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.

AP [3/26/2025 12:12 AM, Rebecca Santana, 48304K] reports Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Wednesday will visit the high-security El Salvador prison where Venezuelans who the Trump administration alleges are members of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang have been held since their removal from the U.S. Noem’s trip to the prison — where inmates are packed into cells and never allowed outside — comes as the Trump administration seeks to show it is deporting people it describes as the “worst of the worst.” Since taking office, Noem has often been front and center in efforts to highlight the immigration crackdown. She took part in immigration enforcement operations, rode horses with Border Patrol agents and was the face of a television campaign warning people in the country illegally to self-deport. Noem’s Wednesday visit is part of a three-day trip. She’ll also travel to Colombia and Mexico. In El Salvador, she’ll visit the prison, called the Terrorism Confinement Center, and meet with President Nayib Bukele, according to a Homeland Security statement. The Venezuelans were removed from the U.S. this month after Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 and said the U.S. was being invaded by the Tren de Aragua gang. The Alien Enemies Act gives the president wartime powers and allows noncitizens to be deported without the opportunity to go before an immigration or federal court judge. A central outstanding question about the deportees’ status is when and how they could ever be released from the prison, as they are not serving sentences. They no longer appear in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s online detainee locator and have not appeared before a judge in El Salvador. The U.S. government has acknowledged that many do not have criminal records. Flights were in the air March 15 when a federal judge issued a verbal order temporarily barring the deportations and ordered planes to return to the U.S. The Trump administration has argued that the judge’s verbal directions did not count, that only his written order needed to be followed and that it couldn’t apply to flights that had already left the U.S. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that about 261 people were deported on the flights, including 137 under the Alien Enemies Act.

Reuters [3/25/2025 10:29 PM, Steve Holland and Jeff Mason, 41523K] reports U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday that would require voters to prove they are U.S. citizens and attempts to prevent states from counting mail-in ballots received after Election Day. The sweeping order also would seek to take federal funding away from states that do not comply. Trump has long questioned the U.S. electoral system and continues to falsely claim that his 2020 loss to Democratic President Joe Biden was the result of widespread fraud. The president and his Republican allies also have made baseless claims about widespread voting by non-citizens, which is illegal and rarely occurs. Last year the Republican-controlled House of Representatives approved a bill that would ban non-citizens from registering to vote in federal elections, a practice that is already illegal. It did not pass the Senate, which was then controlled by Democrats. The White House’s order seeks to achieve similar goals. Voting rights groups argued that it, like the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act that did not become law, would disenfranchise voters, particularly people of color, who do not have access to passports or other required identification. "We’ve got to straighten out our elections," Trump said on Tuesday as he signed the order at the White House. "This country is so sick because of the elections, the fake elections and the bad elections, we’re going to straighten that out one way or the other." The order is likely to draw legal challenges. "This is a blatant attack on democracy and an authoritarian power grab," said Lisa Gilbert, co-president of advocacy group Public Citizen. In recent years Republicans have tried to put more restrictions on voting, while Democrats have sought to make it easier to vote by supporting mail-in ballot access and early voting opportunities. CNN [3/25/2025 7:42 PM, Tierney Sneed and Ethan Cohen, 908K] reports Trump’s order directs the EAC to add the requirement and to withhold election funding from states that don’t enforce the requirement for voters who use the federal form to register. The EAC is currently made up of two Democratic and two Republican appointees. "The U.S. Election Assistance Commission is carefully reviewing the President’s Executive Order and determining the next steps in enhancing the integrity of voter registration and state and federal elections," EAC Chairman Donald Palmer said in a statement. "We also anticipate consulting with state and local election officials.” The order also instructs the Department of Homeland Security to work with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency to review state voter rolls in an effort to identify foreign nationals on the rolls, and to turn over that list to the state and local officials tasked with managing elections. The directive is likely to raise alarm bells among voting rights advocates who have argued that DHS immigration databases are not equipped for vetting voter rolls without proper guardrails, as they pose a risk of identifying naturalized citizens for purges. FOX News [3/25/2025 7:16 PM, Louis Casiano, 46189K] reports "There are other steps that we will be taking in the coming weeks," Trump said just before signing the order. "We think we’ll be able to end up getting fair elections.” "It’s an honor to sign this one," he added. "I sign all of them, but to sign this one is a great honor.” The U.S. has failed "to enforce basic and necessary election protections," the order states. Election experts immediately criticized the move, saying it would disenfranchise millions of voters. "This executive order would block tens of millions of American citizens from voting," the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University wrote on X. "Presidents have no authority to do this. This order, like the SAVE Act now before Congress, would hurt voters and suppress the vote.” The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, known as the SAVE Act, is a bill being pushed by Republicans that would make sweeping changes to voter registration, including requiring voters to present documents proving U.S. citizenship. Documentary proof of citizenship includes a U.S. passport, a REAL ID or military, state or federally-issued identification indicating American citizenship. "Free, fair, and honest elections unmarred by fraud, errors, or suspicion are fundamental to maintaining our constitutional Republic," the order states. " Yet the United States has not adequately enforced Federal election requirements that, for example, prohibit States from counting ballots received after Election Day or prohibit non-citizens from registering to vote.”

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FOX News [3/25/2025 3:20 PM, Alec Schemmel, 46189K] reports Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner and Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem have forged a new inter-agency initiative aimed at ensuring federal housing funds do not go to illegal immigrants. The two secretaries signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Monday cementing the partnership, which will serve to end what they call "wasteful misappropriation" of taxpayer-funded public housing resources going to illegal immigrants rather than U.S. citizens. The new initiative will facilitate data sharing between the two agencies via newly established lines of communication, according to a press release about the effort, which added that U.S. veterans stood to benefit from the move. As part of the new initiative, HUD will provide a full-time staff member to assist with operations at the federal government’s Incident Command Center, which facilitates information sharing between agencies during national crises. Additionally, in conjunction with the establishment of the new initiative, Turner ordered numerous federal housing programs under his purview to comply with Section 214 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1980, which bars HUD-funded service providers from providing assistance to illegal immigrants.

FOX News [3/25/2025 3:00 PM, Michael Lee, 46189K] reports a bipartisan group of House members is introducing legislation they claim would strengthen border security by identifying and tracking potential terrorists well before they reach the U.S. homeland. Correa is joined by Rep. Morgan Luttrell, R-Texas, in introducing the Syria Terrorism Threat Assessment Act, which would require the Department of Homeland Security to evaluate terror threats to the U.S. homeland that could potentially originate in Syria, where recent regime change has led to a quickly evolving political situation in a country home to multiple terrorist organizations. Luttrell said the new legislation, which is set to be voted on in the House Homeland Security Committee on Tuesday, will require DHS to "evaluate the threat posed to the United States by individuals in Syria with ties to Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) or a Specially Designated Global Terrorist Organization (STGT)."

Washington Times [3/25/2025 11:07 PM, Stephen Dinan, 1814K] reports a defiant Trump administration defended its decision not to turn planes with Venezuelan gang suspects around midair, telling a judge late Tuesday that President Trump will never knowingly import "terrorists" into the U.S. Deputy Assistant Attorney General Drew Ensign said two flights with gang members had already left U.S. airspace by the time the judge issued a written order barring any flights. That meant the migrants had already been formally deported once they cleared the airspace. While Mr. Ensign said there was no binding order to turn the planes around, he added that Mr. Trump can’t have followed a directive to do so even if there were. "And for good reason. Even without the challenged proclamation, the president doubtlessly acts within his constitutional prerogative by declining to transport foreign terrorists into the country.” Beyond that, Mr. Ensign said, Mr. Trump was operating under core national security powers with respect to the flights. "As such, it was beyond the courts’ authority to adjudicate," he argued. "If courts cannot assess a president’s decision to target terrorists on foreign soil … they surely cannot require the president to bring terrorists into the United States.” Whether the people involved are terrorists is still up for debate, according to Judge James Boasberg, who attempted to block the deportation flights to El Salvador on March 15. Mr. Trump says they are part of Tren de Aragua, a notorious Venezuelan gang the government has now declared a terrorist organization. Mr. Trump has also declared them enemies under the Alien Enemies Act, which can speed their deportation. But Judge Boasberg has ruled that they should have a chance to argue they are not TdA members or terrorists. The case has turned into a constitutional clash between the president and the courts, complicated by a confusing set of circumstances and a compressed timeline. Judge Boasberg, an Obama appointee, had issued an order March 15 stopping deportations. He first declared his ruling from the bench, then followed up with a written order. In the oral directive he said he wanted planes grounded, and any that were in the air already should be returned. He later followed with a written order prohibiting the removal — the legal term for a formal deportation — of any Venezuelans whom the Trump administration has now classified as alien enemies under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act.

The Hill [3/25/2025 3:49 PM, Filip Timotija, 12829K] reports former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe suggested that the FBI is "spreading" its "terrorist resources too thin" as some agents are being diverted to crack down on immigrants living in the U.S. illegally. McCabe was discussing the FBI’s newly-established task force to investigate the increased number of vandalism incidents targeting Tesla vehicles and dealerships around the country. McCabe said he thinks the FBI relying on its Joint Terrorism Task Forces to help out Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations "is not a good idea." Thousands of federal law enforcement officers for multiple agencies have recently been moved to help out with immigration crackdowns, Reuters reported Saturday, citing interviews with over 20 current and former federal agents, including other federal officials and lawyers.

The Wall Street Journal [3/25/2025 10:02 PM, Jenna Telesca, Joseph Pisani and Jennifer Calfas] reports a federal judge ordered immigration authorities to stop their efforts to detain a Columbia University junior who participated in pro-Palestinian protests until further notice from the court. Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald on Tuesday issued a temporary restraining order, a day after Yunseo Chung sued the Trump administration to prevent her deportation. The judge, appointed by President Bill Clinton, scheduled a hearing for May 20. The Department of Homeland Security issued an arrest warrant for the 21-year-old student on March 8, according to court records. Chung, a permanent resident, moved to the U.S. at age 7 from South Korea. Her lawyers say she has broken no laws and the Trump administration seeks to strip her green card because of her advocacy work. “Simply put, immigration enforcement—here, immigration detention and threatened deportation—may not be used as a tool to punish noncitizen speakers who express political views disfavored by the current administration,” they wrote. The Department of Homeland Security said it was seeking Chung’s deportation in line with immigration law. “Yunseo Chung has engaged in concerning conduct, including when she was arrested by NYPD during a pro-Hamas protest at Barnard College,” a spokesperson for the department said. Columbia declined to comment. Reuters [3/25/2025 7:33 PM, Kanishka Singh, 41523K] reports Yunseo Chung, 21, has lived in the U.S. since she was seven, and sued the Trump administration on Monday to prevent her deportation. Her legal team was informed this month that her lawful permanent resident status was being revoked, according to court records in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Trump has pledged to deport foreign pro-Palestinian protesters and accused them of supporting Hamas militants, of posing hurdles for U.S. foreign policy and of being antisemitic. Protesters, including some Jewish groups, say the administration wrongly conflates their criticism of Israel and support for Palestinian rights with antisemitism and support for Hamas. Human rights advocates condemn the government’s moves. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security alleged Chung engaged in concerning conduct, including when she was previously arrested by police during a protest at Barnard College that DHS termed "pro-Hamas.” Chung has not yet been arrested by federal officials. Immigration agents made multiple visits to her residences looking for her. U.S. District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald on Tuesday issued a temporary restraining order against the government that prevents Chung from being detained, court records showed. Actions against Chung form part of a pattern of government efforts against pro-Palestinian voices critical of Israel’s military assault on Gaza, her lawsuit said. The New York Times [3/25/2025 3:18 AM, Santul Nerkar and Jonah E. Bromwich, 330K] reports Ramzi Kassem, a lawyer for Ms. Chung and co-director of CLEAR, a legal clinic at the City University of New York, said at a news conference after the hearing that his client “remained a resident of the Southern District of New York” and that Immigration and Customs Enforcement had not been able to find her. During the hearing, he said that she was “keeping up with her coursework.” Ms. Chung expressed her relief at the judge’s ruling in a statement on Tuesday evening. “After the constant dread in the back of my mind over the past few weeks, this decision feels like a million pounds off of my chest. I feel like I could fly,” she said, adding that she was grateful to her legal team, as well we professors, students and staff members at Columbia who she said “have given me strength at every turn.” The Trump administration has cited a rarely used legal statute to justify its mission to detain and deport Ms. Chung. The government argues that her presence in the United States hinders the administration’s foreign policy goal of stopping the spread of antisemitism. Judge Buchwald’s order said that if the government were to try and detain Ms. Chung under the basis of a different statute, it must “provide sufficient advance notice” to her and her attorneys.

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CBS New York [3/25/2025 6:32 PM, Alice Gainer, 51661K] Video: HERE reports a hearing was held Tuesday about whether Columbia University should disclose disciplinary records of some students involved in demonstrations. The U.S. House Committee on Education and Workforce sent a letter asking for records related to 11 incidents during pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus, or risk billions in federal funding. Mahmoud Khalil – the Columbia University graduate currently detained and facing deportation – and other students using pseudonyms at Columbia and Barnard College filed a 36-page lawsuit against the schools, their presidents and the chairman of the committee, to name a few. For now, the judge is keeping an injunction in place, meaning they should not turn over material right now. The parties will submit additional materials by 5 p.m. Thursday, and then the court will making a ruling. Judge asks if House committee will publicize students’ identities. An attorney for the plaintiffs argues that this, combined with other letters the Trump administration has sent, are meant to chill protected speech, calling it "an effort to suppress a viewpoint that our plaintiffs have held and do hold now and plan to express in the future.” They argue these students are frightened when they see their identities vilified by the federal government, and they are worried about doxing and immigration consequences. The judge asked attorneys representing the U.S. House committee and its chairman, "What are your clients planning to do with those identities?". An attorney responded that one way they may look at the information is to see how Columbia dealt with potential repeat offenders and that it could help the committee decide funding levels. "The court today did the right thing, did the sensible thing, did the just and fair thing of granting her that protection and blocking ICE’s attempts to detain her and deport her, pending further order of the court," Chung’s lawyer, Ramzi Kassem, said. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson released the following statement: "Yunseo Chung has engaged in concerning conduct, including when she was arrested by NYPD during a pro-Hamas protest at Barnard College. She is being sought for removal proceedings under the immigration laws. Chung will have an opportunity to present her case before an immigration judge. "ICE HSI will investigate individuals engaged in activities in support of Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization. Based on investigative findings, the Department of State may make a determination which may result in visa revocation or other action impacting the immigration status of an alien in the U.S. Upon the determination from the Department of State, ICE will take appropriate enforcement actions.”

CNN [3/26/2025 12:12 AM, Gloria Pazmino, 52868K] reports attorneys for a Cornell graduate student whose student visa was recently revoked and has been targeted for deportation by the Trump administration said the case will be a test to determine whether the US government can target people for expressing views that are critical of the government. Attorneys for Momodou Taal, a doctoral student at Cornell University – who filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration last week – spoke outside federal court in Syracuse, New York, following a hearing in the case Tuesday. Taal is accusing the Trump administration of targeting him for his participation in pro-Palestinian protests amid the Israel-Hamas war. He was told to surrender to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to a court filing made shortly after he asked a judge to preemptively order the government not to deport him. The student had previously faced the possibility of losing his visa – after he was suspended twice by Cornell last year for alleged disruptive protest activities, and was told that his academic suspension could cause his visa to be revoked, forcing him to leave the United States. Taal has also faced criticism for comments made online immediately after the Hamas October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, killing more than 1,200 people. Taal tweeted “colonised peoples have the right to resist by any means necessary” and “Glory to the resistance!” He brushed off complaints about his statements in a November 2023 interview with CNN and said he was tired of constantly being asked to condemn Hamas. “I think it’s quite racist, Islamophobic that before I’m allowed to have a view on genocide, I have to condemn a terrorist organization,” Taal said. On Tuesday Taal’s attorney, Eric Lee, said of the federal case, “it doesn’t end with Momodou Taal, it starts with him, next it will be you.” Taal did not attend the hearing, but two other plaintiffs from the lawsuit were present. Mukoma Wa Ngugi, an associate professor of literatures in English at Cornell, and Sriram Parasurama, a doctoral student, have both joined the suit.

The Washington Post [3/25/2025 4:27 PM, David Nakamura, 31735K] reports that a three-judge panel in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, citing precedent that federal law “exudes deference” to the president on immigration policy, lifted part of a lower court’s injunction last month that instructed the administration to resume refugee admissions despite Trump’s order Jan. 20 that suspended the program for at least 90 days. But the appeals court also stipulated that the administration must honor the resettlement of all individuals whose refugee status was conditionally approved by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services before the order took effect. Some refugee aid workers said thousands of people are thought to have received conditional approval and are awaiting resettlement. The ruling represents a partial setback for immigrant rights groups that had sued to stop Trump’s executive order. The New York Times [3/25/2025 4:35 PM, Mattathias Schwartz, 145325K] reports an appeals court ruled on Tuesday that the Trump administration must admit thousands of people granted refugee status before Jan. 20, but declined to stop President Trump from halting the admission of new refugees. The ruling, issued by a three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, often a reliably liberal court, did not directly address the question of whether the government must restore billions of dollars in funding to nonprofit groups that help resettle refugees after they have reached the United States. She said that “tens of thousands” of people who were overseas would be processed and admitted to the United States as refugees. Judge Whitehead’s ruling effectively required the government to reinstate the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, which has admitted more than three million refugees to the United States since it was established by statute in 1980. Billions of dollars in funding for nonprofit groups that assist refugees with resettlement remain in limbo. After Judge Whitehead ordered the government to restore funding to the groups, the State Department terminated their contracts. A second order by Judge Whitehead, filed on Monday, ordered the government to reinstate the terminated funding. That order has not yet been considered by the appeals court. Tuesday’s ruling by the appeals court is preliminary, and the court could eventually choose to either uphold or reverse Mr. Trump’s executive order in full.

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Newsweek [3/25/2025 1:54 PM, Jesus Mesa, 52220K] reports that a new federal lawsuit alleges that leaders of pro-Palestine student groups at Columbia University had advance knowledge of Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel and responded in real time with a coordinated propaganda campaign designed to support and amplify the terror group’s message on U.S. soil. At the center of the claims is an alleged protest toolkit that began circulating on October 8—one day after the Hamas attack—which plaintiffs argue must have been prepared beforehand. Newsweek reached out to the attorney representing the defendants, as well as the student groups named in the lawsuit, for comment. The 79-page complaint, filed Monday in the Southern District of New York, was brought under the Antiterrorism Act and Alien Tort Statute by victims and relatives of those killed or kidnapped by Hamas in the October 7 attacks. It accuses Columbia-based activist groups—including Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), and Within Our Lifetime (WOL)—of being part of what it describes as the "American propaganda arm" of Hamas.

The Hill [3/25/2025 2:10 PM, Lexi Lonas Cochran, 12829K] reports that multiple academic groups filed suit against the Trump administration Tuesday over its actions to deport foreign students and faculty who participated in pro-Palestinian protests on campuses. The American Association of University Professors, the Middle East Studies Association and Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University argue the administration has created an environment "terrorizing students and faculty for their exercise of First Amendment rights in the past, intimidating them from exercising those rights now, and silencing political viewpoints that the government disfavors." The federal government revoked the student visa of one Columbia student and is looking to take away the green card of another who participated in the pro-Palestinian demonstrations. "The First Amendment means the government can’t arrest, detain, or deport people for lawful political expression — it’s as simple as that. This practice is one we’d ordinarily associate with the most repressive political regimes, and it should have no place in our democracy," said Jameel Jaffer, executive director at the Knight First Amendment Institute. The federal government has argued it can strip the immigration status of foreign citizens who the secretary of State determines harms the nation’s foreign policy. Only an immigration judge has the authority to remove a green card. The Hill has reached out to Department of Homeland Security for comment.

FOX News [3/25/2025 12:21 PM, Cameron Arcand, 46189K] reports that new legislation aims to claw back federal funding to colleges and universities if they hire illegal immigrants. The College Employment Accountability Act would stop schools that hire illegal immigrants from getting student aid from the federal government, as well as other federal aid for the entire institution. "American jobs belong to Americans. Those who unlawfully hire illegal aliens undermine our workers and drive down wages. This commonsense bill finally adds real consequences to existing law and will help ensure taxpayer dollars don’t support colleges and universities that hire those in our country illegally," Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., said about the bill he is sponsoring. The legislation would require universities that receive federal funding to participate in the E-Verify program to ensure the legal status of employees. Additionally, it would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1986 to condition federal aid based on how the institution follows the law.

FOX News [3/25/2025 8:24 AM, Anders Hagstrom, 46189K] reports Attorney General Pam Bondi endorsed the Trump administration’s assertion of state secrets over details of the Tren de Aragua deportation flights on Monday. Bondi issued a court filing Monday night referencing claims from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Homeland Security Sec. Kristi Noem claiming that specific details of how and when Tren de Aragua gang members were deported on planes last week are covered under state secrets privilege and do not need to be provided to the court. "The Secretary of State and Secretary of Homeland Security have each submitted a declaration asserting a formal claim of state secrets privilege regarding disclosure of the information sought in the March 18, 2025 Minute Order," Bondi wrote to the court. "Those declarations reflect the studied and well-supported conclusion of each Secretary that disclosure of the information, even ex parte and in camera, would cause significant harm to the foreign relations and national security interests of the United States," she added. Bondi issued the filing to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, which is hearing arguments in the Trump administration’s emergency appeal of a lower court ruling that temporarily blocked its use of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. Congress passed the Alien Enemies Act immigration law in 1798, and it has since been used only several times in U.S. history, most recently during World War II. The administration asked for a stay pending appeal shortly after an initial March 15 order was issued, calling it a "massive, unauthorized imposition on the Executive’s authority to remove dangerous aliens who pose threats to the American people." [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

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New York Times [3/25/2025 4:19 PM, Charlie Savage, 145325K] reports escalating a standoff with the federal judiciary, the Trump administration invoked national security secrecy powers on Monday night to avoid complying with a judge’s demand for information about its transfer of migrants to a prison in El Salvador despite a court order. The administration, as justification, pointed to the so-called state secrets privilege. Here is a closer look at the scope and limits of that power and the unfolding confrontation between two branches of government.

FOX News [3/25/2025 5:41 PM, Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, 46189K] reports a Columbia University student has sued President Donald Trump and other top administration officials after they attempted to revoke her permanent resident status and remove her from the United States. A lawsuit was filed Monday after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) got an administrative warrant for 21-year-old Yunseo Chung’s arrest and told the South Korean native that her status was being "revoked." The lawsuit alleges that the administration is "part of a larger pattern of attempted U.S. government repression of constitutionally protected protest activity." The suit names Trump as well as Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Attorney General Pamela Bondi, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Acting Director of ICE Todd Lyons and Acting Field Office Director of the New York ICE William Joyce. In a statement to Fox News, a senior U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said that Chung "engaged in concerning conduct," but will have the opportunity to present her case before an immigration judge.

New York Times [3/25/2025 12:51 PM, Sharon Otterman, 145325K] reports that groups representing university professors sued the Trump administration on Tuesday, alleging that its practice of arresting and threatening noncitizen students and faculty members for protesting on campus deprives U.S. citizens of their right to engage with foreign-born peers and to hear their perspectives. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts, takes a broader approach than a flurry of other recent lawsuits challenging the federal government’s deportation policies on college campuses. Those suits, including two involving a Columbia student and a recent graduate who are green card holders, aim to stop individual deportation proceedings. The lawsuit filed Tuesday challenges the Trump administration’s overall approach to deportation, saying it is unconstitutional. The decision to target noncitizens who participate in pro-Palestinian protest activity and speech, the lawsuit argues, has created a broadly chilling effect on what can be heard on college campuses. “Today, the administration is going after pro-Palestinian speech, but tomorrow it can go after speech criticizing fossil fuels, speech promoting D.E.I. or speech defending gender-affirming care,” said Ramya Krishnan, a senior staff attorney at the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia, which is representing the professors in the lawsuit. The defendants named in the lawsuit are President Trump; Marco Rubio, the secretary of state; Kristi Noem, the secretary of homeland security; and Todd Lyons, the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The State Department said by email that “as a general matter, we do not comment on ongoing or pending litigation.” The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

FOX News [3/25/2025 12:42 PM, Danielle Wallace, 46189K] reports that the families of Israeli hostages are suing Mahmoud Khalil and other Columbia University protest organizers for allegedly running Hamas’ "propaganda arm" on campus. The lawsuit, filed in the Southern District of New York on Monday, sues Khalil, a former Columbia graduate student who was the principal leader of Columbia University Apartheid Divest and a spokesman for the so-called "Gaza Solidarity Encampment," as well as Nerdeen Kiswani, the co-founder and chair of Within Our Lifetime; Maryam Alwan, a representative for Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine; and Cameron Jones, a representative for Columbia-Barnard Jewish Voice For Peace. "Defendants in this case are Hamas’ propaganda arm in New York City and on the Columbia University campus," the lawsuit says. "We know this because they advertise themselves as such. Their self-described acts in furtherance of their goals to assist Hamas have included terrorizing and assaulting Jewish students, unlawfully taking over and damaging public property and university property on Columbia’s campus, and physically assaulting Columbia University employees.” The complaint says the defendants "act behind veiled scarves and largely seek to be anonymous individually, yet seek to intimidate as a group."

Washington Post [3/25/2025 7:31 PM, Meagan Flynn, 31735K] reports "The District of Columbia, our nation’s capital, is of a unique significance to the entire nation and should reflect the best policies of the enforcement of local, state and federal law and the immigration policies and laws of the United States," said Rep. Clay Higgins (R-Louisiana), who introduced the bill that he said "enforces the District of Columbia into compliance" with federal immigration policies, requiring D.C. to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs and Enforcement. The bill advanced from the committee on a party-line vote. It will still have to clear the full House and the Senate, where it may encounter a hurdle with the filibuster, requiring the support of 60 senators to advance. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee’s action underscores the immense pressure that D.C. is facing from the GOP-controlled Congress this year, with a mercurial president who has oscillated between complimenting D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) and musing about taking over the city. Immigration policy has been one sensitive policy area for top D.C. officials, including Bowser, who have sought to avoid inflaming any tensions between the city and the Trump administration or Congress. Bowser, who has lately stopped calling D.C. a sanctuary city, said in February that she finds the term "misleading" because it wrongly suggests the city can shield immigrants from federal enforcement. The mayor’s posture is a drastic reversal from President Donald Trump’s first term. After his first election, Bowser trumpeted D.C. as a sanctuary city. In 2019, the D.C. Council passed legislation limiting cooperation with ICE by local law enforcement or the D.C. jail, including not providing information about or access to a person in D.C. custody or holding an undocumented immigrant at the jail at ICE’s request — unless ICE presented a judicial warrant.

FOX News [3/25/2025 5:53 AM, Landon Mion, 46189K] reports a bill in the Tennessee legislature could start holding charitable organizations liable if they are housing an illegal migrant who commits a crime. House Bill 811 aims to put pressure on organizations that are not turning in migrants. However, the leaders of the organizations say the measure places an unfair burden on them, according to WZTV. The bill is co-sponsored by Sen. Brent Taylor and Rep. Rusty Grills, both of whom are Republicans. Under the proposal, charitable organizations, including churches and homeless shelters, would be liable for the loss, damages, injury or death caused by a migrant who they knowingly house if the organization’s conduct in providing housing constitutes negligence, gross negligence or willful and wanton misconduct. "The person that has committed that towards, they have a civil right of action against you," Grills told WZTV. Rev. Enoch Fuzz, who is the senior pastor of the Corinthian Missionary Baptist Church in Nashville, told the outlet that only the person who committed the crime should be held responsible. "You can’t hold anybody liable for the actions of somebody except for the person themselves," he said. Asked if his church planned to house illegal migrants, Fuzz vowed to help people and said he has lived his whole life "anchored in wanting to help people."

CNN [3/25/2025 7:58 AM, Jordan Valinsky, 908K] reports Florida has been working for years to crack down on employers that hire undocumented immigrants. But that presented a problem for businesses in the state that are desperate for workers to fill low-wage and often undesirable jobs. Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state legislature have a potential solution: children. The state’s legislature on Tuesday is set to debate a bill that would loosen child labor laws, allowing children as young as 14 years old to work overnight shifts. If the new law is passed, teenagers would be able to work overnight jobs on school days. They are currently prevented from working earlier than 6:30 am or later than 11 pm per state law. DeSantis is supportive of the law and has been vocal of cracking down on immigration, echoing President Donald Trump’s rhetoric. However, economists have warned that could backfire, sparking further inflation and labor shortages. “Why do we say we need to import foreigners, even import them illegally, when you know, teenagers used to work at these resorts, college students should be able to do this stuff,” DeSantis said last week at a panel discussion with border czar Tom Homan, as first reported by the Tampa Bay Times. A Florida law was signed in 2023 requiring employers with more than 25 employees that checks their immigration status using a federal database known as E-Verify. Employers who don’t comply with the law face fines of $1,000 per day until they provide proof that their workers are legal citizens. “Yes, we had people that left because of those rules, but you’ve also been able to hire other people. And what’s wrong with expecting our young people to be working part-time now? I mean, that’s how it used to be when I was growing up,” DeSantis also said during the panel discussion. The state has been easing up on child labor protections for years. Last year, the legislature passed a law allowing home-schooled 16- and 17-year old teens to work any hour of the day.

Reported similarly:
The Hill [3/25/2025 6:22 PM, Elizabeth Crisp, 12829K]
Axios [3/25/2025 1:37 PM, Kathryn Varn, 13163K]

Michigan Public Radio [3/26/2025 1:53 AM, Isabel Gil, 79K] reports over 25,000 children are at risk of losing access to immigration legal services across the nation. This includes 800 children in Michigan, who may now have to face the immigration system without a lawyer. The Trump administration issued a termination of services notice to over 100 nonprofits last week — including the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. This canceled contracted legal funding for minors who crossed the U.S. border alone, citing “the Government’s convenience.” The contract was up for renewal at the end of March. Ana Devereaux is a senior managing attorney at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. She says many of the center’s clients are young teenagers, but some are pre-verbal, as young as 10 months old. Most of them faced abuse, neglect, and persecution in their countries of origin, and do not speak English as their first language, Devereaux said, so it’s “ludicrous” to imagine any child successfully representing themselves in court alone. “The idea of them being able to make their case, even when they are eligible for something — it’s a farce,” she said. “That’s what we expect will be the case going forward with all of these children. [Without] representation, there really will not be any protections that they can take advantage of.” Devereaux fears this move by the federal government will lead to expedited and traumatic deportations of migrant children in Michigan. While she said her team is still providing existing clients with “know your rights” presentations and legal screenings, the remaining funding for these programs could run out as early as this week. "MIRC will continue to serve the 800 young clients we currently represent in Michigan as best we can, for as long as we can, given the limited resources we have available," said MIRC officials in a press release. "We encourage Michiganders to make a contribution [on our website] so that we are able to continue representation for as many of our vulnerable young clients as possible."

FOX News [3/25/2025 3:49 PM, Louis Casiano, 46189K] reports an illegal immigrant living in a Texas border city was hired to purchase thousands of rounds of ammunition for the Cartel Del Noreste (CDN) in Mexico, the Justice Department said Tuesday. Charbel Garza Macias pleaded guilty on Oct. 8, 2024, to illegally possessing ammunition after he was found with 4,8000 rounds during a traffic stop. He was sentenced in federal court to more than five years in prison. He is expected to be deported upon serving his time, authorities said. During a traffic stop, authorities found 4,800 rounds of .223/5.56 caliber ammunition in the vehicle. At the time, Macias admitted that he was hired by the CDN to buy 20,000 rounds to be smuggled into Mexico.

New York Times [3/25/2025 4:26 PM, Jack Healy and Tim Arango, 145325K] reports that the crumbling apartments in Aurora, Colo., that President Trump seized on to insist the city had been overrun by Venezuelan street gangs are now boarded up and nearly empty. But in one building, the smashed door of Apartment 300 captures the fresh divisions sown by Mr. Trump’s immigration crackdown. On a recent spring morning, a crew of construction workers fixing up the apartments pointed to the door as evidence of the violence wrought by criminals let into the country by Democrats. “They allowed this sanctuary nonsense,” said Karl Baker, a contractor, who voted for Mr. Trump. Jackelin Melendez, who lives nearby, had a different explanation. The door, she said, had been kicked in during an immigration raid last month. The men inside were laborers, not gang members, she said. Law enforcement agents had pounded on her door that morning too, terrifying her children. “We’re caught in the middle,” Ms. Melendez, who is undocumented and from El Salvador, said in Spanish. Just who is responsible for smashing the door remains unclear. What is clear is that Mr. Trump has made Aurora a national shorthand for migrant crime after declaring repeatedly that the vast Denver suburb, population 400,000 and Colorado’s third-largest city, had been taken over by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. He pointed to a viral video of armed men stalking the halls of one of three rundown complexes where hundreds of immigrants had settled. Immigration and Customs Enforcement declined to say how many people had been arrested that day — or if the agency had detained gang members.

Miami Herald [3/25/2025 8:08 AM, Jacqueline Charles, 3973K] reports Haiti’s capital is again in free fall. The attacks by armed gangs that in recent days have seized control of new neighborhoods is raising fears that metropolitan Port-au-Prince could fall at any moment. In the past month, a record 60,000-plus people have been forced to flee their homes — many finding refuge in soiled makeshift camps with no latrines or potable water, and where rapes are a frequent occurrence. The new displacements have added to the more than 1 million people who had already fled their homes, according to United Nations figures. Making matters worse, nine in 10 Haitians go all day without eating in what has been described as one of the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. The gangs have resumed kidnappings, while burning hospitals and destroying schools. The violence also continues to force a ban on U.S. commercial flights at the main international airport. Now, the Trump administration is weighing a travel ban that would restrict Haitians’ access to the United States even if they have a U.S. visa. On Tuesday, the Department of Homeland Security will publish a notice canceling the work permits and immigration protections for more than a half million people, including 211,040 Haitians, paroled into the United States under a Biden-era humanitarian parole program. The cataclysmic situation in Haiti has been described as “an open prison,” where desperate Haitians are cut off from the world by air, land and sea. Internal displacement, the U.N. says, has surged, rising from 330,000 a year ago to over 1 million at present, as Haitians continue to flee gang violence, which led to more than 5,600 deaths last year. Meanwhile, over 100 government offices and other structures have been forced to shut their doors, relocate or have been destroyed. Only 27% of hospitals nationwide are functioning, the U.N. has said. Cholera, tuberculosis and other diseases are also on the rise as individuals are forced to flee. Gangs control up to 90% of Port-au-Prince, including strategic neighborhoods and roads that make it difficult to get in and out of the capital. The last road out of the capital to access the country’s four regions in the south is now in the hands of gangs, who recently set fire to a police armored vehicle in the area. Several other roads that Haitians were able to use to get to the airport before gangs opened fire on three U.S. jetliners in November are now in gang territory.

The Hill [3/25/2025 7:30 AM, Marik von Rennenkampff, 12829K] reports objects exhibiting advanced technology continue to fly with complete impunity over sensitive military installations and critical infrastructure. Despite the Pentagon’s advanced imaging and sensor capabilities, the nature, purpose and origin of these enigmatic craft are unknown, raising an array of pressing national security concerns. In interviews with “60 Minutes” earlier this month, two recently retired four-star Air Force generals and the Air Force commander overseeing North American airspace defense begrudgingly admitted that the “drones” that loitered in dramatic fashion over key military assets in recent years remain a confounding mystery. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, told “60 Minutes” that, despite being “privy to classified briefings at the highest level,” the “Pentagon and the national security advisers are still mystified” by the repeated incursions. Notably, the objects are impervious to electronic jamming efforts, indicating that they are not off-the-shelf hobbyist drones. On their face, these incidents pose an alarming intelligence and espionage risk. In the most brazen incidents in recent years, the unknown craft displayed bright flashing lights as they hovered over sensitive facilities and assets. Such conspicuous tactics are the opposite of basic intelligence collection tradecraft, which calls for stealth. Once exposed, any foreign surveillance operation is not only at risk of compromise, but of sparking a major geopolitical crisis. Despite this, “dozens” of unknown, brightly illuminated objects hovered and flew with complete impunity over a critical Air Force base for 17 nights in 2023. Ditto for a series of audacious incursions over sensitive American military bases in the United Kingdom last year. In those incidents, witnesses reported dozens of brightly-lit craft “hovering” and exhibiting extreme performance characteristics while evading detection and multiple advanced counter-drone systems. These enigmatic craft also demonstrate baffling flight dynamics that surpass any known technologies. For several months in 2019, for example, objects with bright flashing lights swarmed some of the Navy’s most advanced warships off the coast of southern California, often well over 100 miles offshore.

Newsweek [3/25/2025 5:38 AM, Billal Rahman, 52220K] reports federal immigration authorities may soon gain access to Internal Revenue Service data under a pending agreement that would allow them to verify the names and addresses of individuals suspected of being in the U.S. illegally, according to multiple reports. Newsweek has contacted the IRS for further comment. Undocumented immigrants can file taxes and register with the IRS, which is legally required to keep their information confidential, except in limited, specific cases. Border security and immigration are central to President Donald Trump’s policy agenda, as he has vowed to deport millions of migrants without legal status, particularly those with criminal records, and to carry out the largest deportation program in U.S. history. Following Trump’s return to the White House, Immigration and Customs Enforcement has ramped up arrests across the U.S. However, concerns have been raised that nonviolent migrants are being swept up in enforcement operations. Under the agreement, ICE would submit the names and addresses of individuals it suspects are living in the country illegally to the IRS, which would then cross-reference and verify the information, Washington Post and CNN reported. "We cannot confirm this at the time," a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told Newsweek. Typically, personal tax information—including an individual’s name and address—is treated as confidential and strictly protected by the IRS. Unauthorized disclosure of tax data is subject to civil and criminal penalties. The IRS has encouraged undocumented migrants to file taxes, which requires them to share their addresses, employers and earnings with the agency. In 2022, immigrants contributed about $96.7 billion in taxes at the federal, state and local levels, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy think tank.

Axios [3/25/2025 7:20 AM, Felix Salmon, 13163K] reports the more afraid immigrants are that the IRS will report them to immigration authorities, the less they may pay in taxes, experts warn. Mere reports that the IRS might start sharing information, like this recent one from Washington Post, are likely to significantly reduce tax collections, Carl Davis, research director of the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) tells Axios. A formal acknowledgment of any information-sharing protocol would hit collections even more. Undocumented immigrants paid $96.7 billion in federal, state, and local taxes in 2022, per ITEP. While much of that came in the form of sales and other taxes over which they have little control, about $57 billion is made up of "taxes that are likely to be prone to noncompliance," Davis says. Already, the compliance rate for undocumented immigrants is low, at about 60%. If that were to fall to, say, 30%, then the fiscal cost would be more than $28 billion a year, per ITEP. If undocumented immigrants stop filing tax returns in fear that the IRS will pass on their information to immigration authorities, that could actually increase total tax revenues this year, as the government holds onto withheld money that would otherwise be returned as a tax refund. Over the medium term, however, says Davis, undocumented immigrants in fear of the immigration authorities are likely to move out of any job where their employer withholds taxes and reports their pay to the IRS — and work instead in more cash-based, informal sectors. Because those jobs are generally lower-paid, even gains like sales tax revenues would likely decrease. Self-employed undocumented immigrants will also be much less likely to file tax returns, after many years in which they have been encouraged to do so on the explicit promise that their personal information would not be shared with the rest of the government. "There’s a general increase in fear around deportation, independent of anything going on with IRS tax return data," notes Davis. "That’s likely to lead to people trying to retreat from government view, and, in general, wanting to find situations where they’re less visible to government authorities."

CBS Miami [3/25/2025 6:12 PM, Morgan Rynor and Ted Scouten, 51661K] reports that the Department of Homeland Security officially posted the notice to end protections for 530,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans to the Federal Register on Tuesday, March 25. This sets up a 30 day deadline, April 24, for those affected to self-deport or face the consequences. "The Department of Homeland Security is warning that if these people do not voluntarily depart the country, they will be found, arrested and deported from the country. In fact, the administration is saying that the people affected by this policy change should sign up to self-register on a smartphone app provided by the government and tell people that they will be departing the country," CBS News immigration reporter Camilo Montoya Galvez said. Termination of work permits and deportation protections. A week ago, the Trump administration announced it was revoking the legal status of more than half a million immigrants from those four countries who came to the U.S. legally under "parole" status. The Department of Homeland Security said many of the people that came through this program were loosely vetted and it undercut American workers. The administration’s decision is being challenged in court. Activists and lawyers are saying this notice is going to cause needless chaos and heartbreak for families across the country. The Justice Action Center is taking the lead on the lawsuit.

FOX News [3/25/2025 3:39 PM, Audrey Conklin, 46189K] reports two illegal immigrants from Mexico were arrested and charged Friday for allegedly molesting a minor on a Royal Caribbean cruise off the coast of Miami. Jose Prudencio Diaz, 36, and Ricardo Daniel Mondragon Leal, 37, are charged with child molestation and exhibition on a child in connection with an incident that occurred on an Independence of the Seas cruise. Additionally, Diaz is charged with having sex with another person without disclosing his HIV infection, and Leal is charged with sexual battery of a minor, according to arrest records. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted about the incident on X Tuesday. The victim, identified as a 14-year-old boy, told police he was in a sauna onboard the Independence of the Seas cruise when Diaz and Leal began to masturbate in front of him, a police report from the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office states. The two defendants then began to force the victim to touch them, and Leal forced the victim to perform a sex act, police records state. The defendants were detained without incident, police said.

FOX News [3/25/2025 10:52 AM, Michael Lee Fox, 46189K] reports that the U.S. Customs and Enforcement agency (ICE) announced that a massive operation in Massachusetts resulted in nearly 400 arrests, including over 200 apprehensions of illegal immigrants who had serious criminal convictions or charges. "The Commonwealth is a safer place for our residents to live and work because ICE and our federal law enforcement partners arrested hundreds of alien offenders and removed them from the streets of Massachusetts," ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde said in a press release. The operation, which took place between March 18 and March 23, netted the arrests of 370 illegal immigrants in the Boston area. Among those, 205 of the migrants arrested had "significant criminal convictions or charges," the release noted, including six who were "currently facing charges or convictions for murder, drug trafficking, organized crime, and money laundering." The six-day operation targeted "egregious criminal alien offenders," the release notes, including members of MS-13 and Tren de Aragua who were operating "in and around Boston." ICE agents were joined by personnel from several other federal agencies, including the FBI, DEA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service and DSS. Wu’s office did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.

CBS Boston [3/25/2025 5:21 PM, Neal Riley, 51661K] reports that the arrests of 370 people in Massachusetts by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement last week included many "collaterals," President Trump’s "border czar" Tom Homan says. A reporter asked Homan outside the White House Tuesday about the administration’s focus on apprehending people in the country illegally who have committed crimes versus those who have not. Homan said the priority is "public safety threats," but then talked specifically about the operation in the Boston area. "Most of them were criminals, but many were collaterals," Homan said. "How come the collaterals? I’ve said this a thousand times, sanctuary cities are going to get exactly what they don’t want, more agents in the community and more collateral arrests." Homan couldn’t specify how many of those arrested in the Boston area were "collaterals," but said "the majority" of those arrested were criminals and they included murderers, child rapists and drug traffickers. "Can’t get access to the bad guys". "We can’t get access to the bad guys in the county jail," Homan said. "You want to decrease the collateral arrests? You want to decrease non-criminals? Then let us in the damn jail." Homan, who previously said he would be "bringing hell" to Boston, said in a social media post Monday that Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Gov. Healey "should be ashamed of supporting sanctuary policies.” Healey told reporters Tuesday that "I don’t quite understand Director Homan’s comments." "We’re not a sanctuary state," Healey said. "I continue as governor to ensure that state and local law enforcement are working with federal agencies and federal law enforcement... we have been cooperating and we’ll continue to cooperate." [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Reported similarly:
Boston 25 News [3/25/2025 3:28 PM, Frank O’Laughlin]

Yahoo! News [3/25/2025 10:07 PM, Anthony DiLorenzo, 52868K] reports Robert Panton has spent the latter part of his life fighting for his freedom and has been teetering on deportation for the last five years. On Tuesday, during a routine check-in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the 59-year-old was taken into custody. "It’s a gross misjustice that can be reversed at any time," Panton said in a video recorded shortly before his detention. Panton has been fighting deportation to Jamaica since 2020, when a judge ordered his release from prison as part of a radical reform initiative. He had served three decades behind bars for a narcotics conviction during the "war on drugs" in the 1990s. "The same day of my release, ICE took me into custody during the worst pandemic in history," Panton said in 2020 from behind bars. For 10 months, Panton was held in an ICE detention center during the COVID-19 pandemic. He was later granted a temporary reprieve through deferred action on his deportation. Since his compassionate release, Panton has turned his life around. A Harlem resident since the age of 4, he has mentored at-risk youth, advocated for immigration reform, and runs a suicide prevention hotline. His son is a New York City police officer. "I appreciate all my supporters fighting for due process and proper consideration of being in this country," Panton said Tuesday. Despite his efforts to rehabilitate and contribute to society, Panton said current laws continue to punish people like him. "Our current laws continue to punish people like me even after we complete sentences," he said. The Trump administration has renewed its focus on removing individuals since taking office in January. "We’re removing public safety and national security threats to this country," border czar Tom Homan said Monday.

Roll Call [3/25/2025 8:17 PM, Jim Saksa, 503K] reports House Republicans continued to take aim at self-rule in the District of Columbia on Tuesday, advancing a bill meant to block it from being a so-called sanctuary city. The bill, approved by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on party lines, would prevent D.C. from having any policy that would restrict officials from sharing information about a person’s immigration status with the Department of Homeland Security or from complying with an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer request. The bill would provide an exception for individuals coming forward as a victim or witness to a crime. “Our nation’s capital should not reflect a refusal — in fact, a mandated denial — of compliance with federal immigration law,” said Rep. Clay Higgins of Louisiana, the bill’s sponsor. This proposal, ranking member Gerald E. Connolly of Virginia said, was just the latest GOP salvo against the District. “Before I discuss my opposition to this bill … I must ask, are House Republicans trying to sabotage the operations and finances of the District of Columbia, and to what end?” he said. “D.C. should be free to govern itself.” Earlier this month, House Oversight held a hearing on sanctuary cities where Republicans attacked the policy as protecting criminals, while Democrats argued those policies were not just legal but necessary to improve community-police relations and drive down crime rates. A Cato Institute scholar also noted that immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than native-born residents and that cities with large immigration numbers in recent years tended to see declining murder rates. Separately, President Donald Trump announced Tuesday his intention to sign an executive order “ending sanctuary cities,” without providing further detail. D.C. has considered itself a sanctuary city for years and took steps during the last Trump administration to strengthen its laws blocking voluntary cooperation with federal deportation efforts. D.C. code requires federal officers to produce a warrant before they cooperate in immigration enforcement.

Yahoo! News [3/25/2025 4:58 PM, Ciara Lankford, 52868K] reports the recent ICE operation that led to the arrest of 24 undocumented immigrants is highlighting the strained relationship between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office. At the center of the controversy is Sheriff Garry McFadden, who claims ICE is not only sidestepping his office but also misrepresenting the role of the MCSO in these arrests. According to ICE, six of the 24 individuals detained had active "detainers," requests to hold them in custody beyond a judge’s order. But Sheriff McFadden, citing his duty to uphold the law, refutes this claim, saying that ICE is misleading the public by blaming MCSO for not taking action that would be illegal. "My duty is to uphold the law and the Constitution, not to act outside of my legal authority at the request of a federal agency that refuses to follow proper procedures," McFadden said. Despite attempts to communicate with ICE about these arrests, McFadden claims he has been met with a wall of silence. The sheriff went so far, on Tuesday, as to outline the timeline of his office’s communication efforts with ICE. On March 18, McFadden says he emailed the Atlantic Field Chief of Staff of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), requesting clarification on the agency’s stance regarding House Bill 10 (HB-10). This bill allows local law enforcement to hold undocumented immigrants for an additional 48 hours for ICE, but the sheriff says he was looking for clearer guidance on how many people were being held under this provision and at what cost to taxpayers. McFadden says he never received a response.

Greenville News [3/25/2025 5:05 PM, Terry Benjamin II] reports a Greenville woman will spend 300 months behind bars for kidnapping and trafficking a teen girl. United States District Court Judge Bruce H. Hendricks sentenced True Heaven Heflin, on March 24, to 25 years in prison after she pled guilty to sex trafficking a 15-year-old in 2022. Federal prosecutors said Heflin, 25, met the teen at a party during Christmas break. The sentence requires a lifetime of court-ordered supervision for Heflin. She was also ordered to pay the victim $5,000 in restitution. Prosecutors said Heflin took the teen to her residence and forced her to perform sex acts for money. The teen was held captive for more than a week before escaping. Agents with the Department of Homeland Security arrested Heflin on March 25, 2024.

Univision [3/25/2025 3:51 PM, Staff, 5325K] reports about 30 detainees at the Krome migrant detention center in Miami-Dade County contacted Noticias 23 to report the unsustainable overcrowding at the immigration detention center. The detainees describe the situation as unbearable. Some have deportation orders and are pleading to be returned to their countries of origin as soon as possible. Others were waiting for their appointment with a judge for political asylum; Cubans who went to a routine appointment were detained and taken to Krome. In many cases, they say, in places designated for a certain number of detainees, there are almost double that number, and what’s more, most of the damage has been done away with. The Department of Homeland Security, which operates these facilities, sent a statement to Noticias 23 stating that overcrowding is occurring due to the increase in arrests.

Yahoo! News [3/25/2025 8:00 AM, Peter Talbot, 52868K] reports a Pierce County resident who works as a lab technician for the University of Washington and has lived in the United States for decades is detained at the federal immigration detention center in Tacoma. Lewelyn Dixon, 64 of Edgewood, is a green card holder, an attorney representing her, Benjamin Osorio said Monday. A green card allows her to live and work permanently in the U.S. But after Dixon traveled to the Philippines with family and returned to Washington on Feb. 28, relatives said she was detained at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Osorio said Dixon was detained because of a nonviolent criminal conviction from 2001. Dixon immigrated to Hawaii from the Philippines at age 14 and moved to Washington in the 1990s, according to family members. She’s now in deportation proceedings, and her next court date is in July. Dixon isn’t eligible for bond to fight her immigration case from out of custody, according to Osorio, and in the meantime, he said Dixon is at risk of losing her job and her pension. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s online detainee locator system shows Dixon is in custody at the Northwest ICE Processing Center, a privately-run detention facility that holds people who are suspected of being in the country illegally or are awaiting deportation. A spokesperson for ICE declined to comment Monday on Dixon’s detention. Dixon’s detainment initially confused her niece, Melania Madriaga, who said she wasn’t aware of Dixon’s prior conviction for bank embezzlement. She said she’d seen news stories related to President Donald Trump’s attempts to crack down on immigration enforcement but said she’d thought the focus of that was on undocumented immigrants and criminals who were a threat to their communities. "Is my aunt a threat?" Madriaga, 59, said. "She can’t even hurt a fly. And we’ve got to prove that she’s not a threat? That’s crazy. It’s like she’s being retried again.”

Reported similarly:
Yahoo! News [3/25/2025 7:48 PM, Madeline Ottilie, 52868K]

Yahoo! News [3/25/2025 8:37 PM, Jack Belcher, 52868K] reports a crowd gathered outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) center in Ferndale around 10 a.m. Tuesday to protest the detainment of Alfredo (Lelo) Juarez Zeferino. More than 100 people had gathered outside on the road outside the facility in protest by 2 p.m. Zeferino was arrested by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on his way to work around 7:20 a.m. Tuesday, according to Liz Darrow, Participatory Democracy Program Coordinator for Community to Community Development (C2C). As of Tuesday afternoon, federal authorities had not publicly stated why Zeferino was detained. He was born in Mexico, and The Herald was unable to confirm his immigration status Tuesday. "We suspect it was because of his political action that he was detained," Darrow said during an interview with The Herald at the protest site. People protested near a reported ICE facility in Ferndale following the detention of activist Lelo Juarez on March 25, 2025. Zeferino has been politically active for many years, and he has been volunteering his time with C2C as an immigrant rights organizer. He also helped form the Independent Democratic farmworker union Familias Unidas por la Justica, and he served on the city of Bellingham’s Immigration Advisory Committee until it was dissolved last October. He also represents C2C on the Farmer Stakeholder Group of the National Food Chain Workers Alliance, The National Dignity Campaign and has testified before state house and senate hearings on behalf of the Farmwork Tribunal, according to a news release from C2C. He is also a recipient of the Youth Peacemaker Award in 2024 from the Whatcom Peace and Justice Center. Alfredo (Lelo) Juarez Zeferino was arrested by ICE officers Tuesday morning. Zeferino is a political activist in Whatcom County. "I know Lelo. We were just together in Olympia for an advocacy day," said protester and C2C volunteer Sylvia Cohen. "He is an amazing organizer and advocate who makes our community better, and I woke up this morning to a text that he had been detained.”

Univision [3/25/2025 6:43 AM, Staff, 5325K] reports a law firm hired by the government of Nicolás Maduro filed on Monday a habeas corpus petition before the Supreme Court of El Salvador to request the release of the 238 Venezuelans imprisoned in this country after being deported by the United States. One of the lawyers said that the petition was filed in the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court and that they represent 30 of the 238 Venezuelan citizens who were deported by the United States a little more than a week ago and interned in the Center for the Confinement of Terrorism (CECOT), a maximum security prison in El Salvador. Lawyer Jaime Ortega told AFP that their appeal seeks to "guarantee the freedom of these people" since in El Salvador "they have not committed any type of crime". Another of the lawyers, Salvador Ríos, explained that they were hired by the government of President Nicolás Maduro and by the hitherto unknown Committee of Relatives of Immigrants. Donald Trump’s administration claimed the tattoos were an indication that they were members of the transnational crime gang Tren de Aragua, designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the president in late February along with several cartels. Family members of numerous of the deportees have come out to deny that they were part of the criminal gang. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Bukele discussed the details of the agreement, which calls for a cost of approximately $20,000 per prisoner per year. A State Department document also suggests it could set aside $15 million to send to El Salvador to guard additional gang members.

CBS News [3/25/2025 7:49 PM, Lilia Luciano, 51661K] Video: HERE reports when videos were released showing more than 200 Venezuelan men who had been deported from the U.S. arriving in El Salvador at one of the world’s most dangerous prisons, a woman named Nays recognized one of the faces. It was her partner, and seeing him in the video filled her with terror, she told CBS News. Nine months pregnant, Nays, who is still in the U.S., became emotional when she noted, "He’s not going to be there when his child is born.” Her partner, 29-year-old Henry Albornoz, crossed the southern border more than a year ago. Nays said he had been working as a mechanic in Texas but was detained in January during a routine check-in with federal agents. Contrary to what the Trump administration says, Nays told CBS News her partner "has never been a gang member.” "He was never involved in any gang activity. He’s a good man. Responsible. Hard working," she said. The Trump administration has claimed the men sent to the El Salvador prison known as CECOT were all members of the criminal gang called Tren de Aragua, or TDA. But last week, CBS News uncovered evidence that Franco José Caraballo Tiapa, a 26-year-old barber who came to the U.S. seeking asylum and was also among the men sent to CECOT, also has no criminal record. Border czar Tom Homan defended the deportations, telling CBS News, "I’ve been told by the highest levels of ICE, the men and women, ICE immigration, custom enforcement who built that manifest, who went to each of these files, spent hundreds and hundreds of hours investigating each and every one of these people that they’re in fact, every one of ‘em, member of TDA.”

AP [3/25/2025 9:47 AM, Marcos Alemán, 48304K] reports that the U.S. government used an 18th-century wartime law to deport more than 200 Venezuelan immigrants earlier this month to El Salvador, where they were immediately transferred to the country’s maximum-security gang prison. And while a federal judge in Washington tries to determine whether the U.S. government defied his order to return the migrants while they were in the air and insists that they must get an opportunity to challenge their designations as alleged members of a notorious gang, there has been no word from El Salvador’s president or judiciary about what the prisoners’ legal status is in that country. That may change soon. On Monday, lawyers hired by the Venezuelan government took legal action on behalf of the Venezuelan prisoners seeking their release from the prison, which U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is scheduled to visit Wednesday. The U.S. says the Venezuelans deported on March 15 were members of the Tren de Aragua gang, a criminal organization that U.S. President Donald Trump declared an invading force, but has provided no evidence of their alleged membership. The Alien Enemies Act allows noncitizens to be deported without the opportunity to go before an immigration or federal court judge.

Newsweek [3/25/2025 6:38 PM, Dan Gooding, 52220K] reports the Trump administration has paused some green card applications, potentially affecting thousands who came to the United States as refugees or asylum seekers. A U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official told Newsweek on Tuesday that the pause on some so-called adjustment of status applications was because of two executive orders signed by President Donald Trump. The pause potentially leaves thousands of applicants with an even longer wait time for permanent residency while some of the legal pathways they arrived on are being dismantled by the Trump administration. Between October 2023 and September 2024, at least 67,800 green card applications were filed by asylum seekers, while almost 40,000 were submitted by refugees, who can only apply after arriving at least a year earlier. The average wait times for those applications to be decided on by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) were around 10 and 8 months, respectively. The pause will likely delay decisions even further. DHS said the action was a result of two executive orders by Trump: "Protecting The United States From Foreign Terrorists And Other National Security And Public Safety Threats" and "Designating Cartels And Other Organizations As Foreign Terrorist Organizations And Specially Designated Global Terrorists.” NBC News [3/25/2025 6:18 PM, Suzanne Gamboa, 44742K] reports Trump’s executive order, signed Jan. 20, titled "Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats," called for agencies to "vet and screen to the maximum degree possible all aliens who intend to be admitted, enter, or are already inside the United States, particularly those aliens coming from regions or nations with identified security risks.” CBS News reported Tuesday that USCIS has directed its staff to conduct the additional vetting of refugees or people who were granted asylum and have applied for legal permanent residency, or green cards. The agency said in a statement attributed to a DHS spokesperson that it is "placing a temporary pause on finalizing certain adjustment of status applications pending the completion of additional screening and vetting.” The statement did not address which applications were affected, whether the pause would affect spending at the agency, how long it would last and other questions asked by NBC News. For refugees and those who have been granted asylum in the United States, it would be a vetting on top of a process that had already occurred, one that is quite rigorous for refugees who are usually vetted overseas before they can set foot in the United States. People who are granted asylum or admitted to the United States as refugees must wait one year before they can apply for green cards. Collins said it remains to be seen how the vetting will be carried out and how long the pause will last. She said that in the first Trump administration, USCIS made sure every single blank on a form was correctly filled out.

Reported similarly:
Bloomberg [3/25/2025 4:01 PM, Hadriana Lowenkron, 16228K]
The Hill [3/25/2025 3:51 PM, Rebecca Beitsch, 12829K]
CBS News [3/25/2025 1:42 PM, Camilo Montoya-Galvez and Nicole Sganga, 51661K]
Telemundo [3/25/2025 3:39 PM, Staff, 2454K]

Miami Herald [3/25/2025 6:25 PM, Syra Ortiz Blanes, 3973K] reports the Trump administration started the clock running Tuesday on when the paroles of Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans that legally came to the United States through Biden-era humanitarian programs will expire. Beneficiaries of the program — which allowed over half a million nationals from the four countries to live and work here for two years as long as they passed health and background checks — must leave by April 24 if they don’t have another ongoing immigration process that would let them stay here. A Federal Register notice was published Tuesday officially announcing that the program — known as CHNV for the initials of the four nationalities involved — has been revoked and beneficiaries will be undocumented in 30 days.

Washington Post [3/25/2025 5:21 AM, Kelsey Ables, 31735K] reports several countries have updated their travel advisories for the United States under the Trump administration, warning of strictly enforced entry policies at the U.S. border and the risk of detention and advising transgender and nonbinary travelers about the categorizations of sex outlined by an executive order. Reports of aggressive questioning, detainments and entry denials at the border have sparked angst among U.S.-bound travelers and could tarnish the United States’ image abroad, some experts say. Canada is reminding citizens to register visits of longer than 30 days, while the United Kingdom has cautioned that U.S. authorities “set and enforce entry rules strictly” and that “you may be liable to arrest or detention if you break the rules.” Germany and Denmark have also advised travelers whose sex on their passport does not match that assigned at birth to contact the U.S. Embassy before travel. Finland’s advisory goes further, warning that in such a situation, “US authorities may deny entry” to travelers. The Finnish government also specifically notes President Donald Trump’s executive order that the U.S. now recognizes only two genders, male and female, which has been criticized by some experts for scientific inaccuracy. Such cautionary measures follow several incidents at the U.S. border, including one, reported by Canadian media, in which a Canadian woman was detained for nearly two weeks — a situation that led her to feel as if she “had been kidnapped,” she wrote in the Guardian. Several German nationals, one of whom is a green card holder, were also detained for weeks in the U.S., according to German media. Germany’s Federal Foreign Office said in an email that it is “taking the recent incidents very seriously” and updated its guidance accordingly. David Beirman, a senior lecturer at the University of Technology Sydney who specializes in tourism, said: “As a general rule, government travel advisories are an influential element in the destination choice for international travel.” Oscar Vorobjovas-Pinta, a senior lecturer in tourism and society at the University of Tasmania in Australia, wrote in an email that he suspects “as more and more countries update their advisories, we will see the negative sentiment toward tourism in U.S. grow.”

Newsweek [3/25/2025 12:46 PM, Nick Mordowanec, 52220K] reports that many United States embassies located in countries overseas are warning current and aspiring visa holders that even those who proceed to travel legally could lose their privileges. These newer modes of caution follow back-and-forth statements and actions by the U.S. and longtime allies as questions about the future of certain immigration laws abound. Foreign nations are advising their citizens to be more wary when traveling to the U.S. due to perceived uncertainty in how domestic laws will be enforced by border security. In the first approximate two months of President Donald Trump’s administration, concerns relating to green card holders, the legal viability of international students, and those with H-1B visas have escalated because of rhetoric combined with stricter enforcement. There have been several cases involving foreign nationals being detained or deported at U.S. airports even while allegedly possessing valid documentation. Such cases have included Fabian Schmidt, a longtime U.S. green card holder from New Hampshire who was allegedly stripped naked and "violently interrogated" at a Boston airport after returning from Luxembourg. A case with broader implications has revolved around Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) detainment of Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil. The green card holder helped lead pro-Palestinian protests at the college amid the Israel-Hamas war.

The Hill [3/25/2025 1:11 PM, Tara Suter, 12829K] reports that U.S. embassies in Europe have recently given stark warnings to visa-seekers amid the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration. "When you apply to enter the United States and you get a visa, you are a guest," the U.S. Embassy in Tallinn, Estonia, said Monday on Facebook. "Now, if you are in this country to promote Hamas, to promote terrorist organizations, to participate in vandalism, to participate in acts of rebellion and riots on campus, we never would have let you in if we had known that. You lied to us. You’re out," the embassy continued. American embassies in Germany and the United Kingdom reposted a State Department post from last week on the social platform X featuring an earlier message from Secretary of State Rubio in which he said his country "has zero tolerance for foreign visitors who support terrorists." "Violators of U.S. law — including international students — face visa denial or revocation, and deportation," Rubio added in his message posted to X earlier this month. The U.S. Embassy in Sofia, Bulgaria, said Sunday in a post on X that "U.S. visa screening does not stop after a visa is issued." "We continuously check visa holders to ensure they follow all U.S. laws and immigration rules — and we will revoke their visas and deport them if they don’t," the post continued.

Politico [3/25/2025 4:33 PM, Paul McLeary and Jack Detsch] reports hundreds of troops will start conducting surveillance across the southern border, putting them for the first time on the front lines of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. The previously unreported plans call for service members to station their armored infantry vehicles near the border in the coming days and use night vision surveillance capabilities to monitor open spaces, according to three defense officials with knowledge of the planning. The troops will also be authorized to conduct foot patrols. The deployment of sophisticated eight-wheeled Stryker vehicles will mark a new phase in the Trump administration’s effort to use the military to detain migrants. The 9,000 active-duty troops already dispatched to Texas and Arizona have primarily carried out logistics and back-end work. The new plans will turn service members into more active participants. The troops, from the 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, will also help transport border patrol to areas where they’re needed. The service members are prohibited by law from detaining civilians or carrying out law enforcement duties, although they can defend themselves if attacked.

Border Report [3/25/2025 5:35 PM, Julian Resendiz, 117K] reports five House members are giving federal agencies 30 days to tell them if Mexican cartel drones pose a threat to U.S. service members on border duty. If so, they want to know what steps are in place to take them down. In a letter addressed to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Acting Federal Aviation Administrator Chris Rocheleau, Republican members of Congress led by U.S. Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Arizona, expressed concerns about cartels possibly targeting the 9,000 Department of Defense troops recently tapped to assist agents and officers on the Southwest border. Such concerns surfaced during a congressional delegation visit to the Southwest border and come on the heels of El Paso’s interim Border Patrol chief saying drones flying across the border in Juarez, Mexico, have been monitoring his agents daily.

Washington Examiner [3/25/2025 10:25 AM, Paul Bedard, 2296K] reports that former President Joe Biden practically dismantled the U.S. Border Patrol during his four years in office, forcing President Donald Trump to push for sweeping retention and hiring programs to restore the force, according to the union that represents 16,500 agents. In advance of a House border hearing today, the executive vice president of the National Border Patrol Council said that Trump is planning to hire 10,000 agents and offer retention bonuses to bolster the force that is facing a coming wave of possible retirements, depression, and historic levels of suicide after four years of being ignored. "While agents were doing their best to hold on during the worst and most tragic days we’ve ever experienced as Border Patrol agents, a large chunk of the country, media, Congress, and the Biden administration did everything they could to demonize us," said the union’s Jon Anfinsen in an advance copy of his testimony. Anfinsen was blunt in laying out the condition of the current force as short-handed, poorly equipped, and so physically and mentally whipped that the agency is bracing for massive resignations if Trump’s changes aren’t backed by congressional appropriators. He said the Border Patrol is about 19,500 strong. Of those, Anfinsen said more than 2,500 are eligible to retire immediately, and another 4,000 agents will be eligible to retire in the next four years.

Border Report [3/25/2025 3:13 PM, Sandra Sanchez, 117K] reports a Mexican national and member of the Cartel Del Noreste has been sentenced to five years in prison for illegally possessing ammunition with the intention of smuggling it south of the border, U.S. Attorney Nicholas Ganjei said Tuesday. Charbel Garza Macias, 20, was ordered by a federal judge in Laredo, Texas, to serve 63 months in prison on the charges. He is expected to face removal to Mexico after his sentence is over. Macias pleaded guilty on Oct. 8, 2024, Ganjei said. In handing down the sentence, U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo said Macias wanted to provide tools of war by supplying ammunition south of the border. Officials say Macias had made several bulk purchases of ammunition in Laredo. Law enforcement say they surveilled him driving a vehicle with large amounts of high-caliber ammunition in the trunk on July 16, 2024. A search of the stopped vehicle uncovered 4,800 rounds of .223/5.56 caliber ammunition, officials said. Law enforcement say that at the time of his arrest, Macias admitted he was hired to purchase approximately 20,000 rounds of ammunition to be smuggled into Mexico. He claimed the ammunition was for the Cartel Del Noreste operating in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico.

Yahoo! News [3/25/2025 11:29 PM, Dave Burge, 52868K] reports don’t be shocked if you see some U.S. Army infantry personnel carriers known as Strykers out on the roads and highways in the El Paso and Big Bend areas in the next few days. According to a news release sent out by Joint Task Force North at Fort Bliss, M1126 Infantry Carrier Vehicles, more commonly called Strykers, will be commuting through the El Paso and Big Bend area to areas along the border, starting on Wednesday, March 26. The Strykers are from the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colorado, the news release said. The news release did not say exactly where the Strykers were headed. A Stryker is an eight-wheeled armored fighting vehicle that can carry personnel and are known for their ability to traverse difficult terrain. The Strykers are part of the latest deployment ordered by the Department of Defense to support the U.S. military mission along the southern border with Mexico. The Department of Defense announced on March 1 that it was sending an additional 3,000 soldiers, including the Stryker capability from Fort Carson, to support the border mission. U.S. Northern Command is overseeing the U.S. military operation along the southern border. At Fort Bliss, Joint Task Force North is providing support to the mission as well.

Border Report [3/25/2025 1:47 PM, Melissa Luna, 117K] reports that a Mexican national was sentenced recently in a federal court in El Paso to eight years in prison for conspiracy to transport migrants within the region, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas. The U.S. Attorney’s Office says Victor Ubaldo Hernandez-Ortega, 33, of Durango worked as a load driver for a known human smuggler. The U.S. Attorney’s Office says Hernandez-Ortega would pick up migrants in El Paso and transport them to other locations within the city or to a predetermined location in Albuquerque in exchange for $100 to $500 per migrant. Hernandez-Ortega was also recruited to oversee two stash houses in which more than 200 migrants were harbored, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Hernandez-Ortega had previously been granted four voluntary departures, most recently in June 2024 through Santa Teresa. He was arrested in August 2024 and pleaded guilty in December, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Yahoo! News [3/25/2025 6:44 PM, Rhea Caoile, 52868K] reports a U.S. citizen was arrested for allegedly smuggling methamphetamine into the country from Mexico, according to a news release from U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Tuesday. The agency said that Border Patrol agents with the El Centro Sector stopped a sedan around 11:50 a.m. Monday at the Highway 86 immigration checkpoint. During the inspection, a Border Patrol K-9 team alerted agents to the vehicle and referred it for secondary inspection. The K-9 alerted agents to the floorboards of the vehicle, where an aftermarket compartment was located, the news release said. Several wrapped packages were discovered inside, with one testing positive for methamphetamine. The packages contained nearly 115 pounds of the drug with an estimated street value of $96,942, according to authorities. "This hefty seizure represents something significant happening here in the Premier Sector and across the Border Patrol, namely that cartel terrorists have an ever more difficult time smuggling drugs," said El Centro Sector Chief Gregory K. Bovino in the release. "Our checkpoints are open for business and Border Patrol agents know more, much more, than cartel terrorists know.” The driver was arrested for the transportation of a controlled substance and turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration along with the vehicle and narcotics.

AP [3/25/2025 11:22 AM, Staff, 48304K] reports that JFK Millennium Partners (JMP), the company selected by the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey (PANYNJ) to build and operate John F. Kennedy International Airport’s new world-class Terminal 6 (T6), today announced a partnership with K2 Security Screening Group (K2 SSG) to procure, install and deploy a state-of-the-art security screening checkpoint at the future 10-gate terminal. K2 SSG, an industry-leading airport security screening systems specialist, will work closely with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), PANYNJ and T6’s security technology providers Analogic, Rohde & Schwarz, CEIA, and Leidos, to maximize the checkpoint’s safety and efficiency, facilitating a seamless passenger experience. Terminal 6 is a key component of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s $19 billion transformation of JFK International Airport into a world-class gateway, with two new terminals, two expanded and modernized terminals, a new ground transportation center, and an entirely new, simplified roadway network. The future JFK T6 security checkpoint will use advanced screening technologies to streamline passenger flow while providing the highest security standards. It will feature Computed Tomography (CT) X-ray screening that produces high-quality 3-D images, allowing passengers to keep laptops in their bags while reducing the need for manual bag checks.

The Hill [3/25/2025 1:25 PM, Rachel Frazin, 12829K] reports that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said she planned to "eliminate" the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) during a televised Cabinet meeting Monday. While giving a status report on border security, Noem added, "and we’re going to eliminate FEMA." She did not elaborate. "That’s great. Great job," President Trump said — appearing to respond to her broader status update. Trump has been highly critical of the emergency management agency, having suggested in the past that he would consider cutting it. "I’ll also be signing an executive order to begin the process of fundamentally reforming and overhauling FEMA, or maybe getting rid of FEMA. I think, frankly, FEMA’s not good," Trump said in January. However, a recent White House executive order stopped short of getting rid of the agency, instead calling for a review of disaster response policies. That order calls on the Homeland Security secretary to propose changes and ensure "state and local governments and individuals have improved communications with Federal officials and a better understanding of the Federal role." FEMA coordinates disaster response in the immediate aftermath of storms and also helps with longer-term recovery. Democrats pushed back on Noem’s comment, saying getting rid of FEMA would be abandoning communities in need. "The Trump Administration’s grand plan for victims of natural disasters is to abandon them—and it’s a complete non-starter," Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) said in a written statement. "This rash decision will harm ongoing disaster recovery efforts, and make it impossible to respond after the next natural disaster," he added.

The Hill [3/25/2025 2:59 PM, Tara Suter, 12829K] reports last year was one of the worst years for U.S. natural disasters, according to researchers, as the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) future remains uncertain. According to a new analysis from the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and CNN, major disaster declarations "related to weather and natural disasters" occurred at a high level last year, nearly doubling a 55-declaration-per-year average of the previous 30 years, reaching 90 declarations. The analysis examined 30 years of data from 1994 to 2024 on FEMA disaster declarations across all of the states, according to the researchers. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Monday she was looking to remove FEMA as a federal agency as she was giving a status report amid a Monday Cabinet meeting. A newer executive order from the White House did not go as far as cutting the agency completely, but pushed for a review of disaster response policies. The Hill [3/25/2025 6:20 PM, Rachel Frazin, 12829K] reports Noem spoke about eliminating FEMA while giving a status report on border security during a Cabinet meeting Monday. "That’s great. Great job," President Trump said — appearing to respond to her broader status update. Trump has been highly critical of the emergency management agency, having suggested in the past that he would consider cutting it. "I’ll also be signing an executive order to begin the process of fundamentally reforming and overhauling FEMA, or maybe getting rid of FEMA. I think, frankly, FEMA’s not good," Trump said in January. However, a recent White House executive order stopped short of getting rid of the agency, instead calling for a review of disaster response policies. That order calls on the Homeland Security secretary to propose changes and ensure "state and local governments and individuals have improved communications with Federal officials and a better understanding of the Federal role.” FEMA coordinates disaster response in the immediate aftermath of storms and also helps with longer-term recovery.

Newsweek [3/25/2025 4:33 PM, Anna Skinner, 52220K] reports in North Carolina, extensive debris from Hurricane Helene is making wildfires worse. The homeowners are responsible for clearing most of the destruction, but they face a "significant" cost. Earlier this month, wildfires erupted across North Carolina amid an abundance of dry fuels. Excessive amounts of downed timber were in the state’s forests after Hurricane Helene tore through the region last September. Strong winds and dry conditions aided the spread of the fires. As of Tuesday, the North Carolina Forest Service (NCFS) continues to battle the blazes of four active wildfires. Three of the fires are located in Polk County, in the western part of the state, which was hit hardest by Hurricane Helene. Hurricane Helene ravaged western North Carolina last September, damaging 822,000 acres of woodlands across the state. Much of this debris is on private property, meaning it’s the homeowners’ responsibility to clear it. However, Renee Brown, NCFS public information officer for the Black Cove complex, told Newsweek that there isn’t a great way to go about that other than to hire contractors. This creates "significant" costs for the homeowner, considering that most of the downed trees are mature hardwoods. Brown said a less costly route would be for homeowners to remove the debris themselves. But that task often requires burning, and a statewide burn ban is in place across North Carolina, making that option "not feasible.”

WSB [3/25/2025 6:20 PM, Staff] reports firefighters across Rome and Floyd County are battling multiple fires on Tuesday afternoon, emergency management officials say. Fires have been reported along Cartersville Highway, as well as near the intersection of Chulio Road and Mathis Road. There is no word on how the fires started or if anyone was injured. Over the weekend, a wildfire along Georgia Highway 156 in Floyd County forced the evacuation of more than two dozen homes. Hours after the fire broke out, crews were able to contain the Sunday fire.

Yahoo! News [3/25/2025 10:15 PM, Allie Root, 52868K] reports flood survivors in eastern Kentucky are still working to rebuild just over a month after heavy rain and storms tore through the region. FEMA has stepped up in big ways to help people in need, but the deadline to apply for help is approaching. While some eastern Kentucky communities fortunately weathered February’s storms unscathed, others were left in shambles. "There’s not a cookie-cutter approach to disaster response," said Craig Browning, a federal spokesperson for FEMA. FEMA officials have been on the ground in more than a dozen counties for about a month, meeting survivors where they are and providing the resources they need to get back on their feet. Browning said more than $24 million is now in the hands of people impacted by the floods. "And that’s where, you know, the FEMA grants come into play," said Browning. "That’s where, you know, Small Business Administration low-interest loans come into play. Just trying to fill that gap.” Because so many people were displaced, Browning said FEMA is working to help cover rental costs. "While maybe you still have a mortgage over here that you’re paying for, to even working with you to secure potentially a replacement vehicle," said Browning. Browning explained that FEMA’s mission is to help people before, during, and after disaster strikes, but noted it will take the entire community coming together to bring it back to what it once was. "That involves your non-government agencies," said Browning. "That involves your faith-based organizations. They’re going to be here for the long term, and they’re the ones that are going to be really taking the lead on that long-term recovery.” The deadline to apply for FEMA assistance is April 25. According to FEMA, there are four ways to apply: online at DisasterAssistance.gov, using the FEMA mobile app, visiting a Disaster Recovery Center, or calling 800-621-3362.

Yahoo! News [3/25/2025 4:06 PM, Ed Aparicio, 52868K] reports the city of Brownwood has received a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to replace 12 storm sirens within its city limits. This project will be made possible through a $368,542 FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant, which provides funding for eligible long-term solutions that reduce the impact of future disasters. FEMA would provide 90% of the grant in the amount of $331,680, and the City is going to match 10% of the grant, totaling $36,584. Additionally, the City can receive $16,070 to cover project management costs, which will help reduce its total expenses. The City of Brownwood’s 10% match is going to be allocated from a budget amendment to the capital equipment fund. Brownwood City Council unanimously gave this grant initial approval during its last meeting on January 14, and the project will be presented again for final approval once the Texas Department of Management ensures the grant meets all federal procurement guidelines. Once the updated sirens are installed, they will have updated technology that does not require manual activation of the sirens. Instead, the National Weather Service will automatically trigger the sirens for areas directly in the storm’s path.

CBS San Francisco [3/26/2025 2:08 AM, Matthew Rodriguez, 51661K] reports that, after a visit from Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and a handful of council members, California lawmakers asked the state legislature for nearly $2 billion to help the city’s wildfire recovery effort. "Los Angeles is facing a budget crisis while recovering from devastating and unprecedented wildfires, and it’s important that we advocate directly to state leaders for support," said Mayor Karen Bass. The massive request for $1.893 billion comes a week after LA’s Administrative Officer Matt Szabo warned the council about a $1 billion shortfall that made thousands of layoffs for city employees "nearly inevitable." During his presentation to the city council, Szabo said the layoffs "cannot and will not be the only solution." The city delegation’s pleas resulted in 22 state lawmakers, most of whom represent Southern California, signing the budgetary request, mainly focusing on wildfire recovery. However, roughly a third of the request will address the problems plaguing the city’s revenue shortfall. "The recent fires put our budget challenges on steroids and it’s imperative that state leaders continue to partner with local governments so we can preserve critical services for our shared constituents," Councilmember Bob Blumenfield said. "But this trip to Sacramento wasn’t about a one-time fix, it was about laying the foundation for a stronger, more resilient city," said Council Budget Chairwoman Katy Yaroslavsky. With the Olympic and Paralympic Games on the horizon, the urgency is real, and so is the opportunity to shape a future where Los Angeles doesn’t just recover, but thrives." [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Roll Call [3/25/2025 2:12 PM, Justin Papp, 503K] reports lawmakers on Tuesday largely applauded Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger for the department’s work keeping the campus safe, despite a string of recently disclosed security lapses involving staff and members of the public. Manger was called to testify before the Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee on steps taken in light of the breaches, including refresher training, new artificial intelligence software on X-ray machines and closer oversight from police leadership of screening stations. The chief, who has announced he plans to retire in May, was met warmly. Subcommittee Chair David Valadao, R-Calif., congratulated Manger on navigating high-profile events like this year’s inaugural ceremonies and President Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress. "While we certainly appreciate and have come to expect these successes, we also recognize that continued success in your mission requires some change, some refocusing and retraining," Valadao said. "These breaches are unacceptable and cannot be permitted to continue. That being said, we do not want a few human errors to wipe out your record of success in keeping our community safe.” "At the end of the day, these security lapses were not an equipment failure, not a training failure or a policy failure. They were, in fact, the hardest kind of failure to address: human failure," Manger testified. The breaches all occurred in recent months, and in two instances individuals apparently got firearms through Capitol security. One involved a man who Capitol Police caught with a firearm after taking a tour of the Capitol. Surveillance video showed he likely passed through a security checkpoint with the gun in his waistband, according to a police affidavit.

CBS Detroit [3/25/2025 6:14 PM, DeJanay Booth-Singleton, 51661K] reports police in Saline, Michigan, are sounding the alarm on fake $100 bills that were reportedly used at local businesses. Police say they are investigating two incidents of the alleged bills. "Business owners and employees should know how to distinguish between authentic and fake currency during cash transactions," Saline police said. Authorities recommend using products, such as counterfeit pens, to determine if the bills are real or fake. According to the Federal Reserve Board, the U.S. Secret Service recorded $102 million U.S. dollars in counterfeit money passed to the public worldwide during the fiscal year 2023.

1080 AM Dallas [3/25/2025 6:00 PM, Staff, 9K] reports the USS Gravely is patrolling the Gulf Coast in the American International Waters in south Texas. It is there to help the Coast Guard, help them stop the small boats and keep them away from the state. [Editorial note: consult audio at source link]

Defense Post [3/25/2025 8:44 AM, Rojoef Manuel, 360K] reports the US Coast Guard has concluded 20-month service life extension work for the fifth Famous-class cutter. The overhaul of the USCGC Spencer (WMEC-905) was facilitated under the In-Service Vessel Sustainment program, which addresses the obsolescence of the force’s surface platforms based on class-by-class evaluations. Similar to other coast guard ships under the effort, the 39-year-old Spencer received enhancements to its “readiness, reliability, and maintenance costs” required to meet the service’s “continue meeting mission demands.” It covered the upgrades and replacements of electrical power generation and distribution systems, armament, and main diesel propulsion engines. “These cutters have been essential for Coast Guard operations for over four decades, conducting missions from drug interdiction and fisheries enforcement to search and rescue,” In-Service Vessel Sustainment Program Manager Kenneth King stated. “Investing in their sustainment is critical to ensuring these cutters remain operationally relevant and capable of executing the service’s most demanding missions until the next generation are fully deployed.”

Stars and Stirpes [3/26/2025 4:07 AM, Alex Wilson, 803K] reports Bollinger Shipyards is moving forward with design work and construction of the Coast Guard’s first new heavy icebreaker in five decades, part of a program that has faced repeated delays and cost increases. The Louisiana-based shipyard recently secured a $951 million contract for detailed design and further construction of the USCGC Polar Sentinel, the first of three planned icebreakers, the company announced Tuesday. Work on the cutter began in August 2023. Bollinger’s predecessor, VT Halter Marine, first secured a contract to build the cutter in 2019 for $745 million. Bollinger purchased VT Halter in 2022. Construction of the Polar Sentinel is now estimated to cost $1.9 billion, according to an August 2024 report by the Congressional Budget Office. That figure is 39% higher than the Coast Guard’s own projections. Subsequent ships are estimated at $1.6 billion. The Polar Security Program aims to build at least three heavy icebreakers to safeguard U.S. interests in the Arctic and Antarctic. The U.S. now operates only two aging icebreakers: the 27-year-old medium icebreaker USCGC Healy and the 49-year-old heavy icebreaker USCGC Polar Star. The Coast Guard’s other heavy icebreaker, the Polar Sea, has been out of service since 2010 due to engine failure.

CBS 11 Savannah [3/25/2025 3:31 PM, Dawn Baker, 300K] Video HERE reports U.S. Coast Guard Station Senior Chief Michael Bennett met with WTOC’s Dawn Baker to discuss the daily duties at the Coast Guard Station Tybee. “We essentially run search and rescue and we’re in charge of making sure that the port of Savannah and the surrounding areas are safe and secure,” said Bennett. Bennett shared more on the various units in our area, what he enjoys most about what his unit does, and highlights search and rescue missions. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Yahoo! News [3/25/2025 5:38 AM, Ashley Suter, 52868K] reports a suspected drug smuggler was taken into custody after the U.S. Coast Guard Station Fort Lauderdale law enforcement station boat crew seized 550 pounds of cocaine near Port Everglades. On Saturday, the law enforcement crew took custody of the 36-foot boat, Bella Vita, and found the 550 pounds of cocaine that is worth an estimated $6.3 million, USCG said. "Protecting our maritime border from illicit drug trafficking and transnational criminal organizations remains one of our highest priorities," said Lt. Daniel Sunday, Coast Guard Sector Miami’s deputy enforcement chief. "The Coast Guard and our federal, state and local law enforcement partners remain vigilant in our shared efforts to keep our maritime borders safe by preventing illicit narcotics from reaching our communities.” The cocaine was found in nine suitcases on the boat. The man was transferred to Coast Guard Investigative Service agents once he was ashore to face federal prosecution, USCG said.

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Miami Herald [3/25/2025 2:42 PM, Milena Malaver, 400K]
ABC 10 Miami [3/25/2025 10:56 AM, Chris Gothner]
Caribbean National Weekly [3/25/2025 3:46 PM, Sheri-kae McLeod, 161K]
Tampa Free Press [3/25/2025 7:56 AM, Maria Hernandez, 76K]

CBS 12 West Palm Beach [3/25/2025 1:45 PM, Grace Bellinghausen] reports Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk returned to Key West with a massive drug haul after 70 days at sea. The boat crew deployed to assist the Joint Interagency Task Force South and Operation Martillo, according to a US Coast Guard (USCG) news release. The purpose of the operation was to stop drug smugglers from reaching the shores of the United States. Throughout the mission, crew members intercepted three drug smuggling vessels and detaining six suspect drug smugglers. They also seized millions of dollars in drugs including four tons of cocaine, and 330 pounds of marijuana, according to USCG reports. SeaPower Magazine [3/25/2025 7:49 PM, Staff, 23K] reports that while on patrol, Mohawk’s crew interdicted a sailing vessel suspected of illicit activity. Mohawk’s boarding team embarked the vessel and subsequently located contraband, seizing 637 pounds of cocaine and detained the crew.  Additionally, the crew of Mohawk coordinated with Coast Guard Cutter James (WMSL 754) and Coast Guard Cutter Stone (WMSL 758) to deter narcotics trafficking in the region. Notably, Mohawk’s crew jointly interdicted a go-fast style vessel with James’ crew off the coast of Colombia, seizing more than 5,900 pounds of cocaine. Coordinating with a maritime patrol aircraft, Mohawk’s pursuit caused the go-fast vessel to jettison bails of cocaine overboard for later recovery. James’ crew proceeded to stop the go-fast vessel and apprehend three suspected narcotics smugglers for future prosecution. 

SeaPower Magazine [3/25/2025 6:57 PM, Staff, 23K] reports a U.S. Coast Guard Station Fort Lauderdale law enforcement boat crew seized approximately 550 pounds of cocaine, worth an estimated $6.3 million, from a suspected drug smuggling venture near Port Everglades, Saturday.   The law enforcement crew took custody of the 36-foot vessel, Bella Vita, and transferred the suspected smuggler to Coast Guard Investigative Service agents ashore to face federal prosecution.   “Protecting our maritime borders from illicit drug trafficking and transnational criminal organizations remains one of our highest priorities,” said Lt. Daniel Sunday, Coast Guard Sector Miami’s deputy enforcement chief. “The Coast Guard and our federal, state and local law enforcement partners remain vigilant in our shared efforts to keep our maritime borders safe by preventing illicit narcotics from reaching our communities.”   Law enforcement partners from Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations Southeast Region, Broward County Sheriff’s Office, and Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office assisted in the detection and interdiction.

ABC 3 Corpus Christi [3/25/2025 6:23 PM, Iris Gonzalez, 114K] reports a meeting of minds at the Texas State Aquarium Tuesday, as many locals interested in maritime safety attended the workshop. The Port of Corpus Christi and the U.S. Coast Guard teamed up earlier for a Maritime Emergency Response Workshop. Some of the topics that were covered included firefighting, search and rescue practices and even cybersecurity. "We are very prepared we’ve got a great community we’ve done great things, but we’ve always got to look at what can we do better what are the next steps, how can we integrate technology and network and relationships to make sure that we’re prepared for future incidents," said Director of Emergency Management at The Port of Corpus Christi Danielle Hale.

ABC 9 Sioux City [3/25/2025 3:30 PM, Reilly Mahon] reports the U.S. Coast Guard said the military branch will not take 36 Aids to Navigation (ATONs) out of the Missouri River. In a letter to lawmakers last week, Rear Admiral David Barata said he decided to “indefinitely cease” the disestablishing of those ATONs on the river north of Blencoe, Iowa. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Aids to Navigation are buoys, day beacons, lights, and signals used to help a navigator figure out the position or safe course, along with warning about dangers or obstacles in the navigation. There have been recent projects announced in Siouxland to increase the traffic on the Missouri River, which makes navigation an important part of moving goods domestically and around the world. The barge terminal in Sioux City is expected to be complete in the summer of 2025. While construction on the inland port authority in South Sioux City is anticipated to begin this month. In the latter part of 2024, the U.S. Coast Guard announced its decision to removed the Aids to Navigation. This lead to multiple lawmakers, including Iowa Representative Randy Feenstra and Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, and local businesses and organizations asking the coast guard to reconsider the decision.

KIRO [3/25/2025 5:54 PM, Staff] reports the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office says the family of a woman who fell into the Carbon River with her dog is offering a $10,000 reward for anyone who finds her, dead or alive. The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue crews, drone teams, fire rope teams, and boat resources, along with the Coast Guard, have actively been searching for Zuleika Witron since she fell into the river on Sunday. The woman’s sister told KIRO 7 that one of the dogs was slipping during their hike, and she tried to save it, but they both went into the water. The Fairfax Bridge and the surrounding Carbon River area includes a 50-foot drop into the river canyon bed, and crews say it is proving difficult and dangerous to find her.

Los Angeles Times [3/25/2025 6:02 PM, Jenny Jarvie, 1330K] reports fire and coast guard teams in Humboldt County staged a laborious rescue operation Saturday after a hiker who strayed off California’s Lost Coast Trail plummeted 100 feet down a rugged cliff and had to cling to a 60-foot bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The hiker was “barely holding on” with hiking poles for more than an hour, according to the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Humboldt Bay. The hiker and a companion had wandered off the remote 53-mile hiking path that follows the northern California coastline of redwoods and black sand beaches on the afternoon of March 22 when one of them fell 100 feet. Due to the treacherous terrain and the area’s track record of challenging rescues, the duty officer immediately requested helicopter support from the U.S. Coast Guard Sector and deployed a rescue boat and jet ski with four rescue swimmers, the fire department said in a statement.

Yahoo! News [3/25/2025 7:51 PM, Amber Lee, 52868K] reports a fisherman died at Marin County’s Rodeo Beach on Tuesday afternoon after several people tried to rescue the victim by getting him out of the water and performing CPR, officials say. The Southern Marin County Fire Department said at 3:30 they were told that bystanders at the beach pulled a person from the water and began life-saving measures. That person was confirmed to be dead, officials said. Authorities initially had reports that there was a second person in the water, but those reports were later determined to be unfounded. The fisherman had been fishing at Rodeo Beach in the Marin Headlands. A witness said they were fishing from rocks on the beach when a large wave swept the man into the water. A surfer found the victim, pulled him out of the water and tried to resuscitate him. The victim died at the scene. This witness account was confirmed by Southern Marin Fire Department Battalion Chief Jason Golden. Golden said after the initial two reports that there were a man and woman in the water, they began a water search that lasted about 45 to 50 minutes. The US Coast Guard and the Kentfield Fire Department worked on the rescue effort that was called off at around 6 p.m. after learning no one else was pulled into the water. Golden said a third person produced credible video of the fisherman fishing. That’s when they made the determination that the recreational fisherman was alone. The battalion chief said the fisherman had actually warned someone else not to get too close to the water before he was swept out himself. Authorities have not released the identity of the fisherman who they said appeared to be in his seventies.

FOX 2 San Francisco [3/25/2025 8:59 PM, Staff, 130K] reports a search and rescue operations right off the Coast of Marin County has just been called off. Southern Marin Fire Officials say one person is confirmed dead. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Palm Springs Desert Sun [3/25/2025 4:59 PM, Paris Barraza, 898K] reports the National Transportation Safety Board is urging the assessment of seven bridges in California and their risk of “catastrophic collapse” as part of an investigation over the fatal collapse of a bridge in Maryland last year. Based on certain criteria, 68 bridges across the United States were identified in a March report as having an “unknown level of risk of collapse” following a vessel colliding with the bridge. It’s part of the agency’s ongoing investigation of the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the Baltimore area last March due to a container ship that struck one of the bridge’s piers, a type of structure, the report said. Six people died due to the collapsed bridge. The agency is urging for the owners of these 68 bridges, which includes bridges in California, to conduct a risk assessment based on guidance established by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, and depending on the results, create and implement a risk reduction plan. The agency is also recommending for the Federal Highway Administration, the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to establish a team to provide assistance to bridge owners on evaluating and reducing risk, which could mean infrastructure improvements or operational changes, according to a news release.

FOX News [3/25/2025 4:28 PM, Greg Wehner, 46189K] reports a man and two juveniles were rescued from the wreckage of a small plane near Homer, Alaska, that had been reported overdue the night before, according to officials. Alaska State Troopers said they received an alert at about 10:30 p.m. on Sunday that a Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser aircraft was overdue and had not arrived at its destination. It was suspected that the plane could be located in the Kenai Mountains and Tustumena Lake, which are located east of Homer. Rescue efforts immediately began and involved the Rescue Coordination Center and Coast Guard AC-130, while an Air Guard C-130 and HH-60 helicopter remained on standby. A good Samaritan aircraft located the plane wreckage near the eastern side of Tustumena Lake on Monday morning. The Alaska Army National Guard rescued the adult and two juvenile passengers from the plane at about 10:30 a.m., and they were transported to a Kenai Peninsula hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

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ABC 2 Atlanta [3/26/2025 1:13 AM, Staff, 230K]
102.3 FM Tulsa [3/25/2025 6:25 AM, Staff]

DVIDS [3/26/2025 3:37 AM, Chief Warrant Officer Sara Muir, 77K] reports the U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam (FM/SG) team, alongside partners, conducted a series of operations from March 13 to March 23, 2025, to keep the ports and approaches to Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) safe and secure while supporting commerce. “This ten-day snapshot is a window into the continuation and increase of our routine operations to protect U.S. borders by preventing illegal goods entering or activities transpiring in the Marianas. They also support prosperity by keeping trade flowing smoothly. Safe ports mean cruise ships bring visitors, tankers deliver fuel, and cargo vessels supply goods— all vital to our region’s economy,” said Cmdr. Ryan Crose, deputy commander at Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam. From March 13 to 24, U.S. Coast Guard teams boarded oil tankers and cargo vessels at sea and inspected ships dockside alongside partner agencies. On March 13, a sector boarding team (SBT) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents, delivered by a Station Apra Harbor small boat, examined the 590-foot Republic of the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker Culture off Guam.

Yahoo! News [3/25/2025 5:00 AM, Zach Myers, 52868K] reports a new report on cyber security indicates hacks and data breaches of healthcare systems are a continuing epidemic. Security Week analyzed data from the Department of Health and Human Services and found there were 720 data breaches affecting the medical information of more than 180 million people in 2024. That information can be sold on the dark web, allowing other people to access your health insurance and corrupt your medical records, which can be very dangerous. As Scamicide points out, imagine having your medical records altered so the next time you get a blood transfusion, you are given the wrong blood type. There are ways to protect yourself from such breaches. According to Scamicide, when a medical office asks for your social security number, you don’t have to provide it. You can politely refuse. Not having your social security number can make it harder for a hacker to steal your identity. If your provider has suffered a breach, it’s a good idea to freeze your credit. In fact, that’s a good idea for just about anyone these days. You might also consider asking your doctor or anyone who has treated you for your full medical records to make sure they haven’t been altered by an identity thief. If you see mistakes, demand that they be corrected. Experts also recommend checking your credit report regularly for any signs of identity theft. These days, that’s something you can do for free once a week.

CyberScoop [3/25/2025 12:00 PM, Tim Starks] reports governments should prioritize the use of privacy-boosting technologies like encryption, de-identification and hashing to prevent breaches and data misuse, a report that New America’s Open Technology Institute published Tuesday recommends. The study comes as cyber and privacy experts warn about the dangers of the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) accessing sensitive information at federal agencies, also the subject of numerous court challenges. Last week, an executive order on information sharing across the federal bureaucracy also raised alarms about civil liberties risks. So-called “privacy enhancing technologies,” or PETs, could safeguard against unauthorized access like DOGE’s, said the report’s author, Sydney Saubestre. “Data sharing is really important, but obviously so is privacy,” she said. “They’re equally important and they’re equally critical, and they shouldn’t necessarily be in opposition to each other. One of the ways that you can remove some of the risk around data sharing is to make sure that you have a privacy-first approach to data sharing, and PETs are a really great way to accomplish that.” PETs include more commonly known terms like encryption, but also lesser-known tech like synthetic data, which is computer-generated information that reflects properties of real-world data but doesn’t contain any authentic personal information. The report recommends that governments incentivize the advancement of those technologies by establishing procurement policies that use long-term contracts that provide ongoing revenue streams, thereby ensuring additional investment. It also endorses the writing of guidelines and using grants. A National Science Foundation-led program created last year sought to boost the use of PETs. The Trump administration, in addition to engaging in the kinds of activities that such technologies could prevent, also has sought to cut back on many grant programs. Smaller organizations and state governments might be best suited to take up the report’s recommendations right now, Saubestre said. “There is an urgent need for public sector stakeholders to prioritize securely using data to drive positive outcomes while upholding the privacy and rights of individuals,” the report states.

Washington Post [3/25/2025 2:03 PM, Ellie Silverman, 31735K] reports that the Trump administration stopped funding a national database tracking domestic terrorism, hate crimes and school shootings in a sweeping round of cuts to violence prevention projects, eliminating a resource aimed to improve safety in the face of consistent and urgent threats. Records obtained by The Washington Post show the cancellation of nearly $20 million for 24 projects dating as far back as July 2021. A representative for the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The database, run out of the University of Maryland and supported by $3 million from DHS, disappeared Tuesday morning from the START consortium for terrorism research’s website. A DHS email reviewed by The Post notified recipients last week that “the scope of work performed under this award no longer effectuates Department priorities” without providing specific details. In the past two years, the U-Md. data showed there were nearly three violent events daily, killing nearly 400 people and injuring more than 700, Michael Jensen, the project’s principal investigator and the research director at the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism at U-Md., wrote in a statement that replaced the online database Tuesday morning.

ABC News [3/25/2025 1:26 PM, Luke Barr, 34586K] reports that attacks on Tesla dealerships, cars and equipment are "rudimentary" and require little planning, according to an FBI and Department of Homeland Security assessment, which says lone offenders are the ones carrying out the attacks. "These criminal actions appear to have been conducted by lone offenders, and all known incidents occurred at night, making identification and arrest of the actors difficult," the assessment says. It comes as incendiary devices were found at a Tesla showroom in Austin, Texas, on Monday. "While they may perceive these attacks as victimless property crimes, these tactics can cause accidental or intentional bodily harm," the assessment dated March 21 and obtained by ABC News says. "Some individuals with political or social goals are likely to view the publicity surrounding these past incidents as validation that these tactics are successful in drawing public attention, and they may be galvanized to engage in similar violence." The bulletin also says that collaboration between state and local law enforcements can help track down the ones responsible. "As of late March, the FBI and its law enforcement partners continue to investigate these incidents, and DHS and FBI are working with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to disrupt and deter future incidents," the assessment says. "In the next twelve months, incidents targeting Tesla EVs and dealerships potentially pose an increased risk of injuries to civilians and first responders." On Monday, the FBI announced a task force to investigate the attacks on Tesla dealerships, cars and equipment. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

CBS News [3/25/2025 10:38 AM, Staff, 51661K] reports that Trump administration officials are promising to crack down on what they say are coordinated attacks on Tesla electric vehicles nationwide, although U.S. intelligence suggests lone actors are behind them. Since January 2025, incidents targeting Tesla EVs have occurred in at least nine states, according to a joint intelligence bulletin issued by the Department of Homeland Security and FBI and obtained by CBS News. "These incidents have involved arson, gunfire, and vandalism, including graffiti expressing grievances against those the perpetrators perceive to be racists, fascists, or political opponents," the bulletin reads. But the crimes "appear to have been conducted by lone offenders," the bulletin says, adding that all of the incidents have taken place at night, which has made it difficult to identify and arrest the perpetrators. Last week, Attorney General Pam Bondi described attacks on Teslas as "nothing short of domestic terrorism" in a statement. She vowed to "impose severe consequences on those involved in these attacks, including those operating behind the scenes to coordinate and fund these crimes." The FBI has created a task force to investigate the Tesla incidents, according to an FBI official, and the DHS memo, published on March 21, said that the FBI and DHS are now working with federal, state and local law enforcement "to disrupt and deter future incidents.

Newsweek [3/25/2025 6:43 PM, Sophie Clark, 52220K] reports that the FBI has launched a task force to investigate people who are setting fire to Tesla cars in the U.S. Ben Williamson, the Assistant Director for Public Affairs at the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) announced on X, formerly Twitter, that the bureau has launched the unit with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to "coordinate investigative activity and crack down on violent Tesla attacks." The announcement follows an FBI warning about several attacks on Teslas and Tesla dealerships across the country. The move comes after Attorney General Pam Bondi declared that attacks on Teslas are "nothing short of domestic terrorism," echoing President Donad Trump’s view. However, under the Trump administration the FBI has cut staffing focused on domestic terrorism, and stopped using a tool for tracking related investigations, according to Reuters. Since January 2025, incidents targeting Tesla EVs have occurred in at least nine states, according to the FBI. "These incidents have involved arson, gunfire, and vandalism, including graffiti expressing grievances against those the perpetrators perceive to be racists, fascists, or political opponents. These criminal actions appear to have been conducted by lone offenders, and all known incidents occurred at night," said the agency in a statement. These acts of vandalism appear to be random and uncoordinated, and so far nobody has been injured.

AP [3/25/2025 9:13 PM, Jamie Stengle, 1682K] reports the gunman who killed 23 people in a racist attack targeting Hispanic shoppers at a Walmart near the U.S.-Mexico border in 2019 would avoid the death penalty under a plea offer announced Tuesday, abruptly ending years of efforts by prosecutors to see that he face execution by lethal injection. El Paso County District Attorney James Montoya said during a news conference that his decision in the prosecution of Patrick Crusius, who drove across the state for one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history and posted a racist screed just before opening fire, was driven by a majority of victims’ relatives who wanted the case behind them. “This is about allowing the families of the 23 victims who lost their lives on that horrific day — and the 22 wounded — to finally have resolution in our court system,” Montoya said in a statement. “Now, no one in this community will ever have to hear the perpetrator’s name ever again,” he added. “No more hearings. No more appeals. He will die in prison.” But Montoya also acknowledged at the news conference that not all families agreed with the reversal by his office, which under previous leadership had committed to taking the case to trial and seeking the death penalty. Adria Gonzalez, a survivor who helped panicked shoppers toward exits, said she feels that not pursuing the death penalty is “a slap in the face for all the victims.” Under the offer, Montoya said, Crusius would plead guilty to capital murder and receive life in prison with no possibility of parole. The plea hearing and sentencing is set for April 21, Montoya said, and families will be able to give victim impact statements. Mark Stevens, an attorney for Crusius, did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. Crusius, 26, was already sentenced to 90 consecutive life sentences at the federal level after pleading guilty in 2023 to hate crime charges. Under the Biden administration, federal prosecutors also took the death penalty off the table. Montoya said he supports the death penalty and believes Crusius deserves it. But he said he met with the families of the victims and while some were willing to wait as long as it took for a death sentence, there was an overriding desire to conclude the process. “I’m just glad it’s over,” said Elise Hoffmann-Taus, whose father, Alexander Hoffmann was among those killed. “This is the outcome I wanted.”

Reported similarly:
New York Times [3/25/2025 8:33 PM, Rachel Nostrant and Reyes Mata III, 145325K]
Reuters [3/25/2025 6:50 PM, Daniel Trotta, 41523K]

NPR [3/25/2025 5:10 PM, Brian Mann] reports fentanyl and international drug gangs responsible for smuggling the deadly street drug rank among the top threats to U.S. national security. That’s according to an assessment delivered on Tuesday by top Trump administration officials to members of the Senate Intelligence Committee. The U.S Intelligence Community’s annual threat assessment for 2025, also released Tuesday, offered a slightly different number, estimating 52,000 U.S. deaths could be linked to cartel activity. NPR couldn’t independently verify either figure. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a total of roughly 84,000 people in the U.S. died during that time period from all overdoses linked to fentanyl, methamphetamines and other street drugs. During Tuesday’s hearing, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR), who chairs the Intelligence Committee, noted that fentanyl has been elevated by the Trump administration as a top concern — ahead of other national security threats from countries such as Iran, North Korea and Russia.

CNN [3/25/2025 4:15 PM, Sean Lyngaas, 22131K] reports that the US intelligence community’s annual threat assessment led with the threat from drug cartels for apparently the first time in the report’s nearly 20-year history, according to Senate Intelligence Chairman Tom Cotton and a CNN review of previous assessments, highlighting a top agenda item for President Donald Trump. The assessment also omitted any reference to the national security implications of climate change, a sharp reversal from previous intelligence assessments, including those under Trump’s first administration. Drug cartels in Mexico and other parts of the Western Hemisphere "endanger the health and safety of millions of Americans and contribute to regional instability," the intelligence assessment says. Fentanyl and other potent synthetic opioids caused more than 52,000 deaths in the US in the 12 months ending in October 2024, according to the assessment. That’s actually a 33% decrease from the year prior and may be attributed to the increased availability of the overdose-countering medicine naloxone, the document says. The decline in drug deaths doesn’t appear to have made the cartels less potent.

FOX News [3/26/2025 4:00 AM, Julia Bonavita, 46189K] reports federal officials face a looming threat of foreign nationals utilizing drones to surveil United States military bases after two recent arrests and a string of mysterious incursions suggest the country’s airspace is ill-equipped to handle the rapidly evolving technology. In late 2024, the Department of Justice announced charges against Yinpiao Zhou, 39, for allegedly flying a drone over Vandenberg Space Force Base in California and taking photos of the facility. The Chinese-American citizen was detained as he attempted to board a China-bound flight and was charged with violation of national defense airspace and failure to register an aircraft. "Anyone operating a drone over a restricted space, like a military base, would be subject to prosecution," Ken Gray, a former FBI agent and military analyst, told Fox News Digital. "A foreign national operating [a drone] raises a concern about that person being involved in some type of espionage or intelligence gathering.” An affidavit revealed Vandenberg’s drone detection systems registered Zhou’s drone flying over its base on Nov. 30, 2024. When base authorities tracked the drone’s origin to a nearby park and confronted Zhou and a second individual, he allegedly attempted to conceal the drone in his jacket. Two months later, a Canadian tourist was arrested for allegedly flying a drone over a defense installation in Florida. Federal prosecutors allege Xiao Guang Pan, 71, used a drone to photograph sensitive defense installations at Cape Canaveral Space Force Base, according to the DOJ. Pan allegedly took photos of munitions bunkers, Space Launch complexes, a submarine wharf and payload processing facility as he flew his drone on three separate days in January. "The response to [drones] is not standard," Gray said. "Depending on the place the drone is spotted, their response could be anything from just making note of it to trying to detect where the drone is coming from, and the success of those types of responses has really varied drastically.” A string of high-profile mysterious incidents thrust drones into the national spotlight as public speculation grew. In February, the highest-ranking general for all air defenses in North America took to Congress to sound the alarm over nefarious drones flying over the U.S., two months after a swarm of drones wreaked havoc over New Jersey’s skies for weeks. "The General’s comments provide further proof that the Biden national security team was dismissive and downplayed the risks presented by the mystery drones spotted all over New Jersey, especially those that flew over sensitive sites within my own district, such as Naval Weapons Station Earle," said Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., in a press release.

New York Times [3/25/2025 7:31 PM, Michael Gold, 145325K] reports several Democrats in Congress called on Tuesday for the resignations of Pete Hegseth, the secretary of defense, and Michael Waltz, the national security adviser, over their involvement in a Signal group chat discussing U.S. strikes in Yemen. Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, criticized both Mr. Hegseth and Mr. Waltz during a hearing on Tuesday, where he said that others who had discussed sensitive defense information in an unclassified chat would most likely have been fired. He went further on social media. “When the stakes are this high, incompetence is not an option,” he wrote in a post on social media. “Pete Hegseth should resign. Mike Waltz should resign.” Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon concurred during the same hearing, which was scheduled before The Atlantic reported on Monday about the Signal chat and quickly overtook the original agenda. “I am of the view that there ought to be resignations, starting with the national security adviser and the secretary of defense,” Mr. Wyden said. In a letter to President Trump on Tuesday, House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries became the highest-ranking Democrat to demand the defense secretary be terminated, saying he was “unqualified” and a national security risk. “The so-called secretary of defense recklessly and casually disclosed highly sensitive war plans — including the timing of a pending attack, possible strike targets and the weapons to be used — during an unclassified national security group chat that inexplicably included a reporter,” Mr. Jeffries wrote. “His behavior shocks the conscience, risked American lives and likely violated the law.” While some Republican lawmakers have called for an investigation, most have shied away from criticizing the Trump administration and have refrained from calling on any officials to step down. Even those Democrats calling for resignations were not united in scope. Senator Tammy Duckworth, Democrat of Illinois and a combat veteran, said on MSNBC that everyone who participated in the Signal chat should be fired or resign.

The Hill [3/25/2025 7:58 PM, Rebecca Beitsch, 12829K] reports a government watchdog group is suing national security leaders for their use of Signal to discuss military actions, saying the move violated the Federal Records Act (FRA). The suit from American Oversight, which routinely files public records requests, said the move obstructs their ability to access government documents. The Atlantic revealed Monday that national security adviser Michael Waltz had added The Atlantic’s Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg to a Signal group chat to discuss a pending military action in Yemen. Beyond the national security implications, federal employees are required to retain records in accordance with the law. "This reported disclosure of sensitive military information in a Signal group chat that included a journalist is a five-alarm fire for government accountability and potentially a crime," Chioma Chukwu, American Oversight’s interim executive director, said in a statement. "War planning doesn’t belong in emoji-laden disappearing group chats. It belongs in secure facilities designed to safeguard national interests — something any responsible government official should have known. Our lawsuit seeks to ensure these federal records are preserved and recovered. The American people deserve answers and we won’t stop until we get them.”

Reported similarly:
Axios [3/25/2025 10:28 PM, Rebecca Falconer, 13163K] r
Washington Examiner [3/25/2025 7:07 PM, Kaelan Deese, 2296K]

Axios [3/25/2025 1:03 PM, Zachary Basu, 13163K] reports that Multiple top Trump officials insisted Tuesday — including under oath — that "no classified material" or "war plans" were shared in a Signal group chat that mistakenly included The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg. Why it matters: The White House has confirmed the authenticity of the explosive text messages published by The Atlantic, but disputed Goldberg’s claim that he withheld "operational details" about U.S. strikes in Yemen out of concern that they were classified. Goldberg, who was accidentally invited to the chat by national security adviser Mike Waltz, said the texts included the specific time, targets and sequencing of the operation. "The information contained in them, if they had been read by an adversary of the United States, could conceivably have been used to harm American military and intelligence personnel," Goldberg wrote. Driving the news: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, whom Goldberg said had shared the sensitive operational details, categorically denied Monday that "war plans" were discussed in the group chat. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated that denial Tuesday and added that "no classified material was sent to the thread" — slamming Goldberg as a journalist known for "sensationalist spin."

Axios [3/25/2025 8:57 PM, Sareen Habeshian, 13163K] reports National Security Adviser Mike Waltz said Tuesday he takes "full responsibility" for the scandal involving the use of an unclassified commercial chat app to discuss plans to strike Yemen by senior officials. President Trump made clear he does not plan to fire Waltz for establishing the Signal group and inadvertently adding Atlantic magazine editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg, telling Newsmax on Tuesday night he believed a "lower level" employee who works for his national security adviser had added the journalist’s number. Administration officials have said no classified information was shared during the conversation. "A staffer wasn’t responsible," Waltz said in an interview with Laura Ingraham on FOX News’ The Ingraham Angle. "I take full responsibility. I built the group ... my job is to make sure everything’s coordinated." "We made a mistake," Waltz said. "And lessons learned. ... We’re not using Signal app anymore." Asked how Goldberg’s number was added to the chat, Waltz said: "Have you ever had somebody’s contact that shows their name ... and then you have somebody else’s number there?" He added: "So, of course, I didn’t see this loser in the group. It looked like someone else. Now, whether he did it deliberately or it happened in some other technical mean is something we’re trying to figure out." Waltz said he had spoken with business mogul Elon Musk, senior adviser to the president, on the "embarrassing" incident. "We’ve got the best technical minds looking at how this happened," he added. The group chat included more than a dozen top Trump administration officials, one of whom is believed to be Vice President JD Vance. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted "operational details of forthcoming strikes on Yemen, including information about targets, weapons the U.S. would be deploying, and attack sequencing," Goldberg said.

Reported similarly:
AZCentral [3/25/2025 9:58 PM, Bart Jansen, 4457K]

CNN [3/25/2025 4:39 PM, Zachary Cohen and Katie Bo Lillis, 908K] reports that several of President Donald Trump’s top national security officials, at times with assistance from a top Senate Republican, shifted responsibility to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth for sending potentially classified information that appeared in a group chat about US military strikes in Yemen that a journalist was included in. Under sharp questioning from outraged Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard repeatedly denied that the chat contained classified information. "There were no classified or intelligence equities that were included in that chat group at any time," Gabbard testified under oath. Ratcliffe was similarly adamant in his denials at various points during Tuesday’s hearing. But when pressed on whether the sensitive operational details for the forthcoming strikes against Iran-backed militants that Hegseth reportedly sent to the thread were classified, both top intelligence officials deferred to the defense secretary. "With respect to the assertions and the allegations that there was strike packages or targeting information or things that relate to DOD, as I pointed out, the Secretary of Defense is the original classification authority for determining whether something is classified or not, and as I’ve understood from media reports, the Secretary of Defense has said the information was not classified," Ratcliffe told lawmakers. Asked if such information should be classified, Gabbard told the committee, "I defer to the Secretary of Defense and the National Security Council on that question." [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

New York Times [3/25/2025 8:44 PM, Robert Draper, 145325K] reports despite President Trump’s insistence on Tuesday morning that his national security adviser, Michael Waltz, “has learned a lesson” after inadvertently including the editor of The Atlantic in a cabinet-level chat session, speculation continues to build about Mr. Waltz’s job security. Mr. Trump vigorously defended Mr. Waltz in front of television cameras during an event a few hours later, saying he should not have to apologize for the breach. “That man is a very good man, right there, that you criticized,” Mr. Trump said, pointing to Mr. Waltz after a reporter asked if the president would order practices to be changed. “So he’s a very good man, and he will continue to do a good job. In addition to him, we had very good people in that meeting, and those people have done a very, very effective job.” Mr. Waltz said later on Tuesday that “I take full responsibility” for the sharing of military plans on the messaging app Signal, telling Laura Ingraham on Fox News that he had “built the group” and added the Atlantic editor, Jeffrey Goldberg, to it. Most of the Republican Party has leaped to Mr. Waltz’s defense, seeking to blame the news media for the uproar. But in interviews, several close allies of the president characterized the national security adviser’s standing as precarious, more so than it already was when The New York Times reported on his uneasy status over a week ago. Those who discussed Trump administration views on Mr. Waltz did so on the condition of anonymity to speak candidly. His fate, they say, rests on Mr. Trump’s caprices, with several competing factors coming into play. On the one hand, it is Mr. Trump’s nature to defy a media firestorm rather than try to quell it by offering up a sacrificial lamb. He parted from this tendency at the beginning of his first administration when he fired his national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn, for not divulging his encounters with Russian officials to the F.B.I. According to one adviser from that era, Mr. Trump soon regretted that act of acquiescence. This time around, according to several people who have spoken to Mr. Trump over the first two months of his term, he wants to avoid firing people because of the narrative of chaos that it will quickly engender. Once he starts firing people, one person familiar with his thinking said, it will be very hard to draw a line if problems arise with other aides down the line. And Mr. Trump has appeared increasingly more concerned with holding his perceived enemies at bay than anything else.

The Hill [3/25/2025 1:09 PM, Mike Lillis, 12829K] reports that the fourth-ranking House Democrat called for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to resign Tuesday for sending sensitive military action plans over an unauthorized group chat that included a prominent Washington, D.C., journalist. Rep. Ted Lieu (Calif.), the vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus and an Air Force veteran, said Hegseth’s messages — which detailed the Pentagon’s plans to strike Houthi rebels in Yemen earlier this month — were "reckless" and put the lives of U.S. troops at risk. "Had that information gotten to the Houthis, American pilots could have been shot down, [and] Navy sailors could have been targeted," Lieu said during a press briefing in the Capitol. "His reckless actions endangered lives of American troops, endangered our national security and makes it so that our allies don’t want to share sensitive classified information with us anymore." Lieu’s remarks came shortly after another top congressional Democrat, Sen. Mark Warner (Va.), the ranking member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, called for the resignations of two top Trump officials who participated in the group chat: Hegseth and Mike Waltz, the White House national security adviser. The uproar was sparked Monday when Jeffrey Goldberg, the top editor of The Atlantic, published an explosive story revealing he had been invited to join a Signal group chat featuring many of the highest ranking officials in the Trump administration, including Vice President Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Hegseth and Waltz.

AP [3/26/2025 12:08 AM, David Klepper, 24727K] reports President Donald Trump’s top intelligence officials will brief House lawmakers Wednesday on global threats facing the U.S. — though they’ll likely be questioned again over their use of a group text to discuss plans for military strikes in Yemen. CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and FBI Director Kash Patel are among those who were asked to testify before the House Intelligence Committee as part of its annual review of threats facing the U.S. At a similar hearing on Tuesday before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Gabbard briefed lawmakers on her office’s threat assessment, noting that China, Russia, Iran and North Korea continue to pose security challenges to the U.S., as do drug cartels and transnational criminal organizations. The presentations from top Trump appointees reflect Trump’s foreign policy priorities, including a focus on combating the flow of fentanyl, illegal immigration and human trafficking, and are taking place as Trump attempts to work out a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine three years after Russia’s invasion. Tuesday’s hearing was dominated by questions about Ratcliffe and Gabbard’s participation in a group chat on Signal in which they discussed plans to strike Houthi rebels in Yemen. The group included a journalist, The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg. Gabbard and Ratcliffe have said no classified information was included in the messages, but Democrats have decried the use of the messaging app, saying that any release of information about timetables, weapons or military activities could have put U.S. servicemembers at risk. At Tuesday’s hearing they asked Patel, who was not a participant in the text chain, if he would investigate. It’s likely House Democrats will press Patel on the same question Wednesday. The National Security Council has said it will investigate the matter, which Trump on Tuesday downplayed as a “glitch.” Goldberg said he received the Signal invitation from Mike Waltz, Trump’s national security adviser, who was also in the group chat.

New York Times [3/25/2025 6:34 PM, Zolan Kanno-Youngs, 145325K] reports the White House on Tuesday brushed off the seriousness of mistakenly adding a journalist to a group chat with senior national security officials in which they discussed details of a military attack on Yemen. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt denied that war plans were discussed in the chat, even though the White House had previously appeared to confirm the account that the journalist, Jeffrey Goldberg, gave in an article for The Atlantic the day before. “1. No ‘war plans’ were discussed. 2. No classified material was sent to the thread,” Ms. Leavitt said in a post on social media as she attacked Mr. Goldberg. Several Defense Department officials have expressed shock over the inclusion of such sensitive information in a chat group on a commercial app. The article in The Atlantic said the chat included “operational details of forthcoming strikes on Yemen, including information about targets, weapons the U.S. would be deploying, and attack sequencing.” The extraordinary breach of American national security intelligence has led Democrats to call for the resignation of the national security adviser, Michael Waltz, who set up the group chat, and the defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, who reportedly shared classified war plans in it. It has also frustrated some Republicans. Representative Don Bacon, Republican of Nebraska and a senior member of the Armed Services Committee, told reporters that the White House should “be honest and own up” to putting classified information on an unclassified system. “It’s a fact,” Mr. Bacon said. “Classified information was put out by the secretary of defense. It’s pretty clear,” he said. In an article published on Monday, Mr. Goldberg wrote that he was mistakenly added to the group on Signal by Michael Waltz, the national security adviser. The group also included Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

New York Times [3/25/2025 5:52 PM, Matthew Cullen, 145325K] reports President Trump told reporters today that the disclosure of internal national security deliberations on a commercial messaging app was a minor transgression. He characterized the extraordinary security breach as “just something that can happen.” Trump also stood by his national security adviser, Michael Waltz, who had inadvertently added a journalist to a group chat with other members of the president’s inner circle. In the chat, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and others shared information on timing, targets and weapons systems to be used in an attack on Houthi militants in Yemen. Here’s what to know about it. During a Senate hearing this morning, the nation’s top two spy chiefs — who were both in the chat — acknowledged the sensitivity of information shared, but rejected responsibility. The administration claimed that nothing classified was shared; the journalist who was included in the chat said “they are wrong.” Either way, disclosing even nonclassified national defense information in a nonsecure setting — like the app that was used, Signal — can still violate the 1917 Espionage Act. Senate Democrats at today’s hearing expressed outrage: “This sloppiness, this disrespect for our intelligence agencies is entirely unacceptable,” Michael Bennet of Colorado said. Hakeem Jeffries, who leads Democrats in the House, urged Trump to fire Hegseth. Most Republicans on Capitol Hill reacted with a collective shrug. “I don’t think most Americans care one way or another,” Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana said.

Yahoo! News [3/25/2025 6:23 PM, Julia Ornedo, 52868K] reports the Atlantic editor in chief Jeffrey Goldberg on Tuesday threatened to release more texts exchanged in a group chat of high-ranking U.S. national security officials—a group he was inadvertently added to earlier this month. In the 24 hours since his bombshell essay about the jaw-dropping security fiasco, Donald Trump and his administration have downplayed the massive leak and attacked Goldberg’s credibility, as well as the credibility of the 168-year-old publication. Democrats, meanwhile, have tried to get their hands on the thread and investigate any potential leak of classified information. In an interview with The Bulwark on Tuesday, Goldberg said the messages sent in a top-secret Signal group chat about a military strike in Yemen included "sensitive" and "technical" information. Don’t miss this segment from today’s forthcoming Bulwark Podcast: Atlantic editor in chief Jeffrey Goldberg joins @Timodc to discuss, well, you know:https://t.co/IRRmw2FdkW. "Maybe in the coming days, I’ll be able to let you know that, ‘Okay, I have a plan to have this material vetted publicly,’ but I’m not going to say that now because there’s a lot of conversations that have to happen about that to [have it] make sense," he said. Though Goldberg published parts of the text thread, including messages from Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard, he blurred out portions that he said contained operational details of a strike on the Houthi militant group in Yemen. "Just because they’re irresponsible with material doesn’t mean that I’m going to be irresponsible with this material," he said. "My obligation, I feel, is to the idea that we take national security information seriously.” Hegseth, for his part, threw a veritable tantrum Monday after reporters asked him about the leak, blasting Goldberg as a "highly discredited" journalist who "peddles in garbage." He also insisted that "nobody was texting war plans.”

New York Times [3/25/2025 7:53 PM, Adam Goldman, Glenn Thrush and Devlin Barrett, 145325K] reports in years past, the move by senior members of President Trump’s administration to share defense secrets over the Signal messaging app would have represented a serious breach that would have likely prompted investigations by the F.B.I. and the Justice Department’s national security division. Yet so far, neither the attorney general, Pam Bondi, nor the F.B.I. director, Kash Patel, appear to be planning to investigate whether the communications described in a bombshell report in The Atlantic magazine on Monday potentially violated federal laws like the Espionage Act. The bureau and the department have undertaken these kind of investigations to figure out the extent of damage to the country’s national security, uncover other instances of recklessness and examine whether laws have been broken. Such an inquiry would be independent from — and far more thorough than — the self-policing, in-house review by the National Security Council announced on Tuesday. What Ms. Bondi and Mr. Patel do next is an important early test for two officials who promised during their confirmation hearings to administer justice impartially and free from political considerations that, in their view, led to criminal prosecutions of Mr. Trump during the Biden administration. “This is something that would normally be investigated by the F.B.I. and D.O.J.,” said Mary McCord, a longtime senior official for the Justice Department who now teaches at the Georgetown University Law Center. “Even if a person is in lawful possession of national defense information, putting it on Signal — which is not an approved, secure means of communicating such information — prosecutors could determine it was gross negligence, which is a felony,” Ms. McCord said. The F.B.I. could open an inquiry into the episode if it were treated as the mishandling of classified information, said former federal law enforcement officials who have worked espionage cases. But the administration has insisted the information was not classified, complicating the potential for any criminal investigation. Congress could also make a referral to the Justice Department. Speaking at the White House, Mr. Trump appeared to acknowledge the inquiry underway by the National Security Council but quickly added, “It’s not really an F.B.I. thing.” The Justice Department and F.B.I. work independently, but in tandem on such investigations: Only after the bureau concluded its inquiry would department officials determine whether charges were warranted. Mr. Patel, speaking at a Senate hearing on Tuesday, said he had been briefed on the matter, but did not say whether the bureau would open a formal investigation. An F.B.I. spokesman declined to comment.

The Hill [3/25/2025 6:19 PM, Miranda Nazzaro, 12829K] reports top Trump administration national security officials’ use of the messaging app Signal is raising new questions about the platform and how the administration is transmitting sensitive government information. Cybersecurity experts said they were surprised to learn conversations containing sensitive materials, including plans for airstrikes, were taking place on Signal as reported by The Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg on Monday. The story was "very mind-blowing," said JP Castellanos, the director of threat intelligence for Binary Defense. He served in the U.S. Central Command’s (Centcom) Cyber Security Division. Goldberg, a long-time foreign affairs correspondent, published a story Monday claiming he was invited to a group chat on Signal earlier this month by national security adviser Mike Waltz. According to Goldberg, top security officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Vice President Vance, discussed plans for airstrikes on Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen hours before they were launched. The National Security Council confirmed the message chain was authentic, adding it is investigating how Goldberg was included in the chat. The White House later attempted to downplay the situation on Tuesday, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt maintaining no "war plans" were discussed in the chat.

New York Times [3/25/2025 7:52 AM, Andrew Ross Sorkin, Ravi Mattu, Bernhard Warner, Sarah Kessler, Michael J. de la Merced, Lauren Hirsch and Edmund Lee, 145325K] reports that, by far the biggest story of the day is The Atlantic’s stunning revelation that Pete Hegseth, the defense secretary, discussed sensitive Yemen bombing plans with other senior Trump administration officials on a messaging app — in a group text that mistakenly included that publication’s editor in chief, Jeffrey Goldberg. The incident has raised serious questions about whether the group chat violated laws including the Espionage Act and endangered troops. But it’s also reminiscent of how Wall Street firms got into hot water for similar reasons. They had to pay more than $2 billion for doing the kind of off-channel messaging that Hegseth and others are being sharply criticized for now. “We are currently clean on OPSEC,” Hegseth wrote at one point, referring to operational security, during a group chat on Signal, according to Goldberg. The defense secretary then revealed detailed war plans on the same channel. Goldberg, who had been added by Michael Waltz, the national security adviser, said he didn’t include the most sensitive details from the chat in his article. While Goldberg writes that he was initially unsure whether the whole thing was a joke or a misinformation campaign, the launching of airstrikes on targets in Yemen eventually persuaded him that it was real. Goldberg later left the group and confirmed with the White House that the chat was real. Critics say the group chat violated laws and security protocols. It did not take place on government-vetted secure systems and it may have occurred on government officials’ phones, which have been targets of hacking by foreign adversaries. Moreover, Waltz had set some of the group’s messages to disappear after one week and some after four weeks. Because they involved discussions about official acts, if they weren’t promptly forwarded to official government accounts for archiving, the participants could have run afoul of federal laws.

AP [3/25/2025 6:52 PM, Josh Boak and David Keyton, 10355K] reports Vice President JD Vance said that he’s joining his wife on a Friday trip to Greenland, suggesting in an online video that global security is at stake. “We’re going to check out how things are going there,” Vance said in a video shared Tuesday. “Speaking for President Trump, we want to reinvigorate the security of the people of Greenland because we think it’s important to protecting the security of the entire world.” President Donald Trump irked much of Europe by suggesting that the United States should in some form control the self-governing, mineral-rich territory of American ally Denmark. As the nautical gateway to the Arctic and North Atlantic approaches to North America, Greenland has broader strategic value as both China and Russia also seek access to its waterways and the nearby natural resources. The vice president’s decision to visit a U.S. military base in Greenland has removed the risk of violating potential diplomatic taboos by sending a delegation to another country without an official invite. Yet Vance has also criticized longstanding European allies for relying on military support from the United States, openly antagonizing partners in ways that have generated concerns about America’s reliability. Ahead of the vice president’s announcement that he would join his wife, discontent from the governments of Greenland and Denmark had been growing sharper, with the Greenland government posting on Facebook Monday night that it had “not extended any invitations for any visits, neither private nor official.” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told Danish national broadcasts Tuesday that it was “unacceptable pressure.” The office of second lady Usha Vance said Sunday that she would depart Thursday for Greenland and return Saturday. Vance and one of her three children had planned to visit historic sites and learn about Greenland’s culture, but her husband’s participation has reoriented the trip around national security. The vice president said he didn’t want to let his wife “have all that fun by herself” and said he plans to visit a Space Force outpost in the northwest coast of Greenland. Vance said that other countries have threatened Greenland as well as the United States and Canada. Trump’s national security adviser, Mike Waltz, was initially listed among the group of U.S. officials also heading to Greenland — but his name was omitted when it was announced that the vice president was now attending.

Reported similarly:
New York Times [3/26/2025 3:18 AM, Jeffrey Gettleman, Maya Tekeli and Maggie Haberman, 330K]

AP [3/25/2025 7:18 PM, Jamey Keaten and Vanessa Gera, 4K] reports Greenland’s people are bracing for another visit from U.S. President Donald Trump’s inner circle, with second lady Usha Vance set to travel to the autonomous Danish territory this week as her husband ratchets up talk about U.S. security and “territorial” interests in the vast Arctic island coveted by the administration. Greenland’s prime minister has warned of “American aggression” and lamented a “mess” caused by the upcoming visit from Vance, who will be joined by Trump’s national security adviser and energy secretary. On Sunday, Vice President JD Vance — her husband — blasted Denmark for “not doing its job” and “not being a good ally.” “So you have to ask yourself: How are we going to solve that problem, solve our own national security?” JD Vance said on Fox News. “If that means that we need to take more territorial interest in Greenland, that is what President Trump is going to do, because he doesn’t care about what the Europeans scream at us.” Trump on Monday took a more conciliatory tone, casting the visit this week as based on “friendliness.” Denmark is a NATO ally of the United States, and northwestern Greenland already houses the U.S. Pituffik military base that falls under the Pentagon’s Space Force. Danish national police on Sunday sent extra personnel and sniffer dogs to Greenland as part of regular security measures taken during visits by dignitaries. A police spokesperson declined to give details, but news reports said dozens were flown in. Before the president began his second term in January, a visit by Trump’s eldest son heightened concerns in Greenland about possible U.S. ambitions. Donald Trump Jr. told its residents that “we’re going to treat you well” — weeks before March 11 elections that had centered on possible independence from Denmark.

New York Times [3/25/2025 7:43 PM, Constant Méheut and Ivan Nechepurenko, 145325K] reports the White House said on Tuesday that Ukraine and Russia had agreed to cease fighting in the Black Sea and to hash out the details for halting strikes on energy facilities. But President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine told reporters on Tuesday that it was “too early to say that it will work.” His defense minister, Rustem Umerov, said that “additional technical consultations” were needed as soon as possible to put the deal in place. And while both Ukraine and Russia confirmed the agreement, which came after three days of intense negotiations in Saudi Arabia, Moscow added significant caveats, at least some of which the United States appeared to agree to while gaining little in return. In a statement, the Kremlin said it would honor the maritime security portion of the deal only after Western countries removed restrictions imposed on Russian agricultural exports after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The deal, which would be the first significant step toward a cease-fire in three years of fighting, falls short of a complete pause in combat, which Trump administration officials have been pushing. And it remains unclear how and when such a limited truce would be carried out or how firm was either side’s commitment. Last week, Russia and Ukraine agreed in principle to stop attacking energy facilities, only to quickly accuse each other of continuing such strikes. The White House pledged in a statement that it would “help restore Russia’s access to the world market for agricultural and fertilizer exports,” among other particulars. Mr. Zelensky complained that the provision was “a weakening of positions and a weakening of sanctions.” And lifting restrictions on Russia’s agricultural exports would need the approval of the European Union, which at the moment is unlikely.

Reported similarly:
Bloomberg [3/25/2025 1:46 PM, Staff, 3973K]

Newsweek [3/25/2025 12:45 PM, Shane Croucher and Maya Mehrara, 52220K] reports that Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said he thinks Russia has wielded influence over people in U.S. President Donald Trump’s White House, as the U.S. attempts to broker a peace in the war. "I believe Russia has managed to influence some people on the White House team through information," Zelensky told Time in an interview published on Tuesday morning. "Their signal to the Americans was that the Ukrainians do not want to end the war, and something should be done to force them." Zelensky has previously accused Trump of being trapped in a Russian disinformation bubble, remarks that angered the American president and his allies. U.S delegates have been holding separate ceasefire with Ukraine and Russian talks in Saudia Arabia to begin the end of the long and grueling conflict as part of President Trump’s election pledge to end the fighting. European and Canadian leaders have said they are prepared to form a "coalition of the willing" to defend a peace agreement in Ukraine. Few dispute the U.S. will be key to any such deal, but Zelensky has questioned America’s process. Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to a limited ceasefire on attacks against energy infrastructure targets, the Kremlin has said, but he declined to sign on to the conditions of a broader ceasefire that Ukraine had agreed to.

NBC News [3/25/2025 1:00 PM, Raf Sanchez and Carlo Angerer, 44742K] reports that the crew of the Norwegian minehunter gave the black speedboat skimming the waves toward it one last chance to turn back before opening fire with machine guns mounted on the deck. From the bridge of the KNM Hinnøy, officers sounded an air horn and shouted warnings over a loudspeaker. But when the boat kept coming, they started shooting. This was just an exercise, intended to keep the crew of the Hinnøy sharp as they focused on their real mission: confronting a quiet and stealthy form of Russian aggression. Even as Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin negotiate the fate of the war in Ukraine — and express hope for better relations between Washington and Moscow — America’s NATO allies say there has been no letup in Russian sabotage operations across Europe. One of the Kremlin’s newest threats, according to NATO, is targeting undersea cables carrying vast quantities of data and power beneath the Baltic Sea to countries in northern Europe. Defending the cables — some of which are no thicker than garden hoses — is the task of a NATO naval patrol known as Baltic Sentry which started in January. NBC News joined the flotilla last week as they sailed the icy sea off the coast of Poland, playing cat-and-mouse with suspected Russian saboteurs. It’s a game where the rules are murky and the geopolitical stakes are high.

Reuters [3/25/2025 1:09 PM, Humeyra Pamuk and Maya Gebeily, 41523K] reports that the United States has handed Syria a list of conditions that it wants Damascus to fulfill in exchange for partial sanctions relief, six people familiar with the matter told Reuters, including ensuring foreigners are not in senior governing roles. U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Levant and Syria Natasha Franceschi gave the list of demands to Syrian foreign minister Asaad al-Shibani at an in-person meeting on the sidelines of a Syria donor conference in Brussels on March 18, according to two of the people - a U.S. official and a Syrian source familiar with the matter. Reuters was first to report both the list and the in-person meeting, the first high-level direct contact between Damascus and Washington since U.S. President Donald Trump took office on Jan. 20, has been previously reported. Reuters spoke to six sources for this story, including two U.S. officials, a Syrian source, a regional diplomat and two sources in Washington familiar with the matter. They all requested anonymity to discuss the high-level diplomacy. Among the conditions placed by the United States are Syria’s destruction of any remaining chemical weapons stores and cooperation on counter-terrorism, the two U.S. officials, the Syrian source and both sources in Washington said. Another demand was making sure foreign fighters are not installed in senior roles in Syria’s governing structure, the U.S. officials and one of the sources in Washington said.

New York Times [3/25/2025 6:14 AM, Natan Odenheimer and Isabel Kershner, 145325K] reports that, more than 15 months have passed since Ilana Gritzewsky was released from Hamas captivity in Gaza. She still does not feel free. Her partner remains a hostage. He was captured along with Ms. Gritzewsky from their home in an Israeli border village on Oct. 7, 2023, during the Hamas-led attack that ignited the war in Gaza and is among the hostages that Hamas continues to hold, more than 500 days later. Traumatized from her own violent abduction, Ms. Gritzewsky, 31, has devoted herself to campaigning on behalf of the hostages still in the enclave, including her partner, Matan Zangauker, now 25, and two men she said she last saw in a Hamas tunnel while in captivity. They were all kidnapped from the same Israeli kibbutz, Nir Oz, near the border with Gaza — among the roughly 250 hostages taken that day. Now, about 24 living hostages are still in Gaza, according to the Israeli government, along with the remains of at least 35 others who were taken on that October day. Ms. Gritzewsky said that her captors beat her, then molested her, as they drove her to Gaza. Taken alone, she said she passed out along the way and awoke in the enclave surrounded by gunmen, half-naked, terrified and vulnerable. The hostages’ fate has become ever more precarious, as Israel has returned to fighting in Gaza in a risky bid to pressure Hamas into releasing more captives, amid an impasse in cease-fire talks. Trepidation over their fate has left Ms. Gritzewsky little time for self-healing. “I’m not really available for my own rehabilitation, not for the body and not least for the soul,” she said. “I live with the question of why me and not them. I have no answer,” she said, adding, “But if I am out, it’s a sign that God wanted me to raise my voice to help those who are alive gain their freedom and bring back the dead for a proper burial.” Ms. Gritzewsky’s battle is at the heart of a fraught debate within Israeli society about the country’s priorities. She is backed by a broad section of society that wants to prioritize the hostages’ release at any cost, even if it means allowing Hamas to remain in power in Gaza for now. But others — including powerful ministers in the right-wing government — want to defeat Hamas, even if it delays or prevents a deal to free the remaining hostages.

Miami Herald [3/25/2025 2:30 PM, Mike Heuer, 3973K] reports that the U.S. Treasury and State departments sanctioned three Iranian intelligence officers accused of being involved in the abduction, detention and likely death of former FBI special agent Robert A. Levinson. The three sanctioned Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security officers are Reza Amiri Moghadam, Gholamhossein Mohammadnia and Taqi Daneshvar, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced Tuesday in a news release. The three "all played a role in Mr. Levinson’s abduction, probable death and Iran’s efforts to cover up or obfuscate their responsibility," according to the Treasury Department. "Iran’s treatment of Mr. Levinson remains a blight on Iran’s already grim record of human rights abuse," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said. "The Department of the Treasury will continue to work with U.S. government partners to identify those responsible and shine a light on their abhorrent behavior," Bessent said. Levinson was a retired FBI agent who traveled to Kish Island, Iran, as a private investigator on March 8, 2007, and disappeared a day later, according to the FBI. He has been seen in videos and photographs released by his captors years after his disappearance but now is thought to be dead.

Reported similarly:
US News & World Report [3/25/2025 11:29 AM, Ryan Patrick Jones, 24727K]

Newsweek [3/25/2025 6:20 AM, Ryan Chan, 52220K] reports the United States is arming major Pacific allies and partners—Australia, Japan, and Taiwan—with anti-ships missiles as China’s navy expands its reach and presence. Beijing has warned that the region should not become "an arena for geopolitical games," a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., told Newsweek in an email. The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a written request for comment. A recent U.S. Defense Department assessment said China has the world’s largest navy by hull count—more than 370 vessels, including two aircraft carriers, in service—and is attempting to challenge American naval dominance within and beyond the Indo-Pacific region. The Chinese military has dispatched its naval fleet to stage shows of force in the region, including in daily operations around the self-governed island of Taiwan, by deploying an aircraft carrier near Japan’s outlying islands, as well as in an unusual month-long circumnavigation of Australia. Japan and Taiwan are part of the first island chain under a U.S. defense concept first developed in the Cold War. The strategy seeks to constrain China’s military activities in the Western Pacific Ocean—and U.S. assistance to Australia in the form of nuclear-powered submarines and long-range missiles is just one way it is playing out. Last month, Australia successfully test-launched the 575-mile-range AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) with its fighter jets. Washington approved the sale of up to 200 stealth missiles to Canberra in 2020 for an estimated cost of $990 million. Alex Luck, an Australia-based naval analyst, told Newsweek that the LRASM "drastically grows and improves" the Australian air force’s reach against naval vessels with its increased range and survivability against defensive and countermeasures by the target. Australia also allocated $4.4 billion toward the acquisition of the Standard Missile-2 Block IIIC and Standard Missile-6 from the U.S., with the latter having a range of 290 miles and capable of attacking warships and supporting air defense. The U.S. agreed to sell up to 220 Tomahawk cruise missiles to Australia in 2023, a $895 million deal that included 200 missiles in the Block V variant. The Tomahawk is capable of striking targets "precisely" from 1,000 miles away, according to developer Raytheon. The U.S. Navy is using the Tomahawk missile in combat operations in the Middle East, and future Block V capabilities will include a ship-sinking variant known as the Maritime Strike Tomahawk (MST)—designated Block Va—to hit moving targets at sea. Japan is another Tomahawk customer. It is set to acquire some 400 Tomahawk missiles as part of a $2.35 billion deal announced in 2023, with half of them being the Block V model. Additionally, Japan put in two requests—in 2022 and another in January—for a total of 182 SM-6 missiles worth $1.350 billion.

New York Times [3/25/2025 8:12 PM, Ana Swanson, 145325K] reports the Trump administration on Tuesday added 80 companies and organizations to a list of companies that are barred from buying American technology and other exports because of national security concerns. The move, which targeted primarily Chinese firms, cracks down on companies that have been big buyers of American chips from Nvidia, Intel and AMD. It also closed loopholes that Trump administration officials have long criticized as allowing Chinese firms to continue to advance technologically despite U.S. restrictions. One company added to the list, Nettrix Information Industry, was the focus of a 2024 investigation by New York Times that showed how some Chinese executives had bypassed U.S. restrictions aimed at cutting China off from advanced chips to make artificial intelligence. Nettrix, one of China’s largest makers of computer servers that are used to produce artificial intelligence, was started by a group of former executives from Sugon, a firm that provided advanced computing to the Chinese military and built a system the government used to surveil persecuted minorities in the western Xinjiang region. In 2019, the United States added Sugon to its “entity list,” restricting exports over national security concerns. The Times investigation found that, six months later, the executives formed Nettrix, using Sugon’s technology and inheriting some of its customers. Times reporters also found that Nettrix’s owners shared a complex in eastern China with Sugon and other related companies. After Sugon was singled out and restricted by the United States, its longtime partners — Nvidia, Intel and Microsoft — quickly formed ties with Nettrix, the investigation found. Records obtained through WireScreen, a business intelligence platform, showed that Sugon and Nettrix have links to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, a vast research institution that develops chip technology, parts of which the United States has placed under sanctions for national security concerns. Procurement documents indicated that Nettrix had sold servers to universities that host defense laboratories and cybersecurity firms that work with the military and on China’s Great Firewall, among other customers.

Reported similarly:
CNBC [3/26/2025 2:56 AM, Staff, 35355K]

Newsweek [3/25/2025 1:23 PM, Ryan Chan, 52220K] reports that the United States is expected to send its first newer fighter jets, the F-15EX Eagle II, to a key air base in Japan between March and June 2026 to counter China’s threats. The F-15EX jets will be stationed at Kadena Air Base, a major U.S. air power hub located on the Japanese island of Okinawa, which is part of a north-south blockade known as the first island chain under a U.S. defense concept seeking to contain the Chinese military. Newsweek has reached out to the U.S. Air Force for further comment by email. The Chinese Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to a written request for comment. Kadena is the closest U.S. air base to Taiwan, the self-governed island that Beijing has claimed as its territory and has reserved the right to use force against it. The updated timeline of the deployment comes after President Donald Trump questioned Washington’s security commitment to Tokyo, one of its treaty allies in Northeast Asia, earlier this month, saying, "We have to protect them but they don’t have to protect us." Brigadier General Nicholas Evans, commander of the U.S. Air Force 18th Wing, which is the host aviation unit for Kadena Air Base, discussed the progress of the F-15EX’s planned deployment during a news conference on Friday at the base, Stars and Stripes reported. The deployment of the F-15EX is part of the Pentagon’s plan to upgrade its air power in Japan, which was announced last summer. The U.S. Air Force will withdraw Kadena Air Base’s 48 F-15C/D Eagle fighter jets, replacing them with a fleet of 36 F-15EX aircraft.

CBS Austin [3/25/2025 1:43 PM, Jessica A. Botelho, 602K] reports that three Democratic U.S. senators want President Donald Trump to keep TikTok online in America -- at least for now. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) on Monday sent Trump a three-page letter in hopes of convincing him and his administration to come up with "potential resolutions" to a potential TikTok ban. The senators said "there is a better solution" to banning the app in the U.S. and suggested Trump direct Senate Republicans to pass the "Extend the TikTok Deadline Act." They said Republicans previously blocked the legislation -- and described the move as a huge mistake. Without any further action from Congress, the 170 million Americans that rely on TikTok will continue to face uncertainty about TikTok’s future," Van Hollen, Markey, and Booker wrote in the letter. "Creators will continue to fear that the platform could disappear at any moment. We urge you to stand up for TikTok’s users and use your immense influence over congressional Republicans to demand a long-term solution to the TikTok ban." Democratic senators urge Trump to ‘work with Congress’ to prevent TikTok ban. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Newsweek [3/25/2025 1:55 PM, Micah McCartney, 52220K] reports that North Korea has condemned the joint exercises held last week by the U.S., Japanese, and South Korean navies, the first trilateral drills of the second Trump administration. State media warned that any further provocations would be met with an "overwhelming" response from Pyongyang. South Korea and Japan are both treaty allies of the United States and fall under its extended deterrence policy, which includes the so-called "nuclear umbrella." The U.S. also maintains tens of thousands of troops in each country—military deployments that North Korea routinely denounces as provocative. Since late 2023, the three nations have deepened their security cooperation in response to continued threats from North Korea’s nuclear-armed Kim Jong Un regime and China’s moves to assert regional dominance and threaten Beijing-claimed, self-ruled Taiwan. Newsweek reached out to the North Korean embassy in Beijing, China, by email with a request for comment. The tripartite drills, held from March 17 to 20 near South Korea’s Jeju Island, focused on the Carl Vinson aircraft-carrier strike group. They aimed to enhance allied coordination, the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement released Thursday. North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Tuesday published a commentary condemning the exercises.

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