Rebecca Santana

Construction of a border-wall project in Big Bend National Park has been temporarily paused while Customs and Border Protection chief Rodney Scott conducts an on-site evaluation and consults local stakeholders. The project has faced bipartisan opposition from sheriffs, residents, former park officials and Texas politicians, who argue that the remote terrain already deters crossings and that roads, barriers, lighting and underground technology would damage the park's wilderness and tourism economy. The pause represents a rare concession by an administration moving quickly to fulfill President Trump's border-wall pledge, though it remains unclear whether construction will be halted permanently.

A federal judge allowed the Department of Homeland Security to proceed temporarily with plans to build a border wall through Presidio, Texas’s levee system, rejecting the town development district’s request to halt construction. Presidio argued that replacing part of the levee with a concrete wall and steel bollards could worsen flash-flood risks and that DHS had failed to obtain required Army Corps of Engineers approval. The ruling endorsed the administration’s broad authority to waive regulations, while landowners, environmental groups, tribes and preservation organizations continue challenging the project over environmental, cultural and religious harms.

A federal contract funding legal services for roughly 20,000 unaccompanied migrant children is set to expire, leaving providers uncertain whether they can continue visiting children in shelters, advising them about their rights, or representing them in immigration court. Legal organizations say the Trump administration has also withheld payments for more than six months, forcing layoffs, office closures and program reductions. Advocates warn that children without lawyers will be far more likely to receive deportation orders, despite protections under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act and possible eligibility for asylum or special immigrant juvenile status.

Presidio, Texas, is challenging the Trump administration’s plan to build a border wall through levees protecting the town from flooding. The local development district argues that replacing the levees with a concrete and steel barrier could increase flash-flood risks and that Homeland Security must consult the Army Corps of Engineers under the Rivers and Harbors Act. The government maintains that no final construction plan exists and claims authority to waive regulations to accelerate wall construction. Supplies have been staged, but construction has not begun and could start between late August and October. The case highlights growing opposition from border communities, landowners, environmental groups and tribes, while a federal judge questioned the administration’s goal of eliminating illegal crossings and its legal authority.

A group of 38 Democratic senators led by Maine Independent Angus King asked the Department of Homeland Security to explain ICE’s recruiting and vetting practices, vehicle-stop and pursuit policies, and plans to deploy body cameras. The demands followed fatal shootings by ICE officers in Maine and Houston involving people in vehicles. Reporting on the Maine shooting found that officer David Brouillette had been accused in family court records of domestic violence, stalking and abusive behavior, prompting questions about whether such records are considered during recruitment. The senators also called for clearly marked ICE uniforms and greater transparency. Homeland Security announced additional training, while President Donald Trump pushed for traffic stops to continue after a temporary restriction drew criticism.

ICE has rapidly expanded its workforce under the Trump administration, hiring thousands of officers with billions of dollars in new congressional funding. The shooting of a Colombian man in Maine by officer David Brouillette, whose relatives described longstanding serious mental health issues, has renewed scrutiny of whether recruits are adequately vetted. ICE and the Department of Homeland Security defend their background-check and training procedures, but former officials and an Associated Press investigation cite tentative hiring offers before full checks, questionable applicant histories and reductions in training and testing. The agency says training will increase from 42 to 72 days, while a planned DHS inspector general audit has yet to produce findings.

ICE officers involved in the fatal Houston shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo were not wearing body cameras, despite Congress allocating DHS $20 million for them and former secretary Kristi Noem promising a rapid nationwide rollout. DHS says cameras now cover more than half of ICE field offices and blames Democratic shutdowns for delays, while Democratic lawmakers and police-accountability advocates reject that explanation. The absence of footage has intensified scrutiny of the disputed shooting and broader immigration-enforcement tactics under President Donald Trump.

Federal agents involved in the fatal Houston shooting of Mexican homebuilder Lorenzo Salgado Araujo were not equipped with body cameras, according to the Department of Homeland Security. DHS says agents were conducting a targeted immigration operation, attempted to stop Salgado Araujo's van and fired in self-defense after he allegedly rammed an ICE vehicle. His family disputes the agency's account, noting that he had no criminal record and was close to obtaining a work permit. The Harris County District Attorney's Office is investigating, while the League of United Latin American Citizens is seeking witness video and offering a $5,000 reward. DHS said the agents are expected to receive cameras within 60 days, amid broader partisan disputes over funding and accountability for federal immigration officers.

The Trump administration is rapidly expanding a $46 billion US-Mexico border project combining 30-foot steel fencing with surveillance towers, sensors, cameras, artificial-intelligence systems and underground fiber-optic cables. Customs and Border Protection says the technology will improve efficiency and allow agents to focus on field operations, while critics argue it militarizes the border, threatens privacy, pushes migrants toward more dangerous routes and harms local communities. Residents and environmental advocates also oppose planned roads, barriers and lighting in sensitive areas of Texas. Questions remain over the project’s cost, oversight and reliance on autonomous AI systems, particularly after an earlier Obama-era virtual-wall initiative was abandoned because of cost overruns and technical problems.

Senator Ron Wyden warns that the Trump administration is preparing to fast-track the removal of more than 500 unaccompanied migrant children from countries including Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Afghanistan. He says the plan could bypass legal protections and repeat a previous effort that was halted by a federal judge after children were taken to Texas airfields for removal to Guatemala. The Department of Health and Human Services denies targeting the children, saying it is verifying parents and sponsors and accusing Wyden of fearmongering. The dispute centers on protections under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, while advocates argue that stricter sponsor-screening policies are leaving children in government custody and potentially exposing them to unlawful or traumatic removals.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is abandoning or reconsidering plans for several warehouses purchased for a rapid expansion of immigrant detention capacity. The Romulus, Michigan, facility will be sold, while sites in Georgia, Texas, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Utah may be transferred, sold or repurposed. The purchases, totaling $1.074 billion across 11 warehouses, triggered lawsuits, bipartisan opposition, infrastructure concerns and an internal audit after some properties appeared substantially overvalued. In Socorro, Texas, three warehouses may become a smaller ICE campus with offices and training space, while work continues on at least some facilities, including one in Maryland. Local officials remain frustrated by the lack of clear information from the Department of Homeland Security.

Legal-aid organizations serving unaccompanied migrant children say agents from Homeland Security Investigations and the HHS inspector general’s office visited their offices seeking financial and billing records without warrants or subpoenas. The groups characterized the visits as intimidation amid funding cuts, unpaid contracts and other immigration policies they believe undermine children’s access to counsel. Government agencies declined or did not provide substantive comment, while the Justice Department highlighted investigations into allegedly fraudulent sponsors. The organizations warn that enforcement pressure could have a chilling effect on already financially strained legal providers.

The 2026 World Cup will create an unprecedented security operation across 16 cities in the United States, Mexico and Canada, involving federal agencies, local police and private technology companies. Authorities are preparing for terrorism, vehicle attacks, mass shootings, drone incursions and AI-generated misinformation amid heightened tensions involving Iran and Israel and concerns about political violence. Officials say there are no credible current threats and describe the operation as highly coordinated, but the Secret Service faces a significant staffing shortage and former officials criticize the federal government for delayed intelligence-sharing and funding. New technologies, including drone-catching systems, AI surveillance and real-time translation cameras, are being deployed as authorities seek to protect millions of visitors, teams and dignitaries.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said ICE will restore new deportation officers’ training requirement from 42 to 72 days beginning July 1, after the curriculum was rewritten. The agency has faced criticism that its effort to rapidly hire 10,000 additional officers led to shortened or inadequate training, allegations former ICE lawyer Ryan Schwank called dangerous. Homeland Security and ICE deny cutting essential instruction, citing firearms, de-escalation and constitutional training, along with added instruction days and pre- and post-facility training. Officials also removed a Spanish-language requirement while describing the revisions as streamlining rather than weakening the program.

Bruce Springsteen and Tom Morello announced the Power to the People festival, scheduled for October 3 in Columbia, Maryland, with performances by Foo Fighters, Dave Matthews, Joan Baez and others. Proceeds will benefit VoteRiders and HeadCount. The announcement followed Springsteen’s politically charged concert at Nationals Park, where he criticized Donald Trump and immigration enforcement. Trump has previously urged a boycott of Springsteen’s shows and attacked the singer over his political views.

Bruce Springsteen and Tom Morello have announced the one-day Power to the People protest festival, scheduled for 3 October at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, ahead of the US midterm elections. The lineup includes Foo Fighters, Dave Matthews, Brittany Howard, Joan Baez, Dropkick Murphys, Jack Black, Killer Mike and others, with part of ticket proceeds benefiting VoteRiders and HeadCount. The announcement followed a politically charged Springsteen concert at Nationals Park, where he criticized President Donald Trump and his administration, led an “ICE out!” chant and urged Americans to defend democracy and constitutional rights.

The Trump administration’s revised guidance requires many people seeking U.S. green cards to leave the country and apply from their home nations, potentially affecting hundreds of thousands of applicants. USCIS has offered limited and unclear exceptions, possibly covering cases involving economic or national interest, dual-intent employment visas and refugees. Immigration lawyers and advocates say the rollout has created confusion, prompted tougher interview questions and could discourage employers and immigrants from pursuing legal permanent residency. The policy’s practical scope remains uncertain and is likely to generate legal challenges.

The Trump administration announced that many foreigners temporarily in the United States who seek permanent residency will generally have to leave the country and apply for a green card through consular processing abroad, with exceptions for extraordinary circumstances or cases involving economic benefit or national interest. The policy could affect spouses of U.S. citizens, workers, students, religious visa holders, refugees and asylum seekers. USCIS framed the change as restoring the original intent of immigration law, while immigration lawyers and humanitarian groups said it reverses decades of adjustment-of-status practice, creates confusion and could separate families indefinitely, particularly when applicants cannot safely return home or lack a functioning U.S. embassy. The agency has not clarified when the policy begins, how long applicants must remain abroad or whether pending applications are affected.

Latino voters who helped Donald Trump make gains in the 2024 election are showing signs of turning away from him amid aggressive immigration enforcement, high prices and broader cost-of-living concerns. Pew polling indicates that approval among Latino Trump voters fell sharply, from 93% early in his second term to 66% in April 2026. The shift could be decisive in battleground areas such as Maricopa County, Arizona, where a large Latino and immigrant population has been politically mobilized by past enforcement actions under Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Some residents continue to support Trump because of border-security and economic policies, but activists and former Republican officials say raids and affordability problems threaten the party’s support and could benefit Democrats in upcoming elections.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the Justice Department plans to replace immigration judges who delay cases, accumulate unacceptable backlogs or fail to apply the law as the Trump administration accelerates mass deportations. The department is hiring more judges and has removed dozens during Trump's second term, prompting criticism that the courts are being reshaped to favor enforcement and restrict asylum access. Immigration advocates argue the changes undermine due process, while Blanche defends them as lawful and says the department is also aggressively pursuing denaturalization cases involving alleged fraud.

The Trump administration is considering transferring more than 1,000 Afghans held at a U.S. base in Qatar—including wartime interpreters, Special Operations Forces allies and relatives of U.S. service members—to a third country, with the Democratic Republic of the Congo reportedly among the options. The State Department says it is exploring voluntary resettlement arrangements, but refugees and advocates say returning to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan or moving to conflict-hit Congo is not a genuinely voluntary choice. The group has been stranded since the administration suspended the Afghan refugee resettlement program, and families say they have received little information while facing pressure to return to Afghanistan.

Protesters in Washington County, Maryland, are opposing the planned conversion of an 825,000-square-foot warehouse into an ICE processing and detention facility. County commissioners have declared support for DHS and ICE, while many residents say the purchase and planned renovation—an estimated $113 million project—were undertaken without public input. A judge temporarily halted construction after Maryland’s attorney general sued, and DHS has paused the project while Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin reviews the broader warehouse detention initiative inherited from Kristi Noem. The case is part of wider opposition and legal challenges to the federal government’s effort to acquire and convert warehouses for immigrant detention.

The Department of Homeland Security has paused new warehouse purchases for immigrant detention while reviewing contracts signed during Kristi Noem’s tenure. The review also covers 11 warehouses already purchased for $1.074 billion as part of a $38.3 billion plan to expand detention capacity. The program has faced lawsuits, failed deals and strong opposition from communities concerned about ICE’s presence and pressure on local infrastructure. Under new Secretary Markwayne Mullin, at least one planned facility in Surprise, Arizona, has been scaled back from 1,500 beds to 542, while DHS says it is reviewing agency policies and proposals.

Markwayne Mullin was confirmed 54-45 to become secretary of Homeland Security after Kristi Noem’s firing, taking charge of a department facing a funding lapse, airport delays and intense scrutiny over immigration enforcement. Mullin, a close ally of Donald Trump and supporter of his deportation agenda, portrayed himself as a steady manager but drew skepticism from Democrats and criticism during a combative hearing with Rand Paul. His immediate challenges include resolving the funding impasse, addressing demands for greater restrictions and accountability in ICE operations, and overseeing FEMA, where Noem-era contracting rules and the absence of a permanent administrator have raised concerns. Although Mullin indicated he would require judicial warrants for home entries and reject eliminating FEMA, the White House is expected to retain decisive control over immigration policy.

ICE officers have been deployed to some U.S. airports during a partial government shutdown to help manage long security lines caused by Transportation Security Administration staffing shortages. Experts say ICE personnel lack the specialized training needed for X-ray operation, baggage checks and pat-downs, though they may assist with crowd control or exit lanes. Their armed presence could also intensify tensions, attract protests and divert security resources, especially as President Donald Trump has suggested airports could be used for immigration arrests. Democrats oppose the deployment and object to masked ICE officers, while officials have provided few operational details. Analysts say restoring full Department of Homeland Security funding and TSA staffing is the only lasting solution.

The Senate is expected to confirm Oklahoma Republican Markwayne Mullin as homeland security secretary after advancing his nomination 54–37. Mullin would inherit a department whose routine funding has been blocked since mid-February as Democrats seek tighter restrictions on immigration officers, while airport security waits worsen during the travel season. A close ally of Donald Trump and supporter of his immigration agenda, Mullin faces skepticism from Democrats and criticism from Republican Senator Rand Paul over his temperament. He has nevertheless moderated some previous statements, pledged that home entries generally require judicial warrants, and said cutting funds to sanctuary jurisdictions would be a last resort. Mullin would also oversee FEMA, where he opposes eliminating the agency and plans to reverse Kristi Noem’s rule requiring personal approval of contracts over $100,000.

Donald Trump's second administration has sharply expanded immigration enforcement. Border arrests have fallen to historically low levels, while ICE arrests and detention have risen substantially, supported by $45 billion in new congressional funding and plans for additional facilities and officers. Asylum rejection rates have also increased. Despite the administration's claim that mass deportations target dangerous criminals, the share of ICE detainees with criminal histories has declined, with more collateral arrests occurring through workplace raids, court appearances and agency check-ins. Enforcement operations in Minneapolis and Chicago have prompted protests and criticism, including after two U.S. citizens were shot and killed in Minneapolis.

Former ICE lawyer Ryan Schwank told a congressional forum hosted by Democrats Richard Blumenthal and Robert Garcia that the agency’s training program for new deportation officers is “deficient, defective and broken.” He alleged that ICE shortened the program, removed essential classes and practical exams, and weakened standards as the Department of Homeland Security expands the workforce for President Donald Trump’s mass-deportation agenda. DHS rejected the claims, saying recruits receive 56 days of academy training plus about 28 days of on-the-job training, including firearms, de-escalation and constitutional instruction, while describing the changes as streamlining rather than cuts. Documents reviewed by Democratic Senate staff appear to show fewer exams, classes and training hours, including the removal of use-of-force simulation training.

The heads of ICE, Customs and Border Protection, and USCIS are scheduled to testify before the House Committee on Homeland Security amid scrutiny of President Donald Trump's mass deportation campaign. The hearings follow the shooting deaths of Minneapolis protesters Alex Pretti and Renee Good involving federal immigration officers, as well as criticism of aggressive arrests, warrant policies, refugee vetting and a pause in asylum decisions. The agencies defend their operations as necessary to remove criminals and protect public safety, while lawmakers debate whether DHS funding should include restrictions on officers' conduct.

Tom Homan consolidated federal immigration-enforcement operations in Minnesota under ICE after months of friction between ICE and Customs and Border Protection over tactics. Border Patrol officials had favored rapid, broad street sweeps, while ICE traditionally relied on investigation and targeted arrests, although ICE has also adopted increasingly aggressive practices. The leadership change followed the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by federal immigration officers and growing public and congressional criticism of ICE. Homan called the restructuring an effort to establish a unified chain of command and ensure rules were followed, but tensions and a substantial ICE presence remained in Minneapolis.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said all Homeland Security officers operating in Minneapolis, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, would immediately receive body-worn cameras. She also announced that the department’s camera program would expand nationwide as funding becomes available. The move follows heightened scrutiny of immigration-enforcement conduct in Minneapolis and calls for mandatory cameras. President Joe Biden had ordered federal officers to wear body cameras in 2022, but President Donald Trump later rescinded that directive.

The U.S. Department of Justice has opened a federal civil-rights investigation into the death of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old Minnesota ICU nurse who was shot by Border Patrol officers. The FBI will lead the investigation, with Homeland Security Investigations assisting, while Customs and Border Protection conducts a separate internal review. The move follows video evidence contradicting Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s initial claim that Pretti brandished a handgun and aggressively approached officers. Additional footage shows an earlier confrontation between Pretti and immigration officers, but his family’s attorney says it does not justify the later fatal shooting. President Donald Trump used the earlier footage to portray Pretti as an agitator, while questions remain about whether federal investigators will share evidence with Minnesota authorities.

The FBI has taken over the investigation into the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said her department would cooperate, while appearing to retract an earlier claim that Pretti brandished a handgun. Video reportedly shows Pretti holding a mobile phone and an officer removing a handgun from his waistband before shots were fired. Separate footage of an earlier altercation involving Pretti was cited by Donald Trump as challenging the portrayal of Pretti as a peaceful protester.

Three federal probes are reportedly examining the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis: reviews by the Department of Homeland Security and FBI, along with an internal Customs and Border Protection investigation. The FBI is primarily processing physical evidence, while the Justice Department has not indicated that it will open a civil rights investigation. Bystander videos appear to challenge federal claims that Pretti approached officers with a firearm, but key evidence—including body-camera footage, officers’ identities and possibly Pretti’s phone—has not been released. Minnesota officials say federal authorities blocked access to the scene and evidence, prompting a federal court order barring the destruction or alteration of records and intensifying tensions over control of the investigation.

ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons has issued a directive authorizing federal immigration agents to forcibly enter private homes without a judge-signed warrant when arresting people with final removal orders. The policy, disclosed through an internal memo obtained by the Associated Press via a whistleblower, reverses longstanding guidance to immigrant communities and reportedly conflicts with existing officer training materials and Fourth Amendment protections. Immigrant advocates and legal groups are expected to challenge the directive in court.

An internal ICE memo signed by acting director Todd Lyons on May 12, 2025, asserts that agents may forcibly enter private homes using administrative warrants when targeting people with final removal orders, despite longstanding guidance that only judge-signed warrants authorize such entry. The directive requires officers to identify themselves, explain their purpose, operate between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., and use only necessary force after giving residents a chance to comply. A whistleblower complaint says the memo was selectively shown to officials and used to train new officers, even though written training materials contradict it. The Associated Press documented an apparent instance in Minneapolis involving a Liberian man, while DHS defended the policy by citing due process and probable cause. Civil-rights advocates and immigrant-friendly governments say the policy conflicts with the Fourth Amendment and is likely to face legal challenges.

Oglala Sioux President Frank Star Comes Out withdrew or clarified earlier claims that ICE had arrested four tribal members in Minneapolis and that DHS demanded an immigration agreement in exchange for information. DHS said it could not verify that any Oglala Sioux members had been arrested or encountered by its officers and denied making such a demand, while Star Comes Out said an agreement had merely been presented as one possible way to obtain information and that the alleged arrests were still being verified. The dispute comes amid broader concerns among Native Americans about racial profiling and immigration enforcement, including past reported encounters involving members of other tribes and growing controversy over tribal relationships and contracts with federal detention agencies.

Minnesota remained tense after repeated clashes between protesters and federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, St. Cloud and Saint Paul. The Department of Homeland Security says it has deployed more than 2,000 officers and made over 2,000 arrests since December, while Minnesota, Minneapolis and Saint Paul sued the Trump administration, alleging violations of free-speech and other constitutional rights. The escalation followed the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE officer, an incident the administration says was justified but that Governor Tim Walz, Mayor Jacob Frey and others dispute based on video evidence. Similar litigation and enforcement controversies are unfolding in Illinois and Portland, Oregon.

Federal immigration agents used tear gas after a car crash in Minneapolis drew a crowd that objected to the agents’ actions. The incident occurred amid protests following the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an immigration agent and increased federal enforcement operations in the area. Governor Tim Walz and local mayors planned a news conference, while Walz and his wife visited Good’s memorial. The Trump administration defended the agent involved, but that account has been challenged by Walz and others based on video evidence. Separately, federal authorities charged a Venezuelan national after a shooting involving Border Patrol in Portland.

St. Paul's-San Pablo Lutheran Church in Minneapolis held a Sunday service of “Lament and Hope” as immigration enforcement intensified following the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent. The Department of Homeland Security deployed roughly 2,000 agents and officers to the region, prompting fear among immigrant residents, opposition from activists and heightened security at the church. Worshippers prayed, sang hymns and supported one another, while the church hosted vigils and protest preparations. Congregants described avoiding work, shopping and other daily activities, but also emphasized solidarity, courage and resilience.

Protests erupted across Minneapolis after ICE officers fatally shot Renee Good during a major immigration crackdown, while a separate federal-officer shooting in Portland left two people wounded. The Trump administration and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem characterized the Minneapolis shooting as self-defense, but videos appeared inconclusive about whether Good's vehicle struck the officer, and local officials rejected the administration's account. Minnesota officials said federal authorities would not allow the state to participate in the investigation, prompting Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey to question its fairness. Records identified the shooting officer as Jonathan Ross, an Iraq War veteran and longtime federal agent.

The Trump administration has begun deploying as many as 2,000 federal agents to the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area in what ICE’s acting director calls its largest immigration operation. The mobilization includes ICE deportation officers, Homeland Security Investigations agents, tactical units and Customs and Border Protection personnel investigating alleged fraud, human smuggling and unlawful employment practices while making immigration arrests. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem accompanied officers during at least one arrest, and DHS said more than 1,000 people had already been arrested. The operation is linked politically to fraud cases involving federal aid programs and defendants with ties to Somalia, but officials cautioned that its scale and duration could change.

The Trump administration expanded the U.S. travel ban to fully restrict entry from Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Syria, and to bar travelers carrying Palestinian Authority-issued documents. Fifteen additional countries face partial restrictions, adding to existing bans and limitations announced in June. The White House cited weak or unreliable civil documentation, corruption, visa overstays, deportation noncooperation and instability as reasons for the measures. The expansion followed the arrest of an Afghan national accused of shooting two National Guard troops near the White House; he has pleaded not guilty to murder and assault charges.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s lawyer says his client is seeking justice after being mistakenly deported to El Salvador and held in the CECOT prison despite having no criminal record. Although the Trump administration eventually returned him to the United States, it pursued human-smuggling charges and sought further deportation, while a federal judge recently ordered his release and temporarily barred renewed detention. His possible options include asylum, a green card through his U.S. citizen wife, or relocation to Costa Rica, but his lawyer believes the government will oppose each path. Abrego Garcia’s immediate priority is avoiding a return to CECOT, while his preferred outcome remains staying with his family in the United States.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is expected to face tough questioning from House Democrats during a hearing on worldwide threats, with immigration enforcement likely to dominate the proceedings. Her department has expanded detention, deportation and immigrant screening operations under President Donald Trump and received approximately $165 billion for border security and mass deportations. Noem is also under scrutiny over migrant flights to El Salvador, alleged wrongful arrests of U.S. citizens and limits on lawmakers’ access to detention facilities, while the department denies targeting Americans for immigration reasons.

Afghan immigrants across the United States, particularly in Northern California, are reportedly facing increased ICE arrests and canceled immigration interviews after an Afghan national was accused of shooting two Washington National Guard troops. Volunteers and attorneys describe people being detained during routine check-ins, sometimes despite having no known criminal records or strong asylum claims. The Trump administration is reexamining Afghans admitted under Biden-era programs, pausing asylum and other immigration processes for Afghans, and citing national security and public safety concerns. Advocates and Democratic Representative Ami Bera argue that targeting the wider Afghan community amounts to collective punishment of people who assisted U.S. forces, while authorities say the crackdown is aimed at suspected terrorists and criminal threats.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says the Trump administration plans to expand its travel ban to citizens of more than 30 countries, building on June restrictions covering 19 countries. The administration has not specified which additional countries will be included or when the expanded ban will take effect. The announcement follows the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, allegedly by Afghan immigrant Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who has pleaded not guilty. Officials argue that stricter vetting is necessary, while critics say the measures impose collective punishment on people who have already undergone extensive screening. Related actions include pausing asylum and immigration-benefit decisions for people from the existing ban countries, halting visas for Afghans who assisted the U.S., and shortening the validity of some work permits.

The Trump administration’s suspension and subsequent sharply reduced reopening of the U.S. refugee program have left hundreds of thousands of applicants in limbo, with new restrictions and reviews further delaying admissions. Three families illustrate the consequences: a Syrian family remains divided between Iraq and Connecticut, Chinese pastor Lu Taizhi continues waiting in Thailand after years of persecution and canceled flights, and Louis is separated from his wife and young children in a Ugandan refugee camp. The administration cites economic and national security concerns, while refugee advocates argue that the policies abandon people who had completed extensive vetting and were relying on promised resettlement.

Around 250 federal border agents are expected to conduct the monthslong “Swamp Sweep” operation across southeast Louisiana and into Mississippi, aiming to arrest 5,000 people under the leadership of Gregory Bovino. The deployment follows controversial enforcement campaigns in other Democratic-run cities, where Border Patrol has faced accusations of excessive force and legal challenges. Louisiana has enacted strict laws requiring local officials to cooperate with federal immigration authorities, while New Orleans generally limits cooperation with ICE. Immigrant families and businesses are preparing by reducing public activity, arranging childcare, posting access restrictions and attending rights trainings. Local advocates and business owners warn that fear of enforcement could harm Latino communities and undermine New Orleans’s tourism-dependent economy.

British political commentator Sami Hamdi has agreed to voluntarily leave the United States after more than two weeks in immigration detention. He was arrested by ICE following a speaking appearance for CAIR and after the State Department revoked his visa. U.S. officials accused him of supporting Hamas based on remarks about the October 7 attacks, while Hamdi said he was describing the violence as a consequence of Palestinian oppression rather than praising it. CAIR argues that his detention stemmed from criticism of Israel, that his immigration case cited only a visa overstay, and that the enforcement action violated free-speech protections. Officials say Hamdi requested voluntary departure, which may occur later in the week, with no stated ban on a future U.S. visa.

The Trump administration is reassigning at least 12 of ICE’s 25 field-office directors, with additional leadership changes in cities including Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington. Half of the replacements are expected to come from Customs and Border Protection, increasing Border Patrol’s role in domestic immigration enforcement. The changes are part of a broader review of ICE and follow two earlier leadership shake-ups this year. Officials have not explained the specific rationale, while critics have raised concerns about aggressive enforcement tactics and alleged excessive force in major cities.

British political commentator Sami Hamdi was detained by ICE at San Francisco International Airport after U.S. authorities revoked his visitor visa. Officials linked the action to his statements about the Middle East, including comments critics interpreted as praising Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attacks, though Hamdi denied celebrating violence. The administration said he was unlawfully present after the visa revocation and would enter immigration proceedings, while CAIR called for his release and civil-rights groups criticized the broader use of visa restrictions against foreign nationals who oppose U.S. policy toward Israel and Gaza. Britain’s Foreign Office said it was assisting his family.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is spending more than $5.7 million on television advertisements in over a dozen metropolitan areas to recruit local law enforcement officers for President Donald Trump's mass-deportation campaign. The effort forms part of a proposed $30 billion hiring initiative aimed at adding 10,000 deportation officers, with recruits offered bonuses of up to $50,000 and tuition assistance. The campaign targets cities including Chicago, Seattle, Atlanta, Boston and Miami, though ICE has not explained why those markets were selected. Local officials and police representatives said the incentives could pull recruits away from understaffed municipal departments, while some questioned whether the ads are also intended to signal that the administration is acting forcefully on immigration despite a partial federal shutdown.

ICE’s Operation Midway Blitz has expanded immigration arrests across Chicago and its suburbs, with nearly 550 people arrested and more than 200 officers deployed. ICE officials deny using excessive force and say most arrests target individuals sought for immigration or criminal violations, while activists and local officials accuse agents of provoking confrontations and using aggressive, unaccountable tactics. Tensions intensified after an ICE officer fatally shot Mexican immigrant Silverio Villegas González, prompting criticism from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. ICE says the operation has no set end date.

Federal Judge Timothy J. Kelly extended until September 16 the temporary restrictions preventing the Trump administration from deporting unaccompanied Guatemalan children in government custody. The order follows an August 30 operation in which officials sought to remove dozens of children, with 76 boarding planes before the effort was halted by litigation. Advocates argue that the administration bypassed legal procedures designed to protect children fleeing abuse or violence, while the government maintains it had authority to return them and was responding to Guatemala’s concerns. The judge said he needed additional time to assess changing facts, including the government’s retraction of claims that the children’s parents had requested their return.

An ICE officer shot and killed a suspect in Franklin Park, Illinois, after authorities said the man drove at officers while resisting arrest and dragged one officer with his car. The officer and suspect were taken to a hospital, where the suspect was pronounced dead. Homeland Security said the officer believed his life was threatened and used appropriate force. The shooting occurred during ICE’s Chicago-area immigration operation known as “Midway Blitz,” which Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said had been made more dangerous by calls to resist enforcement.

USCIS Director Joseph Edlow defended a new policy allowing immigration officers to consider applicants’ expressed support for anti-American, terrorist or antisemitic views when deciding immigration benefits, while saying ordinary criticism of the government would not be penalized. He also outlined plans to expand USCIS law-enforcement powers, improve access to an eligibility database for voter-roll verification, consider limits on international students’ post-graduation work authorization, revise citizenship testing and address alleged displacement of U.S. workers through H-1B visas. Civil-liberties and data-reliability concerns remain over the breadth of the new screening and verification powers.

Lawyers and advocates obtained a court order blocking the Trump administration from deporting Guatemalan children after dozens were awakened, given little notice and taken toward Texas airports over Labor Day weekend. The administration said Guatemala had requested the returns and that families wanted their children back, but a Guatemalan government report found many families wanted their children to remain in the United States or feared cooperating with officials. The episode raised questions about transparency, whether children with active immigration cases were targeted, and compliance with a 2008 law requiring most unaccompanied minors to receive immigration-court hearings. The emergency order lasts 14 days, leaving the children’s legal status unresolved.

The Trump administration attempted to send unaccompanied Guatemalan children from U.S. shelters and foster-care placements back to Guatemala, prompting lawsuits by advocates who said the children feared returning and were being removed without proper immigration-court procedures. Judges in Arizona, Washington, D.C., and Illinois temporarily blocked the removals and ordered that some children already being transported be returned to U.S. custody. Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo said Guatemala had offered to receive children who voluntarily wanted to return and was coordinating family reunification and safe reintegration, but emphasized that the United States controlled the timing and number of transfers. Estimates of the affected children ranged from 341 to nearly 700, with more than 600 under discussion and 76 reportedly placed on planes before a court order intervened. U.S. law provides unaccompanied minors with protections including placement in the least restrictive setting, access to sponsors, asylum applications and other forms of relief.

A federal judge in Washington temporarily blocked the deportation of 10 unaccompanied Guatemalan children and scheduled an emergency hearing after lawyers warned that removal flights could depart imminently. Similar challenges were filed in Arizona and Illinois. Advocates argue that the Trump administration lacks authority to deport nearly 700 Guatemalan minors, many of whom have active immigration cases and may be eligible for asylum or other protections. They allege that children were moved from refugee-resettlement custody to Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody without due process. Guatemala says it is prepared to receive the minors, while President Bernardo Arévalo has pledged to advocate for them.

The Trump administration is reportedly planning to remove nearly 700 unaccompanied Guatemalan children from the United States, according to a letter from Democratic Senator Ron Wyden to acting Office of Refugee Resettlement director Angie Salazar. Wyden says children without a U.S. sponsor or an asylum case could be forcibly returned, potentially separating them from families, lawyers, and support systems and violating federal child-welfare obligations. The White House and Department of Health and Human Services had not commented, while Guatemala previously discussed voluntarily repatriating 341 minors. Immigrant-rights advocates condemned the broader enforcement effort and warned that the removals could undermine due process and expose vulnerable children to danger.

ICE is rapidly expanding to support President Donald Trump’s mass-deportation agenda after Congress approved $76.5 billion in new funding, including nearly $30 billion for staff. The agency aims to hire 10,000 additional deportation officers, is streamlining training and reducing Spanish-language requirements, and is increasing instructors and recruitment incentives. In response to reported clashes during enforcement operations, ICE is issuing helmets and gas masks, deploying security teams and expanding specialized response units and armored vehicles. Recruits are also taught the limits imposed by immigration law and the Fourth Amendment, including when administrative warrants permit entry into homes and when officers must leave.

The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Brunswick, Georgia, is rapidly training new ICE deportation officers as the agency expands to support Donald Trump's mass-deportation agenda. Congress has approved $76.5 billion for ICE, including nearly $30 billion for new staff, and acting director Todd Lyons says the agency plans to add 10,000 deportation officers to its current force of about 6,500. Recruits undergo firearms, driving, de-escalation and immigration-law instruction, including training on the Fourth Amendment and rules governing searches, arrests and removals. ICE officials deny that accelerated hiring will weaken standards, though the agency has shortened the program by eliminating five weeks of Spanish-language training and plans to rely partly on translation technology. The hiring surge has prompted comparisons with Border Patrol's earlier expansion, when altered standards were followed by increased misconduct arrests.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that the U.S.-Mexico border wall will be painted black at Donald Trump’s request, arguing that hotter metal will make it more difficult for migrants to climb. Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks said the paint could also help prevent rust. The administration plans to add more barriers, cameras and sensors, while withholding the project’s cost because procurement is ongoing. The announcement comes as the Trump administration highlights historically low border encounters and advances a broader immigration crackdown, supported by roughly $46 billion in funding to complete the border wall system.

The Department of Homeland Security has removed age limits for new ICE recruits as the agency expands hiring to support the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign. Applicants may now be as young as 18 and face no upper age limit, though they must pass medical, drug and physical-fitness screening. Congress recently approved funding for 10,000 additional ICE staff, while the agency is offering recruitment incentives including bonuses of up to $50,000, student-loan forgiveness and substantial overtime opportunities.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says it has issued more than 1,000 tentative job offers since President Donald Trump signed legislation providing about $170 billion for border security and immigration enforcement over five years. ICE is set to receive $76.5 billion, hire 10,000 additional staff, expand detention capacity and pursue as many as 1 million deportations annually. The agency is offering recruits bonuses of up to $50,000 and other benefits, while officials deny that hiring standards will be lowered. The planned expansion has nevertheless raised concerns, citing misconduct problems associated with rapid Border Patrol growth in the early 2000s.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has launched a recruitment campaign seeking deportation officers, lawyers and criminal investigators, using patriotic messaging and offering signing bonuses of up to $50,000, overtime and student-loan benefits. The campaign follows legislation providing roughly $170 billion for border security and immigration enforcement over five years, including $76.5 billion for ICE, $45 billion for detention capacity and nearly $30 billion to hire 10,000 additional staff with a goal of one million deportations annually. Former ICE chief of staff Jason Houser said the agency needs more employees but warned that rapidly hiring and training thousands of recruits could lower standards and increase misconduct, as occurred during an earlier Border Patrol expansion. He also expressed concern that reduced oversight could lead ICE to rely on contractors, National Guard troops and other federal officers while it works toward the administration’s target of 3,000 arrests per day.

U.S. air travel security rules may be changing after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem indicated that the TSA could revise its limits on liquids, following the recent decision allowing travelers at some checkpoints to keep their shoes on. The changes could reduce checkpoint congestion and stress, but officials have not clarified whether larger containers, multiple liquid bags or full-size toiletries would be permitted. Experts warn that differing rules between airports could confuse passengers, while flight crews may worry about compromised security. Expanded freedoms could also reduce the appeal of TSA PreCheck. Newer computed tomography scanners can better identify suspicious liquids, but they are not yet installed widely enough to support uniform nationwide changes.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the Transportation Security Administration may soon reconsider its limit of 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) per liquid container in carry-on baggage. She provided no specific replacement rule or timeline, but argued that layered screening could allow security procedures to change without reducing safety. The comments follow the July 8 decision to let travelers keep their shoes on at TSA checkpoints, a policy change enabled by improved screening equipment. Current liquid restrictions were introduced after authorities foiled a 2006 plot involving liquid explosives, while Noem said she ultimately wants travelers to pass through airports in about a minute.

The Trump administration has fired 17 immigration court judges across ten states, according to the union representing them, including 15 dismissals without cause on Friday and two more on Monday. The union says more than 103 judges have been fired or left through an early-retirement program, despite legislation authorizing 800 judges and providing $3.3 billion for immigration courts. The dismissals come amid intensified Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests at court proceedings and a backlog of roughly 3.5 million cases. The union warns that replacing the judges could take up to a year and worsen delays, while the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review declined to comment.

Temporary Protected Status for roughly 11,700 Afghans in the United States is expiring, ending their automatic protection from deportation and their associated work authorization. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said improved security and economic conditions in Afghanistan justified the decision, while immigrant advocates argue that many beneficiaries helped U.S. forces and may still face serious danger. It remains unclear how many have obtained asylum or other protections. CASA is challenging the revocation in federal court, but a judge has allowed the case to proceed without preserving the protections during litigation.

The Trump administration is ending Temporary Protected Status for approximately 72,000 Hondurans and 4,000 Nicaraguans who have lived and worked in the United States since protections were granted after Hurricane Mitch in 1999. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said conditions in both countries had improved enough for beneficiaries to return, while immigrant advocates and Honduran officials argued that the decision reflects the administration's broader anti-immigration agenda. The protections will end 60 days after publication of the federal notices, leaving affected people vulnerable to deportation and loss of work authorization unless they obtain another legal status. Previous litigation had delayed similar termination efforts, and other TPS holders are also facing the loss of protections.

A federal judge ruled that Donald Trump’s executive order suspending asylum access at the U.S.-Mexico border was unlawful because the president cannot create an immigration system that bypasses congressional statutes. The ruling, which takes effect on July 16, prevents the administration from denying people the opportunity to apply for asylum and gives it two weeks to appeal. The American Civil Liberties Union and other immigrant-rights groups welcomed the decision, while the Trump administration is expected to challenge it.

Federal District Judge Randolph Moss blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order suspending asylum access at the U.S.-Mexico border, ruling that the president cannot create an immigration system that overrides statutes enacted by Congress or remove people without an opportunity to seek humanitarian protection. The decision takes effect July 16, giving the administration two weeks to appeal. Immigrant advocacy groups and the American Civil Liberties Union welcomed the ruling, while the administration argues that the president has broad authority to suspend entry and that the asylum system is abused. The ruling comes as Border Patrol arrests have fallen sharply following increased Mexican enforcement, Biden-era restrictions and Trump’s deployment of troops to the border.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem endorsed Florida's plan to build an immigration detention facility at a remote Everglades airfield, dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz,” saying it could expand capacity more quickly and cheaply than existing private contractors. The facility is part of Florida's support for President Donald Trump's mass-deportation campaign, as ICE detention numbers have risen above 56,000. During a Central America tour, Noem also said Honduras and Guatemala had agreed to serve as safe third countries for migrants, although both governments denied signing such agreements. She announced a joint security program with Guatemala, discussed screening cooperation with Costa Rica, and criticized Panama over information-sharing on migration and security.

The United States has reached agreements with Guatemala and Honduras allowing them to potentially accept asylum seekers from other countries, expanding the Trump administration’s options for deporting migrants who cannot easily be returned to their home countries. Kristi Noem said the agreements provide alternatives to seeking protection in the United States. The arrangements revive and broaden safe-third-country policies used during Trump’s first term, although Central American countries previously faced limited asylum capacity and significant violence and poverty. The United States also has related agreements with El Salvador, Panama and Costa Rica, while Mexico has accepted thousands of deported migrants for humanitarian reasons but declined to sign a new safe-country agreement.

Honduran President Xiomara Castro and U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem discussed immigration and border security amid strained relations caused by disagreements over deportations, extradition and U.S. military cooperation. Honduras agreed to pursue biometric-data sharing with the United States and signed a separate agreement concerning migrants seeking protection there. The meeting followed broader U.S. efforts to secure regional cooperation on biometric screening, migrant repatriation and anti-drug operations, including initiatives involving Costa Rica and Panama.

Hundreds gathered at a Boulder Jewish Community Center vigil for victims of a firebombing targeting people demonstrating for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza. Authorities say Mohamed Sabry Soliman threw Molotov cocktails, injured 15 people and a dog, and planned to kill the demonstrators; he faces federal hate-crime and state attempted-murder charges. A federal judge temporarily blocked the deportation of Soliman's wife and five children, who were detained by immigration officials despite not being charged. The family argues that deportation would unlawfully punish them for a relative's alleged crimes, while the Department of Homeland Security says all family members were in the country illegally. The attack occurred amid heightened antisemitic violence linked to tensions surrounding the Israel-Hamas war.

A firebombing at a Boulder demonstration supporting the release of Israeli hostages injured 12 members of the Run For Their Lives group. Authorities allege that Mohamed Sabry Soliman planned to kill the participants, shouted “Free Palestine,” and sought to target Zionists, but stopped after throwing two of 18 Molotov cocktails. He faces federal hate-crime and state attempted-murder charges and is being held on a $10 million bond. Immigration officials detained his wife and five children, while officials disclosed that Soliman overstayed a tourist visa and had an expired work authorization. Three victims remained hospitalized, and the community planned a vigil at a local Jewish community center amid broader concerns over antisemitic violence linked to tensions surrounding the Israel-Hamas war.

The Department of Homeland Security is publishing a list of more than 500 jurisdictions it considers “sanctuary” communities and plans to notify them that they may be violating federal law. The Trump administration could seek legal remedies and suspend or terminate federal grants and contracts from jurisdictions deemed noncompliant under a 28 April executive order. The policy is intended to expand local cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and support mass deportations, including through expanded 287(g) agreements. Local authorities argue that limiting cooperation helps immigrants report crimes and preserves scarce local law-enforcement resources, while the administration’s broader efforts have faced challenges in court.

The Trump administration has rapidly expanded ICE’s 287(g) agreements, allowing state and local law enforcement agencies to screen, detain and investigate people for possible immigration violations. The number of agreements increased from 135 across 21 states in December to 588 across 40 states by May 19, with Florida accounting for roughly half and Texas ranking second. Supporters say the program increases ICE’s enforcement capacity and that officers operate under federal coordination and legal safeguards. Immigrant advocates and civil-rights attorneys argue that the task-force model risks racial profiling, lacks adequate oversight and may discourage immigrants from reporting crimes or cooperating with police. Local officers receive varying amounts of training, which researchers say has long been a weakness of the program.

The Department of Homeland Security has asked the Pentagon to help provide 20,000 National Guard troops for immigration enforcement operations inside the United States. The troops could significantly expand deportation capacity, but their role would depend on whether they remain under state control, since the Posse Comitatus Act generally bars federally commanded troops from domestic law enforcement. The Pentagon is reviewing the request, while the reasons for seeking its involvement rather than directly approaching states remain unclear. The request comes amid the Trump administration's broader immigration crackdown and increased military activity along the U.S.-Mexico border.