INSIDER
The FBI and DHS leaders won't testify publicly about national security threats before the Senate
Read full article: The FBI and DHS leaders won't testify publicly about national security threats before the SenateThe leaders of the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security have declined to testify publicly at a scheduled Senate hearing on global national security threats.
Homeland Security Department releases framework for using AI in critical infrastructure
Read full article: Homeland Security Department releases framework for using AI in critical infrastructureThe Biden administration has released guidelines for using artificial intelligence in the power grid, water system, air travel network and other pieces of critical infrastructure.
US bans new types of goods from China over allegations of forced labor
Read full article: US bans new types of goods from China over allegations of forced laborThe Department of Homeland Security has announced that it would ban the import of goods from a Chinese steel manufacturer and a Chinese maker of artificial sweetener.
Biden restarts immigration program for 4 countries with more vetting for sponsors
Read full article: Biden restarts immigration program for 4 countries with more vetting for sponsorsThe Biden administration is restarting an immigration program that allows migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela to come to the United States.
Defamation suit against Fox News by head of dismantled disinformation board tossed by federal judge
Read full article: Defamation suit against Fox News by head of dismantled disinformation board tossed by federal judgeA defamation suit against Fox News by a government official who served on a short-lived U.S. government media disinformation board is being dismissed by a federal judge.
More than 3 million pass through US airport security in a day for the first time as travel surges
Read full article: More than 3 million pass through US airport security in a day for the first time as travel surgesAgents for the U.S. Transportation Security Administration on Sunday screened 3 million airline passengers in a single day for the first time ever.
US deports 116 Chinese migrants in first 'large' flight in 5 years
Read full article: US deports 116 Chinese migrants in first 'large' flight in 5 yearsThe Department of Homeland Security says it has deported 116 Chinese migrants from the United States in the first “large charter flight” in five years.
Border arrests fall more than 40% after Biden's halt to asylum processing, Homeland Security says
Read full article: Border arrests fall more than 40% after Biden's halt to asylum processing, Homeland Security saysThe Homeland Security Department says arrests for illegal border crossings have dropped more than 40% during the three weeks asylum processing has been suspended.
Biden is offering some migrants a pathway to citizenship. Here's how the plan will work
Read full article: Biden is offering some migrants a pathway to citizenship. Here's how the plan will workA new Biden administration policy will give roughly half a million immigrants who are married to American citizens but lack legal status in the United States a pathway to citizenship for them and their children.
President Joe Biden faces first lawsuit over new asylum crackdown at the border
Read full article: President Joe Biden faces first lawsuit over new asylum crackdown at the borderSeveral immigrant advocacy groups are suing the Biden administration over President Joe Biden's directive last week to stop asylum processing at the southern border.
DHS helps Florida election officials protect against AI misinformation, distruptions
Read full article: DHS helps Florida election officials protect against AI misinformation, distruptionsFlorida election officials learned from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) how to protect local elections from artificial intelligence being used to spread misinformation.
US deports about 50 Haitians to nation hit with gang violence, ending monthslong pause in flights
Read full article: US deports about 50 Haitians to nation hit with gang violence, ending monthslong pause in flightsThe Biden administration says it has sent about 50 Haitians back to their country, marking its first deportation flight in months to the Caribbean nation struggling under surging gang violence.
Department of Homeland Security unveils campaign to address digital sexual exploitation against children
Read full article: Department of Homeland Security unveils campaign to address digital sexual exploitation against childrenNational organizations teamed up with the Department of Homeland Security secretary to unveil a public awareness campaign called “Know2Protect” to address online or digital sexual exploitation against children.
Dubious claims about voting flyers at a migrant camp show how the border is inflaming US politics
Read full article: Dubious claims about voting flyers at a migrant camp show how the border is inflaming US politicsA humanitarian organization in northeastern Mexico is saying it did not create flyers urging border-bound migrants to vote for President Joe Biden.
Negotiators race to finish government funding bills after reaching deal on Homeland Security bill
Read full article: Negotiators race to finish government funding bills after reaching deal on Homeland Security billNegotiators from Congress and the White House are scrambling to complete work on funding government agencies for the fiscal year and avoid a partial shutdown that could begin this weekend.
Chinese hackers are determined to ‘wreak havoc’ on US critical infrastructure, FBI director warns
Read full article: Chinese hackers are determined to ‘wreak havoc’ on US critical infrastructure, FBI director warnsFBI Director Chris Wray has told House lawmakers that Chinese government hackers are busily targeting critical infrastructure inside the United States, including water treatment plants, the electrical grid and transportation systems.
Iowa promised $75 million for school safety. Two shootings later, the money is largely unspent
Read full article: Iowa promised $75 million for school safety. Two shootings later, the money is largely unspentIowa's Republican governor announced in June 2022 that the state would use $75 million in federal pandemic relief funds to add security measures at schools.
Jewish community remains mindful of threat concerns as Hanukkah begins
Read full article: Jewish community remains mindful of threat concerns as Hanukkah beginsHanukkah begins at sundown on Thursday as the Department of Homeland Security, Justice Department and law enforcement agencies remind members of the community that some may use the war between Israel and Hamas as an excuse to increase calls for violence.
A new Homeland Security guide aims to help houses of worship protect themselves
Read full article: A new Homeland Security guide aims to help houses of worship protect themselvesA new guide from the Department of Homeland Security aims to help churches, synagogues, mosques and other houses of worship protect themselves during heightened tensions in faith-based communities across the country.
Democratic lawmakers want President Biden to protect Palestinians in US from being forced home
Read full article: Democratic lawmakers want President Biden to protect Palestinians in US from being forced homeDozens of Democratic lawmakers are urging President Joe Biden to take steps to protect Palestinians in the United States as the Israel-Hamas war continues.
US allows Israeli citizens to travel to US visa-free as Israel joins a select group of countries
Read full article: US allows Israeli citizens to travel to US visa-free as Israel joins a select group of countriesThe Biden administration has admitted Israel into a select group of countries whose citizens are allowed to travel to the United States without getting a visa in advance.
The Biden administration is poised to allow Israeli citizens to travel to the US without a US visa
Read full article: The Biden administration is poised to allow Israeli citizens to travel to the US without a US visaThe Biden administration is poised to allow Israeli citizens to travel to the United States without a U.S. visa.
Afghans who recently arrived in US get temporary legal status from Biden administration
Read full article: Afghans who recently arrived in US get temporary legal status from Biden administrationThe Biden administration is giving temporary legal status to Afghan migrants who have already been living in the country for a little over a year.
The US government is eager to restore powers to keep dangerous chemicals out of extremists' hands
Read full article: The US government is eager to restore powers to keep dangerous chemicals out of extremists' handsWhen Congress returns this week, Homeland Security officials and those in the chemical industries will be watching to see if a program regulating the chemical sector will be on its agenda.
Head of US cybersecurity agency sees progress on election security, with more work needed for 2024
Read full article: Head of US cybersecurity agency sees progress on election security, with more work needed for 2024The head of the nation’s cybersecurity agency says efforts to protect the nation’s election systems have grown exponentially since the 2016 presidential election, but more is needed to defend the integrity and resiliency of the election process ahead of next year’s vote.
Army combat veteran to take over key election security role working with state, local officials
Read full article: Army combat veteran to take over key election security role working with state, local officialsAn Army combat veteran with extensive cybersecurity and counterterrorism experience is taking over as one of the nation’s top election security officials.
A Russian ransomware gang breaches the Energy Department and other federal agencies
Read full article: A Russian ransomware gang breaches the Energy Department and other federal agenciesU.S. officials say the Department of Energy is among a small number of federal agencies compromised in a Russian cyber-extortion gang’s global hack of a file-transfer program popular with corporations and governments.
Born after 9/11, Homeland Security turns 20 facing new tasks
Read full article: Born after 9/11, Homeland Security turns 20 facing new tasksThe Department of Homeland Security was created 20 years ago in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and hundreds of employees from across the department gathered Wednesday to mark the anniversary.
COVID's lingering impact prompts Real ID deadline extension
Read full article: COVID's lingering impact prompts Real ID deadline extensionThe deadline for obtaining the Real ID needed to board a domestic flight has been pushed back again, with the Department of Homeland Security citing the lingering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic for the slower-than-expected rollout.
Supreme Court wrestles with Biden's deportation policy
Read full article: Supreme Court wrestles with Biden's deportation policyThe Supreme Court is wrestling with a politically tinged dispute over a Biden administration policy that would prioritize deportation of people in the country illegally who pose the greatest public safety risk.
Judge delays end of asylum restrictions to late December
Read full article: Judge delays end of asylum restrictions to late DecemberA federal judge has granted the Biden administration a five-week delay to end far-reaching asylum restrictions, writing in upper-case letters that he was doing so “WITH GREAT RELUCTANCE.”.
Senate: Migrants subject to unnecessary medical procedures
Read full article: Senate: Migrants subject to unnecessary medical proceduresA Senate investigation has found that U.S. immigration authorities didn’t do enough to adequately vet or monitor a gynecologist in rural Georgia who performed unnecessary medical procedures on detained migrant women without their consent.
Judge orders end to Trump-era asylum restrictions at border
Read full article: Judge orders end to Trump-era asylum restrictions at borderA federal judge has ordered the Biden administration to lift Trump-era asylum restrictions that have been a cornerstone of border enforcement since the beginning of COVID-19.
US warns about foreign efforts to sway American voters
Read full article: US warns about foreign efforts to sway American votersU.S. officials say Russia is working to amplify doubts about the integrity of American elections while China is interested in influencing policy perspectives in favor of Beijing.
Log4j software flaw 'endemic,' new cyber safety panel says
Read full article: Log4j software flaw 'endemic,' new cyber safety panel saysA new cybersecurity panel created by President Joe Biden says a computer vulnerability discovered last year in a ubiquitous piece of software is an “endemic” problem that will pose security risks for potentially a decade or more.
4 men sentenced to prison in Jacksonville-area meth distribution operation
Read full article: 4 men sentenced to prison in Jacksonville-area meth distribution operationThe U.S. Attorney’s Office on Thursday announced the sentencing of four men who were responsible for distributing large quantities of pure meth into the Jacksonville area.
US sees heightened extremist threat heading into midterms
Read full article: US sees heightened extremist threat heading into midtermsThe Department of Homeland Security says a looming Supreme Court decision on abortion, an increase of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border and the midterm elections are potential triggers for extremist violence over the next six months.
FLETC pauses training because of COVID-19 outbreak
Read full article: FLETC pauses training because of COVID-19 outbreakFLETC -- the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers -- is temporarily suspending training operations in Glynco, Georgia, because of a spike in COVID-19 cases among students, the Department of Homeland Security announced Friday.
US warns abortion ruling could increase extremist violence
Read full article: US warns abortion ruling could increase extremist violenceThe federal government is warning law enforcement agencies around the nation of the increased potential for extremist violence after the leak of a draft Supreme Court opinion striking down the constitutional right to abortion.
First Afghan refugees arrive at new center in Virginia
Read full article: First Afghan refugees arrive at new center in VirginiaA first group of Afghan refugees have arrived at a new temporary housing facility in Northern Virginia as the U.S. works to resettle people who fled the Taliban takeover of their country.
EXPLAINER: What is the US doing to help Ukraine refugees?
Read full article: EXPLAINER: What is the US doing to help Ukraine refugees?Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has set off the largest mass migration in Europe in decades, with more than 1.5 million people having crossed from Ukraine into neighboring countries.
Extremists see US power grid as target, gov't report warns
Read full article: Extremists see US power grid as target, gov't report warnsExtremist groups in the United States appear to increasingly view attacking the power grid as a means of disrupting the country, according to a government report aimed at law enforcement agencies and utility operators.
US has reunited 100 children taken from parents under Trump
Read full article: US has reunited 100 children taken from parents under TrumpA Biden administration effort to reunite children and parents who were separated under President Donald Trump’s zero-tolerance border policy has made increasing progress as it nears the end of its first year.
Agents with Homeland Security team to wear body cameras
Read full article: Agents with Homeland Security team to wear body camerasAgents with an investigative unit of the Department of Homeland Security will wear body cameras for the first time as part of a six-month pilot program that will focus on the costs and benefits of using the technology in federal law enforcement.
AP seeks answers from US gov't on tracking of journalists
Read full article: AP seeks answers from US gov't on tracking of journalistsThe Associated Press is seeking answers from the Department of Homeland Security on its use of sensitive government databases for tracking international terrorists to investigate as many as 20 American journalists, including an acclaimed AP reporter.
Sen. Rubio demands information on migrant flights into Jacksonville
Read full article: Sen. Rubio demands information on migrant flights into JacksonvilleSen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, is demanding answers from the U.S. attorney general and the Department of Homeland Security about flights carrying migrants into and through Jacksonville.
US limits immigration arrests at schools, 'protected' areas
Read full article: US limits immigration arrests at schools, 'protected' areasU.S. immigration authorities will limit arrests at schools, hospitals and other so-called protected areas under new guidelines issued by the Department of Homeland Security.
Supreme Court orders 'Remain in Mexico' policy reinstated
Read full article: Supreme Court orders 'Remain in Mexico' policy reinstatedThe Supreme Court says the Biden administration likely violated federal law in trying to end a Trump-era program that forces people to wait in Mexico while seeking asylum in the U.S. With three liberal justices in dissent, the high court refused Tuesday to block a lower court ruling ordering the administration to reinstate the program informally known as Remain in Mexico.
Supreme Court orders 'Remain in Mexico' policy reinstated
Read full article: Supreme Court orders 'Remain in Mexico' policy reinstatedThe Supreme Court says the Biden administration likely violated federal law in trying to end a Trump-era program that forces people to wait in Mexico while seeking asylum in the U.S. With three liberal justices in dissent, the high court refused Tuesday to block a lower court ruling ordering the administration to reinstate the program informally known as Remain in Mexico.
Supreme Court halts reinstating 'Remain in Mexico' policy
Read full article: Supreme Court halts reinstating 'Remain in Mexico' policyThe Supreme Court is temporarily halting a judge’s order that would have forced the government to reinstate a Trump administration policy forcing thousands to wait in Mexico while seeking asylum in the U.S. Justice Samuel Alito issued the temporary stay late Friday night.
Appeals court won't delay 'Remain in Mexico' return
Read full article: Appeals court won't delay 'Remain in Mexico' returnA federal appellate court has refused to delay implementation of a judge's order reinstating a Trump administration policy forcing thousands to wait in Mexico while seeking asylum in the U.S. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued the ruling late Thursday.
US warns 9/11 anniversary could inspire extremist attacks
Read full article: US warns 9/11 anniversary could inspire extremist attacksThe latest terrorism alert bulletin from the Department of Homeland Security warns that the upcoming 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks as well as approaching religious holidays could inspire violent attacks by extremists.
New cybersecurity order issued for US pipeline operators
Read full article: New cybersecurity order issued for US pipeline operatorsThe Department of Homeland Security has announced new requirements for U.S. pipeline operators to bolster cybersecurity following a May ransomware attack that disrupted gas delivery across the East Coast.
Suspected Chinese hackers spied on US, European targets
Read full article: Suspected Chinese hackers spied on US, European targetsA prominent cybersecurity firm says suspected state-backed Chinese hackers exploited widely used networking devices to spy for months on dozens of high-value government, defense industry and financial sector targets in the U.S. and Europe.
Biden OKs more foreign seasonal workers as economy improves
Read full article: Biden OKs more foreign seasonal workers as economy improvesPresident Joe Biden’s administration announced an increase Tuesday in the number of temporary seasonal workers who will be allowed to work in the U.S. this year as the U.S. economy recovers from the pandemic.
Senators press for more on SolarWinds hack after AP report
Read full article: Senators press for more on SolarWinds hack after AP reportKey lawmakers say they’re concerned they’ve been kept in the dark about what suspected Russian hackers stole from the federal government and they pressed Biden administration officials for more details about the scope of what’s known as the SolarWinds hack.
Jacksonville City Council member organizes meeting to combat internet crimes against children
Read full article: Jacksonville City Council member organizes meeting to combat internet crimes against childrenJACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A meeting with local, state and federal authorities to combat crimes against children will take place this week in Jacksonville. Jacksonville City Council Member LeAnna Cumber, who represents District 5, is a mother of two children. He knew exactly one of them,” said Cumber, who appeared Sunday on “The Morning Show.”Cumber admitted she was alarmed. “I want them to know it is critical, as a parent, to have open communication with their child. The meeting is set for 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 23, inside the Lynwood Roberts Room at City Hall.
US shifts state grant focus to extremism, cyberthreats
Read full article: US shifts state grant focus to extremism, cyberthreatsAbout half of the money covered comes from two widely used grants: the State Homeland Security Program and the Urban Area Security Initiative. AdThat translates into at least $77 million to address domestic extremism, funds that Mayorkas said can be used to improve intelligence sharing across state lines, training and public awareness. AdConcerns about domestic extremism have been mounting in recent years. DHS listed domestic violent extremism, particularly by white supremacists, as among the top threats facing the nation late last year, and in January for the first time used a national terrorist advisory to warn about domestic extremism. In the wake of the Jan. 6 insurrection, Republicans and Democrats in Congress have called for increased focus on domestic extremism.
US reverts to targeted immigration enforcement under Biden
Read full article: US reverts to targeted immigration enforcement under BidenPresident Joe Biden speaks during a meeting with labor leaders in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)WASHINGTON – Immigration enforcement in the U.S. would be more targeted under President Joe Biden than under his predecessor, with authorities directed to focus on people in the country illegally who pose a threat, according to guidelines released Thursday. The guidelines set a new course for U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement, which drew fierce criticism under President Donald Trump for arresting and removing anyone in the country illegally regardless of criminal history or community ties. Under Biden, ICE would primarily apprehend and remove people who pose a threat to national security, committed crimes designated as “aggravated” felonies or recently crossed the border. AdTrump, whose administration took hundreds of measures to restrict both legal and illegal immigration, early on directed ICE to apprehend anyone who was in the country illegally.
US won't make immigration arrests at virus vaccination sites
Read full article: US won't make immigration arrests at virus vaccination sitesDrivers with a vaccine appointment enter a mega COVID-19 vaccination site set up in the parking lot of Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles Saturday, Jan. 30, 2021. One of the largest vaccination sites in the country was temporarily shut down Saturday because dozen of protesters blocked the entrance, stalling hundreds of motorists who had been waiting in line for hours, the Los Angeles Times reported. The Los Angeles Fire Department shut the entrance to the vaccination center at Dodger Stadium about 2 p.m. as a precaution, officials told the newspaper. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)WASHINGTON – The U.S. government says it won’t be making routine immigration enforcement arrests at COVID-19 vaccination sites. Vaccination sites will be considered “sensitive locations” and generally off limits for enforcement actions, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement Monday.
The Latest: Wash. state warns hospitals on VIP vaccinations
Read full article: The Latest: Wash. state warns hospitals on VIP vaccinationsThe state crossed that mark Monday, exactly a year after officials reported the first case of a coronavirus infection in Massachusetts. — Maryland’s acting health secretary says the state’s hospitals have received less than half of their expected allocations of second doses of the coronavirus vaccine for front-line health workers this week. Schrader says state officials were talked with the federal Department of Health and Human Services all weekend trying to figure out what happened. The CDC says Iowa has delivered 190,689 first vaccine doses to individuals, or 6,044 per 100,000 people, the third lowest rate in the nation. Ad___PRAGUE — The Czech Republic is not planning to limit use of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine for elderly people like some other European Union nations.
Fmr. ambassador: Warning of politically motivated violence puts public ‘on notice’
Read full article: Fmr. ambassador: Warning of politically motivated violence puts public ‘on notice’It warns of the lingering potential for violence from people motivated by anti-government sentiment following the election. She served as the third-ranking official on the Clinton Administration’s National Security Council and now teaches at the University of North Florida. The department says it consulted with law enforcement and intelligence agencies before issuing the alert about the potential for homegrown violent extremism. She said the warning puts the American public “on notice,” and that most of all, it’s a warning against potential threats. Federal authorities have charged more than 150 people in the Capitol siege, including some with links to right-wing extremist groups.
US terrorism alert warns of politically motivated violence
Read full article: US terrorism alert warns of politically motivated violenceFILE - In this Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021 file photo, Trump supporters try to break through a police barrier at the Capitol in Washington. In contrast, the deadly attack by rioters on the U.S. Capitol targeted the very heart of government. It brought together members of disparate groups, creating the opportunity for extremists to establish links with each other. The document singles out crimes motivated by racial or ethnic hatred, such as the 2019 rampage targeting Hispanics in El Paso, Texas, as well as the threat posed by extremists motivated by foreign terror groups. The alert comes at a tense time following the riot at the Capitol by supporters of then-President Donald Trump seeking to overturn the presidential election.
Judge bars Biden from enforcing 100-day deportation ban
Read full article: Judge bars Biden from enforcing 100-day deportation banA federal judge on Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021, barred the U.S. government from enforcing a 100-day deportation moratorium that is a key immigration priority of President Joe Biden. Tipton said the Biden administration had failed to provide any concrete, reasonable justification for a 100-day pause on deportations. (AP Photo/Emilio Espejel, File)HOUSTON – A federal judge on Tuesday barred the U.S. government from enforcing a 100-day deportation moratorium that is a key immigration priority of President Joe Biden. That was a reversal from Trump administration policy that made anyone in the U.S. illegally a priority for deportation. The 100-day moratorium went into effect Friday and applied to almost anyone who entered the U.S. without authorization before November.
Biden's nominees promise fresh approach on national security
Read full article: Biden's nominees promise fresh approach on national securityPresident-elect Joe Bidens pick for national intelligence director Avril Haines arrives for a confirmation hearing before the Senate intelligence committee on Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021, in Washington. Neither Blinken nor Biden's other nominees for national security Cabinet posts encountered substantial opposition Tuesday. “When it comes to intelligence, there is simply no place for politics — ever,” she told the Senate Intelligence Committee. The House majority leader, Rep. Steny Hoyer, indicated Tuesday that the full House would consider an Austin waiver bill on Thursday. Like Blinken, Austin said he views China as the leading international issue facing Biden's national security team.
Unions: Passenger rails need better security, no-ride list
Read full article: Unions: Passenger rails need better security, no-ride listFILE - In this Jan. 1, 2021 file photo, The Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge overlooks the newly-completed Moynihan Train Hall in New York. Two major railroad workers unions have asked the Department of Homeland Security to beef up security on Amtrak and other passenger rail lines, including by creating a no-ride list akin to the no-fly list that prevents people identified as risks from boarding planes. – Two major railroad workers unions have asked the Department of Homeland Security to beef up security on Amtrak and other passenger lines, including by creating a no-ride list akin to the no-fly list that prevents people identified as risks from boarding planes. Ferguson, of SMART-TD, acknowledged there would be a cost to creating a no-ride list, but he said it should be minimal considering that officials would simply be sharing the existing no-fly list with railroads. The unions also asked the Federal Railroad Administration to require more security, but that agency declined to intervene Thursday because the Department of Homeland Security has jurisdiction over such matters.
Trump Homeland Security chief abruptly quits at tense time
Read full article: Trump Homeland Security chief abruptly quits at tense timeFILE - In this Sept. 23, 2020, file photo, acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf testifies before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee during his confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Shawn Thew/Pool via AP)WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s acting head of the Department of Homeland Security abruptly resigned Monday, leaving the post ahead of schedule as the nation faces a heightened terrorism threat from extremists seeking to reverse the election. The announcement by acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf was perplexing. Peter Gaynor, the administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, will serve as acting head of the Department of Homeland Security until the Biden administration takes over. Trump appointed Wolf acting secretary in November 2019, following the resignation of Kevin McAleenan, the acting secretary who took over following the resignation of Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen.
US judge blocks Trump administration’s sweeping asylum rules
Read full article: US judge blocks Trump administration’s sweeping asylum rulesSAN DIEGO – A U.S. judge on Friday blocked the Trump administration’s most sweeping set of asylum restrictions less than two weeks before President-elect Joe Biden takes office. The court order has limited immediate impact because the government has largely suspended asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border during the coronavirus pandemic, citing public health concerns. He said it was the fifth time a court has ruled against Homeland Security on the same grounds. Any foreigner who steps on U.S. soil has a legal right to apply for asylum, according to U.S. asylum law and international treaty obligations. Donato took issue with how people came to lead the Department of Homeland Security.
Justice Department, federal court system hit by Russian hack
Read full article: Justice Department, federal court system hit by Russian hackThe U.S. government on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021, said a devastating hack of federal agencies is likely Russian in origin and said the operation appeared to be an intelligence gathering effort. The Justice Department said that on Dec. 24 it detected "previously unknown malicious activity" linked to the broader intrusions of federal agencies revealed earlier that month, according to a statement from spokesman Marc Raimondi. Separately, the court office said on its website that “an apparent compromise” of the U.S. judiciary's case management and electronic case file system was under investigation. The actual reach is probably significant,” said a federal court official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose the information. Rid wondered how sure the Justice Department could be about the extent of its compromise.
US agencies, companies secure networks after huge hack
Read full article: US agencies, companies secure networks after huge hackThe intrusion was stark evidence of the vulnerability of even supposedly secure government networks, even after well-known previous attacks. U.S. authorities acknowledged that federal agencies were affected by the breach on Sunday, providing few details. The national cybersecurity agencies of Britain and Ireland issued similar alerts. SolarWinds is used by hundreds of thousands of organizations around the world, including most Fortune 500 companies and multiple U.S. federal agencies. “It’s obviously incredibly significant and widespread,” said Chris Painter, who coordinated cyber-policy at the State Department during the Obama administration.
US agencies hacked in monthslong global cyberspying campaign
Read full article: US agencies hacked in monthslong global cyberspying campaignThe threat apparently came from the same cyberespionage campaign that has afflicted FireEye, foreign governments and major corporations, and the FBI was investigating. FireEye’s customers include federal, state and local governments and top global corporations. Cybersecurity experts said last week that they considered Russian state hackers to be the main suspect in the FireEye hack. Federal government agencies have long been attractive targets for foreign hackers. “I suspect that there’s a number of other (federal) agencies we’re going to hear from this week that have also been hit,” Williams added.
US fully restores protections for young immigrants
Read full article: US fully restores protections for young immigrantsSAN DIEGO – The Trump administration said Monday that it fully restored the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that shields hundreds of thousands of young people from deportation, complying with a federal judge’s order. The announcement is still a major victory for young people who have been unable to apply since Trump ended DACA in September 2017. DACA shields about 650,000 people from deportation and makes them eligible for work permits. It allows certain immigrants who were brought to the country illegally as children to work and be exempt from deportation, though it does not confer legal status on recipients. "I don't want people caught in the crossfire.”___Associated Press writer Anita Snow in Phoenix contributed to this report.
Judge: Trump administration must take new DACA applications
Read full article: Judge: Trump administration must take new DACA applicationsU.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis said the government had to post a public notice within three days — including on its website and the websites of all other relevant government agencies — that new DACA applications were being accepted. Garaufis also ordered the government to put together a status report on the DACA program by Jan. 4. “Every time the outgoing administration tried to use young immigrants as political scapegoats, they defiled the values of our nation. The Trump administration had announced the end of the program in 2017, leading to the legal challenges that wound up in front of the Supreme Court. For the second time, a court has ordered the administration to resume processing DACA applications.
Ex-Homeland Security official Mayorkas returns under Biden
Read full article: Ex-Homeland Security official Mayorkas returns under BidenBiden on Monday announced the nomination of Alejandro Mayorkas, who served under President Barack Obama as deputy secretary of homeland security and director of the Citizenship and Immigration Services. And he helped negotiate the first homeland security memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Cuba, where he was born. If confirmed by the Senate, Mayorkas, who turns 61 on Tuesday, would be the first Hispanic and the first immigrant to lead DHS. He graduated from the University of California at Berkeley and received his law degree from Loyola Law School. Bersin said Mayorkas is a “centrist” who will seek to balance humanitarian concerns with the need for border security.
US agency ascertains Biden as winner, lets transiton begin
Read full article: US agency ascertains Biden as winner, lets transiton beginTrump tweeted shortly after her letter was made public: “We will keep up the good fight and I believe we will prevail! Portman, a senior member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, also said Biden should receive high-level briefings on national security and the coronavirus vaccine distribution plan. Alexander and Portman, who have both aligned themselves with Trump, joined a growing number of Republican officials who in recent days have urged Trump to begin the transition immediately. Murphy's ascertainment will free up money for the transition and clear the way for Biden’s team to begin placing transition personnel at federal agencies. Trump administration officials had said they would not give Biden the classified presidential daily briefing on intelligence matters until the GSA makes the ascertainment official.
Trump fires agency head who vouched for 2020 vote security
Read full article: Trump fires agency head who vouched for 2020 vote securityWhile abrupt, the dismissal Tuesday of Christopher Krebs, the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, was not a surprise. Hours before being dismissed, Krebs tweeted out a report citing 59 election security experts saying there is no credible evidence of computer fraud in the 2020 election outcome. Biden campaign spokesman Michael Gwin noted that bipartisan election officials have dismissed Trump’s claims of widespread fraud. Some state election officials and Republicans, suspicious of federal intrusion on their turf, were opposed to the designation. But the Trump administration supported the designation, and, eventually, skeptical state officials welcomed the assistance.
Trump fires agency head who vouched for 2020 vote security
Read full article: Trump fires agency head who vouched for 2020 vote securityWhile abrupt, the dismissal of Christopher Krebs, the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, was not a surprise. Hours before being dismissed, Krebs tweeted out a report citing 59 election security experts saying there is no credible evidence of computer fraud in the 2020 election outcome. Biden campaign spokesman Michael Gwin noted that bipartisan election officials have dismissed Trump’s claims of widespread fraud. Some state election officials and Republicans, suspicious of federal intrusion on their turf, were opposed to the designation. But the Trump administration supported the designation, and, eventually, skeptical state officials welcomed the assistance.
Judge: DHS head didn't have authority to suspend DACA
Read full article: Judge: DHS head didn't have authority to suspend DACA“DHS failed to follow the order of succession as it was lawfully designated,” U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis wrote. About 650,000 people are part of DACA, which allows young immigrants who were brought to the country as children to legally work and shields them from deportation. In Garaufis' ruling Saturday, the judge wrote that DHS didn't follow an order of succession established when then-Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen resigned in April 2019. Kevin McAleenan, who succeeded Nielsen until he resigned in October 2019, also didn't have statutory authority to hold the position, Garaufis wrote. President-elect Joe Biden plans to reinstate DACA and is expected to use executive orders to reverse some of Trump's other immigration actions.
House Dems ask Trump admin to halt COVID border expulsions
Read full article: House Dems ask Trump admin to halt COVID border expulsionsNEW YORK – A group of Democratic lawmakers called on the Trump administration Monday to stop the expulsion of unaccompanied children and other asylum seekers at the U.S. border using emergency powers granted during the coronavirus pandemic. “Clearly, expulsions lack a public health rationale, and the U.S. government is fully capable of receiving and placing unaccompanied children and asylum seekers while also protecting public health,” said the letter, signed by 58 lawmakers. The CDC’s order covers the U.S. borders with both Mexico and Canada, but has mostly affected the thousands of asylum seekers and immigrants arriving at the southern border. Public health experts had urged the administration to focus on a national mask mandate, enforce social distancing and increase the number of contact tracers to track down people exposed to the virus. In their letter, the lawmakers say the order endangers children, including by exposing them to risks such as human trafficking.