Department of Homeland Security Archives

Biden’s ICE Shuts Down Trump-Era Initiative to Help Victims of Illegal Aliens

June 16, 2021June 15, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

Under the orders of Joe Biden, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has ordered the shutdown of an office created by President Donald Trump for the purpose of helping victims of crimes committed by illegal aliens, as reported by CNN.

The announcement was made on Friday that the Victim Of Immigrant Crime Engagement (VOICE) office was coming to an end, instead being replaced with an office that will focus on helping victims of crime irrespective of the immigration status of either the victims or the culprits.

Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement that “all people, regardless of their immigration status, should be able to access victim services without fear,” directly implying that the new office will actually cater to illegal aliens rather than American citizens. Acting ICE Director Tae Johnson confirmed these intentions in his own statement, declaring that ICE would be “committed to serving all victims of crime.”

Arizona AG Tells Hotel Not to Let ICE House 1,200 Migrants

June 4, 2021June 3, 2021 Cooper Moran

Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich sent a letter to a local hotel in Scottsdale, Arizona to urge them not to allow the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to convert the location to a detention center for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The hotel is considering a proposed contract from DHS that would allow for the establishment of a facility to hold up to 1,200 migrant adults and children.

Senators Propose $1 Billion to Aid DHS in Addressing Future Migrant Surges

June 1, 2021May 31, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

Members of Galveston County S.W.A.T. work with with Customs and Border Protection Agents during Maritime Tactical Operations Group vessel boarding training in the Houston Ship Channel, Aug. 23, 2016.

Senators introduced legislation that would require federal agencies tasked with managing migration at the border to make strategic plans and allow access to $1 billion in contingency funding, lawmakers announced Friday.

Republican Ohio Sen. Rob Portman and Democratic Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly introduced the Border Response Resilience Act that would establish a $1 billion “Irregular Migration Border Response Fund” for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide food, clothing, blankets, and transportation for unaccompanied migrant minors and family members without having to transfer funding allocated to border security, according to the lawmakers. The act would require federal officials to make plans and “conduct exercises to improve the federal response to increased migration at the border.”

“DHS has been unprepared for unlawful migrant surges at our southern border in 2014, 2019, and again during the current crisis. This is unacceptable. DHS and other federal agencies must be able to respond immediately to the need for shelter for migrants as well as additional personnel to handle surging numbers of unlawful migrants at our border,” Portman said in a statement.

House Passes Two Immigration Bills as Border Crisis Intensifies

March 20, 2021March 19, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

The House passed two separate immigration bills Thursday evening, marking the first time the 117th Congress has voted on the issue under President Joe Biden.

The pair of bills are the first immigration proposals to be voted on since a surge of migrants reached the southern border, resulting in heightened scrutiny on the Biden administration over its handling of what Republicans have labeled a serious crisis.

The House first passed H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 (ADPA), with nine Republicans voting with Democrats in favor of the bill. The act would provide a pathway to citizenship for so-called “Dreamers” who were brought to the United States as young children, as well as for Temporary Protected Status recipients and Deferred Enforced Departure beneficiaries. The legislation, sponsored by California Democratic Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, could give over 4.4 million people a path to permanent status, according to the Migration Policy Institute.

Biden Leaves Key Immigration Posts Vacant Amid Border Surge

March 18, 2021March 17, 2021 RealClearWire

There was no break-in period for the new Department of Homeland Security secretary.

Alejandro Mayorkas went from his confirmation hearing in the Senate to confronting a surge of migrants along the southern border almost immediately, and while the new DHS chief won’t call the current situation a crisis, he did announce Tuesday that the nation is on track to record the highest number of apprehensions in over two decades.

Eleven States File Motion to Intervene in Ninth Circuit Case over Public Charge Rule

March 15, 2021March 14, 2021 The Center Square

Eleven states, led by Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, have filed a motion to intervene in a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals case over challenges to a 2018 public charge rule change that required immigrants coming to the U.S. to prove they could financially support themselves.

The Biden administration removed the rule change, effective March 9. Subsequently, the Department of Homeland Security announced on March 11 it will no longer apply the rule.

In a statement, it said it had “closed the book on the public charge rule and is doing the same with respect to a proposed rule regarding the affidavit of support that would have placed undue burdens on American families wishing to sponsor individuals lawfully immigrating to the U.S.”

Biden Quietly Nixes Trump-era Rule Combating Chinese Communist-Funded ‘Propaganda’ Centers

February 9, 2021February 8, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

The Trump administration attempted to enact a policy that would force American universities to reveal cooperation with chapters of the Confucius Institute. President Joe Biden quietly revoked the policy a few days after his inauguration.

Axios reported that in the final days of his presidency, Trump enacted a policy that would compel primary, secondary, and postsecondary institutions to disclose all contracts and transactions with the Confucius Institute. Under the policy, schools that do not report information would lose certification for the Student and Exchange Visitor Program.

Homeland Security Nominee Mayorkas Raked in Millions at Corporate Law Firm Representing Utility Company Responsible for Fatal Gas Explosion

January 18, 2021January 17, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

by Chuck Ross Alejandro Mayorkas, President-elect Joe Biden’s nominee for secretary of homeland security, received $3.3 million last year as a partner at his law firm, where he represented a defense contractor accused of kickbacks to secure a Department of Energy contract and a utility company found responsible for…

Microsoft Attempts Takedown of Global Criminal Botnet

October 13, 2020October 12, 2020 The Associated Press

Microsoft announced legal action Monday seeking to disrupt a major cybercrime digital network that uses more than 1 million zombie computers to loot bank accounts and spread ransomware, which experts consider a major threat to the U.S. presidential election.

Dems Ask That Public Charge Rule Not Apply to Immigrant Coronavirus Treatment, Which It Already Doesn’t

April 3, 2020April 2, 2020 Minnesota Sun Staff

A group of House Democrats is asking the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) not to penalize green card applicants for seeking medical care for coronavirus, but the government already made clear it wouldn’t.

Thirty-eight House Democrats signed a letter delivered to acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf on Tuesday, asking him to remove any assistance for COVID-19 care as part of the recently-enacted public charge rule. The rule takes into account a migrant’s past use of government-funded assistance when they apply for permanent status.

Illegal Border Crossings Drop by Half Under Coronavirus Shutdown

March 24, 2020May 21, 2020 Minnesota Sun Staff

Since the Trump administration ordered a shutdown of the U.S.-Mexico border, government officials are reporting a roughly 50% drop in illegal alien apprehensions.

Under orders from the Centers for Disease Control, the Trump administration on Friday declared a lockdown of the southern and northern borders, permitting only the flow of “essential” travel. In that short time, border officials have revealed that they are seeing a huge drop in the flow of illegal aliens.

Obama-Era DHS Whistleblower Philip Haney Found Dead with Gunshot Wound to Chest

February 24, 2020February 24, 2020 Minnesota Sun Staff

An Obama-era whistleblower was found dead Friday morning in a remote area roughly an hour outside of Sacramento, California with a gunshot wound to his chest.

Philip Haney, one of the founding members of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), exposed the Obama Administration’s dangerously P.C. national security policies in 2015 and 2016. His body was found next to a vehicle near Drytown, California.

DHS Chief Rips Nancy Pelosi’s Claims on Travel Ban Expansion as ‘Grossly Inaccurate’

February 4, 2020 Minnesota Sun Staff

Chad Wolf, the acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, accused Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi of “grossly inaccurate and irresponsible” rhetoric for claiming that the administration’s updated travel ban affects 350 million people.

“Facts are stubborn. The new travel restrictions do not apply to 350 million people — as some of our critics would lead you to believe. Such statements are grossly inaccurate and irresponsible,” Wolf tweeted out on Sunday, linking to an official statement from Pelosi regarding the administration’s new travel ban rules.

DHS Chief Calls Out Double Standard From Border Wall Opponents

January 21, 2020January 20, 2020 Minnesota Sun Staff

Chad Wolf, the acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), accused many border wall critics in Congress of having a double standard, noting how many of them became opponents during the Trump administration.

DHS Reports Border Apprehensions Drop for Sixth Consecutive Month: ‘Catch and Release Is Over’

December 10, 2019December 9, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

Enforcement actions at the U.S.-Mexico border fell again in November, marking six consecutive months of declining apprehensions.

If a Butterfly Flaps its Wings in Court, a Judge May Block Construction of the Border Wall

December 7, 2019January 2, 2020 Jason M. Reynolds

A judge in Hidalgo County, Texas, granted a temporary restraining order that allegedly prevents We Build the Wall Inc. from working on a section of border wall, Jurist reports, and you’ll never guess the excuse — it’s butterflies.

Trump Admin Proposes Using Facial Recognition on all Airport Travelers – Including Americans

December 5, 2019December 4, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

The Department of Homeland Security is proposing a rule that would allow the government to use facial recognition data to identify everyone traveling to and from the country, including U.S. citizens.

Ken Cuccinelli Tapped for Acting Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security

November 19, 2019November 18, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

Ken Cuccinelli, a former attorney general of Virginia, has been tapped to be the acting deputy secretary of Homeland Security, which makes him second in command of the department.

ICE Facilities to Receive Security Overhaul Following Violent Attacks

September 17, 2019September 17, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

Immigration and Customs Enforcement will soon beef up security at facilities in response to a recent slate of violence against the agency’s detention centers and offices across the country.

Michigan, Minnesota Attorneys General Join Lawsuit to Stop Reform of Illegal Immigrant Family Units

August 29, 2019August 28, 2019 Jason M. Reynolds

Minnesota and Michigan’s Attorneys General are part of a group of 20 Democratic-led states suing the Trump Administration over its plan to lengthen its detention of illegal immigrant family units to ensure they are held until their cases have been handled.

US Deploys Surge of Doctors to Tend to Illegal Immigrants

August 15, 2019August 14, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

A substantial increase in medical and humanitarian care has followed the surge of illegal immigrants at the U.S.-Mexican border, according to Department of Homeland Security statistics.

DHS Chief McAleenan Praises Supreme Court Decision: ‘Big Victory’ for Border Wall

July 30, 2019July 29, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

Acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan lauded the Supreme Court decision allowing the administration to use military funds to build additional border wall.

President Trump Puts Limit on Asylum Claims at Border

July 16, 2019July 15, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

by Fred Lucas While waiting for Congress to act on closing immigration loopholes, the Trump administration is imposing a new rule to limit asylum claims by requiring professed refugees to first seek asylum in another country closer to home. The Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security announced…

Florida Officials, Congressional Delegation Demand FBI Disclose Election-Hack Details

May 20, 2019May 19, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

by John Haughey Russian hackers gained access to voter information files in Washington County, a sparsely populated Republican-dominated Panhandle county, where 77 percent of its 11,000 votes cast in the 2016 presidential election went to Donald Trump. The revelation was reported by The Washington Post Thursday night, citing two…

Committee on Foreign Investment May Not Be Able to Handle Its Exploding Caseload

April 22, 2019April 21, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

by Riley Walters The Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. is often compared to a black box. Investors may be aware of what it does, but few know what really goes on inside. The nine members of the committee, drawn from various federal agencies, are in charge of…

Democrat Senator Sinema Bucks Party, Calls on Lawmakers to Better Secure the Border

April 19, 2019April 20, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

by Jason Hopkins Arizona Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema on Wednesday echoed the White House in calling for immigration enforcement to be aided with additional resources and staff. Arizonans bear the brunt of Washington’s failure to address our broken immigration system. We must secure the border with a comprehensive, smart,…

Grassley Sends The White House a Warning on Immigration

April 10, 2019April 9, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

by Jason Hopkins Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley warned the Trump administration to end its purge of top immigration officials, arguing that the changes risk destabilizing the Department of Homeland Security. “The president has to have some stability and particularly with the number one issue that he’s made for…

Kevin McAleenan, the Upcoming Leader of Homeland Security

April 9, 2019April 8, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

by Jason Hopkins Kirstjen Nielsen will officially vacate her position atop the Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday, leaving Kevin McAleenan as the acting head. President Donald Trump, frustrated over the growing immigration crisis on the U.S. southern border, accepted Nielsen’s resignation after meeting with her at the White…

President Trump Accepts DHS Chief Kirstjen Nielsen’s Resignation, Names Kevin McAleenan as Replacement

April 8, 2019April 7, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

by Chuck Ross President Donald Trump announced Sunday that Kirstjen Nielsen is resigning as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, bringing an end to an at-times rocky relationship between the two. Trump said on Twitter that Kevin McAleenan, the current commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, will…

Trump Administration Asking Congress to Make It Easier to Deport Migrant Children

March 30, 2019March 29, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

by Jason Hopkins Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen is requesting Congress pass a legislative measure that gives her department greater authority to address the growing migrant crisis at the U.S. southern border. Nielsen asked lawmakers to make it easier for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to deport unaccompanied…

Watchdog: US Agency Error Exposes 2.3 Million Disaster Survivors to Fraud

March 25, 2019March 24, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

Reuters The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) exposed 2.3 million disaster survivors to possible identity theft and fraud by sharing sensitive personal information with an outside company, according to an internal government watchdog. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) said FEMA had shared…

Trump Donates $100,000 of His Salary to Help Fund Immigration Enforcement

March 20, 2019March 19, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

by Jason Hopkins President Donald Trump announced that he is donating $100,000 of his salary to the Department of Homeland Security, following a promise he made before entering office. While the press doesn’t like writing about it, nor do I need them to, I donate my yearly Presidential salary…

Homeland Security Secretary Insists Border Crisis Is ‘Real’

March 7, 2019March 6, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen insisted Wednesday the crisis at the southern border is not manufactured, as she faced questions from Democrats for the first time since they took control of the House. “We face a crisis — a real, serious and sustained crisis at our borders,” she said at…

Trump’s ‘Remain in Mexico’ Policy Is Changing How Immigrants Try to Enter the US

March 2, 2019March 1, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

by Jason Hopkins The Trump administration’s asylum policy is prompting more migrants to try their luck at crossing illegally rather than seeking out legal ports of entry, Customs and Border Protection data suggest. The proportion of foreign nationals attempting to cross the border illegally rather than reporting to legal…

DHS Created a Fake School in Michigan to Identify Illegal Immigrants

February 1, 2019January 31, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

The Department of Homeland Security set up a fake university in Michigan to snare student immigrants in the United States who were without proper authorization, according to federal indictments unsealed Wednesday. Eight people were arrested and indicted for conspiracy to commit visa fraud and harboring aliens for profit. The indictment…

California Judge Blocks TPS Cancellation, Says Trump’s Decision was Based on Racial Prejudice

October 6, 2018October 5, 2018 Admin

by Will Racke A federal judge in California blocked the government’s plan late Wednesday to wind down a humanitarian program for hundreds of thousands of foreign nationals living in the U.S., citing concerns the decision was motivated by racial animus on the part of President Donald Trump. U.S. District…

Two More Countries are Hit with Visa Sanctions for Refusing to Take Back Deportees

July 11, 2018July 10, 2018 Admin

by Will Racke The Trump administration has hit certain government officials from Burma and Laos with visa sanctions as punishment for both countries’ refusal to take back their citizens the U.S. is trying to deport, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced Tuesday. Going forward, the U.S. embassy in…

Restaurant Manager Where Secretary Nielsen Was Mobbed ‘Happy About What Happened’

June 22, 2018July 18, 2018 Admin

by Julia Cohen The Mexican restaurant where Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen was swarmed by protesters Tuesday in Washington, D.C., took no action to quell the protesters or ensure Nielsen’s safety, a manager told The Daily Caller News Foundation on Wednesday. “We are not upset the protesters…