All articles tagged with #border security
Israel and Lebanon agreed to a 45-day extension of their fragile ceasefire after talks in Washington, with the US planning renewed political negotiations and a security track at the Pentagon as fighting continues and casualties rise along the border.
Michael Banks, head of the U.S. Border Patrol, resigns effective immediately, confirmed by DHS after a Fox News interview. His departure comes amid a broader leadership shake-up in immigration enforcement as the Trump administration recalibrates its mass-deportation policy, with CBP and ICE transitions underway and no immediate replacement named.
US Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks resigns with immediate effect as part of a broader exodus of Trump-era immigration officials. His tenure saw a dramatic expansion of border militarization, increased prosecutions, closer ICE coordination, and the creation of national defense areas along the southern border. The resignation follows decades-old misconduct allegations that CBP reportedly investigated and later closed.
At the POLITICO Security Summit, former Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas suggested the Biden administration should have tightened immigration controls sooner, citing a “broken immigration system.” He credited June 2024 executive actions and a tougher border stance with reducing migrant crossings by about 70–75%, defended DHS as more fit for purpose, and praised his successor’s focus on workforce well-being as vital to the department’s mission.
Authorities say six people believed to be migrants died of hyperthermia after being found inside a shipping container at a Union Pacific rail yard near the Texas–Mexico border in Laredo; a seventh body found near San Antonio may be connected. Autopsies are underway, with officials treating the incident as a potential human-smuggling event and noting IDs suggesting origins in Mexico and Honduras. The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Laredo Police Department, and Texas Rangers, with Union Pacific cooperating.
Top White House officials pledge a historic mass deportation to placate immigration hawks, insisting ICE isn’t slowing down and targeting the 'worst of the worst' while pressing sanctuary cities and defending the president’s immigration agenda amid midterm tensions.
White House border czar Tom Homan told a Phoenix audience that mass deportations are coming and that DHS will flood jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal agents, prioritizing criminals but not excluding others. The remarks signal a shift toward more aggressive enforcement in the coming months, drawing pushback from MAGA critics and a notable response from New York's governor as DHS pursues a targeted approach under Secretary Mullin.
India’s Border Security Force is exploring deploying crocodiles and venomous snakes to guard riverine gaps along the India–Bangladesh border where fencing is difficult, prompting widespread concern from rights and conservation groups who warn the plan could threaten local communities, disrupt ecosystems, and lacks a viable legal or ethical framework. The proposal follows challenges in fencing marshy, riverine terrain and reflects broader political tensions around undocumented migration and border control.
Senate Republicans unveiled a two-step plan to fund ICE and Border Patrol for the rest of Trump’s term without Democratic votes, part of a bid to reopen DHS and end the longest partial shutdown; House Republicans are cautious and seeking assurances on immigration priorities, while Democrats push for affordability measures.
Facing a long-running border dispute over drug trafficking and security, Ecuador raised tariffs on Colombian imports to 100% (effective May 1), following earlier 50% hikes. The move drew sharp rebuke from Colombia's Gustavo Petro, who warned it could spell the end of the Andean Pact and push focus toward Mercosur, amid broader tensions including ambassador recalls and cross-border energy disruptions.
The White House says President Trump has overhauled immigration courts by replacing activist judges with enforcement-focused professionals, leading to a drop in asylum grants to about 7% and a surge in removals (nearly 500,000 in FY2025, up 57%), while the court backlog is being reduced and the administration claims over three million undocumented immigrants have left the U.S. this term, with border releases at zero for 11 consecutive months.
Tom Homan, Trump’s border czar, said ICE will remain at U.S. airports until TSA staffing and security are back to full capacity amid a funding fight that has delayed DHS operations; Trump ordered DHS to pay TSA workers as Congress debates a short-term funding bill and recesses, with TSA resignations piling up. ICE’s ongoing presence is tied to coordinating with TSA, and its funding has largely been insulated by a separate $75 billion policy package, leaving the agency to operate under the current disruption.
As the partial government shutdown continues, DHS border czar Tom Homan said ICE agents deployed to airports may stay after TSA workers are paid, depending on whether TSA staff return to work.
House Speaker Mike Johnson blasted Senate GOP leadership for a two-step DHS funding plan—calling it a 'joke' and suggesting Senate Democrats and Chuck Schumer engineered it. He said President Trump backs a short eight-week DHS funding bill to be sent to an empty Senate, while Trump has moved TSA funding via executive action. The House is expected to back a short-term continuing resolution focused on border security, but a bigger clash looms over a second reconciliation bill and funding/offsets for ICE and CBP, signaling a widening rift between House and Senate GOP factions even as Johnson and Thune try to remain aligned.
New Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has a short window to stabilize DHS amid a funding lapse, airport delays, and ongoing immigration policy fights, as Republicans seek rapid reforms and Democrats push for changes before the midterm elections.