All articles tagged with #border security
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.
The White House says Census Bureau estimates show net migration fell across every U.S. metro area in the year ending July 2025, producing net negative migration for the first time in about 50 years and tying the decline to President Trump’s border-security policies.
Markwayne Mullin was sworn in as the ninth Secretary of Homeland Security after bipartisan Senate confirmation and pledged to advance President Trump’s security goals, focusing on border security, deporting criminal illegal aliens, counterterrorism and cartel suppression, disaster response, and homeland protection, with broad cross‑party praise.
The Supreme Court appeared likely to allow a revival of the Trump-era border 'metering' policy that intercepts migrants before they reach U.S. soil and requires an asylum interview only after arrival. Lower courts had blocked the policy; the case centers on whether migrants stopped on the Mexico side can be considered to have “arrived in” the United States for purposes of asylum, with Justices weighing potential incentives for illegal entry as they hear the arguments. The decision could influence how immigration surges at the border are managed.
The US Senate confirmed Markwayne Mullin as the next Homeland Security secretary in a 54-45 vote; the Trump-aligned former congressman will oversee immigration enforcement, border protection, and airport security as DHS grapples with funding gaps and ongoing controversies after Kristi Noem’s removal.
Martin Hewitt resigns as head of the Border Security Command after 18 months, with ministers arranging an interim replacement. His tenure saw bolstered cross-agency efforts and the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act becoming law, but crossing numbers by small boats remain high. The move prompts political debate, with opponents blaming Labour and the PM for the ongoing migration challenge, while Hewitt leaves at month-end as the search for a permanent successor continues.
The White House offered additional immigration-enforcement concessions as border czar Tom Homan met with a bipartisan Senate group to push a deal to reopen the Department of Homeland Security; Democrats are demanding warrants and other reforms, Republicans say a more detailed draft is on the table, and a Friday DHS funding vote failed as negotiators eyed weekend talks to bridge gaps.
Lawmakers and White House officials held closed-door talks to avert a looming Department of Homeland Security shutdown, signaling a small sign of progress as negotiations continue, with White House border czar Tom Homan meeting senators on Capitol Hill.
Politico’s review of Trump administration social media and ads shows the phrase 'mass deportations' has largely dropped since mid-February, as the White House pivots toward targeted enforcement and stronger border security messaging in response to Minneapolis backlash and polling concerns; officials insist policy hasn’t changed, while Republicans remain divided over how aggressively to push immigration enforcement.
The DoD used counter-UAS authorities to down a border-patrol drone operating in military airspace near Fort Hancock, prompting an expanded temporary flight restriction. Officials say the action was coordinated with CBP and the FAA to counter cartel drone threats, with no commercial flights affected and plans to improve interagency cooperation moving forward.