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 [3/6/2025 8:05 PM, Dánica Coto, 48304K] reports U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem pledged Thursday to help Puerto Rico in her first visit to the U.S. territory as it struggles to rebuild from catastrophic hurricanes amid chronic power outages. Noem spoke briefly with reporters during her one-day trip to the island, saying she would look into how the federal government can cut some of the permitting and requirements of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency “to make sure that people are going to get the help that they need and that they were promised. FEMA has been funding much of the reconstruction after Hurricane Maria slammed into the island as a Category 4 storm in September 2017, but Puerto Rico Gov. Jenniffer González recently criticized the agency, saying it has not yet released $18 billion slated for the power grid that was razed. Noem said that she and González talked “extensively” about energy and how the federal government could help streamline efforts to update energy sources on the island. She did not provide further details and did not take questions from the press. Noem traveled to Puerto Rico for a ceremony honoring Michel O. Maceda, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent who was killed in November 2022 during a shootout at sea with suspected drug traffickers. Three other agents were wounded. Her visit comes weeks after federal agents in Puerto Rico began arresting people believed to be undocumented immigrants, a move that has been widely criticized on the island. Noem said González is willing to build partnerships with the federal government “not only for the betterment of her people, but also for the United States of America. The mission of the Department of Homeland Security is to protect the American homeland, but to do it with integrity and honor as well.”

Reuters [3/6/2025 9:25 PM, Ted Hesson and Kristina Cooke] reports U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he would soon decide whether to revoke temporary legal status for some 240,000 Ukrainians who fled the conflict with Russia, following a Reuters report that his administration planned to take that step. Such a move would be a stunning reversal of the welcome Ukrainians received under President Joe Biden’s administration and potentially put them on a fast-track to deportation. "We’re not looking to hurt anybody, we’re certainly not looking to hurt them, and I’m looking at that," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked about revoking the Ukrainians’ status and deporting them. "There were some people that think that’s appropriate, and some people don’t, and I’ll be making the decision pretty soon." The planned rollback of protections for Ukrainians would be part of a broader Trump administration effort to strip legal status from more than 1.8 million migrants allowed to enter the U.S. under temporary humanitarian parole programs launched under the Biden administration, a senior Trump official and three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. A move to revoke the Ukrainians’ status could come as soon as April, all four said. They said the plans to revoke their status got underway before Trump publicly feudedwith Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy last week. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt pushed back on the Reuters report in a post on X, saying "no decision has been made at this time." U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said on Wednesday that the department had no new announcements. Ukrainian government agencies did not respond to requests for comment. NBC News [3/6/2025 6:40 PM, Daniella Silva, 44742K] reports that even before his comments, a sense of abandonment and dread had swept through the community given the administration’s targeting of legal programs for immigrants, as well as the growing hostility and withdrawal of support for Ukraine, they said. "It’s been like a nightmare. We are scared and we feel uncertain of everything around us," said Daria, 41, a Ukrainian immigrant and mother of four living in Florida who came to the U.S. after the war started in February 2022.

Reported similarly:
Newsweek [3/6/2025 12:55 PM, Billal Rahman, 52220K]

Reuters [3/6/2025 8:24 PM, Andrew Goudsward and Sarah N. Lynch, 41523K] reports the U.S. Justice Department will focus on hiring prosecutors in offices near U.S. borders to enforce President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration, despite a federal hiring freeze, according to the new U.S. deputy attorney general. The directive is designed to boost staffing for cases involving illegal entry into the United States, drug and human trafficking and activity by drug cartels, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche wrote in a memo to department staff on Thursday and seen by Reuters. "Border Districts have a unique role to play in these efforts," Blanche wrote in the memo. The exemption from the hiring freeze will apply to U.S. attorney’s offices in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and southern California along the U.S.-Mexico border. It will also apply to districts in Florida as well as in New York and Vermont near the Canadian border, where Blanche said illegal immigration had increased in recent years. The move is the latest indication that the Justice Department under Trump plans to prioritize immigration-related crimes. Department officials have already directed prosecutors to scale back enforcement in areas such as foreign bribery and covert influence to focus on immigration issues. Justice Department leadership has told prosecutors to bring the most serious charges available in cases related to immigration. Blanche, a former top criminal defense lawyer for Trump, was confirmed by the Senate on Wednesday and sworn in as the department’s second-highest ranking official on Thursday. He urged lawyers at the Justice Department’s Washington headquarters to voluntarily accept transfers to border districts and suggested some prosecutors would be required to go if there were not enough volunteers. Federal prosecutors in those areas will seek to bring terrorism-related cases against certain cartels that Trump designated as foreign terrorist groups, Blanche wrote in the memo.

CBS Austin [3/6/2025 12:18 PM, Alexx Altman-Devilbiss, 602K] reports that President Donald Trump spoke with President Claudia Sheinbaum Thursday and agreed that Mexico will not have to pay tariffs on anything that falls under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Trump added the agreement will last until April 2 stating he did it "as an accommodation, and out of respect for, President Sheinbaum." "Our relationship has been a very good one, and we are working hard, together, on the Border, both in terms of stopping Illegal Aliens from entering the United States and, likewise, stopping Fentanyl," he wrote on Truth Social. "Thank you to President Sheinbaum for your hard work and cooperation!" The 25% tariff on imports went into effect for Mexico and Canada on Tuesday in response to the countries not doing enough to curb the flow of drugs and illegal immigration across the borders. In response, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his country would impose 25% tariffs on more than $100 billion of American goods over 21 days. During a news conference to announce the retaliatory action, Trudeau stared into the camera as he addressed Trump and agreed with the Wall Street Journal for pointing out "that even though you’re a very smart guy, this is a very dumb thing to do.” On Wednesday, the president granted a one-month exemption on his import tariffs for U.S. automakers. The New York Times [3/6/2025 12:09 PM, Natalie Kitroeff and Annie Correal, 145325K] reports that the decision represented a huge victory for Mexico’s leader and a much-needed boost for the country’s sluggish economy. Ms. Sheinbaum herself acknowledged that there were several forces that may have driven Mr. Trump to retract the measures, citing the business leaders who urged the White House to change course, the negative reaction in U.S. markets and her own country’s progress on fentanyl and migration. But the suspension also reflected the success of Ms. Sheinbaum’s soft-touch strategy in withstanding Mr. Trump’s theatrical attacks and somehow, against significant odds, earning his public admiration. “I did this as an accommodation, and out of respect for, President Sheinbaum,” Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social on Thursday. “Our relationship has been a very good one.” He added: “Thank you to President Sheinbaum for your hard work and collaboration!” UPI [3/6/2025 2:32 PM, Doug Cunningham, 3973K] reports Sheinbaum said during a press conference Thursday, "In February alone, the reduction in fentanyl seizures on the United States side of the border with Mexico was 41.5%. [Trump] didn’t know about this graph until I sent it to him.” Mexican goods covered under the pact Trump signed in his first term won’t have to pay the 25% tariffs the U.S. president wanted to enact. Left unsaid was whether the tariff exemption would also be granted to Canada, also a party to that trade agreement. The Washington Examiner [3/6/2025 12:02 PM, Mabinty Quarshie and Christian Datoc, 2296K] reports "Believe it or not, despite the terrible job he’s done for Canada, I think that Justin Trudeau is using the Tariff problem, which he has largely caused, in order to run again for Prime Minister. So much fun to watch!" Trump wrote in a separate post. Trudeau announced 25% retaliatory tariffs on the U.S. after Trump refused to back down on the tariff threats, which prompted Trump to rage against the Canadian leader on social media again. Trump and Trudeau reportedly had a profanity-laced conversation this week as the two leaders discussed fentanyl, dairy, and ending the tariff standoff. Trudeau called the conversation "colorful" afterward and claimed that the trade war is likely to continue "for the foreseeable future."

Reported similarly:
New York Times [3/6/2025 12:20 PM, Ana Swanson and Alan Rappeport, 145325K]

CBS News [3/6/2025 10:35 PM, Camilo Montoya-Galvez, 51661K] reports that the Trump administration is reviving the controversial practice of detaining migrant families with children in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody, the latest front in its effort to carry out a deportation effort the president has promised will be the largest in U.S. history. ICE on Thursday was detaining the first group of migrant parents and children in a detention facility in Texas designed to hold families with minors, according to an internal government report obtained by CBS News. The group includes three children, the report shows. Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said the migrants have deportation orders and confirmed the Trump administration is refitting two Texas immigration detention centers to hold families who are in the U.S. illegally. "We aren’t going to ignore the rule of law," McLaughlin told CBS News. The Karnes detention facility is located in Karnes City, Texas, a small town east of San Antonio. The other ICE detention center equipped to house families with minor children is located in Dilley, Texas, another small town south of San Antonio. The Biden administration used those sites to detain migrant adults. The move by the Trump administration reverses a policy change by the Biden administration, which discontinued the long-term detention of migrant families. It’s a practice that was first implemented on a large-scale by the Obama administration, in an attempt to discourage families from crossing the southern border illegally. Advocates and child welfare experts have long denounced family detention, saying it is harmful to children and their psychological well-being. A 2016 report commissioned by the Department of Homeland Security called for family immigration detention to be phased out.

Reported similarly:
NBC News [3/6/2025 12:10 PM, Julia Ainsley, 44742K]

New York Times [3/6/2025 6:26 PM, Charlie Savage and Edward Wong, 145325K] reports the Trump administration is finalizing a new ban on travel to the United States for citizens of certain countries that would be broader than the versions President Trump issued in his first term, according to two officials familiar with the matter. A draft recommendation circulating inside the executive branch proposes a “red” list of countries whose citizens Mr. Trump could bar from entering the United States, said the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive internal deliberations. One of the officials said the proposed red list currently consists mainly of countries whose nationals were restricted under versions of Mr. Trump’s previous travel ban. Last time, those countries included Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen. The draft tentatively proposes adding Afghanistan to the group whose citizens would be categorically barred from entering the United States, according to one of the officials. Shawn VanDiver, the head of a nonprofit group that helps resettle Afghans who worked with U.S. forces during the war, said he learned from officials that Afghan citizens would be subject to a complete travel ban. On Wednesday morning, the group put out an emergency statement titled “Afghan Travel Ban coming” that urged Afghans with valid visas who are currently outside the United States to come back immediately. Later on Wednesday, Reuters also reported that Afghanistan would be recommended for a complete travel ban. The recommendations also have an “orange” group of countries whose access would be curtailed but not completely barred. For example, only certain types of visas might be issued — like for relatively affluent people traveling for business, but not immigrants or tourists — and the length of visas could be shortened. Applicants would be required to have in-person interviews. Countries in a third or “yellow” category would be given 60 days to change some perceived deficiencies or they would be added to one of the two other lists, the officials said. Those issues could include failing to share with the United States information about incoming travelers, purportedly inadequate security practices for issuing passports, or the selling of citizenship to people from banned countries, as a loophole around the restrictions.

AP [3/7/2025 12:18 AM, Colleen Slevin, 48304K] reports that a federal judge is set to hear arguments Friday over whether he should block immigration agents from conducting arrests at schools under a Trump administration policy that has yet to be acted upon. Denver Public Schools is asking U.S. District Judge Daniel Domenico to block immigration enforcement in schools across the country while its lawsuit challenging the new policy plays out in court. The suit says the possibility of routine immigration arrests in its schools has led to a drop in attendance. It also says the district has had to divert resources to respond to fear among students and families over the lifting of longtime rules restricting immigration enforcement near schools, churches and other sensitive locations. "This includes providing mental health support to students, diverting administrator attention from academics to immigration issues, and assisting students who miss school to catch up," lawyers for the school district said in their request to block the new policy. Under the previous "sensitive locations" guidance, officers were generally required to get approval for any enforcement operations at those locations, although exceptions were allowed for matters like national security. The policy change announced in January by the acting leader of the Department of Homeland Security, which includes Immigration and Customs Enforcement, emphasized that field agents should use "common sense" and "discretion" to conduct immigration enforcement operations without a supervisor’s approval. The head of ICE later issued a directive that immigration arrests at sensitive places like schools had to be approved by supervisors, lawyers for Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a court filing. Such arrests have been rare. According to data from ICE cited by lawyers for Denver schools, there were only two immigration arrests made in schools between 2018 and 2020 along with 18 arrests near schools. There have not been any arrests at schools under the new policy as of last week, according to a filing submitted by the Council of the Great City Schools in support of Denver’s lawsuit last week. The federal government says Denver schools haven’t proved they’ve been directly harmed by the policy change and do not have legal standing to pursue a lawsuit.

AP [3/6/2025 6:48 PM, Didi Tang, 34586K] reports that in a rare bipartisan move, two senators have introduced legislation in the latest attempt to fight the flow of fentanyl and its precursors into the United States from China, Mexico and through other borders — one reason that President Donald Trump has given for his new tariffs. In imposing taxes, or tariffs, on imports from Mexico, Canada and China, Trump says those countries have failed to stem the trafficking of fentanyl into the U.S., among other issues. The governments in those nations all say they have cooperated on the matter. The bill does not link tariffs to fentanyl smuggling but seeks expanded authority to sanction state-owned or state-controlled Chinese entities, including banks, involved in financing foreign opioid trafficking. The measure also would have the U.S. government track more chemicals that can be used to make fentanyl. The legislation was introduced Thursday by Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, who is chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the committee’s top Democrat. Risch called China "the single greatest source of fentanyl and synthetic opioid precursors to Mexican cartels" and he accused the Chinese government of supporting the activity. "These opioids then come across our southern border and kill over 100,000 Americans every year. This needs to end and the perpetrators need to be held accountable," Risch said. Shaheen said the U.S. should "use every tool at our disposal to cut off the flow of fentanyl."

New York Times [3/6/2025 6:29 PM, Zach Montague, 145325K] reports that a federal judge on Thursday extended an order that prevented the Trump administration from freezing billions in congressionally approved funds to 22 states and the District of Columbia. The judge found that the administration had overstepped in trying to stop the agencies from using money appropriated by Congress. The ruling, which builds on the judge’s temporary order instructing the government to keep disbursing the funds, sets up a broader clash between Democratic states over the Trump administration’s efforts to align spending with the president’s agenda. In an opinion handed down on Thursday morning, Judge John J. McConnell Jr. of the Federal District Court for the District of Rhode Island, said the case amounted to executive overreach. “Here, the executive put itself above Congress,” he wrote. “It imposed a categorical mandate on the spending of congressionally appropriated and obligated funds without regard to Congress’s authority to control spending.” A memo from the White House budget office had demanded a pause on billions in grants until the administration could determine that the funding complied with Mr. Trump’s priorities, setting off days of confusion and alarm. A coalition of the states’ attorneys general quickly sued. In their challenge, they pointed to specific examples of how critical funding from agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency or the Environmental Protection Agency could leave states stranded in an emergency, unable to provide such vital services as clean water.

ABC News [3/6/2025 6:49 PM, Lucien Bruggeman and Laura Romero, 34586K] reports earlier this month, Kerry Doyle sat in a Boston-area courtroom to observe a routine deportation hearing -- one of thousands of similar proceedings that take place in immigration courts across the country each day. It was the final step before Doyle, 59, would herself join the ranks of America’s roughly 700 immigration judges. She was badly needed -- the immigration court system has a backlog of some 3.7 million cases, with more piling up each day. As the hearing got underway, Doyle glanced down at her email and spotted a message in her inbox with an attachment called "Termination." Days before she was to be sworn in at one of the busiest immigration courts in the country, Doyle was fired as part of the Trump’s administration’s first wave of mass layoffs to reduce the size of government. "The reality is that you’ve got a really broken system, and firing judges is not the way to fix it," Doyle, a longtime immigration attorney who previously led the Department of Homeland Security’s legal office, told ABC News in an interview. Doyle is one of more than 100 immigration officials who have either been dismissed or voluntarily departed since President Donald Trump’s inauguration, according to Matt Biggs, the president of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, a union that represents immigration judges. The latest dismissals and voluntary exits bring the total sum of departures to 43 immigration judges and 85 administrative staff -- legal assistants, clerks and translators -- employed by the Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR), the agency that oversees immigration courts. Biggs said that more than half of those are leaving as part of the administration’s deferred resignation program, which offered full pay and benefits until September for any federal employee who agreed to resign by Feb. 6. Several of those who were dismissed outright, like Doyle, were part of a new class of judges hired during the Biden administration to help mitigate the overwhelming backlog of cases. Critics are warning that the mass exodus of judges could undermine one of Trump’s core campaign pledges -- to clean up the legal immigration process and deport millions of immigrants who gained access to the country unlawfully.

FOX News [3/6/2025 1:38 PM, Andrew Mark Miller, 46189K] reports the Small Business Administration announced a series of reforms on Thursday aimed at ensuring illegal immigrants don’t receive taxpayer benefits and removing offices from sanctuary cities. The SBA, led by administrator Kelly Loeffler, said in a press release that it will "put American citizens first by ending taxpayer benefits for illegal aliens.” The agency says that in the coming days it will implement a new policy that requires SBA loan applicants to include citizenship verification provision that will ensure only legal citizens are accessing its programs. The press release explains that lenders will also need to confirm that businesses are not owned in "whole or in part by an illegal alien" in order to be consistent with President Trump’s executive order that prohibits "taxpayer subsidization of open borders.” Six regional offices located in sanctuary cities will also be relocated, according to the press release. Those offices include locations in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, New York City, and Seattle. The agency says that the new locations will be less costly, more accessible, and in areas that "better serve the small business community and that comply with federal immigration law.” "Over the last four years, the record invasion of illegal aliens has jeopardized both the lives of American citizens and the livelihoods of American small business owners, who have each become victims of Joe Biden’s migrant crime spree," Loeffler said.

Washington Examiner [3/6/2025 12:58 PM, Jenny Goldsberry, 2296K] reports that Border czar Tom Homan claimed he is "loving" the criticisms from the Democratic mayors of sanctuary cities. Homan was mentioned during Wednesday’s House Oversight Committee hearing as lawmakers questioned mayors, including New York City’s Eric Adams, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston. Wu, in particular, said, "Shame on" Homan for allegedly lying about the safety of her city when he commemorates the arrests of criminal illegal migrants. "President Trump’s saving lives, and they can’t stand it because it’s a political difference, it’s not a realistic difference. It’s about saving lives," Homan said on Fox News’s The Ingraham Angle. "Why is law enforcement all the sudden, Tom Homan, we are the bad guys when we enforce law. But the ones who break the law, the ones who rape children, they’re the victims? Give me a break. I will wear this as a badge of honor. If I get to live in their heads rent-free every day, that’s kind of cool. I’m loving it. And I’m coming." Boston Immigrations Customs Enforcement has arrested two illegal immigrants from Haiti and Guatemala for charges that included child rape, child pornography possession, and indecent assault on someone 14 years or older. Both remain in ICE custody after the Massachusetts law enforcement opted to release them after charging them with the crimes. Homan explained that if these jurisdictions simply kept criminals under detention, it would be a simpler process for ICE officers to arrest only the criminal illegal immigrants. Instead, as these criminals are within the public, officers are often arresting the non-criminal immigrants with them over their legal status.

Reuters [3/6/2025 2:06 PM, Daniel Wiessner, 41523K] reports U.S. government employees who have been fired in the Trump administration’s purge of recently hired workers are responding with class action-style complaints claiming that the mass firings are illegal and tens of thousands of people should get their jobs back. Lawyers at two firms said on Thursday that they had filed six appeals with the federal Merit Systems Protection Board since last week and, along with other law firms, plan to bring about 15 more on an agency-by-agency basis on behalf of large groups of workers who were fired in recent weeks. Federal workers must go through the merit board to challenge their terminations. But the panel’s work could be brought to a standstill if President Donald Trump succeeds in removing the board’s only Democratic member, Cathy Harris, who is locked in a legal battle with the administration to keep her job. Harris on Tuesday ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture to temporarily reinstate nearly 6,000 probationary employees, while the board considers a challenge to their firing. Probationary workers typically have less than a year of service in their current roles, though some are longtime federal workers. Appeals have been filed against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Department of Agriculture, Department of Veterans Affairs, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Interior and the Federal Deposit Insurance Company, the lawyers said. Reuters reviewed a redacted complaint filed against the Interior Department.

New York Post [3/6/2025 8:21 PM, Emily Crane, Matt Troutman, Craig McCarthy] reports Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called for an “emergency suspension” of sanctuary city protections as she toured the Brooklyn subway station where an illegal immigrant fatally torched a woman. Noem ripped the Big Apple’s sanctuary laws that prevent crime-breaking migrants from being automatically handed over to ICE as she visited Coney Island’s Stillwell Avenue subway station, where Guatemalan national Sebastian Zapeta-Calil allegedly carried out the infamous arson attack. “ICE lodged an immigration detainer with the NYC Department of Corrections to take this depraved alien into custody,” Noem raged on X. “Because of current sanctuary city policy, the corrections department has indicated it will NOT honor the detainer.” “This is disgusting. New York politicians are allowing the murder of their own citizens,” she continued. “Governor Hochul should impose an emergency suspension of sanctuary protection by executive order NOW.” Zapeta-Calil is being held without bail at Rikers Island. Under the city’s current sanctuary status, law enforcement is prevented from cooperating with federal immigration authorities to hold migrants in custody until they can be picked up for deportation proceedings. Mayor Eric Adams, for his part, has pushed to loosen sanctuary city laws to allow migrants charged with crimes to be deported before they even stand trial. Last month, Hizzoner promised to reopen the ICE office at Rikers, which closed in 2015, as he looks to cooperate more with the feds on the migrant crisis that’s cost the city $7 billion. Zapeta-Cali, 33, was first booted from the US in June 2018 before illegally re-entering and making his way to New York City. The feds issued an order to detain Zapeta-Calil after his December arrest in the arson attack, but it was turned down under sanctuary city policies. Sanctuary city jurisdictions vow not to cooperate with federal immigration authorities to hold migrants in custody until they can be picked up for deportation proceedings. In the meantime, Zapeta-Calil’s murder case will wind through the Empire State’s court system. He’s currently in city custody on murder and arson charges over the gruesome attack on 57-year-old Debrina Kawam while she was sleeping on the train in December. The unprovoked attack left the victim’s body so scorched that it was difficult for cops to immediately identify her. “Mayor Adams has been clear that, all too often, New Yorkers are the victims of the same repeat offenders and that must end,” Hizzoner’s press secretary Kayla Mamelak said Thursday night. “Depraved individuals — like the man who set a sleeping woman on fire on one of our subways — should have never been in our city. We share the DHS secretary’s frustration, but current city law does not allow us to turn this individual over without a judicial warrant or conviction,” she added. “This individual was already deported once without any sort of accountability so we must do everything in our power to ensure that he is now convicted, serves a long jail sentence, and is kicked out of the country, once and for all, so he can never harm someone in our city again.”

FOX News [3/6/2025 11:50 AM, Deirdre Heavey, 46189K] reports that a federal judge blocked New York City’s request for President Donald Trump’s administration to return $80 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds allocated for migrant shelters and services. Judge Jennifer Rearden, from the Manhattan bench on Wednesday, refused to issue New York City a temporary restraining order to claw back the funds because the city did not prove it would suffer irreparable harm without the money. "We’re disappointed the court did not grant the emergency relief we were seeking while the case continued, and we are evaluating next steps," a New York City Law Department spokesperson told Fox News. The City of New York filed the lawsuit on Feb. 21 against Trump, FEMA, the Treasury Department and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), arguing the $80 million was already approved and paid out by FEMA. "This morning, our office learned about the federal government clawing back more than $80 million in FEMA grants applied for and awarded under the last administration, but not disbursed until last week," Mayor Eric Adams, D-N.Y., said in an X post the day the lawsuit was filed. The lawsuit said the funds were revoked on Feb. 11, after Elon Musk said the Department of Government Efficiency found a $59 million FEMA payment to New York City for luxury hotels used to house illegal migrants. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said she rescinded the funds over concerns that the Roosevelt Hotel is the "Tren de Aragua base of operations."

Yahoo! News [3/6/2025 9:32 AM, John Clark, 52868K] reports that the state of Illinois is seeking to dismiss a federal lawsuit over its sanctuary policies for migrants. Last month, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit alleging that the state and the city of Chicago interfere with federal immigration enforcement, claiming state laws are "designed to and in fact interfere with and discriminate against the Federal Government’s enforcement of federal immigration law in violation of the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution." The suit named Gov. JB Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, and other Chicago and Cook County officials. Now, a motion filed by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul argues that the DOJ’s case is misguided, arguing that federal law does not preempt state laws that prohibit law enforcement from cooperating with immigration authorities. "Consistent with the Tenth Amendment, federal law preserves Illinois’s sovereign right to opt out of assisting federal immigration agents with their civil immigration enforcement responsibilities," the filing said. "That is what Illinois has done through its statutes, the TRUST Act and the Way Forward Act." State Rep. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) responded, saying "Eighty-one percent of the American public wants these illegals out of the country and yet here comes … [Illinois Attorney General] Kwame Raoul and [Gov.] J.B. Pritzker, who do the exact opposite of what the American people are demanding." Illinois prevents local authorities from cooperating with U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) by way of the TRUST Act, the Way Foreward Act, the Welcoming City Act, and a Cook County ordinance.

Dallas Morning News [3/6/2025 12:46 PM, Aaron Torres, 2778K] reports that aiming to support President Donald Trump’s promise of mass deportations, Republicans in the Texas Senate want to enlist local law officers as federal immigration agents. Senate Bill 8 by Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, would require large sheriff’s departments in Texas to sign cooperation agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the federal agency known as ICE that arrests and removes undocumented migrants. The agreements, known as 287(g) contracts, allow local law enforcement officers to inquire about an individual’s immigration status — authority typically reserved for federal agents. Entering into 287(g) agreements is currently voluntary, and 31 county sheriff’s departments in Texas are participants, including Tarrant and Rockwall counties in North Texas. The Nixon Police Department east of San Antonio and the Texas attorney general’s office also have agreements with ICE. Most of those agreements focus on citizenship investigations in county-run jails to identify and continue detaining those in the country without authorization. The Trump administration recently expanded the program to reach beyond jails by allowing specially trained patrol officers to question and arrest individuals suspected of violating immigration laws.

Yahoo! News [3/6/2025 6:51 PM, Staff, 52868K] reports New Mexico’s all Democratic congressional delegation on Thursday wrote a letter to President Donald Trump objecting to reported plans by the Department of Defense to use Fort Bliss and Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico for immigrant detention by Homeland Security. NPR obtained an internal memo that described how Fort Bliss would first detain up to 1,000 immigrants during an interim evaluation period, but eventually hold as many as 10,000 immigrants and serve as "central hub for deportation operations," and a model for other facilities around the country. "Using our military installations for these purposes threatens to divert DoD’s resources away from unit readiness and our national security enterprise," the letter said. "This is a direct contradiction to your Administration’s statement earlier this year that one of your top priorities is to ‘have a ready, able, and lethal military.’". In addition to the "numerous missions" Kirtland hosts, it also is the home of Sandia National Laboratories, "which is integral to the maintenance and modernization of our nuclear stockpile and develops technologies that support energy resilience for civilian and military applications," the letter said.

AZCentral [3/6/2025 3:49 PM, Stephanie Murray] reports Rep. Paul Gosar clashed over immigration with big city Democratic mayors in a congressional hearing, going as far as to quiz them on Arizona’s controversial Senate Bill 1070 law. The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing, titled "A Hearing with Sanctuary City Mayors," included Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston. Gosar, R-Ariz., accused the mayors of "disgracing a legal immigration system" and promoting a "false narrative" on illegal immigration. He asked them if they supported Arizona’s hardline SB 1070 immigration law that passed 15 years ago, most of which the Supreme Court struck down in 2012 because it violated the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Adams and the other mayors said they were unfamiliar with the Arizona law and assured Gosar that they comply with all state and federal laws.

VOA News [3/6/2025 7:12 AM, Staff, 2913K] reports that top diplomats from the United States and Canada held talks Wednesday that included discussion of trade, while U.S. President Donald Trump delayed a new 25% tariff on vehicle imports from Canada and Mexico for a month. The U.S. State Department said Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly collaborated on "shared global challenges, secure borders, reciprocal trade, and economic prosperity." White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Trump spoke with top officials at automakers Ford, General Motors and Stellantis before announcing the tariff delays. She said Trump urged the automakers to move their Mexican and Canadian production to the United States to avoid the tariffs altogether. Trump’s new levies on the two biggest U.S. trading partners remain in place for other products, although Leavitt said the president is open to hearing the case for other possible exemptions. Trump announced the vehicle tariff delay in a statement after speaking earlier in the day with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who, according to The Associated Press, is not willing to lift Canada’s retaliatory tariffs if Trump leaves any tariffs on Canada. Doug Ford, the Ontario provincial premier, said that if the U.S. tariff on Canadian vehicle exports to the U.S. remained in place, production at Canadian auto plants would start to shut down in about 10 days. "People are going to lose their jobs," he said.

FOX News [3/6/2025 1:12 PM, Kristen Altus, 10702K] reports that the premier of Alberta, Canada, Danielle Smith has been a stern supporter of President Donald Trump, but she fears that an apparent "tariff war" will cause "more pain" for the U.S. and her home country. "I think the American people are beginning to understand that a tariff war with Canada, the juice isn’t worth the squeeze. It actually causes more pain than benefit," Smith said on "Varney & Co." Thursday. "So let’s get back to having that tariff-free relationship as soon as possible." A 25% tariff on Canadian goods – and a separate 10% tariff on oil imports – took effect on Tuesday after a month-long pause. President Trump announced in January that he would impose tariffs on three countries and cited the flows of illegal fentanyl shipments across the Mexican and Canadian borders, as well as precursor chemicals for fentanyl shipped from China. Following FOX Business’ Edward Lawrence reporting that a White House official confirmed a tariff extension announcement is coming Thursday afternoon, Trump posted to Truth Social that, "After speaking with President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico, I have agreed that Mexico will not be required to pay Tariffs on anything that falls under the USMCA Agreement.” President Trump added: "This Agreement is until April 2nd." [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

FOX News [3/6/2025 12:31 PM, Liz Friden and Jennifer Griffin, 46189K] reports that the U.S. military is having trouble carrying out President Donald Trump’s order to hold 30,000 migrants in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, U.S. defense officials tell Fox News. None of the 195 tents set up at the U.S. Naval Station in Guantánamo Bay have been used to house migrants, because they do not meet ICE standards, two U.S. defense officials said. During his second week in office, Trump ordered the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security to prepare a migrant detention facility to house 30,000 migrants at Guantánamo Bay. "We have 30,000 beds in Guantánamo to detain the worst criminal aliens threatening the American people," Trump said. Since that announcement, 256 total illegal migrants have passed through the base, according to U.S. Southern Command. Many of these migrants were labeled as the "worst of the worst" and a threat to the U.S. population, according to the Trump administration. Most of those migrants have been sent back to their home countries. As of Wednesday, only 20 migrants were being held at the base. Sixteen "high threat illegal aliens" are being held at the detention facility part of the base, also known as Camp 6, and four migrants are being held at a back-up facility due to the inadequacy of the tents. DHS and ICE have not responded to inquiries regarding what criteria is used to evaluate if a migrant is high threat.

NBC News [3/6/2025 1:31 PM, Didi Martinez, Julia Ainsley, and Maura Murphy, 44742K] reports that the Trump administration’s policy allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement to make arrests in schools is bringing down attendance and driving up fear and anxiety among students and teachers, a group representing 78 large school districts across the country is arguing in court. The group, the Council of Great City Schools, filed an amicus brief late last month supporting a lawsuit that the Denver public school system has filed against the Trump administration asking for relief from the policy. In a press release about the amicus brief, the council said it had conducted a survey about the policy among its 78 member school districts and found that "they have already seen increased absenteeism, higher anxiety among students, increased bullying, less parental involvement, and heightened fear as a result of the change in guidance." But Denver Public Schools Superintendent Alex Marrero argues that, regardless of whether ICE has actually gone into one of his schools, the news of the change in policy alone has caused injury to the plaintiffs. Speaking to NBC News in the library of a Denver school, he said the attendance rate there has dropped from 95% to 85% since a Feb. 5 immigration raid at two nearby apartment buildings. "[ICE] supervisory law enforcement personnel exercise judgment in making case-by-case determinations regarding whether, where, and when to conduct an immigration enforcement action at or near a school," an ICE spokesperson told NBC News. "ICE does not typically conduct immigration enforcement activities at schools or school buses. Such law enforcement actions are conducted only when warranted by exigent circumstances and approved by a supervisory law enforcement official. As a law enforcement agency, ICE expects all employees to adhere to the highest standards of professional conduct and to demonstrate integrity and professionalism in all aspects of their work."

The Chicago Tribune [3/6/2025 4:55 PM, Maya Wilkins, 5269K] reports the Lake County Sheriff’s Department is now cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement following warnings from the Indiana attorney general, according to a Thursday news release. But the department responded and said the Lake County Sheriff’s Department has routinely cooperated with federal law enforcement. Attorney General Todd Rokita sent two letters to Martinez, warning that if the agency didn’t work with ICE, a lawsuit would follow. In the letter, Rokita asked for Martinez to confirm whether the department limits communication with ICE and to discontinue any policy related to limiting it. In the sheriff’s department’s Thursday news release, Martinez said the agency always cooperated with other agencies; never requested, condoned or participated in efforts to designate the county or jail as a sanctuary location or facility; never implemented or endorsed policy that restricts county police officers from communicating with ICE; and never implemented a policy that restricts officers from complying with detainer requests. The Northeast Indiana Public Radio [3/6/2025 3:43 PM, Brandon Smith, 13K] reports Attorney General Todd Rokita is pulling back on threats of legal action against the Lake County Sheriff’s office. He said the law enforcement agency is now cooperating with federal immigration officials. In two letters last year, Rokita accused the Lake County sheriff of refusing to honor U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers. Those are requests from the federal government to hold people in jail past their release date to allow federal agents to determine whether to take them into custody for potential deportation. Indiana law gives the attorney general the authority to enforce its ban on so-called "sanctuary city policies" — restricting cooperation with federal officials over citizenship or immigration information. In a statement, Rokita said the Lake County sheriff is now honoring ICE detainers and, as a result, undocumented immigrants will be deported rather than released back into Indiana communities. Indiana sheriffs told lawmakers recently that federal authorities don’t always follow up on the detainers and Indiana authorities can’t hold them indefinitely. Rokita is currently suing two local sheriff departments under that law, in Monroe and St. Joseph counties.

WSOC [3/6/2025 4:16 PM, Staff] reports on Wednesday, 44-year-old Marciano Pina Ulloa was arrested in Statesville for possession of a significant quantity of fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid. Narcotics investigators from the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office and Gaston County Police Department discovered Ulloa with approximately 4 ounces of fentanyl during his arrest. A subsequent search of a residence in Iredell County revealed an additional 4.8 pounds of the drug, with a street value estimated at $254,000. Investigators also seized over one thousand dollars in cash, believed to be proceeds from drug sales, further confirming the scale of Ulloa’s involvement in narcotics trafficking. Ulloa is in the United States illegally, and his immigration status is now under review by federal authorities. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been contacted and will be assisting in this case. As a result of this investigation, Ulloa has been charged in Gaston County with three counts of trafficking in controlled substances and one count of felony maintaining a vehicle/dwelling for controlled substances. Additionally, Iredell County narcotics investigators have charged Ulloa with one count of felony trafficking by possession and one count of felony maintaining a vehicle/dwelling for controlled substances.

WKRG [3/6/2025 2:46 PM, Summer Poole] reports Mobile County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Homeland Security investigators have arrested a member of "one of the most violent gangs in existence," News 5 has learned. According to an MCSO news release, Orlando Rizo-Perez is a member of Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) NS and was arrested on federal arrest warrants related to drug trafficking and having a gun "in furtherance of a drug crime" out of Virginia. Officials said Rizo-Perez is in the United States illegally.

Yahoo! News [3/6/2025 11:25 AM, Jackie Llanos, 52868K] reports that Pinellas County Schools are backing off from an agreement with the federal government to deputize school police for immigration enforcement efforts. Luke Williams, chief of Pinellas County Schools Police, signed the agreement authorizing officers to question people’s immigration status and detain them for turnover to immigration enforcement officials, according to a statement a district spokesperson sent to Florida Phoenix Thursday morning. However, the school board and superintendent didn’t authorize Williams to sign that agreement and didn’t know he had. "The agreement is administrative in nature as it does not obligate the district to participate in training," wrote Isabel Mascareñas, the school district’s public information officer. "Pinellas County Schools does not intend to nominate any member of the Schools Police department to attend the training program to perform the functions of an immigration officer through the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)." ICE took the Pinellas school police off its list of agencies with a pending task force agreement on Thursday morning, a day after the Phoenix reported that the district would have been the first in the country to enact such an agreement. A spokesperson for the Florida Department of Education directed questions to the county but confirmed the department has encouraged districts to enact task force model agreements with ICE if they believe it would benefit safety.

Reported similarly:
Axios [3/6/2025 3:40 PM, Yacob Reyes, 13163K]

Yahoo! News [3/6/2025 5:26 PM, Daesha Gear, 52868K] reports a truck driver involved in a deadly crash on Interstate 44 a year ago is now in federal custody. The crash happened on March 27, 2024, near Sullivan. Police said the tractor-trailer driver, identified as Manpreet Singh, went through a cable barrier and crossed over the highway median from westbound lanes into the eastbound lanes and struck an SUV head-on. The driver of the SUV, Edith McKee, was pronounced dead at the scene. She was 59. A Franklin County grand jury indicted Singh in November 2024 with one count of first-degree involuntary manslaughter. A warrant was issued for Singh’s arrest that same month.

NBC News [3/6/2025 5:10 PM, Nicole Acevedo, 44742K] reports the national Latino legal and civil rights organization representing an immigrant couple who sued their former landlords in Chicago for threatening to call ICE on them said this week the tenants will be awarded more than $80,000 in damages, after a judge found the landlords violated an Illinois state law. On Feb. 19, Cook County Circuit Court Judge Catherine A. Schneider ordered landlords Marco Antonio Contreras and Denise Contreras to pay damages, attorneys’ fees and costs for violating the Immigrant Tenant Protection Act to former tenants Maria Maltos Escutia and Gabriel Valdez Garcia. Maltos Escutia and Valdez Garcia, a couple who lived together, sued the Contreras under the Illinois Immigrant Tenant Protection Act in 2022.

Minnesota Public Radio [3/6/2025 11:31 AM, Estelle Timar-Wilcox and Regina Medina, 60K] reports that dozens of people gathered outside a St. Louis Park aluminum finishing facility Wednesday night to protest recent federal immigration arrests at the company. Seven people were arrested at HardCoat Inc., according to advocacy organizations working with the families of the people arrested. Ryan Perez is the organizing director at COPAL, a Latino advocacy nonprofit. He gave the crowd an account of the arrests, which he said a company employee shared with him. "She reported that there were vehicles on all sides, on all corners of this lot here, and she even reported that she believed ICE agents had been on the roof," Perez said. "Then ICE entered and dragged out basically one employee at a time." MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. Employees said the company recently audited the staff’s immigration documents. Employees received a notice two weeks before the raid of an I-9 audit, which they shared with advocates and reporters. The note told employees to prepare residency documents, like a driver’s license, a green card or a valid visa. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents made the arrests shortly after the audit, according to employees and advocates. The woman who worked at the company told Perez that the atmosphere was tense in the days after the audit leading up to the arrests.

Houston Chronicle [3/6/2025 7:57 PM, Tanya Babbar, 1769K] reports Houston mother Yolanda Ramirez choked back tears as she said her 20-year-old son, Kevin, was detained by ICE officers last week at his workplace, despite having a work permit and no criminal record. Ramirez, who is a visually impaired single mother, said one of her sons committed suicide in recent years, leaving Kevin to be the only one to care for her. Her son, who she said was "treated like a dog," is able to apply for permanent residency after filing a Special Immigrant Juvenile petition more than four years ago. Houston residents detailed being detained by ICE and U.S Borders and Customs Protection, despite having documents showing legal residency or legal work status, at a news conference held by FIEL, Houston’s largest immigrant advocacy group. Immigration lawyer Susana Hart, who represents Ramirez’ son, Kevin Alexander Zaldana Ramirez, said she’s been asking ICE why Kevin was detained and getting no response. ICE representatives told the Houston Chronicle the agency was looking into Kevin Ramirez’ case Thursday, but did not provide a statement as of Thursday evening. U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Houston had not responded to calls from the Chronicle as of Thursday evening. FIEL Executive Director Cesar Espinosa said the cases represent the first his organization knows of in Houston where residents in the country legally were still detained by ICE. The cases, which occurred on the heels of a mass immigration operation in Colony Ridge near Houston near the end of February and a workplace raid at a Spring business this week, represent a worrying trend toward rash detainment of documented immigrants and those without criminal records, immigrant lawyers and FIEL said at the news conference.

Dallas Morning News [3/6/2025 12:46 PM, Aaron Torres, 2778K] reports that aiming to support President Donald Trump’s promise of mass deportations, Republicans in the Texas Senate want to enlist local law officers as federal immigration agents. Senate Bill 8 by Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, would require large sheriff’s departments in Texas to sign cooperation agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the federal agency known as ICE that arrests and removes undocumented migrants. The agreements, known as 287(g) contracts, allow local law enforcement officers to inquire about an individual’s immigration status — authority typically reserved for federal agents. Entering into 287(g) agreements is currently voluntary, and 31 county sheriff’s departments in Texas are participants, including Tarrant and Rockwall counties in North Texas. The Nixon Police Department east of San Antonio and the Texas attorney general’s office also have agreements with ICE. Most of those agreements focus on citizenship investigations in county-run jails to identify and continue detaining those in the country without authorization. The Trump administration recently expanded the program to reach beyond jails by allowing specially trained patrol officers to question and arrest individuals suspected of violating immigration laws.

Texas Tribune [3/6/2025 11:26 AM, Alejandro Serrano, 1487K] reports that a federal immigration detention center in South Texas previously used to hold families is being reopened by the Trump administration after former President Joe Biden closed it and ended the practice of detaining families. The South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley is among the largest in the country with a capacity to detain up to 2,400 people. The Biden administration closed it last summer because it was reportedly far more expensive to operate than other U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities. Shortly after taking office, Biden had stopped jailing families; the facility only held adults before it was closed. On Wednesday, private prison corporation CoreCivic announced it had struck an agreement with Dilley city officials and ICE to resume operations at the facility — and indicated that the Trump administration will resume detaining families. "I can acknowledge that we anticipate housing families at this facility," a CoreCivic spokesperson said. He deferred further questions to ICE. ICE officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Houston Chronicle [3/6/2025 8:37 AM, Caroline Wilburn, 1769K] reports that a privately-owned immigration detention facility in south Texas, designed to house families for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, will reopen months after it shuttered following a loss of funding, private prison company CoreCivic announced Wednesday. The Nashville-based company said it signed an agreement with the city of Dilley and ICE to resume operations at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley under an amended intergovernmental services agreement. The amended contract runs through March 2030. Built for ICE in 2014, the 2,400-bed facility sits about 85 miles north of Laredo and the U.S.-Mexico border. It was previously used under the Obama and Trump Administrations, but closed in August 2024 when funding for CoreCivic’s contract with ICE was terminated after President Joe Biden phased out family detention in 2021, the Associated Press reported. In a statement, CoreCivic said the facility will provide "residential services in an open and safe environment that offers residents indoor and outdoor recreational activities, life skills, counseling, group interaction, and access to religious and legal services."

Jefferson Public Radio [3/6/2025 6:40 PM, Jane Vaughan, 37K] Audio: HERE reports early in his second term, President Donald Trump has focused on deporting immigrants without legal status. That’s stoked fear among some residents, who are afraid to go about their daily lives. Local immigration advocacy groups report that some people are staying home from work or school because they’re scared to be detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. Kathy Keesee — program coordinator with Unete, an immigrant rights group in the Rogue Valley — said so far, ICE arrests seem to have mostly targeted people who have prior deportation orders or felony charges. "They’re the ones who they’re going after," she said. "I think we’ve had maybe...eight or 10 [arrests] here in the valley, so not a huge number either. But I mean, there’s just so much uncertainty, and we never know from one day, even from one hour to the next, what this administration is going to come up with.” She said Unete has been conducting training sessions so people know their legal rights. They’re also working on putting together a rapid response team to document any ICE detentions. Centro del Pueblo, an immigrant rights group in far Northern California, is doing the same. The group has a line people can call to report ICE sightings. The group will then confirm whether or not the rumor is true. William Dirks works with Centro del Pueblo and said he doesn’t know of any ICE raids in his area so far. But, he said there has been a lot of misinformation and fear-mongering, which just makes people more scared. Their biggest concern right now is community well-being.

Newsweek [3/6/2025 2:45 PM, Dan Gooding, 52220K] reports an investor who benefited from the EB-5 visa, which President Donald Trump wants to replace with a new $5 million "Gold Card", has told Newsweek that others like him do not just want to hand the United States government money they will never get back. Ashok Adusumilli, originally from India, arrived on an EB-5 from Dubai in 2019 and now helps others looking to bring their money and business ideas to the U.S. through the EB-5 program. "Most of the investors I talk to, getting their money back is very important to them, it’s their hard-earned money in their own countries that they made," the investor said. "These successful businessmen, entrepreneurs, they do not simply want to just pay money and lose it. "So, $5 million just to support the Treasury, which is a good objective probably for the U.S. government, but I just don’t see that kind of demand there from foreign entrepreneurs and investors.” The EB-5, established by Congress in 1990, is one of many job-based visas offered by the U.S. It requires applicants to create or preserve at least 10 full-time jobs for U.S. workers with their investment, and they have to first prove they have the capital. EB-5 holders get a two-year Green Card and can apply for an extension. Beyond that is the chance to apply for U.S. citizenship. It costs between $100,000 and $200,000 in fees from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), but that is on top of a commitment applicants have to make to invest between $800,000 and $1 million. Trump announced the Gold Card last week in the Oval Office, suggesting wealthy individuals could buy a "Green Card plus" that would offer residency, a pathway to U.S. citizenship and the ability to avoid paying taxes on foreign income.

FOX News [3/6/2025 1:38 PM, Michael Lee Fox, 46189K] reports President Donald Trump will likely extend his battle against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies into changes of an often overlooked visa program. "Clearly, we are in a paradigm shift; the manner in which ‘national interest’ is defined, is dynamic and evolving," Joshua Bratter, one of country’s leading authorities on immigration, told Fox News Digital. The comments come as Trump has continued to fight against DEI policies across the federal government, a battle that is likely to extend into Trump’s revamp of U.S. immigration policies. Bratter believes part of that shift will be seen in how potential migrants are vetted under the EB-2 Visa National Interest Waiver category, a type of visa that Bratter said "surged" during the Biden administration. "This category was designed originally for a highly skilled engineer who was building infrastructure in the United States, and it was for an architect and designer of bridges. So you look back to the legislative intent, and it was to provide a category that was expedited and free of the traditional job offers based on advancing a U.S. national interest," Bratter said. What exactly defines the national interest is likely to change from administration to administration, Bratter noted, arguing that Trump is likely to shift away from the DEI and climate focus of the previous administration. "This administration, as they had in their prior term, reflected interest in areas like space exploration, military defense, military exploration, space exploration, emerging technologies, use of artificial intelligence for the purposes of optimization and efficiency in the workplace," Bratter said.

The Hill [3/6/2025 4:22 PM, Brett Samuels and Rebecca Beitsch, 12829K] reports President Trump said Thursday he’s looking at whether to revoke temporary protected status for thousands of Ukrainians in the United States who fled that country’s war with Russia, but that no final decision has been made. Reuters reported earlier Thursday that the Trump administration planned to revoke temporary protected status (TPS) for roughly 240,000 Ukrainians who had fled to the United States following Russia’s 2022 invasion. The move would lay the groundwork for those individuals to be deported. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt pushed back on the report at the time, saying no decision had been made.

The Hill [3/6/2025 1:03 PM, Sarah Fortinsky, 12829K] reports that Vice President Vance said on Wednesday he thinks President Trump is hoping to finish building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border by the end of his term in 2029. During a visit to Eagle Pass, Texas, a reporter asked Vance how he and the president would define "success" when it comes to the initiative and how much of the border needs to be "walled off" before the end of Trump’s administration. "I think the president’s hope is that by the end of the term we build the entire border wall," the vice president replied. "And of course that’s the physical structure — the border wall itself — but we even heard today, there are so many good technological tools, so many great artificial intelligence-enabled technologies that allow us" to guard the southern border, he added. Vance also suggested the administration would employ artificial intelligence (AI) tools to aid with efforts to combat illegal immigration — a top priority for Trump, who promised while on the campaign trail to conduct the largest deportation operation in history. The vice president pointed to AI-enabled cameras that can spot migrants up to 2 miles away from the border, before they cross over. "We’re using artificial intelligence to make us better at the job of border enforcement, but we’ve got to make sure that technology is deployed across the entire American southern border," Vance said. "We’re going to do it as much as we can, as broadly as we can, because that’s how we’re going to protect the American people’s security," he added.

Washington Examiner [3/6/2025 7:20 AM, Jamie McIntyre, 2296K] repots that Before heading to the U.S.-Mexico border with Vice President J.D. Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was already declaring victory in sealing the border against what President Donald Trump has characterized as an invasion of America by “inadmissible and removable aliens.” “President Trump gave us a charge: 100% operational control of the Southern border. Border security is national security,” Hegseth said in an appearance on Fox and Friends. “Over 20 million people … poured in across our open-border policy, which created recklessness, death, drugs for our communities. We’re sending those folks home and we’re not letting more in, and you’re seeing that right now.” Hegseth cited a historic low level of border crossings since Trump took office, and the Pentagon deployed thousands of additional troops in support of the Department of Homeland Security to secure the border. “Not quite to zero yet — 97% drop,” Hegseth said. “The deterrent effect is there. We’ve brought in the military.” Hegseth said some of the credit goes to Mexico, who responded to Trump’s entreaties by dispatching some 10,000 Mexican troops to its side of the border. “Right now, we have historic cooperation, military-to-military, but we’re letting them lead. It’s their country. It’s their fight. We want them to lead that fight.

FOX News [3/6/2025 6:32 PM, Cameron Arcand, 46189K] reports life for many residents in border communities improved following swift policy changes by the Trump administration, Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., says. "They’re very happy with the results, and we knew that the numbers were going to be reflecting like they are," the Republican told Fox News Digital in an interview, calling the change "drastic.” Migrant encounters plummeted at the border in February with just over 8,300, which is the lowest month since officials started keeping track of the numbers, according to United States Customs and Border Protection data. The reduction in the influx of people crossing is just one piece of the puzzle. More troops were sent down to the southern border upon President Donald Trump taking office; cartels and gangs like Tren de Aragua were designated as foreign terrorist groups; and Immigration and Customs Enforcement is conducting raids nationwide for illegal immigrants suspected of crimes. "They’ve seen an immediate change in their daily lives on this for some people. They’re seeing the reports on TV for my community, they’re seeing it in person," Ciscomani said about his constituents, which includes people on or near the border. In his capacity as the Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, Ciscomani is leading the freshman GOP class on an Arizona border trip this week, where they will visit ports of entry, strike up conversations with authorities on the ground and take a tour with the National Border Patrol Council. The group of lawmakers includes Reps. Mike Kennedy, R-Utah; Julie Fedorchak, R-N.D.; Jeff Hurd, R-Colo.; Tim Moore, R-N.C.; Derek Schmidt, R-Kan.; Dave Taylor, R-Ohio; Jeff Crank, R-Colo.; John McGuire, R-Va.; and Riley Moore, R-W.Va. "When I first got to Washington a few years ago, I realized that a lot of people run on the issue of the border," said Ciscomani. "They care about fixing it and addressing it, but a lot of members just haven’t had the opportunity to visit the border. And even if they have, they probably have gone to the area of Texas. And Arizona’s so unique in so many ways, right?". The congressman added that there’s still work to be done to make sure the changes under the Trump administration are permanent to prevent another border crisis in the future, as there were millions of migrant encounters during former President Joe Biden’s tenure.

FOX News [3/6/2025 4:00 AM, Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, 46189K] reports that some human smugglers have turned to cloning Border Patrol vehicles to illegally transfer migrants into the United States amid President Donald Trump’s border crackdown. Immigration attorney Meesha Moulton, the managing partner and the owner of Meesha Moulton Law in Las Vegas, told Fox News Digital that cloning Border Patrol vehicles is not a new phenomenon. She said that criminal organizations are "constantly" finding new ways to bypass border security. Under the new Trump administration, their efforts have increased amid the president’s mandate to halt illegal immigration. The administration’s crackdown included shutting down former President Biden’s CBP One program, which allowed migrants in Mexico to schedule an appointment to request asylum at a legal border crossing. Moulton said she has witnessed firsthand "how these operations create legal chaos, put lives at risk and strain law enforcement resources." The cloning of vehicles is part of a longstanding human smuggling operation in the U.S. Moulton said the smuggling networks "profit off desperation," leaving many migrants trafficked as they illegally enter the U.S.

Yahoo! News [3/6/2025 2:27 PM, Staff, 52868K] reports President Donald Trump boasts he has brought illegal border crossings into the United States to record lows, but experts say the reasons for the drop go beyond his hardline anti-immigration stance. "Within hours of taking the oath of office, I declared a national emergency on our southern border. And I deployed the US military and Border Patrol to repel the invasion of our country," Trump said Tuesday, in a speech to a joint session of Congress. "What a job they’ve done. As a result, illegal border crossings last month were by far the lowest ever recorded," he said. "They (undocumented migrants) heard my words and they chose not to come. Much easier that way.” Indeed, the number of undocumented immigrants apprehended at the southern border with Mexico was a record low of 8,326 in February, according to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which has reported the figure since 2000. The number had already been declining -- to 29,116 in January, down 38.5 percent from December -- but the drop accelerated after Trump returned to the White House on January 20. The previous record was in April 2017, when CBP intercepted 11,127 migrants near the start of Trump’s first term. The figure rose to a high of 249,740 in December 2023 under former president Joe Biden, before his administration cracked down on undocumented immigration, realizing it was a political liability.

The AP [3/6/2025 3:10 PM, Staff, 48304K] reports a large balloon used by U.S. Customs and Border Protection for surveillance along the Texas border broke free and traveled about 600 miles (966 kilometers) to the north before crashing as high winds swept through the state, officials said. On Monday afternoon, the aerostat system broke free from its tether during a "severe wind event" on South Padre Island and contact was lost, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said. The agency said it was located the next day in Hunt County, about 30 miles east of Dallas. Customs and Border Protection said it will work with federal, state and local officials to investigate the incident. Border Report [3/6/2025 6:46 PM, Alejandra Yañez, 117K] reports a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations (AMO) aerostat was found more than 600 miles away from where it originally broke free. On Monday, AMO announced that it experienced severe winds which resulted in one of its aerostats breaking free from its tether on South Padre Island. An aerostat system is a radar surveillance blimp used by CBP. Joe Vega, Cameron County park director, said when the cable snapped, it hit some power lines and a transformer, causing parts of Isla Blanca to be without power. Due to the damage from the heavy winds the aerostat was lost shortly after breaking free. WFAA reported that Quinlan Texas Fire and Rescue found the blimp in Hunt County, about 30 miles east of Dallas.

Reported similarly:
AP [3/6/2025 2:41 PM, Staff, 48304K] Video: HERE

Border Report [3/6/2025 6:34 PM, Julian Resendiz, 117K] reports new interim chief of the U.S. Border Patrol in El Paso says the recent deployment of additional Department of Defense troops and equipment will contribute to making the border safer. Walter N. Slosar also credited the end of the use of parole to release migrants into American communities with encounters in the sector plummeting from a peak of 2,700 a day two years ago to 60 on Wednesday. "We are pushing as many resources into our border areas as possible," Slosar told reporters on Thursday. "Our intention is to ensure there are no illegal entries between ports of entry, and when we do have illegal entries, maximize our prosecutorial efforts and that our removals are at 100 percent.” Slosar, an El Paso native and graduate of Mountain View High School, took over the sector last month. He says the Border Patrol has not released any migrants into the community since then. "It is my goal for there to be no illegal entries between the ports of entry. That is the most humane way to handle the border environment. That keeps people from making the trip, from dying along the way, from being subject to the criminal organizations and the atrocities they put them (the migrants) through," Slosar said. Trump ordered the deployment of 1,500 Department of Defense troops to the border shortly after he took over on Jan. 20 and has reportedly green-lighted the upcoming deployment of 5,050 additional troops. The Hill reported the latest deployment will include a Stryker armored vehicle brigade. "Department of Defense is helping us; Texas National Guard is helping us, (Texas) DPS has helped us as have our federal, state and local partners," Slosar said. "I do anticipate the influx of DoD and Texas National Guard to maximize efforts across the border. We are going to deny illegal entry (and) their equipment is also part of that package.”

Yahoo! News [3/6/2025 6:01 AM, James Liddell, 52868K] reports that a Texas migrant processing facility is due to close after U.S.-Mexico border arrests hit a two-decade low, a source says. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection is expected to shut the doors of Firefly, a temporary facility in Eagle Pass, designed to quickly process migrants in Border Patrol custody, a source told the New York Post. The processing facility was opened during the Biden administration in July 2022 to provide additional capacity for the Border Patrol’s Del Rio Sector. The 153,000-square-foot, air-conditioned complex has a 1,000-person capacity and replaced a smaller structure opened in Eagle Pass the year prior. Immigrants are held at the facility – which is not a detention center – before being passed over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Homeland Security sources told The Post that other temporary holding facilities are expected to close, though a timeframe was not given. "They were always supposed to be temporary," a CBP source added. "That temporary solution became four years.” However, similar facilities in El Paso and San Diego are due to remain open, sources told NewsNation Wednesday.

Washington Examiner [3/7/2025 5:00 AM, Anna Giaritelli, 2296K] reports that more than a year after Texas soldiers fenced off and locked out Border Patrol agents from accessing the United States-Mexico border as thousands of illegal immigrants surged across, state authorities have unchained the gate and reopened the door to their federal partners, the Washington Examiner has learned. The return of President Donald Trump triggered the ending to the David and Goliath-style standoff between Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) and the Biden administration that led to a tense yearlong stalemate between Texas soldiers and border patrol agents at Shelby Park in Eagle Pass. Effective Feb. 5, Texas National Guard soldiers began freely letting federal law enforcement come and go from Shelby Park, an area of land directly along the Rio Grande, Customs and Border Protection told the Washington Examiner Thursday. The move follows a historic 12-month lock-out of federal forces over a disagreement about the federal agents’ authority to cut down state-installed concertina wire along the edge of the Rio Grande. Shelby Park was also the site where Vice President JD Vance chose this week to make his first border trip since January, once again signaling the White House’s partnership with Texas and change in how federal agents are being treated by Texas soldiers.

BorderReport [3/6/2025 7:47 PM, Julian Resendiz, 117K] reports a drug-sniffing drug has alerted border officers to a possible cocaine smuggling scheme involving multiple drivers working for the same commercial trucking firm. The three Mexican drivers showed up almost simultaneously at the Otay Mesa (California) commercial facility on Tuesday afternoon. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection records check revealed all three had crossed into the United States on more than 20 occasions since Jan. 15 while hauling empty trailers. CBP officers referred all three Kenworth tractor-trailers to a secondary inspection area. A dog trained to detect drugs and other illicit cargo found nothing in the trailers, but alerted its handlers to possible contraband in each of the cabs. Border officers discovered hidden compartments in the floor area of the cabs and began drilling. Court records show they found more than 170 pounds (77.8 kilos) of a white powdery substance that tested positive for cocaine. In a post-arrest interview, driver Fernando Medina Rodriguez allegedly told Homeland Security Investigations agents that he was hired by unnamed parties to smuggle cocaine into the United States. Medina said he would get paid $5,000 once the drug inside his rig cleared customs and he called a contact at an undisclosed number.

CBS News [3/6/2025 11:09 AM, Staff, 51661K] reports that authorities in northern Mexico on Wednesday found about 70 pounds of fentanyl hidden inside boxes of sliced cactus, a quintessential Mexican food staple known as nopales. Mexican law enforcement said they seized some 275,000 pills of the lethal drug in the border state of Sonora, on its way to Arizona, and that they arrested a 29-year-old man. The drugs were valued at about $6.5 million. Authorities found both pills and the drug in powder form. The seizure took place at a military checkpoint on the Mexican highway connecting the northern states of Sinaloa and Sonora, where officers searched a trailer carrying packets of nopales. It’s just the latest in a cat-and-mouse game between drug smugglers and authorities around the world, as traffickers find increasingly outlandish ways to sneak drugs into other countries. Packets of cocaine and fentanyl have been found tucked away in hair extensions, stowed inside car mufflers, baked into bread, and hidden inside avocados and bananas. Some organizations have used submarines to transport illicit drugs across international borders. The seizure also comes during a tense moment between Mexico and the United States, as Mexico scrambles to satisfy President Donald Trump’s demands to stop the flow of fentanyl and migrants north, which he has used to justify the 25% tariffs he put in place on Tuesday, though migration north and fentanyl overdoses had already sharply dipped before Trump took office. President Trump has made similar demands of Canada, but officials say very little fentanyl flows over that border.

WPXI [3/6/2025 3:42 PM, Staff] reports a West Virginia man was arrested after TSA intercepted a gun at the Pittsburgh International Airport. The handgun was found at a security checkpoint in a carry-on bag on Wednesday. It belonged to a Morgantown resident. TSA said they are on pace to set a record for most guns caught at the airport in a year. "Our officers continue to prevent individuals from carrying guns onto their flights," said Gerardo Spero, TSA’s Federal Security Director for Pennsylvania. "Yesterday they detected an old pistol in a traveler’s carry-on bag. It marked the 10th firearm that has been intercepted at one of the two airport checkpoints. At this pace, the number of guns caught could set an annual record. It’s not the type of record we want to set. We would much prefer that fewer individuals bringing guns to the checkpoints." Allegheny County Police said charges were also filed against a man they said brought a gun to the airport without a permit. That gun was also found on Wednesday.

Yahoo! News [3/6/2025 12:56 PM, Hannah Leyva, 52868K] reports that across the first two months of 2025, Transportation Security Administration officers have detected 50 firearms — all loaded — at checkpoints at North Carolina airports. According to TSA, that’s 18 more than were found in the same period in the state in 2024. In addition to all 50 being found loaded, 26 of them had "a round chambered at the time of detection", TSA said. The majority of the weapons — 27 — were found at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, NC’s largest transportation hub. Raleigh-Durham International Airport had the second-highest number of firearms found at 14, followed by Asheville Regional Airport with four and Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro with three. One weapon each was found at Wilmington International and Coastal Carolina Regional in New Bern, TSA said. The number of firearms found at CLT so far put them fifth in the nation for the first two months of the year. Last year, a total of 117 were found at Charlotte’s airport, ranking them 13th across the nation. While the number found so far at RDU is more than the amount detected in the same period in 2024, it matches the same number found in January and February of 2023. But the increase across the state "underscores the continued need for public education and increased awareness about the rules and regulations governing firearm transport through airports", TSA said in a news release.

Savannah Morning News [3/6/2025 4:19 PM, Drew Favakeh] reports the file of a Southwest Airlines Pilot who was arrested for alleged intoxication before operating an aircraft has been forwarded to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia, according to an email from Chatham County District Attorney Director of Communications Katherine Wideman. The Southwest Airlines Pilot, David Allsop, was arrested for a DUI on Jan. 15 of this year at the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport. In an email, Mark Howell, TSA Spokesperson, said, TSA "maintains close relationships with our local law enforcement partners precisely for these types of situations. The TSA workforce is vigilant and always maintains heightened awareness in their efforts to secure our transportation systems and keep the traveling public safe."

CBS Austin [3/6/2025 2:04 PM, Jessica A. Botelho, 602K] Video: HERE reports at least five people were killed as blizzards and strong winds hit Nebraska and Mississippi, respectively, earlier this week, according to authorities. The Nebraska State Patrol on Wednesday said two people died in a crash during a snowstorm near Grand Island the previous afternoon. They were identified as Emelin Ortega Rodas, 25, and Daniel Ortega Marroquin, 62, both of Lexington. State Patrol said the pickup truck they were driving in lost control and crossed a median before hitting an oncoming semi. The driver of the semi was hurt, authorities said, adding that his injuries were not life-threatening. The crash, according to authorities, was one of more than 300 weather-related "traffic incidents" and nearly 30 crashes the department responded to during the storm. As roadways open throughout central and eastern Nebraska, NSP advises all travelers to exercise caution while driving," the department said. "Many slick spots remain, and strong winds today have the potential of blowing snow and affecting visibility.” In Mississippi, the state’s Emergency Management Agency said three people were killed and six others were hurt due to severe weather.

WFTV [3/6/2025 2:57 PM, Carl-Max Millionard, 52868K] reports FEMA has released statistics from the 2024 hurricane season, emphasizing hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton. According to a release from FEMA, over three billion dollars of assistance was approved. FEMA also helped 19,877 people with transitional shelter assistance. The National Flood Insurance Program provided $6.06 billion in flood relief funds. The state of Florida was reimbursed $424.8 million for 36.2 million cubic yards of debris removal.

Washington Post [3/6/2025 4:33 PM, Ruby Mellen and Ben Noll, 31735K] reports that Wildfires are burning throughout the United States, and weather in many places is ripe for new blazes — signs of an early and fierce fire season. As of Thursday morning, at least seven fires are raging in Central Texas, according to the state’s forest service, amid high winds and arid conditions. The National Weather Service warned Wednesday that dry air and strong winds could spark new conflagrations in eastern New Mexico and western Texas on Thursday and Friday. The Carolinas and Georgia saw hundreds of wildfires in recent days — four remain active in North Carolina, one in South Carolina and five in Georgia. And officials said a felled power line sparked the first wildfire of the year in New Jersey on Tuesday. The state’s wildfire season typically doesn’t start until mid-March. More than a month after catastrophic fires swept across Los Angeles County, forecasters are predicting a higher than normal fire risk for large swaths of the country. In March, “above normal” fire potential is predicted across southeast Arizona and New Mexico, and much of Texas, Oklahoma and the Southeast, according to the National Interagency Coordination Center, a group of employees from the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Indian Affairs that manages and tracks federal firefighting resources. The heightened risk is expected to spread this spring into parts of Alaska, Southern California, Nevada and southwest Colorado, according to the coordination center.

CBS New York [3/6/2025 9:05 PM, Maurice DuBois, Michael Kaplan and Caitlin Yilek, 51661K] Video: HERE reports a former government official who says she was falsely accused of illegally sending funds to New York City to book luxury hotels for undocumented migrants — and then publicly ridiculed and fired — said Thursday that just days earlier she had been directed by a member of the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, to make the payments. Mary Comans, who was the chief financial officer at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, sued the agency and the Department of Homeland Security, or DHS, on Tuesday. "I was fired illegally by the Trump administration for doing my job, for doing exactly what I was directed to do by the Trump political appointees at the Department of Homeland Security and at the DOGE," she told CBS News in an interview Thursday. "They told me to do these actions, to make these payments, and then they fired me.” A DHS spokesperson did not respond for comment, nor did Brad Smith, the DOGE official Comans says she interacted with. The lawsuit argues she was "unlawfully terminated" from her position "without cause or the due process required by law and the Constitution." As chief financial officer, Comans was a member of the "senior executive service," the highest-level civil servant. The lawsuit alleges that DHS and FEMA publicly disclosed information about her termination that was protected under the Privacy Act and that she was defamed by the false portrayal about her conduct. At the time of her dismissal, Comans says the agency suggested falsely in a press release that she was a "deep state activist.”

Yahoo! News [3/6/2025 4:56 PM, Jessica Phillips, 52868K] reports a Disaster Recovery Center will open in part of McDowell County to help people who were affected by flooding. According to a press release, the Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) will open at Bradshaw Town Hall, 10002 Marshall Highway, in the Bradshaw area of McDowell County on Friday, March 7, 2025 at 8:00 a.m. The DRC will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Monday through Saturday, and will be closed on Sundays. People, such as renters and home and business owners, who dealt with property damage due to flooding in February 2025 can receive help at a Disaster Recovery Center.

WSOC [3/6/2025 4:37 PM, Staff] reports six months after Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina, the rebuilding of homes has yet to begin due to uncertainties about eligibility and federal regulations, according to WRAL. State officials informed lawmakers that it will be several more months before rebuilding efforts commence, and the process could extend until 2030. The delay is partly due to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) updating flood plain maps, which will determine eligibility for federal rebuilding funds. The geography of western North Carolina poses additional challenges for rebuilding. The mountainous terrain complicates construction efforts, and there is a shortage of skilled workers for building on such landscapes. The hearing also revealed political tensions, with some lawmakers urging the state to challenge FEMA’s flood plain mapping efforts.

Yahoo! News [3/6/2025 6:55 AM, Allie Root, 52868K] reports that FEMA is on the ground in eastern Kentucky, helping survivors recover from the devastating floods that tore through the region in February. Applications are being processed daily in Knott County and the surrounding area to help jumpstart the recovery process for those heavily impacted by the floods. FEMA specialists are set up at centers across seven counties, meeting face-to-face with survivors. "Something that may seem small to your neighbor is drastically different to your other neighbor," said Craig Browning, a FEMA spokesperson. "So that’s why whenever we have these presidentially declared events, we approach it as though it’s your worst day. Browning said representatives are walking people step by step through the application process and answering any questions they may have along the way. However, he encourages people to be proactive about documenting damage, even before turning to FEMA for help. "Take pictures," said Browning. "Get out the trusty pen and pad and document. Save any receipts for items that you purchased to help with your clean in your recovery.”

CBS Austin [3/6/2025 2:10 PM, Jamel Valencia, 602K] reports city leaders promised, the day before the two-month mark since the devastating wildfires erupted, that they would rebuild communities in the Los Angeles area at "lightning speed.” Residents have been working to rebuild their homes and community after wildfires burned down the Pacific Palisades neighborhood in January. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass provided an update on Thursday about ongoing recovery efforts. "This has been a challenging time for so many families. The grief and despair continues, and that’s why I’m committed to rebuilding this community at lightning speed," Bass announced. She shared the progress that’s being made to expedite the rebuilding process to get Palisadians back home. "As of tomorrow [Friday], the Do Not Drink order will be lifted for all standing structures in the Palisades and just to give you a comparison, in the tragic Camp Fire, it took 18 months. It was done here in two," Bass pointed out. Los Angekels Department of Water and Power said water continued to be tested daily for safe drinking use. But caution remained in the Pacific Palisades area. On Wednesday, Bass announced that residents in the Palisades can obtain original building plans of their affected homes. "At the request of the Mayor’s Office, Governor Gavin Newsom recently issued an Executive Order that suspended the state law that required City of Los Angeles officials to seek the consent of the person who designed a building plan (or, often, the designer’s heirs or those who otherwise acquired the rights to the plans) before releasing it to the building owner," Bass’ office wrote in a statement.

Axios [3/6/2025 4:34 PM, Sam Sabin, 13163K] reports the U.S. Secret Service has seized the web infrastructure tied to Russian cryptocurrency exchange Garantex as part of an ongoing international law enforcement operation, according to a seizure notice seen by Axios and an agency spokesperson. The European Union also unveiled sanctions against Garantex last week. The U.S. Treasury Department previously sanctioned Garantex in 2022. Nathan Herring, a spokesperson for the U.S. Secret Service, confirmed to Axios that the agency had seized website domains tied to Garantex "as part of an ongoing investigation." The notice acknowledges that the Secret Service is working with the U.S. Justice Department’s criminal division, the FBI, Europol and law enforcement authorities in the Netherlands, Germany, Finland and Estonia. The takedown deals a major blow to the Russian cybercriminal ecosystem amid questions about whether the U.S. is still committed to fighting Russian hackers.

Yahoo! News [3/6/2025 10:21 AM, Dan Jovic, 52868K] reports that a familiar face seen during NBC 6’s Salute the Badge segments was honored on Tuesday night by President Donald Trump during his address to Congress. "Joining us at the gallery tonight is a young man who truly loves our police. His name is DJ Daniel. He is 13 years old, and he has always dreamed of becoming a police officer," said President Trump as members of Congress clapped. DJ has been sworn in as an honorary member of more than 900 law enforcement agencies nationwide. NBC 6 News was there when DJ was sworn in with the Mansfield Police Department and the Bossier Sheriff’s Office in 2024. DJ is battling terminal brain and spine cancer. He admits he doesn’t know how much time he has left. Last night, the President gave him the honor of a lifetime. "I am asking our new Secret Service director, Sean Curran, to officially make you an agent of the United States Secret Service," said Mr. Trump to a room of raucous cheers. Mr. Trump used DJ’s story to highlight his administration’s goal of reducing childhood cancers over the next four years. "DJ’s doctors believed his cancer likely came from a chemical he was exposed to when he was younger. Since 1975, rates of child cancer have increased by more than 40%," said Trump. "Reversing this trend is one of the top priorities for our new presidential commission to Make America Healthy Again."

The Gardner News [3/6/2025 4:39 PM, Emilia Cardona] reports a Winchendon man was arrested at his home on Wednesday, March. 5, after law enforcement conducted a search warrant to find evidence of child pornography. Douglas Duarte, 49, was charged with possession and dissemination of child pornography and two counts of improper storage of a firearm. Law enforcement reported finding numerous electronics and hard drives that contained large files of child pornography in Duarte’s home. Duarte was arraigned in Winchendon District Court on Wednesday and held on $500 cash bail. The judge also ordered Duarte not to have contact with minors under 16 and not to possess a firearm. Duarte’s next court date is Tuesday, April 1. The Secret Service New England Cyber Fraud Task Force, the Massachusetts State Police STOP team, and North Worcester County Drug Task Force members were the law enforcement agencies that conducted the search warrant on Wednesday morning.

Yahoo! News [3/6/2025 10:20 PM, Alexandra Koch, 52868K] reports President Donald Trump said he still wants answers seven months after an assassination attempt on his life during a July 13 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. "I want to find the answers," the president said during an executive order signing in the White House Thursday. "I’ve told them. … We can no longer blame [former President Joe] Biden for that one. He should have released that a long time ago.” Gunman Thomas Crooks, 20, killed rally attendee Corey Comperatore and critically wounded two others, David Dutch and James Copenhaver, in his attempt to kill Trump, who was grazed in the ear by a bullet. Former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, is rushed offstage after getting shot during a rally July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. The investigation summary concluded the rally was a "failure for the Secret Service" that warranted "several operational, policy, and organizational changes.” Two months later, Trump survived a second assassination attempt while golfing at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, where Ryan Routh allegedly tried to assassinate Trump and remains in federal custody. During a Q&A session with the media Thursday in the Oval Office, Trump told Fox News senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy he would be receiving a report about both incidents sometime next week. "I want to release it," Trump noted. "[Crooks] had three [cellphone] apps, two of which were foreign, supposedly, and who has the biggest white-shoe law firm in Pennsylvania, even though they don’t live in necessarily a white-shoe area," Trump speculated. "What’s that all about?". He added that Routh, 58, allegedly had numerous cellphones. "The other one had seven or six cellphones, and I don’t have six cellphones," Trump said. "Why would somebody have six cellphones. So, we’re going to be releasing a report on that soon. … It’s a lot of cellphones, and a couple of them had some strange markings on them.” Acting Director Ronald Rowe Jr., right, of the U.S. Secret Service addresses the media at a news conference with updates on the investigation into the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump in West Palm Beach, Fla., Sept. 16, 2024. Pointing to a lack of information about the incidents, the president said "it makes me think a little bit.” "I say when you have three apps and two of them are foreign, and you had an FBI that wouldn’t report on it — they didn’t want to say why — I would say that could be suspicious," Trump said. He also took the time to highlight the Secret Service’s efforts to intercept Routh, who was spotted allegedly aiming a rifle at one of Trump’s security details in bushes.

FOX News [3/6/2025 12:20 PM, Stephen Sorace, 46189K] reports that a Florida man allegedly threatened to assassinate President Donald Trump and launch missiles to destroy New York in a series of 911 calls. Justin Blaxton, 34, of Loxahatchee, made multiple 911 calls to the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office on Feb. 26, WPEC-TV reported, citing an arrest report from the sheriff’s office. "I need a ride to the airport to be taken to the White House to assassinate the President," Blaxton allegedly said in one of the calls. "I’m about to launch the missiles to destroy New York," he allegedly said in another call. "I’m a Confederate soldier and I’m looking to get revenge. My missiles are attracted to Donald Trump’s tower.” In other calls, Blaxton allegedly told dispatchers to "tell the FBI that I’m a mass murderer" and that he wanted Trump to go over to his house because "tomorrow’s his last day on planet Earth." Deputies who responded to Blaxton’s home said he was nowhere to be found, though arrested him the following day. Blaxton was charged with making a threat to throw, place, project or discharge a destructive device, falsely reporting of a bomb/explosion and making false 911 calls. Jason Russell, a former U.S. Secret Service agent of 10 years, told the outlet that the 911 recordings sounded like "the idle rant of somebody who’s mentally deranged." "A good percentage of the people that make threats have some level of mental illness or they’re experiencing some type of mental breakdown," Russel said. Blaxton has an "extensive" history of mental health-related encounters with local police, the New York Post reported, citing court documents. His bond was set at $35,000 and a hearing in mental health court was set for April 16. CBS Austin [3/6/2025 8:32 AM, Al Pefley, 602K] reports Justin Blaxton, 34, said little when he made his first appearance in court Wednesday. But sheriff’s detectives say Blaxton had plenty to say when he called 911 threatening President Donald Trump. "I want Donald Trump at my house. Tomorrow’s his last day on planet Earth," Blaxton said in a 911 call. According to PBSO, Blaxton made multiple 911 calls on February 26 which prompted deputies to drive to his Loxahatchee home. "Tell the FBI that I’m a mass murderer," Blaxton said in another 911 call. "I need a ride to the airport to be taken to the White House to assassinate the President," Blaxton said in one of the calls to 911. Deputies say when they arrived at Blaxton’s home, he was nowhere to be found. But the next day they were able to arrest him on several charges, including making threats to discharge a destructive device. "I think that’s probably the idle rant of somebody who’s mentally deranged," said Jason Russell, a former U.S. Secret Service agent.

Reported similarly:
Newsweek [3/6/2025 9:01 AM, Ewan Palmer, 3973K]

Washington Examiner [3/6/2025 2:19 PM, Morgan Sweeney, 2296K] reports after a government report in 2019 cataloging needed repairs and improvements to the U.S. Coast Guard’s shore infrastructure, things have mostly continued to get worse, according to a fresh assessment. The Government Accountability Office reported in 2019 that "Coast Guard data showed about 45% of the Coast Guard’s shore infrastructure was beyond its expected service life and the Coast Guard faced infrastructure project backlogs of at least $2.6 billion." Presidents’ budget requests have repeatedly fallen short of the funding the Coast Guard has said it needs to sustain its shore infrastructure, but the service has also failed to meet the office’s best practice recommendations since 2019. The backlog has grown to approximately 49% and roughly $7 billion. The Coast Guard has "met or partially met" five of six of GAO’s recommendations from 2019. "Fully addressing all six of our 2019 recommendations could help the Coast Guard more efficiently manage existing resources, including reducing costs and positioning the Coast Guard and Congress with better information to address shore infrastructure challenges," the GAO wrote in its most recent report, published Wednesday. The Coast Guard has "developed a plan to standardize facility condition assessments" and "established guidance to document inputs, deliberations, and project prioritization decisions for shore infrastructure maintenance projects." It’s in the process of developing goals and baselines for "tracking the effectiveness" of its maintenance and repairs, and it’s also working to implement a software that helps optimize facility investment decisions.

Yahoo! News [3/6/2025 9:37 PM, Staff, 52868K] reports that a 36-foot boat at the Pelicans’ Nest Marina in Norfolk has been declared a total loss as the result of a fire Thursday, Norfolk Fire-Rescue Battalion Chief Stacy Himes said. In coordination with the Coast Guard, "the decision was made to allow the boat to sink in place and to salvage afterwards," Himes said. Though other boats were nearby to the boat on fire, no other boats caught on fire, Himes said, and no one was injured. Norfolk Fire-Rescue was sent to a fire on a docked boat at 4401 Pretty Lake Ave., the address listed for the Pelicans’ Nest Marina, at 8:30 p.m. A boat caught on fire at the Pelicans’ Nest Marina in Norfolk Thursday night, according to Norfolk Fire-Rescue (WAVY photo – Blake Smith). When crews arrived, they found a vessel docked on a pier with a moderate amount of fire, Himes said, and while initial reports indicated that a man lived on the boat and may have been on board, it was confirmed that the man was not on board the boat, Himes said. Units used water and foam to try and control the fire and keep it from spreading to nearby vessels, Himes said. The fire marshal’s office was at the scene investigating, and Norfolk Fire-Rescue is working with the Coast Guard and the Environmental Protection Agency to mitigate any environmental hazards, Himes said.

CBS Miami [3/6/2025 7:40 AM, Hunter Geisel and Morgan Rynor, 51661K] reports that thousands of pounds of cocaine worth over $141 million will never hit the streets after the U.S. Coast Guard, with the help of several other agencies, intercepted the drugs from smugglers in the Caribbean. On Thursday morning, the USCG offloaded the illicit drugs at the Coast Guard Station in Miami Beach. The USCG said the offload is a culmination of six interdictions conducted by U.S. and international naval agencies and their vessels, including: USCG Valiant, USCG Joseph Doyle, Royal Netherlands Navy HNLMS Groningen, Royal Canadian Navy HMCS Harry DeWolf, USCG Tactical Law Enforcement Team Pacific, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations. According to the USCG, they confiscated the drugs in open waters over the last two months by using planes, thermal imaging and speed boats. As one service member told CBS News Miami, their training really paid off. "When they zig, he zig, and they zagged, and we zagged," said USCG 3rd-class Machinery Technician Colton Howell, describing a mission they took down drug smugglers in the Caribbean Sea. "Once we got on scene, we were able to use the lights on our small boat and light them up, and we asked them to stop. They didn’t comply, so we ended up disabling their vessel."

Reported similarly:
Miami Herald [3/6/2025 6:18 PM, Milena Malaver, 3973K]

CBS Miami [3/6/2025 2:07 PM, Staff, 51661K] reports that CBS News Miami’s Morgan Rynor explains how the U.S. Coast Guard intercepted the massive loads of drugs. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Yahoo! News [3/6/2025 8:05 AM, Madie Mac Donald, 52868K] reports that crew from the Coast Guard Cutter Vigorous are back home following a 46-day border security patrol off the coast of Florida. According to a release, the Vigorous was deployed to the Florida Straits to support the Homeland Security Task Force with alien interdiction — or the detection and monitoring of migrant smuggling vessels — and border security operations. While deployed, the crew worked alongside U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations and Homeland Security Investigations. Vigorous returned to its homeport of Portsmouth on Wednesday, March 5.

Eugene Register-Guard [3/6/2025 3:33 PM, Haleigh Kochanski] reports a person was hospitalized Wednesday after being rescued from a trapped vehicle on the McKenzie River east of Eugene, Lane County Sheriff’s Office officials said in a news release issued Thursday. Multiple fire and law enforcement agencies responded to the scene near milepost 31 on the McKenzie Highway at around 8 p.m., the sheriff’s office said. The U.S. Coast Guard arrived at the scene with a helicopter and a rescue swimmer who was lowered onto the vehicle, the sheriff’s office said. The driver was secured and taken to a local hospital. Multiple agencies responded to the rescue, including McKenzie Fire and Rescue, Upper McKenzie Rural Fire Protection District, Eugene Springfield Fire Department, Oregon State Police, Oregon Department of Transportation, T&M Towing, U.S. Coast Guard and others. The Oregon State Police is investigating the cause of the crash.

Yahoo! News [3/6/2025 12:11 PM, Rhea Caoile, 52868K] reports that salvage and recovery operations for the jet that crashed in San Diego Bay were completed this week, according to a statement from the U.S. Navy Wednesday. "We understand the impact this accident has had on our community, and we appreciate the community’s patience while we worked to safely and efficiently salvage the aircraft," the Navy said in its statement. The local community was shaken to hear of the crash, which happened the morning of Feb. 12 near Shelter Island. Crews have attempted to recover the remains of the plane for the past three weeks. "The Navy takes pride in our deep history here in San Diego and could not have completed the recovery without the support of our local partners," the Navy’s statement said. According to officials, the downed plane was an EA-18G Growler, a variant in the F/A-18 family of military aircraft that combines the F/A-18 "Super Hornet" with an electronic warfare suite. The Growler was assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 135, based out of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in Washington state. Both pilots, the only two people on the aircraft, were able to safely eject and were rescued by a fishing vessel shortly after being in the water. After the incident, the Coast Guard worked to re-enforce the safety zone around the crash site to keep other vessels away from the area. The recovery team consisted of members of the Mobile Diving and Salvage Company 3-8, assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 3.

Yahoo! News [3/6/2025 12:03 PM, Maria Papadopoulos, 52868K] reports that the U.S. is offering a reward of up to $10 million to help apprehend several accused hackers working for the Chinese government, federal officials said Wednesday as the FBI issued a dire warning of global cybersecurity threats linked to China. The Chinese government, including its domestic police force, is using freelance hackers and information security companies to compromise computer networks worldwide, FBI officials said in a public warning. The warning comes as indictments were unsealed in New York and Washington on Wednesday against a dozen Chinese nationals accused of hacking into American computer networks and selling stolen data to the Chinese government. "The Department of Justice will relentlessly pursue those who threaten our cybersecurity by stealing from our government and our people," Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, said in a statement Wednesday. "We are exposing the Chinese government agents directing and fostering indiscriminate and reckless attacks against computers and networks worldwide, as well as the enabling companies and individual hackers that they have unleashed," Bai said. "We will continue to fight to dismantle this ecosystem of cyber mercenaries and protect our national security." The government agencies in China involved in the alleged cybersecurity threats include China’s primary intelligence service, the Ministry of State Security, and China’s domestic police agency, the Ministry of Public Security, according to the FBI.

Newsweek [3/6/2025 6:27 PM, Gabe Whisnant, 52220K] reports that Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons confirmed there are no signs of an active shooter and no reported injuries after police responded to a report of gunfire at Corry Station, a Navy installation in Pensacola. According to Simmons, someone reported hearing multiple gunshots around 10:15 a.m. Thursday, prompting a large-scale law enforcement response. Deputies conducted a sweep of the base but found no evidence of a shooting and no victims. Despite the lack of confirmation, all available deputies were dispatched to Corry Station, and Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola closed its entrances during the investigation. "Our Security team is responding swiftly and expertly with our local law enforcement partners," Capt. Chandra Newman said in a statement posted to X, formerly Twitter, on the NAS Pensacola account. "Our concern is always the safety and welfare of our service members and their families." Officials continue to search the area as a precaution. "We’re still out there, it’s still an active scene, but at this time there’s no confirmation," said Escambia County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Morgan Lewis. CBS News [3/6/2025 2:30 PM, Alex Sundby, 51661K] reports that the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and other agencies responded to reports of shots being fired at a building at Naval Air Station Pensacola’s Corry Station, the sheriff’s office said in a statement to CBS affiliate WKRG-TV. The sheriff’s office, Pensacola Police Department and Navy police responded to the location and found no signs of an active shooter after sweeping the building. Authorities were conducting another check of the building out of caution, Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons told reporters. "We want to make sure that we’ve cleared the entire building, closets, hallways, everything," Simmons said. Officials later said on social media a sweep was conducted throughout the base. "They have reported that there are no signs of an active shooter, and the area is determined ALL CLEAR," officials said. Base gates were closed during the law enforcement response, but officials said on social media that some gates were being reopened to people with Defense Department identification cards. [Editorial note: consult video at source link] The AP [3/6/2025 2:44 PM, Lolita C. Baldor, 1682K] reports that the station houses several units including the Navy’s Center for Information Warfare Training as well as civilian and Marine operations. The Navy’s website for the installation notes the gates are open 24 hours a day, but require credentials or accompaniment of credentialed individuals to enter.

Reported similarly:
FOX News [3/6/2025 12:20 PM, Rachel Wolf, 46189K]

USA Today [3/6/2025 8:42 PM, Bart Jansen, 75858K] reports President Donald Trump suspended the security clearances for employees of Perkins Coie law firm and ordered federal agencies to cancel contracts with the practice by citing its links to his 2016 Democratic political rival, Hillary Clinton. The order called the firm’s representation "dishonest and dangerous" for hiring Fusion GPS to collect a dossier of critical information about Trump while representing Clinton during the campaign. "The egregious activity is part of a pattern," the order said. The order also cited Perkins Coie for working to overturn election laws that required voter identification. Trump said Thursday it was "an absolute honor to sign" the order. Perkins Coie called the order "patently unlawful" in a statement and said "we intend to challenge it.” The order was the second Trump has signed against a law firm he views as an adversary. He previously suspended security clearances for lawyers at Covington & Burling who provided free assistance to former special counsel Jack Smith, who secured two indictments against Trump before the charges were dropped because he won the election. Perkins Coie and Covington are among law firms representing clients suing the Trump administration over executive actions related to immigration, transgender rights and other issues. The Perkins Coie order called for agencies to require that federal contractors disclose any business with the firm and terminate those contracts. The order also restricted access of the firm’s employees to federal government buildings, to protect U.S. interests and national security.

Newsweek [3/6/2025 2:21 PM, Jenna Sundel, 52220K] reports the U.S. government has issued a travel advisory for the Turks and Caicos Islands due to crime in the region. The advisory from the U.S. Department of State is level 2, meaning travelers should "exercise increased caution.” The State Department considers a variety of factors when issuing travel advisories, including crime, terrorism, civil unrest, health, likelihood of a natural disaster and current events. A level 2 advisory indicates heightened risks to safety and security. The advisory says most crime occurs in Providenciales, an island in the northwest of the Caicos Islands. The State Department said police in the area may have limited investigative resources. It also warns that firearms and ammunition are illegal, including single bullets brought in carry-on bags or luggage by mistake. Travelers who violate this law could face arrest, jail time and heavy fines. "Though the law allows for some exceptions and discretion, the Department of State cannot guarantee your release," the advisory states. The region saw an increase in robberies and burglaries this past year, according to a report from local outlet Turks and Caicos Weekly News. The increase in crime led the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force to set up a dedicated robbery policing unit. The robberies allegedly targeted both locals and tourists, particularly in Providenciales. The suspects reportedly invaded villas, restaurants and businesses.

NBC News [3/6/2025 9:08 AM, Artem Grudinin, Anastasiia Parafeniuk, and Alexander Smith, 52868K] reports that Ukraine may have enough weapons to fight Russia unaffected for a few weeks at least, but President Donald Trump’s decision to stop sharing intelligence will cost civilian lives almost immediately, dismayed Ukrainians said Thursday. Trump’s decision to halt intelligence came as European leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymy Zelenskyy, convened a summit in Brussels as they attempt to cope with an upended landscape in which the Trump administration appears to be treating them with hostility while seemingly warming to the Kremlin. Miles away from these high-powered meetings, ordinary Ukrainians may have to confront the real-world consequences of the White House’s U-turn. As Washington turns off the tap on its $65 billion of military aid, Ukraine will also now have to do without American intelligence that has helped it to anticipate Russian attacks and troop movements, and avoid nightly barrages from Russian drones on its cities and infrastructure. The White House cut off this intel feed following the disastrous Oval Office meeting last week between Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Zelenskyy. Though Trump’s team hinted that the pause is a negotiating tactic to ensure Zelenskyy is "ready for peace," it has nonetheless shocked military and intelligence experts worldwide. That feeling is no less deeply felt in Kyiv.

New York Times [3/6/2025 6:58 PM, Luke Broadwater and Marc Santora, 145325K] reports Senior U.S. and Ukrainian officials are planning to meet next week to discuss the first steps of a deal that could seek an end to the war in Ukraine, after a week of U.S. moves casting doubt on its support for the country. Both President Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine confirmed the meeting, which is expected to take place in Saudi Arabia. The planned meeting was announced just under a week after an Oval Office blowup between the two men in which Mr. Trump attacked Mr. Zelensky as ungrateful for U.S. support and threatened to abandon Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s invasion. Mr. Trump later paused all military aid to Ukraine. Since then, Mr. Zelensky has expressed regret in general terms over how that meeting went, and both sides have showed willingness to sign a deal in which the United States would share in revenue from Ukraine’s mineral resources. “Ukrainian and American teams have resumed work, and we hope that next week we will have a meaningful meeting,” Mr. Zelensky said in a statement on Thursday. Mr. Zelensky said that Ukraine would send a delegation to meet with “military representatives of countries that are ready to make greater efforts to reliably guarantee security within the framework of ending this war.” He said the meeting was scheduled for Tuesday, but did not specify who would attend. Russian officials met last month with top Trump officials in Saudi Arabia as Russia has signaled an openness to talks, though it has not said if it would accept a cease-fire or an agreement to end the war. There remains significant doubt among European leaders as to whether they can serve as the ultimate security backstop for Ukraine if America abandons the war-torn country. The Trump administration suspended military assistance and intelligence sharing with Ukraine this week in a bid to pressure Kyiv to negotiate on its terms, although it has not outlined any specific peace plan. Outside the White House on Thursday, Steve Witkoff, the Trump administration’s special envoy to the Middle East, told reporters that the negotiations would take place in Saudi Arabia.

AP [3/6/2025 3:53 PM, Aamer Madhani, 24727K] reports that Ukraine was given "fair warning" by the White House before President Donald Trump this week ordered a pause on U.S. military assistance and intelligence sharing with Kyiv, a senior administration official said Thursday. The Republican administration announced the pauses this week after Trump and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’sOval Office meeting devolved into a shouting match, with the U.S. president and Vice President JD Vance excoriating the Ukrainian leader for being insufficiently grateful for the tens of billions of dollars in U.S. assistance sent to Ukraine since Russia invaded three years ago. Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, said the pause is already having an impact on Kyiv, adding that the Ukrainians "brought it on themselves." "The best way I can describe it is sort of like hitting a mule with a two-by-four across the nose," Kellogg said at an event Thursday at the Council on Foreign Relations. "You got their attention." Kellogg said it was made clear to the Ukrainians before last week’s Oval Office meeting that the talks would focus on signing a critical minerals deal. The agreement, which the two sides still have not signed, would give the U.S. access to Ukraine’s rare earth deposits and could be of value to U.S. aerospace, electric vehicle and medical manufacturing.

AP [3/6/2025 3:59 PM, Samya Kullab, 12335K] reports the U.S. decision to stop sharing military intelligence with Ukraine hobbles its ability to strike and defend against the Russian army, and increases the pressure on it to accept a peace deal being pushed by the Trump administration. Earlier in the week, the U.S. suspended weapons shipments – a severe blow, but one that experts said Ukraine could withstand for at least a few months. The suspension of intelligence has a more immediate impact by disrupting Ukraine’s ability to track and target Russian troops, tanks and ships; its other allies lack the same resources to fill the gap. The decision to withhold intelligence – and military aid – came on the heels of a tempestuous White House visit last week by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance want Zelenskyy to quickly accept a truce with Russia – which now controls one-fifth of his country – and to give up significant mineral rights to the U.S. to help fund any future support for Ukraine. The Trump administration says Ukraine hasn’t demonstrated sufficient willingness to seek peace with Russia, with whom the U.S. has held separate talks to try to bring an end to the war. U.S. officials suggested Wednesday that the withdrawal of intelligence-sharing might only be a temporary measure to expedite truce negotiations, citing more positive talks since the White House blowup. “We have taken a step back and are pausing and reviewing all aspects of this relationship,” U.S. national security adviser Mike Waltz said Wednesday. CIA Director John Ratcliffe called the suspension a “pause.” Zelenskyy has repeatedly said he is ready to discuss peace, but that any deal must offer his country sufficient security guarantees to deter future Russian aggression. He has also publicly stated his regrets about the contentious, and televised, White House meeting. Trump administration officials have said the deal for mineral rights would more closely bind the U.S. and Ukraine, giving Russian President Vladimir Putin pause before considering future malign action against Ukraine.

The Hill [3/6/2025 1:41 PM, Laura Kelly, 12829K] reports U.S. and Ukrainian officials are talking to set up a meeting next week in Saudi Arabia aimed at structuring the framework for a ceasefire with Russia and a peace agreement, President Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff told reporters on Thursday. The meeting signals a thawing of relations between the U.S. and Ukraine, which ruptured abruptly following an explosive Oval Office confrontation between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. "We are now in discussion to coordinate a meeting with the Ukrainians in Riyadh or even potentially Jeddah," Witkoff told reporters outside the White House. "So the city is moving around a little bit, but it will be Saudi Arabia. And I think the idea is to get down a framework for a peace agreement and an initial ceasefire as well.” Zelensky said Wednesday that discussions were taking place to set up a meeting next week with American officials. Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s top aide, talked with national security adviser Mike Waltz. Zelensky has sought to repair relations with Trump following the Oval Office debacle, the fallout from which has included Trump halting military assistance to Ukraine and cutting off intelligence sharing with the Ukrainians, harming Kyiv’s ability to hit high-value Russian targets. Zelensky sent a letter to the president and posted on social media overtures to the power of the U.S. and his intent to sign a minerals deal with the president that was shelved in the aftermath. "I hope we get things back on track with the Ukrainians and everything resumes," Witkoff said, but he noted the decision rests with Trump.

Newsweek [3/6/2025 8:04 PM, Ellie Cook, 52220K] reports that picking up the pieces of a world shattered from World War II, the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia and New Zealand formally banded together to pool their intelligence. This Anglophone intel-sharing arrangement, dubbed the Five Eyes, has seen its members through the many decades since, an elaborate web of intelligence capabilities pitted against threats they all agree pose a danger. But in a matter of days, U.S. President Donald Trump and his top officials have shredded the order, and the consensus, that has dominated for 80 years. Upending U.S. foreign policy, slapping tariffs north of the border and splattering America’s allies with disdain, the new administration quickly had those relying on Washington asking whether they can trust the U.S. to provide vital, and sensitive, capabilities. Little is more sensitive than the Five Eyes, its gaze long fixed on Moscow and Beijing. It is, in short, the "most important intelligence sharing agreement in history," said Calder Walton, a historian specializing in national security and intelligence at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. But there are now pressing concerns over whether Trump will pull the U.S. from the alliance as part of his broader brush-off of America’s allies—and whether the remaining nations of the Five Eyes could survive it. One potential scenario could see the White House stymie what it shares with allies.

Washington Post [3/6/2025 7:52 PM, Karen DeYoung, 31735K] reports a U.S. proposal floated at a recent meeting between Hamas and a U.S. negotiator would see the remaining American hostage, Edan Alexander, and a number of other living Hamas captives exchanged for a two-month extension of the Gaza Strip ceasefire and a resumption of humanitarian aid to the enclave. The plan was one of several options discussed as a possible way forward during recent talks held in Qatar between U.S. and Hamas officials, according to people familiar with the negotiations who spoke on the condition of anonymity about the sensitive diplomacy. Also on the table is a proposal advanced by Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, to extend the current ceasefire by about 50 days, until the end of the Ramadan-Passover holidays. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to what he calls the “Witkoff plan,” which would begin with the release of half the remaining hostages and end with freedom for the rest. The ceasefire that began in late January has appeared increasingly tenuous, and Gazans have remained without humanitarian aid since Israel blocked it last weekend. Hamas has rejected the Witkoff proposal but has not immediately responded to other options, people familiar with Hamas’s position said. The militant group is weighing the possible advantages of a direct deal with the Trump administration, the people said, while continuing to insist that the end goal of negotiations must be full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the permanent end of the war in conjunction with the final release of hostages, as stipulated in the agreement both parties signed in January.

Newsweek [3/6/2025 1:07 PM, Tom O’Connor, 52220K] reports that a senior Hamas official shared with Newsweek his reaction to a stark threat issued by U.S. President Donald Trump over the nearly 60 living and dead hostages still being held by the group 16 months into its war with Israel. Shortly after meeting with former hostages seized during the Hamas-led attack on Israel that sparked the conflict in October 2023, Trump issued what he referred to as his "last warning" to the group on social media. "Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you," Trump wrote on Wednesday. "Only sick and twisted people keep bodies, and you are sick and twisted! I am sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job, not a single Hamas member will be safe if you don’t do as I say.” In response, Hamas Political Bureau member and spokesperson Basem Naim pointed to figures alleging that Israel had hundreds of bodies of Palestinians killed before and during the conflict. "On February 23, 2025, the Palestinian National Campaign for the Recovery of Martyrs’ Bodies announced that the number of documented bodies held by the occupation has risen to 665 martyrs, distributed between ‘numbered graves’ and ‘refrigerators,’ including martyrs held since the 1960s and 1970s, along with martyrs from the Al-Far’a refugee camp in the West Bank, who got killed by the occupation forces last Wednesday evening," Naim said in a statement shared with Newsweek on Thursday.

Washington Post [3/6/2025 5:11 PM, Adam Taylor Heba Farouk Mahfouz and Gerry Shih, 31735K] reports the first known meeting between a U.S. official and a Hamas representative occurred recently in Doha, Qatar, where U.S. special hostage envoy Adam Boehler was meeting to discuss hostage releases. On Wednesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt did not deny the meeting, telling reporters that Boehler has "the authority to talk to anyone.” On Wednesday, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a terse statement saying that it had "expressed its position" on the talks to the United States in private. Netanyahu was not informed of the talks through official channels before they took place and was caught off guard, said an Israeli with knowledge of the matter. Separately, an Israeli official said if Trump were to secure the release of U.S. hostages but not Israeli citizens, the issue could cause embarrassment for the prime minister domestically. Both spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive details. The U.S.-Hamas talks have largely been focused on securing the release of American Israeli hostage Edan Alexander and the bodies of four other American Israelis: Itay Chen, Omer Neutra, Gad Haggai and Judi Weinstein, the Times of Israel reported Wednesday. The United States designated Hamas a terrorist organization in 1997, years before it won elections in Gaza and soon split with the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority. It has been blocked out of direct talks ever since. Though the Biden administration was engaged in negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas, it worked through mediators rather than talking directly to the Palestinian group. "Qatar is talking to Hamas, Israel is talking to Qatar, the United States is talking to both to try and move forward to a point where hostages can be released," White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in November 2023. The United States has held a firm, though informal, prohibition against negotiating with terrorist groups for decades. However, it most directly applies to negotiations for U.S. hostages.

Newsweek [3/6/2025 12:18 PM, Maya Mehrara, 3973K] reports that Iran has denounced the U.K.’s accusations that Tehran attempted to threaten London’s national security, according to Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ press release. Newsweek reached out to the Iranian Mission to the United Nations for comment via email outside of business hours. Newsweek also reached out to the U.K.’s immigration and security agency, the Home Office, for comment via email. The U.K. and Iran have had a historically contentious relationship, with many of their issues revolving around Tehran’s possession of nuclear weapons, and London’s designation of Iran as a serious foreign threat will only increase tensions between the two nations. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei has refuted the U.K.’s allegations that Tehran has attempted to threaten London’s national security and deemed them baseless. In this statement, the U.K.’s allegation that Iran is referring to is London’s announcement that it will place Tehran on an elevated tier of scrutiny due to allegations of foreign influence, according to Reuters. U.K. Security Minister Dan Jarvis announced that London will place Iran, its security services, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the enhanced tier of a new registration "scheme" so that Tehran will be required to register all of its activities that it conducts to exert political influence in the U.K.

Reuters [3/6/2025 6:09 AM, Jonathan Saul and Jarrett Renshaw, 41523K] reports that President Donald Trump’s administration is considering a plan to stop and inspect Iranian oil tankers at sea under an international accord aimed at countering the spread of weapons of mass destruction, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Trump has vowed to restore a "maximum pressure" campaign to isolate Iran from the global economy and drive its oil exports to zero, in order to stop the country from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Trump hit Iran with two waves of fresh sanctions in the first weeks of his second-term, targeting companies and the so-called shadow fleet of ageing oil tankers that sail without Western insurance and transport crude from sanctioned countries. Those moves have largely been in line with the limited measures implemented during former President Joe Biden’s administration, during which Iran succeeded in ramping up oil exports through complex smuggling networks. Trump officials are now looking at ways for allied countries to stop and inspect ships sailing through critical chokepoints such as the Malacca Strait in Asia and other sea lanes, according to six sources who asked not to be named due to the sensitive subject.

Washington Examiner [3/6/2025 12:56 PM, Haisten Willis, 2296K] reports that the Trump administration is working to calm the public after the Chinese Embassy in Washington said earlier this week that the country was ready to fight a trade war or "any other type of war" with the United States. "We’re prepared. Those who long for peace must prepare for war," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday on Fox News just hours after the statement was posted. "That’s why we are rebuilding our military. That’s why we’re reestablishing deterrence, the warrior ethos because we live in a dangerous world with powerful, ascendant countries with very different ideologies." White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, on Wednesday afternoon, pointed back to Hegseth’s statement and acknowledged that President Donald Trump had been "very tough on China" when asked about the row. The spat came as Trump escalated his tariffs on foreign enemies and allies. Trump slapped 10% tariffs on Chinese imports in February, which doubled to 20% this week. China responded with 15% tariffs on farm exports coming from the U.S. and sent out a disturbing social media post as Trump wrapped up his address to a joint session of Congress. "If war is what the U.S. wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war or any other type of war, we’re ready to fight till the end," the embassy said in a statement posted on March 4.

FOX News [3/6/2025 7:29 PM, Staff, 46189K] Video: HERE reports Fox News chief national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin reports on the tense foreign relations between the U.S. and China on ‘Special Report.’

VOA News [3/6/2025 12:24 PM, William Yang, 2913K] reports that Taiwan President Lai Ching-te is hailing a planned $100 billion investment in the U.S. by the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation as "a historic moment for U.S-Taiwan relations," adding that the move is not the result of pressure imposed by the U.S. government. The president and TSMC chairman C.C. Wei spoke to reporters at Taiwan’s presidential office in Taipei Thursday afternoon. Wei said the chipmaker’s latest U.S. expansion was driven by large customer demand, adding that its production lines there are already "fully booked" for the next three years. "Whenever TSMC builds a production line in any location outside Taiwan, it is always driven by customer demand," he said. The $100 billion investment – which is separate from an investment of up to $65 billion in the U.S. that TSMC agreed to last April – calls for the construction of three new chip plants, two chip-packaging facilities and a research and development center in the western U.S. state of Arizona. The president’s remarks come two days after Wei and U.S. President Donald Trump announced the chip giant’s expansion at the White House. "We must be able to build the chips and semiconductors that we need right here," Trump said during the press conference, adding that the move is "a matter of national security" for the U.S. Wei said Thursday that TSMC also plans to build 11 new production lines in Taiwan this year, and the expansion in the U.S. won’t affect that timeline.

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