Trump Admin Shutters DHS Watchdog Amid Rampant and Growing Detainee Abuse The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has officially closed its Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman (OIDO), a watchdog agency tasked with monitoring immigrant detention conditions, even as reports of severe abuse, excessive force, and deadly neglect by immigration enforcement personnel have surged under the Trump administration. The closure, confirmed through an internal email cited by HuffPost’s Dave Jamieson, marks the dismantling of an agency established by Congress in 2020 as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act. OIDO’s shutdown comes amid a backdrop of escalating detainee deaths, systemic mistreatment, and legal challenges over the administration’s attempts to erode its authority. OIDO, which operated independently from both U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, was designed to investigate allegations of abuse, inspect detention facilities, and report systemic issues to DHS leaders and Congress. Its closure was attributed to a lack of federal funding in the Homeland Security appropriations package, which also ended a 76-day government shutdown. However, critics argue the decision reflects a deliberate effort to weaken oversight mechanisms that have long been a target of the Trump administration’s immigration policies. The agency’s shutdown has been met with legal resistance, as advocates and lawmakers contend that OIDO, created by Congress, cannot be abolished without congressional approval. The administration has framed the closure as necessary to streamline immigration enforcement, but critics argue it undermines accountability for the widespread abuses documented in detention facilities.#ice #dhs #customs_border_protection #trump_admin #oido
Opinion: Who could the SAVE America Act block from voting? Eligible Alaskans, including me I am a U.S. citizen, an Alaskan, and a registered voter who has participated in local, state, and federal elections for over five decades. However, if the SAVE America Act becomes law without being overturned, I could be denied the right to vote in the 2026 federal primary or general election. Several years ago, I legally combined my last name with my wife’s to create a new family surname. To update my records, I submitted my Ohio birth certificate, Social Security card, and Alaska marriage certificate to the Social Security Administration. I received a revised Social Security record in my new name, obtained a new Alaska driver’s license, and updated my voter registration. Despite these steps, my Alaska driver’s license does not confirm citizenship, my birth certificate does not reflect my new name, and my marriage certificate does not show the surname change, as it occurred after our wedding. I hold a passport, which I first received at age 15 as a Rotary exchange student and have renewed multiple times. However, it still lists my original name. I also have a Global Entry card for TSA PreCheck. After my name change, I followed the State Department’s instructions to update my passport information, uploading the same documents I provided to the Social Security Administration. When my Global Entry card expired, I attempted to renew it using my new legal name, but both applications were rejected due to a mismatch between my passport and new name. I then visited the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport to meet with Customs and Border Protection staff, who advised me to renew my Global Entry card using my old name, which I did.#save_america_act #alaska #john_stainerhain #customs_border_protection #anchorage_school_board
