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

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

The AP [4/13/2026 1:03 AM, Ben Finley, 28764K] Video: HERE reports the U.S. military said Sunday that it blew up two boats accused of smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing a total of five people and leaving one survivor, as the Trump administration pursues its campaign against alleged traffickers in Latin America while preparing a naval blockade of Iranian ports. The attacks on Saturday bring the number of people who have been killed in boat strikes by the U.S. military to at least 168 since the Trump administration began targeting those it calls "narcoterrorists" in early September. As with most of the military’s statements on the dozens of strikes in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean Sea, U.S. Southern Command said it targeted the alleged drug traffickers along known smuggling routes. The military did not provide evidence that the vessel was ferrying drugs. Videos posted on X showed small boats moving across the water before they each were engulfed in a bright explosion. U.S. Southern Command stated on X that it notified the U.S. Coast Guard to activate the search-and-rescue system for the survivor. The Coast Guard confirmed it was coordinating the search and said updates would be provided when available. President Donald Trump has said the U.S. is in "armed conflict" with cartels in Latin America and has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and fatal overdoses claiming American lives. But his administration has offered little evidence to support its claims of killing "narcoterrorists.” Critics have questioned the overall legality of the boat strikes as well as their effectiveness, in part because the fentanyl behind many fatal overdoses is typically trafficked to the U.S. over land from Mexico, where it is produced with chemicals imported from China and India. The boat strikes have continued in Latin America even as the U.S. military has focused on operations in the Middle East, where the U.S. was engaged in a war with Iran for several weeks. Trump on Sunday said the U.S. Navy would begin a blockade of ships entering or leaving the Strait of Hormuz, after U.S.-Iran ceasefire talks in Pakistan ended without an agreement. Trump wants to weaken Iran’s key leverage in the war after demanding that it reopen the crucial waterway through which 20% of global oil normally passes. U.S. Central Command said the blockade would involve Iranian ports. CBS News [4/12/2026 10:07 PM, Staff, 51110K] reports that as with previous strikes, the U.S. military said the boats were "transiting along known narco-trafficking routes." "Two male narco-terrorists were killed, and one narco-terrorist survived the first strike. Three male narco-terrorists were killed during the second strike," it said, without providing any evidence of the drug trafficking claim. After the strikes, Southern Command said it notified the U.S. Coast Guard to launch a search and rescue mission for the survivor. There was no immediate word on the status of that search.

Bloomberg Government [4/12/2026 3:23 PM, Zach C. Cohen, 111K] reports Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is calling back tens of thousands of employees from a two-month furlough as the Trump administration processes backpay for federal workers affected by the partial government shutdown. The backpay is coming out of the tax-and-spending law Republicans muscled through last year, which provided tens of billions of dollars to the department over the course of Trump’s second term. "Secretary Mullin will be utilizing available funding to recall the entire DHS workforce to get our patriotic employees back to work," a spokesperson said. [Editorial note: consult source link for extended commentary]

Daily Signal [4/12/2026 4:00 PM, S. A. McCarthy, 474K] reports that, in the wake of President Donald Trump’s historic pledge to carry out a mass deportation program, a coalition of Republicans is promoting a bill to grant widespread amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants, prompting fierce backlash from fellow congressional Republicans and the GOP base. Rep. María Elvira Salazar, R-Fla., led 19 other Republicans in the House of Representatives in introducing H.R. 4393, the "Dignity for Immigrants while Guarding our Nation to Ignite and Deliver the American Dream Act of 2025" or DIGNIDAD (Spanish for "Dignity") Act, in July. Late last month, Salazar and her cohorts launched the "Dignity Coalition" in an effort to gain support for the legislation. The renewed interest in the updated legislation, which Salazar touts as "the only serious, bipartisan solution to fix America’s broken immigration system," has drawn scrutiny and criticism from fellow Republicans and immigration experts, who have declared the bill to be a thinly-veiled bid at widespread amnesty. The legislation starts by introducing border security provisions, including the construction of barriers at the southern border, but quickly moves on to establish mass amnesty for illegal immigrants. "Division B — Dignity and American Dream" of the DIGNIDAD Act instructs the Homeland Security Secretary and Attorney General to "adjust to the status of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence … an alien who is inadmissible or deportable from the United States, is subject to a grant of Deferred Enforced Departure, has temporary protected status … or is the son or daughter of an alien admitted as a nonimmigrant" if that "alien has been continuously physically present in the United States since January 1, 2021," and meets a handful of other requirements, including either having been accepted to an institute of higher education or holding a high school diploma. The legislation provides immediate work authorization for illegal immigrants, establishes unlimited access to permanent legal residency (commonly called holding a green card) and allows illegal immigrants who obtain green cards to apply for U.S. citizenship, and introduces a criminal waiver. The bill allows the Homeland Security Secretary to "waive the grounds of inadmissibility … for humanitarian purposes, for family unity, or because the waiver is otherwise in the public interest.” Illegal immigrants who commit most violent crimes or are determined a national security threat are ineligible for the waiver, but crimes including domestic violence and traffic violations are eligible to be waived under the bill. These provisions would be available to an estimated two to three million illegal immigrants. The DIGNIDAD Act also establishes what its authors call the "Dignity Program," which allows anywhere from 10 to 12 million illegal immigrants currently in the U.S. access to renewable seven-year work authorization permits and travel authorization. The program would also provide for "deferred action" for those eligible, effectively halting deportations. "An alien who appears to be prima facie eligible for status under this subtitle during the 24-month period following the date of enactment of this Act may not be removed or fined based on their immigration status," the bill states. The "prima facie" eligibility effectively halts deportations for all illegal immigrants who apply for the "Dignity Program," even those who have been issued final orders of removal by immigration courts.

Breitbart [4/12/2026 2:08 PM, Lowell Cauffiel, 2238K] reports the good life in the United States is over for seven Iranian nationals linked to the brutal regime in Tehran after they were targeted for removal this month by a State Department of State and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) crackdown. Over the weekend, the California Post and the New York Post published a roundup of those detained and headed for deportation, the lion’s share of the crackdown centered in Los Angeles, which has a large Persian community. Among the most prominent is the son of Masoumeh Ebtekar, the woman known as "Screaming Mary." She was the Islamic revolution’s spokesperson for militants involved in the 1979 takeover of the U.S. embassy in Tehran, where 66 Americans were taken hostage. The event marked the beginning of the U.S.’s 47-year conflict with Iran’s theocratic regime. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detained Ebtekar’s son, Seyed Eissa Hashemi, along with his wife and child this week after the Post reported they were living in Los Angeles.

New York Post [4/12/2026 9:11 PM, Benjamin Brown, 40934K] reports Iranians celebrating the cancelation of visas for Islamic Regime relatives living luxurious lives in the U.S. have warned the seven deported so have are just "the tip of the iceberg.” Shayan Khosravanifarahani, a journalist and activist, praised State Secretary Marco Rubio for taking action against those who have ties to the regime, telling The Post that for too long they’ve living comfortably using money stolen from the Iranian people. He said the families of the regime were "using American" to platform their propaganda, lobby, get educated and generally live a safe, more comfortable life. On Saturday, Rubio revoked the green card of Seyed Eissa Hashemi, who is an an adjunct associate professor teaching at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology and the son of "Screaming Mary" Masoumeh Ebtekar, the twisted propaganda mouthpiece for terrorists who stormed the US Embassy in Tehran in 1979. Hashemi’s psychology professor wife, Maryam Tahmasebi, along with their son, also had their green cards yanked by federal officials. The family was arrested just days after The Post identified them living in luxury in an Agoura Hills apartment called "The Avalon.” Their arrest comes just a week after Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, 47, and Sarinasadat Hosseiny, 25, the grandniece and niece of the late Iranian terror mastermind, Gen. Qasem Soleimani, were booted from the country after years of lavish living. Khosravanifarahani told The Post he spent two months working with other activist to gather evidence that was later shared with federal authorities and led to the arrests of both Hashemi and Afshar. "We knew we couldn’t do really much about it just on social media. So, we immediately started hitting authorities and finding details about them," Khosravanifarahani said, adding that Afshar’s own sister shared documents with them that led to her true identity being revealed. "Even her sister was against how radical [Afshar] is," he said. "That’s why she wanted to help us.” Khosravanifarahani, who was born in Iran and lived there until moving to the US at the age of 14, said there are "thousands more" Iranians with ties to the terrorist regime living in the US which pose a major national security threat. "These people can be sleeper cells, and at the right time, they may get activated," Khosravanifarahani said. "They are really rooted in America, and that is why what is Department of Homeland Security or Immigration is doing to deport these people is so valid.” His sentiment was echoed by Iranian-American and grassroots activist, Morgan Mahdizadeh. "They are here to influence policy, they are here to steal technology, and that’s a national security threat," Mahdizadeh told The Post. "We are incredibly happy to see that US is finally deporting these regime thugs and sending them back to the very hell that they built for Iranian citizens."

Daily Caller [4/12/2026 11:22 AM, Harold Hutchison, 803K] reports a top Justice Department official said Saturday the federal agency was "on it" after a reporter for a conservative news outlet was apparently attacked while filming footage in Minneapolis. Turning Point USA’s "Frontlines" reporter Savanah Hernandez posted multiple videos of mob members opposed to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in the Minneapolis area seemingly attacking her Saturday. After Hernandez posted photos of one assailant — a man charged in connection with the storming of a St. Paul-area church — Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet K. Dhillon responded in to the post on X. "On it," Dhillon said in response to Hernandez’s post, in which the TPUSA reporter accused William Scott Kelly of "inciting" the anti-ICE protesters to attack her. Kelly was indicted in January on charges of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances ("FACE") Act, in addition to conspiracy against rights after the Cities Church incident, which was livestreamed by former CNN host Don Lemon. Hernandez posted Sunday the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office was charging three people in connection with her apparent assault, reporting in a follow-up post she was suffering from a headache and stiff neck. I’ve reached out to the FBI, DHS, and Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office about Savanah Hernandez being assaulted.

New York Post [4/12/2026 4:43 PM, Anthony Blair, 40934K] reports the first group of migrants deported from the US to third countries has arrived in Costa Rica. About 25 migrants — including citizens of Albania, Cameroon, China, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Kenya and Morocco — touched down in the island nation’s capital of San Jose on Saturday. "Upon entering the country, the migrants will receive primary care from the Professional Migration Police, with ⁠the cooperation of the International Organization for Migration (IOM)," Costa Rica’s General Directorate of Migration and Foreigners said in a statement. The group of 25 was the first to arrive in the Central American country since the US and Costa Rica signed an agreement in March. Under the deal, Costa Rica will receive up to 25 deportees a week, while the US will provide the country with financial support in return. The IOM will also offer food and accommodation to the migrants for the first seven days of their stay. Such third-country deportations allow the US to remove migrants from America whose countries of origin refuse to take them back. The deal has been criticized for costing more than $1 million in taxpayer money per deportee, according to a February report produced by Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Costa Rica reserves the right to reject deportees on an individual case. Officials in the country have also said they won’t send deportees back to places where they may face persecution. In 2025, Costa Rica accepted up to 200 migrants deported by the United States, eventually granting special migratory status to 85 of them who were unable to be repatriated to their home nations. Other nations have signed similar agreements with the Trump administration to accept third-country deportees, including Dominica, Guyana, Honduras, Rwanda, St. Kitts and Nevis and South Sudan. "Costa Rica is prepared to see this flow of people," said the country’s public security minister, Marioa Zamora Cordero, in a video statement last month at the time of the signed agreement. Then-Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also spoke approvingly of the deal signed with Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves. "We are very proud to have partners like President [Chaves] and Costa Rica, who are working to ensure that people who are in our country illegally have the opportunity to return to their countries of origin," she said in a statement at the time. Noem has been visiting various Latin American countries, including Ecuador and Guyana, as part of her new role as US Envoy for the Shield of the Americas, after she was fired from the DHS by President Trump.

Washington Examiner [4/12/2026 7:00 AM, Lauren Green, 1147K] reports Grassroots pressure from GOP activist Scott Presler has intensified a growing standoff between House conservatives and Senate Republicans over the SAVE America Act, as allies of President Donald Trump push to block other legislation until the voter identification bill reaches the president’s desk. Presler teamed up with the Republican Study Committee earlier this year as part of the larger goal of getting the bill, which requires proof of citizenship to register to vote and an ID to cast a ballot, to Trump’s desk. The effort has since evolved into a standoff with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), who has argued there is insufficient support for the bill to overcome the 60-vote filibuster threshold. But Pressler and House Republicans, including Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), are not willing to take no for an answer. Luna and other House conservatives have vowed to hold up legislation from passing the House until the Senate moves the SAVE America Act. In this pressure campaign, Presler has been meeting with Republicans from the RSC and House Freedom Caucus to keep the momentum going and reassure members they have outside support. "Even if they are getting pressure to do ‘yes’ votes, my goal is to show any member of Congress that will continue to vote ‘no’ until the SAVE America Act is passed into law that we have their back," Presler said. After joining an RSC member-only lunch, Presler praised the committee, saying he couldn’t "have planned a more productive day if I wanted to," and added that, with help, it can "deliver a 218 vote victory for the SAVE America Act.” The SAVE America Act standoff is already spilling into other legislative fights, including the impasse over funding the Department of Homeland Security, which has been shut down for more than a month. House Republicans have been increasingly frustrated after House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) struck a deal to accept Thune and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY) deal to reopen DHS, after Johnson had previously rejected the deal.

CBS News [4/12/2026 7:17 PM, Norah O’Donnell, Aliza Chasan, Keith Sharman, and Roxanne Feitel, 51110K] reports in recent weeks, Pope Leo XIV has significantly sharpened his rebukes on the war in Iran, moving from prayers for peace to a rare condemnation, rebuking President Trump’s rhetoric. Shortly before the ceasefire was negotiated on April 8, Mr. Trump threatened to destroy Iranian civilization. Leo called the president’s comment "truly unacceptable." He also issued a call to action. "Contact the authorities — political leaders, congressmen — to ask them, tell them to work for peace and to reject war always," he said to journalists gathered at Castel Gandolfo, the papal retreat. The Iran conflict is not a just war, according to Cardinal Robert McElroy, the archbishop of Washington. CNN [4/13/2026 3:15 AM, Laura Sharman, Isabelle D’Antonio, Christopher Lamb, and Antonia Mortensen, 19874K] reports President Donald Trump strongly criticized Pope Leo XIV on Sunday evening, denouncing his stance on the Iran war and saying he’s “terrible for foreign policy.” “We don’t like a pope that’s going to say that it’s OK to have a nuclear weapon. … He’s a man that doesn’t think that we should be toying with a country that wants a nuclear weapon so they can blow up the world,” Trump told reporters, adding, “I’m not a fan of Pope Leo.” Leo, the first American pope, has become increasingly vocal about the US and Israel’s war with Iran, last week condemning Trump’s rhetoric and threats against the people of Iran as “truly unacceptable.” That comment was prompted by Trump’s threat that “a whole civilization will die tonight” in the hours before a two-week ceasefire with Iran was struck. Both Trump and his defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, have invoked God in public messaging during the conflict, with Hegseth framing the war effort as divinely supported and even using scriptural justification. Leo has pushed back against this idea. “Jesus is the king of peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war,” he said on Palm Sunday. “He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war but rejects them.” The president’s remarks about the pope on Sunday night came shortly after he posted a similar lengthy critique of the pontiff on Truth Social. “Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,” Trump wrote, going on to say he doesn’t want a pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon or who thinks it’s “terrible that America attacked Venezuela.”

CBS News [4/12/2026 7:17 PM, Norah O’Donnell, Keith Sharman, Julie Morse Goff, and Roxanne Feitel, 51110K] Video: HERE reports when President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire with Iran this past week, it came after a chorus of world leaders called for an end to the war. One of those voices belonged to Leo XIV, the first-ever U.S.-born pope in the history of the Catholic Church. The 70-year-old pope was born Robert Prevost and grew up in Chicago. For many years he was known simply as Father Bob. Leo is measured, deliberate and soft-spoken. But the American pope has become increasingly outspoken against certain policies of the American president. So we asked three influential American cardinals who know him well, why Pope Leo’s church has emerged as a voice of moral opposition to the war in Iran and the crackdown on immigration. "Peace be with you:" those were the first words that Pope Leo uttered as the new leader of 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide. His selection was a surprise, celebrated by many of the 53 million that make Catholicism the largest Christian denomination in the United States. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

CNN’s State of the Union With Jake Tapper and Dana Bash [4/12/2026 12:25 PM, Staff, 793K] the President, said going to start a blockade, that any and all ships trying to enter or leave the Strait of Hormuz. U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley gives her thoughts, "The U.S. had a 15-point plan. Iran had a 10-point plan. They really were miles apart. The Iranians were not willing to give up their nuclear production. They weren’t willing to give up holding the Strait of Hormuz hostage. And I think Vice President Vance did the right thing by walking away and saying, we’re not going to continue talks, this isn’t worth our time and we will finish the mission. And I think what you’re seeing President Trump do is not pause at all and say, we’re going to go after Iran where it hurts. I think, if you look over the span of this war, CENTCOM has done a remarkable job by taking out the majority of their missile, drone, naval capabilities, which really was at the heart of the strategy of what Iran wanted to do. But the part to really bring Iran to its knees is to go after it economically. And I think making sure that the strait is open is the first part of that."

CNN’s State of the Union With Jake Tapper and Dana Bash [4/12/2026 12:25 PM, Staff, 793K] reports U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley says that Iran thinks delaying will make them stronger the longer they do it. Is delaying winning? Is Iran winning? Nikki Haley has this to say: "When they went into negotiations, if Vance and his team had come back and said, we’re going to talk again in a week, we’re going to talk again in two weeks, Iranians would have been winning. The fact that he walked away because he saw there was no communication that could be had, there was no negotiation that could be had, it shows they’re not letting them win."

NBC’s Meet the Press [4/12/2026 12:39 PM, Staff, 4543K] reports President Trump’s threats to take over Cuba come as the United States has removed President Maduro from power, has invaded Iran and killed its supreme leader. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel is asked if he fears being killed or arrested by the United States. "Those of us who have leadership positions in the revolution have a strong commitment to our revolution and to our heroic people, and in this connection, our responsibility entails the conviction and the commitment that we’re willing to give our lives for the revolution and for the cause that we defend. So for me, that is not a matter of concern. If the time comes, I don’t think there would be any justification for the United States to launch a military aggression against Cuba, or for the US to undertake a surgical operation or the kidnapping of a president. If that happens, there will be fighting, and there will be a struggle, and we will defend ourselves, and if we need to die, we’ll die, because as our national anthem says, “dying for the homeland is to live.” President Díaz-Canel states.

NBC’s Meet the Press [4/12/2026 12:39 PM, Staff, 4543K] during the interview with President Díaz-Canel she points out that they observed people living in severe poverty in the streets of Havana. It is asked if President Díaz-Canel think its time for Cuba to take some responsibility, to look in the mirror and to change its economic system for the people of Cuba who are suffering there. "We conduct very self critical analysis and assessments of our reality, and we’re trying to constantly transform and change what we do in order to improve what we do. But that’s got nothing to do with the political system. It is not our political system that is embracing that inability to move forward. Our political system is serving people, is serving social justice and making everyone advanced. And it seems that it bothers other people around the world because of what it represents, because it is our system for ourselves, not that we want to impose our system on anyone else, and they try to block it like this. " President Díaz-Canel states. Díaz-Canel is asked if he believes the US and President Trump can reach a deal. "I think we can have an approach in terms of what is possible and what is difficult. I think dialogue and deals with the U.S. government are possible, but they’re difficult. Cuba has always stood by its commitments, and the United States have not fulfilled its part of the deal." President Díaz-Canel states.

The Hill [4/12/2026 12:00 PM, Tolu Talabi, 18170K] reports Voters in Social Circle, Ga., overwhelmingly backed President Trump in 2024. But when the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) purchased a 1 million-square-foot warehouse in the tiny city to convert it into a mega detention center for immigrants, residents and local officials pushed back hard. In February, the city notified Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that it had shut off water and sewage services to the property until the agency explained how it could operate “without exceeding our limited infrastructure capacity.” “We’re against it,” Eric Taylor, the Social Circle city manager, told The Hill. “Having something come in like this is just really a different dynamic than what this particular community is about.” Social Circle, with a population of about 5,500, is by no means an exception; it is one of two communities in Georgia that illustrate a national trend. As the DHS has embarked on a $38.3 billion plan to boost detention capacity by 92,600 beds, communities that back the president’s agenda have said no to housing immigrants in their backyard. New Jersey, alongside the GOP-leaning township of Roxbury, sued the DHS and ICE in March over a purchased warehouse. Residents of Surprise, Ariz., protested against a 1,500+ bed facility, which the DHS and ICE reduced to 500+ beds last month amid the uproar. In February, Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) spoke out against a warehouse conversion plan in Byhalia, Miss. Separately, the Republican executive of Orange County, N.Y., told a January board meeting that “an ICE facility will create chaos and will tax our emergency management and first responders.” “Just not in their backyard. They’re fine with it somewhere else, they just don’t want it back here,” Social Circle Council member Tyson Jackson said of the opposition in his community — a sentiment apparently shared in many other reliable red districts. According to a document released by ICE in February, the agency is seeking to stand up eight large-scale detention facilities that each could hold 7,000 to 10,000 detainees for periods averaging less than 60 days, along with 16 smaller regional processing centers to hold up to 1,500 detainees for three to seven days.

Univision [4/12/2026 1:27 PM, Staff, 4937K] reports Pastor Yeison Cortes Vásquez was released after spending 18 days in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody at a detention center in Newark. This was confirmed by the National Evangelical Latino Coalition through social networks, where it stressed that the support of religious and community leaders was key to their release, which took place on April 9. The Colombian-born pastor had been held at Delaney Hall in Newark after being detained by immigration agents on March 20 while working on deliveries for Walmart. The case caught the attention of New Jersey Congressmen Rob Menendez and New York’s Adriano Espaillat, who after visiting him denounced the lack of medical care and overcrowding conditions. Religious organizations said that Cortes Vásquez is pastor of the Evangelical Church The Gathering Place in Elizabeth, has no criminal record and processed his asylum application in the country. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said that Cortes Vásquez entered the United States on a tourist visa in 2016 and remained in the country after its expiration, which resulted in his arrest.

Univision [4/12/2026 5:44 PM, Staff, 4937K] reports Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has challenged orders from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) that temporarily block the conversion of a warehouse into a 1,500-person immigrant processing center , according to documents reviewed by Spotlight PA . During the Upper Bern Borough Board of Supervisors meeting , attorney Andrew Hoffman indicated there were no updates regarding the planned facility at 3501 Mountain Road. Although the item was not on the agenda, Hoffman mentioned that U.S. Representative Dan Meuser (R-Pa.) had been scheduled to brief residents about the warehouse but was absent due to scheduling conflicts. The project is part of a national Department of Homeland Security (DHS) initiative to restructure detention centers by acquiring warehouses in Pennsylvania and other states for more than $1 billion. However, at the state level, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) issued orders barring ICE from accessing the water and sewage systems of the Upper Bern and Tremont facilities until environmental regulations are met. In its appeal filed April 8 with the State Board of Environmental Hearings , ICE argued that the orders are “unreasonable” and constitute an “abuse of discretion without legal authority.” The agency’s attorney, Daniel Wilmoth , maintained that the DEP has not demonstrated that ICE does not plan to obtain the necessary permits before conditioning the properties and suggested that the action is motivated in part by Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro ‘s “antipathy toward ICE . “ ICE also argued that the orders interfere with its constitutional powers, citing the doctrine of intergovernmental immunity , which prohibits states and municipalities from regulating or interfering with federal operations or its contractors. The agency asserted that plans to convert warehouses nationwide “are underway and have not yet been finalized,” and that it will ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. Environmental experts warn that the appeal could take months. An attorney consulted indicated that the process depends on the urgency of the parties involved and that other actors, such as city and county authorities, may intervene. Should the board rule in favor of the DEP, ICE could appeal to the Commonwealth Court , and eventually to the state Supreme Court. Local officials have expressed concern about the impact of the facilities on water and sewer systems , citing Pennsylvania’s Wastewater Facilities Act, which requires planning and approval for discharges to protect public health and the environment. The Department of Public Safety (DEP) noted that the warehouse infrastructure has never been authorized to operate at full capacity and that ICE must submit detailed information about its intended use before accessing water or discharging wastewater. According to an ICE memo, the agency plans to “activate all facilities by November 30, 2026.” [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Univision [4/12/2026 2:47 PM, Staff, 4937K] reports agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained a driver in Howard County using Maryland’s driver’s license database, even though there were no outstanding traffic violations or arrest warrants, according to an FBI affidavit. The case involved Santos Alvarenga-Rodriguez, 47, who was questioned and detained after restrictions were detected on his license as part of “Operation Reclaim America.” The affidavit indicates that the restrictions were marked as “AU,” indicating that the individual might not have legal residency, according to a report by The Baltimore Sun. During the interrogation, Alvarenga-Rodriguez explained that he had been living in the United States for 19 years. It was later confirmed that he is a U.S. citizen originally from El Salvador, the media outlet added. The altercation with the officers resulted in a cut on one officer’s nose and a bite on another’s forearm, according to the complaint, which led federal prosecutors to file charges of assault, resisting arrest, and obstruction of justice. In March, a federal judge ordered Alvarenga-Rodriguez released on his own recognizance, and no trial date has yet been set. The case has sparked controversy over the use of state databases by federal agencies. We Are CASA, an immigrant rights organization, criticized the practice, alleging that ICE obtains information at random to justify detentions. For his part, Representative Andy Harris (R-MD) defended the action, comparing it to the routine use of license plate data to investigate traffic violations. In Maryland, driver’s licenses may include restrictions, such as the “A” designation, which prevents the purchase of firearms, or “U,” which limits their use in federal proceedings. Nearly a quarter of a million drivers in the state have one of these restrictions. The Maryland Data Privacy Act prohibits state agencies from sharing MVA information with federal authorities for immigration purposes without a valid court order. State Senator Clarence Lam (D) introduced a bill to restrict ICE’s access to the state database, which has already passed the House and is awaiting a vote in the Senate before April 13. Legal experts offer conflicting opinions: David Gray, a law professor at the University of Maryland, asserts that accessing the database does not violate the Fourth Amendment, while Cary J. Hansel, a civil rights attorney, believes that hundreds of thousands of people could be unduly affected. According to the Deportation Data Project, ICE detentions in Maryland have increased in recent months, exceeding 830 in January, compared to fewer than 200 per month during President Biden’s administration in 2024. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

CNN [4/13/2026 4:02 AM, Lauren Mascarenhas and Alex Stambaugh, 19874K] reports a mother of two was killed by a man wielding a hammer outside a convenience store in Florida earlier this month, seen in a gruesome video that has captured the attention of the nation — and the president. A Haitian national, 40-year-old Rolbert Joachin, was charged with murder after officials said he repeatedly struck the women with a hammer in what they described as a targeted attack. Though the victim did not know Joachin, they had a previous encounter, police said. As the victim’s community reckons with a senseless act of violence, President Donald Trump has seized on it to push an immigration agenda that would remove protections for hundreds of thousands. Video of the incident, which took place the morning of April 2, circulating online and shared by the Department of Homeland Security shows a man repeatedly hitting a car parked in the gas station’s parking lot with an object that appears to be a hammer. When a woman exits the store and approaches the man, appearing to speak to him, he walks toward her and strikes her with the object in his hand. The woman falls onto the sidewalk before he strikes her another six times on her head and torso and walks away. Police received calls around 7:19 a.m. ET notifying them of the incident, according to court documents. When they arrived, they found the woman unresponsive and not breathing, the documents said. Witnesses told police they had seen a man hitting a car and then striking a woman “with a mallet,” according to the arrest report. Authorities identified Joachin — who they note had previous interactions with police — and arrested him later that day, after “an extensive coordinated manhunt,” Fort Myers Police Chief Jason Fields said Friday. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents assisted Fort Myers police in tracking down and arresting Joachin, DHS said in a statement Tuesday.

FOX News [4/12/2026 8:00 AM, Stepheny Price, 37576K] reports the killing of a 15-year-old Missouri boy who begged for his life during a deadly ambush is fueling a wave of outrage, with Republican leaders pointing to the suspect’s illegal immigration status and demanding government officials support tougher border enforcement. "Unfortunately, this is just the latest example of a Missourian killed by an illegal alien," Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., said, calling for sweeping deportation efforts. Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., said the killing underscores concerns about public safety, adding that "dangerous individuals who should not be here remain in our communities.” "Miles Young should still be alive. This is tragic," he wrote in a post on X. "Justice must be swift.” The backlash follows the arrest of Yefry Archaga-Elvir, 18, who is accused of luring Miles Young, 15, into a planned ambush before chasing him down and shooting him, according to court documents. The Honduran national is charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action and is being held without bond on a federal immigration detainer. A second suspect, Praize King, 18, is also charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the killing. At least one additional suspect, believed to be a juvenile, has not been publicly identified. Missouri State Treasurer Vivek Malek called the killing "another Missouri family destroyed," saying the teen was "executed while begging for his life" and warning the case shows "exactly why we must cut off the incentives that keep illegals here.” He added that Missourians are "outraged" the suspect was in the state, arguing the crime "never would’ve happened" if he had not been in the country. According to investigators, a juvenile suspect contacted Young and convinced him to leave his home under the belief he was meeting a girl. Instead, authorities say, Young was led into a trap. Investigators allege the group had been driving around beforehand discussing how to "set up" the teen before tracking his movements and blocking the road. Witnesses told investigators they warned Young not to go, fearing it was a setup tied to tensions from a prior homicide case in which he was expected to testify. Investigators say Archaga-Elvir, wearing a black ski mask and armed with a handgun, allegedly chased the teen on foot before opening fire. "Defendant ambushed victim, chased victim on foot, and shot victim as victim was stating he wanted to live," the probable cause statement says. Another witness reported hearing Young cry out, "I just don’t wanna die," before gunshots rang out. "Miles Young was lured to his death believing he was going to meet a girl. Instead, he was ambushed and killed in cold blood by this illegal alien who went on to brag about the murder," said Lauren Bis, Homeland Security acting assistant secretary. "This animal was released into our country by the Obama administration," she added. "ICE lodged an arrest detainer requesting Missouri not release this depraved killer from jail into American neighborhoods.” DHS said Archaga-Elvir was arrested in Texas as an accompanied minor in 2015, but he was released by the Obama administration.

Univision [4/12/2026 6:35 PM, Staff, 4937K] reports members of the U.S. House of Representatives reported overcrowded conditions and inhumane treatment at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in Mesa, Arizona, following an unannounced nighttime visit on April 9. Representatives Adelita Grijalva, Yassamin Ansari, and Greg Stanton reported that they found dozens of detainees held in overcrowded conditions, sleeping on concrete floors and sharing a single toilet in spaces that were far beyond capacity. According to their observations, there were about 45 detainees in rooms designed to hold around 24 people, while they estimated that there were more than 250 people throughout the complex. The site, known as the Arizona Relocation Operations Coordination Center, is intended to be a temporary facility with a maximum capacity of 157 people and stays of no more than 12 hours. “We walked by and they were fanning themselves, trying to tell us… that it was extremely hot. I didn’t see any blankets. People were lying in rows on the concrete like sardines,” said Adelita Grijalva, a Democratic legislator from Arizona. "It’s so horrific that unless you see it with your own eyes, you can’t imagine this happening to human beings," he added. However, the lawmakers noted that several migrants had reportedly been held there for days, in sweltering heat, without adequate access to medical care or basic supplies. During the visit, they reported that some detainees were trying to communicate through windows, slits, or food hatches to ask for help, complaining of illness and fever. The lawmakers also observed the arrival of buses carrying dozens of people, without the detainees being clearly informed of their destination or transfer. They also noted that the center’s staff could not specify how long each person had been detained. The inspection was conducted after local media alerted the congressmen to possible irregularities at the facility. Although a hunger strike was not confirmed, complaints regarding the quality of food and detention conditions were documented. Following the visit, the representatives described the situation as alarming and noted that the conditions they observed reflect a structural problem in the U.S. immigration detention system. During the tour, the lawmakers described a situation of critical overcrowding, with people lying on the floor without blankets and exposed to intense heat inside overcrowded cells. They also noted that, despite the facility being a transit center for deportations, some migrants were being held longer than expected, without clarity regarding their status or timely access to medical care. The testimonies gathered during the visit indicate that detainees faced conditions they consider incompatible with basic standards of dignified treatment, which has intensified concerns about the operation of such facilities in the country. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Politico [4/12/2026 3:23 PM, Daniel Lippman, 21784K] reports the Trump administration’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services agency has referred allegations of Rep. Eric Swalwell illegally employing a Brazilian nanny several years ago to law enforcement officials at the Department of Homeland Security for investigation, according to a DHS spokesperson. The probe marks an escalation of hostilities with the Trump administration, following a referral to the Justice Department for investigation into potential mortgage fraud by Swalwell, which he condemned as meritless. It also comes as the Calfornia Democrat is in a political tailspin from unrelated allegations of sexual misconduct, which he denies. The Manhattan district attorney on Saturday opened an investigation into Swalwell, a gubernatorial candidate in California, because one of the sexual assault allegations was reported to have happened in New York. The New York Post reported on Saturday that Swalwell had hired a nanny for his children, who continued to work for the family after her work authorization permit expired in 2022. She received authorization from the Department of Labor in 2024. “USCIS has been collecting information on the allegations involving Congressman Eric Swalwell hiring of a Brazilian national as a nanny without lawful work authorization,” DHS spokesperson Lauren Bis said in a statement to POLITICO. “These allegations are serious. USCIS has referred this matter to DHS law enforcement for investigation.” Bis declined to comment on which component of DHS would be in charge of a formal investigation. “Federal law prohibits employers from knowingly hiring aliens who are not authorized to work in the United States,” Bis said. “No employer, including a member of Congress, is above the law.” Swalwell and his attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A complaint filed to DHS in February said that the nanny “appears in numerous social media photos with the Swalwell family throughout 2023 and 2024, indicating continued close association and ongoing childcare responsibilities despite the absence of known lawful work authorization.” Swalwell reportedly paid her with tens of thousands of dollars of campaign funds between 2021 and 2022, according to FEC records cited by the Post. The Department of Labor approved her for working permanently in 2024 and then the next year, she received almost $40,000 from Swalwell’s campaign account. In 2022, Swalwell got an advisory opinion from the FEC giving him the greenlight to expense childcare charges to his campaign if such expenses were only caused by campaign events. The Hill [4/12/2026 7:58 PM, Tara Suter, 18170K] reports Swalwell on Friday separately denied allegations of sexual assault while facing mounting calls to exit the race for California governor. A former staffer alleged Swalwell had sexually assaulted her twice when she was too intoxicated to give consent, the San Francisco Chronicle first reported. CNN also reported that three additional women had accused Swalwell of sexual misconduct. The California Democrat referred to the assault claims as “flat false” in a video statement posted on the social platform X on Friday. “They are absolutely false. They did not happen,” Swalwell said. “They have never happened, and I will fight them with everything that I have. They also come on the eve of an election where I have been the front-runner candidate for governor in California.” USCIS said in its statement that “federal law prohibits employers from knowingly hiring aliens who are not authorized to work in the United States.” “No employer, including a member of Congress, is above the law,” the spokesperson continued. The Hill has reached out to Swalwell’s office for comment.

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Politico [4/12/2026 7:00 AM, Jennifer Scholtes, 21784K] reports that, on Capitol Hill, Rep. Andy Harris is one of the most uncompromising advocates of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. On the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay, the Maryland Republican is seen as a hero for securing foreign labor to power his state’s commercial seafood industry. The 69-year-old lawmaker, who chairs the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus and the subcommittee that funds the Department of Agriculture, has leveraged his influence as one of Washington’s most prominent hard-liners to lobby the White House in favor of a robust influx of temporary foreign workers. That meant convincing the Trump administration earlier this year to max out the number of guest workers allowed for the season, helping businesses throughout the country — including seafood producers in his district, who bring in workers from Mexico to hand-pick meat from the region’s blue crabs. “I’ve been in long enough to know how to get things done, and we got it done,” Harris told Jack Brooks, owner of the J.M. Clayton crab company, on a recent afternoon outside his facility along the Choptank River. It’s not just a parochial priority for Harris, who has grander ambitions to increase the number of seasonal workers who flow in and out of the country. He’s driving a debate within the Republican party about whether the president’s “America First” agenda means aggressively stemming the number of foreigners who enter the United States — both legally and illegally — or helping the U.S. economy with regulated foreign labor. Harris told Brooks he plans to build on his success by working to guarantee longtime H-2B employers get the positions they seek regardless of their luck in a yearly lottery. “We appreciate you out there battling on our behalf, for sure,” Brooks said to Harris. “I know you’re just one guy.” The H-2B visa program Harris wants to expand is distinct from a separate temporary visa program for migrant farmworkers. It’s instead aimed at nonagricultural jobs such as landscaping, construction and, in this case, “crab picking.” There is no conflict, Harris argues, between his endorsement of the president’s aggressive approach to illegal immigration and his support for more temporary foreign workers who return to their home countries each year. At the same time, Harris — the son of immigrants from Central Europe — also consistently rails against amnesty policies that would create a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. “This is not an immigration issue — this is a temporary foreign worker issue,” Harris said in an interview. “Once we control the uncontrolled border crossing, let’s talk about how we can bring a foreign workforce in to boost the economy where it needs to be boosted.” Under the “Buy American, Hire American” agenda Trump has pursued throughout his first and second terms, his administration has often resisted calls to issue the maximum number of H-2B visas Congress allows. This year, however, Harris traveled down Pennsylvania Avenue at a crucial moment to persuade the White House otherwise — quietly locking in roughly 65,000 positions for workers with H-2B visas for the current season, about 30,000 more than what the Trump administration had announced it would allow. The White House’s decision to boost the number of visas followed the termination of work documents for 1.3 million undocumented immigrants, White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said in a statement. The Trump administration’s No. 1 priority, she said, “is protecting American jobs and wages” while meeting the demands of the president’s “rapidly growing economy.” Harris pitched Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins in recent weeks on his ideas for embracing an influx of temporary foreign workers as Trump promises “a Golden Age of American agriculture” and a renaissance for U.S. manufacturing amid record tariffs and new Republican-led tax perks.

Univision [4/12/2026 6:42 PM, Staff, 4937K] reports the scream came from the front yard. “Mom, Mom, I’m getting into trouble.” That was the first thing Gilberto Garcia Cruz ‘s mother heard before going outside and seeing him restrained by federal agents. The arrest occurred on Thursday, April 9, in Hendry County, Florida. Gilberto, 26, was detained by ICE agents in front of his home. He has remained in immigration custody since then, while his family tries to understand what happened and fears for his safety within the detention system. “I ran towards him without being able to grab anything to defend him. I saw a masked man twisting his neck and I asked him what was happening, and he told me it was ICE, ‘immigration has me here’,” his mother told WBBH via CNN Newsource , asking not to be publicly identified. The case has generated concern in his family and community, as Gilberto is on the autism spectrum and, according to his family, depends on his mother for basic activities of daily living. “He hasn’t been independent since he started working. I used to help him pick fruit, and I have to tell him how to pick it and put it down because he can’t do it by himself,” she explained. She also says she has difficulties with everyday communication. “Sometimes she has trouble pronouncing English, and when it comes to Spanish, she also has trouble understanding how to communicate.” The family maintains that Gilberto is a beneficiary of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA ), a program that protects from deportation those who arrived in the United States as minors and grants them renewable work permits every two years. However, his status was in the process of being renewed at the time of his arrest. DACA is not permanent immigration status or absolute protection. If the permit expires while the renewal is pending, the person may find themselves in a legal limbo. Under current immigration enforcement policies, that period may be enough for agents to proceed with an arrest. By February 2026, the daily population in ICE detention centers exceeded 73,400 people, an increase of more than 70% compared to previous years, according to data from the Vera Institute of Justice and public health policy analysis. Florida has become one of the main detention centers. It is the second state with the most active facilities in the country, with 38 centers, second only to Texas. And in 2025, at least 261 people protected by the program were arrested , and 86 of them were deported, according to reports cited by organizations such as TheDream.us. There are no official figures on how many people with autism have been detained by immigration authorities. However, organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union and Human Rights Watch have documented cases of people with cognitive or mental health conditions in detention centers , as well as problems with care and protocols for these groups. The risk, according to these reports, is not only legal but also operational. Individuals on the autism spectrum may have difficulty responding to instructions, which can be interpreted as resistance by officers. This can escalate the use of force during arrests or complicate their handling within detention centers. Gilberto’s family fears precisely that: that he won’t be able to take care of himself. "We’re afraid he won’t be able to support himself," his mother said.

The Travel [4/13/2026 12:42 AM, Coco Dollanganger] reports with just a few months to go before the FIFA World Cup kicks off on June 11 across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) warns lawmakers and fans that travel disruptions are expected to happen in most of the busiest airports in the country. Acting TSA administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill told Congress in March that the hundreds of officers who quit during the shutdown and the high callout rates reduce the "agency’s operational capacity at airports," especially with the FIFA World Cup getting closer. The hours-long wait times at U.S. airport security checkpoints may have loosened last week, following President Donald Trump’s order to pay the TSA officers, but this does not mean that travelers, airports, and even the agency will not deal with travel disruptions. This comes just in time for the World Cup, which is considered one of the year’s biggest global sporting events. Fans have been looking forward to watching the FIFA World Cup, but TSA fears there may not be enough officers at security checkpoints to screen travelers. According to Ha Nguyen McNeill, TSA is already dealing with limited staffing amid spring break travel, which is 5% higher than in the previous year. But with the volume of TSA officers quitting, McNeill said the agency cannot sustain the checkpoints at airports, especially during the World Cup, when travel across the U.S. is expected to surge. When McNeill testified to Congress in March, she reiterated that "this is a dire situation."

CNN [4/13/2026 3:00 AM, Alaa Elassar, 612K] reports it’s been over a week since Lynette Hooker, a 55-year-old mother and sailor, vanished at sea in the Bahamas, setting off an urgent search that has since shifted into a complex investigation with one person at its center: her husband of 25 years. Brian Hooker, 58, was taken into custody by the Royal Bahamas Police Force on Wednesday in connection with her disappearance and remains in custody after an extension was granted until Monday evening, his lawyer confirmed to CNN. Brian Hooker has not been charged, and his attorney says he "categorically and unequivocally denies any wrongdoing." What happens next remains uncertain. Police have requested another interview with Hooker on Monday, his attorney told CNN. By evening, authorities could choose to release him or formally charge him. It is not yet clear whether he could be held longer under Bahamian law.

New York Times [4/13/2026 3:22 AM, Rob Copeland and Colby Smith, 330K] reports the leaders of some of America’s largest banks were warned by a top government official this week about a new artificial intelligence model from Anthropic that could lead to heightened risks of cyberattacks, according to three people briefed on the matter but not permitted to speak publicly. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent delivered the stark message on Tuesday morning to a small group of chief executives, including those from Bank of America, Citi and Wells Fargo, in a hastily arranged meeting in Washington. Mr. Bessent, the people said, cautioned the banks that allowing the new A.I. software to run through their internal computer systems could pose a serious risk to sensitive customer data. The Federal Reserve chair, Jerome H. Powell, who has spoken publicly in recent weeks about the threat of cyberattacks against the financial system, also attended Tuesday’s meeting. The warnings relate to a new intelligence model that Anthropic named Claude Mythos Preview. Anthropic has said the model is particularly good at identifying security vulnerabilities in software that human developers could not find. At Tuesday’s meeting, the people briefed on the matter said, the bank executives were told that the new model might be so effective at finding security weaknesses inside banks that hackers or other so-called third-party bad actors could get their hands on the information and exploit it. Anthropic itself has warned about the risks. The company said this week that the model’s advancements were so powerful and potentially dangerous that they could not safely be released to the public yet and would instead be contained to a coalition of 40 companies that it called “Project Glasswing.” That group includes at least one bank, JPMorgan Chase, the nation’s largest, which earlier said it would use the software “to evaluate next-generation A.I. tools for defensive cybersecurity across critical infrastructure.” Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan’s chief executive, was invited to Tuesday’s briefing but skipped it for previously arranged travel plans, according to a person familiar with the matter. The Trump administration and Anthropic are locked in a legal battle over the Defense Department’s recent designation of the company as a “supply chain risk.” The government issued that designation after Anthropic insisted on putting limits on the use of its A.I. technology in war.

FOX News [4/12/2026 1:49 PM, Staff, 37576K] Video: HERE reports OthersideAI co-founder and CEO Matt Shumer joins ‘The Sunday Briefing’ to discuss Anthropic’s new AI model, Mythos, and growing concerns over its advanced capabilities and potential cybersecurity risks. Matt Shumer, co-founder and CEO of OthersideAI, details Anthropic’s new AI model, Mythos, on ‘The Sunday Briefing’. The model’s "emergent capabilities" to find software vulnerabilities autonomously raised alarms, prompting Anthropic to restrict public access. Shumer explains the proactive move of granting major companies and the US government early access to Mythos for cyber defense, anticipating future threats to critical infrastructure and national security.

Washington Post [4/12/2026 12:00 PM, Dan Morse, 24826K] reports watched from a drone flying above, a man pulled his silver SUV into a Delaware truck stop. He parked near a tractor-trailer and waited as another man stepped out carrying the first of two tan Home Depot boxes. The exchange, as recorded by the drone’s video camera, was a key moment in what law enforcement officials said last week was the dismantling of a cocaine trafficking ring tied to a Mexican drug cartel that sold their product in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. “It was crystal clear,” Sheriff Mike Lewis of Wicomico County, Maryland, said of the footage. A novel part of police work just 10 years ago, drones are now being flown by more than 1,000 large and small law enforcement agencies in multiple states, according to industry estimates. Their use is trending up for all manner of police work, from foot chases to crime-scene documentation to surveillance in complex drug cases. SWAT teams are sending them into buildings. The devices, which can cost from $15,000 to $25,000, “are transforming policing,” said Charles Werner, director of Drone Responders, a trade group. “They are becoming a mainstream tool.” The Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office, with nearly 100 sworn deputies, bought its first drone about five years ago and now has six. One of their most critical uses: looking for children or elderly residents who go missing in Wicomico County’s marshy areas. In narcotics cases, so long as the targets stay outside, drones often record better court evidence — with no obstructions — than what police can do from the ground. And they’re safer than officers having to ease in close. In the cocaine case, according to court filings, the overhead drone recorded the two Home Depot boxes being placed into the back seat of the SUV. Together they held 53 pounds of cocaine, officials said, part of the more than 93 pounds seized in the whole case, with a total value of over $4 million. Officers also seized 11 guns. Lewis said the cocaine almost certainly originated in South America, passed through the Jalisco New Generation Cartel in Mexico and crossed into Southern California. It was then driven across the country in an 18-wheeler by two suspects. The sheriff lauded investigators for halting the drugs from getting to users in and around his county but stressed that nationwide it was just a drop in the bucket.

CBS News [4/12/2026 5:49 PM, Naomi Ruchim and Mark Prussin, 51110K] Video: HERE reports a mass shooting at a Chick-fil-A in Union Township, New Jersey, left one person dead and six others wounded, and no arrests have been made, according to officials. The Union County Prosecutor’s Office said police responded to the restaurant on Route 22 near Gelb Avenue after getting reports of a shooting at around 9 p.m. Saturday. Officers found seven victims at the fast food restaurant, including one person who was soon pronounced dead, the prosecutor’s office said in an update Sunday. Six victims were treated for non-life-threating injuries amid the large emergency response late Saturday night, they said. "I got an unconscious witness. I’ve got one shot in the face ... and I have at least two in the leg," a 911 dispatcher says in audio obtained by CBS News New York. Officials said the preliminary investigation determined the shooting was not random and there was no ongoing threat to the general public. "This is an active and ongoing investigation," the prosecutor’s office said. After the shooting, a man told CBS News New York his girlfriend works at the Union Township Chick-fil-A and that she said a group of men entered the restaurant and went directly behind the counter, firing multiple shots. Another worker’s relative said there was some sort of altercation and that Chick-fil-A employees were injured in the violence. The Union Township Police Department has not confirmed their accounts of the incident at this time. New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said she was briefed on the shooting and that "New Jersey stands with the Union Township community.”

New York Post [4/12/2026 9:21 AM, Anthony Blair, 40934K] reports dramatic video shows a masked gunman fleeing a New Jersey Chick-fil-A after a mass shooting at the restaurant on Saturday night. Dashcam footage shows a man with a gun and a mask running away from the scene of the shooting in Union Township shortly before 9 p.m. Terrified customers are also seen escaping after multiple masked gunmen reportedly stormed the restaurant, forced their way behind the counter, and fired multiple shots. One person was killed in the shooting, authorities said. Six other people, including multiple employees at the restaurant on Route 22, were shot, officials said They suffered non-life-threatening wounds. "I got an unconscious witness. I’ve got one shot in the face … and I have at least two in the leg," a 911 dispatcher is heard saying in audio obtained by CBS News New York. Terrified employees were kept locked down in the restaurant while police carried out their inquiries, according to relatives. The father of one employee drove to the restaurant after receiving a panicked call from his son, ABC7 reported. He described the scene as a "war zone" when he arrived.

FOX News [4/12/2026 7:40 PM, Preston Mizell, 37576K] reports Vice President JD Vance returned to Washington after peace negotiations with Iranian leaders fell short in Islamabad, Pakistan over the weekend. Vance touched down at Joint Base Andrews at roughly 5 p.m. Sunday afternoon after 34 hours of total roundtrip travel and more than 16 hours of negotiations in just under three days. The trip ended with no peace deal secured, leaving questions as to what comes next between the U.S., Iran and their respective allies in the air. President Donald Trump posted to Truth Social Sunday morning that the Navy will begin blockading the Strait of Hormuz, which was a pivotal term in negotiations between Vance and Iran. "Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz," Trump posted to Truth Social. "At some point, we will reach an ‘ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO IN, ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO OUT’ basis, but Iran has not allowed that to happen by merely saying, ‘There may be a mine out there somewhere,’ that nobody knows about but them.” The vice president said he was "constantly in communication" with Trump and other top cabinet members throughout negotiations in Islamabad. The vice president delivered the news after more than 16-hours of discussions that ultimately resulted in Iranians leaders rejecting an offer from the U.S. that could have created a longer-lasting peace agreement between the two countries, potentially stabilizing the region. In response to a question posed by Fox News Digital during a press conference at the Serena Hotel in Islamabad, Vance said the negotiation team was "constantly" in contact with Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent, and other top officials throughout overnight talks. "So, look, we were constantly in communication with the team because we were negotiating in good faith," Vance said. "And we leave here with a very simple proposal, a method of understanding that is our final and best offer. We’ll see if the Iranians accept it.” Vance said they were leaving the country after their final offer was rejected by Iranian leaders.

Reuters [4/12/2026 10:12 PM, Nestor Corrales, 38315K] reports the United States and Australia joined the Philippines for their second joint maritime exercises in the South China Sea this year, amid tensions with China in the disputed waterway. The ‌four-day drills from April 9 to 12 brought together warships, fighter jets and surveillance aircraft in a series of coordinated operations to strengthen maritime defence capabilities, the Philippine military said on Monday. The exercises underscored the "deepening defence cooperation among the three nations and their shared commitment to regional security", it said in a statement. The Philippines deployed its FA‑50 fighter ⁠jets, while Australia contributed P‑8A Poseidon aircraft and the United States the USS Ashland, a dock landing ship. The drills came ahead of the April 20 opening of the annual ​large-scale war games called Balikatan - or "shoulder-to-shoulder" - between Manila and Washington, which for the first time will include Japan as a full participant rather than an observer, alongside Australia. Japan and the Philippines signed a Reciprocal Access Agreement in 2024, among the growing number of troop pacts Manila has signed with like-minded partners. On March 26, the Philippines signed a similar military deal with France. France’s embassy in ‌Manila ⁠said on Monday that it will send a reduced contingent of 15 to 20 troops to the Balikatan exercises, down from 150, after rerouting a major naval deployment in Asia back to Europe due to the Middle East crisis. Armed Forces of the Philippines chief ​Gen. Romeo Brawner has said that there ⁠would be no downgrading of its annual war games with the U.S. and its allies despite the ongoing Middle East conflict. The Philippines and China have traded accusations of responsibility over a series of encounters in ⁠the South China Sea, including a recent incident in which Manila accused Beijing of firing flares at a Philippine Coast Guard aircraft. Beijing, which has maintained that its actions in the South ⁠China Sea have been lawful and professional, has routinely opposed Manila’s joint military activities with its allied partners, saying such drills heighten tensions in the region.

FOX News [4/12/2026 8:51 AM, Eric Mack, 37576K] reports President Donald Trump’s $400 million White House ballroom construction will be able to continue for at least a little while longer, after an federal appeals court instructed a District Court judge to reconsider the situation. A three-judge panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled Saturday that construction can proceed until Friday, April 17, giving the president time to seek a Supreme Court review as the Trump administration is claiming delaying the prospect leaves the construction site exposed and risks the security of the president and his staff. The panel instructed U.S. District Judge Richard Leon to clarify whether — and how — his injunction interferes with the administration’s claims over safety and security. Government lawyers argued that the project includes critical security features to guard against a range of possible threats, such as drones, ballistic missiles and biohazards and that holding up construction "would imperil the president and others who live and work in the White House.” Trump had also made the case that the U.S. military was installing a "heavily fortified" facility under the ballroom, including bomb shelters and a medical facility. The National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP) sued in December, a week after the White House finished demolishing the East Wing for a 90,000-square-foot (8,400-square-meter) ballroom. The group claimed Trump exceeded his authority when he demolished the dated East Wing — built in 1902 during Theodore Roosevelt’s presidency and expanded in 1942 — arguing the president needed congressional authorization. Trump has said the president has historically had say over the White House remodeling, and has long noted Congress does not have to pay for the privately funded project.

New York Post [4/12/2026 10:55 AM, Ryan King, 40934K] reports construction on President Trump’s prized $400 million White House ballroom project can proceed for at least a few more days because of national security concerns, an appeals court ruled Saturday. A lower-court judge previously imposed a preliminary injunction against the project late last month, with the stop order set to take effect April 14. A three-judge panel on a federal appeals court just extended that deadline to April 17 to give it more time to consider the administration’s argument that if the project is stopped now, it will leave the White House vulnerable. "A district judge ordered the President to halt ongoing reconstruction … leaving a massive excavation and structurally completed site adjacent to the now open and exposed Executive Mansion and threatening grave national-security harms," Trump’s team argued in court documents to the appeals court last week. The three-judge panel on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit then ruled 2-1 to give the brief extension, concluding it could not "fairly determine, on this hurried record," how national security concerns impact the case. In tandem with the ballroom construction, Trump’s team appears to be working on renovations to the White House "doomsday" bunker that sits below where the East Wing once stood. The intended White House ballroom sits over the Presidential Emergency Operations Center, a nuclear bunker built in the 1940s. "Now the military is building a big complex under the ballroom, which has come out recently because of a stupid lawsuit that was filed," Trump grumbled to reporters aboard Air Force One last month. Since the Trump administration began facing litigation over the new ballroom, it has repeatedly cited national security concerns to justify continued work on the project.

AP [4/12/2026 11:48 PM, Staff, 34146K] reports Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said the U.S. has no valid reason to carry out a military attack against the island or to attempt to depose him. Speaking in an interview on NBC News’ Meet the Press program, the president said an invasion of Cuba would be costly and affect regional security. But should it happen, Díaz-Canel said, Cubans would defend themselves. "If the time comes, I don’t think there would be any justification for the United States to launch a military aggression against Cuba, or for the U.S. to undertake a surgical operation or the kidnapping of a president," Díaz-Canel said, speaking through a translator. He added: "If that happens, there will be fighting, and there will be a struggle, and we will defend ourselves, and if we need to die, we’ll die, because as our national anthem says, ‘Dying for the homeland is to live’.” His comments come as tensions between Cuba and the U.S. remain high despite both sides acknowledging talks, although no details have been shared. Díaz-Canel has accused the U.S. government of implementing a "hostile policy" against Cuba and said it has "no moral to demand anything from Cuba." He noted that Cuba is interested in engaging in dialogue and discussing any topic without conditions, "not demanding changes from our political system as we are not demanding change from the American system, about which we have a number of doubts.” Cuba blames a U.S. energy blockade for its deepening woes, with a lack of petroleum affecting the island’s health system, public transportation and the production of goods and services.

Breitbart [4/12/2026 7:53 PM, Nick Gilbertson, 2238K] reports Iranian negotiators failed to meet the United States on six of its key red lines during talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, over the weekend, according to a U.S. official. An official told Breitbart News that Iran did not agree to the United States’s red lines, which include ending all uranium enrichment; dismantling all major nuclear enrichment facilities; allowing for the retrieval of highly enriched uranium; accepting a broader peace, security, and de-escalation framework that includes regional allies; ending funding for terrorist proxies Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis; and fully opening the Strait of Hormuz, charging no tolls for passage. Vance understood, upon entering the discussions, that there was potential for enormous distrust and misperception, given that the United States and Iran have had minimal interaction over the past 50 or so years, according to an official. Vance approached the discussions with the intention of reaching a mutual understanding of both sides’ goals and negotiating space, and by the end of 21 hours of negotiations, the sides exchanged proposals in a productive fashion, an official told Breitbart News. The progression in talks, which were tough, came despite the Iranians not sufficiently understanding at the outset that the United States’ core objective in any deal is that Iran cannot obtain a nuclear weapon. Vance made this key stipulation clear to the Iranians while also listening to them. While he left without a deal, Vance proposed what the official said was the best and final offer, which the vice president believes Iran should find acceptable.

NewsMax [4/12/2026 10:54 AM, Staff, 3760K] reports a rapidly escalating maritime standoff is unfolding in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, as President Donald Trump announced that the United States will move to reopen the passage to global shipping through a coordinated military effort. Trump specifically declared that Iran will no longer control access or impose tolls on vessels. Trump made clear that if any nation or vessel does pay Iran a toll, it will not be given safe passage through the strait. Trump also signaled that additional unnamed allied nations are expected to participate in what he described as a blockade designed to restore unrestricted navigation and end what he called "world extortion" by Iran. In a lengthy and forceful statement, Trump framed the situation as a direct response to Iranian claims that mines may have been placed in the waterway. This effort has created fear among commercial ship operators, effectively halting traffic, with Trump stating, "So, there you have it, the meeting went well, most points were agreed to, but the only point that really mattered, NUCLEAR, was not," before announcing that "Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz.” The operational focus of the plan appears to center on mine-clearing and maritime security enforcement by the United States Navy, with Trump asserting that uncertainty over the location of potential mines has paralyzed shipping activity and justifies intervention. Trump predicted that a normalized system would soon be restored, with "all being allowed to go in, all being allowed to go out," effectively ending Iran’s leverage over one of the world’s most critical shipping transit routes.

Wall Street Journal [4/12/2026 5:56 PM, Vera Bergengruen, Shelby Holliday, and Georgi Kantchev, 646K] reports President Trump’s announcement that the U.S. military would blockade the Strait of Hormuz sets up a risky new showdown that could draw American forces into a prolonged struggle to control the strategic chokepoint while compounding the global economic damage caused by the conflict. Hours after U.S. peace talks with Iran broke down in Pakistan, Trump said that the Navy would begin the blockade, “seek and interdict” vessels that had paid Iran to get through the strait, and then start clearing the waterway of sea mines. “He added that any Iranian forces that fired on U.S. troops or commercial shipping would be “BLOWN TO HELL.” The blockade is set to begin Monday at 10 a.m. Eastern Time, according to U.S. Central Command. The move comes after Vice President JD Vance ended 21 hours of talks in Islamabad without an agreement, blaming Tehran for refusing U.S. terms on its nuclear program. While the U.S. military has the resources and the capabilities to execute such a blockade, current and former U.S. officials and analysts say that sustaining control of the waterway could be far more difficult. “It’s certainly well within the capacity of the forces that are there to mount a blockade,” said Bryan Clark, a retired naval officer and senior researcher at the Hudson Institute. “Now, if Iran starts shooting at them or shooting at people that are operating these systems, then obviously it gets more difficult…You have to protect them with ships.”

FOX News [4/12/2026 10:58 PM, Staff, 37576K] reports President Donald Trump speaks outside Air Force One, touts blockade pPresident Donald Trump speaks outside Air Force One, touts blockade plans and slams NATO alliance response to Iran conflict. lans and slams NATO alliance response to Iran conflict. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Los Angeles Times [4/12/2026 2:13 PM, Michael Wilner, 12718K] reports President Trump responded to the collapse of high-stakes negotiations with Iran by escalating the conflict on Sunday, ordering a full blockade of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz — a risky move that could drive global oil prices higher and provoke confrontation with a far more formidable adversary. No country relies more heavily on the strait than China, which receives nearly half of its oil imports through the international waterway. In recent days, Beijing has warned that access to its shipping lanes "must be guaranteed.” Trump administration officials believe the blockade could compel China to pressure Tehran into making further concessions, following Beijing’s crucial role earlier this month in convincing Iran to accept an initial ceasefire. But the decision by U.S. diplomats to tie negotiations over the status of the strait to those over the fate of Iran’s nuclear program — a matter of torturous diplomacy for the last quarter-century — could make it harder to secure a breakthrough. In the meantime, a full blockade of the strait could force China to become more directly involved in a conflict that is already heightening tensions with Washington. On Saturday, reports that Beijing could be preparing to send advanced missile and air defense systems to Iran prompted anger from the White House. "If China does that, China is gonna have big problems," Trump told reporters. It is a high-stakes moment in the world’s most important bilateral relationship, ahead of a closely watched summit between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing next month that both sides had hoped would help stabilize relations.

Washington Examiner [4/12/2026 1:11 AM, Emily Hallas, 1147K] reports U.S. intelligence reportedly indicates China is looking to send shipments of weapons to Iran amid the Middle Eastern country’s conflict with the United States. Beijing is delivering new air defense systems to Iran within the next few weeks and is working to route the shipments through third countries to mask their true origin, according to CNN. If true, the development would constitute a provocative statement by Beijing just weeks ahead of President Donald Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and would mark a significant escalation of support to Iran. The systems Beijing is preparing to transfer are shoulder-fired anti-air missile systems known as MANPADs, which posed an asymmetric threat to the U.S. military during its war with Iran. The conflict drew to a quasi-end with a temporary ceasefire last week, one that China was involved in helping broker. Although China backed the ceasefire, U.S. intelligence now appears to indicate it is helping Iran rearm against the U.S. before the two-week truce draws to a close. "If China does that, China is gonna have big problems," Trump told reporters on Saturday afternoon, when pressed on the report, adding Sunday that if China is providing Iran with the "shoulder missiles," he would impose a 50% trariff on the country. The president said, however, that he believes China only supported Iran at the start of the war.

Washington Examiner [4/12/2026 1:15 PM, Asher Notheis, 1147K] reports former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley encouraged President Donald Trump to put more pressure on China to stop supporting Iran. Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled for next month, about six weeks after it was originally set for March 31 through April 2. The meeting will be held after U.S. intelligence reportedly indicated China is looking to send shipments of weapons to Iran as the Middle Eastern country’s conflict with the U.S. continues. Haley said she questions whether this meeting should continue as scheduled and thinks Trump shouldn’t have changed his national security strategy to make China the "our No. 1 national threat." She also said Trump has opened access to "powerful" artificial intelligence chips to China, and Trump has "doubled" the number of Chinese students that can be in the U.S. "You look at the labs that have been found in the United States, two bio labs by Chinese nationals that had things like HIV and Ebola," Haley said on CNN’s State of the Union. "All of these things, combined with the fact that China has now built up their nuclear warheads to almost a thousand warheads that they’ll have in a few years, we can’t take our eye off of China.” "There’s a reason they’re helping Iran. Trump needs to go to China and say, ‘We’re not going to let you have any oil out of the strait. We’re not going to allow any of this to happen if you don’t go forward and stop what you’re doing to help the Iranians,’ and I don’t think he should meet with them until they agree to do that," Haley said. CNN Anchor Dana Bash asked Haley if she is suggesting to cancel the meeting, to which Haley said Trump needs to go after China "much more aggressively" if the country continues helping Iran.

Reuters [4/13/2026 3:50 AM, Staff, 38315K] reports the Philippines discovered cyanide on Chinese boats operating around a ‌disputed atoll in the South China Sea, security officials from the country said on Monday. Authorities said laboratory tests confirmed the presence of the highly toxic substance in bottles seized by the Philippine navy in operations at Second Thomas Shoal last year. Officials warned the cyanide could have had serious consequences for marine life and weakened the reef supporting a warship that Manila grounded on the ⁠atoll to reinforce its maritime claim. "We wish to underscore that the use of cyanide in Ayungin Shoal is a form of sabotage that seeks to kill local fish populations, depriving Navy personnel of a vital food source," Cornelio Valencia, National Security Council spokesperson, told a press conference using the Philippines’ name for the atoll. Valencia added that cyanide could damage the reef and "ultimately compromise" the warship’s stability. The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Philippines has accused China of disrupting resupply missions to troops on the vessel, including a June 17, 2024, incident that ‌turned ⁠violent and resulted in a Filipino sailor losing a finger. China has denied allegations of aggressive conduct during such encounters and accused the Philippines of trespassing in its waters.

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