in recent weeks as public immigration arrests continue to roil communities. Police are in a thorny spot. The community’s distaste for the arrests by federal agents rubs off on local officers on the front line. In the eyes of the public, there may be little daylight between the two. “One of the main things the community has said is that they no longer know who to trust,” said Adriana Jasso, coordinator for the U.S.-Mexico border program with the American Friends Service Committee. Policing agencies say their presence is to ensure safety for everyone. In recent local encounters, officers responded to calls for help — sometimes from federal agents staring down angry onlookers. “Our main purpose and goal is to keep the peace and safety for all,” Oceanside Police Chief Taurino Valdovinos said. “Not just the federal agents, not just the community, but for everyone.” Local police are trying to combat the perception that they are helping or facilitating federal agents. Departments drawn into such encounters have gone on the offense — posting about the incidents on social media and issuing explanations. “That’s where it’s the tough spot, because that is a matter of keeping the peace and not trying to protect one side,” Lt. Travis Easter, a San Diego police spokesperson, said. “It’s literally kind of being in the middle to keep both sides separate for that public safety.”

San Diego Union Tribune [7/13/2025 8:00 AM, Michael Smolens, 1611K] reports just as President Donald Trump is putting record funding for deportations in the pipeline, his sweeping immigration raids are drawing resistance in unexpected quarters. Six California state Republican legislators sent a letter to Trump June 27 asking him to refocus his immigration enforcement efforts on dangerous criminals and not ordinary workers. They further urged the president to broadly reform the immigration system to provide noncriminal immigrants who have been longtime residents with “a pathway toward legal status.” Among those signing the letter were Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones of Santee and Assemblymember Laurie Davies, who represents part of north coastal San Diego County. “The recent ICE workplace raids on farms, at construction sites, and in restaurants and hotels, have led to unintended consequences that are harming the communities we represent and the businesses that employ our constituents,” the Republicans wrote. “We have heard from employers in our districts that recent ICE raids are not only targeting undocumented workers, but also creating widespread fear among other employees, including those with legal immigration status.” The Republicans have expressed concern that the loss of workers will cause economic damage to their districts. Unspoken is the political concern that this could cause the GOP to lose ground in the Legislature and Congress in next year’s elections. Meanwhile, members of two veterans groups have volunteered to attend immigration hearings for Afghans who worked with U.S. military forces in Afghanistan. “This isn’t political,” Kyleanne Hunter, CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America said at a June 30 news conference, according to KPBS. “This is personal. For many of us, these are people that we served with.” IAVA and #AfghanEvac, co-founded by San Diegan Shawn Van Diver, partnered on the Battle Buddies initiative after the June arrest of Sayed Naser, a former Afghan interpreter for the U.S., after his San Diego asylum hearing. That courthouse incident generated national headlines and added fuel to the growing outrage over Trump administration plans to deny refugee or other legal status to many Afghans, including those who aided U.S. troops in Afghanistan and believed they would have safe harbor in the United States. Catholic leaders in San Diego previously had given similar courthouse support to immigrants who faced hearings. Amid pressure from business interests and other Republicans, Trump told Fox News he is considering some changes that might protect longtime agricultural and hotel workers from deportation. “We’re working on it right now; we’re going to work it so that some kind of temporary pass where people pay taxes, where the farmer can have a little control as opposed to you walk in and take everybody away,” Trump said. But the White House is moving ahead with massive immigration enforcement and deportation plans. Congress allocated $45 billion to lock up immigrants over the next four years — more than the government spent on detention during the Obama, Biden and first Trump administrations combined, according to The Washington Post.

Washington Post [7/14/2025 5:04 AM, Angie Orellana Hernandez and Anumita Kaur, 32099K] reports a little more than a month after mass demonstrations against federal immigration raids gripped Los Angeles, the protest movement hasn’t stopped — it’s transforming. Its spontaneous nature has shifted into a methodical one, as activists prepare for a longer fight against President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. Volunteers are stationing themselves outside Home Depots to monitor for ICE activity targeting day laborers, and a citywide strike is planned for next month to protest the raids. Organizers are hosting smaller demonstrations, coordinating know-your-rights workshops and passing out pamphlets to keep community members informed. And some residents who weren’t involved before are getting involved now. There’s strategy behind the shift. Immigration advocates and some city leaders told The Washington Post it’s crucial to continue finding ways to dissent as the Trump administration continues targeting Los Angeles County’s large immigrant community. Thousands of National Guard troops, which Trump deployed to L.A. in an unprecedented move in June, remain in the area. ICE continues to conduct operations, showing up last week at MacArthur Park in central Los Angeles and at two Southern California cannabis farms. “We’re in this for at least three and a half more years,” Los Angeles City Council member Hugo Soto-Martínez (D) said, describing the thought process behind the anti-ICE movement. “What are the values that we’re leading with? What is the core messaging that we are trying to uplift? What are our demands?” The White House in a statement said that it’s committed to removing people who are in the country illegally. “In LA, these were not merely ‘demonstrations,’ they were riots — and attacks on federal law enforcement will never be tolerated. The Trump Administration will continue enforcing federal immigration law no matter how upset and violent left-wing rioters get,” said Abigail Jackson, a White House spokeswoman.

Breitbart [7/13/2025 8:14 AM, Simon Kent, 3077K] reports leftist television host Rosie O’Donnell fled to Ireland in the wake of President Donald Trump’s return to the White House and has been publicly attacking him ever since. On Saturday she returned to the fray and issued (another) threat, this time cautioning Trump she is "everything you fear" as a "loud… queer woman.” She issued her rebuke after a Trump post on his Truth Social, warning he was "seriously" thinking about revoking her citizenship, as Breitbart News reported. "Because of the fact that Rosie O’Donnell is not in the best interests of our Great Country, I am giving serious consideration to taking away her Citizenship. She is a Threat to Humanity, and should remain in the wonderful Country of Ireland, if they want her. GOD BLESS AMERICA!" he wrote: O’Donnell took to her Instagram account to turn against Trump, launching it by saying "hey donald –you’re rattled again?" before sending her profane insults: Breitbart News reported O’Donnell had long threatened to move out of the United States "because the nation insists on rejecting her extreme, left-wing, agenda," and she was finally making good on her promise to "abandon" the nation "that is simply too sane for her to stomach.” O’Donnell announced in March that she was moving to Ireland to escape Trump before adding two months later health problems had followed her. The actress and comedian said returning to the United States was impossible until "this administration is completely finished and hopefully held accountable for their crimes.” O’Donnell later said Trump’s first term in office caused her to overeat and drink, which helped drive her departure for Ireland.

Breitbart [7/13/2025 9:52 AM, Pam Key, 3077K] reports Trump border czar Tom Homan said Sunday on CNN’s "State of the Union" that the U.S.-Mexico border was the most secure it has been in history because the administration is enforcing immigration law. Homan said, "We want arrest a bad guy in the safety and security of the county jail but sanctuary cities release them into the community, which means we’ve got to go into the community and find them. When we find that bad person, many, many times, whether it’s the work site or in the community, they’re with other people, other people in the United States illegally. We’re going to let ice enforce law uphold the oath they took. We’re not going to be like the last administration who told ICE instructed ICE, you can’t arrest somebody for simply being here legally, they got to be convicted of a serious offense. That’s not the law.” He continued, "Immigration enforcement has always been emotional, it’s always been controversial. I’ve been doing this since 1984. I get it. I understand why people want to come to the greatest nation on earth. I get it, but we can’t send the message to the whole world that it’s okay to enter this country legally. Don’t worry about it. Even though it’s a crime come and enter legally, and when you get order removal from a judge, you don’t have to leave. You can become a fugitive and we’ll never look for you. We got to send a message to the whole world. There are consequences for breaking laws.” Homan added, "I think that’s why one of the reasons we have the most secure border in history, this nation today. It’s just not because we got boots on the ground, on the border, not because we ended catch release, a lot of these consequences. you’re watching what’s happening, we’re enforcing immigration law. I think that consequence has a lot to do with having the most secure border in the history of this nation.”

FOX News [7/13/2025 10:13 PM, Staff, 46878K] reports CBP senior advisor Ron Vitiello and I.C.E. deputy director Madison Sheahan discuss the work being done by I.C.E. and the violence its agents are facing on ‘Sunday Night in America.’ [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

USA Today [7/14/2025 5:05 AM, Kathleen Wong, 75552K] reports a burner phone might be one way to avoid having your personal data scrutinized when crossing U.S. borders, even if you’re not hiding anything. Travelers are reportedly facing higher rates of inspections when attempting to enter the country as U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents follow directives to bolster national security. Any traveler – whether a citizen or visitor – can be subject to an inspection, which is meant to verify their identity and assess any risk of crime or contraband, according to the agency. During the more common basic search, agents are legally allowed to search information stored directly on electronic devices, including photos and deleted folders, without a warrant. For those applying for a visa, social media profiles have to be made public in order to be examined by the Department of Homeland Security. CBP Assistant Commissioner Hilton Beckham previously told USA TODAY, the agency "follows strict policies and directives when it comes to searching electronic media." However, more reports of detainments and deportations during what legal experts are calling a period of "more aggressive" enforcement and questioning at the border are worrying some travelers, who fear that certain content on their phone could get them in trouble. In April, several major Canadian institutions advised their staff to only take a burner phone if they need to travel to the U.S. CBP did not respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment.

USA Today [7/13/2025 2:25 PM, Miguel Legoas, 75552K] reports Pizza boxes have been known to advertise movies, TV shows and athletic competitions. But this time, employees at a pizza shop in Georgia got something particularly unique. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has recently confirmed a marketing campaign involving graphic pizza boxes encouraging those interested to join the Border Patrol with a QR code linking to their careers page — but some small businesses receiving the boxes aren’t exactly on board with it. One such operation is Mojo Pizza N’Pub in Decatur, Georgia, just north of Atlanta. CBP issued a statement last week saying they work with the MarCom Group in Virginia to support their marketing and advertising efforts. As part of their recent recruitment efforts, MarCom initiated a campaign in Atlanta to coincide with the SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference, an annual week-long event that includes trade shows, workshops and seminars related to career and technical education. The campaign included advertising at the airport and on said pizza boxes.

CNN [7/13/2025 7:28 AM, Staff, 21433K] reports that new reporting reveals multiple urban search and rescue teams from across the country that responded to the deadly floods in central Texas told CNN that FEMA did not deploy them until days after any victim had been found alive. Former FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell reacts to the agency’s actions under President Donald Trump. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

New York Times [7/13/2025 8:23 AM, Lisa Friedman, Maxine Joselow, Coral Davenport and Megan Mineiro, 138952K] reports that in an effort to shrink the federal government, President Trump and congressional Republicans have taken steps that are diluting the country’s ability to anticipate, prepare for and respond to catastrophic flooding and other extreme weather events, disaster experts say. Staff reductions, budget cuts and other changes made by the administration since January have already created holes at the National Weather Service, which forecasts and warns of dangerous weather. Mr. Trump’s budget proposal for the next fiscal year would close 10 laboratories run by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that research the ways a warming planet is changing weather, among other things. That work is essential to more accurately predicting life-threatening hazards. Among the shuttered labs would be one in Miami that sends teams of “hurricane hunters” to fly into storms to collect critical data. The proposed budget would also make major cuts to a federal program that uses river gauges to predict floods. The president is also envisioning a dramatically scaled-down Federal Emergency Management Agency that would shift the costs of disaster response and recovery from the federal government to the states. The administration has already revoked $3.6 billion in grants from FEMA to hundreds of communities around the country, which were to be used to help these areas protect against hurricanes, wildfires and other catastrophes. About 10 percent of the agency’s staff members have left since January, including senior leaders with decades of experience, and another 20 percent are expected to be gone by the end of this year. The White House and agency leaders say they are making much-needed changes to bloated bureaucracies that no longer serve the American public well. FEMA, for one, “has been slow to respond at the federal level. It’s even been slower to get the resources to Americans in crisis,” Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, said last week at a meeting convened by the president to recommend changes to the agency. “That is why this entire agency needs to be eliminated as it exists today and remade into a responsive agency. We owe it to all the American people to deliver the most efficient and the most effective disaster response.” National security and disaster management experts agreed that FEMA — or any federal agency — could be improved but they said the chaotic changes the Trump administration is making to FEMA, as well as other parts of the government, are harmful. The federal government’s retrenchment arrives at a time when climate change is making extreme weather more frequent and severe. Last year, the United States experienced 27 disasters that cost more than $1 billion each. “The Trump administration is leaving communities naked, without the necessary tools that could help them assess risks or reduce those risks,” said Alice C. Hill, who worked on climate resilience and security issues for the National Security Council during the Obama administration and who is now a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. “We know preparedness saves lives,” Ms. Hill said. “When you make cuts to the Weather Service, that is undermining forecasts. When you cut the collection of data, satellites, all of that will degrade the accuracy of forecasts. And even with a strong forecast, it’s meaningless unless the people who need to hear it, hear it.”

Washington Examiner [7/13/2025 11:38 AM, Catrina Barker, 1934K] reports amid staffing shortages and public concern over natural disasters, the National Weather Service is defending its ability to fulfill its core mission—even as it operates under the strain of past budget cuts and ongoing reorganization. Illinois U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, D-Rockford, a former meteorologist, said he and others are pushing bipartisan legislation to strengthen NWS operations and staffing, warning that shortfalls may be putting lives at risk. "We have to get President [Donald] Trump to understand that investing in the National Weather Service, making sure we have more accurate weather models, could maybe make these types of disasters a thing of the past," Sorensen told NBC. Under Trump’s fiscal year 2026 budget plan, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration faces cuts, but NWS funding gets a proposed 6.7% increase. At a recent Senate confirmation hearing, Neil Jacobs, Trump’s nominee to lead NOAA, defended the cuts. "I support the president’s budget," Jacobs told lawmakers, adding that mission-essential functions would continue.

AP [7/13/2025 8:10 PM, Staff, 56000K] reports more heavy rains in Texas on Sunday temporarily paused a weeklong search for victims of catastrophic flooding along the Guadalupe River and led to dozens of high-water rescues elsewhere as storms damaged homes, stranded motorists and put some residents under evacuation orders. It was the first time a new round of severe weather had paused the search since the July Fourth holiday floods, which killed at least 132 people. Authorities believe more than 160 people may still be missing in Kerr County alone, and 10 more in neighboring areas. In Kerrville, where local officials have come under scrutiny over whether residents were adequately warned about the rising water in the early morning hours of July 4, authorities went door-to-door to some homes after midnight early Sunday to alert people that flooding was again possible. Authorities also pushed phone alerts to those in the area. By late Sunday afternoon, the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office announced that search teams in the western part of that county could resume their efforts. But more than 100 miles (161 kilometers) north in San Saba County, the floods damaged about 100 homes and knocked down untold lengths of cattle fencing, said Ashley Johnson, CEO of the Hill Country Community Action Association, a local nonprofit. “Anything you can imagine in a rural community was damaged,” she said. “Our blessing is it was daylight and we knew it was coming.”

Reported similarly:
Breitbart [7/13/2025 6:48 PM, Randy Clark and Bob Price, 3077K]
Chicago Tribune [7/13/2025 3:54 PM, Gabriela Aoun Angueira, 3987K]
Washington Examiner [7/13/2025 2:51 PM, Naomi Lim, 1934K]

AP [7/14/2025 12:24 AM, Gabriela Aoun, 3077K] reports crews on Monday were expected to resume looking for victims of catastrophic flooding in Texas that killed at least 132 people after more heavy rains temporarily paused their search and rescue operations. Those efforts along the Guadalupe River were halted on Sunday after a new round of severe weather led to high water rescues elsewhere and prompted fears that waterways could surge again above their banks. It was the first time search efforts for victims of the July Fourth floods were stopped due to severe weather. Authorities believe more than 160 people may still be missing in Kerr County alone, and 10 more in neighboring areas. In Kerrville, where local officials have come under scrutiny over whether residents were adequately warned about the rising water in the early morning hours of July 4, authorities went door-to-door to some homes after midnight early Sunday to alert people that flooding was again possible. Authorities also pushed phone alerts to those in the area. During the pause in searches, Ingram Fire Department officials ordered crews to immediately evacuate the Guadalupe River corridor in Kerr County, warning the potential for a flash flood was high. Late Sunday afternoon, the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office announced that search teams in the western part of that county could resume their efforts. The Ingram Fire Department would resume its search and rescue efforts Monday morning, said agency spokesman Brian Lochte. Gov. Greg Abbott said on X the state conducted rescues of dozens of people in San Saba, Lampasas and Schleicher counties, and that evacuations were taking place in a handful of others. The latest round of flooding damaged about 100 homes and knocked down untold lengths of cattle fencing, said Ashley Johnson, CEO of the Hill Country Community Action Association, a San Saba-based nonprofit. “Anything you can imagine in a rural community was damaged,” she said. “Our blessing is it was daylight and we knew it was coming.” With more rain on the way, county officials ordered everyone living in flood-prone areas near the San Saba River to evacuate, with people moved to the San Saba Civic Center, Johnson said.

CNN [7/14/2025 4:01 AM, Eric Levenson, 21433K] reports commissioners in Kerr County, Texas, are set to meet Monday in their first official court hearing since more than 100 people in the county, including children and counselors at a summer camp, were killed in catastrophic flooding last week. The first item on the agenda at the bimonthly meeting: the July 4 flooding. The commissioners will “consider, discuss, and take appropriate action following update on status of recovery efforts,” according to a meeting agenda. Other agenda items will focus on authorizing overtime pay for employees who responded to the flooding and establishing a central location to assist affected citizens. The meeting is expected to be livestreamed on Monday morning. The Kerr County commissioners’ court consists of County Judge Rob Kelly and four commissioners and is the main governing body for the county, responsible for budgetary, tax and revenue decisions for the population of about 50,000 people. The meeting on Monday comes about a week after torrential downpours in the overnight hours of July 4 transformed the Guadalupe River into a roaring flood, sweeping away homes, vehicles, roads and trees. At least 106 people in Kerr County alone died, including 36 children, and more than 150 others in the county are still missing. The disaster has led to serious questions about how local officials prepared for the possibility of flooding in the months and years beforehand, how they acted as the Guadalupe River swelled from 3 feet to 30 feet in just 45 minutes on July 4, and how officials have responded in its destructive aftermath. In addition, thunderstorms and heavy rain Sunday sparked new concerns of flash flooding. Ground search operations were suspended in Kerrville due to ongoing flood danger, authorities said Sunday morning. Operations later resumed, officials told CNN.

ABC News [7/14/2025 12:47 AM, Emily Shapiro, Jack Moore, Nadine El-Bawab, Ivan Pereira, and Kevin Shalvey, 31733K] reports Kerr County was hardest-hit, with 68 deaths, including 28 children. At least 78 people are dead and others missing after heavy rain lashed Texas, leading to "catastrophic" flooding. By far the greatest number of fatalities occurred in Kerr County, where 68 people at last word are believed to be dead, according to officials, including 28 children. At least 41 people are missing statewide as of late Sunday afternoon, officials said. President Trump has signed a disaster declaration for Kerr County and the Federal Emergency Management Agency is on the ground there, the Department of Homeland Security said Sunday. Statewide death toll now stands at 78, say officials. The death toll now stands at 78 in the wake of torrential rains and the resulting flooding in Texas. In Travis County, five people are believed dead, with three dead in Burnet County and one death each reported in Tom Green and Williamson counties, officials have said. Search and rescue operations are ongoing. The number of deaths due to the flooding in Texas is now at least 78, according to the latest information from state officials. Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) Chief Nim Kidd said during an afternoon press conference with Gov. Greg Abbott in Austin that there were at least 69 people confirmed dead, based on information that was "a few hours hold" at the time they prepared for the conference. Those numbers included 59 confirmed dead in Kerr County, according to Abbott and Kidd, with 41 missing across the state. In a separate press conference the began just as Gov. Abbott’s was ending, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said that as of 1:30 p.m. local time, there were 68 dead in the county, including 28 children – nine more Kerr County deaths that previously reported. Eighteen adults and 10 children are pending identification, according to Leitha. Leitha added that 10 campers and one counselor at Camp Mystic remain unaccounted for. Earlier Sunday, 11 campers remained unaccounted for. It’s not known if the single camper was found alive or is among the dead. Gov. Abbott said only people with "specific information" about a missing person should contact officials in order to prevent unnecessary calls from potentially interfering with recovery efforts. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and other officials are currently conducting a press conference in Austin to share the latest information regarding the flooding in Texas. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been activated in Texas, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The activation comes in the wake of President Trump on Sunday signing a disaster declaration for hard-hit Kerr County, where at least 59 people have died as a result of the torrential rains and resulting flooding. The U.S. Coast Guard is also helping with search-and-rescue operations in the area, according to DHS, using helicopters and other aircraft equipped with thermal cameras to search for survivors. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem is "on the ground with Governor Abbott and local leaders on Saturday and will continue to work to make sure Texas has the resources needed to respond and recover," the DHS statement said. President Trump signs "Major Disaster Declaration" for Kerr County, Texas. President Donald Trump posted on his social media platform Sunday morning that he has signed a "Major Disaster Declaration" for Kerr County, Texas. The declaration is "to ensure that our Brave First Responders immediately have the resources they need," the post said, in part. "These families are enduring an unimaginable tragedy, with many lives lost, and many still missing. The Trump Administration continues to work closely with State and Local Leaders. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem was on the ground yesterday with Governor Greg Abbott, who is working hard to help the people of his Great State," Trump also wrote.

Washington Examiner [7/13/2025 1:58 PM, Bethany Blankley, 1934K] reports the latest death count from the July 4 flash flood event in Texas is up to 129 with more than 170 people still missing. Sunday morning recovering efforts were suspended in Kerr County due to heavy rainfall and a new flash flood warning issued for several areas in the Hill Country in Flash Flood Alley. The majority of the confirmed dead are in Kerr County, 103, including 36 children. The death count in Travis County has increased to nine, four are still reported missing. Lake Travis remains closed due to ongoing safety concerns. Kendall County has reported eight confirmed deaths; Burnet County has confirmed 5 deaths; its volunteer fire chief, Mike Phillips, is still missing. Three are confirmed dead, one missing in Williamson County; one is confirmed dead in Tom Green County, local authorities report. After failing to issue a flash flood warning or evacuation order prior to the July 4 flash flood event, Kerrville city officials issued a flash flood warning on Sunday and halted recovery efforts as rainfall began again.

Washington Post [7/13/2025 6:21 PM, Daniel Wu and Kyle Melnick, 32099K] reports the Federal Emergency Management Agency approved appeals from Camp Mystic to exempt several structures from a flood zone designation over a decade before extreme flooding in Central Texas swamped the Christian girls camp and killed 27 campers and counselors, according to FEMA records. In 2013, the agency exempted 15 Camp Mystic buildings near the Guadalupe River from a Special Flood Hazard Area — a region where a “100-year flood” has a 1 percent chance of occurring in any given year. Some of the buildings sat a few feet above the water level FEMA predicted that a severe flood could rise to, records stated. One building was several feet below the 100-year flood level. The change meant the camp was no longer required to buy flood insurance for the structures. The FEMA records noted that other parts of Camp Mystic remained in a flood risk zone, which subjects construction in the zone to federal, state and local flood regulations. Camp Mystic successfully petitioned FEMA to exempt 15 more of its buildings from flood zone designations in 2019 and 2020. These appeals came as the camp expanded its facilities. The camp’s appeals, which the Associated Press first reported, provide a window into how federal regulators and Camp Mystic assessed flood risks as scrutiny grows over whether federal authorities and Kerr County officials adequately warned residents ahead of the devastating flash floods this month that killed at least 129 people in Central Texas. Water from the Guadalupe River rose about 30 feet in under four hours on July 4, according to data from a river gauge in Hunt, Texas. When the flooding struck Camp Mystic early that morning, water quickly flooded Camp Mystic’s cabins, and some campers and counselors evacuated through waist-high floodwaters barefoot. Sarah Pralle, a professor of political science at Syracuse University who has researched FEMA’s flood mapping, said Camp Mystic appealing FEMA’s maps while hosting hundreds of girls every summer is "not just disappointing; it’s very disturbing.” "You would think that, in that situation, they would err on the side of extreme caution given who they are supposed to be taking care of," Pralle said. Jeff Carr, a spokesperson for Camp Mystic, confirmed via email that the camp had made appeals to FEMA and that they were approved "just as 90% of all such appeals are approved by FEMA.”

AP [7/14/2025 5:22 AM, Staff, 56000K] reports wildfires have forced evacuations for visitors and staff at two national parks — Gunnison and the Grand Canyon — in the U.S. as the summer monsoon season brings increased lightning to the arid region. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Axios [7/14/2025 12:12 AM, Rebecca Falconer, 13599K] reports the Grand Canyon Lodge was among "numerous" historic structures to burn as two wildfires in northern Arizona triggered evacuations amid hot, dry and gusty conditions, officials said Sunday. Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) on Sunday demanded an investigation in regards to the Dragon Bravo Fire that razed the historic lodge in the Grand Canyon National Park, noting on X that "the federal government chose to manage" that blaze that started with a lightning strike "as a controlled burn during the driest, hottest part of the Arizona summer." Parts of the Grand Canyon National Park were closed until further notice due to the Dragon Bravo Fire, according to a National Park Service post. The fire that ignited in the area of the North Rim in Grand Canyon National Park on July 4 was burning out of control over some 5,000 acres as of Sunday night, per Inciweb, an interagency website that tracks wildfires. The nearby White Sage Fire that began after a July 9 thunderstorm had grown to nearly 40,200 acres at 0% containment, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Threat level: Among the structures destroyed or damaged in the Dragon Bravo Fire were a water treatment facility, "numerous historic cabins" and the only lodge at the North Rim, which had been in operation since 1937, per National Park Service posts. It was later confirmed that chlorine gas was released from the water treatment facility that caught fire and "park authorities immediately evacuated firefighters from the North Rim and hikers from the inner canyon, and closed access to specific areas within the inner canyon," the NPS said. Fire activity "intensified rapidly" late Saturday, "fueled by sustained winds of 20 mph," with gusts reaching up to 40 mph, per a Grand Canyon National Park Facebook post. "Firefighters made significant efforts overnight to slow the fire’s progression under dangerous and fast-changing conditions," according to the post. Meanwhile, the White Sage Fire has prompted road closures and crossed Highway 89A near House Rock Valley, Ariz., the Bureau of Land Management’s Arizona Fire Management said on X Sunday night. Firefighters tackling the blaze were facing "very extreme fire behavior due to the dry conditions, gusty and erratic winds inhibiting the ability for fire fighters on the second night, to safely engage the fire," per a U.S. Forest Service post.

NPR [7/13/2025 5:47 PM, Joe Hernandez, 37958K] reports a Senate committee report released Sunday blames the U.S. Secret Service for a "cascade of preventable failures" that led up to the assassination attempt against then-presidential candidate Donald Trump during a rally in Butler, Pa., last summer. Trump was injured in the shooting when a bullet whizzed past his head, grazing his ear. Two attendees were wounded, and rally-goer and former fire chief Corey Comperatore was killed. A Secret Service sniper shot and killed the perpetrator, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pa. In its report, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee said the Secret Service’s "lack of structured communication was likely the greatest contributor to the failures" on the day of the rally. The report was released by the committee’s chairman, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. For instance, the Secret Service security room agent, who is responsible for collecting and disseminating information, learned about a suspicious person with a rangefinder from a counterpart in the Pennsylvania State Police roughly 25 minutes before the shooting. That agent relayed the report to a fellow Secret Service agent in the room, but the information did not go out over the radio or make it to Trump’s security detail in time for them to prevent him from taking the stage. There were communication gaps both within the Secret Service hierarchy, and also among the agency and the state and federal law enforcement agencies on scene, the committee said. There were organizational mistakes, too. The committee noted that one of the Secret Service counter-sniper teams protecting Trump at the Butler rally had an obstructed view of the roof of the nearby American Glass Research building where Crooks was located. The report, released one year to the day after the shooting, also found that the Secret Service had denied some resources to Trump’s detail during the 2024 presidential election and said former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle had falsely testified to Congress when she said no requests were denied for the Butler rally. In a statement on Sunday, Secret Service Director Sean Curran said the agency "took a serious look at our operations" following last year’s shooting and "implemented substantive reforms to address the failures that occurred that day." Reuters [7/13/2025 3:41 PM, Ryan Patrick Jones, 51390K] reports that the report released a year after a 20-year-old gunman opened fire on Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, grazing his ear, accused the Secret Service of a pattern of negligence and communications breakdowns in planning and execution of the rally. "This was not a single error. It was a cascade of preventable failures that nearly cost President Trump his life," the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee report said. The Secret Service is charged with protecting current and former presidents and their families, as well visiting foreign leaders and some other senior officials. One attendee of the July 13, 2024, rally was killed and two others were injured in the shooting. The gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was subsequently shot to death by Secret Service agents. "This was not a single lapse in judgment. It was a complete breakdown of security at every level — fueled by bureaucratic indifference, a lack of clear protocols, and a shocking refusal to act on direct threats," the committee’s Republican chairman, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, said in a statement. The Washington Post [7/13/2025 6:51 PM, Kelly Kasulis Cho, Vivian Ho and Maegan Vazquez, 32099K] reports that the committee, which is chaired by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky), conducted 17 interviews with Secret Service staff and reviewed more than 75,000 pages of law enforcement documents during its investigation over the past year to reach its conclusions. Six Secret Service agents were placed on unpaid leave, with the suspensions ranging from 10 to 42 days, The Washington Post reported on Thursday. The report stated that the “site agent,” who was not identified by name, received a one-day suspension for “failure to follow Secret Service policy” as well as a 42-day suspension for “negligence in the performance of official duties” and reassignment. The document states that the site counterpart, special agent in charge and lead agent in the Secret Service’s Pittsburgh office each received 14-day suspensions. One team leader in the agency’s uniformed division received a 35-day suspension and was placed on restricted duty. The assistant to the special agent in charge in Pittsburgh received a 10-day suspension and was placed on restricted duty. In an interview on CBS’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday, Paul accused former Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle of lying to Congress when she testified that the agency had not received requests to beef up Trump’s security detail in advance of the Butler shooting. Paul said investigators found that the agency had received at least four requests for counter- snipers and other security enhancements from Trump’s Secret Service detail, as well as from his campaign. “There was a cascade of errors,” he said. “When we talked to the people in charge of security, everybody pointed a finger at someone else.” In a statement Sunday, Cheatle pushed back on the assertion that she lied to Congress, saying that when she testified, “the information provided to me by personnel from Headquarters and the Trump detail, to include the current agency Director, confirmed my statement that no requests for additional support had been denied to our agents at Butler.” “Any assertion or implication that I provided misleading testimony is patently false and does a disservice to those men and women on the front lines who have been unfairly disciplined for a team, rather than individual, failure,” she added. The current Secret Service director, Sean Curran, said in a separate statement on Sunday that the agency would continue to cooperate with the Senate committee and that following last year’s shooting, “the Secret Service took a serious look at our operations and implemented substantive reforms to address the failures that occurred that day.”

Reported similarly:
Bloomberg [7/13/2025 1:51 PM, Myles Miller, 19320K]
ABC News [7/13/2025 1:36 PM, Allison Pecorin, 31733K] Video: HERE
Axios [7/13/2025 1:40 PM, Avery Lotz, 13599K]
NewsMax [7/13/2025 12:02 PM, Staff, 4622K]
Washington Times [7/13/2025 6:18 AM, Lindsey McPherson, 2106K]

New York Times [7/13/2025 8:00 AM, By Eileen Sullivan, 330K] reports one year has passed since a lone gunman fired shots at Donald J. Trump during a campaign rally in a quiet Pittsburgh suburb. The bullet could have been lethal if a fraction of an inch closer. It grazed his ear. A rally attendee was killed, and two others were injured. The attempted assassination on July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa., shocked the world. And it washed away a 43-year stretch since a former or current president was wounded in an attempt on his life. The Secret Service came under withering criticism, and the episode was perceived to be one of the worst failures in the history of the agency. The House and the Senate formed panels to review what went wrong. And the Department of Homeland Security, the Secret Service’s parent agency, ordered up an independent assessment. “The Secret Service must be the world’s leading governmental protective organization,” the assessment said. “The events at Butler on July 13 demonstrate that, currently, it is not.” In addition, the agency spent months looking internally. As findings trickled out, it became clear that the Secret Service had systemic problems that went back years. Among those were deep challenges with recruiting and holding onto experienced agents — burnout was a constant problem. There were also basic human blunders: poor communications about planning, especially for outdoor events. Fatigue from long hours and thin staffing during a grueling campaign season. Complacency from the long streak of seeming success.

AP [7/13/2025 5:48 PM, Staff, 24051K] reports that in many ways, the assassination attempt against Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania campaign stop was a perfect storm of failings coming together that allowed 20-year-old Michael Thomas Crooks to climb on top of a nearby building and take eight shots at the once and future president. One attendee was killed, two others wounded and a bullet grazed Trump’s ear before a Secret Service counter sniper opened fire on Crooks and killed him. That day jolted an already chaotic race for the White House and solidified Trump’s iconic status in his party and beyond. It also became a turning point for the agency tasked with protecting the president. As more details emerged about what went wrong, questions multiplied: What happened to the Secret Service’s planning? Why was a rooftop with a clear line of sight to Trump left unguarded? What motivated the shooter? Another incident in September where a gunman camped in the shrubbery outside one of Trump’s golf courses before being spotted and shot at by a Secret Service agent also raised questions about the agency’s performance. A year after Butler, multiple investigations have detailed the breakdowns that day. Under a new leader hired by Trump, the agency has been pushing to address those problems but key questions remain. “This was a wake-up call for the Secret Service,” said retired supervisory agent Bobby McDonald, who’s now a criminal justice lecturer at the University of New Haven. A Senate committee and federal auditing agency over the weekend released reports about the Secret Service’s actions. Here’s a look at what went wrong, what’s been done to address problems and the questions still unanswered. All the investigations zeroed in on a few specific problems. The building with a clear sight line to the stage where the president was speaking only 135 meters (157 yards) away was left unguarded. Crooks eventually boosted himself up there and fired eight shots with an AR-style rifle. The Secret Service’s investigation into its own agency’s conduct said that it wasn’t that the line-of-sight risks weren’t known about ahead of time. It was that multiple personnel assessed them as “acceptable.” Supervisors had expected large pieces of farm equipment would be situated to block the view from the building. Those ultimately weren’t placed, and staffers who visited the site before the rally didn’t tell their supervisors that the line-of-sight concerns hadn’t been addressed, the report said. Another glaring problem: fragmented communications between the Secret Service and the local law enforcement that the agency regularly relies on to secure events. Instead of having one unified command post with representatives from every agency providing security in the same room, there were two command posts at the rally. One investigation described a “chaotic mixture” of radio, cell phone, text, and email used to communicate that day. And a year later, the investigations are still coming.

CBS News [7/13/2025 9:25 AM, Staff, 51860K] reports that ahead of the assassination attempt one year ago on President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, the U.S. Secret Service denied multiple requests from Mr. Trump’s Secret Service detail to bolster his security apparatus during his 2024 presidential campaign, according to a Senate report released Sunday. The report from the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs found that the Secret Service "denied or left unfulfilled at least 10 requests" from Mr. Trump’s detail for "additional resources," including an enhanced counter drone system, counter assault team personnel and counter snipers. On July 13, 2024, a 20-year-old gunman opened fire on Mr. Trump from the rooftop of a nearby building during a campaign rally in Butler. The president was grazed in the ear by one of the bullets, while one rallygoer was killed and two others were critically wounded in the shooting. The gunman, Thomas Crooks, was shot and killed by a Secret Service sniper. The incident prompted several investigations into the Secret Service’s practices and protocols. In an interview on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Sen. Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky, called the Secret Service’s reaction to the shooting a "cascade of errors.” Paul said he believed there is a "cultural cover-up" within the Secret Service, and said he believed that there wouldn’t have been any discipline within the agency if he hadn’t subpoenaed their records. "This report reveals a disturbing pattern of communication failures and negligence that culminated in a preventable tragedy," Paul, who chairs the Senate Homeland Security Committee, wrote in the report. "What happened was inexcusable and the consequences imposed for the failures so far do not reflect the severity of the situation.” The report accuses then-Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle of "falsely" testifying to Congress that "no USSS asset requests were denied for the Butler rally." Cheatle resigned nearly a year ago after testifying before Congress. In response to the report, Cheatle said in a statement that while she agrees that "mistakes were made and reform is needed," she said "that fateful day was a perfect storm of events.”

NewsMax [7/13/2025 11:34 AM, Sandy Fitzgerald, 4622K] reports that findings in a report released this weekend by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, which concluded that the Secret Service’s failure to share threat information allowed the assassination attempt against President Donald Trump last July in Butler, Pennsylvania, did not come as "much of a surprise," Rep. Dan Meuser told Newsmax Sunday. "There were many, many failures that took place, failures from leadership," the Pennsylvania Republican said on Newsmax’s "Wake Up America Weekend," placing blame on then-Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. "Look, everything Mayorkas, Secretary Mayorkas, former secretary, thank God, touched was a disaster," Meuser said, adding that then-Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle also comes into blame. "She showed at the hearing that she really didn’t have a grasp of the situation at all," said Meuser. "Weeks later, she had no understanding of where the couldn’t even identify where the failures were.” According to the report, compiled at the request of Grassley as chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, senior-level Secret Service officials received classified information concerning a threat to Trump’s life 10 days before the July 13, 2024 political rally in Butler, but "failed to relay the information to federal and local law enforcement personnel responsible for securing and staffing the event.” Meuser said that according to Grassley’s report, the failures "started at the top," as the protective detail was denied drones or a countersniper, which was "only permitted at the very last minute.” "They did not communicate earlier threats," he said. "There were staffing issues.” He also rejected claims made on Newsmax earlier Sunday from a former Secret Service agent that lawmakers are acting like "Monday morning quarterbacks" with their questions about the assassination attempt.

New York Post [7/13/2025 6:44 PM, Ryan King, 49956K] reports former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle was adamant that she directed "additional assets to be provided" for President Trump’s Butler, Pa., rally a year ago and refuted Sen. Rand Paul’s blistering report. Paul (R-Ky.) alleged that Cheatle had not been truthful to Congress when she testified that the Secret Service didn’t deny Trump’s team resources it requested for the Butler, Pa. rally. "The Director of the Secret Service is not typically directly engaged in the approval or denial of requests for support," she said in a statement Sunday, released by her attorney. "For the Butler rally, I actually did direct additional assets to be provided, particularly in the form of agency counter-snipers.” "Any assertion or implication that I provided misleading testimony is patently false and does a disservice to those men and women on the front lines who have been unfairly disciplined for a team, rather than individual, failure.” Cheatle’s attorney confirmed to The Post that her statement was directed at Paul’s report and his "defamatory comments on Face the Nation" earlier in the day on Sunday. Paul, chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, released his scathing report on the one-year anniversary of the assassination attempt against Trump. It concluded based on documents that there were "at least two instances of assets being denied" by the Secret Service related to the Butler rally.

New York Times [7/13/2025 6:16 PM, Eileen Sullivan, 138952K] reports for the first time since she resigned in the aftermath of the attempted assassination of Donald J. Trump a year ago, Kimberly A. Cheatle, the former Secret Service director, pushed back publicly on Sunday against congressional criticism that she had denied additional security requests for a campaign event that day in Butler, Pa. “For the Butler rally, I actually did direct additional assets to be provided, particularly in the form of agency counter-snipers,” Ms. Cheatle said in a statement. One of those was the sniper who shot and killed Mr. Trump’s would-be assassin. But that came after the man, Thomas Crooks, successfully evaded a search to find him, climbed onto a roof of a nearby building and fired eight shots at Mr. Trump while he was speaking. One of the bullets grazed Mr. Trump before he was moved to safety by his security detail. Senator Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky and the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, released a final report early Sunday on the Senate panel’s finding that “stunning failures” by the Secret Service led to the near assassination of Mr. Trump. Several other investigations into the security failures came to the same conclusion last year. The report revealed little new information about the failures that led to a 20-year-old gunman’s ability to fire shots from a roof of a building with a direct line of sight to where Mr. Trump was speaking at a fairground. Ms. Cheatle disputed the report’s claim that she lied during congressional testimony about having denied additional security measures for the July 13, 2024, rally. “Any assertion that I provided misleading testimony is patently false and does a disservice to those men and women on the front lines who have been unfairly disciplined for a team, rather than an individual, failure,” Ms. Cheatle said. Security plans in the lead-up to the campaign rally a year ago were a joint responsibility between Mr. Trump’s personal Secret Service detail and the agency’s Pittsburgh field office. But agents from the Pittsburgh office bore the brunt of the criticism and repercussions. Senior leaders on Mr. Trump’s detail assigned a young, inexperienced agent to take on a critical planning role for the event. She was handed the most severe penalty, a 42-day unpaid suspension, which she, like the others disciplined, can appeal. The Secret Service announced the disciplinary measures on Thursday. Mr. Paul and other lawmakers spent months pushing the Secret Service to hold people accountable. He said it was not until he issued a subpoena recently to the agency’s director, Sean M. Curran, that the Secret Service disclosed the number of agents punished and descriptions of the penalties. Mr. Curran was the head of Mr. Trump’s security detail at the time of the rally. “Following the events of July 13, the Secret Service took a serious look at our operations and implemented substantive reforms to address the failures that occurred that day,” Mr. Curran said in a statement on Sunday. Mr. Paul said the punishments were not stiff enough.

Washington Examiner [7/13/2025 3:46 PM, Annabella Rosciglione, 1934K] reports former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle spoke out against accusations that she lied to Congress and denied requests for additional security from the Trump campaign before the assassination attempt on President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, last year. A report from the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs found that the Secret Service "denied or left unfulfilled at least 10 requests" from Trump’s security detail for "additional resources" ahead of the July 13, 2024, shooting. Cheatle rejected some of the report’s findings on Sunday. "While I agree mistakes were made and reform is needed, many of which I was actually in the midst of implementing at the time of my resignation, that fateful day was literally a perfect storm of events," Cheatle wrote. The report had accused Cheatle of falsely testifying to Congress that no Secret Service "asset requests were denied for the Butler rally." Cheatle resigned as director shortly after her testimony. "The Director of Secret Service is not typically directly engaged in the approval or denial of requests for support; the agency has procedures in place to identify such requirements and requests for additional assets," she wrote, adding that "for the Butler rally, I actually did direct additional assets to be provided, particularly in the form of agency counter snipers.” Cheatle wrote that "any assertion or implication that I provided misleading testimony is patently false and does a disservice to those men and women on the front lines who have been unfairly disciplined for a team, rather than individual, failure.” Six agents were suspended by the Secret Service for failures connected to the assassination attempt.

CBS News [7/13/2025 5:03 PM, Emily Mae Czachor, 51860K] Video: HERE reports one year after the attempted assassination of President Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, the shooter’s motive is still unclear. It may stay that way, said Sen. Rand Paul, a Republican from Kentucky who also chairs the Senate committee that released its final report Sunday detailing what it characterized as failures by the U.S. Secret Service that allowed the attempt to happen. "I think we aren’t going to know the motive, and I take that at face value," Paul told "Face the Nation" moderator Margaret Brennan, adding that despite his own personal doubts over government transparency in other scenarios, he believes "they’ve tried their best" in this case. "I don’t think there’s an answer that they’re not revealing to us," the senator said. "I think they just don’t know.” A 20-year-old gunman opened fire on Mr. Trump during his Butler rally on July 13, 2024, shooting into the crowd of attendees from the rooftop of a nearby building. A bullet grazed Mr. Trump’s ear, but he was otherwise not harmed. Two attendees were critically wounded, and one, Corey Comperatore, died from his injuries. The gunman, Thomas Crooks, was shot and killed by a Secret Service sniper stationed at the event. Afterward, the agency faced a litany of criticisms and multiple formal investigations into its practices as many questioned how Crooks could come so close to carrying out the assassination successfully and ultimately charged the Secret Service with enabling the attack. In its latest report on the matter, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, of which Paul serves as chairman, accused the Secret Service of "inexcusable negligence, communication breakdowns, systemic weaknesses, and limited accountability.” The report found that the Secret Service "denied or left unfulfilled at least 10 requests" from Mr. Trump’s security detail to provide additional resources for his protection during his 2024 presidential campaign. Some of the requests included a stronger counter drone system, counter assault team and counter snipers on the premises, according to the report. Paul cited the results of several investigations, including the one conducted by his committee, which found that the gunman was seen more than 90 minutes before the shooting and operated a drone, undetected, hours earlier. "Three minutes before the shooting, the crowd is chanting, man on a roof, man on a roof," Paul said. The senator noted that additional time passed as Crooks assembled his gun, yet Mr. Trump was not advised to move from the stage where he was giving a campaign speech, something Paul called "inexcusable, terrible security.” Although little direct evidence exists as to why Crooks wanted to shoot Mr. Trump, who was the Republican presidential candidate at the time, documents reviewed by CBS News in May offered some insights into the gunman’s mind.

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The Hill [7/13/2025 3:55 PM, Tara Suter, 18649K]

FOX News [7/13/2025 3:27 PM, Staff, 46878K] Video: HERE reports Sen. Rand Paul bashed the Secret Service and said we will probably never know Trump’s would-be assassin’s true motive after issuing a scathing report on the agency.

Washington Examiner [7/13/2025 2:21 PM, Annabella Rosciglione, 1934K] reports Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) said he believed there is a "cultural cover-up" within the Secret Service following a new report on the assassination attempt of President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, last year. A report from the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs found that the Secret Service "denied or left unfulfilled at least 10 requests" from Trump’s security detail for "additional resources" ahead of the shooting. Trump has said he is satisfied with the information he has received from the agency about what went wrong that day, but Paul said some people have not been telling the truth. "It was a cultural cover-up for the agency. They did not want to assess blame. They did not want to look internally," Paul said on CBS News’s Face the Nation. "And they wanted to discount any of their actions that might have led to this. This was a cover your ass sort of moment, and I do believe that they did know.” "There’s no way that the director of Secret Service, that she did not know that these requests had been made. And, so, yes, it was a huge failure," Paul continued. The report accuses then-Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle of "falsely" testifying to Congress that "no USSS asset requests were denied for the Butler rally." Cheatle resigned as director shortly after her testimony.

NewsMax [7/13/2025 4:26 PM, Jim Thomas, 4622K] reports Sen. Tom Cotton on Sunday criticized the Biden administration and the U.S. Secret Service for what he called "serious failures" in communication and resource allocation that preceded the assassination attempt on President Donald Trump in July 2024. The Arkansas Republican said that government watchdog and Senate reports confirm there were "serious failures in communication and the allocation of resources under the Biden administration" in the lead-up to the July 2024 assassination attempt on Trump. Speaking on "Fox News Sunday," Cotton said the Secret Service was not adequately responsive to requests from Trump’s security detail during the campaign, despite multiple appeals for additional protective measures. "The report from the GAO as well [as] the Senate reports indicate there were serious failures in communication and the allocation of resources under the Biden administration," Cotton said. "The Secret Service was not responsive to the request not only of the Trump campaign, but the head of the security detail, who is now the head of the Secret Service as well.” A report released Sunday by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs found the Secret Service denied or left unfulfilled at least 10 requests from Trump’s protective detail in the months leading up to the shooting. Those requests included enhanced counter-drone systems, counter-sniper teams, and counterassault team personnel. On July 13, 2024, a 20-year-old gunman opened fire from a rooftop during Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. A bullet grazed the president, one rallygoer was killed, and two others were critically injured. The gunman, Thomas Crooks, was shot and killed by a Secret Service sniper. Cotton said Trump is right to say mistakes were made and praised Secret Service agent Sean Curran, who shielded the president during the attack. "I do believe, as President Trump said, the Secret Service is working to redress those problems and make sure they do not happen again," Cotton said. "I have confidence in President Trump and Sean Curran. I know the president has confidence in Sean — after all, he put his body on top of President Trump to protect him from further bullets. It would be hard to imagine how you could have more confidence in someone.”

FOX News [7/13/2025 6:57 PM, Staff, 46878K] Video: HERE reports Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, demands ‘true consequence’ for the U.S. Secret Service over its response to the 2024 attempted assassination of President Donald Trump in Butler, Pa., on ‘The Big Weekend Show.’

USA Today [7/13/2025 8:45 PM, Francesca Chambers, 75552K] reports stunning failures and inexcusable negligence by the Secret Service allowed then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump to be shot at during a Pennsylvania rally last year, according to a scathing Senate committee report released on the anniversary of the assassination attempt. The Secret Service did not act on credible intelligence and failed to appropriately communicate with local law enforcement and Trump’s protective detail ahead of the July 13, 2024, event in Butler, Pennsylvania, the report released by Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rand Paul said. "This was not a single lapse in judgment. It was a complete breakdown of security at every level—fueled by bureaucratic indifference, a lack of clear protocols, and a shocking refusal to act on direct threats," Paul, a Republican U.S. senator who represents Kentucky, said. "We must hold individuals accountable and ensure reforms are fully implemented so this never happens again.” The report details threats against Trump and errors that the committee said resulted in the near assassination of a major party’s presidential candidate, the death of rallygoer Corey Comperatore, and injuries to two other attendees. The committee assessed that the failures culminated in a "preventable tragedy," for which the agency has been insufficiently held accountable. Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle resigned, and six individuals received disciplinary action in the wake of the shooting that injured two additional attendees, the report said. But no one was fired, and the penalties were weaker than what the committee said it would have recommended. "Some of these people could be in charge of security for another presidential candidate. And really, that’s a danger. That’s not right," Paul said on the CBS show "Face the Nation.”

NewsMax [7/13/2025 10:43 AM, Sandy Fitzgerald, 4622K] reports that it’s "unfair" for politicians to "Monday morning quarterback" the actions of Secret Service agents after the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump last July in Butler, Pennsylvania, considering the funding issues for the agency that continue to this day, former agent Mike Matranga, the founder and CEO of M6 Global Defense, told Newsmax. "These are not things that, you know, just happened within the last year," Matranga said on Newsmax’s "Wake Up America Weekend" Sunday. "These are things that have been happening for the last decade. "And now that we’ve had an incident, you know, these politicians, whether they be on the left or the right, want to Monday morning quarterback and point the fingers at the Secret Service, when in reality some of the onus is on them for failing to provide the funding that the agency has been asking for a very long time.” Matranga also had a lot to say about former President Joe Biden’s administration and resources. "I think if you look back at the political division within the United States at both, you know, on both sides of the aisle, I think that you’d be foolish not to recognize that there was some of what I would say is a lack of resources that were allotted to the former president," Matranga said. He added that if one looks at the events of the day and the resources that were in Butler, "you will see that the individual who stopped that threat was a member of the counter assault team under our special operations division," he said. "Candidates usually don’t have that level of protection early on in this phase of the campaign. So to say that the Biden administration was who withheld the resources, I think that’s unfair," Matranga added. Meanwhile, other resources were committed to then-Vice President Kamala Harris and Biden events, but Matranga said what happened in Butler "was a culmination of decades of problems, from funding to resources to lack of communications, things that we identified when I was still on the job.” He agreed that the general public deserves to have better answers, and he thinks it is "unfortunate that this had to happen for these things to start occurring.” "But I think that there are a lot of hands here," Matranga said. "But when you start pointing the finger, I think it should be pointed in multiple different directions, to include multiple past administrations, Congress themselves, a lack of communication, a lack of leadership at the United States Secret Service for a very long time.” He added that he is happy to see that some of those who were responsible for the lack of leadership in the Secret Service have stepped down or have been asked to leave. Matranga, looking back, said he also wonders why the Trump rally in Butler wasn’t delayed or even canceled, as the local authorities knew there was a suspicious person on the grounds at the facility.

New York Post [7/13/2025 1:24 PM, Ronny Reyes, 49956K] reports the US Secret Service failed to discipline the agent at the heart of the security failures that allowed a gunman to take eight shots at President Trump during the July 13, 2024, campaign rally, according to a damning new Senate report. That agent was allegedly warned by local cops about would-be assassin Thomas Crooks 25 minutes before Trump was shot — but did not relay that info to the agents on the ground in Butler, Pennsylvania, the report found. The investigation into everything that went wrong at the rally — published on the anniversary of the attack — concluded that the Secret Service suffered "multiple, unacceptable failures.” The leaders at the center of the scandal have never being appropriately punished, said Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), chair of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. "Despite those failures, no one has been fired," Paul said in a statement. "And we only know what little discipline was handed out because I issued a subpoena. That’s unacceptable." Six agents were suspended without pay — including one junior agent from Trump’s security detail who was suspended for 45 days. The expansive report singled out a Secret Service security room agent who was in charge of managing communications between local and federal law enforcement parties working security at the event.

CBS News [7/13/2025 1:00 PM, Staff, 51860K] reports Sen. Rand Paul, who authored a newly-released Senate report over the Secret Service’s handling of the assassination attempt against President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, told "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that there was "a total failure" within the agency and accused there of being a "cultural cover-up." [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

NewsMax [7/13/2025 2:18 PM, Sandy Fitzgerald, 4622K] reports Sen. Ron Johnson, who co-authored the bipartisan Senate Homeland Security Committee report on the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, said Sunday that he is going to subpoena the FBI to get information about that day after witnesses who were at the scene quit talking. "What we released in our report was primarily obtained within a week by my investigators talking to people on the ground who, at that point in time, were willing to share information," the Wisconsin Republican said on Newsmax’s special coverage of the first anniversary of the shootings. "But within a week or two, everybody started clamming up. We had to go through the Secret Service to just even get interviews with a few, maybe a dozen or two Secret Service personnel that are on the ground. Some of the key people we’ve never been able to talk to." Johnson said he assumed that once Trump’s administration came into office, it would have every incentive to open the process to investigate the attempt and be transparent with the American public. "It’s amazing how much time goes by when you’re working on the ‘one big, beautiful bill’ and all the other priorities, and all of a sudden, here we are, one-year anniversary, and the American people still don’t have all these answers," said Johnson. He added that the Pennsylvania State Patrol was subpoenaed for information about the shooter, 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, but "they weren’t being forthcoming." "They’ve got body cam video; they’ve got all kinds of things," said Johnson. Meanwhile, the subpoena for the FBI is not adversarial, but a "friendly" one to prompt transparency, the senator said. "If they’ve done an investigation, it’s time for them to release it to the American public, and if not, turn over the records that we’ve literally been seeking for a year now."

Daily Wire [7/13/2025 7:19 AM, Virginia Kruta, 3816K] reports President Donald Trump reflected on the failed assassination attempt — which took place one year ago during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania — and said that while he trusted and respected the Secret Service agents charged with protecting him, they’d clearly "had a bad day.” Trump addressed the issue during an interview with his daughter-in-law for her Fox News show "My View" with Lara Trump — which aired on the eve of the anniversary — and he made it clear that he still had "confidence" in the Secret Service despite the fact that "mistakes were made" leading up to that fateful event. "They briefed me and I’m satisfied with it, I’m satisfied with it," he said of the after-action reports and reviews from the Secret Service regarding what happened that day. "They should have had somebody in the building. That was a mistake," he continued. "They should have had communications with the local police, they weren’t tied in, and they should have been tied in — so there were mistakes made, and that, you know, shouldn’t have happened. And that building was a prime building in terms of what they were trying to do.” "So, but I was satisfied in terms of the bigger plot, the larger plot," Trump continued. "I have great confidence in these people, I know the people and they’re very talented, very capable. They had a bad day, and I think they’ll admit that, kind of a rough day.” "This is a very dangerous job, being President. You know, I say a race car driver — one percent of one percent, think of that, die. That’s not a lot. A bull rider, I think that’s pretty dangerous, it’s like one tenth of one percent die. And with a president, it’s like five precent. Why didn’t you tell me this?" he asked with a smile. "I could have maybe made a different decision. But I wouldn’t have made a different decision, because we’re doing so well. The country is back.”

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DailySignal [7/13/2025 12:42 PM, Olivia Pero, 558K] r

FOX News [7/13/2025 1:58 PM, Benji Ferraro, 46878K] reports the assassination attempt on President Donald Trump at a Butler, Pennsylvania, rally last July claimed the life of one attendee — and altered the lives of his family forever. The second part of "Butler: Under Fire," titled "The Search for Justice," is now streaming on Fox Nation amid the one-year anniversary of the shocking day that nearly claimed Trump’s life. Helen Comperatore’s husband, Corey, was killed by gunfire from 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, and she spoke out alongside her daughter, Allyson, about the unimaginable tragedy during the special. "It’s been extremely difficult," she said. "Sometimes I still feel like it’s the day after, and sometimes I feel like it’s been a year — it depends on the day." Helen revealed her challenges of navigating life without her late husband, who was a volunteer firefighter and devout Christian. Allyson shared her traumatic experience of having to tend to her father after he was hit by the gunfire at the Butler rally. She recalls being in shock after he crumpled to the ground as bullets rang out. "I felt him on me," she said during the somber interview on "Butler: Under Fire." "I was confused for a minute, because I was like, ‘why does he feel so heavy?’ When I looked back, I saw him just laying on top of me, limp." Also in the episode, the Butler County Emergency Services Unit (ESU) met with Helen to answer her questions about that fateful day. "They deserve to have the truth told," Butler County ESU Commander Ed Lenz said. "They gave us permission to do this. We have their blessing to be here, and they wanted to do this. That really is the deciding factor." Lenz remarked on the "ultimate failure" that the Butler rally site wasn’t entirely secure, and that Trump was even able to hold the event despite law enforcement’s monitoring of Crooks. "What really gets me is that there was a threat and they [Secret Service] let him [Trump] come out on stage," she said. "If they had just held him, none of this would have ever happened." [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

FOX News [7/13/2025 9:00 AM, Emma Colton Fox, 46878K] reports that in a matter of minutes on a hot summer Saturday in northwestern Pennsylvania, the already unprecedented 2024 election cycle was rocked by an assassination attempt on President Donald Trump’s life that had a sweeping effect not only on the upcoming presidency, but also staffers who witnessed the harrowing moment. Eight shots rang out at the Butler Farm Show Grounds at about 6:11 p.m. Eastern Time, roughly six minutes after Trump took the open-air rally’s stage. The rally began on its typical lively note, with the former and upcoming president swaying to Lee Greenwood’s "God Bless the USA" and engaging with supporters by pointing at them as they clapped and held up signs declaring, "Joe Biden, you’re fired.” The rally came to a screeching halt after Trump began his address and was seen grabbing the side of his head before abruptly dropping to the ground. Rally-goers were also seen ducking for cover as confusion gripped the small fairgrounds located just north of Pittsburgh. Secret Service agents threw their bodies over Trump as shields as they worked to get him off of the stage and to a secure location. Secret Service Director Sean M. Curran, one of the agents who rushed to protect Trump that day, told Fox News Digital that July 13, 2024, has remained at the top of his mind since he was tapped to lead the Secret Service. "One year ago, I was by President Trump’s side when a lone gunman attempted to assassinate him in Butler, Pennsylvania," Curran said. "My heart will always be with all those impacted on that day, especially Corey Comperatore, who lost his life while protecting those around him.” "Since President Trump appointed me as director of the United States Secret Service, I have kept my experience on July 13 top of mind, and the agency has taken many steps to ensure such an event can never be repeated in the future," he continued. "Nothing is more important to the United States Secret Service than the safety and security of our protectees. As director, I am committed to ensuring our agency is fully equipped, resourced and aligned to carry out our important mission each and every day.”

NewsMax [7/13/2025 1:36 PM, Sandy Fitzgerald, 4622K] reports House Speaker Mike Johnson, reflecting on the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump one year ago as he campaigned in Butler, Pennsylvania, said Sunday on Newsmax that there has been "no political leader in American history" who has endured what Trump has, including attempts on his life, and remained "strong and resilient." "The president called me early this morning, and we reflected upon this for about a half-hour conversation," the Louisiana Republican told Newsmax during its special coverage Sunday of the Butler anniversary. "We talked about the moment I was with him right after the second assassination attempt, just 64 days after the Butler, Pennsylvania tragedy, where they caught the gunman with the muzzle pointed out of the bushes on the golf course in Florida." Johnson noted that he and his wife, Kelly, sat with Trump for almost three hours after the second attempt while security officials were clearing the perimeter around his Mar-a-Lago estate, and "we just talked about this, how clearly God had saved his life, spared his life for a purpose." And Trump, he added, "talks about it openly now, and he understands the weight of history upon him, the legacy that he will leave and the responsibility that he’s been given to help save the country. And it’s a very serious thing and a profound thing to be a part of." Meanwhile, there were several errors that took place that allowed for the Butler attack, said Johnson. "We put together a House task force, a bipartisan task force that worked on this very thing, investigating it on the House side," he said. "They released their report many months ago. They found an egregious list of errors, and they made over 30 recommendations to ensure that those were addressed.”

Daily Wire [7/13/2025 6:42 AM, Virginia Kruta, 3816K] reports that early on Sunday, the White House shared a video marking the one-year anniversary of the failed assassination attempt on President Donald Trump — who, at the time, was running for reelection against former President Joe Biden. The video shared several clips of Trump throughout the years — including a segment with longtime television host Oprah Winfrey in which they discussed his potential future in politics — and one comment that has resonated through many areas of his life: "Donald Trump seems to always get stronger with challenges.” "One year ago today, an assassin opened fire on President Donald J. Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania," the caption read. "The bullet hit—but by the grace of God, he stood up. Bloodied. Unbowed. And he fought harder. July 13th is a reminder: we fight, we win, AND WE NEVER SURRENDER.” One year ago today, an assassin opened fire on President Donald J. Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. The bullet hit—but by the grace of God, he stood up. Bloodied. Unbowed. And he fought harder. July 13th is a reminder: we fight, we win, AND WE NEVER SURRENDER. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/0BMUYpGltE. That was what the people saw on July 13, 2024, when shots rang out during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania — and then everyone saw then-candidate Donald Trump go down. But within seconds, it seemed, he was back on his feet. His hand was raised in a fist as Secret Service agents swarmed him, surrounding him and attempting to keep his head down. "Fight! Fight! Fight!" Trump could be seen shouting as he was practically carried from the stage, his face and shirt bloodied from the attack.

New York Times [7/13/2025 11:59 PM, Tracey Tully and Jonah E. Bromwich, 153395K] reports Alina Habba, who has used her job as New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor to aggressively target Democrats, is pursuing an investigation into remarks made by Gov. Philip D. Murphy about housing a migrant, according to three people with knowledge of the matter. Mr. Murphy said in February that he was prepared to house a woman whose immigration status was unclear at his family’s home in Middletown. F.B.I. agents have since sought to interview at least four witnesses in connection with the comments, two of the people said, with one adding that the governor had been subpoenaed but not questioned. Ms. Habba, the interim U.S. attorney in New Jersey, is a former personal lawyer for President Trump. She previously announced that she was directing prosecutors in her office to investigate the governor and New Jersey’s attorney general, Matthew J. Platkin, in connection with the state’s immigration policies. Two of the people with knowledge of the investigation involving Mr. Murphy’s comments indicated that it was separate from any Justice Department inquiry related to New Jersey’s so-called sanctuary policy, which has been upheld by a federal appeals court. There has been no public sign of that inquiry moving forward. Mr. Murphy is one of at least four Democratic officials to become entangled in investigations pursued by Ms. Habba since she was named to the position in late March. Mr. Murphy made the remarks during a freewheeling discussion at a New Jersey college, telling an audience there that there was a person in his social orbit “whose immigration status is not yet at the point that they are trying to get it to.” “And we said, ‘You know what? Let’s have her live at our house above our garage,’” he said. “And good luck to the feds coming in to try to get her.” The comments set off an immediate outcry. Mr. Trump’s so-called border czar, Thomas Homan, pledged at the time that the administration would not let them go. “We’ll look into it,” he said. An aide to Mr. Murphy later clarified that the woman was in the United States legally and had never lived on Mr. Murphy’s property.

Breitbart [7/13/2025 11:59 AM, Bob Price, 3077K] reports police in San Antonio arrested a Texas man Thursday night after he allegedly threatened to assassinate President Donald Trump. The alleged threat was made in a Facebook post, where the man reportedly wrote, "I won’t miss." San Antonio police officers arrested 52-year-old Robert Herrera for threatening to assassinate President Trump via a Facebook post. The threat happened three days before the first anniversary of the attack that nearly took the then-presidential candidate’s life. "I won’t miss," Herrera wrote on Facebook in response to an article posted by a San Antonio news outlet’s coverage of the president’s planned trip to the Texas Hill Country, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas reported on Friday. Herrera’s post included a photo of President Trump surrounded by Secret Service agents after the shooting that struck Trump on July 13, 2024. Another Facebook user replied to Herrera’s threat, saying, "You won’t get the chance." Herrera replied, "I’ll just come for you," and included a photo of an assault rifle with a loaded magazine, prosecutors stated. After learning of the threat, police in San Antonio arrested Herrera, who now faces federal charges of threatening to assassinate the president and interstate threatening communications, DOJ officials stated. If convicted, the Texas man could face up to five years in federal prison on each charge. U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas said, "I want to thank Chief McManus and his team at SAPD for their swift response to this threat. To be clear, these types of threats will not be taken lightly, and we will always take a swift, aggressive approach, as was done here.”

Washington Examiner [7/14/2025 3:38 AM, Staff, 1934K] reports Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is holding a shipbuilding company accountable for repeatedly failing to meet its deadlines and "delivery agreements.” Noem announced the partial cancellation of a contract last week with Eastern Shipbuilding Group after the company failed to fulfill four previously agreed-upon orders for Offshore Patrol Cutters, according to a press release from DHS. Only two of the four OPCs were delivered. She canceled the contract because of the company’s inefficiencies, which she said were ineffective use of taxpayer dollars. "This Administration is unwavering in its commitment to the American taxpayer and to a strong, ready Coast Guard," said a DHS official. "We cannot allow critical shipbuilding projects to languish over budget and behind schedule.” OPCs are vessels used by the Coast Guard to conduct nautical missions in the open ocean and close to shore. The Coast Guard uses OPCs for a variety of purposes, including search and rescue, law enforcement investigations, efforts to prohibit the smuggling of drugs, and efforts to prevent illegal immigrants from entering the country along the shores. In some instances, OPCs assist with Arctic initiatives in Alaska. They are also used for other "homeland security and defense operations." The presence and availability of these vessels are vital. The DHS release noted that the company was supposed to deliver the first OPC in June 2023 but missed its deadline. It will now be completed by early 2026. ESG also missed its delivery for the second OPC, which was supposed to occur in April 2024. The shipbuilding company notified the Coast Guard that it could not "fulfill their contractual duty to deliver all four OPCS without unabsorbable loss.” "Our Coast Guard needs modern, capable vessels to safeguard our national and economic security, and we will ensure every dollar is spent wisely to achieve that mission," the official added. "This action redirects resources to where they are most needed, ensuring the Coast Guard remains the finest, most-capable maritime service in the world.” The blame for these failures was due to "previous administrations and Congress," the release noted. "Due to decades of neglect by previous Administrations and Congress, the Coast Guard has been underfunded, underequipped, and ignored for too long," read the release. "President Donald Trump is ending that era of neglect with the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill and Force Design 2028 – Homeland’s plan to transform the Coast Guard into a more agile, capable fighting force. Now, a massive injection of nearly $25 billion is coming to the Coast Guard.”

The Hill [7/13/2025 6:21 PM, Tara Suter, 18649K] reports Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) said Sunday the "real story" of the deadly flooding in Texas is the "heroism of those who showed up" to help, as opposed to who might be to blame. "I think the real story is not all the finger-pointing that the media wants to point to. It’s the heroism of those who showed up like Ian there with the Coast Guard, who I was standing next to when we met with the president, talking about his feelings as a dad," Roy told anchor Shannon Bream on "Fox News Sunday.” "There was another young man in the Coast Guard talking about how he keeps Jolly Ranchers in his pocket, and he was handing Jolly Ranchers to the little girls that were on the helicopter with him," he added. "It’s the heroism of all of the first responders in Kerrville.” Roy added later that as you drive into Kerrville, Texas, which was at the center of the flooding, there’s a large cross on a hill. "And if you ask me what the story of this whole tragedy is, it’s the cross. And it’s the power of the cross," he said. At least 129 people were killed in flooding that began on July 4 along the Guadalupe River in central Texas, with about 170 people still missing as search operations stretch into a second week. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has denied reports that federal aid to Texas was delayed due to a new rule requiring her sign-off on all Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants or contracts worth more than $100,000. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) used a football analogy to criticize those seeking to assign blame for the tragedy, drawing criticism from Democrats. Trump has also commended Noem over the federal response to the Texas floods, while the administration has changed its tune on terminating FEMA entirely after the disaster. Noem said Sunday her department was on the ground in Texas almost immediately after the flooding began.

FOX Business [7/13/2025 2:51 PM, Daniella Genovese, 9940K] reports organizations that don’t adapt to the "treacherous" cybersecurity landscape will be ambushed "by blind spots all over their network," according to cloud security company CEO Aviatrix Doug Merritt. Recent attacks on major brands like AT&T, North Face and Cartier highlight what cyber criminals are capable of today, "particularly with the increased adoption of artificial intelligence," Merritt said. Amy Bunn, online safety advocate at computer security company McAfee, described the attacks on major service providers such as airlines and insurance companies as "a clear reminder of how prolific and sophisticated today’s cyberattacks are.” While Bunn said airlines are a "prime target" given that an immense amount of sensitive information is stored in one place, every industry is vulnerable. "From healthcare and finance to retail and tech, attackers are constantly looking for weak spots to exploit, knowing how valuable consumer data is," Bunn said. "Cybercriminals can use this treasure trove of sensitive information to impersonate people and commit fraud with stolen identities, or they may package and sell personal data on the dark web to the highest bidder.” Hawaiian Airlines and Australian carrier Qantas were hit with different cyberattacks within a week of each other. Hawaiian was hit at the end of June, followed by Qantas in early July. The attacks came around the same time the FBI posted on X that the cybercrime group "Scattered Spider" was "expanding its targeting to include the airline sector.” Aflac also warned last month that bad actors may have stolen the personal data of its U.S. customers after the insurance provider was the latest hit in an ongoing hacking spree targeting the insurance industry. The crux of the issue, according to Merritt, is cloud security, which he said is a "fundamental paradigm shift that most organizations haven’t fully recognized.” Today, hackers have even more ways to infiltrate a network, according to Merritt. Previously, most data stayed inside a secure company network. Now, data moves across the open internet, which means hackers have the opportunity to intercept it, Merritt said, adding that many organizations are leaving 50% to 80% of their systems exposed "by failing to properly secure cloud workload communications.” The issue stems from three critical changes in how computing works today, Merritt said. For example, he said if a company’s app pulls something from the cloud, it uses the public internet, not a controlled private network. The traditional security perimeter hasn’t disappeared. But instead of protecting a few entry points, companies face thousands or even hundreds of thousands of entry points, many of which are connected to the internet, and can be intercepted by hackers, Merritt said. "This is the new battlefield organizations will have to traverse if they want to stay ahead of bad actors looking to exploit weaknesses in cloud security," Merritt said.

Bloomberg Law News [7/13/2025 6:13 PM, Kellie Lunney, 88K] reports House appropriators released a $57.3 billion spending bill for energy and water programs prioritizing money for nuclear energy and national security efforts over renewable energy projects. The defense portion of the allocation is $33.2 billion, while the non-defense portion of the allocation is $24.1 billion. The bill would provide $1.9 billion for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, which is $1.6 billion below the current enacted level. The measure, released by Republican appropriators late Sunday, would provide $766.4 billion less overall for energy and water programs in fiscal 2026 than current funding, according to a Republican summary.

The Hill [7/13/2025 12:00 PM, Alex Gangitano and Laura Kelly, 18649K] reports President Trump’s envoy for special missions, Richard Grenell, is causing tensions within the State Department as critics say his "freelancing" is damaging U.S. diplomatic negotiations and threatening national security. The most recent controversy includes a botched effort to secure the release of Americans unjustly detained in Venezuela that fell apart because Grenell and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were negotiating separate deals, The New York Times reported. Grenell’s deal reportedly included an extension for Chevron to export oil from Venezuela, a policy option that Rubio has shot down in the past. The reported episode is shining a light on dysfunction within Trump’s inner circle, coinciding with confusion surrounding the Pentagon’s halting weapons shipments to Ukraine and ever-changing goal posts on tariffs. "It just says that the administration, part of it doesn’t know what the other’s doing, and that can put Americans at risk," Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) told The Hill of the Venezuela discord.

Reuters [7/14/2025 2:53 AM, Anastasiia Malenko, 51390K] reports U.S. President Donald Trump’s Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg arrived in Kyiv on Monday to discuss security and sanctions against Russia, the head of the Ukrainian presidential administration said. "Defence, strengthening security, weapons, sanctions, protecting our people, strengthening cooperation between Ukraine and the United States — there are many topics to discuss," Andriy Yermak wrote on the Telegram messaging app. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in his evening address on Sunday that he had instructed military commanders to present Kellogg with information on Russia’s capabilities and Ukraine’s prospects. Kellogg will also meet the heads of the Security Service of Ukraine and intelligence services, he added. "Negotiations on further support will take place during the week," Zelenskiy said, adding that he wanted the United States to understand fully what could be done to "compel Russia to (make) peace". Trump said on Sunday he would send Patriot air defence missiles to Ukraine because they were needed to repel intensifying Russian attacks. He is also expected to announce a new plan to arm Ukraine with offensive weapons in a sharp departure from his earlier stance, Axios reported on Sunday, citing two sources familiar with the matter.

Washington Examiner [7/13/2025 1:01 PM, Asher Notheis, 1934K] reports House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said the possibility of placing new sanctions on Russia’s energy is necessary for the United States to "act tough" against "bully" Russian President Vladimir Putin. Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) recently introduced legislation proposing new sanctions on Russia in a bid to get the country to end its war with Ukraine. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said he hopes to bring this bill for a floor vote before the Senate’s recess in August. Johnson expressed enthusiasm for such legislation, saying there is a "big appetite" for it in the House. "I think tough sanctions are called for. I mean, Vladimir Putin has shown an unwillingness to work with President Trump to bring an end to this unjust war on Ukraine, and we’ve got to talk tough and got to act tough. That’s what he responds to," Johnson said on Fox News’s Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo. "He’s a bully, and if you don’t treat him as such, then he’ll continue to run his rampage through Ukraine, and we’ve got to bring an end to that. We need peace in this conflict. It’s long overdue," Johnson said.

Washington Examiner [7/14/2025 12:01 AM, Staff, 1934K] reports China has admitted it is helping Russia fight its war against Ukraine to distract the United States from countering the Chinese Communist Party elsewhere in the world. This makes it more important than ever to ensure that our critical infrastructure is resilient and can counter Chinese malfeasance. No infrastructure is more critical to America’s survival than its ability to feed its citizens. This past week, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, along with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and Attorney General Pam Bondi, addressed this security risk by launching the first-ever National Farm Security Action Plan. This seven-point plan would increase fines for violating the Agriculture Foreign Investment Disclosure Act, create an online portal for farmers and ranchers to report non-compliance with the AFIDA, work with states to ban the purchase of American farmland by "countries of concern," such as China and Iran, require research grant recipients to certify they are not owned or controlled by foreign adversaries, and work with state governments to strengthen protections against biosecurity threats. "American agriculture is not just about feeding our families," Rollins told reporters, "but about protecting and standing up to foreign adversaries who are buying our farmland, stealing our research, and creating dangerous vulnerabilities in the very systems that sustain us.” Hegseth added, "No longer can foreign adversaries assume we aren’t watching. As someone who’s charged with leading the Defense Department, I want to know who owns the land around our bases and strategic bases, and getting an understanding of why foreign entities, foreign companies, foreign individuals might be buying up land around those bases.” In 2023, a year after local officials blocked the sale of a 370-acre corn milling facility near the Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota, the Senate voted 91-7 to block all Chinese businesses from purchasing American farmland. Unfortunately, that legislation did not get a vote in the House. Congress should return to the bill and pass it. Six states — Hawaii, Iowa, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Dakota, and Oklahoma — ban foreign ownership of farmland, and another 20 limit foreign investment. Some bans are too broad, as Canada is the biggest foreign holder of American farmland and does not pose a national security threat. The same is not true of China or corporations controlled by China, and every effort should be made to ban purchases of American farmland by Chinese-linked companies and force those companies to divest any land they own. Just last month, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan and her boyfriend, both Chinese nationals, were arrested and charged with smuggling goods into the country, including a biological pathogen, Fusarium graminearum, that could wipe out entire fields of wheat, barley, and rice.

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