#department_of_homeland_security

Trump Administration Using Little Known Customs Law to Try to Get Phone Records for Journalists: Report The Department of Homeland Security has been accused of exploiting an obscure customs statute, 19 USC 1509, to obtain phone records and social media data from journalists and nonprofit organizations without judicial oversight. According to The Guardian, the agency leveraged this law, which grants authority to inspect records related to customs imports and duties, to bypass traditional legal safeguards. The move has drawn sharp criticism from legal experts and press freedom advocates, who argue it represents a dangerous overreach that could undermine journalistic protections. The controversy centers on efforts to secure records from journalists such as former CNN anchor Don Lemon and independent reporter Georgia Fort. Lemon and Fort were arrested in January and charged with conspiracy to deprive rights after reporting on a protest at a St. Paul, Minnesota church during a surge of immigration-related demonstrations. Federal prosecutors attempted to obtain warrants for their YouTube channels in February but faced rejection from a judge who deemed the government’s evidence insufficient to prove criminal activity. The judge also ordered the journalists to be informed of the request, which DHS later withdrew. Despite the legal setbacks, DHS managed to secure six months of Fort’s phone records from T-Mobile and served Google with a summons under 19 USC 1509. This statute does not require judicial approval, allowing the agency to bypass the usual warrant process. The targets of the investigation expanded beyond Fort and Lemon to include the YouTube accounts of Democracy Now, podcaster Megyn Kelly, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, and independent journalist Brendan Gutenschwager.#trump_administration #department_of_homeland_security #don_lemmon #georgia_fort #st_paul_minnesota

US Lawmakers Demand Investigation Into Trump Administration’s Secret Surveillance of Americans Two U.S. congressional Democrats, Oregon Senator Ron Wyden and Washington Representative Pramila Jayapal, have called on a government watchdog to investigate the Trump administration’s use of an obscure legal tool to secretly collect records from journalists, non-profits, and unions without judicial oversight. Their request, disclosed to The Guardian, follows revelations that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has leveraged administrative summonses—typically used for customs-related matters—to demand sensitive information from private entities, including tech companies and media outlets. The lawmakers directed their inquiry to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), a nonpartisan congressional watchdog, urging an examination of how the DHS has expanded the scope of these summonses beyond their intended purpose. The controversy centers on the DHS’s investigative arm, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), which has used administrative summonses to obtain records from individuals and organizations without prior judicial approval. A notable case involves Georgia Fort, a Minneapolis-based journalist, and Don Lemon, a television anchor, who were targeted after federal prosecutors charged them with civil rights violations related to their coverage of a protest at a church in Saint Paul, Minnesota. HSI issued an administrative summons to Google, requesting access to the YouTube accounts of Fort and Lemon. This occurred despite a federal judge’s rejection of a search warrant application, which had previously ruled that the government needed to provide a legal basis for accessing their communications.#department_of_homeland_security #government_accountability_office #us_congressional_democrats #ron_wyden #pramila_jayapal

Judge allows Trump administration to end deportation protections for thousands of Ethiopians A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration can proceed with ending deportation protections for approximately 5,000 Ethiopians who had been living in the United States under Temporary Protected Status (TPS). The decision, issued by U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy, denied a request from the advocacy group African Communities Together to delay the termination of the relief while its legal challenge unfolds. This ruling marks another step in a broader trend of courts allowing the government to rescind TPS protections for over a million immigrants from various countries. TPS is a humanitarian program that grants temporary permission to individuals fleeing war, natural disasters, or humanitarian crises to live and work in the U.S. without fear of deportation. The Trump administration has consistently argued that these protections are not permanent solutions and have criticized previous administrations for extending them indefinitely. The Supreme Court’s recent ruling on July 15, 2026, had already cleared the way for the administration to end TPS for immigrants from Syria and Haiti, potentially leaving hundreds of thousands of people vulnerable to deportation. The case involving Ethiopians is tied to the ongoing conflict in Ethiopia, which began in late 2020 when armed clashes erupted in the Tigray region and later spread to other parts of the country. The African Union estimated that the conflict has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths. In response to the crisis, the Biden administration granted temporary protection to certain Ethiopian citizens who had recently arrived in the U.S. in 2022.#department_of_homeland_security #african_communities_together #judge_brian_e_murphy #alejandro_mayorkas #tigray_region

Suisun City Declares State of Emergency After Cyberattack Suisun City, a North Bay community in Solano County, has declared a state of emergency following a cybersecurity attack that disrupted critical public services. The incident, which occurred around 5:45 a.m. on Friday, involved the infiltration of the city’s information technology systems by “malicious software.” The breach impacted essential operations such as police and fire dispatch, 911 routing, and city records management, prompting officials to shut down the entire IT network to preserve evidence for a federal investigation. City officials confirmed that while the attack compromised certain systems, emergency services remained operational. Police dispatchers redirected calls to the Solano County dispatch center, and the city activated its emergency operations center to manage the crisis. Michael Elm, spokesperson for the Suisun City Public Information Office, stated that there was no immediate threat to public safety. Residents, however, faced temporary disruptions, including delays in processing permits and paying water bills. The city’s IT infrastructure is designed to automatically shut down upon detecting an intruder, a measure that helped contain the breach. Despite the shutdown, Elm noted that emergency services and 911 call handling were uninterrupted. However, some software became inoperable due to the network’s offline status. On Saturday morning, City Council members convened a special meeting to formally declare the state of emergency, which grants the city access to emergency support services and allows it to recover costs associated with the incident. The investigation into the attack will involve private and government cybersecurity experts, who will assess the breach and work to restore systems.#fbi #department_of_homeland_security #suisun_city #solano_county #california_office_of_emergency_services

Department of Homeland Security Proposes Elimination of H-1B Grace Period The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has submitted a proposed rule to the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs for review, aiming to remove the 60-day grace period that allows H-1B visa holders to seek new employment after losing their current job. The rule, identified by the regulatory identifier RIN: 1615-AD22, marks a significant shift in immigration policy and could have immediate implications for nonimmigrant workers. Since 2017, DHS regulations have provided H-1B workers and other nonimmigrant visa holders with a 60-day window to find a new employer sponsor or transition to a different legal status before their authorized stay expires. This period was designed to offer flexibility in case of job loss, allowing workers to avoid abrupt termination of their legal status. The proposed change would eliminate this buffer, meaning affected individuals could face immediate deportation or other immigration consequences if they are laid off and unable to secure new employment or adjust their status. The rule’s submission to the White House for review highlights the federal government’s ongoing consideration of immigration enforcement measures. While the exact timeline for finalizing the policy remains unclear, the removal of the grace period would likely intensify scrutiny of visa holders’ employment status, particularly in industries reliant on temporary labor. Advocacy groups and legal experts have warned that the policy could disproportionately impact workers in sectors such as technology, healthcare, and engineering, where layoffs are common and job transitions may take time.#department_of_homeland_security #immigration_policy #h1b_visa #regulatory_identifier_rin_1615_ad22

Judge Approves Trump Effort to End South Sudan TPS Protections A federal judge in Massachusetts has ruled in favor of the Trump administration’s effort to terminate temporary protected status (TPS) for hundreds of South Sudanese nationals living in the United States. The decision, issued by U.S. District Judge Patti Saris, allows the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to proceed with ending the protections, which had been in place since 2011. The ruling follows a Supreme Court decision in June that enabled the Trump administration to strip TPS from Haitians and Syrians, effectively paving the way for similar actions against South Sudanese immigrants. The Supreme Court’s 6-3 ruling in June overturned lower court decisions that had blocked the administration from ending TPS for over 350,000 Haitians and approximately 6,100 Syrians. The court’s conservative majority argued that the Trump administration had the legal authority to terminate TPS designations, a stance that now applies to South Sudan. Saris’s decision aligns with this interpretation, rejecting arguments from immigrant rights groups, including the New York-based African Communities Together, which had sought to block the termination. In her 15-page ruling, Saris criticized the plaintiffs’ legal arguments as self-contradictory. She wrote that if the DHS lacked the authority to end South Sudan’s TPS designation, it would also have been unable to establish it in the first place. “South Sudan’s original TPS designation would thus be invalid by the same token as its termination,” she stated. The judge’s reasoning hinges on the idea that the DHS, established in 2002, inherited the authority to manage TPS from the Department of Justice, which had previously handled immigration functions.#supreme_court #department_of_homeland_security #south_sudan #us_federal_judge_patti_saris #african_communities_together

CA Judge Holds Homeland Security in Contempt, Imposes Fines A federal judge in California has ruled that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is in contempt of court for failing to comply with an order to disclose records related to the cellphone communications of immigration agents involved in raids in Los Angeles. The decision, handed down by U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong, marks a significant escalation in a legal battle over transparency in federal immigration enforcement. The judge imposed daily fines of $500 on the federal government until it fulfills the court’s directive to provide digital copies of personal cellphones used by over 800 agents during operations in 2025. The controversy began in January when Judge Frimpong issued an order compelling DHS to expedite the imaging of personal devices used by agents during the controversial “Operation At Large” raids, part of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in Los Angeles. The order was part of a broader discovery process in a lawsuit brought by immigrants affected by the raids. Plaintiffs argued that the phones could contain evidence of systemic racial profiling by federal agents, including the use of racial slurs such as “wet” and “tonks” to target working-class Latinos during stop-and-frisk operations. DHS attorneys admitted in June that the agency had not yet provided the requested records, citing a processing rate of three phones every two weeks. This pace, plaintiffs noted, would take nearly four years to complete, raising concerns about the agency’s compliance with the court’s timeline.#los_angeles #department_of_homeland_security #operation_at_large #us_district_judge_maame_ewusimensah_frimpong #acLU_of_southern_california

DHS Held in Contempt A federal judge on Tuesday held the Department of Homeland Security in contempt for allegedly delaying compliance with an order to create digital copies of communications from personal and government cell phones used by immigration agents during operations in the Los Angeles area last year. The ruling followed a January court order that required the federal government to expedite imaging the personal cell phones of more than 800 agents involved in controversial immigration raids in 2025. U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong, presiding in the Central District of California, imposed a fine of $500 per day on the federal government until it complies with the order to turn over the phones as part of discovery and reimburse plaintiffs’ attorneys for legal costs. Attorneys for DHS admitted in court in June that the agency had not provided the records, stating they were processing government devices at a rate of three phones every two weeks. Plaintiffs argued this pace would take nearly four years to complete, raising concerns about the delay in accessing critical evidence. The case centers on Operation At Large, the Trump administration’s 2025 immigration crackdown in Los Angeles, which drew widespread criticism for its aggressive tactics. Attorneys representing immigrants affected by the raids argued the phones may contain evidence of racial profiling by federal agents. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) highlighted that the Department of Homeland Security had “simply proceeded to thwart” the judge’s order by dragging its feet on imaging government-issued phones and openly defying the requirement for personal devices.#los_angeles #department_of_homeland_security #us_district_judge_maame_ewusi_mensah_frimpong #american_civil_liberties_union #operation_at_large

New Jersey Voter Registration Error Sparks Democratic Calls for Accountability New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill announced on Tuesday that a "serious software error" led to the mistaken registration of approximately 6,600 noncitizens for the 2024 election, prompting Democratic lawmakers to demand accountability while rejecting claims of widespread election fraud. The error, traced to the state’s Motor Vehicle System, resulted in the removal of ineligible voters from the rolls, with fewer than 400 of the affected individuals casting ballots. Sherrill emphasized that the state’s Division of Elections is actively addressing the issue, though the incident has intensified scrutiny over voter registration systems and election integrity. Democratic Senator Andy Kim of New Jersey called for greater state control over voter roll accuracy, criticizing reliance on the Department of Homeland Security’s findings, which identified around 250,000 potential noncitizen voters across multiple states. "We need to ensure states have the tools to maintain accurate voter rolls," Kim stated, arguing that merging state data with federal databases often leads to complications. He also highlighted the need for improved election technology and paper trails to prevent future errors. Sherrill, a Democratic gubernatorial candidate, confirmed that she immediately launched an investigation after the error was discovered. She acknowledged the gravity of the situation, noting that the state’s system had "a big problem with that computer problem," but stressed that the issue was being resolved. However, the incident has drawn sharp criticism from Republican lawmakers, who have labeled the error "worse than anyone expected" and accused the state of failing to safeguard the electoral process.#department_of_homeland_security #mikie_sherrill #new_jersey_governor #andy_kim #democratic_senators

Indian Diaspora Group Urges US to Halt 4-Year Student Visa Cap, Warns of Impact on Researchers The Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (Fiids), an advocacy group representing the Indian diaspora, has called on the US Congress and Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to pause a new policy that imposes a four-year limit on F-1 student and J-1 exchange visitor visas. The group argues that the rule, set to take effect on September 15, could disrupt the academic and research trajectories of thousands of international students, including a significant number of Indian nationals studying in the United States. The policy, introduced by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on July 17, replaces the previous “Duration of Status” system, which allowed students to remain in the US as long as they maintained valid academic status and met university requirements. Under the new framework, students must now apply for extensions after four years if they require additional time to complete their programs. Fiids contends that this approach fails to account for the realities of advanced education, particularly in research-intensive fields where degrees often extend beyond four years. For instance, bachelor’s degrees typically take around 52 months, while PhD programs can span nearly 5.7 years. The group emphasized that the policy could disproportionately affect Indian students, who constitute one of the largest international student communities in the US. Fiids warned that the requirement to seek extensions midway through academic programs could create uncertainty for researchers, universities, and technology companies.#department_of_homeland_security #markwayne_mullin #uscis #us_congress #foundation_for_india_and_indian_diaspora_studies

Trump Administration Revives Green Card Restrictions for Immigrants Receiving Public Assistance The Trump administration on Thursday announced the reinstatement of a policy that grants immigration officers broad authority to deny green cards to individuals deemed likely to rely on public assistance programs. This decision marks a significant shift in immigration policy, with potential consequences for hundreds of thousands of immigrants seeking permanent residency. The policy, which aligns with the administration’s broader efforts to curb both legal and illegal immigration, has been criticized by immigrant advocates for creating a barrier to accessing essential safety net programs like food stamps and housing vouchers. Critics argue that the rule could force families to choose between meeting basic needs and pursuing permanent residency status. The policy reversal follows a previous attempt by the Trump administration during its first term to restrict green cards for immigrants receiving public assistance. Those initial efforts faced legal challenges and were ultimately reversed by the Biden administration. The new rule, however, represents a return to a stricter interpretation of federal law, which has long prohibited immigrants from obtaining green cards if they are likely to become a “public charge”—defined as primarily dependent on government support for subsistence. Under the revised policy, immigration officers will now consider a broader range of public benefits, including food stamps, Medicaid, and housing vouchers, which were previously excluded from the definition of public charge. This expansion of criteria could significantly impact eligibility for permanent residency, particularly for low-income immigrants and their families.#trump_administration #department_of_homeland_security #immigrant_advocates #public_charge_policy #food_stamps

DHS could weigh immigrants' use of Medicaid, food and housing help in green card decisions The Department of Homeland Security is set to reverse a 2022 Biden-era policy that restricted how immigration officers evaluate applicants for green cards, allowing them to consider the use of taxpayer-funded benefits such as Medicaid, food stamps, and housing assistance. This shift, part of the Trump administration’s broader approach to immigration, aims to expand the scope of the “public charge” test—a legal standard used to assess whether applicants are likely to rely on government support. The change could subject hundreds of thousands of green card applicants to heightened scrutiny each year, potentially deterring immigrants from accessing essential services for fear of jeopardizing their immigration status. Under the new rule, immigration officers will conduct case-by-case reviews of applicants, factoring in factors such as age, health, family status, financial resources, education, and whether the applicant has received means-tested benefits. This contrasts with the 2022 Biden rule, which limited the benefits considered to primarily cash welfare payments and long-term institutional care. The Trump administration’s reversal restores a broader interpretation of the public charge test, which was previously applied during the first Trump administration. USCIS Director Joseph B. Edlow emphasized the policy’s focus on “self-reliance” and protecting public resources, stating that immigrants must be able to support themselves financially. The policy change is expected to affect noncitizens applying for permanent residency within the U.S., as well as those seeking admission as immigrants or nonimmigrants, unless they fall into exempt categories.#department_of_homeland_security #immigration_policy #uscis #joseph_b_edlow #public_charge_test

Department of Homeland Security Grants Iran Earlier Entry to US for World Cup Match The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced that Iran will be permitted to enter the United States 48 hours before their World Cup match against Egypt on June 26. This decision comes after the Iranian team, known as Team Melli, expressed frustration over previous travel restrictions that limited their ability to prepare adequately for the tournament. Iran had been training in Mexico and were initially only allowed to enter the U.S. 24 hours before their first two matches, a schedule that the team criticized as overly restrictive. The team had planned to formally complain to FIFA about the logistical challenges imposed by the World Cup organizers. On Tuesday, the DHS clarified that the Iranian squad would now be granted a two-day window to travel to Seattle for their game against Egypt, arriving two days before kick-off and departing the same day as the match concludes. A DHS spokesperson told NBC that the adjustment was made to ensure the team could prepare properly while maintaining security protocols. The statement emphasized that the focus remained on ensuring safety around stadiums, training sites, and other facilities, rather than on the match itself. However, the revised schedule still leaves the team with limited time for recovery after their matches, which could impact their performance. Iran’s head coach, Amir Ghalenoei, criticized the travel restrictions during a press conference following their Group G opener against New Zealand. He described the team as the “most oppressed” at the tournament, citing the logistical challenges as a significant disadvantage.#iran #department_of_homeland_security #amir_ghalenoei #mehdi_taremi #team_melli

Election Officials Warn That DHS Has Become A Threat To Voting Security Election officials across the United States have expressed growing concerns that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has shifted from being a trusted partner in safeguarding election systems to a potential threat to electoral integrity. This shift has raised alarms among state and local administrators, who have long relied on federal support to protect voting infrastructure from cyberattacks, foreign interference, and disinformation campaigns. The erosion of trust in the agency’s leadership has sparked fears that its current direction could undermine the nonpartisan administration of elections and erode public confidence in democratic processes. The concerns stem in part from the appointment of the new homeland security secretary, whose documented history of promoting election misinformation has shaken the confidence of voting officials nationwide. For years, DHS played a critical role in collaborating with local election offices to defend against threats to the electoral system. This partnership was built on a foundation of mutual trust, with federal agencies providing resources, threat intelligence, and technical expertise to help local administrators secure voting systems. However, recent developments have cast doubt on whether this collaboration remains intact. Election officials warn that the agency’s current leadership may no longer prioritize the accuracy and impartiality of election administration. Instead, they fear that misinformation originating from or amplified by DHS could fuel public skepticism about the legitimacy of voting systems.#federal_agencies #election_officials #department_of_homeland_security #election_administrators #election_security

Federal Judge Rules Trump's Immigration Policies Unlawful, Blocking Asylum and Green Card Processing for 39 Countries A federal judge in Providence, Rhode Island, ruled on Friday that the Trump administration’s policies targeting immigrants from 39 countries subject to travel bans were unlawful, effectively halting the processing of asylum, work permits, green cards, and citizenship applications for individuals from those nations. Chief U.S. District Judge John McConnell, appointed by former President Barack Obama, issued the decision in a lawsuit filed by a coalition of immigrant service organizations and labor unions. The case challenged a series of measures adopted by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), a division of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), starting in November 2023. These policies, aligned with Trump’s broader anti-immigration agenda, placed a hold on immigration benefit applications from people in the 39 countries, which include nations across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. The ruling came on the same day the U.S. Senate passed legislation to fund Trump’s controversial immigration crackdown, highlighting the political and legal tensions surrounding the policies. McConnell’s decision emphasized that the policies created “indeterminate legal limbo” for immigrants living in the U.S., as they were denied decisions on their applications despite adhering to legal procedures. The judge argued that USCIS’s actions were not based on any wrongdoing by the applicants but rather on their birthplace, which he deemed an unconstitutional overreach. “USCIS’s hold on adjudications cannot be attributed to anything that these individuals did wrong; rather, it arises solely by the happenstance of their birth,” the judge wrote.#trump_administration #federal_judge #department_of_homeland_security #uscis #john_mcconnell

Trump's New Green Card Plan Isn't Designed to Keep Immigrants Here The Trump administration announced a new policy Friday that will significantly complicate the path for immigrants seeking permanent residency in the United States. Under the proposed changes, except in extraordinary circumstances, individuals applying for green cards must first return to their home countries to apply at U.S. consular offices abroad. This shift marks a departure from the longstanding practice of allowing immigrants already living in the U.S. on visas to pursue permanent residency through “adjustment of status.” USCIS spokesperson Zach Kahler framed the policy as a move toward “fairness and efficiency,” but critics argue it is fundamentally exclusionary. Former USCIS official Doug Rand, in a statement, directly called the policy’s purpose “exclusion,” noting that it aligns with Trump’s existing ban on entry for people from over 100 countries. Rand emphasized that forcing applicants to return home for consular processing effectively removes a viable pathway to residency. The green card process, already known for its length, cost, and complexity, will become even more burdensome under this new rule. According to Department of Homeland Security data, the U.S. issued approximately 1.4 million green cards in 2024, with over 820,000 granted to applicants already residing in the country through adjustment of status. This group includes spouses, children of U.S. citizens, and skilled professionals securing residency through employers. The policy’s reversal of this process risks destabilizing families and disrupting lives. For many applicants, the requirement to return home introduces new challenges. Unreliable transportation to remote embassies, limited access to legal support, and the absence of the U.S.#trump_administration #department_of_homeland_security #uscis #zach_kahler #doug_rand

DHS Halts Green Card Grants Except in Extraordinary Cases The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Friday that it will stop processing green card applications for most immigrants currently in the United States, except in rare circumstances. This policy requires all qualified immigrants to leave the country to apply for permanent residency, even if they are eligible for a green card and even if returning home would disqualify them from obtaining one. The decision marks a significant shift in U.S. immigration policy, with critics calling it a radical expansion of DHS’s long-standing approach to legal immigration. Under the new policy, individuals who entered the U.S. on temporary visas—such as students, temporary workers, or tourists—must return to their home countries to apply for green cards. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), a component of DHS, has framed this requirement as an “extraordinary form of relief,” a term not found in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The law, which has been in place for decades, explicitly allows for adjustment of status within the U.S., a practice that has been followed by every administration since its enactment. The policy change follows a months-long trend of USCIS drastically reducing green card approvals. Over the past year, approvals have dropped by nearly half, primarily due to delays in processing applications. The new memorandum now outlines a plan for mass denials, effectively ending the ability of most legal immigrants to adjust their status within the U.S. This shift has left 1.2 million green card applicants in limbo, many of whom have been waiting for years for their applications to be processed. The decision has sparked widespread criticism, particularly from legal experts and immigration advocates.#department_of_homeland_security #us_citizenship_and_immigration_services #immigration_and_nationality_act

Republicans Plan to Fund Trump’s Ballroom with Taxpayer Money via Reconciliation Bill Congressional Republicans have advanced a $72 billion reconciliation bill that includes $1 billion in taxpayer funds for security upgrades to former President Donald Trump’s private ballroom, despite repeated assurances from the White House that the project would be privately financed. The funding, which would be allocated through the budget reconciliation process, bypasses the Senate’s 60-vote threshold and is part of a broader effort to address immigration and border security funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The proposal emerged against the backdrop of a recent congressional deal to end a government shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Democrats had initially proposed a funding plan in February that excluded ICE and CBP, which they sought to reform. Republicans ultimately accepted the Democratic framework but pledged to address ICE and CBP separately through the reconciliation process. The ballroom funding, however, appears to be a contentious addition to the package. Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, unveiled the bill’s immigration and border security provisions, which include $38 billion for ICE, $26 billion for CBP, and $5 billion for DHS. The $1 billion allocated for the ballroom is explicitly tied to “security adjustments and upgrades,” with restrictions preventing its use for non-security elements. This provision has drawn sharp criticism, as it marks a departure from the White House’s earlier claims that the project would be fully privately funded.#donald_trump #department_of_homeland_security #customs_and_border_protection #immigration_and_customs_enforcement #chuck_grassley

US judge bars Trump from ending protected status for Yemeni nationals A federal judge has ruled to block Donald Trump’s administration from revoking temporary deportation protections for nearly 3,000 Yemeni nationals living in the United States, marking another legal hurdle in the president’s efforts to tighten immigration policies. The decision, issued by US District Judge Dale Ho on Friday, was made in favor of a group of Yemenis who had filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) over plans to terminate their Temporary Protected Status (TPS). The ruling prevents the government from implementing a decision announced in February that would have ended TPS for Yemeni nationals, which was set to take effect on Monday. Temporary Protected Status is granted to individuals from countries experiencing conflict, natural disasters, or other conditions that make return to their home country unsafe. The Trump administration has sought to end TPS designations for 13 countries, but most of these efforts have been halted by courts. The current case centers on Yemen, a nation that has faced ongoing conflict and humanitarian crises. Despite these conditions, former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem stated in February that Yemen no longer met the legal criteria for TPS, citing the country’s “no longer meeting the law’s requirements.” However, advocates argue that the situation remains dire, with persistent threats such as terrorism, kidnapping, and civil unrest. The Supreme Court has also taken up related cases, agreeing to hear an appeal from the administration challenging rulings that blocked efforts to end TPS for over 350,000 Haitians and 6,100 Syrians.#yemen #us #donald_trump #department_of_homeland_security #just_futures_law

Judge Blocks Trump Administration from Ending Deportation Protections for 2,800 Yemenis A federal judge in New York has halted the Trump administration’s plan to terminate deportation protections for over 2,800 Yemeni nationals granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in the United States. U.S. District Judge Dale Ho ruled that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) likely violated federal law by bypassing the procedural requirements mandated by Congress when it sought to end the program earlier this year. The decision preserves the TPS protections for Yemeni immigrants while their legal challenge proceeds. Ho, a Biden appointee, found that former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem acted unlawfully by failing to follow the statutory process for reviewing a country’s conditions before terminating TPS for Yemen. The judge criticized the agency for “short-circuiting” the required review process, which is designed to ensure public accountability and transparency. The ruling emphasized that TPS holders from Yemen are ordinary individuals who have been granted temporary residency due to the ongoing conflict in their home country, which the government has repeatedly deemed unsafe for return. Yemen was first designated for TPS in 2015 under the Obama administration, based on the presence of an ongoing armed conflict that posed significant risks to Yemeni nationals. The designation was renewed multiple times, including during the first Trump administration, and most recently in 2024, which cited continued civil war and humanitarian crises as justification. Despite a State Department travel advisory warning Americans against visiting Yemen due to terrorism, unrest, and health risks, the DHS announced in February 2025 that TPS for Yemen would end.#department_of_homeland_security #kristi_noem #temporary_protected_status #judge_dale_ho #yemeni_nationals