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.

New York Times [4/17/2026 6:46 PM, Madeleine Ngo, 148038K] reports the Department of Homeland Security recently doubled its fleet of jets to carry out deportations under the Trump administration, shelling out $304 million for five planes including two high-end Gulfstreams, according to government documents and interviews. The contract to buy the planes is intended to make it easier and, department officials say, cheaper to expel people from the country. But it is coming under scrutiny for its overall price tag as well as the inclusion of the Gulfstreams, which can accommodate fewer than 20 passengers and are more typically used as private jets for C-suite executives and high-net-worth individuals. The purchase late last month included the two Gulfstream G650ER jets, two Boeing 737 planes, and a Boeing 737 Max, according to two people familiar with the purchase. In total, the Homeland Security Department has bought 10 jets as part of an effort to acquire and operate its own fleet of planes to deport people. Administration officials have said that it would save taxpayer money for the department to operate its own planes. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has typically relied on chartered flights and commercial airlines to carry out deportations. But the purchase of the Gulfstreams struck some former ICE officials and aviation experts as a puzzling choice. “I find that incredibly questionable,” said John Sandweg, an acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement during the Obama administration. Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace consultant, said he thought the department had many options to buy less expensive jets that could be used for deportations. “It’s bizarre,” Mr. Aboulafia said. “These are jets normally associated with billionaires.” It is unclear how the department will move forward with the plan to operate its own fleet. A department spokesperson said in a statement on Friday that the agency was “assessing” its resources, including the planes, under the new homeland security secretary, Markwayne Mullin. “Under new leadership, D.H.S. is assessing all our resources, including aircraft, to maximize efficiency and continue to deliver on President Trump’s mission of securing the homeland for all Americans,” the statement said. “Secretary Mullin is 100 percent focused on ensuring the needs of our department are met while being the best possible steward of taxpayer dollars.”

AP [4/17/2026 10:01 PM, Javier Córdoba, 35287K] reports Costa Rica received its second group of migrants deported by the United States on Friday following an agreement signed in March, while human rights organizations question the treatment these people receive and the lack of information about their stay in the Central American country. The Immigration and Foreigners Directorate reported that the group consisted of 30 deportees: 22 foreigners and eight Costa Ricans. The foreigners included eight Brazilians, three Romanians, two Chinese, three Uzbeks, two Azerbaijanis, one Irishman, one Indian, one Vietnamese, and one Belarusian. The Costa Rican government signed the agreement to receive deportees during the visit of Kristi Noem, special envoy of the U.S. initiative "Shield of the Americas, " in March. On Saturday, it received the first group following the signing of the agreement. This group consisted of 25 nationals from Albania, Kenya, Morocco, China, India, Cameroon, Guatemala, and Honduras. The deportees will be taken to a hotel, where the International Organization for Migration (IOM) will cover their lodging, food, and humanitarian assistance for the first seven days. During this period, they can register for an "Assisted Voluntary Return" program. Those deported may also choose to remain in Costa Rica under a temporary immigration regularization program for humanitarian reasons, or apply for refugee status. Human rights organizations and the Ombudsman’s Office of Costa Rica have questioned the agreement and are demanding that immigration authorities provide information on where these migrants are staying. The Ombudsman’s Office indicated in a report on Tuesday, after having contact with the migrants, that some presented health problems and that three were transferred to centers for medical review. According to the account given by the deportees to the Costa Rican public entity, upon being transferred to Costa Rica they were kept handcuffed throughout the flight and it was not until 30 minutes before landing that the handcuffs were removed from their hands. The National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture (MNPT) also issued a report on the first group that arrived on Saturday, indicating that, unlike the 200 deportees that Costa Rica received the previous year, these migrants are completely free to move around the country. The MNPT reported that deportees repeatedly complained of mistreatment in the United States, including being held in overcrowded conditions, receiving spoiled food, and being left uncertain about their destination. They also reported that valuables such as jewelry and cell phones were not returned to them, and that they suffered verbal abuse. Natasha Pérez, a lawyer for the Americas at the Global Council for Strategic Litigation, told The Associated Press that they were surprised that Costa Rica was once again receiving deportees from the United States and were concerned about the lack of transparency with which their stay in the country had been handled. “We believe there is a lack of information; civil society and organizations here in Costa Rica have not been allowed access to these people, nor have we received any further information from the IOM or state agencies about the actual conditions in which they find themselves,” Pérez commented.

Reported similarly:
AP [4/17/2026 8:59 PM, Staff, 34146K]

NewsMax [4/17/2026 9:36 PM, Staff, 3760K] reports Todd Lyons warned Friday on Newsmax that national security is at risk after what he described as widespread vetting failures during the Biden administration. Lyons made the allegation following the murder of two people in Atlanta, including a Department of Homeland Security employee, by a man naturalized in 2022. Lyons, acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, told "Finnerty" the case underscores deeper concerns about how millions of immigrants were processed and granted citizenship. "We really don’t understand why the administration would want someone like this," Lyons said, referring to the suspect, who authorities said had a history of violent felony arrests before being naturalized. "The Biden administration naturalized so many individuals, we didn’t have time to properly vet them," he said. "And the scary part is, we don’t know how many of these individuals are out there.". The suspect, U.K. native Olaolukitan Adon Abel, 26, has been accused of killing 40-year-old DHS employee Lauren Bullis while she was walking her dog on Monday morning in Georgia. Bullis’ death came hours after Adon Abel allegedly killed an unidentified woman and critically injured a homeless man. DHS said in a news release that Adon Abel’s criminal record includes convictions for sexual battery, battery against a police officer, obstruction, assault with a deadly weapon and vandalism. Lyons called Bullis "one of our great employees at the Office of Inspector General," and said the case highlights what he described as systemic breakdowns during a period when border agencies were overwhelmed. "You have these criminals that come here and are exploiting the government and look at the amount of American citizens that lives have been lost with this," he said. Lyons, who announced his resignation Thursday effective May 31, said DHS has begun reviewing cases from that period, including the nearly 3.5 million immigrants naturalized during Joe Biden’s presidency. "We do, we do. We’ve already started that," Lyons said when asked if the department needed to re-vet individuals. "USCIS ... they’ve started revamping their processes, going back. ... We have to go back, and we have to revet these individuals.". He pointed to what he described as intense pressure on border agencies at the time, saying "the proper screening wasn’t done" as large numbers of migrants were released into the country. Lyons also tied the issue to the ongoing partial shutdown of DHS, which he said has hindered enforcement and investigative operations. "The national security of the United States is at stake when you don’t fund Department of Homeland Security fully," he said. "This is everyday life now for every American in this country. You’ve got to live looking over your shoulder every time you step out the door.".

Washington Post [4/17/2026 1:56 PM, Matthew Choi, 24826K] reports that House Democrats are pushing for Stephen Miller and Tom Homan — two of the top aides shaping President Donald Trump’s deportation policy — to appear before Congress and answer questions about the administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement. Miller, a White House deputy chief of staff, and Homan, the White House’s border czar, received invitations this week to testify next Wednesday before the House Homeland Security Committee. The White House did not respond to a request for comment on whether they would accept the invitation to the public hearing examining the effects of the 63-day shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security. Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-Mississippi), the top Democrat on the Homeland Security Committee, said the hearing would be a vital opportunity to hold accountable the “chief architects of Trump’s mass deportations which have led to the deaths of U.S. citizens and terrorized our communities.” “It’s inexcusable that congressional Republicans are still doing whatever they can to protect President Trump — even with his approval rating taking a nosedive,” Thompson said in a statement. “The Committee needs to hear from the two officials responsible for the policies that have hurt so many and continue to undermine the funding and mission of the Department of Homeland Security as it was established after 9/11.” Wednesday’s hearing follows a Republican-led hearing held last month examining the consequences of the DHS shutdown. The committee heard from senior officials from the Coast Guard, Transportation Security Administration, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and Federal Emergency Management Agency.

ABC News [4/17/2026 12:31 PM, Armando Garcia, 34146K] reports that Rumeysa Ozturk, the Tufts University student and Palestinian rights advocate who was arrested by masked federal agents in March 2025 has voluntarily returned to her native Turkey after completing her Ph.D. and reaching a settlement agreement with the Trump administration, the ACLU announced Friday. In January, an immigration judge dismissed removal proceedings against Ozturk after finding that the Department of Homeland Security had failed to prove she was removable. The Trump administration promptly appealed that decision to the Board of Immigration Appeals. According to a source familiar with the settlement agreement, the government and Ozturk’s lawyers are jointly requesting an end to those proceedings. If the Board of Immigration Appeals accepts the request, Ozturk could theoretically return to the United States if she wishes to do so and obtains a visa, the source said. Ozturk was detained and held in ICE custody for more than a month before a judge ordered her release last May. Attorneys representing Ozturk said she was targeted, like other high-profile arrests of students, for her Pro-Palestinian views, specifically for co-authoring an Op-Ed in the Tufts University student newspaper in March 2024 in which she called on the school’s administration to take steps to "acknowledge the Palestinian genocide.". Court documents produced in other lawsuits challenging the arrests of pro-Palestinian students indicated that the government used the Op-Ed for the basis of her arrest, her attorneys said.

Reported similarly:
New York Times [4/17/2026 12:14 PM, Vimal Patel, 148038K]
Reuters [4/17/2026 12:33 PM, Nate Raymond, 38315K]
FOX News [4/17/2026 1:18 PM, Preston Mizell, 37576K]

Politico [4/17/2026 3:30 PM, Kyle Cheney, 21784K] reports a Cambodian national convicted of aggravated robbery in 1993. A stateless Palestinian man who pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and drug crimes in 2018. A Ukrainian man who fled the war with Russia in 2022 only to lose lawful status last year when he accidentally drove his UberEats delivery across the Mexican border. A Cuban man convicted of child abuse in 2020. All four had previously been ordered deported from the U.S. and were arrested by ICE in recent months. But all four were ordered released by federal judges appointed by President Donald Trump who concluded that their detentions violated constitutional limits. They are among hundreds of immigrants targeted amid the Trump administration’s mass deportation drive with murky histories — and sometimes sordid criminal records — who nevertheless have been found by federal courts to be illegally detained. ICE’s drive to lock up thousands of undocumented immigrants with no criminal records and yearslong ties to the U.S. has ignited a political and legal backlash to the Trump administration’s unprecedented policy of mass detention. But federal judges have routinely found that this second population — immigrants, including some with criminal records, who have been issued final deportation orders yet remain in the country — have faced similar abuses of due process and violations of constitutional rights. A POLITICO analysis of immigration detention cases has found that federal judges have ordered bond hearings and, more often, outright release for more than 400 people detained under these circumstances. And the rebukes have come from judges appointed by every president since Ronald Reagan. “President Trump always prioritizes the safety and wellbeing of the American people. Certain activist judges, however, have purposefully sought to promote the interests of dangerous criminal aliens whom they have ordered released into American communities to victimize the public with impunity,” said White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson. “This Administration will stop at nothing to uphold the rule of law, and protect our country from these dangerous illegal aliens.” At issue is a complex aspect of immigration law that governs the treatment of people issued “final orders of removal” by immigration courts. In some cases, those final orders were issued decades ago but could not be carried out because the country on the other end of the order — China, Russia, Cuba, Syria, Iran — has strained relations with the U.S. or generally resists accepting deportees. In other cases, the immigrants are stateless, born in a now-obsolete Soviet Union or lacking ties to any country. And in yet another category, immigration judges have credited deportees’ fears of persecution or torture and granted them protections from being sent to their home countries. U.S. District Judge John Hinderaker, a Trump appointee in Arizona, ordered the release of a Cameroonian woman who was ordered deported but protected from being sent to her home country over concerns about torture. U.S. District Judge Dominic Lanza, another Arizona-based Trump appointee, recently ordered the release of a Honduran woman, convicted of sex crimes in 2006 and incarcerated until 2022, who received similar protections from torture in her home country.

CNN [4/17/2026 2:17 PM, Holly Yan and Chris Boyette, 19874K] reports that to the public, Lauren Bullis was a dedicated employee for the Department of Homeland Security in Georgia – a consummate professional committed to public service. To her loved ones, the 40-year-old from Decatur was an adventurous explorer who traveled the world and brought joy to friends near and far. "You couldn’t meet her and not be her friend," fellow DHS auditor Ashley Toillion told the Associated Press. "She was just the nicest, sweetest, most encouraging person I’ve ever met." The pair bonded over running and planned to take part in a race at Walt Disney World. But on Monday morning, as Bullis was walking her French bulldog Sancho, she was shot and stabbed in Panthersville – an unincorporated community about 15 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta. Her death came just hours after another woman, 31-year-old Prianna Weathers, was gunned down near a restaurant in Decatur. A third shooting victim, an unhoused man who was attacked outside a grocery store in Brookhaven, survived but was critically injured. Based on surveillance footage and license plate readers, authorities believe the same man, 26-year-old Olaolukitan Adon Abel of Atlanta, shot all three victims in a rampage that has been highlighted by the Trump administration. DHS blamed the previous administration for Adon Abel’s naturalization, describing the suspect as a "monster" on a Facebook post.

New York Post [4/18/2026 7:52 PM, R.J. Rico and John Hanna, 40934K] reports a U.S. Navy veteran accused of killing two people and critically injuring another in a series of attacks in the Atlanta area had, shortly before the shootings, stormed out of his communal house after getting into an intense argument over the air conditioning in the home, according to his roommates. Authorities have not offered a potential motive for Monday morning’s attacks. Among the victims was an auditor for the Department of Homeland Security who was walking her dog near the suspect’s home. The suspect in the shootings, Olaolukitan Adon Abel, a 26-year-old U.K. native, is charged in state court in DeKalb County with two counts of malice murder, aggravated assault and firearms counts. He also is facing a federal firearms charge, along with another man who is accused of buying the gun used in the shootings for him, prosecutors announced Friday. Adon Abel lived with six others in separate units of a home listed on PadSplit, a platform offering low-cost shared housing. He was granted U.S. citizenship in 2022 while serving in the Navy and stationed in the San Diego area. Three roommates told The Associated Press that Adon Abel and a male roommate were screaming at each other late Sunday night over how cold Adon Abel kept the house in Panthersville, a suburb southeast of Atlanta. “He (kept) the house freezing,” roommate Angela Britton said Friday. “It’s not the first time they got into it about the AC. But that time was a real big argument.” Another roommate, Lakisha Mckinzie, said the fight scared her so much that she called her mother before bed and asked her to pray for her and her roommates’ safety, telling her there had been a lot of “chaos and tension” in the home. Mckinzie said she had been afraid of Adon Abel ever since he inappropriately touched her last month after asking her on a date. Mckinzie said he frequently knocked on her door late at night, but she never answered. She said she complained to her landlord multiple times, but no action was taken. PadSplit did not respond to a request for comment about whether it knew about Adon Abel’s alleged behavior in the home. After the argument, the roommates said Adon Abel packed up a large duffel bag and drove off shortly after midnight Monday morning. Around 12:50 a.m., and about 5 miles (8 kilometers) away, 31-year-old Prianna Weathers was fatally shot outside a Decatur-area fast food restaurant, investigators said. Then, around 2 a.m., a 49-year-old homeless man was shot multiple times while sleeping outside a grocery store in Brookhaven, about 12 miles (19 kilometers) northwest of the first attack, Brookhaven Police Chief Brandon Gurley said. The man, whose name hasn’t been released, remains hospitalized in stable but critical condition, authorities said Thursday. DHS worker Lauren Bullis, who was out walking her dog a few hundred feet from Adon Abel’s home, was found around 7 a.m. with gunshot and stab wounds. Authorities have linked Adon Abel to all three attacks, though it is unclear whether he knew any of the victims — police have said they believe at least one victim was targeted at random.

New York Times [4/18/2026 5:02 AM, Ana Ley, 148038K] reports federal officials have moved migrant children and adolescents out of a shelter in Westchester County, N.Y., after receiving reports that detainees there had been mistreated. The allegations of abuse at a facility run by the Children’s Village, a shelter operator in Dobbs Ferry, were first reported by CNN on Thursday. The Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement to The New York Times that it was aware of the abuse claims and, as a result, transferred unaccompanied children to other locations and notified investigators. An audit of the facility was completed on Jan. 20, and the children were removed from the facility the next week. Unaccompanied migrant children are the responsibility of the Office of Refugee Resettlement, known as O.R.R., within the Health and Human Services Department. “The safety and well-being of children in O.R.R. care is a top priority,” Andrew Nixon, a D.H.S. spokesman, said in a statement. “Any credible concerns are addressed swiftly and thoroughly.” A lawyer who had visited the facility said that children who had been detained there had been punished with restraints and seclusion. Leecia Welch, the chief legal counsel at Children’s Rights, a nonprofit organization that represents children in government custody, said that adolescents had complained about being placed alone for days in what they described as a “red room.” “There’s just no question kids have been harmed,” Ms. Welch said. “Children’s behaviors continue to worsen the longer they are detained in these facilities, and these types of harmful practices create a perfect storm for them to get seriously injured.” Christopher Rucas, a spokesman for the Children’s Village, which was founded in 1851 to care for children legally removed from their parents, said that the allegations were distressing.

NewsNation [4/17/2026 9:07 PM, Jeff Arnold, 4464K] reports the Department of Homeland Security has been filing administrative subpoenas with popular social media platforms for several months now, demanding otherwise protected personal information of users it insists have been critical of the agency, especially in social posts involving federal immigration enforcement operations around the United States. The federal agency’s efforts to publicly identify certain posters are raising concerns among First Amendment advocates and civil liberties organizations, which argue the federal government is violating the users’ constitutional right to free speech by seeking to unmask their true identity. Big Tech companies like Google, Meta and Reddit have received subpoenas demanding that social media users’ names, email and IP addresses, along with other basic information, be handed over to the federal government, according to the Electronic Frontier Foundation. In many cases, the tech companies have complied unless the users legally challenge the government’s order, Mario Trujillo, an attorney with the EFF, told NewsNation. Yet with many Americans unable to afford private legal representation, federal officials are gaining access to their personal information based almost solely on certain users’ social media messaging, Trujilo said, calling the filing of the subpoenas “lawless.” “These investigations, these subpoenas, they all feel very centered around harassment over speech that the government doesn’t like,” Trujillo said. “What these people are doing is protected First Amendment speech, and that is unquestioned.” He added, “It’s hard to understand what the (government’s) motivation is. I think the administration is trying to chill speech, and this is one way they’re going about it.”

Wall Street Journal [4/17/2026 4:10 PM, Marc Scribner, 646K] reports Americans waited for hours in lines at airport security checkpoints last month as the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security led some unpaid Transportation Security Administration officers to stop showing up for work. Wait times have eased since President Trump ordered TSA officers to be paid, but the episode exposed a major flaw in how America handles airport security screening. Without sensible reform, the long lines are likely to return. Congress nationalized passenger and baggage screening at airports two months after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Airlines had been responsible for airport screening and were all too happy to be relieved of this unfunded mandate. The frantic response after 9/11 blinded Congress to the inherent conflict of interest in tasking a monopoly provider to regulate itself and created a single point of failure. In establishing TSA, Congress simultaneously authorized a pilot program to test the use of contract screeners at airports. This evolved into the permanent Screening Partnership Program in 2004, which exists today with 20 enrolled airports. These airports, the largest being San Francisco International, were spared the 2026 shutdown chaos because contract screeners continued to be paid outside the federal payroll system. In its recent fiscal 2027 budget request, the White House proposed requiring small airports to participate in the SPP. TSA estimated this would reduce its workforce by about 4,500 screening employees and save $52 million a year on net. Some advocates of screening privatization cheered this development. But they failed to ask why only 20 airports—less than 5% of U.S. commercial service airports—have chosen to enroll in the SPP over the past two decades. The White House proposal to require all small airports to participate in the SPP will undoubtedly spark backlash from the federal employee union that represents TSA screeners. The airport industry—which is well aware of the flaws of the SPP—will also likely oppose the change. Contract screening has benefits, but alienating airports is a poor strategy to advance needed reform. A better approach would address the serious flaws of both TSA’s governance and the SPP’s design. TSA should be converted into a stand-alone security regulator, with legal responsibility for screening assigned to airports. This model works well around the world, including in the European Union and Japan. It would eliminate TSA’s conflict of interest in regulating the security it provides and align with global best practices. Airports could then choose to provide security screening themselves or contract with private providers, which would be overseen by TSA.

Washington Times [4/17/2026 7:07 AM, Staff, 1323K] reports a recent case in South Africa regarding the acquisition of citizenship under the 14th Amendment provides absolute clarity on the issue concerning the offspring of illegal aliens in the U.S. The case concerns South African Deputy Minister of Justice Andries Nel. A former chief of staff for another government official claimed earlier this month that because he was born in the U.S. to South African parents, Mr. Nel is a dual U.S.-South African citizen. (Mr. Nel’s diplomat parents were serving in New Orleans, Louisiana, at the time of his birth.) Mr. Nel repudiated the claim, citing the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services: “Children born in the United States to accredited foreign diplomatic officers do not acquire citizenship under the 14th Amendment since they are not ‘born … subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.’” Because that applies to the offspring of foreigners in the U.S. legally, there can be no case for the offspring of illegal aliens acquiring U.S. citizenship.

Daily Wire [4/17/2026 8:15 AM, Ryan Girdusky, 2314K] reports that how do we measure the effectiveness of public policy? As the kids say, there will be signs. For measuring immigration policies, birth data serves as a lagging indicator. Newly released Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data indicate that the number of babies born in the United States in 2025 declined 1% from a year earlier. Some in the anti-natalist camp might tout that number as a positive indication of an upwardly mobile, (mostly white), urban class prioritizing career and climate concerns for such a change. But a closer look at the demographic data reveals something different at play. Though all demographics are declining in raw birth numbers, non-Hispanic whites are declining by the smallest amount, meaning their overall percentage of births is increasing. In February, non-Hispanic whites accounted for 50.7% of all births in the United States, and could well be a majority this year, the first time in three years. With the exception of Indian and Cuban immigrants, all other large populations have seen their birth rates decline by double digits compared to last February. Births from Chinese immigrants are -17.5%, Colombians are -10.5%, Ecuadorans are -22%, El Salvadorians are -15%, Guatemalans are -16%, Haitians are -16%, Hondurans are -15%, and Mexicans are -13%. The data is computed from the CDC Wonder website’s live birth natality data. Trump’s mass deportation efforts, which include practices such as self-deportation, may be having a large effect.

ABC News [4/17/2026 6:28 PM, Armando Garcia and Laura Romero, 34146K] reports a 27-year-old Cuban immigrant has died of a presumed suicide, although the official cause of death remains under investigation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said in a notification sent to Congress Friday. ICE said that on April 12, a detention officer found Aled Damien Carbonell-Betancourt in his cell "in what appeared to be a suicide attempt.". "The officer immediately called a medical emergency, and staff began cardiopulmonary resuscitation. City of Miami Fire Rescue arrived at the facility and continued resuscitative efforts. Despite life-saving measures, at approximately 7:31 a.m., Miami Fire Rescue pronounced Carbonell-Betancourt dead," the agency said. This marks the 48th death in ICE custody since Trump began his immigration crackdown upon his return to office in January 2025, a rate that averages out to one death every 10 days. Carbonell-Betancourt entered the United States on October 30, 2024, and was released on parole with a Notice to Appear, ICE said. The officials said ICE agents encountered Carbonell-Betancourt at Miami Dade County Jail in November 2025, after he was allegedly arrested for resisting an officer with violence. Carbonell-Betancourt was transferred to ICE custody in February and was facing removal proceedings, the agency said. Appearing before a House subcommittee hearing Thursday, outgoing Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said the number of deaths is high because "we do have the highest amount in detention that ICE has ever had since its inception in 2003.". "No death is what we want. We don’t want anyone to die in custody," he said. The spike in deaths has rattled the international community, with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum condemning the situation and demanding a thorough inspection of conditions at ICE facilities. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from ABC News. In a previous statement, an ICE spokesperson said, "Consistent with data over the last decade, death rates in custody are 0.009% of the detained population. As bed space has rapidly expanded, we have maintained a higher standard of care than most prisons that hold U.S. citizens -- including providing access to proper medical care. For many illegal aliens this is the best healthcare they have received their entire lives.".

CBS Miami [4/17/2026 5:16 PM, Sergio Candido, 51110K] reports a 27-year-old Cuban national died in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody in Miami after what officials described as an apparent suicide attempt, the federal law enforcement agency said Thursday. Aled Damien Carbonell-Betancourt was found unresponsive in his cell at the Federal Detention Center in Miami around 6:30 a.m. on April 12, ICE said in a press release. A detention officer called a medical emergency and staff began CPR before Miami Fire Rescue arrived and continued resuscitation efforts. He was pronounced dead at 7:31 a.m. ICE said the death is believed to be a suicide, but the official cause remains under investigation. Carbonell-Betancourt entered the United States on Oct. 30, 2024, and was encountered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which issued him a notice to appear as an immigrant without valid documents and released him on parole, according to the agency. He was later arrested on Nov. 22, 2025, in Miami-Dade County on a charge of resisting an officer with violence and was taken into ICE custody on Feb. 11 of this year, pending immigration removal proceedings. ICE said it notified the Department of Homeland Security, the DHS Office of Inspector General and the agency’s Office of Professional Responsibility following the death. The Cuban Embassy and Carbonell-Betancourt’s next of kin were also notified, the release said.

Reported similarly:
Univision [4/17/2026 11:40 AM, Staff, 4937K]
Telemundo51 [4/17/2026 3:55 PM, Staff, 162K]

NPR [4/17/2026 8:39 PM, Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, Ximena Bustillo, Jasmine Garsd, 28764K] reports the number of immigrants who have died while in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody has reached an all-time high this fiscal year. Twenty-nine people have died in ICE custody since October, the start of the federal government’s fiscal year, already surpassing 2004’s toll of 28, the previous record, according to government data. The most recent death was of 27-year-old Aled Damien Carbonell-Betancourt, a Cuban man held in ICE custody in Miami, Florida. According to an initial report released by ICE on the evening of April 16, Carbonell-Betancourt was found unresponsive in his cell on the morning of April 12. The report lists the cause of death as a "presumed suicide," but the official cause remains under investigation. The report said Carbonell-Betancourt entered the United States in 2024 without valid documents and later released into the U.S. via a program known as parole, which allows noncitizens to enter the country without a formal visa, often for humanitarian reasons. He was arrested for resisting an officer with violence in 2025, and then transferred into ICE custody earlier this year, according to the ICE release. The rise in deaths comes as detention numbers have skyrocketed during the Trump administration. Detentions are up more than 70% under President Trump compared to the first year of the Biden administration. The Trump administration has carried out an unprecedented crackdown on immigration. Immigration officers have arrested and detained criminals in the country illegally, as well as many people without a criminal record and some migrants who are in the country with temporary protections from deportation. There are about 60,000 people currently in immigration detention. In a statement to NPR, DHS denied there’s been a spike in deaths and attributed the increase to the large number of people in detention. DHS said as of April 16, "death rates in custody under the Trump administration are 0.009% of the detained population.". The agency added that ICE provides migrants with access to medical care. "For many illegal aliens this is the best healthcare they have received their entire lives," the statement said. The statement went on to encourage detainees to self-deport. "Being in detention is a choice. We encourage all illegal aliens to take control of their departure with the CBP Home App," the statement said. During a congressional hearing also on Thursday, acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said there are a high number of deaths this fiscal year "because we do have the highest amount in detention that ICE has ever had since its inception in 2003." Lyons added that the agency spent "almost half a billion dollars last fiscal year … to ensure that people have proper care."

Univision [4/17/2026 4:27 PM, Staff, 4937K] reports the accelerated hiring of thousands of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents has raised concerns, especially in Florida, where experts warn about the risks of incorporating personnel without complete background checks into sensitive security roles. According to an AP investigation, some new agents started working before completing their background checks, while others were hired despite having problematic backgrounds, including misconduct lawsuits, significant debts, and unstable work histories. The massive recruitment of 12,000 new officers to double ICE’s force is a response to President Donald Trump’s deportation policy. To achieve this, the agency received $75 billion in funding and accelerated the hiring process with incentives such as bonuses of up to $50,000 and the elimination of the college degree requirement. Police recruitment specialists, including academics from the Florida Institute of Technology, noted that the accelerated pace of hiring may have allowed the entry of "less than ideal" candidates who, under normal circumstances, would not have been selected. The main concern is that failures in vetting increase the risk of abuse of power, operational errors, and potential violations of civil rights, in a state where the enforcement of immigration laws is highly visible. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE, acknowledged that some applicants received provisional job offers before completing their background checks. While asserting that the verification process is ongoing, it also admitted that the volume of hiring has put a strain on the system.

AP [4/17/2026 8:47 PM, Ryan J. Foley, 35287K] reports his background is noteworthy. And not in a good way. Two bankruptcies and six jobs in law enforcement agencies in a three-year period. An accusation of falsifying a police report to justify a felony charge against an innocent woman. A third candidate who failed to graduate from the police academy and lasted only three weeks in his sole job as an officer. They all have something in common: They were recently hired by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during an unprecedented hiring spree—12,000 agents and special agents to double its staff—after Congress gave the agency a $75 billion windfall to implement President Donald Trump’s large-scale deportation campaign. The president prioritized swift action, and for ICE that meant accelerated recruitment and hiring, which in turn resulted in new employees with questionable credentials. Their backgrounds and training have come under scrutiny following several high-profile incidents in which ICE agents used excessive force. “If the security check is not done properly and is carried out too quickly, there is a greater risk that the agency will incur civil liability due to misconduct, abuse of power, and the inability to adequately fulfill the mission because people don’t know what they are doing,” said Claire Trickler-McNulty, who was an ICE official during Barack Obama’s two terms, Trump’s first term, and Biden’s term. The agency has said that most of the newly hired officers are police officers and former military personnel. But there is growing evidence of applicants with questionable backgrounds who were not thoroughly vetted before being hired or who were hired despite their history, according to an investigation by The Associated Press. Prosecutors on Thursday announced aggravated assault charges against ICE agent Gregory Donnell Morgan Jr. for allegedly pointing his gun at the occupants of a vehicle after pulling up alongside them on a Minneapolis-area freeway last February. Maryland court records show Morgan had a history of financial problems. While Morgan stated on his online resume that he worked for the Alexandria, Virginia, police department, a spokesperson for the department indicated that he was an entry-level recruit for only six weeks in 2022 and never completed his training at the police academy. It is unclear when he began working for ICE, which did not respond to requests for comment. Phone numbers listed under Morgan’s name were incorrect, and a message left Friday with the attorney who represented him in civil court also went unanswered. The acting director of ICE, ToddLyonsHe stated during a congressional hearing last February that he was proud of the recruitment drive, which received more than 220,000 applications. “This expansion of a well-trained workforce with verified security backgrounds will help ICE better execute the President and Secretary’s ambitious agenda,” he said. Unlike many local law enforcement agencies, ICE said it shields the identities of its employees to protect them from harassment, making it impossible to account for all new hires. The AP focused on more than 40 agents who recently disclosed on their LinkedIn profiles that they had been hired by ICE, and used public records to verify their backgrounds. All but one were men. While most had conventional credentials as former corrections officers, security guards, military veterans, or police officers, it is unclear how many should have been disqualified, as the AP did not have access to all of their files. However, many had a history of debt that led to legal action, two had filed for bankruptcy, and three others had faced lawsuits for alleged misconduct in their previous law enforcement jobs, the AP found.

AP [4/17/2026 11:22 AM, Staff, 35287K] reports that Under Lyons’ leadership, the agency got a massive infusion of cash through Congress, which it used to expand hiring and detention capabilities, and it ramped up arrests. But there was a backlash over the deaths of 2 protesters in Minneapolis. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

(B) Good Day Seattle at 10AM [4/17/2026 1:13 PM, Staff] reports that the acting head of ICE announced that he will resign at the end of May, following a tenure that saw ICE ramp up arrests and expand its detention centers. It is not clear if Todd Lyons’ resignation will win over skeptical Democrats but House Republicans say they are moving ahead with a plan to fund DHS through a procedure known as reconciliation.

Daily Wire [4/17/2026 6:27 AM, Jennie Taer, 2314K] reports that President Donald Trump’s acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement director Todd Lyons is set to leave the agency after overseeing roughly 584,000 deportations. Lyons first shared his plans to retire with The Daily Wire in September, stating his departure would be in "a year or two." In a Thursday night statement, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin called Lyons "a great leader of ICE" and a "key player in helping the Trump administration remove murderers, rapists, pedophiles, terrorists, and gang members from American communities." "He jumpstarted an agency that had not been allowed to do its job for four years," Mullin said. "Thanks to his leadership, American communities are safer. We wish him luck on his next opportunity in the private sector." Lyons’ last day at ICE will be May 31, Mullin said. A source familiar with his departure plans told The Daily Wire that Lyons "needs a break," but that his ultimate reason for leaving the agency was "wanting to be back with his family.". White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson wrote on X Thursday that "Todd is an American patriot who made our country safer," adding, "The American people are deeply appreciative for his service.". Trump’s border czar Tom Homan told Fox News that Lyons "has served selflessly as a highly respected and effective acting Director of U.S. ICE.". "Under his leadership, ICE achieved a record number of removals in the first year of this administration, despite unprecedented challenges, delivering on the president’s promise to deport illegal aliens who have no right to be in the U.S., especially those that are public safety risks or pose a threat to our national security," Homan said.

Reported similarly:
Daily Caller [4/17/2026 9:55 AM, Hudson Crozier, 803K]

CBS News [4/17/2026 12:50 PM, Staff, 51110K] reports that acting head of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Todd Lyons is planning to leave his post soon, U.S. officials familiar with his plan told CBS News. Camilo Montoya-Galvez reports. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Telemundo47 [4/17/2026 5:40 PM, Oscar Margain, 78K] reports the head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is leaving his post. Boston native Todd Lyons led the agency during the first year of the Trump administration’s second term, a period marked by notable raids, policy changes, and high-profile deaths at the hands of agents. The acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement oversaw countless operations and deployments, arresting both undocumented immigrants and people with legal status. The South Boston native insisted that agents were arresting "the worst of the worst" among immigrants in the country. However, non-violent individuals with no criminal record were also targeted in the agency’s operations. In a letter obtained by The New York Times, Lyons explained that he is retiring to spend more time with his children and family. His last day will be May 31, and his replacement has not yet been announced.

Breitbart [4/17/2026 11:54 AM, Amy Furr, 2238K] reports that officials in New York City are reportedly refusing to hand over an illegal alien accused in a deadly arson attack that killed four, including a 3-year-old boy. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told Fox News the city is refusing to hand over 38-year-old Mexican national Roman Ceron Amatitla to immigration officials, the outlet reported Thursday. U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) this week asked the New York City Department of Corrections (NYCDOC) to hold the suspect in jail, but the NYCDOC reportedly said it would not cooperate with the request, thus Amatitla could be freed to roam the streets. DHS acting assistant secretary Lauren Bis told Fox, "This monster set fire to a building and watched as innocent people, including a three-year-old, burned to death. New York City sanctuary politicians REFUSE to cooperate with ICE and are choosing to RELEASE this MURDERER onto New York streets." New York’s sanctuary politicians must stop putting politics above public safety. Releasing this monster from jail is insanity and will allow him to commit more crimes and create more innocent victims. We are calling on Governor Hochul and Mayor Mamdani to not release this public safety threat. Amatitla was charged with eight counts of second-degree murder and first-degree arson in the arson attack on March 16 in Flushing that left four people dead and seven others injured. In July, Breitbart News reported DHS had overseen a huge surge in detainer requests for criminal illegal aliens in New York City, which is a sanctuary city. The outlet reported in December that then-Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said New York City was harboring 7,169 known criminal illegal aliens.

Reported similarly:
NewsMax [4/17/2026 4:44 PM, Nicole Weatherholtz, 3760K]

Telemundo [4/18/2026 12:16 AM, Luis Alejandro Medina, 78K] reports that, on Friday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul offered details on a proposal that limits ICE operations in New York and provides protections for immigrants. Governor Hochul’s initiative prohibits operations in sensitive locations, such as hospitals, schools, and courthouses, as well as the use of masks. Access to homes will be permitted only with a court order, and cooperation between state and local police and federal agents will be limited. In our area, the controversy arises because a police officer is allowed the discretion to report someone if there is probable cause, which has put organizations on alert. “We are quite concerned, especially about this element of facilitating collaboration between immigration and our local police simply based on probable cause,” said Jennifer Hernandez of Make the Road NY. “We think that would be quite worrisome.” The initiative will have to go to the legislature for approval, at a time when a new budget is being debated. And it is already anticipated that the likely cause will have to be negotiated, due to its inconvenience. “Police should stay out of it, not get mixed up with immigration law,” said Senator Jessica Ramos. “They have their own jurisdiction, within criminal law, so we want to protect the people who are doing things right and not give them more tools to cooperate with ICE.” Amid the controversy, the Department of Homeland Security called these sanctuary proposals irresponsible and dangerous, arguing that its agents should be allowed to wear masks for their safety.

FOX News [4/17/2026 7:36 PM, Alexandra Koch, 37576K] Video: HERE reports an illegal immigrant accused of driving under the influence and killing two young boys in South Carolina is now the subject of an immigration detainer, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced Friday. Eri Otoniel Roblero Perez, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, allegedly veered off a road and hit Dereon James Robinson, 12, and Mikhail-Lee Smith, 9, who were riding their bikes on a sidewalk, FOX Carolina reported. Perez was charged with two counts of felony DUI resulting in death, driving with an open container and driving without a license. Dereon’s mother, Megan, said during a court hearing she was walking behind the children when the crash happened and was "almost hit" herself, WYFF reported. "I ran to my son while he bled to death," Megan told the judge. One of Dereon’s brothers added, "Now I have to bury my own brother who looked up to me on his own birthday.". DHS confirmed Perez entered the country illegally at an unknown date and time. "This criminal illegal alien from Mexico had no business being in our country, and now two boys are dead because he decided to drive under the influence," said DHS acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. "Dereon Robinson and Mikhail-Lee Smith should still be with us today," she continued. "Our prayers are with Dereon Robinson’s and Mikhail-Lee Smith’s families.".

CNN [4/18/2026 4:00 AM, Andy Rose, 19874K] reports that, in a city that has been targeted for aggressive immigration enforcement, it was a compelling story. A US citizen of Pakistani descent, Sundas Naqvi, said she was returning to the US from an overseas work trip when she and five coworkers were taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement at Chicago O’Hare International Airport. Her story got the attention of a family friend, Cook County commissioner Kevin Morrison. "It sounds like they are trying to create a cover-up. They are seeking not to have any accountability whatsoever. And I think this is terrifying and concerning to us all," Morrison said in a news conference on March 8. Morrison showed what appeared to be screenshots of time-stamped location maps with Naqvi’s phone showing her at Broadview Detention Center in Chicago and later at the Dodge County detention center in Wisconsin, where Naqvi said she was taken before being tossed out on the street without transportation after a 43-hour ordeal. The story relayed through Naqvi’s friends and family, alleging more than 150 miles of travel in federal custody, effectively incommunicado, was astonishing enough. But there were many more twists to come over the course of a month of new revelations. The Department of Homeland Security quickly denied Naqvi was taken into custody at the airport. Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt went further, saying not only part of Naqvi’s story is false, but all of it. "Sundas Naqvi was not detained by ICE at any time. She was not transported to Broadview detention facility. She was not transported across state lines to Dodge County by law enforcement… She was not in the custody of the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office," Schmidt said in his own news conference on April 10. The questions about Naqvi’s story started when her then-boyfriend, suspicious after her claims of ICE detention started going viral, called law enforcement, Schmidt said, resulting in a cascade of private text messages and surveillance videos obtained by his office showing a very different timeline. Naqvi, who is 28 and also goes by Sunny and Summer, according to public records, is not being charged with any crime, but the sheriff says she defamed him by claiming his office kept her behind bars, and now he’s suing her and the politician who illuminated her story in a million-dollar defamation case. "This is a serious accusation, and when it is not true, it does real damage," said Schmidt.

FOX News [4/17/2026 4:22 PM, Madison Colombo, 37576K] reports a Wisconsin sheriff is fighting back against what he calls an "outlandish" story, filing a lawsuit against a woman who claimed she was illegally detained in his jail but was actually staying at a hotel. Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt announced a civil lawsuit against the woman involved and a local politician he says helped spread the story. Schmidt is seeking $1 million in damages, but says he’s doing this for "accountability." The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office says Sundas "Sunny" Naqvi lied about being held by federal authorities for nearly two days. While Naqvi claimed she was moved across state lines to the Dodge County jail, federal authorities say she was briefly pulled aside at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport for less than 90 minutes before being released. Schmidt’s office says records and surveillance video show Naqvi checking into a Hampton Inn during the time she claimed to have been in custody. The evidence allegedly shows her making multiple transactions at the hotel while she was supposedly incarcerated. In addition to Naqvi, Schmidt is suing Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison, who he said held a press conference regarding the alleged incident. Schmidt also suggested that others, including potential media outlets, could be added to the suit.

FOX News [4/17/2026 11:47 AM, Michael Dorgan, 37576K] reports that a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent is facing felony charges in Minnesota after prosecutors said he pointed a gun at two people during a highway confrontation. This comes as no charges have been filed in the separate attack on Turning Point USA reporter Savanah Hernandez. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced charges Thursday against ICE agent Gregory Donnell Morgan Jr. tied to a Feb. 5 incident on Highway 62 in Minneapolis as part of the broader "Operation Metro Surge" federal immigration crackdown that drew protests and scrutiny in the Twin Cities. Morgan "sped up, pulled alongside the vehicle, matched its speed, opened his window and pointed his duty weapon directly at both victims," Moriarty said during a press conference. According to a criminal complaint, the incident unfolded around 4:20 p.m. near the Interstate 35W interchange as traffic slowed to a single lane. Prosecutors said Morgan drove on the shoulder to bypass congestion before pulling alongside the victims and pointing a handgun at their heads. Investigators said Morgan was driving a rented SUV with no markings identifying it as a federal vehicle. Both victims said they felt threatened by his actions, according to the complaint. A spokesperson for the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office told Fox News Digital that three cases tied to the Hernandez incident have been submitted by law enforcement and are under review for potential charges, though a timeline for a decision remains unclear. The cases were submitted out of custody, meaning no arrests were made at the time. The FBI has opened a federal investigation. No charging decision has been announced. Fox News Digital has reached out to ICE and DHS for comment.

Reported similarly:
Daily Caller [4/17/2026 11:11 AM, Derek VanBuskirk, 803K]

(B) NBC News Daily [4/17/2026 2:08 PM, Staff] reports that prosecutors in Minnesota have issued an arrest warrant for an ICE agent accused of pointing a gun at two people in a car on a highway back in February. It is the first time an ICE agent has faced charges related to the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota. Gregory Morgan has been charged with two counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, one for each of the two victims that were in the vehicle.

FOX News [4/17/2026 4:21 PM, Louis Casiano, 37576K] reports Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing Houston city officials over the adoption of a "sanctuary" ordinance designed to limit cooperation between local authorities and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The ordinance, passed by a 12-5 vote last week, ended a Houston police policy that required officers to wait at least 30 minutes for ICE to arrive if a suspect had an immigration warrant. The lawsuit names Houston Mayor John Whitmire, the city’s 16 council members and Houston Police Chief J. Noe Diaz as defendants. Paxton argued the ordinance violates Senate Bill 4, a state law passed in 2017 that prevents local governments from adopting, enforcing or endorsing policies that prohibit or materially limit the enforcement of federal immigration laws. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has also threatened to freeze public safety funding if Houston moves forward with the ordinance. A special City Council meeting scheduled for Friday was rescheduled after Abbott extended the deadline for the city to respond to his funding freeze threat.

NewsMax [4/17/2026 1:43 PM, Theodore Bunker, 3760K] reports that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is threatening to cut roughly $200 million in public safety funding to Houston, Dallas, and Austin unless the cities revise policies that limit local police cooperation with federal immigration authorities, escalating a standoff over enforcement in the state’s largest metro areas. The governor this week issued a warning to the three cities, targeting local ordinances that instruct officers not to prolong detentions, such as during traffic stops, to assist U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement — a policy that has drawn sharp criticism from state leaders. Abbott’s office argues the policies conflict with Senate Bill 4, a Texas law that bars local governments from adopting measures that "materially limit" immigration enforcement and requires cooperation with federal authorities. "Cities in Texas are expected to make the streets safer, not more deadly," Abbott spokesperson Andrew Mahaleris said in a statement to The Texas Tribune. The financial stakes are significant, with Houston facing the largest potential loss at about $110 million in grants, including funding tied to public safety operations. Dallas could lose more than $32 million in general funding, along with more than $55 million connected to World Cup-related security efforts, while Austin risks about $2.5 million tied to public safety programs.

Reported similarly:
Newsweek [4/17/2026 11:01 AM, Billal Rahman, 52220K]

Houston Chronicle [4/17/2026 3:24 PM, Chase Rogers, 2493K] reports Dallas officials are revisiting rules limiting how police officers handle immigration enforcement after Gov. Greg Abbott threatened to pull $32.1 million in state funding from the city. Police Chief Daniel Comeaux said Friday that the review focuses on the department’s internal rules that bar officers from acting as immigration enforcers — a role mostly managed by the federal government. Comeaux said he believed the department was largely in compliance already and that only minor changes might be needed after city attorneys work through the letter expressing concerns that Abbott’s office sent. The Republican governor’s Thursday warning to Dallas is part of a broader push to bring major cities into closer alignment with the Trump administration’s aggressive approach to federal immigration enforcement. Abbott’s office sent similar letters to Austin and Houston this week.

CBS News [4/17/2026 4:18 PM, Steven Rosenbaum, 51110K] reports federal prosecutors announced Friday that a former Northwest ISD elementary school teacher is charged with two counts of possession of child pornography. A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas indicted 24-year-old Kyle Lee Roy Francis of Denton last week, court records show. According to the indictment, Francis’s iPhone contained at least three videos containing child pornography, including two videos depicting sexual abuse of prepubescent children. Prosecutors did not say what prompted the investigation into Francis, but said the case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. The case was led by Homeland Security Investigations’ Dallas Child Exploitation Group. Francis faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Court records show he remains in federal custody. Francis was an art teacher at Lance Thompson Elementary School from Aug. 5, 2024, through Jan. 14 of this year, according to a letter to parents Thursday evening. When he was hired, he passed a standard background check that revealed no arrests or other concerns.

Telemundo 48 El Paso [4/17/2026 4:43 PM, Luisa Barrios, 19K] reports U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) released the official death report of Victor Manuel Diaz, a 36-year-old Nicaraguan citizen who died while in federal custody at the Camp East Montana detention center. According to the report, Diaz was arrested on January 6 by the Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) division in St. Paul, Minnesota. A day later, on January 7, he was transferred to ERO El Paso, where he was detained at Camp East Montana. Upon his admission to the detention center, medical personnel conducted an initial health assessment, in which Diaz denied any medical conditions, recent hospitalizations, use of medications, history of self-harm, suicidal ideation, thoughts of harming himself, hallucinations, or history of physical or sexual abuse. According to the report, on the morning of January 14, around 7 a.m., Diaz informed custodial staff that he had been harassed by other detainees. As a precautionary measure, he was taken to a medical observation room while the situation was assessed. During the assessment, staff documented that Diaz presented with a disheveled appearance, depressed mood, flat affect, and low speech, although he denied suicidal or homicidal thoughts. In that same assessment, he reported for the first time that he had a tuberculosis diagnosis and described the bullying incident as a misunderstanding. Later, Diaz complained of a severe headache, rating the pain an eight out of ten. His vital signs were recorded as normal, and he was given ibuprofen, according to the document. At approximately 3:25 p.m., custodial staff found Diaz unconscious in the medical room with a ligature around his neck. Medical personnel removed the ligature, placed him on the bed, and began cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) after detecting no pulse, followed by a weak pulse and unresponsive pupils. Victor Manuel Diaz was declared dead at 4:09 pm on January 14. The report presented corresponds to the synopsis of medical and custody events prepared by ICE. The official cause of death remains under review in accordance with federal protocols for deaths occurring during immigration detention.

Federalist [4/17/2026 2:32 PM, Maisey Jefferson, 540K] reports that the Department of Homeland Security announced on Friday multiple Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests of violent criminals illegally present in the country, including a California gang member and individuals convicted of child cruelty, kidnapping, and robbery. "Just yesterday, ICE arrested criminal illegal aliens across the country convicted for despicable crimes, including a Fullerton Tokers Town gang member," DHS Acting Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs Lauren Bis said in a statement (emphasis original). "Every day, DHS law enforcement is risking their lives to protect American communities. Nearly 70% of ICE arrests are of illegal aliens charged or convicted of a crime in the U.S. We will not sit and allow criminals to terrorize American citizens." Thursday’s arrests include Dara Nin, a Cambodian national convicted of "child cruelty with possible injury or death" in California, as well as Fabricio Ruiz-Higareda, who is an illegal alien from Mexico. Ruiz-Higareda is a member of the Fullerton Tokers Town gang in California and was previously convicted of battery against a spouse, according to DHS. "DHS says his prior charges in Arlington County include nine counts of being intoxicated in public, assault and battery, disorderly conduct, attempting to disarm a law enforcement officer, and several probation violations," Melugin reported.

Telemundo [4/17/2026 7:32 PM, Staff, 56K] reports for the first time, there is a more comprehensive view of the scope of immigration operations in San Diego over the past year, including how many people were detained and who have been hit hardest. Recent data obtained directly from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), through a request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), show key trends in detentions. The information was processed by Deportation Data Project and analyzed by NBC-affiliated stations. According to the data, ICE arrests in San Diego increased significantly in September last year and peaked by more than 1,500 in December. Subsequently, there was a slight decrease during the first two months of 2026. In total, of the more than 8,600 people detained in 2025, only one in four had a criminal conviction. For community activists, these figures reflect a daily reality among families in the Hispanic community. Ana Lang, a community leader in northern San Diego County, works with families affected by immigration detentions. He explains that, in many cases, agents detain the main home provider, leaving families in critical economic and emotional situations. “There are families that I sometimes say that before they had an apartment together and were very happy. Now it’s a family in a room because it doesn’t catch up to them to pay for the apartment because it’s taken the father,” Lang said. “Many of the people classified as ‘non-criminals’ are actually terrorists, human rights abusers, gang members and more; they just don’t have a criminal record in America. In addition, each of these people committed a crime by illegally entering this country.” The data also reveal a significant increase in the detention of minors. In 2024, ICE detained 22 children in San Diego; in 2025, that figure rose to 414. DHS says ICE keeps families together, giving parents the choice to be deported with their children or leave them with a trusted person.

Bloomberg [4/17/2026 6:14 PM, Megan Crepeau, 50K] reports that one of the plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging racial profiling in immigration raids was re-arrested Thursday by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, his attorneys said in a news release. The arrest was a "shocking act of retaliation," said attorney Mohammad Tajsar of the ACLU of Southern California. Isaac Villegas’s apprehension and detention seems to have violated an immigration judge’s previous order releasing him, according to the news release from the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, which also represents Villegas. A representative of the Department of Homeland Security, ICE’s parent agency, did not immediately return a request for comment. Villegas had previously been arrested at a bus stop in June, according to the lawsuit. He was subsequently released from immigration detention "because a judge determined he was not a danger or flight risk," attorney Stacy Tolchin of Pasadena, Calif., said in the news release. "ICE’s redetention of Mr. Villegas without notice, explanation, or indication that he did anything wrong violates his constitutional right to due process," Tolchin said. Tolchin has filed a habeas corpus petition on Villegas’ behalf in the US District Court for the Central District of California, records show. Such petitions, alleging immigrants are being unlawfully detained, have flooded federal courts as the Trump administration ramps up its mass-deportation efforts. Villegas is among the day laborers who sued the Trump administration in Vasquez Perdomo v. Noem, a case that made national headlines when the US Supreme Court paused a judge’s order preventing agents from detaining people based solely on factors such as their ethnicity or language. The case is still pending in the US District Court for the Central District of California.

Reported similarly:
Los Angeles Times [4/17/2026 11:03 AM, Brittny Mejia, 12718K]

New York Times [4/18/2026 3:30 AM, Catherine Porter and Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs, 330K] reports an 85-year-old Frenchwoman who spent 16 days in American immigration detention went home to France on Friday. Jean-Noël Barrot, the French foreign affairs minister, announced the return of the woman, Marie-Thérèse Ross-Mahé, to reporters on Friday morning, saying “there were acts of violence” in her case that concerned the French government. “The main thing is that she is back in France, and that is fully satisfying to us,” he said. Delivered directly to the Alexandria International Airport in Louisiana by immigration officers, Ms. Ross-Mahé was greeted at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport by her three adult children. She was still dressed in her prison wear — orange shoes, sweatpants and a gray sweater — covered in stains and holes, according to one of her sons. Ms. Ross-Mahé, who has high blood pressure and back pain from severe sciatica, was in a state of physical shock and spiritual exhaustion, he said. The French consul general of New Orleans, Rodolphe Sambou, visited Ms. Ross-Mahé twice while she was in detention and lobbied for her release. He said Friday that the American government had “conveyed to us that they decided to release her, given her age and medical condition.” The Homeland Security Department confirmed on Friday that she had left the United States but did not say more, and it was unclear whether she had been deported or left voluntarily. The agency had previously said that she overstayed a 90-day visa by roughly four months and had been arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Ms. Ross-Mahé moved to Anniston, Ala., last year after marrying a former American G.I. named Bill Ross whom she had met in the 1950s, when they were both teenagers working at a NATO base in western France. They had kept in touch for decades, and after both were widowed they fell in love, visiting one another in France and the United States. Once married and settled in his longtime home, Ms. Ross-Mahé began the formal immigration process. But when Mr. Ross died unexpectedly in January at 85, Ms. Ross-Mahé’s troubles began. Mr. Ross left no will, and an ugly fight ensued with his two adult sons. He left behind the one-story home worth about $173,000, as well as two cars and a bank account holding about $1,500. A few months later, on the morning of April 1, Ms. Ross-Mahé was arrested by U.S. immigration officials and removed from her home in Anniston, dressed only in her nightgown, robe and underwear. She was taken to an immigration detention center hundreds of miles away, in Louisiana. A county probate judge overseeing Mr. Ross’s estate said that one of his sons — a retired Alabama state trooper whom she said now works at a federal courthouse in Anniston — was responsible for Ms. Ross-Mahé’s arrest.

The Hill [4/17/2026 12:43 PM, Alexander Bolton, 18170K] reports that Sen. Katie Britt (Ala.), the chair of the Senate Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee and a leading GOP voice on immigration issues, says a House-passed bill to extend legal protections for Haitian refugees is “dead on arrival” in the Senate. Britt offered a stinging rebuke to 10 moderate House Republicans who voted with Democrats Thursday to defy Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and pass a bill extending temporary protected status for Haitian migrants through 2029. “This is dead on arrival in the Senate,” Britt posted on social platform X in response to Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), who celebrated passage of the bill after leading a discharge petition to force it to the House floor. Britt argued that temporary protected status isn’t supposed to last for years and that many of the Haitian migrants facing deportation entered the country illegally. “Temporary Protected Status is just that: temporary. Beyond that, 91 percent of all Haitian TPS holders entered the country illegally,” Britt wrote. “In the last election, the American people rejected mass migration policies that effectively grant amnesty to illegal aliens. It’s past time to put our own citizens FIRST.” The House voted 224-204 to pass the legislation Thursday after 10 Republicans joined Democrats in voting yes. Those Republicans were Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.), Mike Lawler (N.Y.), Don Bacon (Neb.), Maria Elvira Salazar (Fla.), Carlos Gimenez (Fla.), Nicole Malliotakis (N.Y.), Rich McCormick (Ga.), Mike Turner (Ohio), Mike Carey (Ohio) and Mario Diaz-Balart (Fla.). Rep. Kevin Kiley (Calif.), an independent who caucuses with Republicans, also voted for it.

Newsweek [4/17/2026 9:30 AM, Billal Rahman, 52220K] reports the path to a United States green card has always been complex, but under the Trump administration, it has become increasingly uncertain, experts tell Newsweek. A series of policy changes enacted by the federal government have tightened vetting, slowed processing in certain categories, and introduced new layers of administrative scrutiny for applicants. While lawful permanent residents themselves are not directly affected by most of the changes, those seeking permanent residency are navigating a system that many say has become more rigid, slower, and less predictable. Tougher visa policy measures have also contributed to a more restrictive environment for immigrant visa applicants abroad. Since 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued a series of policy updates reshaping how green card applications are reviewed. The agency is responsible for administering the country’s immigration benefits system, processing applications for green cards, work permits, citizenship, asylum, and other legal immigration status determinations, and making decisions on eligibility through petitions, interviews, and background checks. Ricky Murray, a former senior USCIS official who left the agency in late 2025, said that while there have been no major statutory or regulatory changes to the adjustment-of-status process, enforcement practices have made filing for a green card “more tedious than ever.” "USCIS, like almost all federal agencies, faced a mass exodus of employees last year," Murray told Newsweek. "This means they struggle with staffing to do the required vetting and interviews needed for adjustment of status. This has slowed adjudications to a crawl, meaning it is taking much longer to get a green card than it has in the past." Newsweek reached out to USCIS for comment via email.

Newsweek [4/17/2026 2:49 PM, Billal Rahman, 52220K] reports a Canadian grandfather with a green card has reportedly returned to Canada after being deported from the United States for a fraud conviction stemming from back taxes, although he was in the process of paying his debt. Douglas Dixon, who has lived in the United States for around two decades. A DHS spokesperson told Newsweek, in part, "Due to his criminal history, Dixon lost his status as a green card holder, and an immigration judge issued him a final order of removal on March 31. He was removed from the United States on April 15." Dixon was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after attending a scheduled meeting with authorities, according to the report. CTV News reports that Dixon’s detention was linked to prior tax-related proceedings after his Tropical Smoothie Café closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving him with over $30,000 in tax debt. He later entered a no-contest plea to tax evasion, was placed on a repayment plan, and had reportedly repaid about two-thirds of the amount owed at the time of his arrest. The report also says he was unaware that certain tax-related convictions over $10,000 can be treated as an “aggravated felony” under U.S. immigration law, potentially triggering deportation proceedings, according to CTV News.

AP [4/17/2026 11:52 AM, Melissa Goldin, 2238K] reports that President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed that the flow of drugs into the U.S. by sea has been nearly eradicated under his administration. He echoed the sentiment in a Truth Social post this week, writing that 98.2% of drugs smuggled in via such routes have "stopped." Asked for the source of Trump’s statistic, the White House directed The Associated Press to Customs and Border Protection data on drug seizures. But experts say Trump is misrepresenting the CBP data and that the real number can’t be known because it is impossible to determine how many drugs are not intercepted. Here’s a closer look at the facts. TRUMP: "98.2% of Drugs coming into the U.S. by Ocean or Sea have STOPPED!" THE FACTS: This is a misrepresentation of government data. Drug seizures made in the coastal/interior region, which includes open and coastal waters, were 98.2% lower in November 2025 than they were in July 2025, according to CBP. However, this is not a measure of all trafficked drugs and it is only a snapshot of two specific months, not an overall trend. It is impossible to know the quantity of drugs that enter the country undetected. "Drug seizure data measure interdiction activity, not actual trafficking volume," said Dessa Bergen-Cico, a professor of public health at Syracuse University who studies drug trafficking. "As drug policy researchers have noted, no one knows how much goes uncaught, and changes in seizure data are insufficient to make definitive claims about policy outcomes."

Daily Signal [4/17/2026 6:00 PM, Staff, 474K] reports U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Hidalgo Port of Entry intercepted more than $1 million worth of cocaine, preventing tens of thousands of lethal doses from entering American communities. The seizure, which took place April 11 at the Hidalgo International Bridge, highlights both the scale of narcotics trafficking along the southern border and the Trump administration’s renewed enforcement focus at ports of entry. CBP officers referred a commercial passenger bus for secondary inspection after detecting anomalies during primary screening. During a canine examination and nonintrusive inspection system scan, officers discovered 36 packages containing 78 pounds of suspected cocaine concealed inside the seats of the bus. Authorities estimate the street value of the narcotics at $1,042,034. "This hard narcotics seizure exemplifies CBP’s steadfast effort to keep our borders secure," said Carlos Rodriguez, port director at the Hidalgo Port of Entry, in a statement to The Daily Signal. "This poison will not enter our streets thanks to the enforcement focus of our frontline officers.". Homeland Security Investigations has launched a criminal investigation into the smuggling operation. The Hidalgo interdiction comes amid a sharp nationwide rise in drug seizures. In March alone, CBP seized more than 65,000 pounds of narcotics, including 613 pounds of fentanyl. Overall, CBP seized 27% more drugs in March than during the same month last year. The crackdown on illicit drugs extends beyond one month. Through the first half of fiscal year 2026, CBP has seized 24% more drugs than during the same period in fiscal year 2024, and 19% more than the four-year average over that timeframe. Under President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, the administration has prioritized aggressive enforcement at ports of entry, expanded the use of nonintrusive inspection technology, and reinforced deterrence for smugglers and criminal networks. "The largest difference is in terms of enhanced enforcement focus and consequence delivery," Rodriguez said. "Under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Mullin, the administration has empowered our agents and officers to do their job again. As a result, CBP has delivered the most secure border in American history, setting border crossing records repeatedly this year.".

Telemundo Amarillo [4/17/2026 12:10 PM, Alex Montane, 2K] reports that Ezequiel Véliz, the Venezuelan physician detained by immigration agents in South Texas, has been released on bond. Dr. Ezequiel Véliz left a detention center in Laredo on Thursday, April 16, as confirmed by his partner via social media. In the images, the doctor can be seen smiling and walking alongside his partner after regaining his freedom. In other videos posted on Instagram, the couple is seen inside a vehicle, crossing through a checkpoint. According to the doctor’s husband, a bond set at $8,000 was paid. The release, he asserts, took place away from the public eye, after Véliz was transported to another location to receive medical attention. Although they appeared to be smiling, the doctor’s partner mentioned on social media that he noticed Véliz seemed nervous and was "stumbling over his words." The Venezuelan physician had been in federal custody for nearly 11 days, spending several of them at a detention center in Del Rio, Texas. Véliz, 32, was arrested on April 6 by Border Patrol agents at the Sarita, Texas, checkpoint while traveling toward Houston. Víctor Badell, an immigration attorney, stated: "He was awaiting a change of status from TPS to a J-1 visa. Unfortunately, upon crossing, the officers determined that he was subject to removal." Badell says he has filed a brief to demonstrate that the physician was unjustly arrested and that he meets the necessary requirements to remain legally in the United States.

Texas Standard [4/17/2026 9:42 AM, Travis Bubenik, 130K] reports that a West Texas river guide and church preservation group, along with a national advocacy group, are suing the Trump administration for bypassing federal environmental laws to speed up border wall plans in the state’s Big Bend region, arguing the move is unconstitutional and would lead to the destruction of “iconic sections” of the Rio Grande corridor. Billy Miller, a Terlingua resident and Big Bend area river guide, and the nonprofit Friends of the Ruidosa Church filed the lawsuit in federal court Thursday alongside the Center for Biological Diversity. “No one comes to Big Bend to see steel walls and razor wire,” Miller said in a statement. “If they build this, they’re not just destroying a landscape, they’re wiping out our way of life.” The lawsuit targets regulatory waivers issued in February by former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The waivers allow U.S. Customs and Border Protection to bypass a wide range of ecological and wildlife protection laws as the agency pursues a 175-mile stretch of planned border wall in the region from Hudspeth County through much of Presidio County. While the waivers cover a portion of Big Bend Ranch State Park, CBP has indicated in recent weeks it is not currently pursuing physical walls there or in nearby Big Bend National Park. (The regulatory waivers do not include the national park.)

CBS News [4/17/2026 8:22 AM, La’Tasha Givens, 51110K] Video: HERE reports a volatile combination of skyrocketing jet fuel prices and a critical shortage of federal security agents is threatening to disrupt travel just as the city prepares for a massive international influx of visitors. Turbulence in the global oil market is hitting the airline industry hard, and passengers are already feeling the pinch. In recent weeks, jet fuel prices have nearly doubled, surging from $90 a barrel to as high as $200. For many airlines, fuel accounts for nearly 25% of total operating expenses. With costs at an all-time high, the financial impact is staggering. Delta Air Lines expects a $2 billion spike in fuel expenses this quarter alone, while major carriers, including Delta, Southwest, and American, have recently increased baggage fees to help recoup these losses. Additionally, Spirit Airlines is currently facing potential liquidation and cites fuel costs as a primary driver of its instability. To manage the crisis, airlines are cutting capacity and reducing certain routes. Experts warn that as long as fuel remains limited, these costs will continue to be passed down to travelers through higher fares and fewer flight options. Compounding the financial strain is a looming logistical crisis at security checkpoints. Acting TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill issued a sobering warning to the House Budget Committee Subcommittee on Homeland Security this week, stating that the agency is simply not ready for the summer rush. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

CBS News [4/17/2026 7:22 AM, Staff, 51110K] reports with the World Cup just two months away, CBS News Atlanta examines TSA staffing concerns at Hartsfield-Jackson that could impact travel. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

CBS News [4/17/2026 6:06 PM, Madeline Montgomery, 51110K] reports three new CLEAR gates are up and running at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The biometric security gates are at the South Checkpoint. Airport officials say the gates will help with long security lines. For weeks, ATL had unprecedented TSA wait times because of the partial government shutdown and TSA agents calling out sick. Passengers were lined up throughout baggage claim and even outside. Wait times dramatically improved after President Trump directed the Department of Homeland Security to retroactively pay TSA workers since the partial shutdown began in February. The shutdown isn’t over, but since TSA agents were paid, the callout rate has dropped. Hartsfield-Jackson officials are encouraging passengers to head to the airport two hours ahead of domestic flights and three hours before an international trip. Security wait times were around 10 minutes on Friday.

AP [4/17/2026 9:35 PM, Gabriella Aoun Angueira, 1297K] reports that President Donald Trump plans to nominate Cameron Hamilton, a former U.S. Navy SEAL whom the administration fired as the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s acting leader last year, as FEMA’s permanent administrator, according to a person familiar with the matter. Hamilton was FEMA’s temporary leader from January to May of last year but was fired one day after testifying on Capitol Hill that he did not agree with proposals to dismantle the organization charged with coordinating the federal government’s response to disasters, an idea Trump had repeatedly floated. "I do not believe it is in the best interest of the American people to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency," he told members of a House Appropriations subcommittee. FEMA has lacked a permanent administrator throughout Trump’s second term and is currently on its third temporary leader, something critics have said undermines the agency’s effectiveness. Trump offered Hamilton the job Wednesday, according to the person, who was not authorized to discuss it publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The New York Times first reported Trump’s intent to nominate Hamilton. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has expressed support for FEMA while calling for reforms, striking a stark contrast from his predecessor Kristi Noem, who vowed to "eliminate FEMA as it exists today" and whose dealings with the review council grew fraught.

Reported similarly:
The Hill [4/17/2026 9:21 AM, Sophie Brams, 4464K]
CBS News [4/17/2026 9:34 AM, Nicole Sganga, 51110K]

(B) News 12 the Bronx [4/17/2026 2:09 PM, Staff] reports that the man who was fired as acting director of FEMA last year may be getting another shot at the role. Multiple sources say President Donald Trump is now planning to nominate Cameron Hamilton to lead the agency. Hamilton was first tapped to lead FEMA at the start of Trump’s second term. However, Hamilton quickly clashed with then Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. He was fired last May, a day after he testified on Capitol Hill where he advocated for FEMA to be saved.

ABC News [4/17/2026 5:03 PM, Kenton Gewecke and Meredith Deliso, 34146K] reports more than 35 million Americans from Wisconsin to Oklahoma are at risk of a severe weather outbreak on Friday, including some areas that have already seen destructive storms this week. As storms develop Friday afternoon, there is a chance for discrete supercells with very large hail, strong tornadoes and destructive, straight-line winds. The National Weather Service on Friday upgraded the severe weather potential for parts of the Heartland. The agency’s Storm Prediction Center added a level 4 of 5 "moderate risk" for parts of northwest Oklahoma, central and eastern Kansas and west-central Missouri. This includes Kansas City, Missouri, and Wichita and Topeka, Kansas. Thunderstorms expected to fire up later Friday afternoon into the evening in this area have the potential to produce hail greater than baseball-size that can be damaging, very strong and destructive wind gusts of up to 90 mph and some tornadoes. The greatest risk for strong tornadoes is in central and southern Wisconsin through eastern Iowa. The northern halves of Illinois and Missouri have the greatest risk for destructive winds. So far, there have been multiple reported tornadoes in Minnesota and a confirmed tornado on the ground in Illinois on Friday. Flash flooding is also possible, with flood watches issued from Missouri to northern Michigan. The severe weather outbreak comes after flooding and tornadoes already impacted parts of the region this week. The NWS confirmed at least 28 tornadoes across nine states stretching from California to New York this week, with Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois hardest-hit.

NBC News [4/17/2026 4:32 PM, Francie Ebert, 42967K] reports tornadoes and flooding are possible this weekend as roller-coaster weather sweeps the country, with some states experiencing summer-like temperatures as high as 90 degrees despite being in the middle of spring. According to the Storm Prediction Center (SPC), 38 million people between North Texas and Michigan are at risk for severe weather on Friday. The greatest tornado risk will be concentrated in Iowa, Wisconsin, and northern Illinois, where violent storms are expected later today. Cities in the danger zone include Tulsa, Wichita, Madison, Milwaukee, Chicago, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Des Moines, and St. Louis. The National Weather Service also warns of flooding from persistent rainfall and thunderstorms across northern Michigan, Wisconsin, western Missouri, and eastern Kansas. Separately, severe thunderstorms are expected to affect roughly 12 million people in the Ohio Valley and eastern Great Lakes region. The National Weather Service has identified the Upper Mississippi Valley as having the best chance for strong tornadoes, while the greatest hail threat lies over parts of the central and southern Plains. On Friday, Governor Kehoe of Missouri signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency, as thunderstorms make way later this afternoon, with damaging winds over 80 miles per hour, according to a press release shared by his office.

NewsNation [4/17/2026 7:15 PM, Joey Schneider, 4464K] reports Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed an executive order Friday declaring a “State of Emergency” ahead of a highly-anticipated storm with strong winds, heavy rain, hail and possible tornadoes expected across the state. Kehoe’s office says, under the executive order, Missouri will activate a State Emergency Operations Plan that enables state agencies to coordinate directly with local jurisdictions to provide assistance. “This Executive Order is a proactive step to ensure our emergency management teams are fully prepared should these storms require immediate action to protect Missourians,” said Kehoe. “While the State Emergency Operations Center is activating to support any necessary coordination efforts, Missourians should take this forecast seriously and be ready to act if conditions worsen.”

NBC News [4/17/2026 7:18 PM, Staff, 42967K] Video: HERE reports Tornado touches down in Minnesota while historic flooding threatens Wisconsin A confirmed tornado tore through near Rochester, MN. It comes as Michigan and Wisconsin are dealing with severe flooding. The swollen Wisconsin River has led to concerns about the structural integrity of the levee in Portage, WI. NBC News’ Shaquille Brewster reports.

CBS Chicago [4/17/2026 8:41 PM, Staff, 51110K] Video: HERE reports a tornado touchdown has been reported in Lena, Illinois, about 48 miles west of Rockford, part of a massive storm system that is barreling toward Chicago Friday afternoon. A tornado warning was issued for Lena at 4:45 p.m. CT, the National Weather Service said. Video from a livestream in Lena shows the massive, rotating storm descending on the town. There is extensive damage in the storm’s wake, according to public officials. The Stephenson County Sheriff’s Office posted on social media, asking people to avoid going to Lena at all. "There is no way to get into town due to trees and wires down," the post said. "Emergency Services are assisting people per Sheriff Stovall.". The Village of Lena Police Department issued an urgent public safety alert on their Facebook page, writing in part, "Another storm is moving toward our area. We’re already dealing with damage from the earlier tornado, and conditions could get worse quickly. Take shelter now.". "Do not go out to look at damage," the post warns. "Stay off the roads. Our crews are out working, and we need the roads clear so they can do their jobs safely. If you’re able, check on neighbors—but only if you can do it safely.". Photos from the town show massive trees snapped by high winds and toppled over, blocking off roads.

AP [4/17/2026 5:16 PM, Staff, 35287K] reports the U.S. Coast Guard was searching for six people after losing contact with their disabled boat off the coast of Guam following Typhoon Sinlaku. The crew of the 145-foot (44-meter) dry cargo vessel, named the Mariana, notified the Coast Guard on April 15 that the boat had lost its starboard engine and needed assistance, Private Third Class Avery Tibbets said early Saturday morning. But communications with the vessel were lost the afternoon of April 16 and a Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules aircraft was launched to search for the six people on board. The aircraft had to return to Guam because of heavy winds, but the search efforts were expected to resume at first light, Tibbets said. The Federal Emergency Management Agency and several other federal agencies are ramping up their response to Typhoon Sinlaku as dangerous weather conditions ease and the islands’ shelter-in-place orders begin to lift, Robert Fenton, FEMA regional administrator for Region 9, which includes Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, said Friday.

CBS Miami [4/17/2026 12:19 PM, Sergio Candido, 51110K] reports that the U.S. Coast Guard offloaded roughly 3,825 pounds of cocaine worth more than $28.7 million Thursday in Miami Beach, officials said. The drugs were seized during two interdictions in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean as part of Operation Pacific Viper, a multi-agency effort targeting narcotics trafficking routes between Central and South America and the United States. Operation Pacific Viper targets major drug corridor. Coast Guard officials said the operation focuses on one of the primary corridors used by transnational criminal organizations to move cocaine northbound. Since its launch in early August 2025, crews have seized more than 215,000 pounds of cocaine and detained 160 suspected traffickers, officials said. About 80% of U.S.-bound drug interdictions occur at sea, the Coast Guard said. Detection and monitoring operations are led by U.S. Southern Command’s Joint Interagency Task Force South in Key West. Once a vessel is identified and interdiction is imminent, the Coast Guard takes over the law enforcement phase, officials explained. Cmdr. Joshua DiPietro, commanding officer of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Tampa, praised his crew’s performance during the 74-day patrol.

HS Today [4/17/2026 7:00 AM, Staff, 38K] reports a Coast Guard boarding team assigned to the 87-foot Marine Protector-Class Coast Guard Cutter Narwhal (WPB-87335) has interdicted three suspected aliens approximately 5 miles offshore of Point Loma. At approximately 4 p.m., watchstanders at the Joint Harbor Operations Center received notification of a suspicious vessel crossing the maritime boundary line near Point Loma and diverted the Narwhal boarding team to investigate. Boarding team members approached the vessel and gained compliance without the use of force. During the boarding, three suspected aliens were identified, all claiming Mexican nationality. All aliens were detained and transferred to U.S. Border Patrol agents by at Ballast Point.

High North News [4/17/2026 11:26 PM, Malte Humpert] reports the U.S. Coast Guard said it will homeport its first two Arctic Security Cutters in Alaska, a shift from its longstanding reliance on Seattle that underscores Washington’s growing strategic focus on the Arctic amid rising competition with Russia and China. The new ice-capable vessels, expected to be delivered by 2028, will mark the first time the service’s next-generation Arctic fleet is based in Alaska, closer to the region where it will operate. Currently, the Coast Guard’s existing icebreakers are homeported in Seattle, Washington, with plans to expand into Juneau, Alaska “Homeporting these two Arctic Security Cutters in Alaska is a decisive step forward in securing America’s Arctic frontier,” said U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin (R). The vessels will provide “the enduring operational presence our nation needs to protect sovereignty [and] deter foreign adversaries.” The decision reflects a broader U.S. push to expand its footprint in the Arctic, a region seeing increased maritime traffic and geopolitical competition as melting sea ice opens new shipping routes and access to resources. By basing the cutters in Alaska rather than Seattle, the Coast Guard will significantly reduce transit times to Arctic patrol areas, allowing more persistent summer operations in waters stretching from the Bering Sea northward. The move is expected to enhance the service’s ability to monitor foreign vessel activity, including that of Russia and China, whose presence in the High North has grown steadily in recent years.

AP [4/17/2026 11:29 PM, Staff, 2524K] reports the U.S. Coast Guard was searching for six people after losing contact with their disabled boat off the coast of Guam following Typhoon Sinlaku. The crew of the 145-foot (44-meter) dry cargo vessel, named the Mariana and registered in the U.S., notified the Coast Guard on April 15 that the boat had lost its starboard engine and needed assistance, Petty Officer 3rd Class Avery Tibbets said early Saturday morning. The Coast Guard set up a one-hour communication schedule with the vessel but lost contact the afternoon of April 16. A Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules aircraft was launched to search for the six people on board, but it had to return to Guam because of heavy winds. The search efforts were expected to resume at first light Saturday, Tibbets said. The nationalities of the crew members were not known, she said. The last known position of the vessel was about 140 miles (225 kilometers) north-northwest of Saipan, the Coast Guard said in a statement Saturday morning. Super Typhoon Sinlaku began battering the Northern Mariana Islands earlier this week, causing damage on the islands of Tinian and Saipan and flash flooding in Guam, the site of several American military bases. The typhoon was slowly moving northeast away from the island chain Saturday morning, and the storm is expected to weaken over the next few days, according to the National Weather Service. Tropical storm force gusts still remain a possibility, the weather service said, and dangerous surf is expected to continue over the next few days. The Homeland Security and Emergency Management office for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands issued a “hazardous seas warning” early Saturday morning for steep and dangerous swells reaching as high as 20 feet (6 meters) in the coastal waters surrounding the island chain. The dangerous conditions could capsize or cause damage to vessels, the announcement said, and those conditions were expected to last until late Saturday afternoon. The Federal Emergency Management Agency and several other federal agencies are ramping up their response to Typhoon Sinlaku as the islands’ shelter-in-place orders begin to lift, Robert Fenton, FEMA regional administrator for Region 9, which includes Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, said Friday. “This is a very complex event, but we have a lot of experience and have worked very closely with Guam and CNMI over the years to prepare for these types of events and are well-positioned to do that again here today,” Fenton told The Associated Press in an interview from Guam. Fenton said a slew of federal agencies are on the ground to support the local governments, including the Department of Defense, Environmental Protection Agency, Health and Human Services, and more. The storm’s sheer size — with typhoon-force winds extending 275 miles (443 kilometers) from its center, according to the U.S. National Weather Service Guam — was unique, Fenton said, and meant island residents were subjected to roughly 48 hours of fierce winds, delaying responders’ ability to assess damage and help communities.

Daily Wire [4/18/2026 1:15 AM, Hank Berrien, 2314K] reports with an April 30 deadline now looming, Capitol Hill is locked in a high-stakes standoff over the renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). What began in 2008 as a tool to close intelligence gaps has transformed into a digital-age lightning rod, pitting the urgent demands of national security against a growing, bipartisan demand for Fourth Amendment privacy. On Friday, the House and Senate passed a 10-day extension of the program via unanimous consent after broader reauthorization efforts collapsed amid GOP divisions. This temporary measure, which moves the expiration date from April 20 to April 30, grants lawmakers a narrow window to negotiate as the Trump administration continues its push for a renewal without a warrant requirement. At the heart of the “warrant debate” is whether the FBI should be required to get a judge’s permission before searching a database of intercepted foreign communications for information belonging to Americans. The Trump administration initially sought a “clean” 18-month extension of the law, which would exclude warrant reforms entirely. This bid, along with a separate five-year proposal that included FBI limits but no warrant requirement, unraveled in the House due to opposition from Democrats and GOP hardliners.

New York Times [4/17/2026 10:00 AM, Emily Anthes, 148038K] reports that Dr. David Eisenman: I’ve been doing research for 25 years on public health and the health impacts of disasters. That includes mass violence. A public health approach has been successful in reducing other forms of violence, like child sexual abuse and domestic violence. We thought we could apply that to this form of violence that we’re seeing so much in our country, which is mass violence, targeted violence, things like school shootings. We had a study funded by the Department of Homeland Security. The premise was that in targeted violence, mass violence, about half the time the perpetrator “leaks” their plans and intentions. Family members or close friends know about it in advance, but often they don’t know how to stop it. Or when they do try to stop it, they turn to a system that really can’t respond adequately. International prevention programs provide avenues for these “intimate bystanders” to get help for this person and prevent an attack. But these programs are not widely available in the U.S. We were also bringing those lessons back for the Department of Homeland Security itself, which was invested in this work. Targeted violence, whether it’s school shootings or lone wolf terrorist attacks, shares common factors, with similar opportunities for prevention. And so we, professionals in this field, felt that a lot of terrorism could be understood as a form of the targeted violence that would otherwise be taken out on a school or a Walmart — but which, in this particular event, might be taken out on a group of people identified by their religion.

CBS News [4/17/2026 5:11 PM, Dan Raby, 51110K] reports the suspect in the DeKalb County shooting spree and the man authorities say provided him the handgun are now both facing federal charges. U.K.-native Olaolukitan Adon Abel, 26, whose name appears in different variations in court and government records, is accused of killing two women, including a Department of Homeland Security employee, and critically injuring a man. The attacks rattled the Atlanta suburbs of Decatur, Brookhaven, and Panthersville in the early morning hours on Monday. The first victim, 31-year-old Prianna Weathers, was found with gunshot wounds near a Decatur-area Checkers around 1 a.m. She was taken to a hospital but died, DeKalb County Police Chief Gregory Padrick said. Then, around 2 a.m., a 49-year-old homeless man was shot multiple times while sleeping outside a Brookhaven Kroger, about 12 miles northwest of the first attack, Brookhaven Police Chief Brandon Gurley said. The man, whose name hasn’t been released, remains hospitalized in stable but critical condition, authorities said Thursday. DHS worker Lauren Bullis, who was out walking her dog more than 10 miles away in Panthersville, was found around 7 a.m. with gunshot and stab wounds. She died at the scene, Padrick said. Near here, authorities say they found a loaded 9mm pistol and five 9mm cartridge cases. Bullis is charged with numerous felonies, including malice murder and aggravated assault. On Friday, authorities announced they had arrested 35-year-old Damon Marquis Yarns, arguing that he had given Abel the handgun. Officials say they tracked the gun to Yarns, who allegedly purchased the pistol from a licensed firearms dealer in Midtown in February. Yarns reportedly told investigators that Abel paid for him to travel by rideshare and buy the gun, admitting that he lied on the form that he was the buyer. In a statement following the violence, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin called the shootings an "act of pure evil." The Department of Homeland Security identified Abel as a native of the United Kingdom who was granted U.S. citizenship in 2022, when Democrat Joe Biden was president.

CBS News [4/17/2026 3:45 PM, Dan Raby, 51110K] reports Colin Gray, the father of the teen accused of killing two students and two teachers in a shooting at Georgia’s Apalachee High School, will learn his sentence in the summer. Court documents show that Gray’s sentencing hearing will take place on July 28 and 29 at the Barrow County Courthouse. In March, a jury found Gray guilty of second-degree murder and dozens of other charges, including involuntary manslaughter and cruelty to children. Gray faces up to 30 years in prison for the murder charge and up to 180 years in total. The Georgia man’s prosecution marked the third time a parent has been charged for their connection to a mass shooting allegedly carried out by their child. He is believed to be the first adult charged in connection with a school shooting in Georgia. A status hearing for the younger Gray is set for the morning of May 28 at the Barrow County Courthouse.

Univision [4/17/2026 11:36 PM, Staff, 4937K] reports Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán , former founding leader of the Sinaloa Cartel , already knows a little English after almost 10 years in the custody of the United States , as he revealed in a handwritten letter sent to Judge Brian Cogan, in which he asked for fair treatment and respect for his rights. The letter is written in somewhat confused English with some clumsy strokes and shows a 69-year-old man at his limit, as he himself acknowledges in his writing. In his letter, “El Chapo” Guzmán asked Judge Cogan, who handled his case and sentenced him to life imprisonment, to allow him to receive dignified treatment within the ADX Florence maximum security prison , where he is serving his life sentence. According to the content of the page, which Guzmán Loera wrote in his own handwriting, he asks that his human and constitutional rights be respected during his confinement, arguing that the conditions in which he finds himself are inadequate and violate basic principles established in U.S. law. Previously, the Mexican drug trafficker had complained of prolonged isolation, restrictions on communication, and negative impacts on his physical and mental health, so the letter adds to a series of legal claims brought by his defense, which seek to improve his conditions within the maximum security prison in Colorado. The Mexican drug trafficker , sentenced in 2019 by the Brooklyn, New York Court, remains under an extreme isolation regime known as Special Administrative Measures (SAMs), which almost completely limits his contact with other people , including family members and lawyers. In addition, he asked Judge Cogan to respond to his letter and to address his rights under the First Amendment, regarding freedom of speech, and the complaint for violation of the Eighth Amendment, which prohibits the federal government from imposing cruel and unusual punishments. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

FOX News [4/17/2026 2:05 PM, Andrea Margolis, 37576K] reports that Americans are being warned to rethink travel to a sunny Caribbean destination as crime and concerns about terrorism rise. The U.S. Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago announced Thursday that the U.S. Department of State had updated its travel advisory regarding American tourists. The advisory cautions that Americans should "reconsider travel to Trinidad and Tobago due to crime," citing a "heightened risk of terrorism." The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service is authorized to search and enter private and public properties while the State of Emergency (SOE), which was declared March 2, remains in effect. Bail is suspended during this time, meaning that anyone arrested for crimes in the country will be unable to leave local custody. Authorities say the order is due to "a spike in violent criminal activity that could threaten public safety." The embassy said that "although violent crime in Trinidad and Tobago has dropped greatly since 2024 due to security efforts started during the previous state of emergencies, crime remains a challenge throughout the country" — adding that crime rates are lower in Tobago than in Trinidad. The advisory also states that U.S. government employees are prohibited from entering certain areas of the capital city, Port of Spain, including Laventille, Piccadilly Street and Besson Street. Travelers are advised against entering Beetham, Sea Lots, Cocorite and the interior of Queen’s Park Savannah, as well as certain parts of Charlotte Street.

Washington Examiner [4/17/2026 12:46 PM, Hailey Bullis, 1147K] reports that the Senate unanimously passed a 10-day extension of the federal government’s power to surveil individuals suspected of being national security threats without debate on Friday. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) brought the measure to the floor during a brief session. The 10-day extension of section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act gives GOP leadership some breathing room to reach an agreement with conservative hardliners in the House over the program, which was set to lapse on April 20. The measure now heads to President Donald Trump’s desk, where it is expected to be signed ahead of the April 20 deadline. Speaking on the Senate floor ahead of passage, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) said that Democrats would not object to the stopgap. Wyden said House lawmakers have told him "unequivocally" that passing the short-term extension makes reform "more likely and expiration makes reform less likely." The Senate’s quick passage of the 10-day patch was starkly different than the House’s rare overnight session, during which House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) was dealt two consecutive blows. First, several GOP members voted to sink a late-night deal that would have allowed it to continue until 2031. Then, hardliners tanked an effort to bring up another bill for a "clean" 18-month extension. Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN), who was one of the no votes on the latter, told the Washington Examiner that the two-week extension was the "best we could do."

Reported similarly:
Breitbart [4/17/2026 12:59 PM, Staff, 2238K]

AP [4/17/2026 2:39 PM, Josh Boak and Matt O’Brien, 35287K] reports that White House chief of staff Susie Wiles plans to sound out Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei about the artificial intelligence company’s new Mythos model, which has attracted attention from the federal government for how it could transform national security and the economy. A White House official, who requested anonymity to discuss the planned meeting Friday, said the administration is engaging with advanced AI labs about their models and the security of software. The official stressed that any new technology that might be used by the federal government would require a technical period for evaluation. The meeting comes after tensions have run hot between the Trump administration and the safety-conscious Anthropic, which has sought to put guardrails on the development of AI to minimize any potential risks and maximize its economic and national security benefits for the U.S. President Donald Trump tried to stop all federal agencies from using Anthropic’s chatbot Claude over the company’s contract dispute with the Pentagon, with Trump saying in a February social media post that the administration "will not do business with them again!" Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also sought to declare Anthropic a supply chain risk, an unprecedented move against a U.S. company that Anthropic has challenged in two federal courts. The company said it wanted assurance the Pentagon would not use its technology in fully autonomous weapons and the surveillance of Americans. Hegseth said the company must allow for any uses the Pentagon deemed lawful.

Reported similarly:
Breitbart [4/17/2026 1:35 PM, Lucas Nolan, 2238K]

AP [4/17/2026 9:41 PM, Matthew Lee, 34146K] reports an American delegation recently met with Cuban government officials in the island nation, marking a renewed diplomatic push even as U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to intervene and Cuba’s leader said this week that his country is prepared to fight if that should happen. A senior State Department official met with the grandson of retired Cuban leader Raúl Castro last week during the trip, according to a department official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke Friday on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter. The official did not say who from the U.S. met with Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, whose grandfather is believed to play an influential role in the Cuban government despite not holding an official post. A second U.S. official said Secretary of State Marco Rubio was not part of the delegation that visited Havana. U.S. officials have previously said Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants and a longtime Cuba hawk, met the younger Castro in the Caribbean island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis in February. During last week’s extraordinary diplomatic push, which was reported earlier by Axios, the U.S. delegation urged Cuba to make major changes to its economy and way of governing because it would not let the island nation become a national security threat in the region, the State Department official said. It marked the first U.S. government flight to land in Cuba other than at the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay since 2016. Cuba’s crises have deepened following a U.S. energy blockade, coming as the Trump administration has described its government as ineffective and abusive. In return for easing sanctions, U.S. demands have included an end to political repression, a release of political prisoners and a liberalization of the island’s ailing economy. Along with those similar topics, the sides last week also discussed a U.S. proposal to provide free and reliable internet to the island through a Starlink satellite connection, the State Department official said. The talks were revealed after Trump said earlier this week that his administration could focus on Cuba after the war in Iran ends. “We may stop by Cuba after we finish with this,” he said. He described it as a “failing nation” and asserted that it has “been a terribly run country for a long time.” In response, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said the U.S. has no valid reason to carry out a military attack against the island or attempt to depose him but that the country was ready to fight back if needed. “The moment is extremely challenging and calls upon us once again, as on April 16, 1961, to be ready to confront serious threats, including military aggression. We do not want it, but it is our duty to prepare to avoid it and, if it becomes inevitable, to defeat it,” Díaz-Canel said. He was speaking during a rally that drew hundreds of people to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the declaration of the Cuban Revolution’s socialist essence. The Cuban Foreign Ministry didn’t immediately respond to messages seeking comment about the talks last week.

CBS News [4/17/2026 9:54 PM, Olivia Gazis, Joe Walsh, 51110K] reports a delegation of senior State Department representatives traveled to Cuba via a U.S. government plane last week, a department official and two U.S. officials told CBS News, a diplomatic opening as the island nation struggles with months of intense pressure from the Trump administration. While in Cuba, one U.S. diplomat met with Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, the grandson of former President Raúl Castro, who is widely seen as a key power center within the Cuban government, the State Department official said. It is unclear who else participated in the talks on the U.S. or Cuban side. Axios was first to report on the visit, which marks the first time a U.S. government plane has landed in Cuba since former President Barack Obama traveled to the island in 2016. During the meetings, the U.S. delegation discussed the Trump administration’s push for political and economic reforms, as well as the U.S.’s demands for the release of political prisoners, the State Department official said. The Americans also floated offering Cuba access to Starlink, a satellite internet service operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX. "The delegation reiterated that the Cuban economy is in free fall and that the island’s ruling elites have a small window to make key U.S. backed reforms before circumstances irreversibly worsen," the official told CBS News. The official added that President Trump is open to resolving the U.S.’s concerns through diplomacy, but he "will not let the island collapse into a major national security threat if Cuba’s leaders are unwilling or unable to act." Cuba is in the throes of a months-long energy crisis following Mr. Trump’s threat to impose heavy tariffs on any country that exports oil to Cuba. Oil shipments to the island have effectively stopped, though the U.S. allowed a Russian-flagged tanker to dock in Havana last month for what the administration described as a humanitarian reprieve. Meanwhile, Mr. Trump has repeatedly floated the idea of intervening in Cuba. Last month, he called Cuba a "failing country" and suggested it could "be next," following the U.S.’s removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and war with Iran. Earlier this week, the president told reporters, without elaborating, that "we may stop by Cuba after we’re finished with this." And on Friday, he said he is seeking to "bring about a day 70 years in waiting — it’s called a new dawn for Cuba," likely referring to the revolution that brought Fidel Castro and the country’s communist movement to power some 67 years ago. Both Cuba and the U.S. have acknowledged that talks are underway, but it’s unclear how close the two sides are to a resolution. Cuba said earlier this year it will loosen some restrictions on foreign investments, a move Secretary of State Marco Rubio called insufficient.

USA Today [4/17/2026 4:25 PM, Rick Jervis, 70643K] reports that a U.S. military surveillance drone flew for several hours along the coast of Cuba in an uncommon sighting for the Caribbean island, according to flight-tracking sources. The MQ-4C Triton, a U.S. Navy surveillance drone with call sign BLKCAT6, took off from a naval station in Jacksonville, Florida on April 16, flew along Cuba’s southern coast, circled in a holding pattern near Santiago de Cuba, then circled in another holding pattern near Havana before returning to the United States, according to Flightradar24, an online global flight tracking service. The flight near Cuba’s coast took more than six hours, the service said. Similar drones have been previously tracked in combat zones around the world, from the Black Sea to the Persian Gulf, said Ian Petchenik, a spokesman for Flightradar24 told USA TODAY. But it’s the first time he remembered tracking one so close to Cuba, he said. The U.S. military did not immediately respond to inquiries about the drone’s flight near Cuba. The Navy recently confirmed an MQ-4C deployed in the war in Iran crashed on April 9. Petchenik said his service tracked similar drones around Venezuela last year as the U.S. military built up forces there in the leadup to a dramatic raid to capture former president Nicolas Maduro on Jan. 3.

Politico [4/17/2026 4:45 AM, Nahal Toosi, 21784K] reports the Iran war is risking America’s global security ties and damaging its reputation, especially among the world’s Muslims, according to a set of State Department cables obtained by POLITICO. The cables, dated Wednesday, described the fallout of the war for America’s standing in three countries in different parts of the world: Bahrain, Azerbaijan and Indonesia. U.S. diplomats at embassies in the countries’ capitals painted damning portraits of an America under siege in multiple media spheres by pro-Iranian actors that are exceptionally agile in the digital space. In Azerbaijan, what had been a significantly improving relationship has hit a plateau at best, and appears to be faltering. Bahrain’s government is facing questions about whether the U.S. abandoned it to fend for itself against Iranian drones and missiles. And Indonesia’s leader could face growing calls to reduce security ties with the U.S. Some of the cables describe anti-U.S. sentiment that is having an immediate impact, while others raise concerns that relationships could be in danger if the war continues much longer. Taken together, the cables paint a picture of countries where the U.S. is losing the population’s trust, and potentially that of their governments. The cables carry veiled requests for the Trump administration to free up American embassies to fight such negative narratives online and in traditional media. Embassies need to “have the freedom for flexible, quick and proactive social media to meet the challenge of making an impact in an overcrowded digital space,” argues the embassy cable from Jakarta, Indonesia. U.S. embassies have been instructed not to create original content about the Iran war to share publicly and instead are largely limited to reposting approved messaging from the White House or the State Department headquarters online, according to a U.S. diplomat and other documents obtained by POLITICO. The fact that the cables were sent at all suggests the situation in the countries is increasingly dire. That’s because many U.S. diplomats have become afraid to speak up under the Trump administration after it largely sidelined them from key foreign policy decisions, fired numerous members of the Foreign Service and emphasized “fidelity” for those left, two U.S. diplomats said.

New York Times [4/18/2026 3:30 AM, Farnaz Fassihi, Peter Eavis, Pranav Baskar and Thomas Fuller, 330K] reports President Trump and the Iranian foreign minister announced on Friday that the Strait of Hormuz had reopened, raising hopes that the warring nations were cooperating and negotiating toward a peace deal. The proclamations, made on social media by both sides, propelled U.S. stock markets to record highs and sent oil prices tumbling more than 10 percent. But the picture was muddied when Mr. Trump said that a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports would remain in “FULL FORCE” until there was a peace deal. As the day wore on, Mr. Trump appeared to be negotiating a peace agreement publicly, in real time, through interviews and social media posts. He spoke of several points as fait accompli even though Iran has not publicly agreed to them. He told Bloomberg News that Iran had agreed to suspend its nuclear program indefinitely and that Tehran would not receive any frozen assets from the United States. In an interview with Agence France-Presse, the president said there were “no sticking points” with Iran. In a brief phone interview with Axios, Mr. Trump said he expected a deal “in the next day or two.” And he told CBS News that Iran had “agreed to everything.” The agreement would allow the United States to retrieve Iran’s nuclear material, he said. “Our people, together with the Iranians, are going to work together to go get it,” he told CBS. “And then we’ll take it to the United States.” But in comments to Iranian state media, a spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry said Tehran had rejected the option of transferring its enriched uranium stockpile abroad. The sum total of Mr. Trump’s disparate statements and those by Iranian officials amounted to dizzying but hopeful signs that an end to the war might be in reach. “A GREAT AND BRILLIANT DAY FOR THE WORLD!” Mr. Trump wrote in his series of social media posts filled with exclamation points and all-caps messages. He thanked “fantastic” Pakistani mediators and Gulf states for their “great bravery.” Three senior Iranian officials echoed Mr. Trump’s optimism, saying that Iran and the United States were finalizing a three-page memorandum of understanding that outlined a broad framework for a lasting peace deal. The memorandum defines a 60-day period for negotiations to continue toward a deal, they said, adding that the memorandum could be signed when the United States and Iranconvene for a second round of talks in Pakistan, expected to be in the next few days. A marathon first round of talks last weekend ended without agreement. Amid the hopes for a peace agreement, there were also striking public signs of dissension among Iranian leaders. Iran’s foreign minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, said in a post on X that “the passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of the ceasefire.” The opening of the strait, he said, was “in line with the cease-fire in Lebanon,” the truce that Mr. Trump announced on Thursday that quelled fighting between Israel and the Iranian-backed militia group Hezbollah. But a few hours after Mr. Araghchi’s announcement, Iran’s Tasnim News Agency, which is affiliated with the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, described the foreign minister’s social media post as “bad and incomplete.” A statement by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps navy commander said a “new order” had been established over the strait, but that passage would be contingent on permission from the navy. The statement also said that no military vessels would be allowed to pass the strait and that the agreement was in line with the cease-fire.

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