Homeland News
Homeland
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced the allocation of over $22 million in grants for Citizenship and Integration in the fiscal year 2023. The grants will be distributed to 65 organizations across 29 states to assist lawful permanent residents (LPRs) in preparing for naturalization. This year, the focus is on reaching out to remote, underserved, and vulnerable communities, in line with Executive Order 14012 and the corresponding Interagency Strategy on Promoting Naturalization.
Homeland
Border patrol agent attacked: ‘This is the type of violence that is being exerted on Border Patrol Agents’
A border patrol agent was recently attacked by a suspected migrant smuggler along the U.S.-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The incident occurred on Sept. 14 in Mercedes, Texas, just minutes from the border. The agent was attempting to make an arrest when the attack happened, leaving the agent bloody and injured. It took three agents to finally apprehend the suspect, who did not stop fighting until backup arrived.
Homeland
CHS Demands Action on CBP One App Over Cartel Exploits and Failures at Southwest Border
The Committee on Homeland Security (CHS) has expressed growing concerns over the mismanagement and alleged failures of the CBP One app at the U.S. Southwest border. In a letter addressed to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, the committee demanded greater transparency and immediate action to address the issues associated with the app's utilization. The CBP One app was developed to provide a safe and lawful path for migrants, eliminating interference from smuggling organizations. However, reports since June 2023 have indicated that cartels have found ways to exploit the app,...
Homeland
U.S. customs and border protection seeks public input on revised advance travel authorization initiative; adds provisions for Ukrainian refugees
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is seeking public input on the revised Advance Travel Authorization (ATA) initiative, according to a recent notice in the Federal Register. The ATA initiative, part of the CBP One application, allows certain noncitizens and their immediate family members to request advance authorization to travel to the United States on a case-by-case basis.
Homeland
Homeland Security Advisory Council addresses AI, workforce adaptation and grant programs
The Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC) held its fourth in-person meeting last week, focusing on vital matters, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), workforce adaptation and the Homeland Security Grant Program, according to a press release. The meeting saw the launch of the Customer Experience Directorate and AI initiatives, reflecting the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) commitment to modernization and protecting the American homeland.
Homeland
DHS enhances nationwide resilience with $20 million in grants to combat targeted violence
DHS Bolsters Nationwide Resilience with $20 Million in Anti-Violence Grants
Homeland
Indian official calls for 'reciprocity' in India's relationship with China
A former Minister of State of External Affairs for India is calling for government officials to reevaluate India's support of the "One China" policy because China does not support the "One India" policy. Omar Abdullah previously served as the chief minister for Jammu and Kashmir, a region that has been the subject of a territorial dispute between India and Pakistan for decades.
Homeland
Mayorkas: U.S. 'will continue to offer safety and protection to South Sudanese nationals'
Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas extended and redesignated South Sudan for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months.
Homeland
Sen. Grassley questions DOJ on questionable actions taken against Los Chapitos
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) sharply criticized the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on recent actions investigating the fentanyl network of the Los Chapitos cartel in an Aug. 21 letter to Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, saying the DEA administrator "appears to have coordinated more with the press than with other federal agencies," and the DOJ seems to have taken a back seat.
Homeland
Former U.S. Marshall Almonte on cartels and drugs at the southern border: 'This is a big crisis, and we are not treating it as such'
Robert Almonte was formerly a U.S. Marshall in the western district of Texas until 2016. He has spoken about the cartels on many occasions in the media. Almonte will speak at an event called the Mexican Cartels and Gangs International Summit, to be held in San Antonio from Nov. 6 to 10.
Homeland
Larrabee: 'Keeping weapons and ammunition out of the hands of criminals is vital to keeping communities safe'
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and its federal partners unveiled the results of their intensified efforts to combat the trafficking of firearms from the United States into Mexico.
Homeland
Wilcox: 'The court made the right call here'
A federal district court in New Jersey ruled Aug. 29 that a state law prohibiting private detention facilities for immigration violators is unconstitutional.
Homeland
FBI investigates human smuggling network with ISIS connections, CNN reports; no indication seen of terrorist plot
The FBI is investigating a human smuggling network with ISIS ties that helped migrants, including a group from Uzbekistan, enter the U.S., according to CNN. No evidence of a terrorist plot has been found.
Homeland
Gulf Cartel member arrested for smuggling migrants across border
A member of the Gulf Cartel was recently arrested while guiding a group of migrants across the Mexico border, Texas Department of Safety (DPS) spokesperson Lt. Chris Olivarez said in a tweet. The alleged cartel member, Salvador De Jesus Romero Nunez, will face state criminal charges for smuggling, Olivarez said.
Homeland
Border patrol agents fired upon from Mexico: ‘These are the very real dangers our agents face every day on the frontline’
U.S. Border Patrol agents were recently fired upon along the Texas-Mexico border by a suspect shooting from the Mexican side of the border. According to the Border Patrol, this showcases the violence at the border and could be seen as a part of an escalation of violence stemming from Mexican drug cartels.
Homeland
Secretary Mayorkas: 'President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is going to keep Americans and their communities safer and more resilient'
On Aug. 28, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, and Senior Advisor to the President and White House Infrastructure Coordinator Mitch Landrieu announced the allocation of nearly $3 billion in climate resilience, according to a press release. The funding will enhance the resilience of communities across the nation to climate change and extreme weather events.
Homeland
Secretary Mayorkas: 'The Biden-Harris Administration is working across all levels of government to ensure communities have resources to protect the public and our nation’s critical infrastructure'
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are releasing resources to assist communities across 22 states, where approximately 130 million Americans are under heat alerts, in managing the intensifying impact of extreme heat due to the climate crisis, according to an Aug. 24 press release. Heat-related deaths remain a top weather-related cause in the U.S., and critical infrastructure is also threatened.
Homeland
CNN reports migrants are being helped across the border by ISIS-affiliated smuggler
CNN reported on Aug. 30 that a smuggler affiliated with ISIS helped several migrants cross the US-Mexico border earlier in the year, prompting Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) and others to question the Biden Administration's approach to the ongoing border crisis.
Homeland
University of Houston BTI Institute announces second annual Conference to Combat Human Trafficking
The Borders, Trade, and Immigration (BTI) Institute, a national consortium led by the University of Houston, Tex., announced that its second annual Conference to Combat Human Trafficking will be held Dec. 12-13 at the University of Houston Student Center. The meeting will address new technologies aimed at limiting human and drug trafficking, and focus on areas in need of future study, a University of Houston/BTI press release said.
Homeland
Cartels send illicitly earned money back to Mexico through remittances
Organized crime syndicates are employing the channel of remittances, which are money transfers commonly used by migrant workers, to funnel their illegal profits into Mexico, a Reuters News Agency investigation found.
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