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.

Breitbart [9/15/2025 6:42 PM, Elizabeth Weibel, 2608K] reports President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. Military had conducted a "SECOND Kinetic Strike" against another Venezuelan narco-terrorist boat that had been carrying "illegal narcotics.” In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the strike resulted in three "male terrorists" being killed, and added that "no U.S. Forces were harmed" during the strike. Trump also explained that the "narcoterrorists from Venezuela" had been traveling in "International Waters" with illegal narcotics. "This morning, on my Orders, U.S. Military Forces conducted a SECOND Kinetic Strike against positively identified, extraordinarily violent drug trafficking cartels and narcoterrorists in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility," Trump said. "The Strike occurred while these confirmed narcoterrorists from Venezuela were in International Waters transporting illegal narcotics (A DEADLY WEAPON POISONING AMERICANS!) headed to the U.S.” "These extremely violent drug trafficking cartels POSE A THREAT to U.S. National Security, Foreign Policy, and vital U.S. Interests," Trump continued. "The Strike resulted in 3 male terrorists killed in action. No U.S. Forces were harmed in this Strike. BE WARNED — IF YOU ARE TRANSPORTING DRUGS THAT CAN KILL AMERICANS, WE ARE HUNTING YOU! The illicit activities by these cartels have wrought DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES ON AMERICAN COMMUNITIES FOR DECADES, killing millions of American Citizens. NO LONGER.” At the beginning of September, Trump announced that the U.S. Military had "shot out" a Venezuelan "drug-carrying" boat. The strike resulted in the death of 11 Tren de Aragua narcoterrorists, who had been en route to the United States. The New York Times [9/16/2025 3:18 AM, Eric Schmitt, Helene Cooper and Charlie Savage, 330K] reports that the strike occurred in international waters and killed three people, Mr. Trump said in a social media post. The president said the people killed were “positively identified,” but he did not identify a specific organization with which they were alleged to be associated. Mr. Trump also posted a 27-second video on social media that edited together several clips of aerial surveillance. It showed a speedboat bobbing in the water, before a fiery explosion engulfed the vessel. It was unclear what was on the boat. The Pentagon on Monday offered no other details on the strike, referring to Mr. Trump’s social media post, although a Defense Department official separately said it was a Special Operations strike. Legal specialists condemned the U.S. military action as illegal, as they had a similar first American attack on another vessel on Sept. 2. “Trump is normalizing what I consider to be an unlawful strike,” said Rear Adm. Donald J. Guter, a retired top judge advocate general for the Navy from 2000 to 2002. Earlier on Monday, before Mr. Trump announced the new strike, Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro condemned the Sept. 2 attack as a “heinous crime” and “a military attack on civilians who were not at war and were not militarily threatening any country.” He said if the United States believed that the boat’s passengers were drug traffickers they should have been arrested, and accused the administration of trying to start a war. Reuters [9/15/2025 6:07 PM, Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, 45746K] reports Trump provided no evidence for his assertion that the boat was carrying drugs. The post also included a nearly 30-second video, with markings of "Unclassified" on the top, which appeared to show a vessel in a body of water exploding and then on fire. Later on Monday, Trump said that "we have proof, all you have to do is look at the cargo that was ... spattered all over the ocean, big bags of cocaine and fentanyl." Trump, speaking with reporters on Monday, suggested operations could be carried out on land against suspected drug smugglers. The Trump administration has provided scant information about the first strike on September 2, despite demands from U.S. lawmakers that the government justify the action. It has alleged those onboard were members of Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and said 11 people were killed. The Pentagon has not publicly said what type of drugs that boat was carrying or how much, or even what type of weapons were used to carry out the strike. U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, have told Reuters that the boat hit on September 2 appeared to be turning around when it was hit, a fact that has raised questions among some legal experts about the legality of the strike. CNN [9/15/2025 4:19 PM, Haley Britzky] reports that when pushed for answers days after the strike, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declined to provide any specifics and said the US had "the absolute and complete authority to conduct that." The second strike on Monday comes amid rising tensions with Venezuela, as the US has deployed military assets to the region, including the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, and 10 F-35 fighter jets to Puerto Rico. CNN reported last week that Defense Department officials did not present conclusive evidence that the targets of the first attack were members of Tren de Aragua, and that the briefers could not determine exactly where they were headed.

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Univision [9/15/2025 4:53 PM, Staff, 4932K]

New York Times [9/15/2025 6:21 PM, Julie Turkewitz and Isayen Herrera, 143795K] reports the deadly attack President Trump ordered early this month on what he said was a drug-smuggling Venezuelan boat was a “heinous crime,” Venezuela’s president said on Monday — just before Mr. Trump boasted of destroying a second boat. Speaking to reporters in Caracas, the Venezuelan leader, Nicolás Maduro, said that the Sept. 2 attack, which killed 11 people, violated U.S. and international laws. If the United States believed that the boat’s passengers were drug traffickers — as Americans officials have claimed — they should have been captured, he said. Not long after he spoke, Mr. Trump announced on social media that the U.S. military had conducted another strike on Monday morning “against positively identified, extraordinarily violent drug trafficking cartels and narcoterrorists” in international waters, heading from Venezuela. The attack killed three people, he said. He justified the second strike, like the first one, by saying that cartels transporting drugs pose a threat to U.S. national security. There was no immediate response from the Maduro government to the latest attack. The day’s events marked a continued escalation in tensions between the two nations.

NewsMax [9/16/2025 8:03 PM, Mark Swanson, 4779K] reports a second Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in a week was injured by an illegal migrant trying to evade arrest, this time in Homestead, Florida. The Department of Homeland Security announced Monday that a car driven by an illegal migrant from Guatemala struck an ICE officer in the leg, nearly crushing him during a traffic stop on Sunday. DHS said Henry Isaul Garcia put the car in reverse in an effort to get away. After crashing into several ICE vehicles, Garcia collided with a utility van. Garcia and three other people were arrested. Garcia illegally entered the United States on or about March 10, 2022, near Eagle Pass, Texas. "These dangerous attempts to flee law enforcement come after sanctuary politicians have openly encouraged and provided tips for how to evade our ICE officers," Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement Monday. "We are praying for the speedy recovery of our law enforcement officer. The violence against our brave ICE law enforcement must come to an end. This is the second incident in a week where an officer was injured while arresting an illegal alien." The ICE officer in Florida is in stable condition, DHS said.

Breitbart [9/16/2025 2:43 AM, Staff, 2608K] reports President Donald Trump signed a memorandum Monday to deploy U.S. National Guard troops into Tennessee to "restore law and order" in the city of Memphis. The move comes one month after the president sent the National Guard into Washington, D.C. "Today, at the request of Gov. Bill Lee of Tennessee, who’s standing with us as you know, I’m signing a presidential memorandum to establish the Memphis Safe Task Force and it’s very important because of the crime that’s going on not only in Memphis, but in many cities and we’re going to take care of all of them," Trump said. "Just like we did in D.C. We have virtually no crime in D.C., right now and we’re going to keep it that way. It’s our nation’s capital," Trump added, before announcing "Chicago is probably next," as well as St. Louis and New Orleans. According to the White House, violent crime in Memphis has "overwhelmed its local government’s ability to respond effectively." The Federal Bureau of Investigation said Memphis had the highest rate of violent crime per capita last year to include murder, robbery, aggravated assault and property crimes. "We have to save these cities," Trump repeated throughout Monday’s signing ceremony. "A person is four times more likely to be murdered today in Memphis, Tenn., than in Mexico City," Trump said, according to statistics. "It’s been overrun with carjackings, robberies, shootings and killings. There were 249 murders, 429 rapes, 5,616 burglaries and 12,522 violent assaults" within the last year, according to the FBI data. The Memphis Safe Task Force will increase policing and investigations with aggressive prosecution to "restore public order," according to the signed memorandum. Tennessee’s governor has been instructed to use National Guard units from his state first, with the federal government adding additional personnel, if needed. "The task force will be a replica, as I said, and I think will be equally as successful as in Washington. We essentially had the crime down to a very low rate in 12 days," Trump claimed. "The effort will include the National Guard, as well as the FBI, ATF, DEA, ICE, Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Marshals," Trump said, adding that the Department of Justice would also be involved in the prosecutions. Memphis Mayor Paul Young and other Democrats have said they do not want the administration’s help and do not believe it will lower crime. "We don’t have a say in the National Guard, but our goal is to ensure that we have influence in how they engage in the community," Young told reporters Friday. Lee, a Republican, thanked the Trump administration Monday for providing the federal resources to Memphis. "We are very hopeful and excited about the prospect of moving that city forward," Lee said. "I’ve been in office for seven years. I’m tired of crime holding the great city of Memphis back.” The Washington Examiner [9/15/2025 5:37 PM, Anna Giaritelli, 1563K] reports that, speaking at the White House on Monday, Trump said agents and officers from the FBI; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Drug Enforcement Administration; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Homeland Security Investigations; and U.S. Marshals Service, along with federal prosecutors, would head to West Tennessee. National Guard members will not yet be part of the deployment but could be, if needed, Trump said.

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The Hill [9/15/2025 8:09 PM, Ellen Mitchell, 12414K]
Reuters [9/15/2025 6:34 PM, Nandita Bose, 45746K]
CBS News [9/15/2025 5:41 PM, Kathryn Watson, 45245K]
NBC News [9/15/2025 5:18 PM, Juhi Doshi, 43603K]

The Hill [9/15/2025 12:55 PM, Elizabeth Crisp, 12414K] reports that Memphis Mayor Paul Young (D) on Saturday refuted President Trump’s claim that he is "happy" about the president’s plan to deploy the National Guard to the Tennessee city in the coming days. "I’m certainly not happy about the National Guard," Young told CNN’s Victor Blackwell on "First of All" over the weekend. "The authority to call the National Guard lies with the governor and the president, and, so as mayor, my goal is to make sure that if they are indeed coming, that we have an opportunity to drive some of the decisions around how they engage in our community," Young said. "With regards to the National Guard, it is something that we don’t have a choice in, and we’re going to do all that we can to make sure that it has limited impact on our community," he added. Trump suggested in an interview on Fox News’s "Fox & Friends" on Friday that Young and Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R) are "happy" that the next phase of his federal crime crackdown will be in Memphis. Trump deployed National Guard troops and federal law enforcement officers in Washington, D.C., last month to combat crime, and he has suggested that other Democrat-led cities could soon face similar interventions. "We’re going to Memphis. Memphis is deeply troubled," Trump said Friday. "The mayor is happy — he’s a Democrat mayor.” "We’re going to fix that just like Washington," the president said of his push toward Memphis.

NBC News [9/15/2025 10:18 AM, Rebecca Shabad, 43603K] reports President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to federalize the Washington, D.C., police again if the department does not cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations. In August, Trump federalized D.C. police and deployed National Guard troops into the district in an emergency 30-day takeover, which expired last week. Trump said in a Truth Social post early Monday that the move led to the city being "one of the safest" in the world. Trump said that D.C. is now "booming" with restaurants, stores and other businesses and there’s "virtually NO CRIME.” "It has been a beautiful thing to watch but, now, under pressure from the Radical Left Democrats, Mayor Muriel Bowser, who has presided over this violent criminal takeover of our Capital for years, has informed the Federal Government that the Metropolitan Police Department will no longer cooperate with ICE in removing and relocating dangerous illegal aliens," he wrote. Trump warned: "If I allowed this to happen, CRIME would come roaring back. To the people and businesses of Washington, D.C., DON’T WORRY, I AM WITH YOU, AND WON’T ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN. I’ll call a National Emergency, and Federalize, if necessary!!!". Bowser, a Democrat, voiced concern during the initial emergency about the administration’s immigration-enforcement operations and how residents were "living in fear." As the emergency ended last week, Bowser told reporters that the presidential declaration compelled the mayor to provide police department services for federal purposes, including immigration enforcement. But, she said, "Immigration enforcement is not what MPD does, and with the end of the emergency, it won’t be what MPD does.” At the same time, Bowser said that federal police officers would remain in the district to "enhance the public safety mission of MPD.”

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Washington Times [9/15/2025 7:15 AM, Matt Delaney, 964K]

The Hill [9/15/2025 3:25 PM, Sarah Fortinsky, 12414K] reports President Trump on Sunday weighed in on the "terrible reports" of a Texas man’s beheading and pledged to pursue justice for the victim and his family, who were allegedly forced to witness the brutal killing. Trump said the suspect, Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, was previously charged with crimes including child sex abuse, grand theft of a motor vehicle and false imprisonment. He accused the Biden administration of allowing him to enter the country. The Dallas Police Department arrested Cobos-Martinez on murder charges on Wednesday at a motel in Dallas. He is accused of using a machete to behead a local merchant in front of his wife and child, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). ICE has lodged a detainer with the Dallas County Jail, where the suspect is being held, for his federal arrest and removal. "This vile monster beheaded this man in front of his wife and child and proceeded to kick the victims’ head on the ground. This gruesome, savage slaying of a victim at a motel by Yordanis Cobos-Martinez was completely preventable if this criminal illegal alien was not released into our country by the Biden Administration since Cuba would not take him back," Tricia McLaughlin, an assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, said in a statement Friday. "This is exactly why we are removing criminal illegal aliens to third countries," she continued. "President Trump and Secretary Noem are no longer allowing barbaric criminals to indefinitely remain in America. If you come to our country illegally, you could end up in Eswatini, Uganda, South Sudan, or CECOT." ICE said the suspect has a past final order of removal to Cuba, but he was released on order of supervision on Jan. 13 "because Cuba would not accept him because of his criminal history," ICE’s statement said. NewsMax [9/15/2025 10:51 AM, Mark Swanson, 4779K] reports "Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Border Czar Tom Homan, and many others in my Administration, are doing an incredible job in, MAKING AMERICA SAFE AGAIN. This criminal, who we have in custody, will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the Law. He will be charged with murder in the first degree!" Trump concluded his post.CBS News [9/15/2025 6:26 PM, Steven Rosenbaum, 45245K] reports Cobos-Martinez is being held in the Dallas County Jail for capital murder and has an immigration hold, jail records show. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed it has lodged a detainer with the Dallas County Jail for Cobos-Martinez’s federal arrest and removal. In a statement, ICE said he is a Cuban national and in the U.S. illegally. While Cobos-Martinez has an extensive arrest history, he was not convicted in every case. Court records show the child indecency case against Cobos-Martinez was dropped due to insufficient evidence, and Cobos-Martinez was acquitted of grand theft auto after a trial in California. According to ICE, Cobos-Martinez was under a final order to be deported but Cuba would not take him back due to his criminal record. He was released from the Bluebonnet Detention Center in the final days of the Biden administration under an order of supervision, ICE said. Mr. Trump said Cobos-Martinez would be charged with murder in the first degree, which is not a charge in Texas. The equivalent charge is capital murder, which carries a mandatory life sentence with the possibility of the death sentence.

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USA Today [9/15/2025 11:09 AM, Joey Garrison, 64151K]

Telemundo [9/15/2025 6:43 PM, Eduardo "Yusnaby" Rodriguez, 144K] reports the news of the brutal crime in Dallas has shocked the country and the world. The defendant, 37-year-old Cuban Yordanis Cobos-Martínez, who faces capital murder charges after he allegedly beheaded the manager of a motel with a machete and kicked the victim’s head in front of his wife and son. Cobos-Martínez had an extensive criminal record in the United States: car theft, kidnapping, assault and a case of child sexual abuse in Texas. After several years in prison, he was released in January 2025, under a supervision order, because at that time there were no deportation flights to Cuba. President Donald Trump reacted harshly. He said the crime could have been avoided and blamed the Biden administration. According to Trump, the defendant’s release was due to the fact that Cuba does not accept the bad guys, referring to the Havana regime refusing to receive nationals with a violent record.

Daily Caller [9/16/2025 4:55 PM, Harold Hutchison, 985K] reports Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin accused Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas of encouraging attacks on United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on Monday. Crockett compared ICE agents to “slave patrols” in the pre-Civil War South during a Friday appearance on “The Breakfast Club.” McLaughlin lit into Crockett for the comparison during an appearance on “America Reports.” “You’ve got Democrats out there so publicly in what is a very heated moment of hot rhetoric that is out there. What’s going to give to get Democrats to stop vilifying these ICE agents and putting their lives and their families’ lives in danger every day?” co-host Sandra Smith asked McLaughlin. “Exactly. We need to stick with the facts. 70 percent of those illegal aliens who have been arrested under this administration have either prior criminal convictions or pending criminal charges against them,” McLaughlin responded. “Just over the weekend, as Alexis mentioned, we have arrested multiple child pedophiles, multiple rapists, really the worst of the worst on America’s streets. J.B. Pritzker, Brandon Johnson, who’s the mayor out of Chicago, they should actually be thanking our ICE law enforcement officers and helping us get these criminal illegal aliens off the ground. Instead, they continue to demonize our law enforcement officers.”

New York Times [9/16/2025 1:57 AM, Chris Cameron, 143795K] reports that a federal judge in Washington excoriated the Trump administration on Monday for what she described as its disregard of court-ordered protections for migrants it had deported to Ghana, even as she declined to rule on their behalf, citing a lack of jurisdiction. The judge called out a “cavalier acceptance” that they may face torture and persecution in their home countries, as several are set for deportation again. One of the migrants had said in a sworn statement that he had been beaten and tortured by police officers and soldiers in his home county of Nigeria, and had been told that if they ever saw him again, they would kill him. But Judge Tanya S. Chutkan of the Federal District Court in Washington ruled late Monday that she could not prevent those migrants from being sent to their home countries because they had already been sent to Ghana — and thus out of her legal purview. The decision was a victory for the Trump administration and the most recent sign of how recent Supreme Court rulings have paved the way for elements of President Trump’s mass deportation campaign. The five plaintiffs in the case, identified by their initials for fear of persecution in their home counties, are citizens of Nigeria and Gambia. One man, known in the filing as K.S., has already been deported by Ghana to Gambia, where he is in hiding. K.S. is bisexual, and Gambia criminalizes relationships between men with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The other four plaintiffs were still in Ghana as of early Tuesday, and have been told by officials there that their deportations were imminent. “The court does not reach this conclusion lightly,” Judge Chutkan wrote in her 16-page ruling. But, she added, despite being “alarmed and dismayed,” her “hands are tied.” The ruling brought an end to a frantic legal battle that began on Friday and lasted through the weekend. Lawyers representing the five migrants had sued in federal court, accusing the Trump administration of using an agreement with Ghana to accept deported migrants to “do their dirty work” and send them onward to their home countries, despite orders from immigration judges who had determined that those migrants were more likely than not to face persecution, torture or death if returned. Judge Chutkan appeared to largely agree with that assessment, saying in an emergency hearing on Saturday that “I have not been shy about saying that I think this is a very suspicious scheme.” But, she added, the Supreme Court had blocked a lower court decision in a similar case earlier this year, and told the plaintiffs’ lawyers that “there’s no point in getting decisions from me that are immediately going to be stayed.”

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AP [9/16/2025 3:50 AM, Nicholas Riccardi, 37974K]

AP [9/15/2025 5:11 PM, Edward Acquah, 1648K] reports a group of 14 West Africans deported to Ghana from the U.S. have been sent to their home countries, places where lawyers representing some of the men say they face a risk of persecution or torture. News of the West Africans’ deportation to Ghana emerged last week, sparking a lawsuit by U.S. lawyers. They argue the move was an attempt by U.S. authorities to evade their own immigration laws that prevent some of the men from being returned to countries where their well-being could be at risk. On Monday, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Ghana’s minister for government communications, told the Associated Press that all 14 — 13 Nigerians and one Gambian - “have since left for their home countries,” without saying when they were returned. Lawyers say it’s another case of the Trump administration deporting people and then trying to distance itself from the repercussions. The case has drawn parallels to that of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who the administration mistakenly deported to El Salvador despite a court order prohibiting it, then argued it couldn’t get him back. The Trump administration, faced with people in immigration proceedings who for legal and procedural reasons cannot be sent back to their home countries, has increasingly been trying to send them to third countries with which the administration has created agreements to take deportees. Lawyers representing five of the West African men filed a lawsuit last Friday arguing that the men, who’d been sent to Ghana along with another nine people, had legal protections preventing them from being sent home over concerns they’d be tortured or persecuted. The complaint, filed by lawyers for Asian Americans Advancing Justice, said the men had been granted fear-based relief from being sent to their countries and asked the judge to immediately halt their deportations.

AP [9/15/2025 3:49 PM, Chinedu Asadu, 37974K] reports the West African nation of Ghana is the latest in a growing list of African countries that have received third-country nationals deported by the U.S. or agreed to receive them, a controversial approach whose legality lawyers for the deportees have questioned. Other African nations that have received such deportees from the U.S. include Eswatini, Rwanda and South Sudan. Uganda has agreed to a deal with the U.S. to take certain deported immigrants, although it is yet to receive any. Experts have said some African countries may seek to facilitate the deportation programs in order to earn goodwill in negotiations with the Trump administration on policies such as trade, migration and aid. Ghanaian authorities said on Monday that the 14 deportees received last week have been returned to their home countries. They defended the decision on humanitarian grounds, although lawyers for the migrants say the deportation violated international human rights law and rights of the deportees. None of them were originally from Ghana. Ghana’s Minister for Government Communications Felix Kwakye Ofosu told the AP on Monday that the 14 migrants “have since left for their home countries,” without providing further details. The Trump administration’s deportation program has faced widespread criticism from human rights experts who cite international protections for asylum-seekers and question whether immigrants will be appropriately screened before being deported.

New York Times [9/16/2025 3:18 AM, Emily Badger, Ben Blatt and Alicia Parlapiano, 330K] reports that in the weeks after President Trump declared a crime emergency in Washington, D.C., directing a surge of federal law enforcement there, the tourists at a popular game store near the Capitol thinned. The restaurant workers in a nighttime soccer league canceled their season. The line at a weekly food pantry shrank. Sidewalk traffic in the Columbia Heights neighborhood dropped off. Bike-share trips across the city dipped. Crime in the city has declined over this same time, more sharply than the improvements Washington was already experiencing this year. But other kinds of activity have also retreated, beyond what late summer would normally bring. If the aggressive show of force has had a deterrent effect on crime, it appears to have deterred entirely normal aspects of city life, too. Washington streets are by no means empty, and some measures of activity, such as public transit ridership, have shown little change. Most residents have gone to work and their children back to school following typical routines. But other data and interviews suggest that the presence of federal agents and National Guard troops has muted the city’s social life, street culture, restaurant scene and immigrant enclaves — some of what residents say makes the city vibrant. “We are not functioning like a healthy city right now,” said Brianne K. Nadeau, a district council member who represents Columbia Heights, home to many Hispanic residents. She and others repeatedly mentioned echoes of the pandemic: parents seeking virtual learning, restaurant staff needing car rides to avoid mass transit, would-be diners choosing instead to stay home. To understand the scale of this effect, we sought data from a variety of sources tracking activity in Washington and spoke with more than 30 nonprofits, business owners, churches, restaurants and civic groups. Some data showed no obvious pattern (a traffic congestion measure, for one). Some were harder to decipher (the Nationals’ ballpark attendance is down almost 10 percent since the first week of August, but the team is also in last place). Other metrics, however, including from cellphone data, restaurants and social service providers, show a shift in the city’s normal patterns. The White House has declared the operation a success with the federal emergency expiring this week, ending, primarily, the president’s direct influence over the city’s Metropolitan Police Department. “In a short period of time, President Trump has transformed D.C. from a crime-ridden mess into a beautiful, clean, safe city,” a White House spokeswoman, Abigail Jackson, said in a statement. “It will be safer for residents, visitors and businesses. Anyone in their right mind would celebrate this success, except for the criminals who have been stopped by this crime crackdown.”

The Hill [9/15/2025 5:40 PM, Max Rego, 12414K] reports that the South Korean government said on Monday it will investigate whether any human rights violations occurred in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid at a Hyundai plant in Georgia earlier this month. During the Sept. 4 operation, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE, detained 475 people. As part of an agreement between the Trump administration and the South Korean government, DHS released 330 detainees — 316 South Koreans, 10 Chinese nationals, three Japanese nationals and one Indonesian. They left Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in a plane chartered by South Korea on Thursday. The 316 South Koreans returned to their home country Friday. “I understand that the government is conducting a more thorough review with the companies to determine whether any human rights violations occurred,” said Kang Yu-jung, a spokesperson for South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, in a press briefing, according to the Yonhap News Agency. Earlier this month, Lee called the raid an “unjust infringement on the activities of our citizens and businesses.” One South Korean recounted to Yonhap inhumane conditions during the search and detention. The person, who was not identified by the outlet, said ICE agents did not inform detainees of their Miranda rights and housed the workers in five 72-person detention rooms after the raid. The Hill has reached out for comment to the State Department and Department of Homeland Security (DHS). DHS referred The Hill to State.

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NBC News [9/15/2025 6:31 AM, Jay Ganglani, 43603K]

USA Today [9/15/2025 11:43 AM, Brie Anna J. Frank, 64151K] reports a federal judge handed press and civil liberties groups wins in two separate cases against the Los Angeles Police Department and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem over the treatment of journalists covering immigration raid protests. U.S. District Judge Hernan D. Vera’s preliminary injunctions bar, among other actions, the police department from arresting journalists for failing to disperse or otherwise interfering with journalists’ ability to cover Los Angeles protests. The DHS officers are also barred from "dispersing, threatening, or assaulting" journalists who haven’t "committed a crime unrelated to failing to obey a dispersal order." In his Sept. 10 order in the LAPD case, Vera wrote that the department’s “heavy-handed efforts to police this summer’s protests” violated both state and federal law. In granting the motion in the DHS case, Vera said federal officers “unleashed crowd control weapons indiscriminately and with surprising savagery” during the protests. “Specifically, the Court concludes that federal agents’ indiscriminate use of force ... will undoubtedly chill the media’s efforts to cover these public events and protestors seeking to express peacefully their views on national policies,” Vera wrote.

NewsNation [9/15/2025 4:04 PM, Josh DuBose, 6811K] reports a 56-year-old father of five who has lived in the U.S. for 30 years and reportedly has no criminal record was kicked and arrested at gunpoint by federal agents outside his California home over the weekend. The incident happened on Sept. 12 as Jose Campollo returned to his Wilmington home after dropping his grandson off at school, his family told NewsNation local affiliate KTLA. A federal agent wearing a tactical vest and armed with what appeared to be an assault-style rifle jumps out of a vehicle just after Campollo parked his truck and walked to the gate outside his home. Home surveillance cameras captured the moment as Campollo seemingly tried to talk to the agent, who was screaming at him, presumably telling him to get on the ground. When his wife, who was frantically calling for help from behind the fenced property tried to open the gate for Campollo, the agent delivered a kick to the 56-year-old’s midsection, knocking him a few steps back. Another agent appears from behind Campollo, eventually taking him from the front of the house, where he was later handcuffed and escorted away. Furious, one of Campollo’s sons filmed the ordeal from the sidewalk on his cellphone, with another federal agent working to keep him back, as he screamed for a warrant, which the law enforcement officials didn’t appear to have or did not present. Originally from Guatemala, the 56-year-old, who family members described as hardworking, never officially applied for citizenship. They believe it was a wrongful 1994 arrest, which was dismissed, that put him on the Department of Homeland Security’s radar.

Blaze [9/15/2025 8:16 AM, Joseph MacKinnon, 1559K] reports a father and son were arrested in Salt Lake City on Sunday for allegedly affixing an explosive device to the bottom of a KSTU-TV news vehicle parked next to an occupied building. The device was discovered just days after Charlie Kirk’s assassination around a half-hour drive away at Utah Valley University and amid an increased media presence in the area. KSTU revealed that the device was determined to be real. While the explosive had reportedly been lit, the arrest report indicated that it "failed to function as designed." Salt Lake County Jail records indicate that Adeeb Ahamed Nasir, 58 — whose race was somehow entered into the system as "white" — is a Pakistani-born American citizen. He was booked into the jail on Sunday and charged with the manufacture, possession, or use of a weapon of mass destruction; attempted aggravated arson; possession of an explosive/chemical/incendiary; threat of terrorism; and felony possession of parts for an explosion/chemical/incendiary device. Nasir’s American-born son, 31-year-old Adil Justice Ahme Nasir, has been charged with manufacture/possession/use of a weapon of mass destruction; attempted aggravated arson; threat of terrorism; and possession both of an explosive/chemical/incendiary device and parts to make one. The Salt Lake City Police Department confirmed to Blaze News that the FBI is handling the case. The Washington Examiner [9/15/2025 11:24 AM, David Zimmermann, 1563K] reports that on Friday, the men left the bomb under a vehicle belonging to a Fox News affiliate in Salt Lake City that was parked next to a building. The local news outlet was the intended target, but the incendiary device did not detonate. It was lit but "failed to function," officials said. The incident was considered a significant threat to public safety. The FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office led the investigation and served a warrant at the Nasirs’ home on Saturday, Fox13 reported. The Salt Lake City Police Department assisted in the case, and bomb technicians with the Unified Fire Authority Investigations worked to ensure no other bombs were located in the home. "FOX 13 News is working closely with law enforcement and our risk management team, with the safety of our employees as our top priority," a spokesperson for the outlet said in a statement. The New York Times [9/15/2025 5:18 PM, Jenny Gross, Jenny Gross, 143795K] reports that authority responded to reports of a suspicious device and determined that it was a real “incendiary device,” that it had been placed under a Fox 13 News vehicle parked next to an occupied building, and that it “had been lit but failed to function as designed,” according to an officer’s affidavit of probable cause. “Due to the nature of the device and its placement, this incident constituted a significant threat to public safety,” it said. When asked for a description of the device, Kelly Bird, a spokesman for the Unified Fire Authority, said he could not give further details because of the investigation. “It is basically something that has the potential to become flammable,” he said. It was unclear if the vehicle had been occupied while the device was placed underneath it. The two suspects, Adeeb Nasir, 58, and Adil Justice Ahmed Nasir, 31, face multiple charges, including threat of terrorism, possessing weapons of mass destruction, attempted aggravated arson and possessing explosive devices. They were booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on Sunday and will be held without bail because of “substantial evidence to support the charge,” according to the affidavit. The Free Beacon [9/15/2025 11:40 AM, Matthew Xiao, 500K] reports that while authorities have not released information regarding a possible motive, the incident comes as news media have flocked to Utah since the September 10 assassination of prominent conservative activist Charlie Kirk, which took place about an hour south of Magna. Police on Friday arrested Utah resident Tyler Robinson, who possessed bullets engraved with the words "Hey fascist! Catch!" and lived with a transgender partner, for the murder. During a Saturday search of the Nasirs’ Magna home, the FBI and local officials found explosives, firearms, and illegal narcotics, prompting an evacuation of the neighborhood, the Associated Press reported based on court records. Investigators also discovered at least two devices later determined to be "hoax weapons of mass destruction," according to the AP. Both suspects had protective orders prohibiting them from possessing firearms, Fox 13 reported based on a statement from the Salt Lake City Police Department.

Washington Examiner [9/15/2025 11:00 AM, Kaelan Deese, 1563K] reports federal investigators say Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old man suspected of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk, has been linked to the crime through a DNA match and a disturbing note recovered during the investigation. FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed on Monday that Robinson’s DNA was found on a screwdriver and a towel wrapped around the suspected murder weapon. "I can report today that the DNA hits from the towel that was wrapped around the firearm and the DNA on the screwdriver are positively processed for the suspect in custody," Patel said during an interview on Fox & Friends. Robinson, who has refused to speak with law enforcement, is being held under "special watch" in Utah. Officials said he fled the scene after assassinating Kirk, 31, at Utah Valley University by jumping from a rooftop. He then ran through a wooded area into a nearby neighborhood, abandoning the towel-wrapped firearm along the way, authorities said. A disturbing note allegedly tied to Robinson was also recovered during the investigation, which federal agents said may point to his political motives and could implicate others in aiding or failing to report the attack. Utah officials said Robinson had developed a strong leftist ideology before allegedly killing Kirk. Investigators recovered bullets inscribed with some messages consistent with left-wing criticisms of conservatives, including one message that appeared to refer to Kirk as a "fascist.” Appearing on Fox News shortly after Patel, Dan Bongino, a former Secret Service agent who is the FBI’s deputy director, said agents are aggressively examining Robinson’s network.

USA Today [9/15/2025 3:00 PM, Chris Mueller, 75552K] reports Kristi Noem said she believes that the killing of Charlie Kirk could be a turning point for the country. Kirk, a 31-year-old conservative political activist, was fatally shot Sept. 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University. The alleged shooter, Tyler Robinson, 22, was taken into custody following a two-day manhunt. "It feels like a grief has settled on not just the country, but the entire world. Something has changed," Noem said during a Sept. 14 interview with Maria Bartiromo on Fox News’ "Sunday Morning Futures." "My hope is that we will use this as an opportunity to come together and unify." Noem, the Homeland Security secretary and former South Dakota governor, went on to criticize what she described as "rhetoric we’re seeing out of the left and out of political animals," saying it’s "ugly and it’s bitter and it’s seeking to seize this opportunity to turn it into evil." "I would just encourage everybody to start focusing on relationships, to start focusing on each other and talk about what Charlie believed in," she said.

AP [9/15/2025 6:35 PM, David Fischer, 37974K] reports a fingerprint on the scope of a rifle found near where President Donald Trump was playing golf last year matches that of a man accused of trying to assassinate Trump that day, an FBI analyst testified Monday in a Florida courtroom. Monday was the third day of testimony in the trial of Ryan Routh, who prosecutors said spent weeks plotting to kill Trump before aiming a rifle through the shrubbery as Trump played golf on Sept. 15, 2024, at his West Palm Beach country club. Routh has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer and several firearm violations. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon had initially blocked off more than three weeks for the trial, but it could end sooner: Prosecutors said they should be able to rest their case by Thursday, and Routh’s witnesses have been subpoenaed to appear by Friday. The day’s first witness testified about items collected from a black SUV that Routh had been driving and living in for several weeks before the attempted attack, according to local news outlets. The FBI agent said the evidence recovered included six cellphones, three license plates, a bullet casing and notes on flights to Mexico and Colombia. Later, an FBI analyst testified that Routh’s fingerprint was found on the scope of the SKS rifle found just outside the golf course. A weapons expert confirmed that the gun was in working order. Routh, who is representing himself, has conducted relatively brief cross-examinations of the government witnesses. Routh has indicated that he plans to call a firearms expert, as well as several character witnesses. He hasn’t said whether he plans to testify himself.

ABC News [9/15/2025 12:35 PM, Hannah Demissie and Alexandra Hutzler, 27036K] reports that Vice President JD Vance hosted Charlie Kirk’s podcast on Monday, during which he said "left-wing extremism" is "part of the reason" Kirk was killed last week. "Of course, we have to make sure that the killer is brought to justice," Vance said. "And importantly, we have to talk about this incredibly destructive movement of left-wing extremism that has grown up over the last few years and, I believe, is part of the reason why Charlie was killed by an assassin’s bullet." Since Kirk was fatally shot at a college campus event in Utah on Sept. 10, President Donald Trump and top officials have sought to predominately blame the "radical left" for political violence in the country despite attacks against both Democrats and Republicans in recent years. FBI co-Deputy Director Dan Bongino said Monday on Fox News’ "America’s Newsroom" that the suspect arrested in Kirk’s fatal shooting -- 22-year-old Tyler Robinson -- had an "obsession" with the conservative influencer, based on the alleged shooter’s digital footprint. Robinson was tracking Kirk’s events and public appearances through open-sourced information on the internet, according to law enforcement officials familiar with the investigation. Bongino said Robinson "had become more political" before the shooting, though the motivation for the shooting is still not clear. Federal and state law enforcement officials are going through Robinson’s electronic devices and are continuing to interview family, friends and associates as they seek more evidence to bolster their case and also establish a motive. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

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NewsMax [9/15/2025 10:17 AM, Eric Mack, 4779K]

Politico [9/15/2025 5:33 PM, Irie Sentner, 14810K] reports JD Vance believes there can be political unity in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s killing. But first, there will be hell to pay. The vice president on Monday hosted Kirk’s popular daily radio show, parading a slate of the most powerful figures in the White House into his official office for what amounted to both a tribute and promises of retribution for an audience that at time exceeded 250,000 on Rumble. Vance pledged to crack down on the “radical left lunatics,” while Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said he’d use the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security to disrupt unspecified networks that are responsible for provoking violence. The comments are the latest in a series of promises from the president and senior members of the administration to avenge Kirk’s death by targeting political opponents who they allege foment a culture of hate and violence. President Donald Trump later told reporters at the White House that he would consider conferring the designation of domestic terrorist organization on Antifa, the loosely affiliated anti-fascism activists that he has used as a catch-all to describe left-wing protesters and activity. “It’s something I would do, yeah,” Trump said — adding that his decision would depend on whether he has the support from his top officials. “I would do that 100 percent. Antifa is terrible.” The president also said he has spoken to Attorney General Pam Bondi about federal racketeering charges against other “agitators.” “These aren’t protests, these are crimes what they are doing, where they are throwing bricks at cars of ICE and border patrol,” Trump said. “What they’re doing to this country is really subversive.” Vance said earlier Monday that he would “go after the NGO network that foments, facilitates and engages in violence.” Miller told reporters in the Oval that the vice president was referring to nonprofits and organizations that he alleges are funding violent protests and riots. The vice president suggested two early targets that have long had the ire of Republicans: The Ford Foundation and the Open Society Foundations, the nonprofit run by George Soros, a Democratic megadonor the right has long cast as a bogeyman. Those organizations, Vance said, receive “generous tax treatment” and help fund “The Nation,” a left-leaning news magazine Vance accused of misquoting Kirk. The AP [9/15/2025 1:41 PM, Darlene Superville, 37974K] reports Vice President JD Vance said Monday while hosting Charlie Kirk’s radio show that he is "desperate" for national unity after the conservative political activist’s killing but that finding common ground with people who celebrated the assassination of his friend is impossible. The Republican vice president filled in as host of "The Charlie Kirk Show" from his ceremonial office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next to the White House. The livestream of the two-hour program was broadcast in the White House press briefing room and featured a series of appearances by White House and administration officials who knew the 31-year-old Kirk. Vance, who transported Kirk’s body home from Utah to Arizona aboard Air Force Two last week, opened by saying he was "filling in for somebody who cannot be filled in for, but I’ll do my best." He recounted his conversations with Kirk’s widow, Erika, and her remembrances of him as a kind, loving husband. In his closing remarks, Vance criticized what he said were lies about Kirk that he blamed for the killing. He also promised that the Trump administration will act to stop anyone who would kill another person because of their words. Kirk made comments over the years that some Democrats and others said were anti-immigrant, racist, misogynistic or offensive in other ways. "I’m desperate for our country to be united in condemnation of the actions and the ideas that killed my friend," Vance said on the program. "I want it so badly that I will tell you a difficult truth. We can only have it with people who acknowledge that political violence is unacceptable." Vance’s self-described "moonlighting" as substitute radio host, as well as the broadcasting of the program from the White House complex, served as a powerful reminder of Kirk’s close relationship with the Trump-Vance team and the valuable role Kirk’s operation boosting youth voter turnout played on the campaign.

FOX News [9/15/2025 9:30 PM, Morgan Phillips, 40019K] reports that the Pentagon is not backing down from its quest for consequences for those who celebrate Charlie Kirk’s killing, even as Democrats warn the move is "un-American" and violates free speech protections. The controversy underscores a clash between military discipline and First Amendment rights, with top Pentagon officials arguing that celebrating the killing of an American political figure is unacceptable conduct for service members — while Democrats counter that the crackdown risks punishing constitutionally protected speech. "Hunting down and prosecuting service members for their individual political beliefs is dangerous and un-American," Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., a former Army Ranger, wrote on X. "We must condemn political violence AND allow peaceful speech that doesn’t impact the chain of command.” War Secretary Pete Hegseth and his team see it differently. "We will not tolerate military or civilian personnel who celebrate or mock the assassination of a fellow American," Sean Parnell, chief Pentagon spokesperson, told Fox News Digital in a statement. "Every service member and civilian at the Department takes an oath to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Those in our ranks who rejoice at an act of domestic terrorism are unfit to serve the American people at the Department of War.” Already, Army Col. Scott Stephens was suspended following posts purportedly belonging to him that praised the killing. "The death of Charlie Kirk in Utah was tragic. However, we can take comfort in the fact that Charlie was doing what he loved best — spreading hate, racism, homophobia, misogyny, and transphobia on college campuses," one post read. Another Army Reserves officer was suspended over the weekend. "A monster died today," one post allegedly belonging to Maj. Bryan Bintliff, who went by "Bryan Harlow" on social media, read. "It’s sad Charlie’s kids are traumatized for life, but it’s not a sad thing that he’s dead.” Kirk was shot and killed on Wednesday in Orem, Utah, while speaking to college students at Utah Valley University.

Axios [9/15/2025 2:17 PM, April Rubin, 14595K] reports that Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff, on Monday blamed "terrorist networks" for Charlie Kirk’s killing, despite law enforcement saying the suspected shooter acted alone. Why it matters: Members of the MAGA movement began demanding retribution and calling for "war" with Democrats even before police had arrested a suspect or identified a motive. President Trump has stoked that furor. The White House will use the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security to "identify, disrupt, dismantle and destroy" the alleged networks, Miller said to Vice President JD Vance, who hosted Monday’s episode of "The Charlie Kirk Show." Context: Police said the suspect, Tyler Robinson, acted alone. As of Friday, police said they had no information that would lead to additional arrests. FBI director Kash Patel was criticized after the shooting for his handling of the investigation, including incorrectly announcing that a suspect was in custody. Less than 24 hours after the shooting, Miller blamed "an ideology at war with family and nature" for Kirk’s death. "We see the workings of this ideology in every posting online cheering the evil assassination that cruelly robbed this nation of one of its greatest men," Miller wrote on X on Thursday. Reality check: Leading Democrats, including California. Gov. Gavin Newsom — who hosted Kirk on his podcast — and former President Obama immediately condemned the shooting and said violence has no role in America’s politics.

National Review [9/15/2025 1:38 PM, James Lynch, 109K] reports Vice President JD Vance hosted the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s podcast Monday afternoon to pay tribute to his friend and discuss his legacy. Senior White House official Stephen Miller, one of several guests Vance brought on the show, vowed that the Trump administration would channel the anger over Kirk’s assassination towards an effort to eradicate the leftist activist networks promoting violence and celebrating the assassination of Kirk. “Focused anger, righteous anger directed for a just cause, is one of the most important agents of change in human history. And we are going to channel all of the anger that we have to uproot and dismantle these terrorist networks,” Miller said. “It is a vast domestic terror movement,” he continued. “And with God as my witness, we are going to use every resource we have to the DOJ, DHS, and throughout this government to identify, disrupt, dismantle, and destroy these networks. It will happen and we will do it in Charlie’s name.”

New York Times [9/15/2025 3:31 PM, Katie Rogers and Zolan Kanno-Youngs, 143795K] reports President Trump and his top advisers threatened on Monday to unleash the power of the federal government to punish what they alleged was a left-wing network that funds and incites violence, seizing on Charlie Kirk’s killing to make broad and unsubstantiated claims about their political opponents. Investigators were still working to identify a motive in the death of Mr. Kirk, a prominent conservative activist who was shot last week in Utah. The Republican governor of Utah, Spencer Cox, has said that the suspect had a “leftist ideology” and that he acted alone. But Mr. Trump and his top allies suggested that the suspect was part of a coordinated movement that was fomenting violence against conservatives, without presenting evidence that such a network existed. America has seen a wave of violence across the political spectrum, targeting Democrats and Republicans. Mr. Trump, who has downplayed violence from right-wing or other supporters, said that he would like to designate a range of groups, including the loosely affiliated group of far-left anti-fascism activists, known as “antifa,” as domestic terrorists and bring racketeering cases against people funding protests. “We have some pretty radical groups and they got away with murder,” Mr. Trump said, without naming additional groups. He added that he was talking to the attorney general, Pam Bondi, about bringing charges under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act against “some of the people that you’ve been reading about that have been putting up millions and millions of dollars for agitation.” He did not specify who or what he was talking about. It was unclear by Monday evening how these plans would unfold, or how the White House could legally formalize such an effort without curbing First Amendment rights. Democrats have warned that the Trump White House could be using Mr. Kirk’s killing as a pretense to go after political dissent, not just hate speech or violence. “Pay attention. Something dark might be coming,” Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut wrote on social media on Sunday. “The murder of Charlie Kirk could have united Americans to confront political violence. Instead, Trump and his anti-democratic radicals look to be readying a campaign to destroy dissent.” Rep. Greg Casar, Democrat of Texas, said on Monday that while the killing of Mr. Kirk was “heinous,” so were the killings of Melissa Hortman, a Democratic state lawmaker in Minnesota, and her husband, who were on a hit list of dozens of left-wing figures; the hammer assault on the husband of former Speaker Nancy Pelosi; and the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by a pro-Trump mob. “He cannot be allowed to use the horrible murder of Charlie Kirk as pretext to go after peaceful political opposition,” Mr. Casar said in a statement.

NewsMax [9/15/2025 11:20 AM, John Gizzi, 4779K] reports as Utah and the nation grieve the tragic death of conservative leader Charlie Kirk — fatally shot during a campus event at Utah Valley University — the Beehive State’s Gov. Spencer Cox has emerged as a determined and unifying figure. Cox, a Republican known for his commitment to civility across partisan lines, has conveyed both moral clarity and political resolve in the wake of the assassination. Following the shooting on Sept. 10, Cox addressed the nation, calling it "a dark day for our state" and making clear that he viewed the incident as a "political assassination.” He vowed: "We will find you, we will try you, and we will hold you accountable to the furthest extent of the law.” In subsequent remarks, he reaffirmed the sanctity of life enshrined in founding American documents and emphasized that Kirk was "first and foremost a husband and a dad to two young children.” Cox’s response has gone beyond rhetoric. He has coordinated closely with the FBI and local law enforcement, promising justice "in cooperation with federal law enforcement" while holding firm to the rule of law. At the same time, he underscored the role of social media in fomenting politically charged violence. On NBC’s "Meet the Press," Cox described platforms such as Meta and TikTok as "conflict entrepreneurs," accusing them of exploiting users and spreading radicalizing content via addictive algorithms he likened to fentanyl. Cox’s words about social media were strongly seconded by his fellow Utah Republican Sen. John Curtis, who told The Hill that "there’s just zero liability for what people are putting out there.” Unlike some divisive national rhetoric following the incident, Cox has urged Americans to reject polarization and "choose a different path.” In emotional appeals, he called for unity and community healing, proposing a cultural shift toward empathy and restraint.

Washington Examiner [9/15/2025 12:42 PM, Paul Bedard, 1563K] reports the assassination of popular conservative activist Charlie Kirk during an open-air college rally is reviving calls for greater school security to protect students and block efforts to curb controversial free-speech events because safety can’t be guaranteed. Kirk’s shooting last week by an alleged left-wing critic at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, has raised questions about security on college campuses. Many reports have indicated that campuses are not staffed or well-funded enough to station police around events, including rooftops. Police have said that Kirk’s alleged shooter, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, shot from a rooftop perch 175 to 200 yards away. Legal watchdog and former security expert John Banzhaf, a George Washington University law professor, on Monday offered up inexpensive and simple solutions for strengthening security that campuses could follow. In a plan shared with Secrets and later posted online, Banzhaf said campuses must do better to lock doors and access points, arm police with weapons, and even fly drones over outdoor events. "A lesson which should have been learned months earlier, when Donald Trump was shot and almost killed by a sniper who was apparently able to climb onto the top of a nearby rooftop within rifle range of where the former president was speaking, obviously wasn’t followed at UVU," he said, referencing the 2024 Butler assassination attempt.

AP [9/16/2025 12:54 AM, Joshua Goodman and Astrid Suarez, 43603K] reports that the Trump administration on Monday added Colombia to a list of nations failing to cooperate in the drug war for the first time in almost 30 years, a stinging rebuke to a traditional U.S. ally that reflects a recent surge in cocaine production and fraying ties between the White House and the country’s leftist president. Even as it determined that Colombia had failed to comply with its international counternarcotics obligations, the Trump administration issued a waiver of sanctions that would have triggered major aid cuts, citing vital U.S. national interests. Nonetheless, it is a major step against one of the United States’ staunchest allies in Latin America, which analysts said could hurt the economy and further hamper efforts to restore security in the countryside. President Gustavo Petro, who has said on several occasions that whiskey kills more people than cocaine, lamented Trump’s decision during a televised cabinet meeting Monday, saying Colombia was penalized after sacrificing the lives of "dozens of policemen, soldiers and regular citizens, trying to stop cocaine" from reaching the United States. "What we have been doing is not really relevant to the Colombian people," he said of the nation’s antidrug efforts. "It’s to stop North American society from smearing its noses" in cocaine. The U.S. last added Colombia to the list, through a process known as decertification, in 1997 when the country’s cartels — through threats of violence and money — had poisoned much of the nation’s institutions. "Decertification is a blunt tool and a huge irritant in bilateral relations that goes well beyond drug issues and makes cooperation far harder in any number of areas," said Adam Isacson, a security researcher at the Washington Office on Latin America. "That’s why it’s so rarely used.” The president at the time, Ernesto Samper, was facing credible accusations of receiving illicit campaign contributions from the now-defunct Cali cartel and a plane he was set to use for a trip to New York to attend the U.N. General Assembly session was found carrying 4 kilograms of heroin. A remarkable turnaround began once Samper left office. Successive U.S. administrations — both Republican and Democrats — sent billions in foreign assistance to Colombia to eradicate illegal coca crops, strengthen its armed forces in the fight against drug-fueled rebels and provide economic alternatives to poor farmers who are on the lowest rungs of the cocaine industry.

Reported similarly:
Reuters [9/15/2025 9:56 PM, Staff, 45746K]

NewsMax [9/15/2025 8:59 AM, Eric Mack, 4779K] reports a House Democrat is urging the federal government’s use of drones to secure political events, vowing to introduce a bill for a Department of Homeland Security feasibility study on deploying drone technology. "Common sense dictates that drone technology should be harnessed to scan every elevated structure with a line of sight to a target," Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., told Axios. "If drones can enable the early detection and prevention of assassination attempts, why not use them? Better to have vigilant eyes in the sky than to remain blind to would-be assassins." The move comes after the Utah Republican Gov. Spencer Cox denounced the "political assassination" of conservative leader Charlie Kirk, and President Donald Trump warned there are "very major" investigations underway into "the problem on the left.”
The funding would expand protection for Supreme Court justices and increase resources for the U.S. Marshals Service, officials said. The request comes ahead of a Sept. 30 government funding deadline, raising pressure on Congress to act quickly. The move follows warnings from House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who said last week that lawmakers face a "deluge" of threats in the wake of Wednesday’s shooting of Kirk. Johnson has pressed for enhanced security measures for Congress and warned about social media-fueled calls for violence.

Washington Post [9/15/2025 7:37 PM, Staff, 29079K] reports, did we miss Congress’s authorization to use military force against Venezuelan drug-runners? On Monday, President Donald Trump announced a second strike this month against a vessel he said was carrying illegal drugs. An accompanying video shows a small boat floating in the water, apparently stationary, before it explodes in a fireball. "The Strike occurred while these confirmed narcoterrorists from Venezuela were in International Waters transporting illegal narcotics (A DEADLY WEAPON POISONING AMERICANS!) headed to the U.S.," Trump wrote on Truth Social. Trump said the attack killed three people on board. Two weeks ago, he announced a similar strike that killed 11. The bombings follow a military buildup near Venezuela. This open-ended expansion of the president’s war powers echoes George W. Bush’s war on terror in the 2000s. But Bush made his case to the nation and went to Congress for permission. This president is bringing war on terror methods to the Western Hemisphere all by himself. Trump’s submission to Congress on the strike earlier this month said: "It is not possible at this time to know the full scope and duration of military operations that will be necessary." For legal justification, it pointed only to Trump’s "constitutional authority as Commander in Chief." In other words: an undefined conflict without a clear endpoint. The president has the power to repel military attacks on the United States without waiting for Congress. But to define drug-running as such stretches the concept beyond recognition. Traditionally the Coast Guard has intercepted suspected smugglers, and declaring a drug gang a terrorist group doesn’t by itself make it a military target. If drug-runners are now enemy combatants engaged in war, it’s unclear what would prevent military operations to kill them on U.S. soil without a trial. Legal arguments don’t hold much weight in this situation. If the president wants to use force, he can find executive branch lawyers to bless the decision, and the courts won’t stop him. But the public ought to at least be aware of the political power grab. The reasons for acting unilaterally — that the situation is an emergency, or that Congress already authorized the use of force for this purpose — don’t apply. We’ve noted before that use of military force abroad could be useful to Trump’s deportation agenda under the Alien Enemies Act. Trump might have good arguments for the growing U.S. military presence around Venezuela, but the administration isn’t explaining why force is necessary, what the objectives are or when it will end. Welcome to War on Terror 2.0.

Bloomberg [9/15/2025 6:30 AM, Stephen L. Carter, 19085K] reports I don’t quite see the endgame in the increasing calls for state and local action to unmask federal immigration officers. Yes, I’m as disturbed as most people by the images of ICE agents, faces covered, loading individuals into their vans — people who might or might not be in the country illegally, especially since we know that many of them won’t receive much in the way of due process. But to imagine that a new municipal ordinance or state statute can alter this situation is a fantasy — potentially a dangerous one. First, I don’t think an individual state has the authority to use an anti-mask law against federal agents carrying out their lawful duties. Without going into constitutional detail, suffice it to say that the Supremacy Clause would not allow such interference. That isn’t to say that it’s a good thing to have masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in the streets. But not every problem is susceptible to legislative solutions. And in this case, states can’t interfere with the federal enforcement of federal law. Second, as I said, I don’t get the endgame here. Suppose a state or locality tries to prohibit arrests by these masked officers. What exactly do supporters of such laws think would ensue? The feds are unlikely to meekly back down. So, let’s imagine the confrontation: armed local police lined up on one side, armed (and masked) federal officers arrayed on the other — maybe inside a crowded workplace or outdoors on a busy sidewalk. Each side shouts orders, commanding the other to stand down. Voices grow angry. Firearms are at the ready. In the combustible atmosphere of the present moment, this isn’t a scene anybody should want to see.

Daily Wire [9/15/2025 1:05 PM, Matt Walsh, 3184K] reports a day after Charlie Kirk was assassinated while debating college students in Utah, I said that it was important to gather as much information as possible before drawing any conclusions about culpability — and before implementing the kind of crackdown on Left-wing extremism in this country that, for many years, we’ve all suspected would be necessary. Now, several days later, we have gathered those facts. The assassination of Charlie Kirk was unequivocally an act of LGBT terrorism. More evidence will come out soon. That’s what I’ve been told personally from sources who are familiar with the FBI’s investigation. But already, the evidence is overwhelming. Charlie Kirk was murdered by a Leftist who was in a relationship with a man who identifies as transgender. The shooter engraved his ammunition with messages that are commonly used by Left-wing Antifa groups, as well as a reference to a fetish subculture. Days before the murder, several trans-identifying individuals, and people in their social groups, posted messages on social media indicating that they were aware that the assassination would soon take place. One of those messages read, "Charlie Kirk is coming to my college tomorrow, I really hope someone evaporates him literally … Let’s just say something big will happen tomorrow." The account that posted that threat is now suspended from X. Another post, from five days before the shooting, indicated that something "BIG" was coming soon. Then, after the shooting, the author wrote, "Well that’s that" and "Another Chud bites the dust.” This one was written on September 3rd. It begins, "it’d be funny if someone like charlie kirk got shot on september 10th.” The username of the author of this post, as Cassandra Macdonald of Gateway Pundit has pointed out, is "tally hall album." And coincidentally enough, the man who shot Charlie Kirk, Tyler Robinson, had a publicly visible playlist of songs by the band Tally Hall on Spotify. Additionally, the shooter’s trans-identifying boyfriend, MacDonald reported, was active on the Tally Hall subreddit. This is just a sample of some publicly available posts that appeared to predict Charlie Kirk’s murder. We can obviously assume, based on these posts, that the actual number of people with advance knowledge of the attack was quite high.

The Hill [9/15/2025 11:30 AM, Steven Lubet, 12414K] reports there is a profound failing in the approach to law of the Supreme Court’s conservative supermajority. They do not much care about the facts of the cases before them, choosing instead to base their decisions on pure ideology. The predictable results include the endorsement of religious coercion in public schools and ethnic profiling by federal agents. In 2022, in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, the Supreme Court ordered the reinstatement of a fired high school football coach who, according to Justice Neil Gorsuch’s majority opinion, had done nothing more than engage in a “short, private, personal prayer” on the 50-yard line after games. Gorsuch’s description made it seem that overzealous school administrators had violated the coach’s First Amendment right to free exercise of his religion. The facts, easily found in the trial court record, were far different. The district never objected to the coach’s private devotions. In reality, he led numerous students in public prayer, including opposing coaches and members of opposing teams. Some students felt pressured into joining the prayer circle. One, an atheist, believed he “wouldn’t get to play as much” if he didn’t participate. Another “did not feel comfortable declining to join with the other players in Mr. Kennedy’s prayers.” Others “participated in the team prayers only because they did not wish to separate themselves from the team.” Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s dissent called Gorsuch’s opinion a “misconstruction” of the factual record. The record shows he blew past findings that would have undermined his decision. Earlier this month, in Noem v. Vasquez Perdomo, the Supreme Court allowed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Los Angeles to conduct immigration sweeps based on individuals’ apparent race or ethnicity, foreign accents and low-income employment. In a concurring opinion, Justice Brett Kavanaugh acknowledged that those criteria could also snag U.S. citizens. That was okay, he rationalized, because “the questioning in those circumstances is typically brief, and those individuals may promptly go free after making clear to the immigration officers that they are U.S. citizens or otherwise legally in the United States.” Once again, a conservative justice refused to heed the evidence, including instances of citizens who were not promptly freed and whose explanations of lawful status were not readily accepted.

DailySignal.com [9/15/2025 6:15 PM, Virginia Allen, 668K] reports Alvaro Yax-Gutierrez’s record includes conviction on charges of lascivious acts with a child and is one of 10 "worst of the worst" criminal illegal aliens recently apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. According to border czar Tom Homan, 70% of the illegal aliens the Trump administration has arrested to date are criminals and the other 30% are gang members that pose a threat to national security. In addition to Yax-Gutierrez, over the weekend, "ICE arrested more sadistic criminal illegal aliens who should have never been in our country in the first place," Tricia McLaughlin, DHS assistant secretary, said in a statement. "We are talking about disgusting monsters who sexually abuse children, violently assault Americans, and rob our communities," McLaughlin said. "Thanks to the brave men and women of ICE, these scumbags are off our streets and will never to return to terrorize another American family." There are still an estimated 600,000 illegal aliens with criminal histories on the streets of the U.S. and 1.4 million illegal aliens who have been issued a final order of removal, but nonetheless remain in the U.S., according to Homan. Under the leadership of President Donald Trump and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, "ICE will continue to prioritize the arrest and deportation of the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens who have committed violent crimes against our families and communities," according to DHS.

Federal News Network [9/15/2025 10:50 AM, Michele Sandiford, 1147K] reports nine Senate Democrats are calling on Immigration and Customs Enforcement to halt its use of a mobile facial recognition application. In a letter to ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons, the lawmakers ask for more details on ICE’s Mobile Fortify app. The technology reportedly allows ICE to identify individuals they encounter on the streets using multiple federal databases. The Senate lawmakers say ICE should answer questions about whether it’s using the app to surveil protestors, and whether the agency is integrating commercial data into the technology.

Univision [9/15/2025 2:34 PM, Marcos Martinez Chacon, 4932K] reports the increasing federal immigration operations in cities across the country to arrest undocumented immigrants could not only violate these individuals’ rights, but also leave U.S. citizens vulnerable to violations of their rights, experts agreed. The Donald Trump administration has ordered the deployment of federal forces to arrest undocumented immigrants in various cities, most notably in Los Angeles and other areas of Southern California. Since the Trump administration deployed forces in Los Angeles, there has been a harsh backlash from immigrant rights organizations over the way some of the arrests have been carried out. But in other cases, according to human rights advocates and government critics, agents have arrested American citizens solely based on their physical appearance, something the Trump administration denies. The arrest of citizens, albeit brief, as a result of these patrols has raised alarm bells among civil rights organizations because of what it represents for the government’s respect for citizens’ rights.

Wall Street Journal [9/15/2025 9:00 PM, Brenna T. Smith, Jack Gillum, and Michelle Hackman, 646k] reports the Trump administration was looking to make an example of large blue cities that refused to abide by its mass deportation agenda. Immigration and Customs Enforcement started with a place its acting director, Todd Lyons, knew well: his hometown of Boston. Such “sanctuary jurisdictions”—states and cities which house the majority of immigrants in the country illegally—have enacted a patchwork of laws that limit local police from cooperating with federal immigration authorities. That includes tipping off ICE before releasing a potential deportation subject who had been jailed on unrelated criminal charges. For Lyons, who grew up in South Boston, that was outrageous. “Sanctuary does not mean safer streets,” Lyons said on a podcast in late August. “It means more criminal aliens out and about the neighborhood.” As a result, the Trump administration adopted a new strategy: sending waves of federal agents into the community. Across the Boston field office’s territory of New England, officers stopped gardener vans to check IDs, lingered in church parking lots and staked out local courthouses. It was, by ICE’s own reckoning, a huge win. In May alone, a push to target immigrants in Massachusetts charged with serious crimes—dubbed Operation Patriot—yielded nearly 1,500 arrests. The agency proclaimed it “the most successful operation in ICE history.” Now, ICE is replicating this blueprint nationwide in places like Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and, most recently, Chicago, where an agent late last week fatally shot a driver whom ICE said drove his car into a group of officers and dragged one of them. ICE is also returning to Boston with a sequel: Operation Patriot 2.0.

Daily Wire [9/15/2025 12:20 PM, Jennie Taer, 3184K] reports an illegal immigrant hit an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer with his car as the officer attempted to arrest him during a Sunday traffic stop in Florida, The Daily Wire has learned. Henry Isaul Garcia reversed his car — which was carrying three other illegal immigrants — into the ICE officer’s leg before "nearly crushing him," the Department of Homeland Security told The Daily Wire. The Guatemalan citizen then hit multiple ICE vehicles during the traffic stop in Homestead, Florida, before speeding off and colliding with a black utility van. Garcia and his illegal immigrant passengers then ran out of the car, but were ultimately nabbed by the feds, according to DHS. Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said "sanctuary politicians" who "have openly encouraged and provided tips for how to evade our ICE officers" are to blame for the latest attack. "We are praying for the speedy recovery of our law enforcement officer," McLaughlin told The Daily Wire. "The violence against our brave ICE law enforcement must come to an end. This is the second incident in a week where an officer was injured while arresting an illegal alien.” The latest attack comes amid a 1,000% increase in assaults on ICE officers as they carry out President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign.

Telemundo [9/15/2025 3:46 PM, Staff, 2782K] reports the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the death of a 49-year-old Canadian man, who had lived in Florida for nearly 40 years, while detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Canada’s The Globe and Mail reported Monday. Angelo Noviello Jr., brother of Johnny Noviello, who died on June 23 at the Federal Detention Center in Miami, Florida, while waiting to be deported, told the Canadian newspaper that he has been informed of the FBI investigation. The family is awaiting an autopsy, but the procedure could be delayed for several weeks. The Globe and Mail reported that a source has confirmed that an FBI agent has been assigned to the case. Noviello, a permanent resident of Florida since 1991, suffered from epilepsy and hypertension and was receiving treatment for these conditions while incarcerated. In 2023, he was sentenced to one year in prison for drug trafficking-related offenses, and ICE arrested him in May of this year. The Canadian newspaper reported that at least 14 people have died so far in 2025 in the custody of the federal agency.

Chicago Tribune [9/15/2025 8:14 PM, Jeremy Gorner, Madeline Buckley, Olivia Olander, and Caroline Kubzansky, 5352K] reports that federal immigration enforcement agents made arrests in Chicago and the suburb of West Chicago on Monday, while others were spotted in west suburban Aurora, officials and two state lawmakers said. The actions come one week after President Donald Trump’s Department of Homeland Security announced it was embarking on its latest immigration enforcement surge in the Chicago region, which it dubbed "Operation Midway Blitz." State Sen. Karina Villa, a Democrat from West Chicago, said she saw the federal agents assembling at a West Chicago Police Department station parking lot early Monday. When she confronted them about why they were present, they dispersed, she said. At some point, she said there were "probably over five" arrests, though she said that was not confirmed independently by federal or local law enforcement. Villa said volunteers in the community were dispatched to take video or photos of immigration enforcement activity, and the agents were wearing vests that identified them as being from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and they were in "unmarked vehicles." "What we know right now is that innocent people are being picked up off the sides of the street. They’re attempting to get into workplaces, but they’re being denied entry because they do not have a warrant," Villa told the Tribune of the ICE agents. "That means that there are no criminals here."

The Hill [9/15/2025 2:25 PM, Lindsey Granger, 12414K] reports that this week, Chicago has been at the center of a federal crackdown called Operation Midway Blitz — an immigration enforcement surge that’s brought more arrests than usual. Officials say they’re targeting undocumented immigrants who’ve committed crimes. But the rollout has sparked major backlash. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has made his stance clear, writing on X: "Chicago doesn’t want to see reckless, unconstitutional, militarized immigration enforcement in our city." And here’s why that matters: fear spreads fast. Fear doesn’t stop at people without papers — it spills into entire communities. Parents worry about whether it’s safe to take their kids to school. Workers worry about getting to their jobs. Families feel the ripple effect, even if they’re not the ones ICE is looking for. But this story took a devastating turn Friday. Federal authorities say 38-year-old Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez resisted arrest, tried to flee, and dragged an ICE officer with his car. That officer then shot and killed him. The Department of Homeland Security says the agent feared for his life. Let’s be clear: no officer should have their safety put in jeopardy while doing their job. That’s not OK. Still, Gonzalez’s story doesn’t end there. Illinois U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez said he had just dropped his kids off at school before being shot. Think about that for a second — a father’s last moments happening right after he said goodbye to his children. Johnson called it an "avoidable tragedy." Gov. JB Pritzker said, "The people of Illinois deserve a full, factual accounting of what’s happened today to ensure transparency and accountability."

New York Times [9/15/2025 5:30 AM, Jazmine Ulloa, 153395K] reports the streets of the Pilsen neighborhood, a few miles southwest of downtown Chicago, are ordinarily bustling in September with house parties and cookouts in the weeks surrounding Mexican Independence Day. But after the Trump administration announced the start of a crackdown on illegal immigration in Chicago, few of the usual vendors were hawking tamales or cups of elote in the neighborhood last week in Pilsen. People came out briefly for an annual parade, but hours later, only a single car was honking its way down 18th Street waving Mexican flags. Cashiers and business owners lamented that they were waiting for customers who never came. Residents of Pilsen, which has been home to Mexican immigrants to the Midwest for decades, said the threat of raids had upended their neighborhood. They spoke of undocumented relatives and neighbors who now are mostly staying at home, and of a broad sense of worry — but also of renewed solidarity. The Department of Homeland Security has focused on the Chicago area since last week, as part of an effort that it is calling Operation Midway Blitz. That operation has netted the arrests of several people, including some accused of robbery, assault and other violent crimes, the agency has said. In a Chicago suburb on Friday, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer fatally shot a man during a vehicle stop, after the man struck and dragged an officer with his car as he fled, the agency said.

AP [9/15/2025 5:17 PM, Sophia Tareen] reports activists in Chicago’s well-connected immigrant rights network say there’s been a noticeable uptick in immigration enforcement agents in recent days, deepening the dread in communities already fearful of the large-scale arrests or aggressive tactics used in other cities targeted by President Donald Trump. Those tactics haven’t been seen yet in or around the nation’s third-largest city. but activists report a spike in arrests in immigrant-heavy city neighborhoods and suburbs of Chicago. Immigration officers are focused on isolated traffic stops and there’s been an increased presence of them at local courthouses. The Trump administration has said it would send an influx of immigration agents and National Guard troops to Chicago, over the fierce of objections of local leaders and residents. But Trump has seesawed on sending a military deployment to Chicago. Last week he said he would send the National Guard to more cooperative places, but then on Monday he again floated Chicago as the next possibility. Adding to the confusion, was a new Department of Homeland Security campaign announced last week that would target sanctuary policies around Chicago. DHS officials have not said if what it has termed "Operation Midway Blitz" is part of the federal intervention promised by Trump. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, who has objected to any federal intervention, told reporters Monday that it was clear that immigration operations were ramping up around Chicago.

NBC News [9/15/2025 1:25 PM, Daniella Silva, 43603K] reports that annual Mexican Independence Day parade in Little Village on Sunday brought a sea of thousands of people wearing green and red waving Mexican flags of all sizes. Dozens of brightly colored floats highlighting Mexican culture by local organizations, businesses and unions were on display, as men on horseback, marching bands and dancers streamed down 26th Street in this majority Latino neighborhood. Yet, the streets weren’t as full as in previous years, largely owing to fears over President Donald Trump’s efforts to ramp up immigration arrests in the city. Maribel Izaguirre, 57, a Mexican immigrant who has lived in the United States for 25 years, said she knows some people were too afraid to join this year’s celebrations because of the political climate. The Department of Homeland Security has launched what it calls Operation Midway Blitz, targeting immigrants in the country illegally in the sanctuary city of Chicago and the state of Illinois. The effort comes after Trump stated for weeks that he would soon be ramping up immigration arrests there in order to tackle crime, a move criticized by local and state officials who say data shows that crime is down. Some paradegoers Sunday held signs protesting ICE and its activity in Chicago, as well as calling for justice for Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez, who was fatally shot by an immigration agent Friday. ICE said Villegas-Gonzalez was in the country illegally and resisted arrest. He attempted to drive away and drove his car into the officers arresting him, striking and dragging one of them, the agency said. The officer was in stable condition following the incident. Advocates and some officials have decried the death of Villegas-Gonzalez and are calling for an investigation.

Telemundo52 [9/15/2025 6:29 PM, Alexander Zapata, 93K] reports a series of operations were carried out over the weekend in Southern California, in which several people were arrested. Among the operations with the largest number of arrests are those in self-washing in Long Beach and Santa Ana. "I felt bad, I felt useless because I couldn’t defend my husband because if you get into them they treat you like animals," said José Campollo’s wife, who narrated in tears the anguish her family experienced last Friday. The woman told how her husband was arrested by immigration officers on his way back to his residence in Wilmington. The images show how one of the uniforms kicks him in the middle of his arrest. But it wasn’t the only case. Our team learned of this operation in a self-wash in Long Beach where seven migrants were arrested in an operation that took just a few minutes. Ramón Paz, General Manager of the self-wash, said that among the people arrested are some who have papers, have permission and everything. I talked to them and they told me they had to take it away because they didn’t have a role to prove they were.

Los Angeles Times [9/15/2025 12:00 PM, Jose Useche, 12715K] reports that last week — in spite of a restraining order issued by California Federal Judge Maame E. Frimpong to curb targeted ICE raids across the state — the Supreme Court ruled in a 6-3 decision to dissolve the injunction, and green-light another wave of investigative patrols, stops and seizures. The criteria for who might be subject to such activity includes anything from speaking Spanish (or accented English); to working a low-wage job (Justice Brett Kavanaugh noted those "who work or appear to work in jobs such as construction, landscaping, agriculture or car washes"); to simply looking Latino. Several political and community leaders, including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Gov. Gavin Newsom condemned the decision. In a fiery dissent, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote, "Countless people in the Los Angeles area have been grabbed, thrown to the ground, and handcuffed simply because of their looks, their accents, and the fact they make a living by doing manual labor. Today, the Court needlessly subjects countless more to these exact same indignities." And she’s right. Just ask Andry Hernández Romero, a gay, Venezuelan makeup artist who made headlines after he was wrongfully detained and deported to a maximum security prison in El Salvador. His crime? Two crown tattoos that say "Mom" and "Dad" on his forearms. The government claimed these tattoos linked Romero to the Venezuelan gang Tren De Aragua, despite Romero having no criminal record or any affiliation whatsoever to the gang. Andry is not a U.S. citizen, but he was here legally.

Univision [9/15/2025 5:18 PM, Puerto Rico, 4932K] reports Sunday and at night, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents broke into a clandestine cooler in the San Isidro neighborhood of Canóvanas, from where they left with seven Dominicans arrested for not having "defined immigration status." In writing, Rebecca González Ramos, special agent of the Department of Homeland Security for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, limited herself to confirming Monday that "ICE carried out a multi-agency operation in a clandestine henhouse, in Canóvanas." About the seven individuals arrested, he added that they are of "Dominican nationality, without defined immigration status." As of August 24, ICE accumulated 1,038 arrests of people under the same conditions, El Nuevo Día published. In an interview with NPR last month, Agent Gonzalez Ramos estimated the number of undocumented immigrants in Puerto Rico at 20,000. Later, he said they have received more than 1,000 calls from people reporting suspected undocumented immigrants on the island.

Axios [9/16/2025 12:12 AM, Rebecca Falconer, 14595K] reports that visa revocations "are under way" over non-U.S. citizens celebrating the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, per a Monday night post by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The big picture: Rubio made the announcement on X while sharing a video from a Fox News interview Monday during which he was asked if he planned to restrict visa access or revoke visas for those celebrating Kirk’s killing. The second Trump administration has already revoked hundreds of visas in a sweeping immigration crackdown that’s targeted students with pro-Palestinian views in a strategy First Amendment and immigration advocates argue is impinging on free speech. The administration said last month it’s scrutinizing the records of all U.S. visa holders for potential violations that could result in deportations. Driving the news: Fox News’ Gillian Turner noted during her interview with Rubio that Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau had been "calling out on social media foreigners who he says are celebrating, glorifying" the fatal shooting of Kirk in Utah last Wednesday. Landau had indicated in his Thursday post that the State Department would review the legal status of immigrants "praising, rationalizing, or making light" of Kirk’s killing and Turner asked Rubio about plans for those U.S. visa holders. Rubio said a visa "means you’re a visitor to the United States" and "we are not in the business of inviting people to visit our country who are going to be involved in negative and destructive behavior." People who "celebrate the murder, the execution, the assassination, of a political figure" should not be allowed in the country, he said. "And if they’re already here, we should be revoking their visa." The latest: "America will not host foreigners who celebrate the death of our fellow citizens," Rubio said on X. "Visa revocations are under way. If you are here on a visa and cheering on the public assassination of a political figure, prepare to be deported. You are not welcome in this country." Representatives for the State Department did not immediately respond to Axios’ request for comment on how many visas have been revoked so far.

Politico [9/16/2025 4:45 AM, Samuel Benson, 14810K] reports that as House Agriculture Chair G.T. Thompson prepares to introduce legislation aimed at easing the farm labor crisis, farmers in the Pennsylvania Republican’s district are hoping he’s heard their cries that they need more help right now. In Tioga County, where President Donald Trump won 75 percent of the vote in 2024, farmers are losing patience with the White House’s promise of a quick solution for farm workers. Their urgent need is highlighted by stories like those of a multigenerational dairy farm that sold off all its dairy cows because the owner could not find workers and another where a farmer’s job listings have received no responses. Farmers in the rural region near the New York border say those stories are not unique. “The whole thing is screwed up,” said John Painter, a three-time Trump voter who runs an organic dairy farm in Westfield. “We need people to do the jobs Americans are too spoiled to do.” These are the voices Thompson and other farm-state lawmakers are hearing as they discuss potential solutions. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins’ assurances that American workers and machines can help close the gap ring hollow among farmers who have become reliant on migrant labor that is increasingly hard to find in the face of Trump’s immigration crackdown. The U.S. agricultural workforce fell by 155,000 — about 7 percent — between March and July, according to an analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data. That tracks with Pew Research Center data that shows total immigrant labor fell by 750,000 from January through July. The labor shortage piles onto an ongoing economic crisis for farmers exacerbated by dwindling export markets that could leave them with crop surpluses. “People don’t understand that if we don’t get more labor, our cows don’t get milked and our crops don’t get picked,” said Tim Wood, a dairy farmer and a member of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau board of directors. Farmers often turn to undocumented laborers because of the red tape and high costs associated with the H-2A program, which allows migrant workers to fill jobs in seasonal agricultural industries. They also complain that H-2A, the nation’s largest temporary visa program, is off-limits to employers looking to hire for year-round operations like dairy farms. Thompson said he’s heard those concerns loud and clear. “It’s hard to be more urgent than I have been on this issue for a couple years,” he said on Capitol Hill last week.

Bloomberg [9/15/2025 6:25 PM, Stephen Lee, 790K] reports a federal court on Monday dismissed an environmental group’s lawsuit seeking to force the federal government to install renewable energy when rebuilding communities hit by climate disasters, instead of recreating the fossil fuel-based systems that were previously in place. The plaintiffs didn’t establish standing, or that their injuries were "plausibly caused" by the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s failure to define "resilient" and "resiliency" in a rulemaking, Judge Rudolph Contreras of the US District Court for the District of Columbia found.

Bloomberg [9/15/2025 2:50 PM, Ellen M. Gilmer and Kellie Lunney, 84K] reports that the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s top lawyer announced his resignation, the latest senior leader to depart the beleaguered agency as President Donald Trump works to downsize it. Acting Chief Counsel Colt Hagmaier announced his departure to colleagues Monday, praising them as public servants "helping our communities and neighbors in their times of need," according to an email seen by Bloomberg Government. "Your work is never easy, rarely appreciated, and often misunderstood or mischaracterized, but it is essential," he wrote. [Editorial note: consult extended commentary at source link]

Breitbart [9/15/2025 11:52 PM, Staff, 2608K] reports North Carolina is requesting an additional $13.5 billion from the federal government nearly a year after Hurricane Helene ravaged the western part of the state. Democratic Gov. Josh Stein asked Congress on Monday to approve the recovery aid for Western North Carolina, saying that the federal funds delivered so far have covered only 9% of the storm’s $60 billion in damages, as he plans to travel to Washington, D.C., this week for meetings. "Western North Carolina has not received anywhere near what it needs, nor our fair share," Stein said. "States that were similarly devastated following Hurricanes Katrina, Maria or Sandy saw 70% of their damages covered by federal funding.” "Next week, as we all know, will mark the one-year milestone since Hurricane Helene hit Western North Carolina," Stein added. "One year since hundreds-of-thousands of North Carolinians had their lives turned upside-down.” "Today, I am making a new request of Congress for an additional $13.5 billion in recovery assistance, and I’ll be heading to Washington on Wednesday for meetings to further this request to our federal partners.” During Monday’s announcement, Stein outlined work the state has done to help residents and businesses get back on their feet. "I have been pleased to work with the General Assembly to pass two bipartisan appropriation bills in excess of a billion dollars in recovery funding," he said. "Important efforts for housing, private roads and bridges, local government infrastructure, agriculture and crop loss and education.” "The people of North Carolina are not asking for a handout," Stein said. "They’re asking for a hand up to get back on their feet.” Hurricane Helene struck much of the Southeastern United States on Sept. 26, 2024, killing 230 people across six states. The storm flooded towns and destroyed homes across Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Last April, federal officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency cut full funding for storm recovery efforts in North Carolina, as state lawmakers urged the president to reconsider FEMA’s decision. "We’re talking about $60 billion in damages. That’s almost double our entire state budget," said N.C. Sen. Kevin Corbin, who spoke alongside the governor. "The legislature has already appropriated more than $2 billion in relief, four times more than we’ve ever done for a storm. But we need our federal government to continue to partner with us.” Stein says the state needs funding for housing, small businesses, local governments and roads and bridges. "We are grateful for every federal dollar that we have received because it brings us closer to recovery, but we need more help," Stein said. "The next stage of recovery is going to require a new commitment from Congress and from the administration to not forget the people of Western North Carolina.”

Reported similarly:
Washington Examiner [9/15/2025 12:46 PM, Annabella Rosciglione, 1563K]

CBS News [9/15/2025 8:31 AM, Staff, 45245K] reports tornadoes destroyed multiple homes in southeastern Utah over the weekend, but authorities said there were no reports of people injured. Three homes in the area were demolished in the storm, the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren said in separate social media posts. Although no injuries were reported, police said an unknown number of livestock and pets had been reported missing. The police department shared several dramatic images that showed a tornado that formed early Saturday afternoon near Montezuma Creek, which is in far-southeastern Utah near the state’s border with Colorado. Tornadoes are pretty unusual in that part of Utah, meteorologist Kris Sanders with the National Weather Service’s office in Grand Junction, Colorado, told the Associated Press. Sanders said that the weather service had only confirmed two there since 1950. Two tornadoes developed from a storm in San Juan County, in southeastern Utah, over the span of an hour starting around 12:35 p.m. Saturday, according Sanders. The paths of the tornadoes that touched down near Montezuma Creek likely covered less than 10 miles, but the weather service hadn’t yet determined their exact tracks or wind speeds, Sanders said by telephone. A survey may be conducted Monday, he said Sunday.

Bloomberg [9/15/2025 1:06 PM, Kellie Lunney, 75K] reports that Puerto Rico’s outdated and unstable electrical grid is still vulnerable to power outages in part because of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s failure to provide technical assistance and properly oversee grid reconstruction, a government watchdog found. Hurricanes Maria and Irma devastated Puerto Rico in 2017, knocking out its old and unreliable energy infrastructure. More than seven years later, "FEMA does not know when Puerto Rico’s electrical grid will be completely rebuilt," Homeland Security Inspector General Joseph Cuffari reported Monday. FEMA has obligated more than $13 billion to restore and modernize Puerto Rico’s electrical grid since the 2017 hurricanes. [Editorial note: consult extended commentary at source link]

CBS News [9/15/2025 3:12 AM, Megan Cerullo, 45245K] reports that the killing of Charlie Kirk is sparking debate about political violence in the U.S., as well as the kinds of professional repercussions employees who speak out about the conservative activist’s death — and other hot- button issues — might face. A number of businesses and other organizations have shown employees the door this week because of their public remarks about Kirk, who was assassinated on Wednesday while giving a speech at Utah Valley University. Among those to lose their jobs or face sanctions: a political pundit, a university employee, a sports reporter and a U.S. secret service agent. Private employers have the law on their side when it comes to removing a worker who makes public statements that the business views as potentially harmful, according to legal experts. "A private company can generally fire an employee for public comments, even political ones, if those comments are deemed to harm the company’s reputation, violate workplace policy or disrupt the business," workplace attorney Marjorie Mesidor told CBS MoneyWatch. Vanessa Matsis-McCready, vice president of human resources for Engage PEO, a provider of HR solutions, said that high-profile figures in particular must tread lightly when commenting publicly on politically charged issues. "In today’s climate there is very little tolerance for that," she said. "Employers are very mindful of what’s being associated with them, and they are trying to be as apolitical as possible.” Employees in a range of industries, as well as in academia, are finding themselves in hot water over remarks they made about Kirk’s death or his political beliefs. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

FOX News [9/15/2025 6:23 PM, Diana Stancy Fox, 40019K] reports the White House is seeking additional security funds from Congress for the executive and judicial branches as it navigates the aftermath of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Fox News Digital has learned. The White House has requested an additional $58 million in security funding for the executive and judicial branches from Congress, a spokesperson for the White House’s Office of Management and Budget confirmed Monday to Fox News Digital. The additional security funds would be added to a continuing resolution, the spokesperson said. A temporary spending bill will need to pass by the end of the month to keep the government open or else the government could face a shutdown Sept. 30 when funds expire. Punchbowl News was the first to report the security funding request. Additional details on the funds were not immediately available. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. "The Secret Service now has to play at a level of enhanced security that they’ve never dreamed of before. I think (Secret Service Director Sean Curran) is doing a good job in leading that effort," Tim Miller, who served as a Secret Service agent during Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton’s administrations, told Fox News Digital Thursday. "But here’s the bad news for the Secret Service: They don’t have time. This threat is now. Can you imagine — they already shot our president once. Can you imagine if they’re able to kill him?".

CNN [9/15/2025 7:00 AM, Betsy Klein, 23245K] reports President Donald Trump, high-level administration and Republican Party officials, and top political influencers are expected to converge in Arizona on Sunday to honor Charlie Kirk, the assassinated conservative activist. But the memorial service, to be held at the massive State Farm Stadium in Glendale, just outside Phoenix, is going to pose an enormous test for law enforcement, particularly the US Secret Service, an agency already facing strain and enormous pressure. And the reason for the gathering — a single, fatal bullet intended to silence a political figure — only underscores the risks. It remains to be seen whether the memorial will be designated as a national special security event, which would provide additional resources from the federal government, working in tandem with state and local authorities. "The Secret Service joins the nation in offering our deepest condolences to the Kirk family and friends," Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement. "Joint security planning is underway for the memorial and funeral of Charlie Kirk and appropriate public safety related information will be provided as the process matures in the coming days." CNN has also reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment.

Washington Examiner [9/15/2025 5:04 PM, Annabella Rosciglione, 1563K] reports the Secret Service, already under scrutiny, will face a massive test of how to protect President Donald Trump, high-level administration officials, and Republican lawmakers at conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s funeral on Sunday. The memorial service is open to the public and will be held at the giant State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, a large suburb of Phoenix. It is not yet clear whether the memorial will be designated as a national special security event. That designation opens additional resources from the federal government, which would then work in partnership with state and local authorities. Law enforcement has just under a week to secure the stadium’s interior and exterior and prepare a thorough plan to combat risk.

NewsNation [9/15/2025 2:48 PM, Victoria Lucas, 6811K] reports that two fishermen were thrown off a boat Wednesday and one who is known to have survived shared his story. Pete Hans of Trinity said he and his friend, Brandon Taylor, had planned a fishing trip to go about 90 to 95 miles offshore to an area called the Middle Grounds but amidst the voyage, chaos ensued. "We took a wave off the side of the boat, and it just ejected us out of the boat," Hans said. "We had no lifejackets because we were running, you know, should we have had one? Maybe, but it’s something we do all the time." Hans described the hours he spent in the water with Taylor. "He fought really hard for a long time in the water with me," he explained. As time passed Hans noticed he did not see Taylor anymore. He kept on swimming and passed a Double Eagle Charter Fishing boat, whose passengers on the boat later spotted him. "They had to bring somebody else to get my medical attention from the Coast Guard to be airlifted off their boat and they were on their way back out when they saw me," Hans said. Hans told 8 On Your Side he owes his rescue to the Lord and adds he was with him every step of the way. "I would close my eyes, and he’d be at my nose walking on the water talking to me, whole time," said Hans. "There was no reason for me to be able to stay afloat for eight hours–keep above water in three, four, five, six seven-foot seas at times." Though grateful for Hans’ survival, the couple remains hopeful Taylor will be found. The U.S. Coast Guard said crews searched about 4,300 miles by air and sea before suspending the search for Taylor on Thursday. The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are now investigating.

NewsNation [9/15/2025 7:28 AM, Sophia Fanning, 6811K] reports a U.S. Coast Guard cutter intercepted a ship in the waters off Puerto Rico that was carrying 66 migrants last week, the agency said. The makeshift boat was first spotted northwest of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, by a Customs and Border Protection air and marine patrol. The Sector San Juan watchstanders then directed the Coast Guard Cutter Heriberto Hernandez to intercept it on Tuesday morning. Once the crew arrived, they were able to stop the boat and safely disembark all of the migrants, who were given food, water, and shelter, and processed to determine their identities, the Coast Guard said. Of the 66 people, 48 were from the Dominican Republic, 16 were from Haiti and two were from Romania. There were 56 men and 10 women, and the Coast Guard said there were no children on board. On Thursday, the migrants were repatriated to San Pedro de Marcoris, Dominican Republic.

FedScoop [9/15/2025 2:15 PM, Staff, 56K] reports the Department of Homeland Security failed to effectively implement a critical retention incentive program for cyber talent, according to a new report from the agency’s inspector general, which found that federal funds meant for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency were used incorrectly. In 2015, the agency implemented the Cyber Incentive program. The goal, the inspector general said, was to provide extra incentives to employees that might otherwise leave the federal government. More than $100 million has been spent on the program in recent years. The program “was designed to help CISA retain mission-critical cybersecurity talent needed to execute its mission,” the report noted, and was meant to consider a series of qualifications to guide who received the retention benefit. The government hoped to keep in-demand technology experts in government. The watchdog wrote that “CISA’s implementation of the program wasted taxpayer funds and invites the risk of attrition of cyber talent, thereby leaving CISA unable to adequately protect the Nation from cyber threats.” Instead of being targeted toward valuable talent likely to transition to the private sector, the payments were disbursed generally, with many ineligible employees receiving tens of thousands of dollars in payment. [Editorial note: consult audio at source link]

StateScoop [9/15/2025 12:17 PM, Keely Quinlan] reports the Texas General Land Office suffered a data breach over the summer, compromising the personal data of nearly 45,000 residents who applied for state natural disaster relief over the last 10 years. State officials said the breach — which affected 44,485 people — was caused by a “software misconfiguration” on the office’s online grant system known as the Texas Integrated Grant Reporting system, which resulted in allowing applicants see others’ private information, the report said, according to a report from the Austin American-Statesman last week. The Texas General Land Office is the state’s agency that manages state-owned lands and mineral rights properties as well as the state’s Permanent School Fund. The “misconfiguration” was initially discovered in late July and was first announced on Aug. 19 when a disclosure was published on the website of the state’s attorney general. While the attorney’s general disclosure states that 44,485 people were impacted, the Austin American-Statesman reported that a spokesperson for the General Land Office said the agency does not yet know exactly how many people’s data was made public or when the issue began. The spokesperson also confirmed that those impacted in the breach were individuals who applied for state assistance to recover from natural disasters between 2015 and 2024. The particular state grant enabled relief for home repairs, rebuilding, and buyouts following disasters such as floods and storms. The dataset of relief applicants, however, did not include those impacted by the recent deadly flooding across Central Texas, the spokesperson added.

USA Today [9/15/2025 3:22 PM, Joey Garrison, 64151K] reports that angered in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, Trump administration officials say they’re planning to use "every resource" available across the federal government to target left-wing organizations they contend are inciting political violence. Vice President JD Vance and Stephen Miller, deputy White House chief of staff, on Sept. 15 discussed plans to "go after" left-wing non-government organizations, or NGOs, they said support "doxxing" campaigns against conservatives, help orchestrate riots, publicize the addresses of political opponents and promote messages intended to create violence. "We are going to channel all of the anger that we have over the organized campaign that led to this assassination to uproot and dismantle these terrorist networks," Miller said as he joined Vance on a livestream as the vice president hosted "The Charlie Kirk Show" to pay tribute to the late conservative activist. Miller called political violence on the left a "vast domestic terrorist movement," vowing the Trump administration would use "every resource we have at the Department of Justice, Homeland Security and throughout this government" to "identify, disrupt, dismantle and destroy" the networks. "It will happen, and we will do it in Charlie’s name," Miller said. Neither Vance nor Miller identified groups that could be prosecuted or face other actions from the administration.

CNN [9/15/2025 6:02 PM, Kevin Liptak, Adam Cancryn] reports President Donald Trump said Monday he’d consider naming far-left anti-fascism group Antifa as domestic terrorists, previewing a plan to crack down on what he’s cast as a widespread network of left-wing radicals inciting violence. "It’s something I would do, yeah," he said when asked whether he would assign a domestic terrorism label to Antifa, saying he would proceed if he found support from Cabinet officials and the Justice Department. It wasn’t clear who or what exactly Trump would designate; Antifa is a loosely organized movement without a distinct leader, membership lists or structure. His comments come as a host of administration officials have signaled in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination that they’ll be targeting what they claim is a coordinated left-wing effort to incite violence. So far, no evidence has publicly emerged that the alleged assassin was working as part of a larger, coordinated effort. But the president appeared intent on targeting left-wing groups whose activity he claims has led to violence. The Washington Examiner [9/15/2025 6:37 PM, Naomi Lim, 1563K] reports “Also, I’ve been speaking to the attorney general about bringing RICO against some of the people … that have been putting up millions and millions of dollars for agitation.” Trump previously supported designating antifa a domestic terrorist organization during his first administration amid protests in reaction to the death of George Floyd. Trump himself was charged under Georgia’s state Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act over allegations he tried to overturn Georgia’s election results in 2020. During an informal press conference with reporters in the Oval Office on Monday, Trump indicated he would likely speak at Kirk’s funeral next Sunday at Phoenix’s 63,000-person State Farm Stadium in Arizona. Of the Kirk’s alleged killer, Trump said Tyler Robinson appeared to have been "radicalized on the internet," before repeating that that was merely his opinion.

Washington Examiner [9/15/2025 4:23 PM, Robert Schmad, 1563K] reports top Trump administration officials are hinting that they could soon ramp up investigations into left-wing groups that they accuse of spreading extremism. President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that his administration was "already" subjecting a number of left-wing groups to a "major investigation." One of his top aides and Vice President JD Vance suggested on Monday that they are focusing their investigative efforts on what they see as domestic terrorism. Deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller told reporters on Monday that the administration will target the funding of nongovernmental organizations after he previewed the strategy with Vice President JD Vance earlier. The scope and targets of this investigation appear to have changed following Kirk’s assassination.

NewsNation [9/15/2025 6:17 PM, Safia Samee Ali, 6811K] reports Luigi Mangione, the accused gunman in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, is expected to appear in a New York courtroom for his state charges Tuesday. Mangione will be appearing alongside his attorneys, who have filed several preliminary motions, some of which will presumably be addressed by a judge at his upcoming hearing. A trial date has not been scheduled. Mangione is facing state charges in New York and Pennsylvania, including first-degree murder in furtherance of terrorism, two counts of second-degree murder, weapons charges and a count of using a forged instrument. The maximum sentence for the state charges would be life without parole. He has pleaded not guilty. Mangione also faces federal charges, which could carry the possibility of the death penalty. Prosecutors have said the two cases will proceed on parallel tracks, with the state charges expected to go to trial first.

NBC News [9/15/2025 6:35 PM, Deon J. Hampton, 43603K] reports the 16-year-old who shot and wounded two students before he turned the gun on himself at his high school in Evergreen, Colorado, left hints of his intentions online in the days leading up to the attack, the Anti-Defamation League said. The attacker reposted a photo on X of a revolver and a box of ammunition two hours before the shooting Wednesday, the ADL said in a report released Friday based on research conducted by its Center on Extremism. According to the research, Desmond Holly had shared the photo on his X account, and on TikTok he had posted images of a skull mask, a ballistic vest and a knife with a Nordic rune drawn on it, the league’s analysis said. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office declined to comment Monday. It said last week that the shooter was "radicalized by an extremist network." It did not provide details. The two injured students were taken to a nearby hospital. One was released, and the other was in serious condition, the sheriff’s office said.

Denver Post [9/15/2025 6:05 PM, Shelly Bradbury] reports the FBI in July investigated social media accounts connected to the 16-year-old who shot two students and then himself at Evergreen High School last week, but did not identify the boy or take any further action before the attack, the agency confirmed Monday. The FBI "opened an assessment into a social media account user whose identity was unknown and who was discussing the planning of a mass shooting with threats non-specific in nature," the agency said in a statement. The FBI’s investigation, first reported by 9News, continued up to and until last week’s attack, the FBI said. The teenager’s social media accounts showed that he was likely involved in online extremism that calls for violence as a way to destroy society, experts told The Denver Post. His accounts included a mix of white supremacy, antisemitism and a fascination with violence and mass shootings, including the 1999 Columbine High School massacre. They fit into a new wave of online extremism that seeks to use violence to destroy society, the experts said.

Denver Post [9/15/2025 9:31 AM, Lauren Penington, 2562K] reports that classes are canceled this week at Evergreen High School after a student shot two of his schoolmates before turning the gun on himself last Wednesday. Jefferson County officials have not yet confirmed when the high school will reopen, but said several security measures will be implemented before it does, according to a letter sent Sunday to Evergreen students, staff and families. "Over the past several days, our Evergreen community has shown incredible strength and care for one another," principal Skyler Artes and superintendent Tracy Dorland wrote in the joint letter. "As we look ahead, we know that what matters most right now is creating a clear and thoughtful path forward for our students, staff and families, while prioritizing your mental health and wellbeing." Artes said she will release the plan for students to return to school by Sunday. According to the letter, the school district has committed to putting the following in place before students return: A full-time school resource officer provided by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office,. A full-time, armed Jeffco safety and security officer,. Dedicated JeffCo safety and security patrols in the Evergreen area,. Additional support for the Evergreen High School administrative team,. Dedicated and floating substitute teachers for staff,. Additional office staff and dedicated, on-site communications support for timely responses,. And additional mental health support for students and staff.

NPR [9/16/2025 5:00 AM, Ryan Lucas, 34837K] reports FBI Director Kash Patel is scheduled to appear before senators Tuesday as he faces growing questions about his ability to lead the nation’s premier law enforcement agency. Patel’s appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee was put on the books weeks ago but comes at a delicate time for the director, who is a loyalist of President Trump but has no experience leading an organization like the FBI. In just the past week, he has come under criticism for his social media posts and actions during the manhunt for the man who killed conservative activist Charlie Kirk. He’s also been sued by three former senior FBI officials who allege he fired them for improper political reasons. Patel, who was confirmed as FBI director in February by a 51-49 vote, appears to enjoy—at least for now—the backing of Trump, who over the weekend expressed support for him. "I am very proud of the FBI," Trump told Fox News, referring to the capture of the suspected Kirk gunman. "Kash—and everyone else—they have done a great job."

New York Post [9/15/2025 10:03 AM, Taylor Herzlich, 43962K] reports Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday that a "framework" on a deal to transfer TikTok to US ownership has been reached — as a possible ban looms this week over the wildly popular, China-owned app. President Trump on Monday touted upbeat negotiations on social media after Bessent said details soon would be ironed out between Trump and Chinese Premier Xi Jinping, who are expected to speak on Friday. "The big Trade Meeting in Europe between The United States of America, and China, has gone VERY WELL! It will be concluding shortly," Trump wrote Monday in a post on Truth Social. "A deal was also reached on a ‘certain’ company that young people in our Country very much wanted to save. They will be very happy!". Delegations from the US and China have been discussing the divestment of TikTok from its Chinese owner, ByteDance, during broader trade talks in Madrid this week — the fourth round of talks in four months. "We were very focused on TikTok and making sure that it was a deal that is fair for the Chinese and completely respects US national security concerns, and that’s the deal we reached," Bessent said. The US wanted to "ensure that the Chinese have a fair investment environment in the United States, but always that US national security comes first," Bessent added. Washington had been prepared to push forward with a TikTok ban as soon as Wednesday if China did not drop its demands for lower tariffs and reduced tech restrictions, according to a Reuters report. "President Trump and Vice President Vance provided the leadership and foresight necessary to produce a framework deal that keeps another one of their campaign promises and saves TikTok," a spokesperson for Vice President JD Vance told The Post.

Reported similarly:
Washington Post [9/15/2025 12:27 PM, Drew Harwell, 29079K]
The Hill [9/15/2025 6:18 PM, Julia Shapero, 12414K]
Reuters [9/15/2025 1:16 PM, David Lawder, 45746K]
CBS News [9/15/2025 2:40 PM, Melissa Quinn and Caitlin Yilek, 45245K]
CNN [9/15/2025 2:32 PM, David Goldman, 23245K]
NewsMax [9/15/2025 10:00 AM, Staff, 4779K]

DailySignal [9/15/2025 11:37 AM, Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell, 668K] reports the White House has finally produced a framework deal to save TikTok after Congress banned usage of the Chinese-owned app in the United States, a White House official tells The Daily Signal. "President [Donald] Trump and Vice President [JD] Vance provided the leadership and foresight necessary to produce a framework deal that fulfills another campaign promise and saves TikTok," a spokesman for Vance told The Daily Signal. "Hundreds of millions of Americans will now be able to continue safely enjoying the highly popular app thanks to the president’s decisive leadership.” This comes just two days before the Sept. 17 deadline that could have banned TikTok in the United States. The Trump administration has not yet named the U.S.-backed buyer. On Sunday, Vance participated in a call with Trump, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Trade Ambassador Jamieson Greer regarding the latter two’s meeting in Madrid Sunday with Chinese officials about the TikTok deal framework, according to a White House official. Vance and Trump both supported giving the U.S. delegation the necessary leverage to deliver a framework for a TikTok deal.

Reuters [9/16/2025 1:14 AM, Jonathan Saul, 45746K] reports U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration is on a mission to weaken China’s global network of ports and bring more strategic terminals under Western control, according to three sources familiar with the plan. The drive is part of the most ambitious effort to expand U.S. maritime influence since the 1970s and is designed to address growing fears in Washington that it would be at a disadvantage to China in the event of a conflict. Trump administration officials believe the U.S. commercial shipping fleet is ill-equipped to provide logistical support for the military in time of war and Washington’s dependence on foreign ships and ports is excessive, the people said. Options the White House is considering include supporting private U.S. or Western firms to buy Chinese stakes in ports, the three people said. They did not mention any specific firms other than to cite BlackRock’s (BLK.N) proposed deal to buy the port assets of Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison (0001.HK) in 23 countries, including by the Panama Canal, as a good example. The sources asked not to be named because they are not authorised to discuss the matter publicly. The White House and U.S. Treasury did not respond to requests for comment. Besides Panama, U.S. officials and lawmakers are concerned about Chinese maritime infrastructure holdings in places including Greece and Spain, the Caribbean, and U.S. West Coast ports, according to the sources. China conducts normal co-operation with other countries within the framework of international law, a spokesperson with China’s diplomatic mission in Washington said. "China has always been firmly opposed to illegal and unjustifiable unilateral sanctions and so-called long-arm jurisdiction and moves that infringe on and undermine other countries’ legitimate rights and interests through economic coercion, hegemonism and bullying," the spokesperson said. Officials in Beijing did not respond to a request for comment. "The U.S. government sees Chinese investments in global ports as a huge threat to its national security," said Stuart Poole-Robb, founder of risk and intelligence advisers KCS Group.

Reuters [9/16/2025 1:35 AM, Joe Cash, 45746K]
China’s Coast Guard fired water cannon on Tuesday at Philippine ships near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, accusing Manila of an "illegal" intrusion and the ramming of one of its vessels. The confrontation comes a week after China approved plans to turn the shoal into a national nature reserve, a move that defence analysts have warned would test Manila’s response over the 58-sq-mile (150-sq-km) triangular chain of reefs and rocks. Simmering tension over the shoal has led to diplomatic rows in recent years, but no incidents have escalated into armed conflict at the site. Both sides accuse each other of provocations and trespassing in incidents featuring use of water cannon, boat-ramming and manoeuvres by China’s Coast Guard the Philippines regards as dangerously close, as well as jets shadowing Philippine aircraft there. Tuesday’s encounter involved more than 10 Philippine ships, said Gan Yu, a spokesperson for China’s Coast Guard, accusing the vessels of having "illegally invaded China’s territorial waters of the Scarborough Shoal from different directions". In particular, he faulted Philippine Coast Guard vessel 3014, saying in a statement it had "disregarded solemn warnings from the Chinese side and deliberately rammed a Chinese coast guard vessel". He added, "The China coast guard lawfully implemented control measures against the Philippine ships.” These included measures such as verbal warnings, route restrictions and water cannon spraying, Gan added. A spokesperson for the Philippine Maritime Council said the Chinese coast guard’s statement contained "no truth", dismissing it as "another case of Chinese disinformation and propaganda". Analysts have said Beijing’s plan to categorise the shoal as a nature reserve amounted to trying to take the moral high ground in the dispute over the atoll, known as Huangyan Island in China and Panatag Shoal in the Philippines. The dispute is part of a contest over sovereignty and fishing access in the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual ship-borne commerce. China claims almost the entire South China Sea, overlapping the exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. Unresolved disputes have festered for years over ownership of various islands and features. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague ruled that China’s sweeping claims in the region were not supported by international law, a decision that Beijing rejects.

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