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Tag: CBP

  • US could demand five-year social media history from tourists before allowing entry

    Tourists from Europe and other regions could be asked to provide a five-year social media history before given entry to the United States, according to a new proposal from the US Customs and Border Protection service (CBP). The new rule would affect visitors from countries who normally enjoy relatively easy entry to the US via the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).

    The new proposal cites an executive order issued by President Trump from January titled “Protecting the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats.” In his first year in office, Trump has been hyper-focused on strengthening US borders and reducing what he calls illegal immigration.

    The US state department will conduct “online presence” reviews for applicants and their dependents and require privacy settings on social media profiles to be made “public.” Applicants must list all the social media handles they’ve used over the last five years and if any information is omitted, it could lead to the denial of current and future visas. The CBP didn’t say what information they were looking for or what could be disqualifying.

    On top of the social media information, CBP may require applicant’s telephone numbers and email addresses used over the last five and 10 years respectively, along with information about family members.

    The new conditions are liable to increase ESTA wait times and drastically boost the cost of enforcing it. The CPB’s document suggests that an additional 5,598,115 man-hours would be required per year, or around 3,000 full-time jobs plus all the costs that entails. Right now, the ESTA application costs $40, allows people to visit the US for 90 days at a time and is valid for a two-year period.

    The mandatory social media reporting and other requirements could discourage travelers. Some Australian tourists who were coming to the US for the upcoming World Cup have now said that they’ve abandoned those plans, according to The Guardian, with one person calling the new rules “horrifying.”

    However, when asked if the proposal could lead to a tourism decline in the US, Trump said he wasn’t concerned. “No. We’re doing so well,” he told a reporter. “We want to make sure we’re not letting the wrong people come enter our country.”

    The CPB emphasized that the new conditions were only a proposal for now. “Nothing has changed on this front for those coming to the United States [currently],” a spokesperson told the BBC. “This is not a final rule, it is simply the first step in starting a discussion to have new policy options to keep the American people safe.”

    If implemented, the rule would affect people from 40 countries, including the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Australia and Japan. The largest number of tourists to the US come from Canada and Mexico, accounting for nearly half of the total — however, visitors with passports from those two countries don’t require a visa or ESTA approval. Travel to the US was down three percent this year compared to 2024 as of August 2025, according to the National Travel and Tourism Office.

    Steve Dent

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  • Chicago-area mayor: Border Patrol and ICE terrorized our city. Here’s how you fight back, Charlotte

    The author is mayor of Evanston, Illinois.

    When federal agents came to my city of Evanston on Halloween this year, it was scary — and not in a fun way.

    That morning, we received reports of ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents in our neighborhoods. Helicopters circled overhead. CBP Commander Greg Bovino himself was in town—suggesting this “operation” was more about a made-for-TV spectacle than any legitimate public safety goal.

    Then, after a traffic collision apparently caused deliberately by a federal agent as an act of retribution against a driver who was following him, the agents just started beating people up. Videos posted online show them punching a man who was lying on the ground, already restrained, and pointing guns at people.

    This violence was a response to peaceful protest, a brutal effort to crack down on dissent. It occurred steps from an elementary school.

    The federal government’s conduct that day was an outrage, but it wasn’t surprising given what we had seen out of ICE and CBP over the previous few months.

    As Charlotte braces for increased federal presence, I want to share what worked for us in the Chicago area.

    First, local municipalities should strengthen local laws. Evanston had declared itself a welcoming city years earlier, but when ICE’s actions escalated, we went further. We blocked city data from being used for civil immigration enforcement and terminated our relationship with a license plate reader vendor that shared data with federal agencies.

    We also established ICE-free zones, prohibiting federal agents from using city property — like parking lots—to stage their operations. These steps sent a clear message: our local government would not be an accomplice in civil immigration raids.

    Our police department also adopted a simple rule: if someone reported an ICE abduction, our police would respond as they would to any incident. Supervisors were dispatched to verify identities and investigate possible wrongdoing. On Halloween, this led to a CBP agent identifying himself to Evanston police by call sign, a small but critical first step toward accountability.

    Now, to be clear: local police cannot physically intervene against federal agents in real time. But that doesn’t mean cities are powerless. There’s a lot we can do to assert our values, enforce our ordinances, and protect our residents within the law.

    But official government actions are just one part of the playbook. In Chicagoland, residents organized themselves into a powerful resistance network. Volunteers track federal activity—recording vehicle descriptions, license plates, and flight paths of drones and helicopters—and share the information securely across neighborhoods.

    When agents are spotted, people show up armed not with weapons but with whistles and know-your-rights cards printed in multiple languages. The goal is to alert nearby residents and create enough noise that agents think twice before carrying out an arrest in front of witnesses.

    Every day, my phone buzzes with reports of sightings. When I arrive at a scene, there are always community members already there — blowing whistles, honking horns, demanding answers. Sometimes their presence prevents an unjust detention. Sometimes it doesn’t. But every show of resistance builds solidarity and sends a message: we will not be intimidated.

    If you’re reading this in Charlotte, I know this all may sound extreme. You might think, that could never happen here. I used to think that, too.

    But this is what life became in our region. Agents driving unmarked cars through neighborhoods, swapping license plates, and targeting people based on skin color or accent. Cities caught between their duty to protect residents and a federal government intent on sowing fear.

    My plea to Charlotte and the rest of the country is simple: get ready.

    To my fellow local elected officials, put the needed policies in place now so you’re not scrambling after things get bad – and reach out if you want help.

    To activists and organizers, set up, activate, or ramp up the systems and get people trained now so people know what to do when ICE arrives.

    The more prepared you are, the more people you can save and the more evidence you can collect to eventually enable our nation to bring the perpetrators of this horror to justice.

    Because when ICE or CBP shows up, fear will spread fast. But courage can spread faster.

    Daniel Biss is the mayor of Evanston, Ill.

    Daniel Biss

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  • CBP will photograph non-citizens entering and exiting the US for its facial recognition database

    The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) submitted a new measure that allows it to photograph any non-US citizen who enters or exits the country for facial recognition purposes. According to a filing with the government’s Federal Register, CBP and the Department of Homeland Security are looking to crack down on threats of terrorism, fraudulent use of travel documents and anyone who overstays their authorized stay.

    The filing detailed that CBP will “implement an integrated, automated entry and exit data system to match records, including biographic data and biometrics, of aliens entering and departing the United States.” The government agency already has the ability to request photos and fingerprints from anyone entering the country, but this new rule change would allow for requiring photos of anyone exiting as well. These photos would “create galleries of images associated with individuals, including photos taken by border agents, and from passports or other travel documents,” according to the filing, adding that these galleries would be compared to live photos at entry and exit points.

    These new requirements are scheduled to go into effect on December 26, but CBP will need some time to implement a system to handle the extra demand. According to the filing, the agency said “a biometric entry-exit system can be fully implemented at all commercial airports and sea ports for both entry and exit within the next three to five years.”

    Jackson Chen

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  • Lawyer reacts to federal immigration agents coming to Northern California

    Federal immigration agents are moving into the Bay Area, with more than a hundred headed to Coast Guard Base Alameda, marking a significant federal operation in the region. In an interview with Maria Bartiromo on “Fox News Sunday Morning Futures,” President Donald Trump said, “We’re going to go to San Francisco. The difference is, I think they want us in San Francisco.” This move comes as a precursor to Trump’s threat to deploy the National Guard to San Francisco. Coast Guard Base Alameda confirmed the federal operation, stating: “Coast Guard Base Alameda is preparing to support CBP agents beginning October 22 as a place of operations. This support of DHS agencies continues the Coast Guard’s operations to control, secure, and defend U.S. borders and maritime approaches.” This announcement follows similar operations in cities like Los Angeles and New York, with the spotlight now turning to the Bay Area.”As much as the state of California and its residents may not like it, federal authorities are allowed to enforce immigration law,” Local immigration attorney Hugo Vera of Vera & Vera PLC explained. Vera explained that the legal authority federal agencies have in sanctuary cities questions the 10th Amendment and the Posse Comitatus law, which requires separation between the federal government and the state government.Gov. Gavin Newsom responded on X, criticizing the federal actions as part of an “authoritarian playbook,” accusing the administration of lying about a city’s crime rate and creating stress with ICE and Border Patrol. Vera noted the proximity of the operation to the area. “I think on a national scale, Sacramento’s on the map, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the administration decides to highlight Sacramento is one of those cities that they will come after, quote unquote, like they’re doing in San Francisco and have done in the South,” said Vera.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    , Calif. —

    Federal immigration agents are moving into the Bay Area, with more than a hundred headed to Coast Guard Base Alameda, marking a significant federal operation in the region. In an interview with Maria Bartiromo on “Fox News Sunday Morning Futures,” President Donald Trump said, “We’re going to go to San Francisco. The difference is, I think they want us in San Francisco.”

    This move comes as a precursor to Trump’s threat to deploy the National Guard to San Francisco.

    Coast Guard Base Alameda confirmed the federal operation, stating:

    “Coast Guard Base Alameda is preparing to support CBP agents beginning October 22 as a place of operations. This support of DHS agencies continues the Coast Guard’s operations to control, secure, and defend U.S. borders and maritime approaches.”

    This announcement follows similar operations in cities like Los Angeles and New York, with the spotlight now turning to the Bay Area.

    “As much as the state of California and its residents may not like it, federal authorities are allowed to enforce immigration law,” Local immigration attorney Hugo Vera of Vera & Vera PLC explained.

    Vera explained that the legal authority federal agencies have in sanctuary cities questions the 10th Amendment and the Posse Comitatus law, which requires separation between the federal government and the state government.

    Gov. Gavin Newsom responded on X, criticizing the federal actions as part of an “authoritarian playbook,” accusing the administration of lying about a city’s crime rate and creating stress with ICE and Border Patrol.

    Vera noted the proximity of the operation to the area.

    “I think on a national scale, Sacramento’s on the map, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the administration decides to highlight Sacramento is one of those cities that they will come after, quote unquote, like they’re doing in San Francisco and have done in the South,” said Vera.

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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  • Aloha Man Charged, Allegedly Targeted Law Enforcement Helicopters With Laser – KXL

    Aloha man charged for allegedly pointing laser at federal helicopter. MGN image.

    PORTLAND, OR – The United States Attorney’s Office has announced that Brian Keith Kapileo Nepaial, 38, of Aloha, has been charged for allegedly pointing a laser at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Helicopter and possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

    According to court documents, a CBP helicopter was struck by a green laser on October 3rd, causing the pilot to abort a planned landing. The flight crew said they observed a person walking near a residence and disappearing.  The Federal Bureau of Investigation is said to have identified the residence, then agents executed a federal search warrant there a week later. Agents say they found a laser in the bedroom of Nepaial.  They also say they discovered over 100 grams of methamphetamine and evidence of drug trafficking.

    “Laser strikes are a serious matter with potentially deadly repercussions. They put the lives of the pilots and the public at risk. Aiming or pointing a laser at an aircraft is a federal crime and will be prosecuted,” said Scott E. Bradford, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

    Aiming a laser pointer is punishable by up to five years in federal prison. Possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute is punishable by up to 40 years in federal prison.

    Kapileo Nepaial is currently in Washington County custody on a parole violation.

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    Tim Lantz

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  • Nearly $1.1B to be spent on ‘Smart Wall’ at California border under ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’

    CONCERNING HER FIRING. THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCED IT’S PLANNING TO BUILD NEW SECTIONS OF THE SOUTHERN BORDER WALL. THE NEW BARRIERS WOULD EXTEND NEARLY TEN MILES ALONG THE SAN DIEGO MEXICO BORDER. KCRA 3’S ANDREA FLORES HAS BEEN COVERING THE SOUTHERN BORDER FOR MORE THAN THREE YEARS. UNDER THE BIDEN AND TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. SHE JOINS US WITH WHAT THIS MEANS FOR BORDER SAFETY AND HOW IT’S GETTING FUNDED. SO THE NEW WALL SYSTEM IS BEING FUNDED BY THE SO-CALLED BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL ACT, AND IT GIVES CBP MORE THAN $46 BILLION THROUGH 2029 FOR CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE COSTS. SO THIS IS VIDEO FROM KCRA 3’S TIME AT THE BORDER. THIS WAS BACK IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR WHEN THOUSANDS OF MILITARY TROOPS WERE SENT TO THE AREA TO ASSIST CBP WITH SURVEILLANCE AND INFRASTRUCTURE. NOW, THE PROPOSED BARRIERS WOULD BE BUILT NEAR THE TECATE AND OTAY MESA PORTS OF ENTRY. CBP SAYS IT PLANS TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN NEARLY TEN MILES OF BORDER WALL. IT ALSO PLANS TO ADD NEARLY 52 MILES OF IMPROVED INFRASTRUCTURE ALONG EXISTING BARRIERS, INCLUDING SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS, ACCESS PATROL ROADS AND ARTIFICIAL LIGHTS. BUT IMMIGRATION ADVOCATES LIKE AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE, WHO WE SPOKE WITH BACK IN APRIL, OPPOSES THE PLAN, SAYING THIS WOULD DIVERT MIGRATION FLOWS INTO MORE DANGEROUS AREAS WITH POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONSEQUENCES. U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION SAYS APPREHENSIONS ARE DOWN IN THE SAN DIEGO SECTOR. LAST MONTH, THEY RECORDED 715 ENCOUNTERS. THAT’S A 95% DECREASE FROM AUGUST OF 2024. WE DID REACH OUT TO CBP FOR AN INTERVIEW ON WHEN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS NEW AREA OF THE BORDER WALL WOULD BEGIN

    Nearly $1.1B to be spent on ‘Smart Wall’ at California border under ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’

    Updated: 11:19 PM PDT Oct 13, 2025

    Editorial Standards ⓘ

    The Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection have awarded $4.5 billion in new contracts under the “One Big Beautiful Bill” for Smart Wall construction along the southwest border.At least 10 new construction contracts will add 230 miles of barriers and nearly 400 miles of technology, delivering on the Trump Administration’s promise to secure the border.(Video Above: Trump administration announces plans to build new sections of southern border wall)“For years, Washington talked about border security but failed to deliver. This president changed that,” said CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott. “The Smart Wall means more miles of barriers, more technology, and more capability for our agents on the ground. This is how you take control of the border.”The Smart Wall is a border security system that combines steel barriers, waterborne barriers, patrol roads, lights, cameras, and advanced detection technology to give Border Patrol agents the best tools in the world to stop illegal traffic. The technology additions will further secure the existing wall in areas where the Biden administration’s policies canceled contracts to do so, according to a joint statement by DHS and CBP.The 10 contracts, awarded between Sept. 15 and 30, are the very first to be funded by President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill. They also include minimal prior year funding from fiscal year 2021 wall appropriations. That funding was on hold during the Biden administration, according to the release.To expedite the construction of the Smart Wall, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem also issued two new waivers for approximately nine miles of Smart Wall in CBP’s San Diego sector and approximately 30 miles of new Smart Wall in New Mexico within the El Paso sector.Contracts in California include:San Diego 1 Project – Awarded to BCCG Joint Venture for $483,486,600 for the construction of approximately nine miles of new Smart Wall and approximately 52 miles of system attributes in USBP’s San Diego Sector in California.El Centro 1 Project – Awarded to Fisher Sand & Gravel Co. for $574,000,000 for the construction of approximately eight miles of new primary Smart Wall and the installation of approximately 63 miles of system attributes in USBP’s El Centro and San Diego Sectors in California.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    The Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection have awarded $4.5 billion in new contracts under the “One Big Beautiful Bill” for Smart Wall construction along the southwest border.

    At least 10 new construction contracts will add 230 miles of barriers and nearly 400 miles of technology, delivering on the Trump Administration’s promise to secure the border.

    (Video Above: Trump administration announces plans to build new sections of southern border wall)

    “For years, Washington talked about border security but failed to deliver. This president changed that,” said CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott. “The Smart Wall means more miles of barriers, more technology, and more capability for our agents on the ground. This is how you take control of the border.”

    The Smart Wall is a border security system that combines steel barriers, waterborne barriers, patrol roads, lights, cameras, and advanced detection technology to give Border Patrol agents the best tools in the world to stop illegal traffic. The technology additions will further secure the existing wall in areas where the Biden administration’s policies canceled contracts to do so, according to a joint statement by DHS and CBP.

    The 10 contracts, awarded between Sept. 15 and 30, are the very first to be funded by President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill. They also include minimal prior year funding from fiscal year 2021 wall appropriations. That funding was on hold during the Biden administration, according to the release.

    To expedite the construction of the Smart Wall, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem also issued two new waivers for approximately nine miles of Smart Wall in CBP’s San Diego sector and approximately 30 miles of new Smart Wall in New Mexico within the El Paso sector.

    Contracts in California include:

    • San Diego 1 Project – Awarded to BCCG Joint Venture for $483,486,600 for the construction of approximately nine miles of new Smart Wall and approximately 52 miles of system attributes in USBP’s San Diego Sector in California.
    • El Centro 1 Project – Awarded to Fisher Sand & Gravel Co. for $574,000,000 for the construction of approximately eight miles of new primary Smart Wall and the installation of approximately 63 miles of system attributes in USBP’s El Centro and San Diego Sectors in California.

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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  • ACLU filing: Sacramento Home Depot raid violated court order, high schooler among those arrested

    A recent Border Patrol raid at a Home Depot parking lot in the south Sacramento area broke a court order, according to a newly filed court motion. | PREVIOUS COVERAGE ABOVE | Florin Road Home Depot raid | CBP boasts capturing serious criminal offenderThe documents also claim an 18-year-old high school student who was walking to a nearby Ross clothing store across the street was swept up in the raid. On July 17, masked Border Patrol agents conducted operations in Sacramento, leading to at least 11 arrests. At the time, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the arrests included a dangerous serial drug abuser and a dealer with 67 previous charges. In a motion filed Aug. 29, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and United Farm Workers (UFW) claim Border Patrol violated a court order during the Home Depot raid. The motion was filed as part of a previous case focused on a Kern County raid earlier this year. In April, a federal district court judge issued a preliminary injunction, preventing Border Patrol agents from conducting stops without reasonable suspicion that the person is unlawfully in the country. Read the full filing here.According to the latest motion, ACLU and UFW claim, “…Border Patrol agents targeted individuals based on their apparent ethnicity, apparent occupation, and presence at or near a Home Depot with no reason to believe the specific individuals they stopped were in the country unlawfully, and arrested them without assessing flight risk.”The documents state that one of those arrested was 18-year-old Selvin Osbeli Mejia Diaz. In a declaration signed by Diaz, he said he was walking from home to the Ross store on Florin Road after his aunt gave him money to buy a new shirt and shoes. He said that while he was walking, a masked man “dressed like a soldier” jumped out of a Chevy Silverado truck and started chasing him. He said he ran for about 10 steps before the agent threw him to the ground, handcuffed him and put him in the truck. Diaz said the agent didn’t identify himself before driving him to the Stockton ICE processing center and taking his phone. He said that’s when he was placed in a cell with about 11 other people who were arrested in Sacramento. He said later that night, he was taken to a detention center in Sacramento, where he slept on the floor with an aluminum blanket. He said he kept asking to call his aunt, but agents wouldn’t let him until about two or three days later. According to his declaration, Diaz fled Guatemala when he was 16 years old and was seeking asylum. He said he was living in Sacramento with his aunt, uncle and cousins and was attending Valley High School. Diaz said he had never committed any crime and was concerned he would never see his family again. The Aug. 29 motion said that less than two weeks after the arrests in Sacramento, two of the 11 people arrested were still in ICE custody, leading the plaintiffs to believe the others had already been deported. RELATED | Leaders, officials react to Border Patrol operations in SacramentoThree days before the motion was filed, KCRA 3’s Ashley Zavala spoke with El Centro Sector Chief Gregory Bovino via Zoom for a one-on-one interview. Bovino has been outspoken about the raids and has warned there will be more. Zavala asked him how Border Patrol was deciding which communities to focus on. “The communities that we go into and our law enforcement actions, like the one you saw in Sacramento, are based on what we call targeted enforcements,” Bovino answered. “We have predefined targets that we look to create a law enforcement function to go after. That’s what we did in Sacramento. That particular operation, there were some individuals that we were after. We did end up apprehending several individuals that were aggravated felons and some folks that you would not want walking the streets of your community with impunity … We go where the threat takes us.” He said Californians should expect to continue to see Border Agents on the street until more “dangerous felons” are taken off the street. Bovino also said the state’s sanctuary legislation is tying the hands of law enforcement and limiting cooperation between local agencies and federal immigration officials. KCRA 3 also reached out to DHS for a comment on the recent motion and has not received a statement. For more of Ashley Zavala’s conversation with Chief Bovino, along with a sit-down interview with Senator Alex Padilla responding to recent raids, watch California Politics 360 at 8:30 a.m. Sunday.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

    A recent Border Patrol raid at a Home Depot parking lot in the south Sacramento area broke a court order, according to a newly filed court motion.

    | PREVIOUS COVERAGE ABOVE | Florin Road Home Depot raid | CBP boasts capturing serious criminal offender

    The documents also claim an 18-year-old high school student who was walking to a nearby Ross clothing store across the street was swept up in the raid.

    On July 17, masked Border Patrol agents conducted operations in Sacramento, leading to at least 11 arrests. At the time, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the arrests included a dangerous serial drug abuser and a dealer with 67 previous charges.

    In a motion filed Aug. 29, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and United Farm Workers (UFW) claim Border Patrol violated a court order during the Home Depot raid. The motion was filed as part of a previous case focused on a Kern County raid earlier this year. In April, a federal district court judge issued a preliminary injunction, preventing Border Patrol agents from conducting stops without reasonable suspicion that the person is unlawfully in the country.

    Read the full filing here.

    According to the latest motion, ACLU and UFW claim, “…Border Patrol agents targeted individuals based on their apparent ethnicity, apparent occupation, and presence at or near a Home Depot with no reason to believe the specific individuals they stopped were in the country unlawfully, and arrested them without assessing flight risk.”

    The documents state that one of those arrested was 18-year-old Selvin Osbeli Mejia Diaz. In a declaration signed by Diaz, he said he was walking from home to the Ross store on Florin Road after his aunt gave him money to buy a new shirt and shoes. He said that while he was walking, a masked man “dressed like a soldier” jumped out of a Chevy Silverado truck and started chasing him. He said he ran for about 10 steps before the agent threw him to the ground, handcuffed him and put him in the truck.

    Diaz said the agent didn’t identify himself before driving him to the Stockton ICE processing center and taking his phone. He said that’s when he was placed in a cell with about 11 other people who were arrested in Sacramento. He said later that night, he was taken to a detention center in Sacramento, where he slept on the floor with an aluminum blanket. He said he kept asking to call his aunt, but agents wouldn’t let him until about two or three days later.

    According to his declaration, Diaz fled Guatemala when he was 16 years old and was seeking asylum. He said he was living in Sacramento with his aunt, uncle and cousins and was attending Valley High School. Diaz said he had never committed any crime and was concerned he would never see his family again.

    The Aug. 29 motion said that less than two weeks after the arrests in Sacramento, two of the 11 people arrested were still in ICE custody, leading the plaintiffs to believe the others had already been deported.

    RELATED | Leaders, officials react to Border Patrol operations in Sacramento

    Three days before the motion was filed, KCRA 3’s Ashley Zavala spoke with El Centro Sector Chief Gregory Bovino via Zoom for a one-on-one interview. Bovino has been outspoken about the raids and has warned there will be more. Zavala asked him how Border Patrol was deciding which communities to focus on.

    “The communities that we go into and our law enforcement actions, like the one you saw in Sacramento, are based on what we call targeted enforcements,” Bovino answered. “We have predefined targets that we look to create a law enforcement function to go after. That’s what we did in Sacramento. That particular operation, there were some individuals that we were after. We did end up apprehending several individuals that were aggravated felons and some folks that you would not want walking the streets of your community with impunity … We go where the threat takes us.”

    He said Californians should expect to continue to see Border Agents on the street until more “dangerous felons” are taken off the street. Bovino also said the state’s sanctuary legislation is tying the hands of law enforcement and limiting cooperation between local agencies and federal immigration officials.

    KCRA 3 also reached out to DHS for a comment on the recent motion and has not received a statement.

    For more of Ashley Zavala’s conversation with Chief Bovino, along with a sit-down interview with Senator Alex Padilla responding to recent raids, watch California Politics 360 at 8:30 a.m. Sunday.

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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  • Plummeting ICE arrests in L.A. raise questions about Trump’s immigration agenda

    Arrests of undocumented immigrants have dropped significantly across the Los Angeles region two months after the Trump administration launched its aggressive mass deportation operation, according to new figures released Wednesday by Homeland Security.

    Federal authorities told The Times on July 8 that federal agents had arrested 2,792 undocumented immigrants in the seven counties in and around L.A. since June 6. Homeland Security updated that number Wednesday, indicating that fewer than 1,400 immigrants have been arrested in the region in the last month.

    “Since June 6, 2025, ICE and CBP have made a total of 4,163 arrests in the Los Angeles area,” Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement provided to The Times.

    While 1,371 arrests across the L.A. region since July 8 is still a much higher figure than any recent month before June, it represents a notable drop from the 2,792 arrests during the previous month.

    The new figures confirm what many immigration experts suspected: The Trump administration’s immigration agenda in L.A. has faltered since federal courts blocked federal agents from arresting people without probable cause to believe they are in the U.S. illegally.

    McLaughlin said Wednesday that Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s agenda remained the same.

    “Secretary Noem unleashed ICE and CBP to arrest criminal illegal aliens including terrorists, gang members, murderers, pedophiles, and sexual predators,” McLaughlin said in a statement Wednesday. “We will continue to enforce the law and remove the worst of the worst.”

    Trump administration officials have long maintained they are focused on criminals. But a few days after White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller announced in late May he had set a new goal of arresting 3,000 undocumented migrants across the country a day, federal agents fanned out across L.A. to snatch people off the streets and from their workplaces.

    White House top border policy advisor Tom Homan suggested federal officials adopted the strategy of raiding streets and workplaces to get around “sanctuary” jurisdictions, such as Los Angeles, that bar municipal resources and personnel from being used for immigration enforcement.

    “If we can’t arrest them in jail, we’ll go out to the communities,” Homan told CBS News.

    But after local protesters rallied to resist and Trump deployed the National Guard and U.S. Marines to the city, the administration’s ability to ramp up deportations across L.A. was dealt a blow in the federal courts.

    On July 11, U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong, an appointee of President Biden, issued a temporary restraining order that blocks federal agents in southern and central California from targeting people based on their race, language, vocation or location without reasonable suspicion that they are in the U.S. illegally.

    That decision was upheld last Friday by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. It is likely to be appealed to the Supreme Court.

    “If, as Defendants suggest, they are not conducting stops that lack reasonable suspicion,” the panel wrote, “they can hardly claim to be irreparably harmed by an injunction aimed at preventing a subset of stops not supported by reasonable suspicion.”

    It’s hard to know whether July numbers signal a permanent change in tactics.

    On Tuesday, Border Patrol agent carried out a raid at the Home Depot in Westlake, arresting 16 people.

    “For those who thought Immigration enforcement had stopped in Southern California, think again,” acting U.S. Atty. Bill Essayli posted on X shortly after the raid. “The enforcement of federal law is not negotiable and there are no sanctuaries from the reach of the federal government.”

    Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said her office was looking into the matter but added: “From the video and from the stills, it looks like the exact same thing that we were seeing before.”

    Jenny Jarvie

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  • Ardent and Obsidian Global Form Small Business Joint Venture, Ardian Global, LLC

    Ardent and Obsidian Global Form Small Business Joint Venture, Ardian Global, LLC


    WASHINGTON, May 21, 2024 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Ardent, a Member of Mission1st Group (Ardent), and Obsidian Global, LLC (Obsidian) have joined forces to form Ardian Global, LLC. Ardian Global is a small business Joint Venture (JV) that combines Ardent’s industry-leading geospatial intelligence, cloud computing, AI/ML, data analytics, and border security expertise with Obsidian’s cybersecurity, DevSecOps, and agile development capabilities.

    Ardian Global’s mission is to be the beacon of innovation, seamlessly integrating trusted geospatial and artificial intelligence technologies with cutting-edge data analytics, DevSecOps, cybersecurity, and agile IT professional services. This newly formed JV is dedicated to safeguarding the United States, both at home and abroad, by delivering unparalleled solutions that enhance national security and drive technological advancement. 

    Richard Zareck II, President & CEO of Ardent, expressed his enthusiasm: “As a newly graduated large business, Ardent is thrilled to partner with Obsidian on this new joint venture. With our combined expertise and strong presence across DHS, FedCiv and DoD – Ardian Global is well positioned to enhance the critical national security and defense missions while continuing our reputation for excellence.” 

    “This joint venture represents an exciting opportunity for our two companies to join forces and expand our services within the federal market,” says Drew Conway, CEO & President of Obsidian Global. “We are looking forward to working with Ardent to both further mature as a corporation and grow our capabilities as we prepare for the next steps in our business.” 

    About Ardent 

    A digital transformation, location intelligence, and data analytics firm, Ardent brings a significant history of innovative proven best practices “at the speed of the mission” to Federal Civilian agencies, DHS mission components, State and Local entities, and the commercial and non-profit sectors. Ardent Management Consulting is certified to 9001:2015, its Development Projects are CMMI-Dev V2.0 Maturity Level 3 rated and its management systems (ISMS/ITSMS) are certified to IS0 27001:2013 and ISO 20000-1:2018 standards by G-CERTi Co., Ltd., NIST AI Safety Consortium. For media inquiries, please contact: Clayton Wear at public.relations@ardentmc.com.  

    About Obsidian Global 

    Obsidian Global, LLC (Obsidian), a small business Information Technology services firm, specializes in Cybersecurity, DevSecOps, Agile Development, Cloud & IT Services, and Enterprise Architecture Design. Obsidian is a Prime government contract holder for many IDIQ and Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs) including the Air Force (AF) SBEAS vehicle ($13.4B), where we support AF applications development and cybersecurity operations task orders. Under our GSA MAS contract, we implement DevSecOps practices and provide database administration, systems administration, and cybersecurity operations. Obsidian is a Prime on the DoE CPSS BPA ($300M) where we provide data center security, ATO, ISSO, and cybersecurity communication support among other disciplines. Additionally, Obsidian has successfully met the standards of ISO 9001:2015, ISO 27001:2013, and ISO 20000-1:2018 through certification, and appraised at CMMI Maturity Level 3 for Development and Services.  

    Source: Ardent

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  • More Than 1.7 Million Illegal Entries in First Six Months of Fiscal 2024

    More Than 1.7 Million Illegal Entries in First Six Months of Fiscal 2024

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    By Bethany Blankley (The Center Square)

    More than 1.7 million foreign nationals have illegally entered the U.S. in the first six months of fiscal 2024, the greatest number for this time period in U.S. history.

    The 1,733,496 who illegally entered in the first six months of the fiscal year outnumber the 1,547,866 who illegally entered in the first six months of fiscal 2023 by more than 185,000.

    The Intifada Comes to America. Now What?

    In March, there were 246,432 illegal entries reported nationwide, with 189,372 illegally entering through the southwest border alone, according to the latest CBP data.

    CBP also processed 44,000 foreign nationals who arrived at ports of entry using its CBP One phone app last month. Since January 2023 through the end of March 2024, more than 547,000 foreign nationals successfully scheduled appointments to present at ports of entry using the app, according to CBP data.

    Through a new program created by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, from Jan. 5, 2023, through the end of March 2024, 404,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans were granted parole and released into the U.S. Among them were 86,000 Cubans, 168,000 Haitians, 77,000 Nicaraguans and 102,000 Venezuelans who CBP claims “were vetted and authorized for travel.”

    Mayorkas was sued over the app and the parole program by more than 20 state attorneys general. House Republicans identified the app and parole programs as illegal and cited them in their charges used to impeach him.

    As was the case in March and every month, the majority of foreign nationals illegally entering were single adults.

    In the first six months of fiscal 2024, more than one million single adults – 1,040,553 – illegally entered the U.S., according to CBP data. They totaled more than the individual populations of Wyoming, Vermont, Alaska, North Dakota, South Dakota and nearly as much as the population of Delaware.

    Democrat Gerry Connolly Proclaims ‘Ukrainian-Russian Border Is Our Border!’ On the House Floor

    In March, CBP agents seized 16% more fentanyl and 19.6% more heroin than they did in February.

    In the first six months of fiscal 2024, CBP agents seized 10,026 pounds of fentanyl.

    Two milligrams of fentanyl, the weight of a mosquito, is considered a lethal dose. One pound of fentanyl, or 453,592 milligrams, is enough to kill 226,796 people.

    This fiscal year through April 4, CBP agents seized enough fentanyl to kill more than 2.2 billion people.

    This is after CBP Tuscon Sector agents have been seizing record amounts, more recently enough to kill nearly 4 billion people, The Center Square reported.

    While much attention has focused on the southwest border, the number of illegal border crossers has skyrocketed at the northern border, where the greatest number of terrorists are also being apprehended. In the first six months of fiscal 2024, 91,408 illegal border crossers were apprehended, the greatest number in U.S. history.

    In fiscal 2021, only 27,180 illegal crossers were apprehended at the northern border. The number increased dramatically to 109,535 in fiscal 2022, and to 189,402 in fiscal 2023.

    Rand Paul Hammers GOP Speaker Mike Johnson For Pushing Foreign Aid Package: ‘What Do Americans Get?’

    Nationally, if the numbers continue on the same trajectory, fiscal 2024 illegal entries and fentanyl seizures are on track to surpass all other previous fiscal year records. CBP’s fiscal year is from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30.

    Under the Biden administration, record number of apprehensions of illegal border crossers were broken every year. In fiscal 2021, a record 1.9 million illegal border crossers were apprehended, the highest number in U.S. history at the time. The number excluded those who evaded capture known as gotaways.

    That record was broken in fiscal 2022 creating a new record of more than 2.7 million, and was again broken in fiscal 2023, surpassing 3.2 million, excluding gotaways.

    Since fiscal 2021, a record 11 million foreign nationals reportedly illegally entered the U.S., including two million gotaways, The Center Square has reported.

    Syndicated with permission from The Center Square.

    The Center Square

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  • CBP Will increase Global Entry Fee to $120

    CBP Will increase Global Entry Fee to $120

    CBP Will increase Global Entry Fee to $120

    U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced today an upcoming fee increase for some of its most popular Trusted Traveler Programs (TTP).

    The new fees, which CBP says have not been updated in over 15 years, will go into effect October 1, 2024.  The agency says that as “these programs have matured and expanded, updating the fee structures is critical to the continuation and management of the programs.”

    These changes were originally proposed over three years ago.

    Increased Fees

    Global Entry, which is probably the most popular Trusted Traveler Program, will see its fee increase from $100 to $120. Membership is valid for five years and it includes TSA PreCheck. 

    SENTRI, which allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers entering the United States using dedicated primary lanes at Southern land border ports, will move from an “a la carte” fee structure to a uniform fee of $120, which will be collected in full when each application is submitted.  The fees for NEXUS, a joint program managed by CBP and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) that allows dedicated processing between the U.S. and Canada, will increase from $50 to $120.

    It’s worth noting that many premium credit cards will get you these programs for for free. Currently they only give you up to a $100 credit, but that will surely increase to $120 once the fees go up.

    Travelers must be pre-approved for TTP. All applicants undergo rigorous and recurring background checks and an in-person interview before enrollment. Check out these tricks to get a quick Global Entry appointment.

    Free for Children Under 18

    Once the pricing goes into effect, applicants under the age of 18 will be exempt from the application fee when a parent or legal guardian is already a member of, or concurrently applying for NEXUS, SENTRI, or Global Entry.

    Rakuten $30 bonusRakuten $30 bonus

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  • Philadelphia CBP Intercepts NJ Marijuana Load Destined to Bermuda – World News Report – Medical Marijuana Program Connection

    Philadelphia CBP Intercepts NJ Marijuana Load Destined to Bermuda – World News Report – Medical Marijuana Program Connection

    PHILADELPHIA – One week after seizing 72 pounds of marijuana from an Ireland-bound man, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Philadelphia intercepted an eight-pound marijuana load destined to Bermuda.

    CBP officers seized about 8 pounds of marijuana destined to Bermuda one week after seizing 72 pounds destined to Ireland.

    While examining departing international parcels on May 2, CBP officers discovered seven vacuum-sealed bags of marijuana concealed inside an air fryer. The marijuana, which was being shipped from an address in Ocean County, N.J., weighed a combined 3.49 kilograms, or seven pounds, 11 ounces, and has a street value of about $17,000.

    However, this load is worth about $150,000 in Bermuda because high-potency U.S. marijuana is fetching prices many times higher across the globe.

    Marijuana possession and distribution remains illegal under U.S. federal law, including exporting bulk shipments to foreign nations.

    An investigation continues.

    On April 24, CBP officers intercepted a passenger who attempted to take 72 pounds of marijuana in his checked luggage to Dublin, Ireland.

    “Customs and Border Protection officers are seeing a stream of bulk marijuana being illegally carried in baggage or shipped…

    Original Author Link click here to read complete story..

    MMP News Author

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  • Ardent Awarded Competitive Three-Year $3.69M CBP Task Order

    Ardent Awarded Competitive Three-Year $3.69M CBP Task Order

    Press Release
    –

    Oct 19, 2022


    ARLINGTON, Va., October 19, 2022 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Ardent Management Consulting, Inc. (Ardent), a trusted provider of digital transformation, data science and analytics, and location intelligence, announced its award of a competitive task order in support of the US Border Patrol’s (USBP) Advanced Analytics Branch at DHS Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

    Ardent expands its portfolio of work with CBP under this new three-year contract, supporting the Advanced Analytics Branch of the Strategic Planning and Analysis Directorate with geospatial, temporal, and geostatistical analysis. Through the building and enhancing of analytic tools, Ardent will enable USBP to use and access data to create greater situational awareness of the environments where Agents and stakeholders within the CBP operate. Ardent also will provide user training and technical support to the Border Patrol for geospatial tools and capabilities at USBP HQ and in the field.

    “Ensuring the safety and security of our border is a critical national security and humanitarian issue. Enabling better data and data-driven decision-making through technology is at the core of what we do. Ardent thrives in helping DHS and our government customers resolve their most complex and challenging problems,” said Josh Rubin, Ardent’s Chief Growth Officer.

    “Our team takes pride in being selected by CBP as a partner supporting informed decisions on trends in border security and identifying risks along the borders that make our country safer.”

    About Ardent

    A digital transformation, location intelligence, and data analytics firm, Ardent brings a significant history of innovative proven best practices “at the speed of the mission” to Federal Civilian agencies, DHS mission components, State and Local entities, and the commercial and non-profit sectors. Ardent Management Consulting is certified to 9001:2015, its Development Projects are CMMI-Dev V2.0 Maturity Level 3 rated and its management systems (ISMS/ITSMS) are certified to IS0 27001:2013, and ISO 20000-1:2018 standards by SRI Quality System Registrar. For more information, visit www.ardentmc.com or reach out to Emily Morgan (emily.morgan@ardentmc.com).

    Source: Ardent

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  • Ardent Awarded Task Order by Department of Homeland Security

    Ardent Awarded Task Order by Department of Homeland Security

    U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, Information Technology, Production Monitoring and Process Support Services Task Order Award

    Press Release
    –


    updated: Sep 16, 2021


    ARLINGTON, Va., September 16, 2021 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Ardent Management Consulting, Inc. (Ardent) is pleased to announce that it was awarded a task order to support the critical mission of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Ardent’s new client is within the DHS portfolio, Office of Information and Technology (OIT) Passenger Systems Program Directorate (PSPD) for Information Security, Production Monitoring and Process Support (ISPMPS).

    The process management work will standardize and improve PSPD software development and maintenance processes as well as identify and incorporate best practices. Ardent increases their security footprint within DHS CBP by providing and verifying DHS and FISMA compliance and Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs) and Security Requirements Guides (SRGs) while coordinating and collaborating with the teams inside of OIT and PSPD. Ardent will provide 24x7x365 production monitoring support for PSPD in support of the mission.

    ABOUT ARDENT

    Virginia-based Geospatial, Cloud, and Software Development firm, Ardent Management Consulting, Inc. (Ardent) is a Small Business Administration (SBA) certified HUBZone, CMMI Dev 3, V2.0, and ISO 9001:2015 certified company with offices in Arlington, VA, and Tulsa, OK. Ardent brings a significant history of proven best practices in geospatial information, cloud services, software development, and professional expertise amongst ongoing contract engagements. Ardent is a trusted provider for many government agencies, DHS mission components, state and local projects, and the commercial sector. For more information about Ardent, visit www.ardentmc.com or call 703-964-8010.

    Source: Ardent

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