Trump authorizes ICE to target schools and churches
John Moore/Getty Images, FILE
(WASHINGTON) — Federal immigration authorities will be permitted to target schools and churches after President Donald Trump revoked a directive barring arrests in “sensitive” areas.
The Department of Homeland Security announced Tuesday it would roll back the policy to “thwart law enforcement in or near so-called sensitive areas.”
First enacted in 2011, the directive prohibited Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Patrol officers from arresting suspected undocumented immigrants in a variety of locations.
Schools and houses of worship were deemed off-limits, as were hospitals, funerals, weddings and public demonstrations.
In a statement touting the move Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said law enforcement would use “common sense” in making arrests.
“This action empowers the brave men and women in CBP and ICE to enforce our immigration laws and catch criminal aliens — including murders and rapists — who have illegally come into our country,” the spokesperson said.
“Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest,” the statement continued. “The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense.”
(WASHINGTON) — The Commerce Department on Thursday announced its intent to explore proposing a rule to secure the technology and supply chain of drones from foreign adversaries, including the potential ability of China and Russia to remotely access and manipulate the devices.
The department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), seeks to implement a rule that would explain how foreign adversary involvement in “supply chains, including acute threats from China and Russia — may offer our adversaries the ability to remotely access and manipulate these devices, exposing sensitive U.S. data,” according to a department news release.
If implemented, the rule would restrict or even ban drones from China — the source of most of the commercial drones sold in the U.S.
BIS is hoping to get feedback on how information from drones is used and how it could pose a national security risk from adversaries, according to the Commerce Department.
“Securing the unmanned aircraft systems technology supply chain is critical to safeguarding our national security. This [rule making notice] is an essential step in protecting the United States from vulnerabilities posed by foreign entities,” said Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.
The deadline for public comments on this rule is March 4, 2025.
It is the latest step in rulemaking from the Commerce Department.
Last year, BIS proposed a rule to ban Chinese software in cars from entering into the United States due to national security risks.
A screengrab from a video which purports to show Haitian migrants voting in Georgia. The intelligence community assessed on Friday that the video was part of a Russian influence operation to sow discord in the Election. Obtained by ABC News.
(WASHINGTON) — The origins of the video that falsely showed individuals from Haiti voting in Georgia is the work of Russian influence actors, the intelligence community assessed on Friday.
“The IC assesses that Russian influence actors manufactured a recent video that falsely depicted individuals claiming to be from Haiti and voting illegally in multiple counties in Georgia,” according to a joint statement from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA).
“This judgment is based on information available to the IC and prior activities of other Russian influence actors, including videos and other disinformation activities. The Georgia Secretary of State has already refuted the video’s claims as false.”
CISA is the cyber arm of the Department of Homeland Security.
The intelligence community also found that Russian actors falsely shared a video of an individual associated with a democratic campaign falsely taking a bribe from an entertainer.
“In the lead up to Election Day and in the weeks and months after, the IC expects Russia to create and release additional media content that seeks to undermine trust in the integrity of the election and divide Americans,” the joint statement said.
This is the second time in two weeks the intelligence community has alerted Americans of a Russian influence operation.
Last Friday, intelligence officials assessed that a video purporting to show ripped ballots in Pennsylvania was also part of a Russian influence operation.
Russia, along with Iran and China are seeking to sow discord and undermine confidence in the 2024 presidential election, according to the CISA director.
“We have to understand what these adversaries want,” CISA Director Jen Easterly told ABC News’ Chief Justice Correspondent Pierre Thomas on Thursday. “They all want just two things. They want to undermine American confidence in our elections and trust in democracy, and they want to stoke partisan discord. They want to pit Americans against each other, and they are looking for any opportunities to create rage, and we know that enragement equals engagement.”
Easterly said the government will be “leaning forward” in debunking foreign influence operations.
Since the summer, the intelligence community has warned that foreign adversaries will try and influence the election.
Just hours prior to the notification was made by the intelligence community on Friday, a senior CISA official was briefing reporters: election security is national security, and said CISA is monitoring both the physical and cyber threats ahead of the 2024 election.
The official did not single out any one individual, but did say that anyone who knowingly puts out disinformation is “putting election officials at harm.”
When someone puts out misinformation they are “doing the work of our foreign adversaries, and it’s an important reminder to know that these are the tactics that they’re out there leveraging,” and added that there are real-world sometimes violent consequences to the disinformation.
