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.

FOX News [2/22/2026 6:02 PM, Bonny Chu, 37576K] reports Major Mexican drug lord Nemesio Oseguera, known as "El Mencho," was killed in a military operation Sunday morning, the country’s Defense Department announced, marking one of Mexico’s most significant blows to organized crime amid pressure from President Donald Trump to intensify the crackdown on drug cartels. The announcement came as government officials warned of clashes in Jalisco state and widespread criminal activity across the country, prompting the U.S. Embassy in Mexico to issue shelter-in-place advisories for multiple states. On Sunday, Mexican troops reportedly conducted operations in Tapalpa, Jalisco, targeting Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, a former police officer who became the elusive leader of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), a major supplier of fentanyl to the United States. Known as "El Mencho," Oseguera Cervantes carried a $15 million U.S. bounty and rose to power following the arrest of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, the former head of the Sinaloa Cartel. Over the past 15 years, CJNG has grown from a local criminal group into a global trafficking organization operating out of its stronghold in Jalisco. "I’ve just been informed that Mexican security forces have killed ‘El Mencho,’ one of the bloodiest and most ruthless drug kingpins," U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said in a post on X. "This is a great development for Mexico, the US, Latin America, and the world. The good guys are stronger than the bad guys." The Mexican Defense Department said the operation was conducted as part of bilateral coordination and cooperation with the U.S., whose authorities provided complementary intelligence that contributed to Oseguera Cervantes’ capture. During the capture, the CJNG ringleader became wounded and died en route to Mexico City, the Defense Department said. The Security Cabinet of the Government of Mexico noted that multiple buildings were reportedly damaged during the "violent incidents," including roughly 20 branches of Banco del Bienestar, a state-run banking institution. The Washington Post [2/22/2026 6:16 PM, Samantha Schmidt and Dan Lamothe, 24826K] reports that the cartel leader’s killing set off a wave of violence in areas controlled by the cartel, with reports of burning cars blocking roads. In Guadalajara, the capital city of the western state of Jalisco and one of the host cities of the upcoming World Cup, businesses were shut down, sirens and helicopters could be heard in the city center, and residents were warned to stay inside. The U.S. Embassy warned U.S. citizens in Jalisco and Tamaulipas states, and parts of three other states, to shelter in place because of security operations and related road blockages and criminal activity. Oseguera, one of the most wanted fugitives in Mexico, was a founder of the New Generation cartel, which has grown to become one of the most powerful and violent organizations in Mexico, trafficking large quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine into the U.S. A U.S. defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said the operation Sunday was carried out by the Mexican military but included participation from a joint U.S.-Mexico task force that “regularly works” with the Mexican military through U.S. Northern Command, which oversees U.S. operations in both countries. The unit, known as Joint Interagency Task Force-Counter Cartel, was established last month with headquarters at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson. It integrates intelligence personnel and law enforcement representatives with the military. The operation came after the Trump administration had repeatedly pressured Mexican officials to do more to counter the cartels and after Trump and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller explored the possibility of unilateral military action in Mexico. Other U.S. officials advised against such an operation, citing Mexico’s increasingly aggressive stance toward the cartels and cooperation along the U.S. border, where Trump authorized the deployment of about 10,000 U.S. troops last year and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum dispatched a similar number on the Mexican side. This collaboration, these officials argued, is effective and should not be jeopardized by unilateral U.S. action. Sheinbaum has said she opposes any unilateral U.S. military action in her country, and instead, her government has sought to show its own results in taking a more aggressive approach against drug trafficking groups. In January, Mexico transferred 37 accused criminal operatives to the United States, one in a series of handovers to U.S. authorities. The AP [2/22/2026 2:14 PM, Fabiola Sánchez, 35287K] reports that cars burned out by cartel members blocked roads in nearly a dozen Mexican states and left smoke billowing into the air. Jalisco’s capital, Guadalajara, was turned into a ghost town Sunday night as civilians hunkered down. School was canceled Monday in several states. Oseguera Cervantes was wounded in an operation to capture him Sunday in Tapalpa, Jalisco about a two-hour drive southwest of Guadalajara and he died while being flown to Mexico City, the Defense Department said in a statement. The state is the base of the cartel known for trafficking huge quantities of fentanyl and other drugs to the United States. During the operation, troops came under fire and killed four people at the location. Three more people, including Oseguera Cervantes, were wounded and later died, the statement said. Two others were arrested and armored vehicles, rocket launchers and other arms were seized. Three members of the armed forces were wounded and receiving medical treatment. A Jalisco state official who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly said that a member of the National Guard died in Tapalpa during the operation, six other National Guard members died in Zapopan beside Guadalajara, a jail guard was killed at a lockup in Puerto Vallarta when prisoners rioted, and an agent from the Jalisco state prosecutor’s office was killed in Guadalajara. Details were not immediately available. The U.S. Embassy in Mexico said on X that the operation against Oseguera Cervantes was carried out by Mexican special forces “within the framework of bilateral cooperation, with U.S. authorities providing complementary intelligence.” The U.S. State Department warned U.S. citizens in Jalisco, Tamaulipas, Michoacan, Guerrero and Nuevo Leon states to remain in safe places due to the ongoing security operations. Canada’s embassy in Mexico warned its citizens in Puerto Vallarta to shelter in place and generally to keep a low profile in Jalisco. The U.S. State Department had offered a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to the arrest of El Mencho. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel, known as CJNG, is one of the most powerful and fastest growing criminal organizations in Mexico and was born in 2009.

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USA Today [2/22/2026 6:42 PM, James Powel and Beth Warren, 70643K]
Daily Wire [2/22/2026 8:13 AM, Emily Green and Lizbeth Diaz, 2314K]
Daily Caller [2/22/2026 1:59 PM, Mark Tanos, 803K]
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FOX News [2/22/2026 6:26 PM, Staff, 37576K] Video: HERE reports Fox News correspondent Lucas Tomlinson reports on the aftermath of a military operation Sunday morning that killed major Mexican drug lord ‘El Mencho’ on ‘Fox Report.’ The Houston Chronicle [2/22/2026 4:01 PM, Jarrod Wardwell, 2493K] reports the shelter in place applies to Mexico’s Jalisco, Tamaulipas, Michoacan, Guerrero and Nuevo Leon states, according to the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico. The Mexican army announced Sunday that it had killed Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho," who led the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, which is known for trafficking massive amounts of fentanyl and other drugs into the United States, the Associated Press reported. The U.S. issued the shelter in place order because of "ongoing security operations and related road blockages and criminal activity," according to the embassy and consulates. The killing launched hours of roadblocks and burning vehicles across multiple Mexican states — methods that cartels use to interfere with military operations, according to the AP. Citizens should remain sheltered until further notice, federal officials said. They recommend avoiding crowds and areas with law enforcement, seeking shelter, limiting movement, monitoring local media, following authorities’ directions, keeping family and friends updated and calling 911 in case of emergencies.

FOX News [2/23/2026 1:54 AM, Staff, 37576K] reports tourists sheltering in place describe to Fox News Digital vehicle fires, military helicopters overhead and armed forces in the streets as authorities announced the death of drug lord El Mencho on Feb. 22, 2026. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

New York Post [2/23/2026 3:39 AM, Landon Mion, 40934K] reports US and Canadian airlines canceled flights Sunday to parts of Mexico after Mexican officials said drug lord Nemesio Oseguera, known as "El Mencho," was killed in a military operation, triggering reported clashes in Jalisco state and prompting travel advisories. United Airlines canceled all Sunday flights to Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara. "United Airlines flight operations to/from PVR (Puerto Vallarta) and GDL (Guadalajara) are canceled today," United Airlines said in a statement to FOX Business. Southwest Airlines also canceled all flights arriving in and departing from Puerto Vallarta on Sunday. "Southwest Airlines canceled the four flights we had scheduled to fly into Puerto Vallarta today and the four turns back," the airline said in a statement to FOX Business. "We’ll continue to evaluate the conditions as the situation develops. Nothing is more important to Southwest Airlines than the safety of our customers and our employees.". American Airlines said it halted its remaining Sunday service to Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara and Mazatlán. "As a result of the situation in Guadalajara (GDL), Mazatlán (MZT) and Puerto Vallarta (PVR), American has canceled flights to and from GDL, MZT and PVR for the remainder of Sunday, Feb. 22," the airline said in a statement to FOX Business. "We will continue to monitor the situation and make any additional changes to our operation as necessary to ensure the safety and security of our customers and team members.". Air Canada said it has temporarily suspended operations in Puerto Vallarta. No additional cancellations had been announced beyond Sunday as of publication. Several airlines said they issued travel waivers allowing affected passengers to rebook without change fees. The flight changes come after Mexican troops reportedly conducted operations earlier Sunday in Tapalpa, Jalisco, targeting El Mencho, a former police officer who became the leader of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación, which US authorities have identified as a major supplier of fentanyl to the United States. Government officials warned of clashes in Jalisco and broader criminal activity, prompting the US Embassy in Mexico to issue shelter-in-place advisories for multiple states.

Breitbart [2/22/2026 3:57 PM, Ildefonso Ortiz and Brandon Darby, 2238K] reports the Mexican Army team that tried to apprehend but ultimately killed the fearsome leader of the terrorist organization, Cartel Jalisco New Generation (CJNG), Ruben Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes, received specialized training from U.S. Navy Seals shortly before the operation. Breitbart Texas was able to confirm with high-level members of the U.S. intelligence community that Navy SEAL instructors traveled to Mexico earlier this month for a series of trainings aimed at targeting and apprehending top-level cartel figures. Earlier this month, amid much controversy, Mexico’s Senate voted to allow U.S. special forces operators to travel into the country to train their Mexican counterparts. Instructors from the U.S. Navy SEALs and other top-tier groups are scheduled to be in Mexico from mid-February to April. They first arrived on February 15 on a U.S. air transport with their own equipment and weapons for the training seminars. The sources consulted by Breitbart Texas revealed that as soon as a top-level Mexican Army team was turned over to the U.S. Navy SEAL instructors, they sequestered their phones and all communication devices to prevent any leaks of information, something that has been an ongoing issue in prior attempts to capture El Mencho and other cartel figures in recent years. While details of the training and the operation remain classified, Breitbart Texas was able to confirm that Mexican military forces working off U.S. and Mexican intelligence tracked down El Mencho to Tlapalpa, Jalisco, where they carried out a high-level operation aimed at capturing the terrorist leader. Reuters [2/22/2026 4:42 PM, Phil Stewart and Laura Gottesdiener, 3760K] reports that the Joint Interagency Task Force-Counter Cartel, which involves multiple U.S. government agencies, was formally launched last month with the goal of mapping out networks of drug cartel members on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border, American officials said. The U.S. official, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, did not offer further details about the task force. The official stressed the raid itself was a Mexican military operation. A former U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity without referring specifically to the task force, said the U.S. compiled a detailed target package for El Mencho and provided it to the Mexican government for its operation. This dossier included information provided by U.S. law enforcement and intelligence, the former official said. The former official added El Mencho was very high, if not at the top, of a list of U.S. targets in Mexico. Mexican authorities killed the man, whose real name is Nemesio Oseguera, during an operation designed to capture him in the western state of Jalisco. The operation set off a wave of violence, with torched cars and gunmen blocking highways in more than half a dozen states. Mexico’s Defense Ministry said U.S. authorities had provided "complementary information," but offered no details. A Mexican government source familiar with the operation said the Mexican government designed and executed it and that no U.S. military personnel were physically involved.

New York Post [2/23/2026 3:37 AM, Chris Bradford, 40934K] reports rocket launchers capable of shooting down planes were among the arsenal seized by Mexican military forces in the daring raid that killed notorious Jalisco New Generation Cartel boss "El Mencho.". Special forces also seized armored cars and heavy weaponry – which are often used on the battlefield rather than in law enforcement missions — as drug kingpin Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes was killed and the resort town of Puerto Vallarta fell under siege. The Mexican Air Force and National Guard also assisted special forces in Sunday’s probe, according to Fox News. Although the op was led by the Mexican military, a US military-led task force specializing in intelligence collection also played a role in "El Mencho’s" killing, as reported by Reuters. A dossier – containing information from US intelligence – was handed over to the Mexican government before the operation that was conducted in Tapalpa. "El Mencho" was at the top of a list of US targets. Rocket launchers were seized more than 10 years after the powerful cartel used a rocket-propelled grenade to shoot down a Mexican military helicopter. The weapons had previously been seized from the CJNG cartel. In June 2023, Luis Cresencio Sandoval, the then-Mexican defense secretary, said five rocket launchers were found to be in the possession of the CJNG. Ex-cop and cartel mastermind "El Mencho" was injured during a shootout when Mexican special forces tried to capture him in Tapalpa. Security forces were injured in the shootout. "El Mencho" was notorious for trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine to the US and a reward of up to $15 million was available for information leading to the drug lord’s arrest. The Trump administration declared the CJNG as a foreign terrorist organization. Narco gangs went on a rampage after news of El Mencho’s death circulated. Cartel henchmen blockaded highways with roadblocks, set cars ablaze and torched businesses as part of their retaliation over the crime boss’s death. Tourists in Puerto Vallarta were warned to stay indoors, and assaults in Michoacan, Tamaulipas, Colima, Guanajuato, Aguascalientes, and Veracruz were launched, according to local media. "It looked like the whole city was on fire," Scott Posilkin – who is from Colorado but stranded in Puerto Vallarta – told The Post. Travis Dagenais compared the scene in Puerto Vallarta to a "demolition zone," as reported by CNN.

CNN [2/23/2026 3:36 AM, Gonzalo Zegarra and Rocío Muñoz-Ledo, 19874K] reports Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes was a feared Mexican drug lord and the leader of a ruthless cartel accused of masterminding efforts to push fentanyl into the United States. Once a police officer, Oseguera went on to become one of the world’s most wanted fugitives, with the United States alone offering a $15 million bounty for information leading to his arrest. Oseguera, who formed and led the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), was an elusive figure who had been considered Mexico’s most powerful cartel boss since Sinaloa kingpin Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán was arrested last decade. Born in July 1966 in the western state of Michoacán, Oseguera later moved to the US and was deeply involved in drug trafficking from the 1990s, according to the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). In 1994, he was convicted in California for conspiracy to distribute heroin and served three years in a US prison. After he returned to Mexico, he worked as a police officer in the western state of Jalisco but soon resumed his criminal activities, building his influence in the shadowy world of narcotics and rising to become the head of one of the country’s most powerful and ruthless criminal empires. Wanted by authorities in Mexico and the US, Oseguera or "El Mencho" kept a low profile – so much so that only a handful of photographs of him exist. His death on Sunday in a Mexican military operation in Tapalpa, in the western coastal state of Jalisco, has triggered widespread unrest across parts of the country. Oseguera had a long career in brutality before forming CJNG. For a time, he served as chief of hitmen, or key enforcer, for the Milenio Cartel, before overseeing security and operational violence for the famed Sinaloa Cartel, whose former leader Guzmán is serving a life sentence in a US prison. According to the DEA, CJNG emerged in the 2010s from the remnants of the Milenio Cartel, which splintered amid a power vacuum after its leader Óscar Nava Valencia was captured in 2009. Oseguera built the group with Abigael González Valencia, leader of Los Cuinis – a family-based cartel operating in Michoacán, which served as the financial and logistical arm of CJNG and oversaw its "diverse network of money laundering operations," according to the DEA. But it was only through marriage to Abigael’s sister, Rosalinda González Valencia, that Oseguera gained real influence in the new entity.

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Reuters [2/22/2026 3:54 PM, Staff, 38315K]

The Daily Wire [2/22/2026 11:16 AM, Kassy Akiva, 2314K] reports chaos swept across parts of western Mexico on Sunday following the killing of one of the country’s most feared cartel leaders in a military operation that officials say was carried out with U.S. cooperation. Mexican special forces killed Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes, the longtime head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), during an operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco, according to the Mexican government. Oseguera was widely regarded as one of the most powerful drug traffickers in the world. According to the Mexican Embassy in the United States, the United States provided "complementary information" to Mexican authorities as part of bilateral coordination. Following the operation, cartel members engaged in violent acts in parts of Jalisco, Michoacán, and Guanajuato, setting buses on fire and erecting roadblocks in multiple cities, according to Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus Navarro. In response, Lemus Navarro announced that schools throughout the state would be closed. The U.S. State Department urged American citizens to shelter in place if they are in Jalisco State — including Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, and Guadalajara — as well as Tamaulipas, parts of Michoacán, Guerrero, and Nuevo León. Additional footage appeared to show fires in the parking lot of a Costco in Puerto Vallarta, a coastal city popular with American tourists that draws millions of visitors each year. Derek Maltz, former acting administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration until May, told The Daily Wire that Oseguera had long been the top cartel target for the United States. "Obviously, El Mencho has been like public enemy number one for many years. He’s built up this global enterprise with the CJNG," Maltz said. "We’ve been sharing intelligence against Mencho for a long time. And we share intelligence daily with our counterparts in the embassy in Mexico.". Maltz added that the DEA, together with the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, and others are working with their Mexican counterparts "every day to go after these cartel leaders.". Oseguera was one of Mexico’s most wanted men. The Mexican government had offered a 30 million peso reward — roughly $1.7 million — for information leading to his arrest. The United States had posted a $15 million reward, reported CNN. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has previously described the cartel as among the "most powerful and ruthless criminal organizations" operating inside Mexico, calling it a key supplier of illicit fentanyl and cocaine to the United States. The DEA added that the group’s facilitators and associates operate in nearly all 50 U.S. states. The New York Times [2/23/2026 3:40 AM, Jack Nicas and Paulina Villegas, 330K] reports Mr. Oseguera’s killing plunged Mexico into a highly tense moment that could unleash a surge in violence. Past captures of cartel leaders have set off wars between the government and cartels, as well as between opposing factions jockeying for power in the beheaded criminal group. Those fears were heightened on Sunday by a swift outbreak of violence across Mexico. In states around the country, armed groups blocked roads and set fire to supermarkets, banks and vehicles, in one of the most widespread eruptions of turmoil in the nation’s recent history. Mexican security forces on Sunday captured Mr. Oseguera in Tapalpa, a town of about 20,000, in the western coastal state of Jalisco, where his cartel was founded and based, the government said in a statement. Mr. Oseguera was injured in the operation and died while in transport to Mexico City for medical attention, according to the government. At least nine other cartel members were killed. Mr. Oseguera’s killing is a major victory in Mexico’s new offensive against drug cartels and it could help reduce pressure from President Trump, who has been threatening strikes in Mexico. The Mexican government said the United States had contributed intelligence that aided the operation against Mr. Oseguera. U.S. officials said that it was a Mexican operation and that no American troops were involved in the operation. That was only the start for Mexican security forces on Sunday. They were deployed across the country to confront the backlash over Mr. Oseguera’s killing. In at least 13 states, apparent cartel operatives sought to cause havoc by setting fires and blocking roads with burning vehicles. Cartels have often lashed out following the capture of their top bosses in a bid to show their power and discourage the authorities from confronting them again. In the state of Jalisco alone, officials said 20 branches of the state-run bank had been set ablaze or damaged, while groups ignited cars to block more than 20 roads. Jalisco officials said they had suspended public transportation in some areas and warned hotels to instruct their guests to remain inside, including in Puerto Vallarta, the beachside city popular with American and Mexican tourists. Much of the violence occurred in Guadalajara, Jalisco’s capital, a hub of 1.4 million people that is a host city for this year’s World Cup. Panic broke out at Guadalajara International Airport on Sunday, with videos posted on social media showing airport staff and travelers fleeing the building. The airport and Mexican federal government said that the airport was operating as normal and that there was no risk to fliers. Concerts and soccer matches were canceled. Flights were diverted. And at least one port halted operations. The unrest also already had affected the week ahead, as some states canceled classes on Monday, while airlines and bus operators suspended some routes this week.

New York Post [2/22/2026 5:38 PM, Emily Goodin, 40934K] reports President Trump will honor the family of Laken Riley and other victims of crimes by illegal immigrants on Monday by declaring an "Angel Family Day," The Post can exclusively reveal. The tribute comes as the president prepares to give his State of the Union address, where the crisis at the border and his plan to expel illegal immigrants from the country are expected to be major topics. Trump, on Monday, will sign a proclamation designating February 22 as "Angel Family Day," honoring two survivors and 62 individuals killed by illegal immigrants. The date was chosen in remembrance of Riley, who was killed on February 22, 2024. It will be the first event of its kind to honor "angel families" who have had loved ones killed by illegal alien criminals, a White House official told The Post. The special vigil is scheduled to take place in the East Room of the White House at 10 a.m. and will be a "solemn ceremony that reminds us all of why deportations of the worst of the worst must continue," the official noted. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Border Czar Tom Homan — the top enforcers of the president’s immigration policy — will join several members of angel families at the event. Trump has become a champion of angel families. He’s vowed to help them find justice, and has turned them into a political force. "President Trump is proud to have delivered accountability for Angel Families by ushering in the most secure border in history, deporting the criminal illegal aliens let into our country by prior Administrations, and upholding the rule of law by strongly enforcing our immigration laws," press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. "The first bill President Trump signed into law was the Laken Riley Act to prevent these senseless tragedies from happening again and to keep innocent American citizens safe. The President and our nation will join Angel Families in honoring the memory of these amazing men and women.".

FOX News [2/22/2026 9:35 AM, Taylor Penley, 37576K] reports Vice President JD Vance tore into Democrats on Saturday, accusing them of forcing a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown and trying to pressure President Donald Trump to abandon his border enforcement agenda. "What’s become abundantly clear is there is no offer on the table. They’re just throwing a temper tantrum and hoping that the president will give up entirely on the idea of border enforcement," Vance said on "My View with Lara Trump." "What we will be willing to do is talk to anybody about how we can make the enforcement of our immigration laws easier and smoother. We’re willing to have that conversation, but we’re not going to give up on the American border," he added. Vance said he reached out to former Senate colleagues who have relationships across the aisle in an effort to determine what Democrats are demanding in exchange for ending the shutdown. "I actually talked to a couple of my former Senate colleagues – people who are able to work across the aisle, who have good relationships with Democrats – and I said, ‘Look, please come to me and the president and tell me what is it exactly the Democrats want to allow us to continue to enforce the border? What is it that they’re asking for? What policy changes?’" he said. "We’re not going to agree with a lot of them," he added, referring to potential demands. "But at least let’s put an offer on the table."

FOX News [2/23/2026 5:00 AM, Alex Miller, 37576K] reports a government shutdown, big or small, is usually a front-and-center issue for lawmakers — but the most recent partial closure could be put on the back burner as Congress returns to several issues in Washington. Senate Democrats and the White House are still at odds over funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as the shutdown dragged into its tenth day. Neither side is budging, with the most recent concrete action coming early last week. Trump, who proved pivotal in striking a funding truce with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., in January, was not directly involved in recent negotiations. Trump has not had any "direct conversations or correspondence" with congressional Democrats recently, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, noting that the White House and its representatives have been handling the dialogue. "But, of course, Democrats are the reason that the Department of Homeland Security is currently shut down," she said. "They have chosen to act against the American people for political reasons." Senate Democrats offered a counter to the White House’s own counterproposal, which quickly was rejected as "unserious" by Leavitt. It’s a peculiar instance, given that this is the third shutdown during Trump’s second term, and neither side appears to be in a particular rush to end it. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told Fox News Digital that there’s "some room for give and take" in the negotiations, but remained firm in the GOP’s positioning against requiring Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from getting judicial warrants, unmasking or other reforms sought by Democrats that could increase risks for agents in the field. "I felt like, you know, the last offer the White House put out there was a really — it was a good faith one, and it was clear to me that they’re attempting, in every way, to try and land this thing so we can get DHS funded," Thune said. Funding the agency will be a top priority for the upper chamber, but they’ll be delayed because of winter storms descending on the East Coast. The weather has caused the Senate to delay a vote on the original DHS spending bill until Tuesday night, ahead of Trump’s State of the Union address. There are other issues that could get in the way of hashing out a deal, including a possible conflict with Iran and Trump’s desire to move ahead with tariffs without congressional approval.

San Diego Union Tribune [2/22/2026 8:00 AM, Alex Riggins, 1257K] reports federal agents were staking out a Linda Vista apartment complex one morning last summer when they spotted the man they were looking for, an undocumented immigrant from Guatemala, walking to his car. The agents quickly moved in, using their vehicles to box his Ford Mustang into its parking spot. The target of that operation allegedly struck one of the law enforcement vehicles while trying to drive away, prompting the agents to arrest him on suspicion of assaulting a federal officer. Before long, activists opposed to the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown showed up to observe and protest; a confrontation ensued, and soon three of them were arrested and charged with the same crime of assaulting federal officers. In many respects, the events of that July 2 morning in Linda Vista were similar to scenes that have played out across the country since President Donald Trump took office last year. Amid his administration’s unprecedented campaign of deportations, activists and community members have protested and organized patrol groups to monitor immigration enforcement. Agents and community members have sometimes clashed, including last month in Minneapolis, when agents shot and killed Reneé Good and Alex Pretti. So far, however, San Diego has mostly escaped such dramatic confrontations in large part because immigration enforcement has been subtler here — with the exception of a raid last May at the restaurant Buona Forchetta in South Park — than in areas such as Los Angeles, Chicago and Minneapolis. The three individuals arrested that morning in Linda Vista are the only protesters or activists to be charged under the Trump administration for allegedly assaulting federal officers, according to an analysis by the Union-Tribune. Administration officials have continued to pronounce that assaults on federal officers have skyrocketed nationally. During a Feb. 12 visit to San Diego, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem mentioned a local case in which an undocumented border crosser allegedly struck a Border Patrol agent in the head with a rock. Noem said assaults against immigration agents are up 1,300% and vehicular attacks up 3,200%. The analysis by the Union-Tribune showed that prosecutions for assaults on federal officers in the San Diego region are up slightly when compared to more recent years, but down significantly from President Donald Trump’s first term and the beginning of Joe Biden’s presidency. In those years, higher numbers of unlawful border crossings led to more frequent interactions — and sometimes assaults — between undocumented immigrants and Border Patrol agents.

New York Post [2/22/2026 3:36 PM, Victor Davis Hanson, 40934K] reports why would any president destroy the US southern border? The left typically "pounces" on anyone daring to suggest the Biden administration green-lighted illegal immigration to gain new constituents for agendas that otherwise were without public support. The left smears critics of open borders as racist conspiracists spreading the "Great Replacement Theory.". Yet for years Democrats and leftists themselves had written triumphalist books with titles like "The Emerging Democratic Majority.". And often they crowed that "demography is destiny.". A few left-wing globalists even boasted of a new borderless world in which anyone could live anywhere they wished. Not too long ago Texas state Rep. Gene Wum, chair of the Texas House Democratic Caucus, jumped the shark to say out loud what is usually left unsaid about the Democratic agenda: "The day the Latino, African American, Asian and other communities realize that they share the same oppressor is the day we start winning, because we are the majority in this country now. We have the ability to take over this country and to do what is needed for everyone.". The same unapologetic left-wing weaponization of illegal immigration is occurring in Europe. Sheer numbers there have already radically changed the demography — and political constituencies — of the continent.

Wall Street Journal [2/22/2026 3:15 PM, Mary Anastasia O’Grady, 646K] reports President Trump caused an international uproar when he declared that the U.S. intends to take ownership of Greenland—one way or another. With an Arctic thaw making the large island in the northern Western Hemisphere ever more strategically important, Mr. Trump justified the use of force, if necessary, on national-security grounds. Another island closer to home poses a more immediate risk than Greenland, owned by U.S. ally Denmark. Cuba, by all indications, is being used for intelligence gathering by China, presenting a clear and present danger. A 2024 paper by scholars at the Center for Strategic and International Studies listed “four sites within Cuba that are most likely to be supporting China’s efforts to collect intelligence on the United States and its neighbors.” The authors note: “These sites have undergone observable upgrades in recent years, even as Cuba has faced increasingly dire economic prospects that have drawn it closer to China.” It would be strange if the Trump administration didn’t recognize the current collapse of the Cuban economy as a unique opportunity to shore up national security by restoring democracy on the island. Yet Mr. Trump doesn’t appear to have a plan to support such a transition. He said the capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro on Jan. 3 leaves Cuba “ready to fall.” But he also said a U.S. action similar to what occurred in Caracas is probably unnecessary and that Cuba should make “a deal” with Washington. Coming from a real-estate magnate known for his transactional approach to governance, this disturbs no small number of freedom-loving Cubans on the island and in exile. A free Cuba calls for an unconditional surrender by the ruling clique in Havana. Anything less plays into the hands of the next generation of regime thugs, who are looking to buy time. The regime is running low on everything it needs to operate its system of repression. Acute shortages of electricity and gasoline have been exacerbated by the U.S. blockade of oil shipments. But the humanitarian crisis was well underway before the U.S. oil “quarantine.” Cuban privation is the product of years of Havanese greed and corruption. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called regime leadership “incompetent.” That’s wrong. It’s quite good at what it does, working to accumulate power and money. As I reported in this space in January 2025, a leak to the Miami Herald of internal government records showed that “hundreds of millions of dollars earned by companies on the island that should go to public services end up in the accounts of GAESA”—a state-owned conglomerate—”or its subsidiaries.”

CNN’s State of the Union With Jake Tapper and Dana Bash [2/22/2026 12:51 PM, Staff, 811K] the big question asked to Scott Bessent, U.S. Treasury Secretary is, Will there be a refund of the roughly $134 billion in revenue taken by the emergency tariffs? Bessent says that isn’t the big question. "Let’s just level-set here. What the Supreme Court did was a very narrow reading of the president’s authority under the IEEPA tariffs. We have other tariff authorities which have been functioning, Section 232 tariffs, Section 301 tariffs. And, Dana, when you say it’s a big question, that’s bad framing, because the Supreme Court didn’t even address that. The Supreme Court remanded it down to a lower court, and we will follow what they say, but that could be weeks or months when we hear them. So the Supreme Court did not address refunds." Bessent stats.

ABC’s This Week With George Stephanopoulos [2/22/2026 11:57 AM, Staff, 1824K] reports many of the nation’s governors gathered in Washington, D.C. this week for the National Governors Association winter meeting, including Pennsylvania’s Josh Shapiro, who is out with a new book, "Where We Keep the Light: Stories from a Life of Service." Hostess Raddatz spoke with Governor Shapiro shortly after he attended a White House breakfast meeting Friday with President Trump and he was in the room with the president when the Supreme Court ruled against his tariff policy. " He was going on and on about other topics, and an aide interrupted him, handed him a note. He read the note, he asked the aide if that meant, I think he said, "We lost?", as a question. The aide nodded in affirmation. He called it a disgrace. And I think he took one more question from a governor and then moved on. Look, I think the disgrace, frankly, is what he’s done to our farmers in Pennsylvania, the way he’s hurt consumers. Now it looks like he’s going to try and make an end around, which is only going to create more chaos and higher costs for the American people." Shapiro comments.

Washington Post [2/23/2026 5:01 AM, Theodoric Meyer, 24826K] reports Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire) and Maggie Hassan (D-New Hampshire) plan to introduce a bill Monday that would bar the Department of Homeland Security from opening new immigration detention centers without state and local officials’ consent. The legislation is a response to the Trump administration’s plans to convert warehouses into new processing sites and detention centers across the country as part of President Donald Trump’s campaign to deport millions of undocumented immigrants. Reps. Chris Pappas (D-New Hampshire) and Maggie Goodlander (D-New Hampshire) plan to introduce a companion bill in the House. The legislation has little chance of passing the Republican-controlled Congress, but it reflects the qualms that lawmakers in both parties have expressed about the administration’s push to set up facilities in their states and districts, some of which could house as many as 10,000 people. “Our new bill responds directly to the concerns we’ve heard from local officials in towns like Merrimack, New Hampshire, and across the country,” Shaheen said in a statement. “They were never consulted about ICE’s plans, and they don’t want the chaos of new detention facilities in their communities.” Shaheen and Hassan are introducing the bill as Democrats demand the Trump administration agree to new restrictions on DHS after federal agents last month shot and killed two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis. Much of DHS shut down earlier this month after the two sides failed to strike a deal to send more money to the agency. The bill would prohibit DHS from setting up new processing sites or detention centers unless local officials and the state’s governor sign off.

Washington Examiner [2/22/2026 2:41 PM, Asher Notheis, 1147K] reports Washington Examiner senior columnist Guy Benson said Saturday that some Democratic politicians are offering "sickening" silence to the families of victims of illegal immigrant criminals. Linda Davis, a teacher at Hesse K-8 school in Savannah, Georgia, was killed Feb. 16 when an illegal immigrant struck her vehicle while fleeing arrest. Davis is the latest victim of illegal immigrant crime in the United States, an issue President Donald Trump spotlighted during the 2024 campaign trail and is still seeking to address in the White House. Benson said people like Kilmar Abrego Garcia are "household names celebrated in some quarters" of the Democratic Party, as some politicians will "posture against federal law enforcement" with them. In comparison, illegal immigrant crime victims are "extremely inconvenient" for these politicians, who "pretend that they don’t exist.". "There is more empathy for the so-called victims of ICE who are here illegally, many of them with a criminal record, than there are for the American victims of these crimes," Benson said on Fox News’s Saturday in America with Kayleigh McEnany. Benson also listed other victims of illegal immigrant crimes, including Georgia nursing student Laken Riley, and asked if some politicians who have "a lot to say about ICE" or Trump have mourned these deaths. In many cases, Benson said the answer is "radio silence.".

Breitbart [2/22/2026 8:25 PM, Lowell Cauffiel, 2238K] reports a Lyft driver accused of sexually assaulting his female passenger during a rideshare to a doctor’s appointment is now apparently being sought by U.S. Immigration officials for deportation as an illegal alien. Yordan Diaz Vera, 34, of Louisville, is charged with first-degree sodomy, menacing, and kidnapping, according to the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD), Fox News Digital reported from police records it obtained. Also, federal authorities believe he is subject to removal, based on police records indicating he has been made the subject of a U.S. immigration detainer by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to the outlet. Fox, however, couched its report by also adding that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) did not immediately confirm Vera’s immigrant status. The alleged assault occurred in early February, with the victim, a mother of four, telling authorities she had summoned Lyft to take her from her Louisville home to a chiropractor’s appointment. After picking the woman up, according to police, Diaz Vera allegedly produced a gun from the car’s glove compartment, pulled over into a church parking lot, and joined her in the back seat. When she tried to escape, she found the door locked and was forced into sexual acts, authorities said. Her chiropractor called the police for her when he dropped her off at his office, according to her attorney. The incident occurred on February 4. Vera was arrested the next day in a supermarket parking lot. Vera has pleaded not guilty and is being held at Metro Corrections on a $100,000 cash bond as well as the immigration detainer, WDRB recently reported, with the case expected to go to a grand jury in March. The victim’s attorney also told WLKY, another Louisville TV news outlet, that Vera is from Cuba and came to the U.S. illegally in 2022. But he also said the driver had a work permit and was waiting on a hearing to gain legal status at the time of his arrest. If he was indeed in the country illegally, his ability to obtain the necessary documentation to drive for the rideshare service remains unclear. Lyft reportedly requires drivers to meet certain requirements, including having insurance, a driver’s license, and a valid Social Security number. "The behavior described is reprehensible and has no place in the Lyft community or society," a company spokesperson told the news outlets in a statement. "We have permanently removed the driver from the Lyft platform and are assisting law enforcement with their investigation.".

Univision [2/22/2026 9:42 PM, Staff, 4937K]
A security camera installed in a home in Donna, Texas, captured the moment several federal agents jumped a fence and entered the property’s yard during an immigration operation, allegedly without a court order. Footage shows ICE agents entering the home around 7:00 a.m. on January 9, 2026, an incident that is now part of a federal lawsuit filed by the affected family. The case was brought before the U.S. Court of the Southern District of Texas, McAllen Division, against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE, who they accuse of violating constitutional rights during the intervention. According to the court complaint obtained by N+ Univision San Antonio, the plaintiffs — Humberto García and his sisters Andrea, Anna and a minor identified as L.G. — are U.S. citizens living in the house with their parents, who are not citizens but were in the process of obtaining lawful permanent residence. The legal document states that Humberto Garcia was preparing to go out to work when he observed federal vehicles outside the home and subsequently saw agents jump the fence surrounding the property. According to the lawsuit, officers pointed weapons at him, knocked him down to the ground and several officers placed his feet on his back without previously identifying himself. The complaint also claims that an agent kicked Andrea Garcia, causing her to fall, while officers demanded to know where her father was. When she asked to see a warrant, the officers, according to the document, showed none. Anna Garcia reportedly suffered bruises after being held tightly by the officers during the operation. The lawsuit was filed as a class action against an alleged internal directive issued in May 2025 that would authorize immigration supervisors to enter housing using administrative orders and not orders signed by a judge. The plaintiffs contend that this practice contradicts even ICE’s own training manual, which states that administrative orders do not authorize entry to private homes. The complaint requests the court to declare that policy unconstitutional and prohibit its application, considering that it violates the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable records and confiscations, as well as the Fifth Amendment, related to due process. The defendants include DHS Secretary Kristi Noem; the federal department itself; ICE; and its acting director, Todd M. Lyons.

NPR [2/23/2025 4:45 AM, Toluwani Osibamowo, 34837K] reports a new trial for the nine people connected to a July 2025 shooting outside an ICE detention facility in Alvarado, Texas, starts Monday. [Editorial note: consult audio at source link]

NewsMax [2/22/2026 5:52 PM, Sam Barron, 3760K] reports Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine criticized the Trump administration for revoking temporary protected status for Haitian immigrants. "I think the policy to revoke that is wrong," DeWine said on CBS News’ "Face the Nation." "I think there’s a consensus in this country. As we all have said, let’s get rid of the violent offenders. Get them out of here. "Once you get beyond that, I don’t think there’s a consensus for taking people who are working, who are supporting their family. "These are people who, if you talk to the employers, they were filling jobs that were not being able to be filled in any other way. So it’s been a big boost to the economy. So if one day they know that TPS is taken away, no employer can hire them anymore.". A U.S. district court judge in Washington issued a temporary stay earlier this month that blocked Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s order terminating TPS for Haitians, pending the outcome of a lawsuit brought by five Haitian TPS holders. In the 83-page memorandum opinion, Judge Ana Reyes, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, said Noem did not consult with other agencies as required by law before ending the designation and wrote that it seemed "substantially likely" the secretary "preordained her termination decision and did so because of hostility to nonwhite immigrants.". Reyes also pointed to the State Department’s current warning on Haiti. The advisory, reissued July 15, says, "Do not travel to Haiti for any reason" and cites "kidnapping, crime, terrorist activity, civil unrest, and limited health care.". Reyes wrote, "‘Do not travel to Haiti for any reason’ does not exactly scream, as Secretary Noem concluded, suitable for return.". Noem announced in November that TPS for Haitians would expire in February after an earlier move last summer was delayed by litigation.

Reuters [2/23/2026 12:29 AM, David Lawder, 38315K] reports the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency said it will halt collections of tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act at 12:01 a.m. EST (0501 GMT) on Tuesday, more than three days after the U.S. Supreme Court declared the duties illegal. The agency said in a message to shippers on its Cargo Systems Messaging Service (CSMS) that it will de-activate all tariff codes associated with President Donald Trump’s prior IEEPA-related orders as of Tuesday. The IEEPA tariff collection halt coincides with Trump’s imposition of a new, 15% global tariff under a different legal authority to replace the ones struck down by the Supreme Court on Friday. CBP gave no reason why it was continuing to collect the tariffs at ports of entry days after the Supreme Court’s ruling, and its message offered no information about possible refunds for importers. The message noted that the collection halt does not affect any other tariffs imposed by Trump, including those under the Section 232 national security statute and the Section 301 unfair trade practices statute. "CBP will provide additional guidance to the trade community through CSMS messages as appropriate," the agency said. Reuters reported on Friday that the Supreme Court decision made more than $175 billion in U.S. Treasury revenue generated by the IEEPA tariffs subject to potential refunds, based on an estimate by Penn-Wharton Budget Model economists. Their estimate from a ground-up forecasting model showed that IEEPA-based tariffs were generating more than $500 million per day in gross revenue.

Breitbart [2/22/2026 10:29 AM, Randy Clark, 2238K] reports ex-Biden officials Jason Houser (former ICE Chief of Staff) and Troy Miller (former acting CBP Commissioner) are part of a group tasked with suggesting enhancements to the Trump administration’s National Targeting Center (NTC) at CBP. A high-level source inside the agency is mystified by how overseers of Biden-era policies that led to record-breaking border failures are now working with the current CBP Commissioner on this key national security effort. Records reviewed by Breitbart Texas reveal that Jason Houser — who has labeled Trump’s immigration policies "racist" — and Troy Miller — who, as Biden’s Acting CBP Commissioner, often amplified Biden’s DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’s claims that the Biden-era border was closed to irregular migration — joined a Tuesday meeting with senior Trump administration CBP officials to discuss NTC changes. The CBP National Targeting Center analyzes traveler data and threat intelligence to flag high-risk individuals before they board U.S.-bound flights. It cross-checks passenger information against U.S. government databases and no-fly lists. The source could not explain how Houser and Miller are positioned to "improve" high-risk traveler screening when a House Judiciary Committee report exposed nearly 100 terrorist watchlist suspects were inadvertently released into the United States at the southwest border during their prominent tenures in the Biden-Harris DHS. The source, not authorized to speak to the media, says financial incentives may be behind the inclusion of Houser and Miller in the high-level project to provide improved technologies to the NTC, as the two are part of George Mason University’s (GMU) Rapid Prototyping Research Center. According to their website, both are part of GMU’s Rapid Prototyping Research Center’s leadership team. The GMU team partners with large federal contractors to provide technology improvement recommendations and solutions to its customers. The source says the inclusion of the pair in the national security project is a slap in the face to CBP employees who had to deal with the impact of open-border policies during the Biden-Harris years. "There is no one more publicly critical of the Trump administration efforts to enforce immigration laws than Houser, he’s appeared time after time alleging the current efforts to arrest illegal aliens are based on skin color and not existing immigration law," the source told Breitbart Texas. In a highly charged exchange with Representative Brandon Gill (R-TX) during congressional testimony in May 2025, Houser was called out for describing current immigration enforcement efforts away from the border as dangerous political theater in a New York Times editorial essay Houser authored. Gill asked the former ICE Chief of Staff if he knew who Gilberto Avila-Jara was, later telling Houser that Avila-Jara was an illegal alien arrested in April who was responsible for more than twenty counts of sex crimes against minors. The Texas congressman capped off his exchange with Houser, saying, "These were the kind of people that Joe Biden and under your leadership were coming into our country.". The source says the addition of former Acting CBP Commissioner Troy Miller to the team of "experts" tasked with improving CBP’s National Targeting Center is just as astonishing as Houser’s. "Miller worked hand in hand with former DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to streamline the processes that opened the border. His catch phrase of implementing ‘decompression’ strategies at the border was just a code word for releasing more illegal aliens as quickly as possible," the source added.

The New York Times [2/23/2026 10:40 PM, Madeleine Ngo and Yan Zhuang, 330K] reports the Department of Homeland Security said on Sunday that T.S.A. PreCheck, a program that allows travelers to move through airport security more quickly, would remain available, hours after announcing that it would be suspended. “At this time, TSA PreCheck remains operational with no change for the traveling public,” the Transportation Security Administration said in a statement on Sunday. The agency added that it would evaluate the situation “as staffing constraints arise” because of the continuing shutdown, and adjust operations accordingly. D.H.S. had said in an earlier statement that it would pause its T.S.A. PreCheck and Global Entry programs starting on Sunday at 6 a.m. Eastern to “refocus department personnel on the majority of travelers.” The department, which oversees T.S.A., also said it would suspend all courtesy and family police escorts at airports for members of Congress. The Global Entry program remained suspended, according to the D.H.S. website. The moves are among several measures the department is taking after its funding lapsed on Feb. 14. Lawmakers have been deadlocked over a proposal to restore funding. Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, said in the statement early Sunday that the department was making “tough but necessary work force and resource decisions,” and accused Democrats, who have withheld their votes to continue funding the agency, of endangering national security. Ms. Noem added that the Federal Emergency Management Agency would “halt all non-disaster related response to prioritize disasters.” A major snowstorm was expected to pummel the East Coast on Sunday. Federal assistance will not continue for “legacy disasters” during the shutdown, according to the department. The agency will only carry out activities for new or recent disasters “requiring immediate emergency action to protect lives or prevent catastrophic damage,” the department said. Some Democratic lawmakers had questioned how the suspension of the priority security screening services would help the department manage the shutdown. “T.S.A. PreCheck and Global Entry REDUCE airport lines and ease the burden on D.H.S. staff,” Representative Bennie G. Thompson, the party’s top member of the Committee on Homeland Security, said in a statement. He accused the Trump administration of “purposely punishing the American people.” T.S.A. PreCheck allows departing travelers to use a separate — and usually much shorter — line through airport security. Global Entry speeds travelers through customs screening when they return to the United States. By withholding their votes to fund the department, Democrats are seeking to rein in another branch of the department, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, whose agents have been carrying out President Trump’s immigration crackdown. The Wall Street Journal [2/22/2026 12:53 PM, Alyssa Lukpat, 646K] reports “The American people depend on this department every day, and we are making tough but necessary workforce and resource decisions to mitigate the damage inflicted by these politicians,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said. The Daily Caller [2/22/2026 12:58 PM, Mark Tanos, 803K] reports DHS Secretary Kristi Noem blamed congressional Democrats for the shutdown, according to Fox News. "This is the third time that Democrat politicians have shut down this department during the 119th Congress," Noem said in a statement. "Shutdowns have serious real world consequences, not just for the men and women of DHS and their families who go without a paycheck, but it endangers our national security.". The secretary said her agency was making "tough but necessary workforce and resource decisions to mitigate the damage inflicted by these politicians," Fox News reported.

Reported similarly:
Los Angeles Times [2/22/2026 3:00 PM, Ali Swenson, 12718K]
New York Post [2/22/2026 10:40 AM, Ryan King, 40934K]
USA Today [2/22/2026 10:40 AM, Zach Wichter, 70643K]
Washington Times [2/22/2026 9:58 AM, Lindsey McPherson, 1323K]
Washington Examiner [2/22/2026 10:31 AM, David Zimmermann, 1147K]
Univision [2/22/2026 11:40 AM, Staff, 4937K]

Breitbart [2/22/2026 11:21 AM, Amy Furr, 2238K] reports officials with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are suspending two travel programs beginning Sunday amid a partial government shutdown that is being blamed on Democrats. The news surrounds the suspension of TSA PreCheck and Global Entry that offer some travelers a faster airport security experience, Fox News reported Sunday. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem is pointing the finger at Democrat lawmakers. "This is the third time that Democrat politicians have shut down this department during the 119th Congress. Shutdowns have serious real world consequences, not just for the men and women of DHS and their families who go without a paycheck, but it endangers our national security," she told Fox. The TSA website said its pre-check program helps "trusted travelers" move through the airport with ease via dedicated lanes after they enroll. Per the Fox article, "The third government shutdown in under half a year began on Feb. 14 after Democrats and Republicans were at an impasse on reaching a deal regarding President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.". "DHS was the only department left without federal funding after Democrats walked away from a bipartisan plan released last month in response to the deaths of two U.S. citizens at the hands of federal law enforcement agents in Minneapolis during anti-ICE demonstrations," the outlet said. In a statement posted February 12, a TSA senior official said, "The government shutdown will cease pay for all of TSA’s more than 63,000-person workforce and suspend non-essential services. Over 99% of that workforce resides in communities across the country.". "Democrats should fund the department and stop punishing our workforce and the everyday travelers they serve. A prolonged shutdown could result in significant attrition and increased callout rates of our officers, including noticeable impacts at airports, including delays, longer wait times and cancelled flights," the statement read: On Saturday, Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) said the DHS shutdown "is nothing more than people that are afraid of the base to just explain to them that shutting down the entire DHS will have no impact or make those kinds of reforms for ICE," according to Breitbart News.

Politico [2/22/2026 4:11 PM, Thomas Frank, 21784K] reports the Trump administration on Sunday halted disaster aid to states for long-term rebuilding projects in order to focus on emergency operations as the partial government shutdown enters its second week. The Federal Emergency Management Agency “is scaling back to bare-minimum, life-saving operations only,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement. “All non-emergency recovery work is paused.” The funding freeze for projects stemming from past disasters adds a new source of uncertainty for states as they navigate the government’s shifting system for catastrophe response after President Donald Trump vowed to reduce aid for extreme weather. It’s also a sign that political acrimony over Trump’s immigration crackdown has affected FEMA, which is housed with Immigration and Customs Enforcement under the Department of Homeland Security. Congressional Democrats have blocked a DHS spending bill over ICE’s aggressive tactics. It’s the 11th time since 2003 that FEMA has suspended funding for long-term disaster-recovery projects, such as rebuilding public facilities, based on budget constraints. The latest restriction was unusual because the agency had $7.1 billion available in its disaster fund in late January. Historically, FEMA has waited until the disaster fund drops to about $3 billion before it restricts spending. FEMA officials told Congress last week that the fund had $9.6 billion, according to a senior congressional aide who was granted anonymity to discuss internal conversations. The fund’s balance increased in February because FEMA recovered aid that had been approved but not spent, the aide said. On Sunday, Noem said DHS “must take emergency measures to preserve limited funds and personnel.” The announcement came days after FEMA employee travel was restricted by DHS. Noem blamed Democrats for the shutdown, which she said forced her to halt the FEMA funding. Noem also suspended two DHS airport programs over the weekend that allowed some travelers to skip long lines at screening checkpoints and at customs entry stations. “These actions reflect the reality of operating without appropriations,” she said. Noem, whose department includes the Transportation Security Administration, said she wanted to “refocus Department personnel on the majority of travelers.”

NPR [2/22/2026 8:33 PM, Chandelis Duster, 28764K] reports officials are warning those in the path of a dangerous winter storm to take precautions and heed warnings as blizzard conditions are set to impact the East Coast Sunday through Monday. The National Weather Service (NWS) on Sunday said the storm will bring "heavy snow, high winds, blizzard conditions and coastal flooding across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.". Cody Snell, a forecaster with the NWS Weather Prediction Center, said Sunday there could be at least 18 inches to 2 feet of snow along parts of the East Coast from New Jersey up through Massachusetts. "That’s where we’re going to see the major impacts from snowfall with this system that includes heavy snowfall rates, which can reduce visibility and accumulate on roads very quickly tonight, into tomorrow morning," Snell said during a briefing on Sunday. "We’re going to see the snowfall be very heavy and wet. … It’s going to weigh down trees, power lines.". Winds with gusts from 40 to 70 mph from the New Jersey coast to New England are expected, which could lead to power outages, the NWS said on Sunday. Coastal flooding and erosion could also occur from Delaware to Cape Cod. Blizzard warnings have been issued for parts of Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on Saturday urged people impacted by the storm to "avoid unnecessary travel, charge devices, stock up on essentials & be ready for power outages." The agency also said for people to follow directives from their local officials.

NBC News [2/22/2026 3:28 PM, Staff, 42967K] Video: HERE reports a potentially historic winter storm is expected to bring dangerous conditions to the Northeast, placing millions under blizzard warnings while major cities are preparing for possible power outages, flight delays and cancellations. NBC News’ Hallie Jackson and Valerie Castro report as New York City announces an overnight travel ban and school closures for Monday.

ABC News [2/22/2026 8:54 AM, Staff, 34146K] Video: HERE reports powerful winds blowing from the Atlantic are bringing the threat of coastal flooding along the coast.

Reuters [2/23/2026 12:04 AM, Rajesh Kumar Singh, 38315K] reports children across parts of the U.S. Northeast will stay home on Monday as a powerful winter storm forced school closures and pushed offices and transit systems onto emergency schedules, with officials across the region warning of heavy snow, strong winds and dangerous travel conditions. The storm has already snarled travel along the East Coast from Washington to New England, with airlines canceling thousands of flights and officials urging people to stay off the roads. Winter weather in the Northeast may also slow the processing, transport and delivery of mail and packages, the U.S. Postal Service said. New York City, the nation’s largest school district, ordered all public school buildings closed for a traditional snow day, with no remote instruction and all after-school programs canceled. Mayor Zohran Mamdani declared a state of emergency and ordered non-essential vehicles off city roads from Sunday night to noon Monday, saying plows and emergency crews needed the streets clear as snowfall intensified. The city is under its first blizzard warning since 2017. City offices will close for in-person services, and non-essential municipal employees may work remotely. "I’m urging every New Yorker to please stay home," Mamdani said. New York Governor Kathy Hochul said she had activated 100 National Guard members to assist in Long Island, New York City and the Lower Hudson Valley - areas expected to bear the brunt of the heavy snow and coastal winds. The storm also forced closure of the U.N. headquarters complex in Manhattan on Monday. Parts of the Northeast could see up to two feet of snow and wind gusts could reach 70 mph, raising the risk of falling trees and power outages, according to the Department of Homeland Security. In an update on Sunday, the agency said despite its ongoing funding lapse, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s disaster‑response work continues uninterrupted, including staff travel, emergency operations, and critical assistance for people affected by active disasters, with life safety and property protection remaining top priorities. Last week, Reuters reported that President Donald Trump’s administration had ordered FEMA to suspend the deployment of hundreds of aid workers to disaster-affected areas around the country while the DHS is shut down. Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey declared an emergency and told state workers to stay home. Connecticut barred commercial vehicles from limited-access highways Sunday evening, exempting only emergency and essential deliveries. New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill declared a statewide emergency effective noon Sunday and urged residents to take the storm seriously. "People need to take this very seriously," she told CNN.

New York Times [2/22/2026 6:35 PM, Eileen Sullivan, 148038K] reports two Secret Service agents and a sheriff’s deputy were involved in the fatal shooting of an armed North Carolina man early Sunday morning after he breached the security perimeter at Mar-a-Lago, officials said. President Trump was not there at the time. The Secret Service, which is charged with protecting the president and other top government officials, has rarely had fatal encounters during the agency’s 160-year history. “Our people work day and night to ensure threats never reach the point of confrontation,” said Anthony Guglielmi, a spokesman for the Secret Service. He noted that officials at the agency’s national threat assessment center work to research threat behavior and analyze intelligence. “Each layer is designed to detect, deter and interdict threats at the earliest possible stage.” Feb. 2, 1920: Train platform, New York City: A Secret Service agent shot and killed a man as he tried to board a train at the Harlem station of the New York Central. The man, known as “Big Ed” McGuinness, was impersonating a Secret Service agent in order to board trains, according to news reports at the time. Nov. 1, 1950: Blair House, Washington, D.C.: While President Harry Truman was staying temporarily at the Blair House during repairs to the White House residence, two Puerto Rican nationalists seeking to assassinate him shot at the front door. A Secret Service officer, Leslie Coffelt, shot and killed one of the would-be assassins, Griselio Torresola. Mr. Torresola and the other gunman, Oscar Collazo, were looking to bring attention to the Puerto Rican independence movement, at the time, according to the Blair House website. April 6, 1973: Tuxedo shop in Detroit: A Secret Service agent shot and killed a man during a raid of a tuxedo rental shop in Detroit, according to an Associated Press report at the time. July 25, 1976: White House grounds: A Secret Service officer shot and killed a man who had climbed over the fence outside the White House. The man, who was carrying a three-foot metal pipe, was about 60 feet inside the fence when the Secret Service officer killed him with a single gunshot. Jan. 14, 1980: Denver office of the Secret Service: A Secret Service agent shot and killed a man who opened fire inside the agency’s Denver field office. The man had previously been committed to a mental institution and in 1979 had tried to climb the White House gate. According to an Associated Press report at the time, the man, Joseph Hugh Ryan, shot and killed a Secret Service agent in the Denver office before another agent killed him. May 28, 1983: Storage facility in Upland, Calif.: During a counterfeit money investigation, a Secret Service agent shot and killed an armed man from Las Vegas near a storage unit in Upland, Calif., where the man was running a phony money scam, according to news reports at the time. April 20, 2022: Washington home of the Peruvian ambassador: Secret Service officers shot and killed a man who was trying to break into the Northwest Washington, D.C., home of the Peruvian ambassador. July 13, 2024: Presidential rally in Butler, Pa.: A Secret Service countersniper shot and killed a gunman who opened fire at Mr. Trump during an outdoor campaign rally in a suburb of Pittsburgh. The gunman, Thomas Crooks, was hiding on a nearby rooftop when he fired eight shots, killing a rally attendee and injuring Mr. Trump. The episode is considered one of the greatest security lapses in the agency’s history. March 9, 2025: Near the White House: Secret Service agents shot and killed a man who was a block from the White House and believed to be armed. Mr. Trump was not at the White House at the time.

New York Times [2/23/2026 3:40 AM, Minho Kim, Sonia A. Rao and Tyler Pager, 330K] reports an armed man was shot and killed by law enforcement officers, including Secret Service agents, after he entered the secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago, President Trump’s residence in Palm Beach, Fla., early Sunday morning, local and federal authorities announced. Sheriff Ric L. Bradshaw of Palm Beach County said that the man was Austin Tucker Martin, 21, of Cameron, N.C. He said officials confirmed Mr. Martin’s identity through his driver’s license. Mr. Martin was confronted inside the north gate of the Mar-a-Lago complex and was carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel canister, the Secret Service said in a statement. Mr. Trump hosted state governors at the White House on Saturday night and was not at Mar-a-Lago at the time of the shooting. The president has not yet commented on the shooting and has no public appearances scheduled for Sunday. He posted a few messages on social media on Sunday, congratulating the U.S. men’s hockey team for winning the gold medal at the Olympics. Sheriff Bradshaw said during a news conference on Sunday that the man was told by law enforcement to “drop the items.” The man put down the canister but raised the shotgun to a “shooting position,” prompting the dispatched officers to open fire and kill him, Sheriff Bradshaw said. He showed a photo of a shotgun and a canister to reporters. Agents at the scene were wearing body cameras, he said. At least two Secret Service agents and a Palm Beach County officer were involved in the shooting, which was around 1:30 a.m., Sheriff Bradshaw said. Investigators with the F.B.I., the Secret Service and the sheriff’s office were investigating, the Secret Service said. At the news conference, Brett Skiles, the F.B.I. special agent in charge of the Miami office, asked people living near the scene of the shooting to check their security cameras for any suspicious activity overnight and to report any relevant footage. The White House did not provide comment, referring questions to the Secret Service and the F.B.I. Sean Curran, the director of the Secret Service, was traveling to Florida for briefings on the shooting and to meet with personnel involved in the response, the agency said Sunday. Kimberly A. Cheatle, the previous director of the agency, received heavy criticism for not traveling to Butler, Pa., after an assassination attempt on Mr. Trump at a campaign rally there in 2024. She resigned soon after. A woman identifying herself as Mr. Tucker’s mother, Melissa Martin, had posted on Facebook on Sunday morning that her son was missing and that he had last been heard from on Saturday at 7:51 p.m. Ms. Martin did not respond to requests for comment. In a Facebook post that has since been deleted, a woman who said she was Mr. Martin’s aunt, Chrissie Fields, said Mr. Martin had left home at 1 p.m. on Saturday. “This is not like him at all,” she wrote, adding that local police were involved and had reached out to the F.B.I. Ms. Fields did not immediately respond to calls or text messages.

Reported similarly:
New York Post [2/22/2026 5:47 PM, Joe Marino and Anthony Blair, 40934K]
Bloomberg [2/22/2026 9:47 AM, Myles Miller, 50K]
Breitbart [2/22/2026 2:20 PM, Staff, 2238K]
AP [2/23/2026 3:36 AM, Michelle L. Price and Allen G. Breed, 31753K]
ABC News [2/22/2026 4:19 PM, Luke Barr and Bill Hutchinson, 34146K] Video: HERE
CBS News [2/22/2026 11:50 AM, Kaia Hubbard, 51110K] Video: HERE
CNN [2/22/2026 9:31 AM, Lauren Mascarenhas, John Miller, 612K]
NBC News [2/22/2026 12:46 PM, Megan Lebowitz, Kelly O’Donnell, and Gary Grumbach, 42967K] Video: HERE
Daily Signal [2/22/2026 10:04 AM, Jasper Ward, 474K]
Daily Caller [2/22/2026 9:40 AM, Harold Hutchison, 803K]
Washington Times [2/22/2026 9:50 AM, Lindsey McPherson, 1323K]
Washington Examiner [2/22/2026 1:06 PM, David Zimmermann, 1147K]

FOX News [2/22/2026 8:07 PM, Ashley Carnahan , Sophia Compton , Greg Wehner, 37576K] Video: HERE reports a man was shot and killed early Sunday after allegedly breaching the secure perimeter of President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, the U.S. Secret Service said. The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. when the suspect made an "unauthorized entry" through the north gate of the resort as another vehicle was exiting. The man has been identified as 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin of North Carolina, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw confirmed to Fox News. The suspect was observed carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel can. Agents and a deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) confronted him. "They confronted a white male that was carrying a gas can and a shotgun. He was ordered to drop those two pieces of equipment that he had with him – at which time he put down the gas can, raised the shotgun to a shooting position," Bradshaw told reporters. "At that point in time, the deputy and the two Secret Service agents fired their weapons and neutralized the threat.". Bradshaw said the suspect did not exchange any words with law enforcement officers who instructed the man to "drop the items.". The man was pronounced dead at the scene. No Secret Service or PBSO personnel were injured, and no Secret Service protectees were present at the location during the time of the incident, officials said. Trump was at the White House at the time of the breach, even though he frequently spends weekends at Mar-a-Lago, according to The Associated Press. Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the man is believed to have bought the shotgun while traveling south, and authorities later discovered the weapon’s box inside his vehicle, The Associated Press reported. The Moore County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release that a relative reported Martin missing around 1:38 a.m. Sunday. He was entered into a national missing person database before federal authorities informed local officials they were conducting an active investigation in Florida related to Martin. The sheriff’s office said it had no prior history with the 21-year-old and has since turned over the missing person case information to federal authorities. It is not involved in the Florida investigation. The incident, including the suspect’s background, actions and potential motive, as well as the circumstances surrounding the use of force, are under investigation by the FBI, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Reported similarly:
Daily Wire [2/22/2026 7:24 AM, Nathan Gay, 2314K]

NewsNation [2/22/2026 2:45 PM, Ashley N. Soriano and Libbey Dean, 4464K] Video: HERE reports U.S. Secret Service agents fatally shot a man who breached President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property in Palm Beach, Florida, early Sunday morning. Investigators identified the man as 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin of North Carolina, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to NewsNation. Authorities said Martin attempted to enter Mar-a-Lago at the front gate on the north side around 1:30 a.m. Sunday. The suspect was carrying a shotgun and a gas can, officials said. The suspect, who was in his early 20s and from North Carolina, was reported missing a few days ago by his family. NewsNation was told by the Moore County, North Carolina, Sheriff’s Office, that on just before 1:40 a.m. Sunday, a relative of Martin approached a deputy at a local business and reported him missing. Martin was subsequently entered into a national missing persons database. The sheriff’s office added Martin had no history with the department before the missing report. Investigators believe he left North Carolina and headed south, picking up a shotgun along the way, Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said. The box for the gun was recovered in his vehicle, Guglielmi said. The man drove through the north gate of Mar-a-Lago as another vehicle was exiting and was confronted by Secret Service agents, Guglielmi said. The agents confronted the armed man and he was fatally shot. Investigators are working to compile a psychological profile and a motive is still under investigation. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

New York Post [2/22/2026 10:09 PM, Caitlin McCormack, 40934K] reports the armed man shot and killed by Secret Service agents at Mar-a-Lago after he was seen stalking onto President Trump’s estate with a shotgun and a gas canister in hand lost his older sister in a head-on car crash years earlier. Austin Tucker Martin, 21, of Cameron, North Carolina, was reported missing by his family on Saturday. He was killed by local cops and Secret Service stationed at Mar-a-Lago early Sunday morning after he was seen sneaking into a secure perimeter armed with a shotgun and a gas can. Austin reportedly dropped the gas can when ordered, but "raised the shotgun to a shooting position," forcing the officers to "[neutralize] the threat," Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw told reporters during a press conference Sunday. Caitlin Renea Martin, Austin’s older sister, was killed in a brutal head-on car crash in August 2023, The Pilot reported. She was also 21 at the time of her death. Caitlin was attempting to cut across a southbound lane near her family home when she was rammed by a Ford pickup truck, which was running without its headlights on. Her car spun out of control and smashed into a guardrail before careening over the barrier, the outlet reported. The teenage pickup truck driver was treated for minor injuries, but Caitlin died at the hospital. "Caitlin was kind and she loved animals. She loved her cats Meatball and ‘Juice.’ She was brave and adventurous, recently trying her hand at skateboarding which resulted in a broken wrist. She had a unique way of looking at the world and was still trying to find her place in it. She was greatly loved by her family and friends and we have all been blessed to have her for the short time she was with us," her family wrote in her obituary. Now, Army hopeful Jacob Cade Martin is the only surviving sibling in his family. Their mother, Melissa Martin, created a missing person poster for Austin after he vanished Saturday night, urging her friends to help "find my boy." She said that he was likely driving a 2013 silver Volkswagen Tiguan, according to her social media. The vehicle Austin drove was found on site. Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said authorities found a box for the shotgun inside the car after the shooting. Austin had a criminal record with at least one prior arrest, but the exact details are still unclear. Trump was not on site during the shooting. He was at the White House in Washington DC, where he hosted the Governor’s Dinner on Saturday. Authorities have urged nearby residents in South Florida to check their security cameras for any footage that may show Austin.

Breitbart [2/22/2026 2:36 PM, Staff, 2238K] reports the armed man who was shot and killed Sunday morning at Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s resort in Palm Beach, Florida, has been identified as 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin, and was reported missing by his family about the time the shooting occurred. Breitbart News reported that law enforcement shot and killed an armed man who had breached Mar-a-Lago’s secure perimeter around 1:30 a.m. The man was carrying a shotgun and a container of gasoline. Martin lived in North Carolina, and WXII 12 News noted that one of his relatives approached a Moore County Sheriff’s Office deputy Sunday morning to let them know Martin was missing. He was entered into a database for missing persons and later ID’d as the man who was shot at Mar-a-Lago. The New York Post said that "a box for the shotgun was discovered in Martin’s vehicle following the shooting." He allegedly entered Mar-a-Lago by driving through the gates as another vehicle left. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt use an X post to comment on the incident, saying, "In the middle of the night while most Americans were asleep, the United States Secret Service acted quickly and decisively to neutralize a crazy person, armed with a gun and a gas canister, who intruded President Trump’s home. Federal law enforcement are working 24/7 to keep our country safe and protect all Americans.". "It’s shameful and reckless that Democrats have chosen to shut down their Department," Leavitt added.

AP [2/22/2026 4:04 PM, Staff, 35287K] Video: HERE reports U.S. Secret Service said an armed man was shot and killed after entering the secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s resort in Palm Beach, Fla. Trump often spends weekends at his resort but he was at the White House during this incident.

ABC News [2/22/2026 5:54 PM, Staff, 34146K] Video: HERE reports ABC News’ Selina Wang and former Secret Service agent Don Mihalek discuss the latest in the shooting and investigation.

New York Times [2/22/2026 4:31 PM, Sonia A. Rao, 148038K] reports the 21-year-old man who was shot and killed after entering Mar-a-Lago with a weapon was a recent high school graduate who last year started an artwork company that specialized in handmade drawings of golf courses. The artist, Austin Tucker Martin, of Cameron, N.C. was confronted by the Secret Service and officers from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office inside the north gate of the Mar-a-Lago complex. He was carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel canister. Officers told him to drop the items, but he put down only the canister and was shot and killed after raising the shotgun to a “shooting position,” the authorities said. President Trump was not at Mar-a-Lago at the time of the shooting, which occurred around 1:30 a.m. Sunday. The incident follows several high-profile attempts on his life, including two assassination attempts during his 2024 campaign. Mr. Martin likely drove from North Carolina to Florida on Saturday afternoon, based on information posted by family members on social media as well as a statement from the sheriff’s department in the rural North Carolina county where he lived. Family members of Mr. Martin, including his mother, Melissa Martin, had posted on Facebook throughout the weekend that he was missing. On Sunday morning, at around 7 a.m. — hours after Mr. Martin was killed by authorities — Ms. Martin posted to her followers, asking them to help “find my boy.” An hour later, she shared an image of a poster with a picture of Mr. Martin and information about his car, a 2013 silver Volkswagen Tiguan. He had last been heard from at 7:51 p.m. on Saturday, the poster said. Ric Bradshaw, the Palm Beach County sheriff, said the car found near the scene that was believed to be Mr. Martin’s was a silver Volkswagen, and that there was a box lying in the back seat that appeared to have been carrying the shotgun. Mr. Bradshaw said authorities are not yet sure where Mr. Martin obtained the weapon. On Sunday morning, police were seen surrounding a silver Volkswagen parked at Midtown Beach, a public area that is around a 30-minute walk from Mar-a-Lago.

Daily Caller [2/22/2026 9:52 PM, Harold Hutchison, 803K] reports the man killed by Secret Service agents Sunday while attempting to breach President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida had an apparent obsession with the release of files pertaining to deceased child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, TMZ reported. Two agents and a deputy from the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office confronted Austin Tucker Martin, 21, who was armed with a shotgun and carrying a gas can, according to a press conference held by federal and local law enforcement officials following a statement from the U.S. Secret Service. The texts between Martin and a co-worker about the Epstein files from Feb. 15 indicated a belief there was a cover-up about the disgraced financier, according to TMZ. "I don’t know if you read up on the Epstein Files, but evil is real and unmistakable," one of Martin’s texts reads. "The best people like you and I can do is use what little influence we have. Tell other people about what you hear about the Epstein files and what the government is doing about it. Raise awareness.". The Department of Justice released 3.5 million pages of documents from its collection of Epstein files Jan. 30, which included contacts Epstein had with Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and former White House strategist Steve Bannon. The disgraced financier, arrested in 2019 on sex trafficking charges, apparently committed suicide in his Manhattan jail cell while awaiting trial. Even after he became a convicted sex offender, Epstein had extensive ties to celebrities, politicians, and executives, including L Brands founder Lex Wexner, director Woody Allen, and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former Duke of York. While Democrats have sought to tar President Donald Trump over his past friendship with Epstein, Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s most prominent victims, did not accuse Trump of misconduct in her memoir, released after she committed suicide. Furthermore, Attorney Bradley Edwards, who represented some of Epstein’s victims, described Trump as someone who aided his efforts in a 2018 video. "[Trump] was very helpful in the information that he gave and gave no indication whatsoever that he was involved in anything untoward whatsoever," Edwards said.

FOX News [2/22/2026 1:08 PM, Staff, 37576K] Video: HERE reports FBI leads probe into the Mar-a-Lago shooting where an armed man, Austin Tucker Martin, was killed. Former U.S. Secret Service Special Agent Charles Marino discusses security and potential motives for the incident.

NewsMax [2/22/2026 4:09 PM, Staff, 3760K] reports the FBI’s decision to take the lead in investigating the fatal shooting of a man who attempted to breach the perimeter of Mar-a-Lago early Sunday suggests there may be a broader component to the incident, former FBI special agent Stuart Kaplan told Newsmax on Sunday. "First and foremost, the FBI has taken the lead from the Secret Service, keeping in mind the Secret Service has exclusive jurisdiction over Mar-a-Lago and also in the responsibilities of protecting the president of the United States," Kaplan said on Newsmax’s "Wake Up America Weekend." . He added that while the FBI often assists with evidence collection and processing, taking the lead role "says a lot about the fact that there is some indication, certainly, that this may have a bigger component to it.". "That is why the FBI, because of the expertise, their investigative knowledge, and their resources and assets, the Secret Service has deferred to them because there may be a bigger web here that may be afoot," he said. Authorities said the man breached the perimeter of the Palm Beach property around 1:30 a.m. before he was shot and killed by law enforcement officers. Kaplan, who said he is "extremely familiar with this area," noted that Mar-a-Lago sits in a residential neighborhood, creating challenges for security planning. "The Secret Service, the sheriff’s department has tried to manage the inconvenience of the people that live in that area and have to use the access roads in and out, balancing, obviously, with trying to keep Mar-a-Lago as safe as possible and most importantly keep the people that are inside the perimeter and the president of the United States and his family," said Kaplan.

FOX News [2/22/2026 12:24 PM, Taylor Penley, 37576K] reports Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Sunday blamed what he called "venom" from the political left following a deadly incident at President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence. "Two would-be assassins dead, one in jail for life, and this venom coming from the other side…" Bessent said during "Sunday Morning Futures.". "They are normalizing this violence. It’s got to stop.". Bessent pointed to a campaign commercial from an Illinois Democratic Senate candidate in which Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton showcased people declaring, "F--- Trump, vote Juliana," urging that the "profane" video be taken down. "We don’t know whether this person was a mastermind, unhinged or what, but they are normalizing this… violence," he said. Fox News Digital reached out to Stratton’s office for comment and did not immediately hear back. Bessent’s comments came as authorities investigate a security incident at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, where a young male suspect was shot and killed early Sunday. Sheriff Ric Bradshaw confirmed to Fox News that the suspect was 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin of North Carolina. The president was in Washington, D.C., at the time of the incident. No Secret Service agents or law enforcement personnel were injured.

Oregonian [2/22/2026 2:51 PM, Staff, 4305K] reports the Coast Guard suspended its search Saturday for a 21-year-old kayaker who went missing in the Hood Canal near Hazel Point after his kayak overturned Friday night. The missing man, who was last seen in a black hoodie and was not wearing a life jacket, was with a friend when they capsized around 10 p.m., according to the Coast Guard. As the two tried to swim ashore, one of the kayakers reportedly lost sight of his friend. When he got to land, he was able to call 911 for help, triggering search efforts. Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound launched a search campaign, which included an Air Station Port Angeles MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew, a 45-foot response boat and the 87-foot USCGC Blue Shark. The Jefferson County sheriff’s office and local fire and rescue crews also assisted in the search.

New York Times [2/22/2026 5:00 AM, Adam Sella, 148038K] reports in his first term, President Trump established the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to defend the nation’s infrastructure against cyberattacks. In his second, he has taken aim at the agency. Mr. Trump has sought to chip away at major aspects of CISA, a target of his ire after it undercut his false claims that the 2020 election was rigged. He has dismantled its election-related defenses, and called last year for a “comprehensive evaluation of all of CISA’s activities.” The lapse in funding for the Department of Homeland Security, CISA’s parent agency, is only the latest setback, temporarily winnowing its already thinning ranks. In January 2025, CISA employed about 3,400 people. That number has dropped to below 2,400. The shutdown means employees are now furloughed, leaving fewer than 1,000 of them to continue working. The agency has navigated these cuts while being effectively rudderless without a Senate-confirmed leader. The result is a demoralized work force concerned about the agency’s ability to ward off threats, according to former agency officials. Lawmakers have shared those worries. “You just can’t lose a third of your work force and accomplish the mission and authorities that you have,” Representative Bennie Thompson, Democrat of Mississippi, said after an oversight hearing in late January.

Wall Street Journal [2/22/2026 1:32 PM, Natalie Andrews and Sune Engel Rasmussen, 646K] reports President Trump said he plans to send a hospital ship to Greenland as part of his continuing effort to exercise control of the island in the Arctic, which he has said is vital for national security and contains mineral riches. Late Saturday, Trump posted on social media that he is sending the ship “to take care of the many people who are sick, and not being taken care of there. It’s on the way!!!” Trump posted the missive after a meeting with Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, whom he named as envoy to Greenland last year. The White House didn’t respond to questions about what specifically prompted the ship’s deployment. Greenland’s government provides free healthcare to the population. Greenland’s rising profile in international affairs reflects the larger global scramble for the Arctic as climate change opens maritime routes and reorders geopolitics at the top of the world. Most of the roughly 56,000 citizens are Greenlandic Inuit, though all residents are considered citizens of Denmark. The Navy has two hospital ships—the East Coast-based USNS Comfort and the West Coast-based USNS Mercy. It couldn’t be determined which ship Trump would send, or when it would arrive. Both vessels are in a shipyard in Mobile, Ala., and not at their home ports, according to the ship-tracking website MarineTraffic. The Comfort is expected to complete its maintenance period in April, according to a Defense Department contract listing in December. A spokesperson for the Defense Department referred questions to U.S. Northern Command, whose spokeswoman referred questions to the White House.

Wall Street Journal [2/22/2026 1:08 PM, Marc Gustafson, 646K] reports early one Saturday morning two years ago, I stood outside President Biden’s house in Rehoboth Beach, Del., with intelligence that Iran was about to launch an unprecedented missile barrage at Israel. The stakes felt enormous, yet I hesitated before waking him. My concern was that the region would spiral into chaos. Many of my friends were stationed at bases that could become targets. Working at the Central Intelligence Agency in the post-9/11 era, I had long worried about Iran and the possibility that a U.S. misstep would spark chaos. A lot has changed in two years. The risk of regional war has greatly diminished. For the Trump administration, the upside of acting at a moment of Iranian vulnerability is plainly alluring. It could further erode proxy networks, blunt the nuclear threat, and help tip the global balance of power in America’s favor. An attack on Iran would still entail risk. The regime’s identity is rooted in resistance to foreign interference. An external attack could trigger pockets of fierce backlash. U.S. personnel remain within range of thousands of Iran’s short-range missiles. Oil markets could convulse if Tehran disrupted Gulf shipping.

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