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.

NBC News [3/14/2026 3:25 PM, Matt Lavietes, 42967K] reports Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi have a lot in common: They’re both teenagers. They’re both first-generation Americans. Both live on tree-lined streets in the affluent suburbs north of Philadelphia. "Nothing crazy happens around this area," said Logan Lombardi, who went to high school with Kayumi. For all their similarities, however, authorities say the only known link between the pair is what they did together last Saturday: attempt what investigators describe as an ISIS-inspired attack by throwing explosive devices at a protest outside New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s residence. Federal prosecutors allege that Balat, 18, and Kayumi, 19, drove to Manhattan from Pennsylvania the morning of March 7, parking a few blocks away from Gracie Mansion before slipping into a crowd that included participants in an anti-Islam demonstration and a group of counterprotesters. The pair was arrested after Balat threw two jars packed with explosive materials at protesters and law enforcement, according to prosecutors. Neither of the devices detonated, and no one was injured. Balat and Kayumi are being detained on several federal charges, including attempting to provide support to the Islamic State, after prosecutors said the pair made statements about the terrorist group. FOX News [3/14/2026 3:54 PM, Madison Colombo, 37576K] Video: HERE reports a former jihadist turned counterterrorism operative warns that a lethal ideology is turning American teenagers into ISIS-inspired "superheroes." Mubin Shaikh was radicalized at age 20 but was later deradicalized and became a counterterrorism operative in Canada. After the recent terror attack in New York City, he explained the predatory nature of extremist recruiters. "It’s like drug dealing. You give them something that they’re [going to] get high off of. A kid who’s looking for a sense of meaning, belonging, purpose, identity," Shaikh said on "Saturday in America." "He’s a zero in real life, and he goes online, and suddenly he’s Abu Jihad, a superhero. He’s from zero to hero overnight." On March 7, two teenagers allegedly attempted to use improvised explosive devices at a demonstration outside Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s home, Gracie Mansion. Eighteen-year-old Emir Balat and 19-year-old Ibrahim Kayumi traveled from Pennsylvania to Manhattan to hurl explosive devices into a crowd, according to the Justice Department. The incident is being investigated as "ISIS-inspired terrorism" after one of the suspects reportedly wrote and signed a pledge of allegiance to the Islamic State, according to federal prosecutors. Shaikh explained that ideology combined with grievances is what stirs young people to act. He described purpose and identity as a product being sold by jihadist recruiters. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Los Angeles Times [3/14/2026 2:51 PM, Jamie Stengle, 12718K] reports a federal jury Friday convicted nine people — eight on terrorism charges — over a shooting at a Texas immigration facility that federal prosecutors tied to antifa, the decentralized far-left movement that has become a target of the Trump administration. One person was also found guilty of attempted murder after prosecutors say he opened fire last summer outside the Prairieland Detention Center outside Fort Worth, wounding a police officer. The Justice Department called the violence an attack plotted by antifa operatives, but attorneys for the accused denied that characterization, saying there were no antifa associations and that there was merely a demonstration with fireworks before gunshots broke out. U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman, an appointee of President Trump, presided over the nearly three-week trial in Fort Worth. It was closely followed by legal experts and critics who called the proceedings a test of the lengths the government can go to punish protesters. FBI Director Kash Patel had said the case was the first time charges of providing material support to terrorists had targeted people accused of being antifa members. "Today’s verdict on terrorism charges will not be the last as the Trump administration systematically dismantles Antifa and finally halts their violence on America’s streets," U.S. Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi said in a statement.

Washington Examiner [3/14/2026 4:13 PM, David Zimmermann, 1147K] reports an American Jewish umbrella organization is actively lobbying Congress for more security funding as antisemitic and Islamic attacks rise in the United States amid the intensifying conflict in Iran. The request comes in the wake of a car-ramming attack in Michigan, where the suspect specifically targeted a Detroit-area synagogue. The building contained an early childhood education center with more than 100 children inside. Fortunately, no preschoolers or teachers were killed or injured. Armed security guards at Temple Israel quickly responded after the suspect’s vehicle breached the building. The attacker died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and one guard was wounded. The recent incident demonstrates the urgent necessity for the allocation of more security funding through federal and state grants, the Jewish Federations of North America says. JFNA believes the right level of funding for security personnel, including those stationed at synagogues, should be $1 billion. The current amount, as determined by congressional appropriators, is $300 million. For context, the Jewish community spends over $765 million a year on security to protect itself. "There’s no ethnic or religious group that comes close to having to secure their institutions this way, to cover every event with security," JFNA President and CEO Eric Fingerhut told the Washington Examiner. "We’re having to basically arm ourselves and secure every single event. That’s not America. That’s not the way it should be.".

New York Post [3/14/2026 3:52 PM, Geoff Earle and Tina Moore, 40934K] reports in a stunning case of bad timing, a federal Office for Bombing Prevention class for first responders on deadly IEDs has been scrubbed due to the government shutdown — just days after a pair of Islamic extremists hurled homemade bombs outside Gracie Mansion. The online class, set for this month, deals with the "function, components, classifications, and how [improvised explosive devices] are constructed" — training first responders, law enforcement, and emergency managers on how to contend with the growing threat. The Department of Homeland Security has warned that IEDs "remain the terrorist weapon of choice due to their relative ease of construction, availability, and destructive capacity." The failed March 8 attack is exactly the type of incident that ordinarily might prompt law enforcement and those who oversee critical infrastructure to sign up for an array of training the government offers to prepare against threats. But they have been nixed for now "due to the lapse in federal funding," according to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security website. Online training is "currently unavailable," as are some in-person classes on bomb prevention. Also unavailable: "Bomb Threat Assessment for Decision-Makers." They are among dozens of classes offered by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and its Office of Bomb Prevention that deal with topics ranging from identifying bomb-making materials to identifying "hostile surveillance" plotting a potential attack.

FOX News [3/14/2026 3:06 PM, Staff, 37576K] reports Paul Gigot hosts a ‘Journal Editorial Report’ panel, discussing Senate Democrats blocking DHS funding. The panel examines political motivations, the impact on airport security from TSA shortages and increasing domestic terror threats. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

FOX News [3/14/2026 2:12 PM, Staff, 37576K] reports Rep. James Walkinshaw, D-Va., joins ‘Fox News Live’ to discuss the ongoing partial government shutdown and a partial spending deal offered by Dems, excluding ICE and CBP. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

FOX News [3/14/2026 8:52 AM, Leo Briceno, 37576K] reports Democrats on Capitol Hill are accusing Republicans of walking away from attempts to shrink the size of a partial government shutdown that began on Feb. 14, arguing that the impasse over funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) doesn’t need to hold up funding for other agencies. The lapse in funding for DHS hit the one-month mark Saturday with no resolution in sight over the 10 operational reform demands Democrats have made regarding any funding for ICE. Without those demands, Democrats say there’s no way to press on towards funding ICE. Republicans maintain the demands would handcuff President Donald Trump’s illegal immigration crackdown efforts.

CBS News [3/15/2026 6:25 AM, Jack Fink, 51110K] reports north Texas Republican Rep. Roger Williams sat down with CBS News Texas political reporter Jack Fink to discuss various topics including the war against Iran, the Department of Homeland Security shutdown and the economic benefit of tourism and big events coming to North Texas. The Department of Homeland Security has shut down, resulting in many TSA agents quitting due to not being paid. Because of this passengers have seen long lines at airports across the country including in Texas. Jack asked Williams how long he expects the DHS shutdown going to go on for and how it could end sooner rather than later. Williams called it the "Democratic shutdown." "They’re trying to protest ICE has already been funded, ICE has been funded," Williams said. "So they’re holding up the airport security, some of our military holding them hostage over something that’s already been funded. It doesn’t make sense, which it’s just all political. We need to go ahead and get homeland security, the rest of the parts of that funded so we can get back and people get paid and American work again." "Not allowing America to operate as we talk about that, I think is wrong," Williams said when Jack asked about Democrats wanting changes to ICE. "I don’t have a problem with changes. I mean, every industry goes through changes. I mean, regardless what industry and you can make things get them improve, but you don’t shut the industry down and so forth." Williams continued by saying that negotiations should be had. While conversations have been ongoing he says, "It’s going on and nothing’s happening. I’m as frustrated as anybody"

New York Post [3/15/2026 1:26 AM, Nicholas McEntyre, 40934K] reports Progressive firebrand Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s fugitive security guard had an extensive criminal history dating back to 2009 and was under federal investigation when he was shot and killed in a standoff with Dallas SWAT. Diamon-Mazairre Robinson was identified as the armed man who police shot in a parking garage at the Children’s Medical Center in Dallas, Wednesday night, CBS News Texas reported. Robinson, 39, had gone by multiple aliases, including Mike King, to con his way into the Texas law enforcement community, claiming to be a police officer and securing a position protecting the 44-year-old congresswoman. The shady suspect had been arrested numerous times between 2009 and 2012, including seven instances of theft, according to the outlet. Robinson had pleaded guilty to all charges he faced, both felony and misdemeanor offenses, and only faced fines of less than $2,500 and probation. His largest sentence was 10 years of probation, according to court records viewed by CBS News Texas. Robinson used his alias Mike King to elude discovery of his criminal past and find work in Crockett’s office, where he was most recently part of the security detail for her failed Senate campaign. Video footage previously shared by the outlet captured Crockett walking beside her towering security guard as they arrived at a campaign stop. He allegedly told officers that he was a detective with the US Capitol Police, which led to the federal probe into his alleged impersonation, sources told the outlet. Robinson claimed he was in charge of several teams of guards around the Dallas area that worked at churches and downtown hotels. Robinson is also believed to have used his fake identity to run a website called "Off Duty Police Services" that provided cops with jobs outside of work. "Mike King" had been paid by Crockett’s office for "security services" as recently as last year, with one payment for $340. It was not clear how Robinson gained the position working for Crockett. The Dallas Police fugitive unit had been tracking Robinson on Wednesday when he led them to the parking garage connected to the children’s hospital, where he barricaded himself inside a car. Robinson jumped out of his car and pointed a gun at police after they used tear gas to force him out. Because of the firearm threat, officers opened fire on the armed suspect and fatally shot him. Crockett has not publicly commented on Robinson’s death.

FOX News [3/14/2026 3:37 PM, Staff, 37576K] reports Fox News congressional correspondent Bill Melugin reports on pro-Iranian regime protests in New York City on ‘Fox Report.’ [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

ABC News [3/15/2026 5:18 AM, Alex Stone and Mason Leib, 34146K] reports the glitz and glamour of Tinseltown will be on full display at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday, where the 98th Academy Awards are being held, but behind the scenes, there have also been intense preparations to ensure the high-profile event goes off without a hitch. The iconic awards show is taking place this year amid the ongoing conflict in Iran, and the Los Angeles Police Department is in charge of securing the event with assistance from the FBI. LAPD sources tell ABC News that security has become incredibly tight at the Oscars in recent years, and this year, between private security and LAPD resources, it will be even tighter. LAPD Cmdr. Randy Goddard, the incident commander for the Oscars, said in an interview Thursday with Los Angeles ABC station KABC-TV that there is currently no intelligence that suggests the Oscars or Los Angeles are targets, but the department is still preparing for every scenario. "We’ve planned for other things that we maybe haven’t seen in prior years, but we have resources that will be on scene to address those unique circumstances that may occur so that they can be addressed quickly and prevent anything from growing out of control," Goddard said. The LAPD said in a separate statement Thursday that planning for the security around Sunday night’s ceremony has been "extensive and coordinated."

Univision [3/15/2026 4:38 AM, Staff, 4937K] reports Rafael Enrique Gámez Salas , a 40-year-old Venezuelan known as "El Turko ," was arrested in California by U.S. authorities for extradition to Chile, where he faces charges of criminal association , extortion , and kidnapping resulting in homicide . Authorities identify him as the leader of "Los Piratas" , the main Chilean cell of the transnational criminal organization Tren de Aragua. Gámez Salas was arrested on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, in the Central District of California, where he was serving a federal sentence for human trafficking and illegal re-entry into the United States. "This illegal alien from Venezuela is an alleged leader of the foreign terrorist organization TdA," said Assistant Attorney General Todd Blanche , according to an official statement from the Department of Justice. The detainee appeared before Magistrate Judge Charles F. Eick and was taken into custody while the Chilean extradition request is processed. The U.S. Marshals executed the provisional arrest warrant by transferring him from the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Chile accuses Gámez Salas of directing multiple extortions and kidnappings on behalf of the Tren de Aragua, one of which resulted in the murder of a former Venezuelan military officer. According to Chilean authorities, the detainee "planned and coordinated kidnappings, homicides, extortions and other crimes on behalf of the TdA subsidiary," details the US Department of Justice. The specific charges include one case of criminal association , two of extortion , two of unjustified discharge of a firearm , one of kidnapping resulting in homicide , and one of kidnapping for the purpose of extortion , all related to crimes against multiple victims.

Washington Examiner [3/15/2026 5:00 AM, Anna Giaritelli, 1147K] reports U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is considering ways to expand capacity at immigrant detention facilities to accommodate 125,000 people, as well as buying up existing privately owned facilities, according to four sources with knowledge of or involved in planning. Buying rather than leasing detention facilities will give ICE greater control over operations that would otherwise fall under state and local governments’ purview, sources said. As the Trump administration pushes further toward the White House’s mass deportation effort, the federal agency is looking at ways to add space to its existing network of detention sites and gain greater control of those sites. “The government is going to buy all of the properties that GEO Group and CoreCivic own,” one source said in a phone call. Three others confirmed that purchasing properties is a plan under serious consideration and is already seeing early movement. The Washington Examiner learned that while ICE has publicly disclosed plans to buy roughly 10 warehouses and convert them into immigrant holding sites, another component of that plan focuses on gaining control of the land and buildings where existing detention sites are located. Doing so would give the federal government control over facilities that presently fall under state rules.

Los Angeles Times [3/15/2026 6:00 AM, Steve Fisher, 14672K] reports the Trump administration has launched an unprecedented immigration enforcement operation across the U.S. to deport people there illegally, but data compiled by a Mexican investigative outlet show that deportations of Mexicans were lower last year than in each of the previous four years. Under the Biden administration, deportations of Mexicans per year reached nearly 300,000. Since President Trump returned to the White House last January, the U.S. has deported a little over 144,000 Mexicans to their homeland by the end of 2025, according to Mexican government data. The analysis by Quinto Elemento Lab, an independent nonprofit investigative journalism organization based in Mexico City, illustrates current trends in migration from Mexico to its northern neighbor and highlights the conditions in Mexico driving those trends. Around 90% of those deported were men, the data show. “The deportation policy that Trump has rolled out does not appear to be as severe as in previous years in numerical terms,” said Efraín Tzuc, data analyst with Quinto Elemento Lab. But raw numbers do not tell the whole story about Mexican migration. The overall numbers are down, in part, because there are fewer Mexican migrants entering the United States since President Trump beefed up border security. Fewer successful entries can mean fewer ejections.

New York Post [3/14/2026 8:04 PM, Tina Moore, Larry Celona, Marie Pohl and David Spector, 40934K] reports a 35-year-old man was shoved onto the tracks at an Upper Manhattan subway station on Saturday after he tried to break up a fight, cops and sources said. The straphanger attempted to intervene in a scuffle between a man and a woman at the Dyckman Street stop in Inwood when the chaos unfolded, police sources said. The man involved in the feud pushed the victim onto the downtown A train tracks at about 3:52 p.m. The victim managed to get off the tracks before a train arrived at the station, cops said. He suffered an injury to his left wrist and was taken to Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital. No arrests have been made in the attack. Fellow commuters at the subway station told The Post they’re always on guard when riding the rails. "I don’t wear headphones anymore on subway stations because I just want to be vigilant. I don’t know who’s approaching, especially on this station," Nikki Suresh told The Post. Suresh, 33, who works in finance, confessed that she is scared to ride the subway. "I do feel a certain amount of fear especially here… I tend to stand towards the ends," she said. The attack comes just days after an illegal migrant allegedly pushed two people onto the subway tracks on the Upper East Side — including an 83-year-old Air Force veteran Richard Williams. Bairon Hernandez, who migrated to the US from Honduras, is accused of shoving Williams and Jhon Pena, 30, onto the roadbed at the Lexington Avenue-63rd Street station on Sunday. The illegal immigrant was a "serial criminal" who had a long rap sheet with at least 15 charges, including aggravated assault, possession of a weapon, and domestic violence, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Hernandez had been deported from the US four times, but kept returning to the country illegally, according to the DHS. Immediately after being pushed onto the tracks, Pena heroically saved the life of his fellow victim with just moments to spare. Pena was able to pull the grandfather back onto the platform mere seconds before the oncoming train rolled in. Williams is currently brain dead and family members say he might not make it. Pena suffered shoulder and knee injuries.

Univision [3/14/2026 3:49 PM, Staff, 4937K] reports ICE has reportedly arrested Sarahjane Ternier, the wife of former North Miami mayor Philippe Bien-Aime, The Miami Herald reported. The arrest of Ternier, who is also the mother of the former mayor of North Miami’s three children, is believed to be related to the Justice Department’s efforts to strip her of her citizenship. According to The Miami Herald, an ICE spokesperson confirmed this Friday that Ternier was arrested this Wednesday in Miami, due to a deportation order that had been issued in 2000. An appeal in the case of the order was dismissed by an immigration appeals board. Ternier is reportedly being held at the Broward Transitional Center, an immigration detention center.

Houston Chronicle [3/14/2026 7:00 AM, Sam González Kelly, 2493K] reports more than half of the neighborhood’s residents were born outside the United States, according to Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, making Gulfton the largest immigrant community in Houston. As the Trump administration continues its mass deportation campaign across Texas and the U.S., the fear of immigration enforcement has indelibly changed day-to-day life in the southwest Houston neighborhood — and not just for immigrants without legal status. Businesses are struggling and the cultural fabric of the neighborhood is beginning to fray, according to some locals, presenting Gulfton with an existential challenge unlike any it has faced in recent memory. It’s not immediately clear how many people have been detained by ICE in Gulfton, though many in the neighborhood seem to know someone affected by Trump’s deportation campaign. A recent Kinder Institute study found that one in seven people in the greater Houston area knows someone who has been detained or possibly deported by ICE in the last year, a figure that increases to one in four when limited to the Hispanic community.

Univision [3/14/2026 5:56 PM, Staff, 4937K] reports Lorenzo Chavez Rascon was arrested on February 23 on suspicion of selling narcotics; however, the alleged drugs turned out to be dried pinto beans. Nevertheless, while he was in the Salt Lake County Jail, ICE issued a detainer to transfer him to federal custody, even though state prosecutors had dismissed the charges against him. Through his lawyers, Chávez Rascón filed a habeas corpus petition on February 25, challenging the legality of his detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. That same month, her U visa application was deemed legitimate by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Federal Judge Robert J. Shelby issued a nine-page order on March 11 stating that the detention was not justified given his Deferred Action status derived from a legitimate U visa application , and asked ICE to explain why he was detained.

Univision [3/14/2026 10:47 PM, Staff, 4937K] reports community members, religious leaders, and immigrant rights advocates gathered Saturday outside the ICE Processing Center in Adelanto to hold a solidarity serenade, bringing music, love, and hope to the immigrants detained inside the facility. The event was organized by the National Day Laborer Network (NDLON), the Pomona Day Laborer Center , and the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice. The activity took place on Saturday, March 14 at 4:00 pm outside the detention center located at 10400 Rancho Rd, Adelanto, CA 92301. According to Pablo Alvarado, co-executive director of NDLON, the number of people in immigration detention centers increased considerably due to federal operations by the Department of Homeland Security. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Univision [3/14/2026 12:21 PM, Staff, 4937K] reports through gestures and video calls, Pablo Cruz tries to communicate with his family from Oaxaca, Mexico, after being deported following an immigration raid in agricultural fields in Southern California. Cruz, 33, had lived in California for over a decade, working in agriculture alongside his brother and sister-in-law. His situation changed on July 10, 2025, when federal agents conducted an immigration operation in agricultural areas near Camarillo, in Ventura County. That day he was one of more than 300 workers detained during one of the largest labor raids recorded in the state’s agricultural sector in recent years. Now, his family is trying to have his case reviewed in court, arguing that the worker did not understand the immigration process or the documents he signed before being deported. According to the lawyer, one of the legal avenues they are exploring is filing a lawsuit under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), a federal law that allows challenging government decisions when it is argued that they were arbitrary or violated legal procedures.

Chicago Tribune [3/15/2026 6:00 AM, Gregory Royal Pratt and Laura Rodríguez Presa, 5209K] reports Victor Jardon-Reyes worked for companies that provide airplane repair supplies, commuting to O’Hare and Midway airports from his home in Belmont Cragin to put in half-day shifts consulting with mechanics and giving them the needed parts to keep the skies safe. But on Feb. 18, the 33-year-old lost his job. Through no fault of his own, he had lost the right to work. Jardon-Reyes is a recipient of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, a federal program instituted under President Barack Obama that gives some legal protection and a work permit to children who were brought to the U.S. by immigrant parents without legal authorization. DACA lasts for two years and then must be renewed. Jardon-Reyes applied to renew his in November. The government confirmed receipt later that month. He received an appointment for fingerprinting in January but the expected renewal did not come through before his DACA expired. Without it, he lost his permission to work legally in the country and with that, protection from deportation. “You feel like a dog on the corner waiting for somebody to feed them,” Jardon-Reyes said. His situation is one faced by scores of immigrants across the country. Advocates say delays in paperwork renewal by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services have increased, with some delays stretching up to six months. Without the renewal, DACA recipients are in danger of being placed in deportation proceedings. In a statement, USCIS spokesman Matthew Tragesser acknowledged the delays and possibility of potential deportation. “Under the leadership of President Trump, USCIS is safeguarding the American people by more thoroughly screening and vetting all aliens, which can lengthen processing times,” Tragesser said. “DACA does not confer any form of legal status in this country. Illegal aliens claiming to be recipients of DACA are not automatically protected from deportation. Any illegal alien who is a DACA recipient may be subject to arrest and deportation for a number of reasons — including if they committed a crime.”

Breitbart [3/14/2026 2:18 PM, Amy Furr, 2238K] reports it is now 80 percent cheaper for Americans who choose to renounce their U.S. citizenship to make it official. The U.S. State Department on Friday published a rule that cut the cost from $2,350 to $450 after it was promised in 2023. However, the rule did not take effect until now, the Associated Press (AP) reported. "The Department of State (‘Department’) is proposing to amend the Schedule of Fees for Consular Services (‘Schedule’) to reduce the current fee for Administrative Processing of a Request for a Certificate of Loss of Nationality of the United States (CLN) from $2,350 to $450," the rule on the Federal Register website read. The cost is once again what it was in 2010 when federal officials began charging a fee for the action, the AP report said. "The fee was raised from $450 to $2,350 in 2015 to cover the administrative expenses as the number of people wanting to renounce their citizenship surged in part due to new U.S. tax reporting requirements for American expatriates that angered many," the article noted, adding the process to renounce one’s U.S. citizenship is not always easy. "Applicants must repeatedly confirm in multiple written and verbal attestations to a State Department consular officer that they understand the implications of the step before being allowed to take a formal oath of renunciation. It must then be reviewed by the department," the AP stated.

Reported similarly:
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Breitbart [3/13/2026 8:49 PM, Ian Hanchett, 2238K] reports on Friday’s broadcast of the Fox News Channel’s “America’s Newsroom,” former DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson discussed the terrorist attack at Old Dominion University that was carried out by a naturalized citizen who had been convicted of supporting terrorists and said that there is “a very cumbersome process to take away somebody’s citizenship.” But “I’d rather see this person languish in jail, frankly, U.S. citizen or not.” Co-host Bill Melugin asked, “There’s been a lot of talk about the attempted terror attack at — or the actual terror attack at Old Dominion University yesterday. The shooter, naturalized into a U.S. citizen from Sierra Leone, was convicted in 2017 of supporting ISIS, went to prison, shockingly, just for seven years, got out. That’s a separate topic. What a lot of people are asking is how was this guy not stripped of his U.S. citizenship and deported? As you’re aware, under U.S. law, right now, it’s really hard to denaturalize a U.S. citizen unless they committed some type of fraud during the immigration process. Does that need to change? Should somebody who’s convicted of supporting terrorism, should that just be an immediate you’re denaturalized, and you’re out of the country?” Johnson answered, “You’re right. It’s a very cumbersome process to take away somebody’s citizenship. I’d rather see this person languish in jail, frankly, U.S. citizen or not. Good question, somebody’s convicted of a terrorist-related offense, why only seven years? Especially with federal sentencing guidelines, mandatory minimums, I think a lot of questions need to be asked there.”

New York Times [3/15/2026 3:00 AM, Mark Sommer, 148038K] reports in the Broadway-Fillmore neighborhood of Buffalo, fear is in the air. It is where the city’s Arakan Rohingya community has made a home. And it is where refugees who are in the United States legally have been rattled by the death of a man who was left by agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection at a closed doughnut shop on a frigid winter night. His body was found on a city street five days later. The Rohingya community, and other Buffalo residents, are upset that the man, Nurul Amin Shah Alam, was left alone, five miles from his home. He was nearly blind, had trouble walking, couldn’t understand English and was wearing thin, jail-issued footwear. “Our worry comes from future incidents that may happen,” said Alam Bin Mohamid, co-owner of the neighborhood’s new Burmese Bangla Grocery and Halal Meat store. “If this happens once, it’s likely to happen again unless there are preventive measures.” The Rohingya, a stateless Muslim minority, have faced decades of repression in Myanmar, and many community members in Buffalo first made their way to Malaysia before settling in western New York. The family of Mr. Shah Alam was among them. Mr. Shah Alam was 56 when he was found dead in late February. The story of his death, first reported by The Investigative Post, a nonprofit news outlet in Buffalo, has stirred outrage over the Department of Homeland Security’s treatment of immigrants and refugees. Fatimah Abdul Roshid, Mr. Shah Alam’s widow, said that what happened to her husband had shaken the Rohingya community’s hope that they would feel safe in their new home. “We thought we were safe here because we had papers to show somebody that this is who I am,” Ms. Abdul Roshid, wearing a traditional black niqab that left only her eyes visible, said through an interpreter, her voice catching through her tears. “But now our community is scared the way they were scared in other countries.”

Reuters [3/15/2026 6:03 AM, David Shepardson, 38315K] reports the CEOs of major U.S. airlines urged Congress on Sunday to move quickly to end a 29-day partial government shutdown that has forced 50,000 airport security officers to work without pay, warning it could further disrupt U.S. air ‌travel. Absences by Transportation Security Administration officers have already disrupted travel at some major airports over the last week, raising alarm as the busy spring break travel season continues. "Too many travelers are having to wait in extraordinarily long - and painfully slow - lines at checkpoints," the CEOs of American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Alaska Air and others ⁠wrote in an open letter to Congress. "First, leaders should immediately come together to reach an agreement to fund the Department of Homeland Security. Then they need to act so this problem never happens again," they added. Last fall, a 43-day government shutdown led to widespread flight disruptions and the FAA ordered a 10% flight cut at major airports. "Once again air travel is the political football amid another government shutdown," the CEOs wrote. The group of airline executives - which also includes senior executives at cargo carriers FedEx, UPS, and Atlas Air - called for legislation to ensure during future government shutdowns all critical ‌government ⁠aviation personnel are paid.

CBS News [3/14/2026 12:12 PM, Cara Tabachnick, 51110K] reports President Trump thanked TSA agents for going to work but "not being paid" amid an ongoing partial government shutdown, which has seen agents quitting and absences doubling. Mr. Trump blamed the radical left in a social media post Saturday for refusing "to honor the deal that was approved and voted on in Congress." He directed portions of the post to TSA agents and said, "Keep fighting for the USA. GO TO WORK! I promise that I will never forget you!!! His post comes hours after the first full missed paycheck for TSA agents was expected Friday. Roughly 50,000 transportation security officers are required to work without pay during the Department of Homeland Security funding lapse, which began on February 14. CBS News reported unscheduled absences among airport security officers have more than doubled since then, with more than 300 employees leaving the agency. DHS officials worry that the longer the shutdown lasts, the greater the risk that more TSA employees will leave, worsening staffing shortages beyond the immediate crisis. Dozens of airports around the country have reported long lines at security. The TSA temporarily closed one security checkpoint at Philadelphia International Airport on Thursday. There were long lines reported at Houston Hobby and New Orleans airports last weekend. In some cases, the strain has led to frustrations: Federal prosecutors charged a California man who allegedly became violent earlier in the week at Dallas Love Field airport.

NewsMax [3/14/2026 10:17 AM, Jim Thomas, 3760K] reports President Donald Trump on Saturday urged unpaid Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers to keep reporting to work as the partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security entered its 29th day, sharpening a standoff in Washington that has left airport screeners without full pay during the busy spring break travel stretch. In a Truth Social post, Trump thanked TSA officers and blamed Democrats for prolonging the impasse. The shutdown began after DHS funding lapsed on Feb. 13, leaving the department partially shuttered starting Feb. 14. By Saturday, the lapse had stretched into its 29th day. TSA officers, who are considered essential, have continued working, but many missed a full paycheck on Friday. TSA says it has about 50,000 officers nationwide, and Reuters reported the shutdown has already strained staffing and airport operations as some officers call out sick or leave the agency. Republicans say Democrats are responsible for the disruption because they have refused to pass a broader DHS funding bill that GOP leaders say already contains some ICE accountability measures. Democrats argue the Republican bill does not go far enough to curb ICE and CBP conduct, and they have pushed narrower measures to fund TSA, FEMA, the Coast Guard, and other DHS functions while negotiations continue over immigration enforcement. Those agency-by-agency proposals have failed in the Senate, leaving both sides accusing the other of using frontline workers as leverage. Security lines at some airports have stretched to nearly three hours, while airports in several cities have sought donations and gift cards to help unpaid TSA workers cover basic expenses. With no deal in sight, the pressure on both parties is now landing most directly on travelers and the officers screening them.

FOX Business [3/14/2026 6:46 PM, Sophia Compton, 7946K] reports spring break travelers heading to airports during the ongoing partial U.S. government shutdown should brace for potential delays, with experts warning security lines are already stretching for hours at some airports. Passengers across the country are reporting longer Transportation Security Administration (TSA) wait times, flight delays and crowded terminals, and security lines at some airports are topping three hours, according to Eric Napoli, chief legal officer at travel company AirHelp. Airport security lines in Austin, Texas, stretched out the door early Friday, with passengers waiting hours to board flights. "For passengers that did not factor in the possibility of longer lines, many are missing their flights as a result," Napoli told FOX Business. The disruptions come as more than 300 TSA officers have left the agency since the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown began. Unscheduled absences — or callouts — have also climbed to roughly 6% nationwide, a TSA official previously confirmed to Fox News Digital. "When critical aviation personnel, particularly TSA officers, are working without pay, the result is staffing shortages and operational strain across airports throughout the country," Napoli told FOX Business. Global Entry processing, which had been paused earlier during the shutdown, resumed last Wednesday, a move Napoli said could help ease congestion by shifting some travelers out of standard security lines. Napoli advises travelers to plan ahead to avoid disruptions, including arriving earlier than usual and booking early-morning flights, which are less likely to be affected by cascading delays throughout the day. Passengers should also pack essential items in carry-on bags in case of baggage delays or overnight disruptions. Napoli urged travelers to understand their rights if flights are canceled or significantly delayed. "If the airline informs that passenger that their flight is canceled or that there is a new schedule that makes the flight significantly delayed, the passenger is entitled to reject the new schedule, decide not to take the flight and obtain a full cash refund," Napoli said. For baggage issues on domestic flights, airlines must reimburse reasonable expenses up to $3,800 per passenger under federal regulations, he added. Travel insurance and certain credit cards may also provide coverage for delays, missed connections or lost luggage. "The best prepared passenger is one that is well-informed on their rights in various flight scenarios and when they can pursue compensation," Napoli said.

ABC News [3/14/2026 1:03 PM, Staff, 34146K] reports Spring breakers and anyone flying may see longer-than-usual wait times and staffing shortages as TSA workers are going without pay amid the partial government shutdown. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Breitbart [3/14/2026 1:21 PM, Lowell Cauffiel, 2238K] reports federal prosecutors in Texas have charged a California man with assaulting two Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers and seriously injuring a police officer at a security checkpoint in the Dallas Love Field Airport. Idress Vinay Solomon, 33, of Oakland, California, faces up to 20 years in prison after being accused of assaulting a federal officer and inflicting bodily injury as he allegedly tried to get through security without identification, according to the complaint filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Texas. The complaint alleges that after the TSA officer called for a supervisor because of Solomon’s behavior, Solomon punched him in the back of the neck. When Dallas Police Department officers also responded to the disturbance to assist TSA, Solomon then allegedly punched one of the cops multiple times in the face. The attack caused a "serious orbital blowout fracture" to his left eye that required him to "seek treatment from an ophthalmologist at Parkland Hospital," according to prosecutors. Solomon wasn’t done with his alleged outburst. Next, according to the complaint, he punched a second TSA officer multiple times before additional Dallas police officers subdued Solomon. After he was handcuffed and arrested and a police officer tried to put the suspect in a vehicle, Solomon allegedly spit on the arm of the cop. Prosecutors also allege he refused to follow verbal commands and continually yelled and tried to pull away from police. Solomon remains in custody pending further court proceedings.

USA Today [3/14/2026 5:10 PM, Eduardo Cuevas, 70643K] reports a severe late-winter storm is forecast to hit the central United States with a combination of blizzard-like conditions and thunderstorms as it quickly strengthens on Sunday, March 15. By the morning of March 15, the storm is set to move across swaths of the Plains as it moves toward the Great Lakes, impacting millions with severe weather, according to AccuWeather. "This storm definitely means business," John Feerick, AccuWeather senior meteorologist, said, adding the weather company has labeled it a "March megastorm." The low pressure system originates over Wyoming as it heads east, and heavy snow is expected north of the low pressure track, the National Weather Service forecasted. Snow between 1 and 3 feet could land on the upper Midwest. Wind gusts of more than 50 mph could create blizzard conditions in the region. Conditions are expected to continue into March 16, when the weather service said the storm reaches peak intensity. Wind chills in the northern Plains could reach -20s while parts of Texas could feel below freezing wind chills, the weather service said.

FOX News [3/14/2026 4:07 PM, Brie Stimson, 37576K] Video: HERE reports repairs have been completed after the historic Potomac River sewage spill in Washington, D.C., less than a month after President Donald Trump approved a disaster declaration that allowed the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help. "Emergency repairs to the Potomac Interceptor are complete," DC Water said Saturday. "Full flow has been restored, and the C&O Canal has been fully drained as part of site restoration. Since Jan 19, crews worked around the clock to stabilize the site and protect the Potomac River." The declaration came after a sewage pipe interceptor ruptured Jan. 19, releasing more than 240 million gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser declared a disaster emergency over the Potomac sewage spill and requested federal assistance with the cleanup. Trump said he was worried the Potomac River would still stink when America250 celebrations kick off this summer, according to the White House. The president had directed his ire toward Democratic Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and other local leaders in Virginia and Washington, D.C., on the issue, claiming incompetence led to the disaster. Moore and his office, however, pushed back on Trump’s assertions, claiming the federal government has oversight over the sewer utility. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

CBS Colorado [3/14/2026 3:21 PM, Christa Swanson, 51110K] reports two crews of firefighters from the Denver metro area left Friday to help with containment efforts on a large wildfire in South Dakota. The Qury Fire, burning southeast of Custer, S.D., began two days ago and has covered 7,000 acres so far. It remains at 0% containment as of Saturday afternoon. West Metro Fire Rescue said the wildfire has exhibited "extreme fire behavior- including running fire, torching trees, and spot fires igniting ahead of the main fire." The fire is burning roughly two miles from the city, and evacuations are in place for surrounding areas. West Metro said it expects strong winds on Saturday to hinder efforts to combat the wildfire, and three of the department’s crew members headed to South Dakota on Friday afternoon to assist. North Metro Fire Rescue also deployed a crew with a Type III Brush Engine on Friday to help support efforts to contain the Qury Fire. They said Engine Boss Craig Talbot and firefighters Alberto Lopez, Jeff Tipton, and Shane Dougherty are working with Division F. North Metro said the division is "assisting with firing and holding operations to help keep the fire away from homes and strengthen control lines."

San Francisco Chronicle [3/14/2026 4:09 PM, Joaquin Palomino, 3833K] reports a powerful storm continues to batter Hawaii, prompting warnings as officials urge residents and visitors in affected areas to stay off the roads and remain indoors during periods of severe weather. The storm, which is expected to last through the weekend, will bring a combination of “significant flash flooding, damaging winds, strong to severe thunderstorms, and snow and ice over the highest Big Island summits,” the National Weather Service’s statewide forecast said Saturday morning. Flooding in parts of Oahu forced evacuations Friday, according to the New York Times, while landslides remain a major concern. Public schools on Oahu, Kauai and Maui closed Friday due to the storm, and power outages and road closures have reportedly impacted thousands of residents. As of Saturday morning, flash flood warnings remained in place for Maui, Molokai and parts of Hawaii island. The weather service has also issued a flood watch and high wind warning for much of the state, which are expected to expire by Sunday and Monday.

SFGate [3/14/2026 3:31 PM, Christine Hitt, 10094K] reports a slow-moving storm is battering Hawaii with heavy rain, flash flooding and damaging winds, knocking out power for more than 100,000 Hawaiian Electric customers, including parts of Waikiki. Some streets are also underwater. On Friday, flooding concerns intensified on Oahu when the city Department of Emergency Management warned that a dam could fail, potentially resulting in “catastrophic flooding,” according to its emergency alert. The dam was nearing 83 feet, while the maximum level before failure is 90 feet. Officials issued an evacuation warning for the North Shore towns of Waialua and Haleiwa, which was lifted Saturday morning after water levels had stabilized. “This is one of the slower-moving storms that we have had in a long time,” Dennis Trotter, meteorologist at National Weather Service Honolulu, told SFGATE over the phone. “It is pretty bad compared to recent events that we’ve had.” Hawaii Gov. Josh Green closed schools and state offices ahead of the storm. State Parks, universities and other businesses around the islands also shut down. The system driving the storm, known as a Kona Low, is not a tropical storm. “Kona Lows are typically slow-moving systems that drive tropical moisture up from the south of Hawaii,” Trotter said. Because the Kona Low system moves slowly, it can produce prolonged rainfall and significant flooding. Trotter noted that conditions over Kauai and Oahu are expected to improve Sunday or Monday. “For the eastern half of the state, which is Molokai to the Big Island, it could still see impacts through Sunday, and the Big Island might still see impacts through Monday,” he said. According to the National Weather Service, the eastern half of the state is currently seeing the heaviest rainfall at “roughly 1 to 2 inches per hour.”

New York Post [3/14/2026 11:55 AM, Ross O’Keefe, 40934K] reports an anti-ICE agitator trying to block an SUV from exiting the federal complex in downtown Los Angeles on Friday night took a ride on the vehicle’s hood during another night of aggressive protests at the site. Video captured the unidentified woman standing in front of the car and pressing her hands on its hood as the driver tried to leave the Roybal Federal Building late Friday night, ABC 7 reported. Other protesters can be seen hurling objects at the vehicle. As the driver begins to turn, the woman refuses to get out of the way and begins backpedaling while remaining its path. The protester eventually appears to hop onto the car’s hood at it carries her a short distance before she falls to the street. She appeared uninjured and returned to the protest after peeling off the car, ABC 7 reported. The protest outside the federal building marked the latest in a string of violent anti demonstrations at the location.

The New York Times [3/14/2026 3:14 PM, Luke Broadwater, 148038K] reports the Trump administration is proposing to build a 33,000-square-foot security screening facility for visitors to the White House, the latest major change to the grounds overseen by President Trump. In documents filed with the National Capital Planning Commission, administration officials described the facility, which would be partially underground, as a needed upgrade to the temporary trailers and tents the Secret Service uses to screen visitors for large events. The entrance would be located at Sherman Park, adjacent to the White House. In its plan, the administration said it had taken a number of steps to make the proposed screening center less conspicuous, and promised to beautify the area as the facility is built. “Most of the proposed structure is intentionally positioned below grade within the park’s west quadrant to reduce visual impact and to avoid a large existing sewer tunnel that sweeps through the southeast corner of the park,” the plan states. “Landscape restoration, including new tree plantings, will be provided within all impacted zones to reinstate and enhance the park’s character.” The Daily Caller [3/14/2026 11:44 AM, Mark Tanos, 803K] reports guests would reach the complex through a ramp at the intersection of 15th Street and E Street and step into a 5,000-square-foot recessed entry plaza built to keep foot traffic off neighboring sidewalks, according to The Hill. Seven processing lanes inside the center would replace the temporary trailers and tents that the Secret Service has operated since 2005, the outlet reported. The project comes after President Donald Trump ordered the demolition of the East Wing last fall to clear space for a ballroom. Sherman Park had long served as the gathering point where tourists waited for security checks before walking to that entrance, Politico reported. Visitors now queue near Lafayette Park on the opposite side of Pennsylvania Avenue. Ground could break as soon as August, with the White House targeting a July 2028 opening, six months before Trump leaves office, according to Politico. The Executive Office of the President, the Secret Service and the National Park Service are collaborating on the effort. A second structure of roughly 4,000 square feet along East Executive Avenue would function as an entry gate for credentialed staff and contractors and double as the exit route for departing guests, The Hill reported.

Reported similarly:
CBS News [3/14/2026 5:50 PM, Emma Nicholson, 51110K]
CNN [3/14/2026 4:29 PM, Riane Lumer, 612K]

FOX News [3/14/2026 7:30 AM, Kurt Knutsson, 37576K] reports a hacker group linked to Iran has claimed responsibility for a cyberattack on Stryker, a Michigan-based company that produces medical equipment and healthcare technology used worldwide. Stryker employs about 56,000 people and operates in more than 60 countries, making it one of the largest medical technology companies in the world. Stryker disclosed the incident in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, saying the disruption affected parts of its Microsoft environment and that investigators are working to determine the full scope. The incident appears to be one of the most significant cyber incidents linked to the current conflict so far. According to reports, the attack disrupted parts of Stryker’s global network environment. Reports indicate the outages began shortly after midnight on Wednesday on the East Coast. Employees suddenly discovered that their work-issued phones stopped functioning. Communication across teams stalled as devices became unusable. The hacker group Handala claimed responsibility on social media platforms, including Telegram and X. However, the claim has not been independently verified.

FOX News [3/14/2026 5:41 PM, Staff, 37576K] reports Michael Crean, SVP of Managed Services at SonicWall discusses the rise in Iran-linked cyberattacks against U.S. infrastructure and medical tech firms like Stryker on ‘Fox Report.’ [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

CNN [3/15/2026 3:00 AM, Alaa Elassar, 19874K] reports that, in a grim pattern that has become all too familiar, another campus has been shattered by gunfire, this time at Old Dominion University in Virginia, where an attacker cloaked violence in the language of religion. Federal authorities are investigating Thursday’s shooting at Old Dominion University as an act of terrorism after identifying the gunman as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, 36, a former member of the Virginia National Guard who previously served prison time for attempting to aid the terrorist group ISIS. Devoted ROTC instructor Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, a father and husband, was killed in the attack. Two others were hospitalized with injuries, university police Chief Garrett Shelton said, noting all three victims were affiliated with the university. Federal investigators say they are still piecing together the events leading up to the attack and what led Jalloh to carry out the shooting. The case has drawn renewed scrutiny to Jalloh’s past, including a terrorism conviction nearly a decade ago that followed an investigation officials said kept them "up at night," as well as the circumstances surrounding his early release from prison. During the earlier investigation before his stint in prison, investigators were made aware that Jalloh had expressed admiration for the 2009 Fort Hood shooting rampage, when Army psychiatrist Nidal Hasan killed 13 people and wounded dozens at a Texas military base. Here’s what we know about Jalloh. A former National Guard member with a terrorism conviction. Jalloh, a naturalized US citizen born in Sierra Leone , served as a combat engineer in the Virginia National Guard between 2009 and 2015, according to a US Army official. During a 2016 investigation, authorities learned he had begun consuming online lectures from a deceased Al-Qaeda leader and ultimately decided not to reenlist after leaving the Guard. That same year, federal prosecutors said Jalloh attempted to assist ISIS. He sought to obtain weapons he believed would be used in an attack carried out in the group’s name and also tried to send money to the terrorist organization, according to the Department of Justice. Unbeknownst to him, the person he was communicating with was an FBI source who was monitoring his behavior.

New York Post [3/14/2026 7:30 PM, Jeanne Erickson, 40934K] reports a longtime friend of Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, the Old Dominion University ROTC instructor who was viciously gunned down by a convicted ISIS supporter, offered an emotional on-air tribute to his late college buddy. "He was a beautiful soul," Carlos Ortiz, 41, told CNN’s Victor Blackwell in an interview Friday. "He was always smiling. … He put his heart and all his effort into serving the United States Army. You couldn’t ask for a better soldier than Brandon." The two met as underclassmen at ODU in Norfolk. "We trained together every day — ate together ever day," said Ortiz. "He loved military. He loved the army." After graduation, they were deployed separately, but the pair stayed in touch. Shah, 42, fulfilled his dream of being an Army pilot, flying an AH64 Apache helicopter over Iraq, Afghanistan and Eastern Europe during Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and Atlantic Resolve. He logged more than 1,200 flight hours, 600 of them on combat missions — in three different aircraft. He collected more than 17 awards linked to his storied military career, including the Air Medal of Valor and three Army Commendation Medals. Four years ago, he returned to ODU as a professor of Military Science to teach the next generation of service members. Shah, 42, who was married and had a son in elementary school, was about to retire and build a "forever home" in his beloved Virginia, so he could spend time with his family, Ortiz said. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Breitbart [3/14/2026 3:13 PM, Lowell Cauffiel, 2238K] reports two Florida teens accused of plotting a gruesome "blood ritual" mass murder at their high school were caught on video cracking jokes and laughing in the back of a police car after they’d been apprehended. The video surfaced this week when prosecutors presented it in a bond hearing for Lois Olivios Lippert, 14, and Isabelle Aurelia Valdez, 15, both of Altamonte Springs, a suburb of Orlando. Prosecutors argued the teens — who joked about the killing and how one of them would look in their mug shots — pose a danger to the community and should remain behind bars. The pair allegedly wanted to "resurrect" the Sandy Hook school shooting, according to court documents. Valdez reportedly was obsessed with Sandy Hook shooter Adam Lanza and was inspired by his horrific 2012 murder spree that resulted in the deaths of 20 elementary school children. Police arrested the Florida pair in January after authorities received a tip that a student known as "Jimmy" was planning to kill a classmate at Lake Brantley High School, according to the arrest report by Altamonte Springs police. Detectives later identified "Jimmy" as Valdez.

Univision [3/14/2026 8:08 PM, Staff, 4937K] reports the Michigan synagogue that was attacked this week, when a gunman drove his car into the building, had been strengthening its security measures for months by hiring a police lieutenant with extensive experience as security director and conducting active shooter drills. The increased security measures—launched in response to rising antisemitism and other attacks on places of worship—are credited with saving lives in an incident that ended with the death of only the attacker. An armed private security guard responded to the attacker after he opened fire through the windshield in a hallway inside the building. When the car rammed in, there were 140 students inside an early childhood education center. All escaped unharmed. The car’s engine caught fire and the assailant, Ayman Mohammad Ghazali, a Lebanese-born American citizen, ended up committing suicide with his own weapon, according to Jennifer Runyan, the special agent in charge of the local FBI office in Detroit. The initiative to bolster security at Temple Israel, outside Detroit, came as many places of worship have taken similar steps, with leaders working to strengthen facilities following the deadly attacks. Synagogues around the world have increased security measures after the United States and Israel launched a war with Iran on February 28.

New York Post [3/14/2026 8:45 PM, Ross O’Keefe, 40934K] reports a pair of Los Angeles teenagers hired by the Sinaloa Cartel to rub out a rival in Southern California were sentenced to 25 years in prison for the assassination attempt. Andrew “Shooter” Nunez, 16, and Johncarlo “Dumper” Quintero, 17, learned their fate Friday after pleading guilty to attempted murder and the collateral death of a fellow gang member. The teens were just 15 when they tried and failed to gun down their target at a San Diego-area Chili’s restaurant before another hit attempt at the victim’s home in March 2024, according to the US Attorney’s Office for California’s Southern District. The expected to be paid $50,000 each for the successful killing. Acting as hired hitmen for the Sinaloa Cartel, they drove from Los Angeles to the Chili’s in Chula Vista as the target left the restaurant with his family. Quintero fired a bullet that hit the man’s leg before his gun jammed. The victim then fled as the pair tried unsuccessfully to run him over. They showed up at the victim’s house in the early hours of the following day with an older accomplice, Ricardo Sanchez, 28, but their intended target was not home. After Sanchez knocked at the door, the teens fired indiscriminately at the house with two of the man’s relatives and one his friend’s inside. The friend then responded with his own gunfire after being shot in the hand, arm and face, killing Sanchez. The teens then fled the scene. The teens pleaded guilty last December to charges of murder and attempted murder charges while admitting they were hired as hitmen. They also admitted to knowing that they could not be charged as adults for the crime and were recruited because of that. U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon said in a statement that a California Senate bill had made state prosecutions of 14- and 15-year-olds a “practical impossibility,” and the Sinaloa Cartel recruited “accordingly.”

FOX News [3/14/2026 1:06 PM, Staff, 37576K] reports AAA urged spring break travelers to take precautions in Mexico amid spikes in violence due to cartel tensions. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

ABC News [3/14/2026 7:47 PM, Staff, 34146K] Video HERE reports the U.S. struck an Iranian oil hub as 5,000 U.S. forces are deployed to the region. NewsMax [3/14/2026 6:11 PM, Staff, 3760K] reports the Pentagon is sending thousands more Marines and sailors to the Middle East as Iran intensifies attacks on the Strait of Hormuz, according to two senior military officials who spoke with Newsmax. Newsmax national security correspondent Carla Babb confirmed Saturday that the USS Tripoli amphibious assault ship and the embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) are deploying to the region after operating in the Philippine Sea this week. USS Tripoli carries about 2,500 sailors and Marines. Speaking to Newsmax on condition of anonymity, one senior military official said additional ships are also deploying to the region, but ruled out the other two vessels in the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group. The amphibious transport docks USS San Diego and USS New Orleans make up the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group with USS Tripoli. War Secretary Pete Hegseth approved the deployment at the request of Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, which oversees American forces in the Middle East. The move comes as Iran’s attacks on the Strait of Hormuz have essentially blocked traffic through the strategic waterway, sending oil and gas prices soaring because of the disruption. President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday that the United States has already destroyed "100%" of Iran’s military capability and said other nations should help reopen the key shipping route. "Hopefully China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and others that are affected by this artificial constraint will send Ships to the area so that the Hormuz Strait will no longer be a threat by a Nation that has been totally decapitated," Trump wrote. The United States is now more than two weeks into a war against Iran launched with ally Israel on Feb. 28. President Trump has repeatedly said the conflict will end soon, even as additional forces move into the region. Marine Expeditionary Units are capable of launching attacks on land targets from the sea if needed. The president has said the war is aimed at eliminating Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, which the administration said were "significantly degraded" last June. Iran’s longtime leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in one of the early Israeli airstrikes on the first day of the U.S.-Israeli assault.

AP [3/14/2026 5:06 PM, Staff, 31753K] reports U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright directed a Texas-based oil and gas company Friday to restore operations in waters off southern California that were damaged by a 2015 oil spill, invoking the Defense Production Act. Restoring Sable Offshore Corp.’s Santa Ynez unit and pipeline off Santa Barbara aims to address supply disruption risks, according to a department news release. The unit includes three rigs in federal waters, offshore and onshore pipelines, and the Las Flores Canyon Processing Facility. The facility can produce about 50,000 barrels of oil per day and would replace nearly 1.5 million barrels of foreign crude each month, officials said. “The Trump Administration remains committed to putting all Americans and their energy security first,” Wright said in a statement. “Unfortunately, some state leaders have not adhered to those same principles, with potentially disastrous consequences not just for their residents, but also our national security. Today’s order will strengthen America’s oil supply and restore a pipeline system vital to our national security and defense, ensuring that West Coast military installations have the reliable energy critical to military readiness.”

FOX News [3/14/2026 7:40 PM, Sophia Compton, 37576K] Video: HERE reports the American flag flew again over the U.S. Embassy in Venezuela Saturday for the first time in the South American country in seven years. The embassy compound in Caracas is still undergoing renovations, and officials have not announced when the building will fully reopen, The Associated Press reported. The flag’s return comes months after former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was captured by U.S. forces in January. The U.S. Embassy highlighted the moment in a social media post, calling it the start of a new chapter in relations between Washington and Caracas. "A new era for U.S.-Venezuela relations has begun," the U.S. Embassy wrote on X. Some residents expressed hope that the flag signals improved ties with the international community. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

NBC News [3/14/2026 3:27 PM, Chloe Atkins and Matt Lavietes, 42967K] reports the Trump administration on Friday opposed a request by former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, to dismiss their U.S. criminal case. Maduro and Flores asked the court last month to dismiss the case, arguing the government improperly prevented them from using Venezuelan government funds to pay for their defense. In a court filing, the Trump administration argued that Maduro and his wife remain free to use their personal funds, including jointly held funds, to pay their legal fees, but not money controlled by a separately sanctioned Venezuelan government entity. The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, which administers U.S. sanctions against foreign entities, "has granted the defendants an exception to those sanctions: authorization to use their personal (and joint) funds to pay their attorneys’ fees," the government wrote. "OFAC, however, has denied the defendants’ request for an additional exception: to allow them to pay their legal fees from a slush fund controlled by a sanctioned government." Maduro’s attorney Barry Pollack noted in a court filing last month that OFAC had approved licenses sought by Maduro and Flores in January. The licenses were required to authorize funds transfers because of sanctions against Venezuela. But the government argued that OFAC had approved the broader authorization by administrative error and then amended the licenses.

Univision [3/14/2026 2:24 PM, Staff, 4937K] reports the core of the dispute lies in the source of the defense funds. The Maduro family’s lawyers argued that the inability to access third-party assets violated their Sixth Amendment rights (right to legal assistance). However, the prosecution revealed that the Office of Foreign Assets Control ( OFAC ) only blocked the use of a "slush fund" controlled by the Venezuelan government, which is a sanctioned entity. "OFAC regulations prohibit a sanctioned entity from paying the legal expenses of another sanctioned person," the government memorandum states. The US government stressed that the sanctions against the regime and individuals are not a recent "tactic" to obstruct the trial, but rather a response to a national security policy established years before the criminal charges. The prosecution admitted there was initial confusion when OFAC mistakenly issued a license allowing the use of Venezuelan government funds for defense. However, that license was quickly revoked and rectified . Currently, Maduro and Flores are authorized to use their personal and joint funds (provided they are outside U.S. jurisdiction and do not involve U.S. persons), but they cannot use Venezuelan state assets for their private benefit in court.

New York Post [3/14/2026 10:35 PM, David Spector, 40934K] reports China has been helping Iran in its war against the US and Israel, Iran’s foreign minister boasted Saturday — days after confirming his country has also been aided by Russia. "Russia and China are our strategy partners, and we have had close cooperation in the past, which is still continues [sic], and that includes military cooperation as well," Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told MS Now. The two American adversaries have been accused of providing the Islamic Republic with intelligence regarding the locations of US military assets during Operation Epic Fury. The foreign minister revealed China’s involvement in the war just days after he said that Russia’s involvement in the war was "no secret.". "A military cooperation between Iran and Russia is not something new. It’s not a secret," Araghchi told NBC’s "Meet the Press" on Sunday. Aragachi said that he would not provide details as to the nature of military help Iran is receiving from China and Russia, but described the working relationship as "good cooperation.". News of Russia’s involvement flies in the face of assurances made by Kremlin officials to US diplomatic leaders. Ambassador Steve Witkoff told CNBC that Russian leaders had promised President Trump that they were not providing intelligence to Russia during a phone call Monday. "I can tell you that yesterday, on the call with [President Trump], the Russians said they have not been sharing… so, we can take them at their word, but they did say that," Witkoff told CNBC. Russian President Vladimir Putin declared his "unwavering support" for Iran and congratulated its new supreme leader Monday. "I am sure that you will honorably continue your father’s work and unite the Iranian people," Putin said in a message to newly installed Iranian Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.

Los Angeles Times [3/15/2026 6:00 AM, Michael Wilner, 14672K] reports after two weeks of war with Iran, the Trump administration is being forced to temper its expectations of a swift end to the conflict, with U.S. intelligence and defense officials expressing doubt it can achieve the overthrow of Iran’s government and the destruction of its nuclear program through military means. It was an outcome forewarned by analysts at the State Department, the CIA and the Pentagon, who together alerted the administration to the pitfalls full-scale war with Iran would bring before President Trump decided to proceed, two U.S. officials told The Times, granted anonymity to speak candidly. Certain military goals of Operation Epic Fury laid out at the start of the war are still seen as achievable at the Pentagon, with U.S. and Israeli strikes making steady progress degrading Iran’s ballistic missile infrastructure, its drone program and its navy. But a prewar U.S. intelligence assessment, that an air assault was unlikely to topple the Islamic Republic, still holds, with the intelligence community now casting doubt the assault had any more political effect than to radicalize a government already devoted to the destruction of Israel and harming the United States. The foreign policy strategy Trump publicly laid out as his playbook for the conflict — to come down hard on the government, decapitating its leadership, and hope the remnants would seek mercy — has not worked, with Tehran looking for new ways to expand the war and maximize pain for the U.S. administration.

New York Post [3/14/2026 2:47 PM, Gabrielle Fahmy, 40934K] reports the Islamic Republic threatened to strike Ukraine Saturday, days after Kyiv shipped military experts to the Middle East to help the Gulf states defend against Iranian drones. "By providing drone support to the Israeli regime, failed Ukraine has effectively become involved in the war," said Ibrahim Azizi, head of Iran’s national security committee, Saturday on X. "It has turned its entire territory into a legitimate target for Iran," he threatened. The threat from the Islamic Republic could represent a serious escalation of the war, potentially dragging Europe into the fight. Shortly after its invasion of Ukraine, Russia began pummeled the country with Iranian-made "Shahed" drones. So immediately after the first Iranian counterstrikes after the Israel and US launched its joint war with Iran, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky offered to share Kyiv’s hard-won battlefield lessons. "Unfortunately, Ukraine knows all too well what this is about," Zelensky had said at the start of the Iran war.

Reported similarly:
Univision [3/14/2026 5:11 PM, Staff, 4937K]

Washington Examiner [3/14/2026 11:53 PM, Zach LaChance, 1147K] reports the State Department has instructed Americans still in Iraq to leave the country immediately, a warning that comes after a missile struck the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. "Iran-aligned terrorist militias have encouraged and conducted indiscriminate attacks on U.S. citizens and targets associated with the United States throughout Iraq, including the Iraqi Kurdistan Region (IKR). U.S. citizens should leave Iraq now," a security alert from the agency said. They also urged Americans not to travel to the embassy or the U.S. consulate in Erbil, citing Iranian missile and drone attacks. All "routine" services at both of the offices are suspended regardless, the State Department added. The agency advised Americans to travel by land to either Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, or Turkey, given that Iraqi airspace is closed at least until Monday. "Land borders are generally open. Travelers should expect long delays. Local ground transportation options are functioning. Americans should depart now via one of these overland routes," it said. The alert from the State Department comes as the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad, the largest U.S. diplomatic building in the world, sustained damage after a missile breached its air defense system and hit a helipad. Footage in the aftermath of the strike shows flames and smoke rising from the top of the building, though no injuries were reported.

AP [3/14/2026 10:46 PM, Staff, 34146K] reports North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, accompanied by his teenage daughter, observed a live-fire test of multiple rocket launch systems, state media reported Sunday, a likely response to ongoing U.S.-South Korean military training that North Korea views as an invasion rehearsal. The official Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim watched the strike drill involving twelve 600mm-calibre, ultraprecision rocket launchers off North Korea’s east coast on Saturday. South Korea’s military said Saturday it detected about 10 ballistic missiles fired from North Korea’s capital region toward the eastern sea. South Korea’s national security council called the launches a provocation that violated U.N. Security Council resolutions that bans any ballistic activities by North Korea. KCNA cited Kim as saying that the drill would expose enemies within the 420-kilometer (260-mile) striking range, to “uneasiness” and give them “a deep understanding of the destructive power of tactical nuclear weapon,” KCNA said. He apparently referred to South Korea and U.S. troops stationed in South Korea. “If this weapon is used, the opponent’s military infrastructure within its striking range can never survive,” Kim said, according to KCNA. KCNA photos showed Kim and his daughter, reportedly named Kim Ju Ae and aged about 13, walking near huge olive-green launch trucks and looking at weapons being launched from them. The girl has been accompanying her father at numerous high-profile events like missile tests and military parades since late 2022, stoking outside speculation that she’s being groomed as his heir. Experts say North Korea’s large-sized rocket launchers blur the boundaries between artillery systems and ballistic missiles because they can create their own thrust and are guided during delivery. North Korea has said some of these systems are capable of delivering nuclear warheads. The springtime U.S.-South Korean Freedom Shield training, a computer-simulated command post exercise, is to run through March 19. North Korea often reacts to the exercise with its own weapons tests and fiery rhetoric.

Reported similarly:
Wall Street Journal [3/14/2026 8:30 PM, Timothy W. Martin, 646K]

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