1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20229 Released via FOIAonline account. November 30, 2018 CBP-2018-005705 Austin Evers American Oversight Washington, DC 20005 Dear Mr. Evers: As agreed to in American Oversight v. U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Case No. 1: 18-cv-01337, this is the first interim response to your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), on behalf of American Oversight, in which you are seeking: 1.) All electronic mail containing any of the following terms: a. Catch of the Day b. #CatchOfTheDay c. Keeping America Safe d. #KeepingAmericaSafe 2.) All electronic mail containing the word “hashtag” and any of the following words or phrases: a. S1 b. S2 c. Secretary d. Deputy Secretary e. DepSec f. Kelly g. Duke 3.) All electronic mail containing any hashtags (“#”) and any of the following words or phrases: a. Illegal b. Illegals c. Alien VERSIGHT U.S. Customs and Border Protection d. Aliens e. Felon f. Felons g. Criminal h. Criminals A search of CBP databases has identified records responsive to your request, 703 pages of which are now being produced Portions of this release have been withheld pursuant to Title 5 U.S.C. § 552 (b)(6), (b)(b(7)(C), and (b)(7)(E). Uploaded to your FOIAonline account are 703 pages with certain information withheld as described below: FOIA Exemption (b)(6) exempts from disclosure personnel or medical files and similar files the release of which would cause a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. This requires a balancing of the public’s right to disclosure against the individual’s right privacy. The types of documents and/or information that we have withheld may consist of names, email addresses, alien numbers, birth dates, and phone numbers, or various other documents and/or information belonging to a third party that are considered personal. The privacy interests of the individuals in the records you have requested outweigh any minimal public interest in disclosure of the information. Any private interest you may have in that information does not factor into the aforementioned balancing test. FOIA Exemption (b)(7)(C) protects records or information compiled for law enforcement purposes that could reasonably be expected to constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. This exemption takes particular note of the strong interests of individuals, whether they are suspects, witnesses, or investigators, in not being unwarrantably associated with alleged criminal activity. That interest extends to persons who are not only the subjects of the investigation, but those who may have their privacy invaded by having their identities and information about them revealed in connection with an investigation. Based upon the traditional recognition of strong privacy interest in law enforcement records, categorical withholding of information that identifies third parties in law enforcement records is ordinarily appropriate. FOIA Exemption (b)(7)(E) protects records compiled for law enforcement purposes, the release of which would disclose techniques and/or procedures for law enforcement investigations or prosecutions, or would disclose guidelines for law enforcement investigations or prosecutions if such disclosure could reasonably be expected to risk circumvention of the law. CBP has determined that disclosure could reasonably be expected to risk circumvention of the law. AMERICAN PVERSIGHT . This completes CBP’s first interim response to your request. If you have questions or concerns regarding this first interim response, you may contact Assistant United States Attorney Denise M. Clark at (202) 252-6605. Please notate file number CBP-2018-005705 on any future correspondence to CBP related to this request. Sincerely, Jodi Drengson FOIA Analyst, FOIA Division Office of Diversity and Civil Rights AMERICAN PVERSIGHT From: HOWE, RANDY J To: MCALEENAN, KEVIN K; ; PROVOST, CARLA (USBP); Owen, Todd C (AC OFO) Cc: VITIELLO, RONALD D (USBP); FLANAGAN, PATRICK S; Subject: RE: Daily Media Summary - November 18, 2017 Date: Saturday, November 18, 2017 12:32:13 PM 10-4 Sir will do Randy J. Howe Executive Director, Operations Office of Field Operations U.S. Customs and Border Protection (Office) (Cell) From: MCALEENAN, KEVIN K Sent: Saturday, November 18, 2017 12:30:49 PM To: HOWE, RANDY J; ; PROVOST, CARLA (USBP); Owen, Todd C (AC OFO) Cc: VITIELLO, RONALD D (USBP); FLANAGAN, PATRICK S; Subject: RE: Daily Media Summary - November 18, 2017 If ICE ERO call to separate, let’s get that info to OPA for any follow up inquiries From: HOWE, RANDY J Sent: Saturday, November 18, 2017 12:19:56 PM To: MCALEENAN, KEVIN K; PROVOST, CARLA (USBP); Owen, Todd C (AC OFO) Cc: VITIELLO, RONALD D (USBP); FLANAGAN, PATRICK S; Subject: RE: Daily Media Summary - November 18, 2017 Sir. Nothing else but we can have San Diego follow up with ERO on the status of the children. Randy J. Howe Executive Director, Operations Office of Field Operations U.S. Customs and Border Protection (Office) (Cell) From: MCALEENAN, KEVIN K Sent: Saturday, November 18, 2017 12:15:28 PM To: HOWE, RANDY J; ; PROVOST, CARLA (USBP); Owen, Todd C (AC OFO) Cc: VITIELLO, RONALD D (USBP); FLANAGAN, PATRICK S; Subject: RE: Daily Media Summary - November 18, 2017 FOIA CBP 000001 (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) DHS-17-0435-A-000001 We have anything else? Child with HHS I presume. From: HOWE, RANDY J Sent: Saturday, November 18, 2017 10:42:25 AM To: ; MCALEENAN, KEVIN K; PROVOST, CARLA (USBP); Owen, Todd C (AC OFO) Cc: VITIELLO, RONALD D (USBP); FLANAGAN, PATRICK S; Subject: RE: Daily Media Summary - November 18, 2017 Commissioner: We have reached out to San Diego for additional details. Randy J. Howe Executive Director, Operations Office of Field Operations U.S. Customs and Border Protection (Office) (Cell) From: Sent: Saturday, November 18, 2017 10:37:55 AM To: MCALEENAN, KEVIN K; PROVOST, CARLA (USBP); Owen, Todd C (AC OFO); HOWE, RANDY J Cc: VITIELLO, RONALD D (USBP); FLANAGAN, PATRICK S; Subject: RE: Daily Media Summary - November 18, 2017 Commissioner – Good morning. I checked into the arrest with the assistance of our folks verifying in This was a POE arrest made by OFO. See below information: This happened at POE on 11/12/17. Attached are the I-213s for the father and son. From the child’s I213 pdf) narrative: *******************ADDENDUM 11/15/17**************************** y Unit is being separated due to child safety concerns as per AFOD The traveling with the juvenile(s) cannot be positively identified as having the proper documentation of being the parent. The verification and authentication of the family relationship between the minor children and the adult cannot be validated at this time. Upon EROs receipt of proper documentation, the adult and minor children can be reunited in the future. Regards, Deputy Chief – LEOD / Operations FOIA CBP 000002 (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (7)(E) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b) (7)(E) (b) (7)(E) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b) (7)(E) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) DHS-17-0435-A-000002 . - - - - - U.S. Border Patrol Headquarters (office) (cell) From: MCALEENAN, KEVIN K Sent: Saturday, November 18, 2017 9:06 AM To: PROVOST, CARLA (USBP) >; Owen, Todd C (AC OFO) >; >; HOWE, RANDY J > Cc: VITIELLO, RONALD D (USBP) >; FLANAGAN, PATRICK S > Subject: FW: Daily Media Summary - November 18, 2017 Do we have anything on number 3 below? From: Media Analyst Sent: Saturday, November 18, 2017 8:27:01 AM To: Media Analyst Subject: Daily Media Summary - November 18, 2017 The Daily Media Summary (DMS) and the links contained herein are being provided solely as a convenience and to afford CBP officials a broad awareness of the day's traditional, digital and social media coverage of CBP. The views and opinions expressed in the DMS, the sources cited, and the links contained herein do not necessarily represent the opinions, views, policies or positions of the U.S. Government, DHS, CBP or the Office of Public Affairs. Daily Media Summary November 18, 2017 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY WBTS-TV reported that group of Senate Democrats are pressing DHS Secretary nominee Kirstjen Nielsen to support bipartisan legislation that would protect DACA recipients from being deported. They cited that during her confirmation hearing she agreed that there was a need for legislation to protect DACA recipients and help create a path for citizenship. This story has been shared by major media outlets Stars & Stripes, ABC News as well as local outlets such as the Tampa Bay Times, and Florence Morning News, based in Florence, SC. The UK media outlet Daily Mail shared this story as well. KIII-TV reported that Border Patrol agents at the Sarita checkpoint arrested a person who had attempted to smuggle cocaine through the checkpoint in the trunk of their Mercedes. "The efforts they are using to conceal the loads is usually expensive, so this was out of the ordinary for us," said Deputy Patrol Agent in charge of Kingsville Josh Schad. According to agents, usually the cartels try and conceal their drugs loads inside secret compartments, but this bust was unusual considering the dog's ability to smell. "The things they can detect, the minor traces of narcotics they can smell is unbelievable so we FOIA CBP 000003 (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6) DHS-17-0435-A-000003 • • couldn't do the job without them," Schad said. This story has yet to be widely reported on in other media outlets, however on the @CustomsBorder Twitter account, it is the tweet with the highest engagement of the period. BuzzFeed reported that an immigrant father, Jose Demar Fuentes, from Central America seeking asylum in the United States has accused Border Patrol agents of lying and threatening him to persuade him to separate from his 1-year-old son. CBP didn’t respond to specific questions about Fuentes or the other fathers, but pointed to their policy on family unity. “CBP will maintain family unity to the greatest extent operationally feasible, absent a legal requirement or an articulable safety or security concern that requires separation,” the policy said. While this story has yet to be widely reported in other media outlets, it is gaining traction on Twitter since BuzzFeed first ran the article in the early morning hours. TOP NEWS 1. Democrats Press Homeland Security Pick on Immigration Issues (WBTS-TV; 20k uvm; Newton, MA) … Richard Lardner A group of Senate Democrats is pressing President Donald Trump's choice to lead the Homeland Security Department to endorse bipartisan legislation to shield from deportation thousands of young immigrants brought to the U.S. as young children and living here illegally. In a letter sent Friday to Kirstjen Nielsen, the 20 lawmakers said she agreed during her confirmation hearing earlier this month on the need for legislation that would put so-called "Dreamers" on a path to U.S. citizenship. They want to know if that means Nielsen will openly urge Congress to pass the bipartisan Dream Act to "provide the solution that you have recognized is needed." White House spokesman Raj Shah said Nielsen did not express support for any specific legislation during her confirmation hearing." The Trump administration has laid out its priorities for responsible immigration reform we hope Congress will adopt," Shah said. 2. Major cocaine bust at Sarita checkpoint (KIII-TV; 66k uvm; Corpus Christi, TX) … Michael Gibson VIDEO: Border patrol agents at the Sarita checkpoint said one of their K-9's sniffed out a trunk full of cocaine Wednesday morning. Nearly six million dollars worth of cocaine was discovered during the stop. Kiii News reporter Michael Gibson was at the checkpoint to meet with agents about the incident. "The efforts they are using to conceal the loads is usually expensive, so this was out of the ordinary for us," said Deputy Patrol Agent in charge of Kingsville Josh Schad. According to agents, usually the cartels try and conceal their drugs loads inside secret compartments of even inside car batteries, but this bust was unusual considering the dog's super sense of smell. "The things they can detect, the minor traces of narcotics they can smell is unbelievable so we couldn't do the job without them," Schad said. Investigators believe the drugs were smuggled across an unprotected section of the border and then loaded into the Mercedes. 3. Immigrant Father Says The Border Patrol Took His Infant Son And Won't DHS-17-0435-A-000004 FOIA CBP 000004 • Tell Him Where He Is (BuzzFeed; 17.7M) … Adolfo Flores An immigrant father from Central America seeking asylum in the United States has accused Border Patrol agents of lying and threatening him to persuade him to separate from his 1-year-old son. Immigrant rights advocates said the accusation bolsters what they believe is an effort by Border Patrol agents to discourage Central American immigration by separating parents from their children. Jose Demar Fuentes, 30, said he and three other fathers crossed the US border through the Mexican city of Tijuana on Sunday with their children and requested asylum from US immigration authorities. Fuentes said that in three separate meetings, Border Patrol agents in dark green uniforms told him and the other fathers that if they didn't agree to separate themselves from their children, their immigration cases would take longer and there would be problems. “The last time they said we’d better agree because it was ‘better to do it the good way and avoid using force in front of the kids,’” Fuentes told BuzzFeed News. “That made us all agree.” The fathers and their kids were separated Thursday. The three other fathers could not be reached for comment. US Customs and Border Protection didn’t respond to specific questions about Fuentes or the other fathers, but pointed to their policy on family unity. “CBP will maintain family unity to the greatest extent operationally feasible, absent a legal requirement or an articulable safety or security concern that requires separation,” the policy said. NEWS INDEX BORDER SECURITY Along U.S. Borders 4. Border Patrol Agent Hospitalized after Illegal Immigrant Speeds Through Checkpoint (Breitbart; 19.1M uvm) … Bob Price Border Patrol agents assigned to a checkpoint in East County observed a man approaching in a 2009 Infinity G35 sedan. The driver initiated a U-turn before the checkpoint and drove the wrong way into oncoming traffic, according to information provided to Breitbart Texas by U.S. Border Patrol officials. The driver suddenly executed another U-turn and sped toward the checkpoint–reaching a speed of nearly 70 miles per hour, officials stated. As the driver approached, he swerved out of the lanes of cars waiting for inspection to bypass the position. In doing so, he struck a steel road sign — parts of which struck a Border Patrol agent working nearby. The debris from the sign injured the agent who had to be hospitalized. The driver bypassed the checkpoint and took off on I-8. Agents pursued the fleeing driver. The pursuit reached speeds in excess of 100 mph, officials reported. Suddenly, the driver lost control of the G35 and crashed on a berm. After climbing out of the car, the driver fled on foot. As other agents arrived on the scene, they secured the two occupants and checked them for injuries. Finding none, the agents placed the male passengers under arrest. Other agents pursued the driver on foot. The agents found the driver DHS-17-0435-A-000005 FOIA CBP 000005 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT hiding in the garage of a private home, officials explained. They took the man into custody. An investigation revealed the 27-year-old driver and the two male passengers, ages 27 and 40, were all illegally present in the U.S. The driver faces charges of transporting aliens illegally present in the United States, officials reported. All three Mexican nationals are being held in federal custody. 5. Border Patrol agents discover drugs taped to 17-year-old girl's body (KGTV-TV; 2.1M uvm; San Diego, CA) … Jermaine Ong A 17-year-old girl was taken into custody at the El Centro border checkpoint after U.S. officials said Border Patrol agents discovered small packages of methamphetamine taped to her body. Customs and Border Protection officials said the teen was a passenger in a Ford Focus that approached the Highway 86 checkpoint at about 1:15 p.m. Wednesday. Officials said three other people were in the vehicle. According to officials, a canine team alerted agents to something suspicious in the vehicle. During a secondary inspection, agents found 10 small packages taped to the teen girl's legs. Officials said the packages -- which weighed a combined 4.21 pounds with an estimated street value of $14,735 -- "were tested and contained the properties consistent with methamphetamine." The drugs and the girl, who is a U.S. citizen, were turned over to DEA officials. Officials did not say if the other vehicle occupants were taken into custody. 6. Suspected MS-13 gang member arrested in northwest North Dakota (Grand Forks Herald; 837k uvm; Grand Forks, ND) … April Baumgarten A suspected member of a notorious international criminal gang has been arrested in Williston and is being held at the Grand Forks County jail. Border Patrol agents from the Grand Forks Sector of U.S. Customs and Border Protection arrested 39-year-old Concepcion Carcamo-Portillo at 7 p.m. Wednesday, spokesman Kristoffer Grogan confirmed to the Herald. Numerous tips from concerned citizens led officers to the El Salvador national, Grogan said. Investigators determined the man was in the U.S. illegally and is an alleged member of Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the El Salvador-based international criminal organization MS-13. Carcamo-Portillo was booked Thursday evening into the Grand Forks County Correctional Center. "This arrest is a testament to our cooperation with our (Department of Homeland Security) partners to disrupt one of the most dangerous criminal organizations in the United States," Chief Patrol Agent Aaron Heitke, commander of the Grand Forks Sector, said in a statement. "This arrest is the direct result from of information passed from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and a call from a concerned citizen." 7. Man surrenders at Border Patrol checkpoint following I-25 pursuit (Las Cruces Sun-News; 310k uvm; Las Cruces, NM) VIDEO: An Albuquerque man, suspected in a possible kidnapping, surrendered to authorities at the Border Patrol checkpoint north of Las Cruces on Thursday. Epifanio Torres, 30, was charged with aggravated fleeing, a fourth degree felony. Other charges are pending, according to New Mexico State Police. State police said the incident began about 8:29 p.m. when they issued a "be on the lookout" (BOLO) for a DHS-17-0435-A-000006 FOIA CBP 000006 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT red Ford F-150 pickup in reference to a possible kidnapping in Albuquerque. Authorities said information was received from an out-of-state relative, who had been on the phone with a female, reportedly in the backseat of the pickup. The suspect and female had been in a relationship, state police reported. About 45 minutes after the BOLO, state police officers spotted the vehicle traveling south on I-25, near mile post 68. An officer attempted to stop the vehicle, police said, but it did not stop and the driver continued southbound. State Police notified Border Patrol agents at the I-25 checkpoint of the ongoing pursuit. Torres, who was on the phone with the Albuquerque NMSP office, told authorities he would surrender at the checkpoint, which he did without incident, police said. The female passenger was checked by authorities and refused transport to a hospital, police said. 8. K-9 leads Border Patrol agents to discovery of more than 180 pounds of cocaine (Corpus Christi Caller-Times; 191k uvm; Corpus Christi, TX) … Alexandria Rodriguez VIDEO: An alert from a Border Patrol K-9 in Kingsville led to the discovery of more than 180 pounds of cocaine at a checkpoint Wednesday. The alert from the K-9 came during a non-intrusive vehicle inspection at the checkpoint. Agents then inspected the truck of the vehicle and found three suitcases with about 185 pounds of cocaine, according to a news release. Drug Enforcement Administration agents took the vehicle, 32 bundles of cocaine, valued at $5,844,800, and took the driver, a U.S. citizen, into custody, the release states. On Tuesday, agents at the Brownsville Border Patrol Station seized more than 8 pounds of methamphetamine after they were alerted by another K-9. The K-9 alerted an agents to a delivery truck, which led to further inspection, the release states. Agents then found nine packages of methamphetamine, worth more than $260,000, concealed in liquid foam, according to the release. 9. Border Patrol nabs two suspected MS-13 gang members (Corpus Christi Caller-Times; 191k uvm; Corpus Christi, TX) …Chris Ramirez VIDEO: An El Salvadoran man with ties to the violent street gang MS-13 and a criminal record in his homeland was among those arrested in a Border Patrol operation near Hebbronville. Border Patrol agents arrested an undocumented immigrant Tuesday, according to a news release from the agency. He was among a group of 16 immigrants who were on a ranch near Hebbronville. The Border Patrol said the man, whose identity was not released, had an extensive criminal history in his native country. He had served an eight-year prison sentence there for a homicide conviction and also had a record for illegal possession of a firearm, aggravated robbery and drug trafficking. He was processed for deportation. On Thursday, Border Patrol agents arrested another undocumented immigrant who is believed to be associated with MS-13 near Bruni, in Webb County. That person, also from El Salvador, was processed for deportation. The Trump administration has pledged to get MS-13 and other trans-national gangs off America's streets. The gang is believed to have started in Los Angeles in the 1980s, but became more deeply entrenched in Central America when its leaders were deported. There was no indication DHS-17-0435-A-000007 FOIA CBP 000007 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT immediately that the individuals' arrests were in any way connected to "Operation Raging Bull," a crackdown run conducted by officials from the Department of Homeland Security and Justice Department. That operation ran from Oct. 8 to Nov. 11, and concluded with the arrest of 214 members of MS-13. Ports of Entry 10. Farmington driver’s race car is delayed at Canadian border (Portland Press Herald; 2.1M uvm; Portland, OR) … Phil Whipple For Farmington native Cassius Clark, the anticipation leading up to Saturday’s annual Pro All Stars Series Mega-Meltdown 300 at Hickory Motor Speedway in North Carolina has turned to stress. The team for which Clark drives, King Racing, owned by former racer and Canadian businessman Rollie MacDonald, is stuck at the Canadian border with the car and all of the equipment necessary to run this weekend’s race. “They’ve been delayed at the border cross at Houlton since Tuesday afternoon at 2 p.m.,” Clark said on the phone from North Carolina. “There was a practice session here yesterday, and there is more on tap for today. It’s a 20-hour drive from Houlton to get here, so I sure hope they get released soon.” Two other race teams had similar difficulties, Clark said, but were allowed to pass after a lengthy delay. U.S. Customs and Border Protections Public Affairs Officer Stephanie Malin on Friday afternoon released a statement on the matter: “While I cannot get into the specific details of the inspection, I can confirm the individuals were not detained at the port of entry at all,” she wrote, “The issue is related to a lack of proper importation documents required for importing a vehicle for racing purposes. 11. City officials get a tour of the international bridges (KGNS-TV; 87k uvm; Laredo, TX) … Phil Whipple VIDEO:A tour of bridge one and two was given to city officials on both sides of the border as they took a look at the status of the ongoing construction project. According to CBP, construction at both br1idge one and two is coming along fine. Congressman Henry Cuellar, Mayor Pete Saenz, and Nuevo Laredo and Laredo officials toured both facilities with U.S. General Services Administration and Customs and Border Protection. The project is aimed towards increasing efficiency and improving safety and security for vehicle and pedestrian processing. These updates should reduce vehicle wait times from 33 to 15 minutes and peak pedestrian time from 49 to 21 minutes. Mayor Peete Saenz says there have been talks between him and Nuevo Laredo about the idea of turning bridge one into a pedestrian walkway. Mayor Saenz says CBP has been supportive of the idea and now it’s up to him and City Council to decided and work with Nuevo Laredo to see if it’s possible. The projected completion dates for bridge one is April 2018 and December 2018 for bridge two. 12. ‘No shirt, no service, no Canada’ (Surrey Now-Leader; 17k uvm; Surrey, BC Canada) … Aaron Hinks A U.S. man is now in jail after Canada Border Services Agency discovered he had an DHS-17-0435-A-000008 FOIA CBP 000008 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT outstanding felony warrant from Washington State. U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued a news release Friday afternoon title “No shirt, no service, no Canada,” saying the Tacoma man arrived northbound at the Peace Arch (Douglas) crossing in South Surrey, shirtless, and told officers he was heading to Toronto to visit friends. The release says that during a search of a rental vehicle, CBSA found small amounts of meth. After being returned to Blaine, officers confirmed the 23-year-old had a felony warrant from the Washington State Department of Corrections for robbery and escape from community custody, which was issued Nov. 13. “The co￾operation between three government agencies is priceless,” U.S. CBP area port director Kenneth Williams said in the release. “CBSA, CBP and the sheriff’s office worked as a team to get this suspected criminal off the street.” BORDER WALL 13. Roundtable: A Closer Look At The Border Wall (KPBS-TV; 278k uvm; San Diego, CA) … Bennett Lacy, Mark Sauer VIDEO: President Donald Trump is demanding Congress fund the construction of a wall along America’s border with Mexico. Work has already begun, with eight prototypes of new structures recently being showcased in San Diego. In the new series "America's Wall," KPBS and inewsource obtained previously unseen federal documents that detail the existing barriers along the border built under several previous administrations. The series also profiles people on both sides of the border, and both sides of a contentious issue. 14. Fisher's border wall prototype complete on Southern border (Dickinson Press; 192k uvm; Dickinson, ND) … Grady McGregor Dickinson-based Fisher Industries has completed construction of a border wall prototype along the southern border of the United States near Otay Mesa, Cali. Fisher's wall is made of concrete and while it lacks some of the color and features of other prototypes, like tubing atop the walls or opaque paneling, the wall's simplicity makes it look like one of the more imposing designs. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that the eight border wall prototypes were completed in late October but this is the first time that the Press has been able to track down available pictures of Fisher's wall prototype. According to a CBP press release from late last month, now that the construction phase is complete they will test and evaluate each wall over a 30- to 60-day period. "Border security contributes to our overall national security and relies on a combination of border infrastructure, technology, personnel, and partnerships," said CBP acting Deputy Commissioner Ron Vitiello in the release. "Border walls have proven to be an extremely effective part of our multi-pronged security strategy to prevent the illegal migration of people and drugs over the years ... These border enforcement zones give our men and women of CBP the best possible conditions to maintain a safe and secure border." TRADE 15. Darling: Fully loaded trucks crossing Anzalduas Bridge by end of 2018 DHS-17-0435-A-000009 FOIA CBP 000009 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT (Rio Grande Guardian; 9k uvm; McAllen, TX) … Patricia Martinez McAllen Mayor Jim Darling said that the city is moving forward with plans to have full commercial traffic at the Anzalduas International Bridge by the end of 2018. Since August 2016, the bridge has allowed empty southbound trucks to cross into Mexico. Now, design plans are being finalized for fully loaded trucks to cross the bridge in either direction, giving commercial drivers the option of another port of entry. The plan is to have a joint inspection facility on the north side of the bridge. “Pharr does a great job over there, but it’s one bridge,” said Darling. “There’s just so much potential in our area to only have one. So, we need to get commercial traffic on another bridge.” Asked when the bridge may ready to handle loaded trucks going both north- and southbound, Darling said: “I am shooting for the end of 2018. That is why we want to get the design done and get construction going. We are working on that, state monies, federal monies. They have to get their act together in Washington and set a budget and get some funding (going). We will get it done. TRAVEL 16. Nonstop Seattle to Dublin flights to begin May 2018 (Seattle PI; 4.7M uvm; Seattle WA) Nonstop flights from Seattle to Dublin will start next spring. The Seattle Times reports Irish carrier Aer Lingus said Friday the service will begin May 18, 2018. The service will be provided four times a week. Because Dublin airport has its own U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility, passengers and their luggage will be pre-cleared in Ireland before departure, with no need to go through passport control on arrival in Seattle. This will be the first pre-cleared trans-Atlantic flight to fly into Seattle. Aer Lingus also will provide Seattle passengers connections through Dublin to 24 U.K. and European cities. 17. CBP gives tips for faster entry times during holiday season (KGBT-TV; 298k uvm; Harlingen, TX) … Jolanie Martinez VIDEO: U.S. Customs and Border Protection has tips for international travelers coming to the U.S. during the holiday season. U.S. Customs and Border Protection public information officer Maribel Saenz says the agency is preparing for the large number of shoppers that cross the border during the holiday season, especially after La Plaza Mall’s multi-million dollar expansion. Saenz recommends international travelers to apply online for the I-94 form. “A lot of times since it's holiday season, there is a lot more travelers than usual, so that's why we are encouraging everybody to go online, apply online,” Saenz said. “They can pay for it online, they bring their receipt with them and we finalize it for them here at the port of entry." To finalize the I￾94 process, travelers must present themselves at a port of entry within seven days of their application. Travelers are also encouraged to use their radio frequency identification card to use ready lanes at port of entries. The frequency identification card includes the newer version of the U.S. passport cards, border crossing cards and resident alien card. Saenz says using this method expedites the entry process by 20 percent. “At the window, they will be getting their fingerprints, their picture and a DHS-17-0435-A-000010 FOIA CBP 000010 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT background check to make sure that they qualify for the I-94 and cardboard,” said Saenz. “I-94 will be printed and that's what they will have to present at the checkpoint with their travel documents." CBP’s Border Wait Times app also gives hourly updates on lines at each port of entry. WORKFORCE 18. Law enforcement K-9s compete in Mercedes (Brownsville Herald; 75k uvm; Brownsville, TX) … Cristina M. Garcia Federal and local agencies were rivals Friday during the 3rd annual South Texas Police K-9 Competition held at the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show Grounds in Mercedes. Valley law enforcement agencies and others, along with their K-9s, competed in timed narcotic article and vehicle searches, the obedience and confidence course, and criminal apprehension…If you compete and your dog doesn’t do so well, that motivates you,” Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office K-9 trainer Javier Solis said… U.S. Border Patrol’s K-9, Billy-B, was named top dog in the patrol competition. A Belgian Malinois named Mischa and her handler, Tim Behnke, with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, quickly ran the narcotic article and vehicle searches Friday afternoon. Mischa has stopped more than $1 million worth of drugs from being smuggled into the U.S. during her more than three years as a law enforcement K-9, according Behnke. Behnke and Mischa underwent a seven-week training course in Virginia prior to working together at multiple ports of entry in Brownsville. The two have been a team for three and a half years. “It’s the best job in the world,” Benke said. “Working with an animal is awesome.” Though Behnke didn’t place in the vehicles search competition, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s K-9 Coco and his handler, Michael Hufham, placed third. The U.S. Border Patrol was awarded the Best K-9 Unit, while Lusy with Edinburg CISD Police Department took first in the articles search. 19. CBP AMO Plan Flyover at NASCAR’s Championship Weekend (American Security Today; 45k uvm) VIDEO: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations (AMO) aircrews based at the Miami Air and Marine Branch will perform a flyover during NASCAR’s championship weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway in front of tens of thousands of racing fans. CBP’s Air and Marine Operations agents from air and marine branches and units in Florida and Texas are assisting with security efforts for the event providing real-time aerial video to ground based law enforcement personnel at the incident command center. Air and Marine Operations interdicts unlawful people and cargo approaching U.S. borders, investigates criminal networks and provides domain awareness in the air and maritime environments, and responds to contingencies and national taskings. “We’re a part of this community and honored to serve and protect the public in Greater Miami and the Florida Keys utilizing advanced aeronautical and maritime capabilities,” said Martin Wade, Director of the Miami Air and Marine Branch. “Air and Marine Operations highly-skilled agents are often behind the scenes at high profile events to keep things safe and secure along with local, DHS-17-0435-A-000011 FOIA CBP 000011 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT state and federal law enforcement partners.” OPINION 20. Former DHS Secretary Tom Ridge: No southern border wall needed (CBS Television Network; 26.1 uvm) … Arden Farhi VIDEO: Tom Ridge, the nation's first secretary of Homeland Security, believes the physical border wall President Donald Trump wants to build on the U.S.-Mexico border isn't necessary. "I don't think we need it," Ridge said. "I think there are things we can do with technology that foregoes the need to build a 3,000 mile border [wall] with a neighbor... I prefer presidents that tear down walls rather than build them." Ridge appeared on "The Takeout" podcast with CBS News chief White House correspondent Major Garrett and political director Steve Chaggaris. Despite his criticism of the President, Ridge, a Republican, praised Mr. Trump's pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Kirstjen Nielsen. "This is a woman that's got public and private sector experience. She's been deputy chief of staff to the president now, she was General [John] Kelly's chief of staff [at DHS], she's well versed and worked with the private sector on preparedness issues and cyber security issues and the like." IMMIGRATION 21. Immigrant Who Had Prosthetic Leg Mocked by Trump Officials to Be Freed After 'Inhumane' Detention (Newsweek; 9.4M uvm) … Nicole Rodriguez VIDEO: A 20-year-old disabled immigrant detained for more than a month without being charged was to be freed Friday, but he has been stripped of his Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status. After being detained by Customs and Border Protection (CPB) agents on October 11 as part of a human smuggling investigation, Felipe Abonza-Lopez of San Marcos, Texas, was granted a $7,500 bond and will be released sometime Friday, a legal assistant for Abonza-Lopez’s attorney told Newsweek Friday. Abonza-Lopez has lost his DACA status, which had been set to expire in 2019. It was revoked October 12, when he received a notice to appear in immigration court for deportation proceedings, a spokesperson for Citizenship and Immigration Services (ICE) told Newsweek. 22. Trump Administration Cites MS-13 Arrest to Push Change in Minor Immigrant Law (Daily Signal; 1.1M uvm) … Fred Lucas The Trump administration is pointing to a large federal roundup of members of the violent gang MS-13 as vindication of increased enforcement efforts and reason to change the policy on unaccompanied minor illegal immigrants. The Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security announced a joint effort that led to the arrest of 214 gang members and those involved with gang-related crime…Of the 214, just 16 were U.S. citizens while 198 were foreign nationals. Of the foreign DHS-17-0435-A-000012 FOIA CBP 000012 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT nationals, only five were in the country legally. Among those arrested, 64 entered the country as unaccompanied alien children, but most are now adults, according to the Trump administration. During a press conference Thursday announcing the arrests, Tom Homan, deputy director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, noted the 2008 law on unaccompanied minors does not allow them to be immediately returned to their country of origin. “The agencies sent up a series of policy requests to the Hill to address a lot of issues to further control the border and illegal immigration,” Homan said. “Some of these policies are being exploited and used by criminal organizations. That’s why that’s one of the policy issues we asked Congress to look at and help us with.” 23. UMD files affidavit in federal lawsuit challenging Trump’s latest travel ban (The Diamondback; 35k uvm) … Christine Condon The University of Maryland has filed an affidavit in a federal lawsuit opposing the Trump administration's latest iteration of its travel ban. "Since our students & faculty are impacted by the latest travel ban, #UMD has filed an affidavit in a federal lawsuit in MD challenging the ban's legality," University President Wallace Loh tweeted Friday. The affidavit was filed in a Maryland district court case surrounding the ban. Federal judges in Maryland and Hawaii issued national orders freezing the ban in October. "It is in the interest of the University, as well as in the national interest, to welcome talented persons of all nations to study, teach, and do research in the United States, in order to maintain and improve America's position as a leader in higher education and research," read the statement, signed by Loh Oct. 10. OF INTEREST 24. Trump halts decision to allow elephant trophy imports after uproar (Reuters; 43.6M uvm) …David Shepardson and Eric Beech U.S. President Donald Trump said in a tweet on Friday he is putting a decision to allow imports of elephant trophies on hold after a torrent of criticism from conservation advocates and across social media. Trump’s reversal came hours after his administration released a rule on Friday to allow hunters who kill elephants in Zimbabwe to bring their trophies back to the United States, which had been banned by the Obama administration. “Put big game trophy decision on hold until such time as I review all conservation facts. Under study for years. Will update soon with Secretary Zinke. Thank you!” Trump wrote. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said in a statement that he had spoken with Trump and “both believe that conservation and healthy herds are critical.” He said the “issuing of permits is being put on hold as the decision is being reviewed.” 25. 18-year-old accused of shooting CBP agent in Oakleaf said he would “off” cops, according to investigators (WOKV-FM; 75.1k uvm; Jacksonville, FL) … Stephanie Brown Two months after a Customs and Border Protection Agent was shot in the parking lot of an Oakleaf Publix, new investigative reports are detailing more about the possible DHS-17-0435-A-000013 FOIA CBP 000013 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT motive to the attack. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office believed from early in their investigation that the agent was ambushed because he was law enforcement. The victim was leaving the Publix after grabbing some groceries, when CCSO says 18- year-old Jake Lewis sped up and fired multiple shots, hitting the agent multiple times. Lewis then crashed, and CCSO says he died of a self-inflicted gunshot. The agent who was shot underwent surgery and continues to recover. CBP tells us the “signs are encouraging”, and the agent is expected to return on limited duty in the near future. That agent has spoken with investigators, and the new supplemental reports show he remembers a suspect pointing a gun out of a car and yelling about hating cops, before shooting. SOCIAL MEDIA ANALYSIS OF NOTE The tweet by @DonaldTrumpJr on November 16 titled “First female Border Patrol chief says agents 'empowered' under Trump” is still the most retweeted of the period, with 6.3k retweets, 20k likes and 765 replies to date. As mentioned above, the tweet by Adolfo Flores from the account @aflores titled “Immigrant father says the Border Patrol took his infant son and won't tell him where he is” is gaining attention on Twitter and is the second most retweeted tweet to date. The tweet supplies a link to the BuzzFeed article where he is interviewed. The tweet has 327 retweets, 154 likes, and 34 replies to date. The tweet to receive the highest engagement of the period on @CustomsBorder is “RGV sector Border Patrol K9’s lead agents to seize over $6.1 million in narcotics. #KeepingAmericaSafe.” The tweet has received 20 retweets, 55 likes, 6 replies and 180,000 potential impressions to date. The tweet provides a link to the KIII TV news article on the bust. ABOUT THIS REPORT. Articles in this report were published during the 24 hours preceding the report date unless otherwise specified. Dissemination figures and bylines might not be available for all articles. Location is noted for local outlets. DHS-17-0435-A-000014 FOIA CBP 000014 • . "- .;, - - • - From: To: MCALEENAN, KEVIN K; PROVOST, CARLA (USBP); Owen, Todd C (AC OFO); HOWE, RANDY J Cc: VITIELLO, RONALD D (USBP); FLANAGAN, PATRICK S; (USBP) Subject: RE: Daily Media Summary - November 18, 2017 Date: Saturday, November 18, 2017 10:37:57 AM Attachments: .pdf Commissioner – Good morning. I checked into the arrest with the assistance of our folks verifying in This was a POE arrest made by OFO. See below information: This happened at POE on 11/12/17. Attached are the I-213s for the father and son. From the child’s I213 pdf) narrative: *******************ADDENDUM 11/15/17**************************** y Unit is being separated due to child safety concerns as per AFOD . The adult traveling with the juvenile(s) cannot be positively identified as having the proper documentation of being the parent. The verification and authentication of the family relationship between the minor children and the adult cannot be validated at this time. Upon EROs receipt of proper documentation, the adult and minor children can be reunited in the future. Regards, Deputy Chief – LEOD / Operations U.S. Border Patrol Headquarters office) cell) From: MCALEENAN, KEVIN K Sent: Saturday, November 18, 2017 9:06 AM To: PROVOST, CARLA (USBP) >; Owen, Todd C (AC OFO) > >; HOWE, RANDY J < > Cc: VITIELLO, RONALD D (USBP) < >; FLANAGAN, PATRICK S < > Subject: FW: Daily Media Summary - November 18, 2017 Do we have anything on number 3 below? FOIA CBP 000015 (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(E), (b) (7)(C) (b) (7)(E) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6) (b) (7)(E) (b) (7)(E) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b) (7)(E) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) DHS-17-0435-A-000015 ■ 1111 - - - - From: Media Analyst Sent: Saturday, November 18, 2017 8:27:01 AM To: Media Analyst Subject: Daily Media Summary - November 18, 2017 The Daily Media Summary (DMS) and the links contained herein are being provided solely as a convenience and to afford CBP officials a broad awareness of the day's traditional, digital and social media coverage of CBP. The views and opinions expressed in the DMS, the sources cited, and the links contained herein do not necessarily represent the opinions, views, policies or positions of the U.S. Government, DHS, CBP or the Office of Public Affairs. Daily Media Summary November 18, 2017 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY WBTS-TV reported that group of Senate Democrats are pressing DHS Secretary nominee Kirstjen Nielsen to support bipartisan legislation that would protect DACA recipients from being deported. They cited that during her confirmation hearing she agreed that there was a need for legislation to protect DACA recipients and help create a path for citizenship. This story has been shared by major media outlets Stars & Stripes, ABC News as well as local outlets such as the Tampa Bay Times, and Florence Morning News, based in Florence, SC. The UK media outlet Daily Mail shared this story as well. KIII-TV reported that Border Patrol agents at the Sarita checkpoint arrested a person who had attempted to smuggle cocaine through the checkpoint in the trunk of their Mercedes. "The efforts they are using to conceal the loads is usually expensive, so this was out of the ordinary for us," said Deputy Patrol Agent in charge of Kingsville Josh Schad. According to agents, usually the cartels try and conceal their drugs loads inside secret compartments, but this bust was unusual considering the dog's ability to smell. "The things they can detect, the minor traces of narcotics they can smell is unbelievable so we couldn't do the job without them," Schad said. This story has yet to be widely reported on in other media outlets, however on the @CustomsBorder Twitter account, it is the tweet with the highest engagement of the period. BuzzFeed reported that an immigrant father, Jose Demar Fuentes, from Central America seeking asylum in the United States has accused Border Patrol agents of lying and threatening him to persuade him to separate from his 1-year-old son. CBP didn’t respond to specific questions about Fuentes or the other fathers, but pointed to their policy on family unity. “CBP will maintain family unity to the greatest extent operationally feasible, absent a legal requirement or an articulable safety or security concern that requires separation,” the policy said. While this story has yet to be widely reported in other media outlets, it is gaining traction on Twitter since BuzzFeed first ran the article in the early morning hours. TOP NEWS 1. Democrats Press Homeland Security Pick on Immigration Issues (WBTS-TV; 20k uvm; Newton, MA) … Richard Lardner DHS-17-0435-A-000016 FOIA CBP 000016 • • • A group of Senate Democrats is pressing President Donald Trump's choice to lead the Homeland Security Department to endorse bipartisan legislation to shield from deportation thousands of young immigrants brought to the U.S. as young children and living here illegally. In a letter sent Friday to Kirstjen Nielsen, the 20 lawmakers said she agreed during her confirmation hearing earlier this month on the need for legislation that would put so-called "Dreamers" on a path to U.S. citizenship. They want to know if that means Nielsen will openly urge Congress to pass the bipartisan Dream Act to "provide the solution that you have recognized is needed." White House spokesman Raj Shah said Nielsen did not express support for any specific legislation during her confirmation hearing." The Trump administration has laid out its priorities for responsible immigration reform we hope Congress will adopt," Shah said. 2. Major cocaine bust at Sarita checkpoint (KIII-TV; 66k uvm; Corpus Christi, TX) … Michael Gibson VIDEO: Border patrol agents at the Sarita checkpoint said one of their K-9's sniffed out a trunk full of cocaine Wednesday morning. Nearly six million dollars worth of cocaine was discovered during the stop. Kiii News reporter Michael Gibson was at the checkpoint to meet with agents about the incident. "The efforts they are using to conceal the loads is usually expensive, so this was out of the ordinary for us," said Deputy Patrol Agent in charge of Kingsville Josh Schad. According to agents, usually the cartels try and conceal their drugs loads inside secret compartments of even inside car batteries, but this bust was unusual considering the dog's super sense of smell. "The things they can detect, the minor traces of narcotics they can smell is unbelievable so we couldn't do the job without them," Schad said. Investigators believe the drugs were smuggled across an unprotected section of the border and then loaded into the Mercedes. 3. Immigrant Father Says The Border Patrol Took His Infant Son And Won't Tell Him Where He Is (BuzzFeed; 17.7M) … Adolfo Flores An immigrant father from Central America seeking asylum in the United States has accused Border Patrol agents of lying and threatening him to persuade him to separate from his 1-year-old son. Immigrant rights advocates said the accusation bolsters what they believe is an effort by Border Patrol agents to discourage Central American immigration by separating parents from their children. Jose Demar Fuentes, 30, said he and three other fathers crossed the US border through the Mexican city of Tijuana on Sunday with their children and requested asylum from US immigration authorities. Fuentes said that in three separate meetings, Border Patrol agents in dark green uniforms told him and the other fathers that if they didn't agree to separate themselves from their children, their immigration cases would take longer and there would be problems. “The last time they said we’d better agree because it was ‘better to do it the good way and avoid using force in front of the kids,’” Fuentes told BuzzFeed News. “That made us all agree.” The fathers and their kids were separated Thursday. The three other fathers could not be reached for comment. US Customs and Border Protection didn’t respond to specific questions about Fuentes or the other DHS-17-0435-A-000017 FOIA CBP 000017 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT fathers, but pointed to their policy on family unity. “CBP will maintain family unity to the greatest extent operationally feasible, absent a legal requirement or an articulable safety or security concern that requires separation,” the policy said. NEWS INDEX BORDER SECURITY Along U.S. Borders 4. Border Patrol Agent Hospitalized after Illegal Immigrant Speeds Through Checkpoint (Breitbart; 19.1M uvm) … Bob Price Border Patrol agents assigned to a checkpoint in East County observed a man approaching in a 2009 Infinity G35 sedan. The driver initiated a U-turn before the checkpoint and drove the wrong way into oncoming traffic, according to information provided to Breitbart Texas by U.S. Border Patrol officials. The driver suddenly executed another U-turn and sped toward the checkpoint–reaching a speed of nearly 70 miles per hour, officials stated. As the driver approached, he swerved out of the lanes of cars waiting for inspection to bypass the position. In doing so, he struck a steel road sign — parts of which struck a Border Patrol agent working nearby. The debris from the sign injured the agent who had to be hospitalized. The driver bypassed the checkpoint and took off on I-8. Agents pursued the fleeing driver. The pursuit reached speeds in excess of 100 mph, officials reported. Suddenly, the driver lost control of the G35 and crashed on a berm. After climbing out of the car, the driver fled on foot. As other agents arrived on the scene, they secured the two occupants and checked them for injuries. Finding none, the agents placed the male passengers under arrest. Other agents pursued the driver on foot. The agents found the driver hiding in the garage of a private home, officials explained. They took the man into custody. An investigation revealed the 27-year-old driver and the two male passengers, ages 27 and 40, were all illegally present in the U.S. The driver faces charges of transporting aliens illegally present in the United States, officials reported. All three Mexican nationals are being held in federal custody. 5. Border Patrol agents discover drugs taped to 17-year-old girl's body (KGTV-TV; 2.1M uvm; San Diego, CA) … Jermaine Ong A 17-year-old girl was taken into custody at the El Centro border checkpoint after U.S. officials said Border Patrol agents discovered small packages of methamphetamine taped to her body. Customs and Border Protection officials said the teen was a passenger in a Ford Focus that approached the Highway 86 checkpoint at about 1:15 p.m. Wednesday. Officials said three other people were in the vehicle. According to officials, a canine team alerted agents to something suspicious in the vehicle. During a secondary inspection, agents found 10 small packages taped to the teen girl's legs. Officials said the packages -- which weighed a combined 4.21 pounds with an estimated street value of $14,735 -- "were tested and contained the properties DHS-17-0435-A-000018 FOIA CBP 000018 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT consistent with methamphetamine." The drugs and the girl, who is a U.S. citizen, were turned over to DEA officials. Officials did not say if the other vehicle occupants were taken into custody. 6. Suspected MS-13 gang member arrested in northwest North Dakota (Grand Forks Herald; 837k uvm; Grand Forks, ND) … April Baumgarten A suspected member of a notorious international criminal gang has been arrested in Williston and is being held at the Grand Forks County jail. Border Patrol agents from the Grand Forks Sector of U.S. Customs and Border Protection arrested 39-year-old Concepcion Carcamo-Portillo at 7 p.m. Wednesday, spokesman Kristoffer Grogan confirmed to the Herald. Numerous tips from concerned citizens led officers to the El Salvador national, Grogan said. Investigators determined the man was in the U.S. illegally and is an alleged member of Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the El Salvador-based international criminal organization MS-13. Carcamo-Portillo was booked Thursday evening into the Grand Forks County Correctional Center. "This arrest is a testament to our cooperation with our (Department of Homeland Security) partners to disrupt one of the most dangerous criminal organizations in the United States," Chief Patrol Agent Aaron Heitke, commander of the Grand Forks Sector, said in a statement. "This arrest is the direct result from of information passed from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and a call from a concerned citizen." 7. Man surrenders at Border Patrol checkpoint following I-25 pursuit (Las Cruces Sun-News; 310k uvm; Las Cruces, NM) VIDEO: An Albuquerque man, suspected in a possible kidnapping, surrendered to authorities at the Border Patrol checkpoint north of Las Cruces on Thursday. Epifanio Torres, 30, was charged with aggravated fleeing, a fourth degree felony. Other charges are pending, according to New Mexico State Police. State police said the incident began about 8:29 p.m. when they issued a "be on the lookout" (BOLO) for a red Ford F-150 pickup in reference to a possible kidnapping in Albuquerque. Authorities said information was received from an out-of-state relative, who had been on the phone with a female, reportedly in the backseat of the pickup. The suspect and female had been in a relationship, state police reported. About 45 minutes after the BOLO, state police officers spotted the vehicle traveling south on I-25, near mile post 68. An officer attempted to stop the vehicle, police said, but it did not stop and the driver continued southbound. State Police notified Border Patrol agents at the I-25 checkpoint of the ongoing pursuit. Torres, who was on the phone with the Albuquerque NMSP office, told authorities he would surrender at the checkpoint, which he did without incident, police said. The female passenger was checked by authorities and refused transport to a hospital, police said. 8. K-9 leads Border Patrol agents to discovery of more than 180 pounds of cocaine (Corpus Christi Caller-Times; 191k uvm; Corpus Christi, TX) … Alexandria Rodriguez VIDEO: An alert from a Border Patrol K-9 in Kingsville led to the discovery of more DHS-17-0435-A-000019 FOIA CBP 000019 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT than 180 pounds of cocaine at a checkpoint Wednesday. The alert from the K-9 came during a non-intrusive vehicle inspection at the checkpoint. Agents then inspected the truck of the vehicle and found three suitcases with about 185 pounds of cocaine, according to a news release. Drug Enforcement Administration agents took the vehicle, 32 bundles of cocaine, valued at $5,844,800, and took the driver, a U.S. citizen, into custody, the release states. On Tuesday, agents at the Brownsville Border Patrol Station seized more than 8 pounds of methamphetamine after they were alerted by another K-9. The K-9 alerted an agents to a delivery truck, which led to further inspection, the release states. Agents then found nine packages of methamphetamine, worth more than $260,000, concealed in liquid foam, according to the release. 9. Border Patrol nabs two suspected MS-13 gang members (Corpus Christi Caller-Times; 191k uvm; Corpus Christi, TX) …Chris Ramirez VIDEO: An El Salvadoran man with ties to the violent street gang MS-13 and a criminal record in his homeland was among those arrested in a Border Patrol operation near Hebbronville. Border Patrol agents arrested an undocumented immigrant Tuesday, according to a news release from the agency. He was among a group of 16 immigrants who were on a ranch near Hebbronville. The Border Patrol said the man, whose identity was not released, had an extensive criminal history in his native country. He had served an eight-year prison sentence there for a homicide conviction and also had a record for illegal possession of a firearm, aggravated robbery and drug trafficking. He was processed for deportation. On Thursday, Border Patrol agents arrested another undocumented immigrant who is believed to be associated with MS-13 near Bruni, in Webb County. That person, also from El Salvador, was processed for deportation. The Trump administration has pledged to get MS-13 and other trans-national gangs off America's streets. The gang is believed to have started in Los Angeles in the 1980s, but became more deeply entrenched in Central America when its leaders were deported. There was no indication immediately that the individuals' arrests were in any way connected to "Operation Raging Bull," a crackdown run conducted by officials from the Department of Homeland Security and Justice Department. That operation ran from Oct. 8 to Nov. 11, and concluded with the arrest of 214 members of MS-13. Ports of Entry 10. Farmington driver’s race car is delayed at Canadian border (Portland Press Herald; 2.1M uvm; Portland, OR) … Phil Whipple For Farmington native Cassius Clark, the anticipation leading up to Saturday’s annual Pro All Stars Series Mega-Meltdown 300 at Hickory Motor Speedway in North Carolina has turned to stress. The team for which Clark drives, King Racing, owned by former racer and Canadian businessman Rollie MacDonald, is stuck at the Canadian border with the car and all of the equipment necessary to run this weekend’s race. “They’ve been delayed at the border cross at Houlton since Tuesday afternoon at 2 p.m.,” Clark said on the phone from North Carolina. “There was a DHS-17-0435-A-000020 FOIA CBP 000020 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT practice session here yesterday, and there is more on tap for today. It’s a 20-hour drive from Houlton to get here, so I sure hope they get released soon.” Two other race teams had similar difficulties, Clark said, but were allowed to pass after a lengthy delay. U.S. Customs and Border Protections Public Affairs Officer Stephanie Malin on Friday afternoon released a statement on the matter: “While I cannot get into the specific details of the inspection, I can confirm the individuals were not detained at the port of entry at all,” she wrote, “The issue is related to a lack of proper importation documents required for importing a vehicle for racing purposes. 11. City officials get a tour of the international bridges (KGNS-TV; 87k uvm; Laredo, TX) … Phil Whipple VIDEO:A tour of bridge one and two was given to city officials on both sides of the border as they took a look at the status of the ongoing construction project. According to CBP, construction at both br1idge one and two is coming along fine. Congressman Henry Cuellar, Mayor Pete Saenz, and Nuevo Laredo and Laredo officials toured both facilities with U.S. General Services Administration and Customs and Border Protection. The project is aimed towards increasing efficiency and improving safety and security for vehicle and pedestrian processing. These updates should reduce vehicle wait times from 33 to 15 minutes and peak pedestrian time from 49 to 21 minutes. Mayor Peete Saenz says there have been talks between him and Nuevo Laredo about the idea of turning bridge one into a pedestrian walkway. Mayor Saenz says CBP has been supportive of the idea and now it’s up to him and City Council to decided and work with Nuevo Laredo to see if it’s possible. The projected completion dates for bridge one is April 2018 and December 2018 for bridge two. 12. ‘No shirt, no service, no Canada’ (Surrey Now-Leader; 17k uvm; Surrey, BC Canada) … Aaron Hinks A U.S. man is now in jail after Canada Border Services Agency discovered he had an outstanding felony warrant from Washington State. U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued a news release Friday afternoon title “No shirt, no service, no Canada,” saying the Tacoma man arrived northbound at the Peace Arch (Douglas) crossing in South Surrey, shirtless, and told officers he was heading to Toronto to visit friends. The release says that during a search of a rental vehicle, CBSA found small amounts of meth. After being returned to Blaine, officers confirmed the 23-year-old had a felony warrant from the Washington State Department of Corrections for robbery and escape from community custody, which was issued Nov. 13. “The co￾operation between three government agencies is priceless,” U.S. CBP area port director Kenneth Williams said in the release. “CBSA, CBP and the sheriff’s office worked as a team to get this suspected criminal off the street.” BORDER WALL 13. Roundtable: A Closer Look At The Border Wall (KPBS-TV; 278k uvm; San Diego, CA) … Bennett Lacy, Mark Sauer VIDEO: President Donald Trump is demanding Congress fund the construction of a DHS-17-0435-A-000021 FOIA CBP 000021 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT wall along America’s border with Mexico. Work has already begun, with eight prototypes of new structures recently being showcased in San Diego. In the new series "America's Wall," KPBS and inewsource obtained previously unseen federal documents that detail the existing barriers along the border built under several previous administrations. The series also profiles people on both sides of the border, and both sides of a contentious issue. 14. Fisher's border wall prototype complete on Southern border (Dickinson Press; 192k uvm; Dickinson, ND) … Grady McGregor Dickinson-based Fisher Industries has completed construction of a border wall prototype along the southern border of the United States near Otay Mesa, Cali. Fisher's wall is made of concrete and while it lacks some of the color and features of other prototypes, like tubing atop the walls or opaque paneling, the wall's simplicity makes it look like one of the more imposing designs. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that the eight border wall prototypes were completed in late October but this is the first time that the Press has been able to track down available pictures of Fisher's wall prototype. According to a CBP press release from late last month, now that the construction phase is complete they will test and evaluate each wall over a 30- to 60-day period. "Border security contributes to our overall national security and relies on a combination of border infrastructure, technology, personnel, and partnerships," said CBP acting Deputy Commissioner Ron Vitiello in the release. "Border walls have proven to be an extremely effective part of our multi-pronged security strategy to prevent the illegal migration of people and drugs over the years ... These border enforcement zones give our men and women of CBP the best possible conditions to maintain a safe and secure border." TRADE 15. Darling: Fully loaded trucks crossing Anzalduas Bridge by end of 2018 (Rio Grande Guardian; 9k uvm; McAllen, TX) … Patricia Martinez McAllen Mayor Jim Darling said that the city is moving forward with plans to have full commercial traffic at the Anzalduas International Bridge by the end of 2018. Since August 2016, the bridge has allowed empty southbound trucks to cross into Mexico. Now, design plans are being finalized for fully loaded trucks to cross the bridge in either direction, giving commercial drivers the option of another port of entry. The plan is to have a joint inspection facility on the north side of the bridge. “Pharr does a great job over there, but it’s one bridge,” said Darling. “There’s just so much potential in our area to only have one. So, we need to get commercial traffic on another bridge.” Asked when the bridge may ready to handle loaded trucks going both north- and southbound, Darling said: “I am shooting for the end of 2018. That is why we want to get the design done and get construction going. We are working on that, state monies, federal monies. They have to get their act together in Washington and set a budget and get some funding (going). We will get it done. TRAVEL DHS-17-0435-A-000022 FOIA CBP 000022 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT 16. Nonstop Seattle to Dublin flights to begin May 2018 (Seattle PI; 4.7M uvm; Seattle WA) Nonstop flights from Seattle to Dublin will start next spring. The Seattle Times reports Irish carrier Aer Lingus said Friday the service will begin May 18, 2018. The service will be provided four times a week. Because Dublin airport has its own U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility, passengers and their luggage will be pre-cleared in Ireland before departure, with no need to go through passport control on arrival in Seattle. This will be the first pre-cleared trans-Atlantic flight to fly into Seattle. Aer Lingus also will provide Seattle passengers connections through Dublin to 24 U.K. and European cities. 17. CBP gives tips for faster entry times during holiday season (KGBT-TV; 298k uvm; Harlingen, TX) … Jolanie Martinez VIDEO: U.S. Customs and Border Protection has tips for international travelers coming to the U.S. during the holiday season. U.S. Customs and Border Protection public information officer Maribel Saenz says the agency is preparing for the large number of shoppers that cross the border during the holiday season, especially after La Plaza Mall’s multi-million dollar expansion. Saenz recommends international travelers to apply online for the I-94 form. “A lot of times since it's holiday season, there is a lot more travelers than usual, so that's why we are encouraging everybody to go online, apply online,” Saenz said. “They can pay for it online, they bring their receipt with them and we finalize it for them here at the port of entry." To finalize the I￾94 process, travelers must present themselves at a port of entry within seven days of their application. Travelers are also encouraged to use their radio frequency identification card to use ready lanes at port of entries. The frequency identification card includes the newer version of the U.S. passport cards, border crossing cards and resident alien card. Saenz says using this method expedites the entry process by 20 percent. “At the window, they will be getting their fingerprints, their picture and a background check to make sure that they qualify for the I-94 and cardboard,” said Saenz. “I-94 will be printed and that's what they will have to present at the checkpoint with their travel documents." CBP’s Border Wait Times app also gives hourly updates on lines at each port of entry. WORKFORCE 18. Law enforcement K-9s compete in Mercedes (Brownsville Herald; 75k uvm; Brownsville, TX) … Cristina M. Garcia Federal and local agencies were rivals Friday during the 3rd annual South Texas Police K-9 Competition held at the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show Grounds in Mercedes. Valley law enforcement agencies and others, along with their K-9s, competed in timed narcotic article and vehicle searches, the obedience and confidence course, and criminal apprehension…If you compete and your dog doesn’t do so well, that motivates you,” Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office K-9 trainer Javier Solis said… U.S. Border Patrol’s K-9, Billy-B, was named top dog in the patrol competition. DHS-17-0435-A-000023 FOIA CBP 000023 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT A Belgian Malinois named Mischa and her handler, Tim Behnke, with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, quickly ran the narcotic article and vehicle searches Friday afternoon. Mischa has stopped more than $1 million worth of drugs from being smuggled into the U.S. during her more than three years as a law enforcement K-9, according Behnke. Behnke and Mischa underwent a seven-week training course in Virginia prior to working together at multiple ports of entry in Brownsville. The two have been a team for three and a half years. “It’s the best job in the world,” Benke said. “Working with an animal is awesome.” Though Behnke didn’t place in the vehicles search competition, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s K-9 Coco and his handler, Michael Hufham, placed third. The U.S. Border Patrol was awarded the Best K-9 Unit, while Lusy with Edinburg CISD Police Department took first in the articles search. 19. CBP AMO Plan Flyover at NASCAR’s Championship Weekend (American Security Today; 45k uvm) VIDEO: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations (AMO) aircrews based at the Miami Air and Marine Branch will perform a flyover during NASCAR’s championship weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway in front of tens of thousands of racing fans. CBP’s Air and Marine Operations agents from air and marine branches and units in Florida and Texas are assisting with security efforts for the event providing real-time aerial video to ground based law enforcement personnel at the incident command center. Air and Marine Operations interdicts unlawful people and cargo approaching U.S. borders, investigates criminal networks and provides domain awareness in the air and maritime environments, and responds to contingencies and national taskings. “We’re a part of this community and honored to serve and protect the public in Greater Miami and the Florida Keys utilizing advanced aeronautical and maritime capabilities,” said Martin Wade, Director of the Miami Air and Marine Branch. “Air and Marine Operations highly-skilled agents are often behind the scenes at high profile events to keep things safe and secure along with local, state and federal law enforcement partners.” OPINION 20. Former DHS Secretary Tom Ridge: No southern border wall needed (CBS Television Network; 26.1 uvm) … Arden Farhi VIDEO: Tom Ridge, the nation's first secretary of Homeland Security, believes the physical border wall President Donald Trump wants to build on the U.S.-Mexico border isn't necessary. "I don't think we need it," Ridge said. "I think there are things we can do with technology that foregoes the need to build a 3,000 mile border [wall] with a neighbor... I prefer presidents that tear down walls rather than build them." Ridge appeared on "The Takeout" podcast with CBS News chief White House correspondent Major Garrett and political director Steve Chaggaris. Despite his criticism of the President, Ridge, a Republican, praised Mr. Trump's pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Kirstjen Nielsen. "This is a woman that's got public and private sector experience. She's been deputy chief of staff to the president now, she was General [John] Kelly's chief of staff [at DHS], she's well DHS-17-0435-A-000024 FOIA CBP 000024 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT versed and worked with the private sector on preparedness issues and cyber security issues and the like." IMMIGRATION 21. Immigrant Who Had Prosthetic Leg Mocked by Trump Officials to Be Freed After 'Inhumane' Detention (Newsweek; 9.4M uvm) … Nicole Rodriguez VIDEO: A 20-year-old disabled immigrant detained for more than a month without being charged was to be freed Friday, but he has been stripped of his Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status. After being detained by Customs and Border Protection (CPB) agents on October 11 as part of a human smuggling investigation, Felipe Abonza-Lopez of San Marcos, Texas, was granted a $7,500 bond and will be released sometime Friday, a legal assistant for Abonza-Lopez’s attorney told Newsweek Friday. Abonza-Lopez has lost his DACA status, which had been set to expire in 2019. It was revoked October 12, when he received a notice to appear in immigration court for deportation proceedings, a spokesperson for Citizenship and Immigration Services (ICE) told Newsweek. 22. Trump Administration Cites MS-13 Arrest to Push Change in Minor Immigrant Law (Daily Signal; 1.1M uvm) … Fred Lucas The Trump administration is pointing to a large federal roundup of members of the violent gang MS-13 as vindication of increased enforcement efforts and reason to change the policy on unaccompanied minor illegal immigrants. The Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security announced a joint effort that led to the arrest of 214 gang members and those involved with gang-related crime…Of the 214, just 16 were U.S. citizens while 198 were foreign nationals. Of the foreign nationals, only five were in the country legally. Among those arrested, 64 entered the country as unaccompanied alien children, but most are now adults, according to the Trump administration. During a press conference Thursday announcing the arrests, Tom Homan, deputy director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, noted the 2008 law on unaccompanied minors does not allow them to be immediately returned to their country of origin. “The agencies sent up a series of policy requests to the Hill to address a lot of issues to further control the border and illegal immigration,” Homan said. “Some of these policies are being exploited and used by criminal organizations. That’s why that’s one of the policy issues we asked Congress to look at and help us with.” 23. UMD files affidavit in federal lawsuit challenging Trump’s latest travel ban (The Diamondback; 35k uvm) … Christine Condon The University of Maryland has filed an affidavit in a federal lawsuit opposing the Trump administration's latest iteration of its travel ban. "Since our students & faculty are impacted by the latest travel ban, #UMD has filed an affidavit in a federal lawsuit in MD challenging the ban's legality," University President Wallace Loh tweeted DHS-17-0435-A-000025 FOIA CBP 000025 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT Friday. The affidavit was filed in a Maryland district court case surrounding the ban. Federal judges in Maryland and Hawaii issued national orders freezing the ban in October. "It is in the interest of the University, as well as in the national interest, to welcome talented persons of all nations to study, teach, and do research in the United States, in order to maintain and improve America's position as a leader in higher education and research," read the statement, signed by Loh Oct. 10. OF INTEREST 24. Trump halts decision to allow elephant trophy imports after uproar (Reuters; 43.6M uvm) …David Shepardson and Eric Beech U.S. President Donald Trump said in a tweet on Friday he is putting a decision to allow imports of elephant trophies on hold after a torrent of criticism from conservation advocates and across social media. Trump’s reversal came hours after his administration released a rule on Friday to allow hunters who kill elephants in Zimbabwe to bring their trophies back to the United States, which had been banned by the Obama administration. “Put big game trophy decision on hold until such time as I review all conservation facts. Under study for years. Will update soon with Secretary Zinke. Thank you!” Trump wrote. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said in a statement that he had spoken with Trump and “both believe that conservation and healthy herds are critical.” He said the “issuing of permits is being put on hold as the decision is being reviewed.” 25. 18-year-old accused of shooting CBP agent in Oakleaf said he would “off” cops, according to investigators (WOKV-FM; 75.1k uvm; Jacksonville, FL) … Stephanie Brown Two months after a Customs and Border Protection Agent was shot in the parking lot of an Oakleaf Publix, new investigative reports are detailing more about the possible motive to the attack. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office believed from early in their investigation that the agent was ambushed because he was law enforcement. The victim was leaving the Publix after grabbing some groceries, when CCSO says 18- year-old Jake Lewis sped up and fired multiple shots, hitting the agent multiple times. Lewis then crashed, and CCSO says he died of a self-inflicted gunshot. The agent who was shot underwent surgery and continues to recover. CBP tells us the “signs are encouraging”, and the agent is expected to return on limited duty in the near future. That agent has spoken with investigators, and the new supplemental reports show he remembers a suspect pointing a gun out of a car and yelling about hating cops, before shooting. SOCIAL MEDIA ANALYSIS OF NOTE The tweet by @DonaldTrumpJr on November 16 titled “First female Border Patrol chief says agents 'empowered' under Trump” is still the most retweeted of the period, with 6.3k retweets, 20k likes and 765 replies to date. DHS-17-0435-A-000026 FOIA CBP 000026 • As mentioned above, the tweet by Adolfo Flores from the account @aflores titled “Immigrant father says the Border Patrol took his infant son and won't tell him where he is” is gaining attention on Twitter and is the second most retweeted tweet to date. The tweet supplies a link to the BuzzFeed article where he is interviewed. The tweet has 327 retweets, 154 likes, and 34 replies to date. The tweet to receive the highest engagement of the period on @CustomsBorder is “RGV sector Border Patrol K9’s lead agents to seize over $6.1 million in narcotics. #KeepingAmericaSafe.” The tweet has received 20 retweets, 55 likes, 6 replies and 180,000 potential impressions to date. The tweet provides a link to the KIII TV news article on the bust. ABOUT THIS REPORT. Articles in this report were published during the 24 hours preceding the report date unless otherwise specified. Dissemination figures and bylines might not be available for all articles. Location is noted for local outlets. DHS-17-0435-A-000027 FOIA CBP 000027 • • From: Media Analyst To: Media Analyst Subject: Daily Media Summary - October 3, 2017 Date: Tuesday, October 03, 2017 6:56:19 AM Attachments: image001.png CBP_Daily Media Summary_100317.pdf The Daily Media Summary (DMS) and the links contained herein are being provided solely as a convenience and to afford CBP officials a broad awareness of the day's traditional, digital and social media coverage of CBP. The views and opinions expressed in the DMS, the sources cited, and the links contained herein do not necessarily represent the opinions, views, policies or positions of the U.S. Government, DHS, CBP or the Office of Public Affairs. Daily Media Summary October 3, 2017 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The latest edition of the Trump Administration’s travel ban had several lawsuits filed on 2 October as detailed in a vastly distributed Associated Press article. One lawsuit concerning the ban was filed by the Iranian Alliance Across Borders against the acting Commissioner of CBP, Kevin McAleenan, and the acting Secretary of Homeland Security, Elaine Duke, among other top officials. NAFTA negotiations continued to make headlines across major media sources such as The Hill as well as in smaller industry publications such as HDT: Heavy Duty Trucking. Top tier media outlets, such as Reuters and Politico, reported on a White House dinner that was said to be hosting Republican lawmakers on the evening of 2 October to discuss immigration and border security policy. The results of the dinner are highly anticipated due to the outcome of a similar dinner with Democrat policymakers hosted a few weeks prior. TOP NEWS 1. Travel ban lawsuits filed by legal center, Muslim advocates (Associated Press) A coalition of Muslim and Iranian-American advocates and a nonpartisan legal institute filed the first lawsuits against the Trump administration's new travel restrictions for citizens of eight countries, including Iran, that were announced late last month. The lawsuits were filed Monday in federal courts in New York and Maryland…. One lawsuit, filed Monday night in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Maryland on behalf of the Iranian Alliance Across Borders and six individuals, argues that restricting travel for citizens of predominantly Muslim countries violates the U.S. Constitution….The Iranian Alliance Across Borders lawsuit is filed against Trump, acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke, acting Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Kevin McAleenan, acting Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services James McCament, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. DHS-17-0435-A-000028 FOIA CBP 000028 • • • 2. NAFTA talks a chance to refit trade for the future (The Hill; 11.9M uvm) … Kevin Self For more than 23 years, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has set the foundation for open, prosperous trade within North America, spurring economic growth and cooperation across three countries while serving as a global model to follow as the largest free trade agreement in the world. …As part of a proposed technological refresh, NAFTA should consider the introductions of IT systems and software within customs and trade facilitation functions to reduce border delays and other negative repercussions on cross-border trade. This includes leveraging today’s available technology to eliminate confusing fees, automating burdensome documentation requirements, streamlining redundant security programs, strengthening inadequate infrastructure, connecting disjointed regulations and minimizing changes to customs regulations without notice. 3. Trump discusses immigration ideas in dinner with Republican lawmakers (Reuters; 43.7M uvm) President Donald Trump is discussing border security and other measures that the White House wants to see included in an immigration bill during a dinner with Republican lawmakers on Monday, an administration official said. Legal authority to close border security “loopholes” and other immigration reform measures were on the agenda for the dinner between Trump and House of Representatives Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, the official said. … The White House dinner could influence the broad principles on immigration reform that Trump’s team is planning to release in the future, the official said. NEWS INDEX HURRICANES 4. The Daily 202: Trump’s tweets make matters worse in Puerto Rico and North Korea (Washington Post; 43.9M uvm) … James Hohmann VIDEO: An instinct to counterpunch often leads Trump to try putting out fires with gasoline. That does not always best serve his, or the country’s, interests. This weekend brought two fresh illustrations that the president may say it best when he says nothing at all. Puerto Ricans were outraged that Trump spent last weekend at war with the National Football League over the national anthem and said nothing about their suffering in the wake of Hurricane Maria. Be careful what you wish for: Trump tweeted 24 times about Puerto Rico on Saturday and Sunday. But most of the messages attacked local leaders, ripped media coverage of the humanitarian disaster as “fake news” and praised the “GREAT JOB” his team is doing. BORDER SECURITY DHS-17-0435-A-000029 FOIA CBP 000029 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT Along U.S. Borders 5. Records: Border Patrol agents detain smuggler and two Chinese citizens in McAllen (KGBT; 297.7k uvm; Harlingen, TX) Border Patrol agents detained two Chinese citizens last week in McAllen after receiving a tip from a concerned citizen. A tipster told agents that Rosa America Tijerina-Richie "was harboring two undocumented aliens of Asian descent at a Super 8 Hotel in McAllen," according to the federal criminal complaint against her. Agents started watching the hotel. 6. 8 undocumented immigrants arrested at N.H. checkpoint, officials say (Concord Monitor; 164.2k uvm; Concord, NH) … Ethan DeWitt U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents reported arresting eight undocumented immigrants from four countries at an Interstate 93 checkpoint in Woodstock last week, the second such operation since August. Of those detained, two had overstayed their visas, according to an agency news release Monday. Detainees hailed from Bulgaria, Guatemala, Ecuador and El Salvador, the agency said. … Along with the undocumented immigrants, border patrol agents reported seizing 71 grams of marijuana, 297 grams of marijuana edibles and 5 ounces of hash oil. The release did not specify whether the drugs were taken from U.S. citizens or undocumented immigrants. … But Chief Patrol Agent John Pfeifer, of the Swanton Sector station in Vermont – which oversees the New Hampshire checkpoint – called it a valuable tool. “Swanton Sector utilizes inspection checkpoints as part of our defense-in-depth strategy” he said in a statement. “U.S. Border Patrol checkpoints are part of an intricate, multi-faceted strategic plan focusing on information, integration and rapid response capabilities, which aid in border security.” 7. Orange County, California, is ICE’s island of support in sanctuary state (The Center for Investigative Reporting; 123.5k uvm) One day in May, Jeremias Estrada left his wife behind in Mexico and crossed the international bridge from Tijuana to the San Ysidro port of entry in San Diego. Estrada walked right into the hands of the U.S. Border Patrol, just as he’d planned, and requested asylum. Estrada was one of dozens of asylum seekers to cross that day. They arrived as a group to avoid being turned away by border agents on the bridge, a violation of international law that has become increasingly common since Donald Trump became president. Last year, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement might have let Estrada live in freedom until his date with a judge. But under Trump, ICE has been placing far more asylum seekers in detention. 8. Border Patrol Rescues Illegal Immigrants Crammed into After-Market Compartment of Chevy Suburban (San Angelo Live!; 95.6k uvm) … Joe Hyde U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Carrizo Springs Station arrested a man attempting to smuggle three people inside an after-market vehicle compartment, with only inches DHS-17-0435-A-000030 FOIA CBP 000030 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT of room. “Smuggling organizations continually disregard human safety in the cowardly pursuit of profit,” said Acting Chief Patrol Agent Matthew J. Hudak, Del Rio Sector. “Thanks to the vigilance of our agents, this life-threatening situation was successfully resolved.” 9. Customs and Border Protection’s IT hurts its ability to secure the border, IG say (FedScoop; 57k uvm) … Tajha Chappellet-Lanier In an era of travel bans and extreme vetting, a Department of Homeland Security inspector general’s report released last week suggests some key border insecurities are a bit more basic — stemming from Customs and Border Protection’s IT weaknesses. “CBP’s IT systems and infrastructure did not fully support its border security objective of preventing the entry of inadmissible aliens to the country,” the report states. “The slow performance of a critical pre-screening system greatly reduced Office of Field Operations officers’ ability to identify any passengers who may represent concerns, including national security threats.” Additionally, the report says, “frequent” system outages mean officers at international airports find themselves relying on backup systems that are weaker when it comes to identifying travelers. “System challenges caused passenger delays and prompted the need to use backup screening methods that did not provide the same level of assurance for vetting passengers prior to entry into the United States,” the report states. … “Users told us that within the legacy environment, system response times and ease of navigation allowed them to complete pre-screening checks fairly effectively,” the report states. “However, the legacy environment was outdated and no longer supportable; therefore, CBP had to undertake efforts to modernize. OFO officers we interviewed stated they experienced poor system performance after switching to the modernized environment.” 10. Border patrol rescues 1, finds skeletal remains (KZTV; 39.7k uvm; Corpus Christi, TX) U.S. Border Patrol agents rescue a lost subject and discover human skeletal remains. On Sunday, October 1, 2017, the Brooks County Sheriff's Office alerted Falfurrias agents of a distressed 911 caller who was lost near Encino, Texas. Agents responded to the last known GPS coordinates of the phone call and rescued a single female that had been abandoned by her smuggler. Agents provided basic medical care for the subject. 11. Memo To Border Patrol Agents: What To Do With DACA Recipients At Checkpoints (RGV Proud; 18.5k uvm; Browsnville, TX) … Jose Saenz VIDEO: In early September U.S. Border Patrol officials sent a memo to agents at the checkpoints. The memo that gives them guidance on what to do when they encounter a DACA recipient. For several immigration lawyers across the valley, that information was very alarming. Immigration Attorney Norma Sepulveda said, "They'll do a records check and if they find any derogatory information, or any kind of issue that may bring DHS-17-0435-A-000031 FOIA CBP 000031 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT concern to this border patrol officer, that maybe USCIS should not have granted their status. They now have the authority to contact USCIS directly and to determine whether to terminate DACA status immediately upon that conversation." … Sepulveda urges DACA recipients to meet with their lawyer before making any travel plans... She says, every agent will have different judgement. "To give that kind of power to a border patrol agent... to terminate their status immediately, that's a lot of power. That's a lot of power, and in the wrong hands can go a wrong way.” Added Sepulveda BORDER WALL 12. Work Progressing On Mexico Border Wall Protoypes (KPBS; 277.8k uvm; San Diego, CA) … Erik Anderson Construction crews are already building some of the border wall prototypes along the U.S.-Mexico border near San Diego. A construction crew used a crane to hoist a 30- foot tall border fence section into place just a few dozen feet north of Mexico. The operation took less than 20 minutes. Another piece of the structure was already waiting on a flatbed truck brought to this location just east of San Diego's Brown Field. The demonstration project is part of the Trump Administration's plan to replace and install walls between Mexico and the United States. TRADE 13. All foods labeled organic aren't necessarily the same; suspicions raised over imports (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; 4.8M uvm) … Rick Barrett VIDEO: One of the biggest threats to U.S. organic farming, those in the industry say, comes from products labeled “organic” but aren’t the real deal. In September, for instance, an inspector general audit from the U.S. Department of Agriculture noted that safeguards for consumers were lacking for products coming from overseas. The audit also said some imported organic produce shipments were fumigated with pesticides at the border, in violation of organic standards. 14. Fossil Fuel Companies Prepare to Square Off with Trump Over NAFTA (Triple Pundit; 436k uvm) … Jan Lee For U.S. oil and gas companies, the contentious North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) negotiations couldn’t come at a worse time. Mexico’s privatization of its energy sector is moving along speedily. Opportunities for private foreign investment, for the first time in more than a half-decade, are swelling. In July 2017, Mexico launched a liberalized natural gas market, following the example of European and South American countries that have historically relied on cautious federal control of oil and gas investment and production. For Mexico, which announced its plan to open its oil fields to foreign investors in 2013, the switch represents unparalleled “accelerated growth for a country with massive oil and gas resources, excellent infrastructure, a transparent investment framework,” says Steve DHS-17-0435-A-000032 FOIA CBP 000032 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT Hanson, CEO for International Frontier Resources Corp., one of the companies that is currently eyeing investment in Mexico. “In short, it is the largest energy opportunity in the world today — and the door has just been opened.” There’s just one potential impediment to those successful U.S. investments. President Trump. 15. ATA: Keep NAFTA’s Mexican Truck Proviso to Curb Border Congestion (HDT: Heavy Duty Trucking; 156.2k uvm) … David Cullen In no uncertain terms, the American Trucking Associations has made it clear it continues to support the provision within the North American Free Trade Agreement that allows approved Mexico-based motor carriers to operate in the U.S. ATA Chief Economist and Senior Vice President Robert Costello stated in a Sept. 29 letter to United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer that the trucking lobby supports the Mexican truck program because it has helped reduce congestion at U.S.-Mexico ports of entry. “Congestion increases without NAFTA’s trucking provisions because trailers often return empty after delivering freight across the border,” he wrote. “Sometimes ‘Bobtails’ (tractors without trailers) deliver a trailer only one-way across the border and return solo; and, bobtails and empties are also required to be inspected at the port of entry just like loaded trailers.” TRAVEL 16. First Travel Ban Order Left Officials Confused, Documents Show (New York Times; 29.9M uvm) … Matt Stevens It took nearly two hours from when President Trump signed his first attempt at a travel ban for the head of United States Customs and Border Protection to get an official version of the president’s executive order. … Michael Friel, a spokesman for Customs and Border Protection, said he was not authorized to speak about specific internal correspondence. Speaking generally about policies and procedures, he said, “We have real-time information and intelligence that arise, and this organization is very experienced with adapting on a dime.” When an order comes down, he said, “there is an implementation that occurs, and with any implementation you’re going to need to coordinate it and communicate about it.” … At 5:24 p.m., about 40 minutes after Mr. Trump signed the order, Kevin McAleenan, the acting commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, asked in an email whether the agency had official confirmation it had been signed. “Any way I can get the latest version electronically?” he asked in an email to several officials. A minute later, an official replied, “they really need the signed version to assist in execution.” At 6:32 p.m., Mr. McAleenan received the final version. … Emails detail the back and forth between officials as they tried to figure out whether the order was applicable to green card holders. Soon after Mr. McAleenan got the signed order, he asked about that issue. WORKFORCE 17. Discussion of hiring a legal consultant for Ohio University's international students continues (The Post Athens; Athens, OH) … Julia Evertsy DHS-17-0435-A-000033 FOIA CBP 000033 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT “President Obama was directed by regulation to hire a certain number of U.S. (Customs and Border Protection agents)," Robinson said. "The number, by law, he fell short of that number by seven or eight thousand people. Under his administration, he just could not find enough qualified people.” Robinson also said the Trump administration has required more Customs and Border Protections agents than Obama's administration. “(Trump is) no longer subjecting these agents to a lie detector test, no longer checking if they are susceptible to corruption, or really any other previously disqualifying event in the past,” he said. With standards lowering for those positions, Robinson warned students about changes that international students should expect, including attacks on the H1B visa program, or the “work force” of immigration, as well as attempts to create a quantitative immigration system. That system could “cap immigration on historic levels,” according to Robinson. OPINION 18. Letters: Oct. 3, 2017: Concerned About Cuts (Press Republican; 188.4k uvm; Plattsburgh, NY) … Jamey A. Goheens TO THE EDITOR: In my role as president of Chapter 138 of the National Treasury Employees Union, I represent a group of middle-class Americans who are proud to work for the U.S. government but are concerned about some of the talk in Washington about budget cuts. Many of us chose to work for the government because of the professional challenge and the opportunity to serve the public, sometimes at salaries lower than we could receive in the private sector. Part of that decision was to work in exchange for a modest retirement provided by the Federal Employees Retirement System. The system is fully funded and financially sound. … The members of Chapter 138 who work in Customs and Border Protection urge Congress to respect that compact and allow federal employees to retire with the security they have been promised. OF INTEREST 19. Trump to talk immigration with Republicans at White House dinner (Politico; 23.9M uvm) … Seung Min Kim and John Bresnahan President Donald Trump will dine Monday night with several influential Republican lawmakers who play a major role on immigration policy, according to multiple sources. Attending the dinner at the White House are House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas), House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), and Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and David Perdue (R-Ga.), according to two people familiar with the invite list. … During a similar dinner last month with Democratic leaders, Trump agreed to a deal to enact the Dream Act into law in exchange for modest border security measures that did not include a wall along the southern border, according to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. The conversation at Monday night’s dinner with Republicans is sure to be different. DHS-17-0435-A-000034 FOIA CBP 000034 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT 20. How Mexico Deals with Trump (The New Yorker; 19.1M uvm) … Jon Lee Anderson Trump began his assault on Mexico almost as soon as he announced his candidacy for President. In a rambling speech at Trump Tower on June 16, 2015, he blamed Mexico for stealing American jobs, and for allowing its worst elements to cross the border: “They’re bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime, they’re rapists.” To solve the problem, he pledged, “I will build a great, great wall on our southern border. And I will have Mexico pay for that wall.” These ideas proved popular with Trump supporters, and rants about Mexico were soon a regular feature of his campaign events. … Videgaray pointed out that Mexico had its own concerns about migrants and drugs crossing its southern border; he agreed with Kushner that updating nafta’s provisions could be a “win-win” for their countries. … Videgaray, though, has often been made to remember that Trump campaigned on a promise of America First. Soon after the Inauguration, he and Mexico’s economy secretary, Ildefonso Guajardo, flew to Washington to meet their new counterparts. Not long after they landed, they learned that Trump had issued one of his first executive orders, calling for the construction of the border wall. 21. 2,000 Miles Of Yarn To Make Up Border Wall Exhibit At Smart Museum Of Art (DNA Info; 324.5k uvm) … Sam Cholke The Smart Museum of Art has collected more than 1,000 miles of yarn knitted into blankets. It needs 1,000 miles more. The museum is collecting so much yarn to reach 2,000 miles, the length of President Donald Trump’s proposed border wall, as part of its first exhibit under the museum’s new director. Alison Gass started as the new director of the museum, 5550 S. Greenwood Ave., in May and one of her first major projects was to bring in artist and designer Jayna Zweiman. Zweiman created the Pussyhat Project and became known nationwide when the knit pink hat became the symbol of the Women’s March. Zweiman has tapped back into that network of knitters and crafters to try to create blankets from 1,989 miles of yarn, the distance of President Trump’s proposed border wall, and then give those blankets out to refugee families coming to the United States. 22. 20-year-old man faces federal drug charges after 100 kilos of meth found (The Monitor; 188k uvm; McAllen, TX) ... Lorenzo Zazueta-Castro A 20-year-old man faces federal drug charges after nearly 100 kilos of methamphetamine was found inside his father's tractor trailer. According to court records, Homeland Security Investigations special agents arrested Guillermo Calderon Jr. of McAllen last month after he admitted to playing a role in a meth smuggling operation. … On that day, authorities with U.S. Customs and Border Protection notified HSI agents that a tractor trailer bearing Mexican plates possibly had an undisclosed amount of narcotics stashed within, and that they should keep an eye on it after they allowed it to cross into the U.S., records show. 23. Ex-Border Protection Officer Sentenced to Probation DHS-17-0435-A-000035 FOIA CBP 000035 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT (Times of San Diego; 160k uvm) … Hoa Quach A former U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer at the Calexico West port of entry, who lied on his background investigation questionnaire about his 2009 arrest for shoplifting, was sentenced in San Diego Monday to probation and ordered to complete 40 days at a halfway house and 200 hours of community service. Eric Alfonso Marquez, 37, who was employed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection from 2009 until he was fired this year, was arrested with his wife on Aug. 9. 2009, on suspicion of shoplifting at the Burlington Coat Factory store in El Centro. Marquez was convicted in May of making a false statement on the background questionnaire stemming from his shoplifting arrest. 24. California congressman requests pardons for Ramos and Compean (Sonoran News; 48.9k uvm; Cave Creek, AZ) On Sept. 22, U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., sent a letter to President Donald Trump to bring his attention to the pardon requests for two former Border Patrol agents, Ignacio “Nacho” Ramos, Jr. and Jose Compean, currently awaiting review at the Department of Justice in the Office of the Pardon Attorney. Ramos and Compean were sentenced in 2006 to mandatory prison sentences of 11 and 12 years, respectively, for an incident that involved the shooting of illegal alien drug smuggler they were pursuing. 25. DHS S&T Project Aims to Repurpose Analytic Tools for Border Security Operations (ExecutiveGov; 20.5k uvm) … Scott Nicholas The Department of Homeland Security‘s science and technology directorate has launched a new project to repurpose, modify or integrate existing commercial and government analytic tools into border security platforms. … “By developing these capabilities… we will be ready to fully exploit the robust commercial satellite constellations when it is realized in the coming years,” said Jon McEntee, acting director of the S&T borders and maritime security division within the Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency. 26. UW Center for Human Rights studies law enforcement collaboration with federal agencies on immigration (University of Washington News) … Peter Kelley Cities and counties concerned about immigrant rights should closely examine law enforcement’s collaboration with federal immigration authorities — and the role a for￾profit company has in drafting language used in many law enforcement policy manuals — according to a new report from the University of Washington’s Center for Human Rights. The center, in the Jackson School of International Studies, has released the first in a series of research memos under an initiative called Human Rights at Home, which seeks to “strengthen the work of frontline human rights organizations in Washington state.” The memo, first in a planned series, is titled “Don’t Ask, Do Tell: Local Law Enforcement Collaboration with ICE/CBP.” It notes the DHS-17-0435-A-000036 FOIA CBP 000036 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT center’s (thus far unanswered) requests for information from Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — about immigration enforcement in Washington state. 27. DHS Plan to Search Immigrants’ Social Media Affects All Citizens (Best VPN) … Ray Walsh Privacy advocates have condemned the US Department of Homeland Security’s plans to begin using social media entries to assess immigrants. Concerns are being raised that the oppressive policy will severely hamper people’s ability to communicate freely online without fear of repercussions. … The EFF states quite clearly that: “DHS should stop subjecting law-abiding immigrants to social media surveillance.” Unfortunately, if recent actions by US Customs and Border Protection are anything to go by (they have been ramping up stop and search activities that force people to hand over digital devices and passwords, for example), the DHS is unlikely to cease these invasive practices. SOCIAL MEDIA ANALYSIS OF NOTE Relief efforts in Puerto Rico continued to be a popular topic of discussion on the social media platform, Twitter. Approximately 15% of tweets directed at the CBP Twitter account contained the words Puerto Rico. The agency’s tweet on the seizure of $3M+ worth of crystal methamphetamine garnered the highest engagement of the account for the day with 28 retweets, 66 likes and 4 comments. Interestingly, @CustomsBorder was included in many tweets concerning the recent mass shooting in Las Vegas and was the most significant topic for the agency on Twitter. ABOUT THIS REPORT. Articles in this report were published during the 24 hours preceding the report date unless otherwise specified. Dissemination figures and bylines might not be available for all articles. Location is noted for local outlets. DHS-17-0435-A-000037 FOIA CBP 000037 • • • DHS-17-0435-A-000038 FOIA CBP 000038 C p ( Fo seize arl , 1 · . , rth ore tha Ke e ic ·1 f The Daily Media Summary (DMS) and the links contained herein are being provided solely as a convenience and to afford CBP officials a broad awareness of the day's traditional, digital and social media coverage of CBP. The views and opinions expressed in the DMS, the sources cited, and the links contained herein do not necessarily represent the opinions, views, policies or positions of the U.S. Government, DHS, CBP or the Office of Public Affairs. Daily Media Summary October 3, 2017 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY • The latest edition of the Trump Administration’s travel ban had several lawsuits filed on 2 October as detailed in a vastly distributed Associated Press article. One lawsuit concerning the ban was filed by the Iranian Alliance Across Borders against the acting Commissioner of CBP, Kevin McAleenan, and the acting Secretary of Homeland Security, Elaine Duke, among other top officials. • NAFTA negotiations continued to make headlines across major media sources such as The Hill as well as in smaller industry publications such as HDT: Heavy Duty Trucking. • Top tier media outlets, such as Reuters and Politico, reported on a White House dinner that was said to be hosting Republican lawmakers on the evening of 2 October to discuss immigration and border security policy. The results of the dinner are highly anticipated due to the outcome of a similar dinner with Democrat policymakers hosted a few weeks prior. TOP NEWS 1. Travel ban lawsuits filed by legal center, Muslim advocates (Associated Press) A coalition of Muslim and Iranian-American advocates and a nonpartisan legal institute filed the first lawsuits against the Trump administration's new travel restrictions for citizens of eight countries, including Iran, that were announced late last month. The lawsuits were filed Monday in federal courts in New York and Maryland…. One lawsuit, filed Monday night in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Maryland on behalf of the Iranian Alliance Across Borders and six individuals, argues that restricting travel for citizens of predominantly Muslim countries violates the U.S. Constitution….The Iranian Alliance Across Borders lawsuit is filed against Trump, acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke, acting Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Kevin McAleenan, acting Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services James McCament, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. 2. NAFTA talks a chance to refit trade for the future (The Hill; 11.9M uvm) … Kevin Self For more than 23 years, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has set the foundation for open, prosperous trade within North America, spurring economic DHS-17-0435-A-000039 FOIA CBP 000039 OVERSIGHT growth and cooperation across three countries while serving as a global model to follow as the largest free trade agreement in the world. …As part of a proposed technological refresh, NAFTA should consider the introductions of IT systems and software within customs and trade facilitation functions to reduce border delays and other negative repercussions on cross-border trade. This includes leveraging today’s available technology to eliminate confusing fees, automating burdensome documentation requirements, streamlining redundant security programs, strengthening inadequate infrastructure, connecting disjointed regulations and minimizing changes to customs regulations without notice. 3. Trump discusses immigration ideas in dinner with Republican lawmakers (Reuters; 43.7M uvm) President Donald Trump is discussing border security and other measures that the White House wants to see included in an immigration bill during a dinner with Republican lawmakers on Monday, an administration official said. Legal authority to close border security “loopholes” and other immigration reform measures were on the agenda for the dinner between Trump and House of Representatives Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, the official said. … The White House dinner could influence the broad principles on immigration reform that Trump’s team is planning to release in the future, the official said. NEWS INDEX HURRICANES 4. The Daily 202: Trump’s tweets make matters worse in Puerto Rico and North Korea (Washington Post; 43.9M uvm) … James Hohmann VIDEO: An instinct to counterpunch often leads Trump to try putting out fires with gasoline. That does not always best serve his, or the country’s, interests. This weekend brought two fresh illustrations that the president may say it best when he says nothing at all. Puerto Ricans were outraged that Trump spent last weekend at war with the National Football League over the national anthem and said nothing about their suffering in the wake of Hurricane Maria. Be careful what you wish for: Trump tweeted 24 times about Puerto Rico on Saturday and Sunday. But most of the messages attacked local leaders, ripped media coverage of the humanitarian disaster as “fake news” and praised the “GREAT JOB” his team is doing. BORDER SECURITY Along U.S. Borders 5. Records: Border Patrol agents detain smuggler and two Chinese citizens in McAllen DHS-17-0435-A-000040 FOIA CBP 000040 OVERSIGHT (KGBT; 297.7k uvm; Harlingen, TX) Border Patrol agents detained two Chinese citizens last week in McAllen after receiving a tip from a concerned citizen. A tipster told agents that Rosa America Tijerina-Richie "was harboring two undocumented aliens of Asian descent at a Super 8 Hotel in McAllen," according to the federal criminal complaint against her. Agents started watching the hotel. 6. 8 undocumented immigrants arrested at N.H. checkpoint, officials say (Concord Monitor; 164.2k uvm; Concord, NH) … Ethan DeWitt U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents reported arresting eight undocumented immigrants from four countries at an Interstate 93 checkpoint in Woodstock last week, the second such operation since August. Of those detained, two had overstayed their visas, according to an agency news release Monday. Detainees hailed from Bulgaria, Guatemala, Ecuador and El Salvador, the agency said. … Along with the undocumented immigrants, border patrol agents reported seizing 71 grams of marijuana, 297 grams of marijuana edibles and 5 ounces of hash oil. The release did not specify whether the drugs were taken from U.S. citizens or undocumented immigrants. … But Chief Patrol Agent John Pfeifer, of the Swanton Sector station in Vermont – which oversees the New Hampshire checkpoint – called it a valuable tool. “Swanton Sector utilizes inspection checkpoints as part of our defense-in-depth strategy” he said in a statement. “U.S. Border Patrol checkpoints are part of an intricate, multi-faceted strategic plan focusing on information, integration and rapid response capabilities, which aid in border security.” 7. Orange County, California, is ICE’s island of support in sanctuary state (The Center for Investigative Reporting; 123.5k uvm) One day in May, Jeremias Estrada left his wife behind in Mexico and crossed the international bridge from Tijuana to the San Ysidro port of entry in San Diego. Estrada walked right into the hands of the U.S. Border Patrol, just as he’d planned, and requested asylum. Estrada was one of dozens of asylum seekers to cross that day. They arrived as a group to avoid being turned away by border agents on the bridge, a violation of international law that has become increasingly common since Donald Trump became president. Last year, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement might have let Estrada live in freedom until his date with a judge. But under Trump, ICE has been placing far more asylum seekers in detention. 8. Border Patrol Rescues Illegal Immigrants Crammed into After-Market Compartment of Chevy Suburban (San Angelo Live!; 95.6k uvm) … Joe Hyde U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Carrizo Springs Station arrested a man attempting to smuggle three people inside an after-market vehicle compartment, with only inches of room. “Smuggling organizations continually disregard human safety in the cowardly DHS-17-0435-A-000041 FOIA CBP 000041 OVERSIGHT pursuit of profit,” said Acting Chief Patrol Agent Matthew J. Hudak, Del Rio Sector. “Thanks to the vigilance of our agents, this life-threatening situation was successfully resolved.” 9. Customs and Border Protection’s IT hurts its ability to secure the border, IG say (FedScoop; 57k uvm) … Tajha Chappellet-Lanier In an era of travel bans and extreme vetting, a Department of Homeland Security inspector general’s report released last week suggests some key border insecurities are a bit more basic — stemming from Customs and Border Protection’s IT weaknesses. “CBP’s IT systems and infrastructure did not fully support its border security objective of preventing the entry of inadmissible aliens to the country,” the report states. “The slow performance of a critical pre-screening system greatly reduced Office of Field Operations officers’ ability to identify any passengers who may represent concerns, including national security threats.” Additionally, the report says, “frequent” system outages mean officers at international airports find themselves relying on backup systems that are weaker when it comes to identifying travelers. “System challenges caused passenger delays and prompted the need to use backup screening methods that did not provide the same level of assurance for vetting passengers prior to entry into the United States,” the report states. … “Users told us that within the legacy environment, system response times and ease of navigation allowed them to complete pre-screening checks fairly effectively,” the report states. “However, the legacy environment was outdated and no longer supportable; therefore, CBP had to undertake efforts to modernize. OFO officers we interviewed stated they experienced poor system performance after switching to the modernized environment.” 10.Border patrol rescues 1, finds skeletal remains (KZTV; 39.7k uvm; Corpus Christi, TX) U.S. Border Patrol agents rescue a lost subject and discover human skeletal remains. On Sunday, October 1, 2017, the Brooks County Sheriff's Office alerted Falfurrias agents of a distressed 911 caller who was lost near Encino, Texas. Agents responded to the last known GPS coordinates of the phone call and rescued a single female that had been abandoned by her smuggler. Agents provided basic medical care for the subject. 11.Memo To Border Patrol Agents: What To Do With DACA Recipients At Checkpoints (RGV Proud; 18.5k uvm; Browsnville, TX) … Jose Saenz VIDEO: In early September U.S. Border Patrol officials sent a memo to agents at the checkpoints. The memo that gives them guidance on what to do when they encounter a DACA recipient. For several immigration lawyers across the valley, that information was very alarming. Immigration Attorney Norma Sepulveda said, "They'll do a records check and if they find any derogatory information, or any kind of issue that may bring concern DHS-17-0435-A-000042 FOIA CBP 000042 OVERSIGHT to this border patrol officer, that maybe USCIS should not have granted their status. They now have the authority to contact USCIS directly and to determine whether to terminate DACA status immediately upon that conversation." … Sepulveda urges DACA recipients to meet with their lawyer before making any travel plans... She says, every agent will have different judgement. "To give that kind of power to a border patrol agent... to terminate their status immediately, that's a lot of power. That's a lot of power, and in the wrong hands can go a wrong way.” Added Sepulveda BORDER WALL 12.Work Progressing On Mexico Border Wall Protoypes (KPBS; 277.8k uvm; San Diego, CA) … Erik Anderson Construction crews are already building some of the border wall prototypes along the U.S.-Mexico border near San Diego. A construction crew used a crane to hoist a 30-foot tall border fence section into place just a few dozen feet north of Mexico. The operation took less than 20 minutes. Another piece of the structure was already waiting on a flatbed truck brought to this location just east of San Diego's Brown Field. The demonstration project is part of the Trump Administration's plan to replace and install walls between Mexico and the United States. TRADE 13.All foods labeled organic aren't necessarily the same; suspicions raised over imports (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; 4.8M uvm) … Rick Barrett VIDEO: One of the biggest threats to U.S. organic farming, those in the industry say, comes from products labeled “organic” but aren’t the real deal. In September, for instance, an inspector general audit from the U.S. Department of Agriculture noted that safeguards for consumers were lacking for products coming from overseas. The audit also said some imported organic produce shipments were fumigated with pesticides at the border, in violation of organic standards. 14.Fossil Fuel Companies Prepare to Square Off with Trump Over NAFTA (Triple Pundit; 436k uvm) … Jan Lee For U.S. oil and gas companies, the contentious North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) negotiations couldn’t come at a worse time. Mexico’s privatization of its energy sector is moving along speedily. Opportunities for private foreign investment, for the first time in more than a half-decade, are swelling. In July 2017, Mexico launched a liberalized natural gas market, following the example of European and South American countries that have historically relied on cautious federal control of oil and gas investment and production. For Mexico, which announced its plan to open its oil fields to foreign investors in 2013, the switch represents unparalleled “accelerated growth for a country with massive oil and gas resources, excellent infrastructure, a transparent investment framework,” says Steve Hanson, CEO for International Frontier Resources DHS-17-0435-A-000043 FOIA CBP 000043 OVERSIGHT Corp., one of the companies that is currently eyeing investment in Mexico. “In short, it is the largest energy opportunity in the world today — and the door has just been opened.” There’s just one potential impediment to those successful U.S. investments. President Trump. 15.ATA: Keep NAFTA’s Mexican Truck Proviso to Curb Border Congestion (HDT: Heavy Duty Trucking; 156.2k uvm) … David Cullen In no uncertain terms, the American Trucking Associations has made it clear it continues to support the provision within the North American Free Trade Agreement that allows approved Mexico-based motor carriers to operate in the U.S. ATA Chief Economist and Senior Vice President Robert Costello stated in a Sept. 29 letter to United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer that the trucking lobby supports the Mexican truck program because it has helped reduce congestion at U.S.-Mexico ports of entry. “Congestion increases without NAFTA’s trucking provisions because trailers often return empty after delivering freight across the border,” he wrote. “Sometimes ‘Bobtails’ (tractors without trailers) deliver a trailer only one-way across the border and return solo; and, bobtails and empties are also required to be inspected at the port of entry just like loaded trailers.” TRAVEL 16.First Travel Ban Order Left Officials Confused, Documents Show (New York Times; 29.9M uvm) … Matt Stevens It took nearly two hours from when President Trump signed his first attempt at a travel ban for the head of United States Customs and Border Protection to get an official version of the president’s executive order. … Michael Friel, a spokesman for Customs and Border Protection, said he was not authorized to speak about specific internal correspondence. Speaking generally about policies and procedures, he said, “We have real-time information and intelligence that arise, and this organization is very experienced with adapting on a dime.” When an order comes down, he said, “there is an implementation that occurs, and with any implementation you’re going to need to coordinate it and communicate about it.” … At 5:24 p.m., about 40 minutes after Mr. Trump signed the order, Kevin McAleenan, the acting commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, asked in an email whether the agency had official confirmation it had been signed. “Any way I can get the latest version electronically?” he asked in an email to several officials. A minute later, an official replied, “they really need the signed version to assist in execution.” At 6:32 p.m., Mr. McAleenan received the final version. … Emails detail the back and forth between officials as they tried to figure out whether the order was applicable to green card holders. Soon after Mr. McAleenan got the signed order, he asked about that issue. WORKFORCE 17. Discussion of hiring a legal consultant for Ohio University's international students continues DHS-17-0435-A-000044 FOIA CBP 000044 OVERSIGHT (The Post Athens; Athens, OH) … Julia Evertsy “President Obama was directed by regulation to hire a certain number of U.S. (Customs and Border Protection agents)," Robinson said. "The number, by law, he fell short of that number by seven or eight thousand people. Under his administration, he just could not find enough qualified people.” Robinson also said the Trump administration has required more Customs and Border Protections agents than Obama's administration. “(Trump is) no longer subjecting these agents to a lie detector test, no longer checking if they are susceptible to corruption, or really any other previously disqualifying event in the past,” he said. With standards lowering for those positions, Robinson warned students about changes that international students should expect, including attacks on the H1B visa program, or the “work force” of immigration, as well as attempts to create a quantitative immigration system. That system could “cap immigration on historic levels,” according to Robinson. OPINION 18.Letters: Oct. 3, 2017: Concerned About Cuts (Press Republican; 188.4k uvm; Plattsburgh, NY) … Jamey A. Goheens TO THE EDITOR: In my role as president of Chapter 138 of the National Treasury Employees Union, I represent a group of middle-class Americans who are proud to work for the U.S. government but are concerned about some of the talk in Washington about budget cuts. Many of us chose to work for the government because of the professional challenge and the opportunity to serve the public, sometimes at salaries lower than we could receive in the private sector. Part of that decision was to work in exchange for a modest retirement provided by the Federal Employees Retirement System. The system is fully funded and financially sound. … The members of Chapter 138 who work in Customs and Border Protection urge Congress to respect that compact and allow federal employees to retire with the security they have been promised. OF INTEREST 19.Trump to talk immigration with Republicans at White House dinner (Politico; 23.9M uvm) … Seung Min Kim and John Bresnahan President Donald Trump will dine Monday night with several influential Republican lawmakers who play a major role on immigration policy, according to multiple sources. Attending the dinner at the White House are House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R￾Calif.), Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas), House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), and Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and David Perdue (R￾Ga.), according to two people familiar with the invite list. … During a similar dinner last month with Democratic leaders, Trump agreed to a deal to enact the Dream Act into law in exchange for modest border security measures that did not include a wall along the southern border, according to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. The conversation at Monday night’s dinner with Republicans is sure to be different. DHS-17-0435-A-000045 FOIA CBP 000045 OVERSIGHT 20.How Mexico Deals with Trump (The New Yorker; 19.1M uvm) … Jon Lee Anderson Trump began his assault on Mexico almost as soon as he announced his candidacy for President. In a rambling speech at Trump Tower on June 16, 2015, he blamed Mexico for stealing American jobs, and for allowing its worst elements to cross the border: “They’re bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime, they’re rapists.” To solve the problem, he pledged, “I will build a great, great wall on our southern border. And I will have Mexico pay for that wall.” These ideas proved popular with Trump supporters, and rants about Mexico were soon a regular feature of his campaign events. … Videgaray pointed out that Mexico had its own concerns about migrants and drugs crossing its southern border; he agreed with Kushner that updating nafta’s provisions could be a “win-win” for their countries. … Videgaray, though, has often been made to remember that Trump campaigned on a promise of America First. Soon after the Inauguration, he and Mexico’s economy secretary, Ildefonso Guajardo, flew to Washington to meet their new counterparts. Not long after they landed, they learned that Trump had issued one of his first executive orders, calling for the construction of the border wall. 21.2,000 Miles Of Yarn To Make Up Border Wall Exhibit At Smart Museum Of Art (DNA Info; 324.5k uvm) … Sam Cholke The Smart Museum of Art has collected more than 1,000 miles of yarn knitted into blankets. It needs 1,000 miles more. The museum is collecting so much yarn to reach 2,000 miles, the length of President Donald Trump’s proposed border wall, as part of its first exhibit under the museum’s new director. Alison Gass started as the new director of the museum, 5550 S. Greenwood Ave., in May and one of her first major projects was to bring in artist and designer Jayna Zweiman. Zweiman created the Pussyhat Project and became known nationwide when the knit pink hat became the symbol of the Women’s March. Zweiman has tapped back into that network of knitters and crafters to try to create blankets from 1,989 miles of yarn, the distance of President Trump’s proposed border wall, and then give those blankets out to refugee families coming to the United States. 22.20-year-old man faces federal drug charges after 100 kilos of meth found (The Monitor; 188k uvm; McAllen, TX) ... Lorenzo Zazueta-Castro A 20-year-old man faces federal drug charges after nearly 100 kilos of methamphetamine was found inside his father's tractor trailer. According to court records, Homeland Security Investigations special agents arrested Guillermo Calderon Jr. of McAllen last month after he admitted to playing a role in a meth smuggling operation. … On that day, authorities with U.S. Customs and Border Protection notified HSI agents that a tractor trailer bearing Mexican plates possibly had an undisclosed amount of narcotics stashed within, and that they should keep an eye on it after they allowed it to cross into the U.S., records show. DHS-17-0435-A-000046 FOIA CBP 000046 OVERSIGHT 23.Ex-Border Protection Officer Sentenced to Probation (Times of San Diego; 160k uvm) … Hoa Quach A former U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer at the Calexico West port of entry, who lied on his background investigation questionnaire about his 2009 arrest for shoplifting, was sentenced in San Diego Monday to probation and ordered to complete 40 days at a halfway house and 200 hours of community service. Eric Alfonso Marquez, 37, who was employed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection from 2009 until he was fired this year, was arrested with his wife on Aug. 9. 2009, on suspicion of shoplifting at the Burlington Coat Factory store in El Centro. Marquez was convicted in May of making a false statement on the background questionnaire stemming from his shoplifting arrest. 24.California congressman requests pardons for Ramos and Compean (Sonoran News; 48.9k uvm; Cave Creek, AZ) On Sept. 22, U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., sent a letter to President Donald Trump to bring his attention to the pardon requests for two former Border Patrol agents, Ignacio “Nacho” Ramos, Jr. and Jose Compean, currently awaiting review at the Department of Justice in the Office of the Pardon Attorney. Ramos and Compean were sentenced in 2006 to mandatory prison sentences of 11 and 12 years, respectively, for an incident that involved the shooting of illegal alien drug smuggler they were pursuing. 25.DHS S&T Project Aims to Repurpose Analytic Tools for Border Security Operations (ExecutiveGov; 20.5k uvm) … Scott Nicholas The Department of Homeland Security‘s science and technology directorate has launched a new project to repurpose, modify or integrate existing commercial and government analytic tools into border security platforms. … “By developing these capabilities… we will be ready to fully exploit the robust commercial satellite constellations when it is realized in the coming years,” said Jon McEntee, acting director of the S&T borders and maritime security division within the Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency. 26.UW Center for Human Rights studies law enforcement collaboration with federal agencies on immigration (University of Washington News) … Peter Kelley Cities and counties concerned about immigrant rights should closely examine law enforcement’s collaboration with federal immigration authorities — and the role a for￾profit company has in drafting language used in many law enforcement policy manuals — according to a new report from the University of Washington’s Center for Human Rights. The center, in the Jackson School of International Studies, has released the first in a series of research memos under an initiative called Human Rights at Home, which DHS-17-0435-A-000047 FOIA CBP 000047 OVERSIGHT seeks to “strengthen the work of frontline human rights organizations in Washington state.” The memo, first in a planned series, is titled “Don’t Ask, Do Tell: Local Law Enforcement Collaboration with ICE/CBP.” It notes the center’s (thus far unanswered) requests for information from Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — about immigration enforcement in Washington state. 27.DHS Plan to Search Immigrants’ Social Media Affects All Citizens (Best VPN) … Ray Walsh Privacy advocates have condemned the US Department of Homeland Security’s plans to begin using social media entries to assess immigrants. Concerns are being raised that the oppressive policy will severely hamper people’s ability to communicate freely online without fear of repercussions. … The EFF states quite clearly that: “DHS should stop subjecting law-abiding immigrants to social media surveillance.” Unfortunately, if recent actions by US Customs and Border Protection are anything to go by (they have been ramping up stop and search activities that force people to hand over digital devices and passwords, for example), the DHS is unlikely to cease these invasive practices. SOCIAL MEDIA ANALYSIS OF NOTE • Relief efforts in Puerto Rico continued to be a popular topic of discussion on the social media platform, Twitter. Approximately 15% of tweets directed at the CBP Twitter account contained the words Puerto Rico. • The agency’s tweet on the seizure of $3M+ worth of crystal methamphetamine garnered the highest engagement of the account for the day with 28 retweets, 66 likes and 4 comments. • Interestingly, @CustomsBorder was included in many tweets concerning the recent mass shooting in Las Vegas and was the most significant topic for the agency on Twitter. ABOUT THIS REPORT. Articles in this report were published during the 24 hours preceding the report date unless otherwise specified. Dissemination figures and bylines might not be available for all articles. Location is noted for local outlets. DHS-17-0435-A-000048 FOIA CBP 000048 OVERSIGHT U.S. Customs and Border Protection c .... ~. J #CBP office rs in Laredo seize nearly 160 pounds of crystal mcth worth more th.ln $3M. b1t.ly/7yK1msv #KrrpinqAmrr icaSafr .. - .... ••e•~1 •• From: PROVOST, CARLA (USBP) To: Cc: Subject: RE: Daily Media Summary - November 18, 2017 Date: Saturday, November 18, 2017 10:48:46 AM Thanks From: Sent: Saturday, November 18, 2017 10:37:55 AM To: MCALEENAN, KEVIN K; PROVOST, CARLA (USBP); Owen, Todd C (AC OFO); HOWE, RANDY J Cc: VITIELLO, RONALD D (USBP); FLANAGAN, PATRICK S; (USBP) Subject: RE: Daily Media Summary - November 18, 2017 Commissioner – Good morning. I checked into the arrest with the assistance of our folks verifying in This was a POE arrest made by OFO. See below information: This happened at . Attached are the I-213s for the father and son. From the child’s I213 pdf) narrative: *******************ADDENDUM 11/15/17**************************** Unit is being separated due to child safety concerns as per AFOD The adult traveling with the juvenile(s) cannot be positively identified as having the proper documentation of being the parent. The verification and authentication of the family relationship between the minor children and the adult cannot be validated at this time. Upon EROs receipt of proper documentation, the adult and minor children can be reunited in the future. Regards, Deputy Chief – LEOD / Operations U.S. Border Patrol Headquarters (office) (cell) From: MCALEENAN, KEVIN K Sent: Saturday, November 18, 2017 9:06 AM To: PROVOST, CARLA (USBP) >; Owen, Todd C (AC OFO) >; >; HOWE, RANDY J < > Cc: VITIELLO, RONALD D (USBP) < >; FLANAGAN, PATRICK S FOIA CBP 000049 (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (7)(E) (b) (7)(E) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (7)(E) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b) (7)(E) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) DHS-17-0435-A-000049 ■ ■ - > Subject: FW: Daily Media Summary - November 18, 2017 Do we have anything on number 3 below? From: Media Analyst Sent: Saturday, November 18, 2017 8:27:01 AM To: Media Analyst Subject: Daily Media Summary - November 18, 2017 The Daily Media Summary (DMS) and the links contained herein are being provided solely as a convenience and to afford CBP officials a broad awareness of the day's traditional, digital and social media coverage of CBP. The views and opinions expressed in the DMS, the sources cited, and the links contained herein do not necessarily represent the opinions, views, policies or positions of the U.S. Government, DHS, CBP or the Office of Public Affairs. Daily Media Summary November 18, 2017 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY WBTS-TV reported that group of Senate Democrats are pressing DHS Secretary nominee Kirstjen Nielsen to support bipartisan legislation that would protect DACA recipients from being deported. They cited that during her confirmation hearing she agreed that there was a need for legislation to protect DACA recipients and help create a path for citizenship. This story has been shared by major media outlets Stars & Stripes, ABC News as well as local outlets such as the Tampa Bay Times, and Florence Morning News, based in Florence, SC. The UK media outlet Daily Mail shared this story as well. KIII-TV reported that Border Patrol agents at the Sarita checkpoint arrested a person who had attempted to smuggle cocaine through the checkpoint in the trunk of their Mercedes. "The efforts they are using to conceal the loads is usually expensive, so this was out of the ordinary for us," said Deputy Patrol Agent in charge of Kingsville Josh Schad. According to agents, usually the cartels try and conceal their drugs loads inside secret compartments, but this bust was unusual considering the dog's ability to smell. "The things they can detect, the minor traces of narcotics they can smell is unbelievable so we couldn't do the job without them," Schad said. This story has yet to be widely reported on in other media outlets, however on the @CustomsBorder Twitter account, it is the tweet with the highest engagement of the period. BuzzFeed reported that an immigrant father, Jose Demar Fuentes, from Central America seeking asylum in the United States has accused Border Patrol agents of lying and threatening him to persuade him to separate from his 1-year-old son. CBP didn’t respond to specific questions about Fuentes or the other fathers, but pointed to their policy on family unity. “CBP will maintain family unity to the greatest extent operationally feasible, absent a legal requirement or an articulable safety or security concern that requires separation,” the policy said. While this story has yet to be widely reported in other media outlets, it is gaining FOIA CBP 000050 (b) (6) DHS-17-0435-A-000050 • • • traction on Twitter since BuzzFeed first ran the article in the early morning hours. TOP NEWS 1. Democrats Press Homeland Security Pick on Immigration Issues (WBTS-TV; 20k uvm; Newton, MA) … Richard Lardner A group of Senate Democrats is pressing President Donald Trump's choice to lead the Homeland Security Department to endorse bipartisan legislation to shield from deportation thousands of young immigrants brought to the U.S. as young children and living here illegally. In a letter sent Friday to Kirstjen Nielsen, the 20 lawmakers said she agreed during her confirmation hearing earlier this month on the need for legislation that would put so-called "Dreamers" on a path to U.S. citizenship. They want to know if that means Nielsen will openly urge Congress to pass the bipartisan Dream Act to "provide the solution that you have recognized is needed." White House spokesman Raj Shah said Nielsen did not express support for any specific legislation during her confirmation hearing." The Trump administration has laid out its priorities for responsible immigration reform we hope Congress will adopt," Shah said. 2. Major cocaine bust at Sarita checkpoint (KIII-TV; 66k uvm; Corpus Christi, TX) … Michael Gibson VIDEO: Border patrol agents at the Sarita checkpoint said one of their K-9's sniffed out a trunk full of cocaine Wednesday morning. Nearly six million dollars worth of cocaine was discovered during the stop. Kiii News reporter Michael Gibson was at the checkpoint to meet with agents about the incident. "The efforts they are using to conceal the loads is usually expensive, so this was out of the ordinary for us," said Deputy Patrol Agent in charge of Kingsville Josh Schad. According to agents, usually the cartels try and conceal their drugs loads inside secret compartments of even inside car batteries, but this bust was unusual considering the dog's super sense of smell. "The things they can detect, the minor traces of narcotics they can smell is unbelievable so we couldn't do the job without them," Schad said. Investigators believe the drugs were smuggled across an unprotected section of the border and then loaded into the Mercedes. 3. Immigrant Father Says The Border Patrol Took His Infant Son And Won't Tell Him Where He Is (BuzzFeed; 17.7M) … Adolfo Flores An immigrant father from Central America seeking asylum in the United States has accused Border Patrol agents of lying and threatening him to persuade him to separate from his 1-year-old son. Immigrant rights advocates said the accusation bolsters what they believe is an effort by Border Patrol agents to discourage Central American immigration by separating parents from their children. Jose Demar Fuentes, 30, said he and three other fathers crossed the US border through the Mexican city of Tijuana on Sunday with their children and requested asylum from US immigration authorities. Fuentes said that in three separate meetings, Border Patrol agents in dark DHS-17-0435-A-000051 FOIA CBP 000051 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT green uniforms told him and the other fathers that if they didn't agree to separate themselves from their children, their immigration cases would take longer and there would be problems. “The last time they said we’d better agree because it was ‘better to do it the good way and avoid using force in front of the kids,’” Fuentes told BuzzFeed News. “That made us all agree.” The fathers and their kids were separated Thursday. The three other fathers could not be reached for comment. US Customs and Border Protection didn’t respond to specific questions about Fuentes or the other fathers, but pointed to their policy on family unity. “CBP will maintain family unity to the greatest extent operationally feasible, absent a legal requirement or an articulable safety or security concern that requires separation,” the policy said. NEWS INDEX BORDER SECURITY Along U.S. Borders 4. Border Patrol Agent Hospitalized after Illegal Immigrant Speeds Through Checkpoint (Breitbart; 19.1M uvm) … Bob Price Border Patrol agents assigned to a checkpoint in East County observed a man approaching in a 2009 Infinity G35 sedan. The driver initiated a U-turn before the checkpoint and drove the wrong way into oncoming traffic, according to information provided to Breitbart Texas by U.S. Border Patrol officials. The driver suddenly executed another U-turn and sped toward the checkpoint–reaching a speed of nearly 70 miles per hour, officials stated. As the driver approached, he swerved out of the lanes of cars waiting for inspection to bypass the position. In doing so, he struck a steel road sign — parts of which struck a Border Patrol agent working nearby. The debris from the sign injured the agent who had to be hospitalized. The driver bypassed the checkpoint and took off on I-8. Agents pursued the fleeing driver. The pursuit reached speeds in excess of 100 mph, officials reported. Suddenly, the driver lost control of the G35 and crashed on a berm. After climbing out of the car, the driver fled on foot. As other agents arrived on the scene, they secured the two occupants and checked them for injuries. Finding none, the agents placed the male passengers under arrest. Other agents pursued the driver on foot. The agents found the driver hiding in the garage of a private home, officials explained. They took the man into custody. An investigation revealed the 27-year-old driver and the two male passengers, ages 27 and 40, were all illegally present in the U.S. The driver faces charges of transporting aliens illegally present in the United States, officials reported. All three Mexican nationals are being held in federal custody. 5. Border Patrol agents discover drugs taped to 17-year-old girl's body (KGTV-TV; 2.1M uvm; San Diego, CA) … Jermaine Ong A 17-year-old girl was taken into custody at the El Centro border checkpoint after U.S. officials said Border Patrol agents discovered small packages of methamphetamine DHS-17-0435-A-000052 FOIA CBP 000052 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT taped to her body. Customs and Border Protection officials said the teen was a passenger in a Ford Focus that approached the Highway 86 checkpoint at about 1:15 p.m. Wednesday. Officials said three other people were in the vehicle. According to officials, a canine team alerted agents to something suspicious in the vehicle. During a secondary inspection, agents found 10 small packages taped to the teen girl's legs. Officials said the packages -- which weighed a combined 4.21 pounds with an estimated street value of $14,735 -- "were tested and contained the properties consistent with methamphetamine." The drugs and the girl, who is a U.S. citizen, were turned over to DEA officials. Officials did not say if the other vehicle occupants were taken into custody. 6. Suspected MS-13 gang member arrested in northwest North Dakota (Grand Forks Herald; 837k uvm; Grand Forks, ND) … April Baumgarten A suspected member of a notorious international criminal gang has been arrested in Williston and is being held at the Grand Forks County jail. Border Patrol agents from the Grand Forks Sector of U.S. Customs and Border Protection arrested 39-year-old Concepcion Carcamo-Portillo at 7 p.m. Wednesday, spokesman Kristoffer Grogan confirmed to the Herald. Numerous tips from concerned citizens led officers to the El Salvador national, Grogan said. Investigators determined the man was in the U.S. illegally and is an alleged member of Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the El Salvador-based international criminal organization MS-13. Carcamo-Portillo was booked Thursday evening into the Grand Forks County Correctional Center. "This arrest is a testament to our cooperation with our (Department of Homeland Security) partners to disrupt one of the most dangerous criminal organizations in the United States," Chief Patrol Agent Aaron Heitke, commander of the Grand Forks Sector, said in a statement. "This arrest is the direct result from of information passed from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and a call from a concerned citizen." 7. Man surrenders at Border Patrol checkpoint following I-25 pursuit (Las Cruces Sun-News; 310k uvm; Las Cruces, NM) VIDEO: An Albuquerque man, suspected in a possible kidnapping, surrendered to authorities at the Border Patrol checkpoint north of Las Cruces on Thursday. Epifanio Torres, 30, was charged with aggravated fleeing, a fourth degree felony. Other charges are pending, according to New Mexico State Police. State police said the incident began about 8:29 p.m. when they issued a "be on the lookout" (BOLO) for a red Ford F-150 pickup in reference to a possible kidnapping in Albuquerque. Authorities said information was received from an out-of-state relative, who had been on the phone with a female, reportedly in the backseat of the pickup. The suspect and female had been in a relationship, state police reported. About 45 minutes after the BOLO, state police officers spotted the vehicle traveling south on I-25, near mile post 68. An officer attempted to stop the vehicle, police said, but it did not stop and the driver continued southbound. State Police notified Border Patrol agents at the I-25 checkpoint of the ongoing pursuit. Torres, who was on the phone with the Albuquerque NMSP office, told authorities he would surrender at the checkpoint, which he did without incident, police said. The female passenger was checked by authorities and refused transport to a hospital, police said. DHS-17-0435-A-000053 FOIA CBP 000053 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT 8. K-9 leads Border Patrol agents to discovery of more than 180 pounds of cocaine (Corpus Christi Caller-Times; 191k uvm; Corpus Christi, TX) … Alexandria Rodriguez VIDEO: An alert from a Border Patrol K-9 in Kingsville led to the discovery of more than 180 pounds of cocaine at a checkpoint Wednesday. The alert from the K-9 came during a non-intrusive vehicle inspection at the checkpoint. Agents then inspected the truck of the vehicle and found three suitcases with about 185 pounds of cocaine, according to a news release. Drug Enforcement Administration agents took the vehicle, 32 bundles of cocaine, valued at $5,844,800, and took the driver, a U.S. citizen, into custody, the release states. On Tuesday, agents at the Brownsville Border Patrol Station seized more than 8 pounds of methamphetamine after they were alerted by another K-9. The K-9 alerted an agents to a delivery truck, which led to further inspection, the release states. Agents then found nine packages of methamphetamine, worth more than $260,000, concealed in liquid foam, according to the release. 9. Border Patrol nabs two suspected MS-13 gang members (Corpus Christi Caller-Times; 191k uvm; Corpus Christi, TX) …Chris Ramirez VIDEO: An El Salvadoran man with ties to the violent street gang MS-13 and a criminal record in his homeland was among those arrested in a Border Patrol operation near Hebbronville. Border Patrol agents arrested an undocumented immigrant Tuesday, according to a news release from the agency. He was among a group of 16 immigrants who were on a ranch near Hebbronville. The Border Patrol said the man, whose identity was not released, had an extensive criminal history in his native country. He had served an eight-year prison sentence there for a homicide conviction and also had a record for illegal possession of a firearm, aggravated robbery and drug trafficking. He was processed for deportation. On Thursday, Border Patrol agents arrested another undocumented immigrant who is believed to be associated with MS-13 near Bruni, in Webb County. That person, also from El Salvador, was processed for deportation. The Trump administration has pledged to get MS-13 and other trans-national gangs off America's streets. The gang is believed to have started in Los Angeles in the 1980s, but became more deeply entrenched in Central America when its leaders were deported. There was no indication immediately that the individuals' arrests were in any way connected to "Operation Raging Bull," a crackdown run conducted by officials from the Department of Homeland Security and Justice Department. That operation ran from Oct. 8 to Nov. 11, and concluded with the arrest of 214 members of MS-13. Ports of Entry 10. Farmington driver’s race car is delayed at Canadian border (Portland Press Herald; 2.1M uvm; Portland, OR) … Phil Whipple DHS-17-0435-A-000054 FOIA CBP 000054 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT For Farmington native Cassius Clark, the anticipation leading up to Saturday’s annual Pro All Stars Series Mega-Meltdown 300 at Hickory Motor Speedway in North Carolina has turned to stress. The team for which Clark drives, King Racing, owned by former racer and Canadian businessman Rollie MacDonald, is stuck at the Canadian border with the car and all of the equipment necessary to run this weekend’s race. “They’ve been delayed at the border cross at Houlton since Tuesday afternoon at 2 p.m.,” Clark said on the phone from North Carolina. “There was a practice session here yesterday, and there is more on tap for today. It’s a 20-hour drive from Houlton to get here, so I sure hope they get released soon.” Two other race teams had similar difficulties, Clark said, but were allowed to pass after a lengthy delay. U.S. Customs and Border Protections Public Affairs Officer Stephanie Malin on Friday afternoon released a statement on the matter: “While I cannot get into the specific details of the inspection, I can confirm the individuals were not detained at the port of entry at all,” she wrote, “The issue is related to a lack of proper importation documents required for importing a vehicle for racing purposes. 11. City officials get a tour of the international bridges (KGNS-TV; 87k uvm; Laredo, TX) … Phil Whipple VIDEO:A tour of bridge one and two was given to city officials on both sides of the border as they took a look at the status of the ongoing construction project. According to CBP, construction at both br1idge one and two is coming along fine. Congressman Henry Cuellar, Mayor Pete Saenz, and Nuevo Laredo and Laredo officials toured both facilities with U.S. General Services Administration and Customs and Border Protection. The project is aimed towards increasing efficiency and improving safety and security for vehicle and pedestrian processing. These updates should reduce vehicle wait times from 33 to 15 minutes and peak pedestrian time from 49 to 21 minutes. Mayor Peete Saenz says there have been talks between him and Nuevo Laredo about the idea of turning bridge one into a pedestrian walkway. Mayor Saenz says CBP has been supportive of the idea and now it’s up to him and City Council to decided and work with Nuevo Laredo to see if it’s possible. The projected completion dates for bridge one is April 2018 and December 2018 for bridge two. 12. ‘No shirt, no service, no Canada’ (Surrey Now-Leader; 17k uvm; Surrey, BC Canada) … Aaron Hinks A U.S. man is now in jail after Canada Border Services Agency discovered he had an outstanding felony warrant from Washington State. U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued a news release Friday afternoon title “No shirt, no service, no Canada,” saying the Tacoma man arrived northbound at the Peace Arch (Douglas) crossing in South Surrey, shirtless, and told officers he was heading to Toronto to visit friends. The release says that during a search of a rental vehicle, CBSA found small amounts of meth. After being returned to Blaine, officers confirmed the 23-year-old had a felony warrant from the Washington State Department of Corrections for robbery and escape from community custody, which was issued Nov. 13. “The co￾operation between three government agencies is priceless,” U.S. CBP area port director Kenneth Williams said in the release. “CBSA, CBP and the sheriff’s office worked as a team to get this suspected criminal off the street.” DHS-17-0435-A-000055 FOIA CBP 000055 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT BORDER WALL 13. Roundtable: A Closer Look At The Border Wall (KPBS-TV; 278k uvm; San Diego, CA) … Bennett Lacy, Mark Sauer VIDEO: President Donald Trump is demanding Congress fund the construction of a wall along America’s border with Mexico. Work has already begun, with eight prototypes of new structures recently being showcased in San Diego. In the new series "America's Wall," KPBS and inewsource obtained previously unseen federal documents that detail the existing barriers along the border built under several previous administrations. The series also profiles people on both sides of the border, and both sides of a contentious issue. 14. Fisher's border wall prototype complete on Southern border (Dickinson Press; 192k uvm; Dickinson, ND) … Grady McGregor Dickinson-based Fisher Industries has completed construction of a border wall prototype along the southern border of the United States near Otay Mesa, Cali. Fisher's wall is made of concrete and while it lacks some of the color and features of other prototypes, like tubing atop the walls or opaque paneling, the wall's simplicity makes it look like one of the more imposing designs. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that the eight border wall prototypes were completed in late October but this is the first time that the Press has been able to track down available pictures of Fisher's wall prototype. According to a CBP press release from late last month, now that the construction phase is complete they will test and evaluate each wall over a 30- to 60-day period. "Border security contributes to our overall national security and relies on a combination of border infrastructure, technology, personnel, and partnerships," said CBP acting Deputy Commissioner Ron Vitiello in the release. "Border walls have proven to be an extremely effective part of our multi-pronged security strategy to prevent the illegal migration of people and drugs over the years ... These border enforcement zones give our men and women of CBP the best possible conditions to maintain a safe and secure border." TRADE 15. Darling: Fully loaded trucks crossing Anzalduas Bridge by end of 2018 (Rio Grande Guardian; 9k uvm; McAllen, TX) … Patricia Martinez McAllen Mayor Jim Darling said that the city is moving forward with plans to have full commercial traffic at the Anzalduas International Bridge by the end of 2018. Since August 2016, the bridge has allowed empty southbound trucks to cross into Mexico. Now, design plans are being finalized for fully loaded trucks to cross the bridge in either direction, giving commercial drivers the option of another port of entry. The plan is to have a joint inspection facility on the north side of the bridge. “Pharr does a great job over there, but it’s one bridge,” said Darling. “There’s just so much potential in our area to only have one. So, we need to get commercial traffic on another bridge.” Asked when the bridge may ready to handle loaded trucks going both north- and DHS-17-0435-A-000056 FOIA CBP 000056 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT southbound, Darling said: “I am shooting for the end of 2018. That is why we want to get the design done and get construction going. We are working on that, state monies, federal monies. They have to get their act together in Washington and set a budget and get some funding (going). We will get it done. TRAVEL 16. Nonstop Seattle to Dublin flights to begin May 2018 (Seattle PI; 4.7M uvm; Seattle WA) Nonstop flights from Seattle to Dublin will start next spring. The Seattle Times reports Irish carrier Aer Lingus said Friday the service will begin May 18, 2018. The service will be provided four times a week. Because Dublin airport has its own U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility, passengers and their luggage will be pre-cleared in Ireland before departure, with no need to go through passport control on arrival in Seattle. This will be the first pre-cleared trans-Atlantic flight to fly into Seattle. Aer Lingus also will provide Seattle passengers connections through Dublin to 24 U.K. and European cities. 17. CBP gives tips for faster entry times during holiday season (KGBT-TV; 298k uvm; Harlingen, TX) … Jolanie Martinez VIDEO: U.S. Customs and Border Protection has tips for international travelers coming to the U.S. during the holiday season. U.S. Customs and Border Protection public information officer Maribel Saenz says the agency is preparing for the large number of shoppers that cross the border during the holiday season, especially after La Plaza Mall’s multi-million dollar expansion. Saenz recommends international travelers to apply online for the I-94 form. “A lot of times since it's holiday season, there is a lot more travelers than usual, so that's why we are encouraging everybody to go online, apply online,” Saenz said. “They can pay for it online, they bring their receipt with them and we finalize it for them here at the port of entry." To finalize the I￾94 process, travelers must present themselves at a port of entry within seven days of their application. Travelers are also encouraged to use their radio frequency identification card to use ready lanes at port of entries. The frequency identification card includes the newer version of the U.S. passport cards, border crossing cards and resident alien card. Saenz says using this method expedites the entry process by 20 percent. “At the window, they will be getting their fingerprints, their picture and a background check to make sure that they qualify for the I-94 and cardboard,” said Saenz. “I-94 will be printed and that's what they will have to present at the checkpoint with their travel documents." CBP’s Border Wait Times app also gives hourly updates on lines at each port of entry. WORKFORCE 18. Law enforcement K-9s compete in Mercedes (Brownsville Herald; 75k uvm; Brownsville, TX) … Cristina M. Garcia DHS-17-0435-A-000057 FOIA CBP 000057 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT Federal and local agencies were rivals Friday during the 3rd annual South Texas Police K-9 Competition held at the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show Grounds in Mercedes. Valley law enforcement agencies and others, along with their K-9s, competed in timed narcotic article and vehicle searches, the obedience and confidence course, and criminal apprehension…If you compete and your dog doesn’t do so well, that motivates you,” Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office K-9 trainer Javier Solis said… U.S. Border Patrol’s K-9, Billy-B, was named top dog in the patrol competition. A Belgian Malinois named Mischa and her handler, Tim Behnke, with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, quickly ran the narcotic article and vehicle searches Friday afternoon. Mischa has stopped more than $1 million worth of drugs from being smuggled into the U.S. during her more than three years as a law enforcement K-9, according Behnke. Behnke and Mischa underwent a seven-week training course in Virginia prior to working together at multiple ports of entry in Brownsville. The two have been a team for three and a half years. “It’s the best job in the world,” Benke said. “Working with an animal is awesome.” Though Behnke didn’t place in the vehicles search competition, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s K-9 Coco and his handler, Michael Hufham, placed third. The U.S. Border Patrol was awarded the Best K-9 Unit, while Lusy with Edinburg CISD Police Department took first in the articles search. 19. CBP AMO Plan Flyover at NASCAR’s Championship Weekend (American Security Today; 45k uvm) VIDEO: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations (AMO) aircrews based at the Miami Air and Marine Branch will perform a flyover during NASCAR’s championship weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway in front of tens of thousands of racing fans. CBP’s Air and Marine Operations agents from air and marine branches and units in Florida and Texas are assisting with security efforts for the event providing real-time aerial video to ground based law enforcement personnel at the incident command center. Air and Marine Operations interdicts unlawful people and cargo approaching U.S. borders, investigates criminal networks and provides domain awareness in the air and maritime environments, and responds to contingencies and national taskings. “We’re a part of this community and honored to serve and protect the public in Greater Miami and the Florida Keys utilizing advanced aeronautical and maritime capabilities,” said Martin Wade, Director of the Miami Air and Marine Branch. “Air and Marine Operations highly-skilled agents are often behind the scenes at high profile events to keep things safe and secure along with local, state and federal law enforcement partners.” OPINION 20. Former DHS Secretary Tom Ridge: No southern border wall needed (CBS Television Network; 26.1 uvm) … Arden Farhi VIDEO: Tom Ridge, the nation's first secretary of Homeland Security, believes the physical border wall President Donald Trump wants to build on the U.S.-Mexico border isn't necessary. "I don't think we need it," Ridge said. "I think there are things we can do with technology that foregoes the need to build a 3,000 mile border [wall] DHS-17-0435-A-000058 FOIA CBP 000058 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT with a neighbor... I prefer presidents that tear down walls rather than build them." Ridge appeared on "The Takeout" podcast with CBS News chief White House correspondent Major Garrett and political director Steve Chaggaris. Despite his criticism of the President, Ridge, a Republican, praised Mr. Trump's pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Kirstjen Nielsen. "This is a woman that's got public and private sector experience. She's been deputy chief of staff to the president now, she was General [John] Kelly's chief of staff [at DHS], she's well versed and worked with the private sector on preparedness issues and cyber security issues and the like." IMMIGRATION 21. Immigrant Who Had Prosthetic Leg Mocked by Trump Officials to Be Freed After 'Inhumane' Detention (Newsweek; 9.4M uvm) … Nicole Rodriguez VIDEO: A 20-year-old disabled immigrant detained for more than a month without being charged was to be freed Friday, but he has been stripped of his Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status. After being detained by Customs and Border Protection (CPB) agents on October 11 as part of a human smuggling investigation, Felipe Abonza-Lopez of San Marcos, Texas, was granted a $7,500 bond and will be released sometime Friday, a legal assistant for Abonza-Lopez’s attorney told Newsweek Friday. Abonza-Lopez has lost his DACA status, which had been set to expire in 2019. It was revoked October 12, when he received a notice to appear in immigration court for deportation proceedings, a spokesperson for Citizenship and Immigration Services (ICE) told Newsweek. 22. Trump Administration Cites MS-13 Arrest to Push Change in Minor Immigrant Law (Daily Signal; 1.1M uvm) … Fred Lucas The Trump administration is pointing to a large federal roundup of members of the violent gang MS-13 as vindication of increased enforcement efforts and reason to change the policy on unaccompanied minor illegal immigrants. The Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security announced a joint effort that led to the arrest of 214 gang members and those involved with gang-related crime…Of the 214, just 16 were U.S. citizens while 198 were foreign nationals. Of the foreign nationals, only five were in the country legally. Among those arrested, 64 entered the country as unaccompanied alien children, but most are now adults, according to the Trump administration. During a press conference Thursday announcing the arrests, Tom Homan, deputy director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, noted the 2008 law on unaccompanied minors does not allow them to be immediately returned to their country of origin. “The agencies sent up a series of policy requests to the Hill to address a lot of issues to further control the border and illegal immigration,” Homan said. “Some of these policies are being exploited and used by criminal organizations. That’s why that’s one of the policy issues we asked Congress to look at and help us with.” DHS-17-0435-A-000059 FOIA CBP 000059 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT 23. UMD files affidavit in federal lawsuit challenging Trump’s latest travel ban (The Diamondback; 35k uvm) … Christine Condon The University of Maryland has filed an affidavit in a federal lawsuit opposing the Trump administration's latest iteration of its travel ban. "Since our students & faculty are impacted by the latest travel ban, #UMD has filed an affidavit in a federal lawsuit in MD challenging the ban's legality," University President Wallace Loh tweeted Friday. The affidavit was filed in a Maryland district court case surrounding the ban. Federal judges in Maryland and Hawaii issued national orders freezing the ban in October. "It is in the interest of the University, as well as in the national interest, to welcome talented persons of all nations to study, teach, and do research in the United States, in order to maintain and improve America's position as a leader in higher education and research," read the statement, signed by Loh Oct. 10. OF INTEREST 24. Trump halts decision to allow elephant trophy imports after uproar (Reuters; 43.6M uvm) …David Shepardson and Eric Beech U.S. President Donald Trump said in a tweet on Friday he is putting a decision to allow imports of elephant trophies on hold after a torrent of criticism from conservation advocates and across social media. Trump’s reversal came hours after his administration released a rule on Friday to allow hunters who kill elephants in Zimbabwe to bring their trophies back to the United States, which had been banned by the Obama administration. “Put big game trophy decision on hold until such time as I review all conservation facts. Under study for years. Will update soon with Secretary Zinke. Thank you!” Trump wrote. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said in a statement that he had spoken with Trump and “both believe that conservation and healthy herds are critical.” He said the “issuing of permits is being put on hold as the decision is being reviewed.” 25. 18-year-old accused of shooting CBP agent in Oakleaf said he would “off” cops, according to investigators (WOKV-FM; 75.1k uvm; Jacksonville, FL) … Stephanie Brown Two months after a Customs and Border Protection Agent was shot in the parking lot of an Oakleaf Publix, new investigative reports are detailing more about the possible motive to the attack. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office believed from early in their investigation that the agent was ambushed because he was law enforcement. The victim was leaving the Publix after grabbing some groceries, when CCSO says 18- year-old Jake Lewis sped up and fired multiple shots, hitting the agent multiple times. Lewis then crashed, and CCSO says he died of a self-inflicted gunshot. The agent who was shot underwent surgery and continues to recover. CBP tells us the “signs are encouraging”, and the agent is expected to return on limited duty in the near future. That agent has spoken with investigators, and the new supplemental reports show he remembers a suspect pointing a gun out of a car and yelling about hating cops, before shooting. DHS-17-0435-A-000060 FOIA CBP 000060 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT SOCIAL MEDIA ANALYSIS OF NOTE The tweet by @DonaldTrumpJr on November 16 titled “First female Border Patrol chief says agents 'empowered' under Trump” is still the most retweeted of the period, with 6.3k retweets, 20k likes and 765 replies to date. As mentioned above, the tweet by Adolfo Flores from the account @aflores titled “Immigrant father says the Border Patrol took his infant son and won't tell him where he is” is gaining attention on Twitter and is the second most retweeted tweet to date. The tweet supplies a link to the BuzzFeed article where he is interviewed. The tweet has 327 retweets, 154 likes, and 34 replies to date. The tweet to receive the highest engagement of the period on @CustomsBorder is “RGV sector Border Patrol K9’s lead agents to seize over $6.1 million in narcotics. #KeepingAmericaSafe.” The tweet has received 20 retweets, 55 likes, 6 replies and 180,000 potential impressions to date. The tweet provides a link to the KIII TV news article on the bust. ABOUT THIS REPORT. Articles in this report were published during the 24 hours preceding the report date unless otherwise specified. Dissemination figures and bylines might not be available for all articles. Location is noted for local outlets. DHS-17-0435-A-000061 FOIA CBP 000061 • --------- -- • - From: PROVOST, CARLA (USBP) To: Cc: Subject: RE: Daily Media Summary - November 18, 2017 Date: Saturday, November 18, 2017 1:25:38 PM 10-4...... From: Sent: Saturday, November 18, 2017 1:13:07 PM To: PROVOST, CARLA (USBP) Cc: (USBP) Subject: RE: Daily Media Summary - November 18, 2017 T4, Chief, let me dig over the weekend and get more info. I need to confirm a few items and make sure I interpreted it correctly. Regards, Deputy Chief - LEOD/Operations U.S. Border Patrol Headquarters (office) (cell) From: PROVOST, CARLA (USBP) Sent: Saturday, November 18, 2017 10:03:11 AM To: Cc: (USBP) Subject: FW: Daily Media Summary - November 18, 2017 Going to need to know what’s going on in EPT on Monday based on what you brought up yesterday. From: HOWE, RANDY J Sent: Saturday, November 18, 2017 12:02:50 PM To: Owen, Todd C (AC OFO); ; MCALEENAN, KEVIN K; PROVOST, CARLA (USBP) Cc: VITIELLO, RONALD D (USBP); FLANAGAN, PATRICK S; (USBP) Subject: RE: Daily Media Summary - November 18, 2017 Commissioner Confirmed with OFO San Diego that the decision to separate the family units was made by ERO. FOIA CBP 000062 (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) DHS-17-0435-A-000062 ■ Additional information on the three individuals. Randy J. Howe Executive Director, Operations Office of Field Operations U.S. Customs and Border Protection (Office) (Cell) From: Owen, Todd C (AC OFO) Sent: Saturday, November 18, 2017 10:45:04 AM To: HOWE, RANDY J; ; MCALEENAN, KEVIN K; PROVOST, CARLA (USBP) Cc: VITIELLO, RONALD D (USBP); FLANAGAN, PATRICK S; (USBP) Subject: RE: Daily Media Summary - November 18, 2017 Thanks Randy. Narrative mentions AFOD pls verify if ERO chose to separate them. Todd C. Owen Executive Assistant Commissioner Office of Field Operations U.S. Customs and Border Protection From: HOWE, RANDY J Sent: Saturday, November 18, 2017 3:42:25 PM To: ; MCALEENAN, KEVIN K; PROVOST, CARLA (USBP); Owen, Todd C (AC OFO) Cc: VITIELLO, RONALD D (USBP); FLANAGAN, PATRICK S; (USBP) Subject: RE: Daily Media Summary - November 18, 2017 Commissioner: We have reached out to San Diego for additional details. FOIA CBP 000063 (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) DHS-17-0435-A-000063 - Randy J. Howe Executive Director, Operations Office of Field Operations U.S. Customs and Border Protection (Office) (Cell) From: Sent: Saturday, November 18, 2017 10:37:55 AM To: MCALEENAN, KEVIN K; PROVOST, CARLA (USBP); Owen, Todd C (AC OFO); HOWE, RANDY J Cc: VITIELLO, RONALD D (USBP); FLANAGAN, PATRICK S; (USBP) Subject: RE: Daily Media Summary - November 18, 2017 Commissioner – Good morning. I checked into the arrest with the assistance of our folks verifying in This was a OE arrest made by OFO. See below information: This happened at . Attached are the I-213s for the father and son. From the child’s I213 .pdf) narrative: *******************ADDENDUM 11/15/17**************************** Family Unit is being separated due to child safety concerns as per AFOD The traveling with the juvenile(s) cannot be positively identified as having the proper documentation of being the parent. The verification and authentication of the family relationship between the minor children and the adult cannot be validated at this time. Upon EROs receipt of proper documentation, the adult and minor children can be reunited in the future. Regards, Deputy Chief – LEOD / Operations U.S. Border Patrol Headquarters (office) (cell) From: MCALEENAN, KEVIN K Sent: Saturday, November 18, 2017 9:06 AM To: PROVOST, CARLA (USBP) < >; Owen, Todd C (AC OFO) < > >; HOWE, RANDY J < > Cc: VITIELLO, RONALD D (USBP) < >; FLANAGAN, PATRICK S FOIA CBP 000064 (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (7)(E) (b) (7)(E) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (7)(E) (b) (7)(E) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) DHS-17-0435-A-000064 ■ - I VERSIGHT • - > Subject: FW: Daily Media Summary - November 18, 2017 Do we have anything on number 3 below? From: Media Analyst Sent: Saturday, November 18, 2017 8:27:01 AM To: Media Analyst Subject: Daily Media Summary - November 18, 2017 The Daily Media Summary (DMS) and the links contained herein are being provided solely as a convenience and to afford CBP officials a broad awareness of the day's traditional, digital and social media coverage of CBP. The views and opinions expressed in the DMS, the sources cited, and the links contained herein do not necessarily represent the opinions, views, policies or positions of the U.S. Government, DHS, CBP or the Office of Public Affairs. Daily Media Summary November 18, 2017 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY WBTS-TV reported that group of Senate Democrats are pressing DHS Secretary nominee Kirstjen Nielsen to support bipartisan legislation that would protect DACA recipients from being deported. They cited that during her confirmation hearing she agreed that there was a need for legislation to protect DACA recipients and help create a path for citizenship. This story has been shared by major media outlets Stars & Stripes, ABC News as well as local outlets such as the Tampa Bay Times, and Florence Morning News, based in Florence, SC. The UK media outlet Daily Mail shared this story as well. KIII-TV reported that Border Patrol agents at the Sarita checkpoint arrested a person who had attempted to smuggle cocaine through the checkpoint in the trunk of their Mercedes. "The efforts they are using to conceal the loads is usually expensive, so this was out of the ordinary for us," said Deputy Patrol Agent in charge of Kingsville Josh Schad. According to agents, usually the cartels try and conceal their drugs loads inside secret compartments, but this bust was unusual considering the dog's ability to smell. "The things they can detect, the minor traces of narcotics they can smell is unbelievable so we couldn't do the job without them," Schad said. This story has yet to be widely reported on in other media outlets, however on the @CustomsBorder Twitter account, it is the tweet with the highest engagement of the period. BuzzFeed reported that an immigrant father, Jose Demar Fuentes, from Central America seeking asylum in the United States has accused Border Patrol agents of lying and threatening him to persuade him to separate from his 1-year-old son. CBP didn’t respond to specific questions about Fuentes or the other fathers, but pointed to their policy on family unity. “CBP will maintain family unity to the greatest extent operationally feasible, absent a legal requirement or an articulable safety or security concern that requires separation,” the policy said. While this story has yet to be widely reported in other media outlets, it is gaining FOIA CBP 000065 (b) (6) DHS-17-0435-A-000065 • • • traction on Twitter since BuzzFeed first ran the article in the early morning hours. TOP NEWS 1. Democrats Press Homeland Security Pick on Immigration Issues (WBTS-TV; 20k uvm; Newton, MA) … Richard Lardner A group of Senate Democrats is pressing President Donald Trump's choice to lead the Homeland Security Department to endorse bipartisan legislation to shield from deportation thousands of young immigrants brought to the U.S. as young children and living here illegally. In a letter sent Friday to Kirstjen Nielsen, the 20 lawmakers said she agreed during her confirmation hearing earlier this month on the need for legislation that would put so-called "Dreamers" on a path to U.S. citizenship. They want to know if that means Nielsen will openly urge Congress to pass the bipartisan Dream Act to "provide the solution that you have recognized is needed." White House spokesman Raj Shah said Nielsen did not express support for any specific legislation during her confirmation hearing." The Trump administration has laid out its priorities for responsible immigration reform we hope Congress will adopt," Shah said. 2. Major cocaine bust at Sarita checkpoint (KIII-TV; 66k uvm; Corpus Christi, TX) … Michael Gibson VIDEO: Border patrol agents at the Sarita checkpoint said one of their K-9's sniffed out a trunk full of cocaine Wednesday morning. Nearly six million dollars worth of cocaine was discovered during the stop. Kiii News reporter Michael Gibson was at the checkpoint to meet with agents about the incident. "The efforts they are using to conceal the loads is usually expensive, so this was out of the ordinary for us," said Deputy Patrol Agent in charge of Kingsville Josh Schad. According to agents, usually the cartels try and conceal their drugs loads inside secret compartments of even inside car batteries, but this bust was unusual considering the dog's super sense of smell. "The things they can detect, the minor traces of narcotics they can smell is unbelievable so we couldn't do the job without them," Schad said. Investigators believe the drugs were smuggled across an unprotected section of the border and then loaded into the Mercedes. 3. Immigrant Father Says The Border Patrol Took His Infant Son And Won't Tell Him Where He Is (BuzzFeed; 17.7M) … Adolfo Flores An immigrant father from Central America seeking asylum in the United States has accused Border Patrol agents of lying and threatening him to persuade him to separate from his 1-year-old son. Immigrant rights advocates said the accusation bolsters what they believe is an effort by Border Patrol agents to discourage Central American immigration by separating parents from their children. Jose Demar Fuentes, 30, said he and three other fathers crossed the US border through the Mexican city of Tijuana on Sunday with their children and requested asylum from US immigration authorities. Fuentes said that in three separate meetings, Border Patrol agents in dark DHS-17-0435-A-000066 FOIA CBP 000066 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT green uniforms told him and the other fathers that if they didn't agree to separate themselves from their children, their immigration cases would take longer and there would be problems. “The last time they said we’d better agree because it was ‘better to do it the good way and avoid using force in front of the kids,’” Fuentes told BuzzFeed News. “That made us all agree.” The fathers and their kids were separated Thursday. The three other fathers could not be reached for comment. US Customs and Border Protection didn’t respond to specific questions about Fuentes or the other fathers, but pointed to their policy on family unity. “CBP will maintain family unity to the greatest extent operationally feasible, absent a legal requirement or an articulable safety or security concern that requires separation,” the policy said. NEWS INDEX BORDER SECURITY Along U.S. Borders 4. Border Patrol Agent Hospitalized after Illegal Immigrant Speeds Through Checkpoint (Breitbart; 19.1M uvm) … Bob Price Border Patrol agents assigned to a checkpoint in East County observed a man approaching in a 2009 Infinity G35 sedan. The driver initiated a U-turn before the checkpoint and drove the wrong way into oncoming traffic, according to information provided to Breitbart Texas by U.S. Border Patrol officials. The driver suddenly executed another U-turn and sped toward the checkpoint–reaching a speed of nearly 70 miles per hour, officials stated. As the driver approached, he swerved out of the lanes of cars waiting for inspection to bypass the position. In doing so, he struck a steel road sign — parts of which struck a Border Patrol agent working nearby. The debris from the sign injured the agent who had to be hospitalized. The driver bypassed the checkpoint and took off on I-8. Agents pursued the fleeing driver. The pursuit reached speeds in excess of 100 mph, officials reported. Suddenly, the driver lost control of the G35 and crashed on a berm. After climbing out of the car, the driver fled on foot. As other agents arrived on the scene, they secured the two occupants and checked them for injuries. Finding none, the agents placed the male passengers under arrest. Other agents pursued the driver on foot. The agents found the driver hiding in the garage of a private home, officials explained. They took the man into custody. An investigation revealed the 27-year-old driver and the two male passengers, ages 27 and 40, were all illegally present in the U.S. The driver faces charges of transporting aliens illegally present in the United States, officials reported. All three Mexican nationals are being held in federal custody. 5. Border Patrol agents discover drugs taped to 17-year-old girl's body (KGTV-TV; 2.1M uvm; San Diego, CA) … Jermaine Ong A 17-year-old girl was taken into custody at the El Centro border checkpoint after U.S. officials said Border Patrol agents discovered small packages of methamphetamine DHS-17-0435-A-000067 FOIA CBP 000067 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT taped to her body. Customs and Border Protection officials said the teen was a passenger in a Ford Focus that approached the Highway 86 checkpoint at about 1:15 p.m. Wednesday. Officials said three other people were in the vehicle. According to officials, a canine team alerted agents to something suspicious in the vehicle. During a secondary inspection, agents found 10 small packages taped to the teen girl's legs. Officials said the packages -- which weighed a combined 4.21 pounds with an estimated street value of $14,735 -- "were tested and contained the properties consistent with methamphetamine." The drugs and the girl, who is a U.S. citizen, were turned over to DEA officials. Officials did not say if the other vehicle occupants were taken into custody. 6. Suspected MS-13 gang member arrested in northwest North Dakota (Grand Forks Herald; 837k uvm; Grand Forks, ND) … April Baumgarten A suspected member of a notorious international criminal gang has been arrested in Williston and is being held at the Grand Forks County jail. Border Patrol agents from the Grand Forks Sector of U.S. Customs and Border Protection arrested 39-year-old Concepcion Carcamo-Portillo at 7 p.m. Wednesday, spokesman Kristoffer Grogan confirmed to the Herald. Numerous tips from concerned citizens led officers to the El Salvador national, Grogan said. Investigators determined the man was in the U.S. illegally and is an alleged member of Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the El Salvador-based international criminal organization MS-13. Carcamo-Portillo was booked Thursday evening into the Grand Forks County Correctional Center. "This arrest is a testament to our cooperation with our (Department of Homeland Security) partners to disrupt one of the most dangerous criminal organizations in the United States," Chief Patrol Agent Aaron Heitke, commander of the Grand Forks Sector, said in a statement. "This arrest is the direct result from of information passed from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and a call from a concerned citizen." 7. Man surrenders at Border Patrol checkpoint following I-25 pursuit (Las Cruces Sun-News; 310k uvm; Las Cruces, NM) VIDEO: An Albuquerque man, suspected in a possible kidnapping, surrendered to authorities at the Border Patrol checkpoint north of Las Cruces on Thursday. Epifanio Torres, 30, was charged with aggravated fleeing, a fourth degree felony. Other charges are pending, according to New Mexico State Police. State police said the incident began about 8:29 p.m. when they issued a "be on the lookout" (BOLO) for a red Ford F-150 pickup in reference to a possible kidnapping in Albuquerque. Authorities said information was received from an out-of-state relative, who had been on the phone with a female, reportedly in the backseat of the pickup. The suspect and female had been in a relationship, state police reported. About 45 minutes after the BOLO, state police officers spotted the vehicle traveling south on I-25, near mile post 68. An officer attempted to stop the vehicle, police said, but it did not stop and the driver continued southbound. State Police notified Border Patrol agents at the I-25 checkpoint of the ongoing pursuit. Torres, who was on the phone with the Albuquerque NMSP office, told authorities he would surrender at the checkpoint, which he did without incident, police said. The female passenger was checked by authorities and refused transport to a hospital, police said. DHS-17-0435-A-000068 FOIA CBP 000068 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT 8. K-9 leads Border Patrol agents to discovery of more than 180 pounds of cocaine (Corpus Christi Caller-Times; 191k uvm; Corpus Christi, TX) … Alexandria Rodriguez VIDEO: An alert from a Border Patrol K-9 in Kingsville led to the discovery of more than 180 pounds of cocaine at a checkpoint Wednesday. The alert from the K-9 came during a non-intrusive vehicle inspection at the checkpoint. Agents then inspected the truck of the vehicle and found three suitcases with about 185 pounds of cocaine, according to a news release. Drug Enforcement Administration agents took the vehicle, 32 bundles of cocaine, valued at $5,844,800, and took the driver, a U.S. citizen, into custody, the release states. On Tuesday, agents at the Brownsville Border Patrol Station seized more than 8 pounds of methamphetamine after they were alerted by another K-9. The K-9 alerted an agents to a delivery truck, which led to further inspection, the release states. Agents then found nine packages of methamphetamine, worth more than $260,000, concealed in liquid foam, according to the release. 9. Border Patrol nabs two suspected MS-13 gang members (Corpus Christi Caller-Times; 191k uvm; Corpus Christi, TX) …Chris Ramirez VIDEO: An El Salvadoran man with ties to the violent street gang MS-13 and a criminal record in his homeland was among those arrested in a Border Patrol operation near Hebbronville. Border Patrol agents arrested an undocumented immigrant Tuesday, according to a news release from the agency. He was among a group of 16 immigrants who were on a ranch near Hebbronville. The Border Patrol said the man, whose identity was not released, had an extensive criminal history in his native country. He had served an eight-year prison sentence there for a homicide conviction and also had a record for illegal possession of a firearm, aggravated robbery and drug trafficking. He was processed for deportation. On Thursday, Border Patrol agents arrested another undocumented immigrant who is believed to be associated with MS-13 near Bruni, in Webb County. That person, also from El Salvador, was processed for deportation. The Trump administration has pledged to get MS-13 and other trans-national gangs off America's streets. The gang is believed to have started in Los Angeles in the 1980s, but became more deeply entrenched in Central America when its leaders were deported. There was no indication immediately that the individuals' arrests were in any way connected to "Operation Raging Bull," a crackdown run conducted by officials from the Department of Homeland Security and Justice Department. That operation ran from Oct. 8 to Nov. 11, and concluded with the arrest of 214 members of MS-13. Ports of Entry 10. Farmington driver’s race car is delayed at Canadian border (Portland Press Herald; 2.1M uvm; Portland, OR) … Phil Whipple DHS-17-0435-A-000069 FOIA CBP 000069 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT For Farmington native Cassius Clark, the anticipation leading up to Saturday’s annual Pro All Stars Series Mega-Meltdown 300 at Hickory Motor Speedway in North Carolina has turned to stress. The team for which Clark drives, King Racing, owned by former racer and Canadian businessman Rollie MacDonald, is stuck at the Canadian border with the car and all of the equipment necessary to run this weekend’s race. “They’ve been delayed at the border cross at Houlton since Tuesday afternoon at 2 p.m.,” Clark said on the phone from North Carolina. “There was a practice session here yesterday, and there is more on tap for today. It’s a 20-hour drive from Houlton to get here, so I sure hope they get released soon.” Two other race teams had similar difficulties, Clark said, but were allowed to pass after a lengthy delay. U.S. Customs and Border Protections Public Affairs Officer Stephanie Malin on Friday afternoon released a statement on the matter: “While I cannot get into the specific details of the inspection, I can confirm the individuals were not detained at the port of entry at all,” she wrote, “The issue is related to a lack of proper importation documents required for importing a vehicle for racing purposes. 11. City officials get a tour of the international bridges (KGNS-TV; 87k uvm; Laredo, TX) … Phil Whipple VIDEO:A tour of bridge one and two was given to city officials on both sides of the border as they took a look at the status of the ongoing construction project. According to CBP, construction at both br1idge one and two is coming along fine. Congressman Henry Cuellar, Mayor Pete Saenz, and Nuevo Laredo and Laredo officials toured both facilities with U.S. General Services Administration and Customs and Border Protection. The project is aimed towards increasing efficiency and improving safety and security for vehicle and pedestrian processing. These updates should reduce vehicle wait times from 33 to 15 minutes and peak pedestrian time from 49 to 21 minutes. Mayor Peete Saenz says there have been talks between him and Nuevo Laredo about the idea of turning bridge one into a pedestrian walkway. Mayor Saenz says CBP has been supportive of the idea and now it’s up to him and City Council to decided and work with Nuevo Laredo to see if it’s possible. The projected completion dates for bridge one is April 2018 and December 2018 for bridge two. 12. ‘No shirt, no service, no Canada’ (Surrey Now-Leader; 17k uvm; Surrey, BC Canada) … Aaron Hinks A U.S. man is now in jail after Canada Border Services Agency discovered he had an outstanding felony warrant from Washington State. U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued a news release Friday afternoon title “No shirt, no service, no Canada,” saying the Tacoma man arrived northbound at the Peace Arch (Douglas) crossing in South Surrey, shirtless, and told officers he was heading to Toronto to visit friends. The release says that during a search of a rental vehicle, CBSA found small amounts of meth. After being returned to Blaine, officers confirmed the 23-year-old had a felony warrant from the Washington State Department of Corrections for robbery and escape from community custody, which was issued Nov. 13. “The co￾operation between three government agencies is priceless,” U.S. CBP area port director Kenneth Williams said in the release. “CBSA, CBP and the sheriff’s office worked as a team to get this suspected criminal off the street.” DHS-17-0435-A-000070 FOIA CBP 000070 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT BORDER WALL 13. Roundtable: A Closer Look At The Border Wall (KPBS-TV; 278k uvm; San Diego, CA) … Bennett Lacy, Mark Sauer VIDEO: President Donald Trump is demanding Congress fund the construction of a wall along America’s border with Mexico. Work has already begun, with eight prototypes of new structures recently being showcased in San Diego. In the new series "America's Wall," KPBS and inewsource obtained previously unseen federal documents that detail the existing barriers along the border built under several previous administrations. The series also profiles people on both sides of the border, and both sides of a contentious issue. 14. Fisher's border wall prototype complete on Southern border (Dickinson Press; 192k uvm; Dickinson, ND) … Grady McGregor Dickinson-based Fisher Industries has completed construction of a border wall prototype along the southern border of the United States near Otay Mesa, Cali. Fisher's wall is made of concrete and while it lacks some of the color and features of other prototypes, like tubing atop the walls or opaque paneling, the wall's simplicity makes it look like one of the more imposing designs. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that the eight border wall prototypes were completed in late October but this is the first time that the Press has been able to track down available pictures of Fisher's wall prototype. According to a CBP press release from late last month, now that the construction phase is complete they will test and evaluate each wall over a 30- to 60-day period. "Border security contributes to our overall national security and relies on a combination of border infrastructure, technology, personnel, and partnerships," said CBP acting Deputy Commissioner Ron Vitiello in the release. "Border walls have proven to be an extremely effective part of our multi-pronged security strategy to prevent the illegal migration of people and drugs over the years ... These border enforcement zones give our men and women of CBP the best possible conditions to maintain a safe and secure border." TRADE 15. Darling: Fully loaded trucks crossing Anzalduas Bridge by end of 2018 (Rio Grande Guardian; 9k uvm; McAllen, TX) … Patricia Martinez McAllen Mayor Jim Darling said that the city is moving forward with plans to have full commercial traffic at the Anzalduas International Bridge by the end of 2018. Since August 2016, the bridge has allowed empty southbound trucks to cross into Mexico. Now, design plans are being finalized for fully loaded trucks to cross the bridge in either direction, giving commercial drivers the option of another port of entry. The plan is to have a joint inspection facility on the north side of the bridge. “Pharr does a great job over there, but it’s one bridge,” said Darling. “There’s just so much potential in our area to only have one. So, we need to get commercial traffic on another bridge.” Asked when the bridge may ready to handle loaded trucks going both north- and DHS-17-0435-A-000071 FOIA CBP 000071 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT southbound, Darling said: “I am shooting for the end of 2018. That is why we want to get the design done and get construction going. We are working on that, state monies, federal monies. They have to get their act together in Washington and set a budget and get some funding (going). We will get it done. TRAVEL 16. Nonstop Seattle to Dublin flights to begin May 2018 (Seattle PI; 4.7M uvm; Seattle WA) Nonstop flights from Seattle to Dublin will start next spring. The Seattle Times reports Irish carrier Aer Lingus said Friday the service will begin May 18, 2018. The service will be provided four times a week. Because Dublin airport has its own U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility, passengers and their luggage will be pre-cleared in Ireland before departure, with no need to go through passport control on arrival in Seattle. This will be the first pre-cleared trans-Atlantic flight to fly into Seattle. Aer Lingus also will provide Seattle passengers connections through Dublin to 24 U.K. and European cities. 17. CBP gives tips for faster entry times during holiday season (KGBT-TV; 298k uvm; Harlingen, TX) … Jolanie Martinez VIDEO: U.S. Customs and Border Protection has tips for international travelers coming to the U.S. during the holiday season. U.S. Customs and Border Protection public information officer Maribel Saenz says the agency is preparing for the large number of shoppers that cross the border during the holiday season, especially after La Plaza Mall’s multi-million dollar expansion. Saenz recommends international travelers to apply online for the I-94 form. “A lot of times since it's holiday season, there is a lot more travelers than usual, so that's why we are encouraging everybody to go online, apply online,” Saenz said. “They can pay for it online, they bring their receipt with them and we finalize it for them here at the port of entry." To finalize the I￾94 process, travelers must present themselves at a port of entry within seven days of their application. Travelers are also encouraged to use their radio frequency identification card to use ready lanes at port of entries. The frequency identification card includes the newer version of the U.S. passport cards, border crossing cards and resident alien card. Saenz says using this method expedites the entry process by 20 percent. “At the window, they will be getting their fingerprints, their picture and a background check to make sure that they qualify for the I-94 and cardboard,” said Saenz. “I-94 will be printed and that's what they will have to present at the checkpoint with their travel documents." CBP’s Border Wait Times app also gives hourly updates on lines at each port of entry. WORKFORCE 18. Law enforcement K-9s compete in Mercedes (Brownsville Herald; 75k uvm; Brownsville, TX) … Cristina M. Garcia DHS-17-0435-A-000072 FOIA CBP 000072 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT Federal and local agencies were rivals Friday during the 3rd annual South Texas Police K-9 Competition held at the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show Grounds in Mercedes. Valley law enforcement agencies and others, along with their K-9s, competed in timed narcotic article and vehicle searches, the obedience and confidence course, and criminal apprehension…If you compete and your dog doesn’t do so well, that motivates you,” Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office K-9 trainer Javier Solis said… U.S. Border Patrol’s K-9, Billy-B, was named top dog in the patrol competition. A Belgian Malinois named Mischa and her handler, Tim Behnke, with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, quickly ran the narcotic article and vehicle searches Friday afternoon. Mischa has stopped more than $1 million worth of drugs from being smuggled into the U.S. during her more than three years as a law enforcement K-9, according Behnke. Behnke and Mischa underwent a seven-week training course in Virginia prior to working together at multiple ports of entry in Brownsville. The two have been a team for three and a half years. “It’s the best job in the world,” Benke said. “Working with an animal is awesome.” Though Behnke didn’t place in the vehicles search competition, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s K-9 Coco and his handler, Michael Hufham, placed third. The U.S. Border Patrol was awarded the Best K-9 Unit, while Lusy with Edinburg CISD Police Department took first in the articles search. 19. CBP AMO Plan Flyover at NASCAR’s Championship Weekend (American Security Today; 45k uvm) VIDEO: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations (AMO) aircrews based at the Miami Air and Marine Branch will perform a flyover during NASCAR’s championship weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway in front of tens of thousands of racing fans. CBP’s Air and Marine Operations agents from air and marine branches and units in Florida and Texas are assisting with security efforts for the event providing real-time aerial video to ground based law enforcement personnel at the incident command center. Air and Marine Operations interdicts unlawful people and cargo approaching U.S. borders, investigates criminal networks and provides domain awareness in the air and maritime environments, and responds to contingencies and national taskings. “We’re a part of this community and honored to serve and protect the public in Greater Miami and the Florida Keys utilizing advanced aeronautical and maritime capabilities,” said Martin Wade, Director of the Miami Air and Marine Branch. “Air and Marine Operations highly-skilled agents are often behind the scenes at high profile events to keep things safe and secure along with local, state and federal law enforcement partners.” OPINION 20. Former DHS Secretary Tom Ridge: No southern border wall needed (CBS Television Network; 26.1 uvm) … Arden Farhi VIDEO: Tom Ridge, the nation's first secretary of Homeland Security, believes the physical border wall President Donald Trump wants to build on the U.S.-Mexico border isn't necessary. "I don't think we need it," Ridge said. "I think there are things we can do with technology that foregoes the need to build a 3,000 mile border [wall] DHS-17-0435-A-000073 FOIA CBP 000073 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT with a neighbor... I prefer presidents that tear down walls rather than build them." Ridge appeared on "The Takeout" podcast with CBS News chief White House correspondent Major Garrett and political director Steve Chaggaris. Despite his criticism of the President, Ridge, a Republican, praised Mr. Trump's pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Kirstjen Nielsen. "This is a woman that's got public and private sector experience. She's been deputy chief of staff to the president now, she was General [John] Kelly's chief of staff [at DHS], she's well versed and worked with the private sector on preparedness issues and cyber security issues and the like." IMMIGRATION 21. Immigrant Who Had Prosthetic Leg Mocked by Trump Officials to Be Freed After 'Inhumane' Detention (Newsweek; 9.4M uvm) … Nicole Rodriguez VIDEO: A 20-year-old disabled immigrant detained for more than a month without being charged was to be freed Friday, but he has been stripped of his Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status. After being detained by Customs and Border Protection (CPB) agents on October 11 as part of a human smuggling investigation, Felipe Abonza-Lopez of San Marcos, Texas, was granted a $7,500 bond and will be released sometime Friday, a legal assistant for Abonza-Lopez’s attorney told Newsweek Friday. Abonza-Lopez has lost his DACA status, which had been set to expire in 2019. It was revoked October 12, when he received a notice to appear in immigration court for deportation proceedings, a spokesperson for Citizenship and Immigration Services (ICE) told Newsweek. 22. Trump Administration Cites MS-13 Arrest to Push Change in Minor Immigrant Law (Daily Signal; 1.1M uvm) … Fred Lucas The Trump administration is pointing to a large federal roundup of members of the violent gang MS-13 as vindication of increased enforcement efforts and reason to change the policy on unaccompanied minor illegal immigrants. The Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security announced a joint effort that led to the arrest of 214 gang members and those involved with gang-related crime…Of the 214, just 16 were U.S. citizens while 198 were foreign nationals. Of the foreign nationals, only five were in the country legally. Among those arrested, 64 entered the country as unaccompanied alien children, but most are now adults, according to the Trump administration. During a press conference Thursday announcing the arrests, Tom Homan, deputy director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, noted the 2008 law on unaccompanied minors does not allow them to be immediately returned to their country of origin. “The agencies sent up a series of policy requests to the Hill to address a lot of issues to further control the border and illegal immigration,” Homan said. “Some of these policies are being exploited and used by criminal organizations. That’s why that’s one of the policy issues we asked Congress to look at and help us with.” DHS-17-0435-A-000074 FOIA CBP 000074 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT 23. UMD files affidavit in federal lawsuit challenging Trump’s latest travel ban (The Diamondback; 35k uvm) … Christine Condon The University of Maryland has filed an affidavit in a federal lawsuit opposing the Trump administration's latest iteration of its travel ban. "Since our students & faculty are impacted by the latest travel ban, #UMD has filed an affidavit in a federal lawsuit in MD challenging the ban's legality," University President Wallace Loh tweeted Friday. The affidavit was filed in a Maryland district court case surrounding the ban. Federal judges in Maryland and Hawaii issued national orders freezing the ban in October. "It is in the interest of the University, as well as in the national interest, to welcome talented persons of all nations to study, teach, and do research in the United States, in order to maintain and improve America's position as a leader in higher education and research," read the statement, signed by Loh Oct. 10. OF INTEREST 24. Trump halts decision to allow elephant trophy imports after uproar (Reuters; 43.6M uvm) …David Shepardson and Eric Beech U.S. President Donald Trump said in a tweet on Friday he is putting a decision to allow imports of elephant trophies on hold after a torrent of criticism from conservation advocates and across social media. Trump’s reversal came hours after his administration released a rule on Friday to allow hunters who kill elephants in Zimbabwe to bring their trophies back to the United States, which had been banned by the Obama administration. “Put big game trophy decision on hold until such time as I review all conservation facts. Under study for years. Will update soon with Secretary Zinke. Thank you!” Trump wrote. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said in a statement that he had spoken with Trump and “both believe that conservation and healthy herds are critical.” He said the “issuing of permits is being put on hold as the decision is being reviewed.” 25. 18-year-old accused of shooting CBP agent in Oakleaf said he would “off” cops, according to investigators (WOKV-FM; 75.1k uvm; Jacksonville, FL) … Stephanie Brown Two months after a Customs and Border Protection Agent was shot in the parking lot of an Oakleaf Publix, new investigative reports are detailing more about the possible motive to the attack. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office believed from early in their investigation that the agent was ambushed because he was law enforcement. The victim was leaving the Publix after grabbing some groceries, when CCSO says 18- year-old Jake Lewis sped up and fired multiple shots, hitting the agent multiple times. Lewis then crashed, and CCSO says he died of a self-inflicted gunshot. The agent who was shot underwent surgery and continues to recover. CBP tells us the “signs are encouraging”, and the agent is expected to return on limited duty in the near future. That agent has spoken with investigators, and the new supplemental reports show he remembers a suspect pointing a gun out of a car and yelling about hating cops, before shooting. DHS-17-0435-A-000075 FOIA CBP 000075 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT SOCIAL MEDIA ANALYSIS OF NOTE The tweet by @DonaldTrumpJr on November 16 titled “First female Border Patrol chief says agents 'empowered' under Trump” is still the most retweeted of the period, with 6.3k retweets, 20k likes and 765 replies to date. As mentioned above, the tweet by Adolfo Flores from the account @aflores titled “Immigrant father says the Border Patrol took his infant son and won't tell him where he is” is gaining attention on Twitter and is the second most retweeted tweet to date. The tweet supplies a link to the BuzzFeed article where he is interviewed. The tweet has 327 retweets, 154 likes, and 34 replies to date. The tweet to receive the highest engagement of the period on @CustomsBorder is “RGV sector Border Patrol K9’s lead agents to seize over $6.1 million in narcotics. #KeepingAmericaSafe.” The tweet has received 20 retweets, 55 likes, 6 replies and 180,000 potential impressions to date. The tweet provides a link to the KIII TV news article on the bust. ABOUT THIS REPORT. Articles in this report were published during the 24 hours preceding the report date unless otherwise specified. Dissemination figures and bylines might not be available for all articles. Location is noted for local outlets. DHS-17-0435-A-000076 FOIA CBP 000076 • --------- -- • - From: Media Analyst To: Media Analyst Subject: Daily Media Summary - November 18, 2017 Date: Saturday, November 18, 2017 8:27:39 AM Attachments: image001.png image003.png image005.png CBP_Daily Media Summary_111817.pdf The Daily Media Summary (DMS) and the links contained herein are being provided solely as a convenience and to afford CBP officials a broad awareness of the day's traditional, digital and social media coverage of CBP. The views and opinions expressed in the DMS, the sources cited, and the links contained herein do not necessarily represent the opinions, views, policies or positions of the U.S. Government, DHS, CBP or the Office of Public Affairs. Daily Media Summary November 18, 2017 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY WBTS-TV reported that group of Senate Democrats are pressing DHS Secretary nominee Kirstjen Nielsen to support bipartisan legislation that would protect DACA recipients from being deported. They cited that during her confirmation hearing she agreed that there was a need for legislation to protect DACA recipients and help create a path for citizenship. This story has been shared by major media outlets Stars & Stripes, ABC News as well as local outlets such as the Tampa Bay Times, and Florence Morning News, based in Florence, SC. The UK media outlet Daily Mail shared this story as well. KIII-TV reported that Border Patrol agents at the Sarita checkpoint arrested a person who had attempted to smuggle cocaine through the checkpoint in the trunk of their Mercedes. "The efforts they are using to conceal the loads is usually expensive, so this was out of the ordinary for us," said Deputy Patrol Agent in charge of Kingsville Josh Schad. According to agents, usually the cartels try and conceal their drugs loads inside secret compartments, but this bust was unusual considering the dog's ability to smell. "The things they can detect, the minor traces of narcotics they can smell is unbelievable so we couldn't do the job without them," Schad said. This story has yet to be widely reported on in other media outlets, however on the @CustomsBorder Twitter account, it is the tweet with the highest engagement of the period. BuzzFeed reported that an immigrant father, Jose Demar Fuentes, from Central America seeking asylum in the United States has accused Border Patrol agents of lying and threatening him to persuade him to separate from his 1-year-old son. CBP didn’t respond to specific questions about Fuentes or the other fathers, but pointed to their policy on family unity. “CBP will maintain family unity to the greatest extent operationally feasible, absent a legal requirement or an articulable safety or security concern that requires separation,” the policy said. While this story has yet to be widely reported in other media outlets, it is gaining traction on Twitter since BuzzFeed first ran the article in the early morning hours. TOP NEWS DHS-17-0435-A-000077 FOIA CBP 000077 • • • 1. Democrats Press Homeland Security Pick on Immigration Issues (WBTS-TV; 20k uvm; Newton, MA) … Richard Lardner A group of Senate Democrats is pressing President Donald Trump's choice to lead the Homeland Security Department to endorse bipartisan legislation to shield from deportation thousands of young immigrants brought to the U.S. as young children and living here illegally. In a letter sent Friday to Kirstjen Nielsen, the 20 lawmakers said she agreed during her confirmation hearing earlier this month on the need for legislation that would put so-called "Dreamers" on a path to U.S. citizenship. They want to know if that means Nielsen will openly urge Congress to pass the bipartisan Dream Act to "provide the solution that you have recognized is needed." White House spokesman Raj Shah said Nielsen did not express support for any specific legislation during her confirmation hearing." The Trump administration has laid out its priorities for responsible immigration reform we hope Congress will adopt," Shah said. 2. Major cocaine bust at Sarita checkpoint (KIII-TV; 66k uvm; Corpus Christi, TX) … Michael Gibson VIDEO: Border patrol agents at the Sarita checkpoint said one of their K-9's sniffed out a trunk full of cocaine Wednesday morning. Nearly six million dollars worth of cocaine was discovered during the stop. Kiii News reporter Michael Gibson was at the checkpoint to meet with agents about the incident. "The efforts they are using to conceal the loads is usually expensive, so this was out of the ordinary for us," said Deputy Patrol Agent in charge of Kingsville Josh Schad. According to agents, usually the cartels try and conceal their drugs loads inside secret compartments of even inside car batteries, but this bust was unusual considering the dog's super sense of smell. "The things they can detect, the minor traces of narcotics they can smell is unbelievable so we couldn't do the job without them," Schad said. Investigators believe the drugs were smuggled across an unprotected section of the border and then loaded into the Mercedes. 3. Immigrant Father Says The Border Patrol Took His Infant Son And Won't Tell Him Where He Is (BuzzFeed; 17.7M) … Adolfo Flores An immigrant father from Central America seeking asylum in the United States has accused Border Patrol agents of lying and threatening him to persuade him to separate from his 1-year-old son. Immigrant rights advocates said the accusation bolsters what they believe is an effort by Border Patrol agents to discourage Central American immigration by separating parents from their children. Jose Demar Fuentes, 30, said he and three other fathers crossed the US border through the Mexican city of Tijuana on Sunday with their children and requested asylum from US immigration authorities. Fuentes said that in three separate meetings, Border Patrol agents in dark green uniforms told him and the other fathers that if they didn't agree to separate themselves from their children, their immigration cases would take longer and there would be problems. “The last time they said we’d better agree because it was ‘better to do it the good way and avoid using force in front of the kids,’” Fuentes told DHS-17-0435-A-000078 FOIA CBP 000078 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT BuzzFeed News. “That made us all agree.” The fathers and their kids were separated Thursday. The three other fathers could not be reached for comment. US Customs and Border Protection didn’t respond to specific questions about Fuentes or the other fathers, but pointed to their policy on family unity. “CBP will maintain family unity to the greatest extent operationally feasible, absent a legal requirement or an articulable safety or security concern that requires separation,” the policy said. NEWS INDEX BORDER SECURITY Along U.S. Borders 4. Border Patrol Agent Hospitalized after Illegal Immigrant Speeds Through Checkpoint (Breitbart; 19.1M uvm) … Bob Price Border Patrol agents assigned to a checkpoint in East County observed a man approaching in a 2009 Infinity G35 sedan. The driver initiated a U-turn before the checkpoint and drove the wrong way into oncoming traffic, according to information provided to Breitbart Texas by U.S. Border Patrol officials. The driver suddenly executed another U-turn and sped toward the checkpoint–reaching a speed of nearly 70 miles per hour, officials stated. As the driver approached, he swerved out of the lanes of cars waiting for inspection to bypass the position. In doing so, he struck a steel road sign — parts of which struck a Border Patrol agent working nearby. The debris from the sign injured the agent who had to be hospitalized. The driver bypassed the checkpoint and took off on I-8. Agents pursued the fleeing driver. The pursuit reached speeds in excess of 100 mph, officials reported. Suddenly, the driver lost control of the G35 and crashed on a berm. After climbing out of the car, the driver fled on foot. As other agents arrived on the scene, they secured the two occupants and checked them for injuries. Finding none, the agents placed the male passengers under arrest. Other agents pursued the driver on foot. The agents found the driver hiding in the garage of a private home, officials explained. They took the man into custody. An investigation revealed the 27-year-old driver and the two male passengers, ages 27 and 40, were all illegally present in the U.S. The driver faces charges of transporting aliens illegally present in the United States, officials reported. All three Mexican nationals are being held in federal custody. 5. Border Patrol agents discover drugs taped to 17-year-old girl's body (KGTV-TV; 2.1M uvm; San Diego, CA) … Jermaine Ong A 17-year-old girl was taken into custody at the El Centro border checkpoint after U.S. officials said Border Patrol agents discovered small packages of methamphetamine taped to her body. Customs and Border Protection officials said the teen was a passenger in a Ford Focus that approached the Highway 86 checkpoint at about 1:15 p.m. Wednesday. Officials said three other people were in the vehicle. According to officials, a canine team alerted agents to something suspicious in the vehicle. During DHS-17-0435-A-000079 FOIA CBP 000079 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT a secondary inspection, agents found 10 small packages taped to the teen girl's legs. Officials said the packages -- which weighed a combined 4.21 pounds with an estimated street value of $14,735 -- "were tested and contained the properties consistent with methamphetamine." The drugs and the girl, who is a U.S. citizen, were turned over to DEA officials. Officials did not say if the other vehicle occupants were taken into custody. 6. Suspected MS-13 gang member arrested in northwest North Dakota (Grand Forks Herald; 837k uvm; Grand Forks, ND) … April Baumgarten A suspected member of a notorious international criminal gang has been arrested in Williston and is being held at the Grand Forks County jail. Border Patrol agents from the Grand Forks Sector of U.S. Customs and Border Protection arrested 39-year-old Concepcion Carcamo-Portillo at 7 p.m. Wednesday, spokesman Kristoffer Grogan confirmed to the Herald. Numerous tips from concerned citizens led officers to the El Salvador national, Grogan said. Investigators determined the man was in the U.S. illegally and is an alleged member of Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the El Salvador-based international criminal organization MS-13. Carcamo-Portillo was booked Thursday evening into the Grand Forks County Correctional Center. "This arrest is a testament to our cooperation with our (Department of Homeland Security) partners to disrupt one of the most dangerous criminal organizations in the United States," Chief Patrol Agent Aaron Heitke, commander of the Grand Forks Sector, said in a statement. "This arrest is the direct result from of information passed from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and a call from a concerned citizen." 7. Man surrenders at Border Patrol checkpoint following I-25 pursuit (Las Cruces Sun-News; 310k uvm; Las Cruces, NM) VIDEO: An Albuquerque man, suspected in a possible kidnapping, surrendered to authorities at the Border Patrol checkpoint north of Las Cruces on Thursday. Epifanio Torres, 30, was charged with aggravated fleeing, a fourth degree felony. Other charges are pending, according to New Mexico State Police. State police said the incident began about 8:29 p.m. when they issued a "be on the lookout" (BOLO) for a red Ford F-150 pickup in reference to a possible kidnapping in Albuquerque. Authorities said information was received from an out-of-state relative, who had been on the phone with a female, reportedly in the backseat of the pickup. The suspect and female had been in a relationship, state police reported. About 45 minutes after the BOLO, state police officers spotted the vehicle traveling south on I-25, near mile post 68. An officer attempted to stop the vehicle, police said, but it did not stop and the driver continued southbound. State Police notified Border Patrol agents at the I-25 checkpoint of the ongoing pursuit. Torres, who was on the phone with the Albuquerque NMSP office, told authorities he would surrender at the checkpoint, which he did without incident, police said. The female passenger was checked by authorities and refused transport to a hospital, police said. 8. K-9 leads Border Patrol agents to discovery of more than 180 pounds of cocaine (Corpus Christi Caller-Times; 191k uvm; Corpus Christi, TX) … Alexandria DHS-17-0435-A-000080 FOIA CBP 000080 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT Rodriguez VIDEO: An alert from a Border Patrol K-9 in Kingsville led to the discovery of more than 180 pounds of cocaine at a checkpoint Wednesday. The alert from the K-9 came during a non-intrusive vehicle inspection at the checkpoint. Agents then inspected the truck of the vehicle and found three suitcases with about 185 pounds of cocaine, according to a news release. Drug Enforcement Administration agents took the vehicle, 32 bundles of cocaine, valued at $5,844,800, and took the driver, a U.S. citizen, into custody, the release states. On Tuesday, agents at the Brownsville Border Patrol Station seized more than 8 pounds of methamphetamine after they were alerted by another K-9. The K-9 alerted an agents to a delivery truck, which led to further inspection, the release states. Agents then found nine packages of methamphetamine, worth more than $260,000, concealed in liquid foam, according to the release. 9. Border Patrol nabs two suspected MS-13 gang members (Corpus Christi Caller-Times; 191k uvm; Corpus Christi, TX) …Chris Ramirez VIDEO: An El Salvadoran man with ties to the violent street gang MS-13 and a criminal record in his homeland was among those arrested in a Border Patrol operation near Hebbronville. Border Patrol agents arrested an undocumented immigrant Tuesday, according to a news release from the agency. He was among a group of 16 immigrants who were on a ranch near Hebbronville. The Border Patrol said the man, whose identity was not released, had an extensive criminal history in his native country. He had served an eight-year prison sentence there for a homicide conviction and also had a record for illegal possession of a firearm, aggravated robbery and drug trafficking. He was processed for deportation. On Thursday, Border Patrol agents arrested another undocumented immigrant who is believed to be associated with MS-13 near Bruni, in Webb County. That person, also from El Salvador, was processed for deportation. The Trump administration has pledged to get MS-13 and other trans-national gangs off America's streets. The gang is believed to have started in Los Angeles in the 1980s, but became more deeply entrenched in Central America when its leaders were deported. There was no indication immediately that the individuals' arrests were in any way connected to "Operation Raging Bull," a crackdown run conducted by officials from the Department of Homeland Security and Justice Department. That operation ran from Oct. 8 to Nov. 11, and concluded with the arrest of 214 members of MS-13. Ports of Entry 10. Farmington driver’s race car is delayed at Canadian border (Portland Press Herald; 2.1M uvm; Portland, OR) … Phil Whipple For Farmington native Cassius Clark, the anticipation leading up to Saturday’s annual Pro All Stars Series Mega-Meltdown 300 at Hickory Motor Speedway in North Carolina has turned to stress. The team for which Clark drives, King Racing, owned by former racer and Canadian businessman Rollie MacDonald, is stuck at the DHS-17-0435-A-000081 FOIA CBP 000081 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT Canadian border with the car and all of the equipment necessary to run this weekend’s race. “They’ve been delayed at the border cross at Houlton since Tuesday afternoon at 2 p.m.,” Clark said on the phone from North Carolina. “There was a practice session here yesterday, and there is more on tap for today. It’s a 20-hour drive from Houlton to get here, so I sure hope they get released soon.” Two other race teams had similar difficulties, Clark said, but were allowed to pass after a lengthy delay. U.S. Customs and Border Protections Public Affairs Officer Stephanie Malin on Friday afternoon released a statement on the matter: “While I cannot get into the specific details of the inspection, I can confirm the individuals were not detained at the port of entry at all,” she wrote, “The issue is related to a lack of proper importation documents required for importing a vehicle for racing purposes. 11. City officials get a tour of the international bridges (KGNS-TV; 87k uvm; Laredo, TX) … Phil Whipple VIDEO:A tour of bridge one and two was given to city officials on both sides of the border as they took a look at the status of the ongoing construction project. According to CBP, construction at both br1idge one and two is coming along fine. Congressman Henry Cuellar, Mayor Pete Saenz, and Nuevo Laredo and Laredo officials toured both facilities with U.S. General Services Administration and Customs and Border Protection. The project is aimed towards increasing efficiency and improving safety and security for vehicle and pedestrian processing. These updates should reduce vehicle wait times from 33 to 15 minutes and peak pedestrian time from 49 to 21 minutes. Mayor Peete Saenz says there have been talks between him and Nuevo Laredo about the idea of turning bridge one into a pedestrian walkway. Mayor Saenz says CBP has been supportive of the idea and now it’s up to him and City Council to decided and work with Nuevo Laredo to see if it’s possible. The projected completion dates for bridge one is April 2018 and December 2018 for bridge two. 12. ‘No shirt, no service, no Canada’ (Surrey Now-Leader; 17k uvm; Surrey, BC Canada) … Aaron Hinks A U.S. man is now in jail after Canada Border Services Agency discovered he had an outstanding felony warrant from Washington State. U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued a news release Friday afternoon title “No shirt, no service, no Canada,” saying the Tacoma man arrived northbound at the Peace Arch (Douglas) crossing in South Surrey, shirtless, and told officers he was heading to Toronto to visit friends. The release says that during a search of a rental vehicle, CBSA found small amounts of meth. After being returned to Blaine, officers confirmed the 23-year-old had a felony warrant from the Washington State Department of Corrections for robbery and escape from community custody, which was issued Nov. 13. “The co￾operation between three government agencies is priceless,” U.S. CBP area port director Kenneth Williams said in the release. “CBSA, CBP and the sheriff’s office worked as a team to get this suspected criminal off the street.” BORDER WALL 13. Roundtable: A Closer Look At The Border Wall DHS-17-0435-A-000082 FOIA CBP 000082 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT (KPBS-TV; 278k uvm; San Diego, CA) … Bennett Lacy, Mark Sauer VIDEO: President Donald Trump is demanding Congress fund the construction of a wall along America’s border with Mexico. Work has already begun, with eight prototypes of new structures recently being showcased in San Diego. In the new series "America's Wall," KPBS and inewsource obtained previously unseen federal documents that detail the existing barriers along the border built under several previous administrations. The series also profiles people on both sides of the border, and both sides of a contentious issue. 14. Fisher's border wall prototype complete on Southern border (Dickinson Press; 192k uvm; Dickinson, ND) … Grady McGregor Dickinson-based Fisher Industries has completed construction of a border wall prototype along the southern border of the United States near Otay Mesa, Cali. Fisher's wall is made of concrete and while it lacks some of the color and features of other prototypes, like tubing atop the walls or opaque paneling, the wall's simplicity makes it look like one of the more imposing designs. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that the eight border wall prototypes were completed in late October but this is the first time that the Press has been able to track down available pictures of Fisher's wall prototype. According to a CBP press release from late last month, now that the construction phase is complete they will test and evaluate each wall over a 30- to 60-day period. "Border security contributes to our overall national security and relies on a combination of border infrastructure, technology, personnel, and partnerships," said CBP acting Deputy Commissioner Ron Vitiello in the release. "Border walls have proven to be an extremely effective part of our multi-pronged security strategy to prevent the illegal migration of people and drugs over the years ... These border enforcement zones give our men and women of CBP the best possible conditions to maintain a safe and secure border." TRADE 15. Darling: Fully loaded trucks crossing Anzalduas Bridge by end of 2018 (Rio Grande Guardian; 9k uvm; McAllen, TX) … Patricia Martinez McAllen Mayor Jim Darling said that the city is moving forward with plans to have full commercial traffic at the Anzalduas International Bridge by the end of 2018. Since August 2016, the bridge has allowed empty southbound trucks to cross into Mexico. Now, design plans are being finalized for fully loaded trucks to cross the bridge in either direction, giving commercial drivers the option of another port of entry. The plan is to have a joint inspection facility on the north side of the bridge. “Pharr does a great job over there, but it’s one bridge,” said Darling. “There’s just so much potential in our area to only have one. So, we need to get commercial traffic on another bridge.” Asked when the bridge may ready to handle loaded trucks going both north- and southbound, Darling said: “I am shooting for the end of 2018. That is why we want to get the design done and get construction going. We are working on that, state monies, federal monies. They have to get their act together in Washington and set a budget and get some funding (going). We will get it done. DHS-17-0435-A-000083 FOIA CBP 000083 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT TRAVEL 16. Nonstop Seattle to Dublin flights to begin May 2018 (Seattle PI; 4.7M uvm; Seattle WA) Nonstop flights from Seattle to Dublin will start next spring. The Seattle Times reports Irish carrier Aer Lingus said Friday the service will begin May 18, 2018. The service will be provided four times a week. Because Dublin airport has its own U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility, passengers and their luggage will be pre-cleared in Ireland before departure, with no need to go through passport control on arrival in Seattle. This will be the first pre-cleared trans-Atlantic flight to fly into Seattle. Aer Lingus also will provide Seattle passengers connections through Dublin to 24 U.K. and European cities. 17. CBP gives tips for faster entry times during holiday season (KGBT-TV; 298k uvm; Harlingen, TX) … Jolanie Martinez VIDEO: U.S. Customs and Border Protection has tips for international travelers coming to the U.S. during the holiday season. U.S. Customs and Border Protection public information officer Maribel Saenz says the agency is preparing for the large number of shoppers that cross the border during the holiday season, especially after La Plaza Mall’s multi-million dollar expansion. Saenz recommends international travelers to apply online for the I-94 form. “A lot of times since it's holiday season, there is a lot more travelers than usual, so that's why we are encouraging everybody to go online, apply online,” Saenz said. “They can pay for it online, they bring their receipt with them and we finalize it for them here at the port of entry." To finalize the I￾94 process, travelers must present themselves at a port of entry within seven days of their application. Travelers are also encouraged to use their radio frequency identification card to use ready lanes at port of entries. The frequency identification card includes the newer version of the U.S. passport cards, border crossing cards and resident alien card. Saenz says using this method expedites the entry process by 20 percent. “At the window, they will be getting their fingerprints, their picture and a background check to make sure that they qualify for the I-94 and cardboard,” said Saenz. “I-94 will be printed and that's what they will have to present at the checkpoint with their travel documents." CBP’s Border Wait Times app also gives hourly updates on lines at each port of entry. WORKFORCE 18. Law enforcement K-9s compete in Mercedes (Brownsville Herald; 75k uvm; Brownsville, TX) … Cristina M. Garcia Federal and local agencies were rivals Friday during the 3rd annual South Texas Police K-9 Competition held at the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show Grounds in Mercedes. Valley law enforcement agencies and others, along with their K-9s, competed in timed narcotic article and vehicle searches, the obedience and DHS-17-0435-A-000084 FOIA CBP 000084 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT confidence course, and criminal apprehension…If you compete and your dog doesn’t do so well, that motivates you,” Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office K-9 trainer Javier Solis said… U.S. Border Patrol’s K-9, Billy-B, was named top dog in the patrol competition. A Belgian Malinois named Mischa and her handler, Tim Behnke, with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, quickly ran the narcotic article and vehicle searches Friday afternoon. Mischa has stopped more than $1 million worth of drugs from being smuggled into the U.S. during her more than three years as a law enforcement K-9, according Behnke. Behnke and Mischa underwent a seven-week training course in Virginia prior to working together at multiple ports of entry in Brownsville. The two have been a team for three and a half years. “It’s the best job in the world,” Benke said. “Working with an animal is awesome.” Though Behnke didn’t place in the vehicles search competition, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s K-9 Coco and his handler, Michael Hufham, placed third. The U.S. Border Patrol was awarded the Best K-9 Unit, while Lusy with Edinburg CISD Police Department took first in the articles search. 19. CBP AMO Plan Flyover at NASCAR’s Championship Weekend (American Security Today; 45k uvm) VIDEO: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations (AMO) aircrews based at the Miami Air and Marine Branch will perform a flyover during NASCAR’s championship weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway in front of tens of thousands of racing fans. CBP’s Air and Marine Operations agents from air and marine branches and units in Florida and Texas are assisting with security efforts for the event providing real-time aerial video to ground based law enforcement personnel at the incident command center. Air and Marine Operations interdicts unlawful people and cargo approaching U.S. borders, investigates criminal networks and provides domain awareness in the air and maritime environments, and responds to contingencies and national taskings. “We’re a part of this community and honored to serve and protect the public in Greater Miami and the Florida Keys utilizing advanced aeronautical and maritime capabilities,” said Martin Wade, Director of the Miami Air and Marine Branch. “Air and Marine Operations highly-skilled agents are often behind the scenes at high profile events to keep things safe and secure along with local, state and federal law enforcement partners.” OPINION 20. Former DHS Secretary Tom Ridge: No southern border wall needed (CBS Television Network; 26.1 uvm) … Arden Farhi VIDEO: Tom Ridge, the nation's first secretary of Homeland Security, believes the physical border wall President Donald Trump wants to build on the U.S.-Mexico border isn't necessary. "I don't think we need it," Ridge said. "I think there are things we can do with technology that foregoes the need to build a 3,000 mile border [wall] with a neighbor... I prefer presidents that tear down walls rather than build them." Ridge appeared on "The Takeout" podcast with CBS News chief White House correspondent Major Garrett and political director Steve Chaggaris. Despite his criticism of the President, Ridge, a Republican, praised Mr. Trump's pick to lead the DHS-17-0435-A-000085 FOIA CBP 000085 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Kirstjen Nielsen. "This is a woman that's got public and private sector experience. She's been deputy chief of staff to the president now, she was General [John] Kelly's chief of staff [at DHS], she's well versed and worked with the private sector on preparedness issues and cyber security issues and the like." IMMIGRATION 21. Immigrant Who Had Prosthetic Leg Mocked by Trump Officials to Be Freed After 'Inhumane' Detention (Newsweek; 9.4M uvm) … Nicole Rodriguez VIDEO: A 20-year-old disabled immigrant detained for more than a month without being charged was to be freed Friday, but he has been stripped of his Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status. After being detained by Customs and Border Protection (CPB) agents on October 11 as part of a human smuggling investigation, Felipe Abonza-Lopez of San Marcos, Texas, was granted a $7,500 bond and will be released sometime Friday, a legal assistant for Abonza-Lopez’s attorney told Newsweek Friday. Abonza-Lopez has lost his DACA status, which had been set to expire in 2019. It was revoked October 12, when he received a notice to appear in immigration court for deportation proceedings, a spokesperson for Citizenship and Immigration Services (ICE) told Newsweek. 22. Trump Administration Cites MS-13 Arrest to Push Change in Minor Immigrant Law (Daily Signal; 1.1M uvm) … Fred Lucas The Trump administration is pointing to a large federal roundup of members of the violent gang MS-13 as vindication of increased enforcement efforts and reason to change the policy on unaccompanied minor illegal immigrants. The Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security announced a joint effort that led to the arrest of 214 gang members and those involved with gang-related crime…Of the 214, just 16 were U.S. citizens while 198 were foreign nationals. Of the foreign nationals, only five were in the country legally. Among those arrested, 64 entered the country as unaccompanied alien children, but most are now adults, according to the Trump administration. During a press conference Thursday announcing the arrests, Tom Homan, deputy director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, noted the 2008 law on unaccompanied minors does not allow them to be immediately returned to their country of origin. “The agencies sent up a series of policy requests to the Hill to address a lot of issues to further control the border and illegal immigration,” Homan said. “Some of these policies are being exploited and used by criminal organizations. That’s why that’s one of the policy issues we asked Congress to look at and help us with.” 23. UMD files affidavit in federal lawsuit challenging Trump’s latest travel ban (The Diamondback; 35k uvm) … Christine Condon The University of Maryland has filed an affidavit in a federal lawsuit opposing the DHS-17-0435-A-000086 FOIA CBP 000086 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT Trump administration's latest iteration of its travel ban. "Since our students & faculty are impacted by the latest travel ban, #UMD has filed an affidavit in a federal lawsuit in MD challenging the ban's legality," University President Wallace Loh tweeted Friday. The affidavit was filed in a Maryland district court case surrounding the ban. Federal judges in Maryland and Hawaii issued national orders freezing the ban in October. "It is in the interest of the University, as well as in the national interest, to welcome talented persons of all nations to study, teach, and do research in the United States, in order to maintain and improve America's position as a leader in higher education and research," read the statement, signed by Loh Oct. 10. OF INTEREST 24. Trump halts decision to allow elephant trophy imports after uproar (Reuters; 43.6M uvm) …David Shepardson and Eric Beech U.S. President Donald Trump said in a tweet on Friday he is putting a decision to allow imports of elephant trophies on hold after a torrent of criticism from conservation advocates and across social media. Trump’s reversal came hours after his administration released a rule on Friday to allow hunters who kill elephants in Zimbabwe to bring their trophies back to the United States, which had been banned by the Obama administration. “Put big game trophy decision on hold until such time as I review all conservation facts. Under study for years. Will update soon with Secretary Zinke. Thank you!” Trump wrote. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said in a statement that he had spoken with Trump and “both believe that conservation and healthy herds are critical.” He said the “issuing of permits is being put on hold as the decision is being reviewed.” 25. 18-year-old accused of shooting CBP agent in Oakleaf said he would “off” cops, according to investigators (WOKV-FM; 75.1k uvm; Jacksonville, FL) … Stephanie Brown Two months after a Customs and Border Protection Agent was shot in the parking lot of an Oakleaf Publix, new investigative reports are detailing more about the possible motive to the attack. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office believed from early in their investigation that the agent was ambushed because he was law enforcement. The victim was leaving the Publix after grabbing some groceries, when CCSO says 18- year-old Jake Lewis sped up and fired multiple shots, hitting the agent multiple times. Lewis then crashed, and CCSO says he died of a self-inflicted gunshot. The agent who was shot underwent surgery and continues to recover. CBP tells us the “signs are encouraging”, and the agent is expected to return on limited duty in the near future. That agent has spoken with investigators, and the new supplemental reports show he remembers a suspect pointing a gun out of a car and yelling about hating cops, before shooting. SOCIAL MEDIA ANALYSIS OF NOTE DHS-17-0435-A-000087 FOIA CBP 000087 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT The tweet by @DonaldTrumpJr on November 16 titled “First female Border Patrol chief says agents 'empowered' under Trump” is still the most retweeted of the period, with 6.3k retweets, 20k likes and 765 replies to date. As mentioned above, the tweet by Adolfo Flores from the account @aflores titled “Immigrant father says the Border Patrol took his infant son and won't tell him where he is” is gaining attention on Twitter and is the second most retweeted tweet to date. The tweet supplies a link to the BuzzFeed article where he is interviewed. The tweet has 327 retweets, 154 likes, and 34 replies to date. The tweet to receive the highest engagement of the period on @CustomsBorder is “RGV sector Border Patrol K9’s lead agents to seize over $6.1 million in narcotics. #KeepingAmericaSafe.” The tweet has received 20 retweets, 55 likes, 6 replies and 180,000 potential impressions to date. The tweet provides a link to the KIII TV news article on the bust. ABOUT THIS REPORT. Articles in this report were published during the 24 hours preceding the report date unless otherwise specified. Dissemination figures and bylines might not be available for all articles. Location is noted for local outlets. DHS-17-0435-A-000088 FOIA CBP 000088 • • • DHS-17-0435-A-000089 FOIA CBP 000089 Donald Trump Jr. 0 @DonaldJTrumpJr ( Follow ) v First female Border Patrol chief says agents ·empowered· under Trump nyp.st/2zKAxSK via @nypost First female Border Patrol chief says agents 'empowered' under Trump Border Patrol Chief Carla Provost said the Trump administration 's rhetoric regarding protecting America 's borders in the face of illegal immigration has a lot of agents "fe ... nypost.com 4:27 AM - 16 Nov 2017 6,328 Retweets 19,874 Likes C) 8 1 Q.. · fl, 0 765 t_l, 6.3K Q 20K AM(::HICAN OVERSIGH DHS-17-0435-A-000090 FOIA CBP 000090 1 Adolfo Flores 0 @aflores ( Follow ) v Immigrant father says the Border Patrol took his infant son and won't tell him where he is buzzfeed.com/adolfoflores/i ... 4:28 PM - 17 Nov 2017 327 Retweets 154 Likes Q 154 DHS-17-0435-A-000091 FOIA CBP 000091 Cl g CBPO t~;i;;:~:: @CustomsBorder ( Follow ) v RGV sector Border Patrol K9's lead agents to seize over $6.1 million in narcotics. #KeepingAmericaSafe bit.ly/2zJhqea 5:35 AM - 17 Nov 2017 OVERS l'G · T t_i, 20 C? ss 1 The Daily Media Summary (DMS) and the links contained herein are being provided solely as a convenience and to afford CBP officials a broad awareness of the day's traditional, digital and social media coverage of CBP. The views and opinions expressed in the DMS, the sources cited, and the links contained herein do not necessarily represent the opinions, views, policies or positions of the U.S. Government, DHS, CBP or the Office of Public Affairs. Daily Media Summary November 18, 2017 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY • WBTS-TV reported that group of Senate Democrats are pressing DHS Secretary nominee Kirstjen Nielsen to support bipartisan legislation that would protect DACA recipients from being deported. They cited that during her confirmation hearing she agreed that there was a need for legislation to protect DACA recipients and help create a path for citizenship. This story has been shared by major media outlets Stars & Stripes, ABC News as well as local outlets such as the Tampa Bay Times, and Florence Morning News, based in Florence, SC. The UK media outlet Daily Mail shared this story as well. • KIII-TV reported that Border Patrol agents at the Sarita checkpoint arrested a person who had attempted to smuggle cocaine through the checkpoint in the trunk of their Mercedes. "The efforts they are using to conceal the loads is usually expensive, so this was out of the ordinary for us," said Deputy Patrol Agent in charge of Kingsville Josh Schad. According to agents, usually the cartels try and conceal their drugs loads inside secret compartments, but this bust was unusual considering the dog's ability to smell. "The things they can detect, the minor traces of narcotics they can smell is unbelievable so we couldn't do the job without them," Schad said. This story has yet to be widely reported on in other media outlets, however on the @CustomsBorder Twitter account, it is the tweet with the highest engagement of the period. • BuzzFeed reported that an immigrant father, Jose Demar Fuentes, from Central America seeking asylum in the United States has accused Border Patrol agents of lying and threatening him to persuade him to separate from his 1-year-old son. CBP didn’t respond to specific questions about Fuentes or the other fathers, but pointed to their policy on family unity. “CBP will maintain family unity to the greatest extent operationally feasible, absent a legal requirement or an articulable safety or security concern that requires separation,” the policy said. While this story has yet to be widely reported in other media outlets, it is gaining traction on Twitter since BuzzFeed first ran the article in the early morning hours. TOP NEWS 1. Democrats Press Homeland Security Pick on Immigration Issues (WBTS-TV; 20k uvm; Newton, MA) … Richard Lardner A group of Senate Democrats is pressing President Donald Trump's choice to lead the Homeland Security Department to endorse bipartisan legislation to shield from deportation thousands of young immigrants brought to the U.S. as young children and DHS-17-0435-A-000092 FOIA CBP 000092 OVERSIGHT 2 living here illegally. In a letter sent Friday to Kirstjen Nielsen, the 20 lawmakers said she agreed during her confirmation hearing earlier this month on the need for legislation that would put so-called "Dreamers" on a path to U.S. citizenship. They want to know if that means Nielsen will openly urge Congress to pass the bipartisan Dream Act to "provide the solution that you have recognized is needed." White House spokesman Raj Shah said Nielsen did not express support for any specific legislation during her confirmation hearing." The Trump administration has laid out its priorities for responsible immigration reform we hope Congress will adopt," Shah said. 2. Major cocaine bust at Sarita checkpoint (KIII-TV; 66k uvm; Corpus Christi, TX) … Michael Gibson VIDEO: Border patrol agents at the Sarita checkpoint said one of their K-9's sniffed out a trunk full of cocaine Wednesday morning. Nearly six million dollars worth of cocaine was discovered during the stop. Kiii News reporter Michael Gibson was at the checkpoint to meet with agents about the incident. "The efforts they are using to conceal the loads is usually expensive, so this was out of the ordinary for us," said Deputy Patrol Agent in charge of Kingsville Josh Schad. According to agents, usually the cartels try and conceal their drugs loads inside secret compartments of even inside car batteries, but this bust was unusual considering the dog's super sense of smell. "The things they can detect, the minor traces of narcotics they can smell is unbelievable so we couldn't do the job without them," Schad said. Investigators believe the drugs were smuggled across an unprotected section of the border and then loaded into the Mercedes. 3. Immigrant Father Says The Border Patrol Took His Infant Son And Won't Tell Him Where He Is (BuzzFeed; 17.7M) … Adolfo Flores An immigrant father from Central America seeking asylum in the United States has accused Border Patrol agents of lying and threatening him to persuade him to separate from his 1-year-old son. Immigrant rights advocates said the accusation bolsters what they believe is an effort by Border Patrol agents to discourage Central American immigration by separating parents from their children. Jose Demar Fuentes, 30, said he and three other fathers crossed the US border through the Mexican city of Tijuana on Sunday with their children and requested asylum from US immigration authorities. Fuentes said that in three separate meetings, Border Patrol agents in dark green uniforms told him and the other fathers that if they didn't agree to separate themselves from their children, their immigration cases would take longer and there would be problems. “The last time they said we’d better agree because it was ‘better to do it the good way and avoid using force in front of the kids,’” Fuentes told BuzzFeed News. “That made us all agree.” The fathers and their kids were separated Thursday. The three other fathers could not be reached for comment. US Customs and Border Protection didn’t respond to specific questions about Fuentes or the other fathers, but pointed to their policy on family unity. “CBP will maintain family unity to the greatest extent operationally feasible, absent a legal requirement or an articulable safety or security concern that requires separation,” the policy said. DHS-17-0435-A-000093 FOIA CBP 000093 OVERSIGHT 3 NEWS INDEX BORDER SECURITY Along U.S. Borders 4. Border Patrol Agent Hospitalized after Illegal Immigrant Speeds Through Checkpoint (Breitbart; 19.1M uvm) … Bob Price Border Patrol agents assigned to a checkpoint in East County observed a man approaching in a 2009 Infinity G35 sedan. The driver initiated a U-turn before the checkpoint and drove the wrong way into oncoming traffic, according to information provided to Breitbart Texas by U.S. Border Patrol officials. The driver suddenly executed another U-turn and sped toward the checkpoint–reaching a speed of nearly 70 miles per hour, officials stated. As the driver approached, he swerved out of the lanes of cars waiting for inspection to bypass the position. In doing so, he struck a steel road sign — parts of which struck a Border Patrol agent working nearby. The debris from the sign injured the agent who had to be hospitalized. The driver bypassed the checkpoint and took off on I-8. Agents pursued the fleeing driver. The pursuit reached speeds in excess of 100 mph, officials reported. Suddenly, the driver lost control of the G35 and crashed on a berm. After climbing out of the car, the driver fled on foot. As other agents arrived on the scene, they secured the two occupants and checked them for injuries. Finding none, the agents placed the male passengers under arrest. Other agents pursued the driver on foot. The agents found the driver hiding in the garage of a private home, officials explained. They took the man into custody. An investigation revealed the 27-year-old driver and the two male passengers, ages 27 and 40, were all illegally present in the U.S. The driver faces charges of transporting aliens illegally present in the United States, officials reported. All three Mexican nationals are being held in federal custody. 5. Border Patrol agents discover drugs taped to 17-year-old girl's body (KGTV-TV; 2.1M uvm; San Diego, CA) … Jermaine Ong A 17-year-old girl was taken into custody at the El Centro border checkpoint after U.S. officials said Border Patrol agents discovered small packages of methamphetamine taped to her body. Customs and Border Protection officials said the teen was a passenger in a Ford Focus that approached the Highway 86 checkpoint at about 1:15 p.m. Wednesday. Officials said three other people were in the vehicle. According to officials, a canine team alerted agents to something suspicious in the vehicle. During a secondary inspection, agents found 10 small packages taped to the teen girl's legs. Officials said the packages -- which weighed a combined 4.21 pounds with an estimated street value of $14,735 -- "were tested and contained the properties consistent with methamphetamine." The drugs and the girl, who is a U.S. citizen, were turned over to DHS-17-0435-A-000094 FOIA CBP 000094 OVERSIGHT 4 DEA officials. Officials did not say if the other vehicle occupants were taken into custody. 6. Suspected MS-13 gang member arrested in northwest North Dakota (Grand Forks Herald; 837k uvm; Grand Forks, ND) … April Baumgarten A suspected member of a notorious international criminal gang has been arrested in Williston and is being held at the Grand Forks County jail. Border Patrol agents from the Grand Forks Sector of U.S. Customs and Border Protection arrested 39-year-old Concepcion Carcamo-Portillo at 7 p.m. Wednesday, spokesman Kristoffer Grogan confirmed to the Herald. Numerous tips from concerned citizens led officers to the El Salvador national, Grogan said. Investigators determined the man was in the U.S. illegally and is an alleged member of Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the El Salvador￾based international criminal organization MS-13. Carcamo-Portillo was booked Thursday evening into the Grand Forks County Correctional Center. "This arrest is a testament to our cooperation with our (Department of Homeland Security) partners to disrupt one of the most dangerous criminal organizations in the United States," Chief Patrol Agent Aaron Heitke, commander of the Grand Forks Sector, said in a statement. "This arrest is the direct result from of information passed from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and a call from a concerned citizen." 7. Man surrenders at Border Patrol checkpoint following I-25 pursuit (Las Cruces Sun-News; 310k uvm; Las Cruces, NM) VIDEO: An Albuquerque man, suspected in a possible kidnapping, surrendered to authorities at the Border Patrol checkpoint north of Las Cruces on Thursday. Epifanio Torres, 30, was charged with aggravated fleeing, a fourth degree felony. Other charges are pending, according to New Mexico State Police. State police said the incident began about 8:29 p.m. when they issued a "be on the lookout" (BOLO) for a red Ford F-150 pickup in reference to a possible kidnapping in Albuquerque. Authorities said information was received from an out-of-state relative, who had been on the phone with a female, reportedly in the backseat of the pickup. The suspect and female had been in a relationship, state police reported. About 45 minutes after the BOLO, state police officers spotted the vehicle traveling south on I-25, near mile post 68. An officer attempted to stop the vehicle, police said, but it did not stop and the driver continued southbound. State Police notified Border Patrol agents at the I-25 checkpoint of the ongoing pursuit. Torres, who was on the phone with the Albuquerque NMSP office, told authorities he would surrender at the checkpoint, which he did without incident, police said. The female passenger was checked by authorities and refused transport to a hospital, police said. 8. K-9 leads Border Patrol agents to discovery of more than 180 pounds of cocaine (Corpus Christi Caller-Times; 191k uvm; Corpus Christi, TX) … Alexandria Rodriguez DHS-17-0435-A-000095 FOIA CBP 000095 OVERSIGHT 5 VIDEO: An alert from a Border Patrol K-9 in Kingsville led to the discovery of more than 180 pounds of cocaine at a checkpoint Wednesday. The alert from the K-9 came during a non-intrusive vehicle inspection at the checkpoint. Agents then inspected the truck of the vehicle and found three suitcases with about 185 pounds of cocaine, according to a news release. Drug Enforcement Administration agents took the vehicle, 32 bundles of cocaine, valued at $5,844,800, and took the driver, a U.S. citizen, into custody, the release states. On Tuesday, agents at the Brownsville Border Patrol Station seized more than 8 pounds of methamphetamine after they were alerted by another K-9. The K-9 alerted an agents to a delivery truck, which led to further inspection, the release states. Agents then found nine packages of methamphetamine, worth more than $260,000, concealed in liquid foam, according to the release. 9. Border Patrol nabs two suspected MS-13 gang members (Corpus Christi Caller-Times; 191k uvm; Corpus Christi, TX) …Chris Ramirez VIDEO: An El Salvadoran man with ties to the violent street gang MS-13 and a criminal record in his homeland was among those arrested in a Border Patrol operation near Hebbronville. Border Patrol agents arrested an undocumented immigrant Tuesday, according to a news release from the agency. He was among a group of 16 immigrants who were on a ranch near Hebbronville. The Border Patrol said the man, whose identity was not released, had an extensive criminal history in his native country. He had served an eight-year prison sentence there for a homicide conviction and also had a record for illegal possession of a firearm, aggravated robbery and drug trafficking. He was processed for deportation. On Thursday, Border Patrol agents arrested another undocumented immigrant who is believed to be associated with MS-13 near Bruni, in Webb County. That person, also from El Salvador, was processed for deportation. The Trump administration has pledged to get MS-13 and other trans-national gangs off America's streets. The gang is believed to have started in Los Angeles in the 1980s, but became more deeply entrenched in Central America when its leaders were deported. There was no indication immediately that the individuals' arrests were in any way connected to "Operation Raging Bull," a crackdown run conducted by officials from the Department of Homeland Security and Justice Department. That operation ran from Oct. 8 to Nov. 11, and concluded with the arrest of 214 members of MS-13. Ports of Entry 10.Farmington driver’s race car is delayed at Canadian border (Portland Press Herald; 2.1M uvm; Portland, OR) … Phil Whipple For Farmington native Cassius Clark, the anticipation leading up to Saturday’s annual Pro All Stars Series Mega-Meltdown 300 at Hickory Motor Speedway in North Carolina has turned to stress. The team for which Clark drives, King Racing, owned by former racer and Canadian businessman Rollie MacDonald, is stuck at the Canadian border with the car and all of the equipment necessary to run this weekend’s race. “They’ve been delayed at the border cross at Houlton since Tuesday afternoon at 2 p.m.,” Clark said on the phone from North Carolina. “There was a practice session here yesterday, DHS-17-0435-A-000096 FOIA CBP 000096 OVERSIGHT 6 and there is more on tap for today. It’s a 20-hour drive from Houlton to get here, so I sure hope they get released soon.” Two other race teams had similar difficulties, Clark said, but were allowed to pass after a lengthy delay. U.S. Customs and Border Protections Public Affairs Officer Stephanie Malin on Friday afternoon released a statement on the matter: “While I cannot get into the specific details of the inspection, I can confirm the individuals were not detained at the port of entry at all,” she wrote, “The issue is related to a lack of proper importation documents required for importing a vehicle for racing purposes. 11.City officials get a tour of the international bridges (KGNS-TV; 87k uvm; Laredo, TX) … Phil Whipple VIDEO:A tour of bridge one and two was given to city officials on both sides of the border as they took a look at the status of the ongoing construction project. According to CBP, construction at both br1idge one and two is coming along fine. Congressman Henry Cuellar, Mayor Pete Saenz, and Nuevo Laredo and Laredo officials toured both facilities with U.S. General Services Administration and Customs and Border Protection. The project is aimed towards increasing efficiency and improving safety and security for vehicle and pedestrian processing. These updates should reduce vehicle wait times from 33 to 15 minutes and peak pedestrian time from 49 to 21 minutes. Mayor Peete Saenz says there have been talks between him and Nuevo Laredo about the idea of turning bridge one into a pedestrian walkway. Mayor Saenz says CBP has been supportive of the idea and now it’s up to him and City Council to decided and work with Nuevo Laredo to see if it’s possible. The projected completion dates for bridge one is April 2018 and December 2018 for bridge two. 12.‘No shirt, no service, no Canada’ (Surrey Now-Leader; 17k uvm; Surrey, BC Canada) … Aaron Hinks A U.S. man is now in jail after Canada Border Services Agency discovered he had an outstanding felony warrant from Washington State. U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued a news release Friday afternoon title “No shirt, no service, no Canada,” saying the Tacoma man arrived northbound at the Peace Arch (Douglas) crossing in South Surrey, shirtless, and told officers he was heading to Toronto to visit friends. The release says that during a search of a rental vehicle, CBSA found small amounts of meth. After being returned to Blaine, officers confirmed the 23-year-old had a felony warrant from the Washington State Department of Corrections for robbery and escape from community custody, which was issued Nov. 13. “The co-operation between three government agencies is priceless,” U.S. CBP area port director Kenneth Williams said in the release. “CBSA, CBP and the sheriff’s office worked as a team to get this suspected criminal off the street.” BORDER WALL 13.Roundtable: A Closer Look At The Border Wall (KPBS-TV; 278k uvm; San Diego, CA) … Bennett Lacy, Mark Sauer DHS-17-0435-A-000097 FOIA CBP 000097 OVERSIGHT 7 VIDEO: President Donald Trump is demanding Congress fund the construction of a wall along America’s border with Mexico. Work has already begun, with eight prototypes of new structures recently being showcased in San Diego. In the new series "America's Wall," KPBS and inewsource obtained previously unseen federal documents that detail the existing barriers along the border built under several previous administrations. The series also profiles people on both sides of the border, and both sides of a contentious issue. 14.Fisher's border wall prototype complete on Southern border (Dickinson Press; 192k uvm; Dickinson, ND) … Grady McGregor Dickinson-based Fisher Industries has completed construction of a border wall prototype along the southern border of the United States near Otay Mesa, Cali. Fisher's wall is made of concrete and while it lacks some of the color and features of other prototypes, like tubing atop the walls or opaque paneling, the wall's simplicity makes it look like one of the more imposing designs. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that the eight border wall prototypes were completed in late October but this is the first time that the Press has been able to track down available pictures of Fisher's wall prototype. According to a CBP press release from late last month, now that the construction phase is complete they will test and evaluate each wall over a 30- to 60- day period. "Border security contributes to our overall national security and relies on a combination of border infrastructure, technology, personnel, and partnerships," said CBP acting Deputy Commissioner Ron Vitiello in the release. "Border walls have proven to be an extremely effective part of our multi-pronged security strategy to prevent the illegal migration of people and drugs over the years ... These border enforcement zones give our men and women of CBP the best possible conditions to maintain a safe and secure border." TRADE 15.Darling: Fully loaded trucks crossing Anzalduas Bridge by end of 2018 (Rio Grande Guardian; 9k uvm; McAllen, TX) … Patricia Martinez McAllen Mayor Jim Darling said that the city is moving forward with plans to have full commercial traffic at the Anzalduas International Bridge by the end of 2018. Since August 2016, the bridge has allowed empty southbound trucks to cross into Mexico. Now, design plans are being finalized for fully loaded trucks to cross the bridge in either direction, giving commercial drivers the option of another port of entry. The plan is to have a joint inspection facility on the north side of the bridge. “Pharr does a great job over there, but it’s one bridge,” said Darling. “There’s just so much potential in our area to only have one. So, we need to get commercial traffic on another bridge.” Asked when the bridge may ready to handle loaded trucks going both north- and southbound, Darling said: “I am shooting for the end of 2018. That is why we want to get the design done and get construction going. We are working on that, state monies, federal monies. DHS-17-0435-A-000098 FOIA CBP 000098 OVERSIGHT 8 They have to get their act together in Washington and set a budget and get some funding (going). We will get it done. TRAVEL 16.Nonstop Seattle to Dublin flights to begin May 2018 (Seattle PI; 4.7M uvm; Seattle WA) Nonstop flights from Seattle to Dublin will start next spring. The Seattle Times reports Irish carrier Aer Lingus said Friday the service will begin May 18, 2018. The service will be provided four times a week. Because Dublin airport has its own U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility, passengers and their luggage will be pre-cleared in Ireland before departure, with no need to go through passport control on arrival in Seattle. This will be the first pre-cleared trans-Atlantic flight to fly into Seattle. Aer Lingus also will provide Seattle passengers connections through Dublin to 24 U.K. and European cities. 17.CBP gives tips for faster entry times during holiday season (KGBT-TV; 298k uvm; Harlingen, TX) … Jolanie Martinez VIDEO: U.S. Customs and Border Protection has tips for international travelers coming to the U.S. during the holiday season. U.S. Customs and Border Protection public information officer Maribel Saenz says the agency is preparing for the large number of shoppers that cross the border during the holiday season, especially after La Plaza Mall’s multi-million dollar expansion. Saenz recommends international travelers to apply online for the I-94 form. “A lot of times since it's holiday season, there is a lot more travelers than usual, so that's why we are encouraging everybody to go online, apply online,” Saenz said. “They can pay for it online, they bring their receipt with them and we finalize it for them here at the port of entry." To finalize the I-94 process, travelers must present themselves at a port of entry within seven days of their application. Travelers are also encouraged to use their radio frequency identification card to use ready lanes at port of entries. The frequency identification card includes the newer version of the U.S. passport cards, border crossing cards and resident alien card. Saenz says using this method expedites the entry process by 20 percent. “At the window, they will be getting their fingerprints, their picture and a background check to make sure that they qualify for the I-94 and cardboard,” said Saenz. “I-94 will be printed and that's what they will have to present at the checkpoint with their travel documents." CBP’s Border Wait Times app also gives hourly updates on lines at each port of entry. WORKFORCE 18.Law enforcement K-9s compete in Mercedes (Brownsville Herald; 75k uvm; Brownsville, TX) … Cristina M. Garcia Federal and local agencies were rivals Friday during the 3rd annual South Texas Police K-9 Competition held at the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show Grounds in Mercedes. Valley law enforcement agencies and others, along with their K-9s, competed in timed narcotic article and vehicle searches, the obedience and confidence course, and DHS-17-0435-A-000099 FOIA CBP 000099 OVERSIGHT 9 criminal apprehension…If you compete and your dog doesn’t do so well, that motivates you,” Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office K-9 trainer Javier Solis said… U.S. Border Patrol’s K-9, Billy-B, was named top dog in the patrol competition. A Belgian Malinois named Mischa and her handler, Tim Behnke, with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, quickly ran the narcotic article and vehicle searches Friday afternoon. Mischa has stopped more than $1 million worth of drugs from being smuggled into the U.S. during her more than three years as a law enforcement K-9, according Behnke. Behnke and Mischa underwent a seven-week training course in Virginia prior to working together at multiple ports of entry in Brownsville. The two have been a team for three and a half years. “It’s the best job in the world,” Benke said. “Working with an animal is awesome.” Though Behnke didn’t place in the vehicles search competition, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s K-9 Coco and his handler, Michael Hufham, placed third. The U.S. Border Patrol was awarded the Best K-9 Unit, while Lusy with Edinburg CISD Police Department took first in the articles search. 19.CBP AMO Plan Flyover at NASCAR’s Championship Weekend (American Security Today; 45k uvm) VIDEO: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations (AMO) aircrews based at the Miami Air and Marine Branch will perform a flyover during NASCAR’s championship weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway in front of tens of thousands of racing fans. CBP’s Air and Marine Operations agents from air and marine branches and units in Florida and Texas are assisting with security efforts for the event providing real-time aerial video to ground based law enforcement personnel at the incident command center. Air and Marine Operations interdicts unlawful people and cargo approaching U.S. borders, investigates criminal networks and provides domain awareness in the air and maritime environments, and responds to contingencies and national taskings. “We’re a part of this community and honored to serve and protect the public in Greater Miami and the Florida Keys utilizing advanced aeronautical and maritime capabilities,” said Martin Wade, Director of the Miami Air and Marine Branch. “Air and Marine Operations highly-skilled agents are often behind the scenes at high profile events to keep things safe and secure along with local, state and federal law enforcement partners.” OPINION 20.Former DHS Secretary Tom Ridge: No southern border wall needed (CBS Television Network; 26.1 uvm) … Arden Farhi VIDEO: Tom Ridge, the nation's first secretary of Homeland Security, believes the physical border wall President Donald Trump wants to build on the U.S.-Mexico border isn't necessary. "I don't think we need it," Ridge said. "I think there are things we can do with technology that foregoes the need to build a 3,000 mile border [wall] with a neighbor... I prefer presidents that tear down walls rather than build them." Ridge appeared on "The Takeout" podcast with CBS News chief White House correspondent Major Garrett and political director Steve Chaggaris. Despite his criticism of the President, Ridge, a Republican, praised Mr. Trump's pick to lead the Department of DHS-17-0435-A-000100 FOIA CBP 000100 OVERSIGHT 10 Homeland Security (DHS), Kirstjen Nielsen. "This is a woman that's got public and private sector experience. She's been deputy chief of staff to the president now, she was General [John] Kelly's chief of staff [at DHS], she's well versed and worked with the private sector on preparedness issues and cyber security issues and the like." IMMIGRATION 21.Immigrant Who Had Prosthetic Leg Mocked by Trump Officials to Be Freed After 'Inhumane' Detention (Newsweek; 9.4M uvm) … Nicole Rodriguez VIDEO: A 20-year-old disabled immigrant detained for more than a month without being charged was to be freed Friday, but he has been stripped of his Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status. After being detained by Customs and Border Protection (CPB) agents on October 11 as part of a human smuggling investigation, Felipe Abonza-Lopez of San Marcos, Texas, was granted a $7,500 bond and will be released sometime Friday, a legal assistant for Abonza-Lopez’s attorney told Newsweek Friday. Abonza-Lopez has lost his DACA status, which had been set to expire in 2019. It was revoked October 12, when he received a notice to appear in immigration court for deportation proceedings, a spokesperson for Citizenship and Immigration Services (ICE) told Newsweek. 22.Trump Administration Cites MS-13 Arrest to Push Change in Minor Immigrant Law (Daily Signal; 1.1M uvm) … Fred Lucas The Trump administration is pointing to a large federal roundup of members of the violent gang MS-13 as vindication of increased enforcement efforts and reason to change the policy on unaccompanied minor illegal immigrants. The Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security announced a joint effort that led to the arrest of 214 gang members and those involved with gang-related crime…Of the 214, just 16 were U.S. citizens while 198 were foreign nationals. Of the foreign nationals, only five were in the country legally. Among those arrested, 64 entered the country as unaccompanied alien children, but most are now adults, according to the Trump administration. During a press conference Thursday announcing the arrests, Tom Homan, deputy director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, noted the 2008 law on unaccompanied minors does not allow them to be immediately returned to their country of origin. “The agencies sent up a series of policy requests to the Hill to address a lot of issues to further control the border and illegal immigration,” Homan said. “Some of these policies are being exploited and used by criminal organizations. That’s why that’s one of the policy issues we asked Congress to look at and help us with.” 23.UMD files affidavit in federal lawsuit challenging Trump’s latest travel ban (The Diamondback; 35k uvm) … Christine Condon The University of Maryland has filed an affidavit in a federal lawsuit opposing the Trump administration's latest iteration of its travel ban. "Since our students & faculty are DHS-17-0435-A-000101 FOIA CBP 000101 OVERSIGHT 11 impacted by the latest travel ban, #UMD has filed an affidavit in a federal lawsuit in MD challenging the ban's legality," University President Wallace Loh tweeted Friday. The affidavit was filed in a Maryland district court case surrounding the ban. Federal judges in Maryland and Hawaii issued national orders freezing the ban in October. "It is in the interest of the University, as well as in the national interest, to welcome talented persons of all nations to study, teach, and do research in the United States, in order to maintain and improve America's position as a leader in higher education and research," read the statement, signed by Loh Oct. 10. OF INTEREST 24.Trump halts decision to allow elephant trophy imports after uproar (Reuters; 43.6M uvm) …David Shepardson and Eric Beech U.S. President Donald Trump said in a tweet on Friday he is putting a decision to allow imports of elephant trophies on hold after a torrent of criticism from conservation advocates and across social media. Trump’s reversal came hours after his administration released a rule on Friday to allow hunters who kill elephants in Zimbabwe to bring their trophies back to the United States, which had been banned by the Obama administration. “Put big game trophy decision on hold until such time as I review all conservation facts. Under study for years. Will update soon with Secretary Zinke. Thank you!” Trump wrote. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said in a statement that he had spoken with Trump and “both believe that conservation and healthy herds are critical.” He said the “issuing of permits is being put on hold as the decision is being reviewed.” 25.18-year-old accused of shooting CBP agent in Oakleaf said he would “off” cops, according to investigators (WOKV-FM; 75.1k uvm; Jacksonville, FL) … Stephanie Brown Two months after a Customs and Border Protection Agent was shot in the parking lot of an Oakleaf Publix, new investigative reports are detailing more about the possible motive to the attack. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office believed from early in their investigation that the agent was ambushed because he was law enforcement. The victim was leaving the Publix after grabbing some groceries, when CCSO says 18-year￾old Jake Lewis sped up and fired multiple shots, hitting the agent multiple times. Lewis then crashed, and CCSO says he died of a self-inflicted gunshot. The agent who was shot underwent surgery and continues to recover. CBP tells us the “signs are encouraging”, and the agent is expected to return on limited duty in the near future. That agent has spoken with investigators, and the new supplemental reports show he remembers a suspect pointing a gun out of a car and yelling about hating cops, before shooting. SOCIAL MEDIA ANALYSIS OF NOTE DHS-17-0435-A-000102 FOIA CBP 000102 OVERSIGHT 12 • The tweet by @DonaldTrumpJr on November 16 titled “First female Border Patrol chief says agents 'empowered' under Trump” is still the most retweeted of the period, with 6.3k retweets, 20k likes and 765 replies to date. • As mentioned above, the tweet by Adolfo Flores from the account @aflores titled “Immigrant father says the Border Patrol took his infant son and won't tell him where he is” is gaining attention on Twitter and is the second most retweeted tweet to date. The tweet supplies a link to the BuzzFeed article where he is interviewed. The tweet has 327 retweets, 154 likes, and 34 replies to date. • The tweet to receive the highest engagement of the period on @CustomsBorder is “RGV sector Border Patrol K9’s lead agents to seize over $6.1 million in narcotics. #KeepingAmericaSafe.” The tweet has received 20 retweets, 55 likes, 6 replies and 180,000 potential impressions to date. The tweet provides a link to the KIII TV news article on the bust. ABOUT THIS REPORT. Articles in this report were published during the 24 hours preceding the report date unless otherwise specified. Dissemination figures and bylines might not be available for all articles. Location is noted for local outlets. DHS-17-0435-A-000103 FOIA CBP 000103 ~ o..,w,_,,. rirst ~lof!Mf htrolchiligys~u ~td' v,,(kr lruMp roypsl/2.ir.AdK. Yi• lfnn;JcKt ... Ii, ----------- ----------·-- ----~ ..-----···-~ . -· RGV s«tor lotdt-f P.ttTOI IC9's IN0.19""'-C to Hl(l90V'fl'S6,1,n,IIIOninl\ll'CICllt(J. • ~S.., •t' t•ftyf7 rlhQ,P1 OVERSIGHT U.S. Customs and Border Protection f[-- · lffll'l'l9'MK l.ll~ U)'i OW lkwdk ,.auct lool. hKn,f.m M>fl mwon'l 1tflhlffl\llM,.Ma bu:rlMcl com. __ ... _ .. ... :a,.., • From: To: FLANAGAN, PATRICK S; FRIEL, MICHAEL J; LOWRY, KIM M; MCALEENAN, KEVIN K VITIELLO, RONALD D (USBP); . (CTR) Subject: OPA Daily Report - June 8, 2017 Date: Thursday, June 08, 2017 3:26:10 PM Attachments: image001.png image002.png Media: · CBP Office of Public Affairs is facilitating a visit by Reuters to the U.S. Border Patrol academy in Artesia to get visuals of recruits at the start of their careers, to include photos/video of training with weapons, vehicles, etc. Reuters will also be present for the Friday graduation ceremony. Lead: Social Media: Tweets: Impressions: number of individuals that viewed the tweet on Twitter. Engagements: number of times an individual interacted with the tweet, i.e., liked, favorited, shared, etc. FOIA CBP 000104 (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) DHS-17-0435-A-000104 Cu ton1s or r Pir , /count , rt i · goo ,ds ran· bargai ey support cri 1mi al n tvvol"ks & ,can be harmful to , yo 1. EARN more •: http:// "t. ly/.2sN4xg pic_twit , Etl'"-COm/OM ISRyc 8i5 Impressions I 1 501 times people saw this vveet on vv ter Tota l engag rnents 185 times people in er c ed Vvith t CB ,P ' ¢:o s o s or er 2 days . 2 busts. $270K in meth mnt.erce ted . ,READ 1more : http://bit. ly/2sfK8.2z: # USBP # Ho.norFirst # KeepingAmerica 1S ,a ,fe ic. twitter.com/eW6wtupC8o lmp 1ressions .097 t·rn s opl saw th·s w to wit r o al ng g ,eme:nts 181 t· es eople i er c ed wi t is Twee Visual Communications: · Photographed two additional portraits of the Office of International Affairs supervisory employees. · Added three slides to the CBPNow digital signage playlist. DHS-17-0435-A-000105 FOIA CBP 000105 Scenes otCBP A CBP helicopter flies over Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers, on a special Law Enforcement Night. - Operarttons f:K9 protects - our air, land and sea po s. Chief of Staff - Office of Public Affairs U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office: *  Mobile: FOIA CBP 000106 (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) DHS-17-0435-A-000106 VERSIGHT DHS-17-0435-A-000107 FOIA CBP 000107 DHS-17-0435-A-000108 FOIA CBP 000108 I 7 I I I VERSIGHT From: To: FLANAGAN, PATRICK S; FRIEL, MICHAEL J; LOWRY, KIM M; MCALEENAN, KEVIN K; VITIELLO, RONALD D (USBP) Subject: OPA Daily Report - June 23, 2017 Date: Friday, June 23, 2017 2:17:00 PM Media: · CBP OPA facilitated a ride-along for CNN’s Chris Cuomo. The anchor and crew saw the rough terrain and how hot it can get traversing the ranchlands in Laredo, Texas. OPA also facilitated CNN’s interview with Assistant Chief Patrol Agent Gabe Acosta, who spoke on the Border Patrol mission, the Border Safety Initiative, and the Missing Migrant Initiative. · CBP OPA published a news release regarding a multi-agency operation that resulted in a record value of counterfeit products seized in Puerto Rico. Social Media: Tweets: Impressions:  number of individuals that viewed the tweet on Twitter. Engagements: number of times an individual interacted with the tweet, i.e., liked, favorited, shared, etc. Visual Communications: · Added nine slides to the CBPNow digital signage playlist. FOIA CBP 000109 (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) DHS-17-0435-A-000109 CBP ~loms6ord@r Poachers have ktJled 60% of Tanzanra's elepha nts or their ory lUSkS Learn how # CBP #K9s are maldng a e11 erence: nup IJb11 lyl2sPx ge pie twit ercorru57MAp7aH20 Reach a bigger audience et re e ,r~m&r!l!I t. ro CB? @Cuslomh;io ll) to CBP's eyes in the sky: Air and Marine Operations. #KeeplngAmerlcaSafe USBP Acting Chief Ca~a Provost testified before the Judiciary Committee hearing =--- on the subject ''The MS-13 Problem. lnvest1gat1ng Gang Membership. its Nexus lo Illegal Immigration, and Federal Efforts to End the Threat" at the Dirksen Senate Office Building. frontlinL'. Voluml' 9 - h:i.uc 2 • Photo from lhl..' Fil..'kJ by Bonk•r Pdlrol Ac.Jen U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office: *  Mobile: FOIA CBP 000113 (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) DHS-17-0435-A-000113 - - From: Media Analyst To: Media Analyst Subject: Daily Media Summary - October 21, 2017 Date: Saturday, October 21, 2017 8:20:35 AM Attachments: image001.png image003.png CBP_Daily Media Summary_102117.pdf The Daily Media Summary (DMS) and the links contained herein are being provided solely as a convenience and to afford CBP officials a broad awareness of the day's traditional, digital and social media coverage of CBP. The views and opinions expressed in the DMS, the sources cited, and the links contained herein do not necessarily represent the opinions, views, policies or positions of the U.S. Government, DHS, CBP or the Office of Public Affairs. Daily Media Summary October 21, 2017 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY · There was significant media coverage on the return of a man’s pickup truck by Customs and Border Protection two years from when it was seized by Customs officers. Outlets that covered the story include: Washington Post and Reason. · An article was released on the popular media outlet, Gizmodo, which criticized the effectiveness a border wall would have on the smuggling of drugs over the border, arguing that drones can fly over the wall to transport drugs. The author reached out to CBP where Carlos Diaz, the Southwest Branch Chief for the CBP Office of Public Affairs, explained that it is the combination of multiple factors that would secure the border. A tweet by Gizmodo touching on the subject garnered the highest amount of retweets in the CBP Twitter conversation of the period. · There was an exceptional amount of coverage by local outlets on drug busts both Along U.S. Borders and at Ports of Entry. TOP NEWS 1. Customs took his truck without charging him with a crime. Two years later, he’s finally getting it back. (Washington Post; 43.9M uvm) … Christopher Ingraham Customs and Border Protection is returning a Kentucky man's truck, more than two years after it was seized because Border Patrol officers found five bullets in the truck's center console. In September 2015, Customs officers seized the pickup truck belonging to Gerardo Serrano after they found the bullets when he attempted to cross the border into Mexico. The agency maintained that the bullets were “munitions of war” and that transporting them to Mexico was illegal. Serrano says he simply forgot that he left the small ammunition magazine in his truck's center console. Serrano, who holds a concealed carry permit, did not have a gun or any other weapons with him at the time. DHS-17-0435-A-000114 FOIA CBP 000114 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT 2. Drone Video of Border Wall Prototypes Accidentally Shows How Worthless the Wall Would Be (Gizmodo; 36.7M uvm) … Matt Novak VIDEO: US Customs and Border Protection recently released video of President Trump’s border wall prototypes in San Diego. And we couldn’t help but notice something strange from the video. It shows a bird’s-eye view of the wall from the perspective of a drone. And the drone is much, much higher than the wall. Do you see what I mean? This is supposed to be a wall that, in President Trump’s words, is going to stop “drugs from pouring into this country.” But the funny thing about a wall is that you can get over it pretty easily these days—especially as drones become more affordable. CBP’s own video proves just how easy it is to get over the damn thing. … When I asked CBP about that, they seemed to acknowledge that the wall obviously doesn’t do shit on its own. “Matt, don’t forget that there are also agents, sensors, cameras and other technologies monitoring the Border Enforcement Zone,” Carlos Diaz, the Southwest Branch Chief for the CBP Office of Public Affairs, told Gizmodo by email. “The combination of those elements allow for the effective and efficient protection of the wall.” 3. Over $90k in drugs seized in two separate Border Patrol busts (KESQ-TV; 302k uvm; Thousand Palms, CA) … Jon Moreno A man and a woman were arrested Thursday during two separate drug smuggling incidents at the Highway 86 checkpoint in Salton City. The first incident occurred around 9:15 am, when a 21-year-old woman approached the checkpoint in a Crusero/International California bus. The bus was referred to a second inspection and a Border Patrol detection canine team alerted to the top of the luggage compartment. Agents removed all occupants from the bus. The canine alerted to a specific seat. Agents interviewed the owner of the seat and discovered narcotics strapped to a woman’s abdomen. The substance of the narcotics tested positive for heroin. The total weight of the heroin was 2.52 pounds and had an estimated street value of $27,720. 4. Border Agents find meth inside stuffed toy (KYMA-TV; 20k uvm; Yuma, AZ) … Blake Keller Border Patrol agents arrested two U.S. citizens Wednesday after finding nearly 2 pounds of methamphetamine that was stuffed in a toy dog. It happened during a search of the vehicle at the immigration checkpoint on Highway 78 near Blythe, California. Blythe station Border Patrol agents referred the driver of the Dodge Charger to secondary inspection after a Border Patrol canine alerted to an odor coming from the car. Upon inspection, agents found five packages of meth inside a stuffed dog toy. An additional three small bags of meth in the passenger's purse. The drugs worth amounts to almost $6,000. NEWS INDEX DHS-17-0435-A-000115 FOIA CBP 000115 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT BORDER SECURITY Along U.S. Borders 5. Canada granting asylum to U.S. border crossers at higher rates: data (Reuters; 43.6M uvm) … Anna Mehler Paperny Asylum seekers who illegally crossed the U.S. border into Canada this year are obtaining refugee status at higher rates, new data shows, as authorities accept claims from people who say they feared being deported by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration. More than 15,000 people have crossed the U.S.-Canadian border illegally to claim refugee status in Canada this year. Many were in the United States legally and some interviewed by Reuters said they might have stayed were it not for an immigration crackdown. 6. Laredo Sector Border Patrol seizes over 700 pounds of marijuana (KGNS-TV; 87k uvm; Laredo, TX) … Justin J. Reyes The Laredo Sector Border Patrol seized over 700 pounds of marijuana this past week during two separate incidents. The first seizure took place on October 19th when Border Patrol agents observed several individuals loading bundles into a Nissan Xterra. As agents approached the individuals, they fled the area on foot, leaving their vehicle behind. Border Patrol agents found five bundles of marijuana, which had an estimated street value of $301,280. The second seizure took place on the same day when agents attempted to stop a Ford F-150 on Mines Road. The driver fled the scene and was later involved in an accident where the he was arrested. Border Patrol agents found six bundles of marijuana inside the vehicle with an estimated street value of $318,648. Both vehicles were seized by Border Patrol and the marijuana and the driver were turned over to the DEA. 7. Border Patrol agents rescue four undocumented immigrants from a truck (KGNS-TV; 87k uvm; Laredo, TX) … Justin J. Reyes Agents with the Laredo Sector Border Patrol rescued four undocumented immigrants that were concealed in a truck. According to Border Patrol, on October 20th, agents at the checkpoint on Highway 359 near Hebbronville encountered a white Ford box truck at the primary inspection lane. The driver was questioned regarding his immigration status and was referred to secondary inspection. Upon further search of the vehicle, agents found four undocumented immigrants that were concealed inside the cargo area of the truck without a means to exit without assistance. The four immigrants were determined to be from Mexico. The driver was a U.S. citizen and was referred for prosecution. 8. Border Patrol agents make two drug busts in under an hour (KYMA-TV; 20k uvm; Yuma, AZ) … Crystal Bedoya Border Patrol agents stationed at the Highway 86 checkpoint arrested a man and woman on two separate events less than an hour of each other Thursday, A 21-year￾DHS-17-0435-A-000116 FOIA CBP 000116 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT old woman approached the checkpoint at around 9:15 a.m. in a Crusero/International California bus. Agents referred the bus to secondary inspection where a Border Patrol detection canine team alerted to the top of the luggage compartment. The canine pointed out a specific seat leading agents to interview the seat's occupant and discovered narcotics strapped to a woman's abdomen. The narcotics tested positive for heroin. The total weight of the heroin was 2.52 pounds and had an estimated street value of $27,720. The woman, a U.S. citizen, and narcotics were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for further investigation. The second incident occurred around 30 minutes later, at 9:45 a.m. A 21-year-old man approached the same checkpoint in a red 2005 Mini Cooper. Ports of Entry 9. Woman attempts to smuggle drugs across border inside her body (KMSB-TV; 596k uvm; Tucson, AZ) Officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection at Arizona's Port of San Luis arrested a woman who attempted to smuggle methamphetamine inside her body. “The concealment of narcotics inside the body is an extremely dangerous method often attempted by smugglers,” said John Schwamm, San Luis Port Director. “It can be instantly fatal should the narcotics seep through the packaging and be absorbed into the body.” According to a CBP release, the 28-year-old was stopped for further inspection at the pedestrian lane on Thursday, Oct. 19 after a CBP canine alerted to the possibility of drugs. When officers questioned the woman she admitted she had drugs concealed in her groin area. CBP officers seized the drugs, 4 ounces of methamphetamine worth an estimated $700, and turned the woman over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. 10.Korean man, wanted in Oregon, apprehended at Guam airport (Pacific Daily News; 141k uvm; Hagatna, Guam) … Steve Limtiaco A man wanted in connection with sex crimes in Oregon was apprehended on Guam after he arrived here on a flight from South Korea, according to a written statement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The 59-year-old man, who is not named in the statement, is wanted on charges of rape in the first degree, sodomy in the first degree and two counts of sex abuse in the first degree, according to the statement. The South Korean man arrived on a flight Oct. 19 and was taken into custody by Customs and Border Protection. “Customs and Border Protection works closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to identify and apprehend persons that seek to evade our laws and harm our citizens,” said Brian J. Humphrey, CBP Director of Field Operations in San Francisco. 11. Multiple agencies respond to hazmat exercise, temporarily close border (Fiddlehead Focus; Fort Kent, ME) … Don Eno Local firefighters and ambulance crews as well as members of the Maine National Guard and U.S. Customs and Border Protection took part Wednesday in a hazardous materials response training near the American side of the border crossing. DHS-17-0435-A-000117 FOIA CBP 000117 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT The international bridge connecting Madawaska with Edmundston, New Brunswick, was closed briefly to allow responders to go through the border crossing portion of the scenario. The drill simulated a scenario in which a person coming into the U.S. across the bridge was found to be carrying a package suspected of containing an unknown chemical or biological agent. In this training, agents inside the customs office were “exposed” and needed to be decontaminated. BORDER WALL 12.The 8 prototypes for Trump's border wall (Photos) (Washington Examiner; 4.7M uvm) … Gabby Morrongiello VIDEO: Nine months into his first term, President Trump's proposed wall along the U.S.-Mexico border is finally beginning to take shape. Eight architectural models of what the wall may look like are one week from completion at a construction site just miles away from the southwesternmost point of the United States. Each unique structure has been designed with the challenges border patrol officials currently face in mind, giving way to prototypes with razor wire edges or bottom-heavy cement foundations. When the 30-day construction period ends next week, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials will begin testing each prototype for the unit's ability to prevent climbing, tunnelling, and destruction. The Washington Examiner received an up-close look at each of the eight prototypes, which measure in at around 30 feet in height, along with a tour of the current barriers that exist to prevent illegal border crossings into the United States. Take a look at the exclusive images below: 13.Undocumented Immigrants Cross by Border Wall Prototypes: CBP (KNSD; 2.1M uvm; San Diego, CA) … Steven Luke VIDEO: As crews finish up border wall prototypes, agents continue apprehending undocumented immigrants inside the actual construction zone. Most recently, five Nepali citizens hopped the 7-foot fence Thursday and turned themselves into U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents near the construction site. Three men and two women, between ages 19 and 30, requested asylum from their country by claiming credible fear of return. CBP officials said they do not track apprehensions by location, so they couldn't confirm exactly how many similar incidents have occurred near the construction zone. But agents said they have detained others in the same area. 14.Southwest Environmental Center to host “Back by Noon” trip to the border wall (Las Cruces Sun-News; 310k uvm, Las Cruces, NM) The public is invited to join the Southwest Environmental Center for "No Walls in the Wild" to view the border wall. Participants should meet at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 at the center, 275 N. Main St. The outing is part of the Southwest Environmental Center’s spring 2017 Back by Noon Series. At 17 feet high and constructed of heavy metal, the existing border wall along parts of the US-Mexican border has to be seen to be believed. SWEC’s Executive Director, Kevin Bixby, will lead us on this outing to DHS-17-0435-A-000118 FOIA CBP 000118 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT see the border wall up close in Sunland Park and explain its effects on the most biologically diverse region in the U.S. 15.Trump's border wall models take shape in San Diego (Associated Press)… Elliot Spagat The last two of eight prototypes for President Donald Trump's proposed border wall took shape Thursday at a construction site in San Diego. The prototypes form a tightly packed row of imposing concrete and metal panels, including one with sharp metal edges on top. Another has a surface resembling an expensive brick driveway. Companies have until Oct. 26 to finish the models but Border Patrol spokesman Theron Francisco said the last two came into profile, with crews installing a corrugated metal surface on the eighth model on a dirt lot just a few steps from homes in Tijuana, Mexico. As the crews worked, three men and two women from Nepal, ages 19 to 30, jumped a short rusted fence from Tijuana into the construction site and were immediately stopped by agents on horseback. Francisco said there have been four or five other illegal crossing attempts at the site since work began Sept. 26. TRADE 16.OOIDA optimistic NAFTA redo can fix Mexican cross-border trucking (Land Line; 34k uvm) … Sandi Soendker OOIDA Executive Vice President Todd Spencer skips the small talk when talking about Mexican long-haul trucking and the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement. “It would be nuts to leave this in the agreement, giving Mexico something to use as a hammer to collect tariffs on American goods,” he said Friday. “There is no reason to leave it in the agreement. It doesn’t make economic sense.” Spencer is seldom without harsh words for the Mexican cross-border trucking, its challenges and its history. “The safety regime in Mexico is in no way compatible with trucking regs here and won’t be for a long time,” he says. “The FMCSA pilot program? What a sham.” For years, OOIDA and the Teamsters have said that Mexico’s long￾haul fleets trucking in the U.S. was a pie-in-the-sky provision in the NAFTA that was so poorly thought out that there’s no way the U.S. should be held to it. Mexico has disagreed, protesting through the years with retaliatory tariffs. WORKFORCE 17.New director arrives at FLETC (The Brunswick News; 152k uvm; Brunswick, GA) … Wes Wolfe The Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers received their new director this week, as Thomas J. Walters moved into the position Monday. Walters served nearly three decades with the federal Customs and Border Protection agency, and comes to Brunswick after running his own private border security consulting business, according to the FLETC website He has spent most of his career in border security, beginning as a border patrol agent in Texas in 1975, moving up the leadership ladder DHS-17-0435-A-000119 FOIA CBP 000119 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT in the agency and taking a significant hand in crafting its mission and purpose. OPINION 18.Commentary: Why America will never see Trump’s border wall (American Statesman; 604k uvm; Austin, TX) … Nate Bruggeman and Ben Rohrbaugh The border wall remains the focus of the border security debate in Washington. Prototypes are reportedly under construction in San Diego, with the president recently going so far as to declare that he will pick out a wall design himself. Not to be left behind, Republicans in Congress recently proposed a new bill to begin funding a border wall. And this after the House included $1.6 billion for the wall earlier this summer. It would seem that the president’s border wall plan is moving apace, though this flurry of activity obscures reality: President Trump’s idea will never be built. The only way the wall was going to happen was through an enormous initial effort and investment of resources that quickly made progress such that it could not be easily reversed. 19.COPS NOTEBOOK: An affront to civil liberties (Niagara Gazette; 196k uvm; Niagara Falls, NY) … Rick Pfeiffer It's not easy protecting America's borders. I get that. I agree with that. Border Patrol agents working the southern sectors of the United States facing incredibly daunting challenges. And those on the northern border could not be stretched any thinner. Likewise, Customs and Border Protection agents at at our air, sea and land ports of entry face indescribable pressure not to allow really bad people into our country. They have done a truly remarkable job over the years, particularly since 9/11. But now I'm troubled by a new and an aggressive approach to alleged national security matters that isn't just unnecessary, it represents a dangerous encroachment on our civil liberties. While we may wish to argue that American citizens, who leave the country for travel, should not have to check their civil rights at the border before they can return home, the courts have deemed that is constitutionally permissible. DHS NEWS 20.DHS Under Pressure Over Alleged Violation Of Policies On Sensitive Locations (National Public Radio; 22M uvm) … John Burnett AUDIO: Democrats in Congress have blasted federal immigration agents, saying they're violating their own policy by making arrests at so-called sensitive locations such as hospitals, schools and churches. One recent case involved an undocumented couple apprehended by Border Patrol in a South Texas hospital while their infant son awaited a serious operation. ARI SHAPIRO, HOST: Last month, we told you a story about an undocumented couple apprehended by border patrol in a South Texas hospital. It happened while their infant son awaited a serious operation. Since NPR's piece aired, Democrats in Congress have blasted federal immigration DHS-17-0435-A-000120 FOIA CBP 000120 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT agents, saying they are violating their own policy by making arrests at hospitals, schools and churches. NPR's John Burnett has this follow-up. JOHN BURNETT, BYLINE: Immigration agents are prohibited from taking enforcement actions in or near so-called sensitive locations unless there's a threat that involves national security, terrorism or public safety. Senator Richard Blumenthal, Democrat of Connecticut, along with 19 other senators are asking why federal agents are creeping into these once-sacrosanct zones for routine, low-level arrests. 21.Report: 152 Afghan trainees have gone AWOL in U.S. since 2005 (Associated Press) … Robert Burns At least 152 Afghans sent to the United States for military training during the course of the war against the Taliban have gone AWOL, and the problem, which worsened last year, is unlikely to improve soon, U.S. inspectors said Friday. AWOL Afghans are considered a security risk in the U.S. because they have military training and are of fighting age, and relatively few are ever arrested or detained, according to a report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. … But in asserting that the problem remains of concern, inspectors noted that the State Department reported that four AWOL Afghan trainees were caught by Customs and Border Protection in Washington state in August. OF INTEREST 22.Border Patrol: Teen Released after Foiled Human Smuggling Attempt (KRGV-TV; 275k uvm; Weslaco, TX) … Christian Von Preysing VIDEO: A teen accused of causing a rollover during a human smuggling attempt is free from custody the day after their arrest, according to Border Patrol. Agents said the teen took off after spotting law enforcement near Anzalduas Park Wednesday. The driver attempted a maneuver and rolled over, according to the agents. "They discovered that there were seven people inside that vehicle," said Border Patrol spokesperson Marcelino Medina. The agency said the teen was found to be a U.S. citizen. "Cases like this one, in particular, are not uncommon. In fact, they're frequent here in the Rio Grande Valley, particularly Starr County, Rio Grande City," said Medina. Medina said the number one temptation is money. "[They're] trying to convert them to become ruthless smugglers that have no regard for human life,” he said. Agents said six passengers found inside the vehicle were hospitalized. The driver is free from detention and is not expected to face state or federal prosecution. Border Patrol said they're actively working in multiple ways, including visiting schools to help educate and discourage these types of crimes. 23. 16 Charged in Southern California Animal Trafficking Sweep (Associated Press) From a baby tiger cub to monitor lizards and a macaw, authorities have seized dozens of animals and filed charges against 16 people as part of what they say is the largest wildlife trafficking sweep in Southern California. Federal authorities call the sweep "Operation Jungle Book" and say it's an effort to combat a growing illegal DHS-17-0435-A-000121 FOIA CBP 000121 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT market for exotic animals that threatens the survival of species. "An insatiable desire to own examples — both living and dead — of these vulnerable creatures is fueling this black market," Acting U.S. Attorney Sandra R. Brown said in a statement. Among the animals seized are king cobras, turtles, fish and a Bengal tiger cub that a California man said he bought on the streets of Tijuana, Mexico, for $300. Luis Eudoro Valencia has pleaded not guilty to smuggling the kitten into the U.S. after border officials found the cub lying on the passenger-side floor of his car in August. SOCIAL MEDIA ANALYSIS OF NOTE · The top shared URL of the period was an article published by Breitbart Texas titled, Armed Mexican Cartel Scouts Sentenced for Fighting Border Patrol Agents. The URL was shared 118 times. · The tweet with the highest volume of retweets during the period was in criticism of the border wall made by Gizmodo (@Gizmodo). The tweet insinuated that if a drone could fly over the wall to take videos and photographs of construction, than a drone could fly over the wall to transport drugs. The tweet received 89 retweets, 101 likes, and 17 comments. · From the @CustomsBorder Twitter account, a tweet with the hashtag: #CatchOfTheDay received the highest engagement. The post displays 4 illegal aliens that had been arrested by CBP and links a press release detailing their capture. The tweet garnered 35 retweets, 87 likes, and 9 comments. ABOUT THIS REPORT. Articles in this report were published during the 24 hours preceding the report date unless otherwise specified. Dissemination figures and bylines might not be available for all articles. Location is noted for local outlets. DHS-17-0435-A-000122 FOIA CBP 000122 DHS-17-0435-A-000123 FOIA CBP 000123 1can C n d Oc O 7 AM q1CA\J I PVERSIGHT DHS-17-0435-A-000124 FOIA CBP 000124 Gizmo C Fo ) V u Pro e, ■ sa 0 10 ' r 1e ,le se ea er , ~ I , es. I. ■■ The Daily Media Summary (DMS) and the links contained herein are being provided solely as a convenience and to afford CBP officials a broad awareness of the day's traditional, digital and social media coverage of CBP. The views and opinions expressed in the DMS, the sources cited, and the links contained herein do not necessarily represent the opinions, views, policies or positions of the U.S. Government, DHS, CBP or the Office of Public Affairs. Daily Media Summary October 21, 2017 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY • There was significant media coverage on the return of a man’s pickup truck by Customs and Border Protection two years from when it was seized by Customs officers. Outlets that covered the story include: Washington Post and Reason. • An article was released on the popular media outlet, Gizmodo, which criticized the effectiveness a border wall would have on the smuggling of drugs over the border, arguing that drones can fly over the wall to transport drugs. The author reached out to CBP where Carlos Diaz, the Southwest Branch Chief for the CBP Office of Public Affairs, explained that it is the combination of multiple factors that would secure the border. A tweet by Gizmodo touching on the subject garnered the highest amount of retweets in the CBP Twitter conversation of the period. • There was an exceptional amount of coverage by local outlets on drug busts both Along U.S. Borders and at Ports of Entry. TOP NEWS 1. Customs took his truck without charging him with a crime. Two years later, he’s finally getting it back. (Washington Post; 43.9M uvm) … Christopher Ingraham Customs and Border Protection is returning a Kentucky man's truck, more than two years after it was seized because Border Patrol officers found five bullets in the truck's center console. In September 2015, Customs officers seized the pickup truck belonging to Gerardo Serrano after they found the bullets when he attempted to cross the border into Mexico. The agency maintained that the bullets were “munitions of war” and that transporting them to Mexico was illegal. Serrano says he simply forgot that he left the small ammunition magazine in his truck's center console. Serrano, who holds a concealed carry permit, did not have a gun or any other weapons with him at the time. 2. Drone Video of Border Wall Prototypes Accidentally Shows How Worthless the Wall Would Be (Gizmodo; 36.7M uvm) … Matt Novak VIDEO: US Customs and Border Protection recently released video of President Trump’s border wall prototypes in San Diego. And we couldn’t help but notice something strange from the video. It shows a bird’s-eye view of the wall from the perspective of a drone. And the drone is much, much higher than the wall. Do you see what I mean? This is supposed to be a wall that, in President Trump’s words, is going to DHS-17-0435-A-000125 FOIA CBP 000125 OVERSIGHT stop “drugs from pouring into this country.” But the funny thing about a wall is that you can get over it pretty easily these days—especially as drones become more affordable. CBP’s own video proves just how easy it is to get over the damn thing. … When I asked CBP about that, they seemed to acknowledge that the wall obviously doesn’t do shit on its own. “Matt, don’t forget that there are also agents, sensors, cameras and other technologies monitoring the Border Enforcement Zone,” Carlos Diaz, the Southwest Branch Chief for the CBP Office of Public Affairs, told Gizmodo by email. “The combination of those elements allow for the effective and efficient protection of the wall.” 3. Over $90k in drugs seized in two separate Border Patrol busts (KESQ-TV; 302k uvm; Thousand Palms, CA) … Jon Moreno A man and a woman were arrested Thursday during two separate drug smuggling incidents at the Highway 86 checkpoint in Salton City. The first incident occurred around 9:15 am, when a 21-year-old woman approached the checkpoint in a Crusero/International California bus. The bus was referred to a second inspection and a Border Patrol detection canine team alerted to the top of the luggage compartment. Agents removed all occupants from the bus. The canine alerted to a specific seat. Agents interviewed the owner of the seat and discovered narcotics strapped to a woman’s abdomen. The substance of the narcotics tested positive for heroin. The total weight of the heroin was 2.52 pounds and had an estimated street value of $27,720. 4. Border Agents find meth inside stuffed toy (KYMA-TV; 20k uvm; Yuma, AZ) … Blake Keller Border Patrol agents arrested two U.S. citizens Wednesday after finding nearly 2 pounds of methamphetamine that was stuffed in a toy dog. It happened during a search of the vehicle at the immigration checkpoint on Highway 78 near Blythe, California. Blythe station Border Patrol agents referred the driver of the Dodge Charger to secondary inspection after a Border Patrol canine alerted to an odor coming from the car. Upon inspection, agents found five packages of meth inside a stuffed dog toy. An additional three small bags of meth in the passenger's purse. The drugs worth amounts to almost $6,000. NEWS INDEX BORDER SECURITY Along U.S. Borders 5. Canada granting asylum to U.S. border crossers at higher rates: data (Reuters; 43.6M uvm) … Anna Mehler Paperny Asylum seekers who illegally crossed the U.S. border into Canada this year are obtaining refugee status at higher rates, new data shows, as authorities accept claims from people who say they feared being deported by U.S. President Donald Trump’s DHS-17-0435-A-000126 FOIA CBP 000126 OVERSIGHT administration. More than 15,000 people have crossed the U.S.-Canadian border illegally to claim refugee status in Canada this year. Many were in the United States legally and some interviewed by Reuters said they might have stayed were it not for an immigration crackdown. 6. Laredo Sector Border Patrol seizes over 700 pounds of marijuana (KGNS-TV; 87k uvm; Laredo, TX) … Justin J. Reyes The Laredo Sector Border Patrol seized over 700 pounds of marijuana this past week during two separate incidents. The first seizure took place on October 19th when Border Patrol agents observed several individuals loading bundles into a Nissan Xterra. As agents approached the individuals, they fled the area on foot, leaving their vehicle behind. Border Patrol agents found five bundles of marijuana, which had an estimated street value of $301,280. The second seizure took place on the same day when agents attempted to stop a Ford F-150 on Mines Road. The driver fled the scene and was later involved in an accident where the he was arrested. Border Patrol agents found six bundles of marijuana inside the vehicle with an estimated street value of $318,648. Both vehicles were seized by Border Patrol and the marijuana and the driver were turned over to the DEA. 7. Border Patrol agents rescue four undocumented immigrants from a truck (KGNS-TV; 87k uvm; Laredo, TX) … Justin J. Reyes Agents with the Laredo Sector Border Patrol rescued four undocumented immigrants that were concealed in a truck. According to Border Patrol, on October 20th, agents at the checkpoint on Highway 359 near Hebbronville encountered a white Ford box truck at the primary inspection lane. The driver was questioned regarding his immigration status and was referred to secondary inspection. Upon further search of the vehicle, agents found four undocumented immigrants that were concealed inside the cargo area of the truck without a means to exit without assistance. The four immigrants were determined to be from Mexico. The driver was a U.S. citizen and was referred for prosecution. 8. Border Patrol agents make two drug busts in under an hour (KYMA-TV; 20k uvm; Yuma, AZ) … Crystal Bedoya Border Patrol agents stationed at the Highway 86 checkpoint arrested a man and woman on two separate events less than an hour of each other Thursday, A 21-year-old woman approached the checkpoint at around 9:15 a.m. in a Crusero/International California bus. Agents referred the bus to secondary inspection where a Border Patrol detection canine team alerted to the top of the luggage compartment. The canine pointed out a specific seat leading agents to interview the seat's occupant and discovered narcotics strapped to a woman's abdomen. The narcotics tested positive for heroin. The total weight of the heroin was 2.52 pounds and had an estimated street value of $27,720. The woman, a U.S. citizen, and narcotics were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for further investigation. The second incident occurred DHS-17-0435-A-000127 FOIA CBP 000127 OVERSIGHT around 30 minutes later, at 9:45 a.m. A 21-year-old man approached the same checkpoint in a red 2005 Mini Cooper. Ports of Entry 9. Woman attempts to smuggle drugs across border inside her body (KMSB-TV; 596k uvm; Tucson, AZ) Officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection at Arizona's Port of San Luis arrested a woman who attempted to smuggle methamphetamine inside her body. “The concealment of narcotics inside the body is an extremely dangerous method often attempted by smugglers,” said John Schwamm, San Luis Port Director. “It can be instantly fatal should the narcotics seep through the packaging and be absorbed into the body.” According to a CBP release, the 28-year-old was stopped for further inspection at the pedestrian lane on Thursday, Oct. 19 after a CBP canine alerted to the possibility of drugs. When officers questioned the woman she admitted she had drugs concealed in her groin area. CBP officers seized the drugs, 4 ounces of methamphetamine worth an estimated $700, and turned the woman over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. 10.Korean man, wanted in Oregon, apprehended at Guam airport (Pacific Daily News; 141k uvm; Hagatna, Guam) … Steve Limtiaco A man wanted in connection with sex crimes in Oregon was apprehended on Guam after he arrived here on a flight from South Korea, according to a written statement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The 59-year-old man, who is not named in the statement, is wanted on charges of rape in the first degree, sodomy in the first degree and two counts of sex abuse in the first degree, according to the statement. The South Korean man arrived on a flight Oct. 19 and was taken into custody by Customs and Border Protection. “Customs and Border Protection works closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to identify and apprehend persons that seek to evade our laws and harm our citizens,” said Brian J. Humphrey, CBP Director of Field Operations in San Francisco. 11.Multiple agencies respond to hazmat exercise, temporarily close border (Fiddlehead Focus; Fort Kent, ME) … Don Eno Local firefighters and ambulance crews as well as members of the Maine National Guard and U.S. Customs and Border Protection took part Wednesday in a hazardous materials response training near the American side of the border crossing. The international bridge connecting Madawaska with Edmundston, New Brunswick, was closed briefly to allow responders to go through the border crossing portion of the scenario. The drill simulated a scenario in which a person coming into the U.S. across the bridge was found to be carrying a package suspected of containing an unknown chemical or biological agent. In this training, agents inside the customs office were “exposed” and needed to be decontaminated. DHS-17-0435-A-000128 FOIA CBP 000128 OVERSIGHT BORDER WALL 12.The 8 prototypes for Trump's border wall (Photos) (Washington Examiner; 4.7M uvm) … Gabby Morrongiello VIDEO: Nine months into his first term, President Trump's proposed wall along the U.S.- Mexico border is finally beginning to take shape. Eight architectural models of what the wall may look like are one week from completion at a construction site just miles away from the southwesternmost point of the United States. Each unique structure has been designed with the challenges border patrol officials currently face in mind, giving way to prototypes with razor wire edges or bottom-heavy cement foundations. When the 30- day construction period ends next week, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials will begin testing each prototype for the unit's ability to prevent climbing, tunnelling, and destruction. The Washington Examiner received an up-close look at each of the eight prototypes, which measure in at around 30 feet in height, along with a tour of the current barriers that exist to prevent illegal border crossings into the United States. Take a look at the exclusive images below: 13.Undocumented Immigrants Cross by Border Wall Prototypes: CBP (KNSD; 2.1M uvm; San Diego, CA) … Steven Luke VIDEO: As crews finish up border wall prototypes, agents continue apprehending undocumented immigrants inside the actual construction zone. Most recently, five Nepali citizens hopped the 7-foot fence Thursday and turned themselves into U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents near the construction site. Three men and two women, between ages 19 and 30, requested asylum from their country by claiming credible fear of return. CBP officials said they do not track apprehensions by location, so they couldn't confirm exactly how many similar incidents have occurred near the construction zone. But agents said they have detained others in the same area. 14.Southwest Environmental Center to host “Back by Noon” trip to the border wall (Las Cruces Sun-News; 310k uvm, Las Cruces, NM) The public is invited to join the Southwest Environmental Center for "No Walls in the Wild" to view the border wall. Participants should meet at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 at the center, 275 N. Main St. The outing is part of the Southwest Environmental Center’s spring 2017 Back by Noon Series. At 17 feet high and constructed of heavy metal, the existing border wall along parts of the US-Mexican border has to be seen to be believed. SWEC’s Executive Director, Kevin Bixby, will lead us on this outing to see the border wall up close in Sunland Park and explain its effects on the most biologically diverse region in the U.S. 15.Trump's border wall models take shape in San Diego (Associated Press)… Elliot Spagat DHS-17-0435-A-000129 FOIA CBP 000129 OVERSIGHT The last two of eight prototypes for President Donald Trump's proposed border wall took shape Thursday at a construction site in San Diego. The prototypes form a tightly packed row of imposing concrete and metal panels, including one with sharp metal edges on top. Another has a surface resembling an expensive brick driveway. Companies have until Oct. 26 to finish the models but Border Patrol spokesman Theron Francisco said the last two came into profile, with crews installing a corrugated metal surface on the eighth model on a dirt lot just a few steps from homes in Tijuana, Mexico. As the crews worked, three men and two women from Nepal, ages 19 to 30, jumped a short rusted fence from Tijuana into the construction site and were immediately stopped by agents on horseback. Francisco said there have been four or five other illegal crossing attempts at the site since work began Sept. 26. TRADE 16.OOIDA optimistic NAFTA redo can fix Mexican cross-border trucking (Land Line; 34k uvm) … Sandi Soendker OOIDA Executive Vice President Todd Spencer skips the small talk when talking about Mexican long-haul trucking and the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement. “It would be nuts to leave this in the agreement, giving Mexico something to use as a hammer to collect tariffs on American goods,” he said Friday. “There is no reason to leave it in the agreement. It doesn’t make economic sense.” Spencer is seldom without harsh words for the Mexican cross-border trucking, its challenges and its history. “The safety regime in Mexico is in no way compatible with trucking regs here and won’t be for a long time,” he says. “The FMCSA pilot program? What a sham.” For years, OOIDA and the Teamsters have said that Mexico’s long-haul fleets trucking in the U.S. was a pie-in-the-sky provision in the NAFTA that was so poorly thought out that there’s no way the U.S. should be held to it. Mexico has disagreed, protesting through the years with retaliatory tariffs. WORKFORCE 17.New director arrives at FLETC (The Brunswick News; 152k uvm; Brunswick, GA) … Wes Wolfe The Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers received their new director this week, as Thomas J. Walters moved into the position Monday. Walters served nearly three decades with the federal Customs and Border Protection agency, and comes to Brunswick after running his own private border security consulting business, according to the FLETC website He has spent most of his career in border security, beginning as a border patrol agent in Texas in 1975, moving up the leadership ladder in the agency and taking a significant hand in crafting its mission and purpose. OPINION 18.Commentary: Why America will never see Trump’s border wall DHS-17-0435-A-000130 FOIA CBP 000130 OVERSIGHT (American Statesman; 604k uvm; Austin, TX) … Nate Bruggeman and Ben Rohrbaugh The border wall remains the focus of the border security debate in Washington. Prototypes are reportedly under construction in San Diego, with the president recently going so far as to declare that he will pick out a wall design himself. Not to be left behind, Republicans in Congress recently proposed a new bill to begin funding a border wall. And this after the House included $1.6 billion for the wall earlier this summer. It would seem that the president’s border wall plan is moving apace, though this flurry of activity obscures reality: President Trump’s idea will never be built. The only way the wall was going to happen was through an enormous initial effort and investment of resources that quickly made progress such that it could not be easily reversed. 19.COPS NOTEBOOK: An affront to civil liberties (Niagara Gazette; 196k uvm; Niagara Falls, NY) … Rick Pfeiffer It's not easy protecting America's borders. I get that. I agree with that. Border Patrol agents working the southern sectors of the United States facing incredibly daunting challenges. And those on the northern border could not be stretched any thinner. Likewise, Customs and Border Protection agents at at our air, sea and land ports of entry face indescribable pressure not to allow really bad people into our country. They have done a truly remarkable job over the years, particularly since 9/11. But now I'm troubled by a new and an aggressive approach to alleged national security matters that isn't just unnecessary, it represents a dangerous encroachment on our civil liberties. While we may wish to argue that American citizens, who leave the country for travel, should not have to check their civil rights at the border before they can return home, the courts have deemed that is constitutionally permissible. DHS NEWS 20.DHS Under Pressure Over Alleged Violation Of Policies On Sensitive Locations (National Public Radio; 22M uvm) … John Burnett AUDIO: Democrats in Congress have blasted federal immigration agents, saying they're violating their own policy by making arrests at so-called sensitive locations such as hospitals, schools and churches. One recent case involved an undocumented couple apprehended by Border Patrol in a South Texas hospital while their infant son awaited a serious operation. ARI SHAPIRO, HOST: Last month, we told you a story about an undocumented couple apprehended by border patrol in a South Texas hospital. It happened while their infant son awaited a serious operation. Since NPR's piece aired, Democrats in Congress have blasted federal immigration agents, saying they are violating their own policy by making arrests at hospitals, schools and churches. NPR's John Burnett has this follow-up. JOHN BURNETT, BYLINE: Immigration agents are prohibited from taking enforcement actions in or near so-called sensitive locations unless there's a threat that involves national security, terrorism or public safety. Senator Richard Blumenthal, Democrat of Connecticut, along with 19 other senators are asking DHS-17-0435-A-000131 FOIA CBP 000131 OVERSIGHT why federal agents are creeping into these once-sacrosanct zones for routine, low-level arrests. 21.Report: 152 Afghan trainees have gone AWOL in U.S. since 2005 (Associated Press) … Robert Burns At least 152 Afghans sent to the United States for military training during the course of the war against the Taliban have gone AWOL, and the problem, which worsened last year, is unlikely to improve soon, U.S. inspectors said Friday. AWOL Afghans are considered a security risk in the U.S. because they have military training and are of fighting age, and relatively few are ever arrested or detained, according to a report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. … But in asserting that the problem remains of concern, inspectors noted that the State Department reported that four AWOL Afghan trainees were caught by Customs and Border Protection in Washington state in August. OF INTEREST 22.Border Patrol: Teen Released after Foiled Human Smuggling Attempt (KRGV-TV; 275k uvm; Weslaco, TX) … Christian Von Preysing VIDEO: A teen accused of causing a rollover during a human smuggling attempt is free from custody the day after their arrest, according to Border Patrol. Agents said the teen took off after spotting law enforcement near Anzalduas Park Wednesday. The driver attempted a maneuver and rolled over, according to the agents. "They discovered that there were seven people inside that vehicle," said Border Patrol spokesperson Marcelino Medina. The agency said the teen was found to be a U.S. citizen. "Cases like this one, in particular, are not uncommon. In fact, they're frequent here in the Rio Grande Valley, particularly Starr County, Rio Grande City," said Medina. Medina said the number one temptation is money. "[They're] trying to convert them to become ruthless smugglers that have no regard for human life,” he said. Agents said six passengers found inside the vehicle were hospitalized. The driver is free from detention and is not expected to face state or federal prosecution. Border Patrol said they're actively working in multiple ways, including visiting schools to help educate and discourage these types of crimes. 23.16 Charged in Southern California Animal Trafficking Sweep (Associated Press) From a baby tiger cub to monitor lizards and a macaw, authorities have seized dozens of animals and filed charges against 16 people as part of what they say is the largest wildlife trafficking sweep in Southern California. Federal authorities call the sweep "Operation Jungle Book" and say it's an effort to combat a growing illegal market for exotic animals that threatens the survival of species. "An insatiable desire to own examples — both living and dead — of these vulnerable creatures is fueling this black market," Acting U.S. Attorney Sandra R. Brown said in a statement. Among the animals seized are king cobras, turtles, fish and a Bengal tiger cub that a California man said he DHS-17-0435-A-000132 FOIA CBP 000132 OVERSIGHT bought on the streets of Tijuana, Mexico, for $300. Luis Eudoro Valencia has pleaded not guilty to smuggling the kitten into the U.S. after border officials found the cub lying on the passenger-side floor of his car in August. SOCIAL MEDIA ANALYSIS OF NOTE • The top shared URL of the period was an article published by Breitbart Texas titled, Armed Mexican Cartel Scouts Sentenced for Fighting Border Patrol Agents. The URL was shared 118 times. • The tweet with the highest volume of retweets during the period was in criticism of the border wall made by Gizmodo (@Gizmodo). The tweet insinuated that if a drone could fly over the wall to take videos and photographs of construction, than a drone could fly over the wall to transport drugs. The tweet received 89 retweets, 101 likes, and 17 comments. • From the @CustomsBorder Twitter account, a tweet with the hashtag: #CatchOfTheDay received the highest engagement. The post displays 4 illegal aliens that had been arrested by CBP and links a press release detailing their capture. The tweet garnered 35 retweets, 87 likes, and 9 comments. ABOUT THIS REPORT. Articles in this report were published during the 24 hours preceding the report date unless otherwise specified. Dissemination figures and bylines might not be available for all articles. Location is noted for local outlets. DHS-17-0435-A-000133 FOIA CBP 000133 G""-· ~ US Customs and Border ProtectiOn relea~d this foot~gt of bord!!r wall proto~s￾But 11kt 1f a dront c~n Oy ov~r the w,11 ca, 00-.1,--••· -~---- .... ~ OVERSIGHT U.S. Customs and Border Protection o·~tba1,_ Armed Mex.un C.,tel Scouts Sentenced lo, Fighting Bordor Patrol Ag•nts _ _ __ c:_..._.,_,.. ............ ,-.....- ~...,c.'°"'_""_ .................. ---..".,..., __ ____ .,.__,..... ___ .,,."1"'" ••••••••• From: To: MCALEENAN, KEVIN K; VITIELLO, RONALD D (USBP) Cc: FLANAGAN, PATRICK S; FRIEL, MICHAEL J; KOLBE, KATHRYN; ; LOWRY, KIM M; Owen, Todd C (AC OFO); SMITH, BRENDA BROCKMAN; Subject: OPA Daily Report - Aug. 28, 2017 Date: Monday, August 28, 2017 4:01:23 PM Attachments: Commissioner/Deputy Commissioner Speeches and Talking Points (Lead: Submitted a video script for CBP Acting Deputy Commissioner Ronald D. Vitiello for a message to employees about Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month (September). Media: CBP OPA provided the following responses to the NY Times regarding Hurricane Harvey. Lead: CBP Statement: “During those previous hurricanes- which landed in Florida and Louisiana- no checkpoints existed and thus were not in the storm’s path inhibiting evacuation. U.S. Border Patrol checkpoints can and do close when safety and efficiency of evacuation is imperative. For Hurricane Harvey, checkpoints located in the Rio Grande Valley are well south of the storm impact zones and evacuation routes. Therefore, those evacuating storm-affected areas do not have to travel through a U.S. Border Patrol Checkpoint. U.S. Customs and Border Protection is not conducting any operations at evacuation centers or shelters. On the contrary, during an evacuation, our highest priority is the safe evacuation of people leaving the impacted areas. As in previous emergency situations, CBP components are focused on search and rescue efforts and stand ready if requested by local law enforcement to assist in larger rescue efforts.” “For additional clarification the hurricanes referenced hit Louisiana and Florida and U.S. Border Patrol does not have checkpoints there as part of their operational posture. With regard to storms in Texas during Tropical Storm Hermine in 2010 and Hurricane Dolly in 2008, U.S. Border Patrol checkpoints were closed as the storms got closer to facilitate evacuations. Again, I do think it’s important to note that U.S. Customs and Border Protection is not conducting any operations at evacuation centers or shelters. On the contrary, during an evacuation, our highest priority is the safe evacuation of people leaving the impacted areas. As in previous emergency situations, CBP components are focused on search and rescue efforts and stand ready if requested by local law enforcement to assist in larger rescue efforts.” Social Media: Tweets: FOIA CBP 000134 (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6) NON-RESPONSIVE (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) DHS-17-0435-A-000134 • - • Impressions: number of individuals that viewed the tweet on Twitter. Engagements: number of times an individual interacted with the tweet, i.e., liked, favorited, shared, etc. Communication and Outreach: CBP.gov (Team Lead: Created central CBP Response to Harvey CBP.gov site. Published several website articles on CBP’s Hurricane Harvey preparedness and response. CBP Joins First Response Efforts Air and Marine Operations Flies Assets to Texas CBP Readies for Hurricane Harvey Published photo gallery on CBP’s Hurricane Harvey response. CBP Responds to Hurricane Harvey Attached are cbp.gov metrics for August 21-27. CBPnet (Team Lead: Added links to several articles on the CBPnet homepage on CBP’s Hurricane Harvey preparedness and response. Writing and Editorial (Lead: Edited U.S. Border Patrol Immigrations Checkpoints info flyer. Edited 81-page Promotional Assessment Study Guide -- Supervisory/Managerial Border Patrol Agent. Internal Communications (Lead: Email Messages: CBP Central FOIA CBP 000135 (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) DHS-17-0435-A-000135 • • • • • • • • CBP Cus1om,~r r CBP pro •ides first response a for #Harvey RGV dep,Joys SO agen s to Slfpport @IJ SCG #A 0 has 6 a,raa ass,sl g hi p 11?:)I lyl2ggtiqu7 !J1C tv. in~ cam 'NBgj.\ 75ryJ Reach a bigger audience CBP @C ••.to~So , RGV Sector !!USBP Sl)etl bitJy/')ltVNvY .,,_ I~ ~- . • ,> ~ ,- . . L-, '."'-~ I )..~ ' \ . •· . ' .. • ~-., ' <=- ~. . .. OVERSIGHT U.S. Customs and Border Protection From: To: MCALEENAN, KEVIN K; VITIELLO, RONALD D (USBP) Cc: FLANAGAN, PATRICK S; FRIEL, MICHAEL J; ; KOLBE, KATHRYN; LOWRY, KIM M; Owen, Todd C (AC OFO); ; PROVOST, CARLA (USBP); ; SMITH, BRENDA BROCKMAN; Subject: OPA Daily Report and Weekly Metrics, Nov. 13, 2017 Date: Monday, November 13, 2017 3:42:44 PM Attachments: Media: · Provided Joey Greaber from KGUN-9 information regarding the I-19 checkpoint after he was contacted by a protest group preparing to march on the checkpoint. OPA reported the checkpoint was currently closed for operational reasons and further information is unavailable for the preservation of operational security. Lead: Social Media: Tweets: Impressions: number of people who viewed the tweet on Twitter. Engagements: number of times someone interacted with the tweet, i.e., liked, favorited, shared, etc. Communication and Outreach: CBP.gov (Team Lead: · Published an updated version of CBP Snapshot. · Attached are CBP.gov metrics for the week of Nov. 6-12. Internal Communications (Lead: · CBPnet Postings: o Acting Commissioner Message: Veterans Day - Honoring Those Who Served o Video: Veterans Day 2017 Employee Montage · Mass e-mails: o CBP CENTRAL o Show Some Love with CFC’s Global Health Week! o Memorandum: Sensitive But Unclassified FOIA CBP 000159 (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) NON-RESPONSIVE (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) DHS-17-0435-A-000159 - Impress tons 7,359 ota1 engagemen s226 l.ake5 109 eGta eng~emenb S8 Reme~IJ 28 Reach a bigge, audt.ence Del I e:,q;ian~, Ptoi1ec 6 I [Gilt.,; .. ,•:- " ••• <. - ' ii H;,-shf;19 cittlt~ .5 l.inli chek;s CBPSpeaks (Lead: · CBPSpeaks reports 21 speakers the week of Nov. 6 with an anticipated audience reach to 4,500 people. · See attached list for current status of all speaker requests. · DHS Speakers Bureau cleared the following scheduled speaking engagements: o chief, Office of Trade, at the International Trade Commission Trial Lawyers Association, Nov. 14 in Washington, D.C. Topic: CBP administration of international trade. Press: TBD. o , deputy executive assistant commissioner, Office of Field Operations, at FedScoop’s Government Innovation Forum, Nov. 14 in Washington, D.C. Topic: Entry/exit efforts. Open press. Visual Communications: · Researched and provided a compilation of video and still photos for the Office of Human Resources’ response for the first CFC “Cause Week – Clean Water and Hunger” campaign. HRM wants a 30-second to one-minute video documenting CBP’s emergency relief efforts, emphasizing the efforts of CBP employees and CFC charities, such as the Red Cross, in the hurricane response and the importance of having “clean water and food” after a tragedy. · Added four slides to the CBPNow digital signage playlist. FOIA CBP 000160 (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) DHS-17-0435-A-000160 Winter s ,coming but #CBPwiH still be there to guard the natiop s borders from ,dangerous goods and peop le. Vear round 1 rain, snow or shine, CBP is #KeepingAmericaSafe FOIA CBP 000161 (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) DHS-17-0435-A-000161 twil:l:er Meet· new #CSP canine NOAA who is helping safeguard agriculture at the El Paso port of entry 1 1 • I U.S. Border P t - l . _ 'th • a ro-agents w, the Del Rio Sector ,help feed the Del R comm 1 io 1 F . u111~f at the annual east of Shar1ng. Chief of Staff - Office of Public Affairs U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office: *  Mobile: FOIA CBP 000162 (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) DHS-17-0435-A-000162 -=~ ... . - ~· !.: From: Media Analyst To: Media Analyst Subject: Daily Media Summary - November 14, 2017 Date: Tuesday, November 14, 2017 6:51:53 AM Attachments: image001.png image003.png CBP_Daily Media Summary_111417.pdf The Daily Media Summary (DMS) and the links contained herein are being provided solely as a convenience and to afford CBP officials a broad awareness of the day's traditional, digital and social media coverage of CBP. The views and opinions expressed in the DMS, the sources cited, and the links contained herein do not necessarily represent the opinions, views, policies or positions of the U.S. Government, DHS, CBP or the Office of Public Affairs. Daily Media Summary November 14, 2017 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY · The Washington Post reported a Senate panel will vote on Kirstjen Nielsen’s nomination for DHS Secretary Tuesday. If approved by the Senate panel, the next step in the process would be a full Senate confirmation vote in the following weeks. The confirmation process has also been reported on by top tier media outlet Breitbart, and the Washington Post article was shared by smaller media outlets Laredo Morning Times and Aviation News. · The Laredo Morning Times reported that CBP officers seized over 400 pounds of cocaine at the World Trade Bridge. "This seizure demonstrates a great example of teamwork from our CBP officers," Laredo Port Director Albert Flores said. "I commend our officers for their hard work, dedication and commitment to the CBP mission." The bust was not widely reported in the period. · Fox News reported Border Patrol agents on the Confined Space Entry Team (CSET) were called to El Paso twice in one week to search the storm drains for illegal immigrants. While dangerous, it is not uncommon to find illegal immigrants who have been left in storm drains by smugglers. According to Supervisory Border Patrol Agent Nick Veliz the smugglers do not care about the dangers because “To them they’re just money. So they just let them in and if they get out, good, if not, it doesn’t really make a difference to them.” This storyline was not widely reported in the period. TOP NEWS 1. Kirstjen Nielsen, Trump’s Homeland Security nominee, faces Senate panel vote (Washington Post; 43.9M uvm) … Nick Miroff A Senate panel is scheduled to vote Tuesday on the nomination of President Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security, Kirstjen Nielsen, despite a push from Democrats to hold additional hearings. Five Democrats on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee wrote a letter last week to the panel’s DHS-17-0435-A-000163 FOIA CBP 000163 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT chairman, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), urging him to bring Nielsen back for more questioning. They cited a report in The Washington Post describing efforts by top White House officials to pressure the acting DHS secretary, Elaine Duke, over an immigration decision. The report also detailed Duke’s plans to resign. Johnson has not formally responded to the Democrats’ letter, but his decision to schedule a vote for Tuesday morning indicates the panel’s Republican majority wants to proceed with her nomination. If Nielsen is approved Tuesday, it would set the stage for a full Senate confirmation vote in the coming weeks. 2. Over $3.2 million of cocaine found in paper towels, rolls at World Trade Bridge (Laredo Morning Times; 71k uvm; Laredo, TX) … Jordan Ray Over 400 pounds of cocaine were found in a commercial shipment of paper towels and rolls at the World Trade Bridge in Laredo, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection said late last week. The seizure occurred Monday when a CBP officer referred a tractor trailer hauling a commercial shipment of paper towels and rolls for inspection. CBP officers discovered 159 packages allegedly containing 424 pounds of alleged cocaine hidden within the shipment. The cocaine has an estimated street value of $3,270,800. CBP officers then seized the drugs before turning the case over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations special agents for further investigation. "This seizure demonstrates a great example of teamwork from our CBP officers," Laredo Port Director Albert Flores said. "I commend our officers for their hard work, dedication and commitment to the CBP mission." 3. Border Patrol rescues illegal immigrants stuck in storm drains underground (Fox News; 32.5M uvm) …Ray Bogan VIDEO: Twice in one week, U.S. Border Patrol agents on the Confined Space Entry Team, or CSET, were called to search storm drains in El Paso, Texas, for illegal immigrants trying to get away right under their feet. Smugglers, unconcerned about the safety of those crossing into the U.S., put immigrants into the drains as a way to avoid detection and escape arrest. “To them they’re just money. So they just let them in and if they get out, good, if not, it doesn’t really make a difference to them,” said Supervisory Border Patrol Agent Nick Veliz. “We’ve had people go in and actually come all the way back out because they got lost and didn’t know what to do.” Border Patrol’s CSET team was called twice recently to search drains near the U.S.–Mexico border, close to downtown El Paso. On Monday, October 30, agents rescued a woman who broke her ankle in the drain. The agent who made the rescue put the immigrant on his back and carried her out of the drain. The hours-long search and rescue was a joint operation between the Border Patrol and El Paso Fire Department. DHS-17-0435-A-000164 FOIA CBP 000164 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT “It’s good to work jointly with people,” said Agent Eric Lerch who took part in the rescue. “I always practice for the worst-case scenario.” On Wednesday November 2, CSET searched drains in west El Paso after an agent caught four immigrants climbing out. The agents went in to make sure no immigrants were left behind — they didn’t find anyone. NEWS INDEX BORDER SECURITY Along U.S. Borders 4. Tucson Border Patrol arrest three undocumented convicted felons (KYMA-TV; 20k uvm; Yuma, AZ) … Crystal Bedoya Border Patrol agents from the Tucson Sector arrested three undocumented convicted felons as they attempted to illegally enter the United States in separate incidents over the weekend. Agents stationed in Naco, Ariz. arrested 37-year-old Santana Conde￾Recio after illegally entering the country on Saturday. After being processed, it was revealed that Conde, a Mexican national, was convicted in 2001 of felony reckless vehicular homicide in Charleston County, VA. Nogales Station agents arrested two men on Sunday on separate occasions and discovered during processing that both had been convicted of criminal sex acts. Agents first arrested Juan Carlos Perez￾Suchite, a 43-year-old Guatemalan national who was convicted in 2000 for felony lewd or lascivious acts with a child in Long Beach, Calif. Later in the evening, agents arrested Adrian Oliva-Flores, a 43-year-old Honduran national who was convicted in 2007 of felony aggravated sexual battery in Virginia. All three men are currently in federal custody awaiting a disposition on felony criminal immigration violations. 5. Mexico’s southern border and the immigration consequences (Global Risk Insights) … Samuel Schofield For decades the US experienced high volumes of illegal immigration from Mexico, largely due to economic hardship in Mexico and inadequate and inconsistent enforcement by the US. However, in recent years the net immigration from Mexico to the US has all but disappeared, and more Mexicans are in fact migrating within Mexico. This trend began well before President Trump came to office. Some of the changes stem from an improving economy and job market in Mexico, as well as improved border enforcement by both Mexico and the US. In the past year, undoubtedly, some have also been deterred by Trump’s threats of increased deportations. The largest source of illegal immigration at the US southern border now comes from Central American immigrants, specifically from the Golden Triangle, or Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. These countries have not witnessed the same degree of economic growth as Mexico and high levels of corruption, poverty, and exposure to drug-related violence induce many to leave. When it comes to drugs, Mexican drug cartels remain the largest foreign suppliers of heroin, and methamphetamines to the US, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Mexican cartels have also become leading producers of DHS-17-0435-A-000165 FOIA CBP 000165 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT Fentanyl, a powerful synthetic. Cocaine largely originates from Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru, but the DEA estimates that 93-94% of Colombian cocaine comes to the US via the Mexico/Central America land corridor. Recognizing the threats posed from Central America, in recent years, the US and Mexico have enacted joint efforts to strengthen enforcement of both the US and Mexico southern borders… The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) has implemented programs with the CBP and ICE to strengthen law enforcement institutions and train Mexican police and military units to improve drug seizures in the southern border zone. 6. I-85 drug bust hauls in weed valued at $1.6 million (LaFayette Sun; LaFayette, AL) … Alton Mitchell A simple traffic stop along Interstate 85 in a neighboring county Thursday evening turned into a massive drug bust and pulled more than a million dollars in high grade marijuana off the streets before it could ever make it. According to a press release from the Troup County Sheriff’s Office, a tractor trailer was stopped around 8:45 p.m. Thursday night along Interstate 85 after a deputy observed the truck bypass a weight station near mile marker 23. When the deputy initiated the stop on the truck a search was performed on the vehicle. The search by law enforcement yielded more than 150 pounds of high-grade marijuana. According to the Troup County Sheriff’s Department the marijuana has a street value of $1.6 million dollars. Police took the driver Amaury Izquierdo Mansito, 38, and a passenger Marco Alfaro, 50-years-old into custody. Both men were charged with trafficking marijuana. In addition, Mansito was also charged with failure to maintain lane, failure to obey a traffic control device, and driving with an expired license. Troup County authorities reached out to several other agencies about the drug bust to include CBP, and Homeland Security for assistance in the large drug bust. Ports of Entry 7. 1,300 pounds of marijuana from Mexico seized in South Texas (KTVT; 26.9M uvm; Dallas, TX) VIDEO: U.S. customs officials seized 1,300 of marijuana coming from Mexico, through Texas, and headed for St. Louis at the Del Rio port of entry. CBP officers announced Monday that a 1,300 pound stash of marijuana was found last week hidden inside a commercial trailer bound for St. Louis, Missouri. Officials say the contraband was detected by drug dogs and non-intrusive imaging equipment inside a shipment of silica sand as it arrived from Mexico. “Smugglers go to great lengths to get their illicit products into the U.S.,” said port director Alberto d. Perez, Del Rio port of entry. “the training, experience and dedication of our frontline CBP officers has prevented yet another load of contraband from reaching our communities. 8. Border Patrol agents arrest 21-year-old Peñitas man accused of smuggling immigrants (KGBT-TV; 298k uvm; Harlingen, TX) DHS-17-0435-A-000166 FOIA CBP 000166 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT Border Patrol arrested a Peñitas man last week after an agent caught him attempting to pick up immigrants near Los Ebanos, according to the federal criminal complaint against him. Jose Heriberto Zuniga, 21, of Peñitas drove a black Chevrolet Cobalt through Los Ebanos on Nov. 7 "looking side to side as if he was searching for someone," according to the criminal complaint. Zuniga's behavior caught the attention of a Border Patrol agent. "The agent drove towards Zuniga's location, and Zuniga began to drive away," according to the criminal complaint. "As Zuniga began to drive away, three subjects were observed jumping a chain link fence from an abandoned property. The Cobalt then came to a stop and the three subjects boarded the Cobalt." The passengers, though, didn't stay long. When the car stopped, they jumped out and started running away. Zuniga kept driving north. Border Patrol agents stopped him near the intersection of Paloma Street and U.S. 83 in Sullivan City. Agents also tracked down and detained all three passengers, who weren't legally present in the United States. Zuniga is charged with bringing in and harboring aliens. BORDER WALL 9. First on CNN: Trump admin taking quiet steps on seizing border land, report says (CNN; 29.8M uvm) …Tal Kopan VIDEO: Although approval for a new border wall has yet to come, the Trump administration has taken subtle steps to be able to seize land to build one, including by restarting litigation that has laid dormant for years against landowners, according to a new report from Senate Democrats. Roughly two-thirds of the US-Mexico border runs through private or state-owned lands, meaning the federal government would need to purchase, seize or seek permission to use land in order to build a border wall. Based on efforts a decade ago to build border fencing, that process is likely to cost the government millions and could take years of complex litigation. And it appears the administration is gearing up for it. In July, CBP issued a notice related to a project to shore up existing fencing the Rio Grande Valley, which also foreshadowed more to come. "Using existing funds for preparatory activities, CBP and (US Army Corps of Engineers) will soon begin public-facing real estate research activities for (Rio Grande Valley) border wall requirements in the President's FY 2018 budget," the notice said, citing in-person research on property records at courthouses. Asked about the notice, Carlos Diaz, a spokesman for CBP, said the research included soil-sampling activities and pointed CNN to congressional testimony from CBP leadership that spoke generally about prioritizing efforts on the Southwest border, including to "leverage expertise in federal acquisition." 10.Trump Government will take private land to build Border Wall, but won't provide any details DHS-17-0435-A-000167 FOIA CBP 000167 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT (Newsweek; 9.4M uvm) … Harriet Sinclair VIDEO: Donald Trump’s administration has failed to give a clear indication as to how much the land acquisition for the long-promised U.S. Mexico border wall will actually cost, a report claims. According to a report released on Monday by Democratic staff of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, the administration has not provided the committee with any “definitive real estate costs or requirements.” In addition, the report claims Trump’s administration has not outlined how many U.S. citizen landowners will be affected by construction of the barrier, nor a timeline or costs for land seizure. “Despite the Administration’s request for an initial down payment of $1.6 billion to pay for 74 miles of wall construction and replacement fencing in Fiscal Year (FY) 2018, the Administration cannot provide the Committee with any definitive real estate costs or requirements, cannot tell the Committee how many American citizens will have their land seized, and has no timeline for completing land acquisition efforts necessary to build the wall that President Trump has ordered,” a release on the report stated. “During a briefing to Committee staff, a CBP official said that land acquisition posed an ongoing challenge and that title research may ‘never be finalized,’” it added. 11.Border Report: The Wall Protests Are Happening, Just Not at the Border (Voice of San Diego; 146k uvm; San Diego, CA) … Maya Srikrishnan Protests over the border wall prototypes that recently went up in otay mesa never materialized, but that doesn’t mean everyone in the region is fine with the exercise. Throughout the county, artwork is expressing anger and defiance over the wall. An artist from UCSD made a short film spoofing the border wall, reports CityBeat. The artist, Andrew Sturm, created a parody in which an international news outlet sends a reporter to interview an entrepreneur on his new business venture: manufacturing ladders with ropes attached. The ladders, the entrepreneur says, are for Americans fleeing south. An interactive art installation at Liberty Station Oct. 30 and 31 gave San Diegans the opportunity to show their solidarity with Dreamers, those who were brought to the U.S. illegally when they were children, in the face of the Trump administration’s decision to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in September, reports the Union-Tribune. The San Diego Art Institute also has a border-themed exhibition: Mano a Mano. Starting at the opposite ends of a 16- foot wall, two artists – Hugo Crosthwaite and Jose Hugo Sanchez – mimicked boxing matches over five days by performing several rounds of “battle” as they painted their way to the middle of the mural – a discourse on migration and the U.S.-Mexico border region. TRADE 12.NAFTA struck El Paso hard, an exit by Trump could hurt more (Reuters; 43.6M uvm) … Ann Saphir VIDEO: The jeans Estela Ortiz wears to work on casual Fridays are a last vestige of the job she held for 24 years at Levi Strauss, one of El Paso’s top employers before DHS-17-0435-A-000168 FOIA CBP 000168 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT the North American Free Trade Agreement clobbered the town’s textile industry. The 1994 trade pact helped eliminate the jobs of Ortiz and thousands of others in the West Texas border town, as manufacturing plants in the area left for Mexico and elsewhere, and firms boosted imports. But Ortiz, like many others in El Paso, has come to terms with the changes. Now, as the administration of President Donald Trump, a Republican, works to renegotiate or scrap the trade deal, what worries many is what kind of economic havoc eliminating NAFTA could bring. TRAVEL 13.EFF says TSA facial recognition proposal part of dangerous overreach (BiometricUpdate; 150k uvm) … Chris Burt The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has issued a “call to action” over a proposal by the U.S. Transportation Safety Authority (TSA) to collect facial images and iris scans under the PreCheck application program, which the EFF says paves the way for “a massive violation of privacy” by the Department of Homeland Security. The latest proposal… looks to expand the biometrics collected under it to include facial images and iris scans. “The regular collection of biometrics, such as facial images, will provide TSA with the ability to use those biometrics for identity verification at TSA checkpoints, potentially eliminating the need to show identity documents and improving both security and the customer experience,” the proposal states. The EFF points out that facial recognition technology has used in pilot projects by CBP at airports and land borders over the past two years, and that CBP stated in Privacy Impact Assessments that U.S. citizens data would be deleted. That practice has changed, EFF says, with CBP expanding the biometric screening process to include U.S. citizens without authorization from congress, and the latest proposal includes retaining their facial images for two weeks, and their travel information for 15 years. The EFF alleges that the programs, taken together, constitute an effort by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to expand its biometric data collection and use far beyond the 5 million Americans registered for pre-check through its sub￾agencies. WORKFORCE 14.The reluctant pioneer: Border Patrol’s first female chief (Politico; 24M uvm) As Border Patrol Chief Carla Provost tells it, there is “no difference between female agents, male agents — we’re all Border Patrol agents.” Provost, the agency’s first female head, sat down with Women Rule to discuss her history-making career, the Border Patrol’s vast gender gap, and why it matters to have more women in their ranks. Journalist Amanda Ripley interviewed Provost at her Washington, D.C., office this fall. DHS-17-0435-A-000169 FOIA CBP 000169 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT 15.Federal law enforcement has a woman problem (Politico; 24M uvm) … Amanda Ripley Despite expanding rapidly over the past two decades, federal law enforcement agencies remain almost as male-dominated as they were during the Clinton administration, according to a new POLITICO survey — the first to assess the gender gap in federal law enforcement in nearly a decade. In 1996, women held about 14 percent of the country’s federal law enforcement jobs; today, women represent just 15 percent. At this rate, it will be 700 years before women hold half of these jobs… The lowest ratio of all belongs to the Border Patrol. Just 5 percent of its agents are female…Somewhat surprisingly, given the agency's paltry percentage of female agents, the Border Patrol’s newest acting chief is a woman — for the first time in the agency’s 93-year history. Carla Provost is a veteran agent who commands respect up and down the ranks, and has vowed to do better. “There’s more we can do to recruit women,” she told POLITICO in an interview in her office in Washington this fall. “The more women, the more African-Americans, the more different groups — it just makes us better.” Agents who don’t fit the stereotype can defuse tense situations, she says. “There’s a different approach when a female agent comes onto the scene,” Provost says. “I experienced this myself. In stressful situations, sometimes it’s a calming effect.” But the agency’s history suggests change will be difficult. When Provost started as a new agent 22 years ago, the Border Patrol had 5 percent women—the same ratio it has today. 16. GAO looks at Border Patrol deployment of agents in Southwest (Homeland Preparedness News; 16k uvm) … Dave Kovaleski The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report last week examining the deployment strategy of U.S. Border Patrol agents and activities at immigration checkpoints in the Southwest region of the United States. U.S. Border Patrol deploys agents along the southwest border in areas both close to the border and in locations up to 100 miles from the border. This is part of a layered or “defense in depth strategy” the agency deploys. In addition, immigration checkpoints are typically located between 25 and 100 miles from the border. GAO was asked to review these strategies, particularly the defense in depth approach. The GAO found that agent deployment decisions are based on a variety of factors, including staffing levels and the availability of agents. Currently, Border Patrol has about 1,900 fewer agents than authorized, which presents a major challenge for agent deployment. The problem is, attrition has exceeded hiring in recent years. Further, due to these challenges, GAO found that agents were available for deployment about 43 percent of the time. OPINION DHS-17-0435-A-000170 FOIA CBP 000170 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT 17.Our View: Arizona. Ports. Need. More. Staffing. Must we shout it? (Arizona Republic; 10.8M uvm; Phoenix, AZ) VIDEO: Arizona isn’t to blame for the circumstances that led a family-owned store to close after six decades. But Arizona has an economic interest in shifting the national rhetoric to keep more stores from closing. Our state should lead a national discussion about the value of well staffed ports of entry. Consider that Bracker’s Department Store in Nogales thrived in its current location a block north of the U.S.-Mexico border since 1954. Like many businesses there, it relied on a steady stream of shoppers from Mexico, who cross legally at the port of entry, buy things and go home. But recent U.S. policies led to longer wait times and fewer shoppers from across the border. This matters to the entire state. A 2008 study done by the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management for the Arizona Office of Tourism found Mexican shoppers spent $2.69 billion a year in Arizona. Shopping malls in Phoenix and Tucson were destinations, so the cash got spread north of the borderlands. This study remains an eye-opener for those who see the border solely as something to fear. Current information would help our state’s leadership and congressional delegation make the economic case for maintaining well staffed, modern ports of entry. That is an important argument to articulate as the nation ponders spending limited resources on walls and more Border Patrol agents. The agency was short 3,811 officers in 2013, when Congress approved hiring 2,000 more CBP officers. As of August, there were still 1,400 vacancies. IMMIGRATION 18.Appeals Court Partly Reinstates Trump’s New Travel Ban (New York Times; 29.9M uvm) … Miriam Jordan A federal appeals court in California on Monday allowed President Trump’s latest travel restrictions to partly take effect, ruling that the government can bar entry to people who come from six majority-Muslim countries and who lack ties to the United States, thus handing the administration a momentary victory. In a two-paragraph order, a panel of three judges from the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco ruled on the administration’s request to block a lower court’s decision, from a federal judge in Hawaii, that prevented the latest travel policy from being implemented. The appeals panel on Monday upheld that ruling for people with a “bona fide relationship” with close family or an entity in the United States, like a university or company. But the court blocked the lower court’s decision for people from the six countries without such ties, meaning they can now be kept from entering the United States. The restrictions will apply to travelers from Chad, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. The latest ban also blocks travel by certain Venezuelan government officials and most North Koreans; courts have not stopped the administration from enacting the restrictions on those countries. 19.Trump Administration Detaining DACA Recipient With Disability (HuffPost; 22.9M uvm) … Elise Foley DHS-17-0435-A-000171 FOIA CBP 000171 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT A 20-year-old undocumented immigrant with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status has been in ICE detention for a month, despite President Donald Trump’s promises not to go after young people with DACA protections, an advocate for the young man said on Monday. Felipe Abonza-Lopez and his advocates say he was picked up in spite of a clean criminal record when he was riding in a car with undocumented family members. CBP confirmed arresting a DACA recipient, and said it was “in the course of a human smuggling investigation.” The recipient’s “status will be reviewed at an immigration hearing,” Border Patrol Chief Patrol Agent Felix Chavez said in a statement. Amy Fischer, the policy director of RAICES, which is assisting with Abonza-Lopez’s case, said he was not smuggling and has not been charged with anything. “If CBP is trying to criminalize DACA recipients with mixed status families for driving in a car with their undocumented family members, that is wholly unjust,” she said in an email. “We know that ICE will try to detain and deport people who have DACA so long as no one is paying attention to it,” Fischer said. CBP said in a statement that the Uvalde County Sheriff’s Office asked Border Patrol for assistance after a citizen reported a suspicious vehicle on Oct. 12. The people in the car were then picked up by Border Patrol and later transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Agents determined that two people in the car had been previously deported and reinstated their orders of removal. They charged an additional person with illegal entry. The other two individuals included a DACA recipient ― presumably, Abonza￾Lopez. 20.Privately owned detention centers turning immigrants into ATM machines (Flagler College Gargoyle) … Katherine Lewin The Obama administration ended the so-called “wet foot, dry foot” policy in January 2017. This part of the Cuban Adjustment Act allowed Cubans without visas to stay in the United States and begin the citizenship process once their feet touched dry land. The looming possibility of the end of “wet foot, dry foot” created a renewed surge of Cubans trying to enter the U.S. in 2016. This meant that many Cubans were on their way to America, either in border towns in Mexico or stranded in countries like Colombia and Brazil, when former President Obama ended the policy. Changing the Cuban Adjustment Act was meant to reflect the normalizing relationship between the U.S. and Cuba after decades of tension and sanctions against the communist Caribbean country. But instead of fostering peace and a safer immigration experience, ending the policy may have generated mass confusion in the Cuban immigrant communities and created a steady new human revenue stream for privately owned detention centers to legally exploit. Combine this with President Trump’s plan to increase the number of immigrants detained on any given day from 40,000 to 80,000 people, and the private prison corporations in America stand to double their daily revenue to around $12 million. For Geo Group and CoreCivic, two corporations that own nearly all of the private detention centers in the United States, taking advantage of the political plight of Cubans fleeing their country might just seem like good business sense. DHS-17-0435-A-000172 FOIA CBP 000172 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT DHS NEWS 21.Five Times Trump’s DHS Nominee Nielsen Nixed POTUS Principles on Immigration (Breitbart; 19.1M uvm) … John Binder VIDEO: Breitbart News has compiled the five times in which Kirstjen Nielsen, a former official under President George W. Bush, has been out-of-line with Trump’s Buy “Buy American, Hire American” policies and immigration principles. Nielsen’s most controversial statements on immigration have revolved around her open support for amnesty for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) illegal aliens...Nielsen’s testimony and answers during her hearing did not make any declaration of support — or even any reference to — Trump’s detailed 70-point list of immigration principles which were announced on October 8…In the face of Democratic hostility, Nielsen actually downplayed the importance of the wall. Trump’s immigration agenda has emphasized putting the U.S. economy and needs of Americans first. But when answering a question about how to deter illegal immigration, Nielsen said she wanted to improve the economies of foreign nations which send their illegal aliens to the United States, even as she declined to talk about more direct countermeasures, such as the construction of a border wall and the enforcement of sanctions against employers who hire illegals. “We have to increase the prosperity there,” Nielsen said of foreign countries. OF INTEREST 22.The border as a ‘weaponized’ landscape (High Country News; 505k uvm; Paonia, CO) … Katherine E. Standefer Border Patrol agent-turned-author Francisco Cantú examines his experiences. Cantú is the author of The Line Becomes A River, forthcoming this February from Riverhead Books. The book is a beautiful and brutal chronicle of the four years he spent working as a Border Patrol agent, and the years afterward, in which an immigrant friend, José, is deported to Mexico, and Cantú finds himself navigating border policy from the other end. The book — his first — is already generating buzz; this year Cantú has received a Whiting Award in Nonfiction and a Pushcart Prize, and a section of the book recently aired on This American Life. SOCIAL MEDIA ANALYSIS OF NOTE · The top URL, the most retweeted post, and the top hashtag all sustained from the previous period on the story of Ella, a Ugandan asylum seeker, who was allegedly detained, denied the ability to speak to her lawyer, and ultimately deported by CBP. · The @CustomsBorder Twitter account received notable engagement during the period. The tweet to receive the highest engagement commented despite outdoor conditions CBP will be there to secure the nation’s borders. The post was retweeted 65 times, liked by 236, and received 24 replies to date with DHS-17-0435-A-000173 FOIA CBP 000173 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT 1.8M impressions. The tweet was not the only post by the account to receive significant attention; report of Laredo sector Border Patrol agents’ cocaine bust received 38 retweets, 78 likes, and 6 replies to date with 300k potential impressions. · The Twitter conversation revolving around DHS Nominee Kirstjen Nielsen has increased in volume from the previous period. A notable tweet posted by FAIR (@FAIRImmigration) shared an article titled, “On Eve of Committee Vote, Kirstjen Nielsen’s Commitment to the Trump Immigration Agenda Remains Questionable, Cautions FAIR”. The tweet garnered 49 retweets, 66 likes, and 13 replies. ABOUT THIS REPORT. Articles in this report were published during the 24 hours preceding the report date unless otherwise specified. Dissemination figures and bylines might not be available for all articles. Location is noted for local outlets. DHS-17-0435-A-000174 FOIA CBP 000174 DHS-17-0435-A-000175 FOIA CBP 000175 ( ) ■ 0 s DHS-17-0435-A-000176 FOIA CBP 000176 V 0 7 VERSIGHT 1 The Daily Media Summary (DMS) and the links contained herein are being provided solely as a convenience and to afford CBP officials a broad aw areness of the day's traditional, digital and social media coverage of CBP. The view s and opinions expressed in the DMS, the sources cited, and the links contained herein do not necessarily represent the opinions, view s, policies or positions of the U.S. Government, DHS, CBP or the Office of Public Affairs. Daily Media Summary November 14, 2017 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY • The Washington Post reported a Senate panel will vote on Kirstjen Nielsen’s nomination for DHS Secretary Tuesday. If approved by the Senate panel, the next step in the process would be a full Senate confirmation vote in the following weeks. The confirmation process has also been reported on by top tier media outlet Breitbart, and the Washington Post article was shared by smaller media outlets Laredo Morning Times and Aviation News. • The Laredo Morning Times reported that CBP officers seized over 400 pounds of cocaine at the World Trade Bridge. "This seizure demonstrates a great example of teamwork from our CBP officers," Laredo Port Director Albert Flores said. "I commend our officers for their hard work, dedication and commitment to the CBP mission." The bust was not widely reported in the period. • Fox News reported Border Patrol agents on the Confined Space Entry Team (CSET) were called to El Paso twice in one week to search the storm drains for illegal immigrants. While dangerous, it is not uncommon to find illegal immigrants who have been left in storm drains by smugglers. According to Supervisory Border Patrol Agent Nick Veliz the smugglers do not care about the dangers because “To them they’re just money. So they just let them in and if they get out, good, if not, it doesn’t really make a difference to them.” This storyline was not widely reported in the period. TOP NEWS 1. Kirstjen Nielsen, Trump’s Homeland Security nominee, faces Senate panel vote (Washington Post; 43.9M uvm) … Nick Miroff A Senate panel is scheduled to vote Tuesday on the nomination of President Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security, Kirstjen Nielsen, despite a push from Democrats to hold additional hearings. Five Democrats on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee wrote a letter last week to the panel’s chairman, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), urging him to bring Nielsen back for more questioning. They cited a report in The Washington Post describing efforts by top White House officials to pressure the acting DHS secretary, Elaine Duke, over an immigration decision. The report also detailed Duke’s plans to resign. Johnson has not formally responded to the Democrats’ letter, but his decision to schedule a vote for Tuesday morning indicates the panel’s Republican majority wants to proceed with her DHS-17-0435-A-000177 FOIA CBP 000177 OVERSIGHT 2 nomination. If Nielsen is approved Tuesday, it would set the stage for a full Senate confirmation vote in the coming weeks. 2. Over $3.2 million of cocaine found in paper towels, rolls at World Trade Bridge (Laredo Morning Times; 71k uvm; Laredo, TX) … Jordan Ray Over 400 pounds of cocaine were found in a commercial shipment of paper towels and rolls at the World Trade Bridge in Laredo, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection said late last week. The seizure occurred Monday when a CBP officer referred a tractor trailer hauling a commercial shipment of paper towels and rolls for inspection. CBP officers discovered 159 packages allegedly containing 424 pounds of alleged cocaine hidden within the shipment. The cocaine has an estimated street value of $3,270,800. CBP officers then seized the drugs before turning the case over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations special agents for further investigation. "This seizure demonstrates a great example of teamwork from our CBP officers," Laredo Port Director Albert Flores said. "I commend our officers for their hard work, dedication and commitment to the CBP mission." 3. Border Patrol rescues illegal immigrants stuck in storm drains underground (Fox News; 32.5M uvm) …Ray Bogan VIDEO: Twice in one week, U.S. Border Patrol agents on the Confined Space Entry Team, or CSET, were called to search storm drains in El Paso, Texas, for illegal immigrants trying to get away right under their feet. Smugglers, unconcerned about the safety of those crossing into the U.S., put immigrants into the drains as a way to avoid detection and escape arrest. “To them they’re just money. So they just let them in and if they get out, good, if not, it doesn’t really make a difference to them,” said Supervisory Border Patrol Agent Nick Veliz. “We’ve had people go in and actually come all the way back out because they got lost and didn’t know what to do.” Border Patrol’s CSET team was called twice recently to search drains near the U.S.–Mexico border, close to downtown El Paso. On Monday, October 30, agents rescued a woman who broke her ankle in the drain. The agent who made the rescue put the immigrant on his back and carried her out of the drain. The hours-long search and rescue was a joint operation between the Border Patrol and El Paso Fire Department. “It’s good to work jointly with people,” said Agent Eric Lerch who took part in the rescue. “I always practice for the worst-case scenario.” On Wednesday November 2, CSET searched drains in west El Paso after an agent caught four immigrants climbing out. The agents went in to make sure no immigrants were left behind — they didn’t find anyone. NEWS INDEX BORDER SECURITY Along U.S. Borders DHS-17-0435-A-000178 FOIA CBP 000178 OVERSIGHT 3 4. Tucson Border Patrol arrest three undocumented convicted felons (KYMA-TV; 20k uvm; Yuma, AZ) … Crystal Bedoya Border Patrol agents from the Tucson Sector arrested three undocumented convicted felons as they attempted to illegally enter the United States in separate incidents over the weekend. Agents stationed in Naco, Ariz. arrested 37-year-old Santana Conde￾Recio after illegally entering the country on Saturday. After being processed, it was revealed that Conde, a Mexican national, was convicted in 2001 of felony reckless vehicular homicide in Charleston County, VA. Nogales Station agents arrested two men on Sunday on separate occasions and discovered during processing that both had been convicted of criminal sex acts. Agents first arrested Juan Carlos Perez-Suchite, a 43- year-old Guatemalan national who was convicted in 2000 for felony lewd or lascivious acts with a child in Long Beach, Calif. Later in the evening, agents arrested Adrian Oliva-Flores, a 43-year-old Honduran national who was convicted in 2007 of felony aggravated sexual battery in Virginia. All three men are currently in federal custody awaiting a disposition on felony criminal immigration violations. 5. Mexico’s southern border and the immigration consequences (Global Risk Insights) … Samuel Schofield For decades the US experienced high volumes of illegal immigration from Mexico, largely due to economic hardship in Mexico and inadequate and inconsistent enforcement by the US. However, in recent years the net immigration from Mexico to the US has all but disappeared, and more Mexicans are in fact migrating within Mexico. This trend began well before President Trump came to office. Some of the changes stem from an improving economy and job market in Mexico, as well as improved border enforcement by both Mexico and the US. In the past year, undoubtedly, some have also been deterred by Trump’s threats of increased deportations. The largest source of illegal immigration at the US southern border now comes from Central American immigrants, specifically from the Golden Triangle, or Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. These countries have not witnessed the same degree of economic growth as Mexico and high levels of corruption, poverty, and exposure to drug-related violence induce many to leave. When it comes to drugs, Mexican drug cartels remain the largest foreign suppliers of heroin, and methamphetamines to the US, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Mexican cartels have also become leading producers of Fentanyl, a powerful synthetic. Cocaine largely originates from Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru, but the DEA estimates that 93-94% of Colombian cocaine comes to the US via the Mexico/Central America land corridor. Recognizing the threats posed from Central America, in recent years, the US and Mexico have enacted joint efforts to strengthen enforcement of both the US and Mexico southern borders… The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) has implemented programs with the CBP and ICE to strengthen law enforcement institutions and train Mexican police and military units to improve drug seizures in the southern border zone. 6. I-85 drug bust hauls in weed valued at $1.6 million DHS-17-0435-A-000179 FOIA CBP 000179 OVERSIGHT 4 (LaFayette Sun; LaFayette, AL) … Alton Mitchell A simple traffic stop along Interstate 85 in a neighboring county Thursday evening turned into a massive drug bust and pulled more than a million dollars in high grade marijuana off the streets before it could ever make it. According to a press release from the Troup County Sheriff’s Office, a tractor trailer was stopped around 8:45 p.m. Thursday night along Interstate 85 after a deputy observed the truck bypass a weight station near mile marker 23. When the deputy initiated the stop on the truck a search was performed on the vehicle. The search by law enforcement yielded more than 150 pounds of high-grade marijuana. According to the Troup County Sheriff’s Department the marijuana has a street value of $1.6 million dollars. Police took the driver Amaury Izquierdo Mansito, 38, and a passenger Marco Alfaro, 50-years-old into custody. Both men were charged with trafficking marijuana. In addition, Mansito was also charged with failure to maintain lane, failure to obey a traffic control device, and driving with an expired license. Troup County authorities reached out to several other agencies about the drug bust to include CBP, and Homeland Security for assistance in the large drug bust. Ports of Entry 7. 1,300 pounds of marijuana from Mexico seized in South Texas (KTVT; 26.9M uvm; Dallas, TX) VIDEO: U.S. customs officials seized 1,300 of marijuana coming from Mexico, through Texas, and headed for St. Louis at the Del Rio port of entry. CBP officers announced Monday that a 1,300 pound stash of marijuana was found last week hidden inside a commercial trailer bound for St. Louis, Missouri. Officials say the contraband was detected by drug dogs and non-intrusive imaging equipment inside a shipment of silica sand as it arrived from Mexico. “Smugglers go to great lengths to get their illicit products into the U.S.,” said port director Alberto d. Perez, Del Rio port of entry. “the training, experience and dedication of our frontline CBP officers has prevented yet another load of contraband from reaching our communities. 8. Border Patrol agents arrest 21-year-old Peñitas man accused of smuggling immigrants (KGBT-TV; 298k uvm; Harlingen, TX) Border Patrol arrested a Peñitas man last week after an agent caught him attempting to pick up immigrants near Los Ebanos, according to the federal criminal complaint against him. Jose Heriberto Zuniga, 21, of Peñitas drove a black Chevrolet Cobalt through Los Ebanos on Nov. 7 "looking side to side as if he was searching for someone," according to the criminal complaint. Zuniga's behavior caught the attention of a Border Patrol agent. "The agent drove towards Zuniga's location, and Zuniga began to drive away," according to the criminal complaint. "As Zuniga began to drive away, three subjects were observed jumping a chain link fence from an abandoned property. The Cobalt then came to a stop and the three subjects boarded the Cobalt." The passengers, though, didn't stay long. When the car stopped, they jumped out and started running away. DHS-17-0435-A-000180 FOIA CBP 000180 OVERSIGHT 5 Zuniga kept driving north. Border Patrol agents stopped him near the intersection of Paloma Street and U.S. 83 in Sullivan City. Agents also tracked down and detained all three passengers, who weren't legally present in the United States. Zuniga is charged with bringing in and harboring aliens. BORDER WALL 9. First on CNN: Trump admin taking quiet steps on seizing border land, report says (CNN; 29.8M uvm) …Tal Kopan VIDEO: Although approval for a new border wall has yet to come, the Trump administration has taken subtle steps to be able to seize land to build one, including by restarting litigation that has laid dormant for years against landowners, according to a new report from Senate Democrats. Roughly two-thirds of the US-Mexico border runs through private or state-owned lands, meaning the federal government would need to purchase, seize or seek permission to use land in order to build a border wall. Based on efforts a decade ago to build border fencing, that process is likely to cost the government millions and could take years of complex litigation. And it appears the administration is gearing up for it. In July, CBP issued a notice related to a project to shore up existing fencing the Rio Grande Valley, which also foreshadowed more to come. "Using existing funds for preparatory activities, CBP and (US Army Corps of Engineers) will soon begin public-facing real estate research activities for (Rio Grande Valley) border wall requirements in the President's FY 2018 budget," the notice said, citing in-person research on property records at courthouses. Asked about the notice, Carlos Diaz, a spokesman for CBP, said the research included soil-sampling activities and pointed CNN to congressional testimony from CBP leadership that spoke generally about prioritizing efforts on the Southwest border, including to "leverage expertise in federal acquisition." 10.Trump Government will take private land to build Border Wall, but won't provide any details (Newsweek; 9.4M uvm) … Harriet Sinclair VIDEO: Donald Trump’s administration has failed to give a clear indication as to how much the land acquisition for the long-promised U.S. Mexico border wall will actually cost, a report claims. According to a report released on Monday by Democratic staff of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, the administration has not provided the committee with any “definitive real estate costs or requirements.” In addition, the report claims Trump’s administration has not outlined how many U.S. citizen landowners will be affected by construction of the barrier, nor a timeline or costs for land seizure. “Despite the Administration’s request for an initial down payment of $1.6 billion to pay for 74 miles of wall construction and replacement fencing in Fiscal Year (FY) 2018, the Administration cannot provide the Committee with any definitive real estate costs or requirements, cannot tell the Committee how many American citizens will have their land seized, and has no timeline for completing land acquisition efforts necessary to build the wall that President Trump has ordered,” a release on the DHS-17-0435-A-000181 FOIA CBP 000181 OVERSIGHT 6 report stated. “During a briefing to Committee staff, a CBP official said that land acquisition posed an ongoing challenge and that title research may ‘never be finalized,’” it added. 11.Border Report: The Wall Protests Are Happening, Just Not at the Border (Voice of San Diego; 146k uvm; San Diego, CA) … Maya Srikrishnan Protests over the border wall prototypes that recently went up in otay mesa never materialized, but that doesn’t mean everyone in the region is fine with the exercise. Throughout the county, artwork is expressing anger and defiance over the wall. An artist from UCSD made a short film spoofing the border wall, reports CityBeat. The artist, Andrew Sturm, created a parody in which an international news outlet sends a reporter to interview an entrepreneur on his new business venture: manufacturing ladders with ropes attached. The ladders, the entrepreneur says, are for Americans fleeing south. An interactive art installation at Liberty Station Oct. 30 and 31 gave San Diegans the opportunity to show their solidarity with Dreamers, those who were brought to the U.S. illegally when they were children, in the face of the Trump administration’s decision to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in September, reports the Union-Tribune. The San Diego Art Institute also has a border-themed exhibition: Mano a Mano. Starting at the opposite ends of a 16-foot wall, two artists – Hugo Crosthwaite and Jose Hugo Sanchez – mimicked boxing matches over five days by performing several rounds of “battle” as they painted their way to the middle of the mural – a discourse on migration and the U.S.-Mexico border region. TRADE 12.NAFTA struck El Paso hard, an exit by Trump could hurt more (Reuters; 43.6M uvm) … Ann Saphir VIDEO: The jeans Estela Ortiz wears to work on casual Fridays are a last vestige of the job she held for 24 years at Levi Strauss, one of El Paso’s top employers before the North American Free Trade Agreement clobbered the town’s textile industry. The 1994 trade pact helped eliminate the jobs of Ortiz and thousands of others in the West Texas border town, as manufacturing plants in the area left for Mexico and elsewhere, and firms boosted imports. But Ortiz, like many others in El Paso, has come to terms with the changes. Now, as the administration of President Donald Trump, a Republican, works to renegotiate or scrap the trade deal, what worries many is what kind of economic havoc eliminating NAFTA could bring. TRAVEL 13.EFF says TSA facial recognition proposal part of dangerous overreach (BiometricUpdate; 150k uvm) … Chris Burt The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has issued a “call to action” over a proposal by the U.S. Transportation Safety Authority (TSA) to collect facial images and iris scans under the PreCheck application program, which the EFF says paves the way for “a DHS-17-0435-A-000182 FOIA CBP 000182 OVERSIGHT 7 massive violation of privacy” by the Department of Homeland Security. The latest proposal… looks to expand the biometrics collected under it to include facial images and iris scans. “The regular collection of biometrics, such as facial images, will provide TSA with the ability to use those biometrics for identity verification at TSA checkpoints, potentially eliminating the need to show identity documents and improving both security and the customer experience,” the proposal states. The EFF points out that facial recognition technology has used in pilot projects by CBP at airports and land borders over the past two years, and that CBP stated in Privacy Impact Assessments that U.S. citizens data would be deleted. That practice has changed, EFF says, with CBP expanding the biometric screening process to include U.S. citizens without authorization from congress, and the latest proposal includes retaining their facial images for two weeks, and their travel information for 15 years. The EFF alleges that the programs, taken together, constitute an effort by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to expand its biometric data collection and use far beyond the 5 million Americans registered for pre-check through its sub-agencies. WORKFORCE 14.The reluctant pioneer: Border Patrol’s first female chief (Politico; 24M uvm) As Border Patrol Chief Carla Provost tells it, there is “no difference between female agents, male agents — we’re all Border Patrol agents.” Provost, the agency’s first female head, sat down with Women Rule to discuss her history-making career, the Border Patrol’s vast gender gap, and why it matters to have more women in their ranks. Journalist Amanda Ripley interviewed Provost at her Washington, D.C., office this fall. 15.Federal law enforcement has a woman problem (Politico; 24M uvm) … Amanda Ripley Despite expanding rapidly over the past two decades, federal law enforcement agencies remain almost as male-dominated as they were during the Clinton administration, according to a new POLITICO survey — the first to assess the gender gap in federal law enforcement in nearly a decade. In 1996, women held about 14 percent of the country’s federal law enforcement jobs; today, women represent just 15 percent. At this rate, it will be 700 years before women hold half of these jobs… The lowest ratio of all belongs to the Border Patrol. Just 5 percent of its agents are female…Somewhat surprisingly, given the agency's paltry percentage of female agents, the Border Patrol’s newest acting chief is a woman — for the first time in the agency’s 93-year history. Carla Provost is a veteran agent who commands respect up and down the ranks, and has vowed to do better. “There’s more we can do to recruit women,” she told POLITICO in an interview in her office in Washington this fall. “The more women, the more African￾Americans, the more different groups — it just makes us better.” Agents who don’t fit the stereotype can defuse tense situations, she says. “There’s a different approach when a female agent comes onto the scene,” Provost says. “I experienced this myself. In stressful situations, sometimes it’s a calming effect.” But the agency’s history DHS-17-0435-A-000183 FOIA CBP 000183 OVERSIGHT 8 suggests change will be difficult. When Provost started as a new agent 22 years ago, the Border Patrol had 5 percent women—the same ratio it has today. 16.GAO looks at Border Patrol deployment of agents in Southwest (Homeland Preparedness News; 16k uvm) … Dave Kovaleski The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report last week examining the deployment strategy of U.S. Border Patrol agents and activities at immigration checkpoints in the Southwest region of the United States. U.S. Border Patrol deploys agents along the southwest border in areas both close to the border and in locations up to 100 miles from the border. This is part of a layered or “defense in depth strategy” the agency deploys. In addition, immigration checkpoints are typically located between 25 and 100 miles from the border. GAO was asked to review these strategies, particularly the defense in depth approach. The GAO found that agent deployment decisions are based on a variety of factors, including staffing levels and the availability of agents. Currently, Border Patrol has about 1,900 fewer agents than authorized, which presents a major challenge for agent deployment. The problem is, attrition has exceeded hiring in recent years. Further, due to these challenges, GAO found that agents were available for deployment about 43 percent of the time. OPINION 17.Our View: Arizona. Ports. Need. More. Staffing. Must we shout it? (Arizona Republic; 10.8M uvm; Phoenix, AZ) VIDEO: Arizona isn’t to blame for the circumstances that led a family-owned store to close after six decades. But Arizona has an economic interest in shifting the national rhetoric to keep more stores from closing. Our state should lead a national discussion about the value of well staffed ports of entry. Consider that Bracker’s Department Store in Nogales thrived in its current location a block north of the U.S.-Mexico border since 1954. Like many businesses there, it relied on a steady stream of shoppers from Mexico, who cross legally at the port of entry, buy things and go home. But recent U.S. policies led to longer wait times and fewer shoppers from across the border. This matters to the entire state. A 2008 study done by the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management for the Arizona Office of Tourism found Mexican shoppers spent $2.69 billion a year in Arizona. Shopping malls in Phoenix and Tucson were destinations, so the cash got spread north of the borderlands. This study remains an eye-opener for those who see the border solely as something to fear. Current information would help our state’s leadership and congressional delegation make the economic case for maintaining well staffed, modern ports of entry. That is an important argument to articulate as the nation ponders spending limited resources on walls and more Border Patrol agents. The agency was short 3,811 officers in 2013, when Congress approved hiring 2,000 more CBP officers. As of August, there were still 1,400 vacancies. IMMIGRATION DHS-17-0435-A-000184 FOIA CBP 000184 OVERSIGHT 9 18.Appeals Court Partly Reinstates Trump’s New Travel Ban (New York Times; 29.9M uvm) … Miriam Jordan A federal appeals court in California on Monday allowed President Trump’s latest travel restrictions to partly take effect, ruling that the government can bar entry to people who come from six majority-Muslim countries and who lack ties to the United States, thus handing the administration a momentary victory. In a two-paragraph order, a panel of three judges from the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco ruled on the administration’s request to block a lower court’s decision, from a federal judge in Hawaii, that prevented the latest travel policy from being implemented. The appeals panel on Monday upheld that ruling for people with a “bona fide relationship” with close family or an entity in the United States, like a university or company. But the court blocked the lower court’s decision for people from the six countries without such ties, meaning they can now be kept from entering the United States. The restrictions will apply to travelers from Chad, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. The latest ban also blocks travel by certain Venezuelan government officials and most North Koreans; courts have not stopped the administration from enacting the restrictions on those countries. 19.Trump Administration Detaining DACA Recipient With Disability (HuffPost; 22.9M uvm) … Elise Foley A 20-year-old undocumented immigrant with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status has been in ICE detention for a month, despite President Donald Trump’s promises not to go after young people with DACA protections, an advocate for the young man said on Monday. Felipe Abonza-Lopez and his advocates say he was picked up in spite of a clean criminal record when he was riding in a car with undocumented family members. CBP confirmed arresting a DACA recipient, and said it was “in the course of a human smuggling investigation.” The recipient’s “status will be reviewed at an immigration hearing,” Border Patrol Chief Patrol Agent Felix Chavez said in a statement. Amy Fischer, the policy director of RAICES, which is assisting with Abonza-Lopez’s case, said he was not smuggling and has not been charged with anything. “If CBP is trying to criminalize DACA recipients with mixed status families for driving in a car with their undocumented family members, that is wholly unjust,” she said in an email. “We know that ICE will try to detain and deport people who have DACA so long as no one is paying attention to it,” Fischer said. CBP said in a statement that the Uvalde County Sheriff’s Office asked Border Patrol for assistance after a citizen reported a suspicious vehicle on Oct. 12. The people in the car were then picked up by Border Patrol and later transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Agents determined that two people in the car had been previously deported and reinstated their orders of removal. They charged an additional person with illegal entry. The other two individuals included a DACA recipient ― presumably, Abonza-Lopez. 20.Privately owned detention centers turning immigrants into ATM machines (Flagler College Gargoyle) … Katherine Lewin DHS-17-0435-A-000185 FOIA CBP 000185 OVERSIGHT 10 The Obama administration ended the so-called “wet foot, dry foot” policy in January 2017. This part of the Cuban Adjustment Act allowed Cubans without visas to stay in the United States and begin the citizenship process once their feet touched dry land. The looming possibility of the end of “wet foot, dry foot” created a renewed surge of Cubans trying to enter the U.S. in 2016. This meant that many Cubans were on their way to America, either in border towns in Mexico or stranded in countries like Colombia and Brazil, when former President Obama ended the policy. Changing the Cuban Adjustment Act was meant to reflect the normalizing relationship between the U.S. and Cuba after decades of tension and sanctions against the communist Caribbean country. But instead of fostering peace and a safer immigration experience, ending the policy may have generated mass confusion in the Cuban immigrant communities and created a steady new human revenue stream for privately owned detention centers to legally exploit. Combine this with President Trump’s plan to increase the number of immigrants detained on any given day from 40,000 to 80,000 people, and the private prison corporations in America stand to double their daily revenue to around $12 million. For Geo Group and CoreCivic, two corporations that own nearly all of the private detention centers in the United States, taking advantage of the political plight of Cubans fleeing their country might just seem like good business sense. DHS NEWS 21.Five Times Trump’s DHS Nominee Nielsen Nixed POTUS Principles on Immigration (Breitbart; 19.1M uvm) … John Binder VIDEO: Breitbart News has compiled the five times in which Kirstjen Nielsen, a former official under President George W. Bush, has been out-of-line with Trump’s Buy “Buy American, Hire American” policies and immigration principles. Nielsen’s most controversial statements on immigration have revolved around her open support for amnesty for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) illegal aliens...Nielsen’s testimony and answers during her hearing did not make any declaration of support — or even any reference to — Trump’s detailed 70-point list of immigration principles which were announced on October 8…In the face of Democratic hostility, Nielsen actually downplayed the importance of the wall. Trump’s immigration agenda has emphasized putting the U.S. economy and needs of Americans first. But when answering a question about how to deter illegal immigration, Nielsen said she wanted to improve the economies of foreign nations which send their illegal aliens to the United States, even as she declined to talk about more direct countermeasures, such as the construction of a border wall and the enforcement of sanctions against employers who hire illegals. “We have to increase the prosperity there,” Nielsen said of foreign countries. OF INTEREST 22.The border as a ‘weaponized’ landscape (High Country News; 505k uvm; Paonia, CO) … Katherine E. Standefer DHS-17-0435-A-000186 FOIA CBP 000186 OVERSIGHT 11 Border Patrol agent-turned-author Francisco Cantú examines his experiences. Cantú is the author of The Line Becomes A River, forthcoming this February from Riverhead Books. The book is a beautiful and brutal chronicle of the four years he spent working as a Border Patrol agent, and the years afterward, in which an immigrant friend, José, is deported to Mexico, and Cantú finds himself navigating border policy from the other end. The book — his first — is already generating buzz; this year Cantú has received a Whiting Award in Nonfiction and a Pushcart Prize, and a section of the book recently aired on This American Life. SOCIAL MEDIA ANALYSIS OF NOTE • The top URL, the most retweeted post, and the top hashtag all sustained from the previous period on the story of Ella, a Ugandan asylum seeker, who was allegedly detained, denied the ability to speak to her lawyer, and ultimately deported by CBP. • The @CustomsBorder Twitter account received notable engagement during the period. The tweet to receive the highest engagement commented despite outdoor conditions CBP will be there to secure the nation’s borders. The post was retweeted 65 times, liked by 236, and received 24 replies to date with 1.8M impressions. The tweet was not the only post by the account to receive significant attention; report of Laredo sector Border Patrol agents’ cocaine bust received 38 retweets, 78 likes, and 6 replies to date with 300k potential impressions. • The Twitter conversation revolving around DHS Nominee Kirstjen Nielsen has increased in volume from the previous period. A notable tweet posted by FAIR (@FAIRImmigration) shared an article titled, “On Eve of Committee Vote, Kirstjen Nielsen’s Commitment to the Trump Immigration Agenda Remains Questionable, Cautions FAIR”. The tweet garnered 49 retweets, 66 likes, and 13 replies. ABOUT THIS REPORT. Articles in this report w ere published during the 24 hours preceding the report date unless otherw ise specified. Dissemination figures and bylines might not be available for all articles. Location is noted for local outlets. DHS-17-0435-A-000187 FOIA CBP 000187 o rAa e - PRESS RELEASE· On Ev, of Comm,tt .. Vot•. KirstJtn N,,ls:tn s Commitment to the-Trump Immigration Agenda R1-m1ins QuHtlOnable C•uhons FAIR ba.ly/1rA552K <>• D OVERSIGHT U.S. Customs and Border Protection 1' ,., . W,nttr ,s com,ng bYt • • .SP will n,11 be there to guard the nat,on·s borders from dangerous goods and pe-opl, YHr round. ra,n. snow or shine-. CBP i1 ,e:1Cttp111gAml"ricdS11£t1 0 .. t.l • From: To: PROVOST, CARLA (USBP) Cc: (USBP) Subject: FW: Daily Media Summary - November 18, 2017 Date: Saturday, November 18, 2017 9:34:23 AM Attachments: image001.png image003.png image005.png CBP_Daily Media Summary_111817.pdf Chief - Let me check into this one. I’ll let you know shortly. Regards, Deputy Chief - LEOD/Operations U.S. Border Patrol Headquarters (office) (cell) From: MCALEENAN, KEVIN K Sent: Saturday, November 18, 2017 6:05:31 AM To: PROVOST, CARLA (USBP); Owen, Todd C (AC OFO); HOWE, RANDY J Cc: VITIELLO, RONALD D (USBP); FLANAGAN, PATRICK S Subject: FW: Daily Media Summary - November 18, 2017 Do we have anything on number 3 below? From: Media Analyst Sent: Saturday, November 18, 2017 8:27:01 AM To: Media Analyst Subject: Daily Media Summary - November 18, 2017 The Daily Media Summary (DMS) and the links contained herein are being provided solely as a convenience and to afford CBP officials a broad awareness of the day's traditional, digital and social media coverage of CBP. The views and opinions expressed in the DMS, the sources cited, and the links contained herein do not necessarily represent the opinions, views, policies or positions of the U.S. Government, DHS, CBP or the Office of Public Affairs. Daily Media Summary November 18, 2017 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY WBTS-TV reported that group of Senate Democrats are pressing DHS Secretary nominee Kirstjen Nielsen to support bipartisan legislation that would protect DACA recipients from being deported. They cited that during her FOIA CBP 000188 (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) DHS-17-0435-A-000188 • confirmation hearing she agreed that there was a need for legislation to protect DACA recipients and help create a path for citizenship. This story has been shared by major media outlets Stars & Stripes, ABC News as well as local outlets such as the Tampa Bay Times, and Florence Morning News, based in Florence, SC. The UK media outlet Daily Mail shared this story as well. KIII-TV reported that Border Patrol agents at the Sarita checkpoint arrested a person who had attempted to smuggle cocaine through the checkpoint in the trunk of their Mercedes. "The efforts they are using to conceal the loads is usually expensive, so this was out of the ordinary for us," said Deputy Patrol Agent in charge of Kingsville Josh Schad. According to agents, usually the cartels try and conceal their drugs loads inside secret compartments, but this bust was unusual considering the dog's ability to smell. "The things they can detect, the minor traces of narcotics they can smell is unbelievable so we couldn't do the job without them," Schad said. This story has yet to be widely reported on in other media outlets, however on the @CustomsBorder Twitter account, it is the tweet with the highest engagement of the period. BuzzFeed reported that an immigrant father, Jose Demar Fuentes, from Central America seeking asylum in the United States has accused Border Patrol agents of lying and threatening him to persuade him to separate from his 1-year-old son. CBP didn’t respond to specific questions about Fuentes or the other fathers, but pointed to their policy on family unity. “CBP will maintain family unity to the greatest extent operationally feasible, absent a legal requirement or an articulable safety or security concern that requires separation,” the policy said. While this story has yet to be widely reported in other media outlets, it is gaining traction on Twitter since BuzzFeed first ran the article in the early morning hours. TOP NEWS 1. Democrats Press Homeland Security Pick on Immigration Issues (WBTS-TV; 20k uvm; Newton, MA) … Richard Lardner A group of Senate Democrats is pressing President Donald Trump's choice to lead the Homeland Security Department to endorse bipartisan legislation to shield from deportation thousands of young immigrants brought to the U.S. as young children and living here illegally. In a letter sent Friday to Kirstjen Nielsen, the 20 lawmakers said she agreed during her confirmation hearing earlier this month on the need for legislation that would put so-called "Dreamers" on a path to U.S. citizenship. They want to know if that means Nielsen will openly urge Congress to pass the bipartisan Dream Act to "provide the solution that you have recognized is needed." White House spokesman Raj Shah said Nielsen did not express support for any specific legislation during her confirmation hearing." The Trump administration has laid out its priorities for responsible immigration reform we hope Congress will adopt," Shah said. 2. Major cocaine bust at Sarita checkpoint (KIII-TV; 66k uvm; Corpus Christi, TX) … Michael Gibson VIDEO: Border patrol agents at the Sarita checkpoint said one of their K-9's sniffed DHS-17-0435-A-000189 FOIA CBP 000189 • • out a trunk full of cocaine Wednesday morning. Nearly six million dollars worth of cocaine was discovered during the stop. Kiii News reporter Michael Gibson was at the checkpoint to meet with agents about the incident. "The efforts they are using to conceal the loads is usually expensive, so this was out of the ordinary for us," said Deputy Patrol Agent in charge of Kingsville Josh Schad. According to agents, usually the cartels try and conceal their drugs loads inside secret compartments of even inside car batteries, but this bust was unusual considering the dog's super sense of smell. "The things they can detect, the minor traces of narcotics they can smell is unbelievable so we couldn't do the job without them," Schad said. Investigators believe the drugs were smuggled across an unprotected section of the border and then loaded into the Mercedes. 3. Immigrant Father Says The Border Patrol Took His Infant Son And Won't Tell Him Where He Is (BuzzFeed; 17.7M) … Adolfo Flores An immigrant father from Central America seeking asylum in the United States has accused Border Patrol agents of lying and threatening him to persuade him to separate from his 1-year-old son. Immigrant rights advocates said the accusation bolsters what they believe is an effort by Border Patrol agents to discourage Central American immigration by separating parents from their children. Jose Demar Fuentes, 30, said he and three other fathers crossed the US border through the Mexican city of Tijuana on Sunday with their children and requested asylum from US immigration authorities. Fuentes said that in three separate meetings, Border Patrol agents in dark green uniforms told him and the other fathers that if they didn't agree to separate themselves from their children, their immigration cases would take longer and there would be problems. “The last time they said we’d better agree because it was ‘better to do it the good way and avoid using force in front of the kids,’” Fuentes told BuzzFeed News. “That made us all agree.” The fathers and their kids were separated Thursday. The three other fathers could not be reached for comment. US Customs and Border Protection didn’t respond to specific questions about Fuentes or the other fathers, but pointed to their policy on family unity. “CBP will maintain family unity to the greatest extent operationally feasible, absent a legal requirement or an articulable safety or security concern that requires separation,” the policy said. NEWS INDEX BORDER SECURITY Along U.S. Borders 4. Border Patrol Agent Hospitalized after Illegal Immigrant Speeds Through Checkpoint (Breitbart; 19.1M uvm) … Bob Price Border Patrol agents assigned to a checkpoint in East County observed a man approaching in a 2009 Infinity G35 sedan. The driver initiated a U-turn before the DHS-17-0435-A-000190 FOIA CBP 000190 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT checkpoint and drove the wrong way into oncoming traffic, according to information provided to Breitbart Texas by U.S. Border Patrol officials. The driver suddenly executed another U-turn and sped toward the checkpoint–reaching a speed of nearly 70 miles per hour, officials stated. As the driver approached, he swerved out of the lanes of cars waiting for inspection to bypass the position. In doing so, he struck a steel road sign — parts of which struck a Border Patrol agent working nearby. The debris from the sign injured the agent who had to be hospitalized. The driver bypassed the checkpoint and took off on I-8. Agents pursued the fleeing driver. The pursuit reached speeds in excess of 100 mph, officials reported. Suddenly, the driver lost control of the G35 and crashed on a berm. After climbing out of the car, the driver fled on foot. As other agents arrived on the scene, they secured the two occupants and checked them for injuries. Finding none, the agents placed the male passengers under arrest. Other agents pursued the driver on foot. The agents found the driver hiding in the garage of a private home, officials explained. They took the man into custody. An investigation revealed the 27-year-old driver and the two male passengers, ages 27 and 40, were all illegally present in the U.S. The driver faces charges of transporting aliens illegally present in the United States, officials reported. All three Mexican nationals are being held in federal custody. 5. Border Patrol agents discover drugs taped to 17-year-old girl's body (KGTV-TV; 2.1M uvm; San Diego, CA) … Jermaine Ong A 17-year-old girl was taken into custody at the El Centro border checkpoint after U.S. officials said Border Patrol agents discovered small packages of methamphetamine taped to her body. Customs and Border Protection officials said the teen was a passenger in a Ford Focus that approached the Highway 86 checkpoint at about 1:15 p.m. Wednesday. Officials said three other people were in the vehicle. According to officials, a canine team alerted agents to something suspicious in the vehicle. During a secondary inspection, agents found 10 small packages taped to the teen girl's legs. Officials said the packages -- which weighed a combined 4.21 pounds with an estimated street value of $14,735 -- "were tested and contained the properties consistent with methamphetamine." The drugs and the girl, who is a U.S. citizen, were turned over to DEA officials. Officials did not say if the other vehicle occupants were taken into custody. 6. Suspected MS-13 gang member arrested in northwest North Dakota (Grand Forks Herald; 837k uvm; Grand Forks, ND) … April Baumgarten A suspected member of a notorious international criminal gang has been arrested in Williston and is being held at the Grand Forks County jail. Border Patrol agents from the Grand Forks Sector of U.S. Customs and Border Protection arrested 39-year-old Concepcion Carcamo-Portillo at 7 p.m. Wednesday, spokesman Kristoffer Grogan confirmed to the Herald. Numerous tips from concerned citizens led officers to the El Salvador national, Grogan said. Investigators determined the man was in the U.S. illegally and is an alleged member of Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the El Salvador-based international criminal organization MS-13. Carcamo-Portillo was booked Thursday evening into the Grand Forks County Correctional Center. "This arrest is a testament to our cooperation with our (Department of Homeland Security) DHS-17-0435-A-000191 FOIA CBP 000191 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT partners to disrupt one of the most dangerous criminal organizations in the United States," Chief Patrol Agent Aaron Heitke, commander of the Grand Forks Sector, said in a statement. "This arrest is the direct result from of information passed from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and a call from a concerned citizen." 7. Man surrenders at Border Patrol checkpoint following I-25 pursuit (Las Cruces Sun-News; 310k uvm; Las Cruces, NM) VIDEO: An Albuquerque man, suspected in a possible kidnapping, surrendered to authorities at the Border Patrol checkpoint north of Las Cruces on Thursday. Epifanio Torres, 30, was charged with aggravated fleeing, a fourth degree felony. Other charges are pending, according to New Mexico State Police. State police said the incident began about 8:29 p.m. when they issued a "be on the lookout" (BOLO) for a red Ford F-150 pickup in reference to a possible kidnapping in Albuquerque. Authorities said information was received from an out-of-state relative, who had been on the phone with a female, reportedly in the backseat of the pickup. The suspect and female had been in a relationship, state police reported. About 45 minutes after the BOLO, state police officers spotted the vehicle traveling south on I-25, near mile post 68. An officer attempted to stop the vehicle, police said, but it did not stop and the driver continued southbound. State Police notified Border Patrol agents at the I-25 checkpoint of the ongoing pursuit. Torres, who was on the phone with the Albuquerque NMSP office, told authorities he would surrender at the checkpoint, which he did without incident, police said. The female passenger was checked by authorities and refused transport to a hospital, police said. 8. K-9 leads Border Patrol agents to discovery of more than 180 pounds of cocaine (Corpus Christi Caller-Times; 191k uvm; Corpus Christi, TX) … Alexandria Rodriguez VIDEO: An alert from a Border Patrol K-9 in Kingsville led to the discovery of more than 180 pounds of cocaine at a checkpoint Wednesday. The alert from the K-9 came during a non-intrusive vehicle inspection at the checkpoint. Agents then inspected the truck of the vehicle and found three suitcases with about 185 pounds of cocaine, according to a news release. Drug Enforcement Administration agents took the vehicle, 32 bundles of cocaine, valued at $5,844,800, and took the driver, a U.S. citizen, into custody, the release states. On Tuesday, agents at the Brownsville Border Patrol Station seized more than 8 pounds of methamphetamine after they were alerted by another K-9. The K-9 alerted an agents to a delivery truck, which led to further inspection, the release states. Agents then found nine packages of methamphetamine, worth more than $260,000, concealed in liquid foam, according to the release. 9. Border Patrol nabs two suspected MS-13 gang members (Corpus Christi Caller-Times; 191k uvm; Corpus Christi, TX) …Chris Ramirez VIDEO: An El Salvadoran man with ties to the violent street gang MS-13 and a criminal record in his homeland was among those arrested in a Border Patrol DHS-17-0435-A-000192 FOIA CBP 000192 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT operation near Hebbronville. Border Patrol agents arrested an undocumented immigrant Tuesday, according to a news release from the agency. He was among a group of 16 immigrants who were on a ranch near Hebbronville. The Border Patrol said the man, whose identity was not released, had an extensive criminal history in his native country. He had served an eight-year prison sentence there for a homicide conviction and also had a record for illegal possession of a firearm, aggravated robbery and drug trafficking. He was processed for deportation. On Thursday, Border Patrol agents arrested another undocumented immigrant who is believed to be associated with MS-13 near Bruni, in Webb County. That person, also from El Salvador, was processed for deportation. The Trump administration has pledged to get MS-13 and other trans-national gangs off America's streets. The gang is believed to have started in Los Angeles in the 1980s, but became more deeply entrenched in Central America when its leaders were deported. There was no indication immediately that the individuals' arrests were in any way connected to "Operation Raging Bull," a crackdown run conducted by officials from the Department of Homeland Security and Justice Department. That operation ran from Oct. 8 to Nov. 11, and concluded with the arrest of 214 members of MS-13. Ports of Entry 10. Farmington driver’s race car is delayed at Canadian border (Portland Press Herald; 2.1M uvm; Portland, OR) … Phil Whipple For Farmington native Cassius Clark, the anticipation leading up to Saturday’s annual Pro All Stars Series Mega-Meltdown 300 at Hickory Motor Speedway in North Carolina has turned to stress. The team for which Clark drives, King Racing, owned by former racer and Canadian businessman Rollie MacDonald, is stuck at the Canadian border with the car and all of the equipment necessary to run this weekend’s race. “They’ve been delayed at the border cross at Houlton since Tuesday afternoon at 2 p.m.,” Clark said on the phone from North Carolina. “There was a practice session here yesterday, and there is more on tap for today. It’s a 20-hour drive from Houlton to get here, so I sure hope they get released soon.” Two other race teams had similar difficulties, Clark said, but were allowed to pass after a lengthy delay. U.S. Customs and Border Protections Public Affairs Officer Stephanie Malin on Friday afternoon released a statement on the matter: “While I cannot get into the specific details of the inspection, I can confirm the individuals were not detained at the port of entry at all,” she wrote, “The issue is related to a lack of proper importation documents required for importing a vehicle for racing purposes. 11. City officials get a tour of the international bridges (KGNS-TV; 87k uvm; Laredo, TX) … Phil Whipple VIDEO:A tour of bridge one and two was given to city officials on both sides of the border as they took a look at the status of the ongoing construction project. According to CBP, construction at both br1idge one and two is coming along fine. Congressman Henry Cuellar, Mayor Pete Saenz, and Nuevo Laredo and Laredo officials toured both facilities with U.S. General Services Administration and Customs and Border DHS-17-0435-A-000193 FOIA CBP 000193 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT Protection. The project is aimed towards increasing efficiency and improving safety and security for vehicle and pedestrian processing. These updates should reduce vehicle wait times from 33 to 15 minutes and peak pedestrian time from 49 to 21 minutes. Mayor Peete Saenz says there have been talks between him and Nuevo Laredo about the idea of turning bridge one into a pedestrian walkway. Mayor Saenz says CBP has been supportive of the idea and now it’s up to him and City Council to decided and work with Nuevo Laredo to see if it’s possible. The projected completion dates for bridge one is April 2018 and December 2018 for bridge two. 12. ‘No shirt, no service, no Canada’ (Surrey Now-Leader; 17k uvm; Surrey, BC Canada) … Aaron Hinks A U.S. man is now in jail after Canada Border Services Agency discovered he had an outstanding felony warrant from Washington State. U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued a news release Friday afternoon title “No shirt, no service, no Canada,” saying the Tacoma man arrived northbound at the Peace Arch (Douglas) crossing in South Surrey, shirtless, and told officers he was heading to Toronto to visit friends. The release says that during a search of a rental vehicle, CBSA found small amounts of meth. After being returned to Blaine, officers confirmed the 23-year-old had a felony warrant from the Washington State Department of Corrections for robbery and escape from community custody, which was issued Nov. 13. “The co￾operation between three government agencies is priceless,” U.S. CBP area port director Kenneth Williams said in the release. “CBSA, CBP and the sheriff’s office worked as a team to get this suspected criminal off the street.” BORDER WALL 13. Roundtable: A Closer Look At The Border Wall (KPBS-TV; 278k uvm; San Diego, CA) … Bennett Lacy, Mark Sauer VIDEO: President Donald Trump is demanding Congress fund the construction of a wall along America’s border with Mexico. Work has already begun, with eight prototypes of new structures recently being showcased in San Diego. In the new series "America's Wall," KPBS and inewsource obtained previously unseen federal documents that detail the existing barriers along the border built under several previous administrations. The series also profiles people on both sides of the border, and both sides of a contentious issue. 14. Fisher's border wall prototype complete on Southern border (Dickinson Press; 192k uvm; Dickinson, ND) … Grady McGregor Dickinson-based Fisher Industries has completed construction of a border wall prototype along the southern border of the United States near Otay Mesa, Cali. Fisher's wall is made of concrete and while it lacks some of the color and features of other prototypes, like tubing atop the walls or opaque paneling, the wall's simplicity makes it look like one of the more imposing designs. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that the eight border wall prototypes were completed in late October but this is the first time that the Press has been able to track down DHS-17-0435-A-000194 FOIA CBP 000194 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT available pictures of Fisher's wall prototype. According to a CBP press release from late last month, now that the construction phase is complete they will test and evaluate each wall over a 30- to 60-day period. "Border security contributes to our overall national security and relies on a combination of border infrastructure, technology, personnel, and partnerships," said CBP acting Deputy Commissioner Ron Vitiello in the release. "Border walls have proven to be an extremely effective part of our multi-pronged security strategy to prevent the illegal migration of people and drugs over the years ... These border enforcement zones give our men and women of CBP the best possible conditions to maintain a safe and secure border." TRADE 15. Darling: Fully loaded trucks crossing Anzalduas Bridge by end of 2018 (Rio Grande Guardian; 9k uvm; McAllen, TX) … Patricia Martinez McAllen Mayor Jim Darling said that the city is moving forward with plans to have full commercial traffic at the Anzalduas International Bridge by the end of 2018. Since August 2016, the bridge has allowed empty southbound trucks to cross into Mexico. Now, design plans are being finalized for fully loaded trucks to cross the bridge in either direction, giving commercial drivers the option of another port of entry. The plan is to have a joint inspection facility on the north side of the bridge. “Pharr does a great job over there, but it’s one bridge,” said Darling. “There’s just so much potential in our area to only have one. So, we need to get commercial traffic on another bridge.” Asked when the bridge may ready to handle loaded trucks going both north- and southbound, Darling said: “I am shooting for the end of 2018. That is why we want to get the design done and get construction going. We are working on that, state monies, federal monies. They have to get their act together in Washington and set a budget and get some funding (going). We will get it done. TRAVEL 16. Nonstop Seattle to Dublin flights to begin May 2018 (Seattle PI; 4.7M uvm; Seattle WA) Nonstop flights from Seattle to Dublin will start next spring. The Seattle Times reports Irish carrier Aer Lingus said Friday the service will begin May 18, 2018. The service will be provided four times a week. Because Dublin airport has its own U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility, passengers and their luggage will be pre-cleared in Ireland before departure, with no need to go through passport control on arrival in Seattle. This will be the first pre-cleared trans-Atlantic flight to fly into Seattle. Aer Lingus also will provide Seattle passengers connections through Dublin to 24 U.K. and European cities. 17. CBP gives tips for faster entry times during holiday season (KGBT-TV; 298k uvm; Harlingen, TX) … Jolanie Martinez VIDEO: U.S. Customs and Border Protection has tips for international travelers coming to the U.S. during the holiday season. U.S. Customs and Border Protection DHS-17-0435-A-000195 FOIA CBP 000195 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT public information officer Maribel Saenz says the agency is preparing for the large number of shoppers that cross the border during the holiday season, especially after La Plaza Mall’s multi-million dollar expansion. Saenz recommends international travelers to apply online for the I-94 form. “A lot of times since it's holiday season, there is a lot more travelers than usual, so that's why we are encouraging everybody to go online, apply online,” Saenz said. “They can pay for it online, they bring their receipt with them and we finalize it for them here at the port of entry." To finalize the I￾94 process, travelers must present themselves at a port of entry within seven days of their application. Travelers are also encouraged to use their radio frequency identification card to use ready lanes at port of entries. The frequency identification card includes the newer version of the U.S. passport cards, border crossing cards and resident alien card. Saenz says using this method expedites the entry process by 20 percent. “At the window, they will be getting their fingerprints, their picture and a background check to make sure that they qualify for the I-94 and cardboard,” said Saenz. “I-94 will be printed and that's what they will have to present at the checkpoint with their travel documents." CBP’s Border Wait Times app also gives hourly updates on lines at each port of entry. WORKFORCE 18. Law enforcement K-9s compete in Mercedes (Brownsville Herald; 75k uvm; Brownsville, TX) … Cristina M. Garcia Federal and local agencies were rivals Friday during the 3rd annual South Texas Police K-9 Competition held at the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show Grounds in Mercedes. Valley law enforcement agencies and others, along with their K-9s, competed in timed narcotic article and vehicle searches, the obedience and confidence course, and criminal apprehension…If you compete and your dog doesn’t do so well, that motivates you,” Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office K-9 trainer Javier Solis said… U.S. Border Patrol’s K-9, Billy-B, was named top dog in the patrol competition. A Belgian Malinois named Mischa and her handler, Tim Behnke, with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, quickly ran the narcotic article and vehicle searches Friday afternoon. Mischa has stopped more than $1 million worth of drugs from being smuggled into the U.S. during her more than three years as a law enforcement K-9, according Behnke. Behnke and Mischa underwent a seven-week training course in Virginia prior to working together at multiple ports of entry in Brownsville. The two have been a team for three and a half years. “It’s the best job in the world,” Benke said. “Working with an animal is awesome.” Though Behnke didn’t place in the vehicles search competition, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s K-9 Coco and his handler, Michael Hufham, placed third. The U.S. Border Patrol was awarded the Best K-9 Unit, while Lusy with Edinburg CISD Police Department took first in the articles search. 19. CBP AMO Plan Flyover at NASCAR’s Championship Weekend (American Security Today; 45k uvm) VIDEO: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations (AMO) DHS-17-0435-A-000196 FOIA CBP 000196 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT aircrews based at the Miami Air and Marine Branch will perform a flyover during NASCAR’s championship weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway in front of tens of thousands of racing fans. CBP’s Air and Marine Operations agents from air and marine branches and units in Florida and Texas are assisting with security efforts for the event providing real-time aerial video to ground based law enforcement personnel at the incident command center. Air and Marine Operations interdicts unlawful people and cargo approaching U.S. borders, investigates criminal networks and provides domain awareness in the air and maritime environments, and responds to contingencies and national taskings. “We’re a part of this community and honored to serve and protect the public in Greater Miami and the Florida Keys utilizing advanced aeronautical and maritime capabilities,” said Martin Wade, Director of the Miami Air and Marine Branch. “Air and Marine Operations highly-skilled agents are often behind the scenes at high profile events to keep things safe and secure along with local, state and federal law enforcement partners.” OPINION 20. Former DHS Secretary Tom Ridge: No southern border wall needed (CBS Television Network; 26.1 uvm) … Arden Farhi VIDEO: Tom Ridge, the nation's first secretary of Homeland Security, believes the physical border wall President Donald Trump wants to build on the U.S.-Mexico border isn't necessary. "I don't think we need it," Ridge said. "I think there are things we can do with technology that foregoes the need to build a 3,000 mile border [wall] with a neighbor... I prefer presidents that tear down walls rather than build them." Ridge appeared on "The Takeout" podcast with CBS News chief White House correspondent Major Garrett and political director Steve Chaggaris. Despite his criticism of the President, Ridge, a Republican, praised Mr. Trump's pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Kirstjen Nielsen. "This is a woman that's got public and private sector experience. She's been deputy chief of staff to the president now, she was General [John] Kelly's chief of staff [at DHS], she's well versed and worked with the private sector on preparedness issues and cyber security issues and the like." IMMIGRATION 21. Immigrant Who Had Prosthetic Leg Mocked by Trump Officials to Be Freed After 'Inhumane' Detention (Newsweek; 9.4M uvm) … Nicole Rodriguez VIDEO: A 20-year-old disabled immigrant detained for more than a month without being charged was to be freed Friday, but he has been stripped of his Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status. After being detained by Customs and Border Protection (CPB) agents on October 11 as part of a human smuggling investigation, Felipe Abonza-Lopez of San Marcos, Texas, was granted a $7,500 bond and will be released sometime Friday, a legal assistant for Abonza-Lopez’s attorney told Newsweek Friday. Abonza-Lopez has lost his DACA status, which had been set to expire in 2019. It was revoked October 12, when he received a notice to appear in DHS-17-0435-A-000197 FOIA CBP 000197 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT immigration court for deportation proceedings, a spokesperson for Citizenship and Immigration Services (ICE) told Newsweek. 22. Trump Administration Cites MS-13 Arrest to Push Change in Minor Immigrant Law (Daily Signal; 1.1M uvm) … Fred Lucas The Trump administration is pointing to a large federal roundup of members of the violent gang MS-13 as vindication of increased enforcement efforts and reason to change the policy on unaccompanied minor illegal immigrants. The Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security announced a joint effort that led to the arrest of 214 gang members and those involved with gang-related crime…Of the 214, just 16 were U.S. citizens while 198 were foreign nationals. Of the foreign nationals, only five were in the country legally. Among those arrested, 64 entered the country as unaccompanied alien children, but most are now adults, according to the Trump administration. During a press conference Thursday announcing the arrests, Tom Homan, deputy director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, noted the 2008 law on unaccompanied minors does not allow them to be immediately returned to their country of origin. “The agencies sent up a series of policy requests to the Hill to address a lot of issues to further control the border and illegal immigration,” Homan said. “Some of these policies are being exploited and used by criminal organizations. That’s why that’s one of the policy issues we asked Congress to look at and help us with.” 23. UMD files affidavit in federal lawsuit challenging Trump’s latest travel ban (The Diamondback; 35k uvm) … Christine Condon The University of Maryland has filed an affidavit in a federal lawsuit opposing the Trump administration's latest iteration of its travel ban. "Since our students & faculty are impacted by the latest travel ban, #UMD has filed an affidavit in a federal lawsuit in MD challenging the ban's legality," University President Wallace Loh tweeted Friday. The affidavit was filed in a Maryland district court case surrounding the ban. Federal judges in Maryland and Hawaii issued national orders freezing the ban in October. "It is in the interest of the University, as well as in the national interest, to welcome talented persons of all nations to study, teach, and do research in the United States, in order to maintain and improve America's position as a leader in higher education and research," read the statement, signed by Loh Oct. 10. OF INTEREST 24. Trump halts decision to allow elephant trophy imports after uproar (Reuters; 43.6M uvm) …David Shepardson and Eric Beech U.S. President Donald Trump said in a tweet on Friday he is putting a decision to allow imports of elephant trophies on hold after a torrent of criticism from conservation advocates and across social media. Trump’s reversal came hours after his administration released a rule on Friday to allow hunters who kill elephants in Zimbabwe to bring their trophies back to the United States, which had been banned DHS-17-0435-A-000198 FOIA CBP 000198 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT by the Obama administration. “Put big game trophy decision on hold until such time as I review all conservation facts. Under study for years. Will update soon with Secretary Zinke. Thank you!” Trump wrote. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said in a statement that he had spoken with Trump and “both believe that conservation and healthy herds are critical.” He said the “issuing of permits is being put on hold as the decision is being reviewed.” 25. 18-year-old accused of shooting CBP agent in Oakleaf said he would “off” cops, according to investigators (WOKV-FM; 75.1k uvm; Jacksonville, FL) … Stephanie Brown Two months after a Customs and Border Protection Agent was shot in the parking lot of an Oakleaf Publix, new investigative reports are detailing more about the possible motive to the attack. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office believed from early in their investigation that the agent was ambushed because he was law enforcement. The victim was leaving the Publix after grabbing some groceries, when CCSO says 18- year-old Jake Lewis sped up and fired multiple shots, hitting the agent multiple times. Lewis then crashed, and CCSO says he died of a self-inflicted gunshot. The agent who was shot underwent surgery and continues to recover. CBP tells us the “signs are encouraging”, and the agent is expected to return on limited duty in the near future. That agent has spoken with investigators, and the new supplemental reports show he remembers a suspect pointing a gun out of a car and yelling about hating cops, before shooting. SOCIAL MEDIA ANALYSIS OF NOTE The tweet by @DonaldTrumpJr on November 16 titled “First female Border Patrol chief says agents 'empowered' under Trump” is still the most retweeted of the period, with 6.3k retweets, 20k likes and 765 replies to date. As mentioned above, the tweet by Adolfo Flores from the account @aflores titled “Immigrant father says the Border Patrol took his infant son and won't tell him where he is” is gaining attention on Twitter and is the second most retweeted tweet to date. The tweet supplies a link to the BuzzFeed article where he is interviewed. The tweet has 327 retweets, 154 likes, and 34 replies to date. The tweet to receive the highest engagement of the period on @CustomsBorder is “RGV sector Border Patrol K9’s lead agents to seize over $6.1 million in narcotics. #KeepingAmericaSafe.” The tweet has received 20 retweets, 55 likes, 6 replies and 180,000 potential impressions to date. The tweet provides a link to the KIII TV news article on the bust. ABOUT THIS REPORT. Articles in this report were published during the 24 hours preceding the report date unless DHS-17-0435-A-000199 FOIA CBP 000199 rH:llMffilllt.&or. PMrat-thtil1.ly'SJ191fir.:1 'Ml~l!d" undtfltllfffl rt(fl""-'ZIKA.d.K. ... """ ---------- ---~------·-- --·--~- .. - ___ ,,_, li:GYMCWf&!li!Dfl' P.atNlfX:9'1.~IQMlS,M :111\ff!Wf:r S6 I m.lNOl'tln Nfa:&C'S. • • lnunq~4C!'ltt~1"1180111trll•lJ'd 1'gl;S hitiN'lf_,..tloOll.,,4~'1 hlrt1~11hitic e • t •• tf' • otherwise specified. Dissemination figures and bylines might not be available for all articles. Location is noted for local outlets. DHS-17-0435-A-000200 FOIA CBP 000200 FOIA CBP 000201 DHS-17-0435-A-000201 Donald Trump Jr. 0 @DonaldJTrumpJr ( Follow ) V ,-. cni; st female Border Patrol chief says agents u~mpowered' under Trump nyp.st/2zKAxSK v 1 ia @nypost First female Border Patrol chief says agents 'empowered' under Trump Border Patrol Chief Carla Provost said the Trump administration 's rhetoric regarding protecting America 's borders in the face of illegal immigration has a lot of agents "fe ... nypost.com 4:27 AM - 16 Nov 2017 6,328 Retweets 19,874 Likes 0 765 t_l, 6.3K Q 20K 8 i 1 0 • .,---. ~ DHS-17-0435-A-000202 FOIA CBP 000202 1 Adolfo Flores 0 @aflores ( Follow ) v Immigrant father says the Border Patrol took his infant son and won't tell him where he is buzzfeed.com/adolfoflores/i ... 4:28 PM - 17 Nov 2017 327 Retweets 154 Likes Q 154 DHS-17-0435-A-000203 FOIA CBP 000203 Cl g CBPO t~;i;;:~:: @CustomsBorder ( Follow ) v RGV sector Border Patrol K9's lead agents to seize over $6.1 million in narcotics. #KeepingAmericaSafe bit.ly/2zJhqea 5:35 AM - 17 Nov 2017 OVERS l'G · T t_i, 20 C? ss 1 The Daily Media Summary (DMS) and the links contained herein are being provided solely as a convenience and to afford CBP officials a broad awareness of the day's traditional, digital and social media coverage of CBP. The views and opinions expressed in the DMS, the sources cited, and the links contained herein do not necessarily represent the opinions, views, policies or positions of the U.S. Government, DHS, CBP or the Office of Public Affairs. Daily Media Summary November 18, 2017 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY • WBTS-TV reported that group of Senate Democrats are pressing DHS Secretary nominee Kirstjen Nielsen to support bipartisan legislation that would protect DACA recipients from being deported. They cited that during her confirmation hearing she agreed that there was a need for legislation to protect DACA recipients and help create a path for citizenship. This story has been shared by major media outlets Stars & Stripes, ABC News as well as local outlets such as the Tampa Bay Times, and Florence Morning News, based in Florence, SC. The UK media outlet Daily Mail shared this story as well. • KIII-TV reported that Border Patrol agents at the Sarita checkpoint arrested a person who had attempted to smuggle cocaine through the checkpoint in the trunk of their Mercedes. "The efforts they are using to conceal the loads is usually expensive, so this was out of the ordinary for us," said Deputy Patrol Agent in charge of Kingsville Josh Schad. According to agents, usually the cartels try and conceal their drugs loads inside secret compartments, but this bust was unusual considering the dog's ability to smell. "The things they can detect, the minor traces of narcotics they can smell is unbelievable so we couldn't do the job without them," Schad said. This story has yet to be widely reported on in other media outlets, however on the @CustomsBorder Twitter account, it is the tweet with the highest engagement of the period. • BuzzFeed reported that an immigrant father, Jose Demar Fuentes, from Central America seeking asylum in the United States has accused Border Patrol agents of lying and threatening him to persuade him to separate from his 1-year-old son. CBP didn’t respond to specific questions about Fuentes or the other fathers, but pointed to their policy on family unity. “CBP will maintain family unity to the greatest extent operationally feasible, absent a legal requirement or an articulable safety or security concern that requires separation,” the policy said. While this story has yet to be widely reported in other media outlets, it is gaining traction on Twitter since BuzzFeed first ran the article in the early morning hours. TOP NEWS 1. Democrats Press Homeland Security Pick on Immigration Issues (WBTS-TV; 20k uvm; Newton, MA) … Richard Lardner A group of Senate Democrats is pressing President Donald Trump's choice to lead the Homeland Security Department to endorse bipartisan legislation to shield from deportation thousands of young immigrants brought to the U.S. as young children and DHS-17-0435-A-000204 FOIA CBP 000204 OVERSIGHT 2 living here illegally. In a letter sent Friday to Kirstjen Nielsen, the 20 lawmakers said she agreed during her confirmation hearing earlier this month on the need for legislation that would put so-called "Dreamers" on a path to U.S. citizenship. They want to know if that means Nielsen will openly urge Congress to pass the bipartisan Dream Act to "provide the solution that you have recognized is needed." White House spokesman Raj Shah said Nielsen did not express support for any specific legislation during her confirmation hearing." The Trump administration has laid out its priorities for responsible immigration reform we hope Congress will adopt," Shah said. 2. Major cocaine bust at Sarita checkpoint (KIII-TV; 66k uvm; Corpus Christi, TX) … Michael Gibson VIDEO: Border patrol agents at the Sarita checkpoint said one of their K-9's sniffed out a trunk full of cocaine Wednesday morning. Nearly six million dollars worth of cocaine was discovered during the stop. Kiii News reporter Michael Gibson was at the checkpoint to meet with agents about the incident. "The efforts they are using to conceal the loads is usually expensive, so this was out of the ordinary for us," said Deputy Patrol Agent in charge of Kingsville Josh Schad. According to agents, usually the cartels try and conceal their drugs loads inside secret compartments of even inside car batteries, but this bust was unusual considering the dog's super sense of smell. "The things they can detect, the minor traces of narcotics they can smell is unbelievable so we couldn't do the job without them," Schad said. Investigators believe the drugs were smuggled across an unprotected section of the border and then loaded into the Mercedes. 3. Immigrant Father Says The Border Patrol Took His Infant Son And Won't Tell Him Where He Is (BuzzFeed; 17.7M) … Adolfo Flores An immigrant father from Central America seeking asylum in the United States has accused Border Patrol agents of lying and threatening him to persuade him to separate from his 1-year-old son. Immigrant rights advocates said the accusation bolsters what they believe is an effort by Border Patrol agents to discourage Central American immigration by separating parents from their children. Jose Demar Fuentes, 30, said he and three other fathers crossed the US border through the Mexican city of Tijuana on Sunday with their children and requested asylum from US immigration authorities. Fuentes said that in three separate meetings, Border Patrol agents in dark green uniforms told him and the other fathers that if they didn't agree to separate themselves from their children, their immigration cases would take longer and there would be problems. “The last time they said we’d better agree because it was ‘better to do it the good way and avoid using force in front of the kids,’” Fuentes told BuzzFeed News. “That made us all agree.” The fathers and their kids were separated Thursday. The three other fathers could not be reached for comment. US Customs and Border Protection didn’t respond to specific questions about Fuentes or the other fathers, but pointed to their policy on family unity. “CBP will maintain family unity to the greatest extent operationally feasible, absent a legal requirement or an articulable safety or security concern that requires separation,” the policy said. DHS-17-0435-A-000205 FOIA CBP 000205 OVERSIGHT 3 NEWS INDEX BORDER SECURITY Along U.S. Borders 4. Border Patrol Agent Hospitalized after Illegal Immigrant Speeds Through Checkpoint (Breitbart; 19.1M uvm) … Bob Price Border Patrol agents assigned to a checkpoint in East County observed a man approaching in a 2009 Infinity G35 sedan. The driver initiated a U-turn before the checkpoint and drove the wrong way into oncoming traffic, according to information provided to Breitbart Texas by U.S. Border Patrol officials. The driver suddenly executed another U-turn and sped toward the checkpoint–reaching a speed of nearly 70 miles per hour, officials stated. As the driver approached, he swerved out of the lanes of cars waiting for inspection to bypass the position. In doing so, he struck a steel road sign — parts of which struck a Border Patrol agent working nearby. The debris from the sign injured the agent who had to be hospitalized. The driver bypassed the checkpoint and took off on I-8. Agents pursued the fleeing driver. The pursuit reached speeds in excess of 100 mph, officials reported. Suddenly, the driver lost control of the G35 and crashed on a berm. After climbing out of the car, the driver fled on foot. As other agents arrived on the scene, they secured the two occupants and checked them for injuries. Finding none, the agents placed the male passengers under arrest. Other agents pursued the driver on foot. The agents found the driver hiding in the garage of a private home, officials explained. They took the man into custody. An investigation revealed the 27-year-old driver and the two male passengers, ages 27 and 40, were all illegally present in the U.S. The driver faces charges of transporting aliens illegally present in the United States, officials reported. All three Mexican nationals are being held in federal custody. 5. Border Patrol agents discover drugs taped to 17-year-old girl's body (KGTV-TV; 2.1M uvm; San Diego, CA) … Jermaine Ong A 17-year-old girl was taken into custody at the El Centro border checkpoint after U.S. officials said Border Patrol agents discovered small packages of methamphetamine taped to her body. Customs and Border Protection officials said the teen was a passenger in a Ford Focus that approached the Highway 86 checkpoint at about 1:15 p.m. Wednesday. Officials said three other people were in the vehicle. According to officials, a canine team alerted agents to something suspicious in the vehicle. During a secondary inspection, agents found 10 small packages taped to the teen girl's legs. Officials said the packages -- which weighed a combined 4.21 pounds with an estimated street value of $14,735 -- "were tested and contained the properties consistent with methamphetamine." The drugs and the girl, who is a U.S. citizen, were turned over to DHS-17-0435-A-000206 FOIA CBP 000206 OVERSIGHT 4 DEA officials. Officials did not say if the other vehicle occupants were taken into custody. 6. Suspected MS-13 gang member arrested in northwest North Dakota (Grand Forks Herald; 837k uvm; Grand Forks, ND) … April Baumgarten A suspected member of a notorious international criminal gang has been arrested in Williston and is being held at the Grand Forks County jail. Border Patrol agents from the Grand Forks Sector of U.S. Customs and Border Protection arrested 39-year-old Concepcion Carcamo-Portillo at 7 p.m. Wednesday, spokesman Kristoffer Grogan confirmed to the Herald. Numerous tips from concerned citizens led officers to the El Salvador national, Grogan said. Investigators determined the man was in the U.S. illegally and is an alleged member of Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the El Salvador￾based international criminal organization MS-13. Carcamo-Portillo was booked Thursday evening into the Grand Forks County Correctional Center. "This arrest is a testament to our cooperation with our (Department of Homeland Security) partners to disrupt one of the most dangerous criminal organizations in the United States," Chief Patrol Agent Aaron Heitke, commander of the Grand Forks Sector, said in a statement. "This arrest is the direct result from of information passed from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and a call from a concerned citizen." 7. Man surrenders at Border Patrol checkpoint following I-25 pursuit (Las Cruces Sun-News; 310k uvm; Las Cruces, NM) VIDEO: An Albuquerque man, suspected in a possible kidnapping, surrendered to authorities at the Border Patrol checkpoint north of Las Cruces on Thursday. Epifanio Torres, 30, was charged with aggravated fleeing, a fourth degree felony. Other charges are pending, according to New Mexico State Police. State police said the incident began about 8:29 p.m. when they issued a "be on the lookout" (BOLO) for a red Ford F-150 pickup in reference to a possible kidnapping in Albuquerque. Authorities said information was received from an out-of-state relative, who had been on the phone with a female, reportedly in the backseat of the pickup. The suspect and female had been in a relationship, state police reported. About 45 minutes after the BOLO, state police officers spotted the vehicle traveling south on I-25, near mile post 68. An officer attempted to stop the vehicle, police said, but it did not stop and the driver continued southbound. State Police notified Border Patrol agents at the I-25 checkpoint of the ongoing pursuit. Torres, who was on the phone with the Albuquerque NMSP office, told authorities he would surrender at the checkpoint, which he did without incident, police said. The female passenger was checked by authorities and refused transport to a hospital, police said. 8. K-9 leads Border Patrol agents to discovery of more than 180 pounds of cocaine (Corpus Christi Caller-Times; 191k uvm; Corpus Christi, TX) … Alexandria Rodriguez DHS-17-0435-A-000207 FOIA CBP 000207 OVERSIGHT 5 VIDEO: An alert from a Border Patrol K-9 in Kingsville led to the discovery of more than 180 pounds of cocaine at a checkpoint Wednesday. The alert from the K-9 came during a non-intrusive vehicle inspection at the checkpoint. Agents then inspected the truck of the vehicle and found three suitcases with about 185 pounds of cocaine, according to a news release. Drug Enforcement Administration agents took the vehicle, 32 bundles of cocaine, valued at $5,844,800, and took the driver, a U.S. citizen, into custody, the release states. On Tuesday, agents at the Brownsville Border Patrol Station seized more than 8 pounds of methamphetamine after they were alerted by another K-9. The K-9 alerted an agents to a delivery truck, which led to further inspection, the release states. Agents then found nine packages of methamphetamine, worth more than $260,000, concealed in liquid foam, according to the release. 9. Border Patrol nabs two suspected MS-13 gang members (Corpus Christi Caller-Times; 191k uvm; Corpus Christi, TX) …Chris Ramirez VIDEO: An El Salvadoran man with ties to the violent street gang MS-13 and a criminal record in his homeland was among those arrested in a Border Patrol operation near Hebbronville. Border Patrol agents arrested an undocumented immigrant Tuesday, according to a news release from the agency. He was among a group of 16 immigrants who were on a ranch near Hebbronville. The Border Patrol said the man, whose identity was not released, had an extensive criminal history in his native country. He had served an eight-year prison sentence there for a homicide conviction and also had a record for illegal possession of a firearm, aggravated robbery and drug trafficking. He was processed for deportation. On Thursday, Border Patrol agents arrested another undocumented immigrant who is believed to be associated with MS-13 near Bruni, in Webb County. That person, also from El Salvador, was processed for deportation. The Trump administration has pledged to get MS-13 and other trans-national gangs off America's streets. The gang is believed to have started in Los Angeles in the 1980s, but became more deeply entrenched in Central America when its leaders were deported. There was no indication immediately that the individuals' arrests were in any way connected to "Operation Raging Bull," a crackdown run conducted by officials from the Department of Homeland Security and Justice Department. That operation ran from Oct. 8 to Nov. 11, and concluded with the arrest of 214 members of MS-13. Ports of Entry 10.Farmington driver’s race car is delayed at Canadian border (Portland Press Herald; 2.1M uvm; Portland, OR) … Phil Whipple For Farmington native Cassius Clark, the anticipation leading up to Saturday’s annual Pro All Stars Series Mega-Meltdown 300 at Hickory Motor Speedway in North Carolina has turned to stress. The team for which Clark drives, King Racing, owned by former racer and Canadian businessman Rollie MacDonald, is stuck at the Canadian border with the car and all of the equipment necessary to run this weekend’s race. “They’ve been delayed at the border cross at Houlton since Tuesday afternoon at 2 p.m.,” Clark said on the phone from North Carolina. “There was a practice session here yesterday, DHS-17-0435-A-000208 FOIA CBP 000208 OVERSIGHT 6 and there is more on tap for today. It’s a 20-hour drive from Houlton to get here, so I sure hope they get released soon.” Two other race teams had similar difficulties, Clark said, but were allowed to pass after a lengthy delay. U.S. Customs and Border Protections Public Affairs Officer Stephanie Malin on Friday afternoon released a statement on the matter: “While I cannot get into the specific details of the inspection, I can confirm the individuals were not detained at the port of entry at all,” she wrote, “The issue is related to a lack of proper importation documents required for importing a vehicle for racing purposes. 11.City officials get a tour of the international bridges (KGNS-TV; 87k uvm; Laredo, TX) … Phil Whipple VIDEO:A tour of bridge one and two was given to city officials on both sides of the border as they took a look at the status of the ongoing construction project. According to CBP, construction at both br1idge one and two is coming along fine. Congressman Henry Cuellar, Mayor Pete Saenz, and Nuevo Laredo and Laredo officials toured both facilities with U.S. General Services Administration and Customs and Border Protection. The project is aimed towards increasing efficiency and improving safety and security for vehicle and pedestrian processing. These updates should reduce vehicle wait times from 33 to 15 minutes and peak pedestrian time from 49 to 21 minutes. Mayor Peete Saenz says there have been talks between him and Nuevo Laredo about the idea of turning bridge one into a pedestrian walkway. Mayor Saenz says CBP has been supportive of the idea and now it’s up to him and City Council to decided and work with Nuevo Laredo to see if it’s possible. The projected completion dates for bridge one is April 2018 and December 2018 for bridge two. 12.‘No shirt, no service, no Canada’ (Surrey Now-Leader; 17k uvm; Surrey, BC Canada) … Aaron Hinks A U.S. man is now in jail after Canada Border Services Agency discovered he had an outstanding felony warrant from Washington State. U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued a news release Friday afternoon title “No shirt, no service, no Canada,” saying the Tacoma man arrived northbound at the Peace Arch (Douglas) crossing in South Surrey, shirtless, and told officers he was heading to Toronto to visit friends. The release says that during a search of a rental vehicle, CBSA found small amounts of meth. After being returned to Blaine, officers confirmed the 23-year-old had a felony warrant from the Washington State Department of Corrections for robbery and escape from community custody, which was issued Nov. 13. “The co-operation between three government agencies is priceless,” U.S. CBP area port director Kenneth Williams said in the release. “CBSA, CBP and the sheriff’s office worked as a team to get this suspected criminal off the street.” BORDER WALL 13.Roundtable: A Closer Look At The Border Wall (KPBS-TV; 278k uvm; San Diego, CA) … Bennett Lacy, Mark Sauer DHS-17-0435-A-000209 FOIA CBP 000209 OVERSIGHT 7 VIDEO: President Donald Trump is demanding Congress fund the construction of a wall along America’s border with Mexico. Work has already begun, with eight prototypes of new structures recently being showcased in San Diego. In the new series "America's Wall," KPBS and inewsource obtained previously unseen federal documents that detail the existing barriers along the border built under several previous administrations. The series also profiles people on both sides of the border, and both sides of a contentious issue. 14.Fisher's border wall prototype complete on Southern border (Dickinson Press; 192k uvm; Dickinson, ND) … Grady McGregor Dickinson-based Fisher Industries has completed construction of a border wall prototype along the southern border of the United States near Otay Mesa, Cali. Fisher's wall is made of concrete and while it lacks some of the color and features of other prototypes, like tubing atop the walls or opaque paneling, the wall's simplicity makes it look like one of the more imposing designs. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that the eight border wall prototypes were completed in late October but this is the first time that the Press has been able to track down available pictures of Fisher's wall prototype. According to a CBP press release from late last month, now that the construction phase is complete they will test and evaluate each wall over a 30- to 60- day period. "Border security contributes to our overall national security and relies on a combination of border infrastructure, technology, personnel, and partnerships," said CBP acting Deputy Commissioner Ron Vitiello in the release. "Border walls have proven to be an extremely effective part of our multi-pronged security strategy to prevent the illegal migration of people and drugs over the years ... These border enforcement zones give our men and women of CBP the best possible conditions to maintain a safe and secure border." TRADE 15.Darling: Fully loaded trucks crossing Anzalduas Bridge by end of 2018 (Rio Grande Guardian; 9k uvm; McAllen, TX) … Patricia Martinez McAllen Mayor Jim Darling said that the city is moving forward with plans to have full commercial traffic at the Anzalduas International Bridge by the end of 2018. Since August 2016, the bridge has allowed empty southbound trucks to cross into Mexico. Now, design plans are being finalized for fully loaded trucks to cross the bridge in either direction, giving commercial drivers the option of another port of entry. The plan is to have a joint inspection facility on the north side of the bridge. “Pharr does a great job over there, but it’s one bridge,” said Darling. “There’s just so much potential in our area to only have one. So, we need to get commercial traffic on another bridge.” Asked when the bridge may ready to handle loaded trucks going both north- and southbound, Darling said: “I am shooting for the end of 2018. That is why we want to get the design done and get construction going. We are working on that, state monies, federal monies. DHS-17-0435-A-000210 FOIA CBP 000210 OVERSIGHT 8 They have to get their act together in Washington and set a budget and get some funding (going). We will get it done. TRAVEL 16.Nonstop Seattle to Dublin flights to begin May 2018 (Seattle PI; 4.7M uvm; Seattle WA) Nonstop flights from Seattle to Dublin will start next spring. The Seattle Times reports Irish carrier Aer Lingus said Friday the service will begin May 18, 2018. The service will be provided four times a week. Because Dublin airport has its own U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility, passengers and their luggage will be pre-cleared in Ireland before departure, with no need to go through passport control on arrival in Seattle. This will be the first pre-cleared trans-Atlantic flight to fly into Seattle. Aer Lingus also will provide Seattle passengers connections through Dublin to 24 U.K. and European cities. 17.CBP gives tips for faster entry times during holiday season (KGBT-TV; 298k uvm; Harlingen, TX) … Jolanie Martinez VIDEO: U.S. Customs and Border Protection has tips for international travelers coming to the U.S. during the holiday season. U.S. Customs and Border Protection public information officer Maribel Saenz says the agency is preparing for the large number of shoppers that cross the border during the holiday season, especially after La Plaza Mall’s multi-million dollar expansion. Saenz recommends international travelers to apply online for the I-94 form. “A lot of times since it's holiday season, there is a lot more travelers than usual, so that's why we are encouraging everybody to go online, apply online,” Saenz said. “They can pay for it online, they bring their receipt with them and we finalize it for them here at the port of entry." To finalize the I-94 process, travelers must present themselves at a port of entry within seven days of their application. Travelers are also encouraged to use their radio frequency identification card to use ready lanes at port of entries. The frequency identification card includes the newer version of the U.S. passport cards, border crossing cards and resident alien card. Saenz says using this method expedites the entry process by 20 percent. “At the window, they will be getting their fingerprints, their picture and a background check to make sure that they qualify for the I-94 and cardboard,” said Saenz. “I-94 will be printed and that's what they will have to present at the checkpoint with their travel documents." CBP’s Border Wait Times app also gives hourly updates on lines at each port of entry. WORKFORCE 18.Law enforcement K-9s compete in Mercedes (Brownsville Herald; 75k uvm; Brownsville, TX) … Cristina M. Garcia Federal and local agencies were rivals Friday during the 3rd annual South Texas Police K-9 Competition held at the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show Grounds in Mercedes. Valley law enforcement agencies and others, along with their K-9s, competed in timed narcotic article and vehicle searches, the obedience and confidence course, and DHS-17-0435-A-000211 FOIA CBP 000211 OVERSIGHT 9 criminal apprehension…If you compete and your dog doesn’t do so well, that motivates you,” Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office K-9 trainer Javier Solis said… U.S. Border Patrol’s K-9, Billy-B, was named top dog in the patrol competition. A Belgian Malinois named Mischa and her handler, Tim Behnke, with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, quickly ran the narcotic article and vehicle searches Friday afternoon. Mischa has stopped more than $1 million worth of drugs from being smuggled into the U.S. during her more than three years as a law enforcement K-9, according Behnke. Behnke and Mischa underwent a seven-week training course in Virginia prior to working together at multiple ports of entry in Brownsville. The two have been a team for three and a half years. “It’s the best job in the world,” Benke said. “Working with an animal is awesome.” Though Behnke didn’t place in the vehicles search competition, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s K-9 Coco and his handler, Michael Hufham, placed third. The U.S. Border Patrol was awarded the Best K-9 Unit, while Lusy with Edinburg CISD Police Department took first in the articles search. 19.CBP AMO Plan Flyover at NASCAR’s Championship Weekend (American Security Today; 45k uvm) VIDEO: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations (AMO) aircrews based at the Miami Air and Marine Branch will perform a flyover during NASCAR’s championship weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway in front of tens of thousands of racing fans. CBP’s Air and Marine Operations agents from air and marine branches and units in Florida and Texas are assisting with security efforts for the event providing real-time aerial video to ground based law enforcement personnel at the incident command center. Air and Marine Operations interdicts unlawful people and cargo approaching U.S. borders, investigates criminal networks and provides domain awareness in the air and maritime environments, and responds to contingencies and national taskings. “We’re a part of this community and honored to serve and protect the public in Greater Miami and the Florida Keys utilizing advanced aeronautical and maritime capabilities,” said Martin Wade, Director of the Miami Air and Marine Branch. “Air and Marine Operations highly-skilled agents are often behind the scenes at high profile events to keep things safe and secure along with local, state and federal law enforcement partners.” OPINION 20.Former DHS Secretary Tom Ridge: No southern border wall needed (CBS Television Network; 26.1 uvm) … Arden Farhi VIDEO: Tom Ridge, the nation's first secretary of Homeland Security, believes the physical border wall President Donald Trump wants to build on the U.S.-Mexico border isn't necessary. "I don't think we need it," Ridge said. "I think there are things we can do with technology that foregoes the need to build a 3,000 mile border [wall] with a neighbor... I prefer presidents that tear down walls rather than build them." Ridge appeared on "The Takeout" podcast with CBS News chief White House correspondent Major Garrett and political director Steve Chaggaris. Despite his criticism of the President, Ridge, a Republican, praised Mr. Trump's pick to lead the Department of DHS-17-0435-A-000212 FOIA CBP 000212 OVERSIGHT 10 Homeland Security (DHS), Kirstjen Nielsen. "This is a woman that's got public and private sector experience. She's been deputy chief of staff to the president now, she was General [John] Kelly's chief of staff [at DHS], she's well versed and worked with the private sector on preparedness issues and cyber security issues and the like." IMMIGRATION 21.Immigrant Who Had Prosthetic Leg Mocked by Trump Officials to Be Freed After 'Inhumane' Detention (Newsweek; 9.4M uvm) … Nicole Rodriguez VIDEO: A 20-year-old disabled immigrant detained for more than a month without being charged was to be freed Friday, but he has been stripped of his Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status. After being detained by Customs and Border Protection (CPB) agents on October 11 as part of a human smuggling investigation, Felipe Abonza-Lopez of San Marcos, Texas, was granted a $7,500 bond and will be released sometime Friday, a legal assistant for Abonza-Lopez’s attorney told Newsweek Friday. Abonza-Lopez has lost his DACA status, which had been set to expire in 2019. It was revoked October 12, when he received a notice to appear in immigration court for deportation proceedings, a spokesperson for Citizenship and Immigration Services (ICE) told Newsweek. 22.Trump Administration Cites MS-13 Arrest to Push Change in Minor Immigrant Law (Daily Signal; 1.1M uvm) … Fred Lucas The Trump administration is pointing to a large federal roundup of members of the violent gang MS-13 as vindication of increased enforcement efforts and reason to change the policy on unaccompanied minor illegal immigrants. The Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security announced a joint effort that led to the arrest of 214 gang members and those involved with gang-related crime…Of the 214, just 16 were U.S. citizens while 198 were foreign nationals. Of the foreign nationals, only five were in the country legally. Among those arrested, 64 entered the country as unaccompanied alien children, but most are now adults, according to the Trump administration. During a press conference Thursday announcing the arrests, Tom Homan, deputy director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, noted the 2008 law on unaccompanied minors does not allow them to be immediately returned to their country of origin. “The agencies sent up a series of policy requests to the Hill to address a lot of issues to further control the border and illegal immigration,” Homan said. “Some of these policies are being exploited and used by criminal organizations. That’s why that’s one of the policy issues we asked Congress to look at and help us with.” 23.UMD files affidavit in federal lawsuit challenging Trump’s latest travel ban (The Diamondback; 35k uvm) … Christine Condon The University of Maryland has filed an affidavit in a federal lawsuit opposing the Trump administration's latest iteration of its travel ban. "Since our students & faculty are DHS-17-0435-A-000213 FOIA CBP 000213 OVERSIGHT 11 impacted by the latest travel ban, #UMD has filed an affidavit in a federal lawsuit in MD challenging the ban's legality," University President Wallace Loh tweeted Friday. The affidavit was filed in a Maryland district court case surrounding the ban. Federal judges in Maryland and Hawaii issued national orders freezing the ban in October. "It is in the interest of the University, as well as in the national interest, to welcome talented persons of all nations to study, teach, and do research in the United States, in order to maintain and improve America's position as a leader in higher education and research," read the statement, signed by Loh Oct. 10. OF INTEREST 24.Trump halts decision to allow elephant trophy imports after uproar (Reuters; 43.6M uvm) …David Shepardson and Eric Beech U.S. President Donald Trump said in a tweet on Friday he is putting a decision to allow imports of elephant trophies on hold after a torrent of criticism from conservation advocates and across social media. Trump’s reversal came hours after his administration released a rule on Friday to allow hunters who kill elephants in Zimbabwe to bring their trophies back to the United States, which had been banned by the Obama administration. “Put big game trophy decision on hold until such time as I review all conservation facts. Under study for years. Will update soon with Secretary Zinke. Thank you!” Trump wrote. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said in a statement that he had spoken with Trump and “both believe that conservation and healthy herds are critical.” He said the “issuing of permits is being put on hold as the decision is being reviewed.” 25.18-year-old accused of shooting CBP agent in Oakleaf said he would “off” cops, according to investigators (WOKV-FM; 75.1k uvm; Jacksonville, FL) … Stephanie Brown Two months after a Customs and Border Protection Agent was shot in the parking lot of an Oakleaf Publix, new investigative reports are detailing more about the possible motive to the attack. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office believed from early in their investigation that the agent was ambushed because he was law enforcement. The victim was leaving the Publix after grabbing some groceries, when CCSO says 18-year￾old Jake Lewis sped up and fired multiple shots, hitting the agent multiple times. Lewis then crashed, and CCSO says he died of a self-inflicted gunshot. The agent who was shot underwent surgery and continues to recover. CBP tells us the “signs are encouraging”, and the agent is expected to return on limited duty in the near future. That agent has spoken with investigators, and the new supplemental reports show he remembers a suspect pointing a gun out of a car and yelling about hating cops, before shooting. SOCIAL MEDIA ANALYSIS OF NOTE DHS-17-0435-A-000214 FOIA CBP 000214 OVERSIGHT 12 • The tweet by @DonaldTrumpJr on November 16 titled “First female Border Patrol chief says agents 'empowered' under Trump” is still the most retweeted of the period, with 6.3k retweets, 20k likes and 765 replies to date. • As mentioned above, the tweet by Adolfo Flores from the account @aflores titled “Immigrant father says the Border Patrol took his infant son and won't tell him where he is” is gaining attention on Twitter and is the second most retweeted tweet to date. The tweet supplies a link to the BuzzFeed article where he is interviewed. The tweet has 327 retweets, 154 likes, and 34 replies to date. • The tweet to receive the highest engagement of the period on @CustomsBorder is “RGV sector Border Patrol K9’s lead agents to seize over $6.1 million in narcotics. #KeepingAmericaSafe.” The tweet has received 20 retweets, 55 likes, 6 replies and 180,000 potential impressions to date. The tweet provides a link to the KIII TV news article on the bust. ABOUT THIS REPORT. Articles in this report were published during the 24 hours preceding the report date unless otherwise specified. Dissemination figures and bylines might not be available for all articles. Location is noted for local outlets. DHS-17-0435-A-000215 FOIA CBP 000215 ~ o..,w,_,,. rirst ~lof!Mf htrolchiligys~u ~td' v,,(kr lruMp roypsl/2.ir.AdK. Yi• lfnn;JcKt ... Ii, ----------- ----------·-- ----~ ..-----···-~ . -· RGV s«tor lotdt-f P.ttTOI IC9's IN0.19""'-C to Hl(l90V'fl'S6,1,n,IIIOninl\ll'CICllt(J. • ~S.., •t' t•ftyf7 rlhQ,P1 OVERSIGHT U.S. Customs and Border Protection f[-- · lffll'l'l9'MK l.ll~ U)'i OW lkwdk ,.auct lool. hKn,f.m M>fl mwon'l 1tflhlffl\llM,.Ma bu:rlMcl com. __ ... _ .. ... :a,.., • 1 From: Sent: Thursday, February 9, 2017 3:35 PM To: Subject: RE: Hey SocMe Rock star! Many Thanks, CBP OPA From: Sent: Thursday, February 09, 2017 3:34 PM To: Subject: RE: Hey SocMe Rock star! Yay!! It’s working. I am trying to tag all the field accounts to highlight their awesome work and get you more followers. Thanks for the proposed tweet, I can put it out tomorrow! From: Sent: Thursday, February 09, 2017 3:32 PM To: Subject: Hey SocMe Rock star! Your #CatchOfTheday on the Charleston Ski Scooters was golden, I picked up 15 new followers! So I’m pitching another from Norfolk @CBPSouthEast Stolen Vehicles, Benz & Tahoe stopped by #Norfolk #CBP before shipping out to #Mali Read more http://bit.ly/2ltdS52 BTW- we are back on with planning VOA and FLETC Regards, | Public Affairs Officer Department of Homeland Security U.S. Customs and Border Protection (o) Twitter @CBPSouthEast #CBP Sign up for e-mail updates from www.CBP.gov Follow CBP CBP FOIA000216 (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) DHS-17-0435-A-000216 - VERSIGHT 1 From: Sent: Friday, March 17, 2017 2:24 PM To: Cc: Subject: RE: Recruiting, Atlanta Tweets etc. Attachments: ATL Spartan Pitch 3172017_1.jpg; ATL Spartan Pitch 3172017_2.jpg Atlanta: Local story pitched to AJC, CBS46 and WSB-TV (ABC) to cover our recruitment program at Spartan Race ( TBD on their turn out) Tweets: #DYK #CBP named 2nd Best Company for #Vets come learn more this weekend at #SpartanRaceAtlanta http://bit.ly/2fFZBTa Consider a career with #CBP #KeepingAmericaSafe join us at #SpartanRaceAtlanta @SpartanRace to learn more http://1.usa.gov/291OOhQ Regards, | Public Affairs Officer Department of Homeland Security U.S. Customs and Border Protection (o) Twitter @CBPSouthEast #CBP Sign up for e-mail updates from www.CBP.gov Follow CBP From: Sent: Friday, March 17, 2017 1:09 PM To: CBPPAO Subject: Recruiting As a reminder, please submit any recruiting related activities to myself or by COB Thank you, Public Affairs Specialist – Media Division U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Public Affairs (OPA) 1300 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Washington, DC 20229 CBP FOIA000217 (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b) (7)(E) DHS-17-0435-A-000217 - 1111 VERSIGHT 2 Office: Ronald Reagan BLDG Phone: Email: CBP FOIA000218 (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) DHS-17-0435-A-000218 ~ ~ U.S. Customs and • Border Protection OVERSIGHT DHS-17-0435-A-000219 CBP FOIA000219 •• ooo Verizon LTE 1:55 PM --f * 33% ■ I• < Tweet .. ,._ US. Cwtow , dltd Border-Protection CBP Southeast 0 @CBPSoutheast Consider a career with #CBP #KeepingAmericaSafe join us at #SpartanRaceAtlanta @Spartan Race to learn more 1.usa.gov/29100hQ Reply to CBP Southea st, Spartan ... V .t Explore Notifications Messages Me DHS-17-0435-A-000220 CBP FOIA000220 •• ooo Verizon LTE 1:55 PM --f * 34% ■ I• < Tweet • ' ' . US. Cuno i:m .u1d Border Prote ction CBP Southeast 0 @CBPSoutheast #DYK #CBP named 2nd Best Company for #Vets come learn more this weekend at #SpartanRaceAtlanta bit.ly/ 2f FZBTa #HireFriday Reply to CBP Southea st Explore Notifications Messages V .t Me 1 From: Sent: Thursday, October 26, 2017 2:39 PM To: CBPPAO Cc: FRIEL, MICHAEL J; Subject: SOCIAL MEDIA REFERENCES All, It is CBP’s and OPA’s policy to treat everyone with whom we interact with dignity and respect. Whether an illegal alien or alleged (or even convicted) criminal, all are human, and should be treated humanely. In our job as communicators, we must reinforce that message in every form of communication, from social media to the web, from print to broadcast media, we must guard against using language that detracts from that inherent dignity and respect. I understand that social media is far more conversational than traditional media and often uses creative word play to attract readers or followers, or better, re-tweets of our messages. However, this is where we need to ensure we’re not making light of an individuals’ circumstance. I cite as an example the use of ‘catch of the day’ which is appropriate for fish, or substances interdicted, but not in reference to people. There is no way to create a list of appropriate or inappropriate terms, so I rely on your judgment as PAOs to ensure we maintain the highest standards in all our forms of communication. Very respectfully, Director, Media Division Office of Public Affairs U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office: iPhone: CBP FOIA000221 (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) DHS-17-0435-A-000221 - ·if in ~ ml a •• VERSIGHT From: FRIEL, MICHAEL J To: MCALEENAN, KEVIN K Cc: FLANAGAN, PATRICK S Subject: FW: The Homeland Security News Briefing for Sunday, January 29, 2017 Date: Sunday, January 29, 2017 9:31:28 AM Attachments: dhsclips170129.doc Commissioner, Bulletin Intelligence posted a good summary below of coverage from the last 24 hours. As stated below, coverage dominated the news. Think we (CBP) came out ok, all things considered. Much of the coverage focused on the reaction to the policy and those who either supported it or vowed to fight it. Notable quotes were from technology companies, airlines, immigration advocates and government officials both in the US and abroad. There was some points to CBP to consider in the coverage. Some stories stated that officers were apologetic about their role in enforcing the EO. Immigration attorneys were quoted saying some ports are more lenient than others and that those effected should try those more lenient airports. Media also reported un-named sources who stated that they were not aware of the order until it was already in effect. Media also reported widespread confusion around the world about the order and whether it applies to them, especially now with the court orders. Airlines were concerned about crew members who were affected. Reuters reported that there was widespread confusion within DHS and CBP about how to interpret the EO and apply it at the ports. For example, one in-named official discussed confusion about what "national interest" means. R/S Mike From: Bulletin Intelligence Sent: Sunday, January 29, 2017 6:57:07 AM To: DHS@BulletinIntelligence.com Subject: The Homeland Security News Briefing for Sunday, January 29, 2017 The Homeland Security News Briefing TO: THE SECRETARY AND SENIOR STAFF DATE: SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2017 7:00 AM EST TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS DHS-17-0435-A-000222 CBP FOIA 000222 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT LEADING DHS NEWS: + Judge Orders Stay On Trump Executive Order As Hundreds Detained. IMMIGRATION: + Texas Business Leaders, Officials Meet To Discuss Trump’s Order On Wall, NAFTA. + Trump’s Wall “Will Be A Boon For Contractors.” + Miami Mayors Blast Gimenez For Ending “Sanctuary City” Status. + Sources Say Trump Aides Divided Over DACA. TERRORISM INVESTIGATIONS: + Trump Signs Executive Order Expediting Conflict Against ISIS. + NYTimes Examines FBI “Shadowy” Efforts To Identify Islamic Extremists. + Unconfirmed Reports Claim US Raid Kills Three Al Qaeda Militants In Yemen. CYBER NEWS: + Hackers Infected DC Police Closed-Circuit Camera Network Prior To Inauguration. + Geography No Longer Defense For US Against Cyberthreats. NATIONAL SECURITY NEWS: + Trump Signs Executive Order To Restructure NSC. + Trump Launches Global Democracy Efforts Without “Seasoned Support.” + Administration Delays Issuance Of UN Funding, Multilateral Treaty Draft Orders. + Trump, Putin Discuss Fight Against ISIS, Repairing US-Russian Relations. + Trump, Merkel Discuss NATO In Phone Conversation. + Trump, Abe Plan For Meeting, Discuss Economic And Security Issues. + Trump Holds Phone Call With Australian Prime Minister. + Jewish Leaders Denounce Netanyahu’s Praise Of Proposed Mexican Border Wall. + Trump, May Display “Special Relationship” Despite Criticisms. + Hollande Urges Trump, European Leaders To Reject Populism. + Jordanian King To Visit US On Monday. + Europe’s Future Expected To Hinge On Resolutions Of Key Uncertainties. + Dispute Over Kings Of Malta Reflects Deep Divisions In The Vatican. + Japan Addresses Growing Aging Population. + WPost Denounces Russia’s Decriminalization Of Domestic Battery. + Kabul Citizens Await Outcome Of Allegations Against Afghanistan’s Vice President. + Former Warlord To Return To Afghanistan Within Weeks. + Afghan Government Struggles To Resolve Taliban’s Income Diversification Efforts. Leading DHS News: JUDGE ORDERS STAY ON TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDER AS HUNDREDS DETAINED. US District Judges Anne Donnelly and Leonie Brinkema on Saturday night granted an emergency stay on President Trump’s executive order as hundreds of citizens of Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen were detained in airports worldwide and prevented from traveling to the US. Media coverage reached saturation levels as the network newscasts devoted nearly half of their combined broadcasts to the ensuing protests and to the White House’s defense of the measure. Reporting in print and online also dominated the news and was almost uniformly critical of the executive order and of lawmakers defending the Administration. The New York Post (1/28, Bain, Boniello, 3.82M) reports Donnelly granted the American Civil Liberties Union’s request to “stop...the Trump administration’s deportations of hundreds of travelers who arrived in the US on Friday and Saturday from seven predominately Muslim countries.” The Washington Post (1/28, Markon, Brown, Shaver, 11.43M) reports “minutes after the judge’s ruling in New York, another came in Virginia when US District Judge Leonie Brinkema issued a temporary restraining order to block the removal of any green-card holders being detained at Dulles International Airport for seven days.” According to the Post, “Brinkema’s action also ordered that lawyers have access to those held there DHS-17-0435-A-000223 CBP FOIA 000223 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT because of the president’s ban.” ABC World News Tonight’s (1/28, story 2, 2:40, Vega, 14.63M) David Wright reported Trump “brush[ed] off the shock waves from the policies he set in motion [Friday] at the Pentagon.” Trump said, “This is the protection of the nation from foreign terrorists’ entry into the United States. We all know what that means.” USA Today (1/28, Stanglin, Gomez, 5.28M) says the President told reporters, “It’s working out very nicely,” The Hill (1/28, Fabian, 1.25M) reports Trump said, “You see it at the airports, you see it all over,” and Bloomberg Politics (1/28, Van Voris, 201K) states that he “defended his order” and insisted, “It’s not a Muslim ban.” The Huffington Post (1/28, Foley, 237K) reports Trump also asserted his Administration was “totally prepared” for the response. According to Reuters (1/28, Mason), the President “said the moves would protect Americans from terrorism, in a swift and stern delivery on a campaign promise” and he pledged, “We’re going to have a very, very strict ban and we’re going to have extreme vetting, which we should have had in this country for many years.” The Washington Post (1/28, Markon, Brown, Nakamura, 11.43M) says Trump’s order “rippled across the world on Saturday” as the White House “rushed to explain and defend its action, saying it strengthens national security and denying that it targeted Muslims.” A senior Administration official said, “The notion that this is a Muslim ban is ludicrous,” while another official “noted that many majority-Muslim countries, including Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkey, were excluded from the measure.” The Wall Street Journal (1/28, Nicholas, Paletta, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) quotes a senior official asserting, “there is a serious concern about the degree to which our immigration programs have been abused by those who are not properly admissible.” The official added, “To ensure that the risk is at least being minimized while new screening and vetting standards are established, it is only common-sensical to limit admissions from among some of the most high risk territories in the world identified by Congress.” The Washington Times (1/28, Dinan, 272K) reports a senior Administration official briefing reporters said, “The exemptions and waiver process that we’ve put in place are already working exactly as intended,” and “went on to say that even with the new restrictions and a halt to admissions from a number of countries, the U.S. will still be more open than any other country.” The official explained, “We’re still admitting and processing more people than any other country in the history of civilization. We’re still letting in more people from more war-torn regions than any country in the history of civilization.” In addition, NBC Nightly News’ (1/28, story 3, 2:15, Diaz-Balart, 16.61M) Kasie Hunt reported that a senior Administration official spoke “with government agencies to try to clear [the detentions] on a, quote, ‘case￾by-case basis.’” The Wall Street Journal (1/28, El-Ghobashy, Schwartz, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) reports a State Department official confirmed the 90-day visa ban applies to citizens of the seven countries named in the executive order who hold dual nationality with another nation as well, but not those with US citizenship nor individuals with diplomatic visas. In an email, Gillian Christensen, acting Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman, told Reuters (1/28, Chiacu) that the order “will bar green card holders” from the select countries from entering the US. In a separate article, Reuters (1/28, Mason, Rampton) states that another official said legal permanent residents are “being cleared on a case-by-case basis and being moved expeditiously.” The official also “defended the scope and execution of the new rules, saying it moved with ‘astonishing rapidity’ but worked as intended.” The Hill (1/27, Hensch, 1.25M) reports the President’s order also “tasked top administration officials with providing recurring information about terrorism, gender-based violence and ‘honor killings.’” Trump ordered the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Attorney General to provide “information regarding the number of foreign nationals who have been charged with terrorism-related offenses in the United States” as well as those “convicted of terrorism-related offenses,” “removed from the United States based on terrorism-related activity,” or who provided “material support to a terrorism-related organization.” However, two Federal officials told NBC News (1/28, Ali, 2.67M) reports “that immigration officers may have been stopping and even banning valid visa holders from returning to the country weeks before the official directive.” They “confirmed...that as many as 40 individuals with F1 student visas, many who left DHS-17-0435-A-000224 CBP FOIA 000224 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT the country for winter break, were told their visas were revoked when they returned stateside to resume classes.” One of the officials said, “My advice to anyone holding a visa from any of these countries is do not go home because you will not get back in.” According to a front-page New York Times (1/28, A1, Shear, Kulish, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) article, “The high-stakes legal case played out on Saturday amid global turmoil, as the executive order signed by the president slammed shut the borders of the United States for an Iranian scientist headed to a lab in Massachusetts, a Syrian refugee family headed to a new life in Ohio and countless others across the world.” The AP (1/28, Caldwell) says “the immediate fallout from Trump’s order meant that an untold number of foreign-born US residents now traveling outside the US could be stuck overseas for at least 90 days – despite holding permanent residency ‘green cards’ or other visas.” The New York Times (1/28, Erdbrink, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports “panic reigned” among Iranian travelers who “were turned back from flights to the United States” or “were held or deported” at US airports, “rights groups and airline representatives said.” The Wall Street Journal (1/28, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) also highlights travelers from countries affected by the order who have been stopped at airports abroad and barred from boarding aircraft bound for the US, which the Washington Post (1/28, A1, Fahim, Salim, 11.43M) reports on its front page turned these airports into a “limbo.” Labeeb Ali, an interpreter for an American security company in Iraq, said the Administration has “killed my dream” of moving to the US when officials in Qatar “prevented him from boarding a flight to Texas” even though he already had a visa. He is now filled with “despair and regret at having already sold his business and belongings in Iraq.” The AP (1/28) similarly describes the “despair and confusion” among citizens of countries affected by the order seeking asylum in the US, like “Hameed Khalid Darweesh, a translator and assistant for the US military in Iraq for 10 years now fleeing death threats,” who “walked free midday Friday after his lawyers and two members of congress went to the airport to try and gain his release. ... Others were less lucky.” Maha al-Obaidi, formerly of Iraq, still lives in New York, but the New York Times (1/28, Otis, Sweis, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) says her “family is divided” as “her husband and two sons in Jordan are for now locked out of the United States, and Ms. Obaidi cannot travel away, or risk being denied re-entry.” The Los Angeles Times (1/28, Ryan, Etehad, 4.52M) also profiles some families “divided by Trump’s refugee order” as they “worry about the future.” The Wall Street Journal (1/28, Jordan, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) reports the ACLU filed a lawsuit on behalf of two Iraqis detained at John F. Kennedy Airport, one of whom, the Washington Times (1/28, Dinan, 272K) reports, was “an interpreter and engineer who was to be admitted under a program rewarding those who helped the US efforts in Iraq, at risk to themselves. The man’s family was admitted, but he was detained.” The Times adds “the other man was coming to the US to rejoin his wife and seven￾year-old son, who were admitted as refugees three years ago.” The Huffington Post (1/28, Frej, Murdock, 237K) identifies them as “Hameed Khalid Darweesh and Sameer Abdulkhaleq Alshawi, Iraqis with ties to US operations overseas.” NBC Nightly News’ (1/28, story 2, 0:55, Diaz-Balart, 16.61M) Pete Williams said lawyers claimed “both the Constitution and existing immigration laws don’t allow the president to order this kind of restriction” because it “violates the Constitution’s ban on discrimination by treating people differently based on where they’re from, their country of origin,” and “a Federal law that’s been on the books for more than 60 years says that no one can be, quote, ‘discriminated against in the issuance of an immigrant visa because of the person’s race, sex, nationality, place of birth, or place of residence.’” Politico (1/28, Gerstein, 2.46M) reports a California attorney also “filed a federal lawsuit Saturday broadly challenging” the order in the US District Court for Northern California and he “argues that the order intrudes on Congress’ legislative authority and violates the Establishment Clause of the Constitution by discriminating on the basis of religion.” Meanwhile, Kenneth Craig, in the lead story for the CBS Weekend News (1/28, lead story, 2:35, Ninan), reported “protests erupted” at several US airports “as Federal authorities scrambled to figure out how to enforce the ban.” ABC World News Tonight’s (1/28, lead story, 4:10, Vega, 14.63M) Cecilia Vega said DHS-17-0435-A-000225 CBP FOIA 000225 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT “protests were swift,” and correspondent Eva Pilgrim reported that at New York’s JFK airport, dozens of passengers had thus far been detained. The Hill (1/28, Seipel, 1.25M) “Briefing Room” blog similarly describes “massive crowds” at JFK airport, which the AP (1/28, Mathis) says “became a scene of anguish and desperation Saturday for the families of people detained after arriving in the U.S. from nations subject to...Trump’s travel ban.” According to the Huffington Post (1/28, Papenfuss, 237K), New York City cab drivers briefly went on strike and joined demonstrators on the streets near JFK’s Terminal 4 to protest the President’s “crackdown on refugees and support travelers trapped by his executive order.” Politico (1/28, Mahoney, 2.46M) reports New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo also said Saturday that he had “directed the Port Authority, the Department of State, and my Counsel’s Office to jointly explore all legal options to assist anyone detained at New York airports, and ensure that their rights are protected.” Other cities and airports were also the scene of demonstrations, according the Huffington Post (1/28, Foley, 237K), which reports of “large crowds...at San Francisco International Airport, Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport.” USA Today (1/28, Adely, 5.28M) notes “more than 120 people gathered at Newark Liberty International Airport clutching signs denouncing the executive order, alongside lawyers who rushed to airports to defend the rights of refugees, immigrants and green-card holders, among others, who were being detained and denied entry.” In a separate piece, USA Today (1/28, 5.28M) says US immigrants “watched in trepidation” and said the President “is trying to divide us.” The Boston Globe (1/28, Fleming, Schick, 1.08M) says “more than 300 gathered in Chinatown Saturday afternoon to protest President Trump’s controversial executive order.” In a second article, the Boston Globe (1/28, O'Sullivan, 1.08M) reports aides of Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker stated the Republican “opposes the immigrant ban” as well as “applying religious tests to the refugee system and believes that focusing on countries’ predominant religions will not make the US any safer.” In an email, spokesman Brendan Moss said Baker “believes the federal government should focus on improving the techniques and systems in place to stop dangerous people from entering the country, regardless of the nation they seek to strike from.” The Chicago Sun-Times (1/28, Charles, Sweet, Hendrickson, 798K) reports “at least 13 people remained under detention at O’Hare International Airport,” where “dozens of attorneys crowded the international terminal...offering pro bono legal aid to anyone who said their family members” were detained. The Chicago Tribune (1/28, Wong, Clair, 2.54M) states that “as many as 18 people [were being] held at O’Hare because of the order, according to lawyers working with the International Refugee Assistance Project.” The Los Angeles Times (1/28, Pearce, Smith, 4.52M) reports about a dozen immigration attorneys were also “gathered at the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX international terminal to help travelers, mostly from Iran, who have been detained.” The Service Employees International Union organized “a candlelight vigil to support Muslim refugees” at LAX while a separate protest was also held in downtown Los Angeles. The lead NBC Nightly News (1/28, lead story, 3:10, Diaz-Balart, 16.61M) segment said the protests have “become a backdrop for politicians and lawyers calling for people to be released. But many of President Trump’s supporters applaud him for keeping a key campaign promise.” Republicans were more “positive, if more muted” toward the order, which “could prove popular politically,” the New York Times (1/28, A1, Pérez-Peña, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) says on its front page, noting that “during the presidential campaign, public opinion polls showed that about half of Americans favored the broader, more bluntly religion-based measure Mr. Trump originally called for, a ban on Muslims entering the country.” The Washington Post (1/28, Snell, Demirjian, Debonis, 11.43M) reports that while “several congressional Republicans on Saturday questioned” the order, House Speaker Ryan “continued to defend it,” as did House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce. According to the Post, Reps. Charlie Dent and Justin Amash were “among the few GOP members to air [their] concerns publicly.” The Wall Street Journal (1/28, Andrews, Peterson, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) similarly says most Republicans were DHS-17-0435-A-000226 CBP FOIA 000226 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT silent on the order, and while Sen. Ben Sasse said the measure was “too broad,” Rep. Duncan Hunter praised the order as a “time out” and explained, “The goal here isn’t to hurt anybody who wants to be an American.” The Huffington Post (1/28, Foley, 237K) reports Amash, Dent, Sasse and Sens. Jeff Flake and Susan Collins are the only Republican lawmakers who have “said they opposed Trump’s executive order.” In a separate article that calls out Ryan’s support, the Huffington Post (1/28, Bendery, 237K) emphasizes that “it’s not just rank-and file Republicans trying to duck the issue,” adding that Senate Majority Leader McConnell “hasn’t said a peep.” Politico (1/28, Bresnahan, Bresnahan, 2.46M) notes “McConnell plans to make his position known during a Sunday morning TV interview.” In contrast, according to the Huffington Post (1/28, Levine, 237K), “Democratic lawmakers harshly and unequivocally condemned” the order. The Hill (1/28, Byrnes, 1.25M) reports Senate Minority Leader Schumer said he called Homeland Security Secretary Kelly “to urge the administration to rescind these anti-American executive actions that will do absolutely nothing to improve our safety.” He also condemned the order as “mean-spirited and un-American in their origin, and implemented in a way that has caused chaos and confusion across the country,” adding, “They will only serve to embolden and inspire those around the globe who would do us harm. They must be reversed, immediately.” The Washington Times (1/28, Blake, 272K) reports House Minority Leader Pelosi said Friday, “As the Statue of Liberty holds her torch of welcome high, there are tears in her eyes as she sees how low this Administration has stooped in its callousness toward mothers and children escaping war-torn Syria.” The Hill (1/28, Greenwood, 1.25M) reports Rep. Adam Schiff, the ranking member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, sent a letter to DHS Secretary Kelly that “blasted Trump’s order, saying that it ran counter to ‘the principles of religious liberty, equality, and compassion that our nation was founded upon.’” He warned, “The capricious enforcement of this order is likely to heighten its harmful effects and present legal and constitutional issues.” The Washington Post (1/28, Weigel, 11.43M) reports Rep. Keith Ellison, the first Muslim member of Congress and a candidate for chair of the Democratic National Committee, “said in an interview Saturday that opponents of President Trump’s executive orders on immigration and refugees should oppose them in the streets.” He asserted, “It’s time for people to get active, to get involved, to vote and to organize. Trump must be stopped, and people power is what we have at our disposal to make him stop. We need mass rallies. We need them all over the country.” The Hill (1/28, Greenwood, 1.25M) “Briefing Room” blog reports Sen. Bernie Sanders tweeted Saturday, “Trump’s anti-Muslim order plays into the hands of fanatics wishing to harm America. Love and compassion trump hatred and intolerance.” He added, “Demagogues survive by fostering hatred. We won’t allow anyone to divide us up by our religion, country of origin or the color of our skin.” In a different piece, The Hill (1/27, Seipel, 1.25M) stated Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Friday “went on a tweetstorm against” the order, saying, “Let’s be clear: A Muslim ban by any other name is still a Muslim ban” and arguing that the “order restricting immigrants from Muslim countries & freezing admission of refugees is a betrayal of American values.” In a Huffington Post (1/27, Murphy, 237K) op-ed, Sen. Chris Murphy, a member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, also condemned the order, which he warned, “is likely to get Americans killed.” The Wall Street Journal (1/28, Abi-Habib, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) reports Rep. Seth Moulton, a former Marine Corps officer, is concerned the order will additionally hurt Iraqi interpreters, like Laith al￾Haydar, 41, who are still waiting for visas. World Leaders, UN Condemn Visa Ban. Jonathan Vigliotti of the CBS Weekend News (1/28, story 3, 1:55, Ninan) reported, “elsewhere around the world, relations with Trump are thin, if not already fraying, after a week of controversial executive orders, including a ban on refugees and citizens from seven Muslim nations, including Iran.” Iranian President Hassan Rouhani asserted, “Today is the day of reconciliation,” and “not a day of creating distance between nations.” USA Today (1/28, Keveney, 5.28M) reports Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif also “issued a series of tweets in response to President Trump’s order, saying the move would be ‘a great gift to extremists and DHS-17-0435-A-000227 CBP FOIA 000227 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT their supporters.’” According to USA Today, “Other world leaders, including officials from Canada and Scotland, also tweeted responses to the new US policy.” Reuters (1/28, Mason, Allen) reports the order “drew widespread criticism from U.S. Western allies including France and Germany, Arab-American groups and human rights organizations.” In a separate article, Reuters (1/28, Nebehay) reports that on Saturday, the United Nations Refugee Agency and the International Organization for Migration “called on the Trump administration...to continue offering asylum to people fleeing war and persecution, saying its resettlement programme was vital.” AFP (1/28) quotes Stephane Dujarric, a UN spokesman, saying, “We hope that the measures concerning the suspension of refugee flows are temporary as refugee protection needs have never been greater.” He added, “The US resettlement program is one of the most important ones in the world.” Advocacy Groups Condemn Order Suspending US Refugee Program. The Wall Street Journal (1/27, Jordan, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) reports civil rights and faith organizations are condemning the President for temporarily suspending the US refugee program; the US last interrupted the program in 2001 for three months after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. While the Boston Globe (1/28, Allen, 1.08M) states that “people working to resettle refugees and immigrants reacted with heartbreak and anger Saturday to President Trump’s executive order,” the New York Times (1/28, Kantor, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports on its front page that “resettlement agencies said that volunteers had been swarming their offices and that even more had surfaced last week when Mr. Trump’s specific plans became public.” David Miliband, the President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee, writes in a New York Times (1/27, Miliband, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) op-ed that the President’s order “is a repudiation of fundamental American values, an abandonment of the United States’ role as a humanitarian leader and, far from protecting the country from extremism, a propaganda gift to those who would plot harm to America.” In a Washington Post (1/28, Zeller, 11.43M) op-ed, Afghan war veteran Matt Zeller, the co-founder and CEO of No One Left Behind, laments that the President “has shut the door on thousands of foreign interpreters, our wartime allies, who have served alongside our military since 2001.” He argues that the “troubling” and “sweeping ban doesn’t take into account that our allied military translators are quite possibly the most vetted individuals aligned with our military.” He concludes “these men and women have served our country honorably” for years and if Trump does not exempt them from the order, the Administration will be “permanently harming the fabric of U.S. national security. Our credibility is forever tarnished if not eroded.” In a Politico Magazine (1/28, Hassoun) op-ed, Mostafa Hassoun, a Syrian refugee living in the US, describes the “extreme vetting” process that his family had to undergo to come to the country and warns that the President’s order “would have made it difficult, if not impossible for me to find safety in America.” According to Hassoun, “There is probably nobody in the world that knows me better than the United States government. ... President Trump knows both who I am and where I’m from, and a whole lot more. If there is something else he’d like to know – anything short of my family renouncing its Syrian and Muslim identities – I can’t imagine what it might be.” Silicon Valley Executives Criticize Executive Order. The Washington Post (1/28, A1, Fung, Jan, 11.43M) reports on its front page that in response to the order, “the country’s leading tech companies are recalling overseas employees and sharply criticizing President Trump.” The Wall Street Journal (1/28, Nicas, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) identifies Alphabet Inc.’s Google, Apple Inc., Facebook Inc., Microsoft Corp., and Uber Technologies Inc. among the technology companies expressing concern and USA Today (1/28, Guynn, Mandaro, 5.28M) describes the “shockwaves” as leading CEOs “denounced with the policy, which would affect their own employees working here legally, as well as their competitive quest for talent.” Bloomberg News (1/28, Bergen, Newcomer, 2.41M) reports Google CEO Sundar Pichai “slammed” Trump in a company-wide memo and Facebook Inc. CEO Mark Zuckerberg “voiced concern over the DHS-17-0435-A-000228 CBP FOIA 000228 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT policy on Friday, and Airbnb Inc. CEO Brian Chesky said Saturday in a tweet that ‘closing doors further divides’ people.” Uber Technologies Inc. CEO Travis Kalanick also pledged Saturday “to outline his misgivings about the order at the first meeting of the Trump administration’s business advisory group next Friday in Washington.” The Los Angeles Times (1/28, Lien, 4.52M) meanwhile highlights the reaction of other Silicon Valley entrepreneurs. On the CBS Weekend News (1/28, story 4, 1:55, Ninan), Carter Evans explained “the concern among some business leaders...is that if the tech companies can’t bring in the best workers in the world, well then they just might move their operation to countries where those workers are allowed.” Airlines “Struggling To Comply” With Order, Complain About Lack Of Advance Notice. Bloomberg News (1/28, Sasso, Palmeri, 2.41M) reports “global airlines are struggling to comply with new travel restrictions after being caught flat-footed by” the order, as “US carriers didn’t get advance notice of the travel ban or briefings from government officials on how it should be implemented, people familiar with the matter said.” Trump Put Mattis In “Uncomfortable” Position With Executive Order. The New York Times (1/28, Cooper, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports President Trump put Defense Secretary Mattis in an “uncomfortable” position on Friday when he signed the executive order “in a Pentagon room dedicated to men and women who have received the country’s highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor.” According to the Times, while Mattis “sharply criticized” Trump six months ago for a similar proposal, saying, “This kind of thing is causing us great damage right now, and it’s sending shock waves through the international system,” since joining the Administration he has had to decide “which battles to fight.” The Times suggests Mattis “won a huge” victory getting Trump to agree not to reinstate torture, but he was “outflanked by the White House” on the President’s release of the order at the Pentagon “a sharply divisive move in front of military leaders who view themselves as apolitical.” The Times additionally notes the Defense Department’s statement about Trump’s visit “pointedly made no mention of the Muslim ban.” Administration Suspends “Iranian Lautenberg Program.” The AP (1/28, Jahn, Caldwell) reports that while it “isn’t directly linked to an executive order Trump signed Friday,” the Administration has suspended the so-called “Iranian Lautenberg Program,” a “27-year-old program originally approved by Congress to help Jews in the former Soviet Union,” but had expanded to help “Iranian Jews, Christians and Baha’i, who were at risk in their home country and eligible to resettle in the United State.” State Department Removes Pages On Refugees From Website. The Hill (1/27, Seipel, 1.25M) notes in its “Briefing Room” blog that the State Department website has removed two pages “that chronicled the ‘myths and facts’ about refugees” National Security Experts Challenge Efficacy Of Executive Order. The New York Times (1/28, A1, Shane, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) states on its front page that while the President’s executive order has a “straightforward and laudable purpose,” his “directive is unlikely to significantly reduce the terrorist threat in the United States, which has been a minuscule part of the overall toll of violence since 2001” and “many experts believe [its] unintended consequences will make the threat worse.” In an article titled “Trump Redefines The Enemy And 15 Years Of Counterterrorism Policy,” the Washington Post (1/28, Jaffe, 11.43M) describes “the net result of Trump’s new approach” toward terrorism as “a vast departure for a country that has often struggled over the past 15 years to say whether it is at war and precisely who it is fighting.” The Post adds that “for Trump and his senior policy advisers, America is locked in a world war for its very survival, and the enemies in this wide-ranging battle are not only radical Islamist terrorists but a chaotic, violent and angry Muslim world.” The Post contrasts Trump’s position with that of his predecessors, former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and notes National Security Adviser Flynn recently wrote in his book, “The Field of Fight,” that the fight against al Qaeda and ISIS is a “world war” that “we could lose. ... In fact, right now we’re losing.” In a front-page article, the Washington Post (1/28, A1, Fisher, 11.43M) examines the history of US immigration policy and suggests the President’s order “harks back to a period when the US government regularly banned immigrants and refugees from countries whose people were considered inferior, dangerous or incompatible with American values.” The Post highlights that “Trump’s executive action marks the first time a president has sought to bar people because of their nation of origin – or their DHS-17-0435-A-000229 CBP FOIA 000229 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT religion, as only Muslim-dominated countries are included in the order – since the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act scrapped national-origin quotas,” which David Bier, an immigration policy analyst at the Cato Institute’s Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity, said amounts to “a paradigm shift” and “explicit rejection of the approach that George W. Bush and Barack Obama embraced, in which a big part of the war on terror was to bring in allies, to prove we’re not waging a war on Islam and to show that we’re an open society toward Muslims.” In a Washington Post (1/28, Hamid, 11.43M) piece, Shadi Hamid, a senior fellow in the Project on US Relations with the Islamic World at the Brookings Institution, concedes that while “the executive order may, in fact, be illegal,” Trump’s “decree, though, is just as frightening – perhaps even more so – for what it tells us about a young presidency and how the office intends to use its power in its flurry of seemingly manic energy and activity.” Hamid asserts that the order “underscores the new administration’s fixation on what it views not as a terrorist threat but a civilizational one in which the very act of being Muslim is grounds for scrutiny.” The AP (1/28, Tucker) cautions “it’s not clear that these measures will help prevent attacks on American soil, and they could wind up emboldening extremists who already view the U.S. as at war with Islam,” noting that the list of affected countries “does not include Saudi Arabia, where the majority of the Sept. 11 hijackers were from.” The AP adds the restrictions also fail to “address a more urgent law enforcement concern: homegrown violent extremists already in the United States who plot their attacks without any overseas connections or contacts.” The Huffington Post (1/28, Mathias, 237K) cites a recent Cato Institute analysis to emphasize “there have been zero fatal terror attacks on US soil since 1975 by immigrants from the seven Muslim-majority countries...targeted with immigration bans on Friday, further highlighting the needlessness and cruelty of the president’s executive order.” Bloomberg News (1/28, Nasseri, Fattah, 2.41M) considers “what’s at stake” from the order, concluding that one thing in common between the seven countries is that they have “little commerce” with the US, as “most of which are either at war or poor – or both.” The Washington Post (1/28, Helderman, 11.43M) takes a more cynical look at the President’s order, noting that “they are places he does not appear to have any business interests,” as a number of countries “excluded from the lists are...majority Muslim nations where the Trump Organization is active and which in some cases have also faced troublesome issues with terrorism.” The Post contends that “notable omissions” include Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and “Indonesia, the world’s largest majority-minority nation, where there are two large Trump-branded resorts underway, built in partnership with powerful local interests.” However, USA Today (1/28, Gomez, 5.28M) suggests the future of the order “may come down to a legal battle between his powers as commander in chief and discrimination limitations established by Congress.” USA Today explains “the legality of Trump’s order will not be clear until it’s argued in federal court, which could happen as early as next week, when civil rights and immigration advocacy groups begin filing their lawsuits.” Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, suggested the courts will uphold their “extraordinary latitude” of the executive branch “in making determinations associated with national security,” but other lawyers cited “the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which forbids discrimination against immigrants based on their ‘nationality, place of birth, or place of residence.’” Meanwhile, the Washington Post (1/28, Kessler, 11.43M) “Fact Checker” also gives the President “Two Pinocchios” because he “goes too far to claim that it is ‘very tough’ for Syrian Christians to become refugees in the United States, and that they have been ‘horribly treated.’” The Post admits he “is correct that a relatively small percentage of Syrian refugees have been admitted,” the article concludes “the Iraqi experience is exactly the opposite, even though the same U.N. agency is handling the refugee requests. The basic fact is no one understands why there is such a disparity. The president could highlight that situation without suggesting that something nefarious is going on.” Researchers Warn “Far-Right Media” Responsible For Fear Of Refugees. The New York Times (1/28, Dickerson, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) blames “far-right media” and “ultraconservative websites like Breitbart News and Infowars” that have in recent months “published a cycle of eye-popping stories with misleading claims about refugees. And it is beginning to influence public perception, experts DHS-17-0435-A-000230 CBP FOIA 000230 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT say.” NYTimes, WPost, Columnists Denounce Trump’s Executive Order. In an editorial, the New York Times (1/28, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) denounces President Trump’s executive order, calling the measure an act of “cruelty” as well as a “bigoted, cowardly, self-defeating policy.” The Times also laments the suffering of the refugees affected by the ban, which “makes clear that the xenophobia and Islamophobia that permeated Mr. Trump’s campaign are to stain his presidency as well.” The Washington Post (1/28, 11.43M) editorializes that the President’s action “is an affront to values upon which the nation was founded and that have made it a beacon of hope around the world.” According to the Post, Trump “has slammed the door on the oppressed and persecuted in a fit of irrational xenophobia.” In his New York Times (1/28, Bruni, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) column, Frank Bruni says that after a week of the Trump Administration, he is “heartsick about America, whose most fundamental values and claim to moral leadership are at stake.” In his New York Times (1/28, Kristof, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) column, Nicholas Kristof condemns the “xenophobic fearmongering that President Trump is now trying to make American policy.” He implores the President to “please remember: This is a country built by refugees and immigrants, your ancestors and mine. When we bar them and vilify them, we shame our own roots.” Immigration: TEXAS BUSINESS LEADERS, OFFICIALS MEET TO DISCUSS TRUMP’S ORDER ON WALL, NAFTA. The Wall Street Journal (1/28, Frosch, Althaus, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) reports a group of 45 Texas business leaders and public officials, including port officials and bankers, on Friday met in Laredo to discuss ways to approach the Trump Administration on border security and trade. The Journal says that of concern to business leaders has been the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement, which has benefited towns like Laredo, Texas, even if it has wrecked manufacturing towns in parts of the country. While coming out in support of the wall, the article says many in the meeting expressed surprise and concern over Trumps stance on NAFTA. TRUMP’S WALL “WILL BE A BOON FOR CONTRACTORS.” The New York Times (1/28, Ivory, Creswell, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports that President Trump’s ambitions to build a border wall, the details of which still remain fuzzy, “will be a boon for contractors.” The article examines prior efforts to build a wall, with Boeing and other companies winning a federal contract in 2006 to do so, but “throwing in the towel” after five years and $1 billion spent. The Times says the project has “already caught the eye of companies and investors eager to get a piece of the construction action, despite the myriad political and social battles that will surround it.” MIAMI MAYORS BLAST GIMENEZ FOR ENDING “SANCTUARY CITY” STATUS. The Miami Herald (1/28, Mazzei, 856K) reports Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez has come under fire from the current and former mayor of the city of Miami, one a Republican and one a Democrat, for “directing county jails to comply with federal immigration detention requests following President Donald Trump’s crackdown on “sanctuary” jurisdictions.” On Friday night, Mayor Tomás Regalado tweeted, “@MiamiPD job is to protect and serve the residents of the @CityofMiami. ...I am disappointed with the decision of the County.” The Herald says both Regalado and Gimenez have been at odds for years. SOURCES SAY TRUMP AIDES DIVIDED OVER DACA. Reuters (1/28, Ainsley, Cowan) reports President Trump’s advisers are divided over whether to rescind the DACA program, “according to congressional sources and Republicans close to the White House.” Reuters says “a more moderate factor” lead by White House Chief of Staff Priebus is at odds with “immigration hardliners Stephen Miller and Steve Bannon.” Miller and Bannon have “pushed Trump to take a harder approach and rescind the protections,” even as Priebus has publicly stated “Trump will work with Congress to get a ‘long-term solution’ on the issue.” DHS-17-0435-A-000231 CBP FOIA 000231 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT Terrorism Investigations: TRUMP SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER EXPEDITING CONFLICT AGAINST ISIS. The Washington Post (1/28, Rucker, Ryan, 11.43M) reports President Trump issued a directive order to the Joint Chiefs on Saturday, in which he established a 30-day deadline to submit a strategy to defeat ISIS. The measure highlights Trump’s commitment to combating global terrorism more aggressively than former President Obama, as Trump pledged during the campaign. On condition of anonymity, a defense official said the extent of the Administration’s campaign “would depend upon the political risk that the president is willing to take when we do certain things that could exacerbate things with Russia or Turkey or the PMF,” or the Iranian-backed militias in Iraq. The official added that new proposals will ensure battlefield commanders “have the wherewithal and the leeway to do what they have to do to successfully prosecute the campaign.” Reuters (1/28, Stewart) says Trump predicted that the executive order is “going to be very successful. That’s big stuff.” Defense Secretary Mattis has rallied for a more forceful approach to ISIS, but the implementation of that goals is not yet clear. Furthermore, military officials “have long acknowledged” that the US “could more quickly defeat” the group by committing its own troops instead of using local fighters, but the measure is not likely to garner much support, would likely result in more American lives lost, and would not likely secure a long-term solution. Reuters adds that the Administration has yet to decide “whether to directly provide weapons to Kurdish fighters in Syria as they push toward Raqqa, despite fierce objections from NATO ally Turkey.” On Friday, Trump met with military officials at the Pentagon for about an hour, during which they discussed not only how to defeat ISIS, but also “other hot-button issues, including the threat from North Korea.” NYTIMES EXAMINES FBI “SHADOWY” EFFORTS TO IDENTIFY ISLAMIC EXTREMISTS. The New York Times (1/28, Lichtblau, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) examines the prosecution of veteran Washington transit officer Nick Young for helping ISIS, as a review “offers a revealing look at the FBI’s shadowy cat-and-mouse efforts to identify possible Islamic extremists.” The Times cautions that his case also “poses a challenge to the FBI’s expanding use of undercover operations to identify Islamic State sympathizers inside the United States.” Young, the article says, was charged with provided the ISIS with “material support” by giving $245 in Google Play gift cards to a Muslim friend named Mo, who was “in reality, an undercover informant,” to support recruitment efforts. His lawyers, however, argue the FBI has “entrapped him, with undercover operatives popping in and out of his life for at least six years.” UNCONFIRMED REPORTS CLAIM US RAID KILLS THREE AL QAEDA MILITANTS IN YEMEN. Residents in the rural southern Yemen district of Yakla told Reuters (1/29, Browning) that an early Sunday helicopter raid killed several people, including the senior leader of al Qaeda’s branch in Yemen, Abdulraoof al-Dhahab, and two of his brothers. The helicopter commandos are believed to be US soldiers; if confirmed, the incident would mark America’s first military raid in Yemen since the nation’s civil war erupted almost two years ago, and the first under the new Administration. Cyber News: HACKERS INFECTED DC POLICE CLOSED-CIRCUIT CAMERA NETWORK PRIOR TO INAUGURATION. The Washington Post (1/27, Williams, 11.43M) reports that 70 percent of the DC Police’s storage devices, which are used to record data from surveillance cameras, were hacked eight days before the presidential inauguration, which required a “major citywide reinstallation effort,” according to officials with the police department and city technology’s office. Accordingly, the “cyberattack affected 123 of 187 network video recorders in a closed-circuit TV system for public spaces across the city,” which “left police cameras unable to record between Jan. 12 and Jan. 15.” Secret Service officer Brian Ebert, however, indicated “the safety of the public or protectees was never jeopardized.” GEOGRAPHY NO LONGER DEFENSE FOR US AGAINST CYBERTHREATS. The AP (1/28, Abdollah) reports that the US has “long relied on its borders and superior military might” to protect itself against “foreign aggressors,” but that there are no such boundaries or rulebooks in cyberspace, which “has increased the threat and leveled the playing field today.” The article says that it’s not clear how President DHS-17-0435-A-000232 CBP FOIA 000232 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT Trump “will respond to cyberspace threats, which transcend traditional borders and make it easier and cheaper than ever for foreigners to attack the US.” However, the approach Trump does take, the AP states, “will set the tone and precedent for global policies during a critical time when the ground rules are still being written.” National Security News: TRUMP SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER TO RESTRUCTURE NSC. The Wall Street Journal (1/28, Lee, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) reports that on Saturday, President Trump signed an executive order that called for the restructuring and streamlining of the National Security Council to ensure it is better equipped to handle cyber, digital, and terrorist threats. A White House official explained the goal of the order was to make NSC “more adaptive to the modern threats that we face.” TRUMP LAUNCHES GLOBAL DEMOCRACY EFFORTS WITHOUT “SEASONED SUPPORT.” Politico (1/28, Crowley, 2.46M) reports President Trump is “pushing ahead with a global democracy” without a confirmed Secretary of State and with “relatively little guidance from seasoned diplomatic advisers.” Trump scheduled a series of phone calls with foreign leaders “despite the continued gaps” in his diplomatic team, Politico says, noting that National Security Adviser Flynn “has no traditional diplomatic experience,” and calling the State Department “a work in progress” where “confusion lingers” in some of its “key parts.” Furthermore, Secretary of State-designate Rex Tillerson is not expected to be confirmed until at least Monday. Politico says Trump’s approach mirrors his campaign style but “contrasts with the one adopted by President Obama.” Trump’s “lack of seasoned support” did not, however, prevent him “from pulling off a seemingly smooth meeting with” British Prime Minister Theresa May. ADMINISTRATION DELAYS ISSUANCE OF UN FUNDING, MULTILATERAL TREATY DRAFT ORDERS. The New York Times (1/28, Fisher, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports an executive order to reduce the US’ funding of the United Nations and another aimed at reviewing and possibly canceling certain multilateral treaties have been delayed, according to current and former US officials briefed on the issue. The Administration submitted both draft orders to the National Security Council but offered the NSC’s advisers less than an hour and a half to review them. Some officials “balked” at the draft orders’ content and warned that they necessitated legal vetting. The draft orders will remain withheld until the State Department and other agencies can conduct a more complete review of the orders’ content. TRUMP, PUTIN DISCUSS FIGHT AGAINST ISIS, REPAIRING US-RUSSIAN RELATIONS. Bloomberg Politics (1/28, Rudnitsky, 201K) reports that in President Trump’s first formal phone call to Russian President Vladimir Putin, both Trump and Putin agreed to cooperate against ISIS and reverse bilateral tensions. Vice President Pence, senior counselor Stephen Bannon, National Security Adviser Flynn, White House Chief of Staff Priebus, and press secretary Sean Spicer also participated in the phone call. In a statement, the White House commented, “The positive call was a significant start to improving the relationship between the United States and Russia that is in need of repair.” The Kremlin described the phone call as “positive and businesslike” and said “both sides demonstrated a desire for active joint efforts to stabilize and develop Russia-American relations on a constructive, equitable and mutually beneficial basis.” In their statements, neither the White House nor the Kremlin mentioned the US’ sanctions against Russia. The Wall Street Journal (1/28, Razumovskaya, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) notes Russia and the past Administration disagreed over the Syrian conflict, with Russia backing Syrian President Bashar al￾Assad and former President Obama backing Assad’s removal. The Journal suggests the statements from the White House and the Kremlin indicated that Trump could more closely align with Russia in Syria against ISIS and other militant groups. The Washington Post (1/28, Rucker, Filipov, 11.43M) reports Russian Security Council head Nikolai Patrushev praised the two leaders’ first official discussion and commented, “We will await the results, but I believe everything will be positive.” Prior to Saturday’s phone call, the Kremlin cautioned against “excessive optimism” over Trump’s presidency and what it will mean for Russia. On Friday, Putin’s DHS-17-0435-A-000233 CBP FOIA 000233 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters, “One can hardly expect substantive contacts on the entire range of affairs from this call,” and recommended, “Let us wait and see. Let us be patient.” The Post adds that from Russia’s perspective, “lifting the sanctions imposed by the Obama administration for interference in the presidential election and Russia’s intervention in Ukraine would be a good start” to improved US-Russian relations, and, “On a grander scale, the Kremlin seems to hope the Trump administration will relax” and allow Putin’s Russia to “have greater influence in world affairs.” The Los Angeles Times (1/28, Parsons, Wilkinson, 4.52M) predicts that Trump’s emerging relationship with Putin will likely be among “the most closely watched of his administration, both at home and around the world.” European leaders and US lawmakers have been “alarmed” by Trump’s “praise and unusually friendly overtures toward the Russian leader,” and their concerns were “further cemented” by the ties to Russia that Secretary of State-designate Rex Tillerson “has acknowledged.” Trump’s supporters, however, have maintained that Trump’s “outreach toward Russia was intended to curb Putin’s aggressive behavior.” TRUMP, MERKEL DISCUSS NATO IN PHONE CONVERSATION. The AP (1/28, Jordans) reports President Trump spoke with German Chancellor Angela Merkel by telephone on Saturday. According to Merkel’s spokesman, Steffen Seibert, the two leaders “expressed their intention to further deepen the already excellent bilateral relations in the coming years,” and agreed on the “fundamental importance that the NATO alliance has for trans-Atlantic relations.” Seibert also claimed Trump accepted Merkel’s invitation to the G-20 meeting in July, which Germany is hosting, and Trump said he looked forward to Merkel’s visit to Washington “soon.” Reuters (1/28, Shalal) reports the two leaders also discussed the situation in North Africa and the Middle East, their nations’ ties to Russia, the eastern Ukrainian conflict, and NATO. In a joint statement, Trump and Merkel wrote that they “recognized that NATO must be capable of confronting 21st century threats and that our common defense requires appropriate investment in military capabilities to ensure all allies are contributing their fair share to our collective security.” The statement did not indicate whether the two leaders discussed Trump’s recent executive order restricting immigration or efforts to cancel free-trade agreements, both of which German officials have criticized. TRUMP, ABE PLAN FOR MEETING, DISCUSS ECONOMIC AND SECURITY ISSUES. The Wall Street Journal (1/28, Nakamichi, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) reports President Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe discussed “the importance” of a mutual alliance in “areas such as the economy and national security” in a Saturday telephone call, according to Abe in remarks after the conversation. Abe said he and Trump also agreed to meet on Feb. 10 in Washington for another “frank, meaningful exchange of opinions.” In their upcoming meeting, Trump and Abe will focus on “affirming the importance of bilateral ties while setting the stage for potentially sensitive trade talks,” Reuters (1/28, Takenaka, Rampton) reports. During the telephone conversation, Abe and Trump discussed the automotive industry, according to Japanese senior government spokesman Koichi Hagiuda, and the importance of US-Japanese economic ties. In a statement, the White House also noted, “President Trump and Prime Minister Abe said they would consult and cooperate on the threat posed by North Korea.” The White House also commented, “President Trump affirmed the ironclad U.S. commitment to ensuring the security of Japan,” and both Trump and Abe “also committed to deepen the bilateral trade and investment relationship,” Reuters (1/28, Rampton, Wroughton) reports in a second article. The White House also confirmed that the two leaders discussed Defense Secretary Mattis’ upcoming visit to Japan. TRUMP HOLDS PHONE CALL WITH AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER. An Australian government official, on condition of anonymity, told Bloomberg News (1/29, Johnson, 2.41M) that in a 25-minute phone conversation with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Saturday, President Trump pledged to uphold the US’ commitment under former President Obama to potentially resettle about 1,600 asylum seekers. The asylum seekers are currently detained in camps on Manus Island and Nauru. The agreement “appeared in jeopardy” on Friday, when Trump issued an executive order to temporarily prohibit refugees from entering the US. In a statement, the White House did not mention the refugee DHS-17-0435-A-000234 CBP FOIA 000234 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT agreement but said Trump and Turnbull “emphasized the enduring strength and closeness of the US￾Australia relationship that is critical for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and globally.” JEWISH LEADERS DENOUNCE NETANYAHU’S PRAISE OF PROPOSED MEXICAN BORDER WALL. Reuters (1/28, Graham) reports Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised President Trump’s proposed Mexican border wall on Saturday and, on his official Twitter account, explained, “President Trump is right. I built a wall along Israel’s southern border. It stopped all illegal immigration. Great success. Great idea.” Mexico’s Jewish community “swiftly rejected” Netanyahu’s remark, including the nation’s Foreign Ministry, which expressed “profound astonishment, rejection and disappointment.” The ministry added that its Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray reiterated Mexico’s deep affection for Israel on Friday, which is recognized as a Holocaust memorial day. The Wall Street Journal (1/28, Jones, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) says that Mexico’s Jewish community also issued statement that read, “As Mexicans and Jews we support the actions taken by President Enrique Peña Nieto in negotiations with the U.S.,” and former US ambassador to Israel, Daniel Shapiro, remarked, “Hard to explain this intervention on a hotly debated issue.” Israel’s ambassador to Mexico, Jonathan Peled, attempted to clarify Netanyahu’s comment and stated that he was “referring to our experience in security that we want to share, it does not express a position on the U.S.-Mexican relationship.” Israeli Settlement Residents Express Optimism About Administration. The Washington Post (1/29, Morris, Eglash, 11.43M) reports some of President Trump’s close associates have ties to a “right-wing Zionist community” of a Beit El settlement in the occupied West Bank. The US’ ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, is president of American Friends of Bet El Institutions, which raises about $2 million annually to protect the community. White House senior adviser Jared Kushner has contributed “tens of thousands” to the organization, and “Trump himself made a $10,000 donation in 2003, his foundation’s tax filings show.” Settlement residents expressed optimism about the settlement’s future and about Friedman’s appointment, but one resident, Hillel Manne, commented that “if you want change you’ll need big change at the State Department.” Hanan Ashrawi of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, however, called upcoming settlement expansion plans “disastrous.” Rice Criticizes Trump’s Statement On International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The Hill (1/28, Vladimirov, 1.25M) reports former National Security Adviser Susan Rice published a Twitter message on Saturday in which she chastised President Trump for issuing a statement on International Holocaust Remembrance Day but failed to recognize Jewish victims. “What sickness enables a statement on [Holocaust Memorial Day] that ignores 6 million Jews! Just imagine the response if Pres. Obama did that,” Rice wrote. Specifically, Rice objected to Trump’s use of the phrase “innocent people” on grounds that the phrase did not adequately reflect the genocide committed against Jews. TRUMP, MAY DISPLAY “SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP” DESPITE CRITICISMS. A source on British Prime Minister Theresa May’s team told Reuters (1/28, Piper) that May and President Trump engaged in a “warm, free-flowing and unscripted” conversation on Friday during lunch to reiterate the “special relationship” between the US and UK. The source revealed, “They talked a lot about Thatcher and Reagan, and both agreed it was one of the most successful political relationships ever,” and that “Trump went on to say that he always looked up to Reagan and said that he wanted their relationship to be even better than that one.” The source said Trump and May also discussed Russia, Brexit, and the NATO alliance. The AP (1/28, Lawless) similarly says May and Trump’s friendship was evidenced by “front-page photos of the two leaders touching hands as they walked at the White House before a strikingly collegial news conference.” The two leaders’ mutual affection was seemingly resistant to their starkly different positions on a variety of matters. May’s office described Trump’s offer of his hand as a chivalrous gesture and confirmed that the two leaders’ conversation flowed easily. May’s apparent rapport with Trump is “delighting those who think Trump’s presidency will be good for Britain but alarming others who loathe the brash Republican populist.” Britain’s Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn accused May for having “failed to challenge Trump and stand up for our values,” and Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said she DHS-17-0435-A-000235 CBP FOIA 000235 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT “clearly spent her time with Trump dodging his despicable comments on torture, on women, on Muslims and on Mexicans.” Bloomberg Politics (1/29, Hutton, 201K) says that the two leaders’ amicability failed to resonate in Britain, and “May’s refusal to publicly disagree with” Trump on his executive order limiting immigration “unleashed a flood of criticism,” especially from her Conservative Party colleagues. In Turkey, where May traveled to after departing the US, she “was asked three times what she thought of the ban, and three times she ignored the question.” May finally responded to heckling journalists, saying, “The United States is responsible for the United States’ own policy on refugees.” NYPost Praises “Special Relationship” Between Trump, May. In an editorial, the New York Post (1/28, 3.82M) praises President Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May for establishing their “special relationship” and adds that the US and Britain “seem to be in step again — as in the days of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, or Bill Clinton and Tony Blair.” The Post points to “Trump’s remarkable Election Day win” and Britons’ vote to leave the European Union, which prompted May’s predecessor, David Cameron, to resign, as “twin populist surprises” to which the two leaders “owe their offices.” The Post concludes, “For the new president’s first face-to-face with a fellow world leader, it couldn’t have gone better.” HOLLANDE URGES TRUMP, EUROPEAN LEADERS TO REJECT POPULISM. Reuters (1/28, Rose) reports French President Francois Hollande, in a Saturday phone call, urged President Trump to resist adopting a protectionist approach because of the economic and political ramifications of “turning inward.” Hollande also reiterated his country’s commitment to the UN, the indispensable value of NATO, and importance of keeping the EU intact. Before reporters, Hollande urged EU members to unite against the threat of populist movement and accused the US of encouraging “populism and even extremism,” the AP (1/28, Hatton) reports. He accused the US of “saying that Europe should not take immigrants, shouldn’t stay together, not believe in climate change,” and called on bloc leaders to “engage in discussions (with the U.S.) that sometimes should be very firm.” Hollande asserted that “as long as there are statements from the U.S. president about Europe, when he speaks about the model of Brexit for other countries, when the U.S. president talks about climate change...saying he’s not convinced of it, we should respond to him. When he takes protectionist measures, we should respond to him. When he destabilizes the economies of other countries, not only European ones, we should respond to him. When he rejects the arrival of refugees, while Europe has done its duty, we should respond to him.” JORDANIAN KING TO VISIT US ON MONDAY. The Wall Street Journal (1/28, Paletta, Nicholas, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) reports King Abdullah II of Jordan will visit Washington, DC on Monday, although it is unclear whether he will meet with President Trump. A statement from King Abdullah II’s office claimed he will meet with members of Congress and other US officials; King Abdullah II’s visit may be the first visit from an Arab leader since Trump issued an executive order limiting the US’ refugee program and blocking the entry of people from various Muslim nations. EUROPE’S FUTURE EXPECTED TO HINGE ON RESOLUTIONS OF KEY UNCERTAINTIES. The New York Times (1/28, Gladstone, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) highlights the uncertainties that face Europe in 2017, such as “terrorism, borders, migration, economics and President Trump’s new America First message booming from across the Atlantic.” The Times profiles Britain’s exit from the European Union, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s potential withdrawal of Turkey’s bloc membership application, and the economic troubles in Greece and Italy as key issues. The Times also points to Trump’s uncertain position on US-Russian relations and NATO as well as his possible impact on key European elections this year. DISPUTE OVER KINGS OF MALTA REFLECTS DEEP DIVISIONS IN THE VATICAN. On its front page, the New York Times (1/28, A1, Horowitz, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports the medieval Roman Catholic order known as the Kings of Malta agreed on Saturday to Pope Francis’ demand to replace its leader with a papal delegate. The “intra-Catholic squabble” erupted into “a full-scale proxy war between Pope Francis and the Vatican traditionalists who oppose him,” however, when the conservatives DHS-17-0435-A-000236 CBP FOIA 000236 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT denounced Francis’ order as “an illegal annexation and ideological purging by a power-obsessed pontiff.” The conflict, says the Times, indicates that the Vatican is not immune to the “political tensions rippling across the globe.” JAPAN ADDRESSES GROWING AGING POPULATION. In a front-page article, the Washington Post (1/28, A1, Fifield, 11.43M) reports more than a quarter of Japan’s population is over the age of 65, and that figure is expected to reach 40 percent by 2050. The nation’s birthrate, however, is well below the level required to maintain its current population of 128 million. The Japanese government is preemptively addressing anticipated elderly care labor shortages and exploring how to keep the rising number of seniors healthy and active. In one measure, to be implemented next year, the government will loosen elderly caregiver licensing regulations and establish a technical intern program. WPOST DENOUNCES RUSSIA’S DECRIMINALIZATION OF DOMESTIC BATTERY. In an editorial about Russia’s lower parliamentary house, the State Duma, vote Friday to approve the decriminalization of domestic battery for first-time offenders, the Washington Post (1/28, 11.43M) calls the move “wrong￾headed” and says it “sends a message that brutality in a family is legitimate.” The Post contends that the “most objectionable” aspect of the measure “is the broader message it sends: that a domestic assault that doesn’t break bones or result in a concussion” should not be penalized, even if the assault results in humiliation or deeply damages the victim emotionally. KABUL CITIZENS AWAIT OUTCOME OF ALLEGATIONS AGAINST AFGHANISTAN’S VICE PRESIDENT. The Washington Post (1/28, Constable, 11.43M) reports that residents in Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, are questioning whether police units intend to arrest “rogue vice president” Abdurrashid Dostum, the ethnic Uzbek leader and former warlord accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting his political rival, Ahmad Eschi. The allegations against Dostum have thrust President Ashraf Ghani’s government “into a tense predicament.” Western governments and human rights organizations have urged Ghani to take legal action against Dostum, but some influential officials warned that such action could prompt an armed uprising on behalf of Dostum’s followers. FORMER WARLORD TO RETURN TO AFGHANISTAN WITHIN WEEKS. The AP (1/29, Gannon) reports Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, a former warlord and “the only insurgent leader to sign a peace pact with Afghanistan’s government,” plans to “return to the country within weeks, his chief negotiator says, in a move that could shake up Afghan politics and complicate the much wider war against the Taliban.” The AP notes Hekmatyar is on the UN and US Treasury’s “lists of wanted terrorists” and his spokesman “declined to say whether Hekmatyar would return to Afghanistan without first being removed from the lists, and there has been no indication that the U.N. or Washington is considering his removal.” AFGHAN GOVERNMENT STRUGGLES TO RESOLVE TALIBAN’S INCOME DIVERSIFICATION EFFORTS. The New York Times (1/28, Mashal, Rahim, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports Taliban militants in Afghanistan have routinely collected utility bills from residents in Helmand and in Kunduz. Afghanistan’s government provides the electricity, often from neighboring countries, but if it terminates power then it risks further angering the already-disenchanted populations. According to the UN, the utility payment seizures are the Taliban’s latest efforts to diversify their income streams, which also include crop levies and narcotics. To keep the email to a manageable size, the national news summary is available on the website. Copyright 2017 by Bulletin Intelligence LLC Reproduction or redistribution without permission prohibited. Content is drawn from thousands of newspapers, national magazines, national and local television programs, radio broadcasts, social-media platforms and additional forms of open-source data. Sources for Bulletin Intelligence audience-size estimates include Scarborough, GfK MRI, comScore, Nielsen, and the Audit Bureau of Circulation. Services that include Twitter data are governed by Twitters’ DHS-17-0435-A-000237 CBP FOIA 000237 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT terms of use. Services that include Factiva content are governed by Factiva’s terms of use. The DHS News Briefing is published seven days a week by Bulletin Intelligence, which creates custom briefings for government and corporate leaders. We can be found on the Web at BulletinIntelligence.com, or called at (703) 483-6100. DHS-17-0435-A-000238 CBP FOIA 000238 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT THE HOMELAND SECURITY NEWS CLIPS PREPARED FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY BY BULLETIN INTELLIGENCE WWW.BULLETININTELLIGENCE.COM/DHS TO: THE SECRETARY AND SENIOR STAFF DATE: SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2017 7:00 AM EST TODAY’S EDITION Leading DHS News Full Executive Order Text: Trump’s Action Limiting Refugees Into The U.S. (NYT) .............................................................. 3 Federal Judge Grants Stay For Those Detained Under Trump’s Travel Ban (NYPOST) .......................................................... 6 Judge Stays Deportations; Trump Order Barring Refugees, Migrants From Muslim Countries Triggers Chaos, Outrage (WP) ...................................................................................... 7 Trump Says Immigration Ban Working ‘Nicely’ As Protests, Detainments Hit Airports (USAT) ......................................... 9 Trump Defends Order: ‘It’s Not A Muslim Ban’ (HILL) ................ 11 White House Defends Immigrant Ban As Airports Stop Travelers (BLOOMPOL) ..................................................... 12 Donald Trump Says His Order To Bar Refugees And Travelers Is ‘Working Out Very Nicely’ (HUFFPOST) ....................... 14 Trump Says New Order On Refugees Is Not A Muslim Ban (REU) .................................................................................. 14 Trump Order Barring Refugees, Migrants From Muslim Countries Triggers Chaos, Outrage (WP) .......................... 14 White House Defends Executive Order Barring Travelers From Certain Muslim Countries (WSJ) ........................................ 16 White House Says U.S. Still Most Open Immigration System Even After Trump Orders (WT) .......................................... 16 Trump Visa Ban Also Applies To Citizens With Dual Nationality, State Department Says (WSJ) ........................................... 17 Green Card Holders Included In Trump Ban: Homeland Security (REU) .................................................................................. 17 ‘Case By Case’ Approach For U.S. Green Card Holders Under Trump’s New Order (REU) ................................................. 17 Trump Orders Publication Of Stats On Terror-linked Crime By Foreign Nationals (HILL) .................................................... 17 Officials Say Visas Were Being Revoked Prior To Trump’s Executive Order (NBCNEWS) ............................................ 18 Trump’s Order Blocks Immigrants At Airports, Stoking Fear Around Globe (NYT) ........................................................... 19 Trump Order On Refugees, Muslims Sparks Confusion, Worry (AP) ..................................................................................... 21 ‘How Do I Get Back Home?’ Iranians Turned Away From Flights To U.S. (NYT) ..................................................................... 22 Migrants Prevented From Boarding Flights To The U.S. In Wake Of Trump Order (WSJ) ............................................. 23 ‘These Are People’s Lives They Are Playing With’: World’s Airports Turn Into Limbo For Many Under Trump Order (WP) .................................................................................... 23 Despair, Confusion Reign As Trump’s Travel Ban Hits (AP) ...... 24 An Iraqi Family Split By The Vicissitudes Of Asylum (NYT) ....... 26 Families Divided By Trump’s Refugee Order Worry About The Future (LAT) ....................................................................... 28 Airport Detentions Of Iraqi Travelers Spark Lawsuit, Protest (WSJ) .................................................................................. 28 First Lawsuit Filed To Challenge Trump’s Refugee Policy (WT) 28 Iraqis Who Spent Years Helping U.S. Among The First Detained Under Trump’s Ban (HUFFPOST) ..................... 29 Broad Lawsuit Challenges Trump Immigration Order (POLITICO) ......................................................................... 29 Massive Crowds Gather At JFK In Protest Of Immigration Ban (HILL) .................................................................................. 30 NYC Airport Becomes Scene Of Anguish After Trump Travel Ban (AP) ............................................................................. 31 Striking New York Cabbies Join Airport Protest Against Trump’s Muslim Crackdown (HUFFPOST) ...................................... 31 Cuomo Says State Will Explore Helping Detainees At Airports After Trump’s Order (POLITICO) ....................................... 32 Trump’s Executive Order Is Already Hurting Refugees, Muslims And Families (HUFFPOST) ................................................ 32 Protests Erupt Against Ban On Refugees (USAT) ..................... 34 U.S. Immigrants React To Ban: ‘Our President Is Trying To Divide Us’ (USAT) .............................................................. 35 Hundreds Rally In Boston Against Trump’s Immigrant Policies (BOSGLOBE) ..................................................................... 36 Baker, Local Pols Oppose Trump Immigration Order (BOSGLOBE) ..................................................................... 37 Congresswoman, Lawyers Working To Free 13 Detainees At O’Hare (CHIST) .................................................................. 38 18 People Held At O’Hare After Trump Order, Including Park Ridge Man: Lawyers (CHIT) ............................................... 40 Immigration Attorneys At LAX Helping Immigrants, Many From Iran, Detained By Federal Officials (LAT) .......................... 41 Trump’s Immigration Ban Draws Deep Anger And Muted Praise (NYT) .................................................................................. 42 DHS-17-0435-A-000239 CBP FOIA 000239 2 More Republicans Are Speaking Out Against Trump’s Refugee Ban. Paul Ryan And Mitch McConnell Aren’t Among Them. (WP) ........................................................................ 43 After Trump Order, Some Lawmakers Remain Silent, While Others Speak Out (WSJ) .................................................... 45 A Very Few Republicans Finally Criticize Trump’s Refugee And Travel Ban (HUFFPOST) ................................................... 45 Republicans Go Largely Silent As Trump Bars Refugees And Immigrants From U.S. (HUFFPOST) ................................. 46 GOP Critics Hit Trump Immigration Order (POLITICO) .............. 47 Democrats Slam Trump’s Immigration Ban As Callous And Cruel (HUFFPOST) ............................................................ 48 Schumer Calls For Trump Admin To ‘Rescind’ Refugee Order (HILL) .................................................................................. 49 ‘Lady Liberty Is Crying,’ Democrats Declare In Wake Of Trump’s Visa, Asylum Executive Order (WT) .................... 50 Dem: Feds Need To Explain Refugee Order (HILL) ................... 50 Keith Ellison, First Muslim Congressman, Calls For ‘mass Rallies’ To Stop Trump Orders (WP) ................................. 51 Sanders: Trump ‘Fostering Hatred’ With Refugee Ban (HILL) ... 51 Warren Goes On Tweetstorm Over Refugee Ban (HILL) ........... 51 How Trump Just Made America Less Safe (HUFFPOST) ......... 52 Iraqis Who Aided U.S. During War Now See Visa Hopes Dim (WSJ) .................................................................................. 53 Iran Retaliates, Canada Opens Arms After Trump Immigration Ban (USAT) ........................................................................ 53 Trump Ban Sparks U.S. Immigration Chaos, Infuriates Muslims (REU) .................................................................................. 54 U.N. Agencies Urge Trump To Allow Refugees Entry (REU) ..... 54 UN Hopes US Refugee Ban Is Temporary (DAYMAIL) .............. 54 Advocacy Groups Condemn U.S. Suspension Of Refugee Program (WSJ) ................................................................... 55 Heartbreak And Anger Follow Trump’s Immigration Order (BOSGLOBE) ..................................................................... 55 Warm Welcome For Syrians In A Country About To Ban Them (NYT) .................................................................................. 56 Donald Trump’s Un-American Refugee Policy (NYT) ................. 57 Trump Shuts The Door On Men And Women Who Have Sacrificed For America (WP) .............................................. 58 I Went Through America’s Extreme Vetting (PMZ) ..................... 59 Tech Firms Recall Employees To U.S., Denounce Trump’s Ban On Refugees From Muslim Countries (WP) ...................... 61 Silicon Valley Leaders Target Donald Trump’s Travel Restrictions (WSJ) .............................................................. 62 Trump Immigration Ban Sends Shockwaves Through Tech (USAT) ................................................................................ 62 Google, Facebook Reflect Tech Dismay On Trump Immigration Order (BLOOM) .................................................................. 64 Tech Industry Reacts To Trump’s Executive Order On Immigration With Fear And Frustration (LAT) .................... 65 Airlines Rushing To Comply With Trump’s Surprise Travel Ban (BLOOM) ............................................................................ 67 Trump’s Signing Of Immigrant Ban Puts Pentagon In Uncomfortable Light (NYT) ................................................. 67 US Suspends Immigration Program Helping Non-Muslim Iranians (AP) ....................................................................... 68 State Dept Web Page On Refugees Disappears (HILL) ............ 69 A Sweeping Order Is Unlikely To Reduce Terrorist Threat (NYT)70 Trump Redefines The Enemy And 15 Years Of Counterterrorism Policy (WP) ............................................. 71 Open Doors, Slamming Gates: The Tumultuous Politics Of U.S. Immigration Policy (WP) ..................................................... 72 Will We Be Forced Into A Religious Test? The Dangerous Questions Muslims Are Facing. (WP) ................................ 74 Trump Shuts Door On Refugees, But Will The US Be Safer? (AP) ..................................................................................... 75 There Have Been No Fatal Terror Attacks In The U.S. By Immigrants From The 7 Banned Muslim Countries (HUFFPOST) ...................................................................... 76 Little National Security Benefit To Trump’s Executive Order On Immigration (CATOINST) ................................................... 77 Trump’s Visa Ban Order: The View From A Worried Middle East (BLOOM) ............................................................................ 78 Countries Where Trump Does Business Are Not Hit By New Travel Restrictions (WP) .................................................... 79 Experts Question Legality Of Trump’s Immigration Ban On Muslim Countries (USAT) ................................................... 80 Trump’s Claim That It Is ‘Very Tough’ For Christian Syrians To Get To The United States (WP) ......................................... 81 Anxiety About Muslim Refugees Is Stoked Online By The Far￾Right Media (NYT) .............................................................. 82 Donald Trump’s Muslim Ban Is Cowardly And Dangerous (NYT)83 Pandering To Fear (WP) ............................................................. 84 A Sisterly ‘No’ To Donald Trump (NYT) ...................................... 84 President Trump, Meet My Family (NYT) .................................... 86 Immigration Texas Border Leaders Discuss How To Approach Trump On Security, Trade (WSJ) ........................................................ 87 One Certainty Of Trump’s Wall: Big Money (NYT) ..................... 87 Miami Mayors Chide Gimenez Over County Immigration Detentions (MH) ................................................................. 89 Trump Aides Divided Over Policy Shielding ‘Dreamer’ Immigrants: Sources (REU) ............................................... 90 Terrorism Investigations Trump Orders Joint Chiefs To Draft ISIS Strategy, Restructuring Of Security Council (WP) ................................................... 90 Trump’s Call For Deadlier Islamic State Push May Hit Limits (REU) .................................................................................. 90 How An American Ended Up Accused Of Aiding ISIS With Gift Cards (NYT) ........................................................................ 91 Suspected U.S. Commando Raid In Yemen Kills Three Al Qaeda Members: Residents (REU) ................................... 92 Cyber News Hackers Hit D.C. Police Closed-circuit Camera Network, City Officials Disclose (WP) ....................................................... 92 US No Longer Has Geography As Defense, Ally In Cybercombat (AP) .............................................................. 93 DHS-17-0435-A-000240 CBP FOIA 000240 3 National Security News Donald Trump Signs Order To Revamp National Security Council (WSJ) ..................................................................... 94 Trump’s Making His Own Rules As A Diplomat, Too (POLITICO) ......................................................................... 94 Trump Administration Holds Off On Issuing U.N. Funding Order (NYT) .................................................................................. 95 Trump, Putin Use First Formal Phone Call To Seek Better Ties (BLOOMPOL) ..................................................................... 95 Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin Discuss Working Together To Fight Terrorism (WSJ) ........................................................ 96 Trump Holds Calls With Putin, Leaders From Europe And Asia (WP) .................................................................................... 96 Trump And Putin Have First Official Phone Conversation Amid European Anxiety About Future Relations (LAT) .............. 98 Germany’s Merkel, Trump Agree On Importance Of NATO In Call (AP) .............................................................................. 99 Trump, Merkel Agree NATO Members Must Pay Fair Share (REU) .................................................................................. 99 Shinzo Abe Discusses Importance Of Japan-U.S. Alliance With Donald Trump (WSJ) .......................................................... 99 Japan PM Abe: To Meet Trump February 10; Reaffirmed Importance Of Alliance (REU) ............................................ 99 Trump Tells Abe U.S. Commitment To Japan Security ‘Ironclad’: White House (REU) ........................................... 99 Trump To Honor Pacific Island Refugee Deal With Australia (BLOOM) ............................................................................ 99 Mexico Rebukes Israel Over Netanyahu Wall Tweet (REU) .... 100 Israel PM Netanyahu Praises Trump’s Plan For Mexico Border Wall (WSJ) ........................................................................ 100 Inside The Contentious Israeli Settlement That Counts Trump As A Donor (WP) .............................................................. 100 Rice Blasts Trump For Not Mentioning Jews In Holocaust Statement (HILL) .............................................................. 101 Evoking Reagan And Thatcher, May Hails New UK-U.S. ‘Special Relationship’ (REU) ............................................ 102 May’s Mission To Woo Trump A Success, But Makes Some Uneasy (AP) ..................................................................... 102 May Under Fire Over Her Failure To Condemn Trump’s Refugee Ban (BLOOMPOL) ............................................. 103 Trump-May Meeting A Win For Two Great Nations (NYPOST) 103 France’s Hollande Warns Trump Against Protectionism (REU) 104 French Leader Chides US Populism, Urges European Unity (AP) ................................................................................... 104 Jordan’s King Abdullah II To Visit Washington On Monday (WSJ) ................................................................................ 104 The Questions That Could Reshape A Worried Europe In 2017 (NYT) ................................................................................ 104 Ten Centuries Later, A Pope And Knights Do Battle (NYT) ..... 106 Meet The Youngsters Helping Solve Japan’s Caregiving Crisis. Like Kunio Odaira, 72 (WP) .............................................. 108 Russia’s Blow To Women (WP) ................................................ 109 Kabul On Edge Amid Standoff Between Afghan Government And Vice President (WP) .................................................. 109 Former Warlord’s Return Could Shake Up Afghan Politics (AP)110 Taliban, Collecting Bills For Afghan Utilities, Tap New Revenue Sources (NYT) .................................................................. 111 National News Inside The GOP Debate Over Strengthening Defense Spending, Despite The Cost (WP) ................................... 113 Troops Who Cleaned Up Radioactive Islands Can’t Get Medical Care (NYT) ....................................................................... 114 New York City To Pay $8.2 Million Over Shooting By Off-Duty Officer (NYT) ..................................................................... 116 After Trump Criticism On Chicago Violence, Emanuel Touts Police Smarts (CHIT) ........................................................ 117 Trump’s Vision Of ‘Carnage’ Misses Complex Reality Of Many Cities (NYT) ...................................................................... 118 Fashion Police: Cops Ease Rules On Tattoos, Turbans, Beards (AP) ................................................................................... 119 After Roof Trial, SC Addressing Faith, Violence Intersection (AP) ................................................................................... 120 Shooting At Tennessee Armory Leaves 10 Wounded, Three Still Hospitalized (REU) .................................................... 121 LEADING DHS NEWS Full Executive Order Text: Trump’s Action Limiting Refugees Into The U.S. New York Times, January 27, 2017 President Trump signed an executive order on Friday titled “Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States.” Following is the language of that order, as supplied by the White House. By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America, including the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq., and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, and to protect the American people from terrorist attacks by foreign nationals admitted to the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows: Section 1. Purpose. The visa-issuance process plays a crucial role in detecting individuals with terrorist ties and stopping them from entering the United States. Perhaps in no instance was that more apparent than the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, when State Department policy prevented consular officers from properly scrutinizing the visa applications of several of the 19 foreign nationals who went on to murder nearly 3,000 Americans. And while the visa￾issuance process was reviewed and amended after the September 11 attacks to better detect would-be terrorists DHS-17-0435-A-000241 CBP FOIA 000241 4 from receiving visas, these measures did not stop attacks by foreign nationals who were admitted to the United States. Numerous foreign-born individuals have been convicted or implicated in terrorism-related crimes since September 11, 2001, including foreign nationals who entered the United States after receiving visitor, student, or employment visas, or who entered through the United States refugee resettlement program. Deteriorating conditions in certain countries due to war, strife, disaster, and civil unrest increase the likelihood that terrorists will use any means possible to enter the United States. The United States must be vigilant during the visa￾issuance process to ensure that those approved for admission do not intend to harm Americans and that they have no ties to terrorism. In order to protect Americans, the United States must ensure that those admitted to this country do not bear hostile attitudes toward it and its founding principles. The United States cannot, and should not, admit those who do not support the Constitution, or those who would place violent ideologies over American law. In addition, the United States should not admit those who engage in acts of bigotry or hatred (including “honor” killings, other forms of violence against women, or the persecution of those who practice religions different from their own) or those who would oppress Americans of any race, gender, or sexual orientation. Sec. 2. Policy. It is the policy of the United States to protect its citizens from foreign nationals who intend to commit terrorist attacks in the United States; and to prevent the admission of foreign nationals who intend to exploit United States immigration laws for malevolent purposes. Sec. 3. Suspension of Issuance of Visas and Other Immigration Benefits to Nationals of Countries of Particular Concern. (a) The Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Director of National Intelligence, shall immediately conduct a review to determine the information needed from any country to adjudicate any visa, admission, or other benefit under the INA (adjudications) in order to determine that the individual seeking the benefit is who the individual claims to be and is not a security or public-safety threat. (b) The Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Director of National Intelligence, shall submit to the President a report on the results of the review described in subsection (a) of this section, including the Secretary of Homeland Security’s determination of the information needed for adjudications and a list of countries that do not provide adequate information, within 30 days of the date of this order. The Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide a copy of the report to the Secretary of State and the Director of National Intelligence. (c) To temporarily reduce investigative burdens on relevant agencies during the review period described in subsection (a) of this section, to ensure the proper review and maximum utilization of available resources for the screening of foreign nationals, and to ensure that adequate standards are established to prevent infiltration by foreign terrorists or criminals, pursuant to section 212(f) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1182(f), I hereby proclaim that the immigrant and nonimmigrant entry into the United States of aliens from countries referred to in section 217(a)(12) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1187(a)(12), would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, and I hereby suspend entry into the United States, as immigrants and nonimmigrants, of such persons for 90 days from the date of this order (excluding those foreign nationals traveling on diplomatic visas, North Atlantic Treaty Organization visas, C-2 visas for travel to the United Nations, and G-1, G-2, G-3, and G-4 visas). (d) Immediately upon receipt of the report described in subsection (b) of this section regarding the information needed for adjudications, the Secretary of State shall request all foreign governments that do not supply such information to start providing such information regarding their nationals within 60 days of notification. (e) After the 60-day period described in subsection (d) of this section expires, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, shall submit to the President a list of countries recommended for inclusion on a Presidential proclamation that would prohibit the entry of foreign nationals (excluding those foreign nationals traveling on diplomatic visas, North Atlantic Treaty Organization visas, C-2 visas for travel to the United Nations, and G-1, G-2, G-3, and G-4 visas) from countries that do not provide the information requested pursuant to subsection (d) of this section until compliance occurs. (f) At any point after submitting the list described in subsection (e) of this section, the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security may submit to the President the names of any additional countries recommended for similar treatment. (g) Notwithstanding a suspension pursuant to subsection (c) of this section or pursuant to a Presidential proclamation described in subsection (e) of this section, the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security may, on a case￾by-case basis, and when in the national interest, issue visas or other immigration benefits to nationals of countries for which visas and benefits are otherwise blocked. (h) The Secretaries of State and Homeland Security shall submit to the President a joint report on the progress in implementing this orderwithin 30 days of the date of this order, a second report within 60 daysof the date of this order, a third report within 90 days of the date of this order, and a fourth report within 120 days of the date of this order. Sec. 4. Implementing Uniform Screening Standards for All Immigration Programs. (a) The Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Director of National Intelligence, and the Director of the Federal Bureau of DHS-17-0435-A-000242 CBP FOIA 000242 5 Investigation shall implement a program, as part of the adjudication process for immigration benefits, to identify individuals seeking to enter the United States on a fraudulent basis with the intent to cause harm, or who are at risk of causing harm subsequent to their admission. This program will include the development of a uniform screening standard and procedure, such as in-person interviews; a database of identity documents proffered by applicants to ensure that duplicate documents are not used by multiple applicants; amended application forms that include questions aimed at identifying fraudulent answers and malicious intent; a mechanism to ensure that the applicant is who the applicant claims to be; a process to evaluate the applicant’s likelihood of becoming a positively contributing member of society and the applicant’s ability to make contributions to the national interest; and a mechanism to assess whether or not the applicant has the intent to commit criminal or terrorist acts after entering the United States. (b) The Secretary of Homeland Security, in conjunction with the Secretary of State, the Director of National Intelligence, and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, shall submit to the President an initial report on the progress of this directive within 60 days of the date of this order, a second report within 100 days of the date of this order, and a third report within 200 days of the date of this order. Sec. 5. Realignment of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program for Fiscal Year 2017. (a) The Secretary of State shall suspend the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) for 120 days. During the 120-day period, the Secretary of State, in conjunction with the Secretary of Homeland Security and in consultation with the Director of National Intelligence, shall review the USRAP application and adjudication process to determine what additional procedures should be taken to ensure that those approved for refugee admission do not pose a threat to the security and welfare of the United States, and shall implement such additional procedures. Refugee applicants who are already in the USRAP process may be admitted upon the initiation and completion of these revised procedures. Upon the date that is 120 days after the date of this order, the Secretary of State shall resume USRAP admissions only for nationals of countries for which the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence have jointly determined that such additional procedures are adequate to ensure the security and welfare of the United States. (b) Upon the resumption of USRAP admissions, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, is further directed to make changes, to the extent permitted by law, to prioritize refugee claims made by individuals on the basis of religious-based persecution, provided that the religion of the individual is a minority religion in the individual’s country of nationality. Where necessary and appropriate, the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security shall recommend legislation to the President that would assist with such prioritization. (c) Pursuant to section 212(f) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1182(f), I hereby proclaim that the entry of nationals of Syria as refugees is detrimental to the interests of the United States and thus suspend any such entry until such time as I have determined that sufficient changes have been made to the USRAP to ensure that admission of Syrian refugees is consistent with the national interest. (d) Pursuant to section 212(f) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1182(f), I hereby proclaim that the entry of more than 50,000 refugees in fiscal year 2017 would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, and thus suspend any such entry until such time as I determine that additional admissions would be in the national interest. (e) Notwithstanding the temporary suspension imposed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security may jointly determine to admit individuals to the United States as refugees on a case-by￾case basis, in their discretion, but only so long as they determine that the admission of such individuals as refugees is in the national interest — including when the person is a religious minority in his country of nationality facing religious persecution, when admitting the person would enable the United States to conform its conduct to a preexisting international agreement, or when the person is already in transit and denying admission would cause undue hardship — and it would not pose a risk to the security or welfare of the United States. (f) The Secretary of State shall submit to the President an initial report on the progress of the directive in subsection (b) of this section regarding prioritization of claims made by individuals on the basis of religious-based persecution within 100 days of the date of this order and shall submit a second report within 200 days of the date of this order. (g) It is the policy of the executive branch that, to the extent permitted by law and as practicable, State and local jurisdictions be granted a role in the process of determining the placement or settlement in their jurisdictions of aliens eligible to be admitted to the United States as refugees. To that end, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall examine existing law to determine the extent to which, consistent with applicable law, State and local jurisdictions may have greater involvement in the process of determining the placement or resettlement of refugees in their jurisdictions, and shall devise a proposal to lawfully promote such involvement. Sec. 6. Rescission of Exercise of Authority Relating to the Terrorism Grounds of Inadmissibility. The Secretaries of State and Homeland Security shall, in consultation with the Attorney General, consider rescinding the exercises of authority in section 212 of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1182, relating to DHS-17-0435-A-000243 CBP FOIA 000243 6 the terrorism grounds of inadmissibility, as well as any related implementing memoranda. Sec. 7. Expedited Completion of the Biometric Entry￾Exit Tracking System. (a) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall expedite the completion and implementation of a biometric entry-exit tracking system for all travelers to the United States, as recommended by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States. (b) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the President periodic reports on the progress of the directive contained in subsection (a) of this section. The initial report shall be submitted within 100 days of the date of this order, a second report shall be submitted within 200 days of the date of this order, and a third report shall be submitted within 365 days of the date of this order. Further, the Secretary shall submit a report every 180 days thereafter until the system is fully deployed and operational. Sec. 8. Visa Interview Security. (a) The Secretary of State shall immediately suspend the Visa Interview Waiver Program and ensure compliance with section 222 of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1222, which requires that all individuals seeking a nonimmigrant visa undergo an in-person interview, subject to specific statutory exceptions. (b) To the extent permitted by law and subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary of State shall immediately expand the Consular Fellows Program, including by substantially increasing the number of Fellows, lengthening or making permanent the period of service, and making language training at the Foreign Service Institute available to Fellows for assignment to posts outside of their area of core linguistic ability, to ensure that non-immigrant visa-interview wait times are not unduly affected. Sec. 9. Visa Validity Reciprocity. The Secretary of State shall review all nonimmigrant visa reciprocity agreements to ensure that they are, with respect to each visa classification, truly reciprocal insofar as practicable with respect to validity period and fees, as required by sections 221(c) and 281 of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1201(c) and 1351, and other treatment. If a country does not treat United States nationals seeking nonimmigrant visas in a reciprocal manner, the Secretary of State shall adjust the visa validity period, fee schedule, or other treatment to match the treatment of United States nationals by the foreign country, to the extent practicable. Sec. 10. Transparency and Data Collection. (a) To be more transparent with the American people, and to more effectively implement policies and practices that serve the national interest, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Attorney General, shall, consistent with applicable law and national security, collect and make publicly available within 180 days, and every 180 days thereafter: (i) information regarding the number of foreign nationals in the United States who have been charged with terrorism￾related offenses while in the United States; convicted of terrorism-related offenses while in the United States; or removed from the United States based on terrorism-related activity, affiliation, or material support to a terrorism-related organization, or any other national security reasons since the date of this order or the last reporting period, whichever is later; (ii) information regarding the number of foreign nationals in the United States who have been radicalized after entry into the United States and engaged in terrorism￾related acts, or who have provided material support to terrorism-related organizations in countries that pose a threat to the United States, since the date of this order or the last reporting period, whichever is later; and (iii) information regarding the number and types of acts of gender-based violence against women, including honor killings, in the United States by foreign nationals, since the date of this order or the last reporting period, whichever is later; and (iv) any other information relevant to public safety and security as determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Attorney General, including information on the immigration status of foreign nationals charged with major offenses. (b) The Secretary of State shall, within one year of the date of this order, provide a report on the estimated long-term costs of the USRAP at the Federal, State, and local levels. Sec. 11. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: (i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or (ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. Federal Judge Grants Stay For Those Detained Under Trump’s Travel Ban By Jennifer Bain And Kathianne Boniello New York Post, January 28, 2017 A federal judge in Brooklyn ordered a stop to the Trump administration’s deportations of hundreds of travelers who arrived in the US on Friday and Saturday from seven predominately Muslim countries. Judge Anne Donnelly on Saturday night granted a request from the American Civil Liberties Union to stop DHS-17-0435-A-000244 CBP FOIA 000244 7 deportations of those who were on their way to the US as Trump’s order took effect. The 100 to 200 detainees, including at least 10 at Kennedy Airport, will not be released immediately. But for now, they also will not be sent back to where they came from. Donnelly issued her order after ACLU lawyer Lee Gelernt stated that at least one person at JFK was being put on a flight back to Syria as the hearing commenced. That led the judge to ask aloud if the Trump administration could assure that the people about to be deported would not suffer irreperable harm. Susan Riley, a civil lawyer who works in the Brooklyn US Attorney’s office, couldn’t answer the judge’s question. Judge Anne Donnelly New York Law Journal “This has unfolded with such speed that we haven’t had any opportunity to address any of the issues, the legal issues of the status of anyone who may be at the airport,” Riley said. “If they had come in two days ago we wouldn’t be here. Am I right?” Donnelly asked. The judge noted that the government did not argue that the detainees posed any risk. The government hasn’t shared the names of those detained and won’t let ACLU lawyers see all the detainees, ACLU lawyer Lee Gelernt said. The ACLU insisted the detainees posed no risk. “It’s not as if these people weren’t vetted, they were just caught in transit. They were in a horrible position,” said Gelernt.. Donnelly’s decision came in a class action lawsuit filed in Brooklyn federal court earlier Saturday. Hundreds of people gathered outside the courthouse in downtown Brooklyn, and a few filtered in to the courtroom to attend the hearing. The detainees may find themselves in government detention for several weeks at least. Further proceedings in the case are set for next month. Judge Stays Deportations; Trump Order Barring Refugees, Migrants From Muslim Countries Triggers Chaos, Outrage By Jerry Markon, Emma Brown And Katherine Shaver Washington Post, January 28, 2017 A federal judge in New York stayed deportations nationwide of those detained on entry to the United States following an executive order from President Trump that targeted citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries. Judge Ann Donnelly of the U.S. District Court in Brooklyn granted a request from the American Civil Liberties Union to stay the deportations after determining that the risk of injury to those detained by being returned to their home countries necessitated the decision. And only minutes after the judge’s ruling in New York, another came in Virginia when U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema issued a temporary restraining order to block the removal of any green-card holders being detained at Dulles International Airport for seven days. Brinkema’s action also ordered that lawyers have access to those held there because of the president’s ban. Trump’s order reverberated across the world on Saturday making it increasingly clear that the controversial measure he had promised during his presidential campaign was casting a wider net than even his opponents had feared. Confusion and concern among immigrant advocates mounted throughout the day as travelers from the Middle East were detained at U.S. airports or sent home. A middle￾of-the-night lawsuit filed on behalf of two Iraqi men challenged Trump’s executive action, which was signed Friday and initially cast as applying to refugees and migrants. But as the day progressed, administration officials confirmed that the sweeping order also targeted U.S. legal residents from the named countries — green-card holders — who happened to be abroad when it was signed. Also subject to being barred entry into the United States are dual nationals, or people born in one of the seven countries who hold passports even from U.S. allies, such as the United Kingdom. The virtually unprecedented measures triggered harsh reactions from not only Democrats and others who typically advocate for immigrants but also key sectors of the U.S. business community. Leading technology companies recalled scores of overseas employees and sharply criticized the president. Legal experts forecast a wave of litigation over the order, calling it unconstitutional. Canada announced it would accept asylum applications from U.S. green-card holders. Yet Trump, who centered his campaign in part on his vow to crack down on illegal immigrants and impose what became known as his “Muslim ban,’’ was unbowed. As White House officials insisted that the measure strengthens national security, the president stood squarely behind it. “It’s not a Muslim ban, but we were totally prepared,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “You see it at the airports, you see it all over. It’s working out very nicely, and we’re going to have a very, very strict ban, and we’re going to have extreme vetting, which we should have had in this country for many years.” In New York, Judge Donnelly seemed to have little patience for the arguments presented by the government, which focused heavily on the fact that the two defendants named in the lawsuit had already been released. At one point, she visibly lost patience with a government attorney who was participating by phone. Donnelly noted that those detained were suffering mostly from the bad fortune of traveling while the ban went into effect. “Our own government presumably approved their DHS-17-0435-A-000245 CBP FOIA 000245 8 entry to the country,” she said at one point, noting that, had it been two days prior, those detained would have been granted admission without question. In the middle of the hearing, ACLU attorney Lee Gelernt informed the court that he’d received word of an imminent deportation to Syria, scheduled within the hour. That prompted Donnelly to ask if the government could assure that the person would not suffer irreparable harm. Receiving no such assurance, she granted the stay to the broad group included in the ACLU’s request. A senior Department of Homeladnd Security official had no comment about the judicial rulings late Saturday and said the department was consulting with its lawyers. The official said enforcement of the president’s order on Saturday had created minimal disruption given that only a small number of the several hundred thousand travelers arriving at U.S. airports daily had been affected. Nationwide, he said, 109 people had been denied entry into the United States. All had been in transit when Trump signed the order, and some had already departed the United States on flights by late Saturday while others were still being detained awaiting flights. In addition, 173 people had not been allowed to board U.S.-bound flights at foreign airports. The official said that officers doing case-by-case reviews had granted 81 waivers so far to green-card holders. DHS began implementing the president’s order immediately after he signed it, according to the official. He declined to say whether the department had an operational plan ready at that time. Though several congressional Republicans denounced the order, the vast majority remained silent, and a few voiced crucial support — including, most prominently, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), who had rejected Trump’s anti-Muslim proposals during the campaign. “This is not a religious test, and it is not a ban on people of any religion,’’ Ryan said Saturday. “This order does not affect the vast majority of Muslims in the world.” The president’s order, signed Friday, suspends admission to the United States of all refugees for 120 days and bars for 90 days the entry of any citizen from Iraq, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Libya and Somalia. That list excludes several majority-Muslim nations — notably Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia — where the Trump Organization, now run by the president’s adult sons, is active and which in some cases have also faced troublesome issues with terrorism. According to the text of the order, the restriction applies to countries that have already been excluded from programs allowing people to travel to the United States without a visa because of terrorism concerns. Hewing closely to nations already named as terrorism concerns elsewhere in law might have allowed the White House to avoid angering powerful and wealthy majority-Muslim allies, such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Amid widespread confusion on Saturday about how the order will be enforced, some administration officials acknowledged that its rollout had been chaotic. Officials tried to reassure travelers and their families, pointing out that green-card holders in the United States will not be affected and noting that DHS is allowed to grant waivers to those individuals and others deemed to not pose a security threat. It can take years for someone to become a green-card holder, or lawful permanent resident authorized to permanently live and work in the country. “If you’ve been living in the United States for 15 years and you own a business and your family is here, will you be granted a waiver? I’m assuming yes, but we are working that out,’’ said one official, who could not be more specific because details remained so cloudy. A senior White House official later said that waivers will be evaluated on a case-by￾case basis and that green-card holders in the United States will have to meet with a consular officer before leaving the country. But officials made clear that the federal officers detaining refugees and migrants with valid U.S. visas and restricting them from entering the country were following orders handed down by top DHS officials, at the White House’s behest. The order drew cries of outrage from a range of activist and advocates for Muslims, Arabs and immigrants. More than 4,000 academics from universities nationwide signed a statement of opposition and voiced concern the ban would become permanent. They described it as discriminatory and “inhumane, ineffective and un-American.” The executive action has caused “complete chaos” and torn apart families, said Abed Ayoub, legal and policy director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. At Dulles International Airport, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) addressed more than 100 people protesting Trump’s order. “We want to know who is being detained and why they are being detained,” McAuliffe said. “I remind everybody we are a land of immigrants. . . . Discriminatory tactics breed hatred.’’ His remarks were cheered by demonstrators holding signs saying “Refugees welcome here” and “Stand with Muslims.” In New York City, lawyers for two Iraqi men detained at John F. Kennedy International Airport — one of whom served the U.S. military mission in Iraq — filed a federal lawsuit challenging the order as unconstitutional. They also are seeking class certification so they may represent all refugees and visa-holders who are being held at U.S. ports of entry. One of the men, Hameed Khalid Darweesh, was released Saturday afternoon without explanation from federal officials. “This is the humanity, this is the soul of America,’’ he DHS-17-0435-A-000246 CBP FOIA 000246 9 told reporters. “This is what pushed me to move, to leave my country and come here. . . . America is the land of freedom — the land of freedom, the land of the right.’’ While immigration advocates said at least one refu-gee family had been detained at San Francisco International Airport, there was no immediate count of how many refugees were being held at airports nationwide. Advocates said that ticketed passengers also had been barred from boarding U.S.-bound flights overseas, and they confirmed that some green-card holders who left the United States have been unable to return. In Cairo, airport officials said seven U.S.-bound migrants — six from Iraq and one from Yemen — were prevented Saturday from boarding an EgyptAir flight to JFK Airport, according to the Associated Press. Other advocates promised further legal challenges. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) denounced the order and said it would file a lawsuit challenging it as unconstitutional. “There is no evidence that refugees — the most thoroughly vetted of all people entering our nation — are a threat to national security,” Lena F. Masri, CAIR’s national litigation director, said in a statement. “This is an order that is based on bigotry, not reality.” In a conference call with reporters, immigration lawyers and advocates said Trump’s order violated the Constitution, along with U.S. and international laws that guarantee migrants the right to apply for asylum at the border and the Immigration and Nationality Act, which forbids discrimination in the issuance of visas based on race, nationality, place of birth or place of residence. But Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, which advocates for lower immigration levels, praised Trump for taking action to pause the refugee resettlement program and limit immigration from the seven countries. “It’s a prudent measure,” he said. “It’s not the end of the world. It’s not the Statue of Liberty crying. The reaction has been hyperbolic.” The effects of Trump’s order played out nationwide. In Dallas, Behzad Honarjou, 43, was supposed to pick up his mother, 70-year-old Shahin Haffanpour, at the airport on Saturday. But when she arrived from Iran via Dubai, she was told that because of the executive order she would be sent back to Iran the next morning. “I don’t know what to do,” Honarjou said. He said he was seeking an attorney to file an emergency habeas petition, but the courts were closed. Haffanpour has an immigrant’s visa issued by the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, last year. In Philadelphia, Sarah Assali said six relatives from Syria — two uncles, their wives and two cousins — were detained after arriving at the airport there early Saturday. Although they are Christian immigrants with valid visas to join family in this country, they were put on a plane back to Doha, Qatar, three hours later, Assali said. She said her family members were not allowed to call or contact their family in the United States before being removed. “We don’t know what’s going to happen next.” Philip Bump in Brooklyn, Louisa Loveluck in Beirut, and David Nakamura, Philip Rucker, Mike DeBonis, Lori Aratani, Carol Morello and Rachel Weiner in Washington contributed to this report. Trump Says Immigration Ban Working ‘Nicely’ As Protests, Detainments Hit Airports By Doug Stanglin And Alan Gomez USA Today, January 28, 2017 The fallout from President Trump’s temporary ban on refugees to the U.S. struck with full force Saturday, blocking some travelers from boarding their planes overseas, compelling others to turn around upon arrival in the U.S., and prompting customs agents at New York’s JFK Airport to detain at least a dozen people, including a former Iraqi translator for the U.S. military in Baghdad. The growing chaos also sparked legal challenges, airport protests, condemnations from politicians and denunciations from advocacy groups. American Civil Liberties Union lawyers were scheduled to appear in federal court in Brooklyn Saturday evening to argue for a nationwide stay that would block deportation of people stranded in U.S. airports under the ban. The ACLU and other legal groups had filed a lawsuit in reaction to the ban earlier in the day. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo Saturday tweeted an offer of support to those who had been stopped at the state’s airports: “I have directed Port Authority, @NYSDOS, & my Counsel’s Office to jointly explore all legal options to assist anyone detained at NY airports.” Cuomo’s tweet linked to a statement in which he objected to refugees being blocked from entering the U.S. “I never thought I’d see the day when refugees, who have fled war-torn countries in search of a better life, would be turned away from our doorstep. We are a nation of bridges, not walls, and a great many of us still believe in the words ‘give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses …’ “ he wrote. “This is not who we are, not who we should be.” Speaking to hundreds of demonstrators at JFK Airport, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., called the ban ineffective, discriminatory, “disgusting,” and said it “goes against every ounce of our traditions from George Washington onward.” “We are here to say it should be stopped and be revoked,” he said. DHS-17-0435-A-000247 CBP FOIA 000247 10 The reverberations began only hours after Trump signed the executive order Friday that suspends the entry of all refugees to the United States for 120 days, halts the admission of refugees from Syria indefinitely and bars entry for three months to residents from the predominantly Muslim countries of Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. In brief remarks while signing his latest executive orders Saturday, Trump maintained the order isn’t a “Muslim ban.” “It’s working out very nicely. We’re going to have a strict ban, and we’re going to have extreme vetting, which we should have had in this country for many years,” he said. The ban includes green card holders who are authorized to live and work in the United States, according to Gillian Christensen, a Homeland Security spokeswoman, Reuters reported. It was unclear how many green card holders would be affected, but exceptions can be made on a case-by-case basis, the news agency says. At Washington’s Dulles International Airport, where a protest was mounted, Gov. Terry McAuliffe and Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring said the state was considering taking legal action to challenge the ban. About 50 people were detained at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, said Alia Salem, executive director for DFW Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). Families have been waiting at Terminal D in anticipation of meeting relatives who been held up in U.S Customs. A representative with CAIR met with families waiting for relatives. Some of them have been waiting for several hours. At Philadelphia International Airport, two Syrian families, described as Christians, were briefly detained Saturday after arriving from Qatar and sent back three hours later. The families included two brothers, their wives and two children, according to a family member form Allentown, Pa., NBC10 reported. “This is like a nightmare come true,” said Joseph Assali, who noted that the families had visas and green cards legally obtained months ago. Mohammed Al Rawi, chief information officer for Los Angeles County, said on Facebook that his father was removed from a flight in Qatar as a direct result of the order. “My 71 year old dad is in Qatar boarding LAX flight to come visit us and and he’s being sent back to Iraq. Some US official told him that Trump canceled all visas,” he wrote. Foreigners studying at U.S. universities who were part of study abroad programs were also stuck. Even Customs and Border Protection agents were confused about how to handle Trump’s order and responding in different ways, he said. Those holding dual nationality in the seven nations involved in the ban will also be barred from entering the United States, the Wall Street Journal reported citing a statement from the State Department that has yet to be released. In Cairo, seven migrants — six from Iraq and one from Yemen — were being escorted by officials from the U.N. refugee agency when they were stopped from boarding the EgyptAir plane, the Associated Press reported, quoting Cairo airport officials. The authorities stepped in after contacting their counterparts at JFK Airport, where the plane was headed. The officials spoke to AP on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media. Only one of the 12 picked up at JFK Airport was freed by Saturday afternoon. Hameed Khaldi Darweesh, who worked a translator for American forces for 10 years, had been detained overnight following his arrival from Istanbul. He said he had feared he would be sent back to Iraq, which his family fled because of death threats. When asked by reporters outside the airport what he thought of Trump, Darweesh said, “I don’t know. He’s a president, I’m a normal person.” He said he was focused instead on the lawyers who won his release. “This is the soul of America,” Darweesh said. “This is what pushed me to move, to leave my country and come here. America is the land of freedom.” Among the 11 still being held at the airport was another Iraqi refugee, Haider Sameer Abdulkhaleq Alshawi, who was trying to join his wife and child. His wife worked for a U.S. contractor in Iraq as an accountant, was granted a refugee visa and is now living in Houston. Alshawi was approved for a visa to join his wife and their 7-year-old son on Jan. 11. According to a federal complaint filed on behalf of two Iraqis being held at JFK airport, one attorney approached Customs and Border Patrol agents with a request to speak to his client, but was told they were not the ones to talk to about seeing him. “Who is the person to talk to?” the lawyer asked, according to the complaint. The unidentified CBP agents responded: “Mr. President. Call Mr. Trump.” According to one of the lawyers, Mark Doss, the pair had been approved for entry as refugees but were in the air flying to the U.S. night when the order was being signed. A senior administration official said in a White House briefing Saturday afternoon that U.S. Customs and Border protection was working to provide waivers for the two Iraqis involved in the lawsuit. “No person living or residing overseas has a right to entry into the United States,” the official said, declining to be identified under the rules of the briefing. “There is not a travel ban (from the seven countries). It is a cessation of most travel with case-by-case exceptions.” Abed Ayoud, legal and policy director for the American￾Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, said they’ve received DHS-17-0435-A-000248 CBP FOIA 000248 11 more than 1,000 calls by midday Saturday from people who have been stranded or detained in the U.S. and abroad. He said legal immigrants traveling overseas to attend funerals and visit family when the president signed his order are now unable to return to the U.S. “The impact of what President Trump was looking for is in full effect,” Ayoud said. “Complete chaos.” In Tehran, Iran’s foreign minister, Javad Zarif, said his country would respond by banning all U.S. citizens from the country as long as the U.S. policy was in effect, but would not include anyone who already received a visa. In a statement, the foreign ministry called the U.S. order “a clear insult to the Islamic world, and especially to the great nation of Iran.” In signing the executive order, Trump said the new administration needed time to develop a stricter screening process for refugees, immigrants and visitors. “I’m establishing new vetting measures to keep radical Islamic terrorists out of the United States of America. Don’t want them here,” he said. The executive order, which he said was aimed at protecting Americans from terrorist attacks, singled out Syrian refugees as “detrimental to the interests of the United States.” When the refugee program resumes, the executive order calls for changes to “prioritize refugee claims made by individuals on the basis of religious-based persecution, provided that the religion of the individual is a minority religion in the individual’s country of nationality.” “We only want to admit those into our country who will support our country and love deeply our people,” Trump said. CAIR said it will file a federal lawsuit Monday in the Eastern District of Virginia to challenge the constitutionality of the order, charging its apparent purpose and underlying motive is to ban people of the Islamic faith from Muslim￾majority countries from entering the United States. “There is no evidence that refugees – the most thoroughly vetted of all people entering our nation – are a threat to national security,” said CAIR National Litigation Director Lena F. Masri. “This is an order that is based on bigotry, not reality.” Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center, one of the groups representing the Iraqi men detained at JFK, said the lawsuit is directed solely at immigrants who have been caught in legal limbo following Trump’s announcement. The lawyers are trying to expand it into a class action suit to cover the untold number of refugees caught in the same situation. Hincapié said they are planning separate lawsuits challenging the legality of Trump’s executive actions on immigration, partly because they target majority Muslim nations. But she said for now, they simply want to resolve the cases of people who are being detained at airports. They are trying to get an emergency hearing before a judge this weekend. “These are people who already had a horrific experience of being a refugee,” she said. “They left everything behind. And now, to find themselves in detention at an airport with no contacts, not knowing what can be done, only hearing little bits and pieces on the news about this executive order. I think folks are just scared and don’t know how to respond at this moment.” Trump Defends Order: ‘It’s Not A Muslim Ban’ By Jordan Fabian The Hill, January 28, 2017 President Trump on Saturday denied that his sweeping executive order barring refugees and individuals from several predominantly Muslim nations amounted to a ban on Muslims. “It’s not a Muslim ban,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office after he signed three new directives. The order, handed down Friday evening, sowed chaos as government agencies scrambled to implement the broad new policy. But Trump insisted his administration was “totally prepared” to carry out the refugee and travel ban, which affects more than 100 million people around the world. “It’s working out very nicely,” he said. “You see it at the airports, you see it all over.” The new policy sparked widespread outrage from civil￾liberties groups and Democrats, who called it a discriminatory and unconstitutional policy directed at Muslims. The Trump administration has already found itself embroiled in a legal battle over the order after two Iraqi nationals with ties to the U.S. military filed a lawsuit after they were detained upon their arrival Friday night in New York. Both men had been granted visas to enter the U.S. Hameed Khalid Darweesh, who worked as an interpreter for the U.S. military, was released from custody early Saturday. The president said he is sticking with the new policy over the objection of its critics, saying it will help keep out people who could carry out terrorist attacks on American soil. “We’re going to have a very, very strict ban and we’re going to have extreme vetting, which we should have had in this country for many years,” he said. Trump’s order bars Syrian refugees indefinitely and halts the country’s refugee resettlement program for four months. It also denies entry for 90 days to individuals from seven majority-Muslim countries: Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan and Libya; affecting roughly 134 million people. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has designated those nations as “countries of concern” for terrorism. DHS-17-0435-A-000249 CBP FOIA 000249 12 The order also directs DHS to determine which other nations do not provide appropriate information about its citizens, and therefore could be added to the list. Despite Trump’s claims, critics of the policy say it amount to a ban on Muslims. “On Holocaust Memorial Day, Trump restricted refugees from Muslim-majority countries. Make no mistake — this is a Muslim ban,” Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) said in a statement on Friday. Speaker Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) office defended Trump’s executive order on Saturday, maintaining that it does not target Muslims. “This is not a religious test and it is not a ban on people of any religion,” Ryan’s spokeswoman AshLee Strong told The Washington Post. “Mr. President, look at us – this is America, what you have done is shameful, it’s un-American and it has created so much confusion,” said Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.) while standing outside of New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, where the two Iraqi men were detained. They point to Trump’s Dec. 2015 call for a “total and complete shutdown” of Muslim immigration to the U.S. He later softened his stance, saying he wanted to target individuals from terror-prone nations. The ban does not cover all Muslim-majority countries or Muslims worldwide. The nations where the Sept. 11 hijackers hailed from — Saudi Arabia, Egypt the United Arab Emirates and Lebanon — are not included on the list. Neither is Pakistan, the home of the 2010 Times Square bomber Faisal Shahzad. But some of the president’s most ardent backers still referred to the order as a Muslim ban. “Making America Great Again! #MuslimBan #saturdaymorning #AmericaFirst @GenFlynn @realDonaldTrump” tweeted Michael Flynn, Jr., the son of Trump’s national security adviser. Making America Great Again! #MuslimBan #saturdaymorning #AmericaFirst @GenFlynn @realDonaldTrump https://t.co/fyn6JYpJf9— Michael Flynn Jr (@mflynnJR) January 28, 2017 Trump also said in an interview Friday he wants to prioritize Christian refugees from the Middle East over Muslims once admissions resume. There was additional confusion over the implementation of the order. Multiple media reports indicated senior officials at the State Department and DHS, the agencies charged with carrying out the ban, were not aware of the changes before Friday. Travelers and refugees at airports around the world were grounded as authorities scrambled to interpret the new travel restrictions, including whether they applied to U.S. permanent residents from the affected countries. A senior administration official later said green-card holders currently abroad do fall under the ban, although they would be considered on a case-by-case to return. More broadly, the White House pushed back on reports of miscommunication, saying key officials at both agencies has been informed of the plans over the past few weeks. Asked whether the government was ready to put the order in place, Trump replied, “totally, totally.” –Nikita Vladimirov contributed White House Defends Immigrant Ban As Airports Stop Travelers By Bob Van Voris Bloomberg Politics, January 28, 2017 President Donald Trump defended his order suspending refugee resettlements in the U.S. and barring entry to people from from Iraq, Syria and five other Middle East nations, as confusion broke out at airports around the world and government agencies and airlines tried to interpret the new rules. “It’s not a Muslim ban,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “We were totally prepared. It’s working out very nicely. You see it at the airports, you see it all over. It’s working out very nicely.” The executive order, aimed at stopping would-be terrorists from entering the U.S., led to people being detained at airports from Dallas to Atlanta to New York, and provoked an outcry from immigration lawyers, who said it violated the U.S. Constitution. Airlines around the world, given no advance warning, blocked travelers from the affected countries – including some who are legal U.S. residents – from getting on planes to the U.S. and struggled to understand what they should do. At least a dozen people were being held at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport, including 10 Iranians, Andre Segura, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union, said in an interview. Officials there agreed to release Hameed Khalid Darweesh, an interpreter who had worked for the U.S. military in Iraq, after he was detained. Another Iraqi was also released. The order impacted immigrants from Muslim-majority countries Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. A senior White House official, who asked not to be identified because he wasn’t authorized to speak publicly about the matter, said the administration had serious concerns about abuses in immigration programs and needed to impose the 90-day ban on immigrants from the seven countries while it comes up with new vetting procedures. The order also halts refugee resettlement to the U.S. for 120 days, and orders that refugee admissions for 2017 be cut to 50,000 from the planned limit of 110,000. DHS-17-0435-A-000250 CBP FOIA 000250 13 The official said reports of individuals stranded at airports or uncertain about their travel plans paled in comparison to the possibility that a terrorist or someone with terrorist sympathies could enter the U.S. The outcry from overseas leaders was also swift. In a phone call with Trump today, French Prime Minister Francois Hollande said defending democracy “requires observing fundamental principles,” among them welcoming refugees, according to a statement from Hollande’s office. On Twitter, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif promised reciprocal measures, though he said anyone with a valid visa would be welcomed “unlike the U.S.” The U.S. move “will be recorded in history as a great gift to extremists and their supporters,” Zarif wrote on Twitter. “Collective discrimination aids terrorist recruitment by deepening fault-lines exploited by extremist demagogues to swell their ranks.” Abed Ayoub, the legal and policy director at the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, said on a conference call that Trump’s move was causing “chaos within the community and at our borders.” Along with the ACLU and others, his group filed a lawsuit in federal court in Brooklyn claiming that the order is unconstitutional and exceeds presidential authority under immigration law. It asks the court to block enforcement. “This is a Muslim ban. It has nothing to do with national security. It has everything to do with Islamophobia and xenophobia,” Ayoub said. He said people from the countries in question were being told not to leave the U.S. because they wouldn’t be allowed back in. As Saturday went on, new details emerged about the extent of the order’s reach. A State Department official, who wasn’t authorized to speak publicly and asked not to be identified, said the order applied not only to citizens of the seven countries but also to dual nationals who aren’t U.S. citizens. The official said visa interviews won’t be scheduled for nationals of the countries during the 90-day ban. Green-card holders – legal permanent residents – from the seven nations were also barred. Ayoub said people had been detained at airports in Atlanta, Houston, Detroit and Washington, as well as New York. Exemptions Possible A second senior administration official said it was “ludicrous” to describe the extreme vetting order as a Muslim ban, noting that countries like Afghanistan were excluded from the list of countries from which immigration was blocked. The first noted that the U.S. admitted more Muslims to visit or immigrate than any country in the world not in the region, and would continue to do so. Those already outside the country can apply for a case￾by-case exemption, the White House said, pledging they would be expeditiously processed. Green-card holders from the affected countries already in the U.S. can seek a waiver before they travel abroad. The official acknowledged the priority the plan gives to Christians. Language in the order demands that when refugee admissions are allowed again, priority must be given to claims of persecution based on religions that are in the minority in the country. The seven targeted by the order are all predominantly Muslim. Speaking with Christian Broadcasting Network on Friday in an interview that will air in full on Sunday night, Trump suggested that Christians had been treated unfairly by U.S. procedures. “If you were a Muslim you could come in, but if you were a Christian, it was almost impossible and the reason that was so unfair – everybody was persecuted, in all fairness – but they were chopping off the heads of everybody but more so the Christians,” Trump said. “And I thought it was very, very unfair. So we are going to help them.” Google Response Alphabet Inc.’s Google said more than 100 employees who were out of the country on vacation or work assignments are subject to the order. A spokeswoman declined to say Saturday whether any of them had been denied boarding on flights or detained in the U.S. One employee rushed back from a trip to New Zealand to make it into the U.S. before the order was signed, Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai wrote in a memo to employees. The consulting firm McKinsey & Co. sent a memo to employees advising them of the travel ban and outlining who may be affected. The memo from the consulting firm’s assistant general counsel said in part: “To be safe, we are advising for now that all who are not U.S. citizens and who were born in one of these countries not depart the U.S. as you may not be able to get back in for at least another 90 days. For those who are currently outside of the U.S. – we urge you to try to return immediately as you may not be readmitted.” Officials from the State Department and Department of Homeland Security were preparing guidance Saturday to help airlines and other travel companies better guide their clients, the White House said. That information wasn’t provided ahead of time because the administration didn’t want information about the action to leak, which, they said, could have allowed a potential terrorist to circumvent the new rules. Criticism of Trump’s executive order emerged from both the left and the right. Alex Nowrasteh, an immigration-policy analyst at the conservative Cato Institute, wrote a post before the order was signed saying that foreigners from the seven nations affected by the ban had “killed zero Americans in terrorist attacks on U.S. soil between 1975 and 2015.” “The measures taken here will have virtually no effect on improving U.S. national security,” he wrote. DHS-17-0435-A-000251 CBP FOIA 000251 14 Democrats in Congress roundly criticized the order, while Republican response was more muted. Senator Tim Kaine, the Virginia Democrat who was Hillary Clinton’s running mate, said Trump had “defied everything our nation stands for.” Republican Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska called the order “too broad.” “If we send a signal to the Middle East that the U.S. sees all Muslims as jihadis, the terrorist recruiters win by telling kids that America is banning Muslims and that this is America versus one religion,” he said in a statement. Donald Trump Says His Order To Bar Refugees And Travelers Is ‘Working Out Very Nicely’ He got what he wanted. By Elise Foley Huffington Post, January 28, 2017 WASHINGTON ― President Donald Trump, like many people around the world, has seen reports about what’s happening at airports in the aftermath of his executive order that left refugees, immigrants and other travelers unable to enter the United States. He thinks it’s going great. “It’s working out very nicely,” Trump said of his executive order on Saturday. “You see it at the airports, you see it all over.” The president signed the order on Friday to bar all refugees from entering the U.S. for 120 days, keep out Syrian refugees indefinitely, and restrict travel for individuals from seven countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The ban applies even to green card holders from those countries who reside in the United States: They may now be admitted only on a case-by-case basis. It also applies to dual-nationals of one of the seven countries and another nation. Trump is right that airports have become the principal place to observe the effect his order is having on people’s lives. Many people who fit the banned categories arrived at U.S. airports with their previously approved visas, only to be detained and barred from entry. There are numerous individual stories: an Iraqi who worked for the U.S. military as an interpreter during the war, only to be detained at the airport; a Syrian woman trying to visit her sick mother; a Syrian family who was set to move to the United States and now won’t be allowed to. There are infants who are U.S. citizens being detained at Los Angeles International Airport because their parents are legal permanent residents and elderly people whose families are unable to reach them to ensure they have their medication, according to attorneys. Hundreds of protesters have also gathered at airports, with especially large crowds at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. Some of the chaos has resulted from the language of the order and the fact that it’s not clear what it all means. Trump’s own administration doesn’t seem to have worked out all the details. A White House official told reporters on Saturday that the administration is trying to determine how to define “in transit” in a segment of the order that says there can be an exception for certain refugees “when the person is already in transit and denying admission would cause undue hardship.” “We were totally prepared,” Trump said about the order later on Saturday. He also said the executive order was “not a Muslim ban” ― something some Republicans, such as House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), have used as a justification for accepting it even though they’d condemned Trump’s call back in 2015 for a blanket ban on people who practice Islam. The new executive order does not mention any religion specifically, but all of the countries on the list have Muslim￾majority populations. The president also said on Friday that he would prioritize resettling Syrian Christian refugees, in spite of his directive to bar refugees in general. The executive order would give him an avenue to do so: It says an exception can be made for refugees who are members of a persecuted religious minority in their home country, which would leave Syrian Muslims out. Update: The American Civil Liberties Union and refugee relief organizations filed an action in federal court Saturday morning on behalf of two Iraqi nationals who were detained at JFK Airport. On Saturday night, a federal judge temporarily halted parts of Trump’s executive order. Trump Says New Order On Refugees Is Not A Muslim Ban By Jeff Mason Reuters, January 28, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Trump Order Barring Refugees, Migrants From Muslim Countries Triggers Chaos, Outrage By Jerry Markon, Emma Brown And David Nakamura Washington Post, January 28, 2017 President Trump’s executive order barring refugees and migrants from predominantly Muslim countries from entry into the United States rippled across the world on Saturday, causing widespread confusion, triggering outrage among DHS-17-0435-A-000252 CBP FOIA 000252 15 immigrant advocates and leading to the detention at U.S. airports of people flying into the country. In addition to blocking all entries from seven countries, including business people, students and others, the ban is also being applied to U.S. legal residents from those nations — so-called green card holders — who were traveling abroad at the time the order was signed, federal officials said Saturday. Those familiar with the order, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they said its rollout had been chaotic, said green card holders currently in the United States will not be affected. They noted that the Department of Homeland Security is allowed to grant waivers to those individuals and others deemed to not pose a threat to national security. “If you’ve been living in the United States for 15 years and you own a business and your family is here, will you be granted a waiver? I’m assuming yes, but we are working that out,’’ said one official, who could not be more specific because details of the possible waivers remained cloudy, as did many other details of how the ban will be enforced. But officials made clear that the federal officers detaining refugees and migrants holding valid U.S. visas and restricting them from entering the country were following orders handed down by top DHS officials. Those orders, the officials said, reflect the desires of Trump’s White House. The president’s order, signed Friday, suspends admission to the United States of all refugees for 120 days and bars for 90 days the entry of any citizens from Iraq, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Libya and Somalia. Trump said that the goal is to screen out “radical Islamic terrorists” and that priority for admission would be given to Christians. The executive action has caused “complete chaos” and torn apart families, said Abed Ayoub, legal and policy director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. “It’s causing a negative and destructive impact on the Arab￾American community,” Ayoub said. The White House on Saturday rushed to explain and defend its action, saying it strengthens national security and denying that it targeted Muslims. “The notion that this is a Muslim ban is ludicrous,” one senior administration official said. A second official noted that many majority-Muslim countries, including Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkey, were excluded from the measure. And House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), who frequently clashed with Trump during the presidential campaign, strongly backed the president’s executive order. “This is not a religious test and it is not a ban on people of any religion,’’ he said. “This order does not affect the vast majority of Muslims in the world. It does not affect a large number of nations that are Muslim-majority.’’ Lawyers for two Iraqi men detained at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, one of whom served the U.S. military mission in Iraq, filed a middle-of-the-night lawsuit in federal court challenging Trump’s order as unconstitutional and seeking the release of their clients. They also are seeking class certification so they may represent all refugees and visa-holders who are being held at U.S. ports of entry. One of the men, Hameed Khalid Darweesh, was released Saturday afternoon without explanation from federal officials, according to his lawyer, Mark Doss. “We are very grateful that Mr. Darweesh has been released,” Doss told reporters outside JFK International Airport in an interview broadcast on CNN. But 11 others are still being detained at JFK, he said, and “people will stay here until they are released.” While immigration advocates said at least one refu-gee family had been detained at San Francisco International Airport, there was no immediate count of how many refugees were being held at airports nationwide. Advocates said that people have not only been held at the border but that ticketed passengers have been barred from boarding U.S.-bound aircraft overseas, and they confirmed that green-card holders who left the U.S. have been unable to return. Cairo airport officials say seven U.S.-bound migrants — six from Iraq and one from Yemen — were prevented Saturday from boarding an EgyptAir flight to JFK airport, according to the Associated Press. As outrage mounted, other advocates promised further legal challenges. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) denounced the order and said it would file a lawsuit next week challenging it as unconstitutional. “There is no evidence that refugees — the most thoroughly vetted of all people entering our nation — are a threat to national security,” Lena F. Masri, CAIR’s national litigation director, said in a statement. “This is an order that is based on bigotry, not reality.” Both Iraqi men detained at JFK airport held valid U.S. visas and had been receiving pro-bono legal assistance for several months from the New York-based International Refugee Assistance Project. Betsy Fisher, the organization’s policy director, said the men were in the air on separate flights when Trump signed the temporary refu-gee ban Friday. She called their detention “our worst-case scenario.” “In the coming weeks we will be advocating to show why this policy is bad for U.S. national security, why it goes against our humanitarian responsibilities, and why it is fundamentally un-American,” Fisher said. “If there is one fundamentally American value, then it is welcoming those who are fleeing persecution. At our best, this is what we can do.” The International Refugee Assistance Project was among several prominent immigration-rights organizations that filed the lawsuit in New York, including the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Immigration Law Center. One of the Iraqi men detained at JFK is Sameer Abdulkhaleq Alshawi, 33, who holds a visa that allowed him DHS-17-0435-A-000253 CBP FOIA 000253 16 to join his wife and young child in Texas. His wife had worked for a U.S. government contractor and came to the United States as a refu-gee in 2014. Darweesh, 53, had worked as a contractor for the U.S. government in Iraq for about a decade, including as an interpreter for the Army. He and his wife and three children had spent more than two years securing a special immigrant visa, granted to Iraqis who assisted U.S. military forces. The Darweesh family landed in New York at approximately 6 p.m. Friday , and Hameed Darweesh was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials, according to the complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. He is at risk of being returned to a country where he faces enormous personal danger due to his aid to the U.S. government, the complaint says. Darweesh told reporters outside the airport on Saturday that he was thankful so many people came to his aid, leaving their families to help secure his release. “This is the humanity, this is the soul of America. This is what pushed me to move, to leave my country and come here,” Darweesh said. “America is the land of freedom, the land of freedom, the land of the right. ... America is the greatest nation, the greatest people in the world.” Brandon Friedman worked with Darweesh in 2003, when he was an infantry officer with the Army’s 101st Airborne Division. He said Darweesh, who was among the first Iraqis to sign up to serve the U.S. military, was “fearless” and saved countless U.S. lives. “This is a guy who has done a lot more for this country than most people who were born here,” Friedman said. He said he hopes Trump’s executive order is rescinded quickly: “This is putting U.S. troops in danger because it is withdrawing the incentive that folks like Hameed have to work with us. And we depend on them to a great extent.” The detention of a man who served the U.S. military was particularly objectionable to Matt Zeller, founder of No One Left Behind, which aims to help Iraqi and Afghan people who worked for the U.S. military secure special immigrant visas. He said America is breaking its promise to men and women who served the U.S. military at great personal risk to themselves — which is not only wrong, he said, but also undermines trust in the United States and endangers the lives of any future service member sent overseas. “This is going to get future Americans killed in future wars. It comes down to that,” he said. “We’re never going to live down this shame if we let this go on.” Marielena Hincapie, executive director for the National Immigration Law Center, said immigration advocates first learned of immigrants being detained Friday evening after a report from a family detained in San Francisco. The advocates attempted to reach U.S. Customs and Border Protection but were unsuccessful. “We were trying to find out if it was lack of communication or what was the plan?” she said in an interview Saturday morning. The lawyers for those detained at JFK said they were told officials at the airport couldn’t help them when they began to seek their clients’ release. “Who is the person to talk to?” the attorneys asked, according to the court complaint. The CBP agents responded: “Mr. President. Call Mr. Trump.” White House Defends Executive Order Barring Travelers From Certain Muslim Countries President Donald Trump says temporary ban is ‘working out very nicely,’ but ‘it’s not a Muslim ban’ By Peter Nicholas And Damian Paletta Wall Street Journal, January 28, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. White House Says U.S. Still Most Open Immigration System Even After Trump Orders By Stephen Dinan Washington Times, January 28, 2017 The U.S. will still be the most open country in the world for foreign visitors even after President Trump’s new executive order hitting pause on the refugee program and the Visa Waiver program and suspending visits from a half-dozen war-torn countries, administration officials insisted Saturday. Mr. Trump’s order has sparked confusion and fear and even invited an attempted class action lawsuit from civil liberties groups who are trying to force the administration to back down, citing two Iraqi men who were already denied entry despite having obtained visas earlier this month. A senior administration official, briefing reporters as reports of chaos spread, said one of the two men has already been granted a waiver and the other would soon be approved under the exemptions Mr. Trump wrote into his executive order. “The exemptions and waiver process that we’ve put in place are already working exactly as intended,” the official said. The official went on to say that even with the new restrictions and a halt to admissions from a number of countries, the U.S. will still be more open than any other country. “We’re still admitting and processing more people than any other country in the history of civilization. We’re still letting in more people from more war-torn regions than any country in the history of civilization,” the official said. Critics have called the new policy a “Muslim ban,” citing the majority religion in the countries now on the list of suspended travel. DHS-17-0435-A-000254 CBP FOIA 000254 17 “Make no mistake — this is a Muslim ban,” said Sen. Kamala Harris, a freshman Democrat from California. “Broad brush discrimination against refugees and immigrants from Muslim-majority countries, most of whom are women and children, runs counter to our national security interests, and will likely be used as a terrorist recruitment tool.” The White House, though, has bristled at that characterization, pointing to a list of some 25 Muslim-majority countries that are not affected by the ban. Airports across the globe have reported chaos, saying they were left in the dark and aren’t sure how to handle flights to the U.S. Even at home, officials seemed to struggle with it. In the lawsuit filed early Saturday on behalf of two men from Iraq who were snared in the ban, one Customs and Border Protection official, after being challenged by lawyers who demanded to know why the men were being held, seemed to acknowledge the confusion. “Call Mr. Trump,” the CBP official told the lawyers, according to the lawsuit. The senior officials who briefed reporters Saturday afternoon, nearly 24 hours after the ban went into effect, said in order not to let would-be terrorists exploit the system, they couldn’t tell everyone what their plans were ahead of time. “Everybody who needed to know was informed. The rest were being informed in an expeditious fashion,” the official said. “It went exactly as it should have gone.” Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. Trump Visa Ban Also Applies To Citizens With Dual Nationality, State Department Says By Tamer El-Ghobashy And Felicia Schwartz Wall Street Journal, January 28, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Green Card Holders Included In Trump Ban: Homeland Security By Doina Chiacu Reuters, January 28, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. ‘Case By Case’ Approach For U.S. Green Card Holders Under Trump’s New Order By Jeff Mason And Roberta Rampton Reuters, January 28, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Trump Orders Publication Of Stats On Terror￾linked Crime By Foreign Nationals By Mark Hensch The Hill, January 27, 2017 President Trump in an executive order he signed Friday tasked top administration officials with providing recurring information about terrorism, gender-based violence and “honor killings.” The order says “the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Attorney General, shall, consistent with applicable law and national security” to make the first data available within 180 days. The directive then states the two Cabinet officials should “every 180 days thereafter” issue new updates about foreign nationals engaged in terrorism and related extremism in the U.S. Trump’s order first seeks “information regarding the number of foreign nationals who have been charged with terrorism-related offenses in the United States.” The measure also applies to those “convicted of terrorism-related offenses,” “removed from the United States based on terrorism-related activity,” or “material support to a terrorism-related organization.” The order also applies the same criteria to the “number of foreign nationals who have been radicalized after entry into the United States.” The missive’s next section, meanwhile, calls for “information regarding the number and types of acts of gender-based violence against women, including ‘honor killings,’ in the United States by foreign nationals.” Trump’s Homeland Security secretary and Attorney General, the order added, can additionally provide “any information relevant to public safety and security” at their own discretion. Trump vowed while signing Friday’s new order it would thoroughly vet refugees to ensure terrorists do not enter the U.S. “I’m establishing new vetting measures to keep radical Islamic terrorists out of the United States,” he said during a ceremony at the Pentagon. “We don’t want them here.” “We want to ensure that we are not admitting into our country the very threats our soldiers are fighting overseas. We only want to admit those into our country who support our country and love deeply our people.” The order indicates Trump’s administration will indefinitely block refugees from war-torn Syria from entering America. The directive also suspends all refugee admissions for 120 days while the Trump administration determines which countries pose the least risk. DHS-17-0435-A-000255 CBP FOIA 000255 18 Democrats have already pounced on the details of Trump’s order, arguing it will prolong the suffering of refugees and unfairly target Muslims. Officials Say Visas Were Being Revoked Prior To Trump’s Executive Order By Safia Samee Ali NBC News, January 28, 2017 President Donald Trump signed an executive order halting refugee admissions and immigration from certain Arab countries on Friday, but federal officials told NBC News that immigration officers may have been stopping and even banning valid visa holders from returning to the country weeks before the official directive. Two federal officials familiar with the situation confirmed to NBC News that as many as 40 individuals with F1 student visas, many who left the country for winter break, were told their visas were revoked when they returned stateside to resume classes. One of the individuals left the country on Jan. 3 and his visa was revoked on Jan. 4, one immigration official confirmed. An official stated that this is highly unusual since the individual had already been put through extensive security vetting prior to his departure. Related: Trump Travel Restrictions Leave Refugees Stranded: Reports It’s unclear whether the visa issues were directly related to the president’s recent executive order, and the circumstances around each case are different. Nonetheless, some are advising caution to international students — particularly those from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Sudan, and Somalia, the seven countries enumerated by Trump as needing “extreme vetting.” “My advice to anyone holding a visa from any of these countries is do not go home because you will not get back in,” the official said. However, the students who ran into visa problems are not from the countries listed in Trump’s executive order. Instead, they hold passports from places like Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Turkey, the official added. Hazami Barmada, a social justice activist and Harvard graduate student who is currently working with four individuals whose F1 student visas were rejected after they returned to American soil, said the students are terrified and scared of coming forward. “There is definitely a pattern,” she said. “Totally unrelated people are saying the same thing happened to them, even down to what they were told by immigration officers.” They are graduate students, some of whom attend Ivy League universities and are well-credentialed, she added. An immigration official confirmed to NBC that at least two students attended Ivy League universities, one on a full scholarship. Related: Trump Signs Order Suspending Admission of Syrian Refugees Princeton University preemptively issued a notice cautioning its faculty and student body on Friday. “We have strongly advised students and scholars who might be affected and who have travel plans in the coming days to defer travel outside of the United States until there is some clarity and legal analysis of the situation or, if they must travel, to seek legal counsel before they do.” Those with student visas who are in the country are now facing two very difficult scenarios: One where they cannot leave to go home to see loved ones and the other losing their education if they do. M. A. Majid, an international college student on an F1 visa at the University of Illinois, said he was planning on going back to Jordan to attend his brother’s wedding in the summer. His plans have now changed. “If I want to complete my education, what I spent so much time and money on achieving, I may have to do it at the cost of not seeing my family now,” he said. “I don’t have a choice anymore.” Another high-ranking federal official verified to NBC News that there was an abnormal increase in complaints by Middle Eastern students who said they were blindsided with visa revocations after arriving in the United States in the week before Trump order. It’s possible that immigration officials saw the tide turning and preemptively applied polices they were anticipating, the official said. Individuals stopped at immigration were told they have the option of returning to their country voluntarily or face criminal penalties for violating U.S. law, said another federal official. No other explanation was given as it is not legally required, the official said. “To slap an expedited removal without any question and answer is odd,” said Leslie Holman, an immigration attorney and former president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. “It seems improper.” In addition to the visa revocation and expedited removal, several individuals were hit with a five-year ban, barring them from re-entering the country, including those who left voluntarily, the official confirmed. People leave voluntarily in order to avoid a ban, but it was put on them anyway, the official said. “Essentially all valid visas are irrelevant now,” the official said. “And they have been before the order.” The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately return a request for comment. A State Department spokesperson said the department was prohibited from commenting on individual visa cases. DHS-17-0435-A-000256 CBP FOIA 000256 19 The American Association of Immigration Lawyers also advised caution. In a statement released one day before Trump’s executive order, the group said to “consider advising clients who might be affected by the Executive Order to refrain from traveling outside of the United States if they are already here, or try to return to the United States as soon as possible if they are outside of the country.” Since Trump’s order does not define what it means to be “from a country,” the order should be read to include “passport holders, citizens, nationals, dual nationals, etc.” “in an abundance of caution,” the statement added. Trump’s Order Blocks Immigrants At Airports, Stoking Fear Around Globe By Michael D. Shear And Nicholas Kulish New York Times, January 28, 2017 President Trump’s executive order on immigration quickly reverberated through the United States and across the globe on Saturday, slamming the border shut for an Iranian scientist headed to a lab in Boston, an Iraqi who had worked for a decade as an interpreter for the United States Army, and a Syrian refugee family headed to a new life in Ohio, among countless others. Around the nation, security officers at major international gateways had new rules to follow, though the application of the order appeared uneven. Humanitarian organizations scrambled to cancel long-planned programs, delivering the bad news to families who were about to travel. Refugees who were on flights when the order was signed were detained at airports. “We’ve gotten reports of people being detained all over the country,” said Becca Heller, the director of the International Refugee Assistance Project. “They’re literally pouring in by the minute.” There were numerous reports of students attending American universities who were blocked from returning to the United States from visits abroad. One student said in a Twitter post that he would be unable to study at Yale. Another who attends the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was refused permission to board a plane. A Sudanese student at Stanford University was blocked for hours from returning to California. Human rights groups reported that legal permanent residents of the United States who hold green cards were being stopped in foreign airports as they sought to return from funerals, vacations or study abroad. The president’s order, enacted with the stroke of a pen at 4:42 on Friday afternoon, suspended entry of all refugees to the United States for 120 days, barred Syrian refugees indefinitely, and blocked entry into the United States for 90 days for citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The Department of Homeland Security said that the executive order also barred green card holders from those countries from re-entering the United States. In a briefing for reporters on Saturday, White House officials said that green card holders from the seven affected countries who are outside the United States would need a case-by-case waiver to return to the United States. Legal residents who have a green card and are currently in the United States should meet with a consular officer before leaving the country, a White House official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told reporters. Officials did not clarify the criteria that would qualify someone for a waiver from the president’s executive order, which says only that one can be granted when it is “in the national interest.” But the week-old administration appeared to be implementing the order chaotically, with agencies and officials around the globe interpreting it in different ways. The Stanford student, a legal permanent resident of the United States with a green card, was held at Kennedy International Airport in New York for about eight hours but was eventually allowed to fly to California, said Lisa Lapin, a Stanford spokeswoman. Others who were detained appeared to be still in custody or sent back to their home countries. White House aides claimed on Saturday that there had been talks with officials at the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security over the past several weeks about carrying out the order. “Everyone who needed to know was informed,” one aide said. But that assertion was denied by multiple officials with knowledge of the interactions, including two officials at the State Department. Two of the officials said leaders of Customs and Border Protection and Citizenship and Immigration Services — the two agencies most directly affected by the order — and other agencies were on a telephone briefing on the new policy even as Mr. Trump signed it on Friday. At least one case prompted a legal challenge as lawyers representing two Iraqi refugees held at Kennedy Airport filed a motion early Saturday seeking to have their clients released. They also filed a motion for class certification, in an effort to represent all refugees and other immigrants who they said were being unlawfully detained at ports of entry. Shortly after noon on Saturday, Hameed Khalid Darweesh, the interpreter who worked on behalf of the United States government in Iraq, was released. After nearly 19 hours of detention, Mr. Darweesh began to cry as he spoke to reporters, putting his hands behind his back and miming handcuffs. “What I do for this country? They put the cuffs on,” Mr. Darweesh said. “You know how many soldiers I touch by this hand?” DHS-17-0435-A-000257 CBP FOIA 000257 20 The other man the lawyers are representing, Haider Sameer Abdulkhaleq Alshawi, remained in custody as his legal advocates sought his release. Inside the airport, one of the lawyers, Mark Doss, a supervising attorney at the International Refugee Assistance Project, asked a border agent, “Who is the person we need to talk to?” “Call Mr. Trump,” said the agent, who declined to identify himself. The White House said the restrictions would protect “the United States from foreign nationals entering from countries compromised by terrorism” and ensure “a more rigorous vetting process.” But critics condemned Mr. Trump over the immediate collateral damage imposed on people who, by all accounts, had no sinister intentions in trying to come to the United States. Peaceful protests began forming Saturday afternoon at Kennedy Airport, where nine travelers had been detained upon arrival at Terminal 7 and two others at Terminal 4, an airport official said. The official said they were being held in a federal area of the airport, adding that such situations were playing out around the nation. An official message to all American diplomatic posts around the world provided instructions about how to treat people from the countries affected: “Effective immediately, halt interviewing and cease issuance and printing” of visas to the United States. Internationally, confusion turned to panic as travelers found themselves unable to board flights bound for the United States. In Dubai and Istanbul, airport and immigration officials turned passengers away at boarding gates and, in at least one case, ejected a family from a flight they had boarded. Seyed Soheil Saeedi Saravi, a promising young Iranian scientist, had been scheduled to travel in the coming days to Boston, where he had been awarded a fellowship to study cardiovascular medicine at Harvard, according to Thomas Michel, the professor who was to supervise the research fellowship. But Professor Michel said the visas for the student and his wife had been indefinitely suspended. “This outstanding young scientist has enormous potential to make contributions that will improve our understanding of heart disease, and he has already been thoroughly vetted,” Professor Michel wrote to The New York Times. Peter McPherson, the president of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, which represents many of the biggest public colleges in the country, said he was “deeply concerned” about the new policy. He said it was “causing significant disruption and hardship” for students, researchers, faculty and staff members. A Syrian family of six who have been living in a Turkish refugee camp since fleeing their home in 2014 had been scheduled to arrive in Cleveland on Tuesday, according to a report in The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Instead, the family’s trip has been called off. Danielle Drake, a community relations manager at US Together, a refugee resettlement agency, told the newspaper that Mr. Trump’s ban reminded her of when the United States turned away Jewish refugees during World War II. “All those times that people said, ‘Never again,’ well, we’re doing it again,” she said. On Twitter, Daniel W. Drezner, a professor at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in Medford, Mass., posted an angry message for Mr. Trump after the executive order stopped the arrival of a Syrian family his synagogue had sponsored. In an interview on Friday night on “The Rachel Maddow Show” on MSNBC, he expressed sorrow for the fate of the family and apologized for cursing in his Twitter message. “I can’t quite describe the degree of anger that I felt as a reaction to this, which then caused me to curse at the president on social media,” he said, adding, “which is probably something I should not do as a general rule.” It was unclear how many refugees and other immigrants were being held nationwide in relation to the executive order. A Christian family of six from Syria said in an email to Representative Charlie Dent, Republican of Pennsylvania, that they were being detained at Philadelphia International Airport on Saturday morning despite having legal paperwork, green cards and visas that had been approved. In the case of the two Iraqis held at Kennedy Airport, the legal filings by his lawyers say that Mr. Darweesh was granted a special immigrant visa on Jan. 20, the same day Mr. Trump was sworn in as president. Mr. Darweesh worked with the Americans in Iraq in a variety of jobs — as an engineer, a contractor and an interpreter for the Army’s 101st Airborne Division in Baghdad and Mosul starting shortly after the invasion of Iraq on April 1, 2003. A husband and father of three, he arrived at Kennedy Airport with his family. Mr. Darweesh’s wife and children made it through passport control and customs, but agents of Customs and Border Protection detained him. In Istanbul, during a stopover on Saturday, passengers reported that security officers had entered a plane after everyone had boarded and ordered a young Iranian woman and her family to leave the aircraft. Iranian green card holders who live in the United States were blindsided by the decree while on vacation in Iran, finding themselves in a legal limbo and unsure whether they would be able to return to America. “How do I get back home now?” said Daria Zeynalia, a green card holder who was visiting family in Iran. He had DHS-17-0435-A-000258 CBP FOIA 000258 21 rented a house and leased a car, and would be eligible for citizenship in November. “What about my job? If I can’t go back soon, I’ll lose everything.” Trump Order On Refugees, Muslims Sparks Confusion, Worry By Alicia A. Caldwell Associated Press, January 28, 2017 WASHINGTON (AP) – Confusion, worry and outrage grew Saturday as President Donald Trump’s crackdown on refugees and citizens from seven majority-Muslim countries took effect. Airlines blocked people traveling to the United States, legal challenges were underway and doubts abounded about whether the order would make America safer. The immediate fallout from Trump’s order meant that an untold number of foreign-born U.S. residents now traveling outside the U.S. could be stuck overseas for at least 90 days – despite holding permanent residency “green cards” or other visas. And some foreign nationals who were allowed to board flights before the order was signed Friday were being detained at U.S. airports, told they were no longer welcome. Trump billed his sweeping executive order as a necessary step to stop “radical Islamic terrorists” from coming to the U.S. Included is a 90-day ban on travel to the U.S. by citizens of Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia or Yemen and a 120-day suspension of the U.S. refugee program. Trump’s order singled out Syrians for the most aggressive ban, indefinitely blocking entry for anyone from that country, including those fleeing civil war. The directive did not do anything to prevent attacks from homegrown extremists who were already in America, a primary concern of federal law enforcement officials. It also omitted Saudi Arabia, home to most of the Sept. 11 hijackers. As a candidate Trump pledged to temporarily ban Muslims from coming to the U.S., then said he would implement “extreme vetting” for people from countries with significant terror concerns. Trump told reporters Saturday the order is “not a Muslim ban.” “It’s working out very nicely,” Trump said of the implementation of his order. “We’re going to have a very, very strict ban and we’re going to have extreme vetting, which we should have had in this country for many years.” The order drew criticism from U.S. lawmakers and officials around the globe. Sen. Ben Sasse, a Nebraska Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said while Trump is right to focus on border security, the order is “too broad.” “If we send a signal to the Middle East that the U.S. sees all Muslims as jihadis, the terrorist recruiters win by telling kids that America is banning Muslims and that this is America versus one religion,” Sasse said. “Our generational fight against jihadism requires wisdom.” In Tehran, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Iran would stop issuing new visas to U.S. citizens in response to Trump’s ban, but that anyone already with a visa to Iran wouldn’t be turned away. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took to Twitter Saturday afternoon to say that refugees were welcome in Canada, “regardless of your faith.” Two of the first people blocked from entering the United States were Iraqis with links to the U.S. military. Hameed Khalid Darweesh and Haider Sameer Abdulkhaleq Alshawi were detained by immigration officials after landing at New York’s Kennedy airport Friday night. Darweesh had worked as an interpreter for the U.S. Army when it invaded Iraq in 2003. Later he worked as a contract engineer. He was allowed into the U.S. Saturday afternoon, hours after his attorney petitioned a federal court to let the two men go. In their court filing, his lawyers said Alshawai’s wife had worked for a U.S. security contractor in Iraq. Members of her family had been killed by insurgents because of their association with the U.S. military. The government can exempt foreign nationals from the ban if their entry is deemed in the national interest. But it was not immediately clear how that exemption might be applied. Diplomats from the seven countries singled out by Trump’s order would still be allowed into the U.S. Those already in the U.S. with a visa or green card would be allowed to stay, according to the official, who wasn’t authorized to publicly discuss the details of how Trump’s order was being put in place and spoke only on condition of anonymity. Trump’s order also directed U.S. officials to review information as needed to fully vet foreigners asking to come to the U.S. and draft a list of countries that don’t provide that information. That left open the possibility that citizens of other countries could also face a travel ban. The U.S. may still admit refugees on a case-by-case basis during the freeze, and the government would continue to process requests from people claiming religious persecution, “provided that the religion of the individual is a minority religion in the individual’s country.” The Council on American-Islamic Relations said it would challenge the constitutionality of Trump’s order. “There is no evidence that refugees – the most thoroughly vetted of all people entering our nation – are a threat to national security,” said Lena F. Masri, the group’s national litigation director. “This is an order that is based on bigotry, not reality.” John Cohen, a former Department of Homeland Security counterterrorism official who worked under Democratic and Republican administrations, said the order DHS-17-0435-A-000259 CBP FOIA 000259 22 didn’t address America’s “primary terrorism-related threat” – people already in the U.S. who become inspired by what they see on the internet. Trump’s order drew support from some Republican lawmakers who have urged more security measures for the refugee vetting program, particularly for those from Syria. “We are a compassionate nation and a country of immigrants. But as we know, terrorists are dead set on using our immigration and refugee programs as a Trojan Horse to attack us,” House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul said in a statement Friday. “With the stroke of a pen, he is doing more to shut down terrorist pathways into this country than the last administration did in eight years.” It is unclear how many people would be immediately impacted by the non-refugee travel ban. According to the statistics maintained by the Homeland Security Department, about 17,000 students from the seven designated countries were allowed into the U.S. for the 2015-2016 school year. In 2015 more than 86,000 people from those countries arrived in the U.S. on other, non-immigrant visas and more than 52,000 others became legal permanent residents. Last year the U.S. resettled 85,000 people displaced by war, political oppression, hunger and religious prejudice, including more than 12,000 Syrians. Before leaving office President Barack Obama announced that the U.S. would accept 110,000 refugees in the coming year, but Trump’s order cut that by more than half to 50,000. No refugees were in the air when the travel ban was signed Friday, but about 350 people were in transit in Nairobi, Kenya, and were now stuck there, said Melanie Nezer, vice president of policy and advocacy for HIAS, a refugee resettlement aid agency. She said several hundred more people who were booked on U.S.-bound flights in the next week were now stranded around the globe. “This in effect could be a permanent ban,” she said. “Many of these people may never be able to come.” --- Associated Press writers Darlene Superville and Eric Tucker in Washington, Ellen Knickmeyer in San Francisco, Jeff Karoub in Detroit, and Rachel Zoll, Verena Dobnik and William Mathis in New York contributed to this report. --- Follow Alicia A. Caldwell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/acaldwellap © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ‘How Do I Get Back Home?’ Iranians Turned Away From Flights To U.S. By Thomas Erdbrink New York Times, January 28, 2017 As Iranians woke on Saturday to the news that none of them would be able to enter the United States for at least 90 days, on the orders of President Trump, panic reigned. They were turned back from flights to the United States in Tehran and in the major transfer hubs of Istanbul and Dubai. Some of those who arrived in the United States after midnight, when the decree went into effect, were held or deported, rights groups and airline representatives said. No one, not passengers, airline representatives or even United States border control officials, seemed to know how to interpret the executive order that went into effect at midnight on Friday. Under the new policy, refugees, immigrants and almost anyone from seven countries deemed to be hotbeds of terrorism are banned from the United States for 90 days, pending a review of policies. Officials are just interpreting the directive by themselves, said one representative for an international airline who was based in Tehran. He said the airline did not know if Iranians could fly to the United States or not. On Saturday, three international airlines shuttling passengers between Iran and the United States — Emirates, Lufthansa and Qatar Airways — had stopped allowing Iranians with visas or even permanent residence cards to board their planes. The Qatar Airways office in Tehran confirmed that all Iranian passengers without United States passports were stopped from flying to the United States on Friday evening and sent back to Iran. In Istanbul, during a stopover on Saturday, passengers reported that security officers had entered a plane after everybody boarded and ordered a young Iranian woman and her family to leave the aircraft. Holders of green cards, which confer the right to live and work indefinitely in the United States, received conflicting information about whether or not they would be permitted to return to the United States. But on Saturday, the Department of Homeland Security clarified the executive order, saying it applied even to permanent residents from the seven Muslim￾majority countries named in the ban: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. “It will bar green card holders,” Gillian Christensen, the Department of Homeland Security’s acting spokeswoman, told Reuters. Many were blindsided by the decree while on vacation in Iran. “How do I get back home now?” said Daria Zeynalia, a green card holder who was visiting family in Iran. He had rented a house and leased a car and would be eligible for citizenship in November. “What about my job? If I can’t go back soon, I’ll lose everything,” he said. DHS-17-0435-A-000260 CBP FOIA 000260 23 It is unclear how many Iranians have green cards, but experts say the number runs into the hundreds of thousands. In an online survey tracking entry challenges, two out of 112 passengers holding green cards said they were not allowed into the United States, but the reasons were unclear. Card holders can be barred, for instance, if they owe back taxes. Others spent years preparing to study in the United States only to see their plans abruptly thwarted on Friday. About 4,000 Iranians are granted study visas to attend American universities each year, often after a long and complicated process that can take years. Shadi Heidarifar, a philosophy student just admitted to New York University, said in a message on Twitter that she had spent three years trying to apply to universities in the United States. “I had to work to save money, gather documents. The application fees were so expensive that a whole family could live for a month” on them, Ms. Heidarifar wrote. When she was accepted recently, she was over the moon. “But now my entire future is destroyed in one second.” Migrants Prevented From Boarding Flights To The U.S. In Wake Of Trump Order Wall Street Journal, January 28, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. ‘These Are People’s Lives They Are Playing With’: World’s Airports Turn Into Limbo For Many Under Trump Order By Kareem Fahim, Mustafa Salim Washington Post, January 28, 2017 After working as an interpreter for an American security company in Iraq and enduring years of background checks after applying for a U.S. visa, Labeeb Ali’s hopes of moving to the United States ended abruptly in Qatar’s international airport on Saturday, when officials prevented him from boarding a flight to Texas. “I have the visa in my passport,” he said hours later, after he had stopped yelling at the airport staff and his rage had given way to despair and regret at having already sold his business and belongings in Iraq. “They have killed my dream,” he said. “They took it all away from me, in the last minutes.” President Trump’s order on Friday to temporarily ban citizens of several Muslim countries from entering the United States sowed panic, confusion and anguish in airports across the globe Saturday, as nationals of the affected countries were either barred by airlines from traveling or detained upon arrival in the United States. Those prevented from boarding U.S.-bound planes included Iraqis like Ali, who said he had been granted a special immigration visa on Jan. 24 reserved for interpreters and translators who had worked for American forces in Iraq or Afghanistan. Others had fled war in Yemen or Syria or repression in Sudan or Iran. Taken together, Saturday’s restrictions amounted to another cruel trial for people who had escaped conflict and overcame the hurdles to win coveted American visas, only to be turned back on what should have been the final leg of their journeys. Countless others were left in a paralyzing limbo as they struggled to understand the president’s edict. They included Syrian students granted admission in American universities and facing the certainty that they would not be able to attend, and Iraqi or Iranian green-card holders traveling abroad and terrified at the possibility that they would not be able to return home. Sarah Amer, an Iraqi who lives in New York, had left her daughter at home and was visiting friends in Iraq when Trump signed the executive order. “They can’t just change the rules in one night,” she said Saturday, amid confusion about whether green-card holders from Iraq could return to the United States. “These are people’s lives they are playing with,” she said. The executive order, titled “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States,” bars citizens from Syria, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Sudan, Somalia and Libya, all predominantly Muslim nations, from entering the United States for the next 90 days. The order also indefinitely bars Syrian refugees from resettling in the United States and suspends the entry of all refugees from any country for 120 days. The order followed Trump’s repeated campaign pledges to restrict Muslim immigration to the United States. But the speed with which it was promulgated — a week after the president took office — still caught those most affected by surprise. The confusion extended to airlines, which issued contradictory or vague rules about who would be allowed to fly. Lufthansa, the German carrier, released a statement saying it was “obliged by law to strictly adhere to U.S. immigration requirements.” But, reflecting the uncertainty over the American directive, the airline said only that citizens of the affected countries “might not be accepted onboard U.S. flights.” Qatar Airways said that passengers would be allowed to travel only if they were permanent green-card holders or had visas that were exempt from the order. Manel Vrijenhoek, a spokeswoman for KLM, the Dutch carrier, said “It’s not 100 percent clear who is allowed in and who is not.” The airline had barred seven passengers from traveling to the United States on Saturday, she said, after DHS-17-0435-A-000261 CBP FOIA 000261 24 informing them “that there is no use in flying to the U.S. because you will be rejected. You won’t even be able to leave the plane.” She would not to say which country the passengers had come from, only that they were from one of the seven countries named in the presidential order. Ali, the Iraqi citizen, said that two Syrians were also prevented from traveling on his flight to Texas. In Egypt, security officials stopped five Iraqis and a Yemeni national from boarding a flight to New York. There were unconfirmed reports that Iranian visitors as well as permanent green-card holders were restricted from traveling to the United States by officials at airports in Amsterdam, Abu Dhabi as well as Qatar, according to Hazhir Rahmandad, an Iranian American professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who created a crowdsourced database to track Iranian travelers affected by the ban. Although the details in the database could not be independently verified, the reports also suggested scores of Iranian visitors and green-card holders were also being turned away at several U.S. airports upon arrival. The data and reports so far “suggest there is confusion among border agents about how to treat” the various categories of visa holders, Rahmandad said. And there was consternation for Iranians who received the news while on the road. On Saturday, Ali Abdi, a 30-year￾old Iranian green-card holder who studies at Yale University, was in transit in Dubai, on his way to Afghanistan to do research for his doctoral thesis, but he was suddenly worried that Trump’s directive had left him stranded. He had received reports from friends and acquaintances that green-card holders were subject to the ban. Abdi, a human rights activist who claimed asylum in the United States in 2011, said he would not be able to return to Iran if he was denied reentry to the U.S. “I’ll be stateless,” he said. “I left Iran eight years ago, and I have been looking for a home. I don’t think of the U.S. as that kind of place anymore,” he said. Abed Ayoub, the legal director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, an advocacy group that was counseling citizens from the affected countries, said the majority of the calls the group had received were from people overseas wondering whether they should even bother boarding a plane. They included an Iraqi woman who was flying to visit her family in the United States but at the last minute decided to go to Canada instead. Calls had also come from citizens of countries that were not affected by the ban, including Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Morocco — part of what Ayoub called a broader “chilling effect” the presidential order had imposed across the Muslim world. The group had advised the callers to double-check the latest rules before they begin their travels. “That list can be expanded at any point,” Ayoub said. “You want to be aware before you board the plane.” When Fuad Sharef and his family landed at Cairo airport Saturday morning, they were clutching boarding passes for their connecting flight to New York and valid one￾year visas to the United States. They were headed, eventually, to Nashville, to start a new life. But soon after they entered the terminal, Egyptian airport authorities stopped them and ordered them to hand over their passports. They informed him that the American Embassy in Baghdad had sent a communique saying the family could no longer travel on to the United States. “They didn’t explain why,” said Sharef, 51, who spoke by phone because he and his family were inside the transit section of the terminal and were not allowed to leave. “But I knew this was because of the executive order signed by Donald Trump.” He was traveling with his wife, Arazoo, 41; his son Bnyad, 19; his daughter Yad, 17; and another daughter, Shad, 10. Like many Iraqis wanting to resettle in the United States, Sharef took advantage of a program to assist Iraqis who worked for the U.S. government and American media in Iraq. Sharef had worked for Research Triangle Institute (RTI), a USAID subcontractor, for several years after the 2003 U.S.- led invasion, first as translator and later running a program that gave out microbusiness loans to Iraqis. Working for the Americans was filled with perils, he said. He and other colleagues faced death threats — he knew co-workers who were kidnapped or killed. His work and background swayed the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, and after two years of vetting, they deemed him safe enough to be resettled in the United States. Sharef sold his house, his car and all his remaining possessions. He pulled his three children out of their schools. He spent $5,000 for air tickets and quit his job as a supply￾chain manager for a large pharmaceutical firm. He was confident he would find an opportunity in Nashville, with his three degrees, including an MBA. Sharef admits that he took a gamble. When he heard of Trump’s impending visa ban, he pushed their trip to the United States forward by a few days. The family is now scheduled to be placed on a flight back to Irbil on Sunday morning — after spending the night inside the airport terminal. “Donald Trump destroyed my life,” said Sharef. “How can he do this to people who risked their lives to help America?” Despair, Confusion Reign As Trump’s Travel Ban Hits Associated Press, January 28, 2017 DHS-17-0435-A-000262 CBP FOIA 000262 25 An Iraqi pleaded for his life to President Donald Trump. A longtime New Yorker, born in Syria, wondered how he would get home from a trip abroad. Church groups, geared up to welcome refugee families, looked in dismay at homes prepared for families that may never arrive. Despair and confusion set in Saturday among citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries who found themselves abruptly unable to enter the United States a day after Trump signed an order he billed as a necessary step to stop “radical Islamic terrorists” from coming to the U.S. Included is a 90-day ban on travel to the U.S. by citizens of Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia or Yemen and a 120-day suspension of the U.S. refugee program. Travelers from those nations were either barred from getting on their flights or detained at U.S. airports after they landed, including tourists, foreign students and people trying to visit friends and family. “What’s next? What’s going to happen next?” asked Mohammed al Rawi, an Iraqi-born American citizen in the Los Angeles area, after his 69-year-old father, coming to visit his grandchildren in California, was abruptly detained and sent back to Iraq after 12 hours in custody. “Are they going to create camps for Muslims and put us in it?” After an appeal from civil liberties lawyers, a federal judge in New York issued an emergency order Saturday night barring the U.S. from summarily deporting people who had arrived with valid visas or an approved refugee application. U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly said travelers had a strong argument that their legal rights had been violated. Her order, though, only affected a portion of Trump’s order. That ruling came as protests broke out at several U.S. airports where travelers were being held, including a gathering of several hundred people outside San Francisco’s main airport and a raucous demonstration of at least 2,000 people at New York’s Kennedy International Airport. Hameed Khalid Darweesh, a translator and assistant for the U.S. military in Iraq for 10 years now fleeing death threats, was among at least a dozen people detained at New York’s Kennedy airport their arrivals Friday and Saturday. He walked free midday Friday after his lawyers and two members of congress went to the airport to try and gain his release. “This is the soul of America,” Darweesh told a crowd of demonstrators and reporters, adding that the U.S. was home to “the greatest people in the world.” Others were less lucky. Parisa Fasihianifard, 24, arrived after a long trip from Tehran, Iran, only to be detained and told she had to go home. “She was crying and she told me she was banned to come inside and go through the gates,” said her husband Mohamad Zandian , 26, an Iranian doctoral student at Ohio State University. He was hoping to get her out of the country on a late night flight to avoid her being jailed until Monday. Staff at U.S. agencies that resettle refugees were scrambling to analyze the order and girded for the wrenching phone calls that would have to be made to the thousands of refugees just days away from traveling to the U.S. Several staff who spoke to the AP burst into tears as they contemplated the future for people who had waited years to come into the country. “It’s complete chaos,” said Melanie Nezer, policy director for HIAS, one of nine refugee resettlement agencies that work with the U.S. State Department. The International Refugee Assistance Project, which aids foreign nationals targeted for their work for the U.S. government as well as other refugees, was sending the same message to asylum-seekers, most of them who had been waiting for years. Meathaq Alaunaibi, also a refugee from Iraq, was hoping to soon be reunited with her twin 18-year-old daughters who are in Baghdad. Alaunaibi, her husband, a son and another daughter were settled last August in Tennessee, as the twins completed their government review to enter the U.S. After Trump signed the order, she spoke by phone with her daughters. “They are so worried and afraid because they’re stuck there in Baghdad,” Alaunaibi said Saturday. “They are young and they are strong, but I am crying all the time. I miss them.” An Iraqi in Mosul, an Iraqi city where the Islamic State group had seized control, despaired at word that what he had thought was an imminent flight to safety in America was now canceled, indefinitely. “If you can write to Mr. Trump or find any other way to help me reunite with my family, please, I am dying in Iraq, please,” the man, whose identity was withheld because he is still in danger in Iraq, wrote back to his U.S. lawyer by email. The order also caused confusion for longtime, legal U.S. residents traveling abroad. Kinan Azmeh, a clarinetist born in Syria who has lived in the U.S. for 16 years, left his home in New York City three weeks ago for a series of concerts that included a date with cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Now, he doesn’t know if he will be able to return home. “I don’t know what’s going on,” Azmeh told The Associated Press by phone Saturday from Lebanon. “It is home as much as Damascus,” he said of New York City. “I really don’t know how to react.” Before Trump signed the order, more than 67,000 refugees had been approved by the federal government to enter the U.S., said Jen Smyers, refugee policy director for Church World Service. More than 6,400 had already been booked on flights, including 15 families that had been expected over the next few weeks in the Chicago area from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Iran, Syria and Uganda. The bulk of refugees entering the U.S. are settled by religious groups, who organize churches, synagogues and DHS-17-0435-A-000263 CBP FOIA 000263 26 mosques to collect furniture, clothes and toys for the refugees and set up volunteer schedules for hosting duties. All that work ground to a halt after Trump signed the order. In Massachusetts, Jewish Family Service of MetroWest had been coordinating a group of doctors, community leaders, a local mosque and other volunteers to resettle 15 Syrian families, including a 1-year-old and 5-year-old who arrived Tuesday. Now, two fully outfitted apartments remain empty and it’s unclear when, if ever, the other refugees will be allowed to enter, said Marc Jacobs, chief executive of the Jewish service group. Nour Ulayyet of Valparaiso, Indiana said her sister, a Syrian living in Saudi Arabia, was sent back after arriving from Riyadh at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport on Saturday and told she couldn’t enter the U.S. to help care for their sick mother. Ulayyet said some officials at the airport were apologizing to her sister, who had a valid visa. “My mom was already having pain enough to go through this on top of the pain that she’s having,” Ulayyet said. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. An Iraqi Family Split By The Vicissitudes Of Asylum By John Otis And Rana F. Sweis New York Times, January 28, 2017 Maha al-Obaidi’s family is divided. She immigrated to New York City in 2014, reuniting with her three sons who had arrived earlier. She expected that her husband, Husham al-Qadhi, and her two other sons would soon join her from Amman, Jordan, finally bringing the family together after a tumultuous decade of surviving the Iraq war, fleeing to Jordan and then searching for a permanent home. But on Friday, the family was dealt another blow, after President Trump approved a sweeping executive order on immigration that, among other things, blocked entry into the United States for 90 days for citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries including Iraq, where members of the family are citizens. Her husband and two sons in Jordan are for now locked out of the United States, and Ms. Obaidi cannot travel away, or risk being denied re-entry. “Now our family in the U.S. can’t even come to visit us, nor can we visit them,” Mr. Qadhi said on Saturday in Amman. “We just sit and watch like the rest of the world what is happening, and our fate is being decided for us, in front of our eyes.” The family lived in Baghdad as American tanks, troops and missiles tore into the Iraqi capital in 2003. It stayed for several years, despite gunfire and bomb blasts outside its house and the kidnapping of several family members. The family helped American soldiers even though other Iraqis targeted it for doing so. One of the sons in Amman, Thabit al-Qadhi, said he and his father had run a snack bar on an American base in Baghdad, serving candy and soft drinks to troops, and operated a 24-hour internet cafe, which required them to be vetted and approved to begin work. After Thabit al-Qadhi was kidnapped in 2006 by Qaeda terrorists and eventually released, he said, he reported details about the episode to American officials in the hope that they would be caught. And on his way home from the Baghdad base one day, he came upon four American troops injured along the road, and he said he had loaded them into his car and driven them to the Green Zone. “America has abandoned its responsibility to protect those who protected and cooperated with the Americans,” he said. “It’s a decision solely based on my religious faith. It’s discrimination solely on religious grounds.” He added: “This is the wrong decision. Is it even constitutional?” The family’s home was along one of Baghdad’s major highways, an entry point for American troops during the invasion. The family huddled in a windowless section of the home for 10 days, as bullets shattered windows and rockets blazed through the sky, until the United States took control of Baghdad. In the years after the invasion, the family remained in Iraq, even as unrest spread, militants took up arms and centuries-old tensions between Sunnis and Shiites flared up. In addition to Thabit al-Qadhi, Ms. Obaidi’s husband was also kidnapped, on two separate occasions. The family members recalled the lengths to which they went to get them freed, how they stuffed $60,000 in Iraqi dinars into garbage bags and were instructed by cellphone to travel to a series of locations before dropping off the ransom. “It was like in the movies,” Ms. Obaidi said in an interview this month. Fearing more attacks, the family left Iraq for Jordan. It joined many other Iraqi refugees, including extended family members. Ms. Obaidi and her husband used their savings to buy a home in Amman. Employment opportunities were scarce for Iraqis, leading three of her sons, starting in 2010, to venture to the United States to find work. When Ms. Obaidi later followed them, she hoped that her entire family could apply for asylum and unite in America. She made the trip despite a number of concerns. “At first, I felt afraid,” she said. “How can I live in this country? It is a foreign country. It is very far from my culture. How will I be compatible with the community?” To her surprise, Ms. Obaidi found New York to be unlike its gruff stereotypes. People smiled as she walked DHS-17-0435-A-000264 CBP FOIA 000264 27 down the street. Men helped her haul heavy bags up stairs. Others offered her seats on the subway. “Everybody in America is very nice,” she said. “They are very polite, helpful people, nice people, always with a smile on their face. That is my experience.” She has found additional support from the International Rescue Committee, a global humanitarian aid, relief and development nongovernmental organization based in New York. Founded in 1933, the organization is the newest organization supported by The New York Times Neediest Cases Fund, and the only one of the eight groups whose work extends beyond the New York area. It operates in 29 cities in the United States and in more than 40 countries. The organization was instrumental in helping Ms. Obaidi adjust to her new life and connecting her with a number of social services, including health insurance and food stamps. It helped her obtain a Social Security card, navigate New York’s streets and understand its transportation system. The group also helped her study for her driver’s license permit exam, among other services. “I feel I am not lonely,” she said. “I have somebody. I have somebody to support me.” She shares a home in the Astoria neighborhood in Queens with two of her sons, Saif al-Qadhi and Qaed al￾Qadhi. Her third son, Tameem al-Kadhi, and his wife, Melissa Forstrom, also live in the neighborhood. “I have a nice life,” Ms. Obaidi said. “Even though my apartment is small, I feel happy in it. I like it.” But it is a home with some notable, painful absences. “I’ve divided myself,” Ms. Obaidi said. “Some part is there in Jordan, and some parts …” She trailed off, overcome with emotion. In Amman, Thabit al-Qadhi, her oldest son, lives with his wife and 5-year-old son across the street from Ms. Obaidi’s husband, Husham, and their youngest son, Omar al￾Qadhi. They have been denied asylum in the United States. In October 2015, Husham al-Qadhi was sent a conditional acceptance letter for asylum in the United States. About a year later, he received a second letter, denying him resettlement. Omar al-Qadhi, who works at Unicef to help provide water, sanitation and hygiene to Syrian refugees in Jordan, was also denied resettlement. “We have lived here as if we were waiting for something, as if everything was temporary, but now we no longer know what we are waiting for,” Omar al-Qadhi said in his apartment in Amman. Thabit al-Qadhi, who has traveled to New York several times to visit his family, has not received the same denial letters for resettlement in the United States. His tourist visa was renewed, but a week later, an officer at the American Embassy in Amman told him that his visa had been canceled, and his case for resettlement was denied. Whether they will ever get approval to move to the United States is even more uncertain now. Thabit al-Qadhi said that Mr. Trump’s order was particularly painful and that he felt America was turning its back on Iraqis who had risked their lives to help soldiers during the war. “At the end we realized we were no longer welcome, neither from the Iraqis because we worked with the Americans, nor from the Americans because we were Iraqi,” he said. Like many Iraqis, Thabit al-Qadhi is living in Jordan on a conditional basis. He must renew his permission every year, and it is dependent on the family’s financial means. “Nothing is guaranteed in business,” he said. “Today, my trade company here is successful, but if one day the business fails, then what will happen? Where do I go?” In the United States, his siblings, even with employment and legal immigration status, live in a similar state of unsteadiness and concern. For three years, Tameem al-Kadhi’s only proof of his legal status was an arrival-departure record known as an I-94 form, a document without a photo of him and only his name and identification numbers. It has hindered his attempts to travel even within the United States. Visas for Saif al-Qadhi’s wife and children were approved recently after a wait of more than two years. They were booked on a plane expected to arrive Feb. 7, but Friday’s executive order by Mr. Trump has dashed those plans. “The kids, they grow up far from their father,” Saif al￾Qadhi said. “All of a sudden, I told them ‘I’m sorry, something changed. I may not be able to see you soon.’” He and his wife are distraught by the development, which leaves them in a precarious position. In anticipation of the move, their children were taken out of their private school and the lease on their apartment in Amman is to expire on Feb. 1. “I’m watching the news every second,” Mr. Qadhi said. Ms. Obaidi’s children have been able to acclimate to their new surroundings and establish a rhythm in their lives. Tameem al-Kadhi owns a cellphone store in the East Village in Manhattan, Qaed al-Qadhi works as an information technology manager, and Saif al-Qadhi is an Uber driver. Ms. Obaidi stays busy by volunteering at the Masjid Dar Al￾Dawah mosque. The family gathers as often as work schedules and other responsibilities allow, most often on Sundays, when Ms. Obaidi prepares a large meal. They all await the day when more chairs can be placed around the table. Halfway across the world, the other half of the family shares that sentiment. Omar al-Qadhi said he missed his brothers, but especially his mother. “It just feels weird that we are now split, and the future looks grim,” he said. “We are travelers on a journey with no destination, and my family is so far away.” DHS-17-0435-A-000265 CBP FOIA 000265 28 Families Divided By Trump’s Refugee Order Worry About The Future By Harriet Ryan And Melissa Etehad, Contact Reporters Los Angeles Times, January 28, 2017 Ali Abdi, a 30-year-old student from Iran, has been studying for his PhD in anthropology at Yale University. Last week, he left the U.S. for the United Arab Emirates on his way to a research trip in Afghanistan. That was only days before President Trump issued his executive order on Friday suspending admissions from seven majority Muslim countries, including Iran. Now Abdi, who has been living in the U.S. for the last four years, is unsure what to do. He cannot return to Iran, where he faces potential imprisonment for his political activism. His visa for the UAE won’t allow him to stay there long, nor does he have permission for an extended stay in Afghanistan. Most seriously, under Trump’s new order, he can no longer return to the U.S. to finish his studies. Abdi is trying to be philosophical. “I’m not worried about anything... From an anthropological perspective I can write a lot,” he said in a telephone interview Saturday. “What has happened is very illuminating. The main problem is the lives of thousands of others who are torn apart by what happened.” The executive order signed on Friday suspends all refugee entries for 120 days, blocks Syrian refugees and bars for 90 days the entry of citizens from Iraq, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Libya and Somalia. Around the world, students and workers caught outside the U.S. were uncertain when they would be allowed to return under the new executive order. Refugees expecting safe resettlement in the U.S. were stranded and detained at airports. And families whose loved ones were stranded abroad were left in a state of crippling anxiety. Many were scanning their social media feeds or watching television, trying to make sense of the new policy and understand what happens next. Bahareh Aslani, a 34-year-old Iranian American, has been planning to have a formal wedding ceremony in Baltimore in April to celebrate her marriage to her husband, Mostapha Roudsari, who teaches at the University of Pennsylvania. Roudsari’s parents, who live in Iran, went to Dubai in December and applied for a visa to enter the U.S., waiting 2 ½ months for an appointment at the U.S. embassy. The couple was told that the mother’s visa had been approved and that the father’s visa had been approved, pending additional documents. Now, both are barred from entry and will not be able to attend the wedding and are devastated, Aslani said. “It’s frustrating, most of all. Makes me sad for my in laws and family, but mostly I’m really scared, because is this the beginning? Are they going to come after me? Once you start the slippery slope to losing all your basic rights, and no one seems to know what to do about it,” Aslani said. Nobar Elmi Golhar, 36, lives in Brooklyn and has never been to Iran, but worries about whether her family in Iran will be able to continue to visit. Her aunt and uncle, both green card holders who have children in the United States, were in the U.S. when the executive order was signed, and now both are uncertain whether it’s wise to go back home to Iran — they may not be allowed to return. “They are here and want to return to Iran, but now they are very worried if they can come back,” Golhar said. “They are trying to better understand what is going on and watch the news and ask what they should expect.” What they are feeling, she said, is “panic.” “It’s a real mix of emotions,” Golhar said. “First, it’s disbelief: Is this seriously happening? And then, it’s the anger... How could we have allowed this to happen?” Airport Detentions Of Iraqi Travelers Spark Lawsuit, Protest By Miriam Jordan Wall Street Journal, January 28, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. First Lawsuit Filed To Challenge Trump’s Refugee Policy Officers told Iraqi man’s attorneys to ‘Call Mr. Trump’ By Stephen Dinan Washington Times, January 28, 2017 Civil liberties groups filed the first lawsuit Saturday morning challenging President Trump’s pause on migration from countries troubled by terrorism, saying the halt has already snared two Iraqis who’d already been approved to come to the U.S., and who fear for their lives back home. The lawsuit says that when lawyers for one of the men demanded to speak to the person responsible for keeping them out, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers told them they would have to take it up with new chief: “Call Mr. Trump.” One of the two men refused entry is an interpreter and engineer who was to be admitted under a program rewarding those who helped the U.S. efforts in Iraq, at risk to themselves. The man’s family was admitted, but he was detained. The other man was coming to the U.S. to rejoin his wife and seven-year-old son, who were admitted as refugees three years ago. DHS-17-0435-A-000266 CBP FOIA 000266 29 Both men were denied entry at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York in the hours after Mr. Trump issued his executive order Friday. The lawsuit said the Trump order is unconstitutional because it discriminates based on someone’s country of birth, and “was substantially motivated by animus” toward Muslims. “President Trump’s war on equality is already taking a terrible human toll. This ban cannot be allowed to continue,” said Omar Jadwat, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Immigrants’ Rights Project. Mr. Trump’s new policy pauses the refugee program and halts admissions from countries troubled by terrorism, including Syria and Iraq. The pause is intended to give the new administration a chance to improve screening, Mr. Trump said in the executive order. The order makes good on his campaign pledge to impose “extreme vetting” of those coming to the U.S. Human rights groups have called it a “Muslim ban,” saying they believe that’s what Mr. Trump was really trying to achieve with his policy. Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. Iraqis Who Spent Years Helping U.S. Among The First Detained Under Trump’s Ban One man, who worked for the U.S. military as an interpreter, has since been released. By Willa Frej and Sebastian Murdock Huffington Post, January 28, 2017 NEW YORK ― Iraqi and Afghan refugees who helped U.S. war efforts were among those detained at airports Friday night after President Donald Trump signed an executive order targeting Muslims and refugees. Hameed Khalid Darweesh and Sameer Abdulkhaleq Alshawi, Iraqis with ties to U.S. operations overseas, were detained late Friday at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. Darweesh had worked for the U.S. government for 10 years, including as an interpreter. Darweesh’s wife and children were let through, but Darweesh was not, Brandon Friedman, a former colleague of Darweesh’s, told The Huffington Post. Darweesh was released Saturday afternoon. In a press conference afterward, he said he’d been held since 6 p.m. Friday in several rooms, and was questioned for many hours. But despite his ill treatment, Darweesh offered praise for the U.S., calling it “is the greatest country in the world.” Alshawi is a refugee who was rejoining his wife and child in America. His wife, who had worked for a U.S. government contractor, came to the U.S. a few years ago, The Washington Post reported. Alshawi was released Saturday night, after a federal judge halted parts of Trump’s executive order. Mark Doss, an attorney with the International Refugee Assistance Project who is representing Darweesh and Alshawi, said he and his team were unable to meet with their clients through the night on Friday. “We’ve been at JFK all night and none of us have been able to speak with our clients. As far as we know, they are still detained, and we have been unable to actually meet with them in person,” Doss told CNN Saturday before Darweesh’s release. “To be unlawfully detained here at the airport is really just disgraceful.” “We’re fighting very hard to make sure they’re not deported to their countries where they can be killed,” he added. Things were also chaotic on the West Coast. An Afghan interpreter was detained at San Francisco International Airport on Friday while his wife and children were allowed through, said Matt Zeller, founder of No One Left Behind, a nonprofit that helps Afghan and Iraqi combat interpreters with special immigrant visas resettle safely in the United States. Protesters gathered around the country on Saturday in support of the detainees. U.S. veterans of the Iraq War criticized their government’s actions on Saturday as well. “The idea that we could be detaining Iraqi interpreters who put their lives on the line to help troops like myself in Iraq is disgraceful,” Jon Soltz, a veteran and the chairman of VoteVets, said in a statement. “Not only does this not do anything to protect America, but it now sends the message that even if you put your life on the line to help America, if you are Muslim we don’t want you here.” The executive order, which Trump signed Friday afternoon, bans Syrian refugee resettlement in the U.S. indefinitely, shuts down the entire refugee program for 120 days, and bars all immigrants and visitors from seven Muslim￾majority countries from entering the country for at least 90 days. U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly of the Eastern District of New York halted parts of the executive order Saturday after the American Civil Liberties Union, immigrants’ rights groups and refugee relief organizations filed a lawsuit against Trump and the U.S. government. A federal judge in Virginia and a district judge in Seattle came to similar decisions later that night. Broad Lawsuit Challenges Trump Immigration Order By Josh Gerstein Politico, January 28, 2017 A California attorney filed a federal lawsuit Saturday broadly challenging President Donald Trump’s new executive DHS-17-0435-A-000267 CBP FOIA 000267 30 order limiting immigration from Muslim-majority countries in order to combat terrorism. The suit, filed Saturday afternoon in U.S. District Court for Northern California, argues that the order intrudes on Congress’ legislative authority and violates the Establishment Clause of the Constitution by discriminating on the basis of religion. “It’s a legislative function, so that violates separation of power and it does not meet any of the well-recognized exceptions, so we’re asking to enjoin it or repeal it,” said Andrew Shalaby, an attorney with East Bay Law in Albany, Calif., near Oakland. The order Trump signed Friday restricts citizen of seven majority-Muslim countries from traveling to the U.S., implements new procedures for green-card holders from those countries and suspends admission of refugees to the U.S. The suit does not name any specific plaintiffs, but was filed on behalf of the American public generally and the people of California. Shalaby said he believes the case can be pursued under a California law allowing private individuals to sue on behalf of the public, but it’s not clear that will allow the suit to proceed in federal court. Shalaby said he’s confident he can find individual plaintiffs to add to the suit, if a judge rules that is necessary. “I don’t think we have a standing problem. If we do, we have a solution to it,” he said. Shalaby said he filed the case because he considered it important to go after the Trump order right away. “A lot of people in my circles encouraged me to file it,” he said. “We wanted to act on it immediately.” A separate class-action federal lawsuit challenging Trump’s order was filed early Saturday in New York on behalf of two Iraqi men who had valid visas but were detained on arrival at JFK Airport Friday. One of the men was released Saturday. The New York case is focused on the impact of the executive order on immigrants who have arrived in the U.S. and are in detention or face possible expulsion in connection with Trump’s order. The class action suit, brought in Brooklyn, has the backing of several major immigrant rights organizations, including the International Refugee Assistance Project, the National Immigration Law Center, the American Civil Liberties Union and a legal clinic at Yale Law School. A total of 18 attorneys were listed on legal papers filed in the case, along with seven law-student interns. The Council on American-Islamic Relations has also announced plans to file another lawsuit Monday against Trump’s order. The cases all face uphill battles in court because most foreigners outside the U.S. have few rights under U.S. law. Cases involving impacts that the Trump order may have on foreign nationals who are U.S. permanent residents (also known as green card holders) could get more traction because they’re usually considered to have more legal rights. U.S. citizens may also have success in challenging situations where their foreign spouses or family members appear to be barred from entry into the country. However, parts of the order seem to be worded to try to undercut legal challenges. For example, part of the order effectively giving priority to Christians in the refugee program refers to cases where “the religion of the individual is a minority religion in the individual’s country of nationality.” In addition, most of the changes in the order are framed as temporary suspensions or reviews—the kinds of measures courts rarely overturn particularly when the executive branch claims national security concerns are at stake. Massive Crowds Gather At JFK In Protest Of Immigration Ban By Brooke Seipel The Hill, January 28, 2017 Massive crowds have gathered at New York City’s JFk International Airport in protest of President Trump’s executive order calling for a temporary immigration ban that led to the detainment of several refugees at at the airport. One of the detainees has sense been released, but crowds have continued to grow. Happening right now at #jfkairport #JFKTerminal4 #Terminal4 Go! Go! Go! #ResistTrump #muslimban #RefugeesWelcome pic.twitter.com/czSebYqmqJ— Vera Rodrigues (@VeraJailhouse) January 28, 2017 #NoMuslimBanJFK crowd keeps growing. #RESIST! Terminal 4 arrivals. #MuslimBan #RefugeesWelcome #NoBan pic.twitter.com/AJuNrFM3nQ— Women’s March (@womensmarch) January 28, 2017 Stunning scene at JFK airport pic.twitter.com/ZAwnYmELo8— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) January 28, 2017 The scene from above as thousands chant and scream, draping banners from above at JFK international arrivals shouting “LET THEM IN!” pic.twitter.com/ugU8zbKYiv— Jack Smith IV (@JackSmithIV) January 28, 2017 Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore cheered on the protest calling for more to join. Moore said thousands were at the airport. Everybody in NYC area-- head to JFK Terminal 4 NOW! Big anti-Trump protest forming out of nowhere! Ppl mobilizing against Trump’s Muslim ban— Michael Moore (@MMFlint) January 28, 2017 Thousands keep pouring into JFK Terminal 4! An amazing sight! No planning, no organizing – just me and others saying “get to JFK now!”— Michael Moore (@MMFlint) January 28, 2017 DHS-17-0435-A-000268 CBP FOIA 000268 31 Crowds were protesting President Trump and his ban on immigrants and refugees from entering the country. Trump on Friday signed an executive order that he said would provide a thorough vetting of refugees to ensure that “radical Islamic terrorists” cannot get into the United States. Trump’s order indefinitely blocks refugees from war-torn Syria from entering the U.S. and suspends all refugee admissions for 120 days while the administration determines which countries pose the least risk. NYC Airport Becomes Scene Of Anguish After Trump Travel Ban By William Mathis Associated Press, January 28, 2017 NEW YORK (AP) – New York City’s Kennedy airport became a scene of anguish and desperation Saturday for the families of people detained after arriving in the U.S. from nations subject to President Donald Trump’s travel ban. Many flights to the U.S. already were in the air Friday when the president’s order barred entry to citizens of seven predominantly Muslim nations. Lawyers and advocates working at the airport said they didn’t have a hard count on the number of people taken into custody after getting off their flights. Yosre Ghaled, 25, was among about a dozen distraught people waiting at an airport terminal Saturday to see if loved ones would be released, or put back on an outgoing plane. Her mother-in-law’s sister, a 67-year-old Yemeni citizen coming to live with family in the U.S. because she is sick from heart problems and diabetes, was detained after getting off a plane from Saudi Arabia. “We’re very sad. She lives a very bad life. We try in her last days to (give her) a good life,” Ghaled said, adding that the family had been told that she would be refused entry and put on a jet back to Saudi Arabia. “We’ve waited for this many years, (for) her to come. They should just let us see her. Seeing her would make you feel a little better.” Trump said the goal of the temporary travel restriction was to keep out potential terrorists. Two members of congress, Democrats Jerrold Nadler and Nydia Velazquez, joined several hundred protesters who spent part of the day at the airport trying to win the release of about a dozen people they said had been detained. People in the crowd chanted “Let them in.” Celebrities including “Sex and the City” actress Cynthia Nixon joined the demonstration. The detainees in New York included two Iraqis who had previously been given permission to come to the U.S. because of their ties to the U.S. military. One of them, Hameed Khalid Darweesh, who had worked as an interpreter for the U.S. Army after it invaded Iraq in 2003, emerged from custody to cheers from the crowd in the mid-afternoon. He pronounced the U.S. “the land of freedom” home to “the greatest people in the world” upon his release, but also expressed dismay about having been initially held. Still being held at the airport in the late afternoon was Haider Sameer Abdulkhaleq Alshawi, 33, an Iraqi who had been trying to reunite with his wife in Texas. She had come to the U.S. because she feared for her life after having worked for a U.S. security contractor. Lawyers sat on the floor of an airport terminal Saturday evening working up court petitions on their laptops on behalf of detainees. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, said he had directed state lawyers and the agency that controls Kennedy to “explore all legal options” to assist anyone detained at New York airports. “I never thought I’d see the day when refugees, who have fled war-torn countries in search of a better life, would be turned away at our doorstep,” Cuomo said. “This is not who we are, and not who we should be.” © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Striking New York Cabbies Join Airport Protest Against Trump’s Muslim Crackdown Drivers slam the president’s “inhumane and unconstitutional ban.” By Mary Papenfuss Huffington Post, January 28, 2017 New York City cab drivers turned mounting chaos at John F. Kennedy International Airport into even more of a snarl with a strike to protest President Donald Trump’s crackdown on refugees and support travelers trapped by his executive order. As hundreds of protesters packed the streets outside JFK’s Terminal 4, cabbies stopped whisking people from the airport for an hour on Saturday evening, leaving the taxi line empty and a growing number of frantic travelers scrambling to find alternative transportation. “We cannot be silent,” the New York Taxi Workers Alliance tweeted. “We go to work to welcome people to a land that once welcomed us. We will not be divided.” The action was launched after about a dozen travelers were detained at the airport under Trump’s executive order blocking arrivals from seven predominantly Muslim nations. Demonstrators gathered throughout the day to protest the DHS-17-0435-A-000269 CBP FOIA 000269 32 crackdown. The NYTWA called on all cabbies, including Uber drivers, to join them. A statement from the NYTWA posted on Facebook slammed the “hatred spewed from the bully pulpit.” The union vowed: “Our 19,000-member-strong union stands firmly opposed to Donald Trump’s Muslim ban. As an organization whose membership is largely Muslim, a workforce that’s almost universally immigrant, and a working-class movement that is rooted in the defense of the oppressed, we say no to this inhumane and unconstitutional ban.” Protests against Trump’s edict shutting out travelers from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen were erupting in airports across the nation on Saturday. Hundreds of protesters gathered at San Francisco International Airport, and police shut down access to one of the airport roads, ABC 7 reported. One Iraqi man detained at JFK on Friday night was later released. Hameed Khalid Darweesh had worked for the U.S. government for 10 years, including as an interpreter. Cuomo Says State Will Explore Helping Detainees At Airports After Trump’s Order By Bill Mahoney Politico, January 28, 2017 ALBANY — Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Saturday night that he has directed several government entities to “explore all legal options” that might be available to help individuals detained at state airports as a result of an executive order issued by President Donald Trump on Friday. At the same time, one of these entities initially announced that it would effectively limit the ability of individuals to protest the order, before Cuomo said he had asked for that step to be reversed. Trump’s order bans citizens of seven countries with significant Muslim majorities from entering the United States. John F. Kennedy International Airport, which is operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, became the flashpoint for protests against the order Saturday after the New York Times described the ordeals of a former Army interpreter who was detained there, and reports emerged of others detained at the airport. In a release from his campaign committee Saturday, Cuomo, as he’s fond of doing, quoted Emma Lazarus. “I never thought I’d see the day when refugees, who have fled war-torn countries in search of a better life, would be turned away at our doorstep. We are a nation of bridges, not walls, and a great many of us still believe in the words ‘give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses,’” he said. “This is not who we are, and not who we should be.” In a separate release from the state on Saturday, the governor added that he’s tasked two offices he directly controls and the Port Authority to begin exploring ways to help the detainees. “I have directed the Port Authority, the Department of State, and my Counsel’s Office to jointly explore all legal options to assist anyone detained at New York airports, and ensure that their rights are protected,” Cuomo said. “America is a nation of laws and those laws provide rights that must be respected and followed regardless of political ideology.” Attorney General Eric Schneiderman issued a similar statement on Saturday night, saying he “will do everything in [his] power to help those who have been victimized by President Trump’s discriminatory and dangerous executive action.” He added that his staff “has been in contact with lawyers for the detained refugees.” Soon after Cuomo made his declaration, the Port Authority announced that in order “to control crowding,” it would require tickets to access the AirTrain that numerous individuals have used to arrive at a large protest outside JFK’s Terminal 4. This prompted the scorn of some Democrats. “I am told to prevent NYers joining JFK protest you are requiring airline tix at AirTrain,” wrote Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer in a tweet directed at the Port Authority. “If true, unacceptable. Explain immediately.” Just after 8 p.m., the governor said he had ordered the Port Authority to change course. “One of the fundamental rights that is granted to the people of this country is the right to peacefully protest,” he said in an official statement. “I have ordered the Port Authority to reverse its decision regarding the JFK AirTrain. I have also directed the MTA and the New York State Police to assist with transportation and security needs to ensure the safety of all those participating. The people of New York will have their voices heard.” A number of other New York officials have participated in the protests. U.S. Reps. Nydia Velazquez and Jerry Nadler were at the airport Saturday to announce the release of the detained interpreter, Hameed Jhalid Darweesh. “This is the soul of America,” Darweesh said while embracing Velazquez. Trump’s Executive Order Is Already Hurting Refugees, Muslims And Families People are being turned away at airports. By Elise Foley Huffington Post, January 28, 2017 WASHINGTON ― President Donald Trump’s executive order targeting Muslims and refugees led to chaos in the hours after he signed it, as refugees and immigrants arrived at U.S. airports only to be detained or told they couldn’t enter DHS-17-0435-A-000270 CBP FOIA 000270 33 the country and businesses had to scramble to adjust to the new policy. “We are hearing that last night a lot of people were turned away,” said Abed Ayoub, legal director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. “It’s had a direct impact on a lot of people.” The order, which Trump signed Friday afternoon, bans Syrian refugee resettlement in the U.S. indefinitely. It will also shut down the entire refugee program for 120 days and bar all immigrants and visitors from seven Muslim-majority countries ― Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen ― from entering the U.S. for at least 90 days. The order goes far beyond refugees or tourists ― it means that about 500,000 green card holders who reside in the U.S. but are originally from one of the seven countries will need a waiver to return to their homes, White House officials said Saturday. It also applies to people from the seven countries who hold dual citizenship and are not U.S. citizens. This means that people of both French and Yemeni nationality, for example, would be denied entry. Coming in the late hours of Friday, and with little apparent consultation with other agencies and groups prior to its publication, the president’s order has created havoc and confusion among those tasked with overseeing entry into the country, to say nothing of the people actually trying to enter the U.S. On Saturday afternoon, nearly 24 hours after Trump signed the order, a White House official said the administration was still working to determine the exact meaning of a very important piece of language: “in transit.” The order says that authorities may “determine to admit individuals to the United States as refugees on a case-by￾case basis” in instances “when the person is already in transit and denying admission would cause undue hardship.” Because the precise meaning of that language is not clear, however, many people who were in transit when the order was signed have been detained and in some cases barred from entering the country. In the hours after Trump signed the order, government authorities detained two Iraqis at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, The New York Times reported. One of the men, Hameed Khalid Darweesh, worked for the U.S. government for 10 years as an interpreter. He was detained upon landing at JFK on Friday night, but his wife and children were let through, a former colleague of Darweesh’s told The Huffington Post. Darweesh was released the following day. The other detained man, Sameer Abdulkhaleq Alshawi, was coming to the country to join his child and wife, who had worked for a U.S. government contractor, The Washington Post reported. Lawyers for the two men told CNN they have filed a lawsuit against the president and the government over their detention. The action in federal court seeks a writ of habeas corpus — an order declaring their detention illegal — and the certification of a class action covering any immigrants and refugees denied admission at ports of entry across the country, according to the complaint filed in New York. Google, meanwhile, told traveling staff members to come back to the U.S., BBC News reported. And refugee organizations began notifying volunteers that the families they planned to help were no longer on their way. Alisa Wartick, 36, said she and a group of 38 people in her neighborhood had co-sponsored a Syrian refugee family through the organization Refugee One in Chicago. The family ― a mother, father and 16-month-old daughter ― was supposed to arrive on Monday to join the woman’s parents and siblings. The co-sponsorship group had already furnished their apartment, and met the family via FaceTIme so they could see their new home, which they now may never see again. “Just imagining raising a child in a refugee camp environment and then being told you could see your family again, you could be reunited with your mom and your daughter’s grandma and being told ‘No, sorry, you’re three days too late for that’ ― I can’t imagine what that’s like,” Wartick said. Church World Service, one of the organizations that handles refugee resettlement, had been planning to welcome 212 refugees next week, 164 of them joining family members already in the United States, according to a spokeswoman. Those 212 refugees are no longer expected to arrive. Protesters gathered at airports throughout the country on Saturday to demonstrate against Trump’s executive order. Hundreds crowded JFK’s Terminal 4, chanting “Love trumps hate!” and “No hate, no fear, refugees are welcome here!” BuzzFeed broadcast the protest live on Facebook. Large crowds were also reported at San Francisco International Airport, Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport. Though Trump, on the campaign trail, had pledged to stop refugees from certain Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States, there was some skepticism that he would actually follow through on the proposal. Business groups had warned against it, as did religious organizations, including some with traditionally conservative political leanings. Moreover, congressional Republicans spoke out over the summer against any policy that would bar people from entering the United States based on their religion. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) was one of those critics. But on Friday evening, he offered a statement of support for Trump’s proposal. The ripple effects of the executive order make clear the difficulty in taking a blunt campaign promise and applying it to real-world governance, with seemingly unforeseen outcomes DHS-17-0435-A-000271 CBP FOIA 000271 34 and immediate, frightening disruption in people’s lives. People took to Twitter to share the uncertainty now surrounding their Syrian colleagues and friends. In other cases, people who made it to safety in the United States are now having trouble meeting family members from their home countries. Mohammed Al Rawi, who risked his life working for the Los Angeles Times bureau in Baghdad, moved to Long Beach, California, in 2010. His 69-year-old father was leaving Qatar to fly to Los Angeles to visit him Friday night when a U.S. official stopped him and informed him that Trump had “canceled all visas,” Al Rawi wrote on Facebook. U.S. officials then detained Al Rawi’s father in an unknown location and confiscated his passport, making it impossible for Al Rawi to book him a hotel in Qatar to sleep for the night, he said. His father’s phone died, so he has not been able to get in touch. Meathaq, 45, and Mahmoud, 49, of Baghdad just arrived in Knoxville, Tennessee, in August with their 5-year￾old son and 15-year-old daughter. But they have twin 18- year-old daughters still living in Iraq. Thanks to Mahmoud’s work as a translator for the U.S. Army, they were able to get a special immigrant visa. The process for approving their visas took four years, beginning when they first applied in 2012. By that time their daughters were over 18, which meant the U.S. government required greater processing. Now the twins are stuck in Baghdad, and their parents fear they will not be able to reunite with them. (Both Meathaq and Mahmoud withheld their last names out of concern for their twin daughters’ safety.) “I am crying all the time, especially after the new law from President Trump,” Meathaq said. “I miss them and the situation in Iraq is so bad and I don’t know what to do to help.” Even the film industry has felt the impact. The executive order will prevent Iranian film director Asghar Farhadi from traveling to the Oscars ceremony next month. Farhadi’s “The Salesman” was nominated in the Best Foreign Language Film category this year. Farhadi became the first Iranian director to win an Oscar in that category in 2012. Iranian actress Taraneh Alidoosti, a co-lead in “The Salesman,” said this week that she would boycott the Oscars over the visa ban. Trita Parsi, president of the National Iranian American Council, shared several stories on Twitter of individuals affected by the ban, including people with green cards to be in the U.S. The Huffington Post is working to verify those stories. Zane Shami, a naturalized U.S. citizen who has lived in the U.S. for over two decades, said he’d been expecting his mother, who is 67, to arrive to live with him on Feb. 7. Shami’s mother was born in Syria but has been living in Kuwait, where Shami was born and where his siblings live, since the civil war in her native country leveled her town. She was approved to come to the U.S. as a refugee after extensive vetting, Shami said. But now she’s unable to move here as planned, or even to visit. “I’ve done everything right. I did the checklist,” Shami said. “There’s no reason my mom can’t come here. It’s very un-American to say that we’re going to ban her just because she has a Syrian passport. That doesn’t sound American to me.” NBC Philadelphia reported that two Syrian families were blocked from entering the United States in Philadelphia and were sent back on a flight home. Ayoub said that given confusion over whether the executive order applies to people who hold green cards, and that some have been detained for hours before being released. Nashwan Abdullah, 25, of Damascus, Syria, is on track to finish his master’s degree in music performance at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in May. Now that Trump has banned immigration from Syria, Abdullah’s not sure if he’ll be able to stay. He had been hoping to apply for a 12-month work visa available to foreign students, but does not know if this is possible any longer. Abdullah is sure, however, that he will not return to Syria. He does not want to be drafted into the Syrian military, or deal with the danger and scarcities of basic necessities in the Syrian capital. “Of course I am afraid to go back. It’s a war zone. It’s an unsafe, bad situation,” he said. There is one glimmer of hope for Abdullah: He is Catholic, so he is not sure if the ban is “going to include me or not.” This story will be updated as more information becomes available. Willa Frej, Daniel Marans, Sam Stein and Travis Waldron contributed reporting. Protests Erupt Against Ban On Refugees By Hannan Adely USA Today, January 28, 2017 Protests erupted at area airports Saturday as Americans reacted in outrage to President Trump’s sweeping order that banned people from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S. and suspended the nation’s refugee program – an order than many assailed as un￾American and discriminatory. More than 120 people gathered at Newark Liberty International Airport clutching signs denouncing the executive order, alongside lawyers who rushed to airports to defend the rights of refugees, immigrants and green-card holders, among others, who were being detained and denied entry. “This banning of people based on religion is not constitutional and it’s not what we are about,” said Yamandou Alexander of Jersey City, who hurried to Newark airport when DHS-17-0435-A-000272 CBP FOIA 000272 35 he found out about the demonstration. Alexander, a U.S. citizen who was born in France and who is Muslim, said he couldn’t stay away. At the airport, attorneys stood by to help those in need. Attorney David A. Isaacson, who practices primarily immigration law in New York, said he learned of a Syrian citizen with a green card who arrived from Germany at around 4 p.m. was still begin questioned two hours later, as his daughter waited for him to be released. A Rutgers Ph.d student who went to visit her ill mother in Syria and was on her way back also was having problems getting back into the country, said Attorney Ayanna Lewis￾Gruss. She said the students host family reached out to attorneys at the airport after the woman was stopped on a layover in Paris and was not allowed to fly to Newark. The protests on Saturday were organized spontaneously and grew throughout the day as news spread about the far-reaching impact of Trump’s order. There were reports about legal residents detained at borders, stranded in other countries and in some cases deported. At the same time, refugees who had gone through years-long approvals to come to the U.S. were also being barred. As word spread, protests were organized too in other cities including Chicago and Dallas. Protesters at John F. Kennedy International Airport Saturday Jan. 28, 2017. (Photo: Keldy Ortiz/NorthJersey.com) At John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, more than 1,000 people gathered by Saturday evening as word spread of the protest. “I was in disbelief. I just had to jump in my car and head out here,” said Hillary Frileck, of Brooklyn. “This is what really scares me. This resonates with me. One person (who was detained) works for us. These people have visas. It’s important for us to speak up. We have to rise up. We can’t just lay on our couches and think things will be okay.” Emily Witt, of Brooklyn, said she viewed that the ban was a “bad moral decision” especially given that it was Holocaust Remembrance Day. Protesters at Newark Liberty International Airport protesting President Trumps immigration policy on Saturday, Jan. 28 2017. (Photo: Michael Karas/Northjersey.com) “Like everyone else, I’m just shocked and afraid,” she said. “I didn’t think I would see this. It’s a rebuke to us. Once you start registering people because of their beliefs, it’s the first step toward a country that goes against American values, where our right to free speech and freedom of religion and freedom of expression is threatened.” Sara Cullinane, director of Make The Road New Jersey, which organized the demonstration in the Newark, said they chose the airport because it’s one of the hubs for refugee arrivals who are then relocated to different parts of the country. “We are all learning about the order means and how it will be interpreted,” she said. U.S. Immigrants React To Ban: ‘Our President Is Trying To Divide Us’ By Usa Today Network USA Today, January 28, 2017 The nation’s immigrants watched in trepidation Saturday as President Trump’s immigration ban went into effect with abrupt results. The executive order temporarily banning all refugees — as well as more specific restrictions on predominantly Muslim countries — drew lawsuits, protests and outrage on social media as travelers were stopped from boarding U.S-bound planes and detained at international airports. Across the country, some immigrants already in the United States were enveloped in feelings of fear and uncertainty. Ibado Mahmud came to the United States as a refugee in 1993 after fleeing the civil war in her native Somalia and spending more than two years living in a refugee camp in neighboring Kenya. Today, she is one of 7,193 Somali refugees resettled in Arizona since 1992. It’s a far cry from her old life. She recalls fleeing Somalia for her life with her husband and two young daughters in December 1990 and then driving in a car to Kenya with a caravan of nearly 50 other refugees. She saw people die and be raped. “You heard the lions roaring every night,” she said. “I used to wrap me and my two girls in long clothes so if the lion came, he would have to eat all three of us.” Since coming to the U.S., Mahmud has rebuilt her life in Arizona and raised seven children. She owns her own house and for the past 17 years has worked at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, alongside refugees from Iraq, Eritrea, Libya, Sudan, Ethiopia and many other countries. But Mahmud worries other refugees will not get the same chance because of Trump’s decision Friday to temporarily freeze the arrival of all refugees and indefinitely halt the arrival of refugees from Syria. “A lot of people are grateful to be here, to be part of this country. We appreciate what the United States did for us,” the 56-year-old said. “We are hoping they will do many other great things to people who are hurting, that people who are dying for no reason, to people who don’t have a life.” Mahmud said she has felt welcome in the U.S. but worries Trump’s executive orders could lead to discrimination against Muslims like her. “What I am scared of is that he is going to divide us,” she said. At the Masjid Bilal Islamic Center in West Louisville on Friday afternoon, dozens of refugees from Somalia, Syria and DHS-17-0435-A-000273 CBP FOIA 000273 36 Iraq gathered for prayers. They said many were now cut off from ailing or impoverished family members who were trying to join them in the U.S., and some worried about what some called an atmosphere of “Islamophobia.” Advocates were organizing rallies of support. “It is devastating,” said Abanur Saidi, chairman of the mosque who also works with refugees for Catholic Charities and who is among thousands of Somalis in the Louisville region. “These are people that don’t have anything to do with terrorism. They are victims of terror, that’s why they are leaving their country.” Others said they worried the new Trump directive would be counter-productive. “This policy seems to be directed at the Muslims — and I’m really concerned that this decision will strengthen terrorists and extremist groups, they will have more material to brainwash people that America is against Islam,” said Mohammad Babar, a Muslim leader in Louisville. Those at the Bilal mosque Friday were signing a petition organized by a coalition of refugee groups seeking to get 10,000 signatures before a planned rally next month. Leaders are urging supporters to write letters to legislators. Meantime, the Louisville Muslim Community and a coalition of groups said they would host an event Saturday to highlight the importance of dialogue and consider grassroots actions in the face of what they called “increasing Islamaphobia” and other issues. “Our president is trying to divide us,” said Farhan Abdi, executive director of Muslim Americans for Compassion. He said refugees and immigrants are “doctors, teachers, lawyers, business owners, factory workers” who will “keep fighting to keep America welcoming.” Charlotte Gosso came to Rochester in December from Côte d’Ivoire via a refugee camp in Ghana; she was the first Ivoirian refugee here. Her prayers go to her country and her relatives there, the only ones she has. There are only a handful of Ivoirians in Rochester, and it seems unlikely any more will be arriving. Gosso thinks of a woman she knew in the refugee camp in Ghana. It would take Gosso up to three days to travel to Accra, the capital, for bureaucratic matters, and there was no one to watch her son while she was gone. The woman would help her, and give her some rice when she needed it to feed her sons. The woman and her husband would like to come to the United States, and Gosso would welcome them. She speaks only French and is confined to her small apartment unless someone can help her with Guy. Lisa Hoyt, director of the Catholic Family Center’s Refugee, Immigration & Language Services Department, described another case. A mother and seven children were supposed to arrive in Rochester on Tuesday. The family is Somali but is living in a refugee camp in Kenya. The oldest of the children is 19. The youngest is 2. Their new life here is waiting. But someone in the group got sick, postponing their travel. “Think about what’s happened,” she said. “These people literally could have missed this opportunity ... through no fault of their own.” Caught in the middle of the Syrian civil war, Abdul and Manal fled the bombs and the fighting in the city of Homs. In December 2015, after years in a refugee camp, the door opened for them to come to America and, more specifically, Indianapolis. The young couple joined a tiny colony of Syrian refugees who’ve been relocated here by groups such as Catholic Charities, as in their case, and Exodus Refugee Immigration. In a little more than two years, Exodus has resettled 225 Syrians to Indianapolis. Catholic Charities has resettled 77 Syrians. More than a year after their arrival, Abdul (whose full name is Abdul Sater Khaled Assaf) and Manal (al Khadour) are making a decent life for themselves and their two young daughters. But the immigration controversy leaves them fearful that the loved ones they left behind — namely Abdul’s parents and his brother — could be denied a similar rescue. “I’m concerned a lot that they might not get to come,” Manal said in Arabic, through his Catholic Charities translator, Sajjad Jawad, himself once a refugee from Iraq. Abdul and Manal say they like Indiana — even the weather, which they say is similar to Homs. But the joy of their new life is tempered by their awareness of the death and destruction they left behind in Syria. They worry about their family in refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, where they say life is hard. They doubt they’ll ever see their homeland again. Abdul has been picking up what he can about American politics. Asked if he could tell President Trump something about the Syrian refugee situation, he said: “I would tell him ‘Bring the refugees. Let them come. Because I lived with them. And I know the conditions.’ “ Contributing: Daniel Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic; Chris Kenning, The (Louisville, Ky.) Courier-Journal; Brian Sharp, Justin Murphy, the Rochester (N.Y.) Democrat and Chronicle; and Robert King, The Indianapolis Star Hundreds Rally In Boston Against Trump’s Immigrant Policies By Nicole Fleming And Martha Schick Boston Globe, January 28, 2017 A crowd of more than 300 gathered in Chinatown Saturday afternoon to protest President Trump’s controversial executive order that bars immigrants from some predominantly Muslim countries and refugees from entering the country. DHS-17-0435-A-000274 CBP FOIA 000274 37 Marching toward the State House, the protesters held signs reading, “Immigrants make America great” and “No trade war,” as they chanted, “Donald Trump, you racist clown! Build a wall, we’ll tear it down!” Trump, elected in November, made immigration a top issue in his presidential campaign, vowing to build a wall along the country’s southern border with Mexico and deport many undocumented immigrants. In the days since he took office, Trump has signed several executive orders that could have long-reaching effects on the country’s immigration system. Under a Friday order, Trump suspended entry to the country for all refugees for 120 days and banned Syrian refugees indefinitely. Immigration from seven predominantly Muslim countries — Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen — has also been suspended for 90 days. The order has created chaos for people who were in transit to the United States. Boston-area academics, including members of the MIT and Harvard communities, are among those affected by Trump’s order. Ron Newman of Somerville, who attended the rally, said the order reminded him of how the MS St. Louis, a ship carrying more than 900 Jewish refugees from Germany, was turned away by countries including the United States in 1939. Many of the refugees later died in concentration camps. “It seems like Donald Trump wants to repeat that history,” said Newman, who is Jewish. “I think anyone who fought in World War II, whose family fought in World War II, should consider this [executive order] to be a betrayal of what they fought for.” “Immigrants are giving more than they are taking,” said Martha Rodriguez, a Venezuelan immigrant who attended the rally with her two young sons. Rodriguez said she became a citizen last year but has relatives who are undocumented. Many undocumented immigrants do pay taxes, Rodriguez said, and they can’t benefit from government assistance because of restrictions already in place. “The three of us are here for those who are too afraid to speak for themselves,” she said. The rally was organized by Boston May Day. The immigrants’ rights group is affiliated with Cosecha, a group that is organizing a “Migrant Boycott” with immigrants pledging to abstain from shopping, as well as attending work and school, to show the influence of immigrants on the economy. Gerardo Molinari of Somerville, who attended the protest as a member of a local chapter of the International Socialist Organization, said he moved to the United States from Central America in 2009. “I’m not here because I want to be,” Molinari said. “I work 40 hours a week. I’d love to be in my house resting, but I feel like I need to be here in solidarity with those standing up to Trump’s hate speech.” In front of the State House, the group listened to speakers, several of whom criticized President Obama’s immigration policy along with Trump’s. The Obama administration deported more than 2.5 million undocumented immigrants — the most of any administration in history. “Obama voted for the wall; Hillary Clinton voted for the wall,” Lyn Meza said. “Donald Trump is just increasing a wall that is already there, that has been voted for by Democrats.” “We continue to be the working class,” said Sergio Reyes, with Boston May Day. “Let us not have the Democrats hijack our people’s movement.” Cairo Mendes stressed the importance of intersectionality as he addressed the crowd, saying that he would stand with Muslims and LGBT people, calling them his “family.” Mendes, an organizer for the Student Immigration Movement, said he and his family are undocumented immigrants. His mother works as a housekeeper and must drive to work every day without a license, he said. “Being an undocumented immigrant is a walking embodiment of resistance,” he said. As Amy Cardoso of Woburn reached the State House with the other protesters, she said she was happily surprised by the turnout. Her husband Rivelino immigrated from Brazil, she said, so she knows the country’s broken immigration system firsthand. “If I changed one person’s mind on the way here, that’s success to me,” Cardoso said. The Massachusetts chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations has organized another protest against Trump’s executive order, scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday at Copley Square, followed by a 2:30 p.m. Muslim prayer. By 5 p.m. Saturday, more than 5,000 people had RSVP’d to the Facebook event, with another 15,000 indicating interest. Hundreds of people participated in the protest a day after President Trump issued his order. Nicole Fleming can be reached at nicole.fleming@globe.com.Martha Schick can be reached at martha.schick@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @MarthaSchick. Baker, Local Pols Oppose Trump Immigration Order By Jim O'Sullivan Boston Globe, January 28, 2017 Republican Governor Charlie Baker opposes the immigrant ban President Trump has imposed on migrants and refugees from seven Middle Eastern and North African nations, Baker aides said Saturday. “Governor Baker opposes applying religious tests to the refugee system and believes that focusing on countries’ DHS-17-0435-A-000275 CBP FOIA 000275 38 predominant religions will not make the US any safer, as terrorists have demonstrated a determination to strike from all corners of the world,” spokesman Brendan Moss wrote in an e-mail. “Instead, Governor Baker believes the federal government should focus on improving the techniques and systems in place to stop dangerous people from entering the country, regardless of the nation they seek to strike from,” he added. Nationally, Republicans have been largely quiet since Trump signed the executive order on Friday. But Baker is one of many elected officials in Massachusetts who stated their opposition to Trump’s order, including Mayor Martin J. Walsh, US Representative Seth Moulton, and US senators Edward J. Markey and Elizabeth Warren. The ban, which explicitly forbids refugees from war￾ravaged Syria from entering the United States, has also reportedly affected longtime residents, many of whom are green card holders effectively blocked from returning to the country. “There are people around the world who have nothing to do with ISIS, and he’s trying to make them all the same,” Walsh said in a telephone interview Saturday evening. Walsh, who held a defiant and emotional press conference last week during which he promised to use City Hall to house undocumented immigrants sought by federal immigration officials, charged Trump with ignorance of the nuances of geopolitics and terrorism. The first-term Dorchester Democrat said he has had several conversations in recent days with other Democratic big-city mayors about a host of issues — including immigration, health care, and climate change — and they shared concern over Trump’s actions. “What he’s doing potentially could have drastic, lasting impacts on the American economy, and by extension the Massachusetts economy,” Walsh said. Moulton, a Salem Democrat and decorated Marine veteran of the Iraq War, said the ban extends to foreign nationals who have aided US forces in war zones. He said “a lot more Marines that I served with would have died” without assistance from Iraqi translators and intelligence sources. “They kept us from being killed and they helped us find our enemies,” Moulton said during a phone interview Saturday afternoon. “These are people who have put their lives on the line for not just their countries but ours. The least we owe them is a chance to keep on living.” “Frankly, it’s a pretty dangerous situation,” said Moulton, an outspoken Trump critic who likened the president’s campaign to Adolf Hitler’s rise. “What Americans need to realize is that this absolutely puts out national security and our troops on the front line in danger.” Moulton said one of his own Iraqi translators, from Najaf, just moved to the United States “a month or two ago. Thank God he got here before Trump got into office.” Moulton, who served under General James Mattis when the latter commanded the First Marine Division in Iraq, backed his nomination to become Trump’s defense secretary. But the congressman said he was “shocked” that Mattis stood alongside Trump as the president signed the executive order on Friday. Moulton said he was confident that Mattis privately opposes the measure. “But General Mattis knows better” than to lend his tacit approval by appearing at the signing, he said. Warren urged Trump via Twitter to rescind the executive order and stand behind refugees from the affected countries. She also noted that Friday was Holocaust Remembrance Day, a reminder of what can happen when people remain silent. “Turning our back on refugees because of their religion creates recruiting fodder for ISIS and other terrorist groups,” Warren wrote. Markey said on Twitter Saturday afternoon that he will fight Trump’s “immoral Muslim ban” that could affect the Bay State. Massachusetts “thrives from the diversity of our immigrant community — in universities, business, and workforce,” he wrote. “Isolation harms our economy and families.” Baker’s opposition to the order is far from his first break with Trump. In December 2015, after Trump proposed banning Muslims from entering the country, Baker swiped at him. “I think that’s ridiculous, and I would never support a policy like that,” he told reporters at the time. “I have no idea what the motivation is on that. First of all, it’s unrealistic. Secondly, it’s inappropriate. And third, it doesn’t make any sense.” Globe correspondent Mina Corpuz contributed to this report. Jim O’Sullivan can be reached at jim.osullivan@ globe.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JOSreports. Congresswoman, Lawyers Working To Free 13 Detainees At O’Hare By Sam Charles, Lynn Sweet And Matthew Hendrickson Chicago Sun-Times, January 28, 2017 At least 13 people remained under detention at O’Hare International Airport Saturday evening, a day after President Donald Trump signed an executive order barring refugees and green card holders from seven Muslim-majority nations from entering the country. DHS-17-0435-A-000276 CBP FOIA 000276 39 Dozens of attorneys crowded the international terminal for most of the afternoon Saturday, offering pro bono legal aid to anyone who said their family members had been held by authorities. U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky said she was working to secure the release of the rest. Just before 6 p.m., the first person to tell attorneys his family was detained, Mohammad Amirisefat, was reunited with his sister, brother-in-law and their 6-month-old son, who were returning from visiting family in Iran. After more than five hours of detention, Hessameddin Noorian and his wife Zahra Amirisefat, along with their baby son Ryan, passed through the gates of O’Hare’s International Terminal. Noorian said he was interviewed a half hour. “They asked us to sit there, no cell phone, no call, no nothing,” he said. “It was like 20 hours flight, and (we) were there for almost six hours, and I’m so tired.” Noorian said he didn’t know the executive order applied to those like him who hold green cards. “I thought as long as you have a green card, then you’re safe, you’re fine,” Noorian said. Asked how it felt to be detained in a country where he lives, works and had a child, Noorian said: “The only thing I could say is [it] seems something changed.” Julia Schlozman, one of the attorneys who traveled to O’Hare, helped resolve the Mohammad family’s detention. “I heard that there was a gentlemen being detained who had dual Iranian/British citizenship, and I had the idea, ‘Maybe the British government has something to say about the fact that a U.K. passport is not being recognized by U.S. immigration authorities,’” Schlozman said. Schlozman called “an emergency line” in London to see if the British authorities could follow up, and they said they would. “I have no idea whether that had anything to do with any movement on the case, but I guess it was something,” she said. Rep. Schakowsky said after making “non stop” phone calls, she finally reached someone at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which helped free the family who had arrived early Saturday afternoon on a flight from Frankfurt, Germany. “It’s unbelievable,” she said. As of 6 p.m., attorneys estimated there were still at least 13 people being detained. Earlier in the evening, immigration attorney Fiona McEntee said the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol would not let her see her client or honor the G-28 agreement that gave her the right to make decisions on her client’s behalf. About 150 protesters came to the international terminal to decry the executive order, eventually holding a rally outside Gate 5B. Saturday night, attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union and other groups were in federal court in New York, arguing that Trump’s executive order was unconstitutional. Earlier Saturday, Mohammad Amerisifat worried about when his relatives, who teach at Oakton Community College and live in Park Ridge, would be released. “The officer told me, ‘go out and wait patiently,’” he said, adding that family members of both his sister and brother-in￾law were constantly text messaging him for new information, though he had none to give them. As Amerisifat was addressing reporters, another man walked up and asked attorneys for help because, he said, his wife and child had been detained as well. The fallout grew Saturday from Trump’s immigration crackdown as U.S. legal permanent residents and visa￾holders from seven Muslim-majority countries who had left the United States found they could not return for 90 days. It was a period of limbo for an unknown number of non￾American citizens from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia or Yemen now barred from the country where they were studying or had lived, perhaps for years. A federal law enforcement official who confirmed the temporary ban said there was an exemption for foreigners whose entry is in the U.S. national interest. It was not immediately clear how that exemption might be applied. Trump’s order exempts diplomats. Those already in the U.S. with a visa or green card will be allowed to stay, according to the official, who wasn’t authorized to publicly discuss the details of how Trump’s order was being put in place and spoke only on condition of anonymity. Immigrant rights groups and lawyers were advising those in the U.S. with a visa or a green card to not leave the country. Customs and Border Protection was notifying airlines about passengers whose visas had been canceled, and legal residents scheduled to fly back to the U.S. Airlines were being told to keep them off those flights. Representatives from the Chicago Department of Aviation and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement deferred questions to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Messages left with several agency representatives were not acknowledged Saturday. Trump’s order barred all refugees from entering the U.S. for four months and indefinitely halted any from Syria. He said the ban was needed to keep out “radical Islamic terrorists.” The next group of refugees was due to arrive in the U.S. on Monday, but the official said they would not be allowed into the country. The president’s order immediately suspended a program that last year resettled in the U.S. roughly 85,000 people displaced by war, political oppression, hunger and DHS-17-0435-A-000277 CBP FOIA 000277 40 religious prejudice. The order singled out Syrians for the most aggressive ban, ordering that anyone from that country, including those fleeing civil war, are indefinitely blocked from coming to the U.S. “We want to ensure that we are not admitting into our country the very threats our soldiers are fighting overseas,” Trump said as he signed the order at the Pentagon. “We only want to admit those into our country who will support our country and love deeply our people.” Trump’s ban on asylum-seekers came down even as Iraqis endangered by work for the United States in their home country were mid flight to their hoped-for refuge in the United States. As a result, they and countless other refugees, their families and aid workers scrambled Saturday as Muslim travelers were turned back on arrival at U.S. airports or blocked from boarding flights to America. Organizations including the International Refugees Assistance Project, which helps former Iraqi translators for the U.S. military and other refugees seeking entry to the United States, and other organizations aiding asylum￾seekers, rushed translators and lawyers to airports to try to help U.S.-approved asylum-seekers already on their way to the country as Trump’s ban came down. Earlier Saturday, several groups, including the International Refugees Assistance Project, the National Immigration Law Center and the American Civil Liberties Union, filed a lawsuit in federal court in New York after two Iraqi men were detained at Kennedy International Airport and threatened with deportation even though they have valid visas to enter the United States, the complaint alleged. One of the men was released after hours of detention, the New York Times reported Saturday afternoon. “The situation is chaotic,” said Ahmed Rehab, a spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations. “People have been turned away. People have been put in handcuffs.” Rehab added that CAIR was building a database of those detained as of Saturday morning and working to connect them with lawyers. Added Lena F. Masri, the group’s national litigation director: “There is no evidence that refugees — the most thoroughly vetted of all people entering our nation — are a threat to national security. This is an order that is based on bigotry, not reality.” But Trump said the halt in the refugee program was necessary to give agencies time to develop a stricter screening system. While the order did not spell out what additional steps he wants the departments of Homeland Security and State to take, the president directed officials to review the refugee application and approval process and find any more measures that could prevent those who pose a threat from using the refugee program. The U.S. may admit refugees on a case-by-case basis during the freeze, and the government will continue to process requests from people claiming religious persecution, “provided that the religion of the individual is a minority religion in the individual’s country.” In an interview with CBN News, Trump said persecuted Christians would be given priority in applying for refugee status. “We are going to help them,” Trump said. “They’ve been horribly treated.” As a candidate, Trump called for a temporary ban on all Muslim immigration to the U.S. He later shifted his focus to putting in place “extreme vetting” procedures to screen people coming to the U.S. from countries with terrorism ties. The Council on American-Islamic Relations said it would challenge the constitutionality of the executive order. During the past budget year, the U.S. accepted 84,995 refugees, including 12,587 people from Syria. President Barack Obama had set the refugee limit for this budget year at 110,000. According to Trump’s executive order, he plans to cut that to 50,000. Refugee processing was suspended in the immediate aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks and restarted months later. The president’s action was applauded by House Speaker Paul Ryan, who said it was “time to re-evaluate and strengthen the visa-vetting process.” But many Democrats cast the measures as un￾American. “Tears are running down the cheeks of the Statue of Liberty tonight as a grand tradition of America, welcoming immigrants, that has existed since America was founded has been stomped upon,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said Friday. Trump’s order was signed on Holocaust Remembrance Day, which brought to mind the global effort to help refugees during World War II and its aftermath. The order makes no mention of a plan to provide safe zones in Syria and the surrounding area. A draft of the order had directed the Pentagon and the State Department to produce a plan for safe zones in the war-torn Mideast nation. Contributing: Matt Hendrickson and Associated Press 18 People Held At O’Hare After Trump Order, Including Park Ridge Man: Lawyers By Grace Wong and Stacy St. Clair Chicago Tribune, January 28, 2017 The family of a Park Ridge man said Saturday he was detained at O’Hare International Airport after returning with his family from Iran, one of the countries affected by President Donald Trump’s executive order on immigration. DHS-17-0435-A-000278 CBP FOIA 000278 41 In addition to the Park Ridge man, a resident of Oak Lawn also was possibly being detained, according to his son. They were believed to be among as many as 18 people held at O’Hare because of the order, according to lawyers working with the International Refugee Assistance Project. “This is insulting. This is insane, this is truly insane,” said Mohammad Amirisefat, brother-in-law of the Park Ridge man. The man returning from Iran, Hessam Noorian, was detained after landing at O’Hare shortly after noon, Amirisfat said. He said his sister and the couple’s 6-month-old child were initially held too but were let go. Noorian has a dual citizenship with Iran and the United Kingdom and has been living in Park Ridge with a green card, Amirisefat said. Both he and Amirisefat’s sister, Zehra Amirisefat, are professors at Oakton Community College. Zehra Amirisefat is a U.S. citizen, he said. The couple left about a month ago to visit Tehran and introduce their baby to their family. “The previous government granted a person a green card and the next government is just like, ‘We don’t care,’” Amirisefat said. Trump’s executive order, signed late Friday afternoon, suspends entry of all refugees to the United States for 120 days, bars Syrian refugees indefinitely and blocks entry for 90 days for citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The Department of Homeland Security said the order also bars green card holders from those countries from re￾entering the United States. White House officials said Saturday that green card holders from the seven affected countries would need a case-by-case waiver to return to the United States. As Amirisefat spoke, about 25 lawyers summoned by the International Refugee Assistance Project gathered near McDonald’s at O’Hare. They paced through the arrivals terminal, making their presence known to people who were waiting for travelers. Hannah Garst, a Chicago lawyer, said as many as 18 people have been held in “secondary detention” at O’Hare because of the order. She claimed they were being illegally held because they have not been granted lawyers and are being held in a room. Garst said many of them are not being allowed cellphones. Elissa Mittman, executive vice president for operations of the International Refugee Assistance Project, said the executive order prompted the group to mobilize attorneys from around the country because refugees are being detained and sent back to their countries and Trump has shut down the refugee program for 120 days. “Shutting down the refugee admission program is misguided in terms of national security and international interests,” Mittman said. About eight protesters were are also on hand at O’Hare, holding signs. A rally was planned for 6 p.m. An Oak Lawn man, Nasser Mused, 36, said he believed his father was being held at O’Hare because of Trump’s order. He said he started to think something was wrong when his father didn’t contact him two hours after his plane landed. Abdulsalam Mused, 67, left Chicago in December to attend his son’s wedding in Saudi Arabia. He is a Yemen passport holder with an American green card, his son said. Nearly five hours after his father’s plane landed, Nasser Mused said he had received no texts or calls on what was taking so long. Abdulsalam Mused is a green card holder and was looking forward to seeking citizenship this May, Nasser Mused said. “He did everything right,” Nasser Mused said of his father. “He feels safe here because you have freedom of speech and freedom to be who you want to be. This is our country. He would do anything to serve this country.” Nasser said he feels concerned that people are being divided into groups and that he has never felt singled out like this before. He didn’t expect his father to be held. “It’s indescribable,” he said, wiping the side of his face with his hand while closing his eyes. “I’ve never felt that before. Never in my life.” Nour Ulayyet, 40, of Valparaiso, Ind., told the Associated Press that her sister, a Syrian living in Saudi Arabia, was sent back after arriving at O’Hare from Riyadh and told she couldn’t enter the U.S. to help care for their sick mother. Ulayyet said some officials at the airport were apologizing to her sister, who had a valid visa. “My mom was already having pain enough to go through this on top of the pain that she’s having,” Ulayyet said. gwong@chicagotribune.com stclair@chicagotribune.com Immigration Attorneys At LAX Helping Immigrants, Many From Iran, Detained By Federal Officials By Matt Pearce And Dakota Smith, Contact Reporters Los Angeles Times, January 28, 2017 At least 10 to 15 immigration attorneys have gathered at the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX international terminal to help travelers, mostly from Iran, who have been detained, one of the attorneys said Saturday. Attorneys have not yet been able to determine the number of fliers detained, as customs officials are not allowing attorneys or their families any access or DHS-17-0435-A-000279 CBP FOIA 000279 42 communication with the detainees, said immigration attorney Jordan Cunnings. “We’re literally walking around, asking people, are you waiting for someone who has been detained?” said Cunnings, describing a scene of worried family members who had arrived bearing flowers and welcome signs for their loved ones. Some of the detained travelers included green-card holders, tourists, people with children and people with medical problems, Cunnings said. One detained traveler was an Iranian woman who’d held a green card in the U.S. for five years and whose citizenship swearing-in ceremony is in two weeks, Cunnings said. The woman has an 11-month old child with her who is an American citizen. “People don’t have phone access or communication access to the people waiting for them, or their attorneys,” Cunnings said. “It’’s just really heartbreaking.” A candlelight vigil to support Muslim refugees is scheduled for Saturday afternoon at Los Angeles International Airport. Meanwhile, another protest was underway in downtown Los Angeles. The vigil comes in response to President Trump’s executive order suspending refugee arrivals and banning travel to the United States from seven Muslim-majority countries. The abrupt ban ensnared people from all walks of life who were caught in transit or expecting to soon return to the U.S. — students on a break from studies, business travelers, tourists, even the bereaved who had gone home for a funeral. The LAX candlelight vigil is being organized by the Service Employees International Union, and several politicians are expected to attend, including Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon. The protest is planned for 5 p.m. A group of advocacy organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, filed a legal action against the policy on Saturday in New York, acting on behalf of two Iraqis who were stopped at John F. Kennedy International Airport hours after the order was signed. The writ seeks the release of the two Iraqis, who hold valid U.S. visas, unless the government can show lawful grounds for their detention. The groups bringing the action, which also included the International Refugee Assistance Project and the National Immigration Law Center, said a separate motion sets the stage for a larger action involving other would-be refugees, visitors and immigrants stopped at other ports of entry. 4:05 PM: This article was updated with more information about the protest. 3:40 P.M.: This article was updated with more immigration attorneys. Trump’s Immigration Ban Draws Deep Anger And Muted Praise By Richard Pérez-Peña New York Times, January 28, 2017 A group of Nobel Prize winners said it would damage American leadership in higher education and research. House Speaker Paul D. Ryan and some relatives of Americans killed in terrorist attacks said it was right on target. An evangelical Christian group called it an affront to human dignity. The reaction on Saturday to President Trump’s ban on refugees entering the United States, with particular focus on certain Muslim countries in the Middle East and Africa, was swift, certain — and sharply divided. The order drew sharp and widespread condemnation Saturday from Democrats, religious groups, business leaders, academics and others, who called it inhumane, discriminatory and akin to taking a “wrecking ball to the Statue of Liberty.” Thousands of professors from around the country, including several Nobel laureates, signed a statement opposing the president’s action and calling it a “major step towards implementing the stringent racial and religious profiling promised on the campaign trail.” At a news conference in Paris, the foreign ministers of France and Germany, Jean-Marc Ayrault and Sigmar Gabriel, said they were worried by the restrictions. “Welcoming refugees who flee war and oppression is part of our duty,” Mr. Ayrault said. Immigration policy experts questioned the logic behind the action. They noted that terrorists who had carried out attacks in the United States had not entered as refugees, and that Muslim attackers had been people who were born here or came from countries like Pakistan or Saudi Arabia — which were not on the list of seven mostly Muslim countries that the administration has singled out for a complete halt to entry into the country. “Foreigners from those seven nations have killed zero Americans in terrorist attacks on U.S. soil between 1975 and the end of 2015,” Alex Nowrasteh, an immigration policy analyst at the libertarian Cato Institute, wrote on the group’s website. Kathleen Newland, a senior fellow and co-founder of the Migration Policy Institute, a research group, said the new policy “will do damage not only to tens of thousands of refugees, but also to the reputation of this country as a reliable partner in the global humanitarian system.” But the president’s executive order, issued on Friday, brought a positive, if more muted, reaction from Republicans, and could prove popular politically. During the presidential campaign, public opinion polls showed that about half of Americans favored the broader, more bluntly religion-based measure Mr. Trump originally called for, a ban on Muslims entering the country. DHS-17-0435-A-000280 CBP FOIA 000280 43 Michael Banerian, 22, who was a Trump elector in the Electoral College, and is the youth vice chairman of the Michigan Republican Party, said he saw the president’s more narrowly tailored order as common sense. “I feel that it’s a necessary step for us to take for the security of our nation,” he said. “I don’t think it’s un-American. I think it’s very reasonable.” Kathleen Ganci, 67, whose husband, Peter J. Ganci, the highest-ranking uniformed officer of the New York City Fire Department, was killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, said she supported the order “because I know the pain that can be caused if even one person gets through.” “I don’t care how difficult it makes it for these people to come over,” she said. “I don’t want other Americans to go through what I did — because we have to care for our own first, before we care for others.” The executive order put an indefinite halt to citizens of Syria, a country racked by civil war and an immense refugee crisis, entering the United States. It suspended immigration for 90 days from countries linked to terrorism that the State Department said would mean seven Muslim-majority countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. It also suspended the nation’s program for admitting refugees from anywhere in the world for 120 days, while the government comes up with a stricter process for vetting them, but allowed for exceptions for persecuted religious minorities, like Christians in Muslim countries. Mr. Trump said the moves were needed to protect the United States from the infiltration by “radical Islamic terrorists.” Speaker Ryan released a statement saying, “President Trump is right to make sure we are doing everything possible to know exactly who is entering our country.” Many other leading congressional Republicans did not make statements on the matter, including Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, whose aides said he had no plans to do so on Saturday. As reports began accumulating of legal migrants being stopped at airports in response to the president’s order, some Republican aides on Capitol Hill started grumbling privately about how little the White House was defending its own policy. The response from Democrats, however, was scathing. “This administration has mistaken cruelty for strength and prejudice for strategy,” said Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic House minority leader. On Twitter, Senator Chris Murphy, Democrat of Connecticut, wrote: “To my colleagues: don’t ever again lecture me on American moral leadership if you chose to be silent today.” The reaction was also largely negative from leaders of Silicon Valley, which relies heavily on employees from abroad, and has many companies founded or headed by immigrants or their children. A Google representative said, “We’re concerned about the impact of this order and any proposals that could impose restrictions on Googlers and their families, or that could create barriers to bringing great talent to the U.S.” Google’s chief executive, Sundar Pichai, a United States citizen who was born in India, sent a memo to the company’s work force, saying that as many as 187 of its employees who happened to be overseas were affected by the travel restrictions. In the memo, first reported by Bloomberg News, Mr. Pichai urged affected employees to contact Google’s security team, noting that one person rushed back from New Zealand before the order was signed. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg wrote on the site that the nation should “keep our doors open to refugees and those who need help.” Some colleges and universities had urged students who might be affected by Mr. Trump’s policies to return to the United States before inauguration day if they were abroad, or to remain in the country if they were already here. The seven countries covered by the temporary ban on entry to the United States have about 13,000 citizens who are college or graduate students in the United States, said the American Council on Education, the largest association of those schools. The group said it was unclear how many were stuck abroad. “The challenge is, it is clearly up to the federal government to decide how to safeguard our nation, but at the same time, it is in America’s interest to remain the destination of choice for the world’s students and scholars,” said Terry W. Hartle, the group’s executive vice president. In interviews, news conferences and petitions, many religious leaders criticized what they called a decision to give preference to Christian refugees. The president’s action poses a particular challenge to Christian leaders who have hailed his anti-abortion stances, and whose followers have largely supported Mr. Trump, but whose organizations are among the most active on behalf of refugees. Most of the groups that the government uses to resettle refugees are religious. “Any limitation against any vulnerable population is to fly in the face of human dignity, of people made in the image of God,” said Scott Arbeiter, the president of World Relief, a charity affiliated with the National Association of Evangelicals. Jen Smyers, director of policy and advocacy for the immigration and refugee program of Church World Service, said that the executive order was “akin to President Trump taking a wrecking ball to the Statue of Liberty.” More Republicans Are Speaking Out Against Trump’s Refugee Ban. Paul Ryan And Mitch McConnell Aren’t Among Them. By Kelsey Snell, Karoun Demirjian And Mike Debonis Washington Post, January 28, 2017 DHS-17-0435-A-000281 CBP FOIA 000281 44 Several congressional Republicans on Saturday questioned President Trump’s order to halt admission to the U.S. by refugees and citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries, even as House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) continued to defend it. Ryan was among the first lawmakers on Friday to back Trump’s order, and his office reiterated his support on Saturday. “This is not a religious test and it is not a ban on people of any religion,” said spokeswoman AshLee Strong. The order blocks citizens from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Somalia and Libya from entering the country for at least 90 days. It also bans refugees from anywhere in the world for 120 days — and from Syria indefinitely. Trump said that the goal is to screen out “radical Islamic terrorists” and that priority for admission would be given to Christians. Republicans defending the executive order did so pointed to an exception for people already in transit and argued that some elements, including the religious minority preference, would not immediately be implemented. But as cable news footage brought scenes all day Saturday of chaos at airports around the country, where business travelers, students and even legal U.S. residents were being barred entry, other Republicans began weighing in. “This is ridiculous,” said Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.). “I guess I understand what his intention is, but unfortunately the order appears to have been rushed through without full consideration. You know, the many, many nuances of immigration policy that can be life or death for many innocent, vulnerable people around the world “I understand what his intention is,” of the president. “But the order appears to have been rushed though without consideration. This is life and death for people around the world.” Dent, who represents a large Syrian community in the Allentown area, said he was contacted Saturday by a constituent who had family members turned away early in the morning at Philadelphia International Airport. Six family members who had secured visas and even bought a house in Pennsylvania arrived on a Qatar Airways flight but were returned back within hours, he said. Dent called on the Trump administration to halt immediately action on the order. “This family was sent home despite having all their paperwork in order,” Dent continued, “so this 90-day ban could imperil the lives of this family and potentially others, and it’s unacceptable ,and I urge the administration to halt enforcement of this order until a more thoughtful and deliberate policy can be reinstated.” House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-Calif.) said Saturday that he backs the order but hopes for some resolution for those who were in transit as the order was announced. “Pausing the intake of refugees from terror hotspots is the right call to keep America safe,” Royce said. “I hope cases of individuals with visas traveling as this executive action went into effect — including some who served alongside U.S. troops — will be resolved quickly.” Some conservatives worried that denying entry to permanent residents and green card holders could violate the Constitution. Many worried privately that the order will face significant challenges in court. Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) was among the few GOP members to air his concerns publicly. Amash posted on Twitter that the order “overreaches” and “undermines” the Constitution. “It’s not lawful to ban immigrants on basis of nationality,” Amash tweeted. “If the president wants to change immigration law, he must work with Congress.” Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) credited Trump with properly focusing on protecting the country’s borders and said it is necessary to connect “jihadi terrorism” with Islam and particular countries. However, he also noted that the order is “too broad.” “If we send a signal to the Middle East that the U.S. sees all Muslims as jihadis, the terrorist recruiters win by telling kids that America is banning Muslims and that this is America versus one religion,” Sasse said. “Our generational fight against jihadism requires wisdom.” The statement from Ryan’s office came after several requests seeking comment on how the order differs from the Muslim ban that Ryan rejected during the campaign, whether such a ban is in line with American values and if Ryan is concerned that the order is a first step towards a religious litmus test. Ryan has been a consistent advocate for increased vetting standards and has frequently said he opposes a complete ban on Muslims entering the country. “Freedom of religion is a fundamental constitutional principle. It’s a founding principle of this country,” Ryan told reporters following a closed-door morning meeting at the Republican National Committee in December of 2015. “This is not conservatism. What was proposed yesterday is not what this party stands for. And more importantly, it’s not what this country stands for.” The majority of Republicans in Congress were silent on the order Saturday — including Senate Majority Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). Calls and emails to more than a dozen top GOP lawmakers were not returned. Only one Republican senator contacted for this story had responded at the time of publication. Conservative advocacy groups, meanwhile, generally supported Trump’s actions. In an interview Saturday with The Post, Faith and Freedom Coalition Chairman Ralph Reed defended Trump’s executive order, calling it an “entirely prudent move” and DHS-17-0435-A-000282 CBP FOIA 000282 45 rejecting the notion that it amounts to a ban on Muslims or infringes on religious liberties. “It makes perfect sense not to try to build the airplane in the air,” said Reed, who advocated hitting “the pause button” on current practices on immigration and refugee policies, over concerns about terrorism. Congressional aides who did respond generally insisted that Trump was merely adopting a policy that passed the House last year with a veto-proof majority. The seven countries named in the order are currently included in the list of as “countries of concern” by the Department of Homeland Security. People who have traveled to or lived in those countries were already subject to additional scrutiny when applying for visa waivers. One senior GOP aide said in an email that the executive order was “narrow, a faint shadow of the policy Trump ran on.” The silence is a major departure from the outrage many Republicans expressed when Trump floated a Muslim ban during the campaign. At the time, several leading Republicans, including Ryan and McConnell said proposals to bar visitors based on religion are “completely inconsistent” with American values. Statements trickled in slowly Saturday as lawmakers and government agencies scrambled to make sense of how the order would be applied. Confusion over the directive played out at airports across the country as immigration officials attempted to decide how to handle refugees and travellers from those seven nations who were already in transit or on the ground when the exeutive order was issued. Several news outlets reported instances of travelers being detained in airports, including Hameed Khalid Darweesh, a 53 year old Iraqi man who spent several years acting as an interpreter for the U.S. Army in Iraw. Darweesh was released from detention in New York’s John F. Kennedy airport after two New York Democrats, Reps. Jerry Nadler and Nydia Valazquez, intervened on his behalf. Several Congressional aides who spoke on condition of anonymity said Saturday that the executive order itself does not single out a preference for Christians, and the temporary travel ban is focused on areas where terrorism is a particular concern. One senior aide dismissed as “false” accusations that the order constitutes a blanket policy against Muslims or Muslim-majority nations. The House voted last year on legislation to suspend the admission of refugees from Syria and Iraq until the White House could certify that no person entering the United States would pose a security threat. Democrats blocked a vote on the legislation in the Senate and it ultimately failed to reach President Obama’s desk. Aides also said it is not uncommon for an administration to prioritize refu-gee requests on the basis of religious persecution. However, since the beginning of the -Syrian civil war and the rise of the Islamic State, many more Muslims than Christians have been killed or displaced because of the violence. Additionally, a 2015 Washington Post poll found that 78 percent of Americans favored equal consideration for refugees regardless of religion. Ryan said Friday that while he supports the refu-gee resettlement program, he thinks it is time to “reevaluate and strengthen the visa vetting process.” “President Trump is right to make sure we are doing everything possible to know exactly who is entering our country,” the speaker said Friday. Other Republicans offered similar support for the order on national seceurity grounds. “President Trump signed an order to help prevent jihadists from infiltrating the United States,” House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) said in a statement. “With the stroke of a pen, he is doing more to shut down terrorist pathways into this country than the last Administration did in eight years.” Evan McMullin, a former CIA officer and House GOP policy director who waged an independent presidential bid in 2016, was one of a small number of Republicans to publicly oppose the ban. McMullin tweeted a photo of the Statue of Liberty on Saturday morning, and was promptly mocked by the white nationalist Richard Spencer. “That’s who they’re in league with — white supremacists and white nationalists,” McMullin said in an interview. “I’m not expecting much opposition from the vast majority of Republicans in Congress. There is anti-Muslim bigotry at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue and it fundamentally un-American and tangibly damaging to our national security and strength.” Most Republicans, McMullin predicted, would decline to criticize the executive orders. “Those who are silent on this will be defined by that silence,” he said. Sean Sullivan and David Weigel contributed to this report. After Trump Order, Some Lawmakers Remain Silent, While Others Speak Out Republican Charlie Dent says ‘the order appears to have been rushed through without full consideration of the nuances of immigration policy’ By Natalie Andrews And Kristina Peterson Wall Street Journal, January 28, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. A Very Few Republicans Finally Criticize Trump’s Refugee And Travel Ban Most GOP members aren’t talking about it at all. DHS-17-0435-A-000283 CBP FOIA 000283 46 By Elise Foley Huffington Post, January 28, 2017 WASHINGTON ― Five Republican members of Congress broke with most of their party and President Donald Trump on Saturday by condemning his executive order to bar refugees and citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries. Sens. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), along with Reps. Charlie Dent (R￾Pa.) and Justin Amash (R-Mich.), said they opposed Trump’s executive order, which has already wreaked havoc on the lives of refugees, travelers, immigrants and even U.S. citizens whose family members will now be barred from visiting them. “I urge the admin to halt enforcement of this order until a more thoughtful and deliberate policy can be instated,” Dent, a Trump critic who represents a large Syrian community, told The New York Times’ Jonathan Martin. Sasse said the order was too broad and potentially dangerous, even if it wasn’t technically the blanket Muslim ban that Trump once proposed. “If we send a signal to the Middle East that the U.S. sees all Muslims as jihadis, the terrorist recruiters win by telling kids that America is banning Muslims and that this is America versus one religion,” Sasse said in a statement. Amash said the executive order was unlawful because such a policy change should have gone through Congress. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), who is third in line for the presidency, issued a statement Saturday night urging the Trump administration to “move quickly to tailor its policy.” Dent told The New York Times that some of his constituents’ family members were informed they could not enter the U.S. when they touched down at Philadelphia International Airport. In fact, many refugees, visitors and even green card holders who reside in the U.S. have been turned away in the 24 hours since Trump’s order was issued. Flake spoke out against the executive order later on Saturday. “President Trump and his administration are right to be concerned about national security, but it’s unacceptable when even legal permanent residents are being detained or turned away at airports and ports of entry,” Flake said in a statement. “Enhancing long term national security requires that we have a clear-eyed view of radical Islamic terrorism without ascribing radical Islamic terrorist views to all Muslims.” Collins told Maine’s Sun Journal that the refugee ban “is overly broad and implementing it will be immediately problematic.” Trump’s executive order suspends refugee resettlement entirely for 120 days, bans Syrian refugees indefinitely and temporarily bars individuals from seven countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Legal permanent residents, also called green card holders, from those same countries can be admitted only on a case-by-case basis, according to the White House. Dual-nationals of those countries ― a British-Iranian citizen, for example ― are barred from entry. Most Republicans in Congress have said nothing about the ban, which is unusual because most controversial White House policy announcements are met with either applause or criticism. Only a few Republicans have issued statements. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), who forcefully condemned Trump’s call for a Muslim ban in 2015, said this time that “President Trump is right to make sure we are doing everything possible to know exactly who is entering our country.” A spokeswoman for Ryan told The Huffington Post that Trump’s order did not constitute a ban on Muslims, pushing back on the idea that Ryan’s past statement was relevant to the current situation. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and House Homeland Security Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) also put out statements saying Trump did the right thing. The vast majority of Republicans remained silent. This article has been updated to include comments from Sens. Jeff Flake and Susan Collins. Republicans Go Largely Silent As Trump Bars Refugees And Immigrants From U.S. But Paul Ryan is speaking up – in favor of a Muslim ban he used to condemn. By Jennifer Bendery Huffington Post, January 28, 2017 WASHINGTON ― There’s been thunderous outcry on Capitol Hill in the hours since President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday stopping Muslims and refugees from entering the U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said “tears are running down the cheeks of the Statue of Liberty” as the U.S. turns aways immigrants. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) warned that the president “just handed ISIS a path to rebirth.” Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), a Marine veteran, said that Trump’s action puts U.S. troops’ lives at risk and that Moulton is “ashamed that he is our president.” “History will judge where America’s leaders stood today,” lamented Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.). That’s just a sampling of dozens of statements being fired out by Democrats. On the Republican side, the reaction is significantly different: silence. GOP lawmakers, who now control both chambers of Congress, have gone quiet in response to the president’s unilateral action that bans Syrian refugee resettlement in the U.S. indefinitely, shuts down the nation’s entire refugee program for 120 days, and bars all immigrants and visitors DHS-17-0435-A-000284 CBP FOIA 000284 47 from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S. for at least 90 days. As The New York Times’ Glenn Thrush observed on Twitter, Republicans haven’t been this quiet “since the last positive jobs report under Obama.” HuffPost spotted statements from just four GOP members of Congress, all in support of Trump’s move. One of them, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), said it’s important to deny refugees entry “to help prevent jihadists from infiltrating the United States.” It’s worth noting that the U.S. refugee screening process is already very intensive. The likelihood of being killed by a refugee terrorist in the U.S. is 1 in 3.6 billion, per a new Cato Institute report. The smattering of Republicans who issued statements didn’t raise concerns about the fact that Trump had effectively imposed a religious test for traveling to the United States. The president’s order was already causing chaos at U.S. airports, as refugees and immigrants arrived late Friday or Saturday, only to be detained or told they can’t enter the country. It’s not just rank-and file Republicans trying to duck the issue. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) hasn’t said a peep. His counterpart, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R￾Wis.), is one of the handful who did respond to Trump’s action ― by supporting it, while simultaneously saying America is a “compassionate” nation. “Our number one responsibility is to protect the homeland. We are a compassionate nation, and I support the refugee resettlement program, but it’s time to reevaluate and strengthen the visa vetting process,” Ryan said. “This is why we passed bipartisan legislation in the wake of the Paris attacks to pause the intake of refugees. President Trump is right to make sure we are doing everything possible to know exactly who is entering our country.” It was just months ago that Ryan was condemning Trump’s campaign trail threat to institute a Muslim ban. Back then, when few expected Trump to win the election, Ryan said targeting immigrants didn’t reflect “America’s fundamental values.” Before he was vice president, Mike Pence, too, denounced the idea of banning an entire group of people from the country based on their religion. Here he is in December 2015, when he was governor of Indiana: On Saturday, Ryan spokeswoman AshLee Strong pushed back on the idea that Trump’s action targets Muslims. “This is not a religious test and it is not a ban on people of any religion,” she said. The difference between then and now is that Trump is the president. Republican Party leaders like Ryan and McConnell appear willing to give him a pass on whatever extreme actions he wants to take ― instituting a Muslim ban, directing Congress to spend billions to build a wall along the Mexican border ― as long as he helps them pass laws they want pass, like cutting taxes for corporations and repealing the Affordable Care Act. These are types of things Republicans have been itching to do, but couldn’t under President Barack Obama. It remains to be seen when, or if, Republicans will draw a line on embracing Trump’s controversial and, in this case, racist actions. When even hawkish former Vice President Dick Cheney has suggested Trump’s ideas go too far, it appears there is a line somewhere. “This whole notion that somehow we can just say no more Muslims, just ban a whole religion, goes against everything we stand for and believe in,” Cheney said in December 2015. This story has been updated with comment from Ryan spokeswoman AshLee Strong. CORRECTION: Dick Cheney condemned Trump’s proposed Muslim ban in December 2015, not his executive order on Friday. GOP Critics Hit Trump Immigration Order By John Bresnahan Politico, January 28, 2017 Several Republicans have come out in opposition to President Donald Trump’s executive order barring immigrants from seven Muslim-majority nations, criticizing it as “overly broad” or poorly conceived. Yet most Republicans, especially those on Capitol Hill, have kept silent, declining to publicly comment on a hugely controversial move by Trump that many party leaders had harshly criticized when he first raised it during the presidential campaign. And Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), once a harsh critic of any ban on Muslim immigration, came out in defense of the president’s order. Senior GOP congressional aides said that Trump’s action was not targeted specifically at Muslims and therefore did not mean the White House was imposing a religious test on refugees. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) would not comment on Trump’s order. McConnell plans to make his position known during a Sunday morning TV interview. Democrats across the country reacted with fury over Trump’s declaration, and they vowed to fight the order legally and politically. Trump’s executive order, issued on Friday night, calls for a temporary halt to the admission of people from seven Muslim-majority countries; a temporary ban on all refugees; and an indefinite ban on Syrian refugees. There is also a directive that religious minorities from those Muslim-majority countries, which by implication means Christians in many cases, get priority among refugees eventually admitted to the United States. Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), who clashed with Trump during the campaign, said the order could hurt U.S. standing with Muslims worldwide. DHS-17-0435-A-000285 CBP FOIA 000285 48 According to Sasse, “while not technically a Muslim ban, the order is too broad. There are two ways to lose our generational battle against jihadism by losing touch with reality. The first is to keep pretending that jihadi terrorism has no connection to Islam or to certain countries. That’s been a disaster. And here’s the second way to fail: If we send a signal to the Middle East that the U.S. sees all Muslims as jihadis, the terrorists win by telling kids that America is banning Muslims and this is America versus one religion.” Rep. Charlie Dent (Pa.), one of the few remaining GOP moderates in the House, was upset about a Syrian refugee family turned away by U.S. immigration authorities at Philadelphia’s airport. In a statement, Dent said, “A Syrian Christian family who, according to family members in my district, held valid visas and were not refugees, yet were detained at the Philadelphia International Airport and then forced to leave the country as a result of the Executive Order. This family now faces the uncertain prospect of being sent back to Syria.” Dent called the episode “unacceptable and I urge the administration to halt enforcement of the order until a more thoughtful and deliberate policy can be instated.” Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.), a frequent critic of executive power, objected to Trump’s action in a series of statements on Twitter. “The president’s denial of entry to lawful permanent residents of the United States (green card holders) is particularly troubling,” Amash said. “We must do much more to properly vet refugees, but a blanket ban represents an extreme approach not consistent with our nation’s values.” Ryan was one of the few Republicans to openly praise Trump’s order. “We are a compassionate nation, and I support the refugee resettlement program, but it’s time to reevaluate and strengthen the visa vetting process. This is why we passed bipartisan legislation in the wake of the Paris attacks to pause the intake of refugees,” Ryan said in a statement. “President Trump is right to make sure we are doing everything possible to know exactly who is entering our country.” When pressed on whether this is a reversal by Ryan, who previously said he did not support any effort to bar Muslim immigration, an aide to the Wisconsin Republican noted Muslims are not explicitly targeted or singled out in the Trump order. “This is not a religious test and it is not a ban on people of any religion,” AshLee Strong, Ryan’s spokeswoman, insisted. A senior GOP congressional aide noted that Trump’s order is focused on fighting terrorism and preventing potential terrorists from getting into the country, something the American public strongly backs. The aide also said the order did not affect refugees or visa applicants in the “vast majority” of Muslim nations. “The visa suspension is focused only on those nations where terrorism is a particular concern,” the aide said. “And the refugee program suspension, other than for Syria, is applied to all countries. To suggest that is a blanket policy on Muslims or Muslim-majority nations is false.” House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), a hardliner on the issue of Syrian refugees, also backed Trump’s move. “The primary duty of the federal government is to keep Americans safe. Today, President Trump has begun to fulfill this responsibility by taking a number of critical steps within his authority to strengthen national security and the integrity of our nation’s immigration system,” Goodlatte said. “As ISIS terrorists have vowed to use the immigration system to inflict harm, it’s imperative that we know who is coming and going from our country. National security officials have repeatedly warned that we dramatically lack the resources and information to fully vet refugees from countries of concern, like Syria. With reports that refugees were being held up at U.S. airports, including some who had aided U.S. soldiers fighting in Iraq and elsewhere, Democrats rushed to try to intervene. New York Democratic Reps. Jerrold Nadler and Nydia Velazquez went to John F. Kennedy Airport to help a group of men who had been prevented from entering the country. According to a statement from the two Democrats, “after meeting with officials from the Custom and Border Patrol agency, one of the refugees, Hameed Khalid Darweesh, an Iraqi translator who helped the United States government, was released. Reps. Velazquez and Nadler are still working to release 11 others being held at JFK under the new executive order. “The order almost banned a man from entering the country who has worked for the United States government for 10 years, who risked his life to help us and to help our troops, and who loves our country,” said the two Democrats. “Thankfully, we did not sit idly by. We took action. We demanded his release, and the release of the others who are being unlawfully detained. We are pleased to announce that Hameed Khalid Darweesh has been released and can now be reunited with his family.” The lawmakers said they were working to get 11 more men released from custody. “This should not happen in America,” Nadler and Velazquez said. “We shouldn’t have to demand the release of refugees one by one. We must fight this executive order in the streets, in the courts, anywhere, anytime.” Democrats Slam Trump’s Immigration Ban As Callous And Cruel The Statue of Liberty is crying, Nancy Pelosi said. By Sam Levine DHS-17-0435-A-000286 CBP FOIA 000286 49 Huffington Post, January 28, 2017 Democratic lawmakers harshly and unequivocally condemned President Donald Trump’s executive order Friday that blocks refugees from entering the United States and bars all people coming from seven Muslim-majority countries. The widespread criticism from Democrats contrasted sharply with the response from Republicans, who went largely silent after Trump signed the order. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said there were tears in the eyes of the Statue of Liberty over the president’s action. “As the Statue of Liberty holds her torch of welcome high, there are tears in her eyes as she sees how low this Administration has stooped in its callousness toward mothers and children escaping war-torn Syria. This Administration has mistaken cruelty for strength and prejudice for strategy,” Pelosi said in a statement. Trump’s order did nothing to address threats of terrorism, Pelosi added. There have been no terror attacks on U.S. soil from individuals from the seven countries specifically targeted by the president’s action. Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D￾Mass.) both argued that the order would actually make America less safe. Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), the first Muslim elected to Congress, said the executive order “runs contrary to everything we cherish about America.” “To all those afraid: you are not alone. We are with you. And we will fight for you,” Ellison said in a statement. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), a Marine veteran, said he was “ashamed” that Trump was president. “His policies literally put our troops’ lives at risk — I’ve heard this loud and clear when I have visited them overseas. They also prove he has zero understanding of our country’s values and no intention of defending our Constitution,” Moulton said in a statement. “We are a nation of immigrants, and America is stronger when we welcome the refugees of our enemies. These policies do not put America first. I am ashamed that he is our president.” Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) tweeted that she was nauseated after reading about Hameed Khalid Darweesh, a man who had worked on behalf of the United States in Iraq for 10 years but was still detained at New York’s JFK Airport on Friday night. Reps. Jerry Nadler and Nydia Velazquez, both New York Democrats, went to the airport on Saturday to try to intervene on behalf of multiple individuals who had been detained because of Trump’s executive order. Nadler later tweeted a picture of him and Velazquez with Darweesh, who had been released. “What is happening at JFK International Airport right now is an affront to American values. This harkens back to a previous dark episode in our nation’s history when we turned away Jewish refugees seeking safe harbor from the horrors of Nazism. I will not and cannot stand idly by as the Trump administration begins repeating such unconscionable acts,” Velazquez said in a statement. Trump had initially discussed his proposal to ban Muslims from entering the United States in December 2015, prompting broad condemnation even from Republicans. Schumer Calls For Trump Admin To ‘Rescind’ Refugee Order By Jesse Byrnes The Hill, January 28, 2017 Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) is calling on the Trump administration to back off the president’s sweeping order barring many refugees after a number of detentions at U.S. airports Saturday. Schumer said that he called Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly on Saturday “to urge the administration to rescind these anti-American executive actions that will do absolutely nothing to improve our safety.” “In fact, they will do the opposite. We have a long and proud tradition of accepting refugees who seek safety in the United States, after a long and thorough vetting process. That tradition should continue,” he said. “These executive orders were mean-spirited and un￾American in their origin, and implemented in a way that has caused chaos and confusion across the country. They will only serve to embolden and inspire those around the globe who would do us harm. They must be reversed, immediately,” Schumer added. The Democratic leader’s statement came after two refugees were detained at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Friday after Trump’s order went into effect. The American Civil Liberties Union and other legal groups filed a lawsuit on behalf of two Iraqi refugees detained and threatened with deportation at JFK early Saturday morning. Hameed Jhalid Darweesh, who worked for the U.S. government in Iraq for 10 years, was blocked from entering the U.S. when he landed at JFK on Friday night. He was later released. Democratic Reps. Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.) and Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) worked to secure his release on Saturday as reports emerged that a number of other refugees were being detained. Trump defended his order on Saturday amid chaos as the administration moved to implement his directive, which was handed down Friday evening and bars Syrian refugees indefinitely while halting the resettlement of all refugees for four months. It also blocks entry for 90 days for individuals coming from Iraq, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Libya and Yemen. DHS-17-0435-A-000287 CBP FOIA 000287 50 The Department of Homeland Security said Saturday the order also applies to green card holders from the seven impacted countries. A senior administration official clarified green card holders from countries outside the U.S. could receive a waiver on a case-by-case basis. ‘Lady Liberty Is Crying,’ Democrats Declare In Wake Of Trump’s Visa, Asylum Executive Order By Andrew Blake Washington Times, January 28, 2017 Democratic leadership in the House and Senate slammed President Trump’s signing of a broad executive order targeting refugees Friday as antithetical to the nation’s tradition of welcoming “huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” “As the Statue of Liberty holds her torch of welcome high, there are tears in her eyes as she sees how low this Administration has stooped in its callousness toward mothers and children escaping war-torn Syria,” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, said Friday. “Tears are running down the cheeks of the Statue of Liberty tonight as a grand tradition of America, welcoming immigrants, that has existed since America was founded has been stomped upon,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, New York Democrat, said in a statement of his own. The lawmakers’ comments came within hours of Mr. Trump issuing an executive order Friday effectively closing the United States’ borders to citizens from seven Muslim￾majority countries as part of what the president has touted as a plan to eradicate Islamic terrorism as promised on the campaign trail. The order temporarily bars entry to citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, as well as suspending accepting Syrian asylum seekers “until such time as I have determined that sufficient changes have been made … to ensure that admission of Syrian refugees is consistent with the national interest.” Other Democrats similarly denounced the president’s order into the weekend, contrasting his so-called “Muslim Ban” with the credo that has greeted millions of immigrants arriving in the U.S. by way of Ellis Island and its neighboring landmark, the Statue of Liberty. “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” reads a sonnet inscribed on the base of the statue. “Trump’s action is not based on national security, it is based on bigotry. Lady Liberty is crying.” Rep. Ted Lieu, California Democrat, said in a statement Friday. “I can think of few things more un-American than discriminating against people seeking refuge on our shores because of their religion. This action betrays who we are as a country and makes us less safe,” said Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, Maryland Democrat. The libertarian Cato Institute said in a report last year that 20 of the 3.2 million refugees admitted into the U.S. between 1975 and 2015 were terrorists, amounting to around 0.00062 percent of total refugees allowed. Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. Dem: Feds Need To Explain Refugee Order By Max Greenwood The Hill, January 28, 2017 A Democratic lawmaker is urging the Department of Homeland Security to release an explanation of President Trump’s executive order blocking admissions of citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries and what the action means for travelers. In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) blasted Trump’s order, saying that it ran counter to “the principles of religious liberty, equality, and compassion that our nation was founded upon.” “In its discriminatory impact of Muslims, it also plays into the Al Qaeda and ISIS narrative that the West is no place for Muslims and that we are engaged in a war of civilizations,” Schiff said, referring to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. “The capricious enforcement of this order is likely to heighten its harmful effects and present legal and constitutional issues,” he added. Schiff also demanded to be notified if any refugees were being detained at Los Angeles International Airport, which is part of his district, saying his office would provide assistance to anyone having difficulty navigating any roadblocks they may face. “The Department of Homeland Security must immediately make available a full explanation of the order and its implications for travelers. It is unconscionable that such an order would be released without warning, effective immediately, a decision that can only seem designed to maximize suffering,” he said. “DHS must spell out plainly the order and ensure it is available to travelers and Americans, hundreds of thousands of whom now fear for themselves and their loved ones.” Schiff’s letter comes amid wide backlash to Trump’s executive order handed down Friday that halts the country’s refugee resettlement program for 120 days and bars people from seven predominantly Muslim countries from traveling to the U.S. The order stirred controversy almost immediately. Reports of refugees being detained upon their arrival at U.S. airports prompted a lawsuit against the Trump administration DHS-17-0435-A-000288 CBP FOIA 000288 51 by several legal groups, and Democratic lawmakers scrambled to call for the president to rescind the measure. Many civil-rights groups and Democratic lawmakers compared the order to Trump’s campaign proposal in late 2015 to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the U.S., but Trump on Saturday denied that his order amounted to a “Muslim ban.” Keith Ellison, First Muslim Congressman, Calls For ‘mass Rallies’ To Stop Trump Orders By David Weigel Washington Post, January 28, 2017 HOUSTON — Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), who in 2007 became the first Muslim member of Congress, said in an interview Saturday that opponents of President Trump’s executive orders on immigration and refugees should oppose them in the streets. “It’s time for people to get active, to get involved, to vote and to organize,” said Ellison, who was in Houston to campaign for chairman of the Democratic National Committee. “Trump must be stopped, and people power is what we have at our disposal to make him stop. We need mass rallies. We need them all over the country. We need them in Texas. We need them in D.C. We need them in Minnesota.” Ellison, one of the first candidates to enter the DNC race, is also the most politically prominent member of a faith singled out in Trump’s executive orders temporarily halting the visa interview process from seven nations and the refugee flow from Syria. On Friday, before heading to Houston, he joined a rally in Miami-Dade County against plans for it to cooperate in Trump’s crackdown on sanctuary cities; former labor secretary Tom Perez, seen as the other front-runner in the DNC race, responded to Trump’s plan to investigate “voter fraud” with an op-ed about Texas’s experience chasing after phantom fraud cases. Once in Houston, Ellison found himself zipping between meetings with DNC members while Muslim legal groups were collecting stories of stranded refugees and working, in vain so far, to reunite them with families. “I’ve heard from people who were on the way to Minnesota and were blocked,” said Ellison. “They’re stopping people at the border right now. They’re breaking up families now. This is an absolute affront to America as a welcoming nation that gives refuge to suffering people. It is basically sending a positive signal to people who hate this country, because now ISIS gets to say — ‘See? They don’t want you.’ They get to whip up hate and anti-American sentiment.” While no Republican members of Congress have spoken out against last night’s executive orders, Ellison pointed out that his colleagues had opposed them in the past — before the 2016 election. “Speaker Ryan said that using religion as a criteria for any treatment of people is wrong an un-American,” said Ellison. “Well, Trump said he wanted a Muslim ban. He has selected only Muslim countries to ban people. We can’t tolerate it.” Sanders: Trump ‘Fostering Hatred’ With Refugee Ban By Max Greenwood The Hill, January 28, 2017 Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Saturday accused President Trump of “fostering hatred” with his executive order barring people from certain Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S. “Trump’s anti-Muslim order plays into the hands of fanatics wishing to harm America. Love and compassion trump hatred and intolerance,” Sanders tweeted. “Demagogues survive by fostering hatred. We won’t allow anyone to divide us up by our religion, country of origin or the color of our skin,” he added. Trump’s anti-Muslim order plays into the hands of fanatics wishing to harm America. Love and compassion trump hatred and intolerance. https://t.co/hUzvqqqd9H— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) January 28, 2017 Demagogues survive by fostering hatred. We won’t allow anyone to divide us up by our religion, country of origin or the color of our skin.— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) January 28, 2017 Trump signed an executive action Friday barring people from seven Muslim-majority countries from traveling to the U.S., and halting the country’s Syrian refugee resettlement program. The president has argued that the move will help protect the U.S. from terrorists that use the resettlement program to enter the country. But opponents argue that the action eviscerates a program that provides vital assistance to refugees, and ultimately empowers terrorist organizations. Warren Goes On Tweetstorm Over Refugee Ban By Brooke Seipel The Hill, January 27, 2017 Massachusetts Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren went on a tweetstorm against President Trump Friday night for his executive order that calls for new vetting of refugees and those seeking to enter the U.S. from certain Muslim￾majority countries, and a complete ban on refugees from Syria. Trump’s order declares that “the entry of nationals of Syria as refugees is detrimental to the interests of the United States” and suspends their entry until the president has DHS-17-0435-A-000289 CBP FOIA 000289 52 determined that their entry “is consistent with the national interest.” “Let’s be clear: A Muslim ban by any other name is still a Muslim ban,” Warren said in her series of tweets. “Donald Trump’s order restricting immigrants from Muslim countries & freezing admission of refugees is a betrayal of American values.” 15 months ago, I traveled to the Greek island of Lesvos – the 1st stop for many Syrian refugees as they flee the terrors of ISIS. pic.twitter.com/Q02rbWqoWJ— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) January 27, 2017 I saw the shoddy, paper-thin rubber rafts that people cram onto with a hope & a prayer that they’ll make it across the choppy, rocky sea.— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) January 27, 2017 I saw the plastic pool floaties parents put on small children, hoping that would be enough to save them if the raft went down. pic.twitter.com/C8HQpWIB11— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) January 27, 2017 And I met a 7-yr-old girl – younger than my own granddaughters – who had been sent out on that perilous journey alone. pic.twitter.com/00beGm7URo— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) January 27, 2017 I thought about what horrors must have possessed her parents to hand a wad of cash & their little girl over to human smugglers.— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) January 27, 2017 Today, @realDonaldTrump closed the door on that little girl – & so many others who are running for their lives.— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) January 27, 2017 Let’s be clear: A Muslim ban by any other name is still a Muslim ban.— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) January 28, 2017 .@realDonaldTrump’s order restricting immigrants from Muslim countries & freezing admission of refugees is a betrayal of American values.— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) January 28, 2017 We are a country of immigrants & refugees, of people fleeing religious persecution & seeking freedom, a country made strong by diversity.— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) January 28, 2017 The Syrian refugees admitted to the US last yr are kids, doctors, teachers, engineers, & college students who sought safety from terrorists.— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) January 28, 2017 Turning our back on refugees because of their religion creates recruiting fodder for ISIS and other terrorist groups.— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) January 28, 2017 On #HolocaustRemembranceDay, we remember what can happen when hatred & fear turns neighbor against neighbor. When we abandon those in need.— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) January 28, 2017 I urge @realDonaldTrump: embrace policies that reflect America’s core values & protect our ntl security. Rescind this executive order now.— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) January 28, 2017 Trump is also imposing a 90-day ban on entry to the U.S. for visitors hailing from “countries of particular concern” when it comes to terrorism. The order does not list specific countries that would fall under the ban, but the Department of Homeland Security said they included Iran, Sudan, Syria, Libya, Somalia, Yemen and Iraq. When refugee admissions resume, Trump ordered his administration to prioritize claims “made by individuals on the basis of religious-based persecution, provided that the religion of the individual is a minority religion in the individual’s country of nationality.” That would allow the Trump administration to put Christians from Muslim-majority nations first in line for refugee status, a drastic shift from the policy under former President Barack Obama. Warren’s statements join those of other prominent party members such as Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer and California Sen. Kamala Harris. How Trump Just Made America Less Safe The president just handed ISIS a path to rebirth. By Sen. Chris Murphy Huffington Post, January 27, 2017 Donald Trump’s long-awaited Muslim ban became a reality today. No, you might say, it’s not actually the proposal he outlined during the campaign. True, the ban doesn’t cover every Muslim globally, just a set of Muslims from countries Trump perceives, rather arbitrarily, to be dangerous. But today’s announcement is anchored in his campaign rhetoric, and the fact that every country on today’s list is a Muslim-majority nation confirms that he meant what he said – that Muslims are dangerous and need to be treated differently than any other set of people. This is why today’s proposal is likely to get Americans killed. ISIS, the most dangerous of a global array of radical Islamic terrorist groups, is in retreat. Every day, they lose more territory, and it is only a matter of time before their self￾proclaimed caliphate disappears before the world’s eyes. The continual loss of territory robs from ISIS one of their two main rationales for existence – the creation of a geographic entity based on their perverted interpretation of Islam. But ISIS has a second purpose – to take part in an imagined global struggle of civilizations between Christians and Muslims. President Obama and President Bush before him knew the danger of stoking talk of war between east and west. Obama knew how important this kind of talk was to ISIS’s recruitment and expansion, and he went out of his way to tamp it down. DHS-17-0435-A-000290 CBP FOIA 000290 53 The decision to turn our backs on millions of men, women, and children attempting to flee torture and terror shrinks us as a nation, and marks an unconscionable abandonment of our founding principles. Trump has now handed ISIS a path to rebirth. They can and will use his announcement today as confirmation that America is at war with Muslims, especially those Muslims living in desperate circumstances. Their recruitment bulletin boards will light up with new material. Their entreaties to would-be lone wolf attackers in America will have new energy and purpose. All the work we have done to cut down on extremist recruitment at home and abroad now goes out the window. It’s a new day for terrorist recruiters. And the list is dangerous for other reasons. It makes Americans think that terrorists can be contained simply by focusing on a few countries that are often in the news. But the real threats to America are much broader than just these countries. Where is Saudi Arabia on this list? Or Pakistan? Does Trump not recall that the attackers on September 11th came not from Syria or Iran or Sudan, but from Saudi Arabia, our supposed ally? And what about Europe, a continent that now enjoys relatively unfettered travel rights to the United States? Radicalized European citizens have already carried out massive terrorist attacks, and under current law, they can travel to the U.S. without almost any security screening. Terrorist threats do not originate in one set of countries, and thus a geographic approach is feckless. If President Trump was serious about tackling the terrorist threat, he would make sure the Europeans were sharing counterterrorism intelligence with each other, and with us, so we can track potential terrorists no matter what country they come from. Another commonsense measure would be to ban people on the terrorist watch list from buying deadly firearms in America. But rather than do any of these things that would actually make Americans safer, Trump is pursuing misguided policies rooted in bigotry and fear. And the boon to flailing terrorist groups is just the beginning of the tragedy of today’s announcement. During my last trip to the Middle East, I was upbraided by our allies in the region for our country’s refusal to help them with the flow of refugees out of Iraq and Syria. Over and over they told me, as they had told the Obama administration, that we would never be perceived a partner in the fight against Islamic extremism if we washed our hands of the refugee problem. We assail Libya and Yemen and Syria and Iraq with bombs, and then simply expect other countries to deal with the consequences. We make the mess, then expect others to clean up. This infuriates our friends and damages our partnerships. Now, Trump’s Muslim ban will risk severing ties between us and many of these nations. They will see our policy as xenophobic and detrimental to the displaced persons crisis in the region. Our ability to build a truly multi￾national response to extremism will become impossible. We assail Libya and Yemen and Syria and Iraq with bombs, and then simply expect other countries to deal with the consequences. Finally, the decision to turn our backs on millions of men, women, and children attempting to flee torture and terror shrinks us as a nation, and marks an unconscionable abandonment of our founding principles. Remember, those who make it into the U.S. refugee program have survived the worst of the worst – they are those who are so badly injured, so in danger, that they cannot survive in refugee camps. The vast majority of them are women, young children and the elderly. They are desperate and scared, and without harbor in the United States, many of them will perish. We are a nation founded by religious refugees. Over and over, we have opened our doors to those fleeing war and terror. Jews during the Second World War. The Vietnamese in the 1960s and 1970s. Bosnians and Albanians during the Balkan War. I am proud to represent Connecticut, a state which is a testament to this past practice. Each time we found ways to sort out the good guys (99%) from the bad guys (1 percent). There were terrorists in Vietnam and the Balkans who wanted in – we kept them out. We can do the same here. We can protect ourselves from terror and rescue others from terror – these are not mutually exclusive ends. And we must do both. Trump’s Muslim ban is a moral abomination. It is fundamentally un-American. And it is dangerous – it will give life back to the terrorist movement and eventually get Americans killed. We knew today was coming. Trump means what he says, and now his offensive ramblings against people of Muslim faith are edified in law. But we don’t have to accept it. We must fight this new policy. We must seek to rescind it. We must let the world know that Trump’s discriminatory views do not reflect the true America. And we must rally Americans who think that keeping Muslims out keeps us safe to understand that this policy does exactly the opposite. This isn’t who we are. It’s not who we should be. And I will fight this policy with all that I have. Iraqis Who Aided U.S. During War Now See Visa Hopes Dim By Maria Abi-Habib Wall Street Journal, January 28, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Iran Retaliates, Canada Opens Arms After Trump Immigration Ban By Bill Keveney USA Today, January 28, 2017 DHS-17-0435-A-000291 CBP FOIA 000291 54 World leaders reacted harshly Saturday to President Trump’s executive order suspending immigration and visas for citizens from certain countries with majority Muslim populations. Iran, one of the targeted nations, suggested it would limit issuing visas to American tourists. Trump on Friday suspended all refugee admissions to the U.S. for four months and banned the entry of Syrian refugees indefinitely pending a security review meant to ensure terrorists cannot slip through vetting. Trump also issued a 90-day ban on all entry to the U.S. from seven Muslim-majority countries with terrorism concerns, including Syria. The official IRNA news agency Saturday carried a statement by the Iranian foreign ministry that says Iran will resort to “counteraction” to Trump’s executive order. “Iran, to defend the dignity of the great Iranian nation, will implement the principle of reciprocity until the removal of the insulting restriction against Iranian nationals,” the statement reads. “It will apply corresponding legal, consular and political actions.” The two countries have had no diplomatic relations since 1979 when militants stormed the U.S. embassy. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif issued a series of tweets in response to President Trump’s order, saying the move would be “a great gift to extremists and their supporters.” He explained that statement further, tweeting: “Collective discrimination aids terrorist recruitment by deepening fault-lines exploited by extremist demagogues to swell their ranks.” A follow-up tweet promised a reciprocal response: “While respecting Americans & differentiating between them & hostile U.S. policies, Iran will take reciprocal measures to protect citizens.” Other world leaders, including officials from Canada and Scotland, also tweeted responses to the new U.S. policy. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau embraced refugees, also temporarily prohibited from entering the U.S., making a pointed comment about not discriminating on religious grounds: “To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength #WelcomeToCanada” Nicola Sturgeon, first minister of Scotland, retweeted Trudeau, seconding his invitation: “#WelcometoScotland too.” People in the affected countries reacted with dismay to the U.S. move, the Associated Press reported. “I am shocked beyond words. This will mean that my new husband will never be able to join me in the U.S.,” said Fatima Ashkir, a Somali-American woman from Florida who came to Mogadishu to marry her Somali boyfriend. In Jordan, a Syrian refugee who submitted to an initial security screening in the hopes of moving to the U.S., sees his hopes dashed with President Trump’s order. “When we heard of the order, it was like a bolt of lightning, and all our hopes and dreams vanished,” Ammar Sawan said Saturday. Other Syrian refugees in Jordan warned that U.S. policy could inflame anti-American sentiment in the region. “This decision made the U.S. lose its reputation in the world as the biggest economy, the biggest democracy,” said refugee Nasser Sheik, 44, who was paralyzed by a stroke two years ago and lives with his family in Amman. “We are not going out to harm people of other countries,” added his wife Madaya, 37. Trump Ban Sparks U.S. Immigration Chaos, Infuriates Muslims By Jeff Mason And Jonathan Allen Reuters, January 28, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. U.N. Agencies Urge Trump To Allow Refugees Entry By Stephanie Nebehay Reuters, January 28, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. UN Hopes US Refugee Ban Is Temporary Daily Mail, January 28, 2017 UN hopes US refugee ban is temporary Afp 1/28/2017 2:52:33 PM By Afp Published: 14:52 EST, 28 January 2017 | Updated: 14:53 EST, 28 January 2017 The United Nations hopes that US President Donald Trump’s decision to ban refugees is a temporary measure and that they will again be given protection, its spokesman said Saturday. “We hope that the measures concerning the suspension of refugee flows are temporary as refugee protection needs have never been greater,” said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric. “The US resettlement program is one of the most important ones in the world.” Trump on Friday signed an executive order suspending the US refugee resettlement program for 120 days. In addition, all visa applications from seven Muslim countries – Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen – were put on hold for at least 90 days. DHS-17-0435-A-000292 CBP FOIA 000292 55 The UN refugee agency UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration said in a joint statement that they hoped the United States “will continue its strong leadership role and long tradition of protecting those who are fleeing conflict and persecution.” On Friday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told a Holocaust commemoration that discrimination against migrants and refugees along with the stereotyping of Muslims were opening the door to more extreme hatred. “A ‘new normal’ of public discourse is taking hold, in which prejudice is given a free pass and the door is opened to even more extreme hatred,” Guterres told the General Assembly. Share or comment on this article Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. Advocacy Groups Condemn U.S. Suspension Of Refugee Program By Miriam Jordan Wall Street Journal, January 27, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Heartbreak And Anger Follow Trump’s Immigration Order By Evan Allen Boston Globe, January 28, 2017 Across the state, people working to resettle refugees and immigrants reacted with heartbreak and anger Saturday to President Trump’s executive order barring people from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. “This is just really ugly, for us to close our doors like this,” said Marc Jacobs, chief executive officer at Jewish Family Service of Metrowest. Jacobs watched more than six months of careful planning — and the desperate hopes of people fleeing war for their lives — evaporate on Friday night when the executive order went into effect. The order closes the border to immigrants from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen for 90 days, bars all refugees for 120 days, and bars Syrian refugees indefinitely. The order caused confusion for people who were traveling when it was signed, and protests broke out Saturday in Boston and elsewhere around the country. For Jacobs, whose organization has built a wide coalition of groups —- synagogues, Islamic centers, academic institutions, and health-care providers — to support 15 Syrian refugee families, the impact of the order was immediate and harsh. Five families had made it to America. Ten had not. The last family had arrived Tuesday night, he said. They stepped off a plane at Logan International Airport, the mother cradling their 1-year-old, the father holding the hand of their 5-year-old. They were just thankful to be safe, he said. When they got to their new apartment to enjoy a welcome meal cooked by another refugee, their 5-year-old took to her new toys with delight, holding a tea party for her teddy bear. “These are young parents that would do anything for their children,” said Jacobs. “It’s a child at a time. That’s what the horror of this is.” The timing of the executive order — signed on International Holocaust Rememberance Day — lit up social media. One Twitter account spent the day tweeting the entire passenger manifest of the St. Louis — a ship carrying about 900 Jewish refugees to the United States in 1939, which refused it entry. “Our community knows all too well the suffering that comes from a time America turned away refugees,” said Rabbi David Lerner, the rabbi at Temple Emunah in Lexington and president of the Massachusetts Board of Rabbis. Many synagogues across the state, he said, are taking in and supporting refugees. For Jews and many other religious groups, charity toward refugees and immigrants is a core principle of faith. “People find this almost a pure opportunity to do what the Gospel says, what our religion teaches — which is the value of serving the poor and rejected, and welcoming strangers and sojourners,” said Judson Brown, a member of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Northampton, which has made a commitment to sponsor a refugee family of three from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The family — a mother, father, and 10-month-old baby — was slated to arrive sometime between February and May, he said. Church members and community members have been busy arranging them housing, gathering furniture, and lining up language instruction. Parishioners were even planning to learn a bit of Swahili and Kinyarwanda. But on Saturday, Brown, like many other people trying to digest the executive order, was not sure how or if it would affect their plans, as the DCR is not one of the seven countries named in the executive order. Even without the order, he said, the process of coming to the United States includes extensive vetting and a thick web of rules and regulations. “It’s not exactly a railroad train,” he said. At St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Weston, where parishioners had raised $2,375 in grants and gift cards toward an interfaith effort organized by Temple Beth Elohim in Wellesley to sponsor two families of Syrian refugees for a year, the Rev. Lynn Campbell said she was crestfallen. The congregation undertook the effort because it is important to recognize the human dignity of the refugees, she DHS-17-0435-A-000293 CBP FOIA 000293 56 said. The first family, which includes four children under the age of 8, arrived last week. But the second family, due to arrive in the spring, will likely not be resettled after all. Community organizations that work with immigrants saw their plans thrown into disarray as well. The International Institute of New England, which resettles about 600 refugee and immigrant families every year, was expecting to receive a family of four from Syria this Monday, said president and CEO Jeffrey Thielman. Four years after fleeing the war, and after painstakingly following every regulation from the US government, the institute had an apartment and a new life waiting for them in Lowell. But with the order, Thielman said, they have been stranded in Turkey. “This is a very mean-spirited and unnecessary executive order,” said Thielman. “This isn’t going to help keep the United States safer. It’s not going to make us a stronger country.” Globe correspondent Amanda Burke contributed to this report. Evan Allen can be reached at evan.allen@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @evanmallen. Warm Welcome For Syrians In A Country About To Ban Them By Jodi Kantor New York Times, January 28, 2017 On Friday afternoon, a group of suburban synagogue members clustered at O’Hare International Airport, waiting to greet one of the last Syrian refugee families to be accepted in the United States, to give them the warmest possible welcome to a country that no longer wanted their kind. In Washington, the presidential limousine was already speeding toward the Pentagon, where President Trump would sign a paper officially slamming the door shut on Syrian refugees. But here the volunteers had yellow roses, more warm coats than the newcomers would need and, a few miles away, an apartment ready with a doormat that said “welcome” in 17 languages. “Welcome to chicag Hope you make your selfs at home” said a sign made by one of the youngest members of the group. Whatever the new president said about the supposed dangers of Syrian refugees, the volunteers, who knew almost nothing about the family they were about to welcome, instantly identified with them anyway. They had already committed to helping guide and care for the newcomers for six months. Some of the volunteers were children or grandchildren of refugees. Their synagogue, Am Shalom (“Nation of Peace”) in Glencoe, Ill., displays a statue depicting members’ families who perished at the Nazis’ hands. The Syrian family, and the president’s orders, were coming on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, some of the volunteers noted with tears in their eyes. A hundred synagogue members had contributed in some way to helping resettle the Syrians: renting an apartment steps from a playground, assembling a vacuum cleaner, lining up juice boxes in the refrigerator. Some of the synagogue members had signed on instinctually, so the Syrians would be helped the way their own parents or grandparents had been aided when they arrived in the United States. Others had joined as a way of countering Mr. Trump — just a few of the many Americans, of varied backgrounds, reacting with shock, outrage and concern to his curtailment of the country’s long-established refugee resettlement system. “The Statue of Liberty has always been our symbol of welcome,” Rabbi Steven Stark Lowenstein, the group’s leader, said at the airport. “It feels like Trump turned off the light,” he said. At the Pentagon on Friday, the preparations for the president’s actions were orderly: High-level officials gathered in a room called the Hall of Heroes, and photographers assembled. But around the country, refugees, resettlement workers and volunteers expressed panic. Resettlement workers did not know if they would have jobs once Mr. Trump’s refugee and immigration plans have been fully carried out. Volunteers wondered what they would do with furniture and money they had collected for refugees who were supposed to arrive soon. RefugeeOne, the resettlement agency responsible for the family coming into O’Hare, had been expecting another Syrian family to arrive on Monday. “That’s not happening,” Kim Snoddy, the program’s liaison to groups like the Am Shalom volunteers, said as she waited with them at the airport on Friday. A volunteer from another Chicago group posted a photograph on Facebook of an empty crib, made up with a pink sheet and a stuffed bunny, for the baby of a family that would no longer arrive. Resettlement workers and volunteers across the country said that since Election Day, Americans of diverse backgrounds had been lining up to aid refugees, channeling their opposition to Mr. Trump into a desire to help vulnerable newcomers. Sloane Davidson, 37, a graduate student in Pittsburgh, hosted refugees for Thanksgiving dinner and said she was so moved by the experience that she took a job as a case aide at a local agency. “The more I learned about what I felt to be the truth and the truth that Trump was telling,” the more she wanted to get involved, she wrote in an email. Resettlement agencies said that volunteers had been swarming their offices and that even more had surfaced last week when Mr. Trump’s specific plans became public. When the International Refugee Assistance Project put out a call for lawyers to help new arrivals in danger of being turned away, it DHS-17-0435-A-000294 CBP FOIA 000294 57 received 3,000 volunteers in four hours, said Becca Heller, the organization’s director. “People are desperate to help refugees as a way to counter these discriminatory policies,” she said. As the minutes passed at O’Hare, the volunteers checked the time again, tense with the knowledge that Mr. Trump was about to commit pen to paper. The family they were awaiting had flown into Washington the night before, meaning they had cleared immigration with less than a day to spare. But the volunteers said they would not be able to exhale until the newcomers landed in Chicago. The flight was delayed, they heard. They glanced at the time on their phones again. As soon as the Syrian family of four stepped into the baggage claim area, the synagogue members surrounded them protectively, offering the flowers and signs, as a resettlement worker translated. Because they spoke no English, the newcomers wore tags around their necks, like Paddington Bear, so if they got lost, they could be identified. In a moment, the two Syrian children’s arms were laden with gift bags of toys. The parents said they were too terrified to talk to a reporter, out of concern for family members — some still trapped in dangerous areas of Syria and others who had been cleared to travel to the United States but had not yet received plane tickets. After hugs and snapshots and many professions of welcome and thanks, the group at the airport dispersed. The refugees headed to their new home with a few escorts, the synagogue members back to their far more stable lives. Just before they parted, Rabbi Lowenstein gathered his congregants and gave them a charge. “If this is the last group of refugees to get in, we will show them the best of America,” he said. The family was driven to its new home, where a meal and a Syrian-style semolina cake were waiting. Members of the family said they had not checked the news since landing in the United States, and no one from the volunteer group told them what was about to happen. Moments before they arrived at the cozy, fully stocked apartment, Mr. Trump, wearing an American flag pin, signed the orders in front of an audience of his advisers and Pentagon officials. As he finished, the clapping in the room was loud. Behind him hung an oversize medal depicting the Statue of Liberty, a beacon of welcome. Donald Trump’s Un-American Refugee Policy By David Miliband New York Times, January 27, 2017 President Trump’s executive order suspending the entire resettlement program for 120 days and banning indefinitely the arrival of Syrian refugees is a repudiation of fundamental American values, an abandonment of the United States’ role as a humanitarian leader and, far from protecting the country from extremism, a propaganda gift to those who would plot harm to America. The order also cuts the number of refugees scheduled for resettlement in the United States in the fiscal year 2017 from a planned total of about 110,000 to just 50,000. Founded on the myth that there is no proper security screening for refugees, the order thus thrusts into limbo an estimated 60,000 vulnerable refugees, most of whom have already been vetted and cleared for resettlement here. The new policy urgently needs rethinking. Refugees coming to the United States are fleeing the same violent extremism that this country and its allies are fighting in the Middle East and elsewhere. Based on recent data, a majority of those selected for resettlement in America are women and children. Since the start of the war, millions of Syrians have fled not just the military of President Bashar al￾Assad but also the forces of Russia, Iranian militias and the Islamic State. There are also thousands of Afghans and Iraqis whose lives are at risk because of assistance they offered American troops stationed in their countries. Of all the refugees that my organization, the International Rescue Committee, would be helping to resettle this year, this group, the Special Immigrant Visa population, makes up a fourth. Giving haven for those persecuted for their politics is a core American value. The more than 62,000 Cubans resettled by the committee since 1960 would find this executive order’s denial of refugee needs not just insulting, but bizarre. The order also suggests that the resettlement program should make persecuted religious minorities a higher priority, implying that they have been neglected in the past. This is incorrect; existing law already places strong emphasis on religious persecution among the criteria for resettlement. For example, most of the refugees from Iran — a Muslim-majority country — who are resettled by my organization are not Muslim. Compared with other types of immigrants, refugees are the most thoroughly vetted group to enter the United States. The resettlement process can take up to 36 months and involves screenings by the Department of Homeland Security, the F.B.I., the Department of Defense, the State Department and the National Counterterrorism Center and United States intelligence community. According to the Cato Institute, the chances that a citizen here will be killed by a refugee are one in 3.64 billion; an American is far more likely to be killed by lightning than by a terrorist attack carried out by a refugee. The United States can be proud of its wide network of refugee champions, for good reason: Refugee resettlement is an American success story. And this is true not just on the coasts but across the country. In the 29 cities where the Rescue Committee has resettlement offices, elected officials DHS-17-0435-A-000295 CBP FOIA 000295 58 like the mayor of Boise, Idaho, and the governor of Utah, along with police officers, school principals, faith leaders and small-business owners, actively welcome refugees. They do so out of a sense of a moral obligation, of course, but also because they have witnessed the myriad ways refugees have enriched their communities over the years. To take one example, over the course of a decade, refugees created at least 38 new businesses in the Cleveland area alone. In turn, these businesses created an additional 175 jobs, and in 2012 provided a $12 million stimulus to the local economy. There is a further concern raised by the president’s refugee ban. When the United States abjures its responsibility to the world’s most vulnerable people, it forgoes its moral authority to call upon the countries of Europe, as well as poorer nations like Lebanon, Turkey, Kenya and Pakistan, which host over five million refugees among them, to provide such shelter. Historically, the United States has welcomed the “huddled masses yearning to breathe free,” and this has helped cement America’s leadership of the international order. But why should others continue to bear their heavy burdens when the United States won’t? Support for refugees is not charity; it is a contribution to the global stability on which all nations depend — and this is especially important at a time when the world faces a heightened threat of terrorism. Terrorists are strategic in their work and their messaging. The civilized world must be equally strategic in its response. Where extremists seek to foster a clash of civilizations, democratic governments should not play into their hands. That is what a ban on specific nationalities does. It is not right, it is not needed and it is not smart. In 1980, when Congress passed the Refugee Act with bipartisan support, President Carter’s secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, Joseph A. Califano Jr., said the refugee issue required the United States to “reveal to the world — and more important to ourselves — whether we truly live by our ideals or simply carve them on our monuments.” That still resonates today. Expert review of the resettlement vetting process is part of good government. Hasty dismissal of carefully developed systems is harmful in and of itself. It is also a distressing departure from fact-based policy making. The world looks to America for enlightened leadership. Its citizens seek the same from their government. Refugee policy is a telling test for every nation. The United States passed that test for so many years, so it is a tragedy for it now to fail when its commitment is needed more than ever. Trump Shuts The Door On Men And Women Who Have Sacrificed For America By Matt Zeller Washington Post, January 28, 2017 Matt Zeller is a veteran of the war in Afghanistan and the co-founder and chief executive of No One Left Behind With his latest executive order and immigration ban, President Trump has shut the door on thousands of foreign interpreters, our wartime allies, who have served alongside our military since 2001. As a combat veteran who has served in the U.S. Army, this action deeply disappoints and angers me. I shouldn’t be alive today. I am only here writing this piece because of my Afghan Muslim translator, Janis. He shot and killed two Taliban fighters who nearly ambushed me in a firefight in Afghanistan in 2008. The president’s actions on Friday are troubling for so many reasons. First, the sweeping ban doesn’t take into account that our allied military translators are quite possibly the most vetted individuals aligned with our military. The stringent background checks begin long before they are cleared to work alongside Americans in a combat zone. Then the process for granting the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV), which allows them to resettle in the United States, is even more painstaking. To even apply for the SIV, one must meet ALL of the following criteria: Be a national of Iraq or Afghanistan; and Have worked directly with U.S. armed forces or under Chief of Missions authority as an interpreter for at least 12 months; and Have obtained a favorable, written recommendation from a military or civilian member of the U.S. government. All this to simply apply for the SIV. To be approved, the interpreter must clear these additional hurdles: • Receive the written nomination; • Prove he or she provided at least 12 to 24 months of honorable and valuable service to the United States war effort; • Prove he or she is under immediate duress due to that service; • And, lastly, pass the most extreme form of vetting the United States can muster — a comprehensive national security background investigation completed by every single component of the U.S. national security apparatus (the CIA, FBI, National Security Agency, etc.). All agencies conduct separate investigations and do not coordinate cross-agency. The decision from the national security apparatus must be unanimous, meaning that all the agencies involved must approve the application package. If even one agency dissents on a visa approval, that applicant is barred from entry to the United States and placed on the no-fly list — forever. These men and women have served our country honorably — in some cases, for more than a decade. A decade of combat service to America, fighting alongside Americans, wearing the same uniforms, bleeding their blood for our country. Is that not the most American thing one could DHS-17-0435-A-000296 CBP FOIA 000296 59 do — fight for the ideals they believe in to better one’s country? These wartime allies are true-blooded Americans, though they were born half a world away. Would we deny a man who was injured in multiple improvised explosive device (IED) attacks, repeatedly led U.S. service members through enemy territory safely and fostered local relations? Would we deny a man who is credited with saving five American soldiers lives, including mine? Remember, this man’s name is Janis, and if he were an American-born veteran, we’d pin medals to his chest and call him a hero. This ban leaves thousands of our wartime allies to fend for themselves against the very enemies we asked them to fight. Veterans of the Vietnam War speak often of their half￾century injury at having abandoned so many of our Vietnamese allies. Friday, the president cast the same injury upon our newest generation of American veterans and we didn’t get a say. Many of our wartime allies have already been waiting on their visas for years and some, with approved visa in hand, will simply not be able to make it to safety because of the president’s decision. We are permanently harming the fabric of U.S. national security. Our credibility is forever tarnished if not eroded. Why would any potential ally trust the United States to keep its word again? It pains me to think how many U.S. service￾members will die in future conflicts because we were unable to recruit the local, on-the-ground support that is often the difference between life and death. These men and women have sacrificed so much for the United States. Friday’s order means the enemy wins, and we have turned our backs on our own ideals. I Went Through America’s Extreme Vetting By Mostafa Hassoun Politico Magazine, January 28, 2017 I’m a Syrian refugee living in the United States. My family, which fled to Turkey in 2011 as protests against the government grew, is Muslim. And on Friday, Donald Trump signed an executive order that would have made it difficult, if not impossible for me to find safety in America. This executive order, which suspends visas for the citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries and calls for “extreme vetting,” isn’t just discriminatory and heartless – it doesn’t make any sense. Because in every conceivable way, the vetting process is already extremely thorough. I know this because I went through the process myself. Over 15 months I was interviewed five times – in person, over the phone, by the United Nations and by the United States. They asked me about my family, my politics, my hobbies, my childhood, my opinions of the U.S., and even my love life. No less than four U.S. government agencies had the opportunity to screen me. By the time I received my offer to live in the United States, the U.S. officials in charge of my case file knew me better than my family and friends do. In fact, there is probably nobody in the world that knows me better than the United States government. But that didn’t stop Trump from saying last December, “People are pouring in from regions of the Middle East. We have no idea who they are, where they come from.” President Trump knows both who I am and where I’m from, and a whole lot more. If there is something else he’d like to know – anything short of my family renouncing its Syrian and Muslim identities – I can’t imagine what it might be. Until the start of the civil war, I had never left Syria. But in 2011, my parents, my three sisters, my brother and I fled our coastal hometown of Latakia. We really didn’t have a choice – the regime knew that my father and I had participated in the protests, and government forces were on their way to occupy our city. If we stayed, we would have been killed. When we arrived at the Turkish border, we camped there for two weeks, waiting for an international solution that would stop the fighting. None came, but with regime forces approaching, we asked the Turkish army for permission to cross the border. They took down our information, gave us refugee identification numbers, and brought us to camps. By the time my family and I applied for resettlement in 2013, my family was living in Antakya, a city in southern Turkey. As a group, we walked into a refugee center run by the United Nations, gave them our basic information and formally applied. We got a call a week later, asking us to come for an interview in Ankara, Turkey’s capital, and two weeks after that we got on buses to take the nine-hour trip. Riding on the bus that day, I had no idea that I was about to begin the longest application process of my life. When we first arrived, the United Nations officials measured our height, our weight, took our fingerprints and our photos. Once every member of the family had been accounted for, they ushered us into our first interview. They asked what our religion was, what our politics were, where we went to school, what we were doing 10 years ago. I’m not religious, but my father answered for the family and said that we’re Muslim. After an hour, they split us up and interviewed individually. Then the questions got even more specific: “Why do you hate Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad?” “Why were you protesting?” “What’s your opinion of Barack Obama?” They asked about my friends, my relatives, who they are, where they are and what they do. When I told them that several of my friends had died in the uprising, they pressed for details. The interviewers checked for discrepancies in my story as they repeated to me the questions they had already asked my father. This went on for another two hours. By the time our family headed home, we had divulged the majority of our life stories. But as it turns out, this was just DHS-17-0435-A-000297 CBP FOIA 000297 60 an introductory interview. Two months later we were back on the bus, heading to Gaziantep, Turkey, for the next round. They asked us all of the same questions as before, but this time with follow-up questions and an aggressive attention to detail. “If Assad gives you freedom and democracy, why are you protesting him? What is it exactly that you want from him?” “Who were you protesting with? Were you involved with any groups?” My interviewer wanted to know all of my associations and connections, from before and during the revolution. And this time, it was clear that the interviewer had done her research beforehand. She would follow up my answers with a pointed, “Are you sure?”, and she would ask questions that clearly had a right and a wrong answer. At one point, she asked me how long my family had camped on the border Turkish-Syrian border. I told her two weeks. She looked at me and inquired, “Two weeks, or more like 20 days?” I said yes, 20 days sounded about right. Between the in-person interviews, I know that the officials handling my application were looking for anything, anything at all, that could disqualify me for resettlement. And when they thought they found something, they wouldn’t hesitate to follow up. A month after my second interview, I received a phone call out of the blue. The resettlement agency asked me about a field hospital I worked in for seven months, after we first arrived in Turkey. Did I know who owned it? Does he work with a jihadist group? Whose donations are funding this hospital? I told them I knew little – I was just working there, helping out. Their probing continued for half an hour. By this point, my family had an online file. We could check the status of our application online, and we did check every day. A few weeks after I received the phone call, our status was updated: The International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) had accepted our application for settlement in the United States. This did not mean the United States was accepting us as refugees; it just meant that the ICMC, which is a federally funded Resettlement Support Center, had accepted our application for consideration. There was no guarantee our application would succeed, and the American vetting process was just beginning. Next we were on our way to Istanbul, a 15-hour bus ride from Antakya. The ICMC center we walked into felt like an embassy; beyond multiple security checkpoints was a flurry of activity, and the reception area was full of refugees from Syria, Iraq and elsewhere, waiting for their chance at a new life. As had happened during our first interview, the employees took our fingerprints and a variety of profile photos. This time, they even scanned our irises. The interview went much the same way as before, repeating many of the same questions we had already heard. This time, there were more questions about the United States. If I lived in America, what would I want to do there? They wanted to know if I’d be interested in protesting in the United States, and what would I protest for? What are some good things and bad things about the United States? They even asked if I had a girlfriend, and if I did, would I want to bring her with me? During the entire two hours, cameras in the room were rolling. My family grew accustomed to waiting – who knew when we would receive the next phone call? Maybe if we were rejected, we never would be told? I now know that as the months rolled by, I was being screened by any number of U.S. agencies, such as the State Department, the FBI and the National Counterterrorism Center, to name a few. For cases of Syrian refugees specifically, the Department of Homeland Security conducts an enhanced review. Finally the phone call came in and we headed back to Istanbul, this time for an interview with the State Department. We were made to swear that everything we had said in past interviews was true, and told that if we made it to the United States and the government later discovered we had been lying about something in our past, we would be in major trouble. The U.S. officials mostly asked questions we’ve been asked before – biographical history, political affiliations, our reasons for protesting Assad. The officers asking the questions had been specially trained for this moment, the final interview in what had become a 15-month process. In many ways, I’m lucky – the average wait for a refugee applicant is 18 to 24 months. Or, at least it was. With the final interview completed, and a few more months of waiting after that, I only had one barrier left: the medical check. This wasn’t a check-your-temperature, hit￾your-knee-with-a-hammer kind of doctor’s appointment; this was a top-to-bottom, full-scale health assessment. They took blood samples, X-rayed most of my body and stripped me of my clothing. My eyes, and then my ears, were tested as healthy. All told, the medical examination was an eight-hour day. Finally, after nearly a year and a half of being poked and prodded, physically and figuratively, I had been given clearance to start a new life in the United States. The U.S. government by then had a complete picture of who I am and who I’ve been. Getting through the five interviews was truly an exercise of autobiography, and if you told me beforehand the depth and breadth of United States’ vetting process, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. It was definitely extreme. But not everyone in my family was given the same offer to move to the U.S. Only my sister and I were granted the opportunity, and my sister decided she didn’t want to part with her parents and other siblings. As for my mom and the others, after the final interview, they never heard back from the American resettlement agency. Luckily, they eventually DHS-17-0435-A-000298 CBP FOIA 000298 61 received offers from other countries; my mom, my brother and one of my sisters are in Sweden, I have another sister in Germany, and my father is still in Turkey but hopes to join my mom in Sweden soon. It’s almost beyond belief to me that anyone could mischaracterize the U.S. government’s vetting process as weak and insufficient, when it’s clearly anything but, to justify shutting the gate to millions of Syrian refugees. There is no way to look at my experience and the experience of tens of thousands of other refugees living in America and conclude that the country’s vetting system is not exhaustive and thorough. To me, the real rationale behind Friday’s executive order is obvious: The president and his supporters do not trust people like me. Being both Syrian and Muslim (though I’m not personally religious) makes me doubly suspicious. I’m happy to be in the United States, a country I love. But it saddens me deeply to see what is happening here. Mostafa Hassoun is a Syrian refugee living in the United States. Tech Firms Recall Employees To U.S., Denounce Trump’s Ban On Refugees From Muslim Countries By Brian Fung And Tracy Jan Washington Post, January 28, 2017 The country’s leading tech companies are recalling overseas employees and sharply criticizing President Trump in the wake of his order on Friday that barred foreign Muslims from entering the United States for 120 days. Google chief executive Sundar Pichai late on Friday ordered scores of staffers traveling overseas to return to the United States immediately. Pichai sent out a company-wide memo that was highly critical of Trump’s action, saying it could prevent roughly 190 foreign-born Google employees from entering the United States, according to a person who has seen the memo and verified its authenticity. “We’re upset about the impact of this order and any proposals that could impose restrictions on Googlers and their families,” wrote Pichai, “or that could create barriers to bringing great talent to the US.” Thousands of tech workers living in Silicon Valley or abroad could potentially be impacted by Trump’s executive order, according to Zahra Billoo, executive director of the San Francisco Bay Area office of Council on American-Islamic Relations. About 250,000 Muslims are estimated to live in the Bay Area, many of whom are Arab or South Asian immigrants working at companies such as Google, Facebook, Twitter and Microsoft. Green card holders are at risk as well. “This is just where it starts. What happens when they add Pakistan? Or a Gulf country? Indonesia and Malaysia?” said Billoo, a civil rights attorney. “By targeting immigrants in this way, Trump’s executive orders not only directly impacts certain workers, their families and these companies, they also impact co-workers because people from other Muslim￾majority countries could be next.” In addition to blocking travelers from Iraq, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Libya and Yemen, the restrictions on foreign entry will also apply to those who hold dual nationality. That would mean a person born in one of those seven countries, but holding a passport from some other country such as the U.K., could also be denied entry into the United States. Microsoft General Counsel Brad Smith, in a letter to staff Saturday, said that at least 76 employees will be affected by Trump’s policy. The company said it has already contacted those individuals with offers of legal assistance, and urged other employees who may be subject to the ban to contact the company as soon as possible. “As an immigrant and as a CEO, I’ve both experienced and seen the positive impact that immigration has on our company, for the country, and for the world,” wrote Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s chief executive, in a LinkedIn post. “We will continue to advocate on this important topic.” Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg on Friday wrote in a public message that both he and his wife, Priscilla Chan, are indebted to the United States’ policy of welcomeness and inclusion. “We should also keep our doors open to refugees and those who need help. That’s who we are,” wrote Zuckerberg. “Had we turned away refugees a few decades ago, Priscilla’s family wouldn’t be here today.” Similar sentiments were expressed across the tech industry. Apple chief executive Tim Cook, who was in Washington to meet with Republican officials, tweeted a historic quote from President Lincoln highlighting “malice toward none” and “charity for all” during a visit to Ford’s Theatre. Meanwhile, a major trade group representing firms such as Amazon, Netflix, Microsoft and LinkedIn said Saturday that Trump’s decision had “troubling consequences” for Silicon Valley companies who depend on talent from overseas. “The internet industry is deeply concerned with the implications of President Trump’s executive order limiting immigration and movement into the United States,” said Michael Beckerman, president of the Internet Association. Trump’s hostility toward Muslim refugees and immigrants raises tensions between the White House and Silicon Valley. Aside from PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, who has been closely advising Trump, much of the tech industry had supported Hillary Clinton for president. In open letters and other public statements during the campaign, tech execs and workers objected to Trump’s anti-Muslim views, and some signed onto a commitment not to help design Trump’s proposed Muslim registry. DHS-17-0435-A-000299 CBP FOIA 000299 62 Trump’s action against Middle Eastern travelers obligates tech companies to take a stand, said Sam Altman, president of the influential startup accelerator Y Combinator, in a blog post Saturday. “The precedent of invalidating already-issued visas and green cards should be extremely troubling for immigrants of any country or for anyone who thinks their contributions to the US are important,” said Altman in a blog post. “This is not just a Muslim ban. This is a breach of America’s contract with all the immigrants in the nation.” For many in Silicon Valley, Trump’s order crossed “a red line,” according to Hunter Walk, a partner at the San Francisco-based venture capital firm Homebrew VC. “For those of us who’ve already been vocal ... [it’s] moving people from saying ‘focus on midterm elections’ to apply direct pressure to our industry’s CEOs and our politicians to take a stand,” said Walk. “And for those in our industry who thought they could just wait and see, they’re taking our administration both literally and seriously this morning.” Silicon Valley Leaders Target Donald Trump’s Travel Restrictions Executives worry order will affect their companies’ employees, say ban violates personal and company principals By Jack Nicas Wall Street Journal, January 28, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Trump Immigration Ban Sends Shockwaves Through Tech By Jessica Guynn And Laura Mandaro USA Today, January 28, 2017 SAN FRANCISCO — President Trump’s order banning immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the U.S. began hitting the tech industry Saturday, with Google’s CEO leading a growing list of tech executives condemning the ban. The CEOs of Microsoft, Apple, Netflix and Uber denounced with the policy, which would affect their own employees working here legally, as well as their competitive quest for talent. “Trump’s actions are hurting Netflix employees around the world, and are so un-American it pains us all,” Netflix CEO and founder Reed Hastings said in a Facebook post. “It is time to link arms together to protect American values of freedom and opportunity.” In a staff memo, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said the move affects at least 187 of the Internet giant’s staff. “We’re concerned about the impact of this order and any proposals that could impose restrictions on Googlers and their families, or that could create barriers to bringing great talent to the U.S.,” Google said in a statement. “We’ll continue to make our views on these issues known to leaders in Washington and elsewhere.” The president’s executive order suspends the entry of all refugees to the United States for 120 days, halts the admission of refugees from Syria indefinitely and bars entry for three months to residents from the predominantly Muslim countries of Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. The order made good on one of Trump’s most controversial campaign promises, a series of Muslim-focused restrictions he says should prevent terrorists from entering U.S. soil. For many of his supporters, preventing or delaying legal immigrants from returning to high-paid tech jobs, which they say should go to U.S.-born workers anyway, is a small price to pay for the promise of more security. The move is already roiling the tech industry, with affected employees being urged to return to the U.S. and consult with corporate immigration experts. Internet Association President and CEO Michael Beckerman said the Internet industry is “deeply concerned” by Trump’s order. “While this order impacts many companies outside of the tech industry, Internet companies in particular thrive in the U.S. because the best and the brightest are able to create innovative products and services right here in America,” Beckerman said in an emailed statement. “While we support President Trump’s efforts to grow our economy and allow ‘people of great talent’ to come into the U.S., the executive order signed yesterday has troubling consequences.” The ban includes green card holders who are authorized to live and work in the United States, according to a Homeland Security spokeswoman, Reuters reported. Some immigrants with legal visas trying to return to the U.S. from trips abroad were also detained, according to news reports. “The blanket entry ban on citizens from certain primarily Muslim countries is not the best way to address the country’s challenges,” Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX and an adviser to President Trump said on Twitter. “Many people negatively affected by this policy are strong supporters of the U.S. They’ve done right,not wrong & don’t deserve to be rejected.” In a memo sent to Google employees first reported by Bloomberg News and the Wall Street Journal, Pichai said one employee was rushing back from a trip to New Zealand before the order was assigned, while two others were grappling with what this might mean to their families. A similar situation was playing out at other tech companies. DHS-17-0435-A-000300 CBP FOIA 000300 63 Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said, “As an immigrant and as a CEO, I’ve both experienced and seen the positive impact that immigration has on our company.” (Photo: Mat Hayward, Getty Images) Microsoft said it’s providing legal advice and assistance to its employees affected by the executive order. “We share the concerns about the impact of the executive order on our employees from the listed countries, all of whom have been in the United States lawfully,” the tech giant said in a statement. According to Microsoft’s general counsel Brad Smith, 76 Microsoft employees are citizens with a U.S. visa from the affected countries. “We’ve already contacted everyone in this group,” he told employees in a memo. “But there may be other employees from these countries who have U.S. green cards rather than a visa who may be affected, and there may be family members from these countries that we haven’t yet reached.” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said in a LinkedIn post that his company would “continue to advocate on this important topic.” “As an immigrant and as a CEO, I’ve both experienced and seen the positive impact that immigration has on our company, for the country, and for the world,” Nadella said. Uber CEO Travis Kalanick told employees he would raise the immigration ban on Friday when he takes part in President Trump’s first business advisory group meeting. “While every government has their own immigration controls, allowing people from all around the world to come here and make America their home has largely been the U.S.’s policy since its founding. That means this ban will impact many innocent people,” Kalanick said. Apple CEO Tim Cook attends a meeting of technology chiefs in the Trump Organization conference room at Trump Tower in New York, New York, USA, 14 December 2016. E (Photo: Albin Lohr-Jones / POOL, EPA) Apple CEO Tim Cook is in Washington, D.C., where he has been meeting with GOP lawmakers and with Trump’s daughter Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner. In a memo to employees, he said “it is not a policy we support.” “In my conversations with officials here in Washington this week, I’ve made it clear that Apple believes deeply in the importance of immigration — both to our company and to our nation’s future. Apple would not exist without immigration, let alone thrive and innovate the way we do,” Cook wrote, according to a memo sent to employees worldwide and obtained by USA TODAY. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs was the son of a Syrian immigrant. For Box CEO Aaron Levie, the Trump order also hit home. One of the founders of the cloud-based storage and services company is Iranian-American and Box is currently trying to assess how many of its employees are affected. “At the corporate level, we are trying to take inventory on who could be impacted and ensuring that they stay within the country for now,” Levie said. “We are really just getting a handle on the legal side of the situation, what we can fight and ultimately how we protect employees in the process.” More broadly, the order sends “the wrong moral message to the world and within our own country,” Levie said, turning away refugees and doing nothing to make Americans safer. “It’s very unfortunate and very disappointing,” he said. Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield also condemned the immigration ban. “Immigration is unambiguously an economic benefit, but, doesn’t matter: do the right thing because it’s right,” he wrote in a series of posts on Twitter. “My grandfather came from Poland between the wars, at 17, sponsored by an elder sister. Two more siblings made it. Everyone else died.” Technology investor Chris Sacca pledged to match donations to the American Civil Liberties Union up to $25,000 and then quickly raised it to $50,000. The American Civil Liberties Union and the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, say they have either filed lawsuits or will do so shortly challenging the ban. “The @aclu took Trump to court. Let’s stand with them,” he tweeted. With protests spreading to airports on Saturday, Sam Altman, president of Silicon Valley tech incubator Y Combinator, urged the tech industry to speak up. “It is time for tech companies to start speaking up about some of the actions taken by President Trump’s administration,” Altman said in a blog post. “The tech community is powerful. Large tech companies in particular have enormous power and are held in high regard. We need to hear from the CEOs clearly and unequivocally. Although there is some business risk in doing so, there is strength in numbers—if everyone does it early this coming week, we will all make each other stronger.” Immigrants account for a significant part of the workforce in the tech industry, which has for years advocated loosening laws to increase the flow of skilled immigrants into the U.S. With its heavy reliance on the H-1B visa program that allows software engineers and other skilled workers to work in the U.S., Silicon Valley fears what immigration restrictions will come from the Trump administration. Trump’s perspective on immigrants, and Muslims in particular, has caused tensions between the White House and Silicon Valley. Tech executives and workers have denounced the president’s anti-Muslim views and some have pledged not to help build Trump’s proposed Muslim registry. On Saturday, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky pushed back against Trump’s executive order in a tweet. “Open doors brings all of U.S. together. Closing doors further divides U.S.,” DHS-17-0435-A-000301 CBP FOIA 000301 64 he wrote. “Let’s all find ways to connect people, not separate them.” Some in Silicon Valley have direct ties to the Trump administration. Peter Thiel, a Trump transition team member, sits on the board of Facebook and he’s a part-time partner at Y Combinator. He’s an investor in many companies including Airbnb. A Facebook employee of Middle Eastern descent told BuzzFeed News that some Facebook employees want the company to “clarify” its relationship with Thiel. “There are questions here that we want answered. Does Thiel support this ban?” the person said. “Does he think the Facebook employees who come from Iran and those other countries shouldn’t be allowed to keep working here? We deserve to know his position on this.” Uber’s Kalanick said his policy is to engage with Trump. “We partner around the world optimistically in the belief that by speaking up and engaging we can make a difference. Our experience is that not doing so shortchanges cities and the people who live in them. This is why I agreed in early December to join President Trump’s economic advisory group,” he told employees. “I understand that many people internally and externally may not agree with that decision, and that’s OK. It’s the magic of living in America that people are free to disagree.” The growing number of public statements from technology leaders was unusual, a measure of the perceived threat to their businesses and to their own political beliefs. “As a tech leader and public CEO, I’m often advised to stay apolitical,” Twilio CEO Jeff Lawson wrote in a Medium post. “But this isn’t politics, I believe this is a matter of objective right and wrong. Staying silent doesn’t feel like leadership to me. I encourage other leaders to consider the cost of silence.” Google’s Pichai was the second executive of a major tech company to speak out against Trump’s immigration order. Earlier Friday, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said he was concerned about the immigration order’s reach. “Expanding the focus of law enforcement beyond people who are real threats would make all Americans less safe by diverting resources, while millions of undocumented folks who don’t pose a threat will live in fear of deportation,” he wrote on his Facebook page. In a statement on Saturday, Facebook said: “We are assessing the impact on our workforce and determining how best to protect our people and their families from any adverse effects.” Trump’s stance on immigration was one of the key reasons the tech industry widely opposed Trump’s candidacy. Many of tech’s most successful companies have been founded or are run by immigrants, and the industry employs thousands of immigrants, often from Asian countries. After Trump’s win, tech executives from Google, Facebook, Amazon and others met with the president-elect in a summit seen as a pragmatic move to find some common ground with the new administration. Tech leaders were largely silent as Trump has rapidly signed orders in his first week in office. That changed later in the week. Facebook COO and and Lean In author Sheryl Sandberg also broke her silence, taking to Facebook to criticize the order that would bar funding to overseas healthcare providers that give abortion counseling. Google, Facebook Reflect Tech Dismay On Trump Immigration Order By Mark Bergen And Eric Newcomer Bloomberg News, January 28, 2017 Alphabet Inc.’s Google asked staffers who may be affected by a new executive order on immigration to return to the U.S. quickly, joining a growing number of technology executives voicing concerns over restrictions that could interfere with how they do business. Google Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai slammed President Donald Trump’s move in a note to employees Friday, telling them that more than 100 company staff are affected by the order. Microsoft Corp. said it’s in touch with 76 staffers from the seven countries identified in the executive order. “It’s painful to see the personal cost of this executive order on our colleagues,” Pichai wrote in the memo, a copy of which was obtained by Bloomberg News. “We’ve always made our view on immigration issues known publicly and will continue to do so.” The comments underscore a growing rift between the Trump administration and several large U.S. technology companies, which include many immigrants in their ranks and have lobbied for fewer immigration restrictions. Facebook Inc. CEO Mark Zuckerberg voiced concern over the policy on Friday, and Airbnb Inc. CEO Brian Chesky said Saturday in a tweet that “closing doors further divides” people. Uber Technologies Inc. CEO Travis Kalanick said Saturday that he plans to outline his misgivings about the order at the first meeting of the Trump administration’s business advisory group next Friday in Washington.Stranded Drivers Uber has about a dozen staffers affected by the order, as well as a number of drivers, Kalanik said in an e-mailed statement. “This order has far broader implications as it also affects thousands of drivers who use Uber and come from the listed countries, many of whom take long breaks to go back home to see their extended family. These drivers currently outside of the U.S. will not be able to get back into the country DHS-17-0435-A-000302 CBP FOIA 000302 65 for 90 days,” he said. He said his company was working out a plan to compensate those drivers stranded abroad. Trump signed the executive order on Friday prohibiting entry by people from seven majority-Muslim nations for 90 days. Citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Syria and Yemen would be banned from entering the U.S. for the period, while the government determines what information it needs to safely admit visitors. Some visa and green-card holders were blocked from boarding flights to the U.S. after the order was issued and several people were being detained at U.S. airports when they arrived, the New York Times reported. The Department of Homeland Security issued a directive on Friday afternoon ordering the Customs and Border Control agency to enforce the order immediately.Barriers for Talent “We’re concerned about the impact of this order and any proposals that could impose restrictions on Googlers and their families, or that create barriers to bringing great talent to the U.S.,” a Google spokeswoman said in a statement. “We’ll continue to make our views on these issues known to leaders in Washington and elsewhere.” Some Google employees were traveling abroad and were trying to get back to the U.S. before the order took effect. The company asked them to reach out to Google’s security, travel, and immigration teams for assistance, according to a person familiar with the situation. The person asked not to be identified talking about internal company communications. Google declined to say Saturday whether any employees were detained or blocked from boarding flights.Rushing Home The employees in question normally work in the U.S. but just happened to be abroad either on work assignments or vacations. One employee rushed back from a trip to New Zealand to make it into the U.S. before the order was signed, Google’s Pichai wrote in his memo. “We are advising our clients from those seven countries who have green cards or any type of H-1B visa not to travel outside the U.S.,” said Ava Benach, a partner at immigration law firm Benach Collopy LLP, while noting that the order takes effect immediately. “No one is really sure whether a green card holder from these seven countries can return to the U.S. now. It’s fairly clear that an H-1B visa holder can’t,” Benach said. The H-1B lets U.S. companies employ graduate-level workers from other countries in technical occupations such as technology, engineering and science. “If anyone in these situations has the misfortune to have gone abroad recently, it’s a treacherous moment, possibly for green card holders too,” Benach said. Other technology companies are likely in a similar situation, she added.Microsoft Memo Microsoft Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith said Saturday in a memo to staff that the company is working with affected personnel and that it supports immigration policies that “protect the public without sacrificing people’s freedom of expression or religion.” Microsoft also affirms “the importance of protecting legitimate and law-abiding refugees whose very lives may be at stake in immigration proceedings,” Smith wrote. The company included language in a securities filing on Thursday on the issue, cautioning investors that immigration restrictions “may inhibit our ability to adequately staff our research and development efforts.” Facebook’s Zuckerberg said Friday that he was “concerned” by Trump’s recent moves to restrict immigration. Tech Industry Reacts To Trump’s Executive Order On Immigration With Fear And Frustration By Tracey Lien, Contact Reporter Los Angeles Times, January 28, 2017 The morning after Donald Trump won the presidential election, Silicon Valley entrepreneur Amr Shady called his immigration lawyer in a panic. “My 10-year-old daughter asked me, ‘Does this mean we’re going to get kicked out?’” said the 40-year-old founder of analytics start-up Reveel, who emigrated from Egypt to the Bay Area in 2015. “I had to find out what Trump winning meant for my immigration status, but also what it meant for my chief data scientist.” His lawyer, Los Angeles immigration attorney Ayda Akalin, was inundated with calls from similarly nervous clients who were either already living and working in the U.S. on visas, or had visa applications pending. At the time, Akalin assured them that nothing had yet changed, and it was too soon to be worried. But after Trump signed an executive order Friday banning citizens of Syria, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen and Libya from entering the U.S. for 90 days, Akalin had an update for her clients, particularly those from Muslim-majority countries: Stay inside the United States. “All of my Muslim clients are scared, even those from other countries,” said Akalin, who herself is Iranian American, having immigrated to the U.S. when she was 5 years old. The move blindsided the technology industry, which thought that its main battle on the immigration front was over the number of H-1B visas — granted to high-skilled foreign workers — that will be made available each year. The tech sector relies heavily on foreign-born software engineers to meet its staffing needs, and it has long lobbied for the government to lift the cap on the H-1B visa program to allow more foreign workers temporary employment with U.S. firms. DHS-17-0435-A-000303 CBP FOIA 000303 66 But H-1Bs took a backseat on Friday as tech workers and entrepreneurs already legally living and working in the U.S. worried about their own futures. Many were caught off guard by the order’s reach, which extends to lawful permanent residents — or green card holders — too. “For those abroad, we are telling them to come back as soon as possible, and be prepared to face questioning and possible refusal,” Akalin said. The order also compelled several big tech companies to break their silence about the Trump administration. Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai slammed the order in a memo to employees. “It’s painful to see the personal cost of this executive order on our colleagues,” Pichai wrote, according to Bloomberg News. “We’ve always made our view on immigration issues known publicly and will continue to do so.” Bloomberg reports that the memo urged employees traveling overseas who are affected by the order to seek help from the company’s security and immigration teams. More than 100 employees are affected, Pichai said. “We’re concerned about the impact of this order and any proposals that could impose restrictions on Googlers and their families, or that could create barriers to bringing great talent to the U.S.,” a Google spokesperson said. “We’ll continue to make our views on these issues known to leaders in Washington and elsewhere.” Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s chief executive, also spoke out against Trump’s action, although in a less direct way, taking to his personal Facebook page to remind his millions of followers that his wife, pediatrician and philanthropist Priscilla Chan, is the daughter of refugees. “My great grandparents came from Germany, Austria and Poland. Priscilla’s parents were refugees from China and Vietnam,” Zuckerberg wrote. “The United States is a nation of immigrants, and we should be proud of that.” The chief executives of Netflix, Microsoft and Lyft similarly issued statements or internal memos opposing the president’s directive. Even tech executives close to the Trump administration criticized the order. Uber CEO Travis Kalanick — who serves on a panel advising Trump on business issues — said many drivers for the ride-hailing service are immigrants from the affected countries who often visit extended families abroad and might have trouble reentering the U.S. The company is considering compensating those drivers “over the next three months to mitigate some of the financial stress and complications with supporting their families and putting food on the table.” Kalanick said he would raise issue when the panel convenes for its first meeting Friday in Washington. Tesla Motors and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk — who met with Trump at the White House last week — said on Twitter a “blanket entry ban on citizens from certain primarily Muslim countries is not the best way to address the country’s challenges.” “Many people negatively affected by this policy are strong supporters of the US,” wrote Musk, who also serves on the panel. “They’ve done right, not wrong & don’t deserve to be rejected.” The tech industry has in the past highlighted the value of immigrants to American culture and the economy: Steve Jobs was of Syrian descent, high-profile executives at Twitter, Yahoo, Google and eBay are of Iranian descent. Along with most of the world’s biggest technology companies, the Bay Area is home to some 250,000 Muslims, according to a study by the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, of which 60% are foreign-born. Venture capital firms see Trump’s move as a slap in the face, especially since it comes less than two weeks after the Department of Homeland Security passed a rule allowing eligible foreign entrepreneurs to work in the U.S. for up to five years. The rule change — which Silicon Valley saw as a boon, and is expected to take effect July 17 — was proposed by President Obama last summer. “We felt that, finally, things were moving forward,” said Zafer Younis, a partner at venture capital firm 500 Startups, which prides itself on its international investments, many of which are in countries that are predominantly Muslim. “This new development really dampened it.” The executive order increases the uncertainty and risk of investing internationally, Younis said. And while 500 Startups will continue investing abroad, there’s concern that other venture capital firms that were once eyeing international opportunities will now get cold feet. “It changes the risk profile all of a sudden,” he said. But for Younis, it’s personal, too. Originally from Jordan, Younis has lived in the Bay Area for the past two years on an EB-1 visa — a green card that is granted to those deemed to have “extraordinary ability.” Though Jordan is not on Trump’s list of countries whose citizens are banned from entering the U.S., it is a Muslim-majority nation, and it has given him pause. “My wife is here. I have upcoming business trips to Japan and Europe. I’m not affected, yet I have to think twice — do I really need to travel or not?” he said. “It’s a feeling I thought I left back in the Middle East. It’s an anxiety, that things are beyond your control.” That anxiety is shared by other technologists and entrepreneurs in the Bay Area. Shady, the Egyptian entrepreneur, is also in the U.S. on an EB-1 visa. He and his children have Canadian citizenship, but his wife is an Egyptian citizen. “So what does that mean?” he said. “If Egypt is on the list three months from now, what does that mean for our family?” DHS-17-0435-A-000304 CBP FOIA 000304 67 The American Civil Liberties Union on Saturday filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on behalf of two men who were detained at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport while traveling back to the U.S. after Trump’s immigration crackdown. Silicon Valley venture capitalist Chris Sacca tweeted that he would match donations to the ACLU up to $25,000. Tech CEOs are slowly raising their voices. Immigration lawyers are advising their clients to stay put. And in a Silicon Valley mosque where Shady attended Friday prayers, the sheikh preached that everyone needs to stand against injustice toward all communities, even if their own is not directly affected. “This is the most important thing for me right now because, even though it doesn’t affect me directly, it’s important for us to all understand what it means to stand against unfairness and the splitting of families,” Shady said. This article was updated to include comments from Elon Musk, chief executive of Tesla Motors Inc. and SpaceX. This article was updated to include a comment from Uber Chief Executive Travis Kalanick. This article was originally published at 1:20 p.m. Airlines Rushing To Comply With Trump’s Surprise Travel Ban By Michael Sasso And Christopher Palmeri Bloomberg News, January 28, 2017 Global airlines are struggling to comply with new travel restrictions after being caught flat-footed by President Donald Trump’s executive order blocking visitors from seven predominantly Muslim nations. U.S. carriers didn’t get advance notice of the travel ban or briefings from government officials on how it should be implemented, people familiar with the matter said. The order was causing chaos at airports in the U.S. and abroad as border agents blocked travelers from entering the country and airlines barred visa-holders from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, as well as people from those countries who are lawful U.S. residents, from getting on planes to the country. “We are aware of the directive and are working with the federal government to comply,” United Continental Holdings Inc. spokesman Luke Punzenberger said in a statement. The president’s order has the potential to impose costs on the airlines, which are struggling to understand its terms, said Robert Mann, president of aviation consultancy R.W. Mann & Co. Carriers are responsible for returning passengers to where their travel began if they were brought to the U.S. improperly, he said. “It’s very confusing for airlines,” he said in an interview. “They literally don’t have a reference point now on how they can accommodate their customers.” Airlines follow a detailed set of government regulations specifying who is allowed into the U.S. Based on news reports, Mann said it appears that Trump issued his order without giving carriers a chance to change their existing rule books.Airline Reaction Airlines worldwide reacted to Trump’s order on Saturday: Delta Air Lines Inc. said it would contact customers affected by the ban about rebooking options including refunds, according to a statement by the carrier detailing the new travel restrictions. Emirates, the world’s biggest long-haul carrier, is providing similar assistance. “A very small number of our passengers traveling were affected by the new U.S. immigration entry requirements implemented by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection today,” the Dubai-based company said in a prepared statement. British Airways is offering affected customers “a refund for their travel to the U.S.” and will give passengers the option of rebooking flights. WestJet Airlines Ltd., Canada’s second￾largest carrier, is providing full refunds to customers barred from the U.S. Air Canada is waiving change fees and allowing refunds. American Airlines Group Inc. and industry trade group Airlines for America declined to comment, referring questions to the U.S. government.Immigration Lawyers “It is imperative we find the right balance between security and facilitation, and we stand ready to support the administration and Congress to achieve this goal,” said Roger Dow, chief executive officer of the U.S. Travel Association, a nonprofit lobbying group, Lawyers “are trying to makes sense of what happened,” said Christine Alden, an immigration attorney in Miami. “It’s all really far-reaching. It’s going to affect businesses, families and students going back to school,” she said. The U.S. has treaties with some of the targeted counties that allow investors to visit the U.S. under the E-2 visa program, she said. Those people won’t be allowed to come run their businesses. Oil companies, tech companies and others that depend on foreign workers may see them stranded overseas. Trump’s Signing Of Immigrant Ban Puts Pentagon In Uncomfortable Light By Helene Cooper New York Times, January 28, 2017 WASHINGTON — Six months ago, Jim Mattis stood at a lectern at the Hoover Institution, a conservative think tank at Stanford University, and sharply criticized Donald J. Trump’s campaign proposal for a ban on Muslim immigration, saying that such a move would distress American allies around the world. DHS-17-0435-A-000305 CBP FOIA 000305 68 “This kind of thing is causing us great damage right now, and it’s sending shock waves through the international system,” Mr. Mattis said. On Friday, in a Pentagon room dedicated to men and women who have received the country’s highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor, Mr. Mattis, now the country’s defense secretary, stood behind his new commander in chief, President Trump, as he signed an executive order on immigration. The order suspended entry of all refugees to the United States for 120 days, barred Syrian refugees indefinitely and blocked entry for 90 days for citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries. It also allows Christians to be granted priority over Muslims. For Mr. Mattis, it was an uncomfortable end to a tumultuous first week as defense secretary that found him choosing which battles to fight and which to step away from. He won a huge one on Friday, when Mr. Trump, in a remarkable show of deference, said that he would let Mr. Mattis “override” his view that torture could be effective in interrogations. Mr. Mattis is a strong opponent of such techniques. But Mr. Mattis was also outflanked by the White House, which chose the Pentagon to unveil Mr. Trump’s executive order on immigration, a sharply divisive move in front of military leaders who view themselves as apolitical. In a building where uniformed men and women work alongside civilian officials, several rank-and-file workers expressed outrage that Mr. Trump would use the Defense Department, home to a military that includes people of many faiths, including Islam, to announce that he was blocking visa applicants from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. “Using the military as a backdrop for politically charged activities is bad for the military,” said Kori Schake, a Hoover Institution fellow who edited the new book “Warriors and Citizens: American Views of Our Military” with Mr. Mattis. She added that associating the military with “unconstitutional policies is especially damaging, since our military take their oath to the Constitution, not to the president.” The president cited the Sept. 11 attacks in his decision to issue the immigration restrictions, which he cast in national security terms. “We will never forget the lessons of 9/11,” he said, nor the people “who lost their lives at the Pentagon.” But none of the 19 terrorists who were on the planes that crashed into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pa., were from any of the countries on Mr. Trump’s visa ban list. Instead, Iraq, where the American military is fighting with Iraqi security forces against the Islamic State, is among the countries on the list. Military officials have repeatedly called the nation an American ally. “After all the money and lives spent in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Pentagon knows better than anyone that terrorism is a problem of a small number of enemies embedded in a population of people you need to win over,” said Jon B. Alterman, director of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “I don’t see the part of this that’s meant to win over anyone.” Two people close to Mr. Mattis, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they said they were wary of undercutting him, said he was still sharply opposed to the Muslim ban. But he spent this week battling the White House on other issues, including the establishment of “safe zones” in Syria, something the Pentagon has long opposed because it would deepen American involvement in the war there, out of the executive order. Military officials sought to distance the Pentagon from the immigration ban, and focused instead on the second executive order that Mr. Trump signed at the Pentagon, which called for plans to improve military readiness. Mr. Mattis, standing behind Mr. Trump, took only the ceremonial pen that Mr. Trump used to sign the military readiness order. Mr. Trump gave the other one to Vice President Mike Pence. Afterward, the Defense Department put out a statement about Mr. Trump’s visit to the Pentagon that pointedly made no mention of the Muslim ban. “The secretary shares the president’s goal of ensuring our military leaders have the support they need to accelerate the campaign against ISIS, and to build combat readiness now and for the future,” Capt. Jeff Davis, the Pentagon spokesman, said in the statement. Last week, the Defense Department posted a message on Twitter about a former refugee who became a Marine. “From refugee to #Marine. @USMC Cpl Ali J. Mohammed takes the fight to the doorstep of those who cast his family out,” it read. A military official noted on Saturday that the American military, which uses translators and fixers in Iraq and Syria, two of the countries on the banned list, would find it harder to recruit, since the Pentagon has long offered the promise of refuge in America. “It’s very difficult for people to cooperate with the United States military when they feel humiliated by the United States,” said Vali Nasr, dean of the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University. “The Iraqi situation is the most grievous,” Mr. Nasr added. “We are fighting a war with the Iraqis, against ISIS. How can we fight with them when the message from the White House is discriminatory?” US Suspends Immigration Program Helping Non-Muslim Iranians By George Jahn And Alicia A. Caldwell Associated Press, January 28, 2017 VIENNA (AP) – Austria has shut its door to about 300 non-Muslim Iranians hoping to use the country as a way station before establishing new homes in the United States, DHS-17-0435-A-000306 CBP FOIA 000306 69 The Associated Press has learned. The action is an early ripple effect of U.S. President Donald Trump’s effort to clamp down on refugee admissions. Under a 27-year-old program originally approved by Congress to help Jews in the former Soviet Union, Austria had been serving until recently as a conduit for Iranian Jews, Christians and Baha’i, who were at risk in their home country and eligible to resettle in the United States. Iran has banned the Baha’i religion, which was founded in 1844 by a Persian nobleman considered a prophet by followers. U.S. officials had been interviewing the candidates in Austria because they cannot do so in Iran. But the United States suspended the so-called “Iranian Lautenberg Program” in recent days, according to Austrian officials, who in turn stopped Iranians from reaching their territory. It’s unclear when the program might restart. The episode isn’t directly linked to an executive order Trump signed Friday that orders strict new screening for refugees to keep “radical Islamic terrorists” out of the United States. But it reflects the knock-on effects already occurring from his tougher line on immigration and refugees. Similar to how tighter German migration rules had consequences across Europe, Trump’s actions could lead other nations to take a harder look at people wishing to use their territories as transit points. The net result could be even tougher conditions for people hoping to escape war and persecution for a better life abroad. There are more than 20 million refugees worldwide, according to the United Nations. Austrian Foreign Ministry spokesman Thomas Schnoell said the Alpine country acted after “U.S. authorities told us that the onward trip for people to the U.S.A., who received visas from Austrian authorities as part of the program, would be put on hold for now.” A State Department email sent Tuesday said the Austrian government had “electronically canceled” its visas for applicants who hadn’t yet reached Austria. If they try to reach Austria anyway, they will be permanently blocked from Austria, according to the email, which was obtained by AP. Schnoell said the move affects about 300 Iranians with visas waiting to enter Austria. He said about 100 of them had been tracked down and informed that they can no longer do so. The search continues for the rest through airline ticket bookings and other means, Schnoell said. Other officials said a small number of Iranians with such short-term visas already were in Austria. It wasn’t immediately clear what would happen with them. The end of the program, named for former Sen. Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey, could have broad implications for religious minorities in Iran. HIAS, a global Jewish nonprofit organization that works to protect refugees, says on its website that ending the U.S.- Austrian partnership “puts people seeking religious freedom in danger and sends the wrong message about the pervasive violations of religious freedom in Iran.” Trump is expected to pause the flow of all refugees to the U.S. and indefinitely bar those fleeing war-torn Syria. The president’s upcoming order is also expected to suspend issuing visas for people from several predominantly Muslim countries – Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen – for at least 30 days, according to a draft executive order obtained by the AP. Cancellation of the U.S. program could mean Iranians arriving in Austria with temporary visas would seek asylum in Austria. Immigration is a highly sensitive issue throughout Europe, which is struggling to deal with hundreds of thousands of people from Syria, North Africa and beyond. Austria, a nation of fewer than 9 million people, is already strained by efforts to accommodate and integrate more than 100,000 migrants who have flowed in since 2015. --- Caldwell reported from Washington. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. State Dept Web Page On Refugees Disappears By Brooke Seipel The Hill, January 27, 2017 Two pages on the State Department website that chronicled the “myths and facts” about refugees have been removed. On Friday, President Trump issued an executive order banning Syrian refugees from entering the country. The two web pages, one titled “Myths and Facts on Refugees, Migration, and Humanitarian Assistance,” and the other “Myths and Facts: Resettling Syrian Refugees,” had been removed as of Friday, though the exact timing of when they were taken down is unclear. The White House and federal agencies have been updating web sites and social media as part of the routine transition to the new administration. Both pages were created and remained up throughout Obama’s presidency. The old pages can still be found through a cache online. Both of the pages included information on how the U.S. takes in refugees and its work on the refugee crisis. One post read: “MYTH: The United States government brings refugees here without screening.” “FACT: All refugees of all nationalities considered for admission to the United States are subject to the highest level DHS-17-0435-A-000307 CBP FOIA 000307 70 of security checks of any category of traveler to our country, involving multiple federal intelligence, security and law enforcement agencies, such as the National Counterterrorism Center, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Departments of Homeland Security, State and Defense, in order to ensure that those admitted are not known to pose a threat to our country. The safeguards include biometric (fingerprint) and biographic checks, and an interview by specially trained DHS officers who scrutinize the applicant’s explanation of individual circumstances to ensure the applicant is a bona fide refugee . Mindful of the particular conditions of the Syria crisis, Syrian refugees go through an enhanced level of review.” The number of website pages have disappeared as Trump gets his administration up and running, including pages on LGBT rights and climate change on the White House website. A Sweeping Order Is Unlikely To Reduce Terrorist Threat By Scott Shane New York Times, January 28, 2017 Rarely does an executive order announce a more straightforward and laudable purpose than the one President Trump signed on Friday: “Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States.” But the president’s directive is unlikely to significantly reduce the terrorist threat in the United States, which has been a minuscule part of the overall toll of violence since 2001. Many experts believe the order’s unintended consequences will make the threat worse. While the order requires the Department of Homeland Security to issue a report within 180 days providing detailed statistics on foreign nationals who commit acts of violence, terrorism researchers have already produced rich and revealing data. For instance: Since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, no one has been killed in this country in a terrorist attack by anyone who emigrated from, or whose parents emigrated from, any of the seven countries named in the order’s four-month visa ban: Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, according to Charles Kurzman, a sociology professor at the University of North Carolina. Of Muslim Americans involved in violent extremism of any kind — for instance, charged with plotting terrorism or supporting a terrorist group — only 23 percent had family backgrounds in those countries, said Mr. Kurzman, who just published the latest of his annual studies of Muslim Americans and terrorism. The larger point of experts is that jihadist attacks garner news attention that far outstrips their prevalence in the United States, and the president’s order appears to be designed to address not a rational calculation of risks but the visceral fears that terrorists set out to inflame. There was a random quality to the list of countries: It excluded Saudi Arabia and Egypt, where the founders of Al Qaeda and many other jihadist groups have come from. Also excluded are Pakistan and Afghanistan, where persistent extremism and decades of war have produced militants who have occasionally reached the United States. Notably, perhaps, the list avoided Muslim countries where Mr. Trump has major business ventures. Nor did the list include the European countries in which disenfranchised Muslim communities have become hotbeds of militancy, leading to major attacks in the name of the Islamic State in Paris and Brussels. Because no visas are required for travel by most European citizens to the United States, and because of the volume of tourism and business, prohibiting travel from Europe would have been far more difficult and consequential than banning it from only the seven countries named. By Mr. Kurzman’s count, 123 people have been killed in the United States by Muslim terrorists since the 2001 attacks — out of a total of more than 230,000 killings, by gang members, drug dealers, angry spouses, white supremacists, psychopaths, drunks and people of every description. So the order addresses, at most, one-1,870th of the problem of lethal violence in America. If the toll of 9/11 is included, jihadists still account for just over 1 percent of killings. “My advice to the new administration would be to declare victory,” Mr. Kurzman said. For the average American, he added, “your odds of being victimized by a terrorist attack are infinitesimal.” But terrorists — the root of the word means “to cause to tremble” — do not operate in the realm of dry facts and statistics. Their purpose is to terrify, and they use random and spectacular violence to do it, with an invaluable assist from the saturation coverage on cable television and news websites that such outrages inevitably draw. To the rational calculations of Mr. Kurzman, one might simply reply with the list of American cities where horrific jihadist attacks have occurred in recent years: Boston, San Bernardino, Orlando — place names that conjure up images of ghastly wounds, bullet-ridden corpses and frightened people running for cover. In Gallup polls, the number of Americans “very worried” or “somewhat worried” about such attacks generally hovers between 30 and 50 percent, with understandable spikes after new attacks. In the political realm, where emotions and symbols hold sway, Mr. Trump’s order may reassure some Americans that they are safer from terrorism, and more generally, from concerns that Muslim immigrants may bring an alien culture. (While ostensibly addressing terrorism, it also says that the United States should be protected against those with “hostile attitudes toward it and its founding principles” or those “who do not support the Constitution.”) DHS-17-0435-A-000308 CBP FOIA 000308 71 The trouble with such reassurance, even if it is effective, is that it comes at a high cost, in the view of many experts on terrorism. That cost will be counted not just domestically but also abroad, where the United States relies on allies, including Muslim countries, for intelligence and other help against terrorism. “In my opinion, this is just a huge mistake in terms of counterterrorism cooperation,” said Daniel Benjamin, formerly the State Department’s top counterterrorism official and now a scholar at Dartmouth. “For the life of me, I don’t see why we would want to alienate the Iraqis when they are the ground force against ISIS.” At home as well, Mr. Benjamin said, the president’s order is likely to prove counterproductive. The jihadist threat in the United States has turned out to be largely homegrown, he said, and the order will encourage precisely the resentments and anxieties on the part of Muslims that fuel, in rare cases, support for the ideology of the Islamic State or Al Qaeda. “It sends an unmistakable message to the American Muslim community that they are facing discrimination and isolation,” Mr. Benjamin said. That, he said, will “feed the jihadist narrative” that the United States is at war with Islam, potentially encouraging a few more Muslims to plot violence. For an action aimed at terrorism, the order appeared to garner little or no support among experts and former officials of every political stripe with experience in the field. Jonathan Schanzer, vice president for research at the conservative Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, said that if the temporary visa ban was used to review and improve immigration vetting procedures, it might be justified. But he added that he knew of no obvious problems with those procedures, and no specific plans to address such issues over the 120-day ban. “The order appears to be based mainly on a campaign promise,” he said. Mr. Schanzer said he was frustrated that during the Obama administration, there had been inadequate attention to the ultimate driver of refugee flows and jihadist terrorism in the United States and elsewhere. “We have several bloody, complex and interlocking conflicts in the Middle East,” he said. “It’s the job of the new administration to come up with policies that address those conflicts. Admittedly, that is not easy.” Much easier, clearly, is issuing an executive order with political appeal and a title that seems to smack of common sense. But as the Trump administration is finding out, such pronouncements from an American president have many consequences, not all of them intended, anticipated or desired. Trump Redefines The Enemy And 15 Years Of Counterterrorism Policy By Greg Jaffe Washington Post, January 28, 2017 In just his first week in the White House, President Trump has sought to redefine America’s most lethal enemy in terms far broader than his post-9/11 predecessors. The net result of Trump’s new approach — outlined in speeches, interviews and executive orders — is a vast departure for a country that has often struggled over the past 15 years to say whether it is at war and precisely who it is fighting. With a few sweeping moves, Trump has answered those questions with a clarity that is refreshing to his supporters and alarming to some U.S. counterterrorism officials as well as most of the Muslim world. For Trump and his senior policy advisers, America is locked in a world war for its very survival, and the enemies in this wide-ranging battle are not only radical Islamist terrorists but a chaotic, violent and angry Muslim world. “The world is as angry as it gets,” Trump said last week from the White House. “Take a look at what’s happening with Aleppo. Take a look at what’s happening in Mosul. Take a look at what’s going on in the Middle East. . . . The world is a mess.” One day later, in an appearance at the Pentagon and in signing an executive order — “Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States” — Trump laid out his plan to deal with what he had described as a vast and pressing threat. He closed America’s borders to all refugees temporarily and additionally suspended the entry of anyone from Iraq, Syria and five other predominantly Muslim countries. “The optic of this is really awful,” said Nada Bakos, a former CIA analyst, of the refu-gee ban. “What they’ve done goes too far. All it does is help [Islamic State] recruiting.” Trump also vowed new “extreme vetting measures” to permanently keep radical Islamist terrorists out of the United States and promised to give Christians from the Middle East and other minority religions in the region priority over Muslim refugees. Finally, he promised to pump new money into America’s military, what he called “a great rebuilding of the armed services of the United States.” Both former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama had defined the enemy in significantly narrower terms while in office, eager to avoid any moves that might make it appear as if the United States was at war with Islam. For Bush, the enemy was al-Qaeda and state sponsors of terrorism to include former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, Iran and the Taliban. Obama insisted that Bush’s definition was a recipe for “endless war” and singled out an even smaller group. To him, the enemy was a series of terrorist death cults that he said were perverting the peaceful religion of Islam. DHS-17-0435-A-000309 CBP FOIA 000309 72 The executive order on immigration and refugees was produced at a “frenetic pace” that included none of the interagency reviews that characterized similar orders in the Bush and Obama administrations, a senior U.S. counterterrorism official said. “The process was remarkable,” said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive internal deliberations. “Nobody in the counterterrorism community pushed for this. None of us ever asked for it.” Trump described the order as a key cog in an effort to prevent terrorists from entering the United States, but the policy does not affect countries such as Saudi Arabia, Pakistan or Egypt, whose citizens have launched terrorist attacks inside the United States. Not one of the 19 hijackers who struck on 9/11 came from a country targeted by the order. The measure drew negative responses across the world, some of which was heard by U.S. forces on the ground in the Middle East. U.S. commanders advising Iraqi forces reported back that their partners were mystified by the order. “It’s already flowing back,” said the senior counterterrorism official. “They are asking, ‘What do you think of us? Do you see us as the threat?’ “ Some Iraqi lawmakers proposed banning U.S. troops and civilians from entering Iraq — an action, if followed through, that could lead the authorities in Baghdad to turn to Russia and seek more support from Iran. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted that the ban would be “recorded in history as a great gift to extremists and their supporters.” Trump on Saturday described the move as sensible and not aimed at any particular religious group. “It’s not a Muslim ban, but we were totally prepared,” he told reporters in the Oval Office. “It’s working out very nicely, you see it at the airports, you see it all over . . . and we’re going to have a very, very strict ban and we’re going to have extreme vetting, which we should have had in this country for many years.” The stark departure from American policy over the past 15 years is a reflection not only of Trump but the somewhat dystopian vision of his closest advisers. “We’re at the very beginning stages of a very brutal and bloody conflict,” said Stephen K. Bannon, Trump’s chief strategist, in a 2014 speech to a Vatican conference. “We are in an outright war against jihadist Islamic fascism and this war is . . . metastasizing far quicker than governments can handle it.” Michael Flynn, Trump’s national security adviser, similarly describes the fight against al-Qaeda and the Islamic State as a “world war.” “We could lose,” he wrote in his recent book, “The Field of Fight.” “In fact, right now we’re losing.” Those sorts of analyses represent a radical departure from Obama, who believed that the United States had succumbed to a “season of fear” following the 9/11 attacks that produced a disastrous war in Iraq and a betrayal of America’s core values. As commander in chief, he banned torture — a policy Trump has suggested he might revisit — and sought unsuccessfully to close the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. “Shameful” was the word that Obama used to describe calls from Trump and other presidential candidates to impose religious tests on refugees or immigrants. Obama was convinced that groups like al-Qaeda and the Islamic State did not pose an existential threat to the country. Rather, he suggested that the biggest threat came from an overreaction to the attacks that would cause the United States to turn away from the world. His approach stressed America’s fearlessness in the face of attacks. “That’s who the American people are — determined and not to be messed with,” Obama said in describing his counterterrorism strategy in 2013. “Now we need a strategy and a politics that reflects this resilient spirit.” Trump, meanwhile, has chosen a different route. Open Doors, Slamming Gates: The Tumultuous Politics Of U.S. Immigration Policy By Marc Fisher Washington Post, January 28, 2017 In his farewell address to the nation in 1989, President Ronald Reagan told the story of a Navy sailor patrolling the South China Sea who came upon a “leaky little boat” crammed with refugees from Indochina trying to find a way to America. “Hello, American sailor,” a man in the boat shouted up to the Navy vessel. “Hello, freedom man.” Reagan couldn’t get that moment out of his mind because of what it said about what the United States meant — to those who live here and to the rest of the world. But history reveals that even as U.S. policy moved from the restrictive immigration policies of a century ago to Reagan’s advocacy of an open door to refugees, public opinion has continued to oscillate. President Trump’s move Friday to bar entry into the United States for residents of seven majority-Muslim countries harks back to a period when the U.S. government regularly banned immigrants and refugees from countries whose people were considered inferior, dangerous or incompatible with American values. Trump’s executive action marks the first time a president has sought to bar people because of their nation of origin — or their religion, as only Muslim-dominated countries are included in the order — since the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act scrapped national-origin quotas, putting the DHS-17-0435-A-000310 CBP FOIA 000310 73 focus instead on immigrants’ skills and personal connections to Americans. “This is a paradigm shift,” said David Bier, who studies immigration policy at the Cato Institute, the libertarian think tank. “This is an explicit rejection of the approach that George W. Bush and Barack Obama embraced, in which a big part of the war on terror was to bring in allies, to prove we’re not waging a war on Islam and to show that we’re an open society toward Muslims.” The history of this nation of immigrants is one of open doors and gates slammed shut, of welcoming words like those engraved inside the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty (“Give me your tired, your poor, / Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, / The wretched refuse of your teeming shore”) and of generations of politicians and activists proclaiming that American values would be undermined by a new influx of foreigners. “Both open and restrictive refu-gee policies have gotten very high approval in polls through the years,” said Roger Daniels, a historian of U.S. immigration and professor emeritus at the University of Cincinnati. “In times of trouble, nativist policies — what Trump would call ‘America First’ — get more attention. Since colonial times, there’s been a strong strain of nativism that either dominates or is just ignored.” “America must remain American,” President Calvin Coolidge said in 1924 as he signed into law a measure that ended the biggest wave of immigration in U.S. history. The new law used the then-popular pseudoscience of eugenics to set drastic limits on entry by groups the government considered “socially inadequate” — mainly Italians and Eastern European Jews. That same year, that same president declared the Statue of Liberty a national monument. And four decades later, President Lyndon B. Johnson traveled to the statue to sign the act that is still the basis of U.S. immigration policy. The 1965 law, Johnson said, “corrects a cruel and enduring wrong. . . . for over four decades, the immigration policy of the United States has been twisted and distorted by the harsh injustice of the national origins quota system. Under that system, the ability of new immigrants to come to America depended on the country of their birth. Today . . . this system is abolished.” Bier and others argue that the Trump order is illegal because it seeks to restore national origin as a factor in deciding who gets into the country. The Trump administration contends that the president has the authority to suspend entry for any group he finds detrimental to the national interest. However that issue plays out in the courts, the debate over how to decide who comes to the United States stretches back centuries and has been a hot issue in presidential and local elections for several decades. Although every president since Franklin D. Roosevelt has supported admitting refugees fleeing political and religious persecution, those presidents has also struggled to defend such policies against strong voices advocating tighter limits on newcomers. Near the end of World War II, Roosevelt, after a long period of resisting pleas by American Jews to admit European Jews fleeing the Nazis’ program of extermination, decided to allow 1,000 refugees into the country and put them at an Army base in Upstate New York. “That’s the beginning of the presidential authority to interfere with immigration policy,” Daniels said. “And it has continued ever since.” Trump’s focus on blocking people from predominantly Muslim countries and carving out openings for Christians fleeing those countries “is at variance with everything we’ve done since Roosevelt, Truman and Eisenhower built our approach to refugees,” Daniels said. Perhaps paradoxically, the gates to the United States have tended not to tighten during wartime — in the late 2000s, George W. Bush increased the flow of refugees into the country as a way to thank people who had helped U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, and to demonstrate that he was serious about attacking terrorism rather than Islam. Economic hardship has sometimes led to louder calls for more restrictive immigration and refu-gee policies, historians say, but surges of nativist sentiment have emerged more from cultural backlash than from hard times or wartime. The restrictive 1924 law, for example, “came about in the Roaring Twenties, a time of great economic growth,” Bier noted. From the late 19th century through the 1930s, popular belief in eugenics, along with rivalries among religious groups, fed movements aimed against Catholics, Jews, Eastern Europeans, Asians and Africans. “It’s really the civil rights movement of the 1960s that changed the approach,” Bier said. After the Civil Rights Act passed in 1964, ending legal segregation and banning employment discrimination based on race, religion or national origin, the idea of admitting immigrants based on where they came from seemed anachronistic. In the 1980s, the immigration debate centered on illegal immigration; policies of that period were driven by the idea that expanding legal pathways into the country might curb the flow of illegal entrants. It didn’t work; the battle over illegal immigration continued. Some anti-immigration activists argued that the problem was not limited to illegal immigration but extended to all newcomers. Those activists focused on crimes committed by noncitizens, and Trump campaigned on that theme, highlighting stories of Americans whose loved ones had been killed by immigrants. That approach won support from activists who have long sought not only a wall on the U.S.-Mexican border but DHS-17-0435-A-000311 CBP FOIA 000311 74 also sharp cuts in legal immigration. Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, which seeks “low-immigration” policies, welcomed Trump’s latest moves, but noted that executive action is not enough. A “reduction in legal immigration — which is the most important objective from a jobs or welfare or even security perspective — has to come from Congress,” Krikorian said in a blog post. “We’re seeing populism take control of immigration policy for the first time” since World War II, Bier said. “You don’t have leaders in politics right now who are willing to say that we welcome people fleeing the enemies of the United States.” Reagan began and ended his farewell speech with powerful pleas for the country to open its arms. The “shining city upon a hill” that he wanted America to be was, he said, a place “teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace. . . . And if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here.” Will We Be Forced Into A Religious Test? The Dangerous Questions Muslims Are Facing. By Shadi Hamid Washington Post, January 28, 2017 There is panic at the airport. Some of the stories, after President Trump issued his executive order targeting Muslim immigrants, remind me of what I saw in the Middle East. No one has been killed, of course. But when an Iraqi who risked his life an interpreter for the Army arrives in New York only to be denied entry, it has the hallmarks of a different world, one he probably thought he had left behind: the fear of not knowing; the manipulation of law; the capriciousness of strongmen in midflight; and families divided in the name of politics. The executive order may, in fact, be illegal, causing considerable confusion over what it means for the hundreds of thousands of legal U.S. residents from the seven Muslim countries listed. The legal debate and challenges will probably be with us for some time, maybe for the long remainder of Trump’s tenure. The president’s decree, though, is just as frightening — perhaps even more so — for what it tells us about a young presidency and how the office intends to use its power in its flurry of seemingly manic energy and activity. With several notable exceptions, such as Defense Secretary James Mattis, a worryingly large number of Trump advisers and appointees share what, at best, can be described as a suspicion of not just Islam but Muslims. The executive order underscores the new administration’s fixation on what it views not as a terrorist threat but a civilizational one in which the very act of being Muslim is grounds for scrutiny. The president’s order prioritizes “refugee claims made by individuals on the basis of religious-based persecution,” which is understandable enough, because Muslims and Christians alike (and Muslims more so) are targets of groups like the Islamic State. One clause, however, imposes a religious test, almost overwhelming in its starkness: “The religion of the individual [must be] a minority religion in the individual’s country of nationality.” In other words, they cannot be Muslim regardless of the level of persecution they face. As Reza Aslan, an author who is Muslim, writes: “A Christian fleeing discrimination in Yemen would be given entry, but a Shia facing death and starvation would not.” Islam, at least to some in Trump’s inner circle, is not considered a religion. As national security adviser Michael Flynn has said: “Islam is a political ideology masked behind a religion, using religion as an advantage against us. Islam is a political ideology. Sharia, the law of Islam, OK? Sharia is the law. Just like our Constitution is our law.” Since Muslims wouldn’t know how to pray, fast or give charity (zakat) without “sharia,” then any Muslim who observes any aspect of their faith or partakes in any ritual might have dual loyalties, to the clashing legal traditions of Flynn’s imagination. Trump’s early moves are not just an attack on some of the most vulnerable refugees, but on Islam as an overarching ideological threat. It is easy to see echoes of Trump surrogate and former House speaker Newt Gingrich’s July remarks, which at the time may have seemed like musings of a man who would never again be close to the centers of American power. “We should frankly test every person here who is of a Muslim background, and if they believe in sharia, they should be deported,” Gingrich said. It wasn’t clear whether Gingrich had in mind citizens and noncitizens alike or just the latter, but even the most charitable reading was sufficiently ominous. I did not come of political age during the Cold War, so perhaps the language of ideological tests shouldn’t be as surprising as I found it while parsing the text of the executive order. This is noteworthy: “The United States cannot, and should not, admit those who do not support the Constitution, or those who would place violent ideologies over American law.” What constitutes “supporting” the Constitution, especially considering that our own president has an ambivalent relationship with many of its amendments, including the first? How is that to be judged? Ideological tests are something that American Muslims, including my family and I, are safe from. But I shudder to think that my parents, upon entering the United States as immigrants decades ago, would have been “tested” for sufficient adherence to the Constitution by an administration that already held them in suspicion. Would they have been DHS-17-0435-A-000312 CBP FOIA 000312 75 asked to disavow aspects of their own religion, culture or identity? Trump’s actions didn’t just begin with his presidency. They began when Trump, the candidate, propelled Muslims to the center of his agenda. For the first time, in my own country, I felt like an object of analysis. I remember when Trump first proposed his Muslim immigration ban in December 2015 and hearing it discussed endlessly on television. Everything seemed to be about “us.” I was no longer just who I happened to be but a member of a group that was being debated and dissected as a potential threat. We had become a problem, and all problems need to be resolved. In the coming four or eight years or perhaps longer, we will find out what, exactly, that means. Shadi Hamid is a senior fellow in the Project on U.S. Relations with the Islamic World at the Brookings Institution and the author of “Islamic Exceptionalism: How the Struggle Over Islam Is Reshaping the World.” Trump Shuts Door On Refugees, But Will The US Be Safer? By Eric Tucker Associated Press, January 28, 2017 WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump says his halt to immigration from seven Muslim-majority nations and ban on refugees is being done in the name of national security. But it’s not clear that these measures will help prevent attacks on American soil, and they could wind up emboldening extremists who already view the U.S. as at war with Islam. The list of countries does not include Saudi Arabia, where the majority of the Sept. 11 hijackers were from, and recent high-profile acts of deadly extremist violence have been carried out either by U.S. citizens or by individuals whose families weren’t from the nations singled out. The admissions ban announced Friday also does not directly address a more urgent law enforcement concern: homegrown violent extremists already in the United States who plot their attacks without any overseas connections or contacts. “The primary terrorism-related threat facing the U.S. today comes from individuals living here who become inspired by what they see on the internet who carry out attacks independent of any terrorist organization,” said John Cohen, a former Department of Homeland Security counterterrorism official who worked in government under Democratic and Republican administrations and who has been involved in refugee vetting policy. The FBI has for years been concerned by the prospect of airplane bomb plots and terrorists dispatched from overseas to commit violence in America. But the ascendancy of the Islamic State, and the group’s ability through slick and easily accessible propaganda to reach followers in all corners of the country, has been a more immediate challenge – and a more realistic danger – for counterterrorism officials. “Dealing with that threat should be a top priority for this administration,” Cohen said. The executive order suspends refugee admissions for 120 days and bars all immigration for 90 days from Muslim￾majority countries with terrorism concerns: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. It indefinitely bars the processing of refugees from Syria, a country that’s been of particular alarm to the FBI even though the number of Americans who have looked to travel there to fight with the Islamic State has been dwindling. But the culprits of recent deadly terror attacks aren’t linked to the countries singled out by Trump’s order. Omar Mateen, the man responsible for the Orlando nightclub shooting, the deadliest terror attack in the U.S. since the Sept. 11 attacks, was born in New York to Afghan parents. Syed Rizwan Farook, who took part in the December 2015 San Bernardino attack, was born in Chicago. His wife, Tashfeen Malik, had been living in Pakistan and visiting family in Saudi Arabia before she passed the background check and entered the U.S. The brothers who bombed the Boston Marathon were ethnic Chechens who had been living in the U.S. In general, Islamic extremists have accounted for a minuscule amount of the roughly 240,000 murders since Sept. 11, 2001. Charles Kurzman, a sociology professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who has studied the issue, said his research shows that people with ancestry from the seven nations in the executive order have accounted for only a small fraction of extremist-related arrests and disrupted plots since Sept. 11. “I can only conclude that this is whipping up fear and hostility toward Americans who have family background from these countries,” Kurzman said. Still, while refugees are subject to screening – including in-person interviews, checks with law enforcement databases and collection of biometric data, when available – the process is not perfect. FBI counterterrorism officials have long expressed concern about the lack of background information on refugees from Syria, a home base of the Islamic State, and Director James Comey has said that he could not guarantee a mistake-free vetting process. There have been isolated incidents of refugees later accused in terror-related plots. An Iraqi refugee who entered the U.S. in 2009, for instance, pleaded guilty in Houston in October to attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State. Two Iraqi DHS-17-0435-A-000313 CBP FOIA 000313 76 refugees who lived in Kentucky are now in prison after having been convicted in a plot to send sniper rifles, Stinger missiles and money to al-Qaida operatives waging an insurgency back home. And the man accused in the November car-and-knife attack at Ohio State University was a refugee originally from Somalia who, as an adolescent, moved with his family to the United States in 2014 after living in Pakistan. Though not immune from lapses, the screening process has improved over the years, Cohen said. He said he was concerned that the refugee ban could deter Muslim-majority countries from cooperating with the U.S. on policy matters and could embolden an extremist already bent on violence. “That’s something,” Cohen said, “that law enforcement folks are going to be factoring into their violence prevention efforts.” --- Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. There Have Been No Fatal Terror Attacks In The U.S. By Immigrants From The 7 Banned Muslim Countries More evidence that the ban makes no sense. By Christopher Mathias Huffington Post, January 28, 2017 There have been zero fatal terror attacks on U.S. soil since 1975 by immigrants from the seven Muslim-majority countries President Donald Trump targeted with immigration bans on Friday, further highlighting the needlessness and cruelty of the president’s executive order. Between 1975 and 2015, foreign nationals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen killed exactly zero Americans on U.S. soil, according to an analysis of terror attacks by the Cato Institute. Moreover, a report released this week shows that Muslim Americans with family backgrounds in those seven countries have killed no Americans over the last 15 years. Twenty-three percent of the Muslim Americans involved with violent extremist plots since Sept. 11, 2001, had family backgrounds in Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen, according to a Triangle Center on Terrorism and Homeland Security report released this week. None of those plots resulted in American deaths. Similarly, none of the 19 plane hijackers on 9/11 were from any of those seven countries. “Contrary to alarmist political rhetoric, the appeal of revolutionary violence has remained very limited among Muslim-Americans,” Charles Kurzman, a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the author of the Triangle Center report, said in a statement. “Let’s use this empirical evidence to guide our policy-making and public debates on violent extremism.” This is a dramatic and misdirected overreaction to a relatively small-scale problem. Charles Kurzman, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill professor On Friday afternoon, Trump issued an executive order indefinitely banning Syrian refugee admissions, temporarily banning entry of people from the seven aforementioned majority-Muslim countries and suspending visas to countries of “particular concern.” The order, at the end of Trump’s first week as president, is an extension of a presidential campaign in which Trump routinely stirred fears and peddled misinformation about Muslims in America. It also partially fulfills Trump’s 2015 call to ban all Muslims from entering the U.S. “This is a dramatic and misdirected overreaction to a relatively small-scale problem,” Kurzman wrote in The WorldPost Thursday in anticipation of Trump’s executive order. The threat of Muslim American involvement in violent extremism is greatly inflated, Kurzman wrote, and violence by Muslim Americans represents an incredibly small fraction of overall violence in this country. Kurzman told The Huffington Post he defined “Muslim Americans” in his report as people who had lived in the U.S. at least a year before radicalization. There were 46 such Muslim Americans associated with violent extremism in 2016, according to the report, a 40 percent drop from the year before. Of those 46 people, Kurzman said, 26 were U.S. citizens, six were of unknown nationality and the rest were immigrants, only one of whom was undocumented. The extremism of nearly half of those 46 Muslim Americans entailed them traveling or attempting to travel to join militant groups in the Middle East. Twenty-three were involved or allegedly involved in plots against U.S. targets, resulting in 54 deaths. (Forty-nine of those deaths occurred when 29-year-old Omar Mateen opened fire in a Florida nightclub in June.) According to the report, that brings the total number of U.S. deaths caused by Muslim American extremists since 9/11 to 123. By way of comparison, in 2016 alone, 188 people were killed on U.S. soil in mass shootings not involving Muslim American extremists, the report says. Meanwhile, there have been 230,000 murders in the U.S. since 9/11. DHS-17-0435-A-000314 CBP FOIA 000314 77 David Schanzer, director at the Triangle Center, said in a statement that “it is flatly untrue that America is deeply threatened by violent extremism by Muslim-Americans; attacks by Muslims accounted for only one third of one percent of all murders in America last year.” Moreover, according to the State Department, of the nearly 800,000 refugees who have come to the U.S. since 9/11, fewer than 20 have been arrested on terrorism charges. But, Schanzer added, “it is also untrue that violent extremism can be ignored as a problem within the Muslim￾American community. Collaborative efforts between government agencies and Muslim-Americans to address this problem are justified and needed.” In his WorldPost article Thursday, Kurzman wrote that “instead of inflating the threat of extremism, Trump and the rest of us ought to treat it as the small-time criminal enterprise that it is, matching our response to the scale of the problem.” “Let’s stand strong,” he wrote. “Stop giving terrorists the obsessive attention and inflated importance that they crave.” Little National Security Benefit To Trump’s Executive Order On Immigration By Alex Nowrasteh Cato Institute, January 25, 2017 Little National Security Benefit to Trump’s Executive Order on Immigration Cato At Liberty Alex Nowrasteh 1/25/2017 Tomorrow, President Trump is expected to sign an executive order enacting a 30-day suspension of all visas for nationals from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. Foreigners from those seven nations have killed zero Americans in terrorist attacks on U.S. soil between 1975 and the end of 2015. Six Iranians, six Sudanese, two Somalis, two Iraqis, and one Yemini have been convicted of attempting or carrying out terrorist attacks on U.S. soil. Zero Libyans or Syrians have been convicted of planning a terrorist attack on U.S. soil during that time period. Many other foreigners have been convicted of terrorism-related offenses that did not include planning a terrorist attack on U.S. soil. One list released by Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) details 580 terror-related convictions since 9/11. This incomplete list probably influenced which countries are temporarily banned, and likely provided justification for another section of Trump’s executive order, which directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to release all information on foreign-born terrorists going forward, and requires additional DHS reports to study foreign-born terrorism. I exhaustively evaluated Senator Sessions’ list of convictions based on publicly available data and discovered some startling details. First, 241 of the convictions (42 percent) were not for terrorism offenses. Senator Sessions puffed his numbers by including “terrorism-related convictions,” a nebulous category that includes investigations that begin due to a terrorism tip but then end in non-terrorism convictions. My favorite examples of this are the convictions of Nasser Abuali, Hussein Abuali, and Rabi Ahmed. An informant told the FBI that the trio tried to purchase a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, but the FBI found no evidence supporting the accusation. The three individuals were instead convicted of receiving two truckloads of stolen cereal. That is a crime but it is not terrorism. Second, only 40 of the 580 convictions (6.9 percent) were for foreigners planning a terrorist attack on U.S. soil. Seeking to join a foreign terrorist group overseas, material support for a foreign terrorist, and seeking to commit an act of terror on foreign soil account for 180 of the 580 convictions (31 percent). Terrorism on foreign soil is a crime, should be a crime, and those convicted of these offenses should be punished severely but the government cannot claim that these convictions made America safe again because these folks were not targeting U.S. soil. Third, 92 of the 580 convictions (16 percent) were for U.S. born citizens. No change in immigration law, visa limitations, or more rigorous security checks would have stopped them. The executive order includes national security exemptions to be made on a case-by-case basis. The President reserves the option to ban the entry of nationals from additional countries in the future based on a national security risk report written by DHS. Furthermore, the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security can recommend visa bans for nationals from additional countries at any time. In addition to the visa restrictions above, Trump’s executive order further cuts the refugee program to 50,000 annually, indefinitely blocks all refugees from Syria, and suspends all refugee admissions for 120 days. This is a response to a phantom menace. From 1975 to the end of 2015, 20 refugees have been convicted of attempting or committing terrorism on U.S. soil, and only three Americans have been killed in attacks committed by refugees—all in the 1970s. Zero Americans have been killed by Syrian refugees in a terrorist attack on U.S. soil. The annual chance of an American dying in a terrorist attack committed by a refugee is one in 3.6 billion. The other 17 convictions have mainly been for aiding or attempting to join foreign terrorists. President Trump tweeted earlier this week that executive orders were intended to improve national security by reducing the terrorist threat. However, a rational evaluation of national security threats is not the basis for Trump’s orders, DHS-17-0435-A-000315 CBP FOIA 000315 78 as the risk is fairly small but the cost is great. The measures taken here will have virtually no effect on improving U.S. national security. Trump’s Visa Ban Order: The View From A Worried Middle East By Ladane Nasseri And Zainab Fattah Bloomberg News, January 28, 2017 With the stroke of a pen, Donald Trump barred most citizens from seven mainly Muslim Mideast and East African nations from entering the U.S. While the latest executive order of his week-old presidency delivers on a campaign pledge to strengthen America’s borders, it was denounced in advance by human-rights groups as an attack on some of the world’s most vulnerable people, and will alarm many in the Islamic world. Under the order – which also placed a 120-day ban on virtually all refugee admissions – nationals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Sudan and Somalia won’t be able to enter the U.S. for at least 90 days while officials determine what information is needed from other countries to safely admit visitors. While the order doesn’t list the countries, it points to laws that cover those seven, which were provided by the White House. Most of the countries are home to conflict or Islamist insurgency, while the U.S. has sanctioned Iran for sponsoring terrorism. So, what’s at stake? ‘Fears Confirmed’ Above all, the move will “confirm the fears many had of Trump escalating tensions with the Muslim world,” said Ibrahim Fraihat, a professor of conflict resolution at the Doha Institute. With this act, it’s clear Trump intends to deliver on pledges that many in the region had hoped to dismiss as campaign rhetoric, he said. That means other stated intentions – including the incendiary idea of moving the U.S. embassy in Israel to disputed Jerusalem from Tel Aviv – can’t be brushed off, Fraihat said. Less Cooperation on Security In an interview, Trump said he wanted to keep out people intent on carrying out “tremendous destruction” in the U.S. But the executive order is likely to do “a very poor job” of helping to counter terrorism, said Amir Handjani, a senior non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council based in Dubai. It’s more likely to “hurt cooperation on terrorism rather than enhancing it,” he said. “If these countries feel that the U.S. government is shutting their citizens out, they have fewer incentives to collaborate.” In a briefing published Jan. 27, security analysts at The Soufan Group noted that no major terrorist plot or attack in the U.S. since 2001 has involved “a perpetrator or plotter from six of the seven countries listed in the ban.” A Somali immigrant wounded 10 people in September knife attack at a Minnesota mall that was claimed by Islamic State, it said. Extremists will use the ban as a recruiting tool, said Fraihat in Doha. It provides “just the right message” to bolster their argument that the U.S. is hostile to all Muslims, he said. Blanket Ban Citizens of Middle Eastern and African nations applying for a U.S. visa already face some of the most stringent documentation requirements. But that’s very different from a “blanket ban,” said Handjani. It will be perceived as “very un￾American because you are discriminating against people based on country of origin and religion,” he said. Relatives of U.S. citizens, students, academics, businessmen and those seeking medical care will be shut out for now. In 2015, the last year for which full official data is available online, citizens of the seven nations were granted a total of 89,387 non￾immigrant and immigrant visas. The order bans entry of “aliens” from the nations, leaving room for strict interpretation, said the National Iranian American Council, a Washington-based advocacy and civil rights group. If the Trump administration takes a broad interpretation of this order, U.S. permanent resident aliens and dual nationals who aren’t U.S. citizens and holding a passport from one of these countries may be prevented from entering or re-entering the U.S., it said in a report. Foes Iran’s inclusion comes at a sensitive time for the Islamic Republic. Trump and leading members of his cabinet oppose the 2015 nuclear deal that lifted sanctions on Iran in return for curbs on its nuclear program. And with Iran holding a presidential election in May, any spike in tensions between the foes could swing support behind hardline critics of President Hassan Rouhani. Iranian officials say they’ll reserve judgment on Trump until he rolls out policies. So the visa ban may come to be seen as “sending the first signal” as to how the new administration will treat Iran, said Handjani. It’s likely to be interpreted as a provocation and “a backdoor way” to pressure the Iranian government, he said. The order “certainly doesn’t do anything to convince Iranians that the Trump administration has any interest in reducing tensions with Iran,” said Trita Parsi, author of the forthcoming book “Losing an Enemy – Obama, Iran and the Triumph of Diplomacy,” and president of the National Iranian American Council. It “will add fuel to arguments of Iranian hardliners” who will point to Iran’s compromise as part of the nuclear accord and “say ‘look what it generated: this extremely negative response against Iranian people’.” And Friends U.S. allies in the Middle East mostly escaped being covered by the order, with the exception of Iraq, a nation that has probably suffered more than any other at the hands of Islamic State jihadists and is a key American military partner. Neither Saudi Arabia, 15 of whose nationals were among the 19 men who hijacked aircraft on Sept. 11, 2001, nor Egypt, DHS-17-0435-A-000316 CBP FOIA 000316 79 which is fighting its own Islamist insurgency in Sinai, were subject to the action. Saudi Arabia and Iran are on opposing sides in many of the region’s major conflicts, such as those in Syria and Yemen. Speaking last week, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al￾Jubeir said he would work with Trump toward “containing” Iran. Saudi opposed the nuclear agreement, which has unlocked Iran’s oil exports, and cut diplomatic relations. Business Impact There’s little commerce between the U.S. and the seven nations, most of which are either at war or poor – or both. American citizens and entities are already barred from working with Iran under sanctions not removed by the 2015 accord. But Trump’s order will further worry global investors considering a move into Iran but who fear running afoul of U.S. policy toward the Islamic Republic. Any investor who’s risk-averse or who has significant interest in also maintaining good relations with the U.S. is going to pause and wait six months to see what happens, said a Western diplomat based in the Gulf, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Countries Where Trump Does Business Are Not Hit By New Travel Restrictions By Rosalind S. Helderman Washington Post, January 28, 2017 The seven nations targeted for new visitation restrictions by President Donald Trump on Friday all have something in common — they are places he does not appear to have any business interests. The executive order he signed Friday bars all entry for the next 90 days by travelers from Syria, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Sudan, Somalia and Libya. Excluded from the lists are a series of majority Muslim nations where the Trump Organization is active and which in some cases have also faced troublesome issues with terrorism. According to the text of the order, the restriction applies to a series of countries that have already been excluded from programs allowing travelers to travel to the U.S. without a visa because of concerns over terrorism. Hewing closely to nations already named as terrorism concerns elsewhere in law might have allowed the White House to avoid angering some more powerful and wealthy majority Muslim allies, like Egypt. But without divesting from his company, as bipartisan ethics experts had advised, Trump is now facing questions about whether he designed the new rules with his own business at least partly in mind. “He needs to sell his businesses outside his family and place the assets in a blind trust, otherwise every decision he makes people are going to question if he’s making the decision in the interests of the American people or his own bottom line,” said Jordan Libowitz, the spokesman for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a liberal watchdog group. The group has filed a lawsuit arguing that Trump is already in violation of a constitutional provision barring federal officials from accepting payments from foreign officials. Earlier in the week, former Obama ethics adviser Norm Eisen, the group’s chairman, tweeted “WARNING: Mr. Pres. your Muslim ban excludes countries where you have business interests. That is a CONSTITUTIONAL VIOLATION. See u in court.” A White House spokeswoman did not respond to a question about the order and Trump’s business on Saturday. Trump has said he has handed management of his real estate, licensing and merchandising business over to his adult sons to avoid the perception that he is making presidential decisions to boost his own business. But he has retained ownership of the company, meaning that if it thrives during his presidency, he will personally profit. The new executive order points to the complications that are likely to arise from the arrangement. Among notable omissions, Trump’s order makes no mention of Turkey, which has faced a series of terrorist attacks in recent months. On Wednesday, the State Department updated a travel warning for Americans visiting Turkey, noting that “an increase in anti-American rhetoric has the potential to inspire independent actors to carry out acts of violence against US citizens.” Trump has licensed his name to two luxury towers in Istanbul. A Turkish company also manufactures a line of Trump-branded home furnishings. Trump’s most recent financial disclosure, filed in May when he was a presidential candidate, showed that he had earned as much as $6 million in the previous year from the deals. Trump himself acknowledged in a December 2015 interview with Brietbart News “I have a little conflict of interest ‘cause I have a major, major building in Istanbul,” he said. More recently, he has insisted has no conflicts because laws making conflicts illegal do not apply to the president. Also untouched by Friday’s executive order is the United Arab Emirates, a powerful Muslim ally with whom the U.S. nevertheless has complicated relations. Trump has licensed his name to a Dubai golf resort, as well as a luxury home development and spa. Trump has seemed particularly disinclined to divorce himself of interests in the project. Its developer, Hussain Sajwani, attended a New Year’s Eve party at his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, where a video showed Trump singling him out for praise, calling him and his family “the most beautiful people.” Trump returned to the topic of his Dubai partnership again in mid-January, at a news conference intended to demonstrate how he was separating from his business. DHS-17-0435-A-000317 CBP FOIA 000317 80 “Over the weekend, I was offered $2 billion to do a deal in Dubai with a very, very, very amazing man, a great, great developer from the Middle East, Hussein Damack, a friend of mine, great guy. And I was offered $2 billion to do a deal in Dubai — a number of deals and I turned it down,” Trump said then. His point was that he was voluntarily turning aside new projects that could raise ethical questions. A lawyer for the company announced at the same event the Trump Organization will embark on no new foreign deals while Trump is in office. But the comment also served as a reminder that Trump’s business, included the personal relationships he forged with wealthy partners around the world, was still very much on his mind as he entered the presidency. The executive order makes no mention of Saudi Arabia, home of 15 of the 19 terrorists involved in the September 11 attacks. The Trump Organization had incorporated a series of limited liability companies in preparation for an attempt to build a hotel in Saudi Arabia, showing an interest in expansion in the country. The company canceled those incorporations in December, indicating that no project is moving forward. Excluded as well is Indonesia, the world’s largest majority-minority nation, where there are two large Trump￾branded resorts underway, built in partnership with powerful local interests. “To be blunt, we really don’t know what to make of which motives are driving this president’s decisions,” said Kamal Essaheb, director of policy and advocacy for the National Immigration Law Center. “From what we could tell from his campaign and his actions since he became president, what seems to be first and foremost on his mind is his own self interest and an obsession with his brand.” Experts Question Legality Of Trump’s Immigration Ban On Muslim Countries By Alan Gomez USA Today, January 28, 2017 The future of President Trump’s executive order suspending immigration from seven predominantly Muslim countries may come down to a legal battle between his powers as commander in chief and discrimination limitations established by Congress. Lawyers and protesters spent most of the day Saturday focused on immigrants who were traveling when Trump’s order was issued, leaving them either detained at U.S. airports or stranded overseas. But the legality of Trump’s order will not be clear until it’s argued in federal court, which could happen as early as next week, when civil rights and immigration advocacy groups begin filing their lawsuits. Supporters of Trump’s plan say he is standing on firm legal ground to ban immigrants and refugees temporarily from those countries because they pose a national security threat. Trump’s order opens by citing the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, and explains that the immigration suspension is necessary to give the federal government time to strengthen its vetting procedures for people coming from terror-prone countries. “Throughout the history of this country, courts have given, for obvious reasons, the executive extraordinary latitude in making determinations associated with national security,” said Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, a group that advocates for lower levels of legal and illegal immigration. “And this is a national security judgement, something that courts would never want to interfere with.” Critics of Trump’s plan say his national security argument is undercut by his repeated calls on the campaign trail for a “Muslim ban” and his comments Friday that he wants to prioritize the immigration of persecuted Christians over Muslims. Trump’s ban also applies to everyone from Syria. David Leopold, a Cleveland immigration attorney and past president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said a president clearly has a right to bar certain immigrants or groups of immigrants from entering the U.S. Trump’s order cited a long-standing federal law that allows a president to bar entry to any immigrants or group of immigrants who the president deems “detrimental to the interests of the United States.” “But what the Trump administration failed to do,” Leopold said, “is understand that nothing in our law justifies banning an entire religion, banning an entire nationality. He’s going to have to answer how he can say that all of Syria is detrimental.” Leopold’s argument rests largely on the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which forbids discrimination against immigrants based on their “nationality, place of birth, or place of residence.” The U.S. had previously used an immigration system that set a limit on the number of people who could enter the U.S. from each country, a system that heavily favored immigration from western Europe. But that law has been set aside by presidents during national emergencies, according to Michael Hethmon, senior counsel at the Immigration Reform Law Institute, which provides legal support to legislators and politicians who want to reduce immigration. Hethmon uses the example of President Carter, who in 1980 barred some Iranians from entering the U.S. during a crisis over 52 Americans being held hostage in Tehran. He said that case mirrors what Trump is facing now — the United States facing a large number of people in specific countries who are trying to harm the U.S. DHS-17-0435-A-000318 CBP FOIA 000318 81 “The court will say, ‘There’s a rational basis for picking these seven countries,’” Hethmon said. “They’re all in the midst of civil conflict, they’re all places where terrorist networks that are particularly dangerous to the U.S. exists. There are multiple reasons why refugees from these countries merit additional, or even extensive, scrutiny.” The seven are Iran, Sudan and Syria — which comprise the State Department’s list of state sponsors of terrorism — plus Iraq, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. The key for a court to understand the true intent behind Trump’s order — whether it’s a religious ban or a national security concern — could lie in one paragraph of his executive order. It declares that once the refugee program is reinstated, the Department of Homeland Security must prioritize refugee claims made by persecuted religious minorities. “Whoever drafted the order, I think they thought they were being incredibly clever immunizing this from legal scrutiny,” said Jens David Ohlin, an international law professor at Cornell Law School. “But they might have shot themselves in the foot with that one.” Ohlin said that one section, which he said was the only piece of the order that did not pin itself to the national security argument, may open the entire order to questions about favoring one religion over another. It also follows comments Trump made to the Christian Broadcast Service on Friday, when he said Christians had been treated unfairly under the U.S. refugee program and they needed to be prioritized in the future. “Courts are going to be giving really serious scrutiny to that one,” Ohlin said. As legal questions continue to swirl over Trump’s order, only one certainty exists. “This is the start of a wave of litigation,” said Omar Jadwat, director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project. Trump’s Claim That It Is ‘Very Tough’ For Christian Syrians To Get To The United States By Glenn Kessler Washington Post, January 28, 2017 “They’ve been horribly treated. Do you know if you were a Christian in Syria it was impossible, at least very tough to get into the United States? If you were a Muslim you could come in, but if you were a Christian, it was almost impossible and the reason that was so unfair, everybody was persecuted in all fairness, but they were chopping off the heads of everybody but more so the Christians. And I thought it was very, very unfair.” — President Trump, interview on Christian Broadcasting Network, Jan. 27, 2017 Shortly before issuing a sweeping executive order to suspend refugee admissions for 120 days, President Trump gave an interview in which he said he wanted to give priority to Christians in Syria. (The actual order does not single out Christians, but religious minorities in countries.) He said that “if you were a Christian in Syria it was impossible, at least very tough to get into the United States.” Is this really the case? The Facts A White House spokesman did not respond to a query about Trump’s assertion, but the numbers certainly indicate that relatively few Christians have been admitted as Syrian refugees. Here’s what the State Department website shows for Syrian refugees admitted in calendar year 2016: Muslim Sunni: 15,134 Muslim Shiite: 29 Christian: 89* Total: 15,152 Christians, in other words, represent about half of 1 percent of the refugees admitted, even though they make up about 5 percent of the Syrian population, according to the Pew Research Center. But this is a case where figures can be misleading. Let’s look at the numbers for Iraq, whose refugees register at the exact same offices in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and other countries maintained by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. UNHCR identifies refugees for possible admission to the United States, though the final approval and screening is done by the U.S. government. Muslim Sunni: 5,106 Muslim Shiite: 3,342 Christian: 1,502* Total: 9,950 In the case of Iraq, Christians represent 15 percent of the Iraqi refugees, even though they only make up less than 1 percent of the Iraqi population. (*correction: an earlier version of this article undercounted the number of Iraqi and Syrian Christians because many were listed as “Catholic” or another Christian faith rather than “Christian.”) The simple fact is that the reason for the disparity is unclear, though there are a number of theories. Nina Shea, who heads the Center for Religious Freedom at the Hudson Institute, says that Syrian Christians are “marginalized” in U.N. programs, especially in refugee camps. She says that many Christians are afraid to settle in camps because the camps are dominated by Muslims. UNHCR data shows that only about 10 percent of refugees — 490,000 — are in camps, whereas nearly 4.4 million refugees are in urban and rural areas. But Shea said that she has met with many Syrian Christian refugees who are “clamoring” to get out but can’t get processed. “I don’t know how to explain this,” she said. “It raises a red flag of de facto discrimination.” Still, UNHCR data indicates that relatively few of the Syrian refugees have identified themselves as Christian. In DHS-17-0435-A-000319 CBP FOIA 000319 82 Syria, 1.5 percent of the 1 million refugees are Christian, in Jordan, 0.2 percent of the 655,000 refugees are Christian, in Iraq, 0.3 percent of the 228,000 refugees are Christian, and in Egypt, 0.1 percent of the 115,000 refugees are Christian. However, religion is not recorded in Turkey, where 2.7 million Syrian refugees have fled. Chris Boian, a UNHCR spokesman, that the agency did not know why there was such a disparity between the Christian makeup of Iraqi and Syrian refugees arriving in the United States, except that the agency does not discriminate. “We believe part of it is that Syria is not Iraq,” he said. “Many Syrian refugees may have the financial and social means to move without going through UNHCR.” For instance, Lebanon has a relatively large Christian population and has historically been linked to Syria. In October 2015, Shea directly asked then-U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres — now U.N. secretary general — during an appearance at the National Press Club about the dearth of Christian refugees from Syria. He responded by noting that the percentages were higher for Iraq, in part because he believed the experience for Christians was far worse in Iraq. He also noted that most of the Syria Christians had fled to Lebanon because of the long￾standing links between the two countries. Guterres said that Lebanon’s then-Christian president had even told him: “Don’t resettle Christians. They are vital to us.” Guterres went on to say that the Middle East “is where Christianity was born, and to see these communities at the risk of being eradicated from that area is something I consider with horror. … [To remove Christians from] that part of the world that would be to really do an amputation in the DNA of Christianity and in the DNA of the Middle East.” To Shea, those comments indicated an unwillingness by the U.N. to let Syrian Christians move out of the region. She said it was necessary for the United States to directly interview potential refugees. The Pinocchio Test Trump goes too far to claim that it is “very tough” for Syrian Christians to become refugees in the United States, and that they have been “horribly treated.” While it is correct that a relatively small percentage of Syrian refugees have been admitted, the Iraqi experience is exactly the opposite, even though the same U.N. agency is handling the refugee requests. The basic fact is no one understands why there is such a disparity. The president could highlight that situation without suggesting that something nefarious is going on. Anxiety About Muslim Refugees Is Stoked Online By The Far-Right Media By Caitlin Dickerson New York Times, January 28, 2017 Type the word refugees into Facebook and some alarming “news” will appear about a refugee rape crisis, a refugee flesh-eating disease epidemic and a refugee-related risk of female genital mutilation — none of it true. For the months leading up to the presidential election, and in the days since President Trump took office, ultraconservative websites like Breitbart News and Infowars have published a cycle of eye-popping stories with misleading claims about refugees. And it is beginning to influence public perception, experts say. That shift was evident on Friday, as many Americans heralded the news that the Trump administration intended to temporarily curb all refugee resettlement and increase the vetting of Syrians. “There really is a kind of cultural battle going on,” said Cecillia Wang, the deputy legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union. “There’s no question that kind of xenophobic or anti-Muslim bias is infecting our political discourse about refugees.” In speaking to pollsters about refugee resettlement, Americans tend to cite concerns about the country’s national security and economic health as their biggest worries, but they have also begun to point to disease or rape, experts say. “This is something where the fear outruns the fact by a factor of 100 to 1 or even 1,000 to 1,” said William Galston, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who has tracked American sentiment about refugee resettlement over years. Mr. Galston said the reaction to misleading coverage of refugees was reminiscent of the wave of measures introduced in state legislatures in recent years to stop the spread of Islamic law, despite scant evidence that it has been promoted anywhere. And while he doubted that alarmist stories about refugees were powerful enough to change people’s minds, he said the coverage played to existing fears and pushed mere differences of opinion into hyperpartisan outrage. “I think their opinions are being intensified because the intensification of contrary sentiments is increasing polarization,” Mr. Galston said. Outside his job as a police officer in Kansas, Okla., Mike Eason begins and ends his day with the television news — first CBS, then Fox, but never CNN, which he hates. Then, he scrolls through Facebook, where he’s read stories about refugees who commit violent crimes against women. “It’s one of them Facebook things where you see Muslim men are attacking women, and stuff like that, and having no respect for them at all. I’ve got a real issue with that,” he said. “I see story after story after story, and I don’t know how true it is.” Mr. Eason said he was skeptical of stories by unfamiliar websites like American News, but he reads them anyway. He commented on one that was posted to Facebook: DHS-17-0435-A-000320 CBP FOIA 000320 83 The post, which was shared 14,000 times, linked to a story about a case in which the authorities have not described the immigration status of the suspect, or said that he was a noncitizen. They have also discredited the claim that the man yelled “Allahu akbar” during the episode. Nevertheless, the comment that Mr. Eason posted on the site, which he later said he could not remember making, garnered 87 likes. “If Muslims are taught hate by their religion,” he wrote, “then all Muslims are potential terrorists and should be treated accordingly. TRUMP will stop this kind of stuff.” Sgt. Timothy Briggeman of the Cass County Sheriff’s Office in North Dakota, which is investigating the case, said such stories and responses often appeared on social media when a person in his jurisdiction with an Arabic-sounding name is charged with a crime. “To be honest,” he said, “it’s embarrassing and it’s disheartening when anyone with a name of such ends up in the news — the comments that get thrown around. That seems to be the No. 1 remark: ‘Send them back and get rid of them,’ and, ‘We don’t need them.’” Worries that refugees might be radicalized have also been amplified on the internet. This story was shared at least 1,400 times: And this one, posted by The Daily Caller, was shared more than 3,000 times, despite linking to a story with no evidence of a cover-up: The actual number of refugees who have become extremists in the United States has been estimated at between three and 12 — out of the more than 800,000 who have resettled here since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. The online stories about refugees range from outright fake news to those based on a grain of truth and then stretched out of proportion. For example, the Breitbart article about genital mutilation was based on a study that estimated that a half-million women currently living in the United States have had their genitals mutilated. But most of them were immigrants who had fled here because of such treatment in their home countries. Mr. Eason, the police officer in Oklahoma, said that part of the challenge for him in evaluating stories on the internet is that many are written with headlines that appeal to common sense. He pointed to the vetting of Syrian refugees, for example, which is currently under review as part of Mr. Trump’s executive order. As The New York Times has reported, the process involves dozens of layers of evaluation and can last up to two years. But Mr. Eason has read stories that suggest the conditions in Syria are so bad that it is impossible to verify refugees’ stories, which has made him worry that no level of scrutiny will be sufficient. “They were saying with them coming from these areas, it’s hard to vet them,” Mr. Eason said. “And it makes sense.” Donald Trump’s Muslim Ban Is Cowardly And Dangerous New York Times, January 28, 2017 First, reflect on the cruelty of President Trump’s decision on Friday to indefinitely suspend the resettlement of Syrian refugees and temporarily ban people from seven predominantly Muslim nations from entering the United States. It took just hours to begin witnessing the injury and suffering this ban inflicts on families that had every reason to believe they had outrun carnage and despotism in their homelands to arrive in a singularly hopeful nation. The first casualties of this bigoted, cowardly, self￾defeating policy were detained early Saturday at American airports just hours after the executive order, ludicrously titled “Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States,” went into effect. It must have felt like the worst trick of fate for these refugees to hit the wall of Donald Trump’s political posturing at the very last step of a yearslong, rigorous vetting process. This ban will also disrupt the lives and careers of potentially hundreds of thousands of immigrants who have been cleared to live in America under visas or permanent residency permits. That the order, breathtaking in scope and inflammatory in tone, was issued on Holocaust Remembrance Day spoke of the president’s callousness and indifference to history, to America’s deepest lessons about its own values. The order lacks any logic. It invokes the attacks of Sept. 11 as a rationale, while exempting the countries of origin of all the hijackers who carried out that plot and also, perhaps not coincidentally, several countries where the Trump family does business. The document does not explicitly mention any religion, yet it sets a blatantly unconstitutional standard by excluding Muslims while giving government officials the discretion to admit people of other faiths. The order’s language makes clear that the xenophobia and Islamophobia that permeated Mr. Trump’s campaign are to stain his presidency as well. Un-American as they are, they are now American policy. “The United States must ensure that those admitted to this country do not bear hostile attitudes toward it and its founding principles,” the order says, conveying the spurious notion that all Muslims should be considered a threat. (It further claims to spare America from people who would commit acts of violence against women and those who persecute people on the basis of race, gender or sexual orientation. A president who bragged about sexually assaulting women and a vice president who has supported policies that discriminate against gay people might well fear that standard themselves.) DHS-17-0435-A-000321 CBP FOIA 000321 84 The unrighteousness of this new policy should be enough to prompt the courts, Congress and responsible members of Mr. Trump’s cabinet to reverse it immediately. But there is an even more compelling reason: It is extremely dangerous. Extremist groups will trumpet this order to spread the notion, today more credible than ever, that the United States is at war with Islam rather than targeting terrorists. They want nothing more than a fearful, recklessly belligerent America; so, if anything, this ban will heighten their efforts to strike at Americans, to provoke yet further overreaction from a volatile and inexperienced president. American allies in the Middle East will reasonably question why they should cooperate with, and defer to, the United States while its top officials vilify their faith. Afghans and Iraqis currently supporting American military operations would be justified in reassessing the merits of taking enormous risks for a government that is bold enough to drop bombs on their homelands but too frightened to provide a haven to their most vulnerable compatriots, and perhaps to them as well. Republicans in Congress who remain quiet or tacitly supportive of the ban should recognize that history will remember them as cowards. There may be no one better positioned to force a suspension of this policy than Mr. Trump’s secretary of defense, Jim Mattis. Mr. Mattis was cleareyed about the dangers of a proposed Muslim ban during the election, saying that American allies were reasonably wondering if “we have lost faith in reason.” He added: “This kind of thing is causing us great damage right now, and it’s sending shock waves through this international system.” His silence now is alarming to all who admire his commitment to American security. Mr. Mattis and other senior government officials who know better cannot lend their names to this travesty. Doing so would do more than tarnish their professional reputations. It would make them complicit in abdicating American values and endangering their fellow citizens. Pandering To Fear Washington Post, January 28, 2017 The executive order that President Trump signed on Friday calling a temporary halt to travel to the United States from seven predominantly Muslim nations — and indefinitely blocking refugees from the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, in Syria—is an affront to values upon which the nation was founded and that have made it a beacon of hope around the world. George Washington declared in 1783 that the “bosom of America is open” not only to the “opulent and respectable stranger” but also “the oppressed and persecuted.” Now Mr. Trump has slammed the door on the oppressed and persecuted in a fit of irrational xenophobia. He ordered foreign nationals from Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, Yemen and Iraq be barred immediately from entry into the United States for 90 days while more rigorous visa screening is put into place. This touched off panic and chaos at airports on Saturday as people with already-issued visas were turned away from boarding flights and others detained on arrival. Among those caught in the mess and held at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York was an Iraqi who had worked for the United States in Iraq for a decade. Green card holders, already permanent residents in the United States who happened to be overseas, were told they could no longer re-enter. Untold thousands of people who have applied for visas — including translators and interpreters who have worked with U.S. forces in Iraq — were left wondering if they would ever make it to American shores. Syria’s civil war has forced about 4.8 million people to flee to neighboring countries, and 1 million are seeking asylum in Europe. Mr. Trump callously and without evidence declared that Syrian refugees are “detrimental to the interests of the United States,” although in fact the relatively small number who have come to the United States have proven overwhelmingly positive. Mr. Trump’s four-month ban on refugees from these predominantly Muslim nations was accompanied by an instruction to prioritize refugee claims made by religious minorities facing persecution, chiefly Christians whose communities have suffered greatly over many decades. We think there’s a legitimate place in refugee policy for favoring persecuted minorities, but favoring one faith while blocking people from another is demeaning to all and runs counter to the basic tenet that the United States does not discriminate by religion. Mr. Trump claims these seven countries might produce terrorists who “will use any means possible to enter the United States.” The country that supplied 15 of the 19 hijackers in the 9/11 attacks is Saudi Arabia, which is not on Mr. Trump’s list. Vigilance is always called for, but refugees to the United States are as a whole grateful and hard-working and have not resorted to terrorism. Cutting them off not only punishes the most vulnerable, but may encourage terrorist recruitment and violence. Mr. Trump’s actions pander to rage and fear of outsiders. Yet our long history shows these fears are unfounded. The diversity, experience and striving of immigrants and refugees have immeasurably strengthened the United States; outbursts of anti-alien sentiment have only weakened it. A Sisterly ‘No’ To Donald Trump By Frank Bruni New York Times, January 28, 2017 On his first full day in office, our new president harangued the National Park Service about more flattering inauguration photos and preened in front of a memorial to DHS-17-0435-A-000322 CBP FOIA 000322 85 real American heroes, crowing about how often he’s been on the cover of Time magazine. Before his first full week was done, he temporarily barred refugees from entering the United States, halted immigration from several predominantly Muslim countries and decreed that Christians get preference over Muslims when we let outsiders in. I watch this and feel heartsick about America, whose most fundamental values and claim to moral leadership are at stake. Then I talk to my friend Maya Rao and her sisters and I feel just a little bit better. I feel pride and hope. They’re precisely the kind of Americans who feel so insulted and threatened by President Trump. They’re precisely the kind who make this country so special and fill me with such fierce love for it. It gave them a home and horizons they might not have found elsewhere. They treasure that enough to defend it. A week ago Saturday they woke in New Jersey at 3:30 a.m. for a 5:30 a.m. bus. Then they traveled for four hours, to Washington and the Women’s March. Maya, 41, had never done anything like this before. Neither had her older sister, Mythili Lahiri, 44, or her younger one, Meera Oliva, 39. No national marches. No street-corner demonstrations. No hoisting of signs. No chanting of chants. Until recently they thought it was enough to keep up with the news and cast their votes in accordance with their support of the Democratic Party. There didn’t seem to be time for anything more. They have demanding careers. They have three children each. They have husbands. An extra hour of sleep is a luxury. An extra two is a fantasy. Then: Trump. As women, they gasped at his sexism. As first-generation Indian-Americans, they shuddered at his quickness to demonize people of color with Asian, African or Latino ancestry. “I feel devastated,” Maya told me. “For me, the acceptance of diversity is one of the things that makes this country great. This election is destroying that. And that gets me into the street.” What we’ve seen from the White House in this opening stage of the Trump administration isn’t encouraging. Trump’s promised pivot to a presidential demeanor never happened, and apparently never will: It’s outside of his skill set. It’s alien to his psychology. He’s all ego and spleen, with only the loosest of tethers to truth. But we’re seeing something else — something sunnier — beyond the White House: an awakening in many Americans who were trusting, complacent or distracted before. That’s what the protests all around the country demonstrated, though whether they will translate into consequential action — and become an insurance policy against the damage Trump may do — isn’t clear. The three sisters are trying to figure that out. They’re scared. Mythili told me that as she watches Trump and the people around him reject science, construct alternate realities and try to silence anyone who balks at that, she worries that the very idea of America is in jeopardy. “We believe in freedom of expression,” she said, meaning Americans. “We believe in facts. We believe in transparency. And what he’s doing — it’s a slippery slope toward a country that I don’t recognize and a country that I don’t want to live in.” I’ve known Maya for more than five years, I had a long dinner with Mythili once and I’ve talked repeatedly with Meera on the phone. They’re ferociously smart, all three of them. They’re contagiously upbeat. Maya’s laugh is as long and loud as any I’ve heard. I crave, relish and envy it. They grew up first in Texas, which Mythili recalled as a “brutal time.” No one at her school looked like her. No one shared her family’s traditions — its vegetarianism, for example. Once, for a lesson on nutrition, she and her classmates were told to keep a food diary. Her teacher looked at hers and, in front of the other kids, gasped, “You didn’t eat any meat?” Then she opined that Mythili’s parents were leaving her malnourished. Later they moved to the suburbs of New York. Their mother died when they were still young. Their father pushed them to excel, wanting every opportunity for them. For college, Mythili went to Barnard and both Maya and Meera to Brown. Mythili teaches at a private school in central New Jersey. Maya, a physician, treats economically disadvantaged patients at a Manhattan hospital. Meera is the head of marketing for a start-up near her home in the Boston suburbs. They pay taxes at the high rate of prosperous two￾income couples like theirs. They instill an ethos of achievement in their sons and daughters. They contribute to this country. They flatter it. Trump’s campaign stunned them. “Who talks that way?” Mythili said, adding that he promoted “the total objectification of people who were different than he is, this concept that there’s only one definition of what an American is: this white, male, gun-toting person.” Meera’s thoughts were captured in a journal about the march that she contributed to Yahoo News. She wrote this: “I am a woman of color, a child of immigrants, a wife of a Latino man and a mother to multiethnic children. And I take the election of a man who built his campaign on anti￾immigration rhetoric — while shamelessly embracing racism and misogyny — very personally.” So she took that trip to Washington — four hours down, four back — although she’d never done anything like that before. She made and carried this sign: “Women’s rights are DHS-17-0435-A-000323 CBP FOIA 000323 86 human rights.” Maya’s sign, befitting her work in medicine, said, “Health care is a right, not a privilege.” Mythili’s said, “E pluribus unum.” Out of many, one. Normally, the sisters told me, a crowd as densely packed as the one that day would have made them nervous. Not this crowd. “You would accidentally hit somebody in the head with your sign and it was always, ‘No worries, it’s O.K.’ “ Meera recalled. Maya remembered how someone started singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” and fellow marchers joined in, whether they could carry the tune or not. They got back to New Jersey after 10 p.m. When Meera looked at comments attached to her Yahoo posts, she was chilled: “That many angry cows marching in the same direction is called a stampede.” “Marching for Shariah law in U.S.A.: bunch of total idiots!” “If you want a free ride, move to Canada. Better yet, any brown country.” “What’s with the men in the march? Do they squat to pee?” Ah, the internet. Wanting to do what she can, Mythili recently called the offices of her state’s two senators — Cory Booker and Robert Menendez — to register her opposition to two of Trump’s cabinet nominees, Rex Tillerson and Betsy DeVos. She’d never done something like that before, either. But these aren’t usual times. One week in, that’s even clearer than before. President Trump, Meet My Family By Nicholas Kristof New York Times, January 28, 2017 This newspaper has periodically, to its shame, succumbed to the kind of xenophobic fearmongering that President Trump is now trying to make American policy. In 1875, The Times sternly warned that too many Irish and German immigrants (like the Trumps) could “deprive Americans by birth and descent of the small share they yet retain” in New York City. In 1941, The Times cautioned in a front-page article that European Jews desperately seeking American visas might be Nazi spies. In 1942, as Japanese-Americans were being interned, The Times cheerfully suggested that the detainees were happily undertaking an “adventure.” We make bad decisions when we fear immigrants we “otherize.” That’s why Americans burned Irish Catholics alive, banned Chinese for decades, denied visas to Anne Frank’s family and interned Japanese-Americans. And yes, The New York Times sometimes participated in such madness. But we will not be part of that today. Trump signed an executive order on Friday that suspends refugee programs and targets Muslims from certain countries. It’s hypocritical for Trump to be today’s avatar of hostility to immigrants, since his own family suffered from anti-German sentiment and pretended to be Swedish. But I’m indignant for a more personal reason — and I’m getting to that. Kirk W. Johnson, a former American aid official in Iraq, fears that the executive order will bar military interpreters who have bled for America and to whom we have promised entry. He told me about one interpreter, nicknamed Homeboy, who ran through fire to rescue a wounded American soldier, and then was himself shot. Homeboy survived, barely, but lost his leg — and as he recovered, a grenade was thrown at his home by insurgents angry that he had helped Americans. After years of vetting, Homeboy was approved for a visa for interpreters who helped the United States. Does Trump really want to betray such people who risked more for America than Trump himself ever did? Yet if fear and obliviousness have led us periodically to target refugees, there’s also another thread that runs through American history. It’s reflected in the welcome received by somebody I deeply admire: Wladyslaw Krzysztofowicz. And this is personal. Raised in what was then Romania and is now Ukraine, Krzysztofowicz was jailed by the Gestapo for assisting an anti-Nazi spy for the West. His aunt was murdered in Auschwitz for similar spying, but he was freed with a bribe. When World War II was ending, he fled his home as it fell into the hands of the Soviets. After imprisonment in a Yugoslav concentration camp, he made it to Italy and then France, but he couldn’t get a work permit, and he thought that neither he nor any children he might later have would ever be fully accepted in France. So he dreamed of traveling to America, which he had heard would be open to all. He explored a fake marriage to an American woman to get a visa, but that fell through. Finally he met an American woman working in Paris who convinced her family back in Portland, Ore., to sponsor him, along with their church, the First Presbyterian Church of Portland. As Krzysztofowicz stood on the deck of the ship Marseille, approaching New York Harbor in 1952, a white￾haired woman from Boston chatted with him and quoted the famous lines from the Statue of Liberty, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free ….” Krzysztofowicz spoke little English and didn’t understand, so she wrote them down for him and handed him the paper, saying, “Keep it as a souvenir, young man.” Then as she was walking away, she corrected herself: “young American.” Krzysztofowicz kept that scrap of paper and marveled that he — a refugee who had repeatedly faced death in the Old Country for not belonging — now somehow counted as an American even before he had set foot on American soil, even before he had learned English. It was an inclusiveness that dazzled him, that kindled a love for America that he passed on to his son. DHS-17-0435-A-000324 CBP FOIA 000324 87 That strand of hospitality represents the best of this country. The church sponsored Krzysztofowicz even though he wasn’t a Presbyterian, even though he was Eastern European at a time when the Communist bloc posed an existential threat to America. He could have been a spy or a terrorist. But he wasn’t. After arriving in Oregon, he decided that the name Krzysztofowicz was unworkable for Americans, so he shortened it to Kristof. He was my dad. Recently I returned to the First Presbyterian Church to thank the congregation for taking a risk and sponsoring my father, who died in 2010. And the church, I’m delighted to say, is moving to support a refugee family this year. Mr. President, please remember: This is a country built by refugees and immigrants, your ancestors and mine. When we bar them and vilify them, we shame our own roots. IMMIGRATION Texas Border Leaders Discuss How To Approach Trump On Security, Trade Previously scheduled meeting took on new urgency after President Trump’s executive order this week to speed construction of a wall along Mexican border By Dan Frosch And Dudley Althaus Wall Street Journal, January 28, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. One Certainty Of Trump’s Wall: Big Money By Danielle Ivory And Julie Creswell New York Times, January 28, 2017 It was the border wall that didn’t get built. In 2006, Boeing and a team of other companies won a federal contract to construct a wall to protect the United States border with Mexico, which stretches roughly 2,000 miles, from California to Texas. Five years and about $1 billion later, the government threw in the towel. Costs had ballooned, and the surveillance systems suffered from technical difficulties. Nearly all of the money had been spent on just 53 miles of the border in Arizona. The project was a loss for taxpayers. But for contractors, it was a big win. Today, as President Trump declares his intention to move forward with plans to build a barrier along the Mexican border, many of the details remain little more than a guessing game. Does Mr. Trump intend to build miles of concrete blocks, or fencing? Could parts of the wall be virtual, using technology like cameras and sensors to monitor the border, or be manned by drones? Will Mexico, as Mr. Trump has promised repeatedly, pay for it? There is no doubt that if the United States moves ahead with plans for an ambitious border wall — one of the biggest infrastructure projects in decades, perhaps running in the tens of billions of dollars — it will be a boon for contractors. An examination of failed efforts from the past highlights the potential gains for companies and potential pitfalls for taxpayers. Among the possible winners are construction firms, high-tech surveillance companies and cement manufacturers including, in what would be an ironic turn, one of Mexico’s largest materials companies. “There’s no question that, when the government spends money on a big project like this, companies are going to make a lot of money,” said Joe Hornyak, a partner with the law firm Holland and Knight, who specializes in government contracting law. “There’s no question about that.” In the past week, the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, said Congress would move ahead with plans to build the wall, estimating that it would cost $12 billion to $15 billion. Researchers at M.I.T. said last year that a 1,000-mile, 50-foot-high steel-and-concrete wall would run taxpayers about $40 billion. Whether the number ends up on the low or high end of these ranges, it has already caught the eye of companies and investors eager to get a piece of the construction action, despite the myriad political and social battles that will surround it. The stocks of several construction companies and cement and concrete manufacturers jumped after the latest talk from Mr. Trump, as investors bet not only on a payday coming from a Mexican border wall but also from proposals floated for about $1 trillion in infrastructure projects. The White House did not immediately respond to an inquiry. In 2011, when the Department of Homeland Security canceled the fence project, it said the effort was ineffective and too costly. History would suggest that such efforts can have problematic results. Past attempts at a wall have favored companies with decades of government contracting experience. From 2007 to 2012, the federal government paid contractors more than $1.5 billion for border protection, according to a New York Times analysis of spending under the Department of Homeland Security’s Secure Border Initiative. The initiative, started in 2005, has been one of the most aggressive attempts to protect the border. An office at Customs and Border Protection was assigned to develop and construct a virtual and physical wall along the border with Mexico, to reduce illegal immigration. The company that won the biggest contract through that office was Boeing, which is best known for building aircraft but also performs a variety of tasks for the government, making it the nation’s second-largest federal contractor. DHS-17-0435-A-000325 CBP FOIA 000325 88 Boeing was paid more than $20 billion in contracts during the last fiscal year. Boeing was not the only winner. The security company Wackenhut Corporation, now known as G4S Secure Solutions, received more than $119 million. I.B.M. won more than $56 million, and ManTech International, the technology company, received upward of $43 million. The project with Boeing, though, ran into snags almost immediately. Boeing and its team had built a complicated system consisting of sensors, radar and cameras mounted on towers to help border agents find people crossing into the country illegally. But the system worked inconsistently in some rough terrain. The project became the subject of multiple, and scathing, Government Accountability Office reports, some of which cited poor fiscal oversight. And after about $1 billion had been spent, the Obama administration canceled the project. In recent days, Boeing’s chief executive, Dennis Muilenburg, has been asked whether the company had discussed border security with the president, and whether it could harvest any information from its earlier project for the new wall. He said the company was not actively pursuing anything in that area but was open to working with the government. The company, otherwise, did not comment on its scrapped project. There have been other attempts at a barrier that also ran into financial trouble. As a result of the various projects, hundreds of miles of wall already exist along the border, though in a form — wire mesh, chain link, sheet piling, concrete vehicle barriers, post and rails and X-shaped beams — that Mr. Trump may not have envisioned. In 2005, one border project was harshly criticized by lawmakers after it was reported that cameras broke down frequently. In another, the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General reported in 2011 that officials had wasted $69 million in taxpayer dollars on an effort to build border walls, including the purchase of $44 million worth of extra steel that it did not need. In 2006, President George W. Bush signed the Secure Fence Act into law, requiring 700 miles of double-layered reinforced fencing to protect the border. The law was altered later to give the Department of Homeland Security more discretion to decide what kind of fencing was needed. Much of that wall consists of vehicle barriers, which do not stop people on foot. None of this history seems to have tempered Mr. Trump’s enthusiasm. But it comes at a time when a construction boom across much of the country has created a significant shortage of legal labor to build the wall, according to construction executives and others in Texas. Separately, a study released in 2012 estimated that half the construction workers in Texas were undocumented workers. Which means that many of the laborers on the wall could be illegal immigrants. “If this wall gets built in Texas, there is a high likelihood that a significant bit of the work force will be undocumented,” said Jose P. Garza, the executive director of the Workers Defense Project, which supports low-income workers. In another twist, money may flow to Mexicans or Mexican companies. Analysts say it is basically cost prohibitive to ship heavy rock or concrete more than 70 miles, or cement more than several hundred miles. That means manufacturers closest to the border may prove to be the most economical. That could be a big win for Cemex, Mexico’s largest cement manufacturer, which has a United States￾based subsidiary that could bid for the project and several plants dotting the border, analysts note. The company could also potentially receive hard-to-trace subcontracts that even government agencies sometimes have a difficult time tracking. Also, the government already gives preferences to contractors that supply American-made construction materials when it awards such contracts, said Mr. Hornyak, but for certain large construction projects, the Trade Agreements Act waives requirements for materials made in countries that have entered into trade agreements with the United States. So, Mr. Hornyak added, the president would most likely need Congress to change the law if he wanted to dictate that agencies, for instance, buy only American-made cement. All of which means that, in an almost subversive inversion of the running debate over who will pay for what, the United States could ultimately wind up paying Mexican citizens and Mexican-owned businesses to construct the wall. An infrastructure build-out could also increase the cost of cement and other materials, say analysts. Currently, the United States is operating at 90 percent of its capacity levels, estimates Garik Shmois, an analyst at Longbow Research in Independence, Ohio. “We’re going to be effectively sold out by 2018, based on current projects,” Mr. Shmois said. “So any additional period of growth, such as an infrastructure cycle, will put upward pressure on prices.” That is good news for cement and materials companies with significant operations in the United States, including Vulcan Materials, Martin Marietta Materials and German￾based HeidelbergCement Group, as well as Mexico’s Cemex and Grupo Cementos de Chihuahua. Companies that specialize in surveillance technology or even “virtual” barriers could also benefit. Elbit Systems of America, whose parent company is based in Israel, won a contract in 2014 with Customs and Border Protection to build a set of towers with radar and cameras covering 170 to 200 miles along the Arizona border. When the radar detects movement, cameras zoom in and send images to command centers. DHS-17-0435-A-000326 CBP FOIA 000326 89 “When looking at the border, there is not a one-size-fits￾all approach,” said Gordon Kesting, vice president for homeland security solutions for Elbit Systems of America. “But if you look at the costs associated with some of the approaches, they are quite different. There is a discussion to be had on the most effective and efficient use of taxpayer dollars.” Miami Mayors Chide Gimenez Over County Immigration Detentions By Patricia Mazzei Miami Herald, January 28, 2017 The current and former mayors of the city of Miami — a Republican and a Democrat, respectively — publicly chided Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez for directing county jails to comply with federal immigration detention requests following President Donald Trump’s crackdown on “sanctuary” jurisdictions for immigrants in the country illegally. Mayor Tomás Regalado tweeted Friday night that he’s “disappointed” by Gimenez’s Thursday decision. Regalado also seemed to indicate city cops have no interest in acting as immigration deputies — something Gimenez insists the county won’t be doing either, even as it subsidizes federal detentions. The city doesn’t manage any jails of its own. “@MiamiPD job is to protect and serve the residents of the @CityofMiami,” Regalado wrote. “I am disappointed with the decision of the County.” Several Twitter users, perhaps unaware that the county and city are separate jurisdictions, had apparently confused Regalado with Gimenez, and Regalado responded to some of them as well. “I am an immigrant,” Regalado wrote to one person. “The City of Miami will not comply. However Miami Dade County is a whole different government.” Though both Republicans, Regalado and Gimenez have been at odds politically for decades, most recently when Regalado’s daughter ran last year against Gimenez. When big-city mayors urged then-President-elect Trump last month to protect “DREAMers,” immigrants brought into the country illegally as children, Regalado was quick to offer his support. Gimenez took longer to say he backed President Barack Obama’s program to protect DREAMers from deportation. Separately, former Miami Mayor Manny Diaz wrote in a pointed Miami Herald op-ed published Saturday that Gimenez, who is his friend, acted too hastily, without seeking enough legal guidance about Trump’s executive order. “While other mayors have taken an approach that protects their communities, Mayor Gimenez has rushed into action to please the president, betraying our community’s long history of welcoming immigrants,” wrote Diaz, a lawyer. He argued that Miami-Dade, which notifies the feds of all of the people it arrests and is willing to detain them as long as Immigration and Customs Enforcement defrays the expense, already complied with Trump’s order. “When the president tells cities to obey him or face his wrath, it is the mayor’s duty to at least question him,” Diaz wrote. “Democracy is not the president saying jump, and Mayor Gimenez asking how high.” Both Diaz and Regalado weighed in after angry protesters demonstrated outside County Hall on Friday, and deluged Gimenez’s office with phone calls and emails opposing his directive. All three mayors — Diaz, Gimenez and Regalado — were born in Cuba. Reactions from other local politicians requested by the Herald were either muted or generally divided along party lines. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican, praised Gimenez for making “the right decision.” U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Miami Republican, called unfunded mandates — like requiring municipalities to detain inmates for longer without paying for it — “an evasion of responsibility by the federal government” but said local governments are now on notice and she supports withholding funds from them if they “choose to ignore federal law.” U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo, also a Miami Republican, warned Trump’s policy “focuses on a symptom, not one of the root causes of our flawed immigration system, and has the potential of undermining the work of law enforcement officials investigating serious crimes in urban areas.” U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, a Florida Democrat; U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, a Miami Republican, and U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, a Miami Gardens Democrat, did not respond to requests for comment. Two Republicans on the county commission, Chairman Esteban “Steve” Bovo and Joe Martinez, sided with Gimenez. Two Democrats, Daniella Levine Cava and Jean Monestime, questioned — but only mildly — Gimenez’s quick decision. Other commissioners did not respond. The biggest denunciation came from U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Weston, whose Broward County￾based district dips into northeast Miami-Dade. “The only way to deal with a bully is to confront him,” she said in a statement. “We need to stand with local officials who should oppose Donald Trump’s intimidating executive order that threatens to strip federal funding from sanctuary cities and counties. This ham-fisted approach will only spread mass anxiety into communities throughout Florida and the country, and split up countless families who are our friends, coworkers and neighbors.” Miami Herald staff writer Douglas Hanks contributed to this report. DHS-17-0435-A-000327 CBP FOIA 000327 90 Trump Aides Divided Over Policy Shielding ‘Dreamer’ Immigrants: Sources By Julia Edwards Ainsley And Richard Cowan Reuters, January 28, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. TERRORISM INVESTIGATIONS Trump Orders Joint Chiefs To Draft ISIS Strategy, Restructuring Of Security Council By Philip Rucker And Missy Ryan Washington Post, January 28, 2017 President Trump signed three executive orders on Saturday afternoon, including one directing the Joint Chiefs of Staff to draft a plan to destroy the Islamic State and another formalizing new lobbying restrictions on administration officials. One of Trump’s directives orders the Joint Chiefs to submit a strategy within 30 days to defeat the Islamic State, signaling that the new president hopes to make good on his campaign promise to more aggressively confront global terrorism than his predecessor. “I think it’s going to be very successful,” Trump said. “That’s big stuff.” Both Trump and his new defense secretary, retired Marine Gen. James Mattis, have expressed a desire to expedite an end to the battle against the Islamic State. Iraqi forces, backed by U.S. air power and American advisers, have cleared half of the city of Mosul, but they have taken heavy losses and could require additional outside support. In Syria, the United States is struggling to recruit sufficient Arab fighters to recapture the city of Raqqa, an offensive that American officials hope can begin within several months. Even before Saturday’s order, military officials had been at work developing a series of potential actions for Mattis and Trump’s entire national security team to consider. Those include potentially deploying additional advisers to Iraq and Syria, allowing U.S. military personnel to accompany local forces closer to the front lines, and delegating greater decision-making power to field commanders. Changes to the existing campaign are expected to be modest adjustments to the existing strategy rather than any radical departure. How far the new measures go “would depend upon the political risk that the president is willing to take when we do certain things that could exacerbate things with Russia or Turkey or the PMF,” one defense official said, referring to Iranian-backed militias that have played an important role in fighting the Islamic State in Iraq. U.S. ties with Turkey are already strained in Syria over U.S. support to Kurdish fighters there, and any move to expand that support is sure to inflame existing tensions. The proposals will seek to ensure that commanders in the field “have the wherewithal and the leeway to do what they have to do to successfully prosecute the campaign,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. But employing more combat power may come with serious drawbacks, including risking additional American lives and adding to the already significant cost of military operations overseas. Trump also signed an executive order restructuring the National Security Council and streamlining procedures in a way that the White House believes would be more adaptive to modern threats. Trump said that the change would bring “a lot of efficiency and, I think, a lot of additional safety.” “People have talked about doing this for a long time,” he said. “Like, many years.” The third executive order institutes new lobbying rules for administration officials. It stipulates that administration officials can not register as lobbyists for a full five years after leaving the government — and can never lobby on behalf of a foreign government. The lobbying rules are in keeping with Trump’s campaign promise to “drain the swamp.” “Most of the people standing behind me won’t be able to go to work or do anything adverse to our wonderful country,” Trump said, as the aides standing around his desk in the Oval Office laughed. As a small group of reporters were leaving the Oval Office, someone shouted out a question about the president’s executive order signed Friday that temporarily blocks the arrival of refugees and immigrants from seven countries that are predominantly Muslim. “It’s not a Muslim ban, but we were totally prepared,” Trump said. “It’s working out very nicely. You see it at the airports, you see it all over. It’s working out very nicely, and we’re going to have a very, very strict ban and we’re going to have extreme vetting, which we should have had in this country for many years.” It wasn’t immediately clear on Saturday what effect the Trump administration’s executive order halting entry of migrants and green card holders from Iraq and other Muslim￾majority nations would have on the U.S. partnership with the Iraqi government in the battle against the Islamic State. Iraqi lawmakers have asked the country’s Foreign Ministry to explain how the measure will affect Iraq. Trump’s Call For Deadlier Islamic State Push May Hit Limits By Phil Stewart DHS-17-0435-A-000328 CBP FOIA 000328 91 Reuters, January 28, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. How An American Ended Up Accused Of Aiding ISIS With Gift Cards By Eric Lichtblau New York Times, January 28, 2017 The F.B.I. had a job offer for Nick Young, a veteran Washington transit officer: Become an undercover informant for the bureau and gather information at local mosques on fellow Muslims who might pose a terrorism threat. The clandestine work would be “a lot sexier” than his current job, Mr. Young remembered an agent named Ryan telling him. And it could pay him a lot of money if the intelligence was good. Mr. Young turned him down. But it would not be the last time he would see the F.B.I. agent. Last August, five years later, Mr. Young was summoned to the headquarters of the transit agency, Metro, where Ryan and other agents were waiting for him. “You probably don’t recognize me, do you?” Ryan, whose beard was now thicker, asked him. “Oh, I recognize you,” Mr. Young said. This time, the agent handcuffed Mr. Young on a charge of supporting the Islamic State — a case built, in a twist, by an informant who posed as a would-be terrorist fighter. The prosecution of Mr. Young, the only law enforcement officer among more than 100 Americans who have been accused of helping the Islamic State, offers a revealing look at the F.B.I.’s shadowy cat-and-mouse efforts to identify possible Islamic extremists. President Trump has vowed to intensify the effort as part of a campaign to “annihilate” the militant group. Mr. Young’s case also poses a challenge to the F.B.I.’s expanding use of undercover operations to identify Islamic State sympathizers inside the United States who might travel overseas to help the terrorist group or commit “lone wolf” attacks at home. His lawyer claims that the F.B.I. entrapped him, with undercover operatives popping in and out of his life for at least six years. To law enforcement officials, however, Mr. Young represents one of their worst fears: a longtime officer, with access to sensitive facilities, who they suspect was “radicalized” to support Islamic extremism. He is charged with providing “material support” to the Islamic State, in the form of $245 worth of Google Play gift cards. The authorities say he gave the gift cards to a Muslim friend named Mo — in reality, an undercover informant — to support recruitment for the terrorist group. Before now, very few American suspects linked to the Islamic State have spoken out. But in three and a half hours of interviews from jail, Mr. Young, a convert to Islam, portrayed himself and many other American Muslims under investigation as victims of religious persecution. He accused an “overzealous” F.B.I. of “manufacturing” the case. “I know for sure I wouldn’t have been targeted if I was an evangelic Christian or a Sikh or a Hindu or something,” said Mr. Young, 37. “I’m not a terrorist,” he added. “Seeing these horrible allegations and the way they’re trying to paint me, it’s just a nightmare.” Officials at the F.B.I. and the Justice Department declined to comment on the case. In general, the F.B.I. said in a statement, the investigative techniques used in such national security cases “are subject to vigorous oversight and require us to use the least intrusive means possible.” The F.B.I. has moved aggressively since the rise of the Islamic State in 2014 to identify suspected extremist supporters inside the United States, opening hundreds of investigations and generating convictions from Brooklyn to Southern California, often against young Muslim men. Mr. Trump has declared that the country must do more to confront what he calls “radical Islamic terrorism,” including the possibility of expanding surveillance and intelligence operations, creating a “registry” of American Muslims, and reviving torture as an interrogation technique. While Mr. Trump has sent mixed signals on some of those proposals, they have worried some civil liberties advocates, who say they are eager to see whether the Justice Department and the F.B.I. seek to expand their investigative powers still further in domestic terrorism cases. Mr. Young sees himself as a pawn in that broader fight. He acknowledges holding passionate views about the Middle East and the “slaughter” of Syrians by the government of President Bashar al-Assad. On breaks from the transit agency, Mr. Young traveled to Libya twice in 2011 with body armor to join rebels fighting the Qaddafi regime. “I didn’t kill anyone while I was there,” he said, laughing, but “I got shot at a lot.” He insisted that he had never supported terrorists. He plans to take the witness stand at his trial, an unusual tactic for a terrorism suspect. “Nick doesn’t have anything to hide,” said Nicholas D. Smith, one of his lawyers. As he waits for his trial date, he sits in a rural jail in Warsaw, Va., reading science fiction occasionally, with “The Jerry Springer Show” sometimes playing on a television in the background. “My brain’s turning to mush,” he said. He said the jail had denied him access to Muslim prayer sessions. But the conditions are far better, he added, than the solitary confinement he was placed in for 23 hours a day for months after his arrest. That ordeal, he said, has caused lingering panic attacks and other problems. Unlike the bulk of the Americans charged with supporting the Islamic State, Mr. Young is not accused of DHS-17-0435-A-000329 CBP FOIA 000329 92 plotting violence or trying to travel to the Middle East to fight with the group. He said he was under investigation for so long, it was almost inevitable that the authorities would find a way to charge him. “At the end of the day, the crime I’m being accused of — a crime of sending gift cards — it would be laughable if it wasn’t really happening,” Mr. Young said. He declined to explain the gift cards, citing a pretrial order that restricts what he can say about documents in the case. But he said his explanation would come out at his trial. Since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, dozens of terrorism defendants caught in undercover stings have claimed in court that they were illegally entrapped into saying or doing incriminating things. None have succeeded. Judges have given the Justice Department wide latitude in using undercover stings in terrorism cases. “You almost need a perfect case” to prove entrapment, said Seamus Hughes, a terrorism expert at George Washington University’s Program on Extremism, “and that’s difficult to find.” Still, several legal analysts said Mr. Young might have a legitimate shot, because of the unusual elements of the F.B.I.’s yearslong undercover investigation. They point out that even an obstruction-of-justice charge that Mr. Young faces is based on his statements to agents about a fictional F.B.I. investigation into the whereabouts of a would-be Islamic State fighter who never existed. Mr. Young apparently first came onto the F.B.I.’s radar around 2010 because he knew a fellow student at George Mason University, Zachary A. Chesser, who, like him, was a white convert to Islam from Northern Virginia and attended the same mosque. The F.B.I. interviewed Mr. Young that year as part of an investigation into Mr. Chesser, who ultimately pleaded guilty to terrorism-related charges after he was accused of threatening the creators of “South Park” over the show’s depiction of the Prophet Muhammad. Mr. Young does not appear to have been an F.B.I. target at the time, even as undercover informants began giving the bureau reports about the activities of him and some of his associates. He continued working as an armed officer patrolling Washington-area subways and bus lines. He said F.B.I. agents — Ryan and a second agent — had met with him twice in 2011 to recruit him as an informant. Mr. Young said he found the idea of becoming an informant distasteful. The F.B.I. said in a court affidavit that he had used stronger language in a conversation with one of the bureau’s undercover informants, saying that if he were ever betrayed by one, “that person’s head would be in a cinder block” at the bottom of a lake. Based on wiretaps and statements from informants, the F.B.I. reported that Mr. Young had made a number of other incendiary and perhaps even threatening comments over the years about Muslim informants, F.B.I. investigators and “kaffirs” — or nonbelievers. Mr. Young acknowledged that he could have used “a little self-editing” in some of his private remarks. But he said he had never meant them to be taken literally. “Everyone’s capable of saying stupid, blustery things,” said Mr. Smith, his lawyer. Some F.B.I. officials pressed to bring criminal charges against Mr. Young years ago, but the Justice Department rebuffed them because of an apparent lack of evidence that he was involved in supporting terrorism, according to law enforcement officials. It was not until 2014 that Mr. Young crossed the line into supporting terrorism, the Justice Department now alleges. That was when he first met Mo, a Middle Easterner who said he was a military reservist, at a mosque where he prayed. Mr. Young said he had suspected early on that Mo might be an informant because of his strange mannerisms. But his concerns eased, and the two became friends, meeting at a Starbucks or elsewhere. Mo later told Mr. Young that he was thinking of traveling to Syria to join the Islamic State, prosecutors said. While Mr. Young sometimes appeared to offer Mo advice on how best to avoid government scrutiny if he went to the Middle East, he also told him at times that he did not need to join the terrorist group — at least not then, according to the F.B.I.’s account. “There is no one with a gun to your head that is counting down,” he told Mo in a conversation recorded in October 2014. Such statements, said Mr. Smith, his lawyer, show that “the government is really grasping at straws here.” Prosecutors are acting on “really more of a hunch that he might commit crimes in the future,” he said, “and they can’t prove it.” Suspected U.S. Commando Raid In Yemen Kills Three Al Qaeda Members: Residents By Noah Browning Reuters, January 29, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. CYBER NEWS Hackers Hit D.C. Police Closed-circuit Camera Network, City Officials Disclose By Clarence Williams Washington Post, January 27, 2017 DHS-17-0435-A-000330 CBP FOIA 000330 93 Hackers infected 70 percent of storage devices that record data from D.C. police surveillance cameras eight days before President Trump’s inauguration, forcing major citywide reinstallation efforts, according to the police and the city’s technology office. City officials said ransomware left police cameras unable to record between Jan. 12 and Jan. 15. The cyberattack affected 123 of 187 network video recorders in a closed-circuit TV system for public spaces across the city, the officials said late Friday. Brian Ebert, a Secret Service official, said the safety of the public or protectees was never jeopardized. Archana Vemulapalli, the city’s Chief Technology Officer, said the city paid no ransom and resolved the problem by taking the devices offline, removing all software and restarting the system at each site. An investigation into the source of the hack continues, said Vemulapalli, who said the intrusion was confined to the police CCTV cameras that monitor public areas and did not extend deeper into D.C. computer networks. Ransomware is malware that is said to be proliferating. It infects computers, often when users click on a link or open an attachment in an email. It then encrypts files or otherwise locks users out until they pay. The D.C. hack appeared to be an extortion effort that”was localized” and did not affect criminal investigations, city officials said. On Jan. 12 D.C. police noticed four camera sites were not functioning properly and told OCTO. The technology office found two forms of ransomware in the four recording devices and launched a citywide sweep of the network where they found more infected sites, said Vemulapalli. The network video recorders are connected to as many as four cameras at each site, she said. “There was no access from these devices into our environment,” Vemulapalli said. Interim Police Chief Peter Newsham said that police worked with OCTO but that the incident was limited to about 48 hours He said there was “no significant impact” overall. City officials declined to say who they suspected in the attack. US No Longer Has Geography As Defense, Ally In Cybercombat By Tami Abdollah Associated Press, January 28, 2017 WASHINGTON (AP) – The United States has long relied on its borders and superior military might to protect against and deter foreign aggressors. But a lack of boundaries and any rulebook in cyberspace has increased the threat and leveled the playing field today. It’s unclear how President Donald Trump, who has emphasized an “America First” approach to domestic issues, will respond to cyberspace threats, which transcend traditional borders and make it easier and cheaper than ever for foreigners to attack the U.S. Whatever the approach, it will set the tone and precedent for global policies during a critical time when the ground rules are still being written. At a hearing this month on foreign cyberthreats, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., ran through a list of recent operations the U.S. believes was carried out by foreign countries – Russia, China, Iran and North Korea. The targets: the White House, State Department, Office of Personnel Management, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Navy, major U.S. financial institutions, a small New York dam and Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. “Our adversaries have reached a common conclusion, that the reward for attacking America in cyberspace outweighs the risk,” McCain said. With most of the U.S. critical infrastructure in private hands and Americans among the most connected citizens in the world, the potential attack surface for any hacker is vast and increasing. U.S. officials and lawmakers have argued that because there is no official policy on cyberwarfare, the response to any attack can be slow, politicized and ultimately ineffectual. The U.S. took two months, after publicly accusing Russian government hackers of trying to influence the presidential election, to respond with economic sanctions and other more symbolic measures. The reality is that the “nature of conflict has moved to the information space instead of just the physical kinetic space, and it now operates at greater scale and quicker speed,” said Sean Kanuck, who served as the first U.S. national intelligence officer for cyber issues in the Office of the Director for National Intelligence. Under the Obama administration, the U.S. proposed international cyber rules for peacetime, including that countries should not target another’s critical infrastructure. But otherwise, it has maintained existing international laws and reserved the right to respond to any cyberattack. The Trump administration is reviewing cyber policies, but it has said it will prioritize developing defensive and offensive cyber capabilities. It has also said it will work with international partners to engage in “cyberwarfare to disrupt and disable (terrorist) propaganda and recruiting.” Unlike conventional warfare, the costs in cyberspace can have rippling impacts for both the victim and attacker. Malicious software may end up spreading in an unforeseen and unplanned manner, and a hacker who gets into a single computer can cause unpredicted effects to a network. “Look at what North Korea did to Sony or what China did to us via the OPM hack,” said David Gioe, a history fellow at the Army Cyber Institute at West Point and a former DHS-17-0435-A-000331 CBP FOIA 000331 94 intelligence officer. “You’ve got all of these aircraft carriers and all of this ocean, and it really doesn’t matter because we’re still feeling effects. They’re not kinetic effects, but they’re surely effects.” More than 20 million people had their personal information compromised when the Office of Personnel Management was hacked in what the U.S. believes was a Chinese espionage operation. “Really it’s our geeks versus their geeks,” Gioe said. “In the same way as single combat. It doesn’t matter how good my army is or your army is, it’s me versus you.” --- Follow Tami Abdollah on Twitter at https://twitter.com/latams © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. NATIONAL SECURITY NEWS Donald Trump Signs Order To Revamp National Security Council White House official says move would make operation ‘more adaptive’ to threats By Carol E. Lee Wall Street Journal, January 28, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Trump’s Making His Own Rules As A Diplomat, Too By Michael Crowley Politico, January 28, 2017 Donald Trump made his own rules as a presidential candidate, and now he’s pushing ahead with global diplomacy in a similarly freewheeling fashion—with no Secretary of State yet in place and relatively little guidance from seasoned diplomatic advisers. Trump plans to speak by phone Saturday with the leaders of Australia, France, Germany and Japan, as well as with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The calls follow his White House meeting Friday with British Prime Minister Theresa May, and a phone call with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto. On Monday, Trump will host Jordan’s King Abdullah, a crucial Arab ally. The outreach comes despite the continued gaps in Trump’s diplomatic team. For decades, presidential meetings with foreign leaders have involved copious preparation by the State Department and the White House’s National Security Council which produces clear guidance to avoid surprises or misunderstandings that could trigger an international incident. Trump is still filling vacancies, including for posts with responsibility for coordinating policy for Europe and Russia. National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, a former military intelligence officer whose background is limited to the Middle East and Afghanistan, has no traditional diplomatic experience. The State Department is also a work in progress: Trump’s nominee for Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, isn’t expected to be confirmed until Monday at the earliest. Even if he is confirmed as expected, Tillerson will need to install invaluable deputies—including new senior officials for Russia and the Middle East. The occupants of those two jobs, Victoria Nuland and Anne Patterson, resigned this month, taking a trove of institutional knowledge with them. Even in some key parts of the State Department where new faces have arrived, confusion lingers. At the department’s influential office of Policy Planning—a kind of in￾house think tank traditionally led by particularly bright minds—Carnegie Mellon associate professor Kiron Skinner has been working in the director’s office. But White House and State Department officials would not say whether she will be the new policy planning chief, and Skinner, a Harvard Ph.D. who has written extensively about Ronald Reagan, has had little contact with career staffers there. The Trump team has recently unveiled the names of some incoming national security officials. On Wednesday the White House announced that Andrea Thompson, a retired Army intelligence officer, would be national security advisor to Vice President Mike Pence. Sebastian Gorka, national security editor for Breitbart News, and Victoria Coates, national security advisor to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) will reportedly also join the national security council. Trump’s approach contrasts with the one adopted by President Barack Obama, who in 2009 retained George W. Bush’s defense secretary Robert Gates. Obama also kept on Bush’s top national security council official overseeing the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Douglas Lute. One of Trump’s key conduits to foreign officials is his 36-year-old son in law, Jared Kushner, who’s never worked in government. Kushner sat in on his meetings Friday with May. A White House spokesman would not provide details on the preparations for Trump’s conversations with other leaders. A State Department official would say only that the department is “playing its traditional role to support the President in his engagement with foreign leaders.” A lack of seasoned support didn’t prevent Trump from pulling off a seemingly smooth meeting with May. The two leaders held a cheerful joint press conference at which Trump showed relative self-restraint and sprang no surprises on the British leader. DHS-17-0435-A-000332 CBP FOIA 000332 95 The stakes will be higher in Trump’s call with Putin, his first as president, during which the men are expected to discuss the possibility that Trump might lift some U.S. sanctions on Moscow. Even the idea of lifting sanctions is politically explosive. On Friday, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) warned Trump that backing down on Russia would be “a reckless course” that he would seek to reverse with Congressional legislation. The focus on Trump’s Putin call has overshadowed his planned talks Saturday with French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Many analysts consider the German leader America’s most important ally, and President Barack Obama worked assiduously to develop a strong relationship with her. Merkel greeted Trump’s election somewhat coolly, issuing a congratulatory statement that said she would cooperate with the incoming president on the basis of agreement over “values of democracy, freedom and respect for the law and the dignity of man, independent of origin, skin color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or political views.” The German chancellor is also a skeptic of Putin and will likely expect clarity from Trump about his plans for dealing with the Russian leader. On Monday, Trump will host Jordan’s King Abdullah, whom many have long considered Washington’s closest friend in the Arab world—but who arrives amid politically explosive talk that Trump might seek to move the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, an act that could ignite the Palestinian population within and along Jordan’s borders. Trump Administration Holds Off On Issuing U.N. Funding Order By Max Fisher New York Times, January 28, 2017 The Trump administration is delaying its plans to issue two executive orders that would reduce funding to the United Nations and begin a process to review and potentially cancel certain multilateral treaties, according to current and former officials briefed on the matter. Both draft orders were submitted to the National Security Council for approval, but the council’s advisers were granted less than an hour and a half to review them, though this process normally takes weeks. Federal agencies were granted similarly brief windows for review. Federal officials that were asked to review the documents balked at their contents, warning they required legal vetting. The draft orders are now being withheld for a more complete review by a number of agencies, including the State Department, which is expected to begin as early as next week. The draft order on the United Nations funding, according to copies acquired by The New York Times, called for “at least a 40 percent overall decrease” in contributions by the United States to the world body and its agencies. Much of this funding currently goes to international peacekeeping operations and other core United Nations missions. The draft order would have allowed for similar cuts to other international organizations, but it did not name them. Some provisions in the draft order were either unclear or redundant. For example, one suggested considering cuts in funding toward the International Criminal Court, but the United States does not recognize that body or make contributions to it. Another called for the termination of funding for any United Nations agency that grants full membership to a Palestinian representative, which is already United States law. Nikki R. Haley, the new American ambassador to the United Nations, said in comments at the United Nations headquarters on Friday, “You’re going to see a change in the way we do business.” Ms. Haley added, “For those who don’t have our backs, we’re taking names.” President Trump expressed antipathy toward the United Nations during the campaign. A second draft order called for establishing a process to review whether some multilateral treaties should be annulled, including current and pending treaties. The order’s text excluded treaties “directly related” to extradition, trade or national security, though it is unclear which treaties would have qualified. Experts said that permission for the reviews of treaties related to the environment — such as the Paris climate agreement — or to human rights also appeared to be intended in the draft order. Trump, Putin Use First Formal Phone Call To Seek Better Ties By Jake Rudnitsky Bloomberg Politics, January 28, 2017 President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged cooperation in fighting the Islamic State, the two sides said, as the pair seek to reverse tension after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, its support for Syria, and allegations that Russian hackers sought to sway the U.S. election. “The positive call was a significant start to improving the relationship between the United States and Russia that is in need of repair,” the White House said in a statement. Putin told Trump he “sees the U.S. as a most important partner in the fight against international terrorism,” according to a readout of the call from the Kremlin that described the conversation as “positive and businesslike.” DHS-17-0435-A-000333 CBP FOIA 000333 96 The conversation, one of several Trump held with world leaders on Saturday, was the among the first formal steps in his effort to reset relations with the Kremlin, which soured under the Obama administration after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its support for Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad in his fight against rebel groups. Trump’s critics have questioned the wisdom of his calls for better ties with Putin, especially in light of the U.S. intelligence community’s conclusion that Russia hacked e-mails of the Democratic National Committee in a bid to swing the November election in Trump’s favor. Trump has said he would consider easing financial penalties imposed by the U.S. over the annexation of Crimea in 2014 in exchange for Russia’s support on a nuclear weapons deal or fighting terror groups like the Islamic State. Critics have argued that Russia’s support of Assad has nothing to do with Islamic State fighters based there, pointing to the fact that its air war has focused on rebels around Aleppo not affiliated with the group. ‘Active Joint Efforts’ Vice President Mike Pence participated in the call with Putin along with senior counselor Stephen Bannon, chief of staff Reince Priebus, national security adviser Michael Flynn and press secretary Sean Spicer. The White House said the call lasted about an hour. “In the course of the conversation, both sides demonstrated a desire for active joint efforts to stabilize and develop Russia-American relations on a constructive, equitable and mutually beneficial basis,” the Kremlin said. “The importance was underlined of restoring mutually beneficial trade and economic ties between business on both sides.” There was no mention in either readout of the wide￾ranging U.S. sanctions targeting Russia’s banking, energy, and defense sectors. Some were imposed via executive order by former President Barack Obama, which Trump has the power to undo quickly. Trump downplayed the possibility of sanctions relief during a press conference on Friday, saying, “We’ll see what happens. As far as the sanctions, very early to be talking about that.” Climate Accord Also Saturday, Trump spoke with Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, French Prime Minister Francois Hollande, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Hollande said the sanctions on Russia must only be lifted if progress is made on the Minsk agreement aimed at bringing peace to Ukraine, according to his office. He told Trump that “the defense of democracies requires observing fundamental principles and among these are welcoming refugees,” a criticism of the president’s executive order, signed Friday, that suspended refugee admissions and put a 90-day ban on admissions of immigrants from seven Muslim-majority nations including Iran, Iraq and Syria. Hollande also warned Trump of the “economic and political consequences” of protectionism, according to his office, as the U.S. president looks to renegotiate trade agreements and potentially put a tax on imports. NATO Alliance In the call with Merkel, Trump agreed on the importance of the NATO alliance and the need for allies to contribute their fair share, according to readouts from both sides. The White House said they discussed Ukraine but provided no details; Merkel has previously said she wants Europe to maintain pressure on Russia over Ukraine regardless of what the U.S. decides to do. Trump accepted Merkel’s invitation to attend a Group of 20 summit in Hamburg in July, according to the readouts. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill also warned Trump they would look to act if he rolled back the penalties on Russia. ‘Reckless Course’ Senator John McCain, an Arizona Republican, on Friday called on Trump to “reject such a reckless course” and remember that Putin is “a murderer and a thug who seeks to undermine American national security interests at every turn.” “If he does not, I will work with my colleagues to codify sanctions against Russia into law,” McCain said. There was no indication that Putin and Trump discussed Russian attempts to interfere in the election. The Obama administration imposed additional sanctions and expelled Russian intelligence officials from the U.S. over alleged interference. As part of a report detailing the Russian effort, both the former and current president also were briefed on an unsubstantiated dossier of salacious personal and business intelligence about Trump allegedly collected by Russian security services. Trump has denied the allegations in the dossier, which was subsequently published by the website BuzzFeed, and the Kremlin has said it didn’t spy on the president during his trips to Russia as a private citizen. Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin Discuss Working Together To Fight Terrorism No mention of Russian sanctions in statements from White House, Kremlin after phone call By Olga Razumovskaya Wall Street Journal, January 28, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Trump Holds Calls With Putin, Leaders From Europe And Asia By Philip Rucker And David Filipov DHS-17-0435-A-000334 CBP FOIA 000334 97 Washington Post, January 28, 2017 President Trump called Russian President Vladi-mir Putin on Saturday in hopes of cultivating “a great relationship,” one in a series of telephone conversations with world leaders as he develops a personal rapport with the heads of several traditional U.S. allies. Trump’s conversation with Putin, which began about noon Eastern time, comes as the president faces pressure to maintain sanctions against Moscow. He is reaching out to repair the U.S.-Russian relationship, which has been badly strained by the Ukrainian crisis, the war in Syria and the conclusion by U.S. intelligence agencies that Putin ordered systematic hacking of Democratic emails to tip the presidential election in Trump’s favor. Trump spoke with Putin from behind his desk in the Oval Office, which was stacked high with papers and a glass of soda. The president was flanked by Vice President Pence, National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, White House chief of staff Reince Priebus, chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon and press secretary Sean Spicer. Trump began the day with a call to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to discuss security and trade issues between the two countries and the mutual threat posed by North Korea. “President Trump affirmed the iron-clad U.S. commitment to ensuring the security of Japan,” a White House statement said. It continued, “President Trump and Prime Minister Abe said they would consult and cooperate on the threat posed by North Korea.” Trump and Abe also discussed an upcoming visit to Japan and other countries in the region by newly installed Defense Secretary James Mattis. Abe, who during Trump’s transition phase became the first foreign leader to talk face￾to-face with the president-elect, agreed to meet Trump during a visit to Washington on Feb. 10, according to the White House. Trump then spoke by phone from with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. His outreach to Merkel comes after his repeated attacks on her during the campaign, during which he blasted the German policy on admitting Syrian refugees for, he said, putting German citizens in danger of terrorist attacks. Trump is planning to speak later Saturday with French President François Hollande and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Ahead of Trump’s call with Putin, leaders in Moscow expressed cautious hope that the new American leader could forge stronger ties than former president Barack Obama did. On Saturday, Nikolai Patrushev, the influential head of the Russian Security Council, welcomed the first contact. “We will await the results, but I believe everything will be positive,” Patrushev said Saturday, according to Russia’s Interfax news agency. From Moscow’s point of view, lifting the sanctions imposed by the Obama administration for interference in the presidential election and Russia’s intervention in Ukraine would be a good start, as would a reduction of NATO’s military presence near Russia’s borders. Washington’s European allies, meanwhile, have expressed concern over whether Trump’s first moves with Russia will signal a reduction of the U.S. commitment to European security. But Trump, speaking Friday at a White House news conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May, said that it is “very early” to discuss lifting sanctions on Russia. May also stated her commitment to keep the sanctions in place until the Minsk Agreement, a plan to end the conflict in Ukraine, has been implemented. And she added that she continues to argue that position “inside the European Union.” Trump’s first contact with Putin as president comes after months of speculation over the Kremlin’s role in the 2016 election — starting with Trump’s frequent expressions of admiration for Putin and culminating in the assessment of the U.S. intelligence community that Russia interfered in the campaign on Trump’s behalf. Trump has vehemently denied allegations that his positive view of Moscow stems from business ties or blackmail by Russian intelligence, and he has sought to portray his upbeat words about Putin as a positive. He has consistently argued that Russia can be a strong ally instead of a strategic ally, saying the two countries could cooperate on counterterrorism in general and rolling back the Islamic State in particular, as well as countering nuclear weapon proliferation. Trump has suggested that Washington can work with Moscow on the conflicts in Syria and Ukraine and that he might be ready to negotiate down NATO’s strong defensive posture on Russia’s western border. U.S. lawmakers from both parties, and others including Trump Cabinet picks, have raised alarms or at least questioned his softer approach to Russia. But on Friday, the president expressed more tempered expectations. “As far as, again, Putin and Russia, I don’t say good, bad or indifferent,” Trump said. “I don’t know the gentleman. I hope we have a fantastic relationship. That’s possible. And it’s also possible we won’t. We will see what happens. I will be representing the American people very, very strongly, very forcefully.” On a grander scale, the Kremlin seems to hope the Trump administration will relax what it sees as a policy of containment since the fall of the Soviet Union left the United States as the world’s sole superpower. In the new world order outlined by Putin, Russia would have greater influence in world affairs and, from Moscow’s point of view, feel more secure at home. DHS-17-0435-A-000335 CBP FOIA 000335 98 But Moscow has consistently cautioned about “excessive optimism” over what Trump’s presidency will mean for Russia, and Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stayed on script Friday. “One can hardly expect substantive contacts on the entire range of affairs from this call,” he told reporters. “Let us wait and see. Let us be patient.” Moscow’s establishment has welcomed Trump as a pragmatist who will not try to enforce American values on the rest of the world. “He is a businessman. He is a pragmatic person,” Andrei Norkin, co-host of a popular Russian political talk show, said this week. “I hope that his attitude to foreign policy will be like to some sort of business deal. People who will work with him will be telling him ‘Mr. President, we are taking a risk here,’ and he will agree.” Trump And Putin Have First Official Phone Conversation Amid European Anxiety About Future Relations By Christi Parsons And Tracy Wilkinson, Contact Reporters Los Angeles Times, January 28, 2017 President Trump made a flurry of phone calls to world leaders Saturday as he began shaping his new administration’s foreign policy, but none was as anxiously anticipated as the first official president-to-president contact with Russia’s Vladimir Putin. As his top aides looked on, Trump sat in the Oval Office and spoke with the Russian president on his desk phone, at one point peering out the windows at the White House journalists watching from across the Rose Garden. The pair discussed combating terrorism, confronting Islamic State militants, the crisis in Ukraine and the Iranian nuclear deal, according to a statement from the Kremlin. Moscow said the topic of easing U.S. sanctions against Russia over its 2014 annexation of Crimea did not come up. And the men agreed to a set a possible date and venue for a personal meeting, and vowed to maintain “regular personal contacts,” the Kremlin statement said. In its own statement after the one-hour phone call, the White House said, “The positive call was a significant start to improving the relationship between the United States and Russia that is in need of repair. Both President Trump and President Putin are hopeful that after today’s call the two sides can move quickly to tackle terrorism and other important issues of mutual concern.” Trump’s budding relationship with Putin is certain to be one of the most closely watched of his administration, both at home and around the world. Trump has alarmed European leaders and U.S. lawmakers from both parties with his praise and unusually friendly overtures toward the Russian leader, whom much of the world considers an authoritarian who has taken increasingly aggressive actions in Europe and the Middle East. And Trump’s oft-stated desire to improve relations with Russia comes despite the recent conclusion by American intelligence agencies that Russia hacked into the email systems of U.S. political organizations last year in an audacious bid to interfere with the presidential election and help Trump. Trump said Friday that having Russia as an ally “would be an asset.” He says Russia can help the U.S. defeat Islamic State militants in Syria, even though Putin’s priority so far in Syria has not been attacking Islamic State but supporting his ally Syrian President Bashar Assad, who is opposed by the U.S. Trump’s pick for secretary of State, America’s top diplomat, has further cemented the concerns. Rex Tillerson, the former chief executive officer of Exxon Mobil, has acknowledged a close relationship with Putin, honed through years of multibillion-dollar deals for oil exploration and drilling in Russia. Both Trump and Tillerson have been less than enthusiastic about economic sanctions imposed on Russia after Putin invaded Ukraine and annexed the Crimean peninsula in 2014. Trump even suggested the U.S. could lift the sanctions if Russia agreed to compromise on nuclear arms, an unrelated matter. Alexei Pushkov, a Russian senator and former chairman of the parliamentary foreign relations committee, said Saturday that the phone call marked the start of a new, closer U.S.-Russia relationship. “The Trump-Putin conversation will give a new beginning to the fight against [Islamic State], a solution of the crises in Syria, Ukraine. Merkel only has old solutions,” he tweeted, referring to German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Trump supporters said that his outreach toward Russia was intended to curb Putin’s aggressive behavior. “I do think they are going into this with a general negotiating tactic: Offer Russia a chance to back off and not be antagonistic,” said James Jay Carafano, a senior fellow at the conservative think tank Heritage Foundation, who briefed Trump on foreign affairs during the transition. “That is different from placating [Putin] and giving him whatever he wants.” In addition to the chat with Putin, Trump made phone calls Saturday to four other world leaders: Merkel, French President Francois Hollande, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. And the president kept up his frenetic pace of executive action by signing new directives that put his own imprint on the national security apparatus. DHS-17-0435-A-000336 CBP FOIA 000336 99 Trump signed executive actions to reorganize the National Security Council and to direct the joint chiefs of staff to present him with a plan to defeat Islamic State. He also issued a five-year ban preventing people who work for him from lobbying his administration after they leave it. The action came right on the heels of an executive order Friday closing U.S. borders to refugees from around the world and temporarily halting immigration from several mostly Muslim countries. Special correspondent Mansur Mirovalev in Moscow contributed to this report. This article was updated after statements were released by the White House and Kremlin. This article was originally published at 10 a.m. Germany’s Merkel, Trump Agree On Importance Of NATO In Call By Frank Jordans Associated Press, January 28, 2017 BERLIN (AP) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel and U.S. President Donald Trump discussed conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine on Saturday and agreed on the importance of NATO during their first call since Trump’s inauguration, according to joint statement by Merkel’s office. The two leaders had an “extensive phone conversation” in which they also talked about relations with Russia, said Merkel’s spokesman Steffen Seibert. “They expressed their intention to further deepen the already excellent bilateral relations in the coming years,” Seibert said. On NATO, both agreed on the “fundamental importance that the NATO alliance has for trans-Atlantic relations” and the need for all members to pay their fair share. Trump has repeatedly said some U.S. allies don’t spend enough on their militaries. In the joint statement, there was no mention of refugees, not even of Trump’s move on Friday banning refugees from several Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States. That move drew sharp criticism Saturday from French President Francois Hollande, Germany’s European Union ally, among others. Trump had severely criticized Merkel during his election campaign, claiming she was “ruining” Germany by allowing hundreds of thousands of asylum-seekers into the country. In turn, Merkel had raised eyebrows after Trump’s victory by insisting that the basis for cooperation between Berlin and Washington should be “democracy, freedom and human rights worldwide, and to strive for an open and liberal world order.” Seibert said Trump accepted Merkel’s invitation to attend the G-20 meeting in Hamburg, Germany, in July. Trump also said he looked forward to welcoming Merkel in Washington “soon,” according to the statement. It was the second time Trump and Merkel have spoken by phone. They first spoke when the German chancellor called Trump shortly after the election to congratulate him on his victory. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Trump, Merkel Agree NATO Members Must Pay Fair Share By Andrea Shalal Reuters, January 28, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Shinzo Abe Discusses Importance Of Japan￾U.S. Alliance With Donald Trump By Takashi Nakamichi Wall Street Journal, January 28, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Japan PM Abe: To Meet Trump February 10; Reaffirmed Importance Of Alliance By Kiyoshi Takenaka And Roberta Rampton Reuters, January 28, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Trump Tells Abe U.S. Commitment To Japan Security ‘Ironclad’: White House By Roberta Rampton And Lesley Wroughton Reuters, January 28, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Trump To Honor Pacific Island Refugee Deal With Australia By Edward Johnson Bloomberg News, January 29, 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump has vowed to uphold an agreement with Australia to resettle asylum seekers held in DHS-17-0435-A-000337 CBP FOIA 000337 100 Pacific island camps, an Australian government official said Sunday. Trump made the commitment during a 25-minute phone conversation with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, according to the official, who asked not to be identified as there has been no public announcement. About 1,600 asylum seekers who tried to reach Australia by boat are being detained on Manus Island and Nauru, with many potentially eligible to be resettled in the U.S. under an agreement reached last year with the Obama administration. The deal appeared in jeopardy when Trump on Friday signed an executive order indefinitely banning admission of people fleeing Syria, temporarily freezing the entry of other refugees and prohibiting entry by people from seven majority￾Muslim nations for 90 days. Turnbull told reporters on Saturday, before his phone hook-up with the Oval Office, he was “very confident” the agreement would be upheld. The prime minister has not spoken publicly since the call with Trump. The White House said in an earlier statement that Trump and Turnbull “emphasized the enduring strength and closeness of the U.S.-Australia relationship that is critical for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and globally.” The White House didn’t immediately respond to a late-night request for comment on the refugee deal with Australia. The two leaders committed to making the U.S.-Australia alliance even stronger, according to the Australian official. They discussed their shared objective to defeating Islamic State and tackling global instability, including in the Asia￾Pacific region. They also acknowledged their common interest in preventing irregular and illegal migration, the official said. Australia’s foreign ministry said the embassy in Washington was “engaging” with U.S. officials on what Trump’s executive order meant for Australian dual nationals from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade “has not received any requests for consular assistance from Australians unable to board transport to the United States,” it said in an e-mailed statement Sunday. Mexico Rebukes Israel Over Netanyahu Wall Tweet By Dave Graham Reuters, January 28, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Israel PM Netanyahu Praises Trump’s Plan For Mexico Border Wall By Rory Jones Wall Street Journal, January 28, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Inside The Contentious Israeli Settlement That Counts Trump As A Donor By Loveday Morris And Ruth Eglash Washington Post, January 29, 2017 In a modern building of beige and black stone, hundreds of Jewish students pore over religious texts and learn of their right to settle the land surrounding this hillside settlement, as promised by God to their forefathers. The new building for the religious seminary, or yeshiva, opened just a month ago, despite controversy over any new construction here. A sign reading “danger construction” still hangs on the fence outside. Located deep inside the occupied West Bank, near the Palestinian city of Ramallah, the settlement is considered illegal by most of the international community. But still, it has some influential backers, the most famous of whom now sits in the White House. Several of President Trump’s close associates have strong links to the right-wing Zionist community, home to 1,300 families. Trump’s pick for U.S. ambassador to Israel, his former bankruptcy lawyer David Friedman, is president of the American Friends of Bet El Institutions, which raises around $2 million a year in funding. Its website says the group has helped bring about an influx in young couples and is working to create “facts on the ground” to prevent international attempts to uproot the community. The family of Trump’s son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner has donated tens of thousands. Trump himself made a $10,000 donation in 2003, his foundation’s tax filings show. Palestinians say these communities present a major barrier to peace and the creation of a contiguous future state. It is a view that much of the world shares. But Trump’s ties to the settler movement could upend decades of U.S. policy on dealing with the conflict here, allowing Israel more freedom to build without censure from Washington, which previously considered West Bank settlements “illegitimate.” The first signs of a shift emerged last week, as Israel made a bold announcement of 2,500 new housing units in West Bank settlements, including some in Beit El. So far the Trump administration has avoided condemning the move. “We are now more hopeful,” Yael Ben-Yashar, who has lived in Beit El for 20 years, acts as the settlements DHS-17-0435-A-000338 CBP FOIA 000338 101 spokeswoman and runs tours, said this week. “We think it may be a new era.” Beit El was established in 1977 by members of a right￾wing messianic activist movement determined that Jews return to repopulate Judea and Samaria, the biblical name for the West Bank. Despite restrictions on building, it has burgeoned from a hardscrabble hilltop outpost of a few caravans to a small town dotted with palm trees and a clinic and schools. The area of Beit El, meaning “House of God,” held particular resonance for the settlers. It was believed to be the site where, according to the Bible, Jacob had his dream of angels ascending and descending a ladder to heaven, when God promised him that his descendants would return to the surrounding land. “Today, in Beit El, we are living that dream,” Ben￾Yashar said from an observation point on top of a water tanker, from which the view stretches from Tel Aviv to the West to Mount Scopus to the south and the Golan Heights to the north. In the center of the viewing platform a mosaic depicts a map of greater Israel. “You can see why God promised it here,” she said. “You can see it all from here.” Nearby, down a dirt track, is the smooth flat rock where believers say Jacob slept. The site and the settlement attract about 5,000 visitors a year, said Ben-Yashar. Some also visit its small winery, run by Hillel Manne and his wife, Nina, who met Friedman when he came to pick grapes several years ago. “I think it was just after 2008 because I remember we joked he’d made a lot of money,” Manne said with a chuckle, referring to Friedman’s work as a bankruptcy lawyer during the financial crash. His wife described Friedman as a “family person.” “He came with all the family, his wife is wonderful, too,” she said. Friedman, the son of an Orthodox rabbi was picked as ambassador by Trump, despite having no diplomatic experience. He has publicly said that the “two-state narrative” needs to end, is a staunch supporter of settlements, and has said he expects to work from Jerusalem. A move of the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem has been opposed by Palestinians and would be seen as tacit recognition of Israel’s sovereignty over the contested city. But Hillel Manne said he fears that Friedman, and a more sympathetic ear in the White House, still may not be able to change much. “It’s good to see people excited,” he said of Friedman’s appointment. “But if you want change you’ll need big change at the State Department. The State Department staff, they’ve managed the U.S. to bet on a lot of losers.” “This land was promised to me as a Jew,” said Nina Manne. “It is ridiculous that we need to live in this situation. That we have to justify ourselves to be here.” But Beit El was largely established on private Palestinian land that had been designated by the Israeli state for military purposes, according to a report published by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. Approval for 20 new units came last week when the expansion in the West Bank was announced, according to Beit El’s mayor, Shay Alon. The plans are “disastrous” said Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the Palestinian Liberation Organization’s executive committee, condemning Israeli “land theft.” “It is evident that Israel is exploiting the inauguration of the new American administration to escalate its violations and the prevention of any existence of a Palestinian state,” she said in a statement, urging the international community to take action. For Alon, however, the expansion plan didn’t go far enough. He said he felt “ambivalent” about the news, given that 300 new units in Beit El had been promised when several apartment blocks were razed by the government five years ago. Building permits were restricted for years under former president Barack Obama, and Alon hopes that Friedman “is the sort of person who can bring about a change.” Like other Orthodox residents here, he believes their presence is preordained. Yishai Babad was the ninth family to arrive, setting up a factory that makes tefillin – small leather phylacteries containing verses from the Torah. He said Obama “loved the Arabs and not the Jews,” but that the incoming administration would make no difference. “We don’t believe that the policy towards Beit El is going to change anything, because it’s all written in the scriptures,” he said. “We’ve always had difficulties, but all of Israel was built despite the difficulties.” Rice Blasts Trump For Not Mentioning Jews In Holocaust Statement By Nikita Vladimirov The Hill, January 28, 2017 Former National Security Advisor Susan Rice on Saturday tore into President Trump for releasing a statement on International Holocaust Remembrance Day without mentioning the Jewish victims. “What sickness enables a statement on [Holocaust Memorial Day] that ignores 6 million Jews! Just imagine the response if Pres. Obama did that,” Susan Rice said in a tweet. What sickness enables a statement on #holocaustmemorialday that ignores 6 million Jews! Just DHS-17-0435-A-000339 CBP FOIA 000339 102 imagine the response if Pres. Obama did that.— Susan Rice (@AmbassadorRice) January 28, 2017 The White House statement on Friday included quotes from President Donald Trump, who did not mention Jews. “It is with a heavy heart and somber mind that we remember and honor the victims, survivors, heroes of the Holocaust. It is impossible to fully fathom the depravity and horror inflicted on innocent people by Nazi terror,” Trump said in a statement. “In the name of the perished, I pledge to do everything in my power throughout my Presidency, and my life, to ensure that the forces of evil never again defeat the powers of good. Together, we will make love and tolerance prevalent throughout the world,” he added. Rice criticized the president’s use of the phrase “innocent people,” arguing it does not adequately reflect the genocide that was committed against Jews. “‘Innocents’ in [Holocaust Memorial Day] statement refers to all civilians killed in WW2. Not genocide against jews,” she tweeted, adding a hashtag “#whitewashinghistory.” “Innocents” in #HolocaustMemorialDay statement refers to ALL civilians killed in WW2. NOT GENOCIDE against JEWS. #whitewashinghistory— Susan Rice (@AmbassadorRice) January 28, 2017 Evoking Reagan And Thatcher, May Hails New UK-U.S. ‘Special Relationship’ By Elizabeth Piper Reuters, January 28, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. May’s Mission To Woo Trump A Success, But Makes Some Uneasy By Jill Lawless Associated Press, January 28, 2017 WASHINGTON (AP) – Prime Minister Theresa May went to Washington, and President Donald Trump extended the hand of friendship. Literally. May left Washington after a 24-hour visit as Saturday’s British newspapers splashed front-page photos of the two leaders touching hands as they walked at the White House before a strikingly collegial news conference. May wanted her meeting, Trump’s first as president with a foreign leader, to revitalize the trans-Atlantic “special relationship.” She got her wish – delighting those who think Trump’s presidency will be good for Britain but alarming others who loathe the brash Republican populist. She flew home – after a stop in Turkey Saturday to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan – with Trump’s commitment not to abandon NATO, his praise for what he called “this most special relationship” and – a prize she had eagerly sought – the first steps toward an early trade deal with Britain once it leaves the European Union. Britain can’t begin formal negotiations with other countries until it actually leaves the bloc, likely in 2019 at the earliest. But May’s office said Saturday that she and Trump had agreed to start high-level talks and joint working groups immediately to ensure “a seamless transition to a new bilateral relationship.” Trade between the two countries is already worth 150 billion pounds ($188 billion) a year, and May said a future trade deal “could provide huge benefits to our economic muscle and will give businesses additional certainty and confidence.” Trump did not come away empty handed from the meeting, either. He gets the seal of approval from a generally well-respected British prime minister. And there’s an invitation from Queen Elizabeth II to come for a state visit later this year – a treat for a president with Scottish roots and a taste for opulence. So there was satisfaction from May’s team aboard her RAF Voyager jet at how well the hastily arranged trip had gone. May also praised Trump’s “stunning” election victory and declared that they shared a commitment to make government serve “working people.” May’s embrace of aspects of Trump’s policies infuriated her opponents in Britain and could make other European leaders uneasy. British Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said May “clearly spent her time with Trump dodging his despicable comments on torture, on women, on Muslims and on Mexicans.” Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said May “failed to challenge Trump and stand up for our values” at a joint news conference with the president Friday. Trump, meanwhile, extolled Britain’s vote to leave the EU, saying Brexit would be “a tremendous asset and not a tremendous liability.” Those comments and the warmth of the visit drew approval from the pro-Brexit sections of Britain’s press. “It was one of the most extraordinary days in the long history of U.K.-U.S. relations,” said the Daily Mail under the headline “Love-In at the White House” and a picture of the hand-holding moment. May’s office said Trump offered his hand in a chivalrous gesture as the pair approached an unexpected ramp, and she took it. The trip will provide images for countless future stories about the trans-Atlantic bond. As well as the shoulder-to￾shoulder press conference, May got a handshake in the Oval Office beside a bust of Winston Churchill that has become minor obsession for sections of the British press since it was moved to another spot in the White House by President DHS-17-0435-A-000340 CBP FOIA 000340 103 Barack Obama. Trump restored it to a prominent place beside the Oval Office fireplace. At times it seemed the visit would be overshadowed by Trump-related headlines that had nothing to do with May, including his feud with Mexico over who would pay for the border wall. While May was in town the White House announced that Trump would speak by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin Saturday, amid speculation he could be preparing to lift U.S. sanctions over Ukraine. May said Britain wants to see the sanctions stay in place. And at the news conference with May, Trump repeated his belief that torture works – though he said he would defer to Defense Secretary James Mattis, who thinks otherwise. Britain, May stressed during the trip, is firmly against torture. May had scarcely left when Trump issued an executive order barring all refugees from entering the U.S. for four months and imposing a 90-day ban on people from seven Muslim-majority countries. On the whole, May emerged from the joint appearance looking confident and controlled. Trump, too, was notably calm and measured in her presence. When May said Trump has assured her he was “100 percent” behind NATO, a body he once called “obsolete,” the president muttered his agreement. May’s office told reporters that warm conversation had flowed during the pair’s working lunch – and that Trump told an aide to keep the menu card so he could remember the special occasion. Downing St. said conversation turned to Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan, and Trump told May he wanted their relationship to be “even better” than that famously close and productive partnership. At the press conference, Trump said he was confident the pair were going to get along. “I am a people person,” Trump said. “I think you are also, Theresa.” --- Follow Jill Lawless on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/JIllLawless © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. May Under Fire Over Her Failure To Condemn Trump’s Refugee Ban By Robert Hutton Bloomberg Politics, January 29, 2017 Prime Minister Theresa May faces a political storm on her return from visiting Donald Trump for her repeated failure to condemn the U.S. president’s order limiting immigration from Muslim-majority countries. Trump on Friday indefinitely banned the entry of people fleeing Syria, temporarily froze the entry of other refugees and prohibited entry by people from seven majority-Muslim nations for 90 days. The order is needed, Trump said, to prevent terrorists from entering the U.S. May’s refusal to publicly disagree with him has unleashed a flood of criticism at home, where 5 percent of the population is Muslim. Most damaging is the fury from her own Conservative Party colleagues at a particularly delicate time in the Brexit process. She only has a majority of 16 votes in the 650-member House of Commons. Nadhim Zahawi, an Iraqi-born Tory lawmaker, pointed out that the ban covered him and his wife. Another Tory, Sarah Wollaston, said Trump should not be invited to address Parliament in his state visit to London later this year. Heidi Allen, also a Conservative, scolded May for being afraid to tell “someone powerful when they’re wrong.” In Ankara, May was asked three times what she thought of the ban, and three times she ignored the question. Only when journalists heckled her to answer for a second time did she respond: “The United States is responsible for the United States’ own policy on refugees.” Going into the White House, May knew that Trump’s policies toward Muslims were going to be a problem for her domestic audience. On the flight out and even at a news conference with Trump she avoided questions that at the time were hypothetical. Until they weren’t. May’s first trip to the White House had earlier been celebrated as a triumph, with Trump accepting a personal invitation to Buckingham Palace. On the plane back, her aides retreated to the curtained area at the front of her Royal Air Force plane, and weren’t seen again for the rest of the three-and-a-half hour flight. Trump-May Meeting A Win For Two Great Nations New York Post, January 28, 2017 It’s good to see the US-UK “special relationship” is back, along with the Oval Office bust of Winston Churchill, after President Trump’s meeting Friday with British Prime Minister Theresa May. The two very different leaders owe their offices to twin populist surprises — Trump’s remarkable Election Day win, and the British vote to leave the European Union, which prompted the resignation of May’s predecessor, David Cameron. The surprises kept up with the failure of the elites’ doomsday predictions: UK growth sped up after the Brexit DHS-17-0435-A-000341 CBP FOIA 000341 104 vote, and beat expectations in the latest quarter, too. Over here, the “Trump rally” has pushed the Dow above 20,000, with polls also showing average Americans’ economic optimism on the rise. The two countries seem to be in step again — as in the days of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, or Bill Clinton and Tony Blair. Trump was right to note that the “special relationship between our two countries has been one of the great forces in history for justice and for peace” and that “a free and independent Britain is a blessing to the world.” And May was on point in her turn: “We are at a moment now when we can build an even stronger special relationship” — since she must deal with EU leaders eager to make Brexit as painful as possible, while Trump has to show how his “America first” approach can boost traditional US alliances. On that note, it was good to hear May report, after their closed-door meeting: “We are united in recognition of NATO as the bulwark of our collective defense.” For the new president’s first face-to-face with a fellow world leader, it couldn’t have gone better. France’s Hollande Warns Trump Against Protectionism By Michel Rose Reuters, January 28, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. French Leader Chides US Populism, Urges European Unity By Barry Hatton Associated Press, January 28, 2017 LISBON, Portugal (AP) – French President Francois Hollande on Saturday urged Europe to present a united front against populist movements which, he said, are being encouraged by political developments in the United States. “Europe is facing a moment of truth,” Hollande said. “The issue is populism. What we are hearing from the U.S. encourages populism and even extremism. They are saying that Europe should not take immigrants, shouldn’t stay together, not believe in climate change.” European Union countries should stick to their principles and defend their interests – and stand firm in talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, Hollande said. “Europe should be true to itself. It should guide itself according to its values, its principles, and its interests,” Hollande said on the sidelines of an informal meeting with six other EU leaders in Lisbon, Portugal. “We should engage in discussions (with the U.S.) that sometimes should be very firm.” “And as long as there are statements from the U.S. president about Europe, when he speaks about the model of Brexit for other countries, when the U.S. president talks about climate change ... saying he’s not convinced of it, we should respond to him. When he takes protectionist measures, we should respond to him. When he destabilizes the economies of other countries, not only European ones, we should respond to him. When he rejects the arrival of refugees, while Europe has done its duty, we should respond to him,” he told reporters. Italian premier Paolo Gentiloni said the EU will “find a way to work with the U.S. administration” but added that the bloc should remain true to its core values including human rights and anti-protectionism. The EU leaders emphasized their commitment to the European Union, in the wake of Britain’s vote to leave the bloc. “We believe that in a world confronted with growing uncertainties and instability, we will be stronger by acting together,” they said in a joint statement. “Weakening Europe is not an option.” However, they said they hoped “to have the United Kingdom as a close partner of the EU.” © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Jordan’s King Abdullah II To Visit Washington On Monday By Damian Paletta And Peter Nicholas Wall Street Journal, January 28, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. The Questions That Could Reshape A Worried Europe In 2017 By Rick Gladstone New York Times, January 28, 2017 Europe is facing multiple tribulations in 2017, engulfed in uncertainties over terrorism, borders, migration, economics and President Trump’s new America First message booming from across the Atlantic. “It’s not the first time Europe has been challenged by crisis,” said Anna-Lena Högenauer, a researcher at the Institute of Political Science at the University of Luxembourg, but “there’s definitely a combination of crises.” Here are some of the potentially disruptive issues and events looming for the year that could reshape — or at least DHS-17-0435-A-000342 CBP FOIA 000342 105 deepen — the fractures in the European Union, a 28-nation bloc of more than a half-billion people and the world’s largest single free-trade zone. Negotiations for Britain’s exit from the European Union, known as “Brexit,” the outcome of a referendum last June, could officially start by the end of March, a self-imposed deadline set by Prime Minister Theresa May. But the run-up to those negotiations — further complicated by a Supreme Court ruling that Ms. May needs Parliament’s approval to begin the process — has created enormous uncertainties. They include how European Union citizens residing in Britain — and the British citizens residing in other European Union countries — will work and live if they cannot freely traverse borders as they do now. Big banks and other multinational companies with operations in London and elsewhere in Britain are not awaiting the outcome of the negotiations, expected to last two years, that will determine the scope of the country’s changed status. They are making contingency plans to move thousands of jobs elsewhere. Other European Union members are eager to get those jobs. Their leaders also have suggested that Britain must be penalized economically to discourage further defections from the bloc. Britain’s decision also threatens to alter its geography and possibly stoke political instability. Scotland and Northern Ireland had wanted to stay within the European Union, and may now move to leave Britain. A new referendum on Scottish independence — reprising a measure that was defeated in 2014 — is now considered likely. Unrest in Northern Ireland could resume if the border with Ireland, a European Union member, is restricted. Guy Verhofstadt, the European Union’s negotiator for Britain’s exit, wrote in The Guardian on Jan. 18 that “Brexit will be a sad, surreal and exhausting process.” Turkey has been negotiating to become a European Union member for more than a decade, but that prospect has turned more doubtful, partly because of the authoritarian actions of the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, particularly since a failed coup attempt in July. Increasingly exasperated with the European Union, Mr. Erdogan has suggested that he may hold a referendum in Turkey this year on whether to withdraw its membership application. Mr. Erdogan has also suggested that he may seek to restore the death penalty in Turkey, a step that other European leaders say would disqualify the country from joining the European Union. Nonetheless, European officials are loath to suspend the negotiations for fear that Mr. Erdogan will scrap an agreement to restrict the flow of migrants and refugees from Turkey into Europe, an exodus that has placed extraordinary strains on the Continent and helped incite nationalist and populist anger. The country that came to symbolize Europe’s economic travails a few years ago has receded from the headlines somewhat, obscured by Brexit, fears of terrorist attacks in European cities and coming elections in the Netherlands, France and Germany. But Greece’s economy remains anemic and in need of more debt relief. Despite three bailouts in five years, poverty rates are increasing and the unemployment rate is Europe’s highest. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras of the leftist Syriza Party, who rose to power in 2015 on his defiance of Greece’s creditors and threat to leave the European Union’s single-currency zone, is sagging in the polls, raising the possibility of political turbulence and new elections. Negotiations for further restructuring of Greece’s debts, involving Germany and the International Monetary Fund, also have encountered difficulties. “If the I.M.F. and Germany cannot find a way out, this is a serious problem,” said Dimitrios Argyroulis, a political economics scholar at the University of Sheffield. The chronically troubled economy of Italy, the European Union’s fourth largest, has aroused growing concern as possibly the next Greek-style debt crisis. The main reason is the weakness of Italy’s big banks, which are carrying hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of bad loans. They are reluctant to lend more money, which is precisely what Italy needs to stimulate its economy. Italy’s debt levels also have irked Germany, Europe’s strongest economy, where leaders are reluctant to help finance any bailout. “The current developments do not bode well and point to the possibility of repeating the Greece disaster on a much larger scale,” Geopolitical Futures, a forecasting firm, said in a Jan. 20 posting on its website. The regional parliament of Spain’s semiautonomous Catalonia region voted in November 2015 to begin a process to achieve independence in 2017 — an outcome the Spanish government has vowed to block. But the secessionists, buoyed by the Brexit referendum, say the momentum of nationalist movements in Europe is on their side. Whether they will succeed remains unclear at best. The European Union and United States have closely coordinated their regimen of economic sanctions imposed on Russia in 2014, a response to Russia’s annexation of the Crimean Peninsula and military actions in eastern Ukraine. But President Trump has injected uncertainty into Europe over a unified stand toward Russia, suggesting he wants to ease or terminate the sanctions. Mr. Trump, whose amity toward Russia is a political issue in the United States, also has criticized NATO, asserting that the alliance is obsolete — a description that Russian officials have welcomed. While Mr. Trump’s subordinates have sought to reassure European Union leaders that the United States remains a reliable ally, doubts have been planted. Frank￾Walter Steinmeier, the foreign minister of Germany at the DHS-17-0435-A-000343 CBP FOIA 000343 106 time Trump made those remarks, said they had “caused astonishment.” Emboldened by the momentum of Brexit and Mr. Trump, nationalist politicians espousing hostility toward the European Union and Muslim immigrants have made strong gains in campaigns for coming elections in three European countries, including the two largest. In the Netherlands, where a national vote is set for March 15, the populist lawmaker Geert Wilders, who wants to slash immigration and follow Britain out of the European Union, is doing well in the polls. Other Dutch politicians, including Prime Minister Mark Rutte, have ruled out working with Mr. Wilders and his Party for Freedom and Democracy, which most likely means that Mr. Wilders will not be the next prime minister. But in a sign of Mr. Wilders’s influence, Mr. Rutte has taken his own hard-right turn, warning immigrants against behavior that offends the “silent majority.” In France, where presidential elections are set for April 23 with a runoff between the two top candidates on May 7, the rise of the extreme right has been a dominant theme. Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Front, has said she hopes to replicate Mr. Trump’s success. She supports a referendum on European Union membership and new border controls. Germany holds federal elections Sept. 24, which will determine the future of Chancellor Angela Merkel. But her positions on European unity, open borders and generosity toward refugees have seriously weakened her popularity. Mr. Trump mocked and insulted her during his campaign, describing his Democratic adversary, Hillary Clinton, as “America’s Merkel,” and called the German leader’s refugee policy “insane.” At the same time, Germany’s biggest political story is the rapid ascent of the far-right Alternative for Germany party, which has evoked memories of the Nazis as it campaigns on denunciations of Ms. Merkel, the euro, immigration and Islam. Even if Ms. Merkel survives to win a fourth term as chancellor, political analysts see her as a weakened figure, and at the worst possible time. “Europe has never needed a strong Merkel more,” Ian Bremmer, founder and president of the Eurasia Group, a political risk consultant firm in Washington, said this month in an assessment of the year’s most dangerous risks. “In 2017, she’ll be unavailable for the role.” Ten Centuries Later, A Pope And Knights Do Battle By Jason Horowitz New York Times, January 28, 2017 It began as a fight over staffing. Then came a dispute about condoms, followed by papal concerns about Freemasons. Now it has become a full-scale proxy war between Pope Francis and the Vatican traditionalists who oppose him, with the battleground being a Renaissance palace flanked by Jimmy Choo and Hermès storefronts on Via dei Condotti, Rome’s most exclusive street. The palace is the headquarters of the Knights of Malta, the medieval Roman Catholic order. For months, an ugly, if quiet, spat over staffing simmered behind the order’s walls before spilling across the Tiber River to the Vatican, setting off a back-and-forth between the two camps. Francis and his lieutenants sent angry letters. The Knights ignored them, claiming sovereignty. This past week, the dispute finally blew up. Fed up, Francis took the extraordinary steps of demanding the resignation of the order’s leader — a decision the Knights officially accepted Saturday — and announcing that a papal delegate would step in. Conservatives promptly denounced what they called an illegal annexation and ideological purging by a power￾obsessed pontiff, while liberal observers saw the whole episode as resulting from an act of subterfuge by the pope’s most public critic within the Vatican hierarchy, the American cardinal Raymond Burke. A seemingly obscure intra-Catholic squabble had erupted into an unexpected shock to the church with ideological fault lines running to the top of the Vatican. “The Vatican is a thing built of tradition,” said John Thavis, the author of “The Vatican Diaries” and a veteran church analyst, “and once those traditional parts start feuding with each other, that is a dangerous sign.” Francis remains one of the world’s most popular figures, but the spat with the Knights is a small indicator of how the political tensions rippling across the globe are alive in the Vatican, too. Only a year ago, Francis’ calls to fight climate change and help migrants seemed to place him in the lead of a progressive global vanguard, in keeping with his push for a more welcoming church. Now, suddenly, he is more politically isolated. The election of President Trump and the rise of far-right populists in Europe have ushered in an angrier era — and emboldened traditionalists inside the Vatican who sense that the once￾impregnable pope could be vulnerable. The Knights of Malta is a bastion of Catholic tradition. Founded in the 11th century by Amalfian merchants to help Christian pilgrims in the Holy Land, it later became a military force, defending the faith during the Crusades and eventually holding off the armies of the Ottoman Empire from its fortress in Malta. The group, now with a wealthy and aristocratic membership of elite Catholics who parade in ornate raiment, has more recently specialized in aiding refugees and the poor in more than 100 countries. Until this past week, the order was led by the conservative and elaborately titled His Most Eminent DHS-17-0435-A-000344 CBP FOIA 000344 107 Highness the Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta, Matthew Festing of Britain, a former Sotheby’s representative who had taken a monastic oath. Long-building tensions between Mr. Festing and the order’s Grand Chancellor Albrecht von Boeselager of Germany, whose father participated in a plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, escalated in recent months amid accusations that Mr. Boeselager had knowingly overseen the distribution of condoms as head of the order’s charitable arm. Into this volatile situation stepped Cardinal Burke. In 2014, Francis had demoted Cardinal Burke, a leader of the church’s traditionalist movement, from his position on the Vatican’s Supreme Court. The cardinal’s supporters say Francis did this because of Cardinal Burke’s opposition to the pope’s tentative opening to the possibility of allowing divorced Catholics to receive communion. Cardinal Burke’s exile was at least a cushy one, as the pope named him as the Knights’ patron and liaison to the Vatican, where he would be out of the way. But the soft-spoken cardinal has made his presence felt. During the summer, as tensions mounted inside the order, Michael Hichborn, the president of the Lepanto Institute, a conservative Catholic organization in Virginia, conducted what he called a “short investigation” into the order’s international aid arm, which Mr. Boeselager oversaw. Mr. Hichborn said he had discovered that the aid organization was promoting the use of condoms and other contraceptives in Africa and Myanmar, a violation of church rules. “As I was digging around I thought, ‘Well, Cardinal Burke ought to know about this,’” Mr. Hichborn said in an interview. In November, he sent a summary to Cardinal Burke’s office and said he was told that the cardinal “would be working on something” regarding the information. A few days later, Cardinal Burke relayed his concerns about Mr. Boeselager to Francis. According to supporters of the cardinal, the pope then instructed him to root out from the order elements of Freemasonry, Vatican shorthand for adherents of a secular moral view. But other people familiar with the events inside the order said the pope had also urged Cardinal Burke and the order’s leadership to settle the dispute through dialogue. Instead, Mr. Festing and Cardinal Burke met Mr. Boeselager on Dec. 6 and requested his resignation, claiming, Mr. Boeselager said in a statement, “that this was in accordance with the wishes of the Holy See.” Mr. Boeselager denied knowing about the condom distribution program and considered the move a coup and an attempt to tarnish him as a “liberal Catholic.” He argued that once he had discovered the program, he had informed the Vatican and it ended. He also refused to leave, setting off a disciplinary procedure that led to his suspension, and reached out to the Vatican for confirmation that the pope desired his removal. Mr. Boeselager declined to comment for this article. Francis was apparently not pleased about the firing and did not want the dispute to spill into the public, which it did when The Tablet, a Catholic publication in England, broke the news. The pope was already critical of the ornate dress favored by the Knights (red military jacket and gold epaulets) and by Cardinal Burke (a long train of billowing red silk known as a cappa magna). Francis also had a history of run-ins with the Knights during his time as a cardinal in Argentina. So on Dec. 21, Francis wrote directly to Mr. Festing, conveying his decisions on what he called the “painful circumstances” and making clear that those decisions had “value, regardless of anything else to the contrary.” Attached to his letter, signed simply “Francesco,” were more letters from his second-highest-ranking official, Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, stating that “His Holiness asked for dialogue as the way to confront and resolve eventual problems” and that “he never spoke, instead, of kicking someone out!” Cardinal Parolin also wrote that the firing “not be attributed to the will of the pope.” Critically, he noted that the Knights, because of the group’s status as a lay religious order, fell under the pope’s authority, and that the pope had formed a commission to investigate the firing of Mr. Boeselager. But Mr. Festing refused to comply with the papal commission, citing the order’s status as a sovereign entity and raising questions about the integrity of a commission full of Mr. Boeselager’s allies. “I think maybe he was getting bad advice” from Cardinal Burke, said one senior Vatican official, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak by the Vatican. (Cardinal Burke and Mr. Festing declined to comment.) Others say Mr. Festing hardly needed to be egged on by Cardinal Burke, and note that despite having no territory, the order is, in fact, sovereign, issuing its own passports and stamps and conducting diplomatic missions. Either way, the Vatican was not thrilled. On Jan. 17, it issued an unusually tough statement supporting the commission and rejecting “any attempt to discredit these members of the group and their work.” The commission ultimately ruled that the pope did have authority over the Knights of Malta. On Tuesday, he exercised it. He called Mr. Festing to the Vatican and asked for him to step down, a move the Vatican announced the next day. The order followed with its own statement, saying Mr. Festing’s resignation would become official once the order’s counselors met on Via dei Condotti to formally accept it. On Saturday, they did just that, DHS-17-0435-A-000345 CBP FOIA 000345 108 immediately reinstating Mr. Boeselager and promising to collaborate with the pope’s delegate. This delighted the pope’s supporters, who said it showed that conniving conservatives would not push him around. But supporters of Mr. Festing were horrified by the Vatican’s de facto takeover. Supporters of Cardinal Burke complained that the pope, for all his talk of fostering debate, was intolerant of opposing views, especially more orthodox ones. “It sends a message to the rest of the Catholic world that if you try to stand for orthodoxy in the church, you are going to be sent away,” Mr. Hichborn said. “And the people pushing for heterodoxy will be put in power.” What was not up for debate was that, in the Vatican, Francis gets his way. At the order’s headquarters, a stately wooden mailbox hangs on the doorman’s wall. The three top slots are reserved for the order’s top three officials. On Wednesday morning, Mr. Boeselager’s name had been erased. Mr. Festing’s would soon be gone. The third slot belonged to the order’s interim leader, Grand Commander Ludwig Hoffmann von Rumerstein. But only, a Vatican statement made clear, “pending the appointment of the papal delegate.” Meet The Youngsters Helping Solve Japan’s Caregiving Crisis. Like Kunio Odaira, 72 By Anna Fifield Washington Post, January 28, 2017 It’s lunch hour at the Cross Heart nursing home, and a 72-year-old, slightly stooped man is spooning soup and filling tea cups. But Kunio Odaira isn’t one of the residents. He’s one of the staff, part of an increasingly gray workforce in an increasingly gray country. “I enjoy talking to the people here. It’s fun, but it’s also hard work,” Odaira said during a break from his caregiving duties on a recent day. Japan is considered a “super-aging” society. More than a quarter of the population is over 65, a figure set to rise to 40 percent by 2050. The average life expectancy is 85, and that means many Japanese remain relatively healthy for a good two decades after retirement age. At the same time, the birthrate has plummeted to well below the level needed to keep the population stable. Now home to 128 million people, Japan is expected to number less than 100 million by 2050, according to government projections. That means authorities need to think about ways to keep seniors healthy and active for longer, but also about how to augment the workforce to cope with labor shortages. Enter the septuagenarian caregiver. At Cross Heart, more than half of the 119 caregivers are over 60, and 15 of them are over 70. “When we advertise for people to work here, we get lots of responses from older people, not younger people,” said nursing home director Kaori Yokoo in the lobby where residents were doing leg curls and chest presses on weight machines. The foundation that runs this nursing home and others in Kanagawa Prefecture has raised the official retirement age to 70 but allows employees to keep working until 80 if they want to and can. Municipalities around the country are also actively recruiting people over 60 to do lighter duties at nursing homes. It’s one way of dealing with the problem. Meanwhile, researchers are working on robots that can lift the elderly out of beds and wheelchairs, and inward-looking Japan is slowly coming around to the idea that it may need to allow in more foreign workers. Although older workers have constraints — some can’t do the heavier tasks — they also offer advantages over younger workers who want time off for their children, said Yokoo, who is 41. “Plus, because they’re close in age to the residents, they can relate to each other more,” she said. “We younger people think this must be nice for them. Older staff can understand things like physical pains more because they are living through the same things.” Some of the older workers here are doing it because they need the money. For others, the money is a nice benefit, but the main motivation is the activity and sense of community. Kiyoko Tsuboi, a 95-year-old who comes into the rest home during the day, said she likes having Odaira around. “He’s very attentive to our needs and knows things like how hot we like our tea. My son is not as kind as Odaira-san,” Tsuboi said as Odaira cleared away the lunch dishes. “He’s quite active despite his age, and even though he’s a man, he has an eye for detail.” The dynamic works well for Odaira, too, who started here 17 years ago after retiring from his job in the sales department of an auto parts maker. He works eight hours a day, four days a week. His father died when he was small, his mother when he was 22. “It’s not like I’m replacing my mother, but I thought I could help someone else’s parents,” he said. He also does it to stay young, Odaira said with a twinkle in his eye. “I think it’s good for me physically and mentally, so as long as I can keep working, I will.” He’s not the oldest worker here, though. That title is shared by two 78-year-olds, a man who works in the office and Noriko Fukuju, who helps with pickups and drop-offs and does activities with “the old people.” DHS-17-0435-A-000346 CBP FOIA 000346 109 “It’s fun. I enjoy it,” she said. Hiroko Akiyama, at the University of Tokyo’s Institute of Gerontology, said a Japanese 65-year-old is in much better physical and mental shape than a 65-year-old a few decades ago. “They are full of energy, and healthy and long-living,” she said. Akiyama’s research has found that working helps keep seniors that way. “They operate on a regular schedule. They wake up, get ready, go to work and talk to people and stay connected,” she said. “We had a depressed old woman who changed completely after she started working.” Still, Japan can’t rely solely on seniors or, potentially, robots to staff its nursing homes, where the need will only grow as the population ages, analysts say. Japan has agreements with Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines under which applicants who complete job training and pass a Japanese language test can work at a Japanese nursing home. But if they want to stay beyond three years, they must pass a national caregiver’s exam so difficult that 40 percent of Japanese applicants fail. Many Japanese also express concern about cultural differences. Next year, the Japanese government will loosen the regulations slightly and set up a technical intern program, but there will still be time limits and difficult tests to pass. Perhaps 2,000 people will come to Japan through the intern program, said Yasuhiro Yuki, an expert on elderly care at Shukutoku University. “But we hear we will need 300,000 more caregivers in the next 10 years,” he said. “So I still don’t think we will have enough.” That means aging caregivers will increasingly become the norm. “I can do this at least for two more years,” said Fukuju, the 78-year-old, before she dashed out the door to renew her driver’s license. Russia’s Blow To Women Washington Post, January 28, 2017 Victims of domestic violence are often helpless to fight back, for reasons of fear, shame and feelings of defeat. A civilized society enacts laws to protect such vulnerable people. The decision by the Russian parliament to change the law in order to decriminalize some forms of domestic violence is wrong-headed and sends a message that brutality in a family is legitimate. On Friday, the Russian lower house of parliament, the State Duma, approved a bill that decriminalizes domestic battery for first-time offenders. Battery against a family member will be subject to administrative rather than criminal penalty if it does not cause serious medical harm. Violations can be punished with a fine of up to 30,000 rubles or about $500, police custody of up to 15 days or compulsory community service of up to 120 hours. Second-time offenses and those causing serious medical harm would still be criminal violations and punishable by up to two years in prison. The reason this came about now is that last summer, parliament decriminalized battery among strangers but not among family members, which remained a criminal matter. This irked some lawmakers and the Russian Orthodox Church. They felt that it meant a parent could be punished more harshly for slapping a child than a neighbor. According to the Economist, the church said that “reasonable and loving use of physical punishment is an essential part of the rights given to parents by God himself.” The result was the legislation just passed. After the Duma voted 380 to 3 on a third reading, the bill went to the upper chamber, the Federation Council, where it is expected to pass easily and then be signed by President Vladimir Putin. The move fits a larger drive by Mr. Putin and some of his allies to instill what they call traditional family values. There’s precious little data, but by all accounts, domestic violence remains a serious problem in Russian society. One Interior Ministry estimate is that 12,000 women are killed every year in assaults by their partners. But there are deep divisions over the issue. In Soviet times, the presence of the state was pervasive, and now some people say the state should keep its nose out of family matters. At the same time, there has been a growing grass-roots awareness, including a social media campaign in Russia and Ukraine last year under the hashtag “#IAmNotAfraidToSpeak.” What’s most objectionable about the law is the broader message it sends: that a domestic assault that doesn’t break bones or result in a concussion — a beating that could be humiliating, painful and cause deep emotional damage to the victim — should bring little or no penalty from the state. It is hard to see how a healthy society and healthy families benefit when the most vulnerable are left exposed. Kabul On Edge Amid Standoff Between Afghan Government And Vice President By Pamela Constable Washington Post, January 28, 2017 An ominous week-long standoff between the government and its rogue first vice president is choking traffic and dominating talk in the edgy Afghan capital. Police units have been stationed at strategic points near his fortified compound, and everyone is asking the same question: Are they going to arrest Abdurrashid Dostum? Six weeks ago Dostum, 62, a powerful ethnic Uzbek boss and former warlord with a history of alleged war crimes and personal abuses, was publicly accused of brutality and rape by a former governor and political rival, Ahmad Eschi, who charged that Dostum had held him captive in a rural stronghold and ordered him sodomized with a military rifle. DHS-17-0435-A-000347 CBP FOIA 000347 110 The scandalous allegation thrust the government of President Ashraf Ghani into a tense predicament. Western governments and human rights groups strongly urged him to take legal action, calling the case a major test of civilian rule and institutions. Some influential Afghans counseled caution, warning that Dostum and his armed followers could react violently and urging Ghani to settle the matter through negotiations. The president sternly declared he would follow the law, and his attorney general vowed to undertake a thorough, impartial investigation. Repeated letters were sent to Dostum requesting that he and his guards appear for questioning, but they went unanswered. On Monday, arrest warrants were issued for nine of his employees, and they were also ignored. Dostum’s spokesmen insist he cannot be held accountable. Yet no move has been made to detain Dostum or his men. The first vice president, who could be suspended from his post by parliament for defying the law, remains sequestered in his militarized compound in a wealthy residential enclave, protected by armed guards and reporting for no official duties. There are also reports that some of the police units in the area are commanded by Dostum loyalists. “President Ghani does not have the power to act. You need a strong and serious police commander to go after him,” said Atiqullah Amarkhail, a retired general. “In Afghanistan, there are many centers of power,” he said. “The government is divided, and the army and police are loyal to individuals and factions.” Government officials said they are in no rush to go after Dostum and that they are focused on following proper legal procedures to avoid any suggestion of a political motive. “We want to be extremely careful, because this is such a sensitive case. It is going to take time,” one official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to comment publicly. He said Dostum’s associates “understand the gravity of the situation” and are in discussions on possible ways to comply. Meanwhile, the government’s uncertain relationships with other former warlords are further complicating the tense picture, raising alarms at an unsettled political moment. Even as the government attempts to bring Dostum to justice, it has invited fugitive militia leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar to return to Kabul in a peace deal, hoping to persuade Taliban insurgents to follow suit. Hekmatyar, a onetime Cold War U.S. ally, turned his forces against the Afghan government a decade ago and was put on a U.N. terrorist list. He was supposed to return only if the United Nations lifted sanctions against him. But this week, his spokesman in Kabul suddenly announced that Hekmatyar plans to come to the capital anyway, reportedly bringing hundreds of armed supporters as he enters national politics. Davood Moradian, director of the Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies, noted that both Dostum and Hekmatyar have popular followings, have been accused of serious wartime abuses and have never been held accountable. The government must take pains to ensure that Hekmatyar’s “invitation to Kabul is not seen as the state following a political double standard, trying to bring one warlord to justice while unfolding a red carpet to receive the other,” Moradian said. The other strongman in this volatile mix is Attah Mohammed Noor, a wealthy northern governor and longtime rival of Dostum, who has been negotiating with Ghani to obtain more influence and status. Noor is seen as a possible replacement for Dostum or Ghani’s governing partner, chief executive Abdullah Abdullah, with whom the president has had a rocky relationship since they took power two years ago. In a recent interview, Noor said that he did not want to prejudge the charges against Dostum, but he called the case shameful. “We need the rule of law in Afghanistan, and no one should be above it,” he said. Noor denied that he was seeking a senior appointment from Ghani, but he expressed concern that Dostum could retaliate against the government by unleashing violence or chaos in the north. Some Afghan analysts said the politically debilitating charges against Dostum and the likely return of Hekmatyar could lead to dangerous ethnic divisions in the government and possibly strengthen the Taliban. Hekmatyar and Ghani are both ethnic Pashtuns, but Ghani is a Westernized intellectual, while Hekmatyar is a hard-line Islamist who could reinforce rather than help pacify the Taliban. For the moment, though, it is Dostum who presents the most immediate challenge to Afghanistan’s weak coalition government. The longer he remains bunkered in his luxury compound a dozen blocks from the presidential palace, defying legal orders and dragging out the case against him, the more it looks as though the elected government, for all its international backing, is being held hostage by a strongman from another era in Afghan history. Former Warlord’s Return Could Shake Up Afghan Politics By Kathy Gannon Associated Press, January 29, 2017 KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) – The only insurgent leader to sign a peace pact with Afghanistan’s government will return to the country within weeks, his chief negotiator says, in a move that could shake up Afghan politics and complicate the much wider war against the Taliban. Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, a former warlord who battled U.S. forces after the 2001 invasion and nursed a bitter rivalry with other Afghan factions, agreed to lay down arms last year. Amin Karim, his chief negotiator, told The Associated Press earlier this week that he would return to the capital in “a matter of weeks, not months.” DHS-17-0435-A-000348 CBP FOIA 000348 111 Hekmatyar is seen as a potential rival to President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, who have governed the country through a shaky, U.S.-brokered power-sharing agreement since the disputed elections of 2014. His return could inject new political uncertainty as the government struggles to confront a reinvigorated Taliban that has been advancing on several fronts. The former warlord battled the Soviets in the 1980s and then took part in the civil war that erupted after their withdrawal, clashing with the so-called Northern Alliance, in which Abdullah was a leading figure. Hekmatyar was driven out when the Taliban seized power in 1996, but returned after the American invasion, vowing to resist the foreign “occupation.” His forces were largely confined to just two provinces, however, and have carried out few attacks in recent years. Last year he became the only insurgent leader to sign a peace agreement with the Afghan government, in what many hoped would provide a model for a wider reconciliation with the Taliban. But he has yet to return to the fold. His Hezb-e-Islami party wants his name taken off the U.N. and the U.S. Treasury lists of wanted terrorists. Karim declined to say whether Hekmatyar would return to Afghanistan without first being removed from the lists, and there has been no indication that the U.N. or Washington is considering his removal. Both Canada and Britain consider Hezb-i-Islami to be a terrorist group. Hekmatyar, like Ghani, hails from Afghanistan’s ethnic Pashtun majority, and a revitalized Hezb-e-Islami could become a powerful player in the 2019 parliamentary elections, says Andrew Wilder, vice president of the Asia Program at the U.S. Institute of Peace. “Hekmatyar’s return to Kabul would certainly be significant,” he said. “But the significance of his return, if it happens, will have a lot more to do with the impact of an influential Pashtun political figure who had been sidelined re￾entering the political fray, and much less to do with moving the peace process forward. The prospect of his return has already caused Abdullah’s fractured Jamiat-e-Islami Party to try to unify its ranks in order to better compete, Wilder said in an email interview. Abdullah and Ghani are also political rivals, and traded accusations of fraud after the hard-fought election three years ago. No one expects Hekmatyar’s return to end the 15-year￾old war with the Taliban, who control large swathes of rural territory in the south and east, and rule eight districts outright. A three-way struggle for power among Ghani, Abdullah and Hekmatyar could further divide the government at a critical time. “The Taliban has ample momentum on the battlefield and is gaining territory, while Hezb-i-Islami is a shadow of its former self and not particularly active,” said Michael Kugelman, deputy director of the Washington-based Wilson Center’s South Asia program. “I simply don’t think the Taliban will pay much mind to Hekmatyar and his peace deal with Kabul.” Karim, who negotiated the peace pact, lives behind two cordons of security in a heavily guarded Kabul villa. He accused unnamed Afghan rivals and regional countries of trying to sabotage Hekmatyar’s return, saying several Hezb-i￾Islami commanders who ventured into the capital have been arrested. The government says it remains committed to the peace deal and Hekmatyar’s return, which government spokesman Mohammad Haroon Chakhansuri said would be a “positive” step. ---- Kabul writer Amir Shah contributed to this report. Follow Kathy Gannon at www.twitter.com/kathygannon © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Taliban, Collecting Bills For Afghan Utilities, Tap New Revenue Sources By Mujib Mashal And Najim Rahim New York Times, January 28, 2017 The Afghan government faces a peculiar problem in at least two major provinces: It provides precious electricity, some of it imported at costly rates from neighboring countries, but Taliban militants collect most of the bills. If the government cuts off power, it will further anger a population that is already disenchanted. If it does not, the revenue from the power will continue to provide more income to an already emboldened Taliban. The Taliban, fighting the Afghan government and a large international military coalition, have long tapped into Afghanistan’s lucrative drug trade and illegal mining, in addition to the streams of donations they receive from supporters abroad, mainly in the Persian Gulf states. But as they have taken over increasingly large areas in the past two years, they have found new ways of diversifying and collecting revenue, according to interviews with officials, Taliban commanders and local residents. The diversification of the revenue collection system, in the face of a central government largely dependent on Western donations and hobbled by corruption, has raised fears that the balance of the war could tilt even further in the year ahead, and that the insurgency is becoming more DHS-17-0435-A-000349 CBP FOIA 000349 112 entrenched and acting as a shadow government in parts of the countryside. “What it suggests, essentially, is that the group is becoming more efficient in systematically taxing the areas they either control or have a lot of influence on,” said Timor Sharan, senior analyst for Afghanistan at the International Crisis Group, a research institute. “Efficiency of taxation is quite significant in terms of sustaining the group for a long time.” In addition to collecting electricity bills from thousands of homes in provinces such as Kunduz and Helmand, the insurgents levy taxes on potato harvests, flour mills, teachers’ salaries, marriage ceremonies, and fuel and vegetable trucks crossing their checkpoints. At the same time, the Taliban continue to pursue their original sources of funding. The United Nations, in a recent report, said narcotics, illegal mining and external donations remained major income streams, with the drug economy bringing in up to $400 million in 2016. But the United Nations report also spoke of the group’s diversification efforts. “Analysis of Taliban revenue sources suggests that they remain highly diverse, with various income streams that enable the Taliban to quickly substitute for declining asset streams,” the report said. Mr. Sharan said the increased revenue collection was largely due to a restructuring of the insurgency spearheaded by its former leader, Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansour, who was seen more as a businessman heavily involved in the drug trade than a conventional Taliban ideologue. Part of the reason for the change was an expected decline in external funding amid growing competition for resources from other militant groups like the Islamic State. “Mansour, in his restructuring, gave more autonomy to the local Taliban groups and tasked them with finding more locally driven revenues and securing their funding at the local level,” Mr. Sharan said. The Taliban have also been hit by a dwindling number of major NATO military contracts and development projects from which they could take a cut. Western and Afghan officials say the greater fund￾raising autonomy for local commanders is also a consequence of chaos within the Taliban leadership and infighting over resources after an American drone strike killed Mullah Mansour in May. A Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said the group relied on a variety of resources, including Islamic taxes and offerings from farmers and local residents, donations from traders abroad and from Islamic countries, and booty captured from Afghan forces. He acknowledged that in their areas of control in places like Kunduz and Helmand, the Taliban collected the electricity bills. “Our territory has expanded in some areas, and since our presence has increased there, our resources have also increased,” Mr. Mujahid said. At first glance, each strand of Taliban revenue might seem insignificant. But for an insurgency numbering about 30,000 men, who operate in small groups, it is a substantial sum. The head of the power department in Kunduz Province, Hamidullah, said the Taliban were collecting electricity payments from close to 14,000 homes in the province, possibly as much as $200,000 for every two-month cycle. Haji Ayoub, an elder from Boz Qandahari village, north of Kunduz city, said that two months ago, the Taliban had stopped government electricity workers and taken the bills they delivered by bicycle. Then, they started calling people to come to the local mosque and pay. Mr. Ayoub said he owed the government about $200, for electricity used at his home and a flour mill he ran before it went bankrupt. “The Taliban representative took the money,” Mr. Ayoub said. “He didn’t sign or stamp the bill. He just tore half of it and gave me back the other half and wrote something in his notebook.” He added, “I said, ‘At least put your signature on the bill so I can bring it to the government to show that I have paid,’ but he didn’t.” In Helmand Province, members of the provincial council said most of the territory was controlled by the Taliban, who collected bills in places they held where there was electricity. “We cannot switch off the electricity in Taliban areas, because then they create big problems for electrical poles along the way to cities like Kandahar and Lashkargah,” said Nasrullah Qani, the power department’s director in Helmand. Residents in Helmand said the collection of electricity charges differed by district. In Kajaki district, the Taliban collect a fee once a year, from $60 to $150 depending on usage. In other areas, it is monthly. “For each electric bulb you use, they charge you $2 a month,” said Haji Ziaudin, a shopkeeper in Musa Qala district. The Taliban have a multitude of ways to make money and to finance their local groups. In the northeastern province of Badakhshan, a study last year found that the Taliban made as much as $6 million a year from illegal lapis lazuli mining. Then, there are taxes: up to $20 a year on water mills in their areas of control, and from $40 to $70 a year from electric mills. And one sheep per every 40 owned by farmers. Just south of Kabul, the Taliban set up checkpoints, taxing vehicles transporting vegetables, according to residents. New York Times journalists saw copies of receipts the Taliban provided to drivers for vehicles they taxed. In the western province of Ghor, farmers described paying taxes in cash and kind. Abdul Qayoum, 47, a potato DHS-17-0435-A-000350 CBP FOIA 000350 113 farmer in Pasaband district, said he paid taxes to the Taliban twice a season, and two months ago had handed over about 220 pounds of potatoes. “The reason we give tax to the Taliban is because we have to take our vegetables to the Dahane Jamal bazaar, which is the main market for us, and it is controlled by the Taliban,” Mr. Qayoum said. Sakhidad, 48, another resident of Pasaband, described how the Taliban had moved from an arbitrary system of collection, to a more ordered one enforced with strictness and fear. When the Taliban first took over the district three years ago, Mr. Sakhidad said in an interview last year, all those who had worked for the government had to pay a fine. Then, they imposed a regular 10 percent tax on harvests. Reached over the phone again recently, Mr. Sakhidad said that he continued to pay taxes to the Taliban and that he had given the new commander in the village $60 in taxes two months ago — a large sum for a farmer. But he said he was relieved that the former Taliban commander in his village, Mullah Gul Agha, had been replaced. In one of his final acts, he said, Mullah Gul Agha pulled out his pistol and shot and killed a man who had protested paying his taxes, saying he had already paid one of the commander’s associates, Mr. Sakhidad said. “They force people to pay the taxes — it is not voluntary.” NATIONAL NEWS Inside The GOP Debate Over Strengthening Defense Spending, Despite The Cost By Karoun Demirjian Washington Post, January 28, 2017 On Friday, President Trump announced his plans to lavish spending on the nation’s military in remarks at the Pentagon near Washington. But just one day beforehand, congressional Republicans debated the costs of such a buildup and how to pay for it at their annual policy retreat in Philadelphia. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Bob Corker was the most outspoken in questioning whether Republicans would be able to stomach making the kind of cuts necessary to fund a Republican wish list of new defense and foreign policy priorities. “I’m sorry, I wonder sometimes where we as a party are going,” Corker (R-Tenn.) told a roomful of House and Senate Republicans Thursday during a national security discussion, adding that he was “discouraged” by the apparent lip service being paid to the potential costs. “There’s a spending side of this that if we don’t deal with, we’re not going to come close to defending the needs of our country,” he warned. “I fear that we’re going to leave here without thinking of the other side of the equation.” Corker’s remarks were part of a recording of several private sessions held this week at the GOP retreat in Philadelphia and later sent to The Washington Post and several other news outlets from an anonymous email address. The identities of the lawmakers in the recordings were verified by Post reporters. Spokespeople for Corker, Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas), Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and House Armed Services Chair Mac Thornberry (Texas) — all of whom are heard in the recording — either did not return requests to comment or declined to comment for this story. Republicans also fretted about the consequences of quickly repealing Obamacare, according to a recording of another closed session at the retreat; and Vice President Pence vowed that the administration would undertake an extensive examination of the voter rolls after Trump’s claim that 3 to 5 million people voted illegally in the November election. The conversation about defense spending among Hill Republicans reveals a potentially troublesome rift for the party between those who want to strengthen the military with more spending and the traditional stance of many Republicans that new spending needs to be paid for elsewhere in the budget. Trump made clear where he stands this week when he told Fox News’s Sean Hannity that he wasn’t worried about increasing the deficit by strengthening the military. “Our military is more important to me than a balanced budget,” President Trump told Hannity on Thursday. In an executive order signed at the Pentagon on Friday, Trump signaled his intention to embark on a “great rebuilding of the Armed Forces,” ordering a review of the military’s war￾readiness and the country’s nuclear and ballistic missile defenses. In order to pay for more defense spending, however, the GOP would first have to lift budget caps that were part of the 2011 Budget Control Act, or move new funding into a separate account for emergency war funding that isn’t counted against the caps known as sequestration. Trump called for an end to the defense sequester on the campaign trail. Corker began Thursday’s session by challenging his colleagues to “prioritize within our own government” in order for the country to be successful on the world stage without going broke. But by the end of it, he questioned whether Republicans were willing to pay for a burgeoning military with major financial reforms to entitlement programs like Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security. Trump has said he does not intend to dip into those popular programs to fund his agenda. “Unless we have the moral fortitude and courage to deal with the elephant in the room, all this other stuff we’re DHS-17-0435-A-000351 CBP FOIA 000351 114 talking about is a total waste of time,” Corker said. “National security is our first responsibility, but leaving the nation greater for other people certainly is up there, and we’re not willing to deal with this?” Cornyn also appeared concerned about how to pay for a substantial military buildup without big cuts elsewhere, suggesting lifting the budget caps was insufficient. Cornyn warned against trying “to deal with this by just tinkering around with sequestration. We’re not going to just deal with this by tinkering around with overseas contingency spending,” he said, referring to the emergency war funding measures lawmakers have relied on to cover some budgeting shortfalls over the last few years. “Unless we deal with the 70 percent of spending that’s mandatory spending…then we’re never going to pick up enough money to be able to appropriate for what our national priorities are, starting with the military,” Cornyn added. GOP hawks in Congress have argued for years that the country needs to at least replenish defense spending lost because of across-the-board budget cuts. They point out that the cuts have cost the military in terms of the health and viability of its aircraft and ships, and the readiness of its members – particularly pilots, some of whom have been reduced to as little as four hours of training flights per month. “I say to the defense doves…we need to negate the effects of the Budget Control Act,” McCain said, according to the recording, calling the current way of funding the Pentagon “a disgrace.” “While we’re dealing with our fiscal problems, there are men and women risking their lives to protect us and we have got to support them along the way,”said House Armed Services Committee Chair Mac Thornberry (R-Texas). Some of the Republicans bemoaned the idea that the military’s capacity shrunk during the course of former President Obama’s tenure. They listed the threats to the United States as emanating chiefly from Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, and extremist groups such as the Islamic State, pointing to everything from nuclear strikes to cyber attacks. Cyber, McCain warned his colleagues, “is the one aspect of our potential confrontation where I believe that our adversaries are ahead of us.” The Republicans leaders expressed a great degree of confidence in Trump Cabinet appointees to steer defense and foreign policy, particularly Gen. James Mattis, who was recently confirmed as secretary of Defense; Rex Tillerson, who is likely to be confirmed by the Senate next week as secretary of state; and even Gen. Mike Flynn, Trump’s pick to serve as National Security Adviser. But not all of them are completely sold on Trump himself just yet. “We have to have a little straight talk here. I don’t know what the president’s policy towards Russia is,” McCain told his colleagues, stressing that Trump had to be tough on the Kremlin and Russian President Vladimir Putin. “He is bent on restoring the Russian empire,” McCain said of Putin to his colleagues. “He is a thug and a bully and we can’t treat him any other way.” Mike DeBonis contributed to this report. Troops Who Cleaned Up Radioactive Islands Can’t Get Medical Care By Dave Philipps New York Times, January 28, 2017 When Tim Snider arrived on Enewetak Atoll in the middle of the Pacific Ocean to clean up the fallout from dozens of nuclear tests on the ring of coral islands, Army officers immediately ordered him to put on a respirator and a bright yellow suit designed to guard against plutonium poisoning. A military film crew snapped photos and shot movies of Mr. Snider, a 20-year-old Air Force radiation technician, in the crisp new safety gear. Then he was ordered to give all the gear back. He spent the rest of his four-month stint on the islands wearing only cutoff shorts and a floppy sun hat. “I never saw one of those suits again,” Mr. Snider, now 58, said in an interview in his kitchen here as he thumbed a yellowing photo he still has from the 1979 shoot. “It was just propaganda.” Today Mr. Snider has tumors on his ribs, spine and skull — which he thinks resulted from his work on the crew, in the largest nuclear cleanup ever undertaken by the United States military. Roughly 4,000 troops helped clean up the atoll between 1977 and 1980. Like Mr. Snider, most did not even wear shirts, let alone respirators. Hundreds say they are now plagued by health problems, including brittle bones, cancer and birth defects in their children. Many are already dead. Others are too sick to work. The military says there is no connection between these illnesses and the cleanup. Radiation exposure during the work fell well below recommended thresholds, it says, and safety precautions were top notch. So the government refuses to pay for the veterans’ medical care. Congress long ago recognized that troops were harmed by radiation on Enewetak during the original atomic tests, which occurred in the 1950s, and should be cared for and compensated. Still, it has failed to do the same for the men who cleaned up the toxic debris 20 years later. The disconnect continues a longstanding pattern in which the government has shrugged off responsibility for its nuclear mistakes. On one cleanup after another, veterans have been denied care because shoddy or intentionally false radiation DHS-17-0435-A-000352 CBP FOIA 000352 115 monitoring was later used as proof that there was no radiation exposure. A report by The New York Times last spring found that veterans were exposed to plutonium during the cleanup of a 1966 accident involving American hydrogen bombs in Palomares, Spain. Declassified documents and a recent study by the Air Force said the men might have been poisoned, and needed new testing. But in the months since the report, nothing has been done to help them. For two years, the Enewetak veterans have been trying, without success, to win medical benefits from Congress through a proposed Atomic Veterans Healthcare Parity Act. Some lawmakers hope to introduce a bill this year, but its fate is uncertain. Now, as new cases of cancer emerge nearly every month, many of the men wonder how much longer they can wait. The cleanup of Enewetak has long been portrayed as a triumph. During the operation, officials told reporters that they were setting a new standard in safety. One report from the end of the cleanup said safety was so strict that “it would be difficult to identify additional radsafe precautions that could have been taken.” Documents from the time and interviews with dozens of veterans tell a different story. Most of the documents were declassified and made publicly available in the 1990s, along with millions of pages of other files relating to nuclear testing, and sat unnoticed for years. They show that the government used troops instead of professional nuclear workers to save money. Then it saved even more money by skimping on safety precautions. Records show that protective equipment was missing or unusable. Troops requesting respirators couldn’t get them. Cut-rate safety monitoring systems failed. Officials assured concerned members of Congress by listing safeguards that didn’t exist. And though leaders of the cleanup told troops that the islands emitted no more radiation than a dental X-ray, documents show they privately worried about “plutonium problems” and areas that were “highly radiologically contaminated.” Tying any disease to radiation exposure years earlier is nearly impossible; there has never been a formal study of the health of the Enewetak cleanup crews. The military collected nasal swabs and urine samples during the cleanup to measure how much plutonium troops were absorbing, but in response to a Freedom of Information Act request, it said it could not find the records. Hundreds of the troops, though, almost all now in their late 50s, have found one another on Facebook and discovered remarkably similar problems involving deteriorating bones and an incidence of cancer that appears to be far above the norm. A tally of 431 of the veterans by a member of the group shows that of those who stayed on the southernmost island, where radiation was low, only 2 percent reported having cancer. Of those who worked on the most contaminated islands in the north, 20 percent reported cancer. An additional 34 percent from the contaminated islands reported other health problems that could be related to radiation, like failing bones, infertility and thyroid problems. Between 1948 and 1958, 43 atomic blasts rocked the tiny atoll — part of the Marshall Islands, which sit between Hawaii and the Philippines — obliterating the native groves of breadfruit trees and coconut palms, and leaving an apocalyptic wreckage of twisted test towers, radioactive bunkers and rusting military equipment. Four islands were entirely vaporized; only deep blue radioactive craters in the ocean remained. The residents had been evacuated. No one thought they would ever return. In the early 1970s, the Enewetak islanders threatened legal action if they didn’t get their home back. In 1972, the United States government agreed to return the atoll and vowed to clean it up first, a project shared by the Atomic Energy Commission, now called the Department of Energy, and the Department of Defense. The biggest problem, according to Energy Department reports, was Runit Island, a 75-acre spit of sand blitzed by 11 nuclear tests in 1958. The north end was gouged by a 300- foot-wide crater that documents from the time describe as “a special problem” because of “high subsurface contamination.” The island was littered with a fine dust of pulverized plutonium, which if inhaled or otherwise absorbed can cause cancer years or even decades later. A millionth of a gram is potentially harmful, and because the isotopes have a half-life of 24,000 years, the danger effectively never goes away. The military initially quarantined Runit. Government scientists agreed that other islands might be made habitable, but Runit would most likely forever be too toxic, memos show. So federal officials decided to collect radioactive debris from the other islands and dump it into the Runit crater, then cap it with a thick concrete dome. The government intended to use private contractors and estimated the cleanup would cost $40 million, documents show. But Congress balked at the price and approved only half the money. It ordered that “all reasonable economies should be realized” by using troops to do the work. Safety planners intended to use protective suits, respirators and sprinklers to keep down dust. But without adequate funding, simple precautions were scrapped. Paul Laird was one of the first service members to arrive for the atoll’s cleanup, in 1977. Then a 20-year-old bulldozer driver, he began scraping topsoil that records show contained plutonium. He was given no safety equipment. “That dust was like baby powder. We were covered in it,” said Mr. Laird, now 60, during an interview in rural Maine, DHS-17-0435-A-000353 CBP FOIA 000353 116 where he owns a small auto repair shop. “But we couldn’t even get a paper dust mask. I begged for one daily. My lieutenant said the masks were on back order so use a T￾shirt.” By the time Mr. Laird left the islands, he was throwing up and had a blisterlike rash. He got out of the Army in 1978 and moved home to Maine. When he turned 52, he found a lump that turned out to be kidney cancer. A scan at the hospital showed he also had bladder cancer. A few years later he developed a different form of bladder cancer. His private health insurance covered the treatment, but co-payments left him deep in debt. He applied repeatedly for free veterans’ health care for radiation but was denied. His medical records from the military all said he had not been exposed. “When the job was done, they threw my bulldozer in the ocean because it was so hot,” Mr. Laird said. “If it got that much radiation, how the hell did it miss me?” As the cleanup continued, federal officials tried to institute safety measures. A shipment of yellow radiation suits arrived on the islands in 1978, but in interviews veterans said that they were too hot to wear in the tropical sun and that the military told them that it was safe to go without them. The military tried to monitor plutonium inhalation using air samplers. But they soon broke. According to an Energy Department memo, in 1978, only a third of the samplers were working. All troops were issued a small film badge to measure radiation exposure, but government memos note that humid conditions destroyed the film. Failure rates often reached 100 percent. Every evening, Air Force technicians scanned workers for plutonium particles before they left Runit. Men said dozens of workers each day had screened positive for dangerous levels of radiation. “Sometimes we’d get readings that were all the way to the red,” said one technician, David Roach, 57, who now lives in Rockland, Me. None of the high readings were recorded, said Mr. Roach, who has since had several strokes. Two members of Congress wrote to the secretary of defense in 1978 with concerns, but his office told them not to worry: Suits and respirators ensured the cleanup was conducted in “a manner as to assure that radiation exposure to individuals is limited to the lowest levels practicable.” Even after the cleanup, many of the islands were still too radioactive to inhabit. In 1988, Congress passed a law providing automatic medical care to any troops involved in the original atomic testing. But the act covers veterans only up to 1958, when atomic testing stopped, excluding the Enewetak cleanup crews. If civilian contractors had done the cleanup and later discovered declassified documents that show the government failed to follow its own safety plan, they could sue for negligence. Veterans don’t have that right. A 1950 Supreme Court ruling bars troops and their families from suing for injuries arising from military service. The veterans’ only avenue for help is to apply individually to the Department of Veterans Affairs for free medical care and disability payments. But the department bases decisions on old military records — including defective air sampling and radiation badge data — that show no one was harmed. It nearly always denies coverage. “A lot of guys can’t survive anymore, financially,” said Jeff Dean, 60, who piloted boats loaded with contaminated soil. Mr. Dean developed cancer at 43, then again two years later. He had to give up his job as a carpenter as the bones in his spine deteriorated. Unpaid medical bills left him $100,000 in debt. “No one seems to want to admit anything,” Mr. Dean said. “I don’t know how much longer we can wait, we have guys dying all the time.” New York City To Pay $8.2 Million Over Shooting By Off-Duty Officer By Christopher Mele New York Times, January 27, 2017 New York City will pay more than $8 million to settle a lawsuit stemming from an unprovoked drunken shooting by an off-duty police officer that seriously injured one man and traumatized another, the city confirmed on Friday. Under the settlement, Joseph Felice of New Rochelle, N.Y., who was struck by gunfire six times, will receive $6.9 million and a friend of his, Robert Borrelli, who was with him during the shooting but not hit, will receive $1.3 million. Settling the case was “in the best interests of the city,” a spokesman for the city’s Law Department said. The shooting occurred on April 29, 2014, shortly before midnight, in Pelham, just north of the Bronx. The officer, Brendan Cronin, had been drinking alcohol — at least 10 drinks, by his own admission, including whiskey shots and beer, according to the lawsuit — at a bar on City Island after a day of tactical police training in the Bronx, officials said. Mr. Borrelli, also of New Rochelle, was taking Mr. Felice to his home after they had played in a hockey game. They were stopped at a traffic light at the intersection of Sixth and Lincoln Avenues in Pelham when, in what an official at the time described as a “completely random” attack, Mr. Cronin fired at least 14 shots, hitting Mr. Felice six times in the back, shoulder, arm and chest. One bullet remains lodged in Mr. Felice’s chest, and it was more than six months before he could sit in the front seat DHS-17-0435-A-000354 CBP FOIA 000354 117 of a car as a passenger, according to the lawsuit. His lawyer, Randolph M. McLaughlin, said in an interview that his client had instructed him not to discuss his current medical condition. In a statement, Mr. McLaughlin said, “Hopefully the city’s settlement demonstrates the beginning of a zero￾tolerance policy for alcohol abuse by its police officers, particularly when they are in possession of their service weapons or driving cars.” Mr. Cronin, a six-year veteran of the Police Department, pleaded guilty to attempted murder in 2015. He was sentenced to nine years in prison. After Trump Criticism On Chicago Violence, Emanuel Touts Police Smarts By Bill Ruthhart, Jeremy Gorner, Hal Dardick Chicago Tribune, January 27, 2017 Two days after President Donald Trump told a national television audience that Mayor Rahm Emanuel needed to “smarten up and toughen up” on fighting gun violence, the mayor held a carefully orchestrated news conference to discuss Chicago’s “smart-policing strategy.” As Emanuel summoned a swarm of cameras to the 7th District police station in Englewood on Friday to highlight new police cameras and gunshot tracking technology, sources said the Police Department’s top brass was busy carrying out an order to flood the city’s most violent neighborhoods with extra officers this weekend. In a Tuesday night tweet in which he said he “will send in the Feds!” if the city doesn’t fix its violent crime problems, Trump cited Chicago Tribune crime data that showed January homicides up 24 percent compared with 2016, a year marred by the highest number of killings in two decades. Trump again criticized Emanuel and the city’s handling of gun violence in his first television interview as president Wednesday night, describing Chicago’s rampant shootings as “horrible carnage” and “a problem that is very easily fixable.” Now, hundreds of additional Chicago police officers assigned to tactical, gang, saturation and mission teams have had their regular days off canceled from Friday through Sunday, according to police sources familiar with the change that was announced during a meeting at police headquarters. The city’s beat officers also were given the option of earning overtime by working weekend days off, the sources said. Adding so many officers to the street on their day off is more typical during hot summer months or special occasions such as when the president is visiting the city; is unusual for a cold-weather month such as January. This month has been marked by weekends with dozens of shootings, including 54 people shot last weekend alone. Through Thursday, there had been 42 homicides so far with five days left in the month. In January 2016, there were 50 homicides. If the number of killings for January were to come in lower than last year, that would allow Emanuel to try to counter Trump’s narrative of this year being off to an even worse start. Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the staffing adjustment was unrelated to recent attention paid to Chicago’s gun violence by the Republican president. The mayor did not bring up the weekend staffing increase at his Friday news conference, instead focusing on technological advances the department is making in its two most violent police districts on the South and West sides — including the expansion of a gunshot detection system and crime cameras on the street along with new surveillance centers and new cellphones with software to instantly inform officers of shootings. The mayor’s announcement came to an abrupt end when police Superintendent Eddie Johnson grew faint and had to be helped to a chair, leading officers to call paramedics and escort reporters out of the room. On Friday night, Johnson said he had become lightheaded earlier in the day after taking blood pressure medication on an empty stomach, but he confirmed he’s had a kidney disease for more than 30 years and is on a list waiting for a transplant. While Johnson’s health episode Friday came as a surprise, the rest of Emanuel’s policing message for the day was scripted for public consumption. Before Emanuel’s arrival at the Englewood district, six police officers already were stationed at computers in a small, windowless room that featured four large flat-screen TVs on the wall. While a sign proclaimed the spot as a “viewing room,” the Police Department’s brass and the mayor’s office called it the “Strategic Decision Support Center,” which is staffed by a district intelligence officer who will incorporate the new technology with offender criminal history and crime data. “The mayor is 10 minutes out, so if everyone could stage and get ready, all right? No pressure,” Jonathan Lewin, CPD’s deputy chief of bureau support services, told the room. “I need the officers who are going to meet the mayor in the lobby.” About 15 minutes later, Emanuel arrived through the station’s back door and greeted the officers who were staffing the new “nerve center,” as the mayor called it. “I’ll be back,” he told them. “They want me to do something.” Emanuel then made his way to the lobby, where 17 television cameras were recording as Emanuel and Johnson greeted the four officers — one each African-American, Asian, Latino and white — who had been waiting to participate in the prearranged shot. After that photo op, the crush of cameras followed Emanuel into the tiny surveillance room, where Lewin walked Emanuel through the new technology as officers remotely DHS-17-0435-A-000355 CBP FOIA 000355 118 zoomed in street cameras on license plates and explained how the gunshot tracking technology would allow officers to respond to a scene five minutes faster than from a 911 call. “You can control the cameras from here?” Emanuel asked. “Yes,” Lewin responded. “This is real time?” the mayor inquired. “Yes,” was the answer again. Much of what was discussed was difficult to hear, as the Police Department’s media handlers barked orders to the TV photographers, who were being directed in and out of the room in shifts to record Emanuel’s interest in the effort. “Which screen are you looking at?” a photographer asked the mayor at one point. “The one on the far left,” Emanuel responded, pointing to a map of the 7th District that had labels for territory covered by various gangs, including the Gangster Disciples, Conservative Vice Lords, Mickey Cobras, Black P Stones, Black Disciples and Latin Kings. A second screen showed a “heat map of homicides.” A third was streaming live street surveillance footage. As Lewin explained how all the technologies eventually will be merged into one cohesive software system, Emanuel stopped him. “Do that again for me,” the mayor said as the cameras rolled. “I’m slow.” Once Lewin finished his presentation, Emanuel headed upstairs to the district’s roll call room, where he lauded the new technology, which he’s paying for with money from unclaimed property tax rebates aimed at easing the pain from the record property tax increase he and aldermen approved. “This allows our police officers to be all that much smarter and more effective in using technology and command ability to make sure people are in the right place at the right time to prevent a shooting in the first place,” Emanuel said. In a news release, Emanuel’s office described the technology as part of the city’s “smart-policing strategy,” a term that had not been used in previous mayor’s office announcements. Less than 48 hours earlier, Trump had called Emanuel out on needing to run a smarter policing effort. “It has been going on for years,” Trump said of Chicago’s rash of shootings and homicides. “So, all I’m saying is, to the mayor, who came up to my office recently, I say you have to smarten up and you have to toughen up, because you can’t let that happen. That’s a war zone. I want them to straighten out the problem. It’s a big problem.” At the news conference, Emanuel was asked if there “was any coincidence” that his Friday announcement came after Trump’s recent criticism. “You don’t put something like this together overnight,” Emanuel replied. “It’s about what’s right for the future, not about any current event.” Chicago Tribune’s Rosemary Regina Sobol contributed. bruthhart@chicagotribune.com jgorner@chicagotribune.com hdardick@chicagotribune.com Trump’s Vision Of ‘Carnage’ Misses Complex Reality Of Many Cities By John Eligon New York Times, January 28, 2017 PHILADELPHIA — As President Trump tells it, American cities are dangerous war zones. Bullets fly. Criminal aliens roam free. Mothers and children languish in poverty. Mr. Trump perpetuated this grim vision — “carnage” is what he calls it — when he incorrectly told a gathering of Republicans here on Thursday that Philadelphia’s murder rate had increased over the last year. He also took aim at violence in one of his favorite urban targets, Chicago, asking, “What the hell is going on?” But the president’s broad and cutting rhetoric fails to capture the complicated reality of urban America. With declining crime, rising populations and growing innovation, cities in this country are prospering on many levels, albeit unevenly. “Our streets are clean, always,” said Isaiah Thomas, 32, cruising past the Dutch Colonials, Tudors and other well appointed homes in his predominantly black neighborhood on this city’s northwest side. “Our neighbors in our community, we know each other and we get along. We got backyards, man. We go outside in our backyards and play. We go swimming. We got ballet lessons. We grew up playing instruments. We’re doing the same things that most people do in the country.” Cities do remain places of segregation and enormous wealth gaps. Black and Latino families often bear more than their fair share of poverty, poor schools and violence. The number of people nationwide living in extremely poor neighborhoods has increased by about five million over roughly the last decade, according to a Brookings Institution study. When Mr. Trump speaks about cities’ problems, he focuses almost exclusively on these pockets of entrenched social ills. Although Mr. Trump’s assessment of cities is incomplete, he was “tapping into a level of outrage that we ought to have about our cities,” said Lee Huang, the senior vice president of Econsult Solutions, an economic consulting firm based here. “Whether it’s violence in Chicago, whether it’s unemployment and poverty in Philadelphia, whether it is these structural and physical examples of blight and disinvestment and disparity, I don’t think he’s off in saying our cities have a lot of challenges,” Mr. Huang said. DHS-17-0435-A-000356 CBP FOIA 000356 119 But Mr. Trump’s critics say that by generalizing conditions in cities, he is sowing fears and solidifying stereotypes, which serves to divide the country. “It never seems like he’s talking in the context of saying, ‘I want to help in these situations,’” said Lucas Leyden, 28, slurping a 16-ounce can of Miller High Life in a corner market converted into a bar in a gentrified neighborhood north of downtown. “It’s always just disparaging remarks. ‘This is bad!’” During the campaign, when discussing issues of race, Mr. Trump often focused on what he considered inner cities, once saying that “African-Americans, Hispanics, are living in hell, because it’s so dangerous.” Sulaiman Rahman, said he worried that by portraying the communities where minorities live as disastrous, Mr. Trump is trying to justify deploying aggressive policing tactics. Just this week Mr. Trump said on Twitter that if local officials in Chicago could not control the rampant shooting there, “I will send in the Feds!” “When he speaks and uses certain coded language, we kind of understand who he’s talking about,” said Mr. Rahman, who heads a professional network here. “You’re framing it to justify a more detrimental agenda. That’s the issue.” Although homicides in large cities in 2015 increased about 15 percent from 2014, they were still down 51 percent from two decades earlier, Richard Rosenfeld, a professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, said. While murders did rise nearly 13 percent in Philadelphia from 2014 to 2015, they dipped slightly last year. “Carnage doesn’t describe the reality of crime in American cities,” Mr. Rosenfeld said. Mr. Trump’s assessment of cities is rooted in the problems of segregation, discrimination and economic inequality that “urban progressives” have emphasized, argued Aaron Renn, a senior fellow in urban policy at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, a conservative think tank. The president wants to correct those disparities, Mr. Renn said. “I’ve never heard him once say, ‘You’re to blame for the problem,’” he said. As Shanise Bolden, 26, strolled through her Northside neighborhood, Frankford, to her job working with the mentally ill, she had earbuds in her ear and carried her iPhone in a colorful case. A brown tote bag dangled from her wrist. Despite the high crime statistics in this part of town, she had little concern walking around here. “Why would it be scary when we know each other?” she asked. That sense of community and kinship belies the rough edges on Frankford’s surface, residents say. It is something that people would never see or appreciate if they judged the community only by crime and economic statistics, they said. It is a neighborhood of tightly packed rowhouses. An elevated train track cuts through the main drag, Frankford Avenue, which is jammed with convenience stores and cellphone shops, and storefronts boasting haircare products, clothes and pawned goods. For all the Frankfords there are in cities, there are also many neighborhoods like Fishtown, about 15 minutes south. Once a tattered haven for drugs and other vices, it is now a place of nighttime joggers. It is common to see people with yoga mats slung over their shoulders, cycling in and out of a studio where a receptionist has to buzz them in. Corner stores that once peddled chips and candy have been replaced by bars with Skee-Ball machines and pool tables. Gentrification has driven a lot of low-income residents to Frankford, and that sometimes leads to violence. Leshay Davenport is not too worried, though. She recently strolled through a park behind the boxy, red brick public housing complex where she lives in Frankford, holding her 3-year-old daughter, Lyric, by the hand. Ms. Davenport, 23, said she avoided certain parts of the neighborhood known for having a lot of riffraff. But having lived here for a decade, she said, she feels comfortable enough to let Lyric play outside. “It’s pretty good,” she said. “The kids are friendly. There’s not really too much violence. It’s really a pretty friendly neighborhood.” The challenges of living in a place like Frankford are real, said Rasheed Ross, 18, a senior at Sankofa Freedom Academy. Positive role models are hard to find, he said, and it is easy to get caught up in the wrong thing. A lot of people think their only avenues for success are rapping, basketball or dealing drugs, he said. “It’s hard and it’s, at the same time, scary,” he said. “You can get shot anywhere, at any time.” Yet Mr. Ross also described a nuanced reality. Most shootings stemmed from personal conflicts, he said. “It’s not like somebody would just walk up to you and shoot you for no reason.” Fashion Police: Cops Ease Rules On Tattoos, Turbans, Beards By Colleen Long Associated Press, January 28, 2017 NEW YORK (AP) – The Joe Friday look is out. Tattoos, turbans and beards are in. Police departments, compelled by a hiring crisis and eager for a more diverse applicant pool, are relaxing traditional grooming standards and getting away from rules that used to require a uniformly clean-shaven, 1950s look. More officers are on the job with tattoos inked on their forearms, beards on their chins or religious head coverings DHS-17-0435-A-000357 CBP FOIA 000357 120 like hijabs and turbans in place of – or tucked beneath – their blue caps. “My turban is a part of me,” said Mandeep Singh, among 160 Sikhs in the New York City Police Department who last month were allowed to wear navy blue turbans in place of the standard-issue police caps. “This opens a gate for other potential candidates who felt they could not be a police officer because they would have to choose either the job or their faith.” That followed a 2014 move by the St. Paul, Minnesota, police to create a special hijab for its first female Somali Muslim officer. Muslim NYPD officer Masood Syed, who grows a beard for religious reasons, was suspended for its length and sued his department last year over a rule requiring beards to be trimmed to within a millimeter of the skin. As a result, the department changed the length to a half-inch and reinstated him. Syed’s suit is still pending, though, because he said the length is arbitrary and it should be case by case, depending on the officer’s needs. “It’s 2017,” Syed said. “The police department is supposed to reflect the community that it’s policing.” Many departments say it’s tougher to attract candidates to a physically demanding job that offers low pay and is under increasingly intense public scrutiny. That has led many to make a nod to shifting fashion trends, particularly among millennials, and ease longstanding bans on beards and visible tattoos. New Orleans; Portland, Oregon; Austin, Texas; and Pinellas Park, Florida, are among the departments that look the other way if a recruit comes in with visible tattoos. “Modern practice is colliding with dress codes,” said Will Aitchison, an attorney who represents police unions during labor-related disputes. “And what police departments really should be focused on is how the officer performs his or her job, as opposed to how they look.” In Kansas, state police did a public survey on whether officers should be allowed to have tattoos to help determine whether to change their policy after they couldn’t fill about 100 trooper jobs. Half of the nearly 20,000 respondents had tattoos themselves. Sixty-nine percent said the department shouldn’t have a policy prohibiting visible tattoos. “We were surprised by the response,” said Lt. Adam Winters. “It just doesn’t seem to bother people.” Still, the department’s prohibition on visible tattoos has stayed in place, in part because of the potential challenge of regulating the content of tattoos that might be offensive. In Philadelphia, the department is considering tightening its policy after photos surfaced last fall of an officer in uniform with a tattoo on his forearm showing a Nazi symbol: a spread-winged eagle under the word “Fatherland.” In Chicago, a federal judge threw out a lawsuit filed by tattooed officers – all military veterans – who objected to a new requirement that they wear long sleeves to cover up their inked arms during a sweltering Midwestern summer. The judge argued it would be too difficult for departments to determine what would be considered offensive and need to be covered. But, the police brass recently started allowing them again – they said as a morale booster for a beleaguered force. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. After Roof Trial, SC Addressing Faith, Violence Intersection By Meg Kinnard Associated Press, January 28, 2017 COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – The federal trial of the South Carolina man who slaughtered nine Bible study participants has come and gone, with Dylann Roof’s death sentence assuring he will spend the rest of his limited days in custody. But the June 2015 shootings at Emanuel AME continue to prompt a conversation about the uneasy intersection of faith and gun violence, as thousands of worshippers around South Carolina gather this weekend to memorialize crime victims and call for reform. It isn’t just the church slaughter that has sounded the alarm bells. The Center for American Progress found South Carolina ranked sixth in the nation for the overall rate of gun violence, noting someone was killed with a gun in the state roughly every 13 hours. Events throughout the state are part of Stand Up Sunday, launched last year by a group meeting in the very room where the Rev. Clementa Pinckney and eight others were gunned down as they prayed. Pinckney’s lifelong best friend, fellow AME Pastor Kylon Middleton, is now heading the group he says provides an opportunity for people of faith to stand up for those they’ve lost and talk about real solutions to problems of gun violence. Middleton was recently chosen to head the board for Arm-In-Arm: South Carolinians for Responsible Gun Ownership, a grassroots group of more than 1,200 faith leaders, gun owners, teachers and others across South Carolina that is coordinating the weekend’s events. What they all have in common, Middleton says, is a desire to find ways to cut down on gun violence. DHS-17-0435-A-000358 CBP FOIA 000358 121 Prosecutors who secured a death sentence against Roof argued the 22-year-old white supremacist researched and picked his victims because, as loyal, churchgoing folk, he figured they’d be less likely to resist his attack. He fired his first shot at Pinckney as the worshippers closed their eyes in the evening’s final prayer. Stand Up Sunday isn’t about encouraging people to arm themselves as they worship, although the group counts among its members people who have purchased weapons and practiced using them in real-life situations. This weekend, congregants are signing petitions and talking about ways to cut down on violent gun deaths in South Carolina. At Charleston’s Mt. Zion AME, where Middleton is pastor, the altar will be decorated with white crosses bearing the names of South Carolina gun violence victims, whose names will be read aloud in Sunday’s service. Choir members will sing a song specially written to talk about gun violence in South Carolina. “It allows us the opportunity to articulate their story and to give them a space to at least publicly be acknowledged in their grief, and to move the pendulum in another direction toward activism,” Middleton told The Associated Press recently. Roof, who was sentenced to death last month in a federal trial, should never have been able to purchase a gun because of a prior drug arrest. But authorities later told The Associated Press that, due to a combination of errors, Roof managed to buy one anyway. Victims’ families are suing the FBI for negligence in allowing the sale. FBI Director James Comey has said Roof should have never been allowed to buy the gun and promised a full review. Advocates for tighter gun regulations have pushed for more days to be added onto South Carolina’s three-day waiting period, but that legislation has failed. There are several bills pending in South Carolina’s recently reconvened Legislature dealing with guns, including a measure that would require a national instant background check before sales, exchanges or transfers. Gerald Malloy, a former Senate colleague of Pinckney’s and also his personal friend, has made such a proposal this year. Existing laws, Middleton said, “are useless unless the gaps in our existing background system are fixed.” --- Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP . Read more of her work at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/meg-kinnard/ © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Shooting At Tennessee Armory Leaves 10 Wounded, Three Still Hospitalized By Alex Dobuzinskis Reuters, January 28, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. DHS-17-0435-A-000359 CBP FOIA 000359 From: Bulletin Intelligence To: DHS@BulletinIntelligence.com Subject: The Homeland Security News Briefing for Friday, January 27, 2017 Date: Friday, January 27, 2017 4:56:57 AM Attachments: dhsclips170127.doc The Homeland Security News Briefing TO: THE SECRETARY AND SENIOR STAFF DATE: FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017 5:00 AM EST TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS LEADING DHS NEWS: + Administration Floats Mexico Import Tax As Peña Nieto Cancels Meeting With Trump. + Trump Explains Restrictions On Immigrants From Countries With History Of Terrorism. + Trump Prepared To Block Syrian Refugees, Set Up Safe Zones In Syria. + Trump Orders DHS To Produce List Of Sanctuary Cities. + DHS Says Refugee Interview Trips Delayed, Not Canceled. + Opponent Of Birthright Citizenship May Join DHS In Immigration-Related Position. + Continuing Coverage: DHS IG Looking Into Alleged Georgia Secretary Of State Breach. + DOJ Fights Order To Preserve Ex-DHS Officials’ Emails. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT: + Colombian Drug Trafficking Suspect Claims To Be ICE, DEA Informant. + ICE Agent Allegedly Raided Las Vegas Korean Restaurant In Exchange For Free Food. + ICE Agents Mistakenly Visit Community Center In San Francisco. + Texas Woman Pleads Guilty To Child Porn Charges. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION: + Morgan Resigns As Border Patrol Chief. + Border Patrol Union Head: US Will Be Safer With Trump’s Wall. + CBP Agent’s Radio Blocked Knife In Struggle With Undocumented Immigrant. + CBP Agent Charged For PA Auto Crashes. + Border Patrol Arrests Italian Felon. TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION: + Gorka Faces Criminal Charge For Trying To Board Flight With A Gun. + TSA Adds Eleven New Airlines To PreCheck Program. FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY: + Governor: Federal Aid Approval Covers Six Storm-Damaged Counties In Georgia. US CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES: + President Obama Changed USCIS Policy To Ensure Transgender Immigrants Get Documents. IMMIGRATION: + Trump’s Plan To End “Catch And Release” Of Illegal Immigrants May Be Hampered By Lack Of Space. + “Civil Rights Advocates” Object To Immigration Orders. + Reactions Of “Sanctuary Cities” To Trump’s Executive Orders Discussed. + Miami-Dade First To Back Down And Comply With Trump’s “Sanctuary” Crackdown. + State Responses To Trump’s Sanctuary Cities Order Mixed. + Local Officials Object To Sanctuary Cities Order. + Coverage Faults Sanctuary Orders. + Law Enforcement Groups “Sharply Divided” Over Sanctuary Crackdown. DHS-17-0435-A-000360 CBP FOIA000360 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT + Constitutionality Of Trump Order To Withhold Funding To “Sanctuary Cities” Discussed. + Texas Sheriff Responds To Abbott’s Criticism About “Sanctuary” Status. + Trump’s Sanctuary Cities Order Has Exemption For Police. + Missouri Lawmaker Proposes Harsher Sentences For Illegal Re-Entrants. + Towns Fail In Efforts To Block Undocumented Residents. + Reps. Chaffetz, Meadows Warn DC Mayor Against Plans To Use Funds To Defend Illegal Immigrants. + University Of California Develops Plan For Possible Canceling Of DACA Plan. + Nearly 1,000 New Yorkers Protest Trump Immigration Orders. + Opinion: DREAMers Are One Immigrant Group Trump Seems Wary Of Targeting. + Activists Argue Immigrants Deserve Public Defense In Deportation Proceedings. + Trump Expands Definition Of Criminal As It Relates To Deportations. + Syrian Refugees Being Settled In Vermont. SECRET SERVICE: + Alabama Man Indicted On Counterfeiting, Firearms Charges. + Texas HS Teacher In Hot Water For “Mock Assassination” Of Trump. NATIONAL PROTECTION AND PROGRAMS: + Missouri Senate Committee Advances Real ID Compliance Proposal. CYBER NEWS: + President Appears To Continue Using Unsecured Means Of Communication. + Quantum Computer Sold To Cybersecurity Firm. + Microsoft To Continue Making Cybersecurity R&D Investments. + AT&T “Fighting Back” Against FCC Claims Regarding Telecom Cybersecurity. + Pew Survey: Most American Adults Have Been Victims Of Major Data Breach. + Marin: Cyber Professionals Must Communicate With Company Management Effectively Regarding Vulnerabilities. + New York Man Linked To ISIL Sentenced To 20 Years In Prison For New Year’s Eve Plot. + CIA’s Directorate Of Digital Innovation Making Good Progress, Its Leaders Say. + Concern For Connected Vehicle Hackings Prompts Federal Study. + Virginia Community College Given Cyber Defense Award By NSA, DHS. + “Doomsday Clock” Moves Closer To Midnight Than At Any Time Since 1953. + Arrested FSB Officer Allegedly Spied For US. + Cybersecurity Worker Shortage Increases Benefits For Employees. NATIONAL SECURITY NEWS: + Trump Says ISIL Are “Sneaky, Dirty Rats.” + Pentagon Says Mattis’ Views On Banned Interrogation Techniques Are Unchanged. + WSJournal Analysis: Declaring Muslim Brotherhood Terrorists Could Have Unexpected Consequences. + Guantanamo Has Cell Space For 200 New Captives. + Florida Airport Shooter Charged With Murder, Not Terrorism. + Trump Expected To Ask Pentagon For Options In Fighting ISIL. + UN Humanitarian Chief Accuses Syria Of Blocking Aid Convoys. + Bana Al-Abed Urges Trump Save Syria’s Children. + People Returning To Aleppo. + Declassified CIA Docs: Pinochet’s Chile Wanted Secret Base In Miami. + Defector: Access To Outside Info Will Lead North Koreans To Bring Down Kim Jong-Un. + Hershkovitz: Ways IC Can Help Trump On Terrorism Front. + May Could Stop Intel Sharing With US If Torture Techniques Return. + Findyr Founder Vinci Named NGA Director Of Plans And Programs. + Draft Order To Spur Debate Over Use Of Offshore Military Tribunals. + MI6 Director: James Bond’s “Q” A Woman In Real Life. + SSCI Democrats To Trump: Read Report On Enhanced Interrogation. + Team Begins IARPA-Backed Project To Help Analysts Assess Quality Of Information. + Intel Agencies Told To Make Information Available To Wider IC. + May, Republicans Counter Trump On Torture. DHS-17-0435-A-000361 CBP FOIA000361 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT + Trump: Manning An “Ungrateful Traitor.” + Several State Department Officials Resign In Major Shake-Up. Leading DHS News: ADMINISTRATION FLOATS MEXICO IMPORT TAX AS PEÑA NIETO CANCELS MEETING WITH TRUMP. Coverage of the US-Mexico border wall debate focuses on the Administration’s floating of a 20 percent import tax and on Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto’s cancellation of his scheduled meeting with President Trump, with the President’s own remarks on the wall at the Republican retreat in Philadelphia getting less attention. The coverage remains mostly negative, with many reports stating that an import tax would put the cost burden on Americans, not on Mexico. ABC World News Tonight (1/26, lead story, 4:10, Muir, 14.63M) opened with “the showdown over the wall. President Trump telling us just 24 hours ago that Americans will pay at first, but Mexico will pay us back. Tonight, the Mexican president saying that won’t happen. And there is new fallout: President Peña Nieto’s visit to the White House next week, now canceled.” ABC’s Jonathan Karl: “Mexico may insist it’s not going to happen, but today Donald Trump was as defiant as ever.” Trump: “I’ve said many times that the American people will not pay for the wall. And I have made that clear to the government of Mexico.” During an interview with Fox News’ Hannity (1/26, 535K), the President said, “The wall is necessary. It’s not just politics.” The CBS Evening News (1/26, lead story, 2:45, Pelley, 11.17M) reported, “It’s become a chaotic first week for the Trump Administration. Late today, the President’s press secretary told reporters that Mr. Trump never said the Mexican government would pay for the wall. Earlier, he announced a 20 percent tax on Mexican goods, and then the White House arranged a hasty news conference to knock that down. This morning, Mr. Trump insulted the president of Mexico with a tweet, and now their summit meeting in Washington is off.” NBC Nightly News (1/26, lead story, 3:00, Holt, 16.61M) reported, “President Trump’s plan to build a wall on the Mexican border is potentially running up against its own walls as he looks for ways to pay for it that don’t leave Americans on the hook. The President’s insistence that Mexico will foot the bill has now antagonized the Mexican president to the point of calling off next week’s scheduled face-to-face meeting.” NBC’s Hallie Jackson: “Late this afternoon, the Administration floating an idea to slap a 20 percent tax on Mexican imports – a way to fund the estimated $8 billion to $14 billion wall, but under that plan it would be Americans who would probably end up paying more for imports like cars, fruits and vegetables, and alcohol. In effect, footing the bill themselves.” Fox News Special Report (1/26, 1.53M) said, “It only took four days of his first official working week but...Trump is already deeply embroiled in his very first diplomatic spat.” CNN’s Situation Room (1/26, 554K) reported that “some top Republicans are growing increasingly concerned about the President’s policies towards Mexico,” including the “recent proposal by the White House to impose a 20 percent tax on Mexican imports.” The AP (1/26, Pace) reports that Trump, speaking at a Republican retreat in Philadelphia, called on the GOP “to help him enact ‘great and lasting change’...at a party retreat Thursday but offered few details. Later his spokesman said the president will seek a 20 percent tax on Mexican imports to pay for a proposed border wall.” Bloomberg Politics (1/26, Sink, 201K) reports that Sean Spicer told reporters, “When you look at the plan that’s taking shape now, using comprehensive tax reform as a means to tax imports from countries that we have a trade deficit from, like Mexico, if you tax that $50 billion at 20 percent of imports, by doing that we can do $10 billion a year and easily pay for the wall just through that mechanism alone.” However, the AP says Spicer later “tried to take back his earlier comments by saying the 20 percent tax is one of several options under consideration and Trump hasn’t settled on it as the way to recoup construction costs for building the wall.” The Hill (1/26, Fabian, 1.25M) also says Spicer “sought to clarify his earlier comments about the plan, saying they were not meant to be an official policy rollout.” He said, “Our job right now isn’t to roll DHS-17-0435-A-000362 CBP FOIA000362 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT something out or be prescriptive. It’s to show that there are ways that the wall could be paid for. Full stop. That’s it.” Politico (1/26, Nussbaum, 2.46M) headlines a report “Trump Team Walks Back Plan To Fund Wall With Import Tax.” The Los Angeles Times (1/26, Memoli, 4.52M) says that “although Trump repeatedly has said that Mexico would pay for the wall,” such a tax “actually would fall on U.S. consumers, not on Mexicans.” USA Today (1/26, Korte, Jackson, 5.28M) says Spicer “gave few details, and described it as a beginning of a process that would be part of overall tax reform.” The Washington Post (1/26, Partlow, Rucker, 11.43M) calls the tax proposal “a stunning new detail,” and says Trump’s moves “have rekindled old resentments in Mexico, a country that during its history has often felt bullied and threatened by its wealthier, more powerful neighbor.” The New York Daily News (1/26, Joseph, 4.45M) says Trump would also need to formally pull the US out of NAFTA to implement such a tax, since the trade agreement “bans unilateral decisions on new taxes and tariffs between the countries.” The New York Times (1/26, Bradsher, Abrams, Vlasic, Subscription Publication, 13.9M), in an examination of the prospect of broader import taxes, says “linking the plan to Mexico left corporate groups mostly silent, leery of offending the president by criticizing him but also leery of offending Americans who dislike Mr. Trump’s denunciations of Mexico and Mexican immigrants.” The New York Times (1/26, Shear, Subscription Publication, 13.9M), the Washington Times (1/26, Dinan, 272K), and US News & World Report (1/26, Soergel, 1.02M) also report on the prospects for a Mexican import tax. The New York Times (1/26, Porter, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) also examines other ways to “make Mexico pay” for the wall, including “impounding remittances of Mexicans working in the United States, or charging Mexicans more for visas.” But in terms of the former, “Mexicans would come up with other conduits to send the $100 a week that their parents, children or siblings back home rely on to pay the bills,” and taxing remittances “might be illegal...as discriminatory on the basis of national origin.” John Hay Professor of International Studies at Brown University’s Watson Institute Peter Andreas argues in an op-ed for the Washington Post (11/21, Graff, 11.43M) Monkey Cage that Trump will build the wall and “it may be one of his biggest political successes.” Because much of the wall is already built – “Trump’s predecessors carefully avoided calling any new border barriers a ‘wall,’” Andreas says “regardless of what Trump ends up building, calling it a ‘wall’ will sound like something new and make his followers cheer.” The USA Today (1/26, 5.28M) Editorial Board argues Trump’s wall “has all the hallmarks of a multibillion dollar boondoggle.” Because “most of California, Arizona and New Mexico already have some kind of barrier,” combined with declines in illegal immigrants, USA Today argues “Trump’s wall would be a colossal waste of money.” Additionally, the contention about who will foot the bill could potentially “set off a mutually destructive trade war and effectively make U.S. consumers pick up the tab.” Sources offering additional coverage include the Wall Street Journal (1/26, Córdoba, Nicholas, Subscription Publication, 6.37M), Reuters (1/26, Rampton, Chiacu, Heavey), the New York Times (1/26, Irwin, Subscription Publication, 13.9M), Newsweek (1/26, Cadei, 862K), Public Radio International (1/26, 36K), ABC News (1/26, Marshall, Siegel, 3.09M), Philly (PA) (1/26, TAYLOR, CALDWELL, 942K), the Washington (DC) Post (1/26, Snell, 11.43M), the AP (1/26, Taylor, Caldwell), and the AP (1/26, Spagat, Watson) in a second article. Nieto Cancels Meeting, Blasts Plans For Border Wall. President Trump’s move to begin planning the border wall with Mexico continued to receive widespread television coverage, as did suggestions from the White House that Mexico could pay for the wall through a tax on the country’s imports to the US. Coverage tended to criticize that suggestion, with several officials saying such a tax would end up hurting Americans. In its lead story, ABC World News Tonight (1/26, lead story, 4:10, Muir, 14.63M) reported Mexican President Enrique Nieto on Wednesday announced he is canceling a planned visit to the White House next week after President Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order to move forward with plans to DHS-17-0435-A-000363 CBP FOIA000363 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT build a border wall. Hours after Trump told ABC that the US would initially pay for the wall and later be reimbursed by Mexico, Nieto addressed the American people, saying, “I’ve said it once and again. ... Mexico offers and demands respect as the sovereign nation we are.” After Nieto’s cancellation, Trump “insisted” it was a mutual decision. Trump: “The President of Mexico and myself have agreed to cancel our planned meeting scheduled for next week. Unless Mexico is going to treat the United States fairly, with respect, such a meeting would be fruitless, and I want to go a different route.” CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 (1/26, 686K) said Nieto announced the canceled meeting on Twitter. NBC Nightly News (1/26, lead story, 3:00, Holt, 16.61M) said in its lead story that Mexico is “clearly agitated,” because apart from Nieto’s cancellation, Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray “abruptly cancell[ed] his own visit to the Homeland Security Department today. An agency official telling the NBC News, he simply drove past the entrance without stopping.” When Trump told lawmakers at a Republican retreat about not meeting with Nieto, “he was met with silence,” with one lawmaker telling NBC that “the President needs to be careful to keep a friendly relationship with one of our key allies, closest trading partners, and our nearest neighbor.” Fox News’ Special Report (1/26, 1.53M) said, “It only took four days of his first official working week but...Trump is already deeply embroiled in his very first diplomatic spat. It began last night when...Nieto publicly scolded President Trump.” Nieto was shown saying, “I am saddened and against the decision by the United States to continue with the construction of a wall that for years, far from joining us, has divided us.” In its lead story, the CBS Evening News (1/26, lead story, 2:45, Pelley, 11.17M) similarly reported that in a new addition to the “chaotic first week for the Trump Administration,” Trump “insulted the President of Mexico with a tweet, and now their summit meeting in Washington is off.” According to Margaret Brennan, White House press secretary Sean Spicer “said a 20 percent tax on imports [from Mexico] would generate enough money” for Mexico to pay for the wall. However, White House chief of staff Reince Priebus later said the import tax was just “one of a buffet of options,” and “aides said the tax could range from five percent to 20 percent.” Manu Raju reported on CNN’s Situation Room (1/26, 554K) that “some top Republicans are growing increasingly concerned about the President’s policies towards Mexico,” including the “recent proposal by the White House to impose a 20 percent tax on Mexican imports.” GOP Sen. John Cornyn was shown saying, “I don’t see any benefit in trying to crawl back into our shell as a country. We can’t do that economically. We’re obviously next door to Mexico. As I frequently tell my friends in Mexico, I said, ‘We can’t get a divorce. We need to figure out how to make this marriage work.’” CNN’s Situation Room (1/26, 554K) reported that the 20 percent tax on Mexican imports drew immediate push back from Sens. Lindsey Graham and John McCain, and now the White House is “starting to walk that back,” with Spicer “saying this is just one thing they’re looking at.” Manuel Bojorquez said on the CBS Evening News (1/26, story 2, 2:20, Pelley, 11.17M) that while Trump has said the entire wall would cost $8 billion to $12 billion, “analysts say it could hit $40 billion.” Bojorquez added that there are also “practical challenges, like building on private lands, over remote mountains, and on national parks.” Dennis Nixon, one of the Trump campaign’s top fundraisers in Texas, opposes the wall, and says that those who supported Trump on the notion that he’d build it are “wrong. Because they have not looked at the data.” Appearing on CNN’s Situation Room (1/26, 554K), Sen. Robert Menendez said plans for the wall and the proposed tax on Mexican imports represents “a major, major challenge to the US-Mexico relationship which is important to us in so many different dimensions.” He said Trump’s vow that Mexico will pay for the wall is “just impossible to accept for the President of Mexico and the Mexican people,” adding that he is worried that it could start a trade war because Mexico could respond to the import tax by implementing a “20 percent [tax] on the $267 billion that the United States sells in goods and services to their country. Those are goods and services made by Americans here. Jobs in the United States. And at the end of the day, if that’s what’s going to happen, American workers suffer.” Menendez later added (1/26, 554K), “I don’t believe the taxpayers of the United States should spend nearly $20 billion dollars on...the great wall of hate, at the end of the day when that 20 billion could be spent far better in creating educational opportunity, in creating jobs, in a whole host of things that are important to our country.” DHS-17-0435-A-000364 CBP FOIA000364 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT Tony Wayne, the US Ambassador to Mexico under President Obama, told CNN’s Situation Room (1/26, 554K) that while Mexico is “quite willing” to discuss a “range of issues” to find “agreeable” ways to move forward, the prospect of a wall is a “very emotional issue” and Trump’s proposal is “seen as a sign of disrespect and an issue of national dignity.” Appearing on CNN’s Situation Room (1/26, 554K), Mark Zandi, the chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, said there is “nothing positive” about the idea of a 20 percent tax on Mexican imports. He explained that such a tax “would be paid by American consumers in the form of higher prices for everything that we import from Mexico.” Zandi suggested that the Administration look at the 1930s when legislation was passed to increase tariffs on imported products that lead to the great depression. He stressed that he wasn’t “suggesting we’re going into the great depression...but that’s pretty instructive.” Politico (1/26, Nelson, 2.46M) reports counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway said on NBC’s “Today” on Thursday that “it is ‘high time’ that the U.S. spend money protecting its own border.” She added, “President Trump has been very clear and consistent on this point, Matt. He’s going to build the wall, Mexico will pay for it. Whether they pay for it straight-out, or it’s reimbursed later on after congressional funding.” Jennifer Rubin writes in her Right Turn blog for the Washington (DC) Post (1/26, Rubin, 11.43M) to describe ten “huge flaws in Trump’s immigration directives,” arguing that much of the hysteria is “unrelated to actual border conditions” and that a physical wall will be “duplicative, ineffective and unnecessary.” Meeting Cancellation Latest Sign Of Quick “Souring Of Relations.” The AP (1/26, Stevenson) reports that Peña Nieto’s cancellation of the visit signaled “a remarkable souring of relations between Washington and one of its most important international partners just days into” the Trump Administration. The rift “capped days of increasingly confrontational remarks – on Twitter and in dueling public appearances – between” Trump and Peña Nieto. Trump tweeted at 8:51 a.m. Thursday, “The U.S. has a 60 billion dollar trade deficit with Mexico. It has been a one-sided deal from the beginning of NAFTA with massive numbers of jobs and companies lost. If Mexico is unwilling to pay for the badly needed wall, then it would be better to cancel the upcoming meeting.” Three hours later, Peña Nieto tweeted that the meeting was cancelled, adding in a subsequent tweet that Mexico remains interested in negotiations. The New York Times (1/26, Ahmed, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) says Trump’s wall announcement “escalated into a diplomatic standoff” as Peña Nieto cancelled the meeting and Trump accused Mexico “of burdening the United States with illegal immigrants, criminals and a trade deficit. ... Having called for dialogue in the face of Mr. Trump’s vows to build a wall during the American presidential campaign, Mr. Peña Nieto ultimately bowed to public pressure in Mexico to respond more forcefully to his northern neighbor.” However, the Washington Times (1/26, Miller, 272K) reports that Trump told Republicans that he and Peña Nieto mutually agreed to cancel the meeting. Trump said, “[We] have agreed to cancel our planned meeting scheduled for next week. Such a meeting would be fruitless. ... The world has taken advantage of us for many years. It’s not going to happen anymore.” The Los Angeles Times (1/26, Memoli, 4.52M) reports that Trump also told the GOP legislators, “The American people will not pay for the wall. It is time that the American people had a president fighting as hard for its citizens as other countries do for theirs. And that is exactly what I’m going to do for you.” In an analysis, the Washington Post (1/26, Deyoung, Rucker, 11.43M) says that in his first days in office, Trump began “to reshape the U.S. role in the world, laying the groundwork, in a series of planned and signed executive actions and statements, for the ‘America first’ foreign policy on which he campaigned.” The Hill (1/26, Fabian, 1.25M) says that the cancellation “escalates brewing tensions” between the US and Mexico. USA Today (1/26, Agren, 5.28M) and the NPR (1/26, Kennedy, 1.92M) website also have DHS-17-0435-A-000365 CBP FOIA000365 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT brief reports on the cancellation. Congressional GOP Expects Wall Spending Request Of Up To $15 Billion. USA Today (1/26, Kelly, 5.28M) reports, “Congressional leaders said Thursday they expect the Trump administration to send them a request soon for $12 billion to $15 billion to fund construction of a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.” Senate Majority Leader McConnell said, “We intend to address the wall issue ourselves.” House Speaker Ryan said Congress “will take up President Trump’s expected request before the end of September...in the form of an emergency budget request” separate from the regular federal spending bill. The Washington Post (1/26, Sullivan, 11.43M) reports that the GOP leaders “declined to specify where that funding would come from, continuing the uncertainty over one of President Trump’s signature campaign promises.” The Wall Street Journal (1/26, Rubin, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) notes that congressional Republicans floated an import tax several weeks ago, but Trump criticize it at the time. WPost, WSJournal Say Trump Has Launched Trade War With Mexico. The Washington Post (1/26, 11.43M) editorializes, “Until a few days ago, the U.S.-Mexico relationship was a strong one that benefited both countries. In the first week of his term, President Trump seems determined to change that – and for no good reason.” The Post urges Administration officials to “reach out and seek to repair the week’s damage. It took the United States nearly a decade to recover from the economic wreckage of the last recession. A wealth-destroying trade war with one of America’s closest partners would threaten that long￾sought recovery.” In an editorial headlined “Trump’s Little Mexican War,” the Wall Street Journal (1/26, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) says Trump has sparked a diplomatic crisis and put an important economic relationship at risk, and says Trump forced Peña Nieto into a position where negotiation was not possible. Border Wall Tax On Mexican Crude Would Make US Drivers Pay More. Bloomberg Politics (1/26, 201K) reports US consumers would likely pay more for gasoline if President Donald Trump passes a 20 percent border wall tax to finance the construction of the barrier along the border between US and Mexico. Domestic refiners that rely on Mexican crude would most likely pass their additional costs on to the consumer. Press Secretary Sean Spicer noted the tax was only one idea being considered for how to pay for the wall. The tax would apply to countries with which the US has a trade deficit, thereby excluding Canada, but may include Saudi Arabia, the second largest foreign supplier of crude to the US. The Detroit (MI) Free Press (1/26, Snavely, Korte, Spangler, 1.01M) reports similarly, explaining that “several automotive executives have said that the costs of a steep border tariff could be offset by Trump’s plan to lower corporate taxes and relax fuel economy and other regulations,” while “Wall Street analysts estimate a tariff could raise prices of vehicles from Mexico by $2,300.” Immigration Crackdown Draws Opposition, Support From Activists. According to the Los Angeles (CA) Times (1/26, Carcamo, Smith, 4.52M), Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration has “won praise from activists who for years have been trying to reduce illegal immigration,” including Claremont anti￾illegal immigration organization We The People Rising. The organization’s executive director, Robin Hvidston, “said Trump’s actions bring new hope to activists like her,” arguing that “Ending sanctuary cities is a way to restore the rule of law to the cities of California and throughout the United States. ... We … are happy and encouraged that, after decades of federal lawbreaking, a president is finally taking action to enforce federal immigration laws.” Dan Stein, president of non-profit Federation for American Immigration Reform, which favors more restrictive immigration policies, argues in a USA Today (1/26, Stein, 5.28M) op-ed that, although the US￾Mexico relationship “is important,” the “integrated border and interior enforcement strategy will restore our national footing as a nation that will enforce its laws and protect the public interest.” Dan Stein, president of non-profit Federation for American Immigration Reform, which favors more restrictive immigration policies, argues in a USA Today (1/26, Stein, 5.28M) op-ed that, although the US￾Mexico relationship “is important,” the “integrated border and interior enforcement strategy will restore our national footing as a nation that will enforce its laws and protect the public interest.” DHS-17-0435-A-000366 CBP FOIA000366 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT The Orange County (CA) Register (1/25, Kwong, 690K) reports on Thursday, “several dozen immigrants rights activists” assembled at the US Citizenship and Immigration Services field office in Santa Ana, California, to protest President Trump’s executive orders. Mirvette Judeh Maaytah, vice chairwoman of the Arab American Civic Council, said the orders are “un-American,” while Roberto Herrera, of Resilience OC, pledged to “push [sanctuary] ordinances across other cities.” The Detroit Free Press (1/26, Warikoo, 1.01M) reports that in Michigan, “many undocumented immigrants and their children worry after Trump announced” the new executive orders to “crack down on them and punish cities that seek to protect them.” The paper profiles a young woman, the mother of three children, who came to the US as a child, and is a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipient. So, “she joined a wide range of immigrant and minority groups” criticizing the orders, saying they “unfairly target immigrants and Muslims.” Another protester said, “this is about demonizing vulnerable families to score cheap political points.” In response, “local community and religious leaders vowed to push back against his plans.” Attorneys Warn Immigrants To Stay Put. The Huffington Post (1/26, Foley, 237K) reports “immigration attorneys and advocacy groups said they were being inundated with questions from people legally in the U.S. wondering whether it would be safe for them to travel” in response to reports that Trump may sign an executive order temporarily stopping travel from majority-Muslim countries. According to the Post, “All of them, lawyers are advising, should stay put” because, “with Trump, you cannot take any risks.” Tohono O’Odham Nation To Trump: Build Wall “Over My Dead Body.” The Guardian (UK) (1/26, Levin, 4.07M) reports the federally recognized Tohono O’odham Nation Native American tribe, which has “a reservation that spans 75 miles of the US-Mexico border, announced on Thursday that it does not support the wall and criticized the White House for signing an executive order without consulting the tribe.” The tribe called for a meeting with Trump in the statement, which “comes after a tribal vice￾chairman declared the government would build the wall ‘over my dead body.’” TRUMP EXPLAINS RESTRICTIONS ON IMMIGRANTS FROM COUNTRIES WITH HISTORY OF TERRORISM. President Trump was asked on Fox News’ Hannity (1/26, 535K) about his executive orders on Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Trump said, “Beyond just those countries. ... We are going to have extreme vetting for people coming into our country and if we think there is a problem, it is not going to be so easy for people to come in anymore.” Trump added, “We have taken in tens of thousands of people. We know nothing about them. They can say they vet them. They didn’t vet them. They have no papers. How can you vet somebody when you don’t know anything about them and you have no papers? ... You can’t.” USA Today (1/26, Jackson, 5.28M) reports President Trump said that he is not putting in place a “ban” on migration by Muslims, but is placing “restrictions on entry from countries with a history of terrorism.” White House spokesman Sean Spicer said the rules have “not been decided yet,” but critics are already saying “they will block law-abiding Muslims” from immigrating. The Washington Post (1/26, Raghavan, Loveluck, Sieff, 11.43M) reports the President’s “executive order to tighten the vetting of potential immigrants and visitors to the United States...will shatter countless dreams and divide families,” according to “immigrants and human rights activists.” The Post says that Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Somalia, Iran, Libya, and Sudan would be immediately effected. Denise Bell of Amnesty International said it would be “devastating,” adding that it would be “violating international law.” Suzanne Akhras Sahloul, founder of the Syrian Community Network, said, “these people are escaping the very same terrorism that Trump says he’s banning them for.” The paper focuses on people who have been going through years-long processes to immigrate who now believe they will not be able to. Iranian Actress To Boycott Oscars In Protest Of Visa Ban. The New York Times (1/26, Donadio, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports Iranian actress Taraneh Alidoosti, who stars in “The Salesman” – which “is up for the foreign-language Academy Award,” said on Thursday that “she would boycott the Oscars ceremony to protest President Trump’s announcement that he would issue a temporary ban on visas to citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries.” She tweeted, “Trump’s visa ban for Iranians is racist. Whether this will include a cultural event or not, I won’t attend the #AcademyAwards DHS-17-0435-A-000367 CBP FOIA000367 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT 2017 in protest.” TRUMP PREPARED TO BLOCK SYRIAN REFUGEES, SET UP SAFE ZONES IN SYRIA. In a report on Syrian refugee families who recently escaped Aleppo to live in the US, the CBS Evening News (1/26, story 3, 2:20, Muir, 11.17M) said that President Trump, citing security, “is expected to block refugees from Syria.” Trump has also called for the creation of safe zones in Syria, reported Fox News’ Special Report (1/26, 1.53M), as one of the “key provisions” in a “sweeping series of measures the President says will help defend America against terrorism.” Other provisions include a “30-day ban on most visa entries from nations that are hotbeds of terrorism,” while refugee admissions are also expected to be “reduced by 50 percent.” Fox News’ The O’Reilly Factor (1/26, 767K) reported that Trump will sign an executive order “suspending all immigration for 30 days from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen until a new vetting system can be adopted.” Fox News’ Special Report (1/26, 1.53M) reported White House spokesman Sean Spicer also said the State Department “is going to withhold visas and other tools to make sure countries accept and return the criminals that came from their country.” While also reporting that one of Trump’s executive orders cracks down on sanctuary cities for undocumented immigrants, NBC Nightly News (1/26, story 6, 2:10, Holt, 16.61M) said, “Nationwide, there are no concrete numbers on how many violent crimes are committed by undocumented immigrants. Now, a court battle is brewing over whether President Trump’s order is legal.” Albright Pledges To Register As Muslim In Solidarity. USA Today (1/26, Rossman, 5.28M) reports former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright on Wednesday tweeted that she is prepared to register as a Muslim, joining “thousands of people who have pledged to register as a Muslim” in response to “Trump’s support of a Muslim registry on the campaign trail.” Albright also tweeted her support for refugees, saying, “There is no fine print on the Statue of Liberty. America must remain open to people of all faiths & backgrounds. #RefugeesWelcome.” Law Professor: US Already Tried “Extreme Vetting” For Muslims. UCLA School of Law professor and UCLA Center for Near Eastern Studies director Asli Ü. Bâli argues in a Washington Post (1/26, Bâli, 11.43M) op-ed that the US has already tried “extreme vetting” tactics on immigrants – including the “recently discontinued Bush-era” National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS) program, which failed “to achieve its avowed goals.” NSEERS required “male noncitizens over the age of 16 traveling to or present in the United States from 24 Arab- or Muslim-majority countries (plus North Korea)” to register and “be fingerprinted, photographed and interrogated.” Bâli argues that federal courts, which “found the NSEERS program constitutional,” may come to a “different conclusion if new programs were shown to be based on religious animus.” TRUMP ORDERS DHS TO PRODUCE LIST OF SANCTUARY CITIES. The Washington Times (1/26, Dinan, 272K) reports Wednesday, President Trump ordered the Homeland Security Department to develop and release “a name-and-shame list of sanctuary cities” as part of “two new executive orders erasing decades of previous immigration enforcement policy.” According to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, there are 279 cities and counties that “refused to cooperate on at least some deportations in 2016.” DHS SAYS REFUGEE INTERVIEW TRIPS DELAYED, NOT CANCELED. Reuters (1/26, Torbati) reports the Department of Homeland Security has temporarily ceased staff trips to interview refugees abroad as it anticipates likely policy changes by President Trump, according to two sources with knowledge of the decision. Reuters says the move “effectively amounts to a pause in future refugee admissions,” because the interviews “are a crucial step in an often years-long process.” The AP (1/26) reports spokeswoman Gillian Christensen for the Department of Homeland Security said that “trips have not been officially canceled” for officials traveling to conduct refugee interviews, though they have been delayed. The AP cites a State Department officials who indicated the travel suspension is effective until February 15. The delay, however, “effectively pauses future refugee admissions amid speculation that President Trump may drastically change US refugee policy,” The Hill (1/26, Hensch, 1.25M) reports, citing Reuters. DHS-17-0435-A-000368 CBP FOIA000368 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT Newsweek (1/26, Reuters, 862K) reports the possibility of future admissions delay, with President Trump “expected to sign an executive order that would include a temporary ban on all refugees, and a suspension of visas for citizens of Syria and six other Middle Eastern and African countries.” CNN (1/26, Mallonee, 29.79M) provides similar coverage. OPPONENT OF BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP MAY JOIN DHS IN IMMIGRATION-RELATED POSITION. The Washington Post (1/26, Hsu, 11.43M) reports that “two former US officials informed of transition changes by department personnel” say Center for Immigration Studies policy analyst Jon D. Feere, a “prominent advocate of ending US birthright citizenship is in line to join the Trump administration in an immigration-related position at the Department of Homeland Security.” The Post says Feere “testified before the House Judiciary subcommittee on immigration in 2015 and has written several opinion pieces...proposing alternatives to a constitutional amendment by which Congress could enact a law or President Trump could issue an executive order denying citizenship, US passports or Social Security numbers to American-born children of people in the country illegally.” CONTINUING COVERAGE: DHS IG LOOKING INTO ALLEGED GEORGIA SECRETARY OF STATE BREACH. Fox News (1/26, Hickey, 11.07M) reports the DHS Inspector General’s office “is investigating allegations that Department of Homeland Security officials improperly attempted to breach the Georgia secretary of state’s internal elections network last year.” DHS IG spokeswoman Erica Paulson “confirmed the office has launched an investigation.” DOJ FIGHTS ORDER TO PRESERVE EX-DHS OFFICIALS’ EMAILS. Politico (1/26, Gerstein, 2.46M) reports in its “Under The Radar” blog that the Justice Department is asking a federal judge “to reconsider an order requiring four former Department of Homeland Security officials, including ex-Secretary Jeh Johnson, to preserve many of their emails stored on private accounts.” Politico notes that last week, US District Court Judge Randolph Moss “ordered that Johnson and three former top DHS officials move messages they stored in online, personal accounts to thumb drives or hard drives for safekeeping.” Judge Moss “said he ordered the move out of ‘an abundance of caution’ in connection with a Judicial Watch Freedom of Information Act lawsuit exploring the officials’ use of personal email on government computers.” Justice Department attorneys “opposed the preservation order, saying the officials already pledged to hang on to any potentially responsive emails in their accounts,” and on Thursday, “federal government attorneys went back to Moss, asking him to reconsider the order.” Immigration and Customs Enforcement: COLOMBIAN DRUG TRAFFICKING SUSPECT CLAIMS TO BE ICE, DEA INFORMANT. The Miami Herald (1/26, Weaver, 856K) reports Henry De Jesus Lopez Londoño, “an elusive cocaine-trafficking suspect” who “was finally extradited to Miami in November,” was working “a confidential informant – or ‘deep cover mole’ – for two federal agencies, his lawyers say in court documents unsealed Thursday.” Lopez Londoño’s attorneys claim the defendant “put his life on the line to help the war on drugs – including infiltrating a dangerous drug-trafficking cartel headed by Mexican kingpin Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman, as well as paramilitary groups and members of the al-Qaida terrorist network in Colombia” – and “was promised ‘favorable treatment’ by agents” from ICE and DEA. The Herald adds that the US Attorney’s office in Miami has “confirmed that Lopez Londoño was once” an ICE source, “but prosecutors said the DEA ‘never’ formally used him as an informant.” ICE AGENT ALLEGEDLY RAIDED LAS VEGAS KOREAN RESTAURANT IN EXCHANGE FOR FREE FOOD. The Washington Post (1/26, Schmidt, 11.43M) reports a lawsuit filed by owners of Club Yamang, a popular Las Vegas Korean club, alleges ICE special agent Joohoon David Lee “had been harassing the restaurant owners and employees in exchange for copious amounts of free food and drinks at a rival Las Vegas supper club, Club Sonagi, also popular for its Korean food, music and attractive hostesses.” The suit claims “Lee and the owner of Club Sonagi ‘hatched a plan to drive Club Yamang out of business and into financial ruin,’” in return for which Lee would be “comped” for all food and drinks at Club Sonagi. Lee was indicted in 2015 “in an unrelated bribery case in Los Angeles, pleading guilty months later,” which DHS-17-0435-A-000369 CBP FOIA000369 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT Club Yamang owners’ attorney Paul Padda said “corroborated what we had sensed regarding Lee’s ulterior motives.” According to the Post, the suit – “filed this month on behalf of three investors and co￾owners and the now-wife of the former owner” – follows a similar suit “filed in April on behalf of the restaurant’s former owner, Thomas Kim.” ICE AGENTS MISTAKENLY VISIT COMMUNITY CENTER IN SAN FRANCISCO. The San Francisco Chronicle (1/26, Barros, 2.2M) reports ICE agents “attempted to arrest two people suspected of being undocumented immigrants in the Mission District on Thursday morning, but left with no arrests made.” Good Samaritan Resource Center executive director Mario Paz is quoted saying, “ICE agents arrived to our center at about 9:20 a.m. this morning. ... An agent entered our center with two papers in hand and asked if two individuals lived here ... Our staff responded that this is not a residency, that this is a community center.” Paz “said it was no coincidence that the visit occurred the day after President Donald Trump threatened to cut federal funding for sanctuary cities like San Francisco.” The San Francisco Examiner (1/26, Rodriguez, 425K) reports ICE agents “seeking an undocumented immigrant visited a home in San Francisco’s Mission District on Thursday, but not before first stopping at a building housing a preschool next door by mistake, an agency spokesperson confirmed.” The Examiner says the Good Samaritan Family Resource Center “contains a preschool on site, where 30 toddlers and children played feet away from where ICE agents entered the center.” ICE spokesperson Virginia Kice “said the agents first went to the person’s last known address and identified themselves as ICE officers, but were told the correct address was actually next door.” Kice is quoted saying, “ICE’s enforcement actions are targeted and lead driven, focusing on individuals who pose a threat to national security, border security, and public safety.” SFist (1/26, Barmann, 116K) says, “The immigration crackdown has begun, and some ICE agents, possibly emboldened or directed by the new Trump regime, conducted a rare raid in San Francisco Thursday, descending upon the Good Samaritan Family Resource Center in the Mission.” The Los Angeles (CA) Times (1/26, Hamilton, 4.52M) also reports, adding that ICE “said it was not a raid but a targeted effort to find a convicted sex offender wanted for deportation.” TEXAS WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY TO CHILD PORN CHARGES. The Houston Chronicle (1/26, Banks, 1.91M) reports Tracey Lynn Bautista of League City, Texas “pleaded guilty in Galveston Thursday to receiving child pornography via texts and online messaging.” Bautista “was tracked by” HSI “and the Montgomery County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office after she exchanged messages with a person who had been arrested for promoting of child pornography.” Customs and Border Protection: MORGAN RESIGNS AS BORDER PATROL CHIEF. The Washington Post (1/26, Markon, Rein, Lowery, 11.43M) reports that US Border Patrol Chief Mark Morgan “has resigned after only six months on the job.” The Post says “officials familiar with the decision said that Morgan...was removed by Kevin K. McAleenan, acting commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency” – noting that Morgan had previously “clashed with the powerful Border Patrol union, which endorsed Trump for president and whose leaders were present at Trump’s announcement of his immigration crackdown at Department of Homeland Security headquarters Friday.” The Washington Times (1/26, Dinan, 272K) similarly reports that Morgan “has tangled with the National Border Patrol Council, the labor union that represents line agents.” According to Reuters (1/26, Ainsley), McAleenan said in a statement, “On behalf of the men and women of U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Border Patrol, I want to thank Mark Morgan for his unwavering dedication to our border security mission, and recognize his life-long career in service to the nation.” The AP (1/26, Spagat, Caldwell) cites a “US official who was on brief video conference in which Morgan informed senior agents of the change,” who said that Morgan “said he was asked to leave and decided to DHS-17-0435-A-000370 CBP FOIA000370 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT resign rather than fight the request.” The AP adds that Morgan’s “forced resignation” leaves President Trump “with a leadership gap but also gives him a chance to start fresh with a Border Patrol chief of his own choosing.” According to the New York (NY) Times (1/26, Nixon, Subscription Publication, 13.9M), Morgan’s last day at the agency will be Tuesday. The anonymous DHS official said “Morgan had expressed a desire to stay at the agency in the Trump administration,” sending “an internal email to Border Patrol staff members after the election criticizing the immigration enforcement policies of President Barack Obama and his Homeland Security secretary, Jeh C. Johnson.” Although CBP didn’t say who will replace Morgan, the Times mentions former Maricopa County, Arizona sheriff Joseph Arpaio, “who clashed with the Obama administration over his illegal immigration raids, was mentioned as a possible replacement’ during the presidential campaigns.” EJ Montini of the Arizona Republic (1/26, Montini, 1.1M) considers whether Arpaio is a feasible choice to replace Morgan. Montini argues that, before Trump’s election “it would have been considered inappropriate and best and political suicide at worst to appoint someone to such a position while that person is facing a criminal trial.” However, “we don’t live in that world anymore” – so “the thing that we would be if Trump tapped Arpaio to head the border patrol is … surprised.” Sources offering similar coverage include The Hill (1/26, Firozi, 1.25M), Fox News (1/26, Housley, 11.07M), the Washington (DC) Post (1/26, Markon, Rein, Lowery, 11.43M), and the Los Angeles (CA) Times (1/26, Bennett, 4.52M). BORDER PATROL UNION HEAD: US WILL BE SAFER WITH TRUMP’S WALL. NPR (1/26, 1.92M) carries a transcript and audio clip of an interview with head of the National Border Patrol Council, which represents Border Patrol agents, Brandon Judd. Judd discussed how border security is going to change if Trump’s orders are carried out. He clarified that “we’re talking about a wall in strategic locations which then helps the Border Patrol agents do their job better,” rather than “a continuous wall from California down to Texas.” Judd added that he expects “the country is going to be a lot safer” once the immigration measures are in place. Fox Business (1/26, Wisner, 269K) reports Judd also appeared on the FOX Business Network Thursday to explain “why he feels 5,000 agents is enough to secure the border.” He said, “It is enough. In fact, if we were able to put all the agents that we currently have on the border, we would be able to secure the border given that we get the additional technology such as the wall.” However, he said many agents are assigned to duties other than protecting the border. Judd said, “If the agency determines that those individuals are needed in the places that they’re at, then we do need that additional 5,000 agents in order to secure the border.” CBP AGENT’S RADIO BLOCKED KNIFE IN STRUGGLE WITH UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT. The Arizona Daily Star (1/26, Duarte, 270K) reports a Border Patrol agent was nearly stabbed by an undocumented immigrant, who “instead struck a handheld radio,” during the altercation “shortly after 9 p.m. Tuesday near Three Points, according to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection news release.” The Daily Star adds that the agent got “help from another agent who was in an Air and Marine Operations helicopter that landed in a clearing,” after which the suspect was arrested. Border Patrol Agent Stabbed. KVOA-TV Tucson, AZ (1/26, Palanuk, 23K) reports that a migrant attempted to stab a Border Patrol agent on Tuesday night, according to CBP. The individual “was part of a group of migrants walking through the desert near Three Points” and tried to flee, which resulted in a struggle. The agent’s “hand-held radio attached to his body armor blocked the knife.” CBP AGENT CHARGED FOR PA AUTO CRASHES. The Erie (PA) Times-News (1/26, Hahn, 28K) reports US Border Patrol agent Norman A. Antuzzi, 43, of Millcreek Township is set to appear in court on February 21 to “to face 13 misdemeanor and summary charges related to a series of crashes that township police accuse Antuzzi of causing while traveling through Millcreek, while off-duty, on the afternoon of Jan. 14.” The article notes that Antuzzi attorney Stephen Sebald “said Thursday afternoon that Antuzzi is currently in an inpatient treatment setting, in a special program to help people suffering DHS-17-0435-A-000371 CBP FOIA000371 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT from post-traumatic stress disorder.” Officials “wrote in [a] statement that Customs and Border Protection does not tolerate the misconduct of any employee, and stresses the importance of maintaining the highest levels of professionalism and integrity throughout the organization.” BORDER PATROL ARRESTS ITALIAN FELON. The Sonoran News (AZ) (1/26, 437) reports that an “talian man identified as Salvatore Marciante, 56, was apprehended in Nogales, Arizona, on Jan. 21 for being illegally present in the United States.” Checks “revealed that Marciante previously resided in Staten Island, New York and was deported from the United States in 2004 after serving time for involvement in drug related criminal activity.” Transportation Security Administration: GORKA FACES CRIMINAL CHARGE FOR TRYING TO BOARD FLIGHT WITH A GUN. The Wall Street Journal (1/26, Harris, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) reports that national security and terrorism analyst Sebastian Gorka, who has been selected by President Trump for a senior White House position, is facing a criminal charge for allegedly trying to bring a handgun onto a flight at Ronald Reagan National Airport last January. A TSA statement says Gorka was stopped in the airport after a TSA officer detected a 9mm caliber handgun using X-ray equipment. Gorka was cited on a state weapons charge, and the gun was confiscated. TSA ADDS ELEVEN NEW AIRLINES TO PRECHECK PROGRAM. The Hill (1/26, Zanona, 1.25M) reports TSA has added 11 new airlines to its PreCheck program, which allows travelers to pre-register with the agency for a speedier security check at the airport, bringing “the total number of airlines participating in PreCheck to 30.” The new airlines include “Aruba Airlines, Avianca, Boutique Airlines, Emirates, Key Lime Air, Miami Air International, Southern Airways Express, Spirit Airlines, Sunwing, Virgin Atlantic and Xtra Airways.” According to the Hill, the PreCheck program “allows passengers who have undergone background checks to move through expedited security lanes without taking off their shoes or removing electronics from their bags.” The Cleveland (OH) Plain Dealer (1/26, Glaser, 976K) reports Spirit Airlines COO and SVP John Bendoraitis said Thursday, “We are thrilled to give our customers options for a more efficient and expedited security screening experience.” Federal Emergency Management Agency: GOVERNOR: FEDERAL AID APPROVAL COVERS SIX STORM-DAMAGED COUNTIES IN GEORGIA. The AP (1/26) reports Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal said on Thursday that President Trump has approved federal aid for six storm-damaged counties in his state. The damage occurred last weekend, according to the AP, which points out that Trump also recently approved federal aid “for prior storms that damaged southwest Georgia on Jan. 2.” Focusing solely on the more recent aid approval, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (1/26, Bluestein, 1.41M) reports a FEMA statement “said the assistance could include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help victims recover.” An online WXIA-TV Atlanta (1/26, 415K) report, which also focuses its coverage on the more recent aid approval, notes that Deal said he is “tremendously grateful for the immediate assistance and attention President Trump has given Georgia’s requests for federal aid, as well as his concern for our citizens.” Deal added, “I’d also like to thank President Trump for sending the acting director of FEMA to view firsthand the horrific effects of this natural disaster. FEMA, along with the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, is working to expedite financial assessments in the remaining counties impacted by the storms.” The Albany (GA) Herald (1/26, Hendricks, 2K) and the WFXL-TV Albany, GA (1/26, 1K) website also highlights Deal’s remarks. WALB-TV Albany, GA (1/26, Hoskins, 42K), meanwhile, reports on its website that Turner is one of the Georgia counties covered by Trump’s most recent aid approval. The story adds, “FEMA officials were on the ground” in Georgia on Thursday, “talking with folks who have lost everything.” DHS-17-0435-A-000372 CBP FOIA000372 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT US Citizenship and Immigration Services: PRESIDENT OBAMA CHANGED USCIS POLICY TO ENSURE TRANSGENDER IMMIGRANTS GET DOCUMENTS. Mic (1/26, Rodriguez, 554K) reports that among the actions taken by President Obama in the last few days of his tenure in preparation for the Trump Administration was to provide assistance to “ensure transgender immigrants are able to get their legal documents in order.” According to Mic, USCIS received a memo requiring that it “change the gender marker on an official document if the person applying for the document presents” either a court order, an amended government document or a letter from a licensed professional confirming the gender identity of the applicant. Immigration: TRUMP’S PLAN TO END “CATCH AND RELEASE” OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS MAY BE HAMPERED BY LACK OF SPACE. Reuters (1/26, Daniel) reports immigrant advocates warn President Trump’s plan to end the “catch and release” policy – under which “illegal immigrants are caught and then freed pending hearings” – may “hit a will...and not the one he is planning to build on the Mexican border.” Annunciation House director Ruben Garcia, whose charity “gives shelter to migrant families,” warned that ICE is “releasing them not because they want to do catch and release, but because detention centers don’t have enough space.” Reuters points out that “almost half the immigrants apprehended by U.S. officials are now Central American families or children” but “only a tiny number of detention spaces are available for those categories of immigrants.” While “Trump did announce plans to increase the number of family detention centers,” Reuters says “establishing them will take time and could face legal challenges, legal experts on immigration said.” “CIVIL RIGHTS ADVOCATES” OBJECT TO IMMIGRATION ORDERS. The Washington Post (1/26, Zapotosky, 11.43M) reports President Trump on Wednesday signed an order directing the homeland security secretary “to deputize local law enforcement officials to enforce immigration laws,” which “civil rights advocates” say could lead police “to racially profile those they encounter.” Cecillia Wang, deputy legal director at the American Civil Liberties Union, said the orders are “a shot across the bow of immigrant communities and those localities or states that are welcoming of immigrant communities.” In addition, Trump is bringing back the Secure Communities program, characterized as “controversial.” Maria Cardona, a principal at the Dewey Square Group, a Democratic strategist, and a CNN/CNN Español political commentator, writes at The Hill (1/26, Cardona, Contributor, 1.25M) “Pundits Blog” blog that Trump’s orders are “part of his continued attack on the immigrant, Latino, and Muslim communities.” She also criticizes the “crack down on so-called sanctuary cities,” arguing that “no legal term of the kind actually exists.” Finally, she argues that “the solution” is “comprehensive immigration reform.” She says Trump’s policies would “end our America as we know it.” REACTIONS OF “SANCTUARY CITIES” TO TRUMP’S EXECUTIVE ORDERS DISCUSSED. The San Francisco Chronicle (1/26, Ting, 2.2M) continues coverage of the response by mayors and cities across the country to President Trump’s executive order that would cut federal funding to “sanctuary cities.” The Chronicle notes some mayors have indicated their willingness “to sacrifice federal funding to keep their sanctuary status” and provides a list of mayoral statements to that effect in cities from California to New Jersey. In California, the Los Angeles Times (1/26, Chang, Esquivel, Lau, 4.52M) says Trump’s order is setting the stage “for a pitched battle with [state] officials who have long prioritized building ties with immigrant communities.” San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee in his annual state of the city speech on Thursday “reiterated the city’s ‘sanctuary’ status,” the AP (1/26) reports. The article also says Lee previously noted that Trump’s threat to withhold any part of the $1 billion a year the city receives “lacked specifics so officials are unclear on what might be at stake for the city’s budget.” DHS-17-0435-A-000373 CBP FOIA000373 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT New California Attorney General Xavier Becerra also expressed his determination to defend immigrants in the state in an interview conducted with NPR (1/26, 1.92M). He said, “We’re going to do everything we can to protect the citizens and residents of the state of California.” When asked what California cities can refuse to do, Becerra also noted holding people without basis violates the Fourth Amendment. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio in a Thursday CNN appearance emphasized how Trump’s order “threatened to upend years of progress police departments have made cultivating trust in immigrant neighborhoods,” the New York Daily News (1/26, Durkin, 4.45M) reports. He said, “This is the kind of thing that will destroy that promise, and make it impossible for the police to keep cities safe.” De Blasio moreover threatened to sue the Trump Administration, saying at a City Hall press conference, “President Trump issued an executive order today and it’s purported purpose was to enhance public safety, but here in New York City and in cities across this nation this executive order could in fact undermine public safety,” The Hill (1/26, Savransky, 1.25M) adds. He noted the effect of such funding cuts would “first and foremost fall on the NYPD.” Meanwhile, New York Assembly member Nicole Malliotakis indicated that NYPD statistics highlight how the city cooperated with only two of 80 ICE detainer requests, the New York Post (1/26, 3.82M) says. The Post quotes Malliotakis as saying, “It’s truly frightening that our city refuses to treat criminals in accordance with federal law, and would jeopardize federal funding by harboring individuals who have committed crimes from deportation.” In Long Island, members of various immigrant, women’s and minority groups and communities joined congregants on Thursday at the Bay Shore mosque “to condemn immigration enforcement orders from President Donald Trump that they said will harm the most vulnerable,” Newsday (NY) (1/26, Ramos, 1.3M) reports. The article notes almost 40 individuals gathered at the mosque and said Trump’s order would be “countered by their campaign for unity, with Latinos, Muslims, Jewish, LGBTQ and women’s reproductive rights advocates joining so far what they’re calling the Long Island Unity Collaborative.” In Chicago, immigration activists demanded Mayor Rahm Emanuel “strengthen Chicago’s Welcoming City Ordinance by removing all of the exceptions,” the Chicago Sun-Times (1/26, Spielman, 798K) says. Currently Chicago Police are “permitted to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement if targeted individuals are: in the city’s gang database; have pending felony prosecutions or prior felony convictions or if they are the subject of an outstanding criminal warrant.” Activists are demanding this be eliminated. Joining colleagues in California, New York, Chicago, and other states and cities across the country in responding to Trump’s executive orders, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (1/26, Salzer, 1.41M) cites Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed as condemning the orders and “saying Atlanta is a welcoming community that ‘has stood up for the civil and human rights of every person, and we will not waver now.’” Similarly, the Mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul also “offered a defiant response to President Donald Trump’s executive order,” the Rochester (MN) Post-Bulletin (1/26, NELSON, 25K) reports. Accordingly, Minneapolis has asserted that it will not rescind its policy “that blocks police from reporting immigration violations, Mayor Betsy Hodges said Wednesday.” St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman also said he does not believe Trump’s order on blocking federal funds to sanctuary cities would apply to the $13 million the city gets every year. Madison, Wisconsin Mayor Paul Soglin has additionally held firm to remaining a “sanctuary city” despite the potential loss of federal money, while Police Chief Mike Koval has also said his officers will “never inquire about immigration status,” the AP (1/26) reports. Soglin said that while the city will comply with ICE detainer requests, the city itself will not detain immigrants and the police will not “enforce federal immigration laws.” Colleges and universities nationwide are also “preparing to defend their students from potential immigration raids under President Trump,” though USA Today (1/26, Gomez, 5.28M) says “it’s unclear how much power they actually have to shield their students.” The article notes that many of these schools DHS-17-0435-A-000374 CBP FOIA000374 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT have assured their undocumented student population in various ways they will not cooperate with ICE agents. University of California system president Janet Napolitano has also moved to determine what they can do “to shelter its students if he carried through on his pledges to cancel the program, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals,” the New York Times (1/26, PRESTON, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports. However, the Times also indicates Napolitano “does not mention the word ‘sanctuary’ when describing what the university could offer,” but has instead “published detailed principles of support for undocumented students.” U.S. News & World Report (1/26, Camera, 1.02M) adds school districts across the country are also “pledging to defend illegal students,” including Los Angeles Unified, Pittsburgh Public Schools, and Clark County School Board. The Washington Examiner (1/26, Bedard, 400K), however, criticizes the fact that Democratic mayors did not speak out when President Obama targeted “sanctuary cities.” It says that these mayors who are now “assailing President Trump’s threat to cut off funding so-called sanctuary cities” did not do so when Obama attempted the same a year ago. MIAMI-DADE FIRST TO BACK DOWN AND COMPLY WITH TRUMP’S “SANCTUARY” CRACKDOWN. The Miami Herald (1/26, Mazzei, 856K) reports Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez ordered county jails to comply with ICE detention requests on Thursday, fearing the loss in millions of federal dollars for “defying immigration authorities.” In a memo to interim director of the corrections and rehabilitation department Daniel Junior, Gimenez wrote, “In light of the provisions of the Executive Order, I direct you and your staff to honor all immigration detainer requests received from the Department of Homeland Security.” President Trump on Thursday also “hail[ed]” Gimenez’s decision as “the first victory in his fight against ‘sanctuary cities,’” USA Today (1/26, Gomez, 5.28M) reports. The article says Trump “praised” Gimenez for making a decision that would ensure the country does not lose any of the $355 million in federal funds slated for 2017. The Hill (1/26, Vladimirov, 1.25M) adds that Miami-Dade never officially called itself a “sanctuary” city and that it has requested a federal review of its status in 2016. However, Politico (1/26, Lima, Caputo, 2.46M) says Gimenez indicated to ICE that in order for the country to honor detainer requests, it would “need to start cooperating with the county and paying for the detention of illegal immigrants in one of the nation’s largest counties of foreign-born residents.” Gimenez said, “If ICE asks us to detain someone we arrested – not for immigration issues because we’re not immigration officers – we feel ICE should pay the bill and bear the responsibility for housing their inmate.” STATE RESPONSES TO TRUMP’S SANCTUARY CITIES ORDER MIXED. The Syracuse (NY) Post￾Standard (1/26, Weiner, 531K) reports Onondaga County, New York Sheriff Gene Conway on Wednesday “said...he has never received a request from federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials to detain an undocumented immigrant during his two years in office.” He said that if he were to receive such a request, he likely would comply. Conway said, “It has always been my purpose to cooperate with law enforcement, whether it is local, state or federal.” The AP (1/26, Richman) reports two Howard County, MD Council members, Calvin Ball and Jen Terrasa, are moving forward with new legislation that would “declare their county a sanctuary for undocumented immigrants, even after President Donald Trump announced his intention to crack down on such jurisdictions.” Ball is quoted as saying, “We’re at a crossroads. We have to decide what kind of community we’re going to be.” Meanwhile, school board trustees in Las Vegas, Nevada “are being asked to declare an immigration safe haven for students regardless of their citizenship status,” Fox News (1/26, 11.07M) reports. Clark County School District board member Carolyn Edwards proposed a resolution Thursday “to reinforce protections DHS-17-0435-A-000375 CBP FOIA000375 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT for children of immigrants under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals order.” LOCAL OFFICIALS OBJECT TO SANCTUARY CITIES ORDER. The AP (1/26) reports Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R) said that though one of President Trump’s orders “instructs the Homeland Security secretary to engage with governors and local officials” about immigration enforcement, it is not “one of the ‘primary’ functions for state and local police.” Snyder also said that he will “continue to promote Michigan as a welcoming place for immigrants.” The AP (1/26) reports that Iowa City officials said that though the city has a policy of not enforcing federal immigration laws, “they don’t think the city will lose” federal funds. The city council did not adopt a “sanctuary city” label, but did say it does not use local resources for immigration enforcement. The Norwich (CT) Bulletin (1/26, Kefalas, 63K) reports that Windham, and “all of Connecticut” may “be in the crosshairs of Trump’s new immigration policy.” That’s because the Windham Town Council voted January 17 to become a Sanctuary City, and Connecticut law instructs state and local law enforcement that they may ignore federal detainers for those who have not “committed a serious felony.” Under the order the Department of Homeland Security would list jurisdictions that declined to honor detainers. The Hill (1/26, Wilson, 1.25M) reports the “sanctuary cities” order “drew swift condemnation from Democratic-led states with significant immigrant populations.” Several argued that the orders were in violation of US law or the constitution and would be challenged. COVERAGE FAULTS SANCTUARY ORDERS. The Christian Science Monitor (1/26, Jonsson, 387K) reports that in response to the order described as an order to local police “to start looking for undocumented immigrants and reporting them to federal immigration authorities for deportation,” Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Capt. Jeff Scroggin said, “No.” He said that it “is just not what we do.” The Monitor says that local police argue that enforcing immigration law reduces trust in police and leads to “more opportunity for criminal activity, not less.” According to the Monitor, “most US police departments agree.” The New York Times (1/26, Pérez-Peña, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports that while Trump says that “undocumented immigrants pose a threat to public safety,” academic studies have found that “immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than people born in the United States.” Still, “immigrants are a large slice of the population, and are no doubt to blame for a large share of the crime.” According to the Department of Homeland Security, there are 1.9 million noncitizens in the US who have been “convicted of criminal offenses and could be deported.” NBC News (1/26, Conde, 2.67M) reports on the New Sanctuary Movement Coalition in New York City that provides training and legal advice to immigrants. They “role play immigration arrest scenarios to learn what their rights are and how to express them.” The New York Post (1/26, 3.82M) reports that under one of the orders, President Trump would “publish a weekly list of crimes committed by illegal immigrants in the Big Apple and all other sanctuary cities.” The New Yorker (1/26, Wickenden, 3.47M) describes the order as bringing “a federal assault on the hundreds of American cities that have declined to act as immigration police.” The article describes illegal immigration as “an enormous, unwieldy problem, far more easily demagogued than solved.” It says that Trump could reverse the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and that some of his supporters keep calling for that, but Trump has suggested “he viewed the Dreamers benignly.” LAW ENFORCEMENT GROUPS “SHARPLY DIVIDED” OVER SANCTUARY CRACKDOWN. USA Today (1/26, Johnson, 5.28M) reports that national law enforcement groups are “sharply divided” over Trump’s plan to “crack down” on sanctuary cities, with some warning that “law enforcement’s already fraught relationship with minority communities could be further damaged by pressing local officers to enforce immigration laws.” Plans Could Boost Private Prisons. The Arizona Republic (1/26, Roberts, 1.1M) reports that Trump’s DHS-17-0435-A-000376 CBP FOIA000376 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT “crackdown” on illegal immigration is “stupendous news for the private prison industry.” CONSTITUTIONALITY OF TRUMP ORDER TO WITHHOLD FUNDING TO “SANCTUARY CITIES” DISCUSSED. The Washington Post (1/26, Somin, 11.43M) reports President Trump’s executive order to deny “sanctuary cities” federal funding “has serious constitutional problems” and “is both unconstitutional and a very dangerous precedent.” The Post says that the order could “seriously undermine constitutional federalism by forcing dissenting cities and states to obey presidential dictates, even without authorization from Congress,” and that it threatens the separation of powers. Lawmakers nationwide also called the order “unconstitutional” and “vow[ed] to protect their diverse communities,” the Christian Science Monitor (1/26, Hoover, 387K) similarly reports. The Monitor cites legal experts who say that by threatening to withhold unspecified amounts of federal funding, Trump might be overstepping his presidential authority. University of Denver Sturm College of Law associate professor Christopher Lasch writes in The Hill (1/26, Lasch, 1.25M) “Congress Blog” that the order “promises an era of unprecedented cruelty and, like President Trump’s other plans on immigration, is dissociated from factual and legal reality.” Lasch says Trump’s campaign rendered “sanctuary” a “dirty word” and that he justified increased enforcement and attacks on sanctuary jurisdictions by invoking the threat to “public safety.” However, a new study published by the Center for American Progress and the National Immigration Law Center shows that “sanctuary cities show lower crime and higher economic well-being,” Atlantic’s CityLab (1/26, 175K) says. University of California, San Diego associate professor of political science Tom Wong found in an analysis of ICE data that there have been “35.5 fewer violent and property crimes per 10,000 people in sanctuary counties versus non-sanctuary ones.” TEXAS SHERIFF RESPONDS TO ABBOTT’S CRITICISM ABOUT “SANCTUARY” STATUS. The AP (1/26) reports Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez on Thursday fired back at criticism leveled at her by Gov. Greg Abbott, saying that “streets are safer when people can report crimes ‘without fear of deportation.’” Abbott, for his part, is seeking more funding lines to cut from Travis County following Hernandez’s refusal to reverse a policy that he says effectively makes Austin a “sanctuary city,” the Dallas Morning News (1/26, Grissom, 1.12M) reports. According to the Morning news, Abbott’s budget director Steven Albright on Thursday “sent a letter to the heads of all state agencies asking them to identify all funds, including federal dollars, that had been allotted to Travis County in the 2016 fiscal year.” TRUMP’S SANCTUARY CITIES ORDER HAS EXEMPTION FOR POLICE. Reuters (1/26, Rosenberg, Levine, Sullivan) reports President Trump’s executive order to withhold federal funding from “sanctuary cities” has an exemption for police, who the article says “would be protected from cuts.” Reuters says Trump’s opponents, however, have argued such an exemption “makes it much more likely that a judge could strike down that section of the order as unconstitutional.” The article notes this is just one argument that cities and immigration groups are preparing in their fight against the order. MISSOURI LAWMAKER PROPOSES HARSHER SENTENCES FOR ILLEGAL RE-ENTRANTS. The AP (1/26, Ballentine) reports state Senator Mike Cunningham (R) is leading Missouri lawmakers in another attempt “to pass a bill aimed at cracking down on deported immigrants who come back and commit crimes.” The proposal would establish an “illegal re-entry” sentence of up to 10 years in prison for assaults or felony offenses. According to the AP, the proposal failed “in the House after passing the Senate when it was introduced last year,” but President “Trump’s election could add momentum to such efforts in Missouri and elsewhere.” Missouri Immigrant and Refugee Advocates Executive Director Aimee Abizera argued that Trump’s election “makes it easier for things like this to pass because already the hatred has been brought to the surface. ... People feel like they have a right to do it.” But the AP points out that “pushback” against Trump’s policies has already started in “blue states” – including New York, where a state legislator is pushing to “block the state from signing contracts or investing in companies hired to build a border wall.” DHS-17-0435-A-000377 CBP FOIA000377 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT TOWNS FAIL IN EFFORTS TO BLOCK UNDOCUMENTED RESIDENTS. The Washington Post (1/26, Harlan, 11.43M) reports on six towns that “began passing laws to block undocumented immigrants from living within their borders.” Those efforts were “foiled by court rulings, settlements or challenges with enforcement.” In several cases, the towns also were “ordered to pay the legal fees for the civil rights groups that brought suits.” The Post says that President Trump’s policies too “could face legal challenges.” According to the Post, Federal judges “ruled the ordinances discriminatory and unconstitutional” or the towns “backed away” under legal challenges. REPS. CHAFFETZ, MEADOWS WARN DC MAYOR AGAINST PLANS TO USE FUNDS TO DEFEND ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. The Washington Post (1/26, Davis, 11.43M) reports Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R￾ID), chairman of the House Oversight Committee, and Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC), head of the subcommittee for District affairs, have written to Washington, DC Mayor Muriel E. Bowser, warning her that her “plan to use taxpayer money to defend illegal immigrants from deportation” would “violate federal law.” Bowser’s policy is to create a $500,000 fund to defend the district’s “estimated 25,000 illegal immigrants.” UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DEVELOPS PLAN FOR POSSIBLE CANCELING OF DACA PLAN. The New York Times (1/26, Preston, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports Janet Napolitano, president of the University of California and former secretary of Homeland Security, has “moved quickly to determine what the California system could do to shelter its students” if President Trump cancels the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. As a result, “the university has published detailed principles of support for undocumented students” and also is “organizing legal help for students detained for deportation.” University administrators at other schools “have flatly rejected sanctuary plans.” NEARLY 1,000 NEW YORKERS PROTEST TRUMP IMMIGRATION ORDERS. The New York Times (1/26, Robbins, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports that “nearly 1,000” people participated Wednesday in a protest in New York’s Washington Square Park against President Trump’s executive orders regarding immigration and sanctuary cities. The protest was organized by the Council on American-Islamic Relations. In addition, Assemblyman Francisco P. Moya, (D-Queens) has proposed a measure to “limit the state’s cooperation with the police in assisting immigration officers who did not have a judge’s warrant to detain immigrants accused of a crime.” OPINION: DREAMERS ARE ONE IMMIGRANT GROUP TRUMP SEEMS WARY OF TARGETING. Vox (1/26, Lind, 1.15M) reports Trump, in spite of making many “immigrants living in the United States priorities for deportation,” also “he took pains to reassure one group of unauthorized immigrants: unauthorized immigrants who’ve been protected from deportation by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program created by President Obama.” Trump told ABC News’s David Muir on Wednesday, “We’re going to take care of everybody. ... Where you have great people who are here [and] who have done a good job – they shouldn’t be worried.” However, Vox says even though “the executive order doesn’t put DACA recipients at risk yet,” the Administration “is known to be considering an end to the program.” Vox claims to have “received what appears to be a draft of an executive order that would halt the issuing of new DACA grants and the renewing of existing ones, forcing current DACA recipients to lose their protections one by one over the next two years. Trump is ultimately the person who will determine if DACA recipients have reason to worry or not.” ACTIVISTS ARGUE IMMIGRANTS DESERVE PUBLIC DEFENSE IN DEPORTATION PROCEEDINGS. Jojo Annobil, executive director of the Immigrant Justice Corps, writes in the New York Daily News (1/26, Annobil, 4.45M), on the “urgent need for free and affordable competent counsel in deportation proceedings” saying that the US “continues to aggressively deport tens of thousands of vulnerable, unaccompanied minor children and mothers with children fleeing extreme violence who do not have the benefit of a lawyer.” He says that the US recognizes “no right to appointed counsel in deportation proceedings.” He argues that competent legal representation would speed the cases and lead to better results. He recommends public funding of immigration attorneys for those in deportation proceedings. Heidi Altman, director of policy for the National Immigrant Justice Center, writes in the Washington Post (1/26, Altman, 11.43M), that DC Mayor Muriel E. Bowser’s (D) plan for “a legal defense fund for immigrants facing deportation” would help to “protect due-process rights for all.” She faults Bowser for DHS-17-0435-A-000378 CBP FOIA000378 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT exempting immigrants who have a “criminal record” from receiving representation, asking, “Since when do we allow a person’s rap sheet to determine whether she or he has the right to a zealous defense in court?” TRUMP EXPANDS DEFINITION OF CRIMINAL AS IT RELATES TO DEPORTATIONS. The New York Times (1/26, Medina, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports that President Trump’s executive order on building a border wall includes language that provides “an expansive definition of who is considered a criminal – a category of people Mr. Trump has said he would target for deportation.” The Times says a “criminal” under the definition is someone charged with a crime, even if not committed; who has committed acts “that constitute a chargeable criminal offense,” engaged in “fraud or willful misrepresentation in connection with any official matter or application before a governmental agency,” or “anyone who “in the judgment of an immigration officer” poses a risk to either public safety or national security.” SYRIAN REFUGEES BEING SETTLED IN VERMONT. The CBS Evening News (1/26, story 3, 2:20, Muir, 11.17M) spoke with refugees from Syria, saying that President Trump “is expected to block refugees from Syria.” CBS (Axelrod) traveled to Rutland, Vermont, where 110 Syrian refugees are to be settled, in “a process now in jeopardy.” Marsha Cassel, of Rutland Welcomes, is shown saying, “These are not the people that you need to fear. These people are running for their lives.” Retired teacher Don Cioffi is also shown saying, “It only takes one with a vest on to blow up some of my friends. It only takes one.” CBS concludes its coverage with the story of Rutland realtor Mike Khalil, who emigrated from Syria 35 years ago, is now a US citizen, and said, “If you give them the chance, the same chance that I got, they will see that these folks will be working hard.” Secret Service: ALABAMA MAN INDICTED ON COUNTERFEITING, FIREARMS CHARGES. The Gadsden (AL) Times (1/26, 60K) reports Hollis Nikia Bullard, 22, of Birmingham was indicted Thursday “on counterfeiting and firearms charges, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.” The Times reports “Secret Service agents recovered counterfeit bills totaling more than $15,000 in the course of the investigation.” Bullard faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the counterfeiting charges, and up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for “being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.” TEXAS HS TEACHER IN HOT WATER FOR “MOCK ASSASSINATION” OF TRUMP. Fox News (1/26, Starnes, 11.07M) reports a teacher at W.H. Adamson High School in Dallas, TX “has been placed on administrative leave” after posting a video to Instagram showing “her ‘shooting’ President Donald Trump inside a classroom while screaming, ‘Die!’” The teacher reportedly posted the video to her Instagram account “with the following message: ‘Watching the #inauguration in my classroom like…#no #stop #denial #squirtgun #hypocrisy #powerless #saveusall #teachthembetter #atleastitsfriday.’” According to Fox, “the Secret Service field office in Irving tells me they are aware of the incident, but declined further comment.” National Protection and Programs: MISSOURI SENATE COMMITTEE ADVANCES REAL ID COMPLIANCE PROPOSAL. The AP (1/26) reports the Missouri state Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Committee voted 4-3 Thursday to advance a proposal that would bring the state “into compliance with federal driver’s license requirements.” The AP explains that current law “prohibits the state from complying with the federal 2005 Real ID Act, which set tougher proof-of-identity requirements in response to the 2001 terrorist attacks,” but the proposed legislation would “give people a choice of getting licenses that are Real ID compliant or not.” Cyber News: PRESIDENT APPEARS TO CONTINUE USING UNSECURED MEANS OF COMMUNICATION. Vanity Fair (1/26, Kosoff, 6.22M) reports that “one week into his tenure as president...Trump appears to still be DHS-17-0435-A-000379 CBP FOIA000379 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT using private lines of communication,” including his “unsecured” Android phone “for tweeting purposes.” Vanity Fair notes a blog about the Android operating system “has determined Trump likely uses a Samsung Galaxy S3, which was first released five years ago.” Writer Alex Dobie is quoted saying, “It’s safe to say it’s a good three years out of step with the latest Android security updates.” Furthermore, the President’s @POTUS account “seems to be connected to a Gmail address, as opposed to a secure, White House email address,” and does not appear to have two-factor authentication enabled. Vanity Fair says, “The greatest national-security threat to the United States...may be Trump. ... One imagines it would not be difficult to hack the president, or to mimic his exclamatory, erratic rhetorical style, causing market chaos or, worse, a geopolitical panic.” Politico (1/26, Geller, 2.46M) says, “Reports that President Donald Trump has resumed using his Android-powered smartphone are prompting security experts to warn that his Twitter addiction could open up vulnerabilities inside the Oval Office.” Computer science professor Matthew Green is quoted saying, “It’s just crazy that the president is interacting with such an out-of-date and likely insecure device.” Bruce Schneier, “one of the world’s foremost cybersecurity experts,” is quoted saying, “His off-the-shelf Android could potentially become a room bug without his knowledge. ... An attacker could certainly hijack his apps.” QUANTUM COMPUTER SOLD TO CYBERSECURITY FIRM. CNBC (1/26, 2.17M) reports, “A state-of￾the-art computer system using quantum mechanics and valued at $15 million has been sold to a cyber￾security firm.” D-Wave, the computer’s developer, “announced the sale to Temporal Defense Systems, earlier this week.” D-Wave “claims that using the quantum computer will enable the cyber security firm to perform real-time security level rating, device-to-device authentication and identify, detect and prevent threats.” MICROSOFT TO CONTINUE MAKING CYBERSECURITY R&D INVESTMENTS. Reuters (1/26, Cohen) reports Microsoft “will continue to invest over $1 billion annually on cyber security research and development in the coming years, a senior executive said.” Microsoft vice president of security Bharat Shah is cited saying the amount does not include acquisitions the company may make in the sector. Reuters adds, “In addition to its internal security investments, Microsoft has bought three security firms, all in Israel, in a little over two years.” AT&T “FIGHTING BACK” AGAINST FCC CLAIMS REGARDING TELECOM CYBERSECURITY. Fierce Telecom (1/26, Buckley, 912) reports, “AT&T is fighting back against claims made by the FCC that the telecom community lacks the capability to protect consumers and business customers from cyberattacks.” AT&T, in a blog post, “takes issue over two claims the FCC made in its paper: service providers like AT&T don’t have the incentives to protect its network and customers from cyberattacks, and the regulator’s authority over cybersecurity.” AT&T executive Chris Boyer is quoted writing in the post, “We’re well aware of the threats to our network and our customers, and are taking meaningful steps to counter these risks.” PEW SURVEY: MOST AMERICAN ADULTS HAVE BEEN VICTIMS OF MAJOR DATA BREACH. Fast Company (1/26, 2.44M) reports, “A new survey from the Pew Research Center finds that most American adults have been the victims of some kind of ‘major data breach,’ and that many of us don’t trust big organizations to keep our data safe.” Fast Company reviews “some of the more alarming numbers from the report,” including that “51% of respondents said they’re ‘not at all confident’ or ‘not too confident’ in social media sites keeping their information safe – and 49% feel that way about the federal government.” MARIN: CYBER PROFESSIONALS MUST COMMUNICATE WITH COMPANY MANAGEMENT EFFECTIVELY REGARDING VULNERABILITIES. NetCentrics Corporation program manager Marvin Marin writes in Government Computer News (1/26, Marin, 1K) that cybersecurity professionals may be frustrated by discussing security issues with company decision makers who accept the risk of a breach in order to keep important systems functioning. Marin says, “The blame can’t rest solely on management’s shoulders; perhaps cyber professionals should accept part of the blame.” Marin adds, “Putting cyber risk in context and communicating it effectively makes cyber professionals the source of real, relevant, reliable threat information.” Marin discusses a scenario in which a security professional discusses a potential breach in terms of a “price tag” and provides evidence that hackers are aware of and targeting the DHS-17-0435-A-000380 CBP FOIA000380 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT vulnerability in question. Marin says that by discussing issues in these terms, “you have proved you understand their needs and have shown how your work can support their decision making by providing realistic, actionable solutions that will keep your organization secure.” NEW YORK MAN LINKED TO ISIL SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS IN PRISON FOR NEW YEAR’S EVE PLOT. Reuters (1/26, Stempel) reports that an upstate New York man was sentenced on Thursday to 20 years in prison “after pleading guilty to conspiring to provide material support to Islamic State, in connection with his alleged role in preparing a New Year’s Eve attack in 2015 at a local club or bar.” Emanuel Lutchman, 26, of Rochester, New York was sentenced by Chief US District Judge Frank Geraci following his August 11 guilty plea. Reuters adds that the prison term “was the maximum possible, and Lutchman was also sentenced to 50 years of supervised release.” According to his plea agreement, Lutchman “admitted to having bought a machete, knives, ski masks and other items for his attack, in which he was prepared to kidnap or kill people, and planned to later release a video explaining his actions.” CIA’S DIRECTORATE OF DIGITAL INNOVATION MAKING GOOD PROGRESS, ITS LEADERS SAY. CyberScoop (1/26, Bing) reports that the CIA’s Directorate of Digital Innovation, created by then-Director John Brennan two years ago, is now “delivering capabilities that will enable CIA to transform the business of intelligence,” said Sean Roche, the DDI’s associate deputy director. Roche’s boss, DDI Director Andrew Hallman, said, “The way we help people use digital and cyber techniques, [the DDI] will raise it to a new level.” The progress, says CyberScoop, comes as the Trump Administration and new Director Pompeo evaluate “the role, responsibility and mission of nearly every federal organization.” CONCERN FOR CONNECTED VEHICLE HACKINGS PROMPTS FEDERAL STUDY. CIO Magazine (1/26, Steiner, 471K) reports that, following the release of a 2016 memo by the FBI, Department of Transportation, and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regarding hacking risks in connected vehicles, law enforcement officials are now concerned about the use of laptops and other devices to steal vehicles as well as personal data. CIO recommends that owners with connected vehicles regularly update software, while suggesting that manufacturers increase security against malware and third-party takeovers. In the event that updates cannot be automatically installed, owners should visit dealers to verify the security of their vehicles, particularly in the event of a recall. Increased steps towards ensuring security, the magazine proposes, will also ensure customer loyalty and protection. According to GeekWire (1/26, Stampher, 59K), a bipartisan bill prescribing a Highway Traffic Safety Administration study on cyber security in connected vehicles entered consideration in the House of Representatives Wednesday. In partnership with the Federal Trade Commission, the Defense Department, and others, the study would create a standard for isolating vehicle software systems, storing system data, and preventing data breaches. Some legislators called the process “‘a daunting challenge’” as competitors like Microsoft seek to unseat Tesla from its reign in the market by partnering with vehicle makers on “‘incredibly complicated’” platforms that can “‘handle the data,’” Microsoft executive vice president of business development Peggy Johnson said. VIRGINIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE GIVEN CYBER DEFENSE AWARD BY NSA, DHS. The Danville (VA) Register & Bee (1/26, Metcalfe, 2K) reports the NSA and DHS officially designated the Danville Community College as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced Thursday at a DCC event. McAuliffe said, “This prestigious designation is not only good news for DCC, it is good news for the commonwealth,” while noting that more than 3,500 cybersecurity jobs in the state remain unfilled. “DOOMSDAY CLOCK” MOVES CLOSER TO MIDNIGHT THAN AT ANY TIME SINCE 1953. NBC Nightly News (1/26, story 10, 0:30, Holt, 16.61M) reported that “scientists” have moved the “Doomsday Clock” forward to “two minutes and 30 seconds before midnight,” which is “the closest it’s been to midnight since the 1950s,” blaming “nationalism worldwide, cyber threats and active and blatant disregarding for factual science” for the change. USA Today (1/26, Bowerman, 5.28M) says the change was made due to “increasing worries over nuclear weapons and climate change.” The clock is the product of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. They set the clock at “the closest it’s been to midnight since 1953,” and “blamed a cocktail of threats ranging from dangerous political rhetoric to the potential of nuclear DHS-17-0435-A-000381 CBP FOIA000381 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT threat.” Rachel Bronson, the executive director and publisher of Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, issued a statement pointing to “fake news” as well as “reckless” use of words by “a President-elect of the United States...to address the twin threats of nuclear weapons and climate change.” The New York Times (1/26, Bromwich, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) says “it is getting closer to midnight,” but also points out that the “clock” is “not a scientific instrument, or even a physical one.” The time is set by a board that has met semiannually since 1973. U.S. News & World Report (1/26, Soergel, 1.02M), the Washington Post (1/26, 11.43M), the Los Angeles Times (1/26, Hennigan, 4.52M), the Sacramento (CA) Bee (1/26, Holley, 574K), The Hill (1/26, Firozi, 1.25M), and Reuters (1/26, Clarke) also cover this story. ARRESTED FSB OFFICER ALLEGEDLY SPIED FOR US. USA Today (1/26, Stanglin, 5.28M) reports Sergei Mikhailov, a senior FSB intelligence officer and cybersecurity investigator, was arrested in December on treason charges for allegedly providing information to US intelligence services, according to Russian media outlets. Mikhailov was arrested with Ruslan Stoyanov, a top manager for Russia’s largest cybersecurity firm, while “two other people, including Major Dmitry Dokuchaev, also an FSB officer, were arrested in connection with the case, according to Russia’s REN-TV.” The FSB reportedly thinks Mikhailov told US intelligence about Vladimir Fomenko and his server rental company “King Servers,” which was identified by the US cybersecurity firm Threat Connect last year as an “information nexus” used by “hackers suspected of working for Russian intelligence in cyberattacks on electoral systems in Arizona and Illinois.” CYBERSECURITY WORKER SHORTAGE INCREASES BENEFITS FOR EMPLOYEES. TechRepublic (1/26, DeNisco, 66K) reports job postings for cybersecurity positions have gone up 74 percent over the past five years with nearly one million jobs going unfilled worldwide. That number is expected to grow to 1.5 million by 2019. However, in the US, over the past two years, interest in cybersecurity fields has increased 11 percent. As a result of high demand and low supply, applicants can be more selective in choosing a career while also earning significantly more money. National Security News: TRUMP SAYS ISIL ARE “SNEAKY, DIRTY RATS.” In an interview on Fox News’ Hannity (1/26, 535K), President Trump described ISIL as “sneaky, dirty rats. And they blow people up in a shopping center. And they blow people up in a church. These are bad people. When you are fighting Germany, and they had their uniforms and Japan, and they had their uniforms and they had their flags on the plane and the whole thing. We are fighting sneaky rats right now that are sick and demented and we are going to win.” PENTAGON SAYS MATTIS’ VIEWS ON BANNED INTERROGATION TECHNIQUES ARE UNCHANGED. The Wall Street Journal (1/26, Sonne, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) reports that Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. Jeff Davis said Thursday that Defense Secretary Mattis’ position on banned interrogation techniques like waterboarding has not changed from the views he expressed at his confirmation hearing, which indicates that he is opposed to reinstating them. Meanwhile, the AP (1/26, Dodds, Hinnant) says that after media reports said a draft executive order shows that President Trump is seeking input on “whether torture works, if secret CIA black sites should be used again to interrogate suspects and whether the US prison camp at Guantanamo Bay” should remain open and accept future detainees, White House press secretary Sean Spicer “said the draft order was not a ‘White House-originated’ document,” and House Speaker Ryan said, “This is not something the Trump administration is planning on, working on.” However, “rights advocates say even the smallest move backward could bring legal troubles, especially with regard to CIA black sites that were used for interrogation.” The AP adds that there are concerns that “if Trump embraces past policies, there could be a backlash from extremist groups, increasing the threat of terrorism against the United States.” Human Rights Groups Condemn Trump’s Comments On Torture. Reuters (1/26, Nebehay) says that the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Commission of Jurists have joined other human rights groups including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Reprieve in DHS-17-0435-A-000382 CBP FOIA000382 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT condemning President Trump “for condoning torture.” The rebukes come in the wake of Trump’s comments in an ABC News interview that he believes “waterboarding ‘worked’ as an intelligence￾gathering tool.” John Hohmann wrote on the Washington Post (1/26, 11.43M) “The Daily 202” blog that Trump’s comments on torture during the interview have “some liberal internationalists find themselves privately pining for George W. Bush” as Bush “understood that copping to the enhanced interrogation techniques he had secretly approved could undercut our moral standing on the world stage, provide terrorists a potent recruiting tool and give our enemies an excuse to torture Americans.” WSJOURNAL ANALYSIS: DECLARING MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD TERRORISTS COULD HAVE UNEXPECTED CONSEQUENCES. In an analysis piece, the Wall Street Journal (1/26, Trofimov, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) reports that the Trump Administration’s plans to declare the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization could have unexpected consequences in the Middle East. With Brotherhood affiliates in several countries legislatures, the move could give the perception that the US is confirming terrorist assertions that the country will not accept the outcome of democratic processes that run counter to US wishes. Additionally, critical allies in the region support the Brotherhood, including Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. A member of a Brotherhood spinoff is Prime Minister of Morocco, a Brotherhood offshoot is part of Tunisia’s government coalition, and Brotherhood affiliates have members in the legislatures of Jordan, Iraq, and Kuwait. GUANTANAMO HAS CELL SPACE FOR 200 NEW CAPTIVES. The Miami Herald (1/26, Rosenberg, 856K) reports that while the US detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba has not received any new orders from the White House of the Pentagon, spokesman Navy Capt. John Filostrat said the facility “has functional cell space for perhaps 200 new captives,” and “commanders are studying how to add new captives should the new president make good on his pledge to ‘load it up with some bad dudes.’” Asked how quickly the detention center could take in 200 new prisoners, Filostrat replied, “Pretty quickly,” but declined to elaborate, adding, “I have no further instructions. ... We’re doing our job, holding them safely and humanely until we’re told to transfer them or take more.” The AP (1/26, Tucker) report focuses on President Trumps embrace of “the idea of Guantanamo Bay as a jail for terror suspects,” calling it “a repudiation of the Obama administration’s longtime push to prosecute captured militants in the US court system.” According to the AP, support for the facility “represents a total reversal of eight years of efforts to close it.” FLORIDA AIRPORT SHOOTER CHARGED WITH MURDER, NOT TERRORISM. The Miami Herald (1/26, Weaver, 856K) reports that “Fort Lauderdale airport shooter Esteban Santiago told federal agents after carrying out his deadly rampage that he was ‘hearing voices,’ under ‘government mind control’ and ‘participating in jihadi chat rooms online’ – but, at least for now, he’s not being charged with a terrorist act.” A federal grand jury on Thursday “returned an indictment that includes no accusation that he was supporting a foreign terrorist group like the Isamic State, as he suggested to FBI agents.” The FBI has “found no evidence on his computer, smart phone or elsewhere to support his claims in a confession-like statement,” and instead, the grand jury “charged the 26-year-old military veteran from Alaska with killing five people and injuring six others during the Jan. 6 shooting at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport – with all of the violent attack captured on surveillance video cameras.” TRUMP EXPECTED TO ASK PENTAGON FOR OPTIONS IN FIGHTING ISIL. The AP (1/26, Baldor) reports President Trump’s Friday visit to the Pentagon is expected to begin a conversation on fulfilling “his inauguration address pledge to eradicate radical Islamic terrorism ‘completely from the face of the Earth.’” Officials says that options are expected to include moves the Obama Administration rejected, such as adding more US troops, increasing military aid to the Kurds, sending more Apache helicopters, and “giving the U.S. military broader authority to make routine combat decisions.” UN HUMANITARIAN CHIEF ACCUSES SYRIA OF BLOCKING AID CONVOYS. The AP (1/26) reports UN humanitarian chief Stephen O’Brien told the Security Council the Syrian government is, in the AP’s words, “blocking aid to hundreds of thousands” by turning the a two-step approval process for humanitarian convoys into “in practice, a 10-step process.” DHS-17-0435-A-000383 CBP FOIA000383 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT BANA AL-ABED URGES TRUMP SAVE SYRIA’S CHILDREN. The New York Times (1/26, Specia, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports seven-year-old Bana al-Abed and her mother, Fatemah, posted an open letter to President Trump on Bana’s Twitter account on Wednesday, calling for him to help the children of Syria. Bana’s Twitter account “captured global attention” with its near-daily updates on life in Eastern Aleppo, although some allege Bana didn’t write the tweets and her videos are “rehearsed or altered.” Her family eventually fled to Turkey. PEOPLE RETURNING TO ALEPPO. The Washington Post (1/26, Loveluck, 11.43M) reports that, following Aleppo’s recapture by government forces, which “will probably be seen as the defining victory in Syria’s almost six-year war,” people are returning to the city, although “it will take years, if not decades, to rebuild.” According to the United Nations, at least 40,000 people had returned to the area, and “the organization has allocated $19 million in emergency aid” to help them. DECLASSIFIED CIA DOCS: PINOCHET’S CHILE WANTED SECRET BASE IN MIAMI. The Miami New Times (1/26, Minsky, 175K) reports newly declassified CIA documents show that Miami “was almost a secret base for one of the bloodiest covert operations in Latin America, one that killed tens of thousands of people across a half-dozen countries.” The documents show the Chilean secret police, known as La Dirección de Inteligencia Nacional (DINA), sought for a US-sanctioned base in Miami “in the mid-’70s where operatives could carry out missions such as kidnappings and assassinations — a request that was at least considered by U.S. officials.” Other documents include details on Operation Condor, based in Chile, which Long Island University professor J. Patrice McSherry said was “really a U.S.-backed ‘black operations’ campaign.” McSherry said of the newly released documents: “One surmises that the information is still sensitive because it indicates that Washington was not only well informed of Condor but also was an unofficial or top-secret sponsor of the cross-border system.” DEFECTOR: ACCESS TO OUTSIDE INFO WILL LEAD NORTH KOREANS TO BRING DOWN KIM JONG-UN. NPR (1/26, 1.92M) reports Thae Yong-ho, the “highest-ranking defector” from North Korea “in decades,” argues that bolstering the flow of information into the North will help ultimately bring down the Kim Jong-un regime. On Wednesday, Thae said the first concern his 10- and 26-year-old sons had was whether they could freely browse the Internet, because fewer than one percent of North Korea’s population has Internet access. Thae says that breaking down censorship and surveillance in the North will lead to education, and once the population is “educated to that level, I am sure they will stand up.” HERSHKOVITZ: WAYS IC CAN HELP TRUMP ON TERRORISM FRONT. Former IDF intelligence officer Shay Hershkovitz, now a chief strategy officer at Wikistrat, Inc., argues in The Hill (1/26, Hershkovitz, 1.25M) says that to help President Trump implement an effective anti-terror campaign, the intelligence community “needs to emphasize the importance of tackling the root causes that sustain terror. It needs to present to the president and his senior staff a holistic view of terrorism, and insist that decision-makers divorce from one-dimensional perceptions – i.e., ‘let’s just smoke them out and kill ‘em!’” In addition the IC must convey to Trump that a potential counter-terror partnership with Russia “‘could easily work against America’s interests,” because Russia doesn’t have the same goals in the Middle East. MAY COULD STOP INTEL SHARING WITH US IF TORTURE TECHNIQUES RETURN. The Independent (UK) (1/26, Watts, 1.28M) reports British Prime Minister Theresa May “has indicated that the UK could stop working with US intelligence agencies if they adopt torture techniques for extracting information from suspects.” During a flight to the US to meet with President Trump, May said the UK’s guidelines are “very clear” in saying that the nation’s intelligence can’t work with other country’s agencies that practice torture, and that the current stance will not change. She added, “What we think about torture is we condemn it. We do not believe in torture. That position has been clear for some time and that position is not going to change.” The Guardian (UK) (1/26, Defence, Correspondent, 4.07M) says UK intelligence agencies would face a “major dilemma” if the US did resume such interrogation methods, because the “bulk of the intelligence being assessed by the UK agencies – especially GCHQ but also the overseas agency MI6 and, to a lesser extent, M15 – comes from the US.” While none of those agencies would like to lose that access, “if the intelligence had been obtained through torture it would put them in breach of international law.” DHS-17-0435-A-000384 CBP FOIA000384 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT However, The Guardian says UK agencies in the past have taken information “that they know comes from countries that use torture,” and they could “argue that it is near impossible when sifting through raw data to distinguish what has been freely given and what has been obtained under duress.” FINDYR FOUNDER VINCI NAMED NGA DIRECTOR OF PLANS AND PROGRAMS. ExecutiveGov (1/26, Stump, 548) reports Anthony Vinci, the founder of the crowdsourced data collection firm Findyr, has been appointed to succeed Misty Tullar as the NGA’s director of plans and programs. He will assume the role Jan. 30, the NGA said Wednesday. According to ExecutiveGov, NGA Director Cardillo added that Vinci “will support NGA’s agile acquisition, modeling, crowdsourcing, code development, disparate data sets and anticipatory analysis efforts.” DRAFT ORDER TO SPUR DEBATE OVER USE OF OFFSHORE MILITARY TRIBUNALS. The AP (1/26, Tucker) reports a draft order that would reverse the Obama Administration’s efforts to close Guantanamo Bay, and that “dramatically rethinks how the U.S. should detain, monitor and prosecute terrorist suspects,” is “likely to renew a debate” about whether civilian trials or military tribunals offshore “offer a fairer and more efficient path to justice.” The article quotes Eric Freedman, a constitutional law professor and legal consultant for Gitmo detainees, who says “groups opposed to American values have made extraordinarily effective use of Guantanamo and its betrayal of American values,” adding, “To take a step backward would be both practically misguided and morally indefensible.” MI6 DIRECTOR: JAMES BOND’S “Q” A WOMAN IN REAL LIFE. USA Today (1/26, Onyanga-Omara, 5.28M) reports MI6 Chief Alex Younger on Wednesday told an audience at the Women in IT awards that the James Bond character “Q” is based on a woman, according to the BBC (1/26, 2.39M). USA Today says Younger revealed the information in a speech “encouraging women to join the organization” that provides the British government with foreign intelligence. Citing the BBC, Refinery29 (UK) (1/26, Gil, 5M) reports that Younger said “we’ve got to get over and see through the Bond thing,” and that the character makes people think of a “particular sort of person that will join MI6 – whether they’re really posh or going to Oxford.” The New York Daily News (1/26, Gunderman, 4.45M) similarly says that Younger “urged more women to join MI6, especially in scientific and technological capacities.” Younger said, “If any of you would like to join us...the real-life Q is looking forward to meeting you and I’m pleased to report that the real-life Q is a woman.” Younger also told the audience that the James Bond films fail to reflect the true nature of the make up of the intelligence field, saying, “Success for me is a deeper, broader range of technological skills in MI6 and more diversity, in particular more women.” Hollywood Reporter (1/26, Ritman, 1.1M) says “it seems 007 casting directors have been getting one crucial thing wrong” about British intelligence considering the last four Qs have been played by men. SSCI DEMOCRATS TO TRUMP: READ REPORT ON ENHANCED INTERROGATION. The Hill (1/26, Carney, 1.25M) reports in its “Floor Action” blog that Democratic members of the SSCI are “urging President Trump to read a 2014 report on the CIA’s programs before deciding to restart ‘enhanced interrogation.’” In a letter to Trump on Thursday, seven senators on the panel, including ranking member Mark Warner, said it is of the “utmost importance” that he read the report’s findings. The letter said that the report was intended to be used for any future interrogation guidelines and “remains a critical resource for anyone considering detention and interrogation policy.” The Washington Times (1/26, Taylor, 272K) says the senators “expressed outrage” in their letter after Trump’s suggestion that he is contemplating allowing the return a “program that used enhanced interrogation techniques tantamount to torture against terrorism suspects.” The letter said, “To avoid making the mistakes of the past, it is of the utmost importance that you familiarize yourself with, and ensure that any Executive Branch officials involved in the formation of detention and interrogation policy review, the full Committee Study.” The Times notes that no Republicans signed the letter (independent Sen. Angus King did). TEAM BEGINS IARPA-BACKED PROJECT TO HELP ANALYSTS ASSESS QUALITY OF INFORMATION. The Syracuse (NY) Post-Standard (1/26, Moriarty, 531K) reports a team from Syracuse University, the University of Arizona, Colorado State University, and SRC Inc. begin work this month on “the 4.5-year project under an $11.5 million contract from” IARPA to develop digital tools that use DHS-17-0435-A-000385 CBP FOIA000385 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT crowdsourcing to “aid analysts at the nation’s intelligence agencies, including the CIA, FBI, the National Security Agency, Department of Homeland Security and the Drug Enforcement Administration.” Syracuse professor Jennifer Stromer-Galley, who is leading the research team, said the application the team is building “will guide analysts” to evaluate the credibility of the information they’ve obtained, “list the assumptions used in judging the evidence, and identify the information they do not know and determine whether their conclusions might be different if they had the missing information.” INTEL AGENCIES TOLD TO MAKE INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO WIDER IC. Secrecy News (1/26, Aftergood, 2K) reports former DNI James Clapper on Jan. 19 signed Intelligence Community Directive 121, which calls for each intelligence agency “to make information readily discoverable by and appropriately retrievable to the [entire] IC.” Though the directive “has received congressional support and seems likely to continue for the foreseeable future,” Secrecy News says the future of the ODNI itself is uncertain. The article notes that the SSCI last week, in a report on the fiscal year 2017 Intelligence Authorization Act, “mandated a new review of the roles and missions of the ODNI.” MAY, REPUBLICANS COUNTER TRUMP ON TORTURE. NBC Nightly News (1/26, story 2, 2:20, Holt, 16.61M) that British Prime Minister Theresa May is “is being criticized at home for cozying up to” President Trump, with “[m]any other European leaders disturbed by his proposed ban on Syrian refugees and comments on torture are keeping their distance.” However, ABC World News Tonight (1/26, story 3, 3:35, Muir, 14.63M) reported that May told reporters that she disagrees with him on torture. May said, “We condemn torture and my view on that won’t change, whether I’m talking to you or talking to the President of the United States.” Martha Raddatz said that “even Republican leaders are countering President Trump.” Sen. Mitch McConnell, Senate Majority Leader: “I think the Director of the CIA has made it clear he is going to follow along, and I believe virtually all of my members are comfortable with the state of the law on that issue now.” Rep. Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House: “And torture is illegal. Torture is not legal. We agree with it not being legal.” Fox News’ Special Report (1/26, 1.53M) reported that Defense Secretary Mattis and CIA Director Pompeo “were not part of the initial conversations for” a draft order that would have overseas terror suspects sent to Guantanamo Bay where interrogations “would not be limited to the Army field manual that forbids torture.” White House spokesman Sean Spicer “emphasized that the draft order was not a White House document,” and congressional leadership “says the ideas” in the order “are a non-starter.” TRUMP: MANNING AN “UNGRATEFUL TRAITOR.” ABC World News Tonight (1/26, story 4, 0:20, Muir, 14.63M) reported President Trump came to the “defense of President Obama” after Chelsea Manning “called Mr. Obama a weak leader. Even after he reduced Manning’s sentence for giving thousands of military documents to WikiLeaks.” Trump in a tweet called Manning “an ungrateful traitor.” SEVERAL STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS RESIGN IN MAJOR SHAKE-UP. ABC World News Tonight (1/26, story 3, 3:35, Muir, 14.63M) reported there was an “unusually large exodus of foreign service officers” from the State Department on Thursday when at least six resigned. Though they were “not technically fired, the appointees were told they would not be asked to stay on in the Trump administration.” Fox News’ Special Report (1/26, 1.53M) said the resignations of the State Department personnel – including four officials “responsible for the department’s daily operations with decades of experience” – come “at a time when the agency doesn’t even have a confirmed secretary to run it.” Former officials reportedly “described the departures as abrupt and extraordinary.” While reporting that four “top officials” are out at the State Department, CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 (1/26, 686K) said the White House “usually asks career officials, not political appointees, career officials to stay on for a few months, not leaving a gaping hole in management.” One of those who was told his “services are no longer required” was Acting Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Tom Countryman, who was informed while en route to a conference in Rome. To keep the email to a manageable size, the national news summary is available on the website. DHS-17-0435-A-000386 CBP FOIA000386 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT Copyright 2017 by Bulletin Intelligence LLC Reproduction or redistribution without permission prohibited. Content is drawn from thousands of newspapers, national magazines, national and local television programs, radio broadcasts, social-media platforms and additional forms of open-source data. Sources for Bulletin Intelligence audience-size estimates include Scarborough, GfK MRI, comScore, Nielsen, and the Audit Bureau of Circulation. Services that include Twitter data are governed by Twitters’ terms of use. Services that include Factiva content are governed by Factiva’s terms of use. The DHS News Briefing is published seven days a week by Bulletin Intelligence, which creates custom briefings for government and corporate leaders. We can be found on the Web at BulletinIntelligence.com, or called at (703) 483-6100. DHS-17-0435-A-000387 CBP FOIA000387 A\/1 ')IC,A PVERSIGHT THE HOMELAND SECURITY NEWS CLIPS PREPARED FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY BY BULLETIN INTELLIGENCE WWW.BULLETININTELLIGENCE.COM/DHS TO: THE SECRETARY AND SENIOR STAFF DATE: FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017 5:00 AM EST TODAY’S EDITION Leading DHS News Spokesman Says Trump Seeks 20 Percent Tax On Mexican Imports (AP) .......................................................................... 6 Trump May Fund Border Wall With 20 Percent Tax On Mexico Imports (BLOOMPOL) .......................................................... 6 White House: Mexican Import Tax Just One Way To Pay For Wall (HILL) ............................................................................ 7 Trump Team Floats Tax On Mexican Imports To Fund Border Wall (POLITICO) .................................................................. 7 U.S. Considering 20% Tax On Imports To Pay For Border Wall, White House Says (LAT) ...................................................... 8 Trump Mulls 20% Border Tax On Mexico; Aides Later Call It Just An Option (USAT) ......................................................... 8 White House Press Secretary Says Border Wall Will Be Funded By 20 Percent Import Tax On Mexican Goods (WP) ........... 9 White House Plans To Pay For Border Wall With 20 Percent Tariff On Mexican Imports (NYDN) .................................... 10 Counting The Winners And Losers From An Import-Based Tax (NYT) .................................................................................. 11 Trump Endorses Plan For 20% Tax On All Imports (NYT) ......... 12 Trump Eyes Tax On Mexican Imports To Pay For Wall (WT) .... 13 Donald Trump Administration Floats 20 Percent Mexico Import Tax To Pay For Border Wall (USNEWS) ........................... 13 Making Mexico Pay For Border Wall: Ideas Abound, And So Do Barriers (NYT) ..................................................................... 14 Yes, Trump Will Build His Border Wall. Most Of It Is Already Built. (WP) ........................................................................... 15 Trump’s Wall Is A Huge Waste Of Money: Our View (USAT) .... 16 Donald Trump Threatens To Cancel Meeting With Mexican President (WSJ) ................................................................. 16 Trump: Mexico Should Cancel Meeting If It Won’t Pay For Wall (REU) .................................................................................. 16 How To Interpret The Trump Administration’s Latest Signals On Mexico (NYT) ...................................................................... 16 Donald Trump’s Executive Orders: More Symbol Than Substance (NSWK) ............................................................ 17 Trump’s Plan To Build A Bigger Border Wall Has Plenty Of Critics (PRI)......................................................................... 19 Why Executive Order May Not Be Enough For Trump To Build Border Wall (ABCNEWS) ................................................... 20 Trump’s Border Wall Faces Reality Check (AP) ......................... 21 Congress Scrambles To Make Sense Of Trump Plan To Tax Mexico To Pay For Border Wall (WP) ................................ 22 Analysis: Trump’s Border Wall Faces Reality Check (AP) ......... 23 Trump’s Wall Met With Skepticism, Unease On US-Mexico Border (AP) ......................................................................... 24 Conway On Border: It’s Time We Spent Money ‘Protecting Our Own’ (POLITICO) ............................................................... 25 10 Huge Flaws In Trump’s Immigration Directives (WP) ............ 25 Mexican President Cancels Planned DC Meeting With Trump (AP) ..................................................................................... 26 Mexico’s President Cancels Meeting With Trump Over Wall (NYT) .................................................................................. 27 Not So Fast Nieto: Trump Says Cancelled Meet With Mexico President Was Mutual Decision (WT) ................................ 28 Trump Says Meeting With Mexican President Would Have Been ‘Fruitless’ (LAT) ......................................................... 29 Trump Lays Groundwork To Change U.S. Role In The World (WP) .................................................................................... 29 Mexican President Scraps Visit With Trump (HILL) .................... 31 Outraged Mexicans Back Peña Nieto’s Decision To Scrap Visit With ‘Bully’ Trump (USAT) ................................................. 32 Mexico’s President Cancels Planned D.C. Trip To Meet With Trump : The Two-Way : NPR (NPR) .................................. 33 Congress Will Consider Up To $15 Billion For Border Wall, GOP Leaders Say (USAT) ................................................. 33 GOP Leaders Won’t Say How They’ll Pay For $12 Billion-$15 Billion Cost Of Border Wall (WP) ....................................... 34 White House Says Tax On Mexican Imports Would Pay For Border Wall (WSJ) .............................................................. 35 Trump Is Starting A Trade War We Don’t Need (WP) ................ 35 Trump’s Little Mexican War (WSJ) .............................................. 35 Trump’s 20% Mexican Border Tariff Would Impact Auto Industry (FREEP) ............................................................................. 35 ‘Finally’: Trump’s Illegal Immigration Crackdown Wins Praise From Some Activists (LAT) ................................................ 37 Better Barriers Are Worth The Cost: Opposing View (USAT) .... 37 Immigrants Rights Activists Rally Against Trump Orders (OCR) 38 Trump Orders ‘Tear Our Families Apart’ (FREEP) ..................... 38 Attorneys Warn Immigrants Not To Travel Outside The U.S., Thanks To Trump (HUFFPOST) ........................................ 40 DHS-17-0435-A-000388 CBP FOIA000388 2 ‘Over My Dead Body’: Tribe Aims To Block Trump’s Border Wall On Arizona Land (GUARD) ................................................ 41 Trump: No Muslim Ban, Just Immigration Restrictions (USAT) .. 42 Trump’s Order To Ban Refugees And Immigrants Triggers Fears Across The Globe (WP) ........................................... 42 Star Of Iranian Film Says She Will Boycott Oscars Over Trump’s Visa Ban (NYT) .................................................... 44 Madeleine Albright: ‘I Stand Ready To Register As A Muslim’ (USAT) ................................................................................ 45 The U.S. Already Tried ‘extreme Vetting’ For Muslims. It Didn’t Work. (WP) ......................................................................... 45 Trump Creates Name-and-shame List To Embarrass Sanctuary Cities (WT) .......................................................................... 46 Exclusive: Expecting Trump Action, U.S. Suspends Refugee Resettlement Interviews (REU) .......................................... 47 US Halts Refugee Resettlement Interviews: Report (HILL) ........ 47 U.S. Suspending Refugee Resettlement Interviews In Anticipation Of Trump Action (REU) .................................. 48 DHS Temporarily Halts Overseas Refugee Interviews (CNN) ... 48 Advocate Of Ending U.S. Birthright Citizenship May Be Joining Trump Administration (WP) ................................................ 48 IG Probing Alleged DHS Snooping In Georgia Election Network (FOX) .................................................................................. 49 Justice Department Fights Order To Preserve Ex-DHS Officials’ Emails (POLITICO) ............................................................. 50 Immigration and Customs Enforcement Accused Colombian Drug Lord Says He Was Secretly Working For The Feds (MH) ............................................................. 51 ICE Agent Raided Korean Restaurant In Exchange For Free Food From Rival, Lawsuit Claims (WP) ............................. 52 Immigration Agents Attempt Arrest At Mission District Community Center (SFC) ................................................... 53 ICE Agents Appear At Family Center In SF’s Mission District (SFEX) ................................................................................ 54 ICE Agents Descend On Mission’s Good Samaritan Center : SFist (SFIST) ...................................................................... 54 ICE Agents Arrive At San Francisco Nonprofit, Rattling Staff; Agents Were Seeking Nearby Sex Offender (LAT) ........... 55 League City Woman Admits To Federal Child Pornography Charge (HC) ....................................................................... 56 Customs and Border Protection Border Patrol Chief Resigns After Clashing With Powerful Union (WP) .................................................................................... 56 U.S. Border Patrol Chief Ousted From Job (WT) ........................ 57 U.S. Border Patrol Chief Morgan Asked To Leave The Agency: Sources (REU) ................................................................... 57 AP Source: Border Patrol Chief Says He’s Been Forced Out (AP) ..................................................................................... 57 Border Patrol Chief, An Agency Outsider, Is Stepping Down (NYT) .................................................................................. 58 Montini: Will Trump Tap Arpaio To Head Border Patrol? (AZCENTRAL) .................................................................... 59 Border Patrol Chief Out One Day After Trump Wall Announcement (HILL) ........................................................ 59 Border Patrol Chief, Who Once Backed Immigration Reform, Removed From Office (FOX) ............................................. 59 Border Patrol Chief Resigns After Clashing With Powerful Union (WP) .................................................................................... 60 Border Patrol Chief Is Abruptly Out After Being Brought In As A Reformer (LAT) ................................................................... 61 Head Of Border Patrol Union Weighs In On Trump’s Wall Plans : NPR (NPR) ....................................................................... 61 Head Of Border Patrol Union Says Misplaced Agents Delaying Security Measures (YAHOO) ............................................. 62 Border Patrol Agent’s Radio Blocks Knife In Struggle Near Tucson (AZDLY) ................................................................. 62 Border Patrol Agent Assaulted, Nearly Stabbed (KVOATV) ...... 63 Border Patrol Agent Charged In Millcreek Crashes (ETNEWS) . 63 Border Patrol Agents Arrest Italian Felon (SONORAN) .............. 64 Transportation Security Administration White House Security Adviser Facing Gun Charge In Virginia (WSJ) .................................................................................. 64 TSA Adds 11 New Airlines To PreCheck Program (HILL) .......... 64 Spirit Airlines Joins TSA PreCheck (PLAINDLR) ........................ 65 Federal Emergency Management Agency Federal Aid Approved For Georgia In Latest Storm (AP) ........... 65 Feds Declare A Disaster For Deadly South Georgia Storms (MYAJC) ............................................................................. 65 FEMA Grants Individual Assistance To Six South Georgia Counties (WXIATV) ............................................................ 66 Dougherty, Five Other Counties OK’d For Federal Assistance For Last Weekend’s Storms (ALBHERAL) ........................ 66 Governor: FEMA Assistance Approved For Weekend Storms (WFXLTV) ........................................................................... 67 Rep. Scott Tours Damage In Several Counties (WALBTV) ....... 67 US Citizenship and Immigration Services On His Final Day, Obama Made It Easier For Transgender Immigrants To Get Documents In Order (MICCOM) ......... 68 Immigration Trump’s Plan To Halt ‘Catch And Release’ Of Migrants Could Hit A Wall (REU) ................................................................. 69 Trump Wants To Empower Local Police To Enforce Immigration Law, Raising Fears Of Racial Profiling (WP) ..................... 69 The Anti-immigrant President (HILL) ........................................... 70 Sanctuary Cities’ Reactions To President Trump’s Executive Order (SFC) ........................................................................ 71 Trump Issues Immigration Orders, But California Cities And Police Aren’t Onboard (LAT) .............................................. 71 San Francisco Mayor Reiterates Sanctuary Status In Speech (AP) ..................................................................................... 73 California Attorney General Vows To ‘Defend’ State’s Residents Against Trump Policies : NPR (NPR) ................................. 73 De Blasio Says Trump Targeting ‘Sanctuary Cities’ Like NYC Is A Threat To Safety (NYDN)................................................ 75 De Blasio Threatens Lawsuit Over Trump’s Move On Sanctuary Cities (HILL) ........................................................................ 75 DHS-17-0435-A-000389 CBP FOIA000389 3 NYC Rejected Nearly All Federal Requests To Hold Illegal Immigrants (NYPOST) ....................................................... 76 Long Island Groups: Trump Immigration Orders Foster Fear (NSDY)................................................................................ 76 Immigrant Groups Want Welcoming City Ordinance Strengthened (CHIST) ........................................................ 77 Atlanta Mayor Reed Condemns Trump Immigration Move (MYAJC) ............................................................................. 78 Twin Cities Mayors Defy Trump On Sanctuary City Order (ROCHSTER) ..................................................................... 79 Madison Mayor Won’t Alter Sanctuary City Stance (AP) ............ 79 Colleges Brace To Shield Students From Immigration Raids (USAT) ................................................................................ 79 Campuses Wary Of Offering ‘Sanctuary’ To Undocumented Students (NYT) ................................................................... 80 School Officials Pledge To Protect Students In The U.S. Illegally (USNEWS) .......................................................................... 81 Flashback: Dem Mayors Didn’t Protest Obama’s Attack On ‘Sanctuary Cities’ (WASHEX) ............................................ 82 Miami-Dade Orders Jails To Comply With ‘sanctuary’ Counties Crackdown (MH) ................................................................. 83 First ‘Sanctuary City’ Caves To Trump Demands (USAT) ......... 84 Miami-Dade Mayor Ends Sanctuary Status, Citing Trump’s Order (HILL) ........................................................................ 84 Miami-Dade Mayor Orders Jails To Comply With Federal Immigration Detention Requests (POLITICO) ................... 85 Onondaga County Sheriff: Feds Haven’t Asked For Immigrant Detention On His Watch (SYPS) ........................................ 85 Maryland’s Howard County Could Become Official Sanctuary (AP) ..................................................................................... 86 Las Vegas-area School District Taking Up Sanctuary Question (FOX) .................................................................................. 87 Snyder: Immigration Isn’t ‘primary’ Function Of Local Police (AP) ..................................................................................... 87 Iowa City Officials: Immigration Order Shouldn’t Affect City (AP)87 Connecticut Ready To Fight Trump’s Immigration Policy (NORWBUL) ....................................................................... 88 State Dems Pledge To Fight Trump Immigration Order (HILL) .. 90 Why Police Worry About Trump’s ‘Sanctuary Cities’ Crackdown (CSM) .................................................................................. 90 Contrary To Trump’s Claims, Immigrants Are Less Likely To Commit Crimes (NYT) ........................................................ 91 Immigrants Train To Defend Themselves, Families In Trump Era (NBCNEWS) ................................................................ 92 Trump To Publicize Crimes By Illegal Immigrants In ‘sanctuary Cities’ (NYPOST) ................................................................ 93 Dreamers Watch As The Trump Assault Begins (NYORKER) ... 93 Police Divided Over Trump’s ‘Sanctuary City’ Order (USAT) ..... 94 Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Will Be Golden For Private Prisons (AZCENTRAL) ....................................................... 95 Why Trump’s Executive Order On Sanctuary Cities Is Unconstitutional (WP) ......................................................... 96 What Chance Do Sanctuary Cities Have Against Trump’s Executive Order? (CSM) .................................................... 97 Despite Calls To Defund Sanctuary Cities, A Steady Drumbeat Of Judicial Decisions Defends Them (HILL) ...................... 99 In Fact, Sanctuary Cities Have Less Poverty And Crime (CTYLAB) ......................................................................... 100 Sheriff Who Texas Governor Wants Out Slams Immigrant ‘fear’ (AP) ................................................................................... 100 Gov. Greg Abbott Hunting For More Funds To Cut From Travis County In Sanctuary City Battle (DMN) ........................... 101 Sanctuary Cities See Legal Holes In Trump’s Immigration Orders (REU) .................................................................... 101 Trump Could Revive Missouri Proposal On Deported Immigrants (AP) ................................................................ 101 In These Six American Towns, Laws Targeting ‘the Illegals’ Didn’t Go As Planned (WP) .............................................. 102 House GOP Warns D.C. Mayor Not To Use Tax Money Defending Illegal Immigrants (WP) .................................. 104 Campuses Wary Of Offering ‘Sanctuary’ To Undocumented Students (NYT) ................................................................. 105 Even Before Trump Acts On Immigration, New Yorkers Protest (NYT) ................................................................................ 106 DREAMers Are The One Immigrant Group Donald Trump Seems Cautious About Going After (VOX) ...................... 107 Needed: Justice For Immigrants Fighting Deportation (NYDN) 108 An Immigrant’s Rap Sheet Does Not Preclude A Vigorous Defense (WP) ................................................................... 109 Trump’s Immigration Order Expands The Definition Of ‘Criminal’ (NYT) ................................................................................ 109 Secret Service Birmingham Man Indicted On Counterfeiting, Firearms Charges (GADSDEN)...................................................................... 110 Die! High School Teacher Stages Mock Assassination Of Trump (FOX) ..................................................................... 111 National Protection and Programs Missouri Senate Panel Advances Real ID Compliance Measure (AP) ................................................................................... 111 Cyber News Donald Trump May Be His Own Worst Cyber-Security Threat (VANFAIR) ........................................................................ 112 Trump’s Phone: A Cybersecurity Threat? (POLITICO) ............ 112 Quantum Computer Worth $15 Million Sold To Tackle Cybersecurity (CNBC) ...................................................... 113 Microsoft To Continue To Invest Over $1 Billion A Year On Cyber Security (REU) ....................................................... 114 AT&T Slams FCC’s Cybersecurity Claims, Says It Has Resources To Thwart Attacks (FIERCE) ......................... 114 Here Are The 5 Scariest Revelations From Pew’s New Cybersecurity Survey (FASTCOMP) ............................... 114 Explaining Cybersecurity Threats In A Decision-maker Context – GCN (GOVCN) .............................................................. 115 NY Man Linked To Islamic State Gets 20 Years Prison For New Year’s Eve Plot (REU) ...................................................... 116 New CIA Director Inherits An Agency That Is Quickly Developing Cyber Capabilities (CYSCOOP) ................... 116 DHS-17-0435-A-000390 CBP FOIA000390 4 Connected Cars Are Ripe For Hacking (CIO) ........................... 117 Federal Lawmakers Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Study Cyber Security In Connected Cars (GEEKWIRE) ...................... 118 DCC Earns Designation As National Center Of Excellence In Cyber Defense (GODANRIV) ........................................... 118 Doomsday Clock Ticks Closer To Apocalypse And 1 Person Is To Blame (USAT) ............................................................. 119 Doomsday Clock Moves Closer To Midnight, Signaling Concern Among Scientists (NYT) ................................................... 119 Atomic Scientists Move Doomsday Clock Closer To Midnight: Apocalypse Now? (USNEWS) ......................................... 120 The Doomsday Clock Is About To Be Updated For The First Time Since Trump Started Talking About Nuclear Weapons (LAT) ................................................................ 121 The Doomsday Clock Just Advanced Again: It’s Now Two-and￾a-half Minutes Closer To ‘Midnight.’ (SACBEE) .............. 122 ‘Doomsday Clock’ Moves 30 Seconds Closer To Midnight (HILL) ................................................................................ 124 Nuclear ‘Doomsday Clock’ Ticks Closest To Midnight In 64 Years (REU) ..................................................................... 124 Reports: Arrested Russian Intel Officer Allegedly Spied For U.S. (USAT) .............................................................................. 124 Top 10 Companies Hiring Cybersecurity Professionals (TECREP) ......................................................................... 124 National Security News Defense Secretary Jim Mattis Remains Wary Of Waterboarding (WSJ) ................................................................................ 125 Rights Advocates Warn Of Backlash If Trump Pursues Torture (AP) ................................................................................... 126 ICRC, Jurists’ Group Join In Rebuke Of Trump’s Torture Remarks, ‘Black Site’ Reports (REU) .............................. 127 The Daily 202: Is President Trump Surrendering America’s Moral High Ground? (WP) ................................................ 127 Blacklisting Muslim Brotherhood Carries Risks (WSJ) ............. 136 Guantánamo Awaiting Trump Administration Order (MH) ........ 136 Trump Admin Pursues Rethinking Of National Security Policy (AP) ................................................................................... 137 Airport Shooter Indicted On Murder Charges, Faces Death Possible Death Penalty (MH) ........................................... 138 Trump Poised To Seek New Military Options For Defeating IS (AP) ................................................................................... 139 UN Aid Chief Accuses Syria Of Blocking Help To Neediest (AP)140 Bana Al-Abed Writes Trump: ‘Please Save The Children And People Of Syria’ (NYT) ..................................................... 140 The First Train To Cross Aleppo In Years Traverses An Urban Wasteland (WP) ............................................................... 141 Declassified Docs: Chilean Secret Police Wanted Miami Base For Brutal ‘70s Repression Campaign (MIAMITIM) ......... 141 North Korean Defector: Information Flow Will Help Bring Down Kim Jong Un (NPR) .......................................................... 142 Trump Needs A Strategic Plan To Combat Terror (HILL) ......... 143 Theresa May Could Withhold Intelligence Sharing With Donald Trump’s CIA If It Adopts Torture Techniques (INDUK) .... 144 UK Intelligence Services Face Dilemma After Trump Backs Torture (GUARD) .............................................................. 144 Findyr Founder Anthony Vinci Named NGA Director Of Plans And Programs (EXECGV) ................................................ 145 Trump Admin Pursues Rethinking Of National Security Policy (AP) ................................................................................... 145 U.K. Secret Service Boss: Real ‘Q’ From ‘James Bond’ Films Is A Woman (USAT) ............................................................. 147 Real-life ‘James Bond Q’ Is A Woman, MI6 Reveals (BBC) ..... 147 MI6 Reveals This Real-Life James Bond Counterpart Is Actually A Badass Woman (R29UK) ............................................. 147 Head Of Britain’s Secret Service Says That James Bond Character Q Is Actually A Female (NYDN) ...................... 148 James Bond’s Q Is A Woman In Real Life, U.K. Secret Service Boss Reveals (YAHOO) ................................................... 148 Intel Committee Dems To Trump: Read Torture Report (HILL) 149 Intel Committee Democrats Outraged Over Trump’s Torture Comments (WT) ............................................................... 149 Syracuse University, SRC To Help Intelligence Agencies Make Better Judgments (SYPS) ................................................ 150 Rebooting The IC Information Environment (SECRECY) ........ 150 National News Why The President Is Feuding With The Media And The Intelligence Community (ATLANTIC) ............................... 151 Trump Poised To Seek New Military Options For Defeating IS (AP) ................................................................................... 153 Trump To Seek Quick Progress With Japan’s Abe On Replacement Trade Deal (REU) ...................................... 154 Nafta’s Net U.S. Impact Is Modest (WSJ) ................................. 154 Gloom Descends On Mexico’s Nafta Capital (WSJ) ................. 154 Donald Trump’s Pledge To Use Only U.S. Steel Is Loaded With Caveats (WP) ................................................................... 154 Hill Republicans Are Now Aiming For End Of Year To Pass Priorities (WP) ................................................................... 155 Trump Boasts To GOP Lawmakers About His Win, Crowd Sizes (POLITICO) ............................................................. 157 Trump, Republican Lawmakers Wrestle Over Priorities For ‘Bold’ Agenda (REU) ........................................................ 158 Trump To Urge Republican Lawmakers To Move Fast On His Agenda (BLOOMPOL) ..................................................... 158 Trump’s Vow To G.O.P. Lawmakers: ‘You’re Not Wasting Your Time’ (NYT) ...................................................................... 159 Trump To GOP Lawmakers: ‘We Have To Deliver’ (WT) ......... 160 Trump Says Current Congress Could Be The Busiest In History (NYPOST) ......................................................................... 160 Trump Promises ‘Busiest Congress In Decades’ As GOP Rolls Out Agenda (USNEWS) ................................................... 161 Pence Tells Congress To ‘Buckle Up’ And Get Ready To Enact Major Change (USAT) ...................................................... 162 VP Mike Pence: President Trump, Congress Are In The ‘Promise-keeping Business’ (WT) .................................... 162 GOP Airs Old Grievances In Private Pence Meeting (POLITICO) ....................................................................... 163 Trump Seems To Embrace Key GOP Tax Proposal (CQRC) .. 163 DHS-17-0435-A-000391 CBP FOIA000391 5 Donald Trump And Republicans Strain To Set Agenda (WSJ) 164 GOP Leaders Eye Health Care, Tax Overhaul By August Recess (WT) ..................................................................... 164 Mitch McConnell Caught Between Trump, Republican-led Congress (MCT) ............................................................... 165 Trump To G.O.P. Gathering: Where’s My C.I.A. Director? (NYT)166 As Trump Thunders, G.O.P. Lawmakers Duck And Cover (NYT) ................................................................................ 168 Trump Becomes Schmoozer-in-chief (HILL) ............................. 170 Thousands Demonstrated Against Trump In Philly. Is This A New Era Of Perpetual Protest? (WP) .............................. 171 Peyton Manning Boards The Trump Train (DAYBEST) ........... 172 Trump Delays Signing Order To Investigate Unfounded Voter Fraud Claims (USAT) ....................................................... 173 White House Postpones Executive Action On Voter Fraud Investigation (POLITICO) ................................................. 174 Trump Says He Will Work Against Illegal Voting (REU) ........... 174 Trump To Sign Executive Order Related To Voter Fraud (WP) 174 Illegal Voting Claims, And Why They Don’t Hold Up (NYT) ...... 175 Trump Advisers, Daughter Registered To Vote In 2 States (AP)176 It Turns Out Jared Kushner And Sean Spicer Are Also Registered To Vote In Two States (WP) .......................... 177 Why Did Trump Lose The Popular Vote? Because He Didn’t Care About It. And Because They Cheated. (WP) .......... 178 Trump Pressured Park Service To Back Up His Claims About Inauguration Crowd (WP) ................................................. 179 Trump Backs Senate Rules Change For Vote On High Court Pick (USAT) ...................................................................... 180 Trump Backs Nuclear Option If Dems Block SCOTUS Nominee (POLITICO) ....................................................................... 181 Trump To Nominate ‘Strict Constructionist’ To Supreme Court: Pence (REU) ..................................................................... 181 Trump: Chelsea Manning’s An ‘Ungrateful Traitor’ (NYPOST) 181 Chelsea Manning Criticizes Obama, Draws Trump’s Ire (REU)181 Trump Criticizes Chelsea Manning For Criticizing Obama (USAT) .............................................................................. 181 Chelsea Manning Is A Traitor And Shouldn’t Have Been Released, Trump Tweets (USNEWS) ............................. 182 Compromise Doesn’t Work With Our Political Opponents. When Will We Learn? (GUARD) ................................................. 182 Trump Blasts Chelsea Manning For Calling Obama A ‘weak’ Leader, Even Though He’s Done The Same (YAHOO) .. 183 President Trump Calls Chelsea Manning An ‘Ungrateful Traitor’ For Criticizing Obama : NPR (NPR) ................................. 184 Trump Calls Chelsea Manning A ‘Traitor’ Who Does Not Deserve Freedom (WP) ................................................... 185 WikiLeaks Defends Chelsea Manning From President’s Twitter Attack: ‘Trump Is Wrong’ (WT) ......................................... 185 Trump Calls Chelsea Manning’s Critique Of Obama ‘Terrible’ (BLOOMPOL) ................................................................... 186 Trump Calls Chelsea Manning An ‘Ungrateful Traitor’ After Obama Remarks (BOSGLOBE) ...................................... 186 President Trump Says Homicides In Philadelphia Are ‘terribly Increasing.’ They Are Actually Down. (WP) ..................... 187 Trump’s Call For ‘Feds’ In Chicago Confounds City Leaders, Police Experts (WT) .......................................................... 187 Trump Criticizes ‘S.N.L.’ Writer Who Joked About His Son Barron (NYT) .................................................................... 188 Trump Strategist Steve Bannon Says Media Should ‘Keep Its Mouth Shut’ (NYT) ............................................................ 189 In His First Major TV Interview As President, Trump Is Endlessly Obsessed About His Popularity (WP) .............................. 190 Washington’s New Normal: A Trump Protest Spectacle A Day (WP) .................................................................................. 192 ‘They Never Saw This Coming’: A Q&A With Kellyanne Conway (WPMAG) ......................................................................... 193 Trump Follows Obama’s Lead In Flexing Executive Muscle (NYT) ................................................................................ 197 Official: Trump Wants To Slash EPA Workforce, Budget (AP) . 198 EPA Aims To End Trump’s Freeze On Contracts And Grants On Friday (REU) ............................................................... 198 Reports On Climate Change Have Disappeared From The State Department Website (WP) ...................................... 198 U.S. Federal Employee ‘Gag Orders’ May Be Illegal, Lawmakers Warn Trump (REU) ....................................... 199 Democrats On Capitol Hill Ask White House Not To Gag Federal Employees (WP) ................................................. 199 It’s ‘Ridiculous’ To Say The Defense Department Is Trolling Trump On Twitter, Pentagon Says (WP) ......................... 200 Kasich On Trump: ‘Give Him A Chance’ (USAT) ...................... 201 Trump Versus California: The Feud Turns From Rhetorical To Real (LAT) ........................................................................ 201 TransCanada Re-submits Application For Keystone XL Pipeline (REU) ................................................................................ 202 Keystone XL Pipeline: A New Opening, But What Lies Ahead? (NYT) ................................................................................ 203 U.S. New Home Sales Drop Sharply In December (WSJ) ....... 204 Share Of U.S. Workers In Unions Falls To Lowest Level On Record (WSJ) ................................................................... 204 Trump’s Hiring Freeze Could Hurt His Most Loyal Supporters (MCT) ................................................................................ 204 Prosecutors Try New Tack In Investigating Police Shootings (WSJ) ................................................................................ 205 Obama Frees Him — And He Is Killed Execution-Style (USAT)205 Trump’s Limo Sports D.C.’s Protest License Plate: ‘Taxation Without Representation’ (WP) .......................................... 205 Survey: DC Women’s March Drew Many First-time Protesters (AP) ................................................................................... 206 Birthplace Of The CIA And American Spycraft Just Made The National Register Of Historic Places (WP) ....................... 207 Verizon Exploring Combination With Cable Firm Charter Communications (WSJ) .................................................... 208 American University Names New President: Obama Cabinet Member Sylvia Mathews Burwell (WP) ............................ 208 Trump Compared A Navy Man’s Crime To Clinton’s Email Scandal. Now That Sailor Wants A Pardon. (WP) ........... 209 Is Ivanka Trump Jewish? In Israel, She Has A Trump Card (AP)210 In Sudden Change, A Business Group Opts To Rent Event Space At A Trump Hotel (WP) ......................................... 211 DHS-17-0435-A-000392 CBP FOIA000392 6 Trump Is His Administration’s Own Worst Enemy On Foreign Policy (WP) ....................................................................... 213 We Ignore Trump At Our Peril (WP) .......................................... 213 Why A Tweeting President Is So Bad For Our Politics (WP) .... 214 Trump’s Government Looks An Awful Lot Like A Badly Run Business (WP) .................................................................. 215 Elon Musk Has Trump’s Ear, And Wall Street Takes Note (NYT)216 Military Brass Fill Donald Trump’s National Security Council (WSJ) ................................................................................ 217 Donald Trump’s Speech To CIA Was ‘Sweet Talk’ Masking ‘Falsehoods’, Says Former Intelligence Officer (INDUK) 217 Want To Track Cellphones? Get A Warrant, Lawmakers Say (AP) ................................................................................... 218 Mattis Is Trying To Repair The Damage Trump Is Doing (WP) 219 LEADING DHS NEWS Spokesman Says Trump Seeks 20 Percent Tax On Mexican Imports By Julie Pace, AP White House Correspondent Associated Press, January 26, 2017 PHILADELPHIA (AP) – President Donald Trump called on fellow Republicans to help him enact “great and lasting change” at a party retreat Thursday but offered few details. Later his spokesman said the president will seek a 20 percent tax on Mexican imports to pay for a proposed border wall. The president was greeted by cheers as he took the stage in a hotel ballroom, telling senators and House members, “This Congress is going to be the busiest Congress in decades – maybe ever.” He addressed lawmakers shortly after Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto canceled a trip to Washington next week for his first meeting with the new president due to their disagreement over which of their countries would pay to build Trump’s promised wall on the border between them. The wall is part of Trump’s plan to halt illegal immigration to the U.S., and he has long insisted that Mexico will pay. Pena Nieto insists his country will not. On the flight back to Washington, White House spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters traveling with the president that Trump will seek to impose a 20 percent tax on Mexican imports to pay for the wall. Congressional approval would be needed for such a step. But then later, at the White House, Spicer tried to take back his earlier comments by saying the 20 percent tax is one of several options under consideration and Trump hasn’t settled on it as the way to recoup construction costs for building the wall. In Trump’s remarks to lawmakers, he cast the cancellation of his engagement with Pena Nieto as a mutual decision, saying they had “agreed to cancel our planned meeting.” Trump had tweeted early Thursday that “it would be better to cancel the upcoming meeting” given Pena Nieto’s unwillingness to pay for the border wall. Trump’s election put Republicans in control of both the White House and Congress for the first time in more than a decade. Yet Trump’s often fluid ideology has sometimes put him at odds with his own party, making agreement on issues including a tax overhaul and entitlements no guarantee. Addressing fellow Republicans, the president spoke about his agenda in broad terms and then skipped a planned question-and-answer session. He gave the lawmakers no specific marching orders for tackling the repeal and replace of “Obamacare,” one of the most complicated issues Congress is expected to tackle this year. Spicer had said Trump on Thursday would continue to exercise his executive authority to implement his agenda, but an event listed on the president’s public schedule was postponed and could now take place on Friday. The White House is considering steps to commission a probe of widespread voter fraud, restrict the flow of refugees to the U.S., and negotiate individual trade deals with countries that signed the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact. Trump took steps earlier this week to withdraw the U.S. from TPP, saying the agreement puts American workers at a disadvantage. Trump’s brief trip to Philadelphia marked his first flight on Air Force One, the familiar blue and white government plane that has long ferried presidents around the country and the world. Spokesman Sean Spicer described Trump – who traveled throughout the campaign and the transition on his own private jet – as being “in awe” of the presidential aircraft. Trump saluted as he walked off his Marine helicopter and chatted with an Air Force officer who escorted him to the steps of the plane. He climbed the steps slowly but did not turn around and wave as presidents often do. --- Follow Julie Pace at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Trump May Fund Border Wall With 20 Percent Tax On Mexico Imports By Justin Sink Bloomberg Politics, January 26, 2017 DHS-17-0435-A-000393 CBP FOIA000393 7 The Trump administration is considering a 20 percent tax on imports from Mexico to pay for a wall along the southern U.S. border, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said. “When you look at the plan that’s taking shape now, using comprehensive tax reform as a means to tax imports from countries that we have a trade deficit from, like Mexico, if you tax that $50 billion at 20 percent of imports,” Spicer said, “by doing that we can do $10 billion a year and easily pay for the wall just through that mechanism alone. “ Spicer spoke to reporters during President Donald Trump’s trip to Philadelphia Thursday to address congressional Republicans at a retreat. White House: Mexican Import Tax Just One Way To Pay For Wall By Jordan Fabian The Hill, January 26, 2017 White House press secretary Sean Spicer on Thursday said imposing a 20 percent tax on imports from Mexico is just one option President Trump is considering to pay for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Spicer sought to clarify his earlier comments about the plan, saying they were not meant to be an official policy rollout. “Our job right now isn’t to roll something out or be prescriptive,” the spokesman told reporters inside his West Wing office. “It’s to show that there are ways that the wall could be paid for. Full stop. That’s it.” Asked if he was making a formal policy announcement, Spicer flatly said “no.” “The idea was that there have been questions about how the president could pay for the wall,” he said. “One idea through comprehensive tax reform is that there could be this idea that Speaker Ryan and others have floated that could generate revenue.” Spicer said earlier Thursday that Trump wanted to tax all imports from Mexico at a 20 percent rate, which he said would generate $10 billion to pay for the wall. “This is something that we’ve been in close contact with both houses in moving forward and creating a plan,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One. He said the provision could be included in a comprehensive tax reform package being crafted by congressional Republicans. “This is the beginning of this plan to make sure it is done right,” he said. “But, it clearly provides the funding and does so in a way that ensures that the American taxpayer is wholly respected.” His initial comments came after Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto announced he would not come to Washington for a meeting with Trump after the president said he would move forward with his plan to erect the wall — and make Mexico pay for it. His move was interpreted as a sign Mexico will resist paying for the barrier. The tax plan could have far-reaching consequences for American consumers and businesses while exacerbating tensions between Mexico and the U.S. The plan could benefit exporters, such as U.S.-based aerospace companies, but hurt retailers and other American companies that manufacture goods overseas to sell in the U.S. That could result in higher prices for American consumer goods. It could also reduce the number of imports coming into the U.S., which would lessen the amount of revenue collected by the tax. Spicer’s initial comments were met with praise from some close Trump allies in Congress, and puzzlement from others. The proposal, as originally explained by Spicer, appeared to be similar to a controversial provision that would tax U.S. businesses’ imports and credit exports included in a House Republican tax plan. Trump himself panned that proposal as “too complicated” in a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal. “Many unanswered questions about proposed ‘border adjustment’ tax,” tweeted John Cornyn (Texas), the number￾two Senate Republican. Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.), who ran against Trump in the GOP presidential primary, said the tax could hurt companies and consumers on both sides of the border. “Simply put, any policy proposal which drives up costs of Corona, tequila, or margaritas is a big-time bad idea. Mucho Sad,” he tweeted. Trump Team Floats Tax On Mexican Imports To Fund Border Wall By Matthew Nussbaum Politico, January 26, 2017 President Donald Trump supports a tax on imports from Mexico to pay for his proposed border wall, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Thursday. “When you look at the plan that’s taking shape now, using comprehensive tax reform as a means to tax imports from countries that we have a trade deficit from, like Mexico,” Spicer said on the flight back from Philadelphia, where Trump addressed congressional Republicans at their annual retreat. “If you tax that $50 billion at 20 percent of imports — which is by the way a practice that 160 other countries do — right now our country’s policy is to tax exports and let imports flow freely in, which is ridiculous. By doing it that we can do $10 DHS-17-0435-A-000394 CBP FOIA000394 8 billion a year and easily pay for the wall just through that mechanism alone. That’s really going to provide the funding.” Story Continued Below It was not immediately clear whether Spicer was talking about 20 percent tariff on imported goods from Mexico or a more nuanced border adjustment tax on imported goods that goes beyond Mexico. “This is something that we’ve been in close contact with both houses in moving forward and creating a plan,” Spicer added. “It clearly provides the funding and does so in a way that the American taxpayer is wholly respected.” The proposed tax appears aimed at realizing Trump’s longstanding promise that Mexico would pay for the wall. Should companies pass on the cost of the tax to costumers, however, it would mean American consumers were shouldered some or all of the burden. The announcement comes after Trump took executive actions Wednesday to crack down on illegal immigration, including directing funds to begin construction of the wall. Speaker Paul Ryan told his colleagues in Philadelphia Wednesday that Congress would find a way to pay for the barrier. Mexican officials have repeatedly said they will not pay for teh wall, and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto on Thursday cancelled a planned trip to Washington to meet with Trump. “I’ve said many times that the American people will not pay for the wall. And I’ve made that clear to the government of Mexico,” Trump said in Philadelphia after news of the cancellation. “To that end, the president of Mexico and myself have agreed to cancel our planned meeting scheduled for next week. Unless Mexico is going to treat the United States fairly, with respect, such a meeting would be fruitless and I want to go a different route. We have no choice.” U.S. Considering 20% Tax On Imports To Pay For Border Wall, White House Says By Michael A. Memoli Los Angeles Times, January 26, 2017 The Trump administration said Thursday that it would seek to impose a tax on imports, at least from countries with which the U.S. runs a trade deficit, as a way to pay for the wall on the border with Mexico that is one of President Trump’s central campaign promises. Although Trump repeatedly has said that Mexico would pay for the wall, the tax that White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer described to reporters actually would fall on U.S. consumers, not on Mexicans. “Right now, our country’s policy is to tax exports and let imports flow freely in, which is ridiculous,” Spicer told reporters traveling with Trump back to Washington after a speech in Philadelphia. By reversing that and taxing imports, “we can do $10 billion a year, and easily pay for the wall just through that mechanism alone. That’s really going to provide the funding,” Spicer said. Although Spicer did not refer ot the tax by name, his description of it seemed to make clear that he was referring to a complicated portion of the tax reform plan proposed by House Republicans. That was confirmed by House GOP officials, including Speaker Paul Ryan’s communications director, Brendan Buck. The provision, known as a destination-based cash flow tax essentially would function as a national sales tax on imported goods and services. It’s a key part of the GOP tax plan, but one that Trump has previously criticized as too complicated. As part of the plan, the House GOP would also lower the corporate tax rate to 20% from its current maximum level of 35%. Such a tax would likely increase prices on some staples for American consumers, such as tomatoes and avocados, once U.S. retailers pass along the tax to consumers. Mexico is the second-largest supplier of agricultural imports to the U.S. The price increase for consumers would be at least partially offset by an increased valuation in the dollar, experts have said. Trump alluded to the plan earlier in remarks to House and Senate Republicans in Philadelphia. “We’re working on a tax reform bill that will reduce our trade deficits, increase American exports and will generate revenue from Mexico that will pay for the wall, if we decide to go that route,” Trump said. The U.S. imported $316.4 billion in goods and services from Mexico in 2015, while exporting $267.2 billion, according to the office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Mexico is the United States’ third-largest supplier of imports — chiefly vehicles, electrical machinery and mineral fuels. Trump Mulls 20% Border Tax On Mexico; Aides Later Call It Just An Option By Gregory Korte And David Jackson USA Today, January 26, 2017 WASHINGTON — President Trump’s plan for a wall along the Mexican border could be financed through a 20% border tax on all imports from the United States’ third largest trading partner, the White House said Thursday. “It clearly provides the funding and does so in a way that the American taxpayer is wholly respected,” White House press secretary Sean Spicer said. “We are probably the only major country that doesn’t treat imports this way.” But shortly after he announced the proposal in an unscheduled “gaggle” with reporters on Air Force One, Spicer clarified to a separate group of reporters in the West Wing DHS-17-0435-A-000395 CBP FOIA000395 9 that it was just one proposal. “There are clearly a bunch of ways it can be done,” he said. “The point is American taxpayers are not going to fund it.” White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus added that it was part of a “buffet of options.” The unexpected proposal and subsequent backtracking underscored just how quickly the Trump White House is churning out policy proposals in a hectic first week in office, with a crowded calendar of meetings, speeches and executive actions. The border tax plan would need congressional approval, and Spicer described it as the beginning of a process that would be part of overall tax reform. The tax proposal would have the benefit of dovetailing two of his signature policies: Curtailing illegal immigration and enacting more protectionist trade regulations. But the proposal could face resistance even among Republicans. “Border security yes, tariffs no,” Sen. Lindsay Graham, R-S.C., wrote on Twitter. “Simply put, any policy proposal which drives up costs of Corona, tequila, or margaritas is a big-time bad idea. Mucho Sad.” The U.S. trade deficit with Mexico is was $49.2 billion in 2015, according to the U.S. Trade Representative. Though Spicer didn’t explain how the tax would work, the principle is similar to a border adjustment tax currently being discussed in Congress, which would heavily tax imports but give a tax credit on exports. “Right now our country’s policy is to tax exports and let imports flow freely in, which is ridiculous,” Spicer said. Spicer ran through the math by applying 20% to the difference, coming up with nearly $10 billion a year. The United States could “easily pay for the wall just through that mechanism alone. That’s really going to provide the funding,” he said. Actual imports from Mexico totaled $316.4 billion in 2015. White House Press Secretary Says Border Wall Will Be Funded By 20 Percent Import Tax On Mexican Goods By Joshua Partlow Washington Post, January 26, 2017 MEXICO CITY — President Enrique Peña Nieto on Thursday called off a trip to Washington, after President Trump launched his plan to construct a border wall and insisted he would stick Mexico with the bill. The incident opened one of the most serious rifts in memory between the United States and its southern neighbor. Trump spokesman Sean Spicer added a stunning new detail about the proposed wall project later Thursday, saying that Trump intended to pay for it by imposing a 20 percent tax on all imports from Mexico. Peña Nieto had been scheduled to meet with Trump on Tuesday to discuss immigration, trade and drug-war cooperation. He called off the visit after Trump tweeted that it would be “better to cancel the upcoming meeting” if Mexico was unwilling to pay for the wall. Trump’s moves have rekindled old resentments in Mexico, a country that during its history has often felt bullied and threatened by its wealthier, more powerful neighbor. The legacy of heavy-handed U.S. behavior — which includes invasions and the seizure of significant Mexican lands — has mostly been played down by a generation of Mexican leaders who have pursued pragmatic policies and mutual economic interests with both Republican and Democratic U.S. administrations. Both Peña Nieto and Spicer said their countries were interested in maintaining positive relations. “We will keep the lines of communication open,” Spicer told reporters in Washington on Thursday morning, adding that the White House would “look for a date to schedule something in the future.” The Mexican president tweeted that his government was willing to work with the United States “to reach agreements that benefit both nations.” But Mexicans expressed shock and dismay as Trump moved to turn his campaign promises into reality. Mexicans view a wall across the 2,000-mile border as a symbolic affront, part of a package of Trump policies that could cause the country serious economic pain. They include a crackdown on illegal immigrants, who send billions of dollars home, and renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA. The treaty has allowed trade between the neighbors to mushroom. Every day, goods valued at $1.4 billion cross the U.S.-Mexico border, and millions of jobs are linked to trade on both sides. Mexico is the world’s second-largest customer for American-made products, and 80 percent of Mexican exports — automobiles, flat-screen TVs, avocados — are sold to the United States. “When we are talking about building a wall, about deporting migrants, about eliminating sanctuary cities [for migrants], about threatening to end a free-trade agreement, or to take away factories, we are really talking about causing human suffering,” Margarita Zavala, a possible candidate for the presidency in 2018 and the wife of former president Felipe Calderón, said in an interview. “And after today, without a doubt, it is very difficult to negotiate from behind a wall.” Mexicans had trouble recalling a time when relations were this bad with the United States or when an American president appeared to be such a threat to Mexico’s core interests. DHS-17-0435-A-000396 CBP FOIA000396 10 “Never,” former president Vicente Fox said in an interview, when asked if Mexico had faced a comparable U.S. president in his lifetime. “And I never thought the U.S. people would go for a president like this.” “We don’t want the ugly American, which Trump represents: that imperial gringo that used to invade our country, that used to send the Marines, that used to put and take away presidents most everywhere in the world,” Fox added. “That happened in the 20th century, and this is what this guy is menacing us with.” Trump, for his part, faulted the Mexicans for damaging the relationship. Addressing a GOP policy retreat in Philadelphia, Trump said Thursday afternoon, “The president of Mexico and myself have agreed to cancel our planned meeting” next Tuesday. “Unless Mexico is going to treat the United States fairly, with respect, such a meeting would be fruitless,” he added. It was not clear exactly how the Trump administration would impose the new tax on Mexican exports. But Spicer said it would be part of a broader plan to tax imports from countries, including Mexico, with which the United States has a trade deficit. “If you tax that $50 billion at 20 percent of imports — which is, by the way, a practice that 160 other countries do — right now our country’s policy is to tax exports and let imports flow freely in, which is ridiculous,” Spicer told reporters. “By doing it that way, we can do $10 billion a year and easily pay for the wall just through that mechanism alone. That’s really going to provide the funding.” Peña Nieto’s decision to cancel the trip came a day after Trump signed an executive order to construct a border wall, one of Trump’s signature promises and a rallying cry for his supporters during last year’s presidential campaign. Trump has insisted that Mexico will fund it, but Peña Nieto and other Mexican officials have angrily denied they will do so. The timing of the order was seen as further insult: Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray was flying to Washington on Tuesday when news broke about Trump’s impending border wall announcement. All day Wednesday, speculation was rampant that Peña Nieto might cancel his upcoming trip. In the meantime, Videgaray met at the White House with Craig Deare, who is in charge of Latin America on the National Security Council. Throughout Trump’s rise, Peña Nieto has been mostly respectful toward him, even inviting him to visit Mexico City as a candidate last August. Peña Nieto has tried to maintain a diplomatic approach to the new administration, suggesting that Mexico can negotiate with its largest trading partner and preserve good relations. On Wednesday night, Peña Nieto sent out a recorded message saying that he “regrets and disapproves” of the U.S. decision to move forward with the wall. He repeated that Mexico will not pay for the wall but said he still planned to come to Washington to meet with Trump because of the importance of the negotiations. But that decision changed after Trump’s tweet on Thursday morning. During his speech at the GOP policy retreat later in the day in Philadelphia, Trump described NAFTA as a “terrible deal, a total disaster for the United States,” and said that the move of manufacturing to Mexico cost millions of American jobs and the closure of “thousands and thousands of plants” across the United States. Rucker reported from Washington. Karen DeYoung, William Branigin and Jenna Johnson in Washington and Gabriela Martinez in Mexico City contributed to this report. White House Plans To Pay For Border Wall With 20 Percent Tariff On Mexican Imports By Cameron Joseph, New York Daily News New York Daily News, January 26, 2017 The White House announced they plan to pay for a border wall with a 20% tariff on all goods coming in from Mexico, the latest salvo in an escalating feud between President Trump and the U.S.’s southern neighbor that could escalate into a trade war. “When you look at the plan that’s taking shape now, using comprehensive tax reform as a means to tax imports from countries that we have a trade deficit from, like Mexico,” White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer announced to reporters aboard Air Force One, shortly after Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto announced he was canceling a planned visit to President Trump. “If you tax that $50 billion at 20 percent of imports — which is by the way a practice that 160 other countries do — right now our country’s policy is to tax exports and let imports flow freely in, which is ridiculous. By doing it that way, we can do $10 billion a year and easily pay for the wall just through that mechanism alone. That’s really going to provide the funding,” Spicer continued. To do so, Trump would need to pull out of the North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and Canada, which bans unilateral decisions on new taxes and tariffs between the countries. Congress would also have to approve the plan — a murky proposition even with the GOP-controlled House and Senate. 23 photos view gallery Donald Trump in the White House The move further escalates tensions between the two longtime allies and close trading partners, which have been building ever since Trump became the GOP nominee and has hit a crescendo in recent weeks as he’s moved to fulfill DHS-17-0435-A-000397 CBP FOIA000397 11 campaign promises to crack down on immigrants, build a wall along the Mexican border and renegotiate NAFTA. The fight would likely lead to retaliatory tariffs from Mexico and could damage the economies of both countries, driving up consumer prices in the U.S. Counting The Winners And Losers From An Import-Based Tax By Keith Bradsher, Rachel Abrams And Bill Vlasic New York Times, January 26, 2017 The idea of a broad tax on importers is suddenly at the center of the Washington policy debate, with the inevitable counting of potential winners and losers. Such a tax could hit retailers the hardest if it takes full effect, with their heavy reliance on products as varied as microwave ovens from China and T-shirts from Bangladesh. But few sectors of the American economy and few consumers would be unaffected. If such a tax were imposed on imports from around the world, automakers could face hefty tax bills not only for cars imported from Mexico and elsewhere but also for the many auto parts they buy from overseas for their assembly lines in the United States. Chemical companies, supplying practically every industry, could find themselves paying more for feedstocks. And energy companies could wind up paying more for imported oil. The Republican leadership of the House Ways and Means Committee has been working in recent months on such a plan, a border-adjusted tax, as part of an effort to cut corporate tax rates. On Thursday, the plan got caught up in a discussion of ways to make Mexico pay for a proposed border wall, before the White House stepped back from endorsing that course. If a border-adjusted tax is used to offset a reduction in corporate tax rates, American exporters and their employees would rank among the winners. Yet, even in its broader form, the tax plan could be politically tricky. If a tax covers oil imports, for example, it would end up falling most heavily on rural Americans, who voted heavily for President Trump but also tend to drive farther each year than residents of heavily Democratic large cities. The tax “would be a boon for producers but it would be a negative for consumers — it’s going to hit the pocketbooks of his supporters the hardest,” said Ed Hirs, a managing director of Hillhouse Resources, an oil and gas company based in Houston. Even those seemingly safe from import taxes, exporters like Boeing and American farmers, could also lose sales if other countries retaliated. Banks on Wall Street could lose overseas contracts to represent initial public offerings if foreign governments responded by steering their companies to European or Asian rivals. By international standards, the United States puts few taxes on consumption, while taxing producers more heavily. The House Republican proposal would start to shift that balance, and one likely effect would be somewhat higher prices at retailers including gas stations and Walmart. Many small manufacturers without overseas factories have long favored an overhaul of the United States tax code that would increase corporate taxes on importers. The money raised from such a tax increase, they have argued, could then be used to offset a reduction in the overall corporate tax rate of 35 percent. Powerful business groups like the American Chamber of Commerce have said little about such proposals, because of deep divisions in corporate America based on who would pay the import tax and who might benefit from a reduction in corporate taxes. But Mr. Trump and his spokesman, Sean Spicer, may have complicated the House Republicans’ efforts by raising the possibility of imposing such a tax on goods from Mexico first, with the money used to pay for a wall along the Mexican border to deter illegal immigration. The White House later said it was just one of the methods being considered. Linking the plan to Mexico left corporate groups mostly silent, leery of offending the president by criticizing him but also leery of offending Americans who dislike Mr. Trump’s denunciations of Mexico and Mexican immigrants. Industrial labor unions in the United States have been more open to increased taxes on imports from Mexico. After the November election, Dennis Williams, president of the United Automobile Workers, expressed support generally for the president’s advocacy of tariffs on Mexican imports. “I think his position on trade is right on,” Mr. Williams said. If a tax is imposed, the retailing industry, and particularly apparel retailers, could be among the hardest hit. Much of the clothing sold in the United States is made overseas, and retailers have little wiggle room to raise their prices to compensate for higher costs. And the timing could not be worse: Retailers, particularly apparel companies and department stores, have struggled more than other sectors of the economy to recover from the recession. Tighter budgets, Amazon and many new discount chains have conditioned shoppers never to pay full price. In recent years, that has created a discounting war that has decimated once-mighty retail titans like Macy’s and other department stores. Could those same stores start charging more because of the proposed plan to raise the costs on imports? Unthinkable. DHS-17-0435-A-000398 CBP FOIA000398 12 But David French, senior vice president of government relations at the National Retail Federation, said that retailers would have no choice but to raise prices. “I really hope everybody understands that what they’re really talking about is a 20 percent tax on the U.S. consumer,” he said on Thursday. “That’s like building the wall and having the U.S. consumer pay for it.” But even if a 20 percent tax on imports were imposed, its effect on retail prices would be far smaller in percentage terms. That is because the value of imports is essentially calculated based on their wholesale value, which may be a quarter or less of the retail price for items like apparel. So the extra tax would fall on only a small share of the total costs of most companies. Apparel companies could be among the most vulnerable if corporate taxes rise for importers of goods from all over the world, since many of the clothes sold in the United States come from China or Bangladesh. Budget￾friendly retailers in particular run the risk of alienating customers by raising costs. But while most of the retail industry is alarmed at the thought of higher import taxes, some retailers could actually win if the Republican plan goes through. Stores that operate primarily in the United States and cater to less price-sensitive shoppers could actually see their profits increase, according to some estimates. That is because the imported goods they sell actually make up a small share of their overall costs, while they spend heavily on attractive stores, American staff wages and marketing promotions. The beauty retailer Ulta is one such company, according to Goldman Sachs, which predicted that net income could actually rise by 21 percent. Ulta sells thousands of cosmetics from brands like Chloe and Clinique, many of which depend on overseas factories, according to the company’s financial filings. But Ulta may benefit more from the part of the House Republican proposal that would reduce the 35 percent corporate tax rate. As for the higher import taxes, “they can actually pass along some of the price,” Simeon Siegel, a retailing analyst with the investment bank Nomura, said. By contrast, a tax on imports from Mexico could wreak havoc on finely balanced supply chains in the auto industry. More than two million Mexican-made vehicles were sold in the United States in 2015, according to the International Trade Administration, representing a little over a tenth of the American market. The products range from full-size pickup trucks made by General Motors and Fiat Chrysler, midsize sedans produced by Ford, and small cars assembled by foreign automakers such as Honda and Nissan. Some automakers are more vulnerable than others. The German automaker Volkswagen, for example, imports more than 30 percent of the vehicles it sells in the United States from Mexico. The figure is closer to 15 percent for the two largest American auto companies, G.M. and Ford. A 20 percent tariff would probably have to be passed on, at least in part, to consumers. That could add thousands of dollars to the sticker price of affected vehicles — and perhaps cause sharp declines in their sales. Mexico also exports about $50 billion in auto parts annually to the United States for use in American assembly plants. Tariffs on those parts would add significant costs to American-built vehicles that use them. Mr. Trump’s repeated criticisms of Mexican exports to the United States have prompted several automakers, including the big Detroit companies, to announce plans to increase investment and jobs in their American factories. Sergio Marchionne, chief executive of Fiat Chrysler, said Thursday that policies that force car companies to curtail or abandon Mexican production would have a major impact on the industry. “The question about repatriation of all of the manufacturing footprint into the United States has got monumental consequences to the industry over all,” Mr. Marchionne said in a conference call with analysts Trump Endorses Plan For 20% Tax On All Imports By Michael D. Shear New York Times, January 26, 2017 PHILADELPHIA — President Trump plans to make Mexico pay for his border wall by imposing a 20 percent tax on all imports into the United States from Mexico, raising billions of dollars that would cover the cost of the new barrier. The proposal, which Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, said the president discussed privately with congressional Republicans before giving remarks at a party retreat here, would be a major new economic proposal that could have far-reaching implications for consumers, manufacturers and relations between the two governments. Mr. Spicer said the 20 percent tax on annual Mexican imports would raise $10 billion a year and would easily pay for a border wall that is estimated to cost between $8 billion and $20 billion. The value of imported goods from Mexico in 2015 was $296 billion. Mr. Spicer said taxing imports is something that 160 other countries already do. The new tax would be imposed on Mexico as part of a tax overhaul that Mr. Trump intends to pursue with the Republican Congress. Mr. Spicer said the tax initially would apply only to Mexico, but that the president supports imposing a 20 percent tax on all imports. Mr. Trump would need new legislation to enact such a comprehensive tax on Mexican imports. DHS-17-0435-A-000399 CBP FOIA000399 13 Trump Eyes Tax On Mexican Imports To Pay For Wall By Stephen Dinan Washington Times, January 26, 2017 President Trump is considering a plan to tax imports from Mexico and using the money to build his promised border wall, the White House said Thursday. Spokesman Sean Spicer said a 20 percent tax would amount to billions of dollars a year, which could “easily pay for the wall just through that mechanism alone.” “That’s really going to provide the funding,” he said. Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. Donald Trump Administration Floats 20 Percent Mexico Import Tax To Pay For Border Wall Press secretary Sean Spicer on Thursday told reporters the administration is discussing a Mexico tariff with lawmakers. By Andrew Soergel, Economy Reporter U.S. News & World Report, January 26, 2017 President-elect Donald Trump walks with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto on Aug. 31 in Mexico City. (Dario Lopez-Mills/AP, file) President Donald Trump is considering a 20 percent tax on Mexican imports to pay for a wall along America’s southern border, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Thursday, sparking questions about what exactly the proposal would entail and whether it would place the burden of paying for the barrier on American taxpayers. Spicer told reporters on Air Force One that the Trump administration has been speaking with lawmakers about including a tax on products shipped to the U.S. from Mexico as part of a broader tax reform package. Spicer said the move would generate “$10 billion a year and easily pay for the wall just through that mechanism alone.” “That’s really going to provide the funding,” he said. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on Thursday estimated the border wall would cost between $12 billion and $15 billion to complete. Spicer later attempted to walk back his comments, saying the 20 percent tax is just one of multiple options on the table. White House chief of staff Reince Priebus also was later quoted as saying the proposal is part of a “buffet” of options open to the administration. Spicer’s comments came after a meeting between Trump and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto set for next week was canceled, notably on the heels of Trump signing an order aimed at moving forward construction of the border wall and continuing to insist that Mexico in some form would foot the bill. Throughout his campaign, Trump had promised to force Mexico to pay for a border wall, though he also has said Mexico would pay for it over time. The limited details of the plan as put forward by Spicer appeared to fall in line with a border-adjustment tax proposal championed by House Speaker Paul Ryan as part of a wider tax reform plan that would lower the corporate tax rate to 20 percent. In a tweet Thursday, Doug Andres, a Ryan spokesman, seemed to confirm as much. Earlier this month, Trump criticized the border￾adjustment idea as “too complicated,” yet he also seemed to reference it while addressing congressional Republicans at a retreat in Philadelphia on Thursday. “We’re working on a tax reform bill that will reduce our trade deficits, increase American exports and will generate revenue from Mexico that will pay for the wall if we decide to go that route,” Trump said. Under Ryan’s border-adjustment proposal, goods would be taxed based on where they are “consumed rather than where they are produced,” effectively exempting American￾made products and services from export taxes while levying taxes on imports to the country. “Under the plan, all imports coming into the United States would be subject to the 20 percent tax, but exports would have the tax refunded – making them tax-free,” Marc Thiessen, a resident fellow at conservative-leaning think tank the American Enterprise Institute, wrote in an op-ed earlier this month in The Washington Post about the plan put forward by Republicans. “Supporters see it as a way for Trump to follow through on his campaign pledge to tax imports and support exports without resorting to tariffs that would provoke a massive global trade fight.” The U.S. imported more than $270 billion in Mexican goods between January and November of last year, according to the Census Bureau, with products ranging from cars and trucks to refrigerators, tomatoes and medical instruments. America in the past two years also has run a trade deficit with its southern neighbor in the range of $50 billion to $60 billion, which – under the border-adjustment plan – would lead to tax revenue of roughly $10 billion to $12 billion, or the amount Spicer cited that would fund the wall. Advocates argue this system wouldn’t increase prices that consumers pay because the value of the dollar would naturally rise. But given the multitude of factors at play in determining currency strength – and the reduced demand for U.S. exports that comes with a strong dollar – opponents argue that U.S. consumers could still be at risk of paying higher prices on imports or facing complications from a significantly stronger dollar. Indeed, the possible border-adjustment plan was met with skepticism from some congressional lawmakers following Spicer’s comments. DHS-17-0435-A-000400 CBP FOIA000400 14 Simply put, any policy proposal which drives up costs of Corona, tequila, or margaritas is a big-time bad idea. Mucho Sad. (2)— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) January 26, 2017 This would be a tax on Americans to pay for the wall. When and how will Mexico reimburse? https://t.co/WlgRoVmxWh— Justin Amash (@justinamash) January 26, 2017 Many unanswered questions about proposed “border adjustment” tax— JohnCornyn (@JohnCornyn) January 26, 2017 Updated on Jan. 26, 2017: This article has been updated with additional information. Tags: Donald Trump, Sean Spicer, taxes Making Mexico Pay For Border Wall: Ideas Abound, And So Do Barriers By Eduardo Porter New York Times, January 26, 2017 Will President Trump be able to make Mexico pay for his “big, beautiful wall”? Over the course of his campaign he offered a variety of ways to dip into pots of Mexican money. The latest, proposed on Thursday, was a 20 percent tax on imports from Mexico, which total roughly $300 billion in goods and services. Like other proposals Mr. Trump has floated — impounding remittances of Mexicans working in the United States, or charging Mexicans more for visas — it seems straightforward. But carrying it out would be another matter. For starters, a 20 percent tax on imports from Mexico would violate the North American Free Trade Agreement and most likely the rules of the World Trade Organization, which frowns on punitive levies imposed arbitrarily on imports from specific countries. (It is hard to tell from the tangle of announcements from Mr. Trump and his advisers whether they are planning a broad new tax regime that would affect all exports and imports. That, too, would most likely invite challenges at the W.T.O.) Mr. Trump, of course, has also talked about taking the United States out of the global trade accord. But that might seem a bit too drastic just to get Mexico to pay perhaps $20 billion for a wall. It is likely to impose enormous costs on the American and world economies, opening the door for a free￾for-all trade war. But if the president did it anyway, the people paying the 20 percent tariff would not be Mexicans, but American consumers. That 2017 Ford Fusion built in Hermosillo, Mexico? It would no longer cost $22,610. It would cost $27,132. So what about the other ideas? The big one Mr. Trump mentioned early on is remittances. Mexico receives about $25 billion a year from Mexicans living abroad, mostly in the United States, in myriad transfers of a few hundred dollars apiece channeled primarily through services like Western Union and MoneyGram. Mr. Trump originally threatened to simply impound remittances, a matter of dubious legal standing and some logistical complication. Later he suggested a more sophisticated strategy. He would just threaten to change rules under the Patriot Act antiterrorism law to prohibit immigrants who couldn’t prove legal residence from wiring money abroad. Under threat of losing these resources, the reasoning went, the Mexican government would soon cave and offer to pay for the wall. Remittances are indeed a big deal for Mexico. In a foreign policy speech delivered on Monday, President Enrique Peña Nieto said that ensuring “the free flow of remittances from our compatriots living in the United States” was one of 10 core Mexican objectives in the renegotiation of its relationship with America. What Mr. Trump seems not to reckon with is that people find a way around barriers like these. Mexicans would come up with other conduits to send the $100 a week that their parents, children or siblings back home rely on to pay the bills. As the Government Accountability Office noted in a report published last year, these sorts of obstacles often have the effect of “pushing remittances out of formal financial systems to less detectable methods.” Or what about taxing remittances instead of impounding them? As Oklahoma discovered when it briefly imposed a fee on money transfers abroad in 2010, that would drive remittances into some other, untaxed channel. As Monica de Bolle of the Peterson Institute for International Economics notes, it might also reduce remittances, hitting consumption in Mexico and thus, probably, American exports. And it might be illegal, too. Kathleen Newland of the Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan research group, said that taxing remittances just to Mexico would probably be challenged as discriminatory on the basis of national origin. After all, many people who send remittances are American citizens or legal residents. Taxing remittances only by illegal immigrants would be, to say the least, implausible. What about charging Mexicans more for visas and border cards? It would take a lot of them to add up to the cost of Mr. Trump’s barrier. What’s more, visa fees are dedicated by statute to finance United States consular activities around the world. Mr. Trump could probably find some Mexican money somewhere. Twelve million Mexicans live in the United States. Mexican companies have invested nearly $20 billion in the country. There are tons of flows of money between the two. The question is whether Mr. Trump can get at it without breaking the law. Gordon Hanson of the University of California, San Diego, notes that the two countries have an income tax treaty. That means that Washington agrees to tax Mexican DHS-17-0435-A-000401 CBP FOIA000401 15 residents subject to United States income tax at a reduced rate. “I suppose Trump could simply violate this treaty and subject Mexican residents in the United States at a higher rate and call this part of the payment,” he said. Perhaps none of this matters. Mr. Trump has acknowledged that how Mexico pays might be complicated, which suggests he may be open to calling any flow of money part of this payment. Or as Edward Alden of the Council on Foreign Relations suggests, Mr. Trump may not actually be looking for good ideas to subtly draw money from Mexico to pay for a wall, but instead to prove strength and to humiliate the United States’ southern neighbor. “Trump is focused on the optics,” he said. “He is not in the market for clever schemes.” Maybe cutting all aid to Mexico could help serve this purpose. It wouldn’t pay for much. And it would amount to shooting oneself in the foot. What little aid Mexico gets from Washington is mostly destined to help finance Mexico’s efforts to stop migrants from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras from traveling across Mexico and into the United States. But that might not matter anymore. When the dust settles on Mr. Trump’s rearrangement of relations with Mexico, Mexico is unlikely to keep lending a hand. The United States’ most effective tool to curb illegal immigration will be lost. And then his wall might come in handy. Yes, Trump Will Build His Border Wall. Most Of It Is Already Built. By E.j. Graff Washington Post, November 21, 2016 Can Donald Trump actually keep his pledge to build a Southern border wall? “Build that wall! Build that wall!” was a favorite chant at Trump campaign rallies. As a real estate developer, this would be his most impressive construction job. As he said early in his campaign, “I would build a great wall, and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me, and I build them very inexpensively.” Critics were as dismissive of Trump’s wall as they were of Trump as a presidential candidate. The wall proposal, they said, was nothing more than a political fantasy. But under President Trump, the wall will not only be for real, but it may be one of his biggest political successes. Here’s how. Whatever is built or is already there, Trump will call it a wall Words matter. When one thinks of a wall, one thinks of something solid — which, no doubt, is part of its enormous political appeal for Trump supporters. But the term “wall” is actually surprisingly fuzzy. The various Oxford dictionary definitions of a wall include “any high vertical surface, especially one that is imposing in scale.” That broad definition would seem to leave Trump a lot of wiggle room. It is important to remember that Trump’s predecessors carefully avoided calling any new border barriers a “wall.” Before Trump, the term was politically taboo, viewed as sending the wrong message to Mexico and to the world. When Pat Buchanan ran for president in 1996, he proposed building a “sea wall” to stop the “tidal wave” of illegal immigration across the border — and was dismissed as an extremist and ostracized by the Republican Party. But times have changed. Trump broke the taboo. His fans have loved him for it. So regardless of what Trump ends up building, calling it a “wall” will sound like something new and make his followers cheer. Much of the wall has already been built Since the early 1990s, politicians of all stripes have scrambled to show their commitment to border security. During that time, annual federal funding for border and immigration control mushroomed from $1.5 billion to $19.5 billion. According to one estimate, Washington spends $5 billion more on border and immigration control than for all other federal law enforcement combined. And the result? Hundreds of miles of metal barriers have gone up. Technologies initially developed for the military have been adapted for border enforcement. A fleet of manned and unmanned aircraft have been deployed to monitor from the air. Thousands of new agents have been hired. The size of the Border Patrol doubled in the 1990s and has more than doubled again since the beginning of the century, from about 4,000 personnel to more than 21,000. This massive enforcement buildup has been lethal for many migrants trying to cross, with thousands of deaths to date, while enriching the smugglers on whom migrants must rely. As I showed in my book “Border Games: Policing the U.S. Mexico Divide,” it has been politically rewarding for both Democrats and Republicans alike. Trump is simply taking it to the next level. Trump has dismissed the current state of border security as “a joke,” but he’ll soon find that the bipartisan border policing boom started in the 1990s will be crucial to keeping his wall pledge. Trump’s plan calls for a wall that covers 1,000 miles of the nearly 2,000-mile-long border — with natural obstacles covering the remainder. Nearly 700 miles of various types of border fencing are already in place, and portions of it very much look like a formidable metal wall. It is hard to imagine Trump tearing all that fencing up and starting from scratch. What’s much more realistic is that Trump will simply add more miles of fencing; reinforce existing fencing in key, visible places; and deploy even more border guards, stadium lighting, and the latest high-tech detection and surveillance equipment. The newest, tallest part of the Trump Wall — DHS-17-0435-A-000402 CBP FOIA000402 16 probably erected at one of the most visible, urban spots on the border — would be an effective backdrop for the president’s celebratory news conference announcing its construction. In the end, Trump’s wall is likely to be the latest addition to the border barrier-building frenzy first launched by President Bill Clinton, greatly expanded by George W. Bush and continued by Obama. But Trump will take full ownership of it as the only president willing to actually call it a wall. It will not stop migrants from entering the country illegally — going over, under or around it, with many of them dying in the process. But when Trump supporters grumble that the wall is too porous, Trump will no doubt promise to make the wall even longer, taller and stronger in his second term. Trump’s Wall Is A Huge Waste Of Money: Our View USA Today, January 26, 2017 Since 2005, the federal government has added hundreds of miles of walls and fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border. It has doubled the size of the Border Patrol by hiring more than 10,000 agents. And it has ramped up spending so rapidly that it is plagued with duplicative programs. So when President Trump says he is moving ahead with a massive border wall, it has all the hallmarks of a multibillion dollar boondoggle. And his insistence that Mexico be forced to pay for his costly campaign pledge threatens to rupture relations with an important ally and trading partner. Physical barriers certainly have a significant place in border security. But any major expansion of the existing barriers should be done in the context of cost-benefit analysis. By any reasonable accounting, the surge of spending on border enforcement has already reached a point of diminishing return. The federal government now spends more policing immigration than it does on all other law enforcement activities — combined. More, that is, than on drug trafficking, gangs, counterfeiting, identity theft, financial fraud, would-be assassins, routine interstate crime, illegal arms sales, computer hacking, corporate malfeasance, government corruption and the domestic part of the war on terror. Most of California, Arizona and New Mexico already have some kind of barrier. Texas is another matter, thanks to the difficulties of building along the snaking, flood-prone Rio Grande River, and the fact that much of the border land is in private hands. Since 2007, the estimated number of undocumented immigrants has dropped from 12.2 million to slightly more than 11 million, thanks to some combination of increased enforcement, declining birth rates and rising economies, particularly Mexico’s. This isn’t to say illegal immigration has stopped outright. But it is being offset by people returning to their home countries. What’s more, an estimated 35% to 50% of the inflow is people who come in legally and overstay their visas, people who are not impacted by walls or other border control efforts. Taking all this into account, Trump’s wall would be a colossal waste of money. His idea of forcing Mexico to pay for it has already led to cancellation of next week’s scheduled meeting between Trump and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto. Slapping a 20% tax on imports from Mexico, which a Trump spokesman floated Thursday as a way to recoup the construction costs, would set off a mutually destructive trade war and effectively make U.S. consumers pick up the tab. Cracking down on visa overstays and on employers who hire illegal workers would do far more to improve immigration enforcement than spending an additional $12 billion or more on steel and concrete. Donald Trump Threatens To Cancel Meeting With Mexican President Peña Nieto, Trump meeting is scheduled for Jan. 31 By Peter Nicholas Wall Street Journal, January 26, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Trump: Mexico Should Cancel Meeting If It Won’t Pay For Wall By Roberta Rampton, Doina Chiacu And Susan Heavey Reuters, January 26, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. How To Interpret The Trump Administration’s Latest Signals On Mexico By Neil Irwin New York Times, January 26, 2017 The White House floated an idea on Thursday afternoon that, in initial reports, sounded like a major tariff on Mexican imports — something that would have gone a long way toward unwinding one of the United States’ deepest economic relationships. The reality of what Sean Spicer, the press secretary, suggested is a lot less dramatic. But it sends important signals about how people in the Trump administration are thinking about overhauling the tax code — and how they’re thinking about claiming victory on some of the president’s audacious campaign promises. It is a sign of just how fluid DHS-17-0435-A-000403 CBP FOIA000403 17 things are in this moment when so much of American public policy around taxes, trade and diplomacy is in flux. Mr. Spicer suggested a way the administration could accomplish President Trump’s goal of building a border wall paid for by Mexico. A 20 percent tax on imports from Mexico would do the trick, Mr. Spicer said. That might sound as if Mr. Spicer was proposing that the United States slap a new tariff meant to punish Mexican exporters. Such a move would result in higher prices for American consumers, create profound challenges for industries with supply chains that span the border, and possibly prompt the collapse of the North American Free Trade Agreement. But you get a different picture when you put Mr. Spicer’s words into the context of the rapidly evolving debate in Washington around overhauling corporate taxation. He was pointing out that in an overhaul of taxes that House Republicans are considering, imports from all countries would be taxed at 20 percent while American exports would be tax free. It’s called border adjustment, and it would make the United States corporate tax code more closely resemble the value-added tax that is commonplace in other countries. House Republicans see the policy as a way to reshape the tax code to give businesses less incentive to move operations overseas while also generating revenue they can use to reduce tax rates. Opponents of the plan, which include major retailers, are skeptical. Among the risks: It could drive up consumer prices for all sorts of imported goods, from German cars to Mexican avocados, if the dollar does not rise as much as economists predict. And the policy may violate World Trade Organization rules, which could tangle it up in legal proceedings. But that Mr. Spicer was floating that plan as a way to fulfill Mr. Trump’s Mexican wall promises is interesting on two levels. First, less than two weeks ago, the then-president-elect threw cold water on the House plan. “Anytime I hear border adjustment, I don’t love it,” Mr. Trump told The Wall Street Journal. “Because usually it means we’re going to get adjusted into a bad deal.” On Thursday, Mr. Spicer was explicitly suggesting that a border tax could be used to pay for a border wall. Referring to the tax plan, he said, “This is something that we’ve been in close contact with both houses in moving forward.” The border adjustment strategy has plenty of enemies, and there’s no certainty that it will become part of a tax overhaul bill. But the latest tea leaves suggest the administration is more open to it than it may have seemed. The second lesson from the incident is that the Trump administration looks inclined to be flexible in finding ways to satisfy campaign promises without doing major damage to the economy or international relations. Thursday was one of the roughest days for relations between the United States and Mexico in some time, with the cancellation of a planned visit by President Enrique Peña Nieto and tough talk from Mexico City, which adamantly refuses to pay for an expansion of a border wall. But Mr. Spicer’s comments, which he later said were meant more to offer an example than a concrete policy proposal, suggest that the administration will look for creative ways to proclaim victory on Trumpian promises. In other words, he will proclaim that Mexico has paid for the wall as promised — even if the Mexican government never literally cuts a check to pay for new concrete. Advocates of the border adjustment tax have been fond of it because it would produce enough revenue to allow a deep reduction in tax rates. But money is fungible. So if the president can claim political victory by stating that the revenue from Mexican imports is going to pay for the wall, no one is going to stop him. It is a messy time for the making of economic policy. The Trump campaign was notoriously light on policy detail, and the Trump administration still has many key vacancies in economic policy jobs. Nominees for Treasury secretary, commerce secretary and U.S. trade representative have not yet been confirmed, and key jobs on the Council of Economic Advisers and most undersecretary and assistant secretary jobs remain unfilled. So the gaps are still being filled in on what the Trump administration economic policy will really mean in practice. The way to read the latest Mexico comments is as one more hint. Donald Trump’s Executive Orders: More Symbol Than Substance By Emily Cadei Newsweek, January 26, 2017 President Donald Trump has signed a flurry of executive orders and presidential memoranda since his swearing-in January 20—a sign of “bold action,” according to his White House. But despite the pomp and circumstance of the signing ceremonies and the accompanying headlines, they do little, on their own, to advance Trump’s main policy goals. Instead, presidential scholars and policy analysts say, they are more about sending a message and setting a direction. The symbolism alone is not inconsequential, however, especially considering what it says to leaders abroad. Try Newsweek: Subscription offers Related: Trump signs orders for border wall, ‘sanctuary’ cities DHS-17-0435-A-000404 CBP FOIA000404 18 “The number and the scope of what he’s doing is completely normal” when compared with past presidents, “and by and large insignificant,” says professor Jeffrey Engel, director of the Center for Presidential History at Southern Methodist University. George Washington University professor Matthew Dalleck has a slightly different take. “I think they are substantive, but their substance is limited,” he says. The two presidential historians agree, however, that regardless of whether it’s Trump’s first order—to rein in Obamacare—or Wednesday’s orders to build a wall along the border with Mexico and shift immigration enforcement priorities, it will be up to the president’s Cabinet officials and Congress to follow through on most of the actual policymaking. There are plenty of potential obstacles. The executive order Trump issued Wednesday calling for the secretary of homeland security “to immediately plan, design, and construct a physical wall along the southern border” offers no cost estimate—which experts warn could be prohibitive—and it does not suggest where the money would come from. White House spokesman Sean Spicer has reiterated the idea that Mexico will ultimately pay for the wall “one way or another,” but in the meantime, it will fall to American taxpayers and Congress to foot the bill. Some spendthrift Republicans could balk if the price tag spirals out of control. Trump’s order instituting a federal hiring freeze, meanwhile, includes several loopholes, granting agencies exemptions for “any positions that it deems necessary to meet national security or public safety responsibilities.” The Office of Personnel Management may also grant exemptions when “otherwise necessary.” Even pending orders, drafts of which have been leaked to the press, are limited in scope. An executive order following Trump’s promise of a so-called Muslim ban will last only 30 days and target just seven war-torn countries in the Middle East and North Africa that supply a relatively small number of immigrants—roughly 50,000 in 2015, or 5 percent of the more than 1 million foreigners granted permanent legal status. It does not include far larger Muslim-majority countries with their own troublesome histories of extremism, including Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey, Morocco and Tunisia. If Trump follows through on an order to suspend the admission of refugees, it would scramble the situations for some of the world’s most desperate and vulnerable people. But, again, it would affect only a sliver of America’s overall immigration total—the United States granted refugee status to 85,000 people in 2016. Syrians, whom the president would ban, made up 10,000 of that total. In other words, it’s a symbolic and, refugee advocates argue, misguided crackdown on a small number of people that will do little to alter overall immigration flows or domestic security. Just because a president signs executive orders, moreover, doesn’t mean the commands will ultimately be carried out. As Engel points out, President Barack Obama ordered the closure of the Guantánamo Bay detention camp in Cuba on his second day in office. Eight years later, Gitmo is still up and running, although Obama did succeed in dramatically reducing the number of prisoners held there. Another Obama order, known as Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA), halts deportations for certain classes of undocumented immigrants but has been held up by legal challenges. The same could happen to several of Trump’s actions on immigration enforcement. Other orders and memos Trump has issued in recent days are more simple to execute but have less of an impact. The president declared in a memo that the United States was withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a multilateral trade agreement with nations in the Asia-Pacific. But that agreement had not yet been ratified by Congress and was already presumed dead. Trump also reopened the approval process for the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines, a blow to environmental activists. Analysts, however, largely agree that the pipelines have become outsized symbols for supporters and opponents alike and will not have a significant effect on either the environment or energy production in this country. Trump is still considering an order to overturn the DAPA Obama order and another, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which has allowed roughly 800,000 undocumented immigrants to stay in the United States. That action stands out as one that would take immediate effect and have a widespread impact. It would set an expiration date on the legal status of these longtime American residents, who were brought to the United States illegally as children, raising questions about whether they could be rounded up and deported. The Trump White House has indicated that participants in DACA, known as DREAMers, will not be a deportation priority, but the uncertainty is sure to roil the entire community. Overall, however, the scope of Trump’s executive orders this week underscore the importance of symbolism, whether it’s the pipelines, the TPP, a border wall, a federal hiring freeze or reinstating what’s known as the Mexico City Policy: barring U.S. foreign aid to groups that advise on or offer abortions. “In terms of the day-to-day, how much these things affect the average Americans’ lives, it’s relatively small,” says Engel. “In terms of how much it demonstrates symbolically that there is a new commander in chief and a new sheriff in town, it’s huge.” University of Minnesota professor Larry Jacobs, for example, does not expect Trump’s Cabinet secretaries to use his executive order on health care to undermine Obamacare, DHS-17-0435-A-000405 CBP FOIA000405 19 even though they could. “I don’t think that does anything except create problems for the Trump administration,” he explains. “They’ll be held responsible.” Instead, Jacobs expects the health and human services secretary nominee, Tom Price, to focus most of his efforts on working with Congress to pass new health care legislation. And he predicts that process will be as long and politically fraught as the battle to pass Obamacare, formally known as the Affordable Care Act, in 2010. The order, he says, is little more than a signal to his political base “that he promised to repeal Obamacare right away and he’s off to the races.” Trump’s orders are also intended to send a signal to the rest of the world, much the way Obama tried to do in 2009. In addition to his order to close Gitmo, Obama issued an order shortly after being sworn in outlawing the torture of foreign prisoners and nullifying related legal guidance issued under his predecessor, President George W. Bush. “It was framed not as an administrative decision but as a moral decision,” says Engel. “‘We are going to resurrect America’s good standing in the world.’” Trump, on the other hand, is sending a very clear message with his orders on trade, immigration and border security: that the United States is “distinct and different from the rest of the world and not necessarily a partner for the rest of the world,” Engel says. That could have weighty implications for American foreign policy and diplomacy. Obama’s efforts to expand refugee resettlement, for example, were as much about reassuring partners in Europe and the Middle East that the U.S. was willing to share more of the burden stemming from the global refugee crisis as it was a humanitarian gesture. Closing the door to refugees, even temporarily, sends the opposite signal. Trump’s executive order to build a wall on the southern border, meanwhile, came the same day Mexico’s foreign minister arrived in the United States for meetings with the new administration. The timing, along with the White House’s insistence that Mexico will pay for the wall, is “very undiplomatic, a very big faux pas,” says Vanda Felbab￾Brown, a senior fellow on foreign policy at the Brookings Institution, a D.C. think tank. Felbab-Brown warns it could have major consequences for U.S.-Mexico relations. “In practice, a huge element of the border control is cooperation with Mexican border patrol,” she points out. She adds that could hurt Trump’s ability to wring significant concessions from Mexican President Enrique Peña-Nieto on the North American Free Trade Agreement, which he hopes to renegotiate. Indeed, Peña-Nieto was scheduled to meet with Trump at the White House next week. But after Trump reiterated Thursday morning on Twitter that Mexico ought to pay for “the badly needed wall,” the Mexican government canceled the trip. Trump’s Plan To Build A Bigger Border Wall Has Plenty Of Critics Public Radio International, January 26, 2017 This week at a ceremony at the Department of Homeland Security, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to begin work to “build a large physical barrier on the southern border,” according to the White House. The move is not especially welcome in Mexico, in part because Trump has vowed to make Mexico pay the cost of building the barrier. The timing, too, is interesting because it comes as Mexico’s foreign and economic ministers are meeting in Washington to prepare for Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto’s own visit to the capital next week. “A lot of Mexicans here have the same questions [as] people do in the United States,” says The World’s Monica Campbell, who is based in Mexico City. “How do you force a country to cough up billions and billions of dollars for something that really is not in their interest? There is not really any support here in Mexico to build a bigger wall or a longer wall between the United States and Mexico.” With key diplomatic meetings coming up in Washington, Campbell says many Mexicans and Mexican Americans are hoping the Mexican government officials will stand firm against Trump and have a more constructive conversation about “how our countries can work together instead of building this wall that polarizes us even more.” So far Peña Nieto has said there will be “neither confrontation nor submission” when it comes to negotiating with Trump on trade and immigration. But it will be a tricky negotiation, says Campbell. “Peña Nieto has to walk a fine line. At once, he has to stand firm and on the other hand there’s this idea of trying to start off on the right foot with the Trump administration.” His political mission is made all the more difficult by Mexico’s own set of severe economic challenges including high inflation, rising gas prices and an overall lack of public confidence that the Mexican president can rise to the challenge and step up and defend Mexico’s interests in the face of the executive orders that Trump is advancing in his push to “make America great again.” If the wall does get built, it will surely change a lot of lives in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. Democrat Henry Cuellar represents that district in Congress. Cuellar says he agrees with the president’s impulse, but not his solution. “I want to make sure we have a secure border, which means that we get more border patrol, more technology, camera sensors, to make sure that we secure the border,” he says. But at the same time, Cuellar is calling for a closer working relationship with “our Mexican friends.” “We don’t want to have an open border, but I do know that if you put an emphasis on a 14th century solution called a ‘wall’ — we saw what happened with Imperial China and DHS-17-0435-A-000406 CBP FOIA000406 20 their wall, we know what happened with the Communists and their wall. It’s not a very effective way of addressing the issues,” Cuellar says. In addition, he says, “over 40 percent of the people that we have in the US without documents came in through a legal permit or visa, so a wall is not going to stop them... We have to be careful on how we address this and not spend $6.5 million per mile for a fence as proposed, when we can do this with one mile of technology, each mile costing one million dollars by comparison.” Why Executive Order May Not Be Enough For Trump To Build Border Wall By Serena Marshall , Ben Siegel ABC News, January 26, 2017 One of President Trump’s leading campaign promises was to build “a wall” along the southern border of the United States to stem the flow of undocumented immigrants, and he started the process Wednesday during a visit to the Department of Homeland Security. Trump signed an executive order to, as press secretary Sean Spicer explained during a briefing Wednesday, begin the building of a “large physical barrier” along the U.S.- Mexican border. Spicer re-emphasized that “yes, one way or another, as the president has said before, Mexico will pay for it,” though offering no specifics on how it would be funded in the meantime. For his part, Trump said in remarks at DHS Wednesday, “We are going to save lives on both sides of the border, and we also understand that a strong and healthy economy in Mexico is very good for the United States.” The president also told ABC News Wednesday in his first one-on-one television interview since being sworn in that U.S. taxpayer dollars would be used to start the construction of the wall after negotiations between the United States and Mexico begin “relatively soon.” But still at issue is whether Trump’s executive authority is enough to move the proposed project forward. Here are some key questions to consider: Can He Get It Done? One of the first questions to ponder is whether he can legally build a wall? Yes, though most likely only if he can get Congress to pay for it. But Trump has decided to begin the process on his own, signing two executive orders Wednesday that would increase the number of border patrol enforcement officers and lay the groundwork for building his proposed wall along unspecified portions of the 2,000-mile border with Mexico. To that end, the Trump administration and GOP leaders are invoking a 2006 law – the Secure Fence Act – that authorized about 700 miles of fencing along the southern border. The goal of that law, with support from Democrats like then-Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, was to keep pedestrians and vehicles from crossing. Then-President George W. Bush signed the measure after Congress approved it, and various kinds of fencing have since been constructed in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. Why Does He Need Congress? President Trump has ordered the Department of Homeland Security to review its $41 billion annual budget and move funds within the organization to help fund the border wall effort. The House and Senate appropriations committees would have to approve any reallocation of funding internally. “The department [of Homeland Security] can move money around to some degree; small amounts within individual agencies have reprogramming limits set in place by specific reappropriation committees,” Kenneth Gold, director of the Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University, said. But because the wall is expected to cost billions of dollars, it’s more than likely that the White House will need additional money, which means the administration will have to ask Congress for it. “The whole purpose of the appropriations clause of the Constitution is to place limits on what the president can do on his own,” Gold said. “Presidents cannot simply decide to obligate funds that Congress has not appropriated money for.” House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., today said Congress will approve funding for the wall in a supplemental appropriations bill, which he and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky estimate will cost between $12 to $15 billion. “We intend to address the wall issue ourselves and the president can deal with his relations with other countries on that issue and others,” McConnell told reporters today at the GOP policy retreat in Philadelphia. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., in response to Trump’s orders, Wednesday said in a statement, “With today’s sweeping and constitutionally suspect executive actions, the president is turning his back on both our history and our values as a proud nation of immigrants,” and “wasting billions of taxpayer dollars on a border wall Mexico will never pay for.” How Would He Pay for It? Trump said he envisions U.S. taxpayers’ paying upfront, and then being reimbursed by Mexico for the wall, which he has estimated could cost from $8 billion to $ 12 billon. Whatever the cost, he told ABC News’ David Muir Wednesday, “We will be reimbursed at a later date from whatever transaction we make, from Mexico,” DHS-17-0435-A-000407 CBP FOIA000407 21 Mexican officials, who canceled an upcoming scheduled meeting with Trump in protest, have repeatedly said they will not pay. “I regret and reject the decision of the United States to continue building a wall that, that for years, far from uniting us, divides us,” Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto said in a taped message Wednesday. “Mexico does not believe in walls.” Trump said today that he and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto “agreed” to cancel their planned meeting in the United States next week. For comparison, the portion of the 700 miles of fencing built in 2007, under the Secure Fence Act of 2006 signed by President Bush, was estimated to cost about $2.8 million a mile, according to the Congressional Research Service in a 2009 report to Congress. It was also constructed using mostly the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the National Guard. The report also found “fencing constructed in FY2008, using mostly private constructors, cost about $5.1 million a mile.” According to an analysis published in the MIT Technology Review, building a new 1,000-mile wall could cost as much as $40 billion. Their breakdown includes the current price of steel and concrete. Trump has said he doesn’t need a wall to extend the entire length of the 2,000-mile border. “We need 1,000 because we have natural barriers … and I’m taking it price per square foot and a price per square, you know, per mile,” he told MSNBC last February. But there are also costs associated with maintenance and upkeep. “The Corps of Engineers also predicted that the 25- year, life-cycle cost of the fence [authorized in 2006] would range from $16.4 million to $70 million per mile depending on the amount of damage sustained by the fencing,” according to the 2009 Congressional Research Service report This means that without Congress’ involvement, Trump likely wouldn’t have the funds not only to build the wall, but maintain it for years to come. Would a Wall Even Work? There are about 700 miles of U.S.-Mexico border fencing, officials note. And Border Patrol already employs a “digital wall” with roughly 8,000 cameras monitoring the southern fence, ports of entry and watching above from helium balloons. It also has resources that include more than 11,000 underground sensors, 107 aircraft, eight drones, 175 mobile surveillance units and 84 boats, allowing them, in Customs and Border Protection’s words, to monitor the border closer and more effectively. “We can spend billions of dollars, to build a 10-foot wall on top of a 10,000-foot mountain,” former DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson said in a November speech, “but if you’ve come all the way from Central America, it’s not going to stop you.” Trump’s Border Wall Faces Reality Check By ANDREW TAYLOR, ALICIA CALDWELL Associated Press, January 26, 2017 WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump’s vow to accelerate construction of a “contiguous, physical wall” along the Mexican border is slamming into a Washington reality – who’s going to pay for it and how? Not us, say the Mexicans. Instead, U.S. taxpayers will foot the bill, starting with money already in the Department of Homeland Security account that amounts to a small down payment. Then it’s up to the Republican-led Congress to come up with $12 billion to $15 billion more, according to an estimate offered by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on Thursday from a GOP issues retreat in Philadelphia. GOP leaders refused to commit to paying for the wall with spending cuts elsewhere in the budget. That could mean costs would be paid for by adding to the government’s $20 trillion debt. Press Secretary Sean Spicer Thursday floated the idea of a 20 percent tariff on Mexican imports. On Wednesday, Trump promised “immediate construction” would begin on the border wall, telling ABC News that planning is starting immediately. He again vowed that Mexico would pay the U.S. back, though he offered no details. It is true there is a small amount available now in the Department of Homeland Security accounts dedicated to “border security fencing, infrastructure, and technology” – $100 million, by one congressional estimate – that would permit work to get immediately under way. So far, thanks to spending in the late 2000s, Congress has provided about $2.3 billion to construct 654 miles of fencing and vehicular blockades. But Trump has promised a wall, not just fencing, and it’s not a universally popular idea by any stretch. “The facts have not changed. Building a wall is the most expensive and least effective way to secure the border,” said GOP Rep. Will Hurd, whose sprawling West Texas swing district encompasses more than 800 miles of the border. “Many areas in my district are perfect examples of where a wall is unnecessary and would negatively impact the environment, private property rights and economy.” GOP members of the appropriations committees are more likely to take a green eyeshade approach to the money since they are familiar with the likely trade-offs. “There’s any number of complications,” said Rep. Harold Rogers, R-Ky., former House Appropriations Committee Chairman, citing obstacles such as Indian reservations and national parks and forests. And much of the remaining 1,300 miles is very rough terrain, with steep DHS-17-0435-A-000408 CBP FOIA000408 22 construction costs and a limited return for the dollar. “It’s expensive and it’s complicated.” Hundreds of miles of the border are so rugged and inhospitable that it doesn’t make sense to even try to build. And in Texas, almost all of the land along the border is privately owned. When former President George W. Bush tried to build border fencing starting in 2006, he faced stiff opposition from local ranchers and farmers, many of whom took the government to court on plans to use their land. In many areas along the Rio Grande the fencing is built well inside the United States, as far as a mile north of the Rio Grande, to ensure that the structure doesn’t interfere with the flow of the river or is built on solid ground. The middle of the channel marks the internal border and a 1970 treaty with Mexico requires that structures built there not interfere with water flow. “We have built a fence along the border almost as much as we possibly can without violating tribal laws, environmental requirements, and taking over peoples’ personal, private property,” said Michelle Mrdeza, who worked for the House Appropriations panel during the fence debate of the mid-2000s. The existing blockade – roughly 350 miles to block pedestrians and 300 miles to block vehicles – has already been built along the southern border. That fencing was built in the areas that are most vulnerable to illegal crossings. “Insofar as the problem is a physical barrier, we’ve basically addressed that issue,” said Rep. David Price, D￾N.C., who chaired the congressional panel that funded the border fence when Democrats controlled Congress. “This focus, this fixation on a wall and pouring untold billions of dollars into a wall, is foolishness.” Cost estimates prepared a decade ago already varied widely. A 2009 Government Accountability Office analysis put costs at $6.5 million a mile for pedestrian fencing and $1.8 million per mile for vehicular blockades. An actual wall constructed of concrete and steel would be more costly and difficult. Trump has repeatedly promised that Mexico will pay for his wall, though neither he nor his allies in Congress are able to articulate how. The president of Mexico is emphatic that his country will not pick up the tab. “I regret and reject the decision of the U.S. to build the wall,” Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said Wednesday in a nationally televised address in his country. “I have said time and again, Mexico will not pay for any wall.” Already, U.S. agencies have been told to scrub their budgets for savings that could be used for the wall. “These taxpayer dollars would be better spent on investing ... to find cures for cancer and other diseases, spending on hospitals and doctors to care for our veterans, helping communities with clean water investments, supporting police in our communities,” said Sen. Pat Leahy, D-Vt. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Congress Scrambles To Make Sense Of Trump Plan To Tax Mexico To Pay For Border Wall By Kelsey Snell Washington Post, January 26, 2017 Lawmakers in Congress scrambled Thursday to try to make sense of news that President Donald Trump wants to use a 20 percent tax on goods imported from Mexico to pay for the cost of constructing wall on the Southern border. “We’re working on a tax reform bill that will reduce our trade deficits, increase American exports and will generate revenue from Mexico that will pay for the wall if we decide to go that route,” Trump announced at a GOP policy retreat in Philadelphia. Cheers immediately rang out from House Republicans because it seemed like Trump was referring to their idea to tax all imports at a rate of 20 percent and exempt exports from tax entirely. Trump seemed to dismiss that same plan, known as “border adjustment,” earlier this month when he told the Wall Street Journal that the idea was “too complicated.” Such a stunning change in tax policy would need buy-in from a wide range of lawmakers on the Capitol Hill, most of whom spent Thursday just trying to figure out what exactly Trump wants the tax policy to include. House Republican leaders and their staff rushed to say that it was clear Trump was embracing their entire border adjustment idea. “We have been and continue to be on the same page about tax reform that supports American jobs and American goods,” said AshLee Strong, a spokeswoman for House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis). Members of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee insisted Trump was on their side. “What he’s referring to is border adjustment,”said Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), a senior member on Ways and Means. Then things got complicated. White House spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters traveling back to Washington from Philadelphia that Trump supports using the tax to raise around $10 billion per year to offset the cost of building a wall with Mexico. He didn’t mention the rest of the border adjustment plan. “When you look at the plan that’s taking shape now, using comprehensive tax reform as a means to tax imports from countries that we have a trade deficit from, like Mexico,” Spicer said. DHS-17-0435-A-000409 CBP FOIA000409 23 That all changed later when Spicer said the idea was just one of many options on the table. “The idea is to show that generating revenue for the wall is not as difficult as some might have suggested,” Spicer later told reporters. “The idea today wasn’t rolling it out or being prescriptive or announce anything, it’s to say hey look, it’s not that hard to do.” Several GOP aides said they were confused because Trump’s statement was so vague. Most declined to comment on the proposal because they simply didn’t know if Trump was advocating for a tariff on goods from Mexico or if he supports the House GOP idea. The system of taxing all imports is often confused with a tariff because both systems effectively drive up the price of imports. The difference is in how the two ideas are executed. A tariff is a punitive fee on specific imports and a border tax is a tax exclusion for exports. Republicans say their idea acts as an incentive for companies to buy U.S.-made goods. Critics argue that either way, consumers are the ones who ultimately pay the price when stores like Walmart that sell millions of imported goods increase prices to make up for the new higher taxes. Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), who chairs the Freedom Caucus, a group of a conservative House members, didn’t endorse the idea when asked about it — but didn’t fully reject it either. “We have to explore a number of options on how to pay for that. You know, generally speaking, I’m against tariffs,” said Meadows. “You know, I look at it from an economic standpoint. At the same time, I don’t want to hamstring the administration in things they are willing to explore.” Analysis: Trump’s Border Wall Faces Reality Check By Andrew Taylor And Alicia Caldwell Associated Press, January 26, 2017 WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump’s vow to accelerate construction of a “contiguous, physical wall” along the Mexican border is slamming into a Washington reality – who’s going to pay for it and how? Not us, say the Mexicans. Instead, U.S. taxpayers will foot the bill, starting with money already in the Department of Homeland Security account that amounts to a small down payment. Then it’s up to the Republican-led Congress to come up with $12 billion to $15 billion more, according to an estimate offered by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on Thursday from a GOP issues retreat in Philadelphia. GOP leaders refused to commit to paying for the wall with spending cuts elsewhere in the budget. That could mean costs would be paid for by adding to the government’s $20 trillion debt. Press Secretary Sean Spicer Thursday floated the idea of a 20 percent tariff on Mexican imports. On Wednesday, Trump promised “immediate construction” would begin on the border wall, telling ABC News that planning is starting immediately. He again vowed that Mexico would pay the U.S. back, though he offered no details. It is true there is a small amount available now in the Department of Homeland Security accounts dedicated to “border security fencing, infrastructure, and technology” – $100 million, by one congressional estimate – that would permit work to get immediately under way. So far, thanks to spending in the late 2000s, Congress has provided about $2.3 billion to construct 654 miles of fencing and vehicular blockades. But Trump has promised a wall, not just fencing, and it’s not a universally popular idea by any stretch. “The facts have not changed. Building a wall is the most expensive and least effective way to secure the border,” said GOP Rep. Will Hurd, whose sprawling West Texas swing district encompasses more than 800 miles of the border. “Many areas in my district are perfect examples of where a wall is unnecessary and would negatively impact the environment, private property rights and economy.” GOP members of the appropriations committees are more likely to take a green eyeshade approach to the money since they are familiar with the likely trade-offs. “There’s any number of complications,” said Rep. Harold Rogers, R-Ky., former House Appropriations Committee Chairman, citing obstacles such as Indian reservations and national parks and forests. And much of the remaining 1,300 miles is very rough terrain, with steep construction costs and a limited return for the dollar. “It’s expensive and it’s complicated.” Hundreds of miles of the border are so rugged and inhospitable that it doesn’t make sense to even try to build. And in Texas, almost all of the land along the border is privately owned. When former President George W. Bush tried to build border fencing starting in 2006, he faced stiff opposition from local ranchers and farmers, many of whom took the government to court on plans to use their land. In many areas along the Rio Grande the fencing is built well inside the United States, as far as a mile north of the Rio Grande, to ensure that the structure doesn’t interfere with the flow of the river or is built on solid ground. The middle of the channel marks the internal border and a 1970 treaty with Mexico requires that structures built there not interfere with water flow. “We have built a fence along the border almost as much as we possibly can without violating tribal laws, environmental requirements, and taking over peoples’ personal, private property,” said Michelle Mrdeza, who DHS-17-0435-A-000410 CBP FOIA000410 24 worked for the House Appropriations panel during the fence debate of the mid-2000s. The existing blockade – roughly 350 miles to block pedestrians and 300 miles to block vehicles – has already been built along the southern border. That fencing was built in the areas that are most vulnerable to illegal crossings. “Insofar as the problem is a physical barrier, we’ve basically addressed that issue,” said Rep. David Price, D￾N.C., who chaired the congressional panel that funded the border fence when Democrats controlled Congress. “This focus, this fixation on a wall and pouring untold billions of dollars into a wall, is foolishness.” Cost estimates prepared a decade ago already varied widely. A 2009 Government Accountability Office analysis put costs at $6.5 million a mile for pedestrian fencing and $1.8 million per mile for vehicular blockades. An actual wall constructed of concrete and steel would be more costly and difficult. Trump has repeatedly promised that Mexico will pay for his wall, though neither he nor his allies in Congress are able to articulate how. The president of Mexico is emphatic that his country will not pick up the tab. “I regret and reject the decision of the U.S. to build the wall,” Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said Wednesday in a nationally televised address in his country. “I have said time and again, Mexico will not pay for any wall.” Already, U.S. agencies have been told to scrub their budgets for savings that could be used for the wall. “These taxpayer dollars would be better spent on investing ... to find cures for cancer and other diseases, spending on hospitals and doctors to care for our veterans, helping communities with clean water investments, supporting police in our communities,” said Sen. Pat Leahy, D-Vt. --- This story has been corrected to change the day to Wednesday in the fifth paragraph. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Trump’s Wall Met With Skepticism, Unease On US-Mexico Border By Elliot Spagat And Julie Watson Associated Press, January 26, 2017 SAN DIEGO (AP) – As President Donald Trump announced his plans for a wall on the U.S. border with Mexico, Border Patrol agents in San Diego on the lookout for drugs and smugglers drove all-terrain vehicles along a barrier that reaches 18 feet, topped by razor wire and reinforced by cameras and lighting. Mexicans shopped at an outlet mall that bumps up against the border. And dozens of migrants huddled in tents outside a shelter in Mexico hoping to get into the U.S. someday. To them, Trump’s executive order Wednesday to build a wall seemed more like a symbolic and worrisome gesture of a new chapter in U.S-Mexico relations than a real deterrent for people to enter the country illegally. “Even if they build the wall, I will climb the wall. I bring a ladder the size of the wall, even from sticks or whatever, but I’ll make it, and I’ll jump over there,” said Jos de Jess Ramrez, a recently deported Mexican migrant whose wife and children are in the U.S. Ramirez’s response echoed the mood along the border that was a combination of resentment, defiance – and business as usual. A crew of laborers was actually building a fence on the border as Trump made his announcement. On a cold morning in the desert, the workers installed concrete blocks on which the 22-foot steel fence will stand between the town of Sunland Park, New Mexico, and Ciudad Juarez in Mexico. The project has been underway for several months. In Tijuana, a high school student went to a stone monument dedicated by both countries in 1848 as a sign of the friendship between the U.S. and Mexico. The monument once stood on the border but now is in Mexico, a few feet away from a giant wall of towering steel bars that lead into the Pacific Ocean. The student, 17-year-old Brandon Dzul, said talk of another wall stirred up painful memories of his 34-year-old uncle who died in the desert six years ago after being abandoned by smugglers. “He just had the American dream, you know, to make a better life,” he said. “I think now we aren’t going to be able to get in even with a visa.” Nearby, about 150 people gathered in tents outside a 40-bed migrant shelter that has been overwhelmed since May, when large numbers of Haitians began stopping in the Mexican border city on their way to the United States. Many moved to Brazil after Haiti’s 2010 earthquake and went north after jobs dried up in the South American country. Haitians generally turn themselves in to U.S. inspectors at San Diego’s San Ysidro port of entry, the nation’s busiest crossing, making no attempt to jump the fence or evade authorities. They were released on humanitarian parole until September, when the U.S. ended special treatment for Haitians and began deporting them just as they do people from other countries. U.S. authorities lack resources to process Haitians quickly enough, leading Mexican authorities to create a ticketing system that leaves them waiting in Tijuana for DHS-17-0435-A-000411 CBP FOIA000411 25 weeks. Migrant shelters are full, forcing many to sleep on the streets. Fences and other barriers already blanket about 700 miles of border, much of it in California and Arizona. In San Diego, they helped to virtually shut down what was the busiest corridor for illegal crossings in the 1990s. It’s now one of the most fortified stretches of landscape on the 2,000-mile divide between the two countries. Border Patrol sector chiefs were asked in November to identify areas where the fence could be expanded, though Trump and his advisers have yet to detail their next steps. Brandon Judd, president of the National Border Patrol Council and a member of Trump’s transition team, supports building a wall in strategic locations and reinforcing existing barriers in certain areas but not where there are natural obstacles, like the Rio Grande river in Texas. “We do not need a Great Wall of China from California to Texas,” Judd said in an interview last week. Away from the border, Trump drew support from his base. Tammy Allen, a 52-year-old supporter who splits time between Florida and Virginia, applauded Trump’s interest in curbing the number of refugees coming to the U.S. and building a wall. “A lot of countries do. Why not us? Something has got to be done,” she said. --- Associated Press writer Michael Kunzelman in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. --- This story has been corrected to show that Trump supporter Tammy Allen splits time between Florida and Virginia and isn’t from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Conway On Border: It’s Time We Spent Money ‘Protecting Our Own’ By Louis Nelson Politico, January 26, 2017 Despite repeated promises to the contrary from Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway said Thursday morning that Mexico will foot the bill for her boss’s promised border wall. But Conway, appearing on NBC’s “Today” also said that it is “high time” that the U.S. spend money protecting its own border. “President Trump has been very clear and consistent on this point, Matt. He’s going to build the wall, Mexico will pay for it. Whether they pay for it straight-out, or it’s reimbursed later on after congressional funding,” Conway told NBC host Matt Lauer. “It’s about being a sovereign nation. The United States of America spends billions of dollars protecting other countries’ borders. It’s high time we spend some money protecting our own.” Conway’s comments came one day after President Donald Trump signed a pair of executive orders aimed at fulfilling the hardline promises he made on immigration during the campaign. Included in those orders was a provision to initiate the construction of a “physical barrier” along America’s southern border with Mexico, as well as increased resources for border enforcement and directions to strip federal funding from so-called “sanctuary” states and cities that harbor undocumented immigrants. Throughout the campaign, Trump promised that Mexico would pay for the wall but since winning last year’s presidential election, he has begun saying that U.S. taxpayers would fund the project for the sake of expediency and then be paid back by Mexico. In an interview that aired Wednesday evening, Trump told ABC News anchor David Muir that payment from Mexico “will be in a form, perhaps a complicated form.” Conway declined to elaborate during her “Today” show appearance what “complicated” form the payment from Mexico might take, telling Lauer that she understood what Trump was referring to but would not clarify because the president “wants to give the deference to his meeting with the Mexican president and other Mexican officials before he announces that.” “I mean, welcome to Washington,” she said. “It’s hardly breaking news to talk about the complication of funding new projects. And that’s what this is.” 10 Huge Flaws In Trump’s Immigration Directives By Jennifer Rubin Washington Post, January 26, 2017 One hardly knows where to begin in describing the flaws in the batch of immigration actions President Trump announced on Wednesday. Here are 10 for starters: 1. This is more hysteria unrelated to actual border conditions. As the Wall Street Journal editorial board put it, “Border apprehensions were 192,000 last year, but that’s down from 981,000 a decade ago. Pew estimates that about 11.1 million unauthorized immigrants live in the U.S. (3.5% of the population), and 52% are Mexicans. That share is falling every year amid rising illegal entries from Asia, Central America and sub-Saharan Africa. Most of these aliens arrive DHS-17-0435-A-000412 CBP FOIA000412 26 legally but overstay their visas.” This is an expensive, counterproductive agenda in search of a problem. 2. The terrain of much of the border is not conducive to fencing. 3. Trump’s obsession with the southern border and relative indifference to visa overstays suggests a bias against certain illegal immigrants. Trump thinks Mexican immigrants are “killers” and “criminals,” while apparently never having used such invective against other illegal immigrant groups. 4. A physical wall is duplicative, ineffective and unnecessary. Cato Institute scholar David Bier explains that we have more than 600 miles of border fencing already. Moreover, “Tunnels are typically used more for drug smuggling, but they are still a serious vulnerability in any kind of physical barrier.” Walls can be defeated by ladders and ramps. Zero evidence exists that a wall is a cost-effective means of stemming illegal entry. (“Despite the importance of this question, apparently no estimate of the impact of the current border fence on illegal immigration exists at all, let alone a comparison to other technologies. This is despite more than a decade to conduct such a study for the recent fences, and even longer to study the earlier fences.”) 5. This is a boondoggle of the worst sort. “For the full 1,000 miles, Trump’s 30-foot wall (with a 10-foot tunnel barrier) would cost $31.2 billion, according to the best estimate from Massachusetts Institute of Technology engineers—that is $31.2 million per mile,” as Bier notes. 6. Building a wall will be a huge expansion of federal power and land, reinforcing Republicans’ long-standing complaints that the feds gobble up too much state land. 7. Trump actually is making apprehension and deportation of criminals harder. The Obama administration already prioritized deportation of violent criminals. An immigration lawyer explained to me that contrary to the Obama administration, the Trump order “prioritizes nearly everything.” He points out, “Labeling every person a ‘priority’ is like highlighting every word in a textbook.” Since resources are finite, Trump increases the chances that a truly violent criminal won’t be deported. When those people commit new crimes, Trump’s scattershot policy will be partly to blame. 8. There is no way Mexico is going to pay for the wall. Trump’s statement that U.S. taxpayers wouldn’t pay the cost has morphed into a word salad. “Ultimately, it will come out of what’s happening with Mexico,” Trump told ABC’s David Muir. “We’re going to be starting those negotiations relatively soon, and we will be in a form reimbursed by Mexico.” We have no idea what this means. 9. The notion of a “sanctuary city” is a misnomer. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are free to apprehend individuals wherever they want. We are talking about the extent to which local law enforcement can be required to devote resources (e.g. hold illegal immigrants in jails) and whether, for example, it demands a warrant from the feds. Who is going to monitor and decide whether the cities are living up to the requirements? What if the federal government and cities disagree on whether the local authorities are being sufficiently cooperative? 10. If the federal government cuts off aid to cities, shortfalls in everything from schools to roads to anti-poverty programs to health care (what about Medicaid costs for people in those cities?) will be attributable to Trump’s policy. When people “die on the streets” or shootings increase in a city, there will be a convenient person to blame: Trump. There are dozens of other reasons not to pursue these policies, including the damage it will do to relations with Mexico. Whatever you think about illegal immigration, Trump’s approach — like much of what he does — makes for good PR with his base but is rotten policy for the United States. Mexican President Cancels Planned DC Meeting With Trump By Mark Stevenson Associated Press, January 26, 2017 MEXICO CITY (AP) – Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto canceled a planned Tuesday meeting with President Donald J. Trump on Thursday, signaling a remarkable souring of relations between Washington and one of its most important international partners just days into the new administration. The rift capped days of increasingly confrontational remarks – on Twitter and in dueling public appearances – between the two men, whose countries conduct some $1.6 billion a day in cross-border trade, and cooperate on everything from migration to anti-drug enforcement to environmental issues. Hours after Trump tweeted that the meeting should be scrapped if Mexico doesn’t agree to pay for a wall along the nearly 2,000-mile border, Pena Nieto responded via the same platform. “This morning we have informed the White House I will not attend the working meeting planned for next Tuesday,” the Mexican president tweeted. He added that “Mexico reaffirms its willingness to work with the United States to reach agreements that benefit both nations.” In a speech later Thursday, Trump doubled down on the dispute, saying that “unless Mexico is going to treat the United States fairly, with respect, such a meeting would be fruitless, and I want to go a different route. We have no choice.” Trump also claimed that calling off the meeting was a mutual decision and floated a new possible threat to Mexico, which sends about 80 percent of its exports to the U.S. and which has vowed not to pay for a wall. DHS-17-0435-A-000413 CBP FOIA000413 27 “We’re working on a tax reform bill that will reduce our trade deficit, increase American exports and will generate revenue from Mexico that will pay for the wall, if we decide to go that route,” Trump said. His spokesman later said Trump was calling for a 20 percent tax on imports to pay for the southern wall. He has also pledged to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and Canada. “I will not allow the citizens or the taxpayers of the United States to pay the cost of this defective transaction, NAFTA, one that should have been renegotiated many years ago, except that the politicians were too preoccupied to do so,” Trump said. Mexican officials have expressed willingness to update the pact, but said they would consider walking away from NAFTA if negotiations mean making too many concessions. Mexico is one of America’s biggest trade partners, and the U.S. is the No. 1 buyer from Mexico, accounting for about 80 percent of Mexican exports. A complete rupture in ties could be damaging to the U.S. economy, an disastrous for Mexico’s “Today’s events are dangerous for the immediate and long-term security and economy of the United States,” Jason Marczak of the Atlantic Council wrote. “U.S.-Mexico cooperation is far-reaching: from intelligence sharing for the capture of drug traffickers to the flow of commercial goods that support the livelihoods of nearly 5 million American workers.” White House press secretary Sean Spicer later responded to the Mexican president’s tweet, saying: “We’ll look for a date to schedule something in the future. We will keep the lines of communication open.” Pena Nieto’s decision ended days of uncertainty about how he would respond to Trump’s aggressive stance toward the country, and illustrated the challenges world leaders are likely to face in dealing with the U.S. president’s voluble, Twitter-based diplomacy. The diplomatic row also recalls the rocky days of U.S.- Mexico relations in the 1980s, prior to NAFTA. “There is a change in the understanding that had been in operation over the last 22 years, when Mexico was considered a strategic ally,” said Isidro Morales, a political scientist at the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education. “Trump has unilaterally broken with this way of doing things.” Mexico had tried its traditional approach of quiet, cautious diplomacy combined with back-room discussions, sending Cabinet officials for talks with the Trump administration. But that changed when Trump decided to announce his border wall on the same day that two senior Mexican Cabinet ministers – Foreign Relations Secretary Luis Videgaray and Economy Secretary Ildefonso Guajardo – arrived in Washington for preliminary talks ahead of what was to be a presidential tete-a-tete. Many were affronted by the timing, and Pena Nieto faced a firestorm of criticism at home. That evening Pena Nieto issued recorded remarks suggesting he was reconsidering his upcoming trip to Washington. On Thursday morning, Trump tweeted: “If Mexico is unwilling to pay for the badly needed wall, then it would be better to cancel.” The president had “no other choice but to say ‘I’m not going,’” former foreign relations secretary Jorge Castaneda told Mexican media. Already deeply unpopular at home with historic-low approval ratings, Pena Nieto had come under increasing pressure to stand up to Trump. Mexico’s best-known opposition politician, leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, tweeted that “in the face of Trump’s latest outburst, don’t go to the meeting, and submit an urgent complaint to the U.N. for human rights violations.” Many Mexicans said Thursday that they backed Pena Nieto’s decision to scrap the trip. Magda Hoffmann, a Mexico City retiree, called Trump’s behavior “insulting and rude.” “As my grandmother said,” she added, “‘Don’t go where you’re not invited.’” Like many, she found the conduct of diplomacy-by￾tweets to be odd. “This is a diplomatic relationship here. I’m sorry, gentlemen, but that has to be given value,” Hoffman said. “It’s not a question to be handled ... text-messaging back and forth.” Orlando Contreras, a 35-year-old computer engineer in the capital, said he believed Pena Nieto had no reason to “negotiate under their conditions.” “I feel that we have always been under their (the U.S.) yoke,” Contreras said. “I think it would be a good thing to separate ourselves from them, so Mexico can strike out on its own.” Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Mexico’s President Cancels Meeting With Trump Over Wall By Azam Ahmed New York Times, January 26, 2017 MEXICO CITY — President Donald J. Trump’s decision to build a wall along the southern border escalated into a diplomatic standoff on Thursday, with Mexico’s president publicly canceling a scheduled meeting at the White House and Mr. Trump firing back, accusing Mexico of burdening the United States with illegal immigrants, criminals and a trade deficit. DHS-17-0435-A-000414 CBP FOIA000414 28 Mr. Trump’s push to fulfill his campaign pledge and build a border wall brought to a head months of simmering tensions, culminating in a remarkable back-and-forth between the two leaders. By afternoon, Mr. Trump’s spokesman said the president would pay for the border wall by imposing a 20 percent tax on imports to the United States, which he said would raise billions of dollars. The sparring began Thursday morning when the president of Mexico announced on Twitter that he was canceling his meeting with Mr. Trump next week, rejecting the visit after the new American leader ordered the border wall between the two nations. Having called for dialogue in the face of Mr. Trump’s vows to build a wall during the American presidential campaign, Mr. Peña Nieto ultimately bowed to public pressure in Mexico to respond more forcefully to his northern neighbor. On Wednesday, Mr. Trump signed an executive order to beef up the nation’s deportation force and start construction on a new wall along the border. Adding to the perceived insult was the timing of the order: It came on the first day of talks between top Mexican officials and their counterparts in Washington, and just days before the meeting between the two presidents. Mr. Trump’s action was enough to prompt Mr. Peña Nieto to start discussing whether to scrap his plans to visit the White House, according to Mexican officials. In a video message delivered over Twitter on Wednesday night, Mr. Peña Nieto reiterated his commitment to protect the interests of Mexico and the Mexican people, and he chided the move in Washington to continue with the wall. “I regret and condemn the United States’ decision to continue with the construction of a wall that, for years now, far from uniting us, divides us,” he said. Then on Thursday morning, Mr. Trump fired back, warning that he might cancel the meeting himself if Mexico did not agree to pay for the wall. Just before Mr. Trump fired off his Twitter post, the Mexican foreign minister and Mr. Trump’s Homeland Security secretary, John F. Kelly, were preparing to see each other for a scheduled 11:30 a.m. meeting. According to a senior American official, the secretary had been briefed. The appropriate flags had been arranged by the protocol staff at the Department of Homeland Security. Then, just as American officials greeted the minister outside the department’s headquarters in Northwest Washington, the minister received word from Mexico that he was being pulled back, the official said. The meeting never happened. By early afternoon, Mr. Trump said it was the United States that was being treated unfairly. “We have agreed to cancel our planned meeting,” Mr. Trump said in a new conference Thursday afternoon. “Unless Mexico is going to treat the U.S. fairly, with respect, such a meeting would be fruitless, and I want to go a different route. We have no choice.” In Mexico, Mr. Peña Nieto had little political room to maneuver. With Mr. Trump’s order to build the wall, the perceived insults Mexico had endured during the campaign had finally turned into action. Decades of friendly relations between the nations — on matters involving trade, security and migration — seemed to be unraveling. Calls began to come in from across the political spectrum for Mr. Peña Nieto to cancel his visit, and to respond with greater fortitude to the perceived menace from President Trump. On Twitter, Mr. Trump’s action was referred to by politicians and historians as a “an offense to Mexico,” a “slap in the face” and a “monument to lies.” Historians said that not since President Calvin Coolidge threatened to invade a “Soviet Mexico” had the United States so deeply antagonized the Mexican populace. “It is an unprecedented moment for the bilateral relationship,” said Genaro Lozano, a professor at the Iberoamerican University in Mexico City. “In the 19th century, we fought a war with the U.S.; now we find ourselves in a low-intensity war, a commercial one over Nafta and an immigration war due to the measures he just announced.” Not So Fast Nieto: Trump Says Cancelled Meet With Mexico President Was Mutual Decision By S.A. Miller Washington Times, January 26, 2017 PHILADELPHIA — President Trump said Thursday that he and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto mutually agreed to call off their meeting scheduled for next week in Washington, making the claim within hours of Mr. Nieto announcing that he wasn’t coming. The meeting derailed over Mr. Trump signing orders Wednesday to begin building a Wall on the U.S.-Mexico border and his insisting that Mexico would pay for it, which Mexican official took as an insult. “Have agreed to cancel our planned meeting scheduled for next week,” Mr. Trump told House and Senate Republicans at a strategy retreat in Philadelphia. “Such a meeting would be fruitless.” “There will be a wall,” said Mr. Trump Mr. Trump said that Americans needed a president who would stand up for them the say presidents in other countries stand up for their citizens. “The world has taken advantage of us for many years. It’s not going to happen anymore,” said Mr. Trump. Under pressure from Mexican lawmakers to back out of the meeting, Mr. Nieto said that he remains firm in his refusal to pay for the wall. DHS-17-0435-A-000415 CBP FOIA000415 29 Early Thursday morning Mr. Trump said that if Mexico was unwilling to talk about paying for the wall, then Mr. Pena Nieto should follow through on his threat to cancel the meeting. Mr. Nieto later said on Twitter that the meeting was off. Brushing aside the run-in with Mr. Nieto, the president said that he also planned to make good on his promise to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, which he has labeled a “bad deal” that shipped U.S. manufacturing jobs south of the border. “I made clear to the government of Mexico that NAFTA has been a terrible deal, a total disaster for the United States from the inception,” he said. “It’s costing us as much as $60 billion a year from Mexico alone in a trade deficit.” “You say, ‘Who negotiates these deals,’” he asked. He said that Americans have known for years that NAFTA was a bad deal that needed to be renegotiated “except the politicians were too preoccupied to do so.” He then said that didn’t apply to the politicians gathered in the room. “Unless Mexico is going to treat the United States fairly with respect, such a meeting would be fruitless and I want to go a different route. We have no choice,” said Mr. Trump. Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. Trump Says Meeting With Mexican President Would Have Been ‘Fruitless’ By Michael A. Memoli Los Angeles Times, January 26, 2017 President Trump cast the cancellation of a meeting with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto as a mutual decision Thursday, saying the summit would have been “fruitless” unless Mexico demonstrated it would “treat the United States fairly” and “with respect.” The scheduled summit had been billed as a chance for Trump and Peña Nieto to start discussions on the North American Free Trade Agreement and immigration, both Trump priorities. But it was Trump’s continued insistence that Mexico reimburse the U.S. for construction of a new border wall that prompted Peña Nieto to skip the visit. Trump said that he and Peña Nieto had agreed to cancel the meeting, but Peña Nieto tweeted that Mexican officials had informed the White House that he would not be attending. “Unless Mexico is going to treat the United States fairly, with respect, such a meeting would be fruitless,” Trump said. “And I want to go a different route.” Speaking in Philadelphia to congressional Republicans, Trump called border security a “serious, serious national issue.” “The American people will not pay for the wall,” he said. “It is time that the American people had a president fighting as hard for its citizens as other countries do for theirs. And that is exactly what I’m going to do for you.” Trump said he also wouldn’t allow taxpayers to lose money because of the “defective transaction” that NAFTA represented. Without Mexico’s agreement to pay for construction of the wall, Trump signaled one possible way to generate revenue without its cooperation: tax legislation that would reduce the trade deficit and increase American exports. That would be part of a larger legislative agenda that Trump said could make this Republican-led Congress the busiest in decades, or “maybe ever.” After summarizing executive actions he’s taken already, Trump pointed to other priorities he would seek to move through Congress, starting with the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. He also called for a major infrastructure plan that would focus on fixing existing roads, bridges and airports before building new ones. And he telegraphed action he was expected to take later Thursday, ordering an investigation into allegations of voter fraud that he has called a major issue, despite studies showing otherwise. “We are going to protect the integrity of the ballot box. and we are going to defend the votes of the American citizens,” he said. Trump, an unconventional Republican, urged his party to embrace its heritage as “the party of American industry and the American worker.” “Think of everything we can achieve. And remember who we must achieve it for,” he said. “We’re here now because tens of millions of Americans have placed their hopes in us to transfer power from Washington, D.C., and give it back to the people. Now we have to deliver.” Trump Lays Groundwork To Change U.S. Role In The World By Karen Deyoung And Philip Rucker Washington Post, January 26, 2017 President Trump began this week to reshape the U.S. role in the world, laying the groundwork, in a series of planned and signed executive actions and statements, for the “America first” foreign policy on which he campaigned. Already, Trump has mandated construction of a border wall with Mexico and a clampdown on local immigration enforcement. Other directives drafted but not yet signed would halt all refu-gee admissions and entry into the United States of citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries deemed terrorist hotbeds; declare a moratorium on new multilateral treaties; and mandate audits of U.S. funding for international organizations, including the United Nations, with DHS-17-0435-A-000416 CBP FOIA000416 30 a view toward cutting U.S. voluntary contributions by 40 percent. Additional pending orders, copies of which were obtained by The Washington Post, call for a review of cyber capabilities and vulnerabilities, in advance of what is expected to be greater use of offensive powers; and direct the Pentagon to quickly develop plans to reduce spending on items not deemed “highest priority,” while ramping up programs to expand the armed forces and modernize the U.S. nuclear deterrent. Another draft order under consideration would direct the State Department to review its designations of foreign terrorist organizations, allowing it to add the Muslim Brotherhood to the list, according to an administration official who was not authorized to discuss it. The group’s status as a legitimate political movement vs. a terrorist group is controversial in the Middle East. Such a listing would please some, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia, but could anger others, such as Turkey and Qatar. Trump could sign some of these orders as early as Friday during a scheduled visit to the Pentagon. The White House declined to comment on the directives. If implemented, these initiatives and other steps Trump has previewed will usher in a new era of American foreign policy, after decades of bipartisan agreement that the United States has a responsibility to spread democracy and stand up for the oppressed, and that it would prosper when a united, free world prospered. In the policies Trump has outlined, there are no apparent trade-offs to be made that balance short-term American advantage with global goals benefiting the United States over the longer term. Instead, as a policy posted on the White House website on Inauguration Day put it, “The world will be more peaceful and more prosperous with a stronger and more respected America.” “Every decision on trade, on taxes, on immigration, on foreign affairs will be made to benefit American workers and American families,” Trump said in his inauguration speech. “We must protect our borders from the ravages of other countries making our products, stealing our companies and destroying our jobs. Protection will lead to great prosperity and strength.” Trump sees himself as the protector of an American fortress and disrupter of a world that is growing more calamitous and dangerous by the day. “The world is a total mess,” he said Wednesday in an interview with ABC News. At times, it is difficult to determine whether he is laying down the law or establishing a negotiating position. Having pushed Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto into a corner on funding the border wall, the administration indicated Thursday that it considered Mexico’s cancellation of a presidential visit to Washington a mere postponement. Kori Schake, a former national security official in the George W. Bush administration who opposed Trump’s candidacy, said the executive orders are already causing political damage with U.S. allies. “It’s consistent with the way in which President Trump creates chaos and moves blithely on,” she said. Many of Trump’s ideas are not new, although they draw from a wide political spectrum. Trump’s reimagining of a new 21st-century architecture for world order, including a sharp reduction in U.S. participation in international institutions, has been a rallying cry for conservatives for years. His words and actions reflect “a view that the status quo that has essentially grown up over the last 70 years costs the U.S. more than it benefits it,” said Richard N. Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations and a senior official in the George H.W. Bush administration. That view, extending from trade policy to traditional alliances, Haass said, “is fundamentally flawed in its assumption that American involvement and leadership in the world has cost us more than it’s gained us, but that nonetheless appears to be their vision.” The United Nations, with its welter of sometimes obscure sub-organizations, and the platform it often provides for criticism of the United States, has been a long-standing target. Two of the treaties that Trump’s proposed executive order makes particular mention of as forcing adherence to “radical domestic agendas” — the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and the Convention on the Rights of the Child — are traditional bull’s eyes. Like many other U.N.-generated treaties, they have never been ratified by the United States. Trump proposes internal high-level committees to examine multilateral treaties, with a view toward leaving them, as well as a 40 percent cut in funding for international organizations whose agendas are “contrary to American interests.” It is unclear whether the intent is to cut funds for U.N. activities such as peacekeeping forces- and humanitarian programs, as well as those, already targeted by Trump, that support Palestinians and other groups out of favor with the new administration. John B. Bellinger III, who served as legal counsel to both the National Security Council and the State Department in the George W. Bush administration, said the treaty examination was based on a “false premise . . . that the United States has become party to numerous multi-lateral treaties that are not in the United States’ interest.” There are “many hundreds of multi-lateral treaties that help Americans every day in concrete ways,” he said. Without them, “Americans could not have our letters delivered in foreign countries; could not fly over foreign countries or drive on foreign roads using our state driver’s licenses; could not have access to a foreign consular official if we are arrested DHS-17-0435-A-000417 CBP FOIA000417 31 abroad; could not have our children returned if abducted by a parent; and could not prevent foreign ships from polluting our waters.” While mandates for building a border wall, boosting immigration law enforcement and barring refugees will take immediate effect, others buy time by establishing committees and reviews. The draft Pentagon order begins by stating, “It shall be the policy of the United States to pursue Peace Through Strength.” It directs Defense Secretary James Mattis to produce a National Defense Strategy — something virtually every administration regularly does — by the beginning of 2018. There is little apparent controversy in the draft executive order to strengthen cybersecurity, a six-page document that in tone and substance could have been written by the Obama administration. It calls for no bold initiatives but rather for review of areas Trump’s predecessor had already scrutinized. One line in the proposed order appeared to signal that the new administration might want to reorganize agencies or boost legal authorities to better protect the country’s civilian government networks and critical infrastructure. Even as Trump sets direction with executive orders, the White House is trying to exert direct control over policymaking at federal departments and agencies. Although offices in many departments sit empty as Cabinet nominees await confirmation, and sub-Cabinet positions are not yet filled, senior advisers have been deployed from the West Wing as liaisons to some departments, to ensure the work that is being done is in keeping with White House priorities. Of the suggestion that at least some of Trump’s moves so far may be largely symbolic and eventual policies could become more traditional, Schake said, “Oh my God, that’s the hopeful interpretation — that he’s trying to take rapid symbolic gestures that will please his base and that the policy details can get worked out subsequently when he has a Cabinet in place.” “The downside, of course, is it brings all of the diplomatic and economic downsides of having taken the policy action, even if it’s only a symbolic gesture,” she said. Ellen Nakashima, Missy Ryan, Dan Lamothe and Thomas Gibbons-Neff contributed to this report. Mexican President Scraps Visit With Trump By Jordan Fabian The Hill, January 26, 2017 Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto said Thursday he will not attend a planned meeting next week with President Trump. “This morning we informed the White House that I will not attend the work meeting planned for next Tuesday with @POTUS,” Peña Nieto tweeted in announcing the cancellation. Esta mañana hemos informado a la Casa Blanca que no asistiré a la reunión de trabajo programada para el próximo martes con el @POTUS.— Enrique Peña Nieto (@EPN) January 26, 2017 Speaking to a Republican lawmakers at their retreat in Philadelphia, Trump claimed he and Peña Nieto “agreed to cancel our planned meeting.” “Unless Mexico is going to treat the U.S. fairly, such a meeting would be fruitless,” the president said. The move escalates brewing tensions between the two neighboring countries on hot-button issues such as immigration and trade. The Mexican leader was irked by Trump’s announcement that he plans to move forward with his plan to erect a wall along the U.S. southern border — and eventually force Mexico to foot the bill. “The U.S. has a 60 billion dollar trade deficit with Mexico,” Trump wrote in a series of tweets Thursday morning. “It has been a one-sided deal from the beginning of NAFTA with massive numbers of jobs and companies lost. If Mexico is unwilling to pay for the badly needed wall, then it would be better to cancel the upcoming meeting.” That prompted Trump to urge Peña Nieto to call off the meeting, scheduled for Jan. 31. The U.S. has a 60 billion dollar trade deficit with Mexico. It has been a one-sided deal from the beginning of NAFTA with massive numbers...— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 26, 2017 of jobs and companies lost. If Mexico is unwilling to pay for the badly needed wall, then it would be better to cancel the upcoming meeting.— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 26, 2017 White House press secretary Sean Spicer told reporters the get-together would be rescheduled. “We’ll look for a date to schedule something in the future,” he said. The budding controversy could lead to economic fallout for both countries. The value of the Mexican peso plunged after Peña Nieto announced he would call off the meeting. Mexico is the U.S.’s third-largest trading partner and is the second-largest export market for American-made goods, according to the U.S. Trade Representative. Democrats slammed Trump over the cancellation, saying he was putting at risk the relationship with an important partner. “Less than one week after taking office, President Trump is already causing serious damage to one of our most important relationships in the world. U.S. national security depends directly on cooperation with our neighbors,” said DHS-17-0435-A-000418 CBP FOIA000418 32 Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee in a statement. And House Foreign Affairs Ranking Member Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) touted cooperation between the two countries, and accused Trump of putting “our own security at risk.” “The January 19th extradition of drug kingpin Chapo Guzmán to New York was a major victory for the Obama and Peña Nieto Administrations that never would have been possible without a robust U.S.-Mexico partnership,” Engel said. The tensions with Mexico come after Trump on Wednesday signed two executive orders on immigration, one ordering construction of a border wall. As Trump announced the moves at the Department of Homeland Security, top administration officials were meeting at the White House with two of Peña Nieto’s cabinet secretaries. The orders prompted Peña Nieto to release a video in which he said the 50 Mexican consulates in the U.S. would “become authentic defenders of the rights of migrants.” Peña Nieto, whose approval rating is currently 12 percent, faced calls to cancel the trip Wednesday night from politicians in Mexico, who saw Trump’s wall announcement as a slight. The pressure intensified Thursday morning as Mexicans woke up to Trump’s tweets. Margarita Zavala, a top contender for the presidency in the upcoming 2018 elections and wife of former President Felipe Calderon, called the tweets a “humiliation.” “The vacuum that @EPN left yesterday was filled today by @realDonaldTrump with yet another humiliation. We require firmness and to put #MexicoFirst,” she tweeted. Historian Enrique Krauze took a different tone, saying patience would be rewarded in dealing with Trump. “Trump is demented and he will probably destroy himself. We must win time with patience, strength and dignity,” Reforma newspaper quoted Krauze as saying. The two leaders’ political fates have been intertwined since August, when Trump visited Peña Nieto mid-campaign in Mexico City. That visit cost then-Secretary of Finance Luis Videgaray his job, amid perceptions that he played a key role in arranging it. The visit was allegedly arranged through a mutual friend of Videgaray and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and now a White House advisor. Videgaray returned to the cabinet, this time as Foreign Relations secretary, after Trump’s November victory, vowing to take the lead in U.S.-Mexico relations. Videgaray was, along with Secretary of the Economy Ildefonso Guajardo, one of the officials meeting White House officials Wednesday and Thursday. Rafael Bernal contributed. – Updated at 1:08 p.m. Outraged Mexicans Back Peña Nieto’s Decision To Scrap Visit With ‘Bully’ Trump By David Agren USA Today, January 26, 2017 MEXICO CITY — Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto canceled next week’s meeting with President Trump at the White House just hours after the American president issued an ultimatum that Mexico scrap the visit if it won’t pay for a wall he plans to build along the U.S -Mexican border. Under pressure from outraged citizens to stand up to Trump, Peña Nieto tweeted on Thursday, “This morning we have informed the White House that I will not attend the meeting scheduled for next Tuesday with the @POTUS.” Peña Nieto made the decision after Mexicans lashed out at Trump, calling the president a bully and self-indulgent and vowing not be be pushed around by him. In a pair of Thursday morning tweets, Trump accused Mexico of unfair trade with the United States and told Peña Nieto to stay home if Mexico won’t pay to build a wall and other barriers along the full 2,000-mile border between the two countries, a massive project estimated to cost billions. That seemed to suit Mexicans just fine, as they urged Peña Nieto to cancel the trip. Peña Nieto posted a short video Wednesday night, saying Mexico would not pay for the wall and that the Foreign Ministry would step up its defense of Mexican migrants living in the U.S. “I regret and reject the decision of the U.S. to build the wall,” Peña Nieto said. He added though, “Mexico reaffirms its friendship with the people of the United States and its willingness to reach agreements with its government.” Others reacted to Trump with far greater fury on Thursday. “Donald, don’t be self-indulgent. Mexico has spoken, we will never ever pay for the #(expletive) Wall,” former Mexican president Vicente Fox tweeted in response to Trump’s tweet. “It’s inadmissible the treatment that @realDonaldTrump is giving Mexico. The response to his irresponsible actions should be firm. #SinMuros [No walls,]” tweeted 2012 presidential candidate Josefina Vázquez Mota. “After this, if (Foreign Minister) Luis Videgaray and (Economy Minister) Ildefonso Guajardo don’t get up from the table and leave, we’re lost,” said political analyst Fernando Dworak, referring to the two cabinet members currently in Washington. “If we don’t do anything today, we deserve even more.” Trump pummeled Mexico during his presidential campaign, repeatedly accusing the U.S. neighbor of unfair trade and allowing criminals into the United States. He also scolded U.S. automakers for moving plants to Mexico. DHS-17-0435-A-000419 CBP FOIA000419 33 “The U.S. has a 60 billion dollar trade deficit with Mexico. It has been a one-sided deal from the beginning of NAFTA with massive numbers...” Trump tweeted Thursday. “… of jobs and companies lost. If Mexico is unwilling to pay for the badly needed wall, then it would be better to cancel the upcoming meeting,” Trump said in a second tweet. On Wednesday, Trump signed an executive order calling for construction of a border wall. Analyst Dworak criticized Peña Nieto, whose approval rating registers just 12%, for failing to stand up to Trump. “There’s a national crisis and we have a political class that’s over their heads and unable to articulate a discourse or vision,” Dworak said. “For them, it’s enough to get out of the way and pretend to play the part of patriot.” Many Mexicans reacted with surprise when Trump officially ordered construction of the wall because they had considered the proposal mere campaign talk by an underdog to win the U.S. presidential election. Some suggested boycotting U.S. brands — “Adiós Starbucks” trended on Twitter — in a country with strong pro-American sentiment since NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement, was enacted in 1994. Foreign Minister Videgaray told the Televisa network that his talks at the White House on Wednesday were “a very positive start to conversations about very substantial topics.” Peña Nieto appointed Videgaray to the diplomatic post in early January, just four months after Videgaray resigned as finance minister because he had lobbied for Peña Nieto to invite candidate Trump to Mexico City in August for an ill￾fated meeting in the president palace. The encounter drew complaints from Mexicans that their leader didn’t react forcefully to a man who has denigrated them as a country and people. “For the second time in four months, Videgaray should resign. It’s clear there isn’t a valid interlocutor with the Trump government,” said Esteban Illades, editor of the Mexican magazine Nexos. “Look at the results: (Videgaray) spent eight hours in the White House yesterday and in return he got a tweet saying that the only way the presidents will talk is if there is payment agreed on the wall.” Peña Nieto’s decision won praise though most Mexicans wondered why he seemed to dither before reacting. “It’s too late, but at least it’s something. He didn’t have any other option left,” Illades said. “He knew he wouldn’t be able to take on Trump in Washington. And that last [Trump] tweet was the final coffin.” Mexico’s President Cancels Planned D.C. Trip To Meet With Trump : The Two-Way : NPR By Merrit Kennedy NPR, January 26, 2017 President Trump said on Twitter this morning that “if Mexico is unwilling to pay for the badly needed wall, then it would be better to cancel the upcoming meeting” with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto. Hours later, Peña Nieto did just that. His spokesman tells NPR’s Carrie Kahn in Mexico City that the president has cancelled Tuesday’s visit to Washington D.C., without elaborating. Trump signed an executive order Wednesday that moves ahead with his plan to build a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico — a policy he described as one in partnership with Mexico and from which both countries will benefit. But as Carrie reports, Mexico’s leader released a video later that night in which he forcefully condemned Trump’s plan, calling it divisive. “I have repeatedly said, ‘Mexico will not pay for a wall,’ “ Peña Nieto said. In the video, Peña Nieto had stopped short of cancelling his trip, saying he was still waiting to hear the latest from his negotiators in Washington. And as Carrie reports, he was under significant pressure from lawmakers to scrap the visit. “We will look for a date to schedule something in the future,” White House press secretary Sean Spicer told reporters after Peña Nieto cancelled. “We will keep the lines of communication open.” Congress Will Consider Up To $15 Billion For Border Wall, GOP Leaders Say By Erin Kelly USA Today, January 26, 2017 PHILADELPHIA — Congressional leaders said Thursday they expect the Trump administration to send them a request soon for $12 billion to $15 billion to fund construction of a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. It was the first time that Republican leaders have provided a price tag for the wall. “We intend to address the wall issue ourselves,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told reporters on the second day of a three-day retreat for congressional Republicans. Congress will take up President Trump’s expected request before the end of September, when fiscal 2017 ends, said House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis. It will be in the form of an emergency budget request, meaning that it will not be part of the regular spending bill to fund the government from April 28 through September. Current funding for federal agencies is set to expire on April 28 under a temporary spending bill passed last week. If funding for the wall was part of the broader spending bill that Congress must pass in April, it could conceivably lead to a government shutdown since Democrats will oppose it. DHS-17-0435-A-000420 CBP FOIA000420 34 Ryan said the funding request will allow Congress to finally carry out the Secure Fence Act, which lawmakers passed in 2006 to construct a series of fences and walls along the Southwest border. “Now we’re actually going to deploy this fence,” Ryan said. Trump had campaigned on a promise to build the border wall and make Mexico pay for it. He is now saying that Mexico will reimburse U.S. taxpayers for the cost, despite assertions by Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto that his country will not pick up the tab. Read more: Democrats said a wall can’t take the place of comprehensive immigration reform that includes border security, visa changes and a pathway to citizenship for the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants already living in the country. They also were upset that an emergency request to fund the wall can be done without GOP leaders having to make offsetting budget cuts to pay for it. “As far as the wall is concerned, I suspect that a lot of Trump supporters would be just as happy with a big statue of a middle finger pointed south, because both that and a wall are about equally effective as national security strategies,” said Rep. Luis Gutiérrez, D-Ill. McConnell and Ryan insisted that they are working on coordination with Trump, despite the fact that the new president’s controversial announcements this week on torture, voter fraud and immigration have taken attention away from their focus on health care, tax reform and reducing government regulation. Ryan said he and McConnell have been working with the White House on those legislative priorities “so, yes, we are on the same page.” The two leaders said they expect to enact a tax overhaul and repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act — better known as Obamacare — before Congress adjourns for its annual August recess. “I intend to stick to the plan and make as much progress as we can,” McConnell said. Ryan said congressional leaders have adopted a legislative agenda for the first 200 days of the Trump administration rather than the first 100 days because the Senate will be busy confirming about 1,200 of the president’s nominees for government jobs. “It’s a very bold and aggressive agenda,” Ryan said. “At the end of the day, if we get these things done, we really believe we’re going to get the country back on the right track and turn things around for the people who elected us.” GOP Leaders Won’t Say How They’ll Pay For $12 Billion-$15 Billion Cost Of Border Wall By Sean Sullivan Washington Post, January 26, 2017 PHILADELPHIA — Congressional Republican leaders said Thursday that they plan to move forward with legislation to provide $12 billion to $15 billion to pay for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, but they declined to specify where that funding would come from, continuing the uncertainty over one of President Trump’s signature campaign promises. The comments from House Speaker Paul D. Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) at a GOP retreat here came as controversy over Trump’s proposed wall set off a fresh round of international discord, as Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto canceled a planned visit with Trump. Asked whether spending on the wall would be offset — meaning that there would be corresponding spending cuts elsewhere in the government or some other means of covering the funding — Ryan punted. “As far as the offset, we’re going to wait and see from the administration what their supplemental [spending plan] looks like,” said Ryan. “I’m not going to get ahead of a policy and a bill that has not been written yet, But the point is we are going to finance the Secure Fence Act, which is the construction of the physical barrier on the border.” Asked if he could guarantee if the broader Republican agenda would not add to the deficit, Ryan did not respond directly. “We’re fiscal conservatives,” he said. “What that means is we believe government should not live beyond its means. We believe that hardworking taxpayers in this country deserve a break in this country. And that means Washington takes less money from them and we also spend less, here.” Trump campaigned on the promise of building a wall that he claimed would curb illegal immigration and disrupt the drug trade. In an interview with ABC News broadcast Wednesday, Trump said taxpayers would initially foot the bill for the wall, but “we will be in a form reimbursed by Mexico.” He did not lay out precisely how that would happen. Mexico has said it will not pay for a wall. Peña Nieto canceled next week’s planned meeting with Trump hours after Trump tweeted, “If Mexico is unwilling to pay for the badly needed wall, then it would be better to cancel the upcoming meeting.” The president planned to address GOP lawmakers at the retreat Thursday afternoon. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) told reporters here Thursday that lawmakers and officials needs to be more precise when they talk about building a wall and that a single physical barrier likely will likely not suffice. “When you say, quote, ‘build a wall’, what does that exactly mean?” McCain said. “It means to me drones, technology, surveillance, all that. If you’re talking about just building a wall, history shows that you can tunnel under them, you can breach them and you can climb over them.” DHS-17-0435-A-000421 CBP FOIA000421 35 McCain predicted that there will a “downpayment to begin construction” of border security, but it will not be anywhere near $15 billion. He said he believes that Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, through his agency, will be critical in winning support in Congress for whatever plan is devised. McConnell and Ryan declined to wade into Trump’s relationship with Peña Nieto. “I don’t have any advice to give to the president about that issue,” said McConnell. He said that while Congress intends to address the construction of the wall, he will leave the president’s interaction with foreign leaders to him. Asked if he had any concerns about Mexico’s relationship with the United States, Ryan (R-Wis.) replied, “I think it’ll be fine.” Paul Kane and Mike DeBonis in Philadelphia contributed to this report. White House Says Tax On Mexican Imports Would Pay For Border Wall Move would effectively endorse an idea Trump criticized two weeks ago By Richard Rubin Wall Street Journal, January 26, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Trump Is Starting A Trade War We Don’t Need Washington Post, January 26, 2017 UNTIL A few days ago, the U.S.-Mexico relationship was a strong one that benefited both countries. In the first week of his term, President Trump seems determined to change that — and for no good reason. After decades of economic integration, the United States and its southern neighbor have established a valuable trading relationship exchanging $1.4 billion in goods every day. Mexico is the second-largest foreign market for U.S.- made products. Trade and investment between the two nations create wealth for both nations, and for innumerable American companies, workers and consumers, all of whom would be harmed by a trade war. Moreover, Mexico has become a valuable partner in promoting liberal values, having institutionalized multi-party democracy and steadily increased economic freedoms within its borders. As it has matured into a middle-class nation, the flow of Mexicans north has reversed, with more returning home in recent years than migrating to the United States. In deference to this mutually beneficial relationship, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto has strained against provocation to get along with Mr. Trump. He invited him to a meeting in Mexico City last year, to Mr. Trump’s political benefit and at Mr. Peña Nieto’s own political risk. He was planning a visit to Washington next week to look for constructive cooperation. Then, boom. Mr. Trump planted a stick of dynamite under a structure that leaders of various parties in both nations have been carefully constructing for decades. And for what? The president first announced this week that he intended to proceed with construction of an expensive and unnecessary border wall, fulfilling a campaign promise based on misunderstandings of both the extent of illegal immigration and the best way to deal with it. Then Mr. Trump revived his pledge that Mexico would finance its construction. The humiliation was too much to bear for Mr. Peña Nieto, who faced understandable political pressure at home. The Mexican president canceled a scheduled meeting with Mr. Trump. At that point, wiser heads still could have defused and de-escalated. Instead, White House press secretary Sean Spicer announced that the president is considering a new tax on Mexican imports to pay for his gratuitous wall. Mr. Spicer, without providing many details, suggested the tax would raise some $10 billion a year. He later explained that this is just one of several options. Depending on its design, such an imposition could indeed hurt Mexico. But it also would likely act as a tax on American consumers of Mexican goods. American consumers, that is, would pay for the wall by paying higher prices for Mexican-grown tomatoes, Mexican-sewn clothing and Mexican-built cars. U.S. officials should reach out and seek to repair the week’s damage. It took the United States nearly a decade to recover from the economic wreckage of the last recession. A wealth-destroying trade war with one of America’s closest partners would threaten that long-sought recovery. Trump’s Little Mexican War The President is treating our neighbor like Obama treated Israel. Wall Street Journal, January 26, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Trump’s 20% Mexican Border Tariff Would Impact Auto Industry By Brent Snavely, Gregory Korte And Todd Spangler Detroit Free Press, January 26, 2017 WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s plan for a wall along the Mexican border could be financed through a 20% border tax on all imports from Mexico, a new detail in the evolving saga between the U.S. and Mexico that would have a direct impact on the U.S. automotive industry. “It clearly provides the funding and does so in a way that the American taxpayer is wholly respected,” White House DHS-17-0435-A-000422 CBP FOIA000422 36 press secretary Sean Spicer told reporters. “We are probably the only major country that doesn’t treat imports this way.” Trump’s campaign promise to build a wall along the Mexican border and the president’s desire to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement by bringing automotive jobs back to the U.S. have been in the spotlight throughout the week. Several automotive executives have said that the costs of a steep border tariff could be offset by Trump’s plan to lower corporate taxes and relax fuel economy and other regulations. Wall Street analysts estimate a tariff could raise prices of vehicles from Mexico by $2,300. “A 20% tariff would raise the cost of manufacturing in North America, cutting into the competitiveness of all three countries,” said Christopher Wilson, deputy director of the Mexico Institute at the Woodrow Wilson International Center in Washington. “The tariff would violate NAFTA and WTO norms, and quite likely provoke retaliation from Mexico.” Spicer announced the policy proposal in an unannounced “gaggle” with reporters on Air Force One on Thursday, underscoring just how quickly the Trump White House is churning out policy proposals in his first week in office. Shortly afterward, Spicer clarified to a separate group of reporters in the West Wing that it was just one proposal. “There are clearly a bunch of ways it can be done,” he said. “The point is American taxpayers are not going to fund it.” White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus added that it was part of a “buffet” of options. Representatives of Fiat Chrysler, Ford and General Motors declined to comment on the 20% tariff idea Thursday afternoon. Portrayed at first as a policy proposal, Spicer’s comments were nearly immediately walked back by the White House as an example of options that are being explored. Whatever it is, the idea is part of a broader topic that has been simmering within the U.S. automotive industry for months and has reached a boiling point. CEOs for the Detroit Three all joined Trump earlier this week to talk about free trade, jobs, U.S. investments and regulations. On Thursday morning, both Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and Mark Fields, CEO of Ford, answered questions about Trump and his trade policies during financial reporting calls with Wall Street. Marchionne said most of the policies that President Donald Trump is proposing would benefit the automotive industry but warned that dismantling NAFTA could have “monumental consequences” for the industry. “The question about repatriation of all of the manufacturing footprint into the United States has got monumental consequences to the industry overall,” Marchionne said before Spicer’s comment about a 20% tariff. “I think there are repercussions that go well beyond FCA.” Marchionne applauded Trump’s goal of reducing corporate taxes and said the new president’s policy goals could prompt the automaker to move some jobs from Mexico to the U.S. “We have run the numbers, and overall they are good things,” Marchionne said. “The policy direction that is being taken by President Trump is something we appreciate.” Ford CFO Bob Shanks also told Wall Street that the Dearborn automaker is counting on other policy proposals to offset the cost of any tariff. “When you combine it with some of the other aspects of the blueprint like the lower tax rate and some of the other aspects ... that’s what gives us, at least for now, a positive point of view on that particular proposal,” Shanks said. GM also declined to comment on Spicer’s comments on Thursday. But earlier in the week, GM CEO Mary Barra also expressed a positive view of Trump’s overall approach to the automotive industry. “The U.S. is our home market and we are eager to come together to reinvigorate U.S. manufacturing,” Barra said in a statement. “We all want a vibrant U.S. manufacturing base that is competitive globally and that grows jobs. It’s good for our employees, our dealers, our suppliers and our customers.” The unexpected proposal and subsequent backtracking underscored just how quickly the Trump White House is churning out policy proposals in a hectic first week in office, with a crowded calendar of meetings, speeches and executive actions. The border tax plan would need congressional approval, and Spicer described it as the beginning of a process that would be part of overall tax reform. The tax proposal would have the benefit of dovetailing two of his signature policies: curtailing illegal immigration and enacting more protectionist trade regulations. But the proposal could face resistance even among Republicans. “Border security yes, tariffs no,” Sen. Lindsay Graham, R-S.C., wrote on Twitter. “Simply put, any policy proposal which drives up costs of Corona, tequila, or margaritas is a big-time bad idea. Mucho Sad.” The U.S. trade deficit with Mexico was $49.2 billion in 2015, according to the U.S. Trade Representative. Though Spicer didn’t explain how the tax would work, the principle is similar to a border adjustment tax currently being discussed in Congress, which would heavily tax imports but give a tax credit on exports. “Right now our country’s policy is to tax exports and let imports flow freely in, which is ridiculous,” Spicer said. Spicer ran through the math by applying 20% to the difference, coming up with nearly $10 billion a year. DHS-17-0435-A-000423 CBP FOIA000423 37 The U.S. could “easily pay for the wall just through that mechanism alone. That’s really going to provide the funding,” he said. Actual imports from Mexico totaled $316.4 billion in 2015. A good portion of that is from the automotive industry. Mexico has become the seventh largest vehicle producer in the world. There are currently a number of manufacturers with a presence in Mexico, including GM, Fiat Chrysler, Ford, Nissan, Honda, Toyota, VW, Mazda and Kia. This manufacturing base produces 42 brands and 500 models in 22 manufacturing plants and has a network of 1,800 dealers, according to the U.S. Trade Representative. ‘Finally’: Trump’s Illegal Immigration Crackdown Wins Praise From Some Activists By Cindy Carcamo And Dakota Smith, Contact Reporters Los Angeles Times, January 26, 2017 President Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration has sparked concern from many California politicians. But it is winning praise from activists who for years have been trying to reduce illegal immigration. Robin Hvidston, executive director of We The People Rising, an anti-illegal immigration organization based in Claremont, said Trump’s actions bring new hope to activists like her. The organization has turned out to meetings in Rialto and Huntington Park and of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to oppose sanctuary measures. “Ending sanctuary cities is a way to restore the rule of law to the cities of California and throughout the United States,” she said. “We … are happy and encouraged that, after decades of federal lawbreaking, a president is finally taking action to enforce federal immigration laws.” Roy H. Beck, who heads NumbersUSA, a powerful national advocacy group opposing illegal immigration, praised Trump’s move. “The new policies announced on sanctuary cities finally put federal executive action on the side of the victims and potential victims of crime instead of protecting the interests of the businesses and organizations who profit from keeping as many illegal migrants in the country as possible.” Two decades ago, California was a hotbed for the anti￾illegal immigration movement. In 1994, California voters approved Proposition 187, which was meant to cut many public services for people here illegally. (The law was later ruled unconstitutional.) But more recent political and demographic shifts have made California decidedly more welcoming to those here without proper papers. More than 400 jurisdictions across the country have some sort of “sanctuary” policy aimed at welcoming those here illegally, including Los Angeles, San Francisco and about 40 others in California. Details about Trump’s crackdown remain unclear. On Wednesday, the president signed two executive orders designed to begin building a wall along the border with Mexico, add lockups for detaining immigrants who cross the border illegally, enhance enforcement powers for border agents and strip federal funding to cities that refuse to cooperate with immigration enforcement. According to a draft document reviewed by The Times, under the new order, the federal government would threaten to withhold funds from so-called sanctuary cities that limit cooperation with immigration officials. Many political leaders both in big cities and in Sacramento have vowed to fight Trump. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti told reporters Wednesday that he doesn’t believe the federal government can stop funding for L.A. and cited the 10th Amendment, which addresses the powers of state and federal governments. “We feel very strong the legal case is clear,” Garcetti said. The particulars of Trump’s orders are still being dissected by Los Angeles leaders. But City Council President Herb Wesson told reporters that “the city is going to continue to operate the way it operates.” Los Angeles will receive about $500 million this fiscal year from the federal government to pay for an array of services, including port security, anti-gang programs and senior citizen services. San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee said he doesn’t foresee any changes in his city’s sanctuary policies. Officials in San Jose said much the same thing. Better Barriers Are Worth The Cost: Opposing View By Dan Stein USA Today, January 26, 2017 On Wednesday, President Trump ordered completion of border security measures that were promised by Congress in 2006 but never fulfilled. The centerpiece of the president’s order is secure barriers (a wall, perhaps) along the areas of the border required to achieve operational security. It also includes upgrades in electronic monitoring of the border and an additional 5,000 border agents. All of these things are badly needed to gain control of the border, and would help both Mexico and the U.S. eliminate cartel operations. Who will pay is now under debate. Regardless of who pays, it is a great deal for taxpayers. U.S. taxpayers now absorb recurring costs in excess of $100 billion a year to provide basic services to illegal aliens and their children. Even at the high end of the one-time cost estimate for DHS-17-0435-A-000424 CBP FOIA000424 38 constructing a wall, in the $15 billion and $25 billion range, the structures are cheap at twice the price. While border security infrastructure is important to stemming the flow of illegal immigration and protecting national security, it is just one component of an overall strategy. Equally important, we must give people reasons not to cross our borders illegally in the first place. President Trump has also taken the first steps toward ending the magnets that draw large numbers of illegal aliens to this country, while adding deterrence through the end of “catch and release” folly. On Wednesday, he put sanctuary jurisdictions with non-cooperation policies on notice: Maintain those policies and forfeit billions of federal dollars. Trump will insist Congress send a bill that mandates the use of E-Verify by all employers, thereby finally — after years of waiting — addressing the lure of jobs in this country. Our relationship with Mexico is important, even vital. But it must be based on a mutuality of respect for our borders and our laws. This integrated border and interior enforcement strategy will restore our national footing as a nation that will enforce its laws and protect the public interest. Dan Stein is president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, a non-profit group that favors more restrictive immigration policies. Immigrants Rights Activists Rally Against Trump Orders By Jessica Kwong Orange County (CA) Register, January 25, 2017 SANTA ANA – Several dozen immigrants rights activists rallied outside the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services field office Thursday morning against executive orders President Donald Trump signed a day earlier, pledging continued support for marginalized communities. Trump’s orders on Wednesday to begin building a border wall and pulling federal money from sanctuary cities are “un-American,” said Mirvette Judeh Maaytah, vice chairwoman of the Arab American Civic Council. Roberto Herrera, a community engagement advocate for Resilience OC, said his group and others at the rally will defend the sanctuary ordinance Santa Ana adopted Jan. 17 and, “if anything, we need to push ordinances across other cities.” “Our objective is to get folks to recognize that Orange County communities are united against Trump,” Herrera said. “Being in the conservative county in California, the organizations here are united to stand strong and to lead.” Trump Orders ‘Tear Our Families Apart’ By Niraj Warikoo Detroit Free Press, January 26, 2017 Her eyes welling up, a 28-year-old mother of three in Detroit said she was worried that her life in America could end as President Donald Trump vowed this week to crack down on immigration. “We’re afraid,” said Jasmine Lomeli, 28, a native of Mexico who came to the U.S. in 2002 as a teen with her parents. “We don’t know what’s going to happen. ... I don’t know if I will be separated from my kids.” Lomeli’s fears echo throughout Michigan, where many undocumented immigrants and their children worry after Trump announced on Wednesday executive orders that crack down on them and punish cities that seek to protect them. Lomeli’s parents came to the U.S. without legal permission, bringing Lomeli along when she was 14-year-old. Today she is the mother of three children, ages 10, 8, and 4, all born in the U.S. Lomeli is a DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) recipient, a program created under President Barack Obama that allowed her to work and stay legally in the U.S. DACA spares her from worrying about being deported and separated from her kids or about doing basic tasks such as driving. Many undocumented immigrants fear being pulled over by law enforcement and then later deported. She worries that Trump could end the program: “With DACA, we feel safe, and now, we don’t know what’s going to happen.” But she and others are determined to fight back. On Thursday, she joined a wide range of immigrant and minority groups who spoke out against Trump’s executive orders, saying the orders unfairly target immigrants and Muslims. They gathered in Detroit at the office of Michigan United, an advocacy group. “We’re here to stay,” Lomeli said. “We’re going to fight to stop discrimination against people. ... I’m going to fight for my children.” Trump has expressed sympathy for DACA recipients, but some advocates say his orders indicate that the program could be removed. It’s unclear whether DACA will remain. “We will not allow Trump to take this program away,” she said. “We’ll fight for our rights.” Adonis Flores, the immigrant rights coordinator at Michigan United who’s a DACA recipient, said, “Donald Trump is trying to tear our families apart with the stroke of a pen. As a community, we are resilient and will resist with our whole strength. As a country we are stronger than his hateful and divisive policies. This isn’t about fixing our broken immigration system — this is about demonizing vulnerable families to score cheap political points.” Trump is also expected to sign another executive order this week that targets Muslim immigrants from seven countries and refugees, cutting their numbers and stopping all visitors from some countries. Three of the countries that DHS-17-0435-A-000425 CBP FOIA000425 39 Trump is targeting — Iraq, Syria and Yemen — have large immigration populations in metro Detroit. Local community and religious leaders vowed to push back against his plans, including holding seminars to educate people of their rights and developing a network of churches that would be sanctuaries for immigrants. At the press conference held at Michigan United offices, Brendan Wu, a community organizer with the Michigan branch of the Asian-American advocacy group Asian Pacific Islander American Vote, slammed Trump’s plan that targets Muslims, saying it echoes the idea behind the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. Trump is reportedly planning to allow exceptions to his restrictions on refugees from Muslim-majority countries for religious minority groups, such as Christians. “This turns our immigration system into a religious filter, one that says your faith is what makes you ineligible and unwanted,” Wu said. “If you think that today, they’re just after Muslims, or they’re just after Hispanics, remember that these policies are just the start. We have seen this movie before. “Only 65 years ago, the military locked an entire population for the sole crime of being Japanese,” Wu said, referring to the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII. “My brothers and sisters in the Muslim and Latino communities are targets today, but my family could very well be next on the list.” Wu and other speakers urged unity across racial, ethnic and religious lines to fight back against Trump’s plans. “We will overcome this together,” said Sergio Martinez of Detroit, an immigrant from Mexico who’s with Michigan United. “We will overcome hate with love. ... No matter what Trump says, we are here to stay.” Trump’s plans brought mixed reaction from elected officials. Asked if he favored restrictions on refugees that Trump is expected to announce, Gov. Snyder said Thursday at the Capitol: “He has to make those decisions. That’s not a responsibility at the state level. I’m going to continue to promote Michigan as a welcoming place for immigrants. “That’s something that’s important that ties right into the theme of growing Michigan in terms of our population.” Asked about Trump possibly calling on state and local police to enforce immigration laws, Snyder said he didn’t see that as one of their primary responsibilities. He said police in Michigan are doing a good job of reducing crime. Advocates for immigrant rights are concerned about Trump’s order to target sanctuary cities by cutting off federal funding if they harbor undocumented immigrants. In recent weeks, the mayors of cities including Boston, New York and San Francisco have publicly defended their cities as sanctuary cities and criticized Trump in news conferences, but the office of Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan has said that the city of Detroit is not a sanctuary city as Trump defines it. In a statement Thursday to the Free Press, Duggan’s chief of staff, Alexis Wiley, said “the President’s Executive Order does not affect any policy or practice in the City of Detroit.” Wiley said Trump’s order “will have no effect on any operation of the City of Detroit. The Detroit Police Department has always cooperated with federal customs and immigration officials on law enforcement. A decade ago, the Detroit City Council passed an ordinance which banned the practice of improper profiling, which it labeled a ‘Sanctuary City Ordinance.’ The Detroit City ordinance does not contain any of the provisions to which the President’s Executive Order are directed. “If the definition of a Sanctuary City is one in which people are not profiled because of their appearance, Detroit is a Sanctuary City,” Wiley added. “If the definition of a Sanctuary City is one in which local law enforcement refuses to cooperate with federal customs and immigration officials, Detroit is not a Sanctuary City.” There are about 97,000 to more than 126,000 undocumented immigrants in Michigan, out of more than 11 million nationwide. Read more: “Law enforcement experts across the country have pointed out that sanctuary city policies can actually deter crime, as such policies make it more likely that undocumented immigrants will report crime and cooperate with law enforcement,” said state Rep. Stephanie Chang, D￾Detroit. “Building that trust is critical to helping our country move forward. In addition, I am very concerned that opening up the priorities for deportation may to have a devastating impact on residents of southwest Detroit in my district.” State Rep. Abdullah Hammoud, D-Dearborn, whose district has a sizable Arab immigrant population, said that Trump’s “orders in no way resemble good policy. ... Threatening to withhold funding from cities offering a public service you disagree with does not properly address America’s immigration concerns. Our focus should instead be on humane and responsible comprehensive immigration reform.” Arab-American groups slammed Trump’s planned order, saying it discriminates against Arabs and Muslims. A draft copy of Trump’s expected executive order on refugees and Muslim immigrants obtained by the Los Angeles Times makes references to honor killings and gender-based violence, seeming to link violence against women to Islam. The order will ban all visitors from Syria, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen for 30 days. Read more: Joseph Kassab, founder and president of the Iraqi Christians Advocacy and Empowerment Institute in West DHS-17-0435-A-000426 CBP FOIA000426 40 Bloomfield, said he doesn’t know yet what exactly the orders will say, but he supports the idea of vetting people of all backgrounds to make sure they’re not terrorists or fanatics. “I would support vetting and stopping people from coming in who are found to be of a terrorist or fanatical or extremist background,” Kassab said. Kassab said that religious minority groups like Chaldeans (Iraqi Catholics) in places like Iraq are often victims of terrorism and so would be more likely not to support terrorism. “Everybody should be vetted, from every religion, ethnicity, everybody,” Kassab said. “But the vetting for the minorities who are victims of terrorism and fanaticism might be easier than others.” Is Detroit a “sanctuary city” and how will it respond to Trump’s executive order on immigration and sanctuary cities? Here’s the full response from Alexis Wiley, the chief of staff to Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan: “The President’s Executive Order does not affect any policy or practice in the City of Detroit. Detroit is a Welcoming City to people from all countries. The recent launch of the Detroit Municipal ID, our commitment to hiring bilingual city employees, the City Council’s Immigration Task Force, and the administration’s hiring of the City’s first full-time Director of Immigrant Affairs were all initiatives done in the last three years in support of that commitment. As far as the executive order itself, it will have no effect on any operation of the City of Detroit. The Detroit Police Department has always cooperated with federal customs and immigration officials on law enforcement. A decade ago, the Detroit City Council passed an ordinance which banned the practice of improper profiling, which it labeled a “Sanctuary City Ordinance”. The Detroit City ordinance does not contain any of the provisions to which the President’s Executive Order are directed. If the definition of a Sanctuary City is one in which people are not profiled because of their appearance, Detroit is a Sanctuary City. If the definition of a Sanctuary City is one in which local law enforcement refuses to cooperate with federal customs and immigration officials, Detroit is not a Sanctuary City. Whatever label is used, Detroit’s commitment to making Detroit a Welcoming City to immigrants from around the world remains just as strong and all of Detroit’s Welcoming City initiatives will continue.” Attorneys Warn Immigrants Not To Travel Outside The U.S., Thanks To Trump An executive order may prevent some immigrants legally here from coming back. By Elise Foley Huffington Post, January 26, 2017 WASHINGTON ― Immigration attorney Ally Bolour got a call on Wednesday from a client worried about President Donald Trump’s expected executive order that could temporarily shut down travel from majority-Muslim countries. The client is planning a trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, for his birthday. He lives in the U.S. legally as a green-card holder, but he’s from Iran ― one of the countries Trump will likely single out for restrictions. The man, Amir, who asked to be identified only by his first name, already paid for his flight and hotel, but asked Bolour for advice. “If I were you, I wouldn’t go,” Bolour said he told Amir. “It’s too uncertain.” Trump has not yet signed an executive order to keep people from certain countries from coming to the United States. But already, news that he is considering such restrictions is having a dramatic impact. Leaked drafts indicate it could be harder or even impossible for people from seven countries to get into the U.S. ― even if they hold green cards. Immigration attorneys and advocacy groups said they were being inundated with questions from people legally in the U.S. wondering whether it would be safe for them to travel. Some want to leave the country to attend a parent’s funeral. Students hoped to travel home for spring break. Couples have plans for a vacation together. All of them, lawyers are advising, should stay put. “I don’t want to make people scared for no reason, but I think caution is best right now until we see what that exact language will be,” said Nermeen Arastu, clinical law professor at CUNY School of Law. “If you’re a not U.S. citizen, don’t leave right now.” Hassan Shibly, executive director of Council on American-Islamic Relations’ Florida chapter, said a source in the federal government advised him to tell people that non￾citizens who are natives of the countries mentioned in drafts of Trump’s executive order should not leave the U.S. for the time being, even if they hold green cards. “We definitely need people to take caution at this point,” Shibly said. “With Trump, you cannot take any risks. You cannot take any principle of liberty or justice for granted. We cannot let our guard down.” The attorneys and experts said they have spent recent days trying to calm immigrants and Muslim communities. Offering advice before Trump signs the order, without knowing the final language, is a particular challenge, they pointed out. They don’t know, for example, whether it will apply to green-card holders and what countries will be targeted. “These orders are going to have an impact on the daily life of hundreds of thousands of individuals in this country who are here through different visa programs,” said Abed DHS-17-0435-A-000427 CBP FOIA000427 41 Ayoub, legal director at the American-Arab Anti￾Discrimination Committee. Immigration attorney Hassan Ahmad cautioned against blanket statements of advice about whether to leave or stay. The order isn’t signed, he said, and many immigration cases are different. Some people may be seeking asylum, for example, in a different situation than someone with a green card. “There is no easy answer, unfortunately, and that’s a really tough pill to swallow,” Ahmad said. Amir is still unsure what to do about his trip. When he planned the vacation, he never imagined he’d have to worry about presidential politics, he said. Amir, who is gay, came to the U.S. 11 years ago as a student and received asylum based on persecution in Iran over his sexual orientation, he said. He has held a green card for five years and has traveled outside the U.S. multiple times for work and pleasure. He hasn’t been back to Iran. Amir said his whole life is in the U.S.: a job, a house, a partner and friends. He said he’ll make up his mind about his vacation after he sees what Trump’s executive order actually says, and whether green-card holders already outside the U.S. have trouble returning. “Let’s say I go to Mexico and want to come back and they don’t let me in. Where am I going to go?” he asked. “I can’t go back to my home country. I don’t have any other place to go.” ‘Over My Dead Body’: Tribe Aims To Block Trump’s Border Wall On Arizona Land Controlling 2.8m acres of a reservation, the Tohono O’odham Nation vowed to oppose construction on its land and called for a meeting with the president By Sam Levin The Guardian (UK), January 26, 2017 Donald Trump’s proposed border wall could face a major obstacle in Arizona, where an indigenous tribe has vowed to oppose construction on its land, paving the way for potential mass resistance following the model of Standing Rock. The Tohono O’odham Nation, a federally recognized tribe with a reservation that spans 75 miles of the US-Mexico border, announced on Thursday that it does not support the wall and criticized the White House for signing an executive order without consulting the tribe. The Tohono O’odham’s statement calls for a meeting with the president and comes after a tribal vice-chairman declared the government would build the wall “over my dead body”. Earlier in his first week in office, Trump also promised to push forward with the the Dakota Access pipeline, which last year attracted an unprecedented gathering of indigenous groups to back the Standing Rock Sioux tribe in its fight against the oil project. The Tohono O’odham tribe, which has roughly 28,000 members and controls 2.8m acres of a reservation in south￾western Arizona, has long struggled with the militarized international border that was drawn through the middle of its traditional lands. The O’odham people historically inhabited lands that stretched south to Sonora, Mexico, and just north of Phoenix, Arizona, and there are tribe members who still live in Mexico. The tribe today has the second largest Native American land base in the country, and indigenous people say the US Border Patrol has for decades significantly disrupted tribal communities and their day-to-day life. “It cuts through our ancestral land, and it divides families that have been able to go back and forth freely since before the border line was drawn,” said Bradley Moreno, a Tohono O’odham member who grew up miles from the border. “Border Patrol is a way of life for us.” The tribe has said that Border Patrol agents in the past have detained and deported Tohono O’odham people who were “simply traveling through their own traditional lands, practicing migratory traditions essential to their religion, economy and culture”. Moreno, 35, said law enforcement harassment is common for indigenous people and that he has been pulled over and questioned by Border Patrol more than a dozen times. There is also already a steel barrier at the border along the reservation, and if a wall is built, the results would be disastrous, Moreno added. “It’s going to affect our sacred lands. It’s going to affect our ceremonial sites. It’s going to affect the environment. We have wildlife, and they have their own patterns of migration,” he said. “There are just so many things that are wrong with this. The whole idea behind it is just racist.” Trump launched his campaign with a pledge to build a wall, with a speech that labeled Mexican immigrants “criminals” and “rapists”. His executive order on Wednesday, part of a series of anti-immigration announcements, called for the building of a “contiguous, physical wall or other similarly secure, contiguous, and impassable physical barrier”. It’s unclear how Congress could attempt to finance construction, and Trump has claimed that Mexico would ultimately be forced to pay the bill. On Thursday, Mexico’s president Enrique Peña Nieto canceled a scheduled visit to meet with Trump after repeatedly stating that his nation would not fund for a wall. Although Trump campaigned on addressing a border “crisis”, experts have disputed the effectiveness of constructing a wall, noting research showing there is no link between immigration and crime. DHS-17-0435-A-000428 CBP FOIA000428 42 Trump would face numerous legal hurdles if he attempted to build a wall on Tohono O’odham land, which functions under law as an autonomous government. “He is going to have a very serious and prolonged battle with the O’odham people,” said Raul Grijalva, a Democratic congressman from Arizona. “They know what’s at stake is their sovereignty.” The tribe, which did not respond to interview requests on Thursday, said in its statement it would oppose a “large scale fortified wall”. Indigenous activists vowed to aggressively fight the wall if it reaches tribal land in Arizona, and Moreno said people were already discussing strategies for “direct action”. Audra Antone, who lives in the state’s Gila River Indian Community and whose family is O’odham, said if the government moved to start construction, large protests like Standing Rock could emerge. “It’s divide and conquer again. We need to stand our ground as Native American people,” said Antone, noting that her son’s father was deported to Mexico. “We’re going backward if we do not stand up and fight.” Trump: No Muslim Ban, Just Immigration Restrictions By David Jackson USA Today, January 26, 2017 President Trump denies he is about to authorize a “ban” on Muslim migration, only restrictions on entry from countries with a history of terrorism. “It’s countries that have tremendous terror,” Trump told ABC News in his first television interview as president. “And it’s countries that people are going to come in and cause us tremendous problems.” The Trump team is poised to suspend refugee and visa programs as applied to many Muslim countries in the Middle East, including war-torn Syria, with details still being determined.. White House spokesman Sean Spicer said there is no set date for issuance of new rules because the “nature of them has not been decided yet.” Critics of the imminent orders said they will block law￾abiding Muslims trying to escape the very kind of violence Trump is talking about. Rabbi Jack Moline, president of the Interfaith Alliance, called it a “de facto” ban on Muslims. “The United States has long prided itself as a safe bastion for refugees around the globe facing persecution and strife,” Moline said. “President Trump is poised to trample upon that great legacy in one of his first major acts in office.” Trump told ABC News his target is the Islamic State and other extremist groups: “You’re looking at people that come in, in many cases, in some cases with evil intentions. I don’t want that.” Some people could get in, Trump suggested, but only after what he called “extreme vetting.” “We’re going to have extreme vetting in all cases,” he told ABC. “And I mean extreme.” Trump’s Order To Ban Refugees And Immigrants Triggers Fears Across The Globe By Sudarsan Raghavan, Louisa Loveluck And Kevin Sieff Washington Post, January 26, 2017 CAIRO — President Trump’s executive order to tighten the vetting of potential immigrants and visitors to the United States, as well as to ban some refugees seeking to resettle in the country, will shatter countless dreams and divide families, would-be immigrants and human rights activists warned. The draft order, expected to be signed as early as Thursday, calls for the immediate cessation of ongoing resettlement of Syrian refugees in the United States, rejecting visas for visitors and immigrant hopefuls based partly on their ideology and opinions. A copy of the draft orders was leaked Wednesday to civil rights groups and obtained by The Washington Post. “I feel devastated,” said Ibrahim Abu Ghanem, 37, a father of three in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, whose father and two brothers live in the United States. “This means all my plans are going to go down the drain.” If the order is enacted, among those immediately affected would be potential immigrants and visitors from seven Muslim countries — Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Somalia, Iran, Libya and Sudan — that are considered by the Trump administration as nations whose citizens “would be detrimental to the interests of the United States.” For the next 30 days, they will not be allowed entry into the United States, even if they have visas and relatives who are U.S. citizens. The order also calls for halting all admission and resettlement of refugees for 120 days pending the review of vetting procedures. For Syrian refugees, the ban will remain in place until further notice. Once restarted, annual refugee admissions from all nations would be halved, from a current level of 100,000 to 50,000. For those affected, the fear is that the order will be a harbinger for even greater restrictions on the horizon for Muslim immigrants, refugees and visitors — fulfilling Trump’s campaign promises of “extreme vetting” of foreigners seeking entry into the United States and installing “a Muslim ban.” Somalia, Syria, Iraq and Iran are among the leading countries of origin of recent refugees to the United States. “It’s going to be devastating,” said Denise Bell, senior campaigner for refugee and migrant rights for the watchdog DHS-17-0435-A-000429 CBP FOIA000429 43 group Amnesty International. “Refugees are not a threat. They are the ones fleeing horrific violence. They are trying to rebuild their lives. They want the same safety and opportunities that any of us would want.” “And so we are scapegoating them in the guise of national security. Instead, we are betraying our own values. We are violating international law,” she said. Since Wednesday, as news of the impending order spread, lives were quickly affected across the world, particularly among the citizens of the countries immediately targeted. For them, it’s already difficult to get visas or immigrate to the United States. Vetting has been stringent since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, say human rights activists. Even so, many potential Muslim immigrants went through long screening processes, often lasting years, to gain entry to the United States. Now, many find themselves in an emotional and bureaucratic limbo. In Sanaa, Ghanem had been making plans to travel with his family to Cairo to apply for visas at the U.S. Embassy in the Egyptian capital. His mother and younger brother are also in Yemen. He wanted to reunite his family. “My wife and I have spent countless nights dreaming of a better future for us and especially our children,” said Ghanem, a former administrator at a center for battling cancer. “We were hoping for a better life, better opportunities and good education for our children.” The shock for Syrian refugees already in the United States cut deepest for those awaiting the arrival of loved ones. For Eman, a widow in Chicago who asked that her surname be withheld out of concern for family back home, that means her son. They fled the western Syrian city of Homs in 2012, fearing he would be conscripted into President Bashar al-Assad’s military. Months after her own arrival in America, Eman had expected her eldest to arrive in short order, once paperwork for his new marriage was approved. “It seemed like everything was fine and he was finally going to join me here. Now they tell me it might be impossible because of the president’s new decree,” she said. “I’m so scared. I came to America because I thought it would be best for my family.” Syria’s bitter war has created the largest refugee crisis since World War II. Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon have absorbed more than 4 million displaced Syrians, spread across camps or living on meager resources in cramped apartments. In comparison, the United States accepted less than 13,000 Syrian immigrants last year, a figure that only rose in the final months after tight vetting procedures initially stemmed the monthly flow to the low hundreds. “We have to remember these people are escaping the very same terrorism that Trump says he’s banning them for,” said Suzanne Akhras Sahloul, founder of the Syrian Community Network, a grass-roots initiative that has stepped in to fill the linguistic and cultural gaps that larger relief agencies are unable to address. Refugee advocates say the resettlement of Syrians presents challenges unusual in the United States, even among new refugees. Doctors in Chicago discovered that some Syrians still carried shrapnel in their bodies. Less visible but more pervasive is the trauma. Many have been tortured or lived amid constant bombardment. In Iraq, where Iraqi military personnel are fighting against the Islamic State alongside U.S. Special Operations forces, the visa ban was considered an insult. “They trained me to fight terrorism, and they look at me as a terrorist?” said one F-16 pilot who trained in the United States for five years and declined to be named because he did not have his superiors’ permission to speak to reporters. “It’s true that they have the right to protect their country, but that doesn’t mean they should treat us like we are germs.” He said he has no desire to live in the United States, but that he would like to visit again and “relax” after “fighting terrorism on their behalf.” “If they really do ban us, it means we are of no value to them,” he said. “They are just using us.” Ammar Karim, 37, an Iraqi correspondent with Agence France-Presse, is in the final steps of a program to resettle in the United States. He applied four years ago, and his sponsor in Seattle was recently informed to prepare for his arrival. Karim was one of the first interpreters to work with U.S. Marines in Baghdad following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion that toppled Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. He has also worked for large American news organizations, making him a target of militants. On Thursday, Karim did not hide his disappointment and anger. “Now, because of this new decision, I feel there is no hope that I will move to the U.S.,” he said. “I will have to stay in this country that is still not at peace. The people who will be affected by this ban are those who did the best for America in Iraq. They sacrificed their lives.” He added: “It’s not fair. This president doesn’t understand our situation. The U.S. is abandoning the people who stood behind them.” For Iran and Iranian Americans, the new restrictions are expected to hit particularly hard. Of the roughly 1 million Iranian Americans living in the United States, the vast majority still have family members in Iran. Those relatives, who fall under the new executive order banning citizens from certain countries, would be prohibited from visiting loved ones in the United States. Students, artists, filmmakers and even Europeans who also hold Iranian passports could be denied entry. Under the executive order, governments are required to provide U.S. agencies with information confirming that any applicants are not a security threat. But because the United DHS-17-0435-A-000430 CBP FOIA000430 44 States and Iran do not have diplomatic ties — and have a history of tense relations — Iranian officials are unlikely to comply. Even if they did, “we are skeptical . . . the Trump administration would accept such efforts,” NIAC Action, the sister organization of the National Iranian American Council, said in a statement Wednesday. “This would, in effect, mean a permanent ban on entry for Iranians,” the advocacy group said, adding that even Iranian green-card holders currently outside the United States could be barred from reentry. In the world’s largest refugee camp, called Dadaab, near the Kenya-Somalia border, news of Trump’s impending announcement spread quickly. “You could see the sadness on people’s faces,” said Mohammed Rashid, an English teacher who has been waiting for five years for his asylum case to be approved. Between 2001 and 2015, the United States admitted more than 90,000 Somali refugees, according to the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement. Many of them came from Dadaab, where generations of Somalis first fled civil war and then fled Islamic extremist groups, often applying for asylum in the United States after arriving at the camp. Rashid fled Somalia for Dadaab in 1992 to save his family from the country’s civil war. “We thought our children would have better lives in the U.S.,” said Rashid. “Now, with Trump, we are disappointed. There is nowhere else for us to go.” Rashid sat for an interview with American resettlement officials in Kenya in 2015. His fingerprints were taken, but while waiting for his asylum to be approved, he and his wife had a third child, which he said delayed their approval. After the election, he started following several Trump￾related accounts on Twitter to keep abreast of American news. His brother was resettled in Seattle several years earlier, and Rashid already felt an attachment to the United States. In November, when a Somali-born student at Ohio State University injured 11 people in an attack, Rashid read Trump’s tweet that the attacker was a “Somali refugee who should not have been in our country.” On Wednesday, Rashid saw a tweet that said Somali refugees would be banned from the United States. He said he tried not to cry. “The refugees are people who ran away; they are victims,” he said. “I don’t know why we are being targeted.” In Sudan, some were surprised to see their country on the list of affected countries. Earlier this month, the Obama administration relaxed long-standing sanctions on the country, and it appeared that relations between the nations were warming. As part of the agreement to lift sanctions, Sudanese officials pledged to increase cooperation on combating terrorism. In 2001, the United States accepted more than 4,000 “Lost Boys” from Sudan, whose families were killed or vanished during the country’s civil war. Their stories were broadcast in dozens of books, movies and television reports. Some of them went on to careers as professional athletes, diplomats and renowned writers. The United States later resettled a large number of refugees fleeing conflict in Sudan’s Darfur region, where 3.3 million people are still in need of humanitarian assistance, according to the United Nations. Some Sudanese refugees in Cairo have spent years in Egypt seeking resettlement to the United States and Europe. Now, there is even less hope. “I have been trying for four years, but all is in vain,” said Maher Ismail, 23, a university student. “Our conditions here are dire. It is very difficult to get anywhere, the U.S. or any other place. I have applied for a lottery visa three months ago anyway, but I know how this is going to end up.” Ghanem said he believes that the attitude toward Muslim immigrants and visitors will only worsen in the United States and that he is afraid his family will never be reunited. “This decision has really destroyed our dreams,” he said. “I don’t know what I will say to my mother or how I would break the news for her.” Loveluck reported from Beirut and Sieff from Nairobi. Ali al-Mujahed in Sanaa, Yemen, Heba Mahfouz in Cairo, Mustafa Salim in Baghdad, Loveday Morris in Jerusalem, Erin Cunningham in Turkey and Heba Habib in Stockholm contributed to this report. Star Of Iranian Film Says She Will Boycott Oscars Over Trump’s Visa Ban By Rachel Donadio New York Times, January 26, 2017 PARIS — The Iranian actress Taraneh Alidoosti, a co￾star of “The Salesman,” an Iranian film up for the foreign￾language Academy Award, said Thursday that she would boycott the Oscars ceremony to protest President Trump’s announcement that he would issue a temporary ban on visas to citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries. Mr. Trump said this week that he would issue an executive order to suspend immigration for at least 30 days for citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. It remains unclear how and whether the ban would take effect. Ms. Alidoosti made her intentions clear on her Twitter feed, writing: “Trump’s visa ban for Iranians is racist. Whether this will include a cultural event or not, I won’t attend the #AcademyAwards 2017 in protest.” In an email interview, she said that she would not attend the Oscars ceremony on Feb. 26 even if it turned out the proposed ban did not affect her ability to get a visa. “I decided not to go even if I could, because it hurts me deeply to see ordinary people of my country being rejected DHS-17-0435-A-000431 CBP FOIA000431 45 for what might be their legal right to have access to their children abroad or to their school classes as students,” Ms. Alidoosti said. “The Salesman,” which the government of Iran approved for submission to the Academy Awards, is one of five films vying for best foreign language film. It is directed by Asghar Farhadi, whose “A Separation” won an Oscar for best foreign language film in 2012. “The Salesman” tells the story of a Tehran couple whose lives are irrevocably changed when they have to move apartments while starring in an amateur production of Arthur Miller’s “The Death of a Salesman.” Ms. Alidoosti said she had not discussed her decision with Mr. Farhadi and did not know who would represent the film at the ceremony. She said that the director had generally brought the lead actors of his films to foreign awards ceremonies, including to the Cannes Film Festival, where “The Salesman” received a strong critical reception last year. The actress noted that the United States did not have an embassy in Tehran and that Iranians often traveled to neighboring countries to secure visas. “Many people have urgent medical cases,” she said. “I’m sure all of them are not just going through the ordeal for a fun vacation; they might have a more serious case.” “I’m sure the United States has also benefited many times from Iranian immigrants and people who have worked there and served that country,” Ms. Alidoosti added. “So it’s not acceptable to me to respect a state that does not respect the people of my country.” A spokeswoman for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Madeleine Albright: ‘I Stand Ready To Register As A Muslim’ By Sean Rossman USA Today, January 26, 2017 Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright speaks during a memorial service for former Israel Prime Minister Shimon Peres at Adas Israel Congregation in Washington in October. Albright tweeted on Jan. 25 that she is ready to register as Muslim as a show of solidarity. (Photo: Zach Gibson, AP) Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright — citing her varied religious background — said in a Wednesday tweet she’s ready to register as a Muslim. Albright, the first woman to run the State Department under former President Bill Clinton, joined thousands of people who have pledged to register as a Muslim. It’s a push back against Trump’s support of a Muslim registry on the campaign trail. The president’s chief of staff Reince Priebus has since said Trump has no plans for a Muslim registry. The website www.registerus.today has collected more than 30,000 pledges from people who said they’ll register as a Muslim in order to support the faith. “We pledge to stand together with Muslims across the country, and around the world,” the website reads. “Because when we stand as one, no American can be singled out by their race, religion, income, gender identity, or sexual orientation.” Albright also tweeted her support for refugees, saying in a tweet, “There is no fine print on the Statue of Liberty. America must remain open to people of all faiths & backgrounds. #RefugeesWelcome.” The tweet comes amid news Trump is poised to suspend America’s refugee program, which would halt the flow of people to the U.S. escaping religious, political and ethnic persecution Follow Sean Rossman on Twitter: @SeanRossman The U.S. Already Tried ‘extreme Vetting’ For Muslims. It Didn’t Work. By Aslı Ü. Bâli Washington Post, January 26, 2017 President Trump is reportedly poised to signed an executive order to begin “extreme vetting” of immigrants and visitors to the United States. Though falling short of his infamous campaign promise of “a total and complete shutdown on Muslims entering the United States,” reports suggest that this shutdown will include a ban on visas to the United States from several Muslim-majority countries and language that appears to uniquely target Muslims. This would not be the first time the United States has sought to restrict entry by Muslim foreigners. A recently discontinued Bush-era registration program, the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS), did much the same thing. Its failure to achieve its avowed goals has important lessons for Trump’s new plan. NSEERS effectively created a registry for some Muslims, while remaining under the radar for most Americans. Male noncitizens over the age of 16 traveling to or present in the United States from 24 Arab- or Muslim￾majority countries (plus North Korea) were registered. These men were required to enter the United States at designated airports — rather than those closest to their destination — to be fingerprinted, photographed and interrogated. They were also required to check in with immigration officials at regular intervals and depart only from designated airports. For individuals already in the country, the consequences of NSEERS were severe. Men originally from the designated countries — except green-card holders or U.S. citizens — were required to report for questioning before immigration officials. This “call-in registration” or “Special Registration” sowed chaos among immigrant communities. DHS-17-0435-A-000432 CBP FOIA000432 46 Because the requirements did not exist when their original visas were issued, many weren’t even aware that the new registration rules applied to them. The ensuing confusion, panic and trauma to long￾standing immigrant communities was extensive. When the first registration deadline approached in December 2002, more than 400 individuals of Iranian origin in California rushing to comply with the new rules were arrested. In New York, deportations hollowed out parts of the Pakistani immigrant community. Immigration offices were not staffed to administer the program effectively, creating massive delays, with huge lines of people trying to register by published deadlines. From 2002 to 2003, more than 83,500 men were processed through Special Registration and more than 13,700 were placed into deportation proceedings as a direct consequence of voluntarily complying with the requirements. There were reports of cases of mistaken detentions and removal proceedings. NSEERS was not just a registry. It actually multiplied the grounds for deporting men based on national origin. The program also proved highly ineffective at its intended counterterrorism goals, yielding not a single terrorism-related prosecution over the decade it remained in place. Law enforcement experts found that the program’s broad categorical profiling required vast resources and risked confusing signal and noise. As a result of sustained opposition and controversies about implementation, aspects of the program were suspended as early as December 2003 when “check in” requirements were dropped. But the requirement that travelers register at ports of entry and depart only from designated airports remained in place for eight more years, making travel from designated countries cumbersome and stressful. Eventually, the introduction of other programs collecting biometric information from all visitors and at all airports rendered NSEERS registration requirements duplicative. On April 28, 2011, the Department of Homeland Security announced that NSEERS had been suspended and the 25 designated countries had been delisted. While the 2011 DHS announcement ended the application of NSEERS, its regulatory framework remained. After the 2016 election, pressure mounted on the Obama administration to fully rescind the regulations. On Nov. 21, a letter signed by 200 civil rights and interfaith organizations was published calling on the Obama administration to rescind the regulatory framework for NSEERS. Ten days later, more than 50 Democratic members of the House of Representatives sent a letter to President Obama demanding the same. In December, the Obama administration announced that it would dismantle the dormant program on the grounds “that NSEERS is not only obsolete, but that its use would divert limited personnel and resources from more effective measures.” The United States now has an entry-exit system for all foreign visitors, rendering the rationale for introducing an additional registry targeting a subset of visitors from Muslim-majority countries less plausible. While NSEERS was widely deemed counterproductive in preventing terrorism, it was never found unconstitutional. Attempts to constitutionally challenge the program failed with federal district courts across the country. In 2008, when a challenge reached the 2nd Circuit, that federal appellate court also ruled in favor of the program. Under current constitutional jurisprudence, the federal government’s authority over immigration allows for national origin-based discrimination at our borders. However, Trump’s proposals might fare differently. Some of the “extreme vetting questions” listed in a draft proposal by a Trump advisor photographed in November were clearly related to religious belief, with questions about Sharia, jihad and gender equality. The vetting topics listed in the draft Executive Order that was leaked yesterday include a version of these questions without direct reference to Islam. For instance, in the place of jihad the order references “violent religious edicts.” Whereas the Bush administration disavowed religious profiling in its post-9/11 policies, Trump has repeatedly stated his intention to specifically target the Muslim community during the campaign and since the election. The same federal courts that found the NSEERS program constitutional might reach a different conclusion if new programs were shown to be based on religious animus. Aslı Ü. Bâli is professor of law at the UCLA School of Law and director of the UCLA Center for Near Eastern Studies. Trump Creates Name-and-shame List To Embarrass Sanctuary Cities By Stephen Dinan Washington Times, January 26, 2017 President Trump on Wednesday ordered the Homeland Security Department to begin releasing a name-and-shame list of sanctuary cities, listing the specific crimes such as murder or robbery committed by those who have been released back into their communities under the sanctuary policies. That was one of a number of less-noticed but potentially far-reaching moves tucked inside two new executive orders erasing decades of previous immigration enforcement policy and replacing it with the Trump plan, which calls for aggressive enforcement of existing laws. Border Patrol and interior enforcement agents have been unshackled from the limits imposed by former President DHS-17-0435-A-000433 CBP FOIA000433 47 Barack Obama, as Mr. Trump said he wants to see them doing the jobs they were hired for. He said he wants to enlist those local police and sheriff’s offices that are eager to enforce immigration law, and will punish those that throw up roadblocks — including the new name-and-shame list. Some 279 cities and counties refused to cooperate on at least some deportations in 2016, accounting for 2,008 immigrants who were shielded, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Each of those immigrants’ convictions will now be publicly listed so residents can see the level of crimes committed by those released into their communities, under the Trump orders. Analysts said that list could help rally internal opposition to sanctuary cities, which are already rallying to defy Mr. Trump. “We will fight against attempts to undermine our values and the security of our cities,” said the group Cities for Action, a coalition of big municipalities that support sanctuary policies. “As mayors and county executives nationwide have made clear today, we will continue to provide for all in our communities — regardless of where they come from — and work to continue building trust between city residents and law enforcement.” In addition to the shame list, Mr. Trump ordered Homeland Security to produce a list four times a year of all illegal immigrants serving time in federal or state prisons, or being held for trial. And in another striking move, Mr. Trump ordered Homeland Security officials to begin releasing more information on illegal immigrants. He said the Privacy Act, which has regularly shielded information about illegal immigrants from public disclosure, will no longer apply to anyone who isn’t a citizen or green card holder. That could give the public a new depth of transparency, enabling them to see the types of illegal immigrants the government is encountering. One part of the new orders would allow Homeland Security to ship illegal immigrants caught crossing the border from Mexico back into Mexico, even as they await the outcome of their deportation cases in the U.S. That’s allowed under existing law, but legal analysts said they’d never heard of it being used, and debated how far it might be used. But immigrant-rights advocates said it could hurt migrants who need protections. “Given that many of the people crossing the border today are children and families fleeing violence in the Northern Triangle countries of Central America, invoking this provision threatens to undermine our commitment to refugee protections,” said Tom Jawetz, vice president for immigration policy at the Center for American Progress. The Mexican Embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment on the provision Wednesday night. Experts said it’s an open question whether Mexico could stymie that part of Mr. Trump’s orders by refusing to take back those who crossed over its northern border into the U.S. Another lesser-noticed provision of the new orders would push Homeland Security to collect fines from both illegal immigrants and “those who facilitate their presence” in the U.S. That could potentially include sanctuary colleges and universities that protect illegal immigrants, and businesses that hire unauthorized workers. Current law calls for fines of more than $20,000 per illegal immigrant for companies that are repeat offenders. Conspiracy to harbor an illegal immigrant carries potential jail time or a fine of up to $10,000. Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. Exclusive: Expecting Trump Action, U.S. Suspends Refugee Resettlement Interviews By Yeganeh Torbati Reuters, January 26, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. US Halts Refugee Resettlement Interviews: Report By Mark Hensch The Hill, January 26, 2017 The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has temporarily suspended refugee interviews overseas, according to a new report. The DHS’s decision to suspend staff trips to conduct the interviews effectively pauses future refugee admissions amid speculation that President Trump may drastically change U.S. refugee policy, Reuters said Thursday. Reuters said the interviews are a critical step in the often years-long process of resettling people in the U.S. Two sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed the agency’s move to Reuters, with one adding that the DHS told those involved in refugee admissions about the decision Wednesday. The resettlement interviews are usually one of the last hurdles refugees face before reaching American soil. Refugees seeking admission also undergo extensive security screening by multiple U.S. agencies, along with vetting from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Reports emerged Wednesday that refugee advocacy groups have obtained a draft of a new order that Trump will sign. DHS-17-0435-A-000434 CBP FOIA000434 48 The order would purportedly suspend all refugee admissions into the U.S. for 120 days while the secretary of State reviews refugee application procedures. Refugees who had previously applied for admission, meanwhile, would have their submissions placed on hold until the secretary of State’s review is complete. The total number of refugees allowed in the U.S., the order adds, will also be reduced in fiscal year 2017 to 50,000, less than half of former President Obama’s goal of 110,000. Trump has repeatedly called for “extreme vetting” of those entering the U.S. from countries linked with terrorism, regardless of whether they’re refugees. Wednesday’s draft order states Trump will temporarily suspend the entry of foreign nationals from some Muslim￾majority countries upon implementation. The countries listed include Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Syria, with entry from each suspended for 30 days after the order is issued. U.S. Suspending Refugee Resettlement Interviews In Anticipation Of Trump Action Reuters, January 26, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. DHS Temporarily Halts Overseas Refugee Interviews By Mary Kay Mallonee CNN, January 26, 2017 Washington (CNN)The Department of Homeland Security is putting a temporary freeze on staff trips to other countries to interview refugees who want to come to the US, according to a law enforcement source. The action, first reported by Reuters, comes as the agency awaits direction from President Donald Trump, who has made clear he plans on making significant changes to the refugee policy. Halting these overseas interviews until further notice means the admissions process will remain in limbo as refugees await their interview with DHS staff. “While US Citizenship and Immigration Services has delayed a number of upcoming trips, those trips have not been officially canceled,” Gillian M. Christensen, a spokeswoman for the DHS, said in a statement. Trump is considering a blanket ban on refugees for up to four months, according to a draft executive order obtained by CNN, in keeping with a campaign promise to enact stringent measures on Muslim migrants trying to enter the US. The order, if enacted, would put in place tough new vetting measures in an attempt to bar potential terrorists from entering the country. Sources familiar with the order said Wednesday that Trump could sign it as early as Friday, but cautioned the language was not yet final. Advocate Of Ending U.S. Birthright Citizenship May Be Joining Trump Administration By Spencer S. Hsu Washington Post, January 26, 2017 A prominent advocate of ending U.S. birthright citizenship is in line to join the Trump administration in an immigration-related position at the Department of Homeland Security, according to two former U.S. officials informed of transition changes by department personnel. Jon D. Feere has been a legal policy analyst for the Center for Immigration Studies, a conservative group that calls for added immigration restrictions. Reached Tuesday by a Washington Post reporter, Feere said, “I’m in between jobs. That’s all I can say right now. I can’t confirm anything,” about accounts circulating among some current and former DHS officials that he would join the department in an immigration enforcement post. Feere, 37, testified before the House Judiciary subcommittee on immigration in 2015 and has written several opinion pieces, including an August 2015 article in TheHill.com, proposing alternatives to a constitutional amendment by which Congress could enact a law or President Trump could issue an executive order denying citizenship, U.S. passports or Social Security numbers to American-born children of people in the country illegally. Feere in 2010 estimated those births at between 300,000 and 400,000 a year, according to information on the CIS website. Other estimates put the figure lower. About 275,000 babies were born to unauthorized-immigrant parents in 2014, according to Pew Research Center estimates based on government data. “President Obama has demonstrated that unilateral action by the executive branch is a legitimate means of changing the nation’s immigration policy,” Feere wrote in his 2015 article. “Though his actions have been controversial, executive actions that direct agencies how to approach birthright citizenship are arguably more justifiable.” Feere added, “Whether Trump worked with Congress to draft legislation or simply directed agencies to apply the Citizenship Clause more narrowly, the issue would likely end up at the Supreme Court.” Feere’s name surfaced as GOP congressional judiciary committee staffers were said by former officials to be in the running for other homeland security positions. Those under consideration reportedly include Tracy L. Short, a House panel counsel who formerly served as deputy chief counsel with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Atlanta office, and Gene P. Hamilton, a Senate panel counsel for DHS-17-0435-A-000435 CBP FOIA000435 49 Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), Trump’s pick for attorney general. Spokeswomen for Sessions and the House committee did not return requests for comment Wednesday, and Short and Hamilton did not respond to email messages seeking comment. The administration’s potential staffing moves come under a spotlight as Trump began signing executive orders Wednesday on immigration matters including enabling construction of his proposed wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. Sessions has been an advocate of a tougher crackdown on immigration, although it remained unclear what steps Trump may undertake regarding the Obama administration’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA. The 2012 initiative has given temporary protection from deportation to hundreds of thousands of people who arrived in the United States as children. Trump vowed during the campaign to reverse it. Denying citizenship to U.S. born children of illegal immigrants would open a new battleground. “If there is a policy tug of war between the [Trump chief strategist Stephen K.] Bannon faction and the [chief of staff Reince] Priebus faction … assuming those things even exist, there’s still lots of hawkish people likely to be appointed in the various agencies,” said Mark Krikorian, CIS executive director. Krikorian declined to comment about Feere. “Personnel is policy, and the people getting the important policy positions in places like ICE, and Customs and Border Protection are likely to be pretty strong pro￾enforcement people, as opposed to Bush administration leftovers,” Krikorian said. Feere and other critics of birthright citizenship have argued government action is needed due to the numbers of such children, and what they say is a rise of “birth tourism” and a phenomenon of “chain migration” in which U.S. citizens can sponsor immediate family members to come into the country. When Congress considered legislation in 1995 to end automatic citizenship for children born to people who entered the U.S. illegally, opponents said it would contradict U.S. constitutional history and tradition and said the 14th Amendment established a “bright-line” principle that being born on American soil makes one a U.S. citizen. The amendment was passed in response to the 1856 Dred Scott decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that found that no person of African descent could ever become a citizen, and was upheld in 1898 by the court in a challenge to the Chinese Exclusion Act, which prohibited anyone of Chinese ancestry from remaining in the country. Defending the principle in an NPR interview in 2010, former assistant attorney general and acting solicitor general Walter Dellinger traced it to America’s racial history and immigrant identity. “We believe on a clean slate principle” and that “whatever questions there are about the legitimacy of parents or grandparents, in our country, you get a clean slate,” Dellinger said. “Every new child who is born here is simply and indisputably an American. And that is part of our almost unique national identity.” IG Probing Alleged DHS Snooping In Georgia Election Network By Jennifer G. Hickey Fox News, January 26, 2017 A government watchdog agency is investigating allegations that Department of Homeland Security officials improperly attempted to breach the Georgia secretary of state’s internal elections network last year. In a Jan. 17 letter to Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp, DHS Inspector General John Roth said his office was probing “a series of ten alleged scanning events of the Georgia Secretary of State’s network” that may have originated from DHS-affiliated IP addresses. DHS IG spokeswoman Erica Paulson confirmed the office has launched an investigation. Georgia officials first went public with their allegations in December. According to a Dec. 8 letter from Kemp to then￾Secretary Jeh Johnson, the state’s third-party cybersecurity provider detected a “large unblocked scan event” on the morning of Nov. 15, several days after the election. The alleged effort to penetrate the secretary of state’s firewall was traced back to an IP address at DHS’ Southwest D.C. office – and did not succeed in breaking through. But DHS has argued that what Georgia detected was simply a contractor performing routine duties. After a preliminary review of the incident, Johnson told Kemp that the workstation involved was used by a contractor with the Georgia-based Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC). “We interviewed the contractor and he told us that he accessed your website as part of his normal job duties,” said Johnson in a Dec. 12 response, in which he also denied that IP address was ever used to conduct security scans. Johnson also said the contractor was not a member of DHS cybersecurity team and was only trying to determine whether contractors and new employees had certain professional licenses. Unsatisfied by the explanation, Kemp, a member of DHS’ federal election security task force, reached out to President Trump before he took office to request an IG probe into the Nov. 15 activity and nine other apparent attempts dating back to February 2016. “Could it be normal web traffic that triggered a red flag? Sure, but when you look at the dates there are some DHS-17-0435-A-000436 CBP FOIA000436 50 interesting correlations between my calendar and when the contacts were made,” Kemp told Fox News. The nine other alleged incidents flagged by Kemp correspond to key election dates and times when Kemp was speaking out against DHS’ plans to designate elections systems as “critical infrastructure.” The DHS officially classified the election system as “critical infrastructure” in early January. The move was not welcomed by many secretaries of state. The designation is “legally and historically unprecedented” and raises “many questions and concerns for states and localities with authority over the administration of our voting process,” the National Association of Secretaries of State said in a statement. It’s unclear whether the current IG probe, first reported by The Daily Caller, is being conducted at Trump’s behest. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, similarly asked the DHS inspector general to launch an inquiry. He further requested the department provide to his committee all of Johnson’s correspondence with Kemp. Chaffetz argued the intrusions, if true, “implicate state sovereignty laws” and constitutional laws. According to Kemp, the IP address affiliated with the contractor was tied to scans of systems in Kentucky, West Virginia and Maine despite DHS’ insistence that no authorized or unauthorized scans were conducted by that workstation. Last September, DHS offered to provide states assistance with election security, including “cyber hygiene” scans designed to find any irregularities or vulnerabilities, but Georgia and several other states declined the offer. Justice Department Fights Order To Preserve Ex-DHS Officials’ Emails By By Josh Gerstein Politico, January 26, 2017 The Justice Department is asking a federal judge to reconsider an order requiring four former Department of Homeland Security officials, including ex-Secretary Jeh Johnson, to preserve many of their emails stored on private accounts. Last week, two days before the inauguration of President Donald Trump, U.S. District Court Judge Randolph Moss ordered that Johnson and three former top DHS officials move messages they stored in online, personal accounts to thumb drives or hard drives for safekeeping. Moss said he ordered the move out of “an abundance of caution” in connection with a Judicial Watch Freedom of Information Act lawsuit exploring the officials’ use of personal email on government computers. Justice Department lawyers opposed the preservation order, saying the officials already pledged to hang on to any potentially responsive emails in their accounts. On Thursday, federal government attorneys went back to Moss, asking him to reconsider the order. The Justice Department attorneys said Moss “erred” when he said copying the officials’ emails onto thumb drives wouldn’t impact their privacy because they would be allowed to retain the drives. “Although the Order has the individuals copying their e￾mails onto thumb drives and maintaining those thumb drives, the mere existence of a second copy increases the risk that they will be exposed,” government lawyers wrote in a motion filed Thursday. The government also contends that the ex-officials don’t know how to copy their messages. “DHS’s present understanding is that the former officials are not independently aware of how to transfer e-mails from a web-based account (i.e., Gmail) to a thumb drive and that DHS information technology staff who were consulted did not have any particular knowledge about how to transfer the e￾mails, either,” Justice Department attorneys wrote. The filing suggests the ex-officials and DHS staff are also unsure about how to copy part of the private emails archives, since the suit sought only work-related emails between certain dates in 2013 and 2015. If Moss won’t lift his order, the Justice Department asked that he let the officials move the messages to encrypted DVDs instead of thumb drives or hard drives. In arguing for the preservation order, Judicial Watch warned that failing to secure the emails before the end of the Obama administration risked repeating the ungainly effort to recover Hillary Clinton’s emails after she left government in 2013. However, most of the officials involved had already quit by the time the issue reached judges in recent weeks. The conservative watchdog group also won a similar order from another judge last week requiring a departing Justice Department official to preserve some of his private￾account emails, if any contain potential federal records. Another group, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, obtained an order last month requiring the preservation of private￾account emails belonging to a top White House science official. Justice’s filing Thursday was submitted under the name of Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division Joyce Branda. The Trump administration has yet to nominate a lawyer to head Justice’s Civil Division. Moss is an appointee of President Barack Obama. DHS-17-0435-A-000437 CBP FOIA000437 51 IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT Accused Colombian Drug Lord Says He Was Secretly Working For The Feds By Jay Weaver Miami Herald, January 26, 2017 When an elusive cocaine-trafficking suspect was finally extradited to Miami in November, federal prosecutors portrayed Henry De Jesus Lopez Londoño as one of Colombia’s most “prolific drug dealers.” But what U.S. authorities did not mention was that Lopez Londoño had been recruited as a confidential informant — or “deep cover mole” —for two federal agencies, his lawyers say in court documents unsealed Thursday. The defense depicts Lopez Londoño as a coveted government operative who made a deal with the feds and put his life on the line to help the war on drugs — including infiltrating a dangerous drug-trafficking cartel headed by Mexican kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, as well as paramilitary groups and members of the al-Qaida terrorist network in Colombia. Saying he was promised “favorable treatment” by agents, Lopez Londoño’s attorneys contend he provided them with inside information on the organizations, production plants, drug routes and cocaine shipments and claim his tips led to at least two major U.S. seizures. Although he is known in the trafficking underworld as “Mi Sangre” (My Blood), the court filings say, agents called him by his code name, “Assis.” The filings from his defense team, which had been out of public view until now, claim Lopez Londoño worked formally for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Drug Enforcement Administration as an undercover informant — for a period that covers most of the time he is accused of importing loads of cocaine into the United States. The U.S. attorney’s office in Miami confirmed that Lopez Londoño was once a “confidential source” for one agency, ICE, between August 2010 and February 2011, in a response also unsealed Thursday. But prosecutors said the DEA “never” formally used him as an informant. Prosecutors also dispute that he helped the feds throughout the time frame of his narco-trafficking indictment. Lopez Londoño, charged with a half-dozen others on a single conspiracy charge of importing and distributing more than five kilos of cocaine between October 2006 and February 2012, is scheduled for trial in late October of this year. Four of his co-conspirators have already pleaded guilty and are cooperating as witnesses. His lawyers say he signed agreements with ICE and then the DEA during meetings in Cartagena, Colombia, in 2009 and 2010. The agencies, according to court documents, also promised to provide his family with possible asylum in America — along with “favorable treatment for him once he came to the United States.” As a result of Lopez Londoño’s “arrangement with ICE, he undertook infiltration assignments among Colombia’s paramilitary organizations, at great personal risk, in order to uncover money laundering, drug and weapons trafficking activities in Colombia during the relevant periods of [his] indictment,” his lawyers assert in court documents. Lopez Londoño’s lawyers have taken the strategic step of disclosing his once-secret role for the federal agencies in an effort to thwart his prosecution under a rare legal strategy known as the public authority defense. His lead defense attorney, Arturo V. Hernandez, argues in court papers that during the time his client is accused of breaking U.S. drug￾trafficking laws, he was merely carrying out his assignments for government agents and therefore cannot be punished for any alleged misconduct. Hernandez, who is seeking more government evidence about his client as well as federal grand jury minutes, asserts the indictment is “defective” and that the initial U.S. prosecutor on the case deliberately withheld the defendant’s role as a government informant from that jury. Asked about his client’s disclosure on Thursday, Hernandez declined to comment, stating he “would litigate this case through the filed pleadings, not in the press.” An Argentine lawyer, who represented Lopez-Londoño in his fight against extradition to the United States, also criticized U.S. authorities for withholding information about his client’s role as an informant for federal drug investigators. The defendant was arrested in Argentina in 2012. “For four years, Mr. Lopez-Londoño fought the U.S. extradition request and the U.S. Government never once informed the Argentine judicial authorities that the defendant had, for a significant period of time, worked for the U.S. Government,” attorney Daniel Fedel said in a statement. “Had this been confirmed, Mr. Lopez-Londoño would not have been extradited to the U.S.” According to his lawyers, Lopez-Londoño had fled from Colombia to Argentina in 2008 and would soon start working undercover for a series of federal agencies, requiring him to return to his homeland to infiltrate drug organizations. They said he returned to Colombia a couple of months before he was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2012, saying he feared for his life in his native country – not because of the conspiracy case in Miami. Prosecutors, however, said he absconded to Argentina after the indictment was filed in federal court. Lopez-Londoño was a leader of the right-wing Colombian paramilitary group known as the AUC more than a decade ago, according to prosecutors. He later became a boss of the Urabeños gang in northern Colombia. DHS-17-0435-A-000438 CBP FOIA000438 52 When police in Argentina arrested him in 2012, they said Lopez Londoño held passports from seven countries to evade capture, and that he had entered the country with a false passport while posing as a Venezuelan businessman. He sought asylum, but his petition was rejected, and after a fierce legal fight he was extradited to the U.S. four years later. In his Miami case, Lopez Londoño filed an affidavit in which he said he first made contact with a U.S. agency in 2008 through a member of AUC. Agents with the Treasury Department, he said, wanted him to help investigate large drug trafficking and money laundering organizations in Colombia. He said the following year, he began his infiltration activities. In 2009, he said he formalized his undercover work in meetings with agents from another U.S. agency, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in Cartegena. “I became a documented informant for the U.S. law enforcement agents, and signed two separate contracts,” he said in his affidavit unsealed on Thursday. Lopez Londoño said during that period, he worked with five ICE agents and later with three DEA agents, while infiltrating and providing information on several targets – including the Guzman, Ubarbeños and Los Rastrojos organizations. As a confidential informant, Lopez Londoño said he provided “extensive intelligence” on the structure of the organizations, cocaine production facilities, drug-trafficking routes, money-laundering activities, and the identities of high￾ranking officials “engaged in political corruption” in Colombia, Venezuela and Argentina. In addition, he said, “I have provided information that has led to at least two seizures of large quantities of cocaine.” Lopez Londoño said he also became aware in 2010 of an “internal conflict” between ICE and the DEA agents over who would be supervising his activities as a confidential informant. He said ICE agents told him to stop working with the DEA. “Due to the close partnership of DEA with the Colombian police, I had ongoing concerns that my activities would become known to the Colombian police that I believed were corrupt and in the pay of the large cartels,” Lopez Londoño said in the affidavit. “If my activities on behalf of U.S. law enforcement had been leaked to the criminal cartels I was infiltrating,” he said, “it would have cost me my life and possibly that of my family.” ICE Agent Raided Korean Restaurant In Exchange For Free Food From Rival, Lawsuit Claims By Samantha Schmidt Washington Post, January 26, 2017 In July 2013, Department of Homeland Security investigators raided a popular Las Vegas Korean supper club, detaining its employees for intense hours-long interrogations. According to a lawsuit, they were acting under orders of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agent, who portrayed it as a place of “prostitution and human trafficking.” Then, with no federal court order or approval from a judge, the ICE special agent forced the restaurant owner’s then-fiancee to wear an electronic tracking device on her ankle for six months, claiming he had the legal authority to monitor her for “as long as he liked,” a lawsuit by the club’s owners alleges. Authorities never found the owners of the restaurant, Club Yamang, responsible for the crimes. In fact, the lawsuit brought by those owners claims that ICE special agent Joohoon David Lee had been harassing the restaurant owners and employees in exchange for copious amounts of free food and drinks at a rival Las Vegas supper club, Club Sonagi, also popular for its Korean food, music and attractive hostesses. Lee and the owner of Club Sonagi “hatched a plan to drive Club Yamang out of business and into financial ruin” to benefit Club Sonagi, the lawsuit claims. In return, Lee would allegedly consume expensive whiskey and food at Club Sonagi, generating tabs between $1,000 to $2,500 an evening, without ever having to pay up. The restaurant employees said it was commonly known that Lee would never be presented with a bill; all of his food and drinks were to be “comped.” “It started becoming more and more apparent to us that this thing was sort of shady all around,” Paul Padda, a lawyer for the former restaurant owners and employees, said in an interview with The Washington Post. Then, in May 2015, Lee was indicted in an unrelated bribery case in Los Angeles, pleading guilty months later. The details of the case “corroborated what we had sensed regarding Lee’s ulterior motives,” Padda said. The restaurant’s co-owners are now suing the federal government, seeking at least $100,000 each in damages for negligence and emotional distress caused by Lee’s alleged harassment. The lawsuit, filed this month on behalf of three investors and co-owners and the now-wife of the former owner, comes after a similar lawsuit filed in April on behalf of the restaurant’s former owner, Thomas Kim. “The raid was not supported by legitimate reasons,” the lawsuit states. “Instead it was based almost entirely upon SA Lee’s representations and appeal to crass racial/ethnic stereotypes of Asian clubs as dens of prostitution and human trafficking, which SA Lee believed other government officials would be susceptible to believing.” On one evening a few weeks before the initial investigation at Club Yamang, Lee got drunk at Club Sonagi and boasted to some of the club’s waitresses that he was going to “raid” Club Yamang, the lawsuit alleges. He made no DHS-17-0435-A-000439 CBP FOIA000439 53 secret of his status as a federal agent while eating at the restaurant. Thomas Kim and his wife, Aeja Kim, did not learn until more than a year after the initial raid at their business that Lee’s investigation was “a complete fabrication,” the lawsuit alleged. By then, the damage was done. For months, Lee harassed Thomas, his employees and investors, they alleged. They alleged he placed Aeja Kim into a database that would flag her for questioning in airports — so each time she returned to the United States from a trip to her native South Korea, she would be detained for questioning for hours. “It was very deeply offensive to her,” Padda, the lawyer, said. Two of the restaurant co-owners, a married couple, also ran into similar issues with ICE, Padda said. “You can play on stereotypes to make people believe the worst about someone,” Padda said. “It was a storm of all these things occurring.” Lee allegedly went to the apartment building of one of Thomas Kim’s female employees and questioned her at length in the lobby of the complex, within earshot of other residents, about prostitution and illicit drug use. He told the woman, a naturalized citizen, that if she didn’t cooperate with him she could lose her citizenship. As a result of the allegations against it, Club Yamang’s business took a significant hit. Thomas Kim told the Las Vegas Review Journal that the restaurant lost hundreds of thousands of dollars because of its damaged reputation. “The word got out among people in the Asian community and potential customers,” Padda said. “It was just not a place people wanted to go to.” The Kims became so frustrated by the constant surveillance and “stalking” — and the resulting blow to the business — that they moved to California two years ago, Padda said. Club Yamang is now under new ownership. Meanwhile, Lee had become a target of the criminal bribery investigation in Los Angeles. In March 2012, Lee, then a special agent in the human trafficking unit of Homeland Security Investigations, interviewed a woman who claimed to be entering the United States to be a sex slave for a Korean businessman. About a year after, Lee met with the businessman’s attorney and told him that if he would pay for his trip, he would fly to Korea and interview the businessman and submit a positive report on his behalf. A family member of the man traveled to Las Vegas to give Lee $3,000 in cash, according to court papers. One day later, Lee deposited $1,000 in his bank account and bought a plane ticket to Seoul, where his hotel and entertainment were also paid for by the businessman. Lee solicited a second bribe for $100,000 to make the “immigration issues go away.” He eventually received about $6,000 to $8,000 in cash. After returning to the United States, Lee filed an entry into a law enforcement database stating that although the businessman was suspected of human trafficking, the case was closed because of a lack of evidence. But after another agent alerted internal investigators about Lee’s interference in another case, his record was investigated and he was charged with bribery Lee pleaded guilty in December 2015 to one count of bribery. In July, he was sentenced to 10 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald, who called the bribery “a very, very grave crime.” Lee’s former lawyer declined to comment when reached by The Post. The case, however grave, was not isolated. A recently published review by the New York Times of thousands of court records and internal agency documents showed that over the last 10 years almost 200 employees and contract workers of the Department of Homeland Security have taken nearly $15 million in bribes. According to the Associated Press, a massive hiring spree at U.S. Customs and Border Protection about a decade ago led the agency to balloon by nearly 8,000 agents in three years to more than 20,000 in 2009. The number of employees arrested for misconduct, such as civil rights violations or off-duty crimes like domestic violence, grew each year between 2007 and 2012, reaching 336, a 44 percent increase. Additionally, more than 100 employees were arrested or charged with corruption during the six-year span, including taking bribes to smuggle drugs or people. The Kims’ case, Padda said, is a “classic tale of abuse of power.” “What it does underscore is the tremendous power that federal agents have,” Padda said, “and how one federal agent alone can really wreak havoc in a person’s life.” Immigration Agents Attempt Arrest At Mission District Community Center By Joe Rivano Barros San Francisco Chronicle, January 26, 2017 Agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement attempted to arrest two people suspected of being undocumented immigrants in the Mission District on Thursday morning, but left with no arrests made. “ICE agents arrived to our center at about 9:20 a.m. this morning,” said Mario Paz, the executive director of the Good Samaritan Resource Center at 1294 Potrero Ave. The center sits next to 20 units of housing at 1290 Potrero Ave., and Paz said the immigration agents were looking for two people there. “An agent entered our center with two papers in hand and asked if two individuals lived here,” he said. “Our staff responded that this is not a residency, that this is a community center.” The agents then said thank you and stepped outside, going to the apartment complex next door, he said. The DHS-17-0435-A-000440 CBP FOIA000440 54 property manager was not in, Paz said, and a group of five agents waited for 10 minutes outside the complex before leaving. Paz said it was no coincidence that the visit occurred the day after President Donald Trump threatened to cut federal funding for sanctuary cities like San Francisco. He said the visit was “sending out a message” to the city. “Obviously this sort of rattled us, it rattled some of our staff,” he said. “For me this is not necessarily a coincidence that this happened the day after the president’s announcement…read more here ICE Agents Appear At Family Center In SF’s Mission District By Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez San Francisco Examiner, January 26, 2017 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents seeking an undocumented immigrant visited a home in San Francisco’s Mission District on Thursday, but not before first stopping at a building housing a preschool next door by mistake, an agency spokesperson confirmed. ICE’s Bay Area-based Fugitive Operations Teams conducting “routine enforcement activities” went to the Good Samaritan Family Resource Center at 1290 Potrero Ave. in the Mission District at about 9 a.m. Thursday, trying to locate a convicted sex offender sought for deportation. ICE did not specify the nature of the sex offense. The family resource center where the ICE agents first visited contains a preschool on site, where 30 toddlers and children played feet away from where ICE agents entered the center. “They had batons, they had walkie talkies, they had police belts and vests on top of their black uniforms. I didn’t notice if they had guns,” said Jaime Aragon, services coordination manager at Good Samaritan. ICE spokesperson Virginia Kice said the agents first went to the person’s last known address and identified themselves as ICE officers, but were told the correct address was actually next door at the Good Samaritan-owned apartment building. When the agents went next door, they did not find their target and left without making any arrests. Kice said such operations occur every day throughout the U.S. “ICE’s enforcement actions are targeted and lead driven, focusing on individuals who pose a threat to national security, border security, and public safety,” Kice said in a statement. Still, the incident sparked fear and outrage among immigration advocates in San Francisco The incident, which former Supervisor David Campos called “unusual,” came only a day after President Donald Trump signed two executive orders that — among other actions — called for 10,000 new ICE agents to perform deportations across the country. Campos, who termed out in November, said he can’t remember any ICE raids during his time as supervisor in the Mission District, a historically Latino neighborhood, and only a “couple of cases” where ICE was seeking someone for deportation. “Trump just declared war on immigrants,” Campos said. “This is very unusual.” Visiting a preschool and other sites containing children is prohibited for ICE under a 2011 Department of Homeland Security “sensitive locations” memorandum, save for exceptional circumstances. A 2011 memorandum from then-Department of Homeland Security Director John Morton wrote that ICE agents “do not occur at nor are focused on sensitive locations such as schools and churches,” including preschools. However, the order is not intended to “categorically prohibit” operations at sensitive locations like schools, according to the memo, and exceptions include enforcement over a national security or terrorism matter; an imminent risk of death, violence or physical harm; the immediate arrest or pursuit of a dangerous felon or terrorist suspect; or imminent risk of destruction of evidence in an ongoing criminal case. Mayor Ed Lee’s spokesperson Deirdre Hussey said the incident Thursday is an example of how The City must continue to protect undocumented immigrants, even under the threat of losing federal funding by upholding its sanctuary city status. “We encourage people to continue to visit their community based organization and get the services they need,” Hussey said. “San Francisco is and will remain a sanctuary city.” Supervisor Hillary Ronen, whose district includes the Mission, echoed that sentiment. “We don’t want people to be unnecessarily afraid,” Ronen said, adding that while this was an ICE appearance, “there has not been a raid.” “Take this time to review your rights,” she said. A number of workshops for nonprofits and community members to review their immigration rights are scheduled for the next few weeks. ICE Agents Descend On Mission’s Good Samaritan Center : SFist By Jay Barmann SFist, January 26, 2017 The immigration crackdown has begun, and some ICE agents, possibly emboldened or directed by the new Trump regime, conducted a rare raid in San Francisco Thursday, descending upon the Good Samaritan Family Resource Center in the Mission. As the Examiner reports, agents say DHS-17-0435-A-000441 CBP FOIA000441 55 they were seeking an individual for arrest and possible deportation, but they may have had the wrong address and no arrest was made. They were apparently looking for a person who lives in the center’s housing complex next door. As the Ex notes, the Good Samaritan complex includes a preschool, along with a health clinic and adult classrooms where English is taught, among other things, and immigration agents are not supposed to conduct raids at “sensitive locations” like schools, according to a 2011 Department of Homeland Security memorandum, except under exceptional circumstances. The only people at the center at the time of the raid, at 9 a.m., were thirty toddlers and their teachers at the preschool, and 20 Latino families who were just arriving for an ESL class. In this case, five agents arrived with batons, and neighbors reported on Facebook that they heard a helicopter hovering as well. It remains unclear whom they were seeking, or if they proceeded to attempt an arrest elsewhere. President Trump on Wednesday, as part of his executive order vowing punishments for Sanctuary Cities like San Francisco, promised to publish a weekly lists of crimes allegedly committed by undocumented immigrants in these cities. It is unclear whether local ICE agents already had some directive to detain one such alleged criminal. (Under the wording of the executive order, as CNN points out, undocumented people could be deported simply for being charged with a crime, even if they have not been convicted.) The Ex spoke to former Mission District Supervisor David Campos who said he could only recall a “couple of cases” in which ICE went looking someone in the neighborhood for deportation, and no raids that occurred under his tenure as supervisor. “My initial reaction was, ‘Is this a change in policy?’” Campos told the paper. “Trump just declared war on immigrants. This is very unusual.” San Francisco already has provisions for the detention of undocumented criminals, and for turning them over to ICE for deportation if they have a serious felony conviction like murder or rape on their record within the past five years, or if they had a violent or serious felony conviction in the past seven years or three or more lesser felonies arising from different events in the past five years. ICE Agents Arrive At San Francisco Nonprofit, Rattling Staff; Agents Were Seeking Nearby Sex Offender By Matt Hamilton, Contact Reporter Los Angeles Times, January 26, 2017 ICE agents arrived Thursday morning at a San Francisco nonprofit serving mostly low-income Latino immigrant families, rattling staffers and stoking fears about illegal immigration crackdowns under President Trump. But though agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents did descend on the Good Samaritan Family Resource Center in the Mission District, immigration officials said it was not a raid but a targeted effort to find a convicted sex offender wanted for deportation. The agents — with “ICE” in large letters on the back of their clothes — arrived about 9:20 a.m. at the center and lingered outside the building, according to Jaime Aragon, the organization’s service coordination manager. After a few minutes, they entered and asked Aragon about people who lived there. “I told them this is a family resource center. No one lives here — I can’t help them,” said Aragon, who directed the agents to a housing complex next door. The officer “thanked me and left.” Virginia Kice, an ICE spokeswoman, said that after learning the suspect’s last address was actually next door, the agents promptly walked out. At the housing complex, the agents didn’t find the person and left the area without making an arrest, Kice said. ICE described the action by agents as routine — part of typical operations to track down specific individuals in the country illegally who pose a threat to public safety or national security. “ICE deportation officers and special agents conduct operations every day in locations around the country,” Kice said in a statement. An ICE policy memorandum from 2011 calls on officers to avoid conducting actions at “sensitive locations,” including schools, hospitals, churches and public demonstrations, and to use extra caution at organizations that help children and pregnant women. To Aragon, who has worked at the nonprofit for seven years, the presence of federal immigration agents put him on edge. “Nothing like this ever happened close to home. It was very jarring,” Aragon said. “It took us by surprise. We know what to do and we are equipped to respond in an appropriate way, but it was still very disturbing.” The brief presence of ICE agents came just a day after Trump signed two executive orders designed to begin building a wall along the border with Mexico, add lockups for detaining immigrants who cross the border illegally, enhance enforcement powers for border agents and strip federal funding to cities that refuse to cooperate with immigration enforcement. According to a draft document reviewed by The Times, under the new order, the federal government would threaten to withhold funds from so-called sanctuary cities that limit cooperation with immigration officials. San Francisco, like Los Angeles, is a sanctuary city, a broad policy aimed at welcoming those here illegally. DHS-17-0435-A-000442 CBP FOIA000442 56 Staffers at Good Samaritan Family Resource Center hoped that the brief visit by ICE agents does not frighten away those who utilize their services: primarily low-income immigrant families. The organization provides child care, English classes, parenting groups and after-school programs. Aragon said it was a small relief that the federal agents came at 9:20 a.m. The group has a large wave of English as a second language students who arrive at 9 a.m., usually with their children in tow. “Everyone missed these officers by a hair,” he said. League City Woman Admits To Federal Child Pornography Charge By Gabrielle Banks Houston Chronicle, January 26, 2017 A League City woman pleaded guilty in Galveston Thursday to receiving child pornography via texts and online messaging. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION Border Patrol Chief Resigns After Clashing With Powerful Union By Jerry Markon, Lisa Rein And Wesley Lowery Washington Post, January 26, 2017 The chief of the U.S. Border Patrol has resigned after only six months on the job, one day after President Trump announced plans to ratchet up immigration enforcement and build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, officials said Thursday. It was not immediately clear why Mark Morgan — a career FBI official who was the first outsider to lead the agency responsible for securing the U.S. borders — left the agency. His resignation is effective Jan. 31, officials said. But Morgan had clashed with the powerful Border Patrol union, which endorsed Trump for president and whose leaders were present at Trump’s announcement of his immigration crackdown at Department of Homeland Security headquarters Friday. Gil Kerlikowske, former commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which oversees the Border Patrol, said in an interview that the union never supported Morgan for the job and appeared to be behind his departure. “The union has been very vocal about someone from outside of the Border Patrol becoming the head of the Border Patrol,” Kerlikowske said. “The union supported this candidate for president, and now very much appears to be directing things – which is absolutely unheard of in law enforcement. The union used their influence to have him removed.’’ A few weeks after Trump’s election, the conservative website Bretibart.com published an op-ed by the executive board of the National Border Patrol Council, which represents 16,500 agents. The piece was titled, “The chief Obama gave us is a disgrace.” It criticized Morgan’s leadership of the agency, in part latching onto a statement he made to members of Congress that said he supported “comprehensive immigration reform.” The union called this a partisan view. Union officials and Morgan could not immediately be reached for comment. Kevin K. McAleenan, acting commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, praised Morgan “for his unwavering dedication to our border security mission” and “his lifelong career in service to the nation.’’ His statement did not explain Morgan’s departure. The Border Patrol will have an important role in enforcing Trump’s crackdown on the nation’s estimated 11 million illegal immigrants. The president on Wednesday signed executive actions to order the construction of his controversial southwest border wall and cut off funds to cities that do not report undocumented immigrants to federal authorities. Trump also called for thousands of additional Border Patrol agents. There are now about 21,000. Morgan, 52, started his career as a Los Angeles police officer before ascending the ranks of the FBI. Kerlikowske chose him for the Border Patrol job, overlooking others who came up through the ranks, to change what is considered, even by law enforcement standards, to be an insular culture. Many agents, including the Border Patrol union, opposed the selection at the time, saying an outsider could never gain agents’ trust. Morgan told The Washington Post in an interview last September that his first priority was to change the culture of the agency, which had for years faced allegations of an overly confrontational approach in its enforcement that resulted in multiple fatal shootings of illegal immigrants and a lack of accountability in investigating misconduct. Morgan said he wanted to solve those problems. “ It was a culture of not getting out and talking about the issues, not being transparent about the process and it drove the perception there was a culture problem,” he told The Post. Two years ago, Kerlikowske had brought Morgan over from the FBI to run the internal affairs office at the larger Customs and Border Protection agency after removing the longtime official in the job. That official had been criticized for failing to investigate multiple allegations that Border Patrol agents had used excessive force on migrants. Morgan was then promoted to run the Border Patrol in July. During his short tenure, Morgan enforced new use-of￾force policies in the agency’s training academy curriculum that encouraged recruits to turn to other strategies to defuse encounters that could get violent. He was working with agents to help them develop better intelligence on drug cartels and smugglers behind illegal border crossings, and was also DHS-17-0435-A-000443 CBP FOIA000443 57 seeking to create a system to better review cases in which agents fire their weapons. Law enforcement officials describe Morgan — who was a career, not political appointee — as a careerist, as opposed to being a political partisan. “He’s not a political guy,” said Jim Pasco, executive director the nation Fraternal Order of Police. “I’ve never heard a bad thing about him – and I work for a union, we hear bad things about everyone.” U.S. Border Patrol Chief Ousted From Job By Stephen Dinan Washington Times, January 26, 2017 Border Patrol Chief Mark Morgan will be leaving job, the agency announced Thursday, after just seven months on the job. His departure comes just a day after President Trump issued a broad set of new directives to Border Patrol agents to step up enforcement of existing laws. Customs and Border Protection announced the move in a brief statement thanking Chief Morgan for his long government service, including 20 years in the FBI His last day will be Jan. 31. Chief Morgan made news last year when he disagreed with the Obama administration’s stance on the new illegal immigrant surge, saying lax enforcement policies were enticing more migrants to attempt to breach the border. He also said he was having to pull his trained agents off their duties to act as “child care providers” for the children being nabbed at the border. No reason was given for Chief Morgan’s departure, but he has tangled with the National Border Patrol Council, the labor union that represents line agents. The NBPC had wanted to see someone promoted from within the ranks, rather than someone from another law enforcement agency put in the leadership post. The NBPC has become a powerful political force after endorsing Mr. Trump in the presidential election. Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. U.S. Border Patrol Chief Morgan Asked To Leave The Agency: Sources By Julia Edwards Ainsley Reuters, January 26, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. AP Source: Border Patrol Chief Says He’s Been Forced Out By Elliot Spagat And Alicia A. Caldwell Associated Press, January 26, 2017 WASHINGTON (AP) – The man charged with protecting America’s borders was ousted Thursday, one day after President Donald Trump announced ambitious plans to build a massive wall at the Mexican border and bolster the ranks of the Border Patrol. Border Patrol Chief Mark Morgan said he was asked to leave and decided to resign rather than fight the request, according to a U.S. official who was on brief video conference in which Morgan informed senior agents of the change. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the discussion was not intended to be made public. The forced resignation leaves Trump with a leadership gap but also gives him a chance to start fresh with a Border Patrol chief of his own choosing. Border security and a “big beautiful wall” paid for by the Mexican government were centerpieces of Trump’s immigration platform during his presidential campaign. Mexico has repeatedly said it won’t pay for a barrier, and Mexican president Enrique Pena Nieto on Thursday cancelled a meeting with Trump. Morgan was named to the post in June and took office in October. The former FBI agent briefly led the internal affairs department at the Border Patrol’s parent agency before heading the agency of roughly 20,000 agents. His removal wasn’t a surprise. From the start, Morgan clashed with the Border Patrol’s union, which had advocated for an insider to lead the agency and sharply criticized Morgan at almost every turn. The union was incensed when Morgan, at a Senate hearing Dec. 1, said he supported a comprehensive immigration overhaul, which is often interpreted to include a path to citizenship for people who are in the country illegally. Morgan clarified his remarks in a note to Border Patrol staff the following week, saying he does not support a “blanket amnesty.” The union, the National Border Patrol Council, has had a strong relationship with Trump. It was so enamored with his stance on security that it took the unusual step of endorsing him during the campaign. The endorsement was a leadership decision and not decided on by a unionwide vote. Union chief Brandon Judd was part of Trump’s transition team. When Trump visited the Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday, he singled out Judd while pointedly avoiding mention of Morgan. Morgan was not at the event. Despite pressure from the union, many agency officials said Morgan appeared to embrace the job. Less than a week ago, the first message on his new Twitter account read, “Chief Morgan here – excited to use this account to share the latest news and events of the #BorderPatrol with followers.” Deputy Chief Carla Provost, who has been with the agency since 1995, will be the agency’s acting chief, according to an internal memo to agents in the Border Patrol’s Tucson office that was obtained by the AP. DHS-17-0435-A-000444 CBP FOIA000444 58 Morgan’s ouster occurred amid a shakeup across the agencies of government. The State Department on Thursday said several senior management officials as well as a top arms control diplomat would be leaving. All had submitted resignations before Trump became president as required of officials holding president-appointed jobs. But they weren’t required to leave the foreign service. --- Spagat reported from San Diego. --- Follow Elliot Spagat on Twitter at www.twitter.com/elliotspagat and Alicia A. Caldwell at www.twitter.com/acaldwellap © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Border Patrol Chief, An Agency Outsider, Is Stepping Down By Ron Nixon New York Times, January 26, 2017 Mark Morgan, who has led the United States Border Patrol for just a few months, will leave the agency just days after President Trump announced plans to increase the number of agents, according to a statement Thursday from Customs and Border Protection, which oversees the agency. Mr. Morgan told senior Border Patrol officials that he had been asked to resign, said one official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to speak to the news media. The official described staff members as shocked. Mr. Morgan’s last day at the agency, which has more than 20,000 agents and is responsible for border security, is Tuesday. He could not be reached for comment. Mr. Morgan had expressed a desire to stay at the agency in the Trump administration, a Department of Homeland Security official said. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk about internal staffing issues, said Mr. Morgan had sent an internal email to Border Patrol staff members after the election criticizing the immigration enforcement policies of President Barack Obama and his Homeland Security secretary, Jeh C. Johnson. The official said it appeared to be an attempt by Mr. Morgan to please the incoming administration, which had made border security a key campaign platform. Mr. Morgan, a former F.B.I. agent, was appointed chief in June and took over in October. He was the first chief in the agency’s 93-year history who had never worked as a border patrol agent. He had led the internal affairs office at Customs and Border Protection before taking over the Border Patrol. His appointment drew criticism from the National Border Patrol Council, the union for Border Patrol workers, which said an insider should have been appointed to head the agency. The union endorsed Mr. Trump during the election, and the union’s president, Brandon Judd, also served on Mr. Trump’s transition team. Shawn Moran, a union spokesman, declined to comment on Mr. Morgan’s departure. In announcing a crackdown on illegal immigration in a speech at the Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday, Mr. Trump took care to praise the union’s president and the Border Patrol, which had members in the front rows. Mr. Trump also praised Immigration and Customs Enforcement, whose union also endorsed him. One executive order Mr. Trump signed on Wednesday will add 5,000 new agents to the Border Patrol and reverse several Obama-era policies that agents say impaired their ability to secure the border. The president did not single out other services in attendance for praise, such as the Transportation Security Administration or Coast Guard. R. Gil Kerlikowske, who stepped down as the commissioner of Customs and Border Protection last week and who appointed Mr. Morgan to head the border patrol, said he was not surprised by Mr. Morgan’s departure, given the union opposition to his hiring. “They were very vocal about an outsider coming in, even with his credentials as a police officer, deputy sheriff,” Mr. Kerlikowske said. “It’s very concerning to have a union making those kinds of decisions.” Customs and Border Protection did not say who would replace Mr. Morgan. During the presidential campaign, Joseph Arpaio, the former sheriff of Maricopa County in Arizona, who clashed with the Obama administration over his illegal immigration raids, was mentioned as a possible replacement. The Border Patrol has come under scrutiny for what some critics say is an inability to discipline officers and for policies concerning the use of force. A cross-border shooting in which a border agent shot and killed a Mexican boy in 2012 caused a diplomatic row with Mexico. Dozens of Border Patrol agents have been arrested in recent years on corruption charges, including taking bribes to allow drugs and illegal immigrants to enter the country. DHS-17-0435-A-000445 CBP FOIA000445 59 Montini: Will Trump Tap Arpaio To Head Border Patrol? By EJ Montini Arizona Republic, January 26, 2017 Even before he took office were those in Donald Trump’s transition team who wanted the president to hire dethroned Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio to head the border patrol. Now, he has his chance. The head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Mark Morgan, has resigned. We all know how much Trump like Arpaio. And vice versa. ADVERTISING The former sheriff was Trump’s earliest nationally known political backer. He loves the idea of the wall. He got into trouble for too aggressively (and illegally) rounding up suspected illegal immigrants. He appeared with Trump on the campaign trail number times and spoke at the Republican National Convention. Sure, he has that little problem of a federal criminal contempt trial for defying a judge’s order that his deputies stop targeting Latinos. But, hey, Arpaio has worn that charge like a badge of honor. And has been praised for it by Trump backers. Like Willian Gheen, president of the Americans for Legal Immigration PAC, who said of Arpaio, “The American public is very thankful that Sheriff Joe Arpaio has stood up to the Obama administration and all of the power groups that are backing the illegal immigrant invasion of America.” In our old universe – the one that existed prior to Trump’s election – it would have been considered inappropriate and best and political suicide at worst to appoint someone to such a position while that person is facing a criminal trial. But we don’t live in that world anymore. And that last thing that we would be if Trump tapped Arpaio to head the border patrol is … surprised. Border Patrol Chief Out One Day After Trump Wall Announcement By Paulina Firozi The Hill, January 26, 2017 The U.S. Border Patrol Chief Mark Morgan has reportedly left the agency a day after President Trump signed an executive order to build a wall on the Mexican border. The Associated Press report, citing current and former U.S. officials, said Morgan was no longer in his post, though it was not clear if he resigned or was asked to leave. Trump promised during his presidential campaign that he would build a wall on the Mexican border and that Mexico would pay for it. In signing the order, he fulfilled part of the pledge, though it does not appear that Mexico will pay for it. “This is a law enforcement agency,” Trump said during his announcement following the order during a visit to the Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday.”But for too long, your offices and agents haven’t been allowed to properly do their jobs. “From here on out, I’m asking all of you to enforce the laws of the United States of America. They will be enforced and enforced strongly.” Mexico’s president has canceled a planned meeting with Trump because of Trump’s actions on the border. Border Patrol Chief, Who Once Backed Immigration Reform, Removed From Office Fox News, January 26, 2017 The Border Patrol chief has been removed from office, a day after President Trump signed an executive order to build a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border and hire 5,000 more agents, sources confirmed to Fox News Thursday. The Associated Press first reported Thursday that Mark Morgan told senior Border Patrol agents that he was asked to leave, and said he had chosen to resign rather than fight the removal request. Morgan was named to the post in June and took office in October. His hiring had caused concern among the rank￾and-file as he was not a former agent himself. Sources told Fox News that the latest move was to show that Customs and Border Protection is going in a new, and more aggressive, direction. Morgan’s last day will be Jan. 31 and sources said a new chief has already been identified. Sources say he is more in line with the Trump administration on border issues. In a statement, Kevin McAleenan, the Customs and Border Protection’s acting commissioner, praised Morgan for “his unwavering dedication to our border security mission” and “lifelong career in service to the nation.” The White House released a statement saying that the post is a political appointment and therefore “all officers understand the President may choose to replace them at any time.” “No officer accepts a political appointment with the expectation that it is unlimited,” the statement said. Morgan had clashed frequently with the Border Patrol union, which backed Trump and criticized Morgan frequently. The union was infuriated when Morgan told a Senate hearing in December that he supported a comprehensive immigration overhaul – assumed to include a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants. DHS-17-0435-A-000446 CBP FOIA000446 60 Morgan later clarified his statement sying he did not support “blanket amnesty” and encouraged union members to listen to his testimony. Agency officials told The Associated Press that Morgan appeared to embrace the job. Less than a week ago, the first message on his new Twitter account read, “Chief Morgan here – excited to use this account to share the latest news and events of the #BorderPatrol with followers.” Border Patrol Chief Resigns After Clashing With Powerful Union By Jerry Markon, Lisa Rein, Wesley Lowery Washington Post, January 26, 2017 The chief of the U.S. Border Patrol has resigned after only six months on the job, one day after President Trump announced plans to ratchet up immigration enforcement and build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, officials said Thursday. It was not immediately clear why Mark Morgan — a career FBI official who was the first outsider to lead the agency responsible for securing the U.S. borders — left the agency. His resignation is effective Jan. 31, officials said. But Morgan had clashed with the powerful Border Patrol union, which endorsed Trump for president and whose leaders were present at Trump’s announcement of his immigration crackdown at Department of Homeland Security headquarters Friday. Gil Kerlikowske, former commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which oversees the Border Patrol, said in an interview that the union never supported Morgan for the job and appeared to be behind his departure. “The union has been very vocal about someone from outside of the Border Patrol becoming the head of the Border Patrol,” Kerlikowske said. “The union supported this candidate for president, and now very much appears to be directing things – which is absolutely unheard of in law enforcement. The union used their influence to have him removed.’’ A few weeks after Trump’s election, the conservative website Bretibart.com published an op-ed by the executive board of the National Border Patrol Council, which represents 16,500 agents. The piece was titled, “The chief Obama gave us is a disgrace.” It criticized Morgan’s leadership of the agency, in part latching onto a statement he made to members of Congress that said he supported “comprehensive immigration reform.” The union called this a partisan view. Morgan could not immediately be reached for comment. Union spokesman Shaun Moran said he was under orders not to discuss the union’s role in Morgan’s departure. But responding to Kerlikowske’s comments, Moran said: “We supported President Trump because he was the only candidate who talked about taking action on border security. His actions over the past few days show it was not just campaign rhetoric, but a true conviction to protect Americans from the dangers of illegal immigration.” He accused Kerlikowske of rolling back enforcement operations and “preventing agents from doing their jobs.” “Gil Kerlikowske had multiple opportunities to work with the union to help protect Americans. He chose not to do so.” Kevin K. McAleenan, acting commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, praised Morgan “for his unwavering dedication to our border security mission” and “his lifelong career in service to the nation.’’ His statement did not explain Morgan’s departure. The Border Patrol will have an important role in enforcing Trump’s crackdown on the nation’s estimated 11 million illegal immigrants. The president on Wednesday signed executive actions to order the construction of his controversial southwest border wall and cut off funds to cities that do not report undocumented immigrants to federal authorities. Trump also called for thousands of additional Border Patrol agents. There are now about 21,000. Brandon Judd, president of the National Border Patrol Council, was standing behind Trump as the president signed Wednesday’s executive order on border security. Morgan was not. And in his speech to DHS employees, Trump called on Judd to stand and be recognized. Morgan, 52, started his career as a Los Angeles police officer before ascending the ranks of the FBI. Kerlikowske chose him for the Border Patrol job, overlooking others who came up through the ranks, to change what is considered, even by law enforcement standards, to be an insular culture. Many agents, including the Border Patrol union, opposed the selection at the time, saying an outsider could never gain agents’ trust. Morgan told The Washington Post in an interview last September that his first priority was to change the culture of the agency, which had for years faced allegations of an overly confrontational approach in its enforcement that resulted in multiple fatal shootings of illegal immigrants and a lack of accountability in investigating misconduct. Morgan said he wanted to solve those problems. “ It was a culture of not getting out and talking about the issues, not being transparent about the process and it drove the perception there was a culture problem,” he told The Post. Two years ago, Kerlikowske had brought Morgan over from the FBI to run the internal affairs office at the larger Customs and Border Protection agency after removing the longtime official in the job. That official had been criticized for failing to investigate multiple allegations that Border Patrol agents had used excessive force on migrants. Morgan was then promoted to run the Border Patrol in July. During his short tenure, Morgan enforced new use-of￾force policies in the agency’s training academy curriculum DHS-17-0435-A-000447 CBP FOIA000447 61 that encouraged recruits to turn to other strategies to defuse encounters that could get violent. He was working with agents to help them develop better intelligence on drug cartels and smugglers behind illegal border crossings, and was also seeking to create a system to better review cases in which agents fire their weapons. Law enforcement officials describe Morgan — who was a career, not political appointee — as a careerist, as opposed to being a political partisan. “He’s not a political guy,” said Jim Pasco, executive director the nation Fraternal Order of Police. “I’ve never heard a bad thing about him – and I work for a union, we hear bad things about everyone.” Border Patrol Chief Is Abruptly Out After Being Brought In As A Reformer By Brian Bennett Los Angeles Times, January 26, 2017 The chief of the Border Patrol will leave his post at the end of the month, likely the result of a change in direction by the Trump administration and a reflection of the new power of the agency’s union. Mark Morgan, the agency’s head, was hired from the FBI in June to reform the force after a series of corruption allegations and problems with excessive force. He will leave the Border Patrol abruptly after seven months on the job, according to a person familiar with the decision who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Morgan’s departure was first reported by the Associated Press. Morgan spent 20 years at the FBI and was first brought to Customs and Border Protection, the Border Patrol’s parent agency, in 2014 to overhaul its internal affairs division. After a subsequent stint running the FBI’s training academy, he started the top job at the Border Patrol in June. The Border Patrol’s union had opposed Morgan’s appointment, preferring a candidate who had risen through the ranks of the agency. The union endorsed President Trump in the election, breaking with its practice of remaining neutral in elections. News of Morgan’s departure comes a day after Trump announced he would build a border wall and hire 5,000 more Border Patrol agents, bringing the total force to 26,000. Trump said the Border Patrol union would have a lot of clout in department decisions. Head Of Border Patrol Union Weighs In On Trump’s Wall Plans : NPR NPR, January 26, 2017 The U.S. Border Patrol agents’ union backed Donald Trump’s candidacy. Steve Inskeep talks with union leader Brandon Judd about the president’s executive action on a border wall and sanctuary cities. STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: When President Trump spoke to people at the Department of Homeland Security yesterday, Brandon Judd was in the audience. He’s president of the union that represents U.S. Border Patrol agents, the National Border Patrol Council, which endorsed Trump during the campaign. He was present to hear the president say he’s going ahead with building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, among other immigration measures, and he’s in our studio this morning. Mr. Judd, welcome back to the program. BRANDON JUDD: Good morning, Steve. INSKEEP: So how different is the border going to be assuming that the president’s orders are carried out here? JUDD: I don’t think it’s going to be – well, OK, it’s going to be a lot more secure. But what we’re talking about is we’re talking about a wall in strategic locations. We’re not talking about a great wall of the United States. We’re not talking about a continuous wall from California down to Texas. We’re talking about a wall in strategic locations which then helps the Border Patrol agents do their job better. INSKEEP: Because there are some places that are so sparsely populated and the ground is so fierce or so harsh you really don’t need... JUDD: Correct, correct. INSKEEP: So you’ve told us when you were on the program last time that about 10 to 15 percent of the border has serious fences in your view and maybe you’d double that under this proposal. JUDD: That’s what I’m thinking. Again, I don’t have the exact specifics of what they’re going to do, but I do know that they’re looking in specific places like Laredo, Texas, where we have very, very little walls. Yet, the state that Laredo, Texas, borders is extremely violent. And so we’re looking in locations like that. They’re looking in locations like that, but I think it’s going to be very effective. INSKEEP: What have you made of the really visceral response to this, the negative response to this from many people in the United States as well as from Mexico? JUDD: Well, I can understand, but you – but, Steve, you have to understand there’s a lot of rhetoric out there and a lot of what’s being put out there – I mean, I’ve heard that this is a racist wall. This isn’t a racist wall. We’re not talking about keeping out legal immigrants. We’re talking about keeping out illegal immigrants, and it has nothing to do with race because we get people from all – from everywhere. We get people from Russia who are white that cross the border illegally. And so this isn’t a racist wall. This is about the security and safety of the United States. INSKEEP: Although some people have pointed out nobody is talking about a wall on the Canadian border. DHS-17-0435-A-000448 CBP FOIA000448 62 JUDD: No, but we don’t have the same problems on the Canadian border. In fact, that’s where I work right now. I work on the Canadian border, and we just don’t have the same number of people crossing the Canadian border illegally like what we do on the southwest border. It’s a lot cheaper to go down to Mexico and cross the southwest border. INSKEEP: What do you think about the president’s effort to compel, if he can, local and state authorities to be more helpful to the Border Patrol and immigration authorities in doing their jobs and rounding up people who are here illegally? JUDD: Well – so my understanding is that he’s not compelling them to help us round them up. But what he is saying is if they come in contact, if a police officer, say, from Phoenix Police Department – if a police officer from the Phoenix, Ariz., police department comes in contact with somebody that he knows is here or suspects that is here illegally, then his responsibility is to contact an immigration enforcement officer to come in and find out. It’s the same with me. As a Border Patrol agent, if I make a vehicle stop and I find that illegal activity is taking place outside of the laws that I enforce... INSKEEP: Drunk driver for example. JUDD: Exactly – it’s my responsibility to call the local law – the local law enforcement so that they can come out and take care of the problem. INSKEEP: Are we not actually arguing about that much then? Because there are local authorities who are saying, yeah, yeah, if we find somebody who’s obviously in violation, we have to turn them over, but we do not want to make that our job. We don’t want it to be our job to seek them out or to hold people when otherwise there would not be reason to hold them. JUDD: And it’s not going to be their job. It’s not going to be their job to go seek out illegal immigrants in the United States. That is immigrations officers’ jobs and it’s not theirs. But if they do come in contact with people that are in the country illegally, they should have a responsibility and duty to report people that are breaking the law. INSKEEP: In a few seconds, how different do you think the country could be in three or four years if these proposals are carried out? JUDD: Well, I think the country is going to be a lot safer. INSKEEP: A lot safer. JUDD: I really do, yes, absolutely. I mean, I was there with what they call the angel families, families that had children that were killed by persons that were in the United States illegally. If these laws are carried out properly – and he’s not talking about new laws. By the way, he’s not saying that he’s going to give us new laws. He’s talking about enforcing the laws that are currently on the books. INSKEEP: Brandon Judd, thanks for coming by. I really appreciate it. JUDD: Appreciate it, thank you. INSKEEP: He is the head of the Border Patrol union. Head Of Border Patrol Union Says Misplaced Agents Delaying Security Measures By Matthew Wisner Yahoo! News, January 26, 2017 At the Department of Homeland Security Wednesday, President Trump announced plans to begin work on a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border as well as hire 5,000 additional Border Patrol agents. Border Patrol Union President Brandon Judd appeared on the FOX Business Network Thursday and explained why he feels 5,000 agents is enough to secure the border. “It is enough. In fact, if we were able to put all the agents that we currently have on the border, we would be able to secure the border given that we get the additional technology such as the wall,” Judd told the FOX Business Network’s Stuart Varney. The issue, according to Judd, is that many patrol agents are assigned to duties other than securing the border. “We have agents that are in [a] PR department for the agency, we have agents doing labor-employee relations instead of actually on the border, securing the border.” On the other hand, Judd explained that if the administration decides to keep those agents at their current positions, the additional 5,000 agents would be necessary. “If the agency determines that those individuals are needed in the places that they’re at, then we do need that additional 5,000 agents in order to secure the border.” Border Patrol Agent’s Radio Blocks Knife In Struggle Near Tucson By Carmen Duarte Arizona Daily Star, January 26, 2017 A Border Patrol agent struggled with an undocumented immigrant who attempted to stab the agent, but instead struck a handheld radio, authorities said. The incident occurred shortly after 9 p.m. Tuesday near Three Points, according to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection news release. The struggling agent received help from another agent who was in an Air and Marine Operations helicopter that landed in a clearing. The suspect was arrested. The incident began after the helicopter crew responded to a report of about 10 migrants walking in the desert near Three Points. The air crew spotted the group and was guiding Border Patrol agents on the ground toward the group’s location, authorities said. DHS-17-0435-A-000449 CBP FOIA000449 63 The air crew reported seeing one man fleeing from the group. A Border Patrol agent made contact with the man and both began to struggle. During the struggle, the man pulled out a knife and tried to stab the agent, but struck the agent’s handheld radio. The radio was attached to the agent’s body armor, authorities said. The agent called for help while struggling with the man. Once the helicopter landed, another agent went to his aid and both restrained and arrested the man, said authorities. Border Patrol Agent Assaulted, Nearly Stabbed By Hannah Palaniuk KVOA-TV Tucson (AZ), January 26, 2017 THREE POINTS – A man attempted to stab a United States Border Patrol agent Tuesday night, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The man was part of a group of migrants walking through the desert near Three Points. An Air and Marine Operations helicopter was guiding agents on the ground to the migrants’ location, according to CBP. The man tried fleeing the scene. An agent ran after him and “a struggle ensued,” according to CBP. During the struggle, the man pulled out a knife and attempted to stab the agent, according to CBP. The agent’s hand-held radio attached to his body armor blocked the knife. The AMO helicopter landed nearby and the co-pilot helped the agent subdue the man, according to CBP. The man was arrested. Border Patrol Agent Charged In Millcreek Crashes By Tim Hahn Erie (PA) Times-News, January 26, 2017 An incident in Millcreek Township earlier this month in which police said two moving vehicles were run into and one of the drivers was run over involved a U.S. Border Patrol agent stationed locally. The agent, 43-year-old Norman A. Antuzzi, of Millcreek Township, is scheduled to appear in court Feb. 21 to face 13 misdemeanor and summary charges related to a series of crashes that township police accuse Antuzzi of causing while traveling through Millcreek, while off-duty, on the afternoon of Jan. 14. Antuzzi is free on $50,000 unsecured bond in the case following his arraignment by Harborcreek Township District Judge Mark Krahe on Jan. 19. His job status as a local Border Patrol agent was unknown Thursday afternoon. Antuzzi’s lawyer, Stephen Sebald, said Thursday afternoon that Antuzzi is currently in an inpatient treatment setting, in a special program to help people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Millcreek police charge in the criminal complaint that Antuzzi, while driving a Subaru Impreza, ran into the back of a Honda Accord while both vehicles were traveling east on Young Road. The driver of the Honda told police he attempted to pull over when the Subaru struck his vehicle from behind a second time before the Subaru continued traveling east, with the driver appearing to be yelling at the Honda driver, Millcreek police Patrolman Michael Fitzgerald wrote in the affidavit of probable cause accompanying the criminal complaint. Police charge that Antuzzi then struck a Dodge Caravan at the intersection of Arbuckle and Old French roads, backed up and rammed the van a second time. The 83-year-old driver of the van got out, approached Antuzzi’s vehicle and attempted to open the door. Antuzzi pushed the door into the man, knocking him backward, then turned his vehicle left and intentionally struck the other driver, knocking him to the ground and running over his left foot, Fitzgerald wrote in the affidavit. The van driver and his 79-year-old wife were both taken to Saint Vincent Health Center for treatment. Investigators said they traced the license plate on the Subaru to Antuzzi’s residence, where they spotted the Subaru in the garage but did not get a response when they knocked on the door. Antuzzi called Millcreek police the next day, and when Fitzgerald asked him what happened the day before Antuzzi replied that he did not remember, according to the affidavit. According to a statement released by the U.S. Border Patrol on Thursday afternoon, Antuzzi was notified by Millcreek police on Jan. 19 to appear in district court for his initial appearance regarding several traffic incidents he was reportedly involved in on Jan. 14 while in an off-duty capacity. The U.S. Border Patrol, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Professional Responsibility, are fully cooperating with local authorities handling the case, according to the statement. Officials also wrote in the statement that Customs and Border Protection does not tolerate the misconduct of any employee, and stresses the importance of maintaining the highest levels of professionalism and integrity throughout the organization. The Border Patrol has had a presence in Erie since the agency was founded in the 1920s, but became a fixture in the community when a station was opened on Erie’s bayfront in 2004. The agents assigned to Erie, the exact number of which is not released, now work out of a facility off Route 98 in Fairview Township that opened in 2010. The agency is charged primarily with protecting U.S. borders from terrorists DHS-17-0435-A-000450 CBP FOIA000450 64 and weapons of mass production, and agents in Erie cover an area stretching from western New York to eastern Ohio. The Jan. 14 incident wasn’t Antuzzi’s first run-in with local law enforcement over his driving habits. Edinboro police charged Antuzzi with driving under the influence, and with summary traffic violations including speeding and careless driving, following another off-duty incident that happened on West Plum Street in the borough on the early morning of Aug. 14. According to information in the criminal complaint filed by Edinboro police Patrolman Jerry Lawrence, the officer was on routine patrol when another vehicle sped up to his police cruiser from behind, driving right up to the bumper, before passing the patrol car on the left side. Lawrence wrote in the affidavit of probable cause accompanying the complaint that he stopped Antuzzi’s vehicle and gave him three field sobriety tests, which Antuzzi failed. “The driver, Norman Antuzzi, told this officer that he could not do the tests because he was drunk,” Lawrence wrote in the affidavit. Antuzzi was then taken to the Edinboro police station and was given a breathalyzer test, which showed positive results for alcohol, according to the affidavit. Antuzzi was charged by summons in the case. He waived the charges to court at his Sept. 29 preliminary hearing before McKean District Judge Denise Stuck-Lewis, and he was released with no bond set. Antuzzi waived his formal arraignment in the case in November and has applied for Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition, a program that grants probation to nonviolent, first-time offenders in Erie County, according to court documents. Border Patrol Agents Arrest Italian Felon Sonoran News (AZ), January 26, 2017 TUCSON – An Italian man identified as Salvatore Marciante, 56, was apprehended in Nogales, Arizona, on Jan. 21 for being illegally present in the United States. Criminal and immigration checks revealed that Marciante previously resided in Staten Island, New York and was deported from the United States in 2004 after serving time for involvement in drug related criminal activity. Marciante is being prosecuted for illegal re-entry of a felon, as per Tucson Sector guidelines. Federal law allows the Border Patrol to charge individuals by complaint, a method that allows the filing of charges for criminal activity without inferring guilt. An individual is presumed innocent unless and until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Customs and Border Protection welcomes assistance from the community. Citizens can report suspicious activity to the Border Patrol and remain anonymous by calling 1-877- 872-7435 toll free. TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION White House Security Adviser Facing Gun Charge In Virginia Former Breitbart editor Sebastian Gorka was stopped at Reagan National Airport By Shane Harris Wall Street Journal, January 26, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. TSA Adds 11 New Airlines To PreCheck Program By Melanie Zanona The Hill, January 26, 2017 The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has ramped up its expedited screening program to include 11 new airlines, the agency announced Thursday. The TSA’s PreCheck program will now be available for eligible passengers flying on Aruba Airlines, Avianca, Boutique Airlines, Emirates, Key Lime Air, Miami Air International, Southern Airways Express, Spirit Airlines, Sunwing, Virgin Atlantic and Xtra Airways. The latest expansion brings the total number of airlines participating in PreCheck to 30. “Partnering with 11 additional airlines to offer TSA PreCheck will significantly increase our trusted traveler population, and reflects our commitment to implement the most effective aviation security,” said TSA acting Administrator Huban A. Gowadia. “By collaborating with our partners in industry and the aviation community, we will continue to increase the number of airlines participating in TSA PreCheck, enabling more eligible travelers across the country to experience expedited screening.” The screening program allows passengers who have undergone background checks to move through expedited security lanes without taking off their shoes or removing electronics from their bags. The enrollment fee is $85 and lasts for five years. TSA officials have relied on PreCheck to help improve security and ease massive airport security lines, which caused major headaches for passengers and officials last spring. PreCheck initially ran into trouble after the agency overestimated how many passengers would sign up for the program and cut screening staff in anticipation of enrollment. DHS-17-0435-A-000451 CBP FOIA000451 65 But former TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger quickly began raising public awareness about the program, while Congress passed an aviation bill last summer designed to further boost enrollment. As a result, PreCheck enrollment spiked over the last year, with average daily sign-ups in 2016 double what they were in 2015. An increasing number of companies also began to reimburse their employees for the program, while some air carriers started allowing travelers to purchase PreCheck with airline points. Spirit Airlines Joins TSA PreCheck By Susan Glaser Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 26, 2017 CLEVELAND, Ohio – Spirit Airlines today joined the Transportation Security Administration’s PreCheck program, which allows pre-screened passengers to avoid long lines at airport security. Effective immediately, passengers who are already enrolled in TSA PreCheck can use the service when flying on Spirit. “We are thrilled to give our customers options for a more efficient and expedited security screening experience,” John Bendoraitis, chief operating officer and senior vice president of Spirit, said in a statement. Spirit was the last major U.S. airline to offer the program to its customers. In previous interviews, Spirit officials cited both the cost of participating in PreCheck and factors related to the airline’s reservation system for the delay. Those problems, apparently, have been resolved. For travelers not enrolled in PreCheck, Bendoraitis noted that the airline offers a program called Shortcut Security, for an extra fee, at some airports, including Cleveland Hopkins. Spirit serves 11 destinations from Cleveland and six from Akron-Canton. For information on enrolling in TSA PreCheck: tsa.gov. FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY Federal Aid Approved For Georgia In Latest Storm Associated Press, January 26, 2017 ALBANY, Ga. (AP) – Gov. Nathan Deal says the White House has approved federal aid for southwest Georgia residents recovering after deadly tornadoes and thunderstorms struck last weekend. Deal said Thursday that President Donald Trump has granted assistance for six counties that suffered severe damage as waves of storms hammered the Southeast on Saturday and Sunday. Twenty people died in the region, including 15 in Georgia. Deal said he expects the White House will later approve federal aid to 10 additional Georgia counties included in the governor’s emergency declaration. Trump’s initial declaration Thursday frees up federal assistance to residents of Berrien, Cook, Crisp, Dougherty, Turner and Wilcox counties. On Wednesday, the White House also approved aid for prior storms that damaged southwest Georgia on Jan. 2. ------ 10:20 a.m. The National Weather Service says a powerful EF3 tornado packing peak winds of 140 mph was responsible for killing 11 people in southwest Georgia. The agency reports a survey team confirmed a large twister carved a path of destruction Sunday nearly 25 miles long – and in places nearly a half-mile wide – through Brooks, Cook and Berrien counties. Seven people died at a mobile home park in Cook County when the twister hit before dawn. The other counties counted two deaths apiece. The Weather Service has confirmed at least 24 tornadoes touched down in Georgia during the weekend storm outbreak. At least 20 people were killed in the Southeast – 15 in Georgia, four in Mississippi and one in Florida. ------ 9:55 a.m. President Donald Trump has declared a federal disaster in southwest Georgia for a severe storm that caused extensive damage nearly three weeks before another round of tornadoes and thunderstorms devastated the same area. A statement the White House issued Wednesday says the declaration makes federal aid available for damage inflicted Jan. 2. Assistance for individuals is available for residents of Dougherty County, while aid for government and nonprofit response efforts has been approved for Baker, Calhoun, Early, Mitchell, Turner and Worth counties. Gov. Nathan Deal said he expects more federal aid to follow after a second wave of severe weather caused even greater destruction last weekend, killing 20 people in the Southeast – 15 in Georgia, four in Mississippi and one in Florida. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Feds Declare A Disaster For Deadly South Georgia Storms By Greg Bluestein Atlanta Journal-Constitution, January 26, 2017 DHS-17-0435-A-000452 CBP FOIA000452 66 The federal government approved another emergency request on Thursday for aid for residents in six counties struck by the wave of storms that left 15 people in Georgia dead. The Federal Emergency Management Agency said the assistance could include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help victims recover. FEMA has yet to decide on extending the aid to another 10 counties. “Total devastation,” a visibly shaken Deal said after touring a mobile home site in Adel where seven people died. “It’s hard to imagine that anyone escaped from that.” More than 770 state employees are clearing debris and providing storm relief, and state lawmakers have set aside an additional $5 million to help with the recovery. But local leaders were hoping President Donald Trump’s administration sends more help. Quickly. “We’re helping the victims meet their immediate needs,” said Eric Gordon, a pastor at Adel First Assembly. “But we need help for the long-term needs. Where are they going to live long-term? Where are they going to sleep next week?” The FEMA order means federal funding will also be available to some state and local government agencies as well as some private nonprofits for their emergency work. It covers residents and businesses in six counties: Berrien, Cook, Crisp, Dougherty, Turner and Wilcox. FEMA Grants Individual Assistance To Six South Georgia Counties WXIA-TV Atlanta, January 26, 2017 Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal received notice on Thursday from FEMA that six counties impacted by last weekend’s severe storms and tornadoes have been approved for individual assistance. The six counties approved are Berrien, Cook, Crisp, Dougherty, Turner and Wilcox counties. “I’m tremendously grateful for the immediate assistance and attention President Trump has given Georgia’s requests for federal aid, as well as his concern for our citizens,” said Deal. “I’d also like to thank President Trump for sending the acting director of FEMA to view firsthand the horrific effects of this natural disaster. FEMA, along with the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, is working to expedite financial assessments in the remaining counties impacted by the storms. “Following my conversations with President Trump and FEMA, I’m confident that public assistance for all 16 counties will be approved expeditiously. This approval is critical to the state as well as local communities.” Deal has requested individual assistance from FEMA for the remaining ten counties presently under a state of emergency as a result of the storms that ravaged south Georgia over the weekend. 15 people were killed and more than 85 people were hurt in the storms that hammered the state Saturday and Sunday. The storms came only weeks after an earlier round of severe weather slammed parts of Dougherty County on New Year’s weekend, causing additional damage. (© 2017 WXIA) Dougherty, Five Other Counties OK’d For Federal Assistance For Last Weekend’s Storms By Jim Hendricks Albany (GA) Herald, January 26, 2017 ALBANY — Dougherty County and five other counties in South Georgia were approved Thursday for individual federal assistance for damages sustained by last weekend’s tornadoes and storms that left 15 people dead, including four in Dougherty County. Gov. Nathan Deal announced that the White House and the Federal Emergency Management Agency had approved the assistance for Dougherty, Berrien, Cook, Crisp, Turner and Wilcox counties. “I’m tremendously grateful for the immediate assistance and attention President Trump has given Georgia’s requests for federal aid, as well as his concern for our citizens,” said Deal. “I’d also like to thank President Trump for sending the acting director of FEMA to view firsthand the horrific effects of this natural disaster. “FEMA, along with the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, is working to expedite financial assessments in the remaining counties impacted by the storms.” Acting FEMA Director Robert Fenton was in Albany on Thursday, viewing damage with Dougherty County Commission Chairman Chris Cohilas. Deal declared a state of emergency earlier this week for a total of 16 counties and has asked for the federal designation for all of them. The remainder of that list includes Atkinson, Baker, Brooks, Calhoun, Clay, Colquitt, Lowndes, Mitchell, Thomas and Worth counties. “Following my conversations with President Trump and FEMA, I’m confident that public assistance for all 16 counties will be approved expeditiously,” the governor said. “This approval is critical to the state as well as local communities.” After an aerial tour of the Albany area on Wednesday, Deal announced on Twitter during a driving tour of Cook County that Dougherty County had been approved for individual assistance for damage that occurred during the first storm to strike the area on Jan. 2. The governor asked for the federal help for that event on Jan. 10. The federal approval was much swifter on this latest request, which Deal made Tuesday. DHS-17-0435-A-000453 CBP FOIA000453 67 U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop, D-Albany, who represents the 2nd Congressional District where much of the damage occurred, said he was pleased to see the second declaration in as many days. “This second, expanded major disaster declaration will be essential to providing much-needed resources to those in Middle and Southwest Georgia that were impacted by the severe weather this month,” Bishop said. “Georgians have always proven to be resilient, and this time will be no different. “With FEMA’s assistance, we will work together to restore a sense of normalcy to our communities.” Bishop said the designation provides federal resources for affected individuals and households, including financial assistance for temporary housing, home repair and damaged essential household items. It also covers disaster-related child care, medical and essential vehicle expenses. According to the summary provided by the governor’s office, the individual assistance designation means that help is available to individuals and households. FEMA’s website notes that assistance that can apply includes: — Rental payments for temporary housing for those whose homes are unlivable. Initial assistance may be provided for up to three months for homeowners and at least one month for renters. Assistance may be extended if requested, based on a review of individual applicant requirements. — Grants for home repairs and replacement of essential household items not covered by insurance to make damaged dwellings safe, sanitary and functional. — Grants to replace personal property and help meet medical, dental, funeral, transportation and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance or other federal, state and charitable aid programs. John Mills, external affairs representative for FEMA, said Thursday afternoon that it is important for those who have damages to register. “If you live in one of the six counties and you have damage to your home (whether homeowner or renter), you should register with FEMA for assistance,” he said. “Only one registration is needed per household.” The process takes 15-20 minutes and can be done online at disasterassistance.gov or by calling 1 (800) 621- 3362 (FEMA), he said. The FEMA website is fema.gov. The FEMA help is for costs that are not covered by insurance and those that are underinsured. Mills said the only way a person will know whether he or she qualifies for assistance is to sign up. He said it’s also important for individuals to let agency officials know if the residence is uninhabitable during registration. The mission, he said, is to help get a storm victim’s home “safe, sanitary and functional.” Mills said it is important that individuals document damage, when it occurred and to take photos of the damage if possible. “The more documentation you have, the better,” he said, adding it helps not only FEMA, but insurance companies covering claims. FEMA has other programs as well for public assistance, but they have not been activated. “The real focus is getting help for individuals,” Mills said. “Local governments can start the work they need to do.” Public assistance for emergency work and repair/replacement of disaster-damaged facilities is under review. Counties also are eligible to apply for assistance under the Hazard Mitigation Grant program for assistance for actions taken to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property from natural disasters. Governor: FEMA Assistance Approved For Weekend Storms WFXL-TV Albany (GA), January 26, 2017 Six counties affected by the severe weather that came through Southwest Georgia over the weekend has now been approved to get additional assistance. Georgia Governor Nathan Deal announced Thursday afternoon that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved six counties for additional assistance. They include: Berrien Cook Crisp Dougherty Turner Wilcox “I’m tremendously grateful for the immediate assistance and attention President Trump has given Georgia’s requests for federal aid, as well as his concern for our citizens,” said Deal. “I’d also like to thank President [Donald] Trump for sending the acting director of FEMA to view firsthand the horrific effects of this natural disaster. FEMA, along with the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, is working to expedite financial assessments in the remaining counties impacted by the storms. “Following my conversations with President Trump and FEMA, I’m confident that public assistance for all 16 counties will be approved expeditiously. This approval is critical to the state as well as local communities,” added Deal. This approval comes about 24 hours after Governor Deal announced that FEMA assistance had been granted for dealing with severe weather that came through Southwest Georgia on January 2. Rep. Scott Tours Damage In Several Counties By Amanda Hoskins DHS-17-0435-A-000454 CBP FOIA000454 68 WALB-TV Albany (GA), January 26, 2017 TURNER CO., GA (WALB) – U.S. House Representative Austin Scott toured Worth, Turner and WIlcox County damage both in the air and on foot. He saw utter destruction in the many places in Turner County where he grew up. “It’s hard to imagine the property damage without actually seeing it from above and of course it’s not just turner county. It’s all of the counties. In Worth County this morning I think there are still somewhere around 4,600 homes that are without power,” said Scott. He spoke with childhood friends that lost everything. “You know these people are our friends, they’re neighbors, they’re family. This community is strong, and if you’ll watch this community you will have neighbors helping neighbors and they will recover pretty fast,” said Scott. Following his tour of Worth and Turner Counties, Scott also walked the areas of Wilcox county that were destroyed. Turner county will be one of six counties receiving FEMA assistance. The federal declaration means individual homes will be given assistance from the government. So homes completely destroyed will likely get help from the government. FEMA officials were on the ground today talking with folks who have lost everything. The tornado rolled right through this area with dozens of mobile homes. In Turner County, alone 31 homes were completely destroyed,17 suffered major damage and another 16 suffered minor damage. Federal assistance will also be given to the county for emergency work as well as replacing and repairing public facilities. If you are a homeowner you can to go to disasterassistance.gov to report the damages on your home This is the very beginning stages. In the next week you can expect to see a disaster recovery center here in Turner County. That will be the place where you can go, explain the extent of the damage you have and learn about the help you qualify for. Copyright 2017 WALB. All rights reserved. US CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES On His Final Day, Obama Made It Easier For Transgender Immigrants To Get Documents In Order By Mathew Rodriguez Mic, January 26, 2017 Former President Barack Obama spent the last few days of his presidency readying America for a Donald Trump administration. He designated new national parks to prevent drilling, commutated sentences for Chelsea Manning and Oscar López Rivera and, as it turns out, helped ensure transgender immigrants are able to get their legal documents in order. The memo, available on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s policy memoranda page, requires that USCIS change the gender marker on an official document if the person applying for the document presents: • a court order granting change of sex or gender • a government-issued document (amended birth certificate, driver’s license, etc.) reflecting the requested gender designation • a letter from a licensed health professional affirming the applicant’s gender identity The most substantive change to the policy is an expansion of the documents accepted to change the gender marker. Previously, applicants needed to supply an amended birth certificate, passport, court order or doctor’s note. Accepted documents include the aforementioned, as well as driver’s licenses and other federal, state and local official documents that reflects the person’s gender identity. Additionally, applicants can now supply official documents from foreign governments. According to Harper Jean Tobin, policy director at the National Center for Transgender Equality, these are “modest, fairly technical updates” to a policy that’s already existed for five years at the federal level. Tobin also pointed out that some states — such as Massachusetts, Maine, Hawaii and Connecticut — have similar or even more progressive stances on changing gender markers. Tobin said the most important part of this update is that immigrants can now much more easily have all of their USCIS-issued documents — like work permits, visas and green cards — reflect the same gender. “We’re talking about people who need to update these documents to reflect the way they live their lives every day,” Tobin said. “If someone lives as a man and works as a male and his ID says he is female, it’s embarrassing for him and potentially confusing for his employer or any other official he may come in contact with. Having policies like this that make the procedure better makes sense.” While this benefits documented immigrants, the memo does not help undocumented immigrants, who face an uncertain future under a Trump administration. Trump has already made a slew of announcements about his plans for the American immigration system, including signing an executive order to build his infamous wall and proposing to DHS-17-0435-A-000455 CBP FOIA000455 69 ban refugees from certain countries from entering the United States. Trump’s policies will put barriers, both physical and bureaucratic, between the United States and those looking to immigrate here. White House illuminated with rainbow colorsSource: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP While transgender rights and immigration have been huge issues during the 2016 election, rarely did the media cover them together. Trans immigrant rights last made national news in 2015 when activist and transgender woman Jennicet Gutierrez interrupted Obama during a White House LGBTQ reception to advocate for trans people being mistreated in immigrant detention centers. The memo does leave open some leeway for USCIS to request more of transgender applicants, however. According to the memo, USCIS can request “additional evidence” of a person’s gender identity. The memo also says that if an officer finds “significant substantive discrepancies” or suspects fraud, the case may have to go to a higher authority. Obama has been an advocate for transgender people in more ways than one. Aside from this eleventh-hour policy memo, Obama’s administration issued a historic directive on equal-rights statute Title IX that allowed for transgender students to use public school facilities that matches their gender identity. IMMIGRATION Trump’s Plan To Halt ‘Catch And Release’ Of Migrants Could Hit A Wall By Frank Jack Daniel Reuters, January 26, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Trump Wants To Empower Local Police To Enforce Immigration Law, Raising Fears Of Racial Profiling By Matt Zapotosky Washington Post, January 26, 2017 President Trump on Wednesday directed his homeland security secretary to deputize local law enforcement officials to enforce immigration laws, a move that civil rights advocates fear could embolden police to racially profile those they encounter. The directive came as part of a sweeping executive order that cracks down on people in the country without documentation and the cities that don’t readily hand them over for deportation. The order instructs the homeland security secretary to broker agreements with governors and local officials so that state and local law enforcement authorities can enforce immigration law. It declares that those places deemed “sanctuary jurisdictions,” for blocking government communication about people’s immigration status, be disallowed from receiving federal grants. And it reinstates a program meant to deport those in the country illegally when they are arrested on other, sometimes minor, offenses. The directives send “a shot across the bow of immigrant communities and those localities or states that are welcoming of immigrant communities,” said Cecillia Wang, deputy legal director at the American Civil Liberties Union. “Certainly, I think the immediate purpose is to scare immigrant communities and to scare states and localities that have these so-called sanctuary policies, but I do think there’s meat to this,” Wang said. “It’s not an empty letter, and it’s not an empty threat.” Trump had promised on the campaign trail to crack down on illegal immigration, and his early actions make good on that vow. He also signed an order Wednesday attempting to spur construction of a proposed border wall between the United States and Mexico. The Immigration and Nationality Act already allowed the federal government to deputize local officials to enforce immigration law through what are commonly referred to as 287(g) agreements. At one time, Wang said, dozens of jurisdictions had such arrangements with the federal government, though former president Barack Obama curtailed many of them. Immigration and Customs Enforcement still has 36 agreements in 16 states, but they are all in jails, not with local or state police agencies, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman said. Jessica M. Vaughan, the director of policy studies and the Center for Immigration Studies, which advocates reduced immigration levels, said in 2008 there were more than 60 agreements, including three dozen involving work outside of jails. She said the agreements were a “great program” that at one point were responsible for nearly 20 percent of Immigration and Customs Enforcement criminal deportations. Wang said the agreements gave local police basis to essentially racially profile those they encountered. A Department of Homeland Security Inspector General investigation in 2010 found that “Claims of civil rights violations have surfaced in connection with several [law enforcement agencies] participating in the program,” and advised Immigration and Customs Enforcement to consider civil rights factors when reaching agreements. Former Maricopa County, Ariz., sheriff Joe Arpaio, who now is facing a criminal contempt of court charge for allegedly defying court orders to stop detaining suspected undocumented immigrants without a legal basis, had used the program. Trump’s order, Wang said, would “unleash police agencies that want to get into the deportation business.” DHS-17-0435-A-000456 CBP FOIA000456 70 Trump also on Wednesday ordered the return of the Secure Communities program, another controversial immigration enforcement mechanism that the Obama administration had dialed back. The program, which was administered from 2008 to 2014, checked the fingerprints of everyone taken into custody in the United States against immigration records, and immigration officials would then move for them to be detained and possibly deported. Jeh Johnson, Obama’s homeland security secretary, had watered the program down slightly, issuing a directive instructing officials to prioritize initiating deportation proceedings against those who posed a danger to public safety. Wang said the effect of that was limited, but Trump’s undoing of it was troubling, and his order also seemed to increase the discretion of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, ordering them to prioritize cases against even those who had not been charged with any crimes but had “committed acts that constitute a chargeable criminal offense.” “It’s basically just broadening again the untrammeled discretion of ICE agents to determine who they want to pursue for deportation purposes,” Wang said. Trump also gave his homeland security secretary power to designate sanctuary jurisdictions, and he decreed that such jurisdictions should not receive federal grant money. D.C. officials warned that the nation’s capital could lose millions — or even billions — in funding over the order, though it remains to be seen if and under what circumstances federal officials will actually act on it. There is no uniform definition of a sanctuary city. Some places refuse detainer requests from Immigration and Customs Enforcement; others provide identification cards and driver’s license to undocumented immigrants. Trump’s order seemed to define such jurisdictions only as those that violate a federal law saying officials may not restrict government entities from sending or receiving information regarding a person’s immigration status. The Anti-immigrant President By Maria Cardona The Hill, January 26, 2017 Under the guise of national security, Donald Trump has announced a series of executive actions that start the process of building the wall between the U.S. and Mexico, strip protections from non-criminal immigrants and families fleeing other countries, and getting rid of Sanctuary cities. Word is he will also announce the beginning of the ban on refugees and immigrants of several Muslim-majority countries and the repeal of DACA — deportation protection for Dreamers — in the coming days. While this will thrill Trump supporters, this is in fact the next part of his continued attack on the immigrant, Latino, and Muslim communities. Trump might as well proclaim the first month of his administration National Anti-Immigrant Month. Sounds harsh. But while these proclamations are no doubt welcome actions to the nearly half of his supporters who wanted Trump to crackdown on “illegal” immigrants, they have already carried a huge cost to the legal-immigrant community throughout the country, which has suffered both verbal and physical anti-immigrant backlash for the past 18 months. In an executive order, a president gives instructions to government agencies and departments about how to operate and what policies to pursue. These executive orders he is signing now set the groundwork for real work to begin and allow Trump to claim victory and credit early on in his presidency. Big day planned on NATIONAL SECURITY tomorrow. Among many other things, we will build the wall!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 25, 2017 So what exactly did he sign? Through his executive orders thus far, he has apparently paved the way for the border wall at our southern border to be built. But many parts of the border already have sturdy fencing with virtual Border Patrol agent back-up using state-of-the-art technology. So does it mean Trump wants to erect a wall in the rugged desert or mountainous regions? Will he claim Eminent Domain in the places where the border happens to be on private property? Will he trounce Tribal Law and build a wall on tribal lands not under U.S. government jurisdiction? Do his supporters even care that more efficient ways of securing the border would have come to fruition if Comprehensive Immigration Reform had been passed by the GOP lead Congress? I suspect not. Many of them simply are anti-immigrant and loved Trump’s tough talk. Plain and simple. And sad. Trump also signed an executive order that would crack down on so-called sanctuary cities, though no legal term of the kind actually exists, but “cracking down” on them sure sounds great to his supporters! In reality, the threat to withhold funds to these cities if they don’t turn over undocumented immigrants might be an empty one. Many mayors have vowed to protect these immigrants who would be in jeopardy of deportation even though they have no criminal record and have been productive members of their community. Trump signs orders stripping “sanctuary cities” of federal funds if they ignore immigration laws https://t.co/4hW7OPaKDI pic.twitter.com/J2EZv55Ynp— The Hill (@thehill) January 26, 2017 Good for these mayors! If Trump withholds funds, it would be detrimental to local law enforcement — which would be anathema to the very supporters Trump is trying to kowtow to with this order. DHS-17-0435-A-000457 CBP FOIA000457 71 He also signed an executive order that would make it easier to deport families who turn themselves in at the border seeking asylum and also broadens the authority of local law enforcement to enforce immigration law. This means that mothers, fathers, grandparents, who have done nothing but work hard and raise families, seeking a better future for their children, if detained on their way to or from their job, may be deported without delay. We are similarly hearing word that another executive order is on the way that would in effect mean the repeal of DACA – Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals – made real by President Obama’s executive order in 2012. If DACA is repealed and nothing is put in its place legislatively, these 1.5 million kids will live in constant fear and anxiety. And what about Trump’s executive order banning refugees from Syria or a handful of other allegedly terrorist￾supporting countries? This is nothing less than the beginning of Trump’s Muslim Ban. I can already hear anti-immigrant Trump supporters spewing hate, saying if you are “illegal” you have no right to be here in the first place. And that if you come from a country that breeds “terrorists” you should not be allowed in. This misses the mark of the reality the country faces. We have close to 11 million undocumented immigrants. The vast majority — aside from not having documents that allow them to stay — are law-abiding, hard-working men and women who only want a brighter future for their children and families. Many immigrants do the jobs Americans do not want — they clean our homes, our hotel rooms, grow, harvest, pick, prepare and serve our vegetables, and then they clean the plates afterwards. Their children are valedictorians, top athletes, talented writers, artists, budding engineers, many are college educated or want to be, and many serve in our armed forces. They are as American as President Trump is, except for a piece of paper. The solution has been in front of the U.S. Congress for years — comprehensive immigration reform. If passed tomorrow, it would inject $1.5 trillion in the U.S. economy in the next 10 years, according to a 2010 report from the American Immigration Council. Undocumented workers would come out of the shadows, giving us a real idea of who is here. With comprehensive reform, we would have much stronger and tougher border security measures that are real and effective instead of expensive and symbolic like Trump’s ridiculous wall. When it comes to refugees, we already have an “extreme vetting” process in place that takes two years to get through for refugees fleeing war torn countries. Trump wants to end our America as we know it — a welcoming, shining city on a hill that immigrants see as an example to the world where human dignity, freedom and liberty are personified every day. Well, not this day. For now, the message from the United States of Trump to the world is: Screw you immigrant, stay out. Maria Cardona is a principal at the Dewey Square Group, a Democratic strategist and a CNN/CNN Español political commentator. Follow her on Twitter @MariaTCardona. The views of contributors are their own and are not the views of The Hill. Sanctuary Cities’ Reactions To President Trump’s Executive Order By Eric Ting San Francisco Chronicle, January 26, 2017 President Donald Trump told the Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday, Jan. 25, that he was moving forward with cutting off millions in federal funding to sanctuary cities. The president signed an executive order that states that the U.S Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security shall “ensure that jurisdictions that willfully refuse to comply with 8 U.S.C. 1373 (sanctuary jurisdictions) are not eligible to receive Federal grants, except as deemed necessary for law enforcement purposes by the Attorney General or the Secretary.” A sanctuary city is a city that does not follow federal immigration laws, and one of Trump’s major campaign promises was to “end sanctuary cities.” Several mayors of sanctuary cities have commented on the president’s executive order, some saying they are willing to sacrifice federal funding to keep their sanctuary status. Some cities argued Trump’s action is unconstitutional and threatened legal action. In San Francisco, Mayor Ed Lee insisted the city would not let immigrant residents “live in fear.” Seattle Mayor Ed Murray said the Pacific Northwest city would “not be bullied by this administration.” Trump Issues Immigration Orders, But California Cities And Police Aren’t Onboard By Cindy Chang, Paloma Esquivel, Maya Lau, Contact Reporters Los Angeles Times, January 26, 2017 President Trump’s plan to enlist local police and sheriff’s departments in immigration enforcement has set the stage for a pitched battle with California officials who have long prioritized building ties with immigrant communities. Trump’s plan, which was issued Wednesday as part of a pair of executive orders, seeks to broaden the reach of federal immigration authorities into county jails. DHS-17-0435-A-000458 CBP FOIA000458 72 It also calls for empowering police officers and deputies to act as immigration enforcers, leaving open the possibility that they would be required to inquire about the immigration status of the people they encounter on the streets. Such a regime could conflict with the Los Angeles Police Department’s decades-old policy that prohibits officers from initiating contact with a person solely to ask about whether he or she is in the country legally. Local governments that defy the Trump administration’s immigration policies by acting as “sanctuary cities” could be denied federal funding, one of the executive orders states. More than 400 jurisdictions across the country, including Los Angeles, San Francisco and about 40 others in California, have such policies protecting immigrants. California state officials have signaled that they will put up a fight. The California Legislature has selected former U.S. Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr. to serve as outside counsel on the state’s legal strategy for dealing with the incoming administration. The state’s new attorney general, former congressman Xavier Becerra, said at his swearing-in on Tuesday that he will form a united front with officials from other states to defend their policies against any federal challenges. Hours after Trump signed the executive orders, Los Angeles leaders suggested they would mount a legal challenge if funding is taken away. Mayor Eric Garcetti told reporters Wednesday that he doesn’t believe the federal government can cut off funding to Los Angeles, citing the 10th Amendment, which addresses the powers of state and federal governments. “We feel very strong the legal case is clear,” Garcetti said. The particulars of Trump’s orders are still being dissected by Los Angeles leaders. But City Council President Herb Wesson told reporters that “the city is going to continue to operate the way it operates.” Los Angeles will receive about $500 million this fiscal year from the federal government to pay for an array of services, including port security, anti-gang programs and services for senior citizens. That doesn’t include federal funding that flows to entities such as the Los Angeles Unified School District or Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. “It would be folly for any administration to take away funds to protect America’s port,” Garcetti said. “Or take away vouchers that help get veterans who have fought for our country off the street.” Shortly after Trump’s election, LAPD Chief Charlie Beck announced that he would not work with federal authorities on deportation efforts. “We have built relationships by effective law enforcement that doesn’t focus on where a person was born or the color of their skin. And we don’t intend to change that,” Beck said Wednesday. Trump’s plan for local jails involves reinstating a program called Secure Communities, which asks jail officials to hand inmates over to federal immigration authorities up to 48 hours past when the inmate would otherwise have been released. Federal authorities can ask for inmates who have committed only immigration violations, in addition to those with serious criminal records. In 2013, California passed the Trust Act, which limited jail officials’ ability to cooperate with federal immigration requests to only those inmates who have been convicted of “serious” or “violent” crimes. In 2014, after a federal court held an Oregon county liable for damages for holding an inmate beyond her release date at the request of immigration authorities, hundreds of cities and counties around the country stopped complying with many immigration hold requests. Later that year, then-President Obama ended the Secure Communities program, creating a new jail program that focused only on inmates convicted of “significant” criminal offenses or who posed a danger to public safety. The return of Secure Communities could mean that California sheriffs would have to choose between state law and federal law. Los Angeles and Orange County sheriff’s officials said Wednesday that the president’s executive order likely won’t have any immediate impact on how they do business. Federal immigration agents are inside the Los Angeles County jails “almost on a daily basis,” said Assistant Sheriff Kelly Harrington, head of the Sheriff’s Department’s custody division, speaking to the county Board of Supervisors earlier this month. If the agents want access to an inmate, sheriff’s officials vet the name to ensure that the person has been charged or convicted of a serious or violent crime, in accordance with the Trust Act, Harrington said. Sheriff Jim McDonnell said in a statement Wednesday that Trump’s order would not “change the mission” of his department, which he said would continue to follow the Trust Act and other state immigration law. “Our department policy clearly states that our deputies do not ask for one’s immigration status,” he said. “Immigration enforcement remains a federal responsibility.” At the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, officials are conferring with attorneys to figure out the new landscape. “What the future looks like a few weeks out, we will talk to county counsel about. But today, nothing is changing,” said Lt. Mark Stichter, public information officer for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. Neither the Los Angeles nor Orange County sheriff’s departments permit their deputies to initiate contact with anyone solely on the basis of a suspected immigration DHS-17-0435-A-000459 CBP FOIA000459 73 violation. Deputies cannot question a suspect about immigration status even if the person was stopped for another reason, officials from both agencies said. “We do not conduct or participate in any immigration enforcement,” Stichter said. Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood, a critic of the Trust Act who once vowed to defy the law, said in an interview Wednesday that he was still reviewing the administration’s orders and that it would take some time to sort out the implications. But he is concerned about a possible clash between the state and federal governments over immigration enforcement. When state and federal laws aren’t in sync, he said, law enforcement is “in the crosshairs.” “We’re trying to avoid being in the middle,” he said. Youngblood, who worked around limits on immigration holds by letting federal immigration agents into his jails and giving them access to arrest records, said his deputies are not immigration agents and “are not in the business of immigration.” They do not ask about immigration status after an arrest. Hiroshi Motomura, an expert in immigration law at UCLA, said that despite the tough rhetoric in Wednesday’s White House announcement, there are constitutional and other legal limits on how much the federal government can punish states and cities that don’t go along with its priorities. “The federal government can’t take over state and local governments,” Motomura said. “You have a lot of federal vehicles to facilitate cooperation by state and local governments. But there are limits on the federal government’s ability to force cooperation.” Chris Newman, an attorney for the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, was involved in legal challenges to oppose Secure Communities under the Obama administration. He said the policies announced by Trump sounded “eerily similar” to those enacted in the first years of Obama’s presidency. Those policies, he said, led to a backlash in many communities in California, which eventually adopted the Trust Act. Newman predicts a similar backlash in response to Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration. “The idea of a return to Secure Communities combined with Trump’s racist rhetoric will likely inspire more sanctuary policies,” he said. San Francisco Mayor Reiterates Sanctuary Status In Speech Associated Press, January 26, 2017 SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee reiterated the city’s “sanctuary” status in his annual state of the city speech, a day after President Donald Trump threatened to withhold money from jurisdictions that do not cooperate with federal immigration authorities. Lee said Thursday that the city is a sanctuary now and forever. He said San Francisco will continue to protect people who are living in the country illegally. San Francisco receives about $1 billion a year from the federal government. Lee said at a previous press conference that Trump’s threat to withhold money lacked specifics so officials are unclear on what might be at stake for the city’s budget. The mayor also highlighted successes as well as challenges to come in the areas of housing, policing and homelessness. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. California Attorney General Vows To ‘Defend’ State’s Residents Against Trump Policies : NPR NPR, January 26, 2017 Steve Inskeep talks with California’s new Democratic Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who says he plans to defend the state’s liberal immigration and environmental policies against the Trump administration. STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: That wall that President Trump wants on the U.S.- Mexico border is meant as just a start. The president, yesterday, ordered a series of acts on immigration. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Ends the policy of catch and release at the border, requires other countries to take back their criminals – they will take them back – cracks down on sanctuary cities. INSKEEP: Let’s talk about that last item – so-called sanctuary cities. Now, there is no place in the United States where a fugitive immigrant is entirely safe from arrest. Federal agents can go where they want. But there are cities and counties which have explicitly said it’s not their job to actively help with round-ups. The president’s order threatens those cities with a loss of federal funds. It is not clear that he can legally follow through with that, but many cities and states are responding strongly. We reached California’s new Democratic Attorney General Xavier Becerra from a state with many sanctuary cities. XAVIER BECERRA: We’re going to do everything we can to protect the citizens and residents of the state of California. We’re going to do everything we can to let people who come to our state to build it know that we want to respect them and defend them. And we’re going to do everything we DHS-17-0435-A-000460 CBP FOIA000460 74 can to make sure we abide by all the laws, starting with the U.S. Constitution. INSKEEP: What are some things that localities in California refuse to do when it comes to immigration law? BECERRA: Principally, what it is – is that most of the local jurisdictions and law enforcement refuse to do is to violate the U.S. Constitution by holding people that they no longer have a basis to detain simply because the federal immigration authorities say please hold on to those folks. You cannot detain people, under the Fourth Amendment, without justification to do so. INSKEEP: Attorney General Becerra, the way that you describe a sanctuary city makes this seem like a rather narrow issue. The term sanctuary city sounds far more dramatic than the acts you’re describing. BECERRA: And that’s, Steve, the issue is that some people have tried to turn the word sanctuary into something that it’s not. Sanctuary doesn’t mean that you’re protecting violent, dangerous criminals from the hands of law enforcement, whether federal or local. It simply means that we are not going to go out there and engage in activities that go beyond what the U.S. Constitution says we should do with people who are law-abiding, working hard, improving the neighborhoods and communities where they live. We also don’t want to have people who fear talking to police officers simply because the federal immigration authorities would like our local law enforcement authorities to be aggressive beyond what legally they’re supposed to do. INSKEEP: What is the state of California going to do if cities start losing federal funding over this? BECERRA: That’s a question that has to yet be answered in a way that gives us a chance to look at the facts because the state of California, when it receives federal resources, it does so because it’s sent over taxpayer dollars from the people of California. So we will do everything we can to defend our local California taxpayers from being denied the resources that they paid for. If the federal government has a reason to block funding or deny resources to the state of California, we will certainly look at that and challenge it if it doesn’t seem right. But we don’t believe that we should be losing money for police officers and community policing simply because we’re abiding by the U.S. Constitution when it comes to the treatment of immigrants. INSKEEP: I think you’re hinting around at a fact that California is one of the states that, when people calculate these things, tends to pay more in taxes than it receives back. Is that right – federal taxes? BECERRA: Without a doubt. California is a donor state to the federal Treasury. We always, as taxpayers in the state of California, pay more in taxes than we get back to our state. And so we’re going to fight where we need to to make sure that we get the resources that we provided to the federal Treasury. And we’ll make sure that we’re abiding by every law that we must, starting with the U.S. Constitution. INSKEEP: Let me ask about another thing, attorney general. California, as some people will know, has stricter auto emission standards than the country as a whole. You had to get, as a state, a waiver from the federal government to impose those standards. President Obama granted the waiver. Now there’s a new administration, and the incoming EPA administrator, the nominee, hasn’t said definitively whether he would allow that waiver or not. Is that something you would be prepared to go to court to uphold – stricter emission standards for California? BECERRA: Steve, we’re not turning back when it comes to climate change and clean energy. We received a waiver from the federal government. We will do everything we can to defend our position, and we will do more if necessary. We’ve relied on the representations and the tools that the federal government permitted us to use. And if the federal government wants to, all of a sudden, yank those away, we will do everything we can to prove that, based on the facts and the law, that California has a right to move forward. INSKEEP: And when you say based on the facts and the law that means that could be another lawsuit if it came to that. BECERRA: We’re going to do what we need to to move forward. We will continue with our policies. We’ll continue with our actions that have made California a state where people want to live and work. We’ll do whatever we need to do to continue our way of life and our way forward. INSKEEP: One other thing, attorney general. Of course, there’s been a lot of debates about state rights throughout American history. There was a time when more conservative states were asserting state rights against a powerful federal government. Do you find yourself becoming an advocate of state rights? BECERRA: Steve, what’s really interesting in that comparison of the use of states’ rights is that in previous generations, some states asserted their rights under the 10th Amendment to challenge other constitutional provisions that protected the rights of individuals. INSKEEP: Civil rights legislation, for example, right. OK. BECERRA: Right, or just the 14th Amendment – equal protection under the law. And using the 10th Amendment to try to undermine the 14th Amendment, to me, was not what the founders of this nation meant when they enacted the 10th Amendment. INSKEEP: We should remind people, the 10th Amendment, if I’m not mistaken, says that all powers that are not explicitly granted to the federal government are reserved to the states. Is that right? BECERRA: That’s correct. When we talk about the rights of states to move forward, whether it’s on clean energy DHS-17-0435-A-000461 CBP FOIA000461 75 or our treatment of immigrants, it’s to respect the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, not undermine the Bill of Rights. INSKEEP: California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, thanks very much. BECERRA: Steve, thank you. De Blasio Says Trump Targeting ‘Sanctuary Cities’ Like NYC Is A Threat To Safety By Erin Durkin, New York Daily News New York Daily News, January 26, 2017 President Trump’s executive order targeting jurisdictions that harbor undocumented immigrants is “going to make cities less safe,” Mayor de Blasio said Thursday. Appearing on CNN Thursday morning, de Blasio said the order to strip federal grants from “sanctuary cities” threatened to upend years of progress police departments have made cultivating trust in immigrant neighborhoods. “This is the kind of thing that will destroy that promise, and make it impossible for the police to keep cities safe,” he said. “New York City has half a million undocumented people. We want them to come forward and work with the police if they see a crime, if they’re a victim of a crime. If they believe by talking to a police officer they will get deported and be torn apart from their family, they’re not going to work with police.” NYPD officers, and other city employees, generally do not inquire about the immigration status of people they come into contact with on the job — and do not disclose it to federal authorities if they learn it. President Trump signed an executive order Wednesday that would withhold funds from “sanctuary cities” like New York City. (Olivier Douliery / POOL/EPA) For the large majority of crimes, city jails refuse to hand over people who have been arrested when requested by the feds for deportation proceedings. But there are 170 serious crimes that would trigger the city to cooperate. “If someone’s truly a violent criminal, absolutely, they should be deported,” de Blasio said. New York does not plan to alter its policies in response to the executive order, and the mayor reiterated that the city will sue if funding is stripped because of it. The order does not spell out exactly what money will be withdrawn — the city gets $7 billion a year in federal funding, most of which would not be affected by the order — but officials believe about $160 million in anti-terror and Justice Department grants could be at risk. Mayor de Blasio thinks these new orders will make work harder for the NYPD and other city police departments. (tillsonburg/tillsonburg) “Police chiefs all over the country are saying, ‘Don’t do that, don’t do that, it’s actually going to hurt us,’” de Blasio said. “The money he will take away will actually be from police departments trying to stop terror and trying to stop crime.” The mayor also weighed in on Trump’s vague threat to “send in the feds” to Chicago if the “carnage” of high murder rates there doesn’t stop, saying he should give the city money to hire more police. “Provide Mayor [Rahm] Emanuel with the support to add police officers and implement neighborhood policing. Don’t go back to a broken policy of stop and frisk,” de Blasio said. De Blasio Threatens Lawsuit Over Trump’s Move On Sanctuary Cities By Rebecca Savransky The Hill, January 26, 2017 New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) is threatening to sue the Trump administration in response to an executive order signed Wednesday to strip federal grants from “sanctuary cities,” Politico reported. “President Trump issued an executive order today and it’s purported purpose was to enhance public safety, but here in New York City and in cities across this nation this executive order could in fact undermine public safety,” de Blasio said during a press conference at City Hall. De Blasio said the “potential funding cuts suggested in the executive order would first and foremost fall on the NYPD.” There are “hundreds of American cities where this executive order could undermine public safety,” he added. De Blasio also said the city would not “deport law abiding New Yorkers.” He noted the executive order was “written in a very vague fashion” and therefore is “susceptible to legal challenges.” “The minute any specific action to withhold funding were to occur, that’s when Zach Carter is in court the next hour,” de Blasio said, referring to the city’s corporation counsel. President Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order that would strip federal grants from cities and states that do not enforce federal immigration laws. De Blasio said Thursday on CNN that the New York Police Department has spent “decades building relationships with communities, including immigrant communities.” “This is the kind of thing that would destroy that progress and make it impossible for the police to keep cities safe,” de Blasio told “New Day.” He said New York City has half a million undocumented people and the city wants them to come forward and talk to police if they witness or are a victim of a crime. DHS-17-0435-A-000462 CBP FOIA000462 76 “If they believe by talking to a police officer, they will get deported and be torn apart from their family, they’re not going to work with police,” he said. NYC Rejected Nearly All Federal Requests To Hold Illegal Immigrants New York Post, January 26, 2017 A state lawmaker got into a battle with city officials Thursday over how many undocumented immigrants charged or convicted of crimes were turned over to federal authorities last year. Assembly member Nicole Malliotakis (R-SI) said NYPD stats show the city cooperated with only two of 80 “detainer” requests from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement between Oct. 1, 2015, and Sept. 30, 2016. The requests sought people suspected of immigration violations who were charged with, or convicted of, unrelated crimes by local law enforcement agencies. The issue garnered national attention after President Trump signed an executive order Wednesday that put “sanctuary cities” like New York on notice they could lose federal funds if they don’t cooperate on immigration enforcement. “It’s truly frightening that our city refuses to treat criminals in accordance with federal law, and would jeopardize federal funding by harboring individuals who have committed crimes from deportation,” said Malliotakis. “It is time to restore New York City to a law-and-order city.” But city officials countered that they haven’t yet acted in 46 of the 80 cases because those individuals are still serving time for crimes. They said a number of the other individuals sought by ICE weren’t convicted of a crime or were misdemeanor cases. ICE officials couldn’t immediately provide a breakdown of the charges or convictions against the 80 people for whom they filed detainers. In late 2014, de Blasio signed into law a City Council bill that severely reduced the city’s cooperation with federal detainer requests — limiting them to cases of felony convictions within the prior five years where the feds have a judicial warrant. The city also continued to cooperate on cases of possible matches with terrorist watchlists. In the year before the law was passed — between Oct. 1, 2013, and Sept. 30, 2014 — the city transferred 2,016 detainees to federal custody while not honoring 1,159 requests, according to Department of Correction data. The mayor has defended the refusal to cooperate in cases involving minor crimes by highlighting a list of 170 felonies where the city does transfer detainees to the feds. The list of crimes includes felony assault, rape, murder, gun smuggling, witness tampering and patronizing a prostitute. “If you have done nothing, broken no law, or you’ve broken a minor law — you went through a stop sign or you had a small amount of marijuana or something like that — we don’t cooperate,” de Blasio told HOT 97 radio Thursday. “We don’t cooperate on minor things.” Malliotakis said the city’s list leaves out convictions for other serious crimes, including grand larceny and identity theft. City officials estimate New York risks losing more than $150 million — all of it at the NYPD’s expense — if the Trump administration withholds funding under a narrow interpretation of the executive order. Meanwhile, the White House said it plans to publish a weekly list of crimes committed by undocumented immigrants in the Big Apple and roughly 300 other sanctuary cities. The list is meant to inform people about “public safety threats associated with sanctuary” cities, the executive order Trump signed Wednesday says. “The [Homeland Security] Secretary shall . . . make public a comprehensive list of criminal actions committed by aliens and any jurisdiction that ignored or otherwise failed to honor any detainers with respect to such aliens,” the order says. Long Island Groups: Trump Immigration Orders Foster Fear By Víctor Manuel Ramos Newsday (NY), January 26, 2017 Advocates representing immigrants, women’s groups and minority communities joined members of a Bay Shore mosque Thursday to condemn immigration enforcement orders from President Donald Trump that they said will harm the most vulnerable. “An attack on any of us is an attack on all of us,” said Alejandra Sorto, an organizer with the Long Island Civic Engagement Table, a Brentwood-based coalition that organized the news conference. The orders, signed and unveiled Wednesday by the administration, authorize spending and actions to erect a wall along the southern border with Mexico while increasing the hiring of immigration enforcement agents, expanding detention of unauthorized immigrants and stepping up efforts to apprehend and remove immigrants with criminal records and those here illegally. A ban on visas from specific Muslim-majority countries also is expected, as promised by Trump during the presidential campaign. Those policies, consistent with Trump’s vows to curtail illegal entry and roll back other immigration policies, have DHS-17-0435-A-000463 CBP FOIA000463 77 stirred up concern in immigrant communities, where many are feeling targeted not only by the expected enforcement but by the climate of mistrust and fear they say it fosters. The nearly 40 people at the Bay Shore gathering said the orders and statements from Trump will be countered by their campaign for unity, with Latinos, Muslims, Jewish, LGBTQ and women’s reproductive rights advocates joining so far what they’re calling the Long Island Unity Collaborative. Trump’s emphasis on pursuing enforcement and limiting the influx of people from Muslim-majority countries labeled as terror threats betray the values of this nation, those advocates said. Muhammad Abdul Jabbar, imam of the Majid Darul Qur’an mosque in Bay Shore, also known as The Muslim Center of Long Island, said the Trump administration’s actions send a negative message. “The negative perceptions and associations created by these executive orders will very likely cause a further increase in hate crimes, discrimination and bigotry against ordinary, law-abiding American Muslims, the Latinos and other minorities,” Jabbar said. Other advocates said they would continue to protest, march, try to engage voters in minority communities and lobby local and state officials to create a firewall against the federal enforcement push. However, proponents of increased enforcement against illegal immigration don’t see any problem with Trump’s orders so far. “It’s not un-American for Trump to do what he’s doing,” said Barrett Psareas, vice president of the Nassau County Civic Association, a residents’ group that opposes high taxation and illegal immigration. “He’s enforcing what Congress has already authorized” in building the wall and acting on immigration laws. “What he’s doing with the deportations now is if you’ve committed a crime, you’re out. Are families going to be split up? Yeah, but it was not anybody’s fault here that people decided to come illegally,” Psareas added. Immigrants’ advocates contend the matter is not as simple as just deporting criminals, because the definition of who is deemed a criminal under Trump’s orders is a matter of debate, and even those charged with crimes should be given due process before they’re ousted, said Irma Solis, director of the Suffolk County Chapter of the New York Civil Liberties Union. Maryann Slutsky, executive director of immigrant￾advocacy group Long Island Wins, said the aggressive enforcement should concern all Americans. The executive orders “were created with a complete and total lack of compassion,” Slutsky said. “These executive orders are not based on national security. They are based on Islamophobia and xenophobia. . . . We are one America. We are one Long Island and we can do better than this.” Immigrant Groups Want Welcoming City Ordinance Strengthened By Fran Spielman Chicago Sun-Times, January 26, 2017 Chanting “undocumented, unafraid,” immigration activists demanded Thursday that Mayor Rahm Emanuel strengthen Chicago’s Welcoming City Ordinance by removing all of the exceptions. Currently, Chicago Police officers are permitted to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement if targeted individuals are: in the city’s gang database; have pending felony prosecutions or prior felony convictions or if they are the subject of an outstanding criminal warrant. At a City Hall news conference, immigrant activists joined forces with the Black Youth Project to demand that Emanuel eliminate all of those exceptions. “The carve-outs … make it so that there [are] immigrants who can be targeted for deportation. Someone who is in the gang database, for example, because a police officer decided that they look like someone who’s in a gang can be targeted for deportation without them having any chance to defend themselves,” said Tania Unzueta, legal and policy director for Mijente, a national Latino organization. “What we want is a city where everyone is protected, regardless of whether they’ve had negative interactions with police. Regardless of whether they have been targeted or criminalized by police,” she said. “With those carve-outs in place, immigrants don’t feel safe in Chicago.” Unzueta was particularly incensed by the exception made for “pending felony prosecutions.” “We have a court system in the United States that says people are innocent until proven guilty. It is a complete violation of due process for someone to be considered a dangerous person when they actually haven’t gone through the court system,” she said. Earlier this week, President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders to begin to deliver on his campaign promises on the volatile issue of immigration. The orders authorized construction of the wall Trump promised to build along the Mexican border and empowered his Departments of Justice and Homeland Security to follow through on his threat to cut off funding to sanctuary cities where immigrants can access city services and live without fear of police harassment. Emanuel responded to the renewed threat by declaring that Chicago will remain a sanctuary city. The mayor’s promise — and the $1.3 million Legal Protection Fund he has created to support immigrants threatened with deportation under Trump — were not enough to satisfy Janae Bonsu, national police chair for the Black Youth Project. DHS-17-0435-A-000464 CBP FOIA000464 78 “While Rahm Emanuel has pledged that Chicago will remain a sanctuary city, the bar for what `sanctuary’ means has been set way too low,” Bonsu said. “It’s not enough to not cooperate with immigration agents for only some undocumented immigrants. It’s not enough for the city to rely on this ‘good immigrant, bad immigrant’ dichotomy that uses alleged criminal or gang involvement as a marker of exclusion…The Welcoming City ordinance leaves way too many loopholes and leaves the door wide open for the deportation machine to continue and for mass incarceration and criminalization to remain unchecked.” No aldermen attended Thursday’s news conference because none were invited. But Ald. Ricardo Munoz (22nd) joined rookie Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th) in supporting the drive to eliminate all of the exceptions. “The Welcoming City ordinance is a good first step. But we need to make sure that it includes all immigrants, [including] people who made mistakes in the past,” Munoz said. “We want to be fair to all of the families. You’ve got families who have a U.S. citizen, a legal permanent resident and an undocumented all in one household. And if that one undocumented made a mistake — probably got a couple of excessive tickets or maybe even made a mistake that ended up in a lock-up — they should still be able to afford themselves to their rights in this country.” Chicago’s days as a “sanctuary city,” where undocumented people can access city services and live without fear of police harassment, date back more than 30 years. In 1985, then-Mayor Harold Washington issued an executive order prohibiting city employees from enforcing federal immigration laws. He made the move to protest the federal government’s decision to question people seeking city services and conduct random searches of city records in an effort to find undocumented immigrants. Four years later, then-Mayor Richard M. Daley affirmed the executive order. In 2006, the City Council turned the order into law as the immigration debate raged on in Congress. It prohibited city agencies from asking about the immigration status of people seeking city services. The ordinance also prohibited Chicago Police from questioning the immigration status of crime victims, witnesses or other law-abiding citizens. Despite that city policy, there remained a legal loophole. When Chicago Police made a stop, ran a criminal background check and found a deportation order, there was no specific standard on what they should do amid mounting pressure from the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency to turn them over. As a result, a 54-year-old mother from Cameroon stopped after failing to signal a turn was detained for two nights in 2012 after police found a deportation order on her record. The case of Rose Tchakounte — who was turned over to ICE, but never deported — became a cause célèbre for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. In response, Emanuel and U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D￾Ill.), united behind a so-called “Welcoming City” ordinance that prohibits police from detaining undocumented immigrants unless they are wanted on a criminal warrant or have been convicted of a serious crime. From a political standpoint, the 2012 news conference was an opportunity for Emanuel to make amends with Gutierrez. During Emanuel’s days as Barack Obama’s chief of staff, Gutierrez accused Emanuel of standing in the way of immigration reform and being singularly responsible for Obama’s failure to deliver on his campaign promise to Hispanics. Gutierrez retaliated by endorsing mayoral candidate Gery Chico over Emanuel in the 2011 race for mayor. Atlanta Mayor Reed Condemns Trump Immigration Move By James Salzer Atlanta Journal-Constitution, January 26, 2017 Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed on Thursday joined his colleagues in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and other major metro areas in criticizing President Donald Trump’s executive order on immigration in so-called “sanctuary cities.” Trump on Wednesday promised to halt federal grants to municipalities that do not comply with immigration officials in detaining criminally charged unauthorized immigrants for deportation. Reed on Thursday condemned the move, saying Atlanta is a welcoming community that “has stood up for the civil and human rights of every person, and we will not waver now. “Our city stands together,” Reed said in a release on Thursday afternoon. “We believe the president’s executive orders violate the principles of the U.S. Constitution. We believe these orders promote dangerous public policy, eroding trust between public safety agencies and the communities they serve, which will undermine public safety in the City of Atlanta and nationwide. We believe the courts will agree.” Hundreds marched earlier this month in downtown Atlanta in hopes the metro would become a “sanctuary city.” Such a designation, however, would violate Georgia law, which requires full compliance with federal immigration authorities. DHS-17-0435-A-000465 CBP FOIA000465 79 Reed said the city will remain open to all, including immigrants, and pledged that Atlanta will stand firm in its commitment. Twin Cities Mayors Defy Trump On Sanctuary City Order By Tim Nelson Rochester (MN) Post-Bulletin, January 26, 2017 The mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul offered a defiant response to President Donald Trump’s executive order against so-called sanctuary cities that he says “willfully violate federal law.” Under the order signed Wednesday, cities with policies against reporting undocumented immigrants to federal authorities could risk losing federal funding. Both Minneapolis and St. Paul could fall into that category. Minneapolis won’t drop its policy that blocks police from reporting immigration violations, Mayor Betsy Hodges said Wednesday. The rule makes the city and its people safer because victims and witnesses of crime will feel as though they’re able to call the cops, Hodges said. “They will be safe to (call police), and their immigration status will not be questioned,” she said. “That will stand in the city of Minneapolis as long as I am mayor.” City staff still are figuring out how much federal money might be at stake, Hodges said, but it could be millions or even tens of millions of dollars. St. Paul gets about $13 million per year in federal funding. But Mayor Chris Coleman said he doesn’t think Trump’s order will apply to his city. The order applies to cities that willfully violate federal law, Coleman said, and St. Paul’s immigration policy does not. For enforcement, the order directs the U.S. Attorney General and Department of Homeland Security to block federal grants — with some exceptions — to cities and other jurisdictions that don’t report undocumented immigrants to the Immigration and Naturalization Service when they find them. The order also directs Homeland Security to publish a list of crimes by undocumented immigrants and any jurisdictions that may have failed to detain them. Supporters of Trump’s order say it has been a long time coming. Scott Johnson, a Twin Cities attorney and contributor to the conservative website Powerline, said he thinks Minneapolis and St. Paul have no business defying federal law as Trump is defining it, or as presidents have sought to define it for decades — as John F. Kennedy did in 1963. “There isn’t any more justification for sanctuary city policies than there was for George Wallace standing in the schoolhouse door to keep blacks from entering the University of Alabama,” he said. . Madison Mayor Won’t Alter Sanctuary City Stance Associated Press, January 26, 2017 MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Madison’s mayor says his city will remain a sanctuary for immigrants in the United States illegally even though it could cost federal aid. President Donald Trump signed an order Wednesday withholding Justice Department and Homeland Security funds from jurisdictions that bar local officials from communicating with federal authorities about someone’s immigration status. Madison Police Chief Mike Koval says his officers never inquire about immigration status. Dane County Sheriff’s deputies ask about status when people are booked into jail and notify federal officials. Mayor Paul Soglin says the city will continue to comply with federal detainer requests. But he maintains nothing states the city must detain immigrants as a condition for receiving funds and city police won’t enforce federal immigration laws. A sheriff’s spokeswoman says that department hasn’t discussed any changes. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Colleges Brace To Shield Students From Immigration Raids By Alan Gomez USA Today, January 26, 2017 Colleges and universities around the country are preparing to defend their students from potential immigration raids under President Trump, but it’s unclear how much power they actually have to shield their students. School administrators have issued a range of pronouncements to assure their undocumented immigrant students that they won’t help Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents track them down on their grounds. New York University, Portland State University and the University of Pennsylvania are among colleges that have embraced the “sanctuary” moniker and declared that ICE agents will need a court order to step foot onto their campuses. The University of Miami School of Law is providing free, confidential legal consultations to its students, and Arizona State University is offering free counseling to those stressed out over their status. Others, like Princeton University and Syracuse University, have been more hesitant. They don’t embrace the “sanctuary” label, and while their administrators say they will DHS-17-0435-A-000466 CBP FOIA000466 80 do what they can to protect students, they have warned students that their schools must comply with federal immigration laws. Maria Rodriguez, executive director of the Florida Immigrant Coalition, said the range of options shows what a difficult line school administrations are walking. “Some of these statements are symbolic resolutions of welcoming, but some of them have teeth,” Rodriguez said. “The community leaders — not just elected officials, but university presidents — need to be much bolder in calling for these protection policies.” The sanctuary policies, which mirror those enacted by many states and churches around the country, were a direct response to Trump’s vows on the campaign trail to dramatically increase immigration enforcement. On Wednesday, he started to make good on those promises by calling for a massive increase in deportations, 10,000 new ICE agents and revival of a federal program that deputizes local police officers to enforce immigration laws. Still, the Trump administration has not said it will specifically target young undocumented immigrants attending colleges and universities, including the 750,000 young undocumented immigrants who were granted deportation protections under President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA. Trump said during a speech at the Department of Homeland Security that he would focus deportations instead on undocumented immigrants who have criminal records or pose a threat to the country. When asked about the future of DACA recipients on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said of Trump: “He’s a family man, he has a huge heart and he understand the significance of this problem.” ICE also has a standing policy that its agents should avoid conducting operations at “sensitive locations,” such as schools, churches and hospitals, unless the situation is serious enough and the agent has been given approval by superiors. On Monday, ICE spokeswoman Jennifer Elzea said that policy remains in effect. The Department of Homeland Security “is committed to ensuring that people seeking to participate in activities or utilize services provided at any sensitive location are free to do so without fear or hesitation,” she said. DACA recipients say that gives them little comfort. Roberto Benavides, 27, is studying mechanical engineering at Miami Dade College. The Peru native, who first received DACA protection in 2013, said those temporary assurances don’t make up for the harsh, anti-immigrant rhetoric he heard from Trump during the presidential campaign. “We don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow, we don’t know what’s going to happen for the next four years,” Benavides said. “The presidents of all the universities here in South Florida have been very vocal supporting us. But we’re very worried that President Trump will use executive powers to get the information on all of us and round us up.” There is reason for concern. Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, which advocates for lower levels of immigration, doubts that the Trump administration would specifically target college campuses to round up DACA recipients. “(ICE) is not going to be walking through the library dragging people out or grabbing people in the dining hall,” she said. “That’s why I think this sanctuary campus movement is a little bit on the hysterical side.” But Vaughan, who has advised the Trump administration on its immigration enforcement options, said there are individual cases where ICE could be forced to grab people on campus. She said many undocumented immigrants were granted DACA despite having checkered criminal histories. And she said there are others who have committed crimes since gaining their protected status who could be targeted. And on Wednesday, two executive orders signed by Trump make clear that any undocumented immigrant in the U.S. is a potential target for deportation. The orders say that no undocumented immigrant, or any “classes or categories” of them, would be protected. “DACA should not be a free pass,” Vaughan said. Campuses Wary Of Offering ‘Sanctuary’ To Undocumented Students By Julia Preston New York Times, January 26, 2017 Janet Napolitano, president of the University of California, knows exactly what’s at stake if President Trump shuts down an Obama administration program that has given work permits and protection from deportation to some 752,000 young undocumented immigrants. In 2012, in her previous job as secretary of Homeland Security, she signed the document — nothing more than a policy memo — that created the program. So when alarm spread among immigrants on college campuses following Mr. Trump’s election, Ms. Napolitano moved quickly to determine what the California system could do to shelter its students if he carried through on his pledges to cancel the program, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. The university estimates that almost 3,800 among its 190,000 students are undocumented, many but not all with DACA. Ms. Napolitano, retaining her law enforcement instincts, does not mention the word “sanctuary” when describing what the university could offer. “Sanctuary is such a vague term, we don’t use it,” she said crisply. Instead, the university has published detailed principles of support for undocumented students, including assurances DHS-17-0435-A-000467 CBP FOIA000467 81 that campus police would not question students solely about their immigration status or join any cooperation agreements with federal immigration authorities under the Trump administration. Through the Davis campus law school, the university is organizing legal help for students detained for deportation. Another worrisome prospect, Ms. Napolitano said, is that students could lose the permits that allow them to work. Undocumented students, including any losing DACA, will continue to pay in-state tuition and be eligible for state financial aid and for a revolving loan program funded, in part, by the university. “We want to do everything we can so students are safe on our campuses,” Ms. Napolitano said, “so they can focus on what they are there to do, which is to study.” Students at dozens of college campuses, galvanized by Mr. Trump’s depictions of immigrants as criminals or potential terrorists, have pressed administrators to provide sanctuary for those without legal papers. But universities have had differing ideas about what that would mean in practice, and most leaders have been careful to say they would not defy the law. Some institutions have flatly rejected sanctuary plans as encouraging lawbreaking. At New Mexico State University, the president, Garrey Carruthers, said that banning federal agents from campus might imperil its federal funding. One of the first presidents to declare a sanctuary campus explicitly was Michael S. Roth of Wesleyan, who announced in November that it “will not voluntarily assist” any efforts by federal authorities to deport students. Soon after, John Coatsworth, the provost of Columbia University, said that it would not allow immigration agents on campus without a warrant. Some administrators point out that student information, including their immigration status, is already protected under long-existing privacy laws requiring the authorities to show a warrant or court order before any data can be released without students’ consent. In Georgia, Emory, which is a private university, considered but ultimately decided against protective measures. “Emory is not seeking to establish itself as a sanctuary campus, for which there is no legal definition,” the university said in a Jan. 4 statement. Taking a tougher line, the University of Georgia said that any call for sanctuary was “unacceptable” and added, “We expect our institutions to follow the law.” In his first formal briefing, on Jan. 23, Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, suggested that canceling DACA would not be a priority for the new administration, but he did not provide any explicit reassurance that the program would continue. Ms. Napolitano is still contemplating the bitter possibility that Mr. Trump will sweep away her most significant immigration accomplishment. She hopes to persuade him that the program is a good use of executive power, emphasizing that DACA immigrants pose little security risk because they pass background checks to get into the program. Her message for Mr. Trump: “Why waste resources trying to deport good students who’ve done everything right?” School Officials Pledge To Protect Students In The U.S. Illegally Support swelled after President Trump took executive action. By Lauren Camera, Education Reporter U.S. News & World Report, January 26, 2017 In states across the country, school officials are pledging to defend illegal students. (Pastorscott/Getty Images) In the wake of President Donald Trump’s executive actions Wednesday, in which he promised to crack down on people in the country illegally and withhold federal funding from so-called sanctuary cities, a tide of school officials struck back, promising to protect such students and their families. “L.A. Unified does not intend to cooperate with any effort to enforce [the] executive action, or with any other immigration enforcement activity,” Los Angeles Unified School Board President Steve Zimmer said in a statement. “President Trump’s executive order on immigration is the single most significant act of mean spiritedness by a president in my lifetime,” he said. “I pledge to families today what we have pledged every day since the election: Our schools are safe zones for every child and every family member.” Indeed, just hours after Trump signed the executive orders, the board of the Pittsburgh Public Schools unanimously adopted a resolution declaring itself a “sanctuary” campus. On Thursday, the Clark County School Board, which includes Las Vegas public schools, was set to consider a resolution affirming its ongoing commitment to students regardless of immigration status, which read in part that “the incoming presidential administration could cause a disruption to the safety and security” of students and their families. And school officials in Eugene, Oregon, planned to meet over the weekend to draft a similar resolution. In doing so, they join a growing list of places where school officials have made an array of pledges to defend students in the country illegally, ranging from ordering staff not to cooperate with immigration enforcement officials to reaffirming their commitment to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. “I think, given the conversation during President Trump’s campaign, his comments raised the anxiety of a lot DHS-17-0435-A-000468 CBP FOIA000468 82 of our families and children in our schools,” says Carolyn Edwards, the trustee board member at Clark County schools who proposed the resolution. “It’s clear to me that we need to let our families know that they have a right to be here and we will respect that and honor that and educate every child that comes through our doors.” While there’s no official tally, school boards that have passed such resolutions include Los Angeles and Oakland, California; Denver; Minneapolis; Santa Fe, New Mexico; and El Paso, Texas. San Francisco Unified School District has not passed a resolution, but it blasted an automated phone message to parents after Trump’s election, saying it would “continue to uphold San Francisco sanctuary city for all immigrants.” In 2014, approximately 725,000 students who were in the country illegally attended kindergarten through 12th￾grade, or 1.3 percent of total enrollment, according to Pew Research Center estimates based on government data. About 3.9 million students were children of parents illegally living in the U.S., a figure that’s been on a steady climb since the Great Recession. Under federal law, public school districts are required to educate all students regardless of their immigration status or their parents’ immigration statuses. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act prohibits school districts from providing third parties, such as the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, information contained in student records. Declaring oneself a sanctuary school district or adopting a resolution supporting students residing in the country illegally doesn’t provide the school or its students any additional legal protections. Indeed, federal law prohibits anyone from intentionally harboring such people from detection. But the resolutions, school officials say, serve to quell anxiety and assure students and families that they plan to uphold the federal protections that already exist. “As the Trump administration threatens our students and our way of life, we will double-down on our efforts to protect the right of all students to a public-school education – no matter where they live or where they’re from,” said Lily Eskelsen Garcia, president of the 3-million-member National Teachers Association, which has been distributing sample resolution language that school boards could choose to adopt. In addition, a growing number of colleges and universities around the country are following suit – the most high-profile being the University of California system, whose president, Janet Napolitano, released in November a set of principles for supporting students in the U.S. illegally. Earlier this week, Notre Dame faculty passed a sanctuary campus resolution, and hundreds of students and faculty staged a walkout in support of people illegally residing in the country. The resolution states, in part, that it will not allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to be on campus for enforcement purposes unless required by a warrant. Flashback: Dem Mayors Didn’t Protest Obama’s Attack On ‘Sanctuary Cities’ By Paul Bedard Washington Examiner, January 26, 2017 Democratic mayors and local officials assailing President Trump’s threat to cut off funding so-called “sanctuary cities” were silent when former President Obama did the same thing less than a year ago. In July, Obama’s Justice Department, pushed by House Republicans, notified sanctuaries that they would lose some federal funding if they continued to block federal immigration authorities from seizing illegals jailed for crimes. At the time, Texas Rep. John Culberson, who had pushed Justice to act, told Secrets: “Today, the DOJ notified local and state law enforcement agencies across America that they will no longer be eligible for federal law enforcement grants unless they certify under oath that their local or state laws do not interfere ‘in any way’ with requests for immigration information from federal authorities.” In a decision leading to the final action, a top Justice official told Culberson in February that the action was coming. In a letter, Assistant Attorney General Peter J. Kadzik said the department will require over 300 sanctuary cities cities, including Washington, D.C., New York and San Francisco, to abide by immigration laws or see their federal funds cut. If they are found to be in violation of federal laws, as in protecting illegal immigrants, Justice will move in with civil or criminal charges. In his letter Culberson, Kadzik said that he will advise communities that receive federal money that they are “required to assure and certify that they are in compliance with all applicable federal laws, and will continue to be required to do so.” But either cities didn’t believe it or knew the administration wouldn’t follow through, no major protests hit the White House. In fact, near the end of his administration, big city Democratic mayors feeling Obama was on their side begged for new protections for illegals. Mayor Bill de Blasio and 30 other city and county leaders asked Obama to extend executive protections for illegals. Now he and several other Democratic mayors are threatening to sue Trump who has made a similar threat to cut funding to the cities that block the federal authorities. DHS-17-0435-A-000469 CBP FOIA000469 83 Miami-Dade Orders Jails To Comply With ‘sanctuary’ Counties Crackdown By Patricia Mazzei Miami Herald, January 26, 2017 Fearing a loss of millions of dollars for defying immigration authorities, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez on Thursday ordered county jails to comply with federal immigration detention requests — effectively gutting the county’s position as a “sanctuary” for immigrants in the country illegally. Gimenez cited an executive order signed Wednesday by President Donald Trump that threatened to cut federal grants for any counties or cities that don’t cooperate fully with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Since 2013, Miami￾Dade has refused to indefinitely detain inmates who are in the country illegally and wanted by ICE — not based on principle, but because the federal government doesn’t fully reimburse the county for the expense. “In light of the provisions of the Executive Order, I direct you and your staff to honor all immigration detainer requests received from the Department of Homeland Security,” Gimenez wrote Daniel Junior, the interim director of the corrections and rehabilitation department, in a brief, three￾paragraph memo. Unlike cities like San Francisco, Miami-Dade never declared itself a “sanctuary” and has resisted the label ever since the Justice Department listed the county as one in a May 2016 report. Foreseeing Trump’s crackdown on “sanctuary” jurisdictions, the county asked the feds to review its status last year. A decision is still pending. In an interview with the Miami Herald, Gimenez, a Republican who attended Trump’s inauguration last week but said he voted for Hillary Clinton, said he made a financial decision. Last year, the county declined to hold some 100 inmates wanted by the feds. Keeping them in local jails would have cost about $52,000 — a relative drop in the bucket for a county with a total annual budget of $7 billion. In contrast, the county’s 2017 budget shows it’s counting on receiving some $355 million in federal funds — money that subsidizes elderly services, beds for the homeless, police officers and other government expenses. It’s unclear how much of that comes from the sort of grants Trump has threatened to deny sanctuary municipalities. “I want to make sure we don’t put in jeopardy the millions of funds we get from the federal government for a $52,000 issue,” he said. “It doesn’t mean that we’re going to be arresting more people. It doesn’t mean that we’re going to be enforcing any immigration laws.” Thursday evening, when this Miami Herald story moved online, Trump posted a response on Twitter: “Miami-Dade Mayor drops sanctuary policy. Right decision. Strong!” County Commissioner Sally Heyman, a Democrat who sponsored the 2013 measure that stopped Miami-Dade’s compliance with unreimbursed immigration detentions, said she was already working on legislation to undo the county’s position so Miami-Dade wouldn’t be targeted for federal cuts. “It’s a terrible situation,” she said. Heyman said she met with the feds in December in Washington, and earlier this month in Miami, to try to clarify Miami-Dade’s stance. Immigration authorities told her they now have enough facilities to house detainees, so they should be able to pick up inmates from local jails within 48 hours — instead of forcing the county to incur the expense for their prolonged detention. When cops arrest someone wanted by immigration authorities, the feds ask local jails for the courtesy of holding the detainees long enough for them to pick them up — even if that means keeping the detainees behind bars for longer than the period required for the non-immigration crime they were arrested for. Heyman said Gimenez’s strong-mayor position allows him to direct the corrections department in spite of the commission’s 2013 resolution. Howard Simon, executive director of the Florida chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, denounced Gimenez’s action, saying that it “flies in the face of Miami’s long history as a city of immigrants” and predicting it will “drive a wedge of distrust between law enforcement and our immigrant community.” “At the very least, a warrant from a court, not merely a request from a federal official, is required to detain somebody in jail,” Simon said. “We will resist every attempt by our government to punish immigrants, regardless of their status.” Trump has also ordered the reinstatement of a Bush￾era program known as Secure Communities that deputizes local police to enforce immigration laws — a controversial approach that critics say deters victims and witnesses of crime from coming forward. Gimenez noted that while his Thursday memo doesn’t deal with that portion of Trump’s action, he can’t envision cops asking people for their papers. “The federal government has to do its job,” he said. “We don’t ask them to write traffic tickets. We don’t want police asking people immigration status.” Whether Miami-Dade would be affected by Trump’s executive action on sanctuary cities was already questionable, given that there’s no legal definition of what constitutes a “sanctuary.” The federal law cited in Trump’s order addresses jurisdictions that choose not to share information with the feds on immigration cases. No Florida municipality has explicitly set policy to obstruct federal immigration authorities; they’ve only objected to costly detentions or to detentions without deportation orders or judicial warrants. DHS-17-0435-A-000470 CBP FOIA000470 84 The Democratic mayors of several big cities that defy federal immigration authorities as a matter of policy declared one after another Wednesday that they protect undocumented immigrants within their jurisdictions. “I want to be clear: We’re going to stay a sanctuary city,” Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said. “We’re going to defend all of our people, regardless of where they come from, regardless of their immigration status,” New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said. First ‘Sanctuary City’ Caves To Trump Demands By Alan Gomez USA Today, January 26, 2017 MIAMI — President Trump is hailing the first victory in his fight against “sanctuary cities” after a South Florida mayor ordered his employees on Thursday to begin working more closely with federal immigration authorities. For years, Miami-Dade County has refused to hold some undocumented immigrants in its jails for federal immigration agents. But after Trump signed an executive order threatening to withhold federal funding from sanctuary cities, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez changed his mind. Gimenez signed an executive order Thursday ordering the director of his corrections department to begin honoring all requests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to hold immigration suspects in Miami-Dade County jails. “Miami-Dade County complies with federal law and intends to fully cooperate with the federal government,” the order read. Gimenez said he made the decision to ensure that the county does not lose out on $355 million in federal funding it has coming in 2017. Trump was quick to praise the decision, tweeting on Thursday: “Right decision. Strong!” The term “sanctuary city” is a broad term that describes up to 300 communities that have policies protecting the nation’s 11 million undocumented immigrants from deportation. Some refuse to share any information with ICE agents. Some will share information, but refuse to hold undocumented immigrants for the sole purpose of giving ICE agents time to pick them up. Trump vowed throughout the campaign to crack down on those cities. He often cited the example of Kate Steinle, a San Francisco woman who was shot and killed by an undocumented immigrant who had been released by the city’s sheriff’s department. On Wednesday, Trump signed an executive order that directed the Department of Homeland Security to identify and label “sanctuary cities” in the U.S. It ordered the department to publish a weekly roundup of crimes committed by undocumented immigrants, including any local police departments that had custody of those immigrants but chose to release them. The order also directed the departments of Justice and Homeland Security to identify federal grants that can be withheld from sanctuary cities that continue their practices. Those federal departments give out millions of dollars in grants each year to help local communities hire police officers, hold undocumented immigrants, improve community policing practices and crack down on violence against women. “These jurisdictions have caused immeasurable harm to the American people and to the very fabric of our Republic,” Trump’s order read. Big city mayors responded forcefully to Trump’s order, with mayors from San Francisco to Chicago to New York vowing to fight back. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said he would even allow undocumented immigrants to seek refuge in city hall. “They can use my office,” Walsh said. “They can use any office in this building.” A collection of police chiefs and sheriffs on Thursday also criticized Trump’s attacks on sanctuary cities. They say the practice of holding suspects in their jails solely for ICE has been ruled unconstitutional by federal courts. And they say the federal government should not try to force cities to carry out the federal responsibility of immigration enforcement. “Law enforcement has a responsibility to work with federal immigration authorities. And the vast majority of police departments do,” said Montgomery County (Md.) Police Chief Tom Manger. “But this notion that the federal government would cut funding to coerce local policies to change is troubling.” Miami-Dade Mayor Ends Sanctuary Status, Citing Trump’s Order By Nikita Vladimirov The Hill, January 26, 2017 The mayor of Miami-Dade County, Fla., on Thursday ordered his local jails to comply with President Trump’s executive order on immigration enforcement in light of the administration’s threat to cut funding to places that act as “sanctuaries” for illegal immigrants. “In light of the provisions of the Executive Order, I direct you and your staff to honor all immigration detainer requests received from the Department of Homeland Security,” Mayor Carlos Gimenezwrote in a memo to the interim head of the corrections and rehabilitation department, as reported by the Miami Herald. DHS-17-0435-A-000471 CBP FOIA000471 85 According to the newspaper, the country has never officially called itself a “sanctuary,” and has asked the federal government to review its status in 2016. “Miami-Dade County complies with federal law and intends to fully cooperate with the federal government,” Gimenez wrote. “I will partner with the Board of County Commissioners to address any issues necessary to achieve this end,” the mayor added. Trump tweeted about the decision Thursday night, calling it the “right decision.” Miami-Dade Mayor drops sanctuary policy. Right decision. Strong! https://t.co/MtPvaDC4jM— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 26, 2017 Trump’s executive order, which instructs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to cut funding to “sanctuary” cities and states, may end up costing Miami-Dade millions of dollars, the newspaper notes. The orders signed on Wednesday also eliminate the “catch and release” policy that returned border-crossers to Mexico rather than detaining and processing them for deportation. “From here on out, I’m asking all of you to enforce the laws of the United States of America. They will be enforced and enforced strongly,” Trump said during his visit to DHS. “Beginning today, the United States of America gets back control of its borders,” he added. Miami-Dade Mayor Orders Jails To Comply With Federal Immigration Detention Requests By By Cristiano Lima, Marc Caputo Politico, January 26, 2017 The mayor of Miami-Dade county on Thursday ordered county jails to comply with federal detention requests, citing President Donald Trump’s executive orders concerning “sanctuary jurisdictions” for illegal immigrants. But in doing so, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez tells POLITICO that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency needs to start cooperating with the county and paying for the detention of illegal immigrants in one of the nation’s largest counties of foreign-born residents. “If ICE asks us to detain someone we arrested --not for immigration issues because we’re not immigration officers-- we feel ICE should pay the bill and bear the responsibility for housing their inmate,” Gimenez said. “There is no change in broader policy,” he said. “The change here is we just won’t require a letter from ICE for each inmate. But we are not dropping our request to reimburse county taxpayers fairly for aiding the federal government.” Due to ICE’s refusal to adequately reimburse the county during President Barack Obama’s just-ended term, the county commission in 2013 passed a policy to refuse undocumented-immigrant detainer requests from the federal government. The move earned the county the reputation as a “sanctuary” for illegal immigrants, but Miami-Dade officials and others in the state bristled at the designation . Gimenez noted that Trump’s action to withhold federal funding from “sanctuary jurisdictions” technically didn’t apply to the county because the president’s order narrowly focused on agencies that violated a federal law that prohibited the obstruction of information requested by immigration officials. Gimenez said his effort to accommodate Trump would hopefully incentivize his administration to cover the estimated $50,000 cost for housing about 200 inmates annually. Still, the move essentially ends the county’s standing as a “sanctuary” for undocumented immigrants. Though the county never officially declared itself as a sanctuary, it has effectively served as one since the county’s 2013 decision to stop aiding ICE. “Miami-Dade County complies with federal law and intends to fully cooperate with the federal government,” Gimenez wrote in a letter addressed to the county’s department of corrections and rehabilitation. “I will partner with the Board of County Commissioners to address any issues necessary to achieve this end.” In all, about seven counties in Florida have refused to detain illegal immigrants due to ICE’s actions. Other county sheriffs said they wouldn’t detain potential immigrants identified by the agency because ICE’s evidence is sometimes wrong and American citizens have been unfairly detained for immigration offenses, leading to lawsuits. In a speech speech at the Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday, Trump vowed that his executive orders would save lives and “save billions and billions of dollars.” “For too long your office’s agents haven’t been allowed to properly do their jobs,” Trump said. “You know that, right? Do you know that? Absolutely. But that’s all about to change.” Trump added: “By working together, safe borders and economic cooperation, I truly believe we can enhance the relation between our two nations, to a degree not seen before, certainly, in a very, very long time. I think our relationship with Mexico is going to get better.” Onondaga County Sheriff: Feds Haven’t Asked For Immigrant Detention On His Watch By Mark Weiner Syracuse (NY) Post-Standard, January 26, 2017 SYRACUSE, N.Y. – President Donald Trump’s executive orders that threaten to punish communities harboring undocumented immigrants appear unlikely to be put to the test any time soon in Onondaga County. DHS-17-0435-A-000472 CBP FOIA000472 86 Onondaga County Sheriff Gene Conway said today he has never received a request from federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials to detain an undocumented immigrant during his two years in office. If he did receive such a “detainer request” from ICE, Conway said, he is likely to comply with federal authorities. A detainer request, also known as an immigration hold, is a request to local law enforcement to detain a non-citizen so that ICE can take custody of the person. “It has always been my purpose to cooperate with law enforcement, whether it is local, state or federal,” Conway told Syracuse.com. Conway oversees the Onondaga County Justice Center jail, where about 10,000 people a year are held after being charged by Syracuse police or Onondaga County deputies. He said the charges faced by those at the jail are usually more serious than immigration violations. “I would have to think that the situation here would be the result of someone allegedly committing a crime, and not so much the crime of being an illegal immigrant,” Conway said. He said his own deputies will not question people about their immigration or citizenship status. “To just go out and be looking for illegal immigrants is not something we have done here, or something I intend to do,” Conway said. The issue of undocumented immigrants and local law enforcement boiled over this week when Trump signed an executive order allowing federal intervention in the way that local and state officials carry out policing and treat immigrants. Trump told the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to find ways to cut off federal funding for so-called “sanctuary cities” that refuse to turn over undocumented immigrants to the federal government. Mayor Stephanie Miner recently declared that Syracuse would be a sanctuary city. But the decision about how to handle undocumented immigrants in law enforcement custody appears to be out her hands. Conway oversees the jail, and the Onondaga County Correctional Facility in Jamesville is overseen by the county. An assistant to Onondaga County Corrections Commissioner William J. Hanna III referred questions today to a spokesman for County Executive Joanie Mahoney, who had no immediate comment about the undocumented immigrant detention policy. Separately, data compiled by researchers at Syracuse University found ICE has issued 110 “detainer requests” since 2007 for prisoners held in Onondaga County. Of those requests, ICE was given custody of the prisoner in 47 of the cases since 2007, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University, which gathers and produces research reports on government data. Maryland’s Howard County Could Become Official Sanctuary By Talia Richman Associated Press, January 26, 2017 WASHINGTON (AP) – Two Howard County Council members plan to push forward with legislation to declare their county a sanctuary for undocumented immigrants, even after President Donald Trump announced his intention to crack down on such jurisdictions. Fulfilling one of many immigration-related campaign promises, Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order that will cut federal funding from localities that don’t cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The Howard County Council still is expected to vote as early as Feb. 6 on a bill that would designate Howard County a “sanctuary county.” The proposed legislation, co-sponsored by Councilman Calvin Ball and Councilwoman Jen Terrasa, would mostly codify practices Howard County already employs with regard to undocumented immigrants. It would ban county employees – including police officers and elected officials – from enforcing federal immigration law, assisting immigration officers in gathering information, and inquiring into people’s immigration status. The legislation also states the policy would not apply if it was in conflict with federal law. With Trump’s threat looming, Ball said the bill is even more important than before. “Given the fear and concern in our community from undocumented immigrants, our friends, our neighbors…this is a vital community conversation to have at this point in time,” he said. “We’re at a crossroads. We have to decide what kind of community we’re going to be.” And although the bill doesn’t represent dramatic changes in policy, Ball said there is value in having a “written policy that people can see and does not change without a public, transparent process.” County Executive Allan Kittleman called the legislation a “hollow political statement” and said he would use his veto power should it pass. “I am not willing to jeopardize existing programs and services which benefit all Howard County residents to adopt a label that would not change any of the policies and practices that we already have in place,” Kittleman said in a statement The bill could also “compromise public safety efforts,” he said, as the county has had success working with ICE to target drug activity, human trafficking and child pornography. DHS-17-0435-A-000473 CBP FOIA000473 87 Ball said it is unclear if Trump’s executive order would already impact the county, given the policies currently in practice. With many questions still unanswered, Ball said the council is working to evaluate the executive order’s implications, adding that Howard County does not receive “significant federal funding.” In two public hearings since the bill was introduced Jan. 3, residents have come forward on both sides of the issue. “It has really blown away the usual input we get from the public,” said county council public information officer Eric Solomon, noting that one hearing went until the early hours of the morning. Those opposed expressed fear that the “sanctuary” designation would negatively affect the economy and lead to higher crime rates. Some cited the case of Kate Steinle, a woman who was killed in 2015 by an undocumented immigrant in San Francisco, a sanctuary city. Trump ordered his administration to “make public a comprehensive list of criminal actions committed by aliens and any jurisdiction that ignored or otherwise failed to honor any detainers with respect to such aliens.” The Center for American Progress released a report Thursday that found there are an average of 35.5 fewer crimes committed per 10,000 people in sanctuary counties as opposed to non-sanctuary counties. Howard County residents who testified in favor of the bill urged council members to affirm their values of inclusion. A spokeswoman for immigrant advocacy group CASA said Howard County council members should continue their fight to become a “sanctuary county.” “They should stand on their strong principles,” said Fernanda Durand, “their principles that are about compassion and keeping their cities safe.” Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Las Vegas-area School District Taking Up Sanctuary Question Fox News, January 26, 2017 LAS VEGAS – School trustees in Las Vegas, where almost half the students are Hispanic, are being asked to declare an immigration safe haven for students regardless of their citizenship status. Clark County School District board member Carolyn Edwards is proposing a resolution on Thursday that she calls a response to President Donald Trump’s promises to deport people living in the U.S. without legal permission. Edwards says she doesn’t know how the other six other board members will vote. She says she wants to reinforce protections for children of immigrants under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals order that former President Barack Obama signed at a Las Vegas high school in November 2014. The fifth-largest public school district in the U.S. reports that 46 percent of its 322,000 students are of Hispanic heritage. Snyder: Immigration Isn’t ‘primary’ Function Of Local Police Associated Press, January 26, 2017 LANSING, Mich. (AP) – Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder says he doesn’t think a primary function of state and local police is to act as immigration officers. President Donald Trump’s executive action on immigration instructs the Homeland Security secretary to engage with governors and local officials about agreements under which local law enforcement officials could investigate, apprehend and detain people in the country illegally. Snyder told reporters Thursday he doesn’t view immigration enforcement as one of the “primary” functions for state and local police. The president is also expected to soon take steps to restrict the flow of refugees into the United States. Snyder says Trump “has to make those decisions” because it’s not a state responsibility, but regardless of national immigration policies, he will “continue to promote Michigan as a welcoming place for immigrants.” Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Iowa City Officials: Immigration Order Shouldn’t Affect City Associated Press, January 26, 2017 IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Iowa City officials say they don’t think the city will lose funding despite President Donald Trump’s move to cut federal funds to jurisdictions that don’t cooperate in enforcing federal immigration laws. The City Council adopted a policy last week saying the city won’t enforce federal immigration law or commit local resources toward doing so, with some exceptions, the Iowa City Press-Citizen (http://icp-c.com/2koQia3 ) reported. The council’s decision came after it declined to pursue a “sanctuary city” label. Trump’s order calls on the government to withhold federal grants and funding for “sanctuary cities,” and gives the Secretary of Homeland Security discretion to designate any jurisdiction as such. Trump’s order cites a section of federal law that makes it illegal for federal, state and local government entities to prohibit sending or receiving an individual’s immigration DHS-17-0435-A-000474 CBP FOIA000474 88 status to the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service. Iowa City’s new policy states that city employees won’t be restricted in communicating with federal immigration authorities. City Attorney Eleanor Dilkes said the city’s federal funding shouldn’t be in jeopardy. “If you look at the executive order, the only thing that gives me some pause is that the director of office and management and budget is directed to obtain and provide relevant information on all federal grant money that currently is received by any ‘sanctuary jurisdiction,’” she said. “In terms of the specific Section 9, that is saying they want to ensure that states and political subdivisions comply with that section of the code, I can confidently say we do.” Iowa City’s annual financial report shows it received more than $18 million in federal grants in fiscal year 2016. More than $213,000 came from U.S. Department of Justice grants. Iowa City’s policy includes exceptions for public safety threats, violent offenders or situations in which cooperation with ICE is necessary to protect the public. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Connecticut Ready To Fight Trump’s Immigration Policy By Francesca Kefalas Norwich (CT) Bulletin, January 26, 2017 Windham finds itself openly at odds with President Donald Trump a day after he signed two executive orders outlining his immigration policy. In fact, all of Connecticut, with its policy of not turning over all undocumented aliens requested by federal officials, is likely to be in the crosshairs of Trump’s new immigration policy. With a stroke of the pen, Trump is trying to do what some Republicans in the last Congress were not able to do – punish “sanctuary” cities and states by withholding federal funds. The Windham Town Council voted to become a Sanctuary City Jan. 17. The resolution states the town does not intend to violate federal law. But it also states that no employee — which would include the Willimantic fire department and police department — elected leader or appointed official is to ask about a person’s immigration status unless it is warranted as part of a criminal investigation. “I’m of course concerned,” Town Councilor Dennis O’Brien, who put forward the resolution, said of Trump’s actions. “Our resolution simply follows the law of the land, the law of the United State’s Constitution, federal immigration law and the state’s Trust Act. I’m concerned about what’s happening but I’m also very proud of what we’ve done.” The town also held a pro-immigration rally at Jillson Square on Jan. 20 attended by nearly 200 people. The term sanctuary – given to about 300 jurisdictions in the United States – is used to describe a wide range of policies, none of which actually protect an undocumented worker from deportation if federal law enforcement officials have him or her in custody. San Francisco, Chicago, New York and other American cities have enacted policies limiting cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Other jurisdictions more narrowly restrict police from inquiring about the immigration status of detained suspects. Hartford, Willimantic and New Haven are among dozens of cities with police departments that have established policies of not asking the immigration status of those they arrest or detain. Connecticut in 2013 passed the “Trust Act” that allows state and local law enforcement agencies to ignore a federal “detainer,” a request to hold an undocumented resident for immigration officials, if he or she hasn’t committed a serious felony. On Tuesday, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said, “We don’t actually have any true sanctuary cities in Connecticut.” “The president is bound by the Constitution of the United States, just as we are bound by the Constitution of the United States, and an executive order does not trump the Constitution of the United States,” Malloy said. “If this order is written in such a way as to discriminate against individuals or communities or institutions, we’ll defend that.” To Trump, Connecticut and its “sanctuary” cities are breaking the law. “We are going to restore the rule of law in the United States,” Trump said, addressing Department of Homeland Security employees after signing the directives. “Beginning today the United States gets control of its borders.” But Trump did not specify what federal funds would be withheld from jurisdictions determined to be “sanctuaries.” His executive order says the new Secretary of Homeland Security, John F. Kelly will use “the Declined Detainer Outcome Report or its equivalent and, on a weekly basis, make public a comprehensive list of criminal actions committed by aliens and any jurisdiction that ignored or otherwise failed to honor any detainers with respect to such aliens.” The Director of the Office of Management and Budget would then investigate and detail all federal grant money received “by any sanctuary jurisdiction,” Trump’s order said. Those jurisdictions would be stripped of federal funds, “except as mandated by law.” Windham Town Councilor James Flores said he believes this is an issue that will end up before the U.S. DHS-17-0435-A-000475 CBP FOIA000475 89 Supreme Court. Flores said Windham and the state need to see how the issue unfolds but he believes the town’s commitment to its undocumented immigrants is strong. “We will continue to fight,” Flores said. Flores said the majority of the undocumented immigrants are good citizens and taxpayers doing important jobs in the community. O’Brien said Windham was built by immigrants and its success as a textile city in the 1900s was due to immigrants. “I hear people say those immigrants were here legally, but it was not the same process then to come into this country,” O’Brien said. “We’ve always been a country of immigrants.” The concern for immigrants is compounded in Windham, which is also home to Eastern Connecticut State University, which has almost 50 Dreamer students. Dreamers are students who have taken advantage of President Barack Obama’s executive order called the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. With it Obama directed ICE and other federal agencies involved in apprehending and deporting the undocumented to practice “prosecutorial discretion” with those who immigrated to the United States as children and were in the country without legal status. Eastern has 47 Dreamers. College President Elsa Nunez said at the immigration rally that she is an immigrant and she plans to keep her students safe. “We’re going to stay together as long as we have to make sure the rights of these students are protected,” Nunez said. “This country was built on the backs of immigrants, so why now are you starting to say somehow immigrants are not welcome in this country or they’re not taking their place in this country?” Nunez said 36 of the 47 students have a grade point average of 3.5 or higher. “These are very smart students,” Nunez said. “They’re going to be doctors, lawyers, lead community-based organizations in this country. They will make us proud.” Amy Vas Nunes said she was involved in the organizational meetings for the rally and knows there will be more. Nunes said she believes Trump’s actions are going to spur more and more people to action. Nunes said she is concerned because she is reminded of what happened to her family during World War II, some of whom were Dutch Jews living in the Netherlands. “People were exterminated,” Nunes said. “So I’m very concerned about anything that starts down that Nazism road. I’m very sensitive to anything anti-Semitic, anti-Muslim, anti￾pick-your-people. We can’t let that happen.” State Attorney General George Jepsen said he is trying to determine if and how Trump’s actions would affect the state. “My staff is reviewing the executive order and gathering other information, and so we are not in a position to comment in detail at this time,” Jepsen said. “I remain committed to taking action within my authority to protect Connecticut residents whose rights are threatened by this or other actions of the Trump Administration.” The issue of whether jurisdictions that don’t comply with federal detainers are breaking the law is subject to conflicting legal interpretations. The Justice Department ruled last summer that local law enforcement agencies are required by federal law to at least share information about illegal immigrants. But the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia ruled in 2014 that local police departments are not required to hold undocumented immigrants for ICE. ‘Worst kind of prejudice’ An attempt to pass a law that would strip federal law enforcement money from jurisdictions that don’t share all information about undocumented aliens stopped or arrested by law enforcement faltered in the Senate in the last Congress. That legislation would have put as much as $20 million in annual federal policing grants for Connecticut in jeopardy. Most of that money, more than $15 million, comes in the form of Community Development Block Grants. If Trump wants to broaden the reach of his executive order, he’ll need legislation like the bills several GOP lawmakers, including Rep. Duncan Hunter of California and Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, have tried to push through Congress. Trump’s executive orders also pressed jurisdictions to enter into memorandums of understanding with the federal government that would allow local police to enforce immigration law. They also called for building a border wall with Mexico, hiring 10,000 additional border patrol agents and building more detention centers, all projects that would need authorization and appropriations from Congress. Connecticut’s Democratic lawmakers blasted Trump’s proposals, calling for a comprehensive immigration bill instead. “Public safety is critically important, but these actions detract from valid and vital law enforcement efforts instead of enhancing them,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal said. “Local law enforcement needs the funding that President Trump’s orders would cut and divert to a politically motivated show project.” Sen. Chris Murphy said, “President Trump’s divisive policies that build walls and take money away from local police do nothing to make us safer. “America’s greatness is rooted in our immigrant history, and those who try to turn our country against immigrants are preying on the worst kind of prejudice,” Murphy said. Rep. Elizabeth Esty, D-5th District, said, “What President Trump offered today are not solutions. DHS-17-0435-A-000476 CBP FOIA000476 90 “Nothing the president did today will make us safer, grow our economy, or fix our broken immigration system. These actions are political gimmicks that will serve only to harass and tear apart law-abiding families,” she said. State Dems Pledge To Fight Trump Immigration Order By Reid Wilson The Hill, January 26, 2017 Democratic legislators and attorneys general are promising swift pushback against two executive orders President Trump signed Wednesday aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration. One of the orders, which Trump signed during a visit to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), would put at risk federal grants to cities and counties that act as “sanctuary cities” — jurisdictions that refuse to comply with federal authorities’ requests to hold some suspects while their immigration status is checked. Another order would allow the DHS to begin construction of a wall along the southern border with Mexico. Trump also laid out plans to hire 5,000 new Border Patrol agents and 10,000 immigration officers. The two orders, fulfilling Trump’s campaign pledges to crack down on both legal and illegal immigration, drew swift condemnation from Democratic-led states with significant immigrant populations. Several attorneys general pledged to sue the administration over what they called illegal acts. “The president lacks the constitutional authority to cut off funding to states and cities simply because they have lawfully acted to protect immigrant families,” said Eric Schneiderman (D), New York’s attorney general. Schneiderman’s office last week issued legal guidance to local governments in New York that laid out their rights to refuse immigration warrants issued by the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement or Customs and Border Protection agencies. In California, Attorney General Xavier Becerra — sworn in to office just days ago — said his office would defend two state laws that allow local jurisdictions to ignore federal immigration orders. “Executive orders do not change existing law. Executive orders cannot contradict existing law. And executive orders can be challenged for violating constitutional and legal standards in their enforcement,” Becerra said in a statement. California Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D) said the state legislature would rely on its new legal counsel, former Attorney General Eric Holder, to guard against what Rendon called an overly vague order. “The language is so broad that mass deportations are likely without real due process,” Rendon said. “Our agricultural industry and other economic sectors, businesses large and small, depend on an immigrant workforce. If those businesses suffer, the national economy will suffer too, and that’s all on Trump.” Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D) said Trump’s order “raises significant legal issues that my office will be investigating closely.” The early pledges of action from Democratic legislators and legal officers presages what is likely to be a concerted effort by blue states to tie the Trump administration up in court. Democratic officials have said they will fight the Trump administration on everything from immigration to climate change to repealing the Affordable Care Act, another key element of the president’s agenda. “You could call us a bulwark against Trumpism. You could call us a beacon of light in darkness. You could call us a sanctuary for a variety of people who might be otherwise victims of instability that comes out of the White House,” Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) said in a recent interview. “I think all of those things fit. We do intend to work in concert as much as we can.” Why Police Worry About Trump’s ‘Sanctuary Cities’ Crackdown By Patrik Jonsson Christian Science Monitor, January 26, 2017 January 26, 2017 —President Trump on Wednesday essentially told police nationwide to start looking for undocumented immigrants and reporting them to federal immigration authorities for deportation. On Thursday, Capt. Jeff Scroggin, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department gave Mr. Trump a simple reply: No. Enforcing federal immigration law “is just not what we do, which is why our policy will not change, even with the new Trump executive action,” says Captain Scroggin, a 32-year veteran, in an interview with the Monitor. Scroggin’s view – which is supported by California’s attorney general – is pitting hard-earned policing knowledge and wisdom against Trump’s effort to crack down on “sanctuary cities.” In an executive order signed Wednesday, the president said cities would risk losing federal money if they didn’t commit their police to enforcing federal immigration laws. But for many police officers, the executive order points down worrisome paths. On one hand, they say, public safety increases when trust in police rises. Using local cops as immigration agents, they say, would shut the door on vast communities of immigrants, creating more opportunity for criminal activity, not less. DHS-17-0435-A-000477 CBP FOIA000477 91 What’s more, they add, police are already being asked to do too much – adding immigration enforcement would only stretch them further. Over both these concerns looms a fraught legal question: Should the government be able to essentially commandeer local police as federal agents? Some municipalities are already voluntarily enforcing federal immigration law, but Trump’s executive order would impose huge costs on those who don’t comply – challenging the rights of states and localities to set their own priorities. For that reason and others, “Trump will face massive political resistance and challenges in the courts,” said Ingrid Eagly, a professor at the University of California at Los Angeles School of Law, in The New York Times. The executive order directed the Homeland Security secretary to work with localities and states to enforce immigration law. Those that do not comply can be designated “sanctuary jurisdictions” and have their federal grants blocked. Like many conservatives, Trump says undocumented immigrants with rap sheets are a fundamental threat to public safety, and sanctuary cities – which vow not to share immigration information with the federal government – are complicit. “Sanctuary city policies are dangerous to citizens who are lawfully in this country,” Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry said, according to NBC News. But numerous studies suggest undocumented immigrants are no more violent or unlawful as a group than US citizens are. Caught in the middle are officers like Scroggin, who see the prospect of doing federal immigration work as antithetical to their vow of duty. “We’re the melting pot of the world out here in California, there are a lot of immigrant communities that we serve, so we need to make sure that they feel comfortable” calling the cops for help, he says. “The most important thing we strive to do is to build enough trust so that residents provide information that makes this community safer. It’s a team effort.” Most US police departments agree. Moreover, they suggest that many police departments already cooperate with the federal government. Even in sanctuary cities, police often notify federal authorities when they have an undocumented person in custody who has committed serious crimes. The concern is that the executive order will remove police departments’ ability to focus on what they think is most important. “Police leaders across the country are aligned on this issue,” Seattle Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole told NBC News. At this point, it’s not clear how much Trump could back up his threats. The president does hold sway over some grants but cannot redirect funding directly approved by Congress. By one estimate, New York City could face $7 billion in federal losses if the city refuses Trump’s order. Or Trump could withdraw only funds that are attached to the federal immigration mission – a minuscule amount, by comparison. Even Scroggin acknowledges that enforcement priorities in places like New York City and Los Angeles County could change if President Trump is able to hold back billions of federal dollars. But others say the issue is not just about punishing sanctuary cities but also persuading others not to join their ranks. “This is not just a legal battle or a law enforcement issue – to a large extent it’s political, too,” said Jessica Vaughan of the Center for Immigration Studies, a think tank that favors protectionist immigration measures, to the Orange County Register. “The goal is not to go around whacking sanctuary cities. It’s to identify funding that can be cut off so that cities might be dissuaded from adopting those policies.” Contrary To Trump’s Claims, Immigrants Are Less Likely To Commit Crimes By Richard Pérez-Peña New York Times, January 26, 2017 A central point of an executive order President Trump signed on Wednesday — and a mainstay of his campaign speeches — is the view that undocumented immigrants pose a threat to public safety. But several studies, over many years, have concluded that immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than people born in the United States. And experts say the available evidence does not support the idea that undocumented immigrants commit a disproportionate share of crime. “There’s no way I can mess with the numbers to get a different conclusion,” said Alex Nowrasteh, immigration policy analyst at the libertarian Cato Institute, which advocates more liberal immigration laws. Mr. Trump often cites specific cases of undocumented immigrants committing or being charged with crimes, like the 2015 killing in San Francisco of Kathryn Steinle, whose accused killer had repeatedly been convicted of crimes and deported, yet slipped back into the United States. His executive order states that many people who enter the country illegally “present a significant threat to national security and public safety.” It directs the Department of Homeland Security to publish a weekly “comprehensive list of criminal actions committed by aliens and any jurisdiction that ignored or otherwise failed to honor any detainers with respect to such aliens.” Analyses of census data from 1980 through 2010 show that among men ages 18 to 49, immigrants were one-half to one-fifth as likely to be incarcerated as those born in the DHS-17-0435-A-000478 CBP FOIA000478 92 United States. Across all ages and sexes, about 7 percent of the nation’s population are noncitizens, while figures from the Justice Department show that about 5 percent of inmates in state and federal prisons are noncitizens. Opponents of immigration often point out that in federal prisons, a much higher share of inmates, 22 percent, are noncitizens. But federal prisons hold a small fraction of the nation’s inmates, and in many ways, it is an unusual population. About one-third of noncitizen federal inmates are serving time for immigration offenses — usually re-entering the country illegally after being deported — that are not covered by state law. With about 43 million foreign-born people living in the country, and about 11 million of them here illegally, immigrants are a large slice of the population, and are no doubt to blame for a large share of the crime. The Department of Homeland Security has estimated that 1.9 million noncitizens living in the United States — whether legally or illegally — have been convicted of criminal offenses and could be deported. The Migration Policy Institute, a research group that does not advocate immigration policies, estimated that 820,000 of those people were in the country illegally, including 300,000 with felony convictions. “The tone and tenor of the president’s executive order blurs the line between who’s a serious criminal and who isn’t,” and between documented and undocumented immigrants, said Randy Capps, the institute’s director of research for United States programs. There is no national accounting of criminality specifically by people who are in the country illegally. But Mr. Nowrasteh said he had analyzed the available figures and concluded that undocumented immigrants had crime rates somewhat higher than those here legally, but much lower than those of citizens. Immigrants Train To Defend Themselves, Families In Trump Era NBC News, January 26, 2017 While President Donald Trump dedicated his inauguration speech last week to the “forgotten men and women” of the United States, another group of forgotten people in small towns and big cities across America prepared to defend their families, friends and neighbors from policy changes that could put them at high risk for deportation. “Divide into two groups,” instructs Ravi Ragbir, executive director of the New Sanctuary Movement Coalition—an immigrant rights group based in New York City. “Do you want to be an ICE agent? Or an immigrant?” Every Thursday evening, a small group of undocumented immigrants gathers in a church in downtown Manhattan — which they call a “safe space” — to share their stories, get legal advice, and role-play real life detentions. On this particular evening, the support group plays out the story of a green card holder who was detained by immigration agents outside of a New York City homeless shelter five days before his second son was born in 2014. “We are preparing them to defend their rights against possible raids during the Trump administration,” Ragbir told NBC Latino. “Role-playing is very important because it becomes automatic, it mentalizes people for when they are intercepted or accosted by agents. And unless you are doing this regularly, you become shocked and traumatized.” Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday that will direct federal funding to building a wall on the U.S.- Mexico border. Its one in a series of actions aimed at cracking down on immigration. On Inauguration Day, the president also got moral support from a Southern Baptist pastor, the Rev. Robert Jeffress, who compared Trump’s intended immigration and infrastructure policies with the biblical story of the builder Nehemiah — chosen by God to build a wall around Jerusalem for the protection of its citizens. But for other religious leaders, Jeffress’ inauguration sermon contradicts the communal spirit of God. “God characterizes our religious traditions with compassion,” said Juan Carlos Ruiz, a Mexican priest and co-founder of the New Sanctuary Movement in New York. “God is welcoming and calls on us to build bridges, not walls.” The New Sanctuary Movement Coalition holds a workshop in a church where participants role play immigration arrest scenarios to learn what their rights are and how to express them. The January 2017 workshop have become more urgent as President Donald Trump has signed executive orders ramping up immigration enforcement. New Sanctuary Movement Coaliton / New Sanctuary Movement Coalitio For Ruiz, and other immigration rights advocates, walls divide people into insiders and outsiders, natives and immigrants. And these divisions, the Mexican priest emphasized, can underpin hate and distrust. “We cannot protect ourselves with an ideology of hatred towards others,” Ruiz told NBC Latino. “We cannot confine ourselves with an us vs. them mentality because it denies humanity. And immigration is a global crisis that prevents us from seeing the humanity of others.” While immigrants are often characterized as loners, outsiders, who bounce from job to job and place to place like cowboys (and cowgirls) on a frontier, New Sanctuary Movement organizers remind immigrants that they are not alone, that immigrants are like trees with deep roots planted in American families, parishes and communities. And these roots can empower them to strengthen their faith and defend their rights. “We cannot wait for politicians alone to decide our rights,” said an undocumented Mexican mother with DHS-17-0435-A-000479 CBP FOIA000479 93 American-born children who attended a New Sanctuary meeting. “We are transnational families. We come here to work. We help build up our communities. And we need to work with our communities to become a solution.” Trump To Publicize Crimes By Illegal Immigrants In ‘sanctuary Cities’ New York Post, January 26, 2017 President Trump plans to publish a weekly list of crimes committed by illegal immigrants in the Big Apple and all other sanctuary cities that do not cooperate with federal immigration authorities. The list will inform citizens and others about “public safety threats associated with sanctuary” cities, according to an executive order Trump signed Wednesday. “The [Homeland Security] Secretary shall utilize the Declined Detainer Outcome Report or its equivalent and, on a weekly basis, make public a comprehensive list of criminal actions committed by aliens and any jurisdiction that ignored or otherwise failed to honor any detainers with respect to such aliens,” the order said. Mayor de Blasio said that New York — one of about 300 sanctuary cities across the US — would not change it’s policy in the face of Trump’s threat to withhold federal funding from cities that do not play ball with his order. The NYPD said Wednesday the city has a list of roughly 170 criminal offenses that are not covered by the sanctuary policy, and that the department notifies the feds when illegal immigrants are charged with those crimes. The list includes serious crimes such as felony assault, rape, murder and terrorism as well as gun smuggling and witness tampering. Dreamers Watch As The Trump Assault Begins By Dorothy Wickenden The New Yorker, January 26, 2017 The executive orders rain down like tweets now from the Oval Office. Some are nearly as gestural, as off the wall, as the ravings of @realDonaldTrump. Even congressional Republicans are unbriefed, caught by surprise by some of the edicts issued daily, or more than daily, by President Donald Trump. That was the case on Wednesday, when a flurry of executive orders announced the elements of an immigration crackdown: construction of the much promised southern border wall, a vast increase in enforcement agents and detention facilities, a federal assault on the hundreds of American cities that have declined to act as immigration police. This failure to consult, not only with political allies but with the relevant government agencies, or legal specialists, or experts of any sort, is what makes some of the orders seem slight and unrealistic. Obamacare shall be abolished, details to come. The executive orders are reportedly being written by a pair of White House aides, Steve Bannon and Stephen Miller, who also wrote Trump’s painful Inaugural Address. Miller became known during the campaign for whipping up crowds with the chant “Build the wall!” Bannon is the former editor of the far-right Web site Breitbart News. At the same time, there are areas of policy where the executive can have a large and immediate effect. Syrian refugees can and will be turned away, starting now, in their thousands. Aid to women’s-health programs in developing countries can and will be blocked. Environmentally ruinous oil-pipeline projects can be revived, coal leasing on public lands resumed. The honor of the United States can be tarnished by dirty dealing. These initiatives don’t have to wait on congressional funding. Illegal immigration, Trump’s signature issue as a candidate, insofar as he ran on conventional issues, is different. It’s an enormous, unwieldy problem, far more easily demagogued than solved. And yet there were Obama executive orders, promulgated in lieu of comprehensive reform legislation that was desperately needed but never passed, which Trump could now reverse, notably the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. DACA gives, in two-year renewable installments, relief from the threat of deportation to young undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children. Applicants are closely vetted. They must have lived in the United States since 2007, be enrolled in school or recent graduates, and have no serious criminal record. More than seven hundred and fifty thousand young people, known as Dreamers, have been accepted to the program. They are able to work legally, get a driver’s license, apply for scholarships. In the states that allow it, they qualify for in￾state college tuition. Trump, during his campaign, promised to cancel DACA. Some of Trump’s supporters have been outraged by each passing day of his Presidency in which DACA has not been eliminated. They calculate that, between renewals and new applications, eight hundred more “illegals” are receiving DACA protection every day. The delay in cancelling the program has been called “already a betrayal” on the popular RedState blog. Breitbart News suspects “Chamber of Commerce Republicans in Trump’s White House—led by Chief of Staff Reince Priebus,” in league with House Speaker Paul Ryan, of pushing some cheap-foreign-labor agenda forward. Anti-immigrant activists have expressed fears that pro-business globalists are getting the better of the Bannon nationalist faction on this defining issue. And Preibus, asked on Fox News, on Sunday, about eliminating DACA, took a notably unrushed line, saying, “I think we’re going to work with House and Senate leadership, as well as to get a long￾term solution on that issue.” Trump himself, for that matter, intimated to Time, in December, after the magazine made him its Person of the Year, that he viewed the Dreamers DHS-17-0435-A-000480 CBP FOIA000480 94 benignly. “We’re going to work something out that’s going to make people happy and proud,” he said. “They got brought here at a very young age, they’ve worked here, they’ve gone to school here. Some were good students. Some have wonderful jobs. And they’re in never-never land because they don’t know what’s going to happen.” Senator Jeff Sessions, Trump’s nominee for Attorney General, is a staunch opponent of DACA—and of immigration generally, both legal and illegal. In 2014, Sessions pushed, unsuccessfully, for a vote on legislation, passed by the House, to kill DACA. He has worked against nearly every immigration-reform measure in the Senate in the past twenty years, and in 2013 he led the fight against a bipartisan comprehensive reform bill that President Barack Obama was eager to sign. Earlier this month, at a Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing, Sessions called the executive order that created DACA “very questionable, in my opinion, constitutionally.” Sessions, who will most likely be confirmed, was the first senator to endorse Donald Trump during the Republican primaries. They bonded as immigration hard-liners. Stephen Miller, the mob rouser, worked for Sessions before he went to work for Trump. Sessions told Politico, “A Trump victory means that we will, I think, in [a] rather short period of time, end the lawlessness at the border and will bring the country around to what I think a substantial majority favor.” In fact, according to a recent poll, a substantial majority of Americans favors the continued existence of DACA. But those are not the folks who elected Trump. And Trump’s decision-making, as we have come to learn, is fickle, indifferent to fact, and easily swayed. For example, his insistence, somehow both dogged and wild-eyed, that he lost the popular vote to Hillary Clinton only because three to five million people voted illegally—every one of them against him—took several bizarre turns this week. When asked, at a closed-door meeting with congressional leaders on Monday, for evidence for his extraordinary claim, he reportedly cited Bernhard Langer, the “very famous” German golfer. His friend Langer, Trump said, had told him about waiting in a line in Florida to vote, and then being turned away. Meanwhile, there were Latinos on either side of him who, Trump said, didn’t look as if they ought to be allowed to vote—this was according to three staff members who were at the meeting, and were interviewed by the Times—and yet they cast provisional ballots. Priebus quickly changed the subject. The story leaked out, however, causing Langer’s daughter, Christina, to point out, when reached by the Times, that her father is a German citizen, cannot vote in the United States, and is not, in fact, friends with President Trump. As if this were not mortifying enough, Trump, after hearing a reporter tell his press secretary that fraud on such a scale would seem to merit a major investigation, vowed, naturally, to launch a major investigation. The President’s aides have since tried to muddy the water—it wasn’t really Langer who was trying to vote, it was Langer’s friend—but nothing makes it any better. Trump’s thinking is, from all appearances, frighteningly disordered. He is not talking nonsense to distract us, the public, from some other topic, or to keep the spotlight on him. The spotlight is on him. He is simply talking nonsense, and he is doing so in the service of—or, perhaps, in the throes of—yet another narcissistic fantasy. From the perspective of undocumented immigrants generally, it is unfortunate that Trump has settled on them as the main agents of this historic voter fraud. The association can only further prejudice the President and certain of his followers against them. For the Dreamers, there may still be hope that the sympathetic benevolence he expressed toward them last month does not change—does not go south after, say, a conversation with Jeff Sessions, or a TV news story that strikes Trump wrong somehow. The Times published a remarkable story this week about the President’s impulsive decision-making. It tracked his habits and measured his reaction time. The number of minutes between the end of Bill O’Reilly’s show on Fox News on Tuesday night, after a segment about violence in Chicago, and Trump’s Twitter post declaring, “I will send in the Feds!”? Twenty-five. The time between a Fox News morning report in November, after the election, about college students burning an American flag and Trump’s tweet saying “Nobody should be allowed to burn the American flag—if they do, there must be consequences— perhaps loss of citizenship or year in jail!”? Thirty minutes exactly. We are not all as vulnerable as the Dreamers in this moment. But we are all caught in this moment. Police Divided Over Trump’s ‘Sanctuary City’ Order By Kevin Johnson USA Today, January 26, 2017 WASHINGTON — National law enforcement groups are sharply divided over President Trump’s plan to crack down on sanctuary cities that shield illegal immigrants from deportation, as some warn that law enforcement’s already fraught relationship with minority communities could be further damaged by pressing local officers to enforce immigration laws. Central to Trump’s order aimed at up to 300 communities that maintain policies protecting the undocumented is a threat to withhold federal money from cities that do not comply with federal immigration enforcement efforts. Although the order contains a provision that could allow funding to continue to flow to local police, pending approval by the attorney general, some law enforcement and municipal authorities described the action as akin to unlawful “coercion.’’ DHS-17-0435-A-000481 CBP FOIA000481 95 “Local police departments work hard to build and preserve trust with all of the communities they serve, including immigrant communities,’’ a joint statement issued by the Major Cities Chiefs Association and the U.S. Conference of Mayors said. “Immigrants residing in our cities must be able to trust the police and all of the city government.’’ It is not the first time the chiefs’ group, a coalition of top police officials representing the largest agencies in the country, has counseled against expanding local police responsibilities to include immigration enforcement. Four years ago, the group issued its own “immigration policy paper’’ warning that local officers lacked basic resources, training and “clear authority’’ to assist in such matters. “Immigration laws are very complex and the training required to understand them significantly detracts from the core mission of local police to create safe communities,’’ the association stated. Within hours after Wednesday’s order was issued, Thomas Manger, president of the chiefs’ association, and Tom Cochran, executive director of the mayors’ conference, called for a meeting with the Justice Department for guidance on how to proceed. Trump’s attorney general nominee, Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, known for his hard-line approach to immigration policy, is awaiting a Senate confirmation vote Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, said that police operating in so￾called sanctuary cities have been shadowed by the “false perception’’ that they have been held back from pursuing serious criminals. “That is just not correct,’’ said Wexler, who also chaired a Department of Homeland Security panel that examined security in heavily immigrant communities. “When it came to dealing with serious criminals, there was no ambiguity on what needed to be done.’’ At the same time, Wexler said, police should not be substitutes for everyday immigration agents, enforcing status disputes and other minor civil violations. “Local police need to have the community’s confidence and know they can be free to report problems without consequences,’’ he said. “If people are afraid to come to the police, that domestic violence incident today will be a homicide tomorrow and that’s in no one’s interest.’’ Trump’s directive, meanwhile, won the endorsement of the nation’s largest police union and a national coalition of sheriffs. “Previous solutions called for an unequivocal end to all federal grants for recalcitrant jurisdictions and there was a real concern about this approach,’’ Fraternal Order of Police President Chuck Canterbury said. The union said the provision in Trump’s order that preserved the eligibility of police in sanctuary cities for federal grants, with the attorney general’s approval, sealed its support. “The FOP opposed several bills in the previous Congress which would have blocked state and local law enforcement grants to sanctuary cities because in most cases these sanctuary jurisdictions were established by policymakers at the local level,’’ Canterbury said. “The FOP argued that it was unfair to penalize the law enforcement agencies serving these jurisdictions for the political decisions of elected officials which prohibited or impeded cooperation with federal agencies.’’ Jonathan Thompson, executive director of the National Sheriffs’ Association, said the president’s pledge add thousands to the ranks of the Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement would ease the dependence on local law enforcement. “It’s key to remember that for too long sheriffs were the meat in the immigration enforcement sandwich,’’ Thompson said. “No more. (Trump) is hiring 10,000 enforcement officers, which we have been calling for.’’ Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Will Be Golden For Private Prisons By Laurie Roberts Arizona Republic, January 26, 2017 Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration is stupendous news for the private prison industry. Already, 2017 looked to be a profitable year with his election. Now comes Trump’s plan to lock up more immigrants who are here illegally. Well, he’s going to have to put them someplace until the backlogged immigration courts can hold deportation hearings. Where better than a prison prison, where a major of those currently detained while awaiting deportation reside? Before Trump, they lost their federal contracts “The reality is, DHS is not going to have the ability to detain all these folks,” David Inserra, an analyst at the Heritage Foundation, told Daily Beast reporter Betsy Woodruff. “You have to rely on the private contractors.” Who, no doubt, are counting their billion-dollar blessings today. This after last year’s announcement that they would lose their federal contracts. In August, the U.S. Justice Department announced it would stop using private prisons, declaring them less safe than government-run prisons and no cheaper to operate. “They simply do not provide the same level of correctional services, programs, and resources; they do not save substantially on costs; and as noted in a recent report by the Department’s Office of Inspector General, they do not maintain the same level of safety and security,” then-Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates said, in announcing that the DHS-17-0435-A-000482 CBP FOIA000482 96 feds are “reducing – and ultimately ending – our use of privately operated prisons.” But that was B.T. (Before Trump). After Trump, everything’s golden for GEO Group Now, Seeking Alpha, a website offering investment advice, is predicting that the stock of the nation’s second￾largest private prison operator, The GEO Group, could jump 25 percent this year. “While multiple sectors have outperformed the broader market in the Trump Rally, one of the biggest winners has been The GEO Group, (NYSE:GEO), a private-prison focused REIT that is up almost 70% since November 8,” the website said. “The basic rationale is that a Trump administration will emphasize private industry and law-and￾order, both which will serve as significant macro tailwinds for the private prison industry over the next 4 years.” Just coincidentally, I’m sure, Politico has reported that GEO Group recently hired two former aides of Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, who will head Trump’s Justice Department. GEO already does well in Arizona. Last year, Gov. Doug Ducey gave a $2.5 million state subsidy to the Florida￾based company, which operates the private prison near Kingman and coincidentally, I’m sure, is a campaign contributor. Private prisons have long been a sacred cow at the state Capitol. Well-connected lobbyists spread around campaign cash to ensure that their interests are paramount and their prisons are full – or if not, they’re paid as if they are full anyway. Now, with Trump’s election, they’re back on solid (gold) ground with the feds. Why Trump’s Executive Order On Sanctuary Cities Is Unconstitutional By Ilya Somin Washington Post, January 26, 2017 Yesterday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order denying federal funding to sanctuary cities – jurisdictions that choose not to cooperate with federal efforts to deport undocumented immigrants. The order has serious constitutional problems. Unless interpreted very narrowly, it is both unconstitutional and a very dangerous precedent. Trump and future presidents could use it to seriously undermine constitutional federalism by forcing dissenting cities and states to obey presidential dictates, even without authorization from Congress. The circumvention of Congress makes the order a threat to separation of powers, as well. The order indicates that sanctuary cities “that fail to comply with applicable Federal law do not receive Federal funds, except as mandated by law.” More specifically, it mandates that “the Attorney General and the [Homeland Security] Secretary, in their discretion and to the extent consistent with law, shall ensure that jurisdictions that willfully refuse to comply with 8 U.S.C. 1373 (sanctuary jurisdictions) are not eligible to receive Federal grants, except as deemed necessary for law enforcement purposes by the Attorney General or the Secretary.” Section 1373 mandates that “a Federal, State, or local government entity or official may not prohibit, or in any way restrict, any government entity or official from sending to, or receiving from, the Immigration and Naturalization Service information regarding the citizenship or immigration status, lawful or unlawful, of any individual.” There are two serious constitutional problems with conditioning federal grants to sanctuary cities on compliance with Section 1373. First, longstanding Supreme Court precedent mandates that the federal government may not impose conditions on grants to states and localities unless the conditions are “unambiguously” stated in the text of the law “so that the States can knowingly decide whether or not to accept those funds.” Few if any federal grants to sanctuary cities are explicitly conditioned on compliance with Section 1373. Any such condition must be passed by Congress, and may only apply to new grants, not ones that have already been appropriated. The executive cannot simply make up new conditions on its own and impose them on state and local governments. Doing so undermiens both separation of powers and federalism. Even aside from Trump’s dubious effort to tie it to federal grants, Section 1373 is itself unconstitutional. The Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that the federal government may not “commandeer” state and local officials by compelling them to enforce federal law. Such policies violate the Tenth Amendment. Section 1373 attempts to circumvent this prohibition by forbidding higher-level state and local officials from mandating that lower-level ones refuse to help in enforcing federal policy. But the same principle that forbid direct commandeering also count against Section 1373. As the late conservative Justice Antonin Scalia explained in Printz v. United States, the purpose of the anti-commandeering doctrine is the “[p]reservation of the States as independent and autonomous political entities.” That independence and autonomy is massively undermined if the federal government can take away the states’ power to decide what state and local officials may do while on the job. As Scalia put it in the same opinion, federal law violates the Tenth Amendment if it “requires [state employees] to provide information that belongs to the State and is available to them only in their official capacity.” The same is true if, as in the case of Section 1373, the federal government tries to prevent states from controlling their employees’ use of information that “is available to them only in their official capacity.” Some defenders of Trump’s policy claim that the anti￾commandeering rule does not apply to federal laws that DHS-17-0435-A-000483 CBP FOIA000483 97 mandate disclosure of information. I addressed that argument here. Quite simply, there is no information-disclosure exception to the Tenth Amendment, and it would be very dangerous for the courts to create one. The Trump administration might try to push a more expansive interpretation of Section 1373 that goes beyond information-sharing and extends to actual detention of undocumented immigrants targeted for deportation. That would only make the law more clearly unconstitutional than if it were limited to information. Pushing state officials to detain people is an even greater interference with state “independence and autonomy” than pressuring them to disclose information. Unlike the question raised by Trump’s attempt to impose grant conditions not authorized by Congress, the ant￾commandeering issue raised by Section 1373 has not yet been directly addressed by the Supreme Court (though the law was upheld in a badly flawed lower court decision back in 1999). We cannot be certain what will happen when and if the justices take up this issue. But the principles underlying the Court’s anti-commandeering cases should lead it to strike down this law. The constitutional issues raised by Trump’s executive order are not mere technicalities. If the president can make up new conditions on federal grants to the states and impose them without specific, advance congressional authorization, he would have a powerful tool for bullying states and localities into submission on a wide range of issues. Such an executive power-grab also undermines separation of powers. Congress, not the president, has the constitutional authority to attach conditions to federal grants to state governments. Even if the power-grab is limited to withholding funds when states or localities violate other federal laws and regulations, it is still a grave menace. There are literally thousands of federal laws and regulations on the books. No jurisdiction can fully comply with all of them. If the president can withhold funds from any state or locality that violates any federal law, without needing specific authorization from Congress, he would have sweeping authority over state officials. Trump’s order is exactly the kind of high-handed federal coercion of states and undermining of separation of powers that outraged conservatives under Obama. In fact, Obama did not go as far as Trump seems to do here. Obama never claimed sweeping authority to impose new conditions on federal grants beyond those specifically imposed by Congress. Even those who sympathize Trump’s objectives in this case should pause to consider whether they want presidents to have this kind of power going forward. Trump’s use of it today could easily serve as a model for a liberal Democratic president tomorrow. I have my reservations about some aspects of the Supreme Court’s conditional spending precedents. The doctrine is far from ideal. But it is far preferable to letting the president make up conditions and impose them without congressional authorization. The administration could potentially avoid these constitutional problems if they interpret the order very narrowly. The text states that federal funds will only be withheld from sanctuary cities “to the extent consistent with law.” taken literally, that might bar any withholding of funds not explicitly conditioned on compliance with Section 1373. After all, the Constitution is the law, and the Constitution does not allow the president to impose grant conditions not specifically authorized by Congress. But such a narrow interpretation would make the order largely superfluous. After all, the federal government is already required to withhold funds from jurisdictions that disobey conditions specifically imposed by Congress. Still, it is better that the order be redundant than that it mount an assault on federalism and separation of powers. If Trump does not withdraw this order or adopt a narrow interpretation of it, sanctuary cities should fight him in court. And all who care about constitutional federalism and separation of powers should support them. What Chance Do Sanctuary Cities Have Against Trump’s Executive Order? By Amanda Hoover Christian Science Monitor, January 26, 2017 January 26, 2017 —As President Trump signed an executive order that attempts to coerce sanctuary cities into shifting their immigrant-friendly stances, leaders across the nation spoke out against the action, calling it unconstitutional and vowing to protect their diverse communities. Mr. Trump signed the order Wednesday, along with another that called for the construction of his promised border wall between the United States and Mexico. The sanctuary city order calls for cuts in federal funding for cities that fail to report undocumented immigrants accused of nonviolent crimes to federal authorities seeking to deport them. The pair of actions could drastically shift US immigration policy, and have led to outcry from elected officials who have worked to defend the 11 million people living illegally in the United States. Despite Trump’s strong rhetoric on the campaign trail and immediate actions taken during his first week in office, leaders around the nation say they are prepared to protect the immigrants residing within the limits of some 200 sanctuary cities. And legal experts have said the order, which threatens to withhold undisclosed amounts of federal funds, may embody an overstep of presidential authority and violate the Constitution. “There is a huge question to the legality of Trump’s threats. I don’t think Trump unilaterally has the ability to strip DHS-17-0435-A-000484 CBP FOIA000484 98 federal funding,” Paromita Shah, associate director at the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild, tells The Christian Science Monitor, noting that the president could intend to use the so-far loosely defined order to put pressure on localities that oppose the key tenets of his campaign. “It’s not clear, as always, if Trump is posturing by deliberately issuing vague commands for cities to do what he wants,” she adds. While the term “sanctuary city” has come into wide use, it doesn’t have a legal definition. Generally, the communities classify themselves as such by refusing to hold undocumented immigrants who commit nonviolent crimes until federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents can take them into custody. In cities and towns across the country, the scenarios arise when police arrest someone and charge him or her, taking fingerprints and sending the prints to the FBI and ICE. If federal agents decide to deport the person, officers typically continue to hold him or her for an additional 48 hours and wait for immigration officials to take the defendant into custody, even if the accused has paid bail on a nonviolent charge. But in sanctuary cities, officers cannot hold defendants after judges order their release on bail. The policy stems from an argument that detaining people for civil immigration violations after they’re to be released is a violation of the Constitution. Some sanctuary cities bar their law enforcement officials from questioning residents in an attempt to determine their immigration status. Advocates of the programs argue that they make cities safer by giving undocumented immigrants amnesty as they come forward to report crimes, allowing bridges to be built between minority communities and law enforcement. Others say that shielding immigrants from deportation allows them to apply for business licenses and legally operate small economic ventures that boost the economy. But opponents say the measures keep dangerous criminals in the United States, putting citizens at risk and undermining federal immigration laws. Trump’s actions are short on specifics, but he again reiterated the idea that the executive order is intended to tackle issues with violent and dangerous undocumented criminals. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the order would tackle cities classified as sanctuaries under the Department of Homeland Security regulations and render them ineligible for federal grants. “They shouldn’t be very worried,” Trump said of the immigrants, such as those who classify as “dreamers” protected by former President Barack Obama, in an ABC News interview broadcast on Wednesday night. “Where you have great people that are here that have done a good job, they should be far less worried. We’ll be coming out with policy on that over the next period of four weeks.” But leaders around the country took the executive order as a call to action, and they may have solid legal backing to maintain their statuses. Cities use federal funding for vital community functions, covering initiatives such as drug and HIV testing, job training, and assisting the elderly community. In December, Mother Jones reported that a slew of cities already indicating their will to resist anti-immigration action could stand to lose as much as 25 percent of their city or police department budgets. Still, the threat of those losses hasn’t caused leaders to reconsider their stances. Democratic Boston Mayor Marty Walsh called the executive action “the most destructive and un-American threat on America,” and offered up Boston City Hall as a safe haven for the city’s undocumented residents. “If people want to live here, they’ll live here,” he said at a press conference Wednesday. “They can use my office. They can use any office in this building.” Others have said they would rely on legal action to fight the directive, which could serve to contradict its anti-terror and crime-fighting goals. “We think it’s very susceptible to legal challenge,” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) told CNN. “If they make an attempt to pull that money, it will be from NYPD, from security funding to fight terrorism. If an attempt is made to do that, we will go to court immediately for an injunction to stop it.” In California, mayors of San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, and the state legislature have joined together to form a united front against the policy changes. Trump’s directives could clash with the 10th Amendment, which gives states the rights to create their own legislation in conjunction with federal laws and regulations. It also must stand up to the 1987 Supreme Court ruling South Dakota v. Dole, in which the court found that funding can be withheld only for the specific initiative in question. Experts speculate that Congress, which would have more authority than the president to block funding, will likely be unable to deny grants to a range of programs across cities. Sanctuary city policies “have been carefully crafted with federal laws in mind,” Grisel Ruiz, a staff attorney with the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, tells the Monitor. “They can definitely stand a legal challenge in court.” While aggressive immigration policies have long created a chasm between the ICE and local law enforcement and governments, Trump’s use of an executive order and threats to curtail funding represents a bolder push on part of the federal government, Ms. Ruiz adds. “In terms of someone being this aggressive and going this far out, Trump is really setting a new standard for how aggressive he’s being in trying to coerce cities,” she says. As the specifics of the laws – and their legal viability – continue to be debated, sweeping action on the part of local DHS-17-0435-A-000485 CBP FOIA000485 99 leaders would likely be premature. Some cities, such as Los Angeles, have set up funds to provide legal services for immigrants, and others have evaluated their local police departments and developed new ways to increase their presence in historically isolated, minority communities. Both of those tactics can serve to protect undocumented immigrants. For now, voicing their opposition to the action and reaffirming their commitment to protecting undocumented immigrants in their cities as valuable community members is a strong step for elected officials to take, Ms. Shah says. “They wouldn’t have passed these policies if they weren’t on firm [legal] footing,” she says. “I don’t see anything here that they’re required to change anything that they’re doing. Everything they’ve been doing has been within the confines of the law.” Despite Calls To Defund Sanctuary Cities, A Steady Drumbeat Of Judicial Decisions Defends Them By Christopher Lasch The Hill, January 26, 2017 President Trump’s recent executive order, “Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States,” promises an era of unprecedented cruelty and, like President Trump’s other plans on immigration, is dissociated from factual and legal reality. President Trump was elected in part because of his anti-immigrant policies. Making “sanctuary” a dirty word was part and parcel of that platform, as was the strategy he pursues today—invoking “public safety” as the justification for increased interior enforcement and attacks on sanctuary jurisdictions. But studies have conclusively rejected the factual grounding for his anti-sanctuary stance—the identification of immigrants with criminality—as a myth. On the legal side, a line of unbroken judicial decisions from 2014 straight through to 2017 affirms the soundness of sanctuary policies distancing local law enforcement from federal immigration enforcement. Although there were just a few dozen sanctuary cities as recently as 2010, by some estimates there are now over 500 “sanctuary” jurisdictions scattered across the United States. This includes two states (California and Connecticut) that have statutory limits on cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. What caused this tidal wave of sanctuary policies? While different jurisdictions have pursued different local policies (including the creation of diverse, inclusive communities; the elimination of racial and ethnic discrimination; and flat-out resistance to federal immigration policies that have been described as inhumane), there is no doubt that the most prevalent reason for the wave of sanctuary policies adopted since 2014 has been a legal one. The Fourth Amendment prohibits warrantless arrests except those based on probable cause. And a series of judicial decisions (from federal courts in Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and Oregon) from early 2014 cast doubt on the practice of using federally issued immigration “detainers” to continue imprisoning in local jails noncitizens who would otherwise be entitled to release. These decisions acquired sufficient force that the Obama administration was forced to scrap the centerpiece of its interior immigration enforcement program. Far from being “popular and successful,” Secure Communities was wildly unpopular and legally doomed. On Nov. 20, 2014, pointing to “the increasing number of federal court decisions that hold that detainer-based detention by state and local law enforcement agencies violates the Fourth Amendment,” then Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson declared an end to the program. Many of the “sanctuary” policies that President Trump and the Republicans have in their sights for funding cuts are nothing more than policies limiting the use of detainers. Put more simply, they are policies for obeying the Fourth Amendment. Just in this month, a state court in New York, and federal courts in Minnesota, Texas, and Rhode Island (where the court cautioned, “that a United States citizen was held in prison on an erroneous immigration detainer without probable cause for even one night should concern all Americans”) have added to the drumbeat of decisions establishing this basic legal fact. A fifth decision, from a federal court in California, dealt several important blows to Trump’s plans. In July 2015, the shooting death of Kathryn Steinle by an undocumented man who had been deported five times previously reignited the sanctuary city debate. The case became the cornerstone of candidate Trump’s immigration policy, and particularly his attack on sanctuary cities—he repeatedly invoked the case, using racially coded language, to exaggerate the threat presented by immigrants. He mentioned Ms. Steinle when he accepted the Republican nomination, and when he outlined his immigration platform. On Jan. 6, though, a federal court dismissed a lawsuit brought against San Francisco city officials, which had essentially alleged that San Francisco’s sanctuary policy caused Ms. Steinle’s death. The court concluded there was no legal theory by which city officials could be held liable. Additionally, the decision provides legal support for one common type of sanctuary policy—the refusal to provide federal immigration officials with information concerning a state or local prisoner’s upcoming release date. Considering a law which has been regularly invoked to claim that sanctuary policies “flout federal law,” the court held that “no DHS-17-0435-A-000486 CBP FOIA000486 100 plausible reading of [the law] encompasses the release date of an undocumented inmate.” The message of these decisions is clear. If the self￾proclaimed “law-and-order candidate” is going to follow the law as president, he would do well to abandon his attack on sanctuary cities. Christopher Lasch is an associate professor at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, where he studies the intersection of immigration and criminal law. The views expressed by authors are their own and not the views of The Hill. In Fact, Sanctuary Cities Have Less Poverty And Crime Atlantic's CityLab, January 26, 2017 New research contradicts President Trump’s claim that these areas do “immeasurable harm” to their residents. On Wednesday, President Donald Trump announced two executive orders to jumpstart his immigration agenda. In one of them, he asked “sanctuary cities”—jurisdictions that legally limit their local police from collaborating with federal immigration authorities—to stop doing so, or else, lose federal funds. Per the order: Sanctuary jurisdictions across the United States willfully violate Federal law in an attempt to shield aliens from removal from the United States. These jurisdictions have caused immeasurable harm to the American people and to the very fabric of our Republic. The harm the order refers to is a decline in public safety. But that decline doesn’t appear to exist. To the contrary: Sanctuary cities show lower crime and higher economic well-being, a new analysis published by the Center for American Progress and the National Immigration Law Center shows. In the report, Tom K. Wong, an associate professor of political science at the University of California, San Diego, analyzed a sample of 2,492 counties from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) dataset. In this sample, 602 were identified by ICE as “sanctuary” counties, where local law enforcement didn’t accept “detainers”—requests from ICE to hold suspected undocumented individuals in custody for extra time. Wong compared the crime rates and economic conditions in these counties with the ones that did comply with ICE, controlling for population and demographic characteristics. He found 35.5 fewer violent and property crimes per 10,000 people in sanctuary counties versus non-sanctuary ones—”a result that is highly statistically significant.” Counties in large metros reported an even more dramatically difference, with 65.4 fewer crimes per 10,000 people. Sanctuary counties also registered better economic conditions. On average, they had higher median incomes (by about $4,353), lower poverty (by 2.3 percent), and slightly lower unemployment rates (1.1 percent). These positive effects were exaggerated in the small counties, where the contributions of each individual immigrant were likely to have a larger impact. Wong concludes: The data support arguments made by law enforcement executives that communities are safer when law enforcement agencies do not become entangled in federal immigration enforcement efforts. The data also make clear that, when counties protect all of their residents, they see significant economic gains. By keeping out of federal immigration enforcement, sanctuary counties are keeping families together—and when households remain intact and individuals can continue contributing, this strengthens local economies. Wong’s analysis is not the first to contradict this administration’s narrative on sanctuary cities. A previous study examined crime rates over time in these areas. Some, like San Francisco, experienced a rise in crime after the fact; others, like Baltimore, saw the opposite effect. On average, the researchers observed no “statistically significant effect” on crime after these cities enacted sanctuary-type policies. There are mayors on both sides of the political aisle who argue that conflating policing with immigration enforcement leads to a breakdown in the community trust—a claim that research has backed up. They argue that “sanctuary cities” do cooperate with authorities, just in a way that doesn’t jeopardize the relationship local police have with immigrant populations. Wong’s findings support their case: Cities where immigrant communities trust authorities to report crime are safer and more productive. Sheriff Who Texas Governor Wants Out Slams Immigrant ‘fear’ Associated Press, January 26, 2017 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – A Texas sheriff under fire from Republican Gov. Greg Abbott over so-called “sanctuary cities” policies says streets are safer when people can report crimes “without fear of deportation.” Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez on Thursday fired back for the first time since the governor vowed this week to cut off some state funding and change laws to remove her from office. The conflict started after Hernandez, an elected Democrat, said she would no longer comply with all federal immigration detainers in Austin jails. She pointedly made the announcement hours after President Donald Trump was sworn into office. Trump this week moved to cut off money to local governments that don’t fully cooperate with federal immigration officials. Hernandez says she won’t let “fear and misinformation” dictate her job. DHS-17-0435-A-000487 CBP FOIA000487 101 Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Gov. Greg Abbott Hunting For More Funds To Cut From Travis County In Sanctuary City Battle By Brandi Grissom Dallas Morning News, January 26, 2017 AUSTIN – Gov. Greg Abbott is on the hunt for more funding to cut from Travis County after the sheriff there refused to reverse a policy the governor says makes the Austin area a sanctuary for undocumented immigrants. Steven Albright, Abbott’s budget director, on Thursday sent a letter to the heads of all state agencies asking them to identify all funds, including federal dollars, that had been allotted to Travis County in the 2016 fiscal year. The letter comes amid an ongoing skirmish between Abbott and Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez. Last Friday, Hernandez announced that she would no longer turn certain undocumented immigrants in her jail over to federal immigration officials. The decision incensed Abbott, who has made banning sanctuary cities a priority for the current legislative session. Abbott spokesman John Wittman declined to comment on the letter Thursday evening. Abbott sent Hernandez a letter on Monday threatening to take away $1.8 million in law enforcement grants from her department if the sheriff did not reverse her “reckless” policy by Feb. 1. On Wednesday, he said during a FOX News interview that Hernandez ought to be ousted from her elected office, and he called on lawmakers to pass legislation that would punish local officials who promote sanctuary policies. Abbott and others who decry so-called sanctuary policies say they worry the practice could leave criminals who are in the country illegally free to roam the streets and victimize others. While GOP state senators sent Hernandez a letter also lambasting her decision, Democrats from Austin came to her defense with a blistering letter to Abbott, calling his threats an overreach. “Threatening Sheriff Hernandez with removal from office and withholding much-needed funding from the county is a vast overreach of executive authority,” Reps. Eddie Rodriguez, Donna Howard, Celia Israel and Gina Hinojosa wrote. On Thursday, Hernandez issued a public statement saying she would not back away from her policy on immigrants in the local jail. She said her directive does not violate any state or federal laws and makes the community safer. “I respect the job of our state leaders, but I will not allow fear and misinformation to be my guiding principles as a leader sworn to protect this community,” she said. The letter from Abbott’s budget director seeks not only to identify state funds but also seeks out federal funds that go to the county. It’s a signal that more cuts could come not only from Abbott’s pen but from the executive order that President Trump signed Wednesday that would cut money to sanctuary cities. Sanctuary Cities See Legal Holes In Trump’s Immigration Orders By Mica Rosenberg, Dan Levine And Andy Sullivan Reuters, January 26, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Trump Could Revive Missouri Proposal On Deported Immigrants By Summer Ballentine Associated Press, January 26, 2017 JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – As President Donald Trump rolls out plans to build a wall on the Mexican border and considers blocking refugees, Missouri lawmakers are trying again to pass a bill aimed at cracking down on deported immigrants who come back and commit crimes. Under the proposal pitched Thursday by Republican Sen. Mike Cunningham, immigrants who are deported but come back and commit any assault or felony offense would face up to 10 years in prison for “illegal re-entry.” The bill directs those inmates to be transferred to federal immigration authorities as soon as possible. The proposal died in the House after passing the Senate when it was introduced last year, but Trump’s election could add momentum to such efforts in Missouri and elsewhere. “It makes it easier for things like this to pass because already the hatred has been brought to the surface,” said Missouri Immigrant and Refugee Advocates Executive Director Aimee Abizera, who fled the genocide in her home country of Rwanda. “People feel like they have a right to do it.” Missouri appears to be the first and only state to consider such a proposal, said Nick Bullock, spokesman for the National Conference of State Legislatures. Earlier this week, a bill moved forward in Florida’s Senate that seeks to increase sentences for crimes committed by immigrants living in the country illegally. It proposes that immigrants who commit felonies and misdemeanors face charges that are a degree higher so the sentences are harsher. DHS-17-0435-A-000488 CBP FOIA000488 102 An immigrant rights group said that it wasn’t a coincidence the bill was approved by the committee the same week the Trump administration announced new actions on immigration. In blue states, Trump’s policies have led to pushback. A New York legislator wants to block the state from signing contracts or investing in companies hired to build a border wall, and state and local officials in California have blasted a Trump policy targeting immigrant-protecting sanctuary cities. Cunningham proposed the Missouri bill last year amid frustration among some lawmakers over former Democratic President Barack Obama’s handling of immigration issues. In arguing for the bill, Cunningham has cited Pablo Antonio Serrano-Vitorino, a Mexican national charged last year with the high profile fatal shootings of five men in Missouri and Kansas. Cunningham called Serrano-Vitorino the “scum of the Earth.” “We’ve had some egregious crimes committed by these people,” Republican Sen. Brian Munzlinger said Thursday. “Hopefully the feds will step up so we won’t ever have to use this law. But until they do, it gives us another alternative.” Efforts on the state level to crack down on immigrants living in the country illegally have previously run into court challenges. The U.S. Supreme Court in 2012 struck down key provisions of Arizona’s crackdown on immigrants but did not throw out the state provision requiring police to check the immigration status of someone they suspect is in the United States without documentation. The court prohibited police officers from arresting people on minor immigration charges. Opponents to the Missouri bill on Thursday also raised constitutional questions about the role of the state in immigration enforcement. ACLU of Missouri lobbyist Sara Baker told a panel of senators during the hearing that if the bill is challenged, it “almost surely” would be struck down. Abizera and others also raised concerns that the measure could be used more broadly against immigrants who don’t commit violent crimes. “It’s already considered to be criminal when you enter here without status,” Abizera said. “And so when (Cunningham) says we’re going after criminals, practically we’re going after immigrants.” Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. In These Six American Towns, Laws Targeting ‘the Illegals’ Didn’t Go As Planned By Chico Harlan Washington Post, January 26, 2017 HAZLETON, Pa. — Starting a decade ago, a group of small U.S. cities began passing laws to block undocumented immigrants from living within their borders. They were a collection of mostly white exurbs and faded manufacturing towns whose populations suddenly were transforming. More Latinos were arriving in search of jobs, and the towns’ leaders complained of burdened schools and higher crime. Here in this northeastern Pennsylvania city, then-Mayor Lou Barletta said he would do what he could to restore “law and order” and take back his city. It was time, Barletta said, for a “war on the illegals.” And while that sentiment is shared among some advisers to President Trump, the experiences of these towns show how measures targeting undocumented immigrants can leave lasting and bitter racial divisions while doing little to address the underlying forces that often determine where newcomers settle. The laws in most cases aimed to make it illegal for landlords to rent to undocumented immigrants and threatened fines for employers who hired them. But among the six most high-profile towns that tried to pass such laws, all have been foiled by court rulings, settlements or challenges with enforcement. Several have been ordered to pay the legal fees for the civil rights groups that brought suits. And in five of the six towns, the Latino population — legal or illegal — has continued to grow, attracted by a continued rise in low-paying jobs. “It wound up costing our city $9 million in attorney’s fees,” said Bob Phelps, the mayor of Farmers Branch, Tex., a Dallas suburb that saw its ordinance defeated in court after a seven-year legal battle. “And we accomplished zero.” The local efforts were championed by two men who are now Trump advisers and reportedly were considered for Cabinet positions. Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who counseled most of the cities in their legal challenges, consulted with Trump during his campaign about issues including a border wall with Mexico. Barletta is now a U.S. House member and was part of Trump’s transition team. Trump on Wednesday rolled out the first phase of what is expected to be sweeping immigration policy changes, signing orders for the construction of a border wall and the targeting of “sanctuary cities” that resist the deportation of undocumented immigrants. His administration is also considering tighter restrictions on refugees from several Muslim-majority countries. Trump has more latitude to carry out immigration policy changes than states or cities do, but his policies could face legal challenges — or bring about unintended economic consequences. “These ideas are more easy to sell as political talking points than as real policy options,” said Muzaffar Chishti, the director of the Migration Policy Institute at the New York DHS-17-0435-A-000489 CBP FOIA000489 103 University School of Law. “Just because you say you want to do something doesn’t mean you’ll be able to.” Difficulties with enforcement The towns that took action — Hazleton; Farmers Branch; Valley Park, Mo.; Riverside, N.J.; Escondido, Calif.; and Fremont, Neb. — did so largely out of frustration, fed up with swift demographic changes and what they saw as the rising costs of caring for undocumented residents. The newcomers were drawn by cheaper housing costs and new industries that attracted low-wage labor. “The presence of illegal aliens places a fiscal burden on the city,” Fremont’s ordinance read. At the same time, the federal government’s inability to seal the border was helping to drive an argument that towns and states had the legal right to do a job that Washington could not manage. Kobach, a longtime activist who worked at the time for the legal arm of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, sought to use those towns as a testing ground for his aggressive stance. Most of the laws were passed in a flurry between 2006 and 2007. Although immigration enforcement had long been the purview of the federal government, finding those who had crossed the border illegally or overstayed visas was not doable without the help of local law enforcement, said Rosemary Jenks, the director of government relations at NumbersUSA, which favors a reduction in immigration. “You should help states and localities do what they want to do voluntarily in order to help the enforcement of immigration law,” Jenks said. But localities have not gotten the chance. In Hazleton and Farmers Branch, federal judges ruled the ordinances discriminatory and unconstitutional. In Escondido, the town quickly backed away after a challenge by the American Civil Liberties Union. In Valley Park, the town’s mayor decided to no longer enforce what his predecessor had put in place. In Riverside, as legal bills piled up, the city council rescinded the ordinance, fearing damage to businesses. Dozens of other towns considering “Illegal Immigration Relief Act” laws backed off. The municipality that has come the closest to successfully implementing such a law is Fremont, a meatpacking town west of Omaha where a six-year court fight, financed through a tax increase, won the city the right to ban undocumented immigrants from rental housing. But just as the city’s officials put the law in place in 2014, they realized it would not be effective: Fremont’s rental applications, with their wording approved by the courts, did not require the information, such as a Social Security number, that could help determine whether a person was in the United States legally. Courts also have weakened several states’ illegal￾immigrant laws, most notably in Arizona. Michael Hethmon, who is senior counsel for the Immigration Reform Law Institute and helped Kobach handle the Hazleton case, said that the local efforts have faced more setbacks than victories but that the towns’ money has been “well spent” in taking a stance. The towns had no data on the number of undocumented residents before or after the ordinances, making it difficult to measure how well the laws worked in driving away that part of the population. “If you compare our advocacy struggle to other issues — civil rights issues or LGBT — you have to remember that those folks lost a lot more [at the beginning] before they ultimately prevailed,” Hethmon said. The battles over the local ordinances, residents of those towns say, helped create fault lines that remain visible. Escondido in 2014 rejected a permit for a shelter that would have housed unaccompanied minors who had come across the southwest U.S. border; a new ACLU lawsuit alleges that the rejection was driven by anti-immigrant sentiment. In Fremont, the town has been split by a proposed new Costco poultry processing plant — one that would add hundreds of jobs but probably would accelerate the arrival of immigrants. “The makeup of our town has really changed, and again with this chicken plant, there’s going to be a majority of low￾income jobs that will not bring us taxpayers and homeowners,” said Dawn Wiegert, 55, who has lived in Fremont for 25 years. “People that will be a burden on all of our other resources — I don’t know how else to say it without sounding racist.” In Hazleton, the first place to propose an illegal￾immigrant law, some of the tensions have worsened with the proliferation of social media, said Joleen Reis, 24, a Hazleton day-care worker who is one of the few who straddle the white and Latino communities. Her father came to Pennsylvania from Peru as a migrant worker and met her mother, who is white. Reis pulled up a local-news page on Facebook. The latest item mentioned a police report — two men in dark clothing stealing from vehicles. “So are you ready for America without illegals?” one commenter said. “Because I am!” “Filthy animals!” another said. “Send them back somewhere now!” Reis sighed. “I try not to read this stuff, typically,” Reis said. “But they assume everyone is illegal. And it’s always ‘us’ versus ‘them.’ “ Blamed for town’s woes Tucked under the crisscross of highways near the Pocono Mountains, Hazleton had endured the slow-motion decay common in blue-collar manufacturing and mining towns, only this time there was a twist: A newer set of state tax breaks helped lure a blitz of distribution centers, as well as a Cargill slaughterhouse, to the outskirts of town. The Latino population, at 4 percent in 2000, had soared to 38 DHS-17-0435-A-000490 CBP FOIA000490 104 percent by 2006, with many Dominicans moving from the Bronx and Brooklyn in search of jobs and cheaper housing. Barletta said he was concerned about higher crime rates, and when a 29-year-old was killed, allegedly by undocumented immigrants, he decided to act. He searched on his computer about get-tough laws on immigration, finding an ordinance, debated but never passed, written by the city council in San Bernardino, Calif. Barletta copied the text almost verbatim. Hazleton’s ordinance would make it illegal for businesses to hire undocumented immigrants and called for fines for landlords who rented to them. Several months later, Hazleton had a new law and CNN trucks outside its city hall. Barletta emphasized that he opposed only those in the United States illegally and was driven to act by several obvious problems: The population was booming, but the tax base wasn’t — a sign, he said, of undocumented immigrants not contributing to the system. Schools were spending more money to educate Spanish-speaking students. Hazleton’s woefully understaffed police force — short by about 30 officers — was struggling to deal with an uptick in violent crime. “I saw how it affected the lives of people, our emergency rooms, our schools,” Barletta said in an interview. “A mayor had to take the stand. Listen, it wasn’t fun — trust me. When my dog barked in the middle of the night, I had a shotgun under my bed.” The law easily won the city council’s approval, but its enforcement was held up by an injunction and a lawsuit brought by civil rights groups, including the ACLU. In court, some of Barletta’s arguments for the law ran into trouble: He said he didn’t know how many undocumented immigrants lived in Hazleton or how many had committed crimes. The town hadn’t studied it. A federal judge eventually ruled that the law was illegal because it usurped the federal government’s power and would affect not just undocumented immigrants but “those who look or act as if they are foreign.” Other courts upheld that ruling over eight years. Kobach, paid $250,000 by Hazleton, did not respond to multiple requests seeking comment. In 2015, a federal judge ordered Hazleton to pay $1.4 million to the lawyers who had fought the town. The city, with a budget of $9 million, took out a bank loan and cut a check to the ACLU, said Joseph Yannuzzi, the mayor who succeeded Barletta. “With that money,” Yannuzzi said, “we could have hired 12 police officers.” ‘No choice about the changes’ Latinos now constitute 50 percent of Hazleton’s population. They’ve opened up carnicerias and beauty salons and boutiques along once-decrepit Wyoming Street. They tend to be younger and much likelier to work than Hazleton’s white residents, according to census data, and now make up much of the labor force at the airport-size distribution centers of American Eagle and Amazon.com (whose chief executive, Jeffrey P. Bezos, owns The Washington Post). Hazleton native Joe Maddon, the manager of the Chicago Cubs, several years ago opened up a community center aimed at building closer relationships between whites and Hispanics. “To be honest, residents who were here before don’t have no choice about the changes,” said Eric Garcia, 37, a Dominican who moved to Hazleton from New York in 2005 and owns a photo studio. But many longtime residents, unnerved by the influx of foreigners, have left the city limits for what they call the “valley” suburbs. With an immigration message similar to Barletta’s, Trump won nearly 60 percent of the votes in Hazleton’s Luzerne County. Jamie Longazel, a Hazleton native and University of Dayton sociologist who in 2016 published a book about his home town, “Undocumented Fears,” said that Barletta, with his ordinance, introduced a “villain” that people barely talked about beforehand. Longazel found in his research that only 0.7 percent of crimes in Hazleton between 2001 and 2006 had been committed by undocumented immigrants. “I don’t want to made it sound like Hazleton is only full of backwards racists,” said Longazel, who conducted focus groups and interviews with longtime white residents. “I want to emphasize this point that a lot of the scapegoating we see is top-down. Politicians are speaking this language and then we tend to echo it, rather than there being malicious intent from the bottom.” House GOP Warns D.C. Mayor Not To Use Tax Money Defending Illegal Immigrants By Aaron C. Davis Washington Post, January 26, 2017 House Republicans with oversight of the nation’s capital are taking aim at D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser’s plan to use taxpayer money to defend illegal immigrants from deportation. The D.C. mayor received a letter Wednesday from Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Idaho), chairman of the House Oversight Committee, and Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), head of the subcommittee for District affairs, warning Bowser that her plan appears to violate federal law and that the committees are investigating. Bowser this month joined leaders from Chicago, Los Angeles and New York in announcing that the District would set up a legal-defense fund to represent illegal immigrants targeted for deportation under policies of President Trump. The fund, Bowser said, would “double down” on the District’s status as a “sanctuary city.” D.C. police are already DHS-17-0435-A-000491 CBP FOIA000491 105 instructed not to ask about immigration status, and city corrections officials provide only limited help in identifying nonviolent criminals to federal agents for deportation. Bowser said the $500,000 fund would take the city beyond being just a sanctuary, providing initial funds for the District to defend its estimated 25,000 illegal immigrants. The efforts, she said, would include hiring attorneys to conduct seminars for illegal immigrants to know their rights with federal agents and to represent city residents in deportation proceedings and in applying for asylum. The District’s complicated financial relationship with the federal government, however, means D.C. may have less latitude than cities in the 50 states to carry out the plan. Because D.C. is a federal territory, local lawmakers cannot spend any of the city’s local tax revenue — which tops $7 billion annually — in ways that conflict with federal spending rules. And a decades-old federal law known as the Immigration and Nationality Act says no taxpayer money can be used to assist illegal immigrants in fighting deportation. Chaffetz and Meadows cited the law in their letter and ordered Bowser’s office to turn over all documents related to the planned fund, including any internal legal documents drafted to defend the mayor’s proposal, as well as a list of outside organizations that could receive grant money from the fund. “The District’s planned use of funds … to pay for legal representation of individuals subject to removal proceedings appears to be in conflict with existing federal law,” wrote Chaffetz and Meadows. A spokeswoman for their committees declined to comment. Bowser said the congressional investigation highlighted anew the District’s need for statehood and the “special” burden D.C. residents face. “These are the types of questions we will be called to answer,” she said. The letter from Chaffetz and Meadows arrived as Trump was at the Department of Homeland Security, announcing an executive order to build a wall along the U.S.- Mexico border and to ramp up deportations of illegal immigrants already in the country. Trump’s order instructed his administration to identify federal funds that could be withheld from D.C. and other cities if they maintained sanctuary policies. D.C. budget officials quickly said the order could wreak havoc on the city, potentially calling into question billions in annual funding assistance. But as mayors across the country weighed in with defiant statements, Bowser’s office remained quiet for more than three hours. Bowser later said the city would remain a sanctuary city, but added that the letter from Chaffetz demanding that the city produce documents had complicated the city’s response to Trump. Aides to the mayor said she had held a lengthy conference call with Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, the District’s nonvoting representative to Congress, to plot a response. It is not the first time that Chaffetz has tussled with Bowser. Two years ago, the oversight chairman raised the prospect of the mayor facing jail time for violating federal drug laws if she proceeded with carrying out a ballot measure legalizing marijuana in D.C. Bowser allowed a partial legalization, letting residents carry and consume marijuana. But she did not press a bigger showdown with Chaffetz to tax and regulate it, as Colorado and other states have where voters passed similar measures. The District has been left with one of the nation’s most tortured marijuana policies, where possession is legal, but sales and purchases remain illegal. Chaffetz dropped the matter amid warnings by then￾President Barack Obama that the White House supported the District’s rights to set its own drug laws. With a Republican in the White House, it is unclear how far House Republicans may now go in asserting control over the District. This week, the House passed a bill that would permanently ban the District from spending its own tax money to subsidize abortions for low-income women. The White House issued a statement that it would sign the bill. Similar efforts to roll back D.C. gun laws have also been introduced in the House. Campuses Wary Of Offering ‘Sanctuary’ To Undocumented Students By Julia Preston New York Times, January 26, 2017 Janet Napolitano, president of the University of California, knows exactly what’s at stake if President Trump shuts down an Obama administration program that has given work permits and protection from deportation to some 752,000 young undocumented immigrants. In 2012, in her previous job as secretary of Homeland Security, she signed the document — nothing more than a policy memo — that created the program. So when alarm spread among immigrants on college campuses following Mr. Trump’s election, Ms. Napolitano moved quickly to determine what the California system could do to shelter its students if he carried through on his pledges to cancel the program, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. The university estimates that almost 3,800 among its 190,000 students are undocumented, many but not all with DACA. Ms. Napolitano, retaining her law enforcement instincts, does not mention the word “sanctuary” when describing what the university could offer. “Sanctuary is such a vague term, we don’t use it,” she said crisply. DHS-17-0435-A-000492 CBP FOIA000492 106 Instead, the university has published detailed principles of support for undocumented students, including assurances that campus police would not question students solely about their immigration status or join any cooperation agreements with federal immigration authorities under the Trump administration. Through the Davis campus law school, the university is organizing legal help for students detained for deportation. Another worrisome prospect, Ms. Napolitano said, is that students could lose the permits that allow them to work. Undocumented students, including any losing DACA, will continue to pay in-state tuition and be eligible for state financial aid and for a revolving loan program funded, in part, by the university. “We want to do everything we can so students are safe on our campuses,” Ms. Napolitano said, “so they can focus on what they are there to do, which is to study.” Students at dozens of college campuses, galvanized by Mr. Trump’s depictions of immigrants as criminals or potential terrorists, have pressed administrators to provide sanctuary for those without legal papers. But universities have had differing ideas about what that would mean in practice, and most leaders have been careful to say they would not defy the law. Some institutions have flatly rejected sanctuary plans as encouraging lawbreaking. At New Mexico State University, the president, Garrey Carruthers, said that banning federal agents from campus might imperil its federal funding. One of the first presidents to declare a sanctuary campus explicitly was Michael S. Roth of Wesleyan, who announced in November that it “will not voluntarily assist” any efforts by federal authorities to deport students. Soon after, John Coatsworth, the provost of Columbia University, said that it would not allow immigration agents on campus without a warrant. Some administrators point out that student information, including their immigration status, is already protected under long-existing privacy laws requiring the authorities to show a warrant or court order before any data can be released without students’ consent. In Georgia, Emory, which is a private university, considered but ultimately decided against protective measures. “Emory is not seeking to establish itself as a sanctuary campus, for which there is no legal definition,” the university said in a Jan. 4 statement. Taking a tougher line, the University of Georgia said that any call for sanctuary was “unacceptable” and added, “We expect our institutions to follow the law.” In his first formal briefing, on Jan. 23, Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, suggested that canceling DACA would not be a priority for the new administration, but he did not provide any explicit reassurance that the program would continue. Ms. Napolitano is still contemplating the bitter possibility that Mr. Trump will sweep away her most significant immigration accomplishment. She hopes to persuade him that the program is a good use of executive power, emphasizing that DACA immigrants pose little security risk because they pass background checks to get into the program. Her message for Mr. Trump: “Why waste resources trying to deport good students who’ve done everything right?” Even Before Trump Acts On Immigration, New Yorkers Protest By Liz Robbins New York Times, January 26, 2017 President Trump had yet to act on plans to stem the flow of refugees and Muslims into the United States, but the nearly 1,000 New Yorkers gathered in Washington Square Park on Wednesday evening wasted no time in protesting whatever was next. Earlier, Mr. Trump had issued executive orders to build a wall on the border between the United States and Mexico and to withhold federal money from so-called sanctuary cities, which do not cooperate with federal immigration officials in detaining undocumented immigrants who have been arrested on charges unrelated to their immigration status. The crowd made its displeasure on all fronts known: “No ban, no wall,” the protesters cried. And then they engaged in a call and response with an Arabic greeting: “Peace be unto you. And unto you, peace.” The instant opposition extended to New York’s City Hall and the chambers of the State Assembly in Albany. Assemblyman Francisco P. Moya, a Democrat of Queens, proposed a bill Wednesday night that would limit the state’s cooperation with the police in assisting immigration officers who did not have a judge’s warrant to detain immigrants accused of a crime. Among its many provisions, Mr. Trump’s order called for state and local law enforcement agencies to “perform the functions of an immigration officer” in detaining and potentially deporting undocumented immigrants. Mr. Moya’s bill, which had the backing of other Assembly members, would prohibit law enforcement agents from stopping, questioning, investigating or arresting an individual on the basis of a suspected immigration violation. “No state or local law enforcement agency, or agent thereof, shall perform the function of or be cross-designated as a federal immigration officer,” the bill states. A draft of Mr. Trump’s next order, which remained unsigned on Thursday, included an indefinite ban on Syrian refugees and a temporary ban on immigrants coming from Muslim countries with known terrorist ties. DHS-17-0435-A-000493 CBP FOIA000493 107 The Council on American-Islamic Relations, the country’s largest Muslim civil liberties organization, sponsored the protest on Wednesday. “Muslim-Americans have been attacked over and over again,” said Afaf Nasher, executive director of CAIR New York. “But we are resilient and strong, and we will come back with more protests, until we have our civil rights. Because this is what America is supposed to be.” Elected officials and immigrant advocates said Mr. Trump’s actions would make it harder for law enforcement to maintain public safety. Mohammad Razvi, the founder and director of the Council of Peoples Organization, a group that serves Muslims, Arabs and South Asians, helped to found a Muslim advisory board to the F.B.I. He works with the New York Police Department, and since the Sept. 11 attacks, he has encouraged his community to report crimes and to not fear the police. “These orders are really putting a gray cloud over the hard work in building these relationships and encouraging the community to be part of mainstream America,” Mr. Razvi said on Thursday. “What this administration is emphasizing is dividing the country,” he added. “Our fellow Americans are going to view these Muslims as the enemy, when this is not the case.” Mr. Razvi’s bustling storefront office, which offers English classes all day, legal counseling and youth programs, sits next to a mosque in Midwood. He said that on Wednesday he was continuously stopped by concerned citizens wondering what would happen to them. Some, he said, worried that family members coming from certain countries would be denied visas. And he said neighborhood business owners reported fewer people shopping. “The uncertainty is what’s really causing fear,” he said. DREAMers Are The One Immigrant Group Donald Trump Seems Cautious About Going After By Dara Lind Vox, January 26, 2017 On the same day that President Donald Trump signed an executive order that would make many, if not most, unauthorized immigrants living in the United States priorities for deportation, he took pains to reassure one group of unauthorized immigrants: unauthorized immigrants who’ve been protected from deportation by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program created by President Obama. “We’re going to take care of everybody,” Trump told ABC News’s David Muir on Wednesday. “Where you have great people who are here [and] who have done a good job — they shouldn’t be worried.” Speaker of the House Paul Ryan has said similar things in the past, and made the point again Wednesday in an interview with Greta Van Susteren: “They don’t have to worry. We’re focused on physical security of the border, we’re focused on those who are coming to do us harm, from terrorist states and [...] violent criminals.” Ryan’s words, though, are empty promises — he and Congress don’t control which unauthorized immigrants the government “focuses” on, and the executive order Trump signed on Wednesday explicitly tells border agents to prioritize people who could be charged with “any criminal offense” (which, for unauthorized immigrants, can include working or driving). That executive order doesn’t put DACA recipients at risk yet. But Trump is known to be considering an end to the program. Vox received what appears to be a draft of an executive order that would halt the issuing of new DACA grants and the renewing of existing ones, forcing current DACA recipients to lose their protections one by one over the next two years. Trump is ultimately the person who will determine if DACA recipients have reason to worry or not. So his comments Wednesday don’t mean that he is definitely keeping DACA around. Other comments from Trump himself and members of his administration, and reporting from (among others) Robert Costa of the Washington Post, have all indicated that Trump really is still figuring out what to do with DACA. His reticence on this issue is striking. As of Wednesday, his executive orders (and one that is expected that will restrict refugees and certain immigrants) already remake whole swaths of US immigration policy. Only when it comes to DACA is he proceeding with any semblance of caution. DACA exists because DREAMers are both politically sympathetic and well-resourced This is hardly the first time that unauthorized immigrants who came to the US as children have been singled out for sympathetic treatment. Indeed, that’s the whole reason DACA exists to begin with. The DREAM Act, the bill considered by Congress multiple times over the Bush and Obama administrations (and the origin of the term “DREAMers,” still used to describe DACA recipients and those who qualify for DACA), was often positioned as a moderate alternative to comprehensive immigration reform with a broad pathway to citizenship for all unauthorized immigrants. The messaging distinguished DREAMers from their parents. The government didn’t have to reward people who chose to come here illegally, the argument went, but it ought to show some compassion for people who’d “been brought” to the US “through no fault of their own,” who had grown up in the US and were “Americans in all but name.” DREAMers were considered morally pure and pragmatically desirable. Valedictorians are often trotted out DHS-17-0435-A-000494 CBP FOIA000494 108 as representative DREAMers. While actual DACA recipients are likely to be in their 20s and 30s — someone in high school when the DREAM Act was first introduced, in 2001, would be 30 or older now — the stereotypical DREAMer has remained a high school or college student, blameless and bright-futured. They are the quintessential “good immigrant.” Mark Abramson/the Washington Post via Getty To the extent that this messaging isn’t used anymore, it’s largely because of the efforts of DREAMers themselves, who resist the idea that their parents should be implicitly villainized in order to make them appear more sympathetic themselves. But the fact that DREAMers have had so much power in shaping the message of the immigrant rights movement gets to the other reason they’re so politically compelling: They are a well-resourced and well-organized interest group. Demographically speaking, DREAMers are better positioned to advocate for their interests than other unauthorized immigrants: They’re more likely to be fluent in English, they’re integrated into their communities, and they’re often “out” as unauthorized and in touch with activist networks. That makes them much harder to deport — something the Obama administration found out in some high￾profile cases during its first term — and harder to ignore. Obama’s solution to this was DACA, which reinforced both DREAMers’ sympathetic nature and their strength. DACA recipients are, generally, making more money now that they can work legally — giving them more resources to fight a deportation case. They are also more likely to be integrated into society now that they’re formally protected from deportation. And as cruel as it seems to many Americans to deport people they think of as blameless children, it’s arguably crueler to take official government recognition and security away from someone who hasn’t done anything to provoke the revocation, and who handed all of her personal information over to the government in order to receive protection. What happens when Trump starts picking on people with constituencies in the United States? When Vox received, and subsequently published, what appear to be six draft executive orders dealing with immigration, I was struck by the difference between the three that were widely known about at the time (the two that came down yesterday dealing with border and interior enforcement, and the widely rumored order restricting refugees and future immigrants) — and the rest. The three apparent draft orders that Trump hasn’t rushed to sign — the order sunsetting DACA, and two proposals regarding tighter enforcement of work visas and benefits — would all have natural constituencies within the US resisting them. A DACA revocation would get serious pushback from both DREAMers themselves and the politicians in both parties allied with them. The proposals to restrict benefits would affect both legal immigrants currently in the US (who would put themselves at risk of losing their legal status by using benefits like Medicaid) and the US citizen children of unauthorized immigrants (who would no longer qualify their parents for the child tax credit). Meanwhile, changes to work visas would affect not only legal immigrants currently here on those visas but also business interests that align with at least some in the Trump administration. This week’s orders, on the other hand, don’t have natural political constituencies. They deal with immigrants who haven’t arrived yet, or with “criminal” unauthorized immigrants. (In practice, the label “criminal” is going to be applied to people who wouldn’t meet a commonsense definition of the term, but it’s hard to make that case in the abstract.) The orders will be extremely aggressive in practice, but politically they’re not fights in which the administration faces powerful antagonists. President Trump and the White House advisers drafting his executive orders may not see much of a distinction between people currently in the US and those not here yet, or between DREAMers and other unauthorized immigrants. But this week’s actions — and inactions — suggest they are at least aware that other people do see that distinction. The question is whether the Trump administration’s ideology is strong enough that it’s willing to pick the hard fights, too. Watch: The racist history of US immigration policy Needed: Justice For Immigrants Fighting Deportation By Jojo Annobil New York Daily News, January 26, 2017 These are uncertain times for immigrants in America, and the urgent need for free and affordable competent counsel in deportation proceedings has never been more critical. The U.S. government continues to aggressively deport tens of thousands of vulnerable, unaccompanied minor children and mothers with children fleeing extreme violence who do not have the benefit of a lawyer. Moreover, every year, hundreds of U.S. citizens find themselves mistakenly in deportation proceedings. Green card holders who have no memory of living in another country face deportation based on minor crimes oftentimes committed decades ago. Although the Supreme Court has recognized that deportation — being torn away from one’s family and the life a person has built in America — is a severe penalty, there is currently no right to appointed counsel in deportation proceedings, and 63% of all immigrants are forced to represent themselves, with disastrous consequences. Against this backdrop, the country is bracing for what may be an unprecedented era of enforcement against immigrants. President Trump and his appointees and advisers have talked about deporting millions of immigrants. DHS-17-0435-A-000495 CBP FOIA000495 109 Such a drastic enforcement measure will overwhelm the immigration bar, especially legal services providers and pro bono (volunteer) attorneys who represent immigrants in removal proceedings who cannot afford a lawyer. Courts have often compared immigration law to the tax code as being one of the most complicated areas of federal law. Even experienced volunteer lawyers who are new to immigration law are only able to take on deportation cases after they go through extensive training and receive mentoring from experienced immigration attorneys. Immigration judges and even attorneys for the Department of Homeland Security have acknowledged that when immigrants have good lawyers, the deportation proceedings move faster and more efficiently. Those who have no claims to relief or waiver of deportation are more likely to accept deportation quickly, and those who do have a basis to remain in the United States can present their case more effectively. For immigrants who are detained, giving them lawyers can actually save taxpayers money by moving the case faster and reducing the expense of holding immigrants in jails. The statistics are daunting. In 2015, unaccompanied minor children forced to represent themselves in immigration court nationwide lost 91% of their cases. But when they have competent counsel, they win 84% of their cases. The children who have arrived recently in the United States are fleeing unspeakable violence inflicted by multinational gangs. Without counsel, they realistically have no chance of avoiding deportation. Responding to the President’s plan to increase immigration enforcement, Gov. Cuomo has proposed an emergency deportation defense fund to assist immigrants in deportation proceedings. The California Legislature and Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Connecticut and Washington, D.C., officials have also announced similar relief funds to protect their immigrant populations. These visionary leaders recognize the importance of counsel in removal proceedings. The need for representation is great and will likely stretch beyond the resources that these states and cities can make available. Immigrants will need help from municipalities, foundations and private donors to ensure that they get a fair day in court. Innovative approaches are needed to meet a crisis that will only grow in the coming years. For the past three years, Immigrant Justice Corps, a fellowship program dedicated to improving the quantity and quality of immigration representation, has been training the next generation of immigration lawyers. In two years, the program has impacted the lives of more than 15,000 immigrants residing in New York City, surrounding counties, New Jersey and Texas with 70 justice fellows (law graduates) and community fellows (college graduates). Additional funding could also assist modest-income earners who are ineligible for free legal services and immigrants who believe that paying for aid no matter how modest gets them better treatment. In 2007, Judge Robert Katzmann (now chief judge) of the 2nd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals first challenged the legal profession to meet the representation needs of poor immigrants; justice, he said, should not depend on whether an immigrant can afford a lawyer. His clarion call rings out loud today. Immigration is America’s past, present and future, and we should uphold the core principles of liberty and justice for all. Annobil is executive director of the Immigrant Justice Corps. An Immigrant’s Rap Sheet Does Not Preclude A Vigorous Defense By Heidi Altman Washington Post, January 26, 2017 D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) recently announced the creation of a legal defense fund for immigrants facing deportation [“New legal fund to aid immigrants,” Metro, Jan. 10]. This proposal fills a gap in our federal government’s ability to protect due-process rights for all. With no right to appointed counsel for immigrants facing deportation, more than 80 percent of detained immigrants represent themselves in immigration court. The Jan. 23 editorial “Measured sanctuary” encouraged Ms. Bowser to exempt certain immigrants from receiving representation based on their criminal record. Yet immigrants with criminal convictions often have family members who are U.S. citizens and may be eligible for valid defenses against deportation. Since when do we allow a person’s rap sheet to determine whether she or he has the right to a zealous defense in court? The editorial board conflated legal representation with another aspect of D.C.’s sanctuary policy: the limits imposed on the District’s compliance with federal immigration detainer requests. On that question, the board has succumbed to a narrative of fear rather than focusing on sound law and policy. A federal district court recently found Immigration and Customs Enforcement in violation of federal law in its detainer practices. Localities such as the District are acting responsibly when limiting their participation in this federal enforcement program. Heidi Altman, Washington The writer is director of policy for the National Immigrant Justice Center. Trump’s Immigration Order Expands The Definition Of ‘Criminal’ By Jennifer Medina New York Times, January 26, 2017 DHS-17-0435-A-000496 CBP FOIA000496 110 After President Trump signed two sweeping executive orders on immigration on Wednesday, most of the attention was on his plans to build a wall along the border with Mexico and to hold back money from “sanctuary cities.” But the most immediate impact may come from language about deportation priorities that is tucked into the border wall order. It offers an expansive definition of who is considered a criminal — a category of people Mr. Trump has said he would target for deportation. Immigration agents will now have wider latitude to enforce federal laws and are being encouraged to deport broad swaths of unauthorized immigrants. Here are some questions and answers about the changes: Each presidential administration must decide who it considers a priority for deportation. Mr. Trump’s order focuses on anyone who has been charged with a criminal offense, even if it has not led to a conviction. He also includes, according to language in the order, anyone who has “committed acts that constitute a chargeable criminal offense,” meaning anyone the authorities believe has broken any type of law — regardless of whether that person has been charged with a crime. Mr. Trump’s order also includes anyone who has engaged in “fraud or willful misrepresentation in connection with any official matter or application before a governmental agency,” a category that includes anyone who has used a false Social Security number to obtain a job, as many unauthorized immigrants do. Anyone who has received a final order to leave the country, but has not left, is also considered a priority. Finally, he allows the targeting of anyone who “in the judgment of an immigration officer” poses a risk to either public safety or national security. That gives immigration officers the broad authority they have been pressing for, and no longer requires them to receive a review from a supervisor before targeting individuals. The order defines criminal loosely, and includes anyone who has crossed the border illegally — which is a criminal misdemeanor. Anyone who has abused any public benefits program is also considered a criminal under the order. The Obama administration, which deported nearly 400,000 people per year during its first five years, initially included those convicted of minor offenses such as shoplifting. But it later changed its policy to target primarily those who had been convicted of serious crimes, were considered national security threats or were recent arrivals. By the end of Mr. Obama’s time in office, around 90 percent of the country’s 11 million undocumented immigrants were not considered a priority for deportation. According to the Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank, roughly 820,000 undocumented immigrants currently have a criminal record. It’s impossible to know how many people will be considered priorities for deportation under the new criteria. Mr. Trump’s executive order could impact any unauthorized immigrant who is not protected by Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which the Obama administration put in place to give young people work permits and temporary relief from deportation. (Mr. Trump has not yet made clear whether he intends to keep that program.) Immigration lawyers have already raised concerns that people with no criminal history will be swept up by the large net the administration is casting. The president does have the authority to decide who should be deported. But it is unclear whether the administration will be able to — or even try to — carry out deportations as expansively as suggested in the executive order’s language. First, in order to put the 15,000 additional immigration agents he wants in place around the country and along the border, Mr. Trump needs spending approval from Congress. Even then, additional detention centers would also be needed. The most significant hurdle is the tremendous backlog in the immigration courts. Even if immigration officials initiated thousands of deportations immediately, court dates for those immigrants would be at least a year and a half away. Some immigration experts have suggested that Mr. Trump will try to push for expedited removals, which could speed the process, and give immigrants less time to find legal representation. Mr. Trump is opening the door to deporting far more unauthorized immigrants than previous administrations. “This is the largest expansion of any president in terms of who is a priority for removal,” said Steve Yale-Loehr, a professor of immigration law at Cornell University. “Every administration has to prioritize who they will go after with their limited enforcement resources. This goes further than any other president. To make it simple: If someone is here illegally they are removable.” SECRET SERVICE Birmingham Man Indicted On Counterfeiting, Firearms Charges Gadsden (AL) Times, January 26, 2017 BIRMINGHAM — A federal grand jury on Thursday indicted a Birmingham man on counterfeiting and firearms charges, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. A three-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Hollis Nikia Bullard, 22, with making counterfeit $100 bills, dealing in counterfeit $100 bills and possessing a Smith & Wesson Model 10 revolver as a convicted felon. According to the indictment, Bullard was convicted of a felony burglary offense in Jefferson County Circuit Court in DHS-17-0435-A-000497 CBP FOIA000497 111 August 2015, and for felony receipt of stolen property in February 2014. Police arrested him Jan. 4 on the federal counterfeiting and firearm possession charges at his apartment in Birmingham, where they found counterfeit $100 bills. Secret Service agents recovered counterfeit bills totaling more than $15,000 in the course of the investigation. The maximum penalty for both making counterfeit U.S. currency and dealing in counterfeit currency is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Die! High School Teacher Stages Mock Assassination Of Trump By Todd Starnes Fox News, January 26, 2017 A Texas high school art teacher has been placed on administrative leave after video surfaced showing her “shooting” President Donald Trump inside a classroom while screaming, “Die!” The Secret Service field office in Irving tells me they are aware of the incident, but declined further comment. Click here to subscribe to Todd’s newsletter: a must￾read for Conservatives! The teacher, at W.H. Adamson High School in Dallas, posted the video to her Instagram account along with the following message: “Watching the #inauguration in my classroom like…#no #stop #denial #squirtgun #hypocrisy #powerless #saveusall #teachthembetter #atleastitsfriday.” Voices can be heard in the background – but the school district would not say if students witnessed the teacher’s disturbing demonstration. The Inauguration Day video has since been removed, but several prominent conservative websites managed to save a copy including Town Hall and Resistance Media. Video of the inauguration was being broadcast inside the classroom on a whiteboard. The video shows the teacher lunging at President Trump and firing the squirt gun numerous times while shouting, “Die!” It is disturbing, to say the least. Dallas Independent School District seems to be taking the matter quite seriously. “Today, we were made aware of a social media posting being circulated involving a teacher at W. H. Adamson High School,” a district spokesperson told me. “The teacher has been placed on administrative leave and the district has opened an investigation. This is a personnel matter and as such we cannot comment.” I wonder which offense the school district finds worst: a faux assassination or a teacher using a squirt gun on school property. Since the 2016 presidential election, liberal educators across the fruited plain have gone slap crazy. I wrote about these phenomena in my new book, “The Deplorables’ Guide to Making America Great Again.” Some teachers have even turned their classrooms into breeding grounds for anti-Trump propaganda – going so far as to portray the commander-in-chief as a modern-day Adolf Hitler. And I lost count of the number of educators who refused to broadcast the inauguration ceremony over fears that some fragile snowflake might take offense. But what happened in Dallas is yet another example of how our public schools have been turned into social engineering petri dishes festering with rancorous rhetoric and hate. What kind of a person would stage a faux assassination attempt in of all places Dallas? It’s simply repulsive. Let’s hope Dallas ISD can muster the moral courage to take swift action to rebuke this teacher and send a message that this kind of hate has no place in a public school classroom. NATIONAL PROTECTION AND PROGRAMS Missouri Senate Panel Advances Real ID Compliance Measure Associated Press, January 26, 2017 JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – A Missouri Senate committee has advanced a proposal that could bring Missouri into compliance with federal driver’s license requirements despite some Republican opposition. The Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Committee voted 4-3 Thursday to send the measure to the full Senate. Missouri law currently prohibits the state from complying with the federal 2005 Real ID Act, which set tougher proof-of-identity requirements in response to the 2001 terrorist attacks. Opponents have raised privacy concerns about provisions requiring states to keep personal information about license recipients. The federal government has said driver’s licenses from Missouri and other non-compliant states will no longer be accepted as identification at airports starting in January 2018. The new Missouri legislation would give people a choice of getting licenses that are Real ID compliant or not. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. DHS-17-0435-A-000498 CBP FOIA000498 112 CYBER NEWS Donald Trump May Be His Own Worst Cyber￾Security Threat By Maya Kosoff Vanity Fair, January 26, 2017 A not-insignificant portion of Donald Trump’s campaign centered on attacking the Democratic candidate for using a personal, private, unsecured communications while she was in office. On the stump, he pledged to investigate and prosecute her for her personal e-mail server, though he’s since backed off that promise. One week into his tenure as president, however, Trump appears to still be using private lines of communication himself. Though he was reportedly given a secure device last week, he seems to still have his unsecured phone handy for tweeting purposes. When he tweeted a threat Tuesday night to send “the Feds” into Chicago, astute Twitter users noticed the tweets came from an Android device. The New York Times reported Wednesday that Trump, to the chagrin of some of his aides, continues to use the unsecured Android phone: Mr. Trump’s wife, Melania, went back to New York on Sunday night with their 10-year-old son, Barron, and so Mr. Trump has the television—and his old, unsecured Android phone, to the protests of some of his aides—to keep him company. Since becoming president last week, Trump has been tweeting from both the @POTUS Twitter account and his own @realDonaldTrump personal Twitter account, with tweets coming from both an iPhone and an Android device—likely meaning the tweets are sent both by him and also by aides, as they were before inauguration. It’s not clear exactly what Android device Trump is using, though Android Central, a blog about the Android operating system, has determined Trump likely uses a Samsung Galaxy S3, which was first released five years ago. “It’s safe to say it’s a good three years out of step with the latest Android security updates,” writer Alex Dobie said. Twitter users have tried to figure out what email address Trump’s Twitter account is tied to, and it seems to be connected to a Gmail address, as opposed to a secure, White House email address. It would also seem that the U.S. president does not have two-factor authentication, a known security feature of Twitter and other websites, enabled. Users have apparently also tried to guess Trump’s Twitter password so many times that they’ve exceeded the number of password attempts given to a Twitter account. Trump’s limited understanding of the Internet, which he has struggled to describe, and computer technology, which people close to him say he almost never uses, has resulted in a number of clumsy statements on cyber-security, though he has invariably described himself as an expert. In a September debate, he suggested that the party responsible for hacking the Democratic Party over the summer wasn’t necessarily a foreign entity like Russia, but “somebody sitting on their bed that weighs 400 pounds.” America, Trump went on to say, must “get very, very tough on cyber and cyber-warfare.” He then brought up his youngest son, 10-year-old Barron Trump. “He has computers,” Trump said. “He is so good with these computers. It’s unbelievable. The security aspect of cyber is very, very tough.” This idea of “cyber,” as Trump refers to it, apparently extends to Trump’s yet-unexplained plan to beat the Islamic State. “You know cyber is becoming so big today,” he said during an appearance in Virginia in September. “It’s becoming something that a number of years ago, a short number of years ago, wasn’t even a word. And now the cyber is so big, and you know you look at what they’re doing with the Internet. “ The greatest national-security threat to the United States, however, may be Trump: a technology-averse 70- year-old who apparently refuses to part with the consumer￾grade device he uses at all hours of the day to blast out market-moving tweets and 140-character missives about nuclear weapons. One imagines it would not be difficult to hack the president, or to mimic his exclamatory, erratic rhetorical style, causing market chaos or, worse, a geopolitical panic. At a minimum, maybe Trump should take some advice from the person who successfully hacked hundreds of Islamic State Twitter accounts and update his security settings. The cyber is “so big,” after all. Trump’s Phone: A Cybersecurity Threat? By Eric Geller Politico, January 26, 2017 Reports that President Donald Trump has resumed using his Android-powered smartphone are prompting security experts to warn that his Twitter addiction could open up vulnerabilities inside the Oval Office. The New York Times reported Wednesday that Trump is still using “his old, unsecured Android phone, to the protests of some of his aides,” even after a story last week said he had been supplied with “a secure, encrypted device approved by the Secret Service.” That alarms experts who note that Android, an operating system developed by Google, is notoriously insecure, especially on older phones that no longer receive software updates from their manufacturers or wireless carriers. The website Android Central cited photographic evidence to claim that Trump’s go-to phone is a Samsung Galaxy S3, a model released in 2012 that has not received software updates since mid-2015. Researchers later uncovered one of the most dangerous Android vulnerabilities, the so-called Stagefright bug, which lets hackers take control of a phone using only a text message. DHS-17-0435-A-000499 CBP FOIA000499 113 “It’s just crazy that the president is interacting with such an out-of-date and likely insecure device,” Matthew Green, a computer science professor at Johns Hopkins University, told POLITICO. “His off-the-shelf Android could potentially become a room bug without his knowledge,” said Bruce Schneier, one of the world’s foremost cybersecurity experts. “An attacker could certainly hijack his apps.” The White House and the Secret Service did not respond to requests for comment. A spokeswoman for the Defense Information Systems Agency, which helps secure the president’s communications, declined to comment on protective measures. The continued questions about Trump’s phone use come after a presidential campaign in which he and his allies repeatedly accused Hillary Clinton of endangering national security by using a private email server when she was secretary of State. They also alleged, without evidence, that foreign governments had breached the server. For Trump and his phone, “the real issue is what he does with it,” Schneier said in an email. “If he’s using it to send and receive classified information, we have a real problem.” That might be unlikely for Trump, who once proclaimed that “no computer is safe” and has suggested that sensitive documents should be sent by courier. News reports say he doesn’t use email and that he communicates with aides by scribbling comments on printed documents — rather than tapping out feedback on a smartphone keyboard the way former President Barack Obama often did. But even if Trump isn’t using the phone to send and receive sensitive messages, it still could open up security risks if hackers infect it. For example, they could use the phone to covertly track his location, tweet out fake news about terrorist attacks, or even eavesdrop through the camera and microphone. Depending on how securely the computer networks in the White House have been hardened, any malware already implanted on the phone could possibly roam to other officials’ devices. Even a phone running the latest, most secure version of Android available would still be at risk of being penetrated by foreign intelligence agencies, especially those of Russia and China. While these spies would similarly target an iPhone, security experts say the Apple device is more capable of repelling hackers. “All of these attacks are possible, and even probable by the big national intelligence agencies,” Schneier said. In addition, the boom in smartphone technology has created a thriving market for the kinds of advanced phone￾surveillance tools previously available only to powerful governments. Green said sophisticated criminal gangs could commander an Android device remotely “if there was enough financial incentive.” Trump’s tweets frequently indicate that he is using Twitter’s Android app, which is usually interpreted as a sign that the messages come from him directly — as opposed to the iPhone often used by his staff. The tweets don’t indicate which Android model he is using. While Android offers users much more flexibility and choice than the operating system that powers Apple’s iPhones and iPads, that translates to less-rigorous security controls. Older and less expensive Android phones also lack the iron-clad encryption found on newer iPhones, which even the FBI has complained it’s unable to crack. The NSA has developed and released its own secure version of Android, but it’s unclear whether the agency installed it on Trump’s phone — or whether the phone is even capable of running it. “It’s pretty obvious that using a 2012-era phone is not a safe thing to do,” Green said in an email. Quantum Computer Worth $15 Million Sold To Tackle Cybersecurity CNBC, January 26, 2017 A state-of-the-art computer system using quantum mechanics and valued at $15 million dollars has been sold to a cyber-security firm. D-Wave, the developers of the quantum computer, announced the sale to Temporal Defense Systems , earlier this week. Temporal Defense Systems are the first customers for the D-Wave 2000Q Quantum Computer. Previous D￾Wave customers include Lockheed Martin, Google and NASA. D-Wave claims that using the quantum computer will enable the cyber security firm to perform real-time security level rating, device-to-device authentication and identify, detect and prevent threats. D-Wave The D-Wave 2000Q Quantum Computer Dr Michael Green, of AI media platform Blackwood Seven, explained the difference between a quantum and a normal computer. A standard computer uses binary data: every bit of data is either a one or a zero. Multiple bits are used to store memory, but each bit can only be in one state (position one or position zero) at any time. “A quantum computer works totally differently, because you replace the bit with something called a qubit,” Green told CNBC during a phone interview last year. “The good thing about it is it can be in both states at the same time, so that means that if add, for example, five bits… that means that computer can be in 32 states at the same time. If you have five bits in a normal computer, it can still only be in one state at a time.” DHS-17-0435-A-000500 CBP FOIA000500 114 This means a quantum computer could perform 32 calculations at the same time as a normal computer performs one. That may not sound impressive, but the more bits that are added, the more calculations that can be done at once. The D-Wave 2000Q Quantum Computer is claimed to have 2,000 qubits. D-Wave claims it was able to solve challenging problems 1,000 to 10,000 times faster than algorithms running on a server. “We are the only company selling quantum computers, and our growing ecosystem of users and developers gives us the benefit of their practical experience as we develop products to solve real-world problems,” said Vern Brownell, D-Wave’s chief executive, said in a press release. “While other organizations have prototypes with just a few qubits in their labs, D-Wave is delivering the systems, software, training, and services needed to build an industry.” Applying quantum computing to cyber security will be revolutionary, according to James Burrell, Temporal Defense Systems’ chief technology officer. “Combining the unique computational capabilities of a quantum computer with the most advanced cyber security technologies will deliver the highest level of security, focused on both prevention and attribution of cyber attacks,” he said in a press release. Microsoft To Continue To Invest Over $1 Billion A Year On Cyber Security By Tova Cohen Reuters, January 26, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. AT&T Slams FCC’s Cybersecurity Claims, Says It Has Resources To Thwart Attacks By Sean Buckley Fierce Telecom, January 26, 2017 AT&T is fighting back against claims made by the FCC that the telecom community lacks the capability to protect consumers and business customers from cyberattacks. The FCC recently issued a white paper on “Cybersecurity Risk Reduction” that raised several issues around the role of internet service providers (ISPs) in cybersecurity. According to the regulator, the rising tide of cyberattacks over the past decade signals a new approach is needed. Specifically, the FCC said that because large ISPs hold strong market power, cyber threats are not relegated to those providers alone. Consumers could be caught in the middle because they might not be able to choose an ISP that has better or different security practices. Second, the FCC said that individual service providers can’t overcome marketwide barriers in order to strengthen security. The regulator suggested that “broader action” may be needed “by voluntary industry associations and/or by government action” to improve cybersecurity preparedness in the communications industry. “When deciding how much to invest to reduce cyber risk, the cost-benefit analysis of ISPs naturally considers the risks to the firm,” the FCC said in its paper. “Unfortunately, relying on market forces alone fails to adequately weigh the risks imposed on third parties who rely on the networks and services they provision. A cybersecurity gap confronts the public.” AT&T disputes ‘bold assertions’ However, AT&T disagrees with the FCC’s assertions about its cybersecurity capabilities. In a blog post, the service provider takes issue over two claims the FCC made in its paper: service providers like AT&T don’t have the incentives to protect its network and customers from cyberattacks, and the regulator’s authority over cybersecurity. “The Bureau makes bold assertions but doesn’t provide any evidence that there are a lack of incentives for carriers to protect their networks from cyberattacks,” said Chris Boyer, assistant VP of global public policy for AT&T in the post. “Instead it relies on already-debunked assumptions that there is inadequate competition in the broadband marketplace, and then leaps to the conclusion that ISPs therefore won’t invest in protecting their networks and customers from cyberattacks.” Expertise growing Being a large carrier, AT&T said it has employed a staff of security experts to analyze network traffic 24/7/365 to understand and identify emerging threats. Today, AT&T has eight global security operation centers and holds 179 security and privacy patents. In order to keep up with new threats, AT&T has a “fleet” of cybersecurity experts, and it is actively training and retraining employees to increase its security staff. On an average day, AT&T said that the telco’s security experts see more than 30 billion vulnerability scans and 400 million spam messages “cross its global IP network every day.” Interestingly, the increase of Internet of things (IoT) devices over the past three years has driven a 3,198% rise in vulnerability scans. Boyer said, “we’re well aware of the threats to our network and our customers, and are taking meaningful steps to counter these risks.” Here Are The 5 Scariest Revelations From Pew’s New Cybersecurity Survey Fast Company, January 26, 2017 A new survey from the Pew Research Center finds that most American adults have been the victims of some kind of DHS-17-0435-A-000501 CBP FOIA000501 115 “major data breach,” and that many of us don’t trust big organizations to keep our data safe. Here’s some of the more alarming numbers from the report: • 41% of those surveyed reported having fraudulent charges on their credit cards • 39% of respondents say they reuse passwords across accounts, and 41% have shared at least one password with a friend or relative • 16% say someone has hijacked their email accounts, and 13% say one of their social media accounts has been hacked. • 15% say they’ve gotten notice that their Social Security numbers were compromised • 51% of respondents said they’re “not at all confident” or “not too confident” in social media sites keeping their information safe—and 49% feel that way about the federal government. Explaining Cybersecurity Threats In A Decision-maker Context – GCN By Marvin Marin Government Computer News, January 26, 2017 As cybersecurity professionals, I’m sure you’ve had this experience: you find a risk to your organization’s systems, data and reputation, and you want to take action – recode, deploy a web application firewall or maybe even disconnect the system. You don’t want to make it sound like the sky is falling, but you need time and resources to correct the issue – now. You discuss the vulnerability with your team, and everyone agrees that the issue is urgent and must be remediated. You take your assessment of the vulnerability to leadership and say, “We have to take our system down. It has a blind SQL injection vulnerability that can be used to steal our data, passwords and allow an adversary to move laterally through our network.” To cybersecurity professionals the problem is clear, and the decision should be easy to make. The decision maker listens to you describe the problem and says, “That is the most important system we have. Build a plan of action and milestone, and we’ll get the authorizing official to accept the risk and keep the system up.” You walk away knowing that nothing has been fixed – that a piece of paper won’t keep your system secure and your agency is now vulnerable to a loss of data and customer trust when the inevitable breach makes the news. As frustrating as this situation may be, the blame can’t rest solely on management’s shoulders; perhaps cyber professionals should accept part of the blame. Cyber professionals have a responsibility to identify and assess risk, but problems won’t be remediated effectively until they can be explained in a way that can be understood and acted on by leadership. Putting cyber risk in context and communicating it effectively makes cyber professionals the source of real, relevant, reliable threat information. Effective communication helps senior executives balance the risks of the vulnerability with the need to sustain system availability. Because members of an effective team, from management to the mailroom, all have their own areas of responsibility and their own language, views and understanding of risks, threats and costs, they may not immediately understand your perspective. To effectively communicate vulnerabilities, the risks they pose and the threats to the organization, you must understand what senior leaders are concerned about: the availability of critical systems, mission sustainment, the potential loss in dollars (from system recovery, fines, overtime, etc.) and the probability of exploit. Once you grasp their language, views and understanding, you must be able to explain how the vulnerability you’ve unearthed will impact everyone else in the organization, what data and systems are at risk and the potential cost of being compromised. While you may have a complete understanding of the data on your systems and its potential vulnerabilities, others in your organization may not. It’s up to you to communicate the impact across all missions and business functions. In short, you must connect the dots for senior leaders, mission owners, chief financial officers and other executives. Show them how the compromise of one application or system can mean much more than that – the potential compromise of every bit of data on every system in your entire organization. Revisiting the same problem from this different direction will better illustrate the impact of a newfound vulnerability. Your assessment found a blind SQL injection on a public-facing web application. You note that the system is hosting personally identifiable information and that there are PII records for 512,000 users in the database across all major business lines (finance, operations, logistics, etc.) in your organization. Your research shows that the cost of recovery from loss of one PII record is around $221, making the total cost well over $113 million. You have your team quickly draft a proof-of-concept exploit to extract records from the affected database to prove that the vulnerability is real. A quick Google search for the site with the vulnerability reveals a discussion board that says, “It looks like system X has a blind SQL injection issue; has anyone figured out how to exploit it?” You now have the data you need to communicate the scope of the problem in the terms that are important to management. “We have a critical issue with system X. We know it is hosting PII, with a potential data breach price tag of $113 million. Additionally, there is evidence this system is being targeted by hackers. We should act rapidly to fix this.” From DHS-17-0435-A-000502 CBP FOIA000502 116 there, you could recommend actions that are far less expensive than the cost of recovering from a data breach: Removing external web access and working with the program manager or system owner to fix the source code (emergency maintenance window). Deploying a web application firewall to provide virtual patching and detection/prevention of threats. By speaking to management’s concerns, you have gained leadership’s attention and established the potential cost if the vulnerability is exploited. You have proved you understand their needs and have shown how your work can support their decision making by providing realistic, actionable solutions that will keep your organization secure. As cyber professionals, it’s our job not only to find vulnerabilities, but also to help decision makers understand the nature, impact and context of each as well as help them understand the available courses of action and their relative costs, impacts and benefits. We must learn to place cyber issues in the language and context of our business or mission leaders. In doing so, cybersecurity teams will gain increased credibility, decrease attack surfaces and help decision makers understand critical tradeoffs – all toward the goal of improving the organization’s security posture. Executive leadership drives the business and sometimes accepts operational risk as part of the normal business process, but it’s up to cyber professionals to communicate findings effectively, with context and in terms best understood by senior executives, to ensure timely and effective action. Marvin Marin is program manager at NetCentrics Corporation. NY Man Linked To Islamic State Gets 20 Years Prison For New Year’s Eve Plot By Jonathan Stempel Reuters, January 26, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. New CIA Director Inherits An Agency That Is Quickly Developing Cyber Capabilities By Chris Bing CyberScoop, January 26, 2017 The CIA’s Directorate of Digital Innovation is now delivering the kinds of cyber-espionage tools and intelligence￾gathering capabilities that the agency was seeking when then-Director John Brennan created it two years ago, says a senior official with the program. The unit has moved beyond its initial period of integration with the spy agency, said Sean Roche, the DDI’s associate deputy director. It’s now “delivering capabilities that will enable CIA to transform the business of intelligence,” he said, at a time when the CIA is transitioning to new leadership. “We are creating agile digital environments to enhance our ability to collaborate as an Agency and Intelligence Community,” Roche said. “The vision is to create pathways for persistent clandestine and open-source collection that feed data exploitation and curation.” The Langley, Virginia-based office’s mission is to streamline and integrate digital and cybersecurity capabilities into the CIA’s espionage, counterintelligence, all-source analysis, open-source intelligence collection and covert action operations. The DDI’s progress also comes as Donald Trump’s administration evaluates the role, responsibility and mission of nearly every federal organization. On Monday, the Senate confirmed Trump’s pick to replace Brennan, Mike Pompeo. “The DDI is firing on all cylinders,” Roche said of the unit’s momentum. Pompeo, formerly a House member from Kansas, steps into Langley with the benefit of a DDI that has been working for more than a year to broadly modernize the premier U.S. intelligence agency — an effort that includes the adoption of cloud data-storage technologies and secure dev-ops coding projects, as well as “digital collaboration environments and mobility through wireless,” Roche said. Roche is a career federal employee with 35 years of service in the government. Prior to his current job, he held various executive positions with the Homeland Security Department’s Directorate for Science and Technology — a research and development arm with a national security focus. Roche’s boss, DDI Director Andrew Hallman, is CIA veteran with decades of leadership experience. “A digital world challenges the way we work in a clandestine world. We have to come up with new ways to operate in a much more connected environment and still be clandestine,” Hallman said in an interview with DefenseOne. “The way we help people use digital and cyber techniques, [the DDI] will raise it to a new level.” Last summer, Brennan said the DDI would help the spy agency succeed in an era of “big data,” which requires that analysts mine through vast volumes of digital information to find actionable intelligence. “I felt a special responsibility since I served 25 years in CIA to do what I could here on the organizational front to make sure that we’re postured well for the future,” Brennan said in a December interview with NPR. “I’ve talked to Mike [Pompeo] about the modernization program we have underway here. He is very familiar with it … I told him that to me, the modernization process should never end because we have to constantly adapt to the realities that we have to deal with in the outside world.” DHS-17-0435-A-000503 CBP FOIA000503 117 The launch of the DDI represented the CIA’s first new Directorate since 1963. Little is known about how the office specifically functions or if it deploys “offensive” cyber capabilities. The CIA declined to discuss whether the DDI’s staff size has grown since the unit’s conception in early 2015. Publicly viewable CIA job postings show that the spy agency is currently hiring for digital forensic engineers, cyberthreat analysts, cybersecurity officers and operations officers. Qualified applicants for these positions will come with some knowledge of “network penetration testing, network defense, operating systems, communication technologies, network security” and “reverse engineering.” In the past, the CIA has traditionally worked “very closely with the intelligence community and law enforcement colleagues, including the NSA, FBI, Homeland Security Department, and other agencies, to address” cyberthreats aimed at the U.S., said CIA spokesperson Heather Fritz Horniak. One of the CIA’s primary responsibilities pertaining to cybersecurity includes the collection of human and digital, or signals, intelligence to identify foreign hackers. What sets the CIA apart from its counterparts is the agency’s ability to collect human intelligence from a clandestine network of agents operating around the globe. “Cyber-defense is very much a team sport across the [government]. As an all-source overseas collector, CIA leverages the widest range of HUMINT, collection platforms, and technical capabilities to discover the plans and intentions of hostile foreign cyber actors,” Horniak said. “The intelligence reports generated by DDI officers inform our partners across the federal government in order to support their cyber￾incident responses.” According to classified budget documents shared with the Washington Post, the CIA’s computer network operations budget for fiscal year 2013 was $685.4 million. The NSA’s budget was roughly $1 billion at the time. Connected Cars Are Ripe For Hacking By Dan Steiner CIO Magazine, January 26, 2017 Technology has taken over almost every area of consumers’ lives, from the way they work and play to the toys their children use. In addition to finding ways to connect homes to the internet, innovators have also begun developing software and hardware for the cars people drive every day. When a vehicle can connect to the internet, automakers can build in amenities that make their products more desirable to consumers. But like the many other devices that can communicate, connected vehicles bring security issues. As connected cars gradually become more mainstream, it’s important that consumers be aware of the dangers they face from a security breach. The dangers Last year, the FBI, Department of Transportation, and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a memo warning of the dangers of connected vehicles. One of the most eminent threats, as detailed in the memo, is the possibility of a takeover of the car’s operations. A hacker could find his or her way into a vehicle’s computer and take control, leading to an accident. A hacker could disable a vehicle’s brakes or steering or could shut the engine down completely. On a less threatening level, a hacker could also manipulate a vehicle’s door locks, turn signal, radio, GPS, or other on-board system. Now that cars are connected, police departments are also concerned about vehicle theft. Using laptops, thieves can bypass a vehicle’s ignition system and steal a car. The software is similar to that used by dealers and locksmiths to program an ignition for a car owner, so it can be difficult to prevent such attacks. This type of attack applies especially to those who own cars with keyless entry and ignition. Any connection that can be intercepted can be prone to viruses and data breaches, which means that any information stored on that device could be stolen, including credit card numbers and contact data. As automotive software becomes more sophisticated, hackers will be able to collect even more information on a person’s life, leading to increased concerns about identity theft. While this isn’t as concerning as a remote vehicle takeover, it’s a real issue that automakers will need to safeguard against in the coming years. The solution All of this information is useless if it doesn’t include actionable advice. Currently, vehicle software updates are handled two ways: through being pushed to your car’s software and through automotive recalls. Software updates are the ideal scenario, since car owners aren’t required to take the car to the dealership for service. Vehicle owners will increasingly notice software updates installing when they start their car. When automotive manufacturers are proactive about preventing malware and third-party vehicle takeovers, they’ll protect themselves against the reputation damage that comes from a breach. In addition to keeping a vehicle safe, in time the software could be set up to help consumers. As one expert pointed out, when a vehicle’s software detects a maintenance issue, its driver could receive a notification of nearby dealerships offering deals on that service at that time. This would provide a level of usability that would increase a customer’s loyalty to a specific make of car. Dealer recalls For those updates that can’t be automatically pushed, a visit to the dealer is the only option. Auto manufacturers send recalls that urge owners of certain vehicle makes and models DHS-17-0435-A-000504 CBP FOIA000504 118 to visit the dealer as soon as possible for an update. Once in the hands of a dealership, the vehicle’s software can be updated using certified software. Unfortunately, many car owners ignore recalls. According to J.D. Power, more than 45 million vehicles that were recalled due to safety issues between 2013 were not brought in for service. One of the biggest reasons for the lethargy is the sheer volume of annual recalls. When a car owner only sees one recall over the course of owning a vehicle, for instance, it’s much more likely to be taken seriously than when those recalls are coming at a pace of one per month. This apathy highlights the importance of finding a way to automate software updates rather than rely on the car being physically present in the dealership. Automotive software will only become more sophisticated over time. If manufacturers take steps to ensure consumers remain safe in the process, they can win brand loyalty and improve usability. Federal Lawmakers Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Study Cyber Security In Connected Cars By Jillian Stampher GeekWire, January 26, 2017 Connected cars are the future for the automotive industry, with more than 90 percent of vehicles expected to have built-in connectivity by 2020. But, as more vehicles link up to the internet, lawmakers are worried about their security. On Wednesday, lawmakers introduced a bipartisan bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that would direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to study cyber security in vehicles. Rep. Joe Wilson, R-SC, and Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., co-sponsored The Security and Privacy in Your Car Study Act, which hopes to create a standard for safety in connected cars. The bill requires the NHTSA to work with the Defense Department, the Federal Trade Commission, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Automotive Information Sharing and Analysis Center, SAE International, academics and manufacturers in the automotive industry. Together, the group would study how to isolate software systems in vehicles, create a system to prevent and detect hacks, determine best practices for storing data and create a timeline for how to implement these standards. “It’s something of a daunting challenge to balance disruptive technological innovation with federal safety and privacy protections,” Rep. Wilson and Rep. Lieu wrote in an April 2016 op-ed in The Hill. “As a result, all applicable government agencies need to be on the same page when assessing a cyber threat or measuring a cyberattack.” Concerns about security in cars connected to the internet comes at a time when the automotive and tech industries are investing more into the platform. Tesla has long had a hold on the market, but in the last several years, it’s seen significant growth. Tech giants Apple and Google are pushing against automakers Ford, GM and Toyota to gain ground. Earlier this month, Microsoft announced it’s creating a set of services for automakers to use in connected cars, shifting away from creating it’s own such vehicle. In her blog post announcing the new platform, Peggy Johnson, Microsoft’s executive vice president of business development, said that the infrastructure needed to build a connected car is “incredibly complicated. By partnering with automakers, Microsoft can handle the data, the automotive manufacturers focus on the safety of the vehicle. Safety continues to be a main concern with connected cars. In 2015, Chrysler recalled 1.4 million vehicles after WIRED released a video showing hackers taking control of a Jeep and driving into a ditch. Rep. Wilson and Rep. Lieu seek to address such concerns by creating industry-wide standard for connected cars. If enacted, the NHTSA study will be conducted over the course of one year and then be presented to Congress. “The public and private sectors must work together to ensure that a car can never become a weapon,” the congressmen wrote in The Hill last year. “It remains critical that the federal government leverage the expertise and research that the private sector has already invested in this critical issue.” DCC Earns Designation As National Center Of Excellence In Cyber Defense By Trevor Metcalfe Danville (VA) Register & Bee., January 26, 2017 Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced the National Security Agency and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security had officially designated Danville Community College as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense at a DCC event Thursday. “This prestigious designation is not only good news for DCC, it is good news for the commonwealth,” McAuliffe said. The governor made the announcement to a room filled with DCC students and staff, Danville and Pittsylvania County elected officials, Danville and Pittsylvania County school leaders and McAuliffe administration officials. To earn the distinction, DCC and its cyber security program had to demonstrate significant contributions in areas like cyber security education, outreach and knowledge. DCC is now one of only four schools in Virginia with this designation. McAuliffe said he believed the program would help transform the workforce into one ready for some of the highest paying and widest available jobs anywhere in the country. DHS-17-0435-A-000505 CBP FOIA000505 119 “I talk about cyber security every single day,” McAuliffe said. According to McAuliffe, there are around 3,600 unfilled cyber security jobs available today in Virginia with an average starting salary of $88,000. They help guard against cyber attacks on personal data, medical records, bank accounts and other types of data. “These are the jobs of the 21st century,” McAuliffe said. Additionally, McAuliffe said many of the jobs could be performed remotely, making it perfect for rebuilding areas of the state like Southwest Virginia and the Dan River Region. “You can do these jobs everywhere,” he said. DCC Professor and Cyber Center Director Steve Carrigan started working on the receiving the designation in 2015. Then, he wasn’t sure if he would be able to complete the long, arduous process. “The past 18 months have been something else,” Carrigan said. Carrigan said he was also proud of many of his alumni. “In fact, some of them are now coming back and hiring current graduates,” Carrigan said. DCC student David Payne came to the school in 2015 in search of a new career and a new start. After just a few months in the program, he was hired by Hewlett Packard Enterprise as an IT specialist. “I would not be where I am today without Danville Community College’s information technology and cybersecurity programs, which gave me the technical skills and know how to make a career out of doing what I love,” he said. Doomsday Clock Ticks Closer To Apocalypse And 1 Person Is To Blame By Mary Bowerman USA Today, January 26, 2017 Scientists moved the hands of the Doomsday Clock closer to midnight on Thursday amid increasing worries over nuclear weapons and climate change. Each year, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, a nonprofit that sets the clock, decides whether the events of the previous year pushed humanity closer or further from destruction. The symbolic clock is now two-and-a-half minutes from midnight, the closest it’s been to midnight since 1953, when the hydrogen bomb was first tested. Scientists blamed a cocktail of threats ranging from dangerous political rhetoric to the potential of nuclear threat as the catalyst for moving the clock closer towards doomsday. “This year’s Clock deliberations felt more urgent than usual…as trusted sources of information came under attack, fake news was on the rise, and words were used by a President-elect of the United States in cavalier and often reckless ways to address the twin threats of nuclear weapons and climate change,” Rachel Bronson, the executive director and publisher of Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, said in a statement. While many threats played into the decision to move the clock 30 seconds forward from where it was in 2016, one person in particular prompted the scientists to act. “Never before has the Bulletin decided to advance the clock largely because of the statements of a single person. But when that person is the new president of the United States, his words matter,” David Titley and Lawrence M. Krauss of the Bulletin wrote in an New York Times op-ed. The Bulletin pointed to President Donald Trump’s careless rhetoric on nuclear weapons and other issues as well as his troubling stance on climate change. “Current political situation in the U.S. is of particular concern,” Titley of the Bulletin Science and Security Board said. “The Trump administration needs to state clearly, unequivocally it accepts climate change caused by human activity…There are no alternative facts here.” Last year, the clock remained at three minutes from midnight. It was moved to three minutes in 2015 where it was previously at five minutes to midnight. Manhattan Project scientists, concerned about the first atomic weapons, founded the nonprofit Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists in 1945. They created the clock two years later, and update its minute hand each year. According to the group, the clock “conveys how close we are to destroying our civilization with dangerous technologies of our own making.” The threat of nuclear warfare plays heavily into the time on the clock, as do the dangers of climate change the threat from cyber technology, according to the group’s website. The decision is made by the board of the nonprofit Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists’ along with input from a board of sponsors which includes 15 Nobel Laureates, according to the group. Follow Mary Bowerman on Twitter: @MaryBowerman Doomsday Clock Moves Closer To Midnight, Signaling Concern Among Scientists By Jonah Engel Bromwich New York Times, January 26, 2017 It is getting closer to midnight. On Thursday, the group of scientists who orchestrate the Doomsday Clock, a symbolic instrument informing the public when the earth is facing imminent disaster, moved its minute hand from three to two and a half minutes before the final hour. It was the closest the clock had been to midnight since 1953, the year after the United States and the Soviet Union conducted competing tests of the hydrogen bomb. DHS-17-0435-A-000506 CBP FOIA000506 120 Though scientists decide on the clock’s position, it is not a scientific instrument, or even a physical one. The movement of its symbolic hands is decided upon by the Science and Security Board of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. The organization introduced the clock on the cover of its June 1947 edition, placing it at seven minutes to midnight. Since then, it has moved closer to midnight and farther away, depending on the board’s conclusions. Thursday’s announcement was made by Rachel Bronson, the executive director and publisher of the bulletin. She was assisted by the theoretical physicist Lawrence Krauss, the climate scientist and meteorologist David Titley, and the former United States ambassador Thomas Pickering. Ms. Bronson, in a post-announcement interview, explained why the board had included the 30 second mark in the measurement. She said that it was an attention-catching signal that was meant to acknowledge “what a dangerous moment we’re in, and how important it is for people to take note.” “We’re so concerned about the rhetoric, and the lack of respect for expertise, that we moved it 30 seconds,” she said. “Rather than create panic, we’re hoping that this drives action.” In an op-ed for The New York Times, Mr. Titley and Mr. Krauss elaborated on their concerns, citing the increasing threats of nuclear weapons and climate change, as well as President Trump’s pledges to impede what they see as progress on both fronts, as reasons for moving the clock closer to midnight. “Never before has the Bulletin decided to advance the clock largely because of the statements of a single person,” they wrote. “But when that person is the new president of the United States, his words matter.” The board has held the responsibility for the clock’s movements since 1973, when the bulletin’s editor, Eugene Rabinowitch, died. Composed of scientists, and nuclear and climate experts, the board meets biannually to discuss where the clock’s hands should fall in light of world events. In the 1950s, the scientists feared nuclear annihilation, and since then, the board has begun to consider other existential threats, including climate change, compromised biosecurity and artificial intelligence. There were crises that the clock was not quick enough to take into account. The Cuban Missile Crisis, for instance, in 1962, did not change the hands of the clock, which at the time stood at seven minutes to midnight. An explanation on the Bulletin’s website accounts for this seeming lapse in timekeeping: “The Cuban Missile Crisis, for all its potential and ultimate destruction, only lasted a few weeks,” it says. “However, the lessons were quickly apparent when the United States and the Soviet Union installed the first hotline between the two capitals to improve communications, and, of course, negotiated the 1963 test ban treaty, ending all atmospheric nuclear testing.” The end of the Cold War came as a relief to those who had lived in fear of nuclear annihilation for decades, and the minute hand slowly moved away from danger. In 1990, it was at 10 minutes to midnight. The next year, it was a full 17 minutes away, at the relatively undisturbing time of 11:43. “The illusion that tens of thousands of nuclear weapons are a guarantor of national security has been stripped away,” the Bulletin said at the time. But over the next two decades the clock slowly ticked back. Conflict between India and Pakistan, both of whom staged nuclear weapons tests three weeks apart, had the clock at nine minutes to midnight in 1998. By 2007, fears about Iranian and North Korean nuclear capacity had pushed it to 11:55. By 2015, the scientists were back in a state of unmitigated concern, with the clock at three minutes to midnight, the closest it had been since 1984. “Unchecked climate change, global nuclear weapons modernizations, and outsized nuclear weapons arsenals pose extraordinary and undeniable threats to the continued existence of humanity,” the bulletin said. “World leaders have failed to act with the speed or on the scale required to protect citizens from potential catastrophe.” “These failures of political leadership endanger every person on Earth,” it added. Atomic Scientists Move Doomsday Clock Closer To Midnight: Apocalypse Now? A group of Nobel laureates believe the world is a less safe place with Trump in the White House. By Andrew Soergel, Economy Reporter U.S. News & World Report, January 26, 2017 A clock sits outside of Trump Tower at midnight on Oct. 8 in New York. Evan Vucci/AP A group of Nobel laureates believes the world has inched a step closer to the apocalypse after the swearing in of President Donald Trump. The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists – which for 70 years has maintained a symbolic “Doomsday Clock” – announced Thursday that they believe a combination of international stressors and Trump’s position in the White House could bring about the end of days. The figurative clock reads like an analog clock face, with midnight symbolizing the end of the world. Founded by a group of University of Chicago scientists who worked on The Manhattan Project’s first atomic weapons, the Bulletin’s members now believe humanity is two and a half minutes to midnight. RELATED CONTENT Has Donald Trump Resigned From His Businesses? DHS-17-0435-A-000507 CBP FOIA000507 121 [RELATED: Has Donald Trump Resigned From His Businesses?] “Over the course of 2016, the global security landscape darkened as the international community failed to come effectively to grips with humanity’s most pressing existential threats, nuclear weapons and climate change,” the group said in a statement. “This already-threatening world situation was the backdrop for a rise in strident nationalism worldwide in 2016, including in a U.S. presidential campaign during which the eventual victor, Donald Trump, made disturbing comments about the use and proliferation of nuclear weapons and expressed disbelief in the overwhelming scientific consensus on climate change.” The scientists laid out a laundry list of international issues that could expedite the world’s end, including conflict in Syria and Ukraine, North Korea’s nuclear and missile testing, tension between India and Pakistan, doubt over the future of the Iran nuclear deal and the complicated relationship between the U.S. and Russia. Two of the scientists wrote in a New York Times op-ed Thursday that Trump’s election could further complicate this volatile world stage. “We understand that Mr. Trump has been in office only days, that many of his cabinet nominees are awaiting confirmation and that he has had little time to take official action,” they said. “But Mr. Trump’s statements and actions have been unsettling. He has made ill-considered comments about expanding and even deploying the American nuclear arsenal.” RELATED CONTENT Dow 20,000: Does It Matter, and What Happens Next? [RELATED: Dow 20,000: Does It Matter, and What Happens Next?] The scientists also put strong emphasis on climate change in their Doomsday Clock assessments – an issue that Trump and some of his cabinet members haven’t exactly supported. The Trump administration earlier this week put a gag order on scientists at the Environmental Protection Agency and was reportedly looking into stripping down a significant portion of the EPA’s website. Trump suggested in a meeting with business leaders that environmental regulations have gotten “out of control,” and his pick to head the EPA, Scott Pruitt, has questioned human impact on climate change. None of this likely sat well with a group of scientists that believes climate change is up there with nuclear weapons as “humanity’s most pressing existential threats,” per the group’s statement. But the scientists’ move was a relatively small one – only 30 seconds on the Doomsday Clock. This was the first time the group inched their Armageddon projections forward by a fraction of a minute. The board based its decision on the fact that Trump has only been in the White House for “a matter of days.” “Just the same, words matter, and President Trump has had plenty to say over the last year,” the statement said. “Both his statements and his actions as president-elect have broken with historical precedent in unsettling ways.” [READ: Donald Trump Activates Immigration Overhaul] Still, the scientists stopped short of saying Trump will definitively bring about the end of the world. The clock was only two minutes to midnight – slightly closer than it is now – back in 1953, when the U.S. and the Soviet Union both tested thermonuclear weapons in a relatively short span of time. The world obviously didn’t end back then, so it may be premature to head to the bunker just yet. But the Nobel prize￾winning scientists believe the end of days is slightly closer than it was a year ago. Tags: Donald Trump, EPA, Nobel Prize The Doomsday Clock Is About To Be Updated For The First Time Since Trump Started Talking About Nuclear Weapons By W.j. Hennigan, Contact Reporter Los Angeles Times, January 26, 2017 President Trump’s comments about the U.S. nuclear weapons arsenal have for months rattled arms-control advocates about how his administration might change half a century of policy and posture. On Thursday, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists will weigh in with its annual assessment, the iconic Doomsday Clock. The metaphorical clock shows how close the world is to “midnight,” or a worldwide catastrophe. The closest the clock has ever been was 2 minutes to midnight in 1953 in the early days of above-ground hydrogen bomb testing. It held steady last year, after ticking down to 3 minutes to midnight in 2015. The group, started by physicists who built the atomic bomb as part of the Manhattan Project, makes its decision principally based on the possible use of nuclear weapons, but includes climate change and technologies that could inflict irrevocable harm, whether by intention, miscalculation or accident. Leaving the clock at 3 minutes till or moving it closer to midnight would suggest that experts are alarmed by Trump’s loose talk about nuclear weapons, as well as North Korea’s nuclear tests over the last year. Adding time would be a sign that concerns about Trump’s possible use of nuclear weapons are perhaps overblown. “With the clock currently set at just 3 minutes to midnight, there’s precious little ‘real estate’ left if things get dramatically worse,” said Stephen Schwartz, a nuclear weapons policy expert and the organization’s former executive director. DHS-17-0435-A-000508 CBP FOIA000508 122 “I lived through the tense and dangerous early to mid￾1980s; it’s the reason I made understanding, controlling and eliminating nuclear weapons my career,” he said. “I have no desire to go backward to that era.” Trump’s comments first raised concerns among experienced arms control advocates when he repeatedly referred to nuclear weapons as “the nuclear,” which indicated an unfamiliarity with the subject. It was further heightened when he said he was amenable to more nations, namely Japan and perhaps Saudi Arabia, developing their own nuclear weapons, and that it was inevitable. After winning the presidential election, he told MSNBC: “Let it be an arms race. We will outmatch them at every pass and outlast them all.” The same day he wrote on Twitter: “The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes.” Now Trump has taken over a government that is implementing an estimated $348-billion plan to modernize its nuclear forces. Begun under former President Obama, the effort has taken on increased significance amid the emergence of a defiant Russia and a new generation of nuclear powers, including India and Pakistan. It has also has raised questions of a renewed arms race like the one that defined much of the Cold War. The administration is at work developing plans for fielding new land-based nuclear-tipped missiles that could be launched in minutes, underwater submarines capable to deliver a devastating atomic counterpunch to any surprise attack, and stealth bombers that could be scrambled for a long-range strike at a moment’s notice. Over the last half a century, weapons treaties have led to a dramatic drop in the number of warheads. At the peak of the Cold War in the 1960s, the U.S. had more than 30,000 nuclear weapons — 400 targeted on Moscow alone. The numbers fluctuate, but Russia currently has 428 more warheads than the U.S., while the United States has 173 more delivery systems, according to the State Department Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance. Under the New START Treaty, each country will deploy no more than 1,550 strategic weapons by February 2018. However, the future of nonproliferation treaties appears bleak as Russia, North Korea, China, Pakistan and India all work to improve their nuclear arsenals and delivery systems. The Pentagon is headlong into the decade-long process of developing a new stealth bomber, dubbed the B￾21 Raider, and replacing the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine. The Air Force last month started initial assessments of a new intercontinental ballistic missile. The Energy Department has also embarked on an ambitious plan to extend the design life of existing thermonuclear warheads, improve national laboratories and facilities, and bring in the next generation of talented scientists. The cost of all of this is estimated to approach $1 trillion over the next 30 years. It’s a small price to pay, Defense Secretary James N. Mattis said during his confirmation hearing this month, because nuclear deterrence is the foundation of U.S. security. “My view of the Department of Defense’s strategic priorities is that we must first maintain a safe and secure nuclear deterrent,” Mattis said. “I consider the deterrent to be critical because we don’t ever want those weapons used. So either the deterrent is safe and secure, it is compelling, or we actually open the door for something worse, whether it be a technical accident or political accident. So to me it’s an absolute priority.” The Doomsday Clock Just Advanced Again: It’s Now Two-and-a-half Minutes Closer To ‘Midnight.’ By Peter Holley Sacramento (CA) Bee, January 26, 2017 It’s now two-and-a-half minutes to “midnight,” according to the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, which warned Thursday that the end of humanity may be nigh. The group behind the famed Doomsday Clock announced at a news conference that it was adjusting the countdown to the End of it All by moving the hands 30 seconds closer to midnight – the closest the clock has been to Doomsday since 1953, after the United States tested its first thermonuclear device, followed months later by the Soviet Union’s hydrogen bomb test. In announcing that the Doomsday Clock was moving 30 seconds closer to the end of humanity, the group noted that in 2016, “the global security landscape darkened as the international community failed to come effectively to grips with humanity’s most pressing existential threats, nuclear weapons and climate change.” But the organization also cited the election of Donald Trump in changing the symbolic clock. “Making matters worse, the United States now has a president who has promised to impede progress on both of those fronts,” theoretical physicist Lawrence M. Krauss and retired Rear Adm. David Titley wrote in a New York Times op￾ed on behalf of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientist. “Never before has the Bulletin decided to advance the clock largely because of the statements of a single person. But when that person is the new president of the United States, his words matter.” The clock is symbolic, sitting at the intersection of art and science, and it has wavered between two minutes and 17 minutes til doom since its inception in 1947. A board of DHS-17-0435-A-000509 CBP FOIA000509 123 scientists and nuclear experts meets regularly to determine what time it is on the Doomsday Clock. The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists was founded by some of the people who worked on the Manhattan Project. One of them, nuclear physicist Alexander Langsdorf, was married to artist Martyl Langsdorf. She created the clock and set it at seven minutes to midnight, or 11:53, for the cover of the group’s magazine. Her husband moved the time four minutes later in 1949. Since then, the bulletin’s board has determined when the clock’s minute hand will move, usually to draw attention to worldwide crises that, the board believes, threaten the survival of the human species. The group’s reasoning focuses almost exclusively on the availability of nuclear weapons and a willingness among the world’s great powers to use them. In 2016, the bulletin said in its statement Thursday, “the United States and Russia – which together possess more than 90 percent of the world’s nuclear weapons – remained at odds in a variety of theaters, from Syria to Ukraine to the borders of NATO; both countries continued wide-ranging modernizations of their nuclear forces, and serious arms control negotiations were nowhere to be seen. North Korea conducted its fourth and fifth underground nuclear tests and gave every indication it would continue to develop nuclear weapons delivery capabilities. Threats of nuclear warfare hung in the background as Pakistan and India faced each other warily across the Line of Control in Kashmir after militants attacked two Indian army bases.” The group noted that “the climate change outlook was somewhat less dismal – but only somewhat.” Notably, the bulletin added: “This already-threatening world situation was the backdrop for a rise in strident nationalism worldwide in 2016, including in a US presidential campaign during which the eventual victor, Donald Trump, made disturbing comments about the use and proliferation of nuclear weapons and expressed disbelief in the overwhelming scientific consensus on climate change.” Thomas Pickering, a former undersecretary of state who also served as ambassador to the United Nations and Israel, cited Trump’s “casual talk” about nuclear weapons in telling reporters that “nuclear rhetoric is now loose and destabilizing.” “We are more than ever impressed that words matter, words count,” he said. In their op-ed, Krauss and Titley wrote: —- We understand that Mr. Trump has been in office only days, that many of his cabinet nominees are awaiting confirmation and that he has had little time to take official action. But Mr. Trump’s statements and actions have been unsettling. He has made ill-considered comments about expanding and even deploying the American nuclear arsenal. He has expressed disbelief in the scientific consensus on global warming. He has shown a troubling propensity to discount or reject expert advice related to international security. And his nominees to head the Energy Department, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Office of Management and the Budget have disputed or questioned climate change. —- Throughout the presidential campaign, Trump faced a recurring charge: that he could not be trusted with the nation’s nuclear weapons. In August, a group of 50 former national security officials who served Republican and Democratic presidents signed an open letter saying Trump lacked the character, values and experience to be president. “All of these are dangerous qualities in an individual who aspires to be President and Commander-in-Chief, with command of the U.S. nuclear arsenal,” the group wrote. The worst-possible scenario was at times unspoken but clear – that Trump’s lack of self-control could spark nuclear war. “A man you can bait with a tweet is not a man we can trust with nuclear weapons,” his Democratic campaign rival, Hillary Clinton, charged. While Trump has repeatedly dismissed those criticisms, he has done little to calm fears of impending nuclear war since winning the presidency. Last month, Trump tweeted that the United States “must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability.” He did not elaborate on the message, which followed comments by Russian President Vladimir Putin about strengthening his country’s nuclear arsenal. Trump tweeted: The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes Trump’s tweet – and comments he reportedly made the following day to MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” co-host Mika Brzezinski – sparked fears of a renewed arms race between the two countries. Though Trump later seemed to walk back his statements, suggesting in an interview with two European publications that “nuclear weapons should be way down,” there were reasons to be concerned after he gained control of the United States’ nearly 1,400 active nuclear warheads Friday, wrote The Washington Post’s Ishaan Tharoor. Two days after Trump was elected, the current mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki invited him to visit, the Japan Times reported. Then, Tadatoshi Akiba, the former mayor of Hiroshima, wrote a letter to Trump just before his inauguration, urging him to make “wise and peaceable” decisions regarding nuclear weapons. DHS-17-0435-A-000510 CBP FOIA000510 124 ‘Doomsday Clock’ Moves 30 Seconds Closer To Midnight By Paulina Firozi The Hill, January 26, 2017 The minute hand on the “Doomsday Clock” has edged closer to midnight, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists announced Thursday, citing concerns with President Trump’s comments on nuclear arms and climate change as part of the reason for the move. The group made the “unprecedented” move to change the minute hand from 3 minutes to midnight, where it has been since 2015, to 2.5 minutes to midnight. “Factors influencing the 2017 deliberations regarding any adjustment that may be made to the Doomsday Clock include: a rise in strident nationalism worldwide, President Donald Trump’s comments on nuclear arms and climate issues prior to his inauguration on January 20th, a darkening global security landscape that is coloured by increasingly sophisticated technology, and a growing disregard for scientific expertise,” the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists said in a statement ahead of its live event on Thursday. “Make no mistake, this has been a difficult year,” said the executive director and publisher of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists Rachel Bronson, according to NPR. The Doomsday Clock was established in 1947 by physicists who were part of the Manhattan Project as a way to indicate the likelihood of a potentially world-ending nuclear conflict. Now, it also measures the likelihood of apocalyptic climate change, cyber threats and biosecurity events. The Doomsday Clock’s minute hand did not move in 2016. The metaphorical clock is now the closest it’s been to midnight since 1953, when the U.S. and Soviet Union were in the early stages of hydrogen bomb testing. Nuclear ‘Doomsday Clock’ Ticks Closest To Midnight In 64 Years By John Clarke Reuters, January 26, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Reports: Arrested Russian Intel Officer Allegedly Spied For U.S. By Doug Stanglin USA Today, January 26, 2017 A senior Russian intelligence officer and cybersecurity investigator arrested last month on treason charges allegedly was passing information to U.S. intelligence services, according to Russian media outlets. Sergei Mikhailov, who worked for the FSB, the successor to the KGB, was arrested in December, along with Ruslan Stoyanov, a top manager for Russia’s largest cybersecurity firm, according to the economic newspaper Kommersant. Stoyanov was also charged with suspicion of treason. In addition, two other people, including Major Dmitry Dokuchaev, also an FSB officer, were arrested in connection with the case, according to Russia’s REN-TV. The fourth person was not identified. Stoyanov allegedly developed a program introduced into a prominent bank’s computer system to gather privileged information on customers, REN-TV reports. That information, it reports, was then sold to the West. In another twist, Russian media says the FSB believes Mikhailov tipped U.S. intelligence about Vladimir Fomenko and his server rental company “King Servers.” The U.S. cybersecurity company Threat Connect identified King Servers last year as an “information nexus” used by hackers suspected of working for Russian intelligence in cyberattacks on electoral systems in Arizona and Illinois. The Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta says Mikhailov was arrested during an FSB meeting in early December when officers came into the room, put a bag over his head and took him away. The cause of the arrests was not clear. The newspaper said only that the FSB discovered Mikhailov’s alleged involvement in the purported plot after the U.S. accused King Servers of the cyberattacks on the U.S. In a wilder twist, a pro-Kremlin television network, Tsargrad TV, claimed Mikhailov “patronized and supervised” an “Anonymous International” group called “Humpty Dumpty” that it said hacked the personal email of Russian Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev and other top Russian officials in 2014. While more far-fetched, it is perhaps noteworthy Tsargrad TV, which even Novaya Gazeta notes is prone to wild conspiracy theories, would publish such a report during the heated debate in the U.S. over Russia’s alleged meddling in the U.S. election. The TV station, for example, suggested “Humpty Dumpty” was a CIA operation, and that with Russian presidential elections coming up in 2018 hacked information could serve “goals ... opposed to national interests.” Top 10 Companies Hiring Cybersecurity Professionals By Alison DeNisco TechRepublic, January 26, 2017 We are currently facing a global cybersecurity shortage, according to a recent report from Indeed. Job postings in the cybersecurity field have gone up 74% over the past five years, and a Cisco report estimates that there are currently 1 DHS-17-0435-A-000511 CBP FOIA000511 125 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs worldwide. Symantec predicts that this shortage will only grow, and that we will see 1.5 million unfilled jobs in the field by 2019. In the report, Indeed examined demand for cybersecurity professionals across 10 countries. Israel, Ireland, the UK, the US, and Germany were the top five nations with the largest shortages. The US faces a 33% skills shortage for crucial security roles, the report found. However, the gap appears to be slowly closing: Job seeker interest in cybersecurity roles rose from meeting 60% of employer demand in 2014 to 67% today, based on comparing the number of open cybersecurity roles to the clicks they received from job seekers. “Part of the reason these roles are so hard to fill is because there simply are not enough job seekers looking to work in these positions,” said Indeed economist Daniel Culbertson. “Indeed research has shown that the most in￾demand cybersecurity titles consistently do not receive interest from job seekers that is comparable to the number of job postings in the field.” This imbalance between supply and demand means cybersecurity professionals have their choice of strong job prospects and high salaries, the Indeed report noted. “One potential solution for employers could be increased investment, either in current employees or future hires, in education and training to equip workers to fill these roles,” Culbertson said. On Wednesday, Indeed released a list of the best US enterprises with security job openings. The businesses that made the list were the most highly rated on overall employee experience among companies that had at least 20 job postings for cybersecurity roles from October 2016 to December 2016. Here are Indeed’s top 10 US companies hiring cybersecurity professionals. At the top of the list, Apple has seen several high-profile battles around the privacy and security implications of encryption and iOS—most recently, the New York district attorney’s request for the company to return to operating systems that make it easier for law enforcement officials to extract data. It’s possible that the company is hiring more cyber professionals to continue bolstering that work in these areas and protecting user data. Financial organizations tend to be targeted less than institutions with more vulnerable systems, such as schools and hospitals. However, it’s important to remain vigilant to protect money and financial data, of course. At number three, Patient First medical centers are located across the country. Healthcare organizations are particularly vulnerable to cyber attacks such as ransomware, so it makes sense that they would be adding staff in this area. Global security and aerospace company Lockheed Martin employs approximately 97,000 people worldwide. Since it is involved in the research, development, manufacturing and integration of advanced technology systems and products, the company is likely adding more positions in cybersecurity to protect those offerings. Auto giant General Motors has made several moves into the connected cars and autonomous cars space in the past year. It invested $500 million into Lyft, in part to work on the company’s plans for a driverless car fleet, and purchased Cruise Automation as part of its Autonomous Vehicle Development Team. Connected and autonomous cars pose large security risks to users, so the is probably increasing their staff in that area to address those issues. In recent years, Capital One has made major investments in emerging technology, including software and big data projects, which require cyber professionals to keep secure. It also holds large amounts of customer financial data. Cisco has reported that cyber attacks are getting stronger, and has a number of cybersecurity efforts and products in place. As they continue researching the issue, it makes sense that they would add more of their own staff to bolster their products and research initiatives. As Intel moves further into the Internet of Things (IoT) space with new chips and other devices, it seems that it is looking to bolster security staff to keep those devices from being hacked. Global security company Northrop Grumman provides systems and products to government and commercial customers. The company invests in research on identity management, cloud security, and supply chain, and is likely adding more staff to ensure high-profile systems are kept secure. Airplane manufacturer Boeing is experimenting with using next-generation technology: It recently partnered with Microsoft to use the company’s AI and big data analytics tools to improve operational efficiency. Boeing is also working with APX Labs and using its Skylight platform to interface with its manufacturing system and work instructions with wearable devices. Therefore, the company will need upgraded security capabilities to keep these tools functioning. NATIONAL SECURITY NEWS Defense Secretary Jim Mattis Remains Wary Of Waterboarding Pentagon says he is committed to upholding Geneva Conventions By Paul Sonne Wall Street Journal, January 26, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. DHS-17-0435-A-000512 CBP FOIA000512 126 Rights Advocates Warn Of Backlash If Trump Pursues Torture By Paisley Dodds And Lori Hinnant Associated Press, January 26, 2017 LONDON (AP) – It took more than a year’s worth of beatings, sleep deprivation, psychological abuse and threats to his family before former Guantanamo Bay detainee Moazzam Begg said he cracked and confessed to being a member of the al-Qaida terror network. The only problem, he said, was that it was a lie. It was only a matter of weeks for Mourad Benchellali, a Frenchman detained first at Kandahar in Afghanistan. “Because I was afraid, because I hurt, and because I told myself, when this is all worked out, I’ll tell the truth. But for now, better to tell them what they want to hear,” he said. Chris Arendt, a former guard at the U.S. detention facility in Cuba, said he routinely saw what could be defined as torture, including prisoners being unnecessarily pepper￾sprayed or taken for interrogations that never happened. Instead, they were left shackled for hours as a means of punishment. During the year he spent at the U.S. detention facility in 2004, Arendt said it was clear that most of the detainees had relatively little valuable intelligence. “I thought that if I confessed I would at least get access to the courts and my interrogations would stop being so adversarial,” said the 48-year-old Begg, who confessed in 2003 but wasn’t released until 2005, along with three other British detainees. Like most Guantanamo detainees, he was never charged. President Donald Trump is asking for recommendations on whether torture works, if secret CIA black sites should be used again to interrogate suspects and whether the U.S. prison camp at Guantanamo Bay should not only stay open, but should accept future detainees, according to a draft executive order that signals sweeping changes to U.S. interrogation and detention policy. The Associated Press and other news organizations obtained a copy. The draft directive, which the White House said was not official, would reverse President Barack Obama’s order to close the Guantanamo Bay facility – a place Trump has said he wants to fill “with bad dudes.” Trump, who has pushed for tougher interrogation techniques, said he would consult with new Defense Secretary James Mattis and CIA director Mike Pompeo before authorizing any new policy. But he said he had asked top intelligence officials: “Does torture work? And the answer was ‘Yes, absolutely.’” “To say that torture works is a bit like saying slavery works as a model of economic production,” said Nigel Inkster, former director of operations at Britain’s foreign intelligence agency, MI6. “It’s not the conversation we ought to be having.” Even if it were, the answer is resoundingly negative, said Mark Fallon, who served as a U.S. counterterrorism investigator and tried to oppose the torture at Guantanamo when he learned about it during the administration of President George W. Bush. “Torture is a very effective method to get somebody to say something you want them to say. It is not an effective method to get somebody to tell the truth or reliable information,” he said. If the Trump administration resuscitates policies used under the Bush administration, it could jeopardize relations and intelligence sharing between the United States and European allies such as Britain. Prime Minister Teresa May, who is scheduled to meet Trump on Friday, told reporters that Britain “absolutely” condemns the use of torture. On Thursday, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said the draft order was not a “White House￾originated” document, and House Speaker Paul Ryan said it was his understanding that it was written by someone who had earlier worked on the Trump transition team. “This is not something the Trump administration is planning on, working on,” Ryan said. While it’s unclear whether the Trump administration will return to policies seen in the war on terror, rights advocates say even the smallest move backward could bring legal troubles, especially with regard to CIA black sites that were used for interrogation. Binyam Mohamed is a former Guantanamo prisoner who was held at such a site in Morocco. The British and Ethiopian national was first arrested in Pakistan and then transported to Morocco under the U.S. “extraordinary rendition” program, where he said his penis was sliced with a razor blade. He was then transferred to Guantanamo Bay in 2004 and released in 2009. Mohamed and other detainees sued the British government for collusion with U.S. authorities, and in 2010, the UK Court of Appeal ruled that he had been subjected to “cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment by the U.S. authorities.” He and others were awarded a compensation settlement in 2011. “It would become impossible for the UK to share any intelligence that could potentially lead to the mistreatment of anyone,” Inkster said. “And I don’t think there are many people in Western intelligence who regard Guantanamo as a success.” After the Sept. 11 terror attacks, no two prisons came to symbolize the war on terror like Guantanamo Bay and the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. When the Guantanamo Bay camp opened in January 2002, months after the Sept. 11 attacks, European reporters flocked to the outpost, plastering front pages with the first DHS-17-0435-A-000513 CBP FOIA000513 127 images of terror suspects. The men, clad in orange jumpsuits, were shown kneeling and bound next to U.S. military guards. More than 900 prisoners have since circled through the prison camp, some held for years without ever being charged. It also attracted a steady stream of controversies, including documents that showed prisoners were subjected to abuse. The bad press at Guantanamo coincided with graphic pictures of abuse out of Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison. The 2004 photographs documented a wide array of abuses against prisoners held in U.S. custody there. Prisoners were stripped naked or put in degrading poses. Two photographs showed a female guard holding a leash attached to a prisoner’s neck while another hooded prisoner was forced to stand on a box. Some fear that if Trump embraces past policies, there could be a backlash from extremist groups, increasing the threat of terrorism against the United States. The Islamic State group has often shown prisoners wearing the same orange jumpsuits as Guantanamo detainees. “Experience has shown that using torture doesn’t work; it only grows hatred,” said Ewan Watson, a spokesman at the International Committee of the Red Cross. “It sows the seeds of revenge, destroys the social fabric of communities and degrades a society’s institutions.” The American Civil Liberties Union warned that if past policies return, the United States could see itself in the middle of a flurry of legal challenges at home and internationally. Torture is prohibited under international law. “Trump’s executive orders bring us back to the dark, lawless days of the Bush administration,” said Anthony Romero, executive director of the ACLU. “Black sites, Guantanamo, torture appear to be back on the table as official policy of the U.S. government, even if these actions are known to be unlawful.” Arendt, who was a guard when Begg was in Guantanamo, now works at a tattoo shop in Detroit but is still haunted by his experience. “If I could deliver a message to Trump it would be: Please stop and look at history. Don’t make us a country of concentration camps and black sites,” he said. “No good country should have to stoop to this level.” The words “concentration camp” flashed through Nizar Sassi’s mind when he found himself in a pile of naked men after being violated in front of a roomful of military physicians in Kandahar. Freed from Guantanamo in 2004, the Frenchman’s email address still bears the number he was given at the camp: 325. “I no longer believe in the justice of man,” he said. “I’m not going to torture myself. Hatred that normally should be inked in my heart with what I’ve endured would finish by destroying me first.” --- Hinnant reported from Paris. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ICRC, Jurists’ Group Join In Rebuke Of Trump’s Torture Remarks, ‘Black Site’ Reports By Stephanie Nebehay Reuters, January 26, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. The Daily 202: Is President Trump Surrendering America’s Moral High Ground? By James Hohmann Washington Post, January 26, 2017 THE BIG IDEA: Not even a week into Donald Trump’s presidency, some liberal internationalists find themselves privately pining for George W. Bush. Despite acts of brutality that were perpetrated on his watch, Bush always insisted publicly that the United States did not torture. He understood that copping to the enhanced interrogation techniques he had secretly approved could undercut our moral standing on the world stage, provide terrorists a potent recruiting tool and give our enemies an excuse to torture Americans. Trump doesn’t think like that. “I have spoken as recently as 24 hours ago with people at the highest level of intelligence,” the new president told ABC News in an interview that aired last night, “and I asked them the question, ‘Does it work? Does torture work?’ and the answer was, ‘Yes, absolutely.’” Explaining why he wants to reconsider the use of waterboarding, Trump added: “We’re not playing on an even field. … As far as I’m concerned, we have to fight fire with fire.” Mike Pompeo was reportedly “blindsided” yesterday when he found out about the draft order to consider reopening black sites and resuming waterboarding. During his recent confirmation hearing, the new CIA director promised senators that he would “absolutely not” resume waterboarding. Trump’s statement is also surprising because Jim Mattis, his new defense secretary, is an outspoken critic of the technique’s usefulness. “I’ve always found, give me a pack of cigarettes and a couple of beers, and I do better with that than I do with torture,” he has said. John McCain, who was tortured by the communists in Vietnam and has as much moral standing on this issue as anyone, promised to hold firm: – Yes, Bush invaded Iraq without sign-off from the United Nations Security Council. But he tried earnestly to get DHS-17-0435-A-000514 CBP FOIA000514 128 it. And he made a big deal about building a coalition of the willing. Not only is Trump talking about “taking the oil” and eschewing multilateralism, but he is poised to propose a 40 percent reduction in voluntary U.S. support for the U.N. and other global bodies, according to a draft of a forthcoming order obtained by The Post. A separate order would limit U.S. participation in some treaties. “Trump’s new U.N. ambassador, Nikki Haley, has pledged to put U.S. interests first and use the leverage of disproportionate U.S. funding of the body. But the draft order would go much further, and with an apparent goal of slashing U.S. participation across a swath of U.N. agencies and activities to which the Trump administration objects on fiscal or ideological grounds,” Juliet Eilperin and Anne Gearan report. “The draft order could reverse or roll back funding for … international peacekeeping missions and U.S. support for development work.” The new team at the State Department is separately conducting a review of all foreign aid doled out during Barack Obama’s final months in office, including a controversial release of $220 million to Palestinians just hours before Trump assumed the presidency. The review involves dozens, if not hundreds, of foreign aid allocations, Carol Morello reports. – After the Sept. 11 attacks, Bush bent over backwards to say that Muslims were not the enemy. U.S. generals relentlessly made the case that we need Muslim allies to battle terrorism. Trump neither thinks nor talks this way. The new White House says it plans to follow through on the president’s promise to begin “extreme vetting” of would￾be immigrants. A draft executive order, which Trump could sign today or tomorrow, would block entry to the United States for 30 days for anyone from Iraq, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Libya and Somalia. It would also bar entry for all refugees for 120 days and for those from Syria indefinitely. “While all are Muslim-majority countries, the list does not include Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and numerous other Muslim-majority countries,” Abigail Hauslohner and Karen DeYoung report. Trump’s move, while stopping short of a full Muslim ban (which would not survive a constitutional challenge in court), would nonetheless have been outside of mainstream Republican thought until very recently. As Mike Pence tweeted just 13 months ago: Many nonpartisan experts say Trump’s approach will weaken U.S. security. (One example is here.) Trump scoffs when asked whether his new immigration policies will stoke anger in the Muslim world and motivate Islamic State terrorists. “Anger? There’s plenty of anger right now. How can you have more?” Trump asked interviewer David Muir last night. “The world is a mess. The world is as angry as it gets. What? You think this is gonna cause a little more anger? The world is an angry place!” “A blanket ban would compromise this nation’s long￾standing position as a sanctuary for desperate and innocent people,” the Post’s independent Editorial Board argues this morning. “As a backdoor way for Mr. Trump to partially make good on his proposed Muslim ban, it also would be an affront to this country’s status as an example of religious tolerance.” – Bush made the promotion of democracy a central aim of U.S. foreign policy. Trump explicitly rejects this doctrine. “It is the right of all nations to put their own interests first,” the new president said during his inaugural address last Friday. “We do not seek to impose our way of life on anyone.” Bush, during his second inaugural, declared: “It is the policy of the United States to seek and support the growth of democratic movements and institutions in every nation and culture, with the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world.” Irony alert: Yesterday was the sixth anniversary of the start of the Tahrir Square protests in Egypt — “a fleeting moment where it looked as though the Muslim world was tilting toward Western values,” Annie Linskey notes on the front page of the Boston Globe. – Bush had warm relations with Mexico. His first foreign trip, less than a month after taking office, was to San Cristobal for a bilateral sit-down with Vicente Fox. One of 43’s deepest regrets remains his failure to achieve comprehensive immigration reform. Trump is now publicly feuding with the president of Mexico over who will pay for the border wall. Enrique Peña Nieto reiterated last night that his country will never pony up, under any circumstance. In a video released last night, Peña Nieto said Mexico “offers but also demands respect.” And said that the 50 Mexican consulates across the U.S. will “turn into places to defend rights of Mexicans. Where a Mexican needs legal help, they will be there.” The Mexican president is scheduled to come to the White House next week for a bilateral meeting, but he’s now under heavy domestic political pressure to cancel the summit. And this morning Trump said, if Mexico won’t pay, maybe he shouldn’t come: – If you care about how the U.S. is perceived overseas, this morning’s clips are brutal. Here are three representative examples: – In the Netherlands, a satirist created a fake tourism video to “introduce” Trump to their country using his own style of bombastic language. “It’s gonna be a great video,” the host promises, before flashing shots of the bucolic countryside. On offer is a large bridge, constructed to keep out the “water from Mexico” (the ocean), as well as a miniature town where the “squares are so small, you don’t need people to fill them” (a jab at his inauguration crowd size). The video ends with a semi-serious plea not to “screw NATO,” and asks, “If you DHS-17-0435-A-000515 CBP FOIA000515 129 have to keep America first, could you keep the Netherlands second?” Amanda Erickson reports that it’s gone viral. Watch it here: – Other western countries are looking to fill the vacuum being created by America’s turn inward. The Dutch government just announced that it wants to help set up an international abortion fund to offset the money that NGOs are going to lose because of Trump reinstating the Mexico City policy. The Dutch development ministry says as many as 20 other nations have indicated that they might support the country’s effort, per Rick Noack. – Outside of Europe, an untold number of our fellow humans – living under despots and longing for self-rule – yearn for the kind of American leadership that Trump feels is too burdensome. Bana al-Abed, the 7-year-old Syrian girl who used her widely-followed Twitter account to chronicle her life in war-torn Aleppo and who has been called the “Anne Frank” of our era, wrote an open letter to President Trump begging him to save her friends. “Can you please save the children and people of Syria?” she writes. “You must do something for the children of Syria because they are like your children and deserve peace like you.” (Read more on the letter here.) WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING: – Early this morning, the president called Chelsea Manning a “traitor”: – Trump spent most of his interview with ABC boasting about himself. Jenna Johnson writes up a pretty stunning exchange: “The way President Trump tells it, the meandering, falsehood-filled, self-involved speech that he gave at the [CIA] headquarters was one of the greatest addresses ever given.” “That speech was a home run,” Trump told David Muir. “See what Fox said. They said it was one of the great speeches. They showed the people applauding and screaming. … I got a standing ovation. In fact, they said it was the biggest standing ovation since Peyton Manning had won the Super Bowl, and they said it was equal. It lasted for a long period of time.” Four times, the president referred to himself in the third￾person. Trump plugged an “extraordinary poll” that he said found that people “loved and liked” his inaugural address, insisted he could have “very, very easily” won the popular vote in the election – which concluded more than 11 weeks ago – had he simply tried. And he said a recent visitor told him that their meeting “was the single greatest meeting I’ve ever had with anybody.” Crowd size still really matters to the new president: “As the two toured Trump’s new home, the president stopped in front of a framed photo of his inauguration crowd. ‘Here’s a picture of the crowd,’ the president explained to the nation he now leads. ‘Now, the audience was the biggest ever, but this crowd was massive. Look how far back it goes … And I would actually take that camera and take your time [scanning the crowd] if you want to know the truth.’” (Read the full transcript here.) THE BORDER WALL IS REALLY HAPPENING: – In the ABC interview, Trump said construction of the wall will begin within “months.” Earlier Wednesday, he signed measures to create more detention centers, add thousands of Border Patrol agents and cut off funds for so-called “sanctuary cities” that shield undocumented immigrants from deportation. “We are going to restore the rule of law in the United States,” Trump told a crowd of DHS employees, who applauded several times during his remarks. “Beginning today, the United States gets control of its borders.” (David Nakamura) – Paul Ryan said last night on MSNBC that Congress will front the money for the wall. A financial reimbursement from Mexico will come later, both Trump and Ryan now say. Construction industry analysts have said the total costs of a barrier could approach $20 billion. – Republican Rep. Will Hurd, whose Texas district includes more miles of U.S.-Mexico border than any other, slammed Trump’s announcement as “the most expensive and least effective way to secure the border”: “Each section of the border faces unique geographical, cultural, and technological challenges that would be best addressed with a flexible, sector-by-sector approach that empowers the agents on the ground with the resources they need,” he said in a statement last night. (Elise Viebeck) – Here are five other logistical obstacles Trump will face building a border wall, via Kevin Schaul and Samuel Granados: “We drove the entire length of the U.S.-Mexico border — from Brownsville, Tex., to San Diego, with crossings into Mexico scattered throughout — talking to locals and experts about President Trump’s promise to build the wall. … Five notable challenges to building the wall that we observed along the journey. 1. The terrain is very rough in some areas. 2. Unlike Arizona, New Mexico and California, most of Texas is privately owned. 3. Most of the border is natural, but a human-made barrier is not. 4. Surveillance makes the barrier effective. 5. Migrants are determined and often have few options.” GET SMART FAST: The Dow closed above 20,000 for the first time ever. The new high comes as investors bet that Trump can work with Congress to lower taxes and pass more business￾friendly policies. (Renae Merle) Just five weeks after Obama commuted his sentence, an ex-gang member who spent years seeking freedom from prison was “executed” by two masked men at a halfway home. (Avi Selk) More than 100 vineyards have been decimated in Chile, where the country is suffering its worst forest-fire disaster in history. More than 300,000 acres in the historic wine-growing DHS-17-0435-A-000516 CBP FOIA000516 130 region have been destroyed, and the government is pleading with outside countries for funds and assistance to battle the blaze. (Samantha Schmidt) A Nebraska state senator resigned after he retweeted an offensive post about the Women’s March suggesting that protesters were too ugly to be sexually assaulted. In a news conference Wednesday, State Sen. Bill Kintner called himself a “fighter” and insisted he had received an outpouring of support asking him to stay in the legislature. “You won’t have Bill Kintner to kick around anymore,” he told reporters. (Sarah Larimer) A comic book lover who won a spot on the San Jose city council said he wanted to bring a moment of levity to a tense political climate – so he was sworn in while brandishing a Captain America shield. (Cleve R. Wootson Jr.) Germany is shuttering a long-standing law that prohibits its residents from speaking out against foreign heads of state. Officials said the law, which was removed just in time for Trump, is “outdated and unnecessary.” (Max Bearak) Idaho has been pummeled with snow this winter – and officials say the relentless pileup has caused hundreds of buildings to collapse. Some towns have lost their grocery store, their bowling alley, and countless homes to the blustery deluge. And with more snow on the way, residents say they are “terrified.” (Katherine Arcement) Usain Bolt is no longer a nine-time Olympic champion. The Jamaican sprinter was forced to return one of his gold medals after the IOC announced that one of his relay teammates tested positive for a banned substance. (Cindy Boren) Italy is considering a plan that would require asylum seekers to do mandatory community service. The controversial proposal comes as the country struggles to accommodate the number of migrants that have risked their lives on the perilous Mediterranean Sea voyage. (Anna Momigliano) An Australian zoo is pleading with residents to catch deadly funnel-web spiders, known for their large fangs and acidic venom, and bring them to the facility alive. They need to milk the live spiders for antivenom, and the entire country is currently at risk of running dry. (Ben Guarino) A Minnesota police officer is facing potential jail time after a handcuffed 14-year-old girl spit at him – and he responded by punching her in the face, twice. Authorities are probing the violent exchange, but it’s unlikely his claim of “self-defense” will hold much water. (Cleve R. Wootson Jr.) A 25-year-old man says he is lucky to be alive after he went on a backcountry ski trip in Utah and accidently skied off an unmarked 150-foot cliff. Miraculously, he escaped unscathed and managed to capture the whole thing on video. (Marissa Payne) Modern-day otters are furry, cute, and look more like a small dog than a fearsome, buck-toothed predator. But that wasn’t always the case – scientists say a newly-discovered extinct version was the size of a wolf and roamed the swampy, uninhabited wetlands of ancient China. (New York Times) TRUMP’S VOTER FRAUD FANTASY: – Why does the president falsely believe that as many as five million voted illegally? The New York Times’ Glenn Thrush has the stunning answer: When Trump huddled with top House and Senate leaders at the White House on Monday, he backed up his assertions of rampant voter fraud by citing a vague anecdote from a German golfer who is not eligible to vote in the United States. The witnesses described the story this way: [Bernhard] Langer, a 59-year-old native of Bavaria, Germany … was standing in line at a polling place near his home in Florida on Election Day, the president explained, when an official informed Mr. Langer he would not be able to vote. Ahead of and behind Mr. Langer were voters who did not look as if they should be allowed to vote, Mr. Trump said, according to the staff members — but they were nonetheless permitted to cast provisional ballots. The president threw out the names of Latin American countries that the voters might have come from. … The anecdote, the aides said, was greeted with silence, and Mr. Trump was prodded to change the subject by [Reince Priebus] and [John Cornyn] … In the emerging Trump era, the story was a memorable example, for the legislators and the country, of how an off-the-cuff yarn — unverifiable and of confusing origin — became a prime policy mover for a president whose fact-gathering owes more to the oral tradition than the written word.” – If it’s possible that millions of illegal votes were cast, isn’t it possible that such massive fraud could have also helped him? No, says Trump. In fact, zero illegal votes were cast for him, he told ABC last night. “Of those votes cast, none of ‘em come to me. None of ‘em come to me. They would all be for the other side. None of ‘em come to me,” Trump said. He added later: “Those were Hillary votes.” Recall that he won by about 80,00 votes in the three states that mattered. (Philip Bump) – Sean Spicer suggested during his briefing that the investigation will focus on large states where Trump didn’t compete. They wouldn’t want to focus on the places he won... – Oh, and it turns out that multiple Trump staffers, including Steve Bannon and Steven Mnuchin, as well as a first daughter Tiffany, are registered to vote in two states. – “It is unclear who will investigate,” Sari Horwitz and Jenna Johnson report. “The president could set up an independent commission or task force to look into the claims, which have already been disproved by many national studies. White House press secretary Sean Spicer said the president’s investigation would examine ‘the integrity of our voting system’ and not just the 2016 election. The Justice Department, which investigates claims of election crimes, has DHS-17-0435-A-000517 CBP FOIA000517 131 not historically launched a criminal investigation at the request of a president. An attorney general could order an investigation, but Trump’s nominee, Sen. Jeff Sessions, has not yet been confirmed, and his spokeswoman declined to comment. Justice officials said they knew nothing about an investigation into voter fraud and referred questions to the White House.” Former assistant attorney general for civil rights Tom Perez called Trump’s planned probe a “totally stupid and wasteful investigation into nonexistent problems.” “I can’t think of a more colossal waste of taxpayer dollars than to initiate this investigation,” said Perez, who is now in the running to lead the DNC. “This is all about ego. The issue of in-person voting fraud is virtually nonexistent.” House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz said his committee will not join Trump in investigating the so￾called fraud: “If he wants to have an investigation, have at it. I just don’t see any evidence of it.” (CNN) “I haven’t seen any evidence to that effect,” said Sen. John Thune, urging Republicans to “focus on legislating.” CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: – Trump announced a new team of ethics lawyers, hours after his family business announced it was hiring a longtime GOP lawyer to ensure the Trump Organization minimizes conflict of interest concerns. Drew Harwell and Tom Hamburger report: “At the White House, the team will be led by Stefan C. Passantino, a [former Newt Gingrich adviser] and election-law expert in private practice who will have the title of deputy assistant to the president for compliance and ethics matters.” The Trump Organization named veteran GOP lawyer and former Bush adviser Bobby Burchfield to serve as an outside ethics adviser. – Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Florida doubled its new member initiation fee to $200,000 after the election, prompting criticism that the newly-minted president is already profiting off his power. Drew Harwell reports: “The increase … could boost the revenue of the Palm Beach club Trump has called the ‘Winter White House.’ It could also directly benefit his private fortune because he has refused to divest his business holdings while in the Oval Office. Since his election victory, Mar-a-Lago has assumed a prized role in Trump’s presidency, rivaling Trump Tower as a focal point of his lifestyle and ambitions. [And] the club’s deep-pocketed clientele are offered the opportunity to encounter the president when he is relaxing at his vacation home. The club is ‘certainly a lot more crowded now that he’s president,’ [said] Jeff Greene, a Florida billionaire and Mar-a-Lago member ... At a recent dinner, Greene said, the crowds were massive, adding, ‘It never used to be that packed.’” – Trump’s sons are looking to capitalize on their dad’s presidency by pursuing an ambitious expansion plan across the country. Bloomberg’s Hui-Yong Yu and Caleb Melby report: “There are 26 major metropolitan areas in the U.S., and we’re in five,” Trump Hotels CEO Eric Danziger said after a panel discussion at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit in Los Angeles. “I don’t see any reason that we couldn’t be in all of them eventually.” Having Trump hotels in 26 cities would triple the current total. Danziger, who joined Trump Hotels in August 2015, said that Trump Hotels is considering opening luxury properties in Dallas, Seattle, Denver and San Francisco.” – At least four top staffers in the Trump administration have accounts on an RNC’s email server, Newsweek reports, including Kellyanne Conway, Jared Kushner, Sean Spicer and Steve Bannon. It’s the same one that the Bush administration was accused of using to evade transparency rules after claiming to have “lost” 22 million emails. It’s unclear how or if the staffers are using the account, but the move comes after Trump repeatedly attacked Clinton on the campaign trail for her use of a private email server at the State Department. Now, the new staff risks repeating the same mistake. – “Wilbur Ross and the Era of Billionaire Rule,” by Bloomberg Businessweek’s Max Abelson: “Trump’s proposed cabinet has a net worth of more than $6 billion. Ross is by far the richest … [and] how he achieved his fortune—a well￾known Wall Street tale of ‘vulture’ investing at its shrewdest— takes on a different cast in light of his nomination. Ross got rich in part with government assistance, taking advantage of bankruptcy laws and tariffs and having others pick up the bill for pensions owed to employees. He’s been on both sides of perhaps the most pivotal issue of the 2016 campaign—free trade—depending on how it affected his own wealth. If confirmed as Commerce secretary, as is widely anticipated, Ross would be expected by Trump’s electorate to deliver on promises of working-class jobs and an industrial renaissance. Yet he would have the means to continue rewarding the Establishment. Even before taking office, he’s pushed policies that would enrich private investors in public projects.” THE REPUBLICAN RETREAT: – Trump will take his first trip on Air Force One today so he can speak to congressional Republicans at noon in Philadelphia. Mike Pence, flying up separately (because POTUS and VPOTUS never travel on the same aircraft), speaks at 2 p.m. – Republicans arrived to Philly hoping to forge a game plan to reshape the health-care system and overhaul tax policy, envisioning that their legislation could finally become law after years of facing off with the Obama White House. “Instead, they found themselves in an all-too-common battle, trying to explain, defend and deflect the latest round of controversial statements by Trump,” Paul Kane reports. “Any hope that Trump would avoid distracting fights once he entered the Oval Office faded … as several hundred GOP lawmakers loaded onto a rented Amtrak train to head north for a two-day retreat half a mile from Independence Hall. DHS-17-0435-A-000518 CBP FOIA000518 132 Filing down an escalator and onto the platform at Washington’s Union Station, House and Senate Republicans smiled and largely avoided questions from the assembled members of the news media … Formally known as the ‘Congress of Tomorrow,’ the GOP retreat’s early steps felt a lot like the campaign of last year.” – Senate Democrats are not allowing reporters to attend their retreat in West Virginia this week. But Politico’s Burgess Everett obtained the agenda. Among the planned sessions: “A discussion with Trump voters,” “Speaking to those who feel invisible in rural America,” “Listening to those who feel unheard,” and “Rising America — they feel unheard too.” UNDERSTANDING TRUMPISM: – Smart frame by Abby Phillip and Ashley Parker: “During the campaign, many of Trump’s supporters and even his advisers said they took many of the candidate’s most far￾reaching promises seriously – but not literally. Now … Trump is showing that at least some of them were indeed meant literally — putting him at odds not only with critics but with some members of his own party. … [But] Trump’s moves have alarmed Democrats, some of whom were cautiously optimistic that they could work with Trump as a self￾proclaimed non-ideological dealmaker but who now see him fulfilling their worst fears.” – Unlike most Republicans, Trump does not believe in federalism. He has signaled sweeping intervention into the way state and local officials carry out policing, treat immigrants, and run elections – setting off a wave of defiance and apprehensive from some of America’s largest cities. Katie Zezima, Wesley Lowery and Jose A. DelReal report: “In an executive order signed Wednesday, Trump directed the Department of Homeland Security to find ways to defund cities and jurisdictions out of step with his immigration priorities. That action — which could cost sanctuary cities … millions of dollars — is the latest in a series of moves where Trump has appeared willing to step on state-level or municipal prerogatives. In the scuffle, U.S. mayors have emerged as key players in the resistance to Trump’s agenda. At the center of the sanctuary city debate is a disagreement over whether local police officers should be required to help immigration officials enforce federal immigration laws. Many liberal mayors, including Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and New York City’s Bill De Blasio, have argued that requiring local police departments to assist immigration agents with deportations could sow distrust among immigrant populations. It could also discourage undocumented victims or witnesses from coming forward to report crimes.” – Trump – who flew cross-country hundreds of nights during the campaign to sleep in his own bed – spoke to the New York Times’ Maggie Haberman about how his new home stacks up to the Trump Tower. “His mornings, he said, are spent as they were in Trump Tower. He rises before 6 a.m., watches television tuned to a cable channel first in the residence, and later in a small dining room in the West Wing, and looks through the morning newspapers … But his meetings now begin at 9 a.m., earlier than they used to, which significantly curtails his television time. Still, Mr. Trump, who does not read books, is able to end his evenings with plenty of television. Mr. Trump’s wife, Melania, went back to New York … and so Mr. Trump has the television — and his old, unsecured Android phone, to the protests of some of his aides — to keep him company. ‘It’s a beautiful residence, it’s very elegant,’ Mr. Trump said, deploying one of his highest forms of praise.” – “One of the two leading finalists to fill the vacant seat on the Supreme Court, Judge Thomas Hardiman, has a quiet but influential ally in the high-stakes legal drama: Trump’s sister,” Politico’s Shane Goldmacher reports: “Judge Maryanne Trump Barry, who serves with Hardiman on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit, has spoken to her brother in favor of elevating him to the high court … ‘Maryanne is high on Hardiman,’ said one adviser who has spoken directly with the president about the matter. ‘They are regularly sitting together, deciding cases together, participating together in oral arguments,’ said appellate lawyer Matthew Stiegler … Stiegler was among those who see Barry’s hidden hand behind the steady ascent of Hardiman, who was among the lesser-known judges under consideration.” – A document provided last month to governors offers an early look at the wide array of projects that could be funded under Trump’s sweeping infrastructure project. John Wagner scoops: “Projects listed in the document include rehabilitation of some major airports and rail stations, such as Union Station in Washington. It includes highway and bridge projects, such as an overhaul of the Arlington Memorial Bridge in Virginia. And it includes mass-transit projects, such as the proposed Purple Line light-rail system in Maryland. There are also potential overhauls of the nation’s air traffic control system, hydroelectric plants and energy grid, as well as ports and waterways.” The list comes after the National Governor’s Association polled each state for help compiling three to five projects apiece to forward to Trump’s team. While there is no dollar figure attached to individual projects on the list, a letter sent by the NGA says the “initial spend” on projects is expected to be $150 billion during 2017, with the effort continuing over additional years. – Federal agents are reinvestigating dozens of Syrian refugees already in the U.S. after discovering a vetting lapse that allowed some who had potentially negative background information in their files to enter the country. The LA Times’ Del Quentin Wilber and Brian Bennett scoop: Agents have not concluded that any of the refugees should have been rejected for entry, but at a minimum would have triggered further investigation. The refugees whose cases are under DHS-17-0435-A-000519 CBP FOIA000519 133 review include one who failed a polygraph test when he applied to work at a U.S. military installation overseas and another who may have been in communication with an Islamic State leader. – Trump tapped the longtime manager of a private equity fund, Philip Bilden, to be the next secretary of the Navy. He is a former Army captain. (Thomas Gibbons-Neff) THE RESISTANCE: – Greenpeace-affiliated protesters were arrested after they scaled a 270-foot construction crane in downtown Washington and unfurled a large banner reading: “Resist.” Five protesters spent the day on the arm of the crane, while two chained themselves to the tower, blocking potential arrest efforts by police and preventing the crane operator from reaching the controls. (Peter Hermann and Mandy McLaren) – “Trump’s election may have inspired a birth control boom,” Vox’s Sarah Kliff reports. IUD insertions have spiked since the election. A new data set found the percent of IUD prescriptions and procedures increased 19 percent between October and December. No similar pattern was observed at the end of 2015. – An anonymous group of people claiming to be National Park Service employees created a Twitter account using the agency’s official logo and unleashed on the Trump administration for “muzzling” federal workers, Darryl Fears and Kayla Epstein report. The move comes after the White House barred the federal agencies from speaking to the press and public through social media. – D.C. officials warned that Washington could lose millions – or even billions – in annual federal assistance following Trump’s order to crack down on sanctuary cities and limit their funding. Aaron C. Davis, Peter Jamison and Fenit Nirappil report: “[Budget officials] said the use of the word ‘funds’ could include a wide range of federal assistance to the city, including even $2.5 billion in annual Medicaid contributions, or roughly 20 percent of the city’s total annual spending.” Still, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said the District would remain a sanctuary city, even as she said the impact to the city remained entirely unclear. MORE ON HOW THE WORLD IS GRAPPLING WITH TRUMP: – When British Prime Minister Theresa May travels to the White House to meet Trump on Friday, the two will have much in common to discuss, Griff Witte and Anne Gearan report. “Yet beneath the similarities lie profound differences in style and substance that make the two leaders less the second coming of the Thatcher-Reagan transatlantic lovefest and more a geopolitical odd couple. May is everything that Trump is not: a careful, low-key and pragmatic member of the political establishment with a decades-long career in elective office. She holds mainstream positions on critical issues such as trade and security [and] prizes the NATO military alliance and holds skeptical views of Russia — uncertain ground with Trump. Whether those differences dominate their meeting or they manage to bond over their shared circumstances, this could be a critical moment for both leaders.” May probably has more to gain or lose from the visit, experts say. But the diplomacy will be “exceptionally tricky”: “She cannot afford to antagonize the famously thin-skinned Trump, because she needs his support for a trade deal. But if she does not challenge him, said [London politics professor Tim Bale], then ‘she’ll be seen to be sucking up to someone who shouldn’t be sucked up to and who can’t be relied upon. That could backfire at home, and it could do damage to her relations with other European leaders.” – The Japanese remain wary about the future under Trump – but they have taken a far more immediate liking to the new first daughter. Anna Fifield reports from Tokyo: Ivanka Trump is widely revered as the “perfect woman” in the highly patriarchal society, and the popularity of her brands has skyrocketed as women wonder, breathlessly, how the put-together mother and career woman seems to have it all.” “She is a good example that a woman can do an outstanding job and handle a misogynist father like Trump, without pushing too much of a feminist agenda or confronting men too much,” said one blogger in Japan. “That is something that Japanese women want but have a hard time doing in a still male-dominated society.” – Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, the Times of Israel reports. In a statement, Netanyahu’s office said Giuliani delivered a “personal message” from Trump to the prime minister, in anticipation of their scheduled meeting in early February. – The Post’s Ishaan Tharoor calls Trump “the U.S.’s first Latin American president”: “If it weren’t clear before the inauguration, it certainly is now: Trump’s presidency represents a radical departure from the norms of American politics. Yet to observers elsewhere, Trumpism feels deeply familiar. Trump may want to stop the flow of migrants and goods from south of the border, but he has imported a political style ingrained in Latin American politics: that of the nationalist demagogue. A number of Latin American analysts have suggested over the past year that it’s useful to view Trump through the lens of the ‘caudillo,’ or strongman. It’s a tradition that extends from the last days of Simón Bolivar, South America’s great liberator, to the current bluster of leaders … Sure, Trump is no military despot like Chile’s late Augusto Pinochet … nor is he a defiant autocrat like the late Hugo Chávez … But to those who have lived under such leaders, it feels like Trump has been taking notes.” PALLING AROUND WITH ASSAD: – Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii met with President Bashar al-Assad during her secret trip to Syria last week and, now that she’s returned, is downplaying his responsibility for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of DHS-17-0435-A-000520 CBP FOIA000520 134 civilians. “Whatever you think about President Assad, the fact is that he is the president of Syria,” she told CNN’s Jake Tapper last night. “In order for any possibility of a viable peace agreement to occur, there has to be a conversation with him.” She added that the Syrians she met with told her there are “no moderate rebels” in the country. – Journalists following the Syria story closely are stunned by what they see as her breathtaking naiveté: (Gabbard’s office has refused to say who paid for her trip…) – Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Illinois) ripped his colleague hard: – Leading establishment Democrats also expressed disgust: An Obama administration alumnus: The head of the Center for American Progress: A former adviser to Hillary Clinton and John Kerry: – Why the blowback matters: Gabbard is one of the most hyper-ambitious members of Congress. She resigned as a vice chair of the DNC last year so she could support Bernie Sanders, which many in Hawaii’s political class perceived as a strategically-motivated play to position herself for a future statewide run. THERE’S A BEAR IN THE WOODS: – Russia is winning so much that they’re going to get tired of winning. Steven L. Hall retired from the Central Intelligence Agency in 2015 after 30 years. Most of Hall’s career was spent abroad, running covert operations in the countries of the former Soviet Union and the former Warsaw Pact. He writes in a piece for The Cipher Brief: “The list of wins for the Russians in the wake of the hacks, despite the fact that in the end, they have been found out, is significant. While there may be even more benefits down the road, a brief tally gives a general sense for how well the Russians have done.” Four examples: Disruption of the American political system: “Disrupting the U.S. is usually Putin’s default setting (see also: Syria), because Putin believes that which weakens the U.S., usually strengthens Russia. Remember, Putin views democracy as an existential threat to his regime, and the more distracted the U.S. is with internal political matters, the less it will be fomenting color revolutions and attempting to unseat dictators (e.g. Assad). Cracks in the U.S. political system – especially in a bedrock piece of it like elections – also plays to a favorite Kremlin theme, namely that democracy is a fatally flawed, hypocritical system, and that autocracies, such as Russia’s or China’s, are no worse, and in many ways better.” Disrupting and discrediting the U.S. intelligence system: “It is difficult to imagine Putin himself doing a better job of scripting what Trump has said about the U.S. Intelligence Community in the wake of the hacks. … This is a win on two levels for Putin. First … Russians always believe that U.S. intelligence enjoys much more political power than it really does. So Putin probably believes the CIA, NSA, and FBI have been badly hobbled, and their influence with the White House seriously eroded. Second, on an emotional level, it must please the former KGB officer in Putin to see his arch enemies take hits from the incoming president. Morale, the Kremlin probably assumes, must be low inside U.S. intelligence. This can only be good for Russia.” Recognition of Russia as an equal, at least on cyber: “It is worth recalling that a great deal of what drives Russian foreign policy is Putin, and Russia’s need to feel they are strategic players on the world stage. … Search on your computer how many times senior Russian officials use terms like ‘respecting Russia’ and ‘Russia is a great power.’” Intense American focus on the hack, not the larger influence operation: “The hacking of the DNC, as well as other targets in the U.S., has caused a great dust storm of media and public attention on all things cyber, which is excellent news for the other, arguably more important parts of the much larger Russian influence operation.” – Mike Rounds of South Dakota is going to play an important role in one of the Senate’s two Russia investigations. From Karoun Demirjian: “In the next week or two, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) said, his committee will launch its official investigation into how best to deter and counteract cyber￾threats posed by countries such as Russia. He plans to do so with at least one full committee hearing. … Following that, at an undetermined point in the future, the plan is to hand off the day-to-day of that investigation to the head of a new cyber￾security subcommittee.” Backstory: Lindsey Graham was supposed to chair this new subcommittee. BUT it would have been his third gavel, so under the conference rules he’d need to get a waiver from GOP leadership. They might not have wanted to give someone willing to criticize the president a bigger platform to highlight Trump’s links to Russia. So McCain is giving the spot to Rounds, but he’s also giving himself a spot on the subcommittee. Rounds will not have a free hand: In an interview with Karoun, Rounds said he has confidence in the new administration because of James Mattis as Pentagon chief. Rounds also said that he is “not looking for a fight” with the Trump administration, but added that he is prepared “to go wherever the information takes us,” promising “we’re going to get results.” The obscure South Dakotan has lobbied for cyber security responses in relatively quiet anonymity, but his signature mark in the arena is the current law, passed as part of a massive defense bill last year, insisting the Pentagon define when a cyber breach or attack constitutes an act of war. “His goal now is to craft policy describing what to do in the event of a cyber attack,” Karoun reports. “He would not outline his ideal terms, pledge to fully publicize the results or DHS-17-0435-A-000521 CBP FOIA000521 135 endorse new sanctions on Russia. … But Rounds said that would-be hackers and adversaries should understand there will be ‘serious repercussions’ for anyone trying in the future to interfere with an election through cyberspace.” SOCIAL MEDIA SPEED READ: First, Lindsey Graham made an #alternativefacts joke: He was referring to this Onion item: Meanwhile, Nikki Haley posted an upbeat photo: Shelley Moore Capito got a written response from Trump on miners’ issues: After Trump promised an investigation into his baseless claims of voter fraud, Ohio’s Republican Secretary of State tweeted this: – The Leading Authorities speaker’s bureau deleted marketing materials from its website that advertised joint paid appearances featuring Clinton manager Robby Mook and Trump manager Corey Lewandowski. The firm said the material had been generated by their own team, not Mook or Lewandowski, and said the two “want to be clear they have not teamed up.” (Buzzfeed) Robby announced he will no longer work with Leading Authorities: Scientists are preparing their own march on Washington: Word is spreading among lawmakers: Many are monitoring tweets suddenly deleted by federal agencies: Democrats are using the hashtag #NoBanNoWall in response to Trump’s immigration orders: Was the Department of Defense trolling Trump with this tweet? Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, who could make Trump’s life miserable if he ever turned on him, wants the president to do more to cooperate with the oversight that his committee does. Grassley was famously one of the few Republican senators to actually do oversight of the executive branch during the Bush years: But then the senator clarified that he was not really making a threat, just a plea: Finally, Al Franken spoke for all Minnesotans when he honored the late Mary Tyler Moore: Susan Collins also offered condolences: GOOD READS FROM ELSEWHERE: – What prompted Trump’s war with CNN? New York Magazine’s Gabriel Sherman reports that there may be a personal dimension at play: “… Trump has told White House staffers that he feels personally betrayed by CNN chief Jeff Zucker. Trump complains that Zucker should be programming CNN more favorably toward him because of their long relationship, which can be traced back to 2004 when Zucker put The Apprentice on NBC. Trump has also said … Zucker owes him because Trump helped get him the job at CNN. According to CNN sources, Trump’s claim that he assisted Zucker in landing the top job at the network is false. Trump seems to have gotten the idea because he praised Zucker to Turner Broadcasting’s then-CEO Phil Kent at a charity dinner in the fall of 2012, a few months before CNN hired Zucker. But CNN sources say Turner had already decided to hire Zucker ... ‘This is entirely personal,’ one CNN high-level source said. ‘Trump thinks just because he’s known Jeff that CNN should be covering him like Fox News does.’” – Bloomberg Businessweek, “The Upstarts: How Uber, Airbnb, and the Killer Companies of the New Silicon Valley Are Changing the World,” by Brad Stone: “In January 2009 the three founders of a little-known website called Airbedandbreakfast.com decided at the last minute to attend the inauguration of Barack Obama. [They] were all in their mid-20s and had no tickets to the festivities, or winter clothes, or even a firm grasp of the week’s schedule. But they saw an opportunity … By day [the founders] passed out AirBed & Breakfast fliers at the Dupont Circle Metro station. ‘Rent your room! Rent your room!’ they cried to the bundled-up commuters, who mostly ignored them. At night they met other AirBed & Breakfast hosts in the city, talked their way into inaugural parties, and answered multiple e-mails from a disgruntled customer—the guest in the basement bedroom. In a barrage of complaints, she said she was certain she smelled marijuana, that the juice she’d left in the fridge had been taken, and that the house didn’t comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. At one point she threatened to call the police. Chesky, Gebbia, and Blecharczyk sat just a few feet above her head, typing out apologetic replies …” DAYBOOK: Are you a federal employee? Lisa Rein is taking your questions about the hiring freeze during a live chat at 10:30 a.m. Click here to submit questions and see her answers. At the White House: Trump receives his daily briefing, travels to Philadelphia to meet with Republican lawmakers on retreat, returns to Washington to meet with Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas) – the two guys taking point on tax reform – and then signs an executive order, presumably on immigration. On Capitol Hill: The Senate and House are out for the rest of the week. Senate Democrats are at a closed-press retreat in West Virginia, and Republicans from both chambers are doing a joint retreat in Philly. British Prime Minister Theresa May will address members of Congress at the retreat before traveling to Washington to meet with Trump on Friday. Congress is out for the rest of the week, but the confirmation process for Trump’s Cabinet will continue apace next week: Rex Tillerson, nominated for secretary of state, will receive a vote on the Senate floor at 5:30 p.m. Monday. DHS-17-0435-A-000522 CBP FOIA000522 136 Linda McMahon, nominated to lead the Small Business Administration, will receive a vote in the Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship on Monday. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), nominated for attorney general, will receive a vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday Betsy DeVos, nominated for education secretary, will receive a vote in the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions at 10 a.m. Tuesday. Elaine Chao, nominated for transportation secretary, will receive a vote on the Senate floor at 12:20 p.m. on Tuesday. NEWS YOU CAN USE IF YOU LIVE IN D.C.: – Some possible A.M. showers and a windy afternoon ahead, per today’s Capital Weather Gang forecast: “There is a decent chance for a shower or two around the morning commute. The showers depart quickly as much drier air comes pouring in behind the cold front that marks the end of our mild spell. Winds steadily pick up the pace reaching 10- 20 mph, gusting to 35 mph by midday. Temperatures struggle to go up much but, given that they start as a relatively high point, mid-to-upper 50s are still achievable through early afternoon, before starting to descend.” – Another Virginia school board has declined to move forward with policies that would affirm protections for LGBT students or employees. From Moriah Balingit: “The Loudoun County School Board voted down two measures that would have clarified that employees are protected from discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The school system is the third in Northern Virginia to delay or decline to add LGBT protections, pointing to pending litigation that has left the law unclear, including a lawsuit before the U.S. Supreme Court in which a transgender boy sued a Virginia school board for the right to use the boys’ bathroom. … The Fairfax County School Board halted an effort to add regulations to its anti-discrimination policy in July to sort out legal issues regarding the regulations. The Prince William County School Board voted in September to postpone a vote on a measure to extend protections to transgender students and staff until June 2017.” – After Democrats carried Virginia for three presidential elections in a row, Republicans in the state House are pushing a bill that would end the familiar “winner take all” system of awarding electoral votes and replace it with a system to award them by congressional district. In 2016, Hillary won 49.8 percent of Virginia’s popular vote but all of its 13 electoral votes. Had those votes been allocated by congressional district instead, Clinton would have received only 7 while Trump got 6. (Chris Ingraham) – Jazz Lewis, a former campaign director to Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) who was Maryland political director for Clinton’s 2016 campaign, was nominated to succeed former state delegate Michael L. Vaughn in the state’s General Assembly. Lewis was chosen by the Prince George’s County Democratic Central Committee after a packed, hours-long meeting. (Arelis Hernandez) VIDEOS OF THE DAY: NASA astronauts are getting a new spacesuit: Trump and Kim Jong-Un impersonators kissed and made up in Hong Kong: Bad Lip Reading took on the inauguration, and the results are great: Seth Meyers took a closer look at Trump’s voter fraud claims: Meyers interviewed Ta-Nehisi Coates on his article about Obama: Jimmy Kimmel took on “alternative facts”: Andy Cohen wants Kellyanne Conway to join the Real Housewives franchise: The Post remembered Mary Tyler Moore: This monster sinkhole nearly swallowed a pickup truck: Mexicans in the border town of Reynosa are perhaps predictably nonplussed by Trump’s wall proposal: Blacklisting Muslim Brotherhood Carries Risks Trump administration taking radically different approach than Obama, Bush; designation could trigger unexpected consequences By Yaroslav Trofimov Wall Street Journal, January 26, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Guantánamo Awaiting Trump Administration Order By Carol Rosenberg Miami Herald, January 26, 2017 The detention center spokesman said Thursday that Guantánamo has functional cell space for perhaps 200 new captives and the 1,650 staff now responsible for 41 prisoners could accommodate them “pretty quickly.” With a dwindled detainee population of just 41 war on terror prisoners, the detention center spokesman said Thursday that Guantánamo has functional cell space for perhaps 200 new captives. No new orders have arrived from the White House or Pentagon in the first week of the Trump administration, although spokesman Navy Capt. John Filostrat said commanders are studying how to add new captives should the new president make good on his pledge to “load it up with some bad dudes.” How fast could they take in those 200 new prisoners, he was asked by a knot of reporters making the first Detention Center Zone visit of the Donald J. Trump administration. DHS-17-0435-A-000523 CBP FOIA000523 137 “Pretty quickly,” Filostrat replied, declining to elaborate. “I have no further instructions,” he added. “We’re doing our job, holding them safely and humanely until we’re told to transfer them or take more.” MORE NEWS: What will President Trump do with Guantánamo? Filostrat called the guards’ housing “substandard,” continuing a command campaign to build new barracks. But there was no talk of needing additional soldiers beyond the 1,650 staff of troops and civilians, including around 100 Navy medical personnel who in the past have managed tube feedings of hunger strikers. No new protests have emerged among the 41 captives, he added. “Our detainees are highly compliant.” No prisoners were in sight during an hour-long drive around the zone where some troopers were out for an afternoon jog past a sign declaring “Personal Courage” the value of the week. At the Camp 6 prison complex, a U.S. Navy ambulance driver was offering an orientation tour to a fellow sailor. And on the road linking the prison area to the base itself, a young soldier or sailor was headed back to the Detention Center Zone on foot, toting a skateboard. MORE NEWS: Final Obama transfer leaves 41 prisoners at Guantánamo Bay In the absence of additional instructions, the Pentagon announced a new hearing of the Periodic Review Board, the parole-style panel set up by the Obama administration to decide if any of the “forever prisoners” could be approved for rehabilitation or resettlement. “We’ve gotten no guidance on the PRB,” Filostrat said, adding that the role of the prison is to “get detainees to the location” — a double-wide trailer in a rusted and mostly abandoned section of Camp Delta. As of this week there are 26 indefinite detainees, captured from around the world. Another 10 have been charged at the war court, military commissions, and five are approved for transfer with security assurances that satisfy Secretary of Defense James Mattis. The Obama administration had intended to transfer all cleared captives but in the end left the five behind, including some men for whom the State Department could not make repatriation and resettlement arrangements. See the Herald’s Guantánamo Global Capture Guide Trump Admin Pursues Rethinking Of National Security Policy By Eric Tucker Associated Press, January 26, 2017 WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump is embracing the idea of Guantanamo Bay as a jail for terror suspects, a repudiation of the Obama administration’s longtime push to prosecute captured militants in the U.S. court system. A draft order spelling out a tougher line in the fight against terror dramatically rethinks how the U.S. should detain, monitor and prosecute terrorist suspects. It would reverse Obama’s efforts to close the military detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and reopen the idea of establishing CIA detention facilities outside the United States. In its support of Guantanamo the document is likely to renew a debate, which the Obama administration considered closed, about whether military tribunals offshore or civilian trials in American courts offer a fairer and more efficient path to justice. “To take a step backward would be both practically misguided and morally indefensible,” said Eric Freedman, a constitutional law professor at Hofstra University and a legal consultant for Guantanamo detainees. “The United States, for better or worse, sets an example for governments and social movements alike throughout the world, and it’s already the case that the groups opposed to American values have made extraordinarily effective use of Guantanamo and its betrayal of American values,” Freedman said. Though the draft order, which the White House said was not official, takes a more expansive view of national security power, it also in some instances relies on legal authorities that remained in place during the Obama administration but went unused. Guantanamo was open for the duration of the Obama administration, leaving it available for use by a new administration. And though Obama opted not to indefinitely detain newly captured suspects, courts have recognized the government’s authority to keep without trial suspects captured during wartime and connected to specific terror groups like al-Qaida. “The authorities are still there, and there’s no legal reason why it wouldn’t be available to a President Trump,” said Stephen Vladeck, a national security law professor at the University of Texas at Austin. Aspects of the draft order weren’t surprising given Trump’s campaign promise to fill Guantanamo with “bad dudes.” His pick for attorney general, Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, said at his confirmation hearing that he thought the prison, opened to take terror suspects after the Sept. 11 terror attacks, had served its purpose “marvelously well.” Support for it now represents a total reversal of eight years of efforts to close it. The Obama administration sent no new detainees there, and while not fulfilling a promise to close it, whittled the population from 242 to 41. Obama’s Justice Department maintained that the U.S. civilian court system was the most legally sound forum in which to prosecute terror suspects captured in the U.S. and DHS-17-0435-A-000524 CBP FOIA000524 138 overseas and cited hundreds of convictions in New York and other cities as proof. Former Attorney General Eric Holder sought unsuccessfully in 2009 to move the suspected ringleader of the Sept. 11 attacks, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, from Guantanamo to New York for trial, and though the plan was derailed by political opposition, has since expressed vindication as the military tribunal system at Guantanamo stalled. The son-in-law of Osama bin Laden, Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, was convicted in New York in 2014 on terror-related charges after being captured in Jordan. Ahmed Abu Khattalah, accused in the deadly 2012 attacks on a State Department compound in Benghazi, was captured in Libya in 2014 and is awaiting trial in Washington, D.C. And despite occasional objections from congressional Republicans, the Justice Department in the Obama administration has consistently used American courts to try suspects captured in the U.S. – including Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and the man accused in the Manhattan and New Jersey bombings last year. Sessions and other Republicans have long expressed concern that civilian courts afford legal protections to which suspected terrorists are not entitled. He has warned that valuable intelligence can be lost if a detainee is advised of his right to remain silent and to have a lawyer. But in several major cases, federal officials have used a public safety exemption to interrogate for intelligence purposes high-value suspects, including Tsarnaev, before advising them of their Miranda rights and restarting the questioning. Arguments that Guantanamo is a better forum than civilian courts have been “debunked by successful prosecution after successful prosecution,” Todd Hinnen, who served as acting assistant attorney general for national security in the Obama Justice Department, said before the new draft order was announced. “As a result, sending them before a less well￾established, less tested system that’s viewed as less legitimate by much of the world, would be a step backward,” Hinnen said. But Robert Turner, a national security law professor at the University of Virginia, disagreed, saying the military tribunal process has fewer “theatrics” that accompany a civilian court case, where a “fast-talking lawyer” could come in and mislead the jury. The tribunal process, he said, has “no-nonsense rules.” “I don’t think Gitmo as a detention facility, per se, is one of the problems,” he said. Still, said Vladeck, the draft document lacked enough “teeth” and specifics for the public to know how much of its agenda could actually be implemented or survive inevitable statutory and political hurdles. “Morally it’s a terrifying document, but legally, I think it’s mostly a lot of hot air,” he said. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Airport Shooter Indicted On Murder Charges, Faces Death Possible Death Penalty By Jay Weaver Miami Herald, January 26, 2017 Fort Lauderdale airport shooter Esteban Santiago told federal agents after carrying out his deadly rampage that he was “hearing voices,” under “government mind control” and “participating in jihadi chat rooms online” — but, at least for now, he’s not being charged with a terrorist act. A federal grand jury on Thursday returned an indictment that includes no accusation that he was supporting a foreign terrorist group like the Isamic State, as he suggested to FBI agents. They have found no evidence on his computer, smart phone or elsewhere to support his claims in a confession-like statement. Instead, the grand jury charged the 26-year-old military veteran from Alaksa with killing five people and injuring six others during the Jan. 6 shooting at Fort Lauderdale￾Hollywood International Airport — with all of the violent attack captured on surveillance video cameras. The 22-count indictment is similar to the complaint filed along with his arrest three weeks ago. The grand jury also adopted “special findings” to seek the death penalty for Santiago’s multiple murders, but that decision will ultimately rest with the U.S. attorney general. If capital punishment were dropped as an option, the New Jersey-born and Puerto Rico-raised Santiago would still face a life prison sentence. His arraignment is scheduled for Monday in Fort Lauderdale federal court. Santiago “committed the offense after substantial planning and premeditation to cause the death” of five elderly people who traveled to Fort Lauderdale to go on cruises, read the indictment filed by prosecutors Rick Del Torro and Lawrence LaVecchio. Judicial Watch, a Washington-based conservative legal group, issued a news release last week that highlighted the recent testimony of an FBI agent during Santiago’s detention hearing in Fort Lauderdale federal court. The agent said that after the shooting, Santiago said he had communicated with Islamic terrorists in “jihadi chat rooms” and committed the murders on behalf of the Islamic State. DHS-17-0435-A-000525 CBP FOIA000525 139 But the Miami Herald has learned that since the attack, FBI agents have been investigating Santiago’s social-media sites and questioning witnesses from South Florida to Puerto Rico and Alaska — and they have uncovered no compelling evidence to support Santiago’s statement that he carried out the assault in the name of the Islamic State or any other terrorist group. Former federal prosecutors following the case said that while Santiago may have mental health issues that triggered the deadly assault, it made no sense for the U.S. attorney’s office to pursue terrorism charges based soley on his statements. “If you promise too much, and you can’t deliver, you lose credibility with the jury, especially if you’re going to pursue a death penalty case,” said Miami lawyer David Weinstein, former chief of the counterterrorism section at the U.S. attorney’s office. Miami lawyer Allan Kaiser, a former veteran of the office, said “you have to play your strongest hand. There’s no reason to bring the terrorism charge when you already have a strong case.” Santiago had been living in Anchorage before purchasing a one-way ticket to Fort Lauderdale to carry out the apparently random shooting. He told agents that he planned it, checking in only one bag containing the murder weapon and ammunition. Agents have discovered that Santiago, a former National Guardsman who did a tour of duty in the Iraq War, had a recent history of domestic violence and mental-health issues. He approached the FBI in Anchorage in November to tell them that he was hearing voices urging him to join the Islamic State. He also told agents he was under the mind control of the CIA. The FBI referred Santiago to the Anchorage police, which recommended a psychiatric evaluation by state mental￾health experts. “He was deemed to be stable,” FBI Speical Agent Michael Ferlazzo said at the detention hearing last week. Anchorage police confiscated his handgun in November but then returned it to him last month after he asked for it. The firearm was the same weapon Santiago is suspected of using in the Fort Lauderdale airport shooting. However, so far, agents don’t believe Santiago was radicalized by extreme Islamist propaganda on the internet, according to sources familiar with the investigation. Instead, they are still trying to figure out what caused him to snap. Trump Poised To Seek New Military Options For Defeating IS By Lolita C. Baldor Associated Press, January 26, 2017 WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump is expected to ask the Pentagon for ways to accelerate the fight against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria, and officials said the options probably would include steps the Obama administration considered but never acted on, from adding significantly more U.S. troops to boosting military aid to Kurdish fighters Trump’s visit Friday to the Defense Department’s headquarters will start the conversation over how to fulfill his inauguration address pledge to eradicate radical Islamic terrorism “completely from the face of the Earth.” Among the possible options are sending in more Apache helicopters and giving the U.S. military broader authority to make routine combat decisions, according to current and former U.S. officials familiar with the ongoing discussions. The officials weren’t authorized to publicly discuss internal deliberations and spoke on condition of anonymity. As a candidate and now president, Trump has never articulated a detailed plan for defeating IS, and his thoughts on a strategy are murky. He has railed against the trillions of dollars that America’s post-9/11 wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have cost. But he suggested at one point that he would have “no choice” but to exponentially expand the Obama administration’s limited footprint of American forces fighting the militants. There are about 5,160 U.S. troops in Iraq now, about 100 fewer than the maximum cap. There are no more than 503 in Syria. In a Republican primary debate last March, Trump raised the prospect of needing 20,000 to 30,000 troops to “knock out” IS. It’s unlikely that military commanders would push for many thousands of additional troops in Iraq. While the Iraqis have asked for more help, a large U.S. military presence could unsettle the fragile, U.S.-allied government. One possible option in Syria is sending an Army brigade to help retake IS headquarters of Raqqa, according to the officials. Military planners have discussed that option during previous reviews, and could give it to Trump so he has the widest array of possible changes. The idea always involved the U.S. handing off authority to a local council or group to govern liberated areas, but military commanders never endorsed or recommended the proposal in the past. More likely could be new ways to enhance the abilities of the U.S.-backed Syrian Kurds, known as the YPG. They have been the most effective force against IS in northern and eastern Syria. American support is sensitive. NATO ally Turkey considers the group a terrorist organization. But the YPG forms the main force to retake Raqqa and some in the Pentagon have suggested giving the DHS-17-0435-A-000526 CBP FOIA000526 140 Kurds heavy weapons, including rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns and heavy combat vehicles. The idea never made it through debate in President Barack Obama’s National Security Council. Military commanders have said they’re prepared to give the Trump White House a broad range of options. Many will involve expanding existing efforts to train, advise and enable local Iraqi and Syrian forces. Increased intelligence and surveillance are options, as is allowing U.S. troops to embed more frequently with Iraqi soldiers near the front lines. The Pentagon also would like more freedom to make daily decisions in how it fights the enemy. The Obama administration often forced military leaders to seek permission for tactical combat decisions, frustrating commanders. One example, according to a senior official, involved the use, placement and staffing of the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System – a highly lethal and effective rocket launcher used in Iraq. Commanders would like greater authority to decide when and how to use the weapon. Military leaders hope for less micromanagement from the White House, but there is an expectation the Trump administration may set new parameters for the military to work within. At the Pentagon on Friday, Trump planned to host a formal swearing-in ceremony for Defense Secretary James Mattis, a retired Marine general. The president also was to meet privately with Mattis and military leaders in what’s called the Tank – the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s secure conference room. One big decision Trump will have to address is whether to keep fighting IS primarily through local forces or upending the strategy by assuming a greater U.S. leadership role through more forces on the ground. A wild-card to all the planning is Trump’s desire for closer counterterrorism coordination with Russia. In Syria, the Obama administration and the Russians backed two opposing sides in the nation’s civil war. But that conflict has slowed since Russia helped Syria’s government oust rebels from the city of Aleppo. Direct negotiations between the government and rebels took place this week for the first time in years. It’s unclear, however, how much Washington and Moscow can cooperate. Gen. Joseph Dunford, the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, has talked about improving high-level military contact but hasn’t advocated military cooperation or joint operations in Syria. Even intelligence-sharing with Moscow faces legal hurdles. Current law prohibits military cooperation and U.S. officials worry about America being held responsible if a Russian airstrike kills civilians. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. UN Aid Chief Accuses Syria Of Blocking Help To Neediest Associated Press, January 26, 2017 UNITED NATIONS (AP) – The U.N. humanitarian chief is accusing the Syrian government of blocking aid to hundreds of thousands of the country’s neediest people despite a nationwide cease-fire that has given “a glimmer of hope” that the conflict might be coming to an end. Stephen O’Brien told the Security Council on Thursday that a two-step approval process that the government agreed to for humanitarian convoys “has become, in practice, a 10- step process.” He said the result is that only one convoy delivered aid to 6,000 people in December, when the U.N. sought to help 930,250 people. So far in January, he said, a single convoy reached 40,000 people. O’Brien urged council members with influence to pressure the Syrian government to allow aid deliveries to all besieged and hard to reach areas. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Bana Al-Abed Writes Trump: ‘Please Save The Children And People Of Syria’ By Megan Specia New York Times, January 26, 2017 “You must do something for the children of Syria,” reads the note, scrawled in pencil on white lined paper in childlike handwriting. Seven-year-old Bana al-Abed and her mother, Fatemah, posted an open letter to President Trump on Bana’s Twitter account on Wednesday, sharing the message with the hundreds of thousands of users who follow the account. The page-long letter asks the new president to “please save the children and people of Syria.” Bana first captured global attention when she and her mother created a Twitter account, @AlabedBana, that posted near-daily updates on their life in opposition-held Eastern Aleppo and condemned the government’s role in the violence. The photos and videos from inside the city offered a rare glimpse into life in a war zone, and revealed the DHS-17-0435-A-000527 CBP FOIA000527 141 struggles faced by a family under siege. Bana and her family are now living in Turkey, after fleeing Aleppo in December. Some, however, have questioned whether Bana actually wrote the Twitter posts herself and if the videos in which she speaks were rehearsed or altered. And supporters of the government of President Bashar al-Assad assailed her as a fraud and a propaganda tool. After her family’s arrival in Turkey, they visited President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara and she was photographed being hugged by Mr. Erdogan. Fatemah told The New York Times that her request to Mr. Trump was a simple one: “Look to the children in Syria like your children.” She said Bana regularly hears news about Mr. Trump and felt it was time to try to get his attention. “Donald Trump is now president. He can do something for the people, especially in conflict zones,” Fatemah said. “And all the world had their opinions about this. And this was our opinion, me and Bana.” Fatemah said the note was intended to urge Mr. Trump to change his stance on Syrian refugees. She wrote it ahead of an expected executive order that would cut the country’s refugee resettlement program and toughen immigration restrictions for people from a number of predominantly Muslim countries, including Syria. Despite Mr. Trump’s repeated remarks on tightening restrictions against Muslims entering the United States, Fatemah said she believed that someday his views may change. “Maybe he will change his mind, I don’t know,” Fatemah said. “But we will keep hoping.” The First Train To Cross Aleppo In Years Traverses An Urban Wasteland By Louisa Loveluck Washington Post, January 26, 2017 Hundreds of passengers rode the train back into the Syrian city of Aleppo this week, four years after the area’s railway tracks were silenced by war. Gliding toward the Old City, they peered out across the formerly rebel-held eastern districts, shattered beyond recognition and now under government control. That urban sprawl was the Syrian rebels’ most important stronghold. Its recapture by forces- loyal to President Bashar al-Assad will probably be seen as the defining victory in Syria’s almost six-year war. The train crossed a front line that divided families for years. Passengers held up their cellphones for much of the journey, astonished at the extent of the damage, according to a photographer for the Agence France-Presse news agency who was in one of the carriages. Aleppo’s railway depot has a history of welcoming the displaced. In the years before World War II, it was an important stop for Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany. In photographs from the city’s east, it is now hard to find a building untouched by the furious government bombardment that decided the showdown in December. The United Nations said at least 40,000 people had returned to the area, with more families arriving every day. The organization has allocated $19 million in emergency aid for the returnees. As winter temperatures bite, entire neighborhoods are without power or running water. It will take years, if not decades, to rebuild Aleppo. Representatives of the U.N. cultural agency UNESCO were expected to visit the area this week to survey the extent of the damage to the Old City, a warren of small streets in the shadow of a citadel and Umayyad mosque. “This heritage is for everyone, no matter what their politics are,” Syria’s antiquities minister, Maamoun Abdulkarim, said last week in a plea for international help for reconstruction. “This is the very fabric of Syria. We will need it when the war ends.” Declassified Docs: Chilean Secret Police Wanted Miami Base For Brutal ‘70s Repression Campaign By David Minsky Miami New Times, January 26, 2017 From the Bay of Pigs invasion to the overthrow of democratically elected Guatemalan president Jacobo Arbenz, some of the CIA’s darkest covert operations across Latin America have Miami connections. Now, newly declassified documents show that the Magic City was almost a secret base for one of the bloodiest covert operations in Latin America, one that killed tens of thousands of people across a half-dozen countries. The new documents show that the Gestapo-like Chilean secret police, or La Dirección de Inteligencia Nacional (DINA), wanted a U.S.-sanctioned base in Miami in the mid-’70s where operatives could carry out missions such as kidnappings and assassinations — a request that was at least considered by U.S. officials. The report was included in a trove of more than 500 pages of declassified CIA documents ranging from the administrations of Gerald Ford to George H. W. Bush. The docs detail human rights abuses in Argentina and were released this past December 12 by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. One of those redacted reports details plans for a base to support activities related to Operation Condor, the codename for an “international consortium” of South American intelligence agencies founded in 1976 and secretly backed by the U.S. government. DHS-17-0435-A-000528 CBP FOIA000528 142 Condor was based in Chile, whose president at the time was the brutal dictator Augusto Pinochet. But Condor was really a U.S.-backed “black operations” campaign, says Long Island University professor J. Patrice McSherry. Its purpose was to destroy political opposition to the South American military dictatorships — specifically in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Bolivia — propped up by Americans in the ‘70s. The right-wing militias targeted anyone suspected of sympathies to communism and killed as many as 80,000 people over two decades, according to the “Archives of Terror,” a cache of documents stemming from the operation that were unearthed by human rights activists in Paraguay in 1992. Many others also disappeared. Jorge V. Sznaider, Jorge Perez Brancato, Hugo Maiosovsky, Noemi Graciela Beltone, Carlos Alberto Perez, and Mirta Silber de Perez, all 20-somethings who were holding a political discussion in their apartment in the late ‘70s, were picked up by the police. They haven’t been heard from since the declassified report was first published August 3, 1979. The secret police involved in Condor used torture, abductions, disappearances, and renditions to further their aims. One of the operation’s most dubious parts was “Phase III,” a highly secretive program that involved special teams traveling to foreign countries to carry out missions — including assassinations — against Condor enemies, the report states. Such missions were carried out in 1974 when Gen. Joaquin Zenteno Anaya, a Bolivian ambassador to France, was killed by a car bomb in Paris. Two years later, an exiled Argentine ambassador to the U.S. named Orlando Letelier and an American citizen named Ronni Moffitt were assassinated with a car bomb along Embassy Row in Washington, D.C. It was later revealed that Pinochet had played a personal role in the murders. Those are probably the kinds of missions that Condor’s brass hoped to carry out from its base in Miami. “The plot is relevant insofar as it provides evidence of Condor’s capabilities as well as its possible intentions in planning to open a station in Miami shortly afterward,” the report states. Miami’s promixity to Latin America and access to the Cuban exile community made the city the perfect spot for DINA chief Manuel Contreras, who McSherry says wanted to connect Pinochet with Cuban exiles and other anti-Castro Cubans to carry out joint operations. News of the Miami base was first reported by the Washington Post, which cited a classified U.S. Senate report in a August 9, 1979, article, “Foreign Spy Activity Found Rampant in U.S., the Chileans.” Using secondary sources, McSherry briefly covered it in her 2005 book, Predatory States. However, the newly declassified documents are the first official proof of the Miami connection to the brutal secret war. Knowledge of the base reached all the way to Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who shot down the idea in messages that McSherry says were sent through covert channels rather than in a formal denunciation. This is significant, McSherry says, because it demonstrates the U.S. government’s complicity in Condor. “One surmises that the information is still sensitive because it indicates that Washington was not only well informed of Condor but also was an unofficial or top-secret sponsor of the cross-border system,” McSherry tells New Times. When contacted, officials from the U.S. State Department declined to comment on the declassified documents, and several emails sent by New Times to Kissinger went unreturned. Pinochet was never convicted of the human rights abuses he was accused of and spent his last days under house arrest in Chile. He died in 2006. The entire set of declassified documents can be downloaded from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence’s Tumblr website. David Minsky is a U.S. Navy veteran and Tulane graduate who has experience reporting on stories from California, South Florida, and the Deep South. He has also won some journalism awards. Email or tweet David with story tips and ideas. North Korean Defector: Information Flow Will Help Bring Down Kim Jong Un NPR, January 26, 2017 What makes North Korea feel so oppressive? If you ask its highest-ranking defector in decades, the answer is censorship. Thae Yong Ho, who was until last summer a Pyongyang envoy in London, argues that increasing the flow of information into the North is what can sow the seeds of popular discord to bring down the Kim Jong Un regime. Thae had served in London for 10 years, and previously in Denmark, before he defected to South Korea last summer with his wife and two sons. He spent several months being questioned and debriefed by South Korean intelligence before settling into his new life in Seoul, where bodyguards accompany him most hours of the day. “When we got out of the embassy, I told [my sons] that now I’m going to cut the chain of slavery and you are a free man,” Thae said at a Wednesday news conference in Seoul. His 19- and 26-year-old sons’ first concern was whether they could freely browse the Internet. “You can go to the Internet, you can do Internet games whenever you like, you can read any books, watch any films,” Thae said he told them. DHS-17-0435-A-000529 CBP FOIA000529 143 That’s not the way of life in North Korea, where fewer than 1 percent of the population has Internet access. Foreign books, films and information are banned — and TV only broadcasts propaganda. Breaking down the censorship and surveillance state from within, Thae believes, is the only way to bring down North Korea’s nuclear weapons-obsessed leader. With information comes education, Thae says — and that can lead to a popular uprising. “Once they are educated to that level, I am sure they will stand up,” Thae told reporters. A shortwave radio station called Free North Korea Radio has been delivering information from outside the country since 2005, broadcasting from the second floor of a multipurpose building just outside Seoul. “The power of radio has been huge in advancing the cause of freedom and human rights,” says Suzanne Scholte, head of the American group that partners with the station. Free North Korea Radio puts out at least an hour a day of programming, produced by North Korean defectors for their fellow North Koreans to hear. “This is a critical way for them to understand that the North Korean defectors living in South Korea are working for freedom and rights, providing them with information but helping them to understand that the source of their misery is Kim Jong Un. And their true ally is the people of South Korea and the people of America,” Scholte says. This kind of tactic is far more effective than any military action, Thae, the defector, said. Any surgical or preemptive strike on the North in an attempt to eliminate its nuclear facilities would only turn South Korea — a longtime U.S. ally where 28,000 American troops are based — “into ashes,” he told reporters. And the power of information explains why the Pyongyang regime is so resistant to moves like propaganda loudspeakers on the border, he said. “[The] Kim Jong Un regime is trying to prevent and is trying every possibility to stop the influx of outside information,” Thae said. Information flows into the former Soviet Union and its Eastern bloc, he said, were key to crippling those systems more than two decades ago. And the many tactics to spread information into the North are working, he said. “The leaflets, USBs with films [stored on them] can be introduced to North Korea. So the ways of educating North Korean people for people’s uprising is also evolving,” Thae said. Despite the total surveillance state in present-day North Korea, he said, those with the means simply pay off the officers who catch them watching or listening to outside information. “So even this surveillance system is getting more and more corrupted,” Thae said. But that’s also giving information an opening to get into a notoriously closed country. Haeryun Kang contributed to this story. Trump Needs A Strategic Plan To Combat Terror By Shay Hershkovitz The Hill, January 26, 2017 In his inaugural address, President Trump re-declared his campaign-trail commitment to the war on terror, promising to “unite the civilized world against radical Islamic terrorism, which we will eradicate from the face of the Earth.” How the new administration will achieve this ambitious goal still remains to be seen – Trump has not yet presented a concrete strategic plan. The only thing one can draw from his past remarks is that he intends to present a fundamentally different strategy than that of the Obama administration. Nevertheless, one might ask if such a strategy could or should be essentially different. In any case, the U.S. intelligence community will unavoidably have a prominent role in determining its overall shape. Any effective antiterror strategy must have a unique, threefold combination of measures: (a) dampening the motivations of terrorists and their supporters, (b) damaging their operational capabilities and (c) strengthening the mental resilience of terror targets. The first two tasks are in the hands of the intelligence community, and the latter is most importantly a matter of national leadership. These three avenues of action are often contradictory: For instance, antiterror operations may only increase the motivations of potential supporters to become active terrorists. Sometimes, such measures yield domestic criticism, which could erode the standing of the leadership (e.g., in the case of drone attacks against ISIS, for which Obama was highly criticized). The Obama administration tried to combine the three elements as follows: It tried to reconcile with the Muslim world, emphasizing that terror and Islam are not synonymous, while conducting countless global operations against ISIS and Al-Qaeda terrorists (relying mainly on airstrikes and special forces). Obama himself also attempted to demonstrate leadership – especially when Islamic terror hit the U.S. (e.g., after the Boston bombing) – and defended the need to continue his drone policy despite criticism. Speculating on Trump’s antiterror strategy raises some concerns: There are reasons to believe he will focus on combating terrorist capabilities rather the basic conditions under which terror grows and flourishes. History has taught us that such a strategy will almost always fail. The best such a policy could achieve is the maintenance of a “reasonable” DHS-17-0435-A-000530 CBP FOIA000530 144 level of terror activities against the West. This goal hardly fulfills Trump’s promises. As for leadership, Trump has thus far demonstrated his ability to unite people around a common enemy (Islamic terrorism). But in order to onboard the entire nation to this ambitious task, he will have to find avenues to the heart of many more Americans. That cannot be achieved by relying on fear alone – he will also have to convey a message of hope. Furthermore, such leadership requires a unified front among the branches of the U.S. administration, starting with those at the forefront of the war on terror: the intelligence community. So far, Trump has focused on the rifts with the community rather than a shared vision and cause. The intelligence community, for its part, needs to support and execute Trump’s strategy – but more importantly, facilitate a strategic discussion with a president that has little geopolitical background. Yes, it needs to provide accurate tactical information upon which U.S. forces will act in order to hit ISIS around the world. But more importantly, the intelligence community needs to emphasize the importance of tackling the root causes that sustain terror. It needs to present to the president and his senior staff a holistic view of terrorism, and insist that decision-makers divorce from one￾dimensional perceptions – i.e., “let’s just smoke them out and kill ‘em!” It is also the intelligence community’s role to find common ground with the president, assisting him in demonstrating leadership. It therefore needs to refrain from any political discussion, and remain as professional as possible. There are two other tasks for the intelligence community: It seems that there is growing distance between America and its allies. Here, the intelligence community could be a silent partner in maintaining close relationships with U.S. partners around the world while reassuring U.S. commitment to shared interests. Intelligence organizations often operate as clandestine ambassadors – and with a highly controversial president, the intelligence community’s role in that respect is critical. Secondly, the intelligence community should consistently explain to the new administration that the warming relationship with Russia could easily work against America’s interests. It needs to convey to the White House that when dealing with the war on terror, Washington and Moscow’s goals – especially in the Middle East – are not necessarily aligned. Yes, Russia could “do the dirty work” in Syria which America is reluctant to do. But the fact is that the two superpowers don’t see eye-to-eye on the end result there. This is especially the case if the U.S. puts Iran – Russia’s most important regional ally – in its sights. Here too, the intelligence community should clearly and repeatedly convey that message, while keeping a close eye on Russia – even if its boss chooses a different approach for the time being. Shay Hershkovitz, Ph.D., is chief strategy officer at Wikistrat, Inc. and a political science professor at Tel Aviv University specializing in intelligence studies. He is also a former IDF intelligence officer whose book, “Aman Comes To Light,” deals with the history of the Israeli intelligence community. The views expressed by contributors are their own and are not the views of The Hill. Theresa May Could Withhold Intelligence Sharing With Donald Trump’s CIA If It Adopts Torture Techniques By Joe Watts Independent (UK), January 26, 2017 Theresa May has indicated that the UK could stop working with US intelligence agencies if they adopt torture techniques for extracting information from suspects. The Prime Minister was asked about British guidelines stating the country’s spies cannot work with other nations’ agencies that practise torture, amid the storm over Donald Trump’s plans to lift a ban on overseas CIA “black sites”. Speaking as she flew to the United States to become the first foreign leader to meet Mr Trump, she said the UK’s guidance is “very clear” and that the approach towards torture had not changed and would not. Asked by journalists about the intelligence sharing guidelines, she said: “We condemn torture and my view on that won’t change – whether I’m talking to you or talking to the President.” After being repeatedly pushed about the UK position on not sharing intelligence with countries practising torture, she said: “Our guidance is very clear about the position that the UK takes, and our position has not changed.” She added: “The real question you should be asking is what do we think about torture? What we think about torture is we condemn it. We do not believe in torture. That position has been clear for some time and that position is not going to change.” Mr Trump is expected to rip up restrictions put into place by Barack Obama after earlier stating that he wanted to bring back waterboarding and a “hell of a lot worse”. Ms May was on Wednesday challenged over the issue in the House of Commons by Tory MP Andrew Tyrie, who demanded the UK not be “dragged into facilitating” torture. The Prime Minister responded: “We do not sanction torture and we do not get involved in it. That will continue to be our position.” UK Intelligence Services Face Dilemma After Trump Backs Torture DHS-17-0435-A-000531 CBP FOIA000531 145 GCHQ, MI6 and MI5 rely heavily on the US, but using intelligence obtained by torture risks breaching international law By Ewen Macaskill The Guardian (UK), January 26, 2017 Donald Trump’s comment that he believes torture “absolutely works” would present the UK intelligence services, who work closely with US counterparts, with a major dilemma if the US were to resume such interrogation methods. The bulk of the intelligence being assessed by the UK agencies – especially GCHQ but also the overseas agency MI6 and, to a lesser extent, M15 – comes from the US. None of them would want to contemplate loss of that access, yet if the intelligence had been obtained through torture it would put them in breach of international law. A former British diplomat who worked closely with UK intelligence in a number of conflict hotspots in the Middle East and central Asia said the agencies would be torn between a moral and legal obligation not to be involved with torture and their heavy dependence on the US. The UK intelligence agencies – as well as other countries with which the US shares intelligence such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand and, one rung further down, countries such as Germany and France – are on paper opposed to torture and theoretically are supposed to absent themselves from the room if torture is taking place. A UK source familiar with the intelligence community recalled a conversation with a CIA station chief in the aftermath of 9/11 in which he referred to MI6 officials as “wimps”. But in reality the position of the UK intelligence agencies is more ambiguous. They take information that they know comes from countries that use torture, such as Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, and countries that have done so in the past, such as the US. They would argue that it is near impossible when sifting through raw data to distinguish what has been freely given and what has been obtained under duress. Eliza Manningham-Buller, a former head of MI5, when talking about a rendition controversy involving MI6 – its long￾time rival, though the two agencies work closer together these days – questioned whether “the UK supped with a sufficiently long spoon”. The full extent to which MI6 was involved in rendition in the aftermath of 9/11 has still to come out. Trump qualified his comments in the interview by saying he would defer to his security advisers such as the CIA director, Mike Pompeo, and the defence secretary, James Mattis, who has said that beer and cigarettes are more effective in getting someone to talk than waterboarding. The former head of MI6 Sir John Sawers described torture as illegal and abhorrent in a 2010 speech and said the agency faced real, constant dilemmas to avoid using intelligence gathered by such methods. After standing down in 2015, he said torture produced “useful information”. Others argue that information obtained through torture is untrustworthy and, on top of that, the US, the UK and other countries lose any claim to the moral high ground, unable to castigate countries such as China and Russia where torture is commonplace. Revelations of torture also contribute to radicalisation. The Bush administration sanctioned the use of torture in the aftermath of 9/11 and while it stopped soon after, it was only when Barack Obama became president in 2009 that a formal ban was announced. Much of what MI6 does overseas is, just by the nature of spying, illegal. Spies are covered by section 7 of the 1994 Intelligence Services Act, which protects them from prosecution as long as their actions are authorised by the government. Findyr Founder Anthony Vinci Named NGA Director Of Plans And Programs By Dominique Stump ExecutiveGov, January 26, 2017 The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency has appointed Anthony Vinci, founder of crowdsourced data collection firm Findyr, to succeed Misty Tullar as director of plans and programs at NGA. Vinci will assume his new role Jan. 30 and oversee the development of new concepts and collaborations across the agency, NGA said Wednesady. “Anthony brings a unique background and set of skills to NGA and our leadership team,” said NGA Director Robert Cardillo. Cardillo added that Vinci will support NGA’s agile acquisition, modeling, crowdsourcing, code development, disparate data sets and anticipatory analysis efforts. Vinci previously served as a Defense Department staff officer and worked for a global management firm, a machine learning company and a private equity firm. Trump Admin Pursues Rethinking Of National Security Policy By Eric Tucker Associated Press, January 26, 2017 WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump is embracing the idea of Guantanamo Bay as a jail for terror suspects, a repudiation of the Obama administration’s longtime push to prosecute captured militants in the U.S. court system. A draft order spelling out a tougher line in the fight against terror dramatically rethinks how the U.S. should detain, monitor and prosecute terrorist suspects. It would DHS-17-0435-A-000532 CBP FOIA000532 146 reverse Obama’s efforts to close the military detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and reopen the idea of establishing CIA detention facilities outside the United States. In its support of Guantanamo the document is likely to renew a debate, which the Obama administration considered closed, about whether military tribunals offshore or civilian trials in American courts offer a fairer and more efficient path to justice. “To take a step backward would be both practically misguided and morally indefensible,” said Eric Freedman, a constitutional law professor at Hofstra University and a legal consultant for Guantanamo detainees. “The United States, for better or worse, sets an example for governments and social movements alike throughout the world, and it’s already the case that the groups opposed to American values have made extraordinarily effective use of Guantanamo and its betrayal of American values,” Freedman said. Though the draft order, which the White House said was not official, takes a more expansive view of national security power, it also in some instances relies on legal authorities that remained in place during the Obama administration but went unused. Guantanamo was open for the duration of the Obama administration, leaving it available for use by a new administration. And though Obama opted not to indefinitely detain newly captured suspects, courts have recognized the government’s authority to keep without trial suspects captured during wartime and connected to specific terror groups like al-Qaida. “The authorities are still there, and there’s no legal reason why it wouldn’t be available to a President Trump,” said Stephen Vladeck, a national security law professor at the University of Texas at Austin. Aspects of the draft order weren’t surprising given Trump’s campaign promise to fill Guantanamo with “bad dudes.” His pick for attorney general, Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, said at his confirmation hearing that he thought the prison, opened to take terror suspects after the Sept. 11 terror attacks, had served its purpose “marvelously well.” Support for it now represents a total reversal of eight years of efforts to close it. The Obama administration sent no new detainees there, and while not fulfilling a promise to close it, whittled the population from 242 to 41. Obama’s Justice Department maintained that the U.S. civilian court system was the most legally sound forum in which to prosecute terror suspects captured in the U.S. and overseas and cited hundreds of convictions in New York and other cities as proof. Former Attorney General Eric Holder sought unsuccessfully in 2009 to move the suspected ringleader of the Sept. 11 attacks, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, from Guantanamo to New York for trial, and though the plan was derailed by political opposition, has since expressed vindication as the military tribunal system at Guantanamo stalled. The son-in-law of Osama bin Laden, Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, was convicted in New York in 2014 on terror-related charges after being captured in Jordan. Ahmed Abu Khattalah, accused in the deadly 2012 attacks on a State Department compound in Benghazi, was captured in Libya in 2014 and is awaiting trial in Washington, D.C. And despite occasional objections from congressional Republicans, the Justice Department in the Obama administration has consistently used American courts to try suspects captured in the U.S. – including Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and the man accused in the Manhattan and New Jersey bombings last year. Sessions and other Republicans have long expressed concern that civilian courts afford legal protections to which suspected terrorists are not entitled. He has warned that valuable intelligence can be lost if a detainee is advised of his right to remain silent and to have a lawyer. But in several major cases, federal officials have used a public safety exemption to interrogate for intelligence purposes high-value suspects, including Tsarnaev, before advising them of their Miranda rights and restarting the questioning. Arguments that Guantanamo is a better forum than civilian courts have been “debunked by successful prosecution after successful prosecution,” Todd Hinnen, who served as acting assistant attorney general for national security in the Obama Justice Department, said before the new draft order was announced. “As a result, sending them before a less well￾established, less tested system that’s viewed as less legitimate by much of the world, would be a step backward,” Hinnen said. But Robert Turner, a national security law professor at the University of Virginia, disagreed, saying the military tribunal process has fewer “theatrics” that accompany a civilian court case, where a “fast-talking lawyer” could come in and mislead the jury. The tribunal process, he said, has “no-nonsense rules.” “I don’t think Gitmo as a detention facility, per se, is one of the problems,” he said. Still, said Vladeck, the draft document lacked enough “teeth” and specifics for the public to know how much of its agenda could actually be implemented or survive inevitable statutory and political hurdles. “Morally it’s a terrifying document, but legally, I think it’s mostly a lot of hot air,” he said. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. DHS-17-0435-A-000533 CBP FOIA000533 147 U.K. Secret Service Boss: Real ‘Q’ From ‘James Bond’ Films Is A Woman By Jane Onyanga-Omara USA Today, January 26, 2017 LONDON — A change of casting could be in order in the James Bond movie franchise after the chief of Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service revealed the real-life “Q” is a woman. Alex Younger, the head of the agency commonly known as MI6, which employs Bond in the films, made the revelation while giving a speech encouraging women to join the organization,which supplies the British government with foreign intelligence. Q, the tech guru behind Bond’s deadly gadgets, has never been acted by a woman. The role was most recently played by Ben Whishaw alongside Daniel Craig’s Bond in Skyfall and Spectre. Whishaw’s predecessors include the late Desmond Llewelyn, who played the character between 1963 and 1999, and John Cleese. “The real-life Q is looking forward to meeting you and I’m pleased to report that the real-life Q is a woman,” Younger told attendees of the Women in IT awards in London on Wednesday, according to the BBC. “We’ve got to get over and see through the Bond thing,” he added. He said the movies lead to a stereotype that the type of people who join MI6 are usually “really posh” or went to the elite Oxford University. “The more different people you have in the room, in these high-pressure circumstances in which we operate, the better the decisions,” Younger said. “So, success for me is a deeper, broader range of technological skills in MI6 and more diversity, in particular more women.” Younger, who became the head of MI6 in 2014, has served as an MI6 officer in countries including Afghanistan, where he led its operations against al-Qaeda. Real-life ‘James Bond Q’ Is A Woman, MI6 Reveals BBC News (UK), January 26, 2017 The real-life equivalent of Q in the James Bond films is a woman, the head of MI6 has said. Alex Younger, chief of the Secret Intelligence Service, made the revelation as he encouraged more women to join the service. He said there is a stereotype that MI6 spies were posh and he wanted recruits from diverse backgrounds. The character of Q, a technology expert, has always been played by a man in the Bond films. Speaking at the Women in IT awards on Wednesday, Mr Younger said: “The real-life Q is looking forward to meeting you and I’m pleased to report that the real-life Q is a woman.” Image copyright Rex/Shutterstock Image caption Q is played by actor Ben Whishaw in the latest James Bond films The MI6 chief said one of his priorities is to employ talent but “we’ve got to get over and see through the Bond thing”. He recognised that the fictional MI6 spy is great in some ways as it “means that all of our opponents think there’s an MI6 officer behind every bush and that we’re 10,000 times larger than we actually are”. However, he went on to say that the character leads to a stereotype of the “particular sort of person that will join MI6 – whether they’re really posh or going to Oxford”. “The issue for me is that stands in the way of something that I regard as being so important, which is that we can reach into every community in Britain and make sure that we get the people that are the best regardless of their background,” he added. Mr Younger said he wanted to make MI6 even more diverse which would bring a full range of skills to the service and improve its decision-making. He added: “The more different people you have in the room, in these high-pressure circumstances in which we operate, the better the decisions. “So, success for me is a deeper, broader range of technological skills in MI6 and more diversity, in particular more women.” MI6 Reveals This Real-Life James Bond Counterpart Is Actually A Badass Woman By Natalie Gil Refinery29 (UK), January 26, 2017 It was just last week that the UK’s intelligence agency, GCHQ, launched a competition to encourage more girls to consider a career in cyber security, and now there’s more good news for girls and women hoping to break into intelligence. The chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (aka MI6), Alex Younger, today revealed that the real-life inspiration for Q in the James Bond films is actually a woman, reported the BBC. The character of Q has always been cast as a man in the films and has been played by Ben Whishaw since 2012’s Skyfall. There is a stereotype that MI6 spies are all “posh”, middle class men, Younger said, adding that he wanted to boost diversity and recruit more women. “The real-life Q is looking forward to meeting you and I’m pleased to report that the real-life Q is a woman,” Younger said yesterday at the Women in IT awards. DHS-17-0435-A-000534 CBP FOIA000534 148 He said “we’ve got to get over and see through the Bond thing”, and that the character makes people think of a “particular sort of person that will join MI6 – whether they’re really posh or going to Oxford”, the BBC reported. Younger did admit that MI6 benefits in some ways from the Bond films. The franchise “means that all of our opponents think there’s an MI6 officer behind every bush” and think the service is “10,000 times larger” than it actually is. Speaking about the posh spy stereotype, he said: “The issue for me is that stands in the way of something that I regard as being so important, which is that we can reach into every community in Britain and make sure that we get the people that are the best regardless of their background.” Having more diversity in MI6 would broaden the service’s skill set and improve the its decision-making, Younger said. “The more different people you have in the room, in these high-pressure circumstances in which we operate, the better the decisions. “So, success for me is a deeper, broader range of technological skills in MI6 and more diversity, in particular more women,” he added. Indeed, research supports the theory that the presence of women can enhance outcomes. Companies with women on the board perform better after all, and involving women in peacebuilding increases the likelihood that violence will end by 24%. We’re plotting a career change, stat. Head Of Britain’s Secret Service Says That James Bond Character Q Is Actually A Female By Dan Gunderman, New York Daily News New York Daily News, January 26, 2017 In 2012’s “Skyfall,” MI6’s tech wizard Q, played by Ben Whishaw, says, “So much for my promising career in espionage.” Now, that could certainly be an omen for future James Bond movies (at least where Whishaw is concerned). That is, if filmmakers want to portray the character accurately, as the position is currently filled, then they’d need to cast a female. Delivering the keynote speech at the Women in IT Awards in London on Wednesday, the head of Britain’s secret service, Sir Alex Younger, traditionally known as C, admitted that the crafty Q is actually a female. In his speech, Younger urged more women to join MI6, especially in scientific and technological capacities, the Guardian reports. Panel discussion entitled “The View from Foreign Intelligence Chiefs” at Third Ethos and Profession of Intelligence Conference, Sept. 20, 2016. (GW Center for Cyber and Homeland Security/Youtube) “If any of you would like to join us...the real-life Q is looking forward to meeting you and I’m pleased to report that the real-life Q is a woman,” he said. Many critics believe that Whishaw, 36, revived the role of Q — the wily intelligence/tech pro who offers Bond neat gadgets and weapons, like rocket-firing cars and magnetic watches. Whishaw played Q in “Skyfall” and “Spectre.” He’s also been played by John Cleese, Desmond Llewelyn and Peter Burton. Commenting on the pertinent Bond films, Younger said that the stereotype of the overseas intelligence-gathering agency tends to reflect Bond and his suave appearance and maneuvers, the Guardian reports. Younger qualified it, though, saying that Bond has helped provide the agency with a larger world presence. Still further, he added that the films do not reflect the nature of the job and the sorts of candidates that fill them, Guardian writes. “Success for me is a deeper, broader range of technological skills in MI6 and more diversity, in particular more women,” Younger said. Everything you thought you knew about Q from James Bond is wrong https://t.co/c66J6P3EFF pic.twitter.com/pRp7k9Qazl— Mashable (@mashable) January 26, 2017 With technology at the forefront of current operations, Younger said that to employ the right candidates, he’s had to dispell myths, Guardian notes. “(Bond) is great in some ways because it means that all of our opponents think there’s an MI6 officer behind every bush and that we’re 10,000 times larger than we actually are,” he said. “But there’s a problem because it leads to a (particular) stereotype.” It’s likely that this year, the next James Bond film will be announced, and front and center in that reveal will be whether Daniel Craig is set to return to the main role. Also, will filmmakers keep Q, and perhaps create a similar, senior-level position for a capable female? (We’re missing Judi Dench’s M.) James Bond’s Q Is A Woman In Real Life, U.K. Secret Service Boss Reveals By Alex Ritman Yahoo! News, January 26, 2017 The character has been played by Ben Whishaw, John Cleese, Desmond Llewelyn and, just once (and very briefly), Peter Burton. But it seems 007 casting directors have been getting one crucial thing wrong about James Bond’s legendary provider of rocket-firing cars, nifty last-minute life-saving gadgets and that magnetic watch that can undo zips: Q. Delivering the keynote speech at the Women in IT Awards, held in London Wednesday, the head of Britain’s DHS-17-0435-A-000535 CBP FOIA000535 149 Secret Service, Alex Younger, revealed that the real-life Quartermaster is female. “If any of you would like to join us … the real-life Q is looking forward to meeting you, and I’m pleased to report that the real-life Q is a woman,” he said, in comments reported by The Guardian. While the next Bond film will likely be unveiled this year, lifting the long-rattling lid on whether Daniel Craig will or will not be returning as the super spy, the role of Q – which Whishaw, 36, seemingly revitalized after two performances so far – is not thought to be in question. Intel Committee Dems To Trump: Read Torture Report By Jordain Carney The Hill, January 26, 2017 Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee are urging President Trump to read a 2014 report on the CIA’s programs before deciding to restart “enhanced interrogation.” Seven senators on the committee sent a letter to Trump on Thursday saying it is of the “utmost importance” that he read the committee’s findings. “To avoid making the mistakes of the past it is of the utmost importance that you familiarize yourself with, and ensure that any Executive Branch officials involved in the formation of policy on detention and interrogation review, the full Committee study,” they wrote in the letter. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the top Democrat on the committee, as well as Democratic Sens. Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), Ron Wyden (Ore.), Martin Heinrich (N.M.), Joe Manchin (W.Va.), Kamala Harris (Calif.) and Independent Sen. Angus King (Maine) signed the letter. They added that the report was meant to be used for any future interrogation guidelines and “remains a critical resource for anyone considering detention and interrogation policy.” The 2014 report found that many of the CIA’s practices were overly brutal and possibly illegal. The Democrats noted that both Mike Pompeo, the new CIA director, and Sen. Jeff Sessions, nominated to be attorney general, pledged that they would review the full report. A draft executive order circulated this week sparked a new round of debate over interrogation techniques, including waterboarding. The order would revoke a series of Obama administration rules that closed CIA “black sites,” granted Red Cross access to all detainees and limited interrogators to techniques approved in the Army Field Manual. The Senate Democrats said reports that Trump is considering restarting the Bush-era programs are “deeply troubling.” But White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Wednesday the document wasn’t from the White House, adding, “I have no idea where it came from.” But he refused to answer questions about whether Trump was weighing the basic policy recommendations contained in the draft order. Trump signaled during an interview with ABC News on Wednesday that his administration would be announcing its plan for CIA black sites within hours, but as of Thursday evening the White House hadn’t made an announcement. He also noted that he had been discussing waterboarding “as recently as 24 hours ago with people at the highest level of intelligence.” Feinstein previously pushed late last year for the outgoing Obama administration to make the full 7,000-page document public. While Obama told Senate Intelligence leaders he would preserve report in his presidential papers, he didn’t declassify the document before leaving office earlier this month. Intel Committee Democrats Outraged Over Trump’s Torture Comments By Guy Taylor Washington Times, January 26, 2017 Democrats on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence expressed outrage Thursday over President Trump’s suggestion this week that he is considering allowing U.S. officials to restart a program that used enhanced interrogation techniques tantamount to torture against terrorism suspects. In a letter to Mr. Trump, six Democrats and one independent on the committee called on the president to read the classified version of the committee’s 2014 report on a now-shuttered CIA detention and interrogation program before considering the possible resumption of such activities. The CIA program was active during the years after 9/11. An unclassified version of the 2014 report outlined the committee’s finding that enhanced interrogation techniques such as “waterboarding” are not an effective means of obtaining accurate information from suspects. “To avoid making the mistakes of the past, it is of the utmost importance that you familiarize yourself with, and ensure that any Executive Branch officials involved in the formation of detention and interrogation policy review, the full Committee Study,” Sen. Mark R. Warner of Virginia, the intelligence committee’s ranking Democrat, said in the letter to Mr. Trump. The letter was signed by committee Democrats Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris of California, Ron Wyden of Oregon, Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, and Angus King, an independent of Maine. No Republicans signed the letter. DHS-17-0435-A-000536 CBP FOIA000536 150 The issue burst to the forefront in Washington this week after news organizations obtained a purported draft of a presidential order that would keep open the terrorist detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and lift a the ban “black site” prisons and revive torture tactics. Mr. Trump defended the use of waterboarding on terrorism suspects Wednesday, defying outrage from Capitol Hill and human rights advocates. While Mr. Trump did not explicitly propose bringing back waterboarding, he said in an interview on ABC News that “it works.” Syracuse University, SRC To Help Intelligence Agencies Make Better Judgments By Rick Moriarty Syracuse (NY) Post-Standard, January 26, 2017 Syracuse, N.Y. – A team that includes researchers from Syracuse University and SRC Inc. is developing digital tools that will use crowdsourcing and other techniques to help the nation’s intelligence analysts do their jobs better. The team from SU, SRC, the University of Arizona and Colorado State University began work this month on the 4.5- year project under an $11.5 million contract from the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activit y, an arm of the Office for the Director of National Intelligence. The team’s task is to develop a software application that will aid analysts at the nation’s intelligence agencies, including the CIA, FBI, the National Security Agency, Department of Homeland Security and the Drug Enforcement Administration. “Our goal is to create a reasoning and reporting application that is not only effective, but also appealing to users by making the process intriguing and fun while not interfering with their natural reasoning and writing abilities,” said Jennifer Stromer-Galley, a professor at SU’s School of Information Studies who is leading the research team. Currently, the intelligence community typically conducts analysis of national security and other matters by having individuals review information sources, think through issues, confer with colleagues and present written reports to policymakers. The approach requires no special training in methods, but it has its drawbacks – primarily that analysts often have trouble clearly reporting the assumptions they made during their analysis and identifying what they do not know. The WMD Commission , in its report on how the U.S. intelligence community could have been so mistaken when it asserted before the second Gulf War that Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction, concluded that the failure was “in large part the result of analytical shortcomings” – specifically, “intelligence analysts were too wedded to their assumptions about Saddam’s intentions.” “Perhaps most troubling, we found an Intelligence Community in which analysts have a difficult time stating their assumptions up front, explicitly explaining their logic, and, in the end, identifying unambiguously for policymakers what they do not know,” the commission said. Stromer-Galley said the application the research team is developing will guide analysts through a series of steps in which they look at the information they have obtained, evaluate the credibility of the information, list the assumptions used in judging the evidence, and identify the information they do not know and determine whether their conclusions might be different if they had the missing information. The goal is also to have the software enable intelligence agencies to “crowdsource” their reports by having groups of people, with varying areas of expertise, analyze the information they have developed, she said. The team also hopes to use “game-based” principles of human-computer interaction to make the application fun to use. Intelligence agencies already have applications that help them make judgments, but the software is “laborious to use,” Stromer-Gally said. “We want to bring in some aspect of computer games – puzzles and solving mysteries – so people are more willing to use it,” she said. “If we build it but nobody wants to use it, we fail.” Other members of the team from SU participating in the project are research associate professor Nancy McCracken; associate professors Carsten Oesterlund and Lu Xiao from the iSchool; and professor Lael Schooler and assistant professor David Kellen from the Department of Psychology in the College of Arts & Sciences. SRC , formerly known as Syracuse Research Corp., is a not-for-profit company in Cicero that conducts research and development for clients in the defense, environment and intelligence fields. Rebooting The IC Information Environment By Steven Aftergood Secrecy News, January 26, 2017 Over the past several years, former Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper led an ongoing transformation of information policy in the U.S. intelligence community that stresses information sharing among intelligence agencies based on a common information technology infrastructure. On his way out the door last week, DNI Clapper signed Intelligence Community Directive 121 on Managing the Intelligence Community Information Environment, dated January 19, 2017. The goal is for each IC member agency “to make information readily discoverable by and appropriately retrievable to the [entire] IC.” DHS-17-0435-A-000537 CBP FOIA000537 151 Although the policy makes allowance for unique individual agency requirements, and acknowledges legal and policy restrictions on sharing of privacy information, a common IC-wide information architecture is otherwise supposed to become the new default for each intelligence community agency. “IC elements shall first use an IC enterprise approach, which accounts for all IC equities and enhances intelligence integration, for managing the IC IE [Information Environment] before using an IC element-centric solution,” the new directive says. Further, “IC elements shall […] migrate IC IT capabilities to IC IT SoCCs [Services of Common Concern] as quickly and efficiently as possible.” Increased sharing of information naturally entails increased vulnerability to compromise of the shared information. To help mitigate the increased risk, “all personnel accessing the IC IE [must] have unique, identifiable identities, which can be authenticated and have current and accurate attributes for accessing information in accordance with IC policies, guidance, and specifications for identity and access management,” the directive says. The new IT Enterprise approach has received congressional support and seems likely to continue for the foreseeable future. But in the current period of turbulence everything is uncertain, including the future of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence itself. In its report on the FY2017 Intelligence Authorization Act last week, the Senate Intelligence Committee mandated a new review of the roles and missions of the ODNI. “It has been more than ten years since the Congress established the position of the DNI in the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, building on its predecessor, the Director of Central Intelligence. Given this experience and the evolving security environment, the Committee believes it appropriate to review the DNI’s roles, missions and functions and adapt its authorities, organization and resources as needed,” the new Committee report said. NATIONAL NEWS Why The President Is Feuding With The Media And The Intelligence Community By Jon Finer The Atlantic, January 25, 2017 American presidents can come to be defined by the fights they choose to wage. Ronald Reagan fought big government at home and the Iron Curtain abroad. George H.W. Bush fought Saddam Hussein. Bill Clinton fought a “vast right-wing conspiracy” and Slobodan Milosevic. George W. Bush fought the Axis of Evil and the wellspring of extremism that his invasion of Iraq unleashed. Barack Obama fought the Islamic State, climate change and, occasionally, the U.S. Congress. What, then, are Americans to make of the early fights President Donald Trump has picked with American institutions he seems to perceive as his primary foes: the press and the intelligence community? Those battles, which have simmered for many months, came to a head over the weekend when the president held what amounted to an anti-press pep rally at the Central Intelligence Agency, whose analysis he had long disparaged, and his press secretary used his first appearance in the briefing room to shout easily disprovable “alternative facts” about the size of the crowd at Trump’s inauguration, then stormed out without taking questions. It would be easy to dismiss these developments as stunts aimed at distracting the public from some unpleasant failing, like the chaotic transition Trump’s team has overseen or the scathing reviews of his grim inaugural address, or, perhaps, as spontaneous tantrums that speak more to temperament than to nefarious intentions. But a closer look reveals a clear and unsettling logic behind Trump’s two early fights and a common thread that links his unorthodox adversaries. Trump is taking on two institutions in American life that are traditionally charged with establishing the factual basis that inform national-security decisions––the press in its public discourse and the intelligence community behind closed doors in the Situation Room. In making foreign policy, what a government does should flow from what it purports to know about the world. For an administration that says it is bent on upending aspects of the established order, that means there is a premium on seizing control of baseline facts to fortify its narrative of an America in decline, our economy depleted by trade, our borders overrun by hordes bent on doing us harm. Every administration feuds with the press, sometimes with good reason. With the unenviable task of writing about meetings they cannot attend, Washington reporters can be too easily seduced by leaks that may only provide a portion of the story. Nor is it unusual for the objective truth of news events to be contested. When I covered the Iraq War for The Washington Post, my colleagues and I often found ourselves competing with an army of government spokespeople over whose account of the conflict was correct. The stakes of such disputes are high: public perceptions of the war helped determine how much latitude the Bush administration had to continue waging it. What is different about the Trump administration’s approach to the press is that it has not just advanced an alternate version of important events, but rather it appears to DHS-17-0435-A-000538 CBP FOIA000538 152 be signaling an assault on the very legitimacy of the press as an independent actor in American public life. The result has been unusual statements by administration officials about what is or is not the press’s job, ominous warnings about holding reporters “accountable” or ensuring they “suffer the consequences,” misapplying the term “fake news” to legitimate organizations, and repeated statements by the president himself that the press are “the most dishonest human beings,” a sentiment he echoed to chilling applause at the CIA. At least part what explains this onslaught is that the press has been the first line of defense against a steady stream of contestable, or outright false, “facts” put forth by Trump since the dawn of his campaign, including about a deluge of rapists and murderers among Mexican immigrants, a surge of violent crime across urban America, or millions of fraudulent voters in the 2016 election. Now that candidate Trump has become President Trump, such “facts” are no longer just about winning votes. In government, they become the basis on which policies are sold to the public. For example, different decisions would surely flow from the myth advanced by Trump that the refugee population could be replete with terrorists, than from the reality that an infinitesimal few have been implicated in any crimes at all; or from his frequent claim that Iran received $150 billion in the nuclear deal it made with the international community, rather than the reality that it received a small fraction of that amount. But Trump has not been content to merely distort the public debate over his policy proposals, an approach that may differ in degree, but not in kind, from that of his predecessors. Rather, and without recent precedent, he is also laying the groundwork to influence highly sensitive policy discussions by taking on the intelligence community, whose job is to frame those debates for national security decision￾makers. At the beginning of virtually every interagency meeting chaired by the president’s National Security Council, representatives of the Central Intelligence Agency or the Office of the Director of National Intelligence are traditionally asked to brief on the current state of play for the issue at hand. For example, a meeting about the conflict in Iraq and Syria will often begin with an assessment of the current strength and disposition of Syrian regime and opposition forces, as well as the campaign against the Islamic State. These updates can be highly influential––consider, for example, the different policy options that would ensue from an assessment that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is on his last legs, compared with one that indicates he will endure for the foreseeable future. The Trump administration would hardly be the first to express skepticism about the intelligence community. Before the Iraq War, former Vice President Richard Cheney famously pushed for information that would more strongly link Hussein to al Qaeda or document his possession of weapons of mass destruction. While being immersed in Obama administration foreign-policy debates over the last seven years, I often heard policymakers effectively use information gleaned from diplomatic conversations or platforms like Twitter to challenge what intelligence officials reported about emerging crises. Excessive deference to intelligence can itself be irresponsible. Skepticism is constructive if it is intended to introduce important new perspectives or identify biases and false assumptions. But it sends a different message when Trump compares the intelligence community to Nazi Germany, or his advisors refer to the former director of the CIA––a respected career professional who served at senior levels in both Republican and Democratic administrations–– as a “partisan political hack.” These are not substantive criticisms but assaults on the very legitimacy of the intelligence agencies, and it would be dangerous if they also prove to be a prelude to usurping their role in laying the factual predicate on which national security decisions are made.If Trump prevails in these fights, he could do more than simply enact his agenda; he could alter aspects of our political culture in ways that will be difficult to reverse. The Trump administration may eventually abandon its burgeoning fights against the press and the intelligence community, but there is at least one reason to believe it will continue to go to unusual lengths. In the near term, the new administration’s biggest vulnerability seems to be nagging questions about its own legitimacy, which is why certain uncomfortable facts––about popular vote totals, FBI actions, or Russian meddling–– generate a ferocious response. Here too, the two institutions best-positioned to shape this evolving perception (other than the administration itself) will be the press, whose editorial decisions will determine how much public scrutiny such questions continue to receive, and the intelligence community, which may acquire and disseminate further evidence about Russia’s role. Any administration would contest a challenge to its basic claim to power. And it is hard to imagine this president ceding to anyone else’s account of the facts. Therefore, while the intensity may ebb and flow, these fights are likely to continue, at least until the administration feels secure enough in its ability to advance its agenda and fend off attacks on its ascent. Much of the world may not find Trump’s early battles unfamiliar, let alone alarming. The United States has always distinguished itself from more autocratic powers like Russia and China, or from our partners in the Middle East, by the protections we provide our press, and by our aspiration to DHS-17-0435-A-000539 CBP FOIA000539 153 preserve some autonomy from political interference for the analysis of our intelligence agencies. If Trump prevails in these fights, he could do more than simply enact his agenda; he could alter aspects of our political culture in ways that will be difficult to reverse. In the meantime, it is important to clarify the underlying effect that the administration is seeking: not merely a political advantage by distraction or deception, but, rather, to undermine its main rivals and define its own reality on which to base the most consequential policy decisions it will face. Trump Poised To Seek New Military Options For Defeating IS By Lolita C. Baldor Associated Press, January 26, 2017 WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump is expected to ask the Pentagon for ways to accelerate the fight against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria, and officials said the options probably would include steps the Obama administration considered but never acted on, from adding significantly more U.S. troops to boosting military aid to Kurdish fighters Trump’s visit Friday to the Defense Department’s headquarters will start the conversation over how to fulfill his inauguration address pledge to eradicate radical Islamic terrorism “completely from the face of the Earth.” Among the possible options are sending in more Apache helicopters and giving the U.S. military broader authority to make routine combat decisions, according to current and former U.S. officials familiar with the ongoing discussions. The officials weren’t authorized to publicly discuss internal deliberations and spoke on condition of anonymity. As a candidate and now president, Trump has never articulated a detailed plan for defeating IS, and his thoughts on a strategy are murky. He has railed against the trillions of dollars that America’s post-9/11 wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have cost. But he suggested at one point that he would have “no choice” but to exponentially expand the Obama administration’s limited footprint of American forces fighting the militants. There are about 5,160 U.S. troops in Iraq now, about 100 fewer than the maximum cap. There are no more than 503 in Syria. In a Republican primary debate last March, Trump raised the prospect of needing 20,000 to 30,000 troops to “knock out” IS. It’s unlikely that military commanders would push for many thousands of additional troops in Iraq. While the Iraqis have asked for more help, a large U.S. military presence could unsettle the fragile, U.S.-allied government. One possible option in Syria is sending an Army brigade to help retake IS headquarters of Raqqa, according to the officials. Military planners have discussed that option during previous reviews, and could give it to Trump so he has the widest array of possible changes. The idea always involved the U.S. handing off authority to a local council or group to govern liberated areas, but military commanders never endorsed or recommended the proposal in the past. More likely could be new ways to enhance the abilities of the U.S.-backed Syrian Kurds, known as the YPG. They have been the most effective force against IS in northern and eastern Syria. American support is sensitive. NATO ally Turkey considers the group a terrorist organization. But the YPG forms the main force to retake Raqqa and some in the Pentagon have suggested giving the Kurds heavy weapons, including rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns and heavy combat vehicles. The idea never made it through debate in President Barack Obama’s National Security Council. Military commanders have said they’re prepared to give the Trump White House a broad range of options. Many will involve expanding existing efforts to train, advise and enable local Iraqi and Syrian forces. Increased intelligence and surveillance are options, as is allowing U.S. troops to embed more frequently with Iraqi soldiers near the front lines. The Pentagon also would like more freedom to make daily decisions in how it fights the enemy. The Obama administration often forced military leaders to seek permission for tactical combat decisions, frustrating commanders. One example, according to a senior official, involved the use, placement and staffing of the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System – a highly lethal and effective rocket launcher used in Iraq. Commanders would like greater authority to decide when and how to use the weapon. Military leaders hope for less micromanagement from the White House, but there is an expectation the Trump administration may set new parameters for the military to work within. At the Pentagon on Friday, Trump planned to host a formal swearing-in ceremony for Defense Secretary James Mattis, a retired Marine general. The president also was to meet privately with Mattis and military leaders in what’s called the Tank – the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s secure conference room. One big decision Trump will have to address is whether to keep fighting IS primarily through local forces or upending the strategy by assuming a greater U.S. leadership role through more forces on the ground. A wild-card to all the planning is Trump’s desire for closer counterterrorism coordination with Russia. DHS-17-0435-A-000540 CBP FOIA000540 154 In Syria, the Obama administration and the Russians backed two opposing sides in the nation’s civil war. But that conflict has slowed since Russia helped Syria’s government oust rebels from the city of Aleppo. Direct negotiations between the government and rebels took place this week for the first time in years. It’s unclear, however, how much Washington and Moscow can cooperate. Gen. Joseph Dunford, the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, has talked about improving high-level military contact but hasn’t advocated military cooperation or joint operations in Syria. Even intelligence-sharing with Moscow faces legal hurdles. Current law prohibits military cooperation and U.S. officials worry about America being held responsible if a Russian airstrike kills civilians. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Trump To Seek Quick Progress With Japan’s Abe On Replacement Trade Deal By David Brunnstrom And Matt Spetalnick Reuters, January 26, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Nafta’s Net U.S. Impact Is Modest Pact leaves winners and losers, but its overall impact is more complex than the trade balance suggests By Jacob M. Schlesinger, Andrew Tangel And Valerie Bauerlein Wall Street Journal, January 26, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Gloom Descends On Mexico’s Nafta Capital President Trump’s threat to renegotiate the free￾trade agreement and build a wall has created anxiety in Monterrey, where foreign investment lifted thousands of workers into the middle class and further enriched the city’s mighty industrialists By Robbie Whelan Wall Street Journal, January 26, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Donald Trump’s Pledge To Use Only U.S. Steel Is Loaded With Caveats By Danielle Paquette Washington Post, January 26, 2017 During the campaign, President Trump visited a Pennsylvania town that lost its steel mill three decades ago — an economic wound that still stung. He pledged to rebuild the country with American steel, a move he said would “create massive numbers of jobs.” On Tuesday, Trump started with oil pipelines. He ordered the commerce secretary to draft a policy requiring the nation’s pipelines to be constructed or reinforced with American-made materials “to the maximum extent possible and to the extent permitted by law.” (Wilbur Ross, his top choice for the role, owned several mills before selling them in 2004.) The command came hours after Trump signed executive orders to revive the Dakota Access and Keystone XL pipelines, two controversial projects former president Barack Obama had sought to block. It promptly sparked new debate around an old economic strategy: Does buying American actually help Americans? “The devil is in the details.” The United States is part of the World Trade Organization’s Government Procurement Agreement, which prohibits members from giving special treatment to domestic suppliers or discriminating against foreign companies, goods and services. Telling contractors to use only American products would violate that rule — but Trump’s memorandum left room for interpretation. The text included a caveat similar to one found in the stimulus law Obama signed in 2009, which guided infrastructure builders who received public grants to use American wares, as long as they complied with trade agreements. They largely avoided violations with a loophole: The government could run into trouble by directly funding projects, so it sends grant or loan money to states, which have more purchase-making flexibility. The Transportation Department also follows a heavily caveated “Buy America” policy, which prioritizes U.S.-made materials when building new buses, railways and ferries, among other transit properties. The effects of such programs are tough to measure, wrote policy researchers Michaela Platzer and William Mallett in a 2015 report for the Congressional Research Services. “Although the Buy America provisions have been in place in some form for almost 40 years, it is difficult to know how they have affected steel and [manufacturing] in the United States, whether measured by jobs, output, or any other indicator,” Platzer and Mallett found. “Empirical evidence on the economic benefits or costs of domestic preference laws is largely lacking, in part because the effects are small compared with macroeconomic forces such as global economic growth and the related growth in demand for steel.” For example, they added: “The available data suggest that the steel produced for the Buy America market DHS-17-0435-A-000541 CBP FOIA000541 155 represents a small portion of total domestic demand for steel.” Buy American doesn’t always mean Buy American. The Commerce Department’s pipeline proposal, Trump advised, is due in 180 days. If the text remains vague, contractors could still seek supplies from, say, Canada if domestic steel producers jacked up prices or could not accommodate orders. “The devil’s in the details,” said Chris Weld, a Boston trade lawyer whose firm represents American steel companies. “This is not a mandate. But it is a message to U.S. pipeline operators to consider steps to purchase U.S.- produced iron and steel.” Earlier this week, Trump met with a group of union leaders and members at the White House, telling them he intends to create American jobs through his proposed infrastructure investment. Trump’s team is now considering a list of projects, including bridges and railways, that would together cost roughly $137 billion, reports show. The Keystone XL and Dakota pipelines are the first White House-backed construction projects of the Trump era. “We are — and I am — very insistent that if we’re going to build pipelines in the United States, the pipe should be made in the United States,” Trump said Tuesday. White House spokesman Sean Spicer said the action demonstrates his commitment to boosting U.S. steel, in particular. “This is the first step,” Spicer said. “And the president really delivered on his campaign promise to put American steel back at the backbone of the U.S. economy.” In a statement Tuesday, Thomas Gibson, president of the American Iron and Steel Institute, a national industry advocacy group, praised Trump for his focus on American steel and manufacturing. “Taken together,” he said, “building these pipelines, ensuring key markets for domestic steel and pipe products, and lowering the burdens to manufacturing in the U.S., will help ensure that our industry remains highly productive and internationally competitive.” The beneficiaries of the domestic-first rules, of course, would be U.S. steel producers, which concentrate in the industrial Midwest and the South. Some economists and leaders in the broader business community, however, have long opposed protectionist measures, arguing they delay projects and drive up costs. (In their 2015 report, Platzer and Mallett concluded such outcomes are possible, but no evidence supports that happens on a large scale.) “Only a basic understanding of supply and demand is required to see that limiting competition for procurement projects ensures one outcome: taxpayers get a smaller bang for their buck,” Daniel Ikenson, a trade scholar at the Cato Institute, a right-leaning think tank in Washington, wrote this week. “Sure, some U.S. companies will win bids, hire new workers, and generate local economic activity. What will be less visible — but every bit as real — are the contracts denied numerous other U.S. businesses and workers because the resources have been stretched and depleted to satisfy restrictive procurement rules.” Others feel the mere appearance of protectionism could strain trade relations, even if a “Buy American” declaration comes wrapped in caveats. “Key words like ‘buy American’ are troubling,” Jorge Guajardo, Mexico’s former ambassador to China, told McClatchy last week. “That goes against the whole essence of NAFTA. Because the whole essence of the North American Free Trade Agreement is you do not distinguish between countries as you buy. There are rules.” About the jobs ... While construction generates economic bumps, there’s no evidence Trump’s preference for domestic steel in infrastructure projects will jumpstart the industry. To start, most steel used on American soil already is produced in the United States: 71 percent last year, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute, an industry advocacy group. The steel jobs started vanishing as technology advanced, allowing companies to produce more steel with less muscle. The AISI data shows the industry reached its employment peak at 650,000 workers in 1953. By 2015, that number had shrunk to 142,000. Labor productivity, however, has increased fivefold since 1980, surging from an average of 10.1 man-hours per ton to an average of 1.9. Leo Gerard, international president of the United Steelworkers, a North American union with more than 800,000 U.S. and Canadian members, said he expects Trump’s pipeline plan will create more steel jobs. But he doesn’t expect the president’s infrastructure goals will restore the industry to its former power. “I don’t want to be specific about one project,” he said. “The important thing is we’ve got a substantial discussion going on about working on America’s infrastructure. There are pipelines all over the place that need to be refurbished.” Hill Republicans Are Now Aiming For End Of Year To Pass Priorities By Mike Debonis Washington Post, January 26, 2017 PHILADELPHIA — Congress will pass legislation to remake health care, reform the federal tax system and secure the U.S. border with Mexico by year’s end, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan said Thursday, confirming that lawmakers intend to aggressively push President Trump’s campaign priorities. DHS-17-0435-A-000542 CBP FOIA000542 156 But it won’t be in the short time frame that some Republicans — including President Trump — first touted. Plans that Ryan (R-Wis.) and other congressional leaders presented to lawmakers here Wednesday and Thursday extend beyond the traditional 100-day window for a new administration’s top priorities. In the case of repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, they appear to be looking well far past the initial window, measured in weeks, that they originally targeted. Ryan defended the timeline Thursday, saying the scale of the planned legislation, as well as the need for the Senate to spend scarce floor time on executive nominations, meant taking a longer view: “We are trying to fix people’s problems in this country. It’s going to take more than simply 100 days.” Trump told the lawmakers Thursday, “Now we have to deliver.” “This Congress is going to be the busiest Congress we’ve had in decades, maybe ever,” he said. “Enough all talk, no action. . . . This is our chance to achieve great and lasting change for our beloved nation.” Trump’s 25-minute address was heavy on rallying cries but light on the policy details many lawmakers were hoping for to guide their legislative work. A closed-door question￾and-answer session was set for after the speech, and Vice President Pence is set to deliver his own remarks afterward. British Prime Minister Theresa May, who will meet Trump at the White House on Friday, is also set to speak. GOP lawmakers arrived here Wednesday and spent the day inside a closed-off downtown hotel, listening to their leaders sketch out plans for the coming months, laid out in charts and bullet points. But they looked to Trump and Pence to animate those ambitions Thursday and project a sense of unity with lawmakers who have been uneasy at times — both with the new president’s unpredictable outbursts and some of the potential details of his agenda. That uneasiness was again on display when Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) faced reporters Thursday morning. They were asked about a draft executive order under White House consideration that could pave the way for the reopening of overseas “black sites,” where the CIA was accused of using aggressive interrogation methods widely condemned as torture. “That’s not policy from the Trump administration, so push that aside,” Ryan said. He later added: “Torture is not legal, and we agree with it not being legal.” McConnell added that new CIA Director Mike Pompeo “made it clear he is going to follow the law, and I believe virtually all of our members are comfortable with the state of the law on that issue now.” The leaders conceded that the scope of Trump’s ambitions, coupled with their own desire to push forward their own policy goals now that the GOP has unified control in Washington, would require many months of deliberate legislative work. “We have ambitious goals and ambitious timelines,” Ryan told reporters. “Our goal is to get these laws done in 2017.” That timeline comports with major legislation pursued by former president Barack Obama at the outset of his administration. Congress quickly passed a fiscal stimulus bill, but a major health care overhaul — the Affordable Care Act — bogged down and was not finalized until more than a year after his inauguration. Ryan added that “most of these big things” could be done by the August congressional recess, but he left open the possibility of other actions to come: “By and large, our goal is by the end of 2017, we have made good on so many of the promises that we made to the people and the policies we ran on.” GOP lawmakers gathered for morning sessions Thursday on two key issues: national security and health care. The latter session was seen as a key opportunity for Ryan, McConnell and other congressional leaders to offer more details about their plans to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. But early indications were that those leaders had few new details on offer. Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Tex.), for instance, said he was pursuing a concept of a “health-care backpack” that would include age-adjusted refundable tax credits, health savings accounts and access to electronic health records. All of those concepts were laid out in a House GOP blueprint issued last year. Other key elements, such as how to preserve the viability of the individual insurance market while also requiring insurers to issue policies to people with preexisting conditions, were not addressed in detail, two lawmakers present said. “There have been zero specifics offered, and it is fascinating to see the lack of clarity on this issue at this point,” said one GOP lawmaker who attended the health care session and spoke on the condition of anonymity to candidly describe the private meeting. Trump himself mentioned the ACA only in passing, and he made no mention of a replacement plan that he said in a recent Washington Post interview was “very much formulated down to the final strokes.” Instead, he dwelled on issues with the current law: “It’s a disaster. I actually talked with Paul and the group about doing nothing for two years because the Dems would come begging us to do something. . . . But we have no choice. We want to get something done and get it done right.” Rank-and-file Republicans have expressed the desire for more clarity on how the law, which has expanded coverage to roughly 20 million Americans, will be replaced, DHS-17-0435-A-000543 CBP FOIA000543 157 even as key lawmakers played down the possibility that a fully formed Obamacare replacement plan would be rolled out in Philadelphia. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said that members would “understand the movement, the timing and what’s going forward” on health care. He described an action plan consisting of three “buckets” — a fast-track “reconciliation” bill that Republicans can pass without Democratic cooperation but is limited in scope under congressional rules; a series of executive actions that will be undertaken by the Trump administration to reform insurance markets; and a series of traditional bills completing the replacement that will need to gain some Democratic support. “All three of these things move at the same time,” McCarthy said. Members are also discussed national security issues, including immigration, a day after Trump signed executive orders to build a southern border wall and cut off funds to cities that do not report undocumented immigrants to federal authorities. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Tex.), chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, said Thursday his panel would consider granting the Trump administration additional authorities. Those, he said, could include new laws to allow authorities to track and deport visitors who overstay their visas, to grant Homeland Security officials broader access to federal lands along the border, and to extend expedited removal procedures for illegal immigrants from countries other than Mexico. Those procedures are already in place for Mexicans who enter the country illegally. McCaul praised the Trump administration’s executive actions, but he said Congress would ultimately have to act to carry out his plans — including passing legislation to spend as much as $15 billion of taxpayer dollars on the border wall. “He’s moving fast,” he said. “But you can’t do this without the money. Only Congress can do that.” Ryan brushed off several questions about whether Republicans would offset the cost of the wall with spending cuts elsewhere or new revenue. Many GOP lawmakers have refused to support previous bipartisan bills that did not offset federal spending but instead added to the budget deficit. “We’re going to wait and see from the administration to see what their supplemental [spending bill] looks like,” Ryan said. “I’m not going to get ahead of a policy and a bill that has not been written yet.” Trump Boasts To GOP Lawmakers About His Win, Crowd Sizes By Nolan D. McCaskill Politico, January 26, 2017 Winning. Crowd size. Dishonest media. Voter fraud. Mexico. A laundry list of President Donald Trump’s obsessions overshadowed the substance of the remarks he delivered Thursday to a friendly audience of congressional Republicans at their annual retreat in Philadelphia. While Trump peppered his 25-minute speech with nods to Obamacare, tax cuts and infrastructure spending, he sounded more like a candidate at a campaign rally than a newly inaugurated president revving up his party for an ambitious legislative agenda. Trump wasted little time unloading about his fixations, almost immediately reveling in his victory as he stood before an entire room of Republicans, who for the first time in years control the White House and both chambers of Congress — and will likely have a majority on the Supreme Court this year after Trump announces his nominee next Thursday. “Nice to win,” he greeted his fellow Republicans. “Do we agree? It’s been a while. It’s been a while since we had this position. Nice to win.” Trump delved into a riff seconds later about how great it was for him to be in Philadelphia, first noting its place as home to where he attended college before acknowledging its history as “the place where we launched our American independence.” What’s more, Trump said, Philadelphia is a city in a blue state people said he, like many Republican candidates in the past, couldn’t win. He signaled to House Speaker Paul Ryan a much￾anticipated change in Washington, D.C. — the end of years of dysfunction — telling the Wisconsin Republican he won’t be wasting time writing legislation that never gets signed into law by the president before declaring: “This Congress is going to be the busiest Congress we’ve had in decades — maybe ever.” It was about five minutes into his address before he mentioned any policy, recounting what he described as “major contractual steps to restore the rule of law and to return power to everyday Americans” with executive actions. But nearly every mention of presidential memoranda and other actions he’s signed since taking office last Friday included off-the-cuff segues into, for example, American pipes (Keystone and Dakota Access pipelines), a projection of 600,000 people for Saturday’s anti-abortion March for Life and an assertion that there’s “nothing fair about the media” because they allegedly report unfairly on crowd sizes (reinstatement of Mexico City policy), and a call for commerce secretary nominee Wilbur Ross to be confirmed by the Senate “because I hear he did fantastically well” (Trans￾Pacific Partnership). He said when he meets with British Prime Minister Theresa May on Friday, he’ll have to negotiate deals himself since Ross has yet to be confirmed. DHS-17-0435-A-000544 CBP FOIA000544 158 “I’m meeting with her tomorrow. I don’t have my commerce secretary,” Trump said. “They want to talk trade. So I’ll have to handle it myself, which is OK.” Trump addressed the elephant in the room when he highlighted his recent actions on immigration, including the first move from the White House to begin construction of his proposed border wall. As Trump traveled to Philadelphia from Washington, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto had announced that he had informed the White House that he would no longer be visiting next week, a rejoinder to Trump’s suggestion that the North American leaders shouldn’t meet if Mexico won’t agree to pay for the border wall, a pledge Trump made on the first day of his campaign. “I’ve said many times that the American people will not pay for the wall, and I’ve made that clear to the government of Mexico,” Trump said, going on to slam NAFTA as a “terrible deal.” “To that end, the president of Mexico and myself have agreed to cancel our planned meeting scheduled for next week,” Trump said. His comment, however, is at odds with White House press secretary Sean Spicer, who during an earlier gaggle with reporters during the trip to Philadelphia was unaware that Peña Nieto would no longer be coming. Nevertheless, Trump continued: “Unless Mexico is going to treat the United States fairly with respect, such a meeting would be fruitless, and I want to go a different route. I have no choice.” The president quickly shifted into patting himself on the back for naming Vice President Mike Pence, a former Indiana governor, as his running mate. It wasn’t until more than midway through his remarks that he mentioned his “ambitious legislative agenda.” The Republicans’ agenda begins with the repeal and replacement of Obamacare, Trump said, before echoing his past criticisms of the Affordable Care Act as a “disaster.” And that’s as far as he got before he began name-checking his “all-star roster” of Cabinet nominees and, as he got to Jeff Sessions, relishing his endorsement during the presidential campaign by the Alabama senator and attorney general nominee. Finding his way back to the topic at hand, Trump highlighted new trade deals to boost jobs and wages, tax reform, an infrastructure package, an investment to rebuild the military, a reduction of energy regulations and a commitment to stand with law enforcement as priorities of his nascent administration. “We also need to keep the ballot box safe from illegal voting. And believe me, you take a look at what’s registering, folks,” Trump added. “They like to say, ‘Oh, Trump, Trump, Trump.’ Take a look at what’s registering. We are going to protect the integrity of the ballot box, and we are going to defend the votes of the American citizen.” Trump has called for a “major” probe into what believes is widespread voter fraud that occurred in the presidential election despite no evidence to support the charge. He’s expected to issue an executive action on the matter later Thursday. But as he told congressional Republicans, it’s only the beginning. “We are now only at the beginning of this incredible journey together,” he said. “I am honored to be your partner in this amazing quest. I am privileged to stand with you, shoulder to shoulder, as we work every single day to make America great again.” Trump, Republican Lawmakers Wrestle Over Priorities For ‘Bold’ Agenda By Richard Cowan And Susan Cornwell Reuters, January 26, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Trump To Urge Republican Lawmakers To Move Fast On His Agenda By Billy House Bloomberg Politics, January 26, 2017 President Donald Trump plans to rally Republican lawmakers on Thursday to act quickly on priorities including a border wall and a new health care law after years of partisan gridlock between the White House and Congress. “The excuse of divided government is over,” Kellyanne Conway, a Trump senior adviser, told reporters before Trump left Washington to speak to a Republican congressional retreat in Philadelphia. Republicans control both the House and Senate in addition to the White House, the first time the party has held all elected branches of the U.S. government since 2006. Trump will focus on Republicans’ shared priorities, stressing plans to replace Obamacare, build a border wall, overhaul U.S. tax law and mount a $1 trillion infrastructure program, Conway said. It is the first trip outside Washington for Trump since he was inaugurated, and his first flight on Air Force One as president. Congressional Republicans are especially eager to hear the president’s intentions for legislation repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act. Trump has promised an affordable health care plan that would offer all Americans coverage, but lawmakers are uncertain how to reconcile those goals with pledges to reduce the cost of insurance and scale back government involvement in the industry. There are also divisions within the part over the timing of legislation and how to handle the Medicaid program that provides health care to the poor and disabled. Trump has promised to reveal his plans following confirmation of Rep. DHS-17-0435-A-000545 CBP FOIA000545 159 Tom Price, a Georgia Republican, as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.Seeking Consensus The Senate’s No. 3 Republican, South Dakota Senator John Thune, said he hopes House and Senate Republicans can settle this week on a path for replacing Obamacare. “Consensus is something we are aiming for,” Thune, chairman of the Senate Republican caucus, told reporters on Tuesday. “The key is to find as much common ground as we can with regard to the substance and process, about how we proceed going forward.” Interim House Budget Committee Chairman Diane Black told reporters Wednesday she expects committees to begin marking up repeal-and-replace legislation “in the next two weeks.” Much of Trump’s agenda will require congressional backing. In an executive order signed Wednesday, Trump laid out plans to ask Congress for more money to hire additional border patrol agents, immigration officers, and to construct a wall on the Mexican border. House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said they anticipate approving Trump’s wall as part of a $12 billion to $15 billion supplemental spending bill for border security. “The point is, we’re going to finance the Secure Fence Act, which is the construction of a physical barrier on the border,” Ryan told reporters at a news conference in Philadelphia.Tax Reform Trump has also advocated broad corporate tax reform, which the president says can jump-start the economy and encourage businesses to invest in American manufacturing. But Trump has already publicly split with Ryan over key provisions, including House Republican plans for a border adjustment tax. Ryan told his members on Wednesday that he expected work on the tax package to occur in the summer, after Congress tackles an Obamacare repeal. But the split over taxes underscores the uneasy alliance between Trump and Republican leaders on Capitol Hill. During the campaign, Ryan was openly reluctant to endorse the party nominee and told lawmakers they could abandon their own support for Trump after disclosure of a video in which the nominee was heard explicitly discussing female anatomy and his own behavior toward women. In a stream of October tweets, Trump called Ryan “weak and ineffective” and berated him for his disloyalty. Trump’s Vow To G.O.P. Lawmakers: ‘You’re Not Wasting Your Time’ By Michael D. Shear And Matt Flegenheimer New York Times, January 26, 2017 PHILADELPHIA — President Trump pledged allegiance to a long list of Republican agenda items on Thursday, telling a gathering of the party’s lawmakers that, together, they will repeal the Affordable Care Act, lower taxes for businesses and the middle class, rebuild crumbling infrastructure and create millions of jobs. “This Congress is going to be the busiest Congress we’ve had in decades, maybe ever,” Mr. Trump said at a Republican retreat here. Gesturing to House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, Mr. Trump said: “He’s writing his heart out. And we’re actually going to sign the stuff that you’re writing. You’re not wasting your time.” The president was met warmly in the room, particularly as he checked off the cabinet members and nominees who came from the congressional ranks — among them Mike Pompeo, the Kansas congressman-turned-C.I.A. director. “It’s like being actually led into the Promised Land by Moses,” Representative Tom Cole, a senior Republican from Oklahoma, said of Mr. Trump. “We’re there and he’s our leader and people feel very comfortable.” Aides said Mr. Trump made the trip so he could reach out to lawmakers to advance a legislative agenda in the weeks ahead. In his remarks, he bragged about having moved quickly on a series of executive actions covering areas like immigration, the environment and trade. But he said that broader changes would require legislation. As Air Force One landed, Mr. Trump learned that President Enrique Peña Nieto of Mexico had canceled a planned visit to the White House next week, providing yet another distraction for a president whose first week has been filled with them. In his remarks, Mr. Trump described the cancellation as a joint decision. “We have agreed to cancel our planned meeting,” he said. “Unless Mexico is going to treat the United States fairly, with respect, such a meeting would be fruitless and I want to go a different route. We have no choice.” Though Mr. Trump’s unpredictable behavior and scattershot policy has continued to catch lawmakers off guard, Republican leaders have taken care to project an air of unity since his election. “We are on the same page with the White House,” Mr. Ryan insisted on Thursday, speaking to reporters before Mr. Trump’s visit. Mr. Ryan did say that Mr. Trump, on Twitter and otherwise, had compelled members to adjust their expectations of the White House. “This is going to be an unconventional presidency,” the speaker said. “That is something we are all going to have to get used to.” Mr. Trump arrived in Philadelphia after his first official flight on Air Force One. He got a short tour of the plane after arriving at Joint Base Andrews on Marine One, aides said. After getting off the helicopter, he saluted and then walked up the stairs to the plane. DHS-17-0435-A-000546 CBP FOIA000546 160 The president had already given up his Boeing 757; when he flew down to Washington from New York the day before his inauguration, he flew on a government plane — not officially Air Force One because he had not yet become president. In his remarks, Mr. Trump told lawmakers that the American people had decided in the election that they wanted change. He bragged about his surprise victory, calling it a great night. “Now we have to deliver,” the president said. “Enough all talk, no action. We have to deliver. This is our chance to achieve great and lasting change for our beloved nation.” Mr. Trump received several standing ovations from the members of his party, including when he talked about ending overseas aide to groups that support abortion, rebuilding the military and eliminating regulations on the discovery and production of energy. The lawmakers also applauded when he pledged to keep working toward construction of his long￾promised wall along the Mexican border. Negotiations on the wall speak to how much Republicans appear willing to break with past positions on government spending to accommodate Mr. Trump. Though many have long shared Mr. Trump’s desire for a border wall, Republicans in Congress have often railed against spending plans that do not include offsetting cuts, even in emergency situations like a natural disaster. Mr. Ryan and Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, estimated on Thursday that Mr. Trump’s wall would cost $12 billion to $15 billion. They declined to address whether the expense would be offset by spending cuts. Mr. McConnell also shrugged off questions on whether Mr. Trump was compromising the United States’ relationship with Mexico by continuing to insist that Mexico will pay for the wall. (For now, Mr. Ryan suggested, the wall will be paid for with a supplemental funding request from the White House and existing federal funding to secure the border.) “We intend to address the wall issue ourselves,” Mr. McConnell said, “and the president can deal with his relations with other countries on that issue and other issues.” Mr. Trump, who has had a rocky relationship with Mr. McConnell and Mr. Ryan at times, went out of his way to praise both men. He called Mr. McConnell “a great guy” and said Mr. Ryan was “very, very special.” Many questions about the specifics of legislative aims remained unanswered. But as Mr. Trump greeted them here, Republicans seemed content this week to revel in the early planning stages, and in their victory. “Everybody’s excited,” Mr. Cole said. “Nobody’s hit the hard parts yet.” Trump To GOP Lawmakers: ‘We Have To Deliver’ By S.A. Miller Washington Times, January 26, 2017 President Trump declared Thursday that the days of a do-nothing Congress are over. “Enough all talk, no action. We have to deliver,” Mr. Trump said in a speech to Capitol Hill Republicans at a strategy retreat in Philadelphia. He told the House and Senate members that that they would be busy — perhaps the busiest Congress in history — passing an ambitious agenda aimed at returning power to the American people. “This Congress is going to be the busiest Congress we’ve had in decades, maybe ever,” he told the lawmakers in a ballroom of the Loews hotel. “Now is the dawn of a new era of American independence and re-dedication to the idea that the people are in charge of their own destiny,” he said. “Think of everything we can achieve and remember who we must achieve it for. We are here now because tens of millions of Americans have placed their hopes in us to transfer power from Washington, D.C., and give it back to the people,” Mr. Trump said. Mr. Trump, who enjoys having his party in control of both chambers of Congress, outlined an agenda that included immigration, trade, taxes and reducing crime in cities. At the top of the agenda were plans to repeal Obamacare. “Obamacare is a disaster,” he said. Mr. Trump said that Obamacare would “explode” on its own if they left it as it is for two years, and he predicted that Democrats would “come begging” to replace it. “Except we have one problem — we have to take care of the American people immediately,” he said. Mr. Trump said that House Speaker Paul Ryan and other GOP leaders had been hard at work writing legislation to send to the White House. “We are actually going to sign the stuff you are writing. You are not wasting your time,” he said, adding that for years “you’d write it and send it up and nothing would happen. But now it’s going to happen.” “Now is the dawn of a new era of American independence and re-dedication to the idea that the people are in charge of their own destiny,” said Mr. Trump. Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. Trump Says Current Congress Could Be The Busiest In History By Marisa Schultz New York Post, January 26, 2017 DHS-17-0435-A-000547 CBP FOIA000547 161 PHILADELPHIA – President Trump told Republican members of Congress they’ll be busier than ever now that he’s running the White House. “This Congress is going to be the busiest Congress we’ve had in decades, maybe ever!” Trump said Thursday at the annual Republican retreat here. Striking a populist message, Trump told lawmakers to remember who they’re working for. It’s time, he said, to “restore the rule of law and return power to everyday Americans.” Trump noted Speaker Paul Ryan, a policy wonk, can now write legislation that will become law in the GOP￾controlled Congress. “He’s writing his heart out,” Trump said. “We’re actually going to sign the stuff you are writing… he’s not wasting his time.” In one comedic moment, Trump was searching the crowd for former Rep. Mike Pompeo, just sworn in CIA director and therefore not part of the congressional retreat. “Where is Pompeo? Where the hell is he?” Trump said looking around. “Oh, he’s working.” Trump’s visit comes as House and Senate GOP leaders huddle for three days to plot how to repeal and replace Obamacare, devise tax reform, pass funding for Trump’s border wall and revisit trade agreements with Mexico and Britain. Trump’s motorcade was greeted by thousands of protesters as he rolled into the downtown Loews Hotel in Philadelphia. Some yelled: “We hate you!” and “Go home!” Trump earned applause from lawmakers for his recent executive actions to revive the Keystone and Dakota Access pipelines, bar US funding for foreign aid groups that support abortion and cracking down on sanctuary cities. “The hour of justice for the American worker has arrived,” Trump said. The commander-in-chief outlined his new approach for trade deals: one-on-one pacts with countries rather than large deals with several nations. If countries aren’t treating America fairly, he pledged to send them a 30-day “termination” notice. Trump drew chuckles from the crowd when he wished his Commerce Secretary nominee Wilbur Ross would have been approved by the Senate in time to talk trade with visiting British Prime Minister Theresa May on Friday. “I’ll have to do it myself,” Trump concluded. Trump Promises ‘Busiest Congress In Decades’ As GOP Rolls Out Agenda The president addressed congressional Republicans during their annual retreat in Philadelphia. By Gabrielle Levy, Political Reporter U.S. News & World Report, January 26, 2017 President Donald Trump speaks as Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell looks on during the Congress of Tomorrow Republican Member Retreat on Thursday in Philadelphia (Bill Clark-Pool/Getty Images) PHILADELPHIA – President Donald Trump said Democrats should be grateful that Republicans were taking steps to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, removing what he said would be a political albatross from around their necks in a show of magnanimity. “Every time they try to tell you about Obamacare, we’re getting them out of a big jam,” Trump told congressional Republicans at their annual retreat here Thursday. “We’re taking a risk, taking it off their plates.” Trump said he had considered letting the law – which Republicans regularly say is “collapsing” and hurting millions of Americans – limp along for the next two years so they could use it as a political cudgel in the 2018 elections. [READ: Trump Ordered Slew of Senior State Department Resignations, Report Says] “I actually talked to [Speaker of the House Paul Ryan] about just doing nothing for two years and Democrats would come begging to do something,” Trump said. “In two years, it would explode like you’ve never seen an explosion. That’s politically what we should do.” Speaking for about 25 minutes in a downtown Philadelphia hotel ballroom, Trump also bragged about winning Pennsylvania after so many of his fellow Republicans tried and failed to do so for the past several decades. He predicted the upcoming term would be the “busiest Congress in decades, maybe ever,” that had a “chance to deliver lasting change for our beloved nation.” And he characterized the canceled meeting with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto as a mutual decision to postpone, after Pena Nieto publicly announced he would not visit Washington in light of Trump’s insistence Mexico would pay to build a wall along the border. RELATED CONTENT Tiffany Trump, Steve Bannon, Steven Mnuchin Registered to Vote in Multiple States [RELATED: Tiffany Trump, Steve Bannon, Steven Mnuchin Registered to Vote in Multiple States] His border wall, and his decision to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a 12-nation free trade agreement that would have been the largest in the world, were steps to “restore the civil rights of Americans, to protect their jobs, their hopes and their dreams, for their future,” Trump said. At one point, he repeated his promise to reduce crime in the “inner cities,” such as Chicago, where he has said he would “send in the feds” if the Windy City “doesn’t fix the horrible carnage.” “What’s going on in Chicago? What the hell is going on?” he said to lawmakers. A member in the audience shouted “Democrats!” to laughter in the room. DHS-17-0435-A-000548 CBP FOIA000548 162 And he hinted at his complaints about voter fraud, which he claims was behind millions of illegal votes and cost him the popular vote in November’s election. “We need to keep the ballot box safe from illegal voting,” he said. “We’re going to protect the integrity of the ballot box and protect the votes of the American citizen.” Tags: Donald Trump, Republican Party, Congress, politics Pence Tells Congress To ‘Buckle Up’ And Get Ready To Enact Major Change By Erin Kelly USA Today, January 26, 2017 PHILADELPHIA — Vice President Mike Pence told Republican members of Congress on Thursday to “buckle up” and get ready to work with the new Trump administration on everything from repealing Obamacare to confirming a “strict constructionist” to fill the Supreme Court. “My friends, this is our moment,” he told lawmakers at a GOP congressional retreat in downtown Philadelphia.. “We got this far because President Donald Trump marshaled a movement unlike any movement in American history.” Pence, a former congressman and Indiana governor, said the challenges facing Congress and the White House are large and urgent. “President Trump and I will forge a strong working relationship with the Congress and with all of you to enact the laws that will serve the American people,” the vice president said, promising not to “bypass” Congress as he accused the Obama administration of doing. “We’re all one party and we’re all striving to achieve the same objective.” In addition to writing a new health care law to replace the Affordable Care Act, Pence said the administration’s top goals are boosting military spending; improving and expanding America’s highways, bridges, airports and public transit systems; and cutting government regulations. Congressional leaders have been talking about a nearly identical agenda at their retreat this week. Pence, who will be attending the March for Life anti￾abortion event in Washington on Friday, said he he was especially happy that Trump signed an executive order restoring a ban on giving U.S. funds to international groups that provide or discuss abortion services. Pence will become the highest-ranking government official to speak in person at the annual march. “Just this week, this pro-life president reinstated the Mexico City policy banning public funding of abortion,” he said. “As another pro-life American, I couldn’t be more proud.” Pence said he was glad to be back in Pennsylvania, which gave Trump an upset victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton in the Nov. 8 election. “We owe Pennsylvania a debt of gratitude and thanks,” he said. “We also have to return the favor. We need to repay the hard working people of Pennsylvania and people everywhere who yearn for a better future.” House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., called Pence “the epitome of a happy warrior” as he introduced the vice president at the retreat. “Mike Pence is the glue that keeps us all together focused and fixed on our shared timelines and challenges,” Ryan said. “He makes all of us better.” VP Mike Pence: President Trump, Congress Are In The ‘Promise-keeping Business’ By David Sherfinski Washington Times, January 26, 2017 Vice President Mike Pence told Republicans gathered in Philadelphia Thursday that President Trump and Capitol Hill lawmakers are in the “promise-keeping business” and that he and the president have a “profound respect” for Congress’s constitutional role in government. “Make no mistake about it: this president and this Congress are in the promise-keeping business,” Mr. Pence said. “We’re going to show the American people that the Republican party has the principles and the policies that will make America great again.” He credited Mr. Trump for spurring on an unprecedented movement in last year’s presidential campaign. “My friends, this is our moment,” Mr. Pence said. “And we got this far because President Donald Trump marshaled a movement unlike any movement in American history.” He said he and Mr. Trump have a “profound respect” for Congress’s constitutional role. “So I can say unequivocally that President Trump and I will forge a strong working relationship with the Congress and with all of you to enact the laws that will serve the interests of the American people as contemplated by the Constitution of the United States,” he said to applause. Many Republicans have criticized former President Obama for going around Congress with executive actions on issues such as immigration. Mr. Pence said he hoped the Senate would move quickly on Mr. Trump’s U.S. Supreme Court nominee. The president has said he’ll be making that pick next Thursday. “I can already tip you off. President Trump is going to keep his promise to the American people, and he’s going to nominate a strict constructionist to the Supreme Court in the tradition of the late and great Justice Antonin Scalia,” Mr. Pence said to applause. “This person will possess a top-notch legal mind and unwavering commitment to the Constitution,” he said. “We DHS-17-0435-A-000549 CBP FOIA000549 163 need this person on the bench as soon as possible given the vacancy that’s existed on the court.” Mr. Pence also joked about the comparatively smaller crowds he attracted on the campaign trail compared to Mr. Trump, who spoke at the GOP retreat earlier in the day. The vice president said he’d attend rallies with Mr. Trump where “tens of thousands” people would come out. “Or I’d speak at rallies of my own, where literally hundreds of Americans would come out to hear me campaign on his behalf,” he said to laughter. Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. GOP Airs Old Grievances In Private Pence Meeting By Rachael Bade Politico, January 26, 2017 PHILADELPHIA — Congressional Republicans used a private audience with Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday to rehash years-old political controversies — even suggesting Pence fire the IRS commissioner, according to sources in the room. At the GOP retreat here in Philadelphia, a handful of the House’s most conservative lawmakers peppered Pence with questions on topics ranging from the 2012 Benghazi terrorist attack to the 2013 IRS tea party-targeting scandal. One member also applauded President Donald Trump’s insistence that widespread voter fraud occurred during the 2016 election, offering up congressional help in any investigative. It’s a sign that while Republicans might control the levers of power in Washington, some are having trouble moving on from old run-ins with the Obama administration. Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) spoke during the meeting, and said the intelligence community lied about what happened in Benghazi, Libya. Sources in the room said it was hard to follow, but Pence politely thanked him and suggested he and Trump would look into it. Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) asked Pence if he would seek IRS Commissioner John Koskinen’s resignation. House conservatives have tried to impeach the IRS chief, who they say lied to Congress during their probe of how it treated tea party nonprofits. (Koskinen says he did not.) Pence said he’d look into the matter and follow up with DeSantis next week. Trump, however, knows Koskinen personally, and he has never called for the tax chief to be removed. At one point, Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) stood up to say that Trump “may be spot on” with his claims that more than 3 million people voted illegally — a claim he has repeated numerous times despite the fact that there is no evidence to support it. Most GOP leaders have been crossing their fingers that Trump will move on from his obsession with the results of the popular vote — given that he won and is now in the leader of the most powerful nation in the world. But Brooks asked Pence what Congress could do. Pence told him there would be an investigation to settle people’s concerns, but left it at that. Trump Seems To Embrace Key GOP Tax Proposal By John T. Bennett, Lindsey McPherson Roll Call, January 26, 2017 PHILADELPHIA — President Donald Trump appeared to endorse a key House Republican tax proposal as he continued his opening-week charm offensive Thursday, also telling GOP lawmakers he stands “shoulder-to-shoulder” with them. And the new chief executive, during his first domestic trip since being sworn in last Friday, predicted this Congress will be the “busiest” in decades. During his first six days as America’s 45th president, the former reality television star and businessman has flashed both his bombastic campaigning style and a warm, joke-cracking persona in social and business meetings. So it was an open question as to which Trump would arrive in Philadelphia to address his fellow Republicans, on whom he will depend to pass his policy agenda. What GOP members got was the charmer in chief. Rather than blast Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto for canceling a meeting at the White House next Tuesday over a flap stemming from Trump’s border wall executive order, he claimed the decision to scrub the session was mutual. His press secretary, Sean Spicer, revealed more details about how Trump intends to pay for his border wall. “When you look at the plan that’s taking shape now, using comprehensive tax reform as a means to tax imports from countries that we have a trade deficit from, like Mexico,” Spicer said on Air Force One, according to reporters traveling with Trump. “If you tax that $50 billion at 20 percent of imports – which is, by the way, a practice that 160 other countries do – right now, our country’s policy is to tax exports and let imports flow freely in, which is ridiculous. By doing … that, we can do $10 billion a year and easily pay for the wall just through that mechanism alone. That’s really going to provide the funding.” Trump joked with the House and Senate Republican leaders seated behind him on the stage, at one point even teasing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. “Mitch, don’t worry about it,” Trump said with a smile after informing the crowd that “we’re going to have so many trade deals” to DHS-17-0435-A-000550 CBP FOIA000550 164 replace the Trans-Pacific Partnership pact that he formally pulled the United States out of this week. [Major Trading Alliance Wobbles on Trump Border Wall] And he drew laughs when he accused Senate Democrats of delaying votes on his Commerce Secretary￾designee Wilbur Ross, which he said will impact his Friday talks with British Prime Minister Theresa May. “They want to talk trade,” he said of the British. “So I’ll have to handle it myself, which is OK.” In most administrations, the U.S. trade representative has actually taken the lead in negotiating trade pacts, not the Commerce secretary. The new president’s pick to be USTR, Robert Lighthizer, was one of the later nomination picks he announced, on Jan. 3. His message to the GOP members was best summed up when he told them he plans to be their “partner,” vowing to “stand shoulder-to-shoulder” with them as they, together, “make America great again.” On his way back to Washington, Trump even fired off a tweet to thank the members for their “support.” https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/8246987436 30995457 But Trump, who unlike past presidents did not take questions after his remarks, let them know he expects them to work toward what he described as a shared legislative agenda. He also was playful with House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, R-Wis., noting that in the past Ryan would write reams of legislative text only to see it go nowhere. “Now, it’s going to happen,” he promised. “This Congress is going to be the busiest Congress we’ve had in decades — maybe ever,” Trump said in his trademark bombast. “Think of everything we can achieve,” though he urged them to remember they are doing it for “the people.” “Now we have to deliver. Enough ‘all talk, no action,’” he said to tepid applause. Before Trump took his maiden flights on the Marine One executive helicopter and Air Force One, some experts had said it was unclear whether his policy ideology and agenda neatly aligned with that of congressional Republicans. To that end, he seemed to embrace House Republicans’ border adjustment tax proposal. “I want to go a different route. We have no choice,” he said of America’s trade deals with Mexico. “Paul Ryan and other leaders in Congress and I and Mike Pence … we’re working on a tax reform bill that will reduce our trade deficits, increase American exports and will generate revenue from Mexico that will pay for the wall if decide to go that route.” Ryan, when asked Thursday before Trump’s speech if Trump had told him specifically that he likes the border adjustment proposal, said, “We’re in a very good place on tax reform.” “It can get complicated when you get into the details of tax reform, but once we go through how tax reform works and what it’s going to take to get the kind of competitive tax system, the kind of competitive tax rates, I think most people agree that this is the right approach,” Ryan said. House Republicans’ tax overhaul blueprint calls for a cash-flow based tax system that would remove the existing tax on exports and institute a tax on imports, regardless of where the product originates. This provision, which they refer to as “border adjustability,” is designed to allow the U.S. to compete with foreign countries that have Value Added Taxes (VATs) or similar tax systems that tax imports. [Who’s Going to Pay for the Wall? Congress!] Republicans argue that U.S. companies that make products here and sell them overseas are at a disadvantage because they are double taxed, paying the U.S. an export tax and the destination country an import tax. Trump’s apparent endorsement of the proposal came just hours before he is slated to meet with Rep. Kevin Brady of Texas and Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah in the Oval Office. Those Republicans are the chairmen of the House and Senate’s tax-writing committees. Notably, Brady has been engaged in a public tour lately talking up the border adjustment proposal. Illinois Rep. Peter Roskam, chairman of the Ways and Means subcommittee on tax policy, said earlier Thursday that Trump’s proposal for a 35 percent border tax was not the same thing as what House Republicans were proposing in their blueprint, but that he believed the president would eventually come to their side. “I think when it all comes down to it, Donald Trump looks at this and says, ‘I will support this,’” Roskam said, adding, “In the great scheme of things there’s not many other options that don’t get you into a trade war.” Get breaking news alerts and more from Roll Call on your iPhone or your Android. Donald Trump And Republicans Strain To Set Agenda President and congressional leaders fall short of agreement on taxes, Mexico, probing the election By Kristina Peterson And Richard Rubin Wall Street Journal, January 26, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. GOP Leaders Eye Health Care, Tax Overhaul By August Recess Paul Ryan insists: ‘We are on the same page as the White House’ By Tom Howell Jr. Washington Times, January 26, 2017 DHS-17-0435-A-000551 CBP FOIA000551 165 Congressional Republicans leaders outlined an aggressive agenda Thursday for the first 200 days of their partnership with President Trump, pledging to overhaul the U.S. health care and tax systems while looking for up to $15 billion to pay for Mr. Trump’s border wall with Mexico. House Speaker Paul D. Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said their troops are huddling at a Philadelphia retreat with an eye on fulfilling each of the pledges they made to voters ahead of the November election. The president and Vice President Mike Pence are scheduled to address their Capitol Hill partners later in the day. “We are on the same page as the White House,” Mr. Ryan said in a press conference. “We’ve been working with the administration on a daily basis to map out and plan a very bold and aggressive agenda to make good on our campaign promises.” Still, Mr. Trump is striking out on unusual tangents in the early days of his presidency. He disputed reports about the size of his Inauguration Day crowds and suggested up to 5 million illegal votes cost him the popular-vote race against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Mr. Trump won the Electoral College. Mr. Trump’s sparred with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto over who will pay for his southern border wall, and suggested he’s open to using enhanced interrogation techniques on suspected terrorists that many equate with torture, forcing GOP leaders to respond. “Torture’s not legal, and we agree with it not being legal,” Mr. Ryan said. Republicans will also meet Thursday with British Prime Minister Theresa May to discuss a bilateral trade agreement, as the U.S. ally strikes out on its own after its vote to “Brexit” from the European Union. On health care, the party is banking on a three-pronged strategy. It plans to gut the law by late February or early March by using a fast-track budget process that allows it to avoid a Democratic filibuster in the Senate, while replacing as much of the law as it can on that bill. Rep. Diane Black, Tennessee Republican, said they might use the process, known as “reconciliation,” to promote tax-advantaged savings accounts that allow Americans to save up for medical care and prescription drugs. Republicans will then rely on the Trump administration to lift some of Obamacare mandates and rules during the transition to piece-by-piece replacement bills, although that legislation will require votes from Senate Democrats. Mr. Trump’s has signaled he will submit his own health plan once his pick to lead the Health and Human Services Department, Rep. Tom Price, is in place, while several Republicans have floated their own plans. That’s left Republicans to sift through the various strands and coalesce around a unified strategy to fulfill their campaign promise to repeal and replace President Obama’s signature law. They say the 2010 overhaul is hurting American families right now, through soaring premiums and dwindling choices on its web-based insurance exchanges, so relief is needed. On tax reform, Mr. Ryan said the process will be complicated, but ultimately they will make U.S. rates more competitive with other countries’. “Most people agree that this is the right approach,” he said. Mr. McConnell also said he would like to return to the normal spending process in the coming months, despite Congress’ jam-packed agenda, after years of relying on stop￾gap funding bills. The leader made the same vow last year, though intra-GOP bickering and Democratic opposition stalled appropriations bills. “We hope we can have some semblance of a regular order, even with all of this,” Mr. McConnell said. Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. Mitch McConnell Caught Between Trump, Republican-led Congress By Curtis Tate McClatchy, January 26, 2017 Mitch McConnell’s got what he has long sought: Republicans controlling Congress and the White House. But he’s heading down a bumpy, unpredictable road. That became clear Thursday as Republicans conducted a second day of strategy meetings here, including sessions with President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. Instead of a celebration and a momentum-building rally, the sessions exposed why the GOP is in for some rough times. McConnell, the Senate majority leader, is caught between conflicting interests. Restless Republican conservatives want the always-deliberative Senate to move faster. Senate Republicans are hardly unified, and because the GOP controls 52 of the 100 seats, it takes only three dissenters to derail a party initiative. And Trump’s impulsive ways, and his marketing skills, make it hard for Congress to claim credit for change. In the middle of all this is McConnell, the most powerful senator, as Republicans enjoy control of the legislative and executive branches for the first time in 10 years. At the Republican meetings this week in Philadelphia, the Kentucky Republican sought to downplay potential trouble but acknowledged the challenges, starting with the impatience of the Republican conservatives in the House of Representatives. The House’s most conservative members haven’t forgotten that McConnell backed more mainstream DHS-17-0435-A-000552 CBP FOIA000552 166 Senate candidates in recent years against tea party hard￾liners. Standing alongside his House counterpart, Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, McConnell noted Thursday that the Senate must review and approve roughly 1,200 Trump appointees, plus judicial nominees and Supreme Court justices. The House has no such task. It also takes 60 votes in the 100-member Senate to get almost anything done, and, unlike Ryan, McConnell needs Democrats to get him there. “The speaker understands the challenge of getting things through the Senate,” McConnell said. “We have all this other responsibility the House doesn’t have.” As before, McConnell said he wouldn’t comment on Trump’s latest outbursts, though he has expressed confidence he can keep his members in line. “I’ve got 52 members, and almost all of them are what I would call members of the constructive caucus,” McConnell told McClatchy in a recent interview. On Thursday, Mexico’s President, Enrique Peña Nieto, canceled his planned White House visit over Trump’s aggressive pursuit of a U.S.-Mexico border wall, renegotiated trade deals and increased deportations of immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally. “I don’t have any advice to give to the president about that issue,” McConnell said. EDITORS: BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM McConnell did push back, though, on Trump’s statements that suggested he might revive enhanced interrogations of terrorism suspects. In an ABC News interview Wednesday, Trump said the U.S. should “fight fire with fire” and that torture “absolutely works.” Intelligence experts have cast doubt on the effectiveness and the legality of such practices, including waterboarding. Even CIA Director Mike Pompeo, who in the past had defended the techniques, has pledged that the agency will not resume using them. “The director of the CIA has made it clear he’s going to follow the law,” McConnell said. Trump has already signed executive orders relating to health care, energy and immigration. Republican lawmakers often complained when then-President Barack Obama invoked his executive power, and Trump’s willingness to bypass Congress on certain matters might set up conflicts within the party. That could create more tension among Senate Republicans, meaning McConnell has to keep an eye on his ranks, who have their own often-disparate ideas about health care, infrastructure and foreign policy. Earlier this week, four Republican senators introduced a bill to allow states to keep the Affordable Care Act if they choose, a departure from the full repeal of Obama’s signature legislative achievement long sought by many in their party. Also earlier this week, McConnell’s Kentucky colleague Rand Paul – who offered his own health care plan Wednesday – was the lone Senate Republican to vote against Pompeo’s confirmation, citing concerns about torture. The Senate has yet to vote on Rex Tillerson’s nomination to be secretary of state. Some Senate Republicans have expressed concerns about the former Exxon Mobil CEO’s ties to Russia. A vote to limit debate on the nomination is scheduled for Monday evening. Trump wants to rebuild the country’s infrastructure and marshal a trillion dollars to do it, but some lawmakers will be reluctant to loosen the purse strings. “There will be some Republicans, more ideological than conservative, who will say the federal government should not be involved in infrastructure,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R￾S.C. “I’m not in that camp.” Trump wants to launch an investigation into voter fraud in the presidential election. He won the electoral vote but lost the popular vote. He’s dismissed a U.S. intelligence analysis that found evidence of Russian interference in the election, but some Republicans on Capitol Hill aren’t ready to let it go. “I am not in the forgive-and-forget category when it comes to Russia, about what they did in our election,” Graham said. On Thursday, McConnell appeared to be sympathetic to lawmakers who felt they’d been shut out of the process during the Obama presidency. “Most members don’t like being completely irrelevant,” he said. But he also seemed to warn Trump that Congress wouldn’t be a rubber stamp. “We’re not going to hand this (president) a blank check, either,” McConnell said. Trump To G.O.P. Gathering: Where’s My C.I.A. Director? By Matthew Rosenberg, Maggie Haberman And Gardiner Harris New York Times, January 26, 2017 ■ President Trump, at a political gathering of congressional Republicans, asks, “Where’s my C.I.A. director?” ■ A new Quinnipiac University poll put President Trump’s approval rating at 36 percent, compared to Barack Obama’s 59 percent in the opening weeks of his presidency. ■ The professional golfer Bernhard Langer released a statement saying he never told President Trump a story of voter fraud that Mr. Trump relayed to congressional leaders. President Trump may be unaware that America’s spy chiefs are not supposed to be creatures of partisan politics. Speaking on Thursday in Philadelphia at an annual retreat for Republican lawmakers, Mr. Trump seemed to think Mike Pompeo, the new director of the Central Intelligence DHS-17-0435-A-000553 CBP FOIA000553 167 Agency, would be among the senators, representatives and party operatives hooting and hollering in the crowd. “Where is Pompeo? Where the hell is he?” Mr. Trump said, scanning the crowd. The answer, in case Mr. Trump has not yet figured it out: Mr. Pompeo was not in Philadelphia. The C.I.A., like the military, is supposed to be apolitical, and its chief does not have a direct role in creating administration policies. Though Mr. Pompeo has attended the Republican retreat in years past — he was a Republican representative before taking over the C.I.A. on Monday — it would be considered highly inappropriate for him to take part in his new role running the country’s premier intelligence agency. It was not the first time that Mr. Trump appeared to mix partisan politics and C.I.A business. He accused the C.I.A.’s previous leadership of playing politics after American intelligence agencies said they believed that Russia tried to help him win the election. Then, on Saturday, he gave a speech at C.I.A. headquarters that was filled with campaign trail rhetoric. The speech was widely criticized by former C.I.A. officials from both Republican and Democratic administrations. But Mr. Trump, in an interview on Wednesday with ABC News, cast the visit to C.I.A. as a highlight of his first days in office. “That speech was a home run,” he said. “I got a standing ovation. In fact, they said it was the biggest standing ovation since Peyton Manning had won the Super Bowl, and they said it was equal. I got a standing ovation. It lasted for a long period of time.” President Trump, now famously touchy about his approval ratings, is not doing well on that front. A new Quinnipiac University poll put his approval rating among American voters at 36 percent, 33 percent among women. In Quinnipiac’s first poll of Barack Obama’s presidency, Mr. Trump’s predecessor stood at 59 percent. Republican lawmakers who might be considering distancing themselves from their president should consider this: Mr. Trump’s approval-disapproval rating among Republicans is 81 percent to 3 percent. Independent voters are the problem. They are more split, with 45 percent disapproving and 35 percent approving of the job that the president is doing. Gathered with the top leaders of Congress, President Trump on Monday apparently relayed the story in all seriousness: the pro golfer Bernhard Langer had told him a story that really stuck with him. As Mr. Trump relayed it, Mr. Langer had been in line to vote in Florida when he was told by an official that he could not cast a ballot. But people all around him who looked far more suspect — Mr. Trump tossed out the names of Latin American countries that the voters might have come from — were allowed to draw up provisional ballots. There was a problem with the story: Mr. Langer is a German citizen. But Mr. Langer says he never talked to Mr. Trump, that he was told the story by a friend, then told the story to a friend who told it to someone with ties to the White House — who apparently told it to Mr. Trump. He certainly never tried to vote in Florida. So, if the story was important to Mr. Trump’s erroneous belief that millions of illegal immigrants gave Hillary Clinton her 2.8 million-ballot win in the popular vote, it was based on fourth-hand information. There’s a slight problem with President Trump’s Great Wall with Mexico: the Tohono O’odham Nation. The Native American tribe controls about 75 miles of the border of the United States and Mexico that slices through its sovereign territory. Tribal leaders are already saying that the wall is not going to divide its territory. Verlon M. Jose, the Tohono O’odham Nation’s vice chairman, was not subtle when discussing the wall when he spoke in November to Native News Online: “Over my dead body.” Tribal officials did say they are willing to meet with President Trump to discuss the matter further. As Mr. Jose said: There may be a Gingrich in the Vatican just yet. Callista Gingrich, the wife of Newt Gingrich, the former House speaker and a friend of Mr. Trump’s, is in the running to be ambassador to the Holy See, according to a person briefed on the discussions. Mr. Gingrich, reached by telephone, said that he was aware that his wife had been on a list for the job, but declined to say where things stood. The former speaker took himself out of the running for a cabinet post after it became clear that Mr. Trump was looking elsewhere for a secretary of state. Mr. Trump has known Newt and Callista Gingrich socially for years. They’re members of his golf club in Virginia, and have been at his club, Mar-a-Lago, in Palm Beach, Fla. Mr. Gingrich was one of the people Mr. Trump consulted in 2015 when he had already determined he would run for president. But Mrs. Gingrich is the former speaker’s third wife — not something the church takes a shine to. Others who are being considered for the role include William Simon Jr., a friend of Rudolph W. Giuliani. Four senior management officials at the State Department resigned on Wednesday, leaving the department without the top managers charged with running the administrative, consular and foreign mission operations until their successors are in place. “As is standard with every transition, the outgoing administration, in coordination with the incoming one, DHS-17-0435-A-000554 CBP FOIA000554 168 requested all politically appointed officers submit letters of resignation,” Mark Toner, the department’s acting spokesman, said in a statement, adding: “Of the officers whose resignations were accepted, some will continue in the foreign service in other positions, and others will retire by choice or because they have exceeded the time limits of their grade in service.” The most senior official to leave is Patrick F. Kennedy, the department’s longtime undersecretary for management, who oversees finances, security, facilities and consular services. But his departure had been expected, in part because of his vigorous defense of then-Secretary of State Hillary’s Clinton’s handling of the attack on the diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya. He also sought the F.B.I.’s help in downgrading the security classification of an email from Mrs. Clinton’s private server. Rex Tillerson, nominated to be secretary of state, is not expected to be confirmed by the Senate until next week. Nominations for the department’s deputy positions have yet to be announced or submitted. House Speaker Paul D. Ryan and Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, said Thursday morning that in spite of President Trump’s perpetual tweet storms, distracting television interviews, occasional lies, and intraparty slights, they are with him on policy. “We are on the same page with the White House,” Mr. Ryan told reporters in Philadelphia, before a visit from Mr. Trump to the congressional Republican’s policy conference. On the list: a costly wall along the border with Mexico, which Mr. Ryan said would be paid for with a supplemental funding request from the White House and existing federal funding to secure the border. Also on the list is a new tax code and a replacement for the Affordable Care Act — easy! (Remember, Congress dithered for weeks and months to scrape together aid for the victims of tropical storm Sandy, to combat the Zika virus and to help the lead-poisoned residents of Flint, Mich., while conservatives looked for offsetting spending cuts.) As for Trump’s distractions, the leaders seemed to say that’s his special sideshow. “This is going to be an unconventional presidency,” Mr. Ryan conceded, adding, “that is something we are all going to have to get used to.” Mr. McConnell also shrugged off questions about Mr. Trump compromising the United States’ relationship with Mexico. “We intend to address the wall issue ourselves, and the president can deal with his relations with other countries on that issue and other issues,” Mr. McConnell said. The Republican chairmen of the House and Senate veterans’ affairs committees dashed off a letter to President Trump Thursday demanding to know whether his executive order freezing federal hiring applied to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Surely you didn’t mean the department under our jurisdiction, suggested Senator Johnny Isakson of Georgia and Representative Phil Roe of Tennessee: Don’t be surprised if more such letters emerge as the hiring freeze starts to bite. In a week in which President Trump is busy unraveling much of Barack Obama’s legacy, the former president was defended from an unusual quarter Thursday morning: Mr. Trump. In an early-morning post on Twitter, Mr. Trump expressed outrage that Chelsea Manning, the former Army intelligence analyst whose sentence for leaking American secrets was commuted by Mr. Obama, had criticized the 44th president for not being strong enough. Even though Mr. Trump repeatedly characterized Mr. Obama the same way during last year’s campaign — “weak attitude and pathetic president,” “so weak and so bad,” “he’s been weak, he’s been ineffective” — he evidently thought Ms. Manning was ungracious to do so. Mr. Trump seemed to be referring to a column that Ms. Manning wrote in The Guardian newspaper, in which she argued that Mr. Obama left “very few permanent accomplishments” because he was too willing to compromise. The column was largely a criticism of Republicans never giving Mr. Obama a chance, but it suggested that he had not been strong enough to resist them. “The one simple lesson to draw from President Obama’s legacy: Do not start off with a compromise,” Ms. Manning wrote. “They won’t meet you in the middle. Instead, what we need is an unapologetic progressive leader.” Wonder where Mr. Trump got his idea? As Trump Thunders, G.O.P. Lawmakers Duck And Cover By Matt Flegenheimer New York Times, January 26, 2017 PHILADELPHIA — For months, the strategies have been tested and recalibrated — the senatorial speed-walk, the bemused deflection, the jittery laughter — honed through a presidential campaign season of refutable claims, racially charged rhetoric and tape-recorded boasts of sexual assault. So when President Trump and his team began their White House tenure with two whoppers, doubling down on false claims about his inauguration crowd and illegal voting in the election, Republicans on Capitol Hill this week assumed their positions. Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, chose to answer a question no one had asked, arguing that voter fraud “does occur” while declining to address Mr. Trump’s assertion that millions of fraudulent votes had cost him the popular vote. DHS-17-0435-A-000555 CBP FOIA000555 169 Speaker Paul D. Ryan allowed that he had seen no evidence of wide-scale fraud, before retreating into a familiar self-assessment (“I’m a policy guy”) to declare himself above the fray. Senator Thom Tillis, Republican of North Carolina, distinguished himself with the most adorable distraction: He cradled a Boston terrier puppy, stroking her chin, as he greeted reporters eager to ask about Mr. Trump this week in the basement of the Capitol. “Her name is Tilly,” he said, before politely shrugging off questions about Mr. Trump. The first several days of the Trump presidency have reinforced several core truths: He will continue to give voice to conspiracy theories and peddle misinformation. He will not stop obsessing over cosmetic displays of popularity, like crowd size and television ratings. And if Republican lawmakers harbored any expectation that this ritual of the campaign cycle would end — the grimacing through questions about Mr. Trump, the hedging when asked if their party’s leader had overstepped — these early days have supplied a decisive verdict: not so much. On Thursday, Republicans are welcoming Mr. Trump to their party retreat here — the headliner of an outing that also includes Prime Minister Theresa May of Britain and Peyton Manning, the retired football star. The event is fashioned as an off-site exercise in legislative sausage-making, with Republican members of both congressional chambers talking agenda by day and indulging in occasional cocktails by nightfall. At one of the gathering’s early sessions on Wednesday, Mr. Ryan outlined the party’s aggressive plan for Mr. Trump’s first 200 days, including repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act over the next few months, coming up with money for a border wall and working to complete tax reform by the August recess. Yet hanging over the proceedings, as it has since Mr. Trump stormed to the top of the polls in the Republican primaries, is the question of just how much latitude Republicans are willing to give him — in policy making or otherwise — as the party delights in the prospects of unified government, albeit with a divisive leader. So far, dissent has been limited, and almost always cautious. Congressional leaders know, better than most, the president’s power to sink fortunes with a single Twitter message. Still, there have been early signals of where fault lines might emerge between the White House and some congressional Republicans. The retreat began amid news reports about a draft order that would clear the way for the C.I.A. to reopen “black site” prisons, like those where the agency detained and tortured terrorism suspects before President Barack Obama shut them down. “The president can sign whatever executive orders he likes,” said Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, who was tortured as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam. “But the law is the law. We are not bringing back torture in the United States of America.” Some colleagues, including those who have been less inclined to defy Mr. Trump, also sought to tweak Mr. Trump on the issue, firmly but carefully. “With respect to torture, that’s banned,” Senator John Thune, Republican of South Dakota, said at the retreat. “We view that to be a matter of settled law.” Repeatedly, lawmakers have been pressed on the often mismatched messaging coming out of the White House and Capitol Hill, exacerbated at times by surprise pronouncements from Mr. Trump on Twitter. Mr. Thune waded in gingerly, suggesting that even without Mr. Trump, Republicans were “not always on the same page.” “It’s a work in progress,” added Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington, the highest-ranking Republican woman in the House. A handful of members have expressed concern that Mr. Trump’s behavior could wear thin. Representative Mark Sanford, Republican of South Carolina, noted Mr. Trump had thrived on presenting himself as “real” to the public. “I think you can move from real to bizarre if you don’t watch out,” said Mr. Sanford, who was his state’s governor when he famously disappeared to Argentina to pursue an extramarital affair. “And some of what he’s done in tweet￾world and others certainly fit that mold.” At the same time, Mr. Trump’s baseless claims of widespread election fraud and subsequent calls for an investigation into it have attracted little blowback from fellow Republicans, who may use any inquiry as a rationale to push for more stringent voter identification laws that many of them have long supported. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, perhaps the most frequent Trump critic among Senate Republicans, went furthest in admonishing the president, saying Mr. Trump’s claim “undermines faith in our democracy.” Others have diverged more gently, like Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, who said he saw no evidence of widespread fraud but offered the president no advice. “I can’t tell Donald — uh, President Trump — how to speak or what he wants to focus on,” Mr. Rubio said. Senator John Barrasso, Republican of Wyoming, carved out an even safer position. “I have great confidence in everything that happened in Wyoming,” he said, after a long pause and a moment of nervous laughter. But at least a few lawmakers have shown greater alarm at elements of Mr. Trump’s first days. Mr. Sanford recalled a recent conversation with a colleague in his party about the president’s false statements on voter fraud. DHS-17-0435-A-000556 CBP FOIA000556 170 “A fellow member turned to me and pointed to it and said, ‘That’s what third-world dictators do,’” Mr. Sanford said. “They just repeat the same misinformation over and over and over again until it sinks in.” Mr. Sanford was asked if he shared his peer’s concerns that Mr. Trump had displayed authoritarian tendencies. He paused for a beat. “I’m going to give anybody the benefit of the doubt,” he said, “over the first three days.” Trump Becomes Schmoozer-in-chief By Jordan Fabian And Alexander Bolton The Hill, January 26, 2017 Donald Trump has emerged from his earliest days in the White House with a new title: schmoozer-in-chief. Trump, a Washington outsider, is hoping to build the kinds of relationships that can lead to cooperation with Republicans and Democrats that would advance his agenda. Lawmakers who felt shunned at worst or tolerated at best by former President Barack Obama are hopeful for the change. “We’re a couple days in but it’s going to be way better than what we’ve had during the last eight years,” Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) said in an interview. “He’s a builder and he wants to bring people together.” Trump so far has appeared to relish joking around with lawmakers at informal and formal events, and he’ll take his effort on the road Thursday, when he will speak about his agenda in front of House and Senate Republicans’ joint retreat in Philadelphia. But it’s unclear how far the new president’s charm offensive will get him. Trump’s lack of impulse control and tendency to speak his mind has already gotten himself into hot water with the lawmakers he needs to woo. That paradox was on full display on Monday afternoon, when Trump lavished congressional leaders who met with him at the White House with an assortment of fancy appetizers and drinks. As the leaders munched on a mix of shrimp, crab, meatballs and other snacks in the State Dining Room, Trump repeated his baseless claim he lost the popular vote because millions of people illegally cast ballots for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. The assertion prompted a mix of anger and pity from Democrats. “I felt sorry for him,” said House Minority Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who was in the room. It frustrated Republicans, who worry Trump’s continued focus on the election could hamper their efforts to get on the same page on policy areas like healthcare reform, trade and immigration. Trump on Wednesday expressed annoyance the conversation was leaked, a common Washington occurrence, and downplayed the degree to which it consumed the reception. “It was so misrepresented,” he told ABC News. “That was supposed to be a confidential meeting … the conversation lasted for about a minute.” Trump is also not invited to Democrats’ upcoming congressional retreat in Baltimore, breaking with past practice, a sign partisan tensions aren’t going away. Despite the rocky start, Trump does not plan to shut himself in. He plans to extend White House invitations to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and Congressional Black Caucus, which include some of his most vocal opponents, spokesman Sean Spicer said Monday. “I think that you’re gonna to see a lot more of that, a listening president who’s engaged,” said Spicer. “That’s who he is. That’s what he did during the transition. And I think that’s he’s gonna do going forward.” At Monday’s event with congressional leaders, Trump, a teetotaler, even had alcoholic beverages on hand to loosen the mood. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) admitted that was pushing the envelope a little too far with the usually buttoned-down leaders. “We were all drinking Diet Cokes,” he said. Trump has tapped Vice President Mike Pence, whose six terms in the House included a stint in leadership, as his point man on Capitol Hill. Pence on Tuesday attended the Senate Republicans’ weekly conference lunch and said he would drop by regularly. The vice president is also accompanying Trump in Philadelphia. White House chief of staff Reince Priebus, who developed close ties with GOP leaders as party chairman; and deputy chief of staff for operations Rick Dearborn, a longtime chief of staff to Trump’s attorney general pick Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), are also said to be involved in congressional outreach. While Trump is still getting to know many key players at the Capitol, he has been especially chummy with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who has known the president for three decades. He and Schumer spent a good chunk of time swapping stories and memories at the Monday meeting, including a 2008 fundraiser for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. “I asked the president, how long have you and Chuck Schumer known each other. He said, ‘Chuck’s been coming around for 35 years or so.’ I think they know each other better than anybody else in the room,’” Cornyn said. That Trump and Schumer come from the same place and share a history wasn’t lost on the top Senate Republican. DHS-17-0435-A-000557 CBP FOIA000557 171 “I enjoyed the president and Sen. Schumer talking about all the people they knew in New York,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) quipped afterwards. Schumer, who is facing tremendous pressure from the left not to compromise with Trump, has said he won’t be taken in by the charm offensive. “The president tried to flatter me, I’m his good friend,” he told reporters this week. “Then, he started calling names. None of them affect me. The bottom line is values, our values, as Democrats and Americans will affect whether I work with him or oppose him, plain and simple.” Trump’s developed his taste for socializing during his decades as a New York real estate developer and reality TV star. In his book Trump and Me, writer Mark Singer marveled at how the businessman worked a room full of dignitaries at the 1997 grand opening of the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Manhattan. “A backlap and a wink, a finger on the lapels, no more than a minute with anyone who wasn’t a police commissioner, a district attorney or a mayoral candidate,” he wrote. But then the author noticed Trump stop and thank the parking attendants before leaving. “A quintessential Trumpian gesture that explains his popularity among people who barely dare to dream of living in one of his creations,” he wrote. Obama, on the other hand, was perceived to be more cerebral and aloof, preferring to spend time with first lady Michelle Obama, his two daughters and team of close advisers. Trump, on the other hand, is living in the White House without his wife and young son, who are in New York while he finishes the school year. Obama wooed lawmakers early on, hosting a cocktail reception at the White House on eight days after his inauguration to lobby them on his stimulus plan. Days later he invited Republicans and Democrats for a Super Bowl party. But the schmoozing let up — he rarely had lawmakers fly with him on Air Force One or play golf with them — and Obama soon earned a distant reputation. In a 2012 interview with CNN, Obama denied he avoided socializing with members out of spite. “Sometimes Michelle and I not doing the circuit and going out to dinners with folks is perceived as us being cool,” he said.” It actually really has more to do with us being parents.” Scott Wong, Jordain Carney and Jonathan Easley contributed. Thousands Demonstrated Against Trump In Philly. Is This A New Era Of Perpetual Protest? By Monica Hesse Washington Post, January 26, 2017 PHILADELPHIA — The rally didn’t start until 11 a.m., but Jackie Hamilton and Barb Beattie had shown up to the downtown plaza by 9:45 a.m. Planning to march in support of the Affordable Care Act, the retired schoolteachers donned attire that they sensed, wearily, would get a lot of use over the next four years. “Ready?” asked Beattie, 68, putting on the pink knit hat she’d acquired for the Women’s March in Washington just days earlier. “I feel like we’re being stirred up,” said Hamilton, also 68, adjusting the pink sash she got at the same place. “Trump is stirring us up and distracting us with all of his — whatever — and meanwhile Congress . . .” She trailed off. “I’m so angry. I can’t believe we’re having to deal with all this stuff. Still. Again.” Several thousand protesters converged Thursday in Philadelphia, hoping to have their voices heard by President Trump and Republican members of Congress, who were meeting in a hotel blocks away to plot out their legislative agenda for the coming months. Less than a week after Trump’s inauguration inspired demonstrations — notably, the millions of marchers who descended on Washington and cities worldwide to protest his presidency — the Philadelphia gathering seemed to signal a new era of what could turn out to be perpetual protest. And marching — an age-old protest strategy — has taken on new meaning as a tool against a leader who is uniquely preoccupied by numbers and size. The crowd that gathered in Thomas Paine Plaza focused on one of the most aggressive measures of the new Republican administration — an effort to repeal and replace the ACA. Signs at the rally protested this plan but raised other angers as well, residual and new: “Scientists Against Trump.” “Not a Journalist, and I want to see your tax returns.” “Stand Up Against Alternative Facts.” Organizers said that about 5,000 people showed up in response to their invitation to try to disrupt the new president’s first jaunt away from the White House. The protests appeared to unfold peacefully, with no reports of widespread arrests or clashes. Hamilton and Beattie found a patch of concrete and tried to hear the speakers from One Pennsylvania, the coalition that had organized the rally. “I’m honored to be here for the resistance,” the first speaker yelled. “Who else is here for the resistance?” Beattie and Hamilton yelled back that they were there for the resistance, along with the other several thousand attendees. Beattie said she was also there for her daughter, who had gone from being a healthy 33-year-old to an invalid with rheumatoid arthritis in a matter of weeks, and who was covered by the ACA. Hamilton was there because each passing day of Trump’s presidency, in her opinion, seemed to DHS-17-0435-A-000558 CBP FOIA000558 172 bring a new outrage, one tumbled on top of the other. The nominee for secretary of state terrified her. The nominee for secretary of education offended her public school sensibilities. The country seemed to be spinning out of control, and the only outlet for Beattie and Hamilton’s rage was to protest, and to call their senators, and to follow the action steps sent to their inboxes every day. “The thing about marching, is we get there, and — how much are we really affecting them?” asked Robin Gauri, a mother of young children who was standing next to Hamilton and Beattie. The first protest she’d ever attended had been the Women’s March on Saturday; this was her second. “Are they even hearing us?” “I know, but I would rather march,” said her friend Judith Kaplow-Applebaum, a protest veteran of several decades. “I would rather march, even if we don’t know what it’s doing, even if it takes a long time. You should see — up until last week, the crowds at Philadelphia protests were minimal. Now, after him,” she said, pausing to gesture to the packed plaza, where attendees spilled down side streets. “I would rather march.” One of the organizers on a loudspeaker announced that the rally would begin to move, down the streets of Philadelphia’s Center City, toward the hotel where the president might hear them. “I just got a news alert,” Beattie said, showing her phone to Hamilton. “The Mexican president just canceled his visit with Trump.” They marched. A few minutes later, Beattie got another one and read it out loud: “The State Department’s entire senior management team just resigned,” she said. They marched. Far ahead of them, the march had lurched to a stop. “Is this it?” Hamilton asked, craning her neck. “Is this where Trump is?” “He’s behind that building,” the man next to her said. “He’s in the Loews hotel, but they blocked it off with garbage trucks. We can’t go any further.” Another chant broke out from the head of the crowd. “The people united,” the caller began. “Cannot be divided,” Hamilton and Beattie joined in automatically. Hamilton yelled louder on the second round. “The people united cannot be divided.” Inside was the man they couldn’t get to, planning things they didn’t want to imagine. They were still angry. They were still so angry and scared. Peyton Manning Boards The Trump Train By Kelly Weill Daily Beast, January 26, 2017 For nearly a year, Donald Trump’s crush on Peyton Manning went unrequited, but now the former quarterback appears to have had a change of heart. Manning spoke just after Trump and Vice President Mike Pence at a Republican retreat in Philadelphia this week. Manning, a two-time Super Bowl champion, has often given money to major Republicans, with Trump as notable exception. A donor to George W. Bush’s 2004 reelection campaign, and Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential bid, Manning donated to primary candidate Jeb Bush in 2015, but not to the GOP’s general election candidate. The announcement that Manning would join Trump and Pence at a GOP event sparked speculation that he might be considering a political career of his own. In February 2016, Trump voiced his support for Peyton Manning. “I very much have always liked Peyton Manning,” Trump told CBS News in advance of the Super Bowl, where Manning and the Denver Broncos were due to face off against the Carolina Panthers. “He is a very good guy. I know him. And he is a very, very good guy. So, I have to go with the person I know and I like. I like the other team. I think the other team looks fantastic. Probably, they would be favored by something. But I will stick with Peyton, because he is a very good guy.” But just four months earlier, Manning and his brother Eli had both given maximum donations of $2,700 to Bush, FEC filings show. Bush, in a rare win, flaunted Manning’s support, announcing that he would supporting Manning in the Super Bowl, “because he’s for me.” Bush later made the questionable decision of announcing — during a South Carolina rally—that he supported Manning’s Broncos over the Carolina Panthers “not because of the Broncos, but because Peyton Manning wrote me a check.” More recently, Trump name-checked Manning while fending off allegations that he packed a speech to the CIA with his own staffers to give the impression of support from the intelligence community. “I got a standing ovation,” Trump told ABC’s David Muir of his speech to the CIA. “In fact, they said it was the biggest standing ovation since Peyton Manning had won the Super Bowl and they said it was equal. I got a standing ovation. It lasted for a long period of time. ... I know when I do good speeches. I know when I do bad speeches. That speech was a total home run. They loved it.” Trump’s son, Donald Jr. also cozied up to Manning in July, when he Instagrammed a picture of himself with the football player at a Mississippi county fair. But Manning has previously appeared reluctant to discuss Trump. Informed that Trump called him a “good guy” in February, Manning said he hadn’t heard the compliment, but that “I’ve met Donald Trump, I’ve played a round of golf with DHS-17-0435-A-000559 CBP FOIA000559 173 him a few times out in Tahoe … The times I’ve been around him, he’s been extremely nice to me.” Asked if he was rooting for Trump in the Iowa caucus that night, Manning replied “I’m rooting for the Broncos … I’m just a meathead football player. That’s all I know.” Manning is far from apolitical, however, with over a decade of political contributions to Republican candidates. In addition to maxed-out $2,700 donation to Jeb Bush in 2015, he also gave $5,000 to Romney Victory, Inc. in November 2012, and the maximum $2,000 to George W. Bush’s reelection campaign in 2004. He is also a frequent donor to Republicans in Tennessee, where he attended college (and where he was accused of pushing his genitals against a female trainer’s face). In 2006 and 2009, Manning donated to campaigns for Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee, whom Trump reportedly considered for Secretary of State, before allegedly nixing the 5’7” legislator as too short for the post. Trump’s team also reportedly worried about allegations that Corker had used his used his office to invest in companies owned by friends and donors. Manning also gave $2,600 to Senator Lamar Alexander’s reelection campaign, and $2,300 to the doomed 2008 presidential campaign of Law & Order actor-turned￾Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson. The ex-quarterback’s longtime political involvement, plus his carefully maintained image (minus the allegations that he pushed his genitals against a female trainer’s face), might make the newly retired Manning a prime candidate for a political career. In March, he and his brother Eli are scheduled to speak at an annual luncheon hosted by the Long Island Association, a business group that has previously hosted George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Dick Cheney, and Rudy Giuliani. Trump Delays Signing Order To Investigate Unfounded Voter Fraud Claims By David Jackson And Gregory Korte USA Today, January 26, 2017 WASHINGTON — President Trump will not sign an executive order today launching an investigation into unfounded claims of massive voter fraud that Trump says have produced up to 5 million illegal votes in last year’s election. Trump had planned to sign the order Thursday, but White House spokesman Sean Spicer said it has been delayed because the president’s schedule got backed up. “It will be a follow up on the announcement yesterday of his commitment to better understand voter fraud, faulty registration, et cetera,” Spicer had said earlier in the day. The order would be the latest move in a saga that began Monday night, when Trump told members of Congress that 3 million to 5 million illegal voters cost him the popular vote against Clinton. He repeated the unsupported assertion in an interview with ABC News on Wednesday — complaining that his remarks were intended to be confidential, and claiming he would have won the popular vote if not for fraud. “There are millions of votes, in my opinion,” he said. “And I will say this, of those votes cast, none of ‘em come to me. None of ‘em come to me. They would all be for the other side.” Congressional leaders and election officials from both parties have said there’s no evidence to back Trump’s claims. Read more: Trump falsely attributed his claims to a 2012 report by the Pew Center on the States on problems with voter registration, including outdated, inaccurate or duplicate registrations. But that study, first reported by USA TODAY, contained no evidence of voter fraud or criminal intent, instead attributing the problem to a broken and bureaucratic system of decentralized election administration. Whenever a voter moves to a new county or state, for example, it’s up to the new jurisdiction to notify the old one of the change of address so that the old registration can be canceled. That often doesn’t happen, leading to duplicate registrations — as has apparently happened with senior Trump aide Stephen Bannon, daughter Tiffany Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner, who is now a senior adviser to the president. Trump tweeted Wednesday said he would order an investigation into voter fraud. Spicer later said the White House was thinking more in terms of a study of the issue. Participants in the meeting in which Trump claimed illegal voters told The New York Times that the president buttressed his claim with a story from Bernhard Langer, a professional golfer who supposedly waited in an Election Day line with people who didn’t look like they belonged there. Langer said the story has been distorted, describing it as he would the children’s game of “telephone” in which he was just one participant. He noted that he is German and therefore ineligible to vote in the United States. “The voting situation reported was not conveyed from me to President Trump, but rather was told to me by a friend,” Langer said in a statement reported by the Golf Channel. “I then relayed the story in conversation with another friend, who shared it with a person with ties to the White House. From there, this was misconstrued.” The Justice Department, which would investigate violations of the federal voting rights laws, has declined to comment on Trump’s call for an inquiry and his assertion that up to 5 million illegal immigrants voted in the general election. Prior to Election Day, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division deployed more than 500 people to 28 states DHS-17-0435-A-000560 CBP FOIA000560 174 to monitor voting. Every state has completed post-election audits of votes with no reports of significant voter fraud. Afterward, Justice officials announced no major incidents of voter fraud, let alone mass numbers of undocumented immigrants attempting to vote. Civil rights groups fear that the Trump administration’s emphasis on voter fraud is a precursor to more restrictive voting registration laws. “We understand that there is a long history of Republican politicians spreading lies about statistically negligible voter fraud in order to justify very real voter suppression laws and programs, which keep millions from being able to exercise their fundamental right to vote,” said Kai Newkirk, mission director of Democracy Spring. White House Postpones Executive Action On Voter Fraud Investigation By Madeline Conway Politico, January 26, 2017 The White House said that President Donald Trump would sign an executive action to begin an investigation into voter fraud on Friday or Saturday, postponing a move that had been expected on Thursday. According to a pool report, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told reporters late Thursday afternoon that Trump returned “a little late” from the Republican leadership retreat in Philadelphia and “got jammed up on some meetings that needed to occur,” prompting the delay. Earlier in the day, Spicer had said that Trump planned to sign the action around 4:30 p.m. The question of voter fraud has been in the news for most of the week. Trump took to Twitter on Wednesday to call for a “major” probe into voter fraud and irregularities in the voter rolls, two days after he repeated his false claim that he lost the popular vote because millions of people voted illegally for Hillary Clinton in November. Isolated instances of voter fraud have been documented, though they are very rare, and widespread voter fraud is virtually nonexistent. Multiple independent fact￾checkers have deemed Trump’s unsubstantiated claim about fraud in the 2016 election false. House Speaker Paul Ryan, too, said there is no evidence to support it. Sen. Lindsey Graham was more overtly critical, warning Tuesday that Trump’s allegations, offered without evidence, undermine American democratic institutions. Still, Ryan told MSNBC on Wednesday that he supports the president’s call for an investigation into the issue. There probably is some fraud, he argued, reasoning that a probe would allow Trump to get the facts and make a judgment on the scale. Spicer told reporters at the daily White House briefing on Wednesday that the investigation Trump had proposed would review more than just the 2016 election. Trump addressed the issue early Thursday afternoon in remarks to the GOP’s leadership retreat in Philadelphia, seeming to counter critics. “We also need to keep the ballot box safe from illegal voting,” he asserted. “And believe me, you take a look at what’s registering, folks. They like to say, oh, Trump, Trump, Trump. Take a look at what’s registering. We are going to protect the integrity of the ballot box, and we are going to defend the votes of the American citizen. So important.” If signed, the executive action is sure to prompt a rebuke from Democrats, who argued on Wednesday that such a probe is unnecessary and could be used to increase voter suppression going forward. In recent years, generally Republican-led legislatures have cited fears of voter fraud to enact more regulations on voting, such as voter ID laws. Democrats and civil rights groups oppose those measures, arguing that they are discriminatory because they disproportionately affect minorities and young people who lack government-issued photo identification. Trump Says He Will Work Against Illegal Voting By Steve Holland Reuters, January 26, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Trump To Sign Executive Order Related To Voter Fraud By Jenna Johnson And David Nakamura Washington Post, January 26, 2017 President Trump plans to sign an executive order Thursday afternoon related to voter fraud, his press secretary told reporters without providing additional details. A day earlier, Trump called for a “major investigation into VOTER FRAUD” in back-to-back tweets that said such a probe would cover “those registered to vote in two states, those who are illegal” and “those registered to vote who are dead (and many for a long time).” For weeks, Trump has claimed that he lost the popular vote in November’s election because there were millions of illegal votes cast for Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. Trump insisted during a private reception with congressional leaders Monday that there were 3 million to 5 million ballots illegally cast, allowing Clinton to win the popular vote by more than 2.8 million votes, although she lost the electoral college vote to Trump. DHS-17-0435-A-000561 CBP FOIA000561 175 The president and his aides have yet to provide any verifiable facts to back up his claim, and analyses of the election found virtually no confirmed cases of voter fraud, let alone millions of fraudulent votes. The National Association of Secretaries of State, which represents many of the country’s state elections officials, said in a statement Tuesday that it is “not aware of any evidence that supports the voter fraud claims made by President Trump.” Trump’s campaign attorneys fought recount attempts in several states by Green Party candidate Jill Stein and stated in a recent court filing, “All available evidence suggests that the 2016 general election was not tainted by fraud or mistake.” Trump reiterated his call for an investigation during an interview with ABC News that aired Wednesday night. In defending himself, the president lashed out at the author of a 2012 Pew Center study that Trump and his team have pointed to as evidence of widespread fraud, even though the study showed no such thing. Trump said that despite what fellow Republicans and experts might say on the matter, “millions” of his supporters agree with him. “We’re going to launch an investigation to find out,” Trump said. “And I will say this. Of those votes cast, none of them come to me. None of them come to me. They would all be for the other side. None of them come to me. But when you look at the people that are registered: dead, illegal, and two states. And some cases, maybe three states? We have a lot to look into.” Illegal Voting Claims, And Why They Don’t Hold Up By Nate Cohn New York Times, January 26, 2017 There isn’t any evidence to support President Trump’s assertion that three to five million illegal votes were cast in the 2016 presidential election. But there is one study that has been interpreted to suggest it is at least possible. It found that between 32,000 and 2.8 million noncitizen voters might have fraudulently cast ballots in the 2008 presidential election. The study, based on a survey of 38,000 people after that election, has been under fire since it was published in 2014. Now even its authors concede that it probably overstated the amount of noncitizen voting. “The high-end estimates are likely incorrect,” Jesse Richman, one of the co￾authors of the study and a political science professor at Old Dominion University, said in an email exchange on Wednesday. In a post online, he also said that the findings do not support Mr. Trump’s contention that millions cast ballots illegally. Mr. Richman still maintains that some small percentage of noncitizens vote in American elections. But the debate over this study has moved on. It’s no longer about whether millions of illegal votes were cast, but whether there’s any evidence for noncitizen voting at all. The study’s bold claims fell apart because of something called response error: the possibility that people taking a survey don’t answer a question correctly — in this case, a question about being American citizens. There is always a tiny amount of response error in surveys. Respondents might not understand the question. Or they might understand it, but mark the wrong answer by mistake, if the survey is self-administered. An interviewer, if there is one, could accidentally record the wrong answer. Such errors usually aren’t a problem large enough to change the results of a survey. But both the survey and the question posed by researchers were unusual. The survey — the Cooperative Congressional Election Study — was huge, with 38,000 respondents in 2008. And the group in question — noncitizens — was very small, just 339 of those respondents. The problem is that even a tiny amount of response error among the 38,000 respondents could have been enough to contaminate the results of the tiny group of noncitizens. Imagine, for instance, that 99.9 percent of people respond to the survey’s citizenship question correctly. In such a big survey, even that high success rate would still imply that there were 38 respondents who answered incorrectly — enough to make up a big chunk of the tiny pool of 339 noncitizen respondents. If those 38 misreported noncitizens had indeed voted, then suddenly it would look as if 10 percent of noncitizens voted. This critique could explain all of the noncitizen voting observed in the study. Critics of the study — Stephen Ansolabehere, a Harvard political scientist, Samantha Luks, a statistician at YouGov, and Brian Schaffner, a political scientist at the University of Massachusetts Amherst — were able to marshal evidence strongly consistent with that possibility, because of the survey’s unusual design: Thousands of voters are re-interviewed in subsequent elections. That allowed the study’s critics to check whether people were consistent about their answer on the citizenship answer from year to year. If the people were consistent, they were probably noncitizens. If voters were inconsistent, it would be a sign that the category was contaminated by the tiny number of voters who misreported their citizenship. There was not much consistency. Between 2010 and 2012, 20 voters switched from being citizens to noncitizens (an extremely unlikely transition), and 36 others switched from noncitizens to citizens (a more common transition, but one reported at a far greater rate than typically occurs). These shifting answers strongly bolster the theory that many of the respondents logged as noncitizens had responded in error. DHS-17-0435-A-000562 CBP FOIA000562 176 But most important, among the 85 respondents who said they were noncitizens in both 2010 and 2012 — those most likely to really be noncitizens — none had voted in the 2010 midterm elections. The critics concluded that “the likely percent of noncitizen voters in recent U.S. elections is 0.” In a response published in October, Mr. Richman and his colleagues did not contest the finding that measurement error probably exaggerated the number of noncitizen voters. “The response error issues they focus on may have biased our numbers,” Mr. Richman said in an email to The New York Times on Wednesday. Mr. Richman and his colleagues have not estimated a new range of possible noncitizen voting. Instead, the October response sought only to rebut the notion that there was no noncitizen voting. They argued that measurement error couldn’t explain all of the people who said they were noncitizens and voted. When it came to hard evidence immune to the measurement error critique, Mr. Richman and his co-authors found one validated 2012 voter who had indicated not being a citizen in both the 2010 and 2012 surveys. But the same noncitizen had indicated in the survey that he or she was not registered to vote. The determination that he or she was a voter was based on voter records: The respondents to the survey were matched to a voter registration file. It is possible that this noncitizen was erroneously matched to the voter file. The matching process is good but imperfect, and becomes harder with less information — like the absence of a specific address or date of birth. That the respondent said he or she wasn’t registered certainly raises the possibility that the match was wrong. “I haven’t seen any evidence that I would say shows that any noncitizens vote,” Mr. Schaffner said. “That doesn’t mean that the rate is exactly zero. But it does mean that it’s so-low frequency that we can’t even measure it with traditional methods.” Trump Advisers, Daughter Registered To Vote In 2 States By Vivian Salama Associated Press, January 26, 2017 WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump’s sweeping preview of his plans to investigate voter fraud in the United States includes those registered in more than one state. A number of people closest to the president fall into that category, including his Treasury Secretary nominee, Steve Mnuchin, Trump’s son-in-law and close adviser, Jared Kushner, as well as his younger daughter, Tiffany Trump. The president tweeted on Wednesday that he will be asking for a “major investigation” into voter fraud, “including those registered to vote in two states, those who are illegal and even, those registered to vote who are dead (and many for a long time),” he said. “Depending on results, we will strengthen up voting procedures!” It’s not illegal to be registered in two states and just because someone is, it doesn’t mean they vote in both. Trump’s comments likely suggest a crackdown on those who actually vote in two or more states – claims that secretaries of state across the country have dismissed as baseless. Mnuchin is registered in New York and California, according to a public voter database, and Kushner in New York and New Jersey. Tiffany Trump is registered in New York and Pennsylvania, where she went to college, according to the database – something presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway called “flatly false.” “She had been registered in Pennsylvania and went through the process, (and) said it was very byzantine and took a long time, but she said that she is not registered to vote in two states,” Conway said Thursday on NBC’s “Today.” The president’s chief counsel, Steve Bannon, shifted his Florida registration last summer, from a former home in Miami-Dade County where his ex-wife once lived, to a beachfront home owned by a Breitbart colleague in Sarasota County on the Gulf Coast. On Wednesday, Sarasota Supervisor of Elections Ron Turner told reporters that Bannon never voted in the county and had been removed from the county’s rolls this week based on information received from New York City’s elections office. A request for comment from the White House on how the proposed investigation might seek to address the two￾state registration issue was not immediately answered. All 50 states and the District of Columbia have finalized their election results with no reports of the kind of widespread fraud that Trump alleges. Trump has long asserted that the system is “rigged,” but he increasingly vocalized his concerns in August after courts rejected tough voter ID rules put in place for the first time in a presidential election in states including North Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin. The rulings cited a risk of disenfranchising the poor, minorities or young people who were less likely to have acceptable IDs – and who are more likely to vote Democratic. Trump’s tweet on the investigation alarmed Democrats who already believe that moves to tighten voter ID laws are a means to restrict access to the ballot box. Like the president, Trump’s pick for attorney general, Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama, who could oversee any federal probe, has shown sympathy toward claims of voting fraud. --- Associated Press writers Jill Colvin and Rhonda Shafner in Washington; Donald Thompson in Sacramento, California; and Terry Spencer in West Palm Beach, Florida, contributed to this report. DHS-17-0435-A-000563 CBP FOIA000563 177 © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. It Turns Out Jared Kushner And Sean Spicer Are Also Registered To Vote In Two States By Matea Gold And Alice Crites Washington Post, January 26, 2017 Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law and one of his closest White House advisers, is registered to vote in both New Jersey and New York, while White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer is on the rolls both in Virginia and his home state of Rhode Island, according to elections officials and voting registration records. Their dual registrations offer two more high-profile examples of how common it is for voters to be on the rolls in multiple states – something Trump has claimed is evidence of voter fraud. With Kushner and Spicer, The Washington Post has now identified five Trump family members or top administration appointees who were registered in two states during the fall election. The others are chief White House strategist Stephen K. Bannon; Tiffany Trump, the president’s youngest daughter; and Treasury Secretary nominee Steven Mnuchin, as first reported by CNN. White House officials did not respond to requests for comment. Trump said this week that the fact that many voters are registered in two states is a sign of widespread voter fraud, calling for a “major investigation” into his unsubstantiated claim that millions of people cast illegal ballots in November. “You have people that are registered who are dead, who are illegals, who are in two states,” the president told ABC’s David Muir on Wednesday. “You have people registered in two states. They’re registered in a New York and a New Jersey. They vote twice. There are millions of votes, in my opinion.” It is not illegal to be registered to vote in two states, and elections officials say that does not mean voters are casting ballots in two locations. In fact, it is quite common for out-of￾date registrations to linger on the rolls, due to voters dying or moving to new jurisdictions. A 2012 Pew Center on the States study that Trump has erroneously cited as evidence of voter fraud found that about 2.75 million people were registered in more than one state — largely because voters did not report when they moved to new jurisdictions. “It’s not fraud,” said John Lindback, executive director of the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), a nonprofit organization that works with states to improve the accuracy of their voting rolls. “When people move from one state to another or move down the street, they don’t think to change their voter registration.” That appears to be what happened in the case of Kushner, who married Trump’s daughter Ivanka in October 2009. New Jersey voting records show that he registered to vote there in 1999 and cast ballots in New Jersey through the November 2009 state general election, when now-Gov. Chris Christie (R) was on the ballot for his first race. Later that month, Kushner registered in New York at his Park Avenue address. Voting records show he began casting ballots in New York in 2010. Representatives for Kushner did not respond to requests for comment. Spicer last voted in Rhode Island in 1998, according to state records, which means his registration should have been declared inactive or removed by now. But the Rhode Island Board of Elections confirmed to the Post that he is still listed as having an active voter registration. Since September 1999, Spicer has also been registered to vote in Alexandria, Va., according to elections officials there. In the case of Bannon, he was registered until this week in both New York and Florida, despite his efforts to remove himself from the rolls in the latter. Mnuchin is registered in both New York, where he last voted in 2008, and in California, where he cast his ballot in November, election records show. And Tiffany Trump, the president’s daughter, is registered in New York and Pennsylvania, where she was attending college until May. On Thursday, White House senior adviser Kellyanne Conway disputed that Tiffany Trump held dual registrations, telling NBC’s “Today” that the president’s youngest daughter told her “it is flatly false that she is registered in two states.” But elections officials said voters often do not realize they stay on the rolls after they have moved out of a jurisdiction. One major reason that out-of-date registrations are not always flagged is that less than half the states participate in ERIC, a cooperative that was created after the 2012 Pew study to help make voter rolls more accurate and comprehensive. Members of the group, which currently includes 20 states and the District of Columbia, are required to share their voter registration data every 60 days. The nonprofit group uses that data — along with information from state motor vehicle departments, the Social Security death index and the U.S. Postal Service’s national change of address list — to match and update voter files. In 2016, it identified about 2 million voters who had moved, passed away or had duplicate registrations. “Before ERIC was formed, it was much worse,” Lindback said. But he noted that some of the most populous states, including California, Florida and New York, do not DHS-17-0435-A-000564 CBP FOIA000564 178 participate. If more states join,”the number of cases will go way down,” he added. Lindback, who previously served as Oregon’s director of elections, said he is hopeful that Trump’s focus on dual registrations could help encourage more states to exchange data. But he said he’s concerned that the president’s debunked claims that millions of illegal votes were cast in November could “have the effect of reducing confidence in how our elections are run.” “I just don’t get it,” he added. “I have been in elections a lot of years, and it’s usually the loser of an election who claims fraud. I’ve never seen a winner claim fraud. What is going on here?” This post has been updated. Why Did Trump Lose The Popular Vote? Because He Didn’t Care About It. And Because They Cheated. By Philip Bump Washington Post, January 26, 2017 When it comes to explaining why he lost the popular vote, President Trump has a simple explanation. He lost the popular vote because he wasn’t interested in winning the popular vote, focusing instead on the electoral college — and if he’d focused on the popular vote, he would have won that even more easily, and also he lost the popular vote because his opponents cheated in some of the deepest-blue states in the country. Done and done. In his first major interview since moving into the White House, Trump took ABC’s David Muir on a tour of the gilded, expansive recesses of both his new residence and his mind. Thanks to Trump’s tweets on the subject, Muir quickly turned the questioning to the subject of voter fraud, which Trump insists was a huge factor in November’s election and which reality suggests was not. Trump used the subject to reiterate a defense of his popularity. “I would’ve won the popular vote if I was campaigning for the popular vote,” he said. “I would’ve gone to California where I didn’t go at all. I would’ve gone to New York where I didn’t campaign at all. I would’ve gone to a couple of places that I didn’t go to.” “And I would’ve won that much easier than winning the electoral college,” he added. “But as you know, the electoral college is all that matters. It doesn’t make any difference. So, I would’ve won very, very easily. But it’s a different form of winning. You would campaign much differently. You would have a totally different campaign.” It’s true that the need to win the electoral college meant that Trump’s focus during the campaign was different from what it would have been had the contest come down to vote totals. But that’s not the same thing as saying that Trump would have won the popular vote, much less “much easier” than he won the electoral college. (To be fair, if he had won the popular vote by any margin, it would likely have been an easier victory than his skin-of-his-teeth electoral college win, which came down to about 78,000 votes in three states.) Trump would have needed to do 10 percentage points better in California to close the 2.9-million vote deficit he faced nationally. His argument that he could have made progress to that end if he’d campaigned in the state has only one critical drawback: Hillary Clinton would have campaigned there, too. (Had Clinton campaigned more in the Midwest, many people have pointed out, Muir would have been sitting down with her.) Trump says he didn’t go to either California or New York at all, which isn’t entirely true. Trump made four stops in New York after that state’s primary, according to the National Journal’s candidate travel tracker, excluding a debate and the announcement of his vice presidential pick. (He visited California only before that state’s primary.) Clinton had campaign events there even less frequently, though she did run ads in California over the last few weeks of the campaign. Trump’s team did campaign in both states, though not at any real scale. That said, it’s not surprising that Trump did poorly in the two states (despite his assurances on the campaign trail that they would be in play). California and New York have given the Democrat at least 1 million more votes than the Republican in every election since 1992. In California, that figure has been creeping upward, with Barack Obama winning by a 3 million vote margin in 2008 and 2012, and Clinton by 4.3 million this year. In New York, the Democrat has won by at least 1.5 million votes in five of the past seven contests. Trump might have eaten into those margins had he campaigned harder — but Clinton might also have widened her lead in those friendly territories. Which brings us to part two of Trump’s excuse-making to Muir. “With that being said,” he said, “if you look at voter registration, you look at the dead people that are registered to vote who vote, you look at people that are registered in two states, you look at all of these different things that are happening with registration. … They don’t wanna talk about registration. You have people that are registered who are dead, who are illegals, who are in two states. You have people registered in two states. They’re registered in a New York and a New Jersey. They vote twice. There are millions of votes, in my opinion.” The wonderful part of this exchange is the directness with which Trump tries to have his cake and eat it, too. He defends his claims that millions of people voted illegally by noting that there are problems with the voter registration system at that scale. That’s a fair defense, with some DHS-17-0435-A-000565 CBP FOIA000565 179 caveats. But then he immediately re-conflates registration with voting (“there are millions of votes”). That’s a neat trick: You criticize me for saying there are millions of illegal votes when I’m just noting that there are millions of questionable registrations. Just registrations! (And also votes.) The now-infamous report from Pew Trusts in 2012 does point out that there were millions of outdated registrations at that point because our voting systems do a bad job of weeding out people who have died or moved. (Like Trump’s daughter.) Pew’s point was that the systems should be improved, not that fraud results from these problems; in fact, Pew’s researchers explicitly pointed out then and now that there was no rampant fraud. (This, Trump told Muir, was because the researchers wanted a positive response from the anti-Trump media — even way back in 2012, apparently.) At a news conference on Thursday, Trump’s press secretary Sean Spicer pointed to California and New York as potential epicenters of this nonexistent fraud. “I think there’s a lot of states that we didn’t compete in where that’s not necessarily the case,” Spicer said about the campaign’s admitting in a legal filing that there was no rampant fraud in the election. “You look at California and New York, I’m not sure that those statements were — we didn’t look at those two states, in particular.” Our colleague Dave Weigel noted the sheer ridiculousness of this idea from a political standpoint: If you’re going to orchestrate a massive, illegal effort to cast millions of ballots for Hillary Clinton, why on Earth would you do it in two states you knew she was going to win easily anyway? Whether or not the Clinton team thought they’d win Michigan and Pennsylvania, why not stack the deck in those places regardless, since they were always going to be more competitive than the deepest-blue parts of the country? For a lot of Trump supporters, this overlaps with perceptions of California as a haven of undocumented immigrants, people encouraged by some all-powerful Democratic machine to commit a federal crime by illegally giving their names and contact information to the state government. We looked at the number of newly registered voters who were born outside the country; only 148,000 people fit that description from Latin American countries. There’s no indication at all that any significant number of them were voting illegally. This has been another 1,000 words or so on Trump’s ongoing insecurity about having lost the popular vote. His arguments for why the popular vote results don’t suggest that he’s unpopular haven’t gotten any more effective, but they have gotten more numerous. It will be simpler moving forward, I suppose, to simply note that Trump continues to claim that he could have and did win the popular vote even though he didn’t and probably wouldn’t have. And to note that what Trump says on this subject, if not others, should not necessarily be taken at face value. Trump Pressured Park Service To Back Up His Claims About Inauguration Crowd By Karen Tumulty And Juliet Eilperin Washington Post, January 26, 2017 On the morning after Donald Trump’s inauguration, acting National Park Service director Michael T. Reynolds received an extraordinary summons: The new president wanted to talk to him. In a Saturday phone call, Trump personally ordered Reynolds to produce additional photographs of the previous day’s crowds on the National Mall, according to three individuals who have knowledge of the conversation. The president believed that they might prove that the media had lied in reporting that attendance had been no better than average. Trump also expressed anger over a retweet sent from the agency’s account, in which side-by-side photographs showed far fewer people at his swearing-in than had shown up to see Barack Obama’s inaugural in 2009. According to one account, Reynolds had been contacted by the White House and given a phone number to call. When he dialed it, he was told to hold for the president. For Trump, who sees himself and his achievements in superlative terms, the inauguration’s crowd size has been a source of grievance that he appears unable to put behind him. It is a measure of his fixation on the issue that he would devote part of his first morning in office to it — and that he would take out his frustrations on an acting Park Service director. Word rapidly spread through the agency and Washington. The individuals who informed The Washington Post about the call declined to be identified because of the sensitive nature of the conversation. Neither Reynolds nor the Park Service would talk about it. “The National Park Service does not comment on internal conversations among administration officials,” agency spokesman Thomas Crosson said. White House deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the call simply demonstrated that Trump’s management style is to be “so accessible, and constantly in touch.” “He’s not somebody who sits around and waits. He takes action and gets things done,” Sanders said. “That’s one of the reasons that he is president today, and Hillary Clinton isn’t.” On Saturday, the same day Trump spoke with Reynolds, the new president used an appearance at CIA headquarters to deliver a blistering attack on the media for reporting that large swaths of the Mall were nearly empty during the event. DHS-17-0435-A-000566 CBP FOIA000566 180 “It’s a lie,” Trump said. “We caught [the media]. We caught them in a beauty.” “It looked like a million, a million and a half people,” Trump said, vastly inflating what the available evidence suggested. Later that day, White House press secretary Sean Spicer reiterated Trump’s complaints about media coverage of the crowd in a tongue-lashing from the lectern of the briefing room. “These attempts to lessen the enthusiasm of the inauguration are shameful and wrong,” Spicer said. The Park Service does not release crowd estimates. Experts, however, have estimated that the 2017 turnout was no more than a third the size of Obama’s eight years earlier. Reynolds was taken aback by Trump’s request, but did secure some additional aerial photographs and forwarded them to the White House through normal channels in the Interior Department, the sources said. The photos, however, did not prove Trump’s contention that the crowd size was upwards of 1 million. Reynolds, who had served as the Park Service’s deputy director of operations for six months before assuming the post of acting director, is a third-generation employee who has worked there for more than 30 years. As deputy director, he oversaw the Service’s $2.8 billion budget and more than 22,000 employees. In the days since Trump’s election, the Park Service has become an unlikely protagonist in a battle between the new president and some career government employees. The trouble began late Friday, when the agency’s official Twitter account retweeted two tweets that could be perceived as critical of the new administration: the one comparing the relative crowd size for Trump’s inaugural to that of Obama’s 2009 swearing-in, and another that noted policy pages that had been removed from the White House’s website. That prompted an “urgent directive” to Interior employees that they “shut down Twitter platforms immediately until further notice,” which was lifted early Saturday morning. Crosson then apologized on Twitter for “mistaken RTs from our account.” On Tuesday, the Badlands National Park’s Twitter account became a social media sensation when it posted four tweets in a row about rising atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations and the threats posed by climate change. Those tweets were then deleted. An NPS official later explained that Badlands NPS officials learned they were posted by a former employee who still had access to the account, and decided to remove them. Spicer told reporters this week that White House officials had not dictated any agency to impose new restrictions on public communications and that some federal officials, such as those at the Park Service, were not in compliance with their own department’s policies. Trump, meanwhile, has continued to press the argument that the media has given a misleading account of the crowds that attended his inauguration. “I had a massive amount of people here,” the president told ABC News anchor David Muir in an interview Wednesday. “They were showing pictures that were very unflattering, as unflattering — from certain angles — that were taken early and lots of other things.” As he guided Muir through the West Wing, Trump paused at a photo on the wall, taken from behind him as he delivered his inaugural address: “Here’s a picture of the event. Here’s a picture of the crowd. Now, the audience was the biggest ever, but this crowd was massive. Look how far back it goes. This crowd was massive.” Brady Dennis and Lisa Rein contributed to this report. Trump Backs Senate Rules Change For Vote On High Court Pick By David Jackson And Richard Wolf USA Today, January 26, 2017 President Trump said Thursday that Republicans should change Senate rules to ensure his nominee to the Supreme Court gets confirmed. Saying he has pretty much decided who that nominee will be, Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity he would back the so-called “nuclear option,” which would deny Democrats the chance to block a final vote by preventing a 60-vote majority. “We have obstructionists,” Trump said, complaining that Senate Democrats already have delayed votes on at least two of his Cabinet selections, Attorney General-designate Jeff Sessions and CIA Director Mike Pompeo. When Democrats controlled the Senate, they instituted the same rules change for federal appellate and trial courts after complaining that Republicans were blocking too many of President Barack Obama’s nominees. Without the rules change, Trump’s Supreme Court nominee would need eight votes from the Democratic side to break a filibuster. That would be particularly difficult for federal appeals court Judge William Pryor of Alabama, who was blocked initially by Democrats after President George W. Bush nominated him to the 11th Circuit. A day after saying he would announce his Supreme Court pick next Thursday, Trump told Hannity he has all but made his selection. Aides and attorneys familiar with the process have tabbed two federal appeals court judges as favorites, Neil Gorsuch of Colorado and Thomas Hardiman of Pennsylvania, with Pryor remaining a possibility. DHS-17-0435-A-000567 CBP FOIA000567 181 “I have made my decision pretty much in my mind, yes,” Trump said. “That’s subject to change at the last moment, but I think this will be a great choice.” Trump Backs Nuclear Option If Dems Block SCOTUS Nominee By Burgess Everett Politico, January 26, 2017 If Senate Democrats block his Supreme Court Pick, President Donald Trump would encourage Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to go nuclear and further erode the Senate filibuster. In an interview taped with Fox News’s Sean Hannity on Thursday morning, Trump said that he “would” encourage McConnell to kill the 60-vote threshold on nominees to the high court. “I would. We have obstructionists,” Trump said, dinging Democrats for delaying the confirmations of Sen. Jeff Sessions as attorney general and Mike Pompeo as CIA director. “Why are they doing that?” McConnell and his deputies have signaled they will do whatever it takes to confirm a Supreme Court nominee after blocking former President Barack Obama from filling the seat for nearly a year. But they have not explicitly said such an earth-shattering rules change is on the table. In 2013, Senate Democrats killed the supermajority requirement on all nominees but the Supreme Court. And now Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is threatening to block a court pick that is not “mainstream.” The Senate GOP would need at least eight Democrats to confirm a Supreme Court pick under Senate rules, but Republicans could use the unilateral “nuclear option” to changes the rules to a simple majority. It’s not clear if Republicans could muster enough votes to make a unilateral rules change. Historically McConnell and people like Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Lindsey Graham (R￾S.C.) and Susan Collins have been opposed to changing the fabric of the Senate. Republicans would need at least 50 of their 52 members to support such a change. Trump is expected to announce his court pick next week. He told Hannity that he has “made my decision pretty much in my mind.” “That’s subject to change at the last moment,” he said. “But I think this will be a great choice.” The full interview will air Thursday night. Trump To Nominate ‘Strict Constructionist’ To Supreme Court: Pence By Jeff Mason Reuters, January 26, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Trump: Chelsea Manning’s An ‘Ungrateful Traitor’ By Daniel Halper New York Post, January 26, 2017 President Trump blasted Chelsea Manning as an ingrate on Thursday for having the gall to criticize the former Commander in Chief, who commuted her lengthy prison sentence. “Ungrateful TRAITOR Chelsea Manning, who should never have been released from prison, is now calling President Obama a weak leader,” Trump said in a Thursday morning tweet. “Terrible!” Manning was found guilty of leaking state secrets to WikiLeaks and ordered to serve 35 years. In one of his last acts as president, Obama commuted Manning’s sentence, bringing it down from 35 years to 7. She’ll be released in May. She weighed in on Obama in a Wednesday op-ed in The Guardian, saying the “one simple lesson” to draw from his legacy: “do not start off with a compromise.” “They won’t meet you in the middle. Instead, what we need is an unapologetic progressive leader,” she added. Manning, who claims Obama “faced unparalleled resistance from his opponents, many of whom wanted him to fail,” says he failed to meet the moment of his presidency. She argues the president was too timid on domestic and foreign policy alike — and that liberals need someone more bold to lead them in the future. “We need someone who is unafraid to be criticized, since you will inevitably be criticized. We need someone willing to face all of the vitriol, hatred and dogged determination of those opposed to us,” she said. “We need to actually take the reins of government and fix our institutions. We need to save lives by making change at every level,” she concludes. No where in the op-ed does Manning actually thank Obama for commuting her sentence. Chelsea Manning Criticizes Obama, Draws Trump’s Ire By Susan Heavey Reuters, January 26, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Trump Criticizes Chelsea Manning For Criticizing Obama DHS-17-0435-A-000568 CBP FOIA000568 182 By David M Jackson USA Today, January 26, 2017 President Trump hit Twitter early Thursday morning to attack soon-to-be-released hacker Chelsea Manning for criticizing President Obama. “Ungrateful TRAITOR Chelsea Manning, who should never have been released from prison, is now calling President Obama a weak leader. Terrible!” Trump said. (Of course, the post also allowed Trump to echo the attack on his predecessor.) Trump spent most of Obama’s two terms as president criticizing him, including a multiyear campaign aimed at questioning Obama’s birth in the United States. The president reacted to a column that Manning — the U.S. Army private who provided classified information to WikiLeaks — wrote for the Guardian newspaper, criticizing the president who commuted his 35-year prison sentence. “Barack Obama left behind hints of a progressive legacy,” Manning wrote. “Unfortunately, despite his faith in our system and his positive track record on many issues over the last eight years, there have been very few permanent accomplishments.” The column comes a week after Obama’s commutation order that allows Manning to leave prison in May. Chelsea Manning Is A Traitor And Shouldn’t Have Been Released, Trump Tweets The president did not take kindly to Manning’s criticism of President Obama. By Curt Mills, Staff Writer U.S. News & World Report, January 26, 2017 U.S. Army Pfc. Chelsea Manning poses for a photo in an undated photo. (U.S. Army, File/AP) President Donald Trump attacked Chelsea Manning as an “ungrateful traitor” Thursday, saying she “should never have been released.” Manning, 29, had her sentenced commuted by Barack Obama in the last days of his presidency earlier this month. She was convicted in military court of leaking a “treasure trove” of state secrets to WikiLeaks. “Ungrateful TRAITOR Chelsea Manning, who should never have been released from prison, is now calling President Obama a weak leader. Terrible!” the president tweeted. In 2010, as a private citizen, Trump suggested the death penalty for Manning. Members of Trump’s National Security Council have also previously expressed support for such a measure. Trump’s tweet appears to be in reaction to recent criticism by Manning, who will be released in May, of President Obama. Manning penned a column in the Guardian on the former president’s administration, published Thursday, hitting Obama on everything from foreign policy to healthcare to his reaction to the Orlando Pulse nightclub massacre. “In the aftermath of the deadly shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando that took the lives of nearly 50 queer and brown people, it took Obama over 300 words of his speech to acknowledge the queer community, and even then, as an abstract acronym,” Manning wrote. “Obama left behind hints of a progressive legacy. Unfortunately, despite his faith in our system and his positive track record on many issues over the last eight years, there have been very few permanent accomplishments,” Manning added. Manning hit Obama’s political antagonists, as well. “Nothing was ever good enough for his opponents,” Manning writes. She had nothing positive to say about Trump, remarking, “after eight years… we are moving into darker times.” Tags: Chelsea Manning, Donald Trump, WikiLeaks, prison sentences, prisons, military, Barack Obama, transgender Compromise Doesn’t Work With Our Political Opponents. When Will We Learn? By Chelsea E Manning The Guardian (UK), January 25, 2017 Barack Obama left behind hints of a progressive legacy. Unfortunately, despite his faith in our system and his positive track record on many issues over the last eight years, there have been very few permanent accomplishments. This vulnerable legacy should remind us that what we really need is a strong and unapologetic progressive to lead us. What we need as well is a relentless grassroots movement to hold that leadership accountable. On the night of 4 November 2008, Barack Obama was elected on a platform of “hope” and “change”. He was hailed as a “uniter” in an age of “dividers”. I experienced a political awakening that night. I watched as the hope that President Obama represented was tempered by the shocking passage of Proposition 8 by a majority of voters in California. This reversed a major marriage equality court victory from earlier that year. Throughout his two terms in office, these types of contradictions would persist. Optimism and hope would be met with backlash and hate. He faced unparalleled resistance from his opponents, many of whom wanted him to fail. I remember during his first inauguration, on an icy January morning in 2009. I sat on the floor of a military headquarters office in Fort Drum, New York. With a dusty overhead television showing the ceremony, I sat, working in support of a half dozen military officers. We had our weapons DHS-17-0435-A-000569 CBP FOIA000569 183 ready, and our rucksacks heavily packed. Selected as the active duty army unit to deploy to Washington DC in case of an emergency, we were prepared for rapid deployment. Ironically, many of the officers and enlisted personnel that were selected for this security detail openly despised President Obama. The seething vitriol and hatred simmered quietly in that room. In retrospect, it was an ominous foreshadowing of things to come. On domestic issues, his instinct, as former First Lady Michelle Obama explained at the Democratic national convention this past summer, was to “go high” when his opponents would “go low”. Unfortunately, no matter how “high” the former president aimed to be, his opponents aimed to undermine him anyway. There was absolutely no “low” that was too low to go. Even when they agreed with him on policy, they resisted. For example, when it came to healthcare reform, Obama opened the debate starting with a compromise. His opponents balked. They refused to move an inch. When he would push for the concessions they asked for, they only dug in deeper in opposition. Even when he tried proposing a bill that had been proposed by opponents years earlier. When it came to foreign policy, even though he was only carrying out the expanding national security policies of the previous administration, they would ceaselessly criticize him for being too weak, or too soft or too sympathetic. After months of comprise on his end, they never cooperated a single time. In December 2009, I sat in a hot and stuffy plywood room outside Baghdad, Iraq, as President Obama made speeches. He argued that military action was necessary. An unusual statement to present while receiving the world’s most prestigious peace prize. Yet, the people around me still spoke about him quietly, with a strong criticism, and even sometimes, pure disgust. In November 2012, when President Obama was re￾elected, I sat in a civilian jail cell in suburban Baltimore, awaiting a court martial hearing. Surrounded by a different crowd of people, the excitement and elation of his re-election was genuine. Even among those being penalized merely for being disadvantaged or a minority. Even in those unbearably unfair circumstances, there was genuine hope, faith and trust in the president. For eight years, it did not matter how balanced President Obama was. It did not matter how educated he was, or how intelligent he was. Nothing was ever good enough for his opponents. It was clear that he could not win. It was clear that, no matter what he did, in their eyes, he could not win. In the aftermath of the deadly shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando that took the lives of nearly 50 queer and brown people, it took Obama over 300 words of his speech to acknowledge the queer community, and even then, as an abstract acronym. Never did he acknowledge the particularly painful toll on the Puerto Rican and wider community that was also navigating through this horrific tragedy. Even in the midst of a shocking and horrific tragedy, he attempted to comprise with opponents who were uninterested and unwilling to meet him halfway. Now, after eight years of attempted compromise and relentless disrespect in return, we are moving into darker times. Healthcare will change for the worse, especially for those of us in need. Criminalization will expand, with bigger prisons filled with penalized bodies – poor, black, brown, queer and trans people. People will probably be targeted because of their religion. Queer and trans people expect to have their rights infringed upon. The one simple lesson to draw from President Obama’s legacy: do not start off with a compromise. They won’t meet you in the middle. Instead, what we need is an unapologetic progressive leader. We need someone who is unafraid to be criticized, since you will inevitably be criticized. We need someone willing to face all of the vitriol, hatred and dogged determination of those opposed to us. Our opponents will not support us nor will they stop thwarting the march toward a just system that gives people a fighting chance to live. Our lives are at risk – especially for immigrants, Muslim people and black people. We need to stop asking them to give us our rights. We need to stop hoping that our systems will right themselves. We need to actually take the reins of government and fix our institutions. We need to save lives by making change at every level. Trump Blasts Chelsea Manning For Calling Obama A ‘weak’ Leader, Even Though He’s Done The Same By Dylan Stableford Yahoo! News, January 26, 2017 President Donald Trump criticized Chelsea Manning on Thursday for referring to former President Barack Obama as a “weak leader.” “Ungrateful TRAITOR Chelsea Manning, who should never have been released from prison, is now calling President Obama a weak leader,” Trump tweeted. “Terrible!” Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump Ungrateful TRAITOR Chelsea Manning, who should never have been released from prison, is now calling President Obama a weak leader. Terrible! 5:04 AM – 26 Jan 2017 25,223 25,223 Retweets 108,724 108,724 likes DHS-17-0435-A-000570 CBP FOIA000570 184 Before leaving office earlier this month, Obama commuted the former Army intelligence analyst’s 35-year prison sentence for leaking U.S. military logs and diplomatic cables to WikiLeaks in 2010. Contrary to Trump’s tweet, Manning has yet to be released; she is due to be freed on May 17. The incoming Trump administration said Obama’s decision “sends a very troubling message when it comes to the handling of classified information and [the] consequences to those who leak information that threatens the safety of our nation.” Obama defended the move, saying that Manning had taken “responsibility” for her crime — and the sentence she had received was “very disproportionate” to those given to other leakers. “Let’s be clear, Chelsea Manning has served a tough prison sentence,” Obama said at his final press conference as president. “So the notion that the average person who was thinking about disclosing vital classified information would think that it goes unpunished, I don’t think [they] would get that impression from the sentence that Chelsea Manning has served.” In a column published Thursday by the Guardian newspaper, Manning argued that Obama was not “bold enough” — and that some of her fellow officers openly criticized him for being “too weak, or too soft or too sympathetic.” While Trump blasted Manning for describing Obama as “weak,” Trump did the same thing during his presidential campaign. Last June, following the massacre at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub, Trump ripped what he called Obama’s “weak attitude” toward terror. “If you think Orlando was the end of it with this weak attitude and pathetic president we have, it wasn’t, folks,” Trump said at a rally in Las Vegas. In an interview with Fox News host Bill O’Reilly last August, Trump said Obama had been “weak” and “ineffective” as commander in chief. “I know far more about foreign policy than he knows,” Trump said. “I think he’s one of the worst presidents, maybe the worst that we’ve ever had in the history of our country.” Then, after declaring Obama the “founder of ISIS,” Trump blasted Obama as “so weak and so bad” at a rally in Pennsylvania. Even before Trump launched his campaign, he often used “weak” to tweak Obama on Twitter. Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump The only global warming that people should be concerned with is the global warming caused by nuclear weapons because of our weak U.S. leader 7:22 PM – 14 Jul 2014 490 490 Retweets 481 481 likes Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump Isn’t it sad the way Putin is toying with Obama regarding Snowden. We look weak and pathetic. Could not happen with.a strong leader! 10:49 PM – 1 Aug 2013 476 476 Retweets 385 385 likes Meanwhile, like many of Trump’s other tweets, his missive about Manning appears to have been inspired by a cable news report he may have been watching. View image on Twitter View image on Twitter Brian Stelter ✔ @brianstelter 14 minutes apart: Fox says “ungrateful traitor,” Trump says “ungrateful traitor,” Fox says “weak leader,” Trump says “weak leader.” 6:29 AM – 26 Jan 2017 11,288 11,288 Retweets 14,155 14,155 likes View image on Twitter View image on Twitter Follow Michael Calderone ✔ @mlcalderone Trump calls Manning an “ungrateful traitor” right after Fox News aired this: http://wapo.st/2k73pPS 7:02 AM – 26 Jan 2017 306 306 Retweets 373 373 likes President Trump Calls Chelsea Manning An ‘Ungrateful Traitor’ For Criticizing Obama : NPR By Danielle Kurtzleben NPR, January 26, 2017 Donald Trump took aim at Chelsea Manning in an early morning tweet on Thursday. The tweet appears to refer to an op-ed published in The Guardian on Thursday morning, in which former Army Pvt. Chelsea Manning criticizes former President Obama as having been too willing to attempt compromise with his political opponents and being insufficiently progressive. She did not, however, call Obama a “weak leader” in so many words, as Trump’s tweet might suggest. Manning leaked hundreds of thousands of documents to WikiLeaks in 2010 and was subsequently sentenced to a 35-year prison term. After seven years in prison for Manning, President Obama commuted that sentence last week, just before leaving office. Manning acknowledged that Obama’s opponents were unusually obstinate, writing that the former president “faced unparalleled resistance from his opponents, many of whom wanted him to fail.” However, Manning excoriated Obama for, in her eyes, compromising too much on health care and foreign policy, and she called for “a strong and unapologetic progressive” to lead the United States. DHS-17-0435-A-000571 CBP FOIA000571 185 It wasn’t clear whether Trump’s tweet was intended to come to Obama’s defense — Trump, after all, has slammed the former president on many occasions. Rather, it may have been an opportunity to both criticize Manning and draw attention to criticism of Obama — criticism coming from someone whom Obama recently prevented from serving around 28 more years in prison, no less. Likewise, it’s not clear whether Trump’s tweets were inspired directly by the Guardian column. The tweets came minutes after a Fox News report that could easily have prompted them, as CNN’s Brian Stelter tweeted. Reporting on the column, Fox and Friends First’s Abby Huntsman said that “the disgraced former Army private is slamming President Obama as a weak leader with few permanent accomplishments,” while the words “ungrateful traitor” appeared at the bottom of the screen, as Mediaite pointed out. This wouldn’t be the first time that Trump’s tweets correlate with Fox News segments. As BuzzFeed’s Brandon Wall pointed out earlier this week, a recent tweet about violence in Chicago may also have been inspired by a segment on the O’Reilly Factor. Trump Calls Chelsea Manning A ‘Traitor’ Who Does Not Deserve Freedom By Brian Murphy Washington Post, January 26, 2017 President Trump on Thursday intensified his criticism of the decision to commute the sentence of military leaker Chelsea Manning, calling her a “traitor” who should remain in prison. In a tweet, Trump claimed Manning had called former president Barack Obama a “weak leader” even after her 35- year sentence was commuted in the last days of the Obama administration. Trump appeared to be referring to a column that Manning wrote in the Guardian newspaper. In the commentary, she argued that Obama’s legacy will leave “few permanent accomplishments” because he often sought common ground and compromise rather than battling harder against “unparalleled resistance from his opponents.” Manning wrote: “What we need is an unapologetic progressive leader.” The use of the word “traitor” is often tossed around by political leaders and others to describe alleged acts that threaten national security. But it is rare for a president to brand someone as a traitor, and Trump’s comment raised questions about whether he could try to bring further action against Manning, who is scheduled to be released in May. “Ungrateful TRAITOR Chelsea Manning, who should never have been released from prison, is now calling President Obama a weak leader. Terrible!” Trump wrote. Last week, days before being named White House spokesman, Sean Spicer said Trump was “troubled” by Obama’s commutation of the sentence of Manning, an Army private convicted of taking troves of secret diplomatic and military documents and disclosing them to WikiLeaks. “It’s disappointing, and it sends a very troubling message when it comes to the handling of classified information and to the consequences of those who leak information that threatens the security of our nation,” Spicer told reporters. Spicer called Manning “someone who has given away this country’s secrets,” but he did not directly answer a question about whether Trump would take any steps to reverse or delay Obama’s decision. Obama said that the seven years Manning has served behind bars amounted to enough punishment and that she had been given an excessive sentence. Manning, then known as Bradley Manning, was arrested in Iraq in May 2010 after trasmitting documents to WikiLeaks that came to be known as the Iraq and Afghanistan “War Logs.” Manning also shared a video that showed a U.S. Apache helicopter in Baghdad opening fire on a group of people that the crew believed to be insurgents. Among the dead were two journalists who worked for the Reuters news agency. Manning also leaked documents pertaining to Guantanamo Bay prisoners, as well as 250,000 State Department cables. Manning came out as transgender after her conviction. WikiLeaks Defends Chelsea Manning From President’s Twitter Attack: ‘Trump Is Wrong’ By Andrew Blake Washington Times, January 26, 2017 WikiLeaks came to the defense of the website’s most well-known source Thursday after President Trump lashed out at convicted Army leaker Pvt. Chelsea Manning for reflecting on the Obama administration’s shortcomings in a new op-ed published as she prepares to leave prison. Manning, 29, became the target of one of Mr. Trump’s Twitter tirades early Thursday after The Guardian newspaper published an editorial written by the soon-to-be-released WikiLeaks collaborator critical of former President Barack Obama’s eight years in office. “The one simple lesson to draw from President Obama’s legacy: do not start off with a compromise. They won’t meet you in the middle. Instead, what we need is an unapologetic progressive leader,” Manning wrote, adding that Mr. Obama’s successor must be a person “who is unafraid to be criticized” in spite of having their every move evaluated without end. SEE ALSO: Donald Trump: ‘Ungrateful traitor’ Chelsea Manning ‘should never have been released’ DHS-17-0435-A-000572 CBP FOIA000572 186 “Ungrateful TRAITOR Chelsea Manning, who should never have been released from prison, is now calling President Obama a weak leader. Terrible!” Mr. Trump tweeted in response to the column. “Trump is wrong,” WikiLeaks fired back from its own Twitter account afterward. “Manning was found innocent of ‘aiding the enemy’ & Pentagon admitted under oath no-one harmed.” Indeed, Manning was convicted in 2013 of charges including espionage and theft in connection with providing WikiLeaks with a trove of state secrets obtained during her deployment as an intelligence analyst in the Iraq War. She was acquitted of “aiding the enemy,” however, after military prosecutors failed to show during her court-martial that America’s adversaries benefited from the soldier’s disclosures. And while Manning did use the word “weak” once in her assessment of the Obama administration, it wasn’t exactly a personal critique. Instead, rather, she wrote that Mr. Obama’s opponents “would ceaselessly criticize him for being too weak, or too soft or too sympathetic” on matters of foreign policy and national security. As noted by WikiLeaks, in fact, Mr. Trump has used identical language himself in the past with respect to describing his predecessor and countless other critics. “Trump denounces Manning for agreeing with him,” WikiLeaks said in a separate tweet Thursday accompanied by a screenshot of the president accusing Mr. Obama last year of demonstrating “weak leadership.” A review of Mr. Trump’s Twitter activity reveals the president has previously used the word “weak” not only to repeatedly describe Mr. Obama, but also former Democratic presidential contender Hillary Clinton, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, Republican House Leader Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, Republican Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona, Independent Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont, Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, CNN host Rick Wilson, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the department store chain Macy’s, the ending of the 2015 movie “Unbroken” and entrepreneur Mark Cuban, in addition to many of his former 2016 GOP rivals for the presidency. Mr. Obama announced days before leaving office this month that he has agreed to commute the remainder of Manning’s 35-year prison sentence, paving the way for the soldier to be released this May after roughly seven years in military prison. Prior to her arrest in 2010, Manning admittedly provided WikiLeaks with a trove of documents including diplomatic cables and war logs taken from State Department and military computer systems, respectively. Mr. Trump’s reaction to Manning’s op-ed on Thursday signaled the first time he’s publicly discussed the Army leaker since taking office notwithstanding the president’s frequent praising of WikiLeaks, which infamously published hacked emails obtained from Mrs. Clinton’s presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee in the run-up to last year’s White House race. “I love WikiLeaks!” Mr. Trump pronounced at a pre￾election event in Pennsylvania last year. In light of Mr. Trump refusing to release his tax records upon taking office, however, his personal opinion regarding WikiLeaks may very well change soon given the website’s latest efforts: On Sunday, WikiLeaks issued a request for anyone with access to the president’s financial documents to securely upload them to its website. “Trump’s breach of promise over the release of his tax returns is even more gratuitous than Clinton concealing her Goldman Sachs transcripts,” WikiLeaks tweeted. Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. Trump Calls Chelsea Manning’s Critique Of Obama ‘Terrible’ By Margaret Talev Bloomberg Politics, January 26, 2017 President Donald Trump said it is “terrible” that Chelsea Manning, the Army intelligence analyst convicted of leaking classified material, is now criticizing the leadership of the man who commuted her sentence: former President Barack Obama. “Ungrateful TRAITOR Chelsea Manning, who should never have been released from prison, is now calling President Obama a weak leader,” Trump said Thursday in a message on Twitter. “Terrible!” Manning, in an opinion piece posted Wednesday in the Guardian, said Obama’s “vulnerable” legacy is a reminder that “what we need is a strong and unapologetic progressive to lead us.” Manning said that now the U.S. is “moving into darker times.” Obama announced days before leaving office that he shortened Manning’s sentence and she will be released in May. She was convicted in 2013 and sentenced to 35 years in prison after being arrested in 2010 for leaking 700,000 military files and diplomatic cables to WikiLeaks. Manning “took responsibility for her crime” and the punishment was “very disproportionate” compared “to what other leakers had received,” Obama said, adding that “I feel very comfortable that justice has been served and a message has still been sent.” Trump disagreed with Obama’s action. Trump Calls Chelsea Manning An ‘Ungrateful Traitor’ After Obama Remarks By Nicole Hernandez Boston Globe, January 26, 2017 DHS-17-0435-A-000573 CBP FOIA000573 187 President Donald Trump took aim at Chelsea Manning Thursday morning after she attacked former president Barack Obama in a column published in the Guardian the day before. Ungrateful TRAITOR Chelsea Manning, who should never have been released from prison, is now calling President Obama a weak leader. Terrible!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 26, 2017 Manning did not call Obama a “weak leader” as President Trump claimed in the tweet but did write that liberals should learn from his mistakes of compromising with his political foes. Shortly before leaving the White House, Obama had commuted the 35-year sentence for the Army intelligence officer who leaked more than 700,000 classified documents to WikiLeaks. Manning will now be released from the military prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., in May. In her first column since the commutation, Manning wrote that Obama leaves behind a “vulnerable legacy.” “The one simple lesson to draw from President Obama’s legacy: do not start off with a compromise. They won’t meet you in the middle. Instead, what we need is an unapologetic progressive leader,” she wrote. Manning was known as Bradley Manning when she leaked the archives and came out as transgender after she was sentenced in 2013. LGBT rights groups took up her cause and lobbied then-president Obama to grant her clemency. President Trump cannot undo the commutation. Material from the Associated Press was used in this report. Nicole Hernandez can be reached at nicole.hernandez@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @NRHSJax. President Trump Says Homicides In Philadelphia Are ‘terribly Increasing.’ They Are Actually Down. By Mark Berman Washington Post, January 26, 2017 Speaking in Philadelphia on Thursday, President Trump made one of his trademark digressions into a discussion of violent crime. Mentioning the increase in violent crime in some major cities nationwide — which is true, homicides have gone up in numerous big cities — Trump also pointed to the city where he was speaking during a Republican strategy retreat. “Here in Philadelphia, the murder rate has been steady — I mean just terribly increasing,” he said. The opposite is true. According to the Philadelphia Police Department, the city finished last year with 277 homicides, which was actually down from the 280 killings seen a year earlier. All told, homicides are down considerably over the past decade after reaching 391 homicides in 2007: Homicides are up so far this year, though. Police say there have been 27 homicides through Wednesday night, up from 17 at the same point last year. But that is too small a sample size to say violence is “terribly increasing.” Trump has repeatedly weighed in on violent crime, using his acceptance speech at the Republican convention (“crime and terrorism and lawlessness”) and his inaugural address (“American carnage”) to paint a dire picture of a crime-ridden country. While some of his comments and characterizations are correct, he tends to exaggerate or misstate other things when discussing the issue. For example, the murder rate is not the highest it has been for 45 years, despite Trump’s repeated claim that this is the case. While violent crime and murders both went up in 2015, and multiple big cities reported similar increases last year, the levels of violence still remain far below what they were decades earlier, and the upticks follow years of consistent declines. However, criminologists and other experts warn against drawing too many conclusions from such a short span of time. Trump’s Call For ‘Feds’ In Chicago Confounds City Leaders, Police Experts By Andrea Noble Washington Times, January 26, 2017 President Trump’s threat to “send in the feds” to Chicago if the city is unable to reduce violent crime is stirring consternation among law enforcement and policing experts, who say the president’s comments could be interpreted broadly as anything from sending in the National Guard to increasing federal funding for law enforcement. Responding to the president’s criticism on Wednesday, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said that while he welcomes federal involvement and funding, the notion of sending the National Guard into the city is “antithetical” to the spirit of community policing and trust he’s working to repair. “Chicago, like other cities that are dealing with gun violence, wants the partnership with federal law enforcement entities in a more significant way than we [have] today — whether that’s the FBI, the DEA and the ATF,” Mr. Emanuel said, suggesting that investment in schools and mentoring children also need to be part of the equation. In the tweet Tuesday night, Mr. Trump wrote, “If Chicago doesn’t fix the horrible ‘carnage’ going on, 228 shootings in 2017 with 42 killings (up 24% from 2016), I will send in the Feds!” White House press secretary Sean Spicer sought to clarify the president’s comments Wednesday, saying his concern was spurred by “turning on the television and seeing Americans get killed by shootings.” DHS-17-0435-A-000574 CBP FOIA000574 188 “What he wants to do is provide the resources of the federal government, and it can span a bunch of things. There’s no one thing,” Mr. Spicer said, citing federal law enforcement aid that could be requested by Illinois’ governor or provided to the state’s U.S. Attorney’s Offices. Mr. Spicer said any next steps in addressing the city’s violence will involve a dialogue with the mayor “to figure out what a path forward can be.” While the federal government can take varied actions to help local police combat crime, policing experts say one thing is clear — the federal government can’t simply take over as the chief law enforcement agency in the city. “The feds don’t do policing,” said Daniel Nagin, a criminologist and professor of Public Policy and Statistics at Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College. “A critical ingredient to getting this under control is going to require aggressive police action. Only the Chicago police can do that.” James Pasco, executive director of the National Fraternal Order of Police, said Wednesday that he interprets Mr. Trump’s comments as directing more federal law enforcement to assist Chicago police, not instructing them to take over. “The feds can be tremendously helpful, and we support the president’s call for assistance,” said Mr. Pasco, noting that Chicago police have the principal responsibility and are best equipped to lead the efforts to reduce crime. “They [feds] are there to assist, not to take over.” The Chicago Police Department is in the midst of what could be a major overhaul, and in recent months has suffered from a lack of community trust as a result of high-profile law enforcement shootings of black civilians. ‘Not immediately clear’ A Department of Justice report released just before Mr. Trump’s inauguration concluded officers were quick to use excessive and deadly force, failed to de-escalate tense situations and engaged in other behavior that not only violated constitutional rights, but diminished the department’s ability to fight crime. After the release of critical reports in other cities, a federal judge has often overseen implementation of police reform plans, but it is unclear what action the Trump administration will take. Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson on Wednesday told the Chicago Tribune that he was baffled by the unspecified nature of Mr. Trump’s comments about sending in the federal government. “The statement is so broad. I have no idea what he’s talking about,” said Superintendent Johnson. The city’s top cop said he would oppose any plan that included deploying the National Guard to quell the violence, but he would be supportive of federal partnerships aimed at prosecuting more gun crimes. Tim Lynch, director of the Cato Institute’s Project on Criminal Justice, said the federal law enforcement agencies could all be asked to step up coordination with the Chicago Police Department, and likely have already done so. Mr. Lynch suggested the U.S. Marshals Service, for instance, could prioritize cases in order to help locate potential witnesses to unsolved homicides in an effort to make arrests while the Federal Bureau of Investigation or the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives might add extra resources in the Chicago area to target illegal gunrunners or wanted offenders police believe are tied to ongoing violence in order to get them off the street. “This has already been going on to some extent though, so when Mr. Trump says ‘I will take further action,’ it’s not immediately clear what he means,” he said. “If it goes beyond, then it could be very disturbing in terms of what he perceives the role of the federal government to be in situations like this.” While Mr. Spicer suggested federal aid for law enforcement could be made available, the city is at risk of losing federal dollars allocated for other purposes as a result of its status as a so-called “sanctuary city” — one of hundreds of jurisdictions across the country that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement agents. Mr. Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order that would deny federal grants, except those deemed necessary for law enforcement purposes, to any sanctuary jurisdiction. Mr. Emanuel, who previously served as former President Obama’s chief of staff, said Wednesday that Chicago would remain a sanctuary city. Freddy Martinez, director of Lucy Parsons Labs, which has advocated more oversight and transparency in the Chicago Police Department, said Mr. Trump’s and Mr. Emanuel’s stances on the issue are worrisome. “Whatever happens with sanctuary cities and possible defunding of programs, that is going to hit the things that [are] driving the inequality and the things driving the violence,” Mr. Martinez said. Of the funding destined for police the Trump administration might allocate, Mr. Martinez said he doesn’t think it will quell the violence. “I don’t think it’s going to help. It’s going to militarize police further,” he said. Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. Trump Criticizes ‘S.N.L.’ Writer Who Joked About His Son Barron By Dave Itzkoff New York Times, January 26, 2017 DHS-17-0435-A-000575 CBP FOIA000575 189 President Trump weighed in on a widely criticized joke made on Twitter by a writer for “Saturday Night Live” about his 10-year-old son, Barron, calling the writer “terrible” and the incident “a disgrace” in an interview broadcast Thursday night on Fox News. In the conversation with Mr. Trump, the Fox News host Sean Hannity described Barron as “a wonderful, smart, charming kid,” adding: “And then, they attack him. That’s got to hurt you and Melania.” Mr. Trump replied: “Well, ‘Saturday Night Live’ — a person from ‘Saturday Night Live’ was terrible. It’s a failing show. It’s not funny. Alec Baldwin’s a disaster. He’s terrible on the show and, by the way, I don’t mind some humor but it’s terrible. But for them to attack, for NBC to attack my 10- year-old son —” Mr. Hannity said, “Horrible.” Mr. Trump continued: “It’s a disgrace. He’s a great boy. And it’s not an easy thing for him. Believe me.” Mr. Trump’s remarks were reported by Deadline.com. Last Friday, during Mr. Trump’s inauguration, Katie Rich, a writer for “Saturday Night Live,” wrote on her Twitter account that “Barron will be this country’s first homeschool shooter.” Amid an outcry, Ms. Rich deleted the tweet. She was placed on an indefinite suspension from the show, and her name did not appear in the credits of the episode broadcast last weekend. On Monday, she posted an apology on Twitter, writing: “I deeply regret my actions & offensive words. It was inexcusable & I’m so sorry.” Mr. Trump, who hosted “S.N.L.” in November 2015 while a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, has become a frequent critic of the show and of Mr. Baldwin, who portrays him in comedy sketches. A statement released on Tuesday by the White House press office said: “It is a longstanding tradition that the children of presidents are afforded the opportunity to grow up outside of the political spotlight. The White House fully expects this tradition to continue.” NBC declined to comment on Thursday night. Trump Strategist Steve Bannon Says Media Should ‘Keep Its Mouth Shut’ By Michael M. Grynbaum New York Times, January 26, 2017 WASHINGTON — Stephen K. Bannon, President Trump’s chief White House strategist, laced into the American press during an interview on Wednesday evening, arguing that news organizations had been “humiliated” by an election outcome few anticipated, and repeatedly describing the media as “the opposition party” of the current administration. “The media should be embarrassed and humiliated and keep its mouth shut and just listen for awhile,” Mr. Bannon said during a telephone call. “I want you to quote this,” Mr. Bannon added. “The media here is the opposition party. They don’t understand this country. They still do not understand why Donald Trump is the president of the United States.” The scathing assessment — delivered by one of Mr. Trump’s most trusted and influential advisers, in the first days of his presidency — comes at a moment of high tension between the news media and the administration, with skirmishes over the size of Mr. Trump’s inaugural crowd and the president’s false claims that millions of illegal votes by undocumented immigrants swayed the popular vote against him. Mr. Bannon, who rarely grants interviews to journalists outside of Breitbart News, the provocative right-wing website he ran until last August, was echoing comments by Mr. Trump this weekend, when the president said he was in “a running war” with the media and called journalists “among the most dishonest people on earth.” During a call to discuss Sean M. Spicer, the president’s press secretary, Mr. Bannon ratcheted up the criticism, offering a broad indictment of the news media as biased against Mr. Trump and out of touch with the American public. That’s an argument familiar to readers of Breitbart and followers of Trump-friendly personalities like Sean Hannity. “The elite media got it dead wrong, 100 percent dead wrong,” Mr. Bannon said of the election, calling it “a humiliating defeat that they will never wash away, that will always be there.” “The mainstream media has not fired or terminated anyone associated with following our campaign,” Mr. Bannon said. “Look at the Twitter feeds of those people: they were outright activists of the Clinton campaign.” (He did not name specific reporters or editors.) “That’s why you have no power,” Mr. Bannon added. “You were humiliated.” Of all of Mr. Trump’s advisers in the White House, Mr. Bannon is the one tasked with implementing the nationalist vision that Mr. Trump channeled during the later months of the campaign, one that stemmed from Mr. Bannon himself. And in many ways Mr. Trump’s first week has put into action that vision — from the description of “American carnage’’ Mr. Trump laid out in his inauguration speech, to a series of executive actions outlining policy on trade agreements, immigration, the building of a border wall and the demands that Mexico pay for it. He is one of the strongest forces in a White House with competing power centers. A savvy manipulator of the press, and a proud provocateur, Mr. Bannon was among the few advisers in Mr. Trump’s circle who was said to have urged on Mr. Spicer’s confrontational, emotional statement to a DHS-17-0435-A-000576 CBP FOIA000576 190 shocked White House briefing room on Saturday, when the White House disputed press reports on the inauguration crowd size. He mostly shares Mr. Trump’s view that the news media has misunderstood the movement that the president rode into office. On the telephone, Mr. Bannon spoke in blunt but calm tones, peppered with a dose of profanities, and humorously referred to himself at one point as “Darth Vader.” He said, with ironic relish, that Mr. Trump was elected by a surge of support from “the working class hobbits and deplorables.” The conversation was initiated by Mr. Bannon to offer praise for Mr. Spicer, who has been criticized this week for making false claims at the White House podium about the attendance of Mr. Trump’s inaugural crowd, for calling reporters dishonest and lecturing them about what stories to write and for failing to disavow Mr. Trump’s lie about widespread voter fraud in the election. Asked if he was concerned that Mr. Spicer had lost credibility with the news media, Mr. Bannon chortled. “Are you kidding me?” he said. “We think that’s a badge of honor. ‘Questioning his integrity’ — are you kidding me? The media has zero integrity, zero intelligence, and no hard work.” “You’re the opposition party,” Mr. Bannon said. “Not the Democratic Party. You’re the opposition party. The media’s the opposition party.” Mr. Bannon mostly referred to the “elite” or “mainstream” media, but he cited The New York Times and The Washington Post by name. “The paper of record for our beloved republic, The New York Times, should be absolutely ashamed and humiliated,” Mr. Bannon said. “They got it 100 percent wrong.” He added that he has been a reader of The Times for most of his adult life. In His First Major TV Interview As President, Trump Is Endlessly Obsessed About His Popularity By Jenna Johnson Washington Post, January 26, 2017 The way President Trump tells it, the meandering, falsehood-filled, self-involved speech that he gave at the Central Intelligence Agency headquarters last weekend was one of the greatest addresses ever given. “That speech was a home run,” Trump told ABC News just a few minutes into his first major television interview since moving into the White House. “See what Fox said. They said it was one of the great speeches. They showed the people applauding and screaming. … I got a standing ovation. In fact, they said it was the biggest standing ovation since Peyton Manning had won the Super Bowl, and they said it was equal. I got a standing ovation. It lasted for a long period of time.” The most powerful man in the world continued: “You probably ran it live. I know when I do good speeches. I know when I do bad speeches. That speech was a total home run. They loved it. … People loved it. They loved it. They gave me a standing ovation for a long period of time. They never even sat down, most of them, during the speech. There was love in the room. You and other networks covered it very inaccurately. … That speech was a good speech. And you and a couple of other networks tried to downplay that speech. And it was very, very unfortunate that you did.” Trump brushed off the suggestion that it was disrespectful to deliver the speech — which included musings about magazine covers and crowd sizes — in front of a hallowed memorial to CIA agents killed in the line of duty. He insisted that the crowd was filled with “the people of the CIA,” not his supporters, and could have been several times larger than it was. Had a poll been taken of the 350-person audience to gauge the speech’s greatness, Trump said the result would have been “350 to nothing” in his favor. The lengthy interview, which aired late Wednesday night, provided a glimpse of the president and his state-of￾mind on his fifth full day in office. It revealed a man who is obsessed with his own popularity and eager to provide evidence of his likability, even if that evidence doesn’t match reality. Trump insisted that he could have “very, very easily” won the popular vote in the election — which concluded more than 11 weeks ago — had he simply tried. He again suggested that Democrat Hillary Clinton won the popular vote because of widespread voter fraud, of which there is no evidence. He hinted that he thinks voter fraud might have also helped elect former president Barack Obama, whose favorability ratings were higher than his on Inauguration Day. He justified some of his unsubstantiated claims by saying that millions of his supporters agree with him. He did acknowledge that his own approval rating is “pretty bad,” but he blamed that on the media. Trump plugged an “extraordinary poll” that he said found that people “loved and liked” his inaugural address. He again claimed to have “the biggest crowd in the history of inaugural speeches” and accused the media of demeaning his supporters by underreporting turnout. Trump also took credit for the Dow Jones industrial average closing above 20,000 for the first time on Wednesday, referred to a former rival as “one of the combatants that I fought to get here” and said that a recent visitor told him that their meeting “was the single greatest meeting I’ve ever had with anybody.” Even some of the discussion of policy seemed to come back to the fight for popularity, with Trump summing up his plan to replace the Affordable Care Act in this place: “Millions of people will be happy. Right now, you have millions and millions and millions of people that are unhappy.” DHS-17-0435-A-000577 CBP FOIA000577 191 Four times, the president referred to himself in the third￾person. The interview revealed just how preoccupied Trump is with two variables that are gumming up his claim of being widely beloved: Losing the popular vote to Clinton and hosting an inauguration crowd that was smaller than in previous years. “I would’ve won the popular vote if I was campaigning for the popular vote,” Trump said. “I would’ve gone to California, where I didn’t go at all. I would’ve gone to New York, where I didn’t campaign at all. I would’ve gone to a couple of places that I didn’t go to. And I would’ve won that much easier than winning the electoral college.” And even without trying to win the popular vote, Trump has said that he did win the popular vote — if you don’t count the millions of fraudulent votes he believes were cast, although state elections officials say they have seen no evidence of that. “You have people that are registered who are dead, who are illegals,” said Trump, who has called for an investigation. “You have people registered in two states. They’re registered in New York and New Jersey. They vote twice. There are millions of votes, in my opinion.” When pressed to back up his accusations, Trump pointed to a 2012 Pew Center report. When ABC’s David Muir said the author of that report found “no evidence of voter fraud,” Trump attacked that author. “Excuse me,” the president snapped. “Then why did he write the report?” “He’s groveling again,” Trump said, repeating the word that he used to describe the gesture he made when imitating New York Times reporter Serge Kovaleski, who wrote an article in 2001 that Trump recently tried to use as evidence that thousands of Muslims celebrated 9/11 on New Jersey rooftops, a rumor that has been repeatedly debunked. Many have interpreted Trump’s movements as mocking Kovaleski’s physical disability, not mimicking a person groveling. “You know,” Trump continued, “I always talk about the reporters that grovel when they want to write something that you want to hear, but not necessarily millions of people want to hear, or have to hear.” Muir attempted to get the president back on topic: “So you’ve launched an investigation?” “We’re going to launch an investigation to find out,” Trump said. “And then the next time — and I will say this: Of those votes cast, none of them come to me. None of them come to me. They would all be for the other side. None of them come to me.” Muir listed the reactions of prominent Republicans who do not agree with Trump on this and are alarmed that he is challenging the credibility of the election system. “Well, let me just tell you, you know what’s important? Millions of people agree with me when I say that,” Trump said. “If you would have looked on one of the other networks and all of the people that were calling in, they’re saying, ‘We agree with Mr. Trump. We agree.’ They’re very smart people.” Muir then transitioned into Trump’s inauguration crowd size, asking the president why his press secretary delivered a statement on that topic on Saturday. “Does that send a message to the American people that that’s more important than some of the very pressing issues?” Muir said. “Part of my whole victory was that the men and women of this country who have been forgotten will never be forgotten again,” Trump said. “We had a massive crowd of people. We had a crowd. I looked over that sea of people and I said to myself: ‘Wow.’ And I’ve seen crowds before. Big, big crowds. That was some crowd. When I looked at the numbers that happened to come in from all of the various sources, we had the biggest audience in the history of inaugural speeches. I said, the men and women that I was talking to who came out and voted will never be forgotten again. Therefore, I won’t allow you or other people like you to demean that crowd and to demean the people that came to Washington, D.C., from faraway places because they like me. But more importantly, they like what I’m saying.” Later in the interview, Muir asked the president about the hundreds of thousands of people who gathered in major cities and red-state towns across the country on Saturday to voice their opposition to his presidency. Trump admitted that the crowds were “large,” but then argued that an antiabortion march scheduled for Friday is also expecting a large crowd. “You will have a very large crowd of people. I don’t know, as large or larger — some people say it’s going to be larger,” Trump said. Muir cut him off: “I don’t want to compare crowd sizes again.” But Trump did. As the two toured Trump’s new home, the president stopped in front of a framed photo of his inauguration crowd. “Here’s a picture of the crowd,” the president explained to the nation he now leads. “Now, the audience was the biggest ever, but this crowd was massive. Look how far back it goes. This crowd was massive. And I would actually take that camera and take your time [scanning the crowd] if you want to know the truth.” Then the president took Muir to see another image, a panoramic photo by a local artist who has taken the exact same shot at each inauguration since Reagan was in office. (The other years were not presented for contrast.) “One thing this shows is how far over they go here,” Trump said, walking up close to the print and pointing as he spoke. “Look. Look how far this is. This goes all the way down here. All the way down. Nobody sees that. You don’t see that in the pictures. But when you look at this tremendous sea of love — I call it a sea of love. It’s really something DHS-17-0435-A-000578 CBP FOIA000578 192 special, that all these people traveled here from all parts of the country, maybe the world, but all parts of the country. Hard for them to get here. Many of these people were the forgotten men and women, many of them. And they loved what I had to say. More importantly, they’re going to love the result.” Washington’s New Normal: A Trump Protest Spectacle A Day By Petula Dvorak Washington Post, January 26, 2017 We began Wednesday morning with the sight of Greenpeace activists scaling a 270-foot construction crane in downtown Washington and unfurling a gigantic orange and black banner that bore the message: “RESIST.” We ended the day with several hundred protesters marching to the White House to condemn President Trump’s executive order on immigration. Welcome to Trump’s capital. It’s a spectacle a day here. Self-proclaimed anarchists swarmed through downtown D.C. on Trump’s Inauguration Day, torching a limousine, smashing bus-stop glass and vandalizing businesses. Then hundreds of thousands of people massed on the Mall the following day for the Women’s March on Washington, waving clever and sometimes scathing signs aimed at the new commander in chief: “There Is So Much Wrong It Cannot Fit on This Sign” and “We Want a Leader, Not a Creepy Tweeter.” Coming Friday: The annual March for Life, which will bring tens of thousands of newly energized antiabortion demonstrators to the nation’s front yard. Even the country’s scientists are planning a march on Washington. Meetings? Deadlines? Schedules? All plans are soft in the District, a city where people chanting in the streets or rappelling off construction cranes bring traffic to a halt. The working world is feeling it. #Thisisnotnormal. I have to confess that I’ve always been a street protest skeptic. This comes from decades of covering protests. I’ve double-time marched backward for miles, interviewing people about apartheid, gay rights, abortion, Rodney King, racism, Palestine, globalization, layoffs, public dancing, the World Bank, female genital mutilation, women’s rights, the death penalty, homelessness and war after war. I’ve slept in the bushes to hang with the protesters, I’ve been in the control rooms as police chiefs strategize riot control. Yet I’ll never forget talking with the banker in his crisp suit and air-conditioned office, looking out the window at the protesters below and just laughing, laughing, laughing. Because he knew they’d eventually be gone and nothing would change. That reality dulled the power of protest for me. Even one of the founders of the Occupy Wall Street movement, which spread to 82 countries and had millions of people in the streets, agreed with my assessment. “The end of protest is the proliferation of ineffective protests that are more like a ritualized performance of children than a mature, revolutionary challenge to the status quo,” said Micah White, who wrote “The End of Protest — A New Playbook for Revolution” after the Occupy movement had the world’s attention, then sputtered and stalled in a pile of ragged tents and trashed city parks. “Activists who rush into the streets tomorrow and repeat yesterday’s tired tactics will not bring an end to Trump nor will they transfer sovereign power to the people,” White wrote. “There are only two ways to achieve sovereignty in this world. Activists can win elections or win wars. There is no third option.” But this time feels different. Keep it up, protesters, because this time, it’s working. You’re getting to him. This daily public humiliation — the massive, televised rejection of the direction of this administration — Donald Trump cares about that. The war hawks didn’t care. The bankers didn’t care. The party hard-liners didn’t care. But Trump cares. He’s a showman, a ringmaster, a ratings junkie. And nothing angers an attention addict more than a bigger, louder show next door. This is Trump’s language. It’s not going to change policy, but it will rankle and distract him. And it will signal to the rest of the world that most of America isn’t on board the lying train to Absurdistan. The letters and calls to Congress, the preparation for 2018 elections and the full-throated participation in all levels of the democratic process are ultimately the only path to real change. But meanwhile, the protests will be effective if they’re peaceful, on point and relentless. Remember all those post-election vandals arrested in Oregon who didn’t even vote? Nope. Can’t do that again. And no more torching limos. The one that was set ablaze on K Street in front of The Washington Post belonged to a Muslim immigrant who has no idea if his insurance will cover the tens of thousands of dollars of damage. And the one-percenter riding in it just called another one. Here’s my protest prescription: Anti-Trump activists need go to every single Trump hotel in this country and around the world and set up legal, peaceful, annoying-as-hell vigils. Occupy them day and night. Take shifts, don’t leave. Make it really uncomfortable to stay there. Oh, he’ll see that. And it will infuriate him. This should be the new normal. This time, it will work. Twitter: @petulad DHS-17-0435-A-000579 CBP FOIA000579 193 ‘They Never Saw This Coming’: A Q&A With Kellyanne Conway By Joe Heim Washington Post Magazine, January 26, 2017 When Kellyanne Conway took over as Donald Trump’s presidential campaign manager in August — his third in under a year — there were few signs that Trump would emerge victorious on election night just three months later. He was trailing Hillary Clinton in some polls by 10 points nationally, and the gap was widening in battleground states. Twitter attacks by Trump on Khizr Khan, the father of an American Muslim Army captain killed in Iraq, and his metastasizing list of other Twitter and campaign rally barbs weren’t helping his favorability ratings, particularly among women. Conway was known in political circles for her research firm, the Polling Company/WomanTrend, which she launched in 1995 in part to provide candidates and companies with studies and analysis of the concerns and aspirations of American women. Even though she had criticized Trump on numerous occasions earlier in the year, Conway was seen as someone who could bring discipline to the first-time candidate. And as a longtime Republican strategist and pollster with experience working for male candidates (Newt Gingrich, Ted Cruz, Mike Pence) who had trouble appealing to women voters, she was seen by politicos as well-suited to help Trump’s troubled bid. Conway, who turned 50 on Inauguration Day, now serves as counselor to the president in the White House, where she immediately made news defending what she called “alternative facts” related to inauguration attendance. [In his first major TV interview as president, Trump is endlessly obsessed with his popularity] The only child of a single mother, Conway grew up in a working-class household in Atco, N.J. She has long-standing ties to Washington, having graduated from Trinity Washington University and George Washington University Law School. She and her husband, George, have four children. This interview took place at Trump Tower a week before the inauguration. How would you describe the past six months for you? The past six months for me, professionally, have been the apex of my career. People say, “Congratulations, Kellyanne. You’re successful because you work hard.” I do work hard, but so many people, so many women in this country work hard. But they don’t often get what I got, which was my shot and my time to help manage and execute on a plan and a vision at the highest levels of politics and government. And that’s very rewarding to me because in many ways my life in the last six months really reflects the American Dream writ large. I was raised by a single mom, in a unconventional household of four Italian Catholic women, and I was the first person to go to college, let alone law school, in my family. I started my business at 28. Like a Generation Xer, I married later, had children later and was very focused on my career. I’m a granddaughter of immigrants, and it’s a very common American experience. But the last six months have been exhausting, exhilarating, heady and roller-coaster-like in terms of all the situations and circumstances that just come our way constantly when you’re on Team Trump. At the same time there was a certain steadiness and composure and decorum and calmness that I’ve experienced. Part of that is age/wisdom, and part of that is trying to be an anchor in the storm. The storm being not the campaign or Mr. Trump, the storm being all of the situational, circumstantial incoming that we constantly took. You mentioned your mother. On election night did she say anything to you? She told me for weeks and months before election night that Donald Trump would win. But on election night she told me what she’s been telling me my entire life, which is, basically, be yourself, have fun and accept whatever God has coming. When you hear that from your mother, “Accept what God has coming,” that has to be everything from a broken relationship or a broken heart when you’re younger to not gaining entry into your reach college to burying a loved one unexpectedly. But my mother telling me that for years also made me see what a blessing and opportunity it was for Donald Trump to ask me to be his campaign manager. How big a deal is it to you that you were the first female campaign manager to win a presidential election? It’s a bigger deal now in retrospect. I never gave it much thought during the campaign. And neither did Donald Trump. The day that we discussed this role of campaign manager, he never said, “Hey, this will be great. I’ll make history with the first Republican female campaign manager.” He never said this will help with women’s votes — he never said any of that. So I appreciate very much that I was promoted based on skills and vision and compatibility with him. And him knowing that I would respectfully execute on his vision. This is his candidacy, this is his voice, his choice, and I’m just one member of an amazing team to help execute on that. But looking back, I feel the enormity of that moment in time, mainly because of all the people I’ve heard from. I consider myself more passionate than emotional, but it is nothing short of moving to hear from women and girls from all over the country and from men who say, “My daughters think you’re a role model.” You don’t consider yourself a feminist? I don’t consider myself a feminist. I think my generation isn’t a big fan of labels. My favorite label is mommy. I feel like the feminist movement has been hijacked by the pro-abortion movement or the anti-male sentiments that you read in some of their propaganda and writings. I’m not anti-male. One does DHS-17-0435-A-000580 CBP FOIA000580 194 not need to be pro-female and call yourself a feminist, when with it comes that whole anti-male culture where we want young boys to sit down and shut up in the classroom. And we have all of these commercials that show what a feckless boob the man in the house is. That’s not the way I see the men in my life, most especially my 12-year-old son. I consider myself a postfeminist. I consider myself one of those women who is a product of her choices, not a victim of her circumstances. Have you talked to your father since the election? Oh, many times. What’s your relationship with him? My father left when I was very young. I didn’t meet him until I was 12 or 13. We had no alimony, no child support. He went on to have another family. He’s been married four times. [Now] he’s an active part of our lives, in part because he wants that, and in part because he deserves that. My operating principle as a typical Generation Xer, a child of divorce, is that you don’t pass that on to the next generation. If there’s hurt or there’s pain or there’s regret or there’s been anger and sadness, there’s no reason to pass that on. Did you have to go through a difficult period to come to terms with that, or has that always been true for you? No. I think when I see my husband’s positive and loving relationship with our three daughters, and we have a son, I realize the unspoken scourge of paternal rejection. And how that had a negative impact on some of my earlier choices and certainly circumstances. But as I age and have more wisdom and seasoning and self-confidence, the positive effect of that is to recognize how nice it is that my daughters have constant paternal reaffirmation and love. But it’s also made me independent. And maybe healthily skeptical of some people and situations. I didn’t get married until I was 34, and I had been very independent, started my own business, paid off my student loans, had lived on my own since I was 18. In the early part of last year, you were very critical of Donald Trump. You called his supporters “downright nasty.” You said Trump built his businesses on “the backs of the little guy.” You said he should release his tax returns, said his language was unpresidential. So why did you decide in July to join his campaign? Well, those are cherry-picked comments. There’s also an entire body of evidence that I always have supported him, thought he added a great deal to the political conversation and to giving people more hope and the freshest alternative to conventional politics that they told pollsters for 30 years that they wanted. Yes, but when you said — Yeah, those were situational. You have to understand something. I grew up around Atlantic City. My mother worked there for 21 years, and that was our sole source of support. She was left with no alimony, no child support whatsoever when I was 2 or 3. When the casinos came to Atlantic City, and that included Donald Trump and others, it revitalized an entire corridor between Atlantic City and Philadelphia. People then had jobs and benefits and opportunities, and I benefited directly from that through my mother and other family members. And I don’t think he should release his tax returns now that I know more than I knew when I made that comment, which is that he’s under audit. And he has been advised by his accountants and his lawyers to not release them. And I know firsthand as a pollster that Americans are much more interested in knowing what their tax returns will look like when he’s president than in seeing his tax returns. [A recent Washington Post-ABC News poll found that 74 percent of Americans believe Trump should release his tax returns, with 41 percent saying they care “a lot” that he does so.] You co-wrote a book, “What Women Really Want: How American Women Are Quietly Erasing Political, Racial, Class, and Religious Lines to Change the Way We Live.” Ten years later, have those lines been erased, or are they bolder than they’ve ever been? For some women they’ve been erased because women of all races and ethnic backgrounds, age groups, socioeconomic status, geographic differences, all work together. They share a common love of this country and the elation/struggles of what it means to be a woman in 2017. But for some women and for people who cover women or speak about women, those lines are somewhat bolder and brighter. I think in politics they seem brighter and bolder. But in everyday parlance, everyday culture, that’s just not true. We’re the peacemakers, we’re the great negotiators, the leaders and the managers of our households, of our workplaces. But why is that not being played out in politics? Because politics goes for the heat and not the light most of the time. Politics looks at division and subtraction, not at addition and multiplication. It’s congenitally negative. It’s corrosively negative, and I think that’s too bad. I’m just one small person in this political universe, but I do know that I infused some level of positivity and respectfulness to the process. And I’m very grateful to have had that opportunity. You pointed out early on last year that Hillary Clinton wasn’t doing well with women and that women were not going to vote for her simply because she was a woman. Would Hillary Clinton have won if you had been her campaign manager? [Long pause.] No, Hillary Clinton could not have won this election cycle for a few reasons. One is she could never really escape the fact that, including according to The Washington Post polling, that persistent, nagging majorities of Americans find her to be dishonest and untrustworthy and didn’t particularly like her, either. Two, it’s not clear to me that this woman who has surrounded herself with talented professionals — I’m very fond of Robby Mook, her campaign DHS-17-0435-A-000581 CBP FOIA000581 195 manager, for example, and I have a cordial relationship with Huma Abedin — had ever surrounded herself with people who would actually tell her no. Or that this isn’t a good idea. Or that this isn’t working. Which every leader needs. The other thing is that the question for Americans was not, Would you vote for a woman? But would you vote for this woman? It wasn’t a hypothetical; it was Hillary. I want to go back to October 7th, which is the day the video came out with Trump talking about women and saying he could “grab them by the p---y.” He didn’t say he did that. Right, he said he could do that. But when I first heard that I thought there was no way someone who said those words could get elected president of the United States. Did you think that? No, never. What was your reaction when you first heard it? I had several reactions. First was to ask him about it, and we discussed it. And I’ll leave it to his public comments about how he felt about it. He recorded the statement right here. It was heartfelt, it was genuine and those were his words. He apologized; he said he doesn’t recognize that, meaning that’s not who he is. And that he’s running for president for a number of reasons, and for the American people, that have nothing to do with that. My reaction, knowing voters as I did, was that we’ll take a hit in the polls — this will be an obsessive story for God knows how long, and people will draw the wrong conclusions. The pundits will draw the wrong conclusions. They’ll say this will kill him among women. And women will look at that and some will say, “I can’t vote for him.” How many of them already weren’t voting for him is the question nobody asks. Other women will say, “He’s right, it’s locker-room talk. I don’t like it, but I know men who talk like that.” Or “I listen to rap music artists or comedians who make zillions of dollars talking like that.” They’ll say, “I don’t like it, but it’s not the totality of the man, and it’s not the totality of the candidate who has promised me bigger things, like my job not going to Mexico or China, like a more affordable, accessible health￾care act that doesn’t crush small business and make promises it never kept to millions of Americans who never had coverage.” Was that the lowest part of the campaign for you? It was probably the most difficult part, but really only temporarily. And the temporary part was because I knew he’d stay in the race. I know who he is. I know his steadfastness and his tenacity and his never backing down, never shirking from a fight, never backing down from a commitment that he made. And I also knew he was going to get on that plane and go to that second debate in St. Louis, and indeed he did. You have four kids. Did you have to explain to them why it was okay that someone who said this would be president? It’s a little bit of a cheap shot to raise my kids into a question like that. I just want to say that because people do it all the time. Let me explain why I don’t think it’s a cheap shot. A lot of people with kids had to explain that to them. Right, but I already had to explain to my children many times why Hillary Clinton lied so many times and, frankly, why she made a different choice when faced with a cheating husband than my mother did. That was to my older children. I had to explain many times why the media were so unfair to Donald Trump. “Why would they say this about Donald Trump, Mom, if you’re working for him?” Because kids and others unfortunately think if it’s on TV it’s true. That probably is no longer the case because people realize that no one on TV is under oath and anything can be said in a screaming chyron or, in the case of The Washington Post, unfair and untrue headlines that are just there for clickbait. Have we had unfair and untrue headlines? Oh, yes, yes. It’s been discussed with Marty Baron and Fred Hiatt and Jeff Bezos because I just saw [Bezos] last week. In any event, it’s tougher to explain to my children why people who don’t know me would say I’m stupid or ugly or even worse online. It’s tougher for them to listen to people on TV laugh at me or Donald Trump, ridicule us and never allow us to really get our message across. That’s tougher. On Twitter and Facebook and social media, people really do say nasty things about you. That’s what I hear. But you don’t really respond to any of it. I don’t engage. Why would I? I’m going to let someone redefine and unravel me based on 140 characters or less? And that is a lesson I try to teach my children. Why would I engage strangers? Why would I engage Never Trumpers who are snarkily trying to undercut us. It’s a combination of professional jealousy and a lack of political instincts. They never saw this coming. And I understand why a lot of people feel embarrassed and why they’re looking over their shoulders wondering will they be the first head to roll at this newspaper or this publication or this TV station. Because they were so aggressively bad in their predictions and they didn’t understand America and we did. I’m told I’m attacked on Twitter all the time, but the fact is if you’re so busy that you can’t read most of the criticism, or most of the praise, it really does keep you grounded. [Opinion | Trump is obsessed with what his staff wears. Don’t let their costumes distract you.] Why do you think Mr. Trump can’t do that? Why does he respond to all the — He doesn’t, honestly. You’re not going to find a more vilified, attacked politician. Do you think the media should change the way it covers Trump? DHS-17-0435-A-000582 CBP FOIA000582 196 We believe in a free and fair media, but with freedom comes responsibility. It would be great for the media to be less presumptively negative and skeptical and more open and honest about their past unfair and untoward coverage of him and their obligation to deliver news, not opinion masquerading as news or their personal beliefs masquerading as news. I was really astonished to see respected print and electronic journalists outwardly admit during the campaign that Donald Trump forces them to suspend the objective standards of journalism. That is just astonishing because their whole idea was: Stop him, stop him, stop him, which implicitly was: Elect her, elect her. That’s not their job. Many in the media had their thumbs on the electoral scales this year, and that’s totally inappropriate and anti-democratic. That should not be confused with “We’re going to be tough on him, we’re going to ask the tough questions.” Sure, got it. Check. You’re going to ask tough questions. But that is so fundamentally different from, to coin a phrase, actively trying to interfere in election results and pervert our democracy. Because as with the hacking, the media’s attempt to interfere with democracy and elect Hillary Clinton failed, too. The president-elect yesterday called CNN fake news. Is that helpful? Did he do it gratuitously or did he do it in response to the fact that they had published an article online and then talked about it on air that basically gave everybody a GPS and a map and instructions on how to find the BuzzFeed dump of a 35-page document that is not an intelligence report, that was an Internet report assembled by anti-Trump operatives? Presidents and politicians have always criticized news stories, but not — This is historic and you know it. No one has ever faced the deluge of negativity and criticism that Donald Trump has. It’s just a fact. But by the way, we have to say thank you to many in the mainstream media because it helped us win. It was an elite rejection election in that, fundamentally, it was us versus them, and it turns out there are a heck of a lot more them than us, us being people in politics or media or the donor class. Or in the consulting class, which is nothing short of embarrassing. These noncreative nonthinkers who haven’t come up with a creative or original idea in 30 years are telling us who can win, who can lose three years before an election? That’s over. Donald Trump would say one thing or someone would say one thing about him, and it would literally be breaking news for 10 days. And everybody would dissect it. And I know he’s much better for ratings and clicks, because Hillary Clinton was neither particularly liked nor seen as animated or engaging, but some journalists took leave of their senses and surrendered what they learned in journalism school. If you look at Twitter feeds of some folks, what they write about Donald Trump would never pass editorial muster. And if you’re Joe Blow from The Washington Post and you say tweets are my own and you’re tweeting at 10:15 a.m. as you’re walking in to a presidential press conference or a Trump rally, then your tweets are not your own. You just tweeted in your suit and tie at 10:15 a.m. when you’re clearly in your professional capacity. And it’s zing, zing, zing, zing, zing against Donald Trump. That’s irresponsible, and by the way it’s not journalism. [The Post’s policy is that journalists can use personal social media accounts but they remain, at all times, Washington Post journalists.] You’ve been pro-life for a long time and active on that issue and plan to take part in this year’s March for Life. Why is that so important to you? For several reasons. One is as a culture I fear that we’re becoming too inured and inoculated against how precious life really is. Whether it’s in the womb or at the end of our years. This out-of-sight, out-of-mind mentality has run headstrong now into science and medicine. We see things now that you and I didn’t see when we were kids. You pull up a sonogram, and no one says to you in a patronizing or threatening way, “Admit it, this is a baby!” Or, “This is just uterine material.” They basically say, “Oh, my God, look at that heart beat at eight weeks.” The New York Times, of all places, had a front-page story above the fold about how with proper medical intervention, babies born at or before 24 weeks can survive outside the womb. Wow, this is amazing. And for us to just look the other way and pretend that abortion is not used by plenty of people as birth control? But I’m also a very nonjudgmental person. I understand why women are pro￾choice. I understand why women get abortions. Do you know any women who have had abortions? Many. Do you think they shouldn’t have been allowed to have them? No, I don’t judge them. But that would be the law, that’s what would — No, here’s why I don’t judge them. And I’ve helped several of them before, during and after. To a person, they all feel some level of regret. And I help them navigate that, too, because they shouldn’t feel that way. Twenty-five years from now what do you want people to say about you? That I was an excellent mother and a great friend and I brought honor and respect to what I did. I was fair and judicious to people. I had compassion and empathy for those less fortunate than me. I made a difference inside and outside of government and that I was kind and generous and honest. And I want to be famous for my children. I want one of them to cure cancer or win the Nobel Peace Prize or be the first DHS-17-0435-A-000583 CBP FOIA000583 197 woman president. One of my daughters said, “Mom, I don’t want to go to Washington and be known as Kellyanne Conway’s daughter.” And I said, “Well, then cure cancer, and I’ll be known as Claudia Conway’s mother.” That’s the way I look at it. Joe Heim is a Washington Post staff writer. To comment on this story, email wpmagazine@washpost.com or visit washingtonpost.com/magazine. Email us at wpmagazine@washpost.com. For more articles, as well as features such as Date Lab, Gene Weingarten and more, visit The Washington Post Magazine. Follow the Magazine on Twitter. Like us on Facebook. Trump Follows Obama’s Lead In Flexing Executive Muscle By Carl Hulse New York Times, January 26, 2017 WASHINGTON — When President Obama relied heavily on executive orders to push through policies that had no chance in Congress, Republicans called him a dictator who abused his power and disregarded the Constitution. They even took him to court. “We have an increasingly lawless presidency where he is actually doing the job of Congress, writing new policies and laws without going through Congress,” Representative Paul D. Ryan, then the Budget Committee chairman, said in a 2014 television interview after Mr. Obama made clear in his State of the Union address that he would readily take unilateral action to get his way. Now President Trump, at the start of his tenure, is relying heavily on executive actions not just to reverse Obama administration initiatives, but to enact new federal policies covering immigration, health care and other areas in ways that could be seen more as the province of the House and Senate. And he is doing that with clear Republican majorities in Congress. The flurry of administration edicts flowing from the Trump White House puts some top Republicans in the awkward position of welcoming aggressive executive muscle flexing from a president of their own party after castigating Mr. Obama for using the same approach. Their rationale: Mr. Obama took executive action too far, stretching the intent of legislation to fulfill an ideological agenda. “We’ve never been against executive action,” said Ashlee Strong, a spokeswoman for Mr. Ryan, now the House speaker. “We’re against overreaching, illegal action.” Mr. Trump’s eager embrace of the executive order — he signaled clearly during his campaign that he intended to follow his predecessor’s lead — allows him to claim immediate progress on his campaign promises rather than waiting for a lengthy legislative process to play out. Many of his major proposals — building a border wall, hiring more border and immigration officers, creating a new office for victims of crimes committed by immigrants in the country illegally — will presumably require funding by Congress, and that is no certainty in the current political environment. The question then becomes how Mr. Trump would proceed if Congress balks. House Republicans are currently suing the executive branch — and winning — in a case that argues the Obama administration spent more than $13 billion on health insurance subsidies without necessary congressional approval in a clear breach of the Constitution. The health care executive order issued by Mr. Trump last week directed federal officials to find ways to minimize the financial burden of the health care law on governments, health care providers and others. Many saw the move as a backdoor attempt by the new White House to undermine the current law of the land while Republicans try to figure out a way to repeal it. It was the reverse of the type of action Republicans criticized President Obama for — using his executive powers to prop up the health care law without sufficient authority. But there were no loud complaints from Republicans this time, a fact not lost on Democrats. “Congressional Republicans’ hypocritical acquiescence to President Trump’s executive orders is an abdication of their responsibility to govern, especially in light of their vocal opposition to even the most restrained use of executive authority by President Obama,” said Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the Democratic leader. But some Republicans are wary too. Even as they welcome the opportunities opened up by having an ally in the White House, some worry that the continued emphasis on executive actions is just another step in the dilution of legislative power. “We need to go back to being the legislative branch,” said Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Florida Republican opposed to a potential executive order by Mr. Trump that would end a special program allowing younger illegal immigrants to remain in the United States. “We didn’t like this when Obama was doing it, so why should we accept it now?” Other Republicans were hoping the start of a new administration would allow a reset between the executive branch and a legislative branch that has seen its influence steadily erode as lawmakers surrender power and responsibility to the administrative side. Mr. Trump’s broad assertion of executive power could make any rebalancing difficult to achieve, though lawmakers say they intend to keep pushing. DHS-17-0435-A-000584 CBP FOIA000584 198 “The imperial presidency was not created overnight and it will not be undone overnight,” said Senator Mike Lee, Republican of Utah, who is leading an effort called the Article I Project to try to recapture some lost authority for the House and Senate. Mr. Lee and Ms. Strong of the speaker’s office said a good first step in Congress’s reasserting itself would be enactment of a bill passed by the House this month requiring congressional approval of major new rules being pushed by federal agencies. If it could clear the Senate, Mr. Trump has said he would sign it in what would represent a major victory for congressional Republicans trying to rein in the regulatory power of the executive branch. Still, Mr. Trump’s early focus on pushing his agenda through executive actions underscores a fundamental truth of presidencies. New occupants of the White House tend not to surrender power accumulated by their predecessors. They tend to build on it. Official: Trump Wants To Slash EPA Workforce, Budget By Michael Biesecker Associated Press, January 26, 2017 WASHINGTON (AP) – The former head of President Donald Trump’s transition team at the Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday he expects the new administration to seek significant budget and staff cuts. Myron Ebell said in an interview with The Associated Press that his specific recommendations to the White House remain confidential. But Ebell, who left the transition team last week, said it was reasonable to expect the president to seek a cut of about $1 billion from the EPA’s roughly $8 billion annual budget. He also said Trump is likely to seek significant reductions to the agency’s workforce, currently about 15,000 employees nationwide, with 8,000 of those in Washington. Ebell declined to discuss specific numbers of EPA staff that could be targeted for pink slips. Asked what he would personally like to see, however, Ebell replied that slashing the agency’s workforce by half would be a good start. “President Trump said during the campaign that he would like to abolish the EPA, or ‘leave a little bit,’” said Ebell, who has returned to his position as director of the Center for Energy and Environment at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a libertarian think tank in Washington. “I think the administration is likely to start proposing cuts to the 15,000 staff, because the fact is that a huge amount of the work of the EPA is actually done by state agencies. It’s not clear why so many employees are needed at the federal level,” he said. EPA has been roiled by turmoil during its first week under Trump, as members of the transition team issued what it has described as a temporary freeze on all contract approvals and grant awards. Trump’s representatives have instituted a media blackout, clapping down on media releases, social media posts and other external communications issued by career staff. Trump’s political appointees have also been scrutinizing reports and data published on the agency’s websites for potential removal, especially details of scientific evidence showing that the Earth’s climate is warming and man-made carbon emissions are to blame. Ebell, whose academic credentials are in philosophy and political theory, said Tuesday the purge is necessary because EPA’s leaders under President Barack Obama “politicized” global warming and allowed activists within the agency to publish “junk science.” Trump’s nominee for EPA administrator, Scott Pruitt, said during his Senate confirmation hearing last week that he disagreed with past statements by the president alleging that global warming is a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese to harm U.S. economic competitiveness. But like Trump, Pruitt has a long history of publicly questioning the validity of climate science. Earlier this month, NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a joint statement affirming that 2016 was officially the hottest year in recorded history, breaking prior records set in 2015 and 2014. Studies show the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets have decreased in mass, while the world’s oceans have risen on average nearly 7 inches in the last century. --- Follow AP environmental reporter Biesecker at Twitter.com/mbieseck © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. EPA Aims To End Trump’s Freeze On Contracts And Grants On Friday By Timothy Gardner Reuters, January 26, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Reports On Climate Change Have Disappeared From The State Department Website By Chelsea Harvey Washington Post, January 26, 2017 DHS-17-0435-A-000585 CBP FOIA000585 199 Multiple climate-related reports have disappeared from the State Department’s website within the past few days. It’s the latest news in a week marked by reports of increasing oversight of federal agencies, including their communication around scientific issues. Archived versions of the State Department’s website as it appeared under the Obama administration indicate that links to climate reports no longer appear on the current web pages for both the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs and the Office of Global Change. Links to pages on other environmental issues, such as marine conservation, remain intact. Several State Department web pages housing individual Obama-era climate reports have also disappeared, including the 2014 U.S. Climate Action Report to the UN and several reports from the U.S.-China Climate Change Working Group, among others. These reports can still be accessed through the archives. “Administration-specific content that was posted to state.gov during President Obama’s tenure was archived,” the State Department press office said in a statement emailed to The Washington post. “Content that remains on state.gov includes, but is not limited to, the functions and operations of the Department information; Congressionally-mandated reports, e.g., TIP, HRR, and IRF; and collections of official documents, e.g., legal treaties and air transport agreements. New items created by the Trump Administration will be posted to state.gov.” It’s not the first government site to fail to note climate information under the new administration. References to climate change disappeared from the White House website on the day of the inauguration, replaced with information about the Trump administration’s energy plan. This week, the Trump administration also came under fire for placing restrictions on the communications of certain federal agencies, including the EPA and the Agriculture and Interior departments. These included restrictions on social media communications, press releases and responses to media requests. That said, other federal agencies have continued to share information on climate change as usual. Twitter accounts belonging to both NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have gone on tweeting climate-related content this week. And a Twitter account belonging to Badlands National Park became briefly famous on Tuesday when it released a handful of defiant tweets about climate change. Those tweets have since disappeared, but the incident has spurred a number of other protest Twitter accounts, which, while not officially affiliated with federal agencies, have gone on to publicize information about human-caused climate change. “Climate change is real, Trump,” tweeted one such account, AltUSNatParkService, on Thursday morning. “You gotta deal with it now, or have the problems it creates be your legacy, for now & future generations.” U.S. Federal Employee ‘Gag Orders’ May Be Illegal, Lawmakers Warn Trump By Valerie Volcovici Reuters, January 26, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Democrats On Capitol Hill Ask White House Not To Gag Federal Employees By Tom Hamburger And Amy Goldstein Washington Post, January 26, 2017 An Inauguration Day memo instructing employees of the Department of Health and Human Services not to communicate about regulatory policy with members of Congress has triggered fresh accusations that the Trump administration is trying to censor federal employees. Representatives Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.) and Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) wrote the White House on Thursday asking President Trump to make it clear that federal employees have an unrestricted ability to communicate with lawmakers. They said the HHS memo, along with others sent in recent days by other agencies, “appear to violate multiple federal laws,” including one that protects federal whistleblowers. “We request that the President issue an official statement making clear to all federal employees that they have the right to communicate with members of Congress and that he and his Administration will not silence or retaliate against whistleblowers,” the two Democrats wrote in a letter to White House Counsel Donald McGahn II. The White House did not respond to requests for comment Thursday. An HHS spokesperson said a clarification of the memo had been distributed, telling agency employees that the original directive should not be interpreted “in any way that would preclude or in any way interfere with HHS staff addressing their concerns to their elected representatives in person or in writing.” The Interior Department ordered a shutdown of all its Twitter accounts after the National Park Service retweeted photos showing a substantially smaller crowd at Trump’s swearing-in last Friday than had attended former president Barack Obama’s inauguration in 2009. Trump expressed anger about the tweets in a phone call the next day to the Park Service’s acting director. The department’s Twitter DHS-17-0435-A-000586 CBP FOIA000586 200 account was subsequently restored, but only after the Park Service deleted the offending tweets. In addition, the Environmental Protection Agency and Agriculture Department issued formal policies limiting what staff should convey to the public about their work. The latter agency has since reversed that. The HHS memo was particularly galling to Cummings and Pallone, according to their aides, because they learned about it from HHS staffers who balked at providing information requested by their committees. The congressmen’s offices said employees at the Food and Drug Administration, which is part of HHS, cited the directive when they canceled meetings with congressional staff The memo appears to have been written as part of a more traditional presidential transition effort to freeze rulemaking by federal agencies until the new administration’s officials have a chance to review new rules. However, the HHS memo from Acting Secretary Norris Cochran went further than the typical transition instruction and the restrictions issued by other federal agencies. It told employees that “no correspondence to public officials (e.g. Members of Congress, Governors) or containing interpretations or statements of Department regulations or policy, unless specifically authorized by me or my designee, shall be sent between now and February 3, during which time you will have the opportunity to brief President Trump’s appointees and designees on any such correspondence which might be issued.” Cummings and Pallone complained that the memo violated the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act “because they do not include a mandatory statement that employee communications with Congress and Inspectors General are protected.” The act, passed by Congress unanimously in 2012, prohibits agencies from implementing or enforcing “any nondisclosure policy, form, or agreement” that does not include the mandatory statement. In their letter, the two lawmakers also cited an apparent violations of other laws, including a 1912 statute designed to protect the rights of federal employees to freely “furnish information to either House of Congress, or to a committee or Member.” The memos from HHS and other agencies, they said, create “the impression that the Trump Administration intends to muzzle whistleblowers.” At the White House this week, press secretary Sean Spicer said that the administration had not asked any agency to impose new restrictions on communications. It’s ‘Ridiculous’ To Say The Defense Department Is Trolling Trump On Twitter, Pentagon Says By Dan Lamothe Washington Post, January 26, 2017 The suggestion that the Defense Department has posted social media messages as a form of protest to Trump is “ridiculous,” a Pentagon spokesman said Thursday. Navy Capt. Jeff Davis told reporters that recent messages posted on the Defense Department Twitter page are nothing out of the ordinary, and part of steady communication with the general public, active-duty troops and veterans. The question came after the Defense Department tweeted a story Wednesday about a former Iraqi refugee who enlisted in the Marine Corps after reports emerged that Trump was considering an executive order seeking to halt refugee resettlement in the United States. The tweet linked to a Defense Department news release that shared the story of Cpl. Ali J. Mohammed, who grew up in Baghdad, and moved to the United States at 16 years old after his family received numerous threats for supporting U.S. policies. He joined the Marines in November 2014. “If you look at this, this isn’t some unique thing,” Davis said. “If you look at this, we are tweeting from the Department of Defense account a dozen or more times a day.” The Defense Department has released stories previously about Iraqis who joined the U.S. military. In one example, the Marine Corps published a story Sept. 30 about a Marine, Pfc. Amanda Issa, whose family fled the city of Mosul in 2011 and eventually settled in Michigan. The Defense Department tweet Wednesday drew widespread attention on social media: The attention followed another Defense Department tweet Monday that warned followers that social media can provide hints on a person’s mental health. Some followers questioned whether that was posted in response to Trump, who tweets often. The tweet included a link to a Defense Department page focused on preventing suicide, a longterm problem among active-duty service members and veterans. Davis said Thursday that the tweet about mental health was “simply about teaching people the warning signs about suicide, and that was misinterpreted and taken and unfortunately… preyed upon by the trolls of the Internet.” “It’s really unfortunate, because it’s a serious message,” Davis said. The tweets were sent as the Trump administration restricted the authorization for other agencies to release information to the public. They also came as other agencies, such as Badlands National Park, tweeted messages about climate change that were construed by some followers as a response to Trump questioning its existence. The National Parks Service also retweeted images that showed the size of of Trump’s inauguration day in an unflattering light, prompting a temporary shutdown of social media accounts at the Department of Interior. DHS-17-0435-A-000587 CBP FOIA000587 201 Kasich On Trump: ‘Give Him A Chance’ By Deirdre Shesgreen USA Today, January 26, 2017 Ohio Gov. John Kasich likes being in the national spotlight, but he’s not so keen on talking about President Trump. That’s not an easy line to walk, as Kasich discovered on Wednesday when he made his second trip to Washington in less than a week. At an event on America’s relationship with the Netherlands, Kasich was peppered with questions about Trump. The GOP governor dodged and weaved, perhaps trying to avoid a firefight with the new White House occupant despite his repeated feuds with Trump during the 2016 campaign. How can Trump’s Defense secretary convince Trump that NATO is vital to U.S. interests and America’s role in the world? “I don’t have a clue,” Kasich offered, before delving into a wonkish discussion of the need for such international institutions to evolve and modernize. What does he think of Trump’s first few days in office? “It’s too early,” he said. “Give him a chance.” What does he think of the president’s move to crack down on immigration and restrict refugees coming to the U.S.? “I don’t know what the plans are. I haven’t seen them,” he said. “I think it makes good sense for us to review our immigration policy.” Kasich’s reason for coming to Washington was a bit odd. He was a guest panelist at an event hosted by the Embassy of the Netherlands, focused on that small European country’s relationship the U.S. in the wake of Trump’s election. Other panelists and the moderator talked about despondency and despair in Europe over Trump’s victory, particularly because the GOP president has been so dismissive of NATO and so enamored of Russia. Kasich was careful not to get drawn into too many specifics, generally lamenting America’s declining global leadership but not mentioning Trump. “I happen to believe that we as Americans have an obligation to lead the world,” he said at one point. Asked why he had decided to participate in this event, which comes as Ohio is preparing to release its annual budget, Kasich said it was important for him to remain engaged in global affairs. “First of all, we have a great relationship with the Netherlands,” Kasich said, citing Ohio’s trade with that country among other things. Besides, he added, “I have a long history of being involved in international affairs, I see no reason to not continue to be able to develop that. I think it helps Ohio.” Of course, it also helps Kasich — keeping the governor’s name in the news and highlighting his foreign policy credentials if he decides to make another presidential run in 2020. Trump Versus California: The Feud Turns From Rhetorical To Real By Cathleen Decker, Contact Reporter Los Angeles Times, January 26, 2017 Between his executive orders on immigration and the investigation he wants into voter fraud, President Trump had a clear target on Wednesday: California. The state was one of two singled out as a focus of the vote fraud investigation stemming from Trump’s belief that he lost the popular vote due to “illegals” taking part in November’s election. California also was the unnamed center of Trump’s announcement of plans to tighten immigration rules and punish jurisdictions that offer sanctuary to those without proper papers— penalties that in California could rise to millions or billions of dollars. The new president’s moves came one day after Gov. Jerry Brown used his State of the State speech to challenge Trump’s presidency and assert that California intended to go its own way. Three business days into Trump’s presidency, the battle lines are already clear. California became accustomed in the Obama era to fond relations with a president who favored golf in the Palm Springs area and fundraisers in the tony reaches of Southern California and the Bay Area. Although California, a wealthy state, has long sent more money to Washington in taxes than it receives back, its accounts swelled with federal money during the Obama administration. All told about $105 billion in federal funds are included in the state government’s 2017-18 budget, according to the state Department of Finance. Now California faces a president who doesn’t seem terribly fond of the place and has the power to make it suffer. “He could have a tremendous impact — probably no state is as much at risk as California,” said Rep. Adam B. Schiff, the Burbank Democrat, speaking of the whole range of federal dollars that could be stripped from California if Trump enacts his preferred policies. “This is a president who is not above being very punitive for perceived slights. And so you could easily foresee him trying to reward states that are with him and punish states that weren’t.” DHS-17-0435-A-000588 CBP FOIA000588 202 Indeed, that was the undercurrent on Wednesday when White House spokesman Sean Spicer talked to reporters about a voting fraud investigation that Trump had announced on Twitter earlier in the day. It was the latest in a controversy that broke out Monday night when Trump told congressional leaders that he had lost the popular vote because 3 million to 5 million “illegals” had voted. “I will be asking for a major investigation into VOTER FRAUD, including those registered to vote in two states, those who are illegal and even, those registered to vote who are dead (and many for a long time),” Trump tweeted Wednesday. Spicer alluded to California after a reporter pointed out that the president’s lawyers, in a legal filing in a case involving requested recounts in the upper Midwest, said the election had not been tainted by fraud. “There’s a lot of states that we didn’t compete in where that’s not necessarily the case,” Spicer said. “You look at California and New York…. A lot of these issues could have occurred in bigger states; that’s where I think we are going to look.” What did those two states have in common? They were the two biggest states to side with Hillary Clinton. Florida and Texas, both of which cast more ballots than New York, went unmentioned. So did Pennsylvania, where before the election Trump preemptively blamed an anticipated loss on voter fraud in Philadelphia, which has a sizable African American population. All three states went to Trump. Spicer’s rationale didn’t make much sense: He suggested that the administration couldn’t rule out fraud in California and New York because Trump hadn’t competed there before his landslide defeats in both places. But Clinton also spent little time campaigning in California and New York for the same reason: They were guaranteed to go Democratic. There was an even bigger logic problem: Anyone seeking to steal the election would have done so in the handful of states that determined the outcome, not in two where the results were preordained. A more believable rationale rested on Trump’s anger at losing the popular vote: The only way he can diminish Clinton’s victory on that score is to cast doubt on the results in the big states she won. California elections officials say that they have looked for fraud and found nothing like the widespread problem Trump believes occurred. “President Trump is dangerously attacking the legitimacy of free and fair elections and taking a jackhammer to the foundation of our democracy,” Secretary of State Alex Padilla said in a statement. “They are corrosive lies without any evidence.” The potential fallout from any investigation into voting may be dwarfed, however, by the impact of Trump’s immigration rules, which the president announced Wednesday. Trump promised to expand the number of immigrants targeted for deportation; while he has said his priority will be criminals, his plan includes those who have been charged but not convicted. His orders restored a program under which state and local officials must cooperate with the federal government on immigration matters and threatened to withhold federal funds from places that “willfully refuse to comply.” By that, the plan means “sanctuary” locations, which could include Los Angeles, San Francisco and dozens of other cities in California, depending on how broadly the administration chooses to define the term. By some definitions, the entire state counts as a sanctuary zone. What the punishment would be is unclear. Los Angeles is to receive about $500 million this fiscal year from the federal government. It is not known whether only security￾related funds would be cut if the city declined to cooperate; the president’s executive order leaves open the possibility that all federal money could vanish. In Sacramento, officials aren’t expecting that all of the federal government’s $105 billion would be pulled, but any substantial drop would pose a problem. The order has law enforcement complications, too: Agencies in many California areas have refused to work with immigration officials because it inhibits their ability to get helpful information from immigrant communities. To state officials, the feuding between Trump and California boils down to this: The state could be under investigation for election failures for which there is no evidence, and which are denied by Democratic and Republican election officials. And the state may be punished for how it chose to respond to the federal government’s decades-long inability to secure the border. Trump, in remarks in which he also announced the planned construction of a wall on the Mexican border, said that his efforts would “save thousands of lives, millions of jobs and billions and billions of dollars.” “When it comes to public safety, there is no place for politics,” he added. But it was certainly in the air. TransCanada Re-submits Application For Keystone XL Pipeline By Komal Khettry Reuters, January 26, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. DHS-17-0435-A-000589 CBP FOIA000589 203 Keystone XL Pipeline: A New Opening, But What Lies Ahead? By Clifford Krauss New York Times, January 26, 2017 In his first days in office, President Trump reversed the government’s position on a highly contentious energy project, reviving the Keystone XL, a pipeline that would link oil producers in Canada and North Dakota with refiners and export terminals on the Gulf Coast. The pipeline has long been at the center of a struggle pitting environmentalists against advocates of energy independence and economic growth. President Barack Obama rejected the project in late 2015, saying it would be antithetical to the United States’ leadership in curbing reliance on carbon fuels. But even with an opening for the pipeline to go forward, the energy markets are starkly different from what they were eight years ago, when the Obama administration began considering the pipeline. When the project was conceived, the United States was struggling to lift domestic oil supplies and push down prices. The Keystone XL project was meant to supplement existing pipelines and increase Canada’s export potential. Since then, production has rebounded in the United States, and international oil markets are dealing with oversupply. Gasoline at the pump is cheap. As has been the case throughout the project’s history, however, economic forces alone will not determine its prospects. Political, commercial, environmental and even diplomatic factors will also play a role. The Keystone XL was originally planned to open in 2012. It was designed to send up to 830,000 barrels a day of Canadian and North Dakota crude to Steele City, Neb., where it would connect with an existing network to deliver the crude to refineries on the Gulf of Mexico. With domestic supplies already abundant, most of the refined oil would probably be sent on to other countries. It might also make some American oil available for export. The project would yield thousands of construction jobs — accounting for the support of several powerful unions — and a demand for equipment, lodging and food. But it would produce few permanent jobs and would add only modestly to the United States’ energy security. The pipeline is a major symbol in the fight over how to control climate change. Environmentalists say it could leak and damage local water supplies, and they contend that the project would expand the extraction of oil sands, a heavy oil that has a relatively high carbon footprint because it requires extensive, energy-intensive processing and refining. Proponents argue that pipelines offer safer transport than trains or trucks, and that the carbon intensity of oil sands products is similar to several grades of crude currently refined in the United States, including oil extracted in California. Energy experts say the pipeline would help Canada, a close ally, and oil companies that have large investments in the Canadian oil sands fields. Investments have been slowing because of low global prices and limited links to energy￾thirsty consumers in Asia. Globally, more Canadian supplies would be superfluous. In 2016, liquid fuel inventories expanded around the world for the third year in a row. The pace of inventory expansion is expected to decline this year now that Saudi Arabia and other members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries are cutting production. But the United States Department of Energy projects that oil prices will remain below $60 a barrel through the end of 2018, a far cry from the prices of $100 to $140 a barrel when the Keystone XL was first proposed. And the project puts Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada in a tricky position. He supports the pipeline and the oil sands, citing their economic importance to Canada. But any increase in oil sands production because of Keystone XL could undermine the country’s plans for cutting greenhouse gas emissions, a key item in Mr. Trudeau’s political program. Record levels of investment are being sunk back into several shale fields in Texas, while a number of giant offshore projects in the Gulf of Mexico that were delayed by the 2010 BP oil spill are now finally coming to fruition. New oil discoveries in Texas and Alaska assure plentiful domestic supplies for years to come, enough to export increasing amounts. In the final three months of 2016, oil companies in the United States increased their output by 200,000 barrels, to 8.9 million barrels a day. As decommissioned rigs have returned to the fields in recent weeks, Wall Street analysts have projected a daily output of 9.7 million barrels by the end of the year. That will be roughly equal to national production levels before the industry swooned with the collapse of oil prices a little more than two years ago. Proponents of the pipeline have long argued that Canada’s heavy oil is a perfect fit for Gulf of Mexico refineries that were designed to process Venezuela’s and Mexico’s heavy oil. But the refineries have now been partially refitted to process the lighter crude pouring out of the newly exploited shale fields. Advocates have also argued that dependence on Canada for energy is far more secure than reliance on countries like Venezuela and Saudi Arabia. But in recent years, other friendly countries in the Western Hemisphere have become major producers, including Brazil and Colombia. The government in Argentina is opening up a giant shale field in Patagonia to Western investment, and Exxon Mobil and Hess are finding large new reserves off the coast of Guyana. And Mexico, after years of DHS-17-0435-A-000590 CBP FOIA000590 204 falling production, is putting in place a new energy policy that is attracting large investments by the biggest global oil companies, including Exxon Mobil and Chevron. The pipeline still has a long way to go before it can be built. TransCanada, the Canadian pipeline company, must reapply for permits, and the State Department needs to study the application and approve it. President Trump wants to renegotiate the pipeline deal on better terms for the United States — including the possibility of requiring American-made pipes — and TransCanada’s response remains uncertain. Any deal, however, will surely be challenged in the courts and by vigorous local civil disobedience. U.S. New Home Sales Drop Sharply In December Last month’s fall of 10.4% from November was the steepest since March 2015 By Laura Kusisto And Ben Leubsdorf Wall Street Journal, January 26, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Share Of U.S. Workers In Unions Falls To Lowest Level On Record Marks return to downward trend for organized labor after membership figures had stabilized By Eric Morath And Kris Maher Wall Street Journal, January 26, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Trump’s Hiring Freeze Could Hurt His Most Loyal Supporters By Vera Bergengruen McClatchy, January 26, 2017 President Donald Trump’s temporary hiring freeze on federal jobs is disproportionately affecting a group of his most loyal supporters: veterans, who receive preference in federal hiring. Some already have had job interviews canceled or postponed, advocacy groups say. The hiring freeze also applies to the Department of Veterans Affairs, something that deeply troubles veterans groups and lawmakers, who say the freeze complicates the provision of veterans services by an agency that is chronically understaffed. Show me a federal agency or office anywhere in this country that doesn’t have vets working there. Will Fischer, Union Veterans Council “Our nation’s veterans should not be made to sacrifice any more than they already have while you review federal hiring,” a group of Democratic lawmakers, led by Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., and Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn., wrote in a letter to Trump, urging him to exempt veterans from the freeze, that had 53 signatures as of Thursday morning. “This freeze raises serious concerns about the president’s commitment to veterans and improving the VA,” said Paul Rieckhoff, an Iraq War veteran who’s the head of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. “Over the past day, countless IAVA members have contacted us concerned about the future of their health care. Job seekers waiting to hear about a hiring determination just had their hope dashed.” Some veterans took to Twitter this week, tweeting Trump stories of canceled job interviews for frozen positions and urging him to reconsider the order, some pointing out they had voted for him. Trump’s presidential memorandum, issued Monday, ordered “a freeze on the hiring of federal civilian employees to be applied across the board in the executive branch” for 90 days, except for positions in the military or otherwise affecting national security and public safety. White House spokesman Sean Spicer said the president wanted to stop “money getting wasted in Washington on a job that is duplicative.” “I think what the president is showing through the hiring freeze, first and foremost, is that we’ve got to respect the American taxpayer,” he said Monday. Patients, doctors and caregivers across the VA are now worried about the impact of the hiring freeze at this most critical time in the agency’s history. Paul Rieckhoff, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America Nearly 3,000 civilian Defense Department positions that are currently listed in federal employment sites, along with almost 2,300 VA posts, cannot be filled until the freeze is lifted. Some veterans say Trump, like many Americans who cheered his federal freeze, thinks of all federal workers as well-paid bureaucrats in Washington offices. “The simple reality is that Donald Trump talked a lot about vets and jobs when he was campaigning for president, and this federal hiring freeze is denying vets what they need more than anything after coming home and getting out of the service – not another standing ovation at a football game, but a good job, a good career,” said Will Fischer, executive director of the Union Veterans Council at the AFL-CIO and a Purple Heart recipient who served in Iraq as a Marine. Fischer pointed out that more than 90 percent of veterans with federal jobs work outside the Washington metro area. “You’re talking about the largest employer of veterans in the world, but they only think of Washington when they say ‘federal employees,’ “ he said. The Veterans Affairs Department is the second-largest agency in the government, with nearly 370,000 employees and an annual budget of nearly $167 billion DHS-17-0435-A-000591 CBP FOIA000591 205 The national commander of the American Legion, Charles E. Schmidt, said the hiring freeze was particularly hard on veterans with disabilities. About 15 percent of veterans working at the VA and nearly 18 percent of veterans at the Defense Department have disabilities. In a statement, Schmidt urged private companies to step up their efforts to hire vets with disabilities, to make up for the hiring freeze. President Barack Obama made it easier for veterans to get federal jobs with a 2009 order known as the Veterans Employment Initiative. More than 623,000 veterans depend on federal paychecks, according to the most recent report from the Office of Personnel Management. Spicer defended the hiring freeze earlier this week, calling it a pause to allow time for new leadership at the VA to assess the situation. “Hiring more people isn’t the answer,” he said. “Right now, the system is broken.” The VA has 41,500 vacancies for doctors, nurses and other medical professionals across its sprawling health care system, according to a 2015 report. Acting VA Secretary Robert Snyder told McClatchy in an email that the agency will exempt from the hiring freeze “anyone it deems necessary for public safety, including frontline caregivers.” The VA provides care for more than 9 million veterans through 1,700 facilities it operates across the country. The quality of that service has been questioned since 2014, when the VA acknowledged that 23 veterans had died while they were waiting for appointments. EDITORS: STORY CAN END HERE Peter Kauffmann, senior adviser to VoteVets, a liberal veterans advocacy group, called the inclusion of the VA in the hiring freeze “the ultimate insult.” “If his executive order leads to preventable deaths, that will be on Donald Trump’s hands, and we will hold him personally accountable,” he said. During his presidential campaign, Trump frequently promised to overhaul the VA, calling it “the most corrupt” and “probably the most incompetently run agency.” It remains to be seen what his administration will do differently when it comes to solving the agency’s struggles to provide services to veterans. “You can’t hire your way out of it and you can’t fire your way out of it,” said Jonah Czerwinski, who served as a senior adviser in the department from 2009 to 2013. Trump has proposed a 10-point plan to overhaul the agency and named David Shulkin to be VA secretary. Shulkin is a rarity in the Trump administration – someone who also served in the Obama administration, where he was the VA’s undersecretary of health. Shulkin’s Senate confirmation hearing is set for Feb. 1. Prosecutors Try New Tack In Investigating Police Shootings Moves on how to handle use-of-force cases follow controversies over killings of black men By Scott Calvert Wall Street Journal, January 26, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Obama Frees Him — And He Is Killed Execution-Style USA Today, January 26, 2017 A former gang member saw his prison sentence commuted by President Obama in November — only to be killed almost exactly two months later. Demarlon Thomas, 31, was transitioning out of the federal prison system in a Saginaw, Mich., halfway house after having his sentence commuted Nov. 22. Two masked gunmen brandishing assault-style weapons sought out and killed Thomas, a former member of Saginaw’s Sunny Side Gang, at that halfway house Monday night, reports MLive. “They were looking for this person,” a Michigan State Police officer says, describing the shooting as execution-style. One gunman shot Thomas numerous times, while the other held 23 others at gunpoint; ultimately, no one else was injured. “I think it was connected one way or another to the gang he was from or a rival gang,” the officer tells Michigan Radio. The suspects are still at large. Thomas had been sentenced to 19 years in prison in 2008 for distributing cocaine after a federal investigation that authorities thought had put an end to the Sunny Side Gang. Thanks to Obama commuting his sentence, he had been scheduled to go free in March, about eight years earlier than his original release date. “He was just happy to ... have a second chance at life,” a friend of Thomas tells MLive. (This was far from the most high-profile sentence commuted by Obama.) – Jan Jordan This story originally appeared on Newser: Trump’s Limo Sports D.C.’s Protest License Plate: ‘Taxation Without Representation’ By Aaron C. Davis And David Nakamura Washington Post, January 26, 2017 President Trump is threatening to take away federal funding from the nation’s capital for harboring illegal immigrants and has promised to sign a bill permanently banning the heavily Democratic city from subsidizing abortions for low-income residents. DHS-17-0435-A-000592 CBP FOIA000592 206 But perhaps Trump shares one interest with his newly adopted city of Washington, D.C. When the president took one of his first excursions from the White House on Thursday, Trump’s armored limousine pulled up to a Philadelphia hotel sporting the District’s controversial “Taxation without Representation” license plates. The slogan, first added to D.C. license plates 16 years ago, is probably the most visible sign of the fight of District residents to gain equal footing with Americans in the 50 states. The District has a population of more than 672,000 — larger than that of Vermont or Wyoming — and its residents pay more in federal taxes than do those in 22 states. But D.C. residents have no voting representation in Congress and federal lawmakers on Capitol Hill retain ultimate authority over the District, able to overturn city laws or even to nullify results of ballot measures passed by local voters. With each administration, residents watch to see if the occupant of the White House chooses the protest license plates, hoping they might gain a powerful ally in their quest for statehood. They were first placed on the presidential limo, nicknamed “the beast,” by Democratic President Bill Clinton near the end of his term. Republican George W. Bush removed them. Despite pledging to push for D.C. voting rights, Obama declined to use the plates during his first term. The White House agreed only after he had been re-elected and was petitioned by local leaders. When Obama installed the plates in 2013, the White House said that after four years in D.C., the president sympathized with the District’s cause for statehood and had seen “first-hand how patently unfair it is for working families in D.C. to work hard, raise children and pay taxes, without having a vote in Congress.” It remains entirely unclear if Trump assigns the same meaning to the plates. In an interview with The Washington Post editorial board last March, Trump, said he had “no position” on the issue of D.C. statehood. “I think statehood is a tough thing for D.C. I think it’s a tough thing. I don’t have a position on it yet. I would form a position. But I think statehood is a tough thing for D.C.,” the then-candidate said. “I think it’s just something that I don’t think I’d be inclined to do. I’d like to study it. It’s not a question really … I don’t see statehood for D.C.” That’s also the position of Republican leaders in Congress. Democrats outnumber Republicans in the District by a margin of more than 2 to 1. That means that if it became a state, the District would probably elect two Democratic senators and a Democratic member of the House, improving odds for Democratic control of both chambers. District voters have also given Trump little incentive for any favors. Just 4 percent of voters chose him over Demcoratic nominee Hillary Clinton last November. It was among the worst showings nationally forTrump, and the worst showing ever for a Republican since residents were allowed to begin voting for president in the 1960s. On the same ballot, however, more than seven in 10 D.C. voters backed a referendum to create a new state for D.C. residents. The plan calls for splitting residential areas of the capital into the 51st state and leaving a smaller, downtown district that contains government buildings and monuments as a federal enclave. Still, it was unclear if Obama was even aware of the effort. A couple weeks before the November election, a video posted by the Kennedy Center of comedian Bill Murray touring the Oval Office with Obama showed Murray asking if the president has “a good license plate.” Obama turn to an aide, who is off-camera, and asked, “That’s a good question actually. Does the ‘beast’ have a license plate? What does it say? Is it top secret? Just a number?” D.C. Council members last year introduced a bill to alter the plate to drive home their political message. They wanted to add a verb: “End Taxation Without Representation.” Survey: DC Women’s March Drew Many First￾time Protesters By Nancy Benac Associated Press, January 26, 2017 WASHINGTON (AP) – About a third of the people who turned out for the Women’s March on Washington were first￾time protesters, an unusually high share of newcomers for a demonstration, according to a survey of march participants. University of Maryland Professor Dana Fisher said Thursday the random survey of 527 participants in the District of Columbia march on the day after President Donald Trump’s inauguration also found that about 56 percent hadn’t been part of a demonstration in the past five years, including the first-timers. By contrast, 38 percent of demonstrators at the People’s Climate March in New York in 2014 hadn’t demonstrated in the past 5 years, said Fisher, who studies large-scale protests. There was no comparable figure for first￾time protesters. The survey found that those who turned out to march in Washington had turned out to vote, too – and not for Trump. Ninety percent of those surveyed reported they had voted for Democrat Hillary Clinton, 2 percent said they voted for a third party and 6 percent didn’t answer. Less than 1 percent said they voted for Trump. DHS-17-0435-A-000593 CBP FOIA000593 207 “I think the reason we had so many first-timers was that people felt like what was going to come with the Trump administration was so much in contrast to the issues that are important to them and the positions that are important to them that they felt they had to do something,” Fisher said. A large range of issues drew people to the march. Asked what motivated them to participate, 61 percent said women’s rights. About a third mentioned the environment, racial justice, LGBTQ issues and reproductive rights. About a fourth mentioned social welfare and immigration. Research teams spread out throughout the demonstration area to survey a random selection of participants. Additional survey results will be released later. City officials in Washington estimated the march drew more than 500,000 people. --- Follow Nancy Benac on Twitter at http://twitter.com/nbenac © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Birthplace Of The CIA And American Spycraft Just Made The National Register Of Historic Places By Steve Hendrix Washington Post, January 26, 2017 For a few former spies, it was one last mission: protecting the birthplace of the country’s modern intelligence apparatus from being bulldozed by Washington’s pell-mell development. This month, they pulled it off when a small cluster of Foggy Bottom buildings, where early agents invented the pencil pistol and other tricks to bedevil Hitler, was listed for the first time on the National Register of Historic Places. The Observatory Hill site not far from the Kennedy Center was the wartime headquarters of the Office of Strategic Services, the precursor to the Central Intelligence Agency, and had been slated for redevelopment as part of a State Department expansion. While planners had promised a measure of protection for the place where “Wild Bill” Donovan led a swashbuckling band of spies, former agents were shocked to learn that it enjoyed no formal preservation status. “I just assumed a place of that stature would automatically be protected,” said former OSS and CIA agent Hugh Montgomery, 93. Sent behind the German lines by his handlers at the beginning of his 63-year intelligence career, the nonagenarian spy came out of retirement to push for the historic listing, writing letters to Capitol Hill and sitting through meetings. “It’s finally happening,” Montgomery said. OSS partisans said it was timely victory when they learned this week that the long process had landed the old HQ on the National Park Service’s latest list of historic properties. The intelligence community that draws its pedigree straight back to the little Beaux Arts campus, has been under fire from incoming President Donald Trump for its analysis that Russia had tampered in the recent election. “At a time when the intelligence community finds itself embroiled in controversy, it’s important to remember its roots in World War II when the world faced the greatest threat it has ever known in the form of Nazi Germany,” said Charles Pinke, the son of a former agent and president of the OSS Society, an alumni group. “Their descendants today are carrying on the OSS legacy by fighting terrorism around the word.” It could be that the understated compound overlooking the Potomac, the one-time site of the Heurich Brewery, was too clandestine for its own good. Clearly visible to drivers and concert goers, even many neighborhood residents and local preservationists were unaware its history as the place where modern American spycraft was first honed. Donovan, whose office in room No. 109 is preserved as a memorial, built a fast-growing complex of cryptographers, analysts and spy handlers. Montgomery said his own secret orders were often simply signed “109.” German-born actress Marlene Dietrich came for briefings at the site before her morale-building tours of combat units. Julia Child was a file clerk at the office before she became an overseas operative. After the war, the agency pivoted to fighting the Cold War and then morphing into the first headquarters of the CIA. Later spy chiefs Allen Dulles and Richard Helms both worked at the Observatory Hill compound. When the federal government announced plans to remake the whole area for use as State Department offices, intelligence alumni and preservationists went into action. Nothing short of formal listing on the register would offer enough protection, even though officials said the were committed to keeping the appearance of the main spy buildings intact. “This is a very important place,” Mina Wright, the General Services Administration’s director of planning and design, said in 2014. “We are totally dedicated to protecting the sense of history here, which will depend on the successful integration of the old and the new.” The GSA did not immediately provide a response to the site’s listing on the National Register. Pink said the GSA and State Department were supportive of their efforts. He and his band of his band of aging spooks said they feel the HQ is now safe. Mostly. DHS-17-0435-A-000594 CBP FOIA000594 208 “I guess now it’s protected from anything except an earthquake,” Montgomery said. Verizon Exploring Combination With Cable Firm Charter Communications Verizon CEO has approached officials close to Charter, sources say By Shalini Ramachandran, Ryan Knutson And Dana Mattioli Wall Street Journal, January 26, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. American University Names New President: Obama Cabinet Member Sylvia Mathews Burwell By Nick Anderson Washington Post, January 26, 2017 American University announced Thursday that a former top Obama administration official, Sylvia Mathews Burwell, will become its 15th president and the first woman to lead the school in the nation’s capital. Burwell, 51, was director of the Office of Management and Budget under President Barack Obama in 2013-2014 and then secretary of health and human services until his term ended last week. Her Cabinet post put Burwell on the front lines of overseeing the implementation of Obama’s signature health care law. She will take over at AU on June 1, succeeding retiring university President Cornelius M. “Neil” Kerwin. “My family and I are honored and excited to become a part of this vibrant AU community,” Burwell said in a statement. “American University’s distinctive mix of academic strengths, its influential scholars, engaged students, successful alumni and extraordinary location are great assets.” Burwell’s jump to academia echoes in some ways a move that one of her government predecessors made 16 years ago. Donna Shalala, secretary of health and human services under President Bill Clinton, was named president of the University of Miami in 2001 and led that school for 14 years. But Shalala had extensive academic credentials before her time at HHS, including a doctorate and stints as a tenured professor and then leader of a public college in New York and of the public flagship University of Wisconsin at Madison. Burwell’s background is much different. She earned a bachelor’s degree in government from Harvard University and then, as a Rhodes Scholar, a bachelor’s in philosophy, politics and economics from the University of Oxford. But she does not have a master’s degree or doctorate and has never been a professor or provost. AU, a private institution with 13,000 students and a main campus on Massachusetts Avenue N.W., will be the first college or university that she leads. Burwell has other credentials of immense value for a university that aspires to excellence in public and international affairs: deep experience working for two Democratic presidents in Washington and two major national philanthropies. She had various posts in the Clinton administration and was president of global development programs for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and was president of the Walmart Foundation. Those connections should help her in fund-raising and in growing AU’s national profile. Crucially, her fans are bipartisan. Unlike many Obama administration officials, who had testy relations with Capitol Hill, Burwell made a point of cultivating ties with Republicans who had jurisdiction over her department. During hearings this month for her designated successor at HHS, Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.), lawmakers made a point of praising Burwell. Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) told the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee that “one of the best votes I cast four years ago for Cabinet members was a vote for Sylvia Burwell.” Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), chairman of the committee, who was once president of the University of Tennessee, told The Washington Post in a statement: “Sylvia Burwell will make an excellent president of American University — she listens well, she has a strong sense of public purpose, and she is gifted academically.” Burwell, originally from Hinton, W.Va, often refers to her small-town roots. She joked in one interview that she and former agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack were one of the two “rural” members of the Cabinet. She traveled back to West Virginia regularly, saying those experiences helped inform her approach to addressing the nation’s opioid crisis. Former senator Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), now on the faculty of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, said Burwell has a “compelling personal narrative” and predicted she will excel at AU. “She knows the power of what a university means in a person’s life and in the life of the community and in the country,” Mikulski said. “She brings savvy and know-how. … She really has the right stuff.” Founded in 1893, AU is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. It is known as a center of political activism and has schools of law, business, public affairs and international service, among other fields. The university has grown more selective in recent years, drawing applicants interested in studying in a city with an increasingly vibrant urban culture and a huge network of federal, international and nonprofit agencies. DHS-17-0435-A-000595 CBP FOIA000595 209 The admission rate for the class that entered AU in 2016 was 26 percent, down from 35 percent the year before. As recently as 2009, the rate was 53 percent. The school ranks 74th on the U.S. News and World Report list of national universities, tied with Clark University, Texas A&M University, Virginia Tech and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. The incumbent president at AU, Kerwin, has led the school since 2005. He announced his retirement last March. Under Kerwin, the university launched major renovations and expansions of its campus, and its endowment stood at about $600 million in 2015. Burwell said in a telephone interview that she looks forward to building on Kerwin’s record. “The whole organization is ready to take the next steps forward,” she said. “It is a place that embraces innovation and change.” AU is the second university in the District of Columbia this year to name a new president. Thomas LeBlanc, provost of the University of Miami, will become George Washington University’s president in July. Juliet Eilperin contributed to this report. Trump Compared A Navy Man’s Crime To Clinton’s Email Scandal. Now That Sailor Wants A Pardon. By Lindsey Bever Washington Post, January 26, 2017 While on the campaign trail, President Trump talked about a Navy man who was sentenced to federal prison for taking photographs inside a nuclear attack submarine. Trump was comparing the sailor’s crime to Hillary Clinton’s email scandal, arguing that others have been prosecuted for doing “nothing by comparison to what she’s done.” “They took the kid who wanted some pictures of the submarine,” Trump said in one of his campaign speeches, The Washington Post reported at the time. “That’s an old submarine; they’ve got plenty of pictures, if the enemy wants them, they’ve got plenty of them. He wanted to take a couple of pictures. They put him in jail for a year.” Now that enlisted sailor, 30-year-old Kristian Saucier, is asking the president to commute his prison sentence and pardon him of his crime. His attorneys say they want to show that not only is it a double standard that Americans such as Saucier are prosecuted when Clinton was not, but also that Saucier was used as an example during a time when the U.S. government was cracking down on people mishandling classified information — to show that it does take such cases seriously. “I just see such a clear injustice,” his mother, Kathleen Saucier, told The Washington Post. “It breaks my heart because I know he’s not the only one who feels that they’ve been thrown away by their country. “If anything comes out of this — we’re going to raise awareness about double standards.” “I never said he wasn’t guilty,” she added, “but what I’m saying is, how can this be justice?” Jeffrey Addicott, Saucier’s attorney, who recently filed petitions for Saucier’s clemency as well as a pardon under the Obama administration, called the handling of Saucier’s misconduct case a “gross miscarriage of justice.” “Justice means you get what you deserve; he didn’t get what he deserved,” said Addicott, director of the Center for Terrorism Law at St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio. He is handling the case pro bono. Addicott added that other sailors who took photos about the same time on the same submarine were not held to the same standard as Saucier. “None were discharged; none were jailed. So why was Kristian? There’s only one reason,” Addicott said, referring to Clinton’s email controversy. A representative for the White House said she was looking into the pardon petition. Saucier, who was a machinist’s mate aboard the USS Alexandria, snapped six photos on his cellphone in 2009, showing his work areas on the submarine, according to court records. His attorneys had said in a filing that he did it “out of the misguided desire to keep these pictures in order to one day show his family and future children what he did while he was in the Navy.” But the Justice Department said Saucier, who had secret clearance, revealed “major technical components of the submarine’s propulsion system.” In 2012, someone found Saucier’s cellphone — with the photos still on it — at a waste transfer station, according to the Justice Department. After Saucier was questioned by federal agents, prosecutors said, he destroyed his laptop. In 2015, Saucier was indicted on a charge of unauthorized retention of defense information, which carries a maximum 10-year prison sentence, and was given an “other￾than-honorable” discharge from the Navy, according to Fox News. The Navy did not immediately respond to a request concerning Saucier. Saucier pleaded guilty and was sentenced last year to one year in federal prison. He started his term in October at Fort Devens in Massachusetts. The Clinton argument came up last year in a court filing from Saucier’s attorneys, who said that the former secretary of state had engaged in similar acts, according to Politico, which first reported the story. “In our case, Mr. Saucier possessed six (6) photographs classified as ‘confidential/restricted,’ far less than Clinton’s 110 emails,” the attorneys wrote in an August DHS-17-0435-A-000596 CBP FOIA000596 210 2016 sentencing memorandum, adding: “It will be unjust and unfair for Mr. Saucier to receive any sentence other than probation for a crime those more powerful than him will likely avoid.” As The Post previously reported, Trump also made the comparison between Clinton and Saucier’s cases — to try to show that people have indeed been punished for mishandling classified material in the past. The article stated: But Saucier’s case is not exactly comparable, either. The Navy sailor was sentenced to prison after taking photos in classified areas of a nuclear submarine. He then destroyed the evidence after learning that he was under investigation. In fact, Saucier’s lawyers even acknowledged that the two cases were different: Saucier admitted knowing that what he was doing was illegal, unlike Clinton. When asked about the accusations against federal prosecutors, Tom Carson, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Connecticut, said in a statement to The Post that “for any pardon application, when the Office of the Pardon Attorney requests our office’s position on a pardon, we will review the application and provide our position.” Similarly, last year, a Marine officer facing separation from the military for mishandling classified information also planned to use the Clinton defense. In 2012, Maj. Jason Brezler had sent classified information to fellow Marines using a Yahoo email address, warning them about a potentially corrupt Afghan police chief, The Post’s Dan Lamothe reported. When Brezler was threatened with separation from the military, he sued — and his lawyer said he would use Clinton’s email case to fight it in court. In December, a federal judge ruled that the Marine Corps could not remove Brezler from the service because it had not given him all the documents relevant to his case before his administrative hearing. Most recently, in his last days as president, former president Barack Obama commuted the 35-year prison sentence of Chelsea Manning, the Army private convicted of leaking classified documents to WikiLeaks. In Saucier’s case, his attorneys are arguing that the punishment was “way out of the norm.” Ronald Daigle, an attorney for Saucier, said he met last month with Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, Trump’s national security adviser, to talk about a possible pardon. “He was a career sailor,” Daigle said of Saucier, “so he has some disappointing days, but he’s a true patriot and he thinks things are going to turn out for the best.” Is Ivanka Trump Jewish? In Israel, She Has A Trump Card By Daniel Estrin Associated Press, January 26, 2017 PETAH TIKVA, Israel (AP) – Is Ivanka Trump really Jewish? Last summer, Israel’s religious authorities issued a ruling that raised doubts about her conversion to Judaism. But after her father was elected president, they have changed their tune, raising eyebrows among activists who have long lobbied the rabbinical establishment to be more tolerant toward converts. President Donald Trump’s daughter converted to Judaism under a prominent Orthodox rabbi in Manhattan before her 2009 marriage to Jared Kushner, an observant Jew. In its ruling last July, an Israeli government religious court rejected the legitimacy of another conversion by the same rabbi. Although it didn’t directly affect Ivanka Trump, it raised questions as to whether Israel’s powerful religious establishment would recognize her as being Jewish. But in early December, just weeks after Trump’s election victory, Israel’s chief rabbis said they would work to change the rules for recognizing conversions performed abroad – and they singled out Ivanka Trump. “According to the new proposed plan ... her conversion will be certified without the need for additional checks,” the announcement said. Israeli activists say the sudden policy change appears to be an attempt to curry favor with the new U.S. president. Ivanka Trump’s husband has been appointed a senior adviser to Trump and is expected to focus on Israeli￾Palestinian peace efforts. An Israeli rabbinic committee has already met several times to discuss conversion policy, a speedier pace than usual, activists say. “The timing is certainly suspicious,” said Rabbi Seth Farber, director of ITIM, an organization that represents converts seeking recognition from the rabbinate. “My biggest fear is that the rabbinate will find some way to find Ms. Trump kosher, to recognize her conversion, but leave thousands of other converts behind, simply saying they’re not Jewish enough for us.” The Jewish Week, a New York newspaper, quoted an anonymous source with ties to Trump’s presidential transition team as saying high-ranking aides had expressed concern to Israel regarding the legitimacy of Ivanka Trump’s conversion, and that Israeli efforts to recognize her conversion would foster a closer relationship between the Trump family and Israel. A spokeswoman for Trump did not return a request for confirmation, and Rabbi Levi Shemtov, a rabbi in Washington who is close to Ivanka Trump, declined comment. A spokesman for one of Israel’s chief rabbis said the proposed changes were a long time coming and not a direct result of Trump’s election. DHS-17-0435-A-000597 CBP FOIA000597 211 “Even before Ivanka Trump, it was talked about,” said spokesman Pinchas Tennenbaum, adding that the media attention “added problems, and we take it to heart.” Since Ivanka Trump does not live in Israel, for her the issue is largely hypothetical. But for converts in Israel, the rabbinate’s ruling affects their daily lives. If they are not recognized as Jewish, they are not permitted to marry in Israel, and they are technically ineligible for a religious burial when they die. Israel’s Orthodox establishment does not recognize conversions performed by the more liberal Reform and Conservative streams of Judaism, to which most American Jews belong. But immigration officials have more relaxed guidelines and do allow Reform and Conservative converts to gain citizenship in Israel as Jews. These days, many Israelis simply wave off the rabbinate as irrelevant. Secular Israelis often wed in civil ceremonies abroad to avoid the rabbinate, while many ultra￾Orthodox Jews dismiss the rabbinate’s certification of kosher food as too lax. Some Israelis perceive the rabbinate as corrupt: A former Israeli chief rabbi was sentenced to three and a half years in prison this week following charges of corruption and bribery. “The rabbinate is a fossil of an institution that does not succeed in grappling with modern needs,” said Nahum Barnea, a leading Israeli columnist. “Most Israelis see the recognition of Ivanka Trump’s Judaism, or lack of recognition, as a joke.” Under the proposed reform, the rabbinate would establish clear guidelines for which rabbis abroad are deemed fit to perform conversions, rather than the current practice of evaluating each individual convert. All foreign-born Jews seeking a marriage license in Israel must first be checked by the rabbinate to ensure they are indeed Jewish. Between 2013 and 2015, some 5,000 people asked the rabbinate to recognize them as Jews, according to rabbinate figures. Critics say Israeli rabbinical courts reject dozens of converts each year, claiming their Orthodox conversions were not stringent enough and in some case questioning their motives and levels of observance. The issue reached a boiling point last year when an Israeli rabbinical court refused to recognize the conversion of a 31-year-old American, Nicole Zeitler. While working in New York, she converted to Judaism after a year and a half of study that included Hebrew lessons, a weekly questionnaire on Jewish topics and twice-a-week meetings with Rabbi Haskel Lookstein, a senior rabbi in the U.S. Orthodox community who also oversaw Ivanka Trump’s conversion. “It was intense. I learned it and I lived it,” Zeitler said. She moved to Israel and became engaged to an Israeli, but a rabbinical court would not grant her a marriage license, dismissing Lookstein’s credentials. The move created an uproar in Israel, with the speaker of the Israeli parliament and head of Israel’s Labor party, who know Lookstein personally, petitioning the rabbinate to reconsider. In the end, the supreme rabbinical court persuaded Zeitler to undergo a quickened conversion by reciting a special declaration of faith, rather than recognize Lookstein’s conversion. “The Israeli rabbinic establishment is an ultra￾conservative establishment. Rabbi Lookstein is considered a more open-minded Orthodox rabbi,” Farber said. “It rubs some of the rabbinical authorities the wrong way.” Lookstein declined comment and deferred to Farber to speak on his behalf. Elad Kaplan, a lawyer for ITIM who represented Zeitler in the religious court, believes the rabbinate’s promise to resolve the conversion controversy is directly connected to Trump’s election. “It would definitely be embarrassing to the state of Israel and the rabbinate if...Ivanka Trump’s family were to visit Israel and for the official Jewish authorities in Israel to not recognize their Judaism,” Kaplan said. As for Zeitler, she acknowledged it was “a little fishy” that the rabbis were suddenly interested in changing the rules on conversions. “On the other hand, I’m happy that Trump is president, and that this may change things in the system,” she said, speaking from her small apartment in the central Israeli city of Petah Tikva, where she lives with her husband. “I mean, isn’t this how things happen in the world anyway? Someone super famous and important has to come up and, in this case, be Jewish, to make a big change?” – Follow Daniel Estrin on Twitter at www.twitter.com/danielestrin © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. In Sudden Change, A Business Group Opts To Rent Event Space At A Trump Hotel By Drew Harwell And Alan Freeman Washington Post, January 26, 2017 The American Chamber of Commerce in Canada had long planned to hold a meeting Thursday night at the DHS-17-0435-A-000598 CBP FOIA000598 212 Vancouver, B.C., home of a U.S. diplomatic official to talk about trade relations in the Donald Trump era. Then, two days ago, the group suddenly switched its plan — choosing instead to rent space for 2,500 Canadian dollars at the glittering new hotel tower bearing the U.S. president’s name. “Don’t miss this opportunity to see Vancouver’s newest hotel and hear about the newest U.S. President’s options on trade,” read the email to members of the group, which is an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. President Trump does not own the Trump International Hotel & Tower Vancouver, but he has a stake in the hotel’s success, as its developers pay his private company for the rights to use his name and to manage the property. The Chamber event is the latest reminder of a key point of tension around Trump’s rise to power, in which he is shaping U.S. policy while maintaining ownership of his high￾profile business interests worldwide. And it offers another indication of the ways Trump’s presidency stands to benefit his corporate brand. Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s private oceanfront club in Palm Beach, Fla., moved after the election to double its new￾member fee to $200,000. An executive for the resort brand Trump Hotels also voiced interest this week in expanding into every major American metropolitan area. And Trump’s new hotel in Washington, blocks from the White House, has drawn new business from foreign diplomats and the embassies of Azerbaijan, Bahrain and Kuwait. Although Trump has removed himself from management of his businesses, his refusal to divest has drawn criticism from ethics experts who say that he stands to personally profit from his public office and that the setup presents a web of potential ethical conflicts. The change of venue for Thursday’s event in Canada sparked concerns that the business lobby was seeking to curry favor with Trump — prompting one participant to consider backing out. “This is horrible!” wrote Matilde Bombardini, an economist at the University of British Columbia and one of two panelists scheduled to speak. “I don’t want to take part in this. I am ready to withdraw my participation. But do you think it’s going to be more valuable to the greater cause of human decency if I go and speak my mind?” The event’s other speaker, Stockwell Day, a former Conservative Party cabinet minister, said he had no problem with the location, noting that Trump had taken steps to distance himself from his company. “Everything is open and transparent,” Day said. “It wouldn’t stop me from golfing on one of his golf courses or buying one of his branded products.” Attendees were told in the Tuesday email that the event was being moved because of “unforeseen circumstances.” A U.S. Embassy spokesman said organizers were told within the past week that no events could take place in the diplomatic residence because it needs urgent repairs. Jeffrey Peterson, a Chamber vice president and partner in the Vancouver law firm of Dorsey & Whitney, said a leak at the consul general’s residence forced the event to move. He said that politics had nothing to do with the selection of the Trump hotel. “They had space available at the last moment,” Peterson said, adding that he personally had nothing to do with organizing the event or the location. Laura Ballance, a board member of the Chamber’s Pacific chapter, said the group was racing to find a new venue after members were told Tuesday that the diplomatic residence was no longer available. The group, she said, is nonpartisan but traditionally favors venues that are American-owned or branded. The Trump hotel, whose Canada-based developer is the son of one of Malaysia’s wealthiest business leaders, was the first to respond with an offer for meeting space in downtown Vancouver, Ballance said. “For us, it’s not a partisan decision. It’s about finding space on very short notice that can accommodate this group on a very important discussion,” she said. “We’re here to understand and navigate the new path forward with the new administration,” she added. The hotel’s fee includes a meeting room and a few light appetizers for the roughly 60 attendees, Ballance said. Neither the hotel nor Trump Organization officials responded to requests for comment. The Vancouver condo and hotel tower, the first foreign business launch of the Trump brand during the new presidency, has received an “overwhelming amount of reservations,” developers told The Washington Post this week. The Chamber says its members include executives from American and Canadian businesses operating in both countries, as well as government organizations invested “in the expansion and enhancement of cross-border business opportunities.” The event’s topics of discussion are to include Trump’s resistance to major trade deals and the future of U.S. negotiations with Canada and Mexico. Trump’s criticism of free trade agreements, and his vow to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, has become a major topic of concern for members of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as well as Canadian businesses. A formal opening of the hotel, which developers said members of the Trump family will attend, is expected late next month. Freeman reported from Ottawa. DHS-17-0435-A-000599 CBP FOIA000599 213 Trump Is His Administration’s Own Worst Enemy On Foreign Policy By David Ignatius Washington Post, January 26, 2017 President Trump’s slash-and-burn actions in his first week have been dramatic, but dangerously lacking in a consensus of support, even within his own administration. The risks were evident in the collapse of a planned meeting with Mexico’s president and in Trump’s embrace of torture tactics rejected by his secretary of defense and CIA director. Trump’s “tweet from the hip” style produced its first real foreign rupture Thursday, when Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto canceled a planned visit to Washington. That followed Trump’s tweet that he should stay away if he wasn’t ready to pay for the often-proclaimed border wall. The Twitter grenade blew up what had been an attempt to finesse the issue with a delayed Mexican financial contribution for the wall, an approach that Trump himself had only hours before supported in an interview with ABC’s David Muir. Now, Trump has an avoidable Mexico crisis to deal with. The torture issue was another self-inflicted wound. The CIA doesn’t want to go back into the secret detention and waterboarding business. There’s a law banning torture, for the simple reason that it “shocks the conscience” of many Americans. And some foreign intelligence services would refuse to share information with a United States that used such techniques. The weird disconnect between Trump’s wrecking-ball comments and the more delicate process of governing was illustrated by the flap over a draft executive order to revive the CIA’s “black sites” for detention and interrogation. After the memo surfaced Wednesday in the New York Times, Trump spokesman Sean Spicer insisted that it was “not a White House document.” But then a few hours later, Trump was raging in his interview with Muir that torture “works . . . absolutely” and “we have to fight fire with fire.” Like so many of Trump’s tweets, these comments are disruptive and destabilizing — but mainly to his own administration. They make the job of new CIA Director Mike Pompeo harder. If the first week of the Trump presidency showed us anything, it’s that he is more determined to overturn the established trade, economic and national-security order than even his critics feared. So far, there’s more Stephen K. Bannon and less Reince Priebus in this White House. The costs of Trump’s impulsive, thin-skinned behavior have also become clearer. He keeps proclaiming how well he’s doing, but his aides have seemingly worked nonstop to put out fires ignited by their boss. Whether Trump’s tweeting and his alt-right tilt can be tempered by James Mattis at Defense and Rex Tillerson at State looks more dubious. This will worry foreign leaders who had found the Mattis and Tillerson nominations reassuring, and were prepared to believe that Trump’s bark might be worse than his bite on issues that matter to global allies. Trump’s bombastic nature undermines his ability to address the problems he cares most about. Take Mexico: It doesn’t want a trade war with the United States, and Peña Nieto has been working to resolve border-security and NAFTA-renegotiation issues. But Trump’s humiliating tweet (prompted, presumably, by his fear of being challenged for willingness to compromise) backed Peña Nieto into a political corner. The outcome is contrary to both countries’ interests. Similarly, Trump’s public endorsement of torture undermines his deeper effort to combat terrorism. Because of public revulsion over waterboarding, and the CIA’s refusal to resume interrogation activities without clear, sustainable legal authority, it’s now easier for the United States to kill terrorists with drones than to capture and interrogate them. The rise in such “targeted killing” may take terrorists off the battlefield, but it doesn’t yield intelligence. “The U.S. has abandoned any effort to capture, detain and interrogate terrorists,” argues Rolf Mowatt-Larssen, a former CIA officer who now teaches at the Harvard Kennedy School. “Killing terrorists with drones does not produce information on terrorist plans and intentions. It makes eminent sense to emphasize recruitment and capture operations in addition to lethal drones and bombings. As the crude saying goes, ‘you can’t kill them all.’ “ John McLaughlin, a former acting CIA director, speaks for a consensus in the agency when he says “it would be a mistake to go back in that direction,” with case officers tasked with running secret interrogation sites. But the larger point is that “the issue is so politicized that you cannot have the sober policy discussion” that’s needed on how to collect better intelligence through interrogation. During his first week in office, Trump has been his own loudest cheerleader. He has also been his own worst enemy. As with any other form of self-destructive behavior, it’s time for an intervention by those closest to him. We Ignore Trump At Our Peril By Eugene Robinson Washington Post, January 26, 2017 Where to begin? That’s the daily question for anyone trying to follow the words and deeds of the new administration, which is like drinking from two fire hoses — one gushing policy, the other spewing insanity. Neither stream can be ignored. I wish I could agree with those who say we should pay little attention to President Trump’s verbal eruptions and focus only on concrete actions, but I can’t. It matters that the most powerful man in the world insists on “facts” that are nothing but self-aggrandizing fantasy. It matters that the president of the United States DHS-17-0435-A-000600 CBP FOIA000600 214 seems incapable of publicly admitting any error. It matters that Trump’s need for adulation appears to be insatiable. The president’s most acute obsession is with the false notion that he lost the popular vote to Hillary Clinton only because of widespread election fraud committed by “millions” of people. There were, in fact, four documented cases of voter fraud in the election. Yes, I said four; two of them involved individuals who said they were Trump supporters. House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) is among the many officials who have acknowledged there is zero evidence of the kind of fraud Trump alleges. It simply did not happen. When pressed on the subject, Trump cites a 2012 report by the Pew Center on the States that found problems with inaccurate voter registration rolls — but no indication of fraud, according to the study’s author. When David Muir of ABC News pointed this out to Trump in an interview on Wednesday, the president claimed the author of the Pew study was now “groveling,” whatever that means. I have read the study, and indeed it presents no evidence of voter fraud. At a meeting with congressional leaders on Monday, Trump cited a different piece of purported proof, according to the New York Times: He told a story about how professional golfer Bernhard Langer tried to vote in Florida on Election Day but was not allowed to do so, while suspicious-looking voters ahead of and behind him, possibly Latin American immigrants, were permitted to cast provisional ballots. At the risk of repeating myself, this simply did not happen. Langer indeed lives in Florida but is a German citizen. He has never voted in this country. Why is any of this important? Because Trump, relying on a misinterpreted study and a garbled anecdote, has called for a “major investigation” of all this nonexistent voter fraud. He now has the vast resources of the Justice Department at his disposal, which means that if he wants a big investigation, he can have one. Press secretary Sean Spicer said Wednesday that the focus would be on “urban” areas, and he mentioned California and New York — both of which voted heavily for Clinton — as states that may be looked at carefully. What we have, then, is an instance in which Trump’s fixation on his own popularity, or lack thereof, dovetails with the Republican Party’s long-standing political interest in minimizing the electoral weight of Democratic “urban” strongholds — meaning cities with large populations of minorities and liberals. We should prepare for a GOP attempt to channel Trump’s delusion into the rational, but nefarious, purpose of voter suppression. Another example is Trump’s insistence on the value of torture in the fight against terrorism. Trump pledged during the campaign to bring back waterboarding and “much worse.” Doing so would violate U.S. and international law. Trump has said he will leave the decision up to Defense Secretary James N. Mattis and CIA Director Mike Pompeo, neither of whom has shown the slightest enthusiasm for getting the United States back into the torture business. So can we relax? Not really, because Trump won’t admit he was wrong. He said in the interview with Muir that “we have to fight fire with fire” in the battle against the Islamic State and that torture “absolutely” works. Since Trump is the commander in chief, words such as these create political problems at home for friends such as British Prime Minister Theresa May, who is scheduled to meet with Trump on Friday. How can allies fully share intelligence with the United States if they believe captured suspects may be tortured? My point is that Trump’s off-the-wall statements and Twitter rants cannot be dismissed as mere attempts to distract. We have a president who is obsessed with his public standing, given to outlandish statements, eager to believe in conspiracy theories and unwilling to admit when he is wrong. To our peril, his character and moods will shape his policies. Why A Tweeting President Is So Bad For Our Politics By Michael Gerson Washington Post, January 26, 2017 All political leaders, presidents in particular, dream of using technology to avoid the media filter and speak directly to the American people. Thomas Jefferson — both eloquent founder and appalling political hack — weaponized the pamphlet, commissioning scandalmonger James Callender to write a hit job on Alexander Hamilton. Warren Harding pioneered the political use of radio, which was perfected by Franklin D. Roosevelt, whose ambitions were aided by having a good radio voice. Not everyone was a fan of the medium. When a radio microphone was put in front of diplomat Elihu Root, he is said to have responded: “Take that away. I can talk to a Democrat, but I cannot speak into a dead thing.” John F. Kennedy’s political appeal was unimaginable without televised images of his youth, vigor and physical grace. Ronald Reagan talked to the camera like an old, single-eyed friend. But no president has really possessed the technical means to routinely avoid edited, moderated mass communication until now. President Trump holds his office, in part, because of his talent for Twitter. He has shown a remarkable ability to dominate the news cycle and redirect the national conversation in increments of 140 characters. For Trump, this medium is a living, snarling and hungry thing. Make no mistake: This is not only change, it is regression. I make this judgment both as a fogey and a former speechwriter. A presidential speech may be two thousand or three thousand words, every one of them run through the staffing process (in which senior White House DHS-17-0435-A-000601 CBP FOIA000601 215 officials can comment), fact-checked and approved by the president before delivery. A good presidential speech is the result of both thought and craft. A great presidential speech reflects literary, historical and moral inspiration and can speak far beyond its moment. I understand the usefulness of social media in aggregating flows of information that people trust, enjoy and need. It allows people to essentially be their own editors (the value of which is determined by the news literacy of the user). And some people have a remarkable knack for communicating in vivid fragments. Pope Francis (with 10 million Twitter followers) distributes bits of wisdom and comfort like virtual communion wafers. Katy Perry (with more followers than the population of Germany) says, well, whatever it is that Katy Perry says. But in politics, Twitter has dramatic limits and can become a disturbing substitute for disciplined thought. One hundred and forty characters are suitable to expressing an impulse, but not an argument. It is the rhetorical equivalent of a groan, a shriek, a sneer or a burp. If reason and persuasion are what our politics lacks and needs, Twitter is not the answer. Trump’s mastery and extensive use of Twitter are revealing in a way he does not intend. This is the only area in which Trump can be considered a great communicator. His stump speech was a disorganized, repetitive, unfocused mess. His inaugural address was memorable only in ways — such as its dark, shrunken view of the United States itself — that deserve to be forgotten. His recent speech at the CIA was strangely inappropriate and offensive. So he often returns to the comfort zone of Twitter. He claims Hillary Clinton lost in a “landslide,” or goes after a specific news organization, or makes entirely unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud. Some feel that journalism would be better served by ignoring such shiny objects. But the shallowness of Trump’s preferred form of communication indicates deeper things. His mind seems perfectly suited to a medium that rewards impulsiveness, that ignores fact-checking and that encourages incivility. Those are not generally the traits we hope for in a new president. And Trump’s use of Twitter raises the prospect of a serious abuse of power. A private citizen with 22 million followers (as Trump has) can be a vindictive jerk, attacking the owner of the Chicago Cubs, the head of the United Steelworkers or a Gold Star family by name. A president with 22 million followers, including the shock troops of Internet bullying, can destroy an individual’s life as surely as can targeting by the FBI or the IRS. At moments of frustration, Trump will be sorely tempted to attack specific people on Twitter. But a government official should not be allowed to take the reputation or peace of any citizen without due process. It is the president’s job to enforce laws without distinction, not to choose specific men and women for harm. This would be the practice of personal rule, and a scary detour toward Putinism. Trump’s Government Looks An Awful Lot Like A Badly Run Business By Catherine Rampell Washington Post, January 26, 2017 If this is what “running government like a business” looks like, it’s no wonder President Trump’s companies kept going bankrupt. One week into the presidency, we’ve gotten a taste of Trump’s management style. And so far it’s been plagued by many of the bad habits common to poorly run businesses. Take, for example, his administration’s clear indifference to — or outright rejection of — good measurement and analytics. One of the first things you learn from talking to management experts and successful entrepreneurs is the importance of having a clear set of objectives, as well as good, consistent metrics for determining whether those objectives have been met. Or, as Trump’s commerce secretary nominee, Wilbur Ross, argued not once but twice in his confirmation hearing last week: “I have a very heartfelt saying in management that anything you can’t measure, you can’t manage.” Ross, arguably the most business-savvy of Trump’s Cabinet picks, has not yet been confirmed. In his absence, the administration has not exactly been taking his “heartfelt saying” to heart. During a news conference Monday, for instance, White House press secretary Sean Spicer refused to answer a simple measurement question: What is the current unemployment rate? The answer is not exactly a secret. Three weeks ago, the Labor Department publicly announced its latest reading as 4.7 percent. But Spicer — whose boss has variously claimed the rate is “a total fiction” and as high as “42 percent” — ducked. Instead of providing the figure, or even citing alternative metrics he thought could be better gauges of economic health (such as measures of underemployment or labor force participation), Spicer pooh-poohed interest in quantitative gauges altogether. “The president, he’s not focused on statistics as much as he is on whether or not the American people are doing better as a whole,” Spicer said. He went on to admonish “Washington” for fixating on numbers and forgetting “the faces and the families and the businesses that are behind those numbers.” Bully for Trump for caring about helping real people (people with faces!) rather than statistics (notoriously lacking DHS-17-0435-A-000602 CBP FOIA000602 216 in faces). But numbers are the best tool we have for assessing whether the administration actually lives up to its promise to make sure “the American people are doing better as a whole.” If you pulled this kind of stunt in business — arguing that, say, growth targets or other quantifiable metrics don’t matter, and only some ineffable sensation of “success” does — you’d probably fail. With Ross as a possible exception, Trump’s personnel decisions also bear many of the hallmarks of badly run companies. He’s made hiring decisions based not on qualifications or experience, but on whether candidates are members of his family or have the right “look.” Funny facial hair, inadequate height and absence of “swagger” reportedly disqualified some contenders. He’s likewise instituted an indefinite, across-the-board hiring freeze, despite the fact that the federal government has clearly identifiable, critical needs for staffing up in select areas, including for the 2017 Economic Census and preparations for the 2020 Census (I know, those pesky numbers again). Not to mention that a Government Accountability Office analysis of across-the-board hiring freezes implemented by earlier presidents found that the resulting agency disruptions increased costs to taxpayers in the long run. Targeted freezes and cuts, the report said, are more effective. Addressing bureaucratic bloat with a chainsaw rather than a scalpel isn’t leadership; it’s laziness. Yet that’s how his administration has thus far approached regulation, too. Rather than thoughtfully assessing rules and regulations coming down the pike — by, say, conducting a cost-benefit analysis, as you might in a real-life business — Trump halted them across the board. They include one related to keeping airplanes from crashing. (It’s about inspecting aircraft fuselages for cracks.) Finally, Trump has recently committed to spending billions of dollars on pet projects that are essentially expensive solutions to problems that don’t exist: a border wall with Mexico, despite the fact that we’ve seen a net outflow of unauthorized Mexican immigrants in recent years, and a “voter fraud” investigation into the “millions” of illegal votes that he believes — with zero evidence — were cast in an election he won. Again, hard to imagine that such costly, low-upside executive windmill-chasing would fly at a competitive business. Needless to say, there are major differences between running a business and running a government; it’s a myth that aptitude at one necessarily translates to aptitude at the other. But with ineptitude, maybe it’s a different story. Elon Musk Has Trump’s Ear, And Wall Street Takes Note By James B. Stewart New York Times, January 26, 2017 The election of Donald Trump and the accompanying rehabilitation of fossil fuels should have been, by all rights, devastating for Tesla Motors. Tesla is the top maker of all-electric autos, and it completed its merger with SolarCity, a leading manufacturer of solar energy panels, days after the presidential election. Elon Musk, the visionary founder of both companies, openly criticized Mr. Trump’s candidacy, saying on CNBC just before the vote that he was “not the right guy” for the job. Mr. Musk has pressed for a carbon tax to combat global warming, which Mr. Trump once dismissed as a Chinese hoax. The mere mention of a carbon tax inflames the old guard of the energy industry. Moreover, both Tesla and SolarCity benefit from federal subsidies. Robert E. Murray, a coal executive and Trump supporter, has called Mr. Musk “a fraud” for accepting $2 billion in government handouts. So why have Tesla shares surged since Mr. Trump’s election, closing this week within striking distance of a record high? Adam Jonas, a prominent automotive analyst at Morgan Stanley, upgraded Tesla stock to overweight last week, with a target price of $305 a share. (It was trading this week at about $255.) “When you look at the businesses Tesla is in, you see many areas of overlapping interest” with the Trump administration, Mr. Jonas told me. “To the extent the new administration prioritizes the creation of valuable, innovative high tech and manufacturing jobs, Tesla stands at the epicenter of that.” Shares in pure solar energy companies haven’t fared as well, but even they have now regained nearly all the ground they lost immediately after Mr. Trump’s victory. Solar investors “aren’t nearly as negative as they were the day after the election,” said Andrew Hughes, an alternative energy analyst for Credit Suisse. One reason for that shift seems to be a budding bromance between Mr. Trump and Mr. Musk. The president￾elect invited Mr. Musk to Trump Tower in December as part of a group of technology executives and named him to his strategic and policy forum of business leaders. And Mr. Musk was with a group of manufacturing executives at a White House meeting this week at which, according to a participant, he broached the subject of a carbon tax. Surprisingly, Mr. Trump didn’t reject it out of hand. For his part, Mr. Musk this week endorsed Rex W. Tillerson, a pillar of the fossil fuel establishment as chief executive of Exxon Mobil, for secretary of state. DHS-17-0435-A-000603 CBP FOIA000603 217 Mr. Jonas said that the “strategic relationship between Tesla leadership and the new administration is an important development” in his decision to upgrade Tesla stock. “That Trump would be relying on Musk as an adviser has come as quite a surprise to many people,” Mr. Jonas said. A major fear of investors in solar power was that a Trump administration would end the federal subsidies so reviled by fossil fuel proponents. While that remains a concern, the most recent jobs data suggests that the subsidies have led to a surge in new well-paid jobs, exactly what Mr. Trump has advocated. This month, the Energy Department noted in its annual energy and jobs report that “solar technologies, both photovoltaic and concentrated, employ almost 374,000 workers, or 43 percent of the electric power generation work force.” (Coal, by contrast, accounts for about 86,000 workers.) “The jobs data is a compelling argument in favor of the tax credits,” Mr. Hughes said. He noted that federal solar subsidies were set to expire anyway in a few years, a result of rare bipartisan cooperation in Congress. Mr. Musk has stressed that solar energy is close to reaching a scale where federal subsidies will no longer be needed. And Tesla is also expanding rapidly. Tesla employs 25,000 workers in the United States and could easily double that as it ramps up production for its new Model 3 and expands its Gigafactory, a lithium ion battery manufacturing operation in Nevada. “I don’t know what kind of multiplier you put on that, but it’s a significant boost to the economy,” Mr. Jonas said. Federal subsidies for electric vehicles will also end once a manufacturer hits 200,000 vehicles, a level Tesla may soon reach. Mr. Trump and Mr. Musk appear to have other areas of overlapping interest as well. Mr. Musk has broached the subject of the nation’s aging electricity transmission grid in conversations with Mr. Trump, according to an insider with knowledge of the discussions. Mr. Musk has advocated a so￾called smart grid and has said that eventually Tesla will offer grid services, such as batteries that can be added to the grid and paired with solar and wind farms. This is the kind of high￾impact infrastructure project that Mr. Trump has supported. And Tesla’s success could help fend off Chinese efforts to compete or even dominate in what could be an important piece of the car industry’s future. But the ultimate bond between the two may simply be that they both like to think big. As Joel Achenbach has reported in The Washington Post, Mr. Musk seems to have captured the new president’s imagination with his SpaceX project — which designs, manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft — and his fascination with transporting human life to other planets. A manned mission to Mars (a joint venture between NASA and SpaceX that would reduce the costs and risks to taxpayers) might well become Mr. Trump’s version of “landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth” within a decade, the challenge that President John F. Kennedy set before Congress in 1961. It’s still early in the Trump administration, and some (or all) of this may turn out to be wishful thinking by fans of Mr. Musk, Tesla investors, environmentalists and hopeful space colonists. “I want to believe that Trump won’t kill solar,” Mr. Hughes said. “But there’s still a lot of uncertainty. The big question: Will he take away the tax credits?” Still, there’s a growing sense that Mr. Trump and Tesla can not only coexist, but even thrive together. “You don’t have to be anti-electric to be pro-fossil fuel,” Mr. Jonas said. Military Brass Fill Donald Trump’s National Security Council President’s appointments reflect his campaign pledge to target Islamic militants By Jay Solomon Wall Street Journal, January 26, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Donald Trump’s Speech To CIA Was ‘Sweet Talk’ Masking ‘Falsehoods’, Says Former Intelligence Officer By Matt Broomfield Independent (UK), January 26, 2017 Donald Trump’s speech at the CIA’s headquarters has been criticised by a former officer with the US spy agency who witnessed it first hand. The US President has described his visit to the compound in Langley, Virginia as a “WIN”. It was his first official act in office. But Nada Bakos, who spent a decade with CIA, was less than impressed. Read more If Donald Trump delivered his inauguration on Twitter... Mexico’s former president says they won’t pay for Trump’s border wall Americans say Trump unable to handle international crisis, poll finds Professors express ‘grave concerns’ for Trump’s mental stability “You can’t sweet talk a good spy,” she said in a video uploaded to Twitter. “Falsehoods and ‘alternative facts’ are no way to win over a workforce whose job it is to discern the truth.” Ms Bakos’ role with the agency saw her draw up strategies for the war on terror and track the jihadist leader DHS-17-0435-A-000604 CBP FOIA000604 218 Abu Musab al-Zarqawi – seen by some as the founder of the group which became Isis. He was assassinated in 2006 after he was discovered in a safehouse in rural Iraq. Now a security analyst with the Foreign Policy Research Institute think tank, she said she had been “very hopeful” before Mr Trump’s speech. As a former CIA analyst and targeting officer, here’s what I think about Trump’s speech at the #CIA on Saturday: pic.twitter.com/6JddSmAJhW — Nada Bakos (@nadabakos) January 25, 2017 “I was hoping that he would reach out to the workforce as an olive branch after the hostile relationship that he had promoted between him and the intelligence community,” she said. Relations have been strained between the new President and the intelligence agencies, after Mr Trump wrongly accused them of leaking an unverified, salacious document to damage his nascent presidency. He had earlier likened them to Nazi Germany in a tweet, saying they “never should have allowed this fake news to ‘leak’ to the public. One last shot at me”. Donald Trump performs U-turn by praising the CIA Ms Bakos said: “I was very hopeful that he would understand the building that he was standing in and that he would understand the apolitical nature of the work that they do. The objectivity that they strive for in their analysis.” She added: “I didn’t see a president trying to repair the relationship. I didn’t see a president that made an effort to understand the solemnness and the humility it should take to speak in front of that wall.” Ms Bakos was referring to the CIA Wall of Honour, a memorial carved with 117 stars representing agents who have died while working for the intelligence agency. Had a great meeting at CIA Headquarters yesterday, packed house, paid great respect to Wall, long standing ovations, amazing people. WIN! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 22, 2017 Only 84 have their names listed in a goatskin book kept below the wall, with some personal information considered too classified to be released. Ms Bakos said that Mr Trump only referred to the wall once in passing. She added that the “scariest repurcussions” of Mr Trump’s behaviour were that “the employees of the CIA will be strong armed to fall in line, through subtle or not so subtle means, denigrating trust” in the agency. In a separate interview, former senior CIA official Paul Pillar told AlterNet that the relationship between the President and the CIA “is the worst of any incoming administration ever.” Want To Track Cellphones? Get A Warrant, Lawmakers Say By Dave Collins Associated Press, January 26, 2017 HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – Law enforcement cellphone tracking devices are coming under scrutiny in several states, where lawmakers have introduced proposals ranging from warrant requirements to an outright ban on the technology. Privacy and constitutional concerns, including Fourth Amendment search and seizure violations, are being cited with the proposed laws on cell-site simulators. The suitcase-size devices, widely known under the brand name Stingray, mimic cellphone towers and allow law enforcement to collect unique subscriber numbers and other basic data from cellphones in a particular area. The data can help police determine the location of a targeted phone – and phones of innocent bystanders – in real time without the users even making calls or sending text messages. Law enforcement officials say the devices are vital in helping to find suspects and victims, and to solve crimes. At least 13 states already require warrants to track cellphones in real time: California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Utah and Virginia. Federal law enforcement officers also must get warrants, under policies put in place in 2015 by the departments of Justice and Homeland Security. Courts around the country, meanwhile, have issued conflicting opinions about whether warrants are needed for cellphone location data, leading to a hodgepodge of rules. Bills addressing use of the devices are now pending in at least eight states, according to a review by The Associated Press. Most of them would require police to get warrants. One bill, introduced by South Carolina state Rep. J. Todd Rutherford, would ban the purchase and use of cell-site simulators by law enforcement. “I think most people would be offended if they knew exactly how much surveillance the government is doing,” said Rutherford, a Democrat from Columbia who is the House minority leader and a criminal defense lawyer. “It’s got to stop somewhere.” Rutherford isn’t even sure if any police agencies in his state are using the simulators. Many state and local law enforcement agencies sign nondisclosure agreements with the device manufacturer. The American Civil Liberties Union says it has identified 70 law enforcement agencies in 23 states and the District of Columbia that own cell-site simulators. But the actual number may be much higher because many agencies keep their use of the devices secret, the ACLU said. This year, lawmakers in at least six states are proposing bills to require warrants to use cellphone DHS-17-0435-A-000605 CBP FOIA000605 219 surveillance devices: Connecticut, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York and Oregon. A California bill would require local governments to approve the use of cell-site simulators and other surveillance technology. In Connecticut, state Rep. Rob Sampson introduced a bill to require warrants, with exceptions for terrorism and other life-and-death situations. “A cellphone is an individual’s private property and law enforcement has no right monitoring activity on these devices unless there is strong reason to believe the individual is engaging in illegal activity,” the Wolcott Republican said. It also isn’t clear whether any police agencies in Connecticut are using cell-site simulators. State police, Hartford police and New Haven police say they don’t use the devices. Police in Bridgeport said they do not comment on their surveillance technology. Last month, the U.S. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee issued a report calling for clearer guidelines. “There’s still a real pressing need for states to regulate this technology,” said Nathan Freed Wessler, staff attorney for the ACLU’s speech, privacy and technology project. “These devices are extraordinarily powerful and invasive. They can very precisely track where people’s phones are, and knowing where someone’s phone is can tell you a lot about them.” Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Mattis Is Trying To Repair The Damage Trump Is Doing By Jennifer Rubin Washington Post, January 26, 2017 Since taking office, President Trump has announced an “America First” policy, formally pulled out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, painted a bleak picture of America, delivered a campaign-style inaugural address and embarked on a series of showy but unnecessary and expensive immigration initiatives. Meanwhile, Defense Secretary James Mattis has: Publicly embraced the intelligence community (which Trump has publicly ridiculed and feuded with). Praised NATO and reached out to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg “to reconnect and discuss the key role NATO plays in transatlantic security. The secretary, who previously served as NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander for Transformation, wanted to place the call on his first full day in office to reinforce the importance he places on the alliance. The two leaders discussed the importance of our shared values, and the secretary emphasized that when looking for allies to help defend these values, the United States always starts with Europe.” Scheduled a trip to visit badly shaken allies in Asia. (“Secretary of Defense James Mattis will embark on his first trip as secretary Feb. 1-4 to meet with his counterparts from two critical allies, Japan and the Republic of Korea. The four day trip will include stops in Seoul and Tokyo. … The trip will underscore the commitment of the United States to our enduring alliances with Japan and the Republic of Korea, and further strengthen U.S.-Japan-Republic of Korea security cooperation.”) Delivered a moving and unifying speech to his department. Speaking in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day (which occurred before he took office), he told the Pentagon civilian and military employees on Wednesday: We’ve experienced the coequal commitment — didn’t matter what rank you were, didn’t matter if you’re civilian or military — a coequal commitment across this department to the mission. And it’s a mission that calls for all hands to strive together and to fight together and to look out for one another. Today, we observe the legacy of a man up here on the board behind me — a man who has called upon Americans many times to strive together and to fight together and to do their duty in the long struggle for equality and civil rights. In our nation’s history, our military has often served as an example to the American people of unity and strength, of how a diverse group of people can be motivated even under austere or grim conditions of the battlefield, to come together as equals. He then took the DOD employees on a short history tour, recounting Meriwether Lewis and William Clark’s 1805 journey aided by an African American slave and Sacajawea. He recalled, “They returned east to report back to their commander-in-chief, President Thomas Jefferson. They accomplished their mission to find the best route to the Pacific, and it was an all-hands effort.” At a time of great polarization in the country, with the most instantaneously unpopular and divisive president in recent memory, Mattis stressed unity of purpose. “Military service in America is a touchstone for American patriots of all races, genders, creeds. The men and women of the Department of Defense, military and civilian, reflect the diverse and selfless character of our national defense and have done so long before our nation had reached the level it has reached today in terms of civil rights.” This is far from the Trumpian gimmick of decreeing a day of patriotism. This is the real deal — selfless sacrifice, given freely for fellow Americans. While the president fans the flames of intolerance, Mattis tells the military and civilian employees to be an example to the rest of the country. (“Our armed forces are stronger today because of the perseverance of Dr. King and so many others in this country who have fought for civil rights and equality for all. And we can trace our department’s roots DHS-17-0435-A-000606 CBP FOIA000606 220 back to an Army patrol in 1805 when we listened to our better angels, and on this day of action, we are inspired to continue being a model for our nation.”) We hope the White House is listening and watching. Mattis is the only one in the administration so far to act, well, presidential and responsible. He knows we need allies. He knows the intelligence community is vital to our security. And he knows American values must be reinforced and celebrated. He knows our diversity is an asset, not a threat. Too bad Trump doesn’t get any of this. DHS-17-0435-A-000607 CBP FOIA000607 From: The Washington Post To: VITIELLO, RONALD D (USBP) Subject: The Daily 202: Is President Trump surrendering America’s moral high ground? Date: Thursday, January 26, 2017 10:38:12 AM If you're having trouble reading this, click here. The Daily 202 Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Is President Trump surrendering America’s moral DHS-17-0435-A-000608 CBP FOIA000608 □ □ BY JAMES HOHMANN with Breanne Deppisch high ground? George W. Bush leaves President Trump's inauguration last week. (Photo by Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post) THE BIG IDEA: Not even a week into Donald Trump’s presidency, some liberal internationalists find themselves privately pining for George W. Bush. DHS-17-0435-A-000609 CBP FOIA000609 AM RICA PVERSIGHT Ii] Despite acts of brutality that were perpetrated on his watch, Bush always insisted publicly that the United States did not torture. He understood that copping to the enhanced interrogation techniques he had secretly approved could undercut our moral standing on the world stage, provide terrorists a potent recruiting tool and give our enemies an excuse to torture Americans. Trump doesn’t think like that. “I have spoken as recently as 24 hours ago with people at the highest level of intelligence,” the new president told ABC News in an interview that aired last night, “and I asked them the question, 'Does it work? Does torture work?' and the answer was, 'Yes, absolutely.'" Explaining why he wants to reconsider the use of waterboarding, Trump added: “We're not playing on an even field. … As far as I'm concerned, we have to fight fire with fire.” Mike Pompeo was reportedly “blindsided” yesterday when he found out about the draft order to consider reopening black sites and resuming waterboarding. During his recent confirmation hearing, the new CIA director promised senators that he would “absolutely not” resume waterboarding. Trump’s statement is also surprising because Jim Mattis, his new defense secretary, is an outspoken critic of the technique’s usefulness. “I’ve always found, give me a pack of cigarettes and a couple of beers, and I do better with that than I do with torture,” he has said. John McCain, who was tortured by the communists in Vietnam DHS-17-0435-A-000610 CBP FOIA000610 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT and has as much moral standing on this issue as anyone, promised to hold firm: -- Yes, Bush invaded Iraq without sign-off from the United Nations Security Council. But he tried earnestly to get it. And he made a big deal about building a coalition of the willing. Not only is Trump talking about “taking the oil” and eschewing multilateralism, but he is poised to propose a 40 percent reduction in voluntary U.S. support for the U.N. and other global bodies, according to a draft of a forthcoming order obtained by DHS-17-0435-A-000611 CBP FOIA000611 AM RICA PVERSIGHT The Post. A separate order would limit U.S. participation in some treaties. “Trump’s new U.N. ambassador, Nikki Haley, has pledged to put U.S. interests first and use the leverage of disproportionate U.S. funding of the body. But the draft order would go much further, and with an apparent goal of slashing U.S. participation across a swath of U.N. agencies and activities to which the Trump administration objects on fiscal or ideological grounds,” Juliet Eilperin and Anne Gearan report. “The draft order could reverse or roll back funding for … international peacekeeping missions and U.S. support for development work.” The new team at the State Department is separately conducting a review of all foreign aid doled out during Barack Obama’s final months in office, including a controversial release of $220 million to Palestinians just hours before Trump assumed the presidency. The review involves dozens, if not hundreds, of foreign aid allocations, Carol Morello reports. DHS-17-0435-A-000612 CBP FOIA000612 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT Kurdish fighters near the front line of the fight against ISIS. Many of our allies are Muslim. (Ahmed Jadallah/Reuters) -- After the Sept. 11 attacks, Bush bent over backwards to say that Muslims were not the enemy. U.S. generals relentlessly made the case that we need Muslim allies to battle terrorism. Trump neither thinks nor talks this way. The new White House says it plans to follow through on the president’s promise to begin “extreme vetting” of would-be immigrants. A draft executive order, which Trump could sign today or tomorrow, would block entry to the United States for 30 days for DHS-17-0435-A-000613 CBP FOIA000613 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT anyone from Iraq, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Libya and Somalia. It would also bar entry for all refugees for 120 days and for those from Syria indefinitely. “While all are Muslim-majority countries, the list does not include Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and numerous other Muslim-majority countries,” Abigail Hauslohner and Karen DeYoung report. Trump’s move, while stopping short of a full Muslim ban (which would not survive a constitutional challenge in court), would nonetheless have been outside of mainstream Republican thought until very recently. As Mike Pence tweeted just 13 months ago: DHS-17-0435-A-000614 CBP FOIA000614 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT Many nonpartisan experts say Trump’s approach will weaken U.S. security. (One example is here.) Trump scoffs when asked whether his new immigration policies will stoke anger in the Muslim world and motivate Islamic State terrorists. “Anger? There’s plenty of anger right now. How can you have more?” Trump asked interviewer David Muir last night. “The world is a mess. The world is as angry as it gets. What? You think this is gonna cause a little more anger? The world is an angry place!” “A blanket ban would compromise this nation’s long-standing DHS-17-0435-A-000615 CBP FOIA000615 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT position as a sanctuary for desperate and innocent people,” the Post’s independent Editorial Board argues this morning. “As a backdoor way for Mr. Trump to partially make good on his proposed Muslim ban, it also would be an affront to this country’s status as an example of religious tolerance.” President Trump takes the cap off a pen before signing executive order for immigration actions to build the border wall during a visit to the Homeland Security department headquarters. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP) -- Bush made the promotion of democracy a central aim of U.S. foreign policy. Trump explicitly rejects this doctrine. DHS-17-0435-A-000616 CBP FOIA000616 AM RICA PVERSIGHT Ii] “It is the right of all nations to put their own interests first,” the new president said during his inaugural address last Friday. “We do not seek to impose our way of life on anyone.” Bush, during his second inaugural, declared: “It is the policy of the United States to seek and support the growth of democratic movements and institutions in every nation and culture, with the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world.” Irony alert: Yesterday was the sixth anniversary of the start of the Tahrir Square protests in Egypt — “a fleeting moment where it looked as though the Muslim world was tilting toward Western values,” Annie Linskey notes on the front page of the Boston Globe. DHS-17-0435-A-000617 CBP FOIA000617 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT Mexican President Vicente Fox and President George W. Bush toast during a state dinner in 2001. (File) -- Bush had warm relations with Mexico. His first foreign trip, less than a month after taking office, was to San Cristobal for a bilateral sit-down with Vicente Fox. One of 43’s deepest regrets remains his failure to achieve comprehensive immigration reform. Trump is now publicly feuding with the president of Mexico over who will pay for the border wall. DHS-17-0435-A-000618 CBP FOIA000618 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT Pena Nieto says Mexico will not pay for wall Enrique Peña Nieto reiterated last night that his country will never pony up, under any circumstance. In a video released last night, Peña Nieto said Mexico "offers but also demands respect." And said that the 50 Mexican consulates across the U.S. will "turn into places to defend rights of Mexicans. Where a Mexican needs legal help, they will be there.” The Mexican president is scheduled to come to the White House next week for a bilateral meeting, but he’s now under heavy domestic political pressure to cancel the summit. And this DHS-17-0435-A-000619 CBP FOIA000619 AM RICAN PVERSIGHT morning Trump said, if Mexico won’t pay, maybe he shouldn’t come: DHS-17-0435-A-000620 CBP FOIA000620 AM RICA PVERSIGHT Ii] -- If you care about how the U.S. is perceived overseas, this morning’s clips are brutal. Here are three representative examples: Reuters, from Beirut: “Alarmed by Trump plans, some refugees see growing enmity in U.S.” CBS News, from Mosul, Iraq: “Iraqis fighting ISIS alongside U.S. troops criticize new ban on entering U.S.” The Independent of London plays up a statement from the Anne Frank Center, which was founded by the Holocaust victim’s father: “Donald Trump is retracting the promise of American freedom to an extent we have not seen from a president since DHS-17-0435-A-000621 CBP FOIA000621 Ii] • • • A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT Franklin Roosevelt forced Japanese Americans into internment camps during World War II. … Today the Statue of Liberty weeps over President Trump's discrimination.” (Read the full statement.) -- In the Netherlands, a satirist created a fake tourism video to “introduce” Trump to their country using his own style of bombastic language. “It's gonna be a great video," the host promises, before flashing shots of the bucolic countryside. On offer is a large bridge, constructed to keep out the “water from Mexico” (the ocean), as well as a miniature town where the “squares are so small, you don’t need people to fill them” (a jab at his inauguration crowd size). The video ends with a semi-serious plea not to “screw NATO,” and asks, “If you have to keep America first, could you keep the Netherlands second?” Amanda Erickson reports that it’s gone viral. Watch it here: DHS-17-0435-A-000622 CBP FOIA000622 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT Dutch TV trolls Trump in 'welcome' to the Netherlands video -- Other western countries are looking to fill the vacuum being created by America’s turn inward. The Dutch government just announced that it wants to help set up an international abortion fund to offset the money that NGOs are going to lose because of Trump reinstating the Mexico City policy. The Dutch development ministry says as many as 20 other nations have indicated that they might support the country's effort, per Rick Noack. DHS-17-0435-A-000623 CBP FOIA000623 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT Bana al-Abed wrote a letter to Trump. (Adem Altan/AFP/Getty Images) -- Outside of Europe, an untold number of our fellow humans – living under despots and longing for self-rule – yearn for the kind of American leadership that Trump feels is too burdensome. Bana al-Abed, the 7-year-old Syrian girl who used her widely￾followed Twitter account to chronicle her life in war-torn Aleppo and who has been called the “Anne Frank” of our era, wrote an open letter to President Trump begging him to save her friends. “Can you please save the children and people of Syria?” she writes. “You must do something for the children of Syria because they are DHS-17-0435-A-000624 CBP FOIA000624 AM RICA PVERSIGHT like your children and deserve peace like you.” (Read more on the letter here.) Welcome to the Daily 202, PowerPost's morning newsletter. With contributions from Elise Viebeck (@eliseviebeck). Sign up to receive the newsletter. WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING: -- Early this morning, the president called Chelsea Manning a "traitor": DHS-17-0435-A-000625 CBP FOIA000625 AM RICA PVERSIGHT Ii] Trump's first White House interview, annotated -- Trump spent most of the ABC interview boasting about himself. Jenna Johnson writes up a pretty stunning exchange: “The way President Trump tells it, the meandering, falsehood-filled, self￾involved speech that he gave at the [CIA] headquarters was one of the greatest addresses ever given.” “That speech was a home run,” Trump told David Muir. “See what Fox said. They said it was one of the great speeches. They showed the people applauding and screaming. … I got a standing ovation. In fact, they said it was the biggest standing ovation since Peyton DHS-17-0435-A-000626 CBP FOIA000626 AM RICA PVERSIGHT Manning had won the Super Bowl, and they said it was equal. It lasted for a long period of time.” Four times, the president referred to himself in the third-person. Trump plugged an “extraordinary poll” that he said found that people “loved and liked” his inaugural address, insisted he could have “very, very easily” won the popular vote in the election – which concluded more than 11 weeks ago – had he simply tried. And he said a recent visitor told him that their meeting “was the single greatest meeting I've ever had with anybody.” Crowd size still really matters to the new president: “As the two toured Trump's new home, the president stopped in front of a framed photo of his inauguration crowd. ‘Here's a picture of the crowd,’ the president explained to the nation he now leads. ‘Now, the audience was the biggest ever, but this crowd was massive. Look how far back it goes … And I would actually take that camera and take your time [scanning the crowd] if you want to know the truth.’” (Read the full transcript here.) DHS-17-0435-A-000627 CBP FOIA000627 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT Trump discusses immigration enforcement and next meeting with Mexican president THE BORDER WALL IS REALLY HAPPENING: -- In the ABC interview, Trump said construction of the wall will begin within “months.” Earlier Wednesday, he signed measures to create more detention centers, add thousands of Border Patrol agents and cut off funds for so-called “sanctuary cities” that shield undocumented immigrants from deportation. "We are going to restore the rule of law in the United States," Trump told a crowd of DHS employees, who applauded several times during his remarks. DHS-17-0435-A-000628 CBP FOIA000628 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT "Beginning today, the United States gets control of its borders." (David Nakamura) -- Paul Ryan said last night on MSNBC that Congress will front the money for the wall. A financial reimbursement from Mexico will come later, both Trump and Ryan now say. Construction industry analysts have said the total costs of a barrier could approach $20 billion. -- Republican Rep. Will Hurd, whose Texas district includes more miles of U.S.-Mexico border than any other, slammed Trump’s announcement as "the most expensive and least effective way to secure the border”: “Each section of the border faces unique geographical, cultural, and technological challenges that would be best addressed with a flexible, sector-by-sector approach that empowers the agents on the ground with the resources they need,” he said in a statement last night. (Elise Viebeck) -- Here are five other logistical obstacles Trump will face building a border wall, via Kevin Schaul and Samuel Granados: “We drove the entire length of the U.S.-Mexico border — from Brownsville, Tex., to San Diego, with crossings into Mexico scattered throughout — talking to locals and experts about President Trump’s promise to build the wall. … Five notable challenges to building the wall that we observed along the journey. 1. The terrain is very rough in some areas. 2. Unlike Arizona, New Mexico and California, most of Texas is privately owned. 3. Most of the border is natural, but a human-made barrier is not. 4. Surveillance makes the barrier effective. 5. Migrants are determined and often have few options.” DHS-17-0435-A-000629 CBP FOIA000629 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT Trader Mario Picone works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. (Richard Drew/AP) GET SMART FAST: 1. The Dow closed above 20,000 for the first time ever. The new high comes as investors bet that Trump can work with Congress to lower taxes and pass more business-friendly policies. (Renae Merle) 2. Just five weeks after Obama commuted his sentence, an ex￾gang member who spent years seeking freedom from prison was “executed” by two masked men at a halfway home. (Avi DHS-17-0435-A-000630 CBP FOIA000630 AM RICA PVERSIGHT Selk) 3. More than 100 vineyards have been decimated in Chile, where the country is suffering its worst forest-fire disaster in history. More than 300,000 acres in the historic wine-growing region have been destroyed, and the government is pleading with outside countries for funds and assistance to battle the blaze. (Samantha Schmidt) 4. A Nebraska state senator resigned after he retweeted an offensive post about the Women’s March suggesting that protesters were too ugly to be sexually assaulted. In a news conference Wednesday, State Sen. Bill Kintner called himself a “fighter” and insisted he had received an outpouring of support asking him to stay in the legislature. "You won't have Bill Kintner to kick around anymore,” he told reporters. (Sarah Larimer) 5. A comic book lover who won a spot on the San Jose city council said he wanted to bring a moment of levity to a tense political climate – so he was sworn in while brandishing a Captain America shield. (Cleve R. Wootson Jr.) 6. Germany is shuttering a long-standing law that prohibits its residents from speaking out against foreign heads of state. Officials said the law, which was removed just in time for Trump, is “outdated and unnecessary.” (Max Bearak) 7. Idaho has been pummeled with snow this winter – and officials say the relentless pileup has caused hundreds of buildings to collapse. Some towns have lost their grocery store, their bowling alley, and countless homes to the blustery deluge. And with more snow on the way, residents say they are “terrified.” (Katherine Arcement) 8. Usain Bolt is no longer a nine-time Olympic champion. The DHS-17-0435-A-000631 CBP FOIA000631 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT Jamaican sprinter was forced to return one of his gold medals after the IOC announced that one of his relay teammates tested positive for a banned substance. (Cindy Boren) 9. Italy is considering a plan that would require asylum seekers to do mandatory community service. The controversial proposal comes as the country struggles to accommodate the number of migrants that have risked their lives on the perilous Mediterranean Sea voyage. (Anna Momigliano) 10. An Australian zoo is pleading with residents to catch deadly funnel-web spiders, known for their large fangs and acidic venom, and bring them to the facility alive. They need to milk the live spiders for antivenom, and the entire country is currently at risk of running dry. (Ben Guarino) 11. A Minnesota police officer is facing potential jail time after a handcuffed 14-year-old girl spit at him – and he responded by punching her in the face, twice. Authorities are probing the violent exchange, but it’s unlikely his claim of “self-defense” will hold much water. (Cleve R. Wootson Jr.) 12. A 25-year-old man says he is lucky to be alive after he went on a backcountry ski trip in Utah and accidently skied off an unmarked 150-foot cliff. Miraculously, he escaped unscathed and managed to capture the whole thing on video. (Marissa Payne) 13. Modern-day otters are furry, cute, and look more like a small dog than a fearsome, buck-toothed predator. But that wasn’t always the case – scientists say a newly-discovered extinct version was the size of a wolf and roamed the swampy, uninhabited wetlands of ancient China. (New York Times) DHS-17-0435-A-000632 CBP FOIA000632 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT Spicer's briefing on immigration, voter fraud and federal agencies TRUMP'S VOTER FRAUD FANTASY: -- Why does the president falsely believe that as many as five million voted illegally? The New York Times’ Glenn Thrush has the stunning answer: When Trump huddled with top House and Senate leaders at the White House on Monday, he backed up his assertions of rampant voter fraud by citing a vague anecdote from a German golfer who is not eligible to vote in the United States. The witnesses described the story this way: [Bernhard] Langer, a 59-year-old native of Bavaria, Germany … was standing in line at a polling place near DHS-17-0435-A-000633 CBP FOIA000633 AM RICA PVERSIGHT his home in Florida on Election Day, the president explained, when an official informed Mr. Langer he would not be able to vote. Ahead of and behind Mr. Langer were voters who did not look as if they should be allowed to vote, Mr. Trump said, according to the staff members — but they were nonetheless permitted to cast provisional ballots. The president threw out the names of Latin American countries that the voters might have come from. … The anecdote, the aides said, was greeted with silence, and Mr. Trump was prodded to change the subject by [Reince Priebus] and [John Cornyn] … In the emerging Trump era, the story was a memorable example, for the legislators and the country, of how an off-the-cuff yarn — unverifiable and of confusing origin — became a prime policy mover for a president whose fact-gathering owes more to the oral tradition than the written word.” -- If it's possible that millions of illegal votes were cast, isn't it possible that such massive fraud could have also helped him? No, says Trump. In fact, zero illegal votes were cast for him, he told ABC last night. “Of those votes cast, none of 'em come to me. None of 'em come to me. They would all be for the other side. None of 'em come to me,” Trump said. He added later: “Those were Hillary votes.” Recall that he won by about 80,00 votes in the three states that mattered. (Philip Bump) -- Sean Spicer suggested during his briefing that the investigation will focus on large states where Trump didn’t compete. They wouldn't want to focus on the places he won... -- Oh, and it turns out that multiple Trump staffers, including Steve Bannon and Steven Mnuchin, as well as a first DHS-17-0435-A-000634 CBP FOIA000634 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT daughter Tiffany, are registered to vote in two states. -- “It is unclear who will investigate," Sari Horwitz and Jenna Johnson report. “The president could set up an independent commission or task force to look into the claims, which have already been disproved by many national studies. White House press secretary Sean Spicer said the president’s investigation would examine ‘the integrity of our voting system’ and not just the 2016 election. The Justice Department, which investigates claims of election crimes, has not historically launched a criminal investigation at the request of a president. An attorney general could order an investigation, but Trump’s nominee, Sen. Jeff Sessions, has not yet been confirmed, and his spokeswoman declined to comment. Justice officials said they knew nothing about an investigation into voter fraud and referred questions to the White House.” Former assistant attorney general for civil rights Tom Perez called Trump’s planned probe a “totally stupid and wasteful investigation into nonexistent problems.” “I can’t think of a more colossal waste of taxpayer dollars than to initiate this investigation,” said Perez, who is now in the running to lead the DNC. “This is all about ego. The issue of in-person voting fraud is virtually nonexistent.” House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz said his committee will not join Trump in investigating the so￾called fraud: "If he wants to have an investigation, have at it. I just don't see any evidence of it.” (CNN) “I haven’t seen any evidence to that effect,” said Sen. John Thune, urging Republicans to “focus on legislating.” DHS-17-0435-A-000635 CBP FOIA000635 • • • A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT DHS-17-0435-A-000636 CBP FOIA000636 AM RICA PVERSIGHT !ill Ii] llil Ii] Trump and Pence whisper as Trump's lawyer Sheri Dillon explains why the president-elect will not divest himself from his holding at a Jan. 11 presser. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post) CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: -- Trump announced a new team of ethics lawyers, hours after his family business announced it was hiring a longtime GOP lawyer to ensure the Trump Organization minimizes conflict of interest concerns. Drew Harwell and Tom Hamburger report: “At the White House, the team will be led by Stefan C. Passantino, a [former Newt Gingrich adviser] and election-law expert in private practice who will have the title of deputy assistant to the president for compliance and ethics matters.” The Trump Organization named veteran GOP lawyer and former Bush adviser Bobby Burchfield to serve as an outside ethics adviser. -- Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Florida doubled its new member initiation fee to $200,000 after the election, prompting criticism that the newly-minted president is already profiting off his power. Drew Harwell reports: “The increase … could boost the revenue of the Palm Beach club Trump has called the ‘Winter White House.’ It could also directly benefit his private fortune because he has refused to divest his business holdings while in the Oval Office. Since his election victory, Mar-a-Lago has assumed a prized role in Trump’s presidency, rivaling Trump Tower as a focal point of his lifestyle and ambitions. [And] the club’s deep-pocketed clientele are offered the opportunity to encounter the president when he is relaxing at his vacation home. The club is ‘certainly a lot more crowded now that he’s president,’ [said] Jeff Greene, a Florida billionaire and Mar-a￾DHS-17-0435-A-000637 CBP FOIA000637 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT Lago member ... At a recent dinner, Greene said, the crowds were massive, adding, ‘It never used to be that packed.’” -- Trump's sons are looking to capitalize on their dad's presidency by pursuing an ambitious expansion plan across the country. Bloomberg’s Hui-Yong Yu and Caleb Melby report: “There are 26 major metropolitan areas in the U.S., and we’re in five,” Trump Hotels CEO Eric Danziger said after a panel discussion at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit in Los Angeles. “I don’t see any reason that we couldn’t be in all of them eventually." Having Trump hotels in 26 cities would triple the current total. Danziger, who joined Trump Hotels in August 2015, said that Trump Hotels is considering opening luxury properties in Dallas, Seattle, Denver and San Francisco." -- At least four top staffers in the Trump administration have accounts on an RNC's email server, Newsweek reports, including Kellyanne Conway, Jared Kushner, Sean Spicer and Steve Bannon. It’s the same one that the Bush administration was accused of using to evade transparency rules after claiming to have “lost” 22 million emails. It’s unclear how or if the staffers are using the account, but the move comes after Trump repeatedly attacked Clinton on the campaign trail for her use of a private email server at the State Department. Now, the new staff risks repeating the same mistake. -- “Wilbur Ross and the Era of Billionaire Rule,” by Bloomberg Businessweek’s Max Abelson: “Trump’s proposed cabinet has a net worth of more than $6 billion. Ross is by far the richest … [and] how he achieved his fortune—a well-known Wall Street tale of DHS-17-0435-A-000638 CBP FOIA000638 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT ‘vulture’ investing at its shrewdest—takes on a different cast in light of his nomination. Ross got rich in part with government assistance, taking advantage of bankruptcy laws and tariffs and having others pick up the bill for pensions owed to employees. He’s been on both sides of perhaps the most pivotal issue of the 2016 campaign—free trade—depending on how it affected his own wealth. If confirmed as Commerce secretary, as is widely anticipated, Ross would be expected by Trump’s electorate to deliver on promises of working-class jobs and an industrial renaissance. Yet he would have the means to continue rewarding the Establishment. Even before taking office, he’s pushed policies that would enrich private investors in public projects.” DHS-17-0435-A-000639 CBP FOIA000639 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT Cathy McMorris Rodgers and John Thune take questions during a news conference at the Republican retreat in Philadelphia. (Matt Rourke/AP) THE REPUBLICAN RETREAT: -- Trump will take his first trip on Air Force One today so he can speak to congressional Republicans at noon in Philadelphia. Mike Pence, flying up separately (because POTUS and VPOTUS never travel on the same aircraft), speaks at 2 p.m. -- Republicans arrived to Philly hoping to forge a game plan to reshape the health-care system and overhaul tax policy, DHS-17-0435-A-000640 CBP FOIA000640 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT envisioning that their legislation could finally become law after years of facing off with the Obama White House. “Instead, they found themselves in an all-too-common battle, trying to explain, defend and deflect the latest round of controversial statements by Trump," Paul Kane reports. "Any hope that Trump would avoid distracting fights once he entered the Oval Office faded … as several hundred GOP lawmakers loaded onto a rented Amtrak train to head north for a two-day retreat half a mile from Independence Hall. Filing down an escalator and onto the platform at Washington’s Union Station, House and Senate Republicans smiled and largely avoided questions from the assembled members of the news media … Formally known as the ‘Congress of Tomorrow,’ the GOP retreat’s early steps felt a lot like the campaign of last year.” -- Senate Democrats are not allowing reporters to attend their retreat in West Virginia this week. But Politico’s Burgess Everett obtained the agenda. Among the planned sessions: “A discussion with Trump voters,” “Speaking to those who feel invisible in rural America,” “Listening to those who feel unheard,” and “Rising America — they feel unheard too.” DHS-17-0435-A-000641 CBP FOIA000641 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT Trump returns to the White House after visiting the Department of Homeland Security. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) UNDERSTANDING TRUMPISM: -- Smart frame by Abby Phillip and Ashley Parker: “During the campaign, many of Trump’s supporters and even his advisers said they took many of the candidate’s most far-reaching promises seriously – but not literally. Now … Trump is showing that at least some of them were indeed meant literally — putting him at odds not only with critics but with some members of his own party. … [But] Trump’s moves have alarmed Democrats, some of whom were DHS-17-0435-A-000642 CBP FOIA000642 AM RICA PVERSIGHT Ii] cautiously optimistic that they could work with Trump as a self￾proclaimed non-ideological dealmaker but who now see him fulfilling their worst fears.” -- Unlike most Republicans, Trump does not believe in federalism. He has signaled sweeping intervention into the way state and local officials carry out policing, treat immigrants, and run elections – setting off a wave of defiance and apprehensive from some of America’s largest cities. Katie Zezima, Wesley Lowery and Jose A. DelReal report: “In an executive order signed Wednesday, Trump directed the Department of Homeland Security to find ways to defund cities and jurisdictions out of step with his immigration priorities. That action — which could cost sanctuary cities … millions of dollars — is the latest in a series of moves where Trump has appeared willing to step on state-level or municipal prerogatives. In the scuffle, U.S. mayors have emerged as key players in the resistance to Trump’s agenda. At the center of the sanctuary city debate is a disagreement over whether local police officers should be required to help immigration officials enforce federal immigration laws. Many liberal mayors, including Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and New York City’s Bill De Blasio, have argued that requiring local police departments to assist immigration agents with deportations could sow distrust among immigrant populations. It could also discourage undocumented victims or witnesses from coming forward to report crimes." -- Trump -- who flew cross-country hundreds of nights during the campaign to sleep in his own bed -- spoke to the New York Times’ Maggie Haberman about how his new home stacks up to DHS-17-0435-A-000643 CBP FOIA000643 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT the Trump Tower. “His mornings, he said, are spent as they were in Trump Tower. He rises before 6 a.m., watches television tuned to a cable channel first in the residence, and later in a small dining room in the West Wing, and looks through the morning newspapers … But his meetings now begin at 9 a.m., earlier than they used to, which significantly curtails his television time. Still, Mr. Trump, who does not read books, is able to end his evenings with plenty of television. Mr. Trump’s wife, Melania, went back to New York … and so Mr. Trump has the television — and his old, unsecured Android phone, to the protests of some of his aides — to keep him company. ‘It’s a beautiful residence, it’s very elegant,’ Mr. Trump said, deploying one of his highest forms of praise.” -- “One of the two leading finalists to fill the vacant seat on the Supreme Court, Judge Thomas Hardiman, has a quiet but influential ally in the high-stakes legal drama: Trump’s sister," Politico’s Shane Goldmacher reports: “Judge Maryanne Trump Barry, who serves with Hardiman on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit, has spoken to her brother in favor of elevating him to the high court … ‘Maryanne is high on Hardiman,’ said one adviser who has spoken directly with the president about the matter. ‘They are regularly sitting together, deciding cases together, participating together in oral arguments,’ said appellate lawyer Matthew Stiegler … Stiegler was among those who see Barry’s hidden hand behind the steady ascent of Hardiman, who was among the lesser-known judges under consideration.” -- A document provided last month to governors offers an early look at the wide array of projects that could be funded under DHS-17-0435-A-000644 CBP FOIA000644 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT Trump’s sweeping infrastructure project. John Wagner scoops: “Projects listed in the document include rehabilitation of some major airports and rail stations, such as Union Station in Washington. It includes highway and bridge projects, such as an overhaul of the Arlington Memorial Bridge in Virginia. And it includes mass-transit projects, such as the proposed Purple Line light-rail system in Maryland. There are also potential overhauls of the nation’s air traffic control system, hydroelectric plants and energy grid, as well as ports and waterways.” The list comes after the National Governor’s Association polled each state for help compiling three to five projects apiece to forward to Trump’s team. While there is no dollar figure attached to individual projects on the list, a letter sent by the NGA says the “initial spend” on projects is expected to be $150 billion during 2017, with the effort continuing over additional years. -- Federal agents are reinvestigating dozens of Syrian refugees already in the U.S. after discovering a vetting lapse that allowed some who had potentially negative background information in their files to enter the country. The LA Times’ Del Quentin Wilber and Brian Bennett scoop: Agents have not concluded that any of the refugees should have been rejected for entry, but at a minimum would have triggered further investigation. The refugees whose cases are under review include one who failed a polygraph test when he applied to work at a U.S. military installation overseas and another who may have been in communication with an Islamic State leader. -- Trump tapped the longtime manager of a private equity fund, Philip Bilden, to be the next secretary of the Navy. He is a former Army captain. (Thomas Gibbons-Neff) DHS-17-0435-A-000645 CBP FOIA000645 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT Protesters climb a crane to protest Trump. (Oliver Contreras/For The Washington Post) THE RESISTANCE: -- Greenpeace-affiliated protesters were arrested after they scaled a 270-foot construction crane in downtown Washington and unfurled a large banner reading: “Resist.” Five protesters spent the day on the arm of the crane, while two chained themselves to the tower, blocking potential arrest efforts by police and preventing the crane operator from reaching the controls. (Peter Hermann and Mandy McLaren) DHS-17-0435-A-000646 CBP FOIA000646 AM RICA PVERSIGHT -- “Trump’s election may have inspired a birth control boom,” Vox’s Sarah Kliff reports. IUD insertions have spiked since the election. A new data set found the percent of IUD prescriptions and procedures increased 19 percent between October and December. No similar pattern was observed at the end of 2015. -- An anonymous group of people claiming to be National Park Service employees created a Twitter account using the agency’s official logo and unleashed on the Trump administration for “muzzling” federal workers, Darryl Fears and Kayla Epstein report. The move comes after the White House barred the federal agencies from speaking to the press and public through social media. -- D.C. officials warned that Washington could lose millions -- or even billions -- in annual federal assistance following Trump’s order to crack down on sanctuary cities and limit their funding. Aaron C. Davis, Peter Jamison and Fenit Nirappil report: “[Budget officials] said the use of the word ‘funds’ could include a wide range of federal assistance to the city, including even $2.5 billion in annual Medicaid contributions, or roughly 20 percent of the city’s total annual spending.” Still, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said the District would remain a sanctuary city, even as she said the impact to the city remained entirely unclear. DHS-17-0435-A-000647 CBP FOIA000647 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT British Prime Minister Theresa May leaves 10 Downing Street the day before yesterday at around the same moment Trump met with business leaders in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post) MORE ON HOW THE WORLD IS GRAPPLING WITH TRUMP: -- When British Prime Minister Theresa May travels to the White House to meet Trump on Friday, the two will have much in common to discuss, Griff Witte and Anne Gearan report. “Yet beneath the similarities lie profound differences in style and substance that make the two leaders less the second coming of the Thatcher-Reagan transatlantic lovefest and more a DHS-17-0435-A-000648 CBP FOIA000648 AM RICA PVERSIGHT geopolitical odd couple. May is everything that Trump is not: a careful, low-key and pragmatic member of the political establishment with a decades-long career in elective office. She holds mainstream positions on critical issues such as trade and security [and] prizes the NATO military alliance and holds skeptical views of Russia — uncertain ground with Trump. Whether those differences dominate their meeting or they manage to bond over their shared circumstances, this could be a critical moment for both leaders." May probably has more to gain or lose from the visit, experts say. But the diplomacy will be “exceptionally tricky”: “She cannot afford to antagonize the famously thin-skinned Trump, because she needs his support for a trade deal. But if she does not challenge him, said [London politics professor Tim Bale], then ‘she’ll be seen to be sucking up to someone who shouldn’t be sucked up to and who can’t be relied upon. That could backfire at home, and it could do damage to her relations with other European leaders." DHS-17-0435-A-000649 CBP FOIA000649 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT -- The Japanese remain wary about the future under Trump – but they have taken a far more immediate liking to the new first daughter. Anna Fifield reports from Tokyo: Ivanka Trump is widely revered as the “perfect woman” in the highly patriarchal society, and the popularity of her brands has skyrocketed as women wonder, breathlessly, how the put-together mother and career woman seems to have it all.” “She is a good example that a woman can do an outstanding job and handle a misogynist father like Trump, without pushing too much of a feminist agenda or confronting men too much,” said one blogger in Japan. “That is something that Japanese women want but have a hard time doing in a still male-dominated society.” DHS-17-0435-A-000650 CBP FOIA000650 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT -- Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, the Times of Israel reports. In a statement, Netanyahu’s office said Giuliani delivered a “personal message” from Trump to the prime minister, in anticipation of their scheduled meeting in early February. -- The Post’s Ishaan Tharoor calls Trump “the U.S.’s first Latin American president”: “If it weren't clear before the inauguration, it certainly is now: Trump's presidency represents a radical departure from the norms of American politics. Yet to observers elsewhere, Trumpism feels deeply familiar. Trump may want to stop the flow of migrants and goods from south of the border, but he has imported a political style ingrained in Latin American politics: that of the nationalist demagogue. A number of Latin American analysts have suggested over the past year that it's useful to view Trump through the lens of the ‘caudillo,’ or strongman. It's a tradition that extends from the last days of Simón Bolivar, South America's great liberator, to the current bluster of leaders … Sure, Trump is no military despot like Chile's late Augusto Pinochet … nor is he a defiant autocrat like the late Hugo Chávez … But to those who have lived under such leaders, it feels like Trump has been taking notes.” DHS-17-0435-A-000651 CBP FOIA000651 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT Rep. Tulsi Gabbard speaks at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. (AP/J. Scott Applewhite) PALLING AROUND WITH ASSAD: -- Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii met with President Bashar al-Assad during her secret trip to Syria last week and, now that she's returned, is downplaying his responsibility for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of civilians. "Whatever you think about President Assad, the fact is that he is the president of Syria," she told CNN’s Jake Tapper last night. "In order for any possibility of a viable peace agreement to occur, there has to be a conversation with DHS-17-0435-A-000652 CBP FOIA000652 AM RICA PVERSIGHT Ii] him." She added that the Syrians she met with told her there are “no moderate rebels” in the country. -- Journalists following the Syria story closely are stunned by what they see as her breathtaking naiveté: DHS-17-0435-A-000653 CBP FOIA000653 AM RICAN PVERSIGHT Ii] DHS-17-0435-A-000654 CBP FOIA000654 AM RICAN PVERSIGHT Ii] (Gabbard’s office has refused to say who paid for her trip…) DHS-17-0435-A-000655 CBP FOIA000655 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT DHS-17-0435-A-000656 CBP FOIA000656 AM RICAN PVERSIGHT Ii] -- Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Illinois) ripped his colleague hard: DHS-17-0435-A-000657 CBP FOIA000657 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT DHS-17-0435-A-000658 CBP FOIA000658 AM RICAN PVERSIGHT Ii] -- Leading establishment Democrats also expressed disgust: An Obama administration alumnus: DHS-17-0435-A-000659 CBP FOIA000659 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT The head of the Center for American Progress: DHS-17-0435-A-000660 CBP FOIA000660 AM RICAN PVERSIGHT Ii] A former adviser to Hillary Clinton and John Kerry: DHS-17-0435-A-000661 CBP FOIA000661 AM RICAN PVERSIGHT Ii] -- Why the blowback matters: Gabbard is one of the most hyper￾ambitious members of Congress. She resigned as a vice chair of the DNC last year so she could support Bernie Sanders, which many in Hawaii’s political class perceived as a strategically-motivated play to position herself for a future statewide run. THERE’S A BEAR IN THE WOODS: -- Russia is winning so much that they’re going to get tired of winning. Steven L. Hall retired from the Central Intelligence Agency in 2015 after 30 years. Most of Hall’s career was spent abroad, DHS-17-0435-A-000662 CBP FOIA000662 AM RICAN PVERSIGHT Ii] running covert operations in the countries of the former Soviet Union and the former Warsaw Pact. He writes in a piece for The Cipher Brief: “The list of wins for the Russians in the wake of the hacks, despite the fact that in the end, they have been found out, is significant. While there may be even more benefits down the road, a brief tally gives a general sense for how well the Russians have done.” Four examples: Disruption of the American political system: “Disrupting the U.S. is usually Putin’s default setting (see also: Syria), because Putin believes that which weakens the U.S., usually strengthens Russia. Remember, Putin views democracy as an existential threat to his regime, and the more distracted the U.S. is with internal political matters, the less it will be fomenting color revolutions and attempting to unseat dictators (e.g. Assad). Cracks in the U.S. political system – especially in a bedrock piece of it like elections – also plays to a favorite Kremlin theme, namely that democracy is a fatally flawed, hypocritical system, and that autocracies, such as Russia’s or China’s, are no worse, and in many ways better.” Disrupting and discrediting the U.S. intelligence system: “It is difficult to imagine Putin himself doing a better job of scripting what Trump has said about the U.S. Intelligence Community in the wake of the hacks. … This is a win on two levels for Putin. First … Russians always believe that U.S. intelligence enjoys much more political power than it really does. So Putin probably believes the CIA, NSA, and FBI have been badly hobbled, and their influence with the White House seriously eroded. Second, on an emotional level, it must please the former KGB officer in Putin to see his arch enemies take hits from the DHS-17-0435-A-000663 CBP FOIA000663 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT incoming president. Morale, the Kremlin probably assumes, must be low inside U.S. intelligence. This can only be good for Russia.” Recognition of Russia as an equal, at least on cyber: “It is worth recalling that a great deal of what drives Russian foreign policy is Putin, and Russia’s need to feel they are strategic players on the world stage. … Search on your computer how many times senior Russian officials use terms like ‘respecting Russia’ and ‘Russia is a great power.’” Intense American focus on the hack, not the larger influence operation: “The hacking of the DNC, as well as other targets in the U.S., has caused a great dust storm of media and public attention on all things cyber, which is excellent news for the other, arguably more important parts of the much larger Russian influence operation.” DHS-17-0435-A-000664 CBP FOIA000664 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT Mike Rounds at work in Sioux Falls. (DIrk Lammers/AP)

Mike Rounds at work in Sioux Falls. (DIrk Lammers/AP) -- Mike Rounds of South Dakota is going to play an important role in one of the Senate’s two Russia investigations. From Karoun Demirjian: “In the next week or two, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) said, his committee will launch its official investigation into how best to deter and counteract cyber-threats posed by countries such as Russia. He plans to do so with at least one full committee hearing. … Following that, at an undetermined point in the future, the plan is to hand off the day-to-day of that investigation to the head of a new cyber-security DHS-17-0435-A-000665 CBP FOIA000665 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT subcommittee.” Backstory: Lindsey Graham was supposed to chair this new subcommittee. BUT it would have been his third gavel, so under the conference rules he’d need to get a waiver from GOP leadership. They might not have wanted to give someone willing to criticize the president a bigger platform to highlight Trump’s links to Russia. So McCain is giving the spot to Rounds, but he’s also giving himself a spot on the subcommittee. Rounds will not have a free hand: In an interview with Karoun, Rounds said he has confidence in the new administration because of James Mattis as Pentagon chief. Rounds also said that he is “not looking for a fight” with the Trump administration, but added that he is prepared “to go wherever the information takes us,” promising “we’re going to get results.” The obscure South Dakotan has lobbied for cyber security responses in relatively quiet anonymity, but his signature mark in the arena is the current law, passed as part of a massive defense bill last year, insisting the Pentagon define when a cyber breach or attack constitutes an act of war. “His goal now is to craft policy describing what to do in the event of a cyber attack,” Karoun reports. “He would not outline his ideal terms, pledge to fully publicize the results or endorse new sanctions on Russia. … But Rounds said that would-be hackers and adversaries should understand there will be ‘serious repercussions’ for anyone trying in the future to interfere with an election through cyberspace.” SOCIAL MEDIA SPEED READ: DHS-17-0435-A-000666 CBP FOIA000666 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT First, Lindsey Graham made an #alternativefacts joke: He was referring to this Onion item: DHS-17-0435-A-000667 CBP FOIA000667 AM RICA PVERSIGHT Meanwhile, Nikki Haley posted an upbeat photo: DHS-17-0435-A-000668 CBP FOIA000668 AM RICAN PVERSIGHT Ii] Shelley Moore Capito got a written response from Trump on miners' issues: DHS-17-0435-A-000669 CBP FOIA000669 AM RICAN PVERSIGHT Ii] After Trump promised an investigation into his baseless claims of voter fraud, Ohio's Republican Secretary of State tweeted this: DHS-17-0435-A-000670 CBP FOIA000670 AM RICAN PVERSIGHT Ii] -- The Leading Authorities speaker’s bureau deleted marketing materials from its website that advertised joint paid appearances featuring Clinton manager Robby Mook and Trump manager Corey Lewandowski. The firm said the material had been generated by their own team, not Mook or Lewandowski, and said the two “want to be clear they have not teamed up.” (Buzzfeed) Robby announced he will no longer work with Leading Authorities: DHS-17-0435-A-000671 CBP FOIA000671 AM RICAN PVERSIGHT Ii] DHS-17-0435-A-000672 CBP FOIA000672 AM RICA PVERSIGHT g Ii] Ii] DHS-17-0435-A-000673 CBP FOIA000673 AM RICAN PVERSIGHT Ii] DHS-17-0435-A-000674 CBP FOIA000674 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT Scientists are preparing their own march on Washington: DHS-17-0435-A-000675 CBP FOIA000675 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT Word is spreading among lawmakers: DHS-17-0435-A-000676 CBP FOIA000676 AM RICAN PVERSIGHT Ii] Many are monitoring tweets suddenly deleted by federal agencies: DHS-17-0435-A-000677 CBP FOIA000677 AM RICAN PVERSIGHT Ii] Democrats are using the hashtag #NoBanNoWall in response to Trump's immigration orders: DHS-17-0435-A-000678 CBP FOIA000678 AM RICAN PVERSIGHT Ii] Was the Department of Defense trolling Trump with this tweet? DHS-17-0435-A-000679 CBP FOIA000679 AM RICAN PVERSIGHT Ii] Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, who could make Trump's life miserable if he ever turned on him, wants the president to do more to cooperate with the oversight that his committee does. Grassley was famously one of the few Republican senators to actually do oversight of the executive branch during the Bush years: DHS-17-0435-A-000680 CBP FOIA000680 AM RICAN PVERSIGHT Ii] DHS-17-0435-A-000681 CBP FOIA000681 AM RICAN PVERSIGHT Ii] DHS-17-0435-A-000682 CBP FOIA000682 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT DHS-17-0435-A-000683 CBP FOIA000683 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT DHS-17-0435-A-000684 CBP FOIA000684 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT But then the senator clarified that he was not really making a threat, just a plea: DHS-17-0435-A-000685 CBP FOIA000685 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT Finally, Al Franken spoke for all Minnesotans when he honored the late Mary Tyler Moore: DHS-17-0435-A-000686 CBP FOIA000686 AM RICAN PVERSIGHT Ii] Susan Collins also offered condolences: DHS-17-0435-A-000687 CBP FOIA000687 AM RICAN PVERSIGHT Ii] GOOD READS FROM ELSEWHERE: -- What prompted Trump’s war with CNN? New York Magazine’s Gabriel Sherman reports that there may be a personal dimension at play: “… Trump has told White House staffers that he feels personally betrayed by CNN chief Jeff Zucker. Trump complains that Zucker should be programming CNN more favorably toward him because of their long relationship, which can be traced back to 2004 when Zucker put The Apprentice on NBC. Trump has also said … Zucker owes him because Trump helped get him the job at CNN. According to CNN sources, Trump’s claim that he assisted Zucker in DHS-17-0435-A-000688 CBP FOIA000688 AM RICAN PVERSIGHT Ii] landing the top job at the network is false. Trump seems to have gotten the idea because he praised Zucker to Turner Broadcasting’s then-CEO Phil Kent at a charity dinner in the fall of 2012, a few months before CNN hired Zucker. But CNN sources say Turner had already decided to hire Zucker ... ‘This is entirely personal,’ one CNN high-level source said. ‘Trump thinks just because he’s known Jeff that CNN should be covering him like Fox News does.’” -- Bloomberg Businessweek, “The Upstarts: How Uber, Airbnb, and the Killer Companies of the New Silicon Valley Are Changing the World," by Brad Stone: “In January 2009 the three founders of a little-known website called Airbedandbreakfast.com decided at the last minute to attend the inauguration of Barack Obama. [They] were all in their mid-20s and had no tickets to the festivities, or winter clothes, or even a firm grasp of the week’s schedule. But they saw an opportunity … By day [the founders] passed out AirBed & Breakfast fliers at the Dupont Circle Metro station. ‘Rent your room! Rent your room!’ they cried to the bundled-up commuters, who mostly ignored them. At night they met other AirBed & Breakfast hosts in the city, talked their way into inaugural parties, and answered multiple e-mails from a disgruntled customer—the guest in the basement bedroom. In a barrage of complaints, she said she was certain she smelled marijuana, that the juice she’d left in the fridge had been taken, and that the house didn’t comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. At one point she threatened to call the police. Chesky, Gebbia, and Blecharczyk sat just a few feet above her head, typing out apologetic replies …” DHS-17-0435-A-000689 CBP FOIA000689 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT HOT ON THE LEFT: “Politician Wants To Make It A Crime To Call Pat McCrory Out As A Bigot,” from HuffPost: “North Carolina’s former governor got a bit more than he bargained for on Inauguration Day when he was heckled by a group of LGBTQ rights activists in Washington, D.C. Video of the Jan. 20 encounter showed Pat McCrory being chased by a small pack of demonstrators [who appear to be] … motivated by McCrory’s support of North Carolina’s House Bill 2, the so-called ‘bathroom bill’ ... In a clip [video clip], one of the protesters slams McCrory as an ‘anti-gay bigot.’ In the wake of the protest, a North Carolina senator has announced plans to introduce legislation that would make it a crime to ‘threaten, intimidate, or retaliate’ state officials … ‘I will also urge my colleagues to take other appropriate steps to guarantee the personal safety of Gov. McCrory by all necessary means,’ Sen. Dan Bishop wrote in a post on his website. ‘Because HOT ON THE RIGHT: “College Student Reports KKK Sighting but It Turned Out to Be a Sheet on Lab Equipment,” from National Review: “A student at Bowling Green State University posted footage of what she claimed was a KKK meeting taking place on campus — but it turned out to be a sheet covering a piece of lab equipment. [A Twitter user] exposed the ‘meeting’ … on Sunday, [and] understandably, people freaked out. One Twitter user, ‘LW12Warrior,” said that the video was an example of how things are in ‘Donald Trump’s America.’ Another, ‘@KKaDi91,’ thanked [her] for sharing and added, ‘I didn’t know about that before but I realize now why we get so much hate in this small town.’ In response, [she] encouraged @KKaDi91 to ‘spread’ the video — all before anyone had a chance to figure out what was actually going on. All of this may sound kind of crazy, but this is far from the first time that DHS-17-0435-A-000690 CBP FOIA000690 A\/1 q1C,A PVERSIGHT lines are being crossed.’” something like this has happened.” DAYBOOK: Are you a federal employee? Lisa Rein is taking your questions about the hiring freeze during a live chat at 10:30 a.m. Click here to submit questions and see her answers. At the White House: Obama receives his daily briefing, travels to Philadelphia to meet with Republican lawmakers on retreat, returns to Washington to meet with Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas) -- the two guys taking point on tax reform -- and then signs an executive order, presumably on immigration. On Capitol Hill: The Senate and House are out for the rest of the week. Senate Democrats are at a closed-press retreat in West Virginia, and Republicans from both chambers are doing a joint retreat in Philly. British Prime Minister Theresa May will address members of Congress at the retreat before traveling to Washington to meet with Trump on Friday. Congress is out for the rest of the week, but the confirmation process for Trump’s Cabinet will continue apace next week: Rex Tillerson, nominated for secretary of state, will receive a vote on the Senate floor at 5:30 p.m. Monday. DHS-17-0435-A-000691 CBP FOIA000691 • A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT Linda McMahon, nominated to lead the Small Business Administration, will receive a vote in the Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship on Monday. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), nominated for attorney general, will receive a vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday Betsy DeVos, nominated for education secretary, will receive a vote in the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions at 10 a.m. Tuesday. Elaine Chao, nominated for transportation secretary, will receive a vote on the Senate floor at 12:20 p.m. on Tuesday. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I’m busy toppling the patriarchy,” Jane Fonda, 79, wrote in a text message to break up with her boyfriend of eight years, record producer Richard Perry. She told E! News that she needs to put their romance “on the back burner” so she can rededicate herself to activism in the Trump era. NEWS YOU CAN USE IF YOU LIVE IN D.C.: -- Some possible A.M. showers and a windy afternoon ahead, per today’s Capital Weather Gang forecast: “There is a decent chance for a shower or two around the morning commute. The showers depart quickly as much drier air comes pouring in behind the cold front that marks the end of our mild spell. Winds steadily pick up the pace reaching 10-20 mph, gusting to 35 mph by midday. DHS-17-0435-A-000692 CBP FOIA000692 • • • • A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT Temperatures struggle to go up much but, given that they start as a relatively high point, mid-to-upper 50s are still achievable through early afternoon, before starting to descend.” -- Another Virginia school board has declined to move forward with policies that would affirm protections for LGBT students or employees. From Moriah Balingit: “The Loudoun County School Board voted down two measures that would have clarified that employees are protected from discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The school system is the third in Northern Virginia to delay or decline to add LGBT protections, pointing to pending litigation that has left the law unclear, including a lawsuit before the U.S. Supreme Court in which a transgender boy sued a Virginia school board for the right to use the boys’ bathroom. … The Fairfax County School Board halted an effort to add regulations to its anti-discrimination policy in July to sort out legal issues regarding the regulations. The Prince William County School Board voted in September to postpone a vote on a measure to extend protections to transgender students and staff until June 2017.” -- After Democrats carried Virginia for three presidential elections in a row, Republicans in the state House are pushing a bill that would end the familiar "winner take all" system of awarding electoral votes and replace it with a system to award them by congressional district. In 2016, Hillary won 49.8 percent of Virginia's popular vote but all of its 13 electoral votes. Had those votes been allocated by congressional district instead, Clinton would have received only 7 while Trump got 6. (Chris Ingraham) -- Jazz Lewis, a former campaign director to Rep. Steny H. Hoyer DHS-17-0435-A-000693 CBP FOIA000693 AMERICAN PVERSIGHT (D-Md.) who was Maryland political director for Clinton’s 2016 campaign, was nominated to succeed former state delegate Michael L. Vaughn in the state’s General Assembly. Lewis was chosen by the Prince George’s County Democratic Central Committee after a packed, hours-long meeting. (Arelis Hernandez) VIDEOS OF THE DAY: NASA astronauts are getting a new spacesuit: New spacesuit for NASA astronauts DHS-17-0435-A-000694 CBP FOIA000694 AM RICAN PVERSIGHT Trump and Kim Jong-Un impersonators kissed and made up in Hong Kong: Trump and Kim impersonators kiss and make up in Hong Kong Bad Lip Reading took on the inauguration, and the results are great: DHS-17-0435-A-000695 CBP FOIA000695 AM RICA PVERSIGHT "INAUGURATION DAY" — A Bad Lip Reading of Donald Trump's Inauguration Seth Meyers took a closer look at Trump's voter fraud claims: DHS-17-0435-A-000696 CBP FOIA000696 AM RICAN PVERSIGHT Hey! President Trump's Voter Fraud Claims Meyers interviewed Ta-Nehisi Coates on his article about Obama: DHS-17-0435-A-000697 CBP FOIA000697 AM RICAN PVERSIGHT Ta-Nehisi Coates on His Barack Obama Article "My President Was Black" Jimmy Kimmel took on "alternative facts": DHS-17-0435-A-000698 CBP FOIA000698 AM RICAN PVERSIGHT Ill Jimmy Kimmel's Alternative Facts Andy Cohen wants Kellyanne Conway to join the Real Housewives franchise: DHS-17-0435-A-000699 CBP FOIA000699 AM RICAN PVERSIGHT Andy Cohen Wants Kellyanne Conway to Join the Real Housewives The Post remembered Mary Tyler Moore: DHS-17-0435-A-000700 CBP FOIA000700 AM RICAN PVERSIGHT Ill Remembering Mary Tyler Moore This monster sinkhole nearly swallowed a pickup truck: DHS-17-0435-A-000701 CBP FOIA000701 AM RICAN PVERSIGHT Monster sinkhole nearly swallows pickup Mexicans in the border town of Reynosa are perhaps predictably nonplussed by Trump’s wall proposal: DHS-17-0435-A-000702 CBP FOIA000702 AM RICAN PVERSIGHT Reactions from Mexico to Trump's push to 'build that wall' You are receiving this email because you signed up for the The Daily 202 newsletter or were registered on washingtonpost.com. For additional free newsletters or to manage your newsletters, click here. We respect your privacy. If you believe that this email has been sent to you in error, or you no longer wish to receive email from The Washington Post, click here. Contact us for help. ©2016 The Washington Post | 1301 K St NW, Washington DC 20071 DHS-17-0435-A-000703 CBP FOIA000703 IHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHI AM RICA PVERSIGHT 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20229 Released via FOIAonline account. February 4, 2018 CBP-2018-005705 Austin Evers American Oversight Washington, DC 20005 Dear Mr. Evers: As agreed to in American Oversight v. U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Case No. 1: 18-cv-01337, this is the second interim response to your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), on behalf of American Oversight, in which you are seeking: 1.) All electronic mail containing any of the following terms: a. Catch of the Day b. #CatchOfTheDay c. Keeping America Safe d. #KeepingAmericaSafe 2.) All electronic mail containing the word “hashtag” and any of the following words or phrases: a. S1 b. S2 c. Secretary d. Deputy Secretary e. DepSec f. Kelly g. Duke 3.) All electronic mail containing any hashtags (“#”) and any of the following words or phrases: a. Illegal b. Illegals c. Alien US. Customs and Border Protection d. Aliens e. Felon f. Felons g. Criminal h. Criminals A search of CBP databases has identified records responsive to your request, 616 pages of which are now being produced. After carefully reviewing the responsive documents I determined that they are appropriate for public release. The documents are enclosed in their entirety; CBP has claimed no deletions or exemptions This completes CBP’s second interim response to your request. If you have questions or concerns regarding this interim response, you may contact Assistant United States Attorney Denise M. Clark at (202) 252-6605. Please notate file number CBP-2018-005705 on any future correspondence to CBP related to this request. Sincerely, Jodi Drengson FOIA Analyst, FOIA Division Office of Diversity and Civil Rights AMERICAN PVERSIGHT From: Bulletin Intelligence To: DHS@BulletinIntelligence.com Subject: The Homeland Security News Briefing for Monday, February 13, 2017 Date: Monday, February 13, 2017 5:01:08 AM Attachments: dhsclips170213.doc The Homeland Security News Briefing TO: THE SECRETARY AND SENIOR STAFF DATE: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2017 5:00 AM EST TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS LEADING DHS NEWS: + Trump: Immigration Crackdown Is “Keeping Of My Campaign Promise.” + Miller: Administration Considering Options On Travel Ban. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT: + Continuing Coverage: Cities, States, Universities Respond To Trump’s Immigration Order. + HSI Anticipates Uptick In Counterfeit Perfume Ahead Of Valentine’s Day. + Sheriffs Looking For Clarity On Legality Of Detainers. + DHS Waiting On Specifics For Compiling Weekly List Of Immigrants Who Commit Crimes. + More Immigration Judges Needed To Handle Wave Of New Cases. + September Policy Change Leads To Increased Haitian Deportations. + CoreCivic Anticipates Fulfilling Increased ICE Detention Needs. + Tijuana Police Find Tunnel Along Otay Mesa. + Fake ICE Posters Placed Around Penn State Campus. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION: + In Mexico, Cuban Migrants Seeking To Enter US In “Limbo.” + NASA Scientist Detained By CBP Reentering Country. + Wired Provides Guide To Protect “Digital Privacy” When Traveling. + Cornyn: Texans Not Interested In Border Wall. FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY: + Travel Disruptions Expected As Winter Storm Targets Northeast US. US CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES: + Program Allowing Student Dreamers To Visit Mexico May End Due To DACA Uncertainty. + CSMonitor Examines The Refugees Coming Into US Following Lifting Of Travel Ban. + Studies Highlight That US Lacks Resources To Confirm Whether Syrian Refugees Are Lying. + Venezuela Leads In US Asylum Requests. IMMIGRATION: + Thousands Protest Against Trump, Pena Nieto In Mexico. + Most Undocumented Mexicans At Meeting Say They’ll Risk Deportation To Stay In US. + Many Latin Americans Choosing To Settle In Mexico, Rather Than Continuing On To US. + Texas Green-Card Holder Gets Eight Years For Illegal Voting. + Miller: “American Workers” Should Be “Given Jobs First.” + Continuing Coverage: GOP Bill Seeks To Cut Number Of Green Cards Issued. NATIONAL PROTECTION AND PROGRAMS: + Sanford Proposes Privacy Reforms For Real ID. TERRORISM INVESTIGATIONS: FOIA CBP 000704 DHS-17-0435-B-000001 A \/1 )IC A PVERSIGHT + Gitmo Commander: No Input Into Trump Policies. + “No Evidence” Of Terrorism As Likely Pepper Spray Causes Closure Of Hamburg Airport. + FBI JTTF Investigating Dakota Access Pipeline Protesters. + Former National Guardsman Sentenced To Prison For Trying To Join ISIL. + FBI Asked To Investigate Release Of Pheasants, Possibly By Eco-Terrorists. + Slate Analysis: Career Intel Officials Killed Order To Bring Back Black Sites, Enhanced Interrogation. CYBER NEWS: + UK Cyber Official: 188 “High-Level” Cyberattacks In Last Three Months. + British Schoolchildren To Receive Cybersecurity Lessons. + Cyber Experts: Recent Hacks Part Of International Effort, Resembling 2014 Sony Hack, To Target Global Banks. + Microsoft To Grade Commercial Customers’ Security Settings. + Florida County School Employees At Risk Of Becoming Data Breach Victims. + South Dakota College Offers Cybersecurity Program. + Senate Armed Services Cyber Subcommittee Chairman Wants To Learn About Current State Of US Cybersecurity. + S&T To Unveil “New Cyber Tools” At RSA Conference. + House Homeland Security Committee To Hold Hearing On Cyber Threats. + Russia Suspected In Italian Foreign Ministry Hack. + “Prolific” Hacker Sentenced In “Rare Win” For Law Enforcement. + Cybersecurity Exercise Takes Place In Colorado. + House Democrats Call For Probe Of White House Cybersecurity. + Google Warning Of State-Sponsored Hackers Targeting Prominent Journalists. NATIONAL SECURITY NEWS: + Report Disputes Russia’s Claims Of Restraint In Syria. + Hezbollah Supports Syrian Ceasefire, Peace Talks. + Opposition Selects Delegation For Geneva Talks. + Tension Mounts Among Shiites In Baghdad After Clashes. + Iraqis Battling Oil Well Fires Set By Retreating ISIS Militants. + Afghan Official: Joint US-Afghan Raid Killed 22 Civilians. + Media Analyses: Netanyahu Will Seek To Reset US Ties During Talks With Trump. + Media Analysis: Trump-Trudeau Meeting Comes Amid Questions About Relationship. + Media Analyses: North Korean Missile Launch A Challenge To Trump. + Steinmeier, A “Critic” Of Trump, Elected Germany’s President. + UK Defense Minister Praises Trump’s Efforts To Strengthen NATO. + WSJournal Analysis: Trump Moves Toward Center On Foreign Policy. + NYTimes Analysis: Foreign Diplomats Hope Haley Speaks For Administration. + Peruvian President Asks Trump To Consider Deporting Former Leader. + IMF Head: Trump Policies Likely To Be Good For American Economy In The Short Term. + Hezbollah Leader Calls Trump An “Idiot.” + Moscow Supporting Europe’s Far Right Populists. + Bolton Lauds Reports Trump Seeks To Cast Aside New START Treaty. + Romanians Continue To Protest Government Corruption. + Kashmir Clash Between Indian Troops, Militants Leads To Violent Protests. + Somaliland To Allow UAE To Establish Naval Base. + WSJournal Analysis: Despite European Unhappiness, IMF Won’t Budge On Greece Bailout. + Cambodian Opposition Party Leader Resigns. + Swiss Voters Approve Simplified Citizenship Process For Third-Generation Immigrants. + Spain’s Far-Left Podemos Party Head Defeats Leadership Challenge. Leading DHS News: TRUMP: IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN IS “KEEPING OF MY CAMPAIGN PROMISE.” Widespread coverage of ICE’s enforcement actions last week continued on Sunday into Monday. Coverage nearly FOIA CBP 000705 DHS-17-0435-B-000002 A \/1 )IC A PVERSIGHT universally highlighted statements by ICE officials and spokespeople that the “enforcement surge” was part of a routine, targeted operation that focused on criminals, and was being planned prior to the Trump Administration, However, that point was somewhat undercut by President Trump’s claims on Twitter that the “crackdown” is part of a “campaign promise” to focus on illegal immigration. Coverage also highlighted the sense of fear and panic gripping immigrant communities, and claims by immigrant activists that the arrests signal a new era of increased enforcement and deportation under the Trump Administration. ABC World News Tonight (2/12, story 4, 2:05, Llamas, 14.63M) reported that President Trump claimed on Twitter on Sunday morning “that the recent crackdown on immigration is keeping a campaign promise. ICE agents have been rounding up hundreds of illegal immigrants in deportation raids across the country.” ABC’s Ron Claiborne: “In New York City, protesters marching through the cold and ice, demonstrating against that surge in immigration raids. Immigration agents rounding up hundreds of illegal immigrants in the past few days, concentrating, an administration officials say, on violent criminals. The President tweeting today, ‘The crackdown on illegal criminals is merely the keeping of my campaign promise. Gang members, drug dealers & others are being removed!’ Also swept up in the latest raids: people with no criminal records.” The Washington Post (2/12, Rucker, 11.43M) reports that Trump “defended the large-scale raids of hundreds of undocumented immigrants...as evidence that he is keeping his campaign promise.” The AP (2/12, Galofaro) runs a very negative analysis headlined “Immigrants Wait In Fear After Raids; Trump Takes Credit,” focusing on the “fear and confusion” that “have gripped immigrant communities across the nation” since word “spread that federal agents were rounding up hundreds of immigrants.” The New York Daily News (2/12, Sandoval, 4.45M) similarly reports that “fear spread through New York’s immigrant communities Sunday following a series of federal raids.” The New York Times (2/12, Robbins, Dickerson, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) says that more than 600 people have been arrested nationwide over the past week, but “it remained unclear” whether the ICE actions “were part of continuing operations to round up illegal immigrants with criminal convictions or a ramping-up of deportations by the Trump administration.” An ICE spokeswoman said the raids were regular practice. But on Fox News Sunday (2/12, Wallace), presidential adviser Stephen Miller said, “Right now as a result of the President’s order, greatly expanded and more vigorous immigration enforcement activities are taking place. It is true that Operation Cross-Check is something that happens every year. But this year we have taken new and greater steps to remove criminal aliens from our communities.” On NBC’s Meet The Press (2/12, Todd, 157K), Miller said, “Our emphasis is on deporting and removing criminal aliens that pose a threat to public safety.” On ABC’s This Week (2/12, Stephanopoulos, 6.61M), Miller said, “All over the country right now we are engaging in action to prevent the unthinkable from happening.” USA Today (2/11, Stanglin, 5.28M) reports “hundreds of undocumented immigrants were rounded up this week in a half-dozen states,” but ICE said the operation was a routine enforcement “surge” while “acknowledging the bar for deportation has been lowered.” ICE “confirmed operations in more than a half￾dozen cities and states, including Chicago, Georgia, Los Angeles, New York, South Carolina, North Carolina and Texas.” The Independent (UK) (2/11, Roberts, 1.28M) reports immigration activists “claimed the raids extended to Florida, Kansas, Texas and Virginia and that otherwise law-abiding undocumented immigrants were also targeted.” In separate coverage, the AP (2/12) reports ICE disputes claims by immigrant advocacy groups that the latest operations are part of “stepped-up enforcement.” ICE “calls the effort no different from enforcement actions carried out in the past.” The Dallas Morning News (2/12, 1.12M) reports ICE ERO Los Angeles field office director David Marin said “the agency carries out these operations two or three times a year in his region.” He added that the enforcement operation in California was already being planned “before the administration came out with their current executive orders.” Fox News Insider (2/12, 3K) reports 161 people were arrested by ICE during a “five-day sweep” in California. Fox News says “approximately 75 percent” of those arrested have criminal histories. Other individuals were arrested when they were “found to be undocumented as other arrests were taking place, said David Marin, director of Enforcement and Removal Operations for ICE in Los Angeles.” The Los Angeles Daily News (2/10, 315K) reports 151 of the individuals arrested in California “had felony criminal histories ranging from child sex crimes to FOIA CBP 000706 DHS-17-0435-B-000003 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT weapons charges to assaults.” Among the arrestees was a “Salvadoran national who was an MS-13 gang member arrested in Huntington Park and wanted in his native country for aggravated extortion; a Brazilian national wanted for cocaine trafficking; and an Australian in West Hollywood who was previously convicted of lewd and lascivious acts with a child.” The AP (2/11) reports ICE “says agents arrested fewer than 200 people last week in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia and targeted people in the country illegally and convicted of crimes.” Spokesman Bryan Cox “said Saturday that the agency’s enforcement activities die[d] down over the weekend, but couldn’t say none were being carried out.” Cox added that ICE plans to release details of the enforcement sure on Monday that will compare the “Monday-through-Friday arrest total in the three states to other periods.” WCBS-TV New York (2/12, 167K) reports, “Nearly 40 foreign nationals were detained in Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in New York City, according to a memo released by organization.” ICE claimed the arrests were part of “routine, daily targeted operations.” According to an ICE memo dated February 11, the operations “targeted public safety threats, such as convicted criminal aliens and gang members, and individuals who have violated our nation’s immigration laws, including those who have re￾entered the country after being deported and immigration fugitives ordered deported by federal immigration judges.” WCBS-TV adds that the raids have “brought criticism from immigration activists in the area.” Executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition Steve Choi said, “Shame on ICE for putting New York’s immigrant communities – four million strong – in a state of panic.” The New York Post (2/12, 3.82M) reports on a leaked memo from ICE that said 40 “foreign nationals” were arrested in New York City during the raids. The memo states the “targeted enforcement operation [was] aimed at immigration fugitives, re-entrants, and at-large criminal aliens.” The “vast majority,” around 95%, of those arrested “had criminal convictions.” KXTV-TV Sacramento, CA (2/12, 135K) reports 44 Mexican immigrants were detained in Austin, Texas in the past 48 hours, according to the Mexican Consulate of Austin. Rep. Joaquin Castro confirmed the Texas operation in a statement released Friday evening. Castro is quoted from the statement as saying, “I have been informed by ICE that the agency’s San Antonio field office has launched a targeted operation in South and Central Texas as part of Operation Cross Check.” ICE spokesperson Nina Pruneda released a statement to ABC affiliate KRGV. Pruneda is quoted as saying, “ICE regularly conducts targeted enforcement operations during which additional resources and personnel are dedicated to apprehending deportable foreign nationals. ... The focus of these operations is no different than the routine, targeted arrests carried out by ICE’s Fugitive Operations Team on a daily basis.” ABC News (2/12, 3.09M) reports the ACLU “told ABC News today that it plans on creating a ‘rapid response team’ to combat a potential rise in deportations under the current administration.” ACLU senior attorney Lee Gelernt said, “This administration is just getting started and we’re anticipating much worse.” The New York Daily News (2/12, Elizalde, 4.45M) reports immigrant advocacy groups have been hosting “know your rights” workshops to “educate immigrant communities if such raids occur.” The Daily News gives “five steps” for immigrants to follow if they are confronted by ICE agents, including having an attorney on call and utilizing the right to remain silent. CNN (2/12, Kopan, 29.79M) reports “fear is running high among immigrant communities since President Donald Trump’s inauguration.” The recent arrests are the “first concerted effort by ICE under the Trump administration to arrest targeted undocumented immigrants for deportation proceedings.” The AP (2/10, Taxin) reported immigrant advocates in Southern California “decried” the arrests, and said they “believe [the arrests] mark a shift in enforcement under the Trump administration.” The New York Daily News (2/10, Slattery, 4.45M) reported advocates “took to the streets” to protest the “wave of arrests” by ICE. However, ICE “said the sweeps in New York, Southern California, Chicago and other cities were routine and not part of a promised crackdown vowed by President Trump.” Newsday (NY) (2/11, 1.3M) reports protesters “spilled onto Greenwich Village streets...as demonstrators decried the arrests of hundred of undocumented immigrants this past week.” The Dallas Morning News (2/10, 1.12M) reported some immigrant activists suggested the raids might be a retaliation for “sanctuary city” policies. An unnamed immigration official said, “Big cities tend to have a lot of illegal immigrants. ... They’re going to a FOIA CBP 000707 DHS-17-0435-B-000004 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT target-rich environment.” The New York Daily News (2/13, Sandoval, 4.45M) reports the pews at the St. Roch Catholic Church on Staten Island were “unusually empty” on Sunday as many of the church’s immigrant parishioners “were afraid to leave the house.” The Baltimore Sun (2/12, 714K) reports protesters in Baltimore “stretched more than a city block marched from the Highlandtown library and wrapped around Patterson Park on Sunday afternoon.” Organizers “said they called the rally to protest recent arrests by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Baltimore and Baltimore County.” The Daily Beast (2/11, 1.11M) reports President Trump’s “deportation force promise may be coming true” based on the recent “enforcement surge” by ICE. Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) “said he thought the enforcement surge may be a response to Trump’s recent defeat in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, where a three-judge panel moved unanimously to block enforcement of his travel ban.” ICE spokeswoman Virginia Kice “said ICE’s enforcement activities are motivated solely by public safety and law enforcement concerns.” Salon (2/11, 564K) analyzes the rise of the “deportation machine” under President Obama, and concludes that the recent arrests by ICE are “nothing new.” The Arizona Daily Star (2/11, 270K) reports local law enforcement will likely be called upon to help immigration officials to deport targeted people. The Daily Star adds that President Trump has said he “wants to revive the Secure Communities programs that reigned from 2008 to 2014 and counted on deputizing local police as immigration officers.” The Kansas City (MO) Star (2/12, 581K) reports “anxiety among immigrants spiked last week” after the enforcement operations. The Star says the Kansas-Missouri Dream Alliance, “along with lawyers, faith leaders and other community organizations mobilized their efforts to protect anyone who might have been picked up in a sweep.” On CBS’ Face The Nation (2/12, Flake, 4.61M), Sen. Jeff Flake, a frequent Trump critic, said, “President Trump promised to go after those who have committed felonies, aggravated felonies, and he is doing so, so that is applauded. ... But obviously, we in Congress need to reform immigration moving ahead. … Those who are in the country like the woman in Arizona who was deported simply because she used documents, fake documents to work, I don’t think anybody wants to put her in the same class as aggravated felons who endanger public safety.” Philly (PA) (2/12, Hanna, 942K) reports Gov. Chris Christie, appeared on CNN’s State of the Union, “offered no assurances to immigrants in New Jersey who are in the United States illegally, as he defended recent immigration raids under President Trump’s administration that have netted some people without violent records.” When he was “asked what his message was to New Jersey residents who are in the country illegally,” Christie said, “The laws that are in effect right now have to be enforced. ... And that’s what’s happening right now.” According to the Los Angeles (CA) Times (2/10, Mason, 4.52M), California Senate leader Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles) condemned recent raids by federal immigration officials and called for increased transparency and accountability in a Los Angeles news conference Friday. In an op-ed for CNN (2/12, Jackson, 29.79M), criminal defense attorney and legal analyst Joey Jackson argues the immigration raids are evidence that a “seismic shift is underway” on matters of immigration. Jackson opines that while the raids are “not new in an of themselves, advocates and others watching these raids unfold are right to worry whether this President is casting a wider net and expanding the objective in ICE enforcement beyond national security.” Jackson adds that those “worried about current trends...should take comfort in knowing that immigration courts will serve as a check upon any overreach by ICE.” Also covering the arrests with a local focus are WUSA-TV Washington (2/10, 70K), WPIX-TV New York (2/11, 243K), the Wichita (KS) Eagle (2/11, 265K), NY1-TV New York (2/11, 118K), WGHP-TV Greensboro, NC (2/11, 245K), Los Angeles Weekly (2/10, 84K), WTOC-TV Savannah, GA (2/10, 36K), KEYE-TV Austin, TX (2/10, 32K), the Corpus Christi (TX) Caller-Times (2/10, 131K), the San Francisco Chronicle (2/12, 2.2M), KXAN-TV Austin, TX (2/10, 117K), another report from KXAN-TV Austin, TX (2/12, 117K), Staten Island (NY) Live (2/12, 134K), NJ News (2/12, 952K), Southern California Public Radio (2/10, 54K), the Village Voice (NY) (2/12, 233K), the San Antonio Express-News (2/12, 844K), the Austin (TX) American Statesman (2/13, Subscription Publication, 407K), the Downstream Austin-UT (TX) FOIA CBP 000708 DHS-17-0435-B-000005 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT Patch (2/10), and the Omaha (NE) World-Herald (2/10, 544K). NPR (2/11, 1.92M), TIME (2/11, 6.98M), and CNN Newsroom Sunday (2/12) provide additional coverage of the operation. Bump: Possible Religious Freedom Executive Order Could Impact ICE Enforcement. Philip Bump of the Washington Post (2/12, 11.43M) writes that in 2011, ICE established that it “would not conduct enforcement actions in several enumerated ‘sensitive locations’: hospitals, schools, the site of a wedding or funeral, during a demonstration or at a place of worship” without “mandated approval from a top ICE official before proceeding (except in the case of an emergency).” Since churches “may act to protect immigrants out of a sense of religious obligation,” that could make things “tricky for the Trump administration” under a proposed executive order on religious freedom. Oregon Mass Transit Company Denies Cooperating With ICE. The Oregonian (2/10, 894K) reported Oregon mass transit company TriMet announced on Friday that it doesn’t cooperate with ICE in “responding to apparently false rumors that federal immigration officers were targeting bus riders in Southeast Portland.” ICE spokeswoman Lori K. Haley said, “Rumors currently being circulated that the agency is conducting random enforcement actions at Portland-area transportation hubs are completely unfounded. ... The agency is working diligently to address these false reports and we urge the media not to give them credence.” MILLER: ADMINISTRATION CONSIDERING OPTIONS ON TRAVEL BAN. Coverage of presidential adviser Stephen Miller’s comments on four Sunday morning shows about the White House’s next steps on the travel ban now frozen by a federal court is widespread but essentially straightforward. Reports cover Miller’s defense of President Trump’s policy as constitutional and examine the Administration’s options with little additional analysis or comment – though several Democratic senators also appeared to rebut Miller’s arguments and to reiterate their opposition to the policy. NBC Nightly News (2/12, lead story, 2:30, Snow, 16.61M) said in its lead story that “the White House is considering how to move forward on its immigration policy after losing in court last week.” NBC’s Kelly O’Donnell: “Defending that travel ban across morning television today, the President’s senior policy adviser Stephen Miller lashed out at the courts.” Miller: “We have a judiciary that has taken far too much power and become in many cases a supreme branch of government.” ABC World News Tonight (2/12, story 3, 2:05, Wright, 14.63M) reported, “The Administration is now turning its attention back to the targeted travel ban, intent on rescuing the policy one way or another, even if that means writing a new, more limited order. ... The Administration doesn’t want the courts to have the last word.” Miller: “We can pursue further executive actions. All options are on the table. We have equal branches of government in this country. The judiciary is not supreme.” On ABC’s This Week (2/12, Stephanopoulos, 6.61M), Miller said, “A district judge in Seattle cannot force the President of the United States to change the laws and our Constitution because of their own personal views. … And we will do whatever we need to do, consistent with the law, to keep this country safe.” On CBS’ Face The Nation (2/12, Dickerson, 4.61M), Miller said, “I think it has been an important reminder to all Americans we have a judiciary that has taken far too much power and become in many case as supreme branch of government. One unelected judge in Seattle cannot remake laws for the entire country.” On NBC’s Meet The Press (2/12, Todd, 157K), Miller said, “The bottom line is we are pursuing every single possible action to keep our country safe from terrorism.” On Fox News Sunday (2/12, Wallace), Miller said that the Administration’s options include “the possibility of new executive actions designed to prevent terrorist in perpetration of our country. And I want to say something very clearly, this will be very disappointing to the people protesting the President and the people in Congress like Sen. Schumer who has attacked the President for his lawful and necessary action. The President’s powers here are beyond question.” The Washington Post (2/12, Rucker, 11.43M) reports that Miller said the Administration is considering appealing “and having an emergency hearing ‘en banc,’ or before all judges on the court; seeking an FOIA CBP 000709 DHS-17-0435-B-000006 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT emergency stay at the Supreme Court; taking the case to trial at the district level; or writing a new executive order for Trump to sign that would withstand legal scrutiny.” The Post calls Miller’s Sunday interviews “unusually combative.” Bloomberg Politics (2/12, Niquette, 201K) reports that Miller said the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals “took power that belongs ‘squarely in the hands of the president’ in a ‘judicial usurpation.’” The Wall Street Journal (2/12, Ballhaus, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) also says that Miller said several options are under consideration, and notes Miller’s defense of Trump’s actions as constitutional, while the New York Daily News (2/12, Edelman, 4.45M) says Miller’s comments “indicated that the administration was actively looking at ways to keep the measure alive.” Newsweek (2/12, Loffredo, 862K) reports on its website that Miller “continued Donald Trump’s attacks on the judiciary over his suspended travel ban while declining to indicate what legal strategy the administration will pursue.” Reuters (2/12, Chiacu, Harte) says Miller “attacked” the court ruling, and the Los Angeles Times (2/12, King, 4.52M) reports that Miller “renewed the White House attack on what the president and senior aides have characterized as overreach by the courts.” USA Today (2/12, Jackson, 5.28M) says the 31-year-old Miller’s “influence and public profile appear to be on the rise,” and the Washington Times (2/12, Howell, 272K) reports that the President, “who is known to keep tabs on his aides’ TV performances, said he was pleased with Mr. Miller’s defense.” Trump tweeted, “Congratulations Stephen Miller – on representing me this morning on the various Sunday morning shows. Great job!” The Huffington Post (2/12, Fang, 237K), however, says Miller’s appearances went “disastrously,” on the travel ban and on other issues. Voice of America (2/12, Bredemeier, 57K) also covers Miller’s appearances on its website. Schumer: Trump Should Throw Travel Ban “In The Trash.” On CBS’ Face The Nation (2/12, Dickerson, 4.61M), Senate Minority Leader Schumer said Trump should not revise the travel ban executive order, but “he ought to throw it in the trash. I think this executive order is so bad and so poisoned and its genesis is so bad and terrible that he ought to just throw it in the trash can.” Politico (2/12, Strauss, 2.46M) says the comment “came in response to a question about the Trump administration looking to introduce a new executive order similar to a travel ban for seven majority-Muslim countries” blocked by the Ninth Circuit. The New York Post (2/12, Moore, 3.82M) reports that Schumer “went on to call the order ‘un-American and unconstitutional.’” Schumer said, “A religious ban just goes against the American brain. We believe in immigrants in this country and we don’t believe in a religious test.” The Washington Times (2/12, Howell, 272K) also reports on Schumer’s remarks. Other senators were also critical. On NBC’s Meet The Press (2/12, Todd, 157K), Sen. Bernie Sanders called Miller’s remarks “a shell game,” saying, “While there is a whole lot of discussion about the racist, in my view, immigration policies of the Trump Administration which are based on anti-Muslim ideology, which are doing us enormous harm all over the world, something else is going on at the exact same moment is that President Trump is backtracking on every economic promise that he made to the American people when he told workers and senior citizens he was not going to cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.” On Fox News Sunday (2/12, Wallace), Sen. Ben Cardin said, “I’ve talked to leaders from around the world that tell us that” the travel ban executive order “will be used as a recruitment for terrorist organizations it will put Americans at greater risk traveling abroad, that it adds to self-radicalization.” On CNN’s State Of The Union (2/12, Tapper, 420K), Sen. Al Franken similarly said, “I agree with Sen. McCain and Sen. Graham that actually this kind of ban makes us less safe and it gives a recruiting tool to ISIS and to other jihadists saying America is anti-Muslim. … I think that Trump and his group are trying to make Americans more afraid. I think that’s part of how they got elected is make more people afraid.” However, Sen. Jeff Flake, a Republican who is frequently critical of Trump, said on CBS’ Face The Nation (2/12, Dickerson, 4.61M), “I do think it is constitutional. It is not a Muslim ban. ... I think that the message that it sends to our allies abroad and the countries that we need to work with is not a good one.” FOIA CBP 000710 DHS-17-0435-B-000007 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT Page: Trump Running Up Against Realities Of Presidential Power. Susan Page of USA Today (2/12, 5.28M) writes under the headline “Reality Check: After Three Weeks, Trump Hits A Washington Wall” that after “a dizzying flurry of actions” in his first weeks in office, Trump “has begun running smack into constraints mandated by the Constitution and imposed by political reality. Without acknowledging he’s being forced to trim his sails, the president is moving to delay some campaign promises and downsize others, steps that sometimes have been overshadowed by a continued stream of the defiant tweets that marked his political rise.” Page writes that Tremp is “discovering how the Constitution’s structure, federal laws and rival power centers...make leadership in the Oval Office a more complicated calculation than in the corporate suite.” Washington State AG Ferguson Profiled. The AP (2/12, Johnson) profiles Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who is in “the vanguard of resistance” against Trump’s travel ban. Ferguson said on ABC’s This Week, “The Administration, the President, simply refused to recognize what everybody else can recognize. Four federal judges have looked at this case. ... All four have completely and utterly rejected the President’s arguments in this case, and we anticipate winning as the case moves forward.” Politico (2/12, Strauss, 2.46M) reports Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson “said Sunday that his state would fight another executive order from President Donald Trump if it violates the Constitution.” Ferguson said he recognizes the President’s “statutory basis to regulate illegal immigration and his national security responsibilities,” but said the executive order violates the Constitution and due process. Reuters (2/12, Harte) reports Ferguson said he will depose Trump Administration officials to figure out what “truly motivated” the executive order on immigration. Some Employees Of Long-Established Tech Firms Join Critics Of Ban. The New York Times (2/12, Streitfeld, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports that though “the older, stodgier, less glamorous part of the tech universe” has been generally quiet about the ban, not joining in the legal filings or public criticism of its peers, some employees of firms like Cisco, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and IBM are showing “defiance” and “agitating for an explicit corporate morality.” Policy Puts Hospitals’ Selections Of Residents In Turmoil. The Wall Street Journal (2/12, Evans, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) looks at the difficulties hospitals are having in selecting applicants for residencies, noting that in recent years, about 14 percent of residents have come from abroad. Syrian Refugee Family Now In US. The Los Angeles Times (2/12, King, 4.52M) has a feature on a refugee family who had “survived war’s bloody ruination of their Syrian hometown, Homs, endured years of hardscrabble life in Jordan and undergone an exhaustive US vetting process that had lasted more than two years,” and are now in the US after the refugee ban initially froze their plans. WPost: Trump Should Back Abolition Of EB-5 Visa Program. In an editorial, the Washington Post (2/12, 11.43M) says that if President Trump really wants “to show that his immigration policies reflect consistent principles, not his and his family’s involvement in the real estate business,” he should back a bill sponsored by Sens. Charles Grassley and Dianne Feinstein, the chair and ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, that would abolish the EB-5 visa program, “which began a quarter-century ago as a well-intentioned plan to attract international capital to the United States, but has morphed into a scandal-ridden embarrassment.” Data Shows That 72 Individuals Who Were From Nations Targeted For Vetting Have Been Convicted In “Terrorism-Related” Cases. The Washington Times (2/12, Dinan, 272K) details a new report from “data compiled by the Senate Judiciary Committee and analyzed by the Center for Immigration Studies” that found at least “72 convicted terrorists came from the seven countries President Trump targeted in his extreme vetting executive order.” The Time says the convictions “came in terrorism￾related investigations,” but “some were for relatively minor crimes such as identity fraud.” Immigration and Customs Enforcement: FOIA CBP 000711 DHS-17-0435-B-000008 A \/1 )IC A PVERSIGHT CONTINUING COVERAGE: CITIES, STATES, UNIVERSITIES RESPOND TO TRUMP’S IMMIGRATION ORDER. The AP (2/11, Elliot Spagat |, Ap) reports US Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly on Friday, while touring the US-Mexico border, told law enforcement officials “that he couldn’t define a sanctuary city, which President Donald Trump has targeted for withdrawal of federal funding for refusing to cooperate with immigration authorities.” Speaking to San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman when she asked for a definition, he said, “I don’t have a clue.” He noted, though, “I promise you we’ll work with you and will make no Draconian moves until I fully understand what a given locale might be doing or not doing.” However, The Week (2/11, 1.76M) examines the concept of “sanctuary city,” noting that it emerged during the Bush Administration in protest to a program known at the time as “Secure Communities.” The article defines “sanctuary cities” as those that “limit local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration officials.” This includes not “permit[ting] police to inquire about a person’s immigration status, and some do not turn over undocumented immigrants to federal officials even if they’re arrested.” The debate over “sanctuary cities,” the Boston Globe (2/10, Lefferts, Hilliard, 1.08M) says, is spreading to more cities and towns that are trying to decide “whether to enact policies aimed at protecting undocumented immigrants.” California could become a “sanctuary state” if Senate Bill 54 is approved, USA Today (2/11, Solis, 5.28M) adds. The bill “aims to severely restrict how much local law enforcement can work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. But the bill would not completely eradicate cooperation between local and federal law enforcement.” “Elected leaders, nonprofit organizations, immigrant advocacy groups and religious leaders” in Alameda County, California have also backed a measure to “set aside $750,000 to match a grant from the San Francisco Foundation to pay for defending and protecting immigrants and refugees in Alameda County,” the East Bay (CA) Times (2/10, Moriki, 49K) reports. In an interview with NPR (2/12, 1.92M), Austin, Texas Mayor Steve Adler said in relation to recent ICE raids conducted across the country targeting undocumented immigrants, “We have a community that is, quite frankly scared.” When asked if Austin is a “sanctuary city,” he said, “You know, I’m not real sure what a sanctuary city is in today’s definitions. Under the president’s order, it seems to be that a sanctuary city is a city that violates federal or state law, which we don’t. And under that definition, I guess, we would not be a sanctuary city.” Arizona’s three public universities have no plans to designate themselves “sanctuary campuses,” despite the numerous universities and colleges across the country making the move to do so, the Arizona Daily Star (2/11, Jung, 270K) states. At a Board of Regents meeting on Tuesday, students in the state called for the designation. Board president Eileen Klein, however, said, “We don’t want to jeopardize our campuses in any way. ... Yet, at the same time, we’ve done a good job of making sure that our students know that we’re actively working to make sure opportunities are there for them.” Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, WHYY-FM Philadelphia (2/10, Colaneri, 30K) says, is “vowing to fight a bill to punish ‘sanctuary cities’ that is working its way through the Pennsylvania General Assembly.” The bill would cut state funding to such jurisdictions, but Kenney has noted Philadelphia “is exploring what ‘legal protections’ it may have.” Lansing, Michigan City Attorney Jim Smiertka wrote in a memo this week that if the city becomes a “sanctuary” for undocumented immigrants, “it may expose the municipality, City Council members and Police Department to ‘possible federal criminal sanctions,’” the Detroit Free Press (2/11, Lacy, 1.01M) reports. He said, “Until the courts resolve the issues noted above, it is recommended here that a formal resolution or policy be delayed until more certainty in the law is achieved.” Arkansas lawmakers, however, have shown some resistance to Trump’s immigration rhetoric, the Washington Times (2/11, Demillo, 272K) notes. According to the Times, the House Education Committee FOIA CBP 000712 DHS-17-0435-B-000009 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT rejected a sanctuary city bill that would cut funding to the state’s public colleges and universities, which the piece says splits the state from neighboring red states. In Columbus, Ohio, the Columbus (OH) Dispatch (2/10, Rouan, 529K) reports the city is not officially a “sanctuary” jurisdiction, “but it is acting like one.” The Dispatch says city officials last week said “they would investigate whether Columbus should adopt the sanctuary label after President Donald Trump issued an executive order banning immigrants and refugees from certain countries.” Mayor Andrew J. Ginther last week also signed a bill that prohibits the use of city resources for the “purpose of detecting or apprehending persons based on suspected immigration status, unless in response to a court order.” HSI ANTICIPATES UPTICK IN COUNTERFEIT PERFUME AHEAD OF VALENTINE’S DAY. According to CNBC (2/12, Schlesinger, Day, 2.17M), HSI New York assistant special agent in charge Jason Molina warns that authorities predict an increase in counterfeit colognes and perfumes in the lead up to Valentine’s Day. Molina warns that the “billions of dollars” in profit from counterfeit products often fund terrorist and criminal organizations and recommends buying products from legitimate sources to avoid purchasing the items. SHERIFFS LOOKING FOR CLARITY ON LEGALITY OF DETAINERS. PBS NewsHour (2/12, 255K) reports, “Despite tough talk on sanctuary cities from the Trump administration, many sheriffs still fear that they lack the legal right to hold prisoners for possible deportation, even at the request of federal authorities.” Sheriffs are still “waiting for courts to clarify the legality of ‘detainers,’” according to PBS. Yuma County, Arizona Sheriff Leon Wilmot is quoted as saying, “Sheriffs want to participate but we need to know our legal standing on this. We’ve been asking for this for years.” Wilmot “said sheriffs need a definitive ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court.” Oakland County, Michigan Sheriff Michael Bouchard “said larger counties have the same concerns and want a court ruling, action by Congress, or an agreement that federal immigration agents will seek a judge’s signature on detainers to make them more legally acceptable.” DHS WAITING ON SPECIFICS FOR COMPILING WEEKLY LIST OF IMMIGRANTS WHO COMMIT CRIMES. Fox News (2/10, 11.07M) reports President Trump’s executive order that calls on DHS to “publish a public weekly list of criminal actions committed by people in the U.S. illegally” has drawn both praise and outcry. Rep. Steve King (R-IA) called the order “sunshine on the government.” Immigrant advocates “said that Trump is demonizing all illegal immigrants by portraying them as criminals.” Fox News says it is still “unclear...whether names will be published along with the crimes committed, and whether the list will include only serious felonies or low-level crimes as well.” DHS acting press secretary Gillian M. Christensen said DHS is still waiting on the specifics to compile the list. MORE IMMIGRATION JUDGES NEEDED TO HANDLE WAVE OF NEW CASES. Public Radio International (2/10, 36K) reports that the budgets for ICE and CBP are almost $20 billion, “an increase of almost $2 billion from 2015.” At the end of 2016, around 40,000 people were being held in 637 detention facilities, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) at Syracuse University. TRAC says the number of pending cases at the end of 2016 was over 533,000, and there are only 291 immigration judges to handle the caseload. The article points out that an executive order that President Trump signed on Jan. 25 calls on ICE to hire 10,000 additional immigration officers, and questions if Trump will “increase the capacity of immigration courts to handle existing cases and the new cases that will be generated by this very large and growing law enforcement agency.” SEPTEMBER POLICY CHANGE LEADS TO INCREASED HAITIAN DEPORTATIONS. Reuters (2/10, Brice) reports on the situation of Haitian immigrants since the US restarted deportation flights for Haitians in September 2016 due to the surge in numbers, featuring the story of John Stevens Val, who borrowed $3,000 to travel through 10 countries to reach Arizona, only to be returned to Haiti. An ICE official said 1,513 Haitians were deported between October 2016 and January 16, 2017, while 4,060 were in detention on January 16. Congresswoman Proposed Bill Shielding Haitian Refugees From Deportation. MSN (2/11, Toure, 7.46M) reports Brooklyn Congresswoman Yvette Clark, who co-chairs the House Caribbean Caucus, has proposed new legislation to shield refugees from deportation “to dangerous homelands.” This, the piece FOIA CBP 000713 DHS-17-0435-B-000010 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT says, “include[s] all Haitian nationals who were in the United States before November 4, 2016.” Clark highlighted the “extreme weather events” in the island nation, saying, “Those needs have increased since Haiti suffered extensive damage during Hurricane Matthew last year, when hundreds of people were killed and thousands of families were displaced. ... Congress must act.” CORECIVIC ANTICIPATES FULFILLING INCREASED ICE DETENTION NEEDS. The Associated Press (2/10, Jonathan Mattise |, Ap) reports CoreCivic President and CEO Damon Hininger indicated his company is able to provide the detention facilities ICE is likely to need following President Trump’s two executive orders on immigration in a statement last week that also indicates the private prison industry foresees increased profitability under the Administration. Hininger also noted the recent “above average rate of crossings along the Southwest border.” TIJUANA POLICE FIND TUNNEL ALONG OTAY MESA. The San Diego (CA) Union-Tribune (2/10, Repard, 496K) reports Tijuana police’s discovery of a tunnel on the Mexican side of the border near San Diego’s Otay Mesa did not enter the US, according to Lauren Mack, an ICE spokeswoman. According to KNSD-TV San Diego (2/10, 216K), the police came upon an armed man in a Tijuana parking lot, making the discovery on the day of Secretary Kelly’s visit to the US-Mexico border. FAKE ICE POSTERS PLACED AROUND PENN STATE CAMPUS. According to the Associated Press (2/12), posters calling for those on Penn State’s campus to “report any and all illegal aliens” are “deeply offensive” and “designed to provoke anger, fear and hate,” said a university statement. ICE officials called the signs “bogus” and denied involvement, according to a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette report. Customs and Border Protection: IN MEXICO, CUBAN MIGRANTS SEEKING TO ENTER US IN “LIMBO.” NBC Nightly News (2/12, story 10, 2:30, Snow, 16.61M) reported that an immigration action by former President Obama that has left hundreds of Cuban migrants planning to enter the US via Mexico “in limbo.” NBC (Lightner) added the cause is that the US no longer grants automatic refugee status to any Cuban who sets foot on US soil. Exacerbating the problem is that the expected repeal of “wet foot, dry foot” caused “a rush to the border.” NASA SCIENTIST DETAINED BY CBP REENTERING COUNTRY. The Verge (2/12, Grush, 1.25M) reports that Sidd Bikkannavar, a US-born employee of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, was detained by CBP and pressured to give agents his phone and access PIN upon returning to the US on a personal trip to Chile. He said his phone “was issued by NASA” and may have “contained sensitive material that wasn’t supposed to be shared.” His phone was returned after it was searched, “but he doesn’t know exactly what information officials might have taken from the device.” The Verge says Bikkannavar’s reentry “should not have raised any flags” because he is a natural-born US citizen and he’s “also enrolled in Global Entry.” Bikkannavar says “he’s still unsure why he was singled out for the electronic search” but said the agents were professional and friendly. WIRED PROVIDES GUIDE TO PROTECT “DIGITAL PRIVACY” WHEN TRAVELING. Wired (2/12, 3.98M) provides a guide to “preserve...digital privacy while crossing American borders” through the advice of legal and security experts. The advice includes information about locking down devices with encryption, keeping passwords a secret, and creating a “travel kit” with devices that “store the minimum of sensitive data.” CORNYN: TEXANS NOT INTERESTED IN BORDER WALL. The Hill (2/12, Vladimirov, 1.25M) reports Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) “believes that constructing a physical wall on the U.S.-Mexico border would not rate high among Texans.” He is quoted as saying, “I think people would say, if you are talking about a physical wall, it would rate very low.” Cornyn “said that he agreed with Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly’s view for a ‘layered approach’ that would consist of ‘fencing, technology and boots on the ground.’” Federal Emergency Management Agency: FOIA CBP 000714 DHS-17-0435-B-000011 A \/1 )IC A PVERSIGHT TRAVEL DISRUPTIONS EXPECTED AS WINTER STORM TARGETS NORTHEAST US. ABC World News Tonight (2/12, lead story, 2:40, Llamas, 14.63M) reported that millions of people were in the path of a dangerous US storm on Sunday night. The storm, which is expected to cause problems for morning commuters in the Northeast, has already prompted school cancellations in Boston. That city’s mayor is “telling residents to prep for up to a foot of snow.” NBC Nightly News (2/12, story 5, 1:00, Snow, 16.61M) reported that Northeast residents were “preparing to get belted again by a big winter storm.” The storm could cause “widespread travel disruptions.” The CBS Weekend News (2/11, story 6, 1:15, Ninan) reported that the storm could bring lots of snow to Boston and Portland, Maine. The story added that heavy rainfall recently “triggered mudslides across California.” US Citizenship and Immigration Services: PROGRAM ALLOWING STUDENT DREAMERS TO VISIT MEXICO MAY END DUE TO DACA UNCERTAINTY. The San Diego Union-Tribune (2/10, Morrissey, 496K) reports a travel abroad program for Dreamers through the California-Mexico Studies Center may shut down, pending what action Trump takes on DACA. Armando Vazquez-Ramos, a California State University Long Beach professor who launched the program, said the program is “up in the air right now” because, “after these executive actions he’s [Trump] ordered, it’s unpredictable.” He says a great benefit for his program is students who “have come back into the country on advanced parole have a legal entry into the country on record, so if someone like a spouse or younger sibling born in the U.S. petitions for them to get green cards, they don’t have to wait outside the U.S. to get approved.” CSMONITOR EXAMINES THE REFUGEES COMING INTO US FOLLOWING LIFTING OF TRAVEL BAN. The Christian Science Monitor (2/12, Kauffman, 387K) examines the refugees being resettled in the US following the restraining order that temporarily blocked President Trump’s travel ban. The Monitor reports that Trump tweeted about “a ‘dangerous’ surge in immigration since his executive order” was blocked and pointed to a 77 percent increase of refugees from the seven countries listed in the order. The Monitor says that the numbers, while accurate, also may be deceiving. The surge, it notes, “reflects not an influx of new refugees, but a backlog of those who had undergone an 18-month to two-year vetting process prior to the Jan. 27 executive order and had already been scheduled to arrive into the United States.” STUDIES HIGHLIGHT THAT US LACKS RESOURCES TO CONFIRM WHETHER SYRIAN REFUGEES ARE LYING. Breitbart (2/12, Klein12, 2.02M) reports on the House Homeland Security Committee’s Final Report of the Task Force on Combating Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel, the contents of which it says received little media attention. The details in the report, Breitbart says, “are newly relevant” in light of the controversy around President Trump’s executive order on refugees. The piece also references a Congressional Research Service document warning that “US agencies have limited resources to confirm biographical claims provided by Syrian refugee applicants.” While the Obama Administration emphasized the rigorous screening process refugees go through, critics in Congress, the article says, “have noted that such enhancements may not be enough.” VENEZUELA LEADS IN US ASYLUM REQUESTS. The AP (2/12, Joshua Goodman) reports Venezuela is now leading in the number of asylum requests filed in the US “as the country’s middle class” has “fled the crashing, oil-dependent economy.” According to USCIS data, there were more than 18,000 such requests last year, which the AP says is a 150 percent increase over 2015. Immigration: THOUSANDS PROTEST AGAINST TRUMP, PENA NIETO IN MEXICO. Thousands of Mexicans protested against President Trump on Sunday on the streets of Mexico City and other cities. Media coverage says that while protest organizers intended for the demonstrations to focus on Trump, many attendees chose to use the events to speak out against their own president – Enrique Pena Nieto. The Los Angeles Times (2/12, McDonnell, 4.52M) reports the protesters “wav[ed] Mexican flags and signs denouncing” Trump as they marched through Mexico City in “the largest mobilization in the capital to date against” the American President’s policies. Protest organizers, according to the Times, “dubbed the FOIA CBP 000715 DHS-17-0435-B-000012 A \/1 )IC A PVERSIGHT march ‘Vibra Mexico’ (roughly, Mexican vibe) and mounted an aggressive social media campaign encouraging people to attend.” However, the Washington Post (2/12, Agren, 11.43M) says organizers “envisaged a protest that would condemn Trump’s treatment of Mexico, but also demand more of Mexican politicians.” The Post says the “balance was proving difficult to maintain” as “hashtags criticizing the Vibra México protest were trending on Twitter” and organizers “were pleading with protesters” to focus on Trump. Many protesters, according to Reuters (2/12, Garcia), “also heaped scorn on their own president” as they criticized him for being “a weak leader who has presided over rampant corruption and violence at home.” Additional coverage is provided by Reuters (2/13) and CNN (2/12, Gillespie, 29.79M). MOST UNDOCUMENTED MEXICANS AT MEETING SAY THEY’LL RISK DEPORTATION TO STAY IN US. The Wall Street Journal (2/12, De Córdoba, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) reports that 49 of 50 undocumented Mexican immigrants who attended a Saturday meeting in Phoenix indicated they would rather place themselves at risk of being detained than voluntarily return to Mexico. Mexican officials, according to the Journal, attended the meeting and spoke out against President Trump’s policies. MANY LATIN AMERICANS CHOOSING TO SETTLE IN MEXICO, RATHER THAN CONTINUING ON TO US. The New York Times (2/12, Semple, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports that while the US “has long been the dream destination for many Latin American migrants,” an increasing number of them are now “putting down roots” in Mexico instead of continuing their travel to the US. The Times says they “have many reasons for staying” in Mexico, including concern that crossing the border into the US “has become increasingly difficult,” fear of “the abundance of dangers that lurk” if they travel through Mexico, and a belief that it will be “easier to qualify for some form of legal status” in Mexico than the US. Over the past few weeks, the Times adds, President Trump’s policies have also “begun to weigh on some northbound migrants.” TEXAS GREEN-CARD HOLDER GETS EIGHT YEARS FOR ILLEGAL VOTING. The Washington Post (2/11, Wang, 11.43M) reported a permanent US resident living in Texas was sentenced to eight years on felony charges for illegal voting. For casting a ballot as a noncitizen in 2012 and 2014, Rosa Maria Ortega, a “green-card holder who was brought to the United States from Mexico when she was an infant,” will likely be deported after she completes her sentence, according to her attorney Clark Birdsall. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who prosecuted the case, said the conviction is a sign the state is cracking down on voter fraud. He said in a statement, “This case shows how serious Texas is about keeping its elections secure, and the outcome sends a message that violators of the state’s election law will be prosecuted to the fullest.” Birdsall said it is “off the rails” that Ortega, a registered Republican, would get eight years casting two single votes. PBS (2/12, 1.42M) reportsed Birdsall called President Trump’s unsubstantiated claims of reported voter fraud in the 2016 election the “800-pound gorilla” in the jury box. The Hill (2/11, Seipel, 1.25M) reported in its “Briefing Room” blog that Ortega did not vote in the last election. MILLER: “AMERICAN WORKERS” SHOULD BE “GIVEN JOBS FIRST.” On NBC’s Meet The Press (2/12, Todd, 157K), presidential adviser Stephen Miller said, “I believe that we should have a program in which American workers are given jobs first. The President campaigned on this and it’s an issue [on which] the labor unions agree with us. ... If you have an open job in this country, a US citizen or existing legal permanent resident ought to have the ability to have the first application for that job.” CONTINUING COVERAGE: GOP BILL SEEKS TO CUT NUMBER OF GREEN CARDS ISSUED. The Hill (2/12, Bolton, 1.25M) reports that two of President Trump’s strongest Senate allies, Sens. Tom Cotton and David Perdue, “want to dramatically cut the number of green cards issued every year by the United States.” They have sponsored the “Raise Act,” which the Hill says “would cut legal immigration annually over the next decade from 1.05 million (the annual level measured in 2015), to 539,000.” Moreover, the bill “prioritize[s] skilled workers and the spouses and minor children of citizens and legal permanent residents.” The Hill says the senators have said such moves would “rebalance” the immigration system. FOIA CBP 000716 DHS-17-0435-B-000013 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT National Protection and Programs: SANFORD PROPOSES PRIVACY REFORMS FOR REAL ID. The Washington Examiner (2/13, 400K) reports Rep. Mark Sanford (R-SC) has introduced the REAL ID Privacy Protection Act to “make privacy reforms to the REAL ID Act, including to eliminate document archiving and to allow states to decide against linking their databases nationwide.” Sanford is quoted as saying, “Quite simply, it’s to clear up deficiencies we see in REAL ID. ... This is about the 10th Amendment. This is about the prerogative of states. Something as simple as issuing a driver’s license has historically been the sole prerogative of states, not the federal government.” Terrorism Investigations: GITMO COMMANDER: NO INPUT INTO TRUMP POLICIES. The Miami Herald (2/12, Rosenberg, 856K) reports Rear Adm. Peter J. Clarke, the commander of the prison at Guantánamo Bay, said he has not been consulted President Trump’s policy for the prison, adding, “I don’t need to provide my input to policy decisions.” While the New York Times obtained a draft executive order authorizing adding ISIL captives to Guantánamo Bay, Clarke said he has not been ordered to prepare to receive new captives. Defense lawyers warn that some detainees are fearful of ISIS. While the prison currently has no female prisoners, there is speculation that they may be among new detainees, and Clarke would not provide clear assurance “that male soldiers would not be supervising female detainee showers.” “NO EVIDENCE” OF TERRORISM AS LIKELY PEPPER SPRAY CAUSES CLOSURE OF HAMBURG AIRPORT. The Washington Post (2/12, Kirchner, 11.43M) reports that in response to 68 people experiencing eye irritation and breathing difficulties from the likely dissemination of pepper spray through the air-conditioning system, German authorities evacuated hundreds and closed Hamburg Airport between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sunday. Hamburg police spokesman Rene Schönhardt insists there was “no evidence” the incident was part of a terror attack, but officials are investigating to determine how the spray from a lipstick-sized cartridge entered the ventilation system. FBI JTTF INVESTIGATING DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE PROTESTERS. The Guardian (UK) (2/10, 4.07M) reported that an FBI joint terrorism task force is investigating activists who are protesting against the Dakota Access pipeline. “Multiple officers,” The Guardian said, “have attempted to contact at least three people tied to the Standing Rock ‘water protector’ movement in North Dakota.” The nature of the investigation is unknown, but some attorneys believe the FBI’s actions are unconstitutional. “The idea that the government would attempt to construe this indigenous-led non-violent movement into some kind of domestic terrorism investigation is unfathomable to me,” said civil rights attorney Lauren Regan. “It’s outrageous, it’s unwarranted ... and it’s unconstitutional.” In a piece based on The Guardian’s coverage, the Daily Caller (2/10, White, 898K) reported that more than 600 arrests have taken place as a result of protests of the pipeline. FORMER NATIONAL GUARDSMAN SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR TRYING TO JOIN ISIL. The AP (2/10) reported that 27-year-old former National Guardsman Mohamed Jalloh of Sterling, Virginia was sentenced on Friday to 11 years in prison after pleading guilty last October to “attempting to provide material support to” ISIL. The AP said Jalloh admitted that he traveled to Africa and boarded a truck to join ISIL before “bailing out.” The charge against Jalloh “originated from an FBI sting operation.” The Washington Post (2/10, Weiner, 11.43M) reported that Joseph Flood, a lawyer for Jalloh, blamed his client’s actions on heavy drug use and childhood trauma, rather than radical sentiment. Jalloh’s attachment to ISIL was “superficial” and he was confused, Flood said. “He’s clearly a follower,” he added. Jalloh, the Post noted, also claimed to have been in search of a wife when an FBI operative contacted him about pursuing terrorism. “For two months, Flood wrote, the informant ‘hounded’ Jalloh with ‘nearly constant entreaties’ to engage in a violent attack,” the Post reported. Jalloh was arrested after attempting to buy an assault rifle. FBI ASKED TO INVESTIGATE RELEASE OF PHEASANTS, POSSIBLY BY ECO-TERRORISTS. The Portland (OR) Tribune (2/12, Rendleman, 104K) reports that the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office in Oregon has asked the FBI to investigate the release of some 50 pheasants from an aviary, purportedly by FOIA CBP 000717 DHS-17-0435-B-000014 A \/1 )IC A PVERSIGHT eco terrorists. The Animal Liberation Front lauded the release of the animals online, the Tribune reports. The pheasants were valued at approximately $1,000. SLATE ANALYSIS: CAREER INTEL OFFICIALS KILLED ORDER TO BRING BACK BLACK SITES, ENHANCED INTERROGATION. In an analysis, Slate (2/10, Carter, 1.83M) reported the Trump Administration withdrew language in a draft executive order that “would have resurrected the torture regime that existed immediately after 9/11” after career officials within the CIA and Defense Department rejected the order “from the moment it left the White House.” Slate says those officials didn’t oppose the order because of their political views. They did so, the article says, because “torture...doesn’t work, corrodes their integrity, makes it harder to work with allies, and carries enormous risk for strategic blowback.” Cyber News: UK CYBER OFFICIAL: 188 “HIGH-LEVEL” CYBERATTACKS IN LAST THREE MONTHS. BBC News (UK) (2/12, 2.39M) reports “Britain’s security has been threatened by 188 high-level cyber attacks in the last three months, according to” National Cyber Security Centre chief executive Ciaran Martin, who “told the Sunday Times many of the attacks ‘threatened national security.’” Martin “told the newspaper that attempts on government departments were designed to ‘extract information on UK government policy on anything from energy to diplomacy to information on a particular sector.’” The Guardian (UK) (2/12, 4.07M) reports that Martin “told the Sunday Times there had been a ‘step change’ in Russia’s online aggression against the west.” Martin is quoted saying, “Part of that step change has been a series of attacks on political institutions, political parties, parliamentary organisations and that’s all very well evidenced by our international partners and widely accepted.” The Independent (UK) (2/12, Roberts, 1.28M) reports Martin “warn[ed] that Britain is being hit by 60 ‘significant’ cyber-attacks each month.” The Independent adds, “An attempt to disrupt the 2015 general election was thwarted by GCHQ in a cyber attack the security service said was the first of its kind.” BRITISH SCHOOLCHILDREN TO RECEIVE CYBERSECURITY LESSONS. BBC News (UK) (2/11, Symonds, 2.39M) reports, “Schoolchildren in England will be offered lessons in cyber security” beginning in September “in a bid to find the experts of the future to defend the UK from attacks.” BBC says, “Classroom and online teaching, ‘real-world challenges’ and work experience will be made available.” The Independent (UK) (2/11, Dearden, 1.28M) reports, “The new Cyber Schools Programme aims to teach pupils some of the skills they would need to help defend Britain’s businesses and institutions against online threats.” The Independent adds, “Ministers are making up to £20m available for extracurricular sessions that will see expert instructors drafted in to teach, test and train selected teenagers.” CYBER EXPERTS: RECENT HACKS PART OF INTERNATIONAL EFFORT, RESEMBLING 2014 SONY HACK, TO TARGET GLOBAL BANKS. The Wall Street Journal (2/12, McMillan, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) reports cybersecurity experts have found evidence which suggests recent attacks on Polish institutions form part of an international effort targeting global financial institutions in several countries, and that the effort shares traits with the 2014 Sony attack. Researchers say the attacks installed code on financial regulatory authorities’ websites, then used them to attack the computers of certain financial institutions. The number of targeted banks and the extent of financial losses are unknown. MICROSOFT TO GRADE COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS’ SECURITY SETTINGS. The Wall Street Journal (2/10, Greene, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) reports Microsoft will begin grading the Office 365 security settings of its commercial customers, in order to strengthen its software and services from frequent hacking attempts. The Journal says Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. plans to use the security score to determine cyberinsurance rates for its customers. Microsoft did not say whether other insurance companies were approached to use the service. FOIA CBP 000718 DHS-17-0435-B-000015 A \/1 )IC A PVERSIGHT FLORIDA COUNTY SCHOOL EMPLOYEES AT RISK OF BECOMING DATA BREACH VICTIMS. The South Florida Sun Sentinel (2/12, 581K) reports, “Authorities say as many as 7,700 Manatee County school employees are at risk of being victims of a data breach.” County school officials “learned earlier this month that two payroll employees of the school district along Florida’s Gulf Coast had fallen for an email phishing scam” from a hacker “posing as Superintendent Diana Greene” requesting “all W-2 forms for district employees.” SOUTH DAKOTA COLLEGE OFFERS CYBERSECURITY PROGRAM. The AP (2/12, Raposa) reports on the cybersecurity program at Dakota State University, in which enrollment “has more than doubled in the last five years while other South Dakota colleges struggled to maintain numbers.” The AP says, “DSU students learn how to think like hackers in an environment not found in many schools nationwide. ... It’s a skill that’s seen increasing demand from not only government agencies like the National Security Agency, but also from businesses of all sizes in all industries.” The AP goes on to discuss the history of DSU’s focus on “computer-related programs.” SENATE ARMED SERVICES CYBER SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIRMAN WANTS TO LEARN ABOUT CURRENT STATE OF US CYBERSECURITY. Politico (2/10, 2.46M) “Morning Cybersecurity” reports that the “immediate priority” for US Sen. Mike Rounds, the “newly appointed chairman of a freshly created Armed Services cybersecurity-focused subcommittee,” is to “figur[e] out the state of play.” Rounds is quoted as saying that includes asking the Defense Department for an assessment of “where they see the need for either manpower or additional resources,” as well as “assessing where the United States stands in its capabilities compared with ‘both bad actors and peer competitors.’” S&T TO UNVEIL “NEW CYBER TOOLS” AT RSA CONFERENCE. NextGov (2/10, 2K) reports S&T “will be showing off a dozen new cyber tools developed with DHS funds at next week’s RSA cybersecurity conference in San Francisco.” S&T is quoted describing the tools as “mature cybersecurity technology solutions ready for pilot deployment and commercialization.” NextGov provides a synopsis of each technology. HOUSE HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE TO HOLD HEARING ON CYBER THREATS. The Hill (2/10, Chalfant, 1.25M) reports, “The House Homeland Security Committee is planning a hearing on cybersecurity threats early next month.” The committee “is expected to hold a full hearing on the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) cyber defenses and threats to the U.S. on March 1, according to a committee aide.” The Hill adds the hearing “will be the committee’s first focusing on cybersecurity since the intelligence community concluded that Russia engaged in a cyber and disinformation campaign aimed at influencing the 2016 U.S. presidential election,” though it “will not focus on the Russian election hacks but will instead cover the full scope of the threat landscape.” RUSSIA SUSPECTED IN ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY HACK. The Guardian (UK) (2/10, 4.07M) reports, “Russia is suspected by Italian officials of being behind a sustained hacking attack against the Italian foreign ministry last year that compromised email communications and lasted for many months before it was detected, according to people familiar with the matter.” The Guardian says an Italian government official “confirmed that the attack took place last spring and lasted for more than four months but did not infiltrate an encrypted system used for classified communications.” While then-foreign minister Paolo Gentiloni “was not affected by the hack, according to the official,” the foreign ministry’s “field offices” were affected, though “the government official said sensitive information had not been compromised because it would also have been encrypted.” “PROLIFIC” HACKER SENTENCED IN “RARE WIN” FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT. The AP (2/10) reports that “prolific foreign hacker” Ercan Findikoglu, who was “behind sophisticated cyberattacks that netted an estimated $55 million,” was sentenced to eight years in prison Friday in a “rare win for law enforcement officials who have identified, but failed to arrest, hundreds of others like him.” The AP describes Findikoglu as “a Russian-speaking Turkish national so skilled with computers that he tracked the sprawling international heist in real-time to make sure a small army of thieves wouldn’t cheat him out of his share of the proceeds.” FOIA CBP 000719 DHS-17-0435-B-000016 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT CYBERSECURITY EXERCISE TAKES PLACE IN COLORADO. The Denver Post (2/12, 778K) reports on a cybersecurity training exercise “conducted by Regis University, the state, and the Colorado Army and Air Force National Guard” involving the virtual disabling of a dam. The Post says, “This particular exercise was based on a real cyberattack against a small dam in upstate New York that was conducted by Iran, said Jeremy Lammon, master sergeant in the Air National Guard.” DHS representatives were among the attendees, the Post adds. HOUSE DEMOCRATS CALL FOR PROBE OF WHITE HOUSE CYBERSECURITY. FedScoop (2/10) reports, “Democratic members of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology are calling for a probe into the White House’s cybersecurity practices.” US Reps. Eddie Bernice Johnson, Dan Lipinski, and Don Beyer “signed and sent a letter to the committee’s Republican leadership requesting a hearing on the matter.” Their letter is quoted saying, “Given your previous investigations of cybersecurity practices at multiple federal agencies, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and Federal Reserve Board, and with respect to former Secretary Clinton’s private email server, we trust you will be equally concerned with any and all careless cybersecurity practices of the Trump Administration.” GOOGLE WARNING OF STATE-SPONSORED HACKERS TARGETING PROMINENT JOURNALISTS. Politico (2/10, Lippman, 2.46M) reports that Google “has warned a number of prominent journalists that state-sponsored hackers are attempting to steal their passwords and break into their inboxes, the journalists tell POLITICO.” Jonathan Chait of New York Magazine “said he received several messages from Google warning him about an attack from a government-backed hacker starting shortly after the election,” and he said “the most recent warning came two to three weeks ago.” Julia Ioffe, “who recently started at The Atlantic and has covered Russia for years, said she got warnings as recently as two weeks ago.” Politico adds that “some journalists getting the warnings say they suspect the hackers could be Russians looking to find incriminating emails they could leak to embarrass journalists, either by revealing alleged liberal bias or to expose the sausage-making of D.C. journalism.” National Security News: REPORT DISPUTES RUSSIA’S CLAIMS OF RESTRAINT IN SYRIA. The New York Times (2/12, Gordon, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports that while Russian military officials have “vociferously denied that their airstrikes have killed civilians in Syria,” but a “new analysis that draws on satellite images, security camera videos, social media and even footage from the Kremlin-backed Russian television network has challenged Moscow’s claims.” The analysis by the Atlantic Council also “concludes that Syrian forces used chlorine gas on a far greater scale than is commonly believed.” HEZBOLLAH SUPPORTS SYRIAN CEASEFIRE, PEACE TALKS. Reuters (2/12, Francis) reports Hezbollah said Sunday it “strongly supports the Syrian ceasefire agreed on in Kazakhstan and any truce that could lead to a political solution.” Leader Hassan Nasrallah said Sunday, “Hezbollah strongly supports, not just the Astana ceasefire, any ceasefire agreed upon in Syria,” in order “to prevent bloodshed and pave the way for political solutions.” OPPOSITION SELECTS DELEGATION FOR GENEVA TALKS. Another Reuters (2/12, Al-Khalidi, Perry) report says Syria’s main opposition body, the High Negotiation Committee (HNC), on Sunday approved a delegation to take part in Geneva peace talks later this month. The group said in a statement after two-days of meetings in Riyadh, the “21-member negotiating team included members of two dissident alliances with which it has previously been at odds.” TENSION MOUNTS AMONG SHIITES IN BAGHDAD AFTER CLASHES. Reuters (2/12, Majeed, Rasheed) reports tensions between Iraq’s Shi’ite leaders “mounted on Sunday as the toll from protests in central Baghdad on Saturday increased to six killed.” At least 174 other protesters were injured in clashes that pitted police and followers of cleric Moqtada al-Sadr demanding “an overhaul of a commission that supervises elections, ahead of a provincial poll due in September.” IRAQIS BATTLING OIL WELL FIRES SET BY RETREATING ISIS MILITANTS. The Washington Post (2/12, Holley, 11.43M) reports on the challenges faced by Iraqi oil workers. Outside of Mosul, retreating FOIA CBP 000720 DHS-17-0435-B-000017 A \/1 )IC A PVERSIGHT ISIS militants set fire to oil wells, and “at least five of the 25 oil well fires left in the militants’ wake still rage...forming a second front in the battle for Iraq that is no less dangerous for the proud men involved.” AFGHAN OFFICIAL: JOINT US-AFGHAN RAID KILLED 22 CIVILIANS. The AP (2/12, Khan) reports Helmand presidential envoy Jabar Qahraman and residents of the Sangin district claimed that a joint US￾Afghan operation last week led to 22 civilian deaths. A statement by American spokesman CAPT Bill Salvin indicates American forces have “not reached any conclusions” about civilian casualties. According to Reuters (2/12, Smith), a UN statement on Sunday indicated the strikes killed 18 civilians, primarily women and children, and the UN’s most recent report shows civilian deaths from American and Afghan airstrikes “dramatically” increasing in 2016. MEDIA ANALYSES: NETANYAHU WILL SEEK TO RESET US TIES DURING TALKS WITH TRUMP. Bloomberg Politics (2/12, Wainer, 201K) reports that when he visits the White House this week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will try to “recalibrate ties” with the US “after eight years of high￾profile clashes” with President Obama. Netanyahu “sees a chance for a warmer relationship” with President Trump. “The overriding goal will be to restore the relationship so that there are no surprises and no daylight,” said former Ambassador Michael Oren, now a deputy minister in Netanyahu’s office. The New York Times (2/12, Fisher, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports Netanyahu “suggested on Sunday that it was unrealistic to expect their two countries to agree completely on all issues,” but insisted that “he was the strongest leader to navigate the relationship – the nation’s most important, yet often its trickiest.” The Times says Wednesday’s meeting is “expected to set the tone for the American-Israeli relationship.” According to Reuters (2/12, Heller), Netanyahu said Sunday he would present “responsible policies” in talks with Trump, “signaling to the Israeli far-right to curb its territorial demands in the occupied West Bank.” Said the Israeli leader, “I understand there’s great excitement about this meeting (with Trump). But...my primary concern is Israel’s security (and) strengthening our solid alliance with the United States.” That, he added, “requires responsible policies,” without elaborating. The Washington Post (2/12, Booth, 11.43M) reports that during his visit, Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennett, leader of the pro￾settlement Jewish Home party, pressed Netanyahu “to abandon his tentative commitment to the two-state solution,” and not to use the words “Palestinian state.” The Los Angeles Times (2/12, Wilkinson, 4.52M), however, notes that on Friday, Trump told Israel Today that “going forward with settlements” is not a “good thing for peace,” a position the Times says “puts him far closer to traditional US policy, and to Obama, than before.” Settlements “don’t help the [peace] process. I can say that. There is [only] so much land left. And every time you take land for settlements, there is less land left.” The Times says the President’s remarks “put him at odds with Netanyahu.” Feinstein, Heinrich Call For Continued US Efforts Towards Two-State Solution. In an op-ed in USA Today (2/12, 5.28M), Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Martin Heinrich call for the Administration to “help create the conditions necessary for resuming direct talks between” Israel and the Palestinians, including “a halt to Israeli settlement construction and an end to Palestinian incitement of terror.” The senators warn that a two-state solution, which both Democratic and Republican administrations have worked towards, is the only way to stem the violence, provide “true security for Israel,” and keep Israel “both majority Jewish and democratic.” With “the incitement of violence and terror by Palestinians,” Israel expanding settlements, and Trump’s nominee to be the ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, expressing “an openly hostile attitude to a two-state solution,” Feinstein and Heinrich call for the United States to “continue to play a constructive role, rather than turning a blind eye to actions by either party that undermine the prospects for peace.” MEDIA ANALYSIS: TRUMP-TRUDEAU MEETING COMES AMID QUESTIONS ABOUT RELATIONSHIP. The AP (2/12, Gillies) reports the first in-person meeting between President Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau “could be the most important meeting for Canada” with a US leader “in decades.” The meeting comes, according to the AP, as “many Canadians fear Trump will enact protectionist measures that could hurt their economy” and are worried that Trump “could be as combative as he was with the leaders of Mexico and Australia.” The Wall Street Journal (2/12, Vieira, Mauldin, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) says the meeting likely will provide indications of how Washington FOIA CBP 000721 DHS-17-0435-B-000018 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT intends to proceed with changes to the economic framework of the continent. Trudeau said last week that both Trump and he were “elected on commitments to strengthen the middle class and support those working hard to join it, and that’s what we are going to focus on in these meetings.” NYTimes Analysis: Canada’s Conservatives Looking For a Way Forward. The New York Times (2/12, Austen, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports that while in many countries the “political right” has “been on the rise lately,” Canada’s Conservatives “are in the political wilderness” following their 2015 defeat to the Liberals and Trudeau. The Conservatives, according to the Times, also are “lacking a permanent leader to replace” former Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The Times says the Conservatives “are asking” who “can take up our standard, cross swords with a charismatic and popular opponent, and lead us back to power in Parliament?” MEDIA ANALYSES: NORTH KOREAN MISSILE LAUNCH A CHALLENGE TO TRUMP. Media reports on North Korea’s test early Sunday of a mid-range ballistic missile cast the move as a test of the Trump Administration. On NBC Nightly News (2/12, story 2, 0:55, Snow, 16.61M), for example, Kier Simmons said the launch “was a direct and deliberate challenge to the new Administration,” and the AP (2/12, Talmadge) too says it was “an implicit challenge” to President Trump. ABC World News Tonight (2/12, story 2, 1:50, Llamas, 14.63M) noted the test came as Trump hosted Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at Mar-a-Lago. The leaders responded “with a swift joint statement, calling the test launch intolerable and Trump assuring that the US has Japan’s back 100 percent.” ABC’s David Wright noted Sunday’s launch was Pyongyang’s first missile test since Trump took office, and while it “posed no threat to the US...it was a crucial test of Trump’s commitment to the US-Japan security alliance.” The Washington Post (2/12, Wagner, 11.43M) reported early Sunday that Trump’s “hastily called news conference” Saturday evening with Abe ended with a “pledge...to stand by Japan ‘100 percent’ in the wake of North Korea’s latest ballistic missile launch.” The Post noted that the press conference “lasted barely two minutes” and neither leader took questions from reporters. The AP (2/12, Talmadge) said Abe “read a brief statement,” and “Trump followed Abe with even fewer words,” saying in part: “I just want everybody to understand and fully know that the United States of America stands behind Japan, its great ally, 100 percent.” The New York Times (2/12, Baker, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports that in response to North Korea, Trump “reacted with surprising restraint” in “sharp contrast to his response after Iran tested a ballistic missile.” The Times says if Pyongyang “was testing the new president, as many analysts believe, then Mr. Trump seemed intent on showing that he would not be baited into a confrontation.” USA Today (2/12, Madhani, 5.28M) reports Trump adviser Stephen Miller told Fox News Sunday (2/12, Wallace) that Trump is sending an “unmistakable signal to North Korea and to the entire world,” and is determined to “reinforce and strengthen our vital alliances in the Pacific region as part of our strategy to deter and prevent the increasing hostility that we’ve seen in recent years from the North Korean regime.” On CBS’ Face the Nation, Miller said, “Last night was a show of strength. Saying that we stand with our ally, having the two men appear on camera worldwide to all of planet earth was a statement that will be understood very well by North Korea.” Reuters (2/12, Chiacu) also reports Miller’s comments. The Wall Street Journal (2/12, A1, Nicholas, Lee, Cheng, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) reports on its front page that in the wake of Sunday’s test, Trump is facing calls for a show of strength toward North Korea. Sen. Cory Gardner urged Trump to “immediately pursue a series of tough measures,” including sanctions, military exercises with US allies in the region, and the accelerated deployment of an advanced missile system in South Korea. Sen. Tom Cotton similarly said, “It’s time the regime had to face consequences for its behavior.” For its part, Reuters (2/12, Park) reports North Korea hailed the test of a new type medium-to-long-range ballistic missile as successful. State-run media said leader Kim Jong Un supervised the test of the Pukguksong-2. AFP (2/12) reports the missile flew for “about 500 kilometers (310 miles) before falling into the Sea of Japan,” according to South Korea’s defense ministry. The New York Times (2/13, Choe, FOIA CBP 000722 DHS-17-0435-B-000019 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports North Korea said the missile “used a high-thrust, solid fuel￾powered engine and was fired from a self-propelled missile launching truck,” which is “an important stride.” The AP (2/12) reports the US, Japan, and South Korea have requested an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council, which “is expected to take place Monday.” Trump Urged To Pursue Tougher Sanctions. On CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS (2/12, Zakaria, 410K), Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, said, “We’re moving towards the situation where either...we get the Chinese on board and we increase the pressure on [North Korea] through sanctions, and the Chinese are in the unique position to do it ,or Mr. Trump is going to have to face a truly fateful decision about whether we’re prepared to live with a North Korea with the capability against us or we’re going to use military force one way or another to destroy their nuclear missile capabilities.” Also CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS (2/12, Zakaria, 410K), former Director of Policy Planning at the State Department, Anne-Marie Slaughter, said, “There is a tougher policy. We can impose much more personal sanctions that strike at the heart of the actual North Korean regime. China doesn’t want us to do that, but it has been effective. The question is whether Trump will use this to get a tougher policy.” CNN’s Stetler Criticizes Trump For Tweets About CNN In Wake Of Missile Test. Brian Stelter said on CNN’s Reliable Sources (2/12, 301K), “Donald Trump’s Twitter feed matters, not because it gives us on TV something to talk about, but because foreign leaders are all monitoring it, all paying very close attention, foreign leaders like Kim Jong-un. On a weekend when the President faces his first real international test with North Korea, on a weekend when he’s hosting the Japanese prime minister at Mar￾a-Lago, on a weekend when he’s supposedly working on his response to the Ninth Circuit, Trump is tweeting about all this: ‘While he’s on Fake News CNN, Bernie Sanders was cut off for using the term fake news to describe the network. They said technical difficulties.’” STEINMEIER, A “CRITIC” OF TRUMP, ELECTED GERMANY’S PRESIDENT. A special assembly on Sunday elected former German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier the country’s new president. Steinmeier received 931 of the 1,260 votes that came from the lower house of parliament and representatives of Germany’s states. Media coverage highlights that Steinmeier has been a critic of President Trump. The New York Times (2/12, Smale, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports – in a story discussing Chancellor Angela Merkel’s precarious political situation caused by the rising popularity of the country’s right – says Steinmeier’s new position “provides stature and an important platform” despite its largely ceremonial role. Bloomberg News (2/12, Donahue, 2.41M) says Steinmeier – who is a “vocal critic” of Trump and once called him a “hate preacher” – “predicted ‘difficulties’ in relations with the US” amid a “complete re￾ordering of international relations.” Steinmeier told broadcaster ZDF after his election, “In the past we were always certain that we would have more difficult negotiating partners in the east.” He continued, “Suddenly we’re confronted with a situation in which we’ll at the very least deal with uncertainty and also difficulties in trans-Atlantic relations.” The Washington Post (2/12, 11.43M) reports Steinmeier “shunned political tension or any mention of Trump” in his acceptance speech. However, the Post adds that Steinmeier characterized Germany as an “anchor of hope” in an increasingly uncertain world. Steinmeier said, “We’re living in tumultuous times; many in our country feel insecure.” The Wall Street Journal (2/12, Geiger, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) reports Steinmeier’s election was expected as, according to the AP (2/12, Press), the Social Democrat “had the backing” of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s “grand coalition” of center-right and center-left parties. The AP says Steinmeier “has long been one of Germany’s most popular politicians.” He was the chief of staff of former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and “was a main architect” of Schroeder’s economic reforms. The Los Angeles Times (2/12, Kirschbaum, 4.52M) reports Merkel’s Christian Democrats “had failed to agree on their own candidate” and “reluctantly threw their weight behind” Steinmeier “after criticizing his uncharacteristically sharp comments about Trump.” Reuters (2/12, Rinke) quotes Merkel as saying she has “faith” in Steinmeier “to lead our country in these difficult times.” FOIA CBP 000723 DHS-17-0435-B-000020 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT UK DEFENSE MINISTER PRAISES TRUMP’S EFFORTS TO STRENGTHEN NATO. The Wall Street Journal (2/12, Kesling, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) reports British Defense Minister Michael Fallon said Saturday that US-British defense ties have never been stronger and welcomed President Trump’s efforts to strengthen NATO by pushing allies to contribute more to their mutual defense. “The British￾American defense partnership is the deepest, strongest defense partnership anywhere in the world,” Fallon said. WSJOURNAL ANALYSIS: TRUMP MOVES TOWARD CENTER ON FOREIGN POLICY. The Wall Street Journal (2/12, Nicholas, Lee, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) under the headline “Donald Trump’s Diplomatic Moderation” reports that President Trump seems to be moving towards following a more traditional US foreign policy than was suggested by some of his campaign statements. As an example, the Journal cites Trump’s appearance with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe following the North Korean missile launch in which he said the “United States of America stands behind Japan, its great ally, 100%.” That is contrasted to campaign suggestions that Japan benefits more than the US from the alliance. Similar shifts towards established policy are described with respect to the “one-China” policy, NATO, and sanctions against Russia over Ukraine. The moves are credited to advice from Defense Secretary Mattis and Secretary of State Tillerson, as well as Trump’s meetings with other leaders. CSMonitor Analysis: With Similarities To FDR, Trump Moving To Reverse His International Legacy. The Christian Science Monitor (2/12, Jonsson, 387K) reports that, among Americans who feel “a mix of Christian apocalyptic thought peppered with a sense of humiliation at the hands of foreigners,” there is a “broader sentiment taking root” that looks to President Trump to revise President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s “legacy of fearless optimism and world leadership.” The Monitor uses examples of those who agree with Trump in Warm Springs, Georgia, where Roosevelt built his “Little White House.” The Monitor says that despite their different philosophies, Trump and Roosevelt are similar in how “both took on the courts, both pushed the boundaries executive authority in the name of national security, and both showed an ability to take advantage of emerging media,” as well as how much of their bases are “self-described ‘commoners; who feel they have a handshake deal with the president.” WSJournal Lauds Trump’s Handling Of China, Japan. In an editorial, the Wall Street Journal (2/12, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) lauds President Trump’s phone call with China’s Xi Jinping and summit with Japan’s Shinzo Abe, contrasting the planning and respect with Trump’s previous dealing with foreign leaders. The Journal defends Trump’s affirmation of the “One China policy,” which he previously said was under negotiation, as not capitulating to China’s stance on the issue but setting the stage for expanding support for Taiwan. The Journal also welcomes Trump’s reversal from casting Japan as a freeloader to expressing support for the country’s defense and praise for Abe. NYTIMES ANALYSIS: FOREIGN DIPLOMATS HOPE HALEY SPEAKS FOR ADMINISTRATION. The New York Times (2/12, Sengupta, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports that world diplomats are “figuring out how to deal with President Trump.” To do that, “they’re counting on his United Nations envoy, Nikki R. Haley.” They are, however, said to wonder whether Haley is “speaking for herself, or for the administration?” Still they are “queuing up to see her,” and “nearly all described” her “as a natural politician and a refreshing contrast to the president.” PERUVIAN PRESIDENT ASKS TRUMP TO CONSIDER DEPORTING FORMER LEADER. Reuters (2/12, Taj) reports Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski said in a statement that he asked President Trump, by phone, to “consider deporting” ex-president Alejandro Toledo, who is “wanted in connection with a far-reaching graft probe.” The issue “is threatening to strain tensions between the United States and Peru.” Trump said that they spoke to “reinforce the strong bilateral ties that exist between the United States and Peru,” the White House said, but it “did not mention Toledo in a read-out of the conversation.” IMF HEAD: TRUMP POLICIES LIKELY TO BE GOOD FOR AMERICAN ECONOMY IN THE SHORT TERM. The AP (2/12, Gambrell) reports International Monetary Fund head Christine Lagarde, during an event at the World Government Summit, predicted President Trump’s planned infrastructure investment and tax changes would produce short-term gains for the American economy, but warned of “a tightening that is going to be difficult on the global economy and for which economies have to prepare.” FOIA CBP 000724 DHS-17-0435-B-000021 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT HEZBOLLAH LEADER CALLS TRUMP AN “IDIOT.” The AP (2/12) reports Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said Sunday that “the world will benefit from having an ‘idiot’ in the White House.” Referring to President Trump, Nasrallah said, “We are very optimistic that when an idiot settles in the White House and boasts about his idiocy, this is the beginning of relief for the oppressed around the world.” MOSCOW SUPPORTING EUROPE’S FAR RIGHT POPULISTS. NBC Nightly News (2/12, story 3, 2:15, Snow, 16.61M) reported, “Moscow is exerting more and more political influence in Europe.” NBC (Bradley) added that Russia is providing “loans, cooperation, and propaganda” to Europe’s increasing vocal far right populists, “even as the US reels from Russian political interference in its own presidential election.” In response, the EU “created an agency to counter anti-Europe propaganda.” WPost Touts Russian News Network, Warns Against Political Interference. In an editorial, the Washington Post (2/12, 11.43M), touts Current Time television as a response to Russia’s “dark mastery” of soft power in the form of “propaganda, news, social media, cybermischief, deception, leaks and other means to influence hearts and minds.” The 24/7 Russian-language television network provides fair reporting without disinformation in Russia and countries. Arguing that “key” to the venture’s success is being “deemed credible by audiences that have been fed a steady diet of anti-Americanism in recent years,” the Post warns the Administration against making it a propaganda machine. The Post also calls for Congress to make sure this response to Russia’s information war, “using real news and straight programming and reflecting the highest and best values of our open society,” remains “properly financed and politically unhindered.” BOLTON LAUDS REPORTS TRUMP SEEKS TO CAST ASIDE NEW START TREATY. Former Ambassador John Bolton, in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal (2/12, Subscription Publication, 6.37M), welcomes reports of President Trump’s disdain for the 2010 New START arms-control treaty. Bolton argues that the treaty has been bad for the US and Trump’s position indicates a refusal to accede to Vladimir Putin’s wishes. Acknowledging concerns that Trump will weaken the sanctions on Russia, Bolton warns this would embolden Russia in its dealings in the Middle East, particularly with Iran, weaken Western Europe’s resolve on sanctions, and alarm Central and Eastern Europe. Bolton concludes that Trump has to realize that countries’ foreign policies are driven by national interests, not personal chemistry. ROMANIANS CONTINUE TO PROTEST GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION. Bloomberg Politics (2/12, Timu, 201K) reports that 70,000 people demonstrated throughout Romania on Sunday to demand the cabinet step down, according to local media. Bloomberg Politics notes this 13-day protest is the largest show of unrest since the 1989 ousting of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. According to the Wall Street Journal (2/12, Hinshaw, Subscription Publication, 6.37M), many protesters see National Anticorruption Directorate chief prosecutor Laura Codruta Kövesi as a symbol of change in Romania. The NAD has reportedly increased in authority in recent years, with 2,100 abuse-of-office cases currently under investigation, among them many high-profile politicians. The Journal says that older generations resist the anticorruption measures as reminiscent of communist era rule. The New York Times (2/12, Gillet, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) also reports on the story. KASHMIR CLASH BETWEEN INDIAN TROOPS, MILITANTS LEADS TO VIOLENT PROTESTS. The New York Times (2/12, Kumar, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports that four militants, two soldiers, and one civilian died in a gun battle between Indian security forces and Hizbul Mujahedeen militants lasting 12 hours into Sunday morning in a Kashmir village. Young people who gathered to grieve the deaths of the militants threw stones at security forces. The troops responded with gunshots and tear gas, resulting in one death and 21 injuries, according to the local hospital superintendent. SOMALILAND TO ALLOW UAE TO ESTABLISH NAVAL BASE. Somaliland’s parliament on Sunday approved the United Arab Emirates’ formal application to establish a naval base in the territory’s Berbera port town, the AP (2/12, Guled) reports. An official with the Somali breakaway territory explained the UAE intends to use the base to attack Shia Houthi fighters in Yemen and Somaliland President Ahmed Silanyo claimed the measure would create jobs and benefit the territory. Nine parliamentary lawmakers vehemently opposed the “controversial” plan, as did neighboring Ethiopia and Djibouti. FOIA CBP 000725 DHS-17-0435-B-000022 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT WSJOURNAL ANALYSIS: DESPITE EUROPEAN UNHAPPINESS, IMF WON’T BUDGE ON GREECE BAILOUT. In an analysis, the Wall Street Journal (2/12, Nixon, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) reports that the window for a with the window for a Greek Debt deal quickly closing, European governments and institutions sorely want to resolve the standoff over the next phase of the country’s bailout program, but the International Monetary Fund is standing firm against political pressure, refusing to participate because it believes the numbers don’t add up. Many Europeans criticize the IMF as being overly pessimistic in its forecasts and assessment of the country’s prospects for reform. The Journal concludes that should Europe seek to postpone the Greek bailout issue until after this year’s elections, the IMF will not be part of it. CAMBODIAN OPPOSITION PARTY LEADER RESIGNS. The New York Times (2/12, Wallace, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports Cambodia’s “embattled” opposition party leader, Sam Rainsy, abruptly resigned on Saturday in what he described as a “pre-emptive defense move” to save the Cambodia National Rescue Party ahead of June’s local elections. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Hun Sen proposed a series of moves through which he could dissolve any party, including the CNRP, headed by someone with a criminal conviction. A number of criminal defamation lawsuits have been filed against Rainsy, a long-lasting, “internationally visible opposition figure,” who leads the Cambodian People’s Party. SWISS VOTERS APPROVE SIMPLIFIED CITIZENSHIP PROCESS FOR THIRD-GENERATION IMMIGRANTS. The New York Times (2/12, Cumming-Bruce, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports Swiss voters, in a national referendum on Sunday, approved a government-sponsored measure to simplify and expedite the citizenship approval process for third-generation immigrants under 25-years-old. The measure will not grant automatic citizenship to children of non-citizens born in the nation, but nearly 25,000 people who are the descendants of foreigners with permanent residency status are no longer subjected to the “lengthy and expensive procedure to obtain citizenship.” The Times says Sunday’s vote “went against the recent tide of right-wing populism and anti-immigrant sentiment in much of Western Europe.” The result also, according to the Times, came despite a campaign by the right-wing People’s Party “to stoke fears of Muslims infiltrating the country.” SPAIN’S FAR-LEFT PODEMOS PARTY HEAD DEFEATS LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE. The New York Times (2/12, Minder, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports Spain’s Podemos Party leader Pablo Iglesias “won an unexpectedly clear victory” in a leadership challenge vote on Sunday. The Times says Iglesias’ win is expected to bolster his far-left party’s “radical” and “anti-institutional hard-line policies.” The Times adds the result will also “likely” increase “pressure on the Socialists,” which is in the throes of its own “bitter leadership dispute.” To keep the email to a manageable size, the national news summary is available on the website. Copyright 2017 by Bulletin Intelligence LLC Reproduction or redistribution without permission prohibited. Content is drawn from thousands of newspapers, national magazines, national and local television programs, radio broadcasts, social-media platforms and additional forms of open-source data. Sources for Bulletin Intelligence audience-size estimates include Scarborough, GfK MRI, comScore, Nielsen, and the Audit Bureau of Circulation. Services that include Twitter data are governed by Twitters’ terms of use. Services that include Factiva content are governed by Factiva’s terms of use. The DHS News Briefing is published seven days a week by Bulletin Intelligence, which creates custom briefings for government and corporate leaders. We can be found on the Web at BulletinIntelligence.com, or called at (703) 483-6100. FOIA CBP 000726 DHS-17-0435-B-000023 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT THE HOMELAND SECURITY NEWS CLIPS PREPARED FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY BY BULLETIN INTELLIGENCE WWW.BULLETININTELLIGENCE.COM/DHS TO: THE SECRETARY AND SENIOR STAFF DATE: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2017 5:00 AM EST TODAY’S EDITION Leading DHS News Trump: Raids Targeting Immigrants Are ‘the Keeping Of My Campaign Promise’ (WP)..................................................... 5 Immigrants Wait In Fear After Raids; Trump Takes Credit (AP) .. 6 NYC Immigrant Communities Shaken After Series Of Federal Raids Led To Around 40 Arrests (NYDN)............................ 7 Immigration Agents Arrest 600 People Across US In One Week (NYT) .................................................................................... 8 Immigrant Communities Fearful After Hundreds Arrested In What Feds Call Routine ‘Surge’ (USAT).............................. 9 Immigration Raids In At Least Six States Following Donald Trump’s Order To Deport Illegal Immigrants (INDUK)....... 10 The Latest: Trump Hopes Senate Will Fill More Cabinet Posts (BIHC)................................................................................. 11 Trump Praises ICE For Immigration Enforcement (DMN).......... 12 Majority Of 161 People Arrested In Recent ICE Raids Have Criminal Histories (FOXINSIDE) ........................................ 13 ICE Calls ‘surge’ Of SoCal Immigrant Arrests ‘routine’ But Some Fear It’s The ‘new Normal’ (LADN) .................................... 13 Week’s Immigration Arrests Totaled Under 200 In NC, SC, GA (WT).................................................................................... 15 40 Foreign Nationals Arrested In NYC Area Operations « CBS New York (WCBSTV)......................................................... 15 Dozens Of Immigrants Arrested In NYC During Raids: Leaked Memo (NYPOST) ............................................................... 16 ICE Detains Dozens In Austin: What We Know (KXTVTV)........ 16 ACLU Promises ‘Rapid Response Team’ To Combat Deportations Under Trump (ABCNEWS)........................... 18 Know Your Rights: What To Do In Case Immigration Officials Show Up At Your Door (NYDN)......................................... 19 Democrats, Advocates Question ICE Raids After Hundreds Of Arrests (CNN) ..................................................................... 19 Immigrant Advocates Decry Spate Of Arrests In LA (AP) .......... 21 Federal Immigration Agency Says ‘Enforcement Surge’ Is Routine, Not Trump-related Amid Protests (NYDN).......... 22 Hundreds Rally In NYC To Protest Against Immigration Raids (NSDY)................................................................................ 23 Under Trump Order, Immigration Agents Raid ‘Target-rich’ Communities In Texas, Elsewhere (DMN)......................... 24 NYC Immigrant Communities Shaken After Federal Raids Led To Around 40 Arrests (NYDN) ........................................... 24 Demonstrators At Baltimore’s Patterson Park March In Defense Of Immigrants (BSUN) ....................................................... 26 Trumps Deportation Force Begins Raids On Undocumented Immigrants (DAYBEST) ..................................................... 27 Obama’s Lethal Deportation Machine: Trump’s Anti-immigration Measures Are Intense, But Nothing New (SALON)........... 28 Steller: Tucson Police To Be Tested By Trump Deportation Plans (AZDLY).................................................................... 31 Amid Rumors Of Trump ICE Immigration Raids At Churches, Support Rolls Into KC (KCSTAR)....................................... 32 Defending Raids, Christie Gives No Assurances To Undocumented Immigrants In N.J. (PHILLY) .................... 33 California Senate Leader Calls On Immigration Officials To Be ‘Transparent And Accountable’ (LAT)................................ 34 We Need To Reality-check Ourselves On Immigration Raids (CNN).................................................................................. 34 ICE Arrests Alleged ‘Criminal Aliens’ In Northern Virginia (WUSATV).......................................................................... 35 5 Immigrants From Mexico In Staten Island Arrested In ICE Raids: Source (WPIXTV).................................................... 35 Kansas Included In National Immigration Crackdown, ICE Says (WICHITA) .......................................................................... 36 5 Men On Staten Island Detained By ICE Agents This Week, Says Immigrant Advocacy Group (NY1TV) ....................... 36 About 200 Arrested In ICE Raids In NC, SC, Georgia (WGHPTV).......................................................................... 37 160 Arrested In Immigration Raids That Are Stoking Fear (LOSAWEEK)..................................................................... 38 Arrests In Metro-Savannah Part Of Region-wide ICE Operation (WTOCTV).......................................................................... 39 Consulate: 44 Mexican Nationals Detained In Targeted Arrests (KEYETV) ........................................................................... 39 Immigration Raids In Central, South Texas Part Of ‘Operation Cross Check’ (CORPUS)................................................... 40 ICE Claims Calif. Immigration Raids Were Planned Before Trump Orders (SFC)........................................................... 40 ICE Officer Injured While Making Arrest In Northwest Austin (KXANTV)........................................................................... 41 Arrests Made In Separate Overnight Protests Against ICE Operations (KXANTV)........................................................ 41 FOIA CBP 000727 DHS-17-0435-B-000024 2 Mayor De Blasio Says His Office Stands With Undocumented Immigrants (STNISLIV) ...................................................... 41 Christie Defends Trump Immigration Raids Deporting Parents Of Minor U.S. Citizens (NJCOM) ....................................... 42 Immigration Officials Call 161 Arrests In SoCal Routine In Wake Of Increased Enforcement Fears (SCPR) ......................... 42 As Feds Arrest 40 Immigrants, Protesters Demand De Blasio Take Action To Protect New Yorkers (VILVOIC)............... 44 Firework Set Off Inside Police Car During ICE Protests (AUSTIN) ............................................................................ 44 Operation Cross Check: U.S. Congressman Confirms ICE Raids In Austin Part Of Bolstered Enforcement Effort (DSAUSPTCH)................................................................... 45 Chatter That ICE Raided Omaha Meatpacking Plant Isn’t True, Spokesman Says (OMAHA)............................................... 45 Federal Immigration Authorities Launch Raids Across The Country : NPR (NPR) ......................................................... 46 Immigration Raids Conducted U.S. Cities: What To Know (TIME)................................................................................. 46 The Looming Conflict Between Trump’s Immigration Sweeps And Religious Freedom (WP) ............................................ 47 TriMet Responds To False Rumors Of Immigration Raids On Buses (OREG).................................................................... 49 Stephen Miller Says White House Will Fight For Travel Ban, Advances False Voter Fraud Claims (WP)........................ 49 Aide Says Courts Grabbed Power From Trump On Immigration Ban (BLOOMPOL) ............................................................. 50 Trump Is Sifting Options On Immigration Ban, Adviser Says (WSJ).................................................................................. 52 Stephen Miller Says White House Looking At ‘all Options’ Possible To Keep Trump Travel Ban Alive (NYDN) .......... 52 Trump’s Power On Immigration Is ‘Beyond Question,’ Adviser Says (NSWK)...................................................................... 53 White House Official Attacks Court After Legal Setbacks On Immigration (REU).............................................................. 54 White House Still Weighing Options On Travel Ban, Looking Toward Restrictions On Work Visas, Top Aide Says (LAT)54 Aide Stephen Miller Takes Vigorous Trump Defense To TV Sunday Shows (USAT) ...................................................... 54 WH Policy Adviser: Trump ‘pursuing All Options’ On Travel Ban (WT).................................................................................... 55 Trump Adviser Stephen Miller Disastrously Tries To Defend Trump (HUFFPOST) .......................................................... 56 All Options Considered To Blunt Ruling Thwarting Immigrant Travel Ban (VOA) ............................................................... 56 Schumer: Trump Should Throw Travel Ban ‘In The Trash’ (POLITICO)......................................................................... 57 Schumer Says Trump Should Throw Travel Ban ‘In The Trash’ (NYPOST)........................................................................... 57 Schumer On Trump Travel Ban: ‘Throw It In Trash’ (WT).......... 58 Reality Check: After Three Weeks, Trump Hits A Washington Wall (USAT)........................................................................ 58 Washington’s Top Lawyer Uses Strategic Streak To Fight Trump (AP) ......................................................................... 59 Washington State AG: We’ll Fight New Executive Order If It ‘Violates The Constitution’ (POLITICO) ............................. 60 Trump Administration Officials May Be Deposed Over Immigration Order (REU) ................................................... 61 Activism Hits Even The Less Flashy Tech Companies (NYT).... 61 Hospitals Weigh Difficult Choice Amid Travel-Ban Uncertainty (WSJ).................................................................................. 62 An Interrupted Journey Ends In A New Life In The U.S. For Syrian Refugee Family (LAT)............................................. 63 An Immigration Policy Worth Ending (WP) ................................. 65 72 Convicted In U.S. Terror Cases Came From Nations Targeted For Vetting (WT) ................................................. 65 Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Head Is Pressed To Define ‘sanctuary City’ (WP).................................................................................... 66 America’s Showdown Over Sanctuary Cities (THEWEEK)........ 67 Debate Heats Up As Sanctuary Movement Spreads (BOSGLOBE) ..................................................................... 68 California Could Become A Sanctuary State. What That Means (USAT)................................................................................ 70 Alameda County Takes Aim At Trump’s Immigration Stance (EASTBAY)......................................................................... 71 ‘Sanctuary City’ Mayor Speaks After Nationwide Immigration Raids : NPR (NPR)............................................................. 72 Arizona’s Public Universities Will Not Consider Becoming ‘Sanctuaries’ (AZDLY)........................................................ 73 Lansing City Attorney Warns Against Sanctuary Status (FREEP) ............................................................................. 74 Analysis: Pro-Trump Arkansas Resists Anti-sanctuary Bill (WT) 75 Columbus Has Traits Of Sanctuary City, But Officially It’s Not (COLDIS)............................................................................ 76 Buyers Beware! Counterfeiters Trying To Cash In On Valentine’s Day (CNBC)..................................................... 76 Sheriffs Still Looking For Clarity On Deportation (NEWSHR)..... 77 Trump Order For Publishing Weekly List Of Immigrant Crimes Draws Praise And Outcry (FOX)........................................ 79 After Daring Voyage To U.S., Haitians’ Dreams End In Deportation (REU).............................................................. 80 Brooklyn Congresswoman Moves To Shield Haitian Refugees From Deportation After Trump Order (MSN) ..................... 80 Private Prison Firm Sees Trump Immigration Push Opportunity (WP).................................................................................... 80 Tunnel Found In Tijuana Near Border Along Otay Mesa (SDUT)81 Border Tunnel Discovered On Day Of DHS Sec Kelly’s Visit (KNSDTV)........................................................................... 81 Penn State Calls Immigration Posters ‘Deeply Offensive’ (PHILLY)............................................................................. 82 Customs and Border Protection A US-born NASA Scientist Was Detained At The Border Until He Unlocked His Phone (THEVERGE) ............................. 82 How To Get Past Customs Without Giving Up Your Digital Privacy (WIRED) ................................................................ 84 GOP Senator: Physical Border Wall ‘Would Rate Very Low’ Among Texans (HILL) ........................................................ 85 FOIA CBP 000728 DHS-17-0435-B-000025 3 US Citizenship and Immigration Services Dreamers Visit Mexico Under Program That May Come To End Under Trump (SDUT)......................................................... 86 Federal Studies: Intel Agencies Lack Data To Assess Whether Syrian Refugees Are Lying (BREITBART) ........................ 87 Venezuela Now Leads US Asylum Requests As Crisis Deepens (WP).................................................................................... 88 Immigration Thousands March Against Trump In Mexico City: ‘Pay For Your Own Wall!’ (LAT) ................................................................ 88 Mexicans March To Protest Trump — But Also Their Own Leaders And Politicians (WP)............................................. 89 Marchers Across Mexico Vent Anger Over Trump, And Their Own President (REU)......................................................... 90 Mexico’s Lopez Obrador Blasts Trump’s Immigration Policies At LA Rally (REU) ................................................................... 90 Mexicans March Against Trump: ‘Bad Hombre For The Whole World’ (CNN) ...................................................................... 90 Mexican Migrants Signal They Prefer Detention To Deportation (WSJ).................................................................................. 91 Migrating North, But To Mexico, Not The US (NYT)................... 91 Republican Green-card Holder Who Voted Illegally In Texas Gets 8 Years In Prison (WP).............................................. 93 Green Card Holder Who Voted Illegally Could Face Deportation (PBS) .................................................................................. 94 Green-card Holder Who Voted Illegally In Texas Sentenced To 8 Years In Prison (HILL)..................................................... 95 GOP Shifting On Immigration (HILL)........................................... 95 National Protection and Programs Rep. Mark Sanford Pushes For REAL ID Reform As Privacy Issues Loom (WASHEX).................................................... 96 Terrorism Investigations Guantánamo Prison Commander Says He Has No Say In Trump Policy (MH).............................................................. 97 Hamburg Airport Briefly Closed After Dozens Injured By Irritant Gas (WP)............................................................................ 98 Revealed: FBI Terrorism Taskforce Investigating Standing Rock Activists (GUARD).............................................................. 98 FBI’s Terrorism Unit Opens Up Investigation Against Dakota Pipeline Opponents (CALLER) .......................................... 99 Ex-Guardsman Gets 11 Years For Islamic State Group Support (AP)................................................................................... 100 He Said He Was Looking For A Wife. He Ended Up Trying To Aid A Terrorist Attack. (WP) ............................................. 101 Oregon Local News – FBI, CCSO Investigate ‘Eco-terrorists’ At Beavercreek Farm (PORTRIB)........................................ 102 Meet The People Who Helped Quash Trump’s Plans To Reinstitute Torture. (SLATEMAG).................................... 102 Cyber News UK Targeted By ‘Dozens’ Of Serious Cyber Attacks Each Month (BBC) ................................................................................ 103 UK Hit By 188 High-level Cyber-attacks In Three Months (GUARD) .......................................................................... 104 Russian Hackers Pose Increasing Threat To UK’s National Security, GCHQ Chief Warns (INDUK)............................ 104 Cyber Security Lessons Offered To Schools In England (BBC)105 British Teenagers To Be Taught ‘Cyber Curriculum’ To Defend UK Against Threat Of Hacking Attacks (INDUK)............. 106 Cyberattacks On International Banks Show Links To Hackers Who Hit Sony (WSJ)......................................................... 106 Microsoft To Rate Corporate Cybersecurity (WSJ)................... 107 Manatee County Schools Faces Data Breach Affecting Thousands (FLSUNSEN)................................................. 107 Hacking Increase Sparks More Cyber Security Programs (WT)107 Catching Up With Sen. Mike Rounds, New Cyber Subpanel Chairman (POLITICO)...................................................... 108 Homeland Security To Unveil 12 New Tools At Cyber Conference (NEXTGOV).................................................. 110 House Homeland Security Committee Plans Cyber Hearing Next Month (HILL) ............................................................ 111 Russia Suspected Over Hacking Attack On Italian Foreign Ministry (GUARD)............................................................. 111 Foreign Hacker Gets 8 Years In $55M US Scam Case (PHILLY)........................................................................... 112 Regis Cybersecurity Exercise Shows Trainees What A “malicious Attack” Can Do (DENP).................................. 113 Democrats Call For Probe Into White House’s Cybersecurity Practices (FEDSCOOP)................................................... 113 State-sponsored Hackers Targeting Prominent Journalists, Google Warns (POLITICO).............................................. 113 National Security News Report Rebuts Russia’s Claims Of Restraint In Syrian Bombing Campaign (NYT)............................................................... 114 Hezbollah Supports Syria Ceasefire And Political Talks (REU)115 Syrian Opposition Picks Delegation To Geneva Talks (REU).. 115 Inter-Shi’ite Tension Mounts In Baghdad After Clashes (REU) 115 Fireballs And Booby Traps: On The Front Lines With The Oil Workers Battling ISIS (WP).............................................. 116 Afghan Official Says Joint Raid Killed 22 Civilians (AP) ........... 117 Coalition Air Strikes Killed 18 Afghan Civilians, U.N. Says (REU)117 Netanyahu Heads To US Seeking To Reset Ties After Obama Years (BLOOMPOL) ........................................................ 117 Netanyahu’s Meeting With Trump To Set Tone For US-Israel Relations (NYT)................................................................ 118 Netanyahu Pledges To Promote ‘Responsible Policies’ At Trump Meeting (REU) ...................................................... 119 Netanyahu Is Urged Not To Use The Words “Palestinian State”When He Visits Trump (WP) .................................. 119 Netanyahu May Seek To Reset U.S.-Israel Relations In Meeting With Trump (LAT)............................................................. 120 Two-state Solution Crucial For Mideast Peace: Sens. Feinstein And Heinrich (USAT)........................................................ 122 Trump And Trudeau Meet Face To Face For The First Time (AP)................................................................................... 123 Trump-Trudeau Meeting Will Preview Trade, Border Issues (WSJ)................................................................................ 123 FOIA CBP 000729 DHS-17-0435-B-000026 4 Canada’s Conservatives Seek A Champion, And Redemption (NYT) ................................................................................ 123 North Korea Test-fires Missile, Apparently Challenging Trump (AP)................................................................................... 125 A Hastily Called News Conference Caps A Surreal Day For Trump In South Florida (WP) ........................................... 126 Trump Responds To North Korean Missile Launch With Uncharacteristic Restraint (NYT) ..................................... 127 North Korea Tests Trump’s Resolve With Latest Missile Launch (USAT).............................................................................. 128 U.S. Will Strengthen Pacific Allies Against North Korea Hostility: Official (REU).................................................................... 129 Trump Faces Test Over North Korea Missile (WSJ) ................ 129 North Korea Says Test Launch Of New Missile Type A Success (REU)................................................................................ 129 N. Korea Says Successfully Tested New Ballistic Missile (AFP)129 North Korea Claims Progress On Long-Range Goal With Missile Test (NYT)............................................................ 130 The Latest: UN Security Council To Meet On North Korea (AP)131 Angela Merkel, Squeezed By Far Right, Now Faces A Rising Left, Too (NYT)................................................................. 132 Germany’s New Trump-Critic President Sees Stormy U.S. Ties Ahead (BLOOM)............................................................... 134 Germany Picks Anti-Trump President As Trans-Atlantic Bonds Fray (WP) ......................................................................... 134 Frank-Walter Steinmeier Is Elected As Germany’s President (WSJ)................................................................................ 135 Germany Picks Frank-Walter Steinmeier To Be President (AP)135 The Man Just Elected As Germany’s Next President Once Called Trump A ‘Hate Preacher’ (LAT) ............................ 136 Steinmeier Elected German President (REU)........................... 137 U.K. Defense Chief, Following Prime Minister, Praises Trump Approach (WSJ) ............................................................... 137 Donald Trump’s Diplomatic Moderation (WSJ)......................... 137 At FDR’s ‘Little White House,’ A Portrait Of Trump’s Starkly Different Worldview (CSM)............................................... 137 Trump’s Winning Asia Diplomacy (WSJ) .................................. 138 World’s Diplomats, Seeking A Bridge To Trump, Eye Haley (NYT) ................................................................................ 138 Peru President Asks Trump To Consider Deporting Wanted Ex￾leader (REU)..................................................................... 140 IMF Head: Trump Good For US Economy For Now As Trouble Looms (AP)....................................................................... 140 Hezbollah Leader Says ‘Idiot’ Trump Makes Him Optimistic (AP)141 A Way To Get Real News To Russia (WP)............................... 141 Trump’s New Start With Russia May Prove Better Than Obama’s (WSJ) ................................................................ 141 Romanians Step Up Protests Again To Urge Government To Quit (BLOOMPOL) ........................................................... 141 Corruption Crusader Stirs Romania (WSJ)............................... 142 Anger And Mistrust Fuel Unabated Protests In Romania (NYT)142 After Gun Battle In Kashmir, Protests Turn Violent (NYT)........ 143 Somaliland Agrees To UAE Military Base In Northern Port (AP)143 IMF’s Stand On Greek Bailout Unnerves Europe (WSJ).......... 144 Top Opposition Leader In Cambodia Resigns As Election Nears (NYT) ................................................................................ 144 Switzerland Votes To Ease Citizenship For 3rd-Generation Immigrants (NYT) ............................................................. 145 Head Of Spain’s Far-Left Party Survives Leadership Challenge (NYT) ................................................................................ 146 National News Republicans, Aiming To Kill Health Law, Also Work To Shore It Up (NYT)........................................................................... 146 After Angry Demonstration In Utah, Chaffetz Returns To More Wrath In D.C. (WP)........................................................... 147 White House Declines To Publicly Defend Embattled Flynn (AP)149 As Flynn Falls Under Growing Pressure Over Russia Contacts, Trump Remains Silent (WP) ............................................ 151 Democrats Press For Probe Of Security Adviser’s Talks With Russians (WSJ)................................................................ 152 White House Is Keeping Doubts Alive About The Future Of National Security Advisor Michael Flynn (LAT) ............... 152 Trump’s National Security Adviser Flynn Trying To Survive Crisis (REU)...................................................................... 153 Turmoil At The National Security Council, From The Top Down (NYT) ................................................................................ 153 Democrat Cummings Says Trump Adviser Must Explain Russia Calls (WT)......................................................................... 155 Trump Friend Says Priebus Is ‘In Way Over His Head’ (WP) .. 155 Trump Friend Suggests Reince Priebus Is In Over His Head (NYT) ................................................................................ 156 Trump Friend Who Slammed Priebus Now Says His Plans Are ‘Impressive’ (HILL)............................................................ 156 Trump Reviews Top White House Staff After Tumultuous Start (POLITICO)....................................................................... 157 Trump Aide Says Endorsement Of Ivanka’s Brand Was ‘Light￾hearted’ (REU).................................................................. 158 Kellyanne Conway’s Dangerous Game (POLITICO)................ 158 Steven Mnuchin Poised To Secure Confirmation As Treasury Secretary (WSJ) ............................................................... 160 Fashion’s Betsy DeVos Connection (NYT)............................... 160 How Bannon’s Navy Service During The Iran Hostage Crisis Shaped His Views (WP)................................................... 161 Christie: No Plans To Join Trump Administration When Term Is Up (WT) ............................................................................ 163 White House Backs Up Trump’s Unproven Voter Fraud Allegations (NYPOST)...................................................... 163 Top Trump Aide Again Asserts Widespread Vote Fraud, Cites No Evidence (LAT) ........................................................... 164 Trump Adviser Repeats Unsubstantiated Vote Fraud Assertions (WSJ)................................................................................ 165 Stephen Miller’s Bushels Of Pinocchios For False Voter-fraud Claims (WP)...................................................................... 165 Sen. Al Franken Admits Some Senate Republicans Have Concerns About President Trump’s Mental Health (NYDN)167 The Latest: Senator Says Trump’s Mental Health Is Questioned (AP)................................................................................... 167 FOIA CBP 000730 DHS-17-0435-B-000027 5 Franken: GOP Colleagues Question Trump’s Mental Health (HILL)................................................................................ 168 Franken Dings Trump Over Warren Insult (POLITICO)............ 168 Bernie Sanders Calls Trump A ‘Pathological Liar’; Al Franken Says ‘A Few’ Republicans Think Trump Is Mentally Ill (WP).................................................................................. 169 Donald Trump Rages About A Mark Cuban POTUS Run (NYPOST)......................................................................... 169 Trump Tweets That Mark Cuban Is Not Smart Enough To Be President (BOSGLOBE)................................................... 170 In The Face Of Weighty Problems, Trump Focuses On Squabbles (NYT).............................................................. 171 Attorney General Signals Pullback From Obama Initiative On Transgender Bathrooms (WSJ) ....................................... 173 Without Fanfare, Trump Reverses Obama Order On Justice Department Succession (USAT)...................................... 173 Trump Undertakes Most Ambitious Regulatory Rollback Since Reagan (WP).................................................................... 173 Supreme Court Nominee Has Defended Free Speech, Religion (AP)................................................................................... 175 Supreme Court Nominee Neil Gorsuch Scales Back Description Of Pro Bono Work At Harvard (WSJ)............................... 176 Education Dept. Torched For Misspelling W.E.B. Du Bois In Tweet (USAT)................................................................... 176 Social Media Mocks Education Dept For Misspelled Tweets (AP)................................................................................... 177 DeVos’s Education Department Misspells Name Of NAACP Co￾founder In Tweet — And The Apology Had A Mistake (WP).................................................................................. 177 Education Department Misspells Name Of Civil Rights Icon (NYPOST)......................................................................... 178 How Both Democrats And Republicans Blindsided Our Best Low-income Students (WP) ............................................. 178 Army To Spend $300 Million On Bonuses And Ads To Get 6,000 More Recruits (USAT)............................................ 179 ‘Significant Uncertainty’ About Fiscal Policy Under Trump: Fed’s Fischer (REU)................................................................... 180 Investors Have Second Thoughts About Trump Trade (WSJ) . 180 ‘Are We Safe Yet?’ The Answer’s Not So Simple. (WP) .......... 180 Are We Safe Yet? | Foreign Affairs (FORAFF)......................... 181 D.C. Region Braces For Shock From Trump Effect On Spending, Federal Workforce (WP)................................. 182 Trump Takes On Tech Industry In Early Policy Moves (WSJ) . 183 Speed Limits On Trump’s Infrastructure Drive: Federal Laws, Rare Species And Nimbys (WSJ).................................... 183 The Grammys Red Carpet Gets Political With ‘Make America Great Again’ Dress (USAT).............................................. 184 Singer Wears Trump-inspired Dress To Grammys (PGSIX).... 184 Katy Perry Shows Solidarity With Elizabeth Warren In Grammys Performance (BOSGLOBE) ............................................. 184 Trump Criticized Obama For Golfing. Now He Spends Weekends On The Links. (NYT)...................................... 184 Sanders: Protests On Left Aren’t Like The Tea Party (POLITICO)....................................................................... 185 ‘We’re Not An Authoritarian Country,’ Patrick Kennedy Says About Trump (AP)............................................................. 186 Why Is Chuck Grassley Tweeting At Donald Trump? (WP) ..... 186 ACLU Is Seeing A Trump-era Surge In Members And Donations (AP) ................................................................. 187 From Protests To ‘Pussy Hats,’ Trump Resistance Brews Online (AP) ....................................................................... 188 Gillibrand Says She Won’t Be Running Against Trump In 2020 (NYPOST)......................................................................... 189 Evan Falchuk, Former Independent Candidate, Switches To Democratic Party (BOSGLOBE)...................................... 190 G.O.P. Lawmakers Like What They See In Trump. They Just Have To Squint. (NYT)..................................................... 191 In Contrast With Trump, Governors Pitch Optimism (HILL)...... 192 Democrats At Retreat Seem To Relish A Shifting Of Responsibility (NYT)......................................................... 194 Centrist Senators’ Clout Rises In Divided Chamber (USAT).... 195 Bernie Sanders Cries Foul Over Canceled Town Hall Meeting In West Virginia (WP) ........................................................... 196 Former Presidential Candidates Eye Senate Comebacks (HILL)197 Their Camp Turning Into A Pit Of Mud, Dakota Pipeline Protesters Face The Inevitable (WP)............................... 198 Pentagon Launches Effort To Solve A Baffling WWII Mystery (AP)................................................................................... 200 Spillway On California Dam In Danger Of Collapse, Evacuations Ordered (REU) ................................................................. 200 Evacuation Ordered As Oroville Dam’s Auxiliary Spillway Predicted To Fail (WSJ) ................................................... 201 Yale Renames Calhoun College Because Of Historic Ties To White Supremacy And Slavery (WP)............................... 201 The Supreme Court’s Controversial Ruling On An Executive Order (WP) ....................................................................... 203 Trump’s Harder Line On Mexico Casts Shadow On Long-Term Growth Picture (WSJ)....................................................... 205 Denim Dilemma (WSJ).............................................................. 205 Here’s One Industry Where The U.S. Is Already Catching China—Fertilizers (WSJ).................................................. 205 LEADING DHS NEWS Trump: Raids Targeting Immigrants Are ‘the Keeping Of My Campaign Promise’ By Philip Rucker Washington Post, February 12, 2017 President Trump on Sunday morning defended the large-scale raids of hundreds of undocumented immigrants by federal authorities over the past week as evidence that he is keeping his campaign promise. Since Trump signed an executive order Jan. 25 cracking down on illegal immigrants, federal officials in recent days targeted immigrants — many of them known criminals FOIA CBP 000731 DHS-17-0435-B-000028 6 — in homes and workplaces in half a dozen states, detaining hundreds of people. Trump tweeted Sunday morning, “The crackdown on illegal criminals is merely the keeping of my campaign promise. Gang members, drug dealers & others are being removed!” In another tweet sent a few minutes later, Trump decried the number of refugees from majority-Muslim nations that have been allowed into the United States since the federal courts halted enforcement of his travel ban. Trump tweeted, “72% of refugees admitted into U.S. (2/3-2/11) during COURT BREAKDOWN are from 7 countries: SYRIA, IRAQ, SOMALIA, IRAN, SUDAN, LIBYA & YEMEN.” Trump appeared to be referencing data from the State Department showing that just over 1,000 of the approximately 1,400 refugees admitted Feb. 4-10 were from the seven countries included in the travel ban. Carol Morello contributed to this report. Immigrants Wait In Fear After Raids; Trump Takes Credit By Claire Galofaro Associated Press, February 12, 2017 Pastor Fred Morris looked out over his congregation Sunday as news ricocheted around the world that American authorities were rounding up immigrants in an enforcement surge that President Donald Trump promised on the campaign trail. Parishioners did not smile as on any other Sunday morning. Their eyes darted around the room. They stared down at their feet. Others didn’t attend at all. “There is a dreadful sense of fear. It’s more than palpable. It’s radiating. People are terrified,” said Morris, whose United Methodist mission is in a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood of Los Angeles. “They were just sitting there in stunned silence.” For days, fear and confusion have gripped immigrant communities across the nation after word spread that federal agents were rounding up hundreds of immigrants in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, New York, California, Illinois and Texas. The scope of the operation remained unclear on Sunday. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency said the efforts were “routine” and no different than the targeted arrests carried out under former President Barack Obama. But Trump took to Twitter to claim credit. “The crackdown on illegal criminals is merely the keeping of my campaign promise,” he wrote early Sunday. “Gang members, drug dealers & others are being removed!” On the Sunday morning talk shows, the president’s representatives said the enforcement was a result of Trump’s policies. White House policy adviser Stephen Miller told “Fox News Sunday” that the administration had “taken new and greater steps to remove criminal aliens” who pose a threat to public safety. Among those arrested were a Salvadoran gang member wanted in his home country and a Brazilian drug trafficker, officials said. Nearly 200 people were arrested in the Carolinas and Georgia. More than 150 more were rounded up in and around Los Angeles, and around 40 were arrested in New York City and surrounding areas, ICE confirmed. A decade ago, immigration officers searching for specific individuals would often arrest others encountered along the way, a practice that drew criticism from advocates. Under the Obama administration, agents focused more narrowly on specific individuals. ICE now appears to be reverting back to old policies. Immigrant rights groups cite the case of Manuel Mosqueda, a 50-year-old house painter, as an example of how they believe ICE agents in the new administration are going too far. During last week’s enforcement operation, ICE agents showed up at Mosqueda’s home looking for someone else. While there, they inquired about Mosqueda, learned he was here illegally and put him on a bus to Mexico. Karla Navarrete, a lawyer for the advocacy group CHIRLA, said she sought to stop Mosqueda from being placed on the bus and was told by ICE that things had changed. She said another lawyer filed federal court papers and got a judge to stop the deportation. The bus turned around, and Mosqueda is now jailed in Southern California, waiting to learn his fate. Agents who went to a Virginia apartment Thursday looking for a wanted man picked up everyone else in the apartment too, except for one women with a baby in her arms, said Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, legal director for Legal Aid Justice Center’s immigrant advocacy program in northern Virginia. For supporters of Trump’s immigration policies, the new and broader approach was welcome news. “The main thing is to send the message that the immigration laws are actually being enforced again. That in itself is an important message that’s got to be sent,” said Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, a think tank that advocates for tighter controls on immigration. Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said the agency is simply enforcing federal law. FOIA CBP 000732 DHS-17-0435-B-000029 7 But immigration advocates said many immigrants are afraid to send their children to school and afraid to go to church or work or the hospital. Panicked rumors spread as quickly as the truth. “Every time so much as a white guy with a clipboard is walking around, everyone runs into their apartments and locks the doors,” he said. One case that sowed widespread fear was that of Guadalupe Garcia de Rayos, a mother of two in Phoenix who was arrested nearly a decade ago for using a false ID to get a job as a janitor. She pleaded guilty to a felony charge, but the government declined to deport her. On Wednesday, she showed up at the ICE building in Phoenix for a scheduled check-in with immigration officers and was deported to Mexico. Advocates and immigration attorney across the country scrambled to hold seminars and conference calls teaching people their rights. At his Sunday morning service, Morris handed out a double-sided sheet listing congregants’ civil rights. The first read “don’t open your door.” He is planning a community meeting for Monday night with lawyers, immigration advocates and consuls from Mexico, El Salvador and Guatemala. He has another plan, too. He started organizing a phone chain. If he hears about a raid on a home in his community, he will call five people, who will call five people and so on. They will all show up, stand on the sidewalk and chant: “ICE go home.” He hopes “public shaming” will prove to be a deterrent. “The only weapon we have is solidarity,” he said. “They are deporting people who may be undocumented, but they do have rights under our laws.” --- Associated Press Writer Josh Hoffner in Phoenix contributed to this report. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. NYC Immigrant Communities Shaken After Series Of Federal Raids Led To Around 40 Arrests By Edgar Sandoval, New York Daily News New York Daily News, February 12, 2017 Fear spread through New York’s immigrant communities Sunday following a series of federal raids that led to the arrest of around 40 people. On Staten Island, where advocates said five people were arrested over the weekend, a Mexican restaurant, La Catracha, was unusually empty. “Usually the place is filled with families. But today is empty. No one is leaving their homes. They are afraid,” said Diana Matute, 40, who owns the restaurant in Port Richmond. “If this keeps up I may have to close. I have to pay rent and pay my employees. These raids can’t keep on happening. It’s going to ruin everyone.” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said that nearly 95% of the foreign nationals arrested in the past week were criminal aliens, fugitives or illegal re-entrants. The agency called the raids “routine, daily, targeted operations.” But Sarah Gillman, the supervising attorney with the Legal Aid Society’s Immigration Law Unit, said the wave of enforcement had terrorized neighborhoods. “(The raids) are generally done in early morning hours or late at night and communities are really taken by surprise and thrown into a state of disarray, panic and fear,” she said. “It’s just really unfortunate.” Immigrants were hesitant to take their kids to school or go to hospitals for care, she said. ICE planned to release more information about the raids Monday. “ICE regularly conducts targeted enforcement operations during which additional resources and personnel are dedicated to apprehending deportable foreign nationals. All enforcement activities are conducted with the same level of professionalism and respect that ICE officers exhibit every day,” a spokesman said. But in the meantime, rumors were running wild. On Saturday a false rumor spread on Facebook and Twitter that 10 ICE officers were at Roosevelt Ave. and Junction Blvd. in Queens, detaining undocumented immigrants. “Reports of ICE checkpoints and sweeps are false, dangerous and irresponsible. These reports create mass panic and put communities and law enforcement personnel in unnecessary danger. Any groups falsely reporting such activities are doing a disservice to those they claim to support,” the ICE spokesman said. The NYPD had nothing to do with the raids, a spokesman said. La Catracha, a Mexican restaurant in Staten Island, was nearly empty the day after the raids. (Todd Maisel/New York Daily News) The agency’s efforts were not new. President Barack Obama was referred to derisively by immigration advocates as “the deporter in chief.” He deported 2.5 million people as President — more than any other administration in history. FOIA CBP 000733 DHS-17-0435-B-000030 8 Last month President Trump signed an executive order expanding the definition of criminals who should be targeted for deportation by immigration officials. “What’s different about this time is the enforcement priorities are very different,” Gillman said. “We don’t know who they’re focusing on.” At a deli on Port Richmond Ave a 38-year-old Guatemalan undocumented immigrant worried while drinking a cup of coffee. “Trump said he was going to deport those who commit crimes. But it looks like he’s going after family people like me,” he said. “I have kids here. All I can do is pray and place my fate in God. It’s all up to him now. We haven’t made plans in case I get picked up. I don’t want to think about it.” Favio Ramirez-Caminatti, the executive director of the El Centro Del Inmigrante on Staten Island, said there had been a surge in people seeking free legal assistance. Prior to Trump taking office, the center worked with 80 to 85 people a day. Now, as many as 150 people are seeking help at the center. “They are really afraid about what can happen,” Ramirez-Caminatti, 32, said. With Laura Dimon Immigration Agents Arrest 600 People Across US In One Week By Liz Robbins And Caitlin Dickerson New York Times, February 12, 2017 Federal immigration officials arrested more than 600 people across at least 11 states last week, detaining 40 people in the New York City area, law enforcement officials said on Sunday. It remained unclear whether the actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were part of continuing operations to round up illegal immigrants with criminal convictions or a ramping-up of deportations by the Trump administration. President Trump proclaimed on Twitter early Sunday morning: “The crackdown on illegal criminals is merely the keeping of my campaign promise. Gang members, drug dealers & others are being removed!” But Gillian Christensen, acting press secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, said, “The focus of these targeted enforcement operations is consistent with the routine, targeted arrests carried out by ICE’s Fugitive Operations Teams on a daily basis.” The contradiction heightened an already swelling fear among immigrants and their advocates. The New York operation was planned one week ago and was part of a national action that was planned several weeks ago, Immigration and Customs Enforcement said. “New York was late to the game,” said an agency official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because details about who had been detained were still being learned. The official said the arrests had not been impromptu and had been planned around individuals’ routines, adding that a fuller account would be available on Monday. “All these people are in violation of some sort of immigration law,” the official said, adding that some of their convictions included rape and aggravated assault. “We’re not going out to Walmart to check papers — we know who we are going out to seek.” At least in the New York area (including Long Island), fewer people were arrested than during an Obama administration enforcement sweep in August, when 58 people were arrested. The Obama administration was especially active in deporting unauthorized immigrants, most notably in 2012, when 409,849 people were deported. In 2015, Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced the arrests of more than 2,000 people nationwide in one week, targeting criminals. And the Obama administration was still sweeping up low-priority immigrants last summer. Nevertheless, Steven Choi, the executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition, said last week’s action was worrisome because it seemed to be only the beginning. “It really doesn’t matter if it’s business as usual from ICE’s perspective — at some point, we know that they will start to ramp up enforcement activity,” Mr. Choi said in an interview. He added that a Jan. 25 executive order from the president about ensuring public safety included the bolstering of the immigration force. Mr. Trump’s executive order also vastly expanded the group of immigrants considered priorities for deportation, including those without criminal records. When asked if the recent operations had incorporated the new priorities, a Homeland Security official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because operations were continuing, said, “The president has been clear in saying that D.H.S. should be focused on removing individuals who pose a threat to public safety, who have been charged with criminal offenses, who have committed multiple immigration violations or who have been deported and re-entered the country illegally.” About 160 foreign nationals were recently arrested in six counties in the Los Angeles area, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials. An additional 200 were arrested last week in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. And about 200 were arrested across Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri and Wisconsin. At least some of the rumors circulating on social media over the weekend proved to be false, including reports of raids in Jackson Heights, Queens, and in Huntington Station on Long Island. Similarly, immigration advocates in Kansas FOIA CBP 000734 DHS-17-0435-B-000031 9 City, Mo., were on alert after hearing rumors that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents planned to arrest people who were on their way to worship on Sunday. “Absolutely not!” Ms. Christensen, the Homeland Security spokeswoman, said. “That is completely false and an example of the many kinds of irresponsible, baseless fear￾mongering we’ve been seeing.” Through a statement from his spokeswoman Rosemary Boeglin, Mayor Bill de Blasio tried to reassure New York City’s immigrants on Sunday. “New Yorkers should rest assured that city officials, including the N.Y.P.D., will never ask about your immigration status, and the N.Y.P.D. will never become immigration enforcement agents,” Ms. Boeglin said. New York is a so-called sanctuary city, which means that it generally does not comply with requests by immigration authorities to hold illegal immigrants who have committed low-level crimes. Mr. Trump has threatened to withhold federal funding for such cities. On Long Island, activity by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents had not yet reached the level of the large-scale enforcement seen under the George W. Bush administration. In one week in 2007, 170 people were arrested in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, said Pat Young, the program director of the Central American Refugee Center on Long Island. “At least so far, it’s important to know that in the New York area, we haven’t had checkpoints; we haven’t had sweeps,” he said. “They are taking place at homes.” Mr. Young said the “contradictory messages” of the president’s Twitter post and the immigration agency’s statements had stirred additional anxiety in the immigrant community. Immigrant Communities Fearful After Hundreds Arrested In What Feds Call Routine ‘Surge’ By Doug Stanglin USA Today, February 11, 2017 Hundreds of undocumented immigrants were rounded up this week in a half-dozen states in what advocacy groups and a U.S. congressman from Texas call targeted raids. Immigration officials, however, cast the arrests as a routine enforcement “surge” while acknowledging the bar for deportation has been lowered. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed operations in more than a half-dozen cities and states, including Chicago, Georgia, Los Angeles, New York, South Carolina, North Carolina and Texas. ICE officials reported 161 arrests in Southern California over the past five days and 192 arrests in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina alone. Advocacy groups began receiving calls Thursday from immigrants and their lawyers reporting raids at homes and businesses in the greater Los Angeles area. In one case, agents showed up at the home of a 50- year-old house painter named Manuel Mosqueda in the Los Angeles suburbs looking to arrest an immigrant who wasn’t there. In the process, they spoke with Mosqueda, arrested him and put him on a bus to Mexico — though lawyers were able to halt his deportation and bring him back, the Associated Press reported. In Austin, the Mexican Consulate told the American￾Statesman that 30 Mexican immigrants were detained by ICE on Friday and 14 were detained Thursday. By comparison, the Austin consulate had seen an average of four to five Mexican immigrants detained daily in recent years. ICE officials insisted the arrests were routine operations carried out severals times each year and targeted individual criminals, not communities. Gillian Christensen, acting press secretary for the department of Homeland Security, said ICE “does not conduct sweeps or raids that target aliens indiscriminately,” KTLA reported. Advocacy groups and some Democratic politicians, however, viewed the arrests as a new move against undocumented immigrants in the wake of a sweeping executive order signed Jan. 25 by President Trump. That order made clear that just about any immigrant living in the country illegally could be a priority for deportation, particularly those with outstanding deportation orders. It also said enforcement priorities would include convicted criminals, immigrants who had been arrested for any criminal offense, those who committed fraud, and anyone who may have committed a crime. Under President Obama, more than 2 million people were deported, including a record of more than 409,000 in 2012, but the government focused on immigrants in the country illegally who posed a threat to national security or public safety and those who recently crossed the border. “These reports show the serious consequences of (Trump’s) executive order, which allows all undocumented immigrants to be categorized as criminals and requires increased enforcement in communities, rather than prioritizing dangerous criminals,” Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said in a statement. “This is retaliatory and it is a way to provide political cover ― ‘Look what we’re doing, we’re out there being tough on criminals’ ― when in reality, they’re breaking up families,” Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva, D-Ariz., told The Huffington Post. “It’s callous and it’s very, very dangerous.” The arrests are playing out against a backdrop of fear within immigrant communities, underscored by the deportation Thursday of an Arizona woman, and mother of two American-born children, who came to the U.S. 22 years ago as a 14-year-old. FOIA CBP 000735 DHS-17-0435-B-000032 10 The deportation of Guadalupe Garcia de Rayos, 36, of Mesa, Ariz., who was taken into custody Wednesday during a routine check-in at the Phoenix offices of ICE, prompted the Mexican government to warn of a “new reality” for its citizens living in the United States and advised them to “take precautions.” Her removal also signaled that federal authorities, who have focused in recent years on the worst criminals for deportation, were lowering the bar. Rayos, who was convicted in 2008 of using a fake Social Security card, had been reporting in regularly to immigration officials but until Wednesday had been allowed to remain in the country. Fears of a crackdown have been mired in recent days in something of a semantic game over what is — and isn’t — “routine” between advocacy groups, immigrants communities and federal authorities. U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, said Friday that he was informed by ICE officials in San Antonio of the launch of “a targeted operation in South and Central Texas as part of Operation ‘Cross Check.’” “I am asking ICE to clarify whether these individuals are in fact dangerous, violent threats to our communities, and not people who are here peacefully raising families and contributing to our state. I will continue to monitor this situation,” he said. In Los Angeles, David Marin, field office director for ICE enforcement and removal operations in the Los Angeles area, announced Friday that 161 people were arrested in six Southern California counties over the past five days in what he called an “enforcement surge.” He denied reports that the operations amounted to mass arrests. “The rash of these recent reports about ICE checkpoints and random sweeps and the like — it is all false, and it is definitely dangerous and irresponsible because reports like that create a panic, and they put communities and law enforcement at risk,” he told reporters on a conference call. He said the operation was planned prior to President Trump taking office. He noted that 151 of the arrests involved people with criminal records, with about 75% having been previously convicted of felonies, including child sex crimes, weapons charges and assault. Marin said five people were detained because they had final deportation orders already in place. The other five people deported had no criminal record. Marin said those five would not have fallen under the enforcement priority list under Obama, but did so now under Trump’s executive order, an indication of changes afoot under the new directive. Another sign of change came from comments before Congress by new Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, who indicated the use of new tactics for enforcing immigration laws. He told lawmakers that immigration agents expressed frustration that they were not fully allowed to enforce immigration laws under the Obama administration. He predicted Trump’s directives would end that frustration. “I think their morale has suffered because of the job they were hired to do, and then in their sense, they’re … kind of hobbled or, you know, hands tied behind their back, that kind of thing,” Kelly told the House Homeland Security Committee. “And now, they feel more positive about things. I bet if you watch the morale issue, you’ll ... be surprised going forward.” A report released Thursday by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center estimates more than 2.5 million immigrants in the country illegally live in the metropolitan areas of New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, which have pledged to fight President Trump’s plans to expand deportations. In addition, 37% of immigrants living in Phoenix, Houston, Dallas and Denver lack legal status, compared to 26% nationwide, the report said. Immigration Raids In At Least Six States Following Donald Trump’s Order To Deport Illegal Immigrants Undocumented immigrants who gave over their details as part of Obama amnesty said to be in fear of deportation By Rachel Roberts Independent (UK), February 11, 2017 “Panic” and “terror” is said to be running through immigrant communities in the US following raids carried out across at least six states as part of Donald Trump’s pledge to crack down on illegal immigrants. Authorities arrested hundreds of undocumented migrants in the first large-scale enforcement of Mr Trump’s executive order to take action against the estimated 11 million people living illegally in the US. Raids took place this week in and around New York, Los Angeles, North Carolina, South Carolina, Atlanta and Chicago, immigration officials confirmed – with more than a third of those detained in the Los Angeles area being deported to Mexico. Officials said the raids targeted known criminals but reports from immigrant rights groups claim that law-abiding citizens were also targeted in a departure from Obama-era crackdowns which focused solely on law-breaking illegal “aliens”. Mr Trump has pledged to deport as many as three million illegal immigrants, substantially broadening the remit of the Department of Homeland Security to include those with minor convictions as well as those known to have committed serious crimes. Gillian Christensen, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees FOIA CBP 000736 DHS-17-0435-B-000033 11 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), said the raids were part of “routine” immigration enforcement actions. Ms Christensen said officers found undocumented migrants from a dozen Latin American countries and some of those detained had convictions for murder and domestic violence. “We’re talking about people who are threats to public safety or a threat to the integrity of the immigration system.” But immigration activists claimed the raids extended to Florida, Kansas, Texas and Virginia and that otherwise law￾abiding undocumented immigrants were also targeted. “This is clearly the first wave of attacks under the Trump administration, and we know this isn’t going to be the only one,” said Cristina Jimenez, executive director of United We Dream, an immigrant youth organisation. Spanish language radio stations in Los Angeles have been running public service announcements regarding the “Know Your Rights” seminars the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles have scheduled. Immigrant rights groups have protests planned in response to the raids in New York and Los Angeles – both cities with large numbers of illegal immigrants. President Obama offered an amnesty to illegal immigrants who were primary carers of children, regardless of the immigration status of the minors. Despite his amnesty, the Obama administration deported around 2.4 million illegal immigrants – more than any other Presidency in US history. Around 1.4 million people signed up for Obama’s amnesty – but Mr Trump is determined to overturn this, pledging a “zero tolerance” policy on illegal aliens during his election campaign. “Anyone who has entered the United States illegally is subject to deportation – that is what it means to have laws and to have a country,” Mr Trump said in Phoenix, Arizona, last August. One million of those who signed up for the temporary amnesty are from Mexico, and over half live in Texas or California. Having signed up to the Obama amnesty, many illegal immigrants who had been left alone by the authorities for years – perhaps decades – have now effectively handed over their last known address details to the Trump administration, fuelling a climate of anxiety. “We cannot understate the level of panic and terror that is running through many immigrant communities,” said Walter Barrientos of Make the Road New York in New York City. Susannah Volpe, a lawyer for an immigrant legal services group in Washington DC, told the New York Times there was a definite change in tactics with the latest raids. “These are agents going into apartment buildings or agents going to work sites,” said Ms. Volpe, who had a client arrested, along with five others, at a construction site in Washington last week. “This is new.” New York and Los Angeles have long been regarded as sanctuaries for immigrants where police and other law enforcement agents do not automatically co-operate with immigration officials. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said he called ICE’s regional deputy director to demand greater transparency about on-going operations and the status of those arrested. “Angelenos should not have to fear raids that are disruptive to their peace of mind and bring unnecessary anxiety to our homes, schools, and workplaces,” Mr Garcetti said. “The Administration should take a just, humane, and sensible approach that does not cause pain for people who only want to live their lives and raise their families in the communities they call home.” David Martin, ICE’s field director in the Los Angeles area, denied the raids were as a direct result of Mr Trump’s instructions. “These operations take weeks and sometimes months of planning, so this operation was in the planning stages before the current administration came out with the executive orders.” He said 75 per cent of the approximately 160 people detained in the LA operation had serious convictions – meaning the other 25 per cent had minor convictions or were undocumented. Officials said 37 of those detained in Los Angeles have now been deported to Mexico. The Latest: Trump Hopes Senate Will Fill More Cabinet Posts Bristol (VA) Herald Courier, February 12, 2017 President Donald Trump is hoping to have more members of his Cabinet on board this week — if the Republican-controlled Senate acts as expected. Senators are to vote Monday evening on banker Steven Mnuchin (mih-NOO’-chin), Trump’s pick to lead the Treasury Department, and Obama administrator holdover David Shulkin to be promoted to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Shulkin’s path has been fairly smooth so far. But that’s not been the case for Mnuchin. Democrats complain that he failed to protect thousands of homeowners from unnecessary foreclosures when he headed OneWest Bank. Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee unanimously voted in favor of Mnuchin after committee Democrats boycotted the vote. Trump is scheduled to meet with Mnuchin on Sunday afternoon at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. FOIA CBP 000737 DHS-17-0435-B-000034 12 A top White House aide says it’s not up to him to say whether President Donald Trump retains confidence in national security adviser Michael Flynn. Policy director Stephen Miller says the White House didn’t give him anything specific to say about Flynn during Miller’s appearances on the Sunday news shows. Miller calls it “an important matter” and “a sensitive matter” best answered by Trump, Vice President Mike Pence or chief of staff Reince Priebus. At issue is whether Flynn discussed U.S. sanctions in calls with Russia’s ambassador while President Barack Obama was still in office. The conversations may have broken U.S. law aimed at barring private citizens from conducting diplomacy. A Washington Post report last week contradicted Flynn’s previous denials, as well as those made by Vice President Mike Pence in a televised interview. President Donald Trump is praising the actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers for the recent “enforcement surge” that officials say is targeting immigrants who are in the country illegally and have criminal records. Trump tweets that “the crackdown on illegal criminals is merely the keeping of my campaign promise. Gang members, drug dealers & others are being removed!” Advocacy groups contend the government has rounded large numbers of people as part of stepped-up enforcement. The agency calls the effort no different from enforcement actions carried out in the past. Trump policy adviser Stephen Miller tells NBC’s “Meet the Press” that the emphasis is on deporting those he calls “criminal aliens” and who “pose a threat to public safety.” Miller says “we’re going to focus on public safety and saving American lives and we will not apologize.” President Donald Trump’s chief policy adviser says the White House is exploring “all of our options” after a federal appeals court handed the administration a legal setback on Trump’s executive order on immigration. Stephen Miller tells NBC’s “Meet the Press” that the White House could pursue “additional executive actions” — as Trump suggested on Friday — as well as judicial appeals. Miller says the goal is to pursue “every single possible action to keep our country safe from terrorism.” He’s also criticizing judges for taking “power for themselves that belong squarely in the hands” of the president. Trump Praises ICE For Immigration Enforcement Dallas Morning News, February 12, 2017 President Donald Trump is praising the actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers for the recent “enforcement surge” that officials say is targeting immigrants who are in the country illegally and have criminal records. Trump tweets that “the crackdown on illegal criminals is merely the keeping of my campaign promise. Gang members, drug dealers & others are being removed!” Trump policy adviser Stephen Miller tells NBC’s “Meet the Press” that the emphasis is on deporting those he calls “criminal aliens” and who “pose a threat to public safety.” Miller says “we’re going to focus on public safety and saving American lives and we will not apologize.” Advocacy groups say that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers are rounding up people in large numbers around the country as part of stepped-up enforcement under President Donald Trump. They say a roundup in Southern California was especially heavy-handed and cite arrests in places such as Atlanta, Chicago, New York, Texas and North Carolina that have rattled immigrants. The government says it’s simply enforcing the laws and conducting routine enforcement targeting immigrants in the country illegally with criminal records. Authorities say it’s no different than what happened during the Obama years on a regular basis. The truth lies somewhere in between. Here are some of the facts surrounding what’s happening with immigration enforcement:TRUMP VS. OBAMA As a candidate, Donald Trump vowed to take a hard line on immigration. Five days after taking office, he signed a sweeping executive order that made clear that just about any immigrant living in the country illegally could be a priority for deportation, particularly those with outstanding deportation orders. The president’s order also said enforcement priorities would include convicted criminals, immigrants who had been arrested for any criminal offense, those who committed fraud, and anyone who may have committed a crime. Under President Barack Obama, the government focused on immigrants in the country illegally who posed a threat to national security or public safety and recent border crossers. But despite the narrower focus, more than 2 million people were deported during Obama’s time in office, including a record of more than 409,000 people in 2012. At one point, he was dubbed the “Deporter in Chief” by his critics. The record was reached with the help of the Secure Communities program that helped the government identify immigrants in the country illegally who had been arrested. In the latter half of Obama’s tenure, deportations plummeted to lows matching those of former President George W. Bush’s term.ARE THE LATEST RAIDS A DIRECT RESULT OF TRUMP’S ORDER? Immigration officials say they aren’t. David Marin, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s field office director for enforcement and removal operations in FOIA CBP 000738 DHS-17-0435-B-000035 13 greater Los Angeles, said the agency carries out these operations two or three times a year in his region. He says the California operation was in the planning stages “before the administration came out with their current executive orders.” But immigrant rights groups say the actions are harsher than in the past. Advocates began fielding calls Thursday from immigrants and their lawyers reporting raids at homes and businesses in the greater Los Angeles area. In one instance, agents showed up at the home of a 50-year-old house painter named Manuel Mosqueda in the Los Angeles suburbs, looking to arrest an immigrant who wasn’t there. In the process, they spoke with Mosqueda, arrested him and put him on a bus to Mexico – though lawyers were able to halt his deportation and bring him back. In all, Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested about 160 people during a five-day sweep in Southern California aimed at immigrants with criminal histories and deportation orders, including a Salvadoran gang member wanted in his country and a Brazilian drug trafficker. Marin acknowledged that five of those arrested would not have met the Obama administration’s enforcement priorities. The agency called it an “enforcement surge” that was no different than enforcement actions carried out in the past and said a “rash of recent reports about purported ICE checkpoints and random sweeps are false, dangerous, and irresponsible.” In a statement, the agency said “officers frequently encounter additional suspects who may be in the United States in violation of the federal immigration laws. Those persons will be evaluated on a case by case basis and, when appropriate, arrested by ICE.”THE NEW NORMAL? Despite the claims that this is business as usual, an indication of the changed tactics came earlier in the week when Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly testified before Congress. He told lawmakers immigration agents expressed frustration about that they were not fully allowed to enforce immigration laws under the Obama administration. He predicted Trump’s directives would end that frustration. “I think their morale has suffered because of the job they were hired to do, and then in their sense, they’re ... kind of hobbled or, you know, hands tied behind their back, that kind of thing,” Kelly told the House Homeland Security Committee. “And now, they feel more positive about things. I bet if you watch the morale issue, you’ll ... be surprised going forward.” Acting ICE Director Thomas Homan, who was previously in charge of the agency’s enforcement and removal operations, earlier this month made a point of noting that his agents would enforce the law. In at least one case, it seems clear that Trump’s order changed someone’s fate. Guadalupe Garcia de Rayos, a mother of two in Phoenix, was arrested nearly a decade ago for using a false ID to get a job as a janitor at an amusement park. She pleaded guilty to a felony charge, but the government during the Obama years declined to deport her despite her being in the country illegally. On Wednesday, she showed up at the ICE building in Phoenix for a scheduled check-in with immigration officers and was swiftly deported to Mexico. Majority Of 161 People Arrested In Recent ICE Raids Have Criminal Histories Fox News Insider, February 12, 2017 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials arrested 161 people during a five-day raid this past week in Southern California. Of those, approximately 75 percent have past criminal histories. Others were arrested since they were found to be undocumented as other arrests were taking place, said David Marin, director of Enforcement and Removal Operations for ICE in Los Angeles. According to ICE, these raids were “routine” and were planned before President Donald Trump took office. Democratic state lawmakers denounced the arrests and urged immigrants to know their rights and what to do if approached by federal authorities. The arrests sparked a protest in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday evening. ICE spokeswoman Virginia Kice said it was not immediately clear how many of those arrested had been deported. ICE Calls ‘surge’ Of SoCal Immigrant Arrests ‘routine’ But Some Fear It’s The ‘new Normal’ Los Angeles Daily News, February 10, 2017 The day after reports of immigration sweeps spread through six Southern California counties, federal authorities acknowledged Friday that there was a “surge” in the number of people detained, but almost all were convicted felons or those with multiple misdemeanors living in the country illegally, they said. Officials from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement clarified a previous statement that had been sent out Thursday, which called the sweeps ordinary. But they also pushed back on activists’ reports of widespread random raids, reports that officials called “dangerous” and “irresponsible.” “While this week’s operation was an enforcement surge, the focus was no different than the routine, targeted arrests carried out by ICE’s Fugitive Operations Teams on a daily basis,” ICE officials said in a statement Friday. In their statement, ICE officials said 160 foreign nationals were arrested from 55 communities in Southern FOIA CBP 000739 DHS-17-0435-B-000036 14 California, including in Van Nuys, San Bernardino, Downey, Santa Paula and Oxnard. The five-day targeted enforcement operation began on Monday throughout Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside counties, among others, and was aimed at undocumented criminals, illegal re-entrants and immigration fugitives, ICE officials said. Of those detained, 151 had felony criminal histories ranging from child sex crimes to weapons charges to assaults. Those arrested — 95 percent of whom were men — were from a dozen countries. ICE officials said Friday they did not know how many of those detained had been deported. Among those they listed was a Salvadoran national who was an MS-13 gang member arrested in Huntington Park and wanted in his native country for aggravated extortion; a Brazilian national wanted for cocaine trafficking; and an Australian in West Hollywood who was previously convicted of lewd and lascivious acts with a child. It was unclear if the sweep was part of President Donald Trump’s hard-line stance on illegal immigration, but similar raids occurred in Atlanta, New York, Chicago and other cities, ICE officials acknowledged. David Marin, field office director for ICE, said he could not comment on Trump’s executive order, but said it takes weeks, even months, to coordinate such enforcement operations. A similar operation took place last summer, Marin said, adding that California’s policies make it difficult to deport criminals who are in the country illegally. “Dangerous criminals who should be swiftly deported are being released in our community,” he said. “This operation is on par with similar operations. We do this two or three times a year.” The sweep seemed atypical when compared with those under the Obama administration, officials with the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, or CHIRLA, said during a Friday morning news conference at their office in the Westlake area. Under President Obama, 3 million people were deported, but there was more transparency in the process, CHIRLA officials said. Angelica Salas, executive director for CHIRLA, disputed ICE’s assertion that criminals were the focus on the sweeps, adding that ICE had not been forthright with the community, attorneys and organizations, and she vowed her organization would continue to press them. “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. There is a deficit of trust on (Department of Homeland Security) officials who insisted for hours on hours that nothing out of the ordinary had taken place in Southern California during the past few days,” Salas said in a statement. “Make no mistake about it: These sweeps are directly linked to President Trump’s ‘new normal’ where criminalizing and dehumanizing immigrants is convenient to violate their due process and facilitate their deportation,” she said. CHIRLA attorney Karla Navarrete said that when she went Thursday to help a client held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles, she was given no information on how many people had been detained, even when she pressed officials. “They said, ‘things have changed now,’ “ she said. “This is not the way it goes anymore.” She said the officers told her: “This is the law, and we have our orders from the president.” State Senate Pro Tem Kevin de León said he was pleased ICE released more information, but he said there was a disconnect between information provided by the agency ICE on Thursday and what was disclosed Friday, and he called on the Trump administration to explain it. “Let me be clear, we want to work together to get violent felons out of our neighborhoods; however, we remain deeply concerned with the new administration’s recent decision to prioritize nearly every undocumented resident in California for deportation, and their apparent inability to accurately inform the public of their operations in a timely manner,” he said. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said in a statement Friday that he made it clear to ICE officials that he wanted more transparency about ICE operations and the status of all L.A. residents who may have been arrested. “Angelenos should not have to fear raids that are disruptive to their peace of mind and bring unnecessary anxiety to our homes, schools and workplaces,” Garcetti said. “The administration should take a just, humane and sensible approach that does not cause pain for people who only want to live their lives and raise their families in the communities they call home.” In their statement, ICE officials said those “who have outstanding orders of deportation, or who returned to the United States illegally after being deported, are subject to immediate removal from the country.” Others who were not being criminally prosecuted will be “processed administratively for removal from the United States,” according to the statement. “The remaining individuals are in ICE custody awaiting a hearing before an immigration judge, or pending travel arrangements for removal in the near future.” That the sweeps were conducted at all were unusual in and of itself, said Ira Mehlman, spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform or FAIR, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that backs immigration reform and laws. “It’s different in that in the last eight years, the law hasn’t been enforced,” Mehlman said. “There’s nothing in the law that says you have to be a felon to be deported. Based on (the ICE statement), they were targeting people with criminal records. The government has a perfect right to enforce the law.” FOIA CBP 000740 DHS-17-0435-B-000037 15 He said the Trump administration is prioritizing criminals in the country illegally, but added if immigration reform had been in place, fewer people would be hurt or misled. “We probably could have discouraged people coming here illegally in the first place,” he said. Still, some families reported confusion during the sweeps, adding that the wrong people had been detained. At least one Pomona man was arrested and deported to Mexico in Thursday’s operations, said Emilio Garcia, executive director of San Bernardino Community Service Center Inc. a nonprofit, organization that provides immigration services in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. While Garcia has already been able to corroborate the information himself, there are two other incidents from Thursday — in San Bernardino and Riverside — that he is still trying to verify. He still believes Thursday’s incident with ICE was part of their normal operations and not a raid. If it were, then ICE would have had to obtained warrants, he said. That’s not what happened in Pomona where a man without legal residence was arrested only after ICE agents weren’t able to detain the person they originally sought, Garcia said. “That was a collateral arrest,” he said. The Pomona man called his family at 9 p.m. to tell them he was in Tijuana, Mexico, Garcia said. Under the Obama administration, he said, the Pomona man would been protected by legal practice of prosecutorial discretion, in which ICE would have declined to pursue arrest. “The priority for enforcement was placed on those who placed a significant threat to the community, had significant criminal record,” Garcia said. “Under the new administration, that’s no longer the case, they can arrest anybody.” Marlene Mosqueda wiped away tears during the news conference at CHIRLA’s office as she described how her father Manuel Mosqueda was whisked away by ICE officials from their San Fernando Valley home. She said ICE officials took the wrong person away. Navarrete, the CHIRLA attorney, confirmed that Manuel Mosqueda was taken off the bus to Mexico. “They were looking for someone else, and they got my dad in the process,” Marlene Mosqueda said. “My dad got (taken) away from me.” Mosqueda said she has become troubled by recent reports and focus on immigrant communities since Trump’s presidency. “We need to be together. We need to support each other, because in the United States, we’re united,” she pleaded in front of a throng of media microphones. “We’re all breaking it apart one by one with Donald Trump being president.” Week’s Immigration Arrests Totaled Under 200 In NC, SC, GA Washington Times, February 11, 2017 A U.S. immigration official says agents arrested fewer than 200 people last week in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia and targeted people in the country illegally and convicted of crimes. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement regional spokesman Bryan Cox said Saturday that the agency’s enforcement activities die down over the weekend, but couldn’t say none were being carried out. Cox says ICE plans to release more details Monday comparing the Monday-through-Friday arrest total in the three states to other periods. Advocacy groups say an immigration roundup was underway last week in Southern California and arrests in Atlanta, North Carolina and Texas have rattled immigrants. The government says it’s simply conducting routine enforcement. Cox says agents always seek out specific people and don’t do traffic checks or other spontaneous enforcement. 40 Foreign Nationals Arrested In NYC Area Operations « CBS New York WCBS-TV New York, February 12, 2017 Nearly 40 foreign nationals were detained in Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in New York City, according to a memo released by organization. “In a memo dated Saturday, February 11th, ICE claimed that these arrests were part of “routine, daily targeted operations” and noted that additional persons encountered during these operations would, “when appropriated [sic], arrested by ICE.” ICE has already confirmed operations in five other states last week,” the New York Immigration Coalition said in a statement released on Saturday. While it’s unclear how many of those detained have criminal records, immigration advocates say the community is scared, WCBS 880’s Myles Miller reported. “They’re terrified, there’s complete panic,” Camille Mackler, of the New York Immigration Coalition, said. Mackler said she’s spent the past few days calming down those who are worried, and combating misinformation. According to the ICE memo, the operation “targeted public safety threats, such as convicted criminal aliens and gang members, and individuals who have violated our nation’s immigration laws, including those who have re￾entered the country after being deported and and immigration fugitives ordered deported by federal immigration judges.” The actions has brought criticism from immigration activists in the area. “We are horrified and angered by the ICE raids and activity in the greater New York area that has led to the arrest FOIA CBP 000741 DHS-17-0435-B-000038 16 and detainment of 40 people,” Steve Choi, executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition said in a statement. “Shame on ICE for putting New York’s immigrant communities – four million strong – in a state of panic. These arrests do nothing but tear families apart, hobble our economies, and corrode the bonds of trust that tie our communities together – all under the false pretense of “public safety.” Mayor Bill de Blasio joined members of several Jewish groups across New York City in Battery Park Sunday to protest the immigration order. “Never again means never again for everyone,” one woman said. “When we see hatred and xenophobia spread, it endangers all of us,” de Blasio said. Sen. Chuck Schumer also denounced the raids, calling on ICE to be more transparent about the arrests. President Donald Trump is praising the actions by ICE officers for the recent “enforcement surge” that officials say is targeting immigrants who are in the country illegally and have criminal records. Trump tweeted that “the crackdown on illegal criminals is merely the keeping of my campaign promise. Gang members, drug dealers & others are being removed!” Speaking on CNN’s “State Of The Union,” Sunday, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie defended ICE’s operations. “What — what people should focus on is what the president is trying to do, which is to keep a campaign promise on making sure that violent criminals who are here illegally are taken out of the country in order to make America’s streets safer,” Christie said. “The federal government should be enforcing federal law. And they have to make clear that federal law will be enforced. If that’s the president’s desire, then he should go ahead and make sure that that’s done,” Christie added. Advocacy groups contend the government has rounded large numbers of people as part of stepped-up enforcement. The agency calls the effort no different from enforcement actions carried out in the past. Trump policy adviser Stephen Miller tells NBC’s “Meet the Press” that the emphasis is on deporting those he calls “criminal aliens” and who “pose a threat to public safety.” Miller says “we’re going to focus on public safety and saving American lives and we will not apologize.” A spokesperson for Homeland Security said ICE does not conduct raids that target aliens indiscriminately. Dozens Of Immigrants Arrested In NYC During Raids: Leaked Memo New York Post, February 12, 2017 At least 40 “foreign nationals” were arrested this week across New York City during a series of ICE raids, according to a newly leaked memo from U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement. The memo, dated Feb 11, states that the “targeted enforcement operation [was] aimed at immigration fugitives, re-entrants, and at-large criminal aliens.” “The vast majority (nearly 95%) of those arrested had criminal convictions,” the document, posted to the New York Immigration Coalition’s website adds. It goes on to say “Final statistics and photos” will be available Monday, though it remains unclear why that information was not released in conjunction with the memo. Those arrested during the raids will face prosecution, or at the very least processed for deportation. Any of the 40 facing an outstanding order of deportation or those who re-entered the country will be subject to immediate removal, the memo states. “All reports of ICE checkpoints and sweeps are false, dangerous, and irresponsible,” the leaked document adds. “These reports create mass panic and put communities and law enforcement personnel in unnecessary danger. Any groups falsely reporting such activities are doing a disservice to those they claim to support.” ICE has not yet confirmed or denied the details of the memo, and neither ICE nor The Department of Homeland Security have released a statement. “We are horrified and angered by the ICE raids and activity in the greater New York area that has led to the arrest and detainment of 40 people,” The New York Immigration Coalition seethed in a statement. “Shame on ICE for putting New York’s immigrant communities – four million strong – in a state of panic. These arrests do nothing but tear families apart, hobble our economies, and corrode the bonds of trust that tie our communities together – all under the false pretense of’ ‘public safety.’” ICE Detains Dozens In Austin: What We Know KXTV-TV Sacramento (CA), February 12, 2017 After a day of reports surrounding Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions at various locations throughout Austin, Congressman Joaquin Castro confirmed a targeted operation by ICE in South and Central Texas. The Mexican Consulate of Austin has since confirmed 44 Mexican immigrants were detained in the past 48 hours in Austin. Here’s a look at what KVUE knows about the situation: Immigration officer incident Early Friday morning, an incident was reported between an immigration officer and another person. Austin Police said the incident started after a traffic stop was made by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer that then turned physical. KVUE spoke with the mother-in-law, Teresa Velazquez, of the man who was eventually detained and she said an ICE FOIA CBP 000742 DHS-17-0435-B-000039 17 officer claimed to have a warrant and tried to detain the man. After running, the man and the immigrations officer ended up in a physical confrontation. Reported raids pour in on social media As Friday morning continued to roll on, social media began to fill with posts from people reporting ICE raids and arrests throughout the community. KVUE began investigating the reports with law enforcement and Defender Tony Plohetski talked to law enforcement sources at the federal, state, and local levels and none reported any operations outside of their daily action. “As a federal agency, ICE has jurisdiction and doesn’t have to tell us when they are conducting operations in Austin,” APD Interim Chief Brian Manley said Friday. “I’ve not been made aware that anything is different.” ICE released a statement Friday that read: “ICE conducts operations daily nationwide. ICE does not conduct random sweeps; all ICE operations are based on investigative leads. By removing from the streets criminal aliens and other threats to the public, ICE helps improve public safety.” Austin City Councilman weighs in on ICE Shortly before noon Friday, Austin City Councilman Gregorio Casar said in a statement on social media that his office had confirmed “a large amount of Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions in Austin.” Casar continued in his statement saying, “ICE is out in public arresting people in order to retaliate against our community for standing up for our values against people like Abbott and Trump.” At a press conference later, Casar said he confirmed the raids through the media. “Multiple members, I think, of the media here reported on an arrest this morning and multiple members of the media here reported on the video that happened right up the street here at Whataburger, so that is another public ICE action,” Casar said. “As you heard from multiple speakers with years of experience these sorts of public arrests are clear demonstrations of trying to intimidate the community.” Texas State Senator Dawn Buckingham took to Facebook Friday afternoon called Casar’s statements, “outrageous.” “Not only does questioning law enforcement put our communities at risk, it paints a bull’s-eye on the backs of the brave men and women sworn to protect us under extremely challenging circumstances,” Buckingham said on Facebook. Video emerges of ICE arrest in Austin As morning turned to afternoon, a video began to make the rounds on social media of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrest that took place Friday morning. The arrest was captured on video by a Central Texas man near the intersection of Lamar Avenue and Rundberg Lane. The video showed multiple pickup trucks surrounding a black pickup truck with ICE officers working around the truck and at least one person in custody. A minivan and a full-size van both appeared on the scene before the video ended. The video was viewed more than half a million times by Friday evening and had been shared almost 20,000 times. Congressman Joaquin Castro confirms ICE raids across Texas Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) released the following statement Friday evening: “I have been informed by ICE that the agency’s San Antonio field office has launched a targeted operation in South and Central Texas as part of Operation Cross Check. I am asking ICE to clarify whether these individuals are in fact dangerous, violent threats to our communities, and not people who are here peacefully raising families and contributing to our state. I will continue to monitor this situation.” An ICE operation in 2015 named “Cross Check” lasted five days and resulted in more than 2,000 convicted criminal aliens being arrested across the nation. ICE also conducted an operation called “Cross Check” in 2012 that resulted in more than 3,000 criminal aliens and others being arrested. Castro told KVUE Friday night, “I have put in questions to ICE to make sure that the people being targeted are truly dangerous and violent people who are, or could be, a harm in the community and not people who are peaceful folks who have been here a long time, paying their taxes, taking care of their families.” He said that many of the people he spoke to Friday are fearful they’ll be targeted by ICE and he stresses that everyone should know their rights. On Saturday, Castro told KVUE that ICE officials said Operation Cross Check is expected to last between five and eight days and that officials would not provide more information until the operation is complete. Lawyer: Lack of Clarity Causing Confusion Immigration lawyer Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch indicated one of the biggest problems facing the immigrant community is a lack of clarity over who may be targeted. “Under the Obama administration, we understood who the priorities for enforcement were for the agency,” Lincoln￾Goldfinch said. “We had memos that laid it out that said felons, people with significant misdemeanors, recent immigration violations. These are the people that the agency wants to deport.” Lincoln-Goldfinch continued, “Now, under the Trump Administration, under the executive actions, everyone who is in the U.S. who is undocumented is an enforcement priority for the agency. So essentially, no one is safe; even people who have clear criminal histories.” The attorney said that in general, she’s received far more concern from clients who are going through the citizenship process rather than those who lack legal status in the country. FOIA CBP 000743 DHS-17-0435-B-000040 18 Friday afternoon, Austin City Council Member Delia Garza was critical of the lack of information surrounding any possible ICE action. “I think it’s irresponsible to not know what’s going on, why it’s going on. We know it’s going on, we’ve seen video of it going on, we have families telling us it’s going on, explain what’s going on, that’s what this community deserves,” Council Member Garza said. “If this is legal, if this is lawful, let us know that.” APD Reassures Community They Work for Everyone In a Friday evening press conference, Austin Police Chief Brian Manley again said that ICE has legal jurisdiction in the area and that means ICE can conduct actions without checking in with police beforehand. Still, Manley said that APD’s purpose is to keep all residents of Austin safe, regardless of their citizenship status. “I want to reach out to the immigrant community and reaffirm that we are here for you as we are here for anybody else in our community,” Manley said. The chief said that immigrants should not be fearful to reach out to Austin Police and that police officers are not concerned about a person’s citizenship status and is instead, “absolutely, 100 percent focused on the safety of citizens.” Confirmed ICE detainers The Mexican Consulate in Austin confirmed to KVUE Friday evening that 30 Mexican immigrants in Austin were detained on Friday, which is six times as many as are detained on an average Friday. 14 were detained Thursday. Consul General Carlos Gonzales Gutierrez said that all of those detained were males. He said that many were picked up in their cars and that while some were taken into custody at schools, the agents were likely in the process of following them. To his knowledge, agents are not sitting outside schools waiting to detain people. On Sunday, the Consulate confirmed that another nine people were detained on Saturday and Sunday – bringing the total number of people arrested to 53. The Consul General is now attempting to calm some of the fear created by those detainments. “I have been very active in Spanish-speaking media trying to spread the message that this is not massive raids, as sometimes one reads in the paper that they are going to schools or going to hospitals or they are going to working sites, that we have not seen,” he said. Gonzales Gutierrez added that many of the 100,000 undocumented Mexican nationals in the Austin area have roots here that go back 10, 15, 20 years and aren’t used to this. He said that his job is to tell people the truth and make sure they understand that “the status quo” in the United States has changed. The resources of the office of the Consul General are available to any Mexican national in need of help. Protests More than a hundred people gathered Friday night to protest on North Lamar Boulevard and Rundberg Lane. Demonstrators set off fireworks in the streets. APD officers in raid gear eventually pushed the crowd back. A fire was started near a construction site and caused moderate damage. There were no injuries. Firefighters believe the fire was started by protesters throwing fireworks. APD said that no arrests were made. Protests continued Saturday night in the same area. A KVUE photographer witnessed three fight break out at the demonstration. Organizers said they are planning more protests, including one at the State Capitol next Saturday. Statement from ICE ICE spokesperson Nina Pruneda released the following statement to ABC affiliate KRGV in the Rio Grande Valley: “ICE regularly conducts targeted enforcement operations during which additional resources and personnel are dedicated to apprehending deportable foreign nationals. All enforcement activities are conducted with the same level of professionalism and respect that ICE officers exhibit every day. The focus of these operations is no different than the routine, targeted arrests carried out by ICE’s Fugitive Operations Team on a daily basis. ICE will not confirm an operation prior to its completion, nor will ICE speculate on future operational activities. Reports of ICE checkpoints and sweeps are false, dangerous and irresponsible. These reports create mass panic and put communities and law enforcement personnel in unnecessary danger. Any groups falsely reporting such activities are doing a disservice to those they claim to support.” ACLU Promises ‘Rapid Response Team’ To Combat Deportations Under Trump ABC News, February 12, 2017 The ACLU, the non-profit rights group whose membership and donations have surged since it launched legal actions against President Trump’s executive order limiting immigration, told ABC News today that it plans on creating a “rapid response team” to combat a potential rise in deportations under the current administration. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the agency operating under the Department of Homeland Security that is responsible for handling deportations, arrested more than 160 foreign nationals this week in Los Angeles, the majority of whom had criminal records. ICE LA Field Office Director David Marin said in a press call that the raids conducted were not related to Trump’s executive order, and described them as being “nothing out of the ordinary.” Between 2009 and 2015 the Obama administration removed more than 2.5 million people through immigration FOIA CBP 000744 DHS-17-0435-B-000041 19 orders, shattering records, and earning him the nickname “Deporter in Chief” among rights groups and activists. As recently as 2016, Obama drew sharp criticism from some Democrats over ordering raids that targeted women and children, according to Reuters. But ACLU senior attorney Lee Gelernt told ABC News that while they were “not pleased” with Obama’s handling of deportation raids, his group is concerned that the Trump administration will expand those efforts. The rapid response team would bring together the ACLU, private law firms and local community groups to ensure that individuals facing deportations have access to counsel right away. “This administration is just getting started and we’re anticipating much worse,” Gelernt said in a phone interview, citing the language Trump uses about immigrants as his reasoning for his concern that Trump’s approach could be more severe than Obama’s. “His rhetoric is already scaring a lot of people in immigrant communities.” In September, the National Immigration and Customs Enforcement Council, the official union representing ICE’s 5,000 federal immigration officers and law enforcement support staff, endorsed Trump’s campaign for president. It was an endorsement that he highlighted frequently on the campaign trail. The ACLU have received nearly $80 million in online contributions alone since the election, according to tTe Associated Press, which also reported that the group’s membership rates have doubled during the same time. Know Your Rights: What To Do In Case Immigration Officials Show Up At Your Door By Elizabeth Elizalde, New York Daily News New York Daily News, February 12, 2017 Reported waves of Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids have cast fear among undocumented families in sanctuary cities like New York, Los Angeles and other metropolitan areas across the country. Immigrant advocacy group Make the Road New York confirmed five arrests in Staten Island and one in Queens since Feb. 3. Most of the detainees are Mexican and were taken into custody at their homes. ICE confirmed there have been 40 arrests in the New York City area this past week. President Trump signed an executive order last month to crack down on undocumented immigrants with criminal records and who should be targeted by immigration officials. Yasmine Farhang, an immigration lawyer with Make the Road, said the group has been hosting “know your rights” workshops at several locations to educate immigrant communities if such raids occur. But how do residents respond if an ICE officer comes knocking on their door? Here are five steps in case this happen to you: The Department of Homeland Security has been conducting a nationwide roundup of undocumented immigrants convicted of felonies. (LM Otero/AP) Ask to see a warrant City University Prof. Allan Wernick, who writes weekly immigration columns for the Daily News, said there are two types of warrants. ICE agents may detain a person in a public setting with an administrative warrant that’s issued by the Department of Homeland Security. But officers can’t enter a home without a judicial warrant signed by a judge or without the resident’s consent. “If officers don’t have a warrant, don’t let them in,” Wernick said. Farhang suggests telling ICE agents to slip the warrant under the door and to request an interpreter if needed. The family of Guadalupe Garcia de Rayos, an Arizona mother who was deported to Mexico, stands behind her attorney, Ray Ybarra Maldonado Thursday. (Astrid Galvan/AP) Request and attorney or contact an agency Farhang and Wernick stressed having an attorney or an immigration agency on call in case legal action takes place. Gather contact information and have an emergency plan If residents have an outstanding deportation order and are detained, they have the right to a bond. Wernick suggests having the contact information of a friend or neighbor with access to a fund. It’s also recommended to flag ICE officers if someone has a medical issue, and if children are present during the arrest, have a secondary caretaker on call, Farhang said. She urged that if anyone has information about a potential raid to contact the Immigration Defense Project’s hotline at 212-725-6422. Remain silent You have the right to remain silent. If you’re not the person listed on the warrant, don’t answer questions from the arresting officer because anything you say can be used against you, Wernick said. Do not sign documents Don’t sign any documents unless you have a lawyer. Wernick and Farhang reiterated the importance of requesting an immigration attorney and not to show personal documents such as passports from one’s home country. Democrats, Advocates Question ICE Raids After Hundreds Of Arrests By Tal Kopan CNN, February 12, 2017 Immigrant rights activists and Democrats are raising concerns this weekend about recent immigration enforcement FOIA CBP 000745 DHS-17-0435-B-000042 20 actions – though immigration officials maintain that only routine actions targeting criminals were underway. Fear is running high among immigrant communities since President Donald Trump’s inauguration – and after the recent publicized deportation of an undocumented Arizona mother of two after a routine visit with immigration officials, reports have been spreading of Immigration and Customs Enforcement stepping up its actions nationwide. The actions are the first concerted effort by ICE under the Trump administration to arrest targeted undocumented immigrants for deportation proceedings. It’s unclear at this point in the nascent administration whether it was a sign of things to come, or whether the actions were conducted under any different procedures than could have been in place under the Obama administration. Trump claimed credit for the raids Sunday, tweeting: “The crackdown on illegal criminals is merely the keeping of my campaign promise. Gang members, drug dealers & others are being removed!” It was the uncertainty, the publicity of the raids and the high tensions raised by public comments on immigration by Trump administration officials that had Democrats asking for more information. California Rep. Lou Correa sent a letter to immigration officials, outlining the unanswered questions related to the latest immigration enforcement actions. “These activities have caused fear and uncertainty for many of constituents,” Correa wrote, and listed 10 questions for ICE, among them “What are the agency’s priorities for removal? and “How far in advance were these enforcement activities planned?” David Marin, Los Angeles field office director for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said planning for the immigration operation carried out this week began during the Obama administration. “This operation was in the planning stages before the current administration issued its executive order,” Marin told reporters Friday. Trump signed an executive order regarding detention of undocumented immigrants on January 25. Marin said generally it takes weeks of planning before an operation is carried out because the agency needs the time to develop case targets and leads. Officials are trying to stress that these actions are consistent with regular enforcement. “We do these operations two to three times a year,” Marin said. “This is on par with past operations.” Immigration activists are concerned, however, that these raids may have targeted a wider scope of individuals than had been common in the Obama administration. Separately, a former Obama administration ICE said that administration “targeted felons,” and noted that under the Trump administration, the enforcement priorities laid out in his interior executive order were much broader and could include a wider range of targets than the Obama administration’s enforcement priorities. The official also questioned the Trump administration including in its general targets individuals with previous deportation orders. These are undocumented immigrants who went through court proceedings before and had a final order of removal, but had not been deported by the previous administration. The Los Angeles ICE office confirmed among its arrests five had no criminal histories but prior orders of removal. “We ultimately decided those people were not a priority as there are literally millions of them and most have never committed any crime,” the official said referring to violent crimes or felonies. The official said that one appeal of targeting individuals with removal orders is that they can be deported “quickly,” because no further court action would be necessary. Operation leads to nationwide arrests ICE in Los Angeles said it had conducted a five-day operation targeting criminals and fugitives, and said that the vast majority of those arrested had criminal histories. Seeking to push back on reports of indiscriminate raids, ICE released the results of the operation from its Los Angeles office, saying about 160 foreign nationals were arrested during the week. Of those, 150 had criminal histories, and of the remaining arrests, five had final orders of removal or were previously deported. Ninety-five percent were male, they said. A Homeland Security official told CNN on Saturday that 37 of those detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in California this week as part of the enforcement crackdown have now been deported to Mexico. The official said they had already been deported and had come back to the country illegally or had deportation orders against them. This group did not have to go through the adjudication process because they had already received deportation orders, the official said. Mexico warns citizens after mother’s deportation While specific numbers weren’t available, ICE said “many” of the arrested individuals had prior felony convictions including violent charges like child sex crimes, weapons or assault charges. An ICE official confirmed Atlanta had conducted a similar surge this week, and roughly 200 arrests were made in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina in a similar routine enforcement action. Texas Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro said in a statement that he had confirmed with ICE’s San Antonio field office that similar actions were conducted across Texas, calling the action “Operation Cross Check.” He said he would be following up to make sure the actions were targeting the worst offenders. The Chicago ICE office said similar actions in the Midwest netted more than 200 arrests in the states of Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Kansas and Missouri. While FOIA CBP 000746 DHS-17-0435-B-000043 21 Chicago said the targets were fugitives and criminals, the only data available about the individuals arrested was that the “majority” had prior criminal convictions. Some arrested during the Midwest sweep “will face criminal prosecutions by the US attorney’s office for illegal entry and illegal re-entry after deportation,” the office said. Trump’s orders expand powers of immigration officers Democrats, immigrant activists react Still, as Trump continues to talk about cracking down on illegal immigration, advocates remain concerned that the new administration could be stepping up enforcement against otherwise peaceful undocumented immigrants. On Thursday, protests sprang up at the deportation of Guadalupe Garcia de Rayos, a 35-year-old mother of two, who had checked in with ICE at an office in Phoenix the day before, as she had regularly since a 2008 conviction of using a fake Social Security number. Friday, Democrats decried the actions nationwide as needlessly causing fear for immigrant communities. “These reports show the serious consequences of the president’s executive order, which allows all undocumented immigrants to be categorized as criminals and requires increased enforcement in communities, rather than prioritizing dangerous criminals,” California Sen. Dianne Feinstein said in a statement responding to media reports of the stepped up enforcement, including some accounts that the actions were targeting low-priority undocumented immigrants, including family men and women. “The President wants to show off and it appears he has unleashed the Department of Homeland Security to kick-out large numbers of immigrants and anyone they encounter, without much oversight, review or due process,” said Illinois Democratic Rep. Luis Gutierrez. “The goal of such policies is to inject fear into immigrant communities, frighten families and children, and drive immigrants farther underground. It damages public safety and the fabric of American communities while putting a burden on local social services and the foster-care system.” Gutierrez’s concerns were echoed by Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, a Democrat from California. “I am outraged to hear of the recent ICE arrests in southern California. If the Trump administration is genuinely concerned about threats to American security, it should prioritize violent felons and others who pose real danger,” Roybal-Allard said in a statement. “My office has been working to get detailed information from ICE.” And a city councilman from Austin, Texas, said he was concerned that ICE was making a public show of force in his city as retribution for being a sanctuary city. “ICE actions like these are beyond reprehensible,” Greg Casar said in a statement. “They instill fear in the community, and they make everyday people fear for their lives.” Trump’s campaign promises on immigration Trump made cracking down on illegal immigration a central focus of his presidential campaign. While ICE characterized the actions as routine, fear remains that the Trump administration’s recent executive order beefing up interior enforcement of immigration laws could mean a vast expansion of deportations of undocumented immigrants. While the Obama administration had clear guidance prioritizing deportation of high-level criminals, an executive order signed by Trump in his first week set up enforcement priorities that could include virtually any undocumented immigrant living in the US. On Saturday, the President defend another part of his campaign promise on immigration, vowing to keep costs down on a border wall that would span the US southern border with Mexico. “I am reading that the great border WALL will cost more than the government originally thought, but I have not gotten involved in the ... design or negotiations yet. When I do, just like with the F-35 FighterJet or the Air Force One Program, price will come WAY DOWN!” Trump wrote in two consecutive tweets. Here’s how much Trump’s border wall will cost A Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman said overall about the agency’s actions that everything is “routine,” and are not part of casting a widespread net. “ICE Fugitive Operations teams are out every day as part of routine, targeted enforcement operations,” said acting press secretary Gillian Christensen. “These are existing, established fugitive operations teams. ICE does not conduct sweeps or raids that target aliens indiscriminately. ICE only conducts targeted enforcement of criminal aliens and other individuals who are in violation of our nation’s immigration laws.” DHS secretary John Kelly told reporters at San Ysidro Port of Entry between San Diego and Tijuana on Friday that his department isn’t “rounding anyone up.” “The people that ICE apprehend are people who are illegal and then some,” he said. “ICE is executing the law and I would tell you I’ve been around a lot of pretty darn good men and women in the armed forces and what I saw today, the professionalism that I personally observed in a very potentially dangerous environment gave me great pride.” Immigrant Advocates Decry Spate Of Arrests In LA By Amy Taxin Associated Press, February 10, 2017 Immigrant advocates on Friday decried a series of arrests that federal deportation agents said aimed to round up criminals in Southern California but they believe mark a shift in enforcement under the Trump administration. FOIA CBP 000747 DHS-17-0435-B-000044 22 Advocates began fielding calls Thursday from immigrants and their lawyers reporting raids at homes and businesses in the greater Los Angeles area. In one instance, agents knocked on one door looking for a man and ended up arresting another who is in the country illegally but has no criminal record – something Angelica Salas, the executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, said would not likely have happened previously. “This was not normal,” Salas told reporters Friday. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested about 160 people during a five-day sweep in Southern California aimed at immigrants with criminal histories and deportation orders, including a Salvadoran gang member wanted in his country and a Brazilian drug trafficker. David Marin, ICE field office director for enforcement and removal operations in greater Los Angeles, said the agency carries out these operations two or three times a year in his region. “These operations take weeks and sometimes months of planning, so this operation was in the planning stages before the administration came out with their current executive orders,” he told reporters. He said similar operations took place this week in Atlanta, New York and Chicago. Marin said 151 of those arrested in Southern California had criminal records. He said five people would not have met the Obama administration’s enforcement priorities but were arrested because they were found to be in the country illegally. U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, visiting the California-Mexico border on Friday, was asked if the Trump administration was stepping up enforcement. “They’re not rounding anyone up. The people that ICE apprehends are people who are illegal and then some,” he said. “ICE is executing the law.” Kelly said he joined ICE agents in San Diego on two house visits to deport people. He said one was “a particularly bad individual.” The announcement of the arrests comes days after an Arizona woman was arrested and deported to Mexico after what she thought was a routine check in with immigration officials and amid heightened anxiety among immigrant communities since Trump signed an executive order to expand deportations. A decade ago, immigration officers searching for specific individuals would often arrest others found along the way, a practice that drew criticism from advocates. Under the Obama administration, agents also carried out arrests but focused more narrowly on specific individuals. In the suburbs of Los Angeles, 50-year-old house painter Manuel Mosqueda was there when his fianc� answered the door, thinking it was police, his 21-year-old daughter Marlene said. “They were looking for someone else and they took my dad in the process,” she said. Karla Navarrete, a lawyer for CHIRLA, said she sought to stop Mosqueda from being placed on a bus to Mexico and was told by ICE that things had changed. She said another lawyer filed federal court papers to halt his removal. Salas said the agency provided scant details to lawyers who headed to the detention center in response to the phone calls, and in the past was more forthcoming with information. She also said there is increased anxiety in the community about immigration enforcement since Trump’s order. Democratic state lawmakers denounced the arrests and urged immigrants to know their rights and what to do if approached by federal authorities. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Federal Immigration Agency Says ‘Enforcement Surge’ Is Routine, Not Trump￾related Amid Protests By Denis Slattery, New York Daily News New York Daily News, February 10, 2017 A wave of arrests made by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials sparked fear and protests Friday as activists and advocates took to the streets. Immigration officials said the sweeps in New York, Southern California, Chicago and other cities were routine and not part of a promised crackdown vowed by President Trump. One man was arrested in Hudson, in upstate Columbia County, according to advocates. At least three others were picked up in surrounding counties, according to Brian MacCormack, an organizer with the Columbia County Sanctuary Movement. MacCormack said the group “condemns ICE’s activities in the area, and their attempt to separate families.” The man arrested in Hudson was being held at the Albany county jail. Guadalupe Garcia de Rayos, 36, was taken into custody Wednesday after coming to the U.S. at age 14. The government under the Obama administration had not deported her after she pleaded guilty to a felony plea a decade ago. (Puente Human Rights Movement via Facebook) Hundreds gathered at Foley Square in Lower Manhattan Friday evening to denounce the arrests and deportations. FOIA CBP 000748 DHS-17-0435-B-000045 23 Similar protests broke out in Los Angeles, Austin and Phoenix. Most of the United States’ 11.1 million unauthorized immigrants live in just 20 major metropolitan areas, with the largest populations in New York, Los Angeles and Houston, according to new Pew Research Center estimates based on government data. ICE officials said this week they conducted an “enforcement surge” that was no different than enforcement actions carried out in the past. While Trump has vowed to sharpen the federal focus on immigration, his predecessor quietly increased the number of deportations. Members of the family of Garcia de Rayos stand with supporters at a news conference in front of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Phoenix. (Steve Fluty/AP) Roughly 2 million people were deported under President Obama. But immigrant rights groups say the actions are harsher than in the past. A mother of two teens who left Mexico when she was 14 and entered the U.S. illegally was deported earlier this week. Guadalupe Garcia de Rayos, 36, was taken into custody Wednesday in Arizona during one of her regular check-ins with ICE. Garcia de Rayos was arrested nearly a decade ago for using a false ID to get a job as a janitor at an amusement park. Police detain a suspect during an operation in Los Angeles this past Tuesday. David Marin, of ICE, said removal operations in greater L.A. occur two to three times a year. (Courtesy Charles Reed/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via Reuters) She pleaded guilty to a felony charge, but the government during the Obama years declined to deport her despite her being in the country illegally. On Wednesday, she showed up at the ICE building in Phoenix for a scheduled check-in with immigration officers and was swiftly deported to Mexico. Officials denied that the rash of raids was in any way linked to President Trump’s executive order targeting illegal immigration and sanctuary cities. David Marin, ICE’s field office director for enforcement and removal operations in greater Los Angeles, told the Associated Press the agency carries out such operations two or three times a year in his region. He said the California operation was in the planning stages “before the administration came out with their current executive orders.” Most undocumented immigrants live in Houston, New York and Los Angeles, according to new Pew Research Center estimates based on government data. Roughly 160 people were arrested during a five-day sweep in Southern California aimed at immigrants with criminal histories and deportation orders, officials said. A Salvadoran gang member wanted in his country and a Brazilian drug trafficker were among those arrested. The agency said a “rash of recent reports about purported ICE checkpoints and random sweeps are false, dangerous and irresponsible.” In a statement, ICE said “officers frequently encounter additional suspects who may be in the United States in violation of the federal immigration laws. Those persons will be evaluated on a case by case basis and, when appropriate, arrested by ICE.” Hundreds Rally In NYC To Protest Against Immigration Raids Newsday (NY), February 11, 2017 Hundreds of protesters spilled onto Greenwich Village streets, blocking traffic and sidewalks where pedestrians and drivers waved in support, as demonstrators decried the arrests of hundreds of undocumented immigrants this past week. Demonstrators Saturday afternoon held signs that read “No Human is Illegal,” “No Ban. No registry” and “ICE Free New York City.” ICE is Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the federal agency that led the immigration raids across six states, including New York. More than 500 protesters peacefully rallied inside Washington Square Park, taking special aim at the NYPD’s “broken windows” policy that targets low-level crimes such as selling food on street corners without permits. “People are being deported for jumping turnstiles to women selling churros to men on bikes who are delivering food,” said Jasmar Trujillo, 38, of the Coalition to End Broken Windows. “Broken windows puts our most vulnerable at risk,” he shouted. Demonstrators responded with chants of “No Trump. No KKK. No fascist USA” to the beat of drums and cheers. Jamie Heinz, 72, of Manhattan, who has attended a dozen marches and rallies since the election of President Donald Trump, said she is inspired by the public protests. “There is major hope with all these people resisting. We cannot give up,” said Heinz, who participated in the Woolworth lunch counter sit-ins to protest Jim Crow segregation as part of the civil rights movement. “People are pressing his [Trump’s] thin skin,” Heinz said of the daily marches and rallies. “As long as we resist there is hope.” Protesters marched to the NYPD’s 6th Precinct, where demonstrators blocked the main entrance and caused more than a dozen officers to file onto the street with plastic FOIA CBP 000749 DHS-17-0435-B-000046 24 handcuffs. A loud speaker recording warned demonstrators to disperse or face arrest for disorderly conduct. No one was arrested. Manhattan protester Elliot Crown, 45, a puppeteer and artist who donned a paper mask of Trump with a fake plastic crown, said: “We all have to stand up and restore democracy and strengthen our Constitution. We have never faced these challenges. It is time for all good people to stand up.” Amid the rally, Colin Huggins, 39, of Manhattan played his piano under the Washington Square Park arch with a sign that read “This Machine Kills Fascists.” “I have a rebel streak like Chopin and Beethoven, who fought their political oppressors through their music too,” said Huggins, who played an excerpt from a Chopin concerto in support of the French Revolution. Under Trump Order, Immigration Agents Raid ‘Target-rich’ Communities In Texas, Elsewhere Dallas Morning News, February 10, 2017 Some activists in Austin and Los Angeles suggested that the raids might be retaliation for those cities’ so-called “sanctuary city” policies. A government aide familiar with the raids said it is possible the predominantly daytime operations — a departure from the Obama administration’s night raids — meant to “send a message to the community that the Trump deportation force is in effect.” Frank Sharry, executive director of America’s Voice, a pro-immigrant advocacy group, said the wave of detentions harks back to the George W. Bush administration, when workplace raids to sweep up all undocumented workers were common. The Obama administration conducted a spate of raids, and also pursued a more aggressive deportation policy than any previous president, sending more than 400,000 people back to their birth countries at the height of his deportations in 2012. The public outcry over the lengthy detentions and deportations of women, children and people with minor offenses led Obama in his second term to prioritize convicted criminals for deportation. A DHS official confirmed that while immigration agents were targeting criminals, given the broader range defined by Trump’s executive order they also were sweeping up non￾criminals in the vicinity who were found to be lacking documentation. It was unclear how many of the people detained would have been excluded under Obama’s policy. Federal immigration officials, as well as activists, said that the majority of those detained were adult men, and that no children were taken into custody. “Big cities tend to have a lot of illegal immigrants,” said one immigration official who was not authorized to speak publicly because of the sensitive nature of the operation. “They’re going to a target-rich environment.” Immigrant rights groups said they were planning protests in response to the raids, including one Friday evening in Federal Plaza in New York City, and a vigil in Los Angeles. “We cannot understate the level of panic and terror that is running through many immigrant communities,” said Walter Barrientos of Make the Road in New York City, who spoke on a conference call with immigration advocates. “We’re trying to make sure that families who have been impacted are getting legal services as quickly as possible. We’re trying to do some legal triage,” said Bob Libal, the executive director of Grassroots Leadership, which provides assistance and advocacy work to immigrants in Austin. “It’s chaotic,” he said. The organization’s hotline, he said, had been overwhelmed with calls. Jeanette Vizguerra, 35, a Mexican house cleaner whose permit to stay in the country expired this week, said Friday during the conference call that she was newly apprehensive about her scheduled meeting with ICE next week. Fearing deportation, Vizguerra, a Denver mother of four including three who are U.S. citizens, said through an interpreter that she had called on activists and supporters to accompany her to the meeting. “I know I need to mobilize my community, but I know my freedom is at risk here,” Vizguerra said through an interpreter. NYC Immigrant Communities Shaken After Federal Raids Led To Around 40 Arrests By Edgar Sandoval, New York Daily News New York Daily News, February 13, 2017 The pews were unusually empty at St. Roch Catholic Church on Staten Island Sunday. Many of the church’s immigrant parishioners were afraid to leave the house. A wave of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids across the metropolitan area last week — resulting in the arrest of about 40 people, according to the agency — has sent shock waves of fear through New York’s heavily immigrant communities. People said they worry their families will be torn apart. And business owners said they won’t be able to stay afloat as their usual customers stop spending to prepare for the worst. “Yes, we are afraid. You hear about all of these raids going on. Of course, they are going to stop you if you are Hispanic. You feel like you have a target on your back,” said a 62-year-old Peruvian immigrant who attended service at St. Roch in Port Richmond. “All you can do is pray.” The church is in the area where, a day earlier, ICE pulled four Mexican men from their homes, and arrested FOIA CBP 000750 DHS-17-0435-B-000047 25 another Mexican man outside the courthouse, sources said. Four of the men have children. The Rev. Edmund Whalen told the Daily News he usually preached to a full house on Sunday, but his church was half-empty. “There is a sense of uncertainty. They don’t know what’s coming next,” he said. A nearby Honduran and Mexican restaurant, La Catracha, was also quiet. “Usually the place is filled with families. But today is empty. No one is leaving their homes. They are afraid,” said the owner Diana Matute, 40. “If this keeps up, I may have to close.” Nearly 40% of the city’s population of 8.2 million is foreign-born, according to a 2013 study by the City Planning Commission. In at least nine neighborhoods, more than half the residents are foreign-born. ICE said nearly 95% of the foreign nationals arrested in the New York area over the past week were criminal aliens, fugitives or illegal reentrants. They were among more than 600 people arrested across the nation in 11 states, officials said. The agency called the raids “routine, daily, targeted operations.” An ICE official noted the agency is obligated to implement orders by federal judges ordering deportations. “The President has been clear in saying that (the Homeland Security Department) should be focused on removing individuals who pose a threat to public safety, who have been charged with criminal offenses, who have committed multiple immigration violations or who have been deported and reentered the country illegally,” the official said. 18 photos view gallery Thousands protest Trump’s travel ban at Brooklyn Borough Hall Deborah Axt, co-executive director of the immigration advocacy group Make the Road New York, said she’s concerned about the agency’s definition of “public safety threats.” “Make no mistake: This definition is broad enough to cover nearly anyone who came to this country to survive, to put food in their children’s mouths, or to flee violence and persecution,” she said. The Legal Aid Society’s immigration law unit established a hotline — (844) 955-3425 — for people seeking answers about the wave of enforcement. Society supervising attorney Sarah Gilman said “communities are really taken by surprise and thrown into a state of disarray, panic and fear” by the raids. ICE would not give any details about those detained in the New York area, but said it planned to release more information Monday, including “final statistics and photographs.” Meanwhile, people all over the city are in panic. On Saturday an apparently unfounded rumor spread like wildfire across Facebook and Twitter, warning people to avoid Roosevelt Ave. and Junction Blvd. in Queens because 10 ICE officers had set up a checkpoint to detain undocumented immigrants. The neighborhood, Corona, is home to 66,259 foreign￾born New Yorkers, or 64% of the neighborhood’s total population. Business owners at the intersection said there were notably fewer people going out to eat on Sunday — likely due to the rumor. “Ever since the ICE rumors started yesterday, I haven’t seen many customers around. Sundays are usually good days,” said Maria Crespo, 70, an immigrant from Ecuador who works at the eatery Chola Cuencana. ICE called reports of checkpoints and sweeps “false, dangerous and irresponsible.” The NYPD said it did not participate in the raids. The agency’s efforts were not entirely new. President Barack Obama was referred to derisively by advocates as “the deporter-in-chief.” He oversaw deportations of 2.5 million people — more than any other administration in history. In Washington Heights, where 80,174 people — or 49% of the neighborhood population — are foreign-born, families had conversations about what to do should one of them be deported. “I’m scared. We’ve always been scared because of our situation, but now it feels different. It feels like they are out looking for us, for everyone who is undocumented,” said an undocumented Mexican deliveryman who would only give his name as Cruz. He said he and his wife had talked to their children, who are citizens ages 13 and 18, about the worst￾case scenario. Maria Crespo sells food near the intersection of Roosevelt Ave. and Junction Blvd. in Queens. Crespo said she hasn’t seen many customers since the rumors of an ICE checkpoint started. (Aaron Showalter/New York Daily News) “I tell my kids don’t do anything wrong ever, not the smallest thing,” he said, adding that he’d told them not even to give someone a free subway swipe. “If you get a ticket they will look at everyone in our family and that will be it. It’s not safe, you have to act perfect.” Favio Ramirez-Caminatti, the executive director of El Centro del Inmigrante on Staten Island, said there had been a surge in people seeking free legal assistance. Prior to President Trump taking office, the center worked with 80 to 85 people a day. Now, as many as 150 people are seeking help at the center. “They are really afraid about what can happen,” Ramirez-Caminatti, 32, said. The anxiety extended to Long Island, where Aldair Gonzalez, 23, said he has seen ICE patrolling Southern Parkway and in his neighborhood in Syosset. He and his parents are undocumented. FOIA CBP 000751 DHS-17-0435-B-000048 26 “My parents are scared to leave the house, they’re telling me to lock the door, don’t leave the house unless you need to,” said Gonzalez, a premed student at Stony Brook University. “What can you do? If you’re undocumented it’s either staying inside or face the fact you might get deported.” Advocates said the confusion over the wave of raids was reminiscent of the chaos at international airports around the country after Trump suddenly implemented his executive order last month temporarily banning refugees, along with citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries, from entering the country. Hundreds, including Mayor de Blasio, endured freezing rain in Battery Park on Sunday to protest the ban. “No freezing rain is going to stop us from fighting for justice, right?” de Blasio said in front of Castle Clinton National Monument. “An attack on refugees is an attack on all of us.” Demonstrators At Baltimore’s Patterson Park March In Defense Of Immigrants Baltimore Sun, February 12, 2017 Crowds that stretched more than a city block marched from the Highlandtown library and wrapped around Patterson Park on Sunday afternoon, shouting “No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here!” Organizers said they called the rally to protest recent arrests by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Baltimore and Baltimore County. They said multiple individuals have been stopped by federal agents without cause and have been detained. “People are terrified; they’re afraid,” said Maria Gabriela Aldana Enriquez, the education director for the Creative Alliance in Patterson Park and a rally organizer. ICE officials said they could not confirm any arrests without more information, and a city police spokesman said he was unaware of any recent ICE arrests in Baltimore. Nationwide, advocacy groups say federal agents rounded up hundreds of undocumented immigrants last week in New York, California, Illinois, Texas and other states. Aldana Enriquez said she and others felt compelled to show support for the immigrant community following a series of executive orders by President Donald J. Trump. In his first weeks in office, Trump has signed orders to build a wall on the Southwest border, to hire more agents who conduct deportations, to take federal funding away from so-called “sanctuary cities,” to suspend refugee admissions and to ban visitors from seven predominantly Muslim countries. He has said the orders, which fulfill campaign promises, will make the country more safe. A federal judge stayed the ban on visitors from the seven Muslim countries, and a federal appeals court upheld the stay last week. At the rally Sunday, several speakers spoke of the arrest of a man stopped in Highlandtown last week. Aldana Enriquez did not have details about the arrest and did not give his name to a reporter. “We are very concerned about ICE officials dressing up as police officers” and detaining people, she said. She also referred to what she said have been more than a dozen recent arrests in Baltimore County and two others in Baltimore, but she did not have specifics. ICE officials said they could not confirm the arrest of a man in Highlandtown without more information and denied any alleged raid or impersonation tactics. “ICE regularly conducts targeted enforcement operations during which additional resources and personnel are dedicated to apprehending deportable foreign nationals. All enforcement activities are conducted with the same level of professionalism and respect that ICE officers exhibit every day,” spokeswoman Sarah Rodriguez in a statement. “The focus of these targeted enforcement operations is consistent with the routine, targeted arrests carried out by ICE’s Fugitive Operations Teams on a daily basis,” she said. Officials said the agency, part of the Department of Homeland Security, is responsible for enforcing national immigration policy, including carrying out deportation orders issued by federal court judges. Baltimore County police did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday night. Baltimore City Police Commissioner Kevin Davis said this month that city police wouldn’t ask residents for proof of citizenship. “We’re your Baltimore Police Department, and we don’t care about your immigration status,” he said. “We will not check your immigration status and we do not have a database to check your immigration status,” Davis said.” Aldana Enriquez said the rally was also intended to express concerns about federal immigration enforcement tactics to local leaders. City Councilman Zeke Cohen attended the rally. In brief remarks to the crowd, he told ICE officials to “get out of Baltimore,” drawing cheers from the crowd. Some marchers carried signs that read “No Human is Illegal.” Some people who were walking their dogs in the park joined the march. Others stopped and watched from the sidewalk, taking pictures. Some residents heard the chanting and came out of their houses to watch from their stoops. A few drivers, held up by the crowd, honked their horns in support. One man stopped to shout “We love Trump!” and shook his fist. FOIA CBP 000752 DHS-17-0435-B-000049 27 Trumps Deportation Force Begins Raids On Undocumented Immigrants Daily Beast, February 11, 2017 President Donald Trump’s deportation force promise may be coming true. Over the last five days, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents conducted what they call an “enforcement surge” in the Los Angeles area, arresting more than 160 undocumented immigrants. Immigrants’ rights groups and lawyers told The Daily Beast that ICE also increased its enforcement activities—including, in some cases, in apartment buildings—in a number of cities around the country, including Atlanta, Phoenix, Charlotte, and Austin. ICE officials and the White House say this is normal. Activists, lawyers, and members of Congress say it’s a major change—and likely just the beginning. “The muscle to do this kind of stuff is here—it’s just that the leash has been taken off,” said Sarah Owings, an immigration attorney in Atlanta. “They’re out and they’re hunting.” Owings said upward of 40 undocumented immigrants have been detained in the Savanna, Georgia, area over the last two days, according to the family of an undocumented immigrant currently detained there. And she said she knows of two apartment complexes with high concentrations of Latino residents where ICE officers went door-to-door looking for specific individuals. When people opened their doors, Owings said, the ICE officers would ask everyone present to show proof that they were in the United States legally. “They’re picking up and rounding up anyone they can get,” she said. In a statement, an ICE spokesperson criticized recent media coverage of the Los Angeles apprehensions. “The rash of recent reports about purported ICE checkpoints and random sweeps are false, dangerous, and irresponsible,” the spokesperson said. “These reports create panic and put communities and law enforcement personnel in unnecessary danger. Individuals who falsely report such activities are doing a disservice to those they claim to support.” On Feb. 9, an ICE official told reporters on background that reports the agency arrested 100 people in the Los Angeles area that day were “grossly exaggerated.” Virginia Kice, an ICE spokesperson, told The Daily Beast there were 38 arrests in the L.A. area that day. Kice and Michael Short, a White House senior assistant press secretary, both told The Daily Beast that the enforcement activities were routine. Many immigration activists and Capitol Hill Democrats say they doubt that. Rep. Raúl Grijalva, a Democrat from Arizona, told The Daily Beast that among his conference, there’s “not much” confidence in the agency’s statements. And Bob Libal, the executive director of Grassroots Leadership—a group based in Austin that opposes immigrant detention and deportation—said he suspected the agency may have targeted Austin because of frustration over the county sheriff’s recently announced refusal to comply with ICE’s detainer requests. Libal said his group estimates that about two dozen undocumented immigrants have been arrested by ICE agents on Feb. 9 and 10. “We have a deportation defense hotline and it’s ringing off the hook,” he said. He added that he wasn’t aware of a time in recent memory when that many undocumented immigrants were arrested in Austin in such a short period of time. “This is a level of intimidation that seems new,” he said. “And our community is not going to be intimidated. “It very much feels retaliatory,” he added. “It feels like a vicious attack.” Grijalva said he thought the enforcement surge may be a response to Trump’s recent defeat in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, where a three-judge panel moved unanimously to block enforcement of his travel ban. “Every time he gets hit politically, like in the 9th Circuit, his reaction is to go back to that mantra and use it and use it,” Grijalva said, of Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric during the campaign. “Except now it’s not campaign rhetoric. “I’m not a conspiracy-theory person,” he added. “But it walks like a duck. It’s gotta be a duck.” Short said that’s completely wrong. “They are routine, enforcement operations targeting criminals,” Short said. “Rep. Grijalva’s comments couldn’t be further from the truth.” Kice said ICE’s enforcement activities are motivated solely by public safety and law enforcement concerns. “Our enforcement operations are lead-driven and they are targeted,” she said. And David Marin, who helps head ICE’s Los Angeles field office, told reporters on a conference call on Friday evening that the L.A. enforcement activity was “nothing out of the ordinary.” “These are targeted enforcement operations, nothing different than what we’ve been doing for the past five, six, seven years,” he said. Immigration activists point to one of Trump’s first executive orders as the impetus behind the enforcement surge. In a blog post, Azadeh Erfani of the Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights Coalition wrote that the president’s Jan. 25 executive order titled “Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States” made upward of 8 million undocumented immigrants top priorities for deportation. “Our immigrant community likely will experience the paradox of being both at the margins of society and the target of law enforcement,” Erfani wrote. FOIA CBP 000753 DHS-17-0435-B-000050 28 Trump hasn’t kept all his immigration-crackdown campaign promises; despite making it a key campaign issue, the president has yet to undo the temporary deportation protections that President Barack Obama made available to undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children. A staffer for a Democratic congressional office that frequently criticized the Obama administration’s immigration enforcement practices said the week’s enforcement uptick was uniquely concerning. He said that though the ICE conducted raids that resulted in dozens of arrests during Obama’s presidency, this particular surge worries activists because it’s happening in so many cities around the country at the same time and in the wake of Trump’s executive order. Some Hill Democrats worry this could be the new normal, he added. Owings said she shares that concern—to a limit. “It will happen until the beds are full,” she said. “They’ll have to stop at some point, right?” Obama’s Lethal Deportation Machine: Trump’s Anti-immigration Measures Are Intense, But Nothing New Salon, February 11, 2017 On Jan. 18, Barack Obama used his final press conference as president to pledge to the public that he will speak up if the administration of Donald Trump crosses a line, whether that’s imposing “systematic discrimination” or silencing the press. “There’s a difference between that normal functioning of politics and certain issues or certain moments where I think our core values may be at stake,” Obama told journalists assembled in the White House briefing room. “I would put in that category efforts to round up kids who have grown up here and for all practical purposes are American kids and send them someplace else.” Yet the president’s palliative remarks that afternoon concealed a more harrowing truth: Sweeps and forced expulsions of children would not constitute a break with norms of his own administration, which oversaw more deportations than any other in U.S. history. During Obama’s tenure, mass incarceration of mothers and their children became a mainstay of the U.S. response to the violent displacement of peoples across Central America. And amid the greatest refugee crisis since World War II, Obama has greatly expanded the deportation machine, overseeing a higher number of border patrols than any previous administration. That deportation machine is now being handed to Trump, whose administration is aggressively delivering on his campaign pledges to slam the door on refugees and migrants. “We have to remain vigilant of what Obama’s actual policies were, and not just pay attention to the rhetoric,” Tania Unzueta, an organizer with the Chicago-based Organized Communities Against Deportation (OCAD) and Mijente, told AlterNet. “If you look at the actual policies from the White House and how they impacted our communities, it is obvious that the policies were bad and were harming people.” Forced expulsions During his tenure, Obama forcibly deported more than 2.5 million people — a figure that does not include those refused entry at the border, self-deported due to the climate of fear or died trying to reach safe haven. This number of expulsions is not only unprecedented, but marked an increase of 23 percent from the George W. Bush administration. These deportations played out in harrowing scenes across the country, right through the final year of Obama’s presidency. In the beginning of 2016, former Department of Homeland Security secretary Jeh Johnson presided over a significant escalation in raids targeting immigrants, migrants and refugees primarily from Central American countries. “Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents barged into homes, even when asked for warrants at the door, removing mothers and children as young as four years old,” the advocacy organization Not1More Deportation reported in January 2016. This targeting accelerated last spring, with ICE boasting in May that it had “arrested 331 individuals during a month￾long operation targeting criminal aliens and other immigration violators in six Midwestern states.” When Johnson was invited to deliver the commencement address at the Nashville-based Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet High School last May, he was shouted down by community members, including teachers of nine high school students who had been detained since the beginning of the year. “Education, not deportation! Stop the raids!” the protesters chanted. But these violent sweeps date back further still. In December 2013, the New Orleans Workers’ Center for Racial Justice released a report detailing an ICE-enforced program of “race-based community raids” known as the Criminal Alien Removal Initiative. According to Saket Soni, the executive director of the workers’ center, the program enforced “indiscriminate community raids at apartment complexes, grocery stores, laundromats, Bible study groups and parks based purely on racial profiling. Often working with local law enforcement, New Orleans ICE arrests people who appear Latino and uses high-tech mobile bio-metric devices, first created for U.S. military use in Iraq and Afghanistan, to conduct immediate bio-metric record checks. Most people are handcuffed before the fingerprinting begins, and based on the results, many are immediately separated from their families and transported to ICE detention centers for deportation.” Unzueta said that such raids give a glimpse of what an escalated crackdown could look like under Trump. “We know FOIA CBP 000754 DHS-17-0435-B-000051 29 a little bit about how these raids could look because they were done under Obama,” she said. Increased criminalization The spike in deportations has been coupled with the continuation of the country’s unrivaled prison industrial complex. Shortly after Obama was elected, he expanded the so-called “Secure Communities” program created under George W. Bush. Established as a collaboration between DHS and the Department of Justice, Secure Communities relied on collaboration between local, state and federal law enforcement to target undocumented people ensnared in the criminal justice system and labeled “criminals.” The program has worsened racial profiling and escalated the criminalization and deportation of undocumented people across the United States. Advocates have long decried the division of undocumented people into “good” and “bad” immigrants based on their incarceration histories, underscoring that everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity. Under George W. Bush, the program existed in only 14 counties. In 2009, that number ballooned to 88. By 2012, it was ubiquitous across the country. Thanks to sustained grassroots resistance led by the communities targeted, Obama announced in 2014 that he was ending the program. But its replacement — the Priority Enforcement Program — still relies on the targeting of people caught in the prison industrial complex. Meanwhile, Obama escalated prosecutions against people seeking to move across the U.S. border. Marisa Franco and Carlos Garcia noted for the Nation in June, “Within two years of coming into office, President Obama doubled the number of people being prosecuted for reentry by expanding Bush’s border-court system, Operation Streamline, which tries up to 70 people per day in a cattle line of sentences. The experiment went from three jurisdictions in 2008 to every single border sector except California by 2010. From the time of its invention in 2005 to just four years later in 2009, Streamline sent over 209,000 individuals to serve federal prison sentences for no reason other than crossing the border.” The rise in criminal prosecutions impacted borderlands as well as the internal United States. The advocacy organization Grassroots Leadership reported in 2012 that “From 2008 to 2011, unauthorized reentry convictions (8 U.S.C. § 1326) in court districts not on the Southwest border increased by the greatest margin of any four-year period in history, more than double that of the previous four years.” Meanwhile, Obama expanded the 287(g) program, which was authorized in 1996 by former President Bill Clinton. According to ICE, the program “allows a state or local law enforcement entity to enter into a partnership with ICE, under a joint Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), in order to receive delegated authority for immigration enforcement within their jurisdictions.” The program expanded immigration enforcement powers to local police, giving them the authority target undocumented people in the streets and in jails, leading to an escalation in racial profiling. While the Obama administration later partially scaled back 287(g), Trump has referenced this initiative and Secure Communities as models to emulate and “revitalize.” The Obama years have not been without hard-fought gains by the immigrant justice movement. The Dreamer movement of undocumented students successfully pressed Obama to take executive action in 2012 and pass Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). But even this reform, which grants limited deportation reprieve to some undocumented young people who came to the country as children, is being targeted by the Trump administration. Now, those Dreamers who fought for DACA are teaming up with undocumented people across the country to build Movimiento Cosecha, or Harvest Movement. They are preparing to go on the offensive during the Trump years, building towards the ultimate goal of launching “massive civil resistance and non￾cooperation” to defend the dignity and safety of the estimated 11 million undocumented people living in the United States. Family incarceration In 2014, the mass detention of families fleeing violence and poverty in Central America became the cornerstone of Obama’s response to the displacement crisis, which was exacerbated by U.S. policies in the region. As the Detention Watch Network explains, “Family detention is the inhumane and unjust policy of jailing immigrant mothers with their children — including babies. Upon arrival in the United States, families are locked up in remote and punitive detention centers, with little access to legal and social services, often experiencing widespread human and civil rights violations.” The large-scale incarceration of children was condemned by human rights organizations, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and a survivor of a World War II￾era Japanese-American internment camp. And it has been loudly protested by detained mothers, who have waged repeated hunger strikes and issued public letters decrying their conditions and indefinite detention. “We are desperate because this will be the second Christmas that our children have to spend here,” seventeen prisoners at the Berks County Family Detention Center wrote to state authorities ahead of the 2016 holiday season. “This is in addition to all the other special dates — such as the birthdays of our children and our own, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, etc. — that we have had to spend in this jail . . . We ask you, seventeen desperate mothers, to give the biggest gift to our children of being able to spend Christmas among family.” In an Aug. 10 open letter to Jeh Johnson, 22 mothers imprisoned at the Berks Family Residential Center wrote, “Our children, who range in age from 2 to 16, have been FOIA CBP 000755 DHS-17-0435-B-000052 30 deprived of a normal life. We are already traumatized from our countries of origin. We risked our own lives and those of our children so we could arrive on safe ground. While here, our children have considered committing suicide, made desperate from confinement. The teenagers say that being here, life makes no sense. One of our children said he wanted to break the window to jump out and end this nightmare.” Yet, the Obama administration has aggressively fought court efforts to shut down these family prisons, leaving intact an infrastructure that allows U.S. authorities to incarcerate thousands of mothers and their children. Family internment does not include the tens of thousands of other people who have been detained on immigration charges, a number that ICE put at 42,000 last year. High levels of incarceration have fed the booming private prison industry, even as it supposedly fell out of favor with the Obama administration’s justice department. Like family detention centers, private and public immigration prisons have faced rolling hunger strikes. Immigrant detention is consistent with the U.S. track record of remaining, under Obama, the world’s largest jailer by far. Border militarization Obama’s funneling of public resources to ICE and other deportation initiatives has aided and abetted these nationwide sweeps. According to the American Immigration Council, “The number of Border Patrol agents deployed between ports of entry roughly doubled from 10,717 in FY 2003 to 21,394 in FY 2012. At the same time, the number of CBP officers working at ports of entry grew from 17,279 to 21,423. And the number of ICE agents devoted to Enforcement and Removal Operations more than doubled from 2,710 to 6,338.” Immigration authorities are responsible for the systematic disappearing and deadly targeting of migrants, as outlined in a must-read report released in December 2016 by the Arizona-based organizations Derechos Humanos and No More Deaths/No Más Muertes. The Clinton-era “Prevention Through Deterrence” plan imposed in the mid-1990s has “pushed migration into increasingly remote corridors,” the report states. “In turn, Border Patrol agents have been tasked with apprehending migrants, refugees and other border crossers in the isolated, vast expanses of wilderness between official ports of entry. With the exception of those border crossers who have already decided to surrender to border agents, the sole method of apprehension available to Border Patrol personnel is chase through deadly terrain.” “Border Patrol agents chase border crossers through the remote terrain and utilize the landscape as a weapon to slow down, injure and apprehend them,” the report states, noting that such chases “lead to heat exhaustion and dehydration, blisters and sprains, injuries due to falls and drownings.” Meanwhile, border patrol agents “regularly assault border crossers at the culmination of a chase.” In remote areas, excessive force often takes the form of “beatings, Tasers, dog attacks and assault with vehicles,” the report states. The result is a crisis of deaths and missing persons in the borderlands. According to the report, which draws on the testimony of border crossers and hundreds of cases from the Missing Migrant Crisis Line, tens of thousands of people have disappeared since the 1990s, with 1,200 going missing last year alone. “We run as if we were blind, as if we had a cloth over our eyes,” one unnamed border crosser who suffered wounds after running into a barbed-wire fence, told researchers. “Border Patrol can see everything though, and they know where the fences and the cliffs are. They will chase you towards them.” “The known disappearance of thousands of people in the remote wilderness of the U.S.-Mexico border zone marks one of the great historical crimes of our day,” the investigation concludes. “Remembering lessons” “It’s really important to understand that there is already this massive deportation machine that was constructed by Obama,” Bethany Carson, researcher and organizer for Grassroots Leadership, told AlterNet. “The massive nature of our immigration enforcement system already is widely misunderstood and underestimated, as well as the fact that there is a very militarized border that is harder to cross than any time in our history.” Carson warned that this apparatus is now in the hands of an even more dangerous administration. “The kind of prioritization Trump is doing is no prioritization at all,” she said. “The way he has expanded who he is prioritizing for deportation means every single immigrant who is now removable is going to be a priority. Now we are seeing that Trump is very willing to sign these authoritarian and outrageous executive orders that constitute an all-out attack on immigrant communities.” Trump’s first two weeks in the White House have been met with growing resistance, as millions around the world have taken to the streets, flooded airports and protested American embassies. Communities are staging popular assemblies and holding trainings to prepare for rapid response to defend their neighbors against a potential spike in mass expulsions. Amid this groundswell is a nationwide push, led by undocumented communities and the Movement for Black Lives, demanding an expansion of sanctuary to defend everyone from state-sanctioned violence, including deportations, police violence and mass imprisonment. This movement is not just calling for a return to Obama-era policies, but demanding an improvement on what came before so that real sanctuary is afforded to all: immigrants, refugees, black, poor, Muslim and LGBTQ communities. “We need to hold people to high standards,” said Unzueta. “We have to remember that Democrats have also FOIA CBP 000756 DHS-17-0435-B-000053 31 pushed anti-immigrant policy. We have to remember the lessons we learned under Obama. The conversation about sanctuary cities is a popular response to that. We have seen that we need to deal with criminalization and police if we want true sanctuary in our cities and towns. We need to look beyond rhetoric and statements and look at how actual policies are affecting our communities.” Steller: Tucson Police To Be Tested By Trump Deportation Plans Arizona Daily Star, February 11, 2017 A new era of deportations began last week, raising pressure not just on those who might be rounded up but also on local police likely to get caught in the middle of new immigration conflicts. When Guadalupe Garcia de Rayos checked in at the immigration office in Phoenix Wednesday — something that had been a regular routine in the Obama era — she ended up detained, then deported to Nogales, Sonora. On the way to Mexico, the mother of two U.S. citizens passed through Tucson, the hometown of the man whose Social Security number she had, fatefully, used to get a job. The man, a 32-year-old Tucson native named Alex Andrade, has not had any problems as a result of her crime, he told me Friday. In fact, the courts did not even treat him formally as a crime victim in the case. The Obama administration’s deportation priorities apparently exempted Garcia de Rayos because her crime, though a felony, was “a state or local offense for which an essential element was the alien’s immigration status.” But the crime she had committed, using Andrade’s SSN and another man’s alien ID number, made her highly deportable under a Jan. 25 order by President Trump. It targets anyone in the country who has committed any crime — not just felonies or repeated misdemeanors. It also targets anyone charged with a crime in cases that haven’t been resolved. It even targets those in the country illegally who have “committed acts that constitute a chargeable criminal offense,” a catch-all category for pretty much anybody. But these federal agents alone can’t be expected to find and deport that many targeted people. There simply aren’t enough of them. That means, if Trump really wants to achieve this goal, local police will be called on to help. Trump has said as much in his orders. He wants to revive the Secure Communities programs that reigned from 2008 to 2014 and counted on deputizing local police as immigration officers. In one Jan. 25 executive order, Trump laid out this plan: “It is the policy of the executive branch to empower state and local law enforcement agencies across the country to perform the functions of an immigration officer in the interior of the United States to the maximum extent permitted by law.” The change was dismaying to Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus. I interviewed him Monday before he went to Washington, D.C., for a conference of police chiefs where both President Trump and Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly spoke. “I think everybody understands that there are some dangerous, violent folks out there who need to go back to whatever country they came from,” Magnus said. “When we start going beyond that and start talking about stepping away from the Priority Enforcement Program, PEP, that a lot of police chiefs and sheriffs and community leaders from around the country have worked to create — to step away from that is a mistake.” “The old Secure Communities model that says every undocumented person is the same — they’re all criminals and they’ll have to go — is not only really harmful to the community policing philosophy, but it also makes communities less safe,” Magnus said. Secure Communities “was completely unworkable and it created a climate that made it a lot harder to fight crime and get cooperation from people that we need to have relationships with.” Magnus and new Pima County Sheriff Mark Napier agreed, when I interviewed them separately, that resources are too scarce for local police departments to start engaging in immigration enforcement. “Local law enforcement’s first objective is to do traditional law enforcement for the constituents of their jurisdiction,” Napier said. “That should always be the priority. My department and TPD are stressed just to be able to do that.” In his first months as sheriff, Napier, a Republican, has retained the same policy that former Sheriff Chris Nanos, a Democrat, had on how to inform immigration officials when an undocumented inmate is to be released. If ICE has told the jail that they want to take custody of an inmate, the jail will inform them when that inmate starts the process of being released. Usually, that gives immigration officials 1ƒ to two hours of notice, Napier said. If they don’t show up, the person goes free under whatever terms their release dictates. But a relatively hands-off policy by our top local police chiefs doesn’t mean officers won’t come into conflicts nonetheless. In recent years, protesters repeatedly showed up when TPD officers called Border Patrol agents for help with criminal suspects who officers had concluded were in the country illegally. Protesters blocked streets and climbed under vehicles. It got heated. Similar scenes occurred in Phoenix on Wednesday night. Protesters blocked all the exits to the ICE facility where Garcia de Rayos was being held, going so far as to climb into the wheel wells of ICE vehicles. Phoenix police showed up and, after warning the protesters, made several arrests. FOIA CBP 000757 DHS-17-0435-B-000054 32 Don’t be surprised to see similar scenarios cropping up in Tucson soon. “There are a lot of community advocacy groups. Then you have protection networks,” Juanita Molina of the Border Action Network told me Friday. “We’re going to see a lot of civil disobedience and resistance.” Even more complicated scenarios could present themselves. What if, I asked Magnus, immigration officers show up at a Tucson home to arrest a deportable person and the U.S. citizen family members call 911 asking for help dealing with the federal agents? “Can we or would we stand in the way of federal agents doing their job? I don’t think that’s realistic,” he said. “I’m afraid the answer to that is no. I hope it doesn’t come to that, that’s for sure.” Based on last week’s events, though, no one should be surprised if it does. Amid Rumors Of Trump ICE Immigration Raids At Churches, Support Rolls Into KC Kansas City (MO) Star, February 12, 2017 Fear of an immigration crackdown led by an aggressive “deportation force” under President Donald Trump spilled into Kansas City area churches on Sunday. Anxiety among immigrants spiked last week after the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency conducted a series of enforcement actions in large metropolitan areas. Rumors were rampant on social media about looming Sunday morning raids at churches. After hearing churchgoers in the Kansas City area might be targets, the Kansas-Missouri Dream Alliance along with lawyers, faith leaders and other community organizations mobilized their efforts to protect anyone who might have been picked up in a sweep. About 45 people met early Sunday at the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce offices in downtown Kansas City before heading out at 7 a.m. in teams of three to area churches. “We wanted to stand up and be out there in case something like the raids started happening within the communities and started targeting undocumented immigrants at churches,” said Robert Sagastume, executive director of the Kansas-Missouri Dream Alliance. The rumors appeared to have been unfounded. As of late afternoon, there had been no immigration enforcement at churches in the historic Northeast area. Federal officials insist they have not made fundamental changes in enforcement actions, and they deny stopping people randomly at checkpoints or conducting “sweeps” of locations where undocumented immigrants are common. “ICE regularly conducts targeted enforcement operations,” said Shawn Neudauer, ICE spokesman for Kansas and Missouri. “All our enforcement activities are conducted with the same high level of professionalism that ICE officers exhibit every day. The focus of these operations is no different than the routine, targeted arrests carried out by ICE’s Fugitive Operations Teams on a daily basis.” ICE does not conduct such enforcement at sensitive locations, such as churches, unless there are exigent circumstances, according to the agency. The agency’s formal policy can be found here. Kansas and Missouri were two of the six states with reports of a crackdown. More than 200 foreign nationals were arrested last week in an operation that ended Friday aiming at immigration fugitives, re-entrants and at-large criminal aliens, according to ICE. Additional details of last week’s enforcement operations are expected to be released as early as Monday. Meanwhile, Trump on Sunday morning said that with the nationwide crackdown, he is keeping his campaign promise. “The crackdown on illegal criminals is merely the keeping of my campaign promise,” he tweeted. “Gang members, drug dealers & others are being removed!” The fear in the community, however, was real. Abraham Fierro’s mother told him to make sure he had his identification Sunday as he headed to Mass at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Kansas City’s Northeast area. Fierro said he circled the block near other churches along the way to see whether he could spot any ICE agents. Fierro’s friend Brenda Rizo said she hadn’t heard about the rumors, but the idea of immigration agents at churches would create fear in the Hispanic community. “You don’t want that,” she said. “You just want to go to church and that peace that you want to find there with your community.” The thought of immigration agents possibly being there could cause some undocumented families to not want to go, she said. Also after Mass at St. Anthony on Sunday, Miguel Salazar said it would it would concern him if ICE agents targeted people headed to church. Salazar is the director of Hispanic Ministry for the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, but he couldn’t speak on its behalf. “It’s a holy place,” Salazar said. “It’s a place of sanctuary. It’s concerning because people see church as a safe place. If law enforcement or other people are targeting us, it’s feels very unsafe.” The Kansas-Missouri Dream Alliance’s Sagastume said he was happy that nothing happened Sunday. He said the collaboration, however, will remain vigilant in case such raids are conducted in the future. “This is just not a one-day thing that we will have and be done,” he said.”We just have to make sure that we are ready.” FOIA CBP 000758 DHS-17-0435-B-000055 33 The main goal is to make sure that ICE agents don’t overstep their powers. “We want to make sure that there is no collateral damage,” Sagastume said. “That they are not picking up also the mother, the son or the kids who might not be in deportation proceedings.” Michael Sharma-Crawford, with the Kansas City law firm of Sharma-Crawford Attorneys at Law, was one of the lawyers who was waiting to respond to any enforcement activities at churches Sunday. He said sweeps typically target people with prior removal orders, which is nothing new. “But ICE is also using those as an element to question and arrest anyone around them, which is a departure from Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” he said. “People with no criminal history, who may or may not be undocumented in the United States are being swept up in this conduct.” The mobilization of immigration and defense attorneys on Sunday was to make sure that resources were in place in case they were needed. The collaboration wanted to make sure ICE agents were following the proper process and had the proper documents. “It’s our job to hold them accountable, and that is what this collaboration has become.” Sharma-Crawford said. Defending Raids, Christie Gives No Assurances To Undocumented Immigrants In N.J. By Maddie Hanna Philly (PA), February 12, 2017 Gov. Christie on Sunday offered no assurances to immigrants in New Jersey who are in the United States illegally, as he defended recent immigration raids under President Trump’s administration that have netted some people without violent records. “The laws that are in effect right now have to be enforced,” Christie said on CNN’s State of the Union, asked what his message was to New Jersey residents who are in the country illegally, but who haven’t committed any violent crimes. “And that’s what’s happening right now.” Federal immigration officials arrested undocumented immigrants in at least six states last week, targeting known criminals. An Immigrations and Customs Enforcement official told reporters Friday that 75 percent of the 160 people detained in the agency’s operation had felony convictions, while the rest had misdemeanors or were in the country illegally. Authorities have said they are simply enforcing the law. But while former President Obama’s administration targeted violent offenders and gang members, Trump’s immigration order Jan. 25 included among his enforcement priorities immigrants who had been arrested for any criminal offense, those who had committed fraud and those who may have committed a crime. Christie on Sunday downplayed the recent deportation of a Phoenix mother of two who was convicted years earlier of criminal impersonation after an immigration raid at her worksite, saying that “things don’t always go perfectly.” “But that will be the overwhelming minority in all this,” Christie said. “What people should focus on is what the president is trying to do, which is to keep a campaign promise on making sure that violent criminals who are here illegally are taken out of the country in order to make America’s streets safer.” Earlier Sunday, Trump tweeted: “The crackdown on illegal criminals is merely the keeping of my campaign promise. Gang members, drug dealers & others are being removed!” Asked on CNN about New Jersey cities taking steps to protect undocumented immigrants – host Jake Tapper noted information distributed by Princeton – Christie said “it should be surprising to no one that institutions like Princeton University … are going to take a very progressive, liberal position towards this and will try to grandstand this.” A number of municipalities and counties in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and other states have practices described as “sanctuary” policies. In Camden, a city Christie has worked closely with – and which doesn’t describe itself as a sanctuary city – county Police Chief Scott Thomson has said that targeting undocumented immigrants would be “completely counterintuitive to what we’re trying to do here.” Christie, who has weighed in on Trump’s administration in several television interviews recently, was also asked about allegations that the president’s national security adviser, Michael Flynn, had discussed U.S. sanctions against Russia with the Russian ambassador to the United States before Trump took office. Noting that Flynn had initially denied talking to the ambassador about sanctions, but has since said he doesn’t remember, Christie said, “That’s a conversation he is going to need to have with the president and the vice president to clear that up.” The governor, who was removed as Trump’s transition team chair after the election, wouldn’t comment on whether he would accept a job in the administration when his term in New Jersey ends in January 2018. “As I have told everybody, my intention is to go to the private sector and work to help support my family in a different way than I have been able to over the last 16 years as U.S. attorney and as governor,” Christie said. But he said Trump is a friend, and “whenever he calls and – or I call him, and we have conversations, I’m always willing, if he asks, to give my opinion on things.” FOIA CBP 000759 DHS-17-0435-B-000056 34 Published: February 12, 2017 — 3:45 PM EST | Updated: February 12, 2017 — 5:44 PM EST The Philadelphia Inquirer Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. California Senate Leader Calls On Immigration Officials To Be ‘Transparent And Accountable’ Los Angeles Times, February 10, 2017 California Senate leader Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles) on Friday called on federal immigration officials to release more information about a series of recent raids that authorities called routine, but have left immigrant advocates feeling rattled. Appearing at a Los Angeles news conference, De León denounced the raids as actions that “tear apart at the fabric of who are are as a nation and as a state.” Federal authorities have said the raids were routine and not reflective of a new, more aggressive enforcement strategy under the new Trump administration. But De León, who has struck a combative posture against the new president, implied that under Trump, he would not give immigration officials the benefit of the doubt, absent more information. He said the interactions under the administration of former President Obama, whom immigration activists labeled “deporter-in-chief,” were more honest. “As of January 20 with the new president, that dialogue, that sense of trust has been eroded,” he said. “It’s not good for our communities. … It sets off paranoia, anxiety, angst and high levels of stress.” Advocates have said they have been unable to get more details on the identities of those detained and if the targets had committed crimes that would make them high priorities for deportation. Law enforcement officials say the extent of the action has been exaggerated. “We do understand that the federal government’s jurisdiction is that of immigration. No one is questioning that. No one is attempting to undermine the current laws of the United States government,” De León said. “But they do have a major responsibility to make sure they are transparent and accountable to their actions.” We Need To Reality-check Ourselves On Immigration Raids By Joey Jackson CNN, February 12, 2017 There’s a new sheriff in town: President Donald J. Trump has made clear that in matters of immigration, particularly from Mexico, a seismic shift is underway. Only five days after being sworn in, Trump signed a sweeping executive order seeking to both prevent illegal immigration and remove undocumented immigrants. Among other things, the order seeks the construction of a wall, terminates the “catch and release” procedure whereby undocumented immigrants are detained and released, adds 5,000 border patrol agents, calls for a report quantifying all foreign aid provided by the United States to Mexico annually during the past five years, and makes provisions for greater coordination between federal, state and local governments in implementing immigration policy. Then came the immigration raids. Last week, Immigration and Customs Enforcement sent enforcement squads into cities across the country, from the East Coast of New York to the West Coast of Los Angeles. They did so in an effort to expel from the country those who the President has called “bad dudes.” Officials noted that this effort was in the planning stages for weeks, and had little to do with Trump’s executive order. It was also pointed out that the Obama administration used these squads and that Obama was referred to by immigrant rights activists as the “Deporter in Chief” for his record of deportations. But while these raids are not new in and of themselves, advocates and others watching these raids unfold are right to worry whether this President is casting a wider net and expanding the objective in ICE enforcement beyond national security. Of the 160 illegal immigrants arrested during the Trump raids, the vast majority had felony convictions and merited deportation. To be sure, the federal government has a solemn obligation to secure the borders and to protect the public. But there are questions as to the other arrests. The concern from a justice perspective, then, is not the enforcement effort itself. The executive branch enforces the law, and any President is entitled to do so in the manner he deems most effective in keeping with his philosophy. Instead, the concern lies in whether enforcement will be over broad and unduly aggressive. There’s reason to be concerned. Homeland Security Director John Kelly testified before Congress last week for the first time. In doing so, he noted that morale among ICE officers was down under the Obama administration, because they felt like their hands were tied. He further suggested that morale would be boosted under the new President. The implication then, is that the Trump administration will enforce immigration laws more aggressively than previous administrations have. Where the raids lead to arrests of those with existing deportation orders, or who are violent criminals, or are deemed detrimental to the security of US interests, the President will be on firm legal footing. But simply kicking “them” out because “they” don’t belong here in the first place raises other issues. Fortunately, there are immigration courts that will serve as a check on executive authority. A common misconception is that immigrants don’t have constitutional rights. This is a myth. The Constitution affords protection to everyone and anyone on US soil. Accordingly, FOIA CBP 000760 DHS-17-0435-B-000057 35 any undocumented immigrant who was picked up in the recent raids, or other raids to come, is afforded due process under the laws of our land. That essentially means they must be given notice and an opportunity to be heard in immigration court before being deported. Those courts assess deportations on a case-by-case basis and can override the government’s efforts to deport where they deem it appropriate. One case in particular has emerged as a head scratcher and a tearjerker. Guadalupe Garcia de Rayos is a 35-year-old woman who came to this country when she was 14 years old and lived here for over 20 years. In 2008, she was convicted of a felony for using a fake Social Security number. After her case was adjudicated in immigration court, ICE placed her under supervision, with the proviso that she report to immigration authorities annually. Each time she did so in the past seven years, she simply checked in with them and was released. Upon checking in with ICE last week, however, she was detained, and deported to Mexico. Why? Yes, Garcia had a felony conviction. Yes, she violated the law. Yes, there was a valid underlying deportation order that justified her removal. But was it really necessary to take her away from her husband and children in the interest of national security? And so the question remains, how many cases like Garcia’s are out there, and how will they be handled under what looks like a new era of aggressive enforcement? And are people like Garcia the type of people whom the President seeks to deport under his tough new immigration policies? What public safety and border security interest does that serve? It’s one thing to be tough on immigration. It’s yet another to be fair. Those watching closely are right to be worried about current trends, but should take comfort in knowing that immigration courts will serve as a check upon any overreach by ICE in conducting these raids and carrying out the President’s enforcement initiatives. But we should really reality-check ourselves, too, and ask whether a country like the United States, which sets the standard for the world in human rights, can’t provide a better example to the world. ICE Arrests Alleged ‘Criminal Aliens’ In Northern Virginia WUSA-TV Washington, February 10, 2017 Agents from the US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Agency arrested an unknown number of people at a large apartment complex in Annandale, and at at least one other location in Alexandria this week, immigration activists say, as part of what appears to be stepped up enforcement actions around the country. At the predominantly Spanish-speaking Fairmont Gardens apartment complex in Annandale, several people said they saw a large law enforcement presence earlier in the week. None wanted to be quoted or have their names used. One man turned and walked quickly away at a reporter’s mention of the very word “immigration.” Immigration activists said ICE agents targeted people at the complex who already had orders of deportation, but also made so-called “collateral” arrests of other people who merely lacked proper documentation, but had committed no other crime. The arrests in Virginia appear to be part of a broad effort to step up enforcement across the country, first reported Friday by the Washington Post. A spokesperson for ICE responded to questions about the raids in Virginia with the a statement. The agency did not address the specific questions asked about the number or types of arrests made. “Every day, as part of routine targeted enforcement operations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrest criminal aliens and other individuals who are in violation of our nation’s immigration laws,” the statement read. “ICE conducts targeted immigration enforcement in compliance with federal law and agency policy. ICE does not conduct sweeps or raids that target aliens indiscriminately.” An official at the Department of Homeland Security told WUSA9 the enforcement actions this week, which have drawn large protests in Los Angeles, and significant attention elsewhere, are not out of the ordinary, but may be getting increased attention because of the Trump administration’s immigration policy. On Friday night, The Mexican Consulate of Austin confirmed 44 Mexican immigrants were detained in the past 48 hours, according to KVUE. Spokespeople for the Fairfax County Police Department and Alexandria City Police Department each said their departments had no knowledge of the ICE actions beforehand. Similarly, staffers for Democratic congressmen Don Beyer and Gerry Connolly, who represent the areas where the arrests were said to take place, had no knowledge of ICE’s action on Friday night. A spokesperson for Governor Terry McAuliffe did not respond to questions about the arrests on Friday. 5 Immigrants From Mexico In Staten Island Arrested In ICE Raids: Source WPIX-TV New York, February 11, 2017 Five Staten Island residents from Mexico were arrested in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids that were conducted in New York City this past week. The immigrants were arrested in ICE raids that began on Feb. 3 and ended this Wednesday, a source told PIX11 news. FOIA CBP 000761 DHS-17-0435-B-000058 36 Four of the residents were arrested at their homes while another was arrested outside a courthouse in Staten Island, according to the source. Four of the people arrested have children who are U.S. citizens, the source said. It’s unclear if any of the individuals who were taken into custody had criminal records. Deborah Axt, co-executive director of Make the Road New York, confirmed five people were arrested in the raids. The organization released a statement on the arrests, denouncing the ICE raids that have taken place in at least six other states. “The Trump Administration has now doubled down on its war on our communities. We have confirmed ICE raids that have swept up five immigrant Staten Island residents over the past several days. These raids have the explicit purpose of tearing families apart. Our communities are understandably extremely concerned, but also resilient. We are here to stay, and we will fight back.” New York City is a sanctuary city, a term that generally refers to communities that do not cooperate with federal immigration officials. There are at least 39 cities in the U.S. that are sanctuary cities. President Donald Trump had promised throughout his campaign to deport the 11 million undocumented people living in the U.S. Earlier this week an undocumented Mexican immigrant Guadalupe Garcia de Rayos was deported from Arizona to Mexico. This heightened fears that more deportations will be happening. ICE agency said majority of the arrests, that have amounted to hundreds, were mostly criminals and fugitives. A Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman said overall about the agency’s actions that everything is “routine,” and are not part of casting a widespread net. “ICE Fugitive Operations teams are out every day as part of routine, targeted enforcement operations,” said acting press secretary Gillian Christensen. “These are existing, established fugitive operations teams. ICE does not conduct sweeps or raids that target aliens indiscriminately. ICE only conducts targeted enforcement of criminal aliens and other individuals who are in violation of our nation’s immigration laws.” While ICE characterized the actions as routine, fear remains that the Trump administration’s recent executive order beefing up interior enforcement of immigration laws could mean a vast expansion of deportations of undocumented immigrants. Kansas Included In National Immigration Crackdown, ICE Says Wichita (KS) Eagle, February 11, 2017 More than 200 foreign nationals were arrested in five states across the Midwest this past week, including in Kansas, according to an official with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. On Friday, the Washington Post reported that Kansas was one of six states with reports of a crackdown on immigrants without permission to be in the country. The other five states included major urban centers such as Los Angeles and Atlanta, as well as Texas, Florida and Virginia. This latest report from immigration officials includes several additional states in the Midwest, including Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Kentucky and Missouri. In Wichita, there were reports of at least three arrests on suspected immigration violations two weeks ago, but it wasn’t immediately clear whether those arrests were included in the 200 arrested in this crackdown. According to the release from immigration enforcement, more than half of those arrested had criminal convictions. In one of the Wichita arrests two weeks ago, the arrest was for driving without insurance. In other parts of the country, there have been reports of mothers who have been in the U.S. for two decades being detained, as well as people who had showed up voluntarily for yearly check-ins. So far, the representative for immigration enforcement attributed this latest crackdown to “routine, daily, targeted operations.” It wasn’t immediately clear whether any of those arrested were picked up because of an executive order signed by President Trump that is intended to make it easier to enforce immigration laws. According to ICE, the latest arrests were targeted and were not made by stopping individuals indiscriminately, by stopping people at checkpoints nor by going door-to-door. But the report also said that if agents encounter additional immigrants who don’t have permission to be in the country while searching for someone else, those immigrants can be detained as well. Members of the Congressional Hispanic Congress on Saturday demanded an immediate meeting with Thomas Homan, the acting head of ICE. “These raids have struck fear in the hearts of the immigrant community as many fear that President Trump’s promised ‘deportation force’ is now in full-swing,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Homan. 5 Men On Staten Island Detained By ICE Agents This Week, Says Immigrant Advocacy Group NY1-TV New York, February 11, 2017 The immigrant advocacy group Make the Road New York said Saturday night that five men on Staten Island were FOIA CBP 000762 DHS-17-0435-B-000059 37 detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents this week. It is unclear what led to them being detained. Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office released a statement, saying it has “received credible reports of immigration enforcement activity in several New York City neighborhoods in the last few days. The Mayor is closely monitoring the situation and the Administration is working with NYPD and community organizations to verify the activity as we receive reports.” Immigration officials put out their own statement that says “ICE regularly conducts targeted enforcement operations during which additional resources and personnel are dedicated to apprehending deportable foreign nationals. The focus of these operations is no different than the routine, targeted arrests carried out by ICE’s Fugitive Operations Teams on a daily basis.” City Hall officials are reminding New Yorkers that city officials and members of the NYPD will never ask about their immigration status. The New York Immigration Coalition estimates there are 500,000 people living in New York City illegally — and many more with green cards that, they say, fear deportation. “There is a factor of fear in the communities, but we’re trying to make sure that we provide the right information, that we provide a space for them to come forward if they hear [of] or are victims of it, and make sure that people are prepared,” said Gonzalo Mercado. Mercado heads heads La Colmena, which works with the immigrant community on Staten Island. The news of the five men being detained came hours after hundreds of people rallied at Washington Square Park, calling on police to stop arresting undocumented immigrants for low-level crimes that may get them deported. About 200 Arrested In ICE Raids In NC, SC, Georgia WGHP-TV Greensboro (NC), February 11, 2017 Democrats raised concerns Friday and Saturday about recent immigration enforcement actions — though immigration officials say that only routine actions targeting criminals were underway. Fear is running high among immigrant communities since President Donald Trump’s inauguration — and after the recent publicized deportation of an undocumented Arizona mother of two after a routine visit with immigration officials, reports have been spreading of Immigration and Customs Enforcement stepping up its actions in the southwestern US. The actions are the first concerted effort by ICE under the Trump administration to arrest targeted undocumented immigrants for deportation proceedings. It’s unclear at this point in the nascent administration whether it was a sign of things to come, or whether the actions were conducted under any different procedures than could have been in place under the Obama administration. It was the uncertainty, the publicity of the raids and the high tensions raised by public comments on immigration by Trump administration officials that had Democrats asking for more information. “These reports show the serious consequences of the president’s executive order, which allows all undocumented immigrants to be categorized as criminals and requires increased enforcement in communities, rather than prioritizing dangerous criminals,” California Sen. Dianne Feinstein said in a statement responding to media reports of the stepped up enforcement, including some accounts that the actions were targeting low-priority undocumented immigrants, including family men and women. ICE in Los Angeles said Friday it had conducted a five￾day operation targeting criminals and fugitives, and said that the vast majority of those arrested had criminal histories. Seeking to push back on reports of indiscriminate raids, ICE released the results of the operation from its Los Angeles office, saying about 160 foreign nationals were arrested during the week. Of those, 150 had criminal histories, and of the remaining arrests, five had final orders of removal or were previously deported. Ninety-five percent were male, they said. While specific numbers weren’t available, ICE said “many” of the arrested individuals had prior felony convictions including violent charges like child sex crimes, weapons or assault charges. An ICE official confirmed Atlanta had conducted a similar surge this week, and roughly 200 arrests were made in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina in a similar routine enforcement action. Texas Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro said in a statement that he had confirmed with ICE’s San Antonio field office that similar actions were conducted across Texas, calling the action “Operation Cross Check.” He said he would be following up to make sure the actions were targeting the worst offenders. Full numbers for the actions across the country will be made available Monday, the agency said. A Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman said overall about the agency’s actions that everything is “routine,” and are not part of casting a widespread net. “ICE Fugitive Operations teams are out every day as part of routine, targeted enforcement operations,” said acting press secretary Gillian Christensen. “These are existing, established fugitive operations teams. ICE does not conduct sweeps or raids that target aliens indiscriminately. ICE only conducts targeted enforcement of criminal aliens and other individuals who are in violation of our nation’s immigration laws.” Still, as Trump continues to talk about cracking down on illegal immigration, advocates remain concerned that the new FOIA CBP 000763 DHS-17-0435-B-000060 38 administration could be stepping up enforcement against otherwise peaceful undocumented immigrants. On Thursday, protests sprang up at the deportation of Guadalupe Garcia de Rayos, a 35-year-old mother of two, who had checked in with ICE at an office in Phoenix the day before, as she had regularly since a 2008 conviction of using a fake Social Security number. Friday, Democrats decried the actions nationwide as needlessly causing fear for immigrant communities. “The President wants to show off and it appears he has unleashed the Department of Homeland Security to kick-out large numbers of immigrants and anyone they encounter, without much oversight, review or due process,” said Illinois Democratic Rep. Luis Gutierrez. “The goal of such policies is to inject fear into immigrant communities, frighten families and children, and drive immigrants farther underground. It damages public safety and the fabric of American communities while putting a burden on local social services and the foster-care system.” Gutierrez’s concerns were echoed by Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, a Democrat from California. “I am outraged to hear of the recent ICE arrests in southern California. If the Trump administration is genuinely concerned about threats to American security, it should prioritize violent felons and others who pose real danger,” Roybal-Allard said in a statement. “My office has been working to get detailed information from ICE.” Fellow California Rep. Lou Correa tweeted he was “deeply concerned” about the actions as well, and after ICE announced the arrests, he sent a letter demanding more answers. “These activities have caused fear and uncertainty for many of constituents,” Correa wrote, and listed 10 questions he wanted answers for from ICE, among “How far in advance were these enforcement activities planned?” And a city councilman from Austin, Texas, said he was concerned that ICE was making a public show of force in his city as retribution for being a sanctuary city. “ICE actions like these are beyond reprehensible,” Greg Casar said in a statement. “They instill fear in the community, and they make everyday people fear for their lives.” While ICE characterized the actions as routine, fear remains that the Trump administration’s recent executive order beefing up interior enforcement of immigration laws could mean a vast expansion of deportations of undocumented immigrants. While the Obama administration had clear guidance prioritizing deportation of high-level criminals, an executive order signed by Trump in his first week set up enforcement priorities that could include virtually any undocumented immigrant living in the US. Trump made cracking down on illegal immigration a central focus of his presidential campaign. On Saturday, the President defend another part of his campaign promise on immigration, vowing to keep costs down on a border wall that would span the US southern border with Mexico. “I am reading that the great border WALL will cost more than the government originally thought, but I have not gotten involved in the … design or negotiations yet. When I do, just like with the F-35 FighterJet or the Air Force One Program, price will come WAY DOWN!” Trump wrote in two consecutive tweets. 160 Arrested In Immigration Raids That Are Stoking Fear Los Angeles Weekly, February 10, 2017 About 160 immigrants here illegally were taken into custody as part of a five-day “targeted enforcement operation” in Southern California by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, authorities said. Immigrants rights advocates caught wind of the raids yesterday, immediately tying them to President Trump’s vow to deport millions of undocumented newcomers. Maria Teresa Borden, a spokeswoman for the group Red Mexicana de Líderes y Organizaciones Migrantes (RedMex), said that while ICE in the past has been more transparent about such operations, it has so far refused to give immigration attorneys a list of those arrested. “We want more information on who they’re detaining and why,” she says. “They haven’t let us know. “ICE claims that these things it’s doing are routine, and they are part of their regular work, but our community is telling us otherwise,” she says. “We tend to believe what our community tells us.” ICE’s slow release of information about the sweeps is increasing insecurity among immigrants. In L.A. County, an estimated one in 10 people is undocumented. The federal agency did release some information today. ICE officials appeared to reject the claim that the six-county sweep was part of a new push by the Trump administration to eject the undocumented. In an email, ICE spokeswoman Virginia Kice said there were “many ... inaccurate claims surrounding this operation.” An ICE statement described reports of immigration checkpoints and “random sweeps” as “false” and “irresponsible.” “While this week’s operation was an enforcement surge, the focus was no different than the routine, targeted arrests carried out by ICE’s Fugitive Operations Teams on a daily basis,” according to ICE’s statement today. The agency says the Monday-through-Friday operation swept up 150 people with criminal histories and at least five others who were under removal orders or who had been deported before. Another five or so were collared, though it’s not clear why. “Many of the arrestees had prior felony FOIA CBP 000764 DHS-17-0435-B-000061 39 convictions for serious or violent offenses, such as child sex crimes, weapons charges and assault,” according to ICE. Those caught up in the 95 percent male sweep included a Mara Salvatrucha gang member in Huntington Park wanted for alleged extortion in El Salvador, a Brazilian in L.A. suspected of cocaine trafficking in his homeland and an Australian in West Hollywood convicted of lewd acts with a child, ICE officials said. The raids came to the attention of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) yesterday because immigrants were phoning in reports of federal arrests in Santa Paula, Oxnard, Van Nuys, San Bernardino and Downey, according to the nonprofit. Attorneys rushed to a federal detention center and advocates staged impromptu protests outside the downtown federal building last night. The Central American Resource Center (CARECEN) issued a statement today advising that immigrants have the right to remain silent if confronted by agents and that they should seek an attorney’s help if they’re questioned. The statement even suggests people walk away from agents, calmly, if they’re not being detained or arrested. A Los Angeles woman named Marlene Mosqueda told reporters today that her noncriminal father was arrested in the sweeps, ostensibly because he has a years-old deportation order. “They took my parents away,’” she said. “They took my family away.” ICE states those suspects not recommended for criminal prosecution will likely face “removal in the near future.” Arrests In Metro-Savannah Part Of Region￾wide ICE Operation WTOC-TV Savannah (GA), February 10, 2017 More than two-dozen people living in the metro￾Savannah area without legal permission were rounded up by the Department of Homeland Security this week. The two-day operation was part of a week-long, region￾wide effort where agents arrested approximately 200 unlawfully present foreign nationals all in Georgia, North and South Carolina. A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman says the raids did not target those living here without legal permission indiscriminately. In part of the statement released Friday, the spokesman says: Every day, as part of routine targeted enforcement operations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Fugitive Operations teams arrest criminal aliens and other individuals who are in violation of our nation’s immigration laws… ICE conducts targeted immigration enforcement in compliance with federal law and agency policy. ICE does not conduct sweeps or raids that target aliens indiscriminately. Most of those who were arrested in the Savannah area are convicted criminals, according to officials. The fact that all aren’t is cause for concern for some I’ve talked to Friday, including a local immigration lawyer and several non-profit groups. ICE says they will be able to tell us the background of the non-convict arrests, as well as the spectrum of crimes committed by those arrested, by Monday. An ICE representative adds the charges include murder, battery and DUI. In the meantime, local groups like the Metropolitan Savannah Hispanic Chamber of Commerce are trying to find ways to help those either left behind following raids, like children, or those approached by immigration agents. “We just want to make sure that immigrants know what their rights are, and that as best we can, make their lives as good. You’re talking about children, you’re talking about parents, you’re talking about family members that in some cases have been here pretty much their whole lives,” said La Voz Latina Editor, John Newton. The director of Catholic Charities of South Georgia is well aware of the recent raids, and in light of changing national policy regarding immigration, says the Catholic Church is making more resources available for immigrant families in our community. “We’re very, very concerned about people who have invested in our community, and the parishes are now providing workshops. We have attorneys who are going to help with workshops. We have given them information about GLAHR, which is the Georgia Legal Assistance for Human Rights program, and the Latin American Association, and local attorneys who are willing to listen to their cases and see what can be done,” said Catholic Charities of South Georgia Director Sister Pat Brown. A sanctuary city or state is a place that has policies designed to not prosecute those living in the in the United States without legal permission. There are four states that are considered sanctuaries: California, Colorado, Connecticut, and New Mexico. In Georgia, only Clayton County follows these policies and South Carolina does not have any. WTOC has learned an immigration lawyer retained by several families of those arrested in the round-up locally is headed to the Irwin County Detention Center this weekend, where those arrested locally are being held. Consulate: 44 Mexican Nationals Detained In Targeted Arrests KEYE-TV Austin (TX), February 10, 2017 FOIA CBP 000765 DHS-17-0435-B-000062 40 UPDATE: The Mexican Consulate in Austin confirms 30 Mexican nationals were detained in Central Texas on Friday – 14 were detained yesterday. Consulate officials say theses are only partial numbers for targeted arrests – and the numbers could go up as they get more information. EARLIER: Congressman Joaquin Castro confirmed in a statement Friday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement is conducting targeted raids in Central and South Texas. Castro was informed by the San Antonio ICE field office that the raids are part of Operation Cross Check. “I am asking ICE to clarify whether these individuals are in fact dangerous, violent threats to our communities, and not people who are here peacefully raising families and contributing to our state,” Castro said. Earlier Friday, an ICE officer was injured while making an arrest in northwest Austin. Immigration Raids In Central, South Texas Part Of ‘Operation Cross Check’ Corpus Christi (TX) Caller-Times, February 10, 2017 A U.S. congressman confirmed Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids are part of an operation that spans through south and central Texas. U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro tweeted and took to Facebook Friday afternoon expressing his concern regarding peppered reports of raids throughout the state. Castro said the agency’s San Antonio field office has “launched a targeted operation.” “I’m asking ICE to clarify whether these individuals are in fact dangerous, violent threats to our communities, and not people who are here peacefully raising families and contributing to our state,” Castro’s statement reads. “I will continue to monitor this situation.” Justin Tullius, managing attorney for the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services’ South Texas branch, said he’s familiar with Operation Cross Check. “It’s ICE’s name for a recurring operation to arrest people in the community with criminal conviction or deportation orders,” Tullius said. In the past, that’s included those with years old convictions and people who may have missed a court date. The American Immigration Lawyers Association issued a statement saying it has learned the operation focuses on three populations: fugitives, or anyone with an outstanding order of removal; individuals who reentered after they were deported; and “criminal aliens,” or those with a criminal conviction. Castro’s statement about the latest raids came as teachers in the Austin school district handed out information to students with tips on what to do if ICE agents visited their homes or questioned them, according to an Austin American￾Statesman report. An ICE spokeswoman released a statement to the Caller-Times noting that while the agency won’t confirm the existence of any operation prior to its completion that all enforcement activities “are conducted with the same level of professionalism and respect that ICE officers exhibit every day.” Targeted enforcement operations are done regularly to apprehend “deportable foreign nationals.” “Reports of ICE checkpoints and sweeps are false, dangerous and irresponsible. These reports create mass panic and put communities and law enforcement personnel in unnecessary danger,” according to the ICE statement. “Any groups falsely reporting such activities are doing a disservice to those they claim to support.” State Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, an Austin Democrat whose district is nearly 63 percent Hispanic, has been in touch with Congressman Castro’s office and is concerned about the reports he’s received, a spokesman said. “We are reminding our constituents to stay vigilant, and to know their rights in case they have any encounters with ICE officers,” said Alejandro Pena in Rodriguez’s district office at the Texas Capitol. “This is something we’ll be watching all weekend. It’s an all-hands-on-deck situation.” Like Castro, Austin Councilman Greg Casar also took to the social media to discuss the raids. In a Facebook post he noted that he’d confirmed that in the past 24 hours ICE agents had shown an added presence in Austin, specifically in the North Lamar and Rundberg area. Casar added he planned to speak to residents of his district to ensure “constituents are aware of their rights.” He also asked for bilingual volunteers. “ICE actions like these are beyond reprehensible. They instill fear in the community, and they make everyday people fear for their lives,” Casar wrote in the post. Everyone living in the United States has certain basic rights under the U.S. Constitution. Undocumented immigrants have these rights, too: You have the right to remain silent. You may refuse to speak to immigration officers. You have the right to speak to a lawyer. Before you sign anything, talk to a lawyer. To be allowed to enter your home, Immigration and Customs Enforcement must have a warrant signed by a judge. Always carry with you any valid immigration document you have. ICE Claims Calif. Immigration Raids Were Planned Before Trump Orders San Francisco Chronicle, February 12, 2017 FOIA CBP 000766 DHS-17-0435-B-000063 41 Immigration and Customs Enforcement pushed back against claims that a series of raids supposedly targeting criminals in several states were connected to President Donald Trump’s executive orders. ICE’s field office director said an enforcement sweep in California was already being planned before the new administration’s executive orders. The agency said more than 160 people were arrested in the five-day operation in the Los Angeles area. / MediaOS Video ICE Officer Injured While Making Arrest In Northwest Austin KXAN-TV Austin (TX), February 10, 2017 Three suspects are now in custody after a disturbance in northwest Austin involving an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer Friday morning. The situation began as a traffic stop around 6:05 a.m. at US 183 and Woodland Village Drive. Austin police say an immigration officer pulled over a man for a traffic stop that resulted in the ICE officer calling Austin Police Department officers for assistance. Interim Austin Police Department Chief Brian Manley says initial 911 calls to the department indicated the ICE officer’s life could be in danger. “Comments made by the ICE agent [said that the] suspect was grabbing his gun or touching his gun.” When the APD officers arrived at the scene, they also found two women with warrants out for their arrest, whom they apprehended. Investigators have not said how the suspects were connected. “Both females had warrants for their arrests for open container—these were Class C offenses,” explains Manley. A spokesperson for ICE released a statement stating the ICE officer was injured while he was arresting a “criminal alien.” The officer was treated and released from the hospital. “This was a situation where ICE agents, federal agents, were here conducting an operation. They have full jurisdiction and they’re allowed to do that and they got in a circumstance where they needed help and we will always help a fellow officer especially when we’re receiving the reports we received today,” Manley says. In a statement, Austin City Council Member Greg Casar said there has been a “large amount” of Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions in the North Lamar and Rundberg area in the last 24 hours. “ICE actions like these are beyond reprehensible. They instill fear in the community, and they make everyday people fear for their lives,” said Casar. ICE says they do not conduct random sweeps and that all ICE operations are based on investigative leads. They have sent letters to people with warrants for violations as minor as unpaid parking tickets asking them to pay their fines. Offenders have until Feb. 25 to pay their fines. The goal is to get people to voluntarily contact the courts and resolve their obligations before they are tracked down by police. Starting on Feb. 26, police will go out and begin rounding up people who owe money. All of the money collected will go to the general revenue fund. Arrests Made In Separate Overnight Protests Against ICE Operations KXAN-TV Austin (TX), February 12, 2017 Police arrested two people in separate protests in Austin against recent increases in ICE operations early Sunday morning. One person was arrested for throwing lit fireworks into an Austin police car, setting it on fire, during a protest at Lamar Boulevard and Rundberg Lane, where immigrants illegally in the country have been arrested in recent days. Authorities say the man who tossed the fireworks into the patrol car got into another vehicle that drove off, was followed by officers and was apprehended when he tried fleeing on foot during a traffic stop early Sunday. He’s held initially on a charge of evading arrest. Austin police also arrested one person at the protest on Chalmers Avenue at Cesar Chavez Street for aggravated assault. Multiple protests were held over the weekend on the targeted ICE operations that began Thursday. As part of ICE’s Operation Cross Check, officers conduct the nationwide operation by detaining unauthorized immigrants convicted of crimes in the country. According to the Mexican Consulate, ICE has arrested a total of 44 people in Austin on Thursday and Friday. Mayor De Blasio Says His Office Stands With Undocumented Immigrants Staten Island (NY) Live, February 12, 2017 Mayor de Blasio took to Twitter early Sunday morning, after a week of immigration-related arrests by federal officials. Just before 6 a.m., he tweeted his office will stand with the “nearly 40 percent of New Yorkers who are foreign born-- documented or undocumented.” He also tweeted that NYPD officers will never ask about immigration status. His office then posted information for immigrants seeking legal assistance. Five Mexican immigrants were detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials after several raids across Staten Island in February, according to Make The Road New York, a community organization with an office in Staten Island. FOIA CBP 000767 DHS-17-0435-B-000064 42 The arrests on Staten Island were among 40 arrests citywide, according to a statement Sunday from Steve Choi, executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition. “Shame on ICE for putting New York’s immigrant communities – four million strong – in a state of panic,” wrote Choi. “These arrests do nothing but tear families apart, hobble our economies, and corrode the bonds of trust that tie our communities together – all under the false pretense of “public safety.” Daniel Altschuler, a community organizer with Make The Road New York, told the Advance that all five of the Mexican immigrants detained were males, originally from Mexico – four of whom have families with children that are U.S. citizens. The immigration status of the individuals could not be confirmed as of Sunday morning. Christie Defends Trump Immigration Raids Deporting Parents Of Minor U.S. Citizens NJ News, February 12, 2017 Gov. Chris Christie on Sunday defended President Donald Trump’s order for weekend immigration raids in six states in which unauthorized immigrants without any violent criminal past were deported along with gang members being targeted. The president on Sunday tweeted that the immigration and customs enforcement raids cracking down on the estimated 11 million immigrants living here illegally were aimed at violent felons. However, appearing on CNN’s “State of the Union with Jake Tapper” on Sunday, Christie was informed that some of those “others” deported were otherwise law-abiding residents who’d been working in the U.S. for decades and raising children who are U.S. citizens. Tapper then asked the governor for what his message was to the more than 400,000 “undocumented immigrants in New Jersey, your home state, who are not drug dealers, who are not gang members, who have not committed any sort of violent crimes, who have children who are American and are now in fear?” The governor struck a decidedly different tone than he had in the past. He blamed both the Bush and Obama administrations for their past inaction on immigration reform, and offered little in the way of sympathy to those swept up in the ICE raids. “This is the problem with the whole failure of the federal government over the course of the last 12 to 16 years,” Christie said. “When that’s the case, then the laws that are in effect right now have to be enforced.” Non-violent but nonetheless unauthorized immigrants might deported as well, Christie indicated. “I can tell you, Jake, from having run a government for seven years and been involved for many years as a U.S. attorney, things always don’t go perfectly ... and so you’re going to have some people who, by the way, have violated the law, but don’t fit that one category.” Trump ‘ill-served’ by advisers in travel ban rollout, Christie says The governor did not share Trump’s immigration priorities when he was a presidential candidate or a U.S. attorney. As he was readying the launch of his own presidential bid in 2015, Christie called for first resolving the legal status of unauthorized immigrants whose only violation of the law was coming to the U.S. to work. “None of them has ever come to me and said, ‘Governor the reason I came here was to vote.’ They said they came here to work,” Christie told CNN in April 2015, “So let’s deal with the work situation first and then we will deal with everything else.” On Sunday, Christie said that the people of New Jersey “should focus on is what the president is trying to do, which is to keep a campaign promise on making sure that violent criminals who are here illegally are taken out of the country in order to make America’s streets safer.” However, when Christie was serving as U.S. Attorney and a Republican candidate for governor, he had strongly criticized Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello’s call for tough enforcement of immigration laws by having police officers granted the power to enforce them. Speaking before a largely Latino audience in Dover in 2008, Christie said that “being in this country without proper documentation is not a crime” and noted that illegal presence is a violation of U.S. civil, not criminal, code. He later called Cresitello “stupid” for doing so, and termed his demands to deport unauthorized immigrants who came to work in the U.S. “hyperbole and grandstanding and demagoguery.” But on Sunday, the governor offered a much stricter view of immigration enforcement. “If they don’t like the federal law, they should go to Congress and get it changed,” Christie said. Immigration Officials Call 161 Arrests In SoCal Routine In Wake Of Increased Enforcement Fears Southern California Public Radio, February 10, 2017 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials announced Friday they have arrested 161 people in six Southern California counties over the past five days, insisting that the latest actions are part of their periodic enforcement operations. FOIA CBP 000768 DHS-17-0435-B-000065 43 Calling the latest arrests an “enforcement surge,” they said they targeted immigrants with criminal histories, as they have done for the past few years. David Marin, field office director for ICE enforcement and removal operations in the Los Angeles area, told reporters on a conference call Friday that any reports of mass arrests are false and creates panic in the community. “The rash of these recent reports about ICE checkpoints and random sweeps and the like — it is all false, and it is definitely dangerous and irresponsible because reports like that create a panic, and they put communities and law enforcement at risk,” he said. Marin said ICE did not target any so-called “sanctuary cities” for enforcement. He said the arrests occurred in six of the seven counties of his agency’s coverage area and the operation was planned prior to Trump taking office. But he also complained that his agency’s job has gotten more difficult because of recent legislation passed by state and local governments, some of which forbid local law enforcement agencies from assisting in immigration enforcement. Officials said they had no specific orders from President Donald Trump’s administration to carry out the raids. Shortly after taking office, the president signed an executive order targeting any immigrants living in the country illegally as priorities for deportation, particularly those with outstanding deportation orders, the Associated Press reported. The order also listed as priorities convicted criminals, those arrested for any criminal offense, those who committed fraud and anyone who may have committed a crime. The Washington Post reported Friday that authorities launched a “series of raids, traffic stops and checkpoints” in about six states Thursday and Friday, citing attorneys and immigrant advocates as sources for the reports. But the AP said it is unclear if the latest actions are tied to Trump’s order. On Thursday, some Los Angeles immigration attorneys and advocates said 100 people were arrested in a day and detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown L.A. — a figure that ICE dismissed as grossly exaggerated. The reports fed fears running high in the Los Angeles area that immigration agents are stepping up efforts to find and deport immigrants. Mayor Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles, among the sanctuary cities, issued a statement that he talked to an ICE official and asked that ICE needs more transparency about its ongoing operations. “Angelenos should not have to fear raids that are disruptive to their peace of mind and bring unnecessary anxiety to our homes, schools, and workplaces,” the mayor’s statement read. He said the Trump administration should take a “just, humane, and sensible approach that does not cause pain for people who only want to live their lives and raise their families in the communities they call home.” Even while ICE officials tried to alleviate fears about ramped up arrests, immigration advocates remained wary. Angelica Salas with CHIRLA, the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, said she’s heard too many reports of arrests for the current situation to be business as usual. “We know what the pattern is around coordinated mass activity. And this is what coordinated mass activity looks like, where you have family members, attorneys, different people reporting this activity to us,” said Salas. Salas said on a typical day, her group may receive just a couple of arrest reports, sometimes none, but that number has picked up this week. ICE officials said of those arrested in Southern California this week, 150 had some kind of criminal record, 75 percent of them with felony convictions and the rest with misdemeanor convictions. Of those who did not have records, five had final deportation orders or had been previously deported. The others were described as living in the country illegally. Among those picked up, according to CHIRLA, was a Van Nuys man named Manuel Mosqueda, who had a prior deportation order but did not have a criminal record. At the CHIRLA office Friday morning, his daughter Marlene Mosqueda described getting a phone call from her father’s fiancée after he was arrested at his home. “She was crying, and she was telling me that they came in, they wanted to ask questions,” she said. “The moment that he came out, they told him sit there, you stay there … from there, they just asked for everybody’s identification.” She and CHIRLA staff said they believe agents came to the home looking for someone else, but ended up questioning the occupants, “and they ended up taking my dad,” Mosqueda said. Her father remains detained. Attorneys intervened on his behalf to stay his deportation and take his case before an immigration judge. ICE officials have conducted periodic sweeps in recent years as local jurisdictions and some states – including California – have dialed back cooperation with federal immigration agents, refusing to hold immigrants who can otherwise be released. ICE has deployed “fugitive operations” teams to track down people who are released from local jails. One similarly large operation by ICE in August 2015 under the Obama administration led to more than 240 arrests in Southern California over a week. But there’s a change in attitude, said CHIRLA staff attorney Karla Navarrete. She said Friday that when she went to a downtown holding facility Thursday to file paperwork on behalf of someone who was arrested, an officer there told her “things have changed.” FOIA CBP 000769 DHS-17-0435-B-000066 44 “I think the difference is that we are in a different era,” Navarrette said. “That it’s been clear that there is a goal to deport 8 million people.” That is a reference to President Trump’s pledge to deport millions of unauthorized immigrants, which by one estimate by the Los Angeles Times could reach up to 8 million people. In comparison, more than 2 million people were deported during Obama’s administration, according to the Associated Press. As Feds Arrest 40 Immigrants, Protesters Demand De Blasio Take Action To Protect New Yorkers Village Voice (NY), February 12, 2017 Immigrations and Customs Enforcement has confirmed that it arrested nearly 40 immigrants in the greater New York area over the past week. While ICE claims that the arrests were part of “routine, daily targeted operations,” the number represents an uptick in the amount of arrests compared to periods of routine enforcement during the Obama administration. While he has promised to protect New York City’s status as a sanctuary city, Mayor Bill de Blasio has maintained his support for cracking down on low-level offenses as part of a Broken Windows policing strategy. Earlier this month, the mayor told state lawmakers that he’d look into expanding the list of 170 offenses in which the NYPD would cooperate with ICE to deport New Yorkers. Hundreds of protesters rallied in Washington Square Park on Saturday afternoon against the NYPD’s use of Broken Windows policing, which puts New York City’s immigrants directly at risk under President Trump’s executive order seeking to eliminate sanctuary cities. “We need to draw a line between what is real resistance, and what is a fake resistance,” said Karina Garcia, an organizer with the ANSWER coalition. “We want to hold the mayor accountable for not just his nice words, but for his actions. We’ve seen the gap between his nice words and his actions. We need a fundamental shift in policing. We cannot claim to be a sanctuary city when police flood immigrant communities with cops who are racking up summonses and arrests in huge numbers.” The ICE arrests came against the backdrop of increased enforcement nationwide and amid inaccurate rumors of ICE checkpoints throughout the city. President Trump’s Public Safety Executive Order, signed on January 25, emphasizes that ICE should now arrest every undocumented individual who is even charged with a crime or who has engaged in conduct that could be construed as a crime, regardless if they have criminal convictions against them. Trump’s order also prioritizes for removal green card holders, who have prior criminal convictions, no matter how long ago in the past, who come into contact with the criminal justice system. “We have to be out in the streets every goddamn day until Broken Windows is a thing of a past,” said Imani Henry, an organizer at Equality for Flatbush. “They have to know we’re woke and we’re ready.” Saturday’s rally, which organizers dubbed, “Here to Stay, No Nos Vamos,” featured speakers who repeatedly chastised the mayor for consistently failing to understand that people being arrested are eventually being deported because of policies he himself has put in place. “If you want to call this city a ‘sanctuary city,’ it starts with taking power away from the police and bringing it back to the communities,” said Milton Trujillo, an organizer with ICE￾FREE QUEENS. After the rally, protesters marched out of Washington Square Park and into Greenwich Village, where they circled the NYPD’s 6th Precinct. As the march attempted to cross the street at Hudson and Grove, the NYPD identified five leaders of the march who were not, to this reporter, breaking any laws. One officer tackled a man into a snowbank in the gutter, then held his face into the snow as his hands were zip-tied. The NYPD tells the Voice that four of those arrested were charged with “crossing against a steady red light” and given summonses, while a fifth person, Walter “Hawk” Newsome, a leader of Black Lives Matter — Greater New York, was charged with “obstructing governmental administration” and “resisting arrest.” As speakers at the rally pointed out, “obstructing government administration” is one of the 170 offenses that the NYPD will cooperate with ICE under the city’s detainer law. Firework Set Off Inside Police Car During ICE Protests Austin (TX) American Statesman, February 13, 2017 A person smashed the rear window of an unoccupied Austin police patrol car and threw a lit firework inside it early Sunday near the site of recent protests against immigration enforcement operations in the area, police officials said. The Austin Fire Department is investigating the incident, which took place around 3 a.m. near the intersection of N. Lamar Boulevard and Rundberg Lane and set the interior of the patrol car on fire. According to the Austin police, officers saw a person damage the patrol car, and then leave as a passenger in another car. The suspect ran from officers on foot after they pulled the car over, but was eventually detained. So far the suspect has only been charged with evading arrest, police officials said. The investigation of the patrol car fire is still ongoing. FOIA CBP 000770 DHS-17-0435-B-000067 45 A traffic cone was also set on fire around the same time in the area. On Friday evening, more than 100 people gathered at the intersection of Rundberg and Lamar to protest a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation launched last week to capture unauthorized immigrants with criminal records. A smaller group of protesters returned to the area Saturday afternoon, and more showed up a third time Saturday night. In a separate incident at the site of a protest near the intersection of E. Cesar Chavez Street and Chalmers Avenue, an individual was arrested Saturday evening for aggravated assault, police said. Operation Cross Check: U.S. Congressman Confirms ICE Raids In Austin Part Of Bolstered Enforcement Effort Downstream Austin-UT (TX) Patch, February 10, 2017 A U.S. Congressman from Texas confirmed Friday that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is, indeed, conducting a round-up of undocumented immigrants in Austin — an initiative dubbed “Operation Cross Check” that has so far netted more then 40 undocumented immigrants throughout the city. Congressman Joaquín Castro, who represents District 20 in Texas, issued a statement on Friday confirming growing reports of bolstered ICE enforcement in the city this week. “I have been informed by ICE that the agency’s San Antonio field office has launched a targeted operation in South and Central Texas as part of Operation Cross Check,” Castro said in a prepared statement. “I am asking ICE to clarify whether these individuals are in fact dangerous, violent threats to our communities, and not people who are here peacefully raising families and contributing to our state. I will continue to monitor this situation.” There have been several reports of people being detained by ICE agents throughout Austin, some confirmed others hearsay. At a vigil staged Thursday night in front of a federal building, one woman from Honduras tearfully explained to a gathering of her own husband’s detention that morning as he set out for his landscaping job that morning. Castro’s missive effectively ends speculation as to whether ICE was actually conducting bolstered ICE raids in the city, an offshoot of Donald Trump’s call for crackdowns on foreign migration. Even interim Police Chief Brian Manley said during a news conference he was unsure whether or not federal immigration officials had stepped up enforcement efforts. “I’ve heard the stories out there, but they don’t check in with us, they don’t have to check in with us,” Manley said of ICE, explaining the federal agency has jurisdiction over Austin and thus no need to alert local law enforcement of their presence ahead of time. “So I don’t know if ICE is operating at higher or lower levels than they had in months and years past,” he said during an afternoon press conference. Rumors had swirled of an ICE crackdown in Austin days before they actually occurred, as Patch reported Feb. 3. Those rumors posited the raids occurring that weekend, but the first confirmed reports of detentions emerged this week. The Mexican consulate also confirmed the bolstered ICE activity locally, telling media outlets that 44 Mexican immigrants have been detained in the past 48 hours in Austin. The number of total detentions could be much higher, given the cultural diaspora to be found in Austin; the landscaper detained Thursday morning, for example, is a Honduras native. In March 2015, a same-named, five-day operation took place throughout the country netting 2,059 convicted criminals, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, although it’s unclear if this week’s initiative is related to that effort. The 2015 operation was led by ICE and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), according to a news advisory issued that year. “This nationwide operation led to the apprehension of more than 2,000 convicted criminal aliens who pose the greatest risk to our public safety,” said then-Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas. “Today, communities around the country are safer because of the great work of the men and women of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.” Also dubbed “Cross Check,” the initiative began Sunday, March 1, and ended Thursday, March 5 in 2015. Hundreds of ERO officers participated in the operation focusing arrests of public safety threats, according the the DHS advisory at the time. Those arrested originated from 94 countries, and had a wide array of criminal convictions, officials said. More than 1,000 of those arrested two years ago had felony convictions, including voluntary manslaughter, child pornography, robbery, kidnapping and rape, according to DHS. Of the total 2,059 arrested, 58 were known gang members or affiliates, and 89 are convicted sex offenders, officials said. Castro’s congressional district serves the western half of San Antonio and Bexar County in Texas. The district is heavily Latino, as is its surrounding area. Chatter That ICE Raided Omaha Meatpacking Plant Isn’t True, Spokesman Says Omaha (NE) World-Herald, February 10, 2017 A spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said there were no arrests at any Nebraska meatpacking plants Friday. FOIA CBP 000771 DHS-17-0435-B-000068 46 The comment came as social media posts and community chatter made the rounds that federal agents had targeted Nebraska Beef, a meatpacking plant, in a Friday immigration raid. ICE spokesman Shawn Neudauer said there were no arrests Friday. The agency is a division of the Department of Homeland Security. The chief financial officer of Nebraska Beef said there had been no raid or visit from immigration enforcement officials at his facility. “I think this is a rumor gone amok,” said James Timmerman, the CFO. He said the plant had several calls about word of the raid but he didn’t know what started the talk. He said the plant, which employs about 1,000, takes steps to ensure employees are authorized to work legally in the United States, including using Homeland Security’s E￾Verify system. The plant also conducts a quarterly self-audit to ensure that each employee has a Form I-9 on file, he said. The form is used for verifying a worker’s identity and employment authorization. The social media chatter came as immigration lawyers and advocates reported a series of raids, traffic stops and checkpoints in a number of cities on Thursday and Friday. Meanwhile, schools and advocacy agencies in Omaha were on alert, fielding phone calls about possible immigration operations after the social media posts sparked concern. Gillian Christensen, a Homeland Security spokeswoman, told the Washington Post on Friday that ICE had indeed gone to homes and workplaces in Atlanta, the Los Angeles area and two other cities that she declined to identify, as part of “routine” immigration enforcement actions. Federal Immigration Authorities Launch Raids Across The Country : NPR NPR, February 11, 2017 Federal immigration authorities launched a new wave of raids and other actions in several states over the past five days aimed at sweeping up people who are in this country illegally. It’s not known how many people were rounded up across the country, but immigration advocates say they’ve received reports of raids in California, Texas, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, New York and Kansas. The ICE operations are the first to take place since President Trump issued his Jan. 26 executive order expanding the priorities for enforcement. President Trump has promised to deport 2 to 3 million immigrants with criminal records, but immigration experts say that while the Department of Homeland Security estimates there are 1.9 million “removable criminal aliens” in the United States, only about 690,000 are in this country illegally and have been convicted of a felony or serious misdemeanor. Preliminary reports from southern California give an indication of the scope of the ICE operations. An official with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, in southern California, David Marin, called the actions routine “surge operations” that target “priority cases,” in other words, people in this country illegally who have criminal convictions. “We made 161 arrests, and of those 161, 151 of those had prior criminal convictions. ... The majority of them were felons and those felons which had prior convictions included sex offenses, domestic violence, assault, robbery and weapons violations, just to name a few,” said Marin in a press teleconference held late Friday. Marin said that of the ten others, five had impending deportation orders or had been deported and had illegally returned to the United States. The remaining five had no criminal records, but were in this country without documents. Immigrant advocates dispute officials’ claims that the operations were routine. “What they’re trying to do is a really concerted effort to instill fear and terrorize our communities,” said David Abud, an organizer with the National Day Labor Organizing Network based in Los Angeles told NPR. “It’s a way in which Trump and ICE are retaliating against sanctuary jurisdictions,” he added. As we reported in the Two-Way, the majority of people in this country illegally are concentrated in 20 metropolitan areas in the country. The Washington Post quoted one immigration official who was not authorized to speak publicly because of the sensitive nature of the operation as saying, “Big cities tend to have a lot of illegal immigrants. They’re going to a target-rich environment.” There were anecdotal reports of ICE staging traffic checkpoints and random sweeps of people suspected of being here illegally. ICE’s Marin called those reports “dangerous and irresponsible.” Marin declined to discuss any connection between the raids and the president’s recent executive order, except to say that the operations had been planned for weeks before that order was issued. Immigration Raids Conducted U.S. Cities: What To Know TIME, February 11, 2017 Hundreds of undocumented immigrants were arrested in raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in cities across the U.S. this week — the first widespread enforcement of President Donald Trump’s policy aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration. FOIA CBP 000772 DHS-17-0435-B-000069 47 Trump campaigned on a promise to take action against illegal immigration, pledging to deport up to 3 million undocumented immigrantsby targeting those with criminal records. Notably, experts have challengedTrump’s estimates of the number of undocumented immigrants who have been convicted of crimes. The raids took place at homes and workplaces in Atlanta, Chicago, New York, the Los Angeles area, North Carolina and South Carolina, the Washington Postreported, citing immigration officials. Here are some key details to know: This action follows Trump’s executive order on immigration Trump signed an executive orderlast month aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration. It set a priority of deporting any undocumented immigrant who had been charged with a crime, convicted of a crime or had “committed acts that constitute a chargeable criminal offense.” But immigration officials said the recent raids were a “routine” enforcement practice. “These are existing, established fugitive operations teams. ICE does not conduct sweeps or raids that target aliens indiscriminately,” said Gillian Christensen, acting press secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, according to CNN. “ICE only conducts targeted enforcement of criminal aliens and other individuals who are in violation of our nation’s immigration laws.” Raids caused panic in immigrant communities Recent arrests and deportations have affected people who were not considered a priority for deportation under the Obama administration. Protests broke out in Phoenix this week over the deportation of a motherwho had lived in the U.S. for 21 years and was arrested during a routine meeting with ICE on Wednesday. She had been convicted of a felony in 2008 for using a fake social security number to gain employment, but she was not previously considered a deportation priority. Officials conducted similar raids during Obama’s presidency but prioritized immigrants who were deemed a threat to national security or public safety. Still, more than 2 million people were deported under Obama, leading some critics to label him “Deporter in Chief.” The raids this week caused fear and confusion in immigrant communities, and immigrants’ rights advocates argued it was different than typical law enforcement action. Some groups issued guidance for dealing with ICE officials. In Austin, Texas, teachers handed out flyers to students, explaining “what to do if ICE comes to your door,” the Austin American-Statesmanreported. Democratic leaders and lawmakers spoke out about the arrests “Angelenos should not have to fear raids that are disruptive to their peace of mind and bring unnecessary anxiety to our homes, schools, and workplaces,” Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said Friday. “The Administration should take a just, humane, and sensible approach that does not cause pain for people who only want to live their lives and raise their families in the communities they call home.” Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro confirmed there was a “targeted operation” taking place in the state and said he was “concerned”about the raids. “I am asking ICE to clarify whether these individuals are in fact dangerous, violent threats to our communities, and not people who are here peacefully raising families and contributing to our state,” he said in a statement. The Looming Conflict Between Trump’s Immigration Sweeps And Religious Freedom By Philip Bump Washington Post, February 12, 2017 When Guadalupe García de Rayos was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Mesa, Ariz., after the most recent of her mandated check-ins with the agency, her lawyer Ray Ybarra Maldonado was furious. On a conference call, Maldonado said that ICE had lied to him and that he would advise anyone in Rayos’ shoes to seek sanctuary in a church instead of turning themselves in. Rayos herself considered that option. Understanding that the check-in might pose a new risk during the administration of Donald Trump, allies suggested her that do so. She declined, opting instead for going to Mass and praying before she went to the ICE office. She was deported to Mexico, leaving her two children behind. Seeking sanctuary at a church would not have offered as much shelter as you might assume. Many of us are familiar — thanks to “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” — with the concept of taking refuge in a place of worship as a way to avoid civil authorities. While this was a doctrine that existed in some places in the past, it was never instituted by American colonists and it is not the case now that someone hoping to avoid arrest can be assured of protection in a house of worship. (Nor is it the case that so-called “sanctuary cities” offer protection from detention by federal immigration authorities, as recent raids have made clear.) There is, however, a reason that Rayos’ attorney recommended seeking refuge in a church. David Leopold, an immigration attorney from Cleveland and former president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, pointed to a 2011 memorandum from then-ICE director John Morton. It established that ICE would not conduct enforcement actions in several enumerated “sensitive locations”: hospitals, schools, the site of a wedding or funeral, during a demonstration or at a place of worship. FOIA CBP 000773 DHS-17-0435-B-000070 48 It wasn’t impossible to conduct such an action; it was just that any enforcement in one of the places on the list mandated approval from a top ICE official before proceeding (except in the case of an emergency). What makes places of worship uniquely appealing on that list, of course, is that they alone are part of the long tradition of seeking sanctuary. The concept, established more than 1,700 years ago in the Theodosian Code of 392 A.D., upholds tenets offered in the Bible. Exodus 22:21 — part of the delineation of laws following the Ten Commandments — implores readers to not mistreat or oppress foreigners. Deuteronomy 27:19 declares that those who deny justice to foreigners, orphans and widows should be cursed. Churches, in other words, may act to protect immigrants out of a sense of religious obligation. And that is where things might get tricky for the Trump administration. Last week, a draft executive order that was circulating in the White House was leaked to the press. Titled “Establishing a Government-Wide Initiative to Respect Religious Freedom,” the draft document sides strongly with recent efforts to support the role of religious belief in commercial and legal interactions. The draft order focused on political issues that have been at the heart of that conflict, such as same-sex marriage and contraception. But it was a clear indicator that the administration supported a broad interpretation of religious freedom rights. The most noteworthy case on this subject was Burwell vs. Hobby Lobby, determined in favor of the retail chain by the Supreme Court in 2014. Five justices agreed that the provisions of the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act meant that Hobby Lobby could not be forced to cover contraception in its health insurance for employees, despite such a mandate in the Affordable Care Act. Liz Platt is the director of the Public Rights/Private Conscience Project at Columbia Law School. When we spoke by phone on Friday, she suggested that the new breadth of accommodation for religious liberties might make the issue of offering sanctuary trickier. She noted that offering sanctuary to immigrants living in the country illegally had been challenged in the courts previously, with the religious motivations behind the effort playing a muted role. During the 1980s, a number of religious institutions were helping people fleeing violence in Central America to travel illegally through the United States. Some of those participating in the effort were arrested and, among other things, the question was raised of whether the arrests violated their First Amendment rights to free religious practice. They lost. “The courts did something that would never fly today,” Platt said. The courts “questioned whether their religious beliefs were really being burdened. They had some clergy members come in and say, ‘Actually, there’s no reason why under Christianity you would need to do this.’” “Under the Supreme Court’s decision in Hobby Lobby,” by contrast, “they were super deferential to the claimants who said that their religious rights had been burdened,” she continued. “Under this much, much greater deference to the religious objector and much expanded right to a religious accommodation, I think it’s certainly a possibility that those cases could come out the opposite way today.” “The new, much, much broader of right to religious exemption that’s provided under RFRA is going to really give them a chance to relitigate” the question of sanctuary, Platt said. She noted, too, that religion might not even be the only boundary, if the leaked executive order is any guide. The document “contained protections not only for religion, but also for conscience,” she said. This raises the prospect of someone harboring an immigrant in their own homes, challenging prosecution by citing their conscientious decision to do so. The issue of punishment for those offering sanctuary is key. Since sanctuary isn’t a legal doctrine, those who offer it to immigrants in the country illegally are putting themselves at risk under statutes outlawing the harboring of undocumented immigrants. Federal code bars transporting people known to be in the country illegally or concealing, harboring or shielding those known to be undocumented — “in any place, including any building or any means of transportation.” That includes places of worship. Leopold, the immigration attorney, agreed that there might be a tension in the administration’s likely priorities. “There’s an inherent conflict between the harboring statutes and religious freedom in this country,” he said. He suspects that this could become a significant issue under Trump, thanks in part to his attorney general. “The law is very broad. And that’s my fear,” Leopold said. “My concern is that you have an attorney general in Jeff Sessions who is anti-immigrant. At this point he’s the chief law enforcement officer in the country and he can use the criminal statutes to prosecute people for harboring.” The penalty for being convicted of harboring someone known to be in the country illegally is five years in federal prison. The prohibition against raiding places of worship, as outlined in 2011, is a memorandum that could be overturned at any point. There’s another reason that ICE is disinterested in launching raids at places of worship, of course: Aesthetics. No head of a government agency wants to have to explain to the public why there were photographs of a priest being lead to a police vehicle in handcuffs. “I think that if Jeff Sessions begins to prosecute people for harboring … I think there’s going to be hell to pay,” he said. “I think people are going to recoil at any prosecution of a church or a religious figure or parishioners for doing what they believe is their religious duty.” He compared it to recent protests at airports over Trump’s immigration ban. “It’s the same response that you FOIA CBP 000774 DHS-17-0435-B-000071 49 see when people get off airplanes and are detained at the airport suddenly because they have a passport from a Muslim country,” he added. “I think you’ll see the same thing if you see the government going into a place of worship.” Leopold and Platt suggest that the conclusion to any debate over sanctuary might end the same way, in court. If so, the Trump administration may be torn between what it prioritizes more: Its ability to deport immigrants in the country illegally — or the right of religious Americans to stand in their way. TriMet Responds To False Rumors Of Immigration Raids On Buses Oregonian, February 10, 2017 TriMet took the unusual step of Friday of announcing that it doesn’t cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement office, responding to apparently false rumors that federal immigration officers were targeting bus riders in Southeast Portland. The agency said it conducted no fare enforcement operations on Thursday evening except at stations near the Moda Center and Providence Park, where the Trail Blazers and Timbers played that night. It had received no firsthand accounts of an incident involving federal officers from rider or operators, spokeswoman Mary Fetsch said Further, it said sworn police officers in its transit police division are prohibited from enforcing federal immigration laws under Oregon’s sanctuary state statute. “We do not support targeting any of our riders or any members of our community. Period,” the agency said in a statement Friday morning. “We deeply regret that these fast￾spreading rumors have caused concerns about TriMet and the safety of our riders.” It had tweeted a rebuttal late Thursday: An Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman also refuted the rumors in a written statement. “Rumors currently being circulated that the agency is conducting random enforcement actions at Portland-area transportation hubs are completely unfounded,” wrote Lori K. Haley, the spokeswoman. “The agency is working diligently to address these false reports and we urge the media not to give them credence.” She added that the agency’s enforcement actions are ongoing, but “targeted and lead driven.” Posts on Twitter and Facebook claimed TriMet fare checkers were delivering people caught without fare to federal officers waiting outside the bus. At least one version was attributed the report to a person affiliated with a local media outlet, lending it some credibility among those who shared the post, though its not clear that outlet had a hand in spreading the rumors. Some of the social media posts that helped the rumor spread have since been deleted. Immigration officers have appeared at the Multnomah County courthouse to arrest undocumented immigrants appearing for unrelated charges, even though the county has a policy of not assisting in immigration enforcement. County officials have condemned the practice, but said it had no authority to bar the officers from areas open to the public. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have said there is no new emphasis on arrests since the election of President Donald Trump, an immigration hardliner. Later Friday, however, The Washington Post reported federal agents had conducted immigration raids across at least six states on Thursday and Friday in an apparent escalation since Trump took office. The federal agency acknowledged those operations. Fetsch said immigration enforcement officers would be allowed to board a bus like any other member of the public. But TriMet has never worked with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, she said, and has no plans to. “ICE has never been trained or participating in fare enforcement and would not know what they would be looking for if they did (try to enforce fares),” she said in an email. Other transit agencies in sanctuary cities are concerned about drawing the attention of immigration officers. The Bay Area’s BART regional rail system has proposed a “sanctuary in transit” policy that would prohibit its own police force to limit cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal agencies. Stephen Miller Says White House Will Fight For Travel Ban, Advances False Voter Fraud Claims By Philip Rucker Washington Post, February 12, 2017 The White House is pursuing several options to reinstate President Trump’s travel ban on all refugees and travelers from seven majority-Muslim nations, fighting back against what one top adviser on Sunday called “judicial usurpation of power.” White House senior policy adviser Stephen Miller, the author of the controversial executive order, said the administration was simultaneously weighing several legal options after the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously on Thursday against reinstating the travel ban, which had been blocked temporarily by a federal judge in Washington state. Miller said that officials are considering appealing with the 9th Circuit and having an emergency hearing “en banc,” or before all judges on the court; seeking an emergency stay at the Supreme Court; taking the case to trial at the district FOIA CBP 000775 DHS-17-0435-B-000072 50 level; or writing a new executive order for Trump to sign that would withstand legal scrutiny. In unusually combative interviews on the Sunday morning television shows, Miller also refused to say whether Trump still has confidence in his national security adviser amid controversy over his communications with Russian officials. Miller also advanced false claims that widespread voter fraud undermined Trump’s performance in November’s election. Miller insisted that Trump has the constitutional authority to ban the entry of certain foreigners, saying the actions represent “the very apex of presidential authority.” “I want to say something very clearly, and this is going to be very disappointing to the people protesting the president and the people in Congress, like [Senate Democratic Leader Charles E.] Schumer, who have attacked the president for his lawful and necessary action: The president’s powers here are beyond question,” Miller said on Fox News. Appearing also on ABC News, Miller said, “A district judge in Seattle cannot force the president of the United States to change our laws and our Constitution because of their own personal views. The president has the power … to suspend the entry of aliens when it’s in the national interest.” Miller said on CBS News that the judiciary was acting like “a supreme branch of government.” “One unelected judge in Seattle cannot make laws for the entire country,” Miller told anchor John Dickerson. “I mean, this is just crazy, John. The idea that you’re going to have a judge in Seattle say that a foreign national living in Libya has an effective right to enter the United States is beyond anything we’ve ever seen before.” Miller also suggested that the legal debate was not over the constitutionality of Trump’s action, but rather over ideology. “There is no constitutional right for a citizen in a foreign country, who has no status in America, to demand entry into our country,” the adviser said on ABC. “Such a right cannot exist. Such a right will never exist. This is an ideological disagreement between those who believe we should have borders and should have controls and those who believe there should be no borders and no controls.” Miller’s exchanges with the Sunday show hosts were testy on other subjects as well. He punted when ABC anchor George Stephanopolous asked him about The Washington Post’s report that retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn discussed the then-Obama administration’s sanctions against Russia in conversations with that country’s ambassador before Flynn was sworn in as White House national security adviser. “I don’t have any news to make you today on this point,” Miller said, prompting Stephanopoulos to ask, “Then why are you coming in if you can’t answer the questions being posed about the White House?” On NBC, when anchor Chuck Todd asked Miller whether Trump still had confidence in Flynn, Miller said he did not know. Miller said his colleagues in the White House “did not give me anything to say.” “It’s not for me to tell you what’s in the president’s mind,” he told Todd. “That’s a question for the president.” How the 31-year-old behind Trump’s travel ban forged his conservative identity in liberal Southern California Miller also repeated the false claim that Trump underperformed in the general election because of “massive voter fraud.” Miller provided no evidence to support his assertions in his ABC appearance — something Stephanopolous pointed out to viewers. Miller repeated claims Trump made privately to senators this past week that he narrowly lost the general election in New Hampshire because thousands of Massachusetts residents were bused into New Hampshire to vote illegally there. “I can tell you that this issue of busing voters into New Hampshire is widely known by anyone who’s worked in New Hampshire politics,” Miller said. “It’s very real. It’s very serious.” There is no known evidence of this happening. Miller went on to say that there is “enormous evidence” of people being registered to vote in more than one state, of “dead people voting” and noncitizens being registered to vote. “George, it is a fact — and you will not deny it — that there are massive numbers of noncitizens in this country who are registered to vote,” Miller said. “That is a scandal. We should stop the presses. And, as a country, we should be aghast about the fact that you have people who have no right to vote in this country registered to vote, canceling out the franchise of lawful citizens of this country.” At that, Stephanopolous intoned: “For the record, you have provided zero evidence that the president was the victim of massive voter fraud in New Hampshire. You provided zero evidence that the president’s claim that he would have won the popular vote if 3 million to 5 million illegal immigrants hadn’t voted — zero evidence for either one of those claims.” Miller’s combative appearances pleased his boss, who apparently was watching from Mar-a-Lago, his private club in Palm Beach, Fla. Trump tweeted: “Congratulations Stephen Miller- on representing me this morning on the various Sunday morning shows. Great job!” Aide Says Courts Grabbed Power From Trump On Immigration Ban By Mark Niquette Bloomberg Politics, February 12, 2017 White House policy adviser Stephen Miller said judges on a San Francisco-based appeals court who ruled against President Donald Trump’s travel ban took power that belongs FOIA CBP 000776 DHS-17-0435-B-000073 51 “squarely in the hands of the president” in a “judicial usurpation.” “There is no such thing as judicial supremacy,” Miller said in an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” one of four appearances on Sunday talk shows after the court on Thursday ruled against the Trump administration’s Jan. 27 executive order on immigration. On “Fox News Sunday,” Miller blasted “a judicial usurpation of power,” and on CBS’s “Face the Nation” he derided a judiciary that he said had “become in many cases a supreme branch of government.” The White House on Friday sent conflicting signals about how it would address the ruling that halted its ban on U.S. entry by citizens from seven predominantly Muslim nations – Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen – for 90 days, and also stopped the entry of all refugees for 120 days. Refugees fleeing the years-long Syrian civil war were banned indefinitely. Yet Miller’s comments suggested the administration isn’t backing down on its position that courts have no business reviewing the president’s actions in the immigration case. For more on Trump’s travel restrictions, click here. Miller, whose background is in political science, said the White House is considering all options, including continuing to appeal in the 9th U.S Circuit Court of Appeals, seeking an emergency stay at the U.S. Supreme Court, having a trial hearing on the merits at the district court level, and pursuing additional executive actions. “The president’s powers here are beyond question,” Miller said on Fox. The three judges on the appeals court, appointed by Presidents Jimmy Carter, George W. Bush and Barack Obama, respectively, “made a broad, overreaching statement about the ability to check the executive power.” Miller’s comments dovetailed with remarks Trump has made. And the president, who’s known to closely monitor the performance of his aides, liked what he saw from the 31-year￾old former communications director to former Alabama senator and now Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “Congratulations Stephen Miller – on representing me this morning on the various Sunday morning shows. Great job!” Trump tweeted.So-Called Judge On ABC’s “This Week,” Miller said that “a District judge in Seattle cannot force the president of the United States to change our laws and our Constitution because of their own personal views.” The comments referred to federal Judge James Robart, a George W. Bush appointee, who granted a temporary restraining order against Trump’s order on Feb. 3. That ruling led to the reopening of U.S. borders to visa holders from the seven countries and spurred the State Department to reverse its cancellation of visas. The president responded by calling Robart a “so-called judge” on Twitter. Speaking about the case, Bob Ferguson, attorney general for Washington state, said the current executive order “most certainly” is unlawful. Washington and Minnesota have led opposition to Trump’s travel ban. Four federal judges “have completely and utterly rejected the president’s arguments in this case,” Ferguson said on ABC’s “This Week.” He didn’t rule out attempting to question the president under oath if there’s an appeal.Refugee Screening Miller said there were “hundreds of cases of foreign nationals” entering the U.S. and plotting terrorist attacks. Trump said Sunday on Twitter that 72 percent of the refugees admitted since the executive order was halted came from the seven countries. Refugees, who undergo a rigorous, often years-long screening process to enter the U.S., are typically fleeing their homelands claiming persecution or fear of violence. In addition to border measures, Miller said the administration is focused on “protecting the security of our country through interior enforcement.” His comment came as U.S. immigration authorities arrested hundreds of undocumented immigrants in at least six states over the past week in a series of raids, according to the Washington Post. Actions reportedly have been taken in homes, workplaces and public spaces such as shopping￾center parking lots in Atlanta, Chicago, New York and elsewhere. Keep up with the best of Bloomberg Politics. Get our newsletter daily. “I have been informed by ICE that the agency’s San Antonio field office has launched a targeted operation in south and central Texas,” Representative Joaquin Castro, Democrat of Texas, said in a statement referring to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a unit of the Department of Homeland Security. “I am asking ICE to clarify whether those individuals are in fact dangerous, violent threats to our communities and not people who are here peacefully raising families and contributing to our state.”Immigration Sweeps The sweeps were the first large-scale moves under Trump’s Jan. 25 order to crack down on the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. by prioritizing deportation of those who have been convicted of a criminal offense or pose a risk to national security. Those arrested included individuals without criminal records, the Washington Post and other media reported. Asked on NBC if being in the country illegally, without having committed other crimes, was enough to warrant deportation, Miller said, “an immigration judge makes those decisions. An ICE officer makes those decisions. I and the White House don’t make those decisions.” New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a former Republican presidential candidate, said any concerns about FOIA CBP 000777 DHS-17-0435-B-000074 52 people getting deported who aren’t violent criminals have to do with flaws in the nation’s immigration laws. “The laws that are in effect right now have to be enforced, and that’s what’s happening right now,” Christie said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” The focus of the president’s order is to keep the U.S. safe, and any people getting deported who have violated the law by their status as undocumented immigrants who are not violent criminals are in an “overwhelming minority,” Christie said. Trump Is Sifting Options On Immigration Ban, Adviser Says Stephen Miller says possible measures include a new executive order and a further appeal of court suspension By Rebecca Ballhaus Wall Street Journal, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Stephen Miller Says White House Looking At ‘all Options’ Possible To Keep Trump Travel Ban Alive By Adam Edelman, New York Daily News New York Daily News, February 12, 2017 Just three days after a federal appeals court upheld a suspension on President Trump’s travel ban, a key White House staffer and an author of the controversial executive order, indicated that the administration was actively looking at ways to keep the measure alive. Stephen Miller, a senior policy adviser to Trump, said Sunday that “all options are on the table” regarding the White House’s response to a ruling Thursday night by the San Francisco-based 9th Circuit Court of Appeals that allowed to stand a halt on the President’s executive order barring travelers from seven Muslim-majority nations and limiting the nation’s refugee program. “We are considering and pursuing all options. Those options include seeking an emergency stay at the Supreme Court, continuing the appeal with the panel, having an emergency hearing en banc, or going to the trial court at the district level and trial on the merit,” Miller said on “Fox News Sunday,” one of three stops on the Sunday morning political talk shows. “They also include … the possibility of new executive actions designed to prevent terrorist infiltration of our country,” Miller added, before reiterating the administration’s belief that Trump can do whatever he wants — simply because he is the President. “I want to say something very clearly, and this is going to be very disappointing to the people protesting the President and the people in Congress … who’ve attacked the President for his lawful and necessary actions,” Miller added. “The President’s powers here are beyond question,” he said — directly contradicted the San Francisco court’s findings. The California panel of three judges, reviewing a decision by a federal judge in Seattle that blocked parts of the order, indeed, noted the states raised serious allegations about religious discrimination and, in plain language, rejected the Trump administration’s argument that his executive orders are “unreviewable.” “There is no precedent to support this claimed unreviewability, which runs contrary to the fundamental structure of our constitutional democracy,” the judges wrote. The judges also found merit to the state’s argument that the ban, barring travelers from seven Muslim-majority nations and limiting the nation’s refugee program, violates the Fifth Amendment right to due process, finding that the government will have little “likelihood of success” in rejecting that argument. Stephen Miller, a senior policy adviser to Trump, said Sunday that “all options are on the table” regarding the legality of Trump’s controversial travel ban. (JONATHAN ERNST/REUTERS) “The government has not shown that the executive order provides what due process requires, such as notice and a hearing prior to restricting an individual’s ability to travel,” the panel wrote, adding that the White House had “not shown a likelihood of success on the merits of its appeal, nor has it shown that failure to enter a stay would cause irreparable injury.” The 29-page ruling also appeared to rule out several of Miller’s suggestions Sunday, saying it was unlikely the White House’s counsel had authority to amend a presidential executive order and that the government did not show how the order could be administered in parts. Trump has vowed to pursue the case through the Supreme Court if the halt on the ban were upheld, tweeting moments after the decision was handed down Thursday, “SEE YOU IN COURT, THE SECURITY OF OUR NATION IS AT STAKE.” Miller, for his part, attempted to refute specific parts of the ruling during his media blitz Sunday, explaining on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that, “what the judges did both at the ninth and at the district level was to take power for themselves that belong squarely in the hands of the President of the United States.” “The bottom line is the President of the United States … has the power to control who enters our country,” he added. “And you know and I know that no foreign national living in Yemen or any other country has a constitutional right to demand entry into our country.” FOIA CBP 000778 DHS-17-0435-B-000075 53 “We have equal branches of government in this country. The judiciary is not supreme. A district judge in Seattle cannot force the President of the United States to change their laws and our constitution because of their own personal views, he said on ABC’s “This Week.” Miller also claimed that Trump had the constitutional power to “engage in conducting border control and immigration control into this country” including ordering the deportation of individuals. That statement came amid a surge in ICE actions across the nation — including in New York City — that resulted in raids and the arrests of illegal immigrants. The crackdown on illegal criminals is merely the keeping of my campaign promise. Gang members, drug dealers & others are being removed!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 12, 2017 “Those powers are substantial. They represent the very apex of constitutional authority and so we are contemplating new and additional actions to ensure our immigration system does not become the vehicle for admitting people into our country who are hostile to its nation and its values,” Miller said. Trump meanwhile, took to Twitter to defend his ban, the ICE actions, and to throw around statistics that, while true, didn’t appear to be relevant to his point. “The crackdown on illegal criminals is merely the keeping of my campaign promise. Gang members, drug dealers & others are being removed!” he posted. “72% of refugees admitted into U.S. (2/3 -2/11) during COURT BREAKDOWN are from 7 countries: SYRIA, IRAQ, SOMALIA, IRAN, SUDAN, LIBYA & YEMEN,” he added. In fact, President Trump’s suspended travel ban triggered a wave of immigration from the countries he hoped to block, data shows. From Feb. 3-11, about 72% of the people immigrating to the country — 1,049 of the 1,462 — hail from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, according to data from the State Department’s Refugee Processing Center. Prior to Trump signing his executive order on Jan. 27, 58% of this year’s immigrants came from the seven countries. The spike could be the result of the State Department and refugee resettlement agencies ramping up efforts for people from the seven countries, the New York Times reports. With Dan Good Trump’s Power On Immigration Is ‘Beyond Question,’ Adviser Says By Nicholas Loffredo Newsweek, February 12, 2017 A senior adviser to the president continued Donald Trump’s attacks on the judiciary over his suspended travel ban while declining to indicate what legal strategy the administration will pursue to enforce the president’s executive order. Stephen Miller, senior policy adviser to Trump, called the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling on the president’s ban on Syrian refugees and travel from seven Muslim￾majority countries a “judicial usurpation” of Trump’s power and a “violation of judges’ proper roles in litigating disputes” in an appearance on “Fox News Sunday” with Chris Wallace. While reiterating many comments made by the president himself on the Ninth Circuit’s ruling, Miller defended the president’s repeated criticisms of District Court Judge James Robart, who issued the initial ruling staying the travel ban. “Statements that you can’t criticize a judge demonstrate a profound misunderstanding of what it means to have separate and equal branches. Of course, one branch can criticize another branch of government,” Miller said. Trump’s order, which he has claimed is necessary for national security, remains unenforced nationwide, while separate legal challenges to the directive proceed in multiple jurisdictions. The administration has wavered when asked its next steps, and Miller said Sunday that all options are open. “Those options include seeking an emergency stay with the Supreme Court, continuing the appeal with the panel, having an emergency hearing en banc, or going to the trial court in the district level and a trial on the merits. They also include...the possibility of new executive actions designed to prevent terrorist infiltration of our country,” Miller said. Should the suit go to trial, Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson said on ABC’s “This Week” that he’ll use “every tool” at his disposal to uncover “what truly motivated” the president’s directive. Miller also supported the Justice Department argument that Trump—and Trump alone—has the power to change immigration regulations, without review by the court system. “The president’s powers here are beyond question,” Miller said. “The bottom line is the president’s powers, in this area, represent the apex of executive authority,” he said in a separate appearance on ABC’s “This Week.” The Ninth Circuit emphatically rejected that argument, finding that, “There is no precedent to support this claimed unreviewability, which runs contrary to the fundamental structure of our constitutional democracy.” In his appearances, Miller repeatedly cited Article 2 of the Constitution and immigration law to argue the “president has the authority to impose moderate, necessary and sensible restrictions, including putting in place new vetting procedures to protect this country. That power was delegated to him explicitly by Congress, and adheres to him under its Article 2 powers under the U.S. Constitution.” However, he doesn’t mention the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which forbids restrictive policies based on race, sex, nationality or place of birth or residence. FOIA CBP 000779 DHS-17-0435-B-000076 54 “This is a judicial usurpation of the power. It is a violation of judges’ proper roles in litigating disputes. We will fight it,” Miller said. “In the end, the powers of the president of the United States will be reaffirmed, and the whole world will see clearly and unmistakably...that this country will protect its borders.” The president was pleased with Miller’s defense of the administration. “Congratulations Stephen Miller- on representing me this morning on the various Sunday morning shows. Great job!,” Trump tweeted Sunday morning. White House Official Attacks Court After Legal Setbacks On Immigration By Doina Chiacu And Julia Harte Reuters, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. White House Still Weighing Options On Travel Ban, Looking Toward Restrictions On Work Visas, Top Aide Says By Laura King Los Angeles Times, February 12, 2017 President Trump’s senior policy adviser says the administration is still “considering all our options” in the legal fight over Trump’s travel moratorium. Policy adviser Stephen Miller also pointed toward an expected move by the administration to cut back on H1B visas, which are issued for foreigners to work in specialty occupations. The high-tech industry is heavily reliant upon such workers. “I believe that we should have a program in which American workers are given jobs first,” Miller said in an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “If you have an open job in this country, a U.S. citizen or existing legal permanent resident ought to have the ability to make the first application for that job.” The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, based in San Francisco, dealt a blow to the president’s policies last week by refusing to reinstate his temporary ban on travel from seven mostly Muslim countries. The government has 14 days to respond to that decision. Miller said various legal scenarios were being weighed, including an appeal in the 9th Circuit or seeking an emergency stay at the Supreme Court. “And yes, you could pursue additional executive actions,” said Miller, a principal author of the controversial travel ban. Administration officials indicated Friday that in the next few days, Trump could issue a new executive order, written to avoid the legal problems the current order has encountered. “The bottom line is that we are pursuing every single possible action to keep our country safe from terrorism,” Miller said. He also renewed the White House attack on what the president and senior aides have characterized as overreach by the courts. Trump had earlier referred to James Robart, the U.S. District judge in Seattle who initially blocked enforcement of the travel ban, as a “so-called judge.” “There’s no such thing as judicial supremacy,” Miller said in the NBC interview, adding that judges at both the district and appeals court level had taken “power for themselves that belong squarely in the hands of the president of the United States.” Aide Stephen Miller Takes Vigorous Trump Defense To TV Sunday Shows By David Jackson USA Today, February 12, 2017 Stephen Miller is getting his close-up. President Trump’s 31-year-old senior adviser, whose influence and public profile appear to be on the rise, hit the talk show circuit Sunday to promote his boss and the policies he has had a hand in shaping, including the ongoing court case over Trump’s proposed ban on travel from seven Muslim countries. “The President of the United States has accomplished more in just a few weeks than many Presidents do in an entire administration,” Miller told CBS’ Face The Nation, citing orders to reduce regulations and set new government ethics requirements and Trump’s direct negotiations with businesses over jobs. As for the travel ban, Miller echoed the president’s attacks on judges who have blocked enforcement of the order, arguing that it is necessary to protect the country from terrorism. “In the end, the powers of the president of the United States will be re-affirmed,” Miller told Fox News Sunday. Miller said the administration is evaluating all of its options in the wake of the adverse decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Options range from seeking an emergency stay at the Supreme Court to re-writing the original order restricting entry to the U.S., or perhaps some combination. Saying that the president has absolute authority to protect the nation’s borders, Miller told NBC’s Meet The Press: “What the judges did both at the ninth and at the district level was to take power for themselves that belong squarely in the hands of the president of the United States.” On ABC’s This Week, Miller backed Trump’s unproven claims on voter fraud, including unsubstantiated allegations that voters were bused from Massachusetts to New Hampshire to vote in that state’s close presidential election. FOIA CBP 000780 DHS-17-0435-B-000077 55 Pressed for proof, Miller said: “I can tell you that this issue of busing voters in to New Hampshire is widely known by anyone who’s worked in New Hampshire politics.” The claim was quickly dismissed by New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen. In past weeks, more prominent aides like presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway, White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, and press secretary Sean Spicer have represented the administration on the Sunday talk shows. This Sunday it was Miller’s turn, another sign of the rise of a once-obscure Senate aide who embraced Trump’s attacks on illegal immigration and “political correctness,” and his promotion of economic nationalism and “America First.” Miller’s performance won praise from the boss. Trump tweeted: “Congratulations Stephen Miller- on representing me this morning on the various Sunday morning shows. Great job!” A native of California, Miller grew up building his conservative bona fides, including public attacks on what he called the “PC” culture of his high school (in Santa Monica) and college (Duke). The conservative talk show regular eventually made his way to the staff of one of his favorite senators: Jeff Sessions of Alabama, now Trump’s attorney general. He became known as an aggressive advocate and e-mailer on Sessions’ behalf, particularly on immigration issues. In a recent profile of Miller, The New York Times said “the ascent of Mr. Miller from far-right gadfly with little policy experience to the president’s senior policy adviser came as a shock to many of the staff members who knew him from his seven years in the Senate. A man whose emails were, until recently, considered spam by many of his Republican peers is now shaping the Trump administration’s core domestic policies with his economic nationalism and hard-line positions on immigration.” Read more: As Sessions prepared to become the first senator to endorse Trump early in the presidential campaign, Miller joined the campaign staff and quickly bonded with the candidate. For Trump, Miller served as both speech writer and speech maker, delivering warm-up remarks at many Trump rallies. In both roles, Miller echoed Trump’s political themes, from “America First” to attacks on free trade. Like Trump — and sometimes even more stridently — Miller told supporters that globalization and free trade were robbing them of the jobs, with the support and connivance of the political elite in Washington, D.C. During a summer rally in Dallas, Miller said that people who oppose Trump “are responsible for our open borders, for our shrinking middle class, for our terrible trade deals ... Everything that is wrong with this country today, the people who are opposed to Donald Trump are responsible for!” The Washington Post’s take on Miller: “Today, at 31, he has emerged alongside former Breitbart News chief Stephen K. Bannon as a chief engineer of Trump’s populist ‘America first’ agenda that has roiled the Washington debate over immigration and trade and sparked alarm among traditional U.S. allies abroad.” On Fox News Sunday, Miller said that Trump won the presidency “by being a champion for people who haven’t had a voice in Washington.” WH Policy Adviser: Trump ‘pursuing All Options’ On Travel Ban By Tom Howell Jr. Washington Times, February 12, 2017 President Trump is “pursuing all options” in the wake of an appeals court decision against his extreme vetting order, White House policy adviser Stephen Miller said Sunday, arguing the three-judge panel got it all wrong. “The president’s powers here are beyond question,” Mr. Miller told Fox News Sunday. California’s 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last week upheld a restraining order against Mr. Trump’s decision to temporarily halt refuge programs and block migrants from seven predominantly Muslim nations — Syria, Iraq, Somalia, Iran, Sudan, Libya and Yemen — from entering the U.S. until stronger vetting could be implemented. The president is considering a new executive order on immigration as early as Monday, in response to the courts halting his earlier move. Mr. Miller said the president has multiple options, including seeking an emergency stay before the Supreme Court, petitioning for a review by a fuller slate of judges on the 9th Circuit or demanding a trial on the merits at the district court level. Mr. Miller said judges who’ve opposed the president so far are guilty of overreaching. “The bottom line is is that we are pursuing every single possible action to keep our country safe from terrorism,” Mr. Miller told NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “And I also want to be clear, we’ve heard a lot of talk about how all the branches of government are equal. That’s the point. They are equal. There’s no such thing as judicial supremacy. What the judges did both at the ninth and at the district level was to take power for themselves that belong squarely in the hands of the president of the United States.” Mr. Trump, who is known to keep tabs on his aides’ TV performances, said he was pleased with Mr. Miller’s defense. “Congratulations Stephen Miller — on representing me this morning on the various Sunday morning shows. Great job!” Mr. Trump said on Twitter. FOIA CBP 000781 DHS-17-0435-B-000078 56 Congratulations Stephen Miller- on representing me this morning on the various Sunday morning shows. Great job! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 12, 2017 Mr. Trump also has used Twitter to lash out at judges who’ve opposed his order, suggesting they would be responsible for any terror attacks that occur while his extreme vetting program is on ice. On Sunday, Mr. Trump said 72 percent of refugees admitted into the U.S. during the “COURT BREAKDOWN” since Feb. 3 are from the seven countries on his ban list. Sen. Ben Cardin, Maryland Democrat, said the U.S. should be more targeted in its anti-terrorism efforts. For instance, it could focus on people who might self-radicalize instead of freezing out refugees or imposing a blanket ban on specific nations, saying it gives Islamic radical groups another recruiting tool. “We really need to have a smart policy, and we already have extreme vetting for refugees particularly,” Mr. Cardin told “Fox News Sunday.” Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. Trump Adviser Stephen Miller Disastrously Tries To Defend Trump Yet he also said, “It’s not for me to speak what’s in the president’s mind.” By Marina Fang Huffington Post, February 12, 2017 Stephen Miller, President Donald Trump’s senior policy adviser, made the rounds on Sunday’s political talk shows to defend the administration’s stance on several major issues. It did not go well. On ABC’s “This Week,” he vigorously defended ― but provided no evidence to support ― Trump’s lie that “millions” of people had voted illegally. “I’m prepared to go on any show, anywhere, any time and repeat it and say the president of the United States is correct, 100 percent,” he said. After pressing Miller several times to no avail, host George Stephanopoulos ended the segment. “You have provided zero evidence of the president’s claim that he would have won the popular vote if 3 to 5 million illegal immigrants hadn’t voted, zero evidence for either one of those claims,” Stephanopoulos said. “Thanks a lot for joining us this morning.” Joshua Roberts / Reuters White House senior adviser Stephen Miller made the rounds on Sunday’s political shows. And like the president, Miller undermined the legitimacy of the judicial branch. He slammed the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals for ruling unanimously on Thursday to reject the Trump administration’s appeal on its executive order banning refugees and immigrants from seven majority-Muslim countries. Miller, who was influential in drafting the ban, told CBS News’ John Dickerson that it was “crazy” for judges to rule on the constitutionality of laws. He also reiterated criticism of Judge James Robart, the Seattle-based federal judge who halted the ban earlier this month. “One unelected judge in Seattle cannot make laws for the entire country,” he said. “I mean, this is just crazy, John. The idea that you’re going to have a judge in Seattle say that a foreign national living in Libya has an effective right to enter the United States is beyond anything we’ve ever seen before.” On “Fox News Sunday,” Miller accused the three judges on the 9th Circuit Court of “having a long history of overreaching” and characterized their decision as “a judicial usurpation of the power.” Several courts have ruled against the Trump administration over the ban. Miller also tried to do damage control regarding revelations that national security adviser Mike Flynn reportedly communicated with and may have met the Russian ambassador in December to discuss sanctions. Yet Miller claimed that, on this issue, the White House “did not give me anything to say,” and said that he could not speak for Trump ― even though he had represented Trump on a variety of other issues throughout the morning. “It’s not for me to speak what’s in the president’s mind,” he told NBC’s Chuck Todd. Trump seemed to indicate otherwise while praising Miller. This article has been clarified to note conflicting reports on the extent to which Flynn communicated with the Russian ambassador. How will Trump’s first 100 days impact you? Sign up for our weekly newsletter and get breaking updates on Trump’s presidency by messaging us here. All Options Considered To Blunt Ruling Thwarting Immigrant Travel Ban By Ken Bredemeier Voice of America, February 12, 2017 A key aide to U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday the White House is considering “all of our options” in an effort to blunt a court ruling freezing Trump’s order to ban travel from seven majority-Muslim countries and block refugees from entering the United States. Senior policy adviser Stephen Miller said the three￾week-old Trump administration is “pursuing every single possible action to keep our country safe from terrorism.” Trump’s 31-year-old aide told NBC’s Meet the Press that he believes the president has the right to decide who can enter FOIA CBP 000782 DHS-17-0435-B-000079 57 the U.S. and that officials chose the seven countries “based upon the threat they assess today and in the future.” Miller said the Trump administration recognizes the equality of the three branches of the U.S. government — the White House, the court system and Congress. But Miller said there is “no such thing as judicial supremacy.” Security officers are seen outside the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals building in San Francisco, Feb. 9, 2017. “A district judge in Seattle cannot make immigration law for the United States,” Miller said, referring to the decision that blocked Trump’s travel ban, which subsequently was upheld last week by a three-judge appellate panel. Miller, who played a key role in drafting the ban, said he does not believe the judge can give foreign nationals immigration rights or keep Trump from stopping refugees from entering the United States. “No foreign national ... has a constitutional right to enter our country,” Miller said. Trump, as he headed Friday to Florida for a weekend visit at his oceanfront Mar-a-Lago retreat with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, said he is considering a “brand new order” on immigration after the appellate court unanimously ruled against him. He told reporters that a new executive order could be issued as soon as Monday or Tuesday. Trump said such a move might be faster than defending his blocked executive order in a further court appeal. “We need speed for reasons of security,” he said, although White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus said an appeal of the appellate was still under consideration. The president said in Twitter comments over the weekend that since the initial court ruling against him February 3,72 percent of the refugees admitted into U.S. are from the seven countries where he imposed the travel ban, Syria, Iraq, Somalia, Iran, Sudan, Libya and Yemen. “Our legal system is broken! SO DANGEROUS!” he said. Trump, who frequently watches his aides on television news shows to see how well they handle reporters’ questions, said after Miller spoke, “Congratulations Stephen Miller — on representing me this morning on the various Sunday morning shows. Great job!” Schumer: Trump Should Throw Travel Ban ‘In The Trash’ By Daniel Strauss Politico, February 12, 2017 Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer offered a recommendation Sunday: President Donald Trump should toss any travel-ban executive order “in the trash.” The comment, made by the top Senate Democrat in an interview on “Face the Nation” with CBS’ John Dickerson, came in response to a question about the Trump administration looking to introduce a new executive order similar to a travel ban for seven majority-Muslim countries blocked by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Earlier, during interviews on multiple Sunday shows, White House senior policy adviser Stephen Miller suggested that the White House was looking into putting a travel plan in place through a new executive order or alternatives. “I think he ought to throw it in the trash,” Schumer said. “I think this executive order is so bad and so poisoned and its genesis is so bad and terrible that he ought to just throw it in the trash can.” Schumer gave two reasons. “First reason, it doesn’t really make us safer. It doesn’t really focus on the areas where we really need to tighten up,” Schumer said. The second reason, the New York Democrat continued, “is something called the visa waiver program.” “It’s very easy to come to America from countries that we’ve always regarded as friendly. There are, I think, 27 of them,” Schumer continued. “But these days there are would￾be terrorists who have infiltrated places like Belgium and France, and they could come into this country much more easily than someone who’s a refugee from the seven countries the president mentioned. That needs real tightening up.” Schumer went on to say the Trump executive order “is just un-American and unconstitutional.” “A religious ban just goes against the American grain. We believe in immigrants in this country, and we don’t believe in a religious test,” Schumer said. “And finally, it hurts us economically. When immigrants don’t come to this country, it hurts our job creation, our job growth. Silicon Valley is very worried that a lot of their jobs are going to have to go to Vancouver or Canada, where Canada has a much more forward looking immigration policy.” Schumer Says Trump Should Throw Travel Ban ‘In The Trash’ By Mark Moore New York Post, February 12, 2017 A top White House adviser said Sunday the Trump administration is weighing a number of alternatives to revive the president’s travel ban from seven predominately Muslim countries. “We’re considering and pursuing all options. Those options include seeking an emergency stay at the Supreme Court, continuing the appeal with the panel, having an emergency hearing en banc, or going to the trial court at the district level and trial on the merit,” Stephen Miller said on “Fox News Sunday,” using the legal term for a hearing before the entire federal appeals panel that decided not to reinstate the immigration ban last week. FOIA CBP 000783 DHS-17-0435-B-000080 58 But Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said there’s one more option – toss it in the garbage. “I think he ought to throw it in the trash,” the New York democrat said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “I think this executive order is so bad and so poisoned and its genesis is so bad and terrible that he ought to just throw it in the trash can.” He went on to call the order “un-American and unconstitutional.” “A religious ban just goes against the American brain. We believe in immigrants in this country and we don’t believe in a religious test,” he said. But Miller reiterated the White House’s belief that Trump has the constitutional authority to “also engage in conducting border control and immigration into this country,” he said. “We do not have judicial supremacy in this country,” Miller said on “Fox News Sunday.” “We have three co-equal branches of government.” Miller also said the controversy over banning refugees from the seven countries – Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Sudan, Somalia and Yemen – is based in ideology rather than law. “There is no constitutional right for a citizen in a foreign country who has no status in America to demand entry into our country,” Miller said on ABC News’ “This Week.” “Such a right cannot exist, such a right will never exist.” He also defended the nationwide roundup of undocumented immigrants over the weekend by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “We are going to follow the laws of the United States, and in following those laws, we will prioritize the removal of people who have criminal records in this country,” Miller said on ABC. Schumer On Trump Travel Ban: ‘Throw It In Trash’ By Tom Howell Jr. Washington Times, February 12, 2017 Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer on Sunday said President Trump should throw his “extreme vetting” order in the garbage instead of redrafting it or continuing to appeal court decisions that put it on hold. The New York Democrat said Mr. Trump’s attempt to temporarily halt the U.S. refugee program and block migrants from seven predominantly Muslim nations — Syria, Iraq, Somalia, Iran, Sudan, Libya and Yemen — is “un-American,” will hurt the U.S. economically and spur would-be terrorists to carry out “lone wolf” attacks. “Its genesis is so bad and terrible he ought to just throw it in the trash can,” Mr. Schumer told CBS’ “Face the Nation.” Mr. Trump is considering a new executive order on immigration as early as Monday in response to the courts halting his earlier move. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last week upheld a restraining order against his first attempt. Sen. Jeff Flake, Arizona Republican, said the order appears to be constitutional but might not achieve its goal. He said it might be time to “pause and reflect” on the best way to protect the homeland, without alienating foreign allies in the fight against radical Islamic terrorism. “Obviously the president wants to keep the country safe,” he told CBS. Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. Reality Check: After Three Weeks, Trump Hits A Washington Wall By Susan Page USA Today, February 12, 2017 WASHINGTON — Not so fast. In his first three weeks in office, President Trump has launched a dizzying flurry of actions, dominating the headlines and sparking controversy. But to his frustration, he has begun running smack into constraints mandated by the Constitution and imposed by political reality. Without acknowledging he’s being forced to trim his sails, the president is moving to delay some campaign promises and downsize others, steps that sometimes have been overshadowed by a continued stream of the defiant tweets that marked his political rise. A ban on immigrants from seven majority-Muslim nations? While insisting the administration will prevail over a federal judge’s decision blocking implementation of the executive order he had signed, the White House is drafting a narrower version designed to avoid some of the judicial objections. Confront China? In a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping late Thursday — and in a wake of a diplomatic firestorm over Trump’s post-election conversation with Taiwan’s leader — Trump explicitly endorsed the “one China” policy. Immediately repeal the Affordable Care Act? Now he says crafting a replacement, an issue that divides congressional Republicans, may extend into 2018. To be sure, Trump has taken steps that have had immediate consequences, from pulling out of the Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal (though it hadn’t taken effect yet) to clearing the way for the Keystone XL oil pipeline and the Dakota Access pipeline. But he’s discovering how the Constitution’s structure, federal laws and rival power centers — from state governments to federal bureaucrats to foreign capitals and the news media — make leadership in the Oval Office a more complicated calculation than in the corporate suite. “He lived in a world where, by and large, he got his way, and when he didn’t get his way, he would sue people or they would sue him,” Tom Cronin, a Colorado College political FOIA CBP 000784 DHS-17-0435-B-000081 59 scientist and co-author of The Paradoxes of the American Presidency. says, saying Trump seems “annoyed” by the steep learning curve. “He can’t quite sue the Senate.” On CBS’ Face the Nation Sunday, White House policy adviser Stephen Miller said the president was assessing his options on the immigration ban. “For one thing, we can take the case to the Supreme Court on the emergency stay; we can go back to the district court and we can have a hearing on the merits,” he said. “Additionally, we’re considering new and further executive actions that will enhance the security posture of the United States.” Trump is the first president in history never to have served in the government or the military before moving into the White House. That was a potential vulnerability he turned into an asset during the campaign, portraying himself as a no￾nonsense business leader with the strength and skills to negotiate deals and manage the economy in ways that had eluded his presidential predecessors. “I alone can fix it,” he declared in his speech to the Republican National Convention in July. And he is hardly the first president who has been frustrated by the limits of his authority and the power of others. Last year, federal courts blocked an executive order signed by President Barack Obama offering some protection to an estimated 4.3 million illegal immigrants who were parents of U.S. citizens or lawful residents. In 1998, the House of Representatives impeached President Bill Clinton for perjury and obstruction of justice, though he was acquitted by the Senate. But Trump’s impatience, his combative persona and his preference for unilateral action — characteristics that may have served him well in the real-estate business — have brought more early confrontations with a sharper edge than other modern presidents in the early days of their tenure. He hasn’t shown the traditional public deference for the co-equal branches of government, deriding a “so-called judge” who ruled against him in the immigration case and labeling Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer as “head clown.” It’s just possible that memories of that moniker may not be helpful when Trump needs to lobby Schumer for, say, support on legislation. “Being head of a family business is just about the worst preparation imaginable for the institutional constraints of Washington,” says William Galston, a veteran of the Clinton White House staff. “Donald Trump is in for a set of experiences that will be entirely novel to him.” Read more: So far, Trump hasn’t moderated his rhetoric or tempered his tweets. On Saturday night, he bashed the news media. “I am so proud of my daughter Ivanka. To be abused and treated so badly by the media, and to still hold her head so high, is truly wonderful!” On Sunday morning, he turned his fire on billionaire Mark Cuban, a critic who endorsed Democrat Hillary Clinton for president last year. “I know Mark Cuban well,” Trump wrote. “He backed me big-time but I wasn’t interested in taking all of his calls.He’s not smart enough to run for president!” However, he has moderated some of his policy positions, from the timetable for repealing Obamacare to the specifics of the immigration ban. Trump told reporters he continues to believe that waterboarding was effective in interrogating terror suspects, but he said he would defer to Defense Secretary James Mattis, who opposes them. After meeting with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson last week, European Union leaders said they had been assured the United States would uphold the Iranian nuclear deal, which Trump denounced during the campaign. The president’s meeting Wednesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will test Trump’s more skeptical stance toward expanding settlements in the occupied West Bank. Charlie Black, a Republican consultant who has known Trump for years, predicts that some of the skills the president honed negotiating real-estate deals will end up working in the Oval Office as well. “He had a lot of wins and losses,” including some that demanded patience in negotiations with banks. His strengths as a salesman could be used to persuade members of Congress, he says: “He ran into barriers before. He’ll have to adapt to them.” Washington’s Top Lawyer Uses Strategic Streak To Fight Trump By Gene Johnson Associated Press, February 12, 2017 SEATTLE (AP) – The legal challenge that would launch Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson into the vanguard of resistance against President Donald Trump’s travel ban was already in the works as Ferguson flew home from Florida the morning after Trump issued his executive order. In fact, it had been planned for some time. “We were having internal conversations about a potential action by the president along those lines,” Ferguson recalled in an interview. “It wasn’t like we were starting from ground zero.” The legwork paid off. Within three days, the state’s lawsuit over the ban – a more sweeping challenge than other cases filed over Trump’s order – had been filed. The result? First a decision from a federal judge in Seattle that blocked nationwide enforcement of the ban, then a resounding win at the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The strategic thinking that led to the victories is one of Ferguson’s hallmarks, say those who have observed his career. Ferguson attributes it to spending his formative years FOIA CBP 000785 DHS-17-0435-B-000082 60 playing competitive chess. He was a two-time state champion by his early 20s. “Chess teaches you to anticipate your opponent’s threats and moves,” he said. “If your opponent makes a move that surprises you, that’s a problem.” Ferguson, a boyish 51-year-old Democrat, is serving his second term as Washington’s top lawyer after winning two-thirds of the vote against a Libertarian challenger last fall. The Republicans didn’t field a candidate. His office has launched significant lawsuits during his tenure, including several that made national headlines. He has filed consumer protection lawsuits against major computer technical support and student loan companies over what he described as predatory practices; sued President Barack Obama’s administration over cleanup of the Hanford nuclear reservation, where the government made plutonium for weapons; and took a florist to court for refusing to serve clients staging a gay wedding. Last fall, Ferguson made Washington the first state to sue the agrochemical giant Monsanto over pervasive pollution from PCBs. An avid backpacker and mountain climber, he spoke of his anger that one of Washington’s major rivers, the Skagit, on which his great-grandparents homesteaded in the 19th century, is now contaminated. None of those cases generated the interest of the one challenging Trump’s order halting refugees and citizens of seven Muslim-majority nations from entering the U.S. Ferguson called it unconstitutional and un-American. Ferguson had been attending a meeting of Democratic attorneys general in Florida when the ban was announced late Friday, Jan. 27. When he landed at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Saturday, his voicemail was full of messages alerting him to Gov. Jay Inslee’s plans for a news conference at the airport to condemn the ban. Ferguson decided to skip it and headed north to Seattle, where his team, led by state Solicitor General Noah Purcell and the head of the office’s civil rights unit, Colleen Melody, was already putting together the state’s lawsuit. They worked through the weekend. Where other lawsuits had sought the release of specific travelers who had been detained on arrival in the U.S., Washington sued on its own sake – citing widespread harm to its universities, businesses, tax collections and residents. “He’s got this smartest-kid-in-your-high-school-class thing, but he’s a bulldog when he wants something,” Chris Vance, former head of the state Republican Party, said about Ferguson. “He’s extremely politically ambitious, and he’s unwilling to take no for an answer.” Ferguson was 38 during his first campaign, virtually unknown and taking on the chairwoman of the King County Council, a 20-year incumbent from his own party. That didn’t sit well with the local Democratic honchos, but Ferguson says he knocked on 22,000 doors and won by 528 votes after 30,000 ballots were cast. “I remember talking to him saying, ‘Hey, Bob, come down to the Seattle Chamber of Commerce for their interview panel because you might have a shot at getting their endorsement,’” said King County Councilman Rod Dembowski, who helped run Ferguson’s campaign. “He wouldn’t do it because it would have taken three hours away from doorbelling.” Two years later, the council reduced its size from 13 members to nine – and the powers repaid Ferguson by eliminating his district, forcing him to run against another Democratic incumbent. He won again. Ferguson has gone his own way as attorney general, too, perhaps no more so than in his 2013 hiring of Purcell, who’s been arguing the state’s case against the travel ban in court. The solicitor general position normally goes to a seasoned attorney. Purcell, a former clerk for Justice David Souter, was 33. “That Noah was so young and had never argued in front of the U.S. Supreme Court – or even the state Supreme Court – did not go unnoticed by many folks in my office,” Ferguson said. Once his staff saw Purcell in action, though, any concerns evaporated. Questioned about whether he’s comfortable in the national spotlight, Ferguson demurred. The attention comes with the territory, he said. And though he’s frequently mentioned as a possible governor, that’s not on his mind right now. “When I ran for attorney general, I used to say I felt that it was the most consequential position in state government, and people often looked at me with a strange expression,” Ferguson said. “I can tell you, when I say that now, nobody gives me a funny look.” --- Follow Gene Johnson at https://twitter.com/GeneAPseattle . © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Washington State AG: We’ll Fight New Executive Order If It ‘Violates The Constitution’ By By Daniel Strauss Politico, February 12, 2017 FOIA CBP 000786 DHS-17-0435-B-000083 61 The attorney general for the state of Washington said Sunday that his state would fight another executive order from President Donald Trump if it violates the Constitution. That vow, by Attorney General Bob Ferguson during an interview on “This Week” with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, follows the Trump administration’s struggles to institute a travel ban on nationals from seven majority￾Muslim countries. Most recently, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused a Justice Department request to lift a ruling by Seattle Judge James Robart blocking the ban. Asked about the prospect of a new executive order, Ferguson left the door open to taking steps to fight that move as well. “We’ll fight if whatever they come up with violates the Constitution and is unlawful, which the current executive order most certainly is. That’s my job, to make sure everyone in the country, even the president, upholds the Constitution,” Ferguson said. Ferguson also said he anticipates an additional challenge to the circuit court’s ruling. “Look, the administration, the president simply refuse to recognize what everyone else can recognize,” Ferguson said. “Four federal judges have looked at this case. Two appointed by Republican presidents, two appointed by Democrats. All four have completely and utterly rejected the president’s arguments in this case, and we anticipate winning as we move forward.” Stephanopoulos asked Ferguson whether he thinks U.S. law does indeed give the president “statutory basis to regulate illegal immigration and his national security responsibilities put him in a very strong position.” “Absolutely, and we recognize it. But there’s another document that the president is not reading from, and that’s the Constitution. Folks have rights of due process, for example, George,” Ferguson said. “Of course there’s broad discretion for the president, but nobody is above the law.” Trump Administration Officials May Be Deposed Over Immigration Order By Julia Harte Reuters, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Activism Hits Even The Less Flashy Tech Companies By David Streitfeld New York Times, February 12, 2017 SAN FRANCISCO — As soon as President Trump signed his executive order on immigration, some of the biggest tech companies went quiet. Their executives did not sign legal briefs, brandish statements or dissent on Twitter. They strove for business as usual. This was the older, stodgier, less glamorous part of the tech universe. These executives are generally not household names. Most of the companies have little presence in the excitable consumer marketplace. Some are government contractors. Their workers tend to be more settled, less tempted by cool start-ups. Despite the companies’ sizable employment, the spotlight is not on them. Among these firms are IBM, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Qualcomm, Cisco, Dell and Oracle. When 127 companies signed an amicus brief last week in a Seattle court that said the executive order “violates the immigration laws and the Constitution,” none of these six firms were on the list. Yet even at some of these companies, there are stirrings of defiance. In a few well-publicized cases, workers have noisily quit. Many more have chosen to remain but are agitating for an explicit corporate morality even as Mr. Trump considers a new executive order on immigration. They want their companies to make clear not only what they support but also, perhaps even more important, what lines they will not cross. The activist push is being driven in significant measure by women, who are still fighting for their due in a male￾dominated industry. But in an unlikely twist, the chief executives they are trying to influence at two major companies are female. At IBM, a petition has been circulating that proclaims, “We have a moral and business imperative to uphold the pillars of a free society by declining any projects which undermine liberty.” The organizers say nearly 1,000 verified employees have signed. This is a delicate subject for big tech companies, none more than Big Blue. Mr. Trump during the campaign explored the idea of a Muslim database, although his remarks were inconclusive. IBM’s punch-card technology, as detailed by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, was used by the Nazis in 1939 to do a census. That data, in turn, led directly to Adolf Eichmann’s Jewish Registry. At Oracle, the Silicon Valley database giant whose first customer was the Central Intelligence Agency, three young women — none of whom has worked there for more than a handful of months — started a petition last week to encourage the company to join the amicus brief. Hundreds of Oracle employees have signed it. “In some instances it is notable for a company to take a stand on an issue,” said one of the women, Irene Scher, a regional vice president of sales. “In this case, it’s notable not to have taken a stand.” A co-chief executive of Oracle, Safra Catz, and the chief executive of IBM, Virginia Rometty, became advisers to Mr. Trump during the transition. “I know that you are committed to help America’s economy grow in ways that are FOIA CBP 000787 DHS-17-0435-B-000084 62 good for all its people,” Ms. Rometty wrote to him in November. Ms. Catz said in December, “We are with him and will help in any way we can.” The three friends who created the Oracle petition joined the company in August, when it acquired the company they worked for, Opower. They emphasize they are not at odds with their employer. “This isn’t a criticism of Oracle,” said one of them, Rachel Kane, a sales executive at Oracle Utilities. “We’re giving them visibility into how individuals at the company feel.” Oracle declined to comment. Both petitions echo the Never Again pledge, which nearly 3,000 tech workers publicly committed to during eight days in December. Signers agreed not to participate in the creation of any government database that would target individuals based on race, religion or national origin. Five of the nine people listed on NeverAgain.tech as having worked to create the pledge, including the lead organizer, are women. Cauvery Patel, a corporate strategy associate at IBM, said she believed “workplaces have a responsibility to society — to the clients we serve, the employees we hire and the citizens who are impacted by our decisions.” She said IBM had been “progressive” in encouraging women’s participation in technology and on other issues, but had not delivered on the immigration ban. “IBM’s decision not to actively stand up to the Trump administration and condemn this policy is extremely disturbing,” she said. At Hewlett Packard Enterprise, employees have been asking why it did not sign the amicus brief. Meg Whitman, the chief executive, responded Friday that “simply, we were not contacted to participate.” She indicated the company would be taking a more assertive role: “You can expect to see us add our voice.” Dell and Cisco declined to comment. Qualcomm did not respond to a request for comment. The internal debate at some of the big tech companies revolves around the question of engagement: Can you persuade more from the inside than the outside? The pro-engagement position has been expressed by Elon Musk, the chief executive of Tesla and SpaceX and a member of the President’s Strategic and Policy Forum. In a handful of cases, people have said they are canceling new Teslas because they view him as working for the president. “Activists should be pushing for more moderates to advise President, not fewer,” Mr. Musk responded on Twitter. “How could having only extremists advise him possibly be good?” Mr. Musk said he had made sure that the travel ban was discussed “first and foremost” at a Feb. 3 White House meeting. A spokeswoman said no further details were available. The answer did not satisfy everyone. As one critic replied to Mr. Musk on Twitter: “You are not advising Trump, you are giving him cover and validating his nonsense. You can do more good by taking a stand. Please.” IBM released a statement that said Ms. Rometty had “conveyed the company’s views directly to the president and the secretary of Homeland Security” on Feb. 3, “including suggestions for how technology can help to promote both national security and lawful immigration.” Ed Barbini, vice president for corporate communications at IBM, said no further details were available. He noted that the company said in December that it would never participate in the building of a Muslim registry. He declined to comment on the petition. When a small group of IBM employees was drawing up the petition in November, it debated including a reference to the Nazis. IBM maintains that the accounts of its role in Hitler’s regime are overblown and incendiary. The employees decided to refer to the episode obliquely but focus on a more positive example — the company president Thomas J. Watson Jr.’s Policy Letter No. 4, which resisted pro-segregation policies in the South in the 1950s. “Watson sacrificed short-term business interests in order to be on the right side of history, something IBM takes pride in today,” the petition says. Daniel Hanley, one of the organizers, said the goal was “to build an organization inside the company that can hold IBM accountable to our values, and serve as a model for tech workers at other companies.” George A. Polisner, who worked in cloud services at Oracle, took his stand in December. He posted a resignation letter on LinkedIn, saying that unlike Ms. Catz, he was not there to “help” Mr. Trump. “When his policies border on the unconstitutional, the criminal and the morally unjust,” he wrote, “I am here to oppose him in every possible and legal way.” That was on a Monday. Mr. Polisner told his boss that he would work through Friday. After the letter became public, Mr. Polisner was fired immediately. At 56, he said, he probably would have worked at Oracle for a few more years if politics had not intervened. “There are different ways to influence,” Mr. Polisner said. “It’s a personal decision. I chose this one.” Ms. Scher at Oracle and her friends chose another. “We all participated in the Women’s March,” she said. “I think it’s possible we’re feeling a heightened sense of civic responsibility.” Hospitals Weigh Difficult Choice Amid Travel￾Ban Uncertainty FOIA CBP 000788 DHS-17-0435-B-000085 63 As residency decisions loom, officials consider risks of choosing candidates who may be barred from the U.S. By Melanie Evans Wall Street Journal, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. An Interrupted Journey Ends In A New Life In The U.S. For Syrian Refugee Family By Laura King, Contact Reporter Los Angeles Times, February 12, 2017 Dense desert fog enveloped Queen Alia International Airport outside Amman, Jordan. Zohri A., a Syrian mechanic who was about to fly to the United States with his wife and four children for refugee resettlement, waited nervously to learn whether their flight to Chicago would take off as scheduled. Soon enough, word came down: The flight was canceled due to the bad weather. Zohri and his family took the news calmly, even though they had already sold their scant possessions, vacated their small apartment and dressed in their best for the momentous voyage. They’d be booked on another flight in coming days, they were assured. Local representatives of the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration, which deals with logistics for departing refugees, quickly arranged for hotel accommodations for the family near the Amman airport. The children, especially the littlest, 5-year-old Amr, were drooping with fatigue. Zohri and his wife, Samar, went online to let friends and family know they wouldn’t be starting their new lives in the United States just yet. It was a setback, but not a grave one. They’d survived war’s bloody ruination of their Syrian hometown, Homs, endured years of hardscrabble life in Jordan and undergone an exhaustive U.S. vetting process that had lasted more than two years. They were confident they would overcome this last small obstacle. On the other side of the globe, at the Silver Spring, Md., office of the International Rescue Committee, news of the flight’s weather cancellation was updated in a multiagency database that keeps track of refugee arrivals. The family, destined for settlement in a Maryland suburb of Washington, D.C., would not be arriving that evening after all. Such routine delays were disappointing, but didn’t unduly alarm the office’s deputy director, Preethi Nampoothiri, a veteran of hot-zone humanitarian work in Africa and the Middle East. Last-minute glitches happened for a variety of reasons. In any event, traffic that day would be tricky in and around the nation’s capital anyway. After all, it was Inauguration Day: Jan. 20, 2017. Donald J. Trump was being sworn in as the American president. :: One week later, seated at an ornate table and flanked by aides, Trump applied his signature to an executive order, one of his first as president. Under the order, the U.S. refugee resettlement program was suspended for 120 days, and Syrian refugees were to be excluded indefinitely. Travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Syria, were banned from entry for three months. Tens of thousands of visas were invalidated; within hours, airports across the U.S. and around the world would be thrown into chaos, with hundreds of passengers denied boarding or detained on arrival. Nampoothiri immediately recognized the implications for her organization’s work — and for families like these soon￾expected Syrians. “Devastating,” she recalled. “A real feeling of sadness.” The signing was at 4:42 p.m. in Washington, nearly midnight in Jordan, but among the Syrian refugee community, the news raced across messaging apps and social-media platforms. Zohri learned of it by scrolling through his Facebook feed, and he and Samar spent an anxious night. In the morning, their worst fears were confirmed. They would not be allowed to board their scheduled flight. “We were speechless,” Samar said later. “We thought, ‘This dream is over.’” :: War came early to the western Syrian city of Homs, the cradle of the uprising against President Bashar Assad that began in 2011. Rebels had established a stronghold in the city, about 100 miles north of Damascus. And the army arrived to root them out, whatever the cost to civilians. By March 2012, the situation was dire. Then-U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the General Assembly that month that he had received “grisly” reports of arbitrary killings and torture by government forces in the city. Before the war, the city was a thriving industrial center with a population of more than 650,000. Zohri worked in specialty truck repair, a good job with management responsibilities and a solid middle-class income. Samar cared for their children. The two oldest were then in elementary school and doing well in classes, especially Noor, who loved to read. “We had a beautiful home,” Samar said, remembering. “A beautiful life,” Zohri chimed in. :: Escaping the fighting in Homs, Zohri’s family had first sought shelter outside Damascus, then made their way to Lebanon. In 2013, they enlisted a smuggler’s help to get to Jordan, and settled in the dusty village of Mutah. A friend of Zohri’s from home, Husni, helped him find work in a clothing shop, but because he could not work legally, he accepted pay that was barely enough to live on. Samar worked also, at a FOIA CBP 000789 DHS-17-0435-B-000086 64 bus company — also for almost no money. The children could not enroll permanently in school. Their apartment was small and its surroundings squalid; they dared not complain. “We could see there was no future for us in that place,” said Samar. Early in their stay in Jordan, they registered as refugees with the U.N. Eventually, after a series of interviews, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR, referred them for resettlement in the United States. That inaugurated a two-year round of U.S.-mandated vetting: biometric checks, extensive background inquiries, repeated rounds of questioning about Zohri’s political leanings and the family’s reasons for fleeing Syria. When their departure hopes were dashed by the executive order, Samar and Zohri and the children left Amman and traveled back to Mutah, finding themselves back in the same shabby little apartment they thought they had left behind forever. They bought back some of the furniture they had sold days earlier for so little, paying a premium price. The smaller children, sensing their parents’ distress, were quiet. Noor, the eldest, about to turn 14, was the only one who cried. “How will I go to school now?” she asked. “How will I get an education?” At some point in their stay in Mutah, someone had sent Zohri a photo of the family house in Homs, now a pile of rubble. He didn’t want to look at it. It wasn’t home any more. :: In the United States, legal challenges to the travel ban mounted daily across the country. One landed in the Seattle courtroom of U.S. District Judge James Robart. On Feb. 3, a Friday, he placed a nationwide stay on the executive order. Two days later, Zohri and Samar received a call with the electrifying news: Get ready. You leave tomorrow. Hastily repacking, the family rushed back to Amman for Monday’s late-morning flight to Chicago, crowded with a big contingent of Syrians with similar hopes. When the plane touched down at O’Hare International Airport, applause broke out in the cabin. Entry formalities went smoothly. While the family waited to change planes for their flight to Washington, a woman came up to Samar and hugged her. As someone from a modest society, the Syrian woman was startled by such a seemingly forward gesture from a stranger — but recounting it later, her delicate features bloomed. “I began to realize we were home,” she said. :: In Silver Spring, the IRC office got word of the family’s impending arrival the same day that Zohri and Samar had. They had a little over 24 hours to get ready. Logistics specialist Corey Rheingrover put in a call to the manager of an apartment complex in Landover, Md., where at least half a dozen other Syrian families had been placed. After all the stop-and-go of the past two weeks, was there an apartment suitable for a family of six? It turned out there was, but it was completely empty, with no furniture or household essentials. Rheingrover put in his next call to a charity called Mozaic, based in Sterling, Va. On the other end of the phone was a 47-year-old dynamo named Raghad Bushnaq, who had emigrated from Syria in 1989. She swiftly lined up donated furnishings, renting U-Haul trailers and dashing to three separate locations to assemble what was needed — beds, a dining set with chairs, a sofa. Husni, the family’s old friend from Homs and Mutah, who had managed to leave six months earlier, lived in the same complex. He quickly rounded up neighbors to help assemble furniture and unpack pantry items, toiletries, bedding. At one point, some 18 people were bustling around the apartment, making beds, folding towels, putting groceries in cabinets, toothpaste in the bathroom. The aromas of traditional offerings like mahshi, an eggplant dish, brought by Syrian neighbors wafted through the air. “It was really something magical,” Bushnaq said of the communal effort. It brought back memories of her own arrival in the United States, when she knew no one except her husband, she said. “It was a joyous time for me, coming here as a bride,” said Bushnaq. “But these people, they are coming because they have lost everything.” :: It was a minute after midnight when the family emerged from the connecting corridor at Reagan Washington National Airport. Despite the hour, about two dozen well-wishers had gathered, waving welcoming signs. “Ahlan” (“Welcome”) read one in Arabic script emblazoned with glitter. Husni rushed forward to embrace Zohri. Someone handed Samar a bouquet. Little Amr half-hid behind his 13- year-old brother, Mohammad. Ten-year-old Aya, with pink clasps holding her high braids in place, blinked in surprise when she was given a box of chocolates, then smiled shyly. Nampoothiri watched for a few moments before she stepped forward to gently usher the family toward baggage claim. “This is the best part of the job,” she said quietly. :: Three days later, the family had begun to settle in at their Landover apartment. Like many refugees, they did not want their full names used, still fearing for the safety of relatives back in Syria, but they offered tea to visitors and insisted, just as they would at home, that it be accepted. They’d seen the Washington Monument from the plane, they said. Zohri had awakened the kids on the drive in to point out the apartment complex’s swimming pool. Much work lay ahead. They would need Social Security numbers, health-insurance enrollment. Husni was going to FOIA CBP 000790 DHS-17-0435-B-000087 65 teach them the bus routes. Tests for placement in an English program. A cultural-orientation class was starting next week at the resettlement agency. The children were already on a school-registration list and needed to get their vaccinations. Mohammad, smoothing a pompadour, wondered if he could sign up for the track team and compete in the shot put, his favorite event. Khalid Balajem, a caseworker who brought them home the first night, described the family gawking at the apartment’s furnishings, which included a car-shaped bed for Amr. The children asked him again and again: Is this really all for us? Arrivals of other refugees would continue, for now. But with the Trump administration planning to cap all refugee arrivals at 50,000 this fiscal year, only about 16,000 more will be allowed in through October. The UNHCR in Jordan has already turned its attention to other countries for resettlements, countries where there’s more of a chance of success. Zohri’s family counted themselves among the lucky ones. An Immigration Policy Worth Ending Washington Post, February 12, 2017 PRESIDENT TRUMP says he wants to tighten those aspects of our nation’s immigration laws that reward low￾priority entrants or pose threats to national security. He also insists that his critics have no reason to worry that his family’s far-flung business interests will have an impact on his administration’s policies. Well, a bipartisan pair of senators has just given him a golden opportunity to prove his bona fides on both points. We refer to a freshly introduced bill co-sponsored by Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), the committee’s ranking Democrat. Their proposal would abolish the EB-5 visa program, which began a quarter-century ago as a well-intentioned plan to attract international capital to the United States, but has morphed into a scandal-ridden embarrassment. The program awards permanent residency to a maximum of 10,000 foreigners per year who agree to pump at least $500,000 into a U.S. business, creating at least 10 jobs directly or indirectly. In September 2015, the Bipartisan Policy Center estimated that 44,000 people, a third of whom are foreign investors and the rest family members, had qualified for visas since the program began in 1992. A disproportionate number of those admitted recently come from communist China, whose nontransparent economy makes the origins of their wealth difficult to trace. A 2015 Government Accountability Office report found that the Department of Homeland Security lacked the capacity to vet EB-5 applicants from China and elsewhere adequately, let alone in the “extreme” manner now in vogue at the White House. In return, the Bipartisan Policy Center report found, the U.S. economy got 77,150 full-time jobs and approximately $4.2 billion in investment — paltry results, given that the United States has a total labor force of 150 million and $200 billion in annual foreign investment. To be sure, EB-5 has created a lot of jobs for consultants, lawyers and lobbyists, who get paid to entice wealthy foreigners into applying for the visas, and to persuade Congress to renew it each year. Alas, some EB-5 promoters have bent or broken the rules, as shown by a string of scandals, including the April 2016 federal seizure of an EB-5-funded project in Vermont that government lawyers called “rampant with fraud.” Even when the program functions honestly, its benefits skew heavily to big-city real estate developers, who use it to obtain financing more cheaply than they could from investors who were motivated by rate of return, not migration. Among the business owners to take advantage of EB-5 was Mr. Trump’s son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner, whose erstwhile company (he has now separated himself from it) raised $50 million for a Trump-branded apartment building in Jersey City from Chinese EB-5 applicants. Getting strongly behind the Grassley-Feinstein bill would be a good way for Mr. Trump to show that his immigration policies reflect consistent principles, not his and his family’s involvement in the real estate business. The president has said he wants to be sure all new Americans come because they “love” the country. There are many ways to show that love, no doubt; but surely one of the least worthy of governmental favor is subsidizing hotels and apartments with one’s murkily obtained wealth. 72 Convicted In U.S. Terror Cases Came From Nations Targeted For Vetting By Stephen Dinan Washington Times, February 12, 2017 At least 72 convicted terrorists came from the seven countries President Trump targeted in his extreme vetting executive order, according to a new report this weekend that directly undercut part of the courts’ rulings halting the program. Seventeen of those entered the U.S. under the refugee program that Mr. Trump has said is of special concern to him, according to the data compiled by the Senate Judiciary Committee and analyzed by the Center for Immigration Studies. The convictions came in terrorism-related investigations since the Sept. 11 attacks, but some were for relatively minor crimes such as identity fraud. Nevertheless, more than 30 of the convicts served at least three years in prison because of their terrorism-related crimes, the CIS report said. FOIA CBP 000791 DHS-17-0435-B-000088 66 Judge James L. Robart, who first blocked Mr. Trump’s executive order on Feb. 3, insisted in court that there were no such terrorists at all. “How many arrests have there been of foreign nationals for those seven countries since 9/11?” the judge demanded of the Justice Department lawyer. When she said she was unaware, Judge Robart went on: “Let me tell you. The answer to that is none, as best I can tell. So, I mean, you’re here arguing on behalf of someone that says ‘We have to protect the United States from these individuals coming from these countries,’ and there’s no support for that.” Later, a three-judge panel of a federal appeals court doubled down on that claim, saying that the government “has pointed to no evidence that any alien from any of the countries named in the order has perpetrated a terrorist attack in the United States.” Critics of the rulings said both the judges and the Justice Department were to blame — the judges for getting it wrong and the government’s lawyers for not having the facts at hand. Jessica Vaughan, the author of the CIS report, said the judges could have found the information “if they or their clerks had looked for it.” She said the judges easily could have remembered the Ohio State attack in November 2016, when a Somalian who arrived as a refugee in 2007 used his car and a knife to injure 13 people before he was killed by a police officer. Rep. Lou Barletta, Pennsylvania Republican, said the appeals court judges got it backwards. They said they were able to go beyond the president’s executive order to look at his campaign rhetoric calling for a “Muslim ban,” but didn’t think to research the terrorist connections from the countries in question. “Since the court decided that it has the authority to look at the reasons behind a presidential executive order, the least the judges could do is perform a simple Google search,” he said. Others said the Justice Department shared blame for not having its lawyers ready to handle that question — particularly by the appeals court hearing, after the lower court had already botched it. Hans Bader, a lawyer in Washington, D.C., even alerted the Justice Department to the research before the appeals court oral argument, then again after oral argument but before the court’s Thursday ruling. The Justice Department declined to comment on its lawyers’ performance or the criticism that’s been leveled. The department’s first brief in the case was thorough, outside lawyers said. It was signed by Noel Francisco, the acting solicitor general, who is one of conservatives’ star lawyers in Washington. He argued the successful Supreme Court challenge to President Obama’s recess appointments, resulting in a unanimous spanking for the White House. But Mr. Francisco recused himself from the next brief to the appeals court after his former law firm, Jones Day, filed an amicus brief on behalf of lawyers challenging the president. The Justice Department said it was done “out of an abundance of caution,” though other lawyers said that probably wasn’t necessary. That left the defense to August Flentje, a senior counsel at the Justice Department, who was excoriated after the oral argument last week. Analysts called his performance in the courtroom uninspired. In the days since the ruling, refugees from some of the countries Mr. Trump singled out as needing special scrutiny have poured into the country at a faster rate. The Washington Times reported Friday that 77 percent of the refugees in the week since the courts reinstated the refugee program were from the seven special countries. Mr. Trump highlighted that report in a Twitter post Saturday, then followed it up with updated numbers of his own Sunday showing that 72 percent of refugees were from the seven countries. During the previous two weeks, the number was only about 30 percent from those seven countries. Mr. Trump hinted late last week that he would issue a new executive order trying to meet some of the judges’ objections. The White House remained silent on the way its lawyers handled the case last week. “We are going to win on the merits,” said press secretary Sean Spicer. Analysts said it’s likely that as the case moves forward, the Justice Department won’t make the same mistake again under newly installed Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Mr. Sessions was the chairman of the Senate’s immigration subcommittee that compiled the numbers on terrorist connections. • Dave Boyer contributed to this article. Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT Homeland Security Head Is Pressed To Define ‘sanctuary City’ By Elliot Spagat | Ap Washington Post, February 11, 2017 U.S. Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly told law enforcement officials on a tour of nation’s border with Mexico FOIA CBP 000792 DHS-17-0435-B-000089 67 Friday that he couldn’t define a sanctuary city, which President Donald Trump has targeted for withdrawal of federal funding for refusing to cooperate with immigration authorities. Trump’s executive order on immigration last month says a “sanctuary jurisdiction” defies federal law by shielding people in the country illegally and that they have caused “immeasurable harm to the American people and to the very fabric of our Republic.” While sanctuary cities are broadly understood to mean a refusal to cooperate with the federal government on immigration enforcement, a precise definition has eluded many, including in law enforcement. “I don’t have a clue,” Kelly told San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman when she asked for a definition. The blunt-spoken, retired four-star general went on to say it was inconceivable why any jurisdiction wouldn’t want criminals removed from their communities. “I’m stunned when people say, ‘Well, we’re not going to cooperate with you even in the event of convicted criminals,” he said. Kelly said it would be difficult to justify immigration enforcement grants to cities that refuse to cooperate. “I promise you we’ll work with you and will make no Draconian moves until I fully understand what a given locale might be doing or not doing,” he told Zimmerman and other local police chiefs and sheriffs. Kelly spoke near the end of a two-day tour of the border in Arizona and California. In San Diego, he joined agents on two house visits to deport people in the country illegally and toured a cross-border drug tunnel. Last week he toured the border in south Texas. The secretary said he got “an earful” of suggestions from his employees on where to extend a border wall with Mexico, which currently covers about 700 miles of the 2,000- mile international divide. “I’ll take that on board, we’ll bring it back to Washington, put in the blender and come up with a solution,” he told federal, state and local law enforcement officials at San Diego’s San Ysidro port of entry, the nation’s busiest border crossing. On Tuesday, Kelly told lawmakers that he would like to see wall construction “well underway” within two years, but he held open the possibility that it wouldn’t extend to areas where there are natural physical barriers. San Diego, which has one of the most fortified stretches of border, is often cited as an example of how walls can slow illegal crossings, but critics say fencing only forced people to more remote areas, particularly in Arizona, where many have died in extreme heat. Kelly later told reporters that he worried about a federal appeals court’s refusal to reinstate Trump’s ban on travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries. He said vetting practices in those countries “are loose at best” and that the countries include failing or faltering states. “I am concerned in that we are unable to vet these folks who are coming here in a more meaningful way,” he said. Asked about reports from advocacy groups that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents did a large roundup of people in the country illegally in Southern California and made arrests elsewhere, Kelly said authorities are executing the law. He didn’t specifically address the reports but rejected the term ‘roundup’ and said officials cannot ignore federal laws. He said Congress should change the law if it sees fit. At the meeting with law enforcement officials, San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore sought help for legal authority to hold criminals in the country illegally after they finish their sentences, giving ICE authorities more time to pick them up at county jails. Kelly said he didn’t know if that was possible but would do so if he could. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. America’s Showdown Over Sanctuary Cities The Week, February 11, 2017 The nation’s biggest cities are preparing to lock horns with the Trump administration over undocumented immigrants. Here’s everything you need to know: What is a sanctuary city? The term loosely applies to about 400 cities, counties, and states across the U.S. that limit local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration officials. These jurisdictions range from sprawling metropolises like Los Angeles and Boston to smaller counties in rural Oregon and Kansas. These communities have varying policies: Most do not permit police to inquire about a person’s immigration status, and some do not turn over undocumented immigrants to federal officials even if they’re arrested. President Trump argues that sanctuary cities have become safe havens for criminals, and in January signed an executive order vowing to strip such jurisdictions of federal funding if they refuse to cooperate with federal immigration officials. That move has set up a legal showdown between the Trump administration and “every major city in the U.S.,” says Rahm Emanuel, mayor of Chicago — one of at least three dozen sanctuary cities that have openly vowed to defy Trump. “This is not the battle they want to take on.” When did sanctuary cities appear? The vast majority of sanctuary cities adopted their policies in protest of a Bush-era deportation program known as Secure Communities. That program automatically sent the fingerprints of people booked into local jails to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), allowing ICE to target and deport immigrants who had committed only minor crimes, such as traffic offenses. Some cities argued that their police were being turned into proxy immigration agents, FOIA CBP 000793 DHS-17-0435-B-000090 68 damaging community trust, and refused to cooperate. That resistance continued during the Obama administration, which sought to deport those charged with serious crimes. When Trump ran for president, he vowed to crack down on sanctuary cities, making the tragic case of Kate Steinle a centerpiece of his campaign. What happened to Steinle? The 32-year-old was shot dead by a stray bullet in July 2015 while walking along San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf. Steinle’s suspected killer, Juan Francisco Lopez￾Sanchez, was an illegal immigrant who had been convicted of seven felonies — most of them drug-related — and deported back to Mexico five times. He had re-entered the country and was being held by the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department over a decades-old marijuana charge. ICE asked the sheriff’s office to notify them when Lopez-Sanchez was released — but San Francisco, a sanctuary city, let Lopez-Sanchez walk free without providing that notice. Three months later, he fired the bullet that killed Steinle. Trump called the shooting “a senseless and totally preventable act of violence,” and campaigned with a group of women he called “Angel Moms,” whose relatives had been killed by undocumented immigrants. What does Trump’s order do? The executive measure threatens to withhold all federal funds “except as mandated by law” from jurisdictions that fail to comply with federal immigration law. Republican lawmakers and other sanctuary city opponents argue that local jurisdictions don’t get to pick and choose which federal laws they enforce, and that by rejecting more than 17,000 detention requests from ICE between January 2014 and September 2015, sanctuary cities were sheltering criminals. Trump’s approach would “finally put federal executive action on the side of the victims and potential victims of crime,” says Roy H. Beck, head of anti-immigration advocacy group NumbersUSA. How have sanctuary cities responded? They contend that Trump’s order is unnecessary and counterproductive and have vowed to fight it. Most sanctuary cities already approve ICE detention requests if the immigrant has a history of serious or violent crime. Police groups also argue that sanctuary policies actually make a city safer, by allowing the country’s 11 million undocumented immigrants to report crimes and work with police without the fear of deportation. “We’re the melting pot of the world,” says Capt. Jeff Scroggin, spokesman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. “The most important thing we strive to do is to build enough trust so that residents provide information that makes this community safer.” In 2015, sanctuary cities experienced 654 fewer crimes per 100,000 residents than non-sanctuary cities — a crime rate that’s 15 percent lower. What happens now? Trump’s executive order seeks to bring sanctuary cities to heel by stripping them of federal funding, which can make up 25 percent of a city’s total budget. A major legal battle will now ensue. Cities will rely on two Supreme Court decisions: the 1997 Printz v. United States ruling, in which the late Justice Antonin Scalia wrote that the federal government is prohibited from “commandeering” state and local officials to enforce its laws, and a 2012 ruling that struck down an enforcement mechanism in ObamaCare’s Medicaid expansion. “It’s very easy to campaign that the king is going to wave his scepter and somehow take away federal funding,” says David Narkewicz, mayor of Northampton, Massachusetts, a sanctuary city. “But this isn’t the campaign anymore. This is a president who functions in a larger government — a government of laws.” The ‘name-and-shame’ list Trump’s executive measure on sanctuary cities includes another striking feature: It orders the Department of Homeland Security to publish a weekly “comprehensive list of criminal actions committed by aliens.” Trump’s name-and￾shame list, as it’s called by critics, would reveal the identities of illegal immigrants released back into their communities by sanctuary cities, and their specific crime. The goal is to pressure sanctuary jurisdictions to accept more detention requests. Opponents say the list would serve only to stigmatize undocumented immigrants, who are about half as likely to be incarcerated as native-born citizens, according to census data. But Hans von Spakovsky of the conservative Heritage Foundation contends that the rate of crime among immigrants is irrelevant. “The point is that every crime that is committed by someone who is here illegally is a crime that would not occur if they weren’t in the country,” von Spakovsky said. A public list of crimes, he said, would be “a very important piece of transparency.” Debate Heats Up As Sanctuary Movement Spreads By Jennifer Fenn Lefferts And John Hilliard Boston Globe, February 10, 2017 Since President Trump’s election, more cities and towns west of Boston have entered the debate over whether to enact policies aimed at protecting undocumented immigrants. Newton, Brookline, Arlington, and Acton are considering measures that would limit the role of police and other local officials in enforcing federal immigration laws, sparking passionate discussion on both sides of the issue. Newton officials have proposed a “welcoming city” ordinance that they said would make the community safe and secure for all residents, regardless of immigration status. The measure was endorsed Wednesday by two City Council subcommittees. FOIA CBP 000794 DHS-17-0435-B-000091 69 “We are not going to be in the business of picking up people for immigration violations, end of story,” said City Councilor Emily Norton. The move was greeted with applause from a packed City Council chambers, where supporters held signs with slogans like “Patriotism = Compassion” and “Protect our undocumented neighbors.” But not everyone was in favor of the measure — some opponents stood holding US flags and signs calling on officials to follow federal law. “They’re illegal immigrants. I don’t think they deserve to be protected,” said Norman Greenberg, who said he was concerned the city will lose out on federal funding. “Civil disobedience is fine, so long as you’re just saying you don’t approve of something,” said his wife, Judi. “But to set an example for our children [that] because we don’t like the law, we’re going to defy it, is a terrible role to set.” Trump recently issued an executive order authorizing federal officials to bar sanctuary cities from receiving federal funds, except when needed for law enforcement. On Tuesday, selectmen reaffirmed Brookline as a “sanctuary city” and instructed the town’s attorney to coordinate with other communities and develop legal strategies to combat “any punitive measures” from the federal government. The selectmen also called for a review of Brookline police policies on working with federal immigration officials. A group of Acton residents is pushing for the community to become a “sanctuary town” — a move its members hope will help allay the fears of undocumented immigrants worried about being arrested or deported. “It’s pretty obvious that given this administration, there are a number of communities that are in fear right now — Muslims, Jews, people who are gay, lesbian, or transgender, people with disabilities,’’ said Danny Factor, a lawyer who is part of the group Let’s Make Acton a Sanctuary Town. “We are concerned about people being scared in town.’’ About 75 people attended the Acton selectmen’s meeting Monday night, when the proposal was discussed. Dozens of people, many holding signs, spoke for and against, with comments taking up nearly three hours, said Selectwoman Katie Green. ‘We are not going to be in the business of picking up people for immigration violations, end of story.’ Green, who supports the idea, said she offered to start working with the town attorney, the police, and the citizens’ group to put together a draft resolution, but it’s unclear when it will be taken up by residents. “The board’s general consensus was that there was likely not enough time to take this to annual Town Meeting in April but that we would take this next step and see where it leads us,’’ said Green. In Arlington, selectmen recently voted to place a resolution on the Town Meeting warrant that would make Arlington a “sanctuary town” or “Trust Act” community. “What you can do is talk about what you stand for, and make the town a welcoming place,” said vice chairman Daniel Dunn, calling it an issue of “right and wrong.” Steve Kropper, an Arlington resident and cochairman of the Massachusetts Coalition for Immigration Reform, said he is concerned about the president’s immigration policies but does not think cities and towns should limit the powers of local police. “Trump’s messages on immigration are odious, [but] the sanctuary city movement is misguided,’’ he said. “Most of us want to reclaim the thoughtful middle ground on immigration.’’ Kropper said local police don’t typically arrest or question people for suspected immigration violations, but the option can be a useful policing tool. He said local police play a big role in helping serve as eyes and ears for the federal government. “Let law enforcement prioritize crimes, and if that includes using immigration statutes then it would seem like bad policy to have 351 Massachusetts cities and towns set immigration and police policy,’’ he said. Green said she asked for guidance from state Senator Jamie Eldridge, an Acton Democrat who has proposed state legislation to protect undocumented immigrants. “Acton is a diverse community and I want to make it understood that we’re a welcoming community and not discriminating against or negative toward people based on their race, ethnicity, or status,’’ she said. Eldridge has filed The Safe Communities Act, which would prohibit state collaboration with the federal government for the purposes of creating a Muslim registry, and ensure that state resources are not used for Trump’s deportation plans. The bill is an expansion of the Trust Act, which was filed in the previous two legislative sessions. Meanwhile, a group of Waltham residents opposed to Trump’s executive order to close US borders to people from seven mostly Muslim countries has called on local officials to take a closer look at how the city can protect immigrants. “For nearly 200 years, we have opened our doors to refugees and immigrants,” the group stated in an online petition that has garnered more than 600 signatures. “Beginning with young Irish women fleeing the famine and African-Americans fleeing slavery in the South, generation after generation of people have found a home, a job, and a life in this city. In turn, Waltham has reaped the rewards.” In response, Mayor Jeannette McCarthy issued a statement saying the Waltham Police Department “does not pursue immigration status unless a serious crime has been committed, upon which they contact the federal immigration authorities.” FOIA CBP 000795 DHS-17-0435-B-000092 70 McCarthy said that residents should contact federal lawmakers to enact legislation “to legally process the individuals living in this country and those who wish to come” to the United States. “That is their job, and they should do it!” McCarthy wrote in the statement. California Could Become A Sanctuary State. What That Means By Gustavo Solis USA Today, February 11, 2017 California cannot stop federal immigration officers from conducting deportation raids in the Golden State. However, the state can stop local cops and deputies from helping the feds enforce immigration law. California’s “sanctuary state bill,” officially known as Senate Bill 54, aims to severely restrict how much local law enforcement can work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. But the bill would not completely eradicate cooperation between local and federal law enforcement. Riverside County Sheriff Stan Sniff described the dynamic like this: “If a checkpoint is conducted somewhere, we don’t invite them. But the reality is they can drop by any time they want.” The Desert Sun spoke with lawyers, academics, activists and law enforcement experts to find out what SB 54 is and isn’t. It is important to note that the current draft of the bill could be different from the one that becomes law, assuming it becomes law at all. The current version of the bill would kick ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection out of local jails and restrict their access to some state databases. It also would ban state agencies from asking and collecting anyone’s immigration status. Police departments and sheriffs’ offices still would work with ICE and Customs and Border Protection on multi-agency task forces, which sometimes result in deportations. Federal immigration authorities still would have access to fingerprint data from everyone booked into a local jail. What does it mean to be a sanctuary? Neither federal nor state laws have defined sanctuary cities, so the term means different things to different people. “The biggest misconception is that people think that when you declare yourself a sanctuary it means that there is absolutely no contact with ICE, and that is not true,” said Marissa Montes, co-director of the Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. “If ICE wanted to have a raid in downtown LA and did everything procedurally correct, like get a warrant, the city would not be able to stop them.” SB 54 was introduced before President Donald Trump’s inauguration, but after a campaign in which he threatened to cut off federal money to cities that protect undocumented immigrants from deportation. When Trump signed an executive order that strips money from sanctuary cities, he defined sanctuaries as local and state governments that have enacted laws limiting communication of their residents’ immigration status with the Department of Homeland Security. These governments violate a federal statute. SB 54 specifies that it is not violating the federal statute. Instead, the bill aims to limit what information local agencies can gather so that when ICE asks about immigration status, local agencies are allowed to communicate but won’t have much to say. However, Trump’s order also gives his new attorney general, Jeff Sessions, authority to identify sanctuary cities. Sessions previously opposed immigration reform in the U.S. Senate and wants to limit legal and illegal immigration. That discretion could be used against California to strip its federal money, but state officials would bring legal challenges. “I think (restricting funding) is legally a gray area right now,” said Ana Muniz, assistant criminology professor at University of California, Irvine. “The federal government can’t compel local governments to act, but there is also the legality over the federal government forcing the state to act. Withholding money could be seen as an overstepping.” What would be the impact of becoming a sanctuary state? Trump inherited a massive immigration enforcement apparatus that includes ICE, the border patrol and immigration courts. That enforcement machine is used in a variety of ways to deport immigrants in the country illegally and immigrants in the country legally but have committed crimes. The president can prioritize going after immigrants convicted of crimes, like Barack Obama did, or cast a wider net and go after those arrested but not convicted of crimes, like Trump has done. A private company called Management and Training Corp. runs the Imperial Regional Detention Facility in Calexico, Calif. (Photo: Gustavo Solis, The (Palm Springs, Calif.) Desert Sun) In California, the majority of cooperation between local and federal agencies happens in county jails and is completely voluntary. Many jails allow ICE agents to interview inmates suspected of being in the country illegally. Some jails also tell ICE when certain inmates will be released so federal agents can detain those inmates as soon as they are out on bail or are finished serving their sentence. As now written, the sanctuary state bill would prohibit the use of state facilities for immigration enforcement FOIA CBP 000796 DHS-17-0435-B-000093 71 purposes. This would essentially kick ICE out of county-run jails. “Saying we cannot provide access to individuals in our jails is problematic,” said Cory Salzillo, legislative director for the California State Sheriffs’ Association. Salizillo said barring ICE from jails may result in a missed opportunity for the federal government to speak with and identify deportable immigrants while they are incarcerated. Inmates could be released after serving their time and commit more crimes in the U.S. Additionally, Salzillo said the bill is vague on local participation in multi-agency task forces and may limit local participation on anti-gang or human trafficking operations. State Sen. Jeff Stone, a Republican from Temecula, Calif., also opposes the bill because he is worried it may make it difficult for federal law enforcement to catch dangerous criminals. Supporters of the bill call those concerns a fear tactic, saying the Department of Homeland Security would still have access for fingerprint data. They argue that people who have served their sentence already have paid their debt to society and shouldn’t be punished a second time. “We have a criminal justice system to respond to those concerns,” said Grisel Ruiz, staff lawyer for the Immigrant Legal Resource Center. “We already have everyone going through that system. Why are we submitting immigrants to another?” What are California’s current immigration policies? Two California laws, the Trust Act and the Truth Act, already limit specific aspects of type of in-jail cooperation. The first law, passed in 2013, prevented jails from accepting detainers or immigration holds, asking them to hold inmates longer than their sentence so that federal agents could pick them up. Several aspects of detainers have been ruled unconstitutional in lower courts and the practice largely has been phased out in California, according to the Immigrant Legal Resource Center. The second law, passed last year, addresses tactics ICE uses to interview inmates in jail. Immigration cases are civil, not criminal; therefore, defendants don’t have the same rights. For example, ICE agents aren’t required to tell inmates that they have the right to remain silent even though inmates do have that right. California’s Truth Act requires inmates to receive consent forms explaining their rights to them before ICE agents talk to them. Alameda County Takes Aim At Trump’s Immigration Stance East Bay (CA) Times, February 10, 2017 For the past several months, Eden United Church of Christ senior minister the Rev. Arlene Nehring has fielded her fair share of questions about discrimination and looming immigration enforcement concerns. But a recurring question that still haunts her is one asked by Hayward area elementary school students since the Nov. 8 presidential election: Is it true that Donald Trump is going to deport all of our families? “I’ve been asked that question since Easter,” Nehring said at a Feb. 6 press conference in the Hayward office of Alameda County Supervisor Richard Valle. “Some of our students are too afraid to come to school out of fear that they won’t see their parents at the end of the day when they come home, while many other kids come to school but spend all day worrying about the safety of their extended family members and their parents,” she said. Nehring is one of the nearly two dozen elected leaders, nonprofit organizations, immigrant advocacy groups and religious leaders who backed an Alameda County measure that sets aside $750,000 to match a grant from the San Francisco Foundation to pay for defending and protecting immigrants and refugees in Alameda County. That proposal, approved by county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, dates back to December, when the board voted to create a committee on immigrant rights dedicated to “work on ways in which Alameda County can support its immigrant and refugee communities,” according to a December supervisors memo. The San Francisco Foundation offered the $750,000 grant later that month to “help support the creation and development of an Alameda County wide rapid response network to provide legal and support services to Alameda County families facing the immediate threat of separation due to detention and deportation,” Alameda County Supervisor Wilma Chan wrote in a Dec. 14 memo to other supervisors. The Partnership for Immigration Rights of Alameda County submitted a proposal around the same time to provide “legal services, rapid response coordination, community responders and know-your-rights education,” the Dec. 14 memo reads. The county’s decision comes on the heels of several executive orders issued by Trump since his Jan. 20 inauguration, including a Department of Homeland Security directive to hire 5,000 more border patrol agents and set aside available resources to start constructing a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico. “This order further contemplates a massive expansion in immigration detentions by detaining individuals on near suspicion of violating immigration law, detaining all individuals crossing the southern border and constructing additional detention facilities near the southern border,” said Aidin Castillo, an immigration staff attorney at Centro Legal de la Raza in Oakland. Another ordered the Department of Homeland Security to hire 10,000 more Immigration and Customs Enforcement FOIA CBP 000797 DHS-17-0435-B-000094 72 officers and revive a program that required local law enforcement agencies to share the information of detained individuals with the federal agency. It also ordered that sanctuary cities, along with other jurisdictions that do not comply with federal immigration laws, not receive federal funds, except for law enforcement purposes. A separate executive order two weeks ago suspended the refugee admittance program for 120 days; cut the annual number of refugees admitted into the United States from 110,000 to 50,000; indefinitely banned Syrian refugees from entering; and banned many green-card and visa holders from seven predominantly Muslim countries, including Iraq, Iran and Somalia, from entering for 90 days. The county’s $1.5 million initiative also dovetails with efforts by cities and community organizations to address Trump administration policies. The San Leandro City Council, for instance, is scheduled to consider a sanctuary city resolution Feb. 21. If the resolution is approved, San Leandro would join several other East Bay communities that have embraced the sanctuary city designation, including Oakland, Alameda, Berkeley and Richmond. The county’s committee on immigrant rights also has invited police chiefs from Union City, Newark, Fremont and Hayward to attend its inaugural Mach 11 meeting in Union City and outline their stand on new federal immigration enforcement policies. ‘Sanctuary City’ Mayor Speaks After Nationwide Immigration Raids : NPR NPR, February 12, 2017 Immigration officials recently conducted raids around the country. Lulu Garcia-Navarro speaks with the mayor of Austin, Steve Adler, about raids in Austin, which has been called a “sanctuary city.” LOURDES GARCIA-NAVARRO, HOST: Over the past few days, federal immigration officials have conducted major raids around the country, arresting hundreds of undocumented immigrants. Officials say they targeted known criminals. However, immigration advocates say they have also detained some with no criminal records. Agents were sent into homes and workplaces in a number of American cities, including so-called sanctuary cities, like Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and Austin, Texas. These are places where local authorities don’t automatically cooperate with federal immigration agents. The mayor of one of those cities, Steve Adler of Austin Texas, joins us now on the line. Good morning. MAYOR STEVE ADLER: Good morning, Lulu. GARCIA-NAVARRO: First, can you tell us what’s happening in your city right now? ADLER: What we have right now is ICE, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, are making raids, picking people up. And they are, we understand, going after folks that are targeted. But they’re also picking up people that are caught in that net that don’t have the same kind of criminal backgrounds. We have a community that is, quite frankly, scared. There’s a lot of uncertainty here. It’s, unfortunately, undermining a lot of the trust relationship that had been built up with our public safety officials over time. It’s sending people back into the darkness. My assessment is, in a lot of ways, it’s making us less safe. GARCIA-NAVARRO: Mayor, I’m reading my Twitter feed. And President Trump has just tweeted this – the crackdown on illegal criminals is merely the keeping of my campaign promise. Gang members, drug dealers and others are being removed. What’s your reaction to the president’s statement? He feels that he is making the country more safe by removing these people. ADLER: You know, I rely here on our public safety professionals – our police chief, our sheriff. And quite frankly, their views are consistent with the national – the big cities’ police chiefs. What they say is that you have to develop a trust relationship with communities. In our community, we have one of the – in fact, Austin is one of the safest communities in the country. And we’re safe because we have that relationship. Victims in our community feel free to come forward and seek help from our public safety, regardless of who they are. Witnesses to events and to crimes feel safe coming to our police because they know they can do that safely. That’s something that we’ve earned over time. And what our police and our professionals tell us is, is that if they’re going to keep this community safe, they have to be able to preserve that relationship. When they’re asked to participate in voluntary programs – and again, you know, it’s important to note that Austin, Texas, is not breaking any federal or state laws – when we’re being asked to also act as federal immigration agents, it undermines that trust and that faith. And quite frankly, we don’t have the resources to have our public safety people operating as federal immigration agents any more than federal tax agents or federal environmental agents. GARCIA-NAVARRO: Sir, we should remind people, I think, at this point that these raids – these types of raids were carried out under the Obama administration as well. Is there anything different, in your view, about this? ADLER: Well, my understanding is that in the Obama administration, they were targeting people that had warrants. They were criminals or – and that if during the Obama FOIA CBP 000798 DHS-17-0435-B-000095 73 administration, my understanding from talking to our consul general, is that when they would pick that person up, they wouldn’t pick up the other three or four people that happened to be around them that were caught in that moment. What’s happening now, I understand, is they’re not only picking up the person who has the criminal background but somebody who does not. And that means that the raid is broader in this circumstance. GARCIA-NAVARRO: Very briefly – President Trump has criticized sanctuary cities. Austin is considered one. Do you feel that your city was deliberately targeted? ADLER: You know, I’m not real sure what a sanctuary city is in today’s definitions. Under the president’s order, it seems to be that a sanctuary city is a city that violates federal or state law, which we don’t. And under that definition, I guess, we would not be a sanctuary city. GARCIA-NAVARRO: Do you feel targeted, though, because of your positions? ADLER: I think our community does feel targeted. And what we’re understanding is that the activity in Austin may very well be greater and more intense than is happening in other places. GARCIA-NAVARRO: Steve Adler, mayor of Austin, Texas, thanks so much for taking the time to speak with us today. ADLER: Thank you, Lulu. Arizona’s Public Universities Will Not Consider Becoming ‘Sanctuaries’ Arizona Daily Star, February 11, 2017 Universities across the country are declaring themselves as sanctuary campuses in light of tougher immigration policies from the White House — some, under pressure from students and local communities. Arizona’s three public universities, however, have no such plans to designate themselves sanctuary campuses. “Sanctuary” in the political sense generally means a safe place, such as a church, where people can take refuge from immigration enforcement. While campuses, like churches, are considered to be sensitive zones, local and national experts say sanctuary campuses may not come with tangible protections for international, immigrant and undocumented students, experts say. Arizona students asked for sanctuary designations of campuses at the Board of Regents’ meeting last week in Tempe. While state university presidents have openly expressed support for international and immigrant students, the schools are not considering it. An unofficial count puts the number of sanctuary campuses nationwide at around 30, including the University of Pennsylvania and Portland State University. “We don’t want to jeopardize our campuses in any way,” said Eileen Klein, president of the Board of Regents. “Yet, at the same time, we’ve done a good job of making sure that our students know that we’re actively working to make sure opportunities are there for them.” Many universities, like Arizona’s, have shied away from labeling themselves for the fear that federal funding would dry up. The Star tried to independently confirm each university’s stance, but Northern Arizona and Arizona State universities did not respond. University of Arizona spokesman Chris Sigurdson referred to memos written by President Ann Weaver Hart and declined to comment further. UA president opposes travel ban In a recent memo to UA students and employees, Hart said she opposed executive order banning entry to citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries, which has now been overturned, and indefinitely suspending the refugee program. She has also expressed support for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals students. Many of the policies that sanctuary campuses enact already exist at the UA, according to Hart. She said in a November memo: “Student privacy is assured by federal law, and it applies to all students regardless of residency status. That includes safeguarding their personal information, academic record, counseling services and any information the students want to withhold from the student directory.” She also said there is an Immigrant Student Resource Center, which is funded by student fees, that also helps DACA students and that UA’s online programs are open to all students at the same price, regardless of state residency or immigration status. But Irasema Fonseca, a UA junior who has interned for the resource center and spoke out in favor of sanctuary campus designations at the regents meeting, said she doesn’t agree that enough is being done for the immigrant community on the UA campus. “These are words and not enough actions,” she said. Fonseca said students are scared and they cannot focus on their academics when they’re afraid of themselves or their family members being deported. For Fonseca, a sanctuary designation is a necessary move, especially for a diverse institution like the UA. “We’re one of the most diverse universities in the nation. We’re extremely close to the border with Mexico. There’s a huge population of students from Mexico.” It’s not just about undocumented students from Mexico or those who have deferred action status, she said. It’s about the entire immigrant community at the UA, which includes international students and scholars. Rapidly changing situation Regent Ron Shoopman said in a meeting with the Star that the board will not act on any sanctuary designations FOIA CBP 000799 DHS-17-0435-B-000096 74 based on speculations about what the Trump administration may do. “We try to do things based on the facts of the situation,” he said. “It would be speculation for me to even say whether I’d go this way or another until we can better understand it.” That was in response to questions regarding the possible termination of DACA, which President Trump said on the campaign trail he would repeal. So far, that hasn’t happened, but what did happen is a less-publicized executive order that increases interior enforcement, which could affect Arizona students’ lives. Interior enforcement refers to immigration enforcement that happens inside the United States, away from borders and other ports of entry, including airports. Nina Rabin, an immigration attorney and professor at the UA’s law college, explained at a forum on the executive order that people who didn’t used to be on the priority list for removal may now face deportation. That group includes a long list of people: those who were charged with criminal offenses, whether the case was resolved or not, committed acts that constitute criminal offenses, deemed to be a threat to public safety, found to be abusing government benefit systems or suspected of misrepresenting their immigration status, she said. It also includes those who live within 100 miles of the border, which includes the UA, but who cannot produce proof of having lived in the country for two years, she said. That would mean foreign and undocumented students should carry copies of necessary documents with them at all times, she said. Sanctuary designation has no legal effect Sanctuary is a “spectrum,” says Stephen Yale-Loehr, an immigration attorney and professor at Cornell University, at a recent panel discussion in Philadelphia on sanctuary campuses. Some colleges designate specific spaces where undocumented students can go to be protected, he said. Others have reaffirmed existing policies of not disclosing student information to federal immigration officials. What’s important to note, though, is that “sanctuaries don’t have legal effect,” he said. If immigration enforcement officials want to enter campus, they can get a warrant to do so. “But sanctuary resolutions help students feel more secure,” he said. Having a single point of contact to deal with immigration issues on campus, providing counseling and legal consultation to foreign, immigrant and undocumented students whose stay in the U.S. may be in jeopardy are some things universities can do within legal limits, he said. The situation regarding immigration policies is changing by the minute, local and national immigration attorneys say. “We don’t know what’s going to come out next. It’s just chaos,” said Roxie Bacon, a Phoenix-based attorney who has worked in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Bacon advised students to suspend travel outside of the U.S., make copies of all immigration-related documents and safeguard them with friends, stay away from internal Border Patrol checkpoints and reach out for help. “You’re not as scared if you’re prepared,” she said. Lansing City Attorney Warns Against Sanctuary Status Detroit Free Press, February 11, 2017 If Lansing becomes a sanctuary city for undocumented immigrants, it may expose the municipality, City Council members and Police Department to “possible federal criminal sanctions,” City Attorney Jim Smiertka wrote in a memo this week. Smiertka shared his legal opinion on the proposed designation in a memo to City Council members and copied to Mayor Virg Bernero. The memo was dated Thursday and was posted on the city’s website. Council members could vote on a sanctuary city resolution at Monday’s Committee of the Whole meeting. The meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. on the 10th floor of City Hall. It will be open to the public. A final vote on the matter could take place at council’s 7 p.m. general meeting that night. Smiertka also wrote in the memo that a resolution directing Lansing police on how to carry out their duties falls outside of the power granted to council by the City Charter. He added that creating such a resolution directing police officers on how they should or shouldn’t interact with the public could expose Lansing to liability under civil rights claims. The City Attorney also noted that it’s uncertain what parameters may be used by the new Attorney General to designate sanctuary cities or the impact on federal funding, and it it will be some time before courts interpret the impact of President Donald Trump’s executive order. “Until the courts resolve the issues noted above, it is recommended here that a formal resolution or policy be delayed until more certainty in the law is achieved,” the last sentence of Smiertka’s eight-page memo read. By noon Friday, a copy of a proposed sanctuary city resolution had not been made public. The Committee of the Whole agenda listed consideration of a “Welcoming/Safe Community” resolution, but offered no wording. Council members agreed at their Jan. 30 Committee of the Whole meeting that they would draft a sanctuary city resolution and review it at Monday’s meeting. If a sanctuary city resolution is passed by council, Bernero can veto it. The City Charter states that if a veto is filed, the resolution can’t be overrode by council without at least a two-thirds vote of of support by its eight members within two weeks of the veto. FOIA CBP 000800 DHS-17-0435-B-000097 75 If Lansing becomes a sanctuary city, it could lose millions in federal and state funding. President Donald Trump signed an executive order last month that allows the federal government to revoke funding from local governments that don’t comply with immigration laws. There’s also pending bill in the Michigan Legislature that would, if passed, withhold state funding from local governments that don’t cooperate with federal immigration officials. Lansing receives about $6.5 million in federal funding annually. The city’s adopted $123.5 million general fund budget for the 2017 fiscal year included $14,275,900 in state revenue sharing. The 2018 fiscal year begins July 1. Bernero told the Lansing State Journal last week a sanctuary city resolution shouldn’t be passed because it’s not needed. Lansing is already a “welcoming city” that has a history of settling refugees and immigration. The Lansing Police Department currently follows all federal immigration laws and will continue to not ask about the immigration status of civilians as they encounter or arrest them, Bernero said. The proposed state bill, known as the Sanctuary Policy Prohibition Act, would call for state revenue to be withheld from local governments if they failed to report annually to the legislature the number of reports made to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office. Bernero described the bill last week as “a half-baked attempt to federalize our local police department” and said he doubts Gov. Rick Snyder will sign it. Activists from the Lansing chapter of the group BAMN – By Any Means Necessary – are expected to attend Monday’s meeting to push for passage of a proposed sanctuary city resolution. Seth Kalis, the chapter’s organizer, told the LSJ this week the group will keep attending council meetings until officials pass a resolution. “We’re not going to give up,” Kalis said. In addition to Lansing’s “welcoming city” status, East Lansing considers itself a “safe haven” for immigrants and refugees. The East Lansing City Council passed a resolution last week stating it refuses to cooperate with Trump’s executive order suspending entry of immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries. Analysis: Pro-Trump Arkansas Resists Anti￾sanctuary Bill By Andrew Demillo Washington Times, February 11, 2017 Donald Trump easily won Arkansas’ Republican primary and the state’s six electoral votes last year after vowing to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and punish cities that don’t cooperate with immigration authorities. A legislative panel’s rejection of an effort to cut off funding to so-called sanctuary campuses shows resistance by lawmakers to fully embrace the president’s immigration rhetoric, even in a solidly red state. The House Education Committee’s rejection of a bill to cut off funding to public colleges and universities that adopt sanctuary campus policies is a split from other Republican states. Neighboring Texas is advancing legislation banning sanctuary cities that would allow for criminal charges against city or county officials who intentionally don’t comply. It was a relief for advocates who say Arkansas has largely avoided enacting what they consider anti-immigrant measures, despite the state’s shift to a majority Republican state over the past several years. “To see this vote in such a resounding way, to keep Arkansas a state that has not ever passed an anti-immigrant piece of legislation we think is tremendously important and hopefully a good sign for what we hope to accomplish the rest of this session,” said Mireya Reith, executive director of the Arkansas United Community Coalition, an advocacy and resource group for immigrants. The lawmaker behind the sanctuary campus measure acknowledged no schools so far had adopted policies preventing their officials from cooperating with immigration authorities. Days earlier, Arkansas State University had rebuffed a petition urging the school to label itself a sanctuary campus. “We need to help our administrators, our presidents of these colleges and universities as well as our chancellors, so they can actually push back and say we will not be encouraged to break federal laws,” Republican Rep. Brandt Smith said before the vote. The bill’s failure comes as advocates are concerned about the future of a program created under former President Barack Obama that allows young people brought into the country illegally as children to stay and obtain work permits. Trump said during the presidential campaign that he would eliminate it but has since said his administration “will work something out” and hasn’t taken any action against the program during his first days in office. The bill faced resistance from Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson, a former federal Homeland Security official who oversaw border security efforts. Shortly before the panel’s vote, Hutchinson told reporters that he was worried about the impact Smith’s bill would have on some students. “They’re paying tuition, out-of-state tuition I believe, and they are getting their education and while they are doing that we don’t want to create a climate of fear for them,” Hutchinson said. Hutchinson, who has also expressed reservations about a separate effort to defund any sanctuary cities, joins a line of governors in the state who have grappled with legislative efforts targeting immigrants in the country illegally. Former Gov. Mike Huckabee blasted efforts to ban state FOIA CBP 000801 DHS-17-0435-B-000098 76 services for immigrants in the country illegally. He also pushed unsuccessfully to grant college scholarships and in￾state tuition rates to students who were in the country illegally. Hutchinson’s Democratic predecessor, former Gov. Mike Beebe, likewise criticized an unsuccessful attempt to cut off non-emergency services for immigrants without legal permission, a proposal he called “mean-spirited.” Hutchinson and the Legislature will likely face more tests on the issue. The lawmaker behind the anti-sanctuary cities bill said he wasn’t deterred by the House panel’s action. Immigrant groups are also concerned about a House-backed proposal requiring Arkansas courts to only use American laws. In a state where Trump enjoyed major support in November, concerns about the practicality of these proposals could sink them as much as fears that they’re anti-immigrant. Opponents of the courts proposal say it’s addressing a problem that doesn’t exist. It’s similar to the criticism of the sanctuary campuses proposal, with lawmakers noting that they already have the authority to block funding during the regular budget process. “Why should I pass a bill to grant myself a power I already have to fix a problem that does not exist?” Republican Rep. Jana Della Rosa asked. Columbus Has Traits Of Sanctuary City, But Officially It’s Not Columbus (OH) Dispatch, February 10, 2017 Columbus doesn’t call itself a sanctuary city, but it is acting like one. City officials said last week that they would investigate whether Columbus should adopt the sanctuary label after President Donald Trump issued an executive order banning immigrants and refugees from certain countries from entering the United States. That order was overturned in court, and an appeal by the government was denied by another court Thursday. Trump’s orders have threatened federal funding for the so-called “sanctuary cities,” but City Council President Zach Klein said Columbus is investigating what a sanctuary city is because the definition is unclear. “I appreciate the brand and what’s associated with the brand,” Klein said. “But I also appreciate the substance.” Experts generally agree that there is no single legal definition of a sanctuary city, but those cities that have adopted the term do not cooperate with federal authorities to detain people based on their immigration status. A similar policy was part of an executive order that Mayor Andrew J. Ginther signed last week. Ginther’s order prohibits the use of city resources for the “sole purpose of detecting or apprehending persons based on suspected immigration status, unless in response to a court order.” It also says that the city will oppose efforts to require using local taxpayer funds to enforce federal immigration policy and bars the city from denying access to services based on immigration status. “What Columbus has been is a de facto sanctuary city,” said Steve Salvi, founder of the Ohio Jobs & Justice PAC, which tracks sanctuary cities. “Columbus is not alone in trying to play both sides — be a sanctuary but have a wink-and-a￾nod type policy.” The Trump administration, apparently, is leaving it up to the Homeland Security secretary to decide. In a Jan. 25 order that threatens federal funding for sanctuaries, the secretary is given authority to designate “sanctuary jurisdictions.” A White House spokesperson said sanctuary cities are those “standing in the way of immigration enforcement.” Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel and Rep. Candice Keller of Middletown, both Republicans, also have proposed a state ban on sanctuary cities. A 2006 congressional research report found that 32 cities had sanctuary policies at that time. In 2015, the director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement testified before a House committee that more than 200 jurisdictions refuse to honor federal requests to detain people for immigration issues. Klein and Columbus Councilwoman Elizabeth Brown hosted a roundtable discussion with more than a dozen nonprofit and immigrant groups this week to find out how Columbus policies affect immigrants and refugees in the city. Brown said those groups told her a legal-defense fund she is assembling should focus on refugees trying to petition the U.S. government for family reunification and on reviews of legal status for immigrants already in the country. Money for the fund hasn’t been set yet, Brown said, but she is working with the groups from the roundtable to assemble a list of existing resources that are available for those facing legal battles. Klein said he wants to have a public hearing about whether the city should adopt the sanctuary label before the end of March. Cincinnati recently labeled itself a sanctuary city, and White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the city is risking federal money. Columbus received about $125 million in federal funding in 2015. Its $40 million Smart Cities grant, awarded last year, came from the U.S. Department of Transportation. “The last thing I want to do is jeopardize $125 million in federal funding,” Klein said. “That doesn’t mean we back away from our policies.” Buyers Beware! Counterfeiters Trying To Cash In On Valentine’s Day FOIA CBP 000802 DHS-17-0435-B-000099 77 CNBC, February 12, 2017 Americans are expected to spend $18.2 billion on Valentine’s Day, according to the National Retail Federation. Unfortunately, some of that amount may be diverted by counterfeiters attempting to cash in on that with phony goods. “Valentine’s Day is coming up. So you’ll see an uptick in counterfeit colognes, perfumes cause those are common gifts,” said Jason Molina, an assistant special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigation’s New York field office. Counterfeit goods are estimated to bring in $600-$700 billion a year worldwide, according to Molina—and that figure is growing. In fiscal year 2016, the Department of Homeland Security counterfeit good seizures were up 9 percent over the comparable year-ago period. Not only is that money diverted from legitimate business, it can also fund other illicit activities. “Billions of dollars that are made from these items can go to fund terrorist organizations and go fund other criminal elements throughout the world,” said Molina. Agents and investigators from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Department of Homeland Security are on the front lines of trying to stop the phony goods from entering the country. It’s the proverbial needle in the haystack, as eleven million shipping containers—each with as many as 2,000 boxes—enter the U.S. annually through various ports. Recently, CNBC was on site when investigators examined a shipment entering a port in the Metropolitan New York-New Jersey. The entire shipment was believed to contain counterfeit perfumes, tucked away in just one of 3,000 containers that arrive at this hub daily. With so many containers arriving each day, investigators say it’s impossible to check each one. If CPB attempted to check every shipment, they say it could potentially grind economic activity to a halt. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics estimates that total North American freight activity is worth billions a year. “We want to try to facilitate the legitimate cargo from coming into the country, and concentrate on the small percentage of volatile merchandise,” said Al D’Onofrio, a CPB inspections chief. Agents rely on what they call a risk based approach, checking the containers they think could be the most dangerous. One way to filter shipments is by manifests, which are filed before the containers arrive. When the perfume shipment was opened, agents found bottles of Versace, Chanel, and Juicy Couture perfumes. “The labeling is telling me it’s from France, but yet it’s coming from China, clear indication that this is going be counterfeit merchandise,” said D’Onofrio. Approximately 88 percent of counterfeit goods come in from China or Hong Kong, according to Homeland Security’s Molina. Meanwhile, those phony scents may contain dangerous chemicals. “You may be getting a $100 bottle of perfume for $20, but what’s in that perfume? ... The counterfeiters have no standards,” Molina said. “We’ve seen lead. We’ve seen arsenic. We’ve seen rat droppings.” The perfume shipment will be sent for further testing. “We’re going to verify our instinct and that this is counterfeit by sending it to our import specialist, and they’re going make the final determination of the product. If it’s determined to be counterfeit, we will seize it, and eventually it will be destroyed, if it’s not part of any type of criminal investigation,” said CPB’s D’Onofrio. If it was not stopped, agents suspect the perfumes would have been sold at small retailers and online. How to make sure perfume isn’t counterfeit There are a few hints that a perfume may not be legitimate, officials said. If the price seems too cheap, that should be a red flag. Buying perfume from well know retailers and online sellers is the best way to ensure it’s real. “My main tip is to buy it from a legitimate source,” D’Onofrio said. When purchasing perfume from other places, take a look at the package. “Some of the packaging, some of the labeling, the pictures on there could be a flat appearance where it looks like it’s faded out, and doesn’t have sharpness to it,” said D’Onofrio. If you have the opportunity to open the package, you can check the quality and feel of the bottle. “Putting it in your hand and feeling it, you know, you’re dealing with something more of a toy than a high-end product,” D’Onofrio explained. However, the counterfeiters have gotten so sophisticated, it’s often difficult to tell. “It’s very difficult for the average American person to go and look and say that they’re not getting what they think they’re getting,” D’Onofrio said. If you suspect someone is selling counterfeit goods, you can report it at IPRCenter.gov or by using the Homeland Security Investigations tip line, 1-866-DHS-2-ICE. Sheriffs Still Looking For Clarity On Deportation PBS NewsHour, February 12, 2017 Despite tough talk on sanctuary cities from the Trump administration, many sheriffs still fear that they lack the legal right to hold prisoners for possible deportation, even at the request of federal authorities. Sheriffs, who operate 85 percent of local jails, are still waiting for courts to clarify the legality of “detainers,” or federal requests to hold prisoners for possible deportation. FOIA CBP 000803 DHS-17-0435-B-000100 78 President Donald Trump signed an executive order Jan. 25 promising to punish any “sanctuary jurisdictions” that “attempt to shield aliens from removal from the United States.” The order threatened cuts to federal funding and public shaming of “any jurisdiction that ignored or otherwise failed to honor any detainers.” But the new administration in Washington hasn’t altered the legal landscape — at least not yet. Court rulings over the past several years have dissuaded even red-state sheriffs from honoring detainers, fearing that doing so would make them vulnerable to civil rights lawsuits. “Sheriffs want to participate but we need to know our legal standing on this. We’ve been asking for this for years,” said Sheriff Leon Wilmot of Yuma County, Arizona. Wilmot said he spoke to Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly about the issue Monday on behalf of the National Sheriffs’ Association, which represents more than 3,000 sheriffs. Wilmot said sheriffs need a definitive ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court. Sheriff Michael Bouchard of Oakland County, Michigan, said larger counties have the same concerns and want a court ruling, action by Congress, or an agreement that federal immigration agents will seek a judge’s signature on detainers to make them more legally acceptable. Last year, a U.S. District Court in Illinois ruled that the detainers are illegal because they exceed the government’s authority to hold prisoners without a warrant. That followed a 2014 U.S. District Court order holding an Oregon county liable for damages after denying bail to a woman based on a detainer. Liability Seen in Court Rulings U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), an agency of the Department of Homeland Security, generally issues a detainer request after receiving information about the arrest of an immigrant. The agency asks the local jail to hold the prisoner for up to 48 hours longer than it normally would to investigate the immigrant for possible deportation. When considering whether to deport prisoners under Obama administration policies, ICE focused on those deemed to “pose a threat to public safety” because of gang activity or felony convictions unrelated to immigration status. Trump’s executive order expands that focus to include any criminal activity, fraud or abuse of public benefits, or failure to obey a court order to leave the country. Local authorities in 43 states refused to honor more than 16,000 detainer requests from ICE from October 2013 to December 2015. Only in Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Vermont and Wyoming did local officials honor all requests, and detainers are relatively rare in those states. “We just don’t feel we can legally hold people without something from a judge. This is a problem for sheriffs across the country,” said Sheriff Tim Morse of Jackson County, Kansas. But some sheriffs say they think they already have the legal authority to detain immigrants for federal authorities. Sheriff Richard Jones of Butler County, Ohio, said he disagrees with fellow sheriffs who won’t honor detainers, though he is sympathetic to their position. The issue was hotly debated at the sheriffs’ association’s winter conference this month, Jones said. “Every jurisdiction looks at it differently,” said Jones, who views failing to honor detainers a violation of federal laws requiring cooperation with the federal government. “I feel we have the authority to detain.” Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies for the Center for Immigration Studies, which wants to restrict immigration, agreed with Jones. “There are a few [sheriffs] who have been sued who want a Supreme Court ruling.” Vaughan said. “Most don’t have any legal problem with it.” Jones said he supports a proposal in Ohio that would criminalize cities or counties that adopt sanctuary policies. It also would enable crime victims to sue local officials if an unauthorized immigrant is released despite a federal detainer request. Similar legislation has been proposed in Colorado and could be introduced by lawmakers in Alaska and Maine. States Also Cracking Down Other states are gearing up to create their own bans on “sanctuary” policies that could ensnare sheriffs trying to walk the line between liability and cooperation. In Texas, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has vowed to withhold state funding from Travis County (Austin), which announced limited compliance with detainers. Texas lawmakers are considering a bill that would force local jails to cooperate with immigration authorities. A similar bill is pending in Iowa. A bill in California takes the opposite tack. It would forbid local jails from holding prisoners for deportation. Vaughan of the immigration center said a compromise may be possible if federal immigration authorities use an “administrative warrant” signed by supervisors because warrants signed by judges often are hard to get. “There are no judges that would issue those routinely, and demanding them is another way of obstructing,” Vaughan said. Mark Fleming, an attorney with the National Immigrant Justice Center who represented plaintiffs in a lawsuit that struck down detainers in the Illinois court case, said he’s not sure administrative warrants would satisfy the judge’s ruling. “I do feel for these sheriffs. They’re like a ping pong ball caught in the middle of all this,” Fleming said. The judge in the Illinois case struck down all detainers as illegal, but the decision has not taken effect yet. The court gave the new administration in Washington time to decide whether to appeal. FOIA CBP 000804 DHS-17-0435-B-000101 79 Fleming’s lawsuit was brought on behalf of two people who were arrested and mistakenly detained at the federal government’s request, although one is a U.S. citizen and the other holds a green card. Generally speaking, the sheriffs’ group supports Trump’s immigration policies. Greg Champagne, the group’s president, has applauded the president’s executive orders on immigration, saying they’ll help with the “burden associated with criminal illegal immigration and the subsequent impact on our communities.” Trump invited sheriffs to a “listening session” Tuesday at the White House, and heard nothing but praise from the group. “You’re about the rule of law. We haven’t seen that in many years,” said Sheriff Sam Page of Rockingham County, North Carolina. “You’ve got support from sheriffs around the country,” Page said. Police chiefs who operate jails have the same liability concerns, said Darrel Stephens, director of the Major Cities Chiefs Association. Many will not honor the detainers without a warrant signed by a judge. “A good many jails and even states have said that they will not honor the detainer requests without a warrant,” Stephens said. “This is not an unreasonable request and certainly doesn’t mean they’re unwilling to cooperate. They just want to ensure they are operating within the law,” Stephens said. Trump Order For Publishing Weekly List Of Immigrant Crimes Draws Praise And Outcry Fox News, February 10, 2017 Some call it a witch-hunt. Others say it’s a much￾needed reality check. President Trump, who during his campaign frequently spoke of illegal immigrants who had murdered Americans, has ordered the Department of Homeland Security to publish a public weekly list of criminal actions committed by people in the U.S. illegally. Trump also instructed the agency to make public each week the localities that are not working with immigration officials by turning illegal immigrants in their custody over for deportation proceedings. The order said it was intended “To better inform the public regarding the public safety threats associated with sanctuary jurisdictions.” Rep. Steve King, an Iowa Republican who has been one of Congress’ most vocal and persistent proponents of strict immigration policies, lauded the new orders. “We’ll be able to build an updated spreadsheet of their [DHS’] activities, arrests and deportations,” said King, who long has pushed for more public data on crimes committed by immigrants. “I’m delighted. This is sunshine on the government.” King says he hopes to see “a full picture on how many illegal aliens are encountered by law enforcement” and he would like to see it include misdemeanors as well as more serious crimes. Advocates seeking more lenient immigration policies likened the order to a witch hunt. They said that Trump is demonizing all illegal immigrants by portraying them as criminals. “Trump wants to lift up stories of crimes because he wants the American people to think that most undocumented immigrants are criminals,” said Frank Sharry, executive director of America’s Voice, a Washington D.C.-based organization that favors less restrictive immigration laws. “Every expert knows the opposite is true, but he wants to spread the ‘Big Lie’ to justify what he intends to do – which is to try to force millions of immigrants out of the country.” Those who favor strict immigration enforcement are lauding the order, saying that cracks in the system that have allowed immigrants to commit crimes, including murder, after they have been deported and returned must be underscored and fixed. “These provisions of the executive order enhance transparency and public safety and are long-overdue,” said Bob Dane, spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which is based in Washington. “Under the Obama Administration, data regarding illegal alien crime was either non-existent, withheld or conflated. “Collecting and publishing accurate information on illegal alien crime is a necessary and rightful obligation of government,” Dane said. “It allows us to get the full picture so that we can make meaningful policy in the public interest based on empirical evidence, not political spin.” What is unclear is whether names will be published along with the crimes committed, and whether the list will include only serious felonies or low-level crimes as well. White House Director of Media Affairs Helen Aguirre Ferré referred those questions to the Department of Homeland Security. Gillian M. Christensen, the acting press secretary for DHS, said in an email to FoxNews.com in response to such questions: “We’re not getting into a lot of the specifics right now.” Trump made cracking down on illegal immigrants and beefing up border security a major part of his presidential campaign. He has proposed deporting 11 million illegal immigrants living in the U.S. and building a massive wall along the country’s southern border with Mexico. On the opening day of the Republican National Convention last summer, delegates who were gathered to cast their vote for the presidential nominee heard from family members of people killed by illegal immigrants. FOIA CBP 000805 DHS-17-0435-B-000102 80 “My son’s life was taken by an illegal alien,” said one of the speakers, Mary Mendoza, whose son Brandon, a police officer in Arizona, was killed by an illegal immigrant who was driving while intoxicated. “It’s time we have an administration that cares more about Americans than illegals.” She added: “A vote for Hillary [Clinton] puts all of our lives at risk. It’s time for Donald Trump.” Trump has held up crimes by illegal immigrants as an example of the dangers of a large population that lives in the shadows, and whose criminal histories are unknown. One of the most high-profile crimes by an undocumented immigrant in recent years was the murder in 2015 in San Francisco of Kathryn Steinle. Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez, an undocumented immigrant who was charged with her murder, illegally re-entered the United States several times after being deported. Immigration attorney Marty Rosenbluth, who practices in North Carolina, said the Trump administration is casting a wide net when it speaks about criminals. “The categories for criminal are so broad,” Rosenbluth told Fox News. Rosenbluth added that information about immigrants who have committed crimes already is compiled. “That data-sharing never ended,” he said. The goal seems to be, he said, “to shame localities” and cast a pall over immigrants. After Daring Voyage To U.S., Haitians’ Dreams End In Deportation By Makini Brice Reuters, February 10, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Brooklyn Congresswoman Moves To Shield Haitian Refugees From Deportation After Trump Order MSN, February 11, 2017 Brooklyn Congresswoman Yvette Clarke—co￾chairwoman of the House Caribbean Caucus—has put forward legislation to protect undocumented Haitians from deportation in the aftermath of President Donald Trump’s executive orders aimed at expelling millions of immigrants. The Haiti Emergency Relief Act of 2017 would significantly expand the Temporary Protected Status program—which shields refugees from being deported to dangerous homelands—to include all Haitian nationals who were in the United States before November 4, 2016. Clarke pointed to extreme weather events on the island nation as reason to grant 18 months of TPS to every eligible individual. “Those needs have increased since Haiti suffered extensive damage during Hurricane Matthew last year, when hundreds of people were killed and thousands of families were displaced,” Clarke said. “Congress must act.” After the 2010 earthquake, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services established Temporary Protected Status for Haitians living in the United States to enable Haiti to commence recovery and provide support in the form of remittances to family members there. But those who arrived later than 2011 found themselves ineligible. Clarke noted that if Congress passes the legislation, Haitians would be able to continue remitting money back to their homeland—money that makes up roughly 25 percent of the country’s gross domestic product—which Clarke argued is crucial to the continuing recovery process. “I urge my colleagues in Congress to work together to aid the people of Haiti at this crucial time,” Clarke,, herself the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, continued. In just a couple of weeks, Trump has signed executive orders mandating the construction of a wall on the Mexican border and allowing federal authorities to expel undocumented immigrants even when they are simply charged with a criminal offense. He also inked orders that slash federal funding for sanctuary cities—cities that offer a haven for undocumented immigrants—and prohibit entry to people from seven Muslim-majority countries. A Seattle judge temporarily suspended the Muslim travel ban last week, and the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld that ruling last night. In November, Clarke expressed dismay over the Department of Homeland Security’s announcement that removal proceedings resumed for Haitians in the United States who do not have TPS. She said that most of the people that DHS sought to remove had not been accused of any crime and that the deportations would return thousands of Haitians to a country still plagued by the aftermath of natural disasters. Clarke, part of the largely powerless Democratic House minority, recently convened an emergency meeting in Brooklyn’s Little Pakistan neighborhood on Trump’s travel ban. She co-sponsored Queens Congresswoman Grace Meng’s “No Funds for Unconstitutional Executive Orders Act,” which would ban Congress from allocating any funds to enforce the ban. The West Coast’s Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court’s temporary injunction against the fiat’s implementation last night. Private Prison Firm Sees Trump Immigration Push Opportunity By Jonathan Mattise | Ap Washington Post, February 10, 2017 The United States’ largest private prison operator said it can provide the additional detention facilities that will likely be FOIA CBP 000806 DHS-17-0435-B-000103 81 needed under President Donald Trump’s executive orders on immigration. In an earnings call this week, CoreCivic President/CEO Damon Hininger identified the possible opportunity to grow its detention business with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. CoreCivic’s statement further indicates that private prison firms think they could profit from a Trump presidency, who has already issued executive orders aimed at detaining and deporting immigrants who are in the country illegally. Trump is offering a starkly different outlook for the industry than President Barack Obama, whose administration aimed to wind down some private prison use. Additionally, a high population of immigrants detained in ICE-contracted facilities helped fuel CoreCivic’s fourth-quarter financial gains, Hininger said. That was before Trump took office. “When coupled with the above average rate of crossings along the Southwest border,” Hininger said, “these executive orders appear likely to significantly increase the need for safe, humane and appropriate detention bed capacity.” Hininger said more detention capacity could be needed after two Trump executive orders last month. They include building a U.S.-Mexico border wall, adding detention and border patrol officers, and cutting grants for immigrant￾protecting “sanctuary cities,” all largely pending congressional funding. Trump also moved to end a policy where some immigrants caught crossing the border illegally are released and given notices to report back to immigration officials at a later date. Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Thomas Homan said recently that the government is looking for more jail beds. Nashville-based CoreCivic, formerly named Corrections Corporation of America, saw its stock price plummet when the Obama administration announced in August that the Justice Department would wind down private prison use. A Justice Department audit at the time said there were more safety and security problems at privately run prison operations. ICE contracts with private prison groups were unaffected by the policy shift. The day after Trump’s election, CoreCivic saw its shares on the New York Stock Exchange climb 43 percent. Shares of another private prison firm, Geo Group, also increased 21 percent. The government has enough money to maintain 34,000 detention beds for immigrants awaiting deportation, although the number of detainees has topped 40,000 in recent months. At last report in November, 46 of about 180 facilities in which ICE holds those immigrants are privately run, with about 73 percent of detainees held in the private facilities. The agency couldn’t immediately be reached Friday for the latest figures. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Tunnel Found In Tijuana Near Border Along Otay Mesa San Diego Union-Tribune, February 10, 2017 Tijuana police found a tunnel on the Mexican side of the border in the area of San Diego’s Otay Mesa, a U.S. official said Friday. “It did not cross into the U.S. — it was incomplete,” said Lauren Mack, spokeswoman for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Tijuana police made the discovery and informed U.S. federal officials, Mack said. She said Mexican authorities are handling the investigation themselves. “We’re not working together” on it, she said. Border Tunnel Discovered On Day Of DHS Sec Kelly’s Visit KNSD-TV San Diego, February 10, 2017 Mexican authorities uncovered a new drug tunnel in Tijuana on Friday, the same day the new U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary was visiting the U.S.-Mexico border. The tunnel was discovered when Mexican state police stumbled on an armed man was found in a Tijuana parking lot, according to a written release from the Mexican government. The location of the tunnel opening is Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, officials said. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesperson Lauren Mack said the tunnel was incomplete and did not reach U.S. land. The nearest streets are Via de la Amistad and Siempre Viva Road. DHS Secretary John Kelly was scheduled to tour one of the most fortified stretches of the border separating San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico. Kelly was visiting the border in Arizona and California for the first time since he became secretary last month. Last week he toured the border in southern Texas. NBC 7 spoke to Everard Meade, Director of the Transborder Institute at the University of San Diego, who said that the border wall in San Diego doesn’t stop drug cartels and smugglers. “We’re talking just about this physical border because it’s a good political symbol, but it’s not really how most people and things get into the United States anyway,” Meade said. He added that the U.S. needs Mexico’s cooperation when it comes to such occurrences. FOIA CBP 000807 DHS-17-0435-B-000104 82 “The old analogy is, you build a 20-foot wall, they build a 21-foot ladder,” he said. According to the DHS, an estimated 148 tunnels have been build along the U.S.-Mexico border since 2006, most of them in California and Arizona. Penn State Calls Immigration Posters ‘Deeply Offensive’ Philly (PA), February 12, 2017 Penn State says posters that someone has put up on university bulletin boards calling on people to report those in the country illegally are “deeply offensive,” saying they “appear to be designed to provoke anger, fear and hate.” Officials said the posters began appearing on public bulletin boards on the main campus at State College. The university’s student newspaper, The Daily Collegian, said images of the posters had been circulating on social media earlier in the week. An image published by the paper included the message, “It is your civic duty to report any and all illegal aliens. They have broken the law.” “The posters are unsigned and appear to be designed to provoke anger, fear and hate. The university finds them deeply offensive,” Penn State said in a statement. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials called the signs “bogus” on Friday, saying the agency wasn’t involved and wouldn’t solicit information in that manner. Such posters found on bulletin boards designated for use only by university organizations were being removed, the university statement said. Posters on public boards would not be removed “but may be relocated if they are used to block other posted documents,” the university said. The posters came amid concern on campus over federal immigration policies of the Trump administration, including a temporary ban on immigration from seven Muslim￾majority nations that has been blocked by the federal courts. University president Eric Barron expressed opposition to the action in a Jan. 29 statement and urged international students, faculty and scholars to carry immigration documents proving their legal statuses “whenever you are traveling within the United States.” The university said in its statement about the posters that officials wanted to emphasize “that every student on this campus has earned the right to be here based on their academic qualifications and hard work. “Penn State is enriched by students and scholars from around the world and we will continue our work on providing a climate of inclusion for all, regardless of country of origin,” the university said. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION A US-born NASA Scientist Was Detained At The Border Until He Unlocked His Phone The Verge, February 12, 2017 Two weeks ago, Sidd Bikkannavar flew back into the United States after spending a few weeks abroad in South America. An employee of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Bikkannavar had been on a personal trip, pursuing his hobby of racing solar-powered cars. He had recently joined a Chilean team, and spent the last weeks of January at a race in Patagonia. Bikkannavar is a seasoned international traveller — but his return home to the US this time around was anything but routine. Bikkannavar left for South America on January 15th, under the Obama Administration. He flew back from Santiago, Chile to the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas on Monday, January 30th, just over a week into the Trump Administration. He was detained by Customs and pressured to give up his phone and access PIN Bikkannavar says he was detained by US Customs and Border Patrol and pressured to give the CBP agents his phone and access PIN. Since the phone was issued by NASA, it may have contained sensitive material that wasn’t supposed to be shared. Bikkannavar’s phone was returned to him after it was searched by CBP, but he doesn’t know exactly what information officials might have taken from the device. The JPL scientist returned to the US four days after the signing of a sweeping and controversial Executive Order on travel into the country. The travel ban caused chaos at airports across the United States, as people with visas and green cards found themselves detained, or facing deportation. Within days of its signing, the travel order was stayed, but not before more than 60,000 visas were revoked, according to the US State Department. Photo by David McNew/Getty Images His ordeal also took place at a time of renewed focus on the question of how much access CBP can have to a traveler’s digital information, whether or not they’re US citizens: in January, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) filed complaints against CBP for demanding that Muslim American citizens give up their social media information when they return home from overseas. And there’s evidence that that kind of treatment could become commonplace for foreign travelers. In a statement this week, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said that people visiting the United States may be asked to give up passwords to their social media accounts. “We want to get on their social media, with passwords: What do you do, what do you say?” FOIA CBP 000808 DHS-17-0435-B-000105 83 Kelly told the House Homeland Security Committee. “If they don’t want to cooperate then you don’t come in.” Seemingly, Bikkannavar’s reentry into the country should not have raised any flags. Not only is he a natural￾born US citizen, but he’s also enrolled in Global Entry — a program through CBP that allows individuals who have undergone background checks to have expedited entry into the country. He hasn’t visited the countries listed in the immigration ban and he has worked at JPL — a major center at a US federal agency — for 10 years. There, he works on “wavefront sensing and control,” a type of optics technology that will be used on the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope. Bikkanavar’s reentry into the country should not have raised any flags “I don’t know what to think about this,” Bikkannavar recently told The Verge in a phone call. “...I was caught a little off guard by the whole thing.” Bikkannavar says he arrived into Houston early Tuesday morning, and was detained by CBP after his passport was scanned. A CBP officer escorted Bikkannavar to a back room, and told him to wait for additional instructions. About five other travelers who had seemingly been affected by the ban were already in the room, asleep on cots that were provided for them. About 40 minutes went by before an officer appeared and called Bikkannavar’s name. “He takes me into an interview room and sort of explains that I’m entering the country and they need to search my possessions to make sure I’m not bringing in anything dangerous,” he says. The CBP officer started asking questions about where Bikkannavar was coming from, where he lives, and his title at work. It’s all information the officer should have had since Bikkannavar is enrolled in Global Entry. “I asked a question, ‘Why was I chosen?’ And he wouldn’t tell me,” he says. The officer also presented Bikkannavar with a document titled “Inspection of Electronic Devices” and explained that CBP had authority to search his phone. Bikkannavar did not want to hand over the device, because it was given to him by JPL and is technically NASA property. He even showed the officer the JPL barcode on the back of phone. Nonetheless, CBP asked for the phone and the access PIN. “I was cautiously telling him I wasn’t allowed to give it out, because I didn’t want to seem like I was not cooperating,” says Bikkannavar. “I told him I’m not really allowed to give the passcode; I have to protect access. But he insisted they had the authority to search it.” NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory NASA Courts have upheld customs agents’ power to manually search devices at the border, but any searches made solely on the basis of race or national origin are still illegal. More importantly, travelers are not legally required to unlock their devices, although agents can detain them for significant periods of time if they do not. “In each incident that I’ve seen, the subjects have been shown a Blue Paper that says CBP has legal authority to search phones at the border, which gives them the impression that they’re obligated to unlock the phone, which isn’t true,” Hassan Shibly, chief executive director of CAIR Florida, told The Verge. “They’re not obligated to unlock the phone.” Nevertheless, Bikkannavar was not allowed to leave until he gave CBP his PIN. The officer insisted that CBP had the authority to search the phone. The document given to Bikkannavar listed a series of consequences for failure to offer information that would allow CBP to copy the contents of the device. “I didn’t really want to explore all those consequences,” he says. “It mentioned detention and seizure.” Ultimately, he agreed to hand over the phone and PIN. The officer left with the device and didn’t return for another 30 minutes. NASA employees are obligated to protect work-related information, no matter how minuscule Eventually, the phone was returned to Bikkannavar, though he’s not sure what happened during the time it was in the officer’s possession. When it was returned he immediately turned it off because he knew he had to take it straight to the IT department at JPL. Once he arrived in Los Angeles, he went to NASA and told his superiors what had happened. Bikkannavar can’t comment on what may or may not have been on the phone, but he says the cybersecurity team at JPL was not happy about the breach. Bikkannavar had his phone on hand while he was traveling in case there was a problem at work that needed his attention, but NASA employees are obligated to protect work-related information, no matter how minuscule. We reached out to JPL for comment, but the center didn’t comment on the event directly. Bikkannavar noted that the entire interaction with CBP was incredibly professional and friendly, and the officers confirmed everything Bikkannavar had said through his Global Entry background checks. CBP did not respond to a request for comment. He posted an update on Facebook about what happened, and the story has since been shared more than 2,000 times. A friend also tweeted about Bikkannavar’s experience, which was also shared more than 7,000 times. Still, he’s left wondering the point of the search, and he’s upset that the search potentially compromised the privacy of his friends, family, and coworkers who were listed on his phone. He has since gotten a completely new device from work with a new phone number. “Sometimes I get stopped and searched, but never anything like this.” “It was not that they were concerned with me bringing something dangerous in, because they didn’t even touch the bags. They had no way of knowing I could have had something in there,” he says. “You can say, ‘Okay well maybe FOIA CBP 000809 DHS-17-0435-B-000106 84 it’s about making sure I’m not a dangerous person,’ but they have all the information to verify that.” Bikkannavar says he’s still unsure why he was singled out for the electronic search. He says he understands that his name is foreign — its roots go back to southern India. But it shouldn’t be a trigger for extra scrutiny, he says. “Sometimes I get stopped and searched, but never anything like this. Maybe you could say it was one huge coincidence that this thing happens right at the travel ban.” How To Get Past Customs Without Giving Up Your Digital Privacy Wired, February 12, 2017 When Ryan Lackey travels to a country like Russia or China, he takes certain precautions: Instead of his usual gear, the Seattle-based security researcher and founder of a stealth security startup brings a locked-down Chromebook and an iPhone SE that’s set up to sync with a separate, non￾sensitive Apple account. He wipes both before every trip, and loads only the minimum data he’ll need. Lackey goes so far as to keep separate travel sets for each country, so that he can forensically analyze the devices when he gets home to check for signs of each country’s tampering. Now, Lackey says, the countries that warrant that paranoid approach to travel might include not just Russia and China, but the United States, too—if not for Americans like him, than for anyone with a foreign passport who might come under the increasingly draconian and unpredictable scrutiny of the US Customs and Border Protection agency. “All of this applies to America more than it has in the past,” says Lackey. “If I thought I were likely to be a targeted person, I would go through this same level of protection.” In the weeks since President Trump’s executive order ratcheted up the vetting of travelers from majority Muslim countries, or even people with Muslim-sounding names, passengers have experienced what appears from limited data to be a “spike” in cases of their devices being seized by customs officials. American Civil Liberties Union attorney Nathan Wessler says the group has heard scattered reports of customs agents demanding passwords to those devices, and even social media accounts. And newly sworn-in Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly told Congress earlier this week that the agency is considering requiring foreign travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries to hand over their social media passwords or be refused entry. “Requesting passwords is just beyond the pale,” says Wessler. He points out that the practice doesn’t just affect individual travelers, but everyone they’ve communicated with, potentially reducing the overall trust and security of social media in general. “If this were to go forward, it would risk really wreaking havoc with tourism and business travel to the US. What traveler is going to want to lay bare every intimate detail of their social media history, exposing years of their lives?” In fact, US Customs and Border Protection has long considered US borders and airports a kind of loophole in the Constitution’s Fourth Amendment protections, one that allows them wide latitude to detain travelers and search their devices. For years, they’ve used that opportunity to hold border-crossers on the slightest suspicion, and demand access to their computers and phones with little formal cause or oversight. Even citizens are far from immune. CBP detainees from journalists to filmmakers to security researchers have all had their devices taken out of their hands by agents. As those intrusions become more common and aggressive in the Trump era, WIRED has assembled the following advice from legal and security experts to preserve your digital privacy while crossing American borders. But take all of these strategies with caution: Given CBP’s unpredictable and in many areas undocumented practices, none of the experts WIRED spoke to claimed to have a privacy panacea for the American border. Lock Down Devices If customs officials do take your devices, don’t make their intrusion easy. Encrypt your hard drive with tools like BitLocker, TrueCrypt, or Apple’s Filevault, and choose a strong passphrase. On your phone—preferably an iPhone, given Apple’s track record of foiling federal cracking—set a strong PIN and disable Siri from the lockscreen by switching off “Access When Locked” under the Siri menu in Settings. Remember also to turn your devices off before entering customs: Hard drive encryption tools only offer full protection when a computer is fully powered down. If you use TouchID, your iPhone is safest when it’s turned off, too, since it requires a PIN rather than a fingerprint when first booted, resolving any ambiguity about whether border officials can compel you to unlock the device with a finger instead of a PIN—a real concern given that green card holders are required to offer their fingerprints with every border crossing. Keep Passwords Secret This is the tricky part. American citizens can’t be deported for refusing to give up an encryption or social media password, says the ACLU’s Wessler. That means if you stand your ground and don’t reveal passwords or PINs, you may be detained and your devices confiscated—even sent off to a forensic facility—but you’ll eventually get through with your privacy far more intact than if you divulge secrets. “They can seize your device, even for months while they try to break into it,” says Wessler. “But you’re going to get home.” Be warned, however, that denying customs officials access can at the very least lead to hours of uncertain detention in a bleak, windowless CBP office. And for visa and even green card holders, the right to enter the US is far less FOIA CBP 000810 DHS-17-0435-B-000107 85 clear. “If they truly want to come into America, then they’ll cooperate,” DHS secretary Kelly told Congress last Tuesday. “If not, you know, next in line.” If the DHS does adopt that hardline policy of privacy invasion, it could leave non-citizens without easy answers. Phone Home Before going into customs, alert a lawyer or a loved one who can contact a lawyer, and contact them again when you get out. If you are detained, you may not be able to access your devices or otherwise have the opportunity to reach the outside world. And in the worst case scenario of a lengthy detention, you’ll want someone advocating for your release and legal representation. Make a Travel Kit For the most vulnerable travelers, the best way to keeping customs away from your data is simply not to carry it. Instead, like Lackey, set up travel devices that store the minimum of sensitive data. Don’t link those “dirty” devices to your personal accounts, and when you do have to create a linked account—as with iTunes for iOS devices—create fresh ones with unique usernames and passwords. “If they ask for access and you can’t refuse, you want to be able to give them access without losing any sensitive information,” says Lackey. Social media accounts, admittedly, can’t be so easily ditched. Some security experts recommend creating secondary personas that can be offered up to customs officials while keeping a more sensitive account secret. But if CBP agents do link your identity with an account you tried to hide, the result could be longer detention and, for non￾citizens, even denial of entry. Deny Yourself Access Better than telling customs officials that you won’t offer access to your accounts, says security researcher and forensics expert Jonathan Zdziarski, is to tell them you can’t. One somewhat extreme method he suggests is to set up two￾factor authentication for your sensitive accounts, so that accessing them requires entering not only a password but a code sent to your phone via text message. Then, before you cross the border, make sure you don’t have the SIM card that allows you—or customs officials—to receive that text message, essentially denying yourself the ability to cooperate with agents even if you wanted to. Zdziarski suggests mailing yourself the SIM card, or destroying it and then recovering the accounts with backup codes you leave at home (for American residents) or keep in an encrypted account online. “If you ditch your SIM before you approach the border, you can give them any password you want and they won’t be able to get access,” Zdziarski says. He cautions, however, that he’s never tested that know-nothing strategy in the face of angry CBP agents. Those more involved subversion techniques, warns University of California at Davis law professor Elizabeth Joh, also create the risk that you’ll also arouse more suspicion, making CBP agents all the more likely to detain you or deny entrance to the country. But she has no better answer. “There’s not that much you can do when you cross the border in terms of the government’s power,” she admits. ‘There’s still no good set of protections for a portal into your private life.’ Elizabeth Joh, UC-Davis Law Professor In fact, the issue of privacy rights for digital devices at the border remains troublingly unsettled, Joh says. While the Supreme Court decision in Riley vs. California in 2014 declared warrantless searches of devices at the time of arrest unconstitutional, no case has set such a precedent for the American border—much less for non-Americans seeking those same privacy rights. Until such a precedent is set, that border zone will remain in a kind of legal limbo. The government has the power to open bags crossing into its territory or even dismantle cars to search for contraband, she points out. “What does that mean in an age when people bring their digital devices across borders? The Supreme Court hasn’t spoken to that issue,” Joh says. “The real problem here is there’s still no good set of protections for a portal into your private life.” GOP Senator: Physical Border Wall ‘Would Rate Very Low’ Among Texans By Nikita Vladimirov The Hill, February 12, 2017 Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, believes that constructing a physical wall on the U.S.-Mexico border would not rate high among Texans. “I think people would say, if you are talking about a physical wall, it would rate very low. Because I think most people in Texas understand that our 1,200-mile border is not ... the same at every point along the way,” Cornyn, the Senate majority whip, said in an interview Sunday with John Catsimatidis on AM 970 in New York. Cornyn said that he agreed with Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly’s view for a “layered approach” that would consist of “fencing, technology and boots on the ground.” The Texas lawmaker also said that President Trump should have a right to implement his executive order that suspends immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries, but noted that the measure was rushed by the White House. “Well, I think the executive order is clearly within the president’s authority, although I think they got in a big hurry,” he said. “I think there is a lot of people trying to create misunderstanding, some have said that this is ... a ban based on religion, which it’s not, because it applies to only seven FOIA CBP 000811 DHS-17-0435-B-000108 86 countries and countries with failed governments which are a source of a lot of international terrorism,” he added. A federal just in Seattle issued a temporary restraining order on the ban earlier this month, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit refused the government’s request to immediately reinstate the ban. “I think the president is within his right to hit the pause button and say we need to double-check these folks ... in the interest of national security,” Cornyn reiterated. During the interview, the lawmaker also praised Trump’s nominee to the Supreme Court, vowing that “one way or another, Judge [Neil] Gorsuch will be confirmed.” “The president’s nominee is about the best nominee I’ve ever seen for the Unites States Supreme Court ... he is really up there,” Cornyn said. US CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES Dreamers Visit Mexico Under Program That May Come To End Under Trump San Diego Union-Tribune, February 10, 2017 Yeraldin Montiel doesn’t remember arriving in the United States as a child. The 29-year-old Escondido resident said that when she came at age 8 with her sister and cousins, she slept through the border crossing. She didn’t know until her senior year of high school that she did not have legal status in the U.S. In college, many of her friends studied abroad, she said, but she couldn’t because of her status. “I remember telling myself, ‘One day I’m going to be able to do that,’” Montiel said. “‘I’m going to travel on my own outside of the country.’” In the weeks leading up to President Donald Trump’s inauguration, Montiel fulfilled that promise to herself, traveling to Mexico on a study abroad program for participants in former President Barack Obama’s deferred action for childhood arrivals program, or DACA. The program allows certain unauthorized immigrants who arrived as children temporary relief from deportation for renewable two-year periods and gives them work permits. Obama instituted it with an executive order, and Trump promised on the campaign trail to shut it down. In California, about 500,000 unauthorized immigrants are eligible for DACA, and they are commonly referred to as “dreamers.” Armando Vazquez-Ramos, a California State University Long Beach professor, launched the dreamer travel program through his nonprofit, the California-Mexico Studies Center, after learning in 2014 that he could safely cross the border with deferred action students. Beneficiaries of Obama’s program have been eligible to apply for “advanced parole,” meaning they will be let back into the country if they leave, for educational or humanitarian reasons. Montiel’s group may be the last set of dreamers that Vazquez-Ramos leads abroad. Vazquez-Ramos is holding off on organizing his next trip until he learns what action Trump takes on DACA. “It’s all up in the air right now,” Vazquez-Ramos said. “After these executive actions he’s already ordered, it’s unpredictable.” Most of the students think the best part of the experience is reconnecting with their roots, Vazquez-Ramos said, but he sees a greater benefit: Those who come back into the country on advanced parole have a legal entry into the country on record, so if someone like a spouse or younger sibling born in the U.S. petitions for them to get green cards, they don’t have to wait outside the U.S. to get approved. “That to me is what has the most value,” he said. Most unauthorized immigrants who marry U.S. citizens do not end up applying for green cards because of the requirement to leave the country, Vazquez-Ramos said. “Sometimes it takes months. You go back, and you’re stuck and your family is separated,” he said. “You can imagine the trauma involving that or the economic hardship that that can be.” He estimated that half a dozen of the more than 100 students who have participated in the program have already successfully obtained green cards, though he said he’s still reaching out to past participants for a full tally. His program is selective about who gets to go, he said. He receives about 300 applications for each trip, he said, and he takes on average about 30 students. Montiel, the only San Diego County resident who participated in that final trip before Trump took office, said the possibility of adjusting her status wasn’t the motivating factor for her to go on the trip. “I grew up with this idea or mentality of what Mexico is,” she said. “When you’re actually there, you see Mexico through different eyes, and you see Mexico isn’t what you see in the media or what people tell you.” Before the trip, she said, she related to the expression, “ni de aquí, ni de allá” — not from here and not from there. Now, that’s changed. “Now I can say, ‘Soy de aquí y allá,’” Montiel said. “That’s one of the biggest things I bring back is that I’m from both sides.” The group left shortly before Christmas and spent the first half of the trip visiting family members. Then they regrouped for lectures and field trips to learn more about the history, politics and culture of Mexico before writing a paper about their experiences. FOIA CBP 000812 DHS-17-0435-B-000109 87 Vazquez-Ramos also brought in a couple of psychologists to help the group deal with emotions that he said are common to those in the deferred action program, like guilt and resentment. “There’s so much baggage, so much emotional issues that are in everybody’s mind,” Vazquez-Ramos said. “Put yourself in their shoes, living with a scarlet letter.” Montiel worked through college, paying for it herself because her status meant she didn’t qualify for student aid or loans, and her family couldn’t afford the cost of tuition. She applied for DACA in 2013. When she started college, Montiel said, she kept her status to herself until she met a professor who inspired her to share her story. “I want to show people who are still in the shadows that they can come out and share their status, to show we’re here and moving forward and not to be afraid,” Montiel said. “If I made it this far, they can also make it this far.” If Trump decides to deport deferred action recipients, she said, she’ll go back to Mexico, but she would rather stay in the U.S. “I grew up here in the United States,” Montiel said. “I belong here.” Federal Studies: Intel Agencies Lack Data To Assess Whether Syrian Refugees Are Lying Breitbart, February 12, 2017 “In other words, we cannot screen against information we do not have,” reads the House Homeland Security Committee’s Final Report of the Task Force on Combating Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel. The contents of the report, issued September 2015, received little news media attention. The details are newly relevant in light of the controversy surrounding President Donald Trump’s executive order temporarily halting the refugee program while government agencies revamp the flawed screening process. Separately, a June 13, 2016 government document prepared by the Congressional Research Service for members and committees of Congress warns that U.S. agencies have limited resources to confirm biographical claims provided by Syrian refugee applicants. The Obama Administration has noted that refugees experience a more “rigorous screening than anyone else we allow into the United States.” Administration officials have asserted that federal agencies are involved in additional screening of Syrian refugees. For example, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services within DHS conducts enhanced reviews of potential Syrian refugees. However, congressional critics have noted that such enhancements may not be enough, especially because U.S. intelligence agencies know relatively little about the people in Syria and Iraq who are involved with the Islamic State and have limited/no resources in Syria that can confirm the information provided by refugee applicants. The Congressional briefing document was titled, “Islamic State’s Acolytes and the Challenges They Pose to U.S. Law Enforcement.” That document referenced the House’s Final Report by the Task Force on Combating Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel. The Congressional Task Force report found that U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies “remain concerned about terrorists posing as refugees.” “Agencies have made improvements to the refugee security screening process, but more must be done to mitigate potential vulnerabilities,” the report states. The final report took note of news articles in which members of the Islamic State have openly boasted about the possibility of using refugees to infiltrate the West. The report states: The Task Force recognizes terrorist infiltration into the United States through the refugee process is less likely than other routes and more time intensive for extremists, but these threats must be kept in mind during the refugee screening process. Such tactics would not be new for terrorist groups, and more than four million people have fled the conflict zone in Syria, offering extremists ample opportunity to blend into migrant groups. … Law enforcement and intelligence officials have expressed concern publicly and privately to Task Force Members that our refugee screening process has inherent vulnerabilities, particularly in war-torn countries where we have little intelligence on the ground. The lack of information makes it difficult to conduct high-confidence background checks on potential refugees. In other words, we cannot screen against information we do not have. The Task Force recommended that government agencies set forth “clear plans to enhance background reviews and outline how domestic agencies like the FBI will be involved in mitigating any risks associated with populations of concern which are granted entry.” Another Congressional Research Service document, this one form November 7, 2016, outlines the main screening procedures used to check the backgrounds of foreigners, including refugees. One central tool is the Terrorist Screening Database (TSDB). Other “lookout” databases draw from the TDSB, including data housed at the National Counterterrorism Center’s Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment. The document explains the TSDB, managed by the FBI, includes “biographic identifiers for those known either to have or be suspected of having ties to terrorism. In some instances, it also includes biometric information on such people.” FOIA CBP 000813 DHS-17-0435-B-000110 88 However, to make it into the TDSB and other databases, the paper documents, sufficient identifiers must exist. “At the very least, for inclusion in the TSDB a record must have a last name and at least one additional piece of identifying information (for example a first name or date of birth),” the Congressional document states. In other words, the database relies in large part on existing intelligence information on suspected terrorists. Trump’s January 27 executive order halts visas for 90 days for “immigrants and non-immigrants” from Syria, Somalia, Sudan, Libya, Yemen, Iran and Iraq. The order further suspended the entry of all refugees for 120 days, indefinitely blocked Syrian refugees from entering and lowered the ceiling to 50,000 for refugees allowed to enter the U.S. during Fiscal Year 2017. Last week, an appeals court in San Francisco upheld an original court ruling that temporarily restrained Trump’s executive order. Venezuela Now Leads US Asylum Requests As Crisis Deepens By Joshua Goodman | Ap Washington Post, February 12, 2017 Venezuelans for the first time led asylum requests to the United States as the country’s middle class fled the crashing, oil-dependent economy. Data from the U.S. government’s Citizenship and Immigration Services show that 18,155 Venezuelans submitted asylum requests last year, a 150 percent increase over 2015 and six times the level seen in 2014. China was second place, with 17,745 requests coming from citizens of that country. Venezuela first cracked the top 10 asylum-seeking nations following months of sometimes bloody street protests in early 2014 seeking to oust President Nicolas Maduro. But back then, amid the widespread jailing and harassment of opponents of the socialist administration, fewer than 100 Venezuelans per month sought asylum. That compares with 2,334 requests in December, 2016, the last month for which data is available. The number of applicants has skyrocketed since December 2015, when the opposition took control of congress in a landslide election, giving hope to many that it could disrupt 17 years of socialist rule. Instead of reaching out to his opponents, Maduro retrenched and more and more Venezuelans began to uproot as triple-digit inflation pulverized salaries and widespread food and medicine shortages made life unbearable for many. The vast majority leaving are middle-class Venezuelans who don’t qualify for refugee status reserved for those seeking to escape political persecution, according to Julio Henriquez, director of the Boston-based nonprofit Refugee Freedom Program, which has been drawing attention to the trend. “The pace at which requests are increasing is alarming,” said Henriquez, whose group obtained the still￾unpublished data in a Feb. 8 meeting between U.S. officials and immigration lawyers. “It’s not just worrisome that so many people are escaping the terrible situation in Venezuela but also that the practice of sending asylum-seekers with poor advice and false proof is proliferating.” Still, given mounting hardships at home, increasing numbers of Venezuelans are willing to take advantage of a more-than-two-year delay for their applications to be processed to obtain work authorization and seek short-term employment even if it means being eventually deported. In the 2015 fiscal year, Venezuela was among the top 10 countries whose citizens had overstayed their visas in the United States, according to an estimate of visa overstays by the Department of Homeland Security. Venezuelans seeking U.S. asylum represent a small share of the overall Venezuelan immigrant population, some of whom have made their home in the U.S. for decades. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. IMMIGRATION Thousands March Against Trump In Mexico City: ‘Pay For Your Own Wall!’ By Patrick J. McDonnell, Contact Reporter Los Angeles Times, February 12, 2017 Thousands of demonstrators waving Mexican flags and signs denouncing President Trump marched through central Mexico City on Sunday, the largest mobilization in the capital to date against the controversial polices of the Trump White House. “We are not against the American people: This is about Trump, who is spreading hate and division,” said Maria Garcia, a former resident of Chicago who carried an unflattering, paper-mache likeness of the U.S. president. “The United States and Mexico are natural friends and allies, but Trump is destroying this.” Organizers dubbed the march “Vibra Mexico” (roughly, Mexican vibe), and mounted an aggressive social media campaign encouraging people to attend. Police turned out in force to maintain security. Protesters hoisted signs declaring, “Respect, Mexico” and “We are all Mexico” as they marched down Paseo de la Reforma, the capital’s elegant, tree-lined main street. The turnout and emotion were indicative of the widespread indignation that Trump’s various policies—widely FOIA CBP 000814 DHS-17-0435-B-000111 89 viewed here as anti-Mexican-- have sparked south of the border. “Trump, pay for your own wall!” declared one sign in English, a reference to the president’s plan to build a new barrier along the almost 2,000-mile frontier between the two nations. The proposal has been a flashpoint of criticism here. The Mexican government has rebuffed Trump’s declarations that Mexico would pay for the wall. One woman carried a sign stating: “Over there they call it a wall. Here we call it a grave.” Along with the wall, Trump’s plans to step up deportations, slap a tariff on products imported from Mexico and renegotiate trade deals with Mexico have all angered many in Mexico and raised fears of an economic collapse. The Mexican peso has been steadily declining in value against the U.S. dollar since Trump began rising in the U.S. electoral polls late last year. “I came here on my birthday because Trump is trying to divide people, and I’m against that,” said Arleen Ledezma, 31, a Mexican American hairdresser from Tucson who carried a sign declaring in Spanish: “My nationality is the United States but my roots are Mexican.” She said she flew down for the day to show solidarity. From a loudspeaker, an activist declared: “Donald Trump must respect the dignity of Mexico!” The march was one of two major anti-Trump mobilizations planned for Sunday. Some stayed away from the demonstrations, viewing them as too supportive of the administration of President Enrique Peña Nieto, who is suffering from near record-low approval ratings amid concerns about corruption, violence and rising prices. While some have expressed support for the president, others have argued that he should take a stronger posture against Trump. “This is in no means an event to back the president,” said Manuel Cevallos, 62, a teacher who said he lived two decades in Southern California, and was attending the rally. “We need a real president who defends the rights of Mexicans, who stands up to Trump.” Peña Nieto, who was not expected to attend the march, has spoken repeatedly of “unity” in recent days. He and other Mexican leaders have vowed to help deported compatriots returning to Mexico and to bolster aid for Mexican immigrants in the United States. But there is little Mexican officials can do to curb Trump’s plans to build a wall and accelerate deportations. Still, many participants in Sunday’s demonstrations said it was important to show a unified front against what many Mexicans view as a hostile administration in Washington. “Trump does not have the right to treat Mexicans like we are all delinquents, to humiliate us,” said Jose Acevez, 64, expressing a sentiment voiced by many marchers. “We Mexicans have dignity and we demand respect. We are a united nation. We know how to unite in difficult moments.” Mexicans March To Protest Trump — But Also Their Own Leaders And Politicians By David Agren Washington Post, February 12, 2017 MEXICO CITY — Thousands of Mexicans took to the streets of their capital and other cities Sunday afternoon to denounce President Trump’s depictions of them as “rapists” and robbers and to demand “the respecting of Mexico.” But according to much of the pre-protest chatter, many Mexicans planned to protest their own unpopular president and political class rather than Trump – even as the U.S. leader proceeds with plans for building a border wall and continues to target the country’s currency and economy with barbed tweets. Vibra México (roughly, Mexico Moves), a “nonpartisan” and “respectful” protest organized by more than 70 civic groups, universities and nongovernment organizations, envisaged a protest that would condemn Trump’s treatment of Mexico, but also demand more of Mexican politicians. The balance was proving difficult to maintain Sunday, however. Even with the perceived Trump threat looming, hashtags criticizing the Vibra México protest were trending on Twitter and march organizers were pleading with protesters to recognize Trump as the primary worry. “Mexicans are outraged by many things. We’re outraged by poverty, we’re outraged by inequality, we’re outraged by impunity,” said Enrique Graue, rector of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, the country’s largest public university and part of the Vibra México coalition. “The point is: What outrages us most? At this time, we’re most outraged by the treatment Mexico has received from the U.S. president.” Organizers of a rival march in Mexico City, calling itself México Unido, or Mexico United, agree — although they explicitly called for support for President Enrique Peña Nieto, whose approval rating has plunged to 12 percent. “Dirty laundry is washed at home,” Laura Herrejón, an advocate for the México Unido march, told broadcaster Televisa. Polls show a deep dislike of Trump south of the border, but many Mexicans voice more discontent about domestic matters than about disrespect from a foreign leader. Trump’s election coincided with mass protests over a 20 percent hike in the government-set gasoline price, accusations that governors in eight states were pilfering the public purse and stories of politicians paying themselves inexplicable bonuses — in a country with a minimum wage of $4 per day. FOIA CBP 000815 DHS-17-0435-B-000112 90 Analysts are skeptical that castigating a foreign villain will change many Mexicans’ minds about their political class, who are being accused of weakness in the face of Trump and his threats. “Trump is being presented as Mexico’s main problem. The main problem for most Mexicans is Peña Nieto,” said Ilán Semo, history professor at the Iberoamerican University. “They won’t back the current regime because there’s a feeling that Peña Nieto and his team are going to use the nationalist script to try to rebuild some sort of consensus.” Vibra México organizers stressed that their march is open to everyone, have called on the president provide “transparency” in his negotiations with Trump and demanded that his government “come to terms with inequality, corruption, impunity and human rights abuses.” But it’s been a tough sell, and organizers have had to fend off allegations they are not interested in protesting injustices at home. Some supporters have tried scaring and shaming people off the sidelines and into the streets, including historian and public intellectual Enrique Krauze, who tweeted, “Not marching projects passivity, indifference and even cowardice.” “DON’T FORGET: Mexico lost the war of 1847 and half its territory due to all the internal divisions,” tweeted Krauze, who has called Trump the biggest foreign threat to Mexico since President James K. Polk, instigator of the Mexican￾American War. The admonitions highlight the consensus coalescing among Mexico’s elite on the Trump topic, with media, the business class and religious leaders calling for unity. Billionaire Carlos Slim – who dined with Trump at the president’s Florida retreat, Mar-a-Lago, in December – told the media in a rare news conference: “We have to back [Peña Nieto]. All of the country has to do so in the face of a special risk in U.S. relations we have not seen in 100 years.” Peña Nieto has often pleaded for unity, although his staid and formal speaking style and staged events featuring elites and politicians pledging support often fail to move the masses. His surrogates seldom do much better. “Mr. President, president of all Mexicans, and with this applause we’re giving you, we have shown that you are the president of all Mexicans. Congratulations for that, you have our confidence,” gushed Carlos Aceves de Olmo, an old￾school union boss invited to speak at an event outlining Mexico’s “position on foreign policy” in the Trump era. Social media reacted with snark, along with memes from Aceves de Olmo’s appearance two weeks earlier with Peña Nieto, where the union boss was spotted wearing a $20,000 watch as he complained of workers’ stagnant wages. Much of the anti-Trump talk has come from politicians, who proposed not buying Ford vehicles after due to the automaker withdrew withdrawing a $1.6 billion investment in Mexico and have bashed Trump piñatas in high-profile stunts. “[Trump’s] not only ignorant. He’s not only an imperialist, he’s not even a good Christian,” shouted Hugo Eric Flores, leader of Encuentro Social, a party founded by evangelical pastors, at an Inauguration Day protest. Many Mexicans seem less alarmed by the Trump threats than by their politicians, although nascent signs of action are emerging. Plans for boycotts have trended on Twitter — most notably “Adiós Starbucks” — while the story of a woman turning in her tourist visa to the U.S. Consulate in Hermosillo was widely lauded. Tijuana residents observed #UnasHorasporMéxico (“A few hours for Mexico”) Feb. 5, boycotting U.S. companies and staying on the Mexican side of the border, Mexican media reported. But anger about Mexican issues is still strong. “Trump doesn’t trigger much anger in me,” said Gerardo Priego Tapía, a former congressman with the right￾leaning National Action Party (PAN). “What p****s me off much more is union leaders, thieving governors, mayors getting rich every three years and police allied with criminals. “I’m convinced the enemy is here at home, not abroad.” Marchers Across Mexico Vent Anger Over Trump, And Their Own President By David Alire Garcia Reuters, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Mexico’s Lopez Obrador Blasts Trump’s Immigration Policies At LA Rally Reuters, February 13, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Mexicans March Against Trump: ‘Bad Hombre For The Whole World’ By Patrick Gillespie CNN, February 12, 2017 Mexicans took to the streets Sunday to air their grievances against President Donald Trump and to protest corruption in their home country. Two separate demonstrations, which together drew an estimated 20,000 people, merged on Mexico City’s main avenue, Paseo de la Reforma, in a march mostly focused on the new US President. Marchers convened on the avenue near the US embassy, where riot police and barricades were staked out. A sea of Mexican flags and anti-Trump signs surrounded one of the city’s main monuments, the Angel of Independence, a FOIA CBP 000816 DHS-17-0435-B-000113 91 block from the embassy. One man burned a doll of Trump, drawing smiles from the crowd. ‘Mexico has never been so threatened’ Some marchers wore shirts that read “Nasty Woman Keep Fighting.” “We are sending a message to Donald Trump: No wall. No immigrant raids. No aggression to Mexico,” said Denise Dresser, a professor in Mexico City who made 350 of the shirts with donations. “Mexico has never been so threatened and never have we had a government so incompetent.” The march comes amid protests in the United States against Trump and the administration’s deportations of undocumented immigrants as well as his executive order barring travelers from seven Muslim-majority nations from entering the country. Trump argued Sunday that the deportations should come as no surprise. “The crackdown on illegal criminals is merely the keeping of my campaign promise,” the President tweeted. Speaking about Trump on Sunday, Mexicans young and old pulled no punches, saying the President’s rhetoric towards women, Mexicans and Muslims is among their top concerns. “He’s pathetic. He’s a very little man, and I’m sure he’s insane,” said protester Ines Carrasco, 25. “What concerns me most is that he’s spewing hate.” Trump’s treatment of undocumented immigrants was the prime complaint among the protesters. His plan to make Mexicans pay for a border wall has also drawn the ire of many here. “No, you’re going to pay for the wall,” said Alberto Madero, 59, holding a sign that read “We will not pay for your [expletive] wall.” Beyond immigration, protesters were also concerned about the possibility of new taxes on Mexican goods and remittances, as well as the prospect of the United States withdrawing from a trade deal with Mexico. Some simply don’t understand why Trump has focused so much of his criticism on Mexico. “I’m worried about Trump. He’s a racist, he’s discriminating against us,” said Ruben Rua, 58. “What have we done to the United States for them to treat us like this?” Nearly 80% of Mexicans believe relations between the US and Mexican will be worse in the Trump era than during President Obama’s term in office, according to a poll conducted last month by Mexican newspaper El Universal. Anger against President Peña Nieto Some of the protesters were also marching against the Mexican government. President Enrique Peña Nieto only has a 12% approval rating – the lowest any Mexican President has had since polls were first collected in 1995. Mexicans waved flags that read “Fuera Peña” or “Peña Out.” Accusations of government corruption, coupled with anger over his handling of the disappearance of 43 Mexican students in 2014, have sunk his approval ratings. Protests against his administration have been a recurring event in the capital in recent months. Also harming Peña Nieto’s popularity this year was his administration’s decision to increase gas prices as much as 20% in January, as part of a plan to deregulate the energy sector. The price hike – dubbed ‘el gasolinazo’ – sparked violent protests across Mexico, resulting in at least 1,500 arrests and six deaths in the first month of the year. Protests got so out of hand in Tijuana last week that US authorities decided to temporarily close the border. Another price hike is scheduled for next week. The initial increase in gas prices triggered a ripple effect of higher prices for food and public transportation. Mexican citizens in United States warned to ‘take precautions’ Sunday’s march also came as citizens are rallying behind a Mexican mother who was deported Thursday and separated from her two American children. Guadalupe Garcia de Rayos was deported after a routine check-in with an office of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Phoenix. US immigration officials say there was nothing special about the case of Garcia de Rayos. Prior to Thursday, she had checked in with the immigration office seven times since a 2008 arrest for using a fake social security number. On Friday, Mexico’s foreign ministry warned its citizens in the US to “take precautions” and keep in touch with Mexican consulates in America, citing Garcia de Rayos as a cautionary tale. “The case involving Mrs. Garcia de Rayos illustrates a new reality for the Mexican community living in the United States, facing the most severe implementation of immigration control measures,” Mexico’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement Friday. On Sunday, marchers like Maria Eugenia Montes de Oca used Trump’s own words to protest against him. “Trump: Bad hombre for the whole world,” Montes de Oca’s sign read. Mexican Migrants Signal They Prefer Detention To Deportation Illegal immigrants meet with Mexican officials in Phoenix, discuss options under Trump administration By José De Córdoba Wall Street Journal, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Migrating North, But To Mexico, Not The US By Kirk Semple FOIA CBP 000817 DHS-17-0435-B-000114 92 New York Times, February 12, 2017 SALTILLO, Mexico — Wendy no longer worries that when her sons leave the apartment in the morning, they may never make it to school. Memories of the gangs that haunted their lives in Honduras are slowly receding into the past. The family fled its home last year after gang members tried to recruit the boys, threatening them with death if they did not join. They received asylum in Mexico, making them among the country’s newest residents. “It’s not easy — as you can imagine — starting again,” Wendy said in an interview in this small city in northeastern Mexico, where the family decided to settle. “But we are better here because we are safer.” The United States has long been the dream destination for many Latin American migrants, whether fleeing poverty, political unrest, natural disaster or violence. But now a growing number of migrants are putting down roots in Mexico, legally or illegally, instead of using it as a thruway to the United States. They have many reasons for staying here. Crossing the Mexico-United States border has become increasingly difficult, migrants say, especially with rising smugglers’ fees and tougher enforcement. Some are deterred by the abundance of dangers that lurk on the route through Mexico. Some believe it might be easier to qualify for some form of legal status in Mexico than in the United States. In recent weeks, yet another factor has begun to weigh on some northbound migrants: President Trump. Even if all the details of his recent policy declarations on immigration have not yet permeated the migration grapevine, his longstanding promises to restrict immigration have fueled a growing perception among migrants that the United States is becoming far less hospitable to immigrants, documented and undocumented alike. “Here, at least, the people like you, they help you,” said Josué, 31, an undocumented immigrant from Honduras staying at Casa del Migrante, a migrant shelter here in Saltillo. “Why would you want to go to a country that doesn’t like you?” (Like other migrants interviewed, Josué requested partial anonymity, in his case because of his undocumented status. Others said they feared being tracked down by their persecutors.) Josué came to Mexico about a year ago with the intention of “passing through” on his way to the United States, he said. But he was able to find work and liked Mexico enough, so he decided to stay for a while before resuming his trip. With the rise of Mr. Trump, however, and the president’s vows to harden the borders of the United States and step up deportations, Josué has decided to remain in Mexico for the foreseeable future. “In my case, I’d like to be in the United States to work,” he said during a recent interview at the shelter. “But this president, he doesn’t want anybody because he doesn’t like anybody.” Josué is now exploring ways to gain legal status in Mexico. The number of migrants deciding to stay in Mexico is still thought to be a small fraction of the hundreds of thousands using the country as a transit corridor to enter the United States. But the growing attractiveness of Mexico is plainly reflected in the country’s asylum program. Last year, more than 8,100 foreigners applied for asylum, nearly three times as many as in 2015, and more than 15 times as many as five years ago, according to statistics from the Mexican government. At the same time, Mexico, under pressure from immigrants’ advocates, has been granting asylum at increasingly higher rates, in part because of improvements to its intake and processing system. In 2016, 63 percent of applicants, not including those who dropped their cases during the review process, received asylum or some other form of protection, up from 46 percent in 2015. Most applicants in the last few years have been from El Salvador and Honduras, which have been convulsing with gang violence. The increase in asylum petitions in Mexico is also in part due to the rise in detentions on the country’s southern flank, an effect of an American-backed plan begun in 2014 to better control the flow of people and goods crossing the Mexico-Guatemala border. After being stopped by the immigration authorities, some detainees have come to learn that they may be eligible for asylum, either through word of mouth from other detainees or during screenings with immigration officials. “Many come here not knowing that the experiences they’ve had fit perfectly with asylum,” said Javier Martínez Hernández, a lawyer at Casa del Migrante, which helped more than 100 migrants apply for refugee status in 2016, more than double the number in 2015. If the current trends continue, United Nations officials predict, Mexico could receive more than 20,000 asylum claims this year. But advocacy and human rights groups believe that the population of migrants potentially eligible for protection in Mexico is much higher. Many of the more than 147,000 foreigners deported from Mexico last year, for instance, might not have known that they qualified and were not given the opportunity to make their case before being deported, they say. In the past year, the Mexican government has made a number of improvements to its asylum system, including increasing its staff and modifying the screening process to FOIA CBP 000818 DHS-17-0435-B-000115 93 ensure that eligible migrants have a chance to apply, officials said. The Mexican authorities have also begun releasing asylum seekers from detention while they await the resolution of their cases, a process that often takes three or more months, and have improved applicants’ access to humanitarian aid and psychological and legal counseling, advocates said. “The Mexican government has recognized that this is increasingly a refugee situation,” said Mark Manly, the Mexico representative for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. He added that the Mexican authorities had been making “real progress” in improving processing and services for asylum seekers. The government and the United Nations have sponsored a pilot program in Saltillo to help integrate asylum seekers into Mexican society. Begun in August, the program has so far involved 38 asylum recipients. Of those, 26 remain in the program, while the others have left and moved elsewhere. Saltillo was chosen because it has plenty of employment opportunities and is relatively calm and safe, United Nations officials said. Several program participants said life in Mexico was not easy, despite all the assistance they had received. It is hard to make ends meet; salaries at the bottom rung of the ladder are barely enough to cover the cost of living. And some, in the interest of disconnecting from the menacing world they left, have cut off all contact with friends, relatives and old colleagues in their home countries. “It’s very sad to leave everything in your country,” said Ana, 41, a Salvadoran who immigrated to Mexico with her son, 18, and her two daughters, 15 and 21, after gangs tried to recruit her son and started threatening one of her daughters. “Can you imagine? We had everything,” Ana added. “My children studying and then coming here and sleeping on the ground? It’s not easy.” But all said they were happier in Mexico, in large part because they did not fear for their lives. “I left all my friends and family, but after what happened, it made me happy to leave,” said Ana’s son, Fernando, who found work here cleaning rooms in a hotel. His older sister, who had been planning to enter a university in El Salvador to study medicine, works in the laundry room at another hotel. Still, for many, the allure of the United States is hard to extinguish. Wendy and her husband, José, have both found work — he with an air-conditioner contractor and she cleaning a private home. The boys are happy in their new school and are making friends. Yet the family is having a hard time covering expenses. “I still have that aspiration to go to the United States or Canada someday,” José allowed as he sat with Wendy in their kitchen here. Both were wearing winter coats indoors because they couldn’t afford heaters to warm them against the cold. Wendy saw where the conversation was heading — down a road they had clearly traveled many times — and she intervened. “Our idea is to have our own home, build our own business. That’s the idea,” she said enthusiastically. “If we had a home of our own, I’d stay here for the rest of my life.” Republican Green-card Holder Who Voted Illegally In Texas Gets 8 Years In Prison Washington Post, February 11, 2017 A permanent U.S. resident living in Texas has been sentenced to eight years in prison for illegally voting, a punishment that will probably result in the woman’s deportation after she completes her sentence. On Wednesday, a Tarrant County, Tex., jury convicted 37-year-old Rosa Maria Ortega on two felony charges of illegal voting, for casting a ballot as a noncitizen in 2012 and 2014. Ortega is a green-card holder who was brought to the United States from Mexico when she was an infant, her attorney said. The decision was hailed by some — including Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R), who prosecuted the case — as a sign the state intends to crack down on voter fraud. “This case shows how serious Texas is about keeping its elections secure, and the outcome sends a message that violators of the state’s election law will be prosecuted to the fullest,” Paxton said in a statement. “Safeguarding the integrity of our elections is essential to preserving our democracy.” However, Ortega’s lawyer and others said the punishment was unusually harsh and meant to appease those who are “swept up in the Trump hysteria where he is trying to find an explanation for why he lost the popular vote.” President Trump has alleged, without evidence, that he lost the popular vote to Hillary Clinton because 3 million to 5 million illegal ballots were cast against him. Though his claims about widespread voter fraud have been debunked, that has not stopped Trump from resurrecting them, most recently this past week while speaking with senators in New Hampshire. Ortega did not vote in the 2016 presidential election, her attorney, Clark Birdsall, told The Washington Post by phone on Saturday. Ortega was a registered Republican who had been voting for more than a decade, he said. On her voter application, Ortega was faced with only two options — to FOIA CBP 000819 DHS-17-0435-B-000116 94 mark herself as a ‘citizen’ or a ‘noncitizen’ — and didn’t know better, he added. “She doesn’t know. She’s got this [green] card that says ‘resident’ on it, so she doesn’t mark that she’s not a citizen,” Birdsall said. “She had no ulterior motive beyond what she thought, mistakenly, was her civic duty.” In 2015, Ortega applied to vote in Tarrant County, indicating on the form that she was not a citizen; her application was rejected, NBC DFW reported at the time. However, five months later, she filled out another form and claimed the second time that she was a citizen, the station reported. A subsequent investigation found she had voted when she wasn’t supposed to in Dallas County, the NBC affiliate reported. Birdsall said Ortega has voted in five elections since 2004, each time casting only a single ballot. Ortega voted for Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election and then — somewhat ironically — for Ken Paxton for Texas attorney general in a 2014 Republican primary runoff. Paxton would go on to win and, less than three years later, deal the eight￾year sentence to Ortega. “It’s a single vote that she’s casting” each time, Birdsall said. “The fact that she got eight years is off the rails.” Related: Trump supporter charged with voting twice in Iowa Birdsall also claimed he and Paxton had an agreement worked out, in which he would dismiss the felonies as long as Ortega accompanied him to the state legislature and spoke in favor of changing voting procedures. However, Tarrant County District Attorney Sharen Wilson “killed that resolution,” Birdsall said. What resulted, he said, was an unnecessarily harsh prison sentence that dwarfed punishments most people receive. Birdsall, a former public integrity prosecutor in Dallas County, said he never filed a voter fraud charge in five years. “These charges are exceedingly rare,” he said, citing one past case in which a Houston-area group was sentenced to three years in prison after they listed a hotel as their residence in an effort to sway a local election. “They were doing some shenanigans that needed to be punished,” Birdsall said, of the other case. He said Ortega, who only obtained a sixth-grade education, did not intend to commit a crime. “Although [Ortega] was arrested in 2015, [the case] didn’t reach fruition until right in the middle of all this Trump hysteria,” he said. “The timing of this was the perfect storm.” Wilson’s office did not immediately respond to an interview request Saturday. A spokeswoman for the district attorney told the New York Times on Friday that there were only “discussions,” not negotiations, before Ortega’s trial. Related: There have been just four documented cases of voter fraud in the 2016 election The sentencing has thrust questions about voter fraud — as well as a controversial voter ID law in Texas — back into the spotlight. In July, a federal appeals court ruled that the state’s strict voter-ID law discriminated against minority voters. In January, the Supreme Court declined to review the lower court’s ruling. The Tarrant County district attorney used the case as an example of why stricter laws were needed. “At a minimum, statements made in applications to vote should be verified before handing out voter registration cards,” Wilson said in a statement to the Dallas Morning News. “In all aspects of society, people verify their identity. Why not for voting? This case shows a clear need to enforce the laws we already have.” A 2015 fact-check by PolitiFact found that there had been 85 election fraud prosecutions since 2002, among about 72 million ballots cast in Texas between 2000 and 2014. “You’re more likely to get struck by lightning in Texas than to find any kind of voter fraud,” Sen. Cory Booker (D￾N.J.) said at the time, according to PolitiFact. Birdsall said Ortega will probably be deported after serving her sentence because she will be a convicted felon. He plans to start an online crowdfunding page for Ortega, a single mother of four children ages 13 to 16. They also plan to file an appeal, though the conviction is unlikely to be overturned, he said. “An appeal is a very uphill battle,” Birdsall said. “I don’t see any joy at the end of that road, but it will be appealed. We will do our best.” Green Card Holder Who Voted Illegally Could Face Deportation PBS, February 12, 2017 Last week a Fort Worth, Texas jury convicted a legal permanent resident from Mexico of illegally casting ballots in five elections going back to 2004. Rosa Maria Ortega, 37, who holds a green card and is married with four children, was sentenced to eight years in prison and could face deportation after serving her time. Ortega’s defense attorney, Clark Birdsall, said President Trump’s unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud in last year’s elections were the “800-pound gorilla” in the jury box. Associated Press reporter Paul Weber, who spoke with NewsHour Weekend’s Hari Sreenivasan on Sunday, said Ortega had lived in the U.S. “basically since she was an infant” and her decisions to cast ballots over several elections were mistakes. Elections experts told Weber during his reporting that “they can’t recall a penalty this harsh” because of voter fraud, he told Sreenivasan. FOIA CBP 000820 DHS-17-0435-B-000117 95 “Keep in mind that election fraud is very rare and convictions are even rarer,” Weber said. “Most people who are convicted of election fraud typically receive sentences such as probation.” Green-card Holder Who Voted Illegally In Texas Sentenced To 8 Years In Prison By Brooke Seipel The Hill, February 11, 2017 A permanent U.S. resident living in Texas was sentenced to eight years in prison for illegally voting in multiple elections over several years, including for Mitt Romney in 2012, though not in the 2016 election. A Tarrant County jury convicted 37-year-old Rosa Maria Ortega, a green-card holder, on two felony charges of illegal voting for casting a ballot as a noncitizen in 2012 and 2014, The Washington Post reported. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) has applauded the ruling as a crackdown on voter fraud. Ortega, who was a registered Republican, voted for Paxton for attorney general in a GOP primary runoff in 2014, her attorney told the Post. Her attorney said that Ortega, a single mother of four teenagers who was brought to the U.S. from Mexico as an infant, will likely be deported after serving her sentence, as she will be a convicted felon. “This case shows how serious Texas is about keeping its elections secure, and the outcome sends a message that violators of the state’s election law will be prosecuted to the fullest,” Paxton said in a statement. “Safeguarding the integrity of our elections is essential to preserving our democracy.” Others, however, are slamming the ruling as unusually harsh, criticizing the decision as a forceful example made to prove a point about President Trump’s baseless claims of widespread voter fraud, which he has repeated in an attempt to explain why he lost the popular vote in the November election. “She doesn’t know. She’s got this [green] card that says ‘resident’ on it, so she doesn’t mark that she’s not a citizen,” her attorney, Clark Birdsall, told the Post. “She had no ulterior motive beyond what she thought, mistakenly, was her civic duty.” Ortega reportedly cast a single ballot in both elections. “It’s a single vote that she’s casting” each time, Birdsall said. “The fact that she got eight years is off the rails.” GOP Shifting On Immigration By Alexander Bolton The Hill, February 12, 2017 The politics of immigration in the Senate are shifting in the Trump era. Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and David Perdue (R-Ga.), two of President Trump’s strongest allies in the Senate, want to dramatically cut the number of green cards issued every year by the United States. The Raise Act, sponsored by Cotton and Perdue, would cut legal immigration annually over the next decade from 1.05 million (the annual level measured in 2015), to 539,000. It would prioritize skilled workers and the spouses and minor children of citizens and legal permanent residents over people who want to enter the country based on extended family links. The sponsors say it would “rebalance” the legal immigration system to bring it more in line with historical averages and increase wages by tightening the labor market. The Cotton-Perdue bill is a sign of the shifting tides on immigration in the GOP Senate. Republican have worried that opposition to immigration reform could hurt their party with the nation’s growing Latino and Asian populations. But President Trump’s victory in the presidential election seemed to offer a different signal. Proposals to cut down on legal immigration will draw opposition from much of the business community — including Silicon Valley, where for years leaders have called on Washington to increase legal immigration. And there are opponents in the Senate. “I oppose the idea of cutting green cards,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a member of the bipartisan Gang of Eight that crafted the 2013 immigration bill. It was approved by the Senate but went nowhere in the House. Graham says the wave of Baby Boomers expected to retire over the next few years and begin drawing Social Security and Medicare benefits need to be supported by a large work force. “When you look at the 20-year demographics we’re facing, we’ll have an aging population and a declining work force,” he said. Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) warned the Cotton-Perdue proposal would stifle innovation. “I just don’t agree with it,” he said. “I think we need more Sergey Brins and people like that who were born outside of this country, came here, received an education and made enormous progress for all of mankind,” he added, making reference to the Soviet-born founder of Google. The question now is whether there is more support in the Senate GOP for the Graham-McCain view of immigration, or whether the Cotton-Perdue side is winning out. For years there have been signs of a change. The first big signal came in 2014 when Rep. Dave Brat (R-Va.), then a little-known challenger, upset former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) in a Republican primary. Trump then shocked the political establishment by winning the 2016 GOP nomination and general election. He FOIA CBP 000821 DHS-17-0435-B-000118 96 campaigned on a populist platform that decried the decline of American wages under pressure from uncontrolled immigration. The Cotton-Perdue legislation is similar to ideas pushed by Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), an early Trump supporter whose colleagues voted to confirm him last week as Attorney General. During the Senate’s immigration debate in 2013, he offered an amendment to cut legal immigration but was outvoted 17 to one. Sessions is now one of Trump’s closest advisors and his former spokesman, Stephen Miller, is now senior policy advisor to Trump. Cotton, who is emerging as a leading conservative voice in the chamber, is picking up Sessions’s mantel. And it appears he could win more votes now than Sessions did four years ago. The shifting politics of immigration is reflected by the evolution of Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), a member of the Gang of Eight, who was in charge of selling the 2013 Senate bill to Republican conservatives. He has gone from being a champion of comprehensive immigration reform legislation to someone who now argues that the reform effort should be broken up into pieces. McCain, by contrast, has argued that comprehensive reform is still the best way to get needed Democratic votes. Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) says he is not enthusiastic about the idea of placing lower caps on the overall number of legal immigrants, including highly skilled workers with H1B visas. He does, however, like “swapping out some of the family-based visas for skills-based visas. Rubio spoke the most positively of the Cotton-Perdue bill of the members of the 2013 Gang of Eight. “As far as the numbers and all that, I don’t know there’s a magic number. I know the number of immigrants to the United States over the last 30 years is historically high. I’m open about people who think the numbers should be different,” he told The Hill. Republican lawmakers aren’t eager for another big debate on immigration but they may not be able to avoid one. They expect President Trump to address the 750,000 immigrants who are protected from deportation by President Obama’s executive order that set up the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). And Trump urged a bipartisan group of senators he met with at the White House Thursday to continue working on immigration legislation. “I don’t think there’s any appetite for a big comprehensive piece but some of it is going to be visited upon us,” Flake said, citing an impending decision on the DACA kids. Graham and Sen. Dick Durbin, who worked on the Senate immigration bill in 2013, introduced legislation in December to shield them from deportation but it is not yet scheduled for committee or floor action. NATIONAL PROTECTION AND PROGRAMS Rep. Mark Sanford Pushes For REAL ID Reform As Privacy Issues Loom Washington Examiner, February 13, 2017 The REAL ID Act, which was signed into law nearly 12 years ago, was a post-9/11 reform that sought to bring national standards to driver’s licenses and has taken over a decade to be fully implemented. But one conservative lawmaker believes that what was viewed as a national security safeguard is now a privacy issue to millions of Americans, and one that will complicate their lives within the next year. Rep. Mark Sanford, R-S.C., has introduced a bill, the REAL ID Privacy Protection Act, to make privacy reforms to the REAL ID Act, including to eliminate document archiving and to allow states to decide against linking their databases nationwide. “Quite simply, it’s to clear up deficiencies we see in REAL ID,” Sanford told the Washington Examiner. “This is about the 10th Amendment. This is about the prerogative of states. Something as simple as issuing a driver’s license has historically been the sole prerogative of states, not the federal government.” The South Carolina Republican has been against REAL ID since his tenure as the state’s governor. However, it has become an issue within the past month as multiple states have seen the law go into effect, leaving many Americans without proper identification to gain access to federal facilities, including military bases and nuclear power plants. Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security has already begun posting notices to airline passengers that they will need to be REAL ID compliant by January 2018. This could be a rude awakening to travelers throughout the U.S. if changes do not take place within the next year. “It’s important because this doesn’t just impact federal installations ... A year later, it’s going to impact people’s ability to get on an airplane,” Sanford said. “You’re really going to hear from people at that point.” However, the privacy issue remains the sticking point for the former governor. Sanford argued that Americans have paid a price privacy-wise in exchange for what was promised as a national security need. “I think a lot of things came out of 9/11 that degraded civil liberty in this country based on a supposed threat of FOIA CBP 000822 DHS-17-0435-B-000119 97 terrorism. In many cases, while these things came at the expense of civil liberty, they didn’t add security. They added the false sense of security,” Sanford said. “I think archiving personal data for 10 years doesn’t in any way increase our security.” At the moment, five states are non-compliant with the act, according to DHS, while 21 have received extensions until June or October to become compliant. However, some states have passed laws forbidding full compliance with REAL ID, creating hurdles for full implementation of the law. While Sanford and two other House members — Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., and Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine — have made the proposal, he said they have not consulted with President Trump or anyone at the White House as of yet, pointing to the infancy of the administation. “That’s where I think there is latitude,” Sanford said when asked about the chances that reforms of some kind could be passed. “I dealt with [former Homeland Security Secretary Michael] Chertoff when this debate took place when I was governor, and there was latitude. Our hope is to get this idea out there so that I can then go to the director of Homeland Security and other people who are like-minded and seek modification relative to where the Obama administration was on this.” TERRORISM INVESTIGATIONS Guantánamo Prison Commander Says He Has No Say In Trump Policy By Carol Rosenberg Miami Herald, February 12, 2017 The prison commander said Sunday he has neither seen nor wants a say on any coming Trump administration executive order that will drive policy on law of war detention here. “Nobody’s asked for my opinion,” Rear Adm. Peter J. Clarke said at a news conference. A reporter asked the 16th commander of the wartime prison whether he has been provided a draft of President Donald Trump’s evolving Guantánamo policy. He has not. “I don’t need to provide my input to policy decisions. I simply need to understand how the policy’s going to carried out,” he said. To that end, Clarke said he had yet to receive an order to prepare to receive new captives. The last captive arrived nearly a decade ago, and is held in Guantánamo’s most secret prison, Camp 7. The admiral said he expected there would be time to prepare. “I’m confident that I will get a little more notice than, ‘There’s a plane in the air that’s going to land in four hours’ or whatever the case may be,” he said. “A few days, if that’s all I have, will be adequate for me to receive a small number of detainees.” Guantánamo prison has 41 captives, a staff of 1,650 troops and civilians and current capacity for as many as 200 more war-on-terror detainees. The New York Times obtained a draft executive order that had the White House authorizing the addition of captives tied to the Islamic State. The detention center currently has 41 captives, all believed tied to al-Qaida or the Taliban, and commanders say that, depending on who arrives and how they might need to be imprisoned, Guantánamo could perhaps absorb 200 more captives. ISIS emerged after establishment of the prison here under Congress’ post- 9/11 Authorization for the Use of Military Force. So it does not explicitly identify the Islamic State as an enemy. Moreover, defense lawyers warn that some of detainees, most in their late 30s and 40s, fear the brutality of ISIS. One compared imprisoning al-Qaida and ISIS members together to jailing the Crips with the Bloods. Clarke’s commanders echoed his comments that no explicit order had been given to prepare for new captives. As a candidate, Trump said he would reverse former President Barack Obama’s 2009 closure order and “load it up with bad dudes.” The warden, Army Col. Steve Gabavics, said Saturday that even before the election he had his staff review the procedures for in-processing a new arrival as part of typical, periodic military planning. But the admiral made clear on Sunday morning, a day after four news organizations were given a day’s access in and around the Detention Center Zone: “We’re not planning right now because we don’t know what to plan on. But we have reviewed all of our procedures including capacities and capabilities and tried to identify to the best of our ability what the constraints would be.” Guantánamo has never had female prisoners but some in the command staff have wondered if some might be coming. Clarke was asked if, because it has long been prison practice that female guards don’t watch men shower, whether a policy would be adopted to prohibit male soldiers from supervising female captives in the shower. “We operate gender neutral from a guard force perspective,” the admiral replied. “I don’t believe there will be any challenges associated with providing female detainees the necessary privacy just like we provide male detainees the necessary privacy right now with female guards present.” Asked whether that reply constituted an assurance that male soldiers would not be supervising female detainee showers, Clarke replied: “I’m not ready to answer that question. “We will do what is appropriate for safe and humane care and custody. And we will respect detainees’ privacy to the maximum extent possible consistent with our security needs.” FOIA CBP 000823 DHS-17-0435-B-000120 98 On the evolving executive order, Clarke said it would be unnecessary for a commander at the “tactical level” to weigh in on proposed policy. He said his interests are represented elsewhere — describing a chain of command for implementation of a White House order as from the secretary of defense through the joint staff to the Pentagon’s U.S. Southern Command, which has oversight of the detention center currently staffed by 1,650 troops and civilians. “I think it’s going to be overarching policy for whether and how the United States continues detention operations,” Clarke said of Trump’s coming order. “That policy then has to be distilled into something operational and something technical.” Hamburg Airport Briefly Closed After Dozens Injured By Irritant Gas By Stephanie Kirchner Washington Post, February 12, 2017 BERLIN — German officials on Sunday evacuated hundreds of people from Hamburg Airport and briefly closed the facility after dozens of passengers were affected by a substance that authorities said was probably pepper spray disseminated through the air-conditioning system. Maik Lewerenz, spokesman for the federal police in the northern German city, said that 68 people had experienced eye irritation and breathing difficulties. Rene Schönhardt, spokesman for the Hamburg police, said there was “no evidence” that the incident was a terrorist attack. Instead, he said, the injuries most likely stemmed from a cartridge containing pepper spray that was found in a bin provided for travelers to dispose of liquids before boarding. “Nothing else has been found,” Schönhardt said. “The fire department didn’t detect any dangerous substances.” Werner Nölken, spokesman for the Hamburg fire department, said, “We are not assuming a terrorist attack.” The current assumption, he said, was that “some clown, for whatever reason” released pepper spray into an air￾conditioning vent, causing the substance to spread. The cartridge found in the bin was only the size of a lipstick, he said, so it would not have been possible to injure so many people without the air-conditioning system diffusing the gas. Airport officials said in a statement that an investigation was underway to determine how the substance got into the system. Passengers and staff in a security luggage-check area began complaining about a bad smell, burning eyes and nausea around 11 a.m., and many were coughing. More than a dozen flights were canceled, and by 12.30 p.m., all the airport terminals had been evacuated. Flights resumed about 2 p.m., and the terminals were reopened. Although authorities were quick to rule out a terrorist agenda, the incident shows how easy it is to disrupt everyday life at a time of rising fear of such attacks in Germany. The country has been on edge since the Dec. 19 attack on a Christmas market in Berlin that left 12 people dead and dozens injured. Revealed: FBI Terrorism Taskforce Investigating Standing Rock Activists The Guardian (UK), February 10, 2017 The FBI is investigating political activists campaigning against the Dakota Access pipeline, diverting agents charged with preventing terrorist attacks to instead focus their attention on indigenous activists and environmentalists. The Guardian has established that multiple officers within the FBI’s joint terrorism taskforce have attempted to contact at least three people tied to the Standing Rock “water protector” movement in North Dakota. The purpose of the officers’ inquiries into Standing Rock, and scope of the task force’s work, remains unknown. Agency officials declined to comment. But the fact that the officers have even tried to communicate with activists is alarming to free-speech experts who argue that anti-terrorism agents have no business scrutinizing protesters. “The idea that the government would attempt to construe this indigenous-led non-violent movement into some kind of domestic terrorism investigation is unfathomable to me,” said Lauren Regan, a civil rights attorney who has provided legal support to demonstrators who were contacted by representatives of the FBI. “It’s outrageous, it’s unwarranted … and it’s unconstitutional.” Regan, who has regularly visited Standing Rock and is the executive director of the Civil Liberties Defense Center in Oregon, said she learned of three cases in which officers with the taskforce, known as the JTTF, tried to talk to activists in person. She described the encounters as attempted “knocks and talks”, meaning law enforcement showed up at people’s doors without a subpoena or warrant and tried to get them to voluntarily cooperate with an interview. The three individuals, who include a Native American and a non-indigenous activist, asserted their fifth amendment rights and did not respond to the officers, according to Regan, who declined to identify them to protect their privacy and out of fear of retribution. Two of them were contacted in North Dakota and a third at their home outside the state, according to Regan. She said all three contacts were made in recent weeks after Trump’s inauguration. Trump, a former investor in Energy Transfer Partners, the Texas-based firm behind the pipeline, took executive action in his first week in office to expedite the project. On FOIA CBP 000824 DHS-17-0435-B-000121 99 Wednesday, workers began drilling to complete the pipeline across the Missouri river. The JTTF revelation comes at a time when there have been increasing concerns at Standing Rock about law enforcement surveillance, police violence and the targeted arrests and prosecutions of activists. Since the summer, law enforcement officials have made roughly 700 arrests, in some cases leading to serious felony charges and possibly lengthy state prison sentences. Following recent indictments, at least six activists are now facing charges in federal court. Rumors about JTTF have caused further stress among the activists. Regan said she was able to confirm the identity of one of the JTTF officers, Andrew Creed, who attempted to contact an activist. Reached by phone, he declined to comment to the Guardian, saying, “I can’t talk to you” before hanging up. An FBI spokesman, Jeffrey Van Nest, also declined to answer any questions, saying: “We’re not in a position to provide a comment as to the existence of an investigation.” In November, a JTTF officer also showed up to the hospital room of Sophia Wilansky, a 21-year-old who was seriously injured during a standoff with law enforcement at Standing Rock, according to her father, Wayne Wilansky. The FBI took her clothes and still have not returned them, he said in an interview this week. Wayne said he suspected that the FBI brought a terrorism agent given that local police had alleged that activists set off an explosion that caused his daughter’s injuries. Witnesses have said they believe she was hit by a police concussion grenade. The timing of the FBI hospital visit in Minneapolis was upsetting, he added. “It was especially disturbing, because Sophia’s blood pressure was going up. She was about to be wheeled into surgery.” Police have repeatedly painted the anti-pipeline movement as dangerous, which is why JTTF may be involved, Regan said. “From the very beginning, local law enforcement has attempted to justify its militarized presence … by making false allegations that somehow these water protectors were violent.” The attorney said it also seemed likely that JTTF may have contacted other water protectors and said she worried they may not have realized their best option is to remain silent and contact a lawyer. This is not the first time the JTTF has been tied to an investigation of civil rights protesters. Records from Minnesota suggested that the taskforce monitored a Black Lives Matter demonstration. For indigenous leaders who have vowed to continue fighting the pipeline on the ground, the FBI investigations and ongoing federal prosecutions have become increasingly worrisome. It’s particularly troubling to some given the US government’s history of aggressively targeting Native American protesters and turning them into political prisoners. “This is history repeating itself,” said LaDonna Brave Bull Allard, who founded the first camp opposing the pipeline. “I keep on thinking, how we did come to this point? … When did Americans lose their rights? When did America stop following the law?” Brandy-Lee Maxie, a 34-year-old Nakota tribe member from Canada, said it’s difficult not to worry about possible prosecution. But the cause, she said, is too important to give up: “I’m staying here. Whatever happens to those who stay happens. We’ve just gotta keep praying.” FBI’s Terrorism Unit Opens Up Investigation Against Dakota Pipeline Opponents By Chris White Daily Caller, February 10, 2017 The FBI is investigating activists associated with the highly publicized Dakota Access Pipeline, according to reports published Friday. Several agents within the FBI’s joint terrorism task force (JTTF) have tried talking to a handful of anti-DAPL activists, ostensibly about their actions opposing the line, according to a report published by The Guardian. The agency has not revealed any reason for its repeated attempts at contacting the activists. Protests with the months-long pipeline delay have culminated in more than 600 arrests and episodic moments of violence. Some attorneys believe the JTTF’s actions are unconstitutional. Lauren Regan, the executive director of the Civil Liberties Defense Center, said there are three cases in which the FBI attempted “knocks and talks” allowing agents to show up at activists homes in hopes of securing voluntary interviews. “The idea that the government would attempt to construe this indigenous-led non-violent movement into some kind of domestic terrorism investigation is unfathomable to me,” Regan said. “It’s outrageous, it’s unwarranted … and it’s unconstitutional.” The activists did not respond to the agents, she noted. Standing Rock Sioux, one of the American Indian tribes opposing the multi-state DAPL, has tried unsuccessfully to vacate activists from make-shift campuses since the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers rejected the $3.8 billion project in December. Opposition to the line grew to a feverish pace after President Donald Trump signed a pair of executive orders in January approving the construction of the DAPL and Keystone XL. His order essentially wiped away the Army Corps’ decision. FOIA CBP 000825 DHS-17-0435-B-000122 100 Law enforcement agents at Morton County have continuously requested help from federal officials to quell what they call periodic violence at the campsites. More than 600 people have been arrested at the campsites over the past several months. One report from December suggested that North Dakota’s former governor, Jack Dalrymple, asked Wisconsin for help dealing with “civil unrest” and “criminal activities related to opposition of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) project.” The North Dakota Republican asked his Wyoming counterpart to send 40 officers to Morton County for assistance quelling what he deemed increasingly violent protests. Dalrymple also wanted a 40/37 mm chemical munitions launcher, which could have been used to discharge tear gas on anti-DAPL demonstrators. The Morton County sheriff’s department used tear gas and high-pressured water hoses during November protests to disperse 400 “very aggressive” activists. Agitators set nine vehicles ablaze, and destroyed construction equipment and debris on a bridge in October, resulting in the closure of Highway 1806. A woman was arrested in another incident after pulling a pistol from her waistband and firing shots at the police. North Dakota officials believe that most of the protesters are from out of state. They are looking for evidence that environmentalist groups are paying the protesters to agitate against the DAPL, which is slated to transport nearly 500,000 barrels of Bakken oil from North Dakota to Illinois. Tax Commissioner Ryan Rauschenberger, for instance, told reporters on Jan. 30 that his office is watching out for tax forms from various environmental groups opposing the project. “It’s something we’re looking at. I can tell you I’ve had a number of conversations with legislators regarding this very issue,” Rauschenberger said. “[We’re] looking at the entities that have potential paid contractors here on their behalf doing work.” Ex-Guardsman Gets 11 Years For Islamic State Group Support Associated Press, February 10, 2017 ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) – A former National Guard soldier who admitted traveling to Africa and boarding a truck to join the Islamic State group before ultimately bailing out was sentenced Friday to 11 years in prison. Mohamed Jalloh, 27, of Sterling, Virginia, pleaded guilty in October to attempting to provide material support to a terrorist group. Prosecutors had sought a 20-year sentence. The defense had asked for a term of less than seven years, saying the man has renounced the Islamic State. “I’m sorry to the court, to the people and to the U.S. military,” Jalloh said Friday, WRC-TV reported. Jalloh is one of more than 100 people in the U.S. to be charged with terror offenses connected to the Islamic State since 2014, according to George Washington University’s Extremism Tracker, and one of seven from the northern Virginia area alone to be charged in the past two years. In Jalloh’s case, the charges originated from an FBI sting operation. After his arrest, though, Jalloh admitted that he had made his own contact with the group before he had ever been introduced to the FBI informant – contact the government had been unaware of at the time. Jalloh, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Sierra Leone, had traveled back to Africa with his father in 2015. While there, he met an Islamic State recruiter. In August 2015, Jalloh traveled from Sierra to Leone to stay with the group’s facilitator. He intended to travel to Libya to join the Islamic State, but the plans fell through. Later that year, Jalloh traveled to Niger, again with the intent of joining the group. This time, he went so far as to get on a truck with other recruits to trek across the Sahara to Libya. But, in court papers, Jalloh described how he got cold feet and sneaked off the truck after 18 hours. “Guys in the truck would whip people with a hose to pack you in,” Jalloh said, describing his experience as a recruit. “This was the worst, most scary situation that I had ever been in as an adult.” Before returning to the U.S., Jalloh made contact online with an IS operative named Abu Saad Sudani, who put Jalloh in contact with a person he hoped would help Jalloh carry out an attack in the U.S. But that person turned out to be a government informant. In conversations with the informant, Jalloh discussed carrying out a Fort Hood-style attack. He also sent hundreds of dollars to an undercover FBI employee he believed was an IS member. Jalloh’s lawyers describe his interest in the Islamic State group as a “flirtation” that stemmed from a difficult childhood in war-torn Sierra Leone that left him with little parental guidance. They say that when Jalloh met with the informant, his goal was to be set up with a Muslim woman he could marry, but the informant continually steered the conversation to violence. In court papers, Jalloh renounces the Islamic State group. “I feel like a complete idiot for accepting such a superficial and dishonest interpretation of Islam,” Jalloh wrote in a letter to the court. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. FOIA CBP 000826 DHS-17-0435-B-000123 101 Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. He Said He Was Looking For A Wife. He Ended Up Trying To Aid A Terrorist Attack. By Rachel Weiner Washington Post, February 10, 2017 Mohamed Bailor Jalloh says he was looking to meet a Muslim wife when he reached out to an Islamic State recruiter he had met overseas. Instead, he agreed to take part in a terrorist attack on American soil. Jalloh, a former National Guardsman, was sentenced Friday to 11 years in prison for attempting to provide support to the Islamic State. Jalloh bought a Glock handgun and an AR-15 rifle, having researched the massacre at an Orlando nightclub last year and the deadly 2009 shooting at an Army base in Fort Hood, Tex. The FBI was monitoring his movements, and he was arrested before any attack was attempted. Defense lawyer Joseph Flood argued that Jalloh’s behavior sprung not from radical fervor but from heavy drug use and untreated trauma from a childhood marked by rape, war and neglect. The “gullible” 27-year-old’s attachment to the Islamist militant group was “superficial” and confused, his attorney said. “He’s clearly a follower,” Flood said. During a hearing in federal court in Alexandria, Assistant U.S. Attorney John Gibbs said he was not unsympathetic but that Jalloh’s past did not justify his actions. “Mr. Jalloh probably is and was a very troubled individual and probably was in a very bad place, but individuals in those situations often do very dangerous things,” Gibbs said. “He could have stepped away; he never did that.” Gibbs asked Judge Liam O’Grady to impose the maximum 20-year sentence. Jalloh, a U.S. citizen, lived in Loudoun County at the time of his 2016 arrest. According to court papers, he was born in Sierra Leone, the youngest of eight children. His father was polygamous, and his young mother fled to the United States when he was 2 years old. His father and stepmother soon left Sierra Leone as well, leaving him with extended family. For several years he was sexually abused by an older cousin. At age 8, the country’s civil war made him a refu-gee. While running with relatives to Guinea, he saw a child shot by a soldier. “I was hungry, starving, crying,” he recalled in a court filing. In Guinea, he was bullied because of his distended abdomen. Jalloh made it to the United States after six months and reunited with his family. But after a few years, his father left and his mother was deported. He lived with various relatives, who largely ignored him. He spent most of his time indoors, watching pornography, court papers said. Flood said Jalloh has always had a tendency to agree to plans but fail to follow through, an assertion that was greeted with soft chuckles from family in the gallery. Seeking direction, Jalloh joined the Army National Guard out of college. Jalloh “seemed like he was looking for something to latch onto and barring that would wander rather aimlessly,” Staff Sgt. Sherwood Rath Anderson wrote in a letter to the judge. Vulnerable to emotional appeals, Jalloh often gave money to charities advocating for children in Africa, friends and relatives said in court filings. He was frustrated by the idea that he could not do more for Syrian refugees. “I started to watch online videos of civilians escaping Assad, on the beach shores, and walking long distances took my memory back to when I was a child and civilian in the Sierra Leone War which incited an emotion reaction rather than a rational reaction in me,” Jalloh wrote in a letter to the judge. “Unfortunately, I succumbed to the same ISIL online propaganda that is responsible for so many atrocities in the world.” ISIL is another name for the Islamic State. In 2015, Jalloh visited his father in Sierra Leone and met Islamic State recruiters who encouraged him to go to Libya and fight, according to his account. He gave them several hundred dollars, but when he actually got on a truck to Libya he quickly changed his mind and fled. “We were packed like sardines,” he recalled. “Guys in the truck would whip people with a hose to pack you in. This was the worst, most scary situation that I had ever been in as an adult.” On arriving back in the United States, Jalloh made contact online with Abu Saad Sudani, a now-deceased Islamic State member who was plotting an attack in the United States. But he claims he was looking not for a co￾conspirator but for a wife. His girlfriend of six years had dumped him, sending intimate photos of herself with a new man for emphasis, Jalloh wrote in the court filing. “I started doing marijuana, coke and mushrooms using one of them at least on a daily basis in order to kill the pain I was in,” he wrote. “I cast my depression as some kind of noble inspiration. In truth, it was complete self-destruction.” A man Sudani connected Jalloh with, who he says he thought would help him find a bride, was actually an FBI informant. Flood said that the informant pushed Jalloh toward terrorism. For two months, Flood wrote, the informant “hounded” Jalloh with “nearly constant entreaties” to engage in a violent attack. The FBI informant told Jalloh about a plot to murder U.S. military personnel and asked Jalloh about acquiring weapons. Jalloh tried to buy an assault rifle. As he did, the FOIA CBP 000827 DHS-17-0435-B-000124 102 FBI was watching. The gun had already been rendered inoperable. Flood said Jalloh felt remorse for the shame he had brought on his family and the National Guard, as well as the “black mark” he cast on other refugees at a time when many have been banned from the country. Oregon Local News – FBI, CCSO Investigate ‘Eco-terrorists’ At Beavercreek Farm Portland (OR) Tribune, February 12, 2017 Bird breeders in Beavercreek lost approximately 50 pheasants valued at $1,000 when an unknown number of suspects cut a lock to open up an aviary housing the animals last month. The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office took the initial report at about 1:07 p.m. on March 18 at Estacada Game Birds, 25395 S. Beavercreek Road. A volunteer at the farm believed that the suspects were an eco-terrorist group who bragged about the incident online. The owner of Estacada Game Birds declined to comment for this story, and CCSO has forwarded this case to the FBI and the Oregon Humane Society. “These birds were bred, among other reasons, to suffer and die in pre-orchestrated canned hunts; a practice which represents the height of human arrogance and disregard towards animal life,” said the anonymous statement from the Animal Liberation Front. “This liberation was also done as a reminder that when we don’t allow fear to prevent us from taking action to directly free animals.” CCSO Deputy Steve Funk found that sometime overnight, an unknown person(s) came upon the property and cut off the lock to the door on one of four large bird pens next to each other. The suspect(s) might have been scared off because they normally open all the pens. Not only has Estacada Game Birds been burglarized before, it is one of four similar types of businesses in Clackamas County to have been struck by the group. Finding it “very easy” to access this property from any part of the roadway, Funk provided security suggestions for the property. Funk inspected the grounds and was unable to locate any evidence that might suggest the identity of who committed this crime. “I did note the pens are very close to Beavercreek Road, and there is no fencing separating the property from the roadway,” he wrote in the police report. Meet The People Who Helped Quash Trump’s Plans To Reinstitute Torture. Slate, February 10, 2017 The American deep state—influential career executives in the national security community—has started to push back on President Donald Trump on a number of issues, including immigration, U.S.–Russia policy, and counterterrorism operations. One of the most important may be detention and interrogation, where career military and intelligence officials rejected a draft executive order that would have resurrected the torture regime that existed immediately after 9/11, reflecting campaign promises by President Trump to bring waterboarding (and “much worse”) back into America’s interrogation arsenal. That they did so should not surprise anyone who has followed the issue over the past decade. Why Trump’s draft order got such a rude welcome, however, deserves attention because it illustrates important changes since 9/11 in U.S. counterterrorism policy and practice. Career professionals in the Defense Department, the CIA, and elsewhere don’t want torture because it doesn’t work, corrodes their integrity, makes it harder to work with allies, and carries enormous risk for strategic blowback. The value of human intelligence has also diminished in relative terms as other American intelligence tools have improved, so there is less incentive for intelligence agencies to want torture in their kits. This story begins with the detention and interrogation policy that President Trump’s draft order sought to resurrect. Two of President Barack Obama’s three orders relating to torture were to be revoked, and a George W. Bush administration order from 2007 was to be reinstated. The order directed Defense Secretary James Mattis to keep Guantanamo Bay open and use it not just for existing detainees but new ones, too. Trump’s order also directed the military to review its interrogation manual to determine whether it needed more enhanced interrogation tools. And, most notably, the order asked the CIA to consider restarting its “black sites” program for retention, detention, and interrogation of terror suspects, which was shut down by President Bush in late 2006. The order met stiff opposition from career officials within the Defense Department and the CIA from the moment it left the White House. When a draft leaked, Republican and Democratic national security leaders joined the chorus of dissent. In response, the Trump White House developed a more milquetoast order, keeping Guantanamo’s prison open but jettisoning plans to revive the CIA’s torture program and the military’s more aggressive interrogations, too. The career professionals in these agencies didn’t push back on the original order because of any political opposition to Trump. The deep state led by these agencies’ career executives, generals, and admirals transcends administrations, and even partisan politics to some extent, despite what Trump may think of their support for him. These professionals pushed back, publicly and privately, because they have learned the hard way that torture is ineffective, unwise, and strategically risky. Defense and intelligence professionals have learned that torture simply does not work through questioning tens of FOIA CBP 000828 DHS-17-0435-B-000125 103 thousands of detainees since 9/11. The professionals inside the CIA, FBI, Defense, and other agencies have developed an effective arsenal of lawful interrogation techniques that do work—and work particularly well when coupled with other intelligence tools, such as forensic information like fingerprints on the inside of explosive devices. As Secretary Mattis (who oversaw thousands of interrogations during his service in the Marine Corps) reportedly told President Trump, “a pack of cigarettes and a couple of beers” produces better intelligence than torture. Relatedly, the relative value of human intelligence gained through questioning of any type has declined over the past 15 years. Such intelligence mattered greatly in the few years after 9/11, both for piecing together the parts of al￾Qaida and its future plots, and understanding insurgent networks in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, the U.S. intelligence community has undergone a renaissance in collection and analysis driven by massive improvements in surveillance technology, computing, big data analysis, and artificial intelligence. Other intelligence tools have also made big leaps forward, such as forensic intelligence collected from cellphones, pocket litter, and improvised explosive devices collected on the battlefield. Human intelligence still plays an important role, but not to the degree it did right after 9/11. Although significant legal questions surround current U.S. surveillance policy, intelligence officials still prefer the relatively clean intelligence produced by these tools to those gathered through detention and interrogation. Third, it has become clear over the past 15 years that torture, or even lesser included forms of detention and interrogation policy, can be corrosive to the integrity and ethics of national security agencies. Implicit in the statements on torture by then-Gen. David Petraeus and Gen. James Mattis in the counterinsurgency manual they co-authored is a sense that torture degrades the honor of those who practice it. Discipline and integrity are paramount to being effective in war, or clandestine operations in the shadow of war. Mattis, CIA Director Mike Pompeo, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford, and Sen. John McCain understand this better than the president and do not want an executive order that undermines the ethics of their forces or agencies. Fourth, torture carries huge strategic risks and complications that can make it harder to fight America’s wars. For 15 years, we have depended on allies to fight alongside us in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other theaters of war. Our intelligence agencies have also depended on allies and partners to share information and work together, almost always out of public view. Notwithstanding President Trump’s disparagement of allies and alliances, our national security agencies continue to depend on other countries around the world. These relationships exist because our interests align, but they are strengthened by our shared values. In the past, America’s torture regime made it very difficult for our allies and partners to work with us or share intelligence with us. The career professionals in Defense, CIA and other agencies know this better than President Trump. They understand all too well that foreign are far more likely to work with the U.S. without the antagonism of torture in the mix. Two recent high-profile cases illustrate this—with cooperation flowing from Turkey, Jordan, and Italy precisely because the U.S. provided assurances it would not use Guantanamo for certain detainees, let alone enhanced interrogation, let alone torture. Fifth, defense and intelligence leaders are reticent about a return to torture because they know they will be left to deal with the repercussions long after President Trump departs office. The Bush administration has long since left office, and so too has the Obama administration. However, the detainees at Guantanamo remain, the legacy of counterterrorism policies more than a decade old. Investigations into detention and interrogation continue as does litigation over liability for torture by the CIA at its black sites. Few, if any, leaders within the Defense Department or CIA want to be left holding the bag yet again. In many ways, the story of torture is a parable for learning across the national security community since 9/11. In the first months and years after those devastating terror attacks, America lashed out at its enemies. We slowly, and painfully, learned to act more wisely. Our military learned to practice counterinsurgency instead of indiscriminate violence; our intelligence community built strong relationships with allies to target terrorists in the shadows before they could ever harm us. During his campaign, President Trump caricatured this learning as soft and signaled that he wanted a return to more bellicose American national security policy. This cartoonish approach won’t work, and the deep state is our best hope for putting the Trump administration on a better path. CYBER NEWS UK Targeted By ‘Dozens’ Of Serious Cyber Attacks Each Month BBC News (UK), February 12, 2017 Britain’s security has been threatened by 188 high-level cyber attacks in the last three months, according to a government security chief. Ciaran Martin, chief executive of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), told the Sunday Times many of the attacks “threatened national security”. Attempts by Russian and Chinese state-sponsored hackers were among those being investigated, he added. Mr Martin spoke ahead of the official opening of the NCSC in London. FOIA CBP 000829 DHS-17-0435-B-000126 104 He told the newspaper that attempts on government departments were designed to “extract information on UK government policy on anything from energy to diplomacy to information on a particular sector”. These include alleged hacks similar to those on the US Democratic National Committee, which led to the publication of leaked emails from Hillary Clinton in the run-up to the US election. US intelligence services have stated the attack was an attempt by the Kremlin to interfere in the presidential election. Mr Martin said there had been “a step-change in Russian aggression in cyber space” over the last two years. “Part of that step change has been a series of attacks on political institutions, political parties, parliamentary organisations and that’s all very well evidenced by our international partners and widely accepted.” Meanwhile, Chancellor Phillip Hammond – a former defence and foreign secretary – said the NCSC had blocked 34,550 “potential attacks” on government departments and members of the public in the last six months – a rate of about 200 a day. Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, he warned that the “internet revolution” raised the threat of being held to ransom by hackers, the theft of intellectual property and the “shutting down of critical national infrastructure”. UK Hit By 188 High-level Cyber-attacks In Three Months The Guardian (UK), February 12, 2017 Britain is being hit by dozens of cyber-attacks a month, including attempts by Russian state-sponsored hackers to steal defence and foreign policy secrets, GCHQ’s new cybersecurity chief has said. Ciaran Martin, head of the new National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), told the Sunday Times there had been a “step change” in Russia’s online aggression against the west. His comments came as the chancellor, Philip Hammond, told the Sunday Telegraph the centre had blocked 34,550 “potential attacks” on government departments and members of the public in the past six months – about 200 cases a day. Allegations of Russia-sponsored cyber-attacks became a focal point during the US election, raising fears that the tactic was on the rise. Martin said Britain had been hit by 188 high-level attacks, “many of which threatened national security”, in the last three months. He told the Sunday Times: “In the case of government departments, [it is] getting into the system to extract information on UK government policy on anything from energy to diplomacy to information on a particular sector.” Attacks by Russian and Chinese state-sponsored hackers on defence and foreign policy servers are among those being investigated by the NCSC, the newspaper said. Martin added: “Over the last two years there has been a step change in Russian aggression in cyberspace. Part of that step change has been a series of attacks on political institutions, political parties, parliamentary organisations and that’s all very well evidenced by our international partners and widely accepted.” Hammond, a former defence and foreign secretary, warned that hacks could bring down national infrastructure and that even kettles, fridges and driverless cars were at risk. Writing in the Telegraph, he warned that the “internet revolution” brought the threat of being held to ransom by hackers, the theft of intellectual property and the “shutting down of critical national infrastructure”. “Beyond hacked kettles and fridges, ‘internet of things’ devices, such as driverless cars, can present alarmingly real security threats that could be incredibly dangerous if the right security isn’t in place,” Hammond added. Their comments come before the NCSC is officially opened in London by the Queen on Tuesday. Russian Hackers Pose Increasing Threat To UK’s National Security, GCHQ Chief Warns GCHQ chief Ciaran Martin said over the last three months there were 188 cyber attacks against the UK of which some ‘threatened national security’ By Rachel Roberts Independent (UK), February 12, 2017 The Cold War may be over, but cyber war between Russia and the West is hotting up, according to the Government’s new cyber-security chief. Britain is increasingly being targeted by Russian state￾sponsored cyber attacks, including attempts to steal top￾secret national security details and to intervene in the democratic process, claims Ciaran Martin, who heads up GCHQ’s new National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). Mr Martin made his comments in an interview with The Sunday Times, warning that Britain is being hit by 60 “significant” cyber-attacks each month, some of which attempt to undermine the democratic process as well as national security. Concern has been growing about the amount of so￾called fake news coming from Russian media outlets which is seen as being a concerted disinformation campaign by the Kremlin to disrupt world politics, including in the UK. An attempt to disrupt the 2015 general election was thwarted by GCHQ in a cyber attack the security service said was the first of its kind. US intelligence services have accused the Russian state of intervening in the Presidential election after Russian￾FOIA CBP 000830 DHS-17-0435-B-000127 105 sponsored hackers are believed to have targeted the Democrat headquarters and accessed thousands of emails. “We’ve got some very capable adversaries, but we’ve done a good job in detecting and managing those sorts of attacks,” Mr Martin said. “However, the level of sophistication is such that we keep very vigilant and I expect that there will be a category 1 incident at some point in the future.” And he claimed that as well as trying to uncover sensitive Government information, Russian and Chinese￾sponsored hackers were going for “soft targets” including charities and local councils for personal data and universities for potentially lucrative research. Mr Martin revealed that over the past three months, there have been 188 category 2 and 3 cyber-attacks made against the UK Government in the last three months, many of which he said “threatened national security”. He said these attacks generally involved “hundreds of thousands” of smaller attacks, such as phishing emails to Government departments and businesses. “In the case of Government departments, [it is] getting into the system to extract information on UK Government policy on anything from energy to diplomacy to information on a particular sector. “With companies, it could be to steal intellectual property and sometimes you would get states in that business,” he said. But he said he remains optimistic that despite a “step change” in the activities of hackers, the war against cyber crime can eventually be won. “We can’t eliminate the threat, but defeatism drives me mad. “We shouldn’t be defeatist about this — there’s plenty we can do to strengthen defences at all levels. “I want them to see the UK as the hardest target (and they do) . . . and I want anyone who is hacking the UK to see us as the hardest target.” His comments come in the same week as it was announced British schoolchildren are to be offered modules in cyber security as part of the war against hacking. Cyber Security Lessons Offered To Schools In England By Tom Symonds BBC News (UK), February 11, 2017 Schoolchildren in England will be offered lessons in cyber security in a bid to find the experts of the future to defend the UK from attacks. It is hoped 5,700 pupils aged 14 and over will spend up to four hours a week on the subject in a five-year pilot. Classroom and online teaching, “real-world challenges” and work experience will be made available from September. A Commons committee last week warned that a skills shortage was undermining confidence in the UK’s cyber defences. The risk that criminals or foreign powers might hack into critical UK computer systems is now ranked as one of the top four threats to national security. ‘Cutting-edge skills’ Russia in particular is suspected of planning sustained attacks on Western targets. Cyber security is a fast-growing industry, employing 58,000 experts, the government says, but the Public Accounts Committee has warned it is proving difficult to recruit people with the right skills. UK’s cyber security defences questioned Russian hacks ‘aim to destabilise the West’ The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is providing £20m for the lessons, which will be designed to fit around pupils’ current courses and exams. Digital and Culture Minister Matt Hancock said: “This forward-thinking programme will see thousands of the best and brightest young minds given the opportunity to learn cutting-edge cyber security skills alongside their secondary school studies. ‘Pipeline of talent’ “We are determined to prepare Britain for the challenges it faces now and in the future and these extra￾curricular clubs will help identify and inspire future talent.” The government is already providing university funding and work placements for promising students. An apprenticeship scheme has also begun to support key employers to train and recruit young people aged 16 or over who have a “natural flair for problem-solving” and are “passionate about technology”. Steve Elder, 20, who is a cyber security apprentice with BT, told BBC Radio 5 Live that educating young people about the risks and vulnerabilities of the cyber security world would help the UK prepare for the future. He added: “Getting young people involved and getting them taught from a young age will allow them – even in their home environment – to protect themselves, before it has to come to people at a specialist level.” Mr Hancock told the BBC he wanted to ensure the UK “had the pipeline of talent” it would need. Cyber security expert Brian Lord, a former deputy director at GCHQ, told BBC Breakfast that the scheme was an “essential initiative” to recruit more people into the profession. He added: “There is perception that cyber security is all about techno geeks who have long hair, glasses, wear heavy metal t-shirts and drink red bull. “There are those, and they do an extraordinarily good job. But there is a whole range of other activities... that can appeal to a wide cross section of children, graduates and FOIA CBP 000831 DHS-17-0435-B-000128 106 apprentices, and at the moment they don’t know what [is on] offer. “The more exposure [children] can get [the more it will] prepare them for a future career and, as that generation needs to understand how to be safe online, you get a double benefit.” British Teenagers To Be Taught ‘Cyber Curriculum’ To Defend UK Against Threat Of Hacking Attacks Isis-inspired hackers contributing to rising threat amid warnings over Russia and China By Lizzie Dearden Independent (UK), February 11, 2017 Thousands of British teenagers are to be given training in cyber security to boost the UK’s defences against the rising threat of online attacks. The new Cyber Schools Programme aims to teach pupils some of the skills they would need to help defend Britain’s businesses and institutions against online threats. Allegations of Russian interference in the US elections and continued “cyber warfare” and espionage from China have sparked fresh fears over the threat posed by hacking. Isis and other terrorist groups have also invested in their own cyber branches, while Islamist hacking groups such as one that recently attacked a series of NHS websites have sprung up around the world. The Government is now aiming to guard against a future skills shortage amid mounting concern over the damage hackers or terrorists could inflict on the economy and infrastructure. Ministers are making up to £20m available for extracurricular sessions that will see expert instructors drafted in to teach, test and train selected teenagers. A “cyber curriculum” will be drawn up to mix classroom and online teaching with real-world challenges and hands-on work experience. The scheme, led by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), is aimed at those aged between 14 and 18, with a target for at least 5,700 teenagers to be trained by 2021. Matt Hancock, the digital and culture minister, said: “This forward-thinking programme will see thousands of the best and brightest young minds given the opportunity to learn cutting-edge cyber security skills alongside their secondary school studies. “We are determined to prepare Britain for the challenges it faces now and in the future and these extracurricular clubs will help identify and inspire future talent.” Participants will be expected to commit to four hours a week, with flexibility around exams and busier study periods, starting at 14 to complete a four-year course. Older teenagers will be able to join at any point providing they meet the right criteria for the programme, which is being opened up for private bids ahead of a pilot launch in September. The announcement came days after The Independent revealed that Islamist hackers linked to Isis carried out an attack on a series of NHS websites, exposing serious flaws in security systems meant to protect sensitive information. Graphic images of violence from the Syrian war were put up on the sites by a group called the Tunisian Fallaga Team, which declared it was carrying out the electronic raid in retaliation to the West’s aggression in the Middle East. It is believed that patient data was vulnerable in the attacks, but initial checks do not indicate that any had been compromised. The Tunisian group, as well as others including the Global Islamic Caliphate and Team System DZ, all connected to Isis, are said to carry out coordinated operations. As well as airlines and media companies, the groups had broken into the US Central Command’s Twitter and YouTube accounts and had published personal details of retired US military personnel. Isis’ Syria-based hacking efforts were thought to be led by Junaid Hussain, a British-Pakistani militant who was previously jailed for infiltrating Tony Blair’s accounts and posting personal information online. The 21-year-old was killed alongside two other Isis fighters in an American drone strike that hit his car in Raqqa in August 2015. MPs have warned that confidence in the Government’s ability to protect Britain from high-level online attacks is being undermined by skills shortages. The Public Accounts Committee warned last week the threat of electronic data loss from cyber crime, espionage and accidental disclosure has risen considerably in recent years. GCHQ dealt with 200 national security incidents a month in 2015 – double the number it was handling in the previous year – and the number is expected to rise. It has been scouting for new talent, with teenage girls invited to join a competition last month. The National Cyber Security Centre was launched last year with a £1.9bn investment to counter the threats. Cyberattacks On International Banks Show Links To Hackers Who Hit Sony Hacks began late last year, installing unauthorized code on websites belonging to financial regulators By Robert McMillan Wall Street Journal, February 12, 2017 FOIA CBP 000832 DHS-17-0435-B-000129 107 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Microsoft To Rate Corporate Cybersecurity Hartford Financial says it will use the Office 365 Secure Score when setting cyberinsurance rates By Jay Greene Wall Street Journal, February 10, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Manatee County Schools Faces Data Breach Affecting Thousands South Florida Sun Sentinel, February 12, 2017 Authorities say as many as 7,700 Manatee County school employees are at risk of being victims of a data breach. School officials learned earlier this month that two payroll employees of the school district along Florida’s Gulf Coast had fallen for an email phishing scam. The Bradenton Herald (http://bit.ly/2kFLFKP ) reports that a hacker posing as Superintendent Diana Greene sent an email to one of the employees, requesting all W-2 forms for district employees. The district has notified employees about the breach and purchased identity protection and credit monitoring for all employees. The district has cyber-security insurance, which covers any lawsuits stemming from the attack Hacking Increase Sparks More Cyber Security Programs By Megan Raposa Washington Times, February 12, 2017 Cyber security is a lot like the common cold. There’s no cure for either, but there are ways to combat both. “Security is all about layers,” said Sam Coome, a 23- year-old Dakota State University graduate student. At a time when Russian hackers, WikiLeaks and threats of cyber warfare make national headlines daily, those layers of security are critical. And the nation’s next line of defense against cyberattacks could include Coome and his classmates on this small-town campus about an hour northwest of Sioux Falls. The Argus Leader (http://argusne.ws/2kTSI3v ) reports that enrollment in DSU’s cyber security program has more than doubled in the last five years while other South Dakota colleges struggled to maintain numbers. The national headlines piquing even more interest and giving students a greater sense of purpose in their studies. “The wheels in their heads are turning,” Pauli said. “And (they’re) saying, ‘Geez, I could find myself in the middle of one of these situations in the not too distant future.’” DSU students learn how to think like hackers in an environment not found in many schools nationwide, which in turn teaches them to keep hackers out. It’s a skill that’s seen increasing demand from not only government agencies like the National Security Agency, but also from businesses of all sizes in all industries. “I think almost everyone here recognizes the importance of what we’re learning,” said Joshua Klosterman, who will graduate from DSU this spring with a network security and administration degree. DSU wasn’t always the regional hub for all things cyber security. The school started in 1881 as a teacher’s college. About a century later, the university found itself struggling to differentiate from other teacher colleges in the state. The legislature had attempted to close the college, and enrollment was dropping. Then-Gov. Bill Janklow recognized DSU’s struggles, and he also saw that technology was the way of the future as companies like Citibank moved to the region. Janklow worked with the Board of Regents to change the mission of DSU, and in 1984, state legislators gave DSU the mission of specializing in computer-related programs. Today, DSU one of four universities in the nation with a regional resource center through the NSA. It was also the first college to ever have an articulation agreement with the NSA, and its cyber operations major is designated among only about a dozen in the country as a Center of Academic Excellence. DSU students go on to work for the National Security Agency, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab and Navy SPAWAR (Space and Naval Warfare System Command). “There’s a lot of job security here,” said Andrew Kramer, a 26-year-old DSU graduate student. Josh Pauli, who has taught cyber operations for the last decade and spent 13 years total as a DSU professor, often jokingly shares the same observation. “DSU is better known in Baltimore and in Washington D.C. than in South Dakota,” Pauli said. The two programs at the heart of DSU’s rise into the world of cyber security are cyber operations, and network security and administration. It’s rare to find programs like these in the nation, much less the region, Pauli said, especially for undergraduates. “There’s probably only five or six programs in the nation that are designated by the NSA in Cyber Operations,” Pauli said. Students practice both offensive and defensive security. They work in a “hacking lab” to learn how hackers think, which helps them learn how to defend against attacks. FOIA CBP 000833 DHS-17-0435-B-000130 108 Some students even get a security clearance allowing them to work directly with the NSA through internships, meaning they’re seeing firsthand responses to news like Russian hacks. “They would be right there in the thick of things,” Pauli said. DSU is also working to create a secure facility on campus that would allow student collaboration with the NSA to take place closer to home, Pauli said. That facility would need the go-ahead from the NSA and the Department of Defense before moving forward. Not all DSU students aspire to federal government jobs. Kramer, who’s in the second year of his Masters of Science in Applied Computer Science, plans to stay in South Dakota as a teacher. Kramer knew he had a future in cyber security long before hacking was making headlines. The northern California native started learning to program at age 11, and at age 15 he had hacked into the website of a local internet service provider. Not wanting to cause any trouble, Kramer brought his findings to the company, saying he’d found a weakness in their website. He was worried he’d be facing charges, but instead, the company thanked him. “I quickly realized it was something that I could turn into a career,” he said. Kramer said it’s a common misconception that people treat computer hacking like “magic.” “It may appear very technically advanced … but at its core it’s just understanding the rules that a system follows and working around them in ways that aren’t expected,” Kramer said. That kind of problem solving is exactly what keeps Dylan Johnson, a senior cyber operations major, engaged in cyber security. Johnson’s reaction to hacking headlines is one of both intrigue and inspiration. He and his friends often have discussions on the ethics of international cyberattacks and what it might look like if international laws pertaining to cyber security were ever implemented. To catch the “bad guys” in cyberattacks, one has to understand how they operate, Kramer said. And while the hundreds of DSU students in cyber security are learning to operate like the bad guys, they’re ultimate goal is to help the good guys stay safe. “I really want to make sure,” Klosterman said. “Wherever I’m working, I can effect as much good change in the world as possible.” Catching Up With Sen. Mike Rounds, New Cyber Subpanel Chairman Politico, February 10, 2017 Sen. Mike Rounds is the newly appointed chairman of a freshly created Armed Services cybersecurity-focused subcommittee. His immediate priority? Figuring out the state of play, he told Tim in an interview. “The first part is a current assessment of where we are today,” he said, which means asking the Defense Department “where they see the lack of any policy that needs to be developed, where they see the need for either manpower or additional resources, and then have us go back through and dot the I’s and cross the T’s and agree or disagree with the recommendations.” It also means assessing where the United States stands in its capabilities compared with “both bad actors and peer competitors,” Rounds said. The South Dakota Republican said he isn’t most worried about any single threat, or any single country. “If there’s anything, it’s what I don’t know about,” Rounds said. “Where are they, and what capability do they have that we don’t know about?” But Rounds doesn’t have an easy answer for trying to identify the blind spots. “You do your due diligence,” Rounds said. “You allow folks that are smarter than us to figure it out with the resources they need.” Pros can read a full Q&A with Rounds next week. HAPPY FRIDAY and welcome to Morning Cybersecurity! Your MC host is stumbling across this cyber bullying meme more frequently of late. Sorta on topic, I guess. Send your thoughts, feedback and especially tips to tstarks@politico.com, and be sure to follow @timstarks, @POLITICOPro and @MorningCybersec. Full team info is below. MAYBE? FINALLY? — There’s a chance the long￾awaited cybersecurity executive order finally arrives today, but it’s increasingly likely the document will get kicked to next week, according to several people tracking the process. A recent draft has been publicly circulating since earlier this week, but the administration is still toying with numerous potential tweaks, according to multiple people with knowledge of the order’s development. That means there are other drafts under consideration that may emerge. The sense right now among some in the business community is that the document is moving in the right direction but still has flaws. Multiple people told MC they hoped to see some language changed before the document gets President Donald Trump’s signature. TOO SOON — Sen. Ben Cardin, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made his case Thursday for two Russia bills: one meant to strengthen sanctions on Russia and another to make it harder for the White House to offer sanctions relief. “It’s not just the attack on our country, on our free election,” Cardin said, citing a litany of Russian offenses. “It’s also what they might do in Western Europe.” But Chairman Bob Corker said it’s too soon, since Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has just taken office. “Having spent some time with Tillerson understanding FOIA CBP 000834 DHS-17-0435-B-000131 109 the route he’s planning to take to ratchet back what Russia is doing, I want to spend a little time making sure that what we do to strengthen his hand is appropriate,” Corker said. The pair did agree that Trump’s recent comments about Russian President Vladimir Putin, where Trump appeared to place Russia and the U.S. on similar moral standing, were wrong. “There is no equivalency whatsoever,” Cardin said. “I see no moral equivalence, none, between ourselves and actions Russia has taken,” Corker said. GOP SENATORS WANT ‘FIRM RESPONSE’ TO RUSSIA — Republican senators want Trump to set aside his admiration for Putin and take the Kremlin’s global aggression seriously. “We must recognize and counter the active cyber and information warfare Russia is conducting against the United States and Western democracies, including attempted interference in our democratic elections process,” wrote Sens. John Cornyn, Susan Collins, Joni Ernst, Cory Gardner, Jim Inhofe, Rob Portman, Mike Rounds and Todd Young in a letter to Trump on Thursday. The senators urged Trump to devise “a firm response” to malicious cyber activity and said it should include “diplomatic actions, economic consequences, as well as a strengthened military posture in Europe.” Cornyn is the No. 2 Senate Republican, Rounds is the chairman of the new Senate Armed Services Cybersecurity Subcommittee and Gardner chairs the Senate Foreign Relations international cyber policy subcommittee. WAR OF WORDS ON SCIENCE PANEL — The House Science Committee’s chairman is pushing back against what he calls the “bold hypocrisy” of a letter from senior committee Democrats asking for a hearing on White House cyber practices. The letter mentioned three areas of concern, including Trump’s apparent continued use of an insecure Android phone. And it pointedly noted the committee had previously probed federal cyber practices — including Hillary Clinton’s private email server. But Chairman Lamar Smith didn’t appreciate the letter’s implication that he might waver from his oversight role now that a Republican is president. “Just months ago, the ranking member [Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson], said that she was ‘outraged that the chairman is recklessly abusing the committee’s investigatory powers’ and that she believed that the committee ‘desperately needs to get back to the work of ensuring continued American leadership in science and innovation and the legitimate oversight of our research and development enterprise,’” Smith said in a statement provided to MC. “Despite the bold hypocrisy evidenced in the ranking member’s letter, the committee intends to ensure strong cybersecurity protocols are implemented across the federal government.” Asked if Smith’s statement meant that he would specifically investigate the White House practices outlined in the letter, a spokesman responded, “The committee will continue to monitor cyber issues across the government as they arise.” DID THE WHITE HOUSE FIRE ITS CISO? — The Trump White House may have recently lost its chief information security officer. ZDNet reported Thursday that Cory Louie, who has coordinated the digital protection of all White House IT assets since August 2015, was either fired or forced to resign last week. “He was escorted out from his office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building across the street from the West Wing,” according to the publication. One source said Louie’s departure was part of a “witch hunt” targeting appointees of former President Barack Obama. Neither Louie nor the White House responded to MC’s requests for comment. The White House CISO is different from the recently created post of federal CISO, which has a broader, policy-oriented portfolio. Greg Touhill, the first federal CISO, left at the end of the Obama administration. HOT BEEF AND DATA BREACH — Arby’s on Thursday acknowledged a data breach that quickly became the latest volley in a long-running industry feud over data breach notification standards. Industry groups and both parties in Congress have long agreed companies need one federal rule on when they must notify customers following a cyber intrusion. Companies currently deal with a confusing, costly and time-consuming patchwork of 47 state laws. But retailers and financial firms have been at loggerheads over the details of the bill. Retailers are wary of Congress foisting too many banking security rules on them, but financial firms say it’s unfair that they’re currently held to a higher standard for security. On Thursday, the National Association of Federally￾Insured Credit Unions pounced on the Arby’s news, first reported by the cybersecurity blog KrebsOnSecurity. “The continuing saga of retail data breaches have become a national nightmare,” said Dan Berger, CEO of NAFCU. “The lack of a national standard of protection for merchants makes it easier for them.” Berger argued that “Congress must act to implement national data security standards for retailers now.” Capitol Hill is unlikely to address the issue this year, though. ADVICE FROM A CYBER ALLY — The former president of Estonia, a tiny Eastern European country that has become a nexus for cybersecurity work, isn’t worried about the effect that Trump will have on U.S. cyber innovation. “It’s such a big threat to the security of the United States that the United States, regardless of who is president, will have the best and the brightest,” Toomas Hendrik Ilves, who led Estonia from 2006 to 2016, told MC at a Wednesday night event celebrating the launch of the Tallinn Manual 2.0. The document, named for the capital of Estonia, presents expert opinions on the applicability of international law to cyberspace. “The threats are real to security, with farther-reaching effects than anything you can ascribe to terrorism,” Ilves said. FOIA CBP 000835 DHS-17-0435-B-000132 110 “You can really take down the United States with a well-done cyberattack.” Ilves has some experience with the subject. In 2007, six months into his presidency, Russian hackers launched massive distributed denial-of-service attacks against a wide array of Estonian targets and nearly brought the digitally dependent country to a halt. The experience validated Estonia’s previous warnings about the need for international cyber cooperation. In 2008, experts set up a NATO-accredited cyber defense center in Tallinn. “Given that the president’s responsibility is the security of the nation,” Ilves told MC, “the best and the brightest will be involved [in] guaranteeing the security of digitally based infrastructure in the U.S. It’s too important a mission.” TWEET OF THE DAY — Someone needs to read more D.C. media! QUICK BYTES — “President Donald Trump is unlikely to withdraw the United States from international efforts to achieve stability in cyberspace, the head of a NATO-backed cyber program told POLITICO.” — “A federal judge currently in the spotlight for blocking President Donald Trump’s travel ban executive order is now questioning the constitutionality of secrecy orders that accompany government surveillance demands.” POLITICO. — Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn did talk sanctions with Russia before the president took office, current and former officials say, despite prior denials. The Washington Post. — The Army is now looking at direct commissions for civilian cyber experts. Stars and Stripes. — Stratfor tries to make sense of the Russian cyber arrests. — Denmark is also worried about Russia’s hacking capabilities. The Associated Press. — The Marine Corps wants a 12,000 force increase, driven in part by cyber posts. Military.com. — Accenture made another cybersecurity acquisition. Washington Technology. — Many see Tom Bossert as the cyber voice of reason in the Trump White House. Wired. — An American child apparently confessed to a cyberattack on the Brussels airport after last spring’s suicide bombings. Independent. — ISIL supporters fear malware targeting them via the Telegram messaging app. CyberScoop. — The Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity announced 2017 research grants. That’s all for today. You stinky LOBBO. Stay in touch with the whole team: Cory Bennett (cbennett@politico.com, @Cory_Bennett); Bryan Bender (bbender@politico.com, @BryanDBender); Eric Geller (egeller@politico.com, @ericgeller); Martin Matishak (mmatishak@politico.com, @martinmatishak) and Tim Starks (tstarks@politico.com, @timstarks). Homeland Security To Unveil 12 New Tools At Cyber Conference NextGov, February 10, 2017 The Homeland Security Department’s science and technology division will be showing off a dozen new cyber tools developed with DHS funds at next week’s RSA cybersecurity conference in San Francisco. The tools range from helping organizations join forces against malware attacks to offering secure connections to Bluetooth devices. The division described the tools as “mature cybersecurity technology solutions ready for pilot deployment and commercialization.” Here’s a rundown, provided by DHS: AS-Rank: A tool that ranks autonomous systems and organizations in support of internet security, stability, situational awareness and resilience. CHARIOT: A tool that filters open-source social media to eliminate topics irrelevant to cybersecurity analysts. CodeDNA: A scalable, shareable technology that facilitates community-based defense against malware attacks. DDNR: A set of machine-learning algorithms designed to detect system patterns that deviate from normal operation and to respond appropriately. ImmuneSoft: A hybrid static and runtime approach to detecting and healing vulnerabilities in embedded systems. Internet Atlas: A geographic representation of the physical internet, including nodes, conduits/links and relevant metadata. QUASAR: A threat intelligence and decision support platform that provides cyber defense planners visualization and quantitative analytics to determine the security impact of deploying defenses. REDUCE: A toolset that allows cybersecurity analysts to rapidly discover relationships between malware samples, extract temporal threat intelligence and develop actionable signatures for known and emerging threats. REnigma: A tool that reverse-engineers malware. SilentAlarm: An inference-based technology for detecting abnormal network traffic that depends on dynamic network behavior knowledge. Virtual Mobile Infrastructure: A secure platform that provides no data at rest on mobile devices, enabling secure access from any device to applications and enterprise data running in a data center or cloud environment. ZeroPoint: A platform that provides highly effective, high-throughput, next-generation detection and diagnostics of FOIA CBP 000836 DHS-17-0435-B-000133 111 exploit payloads embedded in documents distributed via email and the web. House Homeland Security Committee Plans Cyber Hearing Next Month By Morgan Chalfant The Hill, February 10, 2017 The House Homeland Security Committee is planning a hearing on cybersecurity threats early next month, The Hill has learned. The committee is expected to hold a full hearing on the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) cyber defenses and threats to the U.S. on March 1, according to a committee aide. The hearing will be the committee’s first focusing on cybersecurity since the intelligence community concluded that Russia engaged in a cyber and disinformation campaign aimed at influencing the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The hearing will not focus on the Russian election hacks but will instead cover the full scope of the threat landscape, touching on cyber threats from Russia, China, North Korea and other hostile actors, the aide said. Hackers tied to North Korea’s government made waves with the breach of Sony Pictures’ computer systems in 2014, in retaliation for the Hollywood studio’s production of the movie “The Interview,” which mocked leader Kim Jong Un. The massive Office of Personnel Management hack detected in 2015, in which more than 20 million people had their personal data stolen, has been traced to hackers in China. In March, committee members will receive expert testimony on the DHS’s civilian cyber defenses, the aide said. Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) has made cyber a top priority, pushing for reforms and reorganization at the DHS in order to boost the department’s ability to protect the nation and its critical infrastructure from cyber intrusions. Lawmakers have been increasingly eager to get input on U.S. cyber weaknesses and threats, especially in the wake of the breaches of computer systems used by the Democratic National Committee and former Hillary Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta during last year’s presidential campaign. Various Senate committees have held hearings on the breaches traced to Russia. The Senate Armed Services Committee has also formed a new subcommittee to oversee the Pentagon’s cyber capabilities. While President Trump has talked about making changes on cybersecurity policy, he has yet to sign a cyber executive order that was pulled last week without explanation. Russia Suspected Over Hacking Attack On Italian Foreign Ministry The Guardian (UK), February 10, 2017 Russia is suspected by Italian officials of being behind a sustained hacking attack against the Italian foreign ministry last year that compromised email communications and lasted for many months before it was detected, according to people familiar with the matter. An Italian government official confirmed that the attack took place last spring and lasted for more than four months but did not infiltrate an encrypted system used for classified communications. Paolo Gentiloni, the Italian prime minister who was serving as foreign minister at the time, was not affected by the hack, according to the official, who said Gentiloni avoided using email while he was foreign minister. The foreign ministry’s “field offices”, including embassies and staff members who report back to Rome about meetings with foreign officials, were affected by the malware attack. But the government official said sensitive information had not been compromised because it would also have been encrypted. The official did not confirm that Moscow was behind the attack. But two other people with knowledge of the attack said the Russian state was believed to have been behind it. The hacking is now the subject of an inquiry by the chief prosecutor in Rome. “There were no attacks on the encrypted level. So the information – delicate, sensitive information – that is usually shared in this net, which is restricted by code, has never been attacked or part of this attack,” the government official said. The person said that after the attack was discovered, the foreign ministry modified its online “architecture” and introduced new instruments to enhance internal security. The official declined to comment on how the intrusion was detected. The revelation comes amid heightened concerns that Russia has targeted Nato members, including the US, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Bulgaria, as part of a cyber campaign that seeks to weaken the governments of those countries and disrupt critical infrastructure. In the US, intelligence agencies have blamed Russian government-sponsored hacking groups for breaching the Democratic National Committee and officials in Hillary Clinton’s campaign during the 2016 presidential elections, in part to try to help Donald Trump win the White House. People who discussed the matter with the Guardian on condition of anonymity said they believed the attack against the foreign ministry was an attempt to gain insight into decision-making within the Italian government. If Russia did attack Italy, it was targeting a country generally considered less hostile to it than other EU countries such as Germany or the UK. While Italy has supported sanctions against Russia that were imposed following the annexation of Crimea, the government under former prime FOIA CBP 000837 DHS-17-0435-B-000134 112 minister Matteo Renzi strongly opposed a proposal to levy new sanctions against Moscow for its role in the Syrian conflict. News of the hacking could stoke concerns that Russia may seek to influence the next Italian election, which could be called as early as June. In an interview with the Guardian late last year, a foreign diplomat in Rome questioned whether the current centre-left government, which will face a tough re￾election challenge, had prepared itself for possible interference by Russia. The government’s main opposition, the anti￾establishment Five Star Movement, has adopted pro-Russian positions on topics ranging from Vladimir Putin’s military intervention in Syria, to his invasion of Ukraine, to a call for Italy to lift sanctions against Russia and reassess its commitment to Nato. A representative of the Russian government was quoted by Ansa, the Italian news agency, as saying the allegations were unproven.”There are no facts that prove this statement,” Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for the Russian foreign ministry, said in a WhatsApp message in response to a question about the veracity of the hacking allegation. Raffaele Marchetti, a political scientist and cybersecurity expert at LUISS University in Rome, said Italy had stepped up its attention to security recently and that he had been encouraged by the appointment of Marco Minniti as interior minister because of Minniti’s expertise on the cyber issue. “But of course much more needs to be done and implemented,” Marchetti said. Italy’s vulnerability to cyber-attacks was exposed earlier this year following the arrest of a brother-sister hacking duo who were accused of trying to illegally gain access to the email accounts of Renzi when he was prime minister, as well as several other prominent Italian politicians and business executives. Giulio Occhionero and his sister Francesca Maria, who was born in the US and is an American citizen, maintained servers in the US that were seized by the FBI as part of the investigation. The servers are due to be sent to Italy and officials have said the extent of the pair’s alleged crimes will only be known once the servers are examined. While they are not believed to have gained access to Renzi’s email account, there is deep suspicion within the security community in Italy that the two were likely working with or on behalf of other foreign or domestic interests. The two are still being held in jail. Their lawyers have denied the siblings committed any wrongdoing. Foreign Hacker Gets 8 Years In $55M US Scam Case Philly (PA), February 10, 2017 A prolific foreign hacker behind sophisticated cyberattacks that netted an estimated $55 million was sentenced Friday to eight years in prison in rare win for law enforcement officials who have identified, but failed to arrest, hundreds of others like him. Prosecutors in federal court in Brooklyn had sought up to 14 years behind bars for Ercan Findikoglu, a Russian￾speaking Turkish national so skilled with computers that he tracked the sprawling international heist in real-time to make sure a small army of thieves wouldn’t cheat him out of his share of the proceeds. U.S. District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto opted for the lesser sentence after noting that Findikoglu could serve another 19 years in Turkey for an unrelated cyber theft. “I could have used my skills for something good,” Findikoglu said before hearing his sentence. “Instead, I wasted them. ... I only have myself to blame.” He also wiped away tears while describing his anguish over being separated from his Russian wife and 5-year-old in Turkey, where they’ve have been denied U.S visas needed to visit him. “It is tragic that he has not and will not see his son,” the judge said. Before his capture by the U.S. Secret Service, Findikoglu had gone to great lengths to obscure his cyber fingerprints and stay out of the reach of American law, according to court papers. It wasn’t until Findikoglu made an ill-advised trip to Germany in December 2013 that he was arrested at the request of U.S. authorities. After losing a court challenge, he was eventually extradited. Foreign hackers “know their safe havens and some are more challenging to get to,” said Robert Sica, who retired last year as the special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s New York field office. “Inevitably they make a mistake.” According to prosecutors, Findikoglu masterminded three complex financial crimes by hacking into different credit card processors, eliminating the limits on prepaid cards and then texting access codes to crews of so-called “cashers” who within hours withdrew thousands of dollars from ATMs. In one December 2012 hack, they say, 5,000 cashers in 20 countries withdrew a total of $5 million – including $400,000 in 700 transactions from 140 New York ATMs – in less than three hours, according to court papers. A percentage of the stolen cash was then kicked back to Findikoglu via wire transfers and deliveries to co￾conspirators in Turkey, Romania and Ukraine, prosecutors charge. FOIA CBP 000838 DHS-17-0435-B-000135 113 The Secret Service investigates financial crimes committed by international hackers. The FBI goes after state￾sponsored hackers in counter-intelligence cases and has faced similar difficulties putting foreigners behind bars. In 2014, U.S. authorities indicted five members of the Chinese military on hacking charges, though experts say it’s unlikely they’ll ever be extradited to the U.S. Russian hacker Evgeniy Mikhailovich Bogachev is on the FBI’s most-wanted list, has a $3 million bounty on his head and is believed to be living freely in Russia. Regis Cybersecurity Exercise Shows Trainees What A “malicious Attack” Can Do Denver Post, February 12, 2017 The red team found a way into the network through a computer running Windows XP and took the dam down. Had it been a cyberattack on a real dam, it would have been a catastrophe. Instead, it was a part of a training exercise conducted by Regis University, the state, and the Colorado Army and Air Force National Guard. Those attending the two-day weekend exercise learned “what a malicious actor may be doing to your network,” said Laura Cobert, chief warrant officer in the Guard’s cyber protection team. The exercises, which began four years ago, are conducted twice yearly. This particular exercise was based on a real cyberattack against a small dam in upstate New York that was conducted by Iran, said Jeremy Lammon, master sergeant in the Air National Guard. Although the 2013 attack showed Iran was capable of hacking into the dam, there was no serious damage. “It just showed that it could be done.” No one realized the attack had happened until last year, Lammon said. On many cyberattacks, it takes an average of 350 days before it comes to the victim’s attention, “and usually you find out when somebody says, “Hey, by the way, I found your data online.” Besides the Guard, representatives of the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, several water departments, private businesses and five states attended. The exercises offer a chance to get those responsible for protecting cyber infrastructure together, so they can build relationships, said Daniel Massey, program manager in the Department of Homeland Security’s cybersecurity division. “When something goes wrong, that is the wrong time to exchange business cards,” said Daniel Likarish, director of Regis’ Center on Information Assurance Studies. “This helps build a community of interest and practice. And if there is an event, there is trust already established,” Likarish said. Cyber warriors look for weaknesses in systems linked to larger networks. Some small local governments have small one- or two-person information technology shops, but they can provide access to state networks or other large systems. “It’s a back-door strategy. An attack isn’t going to be at the front gate. We find a machine that wasn’t properly secured.” Democrats Call For Probe Into White House’s Cybersecurity Practices FedScoop, February 10, 2017 Democratic members of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology are calling for a probe into the White House’s cybersecurity practices, according to a letter. Reps. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, Dan Lipinski, D-Ill., and Don Beyer, D-Va., signed and sent a letter to the committee’s Republican leadership requesting a hearing on the matter. “The current administration, in its short time in office, has shown a shocking disregard for cybersecurity practices,” reads the letter to to Lamar Smith, R-Texas., Darin LaHood, R-Ill., and Barbara Comstock, R-Va. “Given your previous investigations of cybersecurity practices at multiple federal agencies, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and Federal Reserve Board, and with respect to former Secretary Clinton’s private email server, we trust you will be equally concerned with any and all careless cybersecurity practices of the Trump Administration.” Johnson, Lipinski and Beyer take issue with President Donald Trump’s reported use of an insecure, outdated Android smartphone and also questioned the security measures which were previously in place to protect the administration’s various Twitter accounts, including the @POTUS and @realDonaldTrump handle. Government Twitter accounts are often used to announce official news and policies. Tweets from Trump’s personal account have in the past affected public stock prices and defined the news cycle. Active email accounts belonging to top Trump aides, including spokesman Sean Spicer and Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, were recently linked back to an old, reportedly compromised Republican National Committee email system. FBI Director James Comey previously said that Russian intelligence services had hacked into defunct RNC email servers. It remains unclear whether any Trump aide uses their old RNC email account. State-sponsored Hackers Targeting Prominent Journalists, Google Warns By By Daniel Lippman FOIA CBP 000839 DHS-17-0435-B-000136 114 Politico, February 10, 2017 Google has warned a number of prominent journalists that state-sponsored hackers are attempting to steal their passwords and break into their inboxes, the journalists tell POLITICO. Jonathan Chait of New York Magazine said he received several messages from Google warning him about an attack from a government-backed hacker starting shortly after the election. He said the most recent warning came two to three weeks ago. Julia Ioffe, who recently started at The Atlantic and has covered Russia for years, said she got warnings as recently as two weeks ago. (See one of the warnings: http://bit.ly/2kMUyRb) Some journalists getting the warnings say they suspect the hackers could be Russians looking to find incriminating emails they could leak to embarrass journalists, either by revealing alleged liberal bias or to expose the sausage￾making of D.C. journalism. “The fact that all this started right after the election suggests to me that journalists are the next wave to be targeted by state-sponsored hackers in the way that Democrats were during it,” said one journalist who got the warning. “I worry that the outcome is going to be the same: Someone, somewhere, is going to get hacked, and then the contents of their gmail will be weaponized against them — and by extension all media.” The Russian embassy did not respond to a request for comment. Google cautioned that the warnings did not mean the accounts had been compromised already and were sent due to “an abundance of caution.” “Since 2012, we’ve notified users when we believe their Google accounts are being targeted by government-backed attackers,” said a Google spokesperson in a statement. “We send these warnings out of an abundance of caution — they do not indicate that a user’s account has already been compromised or that a more widespread attack is occurring when they receive the notice.” Ezra Klein, the founder of Vox, said he had received the warning as recently as a few days back. CNN senior media reporter Brian Stelter said he has been getting the alerts for the past few months. Other journalists who confirmed they’ve recently gotten the warnings include New York Times national security correspondent David Sanger, Times columnist Paul Krugman and Yahoo Washington bureau chief Garance Franke-Ruta. GQ special contributor Keith Olbermann said the warnings started a few weeks after the election, and he received the most recent alert earlier this week, a “big bright red bar” across the top of his Gmail. Some of the reporters say they are tightening up their email security to try to prevent the hackers from getting in. Chait also said he was “contacted over email by a stranger who offered to help me by giving me an encryption key to protect me from hackers. He would not give me his name, meet me or talk on the phone, despite repeated requests.” The stranger also emailed The Atlantic’s David Frum, James Fallows and Adam Serwer, Andrew Sullivan and Ars Technica’s Dan Goodin. Stanford professor Michael McFaul, the former U.S. ambassador to Russia, said he also received hacking warnings from Google. He added: “Given my background, one would have to guess that it’s the Russians.” NATIONAL SECURITY NEWS Report Rebuts Russia’s Claims Of Restraint In Syrian Bombing Campaign By Michael R. Gordon New York Times, February 12, 2017 WASHINGTON — Russian military officials have vociferously denied that their airstrikes have killed civilians in Syria, going so far as to say that eyewitness accounts that a major hospital was bombed last year in the brutal fight to retake Aleppo were mere fabrications. But a new analysis that draws on satellite images, security camera videos, social media and even footage from the Kremlin-backed Russian television network has challenged Moscow’s claims that its airstrikes on behalf of the Syrian military were an exercise in prudent restraint. The analysis shows that the hospital, contrary to claims by a Russian general, was bombed multiple times. It indicates that Russian aircraft used incendiary munitions and cluster bombs, despite the Kremlin’s denials, and concludes that Syrian forces used chlorine gas on a far greater scale than is commonly believed. The analysis is presented in a report, “Breaking Aleppo,” which is to be made public on Monday by the Atlantic Council, a Washington-based policy research center. The report comes as President Trump has signaled an interest in forging better connections with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, which could include working more closely with the Russian military in Syria. “Throughout the entire length of the battle for Aleppo, there have been multiple claims of violations of human rights and multiple denials,” said Eliot Higgins, a senior fellow at the Digital Forensic Research Lab of the Atlantic Council. “What we have been able to present now is a wealth of evidence confirming the targeting of civilian structures, namely hospitals, which in certain cases has been denied by the Russian Ministry of Defense,” he added. “We have been able to confirm the use in civilian areas of a variety of indiscriminate weapons.” FOIA CBP 000840 DHS-17-0435-B-000137 115 Syrian forces, backed by Hezbollah fighters, Iran’s paramilitary Quds Force and Russian air power, took Aleppo in late December. The capture of the city was an important milestone that gave the government of President Bashar al￾Assad control over all of Syria’s major cities and strengthened Moscow’s hand in discussions over the country’s future. But while the Atlantic Council report acknowledges that his victory in Aleppo has solidified Mr. Assad’s hold on power, at least for now, it argues that the ruthless strategy and tactics used by the Syrian and Russian governments would make the Syrian president “a poor if not harmful partner” in efforts to defeat the Islamic State and other extremist groups. Experts at the Atlantic Council have long urged the United States to do more to protect civilians in Syria and support the moderate opposition. In the report, the group employs hard evidence, including satellite images from DigitalGlobe, a commercial satellite company, fresh accounts from Syrian activists on the ground and photography published by Russia’s Defense Ministry. Much of the analysis of the photos and social media was done by Mr. Higgins, a Britain-based researcher who founded the investigative website bellingcat.com. A reconstruction of one key episode — the July 16 bombing of another hospital, known as M2, in the Maadi district — was carried out by Forensic Architecture, a research organization at Goldsmiths, University of London, which was asked to take an independent look at the video and photographic evidence of the bombing. Aleppo was divided in July 2012 between government￾and opposition-controlled areas. With the support of Russia, the Assad government began a major offensive in September of last year to take the city. Fragile and temporary cease-fires were used by the Syrians and their allies to prepare fresh offensives, which, despite Russian and Syrian denials, often targeted civilian areas. One claim that the Atlantic Council report challenges was issued by Lt. Gen. Sergei F. Rudskoi, the head of the operations directorate of the Russian general staff, who insisted in October that no damage had been done to the al￾Sakhour hospital in a Russian bombing raid. To buttress his case, General Rudskoi displayed satellite photos that he said had been taken between Sept. 24 and Oct. 11. Eyewitness accounts to the contrary, he added, were “mere fakes.” But a comparison of DigitalGlobe satellite photos taken on Sept. 25 and Oct. 13, the Atlantic Council report notes, shows the emergence of a large bomb crater near the hospital, also known as M10, and damage to the hospital building. Security camera videos from inside the hospital offer corroborating evidence of an Oct. 3 attack, as does a photo from the street by a local resident. The report concludes that there were several reasons to think the attacks on the medical centers were deliberate, including the large number of strikes, the Assad government’s knowledge of the terrain, and the Syrian government’s practice of confiscating medical supplies from humanitarian aid convoys. The M2 hospital was damaged by air and artillery strikes at least a dozen times between June and December. Other photographic evidence points to the use of incendiary munitions and cluster bombs. The Kremlin-backed television channel, Russia Today, provided some of the evidence in video footage it showed in June that had been taken at a Russian air base near Latakia, Syria. (The version of the report that was later uploaded to YouTube deleted the images of the weapons being mounted on a Russian warplane.) When a Russian team later entered eastern Aleppo to clear away unexploded ordnance, a photograph published by the Russian Defense Ministry showed the remains of cluster bombs, the Atlantic Council report notes. A variety of reports from victims and video on YouTube indicate that Syrian government attacks with chlorine gas increased in the final phase of the battle for Aleppo. One video “showed a chlorine gas cylinder with its labels intact,” the report said. The use of chlorine bombs by the Syrian government, Mr. Higgins said, continued even after reports confirming their use were made by the United Nations and an international watchdog organization in The Hague that enforces the ban on the use of chemical agents in war. Hezbollah Supports Syria Ceasefire And Political Talks By Ellen Francis Reuters, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Syrian Opposition Picks Delegation To Geneva Talks By Suleiman Al-Khalidi And Tom Perry Reuters, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Inter-Shi’ite Tension Mounts In Baghdad After Clashes By Huda Majeed And Ahmed Rasheed Reuters, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. FOIA CBP 000841 DHS-17-0435-B-000138 116 Fireballs And Booby Traps: On The Front Lines With The Oil Workers Battling ISIS By Peter Holley Washington Post, February 12, 2017 QAYYARAH, Iraq — The flames exploded into the sky like a volcanic eruption, blanketing a swath of the Iraqi countryside in a noxious haze of black smoke. The inferno reached more than 300 feet high on a recent afternoon when the wind shifted direction, bending the billowing wall of fire toward the men from Iraq’s North Oil Co. on the ground below. Within seconds, a fast-moving cloud of hot gas and thick smoke washed over the work site, blotting out the sun and sending workers and engineers scurrying for safety. Some of the men sprinted toward their vehicles; others took cover in corrugated tin sheds, where they patiently waited for the wind to change direction so they could return to the work without being burned alive. It was just another day in the life of an Iraqi oil worker. “If hell is fire, then this place is hell on Earth,” said Ayad al-Jboory, 42, assistant chief geologist for the North Oil Co. “It looks like the end of the world.” Fifty miles north in Mosul, beleaguered Islamic State fighters have lost control of half of their last major stronghold as Iraqi security forces advance. But at least five of the 25 oil well fires left in the militants’ wake still rage, according to Reuters, forming a second front in the battle for Iraq that is no less dangerous for the proud men involved. Each well is a battle unto itself, revealing the militants’ willingness to harness chaotic destruction as a weapon. Oil workers are fond of saying that the best protective clothing when battling a stubborn blaze is distance. In that case, the 100 or so men manning Well 77 several miles outside Qayyarah work so close to the flames that they might as well be naked. Their goal sounds simple enough: control the fire, stop the oil leak, cap the well and move on to the next one. The reality of the job is far more complicated. Aside from the unpredictable flames, poisonous gases and rapidly changing conditions, the men from the North Oil Co. — most of whom are from Kirkuk and Irbil — toil for long hours using equipment prone to overheating and failure. There is also the ever-present threat of booby traps and explosive devices, which are still being found around damaged wells. The men — wearing tar-stained clothing, helmets and sometimes only scarves to cover their faces — keep photos of the homemade bombs on their cellphones to show family members and friends. “This is a dangerous job — too hard,” said Mohammed Marouf, a 40-year-old firefighter and father of four from Kirkuk. “My wife and my children know it’s a hard job and it’s not safe, and my wife wants to know why I won’t stop. I tell her I am doing this for the future of our country. “This is good for Iraq,” he added. The Islamic State “made hundreds of millions of dollars” by selling oil on the black market after capturing oil fields in Iraq and Syria in 2014, according to U.S. government estimates cited by Reuters. Before Iraqi security forces retook this area in August, Islamic State fighters placed explosives at about 20 wells, and snipers detonated them from afar. Experts say the militants may have many reasons for setting the flames. “They tend to just do things to cause destruction and, basically, just to be nasty,” Oxfam spokeswoman Amy Christian said. “They’ll destroy water plants so there’s no access to clean drinking water, for example.” Hamza al-Jawahiri, an official in the Iraqi Oil Ministry, said oil workers have fully repaired about half of the wells destroyed by the Islamic State. Collectively, he said, the damaged wells can produce 50,000 to 60,000 barrels of oil a day, much of which is bitumen — a particularly thick grade of crude used primarily in road construction. All of the wells place the workers in extreme danger — for wages of about $50 a day. “The biggest challenge that the workers are facing right now is the security situation, since they are working very close to a battlefield full of IEDs that have to be defused,” Jawahiri said. “There’s also the bad weather conditions. Working with huge fires means the wind can be deadly sometimes.” To date, workers said, no location had presented more problems than Well 77, where they have been trying to contain the flames for months. When they arrived here, the men said, the Islamic State was still lobbing mortars at the well. Now, they had another problem: The well was badly damaged and unusually deep, causing equipment to break, disgorging toxic gases and unleashing at the surface a massive column of fire so intensely hot that it could singe the skin of a person 100 yards away. Engineers on the ground estimated that the well was burning between 500 and 1,000 barrels of oil a day. The battle was slow and exhausting, with firefighters aiming a stream of water at the wellhead while a backhoe struggled to remove rocks, tar and flaming sand that was being dumped at the men’s feet. The goal, workers said, was to control the fire so they could move close enough to the wellhead to inject it with water and then cement, plugging the subterranean column permanently. Progress ended when the backhoe overheated, forcing the men to drive it away from the fire and cool the machine with jets of water. It was the middle of January, and the temperature was in the low 50s. Last summer, the men said, they battled flames under a scorching sun in heat that topped 120 degrees. FOIA CBP 000842 DHS-17-0435-B-000139 117 The men work from sunrise to sunset, taking a midday break to eat lunch and pray under the billowing tower of smoke and fire. There have been injuries and burns over the past few months, but so far, supervisors said, nobody had been killed. Parked among the trucks and digging equipment, an ambulance is always on call. Despite the perilous conditions, Jboory said, his men volunteered for the job, mostly because of national pride but also out of contempt for the Islamic State. Asked what it will be like when the well is finally capped, the engineer beamed. “Like Christmas,” he said. “The men are sacrificing everything to do this job — just like a soldier,” Jboory added. “This is another way to fight ISIS. We already hate them, but each day under this fire and smoke, we hate them even more.” Afghan Official Says Joint Raid Killed 22 Civilians By Mirwais Khan Associated Press, February 12, 2017 KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AP) – Afghan officials and local residents said Sunday that 22 civilians, mostly women and children, were killed during a joint operation carried out by U.S. and Afghan forces last week in the southern Helmand province. The presidential envoy for security in Helmand, Jabar Qahraman, said the raid against Taliban insurgents in the Sangin district killed 13 people from one family and nine from another. “We are saddened to hear the news of civilians being killed,” he said. “When the Taliban use civilians as their shield against security forces, such incidents occur.” U.S. Navy Cpt. Bill Salvin, a military spokesman, said “we are working diligently to determine whether civilians were killed or injured as a result of U.S. airstrikes” carried out to support Afghan forces in and around Sangin. The investigation is “continuing and has not reached any conclusions,” he added in a written statement. The U.N. mission in Afghanistan meanwhile expressed “grave concern” at the violence in Helmand, saying its initial inquiries suggest airstrikes by international forces killed at least 18 civilians, “nearly all women and children.” Hameed Gul, a local resident, said he lost nine members of his family, including his mother and sister, in Thursday’s raid. “It’s all lie that they were attacking the Taliban,” he told The Associated Press in the Helmand provincial capital, Lashkar Gah, where he was staying at the time of the raid. Kareem Atal, the head of the provincial council in Helmand, said a man, two women and two children who were wounded in the raid have been brought to Lashkar Gah for treatment. Helmand has seen months of heavy fighting between Afghan forces and the Taliban, who have repeatedly attacked Lashkar Gah. A suicide bomber targeting soldiers in the city on Saturday killed at least seven people. The Taliban have stepped up attacks across Afghanistan since the U.S. and NATO formally concluded their combat mission at the end of 2014, leaving a smaller contingent of troops behind to focus on training and counterterrorism. --- Associated Press writer Rahim Faiez in Kabul, Afghanistan contributed to this report. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Coalition Air Strikes Killed 18 Afghan Civilians, U.N. Says By Josh Smith Reuters, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Netanyahu Heads To US Seeking To Reset Ties After Obama Years By David Wainer Bloomberg Politics, February 12, 2017 The Obama years sprang some unwanted surprises on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – like secret nuclear talks with Iran. This week, in his first White House visit with President Donald Trump, Netanyahu’s priority will be to make sure Israel is kept in the loop and that the two countries’ positions are generally aligned, according to Michael Oren, Israel’s ambassador to the U.S. for much of Barack Obama’s term. “The overriding goal will be to restore the relationship so that there are no surprises and no daylight,” said Oren, now a deputy minister in the prime minister’s office. “He’ll want to restore the alliance and make sure the U.S. is, above all, standing by Israel and working together with Israel to fight common threats.” Netanyahu is trying to recalibrate ties with Israel’s top ally after eight years of high-profile clashes with Obama. He sees a chance for a warmer relationship with Trump, who shares his alarm over the Iran nuclear deal and Islamist FOIA CBP 000843 DHS-17-0435-B-000140 118 extremists. Sunday evening, after a Cabinet discussion about the trip, the prime minister’s office said by text that the two leaders would discuss Iran, Syria and the Palestinians, and relations with the new administration. “All the ministers agreed on the great importance of tightening the relations with the United States,” Netanyahu’s office said in the statement, “both on the governmental level and the personal level.” Chemistry Lesson Trump, in an interview published Sunday in the Israel Hayom newspaper, called the prime minister “a good man” and said the two have “always had good chemistry.” But there could be some hiccups. The White House has sent mixed messages on Israeli settlements – saying existing ones are not an obstacle to peace but new ones are unhelpful – and seems in no hurry to fulfill a campaign pledge to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv, a measure likely to anger Palestinians and Muslims elsewhere. Trump himself sharpened that theme with Israel Hayom, telling the paper – bankrolled by Netanyahu’s billionaire supporter Sheldon Adelson – he’s “not somebody that believes that going forward with these settlements is a good thing for peace.” He said he was “studying” the proposed embassy move, and “we will see what happens.” Netanyahu is facing pressure from the settlement movement and his chief political rival, Education Minister Naftali Bennett of the Jewish Home party, to push for more construction, annex parts of the West Bank and disavow his commitment to Palestinian statehood. On Sunday the prime minister acknowledged the “great excitement” the visit had caused among settlement supporters, but also said it wasn’t realistic to think Israel would be able to build without limits and that it was important not to provoke the new administration, Channel 2 television reported. More likely, according to a senior official close to the prime minister, is that Netanyahu will outline for Trump his vision of a demilitarized Palestinian state with land swaps, and give the new president time to form a coherent policy on the issue. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential conversations. Valued Ally Netanyahu “will probably try to tell Trump that Israel won’t surprise him,” said Joshua Teitelbaum of the Begin￾Sadat Center for Strategic Studies outside Tel Aviv. “It’s all about coordinating and reducing unnecessary surprises.” Even if Trump and Netanyahu don’t agree on everything, the simple optics of improved relations can be important. By showing Israel is a valued ally, the U.S. gives the Jewish state leverage with its neighbors, said Israel Katz, who serves as intelligence minister in Netanyahu’s cabinet. “Countries in the region understand we are an agent that they need to be close to the U.S.” Katz said in an interview in Tel Aviv. “We are seeing several examples of this already happening, with Israel acting as a go-between with countries in the region and the U.S.” In December, Israel enlisted Trump to try to quash a United Nations Security Council resolution condemning Israeli settlements. While Egypt pulled the initial draft, other countries sponsored it and it passed after the Obama administration rejected Trump’s call to veto the measure. Last week’s trip to London offered a snapshot of Netanyahu’s priorities. After meeting with U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May, whose support he sought for new sanctions against Iran, Netanyahu was asked by reporters whether the settlement construction Israel has announced since Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration – more than 6,000 units in the West Bank and East Jerusalem – had been coordinated with Trump. The prime minister said the White House had been briefed. “We do not surprise our friends,” he said. “We keep them updated.” Netanyahu’s Meeting With Trump To Set Tone For US-Israel Relations By Ian Fisher New York Times, February 12, 2017 JERUSALEM — As President Trump appeared to shift closer to the political center on several contentious policies on Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested on Sunday that it was unrealistic to expect their two countries to agree completely on all issues. But amid growing challenges from the right, Mr. Netanyahu said he was the strongest leader to navigate the relationship — the nation’s most important, yet often its trickiest. The Israeli leader’s comments came the night before he leaves for Washington for his first face-to-face meeting with Mr. Trump as president. While Mr. Trump at first appeared to give Israel’s leaders carte blanche — he remained silent, for example, as the nation announced the construction of thousands of new homes in the occupied West Bank — he has since said he does not believe that “going forward with these settlements is a good thing for peace.” And on Sunday, Mr. Netanyahu was quoted on Army Radio telling members of his right-wing Likud Party that “to believe there are no restrictions now would be a mistake.” The meeting with Mr. Trump on Wednesday is expected to set the tone for the American-Israeli relationship, which was notably frosty under President Barack Obama because of Israeli settlements in occupied territory, Israel’s vehement opposition to the nuclear deal with Iran and personality clashes with Mr. Netanyahu. Although Mr. Trump’s comments on the settlements have tamped down expectations on the right of a new era FOIA CBP 000844 DHS-17-0435-B-000141 119 unfettered by American constraints, some analysts here portray the president’s position as politically beneficial to Mr. Netanyahu. He is portraying himself as an experienced hand in dealing with Washington — unlike, he suggested, more aggressive forces on the right who are suggesting an annexation of some settlements. “I have navigated Israeli-U.S. relations in a prudent manner, and I will continue to do so now,” he told cabinet members on Sunday, according to an official transcript of his remarks, in which he noted that he and Mr. Trump “have known each other for years.” His main rival to the right, Naftali Bennett, the Jewish Home Party leader and education minister, warned Mr. Netanyahu not to discuss the possibility of a state for Palestinians — though Mr. Netanyahu has tepidly endorsed one and Mr. Trump has said repeatedly that he would like to make an unspecified “deal” for peace between Israelis and Palestinians. “If in their statements after the meeting they mention, for the first time in Trump’s term, their obligation to forming Palestine or two states in one way or another, we will all feel it in our flesh for years to come,” Mr. Bennett warned in a Facebook post. “The earth will shake.” The tussle between the two men is personal — Mr. Bennett would like to succeed Mr. Netanyahu as prime minister — and central to the longstanding conflict here: Mr. Bennett argues that the time for a separate state for Palestinians is over and that Israel has an opportunity under Mr. Trump to significantly expand Jewish presence in the West Bank. Apart from the challenge from the right, the meeting comes at a difficult time for Mr. Netanyahu, as he faces at least three investigations into allegations of corruption. Mr. Trump has also backed off, for now at least, a campaign promise to relocate the United States Embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv, a move opposed by the Palestinians, who would consider it a de facto recognition of Israel’s annexation of East Jerusalem after the 1967 war. Here again, political analysts have seen Mr. Netanyahu’s influence, with the prime minister possibly communicating that such a move was not a top priority given the reaction it could provoke among Palestinians. In his statements on Sunday, Mr. Netanyahu also said he had registered his opposition to appointing the well￾regarded former Palestinian prime minister, Salam Fayyad, as the United Nations envoy to Libya. On Friday, the new American ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki R. Haley, opposed the appointment. “For too long, the U.N. has been unfairly biased in favor of the Palestinian Authority to the detriment of our allies in Israel,” she said. The Israeli news media also reported over the weekend that Tzipi Livni, a prominent Israeli lawmaker, may be offered a position as an under secretary-general for the United Nations chief, António Guterres. Netanyahu Pledges To Promote ‘Responsible Policies’ At Trump Meeting By Jeffrey Heller Reuters, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Netanyahu Is Urged Not To Use The Words “Palestinian State”When He Visits Trump By William Booth Washington Post, February 12, 2017 JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu likes to boast to his boisterous cabinet that no one understands the Americans better than he does. But in his many years in power, appeasing and challenging Republicans and Democrats alike, Netanyahu has never dealt with a president like Trump. The two leaders will sit down as equals at the White House on Wednesday. They have known each other since Netanyahu served as Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations in New York in the 1980s and was friendly with Trump’s father, Fred. Netanyahu has been in nonstop consultations with his advisers as they prep him for one of the most important meetings of his career. Israeli officials say the prime minister will seek to strengthen his already warm rapport with Trump after years of feuding and policy clashes with the Obama administration. But there is stark division on what message his right-wing government wants him to deliver in Washington. His education minister and coalition partner, Naftali Bennett, leader of the pro-settlement Jewish Home party, has pressed him to abandon his tentative commitment to the two￾state solution, which he first announced in a speech at Bar Ilan University in 2009. Calling the upcoming visit to the White House “the test of Netanyahu’s life,” Bennett warned the 67-year-old prime minister that there were two words he could not utter at the meeting: “Palestinian state.” “They must not be said. This is our test,” Bennett cautioned, voicing an ultimatum from the increasingly powerful settlers’ wing, a group that numbers more than 600,000 in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. If either side utters those words after the meeting, Bennett said, “the earth will shake.” Inside Netanyahu’s own Likud party, activists have been circulating a letter calling for the prime minister to jettison the two-state paradigm. FOIA CBP 000845 DHS-17-0435-B-000142 120 Israel’s intelligence minister, Yisrael Katz, told Army Radio on Sunday: “Whoever talks about a Palestinian state today does not live in the real world. There is a general consensus among the public there is no way to reach it.” But Katz said Bennett was wrong to try to publicly force Netanyahu into a corner on the eve of his Washington trip. There is broad agreement in Netanyahu’s coalition cabinet that the prime minister should seek a mind-meld with Trump on Iran, which is seen not only by Israel but by its moderate Sunni Arab neighbors, such as Saudi Arabia, as the looming challenge to regional security. Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said the Trump meeting should have one overarching goal. “The greatest threat to Israel is Iran, Iran and Iran,” he said. But as much as Netanyahu might want to keep circling back to Iran, the long-running Palestinian conflict has flared again, even as Israel begins its 50th year of military occupation. After Trump’s election, Israel’s right wing was almost giddy with expectations of better days to come, hailing Trump as a savior of Greater Israel who would not only get tough with Iran, Israel’s nemesis, but also would quickly move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and green-light a building boom for Jewish settlements in the West Bank. But it has been a stormy few weeks — for the settlements and Netanyahu personally, who is facing down police investigations including an embarrassing probe into his family’s receipt of thousands of dollars in gifts from wealthy benefactors, such as diamond jewelry, pink champagne and fancy cigars. No politician likes to wake up to a front-page headline like the one in the Haaretz newspaper last week that read: “The Netanyahus’ requests for gifts made me sick.” Late last month, after years of delays, the Israeli police finally carried out a supreme court order for the demolition of Amona, an illegal Jewish outpost in the West Bank built on private Palestinian land. Israeli TV screens blazed with the images of violent resistance for 24 hours. Netanyahu and Lieberman quickly sought to shore up their right flank by announcing building plans for 5,500 more homes in the settlements. Then Israel’s parliament passed a controversial bill last week allowing the state to expropriate more private Palestinian land and grant it to settlers — so there would never be another Amona eviction. Netanyahu supported the bill, but even his fellow Likudnik, Israel’s president Reuven Rivlin, cautioned, “It will cause Israel to be seen as an apartheid state, which it is not,” according to Israeli media accounts. On Friday, Trump surprised Jerusalem when he gently warned Israel in an interview that building more homes in Jewish settlements was not “good for peace” and said he wanted Israel to “act reasonably” as his administration explores paths toward brokering peace talks with the Palestinians and Arab governments. Trump also said he would move cautiously on a possible relocation of the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, which Arabs have warned would inflame religious passions and spark violence. The interview was published in Israel Hayom, the pro￾Netanyahu newspaper owned by the prime minister’s long￾term supporter Sheldon Adelson, the casino magnate and GOP mega-donor who dined at the White House with Trump last week. For the Israeli government, the most problematic section of the interview was Trump’s statement that he and his son-in-law, senior adviser Jared Kushner, are considering a new round of peace talks to broker what Trump has called “the ultimate deal.” Orly Azoulay, a columnist for the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, wrote on Sunday, “The Israeli right wing appear to have popped their champagne corks a bit prematurely when they celebrated Trump’s victory.” She added, “Presidents come and presidents go, but there is nothing new under the sun in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and nor are there any magical solutions.” On Sunday at his cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said, “I hear and understand that there is great excitement ahead of this meeting” with Trump, “with all different kinds of motivation behind it.” But he stressed that his goals were “to strengthen the steadfast alliance with the U.S.” and other national interests dependent on that tie. In response to the calls to abandon the two-state solution, Netanyahu said his White House visit “requires a responsible and considered policy — and thus I intend to act. “I have navigated Israeli-U.S. relations in a prudent manner,” he said, “and I will continue to do so now.” Ruth Eglash contributed to this report. Netanyahu May Seek To Reset U.S.-Israel Relations In Meeting With Trump By Tracy Wilkinson, Contact Reporter Los Angeles Times, February 12, 2017 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives in Washington on Tuesday hoping to find in President Trump a kindred spirit and compliant ally after eight years of personal friction with President Obama. The reality may be more complicated. As a candidate, Trump signaled he would show staunch support for Netanyahu and his allies in Israel in crucial ways, including backing Israel’s growing settlements in the West Bank, moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, and tearing up the Iran nuclear deal. He also hinted he might reverse decades of U.S. policy by abandoning the search for a so-called two-state solution FOIA CBP 000846 DHS-17-0435-B-000143 121 that envisions an Israeli nation and a Palestinian nation living side by side in peace. But after three rocky weeks in office, Trump has backed down on a raft of foreign policy issues — reaffirming the “one China” policy with Beijing and vowing “strong support” for the NATO military alliance in Europe — and he now appears to be reevaluating his Israel policy as well. Trump has publicly tapped the brakes on his support for expanding Jewish settlements on disputed land in the Palestinian West Bank, for example. On Friday, Trump told an Israeli newspaper that “going forward with settlements” is not a “good thing for peace,” a position that puts him far closer to traditional U.S. policy, and to Obama, than before. Settlements “don’t help the [peace] process. I can say that,’’ Trump told Israel Today, which supports Netanyahu and is owned by American casino magnate and right-wing activist Sheldon Adelson. “There is [only] so much land left. And every time you take land for settlements, there is less land left.” That appears to put him at odds with Netanyahu, whose government has approved 6,000 new homes in existing settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since Trump’s inauguration. It also may put Trump in conflict with his proposed pick for U.S. ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, a fierce advocate and financial backer of the settlements. The first signs of change at the White House came last week, following a three-day visit to Washington by King Abdullah of Jordan, a strategic ally that neighbors Israel and that works closely with Washington against Islamic State, Al Qaeda and other militants. Abdullah was the first Arab leader to meet with Trump, Vice President Pence and others in the new administration. He argued that moving the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem — the disputed city that both Israelis and Palestinians claim as their capital — would be so provocative as to threaten his own government. Jordan’s Hashemite Kingdom is held as the protector of some of Islam’s most important holy sites, including the Al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, giving it special authority in the Muslim world. It also is regarded as custodian of Holy Land Christian sites such as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, which honors the site of Christ’s burial. Another shift came after Rex Tillerson was sworn in as secretary of State on Feb. 1 and met with senior diplomats about policies in the Middle East. The next day, after Tillerson telephoned Netanyahu, the White House issued a statement that warned it would not support further expansion of settlements. While the Trump administration did not consider settlements an obstacle to peace, it said, “The construction of new settlements or the expansion of existing settlements beyond their current borders may not be helpful in achieving that goal.” The White House did not deny a Jerusalem Post report the same day that said administration officials had confirmed for the first time that Trump is committed to a comprehensive two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict negotiated between the parties. Officials said Trump would discuss the issue with Netanyahu when he visits the White House on Wednesday. Netanyahu had famously frosty relations with Obama, and he welcomed Trump’s election as a chance to find a more supportive partner in the White House. “I imagine Netanyahu is looking to reset the U.S. Israeli relationship,” said Susie Gelman, chair of the Israel Policy Forum, an advocacy group that focuses on peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Netanyahu believes he can strike common cause with Trump, according to diplomats and analysts, by enlisting Sunni-dominated Arab nations in a coalition against Iran and radical Islam, especially Islamic State. But to keep Arab allies on board, Israel may need to make concessions to the Palestinians on settlements and other issues, several analysts said. They suggested Trump use his dealmaking skills when he sits down with Netanyahu, who is widely known by his nickname, Bibi. “Trump should say, ‘Bibi, what do you want? A one￾state solution? Then what do you do with six million Arabs?,’” said Amnon Reshef, a retired Israeli army general who now heads a coalition of former security officials seeking peace with the Palestinians. “‘Or do you want a two-state solution, and I will bring all the Arab states on board? Let’s make a deal!’” he added. Ilan Goldenberg, a Middle East expert who served in the State and Defense departments in the Obama administration, said Netanyahu is unlikely to try to mollify Arab countries. “I don’t see it happening with this Israeli government,” he said. Netanyahu may be more interested in talking about Iran than Palestinian peace and moving the U.S. embassy. Many in Israel’s security establishment have begrudgingly acknowledged that the internationally brokered 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which Netanyahu fiercely opposed, has successfully blocked Tehran’s ability to build a nuclear bomb. But Israel wants Washington to do more to punish Iran for supporting Shiite Muslim militants in Lebanon and elsewhere, testing ballistic missiles and other activities that have kept the region on edge. “Netanyahu is going with ideas” on Iran, said Michael Oren, Israel’s deputy minister for diplomacy and a former ambassador to the United States. “The thrust would be to connect the nuclear deal with Iran’s other bad behavior.” FOIA CBP 000847 DHS-17-0435-B-000144 122 As negotiated by Iran and six world powers, the landmark arms control deal deliberately focused only on easing the threat of nuclear war, not on lesser dangers. It lifted international sanctions in exchange for Iran freezing its nuclear development program and destroying most of its nuclear infrastructure. After the accord was signed, the Obama administration stiffened sanctions on Iran for its support of terrorist groups and its continued development of ballistic missiles. It also signed a 10-year defense deal that provides Israel a record $38 billion in security aid. The Trump administration added new sanctions this month after an Iranian missile test, but publicly acknowledged it was not trying to undermine the nuclear deal. Two-state Solution Crucial For Mideast Peace: Sens. Feinstein And Heinrich By Dianne Feinstein And Martin Heinrich USA Today, February 12, 2017 The United States has been unwavering in its commitment to Israel’s security. We and other leaders have worked together to address the myriad challenges Israel faces, including terrorism, incitement, de-legitimization efforts and regional instability. Previous administrations have consistently enhanced this assistance and cooperation, including Barack Obama’s pledge of an additional $38 billion over 10 years, the largest security assistance package to any nation in U.S. history. An integral component of the U.S.-Israel relationship is our shared commitment to negotiating a two-state solution, which would see the creation of an independent Palestine beside a democratic, Jewish Israel. This remains the only way to build a lasting peace and ensure Israel remains the democratic homeland of the Jewish people. A two-state solution would resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict, resulting in normal relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors. Achieving peace would help enhance cooperation, stability and security in the Middle East, which is in our own national security interests. That is why previous administrations — Democratic and Republican alike — have engaged, with overwhelming bipartisan congressional support, in efforts to help facilitate such an outcome. Yet a negotiated two-state solution seems further out of reach than ever before. Since President Trump’s inauguration, Israel has announced that it would dramatically expand settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. Israeli politicians have proclaimed an end to the goal of a Palestinian state, and are agitating for the outright annexation of major Israeli settlement blocks in the West Bank. Furthermore, President Trump’s nominee to be the ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, has been a benefactor of Israeli settlement expansion and has demonstrated an openly hostile attitude to a two-state solution. These Israeli actions and Friedman’s views are not helpful to Israel, to the peace process, or to the national security of the United States. Also standing in the way of peace is the incitement of violence and terror by Palestinians. Last year the world witnessed hundreds of indiscriminate attacks against ordinary Israelis. Terrorists used knives, guns and vehicles to kill, injure and maim random Israeli civilians. Even our own citizens were killed in these despicable terror attacks. As violence continues, it’s understandable why many would doubt whether peace is possible in the face of such hatred. Yet, according to public opinion polls, the majority of Israelis and Palestinians continue to favor a two-state solution. We strongly believe that without two states for two peoples, the violence we see today will only become worse. Without two states, true security for Israel will vanish, alongside the legitimate aspirations of ordinary Palestinians for a state of their own. POLICING THE USA: A look at race, justice, media Perhaps most importantly, without an independent Palestine by its side, Israel cannot be both a democratic and majority Jewish state. Today, the Jewish people are already a minority between the Mediterranean and the Jordan River. There are 6.3 million Jewish Israelis compared to 6.6 million non-Jewish minorities, most of them Palestinian Arabs. Since the Jewish people are already a minority, a one￾state solution cannot be both majority Jewish and democratic. We have not heard a plausible proposal where a one-state solution wouldn’t require a Jewish minority to govern a non￾Jewish majority. To avoid this outcome, we urge the Trump administration to prioritize the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and to help create the conditions necessary for resuming direct talks between the two parties. That must include a halt to Israeli settlement construction and an end to Palestinian incitement of terror. We recognize only the parties themselves can ultimately negotiate an end to their conflict. Yet, the United States must continue to play a constructive role, rather than turning a blind eye to actions by either party that undermine the prospects for peace. Dianne Feinstein is a Democratic senator from California. Martin Heinrich is a Democratic senator from New Mexico. Follow them on Twitter: @SenFeinstein and @MartinHeinrich. You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @USATOpinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. To submit a letter, comment or column, check our submission guidelines. FOIA CBP 000848 DHS-17-0435-B-000145 123 Trump And Trudeau Meet Face To Face For The First Time By Rob Gillies Associated Press, February 12, 2017 OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) – The first face to face meeting between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Trump could be the most important meeting for Canada in decades between leaders of the two neighbors.� Trudeau will be at the White House on Monday at a time many Canadians fear Trump will enact protectionist measures that could hurt their economy and worry the new president could be as combative as he was with the leaders of Mexico and Australia. Trudeau, 45, and Trump, 70, have vastly different outlooks on the world. Trudeau is a liberal who champions global trade and has welcomed 40,000 Syrian refugees. Trump is a protectionist and his moves to restrict entry of refugees and immigrants are expected to come up Monday. But Trudeau is expected to emphasize common economic interests. “We’re going to talk about all sorts of things we align on, like jobs and economic growth, opportunities for the middle class – the fact that millions of good jobs on both sides of our border depend on the smooth flow of goods and services across that border,” Trudeau said. But Trudeau also said they are “going to talk about things that I’m sure we disagree on and we’ll do it in a respectful way. Canada will always stay true to the values that have made us this extraordinary country, a place of openness.” After Trump signed the executive order pausing entries to the U.S. from seven Muslim-majority nations, Trudeau tweeted that Canada welcomed people fleeing persecution, terrorism and war. Trudeau said “diversity is our strength.” His spokeswoman said Trudeau was looking forward discussing Canada’s immigration and refugee policy with Trump. But Trudeau isn’t expected to poke the new president like his headstrong father, late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, did to previous presidents during the almost 16 years he was in office. Tall and trim, Justin Trudeau channels the star power of his storied father but is less confrontational. American relations are crucial for Canada as more than 75 percent of the country’s exports and 98 percent of its oil exports go to the U.S. About 18 percent of U.S. exports go to Canada. There are fears Canada could be sideswiped if Trump targets Mexico in a re-negotiation of the North American Free Trade agreement. But Wall Street tycoon and Trump adviser Stephen Schwarzman has said “things should go well for Canada” if the president reopens NAFTA because the northern neighbor has a balanced trade relationship with the United States. Schwarzman, who leads Trump’s economic advisory group, said other countries have large trade unbalances and markets that aren’t as open to American trade as Canada’s. There’s no indication Trump views Canada as a problem or an economic adversary but Trump is unpredictable, said Roland Paris, a former senior foreign policy to Trudeau. Paris called it a very important moment in U.S.-Canada relations and said he’s cautiously optimistic the two will can have a constructive relationship focused on increasing economic ties. “Canadians expect their prime minister to do two things: uphold Canadian values and to have an effective constructive relationship with the president of the United States. That’s a balancing act and it’s not necessarily going to be easy,” Paris said. Canada has not been the subject of a Trump tweet but fears remain about Trump’s impulsiveness. “We’re dealing with someone who has abused the Mexican president and the Australian prime minister,” said Robert Bothwell, a professor at the University of Toronto. Bothwell said Trudeau should avoid confrontation considering the stakes and how delicate the situation is. “Most American presidents have been pretty level headed. You have to go back to the monarchs of the Middle Ages or Roman Emperors. How does Nero feel today? Is his stomach acting up? What does the emperor decree?” Bothwell said. “We’re back in the Roman empire. We haven’t had anything like this.” © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Trump-Trudeau Meeting Will Preview Trade, Border Issues Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visits Washington Monday seeking common ground on Nafta with President Donald Trump By Paul Vieira And William Mauldin Wall Street Journal, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Canada’s Conservatives Seek A Champion, And Redemption By Ian Austen New York Times, February 12, 2017 OTTAWA — Canada’s Conservatives need a way back. FOIA CBP 000849 DHS-17-0435-B-000146 124 In many other Western democracies — including the big one just to the south — the political right has been on the rise lately, rallying behind leaders who tap into voters’ anger, frustration and fears. But Canada’s Conservatives are in the political wilderness, still smarting from their defeat by Justin Trudeau and his Liberals in October 2015, and lacking a permanent leader to replace Stephen Harper, the former prime minister, who quickly dropped from sight after the election. So the Tories are asking: Who can take up our standard, cross swords with a charismatic and popular opponent, and lead us back to power in Parliament? It will not be Rona Ambrose, the interim leader since Mr. Harper left. Though she is generally seen as having done a good job under the circumstances, party rules bar her from running for the permanent post. Fourteen candidates have joined the race, though, and the Tories are sifting through them to choose a leader on May 28. Whoever prevails also becomes the leader of the official opposition in Parliament — and, if the Tories can win the most seats in the House of Commons, would become the next prime minister. The next general election is expected in 2019. The leadership vote will not be conducted like an American primary. Only dues-paying Conservatives enrolled before March 28 will be eligible to cast ballots — the current figure is just over 100,000 people, out of Canada’s 26 million voters. And the complexities of the voting system make it hard to say who might be leading the pack. For one thing, voters do not choose just one candidate; they rank several in order of preference. Then the ballots from each of the country’s 338 electoral districts are tabulated separately, and the district results are translated into a point system. The points are added up nationally again and again, with the trailing candidates dropped one at a time and their points reallocated until someone secures a majority. The system is meant to ensure that the winner has broad support across the country and not in just one region — but it can also deliver victory to a candidate who does not draw the most first-choice votes but is a popular second or third choice. The contest is covered by Canada’s federal election spending laws, which tightly restrict both donations and self￾financing by the candidates. That, too, makes the race harder to handicap. Even so, a few candidates have attracted more attention than the rest, which may be a rough reflection of their support. Here are sketches of four of the most prominent contenders. Ms. Leitch, who was a cabinet minister in the Harper government, has cast herself as a populist, pushing immigration policies that are the opposite of those of Mr. Trudeau. In particular, Ms. Leitch wants all immigrants to be screened for “Canadian values,” to maintain “a unified Canadian identity”; her list of those values includes hard work, equal opportunity, help for others, generosity, freedom and tolerance. She raised eyebrows during the 2015 campaign when she and a cabinet colleague said they would set up a special tip line to report “barbaric cultural practices” to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. It appeared intended to, among other things, prevent “honor killings.” Ms. Leitch has since said she wished she had never made that announcement. (She was joined in it by Chris Alexander, who is now a rival candidate for the party leadership.) Ms. Leitch, 46, is a pediatric orthopedic surgeon and former academic who represents a popular skiing and recreational area north of Toronto. While she frequently characterizes opponents, including some Conservatives, as “out-of-touch elites,” some of her campaign materials include “P.C., M.D.” after her name, indicating her membership in the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada from her cabinet days, as well as her medical background. Though he was late to officially join the race, Mr. O’Leary is arguably the best-known candidate. An investor, he became a celebrity on television, appearing on a nightly business-news program and a reality series, “Dragons’ Den,” in which people pitch business ideas to a panel of investors. Both were aired by the government-owned Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, which Ms. Leitch wants to dismantle. Mr. O’Leary now appears on a similar American program, “Shark Tank.” Mr. O’Leary’s policy platform so far is thin, based largely on his view that Canada under Mr. Trudeau is bound for economic ruin and that his business background would help the Conservatives campaign successfully on economic issues. Like many of his rivals, he calls for lower taxes and an end to Canada’s carbon-pricing program. Several factors may offset Mr. O’Leary’s celebrity. He spends almost as much time in Boston as in Canada. In the past, he has been dismissive of Conservative lawmakers, who are now important influences in the race. And his ability to speak French, Canada’s other official language, is weak; it was widely noted that he did not join the race until after the only scheduled French-language debate. Mr. O’Leary, 62, has also made some prominent gaffes on social media. After the shooting deaths of six people at a mosque in Quebec last month, he posted a video of himself firing automatic weapons at a gun range in Miami; he later removed the video. When Mr. Chong was a minister in Mr. Harper’s government, he did something very unusual: He quit. He and others bristled at the tight leash Mr. Harper kept on his cabinet, but a government motion giving Quebec a form of nationhood within Canada was too much for Mr. Chong; he FOIA CBP 000850 DHS-17-0435-B-000147 125 resigned rather than vote for the motion, as cabinet rules required. He put more distance between himself and Mr. Harper by persuading Parliament in 2013 to pass a bill giving members some independent powers. The changes were modest, but it is very unusual in Canada for any bill introduced by an individual legislator, rather than the government, to become law. Mr. Chong, the son of immigrants from Hong Kong and the Netherlands, could help the Tories appeal to foreign-born Canadians, a significant constituency. At 45, he is one month older than Mr. Trudeau and shares some of the prime minister’s youthful political style. Mr. Chong is an outlier in the race on some major policy questions, like carbon pricing: He wants to increase carbon taxes and use the proceeds to reduce income taxes. That might play well in Ontario, where Mr. Chong lives, but would be a hard sell to the Conservative base in western Canada. Politicians in Quebec generally have a social democratic bent, but not Mr. Bernier, who describes himself as a libertarian. In Parliament, he represents the Beauce region of the largely French-speaking province, an area some Quebecers compare to Texas because of its conservatism. Mr. Bernier wants to end all government aid to corporations, even though many companies based in Quebec, like Bombardier, the aircraft and rail car maker, depend heavily on the state. He wants to change guns laws, end carbon pricing, deregulate telecommunications companies, sell the post office and airports to private owners, and scrap a system that lets some kinds of farmers keep prices up through a legal cartel. Those farmers include Quebec’s numerous and politically active dairy farmers. Quebecers whose principal language is French have almost never been chosen to lead the Conservatives or their predecessor parties; it has happened only once in 150 years. Many of the party’s core supporters in the west have long been resentful of what many see as a privileged place for Quebec within Canada. And Mr. Bernier, 54, had to resign as Mr. Harper’s foreign affairs minister after he left secret government documents at the home of his girlfriend at the time, a woman with ties to organized crime. He returned to the cabinet in a more junior post three years later. North Korea Test-fires Missile, Apparently Challenging Trump By Eric Talmadge Associated Press, February 12, 2017 PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) – In an implicit challenge to President Donald Trump, North Korea appeared to fire a ballistic missile early Sunday in what would be its first such test of the year. After receiving word of the launch, Trump stood at his south Florida estate with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who called the move “intolerable.” There was no immediate confirmation on the launch from the North, which had warned recently that it was ready to test its first intercontinental ballistic missile. The U.S. Strategic Command, however, said it detected and tracked what it assessed to be a medium- or intermediate-range missile. North Korean media are often slow to announce such launches, if they announce them at all. As of Sunday evening, there had been no official announcement and most North Koreans went about their day with no inkling that the launch was major international news. The reports of the launch came as Trump was hosting Abe and just days before the North is to mark the birthday of leader Kim Jong Un’s late father, Kim Jong Il. Appearing with Trump at a news conference at Trump’s estate, Abe condemned the missile launch as “absolutely intolerable.” Abe read a brief statement in which he called on the North to comply fully with relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions. He said Trump had assured him of U.S. support and that Trump’s presence showed the president’s determination and commitment. Trump followed Abe with even fewer words, saying in part: “I just want everybody to understand and fully know that the United States of America stands behind Japan, its great ally, 100 percent.” Stephen Miller, Trump’s chief policy adviser, said Trump and Abe had displayed “an important show of solidarity” between their nations. “The message we’re sending to the world right now is a message of strength and solidarity; we stand with Japan and we stand with our allies in the region to address the North Korean menace,” Miller said during an interview Sunday with ABC’s “This Week.” South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the missile was fired from around Banghyon, North Pyongan Province, which is where South Korean officials have said the North test-launched its powerful midrange Musudan missile on Oct. 15 and 20. The military in Seoul said that the missile flew about 500 kilometers (310 miles). South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reported that while determinations were still being made, it was not believed to be an intercontinental ballistic missile. The missile splashed down into the sea between the Korean Peninsula and Japan, according to the U.S. Strategic Command. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters that the missile did not hit Japanese territorial seas. FOIA CBP 000851 DHS-17-0435-B-000148 126 The North conducted two nuclear tests and a slew of rocket launches last year in continued efforts to expand its nuclear weapons and missile programs. Kim Jong Un said in his New Year’s address that the country had reached the final stages of readiness to test an ICBM, which would be a major step forward in its efforts to build a credible nuclear threat to the United States. Though Pyongyang has been relatively quiet about the transfer of power to the Trump administration, its state media has repeatedly called for Washington to abandon its “hostile policy” and vowed to continue its nuclear and missile development programs until the U.S. changes its diplomatic approach. Just days ago, it also reaffirmed its plan to conduct more space launches, which it staunchly defends but which have been criticized because they involve dual-use technology that can be transferred to improve missiles. “Our country has clearly expressed its standpoint, that we will continue to build up our capacity for self-defense, with nuclear forces and a pre-emptive strike capability as the main points, as long as our enemies continue sanctions to suppress us,” Pyongyang student Kim Guk Bom said Sunday. “We will defend the peace and security of our country at any cost, with our own effort, and we will contribute to global peace and stability.” Kim Dong-yeop, an analyst at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies in Seoul, said the missile could be a Musudan or a similar rocket designed to test engines for an intercontinental ballistic missile that could hit the U.S. mainland. Analysts are divided, however, over how close the North is to having a reliable long-range rocket that could be coupled with a nuclear warhead capable of striking U.S. targets. South Korean Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who is also the acting president, said his country would punish North Korea for the missile launch. The Foreign Ministry said South Korea would continue to work with allies, including the United States, Japan and the European Union, to ensure a thorough implementation of sanctions against the North and make the country realize that it will “never be able to survive” without discarding all of its nuclear and missile programs. --- Associated Press writers Kim Tong-Hyung in Seoul, South Korea, and Jill Colvin in Palm Beach, Florida, contributed to this report. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. A Hastily Called News Conference Caps A Surreal Day For Trump In South Florida By John Wagner Washington Post, February 12, 2017 WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — It was, in many respects, a surreal day in South Florida. It started with President Trump high-fiving Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on a Trump￾branded golf course at a morning event that the media was kept from witnessing. It ended with Trump summoning the same reporters to another Trump-owned property, where the president put on another display of friendship for Abe: a pledge at a late-night news conference to stand by Japan “100 percent” in the wake of North Korea’s latest ballistic missile launch. The hastily called news conference at Trump’s Mar-a￾Lago estate was the third event during Abe’s visit Saturday to showcase a Trump property. The golf enjoyed by the two leaders (and golfing pro Ernie Els) took place at the Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter, Fla. From there, Trump and Abe were whisked by motorcade to Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Fla., where they had lunch (and by some accounts, got in some more golf). The pair then returned to Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s estate in Palm Beach, where Abe and his wife spent the weekend with Trump and his wife, Melania. A couple of hours later, the news media were led through the gates of Trump’s estate and allowed to witness the two couples standing at the main entrance of the property for what was billed as a photo spray. Reporters, who were asked not to shout questions, did so anyway. Trump answered some of them, allowing that he and Abe were having a “very, very good” visit and that during the golf outing, “we got to know each other very, very well.” But the president ignored several other questions, including whether he planned to watch “Saturday Night Live” and whether he had anything to say about reports of a ballistic missile launched by North Korea — the first such provocation during Trump’s presidency. At that point, the press corps traveling with Trump was whisked back to the Marriott hotel that has served as its home base for the weekend. Trump aides called a “lid,” meaning there were no more planned Trump appearance or travels for the night. About an hour later, after many of members of the media had decamped to the hotel bar or ventured out for their first real meal of the day, a Trump aide sent an “URGENT” message saying the press pool needed to reassemble immediately for unstated reasons. It turned out Trump did have something to say about North Korea. Reporters were then taken back to a heavily secured yet bustling Mar-a-Lago. Despite its designation by Trump as FOIA CBP 000852 DHS-17-0435-B-000149 127 his “winter White House,” other events continue to be held on the property. On Saturday, as Trump and Abe spoke about North Korea, a wedding reception was in full swing in a building less than 100 yards away connected by a walkway and canopy. The news conference was staged in an ornate room, with chandeliers overhead. Shortly before Trump and Abe emerged, faint music could be heard — either from the wedding reception or elsewhere in the building where the two leaders would appear with the U.S. and Japanese flags behind them. The joint appearance lasted barely two minutes. Abe spoke in Japanese, and his words were translated by an aide to the side. Among the points he made: “North Korea’s most recent missile launch is absolutely intolerable.” “North Korea must fully comply with the relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions.” “During the summit meeting that I had with President Trump, he assured me that the United States will always [be with] Japan 100 percent, and to demonstrate his determination as well as commitment, he is here with me at this joint press conference.” Trump then took his turn at the lectern, offering this brief statement: “I just want everybody to understand and fully know that the United States of America stands behind Japan, its great ally, 100 percent.” Trump made no mention of South Korea, another U.S. ally in the region, nor did he explicitly condemn North Korea’s action. The two men exited the room without taking questions. As reporters were ushered out, another “lid” was called, ending a long day of Trump movements. All that was left was the latest episode of “Saturday Night Live,” in which actor Alec Baldwin continued to lampoon the new president. Trump Responds To North Korean Missile Launch With Uncharacteristic Restraint By Peter Baker New York Times, February 12, 2017 WASHINGTON — After North Korea threatened on New Year’s Day to test an intercontinental ballistic missile, Donald J. Trump, then president-elect, reacted with characteristic swagger. He vowed to stop the North from developing a nuclear weapon capable of hitting the United States. “It won’t happen!” he wrote on Twitter. But six weeks later, after North Korea defiantly launched a missile into the sea, Mr. Trump, now president, reacted with surprising restraint. Appearing before cameras late at night on Saturday in Florida with his golfing guest, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, Mr. Trump read a statement of just 23 words that pledged American support for Tokyo without even mentioning North Korea. The muted comment stood in sharp contrast to his response after Iran tested a ballistic missile, when he directed his national security adviser to publicly warn Tehran that he was “officially putting Iran on notice” and followed up with sanctions. If North Korea was testing the new president, as many analysts believe, then Mr. Trump seemed intent on showing that he would not be baited into a confrontation every time an American adversary tried to provoke him. At least not right away. In his short time in office, Mr. Trump has shown that he can respond to events in measured ways one moment and with hotheaded bluster the next. But even after waking up on Sunday morning, Mr. Trump chose to publicly feud with Mark Cuban, the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, rather than the maverick leader of North Korea. “I assume they don’t have a strategy yet, so Trump with Abe by his side was properly taciturn, surprisingly so,” said Jeffrey A. Bader, an Asia scholar at the Brookings Institution who served as President Barack Obama’s Asia adviser. “But that can’t hold. At some point you need to articulate a strategy.” The tempered response may also have reflected the fact that the missile launched on Sunday by North Korea was either a medium- or an intermediate-range missile, according to the American military, and not an intercontinental missile, or ICBM, capable of reaching the United States. The missile flew 310 miles before dropping harmlessly into the Sea of Japan, according to the South Korean military, which identified it as an intermediate-range Musudan. North Korea regularly tests missiles in violation of United Nations resolutions, including roughly two dozen last year, but has boasted that it could test an ICBM “anytime and anywhere.” The kind tested on Sunday poses a potential threat to American allies in Japan and South Korea and American forces in the Pacific, but could not strike the United States. “It’s yet unclear what missile was tested,” said Thomas Karako, a missile expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. “What is certain is that North Korea has now begun 2017 by continuing the aggressive pace of missile testing they’ve shown in recent years.” North Korea challenged Mr. Obama early in his tenure, too, with an underground nuclear blast four months after he took office. The effect was to harden Mr. Obama’s attitude toward North Korea for the rest of his presidency, according to former aides. Rather than try to negotiate, as both Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush did, Mr. Obama focused on tightening international sanctions and bolstering alliances with Japan and South Korea. Three weeks in office, the Trump administration is still trying to find its footing on foreign policy, especially in areas FOIA CBP 000853 DHS-17-0435-B-000150 128 like North Korea that have not been Mr. Trump’s main focus. Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson was sworn in on Feb. 1 and does not even have a deputy, much less a full team of trusted advisers, in place. That North Korea’s latest test came while Mr. Trump was hosting Mr. Abe for a multiday set of meetings, meals and golfing, first at the White House and then at Mr. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., was seen as no accident. And it may be that Mr. Abe counseled Mr. Trump on his response. In his own comments while he stood beside Mr. Trump, Mr. Abe called the launch “absolutely intolerable.” Asia experts and members of Congress praised Mr. Trump for reaffirming American support for Japan but lamented that he did not mention South Korea at the same time. “I was glad he issued the statement with the prime minister of Japan, but he ought to do it quickly with South Korea,” Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic minority leader, said on “Face the Nation” on CBS. “South Korea is probably more susceptible to North Korea’s virulence than any other country.” White House officials on Sunday remained quiet about the test and their emerging strategy. Stephen Miller, the president’s senior adviser for policy, said Mr. Trump had sent a strong signal with his joint appearance with Mr. Abe. “But we’re going to be sending another signal very soon, and that signal is when we begin a great rebuilding of the armed forces of the United States,” he said, also on “Face the Nation.” “President Trump is going to go to Congress and ask them to invest in our military so once again we will have unquestioned military strength beyond anything anybody can imagine.” Short of military action, the menu of options available for Mr. Trump is not significantly better than it was for his predecessors. The United States and the United Nations have already imposed a wrenching array of sanctions and have largely isolated North Korea from much of the world. On his first overseas trip since taking office, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis visited Japan and South Korea to reassure them of America’s support despite statements by Mr. Trump during the campaign that called it into question. South Korean officials agreed to press ahead with development of a new missile defense system called Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense, or Thaad. Most policy makers consider China crucial to any meaningful response to North Korea, given the nations’ extensive economic and political connections, but it remains uncertain that Mr. Trump would have any better chance of persuading Beijing to take tougher action. Mr. Trump had a fence-mending telephone call with President Xi Jinping of China last week and promised to stick by America’s longstanding “One China” policy, reportedly at Mr. Tillerson’s urging. But the president has been an unrelenting critic of China on trade and currency matters, and some of his top advisers, including Stephen K. Bannon, his chief strategist, view China as a long-term adversary. “We will learn an enormous amount about his policy and his administration by how he deals with North Korea,” said Evan S. Medeiros, a managing director at the Eurasia Group and a former Obama adviser. “It’s the land of really bad options, and the threat is only becoming more serious and the window is closing. It will probably become the defining security challenge for the next president in Asia, if not globally.” North Korea Tests Trump’s Resolve With Latest Missile Launch By Aamer Madhani USA Today, February 12, 2017 North Korea’s latest ballistic missile test triggered swift condemnation Sunday from the international community, as the hermit nation’s move challenges President Trump during his first month in office. South Korea’s defense ministry quickly charged in a statement that Kim Jong Un’s missile launch — likely a medium- or intermediate-range missile — was “aimed at drawing global attention to the North by boasting its nuclear and missile capabilities.” “It is also believed that it was an armed provocation to test the response from the new U.S. administration under President Trump,” the defense ministry said. The missile launch came as Trump was hosting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Trump and Abe made a joint appearance to condemn the launch Saturday night, just hours after the missile test was confirmed, with Abe calling it “absolutely intolerable.” Trump, in his brief statement with Abe, said only “that the United States of America stands behind Japan, it’s great ally, 100%.” But the president’s policy adviser, Stephen Miller, told Fox News Sunday that Trump is sending an “unmistakable signal to North Korea and to the entire world.” Miller said Trump is determined to “reinforce and strengthen our vital alliances in the Pacific region as part of our strategy to deter and prevent the increasing hostility that we’ve seen in recent years from the North Korean regime.” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg urged North Korea “not to raise tensions further and to re-engage in a credible and meaningful dialogue with the international community.” The European Union said in a statement that North Korea’s “repeated disregard of its international obligations is provocative and unacceptable.” The Italian foreign ministry said North Korea’s “repeated missile tests,” combined with its development of a nuclear arsenal, “constitute a threat to peace and to international FOIA CBP 000854 DHS-17-0435-B-000151 129 security.” A top Russian foreign affairs official said North Korea’s behavior “is a definite challenge to all of us.” The missile test is “a reminder that we should not relax and should understand that the situation of the (Korean) peninsula is quite unstable and may turn into a hot conflict,” Leonid Slutsky, head of the foreign affairs committee in Russia’s lower house of Russia’s parliament, said Sunday, according to the Interfax news agency. The test by Kim — who has plainly stated his nuclear ambitions and has repeatedly launched missile tests — offered his first provocation of the year. The U.S. Strategic Command said it detected and tracked what it assessed to be a medium- or intermediate￾range missile that traveled about 300 miles and splashed into the sea between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. The launch came less than two days after Trump, with Abe by his side, said Friday that defending against nuclear and missile threats from North Korea was a “very, very high priority.” Trump’s comment offered a pointed shift from some of his remarks about North Korea and security in the region during his run for the White House. While campaigning, Trump’s public comments often raised concerns for many in southeast Asia about his commitment to the region. Trump said he stood ready to speak with Kim to persuade him to abandon his nuclear ambitions. Trump also jabbed at Japan on the stump, naming it along with China and Mexico as countries where the U.S is “getting absolutely crushed on trade.” He also grumbled about Japan’s military alliance with the United States, saying the U.S. provided security with little risk or cost for the Japanese. Following his election, Trump created waves in the region by speaking directly with Taiwan’s leader, Tsai Ing￾wen, and suggesting he wanted concessions from China for his administration to maintain the long-standing “one China” policy. The policy, in place since 1979, accepts China’s view of Taiwan as a breakaway province. The comment by Trump raised the ire of Chinese President Xi Jinping. But Trump took steps last week to mend relations with a call to the Chinese leader in which he embraced the one China policy and backed down from his threat to review Taiwan’s status. North Korea launched several mid-range ballistic missile tests last year, and Kim said in a New Year’s speech that North Korea was close to testing an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). After Kim announced his intention to test an ICBM, Trump vowed that “won’t happen.” During a visit to South Korea this month, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis reaffirmed plans to deploy a U.S. missile defense system in South Korea later this year, a step that Beijing opposes. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said the latest missile test should “only steel our resolve to deploy missile defense systems.” “It’s time the regime had to face consequences for its behavior and that we said, ‘enough is enough,’” Cotton said. U.S. Will Strengthen Pacific Allies Against North Korea Hostility: Official By Doina Chiacu Reuters, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Trump Faces Test Over North Korea Missile White House response could give clues to administration’s approach to foreign-policy challenges By Peter Nicholas, Carol E. Lee And Jonathan Cheng Wall Street Journal, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. North Korea Says Test Launch Of New Missile Type A Success By Ju-min Park Reuters, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. N. Korea Says Successfully Tested New Ballistic Missile AFP, February 12, 2017 Seoul (AFP) – North Korea said Monday it had successfully tested a new ballistic missile, triggering a US-led call for an urgent UN Security Council meeting after a launch seen as a challenge to President Donald Trump. The North’s leader Kim Jong-Un “expressed great satisfaction over the possession of another powerful nuclear attack means which adds to the tremendous might of the country”, state news agency KCNA said. The missile was launched Sunday near the western city of Kusong and flew east about 500 kilometres (310 miles) before falling into the Sea of Japan (East Sea), South Korea’s defence ministry has said. Photos released by KCNA showed the missile blasting into the sky with a smiling Kim watching from the launch site’s command centre, surrounded by dozens of cheering soldiers and scientists. It said Kim “personally guided” preparations for Sunday’s test, which it described as a surface-to-surface medium long-range Pukguksong-2, a “Korean-style new type strategic weapon system”. FOIA CBP 000855 DHS-17-0435-B-000152 130 KCNA said the missile was powered by a solid-fuel engine – which requires a far shorter refuelling time than conventional liquid fuel-powered missiles, according to Yun Duk-Min of the state-run Institute for Foreign Affairs and Security in Seoul. “They leave little warning time and therefore pose greater threat to opponents,” he said, adding that such missiles are harder to detect before launch by satellite surveillance. The announcement was the first time a Pukguksong-2 has been mentioned, although the North last August test-fired what it said was a submarine-launched missile marked as a Pukguksong-1, a name which translates as the “North Star”. Kim said at the time that the missile, which was launched towards Japan, put the US mainland and the Pacific within striking range. But the North has previously made claims for its weapons capabilities that analysts consider unconvincing. – Armed provocation – The South has said that the latest launch, the first such test since last October, was designed as a test for Trump, who responded to the provocation by pledging “100 percent” support for Washington’s key regional ally Japan. “Today’s missile launch... is aimed at drawing global attention to the North by boasting its nuclear and missile capabilities”, Seoul’s defence ministry said Sunday. “It is also believed that it was an armed provocation to test the response from the new US administration under President Trump,” it added. The United States, Japan and South Korea responded to the North’s confirmation by requesting an urgent UN Security Council meeting to discuss the launch. The council is expected to hold consultations on Monday. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, whose country would be in range of a hostile North Korean missile launch, called the test “absolutely intolerable” during an impromptu press conference with Trump in Florida on Sunday. North Korea is barred under UN resolutions from any use of ballistic missile technology. But six sets of UN sanctions since Pyongyang’s first nuclear test in 2006 have failed to halt its drive for what it insists are defensive weapons. Last year the country conducted two nuclear tests and numerous missile launches in its quest to develop a nuclear weapons system capable of hitting the US mainland. South Korea’s acting president Hwang Gyo-Ahn vowed a “corresponding punishment” in response to the launch, which came on the heels of a visit to Seoul by US Defense Secretary James Mattis this month. Mattis had warned Pyongyang that any nuclear attack would be met with an “effective and overwhelming” response. North Korea Claims Progress On Long-Range Goal With Missile Test By Choe Sang-Hun New York Times, February 13, 2017 SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea said on Monday that it had successfully tested a new nuclear-capable intermediate-range ballistic missile, claiming important progress in being able to strike its enemies with long-range missiles tipped with nuclear warheads. Confirming the missile test detected by the United States and South Korean authorities on Sunday, the North’s official Korean Central News Agency said it had launched an intermediate-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile named Pukguksong-2, or Polaris-2. North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong￾un, inspected the test, the news agency said. “He expressed great satisfaction over the possession of another powerful nuclear attack means, which adds to the tremendous might of the country,” the news agency said, using its typically boastful tone. The United Nations Security Council plans to hold an urgent meeting Monday on the missile launch at the request of the United States, Japan and South Korea. The Korean Central News Agency reported that the missile, which it said could carry a nuclear warhead, used a high-thrust, solid fuel-powered engine and was fired from a self-propelled missile launching truck. That is an important stride for North Korea as it pushes ahead with its proclaimed goal of building a capability to attack the United States with an intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM. North Korea has never test-fired an ICBM. But the successful test of the Pukguksong-2 reflected a considerable enhancement of the North’s missile capabilities. The country has had a spotty record in test-launching the Musudan, which had been the North’s only known intermediate-range ballistic missile until the Pukguksong-2 was unveiled on Sunday. Its last Musudan test, in October, ended in failure. The use of a solid fuel-powered engine is also an important advance for the North. Most of its ballistic missiles rely on liquid fuel. But the use of solid fuel greatly shortens the time needed to prepare the missile for launch and increases its mobility on the road, making it harder to detect signs of an impending attack, according to military analysts. “Now our rocket industry has radically turned into high￾thrust solid fuel-powered engine from liquid-fuel rocket engine and rapidly developed into a development- and creation￾oriented industry, not just copying samples,” Mr. Kim was quoted as saying. On Sunday, the South Korean military said the North Korean missile was launched from the northwestern town of Banghyon and flew 310 miles before landing in the sea between the North and Japan. It reached an altitude of 340 FOIA CBP 000856 DHS-17-0435-B-000153 131 miles, the military said, adding that it believed the missile was a modified version of the North’s intermediate-range Musudan missile. The Musudan uses liquid fuel. North Korea said the new missile was based on the solid-fuel Polaris, the country’s first submarine-launched ballistic missile, or SLBM. After several failed attempts, the North said in August that it had successfully launched the SLBM, claiming that the continental United States, as well as American military bases in the Pacific, were now within the range of its missiles, an assertion that military experts questioned. Analysts and defense officials in the region said that North Korea was still years away from achieving the capability that Mr. Kim claimed. The country still does not have submarines large and advanced enough to travel long distances to attack distant targets across the Pacific without being detected, they said. But the North’s tests of SLBMs and the Pukguksong-2 demonstrated the advances the secretive country had made in its efforts to enhance the range and stealth of its missiles, South Korean military officials said. On Monday, North Korea said it launched its Pukguksong-2 at a sharp angle to keep it from landing too close to Japan, indicating that it could have flown further than 310 miles if it had launched it at a normal angle. “Thanks to the development of the new strategic weapon system, our People’s Army is capable of performing its strategic duties most accurately and rapidly in any space: under waters or on the land,” the North said. Although North Korea has never fired an intercontinental ballistic missile across the Pacific, it has boasted of successfully testing crucial technologies in the past year. In March, it reported the successful ground test of a newly designed solid fuel rocket engine. A month later, it reported a successful ground test of a new intercontinental ballistic missile engine. Mr. Kim reminded the region of his missile threats during his New Year’s Day speech, in which he claimed that his country was in a “final stage” of preparing to conduct its first test of an intercontinental ballistic missile. North Korea later said it could flight-test one “anytime, anywhere.” When he visited South Korea this month on his first official trip abroad, Jim Mattis, the United States defense secretary, emphasized the importance of deploying an advanced missile defense system, known as Thaad, in the country this year to counter the North Korean threat. The Latest: UN Security Council To Meet On North Korea Associated Press, February 12, 2017 SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – The Latest on North Korea’s missile launch (all times local): 11 a.m. The United States, Japan and South Korea have requested an urgent meeting of the U.N. Security Council on North Korea’s latest ballistic missile launch. A spokesman for the U.S. Mission to the United Nations said Sunday night that the meeting is expected to take place Monday. The spokesman spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly. The North Korean missile is thought to have flown about 500 kilometers (310 miles) before going down in international waters. U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe learned about the launch while in Florida together. Abe called the move “absolutely intolerable,” while Trump said his administration “stands behind Japan, its great ally, 100 percent.” --- 9:20 p.m. Italy says North Korea’s “repeated missile tests” threaten peace and that the country must stop challenging the international community. In a statement Sunday, the Italian foreign ministry expressed “great concern” about the news that the North had launched a ballistic missile. It said the repeated tests, combined with North Korea’s development of a nuclear arsenal, “constitute a threat to peace and to international security.” Italy said North Korea “must abandon the development” of such an arsenal and “interrupt its path of challenging the international community and of self-isolation.” North Korea appeared to fire a missile early Sunday in its first such test of the year. It conducted two nuclear tests and a slew of rocket launches last year. --- 7:10 p.m. In the wake of North Korea’s latest missile launch, a top Russian foreign affairs figure says other countries must step up their work to try to reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Leonid Slutsky, head of the foreign affairs committee in the lower house of the Russian parliament, was quoted as saying Sunday by the Interfax news agency that North Korea’s behavior “is a definite challenge to all of us” and “a reminder that we should not relax and should understand that the situation of the peninsula is quite unstable and may turn into a hot conflict.” He added, “In connection with this, we need to work intensively on the Korean dossier and not slow down the pace for all of us.” FOIA CBP 000857 DHS-17-0435-B-000154 132 Slutsky was quoted as saying he believed U.S.-Russia cooperation on the matter was possible “however utopian that may appear now.” --- 1:50 p.m. The U.S. Strategic Command says it detected and tracked what it assessed was a medium- or intermediate￾range ballistic missile test-fired by North Korea. It says it did not pose a threat to North America. The command said the launch occurred near the northwestern city of Kusong. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un warned in his New Year’s address that his country was ready to test its first intercontinental ballistic missile, which could threaten the U.S. mainland. --- 1 p.m. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is condemning North Korea’s latest missile launch as “absolutely intolerable” and President Donald Trump is assuring Japan that the U.S. stands behind it “100 percent.” Abe and Trump appeared together for a statement Saturday night following reports that North Korea fired a ballistic missile in what would be its first such test of the year. In a ballroom at Trump’s south Florida estate, Abe read a brief statement in which he called on the North to comply fully with relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions. He said Trump has assured him of U.S. support and that Trump’s presence showed the president’s determination and commitment. Trump followed Abe with even fewer words, saying in part: “I just want everybody to understand and fully know that the United States of America stands behind Japan, its great ally, 100 percent.” --- 12:30 p.m. South Korea’s presidential Blue House says the presidential security director Kim Kwan Jin has spoken with President Donald Trump’s national security adviser Michael Flynn over the phone following North Korea’s missile test launch. According to the statement, the two officials strongly condemned the launch and agreed that the countries will explore every possible way to suppress North Korean provocations. --- 11:30 a.m. South Korea says North Korea’s missile test-launch, along with Kim Jong Un’s threat to fire an intercontinental ballistic missile in his New Year’s address, shows the “irrational nature” of a government that “fanatically” obsesses with developing nuclear ballistic missiles. South’s Foreign Ministry issued the statement in response to what it said was the North’s first ballistic missile launch this year. It strongly condemned the launch as a “blatant and obvious” violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions and a “serious threat” to international security. The ministry says that the South will continue to work with allies including the United States, Japan and the European Union to ensure a thorough implementation of sanctions against the North and make the country realize that it will “never be able to survive” without discarding all of its nuclear and missile programs. --- 10:45 a.m. South Korea’s Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn says his country will respond to punish rival North Korea for Sunday’s missile launch. According to Yonhap news agency, Hwang says South Korea in tandem with the international community “is doing its best to ensure a corresponding response to punish the North” for its missile launch. South’s military has confirmed that the missile launched Sunday flew about 500 kilometers (310 miles) into the sea. Yonhap reported that while determinations are still being made, it was not believed to be an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching the U.S. mainland. --- 10 a.m. Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga has told reporters the missile test-fired by North Korea did not hit Japanese territorial seas. South Korea’s Yonhap news agency says that the Japanese government confirmed that the missile fell in seas between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff says South Korean and U.S. military officials are analyzing further details from the launch early Sunday. In response to the launch, South Korea held a National Security Council meeting at the presidential Blue House, which was chaired by Kim Kwan Jin, the presidential national security director. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Angela Merkel, Squeezed By Far Right, Now Faces A Rising Left, Too By Alison Smale New York Times, February 12, 2017 FOIA CBP 000858 DHS-17-0435-B-000155 133 BERLIN — She is considered the indispensable European, yet one of the biggest questions looming over the Continent’s crucial elections this year is whether Germany still regards Angela Merkel as indispensable, too. Seven months before national elections in Germany, the prevailing wisdom has held that Ms. Merkel, now seeking a fourth four-year term as chancellor, is most vulnerable to the rising popularity of the country’s far right, just as other populist, far-right parties are gaining in coming elections in the Netherlands and France. Yet suddenly, Germany’s left has unexpectedly resurged, prompting Der Spiegel magazine this weekend to pose a question on its cover: “Will She Fall?” A reliable answer is not in sight. The shocks of 2016 — Britain’s vote to leave the European Union and the election of Donald J. Trump as president of the United States — have profoundly shaken Germany, which depends more than any other European nation on Pax Americana and global institutions set up after World War II. But on Sunday, the rebound of the left — along with the broad German distaste for Mr. Trump that has helped fuel it — was on full display. The popular center-left Social Democrat Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who has served in Ms. Merkel’s coalition government as foreign minister for seven years, won the presidency with 931 votes in the 1,260- member assembly that elects the president to a five-year term. Despite being a largely ceremonial position, the presidency provides stature and an important platform for Mr. Steinmeier, a popular and charismatic politician. In his brief acceptance speech, he encouraged Germans to be bold in difficult times. “If we want to give others courage, then we must have some ourselves,” he said on a day when many other speakers evoked the country’s dark past and its emergence as a democracy after the Nazis’ defeat in World War II. One marvel of traveling the world, he said, was to realize that Germany has become a model. “Isn’t it wonderful that this, our difficult fatherland, is seen as an anchor of hope for many people in the world?” Mr. Steinmeier said. Before the vote, the conservative head of parliament, Norbert Lammert, gave a surprisingly fiery speech that — without mentioning names — attacked Mr. Trump and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia for trying to divide or weaken Europe. “Whoever champions a closed mind instead of openness to the world, whoever literally walls themselves in, bets on protectionism instead of free trade and preaches isolationism instead of states cooperating, and declares ‘We first’ as a program, should not be surprised if others do the same — with all the fatal side effects for international ties which we know from the 20th century,” Mr. Lammert said. That goes, he added, for individual European states “but also for our great partner country across the Atlantic.” Once, it would have been rare for German politicians to lecture other democracies on values, especially the United States, but Germany is now regarded as a critical pillar in upholding the liberal Western order, which is one reason the Sept. 24 national elections are being watched so closely. It is also why some of Ms. Merkel’s fellow conservatives quietly grumbled that she was outfoxed when she agreed to put Mr. Steinmeier forward as the presidential candidate of her grand coalition government, which unites her conservative bloc with the center-left Social Democrats. Even as the presidency stands above party politics, Mr. Steinmeier, 61, a lawyer and lifelong politician, is likely to be a boon for his party. His election coincided with a Social Democratic surge in opinion polls since the center-left chose Martin Schulz, a former president of the European Parliament, to lead them into battle against Ms. Merkel in the elections. Mr. Schulz grew up in a village in the Aachen area, becoming mayor of the nearby town of Würselen in 1987, and likes to tell stories from those days to portray himself as an ordinary guy. He first won election to the European Parliament in 1994, going on to become president in 2012. Most unusually for a German politician, he did not finish high school with a certificate, and trained initially as a bookseller. He recently outpolled Ms. Merkel in personal popularity, 50 percent to 34 percent, in the widely regarded Politbarometer poll this month, albeit with a slightly smaller degree of support than Ms. Merkel’s last Social Democratic challenger had at a similar stage of the 2013 race. Perhaps because he has spent most of his political career in European institutions in Brussels, Mr. Schulz can appear fresh to German voters. “What he is doing is filling a vacuum which has obviously arisen,” said Franz Müntefering, a veteran Social Democrat leader. “He is reaching people through emotions.” In its weekend cover story, Der Spiegel described the current period as “the twilight of Merkel” and noted that she had appeared listless of late. Ms. Merkel’s conservative bloc appears somewhat rattled. Her respected finance minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, the longest-sitting member of Germany’s parliament, used an interview in Der Spiegel this weekend to accuse Mr. Schulz of Trump-style populism. “When Schulz lets his supporters shout, ‘Make Europe great again,’ then it is almost word for word Trump,” Mr. Schäuble told the newsmagazine. Sigmar Gabriel, the Social Democrat who has replaced Mr. Steinmeier as foreign minister, swiftly retaliated: “The radical and ill intentioned mockery” in American politics “should not be swept in to Germany,” he said. FOIA CBP 000859 DHS-17-0435-B-000156 134 Unquestionably, Mr. Trump’s election has so deeply altered the geopolitical landscape for Ms. Merkel. She has kept a cool distance, and the two leaders are expected to meet for the first time this spring. Domestically, Ms. Merkel is contending with a continuing political backlash to her 2015 decision to admit more than one million migrants, many of them Muslim, into the country. The far-right Alternative for Germany party, which started as a movement against the euro currency, now carries an anti-migrant, anti-Muslim message and has leaders who have sympathy for Mr. Trump’s politics. Tellingly, Frauke Petry and other Alternative for Germany leaders did not applaud with everyone else during Mr. Lammert’s speech when he attacked isolationism or what he termed a “We first” attitude. Under pressure, Ms. Merkel has backpedaled somewhat in recent months, reducing the influx of migrants and taking a tougher line on deportations. As is often the case, people outside the bubble of national politics sounded considerably less stirred when asked about Ms. Merkel’s standing. Metin Elcivan, 41, who helps run a corner store in western Berlin’s Schöneberg district, was certain that German voters would prove conservative. “I think nothing will change at the elections,” he said, “and that we will have a grand coalition again, with Merkel as chancellor.” Germany’s New Trump-Critic President Sees Stormy U.S. Ties Ahead By Patrick Donahue Bloomberg News, February 12, 2017 Frank-Walter Steinmeier, a vocal critic of Donald Trump elected as Germany’s 12th postwar president on Sunday, predicted “difficulties” in relations with the U.S. as the global order is upended by the new administration in Washington. Asked whether he would seek to improve relations with Russia, the Social Democrat, who served two stints as foreign minister under Chancellor Angela Merkel, said the world was confronting a “complete re-ordering of international relations.” “In the past we were always certain that we would have more difficult negotiating partners in the east,” Steinmeier told broadcaster ZDF hours after he was overwhelmingly elected to the mostly ceremonial post by a special assembly. “Suddenly we’re confronted with a situation in which we’ll at the very least deal with uncertainty and also difficulties in trans-Atlantic relations.”Trump’s Counterpart Steinmeier will be President Trump’s counterpart according to protocol, even if the German presidency lacks the political or policymaking power held by the chancellor. While Merkel steered clear of sharing her views on Trump during the U.S. election campaign, Steinmeier, as her top diplomat, vociferously derided what he saw as a campaign that broke taboos and threatened trans-Atlantic bonds. Steinmeier, who once called Trump a “hate preacher,” was asked whether he felt his view had been vindicated by Trump’s first three weeks in office. “This isn’t about feeling confirmed, but I don’t think I was the only one to feel really shocked at what was happening in the U.S. campaign,” Steinmeier told ZDF. “I really could never have predicted what happened there.” Steinmeier, 61, was elected with about three-quarters of the vote in the Federal Assembly, a constitutionally mandated body made up of lawmakers from the lower house and party representatives from the German states. He succeeds Joachim Gauck, 77, the one-time Protestant pastor and political dissident in communist East Germany, who opted to stand down after serving a single five-year term. Gauck will remain in office until March 18. Germany’s presidency mostly involves representing the country abroad, although Gauck has also intervened in domestic politics, including on Merkel’s handling of the refugee crisis.Popular Politician Steinmeier, who had a 79 percent approval rating this month in a poll for public broadcaster ARD, emerged as a presidential hopeful after Merkel failed to find a suitable candidate from within her party bloc willing to run. Sigmar Gabriel, the outgoing Social Democratic leader who succeeded Steinmeier as foreign minister, stepped into the void, advocating for Steinmeier as the coalition’s choice. Wanting to avoid a costly battle over a presidential pick ahead of the Sept. 24 election, Merkel relented. Even if Merkel’s support was reluctant, few questioned Steinmeier’s ability to take over the country’s highest office. Steinmeier came to Berlin as the chief of staff to former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, overseeing German foreign intelligence in the years after the Sept. 11 attacks in the U.S. When Merkel took office in 2005 with the Social Democrats as junior partner, the Schroeder acolyte became foreign minister. Steinmeier challenged Merkel for the chancellorship in 2009, which resulted in the Social Democrats’ worst result since World War II and a legislative term in the opposition, which Steinmeier led in the lower house. He returned to the Foreign Ministry when Merkel formed another so-called grand coalition with the SPD in 2013. Germany Picks Anti-Trump President As Trans-Atlantic Bonds Fray Washington Post, February 12, 2017 BERLIN — Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the former German foreign minister who was a vocal critic of Donald Trump during the U.S. campaign, was elected Sunday as the country’s 12th postwar president. FOIA CBP 000860 DHS-17-0435-B-000157 135 The Social Democrat, who served two stints as foreign minister under Chancellor Angela Merkel, emerged as her governing coalition’s candidate in November as their parties sought to avoid a political spat over the appointment in an election year. With the support of Merkel’s Christian Democratic-led bloc and the Social Democrats in a special assembly on Sunday, Steinmeier was elected in the first round to the mostly ceremonial post. While Merkel steered clear of sharing her views on Trump before his election as president, her top diplomat vociferously derided what he saw as a campaign that broke taboos and threatened trans-Atlantic bonds. At one point, Steinmeier called Trump a “hate preacher.” As head of state, Steinmeier will be Trump’s counterpart, according to protocol, even though the German presidency lacks the political or policymaking power held by the chancellor. The day after Trump’s surprise election victory, Merkel issued a couched warning that offered the new U.S. president German cooperation based on joint values, including democracy, respect for the rule of law and for human dignity “independent of origin, skin color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or political views.” Steinmeier was less diplomatic. “The result is not what most Germans would have wished,” Steinmeier said Nov. 9. “I don’t want to sugarcoat anything. Nothing will be easier, many things will become more difficult.” Steinmeier shunned political tension or any mention of Trump in an eight-minute speech after his election, though he cited Germany as an “anchor of hope” in an increasingly unsettled world. “We’re living in tumultuous times; many in our country feel insecure,” he told the assembly after winning 931 of 1,253 votes cast. Steinmeier, 61, will succeed Joachim Gauck, 77, who opted to stand down after serving a single five-year term. Gauck will remain in office until March 18. Steinmeier, who had a 79 percent approval rating this month in a poll for public broadcaster ARD, came forward as a presidential hopeful after Merkel failed to find a suitable candidate from within her party bloc willing to run. The Social Democrats have enjoyed a surge in support after the surprise candidacy for chancellor of Martin Schulz, the former European Parliament president. Enthusiasm for Schulz in the SPD base has narrowed the gap with Merkel seven months before the vote, with one poll last week showing the party ahead. Frank-Walter Steinmeier Is Elected As Germany’s President Former foreign minister to take on role in March, months before German election By Friedrich Geiger Wall Street Journal, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Germany Picks Frank-Walter Steinmeier To Be President Associated Press, February 12, 2017 BERLIN — A special assembly elected former German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier by an overwhelming majority Sunday to be the country’s new president. Steinmeier was elected in Berlin by the assembly made up of the 630 members of parliament’s lower house and an equal number of representatives from Germany’s 16 states. He received 931 of the 1,260 votes. Steinmeier succeeds Joachim Gauck, 77, a former pastor and East German pro-democracy activist who did not seek a second five-year term because of his age. The German president has little executive power, but is considered an important moral authority and symbol of the country as its host for visiting dignitaries. “Let’s be brave, because then we don’t have to be afraid of the future,” Steinmeier said in his acceptance speech. He said the world faces “rough times,” but that Germany, as a functioning democracy, had the responsibility to fight for stability. “Isn’t it actually wonderful, that this Germany, our difficult fatherland, that this country has become an anchor of hope in the world for many,” after overcoming wars and totalitarianism, Steinmeier said. German Chancellor Angela Merkel congratulated Steinmeier and said she was convinced he would be an excellent president who would have the support of the vast majority of the people. “This is a good day for Germany,” Merkel said. Steinmeier, 61, a Social Democrat, had the backing in the election of Merkel’s “grand coalition” of center-right and center-left parties. The presidential vote was likely one of the last moments of coalition unity ahead of a parliamentary election in September in which Merkel is seeking a fourth term. Both sides hope to end the “grand coalition.” A few years ago, Steinmeier took a several-months absence from politics, to donate one of his kidneys to his wife Elke Buedenbender. Buedenbender, who is a judge, will not work during her time as first lady to avoid possible conflicts of interest. Steinmeier has long been one of Germany’s most popular politicians. As former chancellor Gerhard Schroeder’s chief of staff, he was a main architect of Schroeder’s 2003 package of economic reforms and welfare cuts. FOIA CBP 000861 DHS-17-0435-B-000158 136 Under Merkel, he served twice as foreign minister — from 2005 to 2009 and again from 2013 until this year, with a stint as opposition leader in between. Steinmeier is normally studiously diplomatic, but he strongly criticized Donald Trump during the U.S. election campaign. Asked in August about the rise of right-wing populism in Germany and elsewhere, Steinmeier criticized those who “make politics with fear.” He cited the nationalist Alternative for Germany party, the promoters of Britain’s exit from the European Union, and “the hate preachers, like Donald Trump at the moment in the United States.” Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Man Just Elected As Germany’s Next President Once Called Trump A ‘Hate Preacher’ By Erik Kirschbaum Los Angeles Times, February 12, 2017 Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Germany’s long-serving foreign minister who once called Donald Trump a “hate preacher,” was elected as the country’s 12th post-war president on Sunday by a special assembly in Berlin. Steinmeier, 61, representing the center-left Social Democratic Party, won 931 votes among the 1,239 delegates to the federal assembly, known as the Bundesversammlung, made up of state and federal politicians and celebrities. He will serve a five-year term in the largely ceremonial post. The election of the usually impeccably mannered diplomat, who spent seven of the last 11 years leading the foreign ministry, marked a setback for Chancellor Angela Merkel and her conservative Christian Democrats, who had failed to agree on their own candidate. They reluctantly threw their weight behind Steinmeier after criticizing his uncharacteristically sharp comments about Trump, made during the U.S. presidential campaign last year. Steinmeier, who faced four little-known challengers, is expected to be above politics and suspend his party membership as president. Still, based on past presidential elections, his victory could give his party a boost going into September’s parliamentary election, where Merkel is fighting an unexpectedly tight battle to win a fourth term against a popular new Social Democratic candidate, Martin Schulz. The German presidential election in 2004 was a harbinger of political change in parliament when Merkel’s Christian Democrats, then in opposition, narrowly defeated the candidate from the Social Democratic Party, which had control of the federal government at the time. A year later, Merkel’s Christian Democrats beat the Social Democrats to take back control of the government. Steinmeier later became the country’s vice chancellor for two years before being crushed by Merkel when he ran for chancellor in 2009. “We’re living in stormy times, and people are worried,” Steinmeier, a highly respected diplomat, said in an acceptance speech to the delegates Sunday. “The world seems to be coming apart at the seams.” His speech made repeated, tacit references to disconcerting changes in U.S. foreign policy expected under Trump. “If the foundations start to wobble in other places, then we need to be even more determined than ever to support those foundations,” he said. The United States has long been a beacon of democracy and freedom for post-war Germany, a country where the scars of World War II are never far from the surface. As a result of the horrors of the Nazi regime, many Germans have especially sensitive antennae for the vulnerability of democracies in the face of authoritarian leaders, and there has been fear here that Trump could be in that mold. “The history of our republic is the best argument there is against populism,” said Steinmeier. “You’ll find the best answers only in democracies.” Steinmeier, who resigned as foreign minister in Merkel’s grand coalition government last month to run for the higher office, said he was proud that Germany has emerged as an important bastion for stability and role model for peace around the world in the decades since the end of World War II. It also has become the temporary home for more than 1 million refugees from Syria and other turbulent regions in recent years. “Isn’t it a wonderful thing that Germany has become an anchor for hope for many people around the world?” said Steinmeier. “We’re helping others find the courage — not because everything is perfect here in Germany. No, on the contrary, we’ve shown that things can get better, we’ve shown that peace is possible after war.” Russian President Vladimir Putin quickly congratulated Steinmeier and invited him to visit Moscow. Steinmeier last year was openly critically of NATO military maneuvers in eastern Europe, calling them “saber rattling.” His party has long advocated a softer approach toward Russia than has Merkel’s Christian Democrats. In 2010, Steinmeier became something of a folk hero for donating one of his two kidneys to his ailing wife. He takes office March 18. He will succeed Joachim Gauck, a former East German dissident and pastor who decided not to run for a second term. FOIA CBP 000862 DHS-17-0435-B-000159 137 Steinmeier Elected German President By Andreas Rinke Reuters, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. U.K. Defense Chief, Following Prime Minister, Praises Trump Approach Michael Fallon said Trump has likely galvanized U.S. and U.K. efforts to strengthen NATO By Ben Kesling Wall Street Journal, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Donald Trump’s Diplomatic Moderation As his foreign-policy team takes shape, the president appears to be pulling back from his more unorthodox promises By Peter Nicholas And Carol E. Lee Wall Street Journal, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. At FDR’s ‘Little White House,’ A Portrait Of Trump’s Starkly Different Worldview By Patrik Jonsson Christian Science Monitor, February 12, 2017 When President Franklin Delano Roosevelt gazed out from Dowdell’s Knob in April of 1945, he was greeted by a peaceful vista that contrasted, to its very horizon, with a bloodied and broken world. The four-term president’s favorite picnic spot on the crown of Pine Mountain, historians say, helped soothe the guilt of war and, in part, inspired the groundwork for what came afterward – a remarkable stretch of relative world peace, policed by the might, and guided by the vision, of the United States. Looking out on the same landscape this week, Jim Treadwell, a pseudonym for a local law enforcement officer who asked for anonymity to speak frankly, sees something darker: Danger sneaking through the hardwood groves below – whether Mexican gangs from nearby Columbus, Ga., or liberals moving to the Peach State countryside and making a fuss about protecting the wildlife. To him, that clear-eyed appreciation of danger – combined with liberal overreaction – sums up the young presidency of Donald Trump. “I lock the door when I go to bed at night,” he says. “That’s all Trump wants to do. He wants to lock the door at night, and in the morning he’ll unlock it and put the ‘open for business’ sign back out again.” Mr. Treadwell’s analogy echoes a broader sentiment taking root, which critics say diverges from many long￾accepted norms in how Americans view and interact with the world. Where Roosevelt moved the country out of its post￾World War I isolationism, Mr. Trump has promoted a nationalistic “America first” philosophy built on darker views of “carnage” at home and threats abroad. The shift comes at “a complex age of turbulence and opportunity,” when “Americans are dissatisfied with their government and divided over their country’s role in this unsettled world,” according to a recent report by RAND Corp., a security consultancy. In the process, Americans like Treadwell – an independent who says he voted for Democratic Presidents Carter and Clinton – are putting stock in Trump to reassess Roosevelt’s legacy of fearless optimism and world leadership. “There have only been a handful of true ‘regime shifts’ in American political history, and perhaps the biggest one was FDR,” says Brandon Weichert, a geopolitical analyst and founder of the Weichert Report, in Alexandria, Va. “We are seeing one now with Trump. And it does come at a dark time. The elites don’t understand this dark vision, because to them the world is great.” “It’s important to remember that every president is a product of their times.”Two different worldviews For FDR, that meant engagement. He championed trade deals that lowered tariffs and helped liberalize global trade. He pushed for United States membership in the World Court. And he played a crucial role in founding the United Nations after World War II. Roosevelt used his inauguration to proclaim “that the only thing we have to fear is ... fear itself – nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.” In a 1940 fireside chat, Roosevelt exhorted: There are many among us who closed their eyes, from lack of interest or lack of knowledge; honestly and sincerely thinking that the many hundreds of miles of salt water made the American Hemisphere so remote that the people of North and Central and South America could go on living in the midst of their vast resources without reference to, or danger from, other continents of the world. At his inauguration, Trump spoke of American “carnage.” With his executive powers, Trump has sought to build up America’s natural barriers, abandoning the Pacific trade deal, moving toward building a Mexico border wall, and trying to temporarily keep out citizens from seven Muslim￾majority nations.Hope and humiliation Warm Springs was a fount of Roosevelt’s hope. He built his rustic “Little White House” here for its healing 82-degree spring. FOIA CBP 000863 DHS-17-0435-B-000160 138 But today, it also offers a more nuanced picture of Roosevelt – and his connections to Trump. Meriwether County, about an hour south of Atlanta, voted for Trump by 56 percent. And Bob Patterson, the pastor of the Warm Springs First Baptist Church and a life-long Roosevelt buff, has no doubt why Trump’s message plays well here: a sense of economic insecurity. “There’s no problem here in Meriwether County that 2,000 jobs wouldn’t solve,” he says. Bob Patterson, pastor of the Warm Springs First Baptist Church, talks about Franklin D. Roosevelt in Warm Springs, Ga., on Wednesday. Scholars note some of the same tendencies in Trump and Roosevelt – both took on the courts, both pushed the boundaries executive authority in the name of national security, and both showed an ability to take advantage of emerging media (radio for Roosevelt, Twitter for Trump). But here in Warm Springs what binds them is their common touch. As with Roosevelt, a large chunk of Trump’s base is self-described “commoners” who feel they have a handshake deal with the president. Indeed, the dapper Hyde Park native made a deep and genuine connection with the “common man” here. “Trump revived FDR’s ‘forgotten man,’ “ says Mr. Patterson. “He reminded a lot of Americans that they have been deprived, left out, and forgotten.” A stark difference, of course, is that Roosevelt entered office with 25 percent unemployment compared with 4.9 percent unemployment today. That’s one reason Trump’s vision hasn’t been more broadly appealing, observers say. “When FDR talked about a country laid to waste by the Great Depression … he was describing a picture that all Americans were seeing.” Today, however, many Americans don’t recognize Trump’s evocations of a “dark ‘American carnage,’ “ writes Linette Lopez for Business Insider. But for those who do recognize it, Trump and his senior adviser, Steven Bannon, have activated a mix of Christian apocalyptic thought peppered with a sense of humiliation at the hands of foreigners. As Treadwell, the Georgia cop, says, “We’re tired of two things: God being taken out of daily life and being laughed at behind our backs.” While Roosevelt spoke with optimism, Trump has proven masterful at pushing on the “pain points” of shame and humiliation, says Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael D’Antonio, author of “Never Enough: Donald Trump and the Pursuit of Success.” “Roosevelt was worldly and sophisticated enough to have hope, but Trump ... finds no inspiration in the world,” he says. “That’s why FDR called on people to open their hearts and Trump is calling on them to close them.”One view of the ‘carnage’ Roy Orlinger looks like any good husband as he patiently waits outside a row of Warm Springs gift shops as his wife shops, eventually emerging with a couple of throw pillows. The retired Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent recalls flying drug interdiction missions aboard a converted C￾130 military plane, chasing drug runners out of the Georgia skies. After one plane dropped duffel bags of cocaine, agents located the cache – along with a cocaine-covered dead bear that had overdosed by licking the sucrose used to cut the drug. “There is carnage,” says Mr. Orlinger, pointing to violence perpetrated by gangs and Mexican drug-runners in cities such as Memphis and Chicago. To him, Trump is looking at the world bluntly and realistically. His embrace of Trump is not a rejection of Roosevelt, he says, but of President Obama, whom he believes “was trying to destroy America from within.” To Orlinger, Trump’s deeper point is that patriotism will banish prejudice. “We have to stop looking at race and start looking at each other as brothers and sisters,” he says. That is a key point of Trump’s appeal, says Robert McCurtain, a Wall Street analyst who specializes in consumer psychology. “Like in FDR’s day, many [Trump voters] don’t view the United States as the cause of problems in the world and they do still believe the USA is a beacon for the oppressed,” he says. “The big qualifier could be that they want people who live in the USA to live under and by the rule of law.” To Orlinger and other Trump supporters, a focus on sovereignty isn’t a retreat from the world, but a reassessment of America’s place in it. After all, as Treadwell muses, “What’s wrong with putting America first?” For Patterson, the pastor, Trump’s willingness to fashion a new kind of presidency harks to Roosevelt, as well. The challenges facing the US might not be remotely on the scale of the Great Depression or World War II, but the perception is that they are – and that Trump is addressing that challenge. “Seriously, FDR should have been impeached, but instead he ended up being one of our greatest presidents,” says Patterson. “Perhaps Trump can take that to heart.” Trump’s Winning Asia Diplomacy Promising signs from a call with Xi Jinping and golf with Shinzo Abe. Wall Street Journal, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. World’s Diplomats, Seeking A Bridge To Trump, Eye Haley By Somini Sengupta FOIA CBP 000864 DHS-17-0435-B-000161 139 New York Times, February 12, 2017 UNITED NATIONS — The shock is gone. Panic is subsiding. Now, diplomats who represent the nations of the world are entering what one described as the third stage of grief: figuring out how to deal with President Trump. They’re scrambling to speak with his advisers and poring over his Twitter posts — or if they’re old school, ordering their minions to print out twice-daily lists of presidential outbursts. They’re watching anxiously how he reacts to a series of high-stakes tests (military provocations by Russia in Ukraine, for instance), while trying to parse the contradictory statements coming out of his administration (what exactly is the United States’ view on Russia?). And they’re counting on his United Nations envoy, Nikki R. Haley, to be a coolheaded adviser, even as they wonder whether she, his not-so-long-ago critic, has her mercurial boss’s ear. Their doubts surfaced late Friday over the abruptly annulled appointment of a Palestinian leader for a senior United Nations post. Diplomats said they had been led to believe the appointment of the Palestinian, Salam Fayyad, had been approved by all Security Council members — only to be greeted with a last-minute statement from Ms. Haley’s office, quashing the appointment. The United States does not recognize Palestine as a state, the statement read, raising questions about whether Ms. Haley had been overridden by the White House. So far, she has revealed little of her world views, except an opening salvo that did not go down very well among her peers. “For those who don’t have our back, we’re taking names,” she said of America’s allies in her first remarks at the United Nations headquarters, and then repurposed it into a hashtag: #TakingNames. So far on Mr. Trump’s watch, Iran and North Korea have carried out ballistic missile tests, Israel has expanded settlements and fighting has escalated between Ukraine and pro-Russia rebels — all regarded as early tests for the White House. His travel ban on seven Muslim-majority nations has given ballast to the Islamic State, his somersaults on Taiwan are seen to have strengthened China’s hand, and his unpleasant exchanges with the leaders of close allies like Mexico and Australia have left many diplomats wondering whether they can count on the world’s most powerful nation as a reliable partner. Mr. Trump’s supporters see his edicts and outbursts as perfectly consistent with his campaign promise to upend the establishment, reassert America’s primacy and put all on notice not to trifle with him — a kind of chaos theory of foreign-policy management to leave everyone guessing, all the time. For America’s friends in the world, the uncertainty is complicated by not knowing exactly whom to talk to. The warrens of the State Department are unusually empty. Obama administration officials have packed up; new appointments have yet to be made. And a series of contradictory statements have emerged from cabinet officials about crucial issues — not least Russia. Mr. Trump has continued to express his admiration for his counterpart in the Kremlin, Vladimir V. Putin. Yet Ms. Haley has taken a different posture. In both her confirmation hearing and in her first open remarks in the Security Council, she condemned Russia’s “aggressive actions” in Ukraine and insisted that United States sanctions on Moscow would remain. Several Western envoys breathed a sigh of relief, but not without doubts. Was she speaking for herself, or for the administration? Was the inconsistency deliberate, or did it reflect a lack of consensus? Who is setting United States policy, and whom should they be talking to? “Unanswerable right now,” advised Kathleen Hicks, a Pentagon official under President Barack Obama and now a senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. “They’re smartest to have multiple points of entry. Backups to backups.” Ms. Haley will have to weigh in on difficult, contentious issues that are already on the United Nations’ agenda: how to save South Sudan from what could be a genocide, say, or whether to punish the president of Syria, Bashar al-Assad, for unleashing chemical weapons on his people, or how to stanch the spread of terrorism in West Africa. Yet she has not expressed opinions on much. On Twitter, she posted selfies with her husband, Michael, and a YouTube video of Billy Joel singing “New York State of Mind.” She admitted to being excited to see the movie “Deepwater Horizon,” and offered a new hashtag: #WeekendsInNYC. On the last Sunday of January, as Mr. Trump’s travel ban left immigrants and refugees stranded across the world, Ms. Haley wrote a Twitter post about her husband driving up to New York with the family’s pets, including two frogs and a fish. On Saturday night, after North Korea tested a missile, Ms. Haley posted a Twitter message about her admiration for Joan Jett, the 1980s rock star. What kind of influence she may have on the White House remains unknown. She is far from being a confidante of Mr. Trump’s, and it’s unclear how much sway she will have over him on any of the big crises facing the world. “Nikki Haley will be a perfectly normal politician sent to be ambassador,” said Eliot A. Cohen, a former Bush administration official. Mr. Trump, he warned, has “instincts and prejudices which are out of the norm of American diplomatic belief and practice.” The diplomatic corps is queuing up to see her — and those who score face time are wasting no time sharing it. “The #SpecialRelationship comes to @UN,” the British FOIA CBP 000865 DHS-17-0435-B-000162 140 ambassador, Matthew Rycroft, posted on Twitter, along with a photo of the two of them shoulder to shoulder. “Very positive meeting,” offered the Ukrainian ambassador, Volodymyr Y. Yelchenko, posting a picture of his own. At a crowded reception one recent evening, one diplomat described the first weeks of the Trump presidency as “surreal,” as though he were describing a Luis Buñuel movie. Then he spotted Ms. Haley and deftly snaked through the crowd to introduce himself. I spoke to more than a dozen diplomats for this article, and nearly all described Ms. Haley, the former governor of South Carolina, as a natural politician and a refreshing contrast to the president. “Cordial,” one envoy said. “Businesslike,” said another. “We need to find a way to engage with the new administration, particularly with Ambassador Haley, and to explore with them what we can do together,” said João Vale de Almeida, the envoy representing the European Union’s 28 member nations. “In doing so, we should try to avoid dangers and pitfalls.” Vitaly I. Churkin, the Russian ambassador and perhaps Ms. Haley’s most important colleague on the Council, complimented her “very powerful record” as governor. On Twitter, he said cryptically that he looked forward to working with her according to the “mind-set of their capitals.” (Her boss, in Washington, has lavished praise on his, in Moscow.) Few people at the United Nations need to be on her good list more than the man who heads the world body, António Guterres. Mr. Trump has dismissed Mr. Guterres’s entire operation as a social club. Republicans in Congress have threatened to pull funding. And Ms. Haley has made it clear that she intends to scrutinize how the United Nations spends its money and eliminate things that do not serve United States interests, while also taking pains to say she would not take a “slash and burn” approach. The United States pays for more than a fifth of the United Nations’ core budget, and controls key jobs in the world body’s system. So Mr. Guterres must strike a balance between keeping United States officials on board and not being seen as subservient to United States interests. He faced that challenge over Mr. Trump’s travel ban. Mr. Guterres was criticized as not speaking out against it directly enough, quickly enough. Finally, he told reporters that the restrictions “violate our basic principles” and called for them to be discontinued. Mr. Guterres is a former socialist prime minister of Portugal. Ms. Haley is a conservative from the American South. But both are politicians, as Richard Gowan, a research fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, pointed out. And, he argued, they could help each other — Ms. Haley in prodding him to show that America gets value at the United Nations, Mr. Guterres by using pressure from her to make the reforms he thinks are necessary. As Mr. Gowan put it in a recent essay, “Their political fortunes are inseparable.” Peru President Asks Trump To Consider Deporting Wanted Ex-leader By Mitra Taj Reuters, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. IMF Head: Trump Good For US Economy For Now As Trouble Looms By Jon Gambrell Associated Press, February 12, 2017 DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) – The head of the International Monetary Fund said Sunday that U.S. President Donald Trump taking office is likely good for the American economy in the short term, though rising interest rates and a strengthening dollar will challenge global trade. Christine Lagarde said Trump’s plans for additional investment in U.S. infrastructure and his likely tax reforms will boost America’s economic fortunes. However, Lagarde acknowledged that Trump’s policies likely will squeeze international markets. “That’s a tightening that is going to be difficult on the global economy and for which economies have to prepare,” Lagarde said during an event at the World Government Summit in Dubai. Asked how the world missed Trump’s rise and the United Kingdom’s vote to leave the European Union, Lagarde described a creeping, “insidious” push toward anti￾globalization and protectionist thought. “We have been saying globalization is great, international trade is great – and it is,” she said. “But we have not looked at those who were badly, negatively impacted.” She blamed those negative impacts in part on the rise of robots taking jobs, as well as the shrinking gains of the global middle class. Lagarde cautiously sidestepped questions on her thoughts about Trump being in the White House by saying “this is really a work in progress – there’s been of announcements, a lot of tweets, a lot of things being said.” Still, she stressed the importance of data and facts in making decisions. “I know it’s not fashionable at the moment, but I think that facts, figures (and) actual assessment of the reality matter and that we have to be honest about it,” she said. --- FOIA CBP 000866 DHS-17-0435-B-000163 141 © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Hezbollah Leader Says ‘Idiot’ Trump Makes Him Optimistic Associated Press, February 12, 2017 BEIRUT (AP) – The leader of Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group says the world will benefit from having an “idiot” in the White House. Hassan Nasrallah said in a speech Sunday that his group is much stronger than when it was created in the early 1980s and should not be concerned about threats from the West. Referring to U.S. President Donald Trump, Nasrallah said “we are very optimistic that when an idiot settles in the White House and boasts about his idiocy, this is the beginning of relief for the oppressed around the world.” Trump has vowed to take a stronger stance against Iran, which is a key sponsor of Hezbollah and other militant groups in the Middle East. The White House said Iran was “on notice” after it tested a ballistic missile. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. A Way To Get Real News To Russia Washington Post, February 12, 2017 A CONFOUNDING aspect of today’s global conflicts is the use of soft power: propaganda, news, social media, cybermischief, deception, leaks and other means to influence hearts and minds and thereby prevail over an adversary. The digital age has greatly accelerated the importance and use of these techniques, and Russia has demonstrated a dark mastery of them, especially since its invasion of Ukraine three years ago. How should the West respond, and, more broadly, how can free and open societies answer propaganda from authoritarian regimes? Should America stoop to the same behavior? Or should free societies just hope that their existing news and social media will be a sufficient bulwark against the tide of falsehood and deliberate confusion? An intriguing and important U.S. attempt at an answer was formally launched last week . Current Time television, a product of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and the Voice of America, is a 24/7 Russian-language television network based in Prague and aimed at audiences inside Russia as well as the borderlands of the former Soviet Union. The content of Current Time is intended to provide “fair and accurate reporting, serving as a reality check on disinformation that is driving conflict in the region,” the network said. In other words, this is an attempt to beam straight talk into countries where state-backed propaganda is far more prevalent. Russians get a large share of their news from television, and the state has an outsized role in controlling and running most broadcast and cable channels. (The online, independent TV Dozhd is an exception.) But Russians also flock to social media, where they can see Current Time video, which will also be available on a website or by satellite. Outside Russia, from the Baltics to Central Asia, there are millions more potential viewers, and many of them have had no Russian-language alternatives to Moscow’s TV broadcasting. They should welcome the straight talk. Both organizations behind Current Time are funded by the U.S. government. The staffs of both VOA and RFE/RL are made up of professional journalists. They do not want to be U.S. propaganda tools, and they envision a television product that is fact-based and unflinching. A key to the success of Current Time will be whether the reports will be deemed credible by audiences that have been fed a steady diet of anti-Americanism in recent years. Breaking through to these viewers is a worthy goal, but it won’t be easy. The Trump administration can help by keeping its hands off Current Time, avoiding the temptation to turn it into a U.S. propaganda machine. The idea is not to replicate well￾funded Russian disinformation outlets such as RT and Sputnik. For its part, Congress has for some time been asking for a more robust answer to Russia’s information war. This is one attempt, using real news and straight programming and reflecting the highest and best values of our open society. Congress ought to make sure it is properly financed and politically unhindered. Trump’s New Start With Russia May Prove Better Than Obama’s The new president’s reported disdain for his predecessor’s arms deal is an encouraging sign. By John Bolton Wall Street Journal, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Romanians Step Up Protests Again To Urge Government To Quit By Andra Timu Bloomberg Politics, February 12, 2017 FOIA CBP 000867 DHS-17-0435-B-000164 142 Thousands of Romanians took to the streets of major cities once again, indicating the embattled government may have to do more to dim the biggest demonstrations since the fall of communism. More than 70,000 people demanding the cabinet to step down rallied around Romania on Sunday, with some 50,000 of them in front of the government building in Bucharest, local media reported. Protests stretched into a 13th consecutive day, even as numbers had dwindled during the previous few days. In an attempt to stem the anger, Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu has reversed controversial legal measures seen as damaging to anti-graft efforts and Justice Minister Florin Iordache later quit. A little over a month since returning to power, Romania’s Social Democrats face the largest backlash since the 1989 uprising that ousted dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. The fury erupted after the passage of measures to ease punishment for corrupt officials and release others from prison. Nationwide protests of as many as 600,000 prompted the government to change course. The demonstrators back an anti-graft drive that’s ensnared top officials in the European Union and NATO member nation, including an ex￾Social Democrat premier. “There’s clearly anger inside society that’s channeled toward corrupt politicians and corruption in general,” said Paul Ivan, a Brussels-based analyst at the European Policy Center. “In the last four-five years, we’ve seen results from the anti-corruption fight and reforms have been pushed through and this has built up hope the country can do better and can be cleaner.” Grindeanu, whose government survived a no￾confidence motion Tuesday in parliament, has pledged greater transparency from his cabinet. President Klaus Iohannis has slammed the ruling coalition for the crisis. After plummeting initially, the leu has recovered as the cabinet softened its stance. Corruption Crusader Stirs Romania Government’s resistance to prosecutor’s anticorruption drive has sparked Romania’s biggest protests since the fall of Communism By Drew Hinshaw Wall Street Journal, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Anger And Mistrust Fuel Unabated Protests In Romania By Kit Gillet New York Times, February 12, 2017 BUCHAREST, Romania — Exactly one week after the largest protests in a quarter of a century rocked Romania, an estimated 70,000 demonstrators filled the square outside the main government building in Bucharest on Sunday evening, determined to show those in power that the crisis was far from over. While significantly less than the half a million who took to the streets across the country the previous Sunday, the Bucharest demonstration was still a potent sign of the resilient unrest in the country and the loss of trust between the new government, only in office since the beginning of January, and a large sector of the population. Sunday was the 13th night in a row that protesters occupied Piata Victoriei — Victory Square — in Bucharest, after the government passed an emergency ordinance on Jan. 31 that effectively decriminalized some low-level corruption offenses, including cases of official misconduct in which the financial damage was less than 200,000 lei, or about $47,000. Protests have also taken place in more than 50 towns and cities across the country. In the face of the large-scale backlash, the emergency ordinance was repealed a week ago, but that has not stopped protesters from demonstrating their anger. Many in the square on Sunday continued to call for the resignation of Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu, as well as the presidents of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, among the highest political offices in the country. “We don’t trust this government. They lied to us. We want this government to resign,” said Maria Stoica, 38, an information-technology business analyst standing in the square. For her, it was the 10th night of protesting. The Romanian government had hoped that it had weathered the worst of the crisis. On Wednesday it easily survived a no-confidence motion brought about by the parliamentary opposition. One day later, the prime minister accepted the resignation of Florin Iordache, the minister of justice and one of the architects of the emergency ordinance that was the catalyst for the protests. However, Mr. Iordache’s resignation appears to have done little to appease those on the street. “They promised one thing, but did another,” said Vlad Puiu, 41, a retail manager. “We are here to make sure what happened won’t happen again.” After several days where it seemed as if the protests may have been waning, with nightly crowds diminishing to a few thousand in the face of falling temperatures, the turnout on Sunday was a strong signal that the government may have miscalculated. At exactly 9 p.m. local time, tens of thousands of Romanians, using pieces of colored paper and the lights from their cellphones, created a vast Romanian flag across the square. Temperatures hovered around 20 degrees Fahrenheit. According to Florin Badita, 28, an activist who has helped rally people through a Facebook group he created FOIA CBP 000868 DHS-17-0435-B-000165 143 after a deadly nightclub fire in 2015 — a disaster partly blamed on corruption — the protests are far from over. “This won’t be the last night. We haven’t won anything yet. If we don’t go out now we’ll need to in six months, when there’s the next big thing,” he said. Mr. Badita, who took unpaid leave from his job in the northern city of Cluj to participate in the Bucharest protests, said he also believed the momentum would grow. “I think the main thing is that now people know that there are a lot of people wanting change,” he said. “What we want to do is build this in a sustainable way, and also to train citizens in things like the Freedom of Information Act. We can go out all the time to protest, but we need to do more.” Others also said that they saw the potential for these protests to develop into a more long-term movement. “The success of these protests, resulting in the withdrawal of the ordinance, has boosted the most active of the protesters in their commitment to a more sustained and permanent kind of organization,” said Sergiu Miscoiu, a professor of political science at Babes-Bolyai University in Cluj. “This involves maybe only a quarter or even a tenth of last Sunday’s demonstrators, but it will be enough to put pressure on the government,” he said. After Gun Battle In Kashmir, Protests Turn Violent By Hari Kumar New York Times, February 12, 2017 NEW DELHI — Indian security forces in Kashmir engaged in an intense, 12-hour-long gun battle with militants that ended late Sunday morning, leaving four militants, two soldiers and one civilian dead, the authorities said. An additional civilian died after a protest. The police had learned that the militants were in a village, and cordoned it off late Saturday. They were conducting searches when they were fired upon by militants; security forces began firing back. The violence then led to clashes between Indian security forces and large crowds of local youths who gathered to mourn the dead militants. The police used tear gas on protesters, who were pelting stones at the Indian forces. They also fired bullets and birdshot at protesters, injuring at least 21 people, one of whom later died, according to Dr. Abdul Majid, the medical superintendent of the district government hospital at Anantnag. The four militants, all residents of Kashmir and all in their 20s, were members of the rebel group Hizbul Mujahedeen, said Sridhar Patil, the police chief of Kulgam district. He said they had criminal charges, including murder and stealing arms from security forces, outstanding against them. “First we tried to convince them to surrender with the help of locals and family members,” Mr. Patil said, but they shouted back that they would not surrender. Security forces recovered three assault rifles and two pistols from the site, Mr. Patil said. Throngs of youths fought with Indian forces last summer in Kulgam. The disturbances began in July, when Indian security forces killed Burhan Wani, a top commander for Hizbul Mujahedeen. Sunday’s fight in Kulgam ended a lull of several months. Insurgents in Kashmir have been fighting for independence from India for nearly three decades, and the Indian authorities have long said that their movement is supported by Pakistan. Diplomatic ties between the two countries have frayed in recent years. Somaliland Agrees To UAE Military Base In Northern Port By Abdi Guled Associated Press, February 12, 2017 MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) – Somalia’s breakaway northern territory of Somaliland has said the United Arab Emirates can establish a military base in its territory. The Emirati government in January submitted a formal application seeking permission from the Somaliland government to open a military base in the port town of Berbera. The parliament of Somaliland on Sunday approved the UAE plan. The plan is controversial and the neighboring countries of Ethiopia and Djibouti are opposed to it, according to local reports. In Sunday’s vote 144 lawmakers were in favor of the military base, two voted against and two abstained. Nine others opposed to the base shouted against President Ahmed Silanyo and were led out of the chamber by soldiers. Silanyo had spoken in favor of the base, saying it would create jobs in Somaliland. The UAE government is planning to establish a naval base with warships that would be used to attack Shia Houthi fighters fighting the government in Yemen, according to a Somaliland official who insisted on anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the press. Speaking at the parliament session, Somaliland’s president said that the military base would benefit Somaliland most and help create jobs. The plan follows a multimillion dollar, 30-year contract for UAE’s international ports operator, DP World, to manage Somaliland’s largest port, Berbera. The former British protectorate of Somaliland declared a unilateral independence from the rest of Somalia in 1991 FOIA CBP 000869 DHS-17-0435-B-000166 144 and has succeeded in establishing peace and stability. But no country has so far recognized it as an independent state. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. IMF’s Stand On Greek Bailout Unnerves Europe Some worry about prolonged deadlock as new debt crisis emerges By Simon Nixon Wall Street Journal, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Top Opposition Leader In Cambodia Resigns As Election Nears By Julia Wallace New York Times, February 12, 2017 PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — The embattled leader of Cambodia’s main opposition party abruptly quit on Saturday in the face of increasing government pressure, ceding a political stage he had occupied for more than two decades. The resignation of the leader, Sam Rainsy, came after the government began a series of moves that would allow it to dissolve the Cambodia National Rescue Party he led, in advance of crucial local elections set for June. The opposition has also been hit with a barrage of lawsuits and leaked telephone conversations between leading figures and women purported to be their mistresses. It was unclear whether Mr. Sam Rainsy, 67, was leaving politics for good or was planning to work quietly behind the scenes. Either way, his exit seemed to represent the end of an era. As the head of three liberal-leaning political parties since 1995, he had been a thorn in the side of the country’s long-ruling prime minister, Hun Sen, for more than 20 years. In an interview on Sunday from Paris, where he has lived in exile since November 2015, Mr. Sam Rainsy. a French-educated former banker, said he had quit as a “pre￾emptive defensive move” to save his political party. This month, Mr. Hun Sen proposed a measure that could dissolve any party led by someone convicted of a crime, which Mr. Sam Rainsy has been many times, because of an abundance of criminal defamation suits filed against him by government officials, government allies and the prime minister himself. “This guy is crazy,” Mr. Sam Rainsy said of Mr. Hun Sen. “He can do anything he wants without consideration for legal, judicial principles, so I have to defend my party and tell Hun Sen and tell the Cambodian people and tell the whole world that Hun Sen no longer has any grounds to dissolve the C.N.R.P. on the basis that his kangaroo court has made me a convict.” He was vague about his political future. “In politics, there are always ups and downs,” he said. “Things can change.” Ou Virak, the chairman of the Future Forum, a public policy research group in Phnom Penh, the capital, said the departure of Mr. Sam Rainsy was a blow for Cambodia’s fledgling democracy. “Leaving in this kind of situation, when the party is under pressure, is not ideal or democratic,” he said. “It highlights the nature of Cambodian politics for the past 20 or so years. Politics is not created by competition and ideas, but personalities and maneuvering to get what people want.” Mr. Sam Rainsy was one of those personalities. Despite his weaknesses, including a tendency to flee the country in the face of trouble, he is still, for many, the most enduring symbol of opposition to Mr. Hun Sen. The prime minister, a former Khmer Rouge fighter, has held power since 1985 and maintains close control over almost all of the country’s institutions. “Rainsy is a character with a lot of flaws, but it has to be recognized that he has maintained this position of opposition for nearly a quarter-century,” said Sebastian Strangio, the author of the book “Hun Sen’s Cambodia.” “At any time, he could have sold out to the C.P.P. and become a rich man,” he said, referring to the Cambodian People’s Party, led by Mr. Hun Sen. Mr. Sam Rainsy, while clearly irritating the prime minister, proved useful over the years by presenting an internationally visible opposition figure to run in elections, which Mr. Hun Sen always won, Mr. Strangio added. But Mr. Sam Rainsy began to pose a more existential threat to Mr. Hun Sen’s political survival when he formed a partnership with another government critic, Kem Sokha, in 2012. Their new political party nearly won the 2013 national election, emboldening them and stunning the C.P.P. Mr. Hun Sen and Mr. Sam Rainsy came to a brief rapprochement in 2014 and 2015, with the opposition leader extracting some important political concessions from Mr. Hun Sen, including equal representation on the National Election Committee and a television broadcasting license. But a few months later, the friendly feelings dissolved, and many of the concessions were rescinded. It has been hard to keep up with the number of lawsuits filed against Mr. Sam Rainsy and other opposition figures over the last 18 months, many involving allegations of criminal defamation against government officials. FOIA CBP 000870 DHS-17-0435-B-000167 145 Salacious telephone conversations involving Mr. Kem Sokha and other opposition lawmakers have also been leaked online and discussed widely in government-friendly news media. The most recent recording, released a week ago, involved a man who sounded like Mr. Sam Rainsy bantering with a waitress about her eating and bathing habits. Mr. Sam Rainsy’s moral authority was also being eroded from within his party. While he fled the country in November 2015 to avoid jail time, Mr. Kem Sokha made a point of staying after being charged with crimes related to a suspected affair. Eventually, the government pardoned him. Mr. Kem Sokha is now set to become the acting opposition leader. In a statement on Sunday, he called Mr. Sam Rainsy’s decision honorable and said it had been made in discussion with the party’s leadership. Phay Siphan, a government spokesman, said the many lawsuits against opposition figures were private matters, and he accused Mr. Sam Rainsy of trying to generate publicity with a dramatic exit. “He is an opportunist,” Mr. Phay Siphan said. “Tell me, so far, in the last 20 years, what has he done for Cambodia except move the people to go on strike and have demonstrations?” Mr. Phay Siphan also criticized the United States representatives Alan Lowenthal and Steve Chabot, members of a new congressional caucus on Cambodia, for writing to Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson on Feb. 9 about the need to promote free and fair elections in Cambodia. Mr. Phay Siphan called the representatives “blind” and “ignorant,” and he suggested that Mr. Sam Rainsy was taking cues from them. Mr. Sam Rainsy countered that all he wanted was for his party to survive long enough to run in the elections, with or without him. “It is Hun Sen who sees me behind any initiative to defend democracy,” he said, “but I think Cambodia has many sons, many daughters, who are willing to defend democracy.” Switzerland Votes To Ease Citizenship For 3rd￾Generation Immigrants By Nick Cumming-Bruce New York Times, February 12, 2017 GENEVA — The posters seen in several cities and provinces featured two very similar young women: both born in Switzerland, educated in Swiss schools, now in their 20s and working full time in Swiss jobs. They even share the given name Vanessa. The point, though, was the crucial way they differ. One Vanessa is a Swiss citizen, while the other is not, and is locked in a lengthy and expensive procedure to obtain citizenship even though her family put down roots in Switzerland two generations ago. The posters backed a government-sponsored measure that would ease the path to citizenship for third-generation immigrants like the second Vanessa. And on Sunday, the measure was approved in a nationwide referendum. The outcome went against the recent tide of right-wing populism and anti-immigrant sentiment in much of Western Europe. Just over 60 percent of votes were in favor, including majorities in 17 of the country’s 23 electoral cantons — a minimum of 12 are required to pass — despite a right-wing campaign that sought to stoke fears of Muslims infiltrating the country. “We are quite surprised,” said Stefan Egli, a manager of Operation Libero, a politically independent group that campaigned in support of the initiative and organized the poster campaign featuring the two Vanessas, among others. Mr. Egli said he had thought the referendum would win the national popular vote, but he worried that more of the rural cantons would oppose the change. Swiss law typically requires foreigners to be resident in the country for 12 years before applying for citizenship; after that they must undergo a series of tests and interviews to assess their suitability, and are judged by criteria that differ from one canton to another. Unlike the United States and some European countries, Switzerland does not grant automatic citizenship to children born on its soil. The measure approved on Sunday will not change those basic rules, but will speed up and simplify the approval process, using uniform criteria, for foreigners under 25 whose parents and grandparents have permanent residence status in Switzerland. “These are people who are at home,” Simonetta Sommaruga, the federal justice minister, said in a statement explaining the government’s position on third￾generation immigrants. “The only difference is they do not have a red (Swiss) passport.” An assessment by Geneva University for the government’s department of migration found that just under 25,000 people could benefit from the changes. Most of them are Italian, it found, and nearly 80 percent are of European extraction. Vanessa Seyffert, the second woman in the poster, will not be one of them; she is already deep in the process of applying the old way. She said she had taken part in the poster campaign to highlight the inequality facing young people who were brought up attending the same schools and speaking the same language but do not have the same rights. “The crucial thing for me is to be able to vote,” Ms. Seyffert said in an interview. “I just want to have a voice.” Noncitizens make up one-quarter of Switzerland’s eight million residents, one of the highest proportions in Europe, and the continent’s refugee crisis has sharpened fears in the country of a dilution of national culture and character. Changes to the country’s restrictive immigration laws, even modest ones like the referendum on Sunday, tend to touch a FOIA CBP 000871 DHS-17-0435-B-000168 146 nerve. Given the climate, proponents said they saw almost no chance of enacting broader changes, like automatic citizenship for third-generation immigrants, which was defeated in a 2004 referendum. “We don’t see any reason whatsoever to make it easier,” said Luzi Stamm, a legislator from the right-wing People’s Party, which favors making controls on foreign workers and migrants even tighter. “The movement of people in the world has increased considerably,” he said. “You have an increased probability of problem-makers coming here.” To reinforce the point, the party mounted a poster campaign of its own, featuring a silhouette of a woman in a burqa and with the slogan “No to uncontrolled naturalization.” Though the People’s Party has a long history of provocative posters and slogans playing on popular suspicion of outsiders, the current posters shocked many Swiss, who saw them as racist and irrelevant to the ballot measure. “It’s quite systematic — they are really trying what Trump’s campaigns did, to go beyond the facts,” said Lukas Goldber, an analyst at Gfs.bern, a political and social research institute, referring to President Trump’s election campaign in the United States. “Some elements were trying to see if it works in the Swiss system,” Mr. Goldber said. “It didn’t work at all.” Head Of Spain’s Far-Left Party Survives Leadership Challenge By Raphael Minder New York Times, February 12, 2017 MADRID — Pablo Iglesias, the head of Spain’s far-left Podemos Party, defeated a challenge in a leadership vote on Sunday, giving him a strong mandate to stick with the radical line that has made Podemos one of Europe’s main anti￾establishment parties. Mr. Iglesias, 38, won an unexpectedly clear victory, receiving 89 percent of the votes as party leader, while his main supporters won 60 percent of the seats on the party’s governing council. The victory of Mr. Iglesias during a two-day party congress is likely to raise the pressure on the Socialists, Spain’s main opposition party, to resolve a bitter leadership dispute of their own. The Socialists have been functioning under a caretaker management since ousting their leader, Pedro Sánchez, last October, which then helped clear the way for Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, a conservative, to win re-election. Founded in 2014 during a period of extreme discontent and record unemployment generated by the world financial crisis, Podemos made a meteoric rise that also uprooted Spain’s two-party system. But after coming in third in its first general elections in late 2015, Podemos found it harder to switch from anti-austerity street protests to parliamentary politics and lost votes in repeat elections six months later. The party was then plunged into an internal dispute, not only over the leadership of Mr. Iglesias, but also over whether Podemos should adhere to his anti-institutional hard-line policies or instead steer more toward conciliatory and mainstream politics — as advocated by the party’s deputy leader, Iñigo Errejón. The struggle came at a time when Spain’s return to economic growth was also helping reduce unemployment. Mr. Rajoy was re-elected unopposed as leader of his Popular Party during the weekend. While Mr. Rajoy remains in a fragile situation at the helm of a minority government, his most pressing challenge has come from Catalonia, where separatist politicians have pledged to hold a referendum in September over whether to split from Spain. Mr. Rajoy told party supporters on Sunday that he would firmly oppose such a referendum and not compromise with Catalonia over its independence ambitions. “All this secessionist process is a folly,” Mr. Rajoy said. NATIONAL NEWS Republicans, Aiming To Kill Health Law, Also Work To Shore It Up By Robert Pear New York Times, February 12, 2017 WASHINGTON — After denouncing the Affordable Care Act as an abomination for seven years, Republicans in Congress, working with the Trump administration, are urgently seeking ways to shore up health insurance marketplaces created by the law. While President Trump said as a candidate that “Obamacare is certain to collapse of its own weight,” Republicans fear such an outcome because, now that the fate of the health law is in their hands, they could be blamed by consumers and Democrats. The administration is poised to issue a proposed regulation to try to stabilize insurance markets, and House Republicans are drafting legislation with a similar purpose. The regulation and the bills are intended to hold down insurance premiums and to lure insurers back into the public marketplaces from which they have withdrawn in the past couple of years. The Republican proposals address concerns that insurers have been expressing for several years, among them what they call costly abuse of special enrollment periods. But markets could still be undermined, insurers say, if Congress simultaneously repeals the health law’s requirement for most Americans to have coverage. That requirement, known as the individual mandate, is one of the more unpopular features of the law, signed in 2010 FOIA CBP 000872 DHS-17-0435-B-000169 147 by President Barack Obama. But insurance companies like it because it requires people to buy their product, bringing in healthy people who pay premiums and do not use much care. Analyzing the Republican strategy, Joel L. Michaels, a health lawyer at the firm McDermott Will & Emery, said there was “a tension” between efforts to repeal the health law and shore up its insurance marketplaces, where more than 10 million people obtained coverage last year. “A political agenda premised on the Affordable Care Act being unworkable could conflict with efforts to support the A.C.A. exchanges, even on an interim basis,” Mr. Michaels said. “How far do you go with short-term fixes, which could make the law work better in the long term? It’s a delicate political dance.” Insurers are seeking immediate governmental action because they must decide by early May what kinds of health plans they will offer on the exchanges in 2018. The proposed rule drafted by the Trump administration and one of the bills drafted by House Republicans would make it more difficult for consumers to obtain insurance outside the annual open enrollment period. Consumers would have to provide documents to show they were eligible for a special enrollment period. Under existing rules, people can sign up after the deadline if they experience certain “life changes” like having a baby, getting married, losing employer-sponsored insurance or moving to a new state. But insurers say that some consumers have misused these special enrollment periods, signing up when they became sick and dropping coverage after they received the care they needed. Insurers say people who sign up in a special enrollment period use up to 50 percent more services than those who sign up in the standard enrollment season. In documents provided to the White House at a meeting last week, Blue Cross and Blue Shield executives said federal officials should limit the number of special enrollment periods and “require all individuals to show proof of eligibility before coverage starts” — an idea endorsed by several governors. Gov. Bill Haslam of Tennessee, a Republican, said that “special enrollment periods are an absolute necessity for individuals who experience a change in life circumstance.” But, he said, they have been “so broadly defined that they are almost akin to a permanent open enrollment period, allowing individuals to access health insurance benefits only when health care is an immediate necessity.” Judith Solomon, a vice president at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a liberal-leaning research and advocacy group, said she had not seen convincing evidence of abuse. Moreover, she said, the documentation requirements “will decrease enrollment, for sure, and will disproportionately deter younger and healthier people” from trying to sign up. Under another Republican proposal, it would be easier for insurers to terminate coverage for people who fail to pay their premiums. The Affordable Care Act says insurers generally must allow a three-month grace period before ending coverage for people who receive federal subsidies to help pay premiums. About 85 percent of people who obtain insurance through the Affordable Care Act’s marketplaces receive such subsidies, and the three-month grace period is longer than that typically required by state laws. Under a bill introduced last month by Representative Bill Flores, Republican of Texas, the federal government would recognize any grace period set by state law, and if a state did not have a law, the grace period would be one month. Several governors, including Brian Sandoval of Nevada and Gary R. Herbert of Utah, both Republicans, endorsed this change. “Reducing the grace period from 90 days to 30 days, which is standard industry practice for most other insurance products, would assist in stabilizing the individual market,” Mr. Herbert said. Republicans in Congress are also warming to the idea of continuing payments to insurance companies to help cover the out-of-pocket costs for people with low incomes. House Republicans filed suit against the Obama administration to stop these payments, saying Congress never appropriated money for them, and a federal district judge ruled for the lawmakers in May. The payments reimburse insurers for certain discounts they are required to provide to low-income people, and without the payments, which are expected to total $9 billion this year, insurers say they would drop out of the market or sharply increase premiums. Representative Mark Meadows, a conservative Republican from North Carolina and a fierce critic of the health care law, said he wanted to avoid disrupting coverage for consumers while Republicans repeal the law and devise a replacement. “As long as we have a real repeal and replacement strategy,” Mr. Meadows said, he might accept a temporary continuation of the cost-sharing subsidies. “I would be more flexible and could swallow some short-term heartburn for longer-term fiscal responsibility and lower health care costs for the people I represent,” he said. Senator Lamar Alexander, Republican of Tennessee and the chairman of the Senate health committee, said he, too, was willing to allow a “temporary continuation of cost￾sharing subsidies for deductibles and co-payments.” After Angry Demonstration In Utah, Chaffetz Returns To More Wrath In D.C. By Paul Schwartzman FOIA CBP 000873 DHS-17-0435-B-000170 148 Washington Post, February 12, 2017 Rep. Jason Chaffetz is not yielding. When he gavels in his House committee Monday night, the Utah Republican will begin the rare act of dismantling a D.C. law — one that allows for assisted suicide — despite the wrath of District residents who are planning a massive “Hands off D.C.” rally and accuse him of bullying the city to pander to his conservative base. Chaffetz, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, faced another horde of protesters at a town hall in his Utah district last week, though they were irate because of his inaction. Why, they demanded to know, was he not investigating President Trump’s financial dealings? In both cases, Chaffetz said, he would not be swayed by angry crowds, phone calls, emails or tweets. “It doesn’t faze me,” the 49-year-old congressman said at an In-N-Out Burger in his Utah district last Thursday, where he devoured a cheeseburger and french fries moments after his security detail whisked him away from the town hall meeting filled with protesters chanting “Do your job!” “It’s a very, very small minority,” he said between sips of a chocolate shake. “It’s a very vocal, very frustrated, scorched-earth mentality that’s not representative of the average person, certainly not in Utah. It might be in San Francisco or Seattle but not here. Not in middle America.” Instead of Trump, Chaffetz’s targets these days include the District, where he also wants to block the city’s plan to use local tax dollars to help undocumented residents fight deportation. Two weeks ago, he said the best way for the District to gain a vote in Congress would be to rejoin Maryland, a suggestion that infuriated District activists. Chaffetz, a Mormon who says he is morally opposed to assisted suicide, contends he is fulfilling his responsibility to oversee the District and brushed off any suggestion that he’s catering to conservative voters. “Everything I do isn’t because of politics,” he said. “I do it because it’s right.” Eight years after joining Congress, Chaffetz relishes his role at the center of Washington’s rollicking vortex. A ubiquitous presence on cable news shows, the congressman is the GOP’s ever-ready flamethrower, using his committee perch to not only meddle in the District’s affairs but to savage the IRS and Secret Service, and lambaste former secretary of state Hillary Clinton for the Benghazi attack and her use of a private email server. Yet, since the election, Chaffetz’s refusal to aim his committee at Trump’s financial web has fed accusations that the congressman is unwilling to take on his party’s leader. Not even his public chiding late last week of White House counselor Kellyanne Conway for promoting Ivanka Trump’s clothing line could quell the criticism. While he was critical of Trump during the campaign, rescinding his endorsement at one point, Chaffetz now crows about the president. After their White House meeting last week, the congressman described Trump’s “natural curiosity” as “refreshing,” and said that “he was very calm, very nice,” and that “it was a thrill to be there.” Chaffetz has repeatedly insisted that he won’t lead a “fishing expedition” on Trump, despite what critics — including nonpartisan watchdogs — contend is ample material. “Very conveniently, this great advocate and apostle for vigorous oversight of the executive branch announced that maybe it was time to put more energy into reform and not oversight,” said Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (D-Va.), a member of the House committee that Chaffetz chairs. The Republican congressman is frustrated by criticism that he is kowtowing to Trump, a sentiment expressed in a recent Salt Lake Tribune cartoon which rendered the president as Jabba the Hutt, holding a miniature Chaffetz in his palm. “I’m with him,” Chaffetz says in the cartoon, beneath the words, “Republicans refuse to investigate Trump’s shady dealings.” Between visits with lawmakers at the state capitol in Salt Lake City last Thursday, Chaffetz called aides in Washington, pushing them to finalize a letter condemning Conway that he and Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.) sent to the Office of Government Ethics. “Let’s get it out now,” Chaffetz insisted, before composing his own tweet to his 225,000 Twitter followers that described Conway as “wrong, wrong, wrong,” accompanied by a hashtag of “#Donteverdothis.” Moments later, he bristled as he read on his phone a conservative blogger’s post in the Washington Post that congressional Republicans are not committed to oversight. “What the crap is this?” he asked. “They wanted me to investigate Trump even before he was sworn in. Really? Come on.” In addition to his criticism of Conway, he said, his committee is examining the Trump Organization’s Old Post Office lease with the General Services Administration. During the campaign, he reminds audiences, he criticized Trump for not releasing his tax returns. Chaffetz, who is “leaning toward” a 2020 campaign for governor, voiced no concern over support in his overwhelmingly Republican district, which extends from just south of Salt Lake City to the state’s southern border. “I’m very reflective of my district,” he said, noting that he has won all his elections by massive margins. Yet Republicans in Chaffetz’s district said they are concerned about the president’s potential conflicts of interest. “The jury is still out on Chaffetz,” Jeff Nilson, an accountant who has voted for the congressman, said as he FOIA CBP 000874 DHS-17-0435-B-000171 149 waited on line to enter his town hall. “If he challenges him, good for you Jason. Trump has to be answerable for what he does.” During the recent Republican retreat in Philadelphia, Chaffetz and his wife, Julie, met Trump backstage, an encounter the congressman shared with a photo he posted for his 16,000 Instagram followers. “‘I’m the president, you have a job to do,’” Chaffetz said Trump told him. “You do the oversight. You don’t slow down. You go after everything you want to go after.’” Chaffetz described Trump’s message as “inspiring,” even as he batted away Democratic members’ demands that the committee investigate whether Trump was violating the Constitution’s “Emoluments Clause,” which bars presidents from receiving payments from foreign entities. Chaffetz also has refused to probe Trump’s potential conflicts-of-interest, saying that federal law exempts the president from such violations. “To dive into somebody’s personal records hoping to find something is not something we have done,” he said. While Democrats accused Chaffetz of partisanship, Tom Davis, the former Republican congressman from Virginia who chaired the oversight committee, said that “reality” dictates that “you tend to over investigate the other party and you under investigate your own.” “You protect your quarterback, you go after the other guy--that’s always the way it has been,” Davis said. Yet Norman J. Ornstein, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, said that ignoring Trump’s foreign ties “is a highly partisan and utterly irresponsible act.” Chaffetz became the committee’s chairman in 2015, seven years after he won his seat defeating a Republican incumbent with a tea party fueled campaign. He made an early impression eschewing earmarks and insisting on sleeping in his Capitol Hill office on a cot that he lugged from Utah. The congressman still sleeps on the cot, which he stores in a closet along with beef jerky he buys at a Costco in Virginia. His experience in the city is relatively limited. He identified Chinatown as among his favorite neighborhoods “because they have a Five Guys.” From early in his congressional career, Chaffetz opposed progressive District initiatives such as gay marriage and legalizing marijuana, stances that help him maintain high ratings from conservative interest groups. In recent weeks, District activists have flooded phone lines at Chaffetz’s offices with complaints. D.C. Council members have mocked his interest in District laws and policies by inviting him to their oversight hearings and calling his office to report problems with garbage pick up. “I would deem him the king of the hypocrites,” said Josh Burch of Neighbors United for DC Statehood. “He is a small federal government conservative until it comes to the District of Columbia.” Chaffetz said the Constitution requires that his committee weigh in on District matters, including what he considers profound issues such as assisted suicide, which he refers to as “killing people.” “I did not go to Congress thinking I would take on death with dignity, but that’s what they put on my plate,” he said. In interviews in his Utah district, Chaffetz’s constituents expressed vague awareness of his involvement in D.C. affairs, and said they could understand residents objecting to congressional intervention. Yet Gordon Larsen, 62, a retired coal minor who lives 100 miles south of Provo, said he would not fault Chaffetz for “standing up for the morals he has.” A garrulous pol, his smile framed by dimples, Chaffetz has shown he is unafraid of combat, even when it requires turning on allies. In 2012, he endorsed Mitt Romney for president over his own mentor, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman. Three years later, Chaffetz surprised congressional colleagues when he unsuccessfully ran against his “good friend” Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy for House speaker. “We need a speaker who can speak,” Chaffetz said, a not-so￾subtle dig at McCarthy’s propensity for mangling sentences. McCarthy’s defenders included Huntsman, who tweeted: “McCarthy just got ‘Chaffetzed.’ Something I know a little something about. #selfpromoter #powerhungry.” During the presidential race, Chaffetz targeted Clinton private emails, a probe he announced on Instagram that he wasn’t relinquishing when he posted a photograph of himself shaking her hand at Trump’s inauguration. “I thanked her for her service and wished her luck. The investigation continues,” he wrote, a message that outraged Democrats who said it was evidence of the congressman’s viciousness. “It wasn’t as sensitive as I probably could’ve been,” Chaffetz acknowledged, though he also added that “factually, those sentences are correct.” He also made sure to point out that the post was among his most popular. In recent weeks, Chaffetz said, a woman he encountered on the street in Washington and said, “I hope you will investigate Donald Trump with the same exuberance and intensity that you investigated Hillary.” “I understand,” the congressman told her. “I think we’ll make you proud.” White House Declines To Publicly Defend Embattled Flynn By Jill Colvin Associated Press, February 12, 2017 PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) – A top White House aide sidestepped repeated chances Sunday to publicly defend FOIA CBP 000875 DHS-17-0435-B-000172 150 embattled national security adviser Michael Flynn following reports that he engaged in conversations with a Russian diplomat about U.S. sanctions before Trump’s inauguration. The uncertainty comes as Trump is dealing with North Korea’s apparent first missile launch of the year and his presidency, along with visits this week from the leaders of Israel and Canada. Trump has yet to comment on the allegations against Flynn, and a top aide dispatched to represent the administration on the Sunday news shows skirted questions on the topic, saying it was not his place to weigh in on the “sensitive matter.” Pressed repeatedly, top policy adviser Stephen Miller said it wasn’t up to him to say whether the president retains confidence in Flynn. “It’s not for me to tell you what’s in the president’s mind,” he said on NBC. “That’s a question for the president.” The White House said in an anonymous statement Friday the president had full confidence in Flynn. But officials have been mum since then amid fallout from reports that Flynn addressed U.S. sanctions against Russia in a phone call late last year. The report, which first appeared in The Washington Post, contradicted both Flynn’s previous denials, as well as those made by Vice President Mike Pence in a televised interview. Trump has been discussing the situation with associates, according to a person who spoke with him recently. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. New Jersey’s Gov. Chris Christie, who led Trump’s transition planning before the election, said Flynn would have to explain his conflicting statements about his conversations with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak to Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. “Gen. Flynn has said up to this point that he had not said anything like that to the Russian ambassador. I think now he’s saying that he doesn’t remember whether he did or not,” Christie said on CNN. “So, that’s a conversation he is going to need to have with the president and the vice president to clear that up, so that the White House can make sure that they are completely accurate about what went on.” The comments came as the White House continues to weigh its options following a legal blow last week to Trump’s immigration order suspending the nation’s refugee program and barring citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S. Miller, who was one of the architects of the order, maintained in a round of Sunday show interviews that the president has sweeping executive authority when it comes to barring foreigners he deems pose a risk to the country. He said Trump will do “whatever we need to do, consistent with the law, to keep this country safe” and slammed judges who’ve stood in his way. “This is a judicial usurpation of the power. It is a violation of judges’ proper roles in litigating disputes. We will fight it,” Miller said in an interview on “Fox News Sunday.” As for the administration’s next steps, Miller said that “all options” remain on the table,” including a Supreme Court appeal. Trump said on the plane ride to Florida on Friday that he was considering signing a “brand new order” as early as Monday to try to bypass the legal challenges. “As you know, we have multiple options, and we are considering all of them,” Miller said on ABC’s “This Week.” The comments come amid an outcry from immigration activists over an “enforcement surge” by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers that officials say is targeting immigrants who are in the country illegally and have criminal records. Advocacy groups contend the government has rounded up large numbers of people as part of stepped-up enforcement. The agency calls the effort no different from enforcement actions carried out in the past. But Trump and Miller appeared eager to take credit for the action. “The crackdown on illegal criminals is merely the keeping of my campaign promise. Gang members, drug dealers & others are being removed!” Trump tweeted. Added Miller on NBC’s “Meet the Press”: “We’re going to focus on public safety and saving American lives and we will not apologize.”. Trump has spent the weekend in Florida at his sprawling Mar-a-Lago estate, holding meetings, making calls, golfing and hosting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. For most of Saturday, Trump and the Japanese prime minister played golf under the Florida sun to get to know one another and show the world the U.S.-Japan alliance remained strong. A surprise provocation by the North Koreans provided a more significant example of cooperation. After North Korea reportedly launched a ballistic missile, the two leaders appeared for hastily prepared statements in a ballroom of Trump’s south Florida estate late Saturday. Abe spoke first and longest. “North Korea’s most recent missile launch is absolutely intolerable,” Abe said through a translator. He added that the North must comply fully with relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions, but also noted that Trump had assured him that the U.S. supported Japan. “President Trump and I myself completely share the view that we are going to promote further cooperation between the two nations. And also we are going to further reinforce our alliance,” he said. Trump followed Abe with even fewer words, saying in part: “I just want everybody to understand and fully know that the United States of America stands behind Japan, its great ally, 100 percent.” With that, they left the room. FOIA CBP 000876 DHS-17-0435-B-000173 151 Miller said on ABC that the joint appearance marked “an important show of solidarity between the United States and Japan.” --- White House Correspondent Julie Pace contributed to this report from Washington. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. As Flynn Falls Under Growing Pressure Over Russia Contacts, Trump Remains Silent By Philip Rucker, Adam Entous And Ed O'Keefe Washington Post, February 12, 2017 White House national security adviser Michael Flynn is under increasing political pressure and risks losing the confidence of some colleagues following reports that he misled senior administration officials about his discussion of sanctions with a Russian envoy shortly before President Trump took office. As White House aides scramble to get their stories straight about the exact nature of those communications and as Democrats call for Flynn’s security clearance to be suspended or revoked, neither Trump nor his advisers have publicly defended Flynn or stated unequivocally that he has the president’s confidence. Privately, some administration officials said that Flynn’s position has weakened and support for him has eroded largely because of a belief that he was disingenuous about Russia and therefore could not be fully trusted going forward. “The knives are out for Flynn,” said one administration official who, like others interviewed for this report, spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to speak candidly. On Sunday, the top White House aide dispatched to represent the administration on the political talk shows pointedly declined to defend Flynn. Asked on NBC’s “Meet the Press” whether the president had confidence in Flynn, senior policy adviser Stephen Miller said he did not know. “It’s not for me to tell you what’s in the president’s mind,” Miller told moderator Chuck Todd. He added that his colleagues at the White House “did not give me anything to say” about Flynn. When ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos asked Miller about Flynn’s interactions with Sergey Kislyak, Russia’s ambassador to the United States, Miller said, “I don’t have any news to make . . . today on this point.” The Washington Post revealed last week that Flynn and Kislyak had discussed U.S. sanctions against Russia in the month before Trump’s inauguration. The Post’s finding, confirmed by nine current and former U.S. officials, contrasted with the assurances made publicly by Vice President Pence and other top administration officials that Flynn never talked about sanctions with Russian officials. Based on Flynn’s private assurances, Pence, White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and White House press secretary Sean Spicer stated publicly that Flynn never discussed sanctions with Kislyak. Pence spoke to Flynn twice on Friday — once face to face and once by telephone, according to an administration official who declined to characterize the contents of those discussions. “Flynn is running out of friends, no question,” a different administration official said. “The broad consensus in the White House is that he lied. The vice president feels like he lied. In a position that needs to be no drama, it’s nonstop drama. I would be very surprised if he lasts much longer.” New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R), an informal adviser to Trump, called on Flynn to “clear up” what happened with Trump and Pence, but he stopped short of accusing him of wrongdoing. “I think that’s the obligation of General Flynn, his national security adviser, to have those type of candid conversations with the president and the vice president,” Christie said on CNN. “And then they will act as they see fit, given all the circumstances.” Over the weekend at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Fla., the president privately voiced frustration with Flynn and the political baggage he is hanging on the White House, according to two people familiar with his comments. Spicer denied that Trump criticized Flynn to anyone at the club and called assertions to the contrary “fake news.” People close to Flynn said he feels confident in his position despite the swirling controversy. He flew to Florida this weekend with the president along with other National Security Council officials to engage with his Japanese counterparts during Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit. Furthermore, people in Trump’s orbit cautioned that the president was unlikely to fire Flynn because doing so would amount to an admission of guilt and misjudgment in the face of media scrutiny and would also demonstrate chaos early in his presidency. The doubts about the national security adviser come as Trump faces his first significant provocation from a U.S. adversary overseas. North Korea fired a ballistic missile over the weekend, a move suspected by some experts as designed to serve as a test of components of an FOIA CBP 000877 DHS-17-0435-B-000174 152 intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching the United States. Trump responded on Saturday night in a joint appearance with Abe at Mar-a-Lago, where he reassured his Japanese counterpart that the United States fully supported Japan. Flynn, a retired lieutenant general and a decorated intelligence officer, met Trump in late 2015 to offer advice about his campaign and signed on with Trump the following year. He won Trump’s approval during the general election with his willingness to travel regularly and deliver fiery stump speeches trashing Trump’s Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton. Democratic leaders have called for investigations into the Flynn’s contact with Russian officials and for Trump to suspend and revoke Flynn’s security clearance. “President Trump’s kowtowing to Vladimir Putin is endangering our national security and emboldening a dangerous tyrant,” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D￾Calif.) said Saturday. Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (Md.), the top Democrat on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, said Sunday on ABC News that suspending Flynn’s clearance would be “an appropriate action.” Trump has not yet issued a comment about Flynn, either on Twitter or in one of his brief appearances before journalists over the weekend. Aboard Air Force One on Friday, reporters asked Trump about The Post’s report on Flynn’s discussion of sanctions and the president claimed he did not know about it, even though it had by then become a major story across cable news. “I don’t know about that. I haven’t seen it,” Trump said during a flight to Florida from Washington. “What report is that? I haven’t seen that. I’ll look into that.” Greg Miller contributed to this report. Democrats Press For Probe Of Security Adviser’s Talks With Russians Top adviser can’t say if Trump still has confidence in Mike Flynn By Donna Borak Wall Street Journal, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. White House Is Keeping Doubts Alive About The Future Of National Security Advisor Michael Flynn By David Lauter Los Angeles Times, February 12, 2017 The ominous silence around the Trump administration’s national security advisor, retired Gen. Michael Flynn, deepened Sunday as a senior White House official in a televised interview declined to say if the president still has confidence in him. “That’s the question that I think you should ask the president, the question you should ask Reince [Priebus], the chief of staff,” Stephen Miller, the White House senior policy advisor, said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” when asked if Trump still has confidence in Flynn. “So the White House did not give you anything to say,” asked the show’s host, Chuck Todd. “They did not give me anything to say,” Miller responded. Miller’s silence on Flynn was significant because the White House had booked him on several of the major Sunday television interview programs as the administration’s spokesperson this weekend. White House officials appear to have deliberately chosen Miller, whose portfolio does not include foreign policy, in part to avoid having to give a definitive answer about Flynn. Flynn’s future with the administration is at issue because of indications that he may have misled his colleagues, including Vice President Mike Pence, about his contacts with the Russian ambassador during the weeks before Trump’s inauguration. That would normally be a severe problem for someone in Flynn’s position, but Trump may not want to appear to be dropping an aide under pressure from the media and Democratic critics. The FBI has been examining Flynn’s contacts with Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, according to multiple news reports. Agents are looking at whether Flynn tried to undermine the Obama administration’s move to toughen sanctions against Moscow after concluding that Russia had meddled in the U.S. election. Flynn had publicly denied discussing sanctions with Kislyak. But on Thursday, a Washington Post account , citing nine current or former U.S. officials, flatly contradicted those denials. The article quoted a representative for Flynn as backing away from his previous statements, saying that though Flynn “had no recollection of discussing sanctions, he couldn’t be certain that the topic never came up.” Since the Post published its report, the White House has passed up several opportunities to publicly back up Flynn. Trump, asked about the report on Friday, said he was unaware of it. Shortly after Miller’s appearances on “Meet the Press” and ABC’s “This Week,” Trump tweeted his approval of Miller’s statements, again without mentioning Flynn. Aides to Pence, who had publicly repeated Flynn’s denials in a television interview, have signaled their boss’ unhappiness with the national security advisor. After the Post published its account, a White House official pointedly told the paper that Pence had made his statements based on what Flynn had told him. FOIA CBP 000878 DHS-17-0435-B-000175 153 Flynn’s contacts with Kislyak may not have broken any laws; the relevant one, the Logan Act, which bars private citizens from interfering with U.S. diplomacy, is an 18th century statute that is periodically waved around as a threat, but has never been used for a prosecution. But if Flynn misled Pence and other colleagues about what he did, that could make his continued presence in the national security job untenable. Several leading Democrats in Congress have said the reports suggest Flynn should be fired . 7:52 a.m.: This post was updated with Trump’s tweet. Trump’s National Security Adviser Flynn Trying To Survive Crisis By Steve Holland Reuters, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Turmoil At The National Security Council, From The Top Down By David E. Sanger, Eric Schmitt And Peter Baker New York Times, February 12, 2017 WASHINGTON — These are chaotic and anxious days inside the National Security Council, the traditional center of management for a president’s dealings with an uncertain world. Three weeks into the Trump administration, council staff members get up in the morning, read President Trump’s Twitter posts and struggle to make policy to fit them. Most are kept in the dark about what Mr. Trump tells foreign leaders in his phone calls. Some staff members have turned to encrypted communications to talk with their colleagues, after hearing that Mr. Trump’s top advisers are considering an “insider threat” program that could result in monitoring cellphones and emails for leaks. The national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn, has hunkered down since investigators began looking into what, exactly, he told the Russian ambassador to the United States about the lifting of sanctions imposed in the last days of the Obama administration, and whether he misled Vice President Mike Pence about those conversations. His survival in the job may hang in the balance. Although Mr. Trump suggested to reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday that he was unaware of the latest questions swirling around Mr. Flynn’s dealings with Russia, aides said over the weekend in Florida — where Mr. Flynn accompanied the president and Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe — that Mr. Trump was closely monitoring the reaction to Mr. Flynn’s conversations. There are transcripts of a conversation in at least one phone call, recorded by American intelligence agencies that wiretap foreign diplomats, which may determine Mr. Flynn’s future. Stephen Miller, the White House senior policy adviser, was circumspect on Sunday about Mr. Flynn’s future. Mr. Miller said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that possibly misleading the vice president on communications with Russia was “a sensitive matter.” Asked if Mr. Trump still had confidence in Mr. Flynn, Mr. Miller responded, “That’s a question for the president.” This account of life inside the council — offices made up of several hundred career civil servants who advise the president on counterterrorism, foreign policy, nuclear deterrence and other issues of war and peace — is based on conversations with more than two dozen current and former council staff members and others throughout the government. All spoke on the condition that they not be quoted by name for fear of reprisals. “It’s so far a very dysfunctional N.S.C.,” Representative Adam B. Schiff of California, the senior Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said in a telephone interview. In a telephone conversation on Sunday afternoon, K. T. McFarland, the deputy national security adviser, said that early meetings of the council were brisker, tighter and more decisive than in the past, but she acknowledged that career officials were on edge. “Not only is this a new administration, but it is a different party, and Donald Trump was elected by people who wanted the status quo thrown out,” said Ms. McFarland, a veteran of the Reagan administration who most recently worked for Fox News. “I think it would be a mistake if we didn’t have consternation about the changes — most of the cabinet haven’t even been in government before.” There is always a shakedown period for any new National Security Council, whose staff is drawn from the State Department, the Pentagon and other agencies and is largely housed opposite the White House in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. President Barack Obama replaced his first national security adviser, Gen. James Jones, a four-star former supreme allied commander in Europe, after concluding that the general was a bad fit for the administration. The first years of President George W. Bush’s council were defined by clashes among experienced bureaucratic infighters — Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld and Colin Powell among them — and by decisions that often took place outside official channels. But what is happening under the Trump White House is different, officials say, and not just because of Mr. Trump’s Twitter foreign policy. (Two officials said that at one recent meeting, there was talk of feeding suggested Twitter posts to the president so the council’s staff would have greater influence.) A number of staff members who did not want to work for Mr. Trump have returned to their regular agencies, leaving FOIA CBP 000879 DHS-17-0435-B-000176 154 a larger-than-usual hole in the experienced bureaucracy. Many of those who remain, who see themselves as apolitical civil servants, have been disturbed by displays of overt partisanship. At an all-hands meeting about two weeks into the new administration, Ms. McFarland told the group it needed to “make America great again,” numerous staff members who were there said. New Trump appointees are carrying coffee mugs with that Trump campaign slogan into meetings with foreign counterparts, one staff member said. Nervous staff members recently met late at night at a bar a few blocks from the White House and talked about purging their social media accounts of any suggestion of anti￾Trump sentiments. Mr. Trump’s council staff draws heavily from the military — often people who had ties to Mr. Flynn when he served as a senior military intelligence officer and then as the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency before he was forced out of the job. Many of the first ideas that have been floated have involved military, rather than diplomatic, initiatives. Last week, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was exploring whether the Navy could intercept and board an Iranian ship to look for contraband weapons possibly headed to Houthi fighters in Yemen. The potential interdiction seemed in keeping with recent instructions from Mr. Trump, reinforced in meetings with Mr. Mattis and Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson, to crack down on Iran’s support of terrorism. But the ship was in international waters in the Arabian Sea, according to two officials. Mr. Mattis ultimately decided to set the operation aside, at least for now. White House officials said that was because news of the impending operation leaked, a threat to security that has helped fuel the move for the insider threat program. But others doubt whether there was enough basis in international law, and wondered what would happen if, in the early days of an administration that has already seen one botched military action in Yemen, American forces were suddenly in a firefight with the Iranian Navy. Ms. McFarland often draws on her television experience to make clear to officials that they need to make their points in council meetings quickly, and she signals when to wrap up, several participants said. And while Mr. Obama liked policy option papers that were three to six single-spaced pages, council staff members are now being told to keep papers to a single page, with lots of graphics and maps. “The president likes maps,” one official said. Paper flow, the lifeblood of the bureaucracy, has been erratic. A senior Pentagon official saw a draft executive order on prisoner treatment only through unofficial rumors and news media leaks. He called the White House to find out if it was real and said he had concerns but was not sure if he was authorized to make suggestions. Officials said that the absence of an orderly flow of council documents, ultimately the responsibility of Mr. Flynn, explained why Mr. Mattis and Mike Pompeo, the director of the C.I.A., never saw a number of Mr. Trump’s executive orders before they were issued. One order had to be amended after it was made public, to reassure Mr. Pompeo that he had a regular seat on the council. White House officials say that was a blunder, and that the process of reviewing executive orders has been straightened out by Reince Priebus, the White House chief of staff. Still, Mr. Flynn presents additional complications beyond his conversations with the Russian ambassador. His aides say he is insecure about whether his unfettered access to Mr. Trump during the campaign is being scaled back and about a shadow council created by Stephen K. Bannon, Mr. Trump’s top strategist, who was made a member of the council two weeks ago. For his part, Mr. Bannon sees the United States as headed toward an inevitable confrontation with two adversaries — China and Iran. Mr. Flynn finds himself in a continuing conflict with the intelligence agencies, whose work on Russia and other issues he has dismissed as subpar and politically biased. Last week, in an incident first reported by Politico, one of Mr. Flynn’s top deputies, Robin Townley, was denied the high￾level security clearance he needed before he could take up his job on the council as the senior director for Africa. It was not clear what in Mr. Townley’s past disqualified him, and in every administration some officials are denied clearances. But some saw the intelligence community striking back. Two people with direct access to the White House leadership said Mr. Flynn was surprised to learn that the State Department and Congress play a pivotal role in foreign arms sales and technology transfers. So it was a rude discovery that Mr. Trump could not simply order the Pentagon to send more weapons to Saudi Arabia — which is clamoring to have an Obama administration ban on the sale of cluster bombs and precision-guided weapons lifted — or to deliver bigger weapons packages to the United Arab Emirates. Several staff members said that Mr. Flynn, who was a career Army officer, was not familiar with how to call up the National Guard in an emergency — for, say, a natural disaster like Hurricane Katrina or the detonation of a dirty bomb in an American city. At the all-hands meeting, Mr. Flynn talked about the importance of a balanced work life, taking care of family, and using the time at the council to gain experience that would help staff members in other parts of the government. At one point, the crowd was asked for a show of hands of how many expected to be working at the White House in a year. FOIA CBP 000880 DHS-17-0435-B-000177 155 Mr. Flynn turned to Ms. McFarland and, in what seemed to be a self-deprecating joke, said, “I wonder if we’ll be here a year from now?” Democrat Cummings Says Trump Adviser Must Explain Russia Calls By Tom Howell Jr. Washington Times, February 12, 2017 The House’s top Democratic investigator on Sunday said National Security Adviser Michael T. Flynn needs to explain whether he discussed sanctions with Russia’s ambassador, saying the retired general’s shifting explanations are only raising new questions. Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland also wants to know whether President Trump knew about Mr. Flynn’s conversations with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak in December, when President Obama was still in charge of foreign relations. “Did the president instruct General Flynn to talk to the ambassador?” Mr. Cummings, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, told ABC’s “This Week.” Both parties have been uncomfortable with Mr. Trump’s apparent coziness with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Democrats, in particular, have questioned whether the Russians have personal or financial influence over the U.S. president. Mr. Flynn initially denied discussing Russian sanctions during the December calls. Last week, however, his spokesman said he “couldn’t be certain” that the topic never came up. Vice President Mike Pence had already gone on national television to say Mr. Flynn and Russian ambassador hadn’t discussed sanctions. “He really put the vice president in a very awkward and a very sad position,” Mr. Cummings said. “He is the national security adviser,” he added. “He is supposed to be the one to make sure these kind of things don’t happen, and here he is embroiled in all of this.” White House policy adviser Stephen Miller on Sunday declined to say whether misleading Mr. Pence would be a fireable offense in the Trump administration. “It’s not for me to answer hypothetical. It wouldn’t be responsible. It’s a sensitive matter,” Mr. Miller told NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “General Flynn has served his country admirably. He served his country with distinction.” Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. Trump Friend Says Priebus Is ‘In Way Over His Head’ By Philip Rucker Washington Post, February 12, 2017 One of President Trump’s longtime friends made a striking move on Sunday: After talking privately with the president over drinks late Friday, Christopher Ruddy publicly argued that Trump should replace his White House chief of staff. “A lot of people have been saying, ‘Look, Donald has some problems,’ and I think he realizes that he’s got to make some changes going forward,” Ruddy said in an interview with The Washington Post. Ruddy went on to detail his critique of White House chief of staff Reince Priebus: “It’s my view that Reince is the problem. I think on paper Reince looked good as the chief of staff — and Donald trusted him — but it’s pretty clear the guy is in way over his head. He’s not knowledgeable of how federal agencies work, how the communications operations work. He botched this whole immigration rollout. This should’ve been a win for Donald, not two or three weeks of negative publicity.” Ruddy insisted that he was speaking only for himself and not the president, and he would not reveal whether Trump had confided in him about Priebus because the conversation was private. White House spokesmen did not respond to a request for comment on Ruddy’s statement. Ruddy — who is chief executive of Newsmax Media and a member of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Fla. — spoke to The Post shortly after appearing on CNN, where he threw Priebus under the proverbial bus. “I think there’s a lot of weakness coming out of the chief of staff,” Ruddy told anchor Brian Stelter in a live interview from Miami. “I think Reince Priebus [is a] good guy, well￾intentioned, but he clearly doesn’t know how the federal agencies work. He doesn’t have a really good system. He doesn’t know how the communications flow.” Trump, Ruddy continued, is “not getting the backup he needs” from Priebus. Ruddy said he spent about 30 minutes talking privately with Trump late Friday at Mar-a-Lago after the president’s dinner with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, after Abe had retreated to his suite for the night. “Since the [CNN] show, I’ve gotten three text messages from sitting Cabinet members praising my appearance,” Ruddy said. “They realize this whole government depends on this chief of staff.” He declined to identify the Cabinet secretaries. Ruddy praised White House press secretary Sean Spicer and other administration officials who have come under public scrutiny. He said blame for missteps at the dawn of Trump’s presidency should fall squarely on Priebus. “What I’m hearing from a lot of people on the inside is that Reince is not giving Donald the pushback that he needs,” Ruddy said. “He just doesn’t have the gravitas that Donald would respect at the end of the day.” FOIA CBP 000881 DHS-17-0435-B-000178 156 Trump Friend Suggests Reince Priebus Is In Over His Head By Michael D. Shear New York Times, February 12, 2017 WASHINGTON — A longtime friend of President Trump’s who met with him this weekend in Florida issued a public rebuke of the president’s chief of staff on Sunday, blaming him for the botched rollout of Mr. Trump’s targeted travel ban and saying the early chaos in the White House may not ease until he departs. The friend, Christopher Ruddy, the chief executive of Newsmax Media, said in an interview that Mr. Priebus was well meaning and well liked. But he said Mr. Priebus was in over his head, and he hinted that Mr. Trump may already be growing weary of the man he chose to run the White House. “He doesn’t waste a lot of time,” Mr. Ruddy said of the president. “If he thinks somebody is not performing, he moves pretty quickly.” The remarks by Mr. Ruddy, made in one of several interviews he gave to news outlets on Sunday, underscored the tensions inside the West Wing as members of the president’s senior staff jockey for power and influence. Mr. Ruddy said he spent 30 minutes with the president on Friday night after Mr. Trump’s dinner with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan at Mar-a-Lago, the Trump resort in Palm Beach, Fla., of which Mr. Ruddy is a member. “I do think it was botched,” Mr. Ruddy said of the executive order on immigration, which caused confusion at airports as officials struggled to interpret it and which has been halted by the courts. He said the fallout had obscured lobbying restrictions imposed by Mr. Trump on executive branch employees after they leave the administration. “Nobody talks about that,” Mr. Ruddy said. “It’s a very popular position Trump took. But nobody’s talking about that because they got caught in this quagmire.” Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the deputy communications director for the White House, defended the chief of staff, saying: “The president has made unbelievable progress in just his first 21 days, bringing back jobs, saving taxpayers money and securing the nation. Reince has successfully led the team that has implemented President Trump’s agenda.” A senior administration official, who was not authorized to respond publicly to Mr. Ruddy and spoke on the condition of anonymity, questioned the relevance of the news executive’s opinion about Mr. Priebus. “This sounds like somebody with an ax to grind who has no real access to the president,” the official said Sunday evening. Mr. Ruddy is not one of Mr. Trump’s closest friends and is not in the circle of political advisers that the president has installed in the White House. But he has known Mr. Trump for many years and spoke with him often during the transition period. After an interview on CNN on Sunday morning, Mr. Ruddy said, Mr. Priebus called him and asked that he “keep an open mind” in the days ahead. “He gave me a briefing on all the things they are doing to improve and streamline communications,” Mr. Ruddy said, though he declined to give details. “He asked me if I would keep an open mind as they make progress. I said, ‘Absolutely.’” Mr. Ruddy said that he had told Mr. Priebus that he would not take back his criticism. But he said they had agreed to “meet up and have dinner in the near future.” Despite his prominent role at the White House, Mr. Priebus is not a longtime confidant of the president’s. As chairman of the Republican National Committee, he remained neutral through the primary race and became an enthusiastic backer of Mr. Trump in the general election. During the transition, Mr. Trump named Mr. Priebus chief of staff, but announced the choice in the same news release in which he named Stephen K. Bannon, the former head of Breitbart News, as his chief strategist. Mr. Bannon received top billing in the announcement. Mr. Priebus provided Mr. Trump with a semblance of order as he entered the White House as a first-time elected official, serving as a bridge to the Republican congressional leadership and hiring veteran officials to help the president. But he has faced nearly constant criticism from some of his colleagues and from people outside the West Wing. Since Inauguration Day, Mr. Trump has moved quickly to issue a series of executive actions and make good on his campaign promises. But the first three weeks of his term have been marred by controversies over the travel ban, his insults of judges and others on Twitter, ethical charges revolving around Trump businesses, and reports of infighting among White House staff members. Mr. Ruddy declined to say whether he had discussed Mr. Priebus with Mr. Trump on Friday, or whether he thought the president was inclined to make a change. “It’s really the president’s decision, if he were ever to make that,” Mr. Ruddy said. “It’s his alone. I think you are going to see results in the next 60 days. That’s a critical time.” Trump Friend Who Slammed Priebus Now Says His Plans Are ‘Impressive’ By Will Sommer The Hill, February 12, 2017 Christopher Ruddy, a friend and ally of President Trump, has softened his stance on White House chief of staff Reince Priebus just hours after slamming him on national television. Ruddy, the CEO of the conservative Newsmax Media, criticized Priebus Sunday on CNN’s “Reliable Sources,” saying that the former chairman of the Republican National FOIA CBP 000882 DHS-17-0435-B-000179 157 Committee was out of his depth with federal agencies and showing “a lot of weakness.” Ruddy’s remarks came two days after he had a brief private meeting with Trump. But in a tweet Sunday evening, Ruddy appeared to praise Priebus, calling his plans for the White House “impressive!” Reince just briefed me on new WH plans. Impressive! CNN today my personal view. Told him I have ‘open mind’ based on his results.— Christopher Ruddy (@ChrisRuddyNMX) February 12, 2017 Trump Reviews Top White House Staff After Tumultuous Start Michael Flynn is under fire, but he’s not the only one about whom Trump is voicing his doubts. By Josh Dawsey And Alex Isenstadt Politico, February 12, 2017 President Donald Trump, frustrated over his administration’s rocky start, is complaining to friends and allies about some of his most senior aides — leading to questions about whether he is mulling an early staff shakeup. Trump has told several people that he is particularly displeased with national security adviser Michael Flynn over reports that he had top-secret discussions with Russian officials about and lied about it. The president, who spent part of the weekend dealing with the Flynn controversy, has been alarmed by reports from top aides that they don’t trust Flynn. “He thinks he’s a problem,” said one person familiar with the president’s thinking. “I would be worried if I was General Flynn.” Yet Trump’s concern goes beyond his embattled national security adviser, according to conversations with more than a dozen people who have spoken to Trump or his top aides. He has mused aloud about press secretary Sean Spicer, asking specific questions to confidantes about how they think he’s doing behind the podium. Others who’ve talked with the president have begun to wonder about the future of Chief of Staff Reince Priebus. Several Trump campaign aides have begun to draft lists of possible Priebus replacements, with senior White House aides Kellyanne Conway and Rick Dearborn and lobbyist David Urban among those mentioned. Gary Cohn, a Trump economic adviser, has also been the subject of chatter. For now, Priebus remains in control as chief of staff. He was heavily involved in adviser Stephen Miller’s preparation for appearances on Sunday morning talk shows, which drew praise from the president. If there is a single issue where the president feels his aides have let him down, it was the controversial executive order on immigration. The president has complained to at least one person about “how his people didn’t give him good advice” on rolling out the travel ban and that he should have waited to sign it instead of “rushing it like they wanted me to.” Trump has also wondered why he didn’t have a legal team in place to defend it from challenges. The discussions come at a tense time for the Trump White House, which has endured a tumultuous start. The president, who can be hard on his staff, is known for orchestrating shake-ups when things aren’t going right. His campaign had several leadership changes, and such decisions, such as his late-summer elevation of Conway and Stephen Bannon, are often made by gut. The White House did not respond to requests for comment. While Trump is unlikely to make any immediate staff moves, senior administration officials say, he has ramped up his contact with people he trusts outside the White House and has expressed concerns about how things are going. The president is turning to longtime New York friends like investor Stephen Schwarzman for advice and is relying more on Cohn, who worked at Goldman Sachs before joining the Trump team. “He only asks you a lot of questions when he’s unhappy,” one person who recently talked to Trump and knows him well said. “If he thinks things are going well, he just tells you how well it’s going.” “There will definitely be a change by the end of the summer, if not sooner,” this person added. This weekend, Trump had at a 30-minute meeting at his Mar-a-Lago resort with Chris Ruddy, a longtime friend who is chief executive of Newsmax, a conservative website. Ruddy, who discussed an array of topics with Trump as he sipped whiskey and the president drank Diet Coke, said changes could be afoot. “He’s always been successful and had strong people around him, and he’s in the process of figuring out who those people are,” he said. After the meeting, Ruddy made an appearance on CNN’s “Reliable Sources,” where he complained about Priebus and called for his ouster. Ruddy said that his remarks were warmly received by others in the administration, but that he hadn’t given the president a heads-up beforehand. “A number of high-ranking Trump administration officials sent me a text praising my performance,” Ruddy said. “If they don’t get someone of a different skill set, they’re going to continue having problems. Late Sunday, Ruddy said he had spoken with the chief of staff, who had briefed him on his plans for the White House. Ruddy said he came away from the conversation confident that things would improve. Adding to the intrigue: Sources say the president is planning to have lunch this week with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a longtime confidante who is among those mentioned as having a possible future White House role. While Christie, who has a chilly relationship with Trump-son￾in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner, is seen as unlikely FOIA CBP 000883 DHS-17-0435-B-000180 158 to take a White House job, the lunch has raised eyebrows among some Trump aides. Christie had earlier been offered several roles in the administration but turned them down. Some Trump friends note that he is adjusting to a new reality — and learning that running a business is a lot different than running the White House. The Washington staff he runs is larger and more complex than the one he oversaw in his business. “There’s a reality check of what’s happening, that everything President Trump does, there’s going to be a protest and a lawsuit filed,” said New York Rep. Chris Collins. Others point out that, at this early stage, things still need time to settle. “I think they’re getting their sea legs more and more and some of the growing pains will go away in time,” said New York Rep. Tom Reed, a top Trump ally. “He’s a loyal guy, but he’s from the private sector, and he’ll want to see results. As long as he sees progress, I think he’ll keep his current staff around for the foreseeable future.” White House aides say it can be hard to know what will make Trump happy, or what will anger him. Some aides chafed at Conway’s decision to plug Ivanka Trump’s merchandise line on television, a move that drew widespread criticism, including from ethics experts who said she was walking a dangerous line. But, far from hurting her internally, Trump liked the appearance, and her standing has increased in his eyes, said several people close to the president. Yet, as the notoriously image-conscious president endures days of negative headlines, some aides have begun to worry. One person who spoke with the president recently said he seemed to be looking for someone to point his finger at. “You’re not going to see Trump come out and say I was wrong,” this person said. “If you’re waiting on him to take the blame, you’re going to be waiting a long time.” Yet at the same time, Trump has told friends and he wants his Cabinet members to stay the course no matter the accusations lobbed against them, and that shaking up his staff could be seen as an admission of failure. Douglas Brinkley, a presidential historian who recently met with Trump, said the presidency had been “off to the rockiest start that I can remember.” “Everything he rolls out is done so badly,” Brinkley said. “It reeks of being short-staffed and not having a true pecking order of production from the White House. They’re just releasing comments, tweets and policies willy-nilly. It’s been a very convulsive and confusing first few weeks, but nevertheless it’s been salad days if you care about Republican policies.” Trump Aide Says Endorsement Of Ivanka’s Brand Was ‘Light-hearted’ By Julia Harte Reuters, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Kellyanne Conway’s Dangerous Game The president’s counselor is taking chances now in the hopes of a high-profile payoff down the line. By Tara Palmeri Politico, February 12, 2017 Kellyanne Conway once again put herself at the center of controversy this week when she went on national television and declared she was doing a “free commercial” for Ivanka Trump’s clothing line, ethics laws be damned. Media snarked, ethics watchdogs barked and even White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Conway had been “counseled” on her behavior. But according to someone who has worked with Conway and knows her thinking intimately, none of that much matters to Conway. She’s taking a long view in her bid to rise in the White House ranks — and she’s performing for an audience of one: President Donald Trump. And so while critics may squawk, what matters most to Conway is that Trump sees her defending him on national television. For Conway, the prize for loyalty is eventually landing a spot as chief of staff, becoming the first woman ever to hold the role and cementing her spot at the center of Trump’s inner circle. Currently, Conway is seen within the White House as a “Queen without an Army,” according to a former campaign official. Conway has a vague title of “counselor,” and recently hired a chief of staff and an assistant to support her on her quest to dig into the “next phase of issues,” according to Conway. She has taken ownership of opioid-abuse and veterans affairs, a portfolio that Trump cares deeply about. Conway says she plans to turn her office into a war room, and was quick to mention that she has top-security clearance. She has her eye on leading the White House Council on Women and Girls with former Goldman Sachs executive Dina Powell, senior counselor for economic initiatives, and with Ivanka Trump, should Ivanka decide to take a more active role in the administration. White House officials say Conway spends her days dipping in and out of meetings to offer big-picture communications advice, while taking on cable news talking heads in the mornings and evenings and steering reporters throughout the day. Had she wanted it, Conway could have a more defined role already. Trump favored Conway for press secretary over Sean Spicer, the long-time aide to Reince Priebus who currently holds the position. But Conway says she turned FOIA CBP 000884 DHS-17-0435-B-000181 159 down the job because she wanted a role in setting policy, not just communicating it. Had Conway wanted more, and as she sees it, she already has it: “All you need to know is that I have the ear and confidence of one person,” Conway said. “I have ‘walk-in’ privileges,” she said, claiming she’s among the few who can enter the Oval Office without being summoned. Conway in January even tweeted a line suggesting that she’s filling the shoes of Valerie Jarrett, senior adviser to former President Barack Obama: “Congratulations to @VALERIEJARRETT on post-White House life! I inherited your office & love of the job. All BEST.” Hoping to cement that role, Conway has never wavered in her defense of Trump since becoming his final campaign manager this summer. She took that defense to a new level Wednesday when, with the president under fire for publicly rebuking Nordstrom over dropping Ivanka Trump’s clothing line, Conway swept in for a dramatic display of loyalty. In a nationally televised interview, Conway touted the president’s right to defend his daughter and then proclaimed she was doing a “commercial” for the first daughter’s clothing line — federal rules preventing public officials from using their office to plug private products be damned. It’s what Conway has done for Trump all along, allow him to spit fire for his base and then defend him against everyone else. That’s important to an image-obsessed Trump, who continually assesses what his team is doing to promote him on television. “She’s the one who is more in tuned with what’s going on in the world of the media, and what they’re thinking which is valuable for Trump, because his entire day fluctuates based on what’s in the media,” the former campaign official said. Trump relies on her to create what Conway calls “real people impact.” To Conway, that means communicating in the way that Trump did on the campaign trail, tapping into “the forgotten man and woman.” It also means talking about how things will look, like if Trump should sign an executive order in the Oval Office or somewhere in middle America. “I promised the president I would help oversee communications here,” Conway said. “Comms is not press, it’s visionary, it’s the real people impact.” According to a source close to Trump, the real estate magnate respects the aides that he perceives don’t need him, like Chief Strategist Steve Bannon, a multi-millionaire who ran right-wing news outlet Breitbart. And he measures his team as either staff or peers based on their success, which may explain why Conway is quick to explain that Trump knows the sacrifice she has made to work for him. “He knows I had huge offer to sell my firm. He knows I walked away from millions,” Conway said. “I admire the sacrifices he made to be here and he admires the sacrifices I made. Having to sort through the schooling and living situation for my family. It means something to me that he acknowledges it.” But beyond the financials, Conway’s dogged loyalty to Trump has come at a personal and professional cost. Beyond the ethics furor over her using public office to boost Ivanka’s private interest, Conway’s credibility in under constant attack. In her attempt to do Trump’s bidding, she may have crossed one of the people closer to Trump than herself — Ivanka Trump. A source close to Trump said that his daughter scolded Conway for dragging her brand into an ethics mess and told her not to mention it again on TV. This was a continuation of a conversation that Ivanka Trump had with her father weeks earlier about leaving her business out of the politics, that Conway wasn’t aware of. Trump, for his part, thought that the word “counseled” used by Spicer at the press briefing was “terrible,” and said that her statement was just a continuation of his own sentiments, according to someone in the room. “Why would you use that word? Who’s idea was that?” Trump asked Spicer after the press briefing, the source said. In recent weeks, Conway hit meme-level mockery for thrice referencing the “Bowling Green Massacre” — despite there being no such thing. (Conway says she misspoke in referencing the arrest of bombmakers in Kentucky who were responsible for no domestic terror.) CNN also openly questioned whether they’re willing to have her on air, citing her credibility. Privately, a producer from another network noted that they’re reevaluating how valuable a guest such as Conway is, considering it’s not clear she’s in the room when decisions are being made. “We’ve been more selective on who we have on from the administration. The decision makers are Reince Priebus, Jared Kushner and Steve Bannon, we should be focusing on those guys,” the producer said. Conway shot back, that “sounds a little sexist.” And not everyone is buying Conway’s assertion that she’s at Jarrett-level closeness with Trump. Jarrett, a Chicago native, had an almost familial closeness with Obama, and reached that level with his wife Michelle. As assistant to the President for Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs, Jarrett was one of the longest serving senior staffers of the Obama administration with walk-in privileges to the Oval Office. “I would think that Ivanka or Jared would be the closest to having that sort of relationship,” said Ebs Burnough, deputy social secretary in the Obama administration. He said the Obama-Jarrett tie was “a deep tie that can’t be replicated overnight.” FOIA CBP 000885 DHS-17-0435-B-000182 160 The two met over lunch in D.C. in early January to talk about the trials and tribulations of the job, where Jarrett warned her about “the incredible volume of requests and offers” and “to be responsive and still focus on why I’m here,” according to Conway. But while Conway does not oversee Spicer and the communications shop, Jarrett had a clearly defined portfolio — including business leaders, state and local leaders and intergovernmental affairs — and three deputy assistants underneath her in the office, and special assistants below them. Before Jarrett, Karen Hughes oversaw the Bush White House’s offices of communications, media affairs and speechwriting, as well as the press secretary. But the heart of Conway’s position remains her connection to Trump. “I know who I am to this guy and what he relies on me for.” Hadas Gold and Josh Dawsey contributed to the report. Steven Mnuchin Poised To Secure Confirmation As Treasury Secretary The former banker would shape a tax-code overhaul and regulation revamp By Nick Timiraos Wall Street Journal, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Fashion’s Betsy DeVos Connection By Katherine Rosman New York Times, February 12, 2017 It was an eventful week for the DeVos family of Grand Rapids, Mich. On Tuesday, Vice President Mike Pence cast the tiebreaking vote, confirming Betsy DeVos as the Trump administration’s Secretary of Education. On Friday, Pamella DeVos staged her New York Fashion Week runway show for the Fall-Winter 2017 collection of her evening-wear line, Pamella Roland. Pamella and Betsy are married to brothers, Dan DeVos and Dick DeVos, who are sons of Richard DeVos, a billionaire founder of Amway. More than 300 people attended the fashion show, where they ogled aubergine crepe gowns, cashmere coats with fox fur cuffs and numerous sequined numbers, as models strode down the runway to tunes such as Michelle Gurevich’s “Russian Romance.” The education secretary, however, was not among them. Hours earlier, she was booed and harangued by protesters outside of a school in Washington that she had come to visit. Despite her sister-in-law’s absence, in an interview backstage, Pamella said Betsy had been an ardent supporter of the fashion line since it was introduced in 2002. “She wears it beautifully; she’s tall and thin and has been one of my best customers,” the designer said. Of the hoopla surrounding her sister-in-law’s nomination and confirmation, Ms. DeVos said, “It’s crazy because, I’m telling you, she’s very smart and she knows what she was walking into. She can handle it. But no one would do this if she didn’t have a love of education of the children.” Ms. DeVos has tried to keep her public and fashion personae apolitical. Though some captions in her Instagram feed link to one of her daughter’s accounts where the DeVos family’s enjoyment of President Trump’s inaugural festivities are on full display, Ms. DeVos avoids connecting her brand to her family, which gave financial support to Mr. Trump’s presidential campaign. As to why, consider the response of some in attendance when they learned of her family connection. Just before the lights went down, Sarah Gerrish, the fashion market director at Redbook settled in at her assigned seat next to Aja Mangum, a freelancer editor covering the show for Modern Luxury publications. Both said they had second thoughts about being at the show when they learned of Pamella Roland’s ties to Mr. Trump. “I questioned my attendance,” Ms. Gerrish said, noting that she was speaking of her personal convictions, not for her employer. “It gave me pause,” Ms. Mangum said, adding, “But we really don’t know what Pamella’s politics are, just because of the family she’s from.” For Ms. DeVos, it is not just her customers response she is worrying about. “You have to think about the people who work for you, too,” Ms. DeVos said. “We don’t want to bring that kind of craziness in.” Nevertheless, Ms. DeVos will continue to dress her sister-in-law, the education secretary, as well as other visible women in the nation’s capital. This is nothing new. “We’ve always had a presence in Washington,” she said. While models were primping and Ms. DeVos was giving interviews, the designer’s husband glad-handed in the front of the house, greeting family friends as they joined fashion buyers and editors in the large space, darkened by the drawn floor-to-ceiling shades. A small hubbub surrounded the actress Vanessa Williams, dressed in a white Pamella Roland strapless jumpsuit. Ms. Williams likes Ms. DeVos’s designs (she wore one to her May 2016 wedding) because Ms. DeVos is “a woman of a certain age and her pieces are mature without being old-ladyish,” she said, looking not the slightest bit old￾ladyish. She is not Ms. DeVos’s only celebrity fan. Just a few days earlier, the singer and songwriter Rachel Platten appeared at the Red Dress Collection event, held in honor of the American Heart Association, wearing a red Pamella Roland gown. She also wore a Pamella Roland gown to the FOIA CBP 000886 DHS-17-0435-B-000183 161 American Music Awards last November. Ms. Platten is best known being a writer of “Fight Song,” the unofficial anthem for the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign. On Nov. 8, Ms. Platten posted on Instagram a photograph of a campaign button that says, “A Woman’s Place is in the White House.” She captioned it “#ImWithHer,” likely referring to Mrs. Clinton, not either of the Ms. DeVoses. How Bannon’s Navy Service During The Iran Hostage Crisis Shaped His Views By Michael Kranish And Craig Whitlock Washington Post, February 10, 2017 It was just after midnight on March 21, 1980, when a Navy destroyer navigated by Stephen K. Bannon, a junior officer, met with the supercarrier USS Nimitz in the Gulf of Oman. The convoy headed near the Iranian coast, where a secret mission would be launched a month later to rescue 52 U.S. Embassy hostages held in Tehran. Bannon’s ship, the USS Paul F. Foster, trailed the Nimitz, which carried helicopters that would try to retrieve the hostages. But before the mission launched, Bannon’s ship was ordered to sail to Pearl Harbor, and he learned while at sea the rescue had failed. A U.S. helicopter crashed into another aircraft in the Iranian desert, killing eight servicemen and dooming the plan to liberate the hostages. “I have the perfect word” for how the crew felt upon learning the mission failed, said Andrew Green, one of Bannon’s shipmates. “Defeated. We felt defeated.” As Bannon has told it, the failed hostage rescue is one of the defining moments of his life, providing a searing example of failed military and presidential leadership — one that he carries with him as he serves as President Trump’s chief strategist. He has said he wasn’t interested in politics until he concluded then-President Jimmy Carter had undercut the Navy and blown the rescue mission. Bannon, a former Goldman Sachs investment banker best known for founding the conservative website Breitbart, has become one of the most powerful figures in Washington as chief strategist for Trump. Moreover, in an unusual move for a political operative, Bannon secured a permanent seat on the National Security Council, giving him a voice in critical decisions on defense and foreign policy. Bannon served seven years in the Navy, with two deployments at sea and then three years as an underling in a Pentagon office dealing with budget and planning. White House press secretary Sean Spicer cited Bannon’s naval service as justification for giving him a seat on the National Security Council, saying during a Jan. 29 appearance on ABC’s “This Week” that such service gave him “a tremendous understanding of the world and the geopolitical landscape that we have now.” A review by The Washington Post of Bannon’s naval career, based on interviews with more than 25 shipmates and an examination of deck logs stored at the National Archives, found that his service was steady but unremarkable. Bannon’s naval service is the least-known part of his career, and many details have not been previously reported. The records show that his deployments never involved warfare, and the closest he came to conflict may have been his brief experience at the edge of the hostage rescue fiasco. Still, the experience shaped his thinking. He saw the military buildup under President Ronald Reagan, and the hostage-taking in Tehran continues to inform his view about that region of the world, as well as the role of U.S. military power and its commander in chief. In recent years, Bannon has spoken in apocalyptic terms about Islam. In 2007, he outlined a movie in which radical Muslims take over the United States and turn it into the “Islamic States of America.” In 2014, he delivered a talk in which he said, “We’re now, I believe, at the beginning stages of a global war against Islamic fascism.” Bannon declined to be interviewed. As a White House official, Bannon played a key role in writing the executive order on immigration that targeted seven countries, including Iran. He has urged that the Obama administration’s nuclear deal with Iran be abandoned. Bannon’s seat on the National Security Council will continue to give him extraordinary power to influence the administration’s policies. Grueling duty, but no combat Bannon, who grew up in a Democratic family in Richmond, signed up for the Naval Reserve in 1976, after graduating from Virginia Tech, and then arrived at 24 years old at the Navy’s training center in Rhode Island in 1977. The following year, he set sail aboard the Foster, on which he would travel mostly in the Pacific and Indian oceans from 1978 to 1980, stopping at ports in countries such as the Philippines and Singapore. It was an anti-submarine destroyer whose mission was to trail aircraft carriers and keep them safe. He was an ensign and then a lieutenant junior grade, assigned to a windowless, two-bed stateroom with desks and a wardrobe area, a comfortable accommodation compared with the warren of bunks where most sailors slept. His first job gave him responsibility for engineering, including air conditioning, hydraulics and electronics. It was “all the inelegant work of the ship,” said Edward “Sonny” Masso, a retired rear admiral who served with Bannon. “Not just anybody succeeds in that job.” Bannon later became a navigator, guiding the ship — at times with a sextant when the electronic system lost contact with satellites — and writing reports. Not once during Bannon’s deployments at sea was the ship involved in combat, but it was grueling duty, full of tedium FOIA CBP 000887 DHS-17-0435-B-000184 162 and drills, according to shipmates and logs. At times, the Foster would play cat-and-mouse games with Soviet vessels, trailing and testing one another, shipmates said. Scott Brubaker, an enlisted sailor who served with Bannon, said that experience “will change you forever. . . . You pull into Hong Kong and go to Victoria Peak. You go to Singapore. There are the smells, sometimes the stench, sometimes the abject poverty. . . . We learned we had a very big world, and one that certainly had its inherent risks.” Bannon is remembered by many of his shipmates as a quiet, proficient and studious officer. William Keating, who was Bannon’s roommate for two years, called him “a good guy who did his job,” and he had no recollection of political discussion. The portrayal of Bannon today as a far-right nationalist “is not the individual that I knew,” Keating said. On one occasion, Keating recalled, Bannon proudly brought his father on board and gave up his bed so his father could sleep in the stateroom. “I remember the two of them together,” Keating said. “They had a really good father-son relationship.” Some shipmates had more critical recollections of Bannon. “He wasn’t the best engineer we had, but he wasn’t bad. He was basically an above-average officer,” said Robin Mickle, a retired Navy captain. Mickle said he did not get along personally with Bannon and found him “obnoxious” at times. “His only problem was that he wasn’t in it for the long run. He never really wanted to stay. He told us it would look good on his résumé if he went into politics. The politics part didn’t impress any of us.” Bannon told Bloomberg Business Week in 2015 that “I wasn’t political until I got into the service and saw how badly Jimmy Carter f---ed things up. I became a Reagan admirer.” Greg Garrison, who served as an engineer on the Foster, said: “What I remember was he was kind of uppity; he didn’t get along with enlisted men. He just kind of stuck his nose up at us.” Bannon is remembered as much for his skill at sports as for his work on the ship’s deck. When the Foster docked at ports in different parts of the world, the ship’s basketball team often lined up games against local competition. Bannon’s nickname was “Coast,” short for coast-to-coast, because on the basketball court he’d never pass the ball, Mickle said. Bannon also excelled at baseball, although shipmates ribbed him for being called out three times in one inning, recalled David Ziemba, who spoke warmly about his former roommate. Bannon, meanwhile, scoured newspapers such as the Wall Street Journal for what turned out to be a lucrative sideline. He put money into commodities such as gold and silver, advising shipmates, Masso said, and presaging his career as an investment banker. “He was like our investment sensei,” Masso said, referring to a teaching role. ‘A little bit of a hell-raiser’ Bannon’s patrols became more tense after Iranians in 1979 took control of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and seized hostages, and the streets filled with protesters chanting slogans such as “Death to America.” The Cold War still dominated military thinking, but military planners also put more emphasis on anti-terrorism measures. The presidential campaign in the United States focused much attention on Iran’s seizure of U.S. Embassy officials. Carter, a Democrat, was blasted by Republicans for allowing the hostage saga to have taken place. A nightly news program was called “America Held Hostage,” and Reagan, a Republican, vowed to strengthen the country’s military. Back on the Foster, crew members said they were aware of the growing tensions, and they were eager to be part of whatever action might come. In late November 1979, however, the Foster’s sonar dome — a crucial piece of equipment used for navigation and detection — was damaged. Bannon, in his role as navigator, wrote in the deck log: “Slow to 5 Kts to reduce damage to Sonar Dome.” The logs do not indicate what caused the damage, and no blame was assessed. Traveling at about one-third of its normal speed amid stormy seas — during which the Foster was hit with 20-foot￾high waves — the vessel made a detour to Guam for repairs. Then, after nearly two months on Guam and weeks more of travel, Bannon’s ship linked up on March 21, 1980, with the USS Nimitz. Three hours after the rendezvous, “Bannon assumed the deck” to help navigate, according to the logs of his ship. The Nimitz, one of the world’s largest supercarriers, already was involved in preparation for the hostage rescue mission. Ziemba, the Bannon roommate, noticed helicopters were stored on the Nimitz that he later realized were to be used in the rescue mission. Bannon’s ship operated from an area called GONZO station, according to deck logs that use the Navy’s acronym for Gulf of Oman Naval Zone of Operations. Bannon’s ship trailed the Nimitz around the Gulf, part of which borders southern Iran. Then the Foster was ordered to set sail to Pearl Harbor. What happened next is unclear because all of the deck logs for April 1980 are missing from the National Archives. (Officials said that records for that month were not among the documents it originally received.) It was on April 24 that the rescue mission was launched and resulted in the eight deaths in the desert. Larry Benson, an enlisted sailor who remembered Bannon as “a little bit of a hell-raiser,” said he was told later FOIA CBP 000888 DHS-17-0435-B-000185 163 that the Foster would have played a further role in the rescue mission if it had been completed. “This was classified. A lot of people didn’t know we were part of the process,” Benson said. But other sailors said they had no knowledge about that. The deck logs resume on May 1, and they show that Bannon navigated as the Foster sailed from Pearl Harbor to San Diego. Some of Bannon’s shipmates recalled that the crew was given a ribbon for its modest role. But Bannon and many other crew members were livid at Carter for the botched rescue. “It shattered his confidence in President Carter,” Masso said. “It made him all the more in the tank for Reagan.” In October 1980, with the Foster in port at Long Beach, Bannon went to Masso’s home to watch a debate between Carter and Reagan. “He watched that debate like a prize fight,” Masso said. Three months later, after Reagan won the election, Bannon was working for the new president, serving as an assistant in the office of the Chief of Naval Operations at the Pentagon. He watched with satisfaction as Reagan increased the military budget and strengthened the Navy, with most of the focus on combating the Soviet Union. He served for three years and simultaneously studied national security and earned a master’s degree at Georgetown University. Peter Harris, who served with Bannon at the Pentagon and also was in the Georgetown program, recalled that Bannon persuaded him to join the Toastmasters program, which teaches public speaking skills. “We did a lot of briefings, and we wanted to polish our public speaking skills,” Harris said. Harris said Bannon was “an excellent officer” and described their Pentagon duties as “being down the food chain quite a bit . . . but [we] were exposed to a lot. We were all very involved in the Navy budget, working with the senior admirals. It was a good time to understand how the Navy formulates its policies and looks at the force structure 20 years out.” Patrick McKim, who also served with Bannon at the Pentagon and has remained a close friend and sometimes writes for Breitbart, said that the period is crucial to understanding Bannon’s development. When Bannon arrived at the dawn of the Reagan era, McKim said, the military was still trying to emerge from the post-Vietnam era and the failed hostage rescue mission. “People made you ashamed to be an officer,” McKim said in an interview arranged by a Bannon associate. Reagan’s arrival and the military buildup changed that view, and Bannon idolized the new president. Shortly before Bannon left the military in 1983 and headed to Harvard Business School, he told McKim that he had a vision of his future. “He mentioned that he’d go to Harvard and come back and be secretary of defense,” McKim recalled. Bannon did not get the top job at the Pentagon. But 34 years after revealing that ambition, Bannon’s Navy career can be seen in a different light: It launched him on a path to Trump’s side, which may prove to be an even more powerful position. Alice Crites contributed to this report. Christie: No Plans To Join Trump Administration When Term Is Up By Tom Howell Jr. Washington Times, February 12, 2017 New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said Sunday he has no plans to join the Trump administration after his second term in Trenton is over. “I have absolutely no intention, nor any understanding, that I will be asked to be in the administration in the years to come,” Mr. Christie told CNN’s “State of the Union.” “My view is, I have got a job to do as governor, and then my intention is to go off to the private sector and to help support my family.” Mr. Christie notably backed Mr. Trump after his own presidential bid fell short during the GOP primary campaign. Yet he was nudged out of the running for vice president and attorney general, and then relieved of his duties running the transition effort after the election. News reports said it didn’t help that Mr. Christie, as U.S. attorney, once prosecuted real estate developer Charles Kushner — the father of Mr. Trump’s son-in-law, Jared, who is now serving as a top White House aide. He was also hampered by the prosecution of aides who ordered lane closures near the George Washington Bridge in an apparent payback scheme against a Democratic mayor who refused to endorse Mr. Christie’s reelection bid. Mr. Christie said he still considers Mr. Trump a “very good friend,” though he refused to say whether they still chat from time to time. “The conversations between me and the president of the United States, to the extent they occur, will always remain between me and the president of the United States,” he said. Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. White House Backs Up Trump’s Unproven Voter Fraud Allegations By Marisa Schultz New York Post, February 12, 2017 WASHINGTON — White House advisor Stephen Miller doubled down on President Trump’s unsubstantiated claims that thousands of voters were bused from Massachusetts to New Hampshire in November to cost him the win. FOIA CBP 000889 DHS-17-0435-B-000186 164 “I can tell you that this issue of busing voters in to New Hampshire is widely known by anyone who’s worked in New Hampshire politics,” Miller, senior policy advisor, told ABC’s “This Week.” “It’s very real, it’s very serious.” Asked for evidence on the New Hampshire fraud, Miller said: “Everybody’s aware of the problem in New Hampshire.” Trump claimed in a private meeting with senators Thursday that he and GOP Sen. Kelly Ayotte lost New Hampshire because “thousands” of Massachusetts were bused into the state and voted”illegally.” A member of the Federal Elections Commission, Ellen Weintraub, said Friday the scheme Trump alleges would constitute “thousands of felony criminal offenses” and called on Trump to “immediately share his evidence.” Asked repeatedly proof, Miller said voter fraud is a serious issue and will be evaluated by Justice Department once it’s up and running. “We can talk about it more in the future and we now have our government beginning to get stood up, but we have a Department of Justice and we have more officials. An issue of voter fraud, someone is going to be looking at very seriously and very hard,” Miller said. An exasperated host George Stephanopoulos responded: “Just for the record, you have provided absolutely no evidence.” Miller didn’t provide any details about Trump’s serious allegations in New Hampshire but made sweeping statements, much like his boss. “The White House has provided enormous evidence with respect to voter fraud, with respect to people being registered in more than one state,” Miller said. “Dead people voting, non-citizens being registered to vote. George, it is a fact and you will not deny it that are massive numbers of non￾citizens in this country who are registered to vote.” It’s not uncommon or illegal to be registered in two different states – such as Trump advisor Stephen Bannon voted in New York while still being registered in Florida. What is illegal is voting in two different states. President Trump was pleased with Miller’s Sunday show responses. “Congratulations Stephen Miller- on representing me this morning on the various Sunday morning shows. Great job!,” Trump tweeted. Secretaries of state throughout the country stood by their elections are free and fair and have repeatedly said there’s no evidence of widespread voter fraud that changed the outcome of the presidential election. Trump said in a Super Bowl interview on Fox News he’d start a commission headed by Vice President Mike Pence to look into voter fraud. The president previously said – without evidence – the only reason he lost the popular vote Hillary Clinton was that millions of undocumented people voted illegally. Top Trump Aide Again Asserts Widespread Vote Fraud, Cites No Evidence By Laura King Los Angeles Times, February 12, 2017 The Trump administration continued Sunday to assert a widely debunked claim that massive vote fraud helped deprive the president of a popular-vote victory in November’s election. President Trump’s senior policy advisor Stephen Miller said in an interview aired Sunday on ABC’s “This Week” that “the noncitizen voting issue is pervasive and widespread.” Trump has said that he lost the popular vote to Democrat Hillary Clinton only because 3 million to 5 million illegal immigrants had cast votes for her. Clinton’s margin of victory in the popular vote was more than 2.8 million, while Trump won the electoral college vote, 304-227. That claim of massive illegal voting has been denied by Republican officials in key states, such as Ohio, and by independent observers. Administration officials have never offered any evidence for it. Democrats say the unsubstantiated fraud claim is being used by Trump and his supporters to pave the way for state legislation meant to suppress turnout by groups that tend to vote Democratic, including African Americans and young people. A week ago, Trump said he planned to have a special commission overseen by Vice President Mike Pence investigate alleged voter fraud. In an interview on Sunday, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) ridiculed the notion that widespread illegal voting had occurred in the November election. “When somebody goes before you and the American people, saying ‘3 to 5 million people voted illegally in the last election,’ nobody believes that,” said Sanders, who had sought the Democratic presidential nomination. He was interviewed on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “There is not a scintilla of evidence,” Sanders said. “What would you call that remark? It’s a lie. It’s a delusion.” Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.), in a separate interview, said the voter-fraud claim was one of several that had caused him and some other lawmakers to wonder if Trump was “not right mentally.” Speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Franken said such a statement was “not the norm for a president of the United States, or actually for a human being.” In the ABC interview, interviewer George Stephanopoulos pressed Miller for evidence of massive voter fraud. Miller provided none, but asserted that Americans should be “aghast.” Miller also returned to a theme advanced by Trump in a meeting with lawmakers last week that he lost the New Hampshire vote in the general election because thousands of FOIA CBP 000890 DHS-17-0435-B-000187 165 illegal ballots were cast by residents of neighboring Massachusetts. “I can tell you that this issue of busing voters into New Hampshire is widely known by anyone who’s worked in New Hampshire politics,” Miller said on ABC. “It’s very real. It’s very serious.” New Hampshire has a law requiring voters to show identification before casting a ballot. Earlier this week, when Trump first raised the New Hampshire claim, the state’s former Republican senator Kelly Ayotte, who lost her reelection bid in November, noted that she could have asked for a recount if she had thought the election was tainted by improper voting. She did not do so. On Sunday, one of the New Hampshire GOP’s most experienced officials, Tom Rath, a former attorney general of the state, also denied Trump’s suggestion, sending a tweet in which he called it “baseless” and “shameful.” Trump Adviser Repeats Unsubstantiated Vote Fraud Assertions Despite broad denials, fraud is ‘very real, very serious,’ Stephen Miller insists By Rebecca Ballhaus Wall Street Journal, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Stephen Miller’s Bushels Of Pinocchios For False Voter-fraud Claims By Glenn Kessler Washington Post, February 12, 2017 White House senior policy adviser Stephen Miller appeared on ABC’s “The Week” on Sunday, spouting a bunch of false talking points on alleged voter fraud. (He also repeated similar claims on other Sunday talk shows.) To his credit, host George Stephanopoulus repeatedly challenged Miller, noting that he had provided no evidence to support his claims. But Miller charged ahead, using the word “fact” three times in a vain effort to bolster his position. Here’s a guide through the back and forth. STEPHANOPOULOS: Let me move on, though, to the question of voter fraud as well. President Trump again this week suggested in a meeting with senators that thousands of illegal voters were bused from Massachusetts to New Hampshire and that’s what caused his defeat in the state of New Hampshire, also the defeat of Senator Kelly Ayotte. That has provoked a response from a member of the Federal Election Commission, Ellen Weintraub, who says, “I call upon the president to immediately share New Hampshire voter fraud evidence so that his allegations may be investigated promptly.” Do you have that evidence? Stephanopoulus is referring to a Feb. 10 Politico report of a closed-door meeting Trump held with senators to discuss the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court: “The president claimed that he and Ayotte both would have been victorious in the Granite State if not for the ‘thousands’ of people who were ‘brought in on buses’ from neighboring Massachusetts to ‘illegally’ vote in New Hampshire. According to one participant who described the meeting, ‘an uncomfortable silence’ momentarily overtook the room.” Ayotte lost her Senate race by 743 votes but did not challenge the results; Hillary Clinton defeated Trump in New Hampshire by nearly 3,000 votes. MILLER: I have actually, having worked before on a campaign in New Hampshire, I can tell you that this issue of busing voters into New Hampshire is widely known by anyone who’s worked in New Hampshire politics. It’s very real. It’s very serious. This morning, on this show, is not the venue for me to lay out all the evidence. This is false. PolitiFact New Hampshire in November gave New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu a “Pants on Fire” for claiming voters were bused in — and Sununu quickly retreated from his comment. New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner said that voter fraud was not widespread problem, largely because the law requires voters to show a valid identification at the polls. If an ID is lacking, the voter’s photo is taken, they have to sign an affidavit affirming their identify and then state officials follow up. Sunni later said he did not mean to imply that “I see buses coming over,” saying it was more of a figure of speech. “Sununu said he was referring to an incident over Portsmouth state Sen. Martha Fuller Clark allowing Democratic staffers to live at her house in the 2008 and 2012 elections,” PolitiFact reported. “Those staffers voted in New Hampshire elections using Fuller Clark’s address, which is not illegal, as they were living in the state at least 3 months before the election, the Attorney General later ruled.” We sent the White House the PolitiFact article and asked the White House for additional evidence. We will update if we receive a response. MILLER: But I can tell you this, voter fraud is a serious problem in this country. You have millions of people who are registered in two states or who are dead who are registered to vote. And you have 14 percent of non-citizens, according to academic research, at a minimum, are registered to vote, which is an astonishing statistic. Ugh. Miller has once again resorted to bogus claims that we have repeatedly debunked. To repeat: A 2012 Pew Center on the States study found problems with inaccurate voter registrations, people who registered in more than one state (which could happen if the voter moves and registers in the new state without telling the former state) and deceased voters whose information was still on the voter FOIA CBP 000891 DHS-17-0435-B-000188 166 rolls. But the primary author of the Pew report tweeted in response to Trump’s staff’s claim that he “can confirm that report made no findings re: voter fraud.” As to the 14 percent figure — stemming from research by Old Dominion University professors, using data from 2008 and 2010 — that has also been misrepresented by Trump and his staff. They have ignored updates and challenges to the research. The researchers have also warned that “it is impossible to tell for certain whether the noncitizens who responded to the survey were representative of the broader population of noncitizens.” One of the researchers, Jesse Richman, wrote about the Trump staff’s use of his research. The results “suggest that almost all elections in the US are not determined by noncitizen participation, with occasional and very rare potential exceptions,” he said, noting “there has been a tendency to misread our results as proof of massive voter fraud, which we don’t think they are.” In other words, the researcher who Miller is citing says his research does not show what Miller claims. STEPHANOPOULOS: You can’t make a — hold on a second. You just claimed again that there was illegal voting in New Hampshire, people bused in from the state of Massachusetts.Do you have any evidence to back that up? MILLER: I’m saying anybody — George, go to New Hampshire. Talk to anybody who has worked in politics there for a long time. Everybody is aware of the problem in New Hampshire with respect to — STEPHANOPOULOS: I’m asking you as the White House senior — hold on a second. I’m asking use as the White House senior policy adviser. The president made a statement, saying he was the victim of voter fraud, people are being bused from — MILLER: And the president — the president — the president was. STEPHANOPOULOS: Do you have any evidence? MILLER: If this is an issue that interests you, then we can talk about it more in the future. And we now have our government is beginning to get stood up. But we have a Department of Justice and we have more officials. An issue of voter fraud is something we’re going to be looking at very seriously and very hard. But the reality is, is that we know for a fact, you have massive numbers of non-citizens registered to vote in this country. Nobody disputes that. False. As shown above, this is disputed even by the researcher whose work is being cited by Miller: “There has been a tendency to misread our results as proof of massive voter fraud, which we don’t think they are.” MILLER: And many, many highly qualified people, like Kris Kobach, the Kansas secretary of state, have looked deeply into this issue and have confirmed it to be true and have put together evidence. And I suggest you invite Kris Kobach onto your show and he can walk you through some of the evidence of voter fraud in greater detail. Miller mentioned Kobach, but in Kansas, his efforts at proving voter fraud have been mocked in Kansas. In a scathing editorial titled “Kris Kobach is a big fraud on Kansas voter fraud,” the Kansas City Star accused the “publicity-seeking” Kansas Secretary of State of throwing out “wild claims” and wasting taxpayer funds as part of “loathsome attacks on U.S. immigration policy.” State Rep. John Carmichael, a Democrat, has introduced a bill to strip Kobach of his prosecutorial power because he has “dramatically overstated the frequency of voter fraud during his tenure as Kansas’ secretary of state,” the Wichita Eagle reported in January. “Carmichael noted that Kobach has not brought a single case against a noncitizen for voting illegally. All of the cases he has brought concern U.S. citizens accused of voting in more than one state.” STEPHANOPOULOS: Just for the record, you have provided absolutely no evidence. The president’s made a statement. MILLER: The White House has provided enormous evidence with respect to voter fraud, with respect to people being registered in more than one state, dead people voting, non-citizens being registered to vote. George, it is a fact and you will not deny it, that there are massive numbers of non￾citizens in this country, who are registered to vote. That is a scandal. As noted, the “enormous evidence” has been repeatedly debunked. Saying it over and over does not make it so. MILLER: We should stop the presses. And as a country, we should be aghast about the fact that you have people who have no right to vote in this country, registered to vote, canceling out the franchise of lawful citizens of this country. That’s the story we should be talking about. And I’m prepared to go on any show, anywhere, anytime, and repeat it and say the President of the United States is correct 100 percent. STEPHANOPOULOS: Well, you just repeated, though, you just made those declarations. But, for the record, you have provided zero evidence that the president was the victim of massive voter fraud in New Hampshire. You provided zero evidence that the president’s claim that he would have won the general — the popular vote if 3 million to 5 million illegal immigrants hadn’t voted, zero evidence for either one of those claims. The Pinocchio Test Stephanopoulos is right. The White House continues to provide zero evidence to back up its claims of voter fraud. Officials instead retreat to the same bogus talking points that have been repeatedly shown to be false. FOIA CBP 000892 DHS-17-0435-B-000189 167 It’s pretty shameless to cite research in a way that even the researcher says is inappropriate, and yet Miller keeps saying 14 percent of noncitizens are registered to vote. The Republican governor of New Hampshire has admitted he was wrong to say buses of illegal voters voted in the election, and yet Miller shamelessly suggests that is the case. Miller cites a supposed expert on voter fraud, Kris Kobach, who has been mocked for failing to prove his own claims of voter fraud. Miller also repeats a claim about people being registered to vote in two states, even though that is not an example of voter fraud. Miller earns Four Pinocchios — over and over again. Four Pinocchios Sen. Al Franken Admits Some Senate Republicans Have Concerns About President Trump’s Mental Health By Adam Edelman, New York Daily News New York Daily News, February 12, 2017 Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) suggested Sunday that he thought President Trump was suffering from poor mental health and claimed some of his Republican colleagues felt the same way. When asked by CNN’s Jake Tapper if was true that Republican colleagues of his in the Senate had “expressed concerns about President Trump’s mental health,” Franken confirmed they had. “ A few,” Franken said. “It’s not the majority of them, it’s a few.” “We all have this suspicion that he … that he lies a lot, that he says things that aren’t true,” Franken, the former Saturday Night Live star-turned politician, said, referring to Trump’s debunked voter fraud claims. “That is not the norm for a President of the United States, or actually for a human being,” he said. While several politicians have questioned Trump’s “fitness” for the presidency, no one in the Senate or House has explicitly expressed concerns about his mental health. Several mental health professionals spoke to The News about the President’s over-the-top narcissism and other issues. (ANDREW HARRER / POOL/EPA) Mental health professionals, on the other hand, have all but confirmed they think Trump is ill. Several told the Daily News last month that they feared Trump’s hubris, narcissism, defensiveness, belief in untrue things, conspiratorial reflexiveness and attacks on opponents, and suggested they could lead to serious consequences for the nation. A top psychotherapist affiliated with the esteemed Johns Hopkins University Medical School even wrote a report saying Trump “is dangerously mentally ill and temperamentally incapable of being president.” That expert, John D. Gartner, went on to diagnose Trump with “malignant narcissism.” The Latest: Senator Says Trump’s Mental Health Is Questioned Associated Press, February 12, 2017 WASHINGTON (AP) – The Latest on President Donald Trump (all times EST): 3:55 p.m. A Democratic senator claims that “a few” of his Republican colleagues have expressed concern to him about President Donald Trump’s mental health. Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota says the concern stems from questions about Trump’s truthfulness. Franken tells CNN’s “State of the Union” that the concern arises “in the way that we all have this suspicion” that “he lies a lot.” Franken cites Trump’s groundless claim that he would have won the popular vote in the presidential race if not for 3 million to 5 million immigrants in the country illegally voting for his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton. And Trump is said to have told some senators in a private meeting at the White House that he and former Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte would have won in New Hampshire if not for voters bused in from out of state. --- 12:15 p.m. President Donald Trump is hoping to have more members of his Cabinet on board this week – if the Republican-controlled Senate acts as expected. Senators are to vote Monday evening on banker Steven Mnuchin (mih-NOO’-chin), Trump’s pick to lead the Treasury Department, and Obama administrator holdover David Shulkin to be promoted to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Shulkin’s path has been fairly smooth so far. But that’s not been the case for Mnuchin. Democrats complain that he failed to protect thousands of homeowners from unnecessary foreclosures when he headed OneWest Bank. Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee unanimously voted in favor of Mnuchin after committee Democrats boycotted the vote. Trump is scheduled to meet with Mnuchin on Sunday afternoon at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. --- 11:05 a.m. A top White House aide says it’s not up to him to say whether President Donald Trump retains confidence in national security adviser Michael Flynn. Policy director Stephen Miller says the White House didn’t give him anything specific to say about Flynn during Miller’s appearances on the Sunday news shows. Miller calls FOIA CBP 000893 DHS-17-0435-B-000190 168 it “an important matter” and “a sensitive matter” best answered by Trump, Vice President Mike Pence or chief of staff Reince Priebus. At issue is whether Flynn discussed U.S. sanctions in calls with Russia’s ambassador while President Barack Obama was still in office. The conversations may have broken U.S. law aimed at barring private citizens from conducting diplomacy. A Washington Post report last week contradicted Flynn’s previous denials, as well as those made by Vice President Mike Pence in a televised interview. --- 9:35 a.m. President Donald Trump is praising the actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers for the recent “enforcement surge” that officials say is targeting immigrants who are in the country illegally and have criminal records. Trump tweets that “the crackdown on illegal criminals is merely the keeping of my campaign promise. Gang members, drug dealers & others are being removed!” Advocacy groups contend the government has rounded large numbers of people as part of stepped-up enforcement. The agency calls the effort no different from enforcement actions carried out in the past. Trump policy adviser Stephen Miller tells NBC’s “Meet the Press” that the emphasis is on deporting those he calls “criminal aliens” and who “pose a threat to public safety.” Miller says “we’re going to focus on public safety and saving American lives and we will not apologize.” --- 9:20 a.m. President Donald Trump’s chief policy adviser says the White House is exploring “all of our options” after a federal appeals court handed the administration a legal setback on Trump’s executive order on immigration. Stephen Miller tells NBC’s “Meet the Press” that the White House could pursue “additional executive actions” – as Trump suggested on Friday – as well as judicial appeals. Miller says the goal is to pursue “every single possible action to keep our country safe from terrorism.” He’s also criticizing judges for taking “power for themselves that belong squarely in the hands” of the president. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Franken: GOP Colleagues Question Trump’s Mental Health By Kyle Balluck The Hill, February 12, 2017 Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) said early Sunday that Republican colleagues have expressed concern to him about President Trump’s mental health. “A few, yeah,” he said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “We all have this suspicion that, you know, he lies a lot. He says things that aren’t true. That’s the same as lying, I guess,” Franken, who’s mentioned as a possible 2020 presidential candidate, added. “You know, 3 [million] to 5 million people voted illegally,” Franken said, referencing Trump’s unsubstantiated claim that widespread voter fraud cost him the popular vote. “That is not the norm for a president of the United States or actually for a human being.” Franken Dings Trump Over Warren Insult By David Cohen Politico, February 12, 2017 Minnesota Sen. Al Franken on Sunday assailed President Donald Trump over his latest reported insult of Sen. Elizabeth Warren, saying he would have told the president the remark was “racist.” At a White House meeting Thursday with some of Franken’s Senate colleagues, Trump was reported to have referred to Warren as “Pocahontas,” a moniker he had previously used to ding the Massachusetts Democrat over her past claim to some sort of Native American heritage. Neither Franken nor Warren was at the meeting. “I would have said something,” Franken told Jake Tapper on CNN’s “State of the Union.” When asked to elaborate on what he would have said if he had been there, Franken said: “Mr. President, with all due respect, that’s racist. Please stop doing that. I am on Indian Affairs. This is completely unacceptable. You really should stop doing this, it doesn’t serve anybody.” Trump had dubbed Warren “Pocahontas” on other occasions. Back in June, he tweeted: “Pocahontas is at it again! Goofy Elizabeth Warren, one of the least productive U.S. Senators has a nasty mouth. Hope she is V.P. choice.” On Sunday, the sharp-tongued Franken also zinged the administration on other topics, calling new Education Secretary Betsy DeVos “the least qualified nominee I’ve ever seen” and saying an “independent investigation” on the Trump administration’s connections to Russia is needed. “He has sidled up to Putin in so many ways,” Franken said of the president. On CNN, Franken also doubled down on his comments Friday on HBO’s comedic “Real Time With Bill Maher,” saying FOIA CBP 000894 DHS-17-0435-B-000191 169 that at least some of his colleagues are privately worried about the president’s mental health. “A few,” the Democratic senator said in answering Tapper’s question about whether his GOP colleagues are worried about Trump’s state of mind. “Not the majority of them, but a few.” Asked why, Franken said, “He lies a lot, he says things that aren’t true,” citing Trump’s remarks about massive voter fraud in the November election, including his assertion last week about illegal voters being brought from Massachusetts to New Hampshire. Franken added: “That is not the norm for a president of the United States or actually for a human being.” Bernie Sanders Calls Trump A ‘Pathological Liar’; Al Franken Says ‘A Few’ Republicans Think Trump Is Mentally Ill By Ed O'Keefe Washington Post, February 12, 2017 Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Sunday called President Trump a “pathological liar,” while Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) reiterated that “a few” Republican senators are concerned about the president’s mental health. The strong words from two high-profile senators came as Democrats attacked Trump’s travel ban and said that members of his administration should be investigated or have security clearances suspended for recent comments or conversations with Russian officials. Sanders made the remarkable charge on NBC’s “Meet the Press” as he attacked Trump’s travel ban — which faces a federal court challenge — and Republican plans to revamp the Affordable Care Act. “We have a president who is delusional in many respects, a pathological liar,” Sanders said. “Those are strong words,” moderator Chuck Todd interjected while asking Sanders whether he can work with a liar. “It makes life very difficult. It is very harsh, but I think that’s the truth,” Sanders replied. “When somebody goes before you and says that 3 to 5 million people voted illegally … nobody believes that. There is not a scintilla of evidence to believe that, what would you call that remark? It’s a lie. It’s a delusion.” Sanders made the comments in response to Todd, who said that some of the senator’s former aides are trying to draft him to start a new political party. For now, Sanders said, he remains committed to “working to bring fundamental reform to the Democratic Party, to open the doors of the Democratic Party” to younger, economically distressed voters. Franken first raised questions about the president’s mental health on Friday night on HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher,” saying Republican senators privately express “great concern” about Trump’s temperament. The senator doubled down Sunday morning, telling CNN’s “State of the Union” that “a few” Republican senators feel that way. “In the way that we all have this suspicion that — you know, that he’s not — he lies a lot, he says things that aren’t true, that’s the same thing as lying, I guess,” Franken told moderator Jake Tapper, mentioning the president’s comments about illegal voters and allegations that residents of Massachusetts traveled to New Hampshire to cast votes in the November election. “You know, that is not the norm, uh, for a president of the United States or, actually, for a human being,” Franken said. Franken also blasted Trump’s travel ban, saying the president “and his group are trying to make Americans more afraid. I think that’s part of how they got elected: Just make us more afraid.” Elsewhere, Democratic lawmakers called for investigations into White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, who last week used a national television interview to encourage viewers to buy items from a clothing line designed by Ivanka Trump. The comments appeared to violate a key ethics rule barring federal employees from using their public office to endorse products. Hours after Conway’s interview, members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee called on the Office of Government Ethics to recommend discipline, given that Trump, who is Conway’s “agency head,” holds an “inherent conflict of interest” because of the involvement of his daughter’s business. Conway’s comments were “a textbook case of a violation of the law,” Rep. Elijah Cummings (Md.), the committee’s top Democrat, told ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday. “You cannot go out there as an employee of the government and advertise for Ivanka Trump or anyone else, their products. You can’t do that. And anybody else would be subject to a minimum, probably, of a reprimand, or they could literally lose their job over this,” he said. Cummings added that Conway’s promotional message was “very blatant” and “intentional,” and said the Office of Government Ethics should “take a thorough look” at the situation before recommending a potential punishment. Donald Trump Rages About A Mark Cuban POTUS Run By Mark Moore And Marisa Schultz New York Post, February 12, 2017 Donald Trump blasted fellow billionaire Mark Cuban on Sunday by claiming he lacks the smarts to become president after the New York Post published a report that floated the FOIA CBP 000895 DHS-17-0435-B-000192 170 Dallas Mavericks owner as a White House challenger in 2020. “I know Mark Cuban well. He backed me big-time but I wasn’t interested in taking all of his calls,” Trump tweeted early Sunday morning. “He’s not smart enough to run for president!” Cuban, a frequent Trump critic who backed Hillary Clinton for president, initially responded on Twitter with a simple laugh. “Lol,” the billionaire tweeted. But then Cuban upped his attack, writing “How soon they forget” in a tweet that included comments he made in a May 2016 email criticizing Trump’s pursuit of the presidency. “You have a real chance to win. But to make it work you have to really dig in on the issues,” Cuban said, adding “You don’t have to bore people with details.” That email included a dare that may yet come true for possible presidential candidate Cuban. “Everyone else is afraid of you. I like to challenge you,” he said. “And like you said, I may go after that job some day and it could be against you. So it helps to get a head.” Then responding to a Tweet about what prompted Trump’s sudden Twitter strike, Cuban said: “I don’t know. But isn’t it better for all of us that he is tweeting rather than trying to govern?” The Post on Sunday reported that White House chief strategist Steve Bannon has asked for the names of potential Democratic challengers against Trump in 2020. Cuban made the list along with Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy and Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper. The report, citing sources, said the White House’s “biggest fear” was Cuban because he would appeal to Republicans and independents. “And Mark is the kind of guy who would drop half a billion dollars of his own money on the race,” a source told The Post. Trump is known to have a fast twitter finger, posting comments about news articles and interviews on cable news shows. On Friday, Cuban made comments in The Star￾Telegram, of Fort Worth, Texas, warning American CEOs to be careful in their dealings with the president. “Do what you think is right,” Cuban said. “Be an American citizen first. In the bigger scheme of things, our country benefits from peaceful activism a lot more than it benefits from one more shoe being sold, or one more basketball ticket being sold, for that matter.” Trump first kicked off his Sunday morning tweetstorm from Florida by defending his immigration policies and bashing a federal “court breakdown.” “The crackdown on illegal criminals is merely the keeping of my campaign promise,” Trump tweeted early morning. “Gang members, drug dealers & others are being removed!” This weekend, as Trump worked from his Mar-a-Lago resort, immigrant rights groups protested in Arizona, New York and elsewhere against recent deportations and immigration raids under Trump’s crackdown. Trump has repeatedly questioned the judicial branch after unfavorable rulings on his travel ban, which remains on pause. The president also continued to push back on an appeals court’s ruling to continue halting his travel ban on citizens from seven countries and refugees. “72% of refugees admitted into U.S. (2/3 -2/11) during COURT BREAKDOWN are from 7 countries: SYRIA, IRAQ, SOMALIA, IRAN, SUDAN, LIBYA & YEMEN.” Trump’s tweet lowered the estimate of refugees entering the country after a analysis from the State Department’s Refugee Processing Center. On Saturday, Trump was apparently responding to some news reports that pegged the percentage of refugees coming from the seven banned mainly Muslim countries at 77 percent. “Our legal system is broken! “77% of refugees allowed into US since travel reprieve hail from seven suspect countries.” (WT) SO DANGEROUS!” he said. He also went after his one of his favorite targets “fake news” and claimed CNN cut off Sen. Bernie Sanders’ interview because the Vermont independent called the cable network “fake news.” Sanders said he was joking and CNN called Trump’s allegations “false.” In busy Twitter morning, Trump also praised his interaction with the Japanese prime minister who had been visiting him at the “winter White House” this weekend. “After two days of very productive talks, Prime Minister Abe is heading back to Japan,” Trump tweeted from his Palm Beach resort. Trump Tweets That Mark Cuban Is Not Smart Enough To Be President By Martin Finucane Boston Globe, February 12, 2017 President Donald J. Trump began tweeting early Sunday on topics ranging from immigration raids to a Bernie Sanders appearance on CNN and the intelligence of billionaire Mark Cuban. One thing he did not tweet on: a North Korean missile launch that once again raised the specter of that country becoming a nuclear power, though he did retweet on Saturday night a brief news conference he and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held to address the news. FOIA CBP 000896 DHS-17-0435-B-000193 171 Trump made an apparent reference to a wave of immigration raids conducted Thursday and Friday in his first tweet, which was posted at 6:34 a.m. Sunday: Donald J. Trump ✔ @ realDonaldTrum p The crackdown on illegal criminals is merely the keeping of my campaign promise. Gang members, drug dealers & others are being removed! 5:34 AM – 12 Feb 2017 24,853 24,853 Retweets 121,358 121,358 likes He posted another tweet that appeared to cite a statistic on refugees entering the United States that the New York Times has reported is somewhat misleading. Donald J. Trump ✔ @ realDonaldTrum p 72% of refugees admitted into U.S. (2/3 -2/11) during COURT BREAKDOWN are from 7 countries: SYRIA, IRAQ, SOMALIA, IRAN, SUDAN, LIBYA & YEMEN 5:55 AM – 12 Feb 2017 19,231 19,231 Retweets 65,249 65,249 likes He slammed CNN and suggested that the network cut off Senator Bernie Sanders because he used the term “fake news” to describe the network. Donald J. Trump ✔ @ realDonaldTrum p While on FAKE NEWS @CNN, Bernie Sanders was cut off for using the term fake news to describe the network. They said technical difficulties! 6:14 AM – 12 Feb 2017 21,628 21,628 Retweets 93,075 93,075 likes CNN responded that Trump’s assertion was false and posted a transcript. CNN Communications ✔ @ CNNPR @realDonaldTrump False. Transcript from @ErinBurnett intvu w @SenSanders. He was not cut off. Those are the facts. http://cnn.it/2lCW3kb pic.twitter.com/AOFKLHUlGk 7:35 AM – 12 Feb 2017 3,354 3,354 Retweets 7,067 7,067 likes Trump and the Japanese prime minister played golf this weekend at Trump’s resort, Mar-a-Lago, in Florida, an occasion that must have been marred by the news of the North Korean missile launch. Trump bade Abe a farewell in a tweet. Donald J. Trump ✔ @ realDonaldTrum p After two days of very productive talks, Prime Minister Abe is heading back to Japan. L 7:04 AM – 12 Feb 2017 10,955 10,955 Retweets 67,011 67,011 likes Finally, this morning, Trump also lashed out at billionaire Mark Cuban, a Trump critic. Trump said Cuban wasn’t smart enough to be president. Donald J. Trump ✔ @ realDonaldTrum p I know Mark Cuban well. He backed me big-time but I wasn’t interested in taking all of his calls.He’s not smart enough to run for president! 7:23 AM – 12 Feb 2017 12,819 12,819 Retweets 66,313 66,313 likes Cuban tweeted a short response later on Sunday morning. Mark Cuban ✔ @ m cuban Lol https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/83076924718595 2772 … 8:12 AM – 12 Feb 2017 47,447 47,447 Retweets 145,513 145,513 likes Here’s the Saturday night retweet of the North Korean news conference video. Donald J. Trump ✔ @ realDonaldTrum p #ICYMI: Joint Statement with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on North Korea. 11:02 PM – 11 Feb 2017 13,379 13,379 Retweets 53,535 53,535 likes Earlier this weekend, Trump tweeted about playing golf with Abe and South African golfer Ernie Els and having a great time with Abe and his wife, saying they were a “wonderful couple.” He also tweeted another defense of his daughter Ivanka. Last week, he sparked a controversy by tweeting criticism of the Nordstrom chain for dropping her products. (Adviser Kellyanne Conway went even further, asking people to buy the products in an interview from the White House.) In a tweet Saturday, Trump didn’t mention Nordstrom specifically. Donald J. Trump ✔ @ realDonaldTrum p I am so proud of my daughter Ivanka. To be abused and treated so badly by the media, and to still hold her head so high, is truly wonderful! 5:00 PM – 11 Feb 2017 26,641 26,641 Retweets 190,680 190,680 likes In The Face Of Weighty Problems, Trump Focuses On Squabbles By Julie Hirschfeld Davis New York Times, February 12, 2017 WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The morning after North Korea launched a ballistic missile into the sea, apparently to test President Trump’s resolve in his first days in office, the new commander in chief wanted to make one thing very clear to the world: Mark Cuban, the billionaire Dallas Mavericks owner, was not smart enough to have his job. “I know Mark Cuban well,” Mr. Trump said Sunday morning on Twitter, where he has 24.7 million followers and has found an even more prominent megaphone since he became president. “He backed me big-time but I wasn’t interested in taking all of his calls. He’s not smart enough to run for president!” FOIA CBP 000897 DHS-17-0435-B-000194 172 It was not clear what provoked the insult, although Mr. Cuban has recently been publicly critical of Mr. Trump. The president might have been reacting to a report on Sunday in The New York Post that White House aides view Mr. Cuban as a potential campaign rival in 2020, or to comments Mr. Cuban made to The Fort Worth Star-Telegram on Friday warning corporate executives to be careful in their dealings with Mr. Trump. But Mr. Trump’s put-down was only one in a long list of squabbles that the president has engaged in over the past week with individuals or groups that have aggrieved him. It offered a reminder three weeks into his tenure that even as he faces weighty problems, he is often preoccupied with the narrowest of gripes. He swiped at Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, for criticizing the counterterrorism raid in Yemen that resulted in the death of a Navy SEAL. The raid has provoked anger in Yemen, where the government requested a review of the operation. Mr. Trump said Mr. McCain’s critique “only emboldens the enemy,” and in a pair of postings on Twitter, he said that the senator, who is the chairman of the Armed Services Committee and was taken prisoner during the Vietnam War, has “been losing for so long he doesn’t know how to win anymore.” The same day, the president took on Senator Richard Blumenthal, Democrat of Connecticut, for revealing that Judge Neil M. Gorsuch, Mr. Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, had called Mr. Trump’s attacks on judges “demoralizing” and “disheartening.” The comment was confirmed by aides who are shepherding Judge Gorsuch’s nomination, but Mr. Trump quickly branded Mr. Blumenthal a liar. “Ask Senator Blumenthal about his Vietnam record that didn’t exist after years of saying it did,” Mr. Trump told reporters at the White House, referring to false statements that Mr. Blumenthal admitted to in 2010, after they were revealed. Mr. Trump’s swing at Mr. Blumenthal was itself a function of yet another feud he has pursued, often in incendiary tones, against the judicial branch as it weighs the legality of his executive order banning travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries. It began this month when he called the Seattle judge who had blocked the directive a “so-called judge” who had made a “ridiculous” decision. He ratcheted up the insults during a speech to law enforcement officials from around the country, calling a hearing by a three-judge appeals court panel to review the stay “disgraceful” and comparing the intellect of the judges unfavorably with a poor student in high school. And the president used Twitter twice last week to defend his daughter Ivanka, first targeting the department store chain Nordstrom — which had stopped carrying the apparel line bearing her name because of poor sales — for treating her “so unfairly.” Days later, Mr. Trump blamed journalists in a posting in which he expressed pride in Ms. Trump, whom he said had been “abused and treated so badly by the media.” The White House is unapologetic about Mr. Trump’s outspoken style, even when it crosses the traditional lines observed by presidents of both parties, who have tended to avoid individual attacks on sitting senators, judges or individual companies, given the powers of the office. That Mr. Trump is willing, and even eager, to ignore those conventions, his aides say, is one reason his supporters adore him. “Part of the reason the president got elected is because he speaks his mind,” Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, said last week, questioned about Mr. Trump’s harsh words about members of the judicial branch. “He doesn’t hold it back, he’s authentic and he’s not going to sit back, I think, when he feels very passionately about something.” Personal complaints and grievances have always weighed on, and sometimes motivated, American presidents in powerful ways, none more than Richard M. Nixon and Lyndon B. Johnson, said Matthew Dallek, a political historian. “If you go back and listen to the tapes, they would talk privately with members of Congress or their staffs, and Nixon would say some pretty crazy things — about Jews, about people in the media who were out to get him — some of it was very petty, personal stuff,” Mr. Dallek said. “What is unusual is that President Trump is doing this publicly and it’s a near-daily occurrence, it’s multiple times a week.” His habit of picking public fights is likely to appeal to the roughly 40 percent of voters who support Mr. Trump, but it may repel others whose support he will need to govern effectively and, ultimately, to win re-election. “It brings respect for the institution of the presidency way down, and it also plays into the narrative of all the millions of Americans who don’t see him as legitimate, because he’s using the power of the office now to attack individual citizens,” Mr. Dallek said. In a post on Twitter responding to Mr. Trump’s insult on Sunday, Mr. Cuban shared a letter he had written to the president during his campaign last year, in which he advised Mr. Trump to drill down on policy specifics instead of improvising. “I get that a big part of your base doesn’t care about issue details,” Mr. Cuban wrote to Mr. Trump, “but to be president, to be this close, you have to dig in and know your” facts. Mr. Cuban’s initial response to the president’s sudden broadside was more concise: “Lol.” FOIA CBP 000898 DHS-17-0435-B-000195 173 Attorney General Signals Pullback From Obama Initiative On Transgender Bathrooms Justice Department’s court filling withdraws request made by previous administration By Sara Randazzo Wall Street Journal, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Without Fanfare, Trump Reverses Obama Order On Justice Department Succession By Gregory Korte USA Today, February 10, 2017 WASHINGTON — President Trump has quietly signed an executive order changing the order of succession in the Department of Justice, reversing an executive order by President Obama signed just last month. The order appears to be the first that Trump has not signed in a public ceremony. It’s dated Thursday — the same day Attorney General Jeff Sessions was sworn in — but was not posted to the White House website until Friday morning. The White House did not explain the discrepancy. The executive order spells out who will act as the nation’s highest law enforcement officer if the attorney general dies, resigns or becomes incapacitated. Such orders have been routine since the 2001 terrorist attacks, but Trump’s is notable becomes it comes two weeks after he fired acting Attorney General Sally Yates for refusing to defend his executive order banning travelers from seven predominately Muslim countries. That time, Trump went outside the official order of succession — as he has the right to do — to elevate Dana Boente, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, to acting attorney general. Because the Senate has not confirmed any other top Justice Department officials, Boente will continue to be second in the line of succession under Trump’s order, followed by Zachary Fardon, the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Tammy Dickinson, the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Missouri. Seven days before he left office, President Obama changed the order of succession without explanation to remove Boente from the list. Obama’s order had listed U.S. attorneys in the District of Columbia, the Northern District of Illinois and the Central District of California. The top positions remain unchanged: the deputy attorney general, the associate attorney general and — at the discretion of the attorney general — the solicitor general and other assistants. But because those positions are now officially vacant, the order currently skips to the Senate￾confirmed U.S. attorneys. Trump Undertakes Most Ambitious Regulatory Rollback Since Reagan By Juliet Eilperin Washington Post, February 12, 2017 President Trump has embarked on the most aggressive campaign against government regulation in a generation, joining with Republican lawmakers to roll back rules already on the books and limit the ability of federal regulators to impose new ones. After just a few weeks in office, the new administration is targeting dozens of Obama-era policies, using both legislative and executive tactics. The fallout is already rippling across the federal -bureaucracy and throughout the U.S. economy, affecting how dentists dispose of mercury fillings, how schools meet the needs of poor and disabled students, and whether companies reject mineral purchases that fuel one of the world’s bloodiest conflicts. The campaign has alarmed -labor unions, public safety advocates and environmental activists, who fear losing regulations that have been in place for years, along with relatively new federal mandates. Business groups, however, are thrilled, saying Trump is- responding to long-standing complaints that a profusion of federal regulations unnecessarily increases costs and hampers their ability to create jobs. Under Trump, “there’s great optimism that all of them will be addressed,” said Rosario Pal-mieri, vice president for labor, legal and regulatory policy at the National Association of Manufacturers. Trump and congressional Republicans are working to strip rules away at an unprecedented rate. One of the most powerful levers is the Congressional Review Act, a 1996 law that gives lawmakers the power to nullify any regulation within 60 days of enactment. Before Trump took office, the Congressional Review Act had been successfully used only once, to overturn a Clinton administration ergonomics rule in 2001. So far this year, the House has moved to nullify eight new rules and is considering dozens more. Two of those measures — which would loosen environmental restrictions on waste-mining companies and financial disclosure requirements on oil and gas firms — have cleared the Senate and are on their way to the White House for the president’s signature. A more extensive assault on government regulation is likely to come. On Jan. 30, Trump signed an executive order that requires agencies to offset the cost of every significant new regulation by eliminating existing regulations or making them less onerous. The order declares that “the total incremental cost of all new regulations” issued this year “shall be no more than zero.” FOIA CBP 000899 DHS-17-0435-B-000196 174 That sets a far more stringent standard than recent Republican administrations have attempted, experts on regulation said, leaving a slew of Obama-era rules in limbo. “It’s clear as can be that they intend to reduce the level of regulation,” said James Gattuso, a senior fellow in regulatory policy at the conservative Heritage Foundation, who said the directive marks the first explicit attempt to contain the costs of federal mandates. “If successful,” Gattuso said, “it would be the first time in a generation,” since Ronald Reagan was in the White House. According to the White House Office of Management and Budget, the cost of federal regulations has grown every year since 1982. Republicans of all stripes have long railed against what they say are crippling economic effects. “Overregulation has stemmed economic growth and job creation,” White House press secretary Sean Spicer recently told reporters. Making sure government rules “are meeting their intent and not stifling job creation at the expense of whatever they were intended to do is something that should be smart and welcome by everybody.” The administration’s anti-regulatory push goes well beyond a technical review, how-ever. “It’s a much more aggressive rollback attempt than we’ve seen in recent years,” said Tevi Troy, who served George W. Bush as a senior White House official and in two Cabinet-level agencies. He noted that many conservatives have long been disappointed that the Bush administration did not do more to “clear out some of the regulatory underbrush.” Votes under the Congressional Review Act have come at such a rapid clip that liberal interest groups feel pummeled. After the House voted last week to overturn a planning rule issued by the Bureau of Land Management, Defenders of Wildlife spokeswoman Haley McKey issued a statement headlined: “The Congressional Review Act Claims Latest Victim.” Meanwhile, the Trump White House is employing an executive tactic that dates to the Reagan administration: issuing a 60-day freeze on new regulations. The tactic is a mainstay of new administrations. George W. Bush initially delayed 90 Clinton-era rules, and Barack Obama delayed, altered or rescinded more than two dozen of Bush’s actions. Within a week of Trump’s inauguration, the new administration withdrew 24 significant rules that were about to be sent to the Federal Register for publication, regulatory analyst Curtis Copeland said. The new administration also delayed the effective dates of roughly 250 others, including 30 Environmental Protection Agency rules that were frozen in a single day, with no opportunity for public comment. As a result, groups that had finally settled long-fought battles are feuding once again. Take the issue of the rusty patched bumble bee, whose population has shrunk 87 percent since the mid-90s. On Jan. 11, the Obama administration declared it would be added to the endangered species list. Last Thursday — a day before those protections were set to take effect — the Trump administration said it would postpone the listing until at least March 21. Ryan Yates, director of congressional relations for the American Farm Bureau, said the group is “pleased that the administration is taking a second look.” If the bee is declared endangered, he said, farmers in parts of Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota would be subject to severe penalties for killing or harming the insects through “normal farming operations” such as plowing and pesticide use. As an alternative, Yates said, the Farm Bureau is open to discussing a strategy for voluntary conservation. But voluntary plans are inadequate, said Rebecca Riley, a senior attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council. Riley said the group is weighing whether to challenge the delay, which was issued without the normal 30- day period for public comment. “We don’t want to reach a point of no return for the rusty patched bumblebee,” Riley said in an email, “but further delay could dash our last, best chance to keep this bee around.” Incoming agency officials are also signaling significant shifts in the way some industries are regulated. In November, the EPA sent out a lengthy request to nearly 20,000 oil and gas companies, asking them to gauge their emissions of methane within 60 or 180 days, depending on their facilities. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas linked to climate change Matthew Hite, who represents gas processors as vice president for government affairs at the GPA Midstream Association, called the request “unnecessary and duplicative” and estimated that complying would cost each processor nearly $3 million. Since Trump took office, EPA officials have been granting companies that ask for it a 90-day extension. Several oil and gas officials said they expect the methane survey to be scaled back significantly or abandoned altogether. Meanwhile, Michael S. Piwo-war, the acting chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, said he has instructed staff to determine whether it is “still appropriate” to require manufacturers to certify that they do not use minerals from conflict-ridden areas such as Congo, where armed groups accused of massive human rights violations profit from their trade. Some major U.S. firms, including Intel and Tiffany & Co., have embraced the policy, but others have said complying with the disclosure rule is costly and complicated. Lawrence Heim, managing director at Elm Sustainability, an auditing firm that consults on conflict minerals, said he has seen “a notable slowdown” in the demand for doing “due diligence” on the origin of minerals, as manufacturers apparently place bets that the rule will soon disappear. FOIA CBP 000900 DHS-17-0435-B-000197 175 Implementation of Trump’s Jan. 30 executive order will be left in large part to the White House budget director. Nominee Mick Mulvaney, a Republican congressman from South Carolina, could be confirmed as soon as this week. A coalition of liberal groups that include Public Citizen, NRDC and the Communications Workers of America has challenged the order in court, calling it “arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, and not in accordance with the law.” They predicted the order would force the government to eliminate critical public protections. Spicer called those claims “wildly inaccurate,” saying they make “a ton of assumptions . . . on what may or may not happen in the future.” Whatever happens in court, Rep. Jared Huffman (D￾Calif.) predicts Trump’s executive order will cause “complete chaos.” Huffman noted that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration briefly declined to issue critical regulations for the opening of fishing seasons off both coasts, unnerving commercial fishermen who rely on the government to set the annual guidelines. “Apparently members of the new administration don’t understand some regulations are critically important for the economic sector, and businesses depend on them,” Huffman said. Some industries are openly worried about what the directive will mean for them. Commercial drone manufacturers, for example, waited four years for the Federal Aviation Administration to issue its first rule integrating drones into public airspace. The FAA has been planning to tackle bigger questions, such as whether drones may fly over people’s heads or travel long distances. Brian Wynne, president of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, said he fears that the answers to those questions will be delayed. The “current inaction,” he said in a statement, could prevent drone “operations, such as news reporting, disaster relief and public safety, from becoming a reality.” Many companies, however, foresee huge benefits from the regulatory rollback. Eric Myers, chief executive at Oil City Iron Works in Oil City, Tex., said he’s seen a flood of new orders since Trump took office. The company makes metal castings for equipment used in energy, mining, farming and transportation — industries expected to benefit from Trump administration actions. “It’s not happening in a tidal wave,” Myers said in an interview, “but it is coming.” Supreme Court Nominee Has Defended Free Speech, Religion By Jeff Donn And Geoff Mulvihill Associated Press, February 12, 2017 Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch has been a defender of free speech and a skeptic of libel claims, an Associated Press review of his rulings shows. His record puts him at odds with President Donald Trump’s disdain for journalists and tendency to lash out at critics. On other First Amendment cases involving freedom of religion, however, Gorsuch’s rulings in his decade on the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver reflect views more in line with the president and conservatives. Gorsuch repeatedly has sided with religious groups when they butt up against the secular state. In a 2007 opinion involving free speech, Gorsuch ruled for a Kansas citizen who said he was bullied by Douglas County officials into dropping his tax complaints. “When public officials feel free to wield the powers of their office as weapons against those who question their decisions, they do damage not merely to the citizen in their sights but also to the First Amendment liberties,” Gorsuch wrote. Trump, who announced Gorsuch as his pick on Jan. 31, has said he is waging a “running war” against the news media and wants to make it easier to sue for libel. The president, who nominated Gorsuch for the high court, has used his political stature to fire off harsh attacks on relatively powerless critics such as the father of a dead soldier or a beauty pageant winner. Gorsuch has sided with those lower on the power scale. In cases in 2007 and 2016, Gorsuch agreed with the court majority in upholding public employees’ claims of retaliation for exercising their constitutional rights of free speech and association. He repeatedly has interpreted libel law in light of the First Amendment’s guarantee of free speech, rejecting claims based on small mistakes in the offending material. He sided with a broadcaster who may have overstated a prisoner’s gang ties and a University of Northern Colorado student who mocked a professor in an online parody that showed him in a Hitler-style mustache. In a 2011 opinion backing A&E Television Networks, Gorsuch said the law protects not just perfectly true statements against libel claims, but also those that are substantially correct. With characteristic flair, Gorsuch wrote: “Can you win damages in a defamation suit for being called a member of the Aryan Brotherhood prison gang on cable television when, as it happens, you have merely conspired with the Brotherhood in a criminal enterprise? The answer is no. While the statement may cause you a world of trouble, while it may not be precisely true, it is substantially true.” Gregg Leslie, legal defense director at the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, said Gorsuch did not break new legal ground on libel or privacy law. But, Leslie said, the judge had upheld existing news media protections “without any hesitation.” FOIA CBP 000901 DHS-17-0435-B-000198 176 In a 2007 privacy case, Gorsuch joined an opinion rejecting the appeal of undercover police officers in Albuquerque, New Mexico, who said their privacy was violated by a TV news broadcast that exposed their names and identities. The court said the broadcast reported on a matter of legitimate public concern because the officers had been implicated in an alleged incident of sexual assault – even though they were eventually exonerated. In 2014, Gorsuch wrote a concurring court opinion that emphasized First Amendment rights in a campaign finance dispute that also hinged on the constitutional guarantee of equal treatment under the law. Gorsuch agreed with the court majority that Colorado’s campaign finance law treated write-in candidates unfairly because it set lower contribution limits for them. He said there’s a free-speech guarantee in picking a preferred candidate, and that the Colorado law sprang from “a bald desire to help major party candidates at the expense of minor party candidates.” Outside the courtroom, Gorsuch has a long history of arguing for free speech, sometimes in defense of causes popular with conservatives. As an undergraduate at Columbia University in New York, he said free speech should apply to military recruiters on campus. Despite that, he challenged speech that offended him at the time, threatening to sue over a poster he claimed misstated the financing of a newspaper he helped found. His respect for free speech notwithstanding, Gorsuch has ruled against false advertising when he believed it contained significant lies. “Most everyone expects a little audacity – maybe even a little mendacity – in their advertising,” Gorsuch wrote in 2015 to uphold a claim by General Steel Corp. against a competitor. “But sometimes advertising crosses the line from harmless hyperbole into underhanded deception with material commercial consequences.” In cases involving religion, Gorsuch has leaned toward allowing its free practice but also joined some rulings that might be viewed as actively favoring faith groups. Such cases often split judges because the Constitution bars government both from interfering with religious groups and from actively backing them. In two of the highest-profile religious freedom cases before his court, Gorsuch joined opinions that sided with Hobby Lobby and Little Sisters of the Poor. They argued that it would violate their religious rights if they were forced to provide employees with coverage for contraceptives as required by President Obama’s health care law. The federal government now pays to insure workers for that coverage when employers object to doing so on religious grounds. In two opinions dealing with three communities, Gorsuch called for hearing further appeals of circuit court action that restricted displays of the Ten Commandments on public property. He took a similar stand on crosses placed along highways to memorialize Utah state troopers. In 2009, Gorsuch wrote a dissent saying the court should hear arguments for allowing display of the Ten Commandments at the Haskell County Courthouse in Stigler, Oklahoma. He criticized his fellow judges, saying a reasonable observer would not understand the display as the government’s endorsement of a religion. In a case from Pleasant Grove, Utah, the Supreme Court eventually decided to allow a commandments display without requiring local officials to also accept a monument from followers of a little-known religion, echoing Gorsuch’s reasoning. In cases involving religion and inmates, Gorsuch said it was wrong for a Wyoming prison to deny use of an existing prison sweat lodge to a murder convict who wanted to worship there. But the judge agreed with a court majority that an Oklahoma jail did not have to provide halal meals prepared under Muslim law to an inmate of that faith, so long as it provided vegetarian and pork-free options. And in an opinion in a 2010 case from New Mexico, Gorsuch challenged the sincerity of a couple accused of marijuana trafficking. They claimed the drug was part of their religion as members of their self-styled Church of Cognizance. Gorsuch stated unequivocally that the couple was “running a commercial marijuana business with a religious front.” The drug charge was upheld. --- The AP National Investigative Team can be reached at investigate@ap.org © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Supreme Court Nominee Neil Gorsuch Scales Back Description Of Pro Bono Work At Harvard President Donald Trump had highlighted that work when he introduced his nominee By Beth Reinhard Wall Street Journal, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Education Dept. Torched For Misspelling W.E.B. Du Bois In Tweet By Deirdre Shesgreen FOIA CBP 000902 DHS-17-0435-B-000199 177 USA Today, February 12, 2017 WASHINGTON — Well, this isn’t going to help Betsy DeVos, Trump’s controversial new Education secretary, win any new fans. The Department of Education on Sunday tweeted a quote about the importance of education from the late W.E.B. Du Bois, the revered historian and civil rights activist who helped found the NAACP. But the effort to highlight Du Bois’ famous words backfired—because whoever sent the Tweet misspelled Du Bois’ name, as “DeBois.” The response was ruthless, with Twitter followers of the agency lampooning the misspelling. The Senate narrowly confirmed DeVos last week despite a firestorm of complaints about her nomination. The billionaire philanthropist is best known as a vocal advocate for charter schools and vouchers, which critics see as a way to undermine public education. She had a rocky confirmation hearing, during which she seemed to not be familiar with critical education issues, such as the federal Individuals with Disabilities Act. Several hours after the first Tweet was posted, the Education Department re-posted the message with the correct spelling and apologized for the mistake. But the apology included another mistake, this time a grammatical error. “Our deepest apologizes for the earlier typo,” the department tweeted. Social Media Mocks Education Dept For Misspelled Tweets Associated Press, February 12, 2017 WASHINGTON (AP) – The Education Department is getting social media criticism after misspelling the name of a prominent African-American sociologist – and then mistyping again when apologizing for the error. In a tweet Sunday morning from its official account, the department attributed a quotation to W.E.B. DeBois (doo￾BOYZ’), incorrectly spelling the last name with an “E.” It immediately drew hundreds of responses mocking the department’s misspelling of the sociologist’s last name, which is correctly spelled D-U B-O-I-S. By midday, the department had posted a new tweet with the correct spelling and an apology. “Post updated – our deepest apologizes for the earlier typo,” it tweeted, drawing a wave of fresh responses noting a second typo. Soon after, the department corrected the word to “apologies.” One commenter tweeted: “I love that your initial apology for a typo included a typo. We don’t need any further proof that DeVos runs this account,” referring to billionaire GOP donor Betsy DeVos, who was narrowly confirmed as education secretary last week with a tie-breaker vote by Vice President Mike Pence. Others posted quizzical looks from African-American students. Another tweeted: “Smooth move during #BlackHistoryMonth.” A spokesperson for the Education Department said Sunday the misspellings had been made by a long-time department employee. He said a new review process was being put in place with additional staff to prevent future tweet errors. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. DeVos’s Education Department Misspells Name Of NAACP Co-founder In Tweet — And The Apology Had A Mistake By Valerie Strauss Washington Post, February 12, 2017 (Update: tweets corrected) Education must not simply teach work – it must teach life. – W.E.B. DeBois pic.twitter.com/Re4cWkPSFA — US Dept of Education (@usedgov) February 12, 2017 It’s not just the White House that seems to have a problem with spelling. Someone at the U.S. Education Department, now led by Secretary Betsy DeVos, does, too. At 8:45 on Sunday morning, the department’s official Twitter account misspelled the name of W.E.B. Du Bois, a black sociologist, historian, civil rights activist and co-founder of the NAACP, the oldest civil rights organization in the United States. DuBois was misspelled as DeBois — an error that might be understandable from a young student, but the U.S. Education Department? Hours after the tweet was posted — and after the error was lampooned by a number of people on Twitter, it was corrected, with an apology: Post updated – our deepest apologizes for the earlier typo. — US Dept of Education (@usedgov) February 12, 2017 The department fixed that tweet quickly, changing “apologizes” for “apologies.” It wasn’t the first embarrassing spelling error of the young Trump administration. A recent White House list of 78 terrorist attacks that it said the media had deliberately “underreported” was riddled with errors, explained by Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank like this: FOIA CBP 000903 DHS-17-0435-B-000200 178 The list didn’t expose anything new about terrorist attacks, but it did reveal a previously underreported assault by the Trump administration on the conventions of written English. Here are some of the Twitter reactions: .@usedgov *W.E.B. Du Bois All good. Not like this is the official Twitter for the US Department of Education. � — Ryan Wyatt (@Fwiz) February 12, 2017 .@usedgov pic.twitter.com/5ZfvGibEx4 — TyreeBP (@TyreeBP) February 12, 2017 @usedgov OMG, it’s DuBois. Who is in charge over there? … oh, wait, I get it. — Jennifer Morgan (@ProfJLMorgan) February 12, 2017 Earlier this month, Trump talked about black abolitionist Frederick Douglass as if he were still alive — at least if Trump’s tenses were to be taken literally: “Frederick Douglass is an example of somebody who’s done an amazing job and is getting recognized more and more, I notice.” Douglass, an African American social reformer and statesman, died Feb. 20, 1895. (Correcting time of tweet) Education Department Misspells Name Of Civil Rights Icon By David K. Li New York Post, February 12, 2017 Betsy DeVos, meet W.E.B. Du Bois. The US Department of Education, helmed by its new secretary, DeVos, on Sunday misspelled the name of African American historian and civil-rights pioneer W.E.B. Du Bois in a tweet. The Education Department tweeted at 8:45 a.m, “ `Education must not simply teach work – it must teach life.’ – W.E.B. DeBois.” The misspelling wasn’t corrected until 12:15 p.m. “Post updated – our deepest apologizes for the earlier typo,” the department said. Critics of DeVos and the Trump Administration had a field day with the flub. “You should also teach spelling and Black history,” tweeted Texas Christian University political-science professor Emily Farris. “Shameful.” Others were amazed it took so long to correct. Addisu Demissie, a former campaign manager for US Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), tweeted, “sweet baby Jesus delete this … no seriously, I know it’s Sunday but can someone get to an internet and handle this.” Even former first kid Chelsea Clinton got in on the act, mocking the education department. “Is it funny or sad funny that our Dept. of Education misspelled the name of the great W.E.B. Du Bois?” tweeted Clinton, daughter of 2016 popular vote winner Hillary Clinton. How Both Democrats And Republicans Blindsided Our Best Low-income Students By Jay Mathews Washington Post, February 12, 2017 Now that the intense media coverage of new U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is over, could we please turn our attention to a little-noticed threat to our most effective high school classes? Congress congratulated itself last year when it passed the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). But its Republican and Democratic sponsors failed to say they were blindsiding teachers and students responsible for a remarkable surge of academic depth in high schools. The most challenging courses in American public education have been expanding rapidly since the federal government in 1998 began subsidizing disadvantaged students’ exam fees in college-level courses, particularly the Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) programs. In 2016, 941,557 AP exams were taken by students from low-income families. At that moment of startling success, the congressional sponsors of ESSA killed the program. Nobody knows yet what will happen as the students scramble to find money for those tough exams in May. Many people know how prized AP and IB courses are in suburban schools. Students who want to attend selective colleges essentially have to take them. Most of their parents and schools can afford the fees, $93 for the three-hour AP exams and about $116 for what are often five-hour IB exams. But few people have witnessed the transformation that comes from bringing AP and IB into disadvantaged schools. Go into high schools like Wakefield in Arlington County, Columbia Heights in the District, Mount Vernon in Fairfax County, Foshay in south-central Los Angeles or Young Women’s Prep in Miami and you see kids on fire — asking questions, arguing historical points and polishing their writing. IDEA Public Schools, a charter network in Texas that enrolls mostly low-income students, has AP test participation rates at some campuses twice as high as affluent public schools such as McLean or private institutions such as National Cathedral School. How will their students handle fees far above the $5 to $15 per test they have paid in the past? “If we take away the reimbursement for the AP test, we take away a powerful incentive that moved more kids to test,” said Tom Torkelson, chief executive of IDEA Public Schools. “Our experience tells us that there will be many students who will not register for exams if support for test fees is not available,” said Colleen Duffy, a spokeswoman for IB. FOIA CBP 000904 DHS-17-0435-B-000201 179 The College Board has been encouraging low-income student participation in AP for more than 30 years, beginning with its embrace of East Los Angeles mathematics teacher Jaime Escalante. Escalante and a teacher he trained produced 26 percent of all Mexican American students in the country in 1987 who passed an AP calculus exam. Escalante showed that such results were possible if teachers gave more students more encouragement and time to learn. Trevor Packer, the College Board vice president who oversees AP, said there are “more than 500,000 low-income students sitting in AP classes now who are affected by the funding changes.” The College Board has increased its low￾income subsidy from $22 to $31 per exam, which totals more than the former federal subsidy. But it still has to pay for expert human graders who are much more expensive than the machines that score multiple-choice state tests, or the SAT and ACT. Some Washington-area districts, including Prince George’s County and Charles County, say they will protect disadvantaged students from increased fees this year. Nineteen states are using their funds as a stopgap this year while seeing how much money will be available from underfunded federal block grants which AP and IB have to share with dozens of other programs, but most states haven’t done much. Escalante’s students held carwashes to pay for tests. Such old-fashioned funding may be necessary. Rich folks like Secretary DeVos could put their money where it would do immediate good if they asked local public schools how to support teenagers who need to more money for those big tests. Army To Spend $300 Million On Bonuses And Ads To Get 6,000 More Recruits By Tom Vanden Brook USA Today, February 12, 2017 WASHINGTON — The Army plans to spend $300 million in a blitz of bonuses and advertising over the next eight months to recruit 6,000 additional soldiers it needs to fill out its ranks. Legislation approved by Congress and signed late last year by former president Barack Obama halted a years-long drawdown of U.S. troops. Rising threats around the world have spurred the increase. The Army’s new goal for the remaining eight months of the fiscal year is 68,500, up from 62,500 recruits. The addition of 6,000 recruits to the goal makes it the largest in-year increase in the history of the all￾volunteer force that dates to 1973. Rapidly growing the Army also has come at a different type of cost in the past: lower standards for recruits produced sub-par soldiers. Many had to be culled after training. That won’t happen this time, said Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Snow, who leads Army Recruiting Command. “There is very clear guidance from the leadership in our conversations that there is no desire to lower standards,” Snow said. Read more: By Oct. 1, the Army must hit its target of 476,000 active duty soldiers, up from the previous goal of 460,000. Increased recruiting along with retention of more soldiers will make up the gap. President Trump has said he wants an even larger force — as many as 60,000 more soldiers. The Air Force and Navy also are boosting their ranks. The Air Force plans to recruit and retain more airmen to meet its goal of 321,000 service members by Oct. 1, up 4,000 from its current total of 317,000, said Ann Stefanek, an Air Force spokeswoman. The Navy plans to add 2,200 recruits this fiscal year, according to Lt. Cdr. Nate Christensen, a spokesman. The Navy has a target of 323,900 sailors for this year. The Marine Corps will add nearly 800 additional Marines this year to hit its target of 185,000, said Yvonne Carlock, a Marine spokeswoman. Adding just 6,000 soldiers by October will cost the Army $200 million for bonuses to new recruits, $100 million in advertising and at least $10 million more to bolster the corps of recruiters and for processing recruits, Snow said. Hefty price tags will accompany future efforts to expand the Army, he said. “In order to do this, it’s going to require an awful lot of funding,” Snow said. Department of Defense Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Snow during a news conference at the Pentagon in December 2014. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images) A military budget analyst questioned if the Army was acting too hastily to increase spending this year without congressional approval, and whether it had properly calibrated its proposed bonus payments. “The Army may be getting a little ahead of itself here,” said Todd Harrison, director of defense budget analysis at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a non-partisan think tank. “The money has not been appropriated.” Congress has not yet approved money to fund the troop requirement, and doesn’t appear to be in a rush to do so before late April when the temporary legislation funding the federal government expires, Harrison said. The Army’s interest in preparing for the changes is understandable since it will need to act quickly when the funding becomes available. Snow outlined his strategy for the first batch of new soldiers in an interview with USA TODAY. It will require beefier bonuses, more advertising and shorter enlistment periods for some. Bonuses: The Army will double bonuses, offering as much as $40,000 to new recruits in hard-to-fill military FOIA CBP 000905 DHS-17-0435-B-000202 180 specialties, Snow said. That compares with bonuses currently of as much as $20,000, he said. The Army will need to tailor bonuses to get the most bang for its buck, Harrison said. One-size-fit-all bonuses could waste money. “Some people would have joined anyway” whether eligible for a bonus or not, he said. Additionally, as many as 600 recruiters will be eligible for bonuses of $500 per month to stay on the job another 12 months. Recruiters must be screened extensively because they occupy what the Army calls a “position of trust,” putting them in regular contact with young, potentially vulnerable men and women. The process means that it’s difficult to screen and train additional recruiters fast enough to meet demand, Snow said. The $200 million in bonuses between now and Oct. 1 compares with $284 million handed out in all of 2016. In 2008, when the surge of troops to Iraq was near its height, the Army issued nearly $1 billion in bonuses to recruits. Advertising: The Army plans to spend $100 million on marketing efforts to reach new recruits. About 75% will be national ads, and 25% in local markets, Snow said. The ads will make reference to the $40,000 bonuses. Shorter enlistments: The Army will offer a two-year enlistment, down from the usual requirement of three, four or more years. A two-year hitch is expected to appeal to high school seniors who want a short break before college, Snow said. The hope is that many short-termers will stay after being exposed to Army life. Some of the jobs open to shorter enlistments will likely be those that do not require specialized training like language or computer skills. Infantry, armor and field artillery are some of the jobs open to two-year terms. The Army has offered two-year enlistments in the past for a limited number of military occupations. The new two￾year hitches will be offered more broadly, and will allow soldiers to earn money for college under the GI Bill. “It allows us really to demonstrate to them in a short period of time that listen, the Army’s a lot more than a job,” Snow said. “It’s a job and an education.” The quality of recruits is measured by high school graduation, performance on military aptitude tests and limiting the number of those who score poorly on those exams. In 2005, due to difficulties in recruiting, the Army lowered the standards for soldiers it would accept. The price was too high, Snow said. “There are standards for a reason,” Snow said. “When you lower them, you have second- and third-order effects. What we’ve found by lowering them we were essentially separating soldiers at an increased rate – those that we had lowered the standards for. Right now, the guidance is very clear, and I actually think it is the right guidance, that is we are not going to lower our standards.” Snow and one of his top aides, Command Sgt. Maj. Anthony Stoneburg, expressed confidence that the Army would hit its target by Oct. 1 with qualified recruits. “I feel confident that those here understand the importance of the mission and are committed to the mission,” Stoneburg said. ‘Significant Uncertainty’ About Fiscal Policy Under Trump: Fed’s Fischer By Helen Reid And Abhinav Ramnarayan Reuters, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Investors Have Second Thoughts About Trump Trade Inflation expectations have stalled heading into a slew of data and Janet Yellen’s semiannual testimony before lawmakers By Steven Russolillo Wall Street Journal, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. ‘Are We Safe Yet?’ The Answer’s Not So Simple. By Robert J. Samuelson Washington Post, February 12, 2017 Comes now Timothy Geithner, treasury secretary from 2009 to 2013, to tell you that much of what you “know” about Dodd-Frank — Congress’s response to the 2008-2009 financial crisis — is wrong. It’s a timely review because the Trump administration is promising to overhaul the law. The title of Geithner’s essay, carried in the current issue of Foreign Affairs, is simple: “Are We Safe Yet?” The answer is not so simple. Start with good news. Like many others, Geithner — a critical player in containing the breakdown — doubts the United States faces “a major [financial] crisis anytime soon.” To justify this, he offers both statistics and common sense. Since 2008, U.S. banks have raised roughly $500 billion in new shareholder capital, bringing the total to $1.7 trillion. The added capital provides a larger cushion against losses (and, of course, the new shareholders enjoy any profits). This bolsters confidence that the system can survive unexpected setbacks. In addition to more capital, banks also have a more stable base of funds used for lending. According to Geithner, deposits now represent 86 percent of U.S. banks’ liabilities, up from 72 percent in 2008. Deposits tend to be stable, because most are insured by the government (up to FOIA CBP 000906 DHS-17-0435-B-000203 181 $250,000 by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.) During the crisis, the flight of uninsured short-term funds (so-called repurchase agreements and commercial paper) threatened the entire financial system. Now this danger is reduced. The result is a strengthened banking system. “Today, the major U.S. banks could probably sustain losses greater than those experienced in the Great Depression and still have enough capital to operate,” Geithner writes. Psychology reinforces these changes. It has shifted toward caution. “The memory of the global financial crisis still looms large,” Geithner observes. “In a way, this should be reassuring. A world worried about the approaching abyss is safer than a more sanguine one, such as in 2006.” Loans may be harder to get; but they’re also more likely to be repaid. Still, Geithner serves up much bad news. His essay is organized around four unhappy propositions. Proposition No. 1: A financial crisis “is certain at some point” — we just don’t know when and how bad. Conditions change. Memories fade. Government regulators aren’t superhuman. They can’t “protect against every conceivable bad event.” They also face a dilemma: If regulations are too tough, they will cause “some financial transactions to shift away from banks and toward less regulated institutions.” Proposition No. 2: A true crisis is “not self-correcting.” Most declines in markets (for stocks, bonds, loans) are self￾limiting. Prices drop to levels that buyers think are a bargain. Not so with a panic. Selling pressures reflect fears that tomorrow’s prices will be lower than today’s. The resulting “fire-sale prices . . . make large parts of the financial system appear to be insolvent.” Someone or something must intervene to stop the spiral. Proposition No. 3: In a panic, only the federal government can mobilize the needed financial resources “to preserve the functioning of the credit system necessary for economic recovery.” In the 2008-2009 crisis, the government provided trillions of dollars of aid through money creation by the Federal Reserve and by Treasury borrowing. Absent this torrent of emergency credit, it’s not clear what would have happened. Proposition No. 4: Despite this, Dodd-Frank has crippled government’s ability to defuse future financial crises. It has restricted government’s “ability to act as a lender of last resort.” The Fed’s power to lend to individual institutions is curtailed, making it harder to nip future crises in the bud. The Fed can’t act until many institutions are in trouble. Consequently, we are “even less prepared to deal with a crisis” than in 2007. This, of course, is madness. But it is madness with a political logic. The lesson that much of the public took from the financial crisis is that banks, and Wall Street in general, were “bailed out” and that this rescue was a bad thing. So Dodd-Frank became a vehicle for making sure this never happened again by weakening the Fed and other arms of government to deal with financial crises. The real Dodd-Frank scandal is that this misinterpretation of events, widely embraced by both parties, has been allowed to stand. In many bailouts, banks’ shareholders suffered huge losses or were wiped out; similarly, top managers lost their jobs. The point was not to protect them but to prevent a collapse of the financial system. If the Trump administration doesn’t repudiate the conventional wisdom and change the law accordingly, it risks creating a future, self-inflicted wound. Suppose it is 2028, and the Fed is coping poorly with a huge financial crisis. Someone asks, “What were our leaders thinking when they revoked so many of its powers?” And the answer will be: They weren’t. Are We Safe Yet? | Foreign Affairs Foreign Affairs, December 12, 2016 The 2008 financial crisis was the most damaging economic event since the Great Depression, for both the United States and much of the global economy. Although the U.S. economy emerged from it more quickly and in better shape than many other economies did, the crisis imposed tragically high costs and left deep economic and political scars. To help prevent another crisis, Congress passed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act in 2010. These and other reforms have added a considerable margin of safety to the U.S. financial system. But how safe is that system today? The answer is important, because although the United States may not face a major crisis anytime soon, it is certain to at some point. The choices policymakers make in advance of that event and in the moment will have a major impact in determining the magnitude of the economic damage. Indeed, the U.S. financial system’s vulnerability to a crisis depends not only on the strength of the regulation designed to prevent one but also on how much freedom policymakers have to respond when prevention fails. It’s just as in medicine, where the public’s health depends not just on immunizations, nutrition, and checkups but also on hospitals, surgery, and emergency care. Determining whether the system is now safer requires looking at three different dimensions of the question. The first involves trying to assess the underlying fragility of the system today. How much dry tinder, so to speak, is there in terms of short-term liabilities, and how much privately owned capital is available to absorb losses in an economic downturn? The second involves the ability to limit the intensity of a crisis. How much fiscal capacity does the government have to cushion a fall in private demand, and how much monetary scope does the Federal Reserve have to lower interest rates? The third dimension has to do with the other powers necessary to prevent a financial crisis from spiraling out of control. FOIA CBP 000907 DHS-17-0435-B-000204 182 D.C. Region Braces For Shock From Trump Effect On Spending, Federal Workforce By Robert McCartney Washington Post, February 12, 2017 The Washington region’s prospects aren’t all bad under the Trump administration. A top local economist joked at a recent business conference that demonstrators flocking to rallies in the District will drop bundles of cash, spurring growth from “protest tourism.” But the area is bracing for shock at the hands of a reinvent-the-rules president who routinely insults the city and a Republican-led Congress that for years has sought to shrink the federal government that is the area’s principal employer. Officials and analysts expect sharp cuts in federal nondefense spending, which would strain local budgets nationwide and pose a particular threat to economic growth here. In addition, proposed tax changes risk stalling the Washington area’s high-priority efforts to provide more affordable housing. And business leaders say President Trump’s demonization of the capital, highlighted by his calls to “drain the swamp,” has hurt the region’s reputation as a good place to work. There is a potential bright side: Cuts in federal programs could be partly offset by increased spending on the military and infrastructure such as roads and bridges. Some Republicans predict that the District and its suburbs will benefit, along with the rest of the country, as Trump’s policies strengthen the economy. No one knows what the full impact will be, because the administration and congressional leaders have sent mixed signals about their intentions. And since the White House does not release details of its budget proposal for several weeks, local jurisdictions are making plans for next year with no specific information on how much federal support they’re going to lose. But the region is widely expected to fare worse than most because of steps to restrict the size and cost of the federal workforce — an effort already begun with the president’s early freeze on federal hiring. “We will bear undue burden,” Alexandria Vice Mayor Justin Wilson (D) said. The relevant question is, he said, “Is it really, really bad, or cataclysmic?” ‘A bit of a blindfold’ Although many of the administration’s plans remain murky, there is a broad expectation that they will include substantial cuts over time in nonmilitary spending. Such reductions would be necessary to help pay for Trump’s promises to lower taxes and raise defense spending, without cutting entitlements such as Social Security and Medicare. Trump’s pick for national budget director, Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.), is an outspoken advocate for slashing federal budgets. Republicans in Congress and conservative groups advising the White House want to shrink programs including Medicaid, food stamps, housing assistance and Head Start. “As a whole, we’re spending too much,” said Rachel Greszler, senior policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation, which has supplied advisers to Trump’s team. “They’re trying to take a comprehensive look at government and evaluate it from a business perspective.” In many cases, the GOP and its allies propose repackaging current domestic spending programs as block grants to states and localities — a change that critics decry as a way to mask cuts. The net effect would be to shift costs and responsibilities to state and local governments. That’s the scenario that is worrying local officials, who don’t know how much the burden will be. “We’re sort of adopting a budget this year with a bit of a blindfold on,” said Sharon Bulova (D), chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. The county, she said, doesn’t know “what’s going to happen to some sizable sources of funding that come from the federal government, and what will we need to try to pick up ourselves.” D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) said the “biggest hit” to her budget would occur if President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act is repealed without replacement. The District’s auditor has estimated that it would cost $563 million in the first year to preserve insurance for all who have it now. “Either we would raise revenue or we would have to not do something else,” Bowser said. Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker III (D) said an ACA repeal could mean that a long-planned regional hospital would not be financially viable, because so many recently insured poor patients would again need uncompensated care. “It just means that local leaders are on their own to finance a lot of domestic, social and economic priorities,” said Amy Liu, vice president and director of the Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institution. “There’s an alarm bell going off across the country, mostly because of uncertainty.” Housing at risk The threat to affordable housing programs in the increasingly expensive Washington region has received far less attention, but is a prime concern for Bowser and other officials. The risk is an unintended side effect of a planned slashing of the corporate tax rate, strongly favored by Trump and Congress. Such a tax cut would reduce companies’ incentive to invest in affordable housing projects by purchasing the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, FOIA CBP 000908 DHS-17-0435-B-000205 183 which provides financing that has been vital for building low￾cost rental housing nationwide. Bowser, who has made affordable housing one of her signature issues, said the city would have to find “more local dollars . . . to fill the gaps.” But it is not clear how the city could do so. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) said cuts in federal investments in health research would hurt the country and his state, which is home to the headquarters of the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration. However, increased spending on defense and cybersecurity would be a boon for the region, given the large numbers of military personnel and private contractors working for the Pentagon and National Security Agency. “That’s one area that will be very positive,” said Rep. Barbara Comstock (Va.), the only Republican in the local congressional delegation. Although Comstock criticized Trump’s federal hiring freeze for not being “strategic,” she predicted that his plans to lower taxes and reduce regulations would create jobs throughout the nation, including in the Washington region. “Getting the economy going again is going to be the single most important thing,” she said. Infrastructure uncertainty Trump’s much-publicized proposal to raise $1 trillion for infrastructure over 10 years is fueling a contradictory mix of hope and skepticism. It would be a big plus for the region if the administration and Congress agreed to sharply boost federal funding for transportation, water projects and other investments. The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments says the region needs to find an extra $58 billion for such projects over the next 15 years. Trump’s pick for Interior secretary, Rep. Ryan Zinke (R￾Mont.), said at his confirmation hearing that he wanted to spend $150 million to repair the Memorial Bridge and fix nonworking fountains in the District’s parks. But the most detailed infrastructure plan to emerge from the Trump campaign did not call for fresh government spending. Instead, it proposed tax credits to encourage private investment. And at a recent congressional hearing, none of the corporate chief executives who testified said they thought sufficient private money would surface to meet the public’s infrastructure needs. “This issue is front and center,” said Chuck Bean, executive director of the Council of Governments. “Will there be federal funding or will this be a financing mechanism?” Because most House Republicans and conservative advisers in the White House generally favor reducing spending on Metro and other forms of mass transit, local officials are acutely worried about federal funding for Washington’s long-troubled subway. Comstock said she will fight to protect the unique, $150 million a year subsidy that Congress gives Metro for safety improvements and other capital needs. The federal workforce and official Washington in general found itself under attack for much of the 2016 presidential campaign. That hostility has not waned since the inauguration and what seems to be a new era of anti-Trump protests in the capital. For a city that found itself booming and growing more trendy in the years following the 2008 recession, the anti￾Washington rhetoric is a bitter, and potentially costly pill to swallow. “Greater Washington has become the enemy, has become the swamp,” James Dinegar, president of the Greater Washington Board of Trade, told NewsChannel 8. He said Trump “is doing a lot of damage to the reputation of this region, and it will make it difficult to recruit and retain people.” Although the region is gradually becoming less dependent on federal spending, the federal government is still its largest employer by far. Beyond barbs and insults, any restraints on federal hiring or pay have an enormous impact here. Terry Clower, director of George Mason University’s Center for Regional Analysis, said in an interview that a federal pay freeze, as proposed by some Republicans, would deprive the regional economy of more than $900 million a year in cost-of-living increases alone. But at a conference in Falls Church on Feb. 1, Clower also noted, with a smile, that the new administration was having at least some positive impact. Spending by anti-Trump demonstrators visiting from the suburbs or out of town, he quipped, could become “the biggest growth sector in our economy.” Patricia Sullivan contributed to this report. Trump Takes On Tech Industry In Early Policy Moves Silicon Valley executives worry President Donald Trump will scale back or undo net neutrality and other Obama-era victories for internet companies By John D. McKinnon Wall Street Journal, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Speed Limits On Trump’s Infrastructure Drive: Federal Laws, Rare Species And Nimbys Environmental regulations and neighborhood opposition routinely bog down projects and will likely constrain the administration’s plan to spend $1 trillion on ‘highways, bridges, tunnels, airports’ By David Harrison FOIA CBP 000909 DHS-17-0435-B-000206 184 Wall Street Journal, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. The Grammys Red Carpet Gets Political With ‘Make America Great Again’ Dress By Erin Jensen USA Today, February 12, 2017 It didn’t take long for Sunday’s Grammy Awards to get political. Before the show even started, artist Joy Villa arrived on the red carpet in a form-fitting dress that made Kellyanne Conway’s Inauguration Day outfit look subtle. The blue gown, with an open back, had President Trump’s campaign slogan and stars on the front of the gown. On the back, in large, block lettering, the dress spelled out POTUS’ last name. Twitter was not feeling the look. Highly Suspect used fashion to make an anti-Trump statement. A member of the band’s jacket read “Impeach.” Trump-inspired fashion also came down the runway at Public School’s fashion show Sunday, though it was more protest than sign of support. Models donned merchandise that read “Make America New York” while walking to Woody Guthrie’s This Land Is Your Land. ScHoolboy Q also made a fashion statement with his Grammys’ attire. The artist wore a pink sweatshirt that read “GIRL POWER,” while his daughter wore a bubble-gum Gucci suit. Singer Wears Trump-inspired Dress To Grammys By Christine Burroni Page Six, February 12, 2017 Singer Joy Villa made her arrival at Sunday’s Grammy Awards political by turning President Trump’s campaign slogan into a glitzy gown. The 25-year-old, who is not nominated, originally appeared in a flowing, conservative white dress and then unveiled her statement-making dress underneath. The navy-blue dress — with details of red, silver and white — reads “Make America Great Again” along the front, while its train reads “TRUMP” in big, blinged-out letters. Villa, who describes herself as a “vegan” and a “feminist” in her Twitter bio, immediately sparked a social media storm. “@Joy_Villa imagine choosing to end your career before anyone even knew who you were,” tweeted one user. Another simply wondered if Trump himself was in on the look. “How much did he pay you,” asked another Twitter user. A request for comment was not immediately returned. Katy Perry Shows Solidarity With Elizabeth Warren In Grammys Performance By Isaac Feldberg Boston Globe, February 13, 2017 Katy Perry showed some subtle support for Senator Elizabeth Warren during a Grammys performance of her new single “Chained to the Rhythm,” proudly displaying a “Persist” armband atop her black-and-white pantsuit. The accessory, of course, is a reference to the liberal battle cry “Nevertheless, she persisted,” popularized in the wake of Warren being barred from reading a 1986 letter by Coretta Scott King about Jeff Sessions during last week’s debate over his nomination for attorney general. Advertisement Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell inadvertently originated the phrase. “Senator Warren was giving a lengthy speech,” he said, in silencing her. “She had appeared to violate the rule. She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted.” Perry, who repeatedly stumped for Hillary Clinton and performed at fund-raisers to support her campaign throughout 2016, hasn’t been shy about expressing political opinions at public events — and she delivered during her Grammys turn. As the song wound down, Perry was backlit by a projection of the US Constitution. Skip Marley, who raps one verse on “Chained to the Rhythm,” joined Perry for the performance. “We gonna call this era Purposeful Pop,” Perry tweeted about the song on Friday. Trump Criticized Obama For Golfing. Now He Spends Weekends On The Links. By Erin McCann New York Times, February 12, 2017 As a private citizen, Donald J. Trump was repeatedly critical of President Obama’s fondness for relaxing with a round of golf. “Can you believe that, with all of the problems and difficulties facing the U.S., President Obama spent the day playing golf.” Mr. Trump tweeted on Oct. 13, 2014. “Worse than Carter.” “We pay for Obama’s travel so he can fundraise millions so Democrats can run on lies,” he said a day later. “Then we pay for his golf.” Then for a third time that month, Mr. Trump tweeted about Mr. Obama’s golf habit on Oct. 23, 2014. “President Obama has a major meeting on the N.Y.C. Ebola outbreak, with people flying in from all over the country, but decided to play golf!” As a president, though, Mr. Trump seems to have had a change of heart about the appropriateness of a president hitting the links. FOIA CBP 000910 DHS-17-0435-B-000207 185 On Saturday, Mr. Trump played golf with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan at two of his courses in South Florida: 18 holes at the Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter, and nine more at the Trump International Golf Club in nearby West Palm Beach. On Sunday, he returned, without Mr. Abe, to the club in West Palm Beach for five hours. It was the president’s second visit this month to South Florida, where he owns the Mar-a-Lago resort in West Palm Beach along with the golf courses. Last weekend, he spent four and a half hours at one of his golf clubs, a day before hosting a Super Bowl Party at Mar-a-Lago, which its original owner, the heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post, named the “winter White House.” Little was known about Mr. Trump’s time at either golf club this month — the White House last week declined to confirm whether he even played, or who accompanied him. On Saturday, Mr. Trump and his aides covered doors and windows at the Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter to keep the journalists inside from snapping photos of the president and Mr. Abe on the course. But an administration-approved photo appeared on Mr. Trump’s social media pages that showed the two leaders high-fiving under a blue sky dotted with fluffy white clouds, a gigantic American flag waving in the background. It was a change for a man who over the past five years had repeatedly criticized the sitting president for golfing, on the grounds that the trips were costly to taxpayers and came at the expense of time that he thought Mr. Obama should have spent on government duties. Since Mr. Trump became president, his resort, Mar-a￾Lago, has doubled its initiation fee to $200,000, drawing a rebuke from critics who say he is profiting off the presidency. But Mr. Trump and his aides say that using an informal setting outside Washington to entertain foreign leaders — as other presidents have done — will put those dignitaries at ease. On Saturday, Mr. Trump told reporters that he and Mr. Abe “got to know each other very, very well” while golfing. Mr. Trump was not always so critical of Mr. Obama’s golf habit. In June 2012, he tweeted that he would someday like to play a round of golf with the president. And that same year, he suggested that Mr. Obama should have expanded his circle of golfing buddies to include more Republicans: “That way maybe the terrible gridlock would end.” But soon Mr. Trump had soured on Mr. Obama’s time on the greens, often tweeting his own critiques and retweeting those of his followers: Mr. Trump is, by at least one account, a fine golfing companion. In December, he hit the greens with Tiger Woods, who had also played with former Presidents Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and George H. W. Bush. Mr. Woods’s game with Mr. Obama, in 2013, became the subject of conservative anger when The Washington Times reported last year that the game had cost taxpayers nearly $4 million. The fact-checking website Snopes found that claim to be mostly false, and noted that the figure was “based on an accounting formula that is often highly misleading about the true costs involved.” As for his own round with Mr. Woods, Mr. Trump, in an Instagram post on Dec. 24, said he had had a “great” time, and that they were joined by Mr. Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr. and granddaughter Kai. Mr. Woods, in a blog post, said he and Mr. Trump had played for fun while Mr. Woods tested new drivers. “What most impressed me was how far he hits the ball at 70 years old,” Mr. Woods wrote. “He takes a pretty good lash,” he said, adding, “Our discussion topics were wide￾ranging; it was fun.” Sanders: Protests On Left Aren’t Like The Tea Party By Daniel Strauss Politico, February 12, 2017 Sen. Bernie Sanders bristled at the idea that liberal protests against Donald Trump all over the country are analogous to the protests and demonstrations that marked the beginning of the tea party movement. “It’s not a tea party because the tea party was essentially funded by the billionaire Koch Brothers family,” Sanders said during an interview with NBC News’s Chuck Todd on Sunday on “Meet The Press.” “This is a spontaneous and grassroots uprising of the American people.” Sanders went on to say that there would be protests all over the country meant to pressure Republicans to answer questions on repealing and replacing Obamacare. “On February 25th, two weeks from yesterday, there is in fact going to be rallies all over this country and I think you’re going to see people in conservative areas, in progressive areas, asking the Republicans: ‘What are you going to do when you throw 23 million people off of health insurance?’” Sanders said, adding: “‘How many of them are going to die? what’s your plan when you raise prescription drug costs on average $2,000 for senior citizens? Are you really going to really repeal the protection against preexisting conditions so that people who have cancer or heart disease will no longer be able to have heart insurance? You going to throw kids off of their parents’ health insurance programs?’ The tea party movement began in 2009 in opposition to some of the policies of President Barack Obama, including the Affordable Care Act. The recent protests in favor of the ACA have flipped the script somewhat. FOIA CBP 000911 DHS-17-0435-B-000208 186 “Republicans are going to have to start answer those questions and the American people are pretty clear, overwhelmingly they want to improve the Affordable Care Act, they do not want to simply repeal it,” Sanders said. ‘We’re Not An Authoritarian Country,’ Patrick Kennedy Says About Trump By Michelle R. Smith Associated Press, February 12, 2017 PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Former U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy says he thinks what President Donald Trump has done so far in office will ‘‘hopefully spark a reexamination of who we are as a people.’’ The member of one of the nation’s most famous Democratic families told The Associated Press in an interview he sees threats to the constitutional form of government, and said his father, the late U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy, of Massachusetts, believed that Americans should never take democracy for granted. Advertisement ‘‘He lost his brothers serving this country, whether in World War II or in elective office, and just knew that this country needed to be the beacon that everyone looked at it around the world,’’ Kennedy told the AP. ‘‘He’d be so distressed right now to see people cynically tear apart what so many people have laid down their lives to build.’’ The former eight-term congressman from Rhode Island left office in 2011 and has stayed in the public sphere as an activist for better care for mental health and addiction, with endeavors such as The Kennedy Forum. He now lives in New Jersey with his wife and children. Kennedy’s cousin, Chris Kennedy, son of the late U.S. Sen. Robert Kennedy, announced last week he is running for governor of Illinois as a Democrat. Get Political Happy Hour in your inbox: Your afternoon shot of politics, sent straight from the desk of Joshua Miller. Sign Up Thank you for signing up! Sign up for more newsletters here Patrick Kennedy said he saw in Trump’s victory a signal that the political class wasn’t representing many Americans, and said many of the regions that voted for Trump are struggling with high rates of suicide and overdoses. Democrats can appeal to those voters by talking about topics such as economic justice and building stronger communities, he said. ‘‘I don’t think we need to demonize Donald Trump to do that. I think we can win by talking about a vision of our country being stronger,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s not as if the Democratic Party can’t be the party of those that voted for Donald Trump.’’ Part of that is highlighting the great things about the American system, such as its strong constitutional law, he said. Advertisement ‘‘It’s not an authoritarian type approach. It is a democratic approach,’’ he said. ‘‘We’re not an authoritarian country.’’ Harkening back to Trump’s campaign slogan, ‘‘Make America Great Again,’’ Kennedy said the focus should be on the nation’s institutions. ‘‘I think there’s something really powerful that can come out from all of this. I think there’s a hunger in America for renewal of our faith in this country,’’ he said. ‘‘I think this very turbulent time may allow us to look back and see what really is great about this country.’’ Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Why Is Chuck Grassley Tweeting At Donald Trump? By Ed O'Keefe Washington Post, February 12, 2017 Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) has raised eyebrows before with his tweeting habits (remember the dead deer?), but messages posted this weekend on more serious subjects captured our attention. Iowa’s senior senator kicked things off Saturday afternoon by trying to draw President Trump’s attention to the issues of government transparency and democracy in Russia. MaryGraham in”Presidents’Secrets” says govt classification is used 2conceal blunders,protect careers&buttress agency goalsSO DRAIN THE SWAMP — ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) February 11, 2017 Whoever monitors twitter at WH for Pres Trump get on subject of my immediate tweet and stop overclassification & start declassifying — ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) February 11, 2017 Whoever monitors twitter at WH for President Trump read my previous 2tweets and hv this businessman understand TRANSPARENCY=ACCOUNTABILITY — ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) February 11, 2017 In these messages, Grassley appears to be referring to a book by Mary Graham, called “Presidents’ Secrets: The Use and Abuse of Hidden Power.” Graham is co-director of the Transparency Policy Project at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and has written on the subject of government openness and secrecy in the past. FOIA CBP 000912 DHS-17-0435-B-000209 187 Grassley is no stranger to issues of government transparency and secrecy, having used his perch on the Senate Judiciary Committee in the past to force the disclosure of information from the Obama administration on a variety of matters, especially the “Fast and Furious” gun￾running operation. He also has been a longtime ally of federal inspectors general and the work they do to investigate waste, fraud and abuse or the struggles they face in obtaining information from agency bosses. The subject Grassley was tweeting about on Sunday morning seemed especially timely. Whoever monitors twitter at WH tell Pres Trump to ask Putin”What do u hv agst ElectionOpponents bc they are killed/imprisoned/poisoned?” — ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) February 12, 2017 A spokeswoman clarified Sunday that Grassley is “looking for President Trump to encourage democratic principles and fair elections in Russia.” But did Grassley raise the issue himself when he had lunch with Trump and other senators at the White House last Thursday? And why did he tweet about this now? Did it have something to do with recent reports about national security adviser Michael Flynn and his interactions with top Russian officials? Grassley’s spokeswoman wouldn’t say. “He said it would promote democracy for Trump to make those points to Putin. Might not result in a lot of change but promoting democracy is important. That’s really it,” she added by email. Why the senator didn’t directly troll Trump by using @RealDonaldTrump in his tweets is unclear. (We’ll give him a pass and presume maybe he’s not familiar with the “mentions” concept.) Still, the idea that a long-serving senator and powerful party broker would feel the need to tweet “Whoever monitors twitter at WH …” to his approximately 112,000 followers (including many reporters) is a signal of how disconnected many Republican lawmakers still feel from the new administration. Later, Grassley asked the White House about another matter: Whoever monitors twitter at WH for businessman president Trump “when is WH going to be opened for public tours?” Mrs G wants to know — ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) February 12, 2017 This is a less serious but notable issue of concern, especially to congressional offices, which get inundated daily by requests for assistance from constituents seeking tickets to the White House or other Washington tourist destinations. The White House has been mostly closed to the public since Inauguration Day, keeping with the tradition of shuttering the residence during a presidential transition to give the new first family some time to settle in. But requests for tours have been backlogged in recent weeks with first lady Melania Trump taking longer than anticipated to hire top aides who work with the National Park Service to field the requests and schedule tours. Melania Trump filled out her top staff just last week. ACLU Is Seeing A Trump-era Surge In Members And Donations By Larry Neumeister And Michael R. Sisak Associated Press, February 12, 2017 NEW YORK (AP) – The nearly century-old American Civil Liberties Union says it is suddenly awash in donations and new members as it does battle with President Donald Trump over the extent of his constitutional authority, with nearly $80 million in online contributions alone pouring in since the election. That includes a record $24 million surge over two days after Trump banned people from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. The organization said its membership has more than doubled since the election to a record of nearly 1.2 million, and its Twitter following has tripled. “It feels like we’re drinking from a fire hydrant,” said ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero, adding that the election has brought immigration, refugee, reproductive, civil and voting rights “to a high boil.” “What’s really heartening is people are paying attention. They’re aware of the crisis on the horizon,” he said. “There’s a real sense of urgency.” After Trump’s election, the ACLU greeted the age of Trump on its website and magazine with a fresh slogan: “See you in court.” That was the same expression Trump used in his tweeted response to a federal appeals court’s decision refusing to reinstate the travel ban. The ACLU has won court orders in New York, Massachusetts and Maryland against the president’s travel ban. It has also filed a Freedom of Information Act request for documents on the billionaire’s potential conflicts of interest. And it intends to bring a legal challenge accusing him of violating the Constitution’s Emoluments Clause by accepting payments from foreign governments at his hotels and other properties. Trump has defended the travel ban as critical to keeping America safe, saying terrorists could otherwise slip into the country. He predicted the courts will eventually find his order constitutional. Also, Trump’s business empire has said it will donate profits from any foreign governments that use his hotels. The ACLU said it has raised $79 million online from nearly 1 million individuals since the election. It had no immediate figures for contributions made by other means. FOIA CBP 000913 DHS-17-0435-B-000210 188 The boost to the ACLU’s $220 million budget will allow it to spend more on its state operations, which Romero said became critical after some legislatures took Trump’s election as a license to promote anti-immigrant, anti-civil rights and anti-abortion legislation. The 1,150-employee ACLU also plans to hire more lawyers and staff in New York and Washington and spend $13 million more on citizen engagement, including protests and lobbying. That is a new front for an organization that has primarily been a policy and legal group. Sheryl Douglas, receptionist at the ACLU’s New York City headquarters since 1972, has been collecting some of the recent emails, letters and postcards. “Sic ‘em! Thanks!” read one. “We commend your heroic efforts,” said another. “You give me hope,” yet another said. Among the new donors was Andrew Mcdonald, 52, of Odessa, Missouri. “I’m ashamed to say I haven’t donated to any organizations in the past,” he said. “But things haven’t felt so threatening before either. ... This time I felt like I couldn’t just sit here and do nothing.” Another donor, Steve Berke, 35, of Miami Beach, Florida, said: “I think the ACLU is going to be a huge thorn in the side of the Trump administration. Trump has already demonstrated that he has a thin skin when it comes to anyone challenging his authority or power, but I’m confident that the ACLU will fight to protect American civil liberties.” Over the years, the ACLU has been bitterly criticized for taking up unpopular causes, such as defending the rights of neo-Nazis or the Ku Klux Klan to demonstrate. Geraldine Engel, ACLU deputy development director, said the recent outpouring has been heartening. “We were always unpopular, misunderstood,” she said. The ACLU was born in 1920 when a small group of idealists challenged then-Attorney General Mitchell Palmer’s order that thousands of people branded foreign anarchists or communists be arrested without warrants. Many were deported. Soon the organization was defending people’s constitutional rights to due process, privacy and freedom of assembly, speech and religion and looking out for society’s vulnerable, including minorities, women, gay and transgender people, immigrants, prisoners and the disabled. In 1925, ACLU lawyers helped defend John Scopes, a schoolteacher prosecuted for teaching evolution in Tennessee. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the ACLU protested the detention of 110,000 Japanese-Americans in camps. In the 1950s, it joined the NAACP to fight segregation in public schools. And it had a role in the 1973 Supreme Court ruling legalizing abortion. More recently, it helped persuade the Supreme Court in 2003 to strike down a Texas law outlawing gay sex and forced the government after 9/11 to divulge information about torture and the National Security Agency’s surveillance of Americans. Esha Bhandari, an ACLU attorney in New York, said the public’s reaction lately is encouraging to those who gave up bigger salaries to work for the nonprofit organization. “This is why we’re here,” said the Columbia Law School graduate. “The importance comes into sharp relief. We exist for moments like this. Lives are on the line.” --- Sisak reported from Philadelphia. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. From Protests To ‘Pussy Hats,’ Trump Resistance Brews Online By Barbara Ortutay, AP Technology Writer Associated Press, February 12, 2017 NEW YORK (AP) – The revolution may not be televised – but it apparently will be tweeted. And Facebooked. And Instagrammed. Not long after President Donald Trump temporarily barred most people from seven majority-Muslim countries from entering the U.S., social activist Dex Torricke-Barton took to Facebook. “I’m thinking of organizing a rally,” he posted. Within a few hours, more than 1,000 people expressed interest. The resulting protest a week later, in front of San Francisco’s City Hall, drew thousands more. Torricke-Barton is far from alone. From organizing protests on the fly to raising money for refugee and immigrant rights groups, people have been using social media to fuel the resistance against Trump in ways their organizing predecessors from the 1960s could have hardly imagined. ROOTS OF PROTEST In Queens, New York, for instance, a group of 27 women met up to write postcards to their state and local representatives during a “Postcard-Writing Happy Hour” organized through Facebook. And on Ravelry, the social network for knitters and crocheters, members have been trading advice and knitting patterns for the pink “pussy hats” that emerged as a symbol during the Women’s March on Washington and similar protests elsewhere after Trump’s inauguration. “This is an incredible project because it’s mixed between digital and physical,” says Jayna Zweiman, one of FOIA CBP 000914 DHS-17-0435-B-000211 189 the founders of the Pussyhat Project. “We harnessed social media for good.” In 1969, activists planned massive marches around the U.S. to protest the war in Vietnam. The protests, called the Moratorium, drew millions of people around the world. But “it took months, a lot of effort, a national office of the organization to get it off the ground,” says Christopher Huff, a Beacon College professor focused on social movements of the 1960s. “The women’s march was achieved at a much larger scale at a fraction of the time.” This immediacy is both an asset and a disadvantage. While online networks help people rally quickly around a cause, Huff says, they don’t necessarily help people grasp the “long-term effort” required to sustain a movement. ONLINE, THEN OFF In Silicon Valley and across the tech world, Trump’s travel ban created a stir that went well beyond the industry’s usual calls for deregulation and more coding classes for kids. Between aggregating donations, issuing fiery statements, and walking out of work in protest, tech company executives and employees took up the anti-Trump cause at a scale not seen in other industries. New York-based Meetup, for instance, broke with nearly 15 years of helping people form and join interest groups on a non-partisan basis. “We’re vital plumbing for democracy,” the company wrote in a Medium post this week. “But after Donald Trump’s order to block people on the basis of nationality and religion, a line had been crossed.” So Meetup held a company-wide “resist-a-thon” – a riff on the hackathons tech companies hold to devise new technologies – to help people get involved in the anti-Trump movement known as “the resistance.” It then unveiled more than 1,000 new “#resist” Meetup groups that people can join for free (it’s normally $15 a month to run a group). As of Wednesday, some 35,000 people had joined the #resist Meetup groups, and scheduled 625 events around the world. Torricke-Barton, who in earlier incarnations wrote speeches for Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Alphabet Chairman Eric Schmidt, said he and two sisters of Iranian descent organized their last-minute protest using Facebook groups and Messenger. That’s quite a contrast to Torricke￾Barton’s earlier experience protesting violence in Darfur more than a decade ago. Back then, “lawyers, marketers, communications people would help you get (the protests) off the ground ... networks had to be created in advance,” he said. “Now, protests can start without any kind of infrastructure.” FOLLOW THE MONEY Shortly after Trump’s order, the venture capitalist Bijan Sabet tweeted a link to the fundraising platform Crowdrise alongside an explanation of his support for the American Civil Liberties Union- and then asked his followers to do the same. Sabet figured it might take as long as two months to reach his $50,000 goal. It took three days. That weekend, the ACLU raised $24 million, far more than the $4 million it receives in a typical year. Sabet, whose father is from Iran, says he’s seeing civic involvement “level up,” and that social media is pushing that along. Previously, he said, people would maybe say, “yeah, I’m a bit frustrated, but I don’t have all the information, I don’t know how to get involved.” Now, there’s no excuse. LITTLE THINGS The effects of social media aren’t limited to huge efforts. A week or so after the election, Marisa Frantz, an art director in Cerrillos, New Mexico, teamed up with her sister￾in-law Sarah Bailey Hogarty to create a private Facebook group called “America is Watching.” To join, all people had to do was comment “yes.” If they then posted their zip code in comments, Frantz would send them contact information for their senators and representative, Hogarty explained in an email. “Like many of us, I was floundering around feeling terrible and afraid,” said Hogarty, a digital producer for the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. “I wanted to do something, but I had no idea where to start.” Hogarty called the group her “foothold to resistance.” Now, the group has more than 1,000 members across the U.S. and organizes weekly “calls to action,” such as contacting senators and representatives about a particular issue determined by a poll of the group. Groups like this demonstrate how social media has helped “lower the barrier to entry” into social activism, in the words of Tarun Banerjee, a sociology professor at the University of Pittsburgh. “What social media can do really well is spread awareness,” Banerjee said. “Can people make President Trump back down because of social media? Probably not. But it can shine the light.” --- Reach Barbara Ortutay on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BarbaraOrtutay © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Gillibrand Says She Won’t Be Running Against Trump In 2020 By Marisa Schultz New York Post, February 12, 2017 FOIA CBP 000915 DHS-17-0435-B-000212 190 WASHINGTON – There won’t be another female senator from New York running for the White House soon. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said she has no plans to follow in her successor’s footsteps and challenge President Donald Trump in 2020. “No, I am running for Senate. I’m running for Senate in 2018,” she told John Catsimatidis Sunday on his radio show “Cats Roundtable” on 970 AM in New York. “And I really love my job and I feel like I can make a huge difference for New Yorkers, fighting for them.” Gillibrand, 50, was appointed to the senate seat of Hillary Clinton when she became Secretary of State and was elected by New Yorkers in a special election in 2010 and to a full term in 2012. She was an outspoken backer for Clinton and has since become a vocal critic of President Trump, gaining progressive praise for voting against almost all of his cabinet picks. She voted in favor of Nikki Haley for United Nations ambassador. “Unfortunately, a lot of these nominees are either ill￾prepared or inexperienced or really on the very, very right ideologically, Gillibrand said. “And so, for most of them, I voted no.” With President Obama out of office and Clinton out of the limelight after a two-time defeat for the White House, Democrats are looking for their future leadership. Along with Gillibrand, 2020 prospects have included Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The White House is also viewing other outspoken critics as potential contenders, The Post reported: Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. Meanwhile, Gillibrand continues to be a champion for women’s rights and has recently reintroduced legislation to create a universal, gender neutral paid family and medial leave program. “We need to have a national policy where any family member can take time off for a family emergency by having a national insurance plan,” Gillibrand said. Evan Falchuk, Former Independent Candidate, Switches To Democratic Party By Nestor Ramos Boston Globe, February 12, 2017 Evan Falchuk, whose 2014 run for governor put the political party he founded on the Massachusetts map, is now a Democrat, eschewing his third party in favor of a coordinated effort to combat President Trump’s agenda. Falchuk said he filed paperwork to enroll in the Democratic Party last week. He declined to say whether he will once again seek elected office in 2018, when Governor Charlie Baker, a Republican, is up for reelection. Falchuk, who spent nearly five years seeking to build the United Independent Party from the ground up, described the decision as a response to the challenges posed by the new presidential administration — urgent threats to civil liberties and fiscal responsibility, he said, that third parties are not equipped to handle. “Politics has changed. It’s really time to take sides,” Falchuk said in a telephone interview. “We don’t have the luxury of spending decades to build a new political party.” An entrepreneur and health care executive, Falchuk, 47, sought to shake up the political establishment when he mounted a risky third-party campaign for governor in 2014. By winning more than 3 percent of the statewide vote, Falchuk made the United Independent Party one of four recognized major parties in Massachusetts, along with the Democratic, Republican, and Green-Rainbow parties. Falchuk’s vote total — more than 70,000, statewide — was far larger than the gap between Baker and Democratic nominee Martha Coakley, leading some to wonder whether he had enabled the Republican’s victory. With Falchuk as chairman, the United Independent Party billed itself as modern, progressive, and “fiscally sane.” The combination of social progressivism and economic responsibility better reflected the sensibilities of a majority of Massachusetts voters, Falchuk said. But the party fell well short of the required voter registrations to maintain official party status in 2016 and once again became a “political designation.” A handful of UIP￾endorsed candidates never came close to winning seats. Falchuk arrives as a high-profile member of the Democratic Party at a time when area elected officials appear to be embracing their new roles as leaders of the opposition to Trump. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, Representative Seth Moulton, Attorney General Maura Healey, and Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh have all made waves well beyond Massachusetts for their full-throated criticism of Trump. And Baker, who all but washed his hands of the presidential race, offered his support of Healey’s challenge to Trump’s immigration ban. Though Falchuk was viewed by some as a spoiler in the 2014 race, state Democratic Party chairman Gus Bickford welcomed the convert unequivocally in a statement Sunday. “We welcome Evan’s ideas and leadership to the party and look forward to working with him and party members — new and old — in our fight against the regressive Republican agenda at the state and national level,” Bickford said. Falchuk said he hopes to help reshape the Democratic Party as one that speaks to “working people” and understands that the country is divided less along left/right ideological lines than it is along class lines. “That spectrum is not where it’s at right now. It’s about class,” said Falchuk, who outlined his reasoning in an op-ed FOIA CBP 000916 DHS-17-0435-B-000213 191 in CommonWealth Magazine on Sunday. “Trump figured that out. Bernie Sanders figured that out.” Coming up with a real plan, Falchuk said, will be critical. “It’s got to have a vision of what comes next,” Falchuk said. “It can’t just be a party that says, ‘Donald Trump is bad.’ “ Falchuk, the chief executive officer of VillagePlan, a startup that helps people navigate elder care systems, did not rule out a future run for office. In November, Falchuk expressed openness to the idea of running against Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin, who is also up for reelection in 2018. “We certainly need something that will revive our democratic process, and he’s not helping,” Falchuk told MassLive at the time. Galvin had drawn the ire of Falchuk and the United Independent Party in November, when he told the Democratic National Convention that voters shouldn’t waste their ballots on third-party candidates. Galvin’s spokesman did not return a message Sunday, but a run by Falchuk would mean a primary contest against an incumbent in a race that rarely captures much attention. The Democratic field for governor, however, appears open. Only Jay Gonzalez, former state secretary of administration and finance, has announced his candidacy. Several heavy hitters have already said they don’t plan to run, including Warren and Walsh, though potential candidates who have not ruled out a run include Newton Mayor Setti Warren and even former secretary of state and presidential candidate John Kerry. G.O.P. Lawmakers Like What They See In Trump. They Just Have To Squint. By Jonathan Martin And Matt Flegenheimer New York Times, February 12, 2017 WASHINGTON — Republican congressional aides have set their iPhones to flutter every time President Trump hurls a thunderbolt on Twitter. Senators nod politely at his false claims of mass voter fraud during private White House meetings. The congressional morning briefing literature now includes a rundown of overnight and early-morning social media missives from the commander in chief. “It doesn’t take that long to read ‘em,” said Senator Bob Corker, Republican of Tennessee. After three weeks in the White House, Mr. Trump has made clear that he is going to continue promulgating conspiracy theories, flinging personal insults and saying things that are plainly untrue. And the Republican-controlled House and Senate seem to have made a collective decision: They will accommodate — not confront — his conduct as long as he signs their long-stalled conservative proposals on taxes, regulations and health care into law. “There’s a widely held view among our members that, yes, he’s going to say things on a daily basis that we’re not going to like,” said Senator John Thune of South Dakota, the third-ranking Senate Republican, “but that the broad legislative agenda and goals that we have — if we can stay focused on those and try and get that stuff enacted — those would be big wins.” Such accommodation is coming at a price, attracting incredulous or angry constituents to town hall meetings, leaving members flat-footed when presented with the latest presidential provocation and testing the capacity of now perpetually clogged phone lines on Capitol Hill. Some of this would have happened under any Republican president — lawmakers were quick to note the ferocity of protests under President George W. Bush. But much of it is unique to Mr. Trump, whose rampaging presidency has spurred uncommon civic engagement even in deep-red districts. “What is your line in the sand?” a retired Utah teacher demanded last week of Representative Jason Chaffetz, the Republican chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, who slogged through a jeer￾heavy forum back home. But at least for now, that is a price Republicans seem willing to pay. In effect, congressional Republicans have sought to compartmentalize Mr. Trump’s presidency, adopting a cafeteria-style approach. They reach for the more appealing offerings, such as the Supreme Court nominee, Judge Neil M. Gorsuch, and avert their gaze from less appetizing or, to some, downright indefensible elements (America is not so different from Vladimir V. Putin’s Russia), which would have surely drawn relentless rebukes if uttered by President Barack Obama. Some lawmakers take comfort knowing that the president’s behavior last year didn’t hurt their campaigns, and they have used the electoral result as a justification unto itself, suggesting — as Mr. Trump has constantly — that his campaign success validates his approach. “He’s a unique personality, to be sure,” acknowledged Senator John Cornyn of Texas, the Republican whip. “But he’s gotten this far the way he is, and I think that probably leads him to think, well, it’s working for him so far, so why change?” And Republican lawmakers do not mind? “As long as we’re able to get things done,” Mr. Cornyn said. Individual Republican senators have criticized the president in mostly isolated cases, none more vocally than Senator John McCain of Arizona, who blasted the president’s comparison between Mr. Putin’s extrajudicial killings and American conduct, and recently expressed concerns about a FOIA CBP 000917 DHS-17-0435-B-000214 192 military raid in Yemen that resulted in the death of an American commando and multiple civilians. Often, the president has taken note — in brushback pitches that serve as warnings, if not to Mr. McCain, then to lawmakers who might emulate him. “He’s been losing so long he doesn’t know how to win anymore,” Mr. Trump wrote of Mr. McCain on Twitter on Thursday morning, calling to mind Mr. Trump’s suggestion during the campaign that Mr. McCain was not a war hero because he had been captured in combat. Hours later, Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, went to the Senate floor and lamented the attacks on Mr. McCain and other Republicans. Senator Orrin G. Hatch, Republican of Utah, then followed — and seemed far less bothered. “I personally wish he would choose his words a little more carefully,” Mr. Hatch said of the president. “On the other hand, I kind of find him refreshing, that he doesn’t take any guff from anybody.” Privately, lawmakers and members of their staffs have pleaded with Mr. Trump’s inner circle for more discipline from the president and his White House. “We might talk to the vice president, but certainly not for public attribution,” Mr. Cornyn said of Vice President Mike Pence, who joins Senate Republicans once a week at their regular luncheons in the Capitol. By and large, though, Republicans in Congress are treating Mr. Trump as an individual to be worked around in his own administration. “I think we can get a lot done with the people around him,” Mr. McCain said, dismissing policy pronouncements from Mr. Trump that often differ from “the day before.” Practically patting Mr. Trump on the head, Senator Lamar Alexander, Republican of Tennessee, said, “If he pays attention to people like General Kelly when he’s doing a travel restriction and if he appoints people like Neil Gorsuch when he’s making appointments, he’ll be rewarded for that by all the praise, and maybe he’ll do more of it.” (Former Gen. John F. Kelly is the Homeland Security secretary.) In hopes of repairing their relationship with Congress after the botched rollout of the travel ban, Mr. Trump’s aides have aggressively courted congressional Republicans. In addition to Mr. Pence’s making weekly visits, Marc Short, Mr. Trump’s chief legislative liaison, has already become ubiquitous in the Capitol. And powerful senators are enjoying significant attention: Mr. McCain, the Armed Services Committee chairman, said he had already had three conversations with Michael T. Flynn, the national security adviser, and a breakfast with Jim Mattis, the defense secretary. Mr. Hatch, who is chairman of the Finance Committee, had a 90-minute meeting with Mr. Trump in the White House. And Mr. Alexander, the chairman of the health and education panel, was invited to the White House last Thursday for lunch with Mr. Trump. Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, said there was “a high level of satisfaction” with the new White House, insisting that members cared little about “the daily tweets.” The deflection is bicameral. When a reporter recently noted that the House speaker, Paul D. Ryan, had often declined to weigh in on the “tweet of the day,” Mr. Ryan lit up. “You got my talking points down already!” he said, before gently fielding a question about Mr. Trump’s attacks on the federal judge who halted his travel ban. “Look, he’s not the first president to get frustrated with a ruling from a court,” Mr. Ryan said with a shrug. While the détente between an anti-establishment president and its establishment-aligned leaders on Capitol Hill may seem wholly transactional, some Republicans say the fury on the left toward Mr. Trump along with the denunciations from many news outlets has helped forge his bond with the voters that he and congressional Republicans share, particularly in the conservative-dominated House. When the president addressed congressional Republicans at their retreat in Philadelphia last month, Mr. Trump’s aside about news coverage — “nothing fair about the media,” he said with a sneer — earned perhaps the most enthusiastic applause. “While it may upset The New York Times, Hollywood, the cast of ‘Hamilton’ and the groups marching in the streets, it is not upsetting to the constituents that elected these members and senators,” Sam Geduldig, a Republican lobbyist, said of Mr. Trump’s behavior. “There is a feeling that if those groups are against you, you’re doing the right thing.” More skeptical Republicans believe that lawmakers are deluding themselves if they treat Mr. Trump as a normal president — quirky but tolerable, like a colorful uncle at Thanksgiving dinner. “They’re mostly ignoring him, humoring him occasionally while the rest of the family gets along fine, enjoys the turkey and watches the game,” said William Kristol, the former editor of The Weekly Standard. “But he’s not just a bit player or a guest. He’s the president.” And in the Capitol, he can never be ignored for long. Strolling to a meeting last week, Mr. Corker was asked about the latest Trump controversy: The president had just attacked the retailer Nordstrom for dropping his daughter Ivanka’s accessories and clothing line. The senator flashed a broad smile. “Did he really?” he asked. In Contrast With Trump, Governors Pitch Optimism By Reid Wilson, Chase Masters And Owen Eagan FOIA CBP 000918 DHS-17-0435-B-000215 193 The Hill, February 12, 2017 In his inaugural address last month, President Donald Trump painted a grim picture of a crime-ridden America littered with rusted-out factories, picked clean by corrupt politicians. But in states across the nation, governors used their annual addresses to legislators to illustrate sunny portraits of recovery and renewal. Virtually every governor who has assessed their progress and laid out a vision for the future said the state of their state is positive, a review of speeches given so far shows. “The state of the state isn’t just strong, it is on the rise,” Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R) told legislators. “Wisconsin’s future is bright, but we’re not done yet,” Gov. Scott Walker (R) said. “The state of the state of Hawaii is sound and full of possibilities,” Gov. David Ige (D) said. “The state of our state is getting stronger every day,” said Rhode Island’s Gina Raimondo (D). It behooves governors to tout their accomplishments and the foundation on which they have set their states. But seven years after the depths of the worst recession in nearly a century, governors addressing legislators this year have plenty of positive statistics on which to rely. Colorado has added 400,000 jobs since John Hickenlooper (D) took office. More people are employed in Wisconsin, Indiana, Minnesota and Montana than ever before. Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R) touted the lowest unemployment rate his state has had in 15 years. Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) said welfare caseloads have dropped by a quarter. And after years of tight budgets and painful cuts, some states are beginning to reinvest, especially in schools and state workforces. “Governors are executives and have a different view of the world than D.C.-based legislators,” said Colm O’Comartun, a Democratic lobbyist who deals with state legislators across the country. “Even though state budget officers have noted tightening budgets overall, many states are still producing positive programs.” Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal (R) asked legislators to give state employees a raise. Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) asked for a $1 billion innovation and entrepreneurship fund. Hickenlooper called for new transportation and infrastructure spending, and Ige asked for $700 million for new school construction. Most governors used their addresses to lay out proposals they would pursue during legislative sessions now underway. In Arizona, Ducey asked legislators to require a single minimum wage across the state, warning that allowing municipalities and counties to set their own wages would lead to “California-style chaos.” Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchison (R) called for broad-based tax reform. Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner (R), who has been locked in a budget fight with the Democratic-led legislature for most of his first term, called for a balanced budget. But governors warned that not all is sunny, especially as an increasing number of states turn their attention to an opioid epidemic that has killed thousands of Americans. Governors in at least eight states spent significant portions of their addresses detailing the crisis, and potential solutions. “The tragedy of the statewide prescription drug and opioid crisis has awakened us. We need to translate this awakening into collaborative action,” North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) said, just days after taking office last month. “Tackling this problem is a matter of life and death for people in every corner of Virginia,” Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) told lawmakers. Some governors warned that revenue estimates and collections hint at more economic trouble ahead. Gov. Terry Branstad (R), addressing the Iowa legislature for the final time before he leaves to become Trump’s ambassador to China, said revenue estimates are falling. Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin (R) called for new taxes on a broad range of services. “A slow growth economy with declining real incomes foreshadows a very uncertain future for many Minnesotans and other Americans,” cautioned Gov. Mark Dayton (D). Though Trump invoked what he called “American carnage,” only a small handful of governors even touched on crime in their states. FBI statistics show crime rates are at or near all-time lows; fewer violent crimes were committed in 2015 than in 1981, even though the American population has grown by 100 million over the intervening three decades. New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez (R) was one who did mention crime. The former prosecutor, serving her second term as governor, asked the legislature to pass a new three￾strikes law and a law implementing the death penalty. She is unlikely to succeed in a Democratic-led legislature. Governors from both parties acknowledged the new reality of Trump’s administration and the likely changes to come. Many referred to the Affordable Care Act, which has pumped billions of dollars into state coffers and is likely to be overhauled by Republicans in Congress. Some Democrats were defiant, pledging to maintain coverage for the thousands of low-income residents who had been enrolled in state Medicaid programs under President Obama’s signature domestic legislative achievement. “We will fight and keep fighting to protect the 750,000 Washingtonians who finally have health insurance, thanks to the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion,” Gov. Jay Inslee (D) said in Olympia. In Sacramento, California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) warned repealing the ACA would cost his state billions of dollars. FOIA CBP 000919 DHS-17-0435-B-000216 194 Legislators “must prepare for very uncertain times,” he said. Republicans largely embraced the pending legislative onslaught, which they said vindicated their warnings about ObamaCare’s costs. “Promises of limitless ‘free’ money from Washington to cover expanded populations were never going to be kept,” Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback (R), who declined to expand Medicaid coverage, told his legislature. “Kansas was right. Kansas should stay the course.” Some governors took the occasion to offer a window into their own lives, away from the public spotlight. Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval (R) said he had spent the last year visiting every park in the Silver State. Michigan’s Snyder admitted he went “elk bugling.” And many governors reached to the past to offer wisdom and inspiration. Three governors quoted Abraham Lincoln, and three more cited John F. Kennedy. Deal quoted Georgia songwriter Johnny Mercer, while Holcomb invoked Gene Krantz, NASA’s director of the Apollo missions. Steve Bullock (D), the governor of Montana, paraphrased nine of his predecessors, including one who governed Montana when it was a territory. Only one governor — Colorado’s Hickenlooper — said he had considered skipping his annual State of the State address. Instead, Hickenlooper said, he thought about addressing the legislature by tweet storm. Democrats At Retreat Seem To Relish A Shifting Of Responsibility By Emmarie Huetteman New York Times, February 12, 2017 BALTIMORE — There is something liberating about not being in charge. House Democrats seemed jovial, occasionally even buoyant, last week as more than 140 members of their caucus gathered for a retreat in a hotel overlooking Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, unencumbered by the raucous protests and heavy expectations that followed Republicans to their own retreat in Philadelphia two weeks ago. As some of their conservative colleagues received a battering at town hall meetings back home over issues like their plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Democrats tried not to look too pleased with the consolation prize from a bruising election: It is not their problem anymore. “What they’re realizing is that disaster, that marketplace chaos which would result from repealing and replacement, is going to be blamed on them,” Representative Frank Pallone Jr. of New Jersey, the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said of Republicans and their proposals for the health law. “And they can’t blame us for it anymore.” Eight years ago, it was Democrats who settled into a defensive crouch as they weathered their own town hall gatherings, fending off criticism from Republicans and the nascent Tea Party movement. But with the transfer of power from President Barack Obama to President Trump last month, giving Republicans control of both the White House and Congress, came the transfer of responsibility. Republicans who spent the Obama years casting symbolic votes to repeal the Affordable Care Act, knowing they would die on the Resolute Desk, are now wrestling with the monumental challenge of actually producing a comprehensive replacement. For House Democrats, the immediate challenges are less pressing. Any debate about whether to cooperate with the weeks-old Trump administration is strictly hypothetical, as Mr. Trump has yet to push for any legislative priorities, such as his promised trillion-dollar infrastructure plan. “He’s a sideshow,” said Representative Eric Swalwell of California. “Until he shows he wants to work for the American people, he’s irrelevant.” Spared the pressure to emerge with a detailed policy plan, Democrats arrived in an unseasonably warm Baltimore on Wednesday, tumbling off coach buses onto which they had been assigned alphabetically like schoolchildren on an outing. After hours of discussions, they scattered for late￾afternoon excursions on Thursday to the aquarium, the art museum or the deserted ballpark. They took selfies on Friday with Chelsea Handler, the outspoken comedian, who closed out their retreat. There was time for semantic debates: It was not a “retreat,” leaders insisted, because they are not “in retreat.” “Joe aptly named the retreat — issues conference, pardon me, I stand corrected,” said Representative Linda T. Sánchez of California, vice chairwoman of the House Democratic Caucus, referring to the chairman, Representative Joe Crowley of New York. “Joe aptly named the issues conference ‘Fighting for All Americans,’” Ms. Sánchez started again with a mischievous look. “I kind of dubbed it in my own language as ‘Kicking a Little Ass for the Working Class.’” (“Yea!” Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the Democratic leader, interjected, clapping and laughing.) There was occasion for jokes: Asked about the strategy sessions, Mr. Crowley made a playful reference to Mr. Trump’s effort at his first news conference as president to demonstrate that he had separated himself from his companies. “We’re going to bring in the pallets with all the stacks of paper of the strategy, coming in now,” he said. And there was ample opportunity to reflect on the election that delivered Mr. Trump his surprising victory — though it did gain them a handful of seats, as they are quick to point out — and a strategy for capitalizing on Mr. Trump’s FOIA CBP 000920 DHS-17-0435-B-000217 195 missteps and pulling themselves out of the minority in the House, where they have been relegated since 2011. With appearances by a handful of activists, including Tamika Mallory, one of the organizers of the Women’s March on Washington, Democrats contemplated how they could prevent people from becoming desensitized or disheartened by a near-constant flow of contentious moves by the White House. But others talked about how to reach out to those who may not feel compelled to wave signs on the National Mall. Representative Cheri Bustos, whose northwestern Illinois district Mr. Trump narrowly won, said Democrats understood the concerns about wage stagnation, student loan debt and other economic issues that drove people to vote for him. But she said she worried about Democrats’ ability to communicate with those voters. “For God’s sake, we cannot talk down to people,” she said. By Friday morning, even as they applauded an appeals court ruling that upheld the suspension of Mr. Trump’s executive order on immigration, Democratic leaders struck a sober note. Mr. Crowley said that while Democrats could be inclined to sit back and let Mr. Trump be hoisted with his own petard, “people’s lives are at stake.” “Look, if he’s had a road-to-Damascus experience, an epiphany, knocked from his horse and seeing a bright light — I’m not so sure I’ll believe it yet, but maybe it’s a start,” Mr. Crowley said. “We’ll see.” Centrist Senators’ Clout Rises In Divided Chamber By Erin Kelly And Eliza Collins USA Today, February 12, 2017 WASHINGTON — At a time when angry tweets, bitter debates and dueling protests dominate the news, the most powerful people in the Senate may end up being the ones who know how to get along. With Republicans holding a narrow 52-48 majority in the chamber, it will take bipartisan compromise to pass a new health care bill, lower taxes for middle-class families and create jobs. Most major bills need a super-majority of 60 votes to pass. The senators who hold the key to consensus are a group of about a dozen or so pragmatic, independent-minded lawmakers from both parties who are already quietly working together in private offices and committee rooms to nudge the Senate beyond ideological battles to get things done. “In a closely divided chamber, just three or four members can exercise disproportionate influence,” said Jack Pitney, a politics professor at Claremont McKenna College in California. “They may not be what you would traditionally call moderate, but they’re practical-minded senators who are willing to compromise, at least on certain issues. Serious legislators will look to them for help.” One of the biggest tests of the centrists’ increased clout could come as the Republican majority in Congress tries to keep its promise to voters to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare. GOP leaders who had confidently predicted they could jam through a bill in just a few months are beginning to realize that coming up with a new health care plan is not as easy as it seemed, and that they need help from Senate Democrats to do it, Pitney said. “At some point down the road, we’re going to need 60 votes to solve our health care problem, and most other major issues that affect people’s lives in a big way,” said Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and one of the pragmatists Pitney was describing. Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker, R￾Tenn. is seen as a key centrist in the Senate. (Photo: J. Scott Applewhite, AP) The crucial rule that independent-minded senators will play has been underscored in recent days by efforts to both court and target them. On Thursday, President Trump invited a group of centrist senators to lunch at the White House. The invitees included Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Jon Tester of Montana and Republican Sens. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and Lamar Alexander of Tennessee. Topics ranged from confirming Trump’s nominees to tackling immigration reform, expanding Internet access to rural areas, and reducing opioid abuse. “It wasn’t all ‘let’s get together and hold hands and agree on everything,’” Capito said. “The main emphasis was how do we find common ground.” Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said he believes Democrats and Republicans can agree on an overhaul of the nation’s complicated tax code. Donnelly believes there can be compromise on trade policy that keeps American jobs from being shipped overseas. And Heitkamp said she can work with Republicans and the Trump administration on an energy policy that boosts clean coal technology and helps the miners in her state. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., said senators from both parties have also been working together to pass small but significant bills, including legislation to prevent cruelty against animals and a bill to ensure that the money in the Crime Victims Fund actually goes to victims and does not become a government slush fund. “It might seem like a small thing, but it’s a very big thing for the victims,” he said. “We’re already building a record of modest successes.” FOIA CBP 000921 DHS-17-0435-B-000218 196 While they search for a middle way, the centrists are being attacked, cajoled and pressured by interest groups from both ends of the political spectrum. A critical vote will come this spring when the Senate votes on whether to confirm Neil Gorsuch, who is Trump’s nominee for Supreme Court. Senate leaders need help from at least eight moderate Democrats to get the 60 votes needed to proceed to an up-or-down vote on Gorsuch. Failing that, leaders will need support from moderate Republicans if they decide to dramatically change Senate rules to allow Gorsuch to be confirmed with just 51 votes. President Trump greets Delaware Democratic Sen. Chris Coons as Coons and other senators arrived at the White House to discuss his nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court on Feb. 9, 2017. (Photo: Nicholas Kamm, AFP/Getty Images) Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., said he has gotten flak from the left for voting to confirm Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and for “keeping an open mind” on Gorsuch. But Coons said his constituents want him to solve problems, not just block Republican bills and nominees. “I’m trying to show that I’m not going to oppose everything that President Trump does,” he said. The bitterly partisan debates over the confirmation of Trump’s nominees has created a higher-than-normal level of tension on Capitol Hill during the past few weeks, but senators said they expect things to calm down when the major Cabinet officers are confirmed and lawmakers can return to passing legislation. The fierce fighting on the Senate floor hit its most dramatic point Tuesday when Republicans silenced liberal Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., after they charged that she had violated a rule barring senators from impugning the motives and conduct of a fellow senator. During the debate over whether to confirm Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., as Trump’s attorney general, Warren had been reading aloud a1986 letter from civil rights leader Coretta Scott King that was deeply critical of Sessions. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., interrupted her and called a vote to silence her. Sessions was ultimately confirmed on a party-line vote. “I know it seems very partisan right now with the nominations going through,” said Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio. “But I think as that finishes up there’s an opportunity to pull together and to get some things done with a group of members on both sides of the aisle who are actually interested in results. ... Our constituents are looking for results.” Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., said progress is already happening in Senate committees. Carper is the senior Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, where he said he and Chairman John Barrasso, R-Wyo., are working on legislation to create jobs by repairing and improving the nation’s highways, bridges, airports and mass transit systems. Corker said he believes legislation actually turns out better when neither party has a big majority and both sides are forced to work closely together. “The solutions you come up with together will stand the test of time,” he said. “They won’t be undone when a different party takes control. They’re solutions that the American people can rely on to last.” Bernie Sanders Cries Foul Over Canceled Town Hall Meeting In West Virginia By David Weigel Washington Post, February 12, 2017 Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is raising questions about the surprise cancellation of a town hall meeting in West Virginia, which was scheduled for Monday morning and to be filmed from a MSNBC special. In a statement, Sanders said that a National Guard armory that had been booked for the town hall had canceled without explanation, and that the network was unable to find a new venue on short notice. “If anyone in West Virginia government thinks that I will be intimidated from going to McDowell County, West Virginia, to hold a town meeting, they are dead wrong,” Sanders said in a statement. “If they don’t allow us to use the local armory, we’ll find another building. If we can’t find another building, we’ll hold the meeting out in the streets. That town meeting will be held. Poverty in America will be discussed. Solutions will be found.” The town hall meeting was set to be held in McDowell County, the poorest part of West Virginia, with the highest rate of drug overdose in the state and the lowest life expectancy of any county in the United States — 64 years. In November, Donald Trump won 74.1 percent of the vote in the county, but in the Democratic primary six months earlier, Sanders won 55.2 percent of the vote. On Friday night, as first reported by the Charleston Gazette-Mail, MSNBC and Sanders learned that the armory would not be available for the town hall, which was to be moderated by host Chris Hayes. While the state National Guard and new Gov. Jim Justice (D-W.Va.) have not talked about the cancellation, people with knowledge of the event say it had been planned for weeks, and belatedly, they were told the venue could not host a political event. Sanders said that “hundreds” of locals had signed up to attend the town hall. “I want people to see, first hand, how poverty leads to terrible despair and that, in reality, how it is a death sentence for many,” he said. “In McDowell County, one of the poorest areas in one of our poorest states, people are now living shorter lives than their parents. Unemployment is sky high, drug addiction is at an epidemic rate and the schools lack FOIA CBP 000922 DHS-17-0435-B-000219 197 adequate funding. It is high time that we, as a nation, heard from the people who are impacted by this crisis and determined the best ways forward.” While Sanders would be in the state today and Monday, MSNBC would look for another time to film an event with Sanders. It scored a ratings hit in January with a Sanders town hall in Kenosha, Wis., a county that had voted Democratic for decades but flipped to Donald Trump last year. “I’m disappointed, but I hope we can make it work in the future,” said Hayes. Former Presidential Candidates Eye Senate Comebacks By Lisa Hagen The Hill, February 12, 2017 A handful of former presidential candidates are testing the waters for 2018 Senate races. Carly Fiorina, who ran for president in 2016, earlier this week expressed interest in challenging Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, the former Democratic vice presidential nominee. And in Utah, the GOP field could be lush with ex￾presidential candidates if GOP Sen. Orrin Hatch retires. Jon Huntsman, a 2012 GOP candidate, could run for the seat, as could 2016 independent candidate Evan McMullin. Even Mitt Romney, the GOP’s 2012 nominee, hasn’t ruled anything out. Former presidential candidates have a huge advantage coming into a Senate race, having already created a national profile and a fundraising network. Utah’s Senate race appears ripe for opportunity, even though Hatch, the longest-serving GOP senator in history, has kept his cards close to his chest about whether he’ll retire at the end of his term in 2018. Hatch is considering running for an eighth term, even though he previously said in 2012 that he’d retire in 2018. Potential Senate contenders have said their candidacy would be contingent on his decision, but Utah political observers expect a contested primary regardless. “Utah’s going to have an exciting primary race in 2018 for the Senate I’m very confident, no matter what,” said Damon Cann, a political science professor at Utah State University. “Whether Sen. Hatch is in or out, there are candidates who are scoping out opportunity and for a number of them, I think they will run whether Hatch stays in or out of race.” Huntsman, who ended his 2012 presidential bid after coming in third place in New Hampshire’s primary, is considering a Senate bid. The former Utah governor and former ambassador to China is seen as a formidable opponent whose gubernatorial tenure was viewed favorably in the state. While he has said in interviews said that his decision would be partially based off Hatch’s decision, observers speculate that he’ll mount a bid in any circumstance. A poll from late January found that nearly 80 percent of Utah voters believe Hatch shouldn’t run for another term. The survey, which was conducted for a Utah paper owned by the Huntsman family, also found Hatch trailing the former governor. McMullin is viewed as another top contender in the state. His presidential candidacy emerged from the “Never Trump” movement, and he pitched himself as the alternative for voters who couldn’t bring themselves to support Trump or Hillary Clinton. While McMullin ended up coming in third in Utah, about 6 points behind Clinton, political observers say he is still viewed favorably in the state. “If Trump actually loses popularity in the state of Utah, which is a hard thing to gauge, that could be a problem for Hatch and be helpful for McMullin,” said Jim Curry, an assistant political science professor at University of Utah. But any hopes for McMullin or Huntsman would likely be dashed if Romney were to get in the race, as he would almost certainly be the front-runner. Ryan Williams, a former aide to Romney’s presidential campaign, said while he hasn’t spoken to Romney directly about a Senate bid, he’d be surprised if he jumped into the race. “I would at this point be extremely surprised if the governor ran for Senate, but it’s something he won’t rule out because of his strong desire to explore all opportunities in public service,” Williams said. Romney has close ties in Utah and has frequently touted his time as CEO of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Committee. While he appears less likely to run, others in the state look to his son, Josh Romney, as a possible Senate candidate or potentially running for governor in 2020. “He is the Romney to watch for the Senate election rather than Mitt,” Cann said. Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), chairman of the powerful House Oversight Committee, is also floated as a potential contender. In Virginia, meanwhile, Fiorina told a local radio station that she is “certainly looking” at challenging Kaine. The former Hewlett-Packard CEO memorably feuded with Trump during the 2016 GOP primary and ended her bid after the New Hampshire primary. She joined Sen. Ted Cruz’s (R￾Texas) would-be presidential ticket and only backed Trump’s bid less than two months out from the November election. While the race is still early and the field has yet to take shape, there are a few other Republican names being floated for the Virginia race. GOP Rep. Barbara Comstock, who FOIA CBP 000923 DHS-17-0435-B-000220 198 recently won reelection to her swingy Northern Virginia seat, is considered a top contender. “Without knowing what the full field looks like, [Fiorina’s] got a good shot,” said a Virginia political operative. She’s a good campaigner.” Strategists point to her experience in the technology sector, which they say plays well in Northern Virginia. But they note that one roadblock Fiorina might face is reminding voters that she lives in the state. She has previously run for Senate in 2010 in California. “After she ended her presidential campaign, she has been making rounds across the state and helping other candidates,” the Virginia operative said. “She’s getting her name out to the grassroots folks that would be helpful for her to propel her in the primary.” Conservative radio host Laura Ingraham is also mulling a run for the Senate seat after being considered for White House press secretary in Trump’s administration. Rep. David Brat (R-Va.), who took himself out of the running for the Senate seat, praised Ingraham, according to the Washington Post. Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore, who also unsuccessfully ran for the 2016 GOP nomination, is considering a run as well. While the race for Virginia’s Senate seat is considered competitive, Kaine would likely go in with a slight advantage, given Clinton’s victory in the state and his own foray into vice presidential politics. Kaine, a former Virginia governor and Richmond mayor, is popular in the state. But midterm elections usually yield lower voter turnout, especially among Democrats. Strategists point to the unexpectedly close 2014 Senate race in the state where Republican Ed Gillespie almost knocked off Democratic Sen. Mark Warner. “In Virginia, anything can happen,” the operative said. “I think it’s a tossup with slight advantage to Kaine probably. If it’s Fiorina or Comstock, I think they have a really good shot.” Their Camp Turning Into A Pit Of Mud, Dakota Pipeline Protesters Face The Inevitable By Joe Heim Washington Post, February 12, 2017 CANNON BALL, N.D. — The main camp here, once home to thousands of Native Americans and their allies who gathered to protest the completion of the Dakota Access crude-oil pipeline, is quickly turning into a gooey pit of mud. Unseasonably warm temperatures over the weekend melted giant mounds of snow, and many of the remaining 200 or so pipeline protesters — self-described “water protectors” — are gathering their possessions and making plans to get off the 80-acre property, which sits in a flood zone near the Missouri River. The rising waters, and a federal eviction notice for Feb. 22, have forced their hands. Others say they will stay and fight the Army Corps of Engineers, which decided last week to allow completion of the 1,172-mile pipeline. After President Trump cleared the way, the corps granted an easement to Energy Transfer Partners to drill under a reservoir less than a mile from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s reservation. The drilling began last week. The tribe has argued in court that this short stretch of the $3.8 billion pipeline threatens their water supply, crosses sacred burial grounds and violates long-standing treaties between the Native Americans and the federal government. But the path forward for the fight is unclear; many are pinning their hopes on court challenges, including one scheduled Monday in Washington seeking a temporary restraining order to stop the political — and actual — machinery. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe has joined a motion by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe to halt the drilling. Horses still run free in the camp. Small packs of dogs dart about, tussling in the snow, their barks drowned out by the incessant whine of a snowmobile that wends its way through the slushy mess. Everything is white, brown, gray. The only flashes of color come from weatherworn tribal flags, banners that were jubilantly raised last summer and now, some in tatters, snap to and fro in the ever-changing wind. In the slurry running through camp are the remains of a mostly abandoned mini-city: an unopened packet of Top Ramen, a broken shovel, a mud-soaked glove, a pacifier. One day soon, all of this will be gone: the tepees packed away, the yurts pulled down, the abandoned tents and sleeping bags and boxes of belongings scraped up by bulldozers into waiting dumpsters and hauled off to landfills. The question for the camp’s inhabitants and visitors and supporters is whether its dismantling becomes a catalyst for renewed Native American activism or fades into the hazy nostalgia of uprisings past. Josh Dayrider, a member of the Blackfeet Nation of Montana, has been at the camp off and on since early last year. The 30-year-old isn’t quite ready to leave, but he knows departure is inevitable. “We’re still in the fight,” Dayrider said. “And we’ve accomplished something amazing. We woke the world up by showing how the oil companies treat the land and the people. We’re still standing. We’re still fighting.” Tanya Olsen stood next to her mini-camper, pulling out a mattress that had been soaked by rising waters. “The plan is to stay until the last minute,” said Olsen, a member of the Yankton Sioux Tribe of South Dakota. She arrived here in November. “I was never an activist. I knew very little about pipelines. But what really caught my attention was the mistreatment of the Natives here. I thought, I’ve got to go there. I need to stand with my people.” FOIA CBP 000924 DHS-17-0435-B-000221 199 As she prepares to leave, Olsen says she takes solace from the impact the year-long protest has had on tribes. “It has brought the people of all of our nations together,” she said. “It has awoken the children, the seventh generation, and it has been a learning experience for us as culture. It’s sad that they went and allowed them to drill, but this hasn’t been all for nothing.” From across the camp, there’s a yell: “Mni Wiconi!” Loosely translated from the Lakota language, it means “water is life,” and it has become the protesters’ rallying cry. The yell is picked up and repeated from different corners of the camp for a minute or so, echoing up to a snowy bluff overlooking the encampment where state and local police sit in a fleet of law enforcement vehicles, monitoring comings and goings. Quiet returns. For the Standing Rock tribe and its supporters, the decision to allow completion of the pipeline without a promised environmental impact study came as one more slap in the face. Particularly upsetting to Standing Rock Chairman David Archambault II was that he had traveled to Washington on Tuesday for a White House meeting with a Trump administration official the following day; he believed he would have one more chance to plead the tribe’s case. But he arrived at Reagan National Airport to learn that final approval had been granted while he was en route. The snub was a sharp insult to the tribe’s 8,000 members. On Friday night at the Standing Rock High School gym in Fort Yates, 25 miles down the road from the protest camp, several hundred fans from the reservation gathered to watch the home Warriors girls basketball team take on the New Salem Holsteins. Cheers and the squeak of sneakers filled the gym, where banners hang from the rafters touting the reservation’s champion teams and athletes going back to the 1940s. In the lobby, members of the Standing Rock high school band were holding a bake sale. Their teacher, Kim Warren, a tribal member, said she made regular visits to the main camp in the fall, believing the protest was a necessary and valuable one. “We can’t give up, especially with this new administration,” said Warren, who has been teaching at the school for 18 years. “We can’t give up. That’s what I tell my students every day. Every struggle that they have, I tell them don’t give up, keep going.” Despite assurances from the pipeline’s owners that it is safe and is using the most advanced technology available, there is almost universal belief among Standing Rock tribal members that an accident is unavoidable and their drinking water will be contaminated. “Pipelines break all the time,” said Charles Bailey, 46, a tribal member, as he stood outside the gym. “Everybody knows that it’s going to break at some point. At my age, I’m thinking about how is this going to affect our youth, my daughters.” As legal options dwindle and the prospect of a completed pipeline that could begin transporting more than 500,000 barrels of crude oil a day in two to three months appears more likely, its opponents are taking stock. Dallas Goldtooth has been one of the leading voices of the protest, filing regular Facebook Live feeds to share the most recent developments. An environmental activist who is an Isanti Dakota from Minnesota, he wants supporters to know that their participation has not been in vain, no matter what the outcome. “Some feel it is all or nothing, but we cannot adopt that frame of thinking,” Goldtooth said. “We’ve seen defeat as indigenous people, but we still persist, we’re still striving. Whether we get a win here or not, we’ve pushed the boulder down the hill and it’s running. The fight never stops. It builds. It moves. It grows.” Some activists have called for more protesters to come out to the site, but the Standing Rock tribe has discouraged that, asking that opposition be directed at the local level and at a March 10 march planned for Native American rights in Washington. The relationship between the camp’s remaining inhabitants and the Standing Rock tribe has at times been prickly. The tribe welcomed the 200 or so Native tribes that gathered here in late summer and fall to help their cause, and it welcomed the national and international support that followed. But the ongoing protest, at times involving violent clashes with law enforcement from neighboring Morton County, has drained the tribe’s attention and resources. One of the reservation’s leading sources of revenue, the Prairie Knights casino hotel and concert venue, has taken a financial hit as the main road between the casino and Bismarck — normally an hour’s drive — has been blocked off by state police for months, forcing patrons to make a lengthier trip. The ongoing protest also has strained an already tense relationship with Morton County law enforcement officials, who have arrested more than 700 protesters in recent months, including members of the Standing Rock tribe. And the unrest has led to a series of bills being introduced in the North Dakota legislature that create severe penalties for protest activities, a move that Amnesty International said “would undermine the rights to peaceful protest and freedom of expression.” Joe Plouff, 67, a former Wisconsin state representative and an Army veteran from Prairie View, Wis., stood outside of his tent near the entrance to the Sacred Stone camp, which sits across the frozen Cannonball River from the main camp. He’s not hopeful at this point that the pipeline can be stopped, but since arriving here in December, he says he has drawn FOIA CBP 000925 DHS-17-0435-B-000222 200 inspiration from the movement and from the number of young people involved. “Will they be demoralized if they lose this battle? Yes. Depressed? Yes? Hurt? Yes. But I see a lot of young people here and I think they will take it as a start,” he said. “There’s optimism because the Native Americans here have brought forward an issue that most of us have not paid attention to, and that is the safety of our water. They’ve taken a local issue and made it a national one.” Pentagon Launches Effort To Solve A Baffling WWII Mystery By Chris Carola Associated Press, February 12, 2017 ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) – The Pentagon is launching efforts to solve a baffling World War II mystery: whether dozens of U.S. sailors listed as missing from a ship disaster were actually recovered and buried all along as unknowns in a New York cemetery. More than 130 victims of the USS Turner’s 1944 explosion and sinking near New York Harbor are still officially missing. But WWII researcher Ted Darcy found papers last year indicating at least four of them were buried as unknowns in a Long Island military cemetery. He believes the rest could be there too. After The Associated Press initially reported on Darcy’s findings in November, the Pentagon office responsible for recovering and identifying the nation’s war dead said only that the records that could confirm exactly how many of the Turner’s sailors are buried in the cemetery were missing. But in recent days, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency said it is now “taking the steps to send out inquiries and conduct archival research” to try to locate the files associated with the Turner unknowns buried in the cemetery in Farmingdale on Long Island. Darcy and loved ones of the missing crew members hope that the records could be found, identifications made and that the long-lost remains of the Turner be reburied in marked gravesites with full military honors. “I’d like to see if we can have closure on this, find out who’s in the graves,” said Richard Duffy, a 61-year-old retired mechanic from Ballston Spa, New York, who was named after his fallen uncle. The Turner, a 10-month-old Navy destroyer, sank off Sandy Hook, New Jersey, after a series of internal explosions on Jan. 3, 1944. The Navy never determined what caused the initial blast, but an inquiry found that munitions were being handled below deck around the time of the first explosion. Half of the nearly 300 men on board survived, but scores of others were killed and listed as missing. Some remains were recovered from the sunken wreckage during the yearlong salvage operation, but an exact number remains unknown. Margaret Duffy Sickles was not quite 5 years old when her family in Whitehall, New York, received word that her brother, 18-year-old Fireman 1st Class Richard Duffy, was among the missing. After reading the AP story in November, she sought the help of New York congressional delegation, hoping it could persuade the Pentagon to make an attempt to identify the remains buried on Long Island. “I will work with the families to cut through red tape and ensure that the Department of Defense’s POW/MIA Accounting Agency does everything it can to try to properly identify these brave Americans,” said U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, a Democrat. Sickles, of Kingston, said identifying any of the remains after 73 years would be difficult but not impossible given advances with DNA and other technology. “It’s quite possible my brother isn’t even among any of those” buried on Long Island, she told the AP. “Nevertheless, it was something we didn’t know about until this story came out.” Pentagon officials say the process of identifying the remains of unknown service members must meet strict protocols, and in the case of the Turner, it can’t begin until certain key documents, including those containing a sailor’s dental information, are found. They noted that the effort is also hampered by the lack of records for any of the 70 unknowns buried at the Long Island cemetery. Todd S. Livick Sr., a the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency spokesman, said in an email that the agency’s researchers have spent years searching for files pertaining to the cemetery’s burials of unknowns, but so far they’ve not been located. “Without these sources of information, DPAA cannot determine whether multiple individuals were buried in the casket or construct a case for disinterment,” he said. According to Darcy, a retired career Marine from Locust Grove, Virginia, who specializes in MIA cases, the Agency hasn’t done enough for the fallen Turner sailors. “These guys died for their country,” he said. “They deserve to be buried properly and the families deserve the closure.” © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Spillway On California Dam In Danger Of Collapse, Evacuations Ordered By Dan Whitcomb Reuters, February 12, 2017 FOIA CBP 000926 DHS-17-0435-B-000223 201 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Evacuation Ordered As Oroville Dam’s Auxiliary Spillway Predicted To Fail Communities evacuated along Northern California’s Feather River downstream of Lake Oroville By Jim Carlton Wall Street Journal, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Yale Renames Calhoun College Because Of Historic Ties To White Supremacy And Slavery By Monica Wang Washington Post, February 11, 2017 NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Yale University will rename one of its residential colleges, replacing the name of an alumnus remembered as an advocate of slavery with that of an alumna who was a pioneering mathematician and computer scientist who helped transform the way people use technology. “The minute that the announcement came out, people stuck their heads out of the window and yelled ‘Wahoo!’” said Julia Adams, a sociology professor who is head of the just￾renamed Grace Murray Hopper College. The decision to rename Calhoun College reverses one made last spring, when Yale President Peter Salovey said he did not want to erase history, but confront it and learn from it. Colleges across the country — as well as other institutions, cities and legislative bodies — have wrestled with similar questions, as they consider monuments to the past in the context of modern life. Racial tensions and protests have intensified those debates in many places, as well as anger from some about “political correctness” forcing schools to whitewash history. At Harvard Law School, officials replaced a shield that was the family crest of slave owners. At the University of North Carolina, officials renamed a hall that had honored a leader of the Ku Klux Klan. At Princeton, university leaders chose not to remove the name of Woodrow Wilson as protesters had demanded, instead pledging to be transparent about his failings, such as his support for segregation, as well as his achievements leading the university and the country. Salovey said Saturday that he still believes in the importance of confronting history rather than erasing it. But a committee led by a historian crafted a set of four principles for considering renaming — starting with a strong presumption against it, but establishing a means for evaluating the idea in exceptional circumstances, such as when the principal legacy of the person is fundamentally at odds with the values of the institution. That was true of U.S. Vice President John C. Calhoun, Salovey said, “a white supremacist, an ardent defender of slavery as ‘a positive good,’ someone whose views hardened over the course of his life, who died essentially criticizing the Declaration of Independence and its emphasis on all men being created equal … “I think we can make this change without effacing history. We’re not removing evidence of John C. Calhoun from our campus.” By the beginning of the next academic year, the name of alumna Grace Murray Hopper will be added to the building, and the residential college will be known by that name. Students’ T-shirts will have the Hopper name. They won’t chisel off the “Calhoun” or remove other traces of him on campus. They have removed stained-glass windows from the college — one of which portrayed enslaved people picking cotton — and will display them elsewhere with an explanation of the historical context. The legacy of Calhoun, who graduated from Yale in 1804 and 1822 and served as a U.S. vice president, secretary of state, secretary of war and senator, becoming an influential champion of slavery, had been debated at the school over the years. But those discussions turned to urgent pleas in 2015 after a white man who revered the Confederacy fatally shot nine black worshipers at a church in Charleston, S.C. That led South Carolina lawmakers to take down the Confederate flag that had long flown at the state Capitol, and efforts at Yale and elsewhere to stop honoring the name of Calhoun and other people associated with slavery and white supremacy. That fall, protests over racial issues erupted on campus, and Salovey promised changes, including a more diverse faculty and a new center for studies of race and ethnicity. But university leaders resisted demands to drop the Calhoun name. Last spring, Salovey said in a letter to the campus community that deleting the name “might allow us to feel complacent or, even, self-congratulatory. … Retaining the name forces us to learn anew and confront one of the most disturbing aspects of Yale’s and our nation’s past. I believe this is our obligation as an educational institution.” But in August, he asked a committee to establish principles to guide university leaders when considering renaming. They concluded with four things to think about: Whether the principal legacy of the person is fundamentally at odds with the university’s mission; whether that legacy was debated during the person’s life; why the person was honored by the university; and whether the building has an important role in creating community on campus. “In considering these principles,” Salovey said in a letter to the university Saturday, “it became clear that Calhoun FOIA CBP 000927 DHS-17-0435-B-000224 202 College presents an exceptionally strong case — perhaps uniquely strong — that allows it to overcome the powerful presumption against renaming.” He quoted another graduate — the namesake of another residential college at Yale — who denounced Calhoun’s legacy even as he mourned his death, writing that he “in a great measure changed the state of opinion and the manner of speaking and writing upon this subject in the South, until we have come to present to the world the mortifying and disgraceful spectacle of a great republic — and the only real republic in the world — standing forth in vindication of slavery, without prospect of, or wish for, its extinction. If the views of Mr. Calhoun, and of those who think with him, are to prevail, slavery is to be sustained on this great continent forever.” Salovey said: “This principal legacy of Calhoun — and the indelible imprint he has left on American history — conflicts fundamentally with the values Yale has long championed. Unlike other namesakes on our campus, he distinguished himself not in spite of these views but because of them.” A group of advisers asked to consider the issue unanimously concluded that the name should be changed, and the Yale Corporation voted Friday in agreement. The Corporation considered alternatives from a shortlist of the hundreds of names recommended by many students, alumni, faculty and others, and chose Grace Murray Hopper, who had been endorsed by the most people as reflective of Yale’s core values. Adams, who said students rushed to her house to celebrate as soon as the announcement was made, credited students with having an effect on not just the Hopper name but also on one of the new residential colleges slated to open in the fall, which honors black civil rights activist Pauli Murray. Adams said she was delighted at Hopper’s name as well. “She was an amazing woman — her work in the sciences, her dedication to her country through serving in the military, her personal wit and so many things about her make her an absolutely wonderful choice.” Elisia Ceballo-Countryman, a junior, was celebrating the name change with fellow students in Hopper College on Saturday afternoon, but she said she was disappointed in the way the Yale administration handled a “long, drawn-out and exhausting” renaming process. She said the college should have honored a black person given the history of racism attached to the Calhoun name. Senior Lindsey Hogg said that during the debates about Calhoun, she had advocated for Henry Roe Cloud, the first Native American to graduate from Yale. Another popular option was Roosevelt Thompson, an African American graduate of Yale known for his academic achievements and dedication to public service. But Hogg, like many other students, said she was excited about Hopper. “No matter how you look at this, it’s a win,” she said. “Yale did the right thing, finally.” She said she was proud to be in the first class to graduate with the Hopper name. An email from Jonathan Holloway, the dean of Yale College, to students Saturday afternoon said the official name change will be July 1, but that students were welcome to begin using the new name immediately. School officials will be talking about how to proceed with the name change through the diploma ceremony this spring, he said. Calhoun College alumni can change their affiliation to Hopper if they wish, or retain the Calhoun name. Students are randomly assigned to one of a dozen, soon to be 14, residential colleges at Yale, which create smaller communities and often strongly held identities within the large research university. So the name itself, while symbolic, has a depth of meaning and enduring memories connected with it for many students and graduates. Max Walden, a Yale graduate student in the history department, opposes the name change. “I’m not of the camp that’s trying to keep the name on the merits of Calhoun the man,” he said. “It’s on the merits of historical rigor and taking the long view, because we ourselves will be subject to the kind of judgment that Calhoun is undergoing right now.” Walden said that as a university community, Yale should be taking a rigorous and intellectual view of Calhoun’s legacy and confronting the past instead of scrubbing the name and caving into current political pressure. As a historian, Walden believes that attitudes toward the past change throughout time — in the 1930s, he said, Calhoun’s principal legacy was one of public service to his country, and his defense of slavery came as a secondary concern when Yale decided to honor him; today, his principal legacy is undoubtedly tied to racism and slavery. Walden worries that the administration is initiating a process of questioning principal legacies that will affect many namesakes currently on campus. He pointed to the Schwarzman Center, a student center named after billionaire alumnus Stephen A. Schwarzman that will open in 2020, as an example. A hundred years from now, Walden said students might look back at the community’s decision to honor Schwarzman today and view Schwarzman’s legacy of “grotesque wealth and contributions to economic inequality” with disgust. Holloway, who served on the committee that determined the principles for consideration of renaming, said Saturday they were very clear that times change and sensitivities change. “Just as we look back at the decision in the 1930s to name the college after Calhoun with bewilderment,” he said, they recognize that at some point in the future, people could say of the decision to change the name, “‘What were they thinking?’” FOIA CBP 000928 DHS-17-0435-B-000225 203 Over time, he said, “the notion of who’s a Yalie has changed radically,” with a student body far more diverse in every way. “We need to be aware of that. Not to say we must always change with the wind blowing different directions, not at all. We just need to be mindful of the significance of these changes. At some point there may be an overwhelming sense that something is out of sync with our foundational values.” He said he’s happy to have the decision made so that people can move on. Hopper was a great choice that people will celebrate, he said — but he’s also bracing for messages from some prominent alumni who have opposed the change “who are going to go berserk about this.” Kica Matos, director of immigrant rights and racial justice for the Center for Community Change, one of four New Haven activists arrested in a Change the Name rally Friday, said: “For those of us who put our bodies on the line yesterday, today feels like a sweet vindication. We are just happy that Calhoun’s name will no longer disgrace the city and the university.” Salovey, in an interview, said he was thrilled by the choice of Hopper, who earned her doctorate in mathematics and mathematical physics from Yale in 1934. She left her teaching role at Vassar during World War II to enlist in the U.S. Navy, using math to fight fascist enemies. Her work on the earliest computers and computer languages made it possible to write programs for multiple machines simultaneously, to use word-based languages allowing non￾specialists to use computers for the first time and dramatically expanding the ways computers could be used. She was a co-inventor of the business language COBOL. Hopper was recalled to active service in the Navy at the age of 60, and retired as a rear admiral when she was 79. She was honored many times, including posthumously with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In his letter to the campus community, Salovey called her a visionary, and wrote, “At a time when computers were bulky machines limited to a handful of research laboratories, Hopper understood that they would one day be ubiquitous, and she dedicated her long career to ensuring they were useful, accessible, and responsive to human needs.” Her principal legacy, he said, “is all around us. … Grace Murray Hopper College thus honors her spirit of innovation and public service while looking fearlessly to the future.” When she died in 1992, her obituary in The Washington Post noted she had a very strong dislike of intellectual conventions, symbolized by a clock in her office in the Naval Data Automation Command that ran counterclockwise. She once told a reporter, “‘the only phrase I’ve ever disliked is, ‘Why, we’ve always done it that way.’ “‘I always tell young people, go ahead and do it. You can always apologize later.’” The Supreme Court’s Controversial Ruling On An Executive Order By Avi Selk Washington Post, February 12, 2017 The documents would expose everything: the racism inherent in the president’s executive order, the cynical politics behind it, the lies told in court to defend it. Peter Irons was sure of this. The lawyer had stumbled across the papers in a government storeroom: secret admissions from U.S. officials that a supposed matter of national security was not what it appeared. The executive order led to abrupt expulsions, mass detentions and the persecution of thousands on the basis of their ethnicity, but it was false to the core. Irons intended to prove it. But he could not do it by himself. With the documents in hand and a knot in his stomach, he stepped out of a taxi in San Leandro, Calif., in 1982 and walked up to Fred Korematsu’s house. Irons knew the man only by reputation. Long ago, Korematsu had been arrested in this city, his home town, for defying an executive order that led to the expulsion or imprisonment of more than 100,000 Japanese Americans after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. Korematsu had gone to court to fight it, much as others now oppose President Trump’s executive order barring people from seven majority-Muslim countries from entering the United States. Korematsu lost, in 1944, in the Supreme Court. Defeat changed him. For decades, he had been living quietly in a small house, refusing to discuss his case with anyone, even his children, blaming himself for what his government did to his people. It had taken Irons two letters and a phone call just to get an audience in Korematsu’s living room. Now he sat across from the man, nervous, hoping that seeing incriminating documents the government had kept secret during his trial would convince him to fight again. Korematsu was a quiet man. He sat in his chair, puffed on his pipe and read Irons’s papers in total silence. “At least 20 minutes passed without a single word being said,” Irons recalled. “Then he looked over at me.” “He said: ‘Would you be my lawyer?’” Today, more than 30 years after he convinced Korematsu to challenge, for the second time, what is widely considered one of the most unjust government actions in U.S. history, Irons is closely watching another legal battle. He watches the State of Washington and State of Minnesota v. Trump — another “poorly conceived, hastily executed, blanket dragnet,” as he sees it. And others do, too. “The Trump executive order assumed people are dangerous because they’re Muslims, from Muslim-specific FOIA CBP 000929 DHS-17-0435-B-000226 204 countries,” said Erwin Chemerinsky, who is dean of the law school at the University of California at Irvine and once called the Supreme Court’s ruling against Korematsu “one of the worst decisions in history.” “That’s the fundamental flaw in both Korematsu and the Trump executive order,” Chemerinsky said. “To assume people are dangerous because of their race.” As a young man in San Leandro, Korematsu once had a surgeon cut a bit of flesh from his eyelids — to look less Japanese, less suspicious to his neighbors. It didn’t work. He was not yet 23 on the day Japanese war planes killed more than 2,000 at Pearl Harbor. Two months later, as he began to fight a world war, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an executive order that led to the roundup and imprisonment of every Japanese American on the West Coast. Korematsu’s parents and siblings reported to military officials, who took them from their home to live in converted horse pens while permanent internment camps were constructed in other states. Korematsu refused to go. “My father was not a complicated man,” said Karen Korematsu. “He had learned about the Constitution in high school. He thought he had civil rights as an American citizen.” So he made up a fake name and laid low in a rooming house. He lasted only a few weeks before he was spotted and arrested. A director for the American Civil Liberties Union visited Korematsu in jail. Roosevelt’s order was popular in polls at the time, but the ACLU thought a judge would agree it was wrong. “My father really believed that,” Karen Korematsu said. “He thought, certainly, the Supreme Court would think this was unconstitutional.” Korematsu did not get to see much of his case as he was shuffled from jail to jail, then to an internment camp. His daughter said some other Japanese prisoners looked down on him for causing a stir. When the case reached the country’s highest court, one Supreme Court judge strongly agreed with Korematsu — writing that his federal conviction for merely staying home “falls into the ugly abyss of racism.” But most did not. “Korematsu was not excluded from the Military Area because of hostility to him or his race,” the court ruled. “The military urgency of the situation demanded that all citizens of Japanese ancestry be segregated from the West Coast temporarily.” Korematsu learned he’d lost by letter, before being allowed to return to California. “He was disappointed and disgusted,” said Karen Korematsu. So much so that for the first 16 years of her life, her father never told her who he was. A poster went up in Karen’s junior high school every anniversary of Pearl Harbor. Her classmates, she remembered, would take the opportunity to tell her to go back to Japan. The idea seemed strange to her. Her mother wasn’t even Japanese, and her father had never set foot in the country. In fact, she said, the Asian community in the Bay area seemed to hold her father in low opinion. One day at school, a classmate gave a book report about Japanese American internment during the war. “I said, ‘That’s interesting. I’d never heard about that before,’” Karen Korematsu said. Her classmate went on — about “this one man that resisted and disobeyed and it ended up to be a landmark Supreme Court case.” Karen heard her father’s name, but figured it unlikely. He was a low-paid draftsman, known as a pushover at the office, hardly a legal icon. When her father came home from work that evening, Karen asked him about it. “He said, simply, it happened a long time ago,” she said. “And what he did, he felt was right. And the government was wrong.” The pain in her father’s face told her not to ask again. And then years later, when she was grown, Karen Korematsu came home one day in 1982 to find her father sitting in his living room with a lawyer named Peter Irons and a stack of old papers. Irons, who was also a political scientist at the University of California at San Diego, had come across the documents while researching a book. In mislabeled boxes belonging to the Justice Department, he had discovered memos never seen during Korematsu’s Supreme Court trial. In one, the general who ordered the internments wrote how the “racial characteristics” of Japanese people made them inherently less loyal. In another, a naval intelligence officer estimated that fewer than 3 percent of the Japanese population might be saboteurs. “I thought, ‘My God, there’s probably a lawsuit here,’” Irons recalled. So he rounded up three Japanese Americans who had fought their internments at the Supreme Court. The first two were eager for a rematch. And hard as he’d been to track down, Korematsu was game, too. “My father never gave up hope that some day he could reopen his case,” Karen Korematsu said. “He carried that burden all those years.” As the case proceeded, more about the Japanese internment program was being revealed to the country. A document declassified since World War II contained an FOIA CBP 000930 DHS-17-0435-B-000227 205 admission that the program was designed in part to appease “public morale,” The Washington Post has previously reported. A congressional panel ruled in 1983 that “race prejudice, war hysteria and the failure of political leadership” prompted the detentions. Korematsu’s had missed the end of his Supreme Court case in 1944, having been interned along with other Japanese Americans from the coast. But as a federal judge read out her decision in November 1983, Korematsu sat in a packed courtroom. Irons sat beside him. Men and women who had been imprisoned like Korematsu sat all around. By then, not even the government would defend Korematsu’s conviction. “Apparently the government would like this court to set aside the conviction without looking at the record in an effort to put this unfortunate episode in our country’s history behind us,” U.S. District Judge Marilyn Hall Patel wrote in her decision. She refused. Without ruling on the merit of Irons’s documents, she told the courtroom the government’s position was “tantamount to a confession of error.” “There was a complete silence for several seconds as people took this in,” Irons recalled. “Then people erupted, cheering, clapping, crying.” They rushed up to hug Korematsu — at age 63, a pariah and convict no more. In the remaining years of his life, until his death at age 86, Korematsu would hear apologies from U.S. presidents. He would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Bill Clinton. He would be not so quiet — sometimes even making a speech. And his name would sometimes be invoked when someone felt the government was again casting blanket suspicion on innocent people. “The extreme nature of the government’s position is all￾too-familiar,” reads Korematsu’s 2003 brief to the Supreme Court, arguing against the imprisonment without trial of people at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The court would later restore rights to the prisoners. But with these victories, Karen Korematsu said, come new threats. She hears echoes of her father’s old warnings in the way Trump’s order casts suspicion on an entire class of people, and the way its defenders in court make claim to national security without citing any evidence against the people the order affects. She is reminded that during the campaign, Trump promised a broader ban on Muslim foreigners — as well as a registry of Muslims living in the United States. She is reminded that one of his top backers cited her father’s case — which has never been overturned despite his exoneration — as legal precedent for such things. “The Supreme Court case still stands,” Karen Korematsu said. “It’s been discredited, but this was always my father’s greatest fear.” Trump’s Harder Line On Mexico Casts Shadow On Long-Term Growth Picture Investment slowdown, peso weakening and higher interest rates By Robbie Whelan Wall Street Journal, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Denim Dilemma By Julie Wernau Wall Street Journal, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Here’s One Industry Where The U.S. Is Already Catching China—Fertilizers Low gas prices are the key factor in a surge in U.S. fertilizer output By Lucy Craymer In Hong Kong And Rhiannon Hoyle In Sydney Wall Street Journal, February 12, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. FOIA CBP 000931 DHS-17-0435-B-000228 From: Bulletin Intelligence To: DHS@BulletinIntelligence.com Subject: The Homeland Security News Briefing for Saturday, March 04, 2017 Date: Saturday, March 4, 2017 6:59:19 AM Attachments: dhsclips170304.doc The Homeland Security News Briefing TO: THE SECRETARY AND SENIOR STAFF DATE: SATURDAY, MARCH 4, 2017 7:00 AM EST TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS LEADING DHS NEWS: + Trump Praises “Merit-Based” Immigration Systems In Canada, Australia. + Downes: Now Is The Time For Cities To Declare Themselves “Sanctuaries.” IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT: + CTribune Analysis Examines Chicago’s “Sanctuary-City” Status. + Miami Judge Rules Holding Immigrants Facing Deportation In Jails Unconstitutional. + US Attorney Accusing Oregon Judge Of Helping Criminal Alien Escape ICE Agents. + Immigrants Accuse Pennsylvania Detention Center Of Lengthy Detentions. + Immigrants Fearing Deportation Seek Guardians For Their US Citizen Children. + Arrest Of Immigrant Father “Roils” Los Angeles Immigrant Community. + Dreamer Arrested By ICE Says “I Don’t Know Anything Else Besides Being Here.” + El Salvadoran National Deported For Minor Offense. + WPost A1: Mexico “Bracing” For Influx Of Deportees Under Trump Administration. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION: + Judge Tentatively Approves $1 Million Settlement To Family Of Mexican Man Killed At Border. + Hundreds Of Companies Express Interest In Building Trump’s Border Wall. TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION: + TSA Looking Into New More Invasive Screening Methods At Airports. FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY: + Winter Weather Sees Rare Bit Of “Normal.” + Oklahoma Wildfires Threaten Homes, Livestock. US CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES: + Durbin Urges Trump To Move On H-1B Visa Reform By End Of Month. + EU Passes Non-Binding Resolution Instituting Visa Requirements For Americans. IMMIGRATION: + Trump An Advocate For Families Of Victims Of Immigrant Crime. + South Asian American Communities Fearful In Wake Of Kansas Shooting. SECRET SERVICE: + Secret Service Agent Pleads Guilty To Sending Sexual Images To Minors. TERRORISM INVESTIGATIONS: + Comey Meets With Jewish Leaders To Discuss Wave Of Bomb Threats. + Authorities Arrest Missouri Man For Making Bomb Threats Against Jewish Centers. + UN Security Council Calls Attention To Terrorism, Humanitarian Crises In Africa. + Al Qaeda-Affiliated Newspaper Publishes Bannon’s Picture On Cover. FOIA CBP 000932 DHS-17-0435-B-000229 A \/1 )IC A PVERSIGHT CYBER NEWS: + Tech Experts Worry CIO, CISO Vacancies To Hurt US Cybersecurity Initiatives. + NSA’s Top Lawyer Calls For One Agency To Spearhead Cybersecurity Efforts. + Pennsylvania State Democrats Hit With Cyberattack. + WSJournal A1: Authorities Confirm Cyberattack Against Emergency Response System. NATIONAL SECURITY NEWS: + UN-Sponsored Syrian Peace Discussions End Without Resolution. + Rival Syrian Forces Vie For US Alliance In Raqqa. + Turkey’s Efforts To Enhance Syrian Border Security Yield Smuggling, Illegal Entry Declines. + UN: Nearly 30,000 Western Mosul Residents Displaced. + Taliban Official Identifies Senior Commander Killed In Suspected US Drone Strike In Pakistan. + Pakistan’s Anti-Terrorism Operation Challenged As Racial Profiling In Ethnic Pashtun Region. + Trump, Merkel To Meet In March. + Tillerson Writes Introductory Remarks For Annual Human Rights Report. + Feinstein Rejects Proposed “Limited Use” Nuclear Weapons. + Human Rights Expert Expresses Alarm Over Trump’s Position On Torture. + British Prime Minister Criticizes Call For Scottish Independence Referendum. + Poll Suggests Macron Would Lead First Round Of French Presidential Elections. + Twice-Poisoned Russian Opposition Activist Has “No Doubt” Of Putin’s Involvement. + US Military Conducts Air Exercises Over South China Sea. + South Korea Accuses China Of Retaliating Against Defense System. + Malaysian Police Issue Arrest Warrant For North Korean Suspected In Kim Jong Nam’s Assassination. + Former NBA Player Dennis Rodman Attends USMA Panel On North Korea. + Indian Government Representatives To Meet With Dalai Lama In Disputed Region. + Libyan Militias Seize Two Oil Terminals. + State Department’s Annual Narcotics Report Recognizes Cuba’s Efforts Against Drug Smuggling. + Ecuadorian Presidential Front-Runner Pledges To Evict Assange. Leading DHS News: TRUMP PRAISES “MERIT-BASED” IMMIGRATION SYSTEMS IN CANADA, AUSTRALIA. USA Today (3/3, Gomez, 5.28M) reports on Friday President Trump praised the Canadian immigration system, which it says “has served as a model for countries around the world because it focuses more on immigrants who can contribute to the economy than those with little more than family ties.” Following a segment of Fox & Friends featuring the conservative author Nick Adams, Trump tweeted, “The merit-based system is the way to go. Canada, Australia!” The article notes the tweet also follows Tuesday comments Trump made when addressing a joint session of Congress, in which he also praised the immigration systems in other places, such as Australia. Administration Still Reviewing Immigration Policy Options. CNN The Situation Room (3/3, 5:06 p.m. EDT, 6:35, Blitzer, 554K) senior White House correspondent Jeff Zeleny reported, “We’re ending the sixth week of this Administration here, and we have heard time and time again that the President will be signing a new travel ban,” but “That simply is not happening as we are entering the close of business here yet on this Friday.” Zeleny said Trump “was scheduled to sign it on Wednesday” but then “said they were going to hold off a bit,” and “they are still holding off.” Wolf Blitzer of CNN The Situation Room (3/3, 6:20 p.m. EDT, 20:05, Blitzer, 554K) reported in “some breaking news” that a senior Homeland Security official told “CNN the agency is considering a proposal that would separate women from their children who cross the border together illegally.” Rep. Mark Sanford said he “would want to learn more” before commenting on the strategy because the measure “sounds highly unusual, this notion of separating parent and child, and counter to much of what I’ve seen in terms of immigration policies thus far.” Blitzer also asked Sanford about a DHS “intelligence assessment” that “found most of the foreign-born violent extremists in the United States were actually radicalized years after entering the United States,” a suggestion that “undercuts President trump’s overall FOIA CBP 000933 DHS-17-0435-B-000230 A \/1 )IC A PVERSIGHT reasoning for a new travel ban.” Sanford replied that “we certainly have seen that,” but “it still begs this larger question” about “the inability to determine whether one was a friend or a foe in coming from that country to ours.” ABC World News (3/3, story 2, 0:35, Muir, 14.63M) ‘ senior White House correspondent Cecilia Vega also reported on the “report out today from the Department of Homeland Security pushing back on a key component of that travel ban, basically saying it may be difficult to find and vet the so-called radical Islamic terrorists.” DHS Reviewing Proposal To Separate Migrant Mothers, Children Who Cross Illegally Into US. Reuters (3/3, Ainsley) reports in an exclusive that the Department of Homeland Security is considering a proposal that would allow the agency to separate women and children who cross together illegally into the US. Reuters says the new policy, if adopted, would “allow the government to keep parents in custody while they contest deportation or wait for asylum hearings.” The Department of Health and Human Services would take the children into protective custody until either a US relative or guardian can take them. The article says that the purpose of the policy shift is to “deter mothers from migrating to the United States with their children, said the officials, who have been briefed on the proposal.” CSMonitor Analysis: Evangelicals Most Supportive Of Trump Travel Ban. A Christian Science Monitor (3/3, Bruinius, 387K) analysis says that evangelical Christians are the group that have been the most supportive of President Trump’s travel ban, with “most worried about what a rise in Muslim immigrants would mean for the nation’s identity.” The Monitor says that while experts and media observers have noted there is a “seeming cultural chasm between the Manhattan billionaire’s past lifestyle and conservative Evangelicals’ emphasis on moral character and family values,” scholars also noted that Evangelicalism is the religious group that “has maintained both a vivid sense of America as a Christian nation and a deeply-rooted exclusive theology that remains suspicious of those outside the fold.” DOWNES: NOW IS THE TIME FOR CITIES TO DECLARE THEMSELVES “SANCTUARIES.” In a New York Times (3/3, Downes, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) Editorial Observer piece, Lawrence Downes writes that it is time for “cities of immigrants” to declare themselves sanctuaries, Downes says that President Trump’s “nativist ideology is now fully armed and operational” and that Homeland Security Secretary Kelly “has given his boss a battle plan,” which is being carried out by ICE and Border Patrol. While noting that the term “sanctuary city” has caused confusion because it “has no strict definition,” he also asserts “cities should seize back the term, defining sanctuaries as places that stand for reason in the face of overreaching, unjust and often lawless federal enforcement.” Immigration and Customs Enforcement: CTRIBUNE ANALYSIS EXAMINES CHICAGO’S “SANCTUARY-CITY” STATUS. A more than 2,500- word Chicago Tribune (3/3, Pratt, Coen, 2.54M) analysis examines Chicago’s “sanctuary” status and the tensions that exist between law enforcement and immigration officials. The Tribune says that Mayor Rahm Emanuel and other local lawmakers “have trumpeted Chicago’s status as a place that will welcome and shield those here illegally, including by not having the Chicago Police Department cooperate with ICE.” This means, the article says, “ICE agents will get limited if any cooperation from local authorities, including the Police Department and the Cook County sheriff’s office, which operates the jail” and that the number of detainer requests ICE has sent to the jail has “dropped precipitously.” However, the piece also notes “being a sanctuary city offers limited protection to unauthorized immigrants; Chicago can’t prevent immigration agents from raiding businesses in search of workers or detaining immigrants at their homes.” MIAMI JUDGE RULES HOLDING IMMIGRANTS FACING DEPORTATION IN JAILS UNCONSTITUTIONAL. The AP (3/3) reports that Circuit Judge Milton Hirsch in Miami on Friday “declared unconstitutional a recently-adopted policy favored by President Donald Trump that allows Miami-Dade County jails to hold immigrants who face deportation.” The policy was ordered by Miami￾Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez in the wake of Trump’s executive order on sanctuary cities. Hirsch ruled the “policy violates the 10th Amendment’s limits on federal power over states.” FOIA CBP 000934 DHS-17-0435-B-000231 A \/1 )IC A PVERSIGHT US ATTORNEY ACCUSING OREGON JUDGE OF HELPING CRIMINAL ALIEN ESCAPE ICE AGENTS. Breitbart (3/3, Huston, 2.02M) reports Judge Monica Heeranz, a “judicial referee” at Portland’s Multnomah County Courthouse, was recently “accused of interfering with the apprehension of an illegal alien who had appeared in her court on a drunk driving charge.” Breitbart says that US Attorney Billy Williams alleges “Heeranz helped Salazar escape ICE officers by allowing him to escape out of a door usually reserved for use by court officers and employees.” Salazar’s court-appointed attorney John Schlosser said, “I prepped my client. I said, ‘I don’t know if they’re going to pick you up outside or what, but here’s how to prepare.’” IMMIGRANTS ACCUSE PENNSYLVANIA DETENTION CENTER OF LENGTHY DETENTIONS. Anna Werner of the CBS Evening News (3/3, story 2, 2:40, Pelley, 11.17M) reported, “Dozens of women stood with their children at the fence line of this Berks County, Pennsylvania, detention center in August to protest” the facility’s treatment of undocumented immigrants. “They came from Central America seeking asylum, but were held here for months, their lawyers say, without explanation,” Werner added. A committee “asked ICE to provide copies of its detention policies,” but “the agency refused.” Berks “lost its state license a year ago” and “is awaiting a decision on its appeal.” IMMIGRANTS FEARING DEPORTATION SEEK GUARDIANS FOR THEIR US CITIZEN CHILDREN. Reuters (3/3, Cooke, Rosenberg) reports that a number of illegal immigrants who now worry about being deported under the Trump Administration are seeking to “secur[e] care for their children in the event they are expelled from the country.” The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA) said they have been receiving roughly “10 requests per day from parents who want to put in place temporary guardianships for their children, said spokesman Jorge-Mario Cabrera.” The National Lawyers Guild in Washington D.C. has also issued a call seeking “volunteer attorneys to help immigrants fill out forms granting friends or relatives the right to make legal and financial decisions in their absence.” New Jersey immigration attorney Helen Ramirez said, “Their biggest fear is that their kids will end up in foster care.” ARREST OF IMMIGRANT FATHER “ROILS” LOS ANGELES IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY. The Los Angeles Times (3/3, Castillo, 4.52M) reports 48-year-old immigrant Romulo Avelica-Gonzalez was arrested Tuesday morning by ICE agents “wearing jackets that said ‘POLICE’ on the back” while dropping his 12-year-old daughter off at school. The Times cites ICE officials as noting the “arrest was routine” and that Avelica-Gonzalez had been previously deported. The arrest, however, “has roiled the largely immigrant community north of downtown Los Angeles.” DREAMER ARRESTED BY ICE SAYS “I DON’T KNOW ANYTHING ELSE BESIDES BEING HERE.” The Wall Street Journal (3/3, Lazo, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) reports 22-year-old undocumented immigrant Daniela Vargas, whose arrest this week by ICE and forthcoming deportation has captured national attention, said on Friday “I don’t know anything else besides being here” and that she would “do anything for this country.” The Journal notes that her protected status under the DACA program had expired and that her deportation could come within a matter of weeks. In a statement, Vargas said, “I don’t understand why they don’t want me. I’m doing the best I can. I mean I can’t help that I was brought here but I don’t know anything else besides being here and I didn’t realize that until I was in a holding cell last night for 5 hours. ... I didn’t choose to be here. And when I was brought here, I had to learn a whole new country and leave behind the one that I did know. And I barely knew that one.” EL SALVADORAN NATIONAL DEPORTED FOR MINOR OFFENSE. In the CBS Evening News (3/3, lead story, 3:45, Pelley, 11.17M) lead story, Omar Villafranca reported on Jose Escobar, an El Salvadoran native and “father of two” who “has lived in the US for 16 years, had temporary permissions to stay, but missed an immigration hearing, and that temporary status was revoked.” Escobar was “detained and deported” two weeks ago, and his “case is the latest in a series of deportations, apparently involving people who committed minor offenses.” Villafranca added, “In a statement to CBS News, immigration officials say they are now focusing on people who pose a threat to the public,” but “are no longer providing exemptions, and anyone violating immigration law may be deported.” WPOST A1: MEXICO “BRACING” FOR INFLUX OF DEPORTEES UNDER TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. The Washington Post (3/3, Olivo, 11.43M) reports on its front-page that Mexico is FOIA CBP 000935 DHS-17-0435-B-000232 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT “bracing” for an influx of deportees in the wake of President Trump’s executive order expanding deportations. The Post says “their arrival ... promises to transform Mexican society in the same way their departure did.” Those being sent back include not only those with criminal records but also those without, totaling roughly 500 a day. Mexico City’s labor department secretary Amalia García said, “Many of these people come not knowing how to speak Spanish. ... They come feeling very bitter, very ashamed and very hurt.” Customs and Border Protection: JUDGE TENTATIVELY APPROVES $1 MILLION SETTLEMENT TO FAMILY OF MEXICAN MAN KILLED AT BORDER. The Los Angeles Times (3/3, Davis, 4.52M) reports that a Federal judge has tentatively approved a $1 million settlement payment to the five children “of a Mexican man who died after being beaten and shocked with a stun gun at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.” The man, 42-year-old Anastasio Hernandez Rojas “had lived and worked in the US illegally since he was a teen.” His wife, Maria Puga, said on Thursday, “This agreement is not justice. ... My husband’s life does not have a price. The decision had to be taken and it was difficult. We had to turn the page.” HUNDREDS OF COMPANIES EXPRESS INTEREST IN BUILDING TRUMP’S BORDER WALL. Bloomberg Politics (3/3, Cary O'Reilly,Thomas Black, 201K) report that more than 375 companies have indicated their interest to the Trump Administration to work on the border-wall project. The article says that the presolicitation notice posted to the Federal Business Opportunities website has resulted in responses “pour[ing] in from potential vendors around the world.” A formal solicitation may go out around March 6, which US Customs and Border Protection has said it would like. This early interest, the piece says, “shows the enthusiasm for capitalizing on President Donald Trump’s plan to build a ‘great, great’ wall, which he’d until recently repeatedly vowed to force Mexico to finance.” In Mexico, “the chairman of a Mexico’s largest cement company said he would ‘gladly’ consider bidding on the project,” the Washington Post (3/3, Schmidt, 11.43M) reports, despite the political resentment the wall project has garnered. Cemex chairman Rogelio Zambrano Lozano said that if asked, his company was provide a quote, but that a request has not come. A spokesman for the company said, “If one of our clients asks us to give prices on materials, we have the responsibility to provide it. ... but it doesn’t imply Cemex would participate in the project.” Transportation Security Administration: TSA LOOKING INTO NEW MORE INVASIVE SCREENING METHODS AT AIRPORTS. Bloomberg News (3/3, Bachman, 2.41M) reports that a Transportation Security Administration spokesman has said the agency is moving to using a new physical touching, or “pat-down,” approach to screening those in security lines. The piece says that airport security agents have long had multiple screening options, but those have been eliminated in favor of what the TSA “officially describes as a more ‘comprehensive’ physical screening.” Correspondent Kris Van Cleave of the CBS Evening News (3/3, story 8, 1:45, Pelley, 11.17M) also reported on new 3-D scanners the TSA is looking into. Coverage highlighted one of the companies developing the technology, Analogic. Van Cleave said, “The TSA plans to begin testing the technology in airports later this year. ... The manufacturer says the CT scanners give off the same amount of radiation as the systems already in use.” Federal Emergency Management Agency: WINTER WEATHER SEES RARE BIT OF “NORMAL.” The CBS Evening News (3/3, story 9, 1:30, Pelley, 11.17M) reported on what it calls a bit of “normal” winter weather in what has otherwise been a bizarre weather season. CBS’s Don Dahler said, “In a normal winter, Illinois is blanketed in snow, not batter[ed] by tornadoes.” He noted the lack of “measurable snowfall” in places like Chicago, saying, “This week, instead of shovels, it was volleyball on the beach. And so far, even one of Hawaii’s mountains has FOIA CBP 000936 DHS-17-0435-B-000233 A \/1 )IC A PVERSIGHT gotten more snow than Denver.” However, NBC Nightly News’s (3/3, story 8, 0:50, Holt, 16.61M) Al Roker reported “we’ve had multiple car accidents in Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania because of the snow and now we’ve got this arctic low coming out from Hudson Bay, Canada.” He noted a “30-degree temperature drop across a good portion of the northeast and mid-Atlantic” through the weekend, which “will l start to see moderation by the early to the beginning of next week.” OKLAHOMA WILDFIRES THREATEN HOMES, LIVESTOCK. ABC World News Tonight (3/3, story 14, 0:15, Muir, 14.63M) reported on mandatory evacuations in Oklahoma, with wildfires threatening “multiple homes and livestock.” Firefighters are now battling the blaze. US Citizenship and Immigration Services: DURBIN URGES TRUMP TO MOVE ON H-1B VISA REFORM BY END OF MONTH. Bloomberg News (3/3, Brustein, 2.41M) reports Sen. Richard Durbin is losing patience with the Trump Administration with respect to H-1B visa reform. Bloomberg notes that for the last decade, Durbin has advocated reform of the program, seeing it both as necessary for tech companies to hire the experts they need but also as “a boondoggle that outsourcers use to exploit foreign labor.” He wrote a letter to Trump on Friday “urging him to follow through on a promised crackdown before the end of the month.” The piece says “the urgency comes in part from a looming deadline,” which is the start of the H-1B visa lottery that takes place annually in April. Study Finds Dropping Unemployment Rates In States That Use E-Verify. Breitbart (3/3, McHugh, 2.02M) reports that a new study conducted by the Federation for American Immigration Reform shows that “employment rates dropped during the recession in states which adopted the E-Verify program to screen illegal aliens from jobs.” The report says that while many see E-Verify as a “barrier to employment opportunities,” findings actually show “that states requiring the use of E-Verify are leading recovery efforts following the worst global recession since World War II.” The study highlighted how most states that adopted the E-Verify system in 2008 “saw their unemployment rates drop, even when the national rate increased.” Pew Study Finds Latinos More Concerned With Economic Livelihood, Not Immigration. The Los Angeles Times (3/3, Etehad, 4.52M) reports on a Pew Research Center survey that was released this week, which was conducted prior to President Trump’s inauguration and which found that “improving the education system, defending the country from future terrorist attacks and strengthening the nation’s economy were the top issues for Latinos in the US.” The Times says that despite “the contentious debate over illegal immigration during and after the election,” an overarching concern among Latinos is improving economic livelihoods. The report says, “This pattern … has been fairly consistent for a number of years in Pew Research Center surveys.” EU PASSES NON-BINDING RESOLUTION INSTITUTING VISA REQUIREMENTS FOR AMERICANS. The New York Times (3/3, Kanter, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports the European Parliament on Thursday passed a non-binding resolution that would reintroduce visa requirements for American citizens. The Times says the resolution comes as part of a “long-running battle over the United States’ refusal to grant visa-free access to citizens of five European Union countries.” Moreover, the piece says that European lawmakers are “demanding [the] restrictions on American travelers unless the Trump administration lifts travel requirements for citizens of five countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Poland and Romania.” However, the Washington Post (3/3, Murphy, 11.43M) says the resolution “was seen as mostly an attention-grabbing stunt ahead of a June 15 meeting between European and American envoys.” The Post says that the European Parliament on its own “does not have the authority to change visa policies” and that “imposing visas for American travelers would likely touch off huge economic disruptions and could force a retaliatory move by the United States.” FOIA CBP 000937 DHS-17-0435-B-000234 A \/1 )IC A PVERSIGHT Immigration: TRUMP AN ADVOCATE FOR FAMILIES OF VICTIMS OF IMMIGRANT CRIME. The AP (3/3, Galvan) reports that the families of those who have been killed by immigrants illegally in the US “now have a forceful advocate at the highest level with President Donald Trump in the White House.” In his Tuesday address before a joint session of Congress, “Trump announced that he would create a new office to serve victims of immigrant crime and their relatives.” The AP notes the issue “played an outsized role in the race for the White House,” though the actual number of people killed by immigrants is “only a small fraction of the crimes committed daily around the country.” BGlobe Analysis: Trump Sends Mixed Messages On Immigration. A Boston Globe (3/3, Valencia, 1.08M) analysis says that when President Trump addressed a gathering of TV anchors this week, his comments “gave cautious hope to immigrants and their advocates” that he “could support a path to citizenship for thousands of immigrants now in the country illegally, a stark departure from his previous stances.” The Globe says, however, that those hopes were dashed “when Trump made no mention of that sentiment in his first address to Congress.” Center for Immigration Studies policy studies director Jessica Vaughan said, “He’s gone from ‘they all have to go,’ to ‘we’re going to focus on the people causing problems. ... I don’t think he’s lost the part that this needs to serve our national interest.” SOUTH ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES FEARFUL IN WAKE OF KANSAS SHOOTING. The New York Times (3/3, North, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports on the rise in violence and harassment targeting Americans of South Asian descent, who the Times says are often, correctly or not, perceived to be Muslim. The Times says that “South Asian Americans are the fastest growing demographic in the United States, according to SAALT,” but that “white supremacist groups are also on the rise, and many Americans of South Asian descent are frightened for their safety.” SAALT executive director Suman Raghunathan said, “This is yet another reminder for our communities that there is the perception that we do not have a place in this country.” Indian Athlete Initially Denied US Entry Under Travel Ban Charged With Sexual Assault Of Minor. The Washington Post (3/3, Gowen, 11.43M) reports 24-year-old Indian snowshoe champion Tanveer Hussain, who was denied entry into the US following the initial roll out of President Trump’s travel ban, has been “arrested and charged with felony sexual abuse and child welfare endangerment.” The family of a 12-year-old girl indicated an incident occurred on Monday following “the end of the three-day snowshoe competition, and reported it to local authorities.” Chief Charles A. Potthast Jr. said, “There was a moment when the two were alone, and that’s when the incident occurred,” which the girl noted to be a “passionate kiss” and being touched on top of her clothing. Secret Service: SECRET SERVICE AGENT PLEADS GUILTY TO SENDING SEXUAL IMAGES TO MINORS. The Washington Times (3/3, Blake, 272K) report 38-year-old former Secret Service agent Lee Robert Moore on Wednesday pleaded guilty to “one count of enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity and one count of attempting to transfer obscene images” for allegedly sending “sexually explicit messages to underage girls while guarding the White House during the Obama administration.” He is facing a life sentence. Prosecutors said Moore used the social media app Meet24 “to communicate with young girls while he worked checking IDs at the White House in 2015.” Terrorism Investigations: COMEY MEETS WITH JEWISH LEADERS TO DISCUSS WAVE OF BOMB THREATS. The Hill (3/3, Fabian, 1.25M) reports FBI Director Comey on Friday met with Jewish leaders in the wake of “threats against community institutions and the arrest of a man suspected of making some of them.” In a statement, the JCC Association of North America said, “The conversation encompassed the current situation and potential strategies for future collaboration.” The bureau said in a statement, “The FBI is committed to ensuring that people of all races and religions feel safe in their communities and places of FOIA CBP 000938 DHS-17-0435-B-000235 A \/1 )IC A PVERSIGHT worship.” Politico (3/3, Lima, 2.46M) reports the agency is calling the recent threats against Jewish community centers a “top priority.” FBI spokeswoman Susan McKee said, “Agents and analysts across the country are working to identify and stop those responsible.” Politico says the meeting comes amid “a surge in the number of threats in 2017,” including 31 called into 23 community centers and schools since the start of the year. Meanwhile, the Federal Communications Commission is also “granting an emergency temporary waiver to Jewish community centers and telecommunications carriers that serve them to help track down callers who have made threats,” Reuters (3/3, Shepardson) reports. FCC chairman Ajit Pai said, “This agency must and will do whatever it can to combat the recent wave of bomb threats against Jewish Community Centers.” Sen. Charles Schumer on Wednesday urged Pai to grant the waiver. AUTHORITIES ARREST MISSOURI MAN FOR MAKING BOMB THREATS AGAINST JEWISH CENTERS. ABC World News Tonight (3/3, story 7, 1:45, Muir, 14.63M) reported on the arrest of Juan Thomas, who is “accused of making eight bomb threats against Jewish community centers across the country.” Correspondent Gio Benitez said, “Tonight, investigators believe this man, Juan Thompson, is behind eight of them. Authorities warn this is just one arrest as they investigate 130 threats across the country.” Correspondent Pete Williams of NBC Nightly News (3/3, lead story, 2:30, Holt, 16.61M) added “For months, telephone bomb threats to Jewish centers and schools have alarmed the Jewish community. Now the FBI says this man, 31-year-old Juan Thompson of St. Louis, made eight of those threats, copycat calls, intended to get back at a woman who broke off a romantic relationship with him eight months ago.” The New York Times (3/3, Weiser, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) notes that Thomson made some of those threats in his own name and some in the name of his former girlfriend “in an attempt to intimidate her.” He is not thought to be behind the majority of the threats leveled at Jewish Centers across this country. He has been charged with one count of cyberstalking, the Wall Street Journal (3/3, Ramey, West, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) reports. In a statement, Manhattan US Attorney Preet Bharara said, “Today, we have charged Juan Thompson with allegedly stalking a former romantic interest by, among other things, making bomb threats in her name to Jewish community centers and to the Anti-Defamation League.” The Washington Post (3/3, Berman, Zapotosky, 11.43M) reports Thomson also worked as a reporter and was “fired last year for fabricating quotes.” His arrest, however, has not eased anxiety felt among Jewish groups, who “remain on edge about the threats that are still unsolved.” UN SECURITY COUNCIL CALLS ATTENTION TO TERRORISM, HUMANITARIAN CRISES IN AFRICA. The AP (3/3) reports the United Nations Security Council arrived in Cameroon on Friday for “meetings with top officials and an encounter with the multinational force fighting the Nigeria-based Boko Haram extremists.” The Council members are scheduled to visit Chad, Niger, and Nigeria as well. British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft told reporters the Council’s visit was intended to highlight the humanitarian crisis in Nigeria and Lake Chad region, and “show that this will no longer be a neglected crisis.” The UN previously called for $4 billion in aid to address the severe food shortages in Nigeria, South Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen. AL QAEDA-AFFILIATED NEWSPAPER PUBLISHES BANNON’S PICTURE ON COVER. The Washington Post (3/3, Erickson, 11.43M) reports al Qaeda-affiliated newspaper Al Masra featured Chief Strategist Bannon on its front page. In the accompanying article, Al Masra said Bannon believes “the forces of Islam cannot be stopped by peaceful means,” and he “lost confidence in secular Europe, and sees Muslim immigrants as partially responsible for the retreat of traditional Christian values.” The SITE Intelligence Group said the IS-affiliated al-Minbar Jihadi Media network also wrote, “Trump’s win of the FOIA CBP 000939 DHS-17-0435-B-000236 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT American presidency will bring hostility of Muslims against America as a result of his reckless actions, which show the overt and hidden hatred against them.” The Post says these descriptions of the Administration’s ideology are “how the terrorist group justifies its violence and its fundamentalist ideology,” and underscore how militants use President Trump’s rhetoric as “a useful propaganda and recruiting tool.” Middle East Media Research Institute’s Steve Stalinsky said the sentiments are nothing new, and terrorist sympathizers have always sought “to ignite the ground under America’s feet.” Cyber News: TECH EXPERTS WORRY CIO, CISO VACANCIES TO HURT US CYBERSECURITY INITIATIVES. The Christian Science Monitor (3/3, Lee, 387K) reports President Trump has yet to appoint a White House Chief Information Officer or Chief Information Security Officer, which “is worrying many cybersecurity and tech experts, including” former CIO Tony Scott. He told Passcode, “It’s kind of like stopping maintenance in the apartment you own. ... You can bring a lot of money to the bottom line if you stop spending. But if we instead replaced and ran modern platforms, if we invested in the right places, we can save up to half in maintenance – around $30 billion per year.” According to the Monitor, “The leadership vacuum makes it harder for the government to update IT infrastructure, which costs $85 billion per year to operate, putting the system at a greater risk and increases the likely hood of a successful breach, some experts say.” NSA’S TOP LAWYER CALLS FOR ONE AGENCY TO SPEARHEAD CYBERSECURITY EFFORTS. The Hill (3/3, Chalfant, 1.25M) reports the NSA’s lead lawyer, Glenn Gerstell, recently proposed “creating one federal agency to spearhead the government’s cybersecurity efforts.” The Hill says this agency would “be unified under one roof instead of dispersed across the departments of Defense, Homeland Security and other agencies.” Despite progress made in cybersecurity efforts under the Bush and Obama Administrations, he noted that “glaring gaps remain in our nation’s cybersecurity posture.” PENNSYLVANIA STATE DEMOCRATS HIT WITH CYBERATTACK. The Hill (3/3, Uchill, 1.25M) reports on a ransomware attack on Friday that shuttered the IT network of Pennsylvania state Democrats. A statement from the Democratic caucus said, “Officials from the caucus have been in contact with law enforcement to investigate the incident and are working with Microsoft to restore the IT system.” WSJOURNAL A1: AUTHORITIES CONFIRM CYBERATTACK AGAINST EMERGENCY RESPONSE SYSTEM. A more than 5,400-word Wall Street Journal (3/3, A1, Knutson, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) front-page analysis says on thousands of 911 calls that came into dozens of call centers from California to Texas to Florida on a Tuesday night last October. The Journal reports that for 12 hours, operators were overwhelmed by calls in what investigators are now confirming to have been a cyberattack to the country’s emergency response system. National Security News: UN-SPONSORED SYRIAN PEACE DISCUSSIONS END WITHOUT RESOLUTION. The Wall Street Journal (3/3, Abdulrahim, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) reports United Nations-sponsored Syrian peace talks in Geneva ended on Friday after more than a week of UN envoy Staffan de Mistura’s separate discussions with the Syrian government delegation and the opposition’s main delegation, the High Negotiations Committee. The talks ended with little progress made; opposition representatives reiterated their demand for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s removal, but the Syrian government delegation, led by Ambassador Bashar al-Jaafari, insisted that the agenda should focus on defeating terrorism. Russia Claims Major Role In Syrian Government’s Recapture Of Palmyra. Reuters (3/3, Andrew Osborn;) reports that on Friday, senior Russian Defense Ministry official Lt. Gen. Sergei Rudskoi told reporters in Moscow that Russian military advisers had planned and overseen the Syrian government’s successful recapture of the ancient city of Palmyra from ISIS. Rudskoi said more than a thousand militants were killed or wounded in the operation. Syrian antiquities chief Maamoun Abdulkarim told Reuters (3/3, Makieh, Francis) that a video of the FOIA CBP 000940 DHS-17-0435-B-000237 A \/1 )IC A PVERSIGHT UNESCO World Heritage site depicted less damage than archaeologists expected. “Really, our hearts had been overwhelmed with fear of a complete explosion of the theater,” Abdulkarim explained, but “The general situation is reassuring.” He said preliminary photographs and video footage revealed almost no further damage to the site. Russian Official Says Kremlin Welcomes Closer Cooperation With US. Bloomberg Politics (3/3, Meyer, 201K) reports Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said the Kremlin “would like to see an active U.S. role” in Syria, and acknowledged that the US “is one of the most important players here.” He added that Russia “strongly believes” Iran should play a larger role in the fight against terrorism and would welcome its involvement if President Trump agreed to cooperate with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad against ISIS. “If there will be any common ground for cooperation with the United States in bringing stability in Libya, of course we would be open to all contacts,” Gatilov also asserted. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated on Friday that there was “no movement” toward closer US-Russian cooperation against terrorism or on the issue of Syria. The Kremlin also indicated that Trump’s proposed $54 billion increase in defense spending was an internal US matter that did not concern Russia, unless that military buildup disrupted the current strategic balance of power, Reuters (3/3, Dyomkin) reports “Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peso told reporters on Friday.” RIVAL SYRIAN FORCES VIE FOR US ALLIANCE IN RAQQA. In what the AP (3/3, Mroue) calls “a dramatic reversal of years of the Obama administration’s calls for the ouster of President Bashar Assad,” President Trump “has hinted he might be willing to work with Assad’s army and Russia.” The Pentagon’s “secret plan” to recapture Raqqa, ISIS’ stronghold in Iraq, probably involves “local allies,” but “Syrians are sharply divided over who should enter Raqqa.” Assad’s forces, the Turkish military and its Syrian militia allies, and the US-supported SDF, which consists of Kurdish, Christian, and Arab fighters, “all have their eye on Raqqa” and each unit “vehemently rejects letting the others capture the city and would likely react in anger should the United States support the others.” Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim bluntly warned that SDF’s involvement in Raqqa would harm US-Turkish relations. Air Force Col. John Dorrian said the increased local support would “accelerate the campaign” against ISIS, and the decision to partner with a local unit remains “a subject of ongoing discussions.” TURKEY’S EFFORTS TO ENHANCE SYRIAN BORDER SECURITY YIELD SMUGGLING, ILLEGAL ENTRY DECLINES. Reuters (3/3, Pamuk) reports the Turkish army “is steadily sealing its frontier with Syria” and has fortified the 566-mile border, “helping to tighten the noose on Islamic State fighters as well as curbing Kurdish rebel groups.” According to infantry colonel Alparslan Kilinc, smuggling attempts have dropped from a peak high of 3,747 incidents in 2014 to only 77 in 2016, and illegal crossing attempts into Turkey have declined from more than 12,000 to 8,531 over the same period. Kilinc said the passage of foreign fighters is also “almost non-existent.” UN: NEARLY 30,000 WESTERN MOSUL RESIDENTS DISPLACED. The AP (3/3) reports Iraqi special forces recaptured the western Mosul district of Wadi Hajar from ISIS on Friday. The US-backed Iraqi operation launched almost two weeks ago and has thus far displaced about 28,400 people, according to United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric. Dujarric estimated that since the operation began, about 4,000 civilians have fled per day. “We think about 750,000 civilians are still trapped inside western Mosul, either sheltering from the fighting or waiting to flee,” Dujarric added. He also warned, “We’re deeply concerned with their well-being and safety and their access to vital resources.” Reuters (3/3, Chmaytelli, Coles) reports UN High Commissioner for Refugees spokesman Matthew Saltmarsh also commented, “We have noted a significant increase in displacement in last week,” and UNICEF emergency director Bastien Vigneau added that at least 100,000 children are among the total 191,000 Mosul residents displaced since October. The International Red Cross also claimed that within the last 48 hours, it treated five children and two women for burns and injuries caused by chemical agents exposure. TALIBAN OFFICIAL IDENTIFIES SENIOR COMMANDER KILLED IN SUSPECTED US DRONE STRIKE IN PAKISTAN. The AP (3/3, Gannon) reports a Taliban official confirmed on Friday that a FOIA CBP 000941 DHS-17-0435-B-000238 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT suspected US drone strike in the Khost region of Pakistan on Thursday killed Qari Abdullah, a top Haqqani network militant commander. Abdullah accompanied Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl in 2014 when he was turned over to US authorities. Earlier on Friday, Pakistani intelligence officials also claimed a suspected US drone strike killed two militants in the Khost tribal region. One Pakistani official also confirmed Abdullah’s identity. PAKISTAN’S ANTI-TERRORISM OPERATION CHALLENGED AS RACIAL PROFILING IN ETHNIC PASHTUN REGION. The Washington Post (3/3, Constable, Khan, 11.43M) reports Pakistan’s security forces have in the last month “launched a nationwide anti-terrorist operation” in response to “a spate of suicide bombings.” More than 100 suspected terrorists have been detained or killed in the operation. Last week, the military turned its attention to “suspected militant camps on both sides of the border, a rugged region inhabited by Pashtun tribes that has long served as a shelter and staging ground for Islamist militias fighting both the Afghan and Pakistani governments.” The ethnic Afghan Pashtun leaders, especially in the Punjab Province, expressed alarm over the harassment, and accused the security forces of using the operation to target their communities and detain “Pashto-speaking men for no reason.” TRUMP, MERKEL TO MEET IN MARCH. The AP (3/3, Pace) reports White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders announced President Trump will host German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Washington on Mar. 14. It is “the first in-person meeting between Trump and the German chancellor since the U.S. election.” Reuters (3/3, Holland) reports Trump and Merkel are expected to discuss “a wide range of issues, including the global economy, trade, the fight against Islamic State, NATO and ties with Russia and China.” The two leaders’ relationship had “a rocky start” because of “disagreements about trade, Trump’s travel ban and his comments about the media.” WPost: European Voters May Not Follow US In Support Of “Populist Insurgency.” The Washington Post (3/3, 11.43M) editorializes that President Trump’s election win elicited the question of “whether a version of his populist insurgency, and the similar anti-establishment fever that prompted Britain’s vote to leave the European Union, will spread to the Netherlands, France and Germany in elections scheduled for the coming months.” The Post says pre-election polling results suggest “such an outcome look real,” but says for now, “it is looking as if the reaction in Europe to Mr. Trump’s victory may be the consolidation of forces that oppose his radical assertion of national sovereignty over multilateralism, and economic nationalism over free trade.” TILLERSON WRITES INTRODUCTORY REMARKS FOR ANNUAL HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT. Secretary of State Tillerson on Friday did not present the State Department’s annual human rights report in what the Washington Post (3/3, Morello, 11.43M) describes as “a break with long-standing tradition only rarely breached.” Furthermore, no State Department official made “on-camera comments that are typically watched around the world, including by officials in authoritarian countries where abuses are singled out in the report.” Tillerson, in “a short written introduction to the report,” wrote, “The production of these reports underscores our commitment to freedom, democracy and the human rights guaranteed to all individuals around the world.” Members of Congress and human rights advocates criticized Tillerson’s absence from the presentation of the report, which differed “little from last year’s” and “largely reflects work produced during the Obama administration.” A senior Administration official, however, told the Post, “The report speaks for itself,” and the facts within it “should really be the story here.” The AP (3/3, Lederman) reports Tillerson has not “spoken about human rights publicly since taking office one month ago,” but according to a senior Administration official, Tillerson said during his Senate confirmation hearing that human rights would be a consideration in the Administration’s foreign policy. Human Rights Watch director Sarah Margon asserted, “Tillerson’s absence from the State Department’s annual human rights report release reinforces the message to governments, rights activists, and at-risk minorities that the State Department might also be silent on repression, abuse, and exploitation.” The AP notes the report pointed to the Philippines, Turkey, China, and Venezuela as four of the most concerning areas. Reuters (3/3, Torbati) also reports on Tillerson’s absence, and details that the report accused police and vigilantes in the Philippines of killing “more than 6,000 suspected drug dealers and users” since July. It FOIA CBP 000942 DHS-17-0435-B-000239 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT also warned the number of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines has “increased sharply” in 2016. The report also noted Russia has maintained its “authoritarian political system dominated by President Vladimir Putin.” Analysts Criticize Tillerson’s Lack of Visibility. The Los Angeles Times (3/3, Wilkinson, 4.52M) describes Tillerson as “like no other modern secretary” as he “has given no media interviews and has not held a single news conference.” The State Department is purportedly “facing deep budget cuts that could significantly curtail Tillerson’s ability to conduct the global diplomacy that is the backbone of U.S. foreign policy.” Former long-term US diplomat Aaron David Miller said Tillerson is heading an “incredibly shrinking State Department.” Miller warned, “A way has to be found to empower Tillerson,” or else world leaders will think “the secretary of State does not have a whole lot of weight.” In a Wednesday statement, Tillerson reiterated that the State Department “will continue to engage to advance U.S. interests in the world in cooperation with our partners and allies.” Analysts predicted Tillerson would ally himself with Defense Secretary Mattis and Homeland Security Secretary Kelly, but Tillerson has instead “faded from view on his debut trim to a G-20 ministerial meeting in Bonn, Germany.” Bloomberg Suggests Tillerson’s Actions Signal “Dangerous Shift” In US Foreign Policy. In an editorial, Bloomberg View (3/3, 125K) warns Secretary of State Tillerson’s decision not to present the State Department’s annual human rights report “is a is a small but telling sign of a more profound and dangerous shift: President Donald Trump’s apathy for the values that have long fortified U.S. power and influence.” Bloomberg says “this is a fragile moment, for both the administration and the liberal democratic order more generally,” and even though President Trump is facing some of the same challenges faced by any president, many of those challenges “are of his own making.” Bloomberg stresses that “what Americans need most right now are honesty and reassurance,” but “neither the president nor his secretary of state seem very interested in providing them.” FEINSTEIN REJECTS PROPOSED “LIMITED USE” NUCLEAR WEAPONS. In an op-ed for the Washington Post (3/3, Feinstein, 11.43M), Sen. Dianne Feinstein admonishes the idea of “limited use” nuclear weapons, and calls the Pentagon’s Defense Science Board’s promotion of their development “absolutely unacceptable.” Feinstein says the advisory committee’s recommendation “is even more problematic given President Trump’s comments in support of a nuclear arms race.” Feinstein also labels as “a wrongheaded position” the committee’s suggestion that “we should consider resuming nuclear testing to have confidence in our nuclear deterrent” because such an approach “would only encourage others to follow suit” and render the world “far less safe.” Feinstein concludes, “This latest proposal may lower the threshold for using nuclear weapons,” and says Defense Secretary Mattis “would be wise to reject it.” HUMAN RIGHTS EXPERT EXPRESSES ALARM OVER TRUMP’S POSITION ON TORTURE. The AP (3/3) reports British lawyer and United Nations special rapporteur on human rights Ben Emmerson told the Human Rights Council on Friday that he was alarmed by President Trump’s position on torture. Emmerson said he heard Trump “extolling the virtues of torture as a weapon in the fight against terrorism,” and that Trump’s support of the use of torture made his “blood run cold.” Reuters (3/3, Nebehay) reports Emmerson warned Trump’s approval of torture “is a state of affairs which lays down the gauntlet, it lays down a precedent” for other nations to follow. “If one of the most powerful nations in the world, a permanent member of the Security Council, is once again prepared to abandon our collective values on the pretext of defending them, then one is left to wonder whether anything at all has been achieved in the last 15 years,” Emmerson added. Emmerson also denounced Trump’s remarks as evidence of his “staggering level of ill-preparedness to govern.” Reuters notes Trump said in January that he “absolutely” felt that water boarding was a useful intelligence-gathering tool but would defer the decision to Defense Secretary Mattis. NYTimes: Trump’s Rhetoric Has Global Consequences. In an editorial, the New York Times (3/3, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) highlights efforts by Cambodian, Russian, and Turkish governments “to crack down on foreign news organizations,” and writes that “America’s self-imposed role as an arbiter of global behavior, however irritating or hypocritical it may sometimes be, has served as a check on autocrats and nationalists and has provided authority for their opponents.” Furthermore, “European FOIA CBP 000943 DHS-17-0435-B-000240 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT nationalists like France’s Marine Le Pen, the Netherlands’ Geert Wilders, Britain’s Nigel Farage and Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban have found encouragement” in President Trump’s anti-immigration rhetoric. The Times cautions that Trump “should know” his critical words about immigrants and the press play “not only to Americans but also to a world that takes his words very seriously.” Cohen: Trump’s Actions Conflict With Oath To Defend Constitution. In his column for the New York Times (3/3, Cohen, Subscription Publication, 13.9M), Roger Cohen highlights various incidents that he describes as President Trump’s contempt and warns that “there is a deeper contempt, even more treacherous. It is for the Constitution.” Cohen writes that “Trump has attacked the freedom of the press enshrined in the First Amendment, and the independence of the judiciary,” and adds that Trump’s “reckless travel ban raised issues of due process and religious discrimination.” Cohen says this particular contempt “was signaled in his inaugural speech when Trump” took an oath to defend the Constitution. The author self-identifies as a naturalized citizen who took an oath to support and defend the Constitution and concludes that his column about Trump’s contempt is, “in a way, to fulfillment of that oath.” BRITISH PRIME MINISTER CRITICIZES CALL FOR SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE REFERENDUM. The Wall Street Journal (3/3, Gross, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) reports British Prime Minister Theresa May, in a speech to Scotland’s Conservative Party members on Friday, criticized the Scottish National Party-led government’s renewed calls for independence as “tunnel-vision nationalism” that “sells Scotland short.” Scotland’s leader, Nicola Sturgeon, accused May of refusing to discuss proposed European Union exit negotiations with Scottish officials; meanwhile, a spokesman for May reiterated the prime minister’s disapproval of an independence referendum. Former British PM Blair Urges Center-Progressives To Unite Against Populism. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, in an op-ed for the New York Times (3/3, Blair, Subscription Publication, 13.9M), describes “rightist populism” movement in both the US and Europe as having “partly economic, but mainly cultural” origins, unlike in the 1980s, when “working-class voters moved to the right because they felt that the left didn’t satisfy their aspirations for self-improvement.” Today’s populist movement, suggests Blair, “is not to reason but to roar,” and because “supporters welcome the outrage their leaders provoke,” it has polarized the public. “Meanwhile, traditional conservatives feel like strangers in their own land,” and these “same dynamics are splintering the left, too.” Blair urges progressives on both the right and the left to “reach across the party divide, making a virtue of nonpartisanship,” because if liberal democracy is “to survive and thrive, we must build a new coalition that is popular, not populist.” POLL SUGGESTS MACRON WOULD LEAD FIRST ROUND OF FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS. Reuters (3/3, Thomas) reports a pre-election Odoxa poll suggested former French economy minister Emmanuel Macron would lead the first round of France’s presidential election with 27 percent of the vote, followed by far-right candidate Marine Le Pen with 25.5 percent of the vote and conservative Francois Fillon with 19 percent. If Fillon withdrew, conservative Alain Juppe would, it he ran, lead the first round with 26.5 percent of the vote. Bloomberg Politics (3/4, Amiel, Viscusi, 201K) reports Fillon is currently under investigation by prosecutors, and he could face charges of embezzlement as early as Mar. 15. Fillon described the judges’ motivation as a “political assassination” and has vowed not to withdraw his candidacy. His remaining loyalists, led by senator Bruno Retailleau, urged supporters to gather at a rally at the Eiffel Tower on Monday “to show he’s still a force in the 2017 election” and dispel calls for his withdrawal in favor of Juppe, his former rival. Meanwhile, Le Pen’s attorneys told Reuters (3/3, Bon) she refused to attend a summons related to allegations of her misuse of European Union funds. One of her lawyers, Marcel Ceccaldi, cited Le Pen’s parliamentary immunity and stated, “Of course she won’t go.” TWICE-POISONED RUSSIAN OPPOSITION ACTIVIST HAS “NO DOUBT” OF PUTIN’S INVOLVEMENT. In an exclusive interview with NBC Nightly News’ (3/3, story 6, 2:45, Holt, 16.61M) Richard Engel, Russian opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza said he believes he was poisoned twice in the last two years “by people with at least with connections to the Russian special services” because of his “involvement in the Russian opposition.” In the latest incident, Kara-Murza explained, “It was about FOIA CBP 000944 DHS-17-0435-B-000241 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT 5:00 in the morning and I woke up because my heart was racing. My heartbeat was just getting faster and faster.” He asserted, “There seems to be an extremely high mortality rate of among independent journalists and political opponents of Vladimir Putin in the last 17 years. There’s no doubt.” Kara-Murza also urged “our colleagues and our political leaders in western democracies, including the United States,” against helping Putin. US MILITARY CONDUCTS AIR EXERCISES OVER SOUTH CHINA SEA. Reuters (3/3, Mogato) reports about 30 F-18 fighter jets, helicopters, and other aircraft launched from the USS Carl Vinson in “a dramatic display of American power in the hotly contested South China Sea” on Friday. The USS Carl Vinson has patrolled the South China Sea since Feb. 19, highlighting “some confusion” about the US military’s “staying power in the region under a Trump administration with policies skewed heavily towards a domestic agenda.” The strike group’s commander, Rear Adm. James Kilby, explained to reporters that the US’ South China Sea drills are intended “to reassure our friends and allies and our belief in the freedom of navigation and security operations that we always conducted.” Yet, “China has been guarded in its response to the latest U.S. mission,” and comments by Secretary of State Tillerson and Administration officials have caused “alarm.” Notably, Tillerson “suggested during his Senate hearing that China be blocked from accessing the islands it has built and fortified with surface-to-air missiles.” Chinese State-Run Newspapers Criticize Western News’ Coverage Of Detained Lawyer. The New York Times (3/3, Hernández, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports the ruling Communist Party’s flagship newspaper, People’s Daily, criticized Western media coverage of Chinese lawyer Xie Yang, who accused Chinese interrogators of torturing him. On Thursday, the Chinese news outlet Xinhua also accused legal activists of using the press to “smear the Chinese government.” Adopting President Trump’s phrase, Xinhua said Western outlets’ “stories were essentially fake news.” It also wrote, “Investigations by reporters and an investigative team have showed that the accusations were nothing but cleverly orchestrated lies.” On Friday, Chen Jiangang, one of Xie’s attorneys, denied Xinhua’s accusations and reiterated Xie’s account of the torture he endured. SOUTH KOREA ACCUSES CHINA OF RETALIATING AGAINST DEFENSE SYSTEM. On Thursday, the South Korean conglomerate Lotte Group approved of a land swap that will enable one of its golf courses to be used for the deployment of the US-built Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, System; later that day, the Lotte Group’s duty-free shopping website was targeted in a denial-of-service attack, the Wall Street Journal (3/3, Cheng, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) reports. On Friday, South Korean semi-official media outlet Yonhap News Agency accused the Chinese government of calling on its travel agencies to refrain from selling South Korean tour packages, prompting suspicions that Beijing ordered the cyber attack against the Lotte Group to retaliate against the defense system. MALAYSIAN POLICE ISSUE ARREST WARRANT FOR NORTH KOREAN SUSPECTED IN KIM JONG NAM’S ASSASSINATION. The Wall Street Journal (3/3, Otto, Ngui, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) reports Malaysian police on Friday issued an arrest warrant for 37-year-old North Korean airline employee Kim Uk II, identified as a suspect in the Feb. 13 assassination of Kim Jong Nam. Earlier on Friday, Malaysian authorities released another North Korean, Ri Jong Chol, because of insufficient evidence to detain him beyond the maximum two-week period. FORMER NBA PLAYER DENNIS RODMAN ATTENDS USMA PANEL ON NORTH KOREA. The Los Angeles Times (3/3, Demick, 4.52M) reports former NBA player Dennis Rodman, “at an unusual panel held Friday at the United States Military Academy at West Point,” discussed his numerous visits to North Korea and with its leader, Kim Jong Un. “It is hard to imagine a more improbable guest at West Point than” Rodman, writes the Times, “But Rodman has probably spent more time with Kim Jong Un than any other American, making his North Korea experiences of keen public interest.” According to West Point’s Modern War Institute director, Liam Collins, Rodman was open to the idea of serving as a US-North Korean emissary in a manner similar to the “Ping-Pong diplomacy” that reinstated US-Chinese relations. Rodman was purportedly noncommittal on the idea of returning to North Korea, but he “hinted at the possibility of communication between the countries” and repeatedly claimed the Kim is fond of President Trump. INDIAN GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES TO MEET WITH DALAI LAMA IN DISPUTED REGION. FOIA CBP 000945 DHS-17-0435-B-000242 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT Reuters (3/3, Miglani, Wilkes) reports Indian officials said government representatives will meet with the Dalai Lama during his April religious trip to Arunachel Pradesh, which China claims as its “South Tibet” state. On Friday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry warned that the meeting would severely damage Chinese￾Indian relations, and cautioned the representatives against encouraging anti-China activities in the area. Reuters suggests Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision “to go ahead at a time of strained relations signals Modi’s readiness to use diplomatic tools at a time when China’s economic and political clout across South Asia is growing.” Furthermore, it could also signal Modi’s increasingly assertive foreign policy. India has hosted the Dalai Lama since 1959, which “has long irritated Beijing,” but for the first time the Dalai Lama’s visit will involve Indian government ministers. LIBYAN MILITIAS SEIZE TWO OIL TERMINALS. Libya’s spokesman for the 101 Brigade, Faisal al￾Zwei, told the AP (3/3, Musa) that approximately 1,000 militiamen in 200 armed vehicles clashed with Gen. Khalifa Hifter’s army over the al-Sidra and Ras Lanuf oil terminals on Friday. At least nine soldiers died in the clashes, and Hifter’s army was forced to retreat. The militias consisted of the Benghazi Defense Brigades, which are comprised of IS militants and former Libyan rebels, and militiamen from the western Libyan city of Misrata. Reuters (3/3, Al-Warfalli) reports the assault occurred just seven months after the Libyan National Army captured and reopened the terminals. The seizure “risks increasing the fighting around the ports and casts new doubt over Libya’s attempt to revive its oil production.” STATE DEPARTMENT’S ANNUAL NARCOTICS REPORT RECOGNIZES CUBA’S EFFORTS AGAINST DRUG SMUGGLING. The Miami Herald (3/3, Whitefield, 856K) reports the State Department, in its annual narcotics control report to Congress on Friday, wrote, “Cuba’s intensive security presence and interdiction efforts have kept supply down and prevented traffickers from establishing a foothold,” and “Cuba concentrates supply reduction efforts by preventing smuggling through territorial waters, rapidly collecting wash-ups, and conducting thorough airport searches.” On issues of money laundering and financial crimes, the report added, “The government-controlled banking sector, low internet and cell phone usage rates, and lack of government and legal transparency render Cuba an unattractive location for money laundering through financial institutions.” Despite the low risk of money laundering in Cuba, the report identified numerous “strategic deficiencies” in Cuba’s anti-money laundering efforts. It recommended transparency increases in Cuba’s financial sector and criminal justice system. ECUADORIAN PRESIDENTIAL FRONT-RUNNER PLEDGES TO EVICT ASSANGE. In an email exchange with the Miami Herald (3/3, Wyss, 856K), Ecuador’s front-running presidential candidate, Guillermo Lasso, said if he was elected, “We will ask Mr. [Julian] Assange, very politely, to leave our embassy, in absolute compliance with international conventions and protocols.” Lasso also vowed “to take all the steps necessary so that another embassy will take him in and protect his rights.” When questioned on whether Assange used WikiLeaks “in Ecuador’s razor-tight, first-round vote on Feb. 19, Lasso refused to speculate.” In a separate article, the Miami Herald (3/3, Wyss, 856K) reports that in the first round voting, “Lasso barely survived” against ruling party candidate Lenin Moreno, but recent polling shows Lasso leading with 52 percent of the vote, while Moreno has 48 percent. Lasso is a former banker and, “in a country that still demonizes bankers,” he “has struggled to win the hearts of those who were hurt by the crisis, particularly emigrants.” Lasso told the Herald in the email exchange that “government propaganda has tried to tie me to the banking crisis,” even though an investigation into the nation’s financial crisis in 1999 revealed “the true culprits,” including officials under current President Rafael Correa. The Herald notes Moreno is Correa’s chosen successor. To keep the email to a manageable size, the national news summary is available on the website. FOIA CBP 000946 DHS-17-0435-B-000243 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT Copyright 2017 by Bulletin Intelligence LLC Reproduction or redistribution without permission prohibited. Content is drawn from thousands of newspapers, national magazines, national and local television programs, radio broadcasts, social-media platforms and additional forms of open-source data. Sources for Bulletin Intelligence audience-size estimates include Scarborough, GfK MRI, comScore, Nielsen, and the Audit Bureau of Circulation. Services that include Twitter data are governed by Twitters’ terms of use. Services that include Factiva content are governed by Factiva’s terms of use. The DHS News Briefing is published seven days a week by Bulletin Intelligence, which creates custom briefings for government and corporate leaders. We can be found on the Web at BulletinIntelligence.com, or called at (703) 483-6100. FOIA CBP 000947 DHS-17-0435-B-000244 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT THE HOMELAND SECURITY NEWS CLIPS PREPARED FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY BY BULLETIN INTELLIGENCE WWW.BULLETININTELLIGENCE.COM/DHS TO: THE SECRETARY AND SENIOR STAFF DATE: SATURDAY, MARCH 4, 2017 7:00 AM EST TODAY’S EDITION Leading DHS News Trump Renews Praise For Canada’s ‘Merit’ Immigration System (USAT).................................................................................. 4 Exclusive: Trump Administration Considering Separating Women, Children At U.S.-Mexico Border (REU)................. 5 Why Evangelicals Are Trump’s Strongest Travel-ban Supporters (CSM)................................................................. 5 A ‘Sanctuary City’ Seizes The Moment, And The Name (NYT) ... 7 Immigration and Customs Enforcement How Chicago Sanctuary Status Fends Off ICE Agents As Trump Pushes Deportations (CHIT) .................................... 8 Judge: Miami-Dade Deportation Policy Is Unconstitutional (AP) 11 Oregon Judge Who Allegedly Aided Illegal Alien Criminal Escape ICE Agents Exposed (BREITBART)..................... 11 Parents Fearing Deportation Pick Guardians For U.S. Children (REU).................................................................................. 12 Immigrant Arrested By ICE While Dropping Daughter Off At School, Sending Shockwaves Through Neighborhood (LAT)................................................................................... 12 Illegal Immigrant’s Plea: ‘I Don’t Know Anything Else Besides Being Here’ (WSJ).............................................................. 13 Mexico Prepares To Absorb A Wave Of Deportees In The Trump Era (WP) ................................................................. 13 Customs and Border Protection Judge OKs $1-million Settlement In Border Death Case (LAT) . 15 Hundreds Of Companies Raise Their Hands To Build Trump’s Border Wall (BLOOMPOL)................................................. 16 Mexican Cement Company Draws Criticism For Saying It Would ‘gladly’ Bid On Trump’s Border Wall (WP)......................... 17 Transportation Security Administration U.S. Airport Pat-Downs Are About To Get More Invasive (BLOOM) ............................................................................ 18 US Citizenship and Immigration Services A Major Proponent Of H-1B Visa Reform Loses Patience With Trump (BLOOM)................................................................. 19 Study: Fewer Jobless In States Where Employers Must Screen Illegals From Job Interviews (BREITBART)....................... 20 For All The Sound And Fury Over Illegal Immigration, It’s Not A Top Concern For Most Latinos, Survey Finds (LAT)......... 21 What We Know About Illegal Immigration From Mexico (PEWRES).......................................................................... 22 E.U. Lawmakers Call For End To Visa-Free Travel For Americans (NYT)................................................................ 23 European Lawmakers Threaten Visa Rules For Americans In Spat Over Travel Policies (WP) ......................................... 23 Immigration Victims Of Immigrant Crime Now Have Advocate In White House (AP) ......................................................................... 24 Mixed Messages From Trump On Immigration (BOSGLOBE)... 25 After Kansas Shooting, A Community In Fear (NYT) ................. 26 Indian Athlete Who Got High-Level Help For U.S. Visa Now Accused Of Sexual Assault (WP)....................................... 27 Secret Service Former Secret Service Agent Pleads Guilty To Sexting With Minors (WT)........................................................................ 28 Terrorism Investigations FBI Head Discusses Bomb Threats With Jewish Groups (HILL)28 Comey Meets With Jewish Community Leaders To Discuss Threats (POLITICO)........................................................... 29 FCC Approves Waivers To Track Jewish Center Threats (REU)29 St. Louis Man Charged With Making Bomb Threats Against Jewish Sites (NYT)............................................................. 30 Man Arrested In Threats Against Jewish Institutions (WSJ)....... 30 Former Journalist Arrested, Charged With Threats Against Jewish Facilities (WP) ........................................................ 30 UN Security Council Begins Africa Trip Focused On Boko Haram (AP)......................................................................... 32 Al-Qaeda Likes Steve Bannon So Much, They Put Him On The Cover Of Their Official Newspaper (WP)........................... 33 Cyber News White House Tech Vacancies May Threaten Cybersecurity Advances (CSM) ................................................................ 34 NSA Lawyer Advocates For One Agency To Handle Cyber (HILL).................................................................................. 35 Cyberattack Hits Democrats In Pennsylvania State Senate (HILL).................................................................................. 36 The Night Zombie Smartphones Took Down 911 (WSJ) ........... 36 FOIA CBP 000948 DHS-17-0435-B-000245 2 National Security News Syria Peace Talks End With Little Progress (WSJ) .................... 36 Russia Says Its Military Advisers, Special Forces Behind Palmyra Recapture (REU).................................................. 36 Less Damage To Ancient Palmyra Than Feared, Syrian Antiquities Chief Says (REU) ............................................. 36 Russia Urges Trump To Help Fix Syria, Libya Crises Amid Setbacks (BLOOMPOL)..................................................... 36 Kremlin Says U.S. Military Boost Should Not Disrupt Balance Of Power (REU)....................................................................... 37 Rivals In Syria Race To Assault Militants’ ‘Capital’ Raqqa (AP) . 37 Walls, Drones And Mines: Turkey Tightens Border As Syria Incursion Deepens (REU) .................................................. 38 Thousands Flee Iraq’s Mosul Overnight, As Fighting Rages On (AP)..................................................................................... 38 Mosul Victims Treated For Chemical Agents As Displacement Accelerates (REU).............................................................. 39 Taliban Say Senior Commander Dies In Suspected US Strike (AP)..................................................................................... 39 Pakistan Targets Afghan Pashtuns And Refugees In Anti￾Terrorism Crackdown (WP)................................................ 40 Trump To Host Germany’s Merkel At The White House (AP).... 41 Germany’s Merkel To Visit Washington March 14 (REU) .......... 41 Trumpism May Fall In Europe (WP)............................................ 41 Rex Tillerson Skips State Department’s Annual Announcement On Human Rights, Alarming Advocates (WP)................... 42 US Says Free Expression, Association On Decline Worldwide (AP)..................................................................................... 43 U.S. State Department Criticized Over Quiet Release Of Human Rights Report (REU)........................................................... 44 Secretary Of State Rex Tillerson Largely Disappears In The Trump Cabinet (LAT).......................................................... 44 Rex Tillerson: Show Up For Human Rights (BLV)...................... 46 There’s No Such Thing As ‘Limited’ Nuclear War (WP) ............. 46 United Nations Expert Slams Trump Over Stance On Torture (AP)..................................................................................... 47 Trump Torture Remarks ‘Lay Down Gauntlet’ For Other States: U.N. Expert (REU).............................................................. 47 Autocrats See A Green Light (NYT)............................................ 47 Trump’s Many Shades Of Contempt (NYT)................................ 48 British Leader Theresa May Talks Down Scotland’s Exit As Brexit Looms (WSJ)............................................................ 49 Against Populism, The Center Must Hold (NYT) ........................ 49 France’s Macron Moves Into First Round Lead In Presidential Vote: Poll (REU) ................................................................. 50 A Rally At The Eiffel Tower May Be Fillon’s Last Stand As Key Allies Flee (BLOOMPOL)................................................... 50 France’s Le Pen Refused To Be Questioned By Judges In EU Jobs Affair: Lawyer (REU).................................................. 51 U.S. Carrier Puts On Show Of ‘Commitment’, Not Power, In South China Sea (REU) ..................................................... 51 China’s Response To Reports Of Torture: ‘Fake News’ (NYT).. 51 South Korean Jitters Grow Over Chinese Retaliation For Antimissile Array (WSJ)...................................................... 52 Arrest Warrant Issued For Employee Of North Korea’s Air Koryo In Kim Jong Nam Case (WSJ) ........................................... 52 Want To Know About North Korea? Dennis Rodman Shares His Thoughts At West Point (LAT) ........................................... 52 India To Host Dalai Lama In Disputed Territory, Defying China (REU).................................................................................. 53 Libyan Militias Seize Control Of Major Oil Terminals (AP) ......... 53 Armed Faction Enters Major Libyan Oil Ports, Putting Output At Risk (REU).......................................................................... 53 U.S., Cuba Have Increased Cooperation On Fighting Illicit Drug Trafficking (MH).................................................................. 54 Ecuador Frontrunner Offers Glimmer Of Hope For WikiLeaks’ Assange (MH)..................................................................... 54 Lasso Takes Lead In Ecuador Race, Talks Fraud Fears And Exiles (MH) ......................................................................... 55 National News Trump, Hitting Back, Accuses Schumer Of Putin Ties (AP)....... 56 Trump Trolls Pelosi On Russia Photo Mishap (POLITICO)........ 57 President Trump Demands Investigation After Nancy Pelosi Lies About 2010 Meeting With Russian Ambassador (BREITBART)..................................................................... 58 Trump Mocks Schumer For Eating Doughnuts With Putin (POLITICO)......................................................................... 58 Trump Tweets Photo Of Schumer, Putin Eating Doughnuts Together: ‘Total Hypocrite’ (WT)........................................ 59 Donald Trump’s Attempt To Shift Russia Focus To Chuck Schumer Is More Than A Little Desperate (HUFFPOST) . 59 Schumer Responds To Trump: I’ll Talk About My Putin Meeting, Will You? (HILL).................................................................. 60 Pelosi Slams Trump’s Call For ‘Investigation’ Into 2010 Russia Meeting (HILL).................................................................... 60 Leaks From Obama Loyalists ‘Dangerous Politicization Of Intelligence’ (BREITBART)................................................. 61 Senate Judiciary Committee Won’t Recall Attorney General Jeff Sessions (USAT)................................................................ 63 Majority Rule Means The Power To Stop, Not Just Start, An Investigation (NYT)............................................................. 64 Pressure Mounts On GOP Leaders To Back Special Counsel (HILL).................................................................................. 65 Senate Dems Request DOJ Watchdog Probe Sessions Recusal (HILL).................................................................................. 66 Schiff: Sessions’ Explanations On Russia Meetings ‘Not Credible’ (POLITICO)......................................................... 67 Democrats Criticize James Comey Over Russian Hacking Probe (WSJ) ....................................................................... 67 Next In Line To Lead Russia Probe: Rosenstein Has Respect (AP)..................................................................................... 67 With Sessions’s Recusal, Official Poised To Oversee Probe Into Russian Interference In 2016 Race (WP).......................... 68 Russia Investigations A ‘Witch Hunt’? Not According To Polls (POLITICO)......................................................................... 69 The Web Of Relationships Between Team Trump And Russia (WP).................................................................................... 70 Trump, Russia, And The Seriousness Of Smoke (CSM) ........... 71 FOIA CBP 000949 DHS-17-0435-B-000246 3 Despite Early Denials, Growing List Of Trump Camp Contacts With Russians Haunts White House (WP)......................... 72 Trump Defiant As New Russia Ties Emerge (AFP).................... 74 Three Trump Associates Who Changed Their Story On Russia (NYT) .................................................................................. 75 Trump Team’s Links To Russia Crisscross In Washington (NYT) .................................................................................. 76 Moscow Blames Anti-Russian Hysteria For Sessions’s Plight (WP).................................................................................... 77 U.S. Tensions Over Ambassador Meetings Harm Detente Effort, Russia Warns (BLOOMPOL) .................................. 78 Russia: Furor Over Sessions Meetings With Ambassador ‘A Witch Hunt’ (USAT) ............................................................ 79 Russia Says US Infighting On Sessions Hampers Mending Ties (AP)..................................................................................... 79 Russians Disheartened By Trump As His Love Affair With Putin Fizzles (USAT).................................................................... 80 Democratic Senator Calls On Sessions To Testify Over Russia Contacts (REU) .................................................................. 81 Everything You Need To Know About Trump And Russia (WP) 81 China Was Bill Clinton’s Russia (WSJ)....................................... 82 What To Do With Jeff Sessions (NYT)........................................ 82 Jeff Sessions Violated His Oath (NYT) ....................................... 83 Federal Prosecutors Have Brought Charges In Cases Far Less Serious Than Sessions’s (WP) .......................................... 84 Time For A Special Counsel In The Russiagate Scandal (PMZ) 85 Trump Blasts Military Sequester In Weekly Address (HILL)....... 86 Trump Wants $54 Billion More For Defense. The Military Isn’t Sure What That Means. (LAT) ........................................... 87 Perez Trolls Trump On Russia (HILL)......................................... 88 5 Charged In Scheme To Overcharge US For Humvee Parts (AP)..................................................................................... 88 Trump’s Defense Buildup (WSJ)................................................. 89 Officials: Tillerson Eyes State Dept Budget Cut Over 3 Years (AP)..................................................................................... 89 UN Humanitarian Chief: US ‘Very Ready To Donate’ Under Trump (AP) ......................................................................... 90 Trump’s Cuts Would Cripple The Country’s Diplomats When We Need Them Most (WP)................................................ 90 New Interior Secretary ‘Not Happy’ About Budget Proposal (HILL).................................................................................. 91 White House Proposes Steep Budget Cut To Leading Climate Science Agency (WP) ........................................................ 92 Environmental Programs Face Deep Cuts Under Budget Proposal (AP) ..................................................................... 93 Immigration Judges Exempt From Trump’s Federal Hiring Freeze (REU)...................................................................... 94 Mattis Asks Former U.S. Ambassador Anne Patterson To Take A Top Job At The Pentagon (WP)...................................... 94 Wilbur Ross: Border-adjustment Tax A ‘powerful Mechanism’ To Balance Budget (WT).................................................... 95 Mexican Peso Surges After Comments From Wilbur Ross (BLOOM) ............................................................................ 95 White House Fight On Import Tax Puts Congress In Limbo (WP).................................................................................... 96 Senate Dem: Border-adjustment Proposal Would Be A ‘Gut Punch’ For Working Families (HILL).................................. 97 Will The Grand Republican Tax Plan Work? (WP)..................... 98 For 3 Indiana Brothers, ‘America First’ Cuts 2 Ways (NYT) ....... 98 NAFTA Needs To Be Modernized: Mexican Economy Minister (REU)................................................................................ 100 Mexico’s Economy Secretary Opposes Trump Push For Tariffs (AP)................................................................................... 100 ‘Frankenstein’ U.S. Border Tax Will Hurt Consumers, Canada Warns (BLOOMPOL) ....................................................... 100 EU Awaits ‘Solid Outline’ Of Trump Trade Goals With Europe (AP)................................................................................... 101 U.S. Finds China Steel Plate Imports Injure U.S. Industry (REU)102 China Shifts Stance, Letting Dying Firms Go Bankrupt (WSJ) . 102 In A China Trade War, U.S. Meat Looks Like Dog Food (BLOOM) .......................................................................... 102 Sessions Talks Voting Rights, Police Misconduct With NAACP (HILL)................................................................................ 102 N.A.A.C.P. President Has Candid Talk With Sessions About Civil Rights (NYT)............................................................. 103 How Gorsuch The Clerk Met Kennedy The Justice: A Tale Of Luck (NYT)........................................................................ 103 Law Restricting Protests During Supreme Court Proceedings Is Upheld (WP) ..................................................................... 105 State Lawmakers Respond To Engaged Citizens — By Trying To Shut Them Up (WP).................................................... 106 The Mob At Middlebury (WSJ) .................................................. 106 UN Official: Tribe Not Properly Heard In Pipeline Dispute (AP)106 U.N. Human Rights Official Criticizes Federal Relationship With Indian Tribes (WP)............................................................ 107 Oklahoma Native American Tribe Sues Energy Companies For Quake Damage (REU) ..................................................... 108 Oklahoma Tribe Sues Oil Companies In Tribal Court Over Quake (AP)....................................................................... 108 Private Prisons Won Reversal Of U.S. Policy For $350k (MCT)109 ‘Overwhelming’ Number Of Lesbians, Bisexual Women Incarcerated (NBCNEWS) ............................................... 111 Alabama Governor Pushes Prison-Building Plan To Address Overcrowding (WSJ) ........................................................ 112 Nebraska Prison Scrutinized After 2nd Deadly Riot In 2 Years (AP)................................................................................... 112 Arkansas Rushes To Execute 8 Men In The Space Of 10 Days (NYT) ................................................................................ 113 US Snuffs Pot Fans’ Plans To Party On Indian Land Near Vegas (AP) ....................................................................... 114 Stop-and-start Federal Review Of Memphis Police Is On Again (AP)................................................................................... 114 Northern Virginia Gang Activity ‘out Of Control,’ Says Police Chief (WT) ........................................................................ 115 ‘I Have Been Set Up’: Final Minutes Of 15-year-old Killed In Gang Slaying Described (WP) ......................................... 116 ‘When You Come Against Law Enforcement, You Come Against God’: Mourners Honor Slain Whittier Police Officer Keith Boyer (LAT) ................................................. 117 FOIA CBP 000950 DHS-17-0435-B-000247 4 ATF Sting Operation Accused Of Using Racial Bias In Finding Targets, With Majority Being Minorities (CHIT) ............... 118 How Uber Used Secret Greyball Tool To Deceive Authorities Worldwide (NYT) .............................................................. 124 Uber Used Secret Tool To Outmaneuver City Officials, Report Says (WP)......................................................................... 126 Uber Said To Consider Changes To Employee Stock Compensation (NYT)........................................................ 126 Treading Water In A Tide Of Homelessness (NYT).................. 127 The District Lets A Landlord Run Deplorable Housing — And Even Foots The Bill (WP)................................................. 128 The Pope On Panhandling: Give Without Worry (NYT)............ 129 State I.R.A. Plans Are Ready, If Congress Doesn’t Interfere (NYT) ................................................................................ 130 LEADING DHS NEWS Trump Renews Praise For Canada’s ‘Merit’ Immigration System By Alan Gomez USA Today, March 3, 2017 President Trump heaped new praise Friday on Canada’s immigration system, which has served as a model for countries around the world because it focuses more on immigrants who can contribute to the economy than those with little more than family ties. Trump sent out a Tweet after apparently watching a segment on Fox & Friends that featured Nick Adams, a conservative author who the book Green Card Warrior: My Quest for Legal Immigration in an Illegals’ System. During the segment, Adams spoke against “multi￾culturalism” and immigrants who enter the country to “milk us,” which drew a salute from Trump who described Adams’ book as a “must read.” “The merit-based system is the way to go. Canada, Australia!” he wrote. That tweet followed Trump’s comments during his joint address to Congress on Tuesday, when he praised the system used by Canada, Australia and many other nations during a portion of his speech that called for reforming an “outdated” legal immigration system that hurts American workers. “Switching away from this current system of lower￾skilled immigration, and instead adopting a merit-based system, will have many benefits,” Trump said. “It will save countless dollars, raise workers’ wages, and help struggling families — including immigrant families — enter the middle class.” Canada has long used immigration as a way to drive its economic engine, and limits the relatives Canadian citizens can bring in. About 63% of those granted legal permanent residence in Canada — the final step before becoming citizens — are admitted for their economic skills, with only 24% admitted based on having family members living in the country. The U.S. system is reversed: 63% of green cards are given to immigrants with family connections, and only 13% given based on economic reasons. Canada was also the first country to use a point system to grade economic immigrants — a 100-point scale introduced in the 1960s that rewards foreigners with PhDs and extensive work experience in specialized fields. It became increasingly popular in the 2000s, as countries that included Australia, Denmark, Japan and the United Kingdom adopted versions of it. “It was very trendy,” said Meghan Benton, a senior policy analyst at the non-partisan Migration Policy Institute. Applicants are given a score on a 100-point scale, with points awarded in six categories: • 28 maximum points for language skills. The more fluent they are in English and French, Canada’s two official languages, the more points they get. • 25 points for education — 5 for a high school diploma, 19 for a two-year college degree, 25 for a PhD. • 15 maximum points for work experience — the more skilled the job, and the more years spent doing it, the more points. • 12 maximum points for age — the younger the applicant, the more points awarded. • 10 points maximum if they have a current job offer from a Canadian employer. • 10 points maximum for “adaptability,” which includes things like family ties to Canadians or past visits to the country. Those who score 67 points or higher are eligible to immigrate. Immediate relatives of Canadian citizens do not go through the grading process. Read more: Benton said the formula has changed over the years, as Canada has recently put more emphasis on foreigners with standing job offers. Canada and others countries, she said, realized that simply admitting people with PhDs wasn’t an economic cure-all, since many couldn’t find jobs in their fields and were forced to do work far below their education levels. “You had scientists working as taxi drivers,” she said. “Classic brain waste.” The country also made a major revision in 2015, when it allowed Canadian provinces to sponsor immigrants based FOIA CBP 000951 DHS-17-0435-B-000248 5 on labor shortages. The goal was to tie the system more closely to local demands. The question in the U.S. now is how much Trump wants to emulate Canada’s system. “We’ve been discussing here exactly what he means,” Benton said. Roy Beck, president of NumbersUSA, a group that advocates for lower levels of immigration, interpreted Trump’s comments as a call to shift away from an immigration system that places such a high priority on family-linked migration — allowing U.S. citizens to sponsor not just spouses and children, but also extended family members. Beck said the U.S. also allows in too many refugees and foreigners chosen through the diversity visa program, which allows 50,000 people to enter the U.S. each year from under-represented countries, mostly from Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe. That amounts to less than 5% of the 1.2 million immigrants admitted to the U.S. in 2015. “He’s very clearly saying we should stop importing poverty,” Beck said. “He didn’t use that term. But he’s saying that we’re going to stop bringing in people who do not meet some criteria of merit.” Clarissa Martínez-de-Castro, deputy vice president of the National Council of La Raza, a group that advocates for immigrants in the U.S., said Trump was clearly embracing a proposal by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., to cut all legal immigration in half. She said Cotton’s proposal, and Trump’s apparent embrace of that model, show what their true end goal is. “Many Republicans have been trying to hide behind this veneer of, ‘We’re not against all immigrants, we’re just concerned with illegal immigration,’” Martínez-de-Castro said. “They’re trying to eviscerate all of it.” Exclusive: Trump Administration Considering Separating Women, Children At U.S.-Mexico Border By Julia Edwards Ainsley Reuters, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Why Evangelicals Are Trump’s Strongest Travel-ban Supporters By Harry Bruinius Christian Science Monitor, March 3, 2017 Why Evangelicals are Trump’s strongest travel-ban supporters Harry Bruinius 3/3/2017 March 3, 2017 NEW YORK —When President Trump released the first version of his executive order placing a temporary ban on immigrants from seven Muslim “countries of concern” in January, Ernie Sanders gave the president his full support. As the host of the radio show “The Voice of Christian Resistance” in Ohio and the president of the local tea party chapter in his area, he’s been worried for a while that allowing Muslims to enter the US could pose a serious danger the country. “I’m not so against bringing in refugees,” says Pastor Sanders, echoing the concerns of many evangelical leaders since President Trump issued his controversial executive order, which was halted by federal courts in February. “Like Donald Trump says, I’m against bringing in criminals and young jihadists into this country.” Yet even when it comes to refugees, he says he worries that allowing too many Muslims into the country could lead to the establishment of Sharia law in American communities, which he believes is counter to what he sees as America’s unique Judeo-Christian heritage. His views are a window on a larger pattern in America: that among prominent religious groups, evangelical Christians are the most supportive of Mr. Trump on the travel ban policy, and most worried about what a rise in Muslim immigrants would mean for the nation’s identity. On the one hand, it’s an anomaly. The deep bond between the Trump administration and white Evangelicals has perplexed scholars and observers in the media, who have noted, again and again, the seeming cultural chasms between the Manhattan billionaire’s past lifestyle and conservative Evangelicals’ emphasis on moral character and family values. Yet in other ways, it makes perfect sense, scholars say. Among the religious groups within the US, the culture of Evangelicalism has maintained both a vivid sense of America as a Christian nation and a deeply-rooted exclusive theology that remains suspicious of those outside the fold. “I think the biggest thing is that Evangelicals have mixed their faith with the state, making a kind of religious nationalism,” says Pastor Bob Roberts, head of the 3,000- member NorthWood Church, an evangelical congregation in Keller, Texas. “They see it as ‘taking back America,’ as stopping the Muslims from taking over America.”The exception, in a new poll The White House says the president will sign a revised executive order attempting to address a federal appeals court’s objections soon. And many religious conservatives of all persuasions fully support Trump’s reasoning, convinced that the nation’s vetting process for refugees has not been up to the task of protecting the American people. Yet after Trump’s initial order was halted by federal courts in February, support for the ban began to wane among most religious groups, according to a survey by the Public FOIA CBP 000952 DHS-17-0435-B-000249 6 Religion Research Institute released last week. Support from Catholics, mainline Protestants, and religious minorities have each dropped. The conspicuous exception is white Evangelicals, for whom support is up. In all, 76 percent of white Evangelicals said they approved of the temporary ban on refugees from these Muslim countries, according to another survey by Pew Research released this week. That compares with 50 percent of mainline Protestants, 36 percent of Catholics of all races, and 10 percent of black Protestants, the survey found. Overall, about 4 of 10 Americans currently approve of the controversial immigration ban.A battle over Evengelicalism Pastor Roberts has grown concerned by what he sees as Islamophobia among fellow Evangelical Christians. “There is a battle right now for what Evangelicalism is really all about,” says Roberts, who has worked with Muslim leaders around the world to foster interfaith fellowship. “Older Evangelicals supported Trump en masse, but this is not nearly as strong among younger Evangelicals.” For the past decade, Millennials within the politically powerful American subgroup have begun to shift their views during ongoing culture war battles over same sex marriage and racial reconciliation. And, like Roberts, many have developed a willingness to engage their Muslim neighbors with fellowship and even inter-religious worship. Last month, too, hundreds of Evangelical leaders, many of them involved in overseas Christian ministries helping refugees in Muslim countries, expressed loud objections to the president’s temporary ban after he signed it in January. Many had also been vociferous critics of Trump’s words and past actions during the campaign.A base of support for Trump Even so, during last year’s election, rank-and-file Evangelicals, who make up about 25 percent of the electorate and have long constituted the Republican Party’s most faithful base of support, supported Trump overwhelmingly, and remain among the president’s most loyal supporters. More than 8 in 10 voted for Trump, a higher share than supported George W. Bush during his two presidential victories. Scholars note that this overwhelming support comes with a number of caveats. Though wide, it may not be as deep it may appear, as many Evangelicals voted strategically, with the open Supreme Court seat and an abiding antipathy for Hillary Clinton leading many to choose Trump last year. Evangelicalism is also diverse. It encompasses staid middle-class Calvinists, members of nondenominational megachurches with flashy TV evangelists teaching a “prosperity gospel,” as well as rural, working-class Baptists and Pentecostals. Sanders, in fact, prefers the term “fundamentalist” to Evangelical. For him, those who compromise conservative principles, like those within liberal mainline denominations, are apostates – or at the very least theologically “spineless.” Fundamentalists, he says, “they’re the people who are the hard-working ones, they’re the ones who get out there, put their boots on the ground, who have a no compromise position.... The apostate church, we look at them as just as much an enemy as we do the radical Muslims.” “And as I told folks on my radio program, I told them, ‘Mark those folks, if you see Hillary signs in their yards,” he says. “Those people are not your friends, they’re your enemies if you’re a conservative, God-fearing person.” While Sanders could be considered a part of a long tradition of fundamentalist suspicion and separatism on one end of the Evangelical spectrum, his general suspicion of those outside the fold has deep historical roots, scholars say.Controversy at Wheaton College Last year, Wheaton College, one of the top Evangelical institutions of higher education in the country, forced out a member of its political science faculty, Larycia Hawkins, after she donned a hijab to express what she calls “embodied solidarity” with Muslims as incidents of violence and prejudice became more common over the past few years. The first black woman to receive tenure at Wheaton, she also said that Christians and Muslims worship the same God, which caused an uproar among alumni and board members, who accused her of violating the college’s theological statement, which each faculty member must sign and adhere to. “The broader response from the evangelical world in the United States to my wearing a hijab was partly a kind of detestation of the notion that someone could put on something that is symbolic of a religion, and put on in religious solidarity, and still maintain my religious purity,” says Professor Hawkins, now the Abd el-Kader Visiting Faculty Fellow at the University of Virginia’s Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture. “My otherness, my blackness, my femaleness – the fact that I’m ‘other’ already made my body and the picture I posted on Facebook even more anathema to people.” “Really, what I see with the current evangelical retrenchment around immigration –and this willingness not to engage the narrative of Scripture in its totality, including the prophets’ and Jesus’s words about welcoming foreigners and the strangers in the land – has to do, I think, with the fact that Evangelicals have asserted a white Christianity on top of citizenship,” she continues.Historical roots of separatism For historians of religion, this wariness of outsiders in many ways goes back the country’s early Puritan settlers, separatists who wanted to create a kind of utopian society rooted in proper theological and Biblical principles. Add to that, too, American evangelicalism’s long ambivalence with regard to race. “The notion of a nation with more visible Muslim communities doesn’t comport with ‘the city on a hill’ or this notion that America is and always has been a Christian nation,” says Randall Balmer, chair of the department of FOIA CBP 000953 DHS-17-0435-B-000250 7 religion at Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H., and a leading historian of Evangelicalism in the US. “And in some ways, this has happened once before,” he says. During the period of urbanization and industrialization near the turn of the 20th century, many Evangelical Protestants reacted to the influx of Catholic, Jewish, and eastern European immigrants with alarm. “And the response on the part of many Evangelicals was to lapse into apocalyptic language and an interpretation that saw the country on the verge of collapse,” Professor Balmer says. “To look around and see the teeming tenements of the Lower East Side of Manhattan – it just didn’t look like the precincts of Zion, or the city on a hill.”Immigration Act of 1924 Such fears, which extended well beyond America’s religious culture and included secular notions of an American exceptionalism, contributed to the passage of the Immigration Act of 1924, which severely curtailed the immigration of Asians, southern and eastern Europeans, including Italians and Jews, and others who were seen as dangers to the “purity” of the American Protestant character. Hawkins notes another trend at that time. The experience of the Scopes “monkey” trial in the 1920s contributed to Evangelicals withdrawing from civic engagement as “modernist” ideas and Darwinian science became cultural norms –and led the emergence of a separatist fundamentalism. It was only until the culture wars that dawned in the 1960s that Evangelicals began to reemerge as a powerful force in politics, culminating in their ardent support for Ronald Reagan and the Republican Party ever since.’There really is a fear ...’ And like many historians, Balmer notes that the rise of the religious right in the 1960s and 1970s had more to do with a reaction to the desegregation of the public school system, and their efforts to establish private Christian academies, rather than issues surrounding abortion or human sexuality. Many of the cultural controversies over evolution, the role of women, and racial integration, shaped in the 20th century, remain current today, scholars say. Many Evangelicals, for example, have sought to opt out of participating in civic duties surrounding the the legalization of same-sex marriage, seeing this as incursion into their deeply￾held religious beliefs – a compromise of their own theological purity and a violation of their religious conscience. Follow Stories Like This Get the Monitor stories you care about delivered to your inbox. × “Muslims are perceived as a threat from without, coming now within,” observes Roberts, the evangelical pastor in Texas. “There really is a fear that … they are taking over America, and that this new wave of immigrants will bring even more Muslims to America.” The threats of terrorism are legitimate and real, he says, but Evangelicals “are more fearful of Muslims getting a larger footprint in America than they already have.” A ‘Sanctuary City’ Seizes The Moment, And The Name By Lawrence Downes New York Times, March 3, 2017 SANTA ANA, Calif. — Cities of immigrants, it’s time. Time to declare yourselves sanctuaries. To wear the label proudly, defiantly, even if the White House and its allies threaten you and utter all kinds of falsehoods against you. President Trump is in power; his nativist ideology is now fully armed and operational. He laid it out with alarming clarity in his “America first” address to Congress this week, painting unauthorized immigrants as vicious criminals, and refugees as dangerous undesirables, using both groups as scapegoats and targets. The homeland security secretary, John Kelly, has given his boss a battle plan. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol are carrying it out, combing the country, seizing and terrifying the innocent. The sweeps, arrests and intimidation share a brutal randomness. A young “Dreamer” gives a news conference after her father and brother are detained — and is arrested herself. ICE stakes out a courthouse to grab a survivor of domestic violence. Border agents ask a planeload of passengers — on a domestic flight — to show their papers. Many people are confused by the term “sanctuary city,” which has no strict definition. Mr. Trump uses it as an epithet to mean immigrant-loving communities that allow alien criminals to roam free. Used that way, the label is false; no city can suspend the rule of law or keep out the feds. But rather than tolerating such slander, cities should seize back the term, defining sanctuaries as places that stand for reason in the face of overreaching, unjust and often lawless federal enforcement. They should do what Santa Ana, Calif., has done. It is a city of 335,000, in the heart of Orange County, whose City Council has passed one of the boldest and most far-reaching sanctuary ordinances in the state. In a county that has long been known as a haven of white Republicans, Santa Ana is a mixed-race, mixed-income, All-American town. Its population is about 46 percent immigrant, and its mayor and its six City Council members are all Latino. When the Council gave final approval to its sanctuary ordinance in January, by a 6-to-0 vote, it was the culmination of months of persuasion by residents who feel the force of Mr. Trump’s anti-immigrant threats intimately. They argued that Latino and Asian families, including many unauthorized immigrants with citizen children, have fought for a foothold in this country and deserve to live in safety and peace. They pointed out that using the local police as immigration FOIA CBP 000954 DHS-17-0435-B-000251 8 enforcers takes them away from their primary responsibility, the safety of the community. It wastes crime-fighting resources. It costs too much. And it’s constitutionally dubious for localities to detain people for no other reason than an administrative request from ICE. The ordinance is duly respectful of the law, in a spirit that honors the Constitution and residents’ civil rights. It declares that none of its provisions are to conflict with “any valid and enforceable duty and obligation imposed by a court order or any federal or applicable law.” But it also makes clear that the city will not cooperate in any federal immigration dragnet. The feds may do what they will, but Santa Ana wants no part of it. It will not allow the use of city resources or personnel to assist in these efforts unless required by state or federal law. Nor will the city share “sensitive information,” protecting the privacy of its residents, whatever their immigration status. Police chiefs and sheriffs across the country understand such reasoning; 63 of them recently sent a letter opposing Mr. Trump’s effort to conscript them for his immigration crackdown. Santa Ana’s decision took courage, given Mr. Trump’s heated language about “vicious” immigrant criminals and his threat to rob sanctuary cities of federal funds. It’s not clear that he can or will follow through. But for Santa Ana, other financial implications were more immediate: The city had a deal with ICE to house immigrant detainees in its jail for $340,000 a month; that contract has been canceled. The city accepted the hit, realizing how inappropriate it would be to call itself a sanctuary while profiting from Mr. Trump’s deportation policies. Success has encouraged the residents of Santa Ana to consider the next steps. Now that we’re a sanctuary city, what else should we do? How about finding lawyers to help people in detention fight deportation? A resolution to examine the issue came before the Council the other night. Students, lawyers and community members waited through hours of legislative minutiae for a chance to testify. At about 12:30 in the morning, the resolution passed unanimously. The opposition in California to the Trump administration goes well beyond a blue island in historically red Orange County. The State Legislature is considering a strong sanctuary bill, the California Values Act, to prohibit the use of state resources for immigration enforcement. Like Santa Ana’s ordinance, the Values Act would have the force of law. Pressure for sanctuary policies is strong in Los Angeles, too, even though its mayor, Eric Garcetti, has at times been wary of the label. Nervous politicians should get over their qualms. While they have been tiptoeing, the Trump administration has been moving. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT How Chicago Sanctuary Status Fends Off ICE Agents As Trump Pushes Deportations By Gregory Pratt And Jeff Coen Chicago Tribune, March 3, 2017 On most mornings, the names of people arrested and headed to bond court at Chicago’s main criminal courthouse are written on paper lists tacked to a bulletin board in a hallway outside the courtroom. Anxious friends and relatives run their fingers down the sheets to make sure that they’re in the right place, but they aren’t the only ones scanning those lists. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents go through them by hand to find the names of immigrants who are here illegally and have been swept up into the local criminal justice system, federal officials say. That places them in ICE’s crosshairs and potentially on a path toward deportation. That kind of primitive workaround is a reality for federal agents whose territory is Chicago, one of the largest cities to call itself a sanctuary and to implement policies aimed at defying federal crackdowns on illegal immigration — a movement that has gained steam as some governments in the Chicago area express their opposition to President Donald Trump’s plans to increase deportations. Mayor Rahm Emanuel and other local politicians, saying they value the contributions of immigrants, have trumpeted Chicago’s status as a place that will welcome and shield those here illegally, including by not having the Chicago Police Department cooperate with ICE. “You’re going to be safe here,” Emanuel said in a message for immigrants. “You are going to be secure here. You’re going to be supported here.” Here, sanctuary city status means ICE agents will get limited if any cooperation from local authorities, including the Police Department and the Cook County sheriff’s office, which operates the jail. In fact, the number of detainers ICE has issued to the jail has dropped precipitously since the county adopted its sanctuary ordinance, forcing agents to look for the sort of workarounds they employ at the courthouse. Trump-supporting Illinois town rallies behind detained immigrant Associated Press A southern Illinois community that solidly backed President Donald Trump has rallied behind a Mexican restaurant manager who doesn’t have legal permission to live in the U.S. and has been detained by immigration officials. FOIA CBP 000955 DHS-17-0435-B-000252 9 Letters of support for Juan Carlos Hernandez Pacheco have poured in from... A southern Illinois community that solidly backed President Donald Trump has rallied behind a Mexican restaurant manager who doesn’t have legal permission to live in the U.S. and has been detained by immigration officials. Letters of support for Juan Carlos Hernandez Pacheco have poured in from... (Associated Press) Julie Myers Wood, who headed ICE during President George W. Bush’s second term, said she expected that the criminal justice system would continue to be a site for conflict and confusion as the federal government tries to implement Trump’s new immigration policies. “Someone is pulled over. What can the officer do? What must the officer do?” she asked. “If ICE wants to talk to that person, will they be allowed into a facility to make a determination about them?” Other leaders in Cook County have joined the effort to shield immigrants, adding to the obstacles the government faces. Chicago Public Schools officials recently told principals to turn away ICE agents without warrants, and Cardinal Blase Cupich instructed priests in the Archdiocese of Chicago, which covers Cook and Lake counties, to do the same. But being a sanctuary city offers limited protection to unauthorized immigrants; Chicago can’t prevent immigration agents from raiding businesses in search of workers or detaining immigrants at their homes. As a result, neighborhoods have been on edge for weeks amid real detentions at O’Hare International Airport and home visits from ICE agents — as well as unfounded rumors on social media about immigration checkpoints on “L” trains. “There’s a lot of preparation for the worst,” said local activist Tania Unzueta, of the national Mijente organization, a group dedicated to Latino organizing and a critic of the Trump administration’s immigration policies. “I’ve already had to have conversations with people (telling them), ‘You are a priority. You are in danger. If ICE comes and picks you up, I don’t know that I can get you out.’ “ Cook County Jail Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune Cook County Jail Cook County Jail (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) ICE works without jail help The Cook County Board enacted its sanctuary ordinance in fall 2011. Commissioner Chuy Garcia, who was elected to the board in 2010, pushed the ordinance after immigrant advocates and clergy told him there were problems with aggressive ICE enforcement in the county. They invited Garcia to a protest against ICE’s practice of deporting people “for the most minor infractions of the law.” “People were winding up at Cook County Jail for minor tickets and infractions of the law, mainly from incidents that were occurring in suburban Cook County, where police departments were pulling people over because (of failure to use) a turn signal, in a vehicle that a mom was driving to take a child to school or to the doctor,” Garcia said. Sometimes people found themselves transferred to ICE custody “and people wound up getting deported as a result of that.” The city of Chicago also took action, adopting a welcoming ordinance in 2013 that generally prohibits disclosure of an individual’s immigration status and bars ICE from city facilities. As a result, police “will never ask an individual’s immigration status,” said department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi. Department orders do allow information￾sharing with ICE on individuals who appear on lists of alleged gang members. In both instances, local officials sought to send two messages: that immigrants who had come here illegally were nonetheless valued for their contributions to the area, and that local government was reluctant to spend the money or the resources to take on a federal responsibility. Prior to passage of the sanctuary ordinance, ICE agents regularly worked with county prosecutors using the Law Enforcement Agencies Data System, or LEADS. Agents would thumb through sheets of new defendants’ backgrounds, looking for those who could be foreign-born nationals. Those suspected of not having the proper paperwork to live legally in the United States would then be interviewed by ICE agents at the jail’s intake area, and a “detainer” would be placed on people ICE wanted held if they were able to post bond. “We would go at 6 or 7 in the morning to get people released pursuant to detainers, probably about 10 a day,” said James McPeek, assistant field office director with ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Chicago. “Once the ordinance started, it went to zero.” As Trump signs immigration order, Emanuel vows Chicago will stay sanctuary city Bill Ruthhart and Hal Dardick As President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday to cut off some federal funding from sanctuary cities, Mayor Rahm Emanuel vowed Chicago would remain one and continue to protect immigrants from deportation. “We’re gonna stay a sanctuary city,” Emanuel said in a news conference after... As President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday to cut off some federal funding from sanctuary cities, Mayor Rahm Emanuel vowed Chicago would remain one and continue to protect immigrants from deportation. “We’re gonna stay a sanctuary city,” Emanuel said in a news conference after... (Bill Ruthhart and Hal Dardick) The county’s ordinance seems to have had a clear effect. In the 11 months before the ordinance went into effect, ICE agents issued more than 1,400 detainers to Cook County Jail. In the most recent 12 months for which statistics are FOIA CBP 000956 DHS-17-0435-B-000253 10 available, from October 2015 through September 2016, ICE issued fewer than 70 detainers to the jail. ICE data for the six-state region of Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri and Wisconsin show that 11,786 deportation orders were issued in the year before the ordinance, and 2,326 in 2016, a decrease that could reflect national shifts in policy. One agency that does co-operate with ICE is the Illinois Department of Corrections. From Jan. 1, 2012, through Dec. 31, 2016, the department released nearly 4,000 inmates to ICE, records show. Most — 2,456 — were from Cook County. Trump has set his sights on boosting deportations. Days after he was sworn into office, he signed executive orders promising 10,000 new ICE officers and broadening the agency’s directives. A later Department of Homeland Security order directed agents to remove “aliens” convicted of, charged with or even suspected of committing crimes, potentially including offenses like shoplifting or entering the country illegally. The executive orders differed from Obama administration priorities. Under Obama, ICE focused on immigrants here illegally who had been convicted of serious crimes, were considered threats to national security or had recently crossed the border. Now facing broader orders to deport individuals, ICE agents in Chicago are still hamstrung by a lack of cooperation and must come up with ways to identify those they want to detain. At Cook County’s Leighton Criminal Court Building in Chicago, agents run names from posted bond sheets in the corridors and no longer get cooperation from prosecutors. Those names are fed into a system that cross-references criminal information such as fingerprints with data on everyone DHS has ever come in contact with, including those who entered the United States legally or someone abroad who applied for a visa. Chicago’s history as a sanctuary city Kori Rumore In late January, as President Donald Trump signed an executive order to cut off some federal funding to cities, counties and states that refuse to detain and turn over to federal authorities people who are living in the U.S. illegally, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel reiterated the city’s commitment... In late January, as President Donald Trump signed an executive order to cut off some federal funding to cities, counties and states that refuse to detain and turn over to federal authorities people who are living in the U.S. illegally, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel reiterated the city’s commitment... (Kori Rumore) If a foreign national in the criminal justice system is identified, ICE still issues a detainer even though Cook County will not cooperate and hold anyone for them, agency leaders said. What’s more, agents also are not notified by prosecutors or Sheriff Tom Dart’s office when someone they are targeting is released on bond, breaking with past practice, meaning they have to run names through computers available to the general public. Those who are identified by ICE’s checks often are prioritized based on their crimes. If agents learn that someone they would like to detain has bonded out of the Cook County system, they can attempt to find them at home or somewhere else in the field, which ICE contends can potentially create more dangerous arrest situations. McPeek said agents are frustrated by a system in Chicago that, from their perspective, makes little sense. “We could have someone we removed for assault or robbery, who served time in state custody, and we deported them,” McPeek said. “And then he illegally re-entered the United States and gets arrested for a low-level offense, and Cook County says, ‘Oh well, that’s a very low-level offense. We’re not going to honor that detainer.’ “ “I mean, they don’t honor any of them, but that’s one they wouldn’t honor even though he had a prior criminal conviction that was egregious and he got deported previously,” he said. Offering Protection As it has ramped up immigration enforcement, the Trump administration has issued vague threats to punish municipalities that don’t aid deportation efforts. Trump also ordered the federal Office of Management and Budget’s director to look into all federal grant money currently received “by any sanctuary jurisdiction.” In a Fox News interview, Trump said he’s prepared to strip federal dollars from California, for instance. “If we have to, we’ll defund,” he said. It’s unclear where the federal government would cut funding, but programs such as the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program, which helps reimburse local jurisdictions for the cost of incarcerating immigrants, could be vulnerable, according to experts. Garcia said he believes the county will hold firm against Trump’s threats. The county will, however, honor warrants, a court order that someone be held as opposed to a detainer, which is an ICE request to hold someone to determine their immigration status. “We uphold the Constitution,” Garcia said. “We do not hold people but for probable cause. Any warrant presented by ICE will be honored in Cook County by the sheriff.” The county’s ordinance notes that cooperating came with a cost — $43,000 a day for Cook County to hold all of the people on ICE detainers. Requests to hold people would be declined without a written agreement for reimbursement. San Francisco sues Trump over ‘sanctuary city’ funding cuts Tribune news services FOIA CBP 000957 DHS-17-0435-B-000254 11 San Francisco sued President Donald Trump on Tuesday over his move to cut funding to immigrant-protecting “sanctuary cities,” calling the executive order unconstitutional, a severe invasion of the city’s sovereignty and downright un￾American. The U.S. government cannot “put a gun to the head of... San Francisco sued President Donald Trump on Tuesday over his move to cut funding to immigrant-protecting “sanctuary cities,” calling the executive order unconstitutional, a severe invasion of the city’s sovereignty and downright un￾American. The U.S. government cannot “put a gun to the head of... (Tribune news services) Officials said the question of expense is not expected to alter the county’s position on the matter. Frank Shuftan, a spokesman for County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, noted that, in 2012, then-ICE Director John Morton offered to reimburse the county for costs incurred by the sheriff. “President Preckwinkle respectfully declined the offer,” he said. “It was then, and continues to be, our position that immigration enforcement is a responsibility of the federal government, not local jurisdictions or local law enforcement. Simply, the county is not mandated to serve as an immigration enforcement officer on behalf of ICE.” Whether the federal government and local municipalities escalate their dispute over sanctuary ordinances remains to be seen. Community groups have pledged to monitor ICE’s new push to determine if it has a chilling effect on programs designed to aid immigrants, such as protections offered for younger immigrants by DACA, or the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals order, signed by Obama. Mark Fleming, national litigation coordinator for the National Immigrant Justice Center, which has been critical of the new administration’s immigration policies, said the office is seeing a rise in arrests. “And we definitely have seen a ramp-up in the apprehension of individuals who have committed a minimal crime or no crime at all,” Fleming said. ICE officials, asked if the new administration’s orders were leading to deportations for less serious crimes, said they could not comment beyond pointing to the executive orders themselves. But from Chicago neighborhoods like Rogers Park to Little Village, organizations are holding talks and passing out leaflets telling residents not to open the doors of their homes to ICE agents without a warrant. Already, activists are seeing an effect of the administration’s directives in the community. Many immigrants who are here without authorization already don’t want to call attention to themselves in any way, just out of fear, advocates said, even to the point of not reporting that they were the victim of a crime. “There are communities that are so vulnerable that people are not willing to do anything that might keep them from staying under the radar,” said Bharathi Pillai, a general civil liberties fellow at the ACLU. “They are forced to make a risk assessment.” gpratt@chicagotribune.com jcoen@chicagotribune.com Twitter @royalpratt Twitter @JeffCoen Judge: Miami-Dade Deportation Policy Is Unconstitutional Associated Press, March 3, 2017 MIAMI (AP) – A judge has declared unconstitutional a recently-adopted policy favored by President Donald Trump that allows Miami-Dade County jails to hold immigrants who face deportation. Circuit Judge Milton Hirsch said in his ruling Friday that the policy violates the 10th Amendment’s limits on federal power over states. The county quickly appealed and the scope of Hirsch’s decision was not immediately clear. Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez ordered the policy after Trump issued an executive order threatening to withhold federal money from local governments considered “sanctuary cities” for immigrants. Previously, the county would not detain immigrants facing deportation by federal authorities. The ruling came in the case of a Haitian man who challenged the policy when he was held following a series of felony arrests. County officials say immigration is a federal matter. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Oregon Judge Who Allegedly Aided Illegal Alien Criminal Escape ICE Agents Exposed By Warner Todd Huston Breitbart, March 3, 2017 Oregon Judge Who Allegedly Aided Illegal Alien Criminal Escape ICE Agents Exposed Warner Todd Huston 3/3/2017 2:58:27 PM File Photo: John Moore/Getty by Warner Todd Huston 3 Mar 2017 Portland, OR0 3 Mar, 2017 3 Mar, 2017 SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER FOIA CBP 000958 DHS-17-0435-B-000255 12 On Monday, Breitbart News reported that a “judicial referee” at Portland’s Multnomah County Courthouse was accused of interfering with the apprehension of an illegal alien who had appeared in her court on a drunk driving charge. SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER That court officer has now been identified as Judge Monica Heeranz. It is now being reported that Heeranz allowed 22-year-old Diddier Pacheco Salazar escape the custody of immigration officials after his case in her court was concluded. According to U.S. Attorney Billy Williams, Heeranz helped Salazar escape ICE officers by allowing him to escape out of a door usually reserved for use by court officers and employees. The incident occurred on January 27, just after President Trump issued his Execute Order to build a wall on the southern border with Mexico. Herranz has the powers of a judge and hears small claims cases, traffic violations, and other low-end cases . She is also on the board of the Oregon Hispanic Bar Association. It appears that Salazar’s court-appointed attorney had a hint that something was up. “I prepped my client. I said, ‘I don’t know if they’re going to pick you up outside or what, but here’s how to prepare,’ “ attorney John Schlosser told a local newspaper. “After the court appearance, I went out in the hallway and sat. My client never came out. I can’t say that I’m surprised he didn’t come out, but I gave him his options, and assume he had to have been escorted out some other way.” U.S. Attorney Williams said it was troubling that a person with the powers of a judge would help a criminal escape the law. “When you’re talking about the judicial system — whether it’s federal or by state — you have an expectation that people are going to abide by the law and not take steps based on their own motivations, their own politics – whatever the motivation was.” Multnomah County Circuit Court’s presiding judge, Judge Nan Waller, reportedly launched an internal investigation into Heeranz’ actions. She had previously sent an email to court staffers warning them not to impede federal officials, but she also wrote that she informed federal officials to treat the courthouse as a “sensitive location.” Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com. Read More Stories About: Big Government, Immigration, Law Enforcement, ICE, Ilegal immigration, illegal alien, Multnomah County, Portland Oregon Parents Fearing Deportation Pick Guardians For U.S. Children By Kristina Cooke And Mica Rosenberg Reuters, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Immigrant Arrested By ICE While Dropping Daughter Off At School, Sending Shockwaves Through Neighborhood By Andrea Castillo Los Angeles Times, March 3, 2017 Romulo Avelica-Gonzalez had just dropped off his 12- year-old daughter Tuesday morning at her Lincoln Heights school when two black, unmarked vehicles surrounded his car. As he pulled away from the school and got back onto the main road, the vehicles’ lights flashed. Avelica-Gonzalez, with his wife and 13-year-old daughter in the car, pulled over. Agents for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, wearing jackets that said “POLICE” on the back, detained the 48-year-old father of four. ICE officials said the arrest was routine, citing a 2014 order for Avelica-Gonzalez’s deportation. But amid growing fears of mass deportations under President Trump, the arrest has roiled the largely immigrant community north of downtown Los Angeles. The arrest so shook the school, a public charter called Academia Avance, that administrators held an assembly Tuesday afternoon to discuss what happened and to ease fears. The school’s executive director, Ricardo Mireles, has since ordered his teachers to talk to students whose parents are here illegally about creating a family plan in case they are detained or deported. “It’s unfortunate that we have to have minors now deal with reality,” he said. “You need to be ready. ‘Have you talked to your parents? Do you have power of attorney?’ “ Since Trump took office, immigrant communities have been plagued by rumors — some true, many false. Recent targeted operations by ICE have resulted in hundreds of arrests. Such operations were common during the Obama administration but have garnered new scrutiny in recent months. ICE has a long-standing policy directing agents to generally avoid conducting enforcement activities at so-called “sensitive locations” such as churches, hospitals and schools. But Avelica-Gonzalez’s arrest has sparked new concerns that ICE is loosening that policy — an accusation that federal officials deny. The arrest this week has garnered widespread attention in part because Avelica-Gonzalez’s daughter captured parts of it on video. Avelica-Gonzalez’s family says he was less than two blocks away from the school. ICE officials said he was FOIA CBP 000959 DHS-17-0435-B-000256 13 arrested in the 3200 block of Pasadena Avenue, about half a mile from the school. The 13-year-old, Fatima Avelica, is heard sobbing in the video. The Times matched video from the encounter with Google Maps images, which appear to show that the arrest happened about six blocks from Academia Avance, in the 3200 block of Pasadena Avenue. Another school, Hillside Elementary, is less than three blocks from where the arrest occurred. Advocates and attorneys say this is the first time they’ve heard of ICE detaining someone so close to a school. There have been numerous reports of ICE arrests at schools, forcing officials to separate fact from fiction. Earlier this week, a rumor surfaced that ICE agents had raided an elementary school in Cerritos. Last week, reports on social media said ICE detained three students at Venice High School. The week before, there were rumors that ICE had raided an Oakland college. The Times checked into those reports, which all turned out to be false. But national cases have stoked fears. One involved a woman who was detained by ICE agents last month while seeking domestic abuse protection at a Texas courthouse. In Virginia, agents arrested men outside a church warming shelter. An ICE official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said agents try to arrest people at locations that will involve the fewest bystanders. Historically, that meant arresting people at their residences or in jail, but fewer immigrants have opened their doors in the last few years unless agents have a warrant. Additionally, many jails across the country stopped collaborating with ICE requests to detain immigrants until agents arrive. Because of that, more arrests now happen on the street, said the official. The official said agents had Avelica-Gonzalez under surveillance, followed him to the school then determined where to safely stop the vehicle. Agents didn’t realize his other daughter was still in the car. Because the arrest was not carried out on school grounds, the official said, it does not represent a shift in policy. The official also noted that arrests by ICE’s fugitive operations teams, who locate immigrants with deportation orders, have remained flat over the past year. Avelica-Gonzalez, a citizen of Mexico, has lived in the U.S. for 25 years. His four daughters — the other two ages 24 and 19 — were all born in the U.S. He has two prior criminal convictions, said Emi MacLean, an attorney for the National Day Laborer Organizing Network. The organization put out a call to action the day he was arrested, asking supporters to tell ICE not to deport him. MacLean said Avelica-Gonzalez was convicted of misdemeanor DUI and misdemeanor driving without a license in 2008. Another misdemeanor conviction, in 1998, was for receipt of stolen property when he bought a non-DMV-issued vehicle registration tag. Before 2015, immigrants living in California illegally could not get driver’s licenses. In 2013, Avelica-Gonzalez filed paperwork with a “notario.” In Latin America, “notarios publicos” are qualified lawyers. In the U.S., people posing as notarios lack licenses and training and prey on immigrants. The notario ran off with Avelica-Gonzalez’s paperwork and money, MacLean said, and he ended up with an order of deportation. Avelica-Gonzalez is being held at the Adelanto Detention Facility near Victorville. His attorney filed an emergency stay of removal, preventing his immediate deportation, with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and expects a decision next week. Despite Trump’s statements about mass deportations, the president’s actual immigration policies remain unclear. Last month, his administration swept aside nearly all restrictions on the removal of 11 million people in the U.S. illegally, a vast expansion of the federal government’s deportation priorities. But there have been mixed signals from the White House over the scope of deportations and who would be covered by them. Trump supporters and others applaud his administration’s measures, arguing that immigrants here illegally are a drain on the economy and take jobs away from citizens. But immigration rights advocates say actions like the Avelica-Gonzalez arrest send a chilling message. “The bigger issue is this really terrorizes the school community and these families if you think you run the risk of being deported,” MacLean said. Brenda Avelica, 24, said her life has been turned upside down. She worries about how her mother and sisters will get by. Her father brought in the family’s only income from his job at a restaurant, she said. “He came to this country for us,” she said. Illegal Immigrant’s Plea: ‘I Don’t Know Anything Else Besides Being Here’ Daniela Vargas, in statement from her attorney, gives more details of her life in the U.S. By Alejandro Lazo Wall Street Journal, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Mexico Prepares To Absorb A Wave Of Deportees In The Trump Era By Antonio Olivo Washington Post, March 3, 2017 FOIA CBP 000960 DHS-17-0435-B-000257 14 The deportees stepped off their flight from El Paso looking bewildered — 135 men who had left families and jobs behind after being swept up in the Trump administration’s mounting effort to send millions of undocumented immigrants back to their economically fraught homeland. As they filed into Mexico City International Airport last week, government employees handed them free ham-and￾cheese sandwiches, Mexican ID cards and information directing them to social services in the capital. “Welcome back!” a cheerful government worker called out, taking down names and phone numbers. Then the men, who had spent as many as 20 years in the United States before being caught and held in detention for several weeks, walked out into a Mexico many of them barely remember, where job opportunities are scarce and worries about the worst inflation in a decade await them. In the wake of new enforcement policies announced by the Trump administration last week that dramatically expand the pool of undocumented immigrants targeted for deportation, Mexico is bracing for an influx of men and women like them. Their arrival — along with a surge of undocumented immigrants leaving the United States voluntarily — promises to transform Mexican society in the same way their departure did. Since President Trump took office in January, the number of U.S. government flights landing in Mexico City loaded with deportees has jumped from two a week under President Barack Obama to three, Mexican officials said. The arrivals include convicted felons but also many without criminal records. The numbers of immigrants deported from the United States waned in the final years of the Obama administration, which took steps to focus enforcement on hardened criminals and recent arrivals. Trump, who made immigration enforcement a centerpiece of his campaign, has been clear that he views illegal immigrants as potential security threats and competitors to Americans for jobs. This week, he told journalists at a private lunch that he might be open to a comprehensive immigration overhaul that includes a path to legal status for those who had not committed crimes. But Trump did not mention such a plan in his remarks to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, emphasizing his deportation initiatives instead. About 500 deported Mexicans, including some who had been picked up when Obama was in office, are arriving here daily. “Many of these people come not knowing how to speak Spanish,” said Amalia García, secretary of Mexico City’s labor department, which serves as a point of contact for the deportees. “They come feeling very bitter, very ashamed and very hurt.” More returnees means lower wages for everybody in blue-collar industries such as construction and automobile manufacturing, where competition for jobs is likely to increase, economists say. Moreover, the loss of remittances from the United States — Mexico’s second-largest source of revenue at roughly $25 billion last year — could have devastating effects, particularly in rural areas. At the same time, though, there will be more English￾speaking Mexicans entering the workforce who’ve honed their skills in the United States, a development that in the long run could position Mexico to be a stronger player in the global economy, analysts say. “A lot of these people ran businesses in the U.S. and did well,” said Andrew Selee, director of the Mexico Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington. “In the same way that in the United States we saw a wave of Mexicans who became part of the American culture and changed it, we’re now seeing a wave of Mexicans moving back who are integrating American culture into Mexico.” The Mexican government hopes to tap into that potential — and to diminish the likelihood that deportees will try their luck again across the U.S.-Mexico border, where the Trump administration plans to build a wall. A federal program launched in 2014, called Somos Mexicanos (We’re Mexican), tries to help returning migrants find jobs, start businesses and deal with the emotional trauma many experience after leaving families in the United States. Under the program, arriving deportees receive food, a medical checkup and bus fare to wherever they plan to live in Mexico. Local case managers then connect them to social services and job leads and, in some cases, help with moving their families back. “The first thing that many have in mind is: ‘I want a job,’ “ said Gabriela García Acoltzi, director of the Somos Mexicanos program. “We help them identify other areas where they need assistance.” But the government’s ability to provide such services to the tens of thousands of returning migrants expected in the coming years is uncertain. The value of the Mexican peso plunged after Trump took office, prompting worries about the worst inflation in the country since the 2008 global recession. Those fears have heightened as the possibility looms of a trade war with the United States that would affect $1.5 billion in daily cross￾border commerce. Meanwhile, prices for tortillas, meat and other necessities have gone up in response to the federal government’s 20 percent hike in gasoline prices last month, hitting poorer Mexicans especially hard. In dispensing government resources to the returnees, García cautioned, “the important thing is to be flexible in what they’re requiring.” FOIA CBP 000961 DHS-17-0435-B-000258 15 At the Mexico City airport, many passengers arrived in the same rumpled clothes they were wearing when U.S. immigration authorities grabbed them. Some wore gray detention center pants after serving time in jail. Not liking their chances here, several of the men made a beeline toward a nearby bus terminal to find a way back to the border. “The situation here doesn’t look good,” said Luís Enrique Castillo, 47, adding that he planned to return to his wife, four children and two grandchildren in Chicago, where he lived for 20 years. Castillo said he was arrested when U.S. immigration officials knocked on his door looking for one of his sons, who had been scheduled for deportation. They didn’t find his son and, after checking his ID, picked him up instead. José Armando López García, 50, is trying to make a life in Mexico after being deported about a year ago. He left a wife and five children in Las Vegas after a routine traffic stop revealed he was using a fake driver’s license. López, a professional carpenter, received a $1,260 government grant through the Somos Mexicanos program that allowed him to start a contracting company out of the home he shares near the airport with his 92-year-old mother. The money he makes is barely enough to live on, López said. And his depression deepens when he sees other children, who remind him of his own. “I can’t imagine them living here,” López said, tears streaming down his cheeks. “There’s too much insecurity, and I don’t know how it would work with the schools.” Jill Anderson, director of Otros Dreams en Acción (Other Dreams in Action), an advocacy group for former undocumented immigrants who grew up in the United States, said many returning students face problems being admitted to Mexican public schools. The system for transferring U.S. school credits into Mexican schools is rife with red tape, requiring translated transcripts and other proof, which can take more than a year, Anderson said. Her group has backed legislation to speed up the process, which President Enrique Peña Nieto recently endorsed. But Anderson also noted the resistance here to doing too much to accommodate a population of returning compatriots who rub many the wrong way with their English and their more aggressive American manner. “It really interrupts the economic and social norms of Mexico,” she said. “They speak English, and they’re asking for access to higher education and to employment in ways that their parents were not able to.” When José Manuel Torres, 23, followed his deported father back from Georgia about five years ago, he was denied admission to Mexico City’s public university system because he lacked proof of graduating from his middle school outside Atlanta — despite having his high school diploma. “I told them, ‘Dude, if I finished high school, isn’t it common sense that I went through middle school?’ “ said Torres, speaking in English with a Southern twang. “They said, ‘Yes, but this is the process.’ “ Torres was hired by an international call center in Mexico City — a growing industry filled with younger English￾speaking Mexicans who, as their parents did in the United States, tend to socialize in isolated communities where they resist speaking the language of their new home. He left that job, though, and, through a family connection, found another job as a school-orchestra stage manager at the private National Autonomous University of Mexico. This has allowed him to take classes in software engineering, his real interest. “This place really beats you up,” Torres said about Mexico. “There are so many circumstances here that constantly keep hitting you, pulling you down, and you’ve got to keep driving through it, grinding and pulling.” It’s that spirit — forged for many returning Mexicans during years of living illegally in the United States — that may ultimately benefit Mexico, said economist Luís de la Calle. De la Calle predicted that, in the short term, average wages will drop as more qualified people enter the country to compete for scarce jobs. But the overall economy is likely to expand in the long run when those people start to succeed, he said. “We suffered a cost as a nation by sending those hard workers to the U.S., in the sense that we lost a lot of talent,” de la Calle said. “When they come back to Mexico and they are properly trained, they will make more than a proportional contribution to Mexico.” CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION Judge OKs $1-million Settlement In Border Death Case By Kristina Davis Los Angeles Times, March 3, 2017 A federal judge has tentatively approved the U.S. government’s offer to pay $1 million to the children of a Mexican man who died after being beaten and shocked with a stun gun at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. The settlement will be dispersed among the five children of Anastasio Hernandez Rojas, 42, who had lived and worked in the U.S. illegally since he was a teen. U.S. Magistrate Judge Louisa Porter, whose approval was needed because two of the children are minors, delayed signing the final order until she was certain the funds didn’t need to go through probate. “This agreement is not justice,” Hernandez Rojas’ wife, Maria Puga, said after the hearing Thursday. “My husband’s FOIA CBP 000962 DHS-17-0435-B-000259 16 life does not have a price. The decision had to be taken and it was difficult. We had to turn the page.” A spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection in San Diego declined to discuss the settlement. The U.S. attorney’s office in Phoenix, which handled the case, also declined to make a statement. “I hope you use the funds so you can have a good life going forward,” Porter told Hernandez Rojas’ two 10-year-old children, who were at the hearing. The judge said that their father “came to this country to improve his life, and he’d like to see your lives improved by virtue of all the sacrifices he made for you.” The 7-year case shined a spotlight on use of force at the border and what critics say is a lack of transparency at CBP, the nation’s largest law enforcement agency. Because of the family’s persistence, said Pedro Ríos of the U.S.-Mexico Border Program at American Friends Service Committee, an immigrant rights group, Customs and Border Protection’s use-of-force manual was made public and studies were launched looking at the issue. Attorney Eugene Iredale, who represented the family, said the case highlighted the critical need for public awareness and involvement to prevent brutality. He lauded the two witnesses who stopped to record the beating on their cellphones. “Unfortunately, the attitude that was so prevalent in what happened to Anastasio has now received a renaissance because of a new [Trump] administration,” Iredale said. Hernandez Rojas had just crossed the border illegally near Otay Mesa with his brother in May 2010 when they were caught by Border Patrol agents. According to the lawsuit, an agent told Hernandez Rojas to throw away a water jug he was holding and then slapped it out of his hand when he appeared to misunderstand the command. The agent threw him against a wall and kicked his legs apart, hitting metal pins in his ankle from a previous injury. Hernandez Rojas requested medical attention and told a supervisor he had been roughed up but was ignored, according to the suit. Authorities later took him to the San Ysidro Port of Entry, where they took off his handcuffs. Hernandez Rojas put his arms down instead of behind his head, prompting agents to try to restrain him. During the struggle, Hernandez Rojas could be heard on a witnesses’ video pleading for help and asking why he was being treated like an animal. He resisted efforts to put him into a vehicle to take him for booking, authorities said. One CBP officer shot him with a Taser and others held him face down and grabbed his legs. After they discovered that Hernandez Rojas had stopped breathing, they took him to a hospital, where he was put on a ventilator for two days before he died. An autopsy concluded that Hernandez Rojas had died of a heart attack and listed contributing factors, including methamphetamine intoxication, heart disease, the Taser shocks, the physical exertion and restraints. The autopsy stated that he would not have died if he hadn’t been under the influence of drugs, the Justice Department said. Federal agencies, including the Justice Department and FBI, investigated the death but found there was not enough evidence to justify criminal charges against any of the 12 agents or officers involved. “It’s an embarrassment to this agency to continue to have the 12 agents working, the agents who killed my husband,” said Puga, 46, who lives in San Diego with four of her children. Hundreds Of Companies Raise Their Hands To Build Trump’s Border Wall By Cary O'Reilly,Thomas Black Bloomberg Politics, March 3, 2017 Hundreds of Companies Raise Their Hands to Build Trump’s Border Wall MENU Cary O’Reilly,Thomas Black 3/3/2017 6:00:05 AM Congress hasn’t figured out how to pay for it yet, but more than 375 companies have told the Trump administration they’re interested in working on the controversial border-wall project. Responses to what’s called a presolicitation notice posted on the Federal Business Opportunities website on Feb. 24 have poured in from potential vendors around the world. Among them: Swiss cement giant LafargeHolcim Ltd.; British construction company Balfour Beatty Plc; and General Dynamics Corp., a U.S. defense contractor that makes submarines and tanks. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency said it would likely put out a formal request on March 6 “for the design and build of several prototype wall structures.” That leaves the field wide open – allowing companies to suggest what the structure should look like and be made of. Those raising their hands by responding to the notice might not end up submitting tenders. But the early interest shows the enthusiasm for capitalizing on President Donald Trump’s plan to build a “great, great” wall, which he’d until recently repeatedly vowed to force Mexico to finance. “We’re ramping up pretty fast,” said Ralph Hicks, senior vice president of governmental affairs at San Diego-based R.E. Staite Engineering Inc., which is working on a blueprint incorporating electronic-surveillance gear that would set off alarms if it sensed people approaching or tunneling underway. FOIA CBP 000963 DHS-17-0435-B-000260 17 The administration is moving fast too, considering Congress is just starting to plot out next fiscal year’s budget and determine how to carve out money for the edifice. Trump told the Conservative Political Action Conference last week the wall is “way ahead of schedule” and is “going to start soon.” ‘Vague Process’ Potential bidders have been asked to submit prototypes by March 10. Those that are approved will be required to present full proposals, including prices, by March 24, according to the website. Awards are planned for mid-April. For all that, it’s unclear how the undertaking will roll out. “It’s a fairly vague process right now,” said Hicks, whose company laid the foundation for the San Diego convention center. It’s too soon, for example, to know how much cement might be required, LafargeHolcim Chief Executive Officer Eric Olsen said in an interview with Bloomberg Television. In fact, the wall might end up being a fence, at least in spots. Right now, fencing lines many of the 654 miles of the roughly 2,000-mile border where the U.S. already has erected barriers. “We always welcome the opportunity to learn more about potential infrastructure projects,” Jocelyn Gerst, a spokeswoman for LafargeHolcim, said in an emailed statement. “Ultimately, we will evaluate our ability to provide superior products and leverage our extensive supply chain network to determine our involvement.” U.S. Concrete Inc. put its name on the list of interested contenders. CEO Bill Sandbrook said the Euless, Texas￾based company signed up on the Federal Business Opportunities site to gain the attention of the general contractors that might be hired. The endeavor is likely to be bid out in sections, he said, in the same way that large road construction jobs are. “This is going to be a very fast-track job, so we want to make sure everyone involved knows of our interest to supply the concrete,” Sandbrook said. General Dynamics might consider a proffer for “sensor elements, including cameras,” according to a spokeswoman. Other longtime government contractors responded to the notice include Caddell Construction Co. Keep up with the best of Bloomberg Politics. Get our newsletter daily. The wall would cut through remote areas between the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, creating challenges in places for delivering material and workers. Sandbrook said U.S. Concrete would be able to set up portable concrete￾mixing plants in a week’s time and has 120 special trucks, known as volumetric mixers, that could also do the job. The company has had a border-wall contract in the past, he said, having supplied material for a section of an existing structure near El Paso, Texas. Another cement maker that may want a piece of the project: Mexico’s Cemex SAB. Chairman Rogelio Zambrano said the company, which has plants on both sides of the border, would be willing to provide supplies. A centerpiece of the Trump campaign, and part of a crackdown on immigration, the wall plan has roiled relations with Mexico. President Enrique Pena Nieto canceled a trip to Washington earlier this year after one of his U.S. counterpart’s declarations about making Mexico pay for construction. ‘Berlin Wall’ Physically sealing off the southern nation has also divided Americans. A Pew Research Center poll last month found 62 percent oppose the idea while 35 percent favor it. Trump has estimated the structure could be built for anywhere between $8 billion to $12 billion, while congressional Republicans have put the range at between $12 billion to $15 billion. Analysts at Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. have pegged it at possibly as much as $25 billion. The plan for a concrete barrier “has odors of the Berlin Wall,” California Governor Jerry Brown said in an interview with Bloomberg News published Friday. “Who are they locking out and who are they locking in?” (Corrects to say Bechtel and BL Harbert haven’t expressed interest in the project.) Mexican Cement Company Draws Criticism For Saying It Would ‘gladly’ Bid On Trump’s Border Wall By Samantha Schmidt Washington Post, March 3, 2017 President Trump’s vows to make Mexico pay for a promised border wall — estimated to cost up to $20 billion — has stirred resentment there, where the country’s leader has repeatedly said there will be no such payment. But the chairman of a Mexico’s largest cement company said he would “gladly” consider bidding on the project. Rogelio Zambrano Lozano, chairman of Mexico-based Cemex, told the newspaper Reforma on Wednesday that if asked for a quote, his company would be willing to offer one. So far, no one has asked, a spokesman confirmed. “If one of our clients asks us to give prices on materials, we have the responsibility to provide it,” the spokesman said in a statement, “but it doesn’t imply Cemex would participate in the project.” The Department of Homeland Security will begin soliciting bids to design and build wall prototypes as early as Monday, and well over 300 businesses have already expressed interest in taking part. The agency plans to start awarding contracts by mid-April, according to FedBizOpps.gov, a website for federal contractors. FOIA CBP 000964 DHS-17-0435-B-000261 18 Some Mexicans have taken offense at Cemex’s stance, saying the company would be prioritizing financial interests over national interests. Others viewed Cemex’s potential offer as a logical step that could potentially help a Mexican company to reap profits from the border wall project. In Trump’s joint address to Congress this week, he reiterated that “we will soon begin the construction of a great wall along our southern border. It will be started ahead of schedule and, when finished, it will be a very effective weapon against drugs and crime,” Trump said. He also reiterated his core principle is to “buy American and hire American.” Some analysts have predicted for months that Cemex could see an opportunity in the border wall. The company has six integrated cement plants within a 200-mile radius of the border, more than a number of its U.S. rivals. Research firm Bernstein wrote in a July study that Cemex would be one of the companies best-positioned to profit from a wall. The United States is Cemex’s biggest market, representing a fifth of its revenue last quarter. “If The Wall does go ahead, it will almost certainly be built from concrete,” analysts wrote in the Bernstein report. “What is less clear at this stage is whether U.S.- or Mexico￾based suppliers will benefit. In fact, despite arguments concerning which government will pay for construction, the large quantities of materials required may necessitate procurement from both sides of the border. Cemex appears best positioned regardless, with cement, RMX and aggregates facilities throughout the border region.” The company has seen a positive uptick since Trump was elected, with its shares rising 4 percent, analysts say. Cemex climbed 4.3 percent to 17.74 pesos Wednesday in Mexico City after advancing as much as 4.6 percent, for the biggest gain within a day in a month, Bloomberg reported. The company had sales of $13.4 billion last year. Yet, despite the profitable potential for the project, some analysts say any profit that would come from the wall wouldn’t compensate for a possible negative effect on Mexican sales, the Wall Street Journal reported. Participating in border wall construction could damage Cemex’s image in Mexico and even lead to a boycott of the company, they said. Mexico still accounts for 38 percent of Cemex’s operating cash flow. Manuel Bartlett, a senator from Mexico’s Labor Party, told Bloomberg in a January interview that it seemed “dishonorable” for Mexican companies to participate in the project. “They would be putting money above national interests,” Bartlett said. “Obviously the wall construction is an offense to Mexico.” In an interview on “Good Morning America” on Wednesday, Vice President Pence emphasized that Mexico would pay for the proposed border wall. “One of the things people saw last night is that the candidate Donald Trump is the President Donald Trump, and he spoke about those priorities,” Pence said. “We’re going to build a wall. We’re going to enforce the laws of this country.” More from Morning Mix: Skulls found in China were part modern human, part Neanderthal; possibly new species ‘The world waits on edge’ as April the pregnant giraffe becomes live-stream sensation Scottish teacher told to watch ‘The Big Bang Theory’ as prep for pupils with Asperger’s TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION U.S. Airport Pat-Downs Are About To Get More Invasive The TSA reacts to a study that found weapons making it past security. By Justin Bachman Bloomberg News, March 3, 2017 While few have noticed, U.S. airport security workers long had the option of using five different types of physical pat-downs at the screening line. Now those options have been eliminated and replaced with a single universal approach. This time, you will notice. The new physical touching—for those selected to have a pat-down—will be be what the federal agency officially describes as a more “comprehensive” physical screening, according to a Transportation Security Administration spokesman. Denver International Airport, for example, notified employees and flight crews on Thursday that the “more rigorous” searches “will be more thorough and may involve an officer making more intimate contact than before.” “I would say people who in the past would have gotten a pat-down that wasn’t involved will notice that the [new] pat￾down is more involved,” TSA spokesman Bruce Anderson said Friday. The shift from the previous, risk-based assessment on which pat-down procedure an officer should apply was phased in over the past two weeks after tests at smaller airports, he said. The TSA screens about 2 million people daily at U.S. airports. The agency doesn’t track how many passengers are subject to pat-down searches after they pass through an imaging scanner. People who decline to use this screening technology are automatically subject to physical searches. While passengers may find the process more intrusive, the new screening procedure isn’t expected to increase overall airport security delays. However, “for the person who gets the pat down, it will slow them down,” Anderson said. FOIA CBP 000965 DHS-17-0435-B-000262 19 The change is partly a result of the agency’s study of a 2015 report that criticized aspects of TSA screening procedures. That audit, by the Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector General, drew headlines because airport officers had failed to detect handguns and other weapons. An additional change prompted by the report was the TSA’s decision to end its “managed inclusion” program, by which some everyday travelers were allowed to use PreCheck lanes to speed things up at peak times. Physical screening has long been one of the traveling public’s strongest dislikes regarding airport security protocols. The TSA has all pat-downs conducted by an officer of the same sex as the traveler, and allows a passenger to request a private area for the screening, as well as to have a witness present. Likewise, the traveler can request that the pat-down occur in public view. The new policy also applies to airline pilots and flight attendants, classified as “known crewmembers” who generally receive less scrutiny at checkpoints. The TSA conducts occasional random searches of these employees, and airlines this week inquired as to whether their employees would be subject to more frequent pat-downs. The number of random searches for airline crews isn’t changing and will remain a “very small percentage” of the total, Anderson said. But airport employees may face more random checks. The random searches also vary by airport, depending on the screening program, Anderson said. “Sometimes it’s random, sometimes they’re consistent, based on the door you enter,” he said of the searches given workers with airport ID badges. “Sometimes, those measures call for a pat-down.” In their notice, Denver airport officials said employees are subject to search at random locations: “If a pat down is required as part of the operation, badged employees will be required to comply with a TSA officer’s request to conduct a full body pat down.” In December, a CNN political commentator, Angela Rye, posted an article online describing her “humiliation” during a TSA agent’s search. Rye wrote in graphic detail about the pat down of her genitals during a search at the Detroit Airport before a flight to New York. TSA officials didn’t immediately address whether the new universal pat-down protocol will mandate touching of passenger genitals. US CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES A Major Proponent Of H-1B Visa Reform Loses Patience With Trump By Joshua Brustein Bloomberg News, March 3, 2017 For a decade, U.S. Senator Richard Durbin has wanted to reform a program that is alternatively seen as a necessary way for technology companies to hire technical experts and a boondoggle that outsourcers use to exploit foreign labor. Durbin, a high-ranking Democrat, is no fan of Donald Trump, but he saw November’s election as a sign that changes were imminent. Now, six weeks into the Trump administration, he’s losing patience. On Friday morning, the senator from Illinois wrote a letter to the president urging him to follow through on a promised crackdown before the end of the month. The urgency comes in part from a looming deadline. Every year in early April, employers enter a lottery to secure special “H-1B” visas allowing them to hire guest workers. There are 85,000 available, 20,000 of which are set aside for people with advanced degrees, and demand for these visas far outpaces supply. Tech giants like Microsoft Corp., Facebook Inc., Alphabet Inc.’s Google, and Amazon.com.Inc. apply for thousands, but the largest recipients are IT firms that pay relatively low wages and often displace American workers. The H-1B visa has become a key issue in the tense relationship between U.S. technology companies and the new White House. The industry wants access to smart immigrant workers, while Trump wants to prioritize American workers. When he signed an executive order prohibiting entry by people from seven majority-Muslim nations for 90 days, many tech companies argued against it in court and thousands of Google employees protested. Durbin has repeatedly introduced legislation to overhaul the H-1B program. A bill he introduced this year with U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, would prioritize employers that pay higher wages and hire workers with advanced science and engineering degrees from U.S. universities. On Friday, Durbin asked Trump to take the same approach when considering this year’s crop of visa applications, which could be done through an executive order. “If you do not take action in the next few weeks, outsourcers will secure the right to import tens of thousands of low-wage foreign guest workers to replace American workers,” Durbin wrote in the letter. White House spokesman Michael Short said the H-1B visa program “is an issue we are closely and carefully looking at.” He also pointed to comments Reed Cordish, an adviser to Trump on tech initiatives, made to The Wall Street Journal. While the administration believes there have been “flaws” in the visa program for high-skilled workers, changes can be made “in a way that supports what these [high-tech] companies currently need,” Cordish told the newspaper in February. FOIA CBP 000966 DHS-17-0435-B-000263 20 Durbin seems aware of the awkward position he’s putting himself in by calling for a crackdown from a Republican president with tough views on immigrants. His letter scolds the president for poisoning the immigration debate with “cruel and un-American” policies. A spokesperson for Durbin says the senator hasn’t directly discussed immigration policy with the White House before this point. This isn’t the first suggestion that the Trump administration do something about this year’s H-1B lottery system while Congress works on a more permanent solution. Lobbyist Bruce Morrison, who helped create the H-1B program as a member of Congress, met with Trump’s transition team to suggest how to use executive actions immediately upon taking office to change the system. An earlier attempt at H-1B reform created a separate category for companies with higher proportions of H-1B workers, putting additional requirements on those firms. Morrison proposed that the White House give priority to companies that don’t fall into that category. “Effectively, dependent companies wouldn’t get any visas, which is fine because that’s where the outsourcers are,” he said. One exception would be Facebook, the most prominent U.S. technology firm that is officially an H-1B dependent company, with more than 15 percent of its U.S.- based staff in the program. The Trump administration seems receptive. The fear of Americans losing their jobs to international competition is a cornerstone of the president’s message. “The H-1B program is neither high-skilled nor immigration: these are temporary foreign workers, imported from abroad, for the explicit purpose of substituting for American workers at lower pay,” said Trump in a statement last spring. “I will end forever the H-1B as a cheap labor program, and institute an absolute requirement to hire American workers first for every visa and immigration program.” Some companies have held off on preparing H-1B applications for this year’s lottery out of fear that Trump would somehow undermine the program, says Dick Burke, Chief Executive Officer of Envoy Global Inc., which helps about 1,000 companies navigate the U.S. immigration system. Michael Hayes, government affairs manager for the Consumer Technology Association, expressed concern that the White House could undermine more permanent reform by rushing out an executive order on the program. Even if this year’s H-1B lottery proceeds unchanged, there’s support in Congress to overhaul the program. On Thursday, three House members introduced a bill that mirrors Durbin and Grassley’s proposal. Two other bills introduced this year would tweak the program to punish outsourcing firms while trying to protect U.S. tech companies. Similar proposals have floated around Washington for years. Much to the frustration of people like Durbin, they’ve rarely gotten much further than that. Study: Fewer Jobless In States Where Employers Must Screen Illegals From Job Interviews By Katie McHugh Breitbart, March 3, 2017 Study: Fewer Jobless in States Where Employers Must Screen Illegals from Job Interviews Fewer Jobless in States Where Employers Must Screen Illegals from Job Interviews Katie McHugh 3 Mar 20170 3/3/2017 10:50:21 AM SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER “Many opponents of E-Verify portray the system as a barrier to employment opportunities,” the report explains. “To the contrary, this study finds that states requiring the use of E-Verify are leading recovery efforts following the worst global recession since World War II,” said the report, which added: SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER Millions of American citizens would find gainful employment if they did not have to compete against unauthorized workers who undercut local wage rates. E￾Verify plays a critical role in alleviating unfair competition against unauthorized workers; and states utilizing the program are experiencing positive job growth that outpaces national averages in the majority of cases. The E-verify program is built around a website which allows employers to check the identity documents of job￾seekers, so helping exclude illegal aliens. The free service is used by at least 600,000 employers, but immigration reformers say employers should be required to use the system to check all prospective employees. According to the new study, … this report examines the U-6 unemployment rate in states one year after instituting or expanding E-Verify requirements. The U-6 unemployment rate includes discouraged job-seekers who have stopped searching for employment and those who are working part time for purely economic reasons – as opposed to those who may be working part time by choice. Accordingly, U-6 data provides a better representation of those who are genuinely unemployed than the number that is commonly reported by the mainstream media. The most frequently reported number—the U-3 unemployment rate— only includes those who are completely out of work and still actively searching for employment… All states that enacted or expanded E-Verify after 2008, save one, saw their unemployment rates drop, even when the FOIA CBP 000967 DHS-17-0435-B-000264 21 national rate increased. More impressively, 12 of the 15 states that passed new measures experienced a drop in unemployment larger than the national average. Furthermore, states that made E-Verify mandatory for all employers, public and private, experienced the most pronounced decrease in their unemployment rates. Enforcing immigration law and easing pressure on American workers is highly popular with voters. A poll released on election day found 59 percent believed the first step taken towards controlling illegal immigration should be requiring all U.S. employers to verify the legal status of their employees. Breitbart News has also reported 75 percent believe unemployed Americans should be first in line to receive U.S. jobs—compared to only three percent who think the U.S. should import more foreigners to fill them. Another 61 percent said politicians “who would rather import foreign workers to take jobs rather than give them to current U.S. residents [are] unfit to hold office.” Since the housing recession began in 2007, 8.7 million additional migrants have arrived and settled in the U.S. while Americans struggled to find work. There are some 42.4 million foreign-born immigrants, illegal aliens, contract workers, students, refugees residing in the U.S. as of 2014, comprising 13.3 percent of the population. Each year, roughly four million young Americans enter the job market—and the federal government provides work permits to about one million new legal immigrants and to almost one million temporary contract-workers. Illegal and legal immigration flood the labor market, imposing a $500 billion tax on working Americans and established immigrants by transferring billions of dollars to employers, investors and newly-imported foreign workers, says a September report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. Mass immigration from the Third World is crippling workers in the economy, as Breitbart News reported in July. White, working-class men have been hit particularly hard by relentless levels of migration and unrestricted trade: 41 percent have abandoned work, according to the Economist. E-Verify will empower American workers and protect them from being underbid by illegal aliens, FAIR said, recommending every state, plus the federal government, makes E-Verify mandatory. “E-Verify ensures that only authorized workers gain employment opportunities in the states where it’s being used. As a result, American jobs are going to authorized workers, many of whom had abandoned their job hunt altogether and had given up hope of ever again finding employment,” said FAIR’s President Dan Stein in a statement accompanying the report. E-Verify will also discourage illegal aliens from seeking work in the U.S., since the widespread tax fraud and identity theft required to gain employment will no longer be ignored by authorities. Many will simply return home if they are unable to find American jobs. For All The Sound And Fury Over Illegal Immigration, It’s Not A Top Concern For Most Latinos, Survey Finds By Melissa Etehad Los Angeles Times, March 3, 2017 Debbie Briano sat down in her restaurant, El Rancho Grande, on Olvera Street in downtown Los Angeles. Despite it’s grandiose name and touristy location, most of the seats were empty on this weekday afternoon and the business’ future seemed hazy. Briano is worried about competition from online delivery services, rent hikes and the increasing cost of food. Some days she worries that she might lose the restaurant that has been passed down in her family for 87 years. “The city is raising the rent in July and I haven’t had enough business recently because of the rain. No one wants to come out,” she said last week. Briano, whose family emigrated from Zacatecas, Mexico, to the United States in the early 20th century, said that more than any other issue, her primary concerns revolve around preserving her restaurant. Her worries about her economic livelihood are typical among Latinos, who cite economic stability and other issues as their top priorities despite the roiling, high-profile debates over illegal immigration and the Trump administration’s talk about stepped-up deportations, according to a Pew Research Center survey released last week. The survey, which was conducted before President Trump’s inauguration, explored how Latinos — whether American-born or immigrants — viewed their status in the U.S. and expectations they had about the Trump presidency. Despite the contentious debate over illegal immigration during and after the election, the Pew study found that improving the education system, defending the country from future terrorist attacks and strengthening the nation’s economy were the top issues for Latinos in the U.S. “This pattern … has been fairly consistent for a number of years in Pew Research Center surveys,” the report said. As Carlos Mayoral ate lunch outside a downtown building during his break on Thursday, he recalled how little he cared about school when he was growing up. Now a construction worker in L.A. and a father of three, Mayoral said his priorities have shifted. “I want my kids to do better than me. I’m working hard so that they can go to college. A good education for them is what’s on my mind,” Mayoral said. FOIA CBP 000968 DHS-17-0435-B-000265 22 His oldest child is 18 years old and will graduate from North Hollywood High School this year and plans to pursue computer science in college, Mayoral said. Although this and other findings in the survey correlate with what researchers have said in previous years, there was one finding that especially stood out: Latinos in the U.S. were split about what Trump’s presidency meant for their place here. The survey found that 41% of Latinos worried about their future after Trump’s election, and 54% felt confident about their situation; how they responded strongly correlated to their legal status in the U.S. Immigrants in the country illegally and legal residents who are not U.S. citizens expressed more pessimism about their situation. By contrast, 34% of Latinos who are U.S. citizens said they were concerned about their status in the country. The survey also found that a growing share of Latinos felt worse about how they stand now compared with a year earlier than in previous surveys. “The share today that says the group’s situation has worsened is about double the share that said the same in 2013,” the report said. For some Latinos, immigration was very much a top concern. Alejandro Cazares worries that he will be torn away from his wife, Pestrella Cazares, and his five kids. Cazares has been living in the U.S. for 22 years after coming here illegally and said that he has had to adjust his lifestyle since Trump became president. “I can’t work and I’m scared to go out alone these days. I only go out if my family is with me,” Cazares said Thursday as he, his wife and children took a walk on Broadway near Grand Central Market. Pestrella Cazares, worried about how she would raise her five children if her husband were to be deported. “I’m scared. I could become a single mom any day now,” she said. About half of Latinos surveyed said they worried about the possibility of increased deportations under Trump. The survey also found that 47% of Latinos worried to some extent that they or a family member or close friend could be deported. Briano employs five people at her restaurant and said that some of them worry that they will be deported under Trump. “‘Will they take me?’ some ask. I tell them that I think they’ll be OK,” she said. Latinos held similar views regarding deportations in 2013, according to the Pew survey. But there was an easing of concerns after President Obama issued a series of executive orders that protected some immigrants from deportation. Immigration could rise as a priority for Latinos in future surveys conducted after Trump’s ascension to the White House. Last month the Trump administration swept aside almost all restrictions for the removal of 11 million people in the U.S. illegally, opening the door to a major expansion of the federal government’s deportation priorities. This article was updated with comments from Los Angeles residents. This article was originally published at 11 a.m., Feb. 23. What We Know About Illegal Immigration From Mexico Pew Research Center, March 2, 2017 What we know about illegal immigration from Mexico Unauthorized Immigration 3/2/2017 9:30:36 AM There were 11.7 million immigrants from Mexico living in the U.S. in 2014, and about half of them were in the country illegally, according to Pew Research Center estimates. Mexico is the country’s largest source of immigrants, making up 28% of all U.S. immigrants. With President Donald Trump’s administration taking steps to reduce the number of unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. — including through the construction of a wall at the southern border — here’s what we know about illegal immigration from Mexico: 1The number of Mexican immigrants living in the U.S. illegally has declined by more than 1 million since 2007. In 2014, 5.8 million unauthorized immigrants from Mexico lived in the U.S., down from a peak of 6.9 million in 2007. Despite the drop, Mexicans still make up about half of the nation’s 11.1 million unauthorized immigrants (52% in 2014). 2More non-Mexicans than Mexicans were apprehended at U.S. borders in fiscal year 2016 for the second time on record (the first was in fiscal 2014.) In fiscal 2016, 192,969 Mexicans were apprehended, a sharp drop from a peak of 1.6 million apprehensions in 2000. The decline in apprehensions reflects the decrease in the number of unauthorized Mexican immigrants coming to the U.S. 3Mexicans were deported from the U.S. 242,456 times in 2015 – up from 169,031 in 2005, but down from a recent high of 309,807 in 2013. The increase over the past decade is due in part to a 2005 shift in policy that increased the chances of being deported following apprehension in the border region. Prior to that change, many unauthorized immigrants were returned without a formal deportation order. 4Mexican unauthorized immigrants are more likely to be long-term residents of the U.S. As of 2014, 78% had lived in the U.S. for 10 years or more, while only 7% had been in the country for less than five years. By comparison, 52% of unauthorized immigrants from countries other than Mexico FOIA CBP 000969 DHS-17-0435-B-000266 23 had lived in the U.S. for at least a decade as of 2014, while 22% had lived in the U.S. for less than five years. 5Unauthorized immigrants from Mexico make up at least 75% of the total unauthorized immigrant population in three states. This is the case in New Mexico (91%), Idaho (87%) and Arizona (81%). In California, Mexicans make up 71% of the state’s unauthorized immigrant population, and they numbered more than 1.6 million in 2014 – the highest total of any state. Note: This post was originally published July 5, 2015, and has been updated. Topics: Immigration, Immigration Trends, Mexico, Unauthorized Immigration E.U. Lawmakers Call For End To Visa-Free Travel For Americans By James Kanter New York Times, March 3, 2017 The European Parliament has passed a nonbinding resolution calling for the reintroduction of visa requirements for American citizens, raising the stakes in a long-running battle over the United States’ refusal to grant visa-free access to citizens of five European Union countries. In the vote on Thursday, European lawmakers played tit-for-tat in their dispute with the United States, demanding restrictions on American travelers unless the Trump administration lifts travel requirements for citizens of five countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Poland and Romania. “You’re talking about citizens from countries like Poland, with a major diaspora” in the United States, said Claude Moraes, the British lawmaker who leads the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs in the European Parliament, in a telephone interview on Friday. “You’re really seeing frustration and anger, and without any timetable, this is becoming increasingly seen as second-class treatment.” The resolution, while nonbinding, was an important political signal, and it increases pressure on the European Commission, the bloc’s executive body, to confront the new administration in Washington, even though it may prove to be as intransigent on the matter as the Obama administration, if not more. The European Parliament also warned that it could take the further step of bringing the European Commission to court if it continues not to stand up to Washington. “Only when the U.S. fully gets that the European Commission is going to act are we going to get any kind of timetable from the United States,” Mr. Moraes said. “At the moment, the U.S. just believes the commission is not going to act but stick with the pragmatic argument that doing so would create damage that’s just too great.” He continued, referring to Washington, “There’s no denying heightened concern about the current administration, but that’s more about uncertainty about who’s in charge and how the State Department is working.” Mr. Moraes said the cvil liberties committee could still recommend within two months that a case against the Commission’s failure to act be brought to the bloc’s highest tribunal, the Court of Justice of the European Union. “It’s a question of using what options are open to us,” he said, explaining the possible resort to litigation. In the vote on Thursday, the Parliament gave the European Commission two months to take legal measures to impose visas for American travelers to the European Union unless the Americans offered reciprocity to all citizens from the bloc, a move that would almost certainly prove damaging for travel and trade. European officials in Brussels have balked at making travel to Europe more difficult for Americans, saying doing so would have an economic cost and would most likely not even resolve the hurdles facing citizens of the five affected countries. Parliament’s measure was approved in a show of hands and was not expected to worsen the standoff with the United States. But in the event that the court in Luxembourg were to rule in favor of Parliament, the commission might be forced to impose visa requirements on Americans. The Trump administration, finding itself in a tit-for-tat battle over access, would then almost certainly do the same for travelers from the European Union. In 2014, the European Commission was notified that the United States and four other countries — Australia, Brunei, Canada, Japan — were failing to provide reciprocal, visa-free travel to citizens of some European Union countries. Australia, Brunei and Japan have resolved differences with the European Union, and an agreement with Canada is expected to take effect in December for all citizens of Bulgaria and Romania, according to a statement from the European Parliament. Margaritis Schinas, the chief spokesman for the commission, appeared to tamp down any expectations that it would impose visa requirements on Americans within two months, as outlined in the Parliament resolution. Instead, he said he advocated “continued engagement and patient diplomatic contacts” with Washington. The commission would issue a progress report on discussions with the United States, he added, but not before the end of June. European Lawmakers Threaten Visa Rules For Americans In Spat Over Travel Policies By Brian Murphy Washington Post, March 3, 2017 FOIA CBP 000970 DHS-17-0435-B-000267 24 The European Parliament has drawn a tough line with Washington in a dispute over visa-free travel, demanding that the United States extend the privileged status to all 28 European Union nations or risk having it pulled for Americans visiting Europe. The vote Thursday by E.U. lawmakers — calling to end the visa waiver for Americans — was seen as mostly an attention-grabbing stunt ahead of a June 15 meeting between European and American envoys. But it also runs up against tighter border-control policies by the Trump administration and could leave Europe in a political bind if Washington refuses to bend. Passport holders from all but five E.U. nations can travel to the United States without seeking an advance visa. The entire European Union gives the same welcome mat to Americans. The European Parliament, however, insists that the United States should give the visa-free allowance to the five left out: Poland, Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania and Cyprus. The European Parliament does not have the authority to change visa policies on its own. Also, imposing visas for American travelers would likely touch off huge economic disruptions and could force a retaliatory move by the United States. But the vote suggests growing frustration with Washington in a running spat that began in 2014. What remains unclear is whether the Trump administration would be in the mood to open its European visa policies. Officials have already urged greater border checks and seek to reimpose a court-blocked travel ban that originally covered seven Muslim-majority nations. One sticking point in the past has been U.S. concern about potentially lax passport-issuing rules in some of the five E.U. countries outside the visa-free list. IMMIGRATION Victims Of Immigrant Crime Now Have Advocate In White House By Astrid Galvan Associated Press, March 3, 2017 PHOENIX (AP) – Two years ago, Steve Ronnebeck’s son was gunned down at work in a Phoenix-area convenience store over a pack of cigarettes. The man accused of pulling the trigger was an immigrant who was in the country illegally and had been released by federal authorities. The suspected killer, captured on camera calmly stepping over the body of 21-year-old Grant Ronnebeck to grab a few more packs, faced deportation but was free on bond. Ronnebeck and other families who have lost loved ones to crimes committed by immigrants now have a forceful advocate at the highest level with President Donald Trump in the White House. During his speech to Congress on Tuesday, Trump announced that he would create a new office to serve victims of immigrant crime and their relatives. Although immigrants are responsible for only a small fraction of the crimes committed daily around the country, the issue played an outsized role in the race for the White House. Trump repeatedly invoked such crimes at rallies and frequently appeared with victims on the campaign trail, pointing to case after case in which people were killed by immigrant assailants who slipped through the cracks. Many of the families have doggedly pressed for changes in the immigration system for years, lobbying lawmakers in Washington and even disrupting congressional hearings to make their point. “To lose a child, especially when it was preventable, you know there’s no coming back from that. You don’t ever recover, but to have a president that is putting Americans first and putting the victims’ families first, it’s amazing,” Ronnebeck said. “Finally we’re being heard. My family feels like we actually matter again.” The man charged in Grant Ronnebeck’s slaying has pleaded not guilty to murder, armed robbery and other charges. Adolfo Altamirano is scheduled to go to trial Sept. 18 in Maricopa County. Trump’s new agency will be the office of Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement, or VOICE, and will be part of the Department of Homeland Security. Department Secretary John Kelly described the agency’s planned work in a memo last month. Under President Barack Obama, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency protected information about immigration cases from public inspection, including from victims. It also created a public advocate position in 2012 that helped immigrants facing deportation and answered complaints or offered explanations about the agency’s work. Opponents criticized the administration for using government money to advocate for immigrants in the country illegally. Don Rosenberg said an office like VOICE would have been useful when he was trying to navigate the judicial system after an immigrant named Roberto Galo killed his 25- year-old son, Drew, in a car collision after striking the law student’s motorcycle in San Francisco in late 2010. Rosenberg struggled to keep track of hearings and did not know what his rights were as the father of a victim. Galo did not have a driver’s license and was in the country illegally, although he had temporary protected status, meaning he was shielded from deportation. He was sentenced to six months in jail but was let out after 43 days, Rosenberg said. FOIA CBP 000971 DHS-17-0435-B-000268 25 He was eventually deported to Honduras. Rosenberg became vocal against policies protecting immigrants. He was detained by U.S. Capitol police in July 2015 after getting into an argument with another man at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing examining the Obama administration’s approach to immigration. Rosenberg said he got loud but not violent while arguing with a man. He was not charged. Several studies have concluded that immigrants are less likely to commit crime than native-born U.S. citizens. A 2014 study published in the journal Justice Quarterly concluded that immigrants “exhibit remarkably low levels of involvement in crime across their life course.” Not all relatives of crime victims agree with Trump. Andy Ostroy, of New York, said it’s wrong for the president and others to demonize a group of people based on the actions of a few. Ostroy’s wife, Adrienne Shelly, was an actor and filmmaker with a young daughter. She was killed in 2006 by an Ecuadorean immigrant who was working in construction without legal status. Diego Pillco strangled Shelly and staged her death as a suicide. He confessed, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Ostroy said a program such as VOICE will fuel anti￾immigrant rhetoric. “Let’s just work on crime, period,” he said. “Let’s not go down a dark, dangerous path of demonizing whole segments of our population.” Mary Ann Mendoza is the mother of a Mesa, Arizona, police sergeant killed in 2014 in a head-on collision with a drunken driver who was suspected of being in the country illegally. The driver, Raul Silva Corona, who had been driving the wrong way, was killed in the crash. Mendoza said she has been working with members of the Trump administration as they create VOICE and is grateful for the president’s actions. “So many times families are left grieving the loss of their loved ones, and they’re left wondering what happened in the system,” she said. “I wish we had leadership in our state that stood up for Americans and would reach out to our families.” © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Mixed Messages From Trump On Immigration By Milton J. Valencia Boston Globe, March 3, 2017 Remarks that the president made to a gathering of TV anchors this week briefly gave cautious hope to immigrants and their advocates that Trump could support a path to citizenship for thousands of immigrants now in the country illegally, a stark departure from his previous stances. But hours later, those hopes were dashed when Trump made no mention of that sentiment in his first address to Congress. Advertisement It was the latest twist in an evolving discussion of immigration that has kept policy watchers guessing. Trump has “been kind of all over the map on legal immigration,” said Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies for the Center for Immigration Studies, a research group that favors limits on immigration. But Trump has remained consistent in his focus on immigrants who have committed crimes, she said. Get Fast Forward in your inbox: Forget yesterday’s news. Get what you need today in this early-morning email. Sign Up Thank you for signing up! Sign up for more newsletters here “He’s gone from ‘they all have to go,’ to ‘we’re going to focus on the people causing problems,” she said. “I don’t think he’s lost the part that this needs to serve our national interest.” Yet another version of a piece of Trump’s immigration crackdown is expected any day, when he releases a revised executive order designed to hold up in court. It would revise one of the three executive orders on immigration he signed in January. The first two called for stepped up border security and enforcement of immigration laws, and broadened the pool of immigrants to target for deportation, leading to more arrests and detentions. The third order temporarily barred people from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the US. The White House promised to replace that order after it was halted by a federal court, but the replacement has not yet been introduced. Advertisement In his speech before Congress Tuesday, Trump said the time may be ripe for immigration reform, and suggested that the country should have a “merit-based immigration system,” which would prioritize the admission of immigrants with specific skills. Steve Kropper, co-chair of the Massachusetts Citizens for Immigration Reform, said Trump has so far introduced only “attention-grabbing” proposals, rather than initiatives that could lead to lasting change in the immigration system. It won’t be long, he said, until Trump gives up, and perhaps even offers amnesty to those in the country illegally. “I doubt that Trump has the stamina for the long slog that is meaningful changes in immigration,” Kropper said. Advocates for immigrants say that the arrests of immigrants happening across the country, including two FOIA CBP 000972 DHS-17-0435-B-000269 26 separate arrests of young people who were previously protected under Barack Obama’s program for immigrants brought to the US as children, have many people fearful, no matter what Trump may say now. “It’s hard to tell whether the public backlash has actually had an affect on the administration’s policy, or if they’re trying to create more confusion and chaos,” said Laura Rotolo, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts who focuses on immigration. “What’s happening on the ground is, there continues to be a true sense of confusion of what the policies are.” For example, said Zoila Gomez, an immigration lawyer, a lawful permanent resident from the Dominican Republic who federal officials want to deport was arrested at his home this week and is being detained while he awaits deportation proceedings, even though he had been allowed to remain free since 2014 as his case moved through the process. “What is the point of picking him up, and putting him in jail, when he is already in the system and complying?” Gomez said. In trying to understand the seeming mixed messages from the White House, policy observers said that it’s possible that the president is now listening to Cabinet members and other members of his administration and immigration advocates on the issue. “I do think his position has evolved, and I definitely see the influence of people now in his cabinet in refining what his agenda is on immigration,” Vaughan said. She and others added, though, that such proposals are nothing more than proposals. ERIK S. LESSER/EPA President Donald J. Trump returned to the White House on Thursday. “He wants to indicate he’s open to something, but being open to talk to someone is different than having a plan,” she said. “If he were to embark on a big legalization program at this point in time, he would really upset a lot of his supporters.” Vaughan said the president has authority to enforce existing immigration laws in a way that protects the country, for instance by ordering the deportations of criminals, but she said that any true reform will need Congressional action, something that hasn’t happened since 1990. In his speech Tuesday, Trump called on Congress to come to a compromise and take action. “I believe that real and positive immigration reform is possible, as long as we focus on the following goals: to improve jobs and wages for Americans, to stengthen our nation’s security, and to restore respect for our laws,” Trump said. Congressional Democrats and immigration advocates were not swayed. One group, the National Immigration Law Center, released a statement saying that Trump has already “spread fear among immigrant communities.” “Actions speak louder than words,” Kamal Essaheb, policy and advocacy director, said in the statement. Ira Mehlman, of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, said in an interview that he does not believe the president has wavered or changed course, even after Tuesday’s speech, but instead has followed through on the campaign promises he made, to target criminals and create a “merit-based” immigration system. There really shouldn’t be any confusion, he said. “You have to listen to what the president said, and until you hear otherwise, that’s the president’s position,” he said. “It all seems to indicates he believes our immigration laws need to be enforced, and our legal immigration system needs to be overhauled.” “As far as we’re concerned, that’s the policy of the administration,” he said. Milton J. Valencia can be reached at milton.valencia@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @miltonvalencia. After Kansas Shooting, A Community In Fear By Anna North New York Times, March 3, 2017 This Week in Hate highlights hate crimes and harassment around the country since the election of President Trump. For many Americans of South Asian descent, the shooting in Olathe, Kan., last month of two immigrants from India was part of a disturbing pattern. Even as South Asian American communities grow around the country, their members are increasingly victims of harassment and violence. Often, they are perceived, correctly or not, to be Muslim. Harmann Singh, a Harvard Law School student who was born and raised in Buffalo, N.Y., was talking on his cell phone to his mother in a Cambridge, Mass., store when a man swore at him and called him a Muslim. Mr. Singh tried to walk away, but the man followed him around the store, demanding to know what country he was from. Though Mr. Singh is Sikh, not Muslim, he saw the incident as an opportunity to take a stand against Islamophobia. “It’s really important that we all come together,” he said, to “fight against injustice against anyone and not just our own communities.” Violence and harassment against Americans of South Asian descent have risen in the last year, according to the group South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT). The group reported 140 incidents of violence and harassment between November 2015 and November 2016, compared with 76 between January 2011 and April 2014. FOIA CBP 000973 DHS-17-0435-B-000270 27 South Asian Americans are the fastest growing demographic in the United States, according to SAALT. But white supremacist groups are also on the rise, and many Americans of South Asian descent are frightened for their safety. In the wake of the Kansas shooting, said Suman Raghunathan, the executive director of SAALT, some families are afraid to send their children to school. “This is yet another reminder for our communities that there is the perception that we do not have a place in this country,” she said. Although South Asian Americans practice a variety of religions (or no religion), people who hold racist or Islamophobic views tend to conflate them with Muslims and people of Middle Eastern descent. “All of our communities are essentially lumped together as being un-American,” Ms. Raghunathan said. Ninety-four percent of the incidents SAALT tracked last year were motivated by anti-Muslim bigotry. Statements by President Trump and others may be helping to stir up that bigotry. Researchers at California State University, San Bernardino, have found a connection between anti-Muslim statements by politicians and hate violence. For example, there was an 87.5 percent rise in anti￾Muslim hate crimes in the days following a 2015 speech by Donald Trump, then a candidate, calling for a “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States.” Now, Ms. Raghunathan said, “the xenophobic political rhetoric of Trump as a candidate” is turning into real policies like the executive orders on immigration. She is heartened that the F.B.I. is now investigating the Olathe shooting as a hate crime, and called for hate crime statutes in the five states that have yet to pass them. The bureau began tracking hate crimes against Sikhs and Hindus in 2015, and data on violence against these groups could help law enforcement fight the problem. For instance, police departments can train officers to investigate crimes in which Sikh men are targeted for wearing turbans, said Harsimran Kaur, the legal director of the Sikh Coalition, a civil rights group. While Mr. Singh, the Harvard Law student, was initially shaken by his experience, and heartbroken by the Olathe shooting, he maintains “a sense of optimism” that Americans can come together to fight bigotry. In particular, he said he believes people should step in if they see that someone else is being harassed, even if it means “just being there for them, talking to them and making sure they feel comfortable and they feel safe.” Meanwhile, he wishes his harasser “had a chance to get to know me,” he said. “My faith preaches love and acceptance and, for me, makes me a stronger American.” If you have experienced, witnessed or read about a hate crime or incident of bias or harassment, you can use this form to send information about the incident to This Week in Hate and other partners in the Documenting Hate project. The form is not a report to law enforcement or any government agency. These resources may be helpful for people who have experienced harassment. If you witness harassment, here are some tips for responding. You can contact This Week in Hate at weekinhate@nytimes.com. Indian Athlete Who Got High-Level Help For U.S. Visa Now Accused Of Sexual Assault By Annie Gowen Washington Post, March 3, 2017 It was a long journey for Indian snowshoe champion Tanveer Hussain and his team manager to the World Snowshoe Championships in Saranac Lake, N.Y., last weekend. The two men were initially denied visas to travel to the United States in the chaotic days following the Trump administration’s travel ban. The reasons for the rejections remain unclear — India is not among the seven countries named in Trump’s executive order — but after the intervention of Saranac Lake’s mayor and the office of Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi reversed its decision. Hussain and team manager Abid Khan arrived Feb. 23 in the bucolic Adirondacks town, which had been following their visa ordeal and extended them a hero’s welcome. Locals offered congratulations and free lodgings at an inn that in the snow looked like a “fairy tale scene from a movie,” Khan said in a Facebook post. The “fairy tale” was shattered Wednesday, when Hussain, 24, was arrested and charged with felony sexual abuse and child welfare endangerment, police said. The parents of the 12-year-old girl allegedly involved said the incident happened Monday, after the end of the three-day snowshoe competition, and reported it to local authorities. Chief Charles A. Potthast Jr. of the Saranac Lake Village police force said the girl was playing pool Monday afternoon with other young people at the inn where Hussain was staying. “There was a moment when the two were alone, and that’s when the incident occurred,” Potthast said. The girl told police there was a “passionate kiss” and that Hussain touched her in an intimate area on top of her clothing. Hussain remains jailed on $10,000 bond. Khan said the athlete told him he had done nothing wrong. Muddasir Mir, the president of the SnowShoe Federation of India, said the next court hearing is set for Monday. “It’s an unfortunate situation, both for the community there in the U.S. who supported us and the federation,” Mir said. “We have full faith in the American law and as there is a FOIA CBP 000974 DHS-17-0435-B-000271 28 court proceeding going on, that is going to be my only comment.” Hussain hails from the Indian side of the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, which is predominantly Muslim. He placed in the top 50 at the World Snowshoe Championships last year in Italy, Mir said, though he failed to place in the top 100 this year. Hussain’s brother, Yunus Ali, said the family has not been able to speak to Hussain since his arrest. “In Kashmir, we have a tradition of showing love to children. We hug and kiss a child here, and our society doesn’t see it as a crime,” he said. Hussain and Khan claimed they were indirect victims of the U.S. travel ban when their first attempt to procure visas was turned down in late January, the first business day after Trump’s travel ban was put in place. Khan told the BBC that an employee at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi told them they were being rejected because of “ current policy.” U.S. officials said at the time that the denials were not connected to the travel ban. The embassy in New Delhi had no comment. Saranac Lake Mayor Clyde Rabideau, a key supporter of the men, said in a statement that the community was “understandably shocked” by the allegations against Hussain. Mir had said that the visa would not have been issued without the “personal efforts” of Schumer and New York’s other Democratic senator, Kirsten Gillibrand. On Feb. 25, Schumer celebrated Hussain’s “rock star” welcome in a Facebook post, saying that the United States is “Still a country that welcome athletes from across the globe to compete in our stadiums, our snow-covered fields and everywhere in between.” A spokesman for Schumer said the senator had helped with the visa process at the request of Saranac Lake and described the charges against Hussain as “extremely troubling.” Gillibrand did not respond to a request for comment. During their time in Saranac Lake, Hussein and his coach were honored with a special reception by the mayor and also gave a talk about Kashmir at Saranac Lake Middle School, where students had waged a letter-writing campaign on their behalf. “Pack your bags. Next year you are coming to Kashmir,” Hussain told them, according to one of Khan’s Facebook posts. SECRET SERVICE Former Secret Service Agent Pleads Guilty To Sexting With Minors By Andrew Blake Washington Times, March 3, 2017 A former Secret Service officer sent sexually explicit messages to underage girls while guarding the White House during the Obama administration, he told prosecutors Wednesday. Lee Robert Moore, 38, pleaded guilty in Florida federal court Wednesday to one count of enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity and one count of attempting to transfer obscene images. He faces up to life in prison when he’s sentenced at a later date, Florida’s Sun Sentinel newspaper reported. Prosecutors claimed Moore used a social media app, Meet24, to communicate with young girls while he worked checking IDs at the White House in 2015. For two months Moore used the app to send images, voice and text messages to an account holder he believed to be a 14-year￾old girl, but was actually conversing with detectives working undercover on behalf of the Delaware Child Predator Task Force, according to charging documents. “A number of the online chats between Moore and the undercover officers posing as a female minor were sexual in nature and on several occasions Moore sent pictures of himself, including one sexually explicit image,” prosecutors said. Moore was arrested in November 2015 and later told authorities he used the app to speak with roughly 10 individuals he believed to be underage girls, including teenagers in Florida, Missouri and Texas with whom he swapped sexually explicit images. Investigators later found “hundreds and hundreds” of explicit conversations he had with children, authorities and adult women, some of which occurred while he guarded the White House. In one message cited by prosecutors, Moore told an undercover officer he was “[sitting] at box office style booth checking ID’s for entrance into building.” In another he told the purported teenager he was wearing “black tactical pants, a long sleeve polo and my vest.” Moore was fired after his arrest in 2015 and has been in federal custody ever since. He was already charged by federal prosecutors in Delaware, but the case was transferred to the Southern District of Florida where authorities said one of his teenage victims resided. Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. TERRORISM INVESTIGATIONS FBI Head Discusses Bomb Threats With Jewish Groups By Jordan Fabian The Hill, March 3, 2017 FBI Director James Comey met with Jewish leaders Friday to discuss the wave of threats against community FOIA CBP 000975 DHS-17-0435-B-000272 29 institutions and the arrest of a man suspected of making some of them. “The conversation encompassed the current situation and potential strategies for future collaboration,” the JCC Association of North America said in a statement. “All the organizations in attendance expressed the deep gratitude of the entire community for the extraordinary effort that the FBI is applying to the ongoing investigation,” the organization added. Comey and members of his senior leadership team assured the community representatives that “the investigation is a top priority for the FBI” and that “agents and analysts across the country” are working on the case. “The FBI is committed to ensuring that people of all races and religions feel safe in their communities and places of worship,” the agency said in a statement. The meeting came after federal authorities announced it arrested a former journalist who is suspected of making at least eight threats against Jewish community centers, museums and schools. Juan Thompson, 31, is accused of making the threats in an attempt to frame an ex-girlfriend, whom he was also charged with cyberstalking. Authorities believe Thompson is not behind all of the threats. Nearly 100 institutions across 33 states have received bomb threats since the beginning of the year. Vandals have desecrated at least Jewish cemeteries nationwide, raising fears of a rise in anti-Semitism. Comey Meets With Jewish Community Leaders To Discuss Threats By By Cristiano Lima Politico, March 3, 2017 The Federal Bureau of Investigation on Monday called recent bomb threats against Jewish community centers a “top priority” following a meeting between religious leaders and bureau officials, including Director James Comey. “Agents and analysts across the country are working to identify and stop those responsible,” said bureau spokeswoman Susan McKee. “The FBI is committed to ensuring that people of all races and religions feel safe in their communities and places of worship.” The meeting comes as Jewish organizations around the U.S. have seen a surge in the number of threats in 2017. On Monday, according to JCC, 31 threats were called in to 23 community centers and schools, the latest wave of threats since the beginning of the year. Threats were also received on Jan. 9, Jan. 18, Jan. 31 and Feb. 20, with 30 JCCs threatened in 17 states on Jan. 18, totaling 100 across 33 states this year. Earlier Friday the Federal Communications Commission moved to grant Jewish community centers and their communications carriers an emergency temporary waiver to help isolate anonymous callers making threats. The JCC Association of North America, meanwhile, met with Department of Homeland Security officials Wednesday, praising Secretary John Kelly’s pledge to heighten support for religious centers throughout the U.S. “DHS has promised that its protective security advisors, stationed in all 50 states, will be in contact with JCCs within the next week, offering their expertise on protective measures, threat reporting and security awareness,” the group said in a statement Thursday. “We look forward to working with DHS through this unparalleled level of assistance, which comes as very welcome at an extraordinarily stressful time for JCCs and the diverse communities they serve.” A Missouri man was arrested in connection with at least eight threats against Manhattan Jewish organizations Friday morning, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Juan Thompson, 31, a former journalist, was charged with cyberstalking a woman whom he allegedly sought to cast as the perpetrator of the acts. Asked about the arrest Friday, White House deputy press secretary Sarah Sanders said it was too soon to comment, but added, “the process worked,” according to a press pool report. The Intercept, an online news outlet from which Thompson was fired for fabricating sources and quotes, condemned the threats in light of the writer’s arrest. “We were horrified to learn this morning that Juan Thompson, a former employee of The Intercept, has been arrested in connection with bomb threats against the ADL and multiple Jewish Community Centers in addition to cyberstalking,” the outlet said in a statement Friday, adding that they had no further details about the case. “These actions are heinous and should be fully investigated and prosecuted.” President Donald Trump spoke out against the religious threats during his Tuesday address to Congress. “Recent threats targeting Jewish community centers and vandalism of Jewish cemeteries, as well as last week’s shooting in Kansas City, remind us that while we may be a nation divided on policies, we are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all of its very ugly forms,” he said. FCC Approves Waivers To Track Jewish Center Threats By David Shepardson Reuters, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. FOIA CBP 000976 DHS-17-0435-B-000273 30 St. Louis Man Charged With Making Bomb Threats Against Jewish Sites By Benjamin Weiser New York Times, March 3, 2017 The federal authorities have charged a St. Louis man with making more than half a dozen bomb threats against Jewish community centers, schools and a Jewish history museum, an unsealed court document shows. The man, Juan Thompson, made some of the threats in his own name and others in the name of a former girlfriend, apparently in an attempt to intimidate her, according to a federal complaint filed by the United States attorney’s office in Manhattan and unsealed on Friday. In one threat, made on Feb. 1 against a Jewish school in Farmington Hills, Mich., the complaint said, Mr. Thompson claimed that he had placed two bombs in the school and was “eager for Jewish newton,” an apparent reference to the December 2012 school massacre in Newtown, Conn., in which a gunman killed 20 students and six school employees. A news website, The Intercept, confirmed in a statement on Friday that Mr. Thompson worked for the publication for a little over a year, until he was fired in January 2016 after it was discovered that he had fabricated sources and quotes in his articles. The arrest comes amid heightened tension involving more than 100 threats that have been made against Jewish groups in dozens of states since the beginning of the year, which has led to a broad federal investigation. The threats, combined with recent vandalism at Jewish cemeteries in some states, have prompted fears of an increase in anti￾Semitism. Mr. Thompson is not believed to be responsible for the majority of threats made against Jewish centers around the country, according to F.B.I. officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation was continuing. Investigators are still trying to identify the person responsible for those threats, who the F.B.I. officials say is using sophisticated technology to mask personal details, like identity and the origin of the internet-based calls. Mr. Thompson, 31, made his threats “as part of a sustained campaign to harass and intimidate” the former girlfriend, and that harassment appeared to have begun shortly after their relationship ended last July, according to the complaint, which was signed by Christopher Mills, an F.B.I. special agent. Mr. Thompson made at least eight threats against Jewish centers nationwide as part of his campaign, the complaint said, citing Jewish community centers and schools in Dallas, Farmington Hills, New York and San Diego. According to the complaint, one threat, on Feb. 22, was made in a phone call to the Anti-Defamation League in New York. The caller, using an untraceable phone number and a tool that disguised his voice, said that there was C-4, an explosive material, in the group’s New York office, and that it would be “detonated within one hour.” The office was immediately swept and no explosives were found, the complaint said. Mr. Thompson, who was arrested Friday morning, was charged with one count of cyberstalking and was expected to be presented in federal court in St. Louis later on Friday, the office of Preet Bharara, the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a news release. “Threats of violence targeting people and places based on religion or race — whatever the motivation — are unacceptable, un-American and criminal,” Mr. Bharara said in a statement. “We are committed to pursuing and prosecuting those who foment fear and hate through such criminal threats.” Man Arrested In Threats Against Jewish Institutions Federal prosecutors in Manhattan say Juan Thompson blamed some threats on a former girlfriend By Corinne Ramey And Melanie Grayce West Wall Street Journal, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Former Journalist Arrested, Charged With Threats Against Jewish Facilities By Mark Berman And Matt Zapotosky Washington Post, March 3, 2017 A former journalist allegedly carried out at least some of the recent bomb threats against Jewish institutions across the country, according to the FBI, which described the menacing calls as part of the man’s campaign to harass a woman. Law enforcement officials said Friday that they do not believe the man they arrested — Juan Thompson, 31 — is responsible for all of the calls to scores of Jewish centers and schools in recent months, nor do they think he was behind the vandalism of headstones at Jewish cemeteries in Missouri, Pennsylvania and, most recently, upstate New York. The arrest of a onetime reporter, fired last year for fabricating quotes, was a bizarre twist in the threats against Jewish facilities, which have forced people from dozens of Jewish Community Centers, schools, offices and daycares, contributing to heightened anxiety about anti-Semitism nationwide. Even after Thompson was taken into custody in St. Louis, Jewish groups and officials remained on edge about the threats that are still unsolved. “There are many more JCC bomb threats that have not been solved, and communities are hurting,” Evan Bernstein, the New York regional director at the Anti-Defamation FOIA CBP 000977 DHS-17-0435-B-000274 31 League, told reporters Friday. “We hope all law enforcement will continue to be diligent.” The FBI on Friday called its ongoing investigation into the threats “a top priority” for the bureau. “Agents and analysts across the country are working to identify and stop those responsible,” the bureau said in a statement. “The FBI is committed to ensuring that people of all races and religions feel safe in their communities and places of worship.” FBI Director James Comey met Friday morning with Jewish community leaders to discuss the threats. In a statement, the Jewish groups said they “expressed the deep gratitude of the entire community for the extraordinary effort that the FBI is applying to the ongoing investigation.” Federal agents arrested Thompson on Friday morning, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York. Thompson — whose Twitter page is full of rants about white people and President Trump — was charged with cyberstalking and is accused of communicating at least eight threats to Jewish Community Centers, which an FBI complaint said were “part of a sustained campaign to harass and intimidate” a woman with whom he had been romantically involved. Thompson previously drew national attention when he was fired a little more than a year ago from the Intercept, an investigative journalism website, for fabricating quotes and misleading colleagues to cover his tracks. In an editor’s note, the publication said Thompson had engaged in “a pattern of deception” and wrote that he created fake email accounts to impersonate people. “We were horrified to learn this morning that Juan Thompson, a former employee of The Intercept, has been arrested in connection with bomb threats against the ADL and multiple Jewish Community Centers in addition to cyberstalking,” Charlotte Greensit, the Intercept’s managing editor, said in a statement Friday. “These actions are heinous and should be fully investigated and prosecuted.” Thompson appeared in federal court Friday wearing handcuffs and leg chains along with a faded blue denim shirt and beige jeans. He was accompanied by a U.S. marshal and a public defender. His mother, along with several other family members and friends, sat in the galley. After the hearing, Thompson was remanded to federal custody. When approached by a reporter, his mother and other relatives declined comment. An FBI spokeswoman said Thompson is not believed to be responsible for all of the threats to Jewish Community Centers across the country. Thompson was arrested in St. Louis, not far from a Jewish cemetery in suburban University City, Mo., where 150 headstones were recently vandalized, but the spokeswoman said agents do not think he is responsible for that incident. Doron Krakow, chief executive of the Jewish Community Center Association of North America, said the group is “gratified” by Thompson’s arrest, though they hope officials will find those responsible for the other threats. “It’s a good thing they got this guy, but this indictment brings us no closer to identifying the source of the broader campaign aimed at Jewish centers, with around 100 threats still unaccounted for, not to mention the numerous incidents of vandalism,” J.M. Berger, a fellow with the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism at The Hague and an expert on extremism, wrote in an email Friday. According to the complaint, after Thompson’s relationship with the woman ended, he began sending defamatory emails and faxes to her workplace, falsely reporting that she was involved in criminal activity and making threats to the Jewish centers in her name. Last year, speaking to the Riverfront Times, an alt￾weekly in St. Louis, Thompson disputed the Intercept’s characterization of his firing and said he would “come through on this.” The story described Thompson as a young, handsome journalist who is “maddeningly elusive” and acted cagey when asked for evidence of claims about having cancer and being accepted to law school. The Intercept’s account of Thompson’s fabrications is echoed in the criminal complaint filed Friday. The complaint says that after he and the woman he dated broke up in July 2016, Thompson began emailing and faxing her company defamatory messages about her. In one, for example, a person claiming to be a TV producer for a national news organization said the woman had been pulled over for drunk driving and was being sued for spreading a sexually transmitted disease. The woman also received a series of bizarre texts and emails related to Thompson from someone claiming to be his friend. One said — falsely — that Thompson had been the victim of a robbery and shooting, and was on life support. The woman obtained a protective order against Thompson in August 2016 and renewed it in October and December. Law enforcement confronted Thompson in November 2016, after someone from his IP address reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that the woman possessed child pornography. A New York police detective eventually got in touch with Thompson — who claimed his email accounts had been hacked — and told him he should not attempt to contact the victim. Attempts to reach the woman Friday were not successful. In the months that followed, Thompson began making threats to Jewish Community Centers, sometimes in the woman’s name and sometimes in his own, though he claimed the woman was trying to frame him, according to authorities. “People can leverage a climate of hate to have much more magnified effect than they otherwise could’ve,” Andrew FOIA CBP 000978 DHS-17-0435-B-000275 32 Rehfeld, president of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, said in an interview Friday. Thompson seemed to be aware of the news coverage of threats. Using an apparently hacked email address, he sent a message to the Anti-Defamation League in February 2017 saying the woman was “behind the bomb threats against jews. She lives in nyc and is making more bomb threats tomorrow.” The next day, the ADL received a call that said someone would detonate an explosive at the group’s New York headquarters. Police searched and did not find a bomb. Similar threats were relayed in various ways toward Jewish centers in Dallas and San Diego, a Jewish school in Farmington Hills, Mich., as well as the Jewish History Museum in Manhattan. A Jewish school in Manhattan received two separate threats, one of which said Thompson wanted “to create Jewish newtown tomorrow,” a reference to the mass shooting of 20 children at a school in Newtown, Conn. Thompson claimed on Twitter that the woman was stalking and harassing him, and that law enforcement had questioned him unfairly because of her. He also tweeted about the threats, seeming to condemn them. “Another week, another round of threats against Jewish ppl. In the middle of the day, you know who’s at a JCC? Kids. KIDS.” Oren Segal, director of the ADL’s Center on Extremism, said in a conference call with reporters Friday that while he could not speculate about what was in Thompson’s mind, “threatening Jewish institutions is an anti-Semitic act.” The criminal complaint filed in federal court points to his Twitter page, where he rails about an ex-girlfriend he describes as a “nasty/racist #whitegirl.” Thompson’s page also expresses disdain for Trump and white people generally. “White folk are trash,” he wrote in a tweet about the Oscars. He praised black women for their opposition to Trump “The only person to call Trump a fascist in the #dncdebate is a black woman,” he wrote. “Of course. Black women are the root of left mvmnts.” Earlier this week, Trump condemned the recent anti￾Semitic threats and vandalism, his second such condemnation, but in a meeting with attorneys general he also questioned who was behind it. His remarks appearing to suggest that it may have been the work of his political opponents disturbed some of those in the room. Trump said that while the threats were reprehensible, sometimes it’s “the reverse,” according to two attorneys general at the meeting. He also said last month that some bigoted public sentiments could be traced to his opponents and “it won’t be my people,” but will be done to make his supporters look bad. ADL leaders said Friday that law enforcement officials informed them that the arrest was made in the case of a bomb threat against its offices as well as “several other” facilities. “The defendant allegedly caused havoc, expending hundreds of hours of police and law enforcement resources to respond and investigate these threats,” James P. O’Neill, the New York police commissioner, said in a statement. “We will continue to pursue those who peddle fear, making false claims about serious crimes.” Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly recently pledged additional support to Jewish communities after “unacceptable and escalating threats and actual harassment directed at faith-based communities around the country, with a particular focus on threats to Jewish Community Centers.” In a statement, Kelly had said he was directing the agency “to heighten our outreach and support to enhance public safety.” As part of that, a branch of Homeland Security spoke with executive directors of the JCC association to offer more help with training and protective measures, he said. The ADL said Thursay that at least 16 headstones were toppled at a cemetery in Rochester, N.Y., that has been used by the Jewish community there for nearly a century, the third such act of vandalism in recent weeks. “A number of headstones were recently vandalized and toppled over at Waad Hakolel Cemetery in Rochester,” New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (D) said in a statement. “Given the wave of bomb threats targeting Jewish community centers and disturbing vandalism at Jewish cemeteries nationwide, I am directing the state police to immediately launch a full investigation into this matter.” Julie Tate in Washington and Kurt Shillinger in St. Louis contributed to this report, which has been updated. Further reading: ‘Stand together against this bigotry’: Another Jewish cemetery vandalized and again Muslims reach out to help Jewish schools in the Washington region receive bomb threats UN Security Council Begins Africa Trip Focused On Boko Haram Associated Press, March 3, 2017 YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP) – The U.N. Security Council on Friday kicked off a visit to spotlight Africa’s worst humanitarian crisis as millions face hunger amid the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria and the Lake Chad region. “We came in order to show that this will no longer be a neglected crisis,” British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft told reporters. One question in the aid response is the United States, which pledged no funding for the Nigeria crisis at an international conference in Oslo last week co-hosted by the United Nations. The U.S. is the world’s largest humanitarian donor, but U.S. officials have said the Trump administration is FOIA CBP 000979 DHS-17-0435-B-000276 33 proposing a 37 percent cut to diplomacy and foreign aid budgets to help pay for increased military spending. The U.N. has launched a $4 billion aid appeal for the Nigeria crisis and similar ones in South Sudan, Somalia and Yemen. It was not clear how much the U.S. has pledged. The U.S. has indicated it is “very ready to donate” under Trump, U.N. humanitarian chief Stephen O’Brien said during a visit to Kenya on Friday, and he suggested it may not have pledged yet because of its budgetary cycle. The Trump administration’s budget plan is expected this month. The Security Council began its visit in Cameroon with meetings with top officials and an encounter with the multinational force fighting the Nigeria-based Boko Haram extremists. Council members also plan to go to Chad and Niger, then on to Nigeria, where they are expected to visit a camp for people displaced by Boko Haram. On Friday, officials said three suicide bombers killed themselves and set fuel tankers ablaze in Maiduguri, the birthplace of Boko Haram and the center of Nigeria’s military efforts to counter the group. In Nigeria, Boko Haram’s seven-year uprising has killed more than 20,000 people and driven 2.6 million from their homes. Now the group has moved into neighboring countries. At the Oslo conference, the U.N. humanitarian chief said 14 countries had pledged $672 million over the next three years to prevent a famine in the four countries around the Lake Chad basin. Security Council members who pledged were France with $14 million, Italy with $31 million, Japan with $48 million and Sweden with $31 million. --- Associated Press writer Tom Odula in Nairobi, Kenya contributed. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Al-Qaeda Likes Steve Bannon So Much, They Put Him On The Cover Of Their Official Newspaper By Amanda Erickson Washington Post, March 3, 2017 The way al-Qaeda tells it, the West is locked in an existential war with Islam. This is how the terrorist group justifies its violence and its fundamentalist ideology. And now it has found a Westerner to back them up — top Trump adviser Steve Bannon. Bannon graced the cover (above the fold!) of the most recent al-Qaeda-linked Al Masra newspaper. That prominence, University of Oxford researcher Elisabeth Kendall told Quartz, is “striking.” The piece focused on Bannon’s views of Islam, saying he believes that “the forces of Islam cannot be stopped by peaceful means.” The paper cited a conversation Bannon had with a Danish journalist in May 2016. It also claimed that Bannon believes that the struggle is really between Christianity and Islam, not just Islam and the West. And it suggested that Bannon has “lost confidence in secular Europe, and sees Muslim immigrants as partially responsible for the retreat of traditional Christian values.” Like other Trump advisers (and former advisers), Bannon has spoken publicly about these beliefs. In 2014, he gave a speech to the Vatican via Skype in which he said, “We’re now, I believe, at the beginning stages of global war against Islamic fascism.” On other occasions, he’s suggested that the “Judeo-Christian West” is at war with “expansionist Islamic ideology.” On his radio show in 2015, he called for a complete halt to allowing Muslim immigrants into the United States. (“Why even let ‘em in,” he asked Ryan Zinke, then a Republican congressman representing Montana). And as my colleagues have reported: On one of the first Breitbart Radio shows, in early November 2015, Bannon praised the growing movement in Britain to exit the European Union. He said that the British had joined the E.U. merely as a trading federation but that it had grown into a force that had stripped Britons of sovereignty “in every aspect important to their own life.” Bannon has been supportive of similar movements in other European countries to pull out of the union. “The fact that [Al Masra] would put this so prominently on the front page — as lead article — indicates it has traction, that this is a way to win support. It plays entirely into their narrative that they were right about the West’s war on Islam all along,” Kendall said. “It shows us how much al-Qaeda is trying to capitalize on some of the policies of the Trump administration.” It’s true that Islamist militants have a soft spot for Trump — his rhetoric, they say, is a useful propaganda and recruiting tool. On Election Night, Muslim extremists around the world celebrated Trump’s win, suggesting that it might usher in a civil war. “Rejoice with support from Allah, and find glad tidings in the imminent demise of America at the hands of Trump,” said the Islamic State-affiliated al-Minbar Jihadi Media network, according to the SITE Intelligence Group. “Trump’s win of the American presidency will bring hostility of Muslims against America as a result of his reckless actions, which show the overt and hidden hatred against them.” Al-Qaeda and Islamic State supporters said Trump’s win exposed America’s “hatred of Muslims,” SITE director FOIA CBP 000980 DHS-17-0435-B-000277 34 Rita Katz told USA Today. They likened it to Brexit and suggested that it will lead to the downfall of the West. Since then, America has featured much more prominently in jihadi media. Al Masra, in particular, has been tracking developments in America quite closely since November. Kendall noted that a February 2017 Al Masra issue mentioned America twice as often as one from January 2016. “Trump has created an upsurge in militant jihadist attention on America — it was previously on America but also on many other targets like Shiites in Yemen, Iraq and even Syria — but this has really refocused attention on America itself,” Kendall told ThinkProgress. And indeed, there’s been no shortage of things to cover — data from jihadi discussion forums suggest that Islamic State supporters backed the travel ban, because it could be used to reinforce the idea that Islam is under attack by the West. “It’s far more potent than any video or other piece of propaganda,” Charlie Winter, a senior fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalization and Political Violence at King’s College in London, told CNN. But Steve Stalinsky, who runs the Middle East Media Research Institute, says that terrorist sympathizers have been making the same argument — that the West hates Islam — for decades. People are saying that Trump shows America’s true colors, he said. But it’s nothing new. These same sentiments existed under Obama, they say, even though his rhetoric was less inflammatory. “They’d rather Trump than Obama, a snake who hides what he’s doing,” Stalinsky said. Terrorists sympathizers say, “We’re grateful to have Trump removing Obama’s mask.” The message, Stalinsky says, is this: “There’s a new fool in the White House.” But he’s just replacing an old fool. And the goal — “to ignite the ground under America’s feet” — remains the same. CYBER NEWS White House Tech Vacancies May Threaten Cybersecurity Advances By Seung Lee Christian Science Monitor, March 3, 2017 White House tech vacancies may threaten cybersecurity advances Seung Lee 3/3/2017 March 3, 2017 —Last June, the government technology trade publication MeriTalk launched a petition regarding then-US Federal Chief Information Officer Tony Scott. The petition was not demanding Mr. Scott’s resignation but rather asked the next president to keep him on after the election. “Tony Scott has made countless contributions to government IT through his strong leadership, continued efforts to improve existing initiatives and initiate new ones, as well as his fearless pursuit of federal excellence,” MeriTalk wrote. “When the current administration ends early next year, we don’t want to see this effective leader leave his post.” More than 500 government officials and private IT professionals signed the petition, according to a MeriTalk spokesperson. But despite Scott’s wide popularity in the tech community and his expressed desire to continue working as chief information officer, President Trump did not bring back Scott nor his right-hand man, Chief Information Security Officer Greg Touhill. Over a month has past since Inauguration Day, but neither the CIO or the CISO position has been nominated by Mr. Trump, despite not needing a Senate vote to confirm the nominee. Acting CIO Margie Graves currently fills the role. The absence of a CIO for more than a month with no progress in sight for a permanent replacement is worrying many cybersecurity and tech experts, including Scott. “It’s kind of like stopping maintenance in the apartment you own,” he told Passcode. “You can stop painting walls or stop replacing the water heater. You can bring a lot of money to the bottom line if you stop spending. But if we instead replaced and ran modern platforms, if we invested in the right places, we can save up to half in maintenance – around $30 billion per year.” Indeed, the leadership vacuum makes it harder for the government to update IT infrastructure, which costs $85 billion per year to operate, putting the system at a greater risk and increases the likely hood of a successful breach, some experts say. “The federal government is a very big ship to steer,” says Todd Helfrich, a vice president at the cybersecurity firm Anomali. “I would hate to see moments lost because the steer is so big and change comes so slow. I am afraid momentum can be lost without a leader in charge.” Scott, a former CIO for Microsoft and VMWare, became the third US CIO in February 2015. Soon after he joined, the government discovered the Office of Personnel Management breach that exposed the sensitive personal information of 21 million government employees and their families. Two months later, in June 2015, Scott initiated a 30-day Cybersecurity Sprint to improve resiliency across the IT infrastructure that made a significant improvement on its resiliency from hackers. “In terms of upgrading cybersecurity infrastructure, you didn’t see much progress on anything until Tony Scott did the 30-day Cyber Sprint,” says James Scott, a senior fellow at Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology. (No relation to FOIA CBP 000981 DHS-17-0435-B-000278 35 Tony Scott.) “It takes a ton of leadership to push stuff like that. It was very high-impact.” Tony Scott and Mr. Touhill – a retired brigadier general who joined Scott’s team in September 2016 as the first-ever US CISO – continued to advance basic cybersecurity initiatives before their time was up. One of the last efforts was to push the percentage of federal agencies using multifactor authentication by the end of 2016 to nearly 100 percent. Touhill says they reached 98.6 percent, a very significant jump from just 20 percent earlier in the year. “We raised the cost for the adversaries to access us and our information,” he says. So far in the Trump administration, little has been done for cybersecurity. Trump planned to sign an executive order in January to improve departments’ cyber defenses and commission an administration-wide review to assess hacking risks but was scrapped last minute. At the annual RSA cybersecurity conference in San Francisco in mid-February, Trump’s administration was a no-show. At a Passcode event during the conference, however, former White House Homeland Security Adviser Lisa Monaco said there are signs the Trump administration may follow the Obama playbook on cybersecurity issues. She also noted that she briefed her successor, Tom Bossert, on digital security policies and ongoing efforts in the White House to improve the government’s cybersecurity posture. Mr. Bossert joins the White House from the Atlantic Council think tank in Washington where he was a fellow in the organization’s Cyber Statecraft Initiative. He was also national security aide in the George W. Bush administration. Before moving into the White House, Trump appointed former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani as a cybersecurity advisor. He also has Paypal founder Peter Thiel at his helm as a technology confidant. Both Messrs. Giuliani and Thiel, however, remained mum since the inauguration regarding cybersecurity issues in the US government. Thiel, Giuliani, and the White House did not respond to Passcode’s request for comment. One possible sign of progress in appointing a CIO and CISO came Feb. 16, when the Senate narrowly confirmed Republican congressman Mick Mulvaney as the director of the Office of Budget and Management (OBM). Mr. Mulvaney made a reputation as a hardline fiscal conservative who hoped to significantly cut military spending and Social Security. Within the White House command chain, both the CIO and CISO report directly to the director of the OBM, who report to the President. While it is unclear Mulvaney will gut the $85 billion the government spends on IT, Scott warned that a short-term cut will likely backfire in the long term. Budget for IT will not be altered until October, when the 2018 fiscal year starts. Despite the new administration letting them go, both Scott and Touhill hoped Trump would nominate an experienced, astute veteran in the IT industry that can remain apolitical in a politically charged environment. “A good IT is good IT, regardless if there is a D or a R in the back,” says Scott. NSA Lawyer Advocates For One Agency To Handle Cyber By Morgan Chalfant The Hill, March 3, 2017 The National Security Agency’s (NSA) lead lawyer in a recent speech made the case for creating one federal agency to spearhead the government’s cybersecurity efforts. Glenn Gerstell, the NSA’s general counsel, proposed that federal cybersecurity activities be unified under one roof instead of dispersed across the departments of Defense, Homeland Security and other agencies during remarks at Duke Law School over the weekend that were released by the NSA on Thursday. While Gerstell acknowledged progress made on cybersecurity by the George W. Bush and Obama administrations, he said that “glaring gaps remain in our nation’s cybersecurity posture.” “One obvious and affirmative strategy, and the one that I think may have the most potential for achieving real gains, would be to unify the government’s cybersecurity activities by establishing a new lead department or agency for cybersecurity,” Gerstell said. He noted that the agency could be modeled after Britain’s National Cyber Security Centre, which has been operational for months but only officially opened in February. Gerstell’s argument echoed statements made by retired Gen. Keith Alexander, a former NSA director, before a Senate panel on Thursday. Alexander told lawmakers that government agencies focusing on cybersecurity are too “stove-piped” to effectively defend the nation from cyber threats. “What you have is people acting independently, and with those seams, we will never defend this country,” Alexander told the Senate Armed Services Committee, suggesting that the agencies responsible for cybersecurity be brought together under one framework. During his speech, Gerstell explored potential drawbacks to consolidating cyber activities under one roof, saying that it “misses an opportunity to marry cyber expertise with the unique insights and understanding of requirements possessed by each agency in their own fields.” He also said that key questions would need to be answered in the overhaul, such as how the new agency would be afforded the power to protect computer networks across the federal government. There has been lively debate on Capitol Hill about how to reform the government’s cybersecurity efforts, especially in FOIA CBP 000982 DHS-17-0435-B-000279 36 the wake of the Office of Personnel Management data breach and the more recent Russian cyberattacks related to the presidential election. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), who chairs the House Homeland Security Committee, has pushed to reform the Department of Homeland Security by codifying its cyber activities under one component department. Cyberattack Hits Democrats In Pennsylvania State Senate By Joe Uchill The Hill, March 3, 2017 The IT network used by Pennsylvania’s state Senate Democrats was shuttered early Friday morning after a ransomware attack. Ransomware is malicious software that prevents systems from working properly, often by encrypting files, until a ransom is paid. It is frequently spammed with no specific victim or even explicit knowledge of its potential targets. “Officials from the caucus have been in contact with law enforcement to investigate the incident and are working with Microsoft to restore the IT system,” the Democratic caucus said in a written statement text-messaged to reporters as its email system had fallen victim to the ransomware. “There is currently no indication that the caucus system was targeted or that any data has been compromised.” The Democrats are currently the minority party in the statehouse. All caucus offices remained open, despite the networks going offline. The Night Zombie Smartphones Took Down 911 By Ryan Knutson Wall Street Journal, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. NATIONAL SECURITY NEWS Syria Peace Talks End With Little Progress By Raja Abdulrahim Wall Street Journal, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Russia Says Its Military Advisers, Special Forces Behind Palmyra Recapture By Andrew Osborn; Reuters, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Less Damage To Ancient Palmyra Than Feared, Syrian Antiquities Chief Says By Kinda Makieh, Ellen Francis Reuters, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Russia Urges Trump To Help Fix Syria, Libya Crises Amid Setbacks By Henry Meyer Bloomberg Politics, March 3, 2017 Russia is urging U.S. President Donald Trump to help it resolve conflicts in Syria and Libya, where the Kremlin is finding it tough going after seizing the initiative in a bid to act as a leading power in the region. “We would like to see an active U.S. role” in Syria, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said in an interview in Geneva. “The United States is one of the most important players here. “ Russia is ready to work with the U.S. in Libya, Gatilov said, even as the Kremlin has shown frustration at Trump’s failure so far to make good on his promise to mount a joint fight against Islamic State. Russia has backed Khalifa Haftar, a powerful eastern military commander, saying he must have a role in the Libyan leadership. It hosted his rival, Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj, who’s recognized by the United Nations, for talks on Thursday in Moscow as it seeks to broker a solution. Russia’s growing role in Libya comes after it mounted a push to end Syria’s civil war following successful military intervention in support of President Bashar al-Assad against mostly Islamist rebels, as it seeks to rebuild Soviet-era influence in the Middle East and wider region. But the Kremlin has discovered it needs U.S. help to succeed.Needs U.S. “We are interested in stabilizing the situation in Libya and Syria but we need to cooperate with the U.S. in this field,” said Irina Zvyagelskaya, a senior fellow at the Kremlin-linked Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Oriental Studies. Russia’s hopes of an entente with the U.S. have met with disappointment as the Trump administration faces a continued storm in Washington over alleged Kremlin interference in the election. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday there has been “no movement” on anti-terrorism cooperation with the U.S. and no substantive contacts about Syria. Russia this week fought to keep UN-led peace negotiations on Syria on track. The Kremlin is trying to FOIA CBP 000983 DHS-17-0435-B-000280 37 advance a political settlement to secure an exit strategy for its Syrian military campaign, but is struggling to reconcile this goal with the interests of its ally Assad and his other main patron Iran. A cease-fire brokered in December by Russia and Turkey, a key rebel backer, is holding shakily. Russia also needs to ensure the U.S. and its allies help pay for the costly future post-war reconstruction of Syria, a senior Western diplomat said. The conflict has killed at least 300,000 people, sent millions more fleeing to neighboring countries and Europe, and allowed Islamic State to seize a swath of territory from which to wage global attacks. While Trump has previously called for an alliance with Russia to fight the jihadists, he’s also branded Iran as the “No. 1 terrorist” threat, putting himself at odds with the Kremlin. Russia “strongly believes” that Iran should have a role in fighting terrorism and would welcome it if Trump cooperated with Assad in defeating Islamic State, Gatilov said. In Libya, where the collapse in order has allowed Islamic State to claim a foothold though it’s now on the defensive after losing its last major holdout in December, the path to an agreement between Russia and the U.S. may be easier. “If there will be any common ground for cooperation with the United States in bringing stability in Libya, of course we would be open to all contacts,” he said. In addition to Russia, Haftar’s also backed by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. “For us, General Haftar is the real power and he shouldn’t be ignored in the political process,” Gatilov said. A one-time ally of former Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi, Haftar, 73, controls a large swath of Libya’s territory and most of its oil fields. Kremlin Says U.S. Military Boost Should Not Disrupt Balance Of Power By Denis Dyomkin Reuters, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Rivals In Syria Race To Assault Militants’ ‘Capital’ Raqqa By Bassem Mroue Associated Press, March 3, 2017 BEIRUT (AP) – After the battlefield of Iraq’s Mosul, the next major campaign against the Islamic State group will be to take its de facto capital, the Syrian city of Raqqa. The Pentagon has drawn up a secret plan to do that, likely leaning on local allies with stepped up American support. The question is: In the tangled mess that is Syria’s conflict, who are those local allies? Syrian government forces, Turkish troops and their Syrian militia allies, and U.S.-backed Kurdish forces all have their eye on Raqqa. Each vehemently rejects letting the others capture the city and would likely react in anger should the United States support the others. And it is not clear that any has the resources to take the city on its own. “Raqqa is more of an abstract goal: everyone wants it in principle, but no one is willing to commit the resources and bear the risks necessary,” said Faysal Itani, an analyst at the Washington-based Atlantic Council. The fall of Raqqa, the Islamic State group’s de facto capital and largest remaining stronghold, would be the biggest defeat for the militants in Syria since they captured the northern city on the banks of the Euphrates River in January 2014. President Donald Trump has vowed to “obliterate” the group. “We will work with our allies, including our friends and allies in the Muslim world, to extinguish this vile enemy from our planet,” he told Congress on Tuesday. The top U.S. commander in the campaign against IS, Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, has said he believes Raqqa and Mosul will be taken within six months. So far, the offensive on Mosul has been underway four months, with only half the city captured from the militants in ferocious street-to-street urban combat. And that is using a relatively intensively trained and united military, backed by heavy U.S. firepower and commandos on the ground – a contrast to the comparatively undisciplined and fragmented forces the U.S. has to choose from as allies in Syria. Raqqa is a smaller city than Mosul, but the militants are believed to have dug in with powerful fortifications there. In Syria, U.S-backed predominantly Kurdish fighters known as the Syria Democratic Forces, or SDF, remain Trump’s best bet. Aided by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes and some 500 U.S. special forces troops deployed in an advisory role, the force has been marching toward Raqqa since November. Closing in on the city from different directions, it is now stationed some eight kilometers (five miles) north of the city. The U.S. military recently provided a small number of armored vehicles to the U.S.-backed force to give better protection from small arms fire and roadside bombs as they get closer to Raqqa. Further aid to the rag-tag group, however, raises sensitive questions over how to deal with Turkey, a NATO ally with much at stake in Syria. Turkey considers the main Kurdish militia in Syria – known as the YPG, and an affiliate of the U.S.-backed SDF – a terrorist organization, and has vowed to work with Syrian opposition fighters known as the Free Syrian Army to liberate Raqqa. FOIA CBP 000984 DHS-17-0435-B-000281 38 In a dramatic reversal of years of the Obama administration’s calls for the ouster of President Bashar Assad, Trump has hinted he might be willing to work with Assad’s army and Russia, whose year-and-a-half military intervention has propped up Assad’s government. Assad’s forces are preoccupied with other battles, however, and would likely need significant U.S. military involvement to take on Raqqa. On Wednesday, the Syrian military recaptured the central town of Palmyra, a city located in the desert south of Raqqa that has gone back and forth between control of the military and the extremists several times. The government forces have also clashed with the Turkish-backed Syrian fighters, who block their path to Raqqa. Syrians are sharply divided over who should enter Raqqa. Many opposition supporters consider the SDF, which maintains a tacit non-aggression pact with Assad’s forces, to be a hostile group. There are also fears of tensions if Raqqa, home to a nearly 200,000 mainly Arab population, is taken by the SDF, a coalition of Kurdish, Arab and Christian fighters. “Let us be frank that any force that will liberate Raqqa, other than the Free Syrian Army, is going to be a new occupation force with different flags and banners,” said Mohammed Khodor of Sound and Picture Organization, which tracks atrocities by IS in Iraq and Syria. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim was even more blunt, warning that if the SDF enters Raqqa, it will hurt relations between Ankara and Washington. “We have said that a terror organization cannot be used against another terror organization,” the Turkish leader told the state-run Anadolu news agency. The Kurds reject that notion and insist that only forces fighting under the SDF banner will liberate Raqqa. “Turkey is an occupation force and has no legitimate right to enter Raqqa,” said SDF spokeswoman Cihan Sheikh Ehmed. In a text message exchange from northern Syria, she said the SDF has the experience in fighting IS to finish the operation. Battlefield victories by the SDF against the Islamic State group have brought growing Western support. Asked if adding more U.S. troops or better arming Syria’s Kurds were options, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said he will “accommodate any request” from his field commanders. In Mosul, the U.S.-led coalition is playing a greater role than ever before in the fight against IS and coalition forces have moved closer to front-line fighting. U.S. Air Force Col. John Dorrian says the increased support is an effort to “accelerate the campaign” against the Islamic State group, noting that launching simultaneous operations in both Mosul and Raqqa “puts further strain on the enemy’s command and control.” “It is a complicating factor when you don’t have a partner government to work with,” conceded Dorrian, adding that whoever the coalition partners with in the fight for Raqqa is “a subject of ongoing discussions.” Wladimir van Wilgenburg, a Middle East analyst at the Jamestown Foundation who closely follows Kurdish affairs, says the U.S.-led coalition wants to have a quick end to IS in Raqqa, from which external operations against the West are planned. That means it would prefer to work with the Kurdish￾led SDF forces “since they are able to mobilize manpower unlike the Turks,” he said. In any case, the battle for Raqqa is sure to be a long and deadly one. It took the SDF nearly 10 weeks to capture the northern Syrian town of Manbij from IS last year. It took Turkish forces and allied groups more than three months to retake the town of al-Bab, a costly battle that killed dozens of Turkish soldiers and many civilians. Raqqa is much larger than either Manbij or al-Bab. Some Syrian opposition activists say the extremists dug a trench around it to make it difficult for attackers to storm it. “It would be difficult for any troops,” said Itani of the Atlantic Council. “Witness the slow and ugly progress in Mosul as well. Raqqa would be tough,” he said. --- Associated Press writer Susannah George in Mosul, Iraq, contributed to this report. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Walls, Drones And Mines: Turkey Tightens Border As Syria Incursion Deepens By Humeyra Pamuk Reuters, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Thousands Flee Iraq’s Mosul Overnight, As Fighting Rages On Associated Press, March 3, 2017 MOSUL, Iraq (AP) – Thousands of civilians fled Mosul overnight as Iraqi forces advanced north of a sprawling military base near the city’s airport on Friday. Iraq’s special forces pushed into the Wadi Hajar district in western Mosul and retook the area from the Islamic State group Friday, according to Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasool, spokesman of the Joint Military Operations. FOIA CBP 000985 DHS-17-0435-B-000282 39 Special forces Brig. Gen. Haider al-Obeidi said clearing operations were ongoing in the area and his forces were close to linking up with the militarized federal police forces who were pushing up along the western bank of the Tigris river. Iraqi forces, including special operations forces and federal police units, launched an attack on the western part of Mosul nearly two weeks ago to dislodge IS. Since the offensive began, more than 28,000 people have been displaced by the fighting, according to the United Nations. Nahla Ahmed, 50 fled Mosul late Thursday night, walking more than five kilometers (three miles) from her home in the Shuhada neighborhood. “All the families were hiding behind a wall,” she said, explaining how they escaped an IS-held part of the city. “We gave the children valium so they wouldn’t cry and (the IS fighters) wouldn’t catch us.” Ahmed, like most of the civilians who have escaped Mosul in the past week, fled through Mamun neighborhood. The district is partially controlled by Iraq’s special forces. Maj. Saif Ali, who is stationed in Mamun, said huge crowds of civilians began pouring into the area from neighboring districts just after midnight. Ali said civilians in western Mosul are becoming increasingly desperate as food and water supplies begin to run out. “In total 7,000 people fled through this area last night,” he said. “We were up all night trying to control the crowds.” U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Friday “the latest figures we have of people recorded leaving western Mosul is 28,400 and that’s since operations in west Mosul started on Feb. 19. However we’re also tracking down reports thousands more people are on the move.” He said that on average about 4,000 people a day have been fleeing since the beginning of the operation. “We think about 750,000 civilians are still trapped inside western Mosul, either sheltering from the fighting or waiting to flee,” Dujarric said. “We’re deeply concerned with their well￾being and safety and their access to vital resources.” By late morning nearly all the families had been moved out of Mamun. The neighborhood was littered with discarded clothing and blankets piled up in empty lots and on street corners. Iraqi forces deployed east of Mamun advanced into Wadi Hajar, a neighborhood north of the Ghazlani military base. The U.S.-led coalition dropped more than 15 munitions in Mosul on Friday, Ali said, saying they targeted car bombs, sniper positions and small IS mortar units. Brig. Gen. Wathaq al-Hamdani, Nineveh province’s police chief, said IS targeted the Al Jazair District in western Mosul with “Katyusha launchers with missiles carrying chlorine gas” in at least two separate incidents over the past few days. He added that five civilians had been taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for asphyxiation. The International Committee of the Red Cross said in a statement Friday that seven patients likely exposed to a toxic chemical agent were currently being treated at Rozhawa hospital, close to Mosul, where fighting is ongoing. “During the past two days, the hospital has admitted five children and two women showing clinical symptoms consistent with an exposure to a blistering chemical agent,” said the ICRC’s Regional Director for the Middle East, Robert Mardini, adding “We strongly condemn any use of chemical weapons, by any party, anywhere.” At a screening center south of the city, hundreds of women and children were gathered on the cement ground of an old gas station as men were screened in a parking lot next door. An Iraqi intelligence officer walked with an informant past the rows of men and boys sitting on the ground before they had their names checked against a database. Muthana Younis also fled Mosul late Thursday night. “We waited until all the IS fighters left the streets,” he said, his track suit covered in mud from the journey. Younis walked for hours, crossing more than five kilometers (three miles) with his mother, father, brother and sister. “There were mortars and we could hear gunfire,” Younis said. He said explaining his younger siblings were so scared at times he had to carry them. “But we had to flee, we had run out of food.” © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Mosul Victims Treated For Chemical Agents As Displacement Accelerates By Maher Chmaytelli And Isabel Coles Reuters, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Taliban Say Senior Commander Dies In Suspected US Strike By Kathy Gannon Associated Press, March 3, 2017 ISLAMABAD (AP) – A Taliban official said Friday that a suspected U.S. drone strike the previous day killed a top commander of the militant Haqqani network – the man who in 2014 accompanied U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl when he was handed over to U.S. authorities. FOIA CBP 000986 DHS-17-0435-B-000283 40 The Taliban official identified the man as Qari Abdullah, saying he died in the “area of Khost.” Pakistani intelligence officials had earlier said a suspected U.S. strike hit in Pakistan’s lawless tribal region bordering Afghanistan’s Khost, a Haqqani stronghold, killing two militants. The Taliban official wouldn’t confirm it was the same strike. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to talk to reporters. A senior Pakistani official also confirmed Abdullah’s identity but asked that his name not be used because he was not authorized to discuss drone strikes. Abdullah escorted Bergdahl to the U.S. military helicopter that was sent to pick him up. Bergdahl, who faces a court martial hearing on charges of desertion and misbehavior in front of the enemy, was freed in exchange for five Taliban who had been held at the U.S prison on Guantanamo Bay, Cuba since 2002. Bergdahl is accused of endangering his comrades when he walked off his post in Afghanistan in 2009. He is scheduled for trial in April and could face life in prison. On Feb. 24, a U.S. military judge dismissed a request from Bergdahl’s defence lawyers to drop the charges. His lawyers argued that comments made by President Donald Trump during the presidential election campaign in which he blasted Bergdahl as a “traitor” prejudiced the trial. The freed Taliban were sent to the Middle Eastern state of Qatar where the Taliban has established its political office. Since their freedom they have kept a low profile. They are: Mohammed Fazl, former Taliban chief of army staff and deputy defense minister; Abdul Haq Wasi, who served as the Taliban deputy minister of intelligence; Mullah Norullah Nori, described as one of the most significant former Taliban officials held at Guantanamo. He has been accused of ordering the massacre of thousands of Shiite Muslims. Khairullah Khairkhwa was the Taliban governor of Herat province, the largest and most important province in western Afghanistan, as well as a friend of former Afghan President Hamid Karzai, and Mohammed Nabi, who worked as a radio operator for the Taliban’s communications office in Kabul. Pakistan’s tribal regions have been the scene of CIA drone strikes and Pakistani army operations in recent years as militants fleeing from Afghanistan set up sanctuaries there. Thousands of foreign and domestic militants have also been killed there since Islamabad became an ally of Washington in the war on terror. After a 2014 offensive, Pakistan said it regained control of the area, which had also served as the headquarters of the Taliban and al-Qaida. However, both Afghanistan and Pakistan accuse the other of harboring militants on their territory. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Pakistan Targets Afghan Pashtuns And Refugees In Anti-Terrorism Crackdown By Pamela Constable And Haq Nawaz Khan Washington Post, March 3, 2017 When the army and police trucks prowl through affluent areas in this sprawling garrison city, headlights flashing and riflemen at the ready, residents breathe a sigh of relief. But when the trucks enter certain shabbier neighborhoods, home to a mix of Afghan refugees, migrants and ethnic Afghan Pashtuns, children scatter and adults wonder who may be taken away next. Since the Pakistani security forces launched a nationwide anti-terrorist operation in Februaryafter a spate of suicide bombings, Pashtun leaders have complained vociferously that their communities are being targeted for harassment and racial profiling, especially here in Punjab Province. Traditionally based in the northwest region bordering Afghanistan, Pashtuns who migrate or flee south to the Punjabi heartland have often been viewed as suspect outsiders, disdained by some as backward tribal people or war refugees with a penchant for crime and violence. Now they have been further tarred by the Afghan and Pashtun origins of the militants who claimed most of the recent bombings, which took more than 125 lives; one blast ripped through a crowded public square in Lahore, the Punjab capital. “The authorities think every Pashto speaker is a refugee or a terrorist. We are being targeted, but we, too, suffer from these blasts,” said Anwar Khan, 40, a fruit seller in an open￾air market who migrated from the northwest a decade ago. He pulled up his trouser cuff to reveal a row of metal pins in his leg, the result of a 2014 bombing in the market that killed 23 people. “May God destroy those who do this,” he said. After the recent bombings, police swept through many Pashtun communities in Punjab and elsewhere, combing markets and going house to house. Nationwide, more than 100 people were killed and hundreds detained as terrorism suspects. Many were said to be Afghans, including a man whom officials described as the “Afghan handler” of the Lahore attacker. Meanwhile, the army shelled suspected militant camps on both sides of the border, a rugged region inhabited by Pashtun tribes that has long served as a shelter and staging ground for Islamist militias fighting both the Afghan and Pakistani governments. FOIA CBP 000987 DHS-17-0435-B-000284 41 Last week, after the military operation got underway, Pashtun leaders began receiving numerous complaints of harassment, especially in Punjabi cities such as Rawalpindi that are full of migrants and people displaced by fighting in the northwest. Residents said security forces were rounding up and detaining Pashto-speaking men for no reason. “They were really angry after these blasts. They took away my grandfather and said he didn’t have his identification, but we have been here for many years,” said Jamal Khan, 16, who lives in a warren of alleys known as Army Village. “The elders had to rush over and get him out of the police station.” Like other Pashtun neighborhoods near the city’s vast fruit and vegetable market, the narrow streets of Army Village were swarming with children and lined with sidewalk stands. The street signs were in Urdu, the dominant language of Pakistan, but the conversations were all in Pashto. Many old men had lengthy beards and wore turbans; the few women on the streets were covered with billowing, mocha-colored burqas. Some residents complained that troops had entered and searched their homes, an affront to conservative Pashtun tradition in which women are kept secluded. Other complaints came from the open-air markets and bazaars where many Pashtun migrants work. In one market, a circular appeared urging people to report anyone who wore Pashtun dress, spoke Pashto or sold items such as dried fruit. A photo of the notice flooded the Internet, and Punjab police officials finally tweeted that it was inappropriate and did not “reflect police policy.” As reports continued to pour in, Pashtun legislators and other leaders spoke up forcefully. On Monday, the northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial assembly unanimously passed a resolution condemning the “racial profiling” of Pashtuns on the pretext of fighting terrorism. Social media was flooded with even more vituperative criticisms. “Hundreds of Pashtuns are being arrested and harassed in the name of terrorism,” said Sayed Zaffer Shah, a northwest legislator. “We never said all Punjabis are terrorists, though Punjabi Taliban were involved in bombings. This discrimination will only spread hatred.” Some critics even raised the specter of federal disintegration along ethnic lines, a highly sensitive subject in Pakistan. The country was violently dismembered in 1971 after the marginalized Bengali group seceded and the country of Bangladesh was created. Protests came from non-Pashtun groups, as well. At a protest rally in the northwest city of Peshawar on Sunday, Mushtaq Ahmad of the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami party declared angrily that “Pashtuns don’t need any patriotic certificate from the Punjab and Sindh governments. Such hate campaigns must stop.” In Army Village and other targeted communities, though, some people said that the raids were almost routine in areas where many people are refugees or have no government identification cards. They also suggested that the new crackdown was mostly aimed at soliciting bribes. “This has been going on for a long time; it only accelerated after the latest blasts,” said a fruit market worker named Atiqullah, 21. His parents were Afghan war refugees; he was born in Pakistan but has no ID card. “Whenever something happens, they pick me up. This time they asked me if I was making bombs, but they were not serious,” he said. “After two days I gave them $20, and here I am.” Trump To Host Germany’s Merkel At The White House By Julie Pace Associated Press, March 3, 2017 President Donald Trump will meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel (AHN’-geh-lah MEHR’-kuhl) at the White House later this month. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders says the meeting will take place on March 14. It will be the first in￾person meeting between Trump and the German chancellor since the U.S. election. Trump frequently criticized Merkel during his presidential campaign, accusing her of “ruining Germany” by taking in large numbers of refugees. Merkel, who wields significant sway in Europe, was critical of Trump’s refugee and immigration travel ban, which was blocked by the courts. Sanders did not offer details on what the two may discuss. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Germany’s Merkel To Visit Washington March 14 By Steve Holland Reuters, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Trumpism May Fall In Europe Washington Post, March 3, 2017 Since the election of President Trump, the biggest question in Western politics has been whether a version of his populist insurgency, and the similar anti-establishment fever that prompted Britain’s vote to leave the European Union, will spread to the Netherlands, France and Germany in elections scheduled for the coming months. If it does, the European Union could be buckled by further withdrawals and the West as an identifiable collective based on liberal values FOIA CBP 000988 DHS-17-0435-B-000285 42 could crumble — something that some in Mr. Trump’s administration, if not the president himself, would apparently welcome. The chances for such an outcome look real: Polls show the leading candidates in the Netherlands and France have included Geert Wilders and Marine Le Pen, both of whom share Mr. Trump’s anti- immigrant and anti-Muslim agenda, along with antipathy toward the European Union and, in the case of Ms. Le Pen, admiration for Russia’s Vladi-mir Putin. In Germany, the Alternative for Germany party peddles a similar agenda, though its chances to enter government are slight. Yet in both France and Germany, recent weeks have seen a refreshing surge by candidates who are perceived as outsiders, yet are committed to mainstream policies and institutions. In Germany, Social Democratic Party candidate Martin Schulz, a former president of the European Parliament, has suddenly appeared to challenge Chancellor Angela Merkel; dubbed a “politically correct populist,” Mr. Schulz has made no secret of his disregard for Mr. Trump and has adopted the slogan “Make Europe Great Again.” Even more significantly, Ms. Le Pen’s chances of sweeping to victory may have been checked by the rise of Emmanuel Macron, a charismatic 39-year-old former banker who describes himself as a radical centrist and who this week took over first place in a poll . Mr. Macron, who founded his own party called En Marche, or “Forward,” has assaulted the certainties of the French political establishment, such as its reliance on statist ecomomic policies, and championed social liberalism, including religious freedom. As The Post’s James McAuley reported, he infuriated the traditional left by attacking the 35-hour workweek even as he angered the traditional right by calling France’s colonization of Algeria a “crime against humanity.” Not surprisingly, Mr. Macron’s sensible if unconventional liberalism has made him a target for Russia’s state propaganda apparatus, which having done its best to tip the U.S. election to Mr. Trump is now attempting to empower Ms. Le Pen. According to Mr. Macron’s campaign manager, Moscow’s Internet cadres have conducted “hundreds and even thousands” of hacking attacks against the party, and outlets such as RT and Sputnik are spewing fake news about the candidate, such as claims that he is secretly gay. It would be foolish to suppose that this campaign, and the demagogic appeals of Ms. LePen, cannot succeed. For now, however, it is looking as if the reaction in Europe to Mr. Trump’s victory may be the consolidation of forces that oppose his radical assertion of national sovereignty over multilateralism, and economic nationalism over free trade. If so, that will be a victory for all who still believe in a liberal democratic West. Rex Tillerson Skips State Department’s Annual Announcement On Human Rights, Alarming Advocates By Carol Morello Washington Post, March 3, 2017 Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who during his confirmation hearings repeatedly vowed to promote human rights as a core American value, alarmed human rights advocates when he did not appear in person to present the State Department’s annual human rights report, released Friday. In a break with long-standing tradition only rarely breached, Tillerson’s remarks were limited to a short written introduction to the lengthy report. Nor did any senior State Department official make on-camera comments that are typically watched around the world, including by officials in authoritarian countries where abuses are singled out in the report. Instead, a senior administration official talked to reporters by phone and only on the condition of anonymity. “The report speaks for itself,” the administration official said. “We’re very, very proud of it. The facts should really be the story here.” But Tillerson’s absence underscored how the former ExxonMobil executive remains more comfortable with an aloof, corporate style of governance than the public diplomacy practiced by his predecessors. Tillerson drew fire from some members of Congress and advocates who said his decision not to personally unveil the report suggested the Trump administration places a low priority on advancing human rights. “While the U.S. commitment to human rights has been imperfect, it has always been one of the key pillars of foreign policy,” said Sarah Margon, the Washington director for Human Rights Watch. “That seems to be under dramatic threat right now. The fact he’s not personally involved makes it much easier for other governments to ignore its findings.” The report itself — a year’s work by embassy employees around the world and distilled by almost 100 editors — differs little from last year’s. Given that the Trump administration has been in office for only six weeks, it largely reflects work produced during the Obama administration. There do not appear to be any substantive changes to sections on countries like Iran, which the administration has taken a hard-line position on, or Russia, a country which President Trump has said he wants a warmer relation with. In the past, secretaries of state have taken the attitude that their presence in unveiling the report lends weight to its findings. John F. Kerry delayed its release twice because he was traveling and wanted to present it himself. Kerry, Hillary Clinton and Madeleine Albright all showed up for the release in their first year in office. Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice FOIA CBP 000989 DHS-17-0435-B-000286 43 missed the first year but made personal appearances in subsequent years. Whenever previous secretaries did not make it, the report was always made public on camera by a senior State Department official who answered questions about it. “This is historically seen as one of easiest ways for a secretary of state to demonstrate a commitment to this part of the department’s agenda,” said Tom Malinowski, who stepped down on Jan. 20 as the assistant secretary for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor and presented last year’s report. Tillerson, who has held no news conference since he arrived a month ago and has read only two public statements during trips to foreign countries, called promoting human rights and democratic governance a “core element of U.S. foreign policy” in the seven-paragraph introduction to this year’s report. “Our values are our interests when it comes to human rights,” the introduction said. “The production of these reports underscores our commitment to freedom, democracy and the human rights guaranteed to all individuals around the world.” During his confirmation hearing, Tillerson was questioned by senators probing his commitment to human rights. Tillerson assured them he would speak out forcefully. “Supporting human rights is essential to showing the watching world what America stands for,” he said. “Should I be confirmed as secretary of state,” he said at another point, “I would be charged with promoting American values on the world stage, and that means standing for universal human rights and fighting for the dignity of every person.” Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Thursday night tweeted his concern that Tillerson would not show up for the first report on his watch. “For 1st time in a long time @StateDept #humanrights report will not be presented by Secretary of State. I hope they reconsider,” he tweeted. Some human rights advocates said their concerns are heightened by reports of budget cuts impacting humanitarian aid and Trump’s campaign remarks that he supports waterboarding and worse. Human Rights First said Tillerson’s decision to forgo a public rollout suggests U.S. leadership on the issue is waning. “Such a decision sends an unmistakable signal to human rights defenders that the United States may no longer have their back, a message that won’t be lost on abusive governments,” said Rob Berschinski, a senior vice president at Human Rights First and a former State Department official in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. US Says Free Expression, Association On Decline Worldwide By Josh Lederman Associated Press, March 3, 2017 WASHINGTON (AP) – Basic freedoms of expression and association are on the decline around the world, the United States said Friday in a report that warned of worsening conditions for opposition groups and human rights activists. In a departure from past practice, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson declined to announce the report in-person or to speak about it publicly as his predecessors have done. Human rights groups and some lawmakers decried that decision and said it raised concerns that the U.S. was backing away from its traditionally vocal advocacy on human rights. Corruption, use of torture and discrimination against minorities have gotten worse in some parts of the world, the report said. It laid out concerns about sexual abuse of women, growing crackdowns on the media and internet freedom, suppression of political opposition groups and the inability of people to choose their own governments. Tillerson, in a letter to Congress about the report, did not address any specific human rights concerns, but said promoting rights and democracy is “a core element of U.S. foreign policy.” “These values form an essential foundation of stable, secure, and functioning societies,” Tillerson wrote. “Standing up for human rights and democracy is not just a moral imperative but is in the best interests of the United States in making the world more stable and secure.” Still, Tillerson did not appear before cameras to promote the report, nor has he spoken about human rights publicly since taking office one month ago. A senior administration official noted Tillerson had said in his Senate confirmation hearing, before becoming secretary, that human rights are a consideration in U.S. foreign policy. The official briefed reporters on a conference call on condition of anonymity even though President Donald Trump has said reporters shouldn’t be allowed to use anonymous sources. Yet Human Rights Watch, whose research is cited by the State Department in its human rights reports, said the Trump administration’s commitment to human rights is already in question due to his policies related to Muslims and his plan to drastically cut the foreign aid budget. “Tillerson’s absence from the State Department’s annual human rights report release reinforces the message to governments, rights activists, and at-risk minorities that the State Department might also be silent on repression, abuse, and exploitation,” said the group’s Washington director, Sarah Margon. FOIA CBP 000990 DHS-17-0435-B-000287 44 Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., also took issue with Tillerson’s decision and urged him on Twitter to reconsider. Though the report doesn’t rank or compare countries, its sections on some individual countries indicate areas of the most concern: -Philippines: The report notes a sharp increase in extrajudicial killings in the Philippines – more than 6,000 suspected drug dealers and users killed by police and unknown vigilantes in the second half of 2016. Despite President Rodrigo Duterte’s claim that authorities would investigate actions taken outside the rule of law, the report says there were “significant concerns about impunity” of government and local officials. -Turkey: The report says Turkey’s government has imprisoned tens of thousands of people accused of supporting last year’s failed coup attempt, often without much evidence. The Turkish government has also suspended some due process protections as part of the state of emergency enacted after the coup and later extended, the report says. It also details concerns about media freedoms and the high number of journalists arrested. -China: “Repression and coercion” of those involved in civil and political rights remains “severe,” the report says. It adds that tens of thousands of political prisoners remained incarcerated despite the government’s denial it holds any. Other serious human rights abuses included arbitrary or unlawful deprivation of life, executions without due process, illegal detentions at “black jails,” torture and coerced confessions of prisoners, and detention and harassment of journalists, lawyers, dissidents and petitioners. -Venezuela: The report warns of “systematic, politicized use of the judiciary” to undermine the legislative branch and to intimidate and prosecute critics of the government. It says “indiscriminate” police action has led to torture and limited press freedoms. The report also notes that the media and other groups have reported extrajudicial killings and torture by police and other security forces. --- Associated Press writer Matthew Pennington contributed to this report. --- Reach Josh Lederman on Twitter at http://twitter.com/joshledermanAP © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. U.S. State Department Criticized Over Quiet Release Of Human Rights Report By Yeganeh Torbati Reuters, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Secretary Of State Rex Tillerson Largely Disappears In The Trump Cabinet By Tracy Wilkinson Los Angeles Times, March 3, 2017 More than a month after he became America’s top diplomat, Rex Tillerson is like no other modern secretary of State: He’s largely invisible. He has given no media interviews and has not held a single news conference. He has made two brief trips abroad — and was overshadowed both times by other Cabinet officials. His news releases are chiefly independence day greetings to other nations. The White House blocked him from appointing his choice for a deputy, so he still has none. Dozens of assistant secretary positions, the diplomats who head bureaus for specific regions and issues, also are unfilled. Tillerson only occasionally meets President Trump or his staff at the White House, and he has been conspicuously absent from key meetings and conversations with foreign leaders. Foreign governments that previously studied the near￾daily State Department briefings for guidance on U.S. policy on matters large and small have little to go on. The last public briefing was on Jan. 19, the day before Trump took office; they are set to resume on March 6, but on an irregular schedule. The State Department is said to be facing deep budget cuts that could significantly curtail Tillerson’s ability to conduct the global diplomacy that is the backbone of U.S. foreign policy. Opposition to deep cuts appears strong on both sides of the aisle. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said this week that sharp cuts to foreign aid and the State Department are unlikely to clear the Senate. It’s not clear whether Tillerson’s under-the-radar style reflects his personality, or if he is following a script from a White House that has taken control of foreign policy in the Middle East and with Mexico, and has stressed a robust military buildup over diplomacy and foreign aid. Previous secretaries of State — John F. Kerry, Hillary Clinton, Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell, among others — were global celebrities. It might be argued how much power each ultimately wielded, but all were highly visible, frequently seen at his or FOIA CBP 000991 DHS-17-0435-B-000288 45 her president’s side or in top-level encounters with world leaders. Aaron David Miller, a former U.S. diplomat who served under six secretaries of State, described a marginalized Tillerson heading an “incredibly shrinking State Department.” Miller said Tillerson appears to be competing for influence at the White House with Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, and Stephen Bannon, the president’s chief strategist. “A way has to be found to empower Tillerson,” Miller said. “Without that, it takes five seconds for allies or adversaries to understand that the secretary of State does not have a whole lot of weight.” Other foreign policy experts worry that the administration has been so slow to fill scores of policy and operational positions at State, leaving acting appointees in charge. “Some are very good, but it still means none have any authority,” said Henri Barkey, a former State Department official who now heads the Middle East program at the non￾partisan Wilson Center think tank. “There is no policy out there, and it is not clear Tillerson knows what he’s supposed to do,” he added. In Washington, foreign diplomats and organizations that routinely work with the State Department say it appears rudderless. “There is no one under him,” said a Western diplomat who asked not to be identified because the diplomat’s embassy must deal with the State Department. Visiting delegations “have meetings but find everyone in listening mode.” “Clearly no one below Tillerson is making any decisions, and people are trying to figure out what he wants,” said the representative of an advocacy group who also asked not to be identified because the group is partially funded by the State Department. At a news conference this week, White House spokesman Sean Spicer defended Tillerson’s relationship with Trump, saying the president regularly seeks and receives the diplomat’s input “in terms of foreign policy interaction.” Stephen Hadley, former national security advisor for President George W. Bush, said the new secretary is moving carefully in a challenging new environment. “He’s an engineer and engineers learn the facts and follow where they lead,” Hadley said. “He’s a systems guy, a step-by-step guy… He’s starting out slow as he learns the job. People need to give him some time.” As a CEO of the global energy conglomerate Exxon Mobil before he joined the administration, Tillerson preferred flying to global capitals with a small entourage, swooping in to make deals. He answered only to a board of directors and shareholders. With the FBI and several congressional committees investigating whether the Trump team had improper contacts with Russian authorities, perhaps it’s not surprising that Tillerson — who was close to Russian President Vladimir Putin several years ago — has kept his head down. But his semi-disappearing act at State after decades of high-profile, globe-trotting secretaries of State has far￾reaching implications for America’s position in the world. Since taking office, Trump has alarmed allies by deriding the role of international institutions and trade pacts, squabbling with leaders of Mexico and Australia, challenging decades of policy with China and announcing a neo￾isolationist “America First” policy toward the rest of the world. “My job is not to represent the world,” Trump said Tuesday night in his first speech to Congress. “My job is to represent the United States of America.” Tillerson felt compelled to weigh in the next day, issuing a statement that seemed aimed at salvaging his role as well as America’s use of soft power and military might, around the world. The State Department “will continue to engage to advance U.S. interests in the world in cooperation with our partners and allies,” Tillerson said. “American foreign policy must promote our core values of freedom, democracy, and stability.” Tillerson’s defenders say he is methodical in his approach to diplomacy and not concerned about making what he views as media splashes. The silver-haired Texan prefers not to make pronouncements unless he “really [has] something to say,” according to a senior State Department official familiar with his thinking. But he also appears cut out of the White House loop at times. When Michael Flynn, then the national security advisor, announced last month that the administration was putting Iran “on notice” for testing a ballistic missile, Tillerson had not been consulted on what would normally be a State Department matter. Early in the administration, analysts had predicted that Tillerson would join forces with Defense Secretary James Mattis and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, both retired generals, in creating a troika of steady hands to help guide the inexperienced president and his team. Instead, Tillerson faded from view on his debut trip to a G-20 ministerial meeting in Bonn, Germany. While he was there, Mattis and Vice President Pence drew global attention when they spoke to a high-profile security conference in Munich. Tillerson brought only a skeleton staff to Bonn. A photograph showed him beside Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, where the Russian was flanked by numerous aides while Tillerson sat with three. FOIA CBP 000992 DHS-17-0435-B-000289 46 So far, Mattis has been far more outspoken than Tillerson in explaining administration policy in Europe and Asia, where allies worry about Trump’s policy shifts. Tillerson’s other trip was an overnight visit with Kelly to repair a diplomatic rift with Mexico City about Trump’s insistence that Mexico pay to build a border wall. Mexican officials have flatly refused. But Kelly grabbed the headlines when he announced that Homeland Security would not carry out mass deportations or use the U.S. military to enforce immigration laws — hours after Trump had boasted of a military-style roundup of undocumented immigrants. Neither Tillerson nor Kelly took questions from a salon full of U.S. and Mexican reporters, some of whom had flown from Washington and who waited hours for what turned out to be the reading of prepared statements. Rex Tillerson: Show Up For Human Rights Bloomberg View, March 3, 2017 In another year or another administration, the absence of a cabinet official at a press conference would merit no comment. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s decision not to attend Friday’s release of the department’s annual human rights report, however, is a small but telling sign of a more profound and dangerous shift: President Donald Trump’s apathy for the values that have long fortified U.S. power and influence. “My job is not to represent the world,” Trump said in his address to Congress last month. “My job is to represent the United States of America.” While it’s hard to argue with this statement literally, it’s also hard to take it seriously. Representing the U.S. means standing up for its principles as well as its interests, and the two are less divisible than Trump seems to think. However flawed in practice, America’s avowed commitment to democracy and human rights – two concepts that were absent from his speech – has always been a wellspring of its strength, which has grown when both have spread. Unfortunately, Trump’s proposed 37 percent cut in the State Department’s budget will gut its ability to advance either America’s interests or values. Stopping terrorism, for instance, requires diplomats on the ground to manage allies and report threats. As Defense Secretary James Mattis once bluntly put it: “If you don’t fully fund the State Department, then I need to buy more ammunition.” The same logic goes for opening markets and vetting visa applicants, to name two of Trump’s other top priorities. And that’s not even mentioning the many other tasks today’s diplomats perform, from watching over Americans overseas and monitoring elections to protecting the environment and U.S. intellectual property. Trump has tapped into the skepticism that many Americans have of more “pay any price, bear any burden” calls for U.S. global leadership, especially on behalf of a liberal world order that they see providing diminishing returns. The answer to their doubts and fears, however, is to fix the system, not try to turn back the clock to the 1920s, with its tariff walls, immigration restrictions, and competing economic and ethnic nationalisms. At the same time, champions of liberal internationalism can’t simply fall back on empty slogans about the righteousness and benefits of globalization. It almost goes without saying that this is a fragile moment, for both the administration and the liberal democratic order more generally. Some of the challenges Trump is facing would confront any U.S. president; some are of his own making. Regardless, what Americans need most right now are honesty and reassurance – about the pitfalls of this new world and the plan for avoiding them. So far, neither the president nor his secretary of state seem very interested in providing them. There’s No Such Thing As ‘Limited’ Nuclear War By Dianne Feinstein Washington Post, March 3, 2017 Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat, represents California in the U.S. Senate. Last month, it was revealed that a Pentagon advisory committee authored a report calling for the United States to invest in new nuclear weapons and consider resuming nuclear testing. The report even suggested researching less￾powerful nuclear weapons that could be deployed without resorting to full-scale nuclear war. This is terrifying and deserves a swift, full-throated rebuke. The report comes from the Defense Science Board, a committee made up of civilian experts. The board recommended “a more flexible nuclear enterprise that could produce, if needed, a rapid, tailored nuclear option for limited use.” Let me be crystal clear: There is no such thing as “limited use” nuclear weapons, and for a Pentagon advisory board to promote their development is absolutely unacceptable. This is even more problematic given President Trump’s comments in support of a nuclear arms race. As Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work testified in 2015, “Anyone who thinks they can control escalation through the use of nuclear weapons is literally playing with fire. Escalation is escalation, and nuclear use would be the ultimate escalation.” Nuclear weapons present us with a paradox: We spend billions of dollars building and maintaining them in the hope that we never have to use them. The sole purpose of nuclear weapons must be to deter their use by others. Designing new low-yield nuclear weapons for limited strikes dangerously lowers the threshold for their use. Such a recommendation FOIA CBP 000993 DHS-17-0435-B-000290 47 undermines the stability created by deterrence, thereby increasing the likelihood of sparking an unwinnable nuclear war. Congress has stopped these reckless efforts in the past. During the George W. Bush administration, attempts to build a new nuclear “bunker buster” weapon were halted thanks to the leadership of then-Rep. David Hobson (R-Ohio). Today, proponents of building new low-yield nuclear weapons claim that our nuclear arsenal is somehow insufficient to meet evolving threats around the globe. That is simply not true. First, we already have low-yield weapons: One such bomb, the B61 gravity bomb, is currently being modernized at an estimated cost of as much as $10 billion. Second, our existing arsenal of deployed strategic weapons is more than adequate to deter aggression against us and our allies. Our nuclear arsenal consists of approximately 4,000 stockpiled warheads, enough to destroy the world several times over. That’s roughly the same number of warheads as Russia and almost four times more than all other countries combined. We currently have two warheads in reserve for every warhead deployed, a “hedge” of 2 to 1. As we modernize our stockpile, we should strive to reduce both hedge and deployed warheads. In fact, a 2013 report by the Defense Department stated that our deployed arsenal could be further reduced by one-third while maintaining deterrence. The Defense Science Board also suggested we should consider resuming nuclear testing to have confidence in our nuclear deterrent. That is also a wrongheaded position. The Energy Department has ensured the safety, security and reliability of the nuclear stockpile for decades without conducting nuclear tests. The department’s work has taught us more about our stockpile than we could ever learn from relying primarily on explosive testing. In fact, the National Nuclear Security Administration has reported that the country is in a better position to maintain the nuclear arsenal than it was before the testing ban went into effect more than 20 years ago. Resuming nuclear testing would only encourage others to follow suit. The world is made far less safe if other nations begin testing and continue to pursue new nuclear weapons and capabilities. Instead of following the panel’s recommendations, the Pentagon should follow its own 2013 guidance and further reduce our nuclear arsenal in concert with other nations. To start, we can lead the way by working with Russia to develop a global ban on nuclear-tipped cruise missiles. These weapons are particularly dangerous because they can be mistaken for conventional cruise missiles, increasing the likelihood of an accidental nuclear exchange. When it comes to nuclear weapons, victory is not measured by who has the most warheads, but by how long we last before someone uses one. This latest proposal may lower the threshold for using nuclear weapons, and the secretary of defense would be wise to reject it. United Nations Expert Slams Trump Over Stance On Torture Associated Press, March 3, 2017 GENEVA (AP) – A United Nations human rights expert has slammed U.S. President Donald Trump over his view on torture as a useful counter-terrorism measure. Ben Emmerson, a British lawyer who is a special rapporteur on human rights, said Friday that hearing Trump “extolling the virtues of torture as a weapon in the fight against terrorism” and confirming his willingness to authorize its use had been enough to make his “blood run cold.” Speaking to the U.N. Human Rights Council, Emmerson expressed alarm that the U.S. president would be prepared for reasons of “jingoistic populism” to revive “what is arguably the single greatest act of lawlessness” perpetrated by the administration of George W. Bush. Trump said in a television interview in January that he believed torture works. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Trump Torture Remarks ‘Lay Down Gauntlet’ For Other States: U.N. Expert By Stephanie Nebehay Reuters, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Autocrats See A Green Light New York Times, March 3, 2017 When the government of Cambodia threatened on Monday to crack down on foreign news organizations that don’t “respect the state’s power,” it cited the example of the White House exclusion of several news outlets from a briefing. Cambodia was not the first country to take advantage of the new signals from the Trump White House. In Russia, which has devoted huge resources to generating misinformation, the Foreign Ministry has adopted President Trump’s use of the term “fake news” for reports critical of him. The ministry has a new feature on its website in which articles critical of the government are stamped with a big red “FAKE.” In Turkey, where scores of journalists have been arrested and more than 150 media companies closed FOIA CBP 000994 DHS-17-0435-B-000291 48 down, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan commended Mr. Trump for putting a CNN reporter “in his place” at a press conference by not taking his question and said such organizations “undermine national unity.” The United States is still the greatest power with potentially the most formidable voice on earth, and the tweets and remarks of a new president are minutely followed everywhere not only for potential shifts in geopolitics, but also for the moral message. The autocrats of the world must be relieved to see how far Mr. Trump has wandered from Ronald Reagan’s “shining city upon a hill” and the America of John F. Kennedy, which commanded respect “not only for its strength, but for its civilization.” That does not mean Cambodia, Russia or Turkey will necessarily have good relations with the administration. International relations are, in the end, based on national interests, not friendships. It is noteworthy that foremost among Cambodia’s media targets are Voice of America and Radio Free Asia, United States-financed broadcasters intended to counter government-controlled news in foreign countries. And for all the effort Russia purportedly put into Mr. Trump’s election, the United States joined Britain and France in pushing a resolution to punish Syria for using chemical weapons that Russia termed “politically biased” and vetoed. Mr. Erdogan has called Mr. Trump’s stalled immigration order “frankly disturbing.” But America’s self-imposed role as an arbiter of global behavior, however irritating or hypocritical it may sometimes be, has served as a check on autocrats and nationalists and has provided authority for their opponents. In Mr. Trump, by contrast, European nationalists like France’s Marine Le Pen, the Netherlands’ Geert Wilders, Britain’s Nigel Farage and Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban have found encouragement. Mr. Trump may yet amend his signals. But when he calls media outlets the “enemy of the American people” or spreads false fears about Muslim or Mexican immigrants, he should know that he is playing not only to Americans but also to a world that takes his words very seriously. Trump’s Many Shades Of Contempt By Roger Cohen New York Times, March 3, 2017 This is a column about contempt. Let’s start with the utter contempt that President Trump has shown for the State Department since taking office six weeks ago. Some 70,000 American patriots across the globe, dedicated to the American idea as a force for good in the world, have been cast adrift. Rex Tillerson, the secretary of state, is a near phantom. He has no deputy, having seen his first choice nixed by Trump. No State Department press briefing, once a daily occurrence, has been held since Trump took office. The president has proposed a 37 percent cut in the State Department budget. An exodus of senior staff is ongoing. The State Department has taken on a ghostly air. The message is clear. America has no foreign policy so nobody is needed to articulate it. All we have are the feverish zigzags of the president, who thinks NATO is obsolete one day and glorious the next. There is no governing idea, only transactional hollowness. One midlevel officer told Julia Ioffe of The Atlantic: “It’s reminiscent of the developing countries where I’ve served. The family rules everything, and the Ministry of Foreign affairs knows nothing.” Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, has become the foreign service of the United States of America. Trump does not buy into the American idea. He buys, if anything, into Vladimir Putin’s macho authoritarianism and spheres of influence for the great powers. This amounts to a dramatic break with American policy as superbly articulated last month by one of the departing diplomats, Daniel Fried, who joined the Foreign Service in 1977 and served with great distinction, particularly in central and Eastern Europe. Fried had this to say in his parting remarks: “Few believed that Poland’s solidarity movement could win, that the Iron Curtain would come down, that the Baltic states could be free, that the second of the 20th century’s great evils — Communism — could be vanquished without war. But it happened, and the West’s great institutions — NATO and the European Union — grew to embrace 100 million liberated Europeans. It was my honor to have done what I could to help. I learned never to underestimate the possibility of change, that values have power, and that time and patience can pay off, especially if you’re serious about your objectives. Nothing can be taken for granted, and this great achievement is now under assault by Russia, but what we did in my time is no less honorable. It is for the present generation to defend and, when the time comes again, extend freedom in Europe.” Donald Trump, our ahistorical Russophile president, should frame these words and hang them in the Oval Office as his first history lesson. Fried noted America’s long-held opposition to spheres of influence, a recipe for war, and made this critical point: “We are not an ethno-state, with identity rooted in shared blood. The option of a White Man’s Republic ended at Appomattox. On the contrary, we are ‘a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.’ “ And so, “that rough sense of equality and opportunity, embedded in us, informed the way that we brought our American power to the world, America’s Grand Strategy. We have, imperfectly, and despite detours and retreat along the way, sought to realize a better world for ourselves and for others, for we understood that our prosperity and our values at home depend on the prosperity and those values being secure as far as possible in a sometimes dark world.” FOIA CBP 000995 DHS-17-0435-B-000292 49 There could be no finer rebuke to Trump’s dangerous contempt. But there is a deeper contempt, even more treacherous. It is for the Constitution. Trump has attacked the freedom of the press enshrined in the First Amendment, and the independence of the judiciary. His reckless travel ban raised issues of due process and religious discrimination. Serious questions exist as to whether “aid or comfort” was given by the Trump entourage to an American enemy — in this case Russia — during the presidential campaign and after his victory on Nov. 8. This contempt was signaled in his inaugural speech when Trump said, “The oath of office I take today is an oath of allegiance to all Americans.” No, the president’s oath is to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” It is to the law not the “volk.” Barnett Rubin, a political scientist and Afghanistan expert who served at the State Department, recalled to me in an email how he never thought of the oath he took to defend the Constitution “against all enemies, foreign and domestic,” even when confronting the Taliban, but these days the words have acquired meaning. I know what Rubin means. I am a naturalized American, and so I took the oath to “support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” This column about contempt amounts, in a way, to fulfillment of that oath. British Leader Theresa May Talks Down Scotland’s Exit As Brexit Looms By Jenny Gross Wall Street Journal, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Against Populism, The Center Must Hold By Tony Blair New York Times, March 3, 2017 Outrage is easy; strategy is hard. Outrage provides necessary motivation. But only strategy can deliver victory. The emotional response to the rightist populism sweeping the West is one of protest and dismay. But if there is to be an effective fightback, there has to be a cool analysis of what is happening, why and what can be done. Politics is being reshaped, and this phenomenon is the same whether it is in the United States or in Europe. At stake in the forthcoming elections in France and Germany will be the future of Europe and, possibly, of European liberal democracy. The rightist populism, on both sides of the Atlantic, is intent on blowing up traditional conservative politics and replacing it with a new coalition, comprising traditionally left￾leaning supporters in working-class communities who feel left behind by globalization and traditionally right-leaning supporters who hate liberalism. Both constituencies believe that traditional culture is at risk from immigration and “political correctness.” Both believe in the nation-state as opposed to international alliances. Both feel let down by the so-called elites and think that the solution is an authoritarian figure strong enough not to care what a biased establishment thinks about him. This is a revolution that is partly economic, but mainly cultural. The new coalition differs from the old Reagan￾Thatcher one, though it has some similarities. Back in the 1980s, working-class voters moved to the right because they felt that the left didn’t satisfy their aspirations for self￾improvement. That was a cultural issue, of course; but it was primarily an economic one. It was not so much that they felt fearful as that they felt held back. Today is different. The modus operandi of this populism is not to reason but to roar. It has at times an anarchic feel. Yet it has also mobilized a powerful media behind it. Its supporters welcome the outrage their leaders provoke. This polarizes public discourse and enhances their sense of belonging, so that even when they’re in government, they act as if they were excluded from it. Meanwhile, traditional conservatives feel like strangers in their own land. They are unsure whether to play along with the new order on the basis that it will soon pass or to accept that this is a revolution aimed at overturning their authority and fight it. The causes of this movement are the scale, scope and speed of change. This is occurring economically as jobs are displaced and communities fractured, and culturally as the force of globalization moves the rest of the world closer and blurs old boundaries of nation, race and culture. The same dynamics are splintering the left, too. One element has aligned with the right in revolt against globalization, but with business taking the place of migrants as the chief evil. They agree with the right-wing populists about elites, though for the left the elites are the wealthy, while for the right they’re the liberals. This leftist populism is a profound error. It has no chance of matching the populist appeal of the right, and it dangerously validates some of the right’s arguments. This only fuels a cynicism that depresses support for the more progressive parts of the left’s program. But this left tendency has gained from the seeming paralysis of the center. The parties and politicians of the center have become the managers of the status quo in an era when people want change. So, the center — in both its center-right and center-left camps — is marginalized, even despised. The question is, will this be a temporary phase, perhaps linked to the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis and Sept. FOIA CBP 000996 DHS-17-0435-B-000293 50 11, and will politics soon revert to normal, or has a new political age begun? The party structures on both sides of the Atlantic have their origins in the Industrial Revolution and the debates engendered by that epoch about socialism and capitalism, the market and the state. These parties have endured because the roots they put down were very strong. But now, there are different distinctions than those simply of traditional right and left. When I was growing up, people like my dad were conservative; and that meant economically and socially. Today, many such voters don’t fit that old stereotype. They may be pro-private enterprise and conservative on economics in traditional terms, but they’re also socially liberal — in favor, for instance, of gay rights. And there are those who used to vote left, but who are culturally illiberal and now don’t mind voting for parties of the wealthy. Today, a distinction that often matters more than traditional right and left is open vs. closed. The open-minded see globalization as an opportunity but one with challenges that should be mitigated; the closed-minded view sees the outside world as a threat. This distinction crosses traditional party lines and thus has no organizing base, no natural channel for representation in electoral politics. Politics in most European countries, and certainly in the United States, is still dominated by the traditional parties of right and left. Under pressure from radical populism, though, it’s shifting more to the extremes, as we’re seeing with the British Labour Party and the French Socialists. So this leaves a big space in the center. For the progressive wing of politics, the correct strategy is to make the case for building a new coalition out from the center. To do so, progressives need to acknowledge the genuine cultural anxieties of those voters who have deserted the cause of social progress: on immigration, the threat of radical Islamism and the difference between being progressive and appearing obsessive on issues like gender identity. The center needs to develop a new policy agenda that shows people they will get support to help them through the change that’s happening around them. At the heart of this has to be an alliance between those driving the technological revolution, in Silicon Valley and elsewhere, and those responsible for public policy in government. At present, there is a chasm of understanding between the two. There will inevitably continue to be a negative impact on jobs from artificial intelligence and big data, but the opportunities to change lives for the better through technology are enormous. Any new agenda has to focus on these opportunities for radical change in the way that government and services like health care serve people. This must include how we educate, skill and equip our work forces for the future; how we reform tax and welfare systems to encourage more fair distribution of wealth; and how we replenish our nations’ infrastructures and invest in the communities most harmed by trade and technology. Progressives must reach across the party divide, making a virtue of nonpartisanship. Those who feel dispossessed within existing party structures should make common cause, and do so unashamedly. This is exactly what those of us are doing in Britain who are making the case for staying in a reformed European Union. The politics of the progressive center has not died, but it needs reinventing and re-energizing. For liberal democracy to survive and thrive, we must build a new coalition that is popular, not populist. France’s Macron Moves Into First Round Lead In Presidential Vote: Poll By Leigh Thomas Reuters, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. A Rally At The Eiffel Tower May Be Fillon’s Last Stand As Key Allies Flee By Geraldine Amiel And Gregory Viscusi Bloomberg Politics, March 4, 2017 Francois Fillon’s bid to be the next president of France is running on empty. Cornered by prosecutors, abandoned by his team, the Republican candidate’s remaining loyalists are asking supporters to gather opposite the Eiffel Tower at 3 p.m. Sunday to show that he’s still a force in the 2017 election. With demands multiplying for Fillon to step aside in favor of his former rival Alain Juppe and reports of party grandees meeting to discuss his future, the rally will be an acid test of his credibility. “I call on all those who don’t want this election stolen to come and protest at the Trocadero,” Republican senator Bruno Retailleau and one of Fillon’s closest allies said Friday on Europe 1 radio. “This affair is without precedent.” Fillon was the front-runner in the French presidential election as little as two months ago but his campaign has been swamped by an investigation into his wife’s job as a parliamentary aide after a newspaper reported that she took her public salary without doing any work. The Republican’s meltdown has left the independent Emmanuel Macron as the main challenger to the anti-euro candidate Marine Le Pen.Ides of March A survey by Odoxa Friday showed Macron leading Le Pen for the first time in polling for the initial round of voting on April 23. Every recent survey has shown that Macron would beat Le Pen by a wide margin in the runoff on May 7. FOIA CBP 000997 DHS-17-0435-B-000294 51 Fillon could be charged with embezzlement as soon as March 15, when he’s due to be questioned for a second time. The right-wing candidate has questioned the motives of the judges leading the probe, labeling it a “political assassination” and has vowed to stay in the race. His intransigence has failed to keep many of his party in line however and he’s been deserted by a stream of grandees and lawmakers over the past few days as calls for an alternative candidate have multiplied. Fillon’s increasingly provocative rhetoric provoked a slap from President Francois Hollande this week. Hollande, a Socialist who opted not to run for a second term, warned against undermining the independence of the courts. “There can’t be any protest in our country which could call into question the institutions of justice,” Hollande said Thursday.Holding Firm Even some Fillon supporters are uncomfortable with Sunday’s rally. “In a fragile country like ours, it’s not wise to call a protest against the institutions,” former Republican primaries contender Jean-Frederic Poisson said on RMC radio Friday. “You demonstrate for something, not against the institutions of the republic.” For now though, Fillon isn’t flinching. Though his poll numbers have suffered, he remains in touch with the leaders with seven weeks still to go before the first round. He said Thursday he’d do without those who left his campaign, insisting the base is holding and has planned media appearances after the weekend, including an hour-and-a-half￾long interview on Europe 1 radio on Monday morning. All the same, reports are circulating that former prime minister Alain Juppe, who lost to Fillon in November’s primary, may be preparing to step in. If Fillon was replaced by Juppe, the new Republican candidate would be on track to lead in the first round of voting, according to Odoxa. He’d then be likely to face a runoff against Macron. France’s Le Pen Refused To Be Questioned By Judges In EU Jobs Affair: Lawyer By Gerard Bon Reuters, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. U.S. Carrier Puts On Show Of ‘Commitment’, Not Power, In South China Sea By Manuel Mogato Reuters, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. China’s Response To Reports Of Torture: ‘Fake News’ By Javier C. Hernández New York Times, March 3, 2017 “FAKE NEWS,” a Twitter post declared. “Prejudice￾based,” another said. “Cleverly orchestrated lies,” a news article asserted. President Trump’s harangues against the American news media appear to have inspired a new genre of commentary in China’s state media, whose propagandists spiced up social media posts and news articles with Trumpian flourishes this week. People’s Daily, the flagship newspaper of the ruling Communist Party, mimicked Mr. Trump’s characteristic bluster — and his fondness for capital letters — on Friday in denouncing Western news coverage of a Chinese lawyer and human rights advocate who said he had been tortured. An article on the topic a day earlier by Xinhua, the state-run news agency, had accused the foreign news media of “hype” and suggested that legal activists were manipulating the press to “smear the Chinese government.” “The stories were essentially fake news,” Xinhua wrote, adopting a phrase that Mr. Trump has embraced. The Chinese government has long denounced Western news organizations as biased and dishonest — and in Mr. Trump, Beijing has found an American president who often does the same. The irony in China’s criticism is apparent, given Beijing’s history of obscuring facts and censoring stories that officials deem a threat to the party. Experts said on Friday that Mr. Trump’s continuing attacks on the news media would help lend credibility to Chinese efforts to undermine Western ideals and foreign journalists. “Trump’s attacks on the media will offer a good excuse for Chinese officials to step up their criticism of Western democracy and press freedom,” said Qiao Mu, a journalism professor at Beijing Foreign Studies University. “China can turn to Trump’s attacks to say Western democracy is hypocrisy.” Some of Mr. Trump’s remarks about the news media would not seem out of place in some of China’s leading broadsheets, where commentators regularly denounce independent reporting by foreign news outlets on delicate subjects like Taiwan or religious persecution. Rights advocates said Mr. Trump had given China an opportunity to further distort the boundaries of journalism. “If the Chinese version of journalism, which is really only propaganda, is considered mainstream, it will challenge the understanding of what real journalism should be,” said Patrick Poon, a researcher for Amnesty International in Hong Kong. FOIA CBP 000998 DHS-17-0435-B-000295 52 The heated commentary in the Chinese news media came in response to foreign coverage of a Chinese lawyer, Xie Yang, whose account of torture at the hands of interrogators was widely reported in January, including in The New York Times. The reports about Mr. Xie, who is still in custody, were based on transcripts of his interviews with his lawyers. Xinhua’s report suggested that the account of the torture of Mr. Xie, who was formally arrested last year on a charge of inciting subversion of state power, was fabricated. “Investigations by reporters and an investigative team have showed that the accusations were nothing but cleverly orchestrated lies,” the report said. Xinhua said Jiang Tianyong, a prominent human rights lawyer, had invented the story and shared it with foreign activists. One of Mr. Xie’s lawyers, Chen Jiangang, denied that on Friday. In a statement, Mr. Chen reiterated that Mr. Xie had provided the account of his torture, describing in detail the meeting at which he had done so. Chinese officials routinely block efforts to report on topics that the government deems delicate. On Friday, the BBC reported that its journalists had been harassed by the authorities in a village in Hunan Province while trying to interview a woman who says her family’s land was stolen. The BBC said that its journalists were assaulted during the encounter, and that a crowd in the village had smashed the crew’s cameras. South Korean Jitters Grow Over Chinese Retaliation For Antimissile Array By Jonathan Cheng Wall Street Journal, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Arrest Warrant Issued For Employee Of North Korea’s Air Koryo In Kim Jong Nam Case By Ben Otto And Yantoultra Ngui Wall Street Journal, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Want To Know About North Korea? Dennis Rodman Shares His Thoughts At West Point By Barbara Demick Los Angeles Times, March 3, 2017 So here’s an out-of-the-box suggestion for dealing with the North Korea conundrum. Send Dennis Rodman to negotiate a meeting between President Trump and dictator Kim Jong Un. Only half-kidding, the idea was raised at an unusual panel held Friday at the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., in which the former NBA star discussed his many visits to North Korea. It is hard to imagine a more improbable guest at West Point than the tattooed, body-pierced, bad-boy sports celebrity, but the irrepressible Rodman has a way of wriggling himself into unlikely situations. This out-of-control celebrity got invited to visit the world’s most controlled country in 2013 at the behest of Vice News. Rodman helped arrange an exhibition basketball game with the Harlem Globetrotters for Kim, who happens to be a basketball fan. That visit was followed by others in which Rodman ate and drank, smoked cigars, played basketball and sailed on a yacht with Kim. He even held Kim’s baby daughter, who he gave a jersey emblazoned with 91, his number with the Chicago Bulls. He ended up calling Kim a “friend for life.’’ “To me he is just a normal guy. He told me, ‘I would love to come to America to go to a New York Knicks game.’ He actually said that to me,” Rodman said Friday, speaking from the podium of an auditorium in front of uniformed cadets. “Obviously, he can’t come here or he would be dead.” Rodman, 55, said he was awed by the adulation that North Koreans have for their leader. “To see that much power in one man’s hand, to see how much people love that little guy when he walks in the door,” said Rodman, recalling his visit to a stadium in the capital of Pyongyang where 150,000 people were in attendance. “People were standing for a half-hour just clapping. They were crying.” It is easy to scoff at Rodman’s observations about the North Korean leader, a man who has made himself international public enemy No. 1 through his country’s nuclear tests, missile tests and an abysmal human rights record. South Korean officials have accused North Korea of ordering the assassination of Kim’s half brother, Kim Jong Nam, who died last month, apparently by poisoning. But Rodman has probably spent more time with Kim Jong Un than any other American, making his North Korea experiences of keen public interest. For the occasion of his visit to West Point, Rodman dressed conservatively — a baseball cap, black jacquard jacket, T-shirt, white canvas trousers, and sneakers and sunglasses, which he didn’t remove during the appearance. Rodman seldom speaks in public or to the press about his North Korea experiences because the trips engendered so much criticism. He was denounced as a dupe and a traitor in 2014 when he organized a game of retired players for Kim’s birthday and actually sang “Happy Birthday” in the arena. “I sang ‘Happy Birthday,’ and people tripped out in America.…He’s supposed to be this bad guy,” said Rodman, FOIA CBP 000999 DHS-17-0435-B-000296 53 clearly still stung by the criticism. “Our friendship is about sports. It’s not about politics.’’ Liam Collins, the director of the Modern War Institute at West Point, who had issued the invitation to Rodman, asked directly whether Rodman thought he had a role to play as an emissary between the United States and North Korea in the same way that “ping-pong diplomacy” opened doors with China. His agent, Chris Volo, was enthusiastic. “Dennis would do anything for President Trump.… He would go back there in a second, if it ended up helping our nation, helping our president,’’ said Volo. “You don’t get more American than Dennis Rodman,’’ he added, referring to the body piercings and tattoos, the flamboyant individualism. “The fact that [the North Koreans] saw their leader accept him is such a big step for both countries.’’ Rodman himself was noncommittal about returning to North Korea. “Sports is the one thing on the planet that could actually heal things at least for a day, two days or a week.” Nevertheless, Rodman hinted at the possibility of communication between the countries. He said repeatedly that Kim likes Trump, and that Trump has expressed at least a curiosity about visiting North Korea. “I was in [Trump’s] office, and he said, ‘I want to go.’ That’s the first thing he said,’’ recalled Rodman, who appeared on Trump’s reality television show “Celebrity Apprentice.’’ The cadets listened respectfully, rushing up afterward to pose for photographs and get autographed basketballs. “We are always told North Korea is the big threat,’’ said David Stanford, a 25-year-old senior, after Rodman’s talk. “It got me thinking there are other things than force to open doors.’’ India To Host Dalai Lama In Disputed Territory, Defying China By Sanjeev Miglani And Tommy Wilkes Reuters, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Libyan Militias Seize Control Of Major Oil Terminals By Rami Musa Associated Press, March 3, 2017 BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) – Libyan militias occupied major oil terminals on Friday after clashes with armed forces based in the east and commanded by army chief Gen. Khalifa Hifter, military officials said, amid fears the facilitates could sustain serious damage if the clashes escalate. At least nine soldiers were killed. Faisal al-Zwei, the spokesman for the 101 Brigade, based at the so-called oil crescent region, told The Associated Press that some 1,000 militiamen in 200 vehicles clashed with the eastern armed forces over the oil terminals of al-Sidra and Ras Lanuf on Friday, forcing the army units to retreat. He said the militias were joined by fighters loyal to eastern militia commander Ibrahim Jedran, the secessionist fighter who took over and oversaw the terminals until Hifter’s forces seized them last year. Mohammed al-Basit, the brigade’s commander, confirmed the report. The militias, known as Benghazi Defense Brigades, are comprised of Islamic militants and former rebels who were recently defeated by Hifter’s forces in Benghazi, Libya’ second largest city. They were joined by militiamen from the western city of Misrata. Al-Zwei said that the militias advanced on four fronts, despite airstrikes waged by Hifter’s air forces. Hifter’s army is allied to the internationally-recognized parliament based in eastern Libya. The internationally-recognized government based in the capital Tripoli- which is opposed to Hifter￾condemned the fighting and said it has no role in it, according to a statement released by the so-called Presidency Council – the United Nations-brokered body tasked to form the government and which enjoys presidential powers. Army spokesman Ahmed al-Mosmari said that the forces’ decision to retreat was taken to avoid destruction of the oil facilities. The commander of the oil guards Mufah al-Megarif said that a total of nine soldiers were killed in the fighting. Al￾Mosmari said one of the wounded soldiers was shot to death by the militias. Libya has descended into chaos since the 2011 civil war, which ended with the killing of longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. The country has been split into two competing parliaments and governments, each backed by a set of militias, tribes and political factions. This is not the first time the oil terminals have changed hands in the past three years, heavily impacting the oil production that was finally increasing as it reached 700,000 barrels a day in February. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Armed Faction Enters Major Libyan Oil Ports, Putting Output At Risk FOIA CBP 001000 DHS-17-0435-B-000297 54 By Ayman Al-Warfalli Reuters, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. U.S., Cuba Have Increased Cooperation On Fighting Illicit Drug Trafficking By Mimi Whitefield Miami Herald, March 3, 2017 Although Cuba sits in close proximity to Caribbean drug lanes and the U.S. market, the U.S. State Department’s annual narcotics control report found that it’s not a major consumer, producer or transit point for illegal narcotics, and drug consumption on the island remains low. The report to Congress, which was released Friday, discusses the record of countries around the world in combating the global drug trade. It is the first time since 2008 that the report was rolled out to the media. It comes at a time that William Brownfield, assistant secretary for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, says the United States is experiencing “perhaps the worst drug crisis that we have seen in the United States of America since the 1980s, and the worst heroin and opioids crisis that we have seen in the United States in more than 60 years.” But it is also a time when Cuba and the United States have begun to work more closely on combating the drug trade. A new U.S.-Cuba drug accord was signed in July 2016, and there is a U.S. Coast Guard liaison in the U.S. Embassy in Havana to coordinate with Cuban law enforcement. Direct communications between the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Cuba’s National Anti-Drug Directorate began in July. The Coast Guard and Cuban authorities have been sharing tactical information on vessels transiting Cuban waters that are suspected of trafficking and are coordinating responses. “Cuba’s intensive security presence and interdiction efforts have kept supply down and prevented traffickers from establishing a foothold,” said the report. “Cuba concentrates supply reduction efforts by preventing smuggling through territorial waters, rapidly collecting wash-ups, and conducting thorough airport searches.” Cuba’s intensive security presence and interdiction efforts have kept supply down and prevented traffickers from establishing a foothold. State Department report The most recent maritime seizure of drugs by Cuban authorities occurred in 2015. That year, the Cuban government seized 906 kilograms of illegal drugs, including 182 kilos of cocaine, 700 kilos of marijuana and 24 kilos of hashish oil. That same year, Cuban authorities detected the incursions of 48 suspicious go-fast boats along the island’s southeastern coast. In July 2016, Cuban authorities sentenced 11 Cubans to 15 to 30 years in prison for smuggling marijuana from Jamaica through Cuba to the Bahamas, the report said. During the case, the principal organizer was extradited from Jamaica, a country with which Cuba also shares real-time information on suspected trafficking. The report also looked at money laundering and financial crimes around the world. “The government-controlled banking sector, low internet and cell phone usage rates, and lack of government and legal transparency render Cuba an unattractive location for money laundering through financial institutions,” the report said. Although the risk of money laundering is low in Cuba, the report said Cuba has a number of “strategic deficiencies” in its anti-money-laundering regime. Among suggestions were that Cuba increase the transparency of its financial sector as well as in criminal investigations and prosecutions. Ecuador Frontrunner Offers Glimmer Of Hope For WikiLeaks’ Assange By Jim Wyss Miami Herald, March 3, 2017 WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange may be able to keep a diplomatic safe haven after all. Guillermo Lasso, the front-runner in Ecuador’s presidential election, says he intends to evict Assange from that country’s London embassy if he wins the April 2 runoff against ruling party candidate Lenín Moreno. But he also said he will work with other governments to find Assange a new home — which may keep the controversial free-speech advocate from being extradited. “We will ask Mr. Assange, very politely, to leave our embassy, in absolute compliance with international conventions and protocols,” Lasso said in an email exchange with the Miami Herald. However, “we vow to take all the steps necessary so that another embassy will take him in and protect his rights.” Even if another government were willing to provide Assange shelter, it’s unclear how he would be transferred. In the five years since he’s been holed up in the embassy, the Rafael Correa administration hasn’t been able to figure out how to move him to Ecuador, amid heavy police scrutiny in London. Assange took refuge in Ecuador’s cramped London embassy in 2012 fighting extradition to Sweden where he is wanted on sexual misconduct allegations. Assange and his legal team fear that the Swedish charges are a ploy to have him extradited to the United States. FOIA CBP 001001 DHS-17-0435-B-000298 55 Read More: Ecuador votes in race with international implications Lasso also noted that Assange had volunteered to leave the embassy if Chelsea Manning, who is serving a 35- year-sentence for giving WikiLeaks hundreds of thousands of secret and confidential U.S. diplomatic cables, were to be pardoned. On his way out of office, President Barack Obama commuted Manning’s sentence, and she will be released May 17. But Assange argued that a commutation wasn’t a pardon and hunkered down at the embassy. Cable-gate The Assange-Ecuador connection goes back to 2010, when WikiLeaks published Manning’s diplomatic cables. In one of them, Heather Hodges, the U.S. ambassador to Ecuador at the time, talked about alleged corruption in the Ecuadorean police force. As a result, Correa in 2011 declared Hodges “persona non grata” and revoked her credentials. He initially offered Assange a job and residency in the small Andean nation, but it never materialized. In 2012, as Assange was fighting extradition to Sweden, he took refuge in Ecuador’s embassy in Knightsbridge, where he has been living with his tweeting cat and occasionally getting visits from Bay Watch star Pamela Anderson. The ruling party’s Moreno has said he would continue Correa’s policy of letting Assange stay at the embassy. Clinton connection Assange and WikiLeaks played prominent roles during the U.S. election, as the website published thousands of emails from Hillary Clinton’s campaign. Clinton and others accused the website of being a Russian mouthpiece, saying Moscow had obtained the emails in hopes of throwing the race for now-President Donald Trump. Assange has always denied that the documents came from the Russians. Asked whether he thought Assange might have played a role in Ecuador’s razor-tight, first-round vote on Feb. 19, Lasso refused to speculate. “We have no indication, or comment, about that,” he said. A recent survey by the closely-watched Cedatos polling company gives Lasso, a former banker and politician, 52 percent of the vote versus Moreno’s 48 percent ahead of next month’s runoff. Lasso Takes Lead In Ecuador Race, Talks Fraud Fears And Exiles By Jim Wyss Miami Herald, March 3, 2017 Guillermo Lasso barely survived the first round of Ecuador’s presidential race on Feb. 19, as ruling party candidate Lenín Moreno came within a hair of winning the election outright. But now that the opposition has rallied around Lasso, a one-time banker and politician, the April 2 runoff looks like Moreno’s to lose. Quito-based Cedatos, which produces one of the more closely watched polls, has Lasso winning 52 percent of the vote versus Moreno’s 48 percent. As he kicked off a new cycle of campaigning this week, Lasso, 60, answered questions about what his presidency might mean for Ecuadorian exiles in Miami, how he’s going to win the elusive diaspora vote and his fears of potential fraud. Decade of change Ecuadorians are going to the polls to replace Rafael Correa, a charismatic populist whose socialist “Citizens Revolution” has dominated the country for a decade. While Correa has been praised for building schools, roads and hospitals, the country has also become weary of his hostile attitude, and there are fears that his entrenched power is providing cover for corruption. But Lasso is entering the race with baggage of his own. He was a member of the economic cabinet of former President Jamil Mahuad (1998-2000) during a financial meltdown that decimated people’s savings and forced millions to emigrate — though his time in Mahuad’s cabinet doesn’t appear in his official campaign biography. As a former banker in a country that still demonizes bankers, Lasso has struggled to win the hearts of those who were hurt by the crisis, particularly emigrants. During the first round of the election, Correa’s chosen successor, Moreno, won twice as many votes from the Ecuadorian diaspora as Lasso did. In an email exchange, Lasso acknowledged the perception problem, but said it was largely a false image promoted by his opponents. “During the last 10 years, government propaganda has tried to tie me to the banking crisis,” he said. “Nevertheless, at the beginning of Correa’s administration, they conducted an investigation into the 1999 financial crisis, in which they identified the true culprits, and among them were several Correa officials.” While people implicated in the crisis (including Mahuad and banker Pedro Delgado) fled the country amid charges, Lasso said he has nothing to hide. “I walk free in Ecuador because I had absolutely nothing to do with the events that sparked the crisis or the measures that were taken as a result of the crisis,” he said. Lasso said he hopes to lure Ecuadorians living abroad back to the small South American country by generating jobs — he’s promised one million over four years — and encouraging new business ventures by cutting taxes and red tape. FOIA CBP 001002 DHS-17-0435-B-000299 56 In a country where the legislature and judiciary are perceived to be under the sway of Correa, Lasso is promising more autonomy. He’s also pledged to do away with draconian media laws that free-speech groups say have neutered the press. “We will also be the government that respects the rule of law, institutions and freedom of speech,” he said. “Ecuadorians abroad will be able to come back to a brighter future in their own country.” Along with the outflow of economic migrants, Correa’s decade in power has produced a handful of political refugees. Among those who have been granted asylum in the United States are Roberto and William Isaías, two brothers and bankers who were convicted in Ecuador of embezzling hundreds of millions of dollars from their failed institution in the midst of the financial crisis. Ecuador has asked for their extradition, but the U.S. government has denied the petition and ruled that the charges in Ecuador are without merit. Asked if the brothers would be welcome back in Ecuador, Lasso was noncommittal. “A president cannot interfere in the judicial system,” he said. “However, I will promote and respect due process. Our proposal is to depoliticize [the judiciary] and ensure the independence of institutions.” There can be “no more political calculations” when it comes to judicial rulings, he said.Tense vote The first round of Ecuador’s election was a nail-biter. Moreno needed 40 percent of the vote to win outright, and two days after the last ballot had been cast, the National Electoral Council (CNE) said it was still to close to call. Amid social-media-fueled warnings and rumors that fraud might be in the works to push Moreno over the threshold, hundreds of people gathered outside the electoral body to defend their vote. Even as international observers reported no evidence of systemic fraud, Lasso said the CNE had lost the trust of Ecuadorians as an impartial judge. “Historically, the CNE has favored the administration,” he said. As an example, he said the CNE had approved five government-backed referendums in the last decade (including one doing away with term limits for incoming presidents), while it has rejected five referendums proposed by the opposition. The first round of the election was “hurt by the lack of transparency,” Lasso added. “The fact that the CNE recognized that there would be a second round, a full four days after the end of voting, was a civic victory,” he said. Although Lasso didn’t win the first round outright, he said it’s clear the nation is hungry for change. The majority of the votes were split among the seven opposition candidates running against Moreno. “Sixty percent of the people voted to change the government,” Lasso said. Whether or not Lasso can harness that change remains to be seen. “What we are committed to,” he said, “is that Ecuadorians who yearn for a prosperous future will be able to find it in Ecuador.” NATIONAL NEWS Trump, Hitting Back, Accuses Schumer Of Putin Ties By Jonathan Lemire Associated Press, March 3, 2017 NEW YORK (AP) – President Donald Trump, his administration under siege for contacts with Russian officials, is calling for “an immediate investigation” into Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer’s own ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump’s evidence? A 14-year-old photo of Schumer and Putin holding coffee and doughnuts in a New York City gas station. The president on Friday tweeted a photo of the two men, calling for a probe into Schumer’s “ties to Russia and Putin” and called the New York senator “A total hypocrite!” Trump did not say where the photo came from, but Schumer quickly pointed out that it was taken in 2003 when Putin ventured to New York to celebrate the opening of a Russian￾owned Lukoil gas station on Manhattan’s west side. Several news organizations covered that event, which drew far more political star power than the average gas station opening. Schumer, in his own tweet, said he would “happily talk” under oath about his meeting with Putin, which took place “in full view of press and public.” He then challenged Trump to do the same. And, a short time later, he posted a follow-up in which he further poked fun at the photo, noting “And for the record, they were Krispy Kreme donuts.” On the same trip to the United States in 2003, Putin traveled to Camp David, Maryland, where he met with Republican President George W. Bush and the two held a joint news conference. Trump’s tweet came just hours after the conservative website Drudge Report made the photo its lead image. And that was a day after the photo was unearthed by the pro￾Trump blog Gateway Pundit, which ran it with the headline “Where’s the outrage?” Trump targeted congressional Democrats for their encounters with Russians over the years even though the party’s criticism of Attorney General Jeff Sessions centered on his failure to acknowledge his meetings when questioned FOIA CBP 001003 DHS-17-0435-B-000300 57 at his Senate confirmation hearing and in written responses to the Judiciary Committee. “I think he was asked a pretty straightforward question at his committee hearing and I do think he should resign,” Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said in an interview. Trump also tweeted Friday about House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who was among the first to call for Sessions to resign. In his tweet, Trump linked to a 2010 photo in which Pelosi and other lawmakers, including Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, now the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, are shown meeting with Russian officials, including then-President Dmitry Medvedev and Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. Trump demanded an investigation of the House minority leader. Pelosi had initially denied ever meeting Kislyak; her spokeswoman later clarified that they never had a one-on-one meeting. Pelosi then needled Trump by saying he didn’t “know the difference” between an official meeting photographed by the press and a “secret” meeting that Sessions “lied about under oath.” It is not improper for elected officials to meet with foreign diplomats. Trump’s White House has been battered by questions about his links to Russia, quashing any sort of political momentum he had earned from his highly praised address to Congress earlier this week. Sessions on Thursday said he would recuse himself from Russia probes after it was revealed that he had conversed with Russia’s ambassador twice during last year’s campaign, a contradiction of his testimony during his Senate confirmation hearings. But that move has not satisfied many Democrats, who have called for Sessions’ resignation. They also demand an independent investigation into the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia. Several other Trump allies have also faced questions about their ties to Russia, including former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who was ousted last month for misleading White House officials about his conversations with Kislyak before Trump took office. --- Donna Cassata contributed reporting from Washington. --- Follow Lemire on Twitter at http://twitter.com/@JonLemire . © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Trump Trolls Pelosi On Russia Photo Mishap By By Nolan D. McCaskill Politico, March 3, 2017 President Donald Trump on Friday needled House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi for claiming she had never met with the Russian ambassador, calling for an “investigation” into her Russia “ties,” after ribbing Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer earlier in the day for eating doughnuts with Vladimir Putin. The California Democrat told POLITICO Playbook on Friday morning that she had never met with the current Russian ambassador to the U.S., Sergey Kislyak. A file photo from Pelosi’s 2010 meeting with then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, however, shows Kislyak at the table across from her. “I hereby demand a second investigation, after Schumer, of Pelosi for her close ties to Russia, and lying about it,” the president’s personal account tweeted on Friday afternoon, flubbing the spelling of “hereby” twice before nailing it on the third try. Caroline Behringer, Pelosi’s deputy communications director, said the Democratic leader’s response “was clearly about private, one-on-one meetings” and added that Kislyak’s presence was “incidental.” “Clearly, one needs to remind that Attorney General Sessions lied under oath about a secret meeting amidst Russia’s hacking of our election, which he also didn’t disclose in a written questionnaire,” she said. Pelosi herself suggested in a tweet that there’s a big difference between her situation and that of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who came under fire this week for not disclosing two meetings he had last year with Kislyak during his confirmation hearing. “@realDonaldTrump doesn’t know difference between official mtg photographed by press & closed secret mtg his AG lied about under oath,” she wrote. Trump shared a link to POLITICO’s report in his tweet, which was sent from an iPhone, indicating that it likely came from a staffer rather than the president himself. And that post followed an earlier call for a swift probe into Schumer. “We should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin,” Trump tweeted, also via iPhone. “A total hypocrite!” That tweet included a 2003 Associated Press image of Schumer having coffee and Krispy Kreme doughnuts with Russian President Vladimir Putin in New York. According to the caption, Putin was visiting the first New York gas station of Lukoil, a Russian company. FOIA CBP 001004 DHS-17-0435-B-000301 58 Schumer shot back on the president’s preferred platform that he would “happily talk” about his contact with Putin and the Russian leader’s associates. It “took place in ‘03 in full view of press & public under oath,” he said. “Would you &your team?” Trump’s entire presidency has been dogged by questions, leaks and reports regarding possible ties to Russia, including the intelligence community’s assessment that Russian officials sought to elevate Trump’s chances of winning the White House by conducting cyberattacks that targeted Democrats. The Justice Department declined to comment about whether it was taking the president’s tweets seriously. The Russia narrative, which Trump has dismissed as “fake news,” sparked the resignation of Michael Flynn, his first national security adviser, and a recusal from Sessions in any investigations related to presidential campaigns. Flynn had misled Vice President Mike Pence and the American people about his conversations with Kislyak, whom Sessions met with twice last year, despite telling senators he had no contact with Russian officials during the campaign. President Trump Demands Investigation After Nancy Pelosi Lies About 2010 Meeting With Russian Ambassador By Penny Starr Breitbart, March 3, 2017 President Trump Demands Investigation After Nancy Pelosi Lies About 2010 Meeting With Russian Ambassador Penny Starr3 Mar 20170 3/3/2017 6:16:53 PM by Penny Starr 3 Mar 20170 3 Mar, 2017 3 Mar, 2017 SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER After tweeting on Friday morning that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) should be investigated for meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2003, President Donald Trump tweeted that a second investigation into Pelosi’s past should be launched. SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER “I hereby demand a second investigation, after Schumer, of Pelosi for her close ties to Russia, and lying about it,” Trump tweeted on Friday. “Not with this Russian ambassador, no,” Pelosi told Politico’s Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer during a Playbook interview, when asked if she’d ever met with the Russian envoy. “But a file photo from Pelosi’s 2010 meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev shows Kislyak at the table across from Pelosi — then House Speaker — and Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.),” Politico reported. “Medvedev had been in the country for a meeting with President Barack Obama a day earlier and stopped in on Capitol Hill to meet with congressional leaders as well.” “Asked to square Pelosi’s comments with the photo of the meeting, a spokesman said that Pelosi had simply meant she never had a solo meeting with Kislyak,” Politico reported. “Of course, that’s what she meant,” Pelosi’s spokesman Drew Hammill said. “She has never had a private one-on-one with him.” Politico reported: Pelosi’s explanation is similar to one offered by Sen. Claire McCaskill Thursday, after she swiped at Attorney General Jeff Sessions for privately meeting with Kislyak in 2016 and failing to disclose it when asked about communications with Russians during his confirmation proceedings in January. Sessions has emphasized that meetings with ambassadors are common for lawmakers and that he met with Kislyak in his capacity as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. McCaskill tweeted that in her 10 years serving on the Armed Services Committee she had never “ever” met with Kislyak, but walked back her comment by using the same reasoning as Pelosi, saying she had never met with him one￾on-one. Read More Stories About: Big Government, Hoyer, Pelosi, Russia, Trump, Twitter Trump Mocks Schumer For Eating Doughnuts With Putin By By Nolan D. McCaskill Politico, March 3, 2017 President Donald Trump suggested “an immediate investigation” Friday into Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s ties to Russia, appearing to make light of ongoing investigations into possible contacts between Trump associates and Kremlin officials. “We should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin,” Trump tweeted. “A total hypocrite!” The post — which came via an iPhone, indicating that it came from a staffer rather than the president himself — included a 2003 Associated Press image of Schumer having coffee and Krispy Kreme doughnuts with Russian President Vladimir Putin in New York. According to the caption, Putin was visiting the first New York gas station of Lukoil, a Russian company. Schumer fired back at Trump via Twitter, saying he would “happily talk” about his contact with Putin and the Russian leader’s associates. It “took place in ‘03 in full view of press & public under oath,” he said. “Would you &your team?” — Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) March 3, 2017 — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 3, 2017 FOIA CBP 001005 DHS-17-0435-B-000302 59 According to a reverse image search, reports of the picture began resurfacing on Thursday, the same day Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that he would recuse himself from any Justice Department investigations related to presidential campaigns. “I have recused myself in the matters that deal with the Trump campaign,” he told reporters Thursday, adding in a DOJ statement that his recusal goes for “any existing or future investigations of any matters related in any way to the campaign for president of the United States.” Schumer had called on Sessions to resign from his post as the nation’s chief law enforcement officer after reports emerged Wednesday that the then-Alabama senator had failed to disclose two prior meetings last year with the Russian ambassador to the U.S. during his confirmation hearings. A Trump aide tweeted the AP image on Thursday in response to a Schumer tweet in which the New York Democrat said “we have an obligation to get to the truth” and “must evaluate the scope of Russia’s interference in our election.” Dan Scavino, the White House’s social media director, tweeted back the shot of Schumer and Putin, adding the commentary: “do it over a donut and coffee.” Trump’s tweet was blasted out shortly before he landed in Florida. The president is scheduled to participate in a meet￾and-greet at Saint Andrew Catholic School in Orlando. He will also tour the school and participate in a “parent-teacher conference listening session.” In a statement released by the White House late Thursday, Trump said Sessions is an “honest man” who did nothing wrong. “He could have stated his response more accurately, but it was clearly not intentional,” he said. “This whole narrative is a way of saving face for Democrats losing an election that everyone thought they were supposed to win. The Democrats are overplaying their hand. They lost the election, and now they have lost their grip on reality.” He concluded by calling the “real story … all of the illegal leaks of classified and other information.” The outcry over Sessions’ undisclosed meetings with the Russian ambassador, he said, “is a total ‘witch hunt!’” Trump Tweets Photo Of Schumer, Putin Eating Doughnuts Together: ‘Total Hypocrite’ By S.a. Miller Washington Times, March 3, 2017 President Trump tweeted Friday a photograph of Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer having a drink with Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling the New York Democrat a “total hypocrite.” Mr. Trumpsent out the tweet the day after Mr. Schumer demanded a special prosecutor or independent counsel to investigate an alleged Trump campaign conspiracy with Russian spies during the presidential race. “We should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin. A total hypocrite!” Mr. Trump said in the tweet. The photograph shows Mr. Schumer and Mr. Putin smiling and holding what appear to be cups of coffee and doughnuts. Mr. Schumer retweeted the photo with a response about his meeting with Mr. Putin occurring in public. “Happily talk re: my contact w Mr. Putin & his associates, took place in ‘03 in full view of press & public under oath. Would you &your team?” he tweeted. Accusations of ties to Russian intelligence agents have dogged Mr. Trump since the campaign, despite no evidence presented that implicates the president or his team in Russian interference with the U.S. presidential election. Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself Thursday from the Justice Department investigation into Russian meddling in the election, citing his prominent role in the Trump campaign as a potentially giving the appearance of a conflict of interest. Mr. Sessions came under fire this week for failing to disclose at his confirmation hearing that he had met in his capacity as a U.S. senator with the Russian ambassador during the campaign. Capitol Hill Democrats, including Mr. Schumer, have called on Mr. Sessions to resign over the Russian contact and failure to disclose it. Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. Donald Trump’s Attempt To Shift Russia Focus To Chuck Schumer Is More Than A Little Desperate By Sam Levine Huffington Post, March 3, 2017 Donald Trump’s Attempt To Shift Russia Focus To Chuck Schumer Is More Than A Little Desperate Sam Levine 3/3/2017 2:21:13 PM President Donald Trump attempted to call out Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Friday by highlighting a meeting over a decade ago between Schumer and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump tweeted the image after it appeared in a Reddit thread Thursday and was shared by a number of conservative pundits, including an editor-at-large FOIA CBP 001006 DHS-17-0435-B-000303 60 for Infowars.com, a site that promotes conspiracy theories . The picture also appeared on Gateway Pundit, which has also promoted conspiracies, as well as on conservative site, The Drudge Report . The photo appears to be from 2003, when Putin made a public appearance at a New York City gas station that had recently been bought by Russia’s Lukoil. Schumer responded to Trump by highlighting the absurdity of his comparison, noting that Sessions denied having contact with Russia’s ambassador while he was under oath. Trump’s tweet comes after several separate reports detailing that several of the president’s top advisers, including Attorney General Jeff Sessions, former National Security Adviser Mike Flynn and son-in-law Jared Kushner, met with Russia’s ambassador to the United States before Trump was president. Flynn discussed sanctions imposed by the Obama administration at the end of last year in retaliation for the hacking, but initially denied doing so. Trump has denied that members of his staff were in contact with the Russians during the campaign. U.S. intelligence agencies concluded last year that Russia had interfered in the election with the goal of helping Trump win. The FBI is investigating ties between Trump associates and Russia. Sessions said Thursday he would recuse himself from any potential investigation of ties between Trump and Russia, but many Democrats have called on Sessions to resign over his failure to disclose the meetings during his confirmation hearing. Schumer continued, by clearing up some other aspects of his Putin meeting. Schumer Responds To Trump: I’ll Talk About My Putin Meeting, Will You? By Jordain Carney The Hill, March 3, 2017 Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) is firing back at President Trump after Trump tweeted a photo of Schumer with Vladimir Putin, saying he’s perfectly willing to talk about his meeting with the Russian leader and challenging the president’s team to do the same. “Happily talk re: my contact w Mr. Putin & his associates, took place in ‘03 in full view of press & public under oath. Would you &your team?” the Senate minority leader wrote. Happily talk re: my contact w Mr. Putin & his associates, took place in ‘03 in full view of press & public under oath. Would you &your team? https://t.co/yXgw3U8tmQ— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) March 3, 2017 Moments before, Trump called Schumer a “total hypocrite” for demanding a probe into the Trump campaign’s potential ties to Russia, tweeting a 2003 photo of Schumer and Putin eating doughnuts during Putin’s trip to New York to attend the opening of a Russian gas company’s station. “We should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin. A total hypocrite!” Trump tweeted. We should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin. A total hypocrite! pic.twitter.com/Ik3yqjHzsA— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 3, 2017 The photo resurfaced late Thursday on the pro-Trump blog Gateway Pundit — asking “Where’s the outrage?” — before being used as the lead image on the the conservative website Drudge Report Friday. Schumer and other Democrats have repeatedly called for an independent investigation into ties between Trump’s presidential campaign and Russia. Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Thursday said he would recuse himself from Russia probes after it was revealed that he spoke with Russia’s U.S. ambassador twice during last year’s presidential race, then denied speaking with Russians during his Senate confirmation hearings. Sessions’s has since maintained that he spoke with the diplomat as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, not Trump’s campaign. But Schumer quickly said that the recusal isn’t enough, arguing that “DOJ regulations clearly require the appointment of a special prosecutor and the administration shouldn’t ignore clear regulations a second time.” Pelosi Slams Trump’s Call For ‘Investigation’ Into 2010 Russia Meeting By Max Greenwood The Hill, March 3, 2017 House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi on Friday pushed back against a tweet by President Trump that called for an “investigation” into the California Democrat’s “close ties to Russia.” “@realDonaldTrump doesn’t know difference between official mtg photographed by press & closed secret mtg his AG lied about under oath,” Pelosi tweeted. .@realDonaldTrump doesn’t know difference between official mtg photographed by press & closed secret mtg his AG lied about under oath. https://t.co/YRFCuJkjLA— Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) March 3, 2017 Pelosi responded after Trump tweeted that he would demand a probe of Pelosi after a photo emerged of the former Speaker meeting with Russian ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak and other Kremlin officials in 2010. FOIA CBP 001007 DHS-17-0435-B-000304 61 The photo emerged after Pelosi told Politico on Friday that she never met with Kislyak. Once the photo emerged, her office clarified that the lawmaker meant that she had not met one-on-one with the ambassador and that Kislyak’s presence at the 2010 meeting was “incidental.” “Leader Pelosi’s answer to the question today was clearly about private, one-on-one meetings, which she has never had with Ambassador Kislyak,” Caroline Behringer, Pelosi’s deputy communications director, said in a statement. “The Ambassador was incidental to the 2010 meeting between then-Russian President Medvedev and then￾Speaker Pelosi,” she continued. “Clearly, one needs to remind that Attorney General Sessions lied under oath about a secret meeting amidst Russia’s hacking of our election, which he also didn’t disclose in a written questionnaire.” After the photo emerged, Trump tweeted, “I hereby demand a second investigation, after Schumer, of Pelosi for her close ties to Russia, and lying about it.” I hereby demand a second investigation, after Schumer, of Pelosi for her close ties to Russia, and lying about it. https://t.co/qCDljfF3wN— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 3, 2017 Earlier in the day, Trump floated launching an “investigation” of Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (N.Y.) over a photo of the Democratic senator eating doughnuts and drinking coffee with Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2003. “We should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin. A total hypocrite!” he tweeted. We should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin. A total hypocrite! pic.twitter.com/Ik3yqjHzsA— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 3, 2017 The back-and-forth between Trump and Pelosi on Friday came a day after Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from government investigations of Russian election meddling and Trump’s potential ties to Moscow. The recusal from any federal investigations into Russia’s intervention in the 2016 presidential election came amid revelations that Sessions twice spoke with Kislyak during Trump’s presidential campaign. Questions about Trump and his associates’ ties to the Kremlin have roiled his young administration. His former national security adviser Michael Flynn resigned last month after it was revealed that he discussed U.S. sanctions with the Russian ambassador in the month before Trump took office. Other Trump aides have met with Kislyak as well, including his son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner. Updated: 5:22 p.m. Leaks From Obama Loyalists ‘Dangerous Politicization Of Intelligence’ By John Hayward Breitbart, March 3, 2017 Leaks from Obama Loyalists ‘Dangerous Politicization of Intelligence’ John Hayward3 Mar 20170 3/3/2017 12:29:51 PM SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER “The Democrats have lost touch with reality,” he said. “It’s not just fake news. It’s very fake news. The whole Russia story is a non-story the Democrats cannot cope with, and their facilitators in the mainstream media, simply, psychologically, cannot cope with the reality that the American people didn’t choose Hillary Clinton.” SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER Gorka said they were using this “non-story of ties to Russia” as a “coping mechanism.” “The fact that it’s the last administration that had the most disturbing ties to Russia – that’s what the newspapers should be reporting,” he said. SiriusXM host Alex Marlow noted that Gorka produced an extensive body of work for Breitbart News that was very far from “pro-Russian.” He worried that fake news stories about Russia controlling the Trump administration could interfere with the war against global jihadism, in which Russia is clearly a significant player, no matter what one thinks of the Putin regime. “I think that there are probably people, constituencies, forces that would like that to happen, but I can assure you, it will never happen,” Gorka replied. “I have to go back to the man who is the commander-in-chief. There was, if you recall, I think it was his last press conference from Trump Tower when he turned the ground floor into a giant press conference facility. In the Q&A, they asked him bluntly, one of the reporters said, ‘So what about your links to Vladimir Putin? What about relations in the future with Moscow?’ And the president was unequivocal. He said, ‘Look, I’d like to be able to have good relations with Putin and the Kremlin. It doesn’t really look very likely, and if that’s the case, so be it.’” “We are pragmatists. We’re not ideologues,” he declared. “My friend Monica Crowley said something very, very important: Our president must be understood as not an ideological candidate, our future president is an attitudinal FOIA CBP 001008 DHS-17-0435-B-000305 62 one. That’s the important thing to understand. That attitude is about making America great again. That’s all we care about: national security and returning America to a place of leadership. The fake news will not be allowed to distort our understanding of the U.S. national interest and how we’re going to realize that for all Americans, whatever newspapers they read, Alex.” Marlow asked which top priorities the White House feels are not receiving the coverage they deserve because the media is so busy with fake news attacks. “I think that the biggest ones remain the two versions of the Caliphate,” Gorka replied. “I love to quote the line that Bibi Netanyahu used in front of Congress where he said, ‘If you want to understand the Middle East, the chaos in the world today, it’s basically a Game of Thrones for who’s going to control and have the crown of the Caliphate.’” “We focus on ISIS. We will obliterate ISIS, as the president said in his joint address. But there’s another version of the Caliphate, and that’s the Iranian version that they’ve been exporting, their theocratic version of the Caliphate that they’ve been exporting since 1979. That’s a very, very serious threat – especially if you look at how the last administration empowered Iran through billions of dollars, through the JCPOA, the Iran deal, and the threat of a nuclear Iran,” he said. “On top of that, there’s a subtler one, and that’s what has happened to the armed forces of America under the last eight years – the underfunding, the being thinly stretched, the operational tempo especially of our Tier 1 units,” he continued. “We are going to rebuild the military because if you don’t have strength, you can’t have peace.” Marlow asked about reports that Iran is preparing for a weapons “shopping spree” after existing U.N. resolutions expires. “This is just another example of the ticking deadlines expiring on certain limits to what Iran can do,” Gorka said. “Here we have not quite a sanction, but it is a moratorium that will expire and allow the mullahs to access the technologies that they haven’t been able to do before. If you compare this to how they responded to the lifting of U.S. sanctions recently, or sanction measures – unfortunately, these things are all done in the expectation that there will be better behavior afterwards from Tehran, and in every single case, we’ve seen exactly the opposite.” “We release the billions. We pay the ransoms. The pallets of cash are shipped over to Iran. What happens? Our naval vessels are harassed. There’s a ballistic missile test. Our friends are fired upon,” he said. “So again, the most important thing to understand here is not the idealistic attitudes of the multilateral institutions; it’s that there are nations out there – Iran included – that are fundamentally anti-status-quo powers, who do not share the same interests of America and her allies, who need to start toeing the line, and that’s why they were put on notice. We need to see better behavior out of Tehran before any similar measures are implemented, either multilaterally or unilaterally,” he declared. Marlow cited another recent report that suggested the Obama administration moved data from the investigation of alleged ties between the Trump campaign and Russian government to a lower level of classification, to facilitate “easier sharing.” He called this revelation “troubling and strange.” “Well, it looks quite transparent,” Gorka said. “Just a matter of days before the Trump administration took control, there was a decision made inside the White House that certain special types of intelligence, certain types of signals intelligence, certain types of intelligence related to Russia could be promulgated, could be shared across the whole intelligence community in ways that had never been possible before. The reasoning for that is very, very hard to determine, unless there was some kind of political motivation.” “Why, days before we come into office, after dozens and dozens of fake news reports about potential connections to Russia, would we wish to downgrade this information and make it more shareable across the intelligence community – unless you’re hoping that somehow it will leak and be used for political purposes?” he asked. “If you want to have an investigation on Russia, don’t look at AG Sessions; look at the Obama administration’s decisions to do things like this,” he suggested, “because it smacks of a very, very dangerous thing: the politicization of intelligence.” Marlow applauded the Trump White House’s firm stand with the United Nations, most recently with a much-needed demand for the Human Rights Council to end its “obsession with Israel.” “We try to keep our promises,” Gorka said. “I think you’ll agree that the last six weeks have produced what in other administrations would have taken six months.” He counted “dealing with the attitude of multilateral organizations like the U.N.” as one of those rapid accomplishments. “We want to cooperate if it’s in the interests of the United States, but the constant bashing and the ideologically driven actions of individual states and states coming together in various committees of organizations like the United Nations to hammer again and again and again our closest ally in the Middle East is just unacceptable. It’s simply unacceptable,” Gorka stressed. “We have, as the president has said, an unbreakable bond with Israel, and the idea that FOIA CBP 001009 DHS-17-0435-B-000306 63 they are in the crosshairs of the U.N. repeatedly, when around them you see true human rights abuses happening on a massive scale that the U.N. somehow forgets or doesn’t see – if you wish to see American leadership in the world again, assisting the United Nations to do the good that it was originally meant to do, then these kinds of, again, politically motivated attacks must decrease and hopefully stop,” he insisted. Breitbart News Daily airs on SiriusXM Patriot 125 weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Eastern. LISTEN: Senate Judiciary Committee Won’t Recall Attorney General Jeff Sessions By Kevin Johnson USA Today, March 3, 2017 WASHINGTON — The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee has no plans to recall Attorney General Jeff Sessions to testify about his failure to disclose contacts with the Russian ambassador to the United States during the former Alabama senator’s January confirmation hearing. A spokeswoman for Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley said Friday that he will accept a written clarification of Sessions’ testimony, despite mounting calls from Democrats for the attorney general to explain under oath why he did not acknowledge two separate meetings last year with Russian envoy Sergey Kislyak. Public disclosures of those meetings earlier this week prompted Sessions to recuse himself Thursday from overseeing the ongoing FBI investigation into Moscow’s attempts to intervene in the U.S. elections. Federal investigators also are reviewing communications between associates of President Trump and Russian government officials. Grassley spokeswoman Beth Levine said Friday that the chairman has not been moved by demands for Sessions to submit to questioning by members of the same committee that weighed his contentious confirmation. In his January testimony, Sessions told Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., that he had no communications with Russian government officials. He provided a similar response in writing to Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., as part of the confirmation process. Sessions, facing a wave of criticism following the disclosure of the meetings, some of it coming from members of his own party, said Thursday that he did not intend to mislead the committee. He said the meetings with the Russian envoy were taken in his capacity as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and not as a campaign surrogate for then-candidate Donald Trump. At the time of the meetings, the FBI was deep into its investigation of Russian intervention into the U.S. elections. “My answer was honest and correct as I understood it,’’ Sessions said. Read more: Democrats, including Sens. Leahy, Tim Kaine of Virginia and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, have all demanded that the attorney general return to the committee. “He must appear in public before the Senate Judiciary Committee to explain why he twice gave misleading testimony under oath and why he failed to disclose such false testimony until prompted by news reports,’’ Leahy said. “Such conduct is unacceptable from our nation’s top law enforcement official.’’ Kaine went further, saying that if Sessions refuses to return to the committee, “I will call for his resignation.’’ Late Friday, California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the Judiciary Committee’s ranking Democrat, also called on the Justice Department’s inspector general to review Sessions’ recusal decision and his communications with the White House and government ethics officials during his deliberations prior to recusal. “Attorney General Sessions said that his decision followed the recommendation of (Justice) ethics officials, though he has not explained why he failed to to come forward and correct his sworn testimony before reports of his contacts with the Russian ambassador became public,’’ Feinstein said in a letter to Inspector General Michael Horowitz. The letter was co-signed by four other committee Democrats. Next week, the same committee will consider the nomination of Maryland U.S. Attorney Rod Rosenstein, Trump’s pick to serve as Sessions’ top deputy, who would inherit oversight of the Russia probe. Until his confirmation is resolved, the inquiry is being managed by acting Deputy Attorney General Dana Boente, a former Virginia U.S. attorney appointed by President Barack Obama. Boente was thrust into the national spotlight last month when Trump abruptly fired acting Attorney General Sally Yates, an Obama administration holdover, when she directed Justice lawyers not to defend the president’s controversial executive order, suspending travel from seven majority Muslim countries. In a Thursday night interview on Fox News, Sessions further described his meetings with Kislyak as benign contacts that had nothing to do with the then-senator’s influential role in the Trump presidential campaign. He characterized the recent firestorm resulting from those meetings as “hyped beyond reason.’’ Since his confirmation as attorney general early last month, Sessions has been guarded in his public comments about the Russian inquiry, to the point of declining to acknowledge the investigation. FOIA CBP 001010 DHS-17-0435-B-000307 64 Yet when asked in the Fox News interview whether he believed the Russian government’s efforts during the election favored Trump’s candidacy — a conclusion reached by U.S. intelligence officials — Sessions’ response appeared to depart from the U.S. position. “I have never been told that,’’ he said. Majority Rule Means The Power To Stop, Not Just Start, An Investigation By Carl Hulse New York Times, March 3, 2017 When Richard J. Durbin joined the Senate in 1997, his junior status relegated him to an unenviable task: serving in the minority on the Governmental Affairs Committee as the Republican-led panel exhaustively examined claims of an insidious Chinese plot to help President Bill Clinton in the 1996 elections. “We went on for months in public hearing,” said Mr. Durbin, Democrat of Illinois, who does not remember the highly partisan sessions very fondly. “Months and months.” Republicans abruptly abandoned the inquiry when polls suggested the public was turning against it, and the investigation was generally regarded as a bust. But the ability of Republicans to convene a summerlong media spectacle unfavorable to the White House underscores a fundamental truth as relevant today as it was then: Being in the majority matters, both in starting an investigation and, sometimes as important, in stopping one. Despite new questions about contacts between Attorney General Jeff Sessions and a top Russian diplomat, House and Senate Republicans remain unwilling to budge from their opposition to a special bipartisan inquiry into the extent of Russian meddling in the 2016 election, and into any connections to President Trump or those close to him. Changing their mind would probably require significant revelations of the sort that would make their current stance politically untenable. Even as Mr. Sessions recused himself on Thursday from any such investigation by the Justice Department, his former Republican colleagues on Capitol Hill were adamant that any improper conduct — and they remain very skeptical that there was any — was best investigated by the Senate Intelligence Committee, which has already begun its work. “The Senate Intelligence Committee is the best place to determine the facts regarding Russian involvement in our elections,” said Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri, who sits on the panel and has been more aggressive than other Republicans in calling for a thorough inquiry. “In my opinion, it would take at least six months for any new investigation to get to where the Intelligence Committee is today, and the ability to work with the intelligence community would never equal the daily communications of our bipartisan committee,” said Mr. Blunt, who added that he intended to visit C.I.A. headquarters in the next week to personally review relevant documents. Democrats say there is another reason Republicans favor the Intelligence Committee: Its work is conducted mainly behind closed doors, sparing Mr. Trump and his allies on Capitol Hill from a regular parade of witnesses swearing to tell the truth before sober-faced senators — all of it televised live on cable news and C-Span. From the McCarthy hearings through Watergate, Iran￾contra and the Clinton impeachment, the American public has become quite familiar with the tableaux of the congressional investigation and the serious business that can be involved. Republicans would like to avoid such a scene to the extent possible. Pursuing an investigation through the Intelligence Committee arms them against complaints that they are looking the other way about the allegations, while potentially limiting the fallout for them and the new administration. But rapid-fire developments — such as confirmed reports of previously unknown meetings between Mr. Sessions and the Russian ambassador to the United States, Sergey I. Kislyak (meetings he denied at his Senate confirmation hearing), followed by his quick recusal — may erode Republicans’ ability to hold off demands for a wider and more public investigation. Such disclosures have a cumulative effect. Though most of Mr. Sessions’s former colleagues stood solidly behind him before his recusal announcement, there were prominent cracks. Senator Rob Portman of Ohio, a respected voice among Senate Republicans, issued a statement urging Mr. Sessions to step aside from any Russia￾related investigation by the Justice Department. Senator Ben Sasse, Republican of Nebraska, issued his own statement urging the intelligence panel to get on with it. “Attorney General Sessions’s recusal is the right decision, and the Senate Intelligence Committee should accelerate its work,” Mr. Sasse said, warning that the Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin, was trying to undermine public confidence in American institutions. “The American people deserve a comprehensive, top-to-bottom investigation of Putin’s Soviet-style meddling in self-government at home and across the West.” Their positions, and more private expressions of increasing nervousness by other lawmakers, show that Republican unity on how to respond to Russia’s meddling in the election is not a given, and that further disclosures could bring about more defections from the party line that no investigation beyond the intelligence community is warranted. Most Democrats knew full well that their impassioned demands that Mr. Sessions resign would not be met. But they want to keep as much pressure as possible on Republicans and chip away at their resistance to a special committee. Any FOIA CBP 001011 DHS-17-0435-B-000308 65 confidence they had in the intelligence committees of the House and Senate was severely undercut by recent revelations that the Republican chairmen of both panels had, at the request of the White House, called reporters to try to undermine a story about contacts between Russians and Trump allies. Earlier, Mr. Durbin had reluctantly agreed to cede much of the investigative responsibility to the Intelligence Committee, but he has abandoned that stance. “This is a national security crisis, and we cannot afford to allow this process to be compromised further,” he said Thursday. “We need an independent commission to investigate now.” That investigation won’t happen now, but it could happen later if disclosures continue to pile up. Pressure Mounts On GOP Leaders To Back Special Counsel By Alexander Bolton The Hill, March 3, 2017 Pressure is growing on Republican leaders to support a special prosecutor to investigate contacts between Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, transition team and Russian intelligence agents. Some Republican lawmakers say a special prosecutor may be warranted, depending on what facts emerge regarding ties between the Trump campaign and the Russian government. They say evidence indicating that Trump advisers broke the law may necessitate special counsel – but so far nothing has reached that threshold. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a member of the Judiciary Committee, floated the possibility of a special prosecutor at a CNN town hall on Wednesday night. “There may be nothing there,” Graham said. “But if there is something there that the FBI believes is criminal in nature, then for sure you need a special prosecutor.” Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said it might make sense to bring in a special prosecutor should more facts come to light. “We’ll let the facts speak for themselves,” he said, adding that the Trump administration needs to be sensitive to appearances of conflict of interest. “You just want to nip that because we don’t want this to be a distraction at the expense of so many things that need to be corrected at the Department of Justice,” Tillis said. Democrats are turning up the heat, arguing that no one at the DOJ who answers to the president could be expected to act with complete impartiality. “The Justice Department must immediately appoint a special prosecutor,” Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer (N.Y.) told reporters Thursday morning. He said that person should be “beyond reproach, completely impartial, without any significant ties to either political party.” Schumer noted that Justice Department guidelines call for a special prosecutor when a standard of investigation “would present a conflict of interest for the department or other extraordinary circumstances.” “The most important thing we must do is ensure the integrity of the investigation,” he said. “Has it already been compromised? What can we do to ensure it moves forward in a way that ultimately leads to the unvarnished truth?” he asked. Other Democratic lawmakers, including Sens. Patrick Leahy (Vt.), Jack Reed (R.I.), Martin Heinrich (N.M.) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) echoed the call for a special prosecutor. Former Obama administration Labor Secretary Tom Perez, the newly elected chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said, “Trump’s Department of Justice has proven incapable of pursuing an independent investigation” into possibly improper ties between the administration and Russia. Sessions held a press conference Thursday afternoon to announce that he would follow the recommendations of staff and recuse himself from any investigation into Russian ties to the administration. Justice Department guidelines state that no employee may participate in a criminal investigation or prosecution if he or she has a personal or political relationship with the subject of the probe or prosecution. Sessions was the first senator to endorse Trump and advised his campaign. His statement of recusal came hours after several prominent Republicans on Capitol Hill urged him to step aside, following a Wednesday night Washington Post report that he had two meetings with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. Sessions testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in January that he “did not have communications with the Russians.” Those statements, which Sessions tried to explain at his press conference, prompted Democratic accusations that he misled Congress and may have perjured himself. With Sessions on the sidelines, lawmakers are now turning to the tricky question of who should handle the investigation. The recusal puts Acting Deputy Attorney General Dana Boente, whom President Obama appointed twice to U.S. attorney jobs, in charge of the Justice Department — at least in the short term. Democrats argued it would unacceptable for Boente to oversee the investigation, arguing he is still in the “chain of FOIA CBP 001012 DHS-17-0435-B-000309 66 command” at the Justice Department and could be subject to political influence from the White House. “While Mr. Boente doesn’t have the long political ties to President Trump, he is still in the President’s chain of command and could be fired at will by the President, who has already fired the first person in this position,” Schumer said in a statement after Sessions recused himself. “The DOJ regulations clearly require the appointment of a special prosecutor and the administration shouldn’t ignore clear regulations a second time,” he added. Trump’s deputy attorney general nominee, Rod Rosenstein, faces the Judiciary Committee next week and may ultimately make decisions about a DOJ probe once confirmed. Democrats have yet to discuss the possibility of Rosenstein taking over the probe. If Boente declines to follow Democrats’ exhortations, they say they will pressure Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) to support legislation that would empower a panel of judges to choose a special prosecutor. Congress passed the Independent Counsel statute as part of the reforms enacted after the Watergate scandal that led to President Richard Nixon’s resignation. The law required the attorney general to conduct preliminary investigations into allegations against high-level government officials and to refer to the case to a three-judge court to appoint an independent counsel if deemed necessary. It expired in 1999, after Democrats felt that independent counsel Ken Starr abused his power during his investigation into President Bill Clinton. Schumer said if Boente doesn’t appoint a special counsel, Democrats will ask Republicans to pass a new version of the law with safeguards to prevent the kind of runaway investigation that many Democrats thought Starr was guilty of in the 1990s. The issue is likely to surface Tuesday at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on Rosenstein, the current U.S. attorney for Maryland. The committee is also expected to consider Rachel Brand, Trump’s pick to serve as associate attorney general. Both nominees require Senate confirmation and Democrats could use that as leverage to push for the appointment of a special prosecutor. Senate Dems Request DOJ Watchdog Probe Sessions Recusal By Jordain Carney The Hill, March 3, 2017 Senate Democrats are asking the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) top watchdog to investigate Attorney General Jeff Sessions’s decision to recuse himself from investigations involving Russia and Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. Judiciary Committee ranking member Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Amy Klobuchar (D￾Minn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Mazie Hirono (D￾Hawaii) on Friday sent a letter to Michael Horowitz, DOJ’s inspector general. The five Democratic senators want Horowitz to “conduct a thorough investigation” into Session’s decision. “We ask that you consider whether and when the Attorney General consulted with ethics officials or others regarding his involvement in these investigations, his contacts with Russian officials, and his testimony before our Committee during the confirmation process,” the senators wrote. The senators also want him to examine any communications between Sessions and the White House about the recusal or any investigation, as well as if, and to what extent, Sessions was previously involved in the investigations. “Please recommend appropriate action to address any problems that you discover,” they added. The Washington Post reported on Wednesday night that Sessions spoke to Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during the presidential campaign but denied any such meetings during his confirmation hearing when he was under oath. The five Democrats argued that his statements to the Judiciary Committee were “at best ... incomplete and misleading.” Sessions announced on Thursday that he would recuse himself from any current or future investigations, but stressed that his decision wasn’t an acknowledgment of wrongdoing. He also said that his staff had been reviewing, prior to the Washington Post story, if he should step back from any investigation involving the Trump campaign. But Sessions’s decision has done little to abate Democratic criticism. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D￾Calif.) reiterated after his announcement that she believes he should resign, while Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) is calling for a special prosecutor. Blumenthal and Sen. Dick Durbin (Ill.) — the Senate’s No. 2 Democrat — said separately on Thursday that they believe Sessions should have to come back before the Judiciary Committee to explain his conversations with Kislyak. Democrats, who have a minority in both Houses, have limited leverage within Congress either bring Sessions back to testify or force an independent commission. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said Thursday that he was glad Sessions was sending the committee a letter but didn’t signal that he would recall the former GOP senator to testify. FOIA CBP 001013 DHS-17-0435-B-000310 67 “I appreciate that he will be sending a letter to the committee, as I asked him to do, to clear up any confusion regarding his testimony so we can put this issue to bed once and for all,” Grassley said. Schiff: Sessions’ Explanations On Russia Meetings ‘Not Credible’ By By Aidan Quigley Politico, March 3, 2017 Rep. Adam Schiff said Friday morning that Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ explanations of why he didn’t disclose two meetings with the Russian ambassador to the Senate are “not credible.” “You don’t, I think, treat a visit in your office by the Russian ambassador as something casual, something not memorable,” the California Democrat said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “And when you’re asked about your contacts with Russians in the Senate, that should have been disclosed. I think he knew it should have been disclosed.” Sessions met twice with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak in 2016 but said he “did not have communications with the Russians” during his confirmation hearing. The attorney general recused himself Thursday afternoon from any investigation involving the Trump campaign’s alleged ties to Russia. Schiff, one of many Democrats to call for Sessions to resign Thursday, said although perjury has a high standard, that is not the standard to evaluate Sessions’ ability to do his job. “The standard is, can he carry out these responsibilities with the cloud hanging over him, with the breadth of the Russian investigation that reaches many parts of the department,” Schiff asked. “I don’t think he can.” Schiff said the recusal is “not enough,” partially because it covers only correspondence between Trump associates and Russians before the election. For example, former national security adviser Michael Flynn’s discussion with Kislyak, which he misled Vice President Mike Pence about and eventually led to Flynn’s resignation, occurred after the election. “I don’t think we’ll have the confidence of the decisions being made,” he said. Democrats Criticize James Comey Over Russian Hacking Probe By Siobhan Hughes And Aruna Viswanatha Wall Street Journal, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Next In Line To Lead Russia Probe: Rosenstein Has Respect By Eric Tucker Associated Press, March 3, 2017 WASHINGTON (AP) – Some Democrats worry the appointment of a Jeff Sessions subordinate to oversee an investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election won’t be a clean enough break from the embattled attorney general. But the veteran prosecutor in line for the job may be uniquely politically palatable. Rod Rosenstein, who faces his confirmation hearing next week for the role of deputy attorney general, was appointed top federal prosecutor in Maryland by George W. Bush and remained in the post for the entire Obama administration. That staying power, extraordinary for a position that routinely turns over with changes in the White House, lends weight to the reputation he’s cultivated as an apolitical law enforcement official. “He is so well-respected. He cannot be influenced, he cannot be bought, he cannot be pressured because of outside political forces,” said Baltimore criminal defense attorney Steven Silverman, who has known Rosenstein for years. Sessions recused himself from any Trump-Russia investigation Thursday after the Justice Department acknowledged he had spoken twice with the Russian ambassador last year and had failed to disclose the contacts during his Senate confirmation process. Sessions said he had not tried to mislead anyone but could have been more careful in his answers. The new attorney general’s recusal handed authority for an investigation – for now – to his deputy, Dana Boente, another longtime federal prosecutor who has the post in an acting capacity. Boente was appointed U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia in 2015 by Barack Obama and was elevated to acting attorney general in January after Trump fired Obama holdover Sally Yates. When Sessions won confirmation, Boente stepped to the No. 2 position. Once Rosenstein is confirmed, he’ll take over responsibility for any probes touching the Trump campaign and Russian meddling. He arrives at the Justice Department with experience in politically freighted investigations, having earlier in his career been part of the Clinton-era Whitewater independent investigation. When he was a U.S. attorney, his office also led the leak prosecution of Thomas Drake, the former National Security Agency official who pleaded guilty to a minor misdemeanor after more serious charges of mishandling documents were dropped. He more recently oversaw the probe of James Cartwright, the former Joint Chiefs of Staff vice chairman who admitted making false statements during a separate leak investigation and was ultimately pardoned by Obama. FOIA CBP 001014 DHS-17-0435-B-000311 68 “It’s hard to imagine a more challenging environment in which to come in as the deputy attorney general than what we have now,” said Jason Weinstein, who served under Rosenstein in the U.S. attorney’s office in Maryland. “Having said that, I can’t imagine a better person for the job right now than Rod.” Regardless, the Sessions recusal did little to assuage demands from some Democrats that the investigation be removed entirely from the Justice Department and given to an outside prosecutor. Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, called the Sessions recusal “deeply inadequate” and said he was troubled by the number of Trump associates who he contended have either made misleading statements or concealed communications with Russia. “I also think for the public to have confidence that any prosecutorial decision is made truly independent of the administration, that the extra remedy of a special counsel is really warranted here,” Schiff said in an interview. There is precedent for the selection of a special counsel by the Justice Department for especially sensitive investigations, though there’s no indication yet that federal officials are planning to seek such an appointment. One prominent example was in 2003, when the Bush Justice Department turned to Patrick Fitzgerald, then the top federal prosecutor in Chicago, to investigate who leaked the identity of Valerie Plame, a covert CIA officer. That appointment was made by James Comey, who at the time was deputy attorney general and now is director of the FBI. “I think if the decision is made to bring someone in from the outside, it’s not because the department can’t do it and can’t do it well,” said Weinstein, now a Washington lawyer. “It’s because in this politicized environment, the public’s faith in the integrity of the investigation is so important and the department will want to bend over backward to put in place measures to ensure that the results of the investigation weren’t questioned.” --- Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. With Sessions’s Recusal, Official Poised To Oversee Probe Into Russian Interference In 2016 Race By Sari Horwitz Washington Post, March 3, 2017 When former attorney general Eric H. Holder Jr. came under fire for leaks of classified information about the Obama administration’s role in authorizing cyberattacks against Iran, he turned to a veteran federal prosecutor — a Republican — to help head his investigation into who was leaking. That same federal prosecutor, Rod J. Rosenstein, is being tapped again, this time by President Trump’s attorney general, to oversee another high-profile case, the FBI’s investigation into Russian meddling and any links between Russian officials and Trump’s associates. Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself Thursday from the investigation and designated his acting deputy attorney general, the second-highest-ranking official in the Justice Department, to oversee the probe. But the responsibility is expected to soon fall to Rosenstein, 52, the longest-serving U.S. attorney, whose Senate confirmation hearing to become deputy attorney general is set for Tuesday. Rosenstein, the sole holdover U.S. attorney from the George W. Bush administration, is widely respected by Democrats and Republicans for his experience working on sensitive cases in the face of political pressure, according to attorneys he has worked with during his nearly three decades in the department. “I cannot imagine a more challenging environment in which to be the deputy attorney general than what we have now,” said Jason M. Weinstein, a former Justice Department official who worked with Rosenstein during the administrations of Bush and Obama. “And I cannot imagine a better person for the job at this time than Rod. He is not political at all. In every decision he makes — and I’ve seen him make some very difficult ones — the only question he really cares about is what is right and what is just.” A Philadelphia native, Rosenstein began working as a trial attorney in the public integrity section of President George H.W. Bush’s Justice Department after graduating from Harvard Law School, where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review, and clerking for Judge Douglas H. Ginsburg of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Soon afterward, President Clinton’s deputy attorney general hired Rosenstein to be his counsel. During the Clinton administration, Kenneth W. Starr tapped him to be his associate independent counsel on the investigation into the business dealings of the Clintons and their associates in the Whitewater Development Corp. Rosenstein stayed on into the George W. Bush administration and in 2005, Bush appointed him U.S. attorney for the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, where he remained through the Obama administration. FOIA CBP 001015 DHS-17-0435-B-000312 69 “He came in under one administration, stayed under another and is now being elevated under yet another,” said George J. Terwilliger III, the former deputy attorney general and acting attorney general under George H.W. Bush. “That tells you everything about the consummate professional that he is.” Beneath Rosenstein’s mild-mannered demeanor is a tough determination, his current and former colleagues say. As the Baltimore U.S. attorney, for example, Rosenstein successfully prosecuted then-Prince George’s County executive Jack Johnson for corruption. Johnson was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2011 after an investigation in which he was heard on a wiretap ordering his wife, Leslie, to flush a $100,000 check from a developer down the toilet and hide $79,600 in cash in her underwear as FBI agents were knocking on their door with a search warrant. Earlier this week, Rosenstein announced indictments against seven Baltimore police officers in a racketeering conspiracy. Rosenstein is also credited with turning around a troubled U.S. attorney’s office. “He’s calm, deliberative, analytical and — as they used to say on the kindergarten report card — he works and plays well with others,” said former attorney general Michael Mukasey. It was that reputation that led Holder to tap Rosenstein in 2012 to be one of two U.S. attorneys to oversee the investigations into the leaking of classified national security information. The probe resulted in the former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. James “Hoss” Cartwright, to plead guilty to one felony count of lying to the FBI. “He ran that investigation effectively, vigorously and without any respect for partisanship,” said Robert S. Litt, former general counsel of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in the Obama administration. “After all, he was going after the guy who was reported in the press to be Obama’s favorite general at a time when Obama was president.” If he is confirmed, Rosenstein — who lives with his wife, an attorney, and two teenage daughters in Bethesda — will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the sprawling Justice Department, which has 113,000 employees across the country. The heads of the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives will report directly to him. And as of Thursday, he will also take on the oversight of all federal investigations into Russia and the 2016 presidential election. Russia Investigations A ‘Witch Hunt’? Not According To Polls There’s much confusion about the Trump-Russia issue, but general consensus that it merits more investigation. By By Steven Shepard Politico, March 3, 2017 President Donald Trump insists questions about once￾hidden contacts between his inner campaign circle and Russian officials are a “witch hunt.” Public-opinion polls suggest Americans don’t agree. While the public still has considerable confusion about what, precisely, individuals connected to the Russian government did — and how they might have been connected to the Trump campaign — there is general consensus that whatever happened, it merits further independent investigation. Over the past few months, public opinion on Russia — its involvement in the election and possible connection to Trump — has begun to solidify. And while much of that hardening falls along partisan lines, there are hints that sentiment is tilting against the president. The public, by and large, doesn’t think Trump has done anything illegal. But they are less-than-comfortable with Trump’s coziness with Russia, and they want to know more about it. An NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released this week asked Americans if they believe that Trump’s relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin is “too friendly” or not. A 38 percent plurality called the Trump-Putin relationship too friendly, more than the 29 percent who said it wasn’t too friendly. Nearly a third, 32 percent, didn’t have an opinion. When it comes to the Trump-Russia issue, there are two parallel trends that should raise red flags for the White House. First, as Americans have formed opinions on the issue, it has been to Trump’s detriment. Since December, the percentage of undecided Americans on the Trump-Putin relationship has declined from 44 percent to 32 percent. At the same time, the percentage who view Trump as too friendly with the Russian leader has risen from 31 percent to 38 percent. Moreover, while nearly two-thirds of Democrats feel Trump is too friendly with Putin, only half (52 percent) of Republicans feel he isn’t too friendly with his Russian counterpart. Independents are unsure about Trump’s relationship with Putin — but more feel they are too friendly (35 percent) than think they aren’t (27 percent). That fits a general pattern: As last year’s presidential campaign developed — and Putin’s regime apparently worked to undermine Democrat Hillary Clinton — some Republicans warmed to the former KGB operative. A Gallup survey last month showed the percentage of self-identified Republicans who had a favorable opinion of Putin rose 20 points from 2015 to 2017. And significantly more Republicans FOIA CBP 001016 DHS-17-0435-B-000313 70 had a favorable opinion of Russia (35 percent) than did Democrats (16 percent). It’s worth noting that another February poll, from Quinnipiac University, did not show nearly the same levels of support among Republicans for Putin. But Quinnipiac did ask voters if they think Trump views Putin favorably — and the vast majority, 70 percent, said he does. Voters were split along partisan lines, however, on the issue’s significance. Overall, just under half of voters, 47 percent, said alleged Russian involvement in the election is “very important,” while a further 18 percent said it is “somewhat important.” Nine-in-10 Democratic voters called it either very or somewhat important, but only 35 percent of Republicans agreed. Among independents, 63 percent agree it is very or somewhat important. Forty percent of Republicans said it isn’t important at all. More broadly, the Trump administration’s relationship with Russia doesn’t rate among the public’s most important issues facing the country. The Russia issue didn’t even register in Gallup’s tracking of the most important problem facing the U.S. last month. Still, multiple surveys show widespread support for new and continued investigations into Trump’s connections with Russia, despite the president’s assertions that the controversy is contrived by the media to obscure the much￾reported fact that Trump won last year’s election. In the NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, majorities think the Congress should investigate both whether or not there was contact between Russian officials and individuals in Trump’s campaign (53 percent) and whether the Russian government interfered with the election (54 percent). The Quinnipiac poll omitted any reference of Congress and asked voters if they “support or oppose investigations into the potential links” between Trump advisers and the Russian government. Those probes earned even more backing: 72 percent of voters support those investigations, and only 23 percent oppose them. Even 52 percent of Republicans support investigations into the Trump campaign’s contact with Russian officials. But voters remain hesitant to accuse Trump of direct wrongdoing. Just 20 percent of voters in a McClatchy-Marist poll last month said they thought Trump has done something illegal in his dealings with Putin and Russia, while another 28 percent said they thought Trump has done something unethical but not illegal. On the other side, 41 percent of voters said they didn’t think Trump has done anything wrong, and 10 percent were undecided. Democratic voters are skeptical of Trump — but they aren’t convinced he has acted criminally. Just a third said he’s done something illegal, while another 44 percent thought he’s done something unethical. And Republicans — in control of both chambers of Congress and weighing how strenuously to investigate and potentially rebuke Trump’s administration — will take note of this figure: The vast majority of GOP voters, 82 percent, didn’t think Trump has done anything wrong. Only 2 percent of Republicans thought Trump has acted illegally, and 7 percent thought he’s acted unethically. The Web Of Relationships Between Team Trump And Russia By Philip Bump Washington Post, March 3, 2017 In the most abstract sense, there is nothing noteworthy about a government official meeting with an ambassador from a foreign country. When such an interaction becomes important is when that official is an ally of a presidential campaign that’s got a complex set of possibly inappropriate relationships with other representatives of that ambassador’s country — and when that official while under oath says he did not have communications with representatives of that country. What we’re going to endeavor to do here is to parse out that complex set of relationships, using the information we have at hand. In this case, as you’ve hopefully ascertained, the country at issue is Russia and the campaign is that of President Trump. The official, of course, is Attorney General Jeff Sessions. And the ambassador is, at this point, the linchpin of a lot of the interactions between Trump and the rest of his team. We’ll consider three Russian entities. Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. Russia’s man in Washington. The Russian government. Kislyak is part of this government, of course, but we’ll use this as a shorthand for interactions with President Vladimir Putin or other government agencies (who may or may not be known). Included here is RT, the Russia-backed and -based television network. Russian business interests. This encompasses everything from Rosneft, the Russian oil giant, to sketchy Russian oligarchs. As for the American side, let’s start at the top and move outward through Trump’s network. Donald Trump, president. Trump’s connections to Russian business interests are murky, thanks to his decision not to release his tax returns during the campaign. We know that the Miss Universe pageant was hosted in Moscow when Trump owned it and that he earned millions of dollars for doing so. We know, too, that he’s repeatedly explored real estate deals in the country. It’s not clear whether Trump has met Kislyak, though the ambassador attended a foreign policy speech Trump gave last spring and the reception that FOIA CBP 001017 DHS-17-0435-B-000314 71 preceded it. We know now that Trump has been in communication with Putin — but he also claimed to have been in contact with representatives of the Russian president (and Putin himself) before the campaign. Jeff Sessions, attorney general. Sessions’s relationship with Kislyak is well-established by now. This is a good point at which to note, though, that the existence of that relationship does not in any way imply wrongdoing by Sessions. It’s just part of the network we’re establishing. Jared Kushner, adviser. Trump’s son-in-law (Ivanka’s husband) also met with Kislyak during the period between Election Day and the inauguration, according to the New York Times. Kushner also has some loose connections to Russian business interests, according to the Times, including an investment from tech investor Yuri Milner in a real estate investment company and a friendship with the wife of oligarch Roman Abramovich. (She was invited to the inauguration as Ivanka Trump’s guest.) Michael Flynn, former national security adviser. Flynn had a number of contacts with Kislyak after Election Day, including attending that meeting between the ambassador and Kushner. (Flynn was forced to resign his position after it was revealed that his comments about the content of those meetings to Vice President Pence were falsehoods.) After resigning from the Defense Intelligence Agency in 2014, Flynn was invited to give a paid speech at a celebration of RT. He did so and joined Putin’s table for a related banquet. Donald Trump Jr., son. The younger Trump visited France last October to speak to an obscure Russian group. In 2008, Don Jr., who works for the Trump Organization, famously told a real estate conference that “Russians make up a pretty disproportionate cross-section of a lot of our assets” and that “we see a lot of money pouring in from Russia.” Paul Manafort, former campaign manager. Manafort’s links to Russian interests are well established. New revelations that emerged during the campaign prompted Trump to demand Manafort’s resignation. Manafort is one of the Trump campaign staffers who reportedly made contact with Russian interests during the campaign. Rex Tillerson, secretary of state. Before he was confirmed to serve as the head of the State Department, even Republicans questioned Tillerson’s relationship to Putin. As the head of ExxonMobil, Tillerson helped negotiate a massive agreement between the Russian government and ExxonMobil-Rosneft, a partnership between the two companies. Tillerson was subsequently awarded the “Order of Friendship” by Putin. Wilbur Ross, secretary of commerce. Ross’s connections to Russian business interests are less obvious than Tillerson’s. During the Clinton administration, Ross served on the board of the U.S.-Russia Investment Fund, an effort to bolster businesses in post-Cold-War Russia. During his confirmation, questions arose about his ownership of a bank on Cyprus that, in the words of McClatchy’s Kevin Hall, “caters to wealthy Russians.” Roger Stone, longtime adviser. Stone’s connection to Russia is murky. During the campaign, he drew attention for seeming to have inside knowledge on the Wikileaks document releases — releases that have been linked to Russian interests by the government. More directly, the Times reports that Stone is possibly under investigation by the U.S. government for his links to Russia. Carter Page, former adviser. Page is included in that alleged investigation as well, but his links to Russia are more clear. Page pretty clearly met with Kislyak last year during the Republican convention in Cleveland, as he admitted to MSNBC’s Chris Hayes on Thursday night. He also has repeatedly addressed Russian business groups in that country, including twice in 2016. Over a decade ago, he worked in Russia as an investment banker. J.D. Gordon, former adviser. Page is far in the outer orbit of Trump’s circle, serving briefly as part of Trump’s national security advisory team. He’s joined there by Gordon, a onetime Pentagon spokesman who also served as an adviser to the campaign. Gordon, like Page, reportedly spoke with Kislyak in Cleveland. This document should be considered a work in progress. As more information is released, it (and the graphic) will be updated. Again, none of the relationships above are intended to show misbehavior by those involved. The broad question at stake is the extent to which Russia sought to interfere in the 2016 election and, if it did, the extent to which it may have leveraged relationships with Trump’s team to that end. That much-bigger question is much harder to evaluate. Trump, Russia, And The Seriousness Of Smoke By Peter Grier Christian Science Monitor, March 3, 2017 Trump, Russia, and the seriousness of smoke Peter Grier 3/3/2017 March 3, 2017 —When it comes to Trump and Russia, “the smoke IS the fire.” That’s what an unnamed Republican recently told Axios co-founder and columnist Mike Allen. Mr. Allen took that to mean that all the warning signs and unanswered questions surrounding the Trump team’s relationship with Russian officials have themselves become a full-on political problem. Taking the metaphor a bit farther, it’s also possible that the substance revealed so far about FOIA CBP 001018 DHS-17-0435-B-000315 72 Trump-Russia connections is indicative and troubling in and of itself. In part, all this is because President Trump’s own denials about the connection have been belied by events. Mr. Trump has long hit back hard at press reports of any Russian connection. He’s repeatedly called them “fake news.” On Feb. 13, his first national security adviser, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, was forced to resign due to evasions concerning the nature and number of his conversations with Russia’s ambassador to the US. Following that, an obviously frustrated Trump told reporters that Mr. Flynn was the only problem, as far as he knew. “I have nothing to do with Russia. To the best of my knowledge no person that I deal with does,” said Trump at the time. Since then, Trump’s Attorney General Jeff Sessions has had to recuse himself from any investigations into Russia’s involvement in the 2016 election campaign following a Washington Post revelation that he met twice with that same Russian ambassador in the campaign, and did not disclose that information during his confirmation hearing. The New York Times has reported that Trump son-in￾law Jared Kushner met with the ambassador at Trump Tower in December. Flynn was at this meeting, which was intended to set up a line of communication between the incoming administration and Moscow. Two other Trump campaign officials, J. D. Gordon and Carter Page, met with the (apparently indefatigable) Russian envoy at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, according to USA Today. Meanwhile, Donald Trump Jr. was likely paid $50,000 for an October speech to a French foreign policy group with alleged Kremlin ties, according to The Wall Street Journal. Other stories have continued to detail the lucrative work former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort did for pro￾Russian political factions in Ukraine. There’s nothing wrong with campaign or transition officials meeting with Russian diplomats. That has happened all the time in US politics, even at the height of the cold war. Nor have there been many indications that improper subjects were discussed. (Flynn did discuss US sanctions on Russia with Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, though it’s unclear whether he told Mr. Kislyak to be patient and await friendlier treatment from the incoming Trump administration.)Counterattack, Trump-style For Trump, the problem is that he appears to take mention of the subject as a personal attack, and a jab against his perceived political legitimacy. That’s led to blanket denials and fierce rhetoric in response. “The real story is all of the illegal leaks of classified and other information. It is a total witch hunt!” said Trump in a statement on the Sessions situation issued Thursday night. As the rising smoke of news continues, fairly or not, this creates the appearance that the administration is trying to hide something. “I want to know what the Russians have on Donald Trump,” said House minority leader Nancy Pelosi in February. In truth, the issue may be much broader than Trump’s personal standing. Even if all the connections between team Trump and Russian representatives are fully innocent and legal, their number and breadth suggests that Moscow wants to learn all it can about a new and potentially friendly force in American politics. That’s an intelligence-gathering effort in a wide, open sense. The Trump administration may not be interested in Russia so much as Russia is interested in them.A wider credibility problem Meanwhile, the continued revelations about contacts previously denied make the Trump administration appear somewhat hapless. Why didn’t Mr. Sessions just mention his meetings with Kislyak during his Senate confirmation hearing? They could be minimized as a common occurrence between a top lawmaker and a diplomat. Follow Stories Like This Get the Monitor stories you care about delivered to your inbox. × GOP lawmakers, to this point largely united in their opposition to a wider inquiry on the matter, are beginning to waver in their support. A number of them called upon Sessions to recuse himself, which he has now done. The question is whether this crack in the Republican wall will widen into a bipartisan call for a special prosecutor to conduct a wide-ranging inquiry on the entire issue of Russia’s interference in the 2016 vote. Despite Early Denials, Growing List Of Trump Camp Contacts With Russians Haunts White House By Rosalind S. Helderman Washington Post, March 3, 2017 Two days after the presidential election, a Russian official speaking to a reporter in Moscow offered a surprising acknowledgment: The Kremlin had been in contact with Donald Trump’s campaign. The claim, coming amid allegations that Russia had interfered with the election, was met with an immediate no￾wiggle-room, blanket denial from Trump’s spokeswoman. “It never happened,” Hope Hicks told the Associated Press at the time. “There was no communication between the campaign and any foreign entity during the campaign.” In fact, it is now clear it did happen. The past few days have brought a growing list of confirmed communications between Trump campaign aides and Russian officials, with each new revelation adding to a FOIA CBP 001019 DHS-17-0435-B-000316 73 cloud of suspicion that hangs over the White House as critics demand an independent investigation. Trump’s team has offered various explanations for the meetings: Some encounters, they have said, were brief, no more than casual, polite introductions. Others involved the routine diplomacy common for officials surrounding a candidate for the nation’s highest office. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who was an early Trump campaign adviser, said his two interactions with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, first reported this week by The Washington Post, came in his role as a senator, not as a campaign surrogate. It is unclear why the White House has consistently denied contacts with Russian officials if the meetings that took place were innocuous. As a result, the confirmations of the encounters have trickled out through a series of news stories that have proved increasingly damaging to the Trump administration, with some Trump associates appearing to shift their accounts over time. Already, Michael Flynn was forced to resign as national security adviser as a result of his post-election contacts with Kislyak. This week, the White House confirmed that those conversations included a brief meeting alongside Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, at Trump Tower in New York in December. White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Friday termed that discussion merely a “courtesy meeting.” Sessions has now recused himself from oversight of any investigation of Trump’s ties to Moscow and is facing calls to step down as a result of his statement, during his January confirmation hearing, that he had not had any contacts with the Russians. On Friday, Sanders dismissed the brewing questions. “The big point here is the president himself knows what his involvement was, and that’s zero,” she said. Nevertheless, the recent revelations have made the post￾election comments from the Russian official newly relevant. Those comments came from Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, who told the Interfax news agency in November that “there were contacts” with Trump’s aides. “Obviously,” Ryabkov said, “we know most of the people from his entourage.” As the Trump campaign rejected the assertion, other Russian officials said any communications would have been routine and offered to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton’s campaign as well — a contention denied at the time by a Clinton aide. Nearly all of the contacts that have emerged so far were with Kislyak, the affable Russian ambassador in Washington who is known as a consummate networker. Kislyak appears to have worked to cultivate a relationship with the Trump campaign, starting his outreach even before Trump was thought likely to win the GOP nomination. In April, Kislyak popped up at the Mayflower Hotel, where he was seated in the front row at one of Trump’s first major foreign policy addresses. During the speech, Trump offered a forceful promise that he would seek better relations with Russia. “I believe an easing of tensions and improved relations with Russia — from a position of strength only — is possible, absolutely possible,” he said. The event’s host, Dimitri K. Simes, president of the Center for the National Interest, a foreign policy think tank, said Kislyak was one of four ambassadors who attended as guests of his group. Simes said he introduced Trump and Kislyak in a receiving line at a reception before the event, which was also attended by Sessions and Kushner, among other Trump aides. Simes, who is Russian American and favors warmer relations with Moscow, said it is common practice for foreign diplomats to try to get to know important advisers, like Sessions, to presidential candidates. “Let me put it more bluntly: They would be derelict in their duty if they didn’t try to get to know him,” Simes said. Kislyak was also in attendance at the Republican National Convention, where he briefly met Sessions after a July 18 Heritage Foundation event attended by dozens of diplomats. Two days later, Kislyak met with Trump advisers Carter Page and J.D. Gordon after a convention-related Global Partners in Diplomacy event at Case Western Reserve University. In an email, Gordon said he briefly spoke to Kislyak in a group of diplomats there and also at an evening reception. Gordon called it a “brief, informal conversation,” during which he repeated public Trump statements about improving relations with Russia. Page also confirmed his interaction with Kislyak at the event to MSNBC on Thursday. Last month, he told PBS that he had held “no meetings” with any Russian officials during the campaign. Those meetings at the Republican convention came as questions about Trump’s stance on Russia started to seriously enter campaign trail conversation. At the time, some GOP delegates were questioning an amendment to the party platform that had been quietly engineered the previous week and appeared to shift party policy in a direction Moscow would appreciate. A provision supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russian-backed rebels had been softened, and it was unclear whether the Trump camp had played a role. FOIA CBP 001020 DHS-17-0435-B-000317 74 Then-campaign manager Paul Manafort, who previously was a paid adviser to a pro-Russian Ukrainian president, told NBC in August that the change “absolutely did not come from the campaign.” But this week, Gordon, the Trump campaign adviser, offered a different explanation. He said he had advocated for the change, believing it to match Trump’s views. In an email, he said he had consulted about the matter with “campaign policy colleagues” before arriving in Cleveland. Page’s participation in the July meeting came 13 days after he drew scrutiny for a July 8 speech he delivered in Moscow in which he was critical of U.S. foreign policy. Page has denied holding substantive meetings with Russian officials during that trip but told The Post in September that he briefly met and shook hands with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich after his address. Page told MSNBC on Thursday that he held “no material discussions” during the trip. Russia’s alleged interference in the U.S. election exploded as a public issue a few days after Page and Gordon met with Kislyak. On July 22, WikiLeaks posted thousands of emails hacked from the Democratic National Committee, causing recriminations in the party on the eve of its national convention. Rather than condemning the possible intervention in the election by a foreign power, Trump playfully called on the Russians to hack Clinton’s private server and locate emails she had deleted. “Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing,” he announced at a July 27 news conference. Sessions met with Kislyak in his office on Capitol Hill on Sept. 8, as U.S. officials were growing more concerned about Russia’s role in the election. He said Thursday that the meeting came in his role as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, noting that it was one of many such meetings he took with diplomats. Sanders, the White House spokeswoman, told reporters Friday that suspicions about the meeting were “pretty unfair” given that Sessions’s senatorial duties put him in touch routinely with diplomats. But a survey by The Post of all 26 members of the committee showed that Sessions was the only one to meet one-on-one with Kislyak in 2016. And a Polish diplomat who met with Sessions in late spring said he did so at Sessions’s request, at least in part because of Sessions’s role with Trump. “I was aware that Sessions was a senator and at the same time somebody close to Donald Trump. I just wanted to hear what he wanted to say — any message, communication, questions,” said Ryszard Schnepf, who was ambassador at the time and has since retired. He declined to say what he and Sessions discussed, except to say the issues would have been “of interest to a senator at the same time as [a surrogate] for somebody who is running for president.” In a brief interview last month, Kislyak told The Post that he had also had communications with Flynn before the election. He declined to detail them. “It’s something all diplomats do,” he said. Greg Miller contributed to this report. Trump Defiant As New Russia Ties Emerge AFP, March 3, 2017 Trump defiant as new Russia ties emerge 3/3/2017 AFP / NICHOLAS KAMM US President Donald Trump boards Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland on March 3, 2017 as he departs for Florida where he will spend the weekend An avalanche of new revelations about ties between Donald Trump’s aides and Russia forced the White House back on the offensive Friday, overshadowing a presidential weekend trip to Florida and his well-received major speech. Before arriving at his Mar-a-Lago resort for the fourth time in five weeks, Trump accused his political foes of conducting “a total witch hunt” into links with Moscow, which he denies. The angry accusation came as Attorney General Jeff Sessions – a close Trump confidant and the US government’s top law enforcement official – was forced to recuse himself from any Russia-related inquiries. AFP / Christopher HUFFAKER, Paz PIZARRO Trump￾Russia connections After Sessions told senators under oath that “I didn’t have – did not have communications with the Russians,” journalists uncovered he had actually met the Russian ambassador twice in the months before taking office. The meetings have raised red flags for Democrats, who have called for Sessions to resign and be investigated for perjury. Trump said he had “total” confidence in Sessions, who “could have stated his response more accurately” but “did not say anything wrong.” Trump lashed out at leading Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer. Trump tweeted an old picture of the senator with Russian President Vladimir Putin along with the caption: “We should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin. A total hypocrite!” He later demanded a “second investigation” into House Democrat Nancy Pelosi. AFP / Nicholas Kamm US Attorney General Jeff Sessions speaks during a press conference at the Justice Department in Washington, DC on March 2, 2017 Since US intelligence took the unprecedented step of publicly accusing Russia of trying to swing the November FOIA CBP 001021 DHS-17-0435-B-000318 75 election in Trump’s favor, questions have swirled about whether some in Trump’s campaign colluded with Moscow. Trump has repeatedly denied any personal ties to the Kremlin, and his aides have variously denied or played down contacts with Russian officials. But it has now emerged that a slew of associates aside from Sessions and already fired national security advisor Michael Flynn met Moscow’s envoy to Washington, Sergey Kislyak, before Trump took office. – Multiple probes – US media reported that advisors JD Gordon and Carter Page met Kislyak and, separately, that Flynn and Trump’s son-in-law and senior White House aide Jared Kushner met Kislyak at Trump Tower in New York last December. Graphics/AFP / Jeff Sessions served as a US Senator for Alabama from 1997-2017 Sessions’ own meetings with the envoy took place much earlier, in July and September, just as accusations of Russian interference in the election were mounting, according to The Washington Post. According to officials, US intelligence agencies and the Federal Bureau of Investigation continue to investigate just how and how much Moscow intruded into US politics. Four congressional committees have opened probes into the issue, although Democrats fear Republicans will seek to bury their investigations to protect Trump’s young administration. Trump’s White House has lobbied the FBI, reportedly the CIA and two Republicans who head committees leading investigations into Russia’s election meddling to knock down media reports on the alleged links. – Travel ban still on hold – The latest furor has come at a terrible time for Trump’s White House. AFP/File / Brendan SMIALOWSKI Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak, pictured at President Donald Trump’s address to Congress, is at the center of a political storm over the US administration’s contacts with Moscow Earlier this week, Trump delivered his maiden address to Congress, a speech that was well received and offered an opportunity to turn the page on 40 tumultuous days in office. His address was widely praised – he adopted a more measured tone, which rounded the sharper edges of his nationalist rhetoric. Trump could have expected a bounce in the polls. His approval rating currently stands at 43 percent, according to Gallup – a historic low for a modern president this early in his term. Apart from dealing with allegations about Russia ties, much of the last month has been spent dealing with a contentious travel ban on citizens from seven majority Muslim countries. Trump’s first order was knocked down by the courts and a second order has been repeatedly delayed. The latest expected deadline – Wednesday – came and went. “When the president has made a decision about something that he’s ready for us to announce, we’ll announce it, but we’re not there yet,” spokesman Sean Spicer said Thursday. Three Trump Associates Who Changed Their Story On Russia By Wilson Andrews And Karen Yourish New York Times, March 3, 2017 Three people associated with Donald J. Trump’s presidential campaign or administration amended earlier denials related to contacts they had with Sergey I. Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the United States. The F.B.I. is conducting an investigation into Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election. Jeff Sessions Attorney General Mr. Sessions, one of Mr. Trump’s earliest and most prominent supporters, said at his confirmation hearing that he had not met with any Russian official during the 2016 presidential campaign. He later admitted he had met with Mr. Kislyak on two separate occasions. Senate confirmation hearing, Jan. 10 “I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign, and I didn’t have — did not have communications with the Russians.” After reports of the meetings, March 2 “In retrospect, I should have slowed down and said, ‘But I did meet one Russian official a couple of times, and that would be the ambassador.’” Michael T. Flynn Former National Security Adviser Mr. Flynn denied that he had any substantive conversations with Mr. Kislyak. He resigned Feb. 13 after it was revealed that he had misled Vice President Mike Pence about the nature of his conversations with the ambassador. Mike Pence on “Face the Nation,” Jan. 15 “What I can confirm, having spoken to him about it, is that those conversations that happened to occur around the time that the United States took action to expel diplomats had nothing whatsoever to do with those sanctions.” Mr. Flynn’s Feb. 13 resignation letter “Unfortunately, because of the fast pace of events, I inadvertently briefed the vice president-elect and others with incomplete information regarding my phone calls with the Russian ambassador.” Carter Page Former foreign policy adviser to the Trump campaign FOIA CBP 001022 DHS-17-0435-B-000319 76 Mr. Page told Judy Woodruff on PBS’s “Newshour” that he did not have any meetings in 2016 with Russian officials, either in Russia or outside of Russia. Feb. 15 interview on “Newshour” “I had no meetings, no meetings.” March 2 interview on MSNBC “I’m not going to deny that I talked to him,” Mr. Page said about his interaction with Mr. Kislyak at the Republican National Convention in July. Trump Team’s Links To Russia Crisscross In Washington By Scott Shane And Andrew E. Kramer New York Times, March 3, 2017 During the 2016 campaign, Donald J. Trump’s second campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, had regular communications with his longtime associate — a former Russian military translator in Kiev who has been investigated in Ukraine on suspicion of being a Russian intelligence agent. At the Republican National Convention in July, J. D. Gordon, a former Pentagon official on Mr. Trump’s national security team, met with the Russian ambassador, Sergey Kislyak, at a time when Mr. Gordon was helping keep hawkish language on Russia’s conflict with Ukraine out of the party’s platform. And Jason Greenblatt, a former Trump Organization lawyer and now a special representative for international negotiations at the White House, met last summer with Rabbi Berel Lazar, the chief rabbi of Russia and an ally of Russia’s president, Vladimir V. Putin. In a Washington atmosphere supercharged by the finding of the intelligence agencies that Mr. Putin tried to steer the election to Mr. Trump, as well as continuing F.B.I. and congressional investigations, a growing list of Russian contacts with Mr. Trump’s associates is getting intense and skeptical scrutiny. Democrats see suspicious connections and inaccurate denials as part of a pattern that belies Mr. Trump’s adamant insistence that he and his associates “have nothing to do with Russia.” The president’s supporters say innocuous encounters, routine for any incoming presidential team, are being treated for political reasons as somehow subversive. Mr. Trump denounced the furor over Russian connections on Thursday as a “total witch hunt” — but it may not have helped his case that the Russian foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, echoed his words on Friday, saying, “This all looks like a witch hunt.” On Friday, Mr. Trump posted a picture on Twitter of a meeting between Mr. Putin and Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, and wrote that “we should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin.” The issue has already had momentous consequences for the new administration. Michael T. Flynn lasted less than a month as national security adviser before being forced out for mischaracterizing his conversations with Mr. Kislyak. This week, Attorney General Jeff Sessions admitted to having meetings with Mr. Kislyak that he had not disclosed during his confirmation hearing. Mr. Sessions fended off demands that he resign but agreed to recuse himself from what may be the most important investigation his Justice Department is conducting: of Russian meddling in the election and whether any of Mr. Trump’s associates colluded in those efforts. And that did not end the issue; all nine Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee called on Friday for Mr. Sessions to testify about his inaccurate denials that he had met with Russian officials during the campaign. Part of the problem underlying disputes over such contacts may be Mr. Trump’s pugnacious style, which usually leaves little room for nuance. At a news conference last month, he said that he had “nothing to do with Russia,” and that “to the best of my knowledge, no person that I deal with does.” In fact, vigorous reporting by multiple news media organizations is turning up multiple contacts between Trump associates and Russians who serve in or are close to Mr. Putin’s government. There have been courtesy calls, policy discussions and business contacts, though nothing has emerged publicly indicating anything more sinister. A dossier of allegations on Trump-Russia contacts, compiled by a former British intelligence agent for Mr. Trump’s political opponents, includes unproven claims that his aides collaborated in Russia’s hacking of Democratic targets. Current and former American officials have said that phone records and intercepted calls show that members of Mr. Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and other Trump associates had repeated contacts with senior Russian intelligence officials in the year before the election. Former diplomats and Russia specialists say it would have been absurd and contrary to American interests for the Trump team to avoid meetings with Russians, either during or since the campaign. John R. Beyrle, the United States ambassador to Moscow from 2008 to 2012, said he feared that “we’re beginning to out-Russian the Russians” by treating all contacts as suspicious. When he returns to Russia now, he said, “this real anti-Western, anti-American frenzy” prompts some old acquaintances to refuse to meet him because they worry about being tagged as too friendly to the United States. “That’s the last behavior we should model — that simply meeting with a Russian official is wrong, without any knowledge of what was said,” Mr. Beyrle said. In a possible sign that Mr. Trump hopes to put behind him the impression that he is an uncritical admirer of Mr. FOIA CBP 001023 DHS-17-0435-B-000320 77 Putin, he is expected to name Fiona Hill, a respected Brookings scholar, to the top Russia post at the National Security Council, according to administration officials. Ms. Hill, who served as national intelligence officer for Russia and Eurasia from 2006 to 2009, is viewed as a Putin skeptic, if not as outspoken in her criticism of the Russian leader as are some other academics. Angela Stent, a Russia expert at Georgetown, said Ms. Hill was “realistic about Putin” and praised the 2013 book she wrote with Clifford G. Gaddy, “Mr. Putin: Operative in the Kremlin,” as the best biography of the Russian leader. It might take a Russia scholar to unpack the significance of particular meetings that are now coming to light in the glare of investigations and bare-knuckle politics. Rabbi Lazar, who has condemned critics of Mr. Putin’s actions in Ukraine, is the leader of the Hasidic Chabad￾Lubavitch group in Russia, where it is a powerful organization running dozens of schools and offering social services across the country, while maintaining links to a lucrative financial donor network. Mr. Greenblatt, who handled outreach to Jews for the campaign, said that Rabbi Lazar was one of several Chabad leaders he had met during the campaign. He said the two men did not discuss broader United States-Russia relations and called the meeting “probably less than useful.” Rabbi Lazar said they had spoken about anti-Semitism in Russia, Russian Jews in Israel and Russian society in general. While he meets with Mr. Putin once or twice a year, he said, he never discussed his meeting with Mr. Greenblatt with Kremlin officials. Joshua Nass, a public relations executive in New York, confirmed arranging the meeting between Mr. Lazar and Mr. Greenblatt. Mr. Gordon, the former Pentagon official, portrayed his meeting with Mr. Kislyak at the Republican convention — first reported by USA Today — as similarly unremarkable. After a panel discussion, he said, he spoke briefly with “dozens of ambassadors and senior diplomats” including Mr. Kislyak. During a brief chat with the ambassador, Mr. Gordon said, he “repeated some of the points made by the campaign on the importance of improving relations with Russia” but did not get into substantive policy matters. At a meeting to draft the Republican platform, Mr. Gordon, representing Mr. Trump’s views, opposed a delegate who wanted to call for providing “lethal defensive weapons” to Ukraine. Mr. Gordon said that proposal “was soundly defeated by the other delegates in the national security subcommittee meeting.” There was no connection, he insisted, between his chat with Mr. Kislyak and the platform language. “Unfortunately some in the media have repeatedly tried to connect the dots where there was nothing to connect,” he said. The case of Konstantin V. Kilimnik, who was previously the Kiev manager of Mr. Manafort’s consulting company, Davis Manafort International, is more complicated. A dual citizen of Russia and Ukraine, Mr. Kilimnik worked years ago as a translator in the Russian military. He was hired by Mr. Manafort in 2005 after he was dismissed from the Moscow office of the International Republican Institute, an American democracy-building group, amid concerns that he was informing on its activities, according to a former employee, who said he could not speak publicly about personnel matters. From August until December of last year, Mr. Kilimnik was at least formally under investigation in Ukraine on suspicion of ties to Russian spy agencies, according to documents from Ukraine’s Parliament and the prosecutor general. A defense lawyer and a former Ukrainian prosecutor characterized the investigation as unserious and politically motivated, and the inquiry closed without charges against Mr. Kilimnik. Mr. Kilimnik, in an interview in Kiev, said he had never been questioned by Ukrainian law enforcement over connections to Russian spy agencies. “If there were any truth to me talking to any security service in the world, they would arrest me,” he said. In a recent interview, Mr. Manafort said he thought there was no chance Mr. Kilimnik was a Russian agent. In their phone calls last summer, he said, the two men discussed a range of matters — including news media reports that Russia was behind the hacking of Democratic targets. But at the time, he said, he and other Trump campaign officials had no idea who was responsible for the cyberattacks. Moscow Blames Anti-Russian Hysteria For Sessions’s Plight By David Filipov Washington Post, March 3, 2017 From Russia’s point of view, the turmoil swirling around the Trump administration and its contacts with Russian officials is a “witch hunt” fueled by “fake news” instigated by leading Democrats looking to distract attention from their election defeat and carried out by their lap dogs in the U.S. media. In other words, Moscow’s reaction pretty much mirrors that of President Trump after Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from any investigation into alleged Russian interference in the presidential election. Sessions made the move after The Washington Post revealed that he twice met with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak last year, while still serving as a senator, but did not disclose that during his Senate confirmation hearing in January. Sessions was an FOIA CBP 001024 DHS-17-0435-B-000321 78 early backer of Trump’s bid for the presidency and served as an adviser and surrogate for his campaign. Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said Friday that “all this is very much reminiscent of a witch hunt and the McCarthyism era, which we all thought was long gone.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, commenting on reports that Trump’s son-in-law met with Kislyak in December, backed Trump’s use of the phrase “witch hunt,” saying, “We have nothing to add to President Trump’s exhaustive definition.” But despite that convergence, Trump and the Kremlin are speaking out of vastly different contexts. In the United States, the suggestion that Sessions was not forthcoming at his Senate hearing was enough to force him to step aside from potential probes, regardless of what he and Kislyak discussed. Moscow’s reaction, meanwhile, has deeper roots than the controversy over Trump’s ties to Russia. When Russian officialdom speaks, its comments reflect 25 years of growing frustration with the United States. Moscow has never admitted to interfering in the election, as the U.S. intelligence community accuses it of doing, and sees any and all questions about Trump’s ties to Russia as symptoms of what it considers rampant Russophobia in the United States’ political and military establishment. Two prominent daily newspapers, Moskovsky Komsomolets and Nezavisimaya Gazeta, have featured commentary citing anti-Russian hysteria in the United States as a primary driver of efforts to oust national security adviser Mike Flynn, who resigned last month, and force Sessions to recuse himself. In Washington, Trump’s warm words for Russian President Vladi-mir Putin, his half-joking call for Russia to hack into Hillary Clinton’s emails and the revelation that Flynn discussed U.S. sanctions against Russia with Kislyak before Trump took office have raised concerns that something more sinister is going on. Trump and his administration, though, have resisted accepting the U.S. intelligence community’s conclusion that Russia was attempting to help him win the election. Sessions, in an interview Thursday on Fox News, declined to acknowledge that Russia favored Trump over Clinton. In Moscow, suggestions that Trump colluded with Russian officials on the election or that the Kremlin is blackmailing him into cozying up to Putin are regarded as hangovers from the Obama administration. Officials here mostly saw the Obama White House as trying to relegate Russia to a powerless, servile position, while some on the fringes of Russia’s establishment saw the relationship more darkly, suggesting the election of Clinton, President Barack Obama’s former secretary of state, to the presidency would lead to nuclear war. Lavrov expressed umbrage that “our ambassador is accused of meeting with the U.S. politicians who opposed the Obama administration,” suggesting that U.S. diplomats do the same with Putin’s political opponents. “If we applied the same principle to [U.S.] Ambassador to Russia [John] Tefft, this would be real fun,” Lavrov added. Moscow also objects to suggestions that Kislyak is anything but a diplomat. Some media outlets have reported that U.S. intelligence officials think the ambassador is a top Russian spy, accusations that Peskov dismissed as “baseless fake-news stories.” Peskov, borrowing from Trump’s broadsides against leaks, advised reporters to rely “only on official statements by genuine officials.” Russian officialdom and the White House also converge in their view of the U.S. media. Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, characterized stories about Trump this way: “Is this rock bottom? Or can they go even lower?” U.S. Tensions Over Ambassador Meetings Harm Detente Effort, Russia Warns By Ilya Arkhipov Bloomberg Politics, March 3, 2017 Russia warned that efforts to restore relations with the U.S. are being harmed by a “malicious campaign” over meetings between its envoy to Washington and President Donald Trump’s administration. The political controversy over Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak’s contacts with U.S. officials is “harming our relations which are already in a bad condition, having been deliberately destroyed by the Obama administration,” Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said in an interview Friday in Moscow. “It’s clear that the current situation hinders the restoration of these relations on a positive path of development.” Russia seeks “practical cooperation in areas where such cooperation is needed” with the U.S., including on counter-terrorism, nuclear non-proliferation, economic investment and a settlement to the Syrian war, Ryabkov said. “We’ll continue to work hard” to restore relations, he said. Controversy over meetings with the ambassador prompted Attorney General Jeff Sessions to recuse himself Thursday from investigations into alleged Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election, and led to Michael Flynn’s ouster as national security adviser last month. Following years of confrontation with the U.S. under President Barack Obama, Russian officials saw hope for better ties when Trump took office. They’re now growing frustrated over the lack of progress after Trump heaped praise on President Vladimir Putin during the campaign and pledged to work with him, including in fighting terrorism.’Witch Hunt’ FOIA CBP 001025 DHS-17-0435-B-000322 79 The accusations in Washington over contacts with Kislyak “look very similar to a witch hunt or the period of McCarthyism which we thought was long gone in the U.S. as a civilized country,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters in Moscow, referring to anti-communist investigations led by U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s. Applying the same standard to U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Tefft’s contacts would produce “a very funny picture,” Lavrov said. Ryabkov and Tefft met Friday in Moscow to discuss “bilateral issues,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The ministry’s spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said on Facebook that she told Tefft after the meeting: “You put yourself at risk by talking to Russian diplomats.” Trump on Thursday blamed his Democratic Party opponents for the controversy over Sessions. The Republican president made no mention of Russia or Putin in his first speech to Congress on Tuesday even as he declared that the U.S. is “willing to find new friends, and to forge new partnerships, where shared interests align.” Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin said Tuesday that Trump should make good on his pledge to mount a joint fight against Islamic State in Syria and there’d been “enough talk about it.” Russia: Furor Over Sessions Meetings With Ambassador ‘A Witch Hunt’ By Jane Onyanga-Omara USA Today, March 3, 2017 The Kremlin agreed Friday with President Trump’s assertion that the furor over meetings between Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the United States, was a “witch hunt,” Russian state media reported. The remark by Dmitry Peskov, the spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, came after sharp criticism by Democrats in Congress over Sessions failure to disclose meetings with Kislyak last year, when he was a senator and a Trump campaign adviser. Trump said Thursday that there was a “total witch hunt” against Sessions. “Jeff Sessions is an honest man. He did not say anything wrong. He could have stated his response more accurately, but it was clearly not intentional,” Trump tweeted. “The Democrats are overplaying their hand. They lost the election, and now they have lost their grip on reality. The real story is all of the illegal leaks of classified and other information. It is a total “witch hunt!”” he added. Peskov pointed out Trump’s phrasing Friday. “After President Trump’s comprehensive definition, we have nothing to add,” he said, according to Russia’s TASS news agency. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov echoed Trump and Peskov earlier. “I can cite the media that say all this is very much reminiscent of a witch hunt and the McCarthyism era which we all thought was long gone,” he said, according to TASS. In the 1950s, Sen. Joseph McCarthy, a Republican from Wisconsin, led a hunt for alleged communist traitors who he said were working secretly in the government and the army on behalf of the Soviet Union. The Senate later censured him. “As for accusations against Kislyak and those he met with… Our ambassador is accused of meeting with the U.S. politicians who opposed the Obama administration. This is the essence of the accusations, to be honest,” Lavrov added. Sessions stepped aside Thursday from overseeing the continuing FBI investigation into Russia’s interference in last year’s election. Phone conversations between Kislyak and Gen. Michael Flynn before Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration got Flynn fired as national security adviser after less than a month in office. J.D. Gordon and Carter Page, two other Trump advisers, also spoke with Kislyak at the diplomacy conference connected to the Republican National Convention in July, where he met with Sessions. It’s unknown what they discussed. There have been repeated denials by Trump officials that his campaign had contact with officials representing the Russian government. Contributing: Steve Reilly, Oren Dorell Russia Says US Infighting On Sessions Hampers Mending Ties By Vladimir Isachenkov Associated Press, March 3, 2017 MOSCOW (AP) – As the drama over Attorney General Jeff Sessions plays out in Washington, the Kremlin is watching with a mixture of frustration and regret how the uproar is blocking progress on pressing issues on the U.S.- Russian agenda. Despite the dashed hopes for a quick thaw, however, Moscow is voicing its readiness to wait as long as it takes. Donald Trump had come into office expressing admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin and hoping to mend ties with Moscow, which have sunk to the lowest point since the Cold War over the Ukrainian crisis, the war in Syria and other disputes. But the allegations by U.S. intelligence agencies of Russian meddling in the election to help Trump defeat Hillary Clinton will likely continue to weigh over his administration and prevent it from launching a meaningful dialogue with the Kremlin any time soon. FOIA CBP 001026 DHS-17-0435-B-000323 80 In a conference call with reporters, Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov lamented the lack of cooperation with Washington on Syria beyond the U.S. diplomatic presence at peace talks in Kazakhstan’s capital of Astana that Russia and Turkey brokered earlier this year. “Similarly, there has been no movement forward regarding cooperation in the fight against terrorism, which causes regret,” he said. Trump has repeatedly talked of cooperating with Russia in fighting the Islamic State group in Syria. The administration of former President Barack Obama had ruled out such cooperation because of Moscow’s support for its longtime ally, Syrian President Bashar Assad. “Without waiting for these contacts to start, Russia has been consistently contributing to the fight against terrorism and scoring results,” Peskov said, pointing to the Russian military’s role in driving the Islamic State group from the historic Syrian town of Palmyra. Other issues on the tense Russian-U.S. agenda leave even less room for compromise. On Ukraine, any move by Trump to soften the stance on Russia’s annexation of the Crimean Peninsula and its support for a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine would anger his congressional foes and put him in an even more precarious position. If Trump makes any attempt to ease the sanctions imposed on Russia by the Obama administration, he could face strong resistance in Congress. On the nuclear arms control, Trump’s criticism of the 2010 New START treaty would potentially put him on a collision course with Moscow, which has signaled a desire to extend the deal after it expires in 2021. But for now, the Kremlin is trying to show patience. Peskov sought to play down Trump’s proposal to raise military spending by 9 percent, saying that’s a domestic matter for Washington. “It would hardly concern us until a rise in spending upsets the existing balance of strategic deterrence,” he said. Asked to comment on the developments on Sessions, Peskov cited Trump’s description of it as “a total witch hunt” and added: “We have nothing to add to the expansive definition given by President Trump.” Sessions recused himself Thursday from any investigation into communications between Trump aides and Moscow following revelations that as senator, Sessions twice spoke with Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 election campaign and failed to say so when pressed by Congress. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov argued that contacts with officials and lawmakers are part of any ambassador’s duties. He added that the pressure on Sessions “strongly resembles a witch hunt or the times of McCarthyism, which we thought were long over in the United States as a civilized country.” In the 1950s, Sen. Joseph McCarthy led a hunt for purported communist infiltrators in the U.S. government, often involving unfounded accusations that promoted widespread fear. Noting Russia won’t mimic the U.S., Lavrov added that “if we applied the same principle to Ambassador (John) Tefft’s activities in Russia and his contacts, it would have made quite a funny picture.” Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov deplored that Russia has become a tool in the U.S. political struggle. “Regrettably, influential forces in the U.S. are using relations with Russia as an instrument for achieving certain goals or treating our relations as a collateral damage in their internal fighting,” he said in remarks carried by Russian news agencies. “It causes a strong regret, but we aren’t making a tragedy out of it.” Ryabkov added that Moscow continues to believe that restoring ties “destroyed by Obama’s administration” is a daunting but still achievable goal. “We will work on it on such a pace, with such intensity and succession of steps that would be comfortable for the American side,” he said. “We aren’t going to artificially rush any processes. We realize that it will take certain time for the current U.S. administration to make all key appointments and determine its policy priorities, including on the Russian track.” © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Russians Disheartened By Trump As His Love Affair With Putin Fizzles By Anna Arutunyan USA Today, March 3, 2017 MOSCOW — Russian politicians enamored with President Trump’s talk of improved relations with Moscow last fall are already disillusioned that he’s reversed course because of investigations into Russian meddling in the U.S. election. Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov said he was surprised Trump started “receding” from his earlier pro￾Russian rhetoric about closer cooperation. “Even in the way he talks you can now hear notes of Obama,” he said. “And you can hear in his address (to Congress Tuesday): the military budget will be increased by over $50 billion.” “We have to hope for the best, but prepare for the worst,” Sergei Mironov, head of the Just Russia party told a FOIA CBP 001027 DHS-17-0435-B-000324 81 parliamentary round table on foreign policy this week. “The sooner Trump understands that world history is governed by laws and not business schemes, that there are values that are not measured in dollars, the better for Russian-American relations.” Their disappointment follows a tougher line on Russia from Trump’s White House. Last month, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Trump expected Russia to return Crimea, which it annexed from Ukraine in 2014. That is at odds with comments Trump made during the campaign, when he suggested Russia should keep Crimea and that U.S. sanctions imposed after its seizure be lifted. The Kremlin rejected any intention of returning Crimea. Shortly after, state-run media suddenly stopped its pro-Trump coverage. In the United States, anti-Russian sentiment has been growing in Congress over intelligence allegations that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered cyberattacks aimed at helping elect Trump, charges both the Kremlin and Trump deny. Still, the FBI is investigating contacts between Russians and Trump officials before and after the election, and the scandal already has forced Trump to fire his national security adviser, Michael Flynn, over contacts with Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak. The allegations prompted Trump to acknowledge at a news conference last month that he probably can’t do business with Russia now because of the political climate. Some Russians are skeptical of a Kremlin plot to elect Trump. “Whatever silly thing the president does raises the possibility of a Russia connection,” said Alina Lobzina, a freelance news producer, who urged Americans to stop blaming Russia. “Seriously, from across the ocean it looks like a House of Cards episode, and not the best one.” Breaking with his earlier praise of Russia and Putin, Trump did not mention either in Tuesday night’s speech to Congress. “There was an atmosphere of positive expectations” in the Kremlin, said Konstantin von Eggert, a political commentator with Russia’s independent Dozhd TV station. Now the relationship between the two countries is “toxic,” he said. “The Kremlin is realizing that maybe the best outcome would be to maintain the current level of tensions between Russia and America rather than having something worse,” he said. READ MORE: The latest sign of U.S. tensions about Russia came Thursday, when Attorney General Jess Sessions recused himself from the election-meddling probe because he had met with the Russian ambassador twice last year, when he was a senator and Trump campaign adviser, but failed to disclose at his confirmation hearing when asked about contacts with Russians. Sessions said the meetings were innocuous and the election never came up. Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Friday that he agreed with Trump that the examination of innocent contacts with Russia amounted to a “witch hunt.” Peskov said on Wednesday that he saw nothing wrong with Trump’s failure to mention Russia in his hour-long address to Congress. “We have patience. We will wait until Trump’s statements are backed up by some action that will allow us to understand what we can expect in terms of bilateral Russian-American relations,” he said. Alexei Makarkin, deputy head of the Center for Political Technologies, said Russian officials’ expectations about Trump are becoming more realistic. “There was a sense in the beginning that Trump is our kind of guy, that he will come in and solve everything,” he said. “But these sentiments did not take into account the nature of the American political system and the character of the new president, who really does not intend to be Russia’s ally.” “Everything will depend on whether they are able to reach an agreement on specific issues, like Ukraine or Syria.” Democratic Senator Calls On Sessions To Testify Over Russia Contacts By Susan Heavey Reuters, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Everything You Need To Know About Trump And Russia By Dana Milbank Washington Post, March 3, 2017 Having trouble following the fast-moving developments about the Trump team’s ties to Russia? Here’s a primer to get you up to speed: President Trump got to know Russian President Vladimir Putin “very well,” but he doesn’t “know Putin.” Putin sent Trump “a present” and they spoke, but Trump has “no relationship with him.” Trump has “nothing to do with Russia,” but his son has said “Russians make up a pretty disproportionate cross￾section of a lot of our assets” and “we see a lot of money pouring in from Russia.” Russia definitely hacked the Democratic National Committee, unless it was a 400-pound man in his bedroom or a guy in a van down by the river. U.S. intelligence agencies allege that Putin meddled in the election to try to get Trump elected, but this was all a FOIA CBP 001028 DHS-17-0435-B-000325 82 “ruse” and a “fake news fabricated deal to try and make up for the loss of the Democrats.” There was “no communication” between Trump’s team and Russia during the campaign and transition, except for communication with Russia by Trump’s future national security adviser, his future attorney general and his son-in￾law and two others. Attorney General Jeff Sessions “did not have communications with the Russians,”except for the two meetings with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak he neglected to mention under oath. Sessions then said he never discussed the campaign with Russians, which is not what was alleged. Sessions had “no idea what this allegation is about” regarding his Russian contacts but had an enough of an idea what it’s about to declare “it is false.” Sessions recused himself from the Russia investigation, but this decision is unrelated to the discovery that he spoke twice with the Russian ambassador despite his claims that he had no such meetings. Sessions cannot confirm the investigation he recused himself from exists or will exist in the future. Sessions believes that perjury is one of the constitutional “high crimes and misdemeanors” and “goes to the heart of the judicial system,” except his false testimony under oath to Congress was not a false statement but a case of speaking too quickly. Sessions met with the Russian ambassador during the time Sessions was serving as a surrogate for the Trump campaign, but not in his capacity as a surrogate for the Trump campaign. Sessions remembers nothing of his meetings with the Russian ambassador, except that he remembers clearly talking about terrorism and religion and Ukraine and he’s sure they didn’t talk about the campaign. It was a total coincidence that around the same time Sessions was meeting with the Russian ambassador, Trump gave an interview that ended up on Russian state-owned TV saying he didn’t believe reports of Russian influence in the U.S. election. Trump, Trump’s press secretary and a broad swath of Republican members of Congress said there is no reason for Sessions to recuse himself from the investigation from which Sessions recused himself. The incendiary and salacious “dossier” by a former British intelligence official on Trump’s involvement with Russia was completely unverified, but U.S. authorities were prepared to pay the man who wrote it. Carter Page, who has extensive ties to Moscow, had “no role” in the Trump campaign, except that Trump, meeting with The Post’s editorial board, listed Page as an adviser. Reports of the Trump team’s ties to Russia are “fake news,” yet those who leaked the information for those articles need to be found and punished. Trump ousted Michael Flynn, his national security adviser, who Trump says did nothing wrong. Michael Flynn, who spoke several times with Kislyak on the day President Obama announced sanctions against Russia, told Vice President Pence and the FBI that the discussion that intelligence officials heard them having about sanctions was not a discussion about sanctions. The sanctions that Flynn reportedly discussed with Kislyak, in the conversation he can’t entirely remember, were not really sanctions. Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort had “absolutely nothing to do and never has with Russia,” except for his extensive work for Russian oligarchs and pro-Russia forces in Ukraine. Manafort declared in the fall that “there’s no investigation going on by the FBI that I’m aware of” into his contacts with Russia, months after that investigation began. Sessions previously asserted that “no one is above the law” and that failure to punish people for being untruthful under oath “will weaken the legal system,” and he proclaimed that “I’m very careful about how I conduct myself in these matters.” Except when he isn’t. So, now you know everything there is to know about Trump and Russia. This has been a public service announcement. China Was Bill Clinton’s Russia By Holman W. Jenkins, Jr. Wall Street Journal, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. What To Do With Jeff Sessions By Gail Collins New York Times, March 3, 2017 Donald Trump’s team spent so much time with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak, you’d think he was dating Tiffany. Really, they couldn’t get enough of this guy. It was Kislyak who Michael Flynn, our come-and-gone national security adviser, was chatting with in those phone calls Flynn fibbed about. Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, met with Kislyak at Trump Tower after the election. This week Carter Page, who was part of the campaign’s foreign policy team, swore on MSNBC that he’d never met Kislyak “outside of Cleveland.” While Page was referring to the Republican convention, I propose that from now on when members of the Trump administration want to deny any embarrassing-to-indictable past behavior, they just say, “only in Cleveland.” We’ll get the message. FOIA CBP 001029 DHS-17-0435-B-000326 83 And Attorney General Jeff Sessions seems to have, um, misspoken about Kislyak under oath. During the Senate Judiciary Committee’s confirmation hearings, Senator Al Franken asked Sessions what he would do if evidence turned up that “anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government” while the campaign was underway. Franken was sort of inviting him to say he’d recuse himself from the investigation. But Sessions clearly did not want to take his hand off the investigations tiller. Instead, the future A.G. jumped right in and volunteered that he, Jeff, had been a central member of the campaign, “and I did not have communications with the Russians.” It’s bad enough to think the nation’s chief law enforcement officer would dodge the truth when cornered. But it’s worse if he leaps in, waves his hand and lies voluntarily. We now know that Sessions had seen Kislyak at the convention — although, of course, that was in Cleveland. He also had met with the ambassador in his Senate office in September, when the issue of possible Russian interference in the campaign had long been in the news. Sessions claims he was just confused. “What do the Russians have on him?” demanded House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. Earlier, Pelosi had argued that Congress had impeached President Bill Clinton for “far less.” You can look at this several different ways, but I think I speak for many Americans when I say that having a debate about whether Bill Clinton or Jeff Sessions is the worse liar is not the way I want to spend my spring. O.K., people. What do you want to do about Attorney General Jeff Sessions? A) Fire the sucker. B) Sic a special prosecutor on him, so he can spend the next four years being tortured with depositions and subpoenas. C) Both. D) Let him stay and be the charming little pixie that his friends insist he is. You think I’m making up the part about friends, right? Just because Sessions started out as an Alabama prosecutor with a record on race so unsavory he couldn’t get a judgeship. Followed by a Senate career dedicated to destroying bipartisan immigration reform. But, it’s pretty easy to build good relations in Congress if you’re reasonably affable and not Ted Cruz. “He was liked in the Senate,” said a Democratic senator who asked not to be identified because nobody wants to say anything nice about Jeff Sessions this week. “He has these horrible views, but he’s sort of not vicious about them.” After all the news about Sessions’s um, erroneous testimony came out, President Trump told reporters he saw no reason whatsoever for his attorney general to recuse himself from any investigations into the campaign in which he played a prominent part. Asked whether he thought Sessions had spoken “truthfully” on the subject of his Russian conversations, the president of the United States said, “I think he probably did.” Mull that for a minute. Meanwhile, Sessions called a press conference to reveal that his staff had been working all along on the question of whether he should recuse himself from any investigations into the Trump campaign. And — talk about coincidences! — the final-decision meeting had been set for that very day. And the answer was to recuse! “So in the end I have followed the right procedure,” he declared. “… just as I believe any good attorney general should do.” Although he needn’t have bothered. The president likes him just the way he is. And what about the whole Russian connection? We have Russian hackers messing with the Democratic National Committee computers during the campaign while the Trump people could not have been chattier with their pals from the Putin government. “This is maybe the second or third biggest power in the world attacking us and interfering in our elections. The basis of our republic. So yeah, it’s kind of troubling,” said Franken dryly. O.K., we need some investigations here. Definitely in Congress. If there were nine over Benghazi, this one would seem to deserve at least 14. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is also calling for a special investigator, which sounds reasonable. We’re in desperate need of knowing who talked to who, where. Not counting Cleveland. Jeff Sessions Violated His Oath By David Leonhardt New York Times, March 3, 2017 It’s important to remember exactly when Jeff Sessions’s meeting with the Russian ambassador occurred. The meeting took place on Sept. 8, weeks after Russia’s intervention in the presidential campaign had become a huge story. This timeline makes Sessions’s defense — that it was a garden-variety, unmemorable meeting — a little hard to accept. Even if nothing untoward happened during the meeting, Sessions had to have understood how sensitive it was for a top adviser to the Trump campaign to meet with the Russian ambassador. Yet in January he chose to testify, under oath, that he “did not have communications with the Russians” during the campaign. Now he claims to be the victim of a simple misunderstanding — that his meeting with the ambassador was part of his job as a senator, not a campaign surrogate. Is there a technical, if friendly, reading of his testimony that suggests he didn’t lie under oath? Yes, I think there is. FOIA CBP 001030 DHS-17-0435-B-000327 84 But I don’t see any reading of the testimony that indicates Sessions told the whole truth. For reference, this was the question that Senator Chuck Grassley asked Sessions at the start of the testimony: “Do you swear that the testimony that you are about to give, before this committee, will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God?” Sessions replied: “I do.” If you want to read more, I recommend: Richard Painter, the chief White House ethics lawyer under George W. Bush, explains why Sessions should resign in The Times. Ian Millhiser of ThinkProgress explains why Sessions’s decision to recuse himself is not sufficient. David Frum, in 21 tweets, explains why Sessions’s dishonesty underscores the unique danger of the Trump presidency. Susan Hennessey and Benjamin Wittes of Lawfare have argued that a select congressional committee is the best and most realistic way to get answers to the Russia scandal. (Lawfare also posted an updated piece on Thursday.) James Hohmann of The Washington Post has a nice curation of responses to Sessions, and Evan Osnos of The New Yorker looks at what’s likely to happen next. Karen Yourish and Wilson Andrews of The Times created a clarifying timeline. And last week, I set out to explain the motives for the Trump administration’s Russia love. Federal Prosecutors Have Brought Charges In Cases Far Less Serious Than Sessions’s By Philip Lacovara Washington Post, March 3, 2017 Philip Lacovara was counsel to Watergate special prosecutors Archibald Cox and Leon Jaworski, and also served as deputy U.S. solicitor general responsible for criminal matters, including the “Bronston” case. Lawrence Robbins has been both an assistant U.S. attorney and assistant to the solicitor general. Lacovara is a lifelong Republican; Robbins contributed to and raised money for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. The views expressed are their own. Attorney General Jeff Sessions made a seemingly false statement under oath during his confirmation hearing. Admittedly, not every potential perjury case gets prosecuted, and Sessions may well have defenses to such a charge. But as lawyers at the Justice Department and attorneys in private practice who have represented individuals accused in such cases, we can state with assurance: Federal prosecutors have brought charges in cases involving far more trivial misstatements and situations far less consequential than whether a nominee to be the nation’s chief law enforcement officer misled fellow senators during his confirmation hearings. Sessions’s problematic statement involves his response to a question by Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) about what he would do as attorney general “if there is any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government in the course of this campaign.” Sessions said he was unaware of any such activities, then volunteered, “I did not have communications with the Russians, and I’m unable to comment on it.” In fact, then￾Sen. Sessions (R-Ala.), a top Trump campaign adviser, met at least twice during the presidential campaign with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, The Post revealed. As any number of witnesses have learned the hard way, it is a federal felony to lie to Congress. Under Title 18 of the U.S. Code, Sections 1001 and 1621, perjury before Congress is punishable by up to five years imprisonment. To prove that offense, a prosecutor would have to establish that Sessions’s answer was false, that he knew it was false when made and that the subject matter of the answer was “material” to the congressional inquiry in which he was testifying. Those elements all appear to be present. The element of falsity is established by the conceded fact that he did “have communications with the Russians” during the Trump campaign. And there can scarcely be any doubt that the subject matter of Sessions’s answer was highly material to the Senate’s consideration of his nomination. Any suggestion that he participated in the suspected interaction between Trump campaign personnel and the Russian government was, and remains, a matter of grave concern. That leaves one element: Did Sessions know that his answer was false? He says no, asserting that he understood Franken to be asking only whether he had contact with the Russian government in his capacity as a Trump campaign surrogate. While a jury might accept that defense, there are many reasons to reject it: Sessions’s answer baldly denied any contact. Moreover, Sessions went out of his way to deny contact in response to a question that did not inquire about that subject. By doing so, he preempted an important line of inquiry that might otherwise have been fruitfully pursued. Certainly there is precedent for a prosecution in this context. Part of the fallout from Watergate included the special prosecutor’s investigation of Richard Kleindienst, who had resigned from his position as attorney general, for alleged false statements during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Kleindienst was asked whether the White House had interfered with a Justice Department antitrust action against the International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation. He stated, “I was not interfered with by anybody at the White House” — but President Nixon and one of his top aides had each called Kleindienst regarding the case. Kleindienst pleaded guilty to a FOIA CBP 001031 DHS-17-0435-B-000328 85 misdemeanor charge for “refus[ing] and fail[ing] to answer accurately and fully” questions at a congressional hearing. Those facts left no room for any colorable defense on the “knowledge” issue. But when Justice Department officials decide whether to bring a case against Sessions — or, more appropriately, when an independent counsel is appointed and resolves that question — this must be done against the backdrop of other perjury cases that the department has chosen over the years to bring. And the department has prosecuted individuals who advanced defenses very similar to Sessions’s arguments here, often where there was far less at stake. Years ago, for example, one of us (Robbins) represented a defendant named John Patrick Dowd, accused of lying to a grand jury. Dowd was president of a company that had leased a vessel that had dumped 13,500 tons of Philadelphia incinerator ash into the sea. There was no evidence that Dowd was personally involved in the dumping, but his grand jury testimony led to a perjury indictment. Dowd was acquitted of lying to the grand jury when he testified that he didn’t know where the ash went. Yet he was convicted for his negative response to the question: “You had no idea?” Thus, even a question and answer far vaguer and more ambiguous than the Franken-Sessions exchange were deemed sufficient to justify prosecution. Or take the classic case of vague questioning: Bronston v. United States. Samuel Bronston had placed his movie production company into bankruptcy and was being questioned about his and the company’s finances. He was asked about, and denied, having any accounts in Swiss banks. Then the obvious follow-up — “Have you ever?” — to which Bronston replied: “The company had an account there for about six months.” What Bronston neglected to mention was that he had a large personal Swiss bank account that he closed when he filed to place his company in bankruptcy. The Supreme Court held that although his responses may have been deceptive and intended to mislead, they did not constitute perjury because they were literally true, and it was the fault of the questioner that he failed to pursue the inquiry further. The Sessions’s situation presents exactly the opposite scenario: Sessions’s response appears to be both literally false and comprehensive, leaving nothing open for further inquiry regarding the nature of his contacts with the Russian government during the presidential campaign. A government that has been willing to prosecute relatively small and questionable instances of falsity in connection with matters of comparatively minor importance should have difficulty explaining why Sessions’s testimony would receive a free pass. Time For A Special Counsel In The Russiagate Scandal By Norman Eisen And Noah Bookbinder Politico Magazine, March 3, 2017 Time for a Special Counsel in the Russiagate Scandal POLITICO Magazine Norman Eisen and Noah Bookbinder 3/3/2017 Getty In The Arena Jeff Sessions didn’t go far enough. By Norman Eisen and Noah Bookbinder March 03, 2017 Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced on Thursday that he is recusing himself from “any existing or future investigations of any matters related in any way to the campaigns for president of the United States.” Good for him. But it’s not enough. Story Continued Below Sessions’ announcement, which came after the revelation that he held several conversations with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 campaign without disclosing those meetings to Congress, was a step the attorney general should have taken weeks ago, as we explained in a letter along with a bipartisan collection of two dozen other groups and individuals on Feb. 17. The question remains, however, whether even with this recusal, we can have confidence that all of the relevant investigations—not just the ones from which Sessions has recused himself—are being conducted to the high standards of independence and professionalism the American people rightfully demand from the Department of Justice. Without more than Sessions’ narrow recusals, we cannot. This DOJ should follow the example of earlier ones, including in the administrations of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, and appoint a special counsel to conduct the investigations. Only with an independent prosecutor exercising the full authority of the attorney general can we be sure that the truth will become known and the interests of the American people protected. When most people think of an independent prosecutor, they recall what became known as the “Whitewater” investigation. In that case, an independent panel of judges selected an outside individual to act as prosecutor at the attorney general’s request. However, the legal authority under which that investigation was conducted—the independent counsel statute—expired in 1999. So, all decisions about appointing counsel to handle particular cases now rest with attorney general (or if he is recused, his deputy). The DOJ has regulations that govern how and when these appointments should be made. They provide that the attorney general or the acting attorney general can appoint an outside special counsel if he or she determines that it would FOIA CBP 001032 DHS-17-0435-B-000329 86 be in the public interest, and that not doing so “would present a conflict of interest for the department or other extraordinary circumstances.” The regulations contain some limitations on the authority of the special counsel, including that the attorney general can limit the special counsel’s jurisdiction to a certain matter and can override a particular action if the attorney general finds that it is “so inappropriate or unwarranted under established departmental practices that it should not be pursued.” In other words, there are ample tools for DOJ to ensure that a special counsel review does not become the “witch hunt” that President Donald Trump fears. That said, it is important here that the investigation be strictly independent, which may require additional measures. For example, in 2003, Attorney General John Ashcroft recused himself from the investigation of alleged unauthorized disclosure of the identity of a CIA employee. Because Ashcroft recused, then-Deputy Attorney General James Comey (now director of the FBI) had authority over the matter; Comey in turn appointed a special prosecutor, then￾United States Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, to handle it. Comey initially appointed Fitzgerald under the special counsel regulations, but later felt the need to give him even more independence than the regulations provide. So Comey extended Fitzgerald’s authority in a pair of letters, one in 2003 and again in 2004. As to the matters from which Sessions has recused himself, the “acting attorney general” is Dana Boente, the current acting deputy attorney general. Boente is a career DOJ lawyer appointed by President Barack Obama in 2005 as United States attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. President Trump’s nominee for the permanent post of deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein, has not yet been confirmed by the Senate. His hearing is coming up next week, and it should be a doozy. The public needs to have confidence that any investigation into various Trump administration officials’ contacts with Russian officials is being carried out vigorously and fairly. Unfortunately, public and private comments by the respective heads of the House and Senate intelligence committee suggest they have already prejudged the results. As for Sessions, he has recused himself only from matters involving the 2016 election, which would presumably include any Russian attempts to meddle in the outcome; but as the attorney general himself emphasized, his recusal relates to matters investigating the presidential campaign. However, as recent revelations demonstrate, the Trump team’s Russian connections reportedly continued into the transition, and more investigation may push the timeline even further. It is certainly not a crime to meet with Russian officials. But the public has the right to know if any of these conversations crossed the line by, for example, relating to alleged Russian hacking or other intrusions upon our election processes. Because of this, Attorney General Sessions and Acting Deputy Attorney General Boente should follow the example set by Ashcroft and Comey before them and appoint a special counsel to handle matters relating to all questions surrounding Russian officials’ actions relating to the 2016 presidential election, and also to questions about how that influence effort may have continued past the campaign, and indeed may continue to this day. As then-Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald said, “the truth is the engine of our judicial system.” It is also the only way to ensure that the government is serving the best interests of the American people—and only the American people. Norman Eisen is a former ambassador and chair of CREW, a fellow at the Brookings Institution, and was President Barack Obama’s ethics czar from 2009-11. Noah Bookbinder is executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) and is a former federal prosecutor who handled public corruption cases and Senate. Trump Blasts Military Sequester In Weekly Address By Lisa Hagen And Ben Kamisar The Hill, March 3, 2017 President Trump underscored his commitment to lifting budget caps on military spending as he gave his weekly address recorded from the U.S.S. Gerald Ford. “My vision includes the elimination of the defense sequester, which has imposed steep cuts on our military,” Trump, wearing a U.S.S. Gerald Ford hat and Navy jacket, said in the video posted Friday. “My budget will give America’s armed forces the resources they need to achieve full and total military preparedness to meet any and all global challenges and meet them we will. Investing in the military means investing in peace.” The video was released a day after Trump delivered a speech aboard the U.S.S. Gerald Ford, a new aircraft supercarrier, about his proposals to expand the military and increase the country’s defense budget by $54 billion. Sequestration, which created caps on both military and nonmilitary spending, was imposed by the bipartisan Budget Control Act of 2011 after lawmakers failed to reach a compromise spending deal. The Trump administration, meanwhile, is facing a storm of controversy over Attorney General Jeff Sessions’s decision to recuse himself from any investigations of Russia’s ties to Trump’s presidential campaign. Democrats and some Republicans called for his recusal after revelations that Sessions spoke with Russia’s ambassador to the U.S. twice during the 2016 campaign. FOIA CBP 001033 DHS-17-0435-B-000330 87 During his confirmation hearing, Sessions said under oath he didn’t have any contact with Russian officials. Trump expressed “total confidence” in Sessions, and White House press secretary Sean Spicer said he didn’t need to recuse himself, but the Alabama Republican held a press conference Thursday afternoon saying he believed recusal was the best course of action. Trump Wants $54 Billion More For Defense. The Military Isn’t Sure What That Means. By Noah Bierman And W.j. Hennigan, Contact Reporters Los Angeles Times, March 3, 2017 Clad in an olive-green flight jacket, President Trump strode onto the sprawling flight deck of the Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier docked off of Newport News, Va., calling the new $12.9-billion ship an emblem for his plans to pump $54 billion into the military. “It is a monument to American might that will provide the strength necessary to ensure peace,” he told a cheering crowd of uniformed sailors and Marines this week. Yet even as Trump invokes former President Reagan’s “peace through strength” doctrine, few in the military policy community know what Trump really wants to do with the proposed 10% annual budget increase or what vision he holds for the armed forces. Though Trump repeatedly has called for a military buildup, he spent much of his campaign promising to pull back from the type of expensive commitments and endeavors that would require such a large expansion. He pledged an “America First” policy and complained bitterly that trillions of dollars spent fighting wars in the Middle East could have been used to rebuild the homeland. “This is a fairly raw grab for money,” said Gordon Adams, a senior budget official for national security under President Clinton who worked on the issue for President Obama’s transition after the 2008 election. “It is based largely on symbolism.” Trump floated some spending ideas promoted by a conservative think tank during his campaign, including troop increases of more than 100,000. And the military has several costly projects that could put the cash to use. But if Trump really wants to force allies in Europe and Asia to shoulder more of their own defense burden — as he asserted during the campaign — he may not need all these projects, analysts say. “This is a strategy-budget mismatch within the Trump administration,” said Todd Harrison, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “A lot of the rhetoric suggests he wants to do less, but in the budget says he wants to do more. Which is it?” Trump’s discourse on the topic has vexed observers. During the campaign, Trump called the North Atlantic Treaty Organization designed to protect European allies “obsolete” and demanded repeatedly that member nations pay a larger share of their defense expenses. He made similar demands of Japan and other Asian allies. He also criticized both Democrats and Republicans for spending trillions of dollars on operations in the Middle East and southwest Asia. “If I become president, the era of nation-building will be brought to a very swift and decisive end,” he said during an August policy address in Ohio. At the same time, Trump has called for a bigger military that can “start winning wars again.” Meanwhile, Trump has repeatedly said he wants to limit foreign engagement in order to avoid costly ground wars but believes a more muscular military will deter foes. “Hopefully, it’s power we don’t have to use,” Trump said aboard the aircraft carrier Thursday, praising the ship’s size and strength. “But if we do, they’re in big, big trouble.” He backed NATO more strongly in an address to Congress on Tuesday night, adding further complications to his ambitions. Trump has compared his “peace through strength” mantra to Reagan’s. But Reagan engaged deeply in the world stage during the Cold War. And today’s threats from Russia, China and non-state terrorist organizations differ from the singular threat posed by the former Soviet Union, which was met by a long-term deterrence strategy. The U.S. already has the world’s strongest and costliest military. “Does a larger military deter ISIS? I don’t think so,” Harrison said, using an acronym for the Islamic State militant group. Harrison said that Trump’s recent embrace of NATO coupled with his spending plans for the Pentagon could mean that Trump, whose Cabinet is stocked with former generals, is shifting toward more engagement in the world. Obama, who held a more traditional foreign policy view, also requested more money to rebuild the military, though not as much as Trump, and demanded that it be coupled with increases in domestic spending. Trump’s $54 billion request is viewed by many as an opening bid. Analysts expect Congress will indeed increase the Pentagon’s budget, though no one knows the final number. Hawks in the GOP, led by Arizona Sen. John McCain, have said Trump is not spending enough. “The U.S. Army has spent the last 16 years fighting terrorists and guerrillas,” said Loren Thompson, the chief operating officer of the Lexington Institute, who shares McCain’s view. “It just doesn’t have the items it needs to fight a tank war or an air war against the Russians in Europe. Its tanks need to be upgraded. Its air defenses need to be better. It needs to be able to counter Russian” cyber-attacks. FOIA CBP 001034 DHS-17-0435-B-000331 88 The extent of the needs would be the subject of fierce debate under any circumstances. Though many Democrats would also like to spend more on the military, they and many Republicans would be unlikely to go along with Trump’s demand that it be paid for with sharp cuts to domestic programs that protect the environment, help local communities and serve the poor. Some conservative Republicans may resist attempts to spend more money on any government programs. Defense Secretary James Mattis is expected to complete a spending plan outlining specific needs over the next few months. He will have plenty of options. The Pentagon is headlong into the decade-long process of developing a new stealth bomber, dubbed the B￾21 Raider, and replacing the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine. The Air Force late last yearstarted assessments of a new intercontinental ballistic missile. The cost of the modernization is estimated to approach $1 trillion over the next 30 years, with much of it coming within the next decade. The Navy completed an assessment late last year that concluded it needed to increase the current fleet size to 355 in order to meet the rising number of mission requirements across the globe. The Navy would have to spend $25 billion a year for 30 years to reach that goal, according to a Congressional Budget Office report released last month. The Navy currently has 274 ships in its inventory, which includes 11 carriers once the Gerald R. Ford joins the fleet. It last had 350 ships in 1998, when it also had 12 carriers. The decrease is due in part to advancing technologies and capabilities, but also rising costs of maintaining the ships. Perez Trolls Trump On Russia By Mark Hensch The Hill, March 3, 2017 Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez on Friday mocked President Trump’s recent controversies involving Russia. Perez shared a tweet from White House chief of staff Reince Priebus, who was promoting Trump’s weekly address. “Translated from the original Russian and everything,” Perez added. Translated from the original Russian and everything. https://t.co/dPey5ZAaOG— Tom Perez (@TomPerez) March 3, 2017 During his address, which was recorded aboard the U.S.S. Gerald Ford, Trump vowed he would lift budget caps on military spending. He argued his budget “will give America’s armed forces the resources they need to achieve full and total military preparedness.” The video of Trump donning a U.S.S. Gerald Ford hat and a Navy jacket appeared one day after he spoke aboard the new aircraft carrier, reiterating his pledge to increase America’s defense budget by $54 billion. Trump’s military-focused appearance comes amid swirling controversy over Attorney General Jeff Sessions’s ties to Russia. Sessions on Thursday recused himself from any federal investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential race. His decision came amid bipartisan pressure over his contact with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during the presidential campaign last year. Reports emerged Wednesday that Sessions and Kislyak spoke twice in 2016 — once in July around the time of the Republican National Convention and another time via phone in September — conversations that Sessions did not disclose during his confirmation hearings in January. Sessions, then an Alabama senator, testified under oath that he “did not have communications with the Russians.” He argued Thursday that he didn’t intentionally mislead his fellow senators, since he said he spoke to Kislyak as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, not as a Trump surrogate, though Democrats pounced on the revelations, calling for his resignation. The controversy over Sessions this week came after reports last month that top aides and allies to Trump’s campaign were in recurring contact with senior Russian intelligence officials. 5 Charged In Scheme To Overcharge US For Humvee Parts By Joe Mandak Associated Press, March 3, 2017 PITTSBURGH (AP) – Two brothers who own a military￾supply business, a civilian Army employee and two others have been charged with a $6 million scheme to overcharge the Defense Department for Humvee window frames, federal prosecutors said Friday. Thomas Buckner, 65, of Gibsonia, and John Buckner, 67, of Lyndora, scammed the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command out of the money with the help of a shell company and kickbacks, according to court documents filed Friday by federal prosecutors in Pittsburgh. The Army agency, also known as TACOM, is based in Warren, Michigan. A civilian employee there, Anthony Shaw, is accused of accepting more than $1 million for helping the scheme, prosecutors said. The defense attorneys for the five defendants didn’t immediately return calls and emails seeking comment. Prosecutors filed the charges in criminal informations, documents that are typically used when defendants have agreed to plead guilty to the charges. The scheme worked this way, according to prosecutors’ court filing: FOIA CBP 001035 DHS-17-0435-B-000332 89 The Buckners co-own Ibis Tek, a Butler company that had contracts to supply aluminum window frames for Humvees. The brothers created another company called Alloy America that was supposed to be manufacturing the window frames that Ibis Tek would then sell to TACOM. But instead of doing that, the Buckners had Alloy American purchase the frames for $20 each from a Chinese firm, then created records to make it appear Ibis Tek paid Alloy America $70 for each frame. Ibis Tek then passed on the $70-per-frame cost to TACOM. The Buckner brothers also sold scrap aluminum relating to the manufacture of the frames but kept the money. The Buckners and Ibis Tek were supposed to credit the scrap revenue to TACOM as a way of helping the government agency control costs. The payments to Shaw were funneled through a Michigan motorcycle business, D & B Cycle Parts and Accessories. That business is owned by David Buckner, of Warren, Michigan, who is not related to the Pennsylvania brothers. Ibis Tek’s chief financial officer, Harry Kramer, 55, of Wexford, helped the Buckner brothers carry out the scheme and then filed false tax returns that understated Ibis Tek’s income in 2009 and 2010. It was not immediately clear if Ibis Tek remains a government contractor. Nobody returned a call to the company Friday. If convicted of major fraud against the government and income tax evasion, the Buckner brothers each face up to 20 years in prison and fines up to $1.5 million, while Kramer faces up to 16 years in prison and a $1.5 million fine. Shaw, 55, of Rochester Hills, Michigan, faces up to 19 years in prison and a $1.25 million fine if convicted of receiving a gratuity as a public official, tax evasion and making false statements. David Buckner faces up to three years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted of corrupt or forcible interference with the Internal Revenue Service investigation for allegedly funneling the payments from the brothers to Shaw, his friend. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Trump’s Defense Buildup Wall Street Journal, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Officials: Tillerson Eyes State Dept Budget Cut Over 3 Years By Matthew Lee, AP Diplomatic Writer Associated Press, March 3, 2017 WASHINGTON (AP) – Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has agreed in principle to a White House proposal to slash foreign aid and diplomatic spending by 37 percent, but wants to spread it out over three years rather than in one dramatic cut. Officials familiar with Tillerson’s response to the proposal from the Office of Management and Budget said Friday that Tillerson suggested the reductions to the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development begin with a 20-percent cut in the next budget year. Tillerson sent his response to OMB director Mick Mulvaney on Thursday, according to the officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the budget publicly until it is presented to Congress. Tillerson likened his approach to that of landing an airplane safely: a gradual descent rather than a precipitous one-time drop that would have far-reaching consequences for policy as well as political and human costs, according to the officials. The officials cautioned that Tillerson’s response was the beginning of a discussion with the OMB that could lead to a different figure, which would then go to Congress, where more changes could emerge. Some lawmakers, including senior Republicans, as well as current and former military commanders strongly object to steep cuts in foreign aid and diplomacy. The combined State Department/USAID budget this year was $50.1 billion, a little more than 1 percent of the total federal budget. The White House is looking for massive savings across the non-defense portions of the total budget to offset a proposed $54 billion increase in military spending. One official said Tillerson agreed with “an aggressive scrubbing of the budget” with an eye toward prioritizing programs based on specific achievable results rather than theoretical goals. The official said Tillerson, the former CEO of Exxon Mobil, was seeking a budget that outlines “a clearer vision of what of the end product is.” Even carried out over three years, a 37-percent cut to the foreign affairs budget would be felt deeply across the State Department and foreign development assistance, which is largely overseen by USAID. It would likely require the wholesale elimination of some programs as well as staffing cuts. One suggestion, which was not contained in Tillerson’s response but is under consideration, would be to bring USAID, now a semi-autonomous operation, entirely under the auspices of the State Department to eliminate redundancies between the two agencies. This would reduce USAID’s front FOIA CBP 001036 DHS-17-0435-B-000333 90 and administrative offices by combining those functions with those of regional assistant secretaries of state. The OMB proposal, which was sent Monday to the State Department, raised concerns about America’s ability to promote its values around the world and avert wars, rather than fight them. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., were among several Republicans voicing objections. David Petraeus, who headed the CIA after commanding U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, and a group of more than 100 national security experts echoed that sentiment, calling diplomacy “critical to keeping America safe.” However, Trump advisers and top aides to Tillerson believe there is fat to cut from the State Department and USAID budgets and the OMB outline suggested ways to achieve savings. The officials wouldn’t discuss those details but some noted a 37-percent cut would eliminate programs and likely cause staff reductions, including security contractors at diplomatic missions, a matter that became only more sensitive after the deadly 2012 attack on a U.S. compound in Benghazi, Libya. They said some overseas facilities and offices might have to be closed. The State Department had already been bracing for budget cuts under the Trump administration. Many of its bureaus went through exercises to see how they could function with 20 percent or 25 percent less money, officials said. Buyouts could help reduce the size of the diplomatic corps along with early retirements and layoffs, they found. Eliminating special envoy and special representative positions could also yield savings. Only 11 of 32 special envoy or representative posts that existed during the Obama administration are currently filled. USAID’s operations may be even more precarious. Numerous agency initiatives, including those dealing with global health, climate change and women’s issues, could be cut if the proposal is adopted, the officials said. They said they expected most USAID funding to be cut. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. UN Humanitarian Chief: US ‘Very Ready To Donate’ Under Trump Associated Press, March 3, 2017 BANDARERO, Kenya (AP) – The U.N. humanitarian chief says he is confident the United States will step up and donate to aid appeals amid concerns of possible foreign aid cuts under President Donald Trump. The U.S., the world’s top humanitarian donor, pledged nothing last week at an Oslo conference on Nigeria’s humanitarian crisis. And U.S. officials have said the Trump administration is proposing a 37 percent cut to diplomacy and foreign aid budgets to help pay for increased military spending. Stephen O’Brien said Friday the U.S. has indicated it is “very ready to donate,” and he suggested it may not have pledged yet because of its budgetary cycle. The Trump administration’s budget plan is expected this month. O’Brien is in Kenya to see the effects of severe drought after a national disaster was declared. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Trump’s Cuts Would Cripple The Country’s Diplomats When We Need Them Most By Nicholas Burns Washington Post, March 3, 2017 Nicholas Burns, a professor at Harvard University, was U.S. undersecretary of state for political affairs from 2005 to 2008. He advised Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. No federal Cabinet agency risks a greater financial hit in President Trump’s first budget than the oldest, the most senior and one of the most vital to our national security: the State Department. The White House this week signaled that it will seek a massive $20 billion reduction in funding for State and the Agency for International Development, out of a budget of over $50 billion — the highest proportional cuts proposed for any department. If enacted, this proposal would cripple the department’s career foreign and civil service when we need them most. It would also endanger Trump’s ability to confront the most complex national security agenda in decades. Europe is weaker than at any time since the end of the Cold War, facing Brexit, the refugee crisis, the rise of right-wing populism and an aggressive Vladimir Putin on its borders. The Middle East is in turmoil, with failed states in Libya, Yemen, Iraq and Syria, a still-menacing Islamic State and dangerous Sunni￾Shiite tensions dividing the region. China is pushing out in the South and East China Seas. Allies and foes alike are questioning U.S. leadership of the liberal world order. Trump FOIA CBP 001037 DHS-17-0435-B-000334 91 will surely need our diplomats, as well as our warriors, to meet these challenges. The State Department, however, has had a rough transition from President Barack Obama to Trump. Several of its most senior diplomats have been involuntarily retired by the Trump team. No deputy secretary or undersecretaries of state have been appointed. The seventh floor in Foggy Bottom, where the secretary of state and senior leaders sit, normally pulsates with energy. On a visit this week, it felt like a ghost ship. State needs greater attention, understanding and love from the White House. State is much smaller than the Pentagon or Homeland Security. It has few large installations and no costly weapons systems that can be delayed or canceled in service to austerity. Its main resource is its personnel. Reductions of the magnitude under consideration would confront Secretary of State Rex Tillerson with an impossible task — cutting deep into the muscle and bone of a foreign and civil service already stretched to the limits. This is simply not a wise path. The irony is that the State Department is central to what Trump wishes to accomplish overseas. U.S. diplomats interview all would-be immigrants, those applying for U.S. tourist visas and refugees. They assist the thousands of U.S. citizens who find themselves in medical, financial and legal trouble abroad. They deploy as political advisers with our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and run our highly successful HIV, polio and malaria programs in sub-Saharan Africa. They work directly with U.S. companies to find foreign markets. They negotiate our energy, trade and climate agreements and manage our leadership of the NATO and East Asian Alliance systems so fundamental to the United States’ global power. As a former Foreign Service officer myself, I admit to a clear bias. But, the men and women of the State Department are a national treasure of language, political and economic experts on places critical to our future — China, Russia, the Islamic world, Latin America and beyond. They comprise the finest diplomatic corps in the world. Trump’s budget thus illuminates a larger dilemma in the early, chaotic weeks of his presidency. He rarely mentions diplomacy and has given no indication that he values it. If he continues in this vein, it will be a significant barrier to his success. He is right to argue for greater military spending. But he should shift from an exclusive focus on the military and homeland security and join diplomacy to them in pursuit of the stronger America he seeks. President John F. Kennedy recognized this vital link a half-century ago when he said: “Diplomacy and defense are not substitutes for one another. Either alone would fail.” Trump selected an impressive person in Tillerson, whose life and business experience should translate effectively to diplomacy. The Foreign Service is filled with experienced and capable officers. Given the chance to lead, they will serve Trump with skill, trust and patriotism. But the administration must give them the resources to succeed and plug them into the White House itself. Fortunately, experienced leaders in Congress have already joined the battle on State’s side. After more than a decade of war, Trump needs to let the State Department rank and file know he believes in them. And he needs to turn to diplomacy to cope with the extraordinary global challenges ahead of him. It could well spell the difference between the success or failure of his presidency. New Interior Secretary ‘Not Happy’ About Budget Proposal By Devin Henry The Hill, March 3, 2017 The new head of the Interior Department told employees Friday he is “not happy” about the agency’s upcoming budget request crafted by the White House. “I looked at the budget,” Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said in his first address to employees. “I’m not happy. We’re going to fight about it, and I think I’m going to win at the end of the day.” Zinke told reporters after the speech that he has concerns with certain spending accounts in the White House’s proposed budget, noting programs like wildfire management and a property tax reimbursement program for counties with large areas of federal land. “A lot of it is: new administration comes in, my ability to articulate with the expert staff on why we need to prioritize infrastructure, on why some of the line items of the budget need to be adjusted,” he said. “It’s negotiated, so it’s not hard. … The president, the White House, is working with us on it, but I’ve been in the office for one day and I have my priorities and I think my priories are going to match the president’s.” Details of President Trump’s budget request have rankled some of his incoming Cabinet officials. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt, a likely ally of Trump’s when it comes to undoing Obama-era climate programs, said this week he is concerned about funding proposals for state grant programs, among other items. The Senate confirmed Zinke to his position at Interior on Wednesday. By Thursday, he had signed two secretary￾level orders, including one repealing a ban on lead in ammunition and fishing tackle. He also made headlines by riding a horse to work on his first day. After his speech at Interior’s headquarters on Friday, Zinke said he would reconsider late actions from the Obama Interior Department, including orders blocking drilling in the Arctic Ocean. FOIA CBP 001038 DHS-17-0435-B-000335 92 “I’m going to review everything that didn’t go through Congress, and then the last-minute policies, the last-minute decisions, tell me that it was not vetted or didn’t have a consensus,” he said. “I’m going to review everything within my power.” Zinke didn’t rule out continuing a review of Interior’s coal leasing program, initiated by the Obama administration in 2016. The program, and the royalty rates for mining on federal land, haven’t been updated for decades. Addressing a large group of employees at Interior’s headquarters, Zinke said he hopes to reorganize the department’s structure. He told reporters that could mean increasing and empowering “frontline” employment like managers and rangers in Interior properties around the country. “The last time the Department of Interior has been reorganized was about 100 years ago,” he told employees. “The reorganization is now the goal, and look at, just as Teddy Roosevelt did, look out 100 years from now and make sure we’re organized to address the challenges of the future.” White House Proposes Steep Budget Cut To Leading Climate Science Agency By Steven Mufson, Jason Samenow And Brady Dennis Washington Post, March 3, 2017 The Trump administration is seeking to slash the budget of one of the government’s premier climate science agencies by 17 percent, delivering steep cuts to research funding and satellite programs, according to a four-page budget memo obtained by The Washington Post. The proposed cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration would also eliminate funding for a variety of smaller programs, including external research, coastal management, estuary reserves and “coastal resilience,” which seeks to bolster the ability of coastal areas to withstand major storms and rising seas. NOAA is part of the Commerce Department, which would be hit by an overall 18 percent budget reduction from its current funding level. The Office of Management and Budget also asked the Commerce Department to provide information about how much it would cost to lay off employees, while saying those employees who do remain with the department should get a 1.9 percent pay increase in January 2018. It requested estimates for terminating leases and government “property disposal.” The OMB outline for the Commerce Department for fiscal 2018 proposed sharp reductions in specific areas within NOAA such as spending on education, grants and research. NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research would lose $126 million, or 26 percent, of the funds it has under the current budget. Its satellite data division would lose $513 million, or 22 percent, of its current funding under the proposal. The National Marine Fisheries Service and National Weather Service would be fortunate by comparison, facing only 5 percent cuts. The figures are part of the OMB’s “passback” document, a key part of the annual budget process in which the White House instructs agencies to draw up detailed budgets for submission to Congress. The numbers often change during the course of negotiations between the agency and the White House and between lawmakers and the administration later on. The 2018 fiscal year starts Oct. 1. A spokesperson for the Commerce Department declined to comment. A White House official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that the process was “evolving” and cautioned against specific numbers. The official would not respond to questions about the four-page passback document. The biggest single cut proposed by the passback document comes from NOAA’s satellite division, known as the National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service, which includes a key repository of climate and environmental information, the National Centers for Environmental Information. Researchers there were behind a study suggesting that there has been no recent slowdown in the rate of climate change — research that drew the ire of Republicans in Congress. Another proposed cut would eliminate a $73 million program called Sea Grant, which supports coastal research conducted through 33 university programs across the country. That includes institutions in many swing states that went for President Trump, such as the University of Wisconsin at Madison, the University of Michigan, Ohio State University, the University of Florida and North Carolina State University. The OMB passback said that the administration wanted to “prioritize rebuilding the military” and would seek “savings and efficiencies to keep the Nation on a responsible fiscal path.” It said that its proposed funding cut for the Commerce Department “highlights the tradeoffs and choices inherent in pursuing these goals.” The OMB also said that the White House would come up with ideas to modernize “outdated infrastructure,” but it said that agencies should not expect increases in their fiscal 2018 discretionary-spending “toplines” as a result. On Wednesday, after his confirmation, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said that drawing up a budget would be a top priority. “One of the first steps,” he said, “will be securing adequate appropriations from the Congress. In a period of budgetary constraint, that will be a major challenge.” The OMB passback document said that the Commerce Department, like other agencies, should “buy and manage like a business.” It urged the department to explore greater FOIA CBP 001039 DHS-17-0435-B-000336 93 use of privately owned commercial satellites and commercial cloud services while submitting to the OMB a plan to retire or replace “at least one high priority legacy IT system” beginning in 2018. Many scientists warned that the deep cuts at NOAA could hurt safety as well as academic programs. Conrad Lautenbacher, a retired vice admiral who was the NOAA administrator under President George W. Bush, said, “I think the cuts are ill timed given the needs of society, economy and the military.” He added, “It will be very hard for NOAA to manage and maintain the kind of services the country requires” with the proposed cuts. Jane Lubchenco, NOAA administrator under President Barack Obama, said that 90 percent of the information for weather forecasts comes from satellites. “Cutting NOAA’s satellite budget will compromise NOAA’s mission of keeping Americans safe from extreme weather and providing forecasts that allow businesses and citizens to make smart plans,” she said. Rick Spinrad, a former chief scientist for NOAA, said: “NOAA’s research and operations, including satellite data management, support critical safety needs. A reduced investment now would virtually guarantee jeopardizing the safety of the American public.” He said that weather warnings for tornadoes and hurricanes could be compromised and that navigational capacity used to help guide commercial ships and other mariners would suffer, leaving them without the “improved forecasts they need to safely maneuver coastal waters.” It could become harder to warn of tsunamis and forecast weather that will cause power outages. David Titley, a professor of meteorology at Pennsylvania State University who served as NOAA’s chief operating officer in the Obama administration, said that “oddly” the White House budget office, despite the president’s commitment to building infrastructure, would cut NOAA’s budget for ships and satellites. “These cuts will impact good private-sector jobs in the U.S.,” Titley said. “The loss of capability will make America weaker both in space and on the sea — a strange place to be for an administration that campaigned to ‘make America great again.’ “ Chris Mooney and Abby Phillip contributed to this report. Environmental Programs Face Deep Cuts Under Budget Proposal By John Flesher, Matthew Daly And Catherine Lucey Associated Press, March 3, 2017 WASHINGTON (AP) – The Trump administration would slash programs aimed at slowing climate change and improving water safety and air quality, while eliminating thousands of jobs, according to a draft of the Environmental Protection Agency budget proposal obtained by The Associated Press. Under the tentative plan from the Office of Management and Budget, the agency’s funding would be reduced by roughly 25 percent and about 3,000 jobs would be cut, about 19 percent of the agency’s staff. President Donald Trump has said he plans to pay for billions of dollars more for the military by cutting spending on domestic agencies and departments. Trump plans to submit his budget to Congress the week of March 13. A spokesperson for the EPA declined to comment. The agency had the opportunity to respond to the initial proposal, and any final plan would be subject to congressional approval, which likely is months away at the earliest. The White House also declined to comment. The EPA is now under the leadership of Scott Pruitt, a former state attorney general for Oklahoma, who has questioned the scientific consensus that human activities are contributing to global warming and joined lawsuits against the agency’s emission curbs. Proposed cuts include reducing the climate protection budget by nearly 70 percent to $29 million, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative by 97 percent to $10 million and environmental justice programs by 79 percent to $1.5 million. Also targeted for steep spending rollbacks are the agency’s monitoring and enforcement of compliance with environmental laws, as well as regional projects intended to benefit degraded areas such as the Chesapeake Bay, Puget Sound and the Gulf of Mexico. A program dealing with San Francisco Bay that received $4.8 million last year would be eliminated, as would initiatives for reducing diesel emissions and beach water quality testing. Former EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy called the proposed budget “a fantasy” that ignores the EPA’s mission to protect public health. “It shows the Trump administration doesn’t hold the same American values for clean air, clean water and healthy land as the vast majority of its citizens,” McCarthy said in a statement. “Our health comes before the special interests of multibillion-dollar industries.” Environmental groups said the proposed cuts would threaten thousands of jobs and could harm health and safety protections for millions of Americans. The proposals would especially affect programs to address climate change and enforce clean air and water laws, they said. “Instead of working to protect American families, President Trump’s plans put the interest of big-money special interests over people,” said Nat Mund, legislative director of the Southern Environmental Law Center, a Virginia-based advocacy group. But the Heartland Institute, a conservative think tank, said the proposal didn’t go far enough. FOIA CBP 001040 DHS-17-0435-B-000337 94 “If Donald Trump and Scott Pruitt are serious about ending the national scandal that is EPA, they will accept nothing less than a 20 percent cut this year and make this year’s cut the first step in a five-year plan to replace the organization,” said Joseph Bast, the group’s president. The proposal would all but eliminate funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a wide-ranging cleanup of the world’s largest surface freshwater system that has deep bipartisan support across the eight states adjacent to the lakes, from Minnesota to New York. The program has received around $300 million annually from the federal budget during former President Barack Obama’s tenure – more than $2.2 billion in all. Under the Trump proposal, it would get only $10 million. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat, described the proposed cut as “outrageous.” “This initiative has been critical to cleaning up our Great Lakes and waterways, restoring fish and wildlife habitats, and fighting invasive species, like Asian carp,” Stabenow said. “I call on President Trump to reverse course on these harmful decisions.” Congress in December authorized continuing the program through 2021 at $300 million a year, although separate annual votes are needed to provide the money. In a Feb. 8 letter to Trump, the 20-member Congressional Great Lakes Task Force called for maintaining current funding. Among House members signing it were Republicans Bill Huizenga of Michigan, Sean Duffy of Wisconsin and David Joyce of Ohio. EPA staffers are upset about the budget. A Thursday all-hands meeting, organized to calm staff about the budget cuts, only created more anxiety. --- Flesher reported from Traverse City, Michigan. Lisa Lerer in Washington contributed to this report. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Immigration Judges Exempt From Trump’s Federal Hiring Freeze By Mica Rosenberg And Kristina Cooke Reuters, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Mattis Asks Former U.S. Ambassador Anne Patterson To Take A Top Job At The Pentagon By Karen Deyoung Washington Post, March 3, 2017 Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has asked recently retired diplomat Anne W. Patterson to become his undersecretary of defense for policy, the third-ranking policy job at the department. Patterson and Mattis, the former chief of U.S. Central Command, worked together frequently when she served as ambassador to Pakistan and to Egypt. She retired in January after more than three years as assistant secretary for Near East affairs, the State Department’s top official on the Middle East, at the highest rank of career diplomat. The appointment, which requires Senate confirmation, is still awaiting White House approval, according to people familiar with the discussions. It was first reported by Politico. Mattis, who reportedly insisted he be able to choose his own team when he accepted President Trump’s offer to head the department, has skirmished repeatedly with the White House over appointments. His initial choice for deputy secretary, Michèle Flournoy, withdrew from consideration following meetings with White House officials. Flournoy served as the department’s policy undersecretary during the Obama administration. The current Defense Department deputy, Robert Work, is a holdover from Barack Obama’s presidency who has agreed to remain in office for several months until his successor is in place. The deputy slot also remains vacant at the State Department, where Secretary Rex Tillerson’s reported choice, Elliott Abrams, was reportedly rejected by the White House. Hundreds of senior policy positions remain vacant and without nominees across the executive branch six weeks into the Trump administration. Although Patterson retired before the inauguration, top diplomats in most of the State Department’s regional and policy offices were effectively fired once Trump took office. Next week, the last remaining regional assistant secretaries — for Africa and the Far East — are stepping down. In his budget outline this week, Trump proposed sharp cuts at the State Department to help fund a $54 billion increase in defense spending. Patterson, who has never worked at the Defense Department, also served as top U.S. diplomat in Colombia and El Salvador. In Egypt, she was ambassador from 2011 to 2013, a period marked by upheaval resulting in the military overthrow of elected president Mohamed Morsi and estrangement between the Obama administration and the Egyptian army general who took power, Abdel Fatah al-Sissi. FOIA CBP 001041 DHS-17-0435-B-000338 95 Trump has largely dismissed Obama-era criticisms of Sissi’s repression of human and civil rights and praised Egypt as an effective counterterrorism ally. Wilbur Ross: Border-adjustment Tax A ‘powerful Mechanism’ To Balance Budget Stops short of endorsing Hill GOP proposal By David Sherfinski Washington Times, March 3, 2017 U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross on Friday said a border-adjustment tax like the one being pushed by congressional Republicans would be a “powerful mechanism” to balance the budget but did not endorse the specific proposal they’re lobbying for on Capitol Hill. “We have to balance” the budget, he said on CNBC. “Border adjustable is certainly one powerful mechanism for doing that, but let’s see what else evolves.” There has been an intense internal GOP debate over imposing the 20 percent tax on imports in order to raise about $1 trillion over the course of a decade. “I think there will be something found to fill the trillion￾dollar hole. Whether it will be exactly border adjustable — and if it is border adjustable whether it’ll be in exactly the same form and size — is an open question,” Mr. Ross said. “I haven’t said that we’re in accord with anything like a 20 percent border adjustable tax,” he said. Proponents have said the move would end a “made in America” tax and encourage U.S. production, since foreign￾made products sold in the U.S. face a lower tax burden than American-made ones. But opponents say the tax will ultimately get passed on to consumers and wouldn’t necessarily strengthen the dollar enough to make the math work. “The theory of border adjustable is the currencies would re-adjust and therefore it would be a zero-sum game,” Mr. Ross said. “I’m a little skeptical about the theory that there’s somehow a totally free lunch and that the markets will exactly absorb everything.” “But we do need to do something to fill that hole,” he said. With buy-in from Democrats unlikely, the GOP is counting on that $1 trillion revenue stream to pay for lowering other taxes, and so a failure to come to an agreement could sink the prospect of broader tax reform this year. Mr. Ross said that given the partisan atmosphere in Washington, Republicans might have to use the reconciliation process to get tax reform through. Reconciliation is a legislative tool that allows budget￾related legislation to be cleared with 51 votes in the U.S. Senate, rather than the 60 votes it typically takes to break a filibuster. Republicans currently hold an effective 52-48 majority in the Senate, and at least several GOP senators have already expressed skepticism about the tax. Mr. Ross also talked about a plan to be “aggressive” on trade. “Because we know that the deals that have been made historically have resulted in the great loss of manufacturing jobs, great amount of closures of manufacturing businesses,” he said. “We don’t want that to continue.” He said a first emphasis will be on “facilitating U.S. exports to other countries — getting rid of both tariff and non￾tariff barriers to trade,” Mr. Ross said. “The other side of that will be preventing illegally subsidized goods from coming in and really enforcing it,” he said. Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. Mexican Peso Surges After Comments From Wilbur Ross By Sarah McGregor Bloomberg News, March 3, 2017 U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross triggered a rally in the peso when he said the currency could recover “quite a lot” if his country can reach a sensible agreement with Mexico on the North American Free Trade Agreement. “The peso has fallen a lot, mainly because of the fear of what will happen with Nafta,” Ross, 79, said in an interview on CNBC on Friday. “I believe that if we and the Mexicans make a very sensible trade agreement, the Mexican peso will recover quite a lot.” The peso surged 1.9 percent on Friday morning New York time in the wake of Ross’s comments, paring its depreciation over the past year. The 8.7 percent decline in the currency’s value since March 2016 has boosted the cost of imports into Mexico, while making its exports more competitive. The Commerce secretary said the first trade priority of Donald Trump’s administration is to re-negotiate Nafta, which Trump described on the campaign trail as the “worst” trade deal of all time. The administration has indicated that the target of the reforms will be Mexico while only tweaking ties with Canada, though specifics are still scant. The American priorities in negotiating Nafta will be tightening “quite a bit” the rules of origin, dictating how many goods can come from nations outside Nafta while still receiving the agreement’s tariff perks, said Ross. Talks to modernize the trade deal will also address mechanisms to ensure the peso-dollar exchange rate becomes more stable and explore ways for Mexican workers to get better wages and living standards, he said.’Facilitating’ Exports FOIA CBP 001042 DHS-17-0435-B-000339 96 “The first emphasis will be on facilitating U.S. exports to other countries, getting rid of both tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade,” said Ross. “The other side of that will be preventing illegally subsidized goods from coming in, and really enforcing it.” The U.S. isn’t talking with China yet about trade, said Ross. “The first on our agenda is Nafta because we think it makes sense to solidify your own neighborhood first,” he said. China’s trade surplus has largely driven the country’s “economic miracle,” while Germany has been an “enormous beneficiary” of the weak euro, though it can’t be considered manipulation because of the currency union, he said. You can assume whatever “overt actions” the U.S. takes on trade will receive a “counter-punch” from the affected party, said Ross. The World Trade Organization “in some ways” is necessary as an arbitrator of global trade, though it needs some fine-tuning, particularly on dispute settlement, said Ross. This week, the U.S. Trade Representative, in the annual 2017 Trade Policy Agenda, said Trump’s administration intends to defend its national sovereignty over trade policy and that the U.S. isn’t bound by decisions at the WTO. Ross said no decision has been reached on a border￾adjustment tax, a proposal that would place a levy on U.S. companies’ imports while excluding their exports from taxable income. “We need to do something to balance the budget,” he said. “Given the very partisan atmosphere in Washington now, reconciliation is probably the only way we can get things through, things like tax relief,” he said, referring to a special fast-track budget vehicle. “Border adjustable is certainly one powerful mechanism for doing that,” Ross said. “But let’s see what else evolves. Let’s see what the alternatives are.” White House Fight On Import Tax Puts Congress In Limbo By Damian Paletta Washington Post, March 3, 2017 A major split among senior White House officials over whether to effectively create a new tax on imported goods has stalled the broader tax overhaul effort on Capitol Hill, with Republicans looking to the Trump administration for leadership on an issue that has drawn fierce resistance, according to several officials with direct knowledge of the matter. White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon, senior adviser Stephen Miller and National Trade Council director Peter Navarro have all voiced internal support for the creation of a border adjustment tax or something like it. They believe it would incentivize companies to keep jobs in the United States and raise the cost of items that are imported. But Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn have raised concerns, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the deliberations are private. They are backed by a number of Senate Republicans who have told the White House they would block any bill that creates a new tax on imports. The divide has the potential to scuttle one of President Trump’s top domestic agenda items — tax reform, which he views as key to boosting the economy and prompting employers to create more jobs in the United States. Rifts between the White House and Republicans have slowed numerous campaign pledges, including the repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act and the creation of a wall on the Mexico border. The tax fight is yet another example of the challenge Trump is facing turning political promises into legislative successes. Trump has tried to jawbone chief executives into keeping their operations in the United States, including by threatening penalties to those who leave. A border adjustment tax could create such a deterrent. It would ensure that companies selling imported goods in the United States, such a cars, electronics and clothing, are taxed at a higher rate than they are now. For example, it would prevent them from deducting the cost of their imported goods from taxable profits. Supporters believe this would lure more companies to stay in the United States because it would become too costly to move overseas and ship things back, but opponents argue that it would drive up the cost of every imported good, hurting the economy. House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Tex.) have also pushed for this type of tax as part of a broader overhaul of the tax code, which House Republicans have said would lower the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 20 percent. The way House Republicans have sought to reclaim some of the lost revenue from a rate cut that sharp is by creating this border adjustment tax, which they believe could raise as much as $1 trillion over 10 years. The border adjustment tax would likely change consumer behavior, but it is difficult to determine how profound the impact would be. This divide has led the White House to twice propose, and then pull back, the border adjustment tax as a policy. Lawmakers are pressing the White House to take a firm position so they can move forward on overhauling the tax code. “The president and his team are currently deliberating over what his preferred tax reform plan will look like,” a White House spokeswoman said. “The most important thing to the president is that our tax system is fair and in the best interests of the American people.” FOIA CBP 001043 DHS-17-0435-B-000340 97 A Treasury spokesman said: “While the administration is still in the deliberative stages of the overall tax-reform discussion, there are both interesting aspects and concerns surrounding the border adjustment tax proposal.” The spokesman added, “Secretary Mnuchin is confident there will be a unified plan between the administration and House and Senate leadership.” House and Senate Republicans have been clamoring for the White House to help them find a unified plan, to no avail. If the White House balks at the creation of a border adjustment tax, GOP lawmakers could pursue the creation of tariffs as a way to accomplish Trump’s goal of raising the economic costs of importing into the United States. Many lawmakers believed Trump had resolved differences among his advisers when he said, in early February, that “we’re going to announce something I would say over the next two or three weeks that will be phenomenal in terms of tax.” But White House officials have decided to slow that process, one person familiar with the process said, speaking on condition of anonymity. There could be tax overhaul details in the 2018 budget proposal the Trump administration is expected to release in a few weeks, but it might avoid specifics, the person said. They are now hoping to mobilize support for their tax overhaul plan in several months, hopeful that it can be completed by August. Sen. Ron Wyden, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, said Friday in a speech that there has been so much disagreement among Republicans on the issue that “it usually promises the movie is not going to end well.” House Republicans want to cut the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 20 percent, which they say will help the economy grow and lead to more hiring. But such a cut would lead to a large drop in tax revenue, according to budget experts, widening the deficit and further increasing the federal debt. House Republicans who support the border adjustment tax believe it would offset much of the lost revenue. The Trump administration has said there needs to be some penalty to discourage companies from manufacturing products in other countries and then importing them into the country. They want to give incentives to companies that manufacture goods in the United States. But opponents of the border adjustment tax, including many retailers, have argued to the White House and lawmakers that imposing an across-the-board tax on goods would drive up their prices and raise prices for American consumers, hurting the economy. Target and Walmart, for example, are part of a group trying to block the border adjustment tax. Steve Moore, who was an economic adviser to Trump during the campaign, said he supports the creation of a border adjustment tax but acknowledged that the messaging battle has made it difficult to mobilize support. “My feeling is the border adjustment tax would be good economics but is lousy politics,” he said. Senate Dem: Border-adjustment Proposal Would Be A ‘Gut Punch’ For Working Families By Sylvan Lane The Hill, March 3, 2017 The top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee ripped a key tax reform priority for House Republicans on Friday, calling it a “gut punch to working families already struggling to get by.” Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) said House Republicans’ border-adjustment proposal, which would tax imports but exempt exports, would dramatically raise the price of basic goods. Border adjustment is a key part of the House GOP tax reform plan championed by House Speaker Paul Ryan (R￾Wis.) and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas). Supporters say border adjustment can bolster American manufacturing while raising more than $1 trillion in revenue over 10 years. But critics say the tax will force retailers to hike prices on essential goods, forcing middle- and working-class Americans to stretch out already thin budgets. Wyden, a leading Senate progressive, called border adjustment “a grocery tax” levied to pay for “a trillion-dollar corporate tax cut.” “Republicans want to raise prices on food, clothing and other simple products Americans buy every day,” Wyden said at the Urban Institute’s Tax Policy Center. “That’s not a plan to fix what’s broken in our economy today.” Brady told The Hill that “no one can defend our current tax code that favors foreign products over products made in Texas, Oregon and other states across our country.” “The American people also cannot afford a tax code that chases their jobs overseas,” said Brady in a statement. “We are open to working with members on both sides of the aisle on pro-growth tax reform that will create jobs and finally level the playing field for American workers.” While popular with House Republicans, border adjustment has divided Senate Republicans and the corporate world, pitting exporters against importers. President Trump initially panned border adjustment, but later said he’d be open to a “border tax,” without specifying what that meant. Wyden also rebuked Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin’s promise to complete comprehensive tax reform by August, an ambitious pledge given Republicans’ daunting legislative agenda. He said the tax overhaul would only pass by August if Republicans “bulldoze their way to a tax cut for the wealthy that lasts some amount of time.” FOIA CBP 001044 DHS-17-0435-B-000341 98 “You cannot pass a lasting, bipartisan, comprehensive tax reform bill by August that sets our economy on a new course,” said Wyden. “That’ll only come through bipartisanship.” Updated at 3:07 p.m. Will The Grand Republican Tax Plan Work? By Editorial Board Washington Post, March 3, 2017 ONCE AGAIN, tax reform is on the agenda in Washington, and this time there’s a genuinely radical idea under discussion: the House Republicans’ plan for a new “border adjustment” corporate income tax. It would, they say, transform the sluggish United States into a much better place to invest and create jobs. Would it work? The answer depends, in part, on who’s right — economists or lobbyists. The House GOP plan would sweep aside the corporate tax system with its 35 percent maximum marginal rate, the highest such rate in the industrialized world but one riddled with loopholes. In its place, there would be a new 20 percent flat rate levied only on income earned in the United States. To offset the huge loss of revenue, the plan eliminates the deductibility of imports as a business expense, as well as a few other large deductions. The net effect is a big reduction in the after-tax cost of doing business within the United States — paid for by foreign exporters. Economists (at least those who like the idea) believe it creates fresh incentives to locate economic activity — and register ownership of intellectual property — within the United States, to export rather than import, and to finance businesses with equity rather than debt. Other things being equal, that could improve tax efficiency and domestic job creation. To those who fear a sudden hit to import-dependent businesses and their customers, advocates respond that the tax plan would trigger an offsetting rise in the dollar exchange rate. Yes, there would be short-term winners (agricultural exporters) and losers (big retailers of Chinese goods). But America as a whole would be better off, long term. This is where the lobbyists for interests as varied as Koch Industries (major importers of crude oil), Walmart and the people who sell imported fish to grocery stores weigh in, with a hundred real-world arguments about how the economists’ happy scenario might go awry. What if our erstwhile trading partners do not go along with our attempt to get rich at the expense of their export industries, and sue at the World Trade Organization instead? Or what if they respond with retaliatory currency manipulation? Nice as it might be for the United States, a much stronger dollar would hammer developing countries such as Brazil, Chile and Indonesia, which owe hundreds of billions of dollars in U.S.- denominated debt. Yes, yes, we know: America First. But is it really in our national interest to put major emerging markets at sudden risk of bankruptcy? In truth, neither economists, with their sweeping intellectual constructs, nor lobbyists, with their inherently self￾interested takes on the issues, enjoy a reputation for infallible forecasting. Still, this may be one case in which the latter’s stake in the actual operation of the U.S. economy creates an advantage, in terms of practical realism. As it happens, there are already proposals to cut corporate rates and close loopholes less radically but also, quite possibly, less disruptively than the border-adjustment proposal. House Republicans and the Obama administration floated them in 2014 and 2012, respectively. Those plans deserve a second look before lawmakers take this leap. Read more on this topic: Robert J. Samuelson: Why tax reform will be a slog The Post’s View: How the new treasury secretary can prove he’s serious about the job Lawrence Summers: On tax reform, take a page from Ronald Reagan George F. Will: An administration official with a Rubik’s Cube to solve The Post’s View: Trump’s proposed tax ‘reform’ is hardly reform at all For 3 Indiana Brothers, ‘America First’ Cuts 2 Ways By Trip Gabriel New York Times, March 3, 2017 EVANSVILLE, Ind. — When Alcoa abruptly announced last year that its aluminum smelter near here would close, some longtime workers talked of burning the place down. The company told Wall Street its unionized plant on the Ohio River, which employed 600, could no longer compete with less expensive aluminum from China. One of those laid off, Brandon Marshall, 39, said he had never given much thought to where the products he bought were made. But now he goes out of his way to support American jobs. “If there’s a tape measure built in the U.S. for $15 and one from China for $6, I try to catch myself now and pay for the American one,” he said. “It hit home.” The blow to America’s industrial work force from globalization, and the sometimes xenophobia-tinged anger over trade deals that fueled a political upheaval last year, are not hard to find in southwest Indiana. Leaving the Evansville airport, one can see a billboard to the right pointedly promising the “best real Mexican food this side of the Wall.” The hulking, empty building to the left is a former Whirlpool plant that, six years before Alcoa folded, was moved to Mexico. As President Trump spoke approvingly of new taxes on imports in his address to Congress on Tuesday night, and as his new commerce secretary, Wilbur L. Ross, seeks to FOIA CBP 001045 DHS-17-0435-B-000342 99 renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, cities like Evansville are where the costs and benefits of those policies will be measured in paychecks, pink slips and household budgets. It was one of the myriad Midwestern places that turned to Mr. Trump in the election after he promised a river of good jobs from more protectionist trade deals, deporting undocumented workers and cracking down on Chinese imports. Yet the economic picture here and throughout the industrial heartland is not one-dimensional. Thousands of jobs have been lost to globalization in Evansville, the third-largest city in Indiana. But thousands more have been created by exporting products made in the region, like AstraZeneca’s diabetes drugs, Lexan plastics — used in smartphones — and Toyota S.U.V.s. Should Mr. Trump impose steep import taxes on goods from Mexico and China, economists say it could drive other nations to raise taxes on American exports — at a cost in American jobs. “If he wants to start a trade war, there’ll be a negative impact on Indiana,” said Sudesh Mujumdar, chair of the economics and marketing department at the University of Southern Indiana. “You might think you’re protecting a class of workers, and end up having an impact on others.” The complex filaments connecting average Americans to the forces of global trade can be seen in the lives of Mr. Marshall, laid off by Alcoa, and his two older brothers: Troy, 46, who works on the factory floor at Toyota in Princeton, Ind., where a map with pins in 20 countries depicts the reach of its exports; and Jeremy, 41, an elementary schoolteacher, who is struggling to maintain his perch in the middle class. Import tariffs that might have protected Brandon’s smelting job could theoretically threaten Troy’s job at Toyota, as well as raise the living costs for Jeremy, who finds that even as a member of the white-collar middle class, he needs a second job to make ends meet. “I’m a teacher, I’ve got a budget,” Jeremy said over dinner at Applebee’s with Brandon, while Troy was working the night shift. Would Jeremy buy a $15 American tape measure — and would he see it as protecting his brothers’ jobs? “I look for the best deal,” he said bluntly. “You go to Harbor Freight down the road and all their stuff comes from China. I will go there. They give you tape measures for free.” The Marshall brothers grew up 40 minutes north of Evansville in Oakland City, Ind., the sons of Les Marshall, a coal miner who worked underground for 27 years. He died of a massive heart attack at 62, barely a year after retirement. “He was pretty adamant about getting your education so you don’t have to work these hard, dirty hours,” Jeremy said. Brandon got a bachelor’s degree, but hated his time working as a draftsman in an office. “I gained weight; I’d go home and be mentally stressed,” he said. “Physical labor, you may hurt muscle-wise, but you’re moving around. It’s better for you.” When he lost his $85,000 job at the Alcoa smelter, the best work he could find paid $45,000, soldering components at a company that makes broadcast antennas. His wife, Crystal, had to go back to work filing and painting nails to help with the family’s expenses. He has taken the lifestyle adjustment in stride. “I’m not the person to sit back and have a pity party,” he said. There are also some benefits. He has more time for his two young children: “They were big mommy’s kids before,” he said. “Now that Dad is home more, they’ll jump on the couch next to me to watch Dad’s TV shows. If I did work 60 hours a week on night shift at Toyota, those moments wouldn’t be there.” All three brothers voted for Mr. Trump, embracing his promises to build a wall with Mexico, run the nation as a business and rebuild American manufacturing. The new administration’s trade policies are a work in progress. The president has said he is considering paying for a wall on the southern border by slapping a 20 percent tariff on Mexican imports. But he has yet to endorse the blanket import tax, known as “border adjustment,” that House Republicans favor as part of broad tax overhaul. And of course Mr. Trump has waged a Twitter war to shame American companies into moving manufacturing home. In January, he threatened Toyota that if it did not close a plant it is building in Mexico, it would have to pay “a big border tax.” In response, Toyota’s North American president, Jim Lentz, said a border tax would raise the price of every American-made vehicle — ultimately resulting in job losses in the United States — because nearly all of those domestically produced vehicles include parts made abroad. The Toyota Highlander S.U.V., one of three models made at the Indiana factory, is a good example. Forty percent of its parts are made outside the country, according to government data. When Toyota hired 300 new workers at the plant in 2014, it said the expansion was partly because of foreign sales. But a combination of higher costs to produce Highlanders and retaliatory tariffs that would slow exports could mean fewer workers in the Indiana factory. Troy Marshall, who is a 15-year Toyota employee, recognizes the risks of a protectionist trade policy. “Working in manufacturing in the U.S., I understand if people aren’t buying your product then I don’t have a job,” he said. Nonetheless, he still favors taxing foreign-made goods. He said higher consumer prices would be acceptable if they protected America’s industrial workers. Americans, he said, would learn to adjust their lifestyles. FOIA CBP 001046 DHS-17-0435-B-000343 100 “In my mind, it’s sort of a reset of the American economy,” Mr. Marshall said. “It’s the right thing to do. I don’t think we need all the stuff we buy.” His attitude seems shaped by his confidence that his own job at Toyota, one of the region’s best-paying blue-collar employers, would be secure even if the plant were to shed jobs. After several promotions, he is a supervisor of quality assurance, enjoying good wages, a 401(k) plan and other benefits. Unemployment is low in southwestern Indiana, like the Midwest in general, after a seven-year jobs expansion under President Barack Obama. Still, there are thousands fewer high-paying manufacturing jobs than a decade ago. Factory wages have fallen. As a result, Evansville’s middle class is hollowing out. Household income is flat, compared with strong growth nationally. The dream of a comfortable life with less than a bachelor’s degree — a credential held by only one in four Indiana adults — is receding. “That way of life has really evaporated,” said Jonathan Weinzapfel, who was Evansville’s mayor the year Whirlpool left, idling 1,100 workers. And blue-collar workers are not the only members of the middle class being squeezed. Jeremy Marshall, who has a master’s degree and earns about $50,000 a year teaching at an elementary school, has long worked a second job — first mowing lawns, now as a home inspector. After Indiana’s Republican legislature rolled back teachers’ bargaining rights and tied their pay to student test scores a few years ago, Jeremy said, he missed out on what otherwise would have been an automatic $12,000 raise. He said he voted for Mr. Trump, but in statewide elections he supports Democrats, who are union-friendly. His workday is longer and more stressful than it used to be, he said. “I go home, and I’m mentally zapped. Everything’s data-driven. It’s always analyzing data, creating assessments to create more data.” At Applebee’s, as the conversation circled around the complexities of trade, Brandon Marshall, once in favor of strict protectionism, seemed to shift his view. He considered how tariffs might strain Jeremy’s budget and threaten Troy’s job. “It’s hard to say what would happen if we shut the borders off and had to start surviving on our own,” Brandon said. “The thing about Trump, he never had to worry about a $15 tape measure compared to a $6 one,” he added. “He’s got good intentions. He wants to keep the jobs here. But if all those parts coming for Toyota cost more money to get here, is it going to turn jobs away in the long run?” NAFTA Needs To Be Modernized: Mexican Economy Minister By Joe White Reuters, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Mexico’s Economy Secretary Opposes Trump Push For Tariffs By Mike Householder Associated Press, March 3, 2017 DETROIT (AP) – Mexico’s economy secretary says he is looking forward to starting negotiations with the U.S. to update the North American Free Trade Agreement. But in a speech Friday in Detroit, Economy Secretary Ildefonso Guajardo also said his country does not want to see the imposition of tariffs, which President Donald Trump has said should be placed on goods produced in Mexico. Trump has threatened to establish a border tax on vehicles imported from Mexico as a way to discourage automakers and others from moving jobs there. During a question-and-answer session with business leaders at the Detroit Economic Club, Guajardo said tariffs represent “a move to the past” and adding them “makes no sense.” © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ‘Frankenstein’ U.S. Border Tax Will Hurt Consumers, Canada Warns By Josh Wingrove, Andrew Mayeda Bloomberg Politics, March 3, 2017 ‘Frankenstein’ U.S. Border Tax Will Hurt Consumers, Canada Warns MENU Josh Wingrove,Andrew Mayeda 3/3/2017 3:18:20 PM A proposal by House Republicans to raise taxes on imports would be bad for American consumers and is opposed by Canada, the country’s envoy to Washington said. While the details of House Speaker Paul Ryan’s tax plan – and the White House’s interest in it – remain unclear, Canada is against any measures to simply tax imports across the board, Ambassador David MacNaughton said in an interview on Friday. “Any border tariff that punishes imports is a bad idea from our point of view, and we will aggressively present alternatives as opposed to just opposing it,” MacNaughton FOIA CBP 001047 DHS-17-0435-B-000344 101 said from his office in Washington. “The reality is that the notion of simply taxing imports is not a good idea – not a good idea for the Americans, and not a good idea for Canada.” Keep up with the best of Bloomberg Politics. Get our newsletter daily. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau raised his concerns in a meeting with Ryan last month, but MacNaughton said the appetite for any border tax among the House, Senate and with President Donald Trump remains unclear. Canada is the top buyer of U.S. exports and the second-largest trading partner overall, leaving it highly vulnerable to both a border tax and any pending changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement. For trade moving in the other direction, Canada is the biggest foreign supplier of oil to the U.S.’Frankenstein VAT’ Ryan’s “border-adjustment” plan would tax goods based on where they’re consumed, rather than produced. The proposal would replace the U.S. corporate income tax of 35 percent and charge U.S. companies’ domestic sales and imports at a new 20 percent rate. Exports would be exempted. The plan would raise more than $1 trillion over 10 years – revenue that Ryan and other supporters say is needed to pay for other tax cuts for U.S. businesses and individuals. Trump has also floated the idea of a “border tax” as a way to encourage companies to keep production in the U.S. But it’s unclear if he means an increase in tariffs, or a tax levied on companies that relocate production off shore. Ryan has not yet detailed whether there would be exemptions to certain countries or products, MacNaughton said. Canada believes Ryan favors border import tariffs as a revenue tool – to finance other tax cuts – instead of an across-the-board consumption tax, known also as a value￾added tax, or VAT. “They don’t want to put in a straight consumption tax because they know they can’t get it through” and approved by lawmakers, McNaughton said. “This would all be solved by simply saying, we’re going to have a consumption tax. So they’ve got a half-consumption-tax” that is being proposed by Ryan. MacNaughton called it “kind of a Frankenstein VAT.” The proposal may raise prices of gas and consumer goods, with the Canadian envoy saying those considering the policy should think about people shopping at Wal-Mart. American retailers have spearheaded a publicity campaign against the plan. Canada would propose alternatives to the U.S. and work to find alternatives to a flat border tax, he said.Nafta Impact “Until we see what they’ve got in mind, I think it’d be speculation as to what. I’m just saying if there’s something that simply taxes imports into the United States, that would be something we would clearly oppose,” said MacNaughton. Canada expects Trump to give notice sooner rather than later on Nafta renegotiations, MacNaughton said. Trump’s press for Nafta changes is mostly aimed at Mexico, although the Canadians are optimistic the North American Free Trade Agreement can be preserved, he said. “I think we will find a way to get to a good place on strengthening the economic relationship between Canada and the United States,” along with trade, he said. “But there’s going to be bumps along the way. It’s not going to be smooth sailing.” EU Awaits ‘Solid Outline’ Of Trump Trade Goals With Europe Associated Press, March 3, 2017 BRUSSELS (AP) – The European Union is still waiting for a “solid outline” from the U.S. on its goals for trade with the 28-nation bloc, a senior EU official said after the bloc’s trade ministers met Friday, insisting that trans-Atlantic relations must be in both sides’ interest. There is widespread concern in Europe about the possibility of a more protectionist U.S. approach under President Donald Trump and about the administration’s wider view of the EU. One of Trump’s first actions as president was to withdraw the U.S. from a trans-Pacific trade agreement. Talks on the long-planned Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership between the U.S. and EU are currently frozen, and that accord also faces opposition in parts of Europe. “We await to hear a solid outline of the United States’ plans and goals for trade with the EU,” Economy Minister Christian Cardona of Malta, which holds the 28-nation EU’s presidency, said after hosting fellow trade ministers in Valletta. “There are risks for the multilateral trading system if the United States had to consider any extreme action, as in pulling out of WTO,” or World Trade Organization, said Cardona, who spoke in English. He added that trans-Atlantic relations “should be in both the EU and the U.S. mutual interest.” EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said there is still “a lot of uncertainties” about the new administration’s direction. She added that she was “very encouraged” to hear strong support for the EU’s own trade agenda, which includes trade negotiations with Japan, Mexico and South America’s Mercosur bloc. They offer “a possibility for the European Union to show that we can do good trade deals, sustainable trade deals that are win-win,” Malmstrom said. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or FOIA CBP 001048 DHS-17-0435-B-000345 102 redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. U.S. Finds China Steel Plate Imports Injure U.S. Industry By Eric Walsh Reuters, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. China Shifts Stance, Letting Dying Firms Go Bankrupt National People’s Congress meets with new will to end practice of bailing out failing companies By Chuin-Wei Yap Wall Street Journal, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. In A China Trade War, U.S. Meat Looks Like Dog Food By Deena Shanker Bloomberg News, March 3, 2017 As Donald Trump’s campaign threats of a trade war with China loom over American industry, executives are left to determine how they might navigate that conflict. For the U.S. meat industry, the answer might be snoring softly next to the food bowl in your kitchen. The U.S. sells billions of dollars of beef, pork, and chicken to countries all over the world, a mutually beneficial relationship that allows companies to find buyers for cuts of meat Americans shun, like offal and pig ears. If those markets should close, said Tyson Foods Inc. Chief Executive Officer Tom Hayes, such technically edible animal parts will likely land in your dog’s breakfast. “If in fact there was a situation where there wasn’t a primary use market, we’d use it for rendering,” Hayes said in an interview this week with Bloomberg. “We do a lot of rendering of our products for pet food.” Rendering is the process of grinding up giant heaps of raw food and animal material, heating them, and separating them into components like liquid and solid fats for use in soap, explosives—and Fido’s kibble. It’s a safe and effective way to recycle the approximately 59 billion pounds of what would otherwise be waste produced by the meat, supermarket, and restaurant industries. “We supply people that make pet food and we have our own pet foods business,” Hayes said. Of a trade war with China, he said: “Our view is that things won’t get there, but if they do, we have options.” He noted that the 82-year-old company has “been through tough times before.” But while American dogs and cats (if they knew what was going on) might be salivating over the possible influx of pig ears, there’s a catch for the meat industry: profit. A product sold as the main ingredient in Chinese pig ear salad fetches a higher price than what’s destined for a shelf at Petco. “Rendering is often below 10 cents a pound,” says Brett Stuart, chief executive of market analysis firm Global Agri-Trends. “A year ago, it was $2.80 a pound for pig ears in China.” And it’s not just the ears. The U.S. pork industry exported a total of $791.4 million in “pork variety” in 2016, with Hong Kong purchasing $256.7 million and China buying $245.2 million, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. China is the world’s largest pork importer, and, according to an October 2016 USDA report, “remains an important market for U.S. exporters.” Between January and August 2015, the country accounted for 6 percent of total U.S. pork shipments. For the same period in 2016, it was 12 percent. While trade restrictions would mean major changes across the agriculture industry, meat producers will face a particular challenge thanks to international variations in consumption preferences. “Grain is grain is grain,” Stuart said. “But once you start talking about meat, there are so many different products and different values in all markets.” For now, though, Hayes is reluctant to alter a company strategy that brought in $4.1 billion in sales from 115 countries last year. “It’s really important to the countries that we export to that they continue to have availability of our products,” he said. Stuart echoed the sentiment: “One would hope that we don’t hurt through trade restrictions a thriving, globally competitive manufacturing business at home.” Sessions Talks Voting Rights, Police Misconduct With NAACP By Max Greenwood The Hill, March 3, 2017 Attorney General Jeff Sessions sat down with NAACP leaders at the Justice Department on Friday to discuss voter protections and police misconduct, the group said in a statement. The meeting with NAACP president and CEO Cornell William Brooks and the group’s general counsel Brad Berry was scheduled by Sessions last month on his first day as the country’s top law enforcement official. “I told him history is upon us. It will be a civil rights crisis in the next few weeks or months. We’ve been here before FOIA CBP 001049 DHS-17-0435-B-000346 103 and there’s unrest,” Brooks told NBC News in an interview after the meeting. The civil rights group positioned itself as a fierce opponent of Sessions during his nomination to become the nation’s top law enforcement officer, staging a protest in the former GOP senator’s Alabama office in January. Civil rights activists and some Democrats feared that Sessions, a staunch conservative, would use his position as attorney general to reverse course on the Obama administration’s push for voting rights protections. The Trump administration indicated on Monday that it would drop the federal government’s opposition to a controversial Texas voter ID law, that many advocacy groups and lawmakers accused of being discriminatory against minorities. The NAACP said in its statement after the meeting with Sessions that Brooks told the attorney general that he was disappointed by that decision. “The vote represents that sacred sacrament of democracy and any attempts to manipulate, suppress or otherwise reduce the integrity of the vote – whether abroad or domestically – represents a direct threat to our democracy,” Brooks said in a statement after the meeting. The group said Brooks also expressed concerns over Sessions’ announcement on Tuesday that the Justice Department would “pull back” from suing local police departments that have a record of civil rights abuses. N.A.A.C.P. President Has Candid Talk With Sessions About Civil Rights By Christopher Mele New York Times, March 3, 2017 On Jan. 3, Cornell William Brooks, the president of the N.A.A.C.P., was arrested after an hourslong sit-in at the Mobile, Ala., office of Senator Jeff Sessions, demanding that he withdraw his name from consideration to become attorney general in the Trump administration. On Friday — exactly two months later — he met privately with Mr. Sessions, who was confirmed last month as the attorney general, at his Washington office for what Mr. Brooks described as a polite but candid conversation about voter suppression, police misconduct and civil rights. Mr. Brooks said in an interview on Friday night that the meeting, arranged at the invitation of Mr. Sessions, did not change any minds but was a chance to impress on the attorney general how the civil rights group sees its mission. “The weight of history is on his shoulders and the Department of Justice,” he said. He said the overall tenor of the 35-minute private meeting was wait and see, adding, “It’s also wait and work. It’s both.” Mr. Brooks called the N.A.A.C.P. a partner in the fight for civil rights, but added that the Department of Justice needs to be active, as well. Referring to his organization, Mr. Brooks said, “The mistake would be to consider it the first responder instead of the primary care physician.” The Justice Department confirmed that Mr. Sessions met with Mr. Brooks on Friday but would not give any details. Mr. Brooks expressed particular concern with the new administration’s stand regarding a contentious voter identification law in Texas. The Republican-led Legislature in the state passed one of the toughest voter ID laws in the country in 2011, requiring voters to show a driver’s license, passport or other government-issued photo ID before casting a ballot. The Obama administration’s Justice Department sued the state to block the law in 2013 and scored a major victory last year after a federal appeals court ruled that the law needed to be softened because it discriminated against minority voters who lacked the required IDs. But the Justice Department under President Trump and Mr. Sessions told a judge on Monday that it was withdrawing its claim that Texas enacted the law with a discriminatory intent. Mr. Brooks said he understood that a new administration could usher a change in policies or opinions, but he called the Trump administration’s position “a change in fact.” “That’s very troubling for us,” Mr. Brooks said. “The people expect the Department of Justice to be on the side of the victims of voter suppression, not substantiating the mythology of voter fraud.” Mr. Sessions indicated this week that the federal government would back away from monitoring troubled police departments, which was a central strategy of the Obama administration to bring accountability to law enforcement agencies at a time of rising racial tensions. Mr. Brooks said he told Mr. Sessions that some police agencies have officers who “feel they are not accountable” and that consent decrees are a way to get departments to do the right thing. He noted that Mr. Sessions was from Alabama and, he believed, would have an appreciation for the civil rights struggles that played out in the South. “Our people bled, sweated and died,” Mr. Brooks said. “I think he understands the depth of our concerns. I think he understands the depth of our resolve.” How Gorsuch The Clerk Met Kennedy The Justice: A Tale Of Luck By Adam Liptak And Nicholas Fandos New York Times, March 3, 2017 FOIA CBP 001050 DHS-17-0435-B-000347 104 WASHINGTON — It was a stroke of luck that landed Neil M. Gorsuch in the chambers of Justice Anthony M. Kennedy on a summer day nearly a quarter-century ago. Then 25 and fresh off a year at Oxford, Judge Gorsuch had been hired by Justice Byron R. White for the most coveted apprenticeship in American law — a Supreme Court clerkship. But because Justice White had retired, Judge Gorsuch was also assigned, by happenstance, to Justice Kennedy, the longtime center of power at the Supreme Court. His year as a clerk, beginning in the summer of 1993, gave Judge Gorsuch a privileged look at the court’s workings and a crash course in its unrelenting caseload and internal politics. As Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and a fellow law clerk to Justice Kennedy that year, observed, “We were in the middle of everything.” It also produced something else: a lasting bond between an ambitious, already staunchly conservative clerk and a justice, three decades his senior, whose style and temperament appear to have rubbed off on him, even if the justice’s more moderate views did not. Almost 25 years later, as Judge Gorsuch, now 49, awaits his own confirmation to the court, his relationship with Justice Kennedy has become a matter of intense interest, as both Democrats and Republicans look for evidence of how it might shape the court’s near future. The White House hopes the bond matters to Justice Kennedy, too. In choosing Judge Gorsuch to replace Justice Antonin Scalia and floating the names of other former Kennedy clerks for the next Supreme Court vacancy, administration officials have sought to reassure Justice Kennedy, 80, that the court will be in good hands should he choose to retire and open a seat for another, younger justice. While Judge Gorsuch learned a great deal in Justice Kennedy’s chambers, the lessons seem to have been more personal than political. “There were a lot of ideologues both left and right, and he wasn’t one of them,” said Stephen F. Smith, who served as a law clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas that same term and is now a law professor at the University of Notre Dame. “He was careful, quiet.” Judge Gorsuch’s critics say his own mild and courteous manner masks a fierce commitment to a right-wing agenda, and political scientists say he is likely to vote with the court’s most conservative justices rather than with Justice Kennedy. In closely divided cases, Justice Kennedy often holds the crucial vote, and he generally leans right. He wrote the majority opinion, for instance, in the Citizens United campaign finance case. But in recent years, Justice Kennedy has joined the court’s four-member liberal wing in major cases establishing a right to same-sex marriage, protecting abortion rights and upholding affirmative action. “It’s safe to say that little of Justice Kennedy rubbed off on him when it comes to certain critical areas of the law,” Nan Aron, the president of the Alliance for Justice, a liberal group, said of Judge Gorsuch. On the federal appeals court in Denver for more than a decade, Judge Gorsuch has cited Justice Kennedy by name from time to time. But he has been much more likely to cite Justice Scalia. To his fellow law clerks, Judge Gorsuch was neither particularly dogmatic nor calculating. Instead, interviews with more than a dozen clerks and a review of papers housed at the Library of Congress paint a picture of someone with a dogged work ethic, an understated but appealing presence and a sense of fairness tempered by cautious judgment. Justice Kennedy taught his law clerks by example, Judge Kavanaugh said, instilling in them an independent frame of mind and a “gentlemanly tone.” “A lot of us have tried to emulate that in our careers,” Judge Kavanaugh said. “Neil has exemplified that better than anybody.” Judge Gorsuch arrived at the court in the summer of 1993 in the aftermath of a bruising term. The fallout of a divisive abortion case, Planned Parenthood v. Casey, had left the justices eager to produce a quieter one in its wake. Judge Gorsuch’s term at the court was not without notable decisions; the court issued significant rulings on discrimination in jury selection, protests outside abortion clinics, voting rights, religious schools and copyright infringement for song parodies. But none qualified as a blockbuster. Though he worked in the chambers of Justice Kennedy as a “step clerk,” as well as for Justice White (retired justices remain entitled to a clerk), idiosyncratic hiring practices may have helped him. “Look, there are a hundred people a year that could do the job adequately,” Justice White once said, according his biographer, Dennis J. Hutchinson. “I might as well have someone who’s interesting, and that doesn’t mean the ones the fancy law professors recommend.” That Justice White was partial to candidates from his home state, Colorado, and who had spent time at Oxford, where the justice had been a Rhodes Scholar, most likely helped Judge Gorsuch’s application stand out, said two law clerks who worked for Justice White, David D. Meyer and John C. P. Goldberg. “Justice White probably would have seen echoes of himself in a way in Neil,” said Mr. Meyer, who is now the dean of Tulane University Law School. Todd C. Peppers, who teaches at Roanoke College and has written extensively about Supreme Court law clerks, said Judge Gorsuch’s academic credentials might have glittered just a little less brightly than those of some of the clerks hired by active justices. FOIA CBP 001051 DHS-17-0435-B-000348 105 “He did not serve as an editor on The Harvard Law Review,” Professor Peppers said. “Moreover, he ‘only’ graduated cum laude — which suggests that his grades might not have been as high as the typical Supreme Court law clerk.” Even clerks who worked for a single justice remembered a merciless workload. “It was the definition of a 24/7 job,” said Landis C. Best, who worked for Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist and is now a partner at Cahill Gordon & Reindel in New York. Judge Gorsuch cut an impressive, if not particularly ideological, figure. Surrounded by a class of elite law graduates that included a handful of future federal judges and acclaimed academics, his “quiet intelligence” was notable, said Louis Feldman, who clerked for Justice Scalia that year. “Some people just have that aura around them,” Mr. Feldman said. “You know this is someone who has the ability and the personality to go far in the legal world.” Mostly, Judge Gorsuch was affable and unflappable. He was not, by several former colleagues’ accounts, a member of the regular pickup basketball games in the Supreme Court’s fifth-floor gym, known around the building as the “highest court in the land.” But he was a regular at clerk social events and occasional lunches hosted by each of the justices. “He seemed very calm, measured, thoughtful, polite, gentlemanly — very much like what one notices about him now,” said Eugene Volokh, who clerked for Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and now teaches at the University of California, Los Angeles. “He fit into the place very easily,” said Judge Kavanaugh, who is himself on the White House’s short list for the next Supreme Court vacancy. “He’s just an easy guy to get along with. He doesn’t have sharp elbows.” Justice Kennedy, like most justices then and now, assigned his law clerks to a shared labor pool that streamlined the work of reviewing incoming cases to make recommendations about which petitions should be granted. Judge Gorsuch’s memorandums, which are available in the papers of Justice Harry A. Blackmun, were thorough and fair-minded. In one, there are glimmers of the light touch that would characterize his later writing. In summarizing a petition from a civil servant fired by the Army, Judge Gorsuch seemed to suppress a smile. “Petitioner discusses at length General William Tecumseh Sherman’s decision to march through Georgia,” he wrote, “and then turns to describe in detail the technology of modern attack helicopters.” Though his conservative political views were already well developed when he arrived at the court, Judge Gorsuch gave little overt indication of his positions as he researched and discussed cases in Justice Kennedy’s chambers. “We had a wide range of views, but we all really got along well,” Judge Kavanaugh said of the five clerks that term, who were chosen in part to represent different points on the political spectrum. When in 2006 Judge Gorsuch joined the United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit, Justice Kennedy administered the oath to him in Denver and delivered a reminder of that principle. Explaining its significance to the judge’s two young daughters, Justice Kennedy said, “He’s doing it to remind all of us that the first obligation any American has is to defend and protect the Constitution of the United States.” Law Restricting Protests During Supreme Court Proceedings Is Upheld By Robert Barnes Washington Post, March 3, 2017 The words “harangue” and “oratory” may not roll off the tongue the way they used to, a federal appeals court acknowledged Friday. But their meanings are clear enough to let anyone know that they cannot interrupt the proceedings of the Supreme Court by making speeches. A panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit said that a lower court was wrong to find the words so vague as to cast doubt on a law that outlaws protests at the Supreme Court. At issue is a decades-old statute that states, “It is unlawful to discharge a firearm, firework or explosive, set fire to a combustible, make a harangue or oration, or utter loud, threatening, or abusive language in the Supreme Court building or grounds.” Judge Janice Rogers Brown, writing for a unanimous three-judge panel, said that in context the wording was clear enough that a group of protesters at an April 1, 2015, oral argument should have known that they could not stand up and start making statements. “It is true, as their dictionary definitions show, that ‘harangue’ and ‘oration’ can cover different facets of public speeches — ‘orations’ can include formal speeches, while ‘harangues’ can include angry or vehement speeches,” Brown wrote. “But we are interpreting a statute, not restating a dictionary.” At the 2015 incident, a string of protesters rose to speak after the courtroom full of spectators had been admonished to remain silent as the oral argument proceeded. “We rise to demand democracy,” said Belinda Rodriguez. After she was removed, Matthew Kresling stood up: “Money is not speech. One person, one vote!” Another demanded the court overturn its campaign finance decision in Citizens United v. FEC. They were charged with violating the statute against protests in the Supreme Court building, but last year U.S. FOIA CBP 001052 DHS-17-0435-B-000349 106 District Judge Christopher R. Cooper agreed with them that the language about harangues and oratory was unconstitutionally vague. “Congress has not defined these words, nor has their meaning ‘evolved over the years from repeated adjudications,’ “ Cooper wrote. (But he rejected the same vagueness challenge to the word “loud.”) In Friday’s ruling, however, Brown said the meaning was clear: “By employing two words that cover public speeches of myriad forms within a statute focused on the Supreme Court’s building and grounds, Congress’s use of ‘harangue’ and ‘oration’ indicates these terms are meant to cover any form of public speeches that tend to disrupt the Supreme Court’s operations.” She was joined in the decision by U.S. circuit judges Sri Srinivasan and Stephen F. Williams. Those latter two judges were also on a unanimous D.C. Circuit panel last year that upheld a related law that restricted protesters from the Supreme Court’s plaza. Demonstrations are allowed on the sidewalks that surround the court. State Lawmakers Respond To Engaged Citizens — By Trying To Shut Them Up By Editorial Board Washington Post, March 3, 2017 THE PAST few months have seen an explosion of political protests — and an explosion of state legislative efforts to stop them. Though many of these dissent-stifling bills may not make it past committee, much less survive the scrutiny of a court, the onslaught of legislation is a troubling sign that state lawmakers intend to respond to an engaged civil society by trying to shut it up. Republican lawmakers in at least 18 states since the election have introduced or considered legislation imposing higher penalties and harsher rules on protesters. The bills range from the restrictive, such as ramping up punishment for highway obstruction, to the ridiculous: an Arizona bill that proposed expanding the state’s racketeering laws to include rioting, or an attempt in Tennessee to protect drivers who run over protesters in public rights-of-way from civil liability, as long as they do so accidentally. Lawmakers present their bills as attempts to curb destructive and dangerous acts, and they are right that window-smashing and limousine-burning bring meager value to the marketplace of ideas. They’re also right that the sustained obstruction of major highways can prevent the passage of emergency vehicles, at potentially great cost. But localities already have laws prohibiting that sort of behavior on their books. Scaling up the consequences beyond what’s reasonable seems designed to scare people away from peaceful protest. It also fits a pattern of officials delegitimizing dissent: Lawmakers in some states have complained lately that protesters are “paid” to speak up, parroting claims made by Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) after hecklers got heated at his town hall and by White House press secretary Sean Spicer after thousands flocked to airports to oppose the president’s travel ban. Many of the bills working their way through the states are of doubtful constitutionality, which may explain why some legislatures have killed them before they could be challenged. Yet that does not mean there is no cause for concern. Legislators should be listening to constituents who care enough about a cause to take to the streets — for their own sake and the sake of the communities they represent. If mass movements of the past are anything to go on, boxing out the opposition will only make polarization greater and some protesters louder. The bills could also have a chilling effect on others who want to make their voices heard. A Minnesota lawmaker backing one of the recently introduced bills noted that “there is a point where one person’s rights end and another’s begins.” Locating that point requires more care than these legislators have shown. Read more on this topic: Dana Milbank: Trump’s toxicity has Republicans running away from their constituents Rob Stein: Just resisting Trump won’t do enough for Democrats Dana Milbank: While Trump scandals mount, Chaffetz decides to investigate ... a cartoon character The Mob At Middlebury A mob tries to silence Charles Murray and sends a prof to the ER. Wall Street Journal, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. UN Official: Tribe Not Properly Heard In Pipeline Dispute By Blake Nicholson Associated Press, March 3, 2017 BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – A United Nations official who visited North Dakota in the wake of months of protests over the disputed Dakota Access oil pipeline believes the concerns and rights of Native Americans haven’t been adequately addressed. North Dakota Republican Gov. Doug Burgum says the state has respected legal protests and that it focused on maintaining peace and protecting the environment. He said his administration is working to restore relations with the Standing Rock Sioux. The tribe has led the fight against the $3.8 billion pipeline to move North Dakota oil to Illinois. The opposition FOIA CBP 001053 DHS-17-0435-B-000350 107 became centered at a camp that protesters established on federal land between the tribe’s reservation and the pipeline route. It grew at times to thousands of people, many of whom clashed with police, leading to about 750 arrests since August. “My impression is that there was unnecessary use of force,” Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, U.N. special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, told The Associated Press after visiting the area this week at the invitation of Standing Rock Sioux Chairman Dave Archambault. “Anybody has a right to protest and express their opposition to what is happening.” Police say some protesters were violent and took part in riots, and that some targeted police both professionally and personally. “Through this ordeal, our law enforcement personnel have shown great professionalism and restraint as they faced taunts, verbal abuse, threats, thrown objects and even gunshots,” Burgum told the AP. The main protest camp recently was shut down in advance of spring flooding, and a federal contractor is cleaning up hundreds of tons of trash and debris before it can pollute nearby rivers. Tauli-Corpuz acknowledged the large amount of garbage but said she considered it “not such a huge issue.” “Efforts to clean it up could be undertaken even if people were there,” she said. Burgum said the pollution concern and the cleanup that could cost federal taxpayers up to $1.2 million isn’t overblown. “More than 600 truckloads of garbage, building materials and toxic debris were hauled away from the protest camps. ... Most North Dakotans would agree that’s ‘a huge issue,’ “ he said. Tauli-Corpuz also said she believes the tribe wasn’t properly consulted about the pipeline route – an argument the tribe has made in a federal lawsuit against the Army Corps of Engineers and Texas-based pipeline developer Energy Transfer Partners. The defendants dispute that claim. The tribe says the pipeline threatens its water, sacred sites and religion. The tribe successfully pushed for a full environmental study of the pipeline’s crossing under Lake Oahe, a Missouri River reservoir from which it draws water. However, the Corps rescinded the study at the urging of President Donald Trump. Tauli-Corpuz said she’s likely to recommend a full environmental study in a September report to the U.N. Human Rights Council. The report will have no force of law. She isn’t the first U.N. official to weigh in on the pipeline. The U.N. Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues last August issued a statement calling for more tribal input. Forum member Edward John visited the camp in late October, saying he found a “war zone” atmosphere, and the group issued a statement in November calling on the U.S. government to protect sacred sites and uphold human rights. --- Follow Blake Nicholson on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/NicholsonBlake © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. U.N. Human Rights Official Criticizes Federal Relationship With Indian Tribes By Joe Heim Washington Post, March 3, 2017 A United Nations human rights official criticized the U.S. government’s handling of the Dakota Access pipeline project in a special report on Friday, saying it disregard treaties and ignored the interests of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, a U.N. special rapporteur examining issues related to Native American tribes in the United States, said in an interview that she was struck by the ineffective communication between tribes and federal and local governments across the country, particularly when it came to development and energy projects on or adjacent to Indian reservations. In her report, she said the federal government has shown a “lack of good faith involvement” of Native tribes in reviewing such projects. While she acknowledged that there has been progress in the relationship between the federal government and tribal governments, Tauli-Corpuz said there has been widespread failure to adequately communicate and consult with indigenous peoples on issues “affecting their land, territory and resources.” Tauli-Corpuz concluded her 10-day mission to the United States on Friday in Washington where she delivered a preliminary report on her visit to State Department officials. The trip took her to meetings with tribes, politicians and government officials in New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado. She also traveled to North Dakota, where she visited the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, site of a year-long protest by Indians and environmentalists against the Dakota Access pipeline project. The Standing Rock Sioux tribe has opposed the pipeline because it crosses the Missouri River a mile north of their reservation and, they say, poses a threat to their drinking water. The tribe has argued that it was not adequately consulted about the pipeline route — which it says crosses sacred burial grounds — and not given a chance to participate meaningfully in discussions about the project with FOIA CBP 001054 DHS-17-0435-B-000351 108 the Army Corps of Engineers and other federal government representatives. In an interview, Tauli-Corpuz said she was invited to the Standing Rock Sioux reservation by its chairman, David Archambault II, whom she met when he visited the U.N. in Geneva last year to speak about the tribe’s plight. “In a show of disregard for treaties and the federal trust responsibility, the Army Corps approved a draft environmental assessment regarding the pipeline that ignored the interests of the tribe,” she wrote in her report. “Maps in the draft environmental assessment omitted the reservation, and the draft made no mention of proximity to the reservation or the fact that the pipeline would cross historic treaty lands of a number of tribal nations. In doing so, the draft environmental assessment treated the tribe’s interests as non-existent, demonstrating the flawed current process.” According to Tauli-Corpuz, the experience of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe is shared by many other indigenous communities in the United States. She wrote, “From my conversations with people throughout Indian Country, I have learned that many of the complex issues that Native Americans face in the energy development context today are rooted in a long history of land and resource dispossession.” She urged the government “to undertake meaningful consultations with the indigenous people before any project is brought to their communities.” Tauli-Corpuz will soon return to Geneva and put together a full report that will contain findings, observations and recommendations that she will present at a September session of the U.N.’s Human Rights Council. “I hope that the United States government will at least look at the report and take into account the recommendations that I have done and see how they can implement them,” she said. “And I hope that the indigenous people will also use the recommendations to push the government to implement them.” Oklahoma Native American Tribe Sues Energy Companies For Quake Damage By Lenzy Krebiel-Burton Reuters, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Oklahoma Tribe Sues Oil Companies In Tribal Court Over Quake By Sean Murphy Associated Press, March 3, 2017 OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – An Oklahoma-based Native American tribe filed a lawsuit in its own tribal court system Friday accusing several oil companies of triggering the state’s largest earthquake that caused extensive damage to some near-century-old tribal buildings. The Pawnee Nation alleges in the suit that wastewater injected into wells operated by the defendants caused the 5.8-magnitude quake in September and is seeking physical damages to real and personal property, market value losses, as well as punitive damages. The case will be heard in the tribe’s district court with a jury composed of Pawnee Nation members. “We are a sovereign nation and we have the rule of law here,” said Andrew Knife Chief, the Pawnee Nation’s executive director. “We’re using our tribal laws, our tribal processes to hold these guys accountable.” Attorneys representing the 3,200-member tribe in north￾central Oklahoma say the lawsuit is the first earthquake￾related litigation filed in a tribal court. If an appeal were filed in a jury decision, it could be heard by a five-member tribal Supreme Court, and that decision would be final. “Usually tribes have their own appellate process, and then, and this surprises a lot of people, there is no appeal from a tribal supreme court,” said Lindsay Robertson, a University of Oklahoma law professor who specializes in Federal Indian Law. Once a tribal court judgment is finalized, it can be taken to a state district court for enforcement just like any other judgment, Robertson said, but that enforcement action would not subject the judgment to any appeals in state court. Curt Marshall, one of the attorneys representing the Pawnee Nation, said the lawsuit was filed in tribal court primarily so that the Pawnee Nation could assert its sovereignty. “The tribe has jurisdiction over civil matters to enforce judgments within its jurisdiction, including judgments over non-Indians,” Marshall said. While experts say major civil judgments against non￾Indians in tribal courts are rare, the U.S. Supreme Court last year left in place the authority of Native American courts to judge complaints against people who are not tribal members. In that case, Dollar General Corp. was sued in tribal court for $2.5 million over allegations that the manager of a store on tribal land made sexual advances toward a 13-year-old boy placed in the store by a tribal youth employment program. The case was returned to tribal court for a ruling on the merits. Scientists have linked the dramatic spike in earthquakes in Oklahoma to the underground disposal of wastewater that is a byproduct of oil and gas drilling. Oklahoma Corporation Commission regulators have directed oil and gas producers to either close injection wells or reduce the volume of fluids they inject. The quake, located about 9 miles from the center Pawnee, damaged buildings across the north-central FOIA CBP 001055 DHS-17-0435-B-000352 109 community of about 2,200 residents. The sandstone facade of some buildings fell, several others were cracked and one man suffered a minor head injury when part of a fireplace fell on him. Oklahoma’s governor declared a state of emergency for the entire county. An attorney for Oklahoma City-based Cummings Oil Company, one of the companies named in the suit, declined to comment until they receive and review the filing. Telephone messages left with an attorney for a second defendant, Tulsa-based Eagle Road Oil, were not immediately returned. Chad Warmington, the president of the Oklahoma Oil and Gas Association, said that while the tribal jurisdiction is unique, the lawsuit itself is not a surprise. “The oil and gas industry has been the target of significant litigation over the years, so I wouldn’t think it comes as a surprise that there could be potential new litigation,” he said. Among the tribal structures damaged in the September earthquake is the former Pawnee Nation Indian School, a sandstone building on the National Register of Historic Places that now houses the tribe’s administrative offices. “We have extensive cracks throughout all the walls on every single one of these historic buildings, and the cracks run through the entire width of the walls,” Knife Chief said. “We had mortar pop. We had roofs sag. We have ceilings that are bowing.” According to the lawsuit, both companies were operating wastewater injection wells on lands within the Pawnee Nation less than 10 miles from the epicenter of the Sept. 3 quake. From 1980 to 2000, Oklahoma averaged only two earthquakes a year of magnitude 2.7 or higher. That number jumped to about 2,500 in 2014 then to 4,000 in 2015 amid a boom in fracking – the process of injecting a high-pressure mix of water, sand or gravel and chemicals into rock to extract oil and gas. It dropped to 2,500 last year, after Oklahoma restricted volume of wastewater injections, according to a study released this week by the U.S. Geological Survey. The agency reported Wednesday in its annual national earthquake outlook that a large portion of Oklahoma and parts of central California are at the highest risk for a damaging quake this year. At least four separate class-action lawsuits have been filed by the same group of attorneys against various oil companies in Oklahoma connected to large earthquakes dating back to 2011. Another lawsuit has been filed on behalf of a Prague woman injured when a November 2011 quake toppled a stone chimney in her home. “We understand the industry is very important to the economy of Oklahoma, and the last thing we want to do is come in and shut the operations down,” said Marshall, the tribe’s attorney. “But we do want the oil and gas industry to act responsibly environmentally, and we want them to be held accountable for the damage they’ve created.” --- Follow Sean Murphy at www.twitter.com/apseanmurphy --- This story has been corrected to indicate Andrew Knife Chief is the Pawnee Nation’s executive director, not its chief. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Private Prisons Won Reversal Of U.S. Policy For $350k By Franco Ordoñez McClatchy, March 3, 2017 Private prisons won reversal of U.S. policy for $350k White House Did companies’ donations buy a Trump change in private prison policy? Franco Ordoñez fordonez@mcclatchydc.com 3/3/2017 7:15:00 PM What does hundreds of thousands of dollars buy in Washington these days? Potentially a lot of private detention centers by the Trump administration. That’s the accusation two members of Congress have laid at the doorstep of President Donald Trump and two of the nation’s biggest private prison companies after newly confirmed Attorney General Jeff Sessions dismissed extensive research into the problems of the private prison industry and – with the swipe of a pen – overturned an Obama administration decision to phase out its use. “That connection seems suspiciously evil,” said Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo. The swift action by Sessions after his confirmation and the rapid blowback from Cleaver and Rep. Luis Gutiérrez, D￾Ill., highlight the sensitive concerns about the influence of money in Washington and help explain why government contractors are not allowed to contribute to presidential campaigns. The White House blasted the Democrats for implying any kind of “pay-to-play” scheme. “This is just more partisan politics by Democrats who have made clear they intend to ignore the priorities of the American people and launch meritless attacks against this administration at every turn,” said White House spokesman Michael Short. Steve Owen, a spokesman for one of the companies, now known as CoreCivic Co., said the company did not FOIA CBP 001056 DHS-17-0435-B-000353 110 contribute to any presidential candidate or campaign. He acknowledged that his company had contributed to this year’s inaugural events but said it was consistent with past practice. He pointed out that the company doesn’t lobby or take positions on proposals or policies that would affect the duration of an individual’s detention. Pablo Paez, vice president of corporate relations for the other company, GEO Group, which is based in Boca Raton, Florida, defended his company’s $225,000 donation to a pro￾Trump political action committee, saying it was legal because it had been made by a subsidiary, GEO Corrections Holdings Inc., that has no contracts with any governmental agency. “Our contribution was fully compliant with all applicable federal election laws,” Paez said. That connection seems suspiciously evil. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo. Private prisons became an important part of America’s corrections system starting in the 1980s, as tough sentencing guidelines were adopted to address the drug wars. The population has since dropped, and private facilities are largely used to detain immigrants. Forty-six of the roughly 180 facilities in which Immigration and Customs Enforcement holds detainees are privately run, according to ICE. About 60 percent of its 400,000 annual detainees are held in privately operated facilities. They’re being held for alleged crimes, while awaiting deportation or while fighting asylum cases to remain in the country. The Justice Department announced last August that it was phasing out its use of corporate-run prisons because of cost and safety concerns for inmates. According to a report by the department’s Office of Inspector General, inmates in several private facilities received bad food and poor medical care. Staffing levels were inadequate. The conditions contributed to security problems. The private prisons saw 28 percent more inmate-on-inmate assaults. Eighty-six percent of the private facilities had lock￾downs, in which inmates had to be confined to their cells, compared with 43 percent of government-run prisons, the report found. CoreCivic, then known as Corrections Corp. of America, and GEO Group saw their stock shares plummet when the inspector general’s report was published. Advocates hailed the Obama’s administration’s decision to move away from private prisons as a positive step toward ending mass incarceration. But that was six months ago, an eternity in a political landscape that changed dramatically with Trump’s election. Trump made campaign statements supporting private prisons, and the companies’ stock shot back up after he was elected. Trump then signed an executive order authorizing the construction of a wall along the border with Mexico, the hiring of 15,000 more immigration agents and the detention of everyone who could not be immediately deported. Then, soon after Sessions was confirmed, the attorney general signed a new memorandum ending the Obama administration’s initiative to phase out the use of private prisons. EDITORS: BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM Trump had received little support from major corporations when he was running for the White House, but the GEO Group was a rare publicly traded corporation that made contributions to a pro-Trump super political action committee, according to an analysis of Federal Election Commission reports by Ciara Torres-Spelliscy, a law professor at Florida’s Stetson University who’s a fellow at the nonprofit Brennan Center for Justice at New York University Law School. Spelliscy noted that 45 percent of GEO’s revenue came from operating 26 prison centers for the federal government. “From the outside, what you see is what looks like some pay-to-play behavior, where you have spending by someone who is a federal contractor who is interested in a particular policy outcome, spending money in an election and then after the election their winning candidate does the policy that they wanted all along all,” Spelliscy said. “It certainly looks suspicious.” Damon Hininger, president and CEO of CoreCivic, noted in an earnings call that Trump’s order immediately allocated resources to the construction, operation and control of additional detention facilities. “When coupled with the above-average rate crossings along the Southwest border, these executive orders appear likely to significantly increase the need for safe, humane and appropriate detention bed capacity that we have available in our existing real estate portfolio, as well as an increased demand for our detention facility design, development and facility maintenance expertise,” Hininger said. GEO Group, which operates 64 correctional facilities in the United States, was named in a complaint to the FEC as violating a prohibition on campaign contributions from government contractors over its $225,000 contribution to the pro-Trump super PAC Rebuilding America. EDITORS: END OPTIONAL TRIM Cleaver said he didn’t have a problem with CoreCivic and Geo making money. But he said it was unseemly how the government appeared to be partnering with the companies so they could profit by building more detention centers. Cleaver and Gutiérrez accused the companies of advocating policies that “deprive people of their liberty” to increase profits. “With the massive increase in deportations and criminalizing people planned by Trump, prisons are looking at a fat windfall from the sorrow of others,” Gutiérrez said. “We FOIA CBP 001057 DHS-17-0435-B-000354 111 just wanted to put these companies on notice that the American people are watching and that profiting from incarceration has moral consequences.” EDITORS: STORY CAN END HERE Paez said the company welcomed the opportunity to meet with Cleaver and Gutiérrez “to dispel the myths” about it. He said his company’s focus was on helping reduce “recidivism and helping individuals successfully re-enter society.” While the Justice Department conducted an extensive investigation last year before announcing the changes, Sessions didn’t give much information about why he was reversing course. In four sentences, he said the Obama policy had changed long-standing policy and practice and had impaired the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ ability to meet future needs. That led groups like Campaign Legal Center, a nonprofit campaign-finance watchdog group, to ask questions and ultimately file the FEC complaint against GEO. “There is no indication that the reversal of the prior policy was similarly based in any sort of research,” said Brendan Fischer, associate counsel for the Campaign Legal Center. “A reasonable person might then start to look at what other factors might have influenced this decision. And $225,000 to a super PAC and additional contributions to the inaugural committee certainly could be factors in that decision.” ‘Overwhelming’ Number Of Lesbians, Bisexual Women Incarcerated By Andrew Sacks NBC News, March 3, 2017 ‘Overwhelming’ Number of Lesbians, Bisexual Women Incarcerated ‘Overwhelming’ Number of Lesbians, Bisexual Women Incarcerated ‘Overwhelming’ number of lesbians and bisexual women are incarcerated https://www.facebook.com/NBCNews 3/3/2017 Andrew Sacks / Getty Images Sexual minorities – particularly lesbians and bisexual women – are disproportionately incarcerated in the U.S., according to a recent study published in the American Journal of Public Health. The findings, which looked at data from the National Inmate Survey (2011-2012), also found lesbians, gay men and bisexuals are at an increased risk for sexual assault and more likely to receive certain types of punishment. “Sexual minority inmates have very different experiences behind bars … but we haven’t ever had really solid data to back it up,” Lara Stemple, one of the study’s authors and the director of the Health and Human Rights Law Project at UCLA, told NBC Out. This new study is the first of its kind at the national level to accurately measure the percentage of sexual minorities who are incarcerated, analyzing data from more than 80,000 respondents. The report defines “sexual minority” as anyone identifying as lesbian, gay or bisexual, as well as anyone that reported same-sex sexual behavior prior to being incarcerated. Overrepresentation Lesbians, gay men and bisexuals are three times more likely to be incarcerated than their heterosexual counterparts, according to the study. Gay and bisexual men constitute 5.5 percent and 3.3 percent of those in prisons and jails, respectively. This is somewhat higher than the estimated 3.6 percent of gay and bisexual men in the U.S. population. Men who have had sex with another man prior to incarceration – but who do not identify as gay or bisexual – make up an additional 3.8 percent and 2.9 percent of the male population in prisons and jails, respectively. For women, the overrepresentation is much more pronounced: Researchers found roughly a third of incarcerated women identify as lesbian or bisexual, “a proportion that is about 8 to 10 times greater than the 3.4 percent of lesbian or bisexual women in the U.S. population.” When women who engaged in same-sex sexual activity prior to their detention are factored in, sexual minority women account for a staggering 42.1 percent of the female prison population and 35.7 percent of women in jails. Stemple called the number of incarcerated sexual minority women “overwhelming.” She said this means no one “should be doing any work on incarcerated women from this point forward without thinking about how [it] affects sexual minorities.” Limitations of the data make it impossible to speak definitively about the cause of this overrepresentation, according to Stemple. However, she noted, “Thinking about gender theory, women who defy norms of femininity may be more likely to be perceived as aggressive and dangerous.” Stemple also said it is important to take race into account, given the disproportionate number of people of color who are incarcerated. “Societal perception of masculinities of color as threatening could apply to women. There is already good evidence that it applies to men,” she said, adding that the overrepresentation of sexual minority women may be connected to “the over-policing of masculinities of color.” Victimization, Abuse and Punishment The study also found that sexual minorities, both male and female, were more likely to have suffered sexual victimization prior to incarceration than heterosexual inmates. Once incarcerated, they are again at increased risk. Among FOIA CBP 001058 DHS-17-0435-B-000355 112 male inmates, sexual minorities were much more likely to be sexually victimized by staff and other inmates than heterosexual male prisoners. Sexual minority women were also at increased risk of sexual assault in prison compared to straight women. Researchers reported that sexual minorities “were significantly more likely to have experienced administrative or punitive segregation than were straight inmates.” These punishments, which include solitary confinement, have severe negative effect on prisoners’ wellbeing and are “related to adverse health and mental health outcomes,” the study found. Next Steps The study does not discuss the situation of transgender prisoners. According to Stemple, this is because the “survey instruments were not good enough to provide definitive data.” What is known about transgender experience in prison is that trans prisoners are at “very, very high risk” for abuse and assault. Stemple said the Bureau of Justice Statistics, which conducted the survey, should alter it in the future to be able to accurately track the number of trans people who are incarcerated. Moving forward, Stemple hopes that the study’s findings influence the implementation of the National Standards to Prevent, Detect, and Respond to Prison Rape (PREA). “We want the PREA, as they roll out the standards, to take into account the unique needs of this population.” Follow NBC Out on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Alabama Governor Pushes Prison-Building Plan To Address Overcrowding Critics say proposal fails to address state’s high incarceration rate By Arian Campo-Flores Wall Street Journal, March 3, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Nebraska Prison Scrutinized After 2nd Deadly Riot In 2 Years By Grant Schulte Associated Press, March 3, 2017 LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – Two years after a deadly riot led to promises to fix long-standing problems at a Nebraska prison, officials were struggling Friday to respond to criticism after inmates again seized control of a cellblock in an uprising that left two of them dead. Some lawmakers and prisoner advocates said Thursday’s riot is proof that the governor and corrections officials haven’t responded quickly enough to the problems at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution that were laid bare by the 2015 mayhem. Two inmates died during that 9- hour takeover of the prison, and prisoners caused more than $2 million in damage. “The horrific conditions of confinement rampant in Nebraska prisons threaten public safety now and into the future,” said Danielle Conrad, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska. Conrad said her group plans to file a lawsuit against state officials to force more changes. Prison administrators said the new security technology and procedures they’ve adopted since 2015 kept the riot from spreading. Gov. Pete Ricketts has asked the Legislature to approve $95 million in additional funding to hire officers at Tecumseh and other prisons as well as build a new inmate treatment center that should ease chronic overcrowding. Department of Correctional Services Director Scott Frakes said the uprising was “significantly smaller” than the 2015 riot, which involved several housing units, and was contained much faster. “There are multiple opportunities for individuals to make bad decisions and act out violently,” Frakes said at a news conference Friday. “Yesterday, they chose to injure and take the lives of other human beings and destroy property.” Officials also said it was still unclear specifically what led to Thursday’s riot and that legislators shouldn’t jump to conclusions. But some lawmakers on Friday criticized the department for failing to address staffing shortages and trying to gloss over its problems. “When we have concerns with the Department of Corrections, they are often downplayed, they are minimized, and I fail to see that the Department of Corrections has taken decisive action,” said state Sen. Adam Morfeld, of Lincoln. State Sen. Matt Hansen, of Lincoln, said the deaths were “unacceptable” and show that lawmakers will need to maintain oversight of the department. State Sen. Ernie Chambers, of Omaha, said the latest incident showed a lack of competency from prison administrators. “Ever since Mr. Frakes has been here, things have gone steadily downhill,” Chambers said. The latest riot began around 1 p.m. Thursday when roughly 40 inmates refused to return to their cells in a maximum-security unit that houses 128 prisoners. When staff members realized the situation had become unsafe, they left and isolated the inmates in one housing unit, said Corrections Department spokeswoman Dawn-Renee Smith. Smith said the unit was “secured” around 4:30 p.m. and wasn’t extensively damaged despite fires that were set inside it. The two inmates who died in Thursday’s riot were identified Friday as 39-year-old Damon Fitzgerald and 31- year-old Michael Galindo. Prison officials didn’t say how or why they perished. FOIA CBP 001059 DHS-17-0435-B-000356 113 Galindo was serving a sentence of 12 to 21 years on robbery and other charges. Fitzgerald was sentenced to hundreds of years in prison for crimes including sexual assault. No prison workers were injured. An unspecified number of inmates suffered injuries that weren’t life-threatening, Frakes said. Two inmates serving time for sex crimes were killed during the May 2015 riot, which lasted roughly nine hours and caused more than $2 million in damage. After the riot, state officials spent $1.9 million to install camera and cell-locking upgrades. Nebraska’s prisons have faced a bevy of other problems in recent years, including the June 2016 escape of two men serving time for sex crimes. In 2014, under a previous administration, prison officials acknowledged that they miscalculated hundreds of inmate sentences and released some of them too early. Some senators threw their support behind the prison system. State Sen. Steve Halloran said lawmakers should wait for law enforcement to investigate the riot before jumping to conclusions about what caused it. “So far all I’ve heard is a lot of posturing from people who seem to think that correction facilities are a preschool,” said Halloran, of Hastings. “It’s a dangerous job.” --- Follow Grant Schulte on Twitter at https://twitter.com/GrantSchulte © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Arkansas Rushes To Execute 8 Men In The Space Of 10 Days By Matthew Haag New York Times, March 3, 2017 After a 12-year interruption in executions, Arkansas plans an exceptional rush in late April, putting eight men to death over 10 days, before one of the state’s lethal injection drugs reaches its expiration date that month. The governor of Arkansas, Asa Hutchinson, signed proclamations last week in his latest effort to restart the state’s capital punishment program, setting four execution dates for the eight inmates on death row, between April 17 and 27. Two men would be put to death on each of the four dates. If Arkansas follows through with that timetable, it will be carrying out the death penalty at a rate unmatched by any state since the United States resumed capital punishment in 1977, according to the Death Penalty Information Center, a group that opposes capital punishment. In 1997, Texas came close, putting eight inmates to death in May and again in June, but not over such a short number of days, the group said. The hurried schedule appears to be influenced by the expiration of a lethal injection drug in the state’s supply. Arkansas uses three drugs in executions, and its stock of midazolam, a sedative injected to start of the process, expires in April, the state has said. Its supply of potassium chloride, the final drug in the series, expired in January, but the state has said it was confident it could acquire more. The rush by Arkansas comes as the number of executions nationwide have steadily declined in recent years, as the 31 states with the death penalty have encountered legal and logistical challenges. Across the country, officials in those states, including Arkansas, have struggled to acquire drugs to carry out executions, as pharmaceutical companies in the United States and Europe have restricted the use of their products in executions. Some states have considered different combinations. Arizona even went so far as to allow defense attorneys, if they object to the state’s lethal injection method, to supply their own drugs for the executions of their clients. The eight men scheduled for execution are Kenneth Williams, Bruce Ward, Stacey Johnson, Don Williamson Davis, Ledell Lee, Jack Harold Jones, Jason McGehee, Marcel Williams. They are among 34 inmates on death row in Arkansas. Mr. Hutchinson, a Republican, has tried for years to bring back the state’s death penalty, which had been held up since 2005 over legal challenges to the state’s laws and the difficulty in acquiring the drugs. In 2015, he scheduled the execution of eight inmates, including many of the same men set to die next month, saying that they had exhausted all of their appeals. But a state court stopped the executions because of a lawsuit against the state over its then secrecy law and the source of Arkansas’ lethal injection drugs. The state was then ordered to disclose information about its supply chain. Mr. Hutchinson’s latest effort to restart executions came after the state’s attorney general, Leslie Rutledge, told him that the eight men had no additional legal challenges to their executions. “This action is necessary to fulfill the requirement of the law, but it is also important to bring closure to the victims’ families who have lived with the court appeals and uncertainty for a very long time,” Mr. Hutchinson said in a statement, according to The Associated Press. The governor’s office and the Arkansas Department of Correction did not immediately return calls for comment. FOIA CBP 001060 DHS-17-0435-B-000357 114 US Snuffs Pot Fans’ Plans To Party On Indian Land Near Vegas By Ken Ritter Associated Press, March 3, 2017 LAS VEGAS (AP) – A federal prosecutor has snuffed out plans by pot fans to celebrate Nevada’s new recreational marijuana law by lighting up on an Indian reservation near Las Vegas. U.S. Attorney Daniel Bogden took a hard line in a letter to organizers of a cannabis festival this weekend, saying that federal law applies and pot smokers could be prosecuted. The warning raised concerns about a possible Trump administration crackdown on marijuana and said a 2013 Obama administration directive that was seen as relaxing enforcement on tribal lands in states where pot is legal might have been misinterpreted. Pot is still illegal in Indian Country and on federal land, Bogden said. Organizers of the High Times Cannabis Cup festival say there will still be music, T-shirts and souvenirs at the event at a Moapa Band of Paiutes festival site. But spokesman Joe Brezny says it will essentially be just a concert this year. “We’ve removed the marijuana,” he said. “There will be no smoking area, no edibles competition, no cannabis topicals or lotions.” Brezny said more than 10,000 tickets were sold this week for the two-day event Saturday and Sunday at a site about 35 miles north of the Las Vegas Strip. The concert is headlined by hip-hop artist Ludacris. Robert Capecchi, federal policies chief at the Marijuana Policy Project advocacy group in Washington, D.C., said a lot of attendees might be disappointed or upset that they can’t smoke on site. But he noted that laws are different in federal areas within the eight states that have legalized recreational marijuana and the 28 states and the District of Columbia where medical marijuana is legal. “There’s a different balance between the federal government and Indian tribes and the federal government and the states,” Capecchi said. Nevada is still getting its enforcement footing after recreational marijuana became legal Jan. 1. Bogden wouldn’t comment Friday beyond the Feb. 16 letter he sent to the Moapa Band of Paiutes that declared, “marijuana remains illegal under federal law.” The sentence in the letter was underlined, along with the warning that “federal investigation and prosecution may still be appropriate.” That was enough to prompt the tribe to declare that its police and event security won’t allow smoking, selling or transporting marijuana at its festival grounds near a fireworks stand, liquor outlet and smoke shop just off Interstate 15. “We hope that attendees enjoy themselves and comply with applicable law,” Darren Daboda, chairman of the tribe with about 350 members and a sprawling 112-square-mile reservation, said in a statement. The festival is modeled after a Cannabis Cup event held since 1988 in Amsterdam, which now has offshoots in pot-friendly states including Washington, California, Oregon, Colorado and Michigan. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Stop-and-start Federal Review Of Memphis Police Is On Again By Adrian Sainz Associated Press, March 3, 2017 MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) – After announcing Friday morning it would halt a review and reform process of the Memphis Police Department, the U.S. Justice Department later said the process will continue after all. City and federal officials agreed to resolve their differences over missed deadlines for submitting paperwork. The Justice Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, or COPS, first said it was stopping its comprehensive review of the department because the parties could not agree on a memorandum of agreement “within a reasonable time period.” Later, the Justice Department and the city both released statements saying the agreement was back in place. Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland signed the memorandum around 10 a.m., before the first Justice Department news release was distributed to media, the city said. City officials expressed shock at the Justice Department’s first announcement, and attributed it to a miscommunication. The Justice Department later said it has received the signed memorandum. “The COPS Office is pleased to proceed with collaborative reform and applauds the City of Memphis and Memphis Police Department for their leadership,” the department’s later statement said. “The COPS Office looks forward to a productive engagement.” Justice Department officials launched the review in October after citizens criticized police use of deadly force and treatment of the black community in this majority African￾FOIA CBP 001061 DHS-17-0435-B-000358 115 American city. Strickland and Memphis Police Director Michael Rallings said at the time that the city invited federal authorities to review the department’s policies involving community-oriented policing and the use of deadly force. The review began after an announcement in September that federal officials found insufficient evidence to file civil rights charges in the July 2015 fatal shooting of a black man by a white officer. The shooting followed a traffic stop that escalated into a fight between 19-year-old Darrius Stewart and Officer Connor Schilling. Stewart’s family is suing the city, accusing the police department of having policies that make it “okay to shoot first and ask questions second.” The city is challenging the lawsuit. A Stewart family attorney is criticizing the police department and the Justice Department. “The family of Darrius Stewart has little faith in the City of Memphis and the Department of Justice under the embattled Attorney General Jeff Sessions,” said Carlos Moore, a lawyer for Henry Williams, Stewart’s father. “Neither to date has proven trustworthy but my client Henry Williams continues to hope against hope for not only justice for his son Darrius but for real systemic reform in the Memphis Police Department.” When the review was announced, President Barack Obama was still in office and Edward Stanton III was still the U.S. attorney for West Tennessee. Obama left office in January after Donald Trump won the November presidential election, and Stanton has resigned. An acting U.S. attorney is temporarily replacing him. Sessions, appointed by Trump, has been criticized by activists for his record dealing with civil rights issues as a U.S. attorney in Alabama. Like other U.S. cities, Memphis has seen protests related to racial profiling and the use of deadly force against unarmed black men. In July, protesters blocked the heavily￾traveled Interstate 40 bridge in Memphis connecting Tennessee and Arkansas, sparking meetings between members of the black community and city leaders. Criticism of the police department has escalated in recent weeks. Two federal civil rights lawsuits have been filed over a police department list of about 80 people who require a police escort when they visit City Hall. When it was initially released last month, the list included Black Lives Matter protesters, former City Hall employees and people accused of harassment and making threats. Plaintiffs in both lawsuits claim the list was politically motivated. Rallings has said the list was compiled only for safety reasons. City officials released a shorter list on Feb. 24, after removing more than 40 protesters from the list contained in the so-called “security book” located at the front desk of City Hall. --- Associated Press reporter Jonathan Mattise contributed to this report © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Northern Virginia Gang Activity ‘out Of Control,’ Says Police Chief Authorities investigate two bodies found in park linked to gangs By Andrea Noble Washington Times, March 3, 2017 Gang activity is “getting out of control” in Northern Virginia and to blame for the deaths of two people whose remains were found in a Fairfax County park, police officials said Friday announcing the gruesome discovery. The remains of two bodies were located Thursday night in the Holmes Run Park in Lincolnia. Police had yet to identify the victims or say how they were killed — but this isn’t the first time authorities have recovered human remains in the park. Two former MS-13 gang members were killed, dismembered and buried in Homes Run Park in 2013 and 2014 after they angered other members of the gang. Thirteen MS-13 gang members were convicted last year of those killings as well as another fatal shooting in Northern Virginia. “This problem is horrible,” said Fairfax County Police Chief Ed Roessler. “This is four murders in this park. Obviously, we’ve had other murders in the region in the past few weeks. This is getting out of control and we need to stop it.” The chief declined to say whether MS-13 or another gang is responsible for the slayings. While the medical examiner works to identify the bodies, Chief Roessler was also unable to say if the killings are related to other recent Northern Virginia homicides or the gang-related disappearances of two teenage girls who later returned home. “It’s more than likely that the recovery of the remains that we have to date in this active crime scene will be linked to another set of gang murders,” Chief Roessler said. MS-13 is an American-born street gang with roots in El Salvador whose members are known for brutal violence, including slashing victims to death with knives and machetes. Police have arrested 16 people in connection with recent gang-related homicides in Virginia that reportedly involved MS-13, also known as Mara Salvatrucha. Ten people, including six teenagers, were arrested and charged in FOIA CBP 001062 DHS-17-0435-B-000359 116 the disappearance and death of Damaris Alexandra Reyes Rivas. The 15-year-old went missing in December and at some point was taken against her will to Lake Accotink Park, where she was assaulted before she was killed and her body left at a nearby an industrial park. Authorities found her body in February after investigating the killing of a 21-year-old man in nearby Prince William County. Christian Alexander Sosa Rivas was killed in Prince William County in January, his body found along the Potomac River in Dumfries. Six people have been arrested and charged in connection with his killing, which according to court documents obtained by local NBC affiliate WRC-TV was carried out by MS-13 leaders who didn’t like the fact Sosa Rivas had been representing himself as the leader of a local sect of the gang. Despite the numerous gang-related disappearances and homicides, the FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office said he doesn’t think the heightened activity is illustrative of a shift of more gangs into Northern Virginia from the surrounding region. “I don’t know why the heightened activity now,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Timothy Slater. “I think it’s always been there. I think you see nationwide hot spots across the nation. This happens to be a current hot spot.” Despite the recent arrests, authorities are still worried about additional gang activity in the region, particularly recruitment of teenagers. Young Central American immigrants who have recently arrived to the area are known to be prime targets for gang recruitment, according to gang intervention specialists. Chief Roessler warned parents to be on the lookout for signs their children might be associating with gang members. Through investigation of the bodies found in the park this week, authorities are hoping they are able to tamp down on the recent gang resurgence. “I think there is a great amount of activity that we are worried about,” Mr. Slater said. “We are looking at avenues and ways, especially with this investigation, to have a larger impact on that.” Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. ‘I Have Been Set Up’: Final Minutes Of 15-year￾old Killed In Gang Slaying Described By Justin Jouvenal Washington Post, March 3, 2017 The 15-year-old had been lured to the Springfield park on the pretext of smoking pot, but when she was removed from a car by alleged MS-13 members and walked into the woods, she grew alarmed, people familiar with the prosecution’s case said. “I have been set up,” Damaris A. Reyes Rivas blurted out that January day. The Gaithersburg teen would soon be killed in a manner police called “savage and brutal. . . horrific.” It is one of a series of overlapping cases involving teens and young people associated with a resurgent MS-13 that have troubled authorities from Virginia to Maryland and resulted in 16 arrests. The cases also include the slaying of 21-year-old Christian Alexander Sosa Rivas, whose body was found along the Potomac River in Dumfries in January, and the disappearance and return of two Fairfax County girls, 16- year-old Lizzy Rivera Colindres of Springfield and 17-year-old Venus Lorena Romero Iraheta of Alexandria. Many questions remain about the cases, but interviews with people familiar with Damaris’s killing reveal details about her final minutes and possible links between the crimes. The people connected with the cases spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss details that have not been made public yet. Ten people, including six juveniles, have been charged in connection with Damaris’s killing. Her body was discovered near an industrial area not far from Lake Accotink Park on Feb. 11. Damaris had voluntarily left home about a month before arriving at the park on or about Jan. 8, police said. Maria Reyes, Damaris’s mother, said she had previously fallen in with a clique of MS-13 and maintained sporadic contact after leaving home. Roughly two days before her death, Damaris received Facebook messages that appeared to show she was in danger. “Those suckers want to kill you,” said one shared by Reyes. Another said, “They have already given permission to take you out.” People familiar with Damaris’s case say authorities believe the teen’s killing was approved by MS-13 leaders. They said two juveniles who are charged in connection with Damaris’s death and believed to be gang members took her from the car at Lake Accotink and walked her into the woods. The Washington Post does not generally name juveniles charged with crimes. Damaris was taken to an MS-13 hangout near a set of train tracks, people familiar with the case said. At that point, a juvenile charged with murder in Damaris’s case walked her down an embankment and interrogated her. The teen asked Damaris whether she had a relationship with Rivas, people familiar with the case said the prosecution’s case shows. Reyes has said her daughter dated Rivas. The juvenile who confronted Damaris also knew Rivas, authorities have said. Damaris asked for forgiveness, but the other teen slashed her with a bowie knife, people familiar with the case said. Fairfax County police later determined that Damaris FOIA CBP 001063 DHS-17-0435-B-000360 117 died of multiple forms of trauma to the upper body. Video evidence is among the clues in the slaying. Last week, Prince William County police announced the arrest of six people in connection with Rivas’s slaying. Some of the defendants are due in court Friday. Fairfax County police said information gleaned from the probe of Rivas’s killing led them to discover Damaris’s slaying. Citing a search warrant that has since been sealed, NBC 4 reported that Rivas may have been targeted by fellow MS-13 members because he was claiming to be the leader of a local clique. The outlet reported that the gang members used social media accounts of female associates to lure Rivas out of his normal routine. The search warrant said Damaris was one of the last people to see him alive. Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Raymond F. Morrogh declined to discuss the specifics of Damaris’s case because it is pending but said, “We are all working hard to bring to justice those responsible for this killing.” Every attorney for those charged in Damaris’s killing, except one, declined to comment. Vernida R. Chaney is representing one of the juveniles. “I think the evidence will show that not all of them are involved in the crime,” Chaney said. Read more: A Maryland teen, lured to the woods and stabbed 40 times, becomes latest victim of gang-related killings Family describes mysterious killing of former World Bank economist for first time Federal officials indict seven Baltimore police officers on racketeering ‘When You Come Against Law Enforcement, You Come Against God’: Mourners Honor Slain Whittier Police Officer Keith Boyer By Richard Winton And Brittny Mejia, Contact Reporters Los Angeles Times, March 3, 2017 After 27 years patrolling the streets of Whittier, Keith Boyer had more than earned the right to a relaxing assignment. But that wasn’t Boyer, a consummate officer who got up each morning happy to interact with the citizens he was sworn to protect, according to those who knew him best. By turns determined and goofy, Boyer could be stone serious while on patrol, but he also carried around a set of fake teeth, rarely missing an opportunity to pop them out for a laugh. It was that combination that made Boyer especially adept at connecting with children, Whittier Police Chief Jeff Piper said. Two years ago, when Boyer was working as a community schools officer, he came across a young girl who had a strained relationship with her family, Piper said. The young girl wanted to enter a writing contest, but the idea of reading in front of an audience made her nervous. Boyer promised to provide her with some “backup,” and made sure the crowd was dotted with uniformed officers on the day of the contest, Piper said. “Keith was Mr. Positive,” Piper said from the pulpit of Calvary Chapel in Downey on Friday. “He loved his job. He loved his colleagues. He loved his community.” Thousands of police officers, local residents and family members gathered Friday morning to say goodbye to Boyer, a popular and driven police officer who was shot and killed while responding to a car accident Feb. 20. Boyer was at least the fifth officer shot and killed in the line of duty in California in the last six months, but the first Whittier officer to die on duty in 37 years. “I cannot find the words to adequately describe the magnitude of our loss, which transcends Keith’s family, the entire law enforcement community and his friends,” Piper said. “In his nearly 27 years as a police officer, Keith remained completely committed to his profession.” Bagpipes wailed early Friday morning as an honor guard escorted Boyer’s flag-draped casket into the chapel, where more than 3,000 police chiefs, officers and deputies and other mourners had squeezed into pews. Whittier police officers removed their hats and bowed their heads as Boyer’s coffin came to rest just a few feet away from the gloves and hat he wore on duty. “As I see the badges out there, I see heroes,” Pastor James Kaddis said. “When you come against law enforcement, you come against God.” A drum set was placed on one side of the church, a tribute to the fallen musician who played in several area bands including Mrs. Jones’ Revenge, a Temecula-based classic-rock tribute group that performed at wineries and weddings. Piper joked that the officer was kind enough to perform alongside less talented ensembles, like the one in which the chief played guitar. Boyer’s children, who offered their forgiveness to accused killer Michael Mejia, also performed a rendition of “Amazing Grace” during the service, in tribute to their father. “My father was courageous not only in his final moments but always,” said Joseph Boyer, adding that the officer hated sitting behind a desk, preferring instead to be out in his community. The hardworking family man also had a silly side, often dazzling relatives with magic tricks when they were younger. When his family opened his safe after his death, they found a box filled with the props he used to pull off each gag. Retired Whittier Officer Mike Karson, a friend of Boyer’s for 30 years, described the slain officer as “the kindest, sweetest, most gentle man you’d ever meet.” FOIA CBP 001064 DHS-17-0435-B-000361 118 Boyer, Karson said, was the ultimate team player, always helping others and always working extra hours without complaint. Boyer and Officer Patrick Hazell were responding to the scene of a car crash Feb. 20 when they came across Mejia, a 26-year-old convicted felon, authorities have said. Prosecutors say Mejia shot and killed his cousin, Roy Torres, in East Los Angeles before fleeing to Whittier, where he was involved in the car crash. Mejia opened fire on the officers once they ordered him to exit his car, wounding Hazell and killing Boyer. Mejia was wounded by return fire, and has been charged with two counts of capital murder. Prosecutors have yet to decide whether he will face the death penalty. Boyer joined the department in 1989 as a jailer and dispatcher before being sworn as an officer in 1990. He was the third Whittier police officer slain in the line of duty in the department’s 100-year history. The Whittier department includes about 128 sworn officers who patrol the cities of Whittier and Santa Fe Springs in southeastern Los Angeles County. As Whittier police officers began to arrive Friday, they shook the white-gloved hand of Nicholas Gianesses, a New York City police officer who flew across the country to honor Boyer. “Thank you,” a colleague of Boyer’s told the officer, who wore an NYPD dress uniform. “It means so much, brother.” “Even one officer lost is too many,” Gianesses replied. This article has been updated with new details from the funeral. : This article was updated with additional comments from the Whittier police chief. : This article was updated with comments from Boyer’s family. This article was updated with comments from the Whittier police chief. This article was updated with details from the church service. This article was updated with details from outside the Calvary Chapel. This article was originally published at 5 a.m. A previous version of this article said that the suspect, Michael Christopher Mejia, was also suspected of fatally gunning down his cousin, Ray Torres. The cousin’s name was Roy. ATF Sting Operation Accused Of Using Racial Bias In Finding Targets, With Majority Being Minorities Chicago Tribune, March 3, 2017 Leslie Mayfield was handcuffed in the back of a police wagon when he realized the plan to rob a drug stash house was a setup. For four years, Mayfield had been struggling to turn his life around after more than a decade in prison. To escape the street life, he moved to Naperville with his fiancee’s family and managed to find a full-time job at a suburban electronics facility that paid 12 bucks an hour. It was there that a co￾worker lured him into the robbery after weeks of effort, promising a big score. Now, inside the police vehicle, the sounds of flash-bang grenades still ringing in his ears, Mayfield started to piece it all together. There was no stash house, no cartel drugs or associates to rob. It was a crime dreamed up by federal authorities and carried out with the help of Mayfield’s co￾worker to reel him in when he was at his most vulnerable. Eight years later, Mayfield, 48, and dozens of others are at the center of a brewing legal battle in Chicago’s federal court over whether the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ signature sting operation used racial bias in finding its many targets. A team of lawyers led by the University of Chicago Law School is seeking to dismiss charges against more than 40 defendants in Chicago. The undercover probes, a staple of the ATF since the mid-1990s, have ensnared hundreds of defendants across the country. Chicago prosecutors quietly drop charges tied to drug stash house stings Annie Sweeney and Jason Meisner Federal prosecutors in Chicago have quietly dropped narcotics conspiracy charges against more than two dozen defendants accused of ripping off drug stash houses as part of controversial undercover stings that have sparked allegations across the country of entrapment and racial profiling. The decade-old... Federal prosecutors in Chicago have quietly dropped narcotics conspiracy charges against more than two dozen defendants accused of ripping off drug stash houses as part of controversial undercover stings that have sparked allegations across the country of entrapment and racial profiling. The decade-old... (Annie Sweeney and Jason Meisner) A recently unsealed study by a nationally renowned expert concluded that ATF showed a clear pattern of racial bias in picking its targets for the drug stings. The disparity between minority and white defendants was so large that there was “a zero percent likelihood” it happened by chance, the study found. The vast majority of those swept up in the stings in Chicago were minorities, and a close examination of the criminal backgrounds of some of those targeted raises FOIA CBP 001065 DHS-17-0435-B-000362 119 questions about whether they were truly the most dangerous gun offenders that ATF was aiming to remove from the street. Some had trouble even coming up with guns to do the job — including one crew that after months of preparation managed to find only one World War I-era pistol with a broken handle that could barely fire a round. Others had no history of carrying out high-risk armed robberies — a key provision in the ATF playbook designed to make sure targets were legitimate, defense lawyers argued in recent court filings. Mayfield, for one, talked on undercover recordings about his experience robbing stash houses, but in reality he had no arrests for robbing drug dealers. The fact that he was lured into the sting while working a full-time job has also been heavily criticized by the appellate courts. “Criminals do sometimes change and get their lives back on track, and we don’t want the government pushing them back into a life of crime,” Judge Richard Posner of the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Chicago wrote in an opinion supporting Mayfield’s argument that he had been entrapped by authorities. The controversy comes amid a national debate over the treatment of minorities by law enforcement and a scathing report by the U.S. Department of Justice just weeks ago that found that Chicago police routinely violate the civil rights of citizens, particularly African-Americans and Hispanics living on the city’s impoverished South and West sides. Federal Criminal Justice Clinic Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune Judith Miller, left, and Alison Siegler of the Federal Criminal Justice Clinic, which represents most of the defendants in the dozen cases they are seeking to be dismissed. Judith Miller, left, and Alison Siegler of the Federal Criminal Justice Clinic, which represents most of the defendants in the dozen cases they are seeking to be dismissed. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune) It could put the Justice Department in the uncomfortable position of defending its own stash house prosecutions against allegations of racist practices while at the same time pushing Chicago police for reforms of similar accusations. Earlier this month, federal prosecutors filed a lengthy motion vehemently disputing that minorities were unfairly targeted in the stash house cases, saying the expert report filed by the defense was “riddled with false assumptions that were designed to manufacture a racial disparity where none exists.” The dispute sets up what could be an unprecedented hearing at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in the coming months involving a panel of district judges hearing the multiple criminal cases at once. “It’s almost like a criminal class action,” said Alison Siegler, director of the Federal Criminal Justice Clinic at the University of Chicago Law School, which represents most of the defendants in the dozen cases they are seeking to be dismissed. “Judges are seeing this as a coordinated litigation. It’s a very unusual situation.” Out of answers When Mayfield landed a job in May 2009 at LG Electronics, a sprawling, warehouse-like facility just off 115th Street in Bolingbrook, it seemed to be a stroke of luck. Still on parole for an attempted murder conviction, he checked for defects in cellphones imported from Asia. Several weeks into his employment, Mayfield was approached by a woman who was one of the only other African-Americans who worked in his group, he said. She flirted with him, he said, on lunch breaks, confiding in him that she wasn’t happy in her marriage. It wasn’t long before she introduced him to her husband, Jeffrey Potts, a burly ex-con who worked in another group at LG. Mayfield said he tried to keep his distance, uneasy that Potts’ wife was so flirtatious around him, especially since Potts was white. But Potts persisted, and soon they were talking regularly, he said. “Obviously, he had an objective,” Mayfield, who is serving a 27-year sentence, said in an interview at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in the Loop. “When I think back about it now, he immediately started trying to find out about me, about my background.” Naperville man convicted in stash house scheme gets new trial Jason Meisner A federal appeals court on Thursday ordered a new trial for a Naperville man who alleged he was goaded into a scheme to rob a phony drug stash house by overzealous federal agents. The 8-2 ruling by the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals was a blow for a series of fake stash house stings by the U.S.... A federal appeals court on Thursday ordered a new trial for a Naperville man who alleged he was goaded into a scheme to rob a phony drug stash house by overzealous federal agents. The 8-2 ruling by the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals was a blow for a series of fake stash house stings by the U.S.... (Jason Meisner) Potts, who had done prison time for drug distribution and robbery, was secretly working as a federal informant, helping an ATF agent search for possible targets for sting operations, court records show. He was paid for the effort, but not much. Potts later told a private investigator working for Mayfield’s defense team that he earned just $200 from ATF for bringing the agency Mayfield’s case, according to court records. FOIA CBP 001066 DHS-17-0435-B-000363 120 A man who claimed to be Potts returned a recent call from a Tribune reporter but said he was too busy to talk and never called back. Mayfield said that as the weeks wore on, Potts began dropping references to drugs into their conversations. He told Mayfield he had a new drug connection and was making a lot of money and would often ask him if he was looking to get out of the day-to-day drudgery of working at LG, Mayfield said. “Every day at work he began to make comments such as, ‘Cuz, I know you tired of working for this chump change,’” Mayfield wrote in a letter filed in federal court. “‘I know you need this money.’” Mayfield said he told Potts he didn’t sell drugs, but Potts “kept on me on a daily basis, saying, ‘You’re missing out.’” After awhile, Potts’ talk turned to robberies. One day, the two were having a smoke by the parking lot when Potts pointed to his new pickup truck — a red Dodge Ram 1500 with fancy rims, Mayfield said. He told Mayfield he’d made tens of thousands of dollars robbing drug dealers and could bring Mayfield in on an upcoming score. “He said, ‘Man, I hit this lick — 40K and two kilos of cocaine. That’s how I got this truck,’” Mayfield said. “I kept saying I wasn’t interested. Believe me, there was nothing I wanted less than to go back to jail.” In mid-June 2009, Mayfield suffered a setback that left him desperate. The van he depended on to get to work died on a Chicago-area expressway, leaving him with a huge bill for towing and repairs that he couldn’t afford. He missed several days of work before he was able to arrange a ride. When Potts asked him where he had been, Mayfield told him about his car troubles. The next day, Potts walked up to him in the bathroom at LG and slipped him $180 in cash. “I tried not to take it, but I did need it,” Mayfield said. “I felt at the time like he was genuine.” Later, Mayfield said, Potts offered to forgive the debt if he went along with the robbery plan. Flat broke and out of answers, Mayfield finally caved. He told Potts to set up the meeting with his contact, records show. Potts called his ATF handler, who approved Mayfield as a target, according to court records. Race and law enforcement According to the ATF, stash house stings are a key part of the agency’s national effort to target people who “show a propensity of doing harm to the public through violent behavior.” Launched in Miami during the cocaine-war days of the early 1990s, the stings have been honed over the years and are run by experienced agents who use a tightly controlled playbook. They typically begin when an informant provides the ATF information about a potential target who has expressed interest in taking part in a robbery. The informant then introduces the target to an undercover agent who poses as a disgruntled courier for a drug cartel and offers an opportunity to steal large quantities of drugs from a stash house guarded by men with guns. ATF official wants looser gun restrictions, end to ban on imported assault weapons Sari Horwitz The second-highest-ranking official at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has written a proposal to reduce gun regulations, including examining a possible end to the ban on importing assault weapons into the United States. The 11-page “white paper” by Ronald B. Turk, associate... The second-highest-ranking official at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has written a proposal to reduce gun regulations, including examining a possible end to the ban on importing assault weapons into the United States. The 11-page “white paper” by Ronald B. Turk, associate... (Sari Horwitz) In a series of conversations captured on undercover wire, the target is told if he is interested he must assemble an armed team to commit the robbery. The target and his crew are arrested after they show up on the day of the supposed crime. “At the time of arrest, the home invasion defendants are poised, at any moment, to invade a stash house, steal kilograms of cocaine guarded by armed cartel members, and in the process, kill or be killed,” prosecutors wrote in their recent court filing. In order to avoid arguments of entrapment in court, the stings are supposed to target only established robbery groups. ATF criteria also require that at least two of the participants have violent backgrounds and that all must be criminally active at the time the investigation is launched. Not only were the operations a boon for the ATF but the resulting prosecutions also netted eye-popping sentences — sometimes up to life in prison — in part because defendants were criminally liable for the amount of imaginary drugs they believed they were stealing. It didn’t matter that the robbery was fake or that no drugs actually existed. “The reason this scenario exists is because it’s realistic,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Perconte argued at Mayfield’s sentencing in 2011 while seeking up to 37 years in prison. “It certainly was real to Mr. Mayfield.” Spokesmen for both the ATF and the U.S. attorney’s office declined to comment for this story, citing the ongoing litigation. The lengthy sentences were just one pattern that raised red flags for the criminal defense bar. In case after case, the ATF stings seemed to be targeting only minorities. In early 2013, a handful of private attorneys and assistant federal defenders, all veterans at the Dirksen U.S. FOIA CBP 001067 DHS-17-0435-B-000364 121 Courthouse, were so troubled by a stash house case they were defending that they asked the U.S. attorney’s office for a complete list of all the defendants in similar cases sorted by race. Prosecutors rebuffed this admittedly unorthodox request. “ATF does not maintain statistics on the nature in question at either the local or national level,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip Fluhr wrote in response, court records show. The defense lawyers then asked the judge overseeing the case to order prosecutors to turn over detailed information on how the stash house stings are run and the race of the defendants who had been charged so far. They included their own research showing more minorities were targeted. Prosecutors strenuously objected. But a few months later, U.S. District Chief Judge Ruben Castillo allowed the discovery to go forward. More stories: Chicago’s Cop Crisis See the Chicago Tribune’s ongoing coverage on problems in the Chicago Police Department. See the Chicago Tribune’s ongoing coverage on problems in the Chicago Police Department.Read more stories “History has shown a continuing difficult intersection between the issue of race and the enforcement of our nation’s criminal laws,” wrote Castillo, concluding that the defense team had “made a strong showing of potential bias.” Similar motions in other stash house cases soon followed, but the effort to prove racial bias was being made case-by-case with no coordination. Then in 2014, the University of Chicago’s Federal Criminal Justice Clinic agreed to focus all its efforts on the 12 stash house cases and their 43 defendants. This allowed the defense attorneys to address the alleged racial bias in a coordinated effort, a critical undertaking given the government’s massive resources, the attorneys said. “It’s a giant power imbalance if one person decides to go against the government,” said Adam Davidson, one of seven U. of C. law students who helped the clinic’s three law professors coordinate the cases. ‘The real Leslie Mayfield’ On July 23, 2009, Mayfield climbed into a black Cadillac Escalade parked in a Naperville lot to meet with Potts and a purportedly disgruntled cartel drug courier. In a conversation captured on undercover recording, the courier, an undercover ATF agent, laid out the robbery plot, warning that up to 30 kilograms of cocaine would be protected by as many as four armed guards. When the undercover agent asked if he had ever done a stash house robbery before, Mayfield replied, “Yes, sir,” according to a transcript of the recording in court records. Later in the conversation, Mayfield talked about other home invasions he had committed, noting his preference to scout out locations in advance and hit them under the cover of darkness. Mayfield also told the agent the people he would recruit were experienced and would be excited about the plan once they knew the quantity of drugs involved. It would be enough for everyone to make “a nice li’l piece o’ change,” Mayfield said, according to the transcript. Two weeks later, Mayfield brought the crew he’d assembled to meet with the undercover agent and go over the plan. The crew assured the agent that they were up for the danger of the operation and talked about what to do with the armed guards, including killing everyone inside if necessary, according to transcripts of the conversation. Mayfield stressed that their biggest advantage was “the element of surprise.” Seven Baltimore Police officers indicted on federal racketeering charges Justin Fenton and Kevin Rector Seven Baltimore police officers who served in a high￾profile gun unit were indicted Wednesday on federal racketeering charges — allegations that throw into question scores of cases aimed at getting weapons off the streets. The officers are accused of shaking down citizens, filing false court paperwork... Seven Baltimore police officers who served in a high￾profile gun unit were indicted Wednesday on federal racketeering charges — allegations that throw into question scores of cases aimed at getting weapons off the streets. The officers are accused of shaking down citizens, filing false court paperwork... (Justin Fenton and Kevin Rector) The next night, Mayfield got the call that the robbery was on. He and his crew drove to Aurora in a brown van to meet with the undercover agent, who took them to a nearby storage facility where they would supposedly hide the drugs after the heist, court records show. In a conversation outside the storage facility that was caught on undercover video, the agent gave the crew one more chance to back out, asking them if they felt they were up for the job. “Yeah, bro!” exclaimed Montreece Kindle, Mayfield’s cousin, who stuck out an arm to shake the agent’s hand. As the crew got ready, the video showed Mayfield throw a loaded .357 Magnum handgun into a rear cargo area of the vehicle. Seconds later, the boom of flash-bang grenades and shouting could be heard as a special operations team of agents stormed out of the storage facility to make the arrest. Records show Mayfield’s crew had brought an arsenal to the scene. In addition to the .357, agents found a loaded sawed-off shotgun, a .44-caliber revolver, a semi-automatic pistol, ski masks, bulletproof vests and latex gloves. Mayfield and all three of his accomplices were convicted at trial. At Mayfield’s sentencing hearing in 2011, prosecutors highlighted his previous convictions for burglary and unlawful restraint and incorrectly told the judge that he FOIA CBP 001068 DHS-17-0435-B-000365 122 had been the shooter in the 1994 attempted murder that had landed him in prison for 11 years. After his release in 2005, Mayfield had picked up a new charge in Lake County after state police stopped a car he was riding in and found him with a loaded gun, prosecutors said. “That’s the real Leslie Mayfield,” Perconte told U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber, who imposed a 27-year prison sentence. “From the time he was 18 … he has added nothing to society but danger.” Exaggerated capabilities Born and raised in Zion, Mayfield had an unstable childhood. He never knew his father, and his mother struggled to make ends meet. In court statements, Mayfield recalled being homeless for long stretches. He spoke of memories of his mother making them bologna sandwiches in the front seat of their car and washing him up in gas station bathrooms because they had nowhere else to go. Mayfield graduated from eighth grade but never attended high school. In 1994, when he was 26, Mayfield and several others were arrested after the carjacking and shooting of a motorist in Waukegan. Lake County prosecutors conceded that Mayfield wasn’t the gunman, but under the state’s “accountability” law, a jury convicted him at trial of attempted murder, armed robbery, armed violence and aggravated battery with a firearm. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison. An appeals court later reversed the attempted murder conviction, ruling in 1997 that the jury was improperly barred from hearing Mayfield’s statement to police that he was angry that his co-defendant had opened fire because he had “no good reason to shoot” the victim. Prosecutors investigating if corrupt Chicago cop tainted other convictions Jason Meisner In an extraordinary move, the Cook County state’s attorney’s office is investigating whether a former Chicago police sergeant convicted of corruption tainted far more convictions than those of the three defendants he’s already been held responsible for framing. Prosecutors confirmed the investigation... In an extraordinary move, the Cook County state’s attorney’s office is investigating whether a former Chicago police sergeant convicted of corruption tainted far more convictions than those of the three defendants he’s already been held responsible for framing. Prosecutors confirmed the investigation... (Jason Meisner) After his case was sent back to Lake County Circuit Court, Mayfield pleaded guilty to attempted murder in exchange for a seven-year sentence to run consecutive to a 15-year term for the armed violence count, records show. With good behavior, he wound up serving 11 years. In his interview with the Tribune, Mayfield said he decided to use his time in prison to turn his life around. He earned his high school equivalency certificate and later an associate degree in general college studies. He got a cosmetology license and became a certified tutor. Although he said he never affiliated with a gang on the street, he joined the Gangster Disciples to avoid conflicts in prison. “I did everything I could to remain positive,” he said. After he was released on parole in 2005, Mayfield went back home to Waukegan, but staying away from the violence of the streets proved difficult. A couple years after his release, Mayfield was in a home when a shooting occurred and a family member was wounded in the head, he said. To protect himself, he started carrying a gun, but that, he acknowledged, turned out to be a huge mistake. That August, state police stopped the car Mayfield was riding in, and he took off running before they could pat him down. After a foot chase, he was ordered to the ground at gunpoint. Police found a loaded .40-caliber pistol in his waistband. Despite that setback, Mayfield said he was determined to stay on course. He moved with his girlfriend to Naperville, where they lived in a tiny, two-bedroom house with her four teenage children and one grandchild. Struggling at LG Electronics on $12 an hour, Mayfield described in court records how the family relied on one car and had no money for cellphones or other luxuries. Every Tuesday, Mayfield would stand in line at a local food pantry to make sure the kids had enough to eat. In his interview with the Tribune, Mayfield said he was coached by Potts to boast to the purported drug courier about past stickups and robberies. At his sentencing six years ago, he denied ever selling or stealing drugs and said he had never shot anyone in his life. Mayfield owned up to his role in the stash house robbery but insisted in a long and emotional plea to the court that the government had exaggerated his capabilities. “They say I had a drug crew? We couldn’t even afford a cellphone,” Mayfield told the judge, according to a transcript. “We didn’t even have a car when the agent came across me. I tried everything I could to be a better person.” ‘Absurdly overbroad’ As the movement to fight the stash house cases gathered steam among defense attorneys, the judiciary also weighed in with some key decisions. In November 2014, the full 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals granted Mayfield a new trial in a rare decision that concluded Potts had “targeted Mayfield at a moment of acute financial need and against a backdrop of prolonged difficulty finding permanent, family-supporting work.” In a 2012 dissenting opinion as the case was winding through the court, appellate Judge Richard Posner had put an even finer point on it, referring to the stings as a “disreputable FOIA CBP 001069 DHS-17-0435-B-000366 123 tactic” that used government informants to target people at a vulnerable time in their lives. Meanwhile, another ruling in July 2015 by the appellate court in Chicago resulted in the government turning over more data on the stash house stings sought by the defense. The ruling allowed the defendants to move ahead with what is believed to be the most thorough analysis of the stings anywhere in the country. To examine the data, the University of Chicago team hired Jeffrey Fagan, a nationally known specialist in police practices who also examined the New York Police Department’s stop-and-frisk program. Fagan examined 94 defendants in 24 separate stings conducted between 2006 and 2013 and found that 74 of the defendants were black. Fagan also ran three statistical analyses to figure out the likelihood that the proportion of stash house defendants would, by chance, be African￾American. To do that, Fagan created a control group by using ATF criteria for their defendants — having one or more convictions for specific violent offenses identified by the ATF or for narcotics or firearms offenses. The offenses also had to occur in the same geographic area and around the same time the stash house plan arose. When Fagan compared the two groups, he concluded that minorities were “substantially more likely” than similarly situated whites to be targeted by ATF in the stash house stings, according court filings. “Each test showed the same pattern: Being black significantly increased a person’s chance of being targeted by the ATF,” lawyers for the defendants wrote in their filing. 2 Chicago cops still sidelined a decade after police scandal Dan Hinkel and Jeremy Gorner A decade after one of the most damaging scandals in Chicago police history broke, two of the officers accused of wrongdoing remain on desk duty at full pay, filing papers or answering phones as they await the outcome of the city’s slow-moving and much-criticized disciplinary process. The two are... A decade after one of the most damaging scandals in Chicago police history broke, two of the officers accused of wrongdoing remain on desk duty at full pay, filing papers or answering phones as they await the outcome of the city’s slow-moving and much-criticized disciplinary process. The two are... (Dan Hinkel and Jeremy Gorner) But an expert hired by the U.S. attorney’s office concluded that Fagan had used an “absurdly overbroad” group to compare to stash house defendants, including people with only minor criminal convictions such as simple drug possession and misdemeanor assault, according to the recent court filing by prosecutors. In all, Fagan’s “eligible list” included nearly 300,000 people — a number that equals 10 percent of all males ages 14-49 in the Chicago area, their filing said. Using such a broad swath of the public in a statistical analysis ignores the realities of how the stash house stings work, prosecutors said. “ATF agents do not compile a list of citizens with criminal records throughout the district, select people from the list at random, and then cold-call those people and offer them a chance to rob a stash house,” prosecutors wrote. “There is no reason the home invasion defendants should resemble Professor Fagan’s fantasy home invasion lottery.” Echoing an argument sometimes made by Chicago police, federal prosecutors also said Fagan’s report failed to account for the fact that many of the stash house investigations took place in neighborhoods that are more than 90 percent black, naturally leading to targets who are black as well. The debate is now potentially headed for a court hearing involving all defendants. The outcome could set precedent for judges in other states. “Courts tend to give law enforcement a lot of leeway,” said University of California-Irvine law professor Katharine Tinto, a criminal law expert who has written extensively about the stash house stings. “… The fact that an expert is saying a federal law enforcement agency is discriminating on the basis of race is something everybody should be watching.” ‘Sentenced with him’ Sharonnette Sholaja first met Mayfield in 2006 when he was doing odd jobs for his cousin after his release from prison. Despite Mayfield’s background, she fell for him in part because of his efforts to put his past behind him. “He was really trying to get himself together,” Sholaja said in a recent interview. “I was getting up at 4 or 5 a.m. driving him for all kinds of job interviews because he was determined. He didn’t let anything stop him.” Within two years they had moved to Naperville, crammed into a small apartment with her kids and a grandchild, so Sholoja could be close to her work in Woodridge. Mayfield found the job at LG, but money was still tight, she said. For their first holiday in Naperville, they couldn’t afford a Christmas tree. With their money going to rent and food, they relied on a food pantry to get by, she said. Old police ‘street files’ raise question: Did Chicago cops hide evidence? Jason Meisner The homicide files sat untouched for years in the dingy basement at a South Side police station, thousands of aging manila folders locked away in cabinets cataloging seven decades of long-forgotten killings. Stuffed with manually typed police reports, scribbled detectives’ notes, faded lineup cards... The homicide files sat untouched for years in the dingy basement at a South Side police station, thousands of aging FOIA CBP 001070 DHS-17-0435-B-000367 124 manila folders locked away in cabinets cataloging seven decades of long-forgotten killings. Stuffed with manually typed police reports, scribbled detectives’ notes, faded lineup cards... (Jason Meisner) When the family car broke down — the event that ultimately drew Mayfield into the stash house sting — they had to borrow $300 from her mom to cover the tow, Sholaja said. Despite the financial hardships, Mayfield never spoke of violence, carried guns or kept one in the house, Sholaja said. The news that he had agreed to rob a drug stash house shocked and angered her. She lost the apartment after he was locked up, and eventually the stress ripped them apart. Sholoja, 44, said they still consider each other friends and remain in touch. But she’s moved to Arizona to start over. “I told him I felt like l was sentenced with him,” she said. “You know, we would be married had this not happened.” jmeisner@chicagotribune.com asweeney@chicagotribune.com Twitter @jmetr22b Twitter @annie1221 How Uber Used Secret Greyball Tool To Deceive Authorities Worldwide By Mike Isaac New York Times, March 3, 2017 Uber has for years engaged in a worldwide program to deceive the authorities in markets where its low-cost ride￾hailing service was being resisted by law enforcement or, in some instances, had been outright banned. The program, involving a tool called Greyball, uses data collected from the Uber app and other techniques to identify and circumvent officials. Uber used these methods to evade the authorities in cities such as Boston, Paris and Las Vegas, and in countries like Australia, China, Italy and South Korea. Greyball was part of a broader program called VTOS, short for “violation of terms of service,” which Uber created to root out people it thought were using or targeting its service improperly. The VTOS program, including the Greyball tool, began as early as 2014 and remains in use, predominantly outside the United States. Greyball was approved by Uber’s legal team. Greyball and the broader VTOS program were described to The New York Times by four current and former Uber employees, who also provided documents. The four spoke on the condition of anonymity because the tools and their use are confidential and because of fear of retaliation by the company. Uber’s use of Greyball was recorded on video in late 2014, when Erich England, a code enforcement inspector in Portland, Ore., tried to hail an Uber car downtown as part of a sting operation against the company. At the time, Uber had just started its ride-hailing service in Portland without seeking permission from the city, which later declared the service illegal. To build a case against the company, officers like Mr. England posed as riders, opening the Uber app to hail a car and watching as the miniature vehicles on the screen made their way toward the potential fares. But unknown to Mr. England and other authorities, some of the digital cars they saw in the app did not represent actual vehicles. And the Uber drivers they were able to hail also quickly canceled. That was because Uber had tagged Mr. England and his colleagues — essentially Greyballing them as city officials — based on data collected from the app and in other ways. The company then served up a fake version of the app populated with ghost cars, to evade capture. At a time when Uber is already under scrutiny for its boundary-pushing workplace culture, its use of the Greyball tool underscores the lengths to which the company will go to dominate its market. Uber has long flouted laws and regulations to gain an edge against entrenched transportation providers, a modus operandi that has helped propel the company into more than 70 countries and to a valuation close to $70 billion. Yet using its app to identify and sidestep the authorities in places where regulators said Uber was breaking the law goes further toward skirting ethical lines — and, potentially, legal ones. Some within the company who knew about the VTOS program and how the Greyball tool was being used were troubled by it. In a statement, Uber said, “This program denies ride requests to users who are violating our terms of service — whether that’s people aiming to physically harm drivers, competitors looking to disrupt our operations, or opponents who collude with officials on secret ‘stings’ meant to entrap drivers.” Dylan Rivera, a spokesman for the Portland Bureau of Transportation, said in a statement: “We’re very concerned to hear that this practice continued at least into 2015 and affected other cities. “We take any effort to undermine our efforts to protect the public very seriously,” Mr. Rivera said. Uber, which lets people hail rides using a smartphone app, operates multiple types of services, including a luxury Black Car offering in which drivers are commercially licensed. But an Uber service that many regulators have had problems with is the company’s lower-cost service, known in the United States as UberX. UberX essentially lets people who have passed a cursory background check and vehicle inspection become Uber drivers quickly. In the past, many cities have banned the service and declared it illegal. FOIA CBP 001071 DHS-17-0435-B-000368 125 That is because the ability to summon a noncommercial driver — which is how UberX drivers using private vehicles are typically categorized — was often unregulated. In barreling into new markets, it capitalized on this lack of regulation to quickly enlist UberX drivers, who were not commercially licensed, and put them to work before local regulators could stop them from doing so. After the authorities caught up with what was happening, Uber and local officials generally clashed — the company has encountered legal problems over UberX in cities including Austin, Tex., Philadelphia and Tampa, Fla., as well as internationally. Eventually, agreements were reached under which regulators developed a legal framework for the low-cost service. That approach has been costly. Law enforcement officials in some cities have impounded or ticketed UberX drivers, with Uber generally picking up those costs on behalf of drivers. The company has estimated thousands of dollars in lost revenue for every vehicle impounded and ticket dispensed. This is where the VTOS program and the use of the Greyball tool came in. When Uber moved into a new city, it appointed a general manager to lead the charge. Thisperson would try to spot enforcement officers using a set of technologies and techniques. One method involved drawing a digital perimeter, or “geofence,” around the authorities’ offices on a digital map of the city that Uber monitored. The company watched which people were frequently opening and closing the app — a process known internally as eyeballing — near such locations as evidence that the users might be associated with city agencies. Other techniques included looking at a user’s credit card information and determining whether the card was tied directly to an institution like a police credit union. Enforcement officials involved in large-scale sting operations to catch Uber drivers also sometimes bought dozens of cellphones to create different accounts. To circumvent that tactic, Uber employees went to that city’s local electronics stores to look up device numbers of the cheapest mobile phones on sale, which were often the ones bought by city officials, whose budgets were not sizable. In all, there were at least a dozen or so signifiers in the VTOS program that Uber employees could use to assess whether users were new riders or very likely city officials. If those clues were not enough to confirm a user’s identity, Uber employees would search social media profiles and other available information online. Once a user was identified as law enforcement, Uber Greyballed him or her, tagging the user with a small piece of code that read Greyball followed by a string of numbers. When a tagged officer called a car, Uber could scramble a set of ghost cars inside a fake version of the app for that person, or show no cars available at all. If a driver accidentally picked up an officer, Uber occasionally called the driver with instructions to end the ride. Uber employees said the practices and tools were partly born out of safety measures for drivers in certain countries. In France, Kenya and India, for instance, taxi companies and workers targeted and attacked new Uber drivers. “They’re beating the cars with metal bats,” Courtney Love, the singer and celebrity, tweeted from an Uber car at a time of clashes between the company and taxi drivers in Paris in 2015. Ms. Love said protesters had ambushed her Uber ride and held her driver hostage. “This is France? I’m safer in Baghdad.” Uber has said it was also at risk from tactics used by taxi and limousine companies in certain markets. In Tampa, for instance, Uber referred to collusion between the local transportation authority and taxi companies in fighting ride￾hailing services. In those environments, Greyballing started as a way to scramble the locations of UberX drivers to prevent competitors from finding them. Uber said it remained the primary use of the tool today. But as Uber moved into new markets, its engineers saw that those same techniques and tools could also be used for evading law enforcement. Once the Greyball tool was put in place and tested, Uber engineers created a playbook with a list of tactics and distributed it to general managers in more than a dozen countries across five continents. At least 50 to 60 people inside Uber knew about Greyball, and some had qualms about whether it was ethical or legal. Greyball was approved by Uber’s legal team, headed by Salle Yoo, the general counsel. Ryan Graves, an early hire who became senior vice president of global operations and a board member, was also aware of the program. Ms. Yoo and Mr. Graves did not respond to a request for comment. Outside scholars said they were unsure of the program’s legality. Greyball could be considered a violation of the federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, or possibly intentional obstruction of justice, depending on local laws and jurisdictions, said Peter Henning, a law professor at Wayne State University, who also writes for The New York Times. “With any type of systematic thwarting of the law, you’re flirting with disaster,” Mr. Henning said. “We all take our foot off the gas when we see the police car at the intersection up ahead, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But this goes far beyond avoiding a speed trap.” To date, Greyballing has been effective. In Portland that day in late 2014, Mr. England, the enforcement officer, did not catch an Uber, according to local reports. FOIA CBP 001072 DHS-17-0435-B-000369 126 And two weeks after Uber began dispatching drivers in that city, the company reached an agreement with local officials for UberX to be legally available there. Uber Used Secret Tool To Outmaneuver City Officials, Report Says By Brian Fung Washington Post, March 3, 2017 It’s no secret that Uber has a sometimes tense relationship with policymakers around the world — much of its explosive rise has been attributed to Uber’s willingness to defy regulation. But now it seems that in some places, the ride-hailing company has taken extraordinary measures to deceive government officials tasked with monitoring the company’s operations. In what some employees have questioned as an ethically and legally murky maneuver, Uber has mined some customers’ geolocation data, credit card information, app usage habits and even social-media profiles to determine whether they may be working for city governments or rival ride-hailing services or intend to physically harm Uber drivers, according to a report by the New York Times. The program, code-named Greyball, surfaced in 2014 when Portland, Ore., officials posing as regular customers tried to request rides on Uber to gather evidence that the company was operating illegally in the city, according to the Times. But rather than procuring a driver for the “customer,” the service went so far as to show officials a fake version of the app with drivers who didn’t really exist. Any drivers who did respond would quickly cancel the rides, sometimes through direct intervention from Uber itself via phone calls to a driver who had picked up a fake fare. “This program denies ride requests to fraudulent users who are violating our terms of service,” Uber said in a statement, “whether that’s people aiming to physically harm drivers, competitors looking to disrupt our operations, or opponents who collude with officials on secret ‘stings’ meant to entrap drivers.” The report on Uber’s covert activities is the latest blow for a company that has suffered a growing backlash in recent weeks. It adds to accusations of sexual harassment by a former engineer, widespread defections by customers upset over chief executive Travis Kalanick’s handling of the company, and an apology by Kalanick after he got into an argument with an Uber driver about driver wages. Greyball reportedly was started as a tool to flag abusive riders in countries where violence against Uber drivers is common. But the company eventually discovered its utility as a way to identify problematic government officials, the Times says. To determine whether a user warrants special treatment, Greyball reportedly looks at roughly a dozen factors, such as whether a customer who spends a lot of time around government buildings frequently opens and closes the app. Once it believes it’s found an offending user, Uber tags the individual with a bit of code, according to the Times. In addition to regulators, Greyball has also been used to prevent taxi drivers from getting a fix on Uber drivers’ locations. The practice was approved by Uber’s lawyers, according to the Times. This is not the first time Uber has covertly taken aim at rivals; the company was also said in 2014 to have engaged in corporate warfare with its U.S. competitor Lyft by secretly poaching its drivers. It has also run grass-roots organizing campaigns designed to influence state legislatures. In other cases, Uber executives have suggested digging up opposition research on journalists, and another information￾gathering tool, named God View, allowed Uber to track the location of its users without their knowledge. In Portland, officials sought to gather evidence for Uber’s illegal operations by having the authorities request rides on the app. But, having been flagged by Greyball, law enforcement officials were left hanging as the fake version of the app failed to get them any rides. Soon after, the city began to allow Uber to operate legally in the city. Security analysts say that with the amount of personal information freely available on the Web, it is almost inevitable that a company such as Uber would move to exploit it. “Greyballing is an acceptable business risk in the poorly governed realm of cyberspace,” said Kenneth Geers, a former analyst at the National Security Agency and a senior research scientist at Comodo, a global cybersecurity firm. But unlike its other efforts at shaping policy, Uber’s Greyballing appears to be a far more technologically sophisticated and systematic approach to outmaneuvering the opposition. And it may be one of Uber’s most closely held trump cards. Now that policymakers are aware of Greyball, other analysts say, they could take steps to make the tool illegal — forcing Uber to adapt again in its push to expand into new markets. Uber Said To Consider Changes To Employee Stock Compensation By Katie Benner And Mike Isaac New York Times, March 3, 2017 Uber has lurched from one blow to its reputation after another. Now it is trying to contain some of the damage to employees. Uber, the privately held ride-hailing company, is considering ways to make its stock compensation policies more friendly to its workers, according to three people with knowledge of an employee meeting this week where Uber FOIA CBP 001073 DHS-17-0435-B-000370 127 executives discussed the issue, and who asked to remain anonymous because the meeting was confidential. In particular, Uber is discussing how to potentially move away from severe restrictions around its stock so that employees who leave the company can take shares with them more easily, these people said. That would help Uber change the perception that it exerts too much control over stock compensation. The discussion comes after several recent scandals involving Uber. In January, the company contended with a #deleteUber campaign by riders who perceived Uber as supporting President Trump’s immigration ban. Last month, Uber grappled with questions about its workplace culture and a lawsuit over its self-driving cars. This week, it dealt with concerns over the character of its chief executive, Travis Kalanick, after a video of him berating an Uber driver became public. The events have buffeted employees at Uber’s headquarters in San Francisco and elsewhere. Some have said that they plan to leave the company and are shopping their résumés around. Another Uber worker, who declined to be named, said that while some employees may have quit, turnover has not changed much in the last month. An Uber spokesman declined to comment. Stock compensation has long been an issue for Uber workers. Early employees, who joined the company several years ago, received stock options — which allow them to buy shares at a low price — as part of their compensation packages. Yet unlike other technology companies, Uber gives employees only 30 days to buy those shares if they leave. At other companies, departing employees get months or years to buy the shares. If Uber’s workers do not buy the shares in the 30-day period, they forfeit the stock back to the company Buying private company stock like Uber’s also creates a tax bill for individuals, a bill that has swelled as Uber’s valuation has soared to close to $70 billion. Some Uber employees have said they have been unable to come up with enough money to pay for their stock and a big income tax bill. They said that had left them little choice but to stay at the company and wait for a public offering of stock, or leave and give up stock that could someday be lucrative. Uber has moved over the years to give workers more financial options with their stock compensation. About two years ago, the company stopped using stock options for compensation and switched to restricted stock units, which do not incur a tax bill if employees leave the company. Uber has also given long-serving employees the opportunity to sell back a percentage of their shares to the company, in a program that was reported earlier by Bloomberg. The issue of stock options was raised again on Tuesday at an Uber all-hands employee meeting, the people with knowledge of the event said. At the meeting, one employee asked Mr. Kalanick whether he would consider giving them years after they leave the company to exercise their right to buy the company’s stock and not just 30 days. Mr. Kalanick said the company’s board had agreed to let management discuss the issue, though no decision had been made. He also asked Uber’s head of human resources, Liane Hornsey, and general counsel, Salle Yoo, to help answer the employee’s question. It is unclear when the company may make any decisions about the stock compensation policies. Treading Water In A Tide Of Homelessness By The Editorial Board New York Times, March 3, 2017 Mayor Bill de Blasio gave a major speech on homelessness on Tuesday, promoting a plan he calls “Turning the Tide.” This was interesting because, as we know, not even kings can turn tides. If he had called it “Lowering Expectations” or “Treading Water,” he might have more accurately conveyed reality, though the speech would have lost some of its aspirational quality. Mr. de Blasio deserves credit for candor, anyway. He acknowledged that homelessness has reached historic highs on his watch, with more than 60,000 people in shelters and many thousands living visibly and distressingly on the streets and in the subways. And he said he saw no quick end to the problem, which has worsened, on and off, for 35 years. But he promised that with diligent effort, the city could slowly gain control over the crisis and, over time, subdue it. The core of the effort involves opening 90 new shelters across the city, and enlarging 30 existing ones, over five years. Meanwhile, the city would end the stopgap use of hotel rooms and the private apartments known as “cluster sites,” which are notoriously shoddy and unsafe. The new shelters would be run by the city or by reputable nonprofits, and would be placed in neighborhoods in proportion to how many of a given community board’s residents use the shelter system. The mayor said it was only fair that neighborhoods would welcome their own, and noted that shelter residents would benefit from staying closer to home, jobs, relatives and school. That is sound logic, though communities that reflexively oppose social-service sites, or feel burdened by too many of them, may not see it that way. Mr. de Blasio promises to give neighborhoods at least 30 days’ notice before opening a shelter, and be open to their suggestions about alternative sites. That is the least he should do, given the expected ferocity of local resistance. The mayor will need to summon all of his salesmanship skills to sell what looks like a sensible plan. He will need help from neighbors persuading other neighbors to say yes-in-my￾backyard, and also from the City Council, whose “fair share” law on distributing city facilities may complicate his shelter￾FOIA CBP 001074 DHS-17-0435-B-000371 128 siting priorities. He could use Albany’s help as well. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has thrown numbers at the housing problem — $20 billion, 100,000 affordable-housing units, five years — but his lavish promises are far from realized. A promising bill from Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi would create statewide rental supplements for needy families, saving money — and preventing a lot of homelessness. Mr. de Blasio is committing $300 million in capital spending to expand the 30 shelters, with plans to reallocate the money now spent on hotels and cluster sites for the 90 new shelters. That, plus expanded legal aid to prevent evictions, more mental health services and his long-term affordable housing plan, could go a long way toward containing the problem. Even better would be for the city to devote a greater share of public housing to homeless families and to set aside a higher percentage of new affordable housing for very-low-income New Yorkers. Some may see the mayor’s downbeat speech this week as a moment of surrender. They should remember the perils of overpromising: Mayor Michael Bloomberg said in 2003 that he was going to end homelessness outright in 10 years. Read the news accounts from back then, and today, and you will see how little the core problem has changed. Nor have the main answers: safe shelters, affordable housing and rental support — bricks and mortar and money. The District Lets A Landlord Run Deplorable Housing — And Even Foots The Bill By Colbert I. King Washington Post, March 3, 2017 Recent stories by The Post and Washington City Paper did more than expose the flow of D.C. tax dollars to owners of some of the most deplorable housing in the city. Post reporters Fenit Nirappil, Jonathan O’Connell and Shaun Courtney also unmasked a city government embarrassingly flummoxed by a mess it helped to create. The poor and formerly homeless residents living under wretched conditions described in the story — and D.C. taxpayers who are footing the bill — deserve better. It’s bad enough that landlords such as the owners of Sanford Capital can rack up hundreds of warnings from the city about housing code violations. And it’s disconcerting that Sanford owners have not paid all the fines imposed by the city. What really ought to outrage D.C. taxpayers is the revelation that their government is keeping such landlords in business. It is the supply of poor and formerly homeless residents showing up in Sanford rental offices with city-provided housing vouchers that keeps money flowing into the owners’ coffers — reportedly millions annually in rent subsidies for tenants living in Sanford’s 19 apartment buildings concentrated in the city’s poorest areas: Wards 7 and 8. And what does the city have to say for itself? Laura Zeilinger, director of the D.C. Department of Human Services which oversees homeless programs, whined that her hands are tied. “When you have somebody who controls a large portion of the affordable housing in the city” — Sanford owns 1,300 units — “and we have a problem with them, there’s no way that we can say we are never working with that company again,” she said. And what is the city now doing? Awakened by the glare of the media’s spotlight, Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) has sprung into action. Her first bold move? She ordered inspectors to examine all of Sanford’s apartments. Wait a second. Hasn’t something like that already happened? The Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, which is responsible for making sure apartment buildings meet code requirements, has been on Sanford’s case. It has issued more than 200 warnings to Sanford for housing-code violations during the past eight years and levied more than $150,000 in fines. Madam Mayor, the city and Sanford aren’t exactly strangers. The Post found that among the fines levied against Sanford, the company has yet to pay nearly a third — more than $40,000. The department, The Post also discovered, has stopped short of taking enforcement action with teeth — placing liens on some Sanford buildings with unpaid penalties. Now, however, the Bowser administration talks as if it is putting on a full-court press. “We are going to make an urgent plan to get a clearer picture of the conditions,” Bowser declared. “We will make sure we get all the properties inspected.” Sounds more like a four-corners stall offense. Because, in truth, Sanford has been given the upper hand. The Post reported that at least 170 previously homeless families and an additional 235 individuals were living in Sanford properties using housing vouchers in 2016. Updating that, Bowser said this week, “There are over 350 people who are using a voucher in Sanford properties.” What happens to them if Sanford leaves the scene? One tenant, living with rodent infestations and lack of heat, brought her plight to the attention of her Human Services case manager. She said she was warned that the alternative was the city’s homeless shelter at the former D.C. General Hospital. Hence the unpleasant truth: Under the auspices of the D.C. government, and as with the case of dilapidated, vermin￾infested D.C. General, families and children with city housing vouchers live in shameful conditions. FOIA CBP 001075 DHS-17-0435-B-000372 129 Attorney General Karl A. Racine (D) is pushing back, having sued Sanford over conditions at two of its complexes in Southeast Washington. And reportedly Sanford has agreed to court-monitored abatement plans at those buildings. (The Post reported that Sanford’s owners declined repeated requests for comment on its stories.) But Racine’s intervention doesn’t address the scope of the problem highlighted in the story about subsidized substandard housing: namely, the condition of families and children under the city’s care. Council member Brianne K. Nadeau (D-Ward 1), who chairs a committee that oversees the housing voucher program, said in a email that city housing options “should be safe and dignified, which is the opposite of the conditions in many of these Sanford Capital Buildings.” She said she would love to shut it down, but the consequence would be people forced into homelessness. “So we have to do what we can to make Sanford follow the law.” Meanwhile, what about the kids trapped by this system? Relisha Rudd, the 8-year-old girl who tragically disappeared three years ago this month — March 2014 — also lived under the city’s auspices in the D.C. General shelter. The city knew nothing about her situation until she disappeared. Just as the city knew nothing about the four sisters, age 17, 11, 6 and 5 — also under the city’s care — whose murdered and badly decomposed bodies were discovered by chance in a Southeast house nine years ago. Just as D.C. officials were ignorant of conditions — discovered recently by Post reporters — in a subsidized apartment building with a trash- and feces-filled laundry room and unsecured doors used by vagrants and druggies that the city lists as available for poor people with housing vouchers. Read more from Colbert King’s archive. Read more on this topic: The Post’s View: The District runs into a Catch-22 doing business with an alleged slumlord David Alpert: A setback for housing in the District David Madden: Five myths about public housing The Post’s View: The housing crisis is more complex than a few people paying too little in rent The Pope On Panhandling: Give Without Worry New York Times, March 3, 2017 New Yorkers, if not city dwellers everywhere, might acknowledge a debt to Pope Francis this week. He has offered a concrete, permanently useful prescription for dealing with panhandlers. It’s this: Give them the money, and don’t worry about it. The pope’s advice, from an interview with a Milan magazine published just before the beginning of Lent, is startlingly simple. It’s scripturally sound, yet possibly confounding, even subversive. Living in the city — especially in metropolises where homelessness is an unsolved, unending crisis — means that at some point in your day, or week, a person seeming (or claiming) to be homeless, or suffering with a disability, will ask you for help. You probably already have a panhandler policy. You keep walking, or not. You give, or not. Loose coins, a dollar, or just a shake of the head. Your rule may be blanket, or case-by-case. If it’s case by case, that means you have your own on￾the-spot, individualized benefits program, with a bit of means￾testing, mental health and character assessment, and criminal-background check — to the extent that any of this is possible from a second or two of looking someone up and down. Francis’ solution eliminates that effort. But it is by no means effortless. Speaking to the magazine Scarp de’ Tenis, which means Tennis Shoes, a monthly for and about the homeless and marginalized, the pope said that giving something to someone in need is “always right.” (We’re helped here by the translation in an article from Catholic News Service.) But what if someone uses the money for, say, a glass of wine? (A perfectly Milanese question.) His answer: If “a glass of wine is the only happiness he has in life, that’s O.K. Instead, ask yourself, what do you do on the sly? What ‘happiness’ do you seek in secret?” Another way to look at it, he said, is to recognize how you are the “luckier” one, with a home, a spouse and children, and then ask why your responsibility to help should be pushed onto someone else. Then he posed a greater challenge. He said the way of giving is as important as the gift. You should not simply drop a bill into a cup and walk away. You must stop, look the person in the eyes, and touch his or her hands. The reason is to preserve dignity, to see another person not as a pathology or a social condition, but as a human, with a life whose value is equal to your own. This message runs through Francis’ preaching and writings, which always seem to turn on the practical and personal, often citing the people he met and served as a parish priest in Argentina. His teaching on divorced and remarried Catholics has infuriated some conservative critics who accuse him, unfairly, of elevating compassion over doctrine. His recent statements on refugees and immigrants are the global version of his panhandler remarks — a rebuke aimed directly at the rich nations of Europe and at the United States. America is in the middle of a raging argument over poor outcasts. The president speaks of building walls and repelling foreigners. That toxic mind-set can be opposed in FOIA CBP 001076 DHS-17-0435-B-000373 130 Washington, but it can also be confronted on the sidewalk. You don’t know what that guy will do with your dollar. Maybe you’d disapprove of what he does. Maybe compassion is the right call. State I.R.A. Plans Are Ready, If Congress Doesn’t Interfere By Richard H. Thaler New York Times, March 3, 2017 Thirty-nine million Americans work for an employer without a payroll-deduction retirement savings plan, and many of them are saving little or nothing. In the absence of a federal plan for this problem, states including California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland and Oregon have taken it upon themselves to create their own solutions. This flurry of state-level innovation might be cause for celebration, except for one major impediment: Congress may kill the nascent plans. Why? Republicans, who typically call for less regulation, say the state programs won’t be sufficiently regulated. You can’t make this stuff up. The backdrop behind this battle is the long struggle that many Americans — even those with workplace retirement plans — are waging to save money. Some people fail to join their company’s plan, or if they join, they save too little. The good news is that by using behavioral economics, we know how to fix those problems: While giving workers the ability to opt out from these arrangements, automatically enroll them in a plan and increase contributions over time, and offer a sensible low-cost default investment fund. All of that makes saving easy and increases workers’ savings rates substantially. I’ve written about these issues extensively, including in the book “Nudge” with Cass Sunstein, a Harvard law professor. Most large companies now incorporate these features, so there is hope things will improve for many people. But those whose employers offer no plan are at greater risk. This is the situation for 60 percent of workers in the bottom quarter of the income distribution. Many of them work for smaller firms that don’t offer their employees a 401(k) or any other plan. This is another problem we know how to mitigate using behavioral principles utilizing individual retirement accounts instead of 401(k)s. A 2006 proposal by the Brookings Institution and the Heritage Foundation suggested a basic format for such plans, called the “Automatic I.R.A.” The idea is to create a program to make things as easy and inexpensive as possible for both employers and workers. Basically, firms of a certain size that do not offer a retirement plan would have to enroll their employees in I.R.A.s, allowing them to opt out, of course. The government would engage private-sector portfolio managers to manage the money, and by pooling contributions, fees can be kept low. Britain has rolled out a similar plan over the past few years that is working well — fewer than 10 percent of workers are opting out. New Zealand has had a similar plan since 2006. The Obama administration included a proposal to create such a program throughout the United States in each of its annual budgets, but it stalled in Congress. As a result, the states have begun to create their own automatic I.R.A. programs. There is a catch, though. Because the new plans are based on I.R.A.s, which haven’t traditionally been part of workplace plans, the states asked for guidance from the Labor Department. They sought to confirm that employers offering I.R.A.s under the states’ programs would not be subject to the requirements of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (Erisa) and that the state programs themselves would not be seen as attempting to circumvent Erisa. Erisa imposes safeguards, including the requirement that employers meet their fiduciary responsibility to run retirement plans in the best interest of their workers. The department spent more than a year studying the issue, proposing rules, studying public comments and issuing final regulations in 2016 that accommodated the state plans. In a tiny but crucial change, the new rules said the state plans merely had to be “voluntary” as opposed to “completely voluntary,” the requirement for traditional I.R.A.s used in a workplace setting. This shift made it possible to offer the essential automatic enrollment provision, which nudges people to save, and only requires an active choice for those who do not wish to save. Alternatively, where workers have to go out of their way to sign up to save, usage is low, especially for I.R.A.s. The states planning to start their own plans were happy, and other states have been expressing interest in following suit. So far, so good. Power was devolving to individual states; regulatory burdens were easing; and American workers were being given a chance to easily save for retirement and become part of what President George W. Bush called the “ownership society.” Yet some Republicans in Congress are now trying to override the new rule. Their tactic uses the obscure Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to undo recent regulations with a simple majority vote in the House of Representatives and the Senate. By rule, they must do so within 60 “Congressional days” of the issuance of a regulation, defined as days that Congress is in session. The House has already passed a resolution of disapproval revoking the new rules, but the Senate has not yet taken up the issue. This is odd, considering that giving more power to the states is a traditional Republican mantra, often mentioned as part of plans to replace the Affordable Care Act with local alternatives. What’s more, helping people save used to be an FOIA CBP 001077 DHS-17-0435-B-000374 131 issue with bipartisan support. The federal Pension Protection Act of 2006, which had wide support from both parties (and from me, too), included rules that encouraged employers to adopt automatic enrollment and automatic savings increases, with opt-out provisions. Yet in a news release and op-ed piece in The Los Angeles Times, the sponsors of the move to stop the state plans in the House, Francis Rooney, a Republican from Florida, and Tim Walberg, a Republican from Michigan, described the Labor Department’s rule as a “last-minute regulatory loophole.” That’s an interesting choice of words: The rule took about two years to complete. The news release says “hardworking Americans could be forced into government-run plans,” failing to recognize that automatic enrollment includes an easy way to opt out at any time. It works very well for millions of people in 401(k) plans. Another claim (without any supporting evidence) is that these state plans will discourage firms from offering their own retirement plans. Of course, that is possible, but most successful businesses eventually offer a 401(k) plan because it can allow for employer matching funds and has much higher contribution limits than I.R.A.s, both attractive features for people in top management. The congressmen also say that the states cannot be trusted to administer the new programs. Certainly, many state-sponsored defined-benefit pension plans have been inadequately funded. However, it is misleading to conflate underfunded defined-benefit plans with I.R.A.-based plans that would be fully funded by employee contributions held by private-sector custodians. States have long administered college saving 529 plans, which have some similar features, without any crises of which I am aware. One could plausibly argue that these savings plans should be national in scope, and not relegated to the states. If that is the reasoning, the Senate would be better advised to enact legislation enabling a national automatic I.R.A. program. Furthermore, if states are not capable of administering a plan as simple as this, what can be the wisdom of handing off to them a much more complicated problem such as health care, as many Republicans in Congress have proposed? The savings plan issue will soon come before the Senate. If it votes to override the rule using the strategy made possible by the Congressional Review Act, the state plans will be blocked and the Labor Department will be forbidden from considering new versions. Legislators can help Americans save for retirement by simply doing nothing. FOIA CBP 001078 DHS-17-0435-B-000375 From: Bulletin Intelligence To: DHS@BulletinIntelligence.com Subject: The Homeland Security News Briefing for Tuesday, March 07, 2017 Date: Tuesday, March 7, 2017 5:00:34 AM Attachments: dhsclips170307.doc The Homeland Security News Briefing TO: THE SECRETARY AND SENIOR STAFF DATE: TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2017 5:00 AM EST TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS LEADING DHS NEWS: + Media Analyses: Trump’s New Immigration Order More Likely To Win Court Approval. + Kelly Says He Is Considering Separating Children From Parents To Prevent Illegal Entry. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT: + Maryland Police Allege WPost Employee Impersonated ICE Officer. + Army Veteran Faces Deportation. + North Carolina High School Student Faces Deportation After Embezzlement Charge. + California Sheriffs Critical Of State Bill Prohibiting Agencies From “Using Resources For Immigration Enforcement.” + Police Chiefs Argue “Sanctuary” Policies Keep Crime Down. + Migrant Families Prepare Separation Plans. + Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Analysis: Deportation Policy Hits Wisconsin’s Pro-Trump Dairy Farmers Hard. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION: + Mulvaney: Border Wall Will Cost $8 Million To $25 Million Per Mile. + Afghan Refugee Family Detained At LA Airport To Be Released. + Construction On Los Indios Border Safety Inspection Facility Stalls. + Khan Speech In Toronto Canceled Due To Reported Review Of “Travel Privileges.” + Arizona Director Of Public Safety Passed Over For CBP Commissioner. + Canadian Citizen Barred From Entering US Without Visa. + Northern Border Towns “On Edge” Over Illegal Border Crossers. TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION: + TSA Introduces “Enhanced” Pat-Down Screening Procedure. + Davidson: TSA Displaying Lack Of Transparency. FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY: + Severe Weather Threatens More Than 20 Million Central US Residents. + FEMA: More Than $300 Million In Post-Flood Public Assistance Has Been Obligated To Louisiana. US CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES: + Continuing Coverage: H-1B Expedited Processing Suspension Could Impact Businesses. + Businesses Concerned About Possible Changes To Seasonal Visa Program. + Poll Shows 52% Of Americans See Risk In Admitting Refugees. IMMIGRATION: + WPost Analysis: Trump Intends To Remake Immigration Policy To Match “Nationalist Ideology.” + NYTimes Explains The “Reality” Of US’ Undocumented Population. + Harvard Surgeon From Ethiopia Recounts Personal Fulfillment Of American Dream. + WTimes Profiles Mexico’s Billionaire Anti-Trump Champion. FOIA CBP 001079 DHS-17-0435-B-000376 A \/1 )IC A PVERSIGHT SECRET SERVICE: + Democratic Senators Call On Trump To Release White House, Mar-A-Lago Visitor Logs. + Airbnb Rental Inside Trump Tower Taken Down. + Lantana Airport To Remain Closed During Trump Visits. + Virginia Man Convicted Of Threatening To Kill Obama Running For Delegate Seat. NATIONAL PROTECTION AND PROGRAMS: + New Jersey Lawmakers Call For More Equitable DHS Funding To Protect Religious Centers. + Real ID Compliance Bill Fails In Minnesota Senate. TERRORISM INVESTIGATIONS: + Lawyers Spar Over Release Of Ex-Gitmo Detainee’s Mental Health Records. + New York Man Arrested For Supporting Syrian Islamist Group, Threatening Mother. + NYPD Proposal Gives Civilian Monitor More Oversight In Muslim Surveillance Lawsuit. + McClatchy Tells Story Of 9/11 Families Seeking Justice Against Saudi Officials. + Feds Investigate Seattle Shooting Of Sikh As Possible Hate Crime. + 41 US Airstrikes In Yemen In Last Week Kill Former Guantanamo Inmate, Al Qaeda Operatives. + Senators To Meet With Fathers Of Green Berets Killed In Jordanian Air Base Attack. + NYTimes Analysis: Iran Nuclear Deal Could Be “Gateway” For Terrorism Suits. CYBER NEWS: + Report: Russian Hackers Trying To Extort Liberal Groups. + No Ransom Paid To Resolve Cyberattack Of Pennsylvania Senate Democrats. + Coast Guard Mid-Atlantic Region Twitter Account Hacked. + New Cybersecurity Report Highlights Perspective Of Hackers, Penetration Testers. + French Government Drops Plans To Allow Overseas Citizens To Vote For Legislature Electronically. + Obama Cyber Commission “Nudging” New Administration To Move Forward With Recommendations. + Touhill: Hackers Have Various Motivations For Targeting US. COUNTERING VIOLENT EXTREMISM: + Islamic Theology School Declines CVE Funding Due To Concerns About Trump Administration. NATIONAL SECURITY NEWS: + US Military Sends Troops To Syria’s Manbij For “Deterrence And Reassurance.” + Libyan Militias Seek To Capture Benghazi. + Progress Continues In Mosul Amid Concerns About Iranian-Backed Militias. + Pentagon Confirms China’s Military Presence In Afghanistan. + North Korea: Missile Launches Simulate Attack On US Bases In Japan. + State Department Postpones First Press Briefing Under Trump. + Kremlin: “Hysteria” Hurting US-Russian Relations. + Iranian Fast Boats Approach US Ship In Strait Of Hormuz. + Europe Mulling Its Own Nuclear Weapons Program. + Germany Rejects Erdogan’s “Absurd” Nazi Comparison. + WPost A1: Far-Right Websites Expand Throughout Europe Ahead Of Key Elections. + France’s Conservative Republicans Unite Behind Fillon. + South Korean Prosecutors Detail Findings Of Political Corruption Investigation. Leading DHS News: MEDIA ANALYSES: TRUMP’S NEW IMMIGRATION ORDER MORE LIKELY TO WIN COURT APPROVAL. President Trump’s new immigration order received widespread media coverage, including reports on all three major network newscasts. On cable, meanwhile, the story was overshadowed by commentary on the Trump Tower wiretapping controversy. While the underlying tone in much of the analysis remained hostile toward Trump’s new order, reports also cast it as an improvement over his first attempt (which was blocked by the courts) and as more likely to pass legal muster. Democrats and FOIA CBP 001080 DHS-17-0435-B-000377 A \/1 )IC A PVERSIGHT immigration advocates, on the other hand, were not persuaded. The New York Times (3/6, Thrush, Subscription Publication, 13.9M), for example, notes Senate Minority Leader Schumer described the order as a “watered-down ban” as well as “mean-spirited and un-American,” and Roll Call (3/6, Bowman, 63K) quoted ACLU legal director David Cole as warning, “President Trump, we’ll see you in court.” Yet the Los Angeles Times (3/6, Savage, 4.52M), in a story typical of the tenor of the coverage, says the “revised travel ban retreats on nearly every issue that triggered chaos in airports and lawsuits in federal courts across the nation.” Likewise, the CBS Evening News (3/6, story 3, 2:20, Pelley, 11.17M) called the new order a “sharp contrast” to the first “both in substance and its rollout,” and NBC Nightly News (3/6, story 2, 2:35, Holt, 16.61M) said it was “far more reserved.” Along similar lines, the Washington Post (3/6, Nakamura, Zapotosky, 11.43M) says “the new guidelines mark a dramatic departure from Trump’s original ban,” the AP (3/6, Caldwell, Colvin) that the order “eliminates some of the most contentious aspects” of the previous version, Politico (3/6, Gerstein, McCaskill, 2.46M) that it included “significant concessions,” and Vox (3/6, Lind, 1.15M) that while “Trump is by nature loath to admit a mistake...it’s hard not to read the changes to the executive order as an admission that the rollout of the original travel ban was a legal and political disaster.” ABC World News Tonight (3/6, story 4, 2:20, Vega, 14.63M) said “travel ban 2.0 rescinds the original, now stalled in courts, addressing some of the red flags raised by opponents,” but the Washington Times (3/6, Miller, Noble, 272K) cautions that “a new round of court challenges appeared unavoidable.” Reuters (3/6, Holland, Ainsley) reports that though “immigration advocates said the new ban still discriminated against Muslims...legal experts said it would...be harder to challenge because it affects fewer people living in the United States and allows more exemptions to protect them.” The new order, notes Reuters, “takes effect on March 16,” and “keeps a 90-day ban on travel to the United States by citizens of Iran, Libya, Syria, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.” However, “it applies only to new visa applicants, meaning some 60,000 people whose visas were revoked under the previous order will now be permitted to enter.” Moreover, says the Los Angeles Times (3/6, Savage, 4.52M), the order “will not apply to foreign students, engineers, tourists and relatives who are traveling to this country or temporarily traveling aboard.” At any rate, NPR (3/6, Domonoske, 1.92M) reported, “Administration officials left open the possibility that other countries could be added to future visa-issuance bans, or that countries currently on the list could be removed.” Roll Call (3/6, Ratnam, 63K) reported that “unlike the Jan. 27 order, Monday’s action does not permanently ban the entry of Syrian refugees,” but the Washington Post (3/6, Nakamura, Zapotosky, 11.43M) indicates that under the new order “the nation’s refugee program will be suspended for 120 days, and it will not accept more than 50,000 refugees in a year, down from the 110,000 cap set by the Obama administration.” The Spokane (WA) Spokesman-Review (3/6, Alexander, 170K) notes, however, that “Obama’s 2016 goal was a historic high: the US has set a refugee cap between 70,000 and 80,000 every year since 2007, according to State Department data.” Federal Computer Week (3/6, 263K) reports the new order also mandates that DHS “expedite the completion and implementation” on a biometric entry-exit system for foreign travelers entering and leaving the US. Officials said CBP is “working diligently to meet that obligation.” The New York Times (3/6, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) features video clips of statements by Secretary Kelly, Secretary Tillerson, and Attorney General Sessions. Kelly is featured saying DHS will enforce the law in a professional and humane manner. USA Today (3/6, Jansen, 5.28M) features answers from the Justice Department to questions about the new travel order, including what countries are named, when the order takes effect, and how the countries were chosen, among others. USA Today (3/6, Durando, 5.28M) also features a list of five “major changes” between the new order and the January 27 order. Vox (3/6, Lind, 1.15M) stated that the “much more narrowly tailored and thoughtfully considered...ban” is “much more likely to stand up in court,” and the Christian Science Monitor (3/6, LaFranchi, 387K) reported that “the new order no longer prioritizes the resettlement of religious minorities – read Christians, by and large – from those six Muslim-majority countries.” The Monitor added that “that prioritization was one of the key features of the original order that had critics and some jurists concluding the travel suspension FOIA CBP 001081 DHS-17-0435-B-000378 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT was actually a Muslim ban that would not pass constitutional muster.” An unnamed “senior Department of Homeland Security official” told reporters, “This is not a Muslim ban in any way, shape, or form.” The Washington Times (3/6, Noble, 272K), meanwhile, quotes a “senior DOJ official” as saying, “We anticipate most of the challenges should be mooted by this new executive order and the Department of Justice will be filling the appropriate briefs and letters in those existing cases.” Presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway said on Fox News’ Fox & Friends (3/6, 831K), “What’s different is it has effective date of March 16, and here are the legal permanent residents who were always excluded from it, but that’s made much more clear now. ... I think people will see six or seven major points about this executive order that do clarify who is covered.” At any rate, USA Today (3/6, Korte, 5.28M) reports, “White House aides say the president still stands behind the original executive order.” Said press secretary Sean Spicer, “When you look at how the court adjudicated that, their facts were wrong. ... I think we recognized that we could have been in litigation for up to a year on this, and that would have left the country exposed. We 100% maintain that the executive order as initially drafted is 100% constitutional and legal.” But Business Insider (3/6, Relman, 3.42M) noted that “when...Trump first signed an executive order restricting immigration to the US, he was surrounded by advisers and photographers at the Pentagon.” Yesterday, however, he signed the “revised version...behind closed doors and without fanfare.” Instead, Secretary of State Tillerson, Attorney General Sessions, and Homeland Security Secretary Kelly “held a short media briefing to announce the new ban,” in which “they did not take any questions from journalists.” USA Today (3/6, Gomez, 5.28M) quotes Tillerson as saying, “It is the president’s solemn duty to protect the American people, and with this order, President Trump is exercising his rightful authority to keep our people safe. ... As threats to our security continue to evolve and change, common sense dictates that we continually reevaluate and reassess the systems we rely upon to protect our country.” ABC World News Tonight (3/6, story 4, 2:20, Vega, 14.63M) showed Tillerson saying, “This is part of our ongoing efforts to eliminate vulnerabilities that radical Islamist terrorists can and will exploit for destructive ends.” Fox News’ Special Report (3/6, 1.53M) showed Tillerson stating, “While no system can be made completely infallible, the American people can have high confidence we are identifying ways to improve the vetting process and thus keep terrorists from entering our country.” AFP (3/6, Beatty) reports that Tillerson also described the order “as ‘a vital measure’ for strengthening national security,” while “Sessions added that it ‘provides a needed pause’ allowing a review of how America deals with travelers from ‘countries of concern.’” Added Sessions, “Three of these nations are state sponsors of terrorism,” and “others had served as ‘safe havens’ for terror operatives.” The Military Times (3/6, Shane III, 734K), meanwhile, notes that Kelly said, “We are not immune to terrorist threats, and our enemies often use our own freedoms in generosity against us. ... Today’s executive order…will make America more secure and address long overdue concerns about the security of our immigration system.” The New York Times (3/6, Thrush, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports that Kelly also said yesterday, “If you have a current valid visa to travel, we welcome you,” but “unregulated, un-vetted travel is not a universal privilege, especially when national security is at stake.” Roll Call (3/6, Bowman, 63K) reported “Congressional Democrats were quick to condemn...Trump’s new executive order,” but “there isn’t much they can do about it.” While “Connecticut Sen. Christopher S. Murphy announced that he would introduce a bill to overturn Trump’s new order,” with Trump’s party in control of the Senate “the Connecticut lawmaker’s bill is not likely to move forward.” Sen. Mazie Hirono said on CNN Wolf (3/6, 224K), “He made some small changes, apparently, to the very sweeping travel ban that he issued earlier. I haven’t studied all of the provisions of it, but it’s still basically a Muslim ban. It’s still a ban based on one’s religion, and every time our country has targeted a minority group for discriminate other treatment, we have been proven to be very, very wrong, and the President is wrong in this instance.” The Detroit Free Press (3/6, Spangler, 1.01M) reports that “Michigan Democrats – including US Reps. John Conyers of Detroit, Debbie Dingell of Dearborn, Dan Kildee of Flint Township, Sander Levin of Royal Oak and Brenda Lawrence of Southfield – argued that the new order changes little.” Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton said on CNN’s Situation Room (3/6, 554K) that the new order is “a step in the right direction. But let us not be distracted that this order weakens our national security. It does the opposite of FOIA CBP 001082 DHS-17-0435-B-000379 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT what the President says it will do.” McClatchy (3/6, Ordoñez, Kumar, 74K) describes the new order as “softening some of the most objectionable pieces but still leaving the policy vulnerable to legal challenges,” and reports “criticism from groups that help refugees and immigrants was swift.” Human Rights First’s Eleanor Acer said, “This order is essentially religious discrimination masquerading, once again, in the language of national security. ... Legal wordsmithing cannot obscure the discriminatory intent and impact of the order.” Hans van de Weerd, chair of Refugee Council USA, similarly charged that “the order does nothing to improve our national security and will have painful human consequences: It will separate families and leave tens of thousands of people – mostly women and children – exposed to grave danger and despair.” To Politico (3/6, Toosi, 2.46M), “Trump’s newly revised travel ban may at first seem to be more limited in its reach than his sweeping earlier order suspending refugee admissions and barring entry for citizens of several predominantly Muslim countries.” But it “still contains provisions that could ultimately slow travel and immigration to the United States from every corner of the globe,” and “could ultimately backfire on Americans wishing to travel abroad, and, for some countries, what appear to be temporary bans could effectively prove permanent.” The AP (3/6, Johnson, Gurman) reports the new order “eases some of the legal questions surrounding the previous order, but critics said it does not answer all of them, including accusations that the measure is a thinly veiled attempt to discriminate against Muslims.” Politico (3/6, Gerstein, Dawsey, Palmeri, 2.46M) reports attorneys representing several states, the ACLU and other immigrants’ rights groups “are poised to return to court as soon as Monday to challenge whatever new order Trump issues.” Politico says the White House has “heavily in preparation for the revised order, including consultation with senior officials at the Justice Department, State Department and the Department of Homeland Security.” Newsday (NY) (3/6, 1.3M) reports the new order was criticized by Muslim and immigrant advocates as an “unjustified ban on countries where most people are Muslims.” The Los Angeles Times (3/6, 4.52M) reports National Immigration law Center attorney Justin Cox said he sees little “substantive” difference between the new order and the previous one. Cox represents plaintiffs in Darweesh vs. Trump, which is currently pending before a Brooklyn federal judge. Cox added that its “time to go to court” to challenge the new order. The AP (3/6, McCombs) reports Muslim advocates and refugee officials in Utah “said Monday that President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban doesn’t alleviate their concerns about an initiative they contend unfairly targets refugees and Muslim countries.” The Chicago Tribune (3/6, 2.54M) reports the new order “remains an unacceptable ban on Muslims,” according to Chicago immigration and refugee activists. Arab American Action Network board member Ahlam Jbara said, “Make no mistake that this is still very much a Muslim ban.” Mayor Rahm Emanuel said the order was “nothing more than a wolf in sheep’s clothing.” Emanuel added that the order is a “betrayal of our nation’s values that our government would slam the door on refugees fleeing war, death and unimaginable conditions.” Science Magazine (3/6, Wadman, 410K) reported that “the academic community was not appeased by the changes.” Peter McPherson, president of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities in Washington, DC, said in a statement, “During the 2015–16 school year, more than 15,450 students and over 2100 scholars from the six countries targeted in this ban studied and conducted research at US universities. ... The pipeline of new students and scholars from those countries – many of whom are in the midst of the college application process – is now cut off.” Mary Sue Coleman, president of the Association of American Universities, said, “The new order, like its predecessor, poses a fundamental long-term threat to America’s global leadership in higher education, research, and innovation.” Iraq Excluded From New Order. The Military Times (3/6, Shane III, 734K) reports “Trump’s new executive order on immigration won’t block Iraqis from traveling to the United States,” and “should allow Iraqi translators and other foreign nationals who helped US troops in overseas war zones to travel to America, although much depends on where they are in existing vetting processes.” The Washington Times (3/6, Boyer, Miller, 272K) notes “the administration said Iraq was removed form the list, despite the presence of Islamic State fighters in the country, because of extra steps the Iraq government was taking to share information and assist the US in vetting travelers.” NPR (3/6, Domonoske, 1.92M) cited a “senior administration official” who “told reporters...Iraq has agreed to the ‘timely repatriation’ of Iraqi citizens in the US who are slated for deportation,” whereas “as of last summer, Iraq was one of 23 countries considered ‘recalcitrant’ for refusing to cooperate with the U.S. in deporting their citizens.” FOIA CBP 001083 DHS-17-0435-B-000380 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT Politico (3/6, Gerstein, McCaskill, 2.46M) reported “Iraqi officials angrily protested the inclusion of their country on the original travel ban list,” and “Tillerson appeared to allude to that blowback Monday when he publicly paid tribute to Iraq’s role in the fight against terrorism,” saying, “Iraq is an important ally in the fight to defeat ISIS.” The New York Times (3/6, Walsh, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports that the decision to exclude Iraq “came after pressure from the State Department and the Pentagon – and as American troops are working closely with Iraqi soldiers in the battle for Mosul.” The AP (3/6, Abdul-Zahra, Salaheddin) also reports the White House “removed Iraq from the list under pressure from the State Department and the Defense Department, which had noted the close cooperation between the two countries in battling the IS group.” Iraqi Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Jamal told the AP yesterday, “Today our battle in Mosul is a battle that Iraqis are conducting on behalf of the entire world,” and “the revision of the travel ban will ‘enhance’ the US-Iraqi partnership in that fight.” The Washington Post (3/6, Salim, 11.43M) similarly reports that “Iraqi officials on Monday praised the Trump administration’s decision...calling it an ‘important step in the right direction,’” and said it “reinforces the strategic alliance between Baghdad and Washington in many areas, particularly the fight against terrorism.” Administration: FBI Investigating 300 Refugees For Terror Ties. Bloomberg Politics (3/6, Epstein, Talev, 201K) reports “Trump and his aides repeatedly have described the travel directive as an urgent national security matter.” In fact, “Administration officials said the FBI is looking into some 300 individuals admitted to the US as refugees as part of counterterrorism probes,” though “a congressional aide said it’s unclear whether any of those investigations have turned up anything.” Moreover, the Washington Post (3/6, Nakamura, Zapotosky, 11.43M) reports, “a Department of Justice official who briefed reporters earlier in the day could not estimate how many of those refugees were admitted from the six countries listed in the ban.” Another Washington Post (3/6, Lee, 11.43M) analysis says that “this 300 figure is meaningless,” as “the 300 figure is a tiny fraction of all resettled refugees in the United States.” In fact, “since Congress created the Federal Refugee Program through the Refugee Act of 1980, about 3 million refugees have resettled in the United States, according to Pew Research Center.” Meanwhile, CNN’s Situation Room (3/6, Blitzer, 554K) reported that during an appearance on CNN, DHS Secretary Kelly was asked how many of those refugees came from the six countries listed in the new executive order. Kelly said, “I don’t know how many are from those six,” adding that the FBI’s investigation hasn’t concluded. Wolf Blitzer asked Kelly, “Don’t you think you needed that intelligence before you release the travel ban affecting the six majority-Muslim countries?” Kelly responded that the countries on the list are either designated by the State Department as terrorist sponsors, or they “are countries in collapse.” Kelly added, “We are now looking at other countries.” He said he doesn’t “believe the list will be expanded, but there are countries out there that we’ll ask, like Iraq has done...to cooperate with us better, to get us the information we need, to safeguard the country.” Fox News (3/6, Herridge, 11.07M) cites FBI Director James Comey as noting in 2015 that there were 900 ongoing terror investigations but that Monday’s announcements “marked the first official concrete linkage between the refugee program and terrorism.” It cites Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly as also noting, “We must undertake a rigorous review of our visa and refugee vetting programs to increase our confidence in the entry decisions we make for visitors and immigrants to the United States. ... We cannot risk the prospect of malevolent actors using our immigration system to take American lives.” A Washington Post (3/6, Lee, 11.43M) “Fact Checker” piece adds “Administration officials did not provide any information about the investigations, or any context to understand how significant the 300 figure is.” The Post says 300 may be a “meaningless” number, noting that it is just a “tiny fraction of all resettled refugees in the United States,” but that it could “represent 30 percent or 3 percent (or something entirely different) of total open investigations.” What is unclear, it says, is “the full universe of open investigations.” Graham, Corker Praise New Order. USA Today (3/6, Kelly, Collins, 5.28M) reports Sen. Lindsey Graham said on Monday “he believes Trump’s revised order is better and will ‘pass legal muster.’” Said Graham, “I congratulate the Administration for modifying the original order to ensure that it is prospective in application, protective of those with valid visas and legal status, and exempts Iraqis, as five thousand FOIA CBP 001084 DHS-17-0435-B-000381 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT Americans are currently fighting alongside them against (the Islamic State). ... I believe the new order will withstand legal challenges as it’s drafted in a fashion as to not be a religious ban, but a ban on individuals coming from compromised governments and failed states.” Reuters (3/6, Zengerle), meanwhile, reports that Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Bob Corker “said on Monday he was ‘very encouraged’ by the approach...Trump’s administration took to its new immigration executive order, and pleased that Iraq was removed from the list of countries subject to visa restrictions.” Washington State AG: Trump “Has Capitulated On Numerous Key Provisions.” The Wall Street Journal (3/6, Meckler, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) that Bob Ferguson, Washington State’s attorney general who sued to block the first order, said he was still considering his next legal steps, but weighed in on yesterday’s version, declaring, “It is the president’s solemn duty to protect the American people, and with the order, President Trump is exercising his rightful authority to keep our people safe. ... By rescinding his earlier executive order, President Trump makes one thing perfectly clear: His original travel ban was indefensible – legally, constitutionally and morally. ... The president has capitulated on numerous key provisions blocked by our lawsuit.” Reuters (3/6, Rosenberg, Levine) notes Ferguson also said “he will likely decide on the next litigation steps this week after consulting with state universities and businesses about potential harms.” Said Ferguson, “We need to do our homework and be thoughtful about this.” The Los Angeles Times (3/6, 4.52M) and the Seattle Times (3/6, 1.05M) report similarly on Ferguson’s statements. USA Today (3/6, 5.28M) features video of Ferguson’s remarks. Order Says Government Will Publicize Information About “Honor Killings” In US By Foreign Nationals. Politico (3/6, Toosi, 2.46M) reports that in a line that “leaps out like few others in the revised travel ban...Trump issued Monday,” the Administration said “the American government...will start publicizing information about ‘acts of gender-based violence against women, including so-called ‘honor killings,’ in the United States by foreign nationals.’” Politico adds that “the statement is part of a broader section that pledges the US government will begin releasing data on terrorism-related offenses committed by immigrants.” Breitbart (3/6, Munro, 2.02M) reported that “the language bolsters the often-ignored language in the current N-400 citizenship application document, which asks applicants if they have ‘EVER advocated (either directly or indirectly) the overthrow of any government by force or violence? Have you EVER persecuted (either directly or indirectly) any person because of race, religion, national origin, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion?’” LATimes Analysis: Order’s “Little-Noticed Provision” Gives Trump Extra “Leverage” In Foreign Dealings. The Los Angeles Times (3/6, Bennett, 4.52M) reports “a little-noticed provision in...Trump’s revised restrictions on entry into the country could remake how the US conducts foreign policy, creating leverage for a president who promised to bring his hard-nosed deal-making mind-set to American diplomacy.” In the order, “Trump ordered a global review to determine whether citizens from additional countries should be blocked from coming to the US as well,” and asked “the departments of State and Homeland Security, along with intelligence agencies, to determine which countries come up short on cooperating with US immigration officials who are vetting travelers who want to enter the country.” That “review gives Trump, who spent his adult life working out real estate transactions, the opportunity to demand concessions from more than 190 countries.” To the Times, “At stake is the ability of their citizens and nationals to travel to the United States.” Studies Appear To Contradict Order’s Rationale. The CBS Evening News (3/6, story 4, 0:35, Pelley, 11.17M) reported that in President Trump’s address to Congress last week, he “said the vast majority of individuals convicted of terrorism and terrorism-related offenses since 9/11 came here from outside of our country, and the attorney general repeated that today. But it turns out the facts tell a different story. A study by Fordham University School of Law says 78 percent of ISIS-related prosecutions in the US involve American citizens, and 53 percent of Al Qaeda related cases involve people born in the US.” In addition, a Washington Post (3/6, Berman, 11.43M) analysis states that “according to data collected by New America, a Washington-based nonprofit group,” the “new ban...has something big in common with the earlier version: It would not have kept out of the United States anyone responsible for a deadly terror FOIA CBP 001085 DHS-17-0435-B-000382 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT attack since 2001.” According to the Post, “There have been 10 fatal attacks tied to Islamist extremist ideology or otherwise deemed international terrorism since 2001 and the people behind those attacks are from none of the banned countries.” Monmouth Poll: Public Opposed Original Order 49%-39%. U.S. News & World Report (3/6, Levy, 1.02M) reported that “according to a new poll from Monmouth University released Monday, just 39 percent of US adults said they believe the original travel ban was a good idea. Meanwhile, 49 percent said the executive order...was a bad idea.” The poll, which was “taken before the White House announced the new version of its executive order on Monday, found that approximately the same number – 50 percent – said Trump should have moved on from the ban to other issues, compared with 38 percent who favored his decision to take a second stab at it.” NYTimes Examines Yale Law Group Fight Against Travel Order As Echo Of 1991 Efforts. As part of its “Retro Report” series, the New York Times (3/6, Haberman, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) says former Yale Law School students’ help drafting a petition to stop the first immigration executive order implemented by President Trump is an echo of previous efforts by the school’s legal experts. Yale law professor Michael Wishnie recalls the 1991 movement he took part in that led to the release of Haitian immigrants from Guantanamo. Anticipating pushback on the newly released immigration policy, Professor Koh, who was also involved in the 1991 effort, said, “your goal is to make the law serve justice, not just make the law serve power.” Editorial Writers Weigh In. Under the headline “Trump’s New Travel Ban Is As Arbitrary And Senseless As The First,” the Washington Post (3/6, 11.43M) editorializes that “the ban, while doing virtually nothing to deter terrorist attacks in this country, aids the recruitment efforts of the Islamic State and other extremist groups by substantiating their case that anti-Islamic bigotry thrives in the United States.” While “the courts will decide whether the order...passes legal muster,” it is “already clear...that it remains antithetical to American interests, values, tradition and security.” In an editorial, the Wall Street Journal (3/6, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) describes the order as unnecessary, even as it praises it as more reasonable than the January version. USA Today (3/6, 5.28M), in an editorial, similarly calls the order “an improvement on the original” but “still a disappointment,” because “the military and law enforcement need cooperation from Muslims at home and abroad to uncover terror plots and identify targets,” and “alienating them with sweeping policies that cast suspicion on entire populations is a dangerous game.” The New York Times (3/6, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) headlines its editorial “President Trump’s Muslim Ban Lite,” and refers to a “downscaled, but still pernicious, version of the ban,” which amounts to “an implicit acknowledgment that the Trump administration stumbled spectacularly in its first major attempt to deliver on a campaign promise.” In its editorial page, the Los Angeles Times (3/6, 4.52M) calls the order “no less misguided and damaging...than the original,” and concludes that “Trump’s aim here is not to improve national security, but to ostracize. And it will be to Americans’ shame if he gets away with it.” The Dallas Morning News (3/6, Email, 1.12M) editorializes that the new order “does nothing to fix the original’s existential flaws: It attempts to fix a problem that does not exist, while offending American ideals and making the country less safe in the process.” The Morning News says Trump “lacks compelling evidence that this order will make America safer,” because refugees are already required to “undergo a vigorous vetting” before entering the US. In an op-ed for the Washington Post (3/6, 11.43M) “Plum Line” blog, senior writer at the American Prospect Paul Waldman argues the new order appears as though the Administration “put some thought into it, particularly with regard to getting it upheld in court.” Waldman opines, however, that the new order is the same as the original version in that it will “do nothing to keep Americans any safer than we already are.” Farhana Khera, the president and executive director of Muslim Advocates, “a civil rights legal FOIA CBP 001086 DHS-17-0435-B-000383 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT organization,” and Johnathan Smith, the group’s legal director, write in the New York Times (3/6, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) that the new order “still suffers from a fundamental, and fatal, flaw: It constitutes unlawful religious discrimination. ... The Muslim ban and President Trump’s relentless attacks on Islam are not just an assault on thousands of patriotic, innocent Americans – they violate our Constitution and our most fundamental American values and beliefs.” Airbnb, Other Tech Firms Criticize New Travel Order. The Hill (3/6, Neidig, 1.25M) reports that “Airbnb and Uber called out the Trump administration on Monday over the president’s new executive order temporarily banning people from six Muslim-majority nations from entering the country.” Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky wrote on Twitter, “Barring people from entering our country because of where they’re from was wrong the first time around – still wrong.” The Hill also points out that “Uber and Airbnb were among the first major tech companies to come out against the new measure in the hours after it was signed Monday morning.” International Business Times (3/6, Dellinger, 814K) also points out that “Lyft and Airbnb offered forceful rebukes of the original executive order in January.” IBT says that “at the time, Lyft pledged to donate $1 million to the ACLU, while Airbnb offered free housing to anyone affected by the travel ban.” KELLY SAYS HE IS CONSIDERING SEPARATING CHILDREN FROM PARENTS TO PREVENT ILLEGAL ENTRY. The AP (3/6, Caldwell) reports that DHS Secretary Kelly said in a Monday interview that the department “is considering separating children from parents caught crossing the Mexican border illegally.” Kelly said he would “do almost anything to deter the people from Central America getting on this very, very dangerous network.” Kelly added that any children who crossed the border would be “well￾cared for” by the government. The AP says that DHS officials “have been trying to curb the flow of families since 2014 when a flood of both children and families overwhelmed immigration officials.” DHS has tried “launch[ing] a public relations campaign in Central America to warn about the dangers and advise families that there would be no free pass into the United States.” The Huffington Post (3/6, Foley, 237K) reports Wolf Blitzer asked Kelly how separating children from parents would look “to the average person.” Kelly said, “It’s more important to me, Wolf, to try to keep people off of this awful network.” The New York Post (3/6, Halper, 3.82M), CNN (3/6, Diaz, 29.79M), The Week (3/6, 2.41M), the Daily Beast (3/6, 1.11M), and TIME (3/6, 6.98M) also report on Kelly’s comments on CNN. Politico (3/6, Conway, 2.46M) says Kelly’s statement “is likely to prompt a rebuke from Democrats and immigrant rights advocates.” Reuters (3/6, Beech) reports that Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) said, “Bottom line: separating mothers and children is wrong.” Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) said on CNN’s Situation Room (3/6, 554K) that the idea of separating children from their parents “sounds terribly inhumane.” Slate (3/6, 1.83M) reports in its “XX Factor” blog that the proposal is both “inhumane” and “untenable,” because detention centers are “not prepared to take on that kind of surge in detainees.” CNN (3/6, 29.79M) also publishes the full interview with Secretary Kelly and Wolf Blitzer. Immigration and Customs Enforcement: MARYLAND POLICE ALLEGE WPOST EMPLOYEE IMPERSONATED ICE OFFICER. The Washington Post (3/6, Morse, 11.43M) reports that “an IT worker at The Washington Post impersonated a federal law enforcement officer in Northern Virginia and was seen wearing a ballistic vest bearing the label ‘ICE’ across the front, according to police allegations filed in Montgomery County District Court.” Itai Ozderman, 35, of Gaithersburg, MD “was suspended by The Post on Monday, his attorney Thomas Degonia said.” Ozderman “has not been charged with impersonating a federal officer, Degonia said,” but the FBI “continues to probe his actions, according to police officials in Falls Church, Va., and to Maryland court records.” The FBI and SWAT last month, the Washington Examiner (3/6, Giaritelli, 400K) says, raided Ozderman’s home, where they “recovered 10 weapons, including handguns, assault rifles and a shotgun.” The Examiner adds, “the 35-year-old man also had body armor, weapon magazines, bullets and a working FOIA CBP 001087 DHS-17-0435-B-000384 A \/1 )IC A PVERSIGHT police radio on hand at his home, according to a WJLA report.” WUSA-TV Washington (3/6, 70K) provides additional coverage on its website. ARMY VETERAN FACES DEPORTATION. The Independent (UK) (3/6, York, 1.28M) reports that Army veteran Private 1st class Miguel Perez, who “was born in Mexico and grew up in Chicago,” faces deportation to Mexico. Perez, a legal permanent resident, “served two tours in Afghanistan with the US military...where he suffered serious head injuries,” and his family claims he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. Perez served a prison sentence for a drug offense after he left the military, which prompted deportation proceedings. Perez “is one of thousands of green card veterans who face deportation, according to the Ashley’s Memory Project.” NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT FACES DEPORTATION AFTER EMBEZZLEMENT CHARGE. The Charlotte (NC) Observer (3/6, 656K) reports Charlotte high school student Gustavo “Gus” Zamudio “was charged last month with embezzling almost $3,000 from a Harris Teeter store” where he worked. Zamudio’s arrest “appears to have made the Mexico native eligible for a stepped-up effort by the Trump administration to deport undocumented aliens with criminal records.” The Observer notes that Mecklenburg County, where Zamudio lives, participates in the 287(g) program. Zamudio’s attorney “said before his arrest, Zamudio had received protection under” DACA. The attorney “said the Trump administration is revoking DACA status at the time of arrest,” rather than at the moment of conviction under the Obama Administration. WBTV-TV Charlotte, NC (3/6, 214K) reports on its website that Zamudio’s friends have started a GoFundMe page in attempt to raise $25,000 to help his family. CALIFORNIA SHERIFFS CRITICAL OF STATE BILL PROHIBITING AGENCIES FROM “USING RESOURCES FOR IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.” The Los Angeles Times (3/6, 4.52M) reports that California “county sheriffs on Monday slammed a Senate bill that would prohibit state and local law enforcement agencies from using resources for immigration enforcement, saying it would cause their departments to lose federal funding and allow violent offenders to go free.” In a press conference, the sheriffs “said they did not want to enforce immigration laws or target hardworking families and students in the country illegally. But they argued the pending legislation would restrict collaboration between law enforcement agencies at different levels of government when going after crime suspects.” The Sacramento (CA) Bee (3/6, 574K) reports Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones “said Monday that he believes pending legislation preventing state and local police agencies from using their resources to assist federal immigration authorities would be invalid because it conflicts with federal law.” Jones added, “This is just the latest in the ill-conceived basket full of poor public safety legislation.” Jones urged lawmakers to allow his department to “passively cooperate” with ICE agents in the county jail. POLICE CHIEFS ARGUE “SANCTUARY” POLICIES KEEP CRIME DOWN. The Los Angeles Times (3/6, Wexler, 4.52M) reports many police chiefs across the country have raised concerns about “enhanced enforcement of federal immigration laws.” The Times says “chiefs are afraid that such efforts will have the unintended consequence of actually increasing crime and making their communities less safe.” A number of incidents in some “sanctuary cities” are highlighted as examples for their beliefs. This includes an undocumented man in Arizona holding another man that attempted to steal a car with children inside long enough for police to arrive and a Texas nun who runs a shelter for women, many of them undocumented, who are reporting the crimes against them and having offenders prosecuted. The article says these chiefs argue that there would be more crime if these immigrants had not stepped forward. MIGRANT FAMILIES PREPARE SEPARATION PLANS. USA Today (3/6, Curnutte, 5.28M) focuses on the “wrenching discussions about living apart” that are being had by migrant families in the Cincinnati area. Families are “making separations plans,” and reading literature on the subject that is handed out at immigrant rights rallies and prayer services. USA Today says some of the migrant families are considering moving to Canada, which is “perceived to be more immigrant-friendly.” FOIA CBP 001088 DHS-17-0435-B-000385 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL ANALYSIS: DEPORTATION POLICY HITS WISCONSIN’S PRO￾TRUMP DAIRY FARMERS HARD. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (3/6, Barrett, 513K), President Trump’s deportation policy threatens the livelihood of the Wisconsin dairy farmers who overwhelmingly supported him. According to interviewed farmers, comprehensive immigration reform is necessary to address the program because native-born Americans are reluctant to take on the hard physical labor required by dairy farming. Customs and Border Protection: MULVANEY: BORDER WALL WILL COST $8 MILLION TO $25 MILLION PER MILE. The Washington Times (3/6, Dinan, 272K) reports that OMB Director Mulvaney said in a Monday interview that “President Trump’s proposed border wall run anywhere from $8 million to $25 million a mile.” Mulvaney, speaking on the Hugh Hewitt Show, “said the White House will ask for some money in the next couple of weeks but won’t know the details of the cost and construction until it prepares its 2019 budget, which won’t be for another year.” AFGHAN REFUGEE FAMILY DETAINED AT LA AIRPORT TO BE RELEASED. Reuters (3/6) reports an Afghan refugee family detained by immigration officials at the Los Angeles International Airport last week will be released on Monday, according to their attorney. The family was held despite having Special Immigrant Visas. According to the AP (3/6), the father had worked for more than a decade with the US military. His lawyer, Rob Blulme, also noted the man “was assaulted and shot during his time” in Afghanistan. Separately, the AP (3/6, Press) also says Homeland Security officials still have not disclosed why the family was detained, though immigration advocates have “asserted in a court petition there was ‘absolutely no justification whatsoever.’” The Washington Post (3/6, Hauslohner, 11.43M) reports CBP on Monday “agreed under legal pressure to release the family without charge, but provided no justification for the family’s detention.” CONSTRUCTION ON LOS INDIOS BORDER SAFETY INSPECTION FACILITY STALLS. The Rio Grande Valley (TX) Morning Star (3/6, 68K) reports construction on the $6.9 million Los Indios Border Safety Inspection Facility has stalled. The project started construction in February 2015, but it is now “eight months overdue.” TxDOT spokesman Octavio Saez said, “Currently, there is a lengthy land donation process that must be completed prior to moving forward.” KHAN SPEECH IN TORONTO CANCELED DUE TO REPORTED REVIEW OF “TRAVEL PRIVILEGES.” The Los Angeles Times (3/6, Tchekmedyian, 4.52M) reports, “Gold Star father Khizr Khan has canceled a scheduled speech in Toronto after being told his ‘travel privileges are being reviewed,’” according to event organizer Ramsay Talks. It was “not immediately clear which government agency contacted him or what was under review.” In a statement posted on Facebook, Khan, who is a naturalized US citizen, “said he was not told why his travel status was under review.” The Military Times (3/6, Diamond, 734K) reports that Khan “planned to talk about his opposition of President Donald Trump and how others can join [in] opposition of the new president.” The Daily Beast (3/6, 1.11M) reports CBP spokespeople “did not explain what happened to Khan, but brushed away the notion that the father was told he could not go to Canada.” Janice Mosher, with CBP public affairs said, “We don’t do that. We’re not going to review… no, no. ... It’s not something we do.” Politico (3/6, McCaskill, 2.46M) provides additional coverage. ARIZONA DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY PASSED OVER FOR CBP COMMISSIONER. American Shipper (3/6) reports Arizona director of public safety Frank Milstead “was passed over for CBP commissioner by the Trump administration.” American Shipper cites reporting by Arizona Public Media that said “former Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu” is being considered for the position. American Shipper adds, “The news suggests the first focus of a Trump administration Customs commissioner may be on FOIA CBP 001089 DHS-17-0435-B-000386 A \/1 )IC A PVERSIGHT the border patrol and other aspects of immigration control.” CANADIAN CITIZEN BARRED FROM ENTERING US WITHOUT VISA. The Toronto (CAN) Sun (3/6, 57K) reports 30-year-old Manpreet Kooner of Montreal “says she was barred from entering the United States and told to get a valid visa if she ever wants to cross the border.” Kooner “said she was turned away at a crossing along the Quebec-Vermont border on Sunday after a six-hour wait where she was fingerprinted, photographed and questioned before being refused.” The Sun says there have been “several reports of Canadians encountering issues at the US border.” A CBP spokeswoman “said Monday the department can’t comment on individual admissibility inspections, but noted that possession of a valid travel document does not guarantee entry to the United States.” WCAX-TV Burlington, VT (3/6, 73K) reports on its website that Kooner “says she’s been coming to the U.S. for years, but the 30-year-old says she was denied entry to the U.S. on Sunday despite having a passport.” NORTHERN BORDER TOWNS “ON EDGE” OVER ILLEGAL BORDER CROSSERS. KRDK-TV Fargo, ND (3/6, 18K) reports on its website that citizens living along the northern border “are concerned about the people trying to get out of the United States.” The increase in traffic for illegal border crossers is impacting “farm fields stretching from the U.S into Canada.” KRDK-TV says there have been “more than 60 people...caught this year alone.” Transportation Security Administration: TSA INTRODUCES “ENHANCED” PAT-DOWN SCREENING PROCEDURE. NBC Nightly News (3/6, story 4, 2:10, Holt, 16.61M) reported the Transportation Security Administration’s new “comprehensive” pat-downs for passengers is an effort to standardize the secondary screening process. The procedural change comes in response to the failure by TSA agents to detect fake firearms smuggled through checkpoints 95 percent of the time during a 2015 undercover test conducted by DHS. According to the Los Angeles Times (3/6, Martin, 4.52M), TSA said the new policy will lessen “the cognitive burden for our officers and [reduce] the possibility for confusion with passengers and employees.” TSA screeners are now allowed to use the front of their hands if a passenger sets off the full￾body screening machine or refuses to go through the machine. Bloomberg News (3/6, Bachman, 2.41M) focuses on the TSA’s notification of law enforcement that passengers may find the procedure unusual, saying it “raises a question of just how intimate the agency’s employees may get.” Fox News (3/6, 11.07M) reports TSA “says the new screening procedure is not expected to increase overall airport security delays though TSA pre-check passengers may also receive an enhanced pat￾down.” The Washington Post (3/6, Kunkle, 11.43M) reports that TSA “says the full, one-size-fits-all pat￾down doesn’t involve any different areas of the body that were frisked under the previous methods.” DAVIDSON: TSA DISPLAYING LACK OF TRANSPARENCY. In his column for the Washington Post (3/6, 11.43M), Joe Davidson recounts recent testimony by TSA acting Administrator Huban Gowadia in front of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Davidson argues that the hearing showed TSA’s “lack of transparency,” a penchant for “whistleblower revenge,” and “collusion to deny employee rights.” Davidson says lawmakers from both parties “lambasted TSA’s refusal to provide the independent Office of Special Counsel (OSC) all the documents needed for its whistleblower-retaliation investigations.” Federal Emergency Management Agency: SEVERE WEATHER THREATENS MORE THAN 20 MILLION CENTRAL US RESIDENTS. ABC World News Tonight (3/6, story 8, 1:10, Muir, 14.63M) reported that severe weather posed a threat to 22 million central US residents, “from Arkansas all the way to Minnesota,” on Monday night. A tornado watch was in FOIA CBP 001090 DHS-17-0435-B-000387 A \/1 )IC A PVERSIGHT effect for parts of the latter state. NBC Nightly News (3/6, story 6, 0:20, Holt, 16.61M) reported that “some 23 million people” faced a severe central US weather threat on Monday night. The AP (3/6) reports forecasters said that in addition to Minnesota, tornadoes were also possible in Arkansas and Oklahoma. FEMA: MORE THAN $300 MILLION IN POST-FLOOD PUBLIC ASSISTANCE HAS BEEN OBLIGATED TO LOUISIANA. The Baton Rouge (LA) Advocate (3/6, Hardy, 75K) reports a Monday FEMA announcement said $304.3 million worth of Public Assistance Program funds have been obligated since last summer’s floods in Louisiana. US Citizenship and Immigration Services: CONTINUING COVERAGE: H-1B EXPEDITED PROCESSING SUSPENSION COULD IMPACT BUSINESSES. In continuing coverage, the Wall Street Journal (3/6, Ballhaus, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) reports on USCIS’ temporary suspension of expedited processing for the H-1B visa. The Journal says that the suspension will begin April 3 and will last for six months, though it notes the suspension does not affect the annual lottery outcome. Similarly, the San Jose (CA) Mercury News (3/6, May, 654K) says regular processing “can be painfully slow,” and that the suspension “will not only affect new workers coming to the country on the H-1B program, but those who already hold an H-1B visa and are changing jobs within the country too,” according to Seattle-based immigration attorney Tahmina Watson. The Christian Science Monitor (3/6, Kauffman, 387K) cites USCIS as noting the suspension is necessary to manage the backlog of applications. This, however, has confused many “who point out that faster processing was cited as a reason for the premium option in the first place.” Many worry that the suspension is just “the first attempt to dismantle a worker pipeline program President Donald Trump pledged to eliminate while on the campaign trail,” Yahoo! News (3/6, 8.62M) adds. The article adds that the suspension will force “businesses to pay a higher price for labor, due to higher demand for soon-to-be scarce H-1B workers,” and that this is compounded by the travel ban that restricts travel of citizens from seven Muslim-majority nations into the US even if they hold an H-1B visa. CNBC (3/6, 2.17M) says, however, the suspension is “a relatively routine decision that’s happened under administrations past.” This time, the piece notes, “it is missing one key piece of information – a timeline – and that could impact businesses.” Attorney Piyumi Samaratunga is quoted as saying, “At least last year, we knew that by May, the premium track would kick in. It’s fair for them to want a month, because they get this flood of applications and go through the lottery process. Getting a month is reasonable. ... [Now] we don’t know if it will be implemented in May or at all.” Additionally, The Guardian (UK) (3/6, Solon, 4.07M) reports that many foreign workers are being left “in limbo” due to the suspension. Boston-based immigration attorney Matthew Cameron is cited as saying, “A lot of massive companies rely upon [premium processing] every year for their hiring and budgeting schedules.” The announcement of the suspension resulted in shares of technology companies taking a dip on Monday, Reuters (3/6, Randewich) says. It notes most company shares, however, “recovered due to growing expectations among investors that any potential change to the H-1B visa program would happen via a lengthy legislative process and not through a quick executive order.” Doctors who also travel into the US for their residencies and who are “required to work in underserved areas,” the Chicago Tribune (3/6, 2.54M) notes, will still be able to do so “but they might not be able to get them quickly enough to start working right after their residencies end this summer.” The Association of American Medical Colleges executive vice president Dr. Atul Grover said, “Some of the most needy areas may lose out if they’re actually recruiting practicing physicians to those areas.” Fast Company (3/6, 4.27M), American Bazaar (3/6), SiliconANGLE (3/6, 2K), and Quartz (3/6, 638K) provide similar coverage. FOIA CBP 001091 DHS-17-0435-B-000388 A \/1 )IC A PVERSIGHT BUSINESSES CONCERNED ABOUT POSSIBLE CHANGES TO SEASONAL VISA PROGRAM. The Boston Globe (3/7, Fernandes, 1.08M) reports businesses are fearful that there could be upcoming changes to the H-2B seasonal worker visa program that might lead to a worker shortage. POLL SHOWS 52% OF AMERICANS SEE RISK IN ADMITTING REFUGEES. The AP (3/6) details a new poll by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research that found that 52 percent of respondents “say refugees pose a great enough risk to further limit their entry into the United States.” The same poll found that “two-thirds of the respondents [say] the benefits of legal immigration generally outweigh the risks.” Immigration: WPOST ANALYSIS: TRUMP INTENDS TO REMAKE IMMIGRATION POLICY TO MATCH “NATIONALIST IDEOLOGY.” David Nakamura of the Washington Post (3/6, 11.43M) writes that President Trump and his top aides intend to “broadly remake US immigration policy to match a nationalist ideology that views large numbers of foreigners as harmful to US society.” The President sees this as a means “to protect American workers,” but his opponents charge that Trump “is pursuing restrictionist polices” that could harm the economy. US immigration policy has focused on reuniting families and aiding them in bringing relatives to the US, but Trump envisions a “merit-based” system that “would curtail entry to the country among foreigners who cannot ‘support themselves financially.’” Opinion: Merit-Based Immigration System Will Boost US Economy. In an op-ed for the Dallas Morning News (3/6, Malanga, Email, 1.12M), author and senior editor of City Journal Steven Malanga argues for a merit-based immigration system, and says any opposition to “skills-based immigration reform is political.” Malanga opines that successful periods of immigration from US history were based on economic principles, and attracted immigrants “well-suited to our economic needs and job market.” Malanga says creating a merit-based system, such as the one proposed by President Trump, is a “sensible, pro-immigration way to boost America’s economy.” NYTIMES EXPLAINS THE “REALITY” OF US’ UNDOCUMENTED POPULATION. In a nearly 2,500 word analysis, the New York Times (3/6, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports on the US’ 11 million undocumented immigrants. The Times says 11 million individuals “allows for considerable range, crosshatched with contradictions.” The Times details figures that show “almost a quarter” of undocumented immigrants in the US are “not even Hispanic,” and figures from the Pew Research Center “found that adult unauthorized immigrants were, at the median, about a decade younger than American￾born adults.” The Migration Policy Institute found that around 60% of the “unauthorized population has been here for at least a decade,” and just over 30% own homes. Figures from the Migration Policy Institute also say that around 3% of the undocumented population have committed felonies. HARVARD SURGEON FROM ETHIOPIA RECOUNTS PERSONAL FULFILLMENT OF AMERICAN DREAM. In response to a picture of volunteers welcoming the last Syrian refugees at O’Hare Airport, PAVmed Inc. Chairman and CEO Dr. Lishan Aklog tells the story of her journey from Addis Ababa to her new life as the adopted daughter of Americans whose parents were immigrants in an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal (3/6, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) . She says her 20-year experience as a Harvard student, researcher, and surgeon; her marriage to an immigrant from Cape Verde; and her entrepreneurial initiatives exemplify the opportunities afforded by the American Dream. WTIMES PROFILES MEXICO’S BILLIONAIRE ANTI-TRUMP CHAMPION. The Washington Times (3/6, Imison, 272K) profiles the “long vilified...corrupt oligarch, mega-billionaire” Carlos Slim, calling him an “unlikely champion” in Mexico as “one of President Trump’s most high-profile antagonists.” While he emerged from a December meeting with Trump reassured and avoids personal attacks, Slim has slammed the President’s protectionist policies and border wall proposal. A poll by prominent Mexican daily El Universal found 20 percent of Mexicans think the billionaire is best placed to counter Trump, but prominent Slim critic Marco Levario Turcott calls the free-trade champion a hypocrite because “he owes his monopoly to corruption and government regulation.” FOIA CBP 001092 DHS-17-0435-B-000389 A \/1 )IC A PVERSIGHT Secret Service: DEMOCRATIC SENATORS CALL ON TRUMP TO RELEASE WHITE HOUSE, MAR-A-LAGO VISITOR LOGS. Reuters (3/6, Harte) reports that eight Democratic senators have signed a letter urging President Trump “to release logs of visitors to the White House and Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida” in continuation of an Obama Administration policy “that made public the names of nearly six million visitors to the White House.” While the White House did not respond to requests for comment, Reuters notes that the White House website has a “section entitled ‘Visitor Access Records,’” which says “the page will post records of White House visitors on an ongoing basis, once they become available. It does not mention Mar-a-Lago.” Roll Call (3/6, Lesniewski, 63K) reports seven Senate Democrats, led by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D￾RI), “want to know if the Secret Service is running background check[s] on visitors to President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort.” The Democrats “are asking Secret Service Deputy Director William J. Callahan about the procedures in place for Trump properties when the president is there and apparently conducting business.” AIRBNB RENTAL INSIDE TRUMP TOWER TAKEN DOWN. The New York Times (3/6, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports a rental listing for an apartment inside Trump tower through the website Airbnb was “taken down last week hours after The New York Times contacted Airbnb for comment.” The Times says the apartment “had been available to rent since at least September.” The Times notes that it is “unclear whether the Secret Service had known about the listing.” Spokeswoman Catherine Milhoan said, “We don’t comment on our protective operations.” The AP (3/6) reports renters who stayed at the apartment “were instructed to discreetly describe themselves as the apartment owner’s guests.” The guests were admitted “after presenting ID and undergoing security screening.” Fortune (3/6, 7.12M) reports similarly. LANTANA AIRPORT TO REMAIN CLOSED DURING TRUMP VISITS. The AP (3/6) reports, “The businesses at a small Florida airport that the Secret Service orders closed each time President Donald Trump visits his Mar-a-Lago resort won’t get any concessions.” According to Reps. Lois Frankel (D-FL) and Ted Deutch (D-FL), the Secret Service “told Lantana Airport tenants during a closed-door meeting they cannot allow aircraft to take off from the facility.” VIRGINIA MAN CONVICTED OF THREATENING TO KILL OBAMA RUNNING FOR DELEGATE SEAT. On its website, WUSA-TV Washington (3/6, Valerio, 70K) reported, “Eight years after he emailed the Secret Service and threatened to kill President Barack Obama, a Northern Virginia man is now out of prison, equipped with enough signatures in at least one county to run for the House of Delegates.” WUSA-TV said that Nathan Daniel Larson was sentenced “to 16 months in prison with three years of supervised release. After Larson served time” in prison and Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) “restored his voting rights, the convicted felon decided early this year to run for” office. Under Virginia law, “voting rights are lost upon conviction of a felony. Eligibility to vote is a requirement to run for public office in the state. Larson intends to run for Virginia’s 31st House District.” A “self-proclaimed libertarian,” Larson – who graduated from George Mason University in 2003 – “proposes the suppression of women’s rights, including the right to vote.” National Protection and Programs: NEW JERSEY LAWMAKERS CALL FOR MORE EQUITABLE DHS FUNDING TO PROTECT RELIGIOUS CENTERS. NJ News (3/6, 952K) reports New Jersey lawmakers Rep. Donald Norcross (D) and Sen. Cory Booker (D) are “call[ing] for more federal funding for the security of religious organizations” after recent bomb threats to Jewish centers. Norcross and Booker are also urging DHS to change its allocation of funds in the region. Booker “said funds distributed by [DHS] is allotted in a regional formula that favors Philadelphia and does not provide enough resources for New Jersey.” Philly (PA) (3/6, 942K) FOIA CBP 001093 DHS-17-0435-B-000390 A \/1 )IC A PVERSIGHT reports similarly on the story. REAL ID COMPLIANCE BILL FAILS IN MINNESOTA SENATE. The Minneapolis Star Tribune (3/6, Golden, 1.27M) reports, “The Minnesota Senate on Monday voted down a bill meant to put the state in compliance with” the Real ID Act, “as a fight over immigration policy hampers the effort to ensure continued access to air travel for all residents.” Senators from both parties “say they want to avoid” a situation in which state residents would need “a passport or special enhanced driver’s license” to board flights or visit military facilities, “but both sides have also tried to use the Real ID legislation as a chance to clarify who should or shouldn’t be able to get a Minnesota driver’s license.” The AP (3/6, Potter) reports, “A handful of Senate Republicans who view the federal law as government overreach combined with all 33 Senate Democrats to sink the legislation.” Democrats “took issue with part of the bill that would have reiterated an existing state rule against issuing licenses to immigrants living in Minnesota illegally.” Terrorism Investigations: LAWYERS SPAR OVER RELEASE OF EX-GITMO DETAINEE’S MENTAL HEALTH RECORDS. The Miami Herald (3/6, Rosenberg, 856K) reports defense lawyers and prosecutors in the case of Abd al Rahim Nashiri, who allegedly orchestrated the suicide bombing of the USS Cole, sparred over the release and use of the defendant’s mental health records during a pre-trial hearing Monday. Prosecutor Army Col. John Wells asserted that CIA access to the records was necessary for a number of reasons, but defense attorney Mary Spears cited “force protection” and “therapeutic analysis” as reasons the records should be kept confidential. Wells called the supposition “a far-flung flight of the imagination.” The CIA waterboarded and rectally abused the Saudi as of its “enhanced interrogation” procedures during his 2002-2006 detention by the agency at Guantanamo, and US military physicians said in 2013 that he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. NEW YORK MAN ARRESTED FOR SUPPORTING SYRIAN ISLAMIST GROUP, THREATENING MOTHER. The Associated Press (3/6) reports authorities arrested a man accused of attempting to join Islamists in Syria after he tried to remove his own tattoos with a knife and told his mother he would behead her. Prosecutors submitted the allegations Monday and requested the judge deny bail for Elvis Redzeagis, 26, from a New York City suburb. He was charged Saturday with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, and a lawyer says he has cooperated with the police and requires counseling. NYPD PROPOSAL GIVES CIVILIAN MONITOR MORE OVERSIGHT IN MUSLIM SURVEILLANCE LAWSUIT. The New York Times (3/6, Apuzzo, Goldman, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports lawyers returned to the Manhattan Federal District Court Monday with a new proposed settlement to the lawsuit over the New York Police Department’s surveillance of Muslims. The proposal gives more power to the civilian monitor, to be appointed by the mayor. The monitor would have the authority to raise questions about investigations and file annual reports on any objections. The settlement would also put safeguards that were removed after the September 11 attacks back in place. MCCLATCHY TELLS STORY OF 9/11 FAMILIES SEEKING JUSTICE AGAINST SAUDI OFFICIALS. In a more than 4,500-word story, McClatchy (3/6, Rosen, 74K) details the process that began with the September 11, 2001 attacks and has led to current lobbying efforts by Saudi Arabia to nullify the JASTA legislation Congress passed in spite of former President Obama’s veto last September. The story profiles some of the 70 families of 9/11 victims that refused the Congress compensation funds and are spearheading the effort to allow for the prosecution of foreign sovereigns. McClatchy also highlights the role of former Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Bob Graham in examining possible ties between prominent Saudis and the 9/11 hijackers. FEDS INVESTIGATE SEATTLE SHOOTING OF SIKH AS POSSIBLE HATE CRIME. According to ABC World News Tonight (3/6, story 9, 1:20, Muir, 14.63M), federal authorities are investigating the case of a gunman shooting a Seattle-area man outside his home as a possible hate crime. The shooter allegedly told the victim, a Sikh, to “get out of our country,” said Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas. The Kent community has banded together, and the police department said it is using the “full force” to track down FOIA CBP 001094 DHS-17-0435-B-000391 A \/1 )IC A PVERSIGHT the shooter. The victim has left the hospital and is recovering at home. 41 US AIRSTRIKES IN YEMEN IN LAST WEEK KILL FORMER GUANTANAMO INMATE, AL QAEDA OPERATIVES. AFP (3/6) reports a US airstrike in Yemen last week killed Yasir al-Silmi, a former Guantanamo Bay inmate, in part of increased efforts to combat Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, according to a statement by Pentagon spokesman Navy Cpt. Jeff Davis Monday. Davis says Silmi, accused of wanting to bomb US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, was not considered a “high-value” target. The March 2 strike also killed “long-time explosives expert” Usayd al-Adnani. According to the New York Times (3/6, Schmitt, Subscription Publication, 13.9M), the tally of US airstrikes on southern and central Yemen in the past week totals 40, including a Monday overnight strike that killed seven al Qaeda fighters, said Davis. Comparing this to the 2012 total military airstrike count of 41, the Times quotes former US Ambassador to Yemen Gerald Feierstein calling the strikes “a reflection of growing concern about the reconstitution of A.Q.A.P in Yemen.” Feierstein emphasized the importance of target identification, reliable intelligence, and near certainty of no collateral damage. SENATORS TO MEET WITH FATHERS OF GREEN BERETS KILLED IN JORDANIAN AIR BASE ATTACK. Army Times (3/6, Myers, 306K) reports that at a news conference on Tuesday, Sens. Roy Blunt, Ted Poe, and Tulsi Gabbard will meet with the fathers of three Green Berets killed on Nov. 4 in Jordan last year. Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Lewellen, Staff Sgt. James Moriarty, and Staff Sgt. Kevin McEnroe were on a mission to train Jordanian troops when a Jordanian soldier attacked the King Faisal Air Base. The senators and the Green Berets’ fathers will discuss developments in the investigation and the fathers’ demands that the Jordanian government “account for the incident,” according to a release announcing the scheduled news conference. NYTIMES ANALYSIS: IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL COULD BE “GATEWAY” FOR TERRORISM SUITS. The New York Times (3/6, Savage, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports that over the past few decades, terrorism cases against Iran in American courts “came with little realistic expectation that Iran — which did not bother to contest the evidence — would actually pay all it owed, aside from its limited assets frozen in the United States.” Now those cases are “colliding” with the Iran nuclear deal, and “in the first case of its kind,” a group of attack victims who won a default judgments against Iran “has gone to a European court to try to enforce it.” According to sources, a judge in Luxembourg “has quietly put a freeze on $1.6 billion in assets belonging to Iran’s central bank.” The Times warns that the Iran nuclear deal could be “undermined if any Iranian-linked assets in places like Europe were vulnerable to seizure to pay off the default judgments handed down by American courts.” Cyber News: REPORT: RUSSIAN HACKERS TRYING TO EXTORT LIBERAL GROUPS. The New York Post (3/6, Moore, 3.82M) cites a Bloomberg News (3/6, Riley, 2.41M) report which said Russian hackers “are poaching embarrassing details from the emails of liberal organizations in the US and demanding hush￾money payments of up to $150,000.” According to Bloomberg, “at least a dozen groups – including the Center for American Progress and Arabella Advisors – have been contacted about extortion attempts since the presidential election.” The hackers are demanding ransoms “from about $30,000 up to $150,000 – payable in untraceable bitcoins,” and are sending “copies of the pilfered data” along with their demands. NO RANSOM PAID TO RESOLVE CYBERATTACK OF PENNSYLVANIA SENATE DEMOCRATS. The AP (3/6) reports Pennsylvania Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa “said Monday that no ransom has been paid to resolve a cyberattack that shut down the caucus’ network and prompted an FBI investigation.” Senate Democrats’ network “remained inaccessible Monday,” including their email system. Costa is quoted saying, “Right now we have no intention of dealing with the demand.” COAST GUARD MID-ATLANTIC REGION TWITTER ACCOUNT HACKED. The AP (3/6) reports, “A U.S. Coast Guard spokesman says an invitation to meet for sex showed up on the mid-Atlantic region’s Twitter account after it was hacked.” Spokesman Nate Littlejohn “said that the account was compromised FOIA CBP 001095 DHS-17-0435-B-000392 A \/1 )IC A PVERSIGHT Monday morning,” and “officials were immediately alerted by a member of the news media and regained control of the account in five to 10 minutes.” Officials “deleted the tweet and sent an apology ‘for any unauthorized/offensive tweets.’” NEW CYBERSECURITY REPORT HIGHLIGHTS PERSPECTIVE OF HACKERS, PENETRATION TESTERS. TechTarget (3/6, 96K) reports that a new cybersecurity report “attempted to highlight an underserved perspective: hackers and pen testers,” rather than “IT professionals and vendors.” One respondent is quoted saying, “The only difference between me and a terrorist is a piece of paper [a statement of work] making what I do legal. The attacks, the tools, the methodology; it’s all the same.” Nuix CISO Chris Pogue is quoted writing, “Some countermeasures that you think will...stop an attacker won’t even slow them down. Other defensive techniques that you think are totally arbitrary actually have a tremendous impact on your defensive posture. ... We found that unequivocally, perception and reality are in desperate need of realignment.” FRENCH GOVERNMENT DROPS PLANS TO ALLOW OVERSEAS CITIZENS TO VOTE FOR LEGISLATURE ELECTRONICALLY. Reuters (3/6) reports the French government has abandoned plans to let citizens abroad vote in June legislative elections electronically “because of concern about the risk of cyber attacks, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday.” France’s National Cybersecurity Agency “believed there was an ‘extremely high risk’ of cyber attacks.” The Foreign Ministry is quoted saying, “In that light, it was decided that it would be better to take no risk that might jeopardize the legislative vote for French citizens residing abroad.” OBAMA CYBER COMMISSION “NUDGING” NEW ADMINISTRATION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH RECOMMENDATIONS. The Hill (3/6, Chalfant, 1.25M) reports, “Members of a commission established under former President Barack Obama to examine the federal government’s cybersecurity efforts are nudging the new Trump administration to move forward on its recommendations.” Three commission members, including former Obama national security adviser Tom Donilon, “reiterated their call for more cooperation between the public and private sector and more leadership in the White House to spearhead efforts on cybersecurity” on Monday. Commission vice chair Sam Palmisano “said he has attended meetings at the White House to offer his input on cybersecurity policy.” Federal Computer Week (3/6, 263K) reports, “The almost-executed, then retracted and repeatedly revised cyber executive order from the Trump administration appears to be nearing completion.” Palmisano, speaking at a Center for Strategic and International Studies panel, “said he would soon attend a meeting with Trump officials to discuss and provide feedback on the executive order.” Palmisano is quoted saying, “So that means it’s pretty far along if they’re looking for some kind of feedback,” and adding it could be finalized “maybe within a week or so.” TOUHILL: HACKERS HAVE VARIOUS MOTIVATIONS FOR TARGETING US. The Wall Street Journal (3/6, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) features a short video interview with retired general and former US chief information security officer Gregory Touhill, who talks about some of the motivations for hackers attacking the US. Some of the motivations include theft of trade secrets and military intelligence, or ideological reasons. Countering Violent Extremism: ISLAMIC THEOLOGY SCHOOL DECLINES CVE FUNDING DUE TO CONCERNS ABOUT TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. NBC News (3/6, 2.67M) reports that Los Angeles-area Islamic theology school Bayan Claremont “really could have used $800,000 federal grant money it was awarded from the outgoing Obama administration. But when time came to collect the funds from the Trump administration, the school chose to walk away with nothing.” The institution spent money and staff time “perfecting an application for” the CVE Grant Program to fund “an ambitious two-year capacity building project” to “improve inter-religious cooperation, civic engagement, and social justice.” Bayan Claremont President Jihad Turk is quoted saying, “We struggled with it, but the context is too acrimonious now, and the rhetoric against Muslims too alarming to work with this administration. ... Trump poisoned the well.” A board member “said tension surrounding the grant decision was mounting and students began to feel that FOIA CBP 001096 DHS-17-0435-B-000393 A \/1 )IC A PVERSIGHT they would be required to engage in community surveillance and self-policing, as a condition of the money.” National Security News: US MILITARY SENDS TROOPS TO SYRIA’S MANBIJ FOR “DETERRENCE AND REASSURANCE.” Reuters (3/6, Ali, Stewart) reports the US military deployed a small number of troops to Manbij to prevent heightened tensions between the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces and Turkish-allied Syrian rebels from escalating into clashes. Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis told reporters the deployment was intended to serve as a “visible sign of deterrence and reassurance,” and the move was “the first time we’ve had to do something like this, which is to ensure that we are out there as a visible symbol that the enemy is cleared out of Manbij.” He added, “There is not a need for others to advance on it in attempts to ‘liberate’” Manbij. The Military Times (3/6, Snow, 734K) reports Russian military forces backing Syrian President Bashar al￾Assad are also present outside of Manbij, creating what Davis described as “obviously a really complicated situation.” Turkey has launched a dual campaign against ISIS and the Kurdish fighters in its Operation Euphrates Shield, further challenging “Washington as it seeks to protect one ally while not provoking another.” The deployment to Manbij is seemingly “a near-term fix and not necessarily tied to broader strategy,” but it “highlights lingering questions about the Pentagon’s long-term objectives there.” Meanwhile, Sharfan Darwish, the spokesman for the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces’ Manbij Military Council, told Reuters (3/6, Al-Khalidi) on Monday that the SDF handed five villages to Syrian government forces. The villages are located west of Manbij along the Turkish-backed rebel forces’ front line against the US-backed militia, and fighting has centered along that front line since Wednesday. The SDF agreed to the handover on Thursday under an agreement brokered by Russia to preempt Turkish￾allied forces from taking control of the city. International Charity Releases Mental Health Survey Of Syrian Children. Reuters (3/6, Francis) reports the international charity Save the Children issued on Thursday what it described as “the largest mental health survey inside Syria during the war.” In the report, the charity claimed two-thirds of Syrian children who have lost a loved one, been injured, or lost their home in the six-year conflict exhibited symptoms of severe emotional distress and lacked access to psychological support, in part because “parents themselves” are “struggling to cope.” The charity warned that the children “are the next generation who will have to rebuild their shattered country,” but if left untreated, their exposure to daily trauma could have long-term developmental health consequences. Those developmental problems render the children susceptible in adulthood to health problems like heart disease and depression. LIBYAN MILITIAS SEEK TO CAPTURE BENGHAZI. The AP (3/6, Musa) reports Libyan militias that “occupied two key oil terminals last week said Monday they intend to take the eastern city of Benghazi and unseat Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter, who controls the area.” Col. Mustafa Alsharksi, leader of the so￾called Benghazi Defense Brigades, “said more than 3,000 men are poised to continue eastward now that they have taken over the oil terminals of al-Sidra and Ras Lanuf.” Reuters (3/6, Al-Warfalli) says the move “risks reversing a recent recovery in Libya’s oil production and reigniting conflict between military factions based in eastern and western Libya that have been fighting on and off for the past three years.” PROGRESS CONTINUES IN MOSUL AMID CONCERNS ABOUT IRANIAN-BACKED MILITIAS. Reuters (3/6, Coles, Chmaytelli) reports US-backed Iraqi forces seized al-Hurriya, the second of five bridges in Mosul, bolstering their campaign against ISIS. Additionally, Federal Police and Rapid Response units took control of the justice court and Nineveh police directorate buildings. The forces’ successful reclamation of the area will enable troops to “attack the militants in the old city,” constituting “a symbolic step toward restoring state authority over Mosul.” Also on Monday, Iraq’s foreign ministry expressed its “deep relief” over President Trump’s removal of Iraq from his new executive order on immigration. In a statement, the ministry wrote, “The decision is an important step in the right direction, it consolidates the strategic alliance between Baghdad and Washington in many fields, and at their forefront war on terrorism.” FOIA CBP 001097 DHS-17-0435-B-000394 A \/1 )IC A PVERSIGHT In an interview with Holly Williams of the CBS Evening News (3/6, story 6, 2:05, Pelley, 11.17M), Iraqi Brig. Gen. Abbas al-Juburi estimated about 2,000 ISIS militants remain inside Mosul. “They don’t have a chance,” Al-Juburi said of the militants, but he added that just one explosives-laden suicide car bomb can “kill more than 10, 50 injuries.” Williams reported, “The US military is also now inside Mosul,” and the “camera-shy Marine Special Operations team was 600 yards from the front line.” She added that children in western Mosul “don’t flinch at the sound of gunfire in a city smashed beyond recognition,” a “price they’re paying here in Iraq to defeat ISIS.” The Washington Times (3/6, Muñoz, 272K) reports Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis did not suggest a time line for ISIS’ defeat in western Mosul, but he said US-backed Iraq forces have thus far seized more than 1,500 square miles of territory previously held by the militants. ISIS cells deep inside western Mosul still confront the ground commanders with “stiff resistance” in the form of suicide bombings, armed commercial drones, and sniper and mortar fire. The US and Iraqi commanders are also concerned over the militants’ possible use of chemical weapons against the advancing forces. International Red Cross officials claimed 15 civilians received treatment last week for toxic chemical agents exposure. Fox News’ Special Report (3/6, 1.53M) reported that as the progress against ISIS continues in Mosul, “questions are being asked about who gains influence in the aftermath. Shiite militias backed by Iran have played a major role in the battle, with over 100,000 soldiers swelling their ranks. But among them are groups who have fought against and killed US forces.” Civilians who fled the city have accused the Shiite militiamen of committing war crimes. In video footage, former Iraqi Vice President Ayad Allawi asserted, “We are paying the price for relying on others, including the growth of the militias,” and “that Iranian influence did need to be addressed and soon.” PENTAGON CONFIRMS CHINA’S MILITARY PRESENCE IN AFGHANISTAN. The Military Times (3/5, Snow, 734K) reported Sunday night that photographs published in 2016 seemingly depict Chinese military vehicles in Afghanistan’s border region of Little Pamir. China and Afghanistan denied that their militaries have conducted joint counterterrorism patrols in Afghanistan, but “mounting evidence” suggests “Chinese ground troops are operating inside Afghanistan.” That evidence elicited “speculation that Beijing is preparing to play a significantly greater role in the country’s security” after the US and NATO withdraw. A Pentagon spokesman remarked, “We know that” the Chinese troops “are there, that they are present,” but declined discuss the matter further. China’s exact role in Afghanistan remains unclear, but analysts suggested security and commerce as possible motives for the mutually-beneficial partnership. NORTH KOREA: MISSILE LAUNCHES SIMULATE ATTACK ON US BASES IN JAPAN. ABC World News Tonight (3/6, story 6, 0:25, Muir, 14.63M) reported briefly that North Korea, in “a new provocation,” fired “four missiles from a launch site on its west coast” on Monday. One of the missiles traveled 600 miles, “landing in the Sea of Japan.” According to the CBS Evening News (3/6, story 7, 2:00, Pelley, 11.17M), North Korea called the launches “a simulation of an attack on US military bases in Japan.” CBS (Martin) added, “At first, US satellites detected only one launch. Later, analysts concluded North Korea had actually fired five medium-range missiles simultaneously. One failed in the first minute.” According to CBS, the launches “caught US intelligence by surprise.” Reuters (3/6, Park, Kim) reports Kim Jong-un was on hand to supervise Monday’s launches, North Korea’s official news agency said Tuesday. NBC Nightly News (3/6, story 7, 1:55, Holt, 16.61M) said the White House called the launch “a provocation, as a top US defense official confirm[ed] to NBC News that a major policy review is under way to confront and contain the threat of North Korea’s missiles and nuclear weapons.” Reuters (3/7, Kaneko) reports President Trump told Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that the US was with Japan “100 percent” during a phone call Monday, and Reuters (3/6) reports Trump also “discussed plans to respond to North Korea’s recent missile launches” with acting South Korean President Hwang Kyo-ahn. The Washington Times (3/6, Taylor, 272K) reports State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters that US officials “are prepared to use the full range of capabilities at our disposal against this growing threat.” The AP (3/6, Pennington) says the latest launches “put new pressure on a preoccupied Trump FOIA CBP 001098 DHS-17-0435-B-000395 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT administration Monday to identify how it will counter” Pyongyang’s “weapons development.” According to the Wall Street Journal (3/6, Cheng, Gale, Subscription Publication, 6.37M), Monday’s launches put North Korea closer toward it’s goal of launching an intercontinental ballistic missile, a point also made by the New York Times (3/6, Rich, Subscription Publication, 13.9M), which says the “apparent success of four simultaneous missile launchings...raised new alarms about the threat to its neighbors and its progress toward developing an ability to overcome their ballistic missile defense systems, including those that have yet to be deployed.” One day after the latest launches, the AP (3/6, Tong-Hyung) reports the US and South Korean militaries announced that “missile launchers and other equipment needed to set up a controversial missile defense system have arrived in South Korea.” Plans to deploy the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, by the end of this year “have angered not only North Korea, but also China and Russia,” but Adm. Harry Harris, head of the US Pacific Command, said in a statement that “continued provocative actions by North Korea, to include yesterday’s launch of multiple missiles, only confirm the prudence of our alliance decision last year to deploy THAAD to South Korea.” The Washington Post (3/6, Fifield, 11.43M), however, says the THAAD system “would have difficulty intercepting four missiles launched at the same time,” similar to Monday’s test by the North. North Korea, Malaysia Bar Each Others’ Nationals From Leaving. The Washington Times (3/6, Morton, 272K) reports Malaysia and North Korea are “now effectively in a mutual hostage situation as each nation Tuesday barred the others’ nationals from leaving.” The two nations have been in engaged in an “escalating diplomatic feud” since assassins killed Kim Jong-un’s half-brother in Kuala Lumpur, and “matters turned worse Tuesday as, according to the Korean Central News Agency, Pyongyang summoned Malaysia’s ambassador to tell him that none of his countrymen could leave North Korea.” Malaysia “immediately reciprocated.” The New York Times (3/6, Paddock, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports North Korea’s ambassador left Malaysia on Monday “after he was ordered expelled for making disparaging remarks about the country and challenging its motives in investigating the killing of Kim Jong-nam,.” STATE DEPARTMENT POSTPONES FIRST PRESS BRIEFING UNDER TRUMP. The Washington Times (3/6, Taylor, 272K) reports the State Department on Monday “postponed a highly anticipated news briefing,” telling reporters it would not be held because Secretary of State Tillerson and other Administration officials were appearing before media at the roll out of President Trump’s revised immigration order. The Times notes that while the White House has held daily press briefings since just after Trump was inaugurated, the State Department, “which has held such briefings on weekdays for decades, has not had one for more than six weeks.” The Department’s press office “said it now intends to hold the briefing on Tuesday at 2 p.m.” KREMLIN: “HYSTERIA” HURTING US-RUSSIAN RELATIONS. Politico (3/6, Quigley, 2.46M) reports Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told CNN on Monday that “hysteria” in the US media and in Washington is hurting the relationship between the two countries. “(It’s) high time for someone in the States to think, ‘Are we that weak that a country can interfere in our domestic affairs and influence our electoral system?’” said Peskov. “This is unimaginable and someone has to say, all this is not true. We have to be sober, let’s come to our minds.” He insisted that Russia did not have “the slightest intention to interfere.” IRANIAN FAST BOATS APPROACH US SHIP IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ. The AP (3/6, Baldor) reports a US Navy official said Monday that an American ship was “forced to change course and move out of the way of Iranian fast boats while moving through the Strait of Hormuz during the weekend, in what has become a frequent occurrence there.” No warning shots or flares were fired, but the US official said the Iranian boats tried to get between the US and other ships, coming within about 600 yards of the USNS Invincible. Reuters (3/6, Ali) reports Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis told reporters that dangerous interactions were a matter of concern because they could lead to a “miscalculation or an accidental provocation.” The Washington Post (3/6, Morello, 11.43M) says the “apparent harassment of the USS Invincible...came amid Iranian state media reports that Iran had tested its newly acquired S-300 missile air defense system that is designed to intercept incoming missiles.” FOIA CBP 001099 DHS-17-0435-B-000396 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT IAEA Chief: UN Expects US Cooperation On Iran Nuclear Deal. The AP (3/6) reports IAEA chief Yukiya Amano said Monday that “he emphasized the benefits “of the Iranian nuclear deal during a meeting last week with Secretary of State Tillerson and said “he is confident his message was heard.” Amano said he told Tillerson that because of the deal the IAEA now has the “strongest verification” tools to monitor Tehran’s atomic activities, and that he is confident of “very good cooperation” with the US on Iran. EUROPE MULLING ITS OWN NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAM. The New York Times (3/6, Fisher, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports that “an idea, once unthinkable, is gaining attention in European policy circles: a European Union nuclear weapons program.” Under the plan, France’s arsenal would be “repurposed to protect the rest of Europe and would be put under a common European command, funding plan, defense doctrine, or some combination of the three.” However, it would be enacted “only if the Continent could no longer count on American protection.” The Times says such a move “would amount to an unprecedented escalation in Europe’s collective military power and a drastic break with American leadership.” EU Approves New Military Training Headquarters. The New York Times (3/6, Kanter, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports members of the EU reached a deal on Monday to create a headquarters for military training operations after “setting aside, at least for now, concerns that the step might lead to the establishment of a ‘European army’ to rival NATO.” France and Germany support the proposal, Britain “has long opposed anything that resembled a European military command.” However, Britain’s vote to leave the EU “altered the dynamic of the debate.” British Defense Minister Michael Fallon urged the EU “to cooperate more closely with NATO to avoid unnecessary duplication and structures.” GERMANY REJECTS ERDOGAN’S “ABSURD” NAZI COMPARISON. Reuters (3/6, Shalal) reports Germany on Monday rejected as “absurd” Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s “comparison of its ban on several rallies to the Nazi era, but it also stressed the importance of ties between the two NATO allies in an attempt to defuse an escalating war of words.” Erdogan, angered by the cancellation of “several political rallies aimed at drumming up support among Germany’s large ethnic Turkish population for his plans to overhaul Turkey’s constitution,” accused Germany of “fascist actions” reminiscent of the Nazi era. The New York Times (3/6, Smale, Kingsley, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports that ahead of Turkey’s April referendum, Erdogan’s campaign in Germany “has put Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government in a deeply awkward position.” Asked Monday about Erdogan’s comments, Merkel told reporters, “One can’t even really seriously comment on such misplaced statements.” WPOST A1: FAR-RIGHT WEBSITES EXPAND THROUGHOUT EUROPE AHEAD OF KEY ELECTIONS. On its front page, the Washington Post (3/6, A1, Birnbaum, 11.43M) reports on the growing number of European-based news websites focused “on the perils of open borders, immigration and international alliances.” Most of the websites “tend to have opaque ownership structures, making it difficult to ascertain who is behind them,” and nearly all of the sites are “universally pro-Russian in tone.” In France, far-right news websites “have taken aim at whichever candidate appears most likely to challenge” presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, and in Germany and Austria, around 30 similar German-language sites are currently operating. Timon Dias, the founder of the two-month-old Dutch political website Gatestone Europe, said the site’s editors “want people to learn what’s happening in Europe and vote accordingly, especially ahead of elections this year.” Dias’ website and several similar projects are “being supported by Americans” linked to President Trump, but other sites are registered in Russia. FRANCE’S CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICANS UNITE BEHIND FILLON. On Monday, France’s conservative Republicans discussed presidential candidate and former prime minister Francois Fillon, accused of misusing public funds to “lavishly” pay his wife “for doing little work as his parliamentary assistant,” Reuters (3/6, Louet, Canellas) reports. Despite “an overwhelming majority” of voters’ calls for Fillon to step aside in favor of former prime minister Alain Juppe, Senate leader Gerard Larcher told reporters after the meeting, “The Republicans are united around Francois Fillon,” and “The debate is over.” Party chief Bernard Accoyer added that the party is re-launching Fillon’s campaign, and Juppe announced he would not challenge Fillon. The value of the euro fell after Juppe’s announcement, and the allegations against Fillon have “rattled foreign investors who fear it could boost far-right leader Marine Le FOIA CBP 001100 DHS-17-0435-B-000397 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT Pen’s election chances.” Polls indicated “Juppe would have beaten Le Pen more easily in the second round than Fillon.” After the secret party meeting, Fillon appeared “unfazed,” but Juppe called the Republicans’ decision “a waste” of the party’s chances. SOUTH KOREAN PROSECUTORS DETAIL FINDINGS OF POLITICAL CORRUPTION INVESTIGATION. The Wall Street Journal (3/6, Martin, Jeong, Subscription Publication, 6.37M) reports South Korean special prosecutors, lead by Park Young-soo, released a 99-page report on Monday that detailed the goings-on of their 90-day corruption investigation into President Park Geun-hye, Park’s confidante Choi Soon-sil, Samsung heir apparent Lee Jae-yong, and dozens of others suspected of involvement in the political scandal. The document revealed prosecutors’ 122-person team questioned Lee four times, indicted 30 people, conducted 46 raids, and examined 16 terabytes of data from more than 900 seized electronic devices. The Washington Post (3/6, Fifield, Seo, 11.43M) reports the “damning” review claimed Park and Choi called each other 573 times during a six-month period last year on cellphones registered under other names. The document “also brought to light extraordinary tales of million-dollar horses given as bribes and Botox injections administered in the presidential Blue House.” Prosecutors accused Park of blacklisting nearly 9,500 left-leaning artists critical of her administration, effectively preventing “them from receiving government grants for their work.” The prosecutors recommended five additional charges against Park, bringing the total number to 13. South Korea’s Constitutional Court will announce on Tuesday the date that it expects to deliver a verdict on whether to impeach Park. Park cannot be indicted while in office but she can be impeached, and she has neither agreed to resign nor complied with special prosecutors’ calls to question her. Furthermore, the New York Times (3/6, Sang-Hun, Subscription Publication, 13.9M) reports, special prosecutor Park accused the president and Choi of conspiring to take $38 million in bribes from Samsung’s Lee in exchange for political favors. Most notably, the prosecutors alleged the president’s aides forced the government-controlled National Pension Service in 2015 to vote in favor of a merger between two Samsung affiliates. The NPS is a major shareholder at the two affiliate companies, and the merger helped Lee inherit corporate control of the Samsung conglomerate. On Monday, Samsung issued a statement in which it denied prosecutor Park’s claims, and President Park’s attorney, Yu Young-ha, called the investigation “politically biased” and unfair. He also labeled the newly-added bribery charge against Park “an absurd fiction.” To keep the email to a manageable size, the national news summary is available on the website. Copyright 2017 by Bulletin Intelligence LLC Reproduction or redistribution without permission prohibited. Content is drawn from thousands of newspapers, national magazines, national and local television programs, radio broadcasts, social-media platforms and additional forms of open-source data. Sources for Bulletin Intelligence audience-size estimates include Scarborough, GfK MRI, comScore, Nielsen, and the Audit Bureau of Circulation. Services that include Twitter data are governed by Twitters’ terms of use. Services that include Factiva content are governed by Factiva’s terms of use. The DHS News Briefing is published seven days a week by Bulletin Intelligence, which creates custom briefings for government and corporate leaders. We can be found on the Web at BulletinIntelligence.com, or called at (703) 483-6100. FOIA CBP 001101 DHS-17-0435-B-000398 A\/1 )IC,A PVERSIGHT THE HOMELAND SECURITY NEWS CLIPS PREPARED FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY BY BULLETIN INTELLIGENCE WWW.BULLETININTELLIGENCE.COM/DHS TO: THE SECRETARY AND SENIOR STAFF DATE: TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2017 5:00 AM EST TODAY’S EDITION Leading DHS News The Full Text Of The Trump Administration’s New Travel Ban Executive Order (WP)........................................................... 5 Trump’s Revised Travel Ban Spares Iraqis (NYT)...................... 12 Democrats Have Few Options On Trump Travel Ban (CQRC).. 14 Trump’s New Travel Ban Will Be Harder To Challenge In Court, But Critics Say It Still Targets Muslims (LAT).................... 15 Revised Executive Order Bans Travelers From Six Muslim￾Majority Countries From Getting New Visas (WP) ............ 16 Trump Signs New Anti-terror Travel Ban Without New Fanfare (AP)..................................................................................... 17 Trump Eases Up On Travel Ban With New Executive Order (POLITICO)......................................................................... 19 President Trump’s “Travel Ban 2.0” Is The Closest Thing To Admitting He’s Made A Mistake (VOX).............................. 21 Donald Trump’s Revised Travel Ban Aimed To Erase ‘Muslim’ Label (WT).......................................................................... 21 Trump Signs Revised Travel Ban In Bid To Overcome Legal Challenges (REU)............................................................... 23 Trump Signs New Order Blocking Arrivals From 6 Majority￾Muslim Countries : The Two-Way : NPR (NPR)................ 23 Trump Signs Revised Travel Ban (CQRC) ................................. 25 Here’s How Trump’s New Order On Refugees And Immigration Differs From The First (SPOKANE) ................................... 26 New Immigration Order Pushes Biometrics But Lacks Deadline – FCW (FCW)..................................................................... 26 Justice Department Explains Trump’s Latest Travel Ban (USAT)27 5 Differences In Trump’s New Travel Ban (USAT)..................... 28 President Trump’s New Travel Ban Is Much Narrower (VOX) ... 28 Trump’s Streamlined Travel Ban Still Faces Headwinds (CSM) 31 Justice Dept., With New Order, Will Seek To Dismiss Cases From Previous Travel Ban (WT) ........................................ 32 Trump’s Executive Order Takes Unusual Pains To Explain Itself (USAT)................................................................................ 33 Trump Signs New Immigration Order Without Fanfare (BIZINDER)......................................................................... 34 Trump Issues Revised Travel Ban For Six Majority-Muslim Countries (USAT) ............................................................... 34 Trump Signs Revised Travel Ban, Exempts Iraqis (AFP)........... 36 Trump’s New Immigration Order Excludes Iraq (MILTIMES) ..... 37 Christians Lose Priority In New Trump Order, Raising Worries (FREEP) ............................................................................. 37 Trump Re-issues Order Banning Citizens From Six Majority Muslim Countries (MCT) .................................................... 39 How Trump’s New Travel Ban Targets The Whole World (POLITICO)......................................................................... 41 New Travel Ban Eases Some Legal Questions But Not All (WP)42 White House Wants It Both Ways On Revised Travel Ban (POLITICO)......................................................................... 43 New Travel Ban Decried As Anti-Muslim By Immigrant Advocates (NSDY) ............................................................. 44 Lawyer Who Sued Trump Over First Travel Ban: “Time To Go To Court” (LAT)................................................................... 45 Mixed Reviews For Travel Ban In Refugee Friendly Utah (WT) . 45 New Travel Ban Brings Little Relief, Chicago Activists Say (CHIT) ................................................................................. 46 New Trump Immigration Order Grants Iraq A Reprieve (SCIMAG) ........................................................................... 47 Donald Trump Signs New Extreme Vetting Order (WT)............. 48 New Travel Ban Garners Same Verdict In Middle East: A Slap At Muslims (NYT) ............................................................... 49 Iraq Welcomes Removal From Revised US Travel Ban (AP) .... 50 Iraq, Excluded From Travel Ban, Praises New White House Executive Order (WP)......................................................... 51 Trump Revises Travel Ban To Address Legal Issues, Exempt Iraqis (BLOOMPOL)........................................................... 52 Trump’s Claim That ‘More Than 300′ Refugees Are The Subject Of Counterterrorism Investigations (WP)........................... 53 300 Refugees Subjects Of FBI Terror Investigations, U.S. Officials Say (FOX)............................................................. 55 Democrats Condemn Trump’s Revised Travel Order As ‘Still A Muslim Ban’ (USAT)........................................................... 56 Corker, Critic Of First Trump Travel Ban Order, Positive On New One (REU).................................................................. 56 President Trump Signs Revised Executive Order Restricting Travel To The U.S. (WSJ).................................................. 57 Trump’s New Travel Ban Raises Bar For Legal Challenges (REU).................................................................................. 57 Washington State Attorney General That Brought Down First Travel Ban Is Looking At “Next Legal Steps” (LAT)........... 57 FOIA CBP 001102 DHS-17-0435-B-000399 2 AG Bob Ferguson: Trump’s Original Travel Ban Was Indefensible, We’re Reviewing The New One (SEATIMES)....................................................................... 57 ‘Honor Killings’ Highlighted Under Trump’s New Travel Ban (POLITICO)......................................................................... 58 Donald Trump’s Executive Order: Officials Must Identify Immigration Applicants Who Support ‘Acts Of Violence’ (BREITBART)..................................................................... 58 Trump’s Travel Ban Contains A Tool That Could Change How The U.S. Conducts Foreign Policy (LAT)........................... 59 Trump’s New Travel Ban Still Wouldn’t Have Kept Out Anyone Behind Deadly U.S. Terror Attacks (WP)........................... 60 Trump Immigration Ban Unpopular, Monmouth Poll Finds (USNEWS).......................................................................... 62 For Yale Law Group Fighting Trump’s Travel Ban, Echoes Of 1991 (NYT) ......................................................................... 62 Trump’s New Travel Ban Is As Arbitrary And Senseless As The First (WP)............................................................................ 63 Trump’s Travel Ban Mulligan (WSJ)............................................ 63 The Travel Ban Do-over: Our View (USAT)................................ 63 President Trump’s Muslim Ban Lite (NYT).................................. 64 Trump’s Revised Travel Ban Is No Less Misguided And Self￾defeating Than His Previous Version (LAT) ...................... 65 New Travel Ban Addresses Some Problems, But Not The Most Critical Ones (DMN) ........................................................... 66 Trump Just Signed His New Travel Ban. Here’s What It’s Really About. (WP) ........................................................................ 66 Don’t Be Fooled, Trump’s New Muslim Ban Is Still Illegal (NYT)67 Uber, Airbnb Slam New Travel Ban (HILL) ................................. 68 Technology Companies Respond To Revised Executive Order Barring Travelers From 6 Majority-Muslim Countries (INTLBIZ)............................................................................ 69 DHS Chief: Agency May Separate Parents, Children At Border (AP)..................................................................................... 69 Homeland Security Chief Admits He’s Considering Splitting Children From Parents At Border (HUFFPOST) ............... 70 Homeland Security Chief ‘Considering’ Separating Illegal Immigrant Kids From Parents (NYPOST).......................... 70 Kelly: DHS Is Considering Separating Undocumented Children From Their Parents At The Border (CNN) ......................... 71 John Kelly: DHS May Separate Immigrant Children From Parents (TIME) ................................................................... 71 Kelly Confirms He’s Considering Program To Separate Migrant Children And Parents (POLITICO)..................................... 71 Kelly Says Considering Separating Women, Children At Mexico Border (REU)...................................................................... 72 Under Proposed DHS Policy, Detained Immigrant Mothers Would Be Separated From Their Kids. (SLATEMAG)....... 72 Immigration and Customs Enforcement Police Allege IT Worker At Washington Post Was Impersonating ICE Officer (WP)......................................... 73 FBI Raids House Of Washington Post Employee Accused Of Impersonating Immigration Agents (WASHEX)................. 74 Md. Man Charged With Impersonating ICE Agent (WUSATV) .. 74 US Army Veteran Faces Deportation To Mexico After Serving Two Tours In Afghanistan (INDUK) ................................... 74 Charlotte Student Facing Deportation Was Charged With Embezzling $2,900 From Harris Teeter Store (CHAROBS)75 Friends Start GoFundMe Page To Help Charlotte Teen Detained By I (WBTVTV) ................................................... 75 California Sheriffs Say ‘Sanctuary State’ Bill Would Prevent Immigration Officials From Going After Violent Offenders (LAT)................................................................................... 76 Sacramento Sheriff Says California ‘sanctuary State’ Bill Invalid (SACBEE)........................................................................... 76 Police Chiefs Across The Country Support Sanctuary Cities Because They Keep Crime Down (LAT)............................ 77 Under Trump, Cincinnati Immigrant Families Preparing For Separation (USAT) ............................................................. 78 Dairy Farms Fear Trump’s Immigration Policies (MKEJRNL) .... 80 Customs and Border Protection Trump’s Border Wall Is Estimated To Cost $8 Million To $25 Million Per Mile (WT) .......................................................... 82 Afghan Family, Detained In California Despite Visas, To Be Released: Lawyer (REU) .................................................... 82 An Attorney For An Afghan Family Who Traveled To The U.S On Special Visas And Were Detained By Immigration Officials At The L.A. Airport Says The Father Worked For The U.S. Military For More Than A Decade (AP) .............. 82 Afghan Family Detained By Ice In Los Angeles To Be Released, Lawyer Says (GUARD) ...................................................... 83 This Family Got U.S. Visas After Risking Their Lives For America. Then Immigration Officials Tried To Deport Them. (WP) ........................................................................ 84 $6.9 Million Inspection Station At Los Indios Overdue, Stalled (HRVALLEY)....................................................................... 85 Gold Star Father Khizr Khan Canceled Speech In Toronto After Being Told His Travel Privileges Were Under Review (LAT)................................................................................... 85 Muslim Gold Star Father Khizr Khan Cancels Trip To Canada, Says His Travel Privileges Are Being Reviewed (MILTIMES) ........................................................................ 86 Khizr Khan Travel Privileges Reportedly Under Review (POLITICO)......................................................................... 86 Report: Ariz. Official Passed Over To Be CBP Commissioner (AMSHIP)............................................................................ 87 ‘I Feel Like I’ve Done Something Wrong’; Montreal-born Woman Told She Needs Visa (TORSUN)....................................... 87 Canadian Woman Denied Entry To Vermont (WCAXTV) .......... 88 Border Towns On Edge About Illegal Immigration Traffic (KRDKTV)........................................................................... 88 Transportation Security Administration TSA Quietly Launches New ‘Enhanced’ Pat-down Procedure (LAT)................................................................................... 89 TSA Warns Local Police About Its New Airport Pat-Downs (BLOOM) ............................................................................ 89 TSA Announces Pat-down Policy For Fliers Who Refuse New Technology (FOX).............................................................. 90 FOIA CBP 001103 DHS-17-0435-B-000400 3 TSA Agents Will Be Touching Passengers In A Way That Would Get Other People Arrested, Report Says. What Else Is New? (WP) ............................................................. 90 GOP, Democrats Blast TSA For Withholding Information (WP) . 91 Federal Emergency Management Agency 22 Million At Risk For Bad Weather In Central United States (AP)..................................................................................... 92 Feds Spend More Than $300 Million On Louisiana Flood Relief; Here’s Where The Money’s Going (BRADV)..................... 93 US Citizenship and Immigration Services Trump Puts The Brakes On H-1B Visas (MERCN) .................... 93 Expedited H-1B Visa Program Suspended: How This Affects India’s Tech Giants (CSM)................................................. 94 The U.S. Government Changed H-1B Visa Rules. Here’s What It Means For Tech (CNBC)................................................. 94 US Suspension Of Fast Track For H1B Visas Leaves Foreign Workers In Limbo (GUARD)............................................... 96 IT Services Firm Stocks Dip After Govt Suspends Fast Tech Visas (REU)........................................................................ 96 Visa Change Could Affect Doctors Planning To Serve Neediest Areas Of Illinois (CHIT)....................................................... 97 To Really Reform The H-1B Visa Process Will Take A Lot More Than Friday’s Freeze (FASTCOMP).................................. 97 Nasscom Says H-1B Visa Delay Not A Significant Impediment, But To Affect Indian IT Firms (ABAZAAR)......................... 99 Tech Industry Hit By Suspension Of Expedited H-1B Visas (SILCNAGL)...................................................................... 100 Slowly And Surely, The Donald Trump Government Has Begun Dismantling The H1B Visa (QUARTZ)............................. 100 Firms Fear Worker Shortage After Rule Changes For Seasonal Visas (BOSGLOBE) ......................................................... 101 Americans Divided On Admitting Refugees (PHILLY).............. 103 Immigration It’s Not Just Deportations And The Border: Trump Seeks To Remake The Immigration System (WP) .......................... 104 How Trump’s Plan For Legal Immigration Could Boost The U.S. Economy (DMN)............................................................... 105 Here’s The Reality About Illegal Immigrants In The United States (NYT)..................................................................... 107 My Immigrant’s Tale Began With Apple Pie (WSJ)................... 109 Mexican Mega-billionaire Sees World Of Opportunity In Country Trump Snubs (WT)........................................................... 109 Secret Service Senators Push Trump To Release White House, Mar-a-Lago Visitor Logs (REU)............................................................ 110 Democrats Ask Secret Service About Background Checks At Mar-a-Lago (CQRC)......................................................... 110 Welcome, Airbnb Guest! Your Neighbors Are The Trumps (NYT) ................................................................................ 111 Apartment In US President’s Trump Tower Rented Out On Airbnb (PHILLY) ............................................................... 112 Small Florida Airport Will Remain Closed During Trump Visits (PHILLY)........................................................................... 113 Man Convicted Of Obama Death Threat Runs For Va. Delegate Seat (WUSATV) ............................................................... 113 National Protection and Programs After Jewish Center Bomb Threat, A Resolve For More Equity In Homeland Security Funding (NJCOM) ........................ 114 N.J. Lawmakers Plead For More Security Funding For Religious Centers (PHILLY) ............................................................. 115 Senate Rejects Real ID Measure Over Driver’s Licenses For Undocumented Immigrants (MINNST)............................. 116 Minnesota Senate Failure Hands Real ID Effort Big Setback (WT).................................................................................. 116 Terrorism Investigations War Court Debates Whether CIA Is Monitoring Medical Care Of Captive It Waterboarded (MH) ......................................... 117 Elvis Redzepagic, Man In Terror Support Case, Threatened To Behead Mom, Prosecutors Claim (AP)............................ 118 After Spying On Muslims, New York Police Agree To Greater Oversight (NYT)................................................................ 118 Families Of 9/11 Victims May Soon Get Day In Court Against Saudi Officials (MCT) ....................................................... 119 Former Guantanamo Inmate Killed In US Strike In Yemen (AFP)................................................................................. 124 U.S. Air Campaign In Yemen Killed Guantánamo Ex-Prisoner (NYT) ................................................................................ 125 Families Of Fallen Green Berets Demand Answers In Their Loved Ones’ Shooting Deaths In Jordan (ARMYT)......... 126 Iran Nuclear Deal Could Be Gateway For Terrorism Legal Claims (NYT) .................................................................... 126 Cyber News Russian Hackers Are Trying To Shake Down Liberal Groups (NYPOST)......................................................................... 127 Russian Hackers Said To Seek Hush Money From Liberal Groups (BLOOM) ............................................................. 127 Pennsylvania Senate Democrats Resist Ransom In Cyberattack (PHILLY)........................................................................... 129 Coast Guard’s Twitter Account Hacked With Sex Invitation (PHILLY)........................................................................... 129 France Drops Electronic Voting For Citizens Abroad Over Cybersecurity Fears (REU) .............................................. 130 Obama’s Cyber Commissioners Nudge Trump On Cybersecurity Policy (HILL).............................................. 130 Cyber Executive Order Nearing Completion – FCW (FCW)..... 130 Countering Violent Extremism Islamic School Walked Away From Nearly $1M In Federal Funding Because Of Trump (NBCNEWS)....................... 131 National Security News U.S. Military Deploys Forces In Syria’s Manbij In New Effort (REU)................................................................................ 132 U.S. Troops Play New Role In Syria (MILTIMES)..................... 132 Syrian Government Forces Take Over Positions From U.S.- backed Militia In Northern Syria: Militia Spokesman (REU)133 FOIA CBP 001104 DHS-17-0435-B-000401 4 Mental Health Crisis Among Syria’s Children A Living Nightmare: Save The Children (REU).............................. 133 Libya Militias Who Seized Oil Terminals Aim To Take Benghazi (AP)................................................................................... 133 East Libyan Forces Mobilizing For Counter Attack At Oil Ports: Officials (REU).................................................................. 134 U.S.-backed Iraqi Forces Capture Mosul Bridge, Close In On State Buildings (REU)....................................................... 134 Coalition Forces Make Quick Progress In Mosul, ISIS Defeat Expected Soon (WT)........................................................ 134 Chinese Troops Appear To Be Operating In Afghanistan, And The Pentagon Is OK With It (MILTIMES)......................... 135 North Korea Leader Kim Supervised Missile Tests: KCNA (REU)................................................................................ 137 Trump Says U.S. Is With Japan ‘100 Percent’ After North Korea Missiles: PM Abe (REU)................................................... 137 Trump Speaks To South Korea Acting President Over North Korea Missiles: South Korea (REU)................................. 137 Tokyo Says North Korea Missile Tests Show ‘new Level Of Threat’ (WT)...................................................................... 137 Missile Tests Add Pressure On Trump Over North Korea (AP)138 North Korea Missile Test Stirs Fears Of Capability To Reach The U.S. (WSJ) ................................................................ 139 North Korea Launch Could Be Test Of New Attack Strategy, Japan Analysts Say (NYT)............................................... 139 U.S. Missile Defense System Arrives In South Korea (WT)..... 140 North Korea Says It Was Practicing To Hit US Military Bases In Japan With Missiles (WP) ................................................ 141 North Korea, Malaysia Each Bar The Others’ Nationals From Leaving (WT).................................................................... 142 North Korean Ambassador Leaves Malaysia (NYT)................. 142 State Dept. Postpones Press Briefings Again, While Rex Tillerson Takes No Questions (WT)................................. 143 Putin Spokesman: ‘Hysteria’ Hurting U.S.-Russia Relations (POLITICO)....................................................................... 144 Iranian Fast Boats Move Close To US Ship In Strait Of Hormuz (AP)................................................................................... 144 U.S. Navy Ship Changes Course After Iran Vessel Interaction: U.S. Official (REU)............................................................ 144 Pentagon Says Iranian Vessels Harass Navy Ship, As Iran Tests Missile Defense System (WP)................................ 144 UN Atomic Chief Expects US Cooperation On Iran Nuke Pact (AP)................................................................................... 145 Fearing U.S. Withdrawal, Europe Considers Its Own Nuclear Deterrent (NYT)................................................................ 145 E.U. Moves To Create Military Training Headquarters (NYT) .. 147 Germany Rejects Erdogan’s ‘Absurd’ Nazi Comparison, Calls For Calm (REU)................................................................ 148 Turkish Referendum Has Country Trading Barbs With Germany Over Free Speech (NYT) ................................................. 148 Ahead Of Pivotal European Elections, Rightist Websites Grow In Influence (WP).............................................................. 149 France’s Fillon Wins Party Backing After Juppe Rules Out Election Bid (REU)............................................................ 151 Scandal In Korea: Botox, And A Horse Called Vladimir (WSJ) 151 South Korean Prosecutors Say President Colluded In Corruption Scandal (WP) ................................................. 151 Prosecutor Pushes For Indictment Of South Korean President In Samsung Scandal (NYT) ............................................. 153 National News White House Aides Contort Themselves Trying To Defend Trump Wiretap Claims (WP) ............................................ 154 White House Remains Mum On Source Of Trump’s Wiretap Allegations (WSJ)............................................................. 155 White House Rejects Comey’s Assertion That Wiretapping Claim Is False (NYT) ........................................................ 155 Trump Doesn’t Necessarily Believe Comey, Aide Says (USAT)156 Trump Maintains Confidence In FBI Head Amid Wiretap Friction (REU)................................................................................ 157 White House Aides Try To Justify Trump’s Explosive Wiretapping Claim (POLITICO)........................................ 157 Kellyanne Conway: Donald Trump Has Info And Intelligence The Rest Of Us Do Not (WT) ........................................... 158 Trump’s Wiretapping Claims Puncture Veneer Of Presidential Civility (NYT)..................................................................... 159 DHS Head: Trump Has ‘Convincing’ Wiretap Proof (HILL) ...... 160 Kelly On Trump’s Wiretap Accusation: ‘He’s Got His Reasons’ (CNN)................................................................................ 161 Former Intelligence Chiefs Dispute Trump Wiretap Allegations (BLOOMPOL)................................................................... 161 GOP Refuses To Back Trump’s Wiretap Claim (POLITICO) ... 163 Trump And Russia: A Clash Of Conspiracy Theories (WSJ) ... 164 Did Obama Spy On Trump? Glenn Reynolds (USAT) ............. 164 Trump May Regret Asking For An Investigation Into Wiretapping (WP).................................................................................. 165 The Wild Wiretapping Charge: Our View (USAT)..................... 166 What Happens When Lunacy Comes From The White House? (MCT)................................................................................ 166 Furor Over Russia’s Hacking Puts Congressional Republicans On Hot Seat (WSJ)........................................................... 167 It’s The Truth According To Trump. Believe It. (WP) ................ 167 Can Trump Weather The Storms Of His Own Making? (WP).. 168 ‘President For A Day,’ Starring Donald Trump (WP) ................ 169 This Former British Lawmaker Is At The Heart Of The Trump Wiretap Allegations (WP) ................................................. 170 U.S. Senator Calls For Investigation Of DEA Enforcement Slowdown Amid Opioid Crisis (WP)................................. 171 Trump Taps Giuliani’s Son For WH Job (HILL) ........................ 171 Trump Hires Rudy Giuliani’s Son For White House Role (POLITICO)....................................................................... 172 Trump Names Sifakis As Public Liaison, Passing Over Scaramucci (BLOOMPOL)............................................... 172 Trump University Lawsuits May Not Be Closed After All (NYT)173 Former Trump U Student Threatens To Undo Settlement (POLITICO)....................................................................... 173 Trump U Student Threatens To Take President To Trial (NYPOST)......................................................................... 174 Former Trump University Student Objects To Settlement (WSJ)175 FOIA CBP 001105 DHS-17-0435-B-000402 5 Trump Asks Congress For Probe Of Leaked Classified Intelligence (WT)............................................................... 175 Grassley Probes FBI’s Ties To British Spy Who Investigated Trump (HILL) .................................................................... 175 Ohio Congresswoman Wants To Know What You Saw At The RNC In Cleveland (WKSUFM)......................................... 176 Republicans Are Becoming Russia’s Accomplices (WP) ......... 176 New Commerce Secretary Was No Friend To Russians At Cyprus Bank (NYT) .......................................................... 177 Attorney General Jeff Sessions: Senate Testimony Was ‘Correct’ (USAT) ............................................................... 179 Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions Defends Russia Testimony And Says He Didn’t Mislead Congress (LAT)................................... 180 Sessions Updates Testimony To Congress, Insists He Was “Correct” To Say He Had No Communication With Russians In Campaign (WP)............................................ 181 Sessions Tells Senate Panel: ‘My Answer Was Correct’ (POLITICO)....................................................................... 182 Sessions’ No. 2 In Waiting Faces Heat On Russia Probe (POLITICO)....................................................................... 182 Sessions’s Potential Deputy Faces A Stern Test On Russia Inquiries (NYT).................................................................. 183 Schumer’s Rosenstein Extortion (WSJ).................................... 184 Trump’s Oval Office Eruption Was Aimed At Lawyer McGahn (DAYMAIL)........................................................................ 184 This Is What Trump Sees When He Opens His Twitter Feed (CNN)................................................................................ 185 Rep. Roskam Calls Criticism For Lack Of Town Hall Meetings ‘False Narrative’ (BARRING)............................................ 186 Trump Political Group Ensnarled In Drama After Launch (CNN)186 GOP Rep. Tom MacArthur Tells Town Hall Audience He Is Not A Trump Clone (PHILLY) ................................................. 188 Voters Think Race Relations Will Worsen Under Trump (RALEIGH)........................................................................ 189 Manchin In The Middle – POLITICO Magazine (PMZ)............. 190 House Democrats Identify Vulnerable Incumbents For 2018 Cycle (HILL)...................................................................... 196 Democrats Identify Vulnerable Members For 2018 (CQRC).... 197 David Samson, A Christie Ally, Sentenced To Home Confinement (NYT)........................................................... 198 Supreme Court Won’t Decide Transgender Bathroom Case (USAT).............................................................................. 199 Supreme Court Sends Virginia Transgender Case Back To Lower Court (WP)............................................................. 199 Transgender Bathroom Showdown Canceled By U.S. Supreme Court (BLOOMPOL)......................................................... 200 Supreme Court Won’t Hear Major Case On Transgender Rights (NYT) ................................................................................ 200 Supreme Court Won’t Say If Trans Teen Can Pick Bathroom (AP)................................................................................... 201 U.S. High Court Action Leaves Transgender Students In Legal Limbo (REU)..................................................................... 203 Supreme Court Tells Lower Court To Reconsider Transgender Bathroom Case In Light Of Trump Position (WSJ).......... 203 Gavin Grimm Will Graduate Without Justice (WP) ................... 203 Yelp Starts Tracking Gender-Neutral Bathrooms For Transgender Users (NYT)................................................ 203 Racial Bias In The Jury Room Can Violate A Defendant’s Right To A Fair Trial, Supreme Court Says (WP) ..................... 204 Jury Secrecy Doesn’t Apply If Bias Taints Deliberations, Justices Rule (NYT).......................................................... 205 Supreme Court Says Jury Secrecy Not Guaranteed If Racial Bias Exists (WSJ)............................................................. 206 Big Airlines Hire Big Lobbyists In Push To Upend Nation’s Air Traffic Control System (MCT)........................................... 206 Inquiry Opens Into How 30,000 Marines Shared Illicit Images Of Female Peers (NYT)......................................................... 207 The Army Could Let Soldiers Grow Beards. No, Seriously. (ARMYT)........................................................................... 209 Army Explores Changing Rules To Allow Beards: ‘There’s A Large Desire’ (WT) ........................................................... 211 On ‘Day Without Women,’ Two Districts Cancel School (NYT) 211 Virginia School District To Close For ‘A Day Without A Woman’ (WP).................................................................................. 212 Rapper Gives $1 Million To Chicago Schools, Blasts Governor (AP)................................................................................... 213 Chance The Rapper Writes $1 Million Check To CPS As A ‘Call To Action’ (CHIT).............................................................. 213 Illinois Is Prepared—for Zombies (WSJ)................................... 215 White Supremacists Step Up Recruiting On Campus, Report Says (NYT) ....................................................................... 215 Is Trump’s ‘Made In America’ Push Healthy For Your Wallet? (BLOOM) .......................................................................... 216 GM To Lay Off 1,100 At Michigan Plant, Move Acadia (USAT)216 GM To Cut Third Shift At Lansing Delta Township (DETN)...... 217 Why GM Could Not Make Money In Europe (WP) ................... 217 LEADING DHS NEWS The Full Text Of The Trump Administration’s New Travel Ban Executive Order Washington Post, March 6, 2017 President Trump signed a new executive order on Monday that bans individuals from six majority-Muslim countries from seeking new visas to the United States. Here is the full text of the order: THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 6, 2017 EXECUTIVE ORDER – – – – – – — FOIA CBP 001106 DHS-17-0435-B-000403 6 PROTECTING THE NATION FROM FOREIGN TERRORIST ENTRY INTO THE UNITED STATES By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq., and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, and to protect the Nation from terrorist activities by foreign nationals admitted to the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows: Section 1. Policy and Purpose. (a) It is the policy of the United States to protect its citizens from terrorist attacks, including those committed by foreign nationals. The screening and vetting protocols and procedures associated with the visa-issuance process and the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) play a crucial role in detecting foreign nationals who may commit, aid, or support acts of terrorism and in preventing those individuals from entering the United States. It is therefore the policy of the United States to improve the screening and vetting protocols and procedures associated with the visa-issuance process and the USRAP. (b) On January 27, 2017, to implement this policy, I issued Executive Order 13769 (Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States). (i) Among other actions, Executive Order 13769 suspended for 90 days the entry of certain aliens from seven countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. These are countries that had already been identified as presenting heightened concerns about terrorism and travel to the United States. Specifically, the suspension applied to countries referred to in, or designated under, section 217(a)(12) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1187(a)(12), in which Congress restricted use of the Visa Waiver Program for nationals of, and aliens recently present in, (A) Iraq or Syria, (B) any country designated by the Secretary of State as a state sponsor of terrorism (currently Iran, Syria, and Sudan), and (C) any other country designated as a country of concern by the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Director of National Intelligence. In 2016, the Secretary of Homeland Security designated Libya, Somalia, and Yemen as additional countries of concern for travel purposes, based on consideration of three statutory factors related to terrorism and national security: “(I) whether the presence of an alien in the country or area increases the likelihood that the alien is a credible threat to the national security of the United States; (II) whether a foreign terrorist organization has a significant presence in the country or area; and (III) whether the country or area is a safe haven for terrorists.” 8 U.S.C. 1187(a)(12)(D)(ii). Additionally, Members of Congress have expressed concerns about screening and vetting procedures following recent terrorist attacks in this country and in Europe. (ii) In ordering the temporary suspension of entry described in subsection (b)(i) of this section, I exercised my authority under Article II of the Constitution and under section 212(f) of the INA, which provides in relevant part: “Whenever the President finds that the entry of any aliens or of any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, he may by proclamation, and for such period as he shall deem necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or nonimmigrants, or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate.” 8 U.S.C. 1182(f). Under these authorities, I determined that, for a brief period of 90 days, while existing screening and vetting procedures were under review, the entry into the United States of certain aliens from the seven identified countries — each afflicted by terrorism in a manner that compromised the ability of the United States to rely on normal decision-making procedures about travel to the United States — would be detrimental to the interests of the United States. Nonetheless, I permitted the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security to grant case-by-case waivers when they determined that it was in the national interest to do so. (iii) Executive Order 13769 also suspended the USRAP for 120 days. Terrorist groups have sought to infiltrate several nations through refugee programs. Accordingly, I temporarily suspended the USRAP pending a review of our procedures for screening and vetting refugees. Nonetheless, I permitted the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security to jointly grant case-by-case waivers when they determined that it was in the national interest to do so. (iv) Executive Order 13769 did not provide a basis for discriminating for or against members of any particular religion. While that order allowed for prioritization of refugee claims from members of persecuted religious minority groups, that priority applied to refugees from every nation, including those in which Islam is a minority religion, and it applied to minority sects within a religion. That order was not motivated by animus toward any religion, but was instead intended to protect the ability of religious minorities — whoever they are and wherever they reside — to avail themselves of the USRAP in light of their particular challenges and circumstances. (c) The implementation of Executive Order 13769 has been delayed by litigation. Most significantly, enforcement of critical provisions of that order has been temporarily halted by court orders that apply nationwide and extend even to foreign nationals with no prior or substantial connection to the United States. On February 9, 2017, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit declined to stay or narrow one such order pending the outcome of further judicial proceedings, while noting that the “political branches are far better equipped to make appropriate distinctions” about who FOIA CBP 001107 DHS-17-0435-B-000404 7 should be covered by a suspension of entry or of refugee admissions. (d) Nationals from the countries previously identified under section 217(a)(12) of the INA warrant additional scrutiny in connection with our immigration policies because the conditions in these countries present heightened threats. Each of these countries is a state sponsor of terrorism, has been significantly compromised by terrorist organizations, or contains active conflict zones. Any of these circumstances diminishes the foreign government’s willingness or ability to share or validate important information about individuals seeking to travel to the United States. Moreover, the significant presence in each of these countries of terrorist organizations, their members, and others exposed to those organizations increases the chance that conditions will be exploited to enable terrorist operatives or sympathizers to travel to the United States. Finally, once foreign nationals from these countries are admitted to the United States, it is often difficult to remove them, because many of these countries typically delay issuing, or refuse to issue, travel documents. (e) The following are brief descriptions, taken in part from the Department of State’s Country Reports on Terrorism 2015 (June 2016), of some of the conditions in six of the previously designated countries that demonstrate why their nationals continue to present heightened risks to the security of the United States: (i) Iran. Iran has been designated as a state sponsor of terrorism since 1984 and continues to support various terrorist groups, including Hizballah, Hamas, and terrorist groups in Iraq. Iran has also been linked to support for al￾Qa’ida and has permitted al-Qa’ida to transport funds and fighters through Iran to Syria and South Asia. Iran does not cooperate with the United States in counterterrorism efforts. (ii) Libya. Libya is an active combat zone, with hostilities between the internationally recognized government and its rivals. In many parts of the country, security and law enforcement functions are provided by armed militias rather than state institutions. Violent extremist groups, including the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), have exploited these conditions to expand their presence in the country. The Libyan government provides some cooperation with the United States’ counterterrorism efforts, but it is unable to secure thousands of miles of its land and maritime borders, enabling the illicit flow of weapons, migrants, and foreign terrorist fighters. The United States Embassy in Libya suspended its operations in 2014. (iii) Somalia. Portions of Somalia have been terrorist safe havens. Al-Shabaab, an al-Qa’ida-affiliated terrorist group, has operated in the country for years and continues to plan and mount operations within Somalia and in neighboring countries. Somalia has porous borders, and most countries do not recognize Somali identity documents. The Somali government cooperates with the United States in some counterterrorism operations but does not have the capacity to sustain military pressure on or to investigate suspected terrorists. (iv) Sudan. Sudan has been designated as a state sponsor of terrorism since 1993 because of its support for international terrorist groups, including Hizballah and Hamas. Historically, Sudan provided safe havens for al-Qa’ida and other terrorist groups to meet and train. Although Sudan’s support to al-Qa’ida has ceased and it provides some cooperation with the United States’ counterterrorism efforts, elements of core al-Qa’ida and ISIS-linked terrorist groups remain active in the country. (v) Syria. Syria has been designated as a state sponsor of terrorism since 1979. The Syrian government is engaged in an ongoing military conflict against ISIS and others for control of portions of the country. At the same time, Syria continues to support other terrorist groups. It has allowed or encouraged extremists to pass through its territory to enter Iraq. ISIS continues to attract foreign fighters to Syria and to use its base in Syria to plot or encourage attacks around the globe, including in the United States. The United States Embassy in Syria suspended its operations in 2012. Syria does not cooperate with the United States’ counterterrorism efforts. (vi) Yemen. Yemen is the site of an ongoing conflict between the incumbent government and the Houthi-led opposition. Both ISIS and a second group, al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), have exploited this conflict to expand their presence in Yemen and to carry out hundreds of attacks. Weapons and other materials smuggled across Yemen’s porous borders are used to finance AQAP and other terrorist activities. In 2015, the United States Embassy in Yemen suspended its operations, and embassy staff were relocated out of the country. Yemen has been supportive of, but has not been able to cooperate fully with, the United States in counterterrorism efforts. (f) In light of the conditions in these six countries, until the assessment of current screening and vetting procedures required by section 2 of this order is completed, the risk of erroneously permitting entry of a national of one of these countries who intends to commit terrorist acts or otherwise harm the national security of the United States is unacceptably high. Accordingly, while that assessment is ongoing, I am imposing a temporary pause on the entry of nationals from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen, subject to categorical exceptions and case-by-case waivers, as described in section 3 of this order. (g) Iraq presents a special case. Portions of Iraq remain active combat zones. Since 2014, ISIS has had dominant influence over significant territory in northern and central Iraq. Although that influence has been significantly reduced due to the efforts and sacrifices of the Iraqi government and armed FOIA CBP 001108 DHS-17-0435-B-000405 8 forces, working along with a United States-led coalition, the ongoing conflict has impacted the Iraqi government’s capacity to secure its borders and to identify fraudulent travel documents. Nevertheless, the close cooperative relationship between the United States and the democratically elected Iraqi government, the strong United States diplomatic presence in Iraq, the significant presence of United States forces in Iraq, and Iraq’s commitment to combat ISIS justify different treatment for Iraq. In particular, those Iraqi government forces that have fought to regain more than half of the territory previously dominated by ISIS have shown steadfast determination and earned enduring respect as they battle an armed group that is the common enemy of Iraq and the United States. In addition, since Executive Order 13769 was issued, the Iraqi government has expressly undertaken steps to enhance travel documentation, information sharing, and the return of Iraqi nationals subject to final orders of removal. Decisions about issuance of visas or granting admission to Iraqi nationals should be subjected to additional scrutiny to determine if applicants have connections with ISIS or other terrorist organizations, or otherwise pose a risk to either national security or public safety. (h) Recent history shows that some of those who have entered the United States through our immigration system have proved to be threats to our national security. Since 2001, hundreds of persons born abroad have been convicted of terrorism-related crimes in the United States. They have included not just persons who came here legally on visas but also individuals who first entered the country as refugees. For example, in January 2013, two Iraqi nationals admitted to the United States as refugees in 2009 were sentenced to 40 years and to life in prison, respectively, for multiple terrorism￾related offenses. And in October 2014, a native of Somalia who had been brought to the United States as a child refugee and later became a naturalized United States citizen was sentenced to 30 years in prison for attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction as part of a plot to detonate a bomb at a crowded Christmas-tree-lighting ceremony in Portland, Oregon. The Attorney General has reported to me that more than 300 persons who entered the United States as refugees are currently the subjects of counterterrorism investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. (i) Given the foregoing, the entry into the United States of foreign nationals who may commit, aid, or support acts of terrorism remains a matter of grave concern. In light of the Ninth Circuit’s observation that the political branches are better suited to determine the appropriate scope of any suspensions than are the courts, and in order to avoid spending additional time pursuing litigation, I am revoking Executive Order 13769 and replacing it with this order, which expressly excludes from the suspensions categories of aliens that have prompted judicial concerns and which clarifies or refines the approach to certain other issues or categories of affected aliens. Sec. 2. Temporary Suspension of Entry for Nationals of Countries of Particular Concern During Review Period. (a) The Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Director of National Intelligence, shall conduct a worldwide review to identify whether, and if so what, additional information will be needed from each foreign country to adjudicate an application by a national of that country for a visa, admission, or other benefit under the INA (adjudications) in order to determine that the individual is not a security or public-safety threat. The Secretary of Homeland Security may conclude that certain information is needed from particular countries even if it is not needed from every country. (b) The Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Director of National Intelligence, shall submit to the President a report on the results of the worldwide review described in subsection (a) of this section, including the Secretary of Homeland Security’s determination of the information needed from each country for adjudications and a list of countries that do not provide adequate information, within 20 days of the effective date of this order. The Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide a copy of the report to the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the Director of National Intelligence. (c) To temporarily reduce investigative burdens on relevant agencies during the review period described in subsection (a) of this section, to ensure the proper review and maximum utilization of available resources for the screening and vetting of foreign nationals, to ensure that adequate standards are established to prevent infiltration by foreign terrorists, and in light of the national security concerns referenced in section 1 of this order, I hereby proclaim, pursuant to sections 212(f) and 215(a) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1182(f) and 1185(a), that the unrestricted entry into the United States of nationals of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen would be detrimental to the interests of the United States. I therefore direct that the entry into the United States of nationals of those six countries be suspended for 90 days from the effective date of this order, subject to the limitations, waivers, and exceptions set forth in sections 3 and 12 of this order. (d) Upon submission of the report described in subsection (b) of this section regarding the information needed from each country for adjudications, the Secretary of State shall request that all foreign governments that do not supply such information regarding their nationals begin providing it within 50 days of notification. (e) After the period described in subsection (d) of this section expires, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Attorney General, shall submit to the President a list of countries FOIA CBP 001109 DHS-17-0435-B-000406 9 recommended for inclusion in a Presidential proclamation that would prohibit the entry of appropriate categories of foreign nationals of countries that have not provided the information requested until they do so or until the Secretary of Homeland Security certifies that the country has an adequate plan to do so, or has adequately shared information through other means. The Secretary of State, the Attorney General, or the Secretary of Homeland Security may also submit to the President the names of additional countries for which any of them recommends other lawful restrictions or limitations deemed necessary for the security or welfare of the United States. (f) At any point after the submission of the list described in subsection (e) of this section, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Attorney General, may submit to the President the names of any additional countries recommended for similar treatment, as well as the names of any countries that they recommend should be removed from the scope of a proclamation described in subsection (e) of this section. (g) The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the President a joint report on the progress in implementing this order within 60 days of the effective date of this order, a second report within 90 days of the effective date of this order, a third report within 120 days of the effective date of this order, and a fourth report within 150 days of the effective date of this order. Sec. 3. Scope and Implementation of Suspension. (a) Scope. Subject to the exceptions set forth in subsection (b) of this section and any waiver under subsection (c) of this section, the suspension of entry pursuant to section 2 of this order shall apply only to foreign nationals of the designated countries who: (i) are outside the United States on the effective date of this order; (ii) did not have a valid visa at 5:00 p.m., eastern standard time on January 27, 2017; and (iii) do not have a valid visa on the effective date of this order. (b) Exceptions. The suspension of entry pursuant to section 2 of this order shall not apply to: (i) any lawful permanent resident of the United States; (ii) any foreign national who is admitted to or paroled into the United States on or after the effective date of this order; (iii) any foreign national who has a document other than a visa, valid on the effective date of this order or issued on any date thereafter, that permits him or her to travel to the United States and seek entry or admission, such as an advance parole document; (iv) any dual national of a country designated under section 2 of this order when the individual is traveling on a passport issued by a non-designated country; (v) any foreign national traveling on a diplomatic or diplomatic-type visa, North Atlantic Treaty Organization visa, C-2 visa for travel to the United Nations, or G-1, G-2, G-3, or G-4 visa; or (vi) any foreign national who has been granted asylum; any refugee who has already been admitted to the United States; or any individual who has been granted withholding of removal, advance parole, or protection under the Convention Against Torture. (c) Waivers. Notwithstanding the suspension of entry pursuant to section 2 of this order, a consular officer, or, as appropriate, the Commissioner, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), or the Commissioner’s delegee, may, in the consular officer’s or the CBP official’s discretion, decide on a case-by-case basis to authorize the issuance of a visa to, or to permit the entry of, a foreign national for whom entry is otherwise suspended if the foreign national has demonstrated to the officer’s satisfaction that denying entry during the suspension period would cause undue hardship, and that his or her entry would not pose a threat to national security and would be in the national interest. Unless otherwise specified by the Secretary of Homeland Security, any waiver issued by a consular officer as part of the visa issuance process will be effective both for the issuance of a visa and any subsequent entry on that visa, but will leave all other requirements for admission or entry unchanged. Case-by-case waivers could be appropriate in circumstances such as the following: (i) the foreign national has previously been admitted to the United States for a continuous period of work, study, or other long-term activity, is outside the United States on the effective date of this order, seeks to reenter the United States to resume that activity, and the denial of reentry during the suspension period would impair that activity; (ii) the foreign national has previously established significant contacts with the United States but is outside the United States on the effective date of this order for work, study, or other lawful activity; (iii) the foreign national seeks to enter the United States for significant business or professional obligations and the denial of entry during the suspension period would impair those obligations; (iv) the foreign national seeks to enter the United States to visit or reside with a close family member (e.g., a spouse, child, or parent) who is a United States citizen, lawful permanent resident, or alien lawfully admitted on a valid nonimmigrant visa, and the denial of entry during the suspension period would cause undue hardship; (v) the foreign national is an infant, a young child or adoptee, an individual needing urgent medical care, or someone whose entry is otherwise justified by the special circumstances of the case; (vi) the foreign national has been employed by, or on behalf of, the United States Government (or is an eligible FOIA CBP 001110 DHS-17-0435-B-000407 10 dependent of such an employee) and the employee can document that he or she has provided faithful and valuable service to the United States Government; (vii) the foreign national is traveling for purposes related to an international organization designated under the International Organizations Immunities Act (IOIA), 22 U.S.C. 288 et seq., traveling for purposes of conducting meetings or business with the United States Government, or traveling to conduct business on behalf of an international organization not designated under the IOIA; (viii) the foreign national is a landed Canadian immigrant who applies for a visa at a location within Canada; or (ix) the foreign national is traveling as a United States Government-sponsored exchange visitor. Sec. 4. Additional Inquiries Related to Nationals of Iraq. An application by any Iraqi national for a visa, admission, or other immigration benefit should be subjected to thorough review, including, as appropriate, consultation with a designee of the Secretary of Defense and use of the additional information that has been obtained in the context of the close U.S.-Iraqi security partnership, since Executive Order 13769 was issued, concerning individuals suspected of ties to ISIS or other terrorist organizations and individuals coming from territories controlled or formerly controlled by ISIS. Such review shall include consideration of whether the applicant has connections with ISIS or other terrorist organizations or with territory that is or has been under the dominant influence of ISIS, as well as any other information bearing on whether the applicant may be a threat to commit acts of terrorism or otherwise threaten the national security or public safety of the United States. Sec. 5. Implementing Uniform Screening and Vetting Standards for All Immigration Programs. (a) The Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence shall implement a program, as part of the process for adjudications, to identify individuals who seek to enter the United States on a fraudulent basis, who support terrorism, violent extremism, acts of violence toward any group or class of people within the United States, or who present a risk of causing harm subsequent to their entry. This program shall include the development of a uniform baseline for screening and vetting standards and procedures, such as in-person interviews; a database of identity documents proffered by applicants to ensure that duplicate documents are not used by multiple applicants; amended application forms that include questions aimed at identifying fraudulent answers and malicious intent; a mechanism to ensure that applicants are who they claim to be; a mechanism to assess whether applicants may commit, aid, or support any kind of violent, criminal, or terrorist acts after entering the United States; and any other appropriate means for ensuring the proper collection of all information necessary for a rigorous evaluation of all grounds of inadmissibility or grounds for the denial of other immigration benefits. (b) The Secretary of Homeland Security, in conjunction with the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the Director of National Intelligence, shall submit to the President an initial report on the progress of the program described in subsection (a) of this section within 60 days of the effective date of this order, a second report within 100 days of the effective date of this order, and a third report within 200 days of the effective date of this order. Sec. 6. Realignment of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program for Fiscal Year 2017. (a) The Secretary of State shall suspend travel of refugees into the United States under the USRAP, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall suspend decisions on applications for refugee status, for 120 days after the effective date of this order, subject to waivers pursuant to subsection (c) of this section. During the 120-day period, the Secretary of State, in conjunction with the Secretary of Homeland Security and in consultation with the Director of National Intelligence, shall review the USRAP application and adjudication processes to determine what additional procedures should be used to ensure that individuals seeking admission as refugees do not pose a threat to the security and welfare of the United States, and shall implement such additional procedures. The suspension described in this subsection shall not apply to refugee applicants who, before the effective date of this order, have been formally scheduled for transit by the Department of State. The Secretary of State shall resume travel of refugees into the United States under the USRAP 120 days after the effective date of this order, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall resume making decisions on applications for refugee status only for stateless persons and nationals of countries for which the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence have jointly determined that the additional procedures implemented pursuant to this subsection are adequate to ensure the security and welfare of the United States. (b) Pursuant to section 212(f) of the INA, I hereby proclaim that the entry of more than 50,000 refugees in fiscal year 2017 would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, and thus suspend any entries in excess of that number until such time as I determine that additional entries would be in the national interest. (c) Notwithstanding the temporary suspension imposed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security may jointly determine to admit individuals to the United States as refugees on a case-by-case basis, in their discretion, but only so long as they determine that the entry of such individuals as refugees is in the national interest and does not pose a threat to the security or welfare of the United States, including in FOIA CBP 001111 DHS-17-0435-B-000408 11 circumstances such as the following: the individual’s entry would enable the United States to conform its conduct to a preexisting international agreement or arrangement, or the denial of entry would cause undue hardship. (d) It is the policy of the executive branch that, to the extent permitted by law and as practicable, State and local jurisdictions be granted a role in the process of determining the placement or settlement in their jurisdictions of aliens eligible to be admitted to the United States as refugees. To that end, the Secretary of State shall examine existing law to determine the extent to which, consistent with applicable law, State and local jurisdictions may have greater involvement in the process of determining the placement or resettlement of refugees in their jurisdictions, and shall devise a proposal to lawfully promote such involvement. Sec. 7. Rescission of Exercise of Authority Relating to the Terrorism Grounds of Inadmissibility. The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall, in consultation with the Attorney General, consider rescinding the exercises of authority permitted by section 212(d)(3)(B) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(3)(B), relating to the terrorism grounds of inadmissibility, as well as any related implementing directives or guidance. Sec. 8. Expedited Completion of the Biometric Entry￾Exit Tracking System. (a) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall expedite the completion and implementation of a biometric entry exit tracking system for in-scope travelers to the United States, as recommended by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States. (b) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the President periodic reports on the progress of the directive set forth in subsection (a) of this section. The initial report shall be submitted within 100 days of the effective date of this order, a second report shall be submitted within 200 days of the effective date of this order, and a third report shall be submitted within 365 days of the effective date of this order. The Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit further reports every 180 days thereafter until the system is fully deployed and operational. Sec. 9. Visa Interview Security. (a) The Secretary of State shall immediately suspend the Visa Interview Waiver Program and ensure compliance with section 222 of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1202, which requires that all individuals seeking a nonimmigrant visa undergo an in-person interview, subject to specific statutory exceptions. This suspension shall not apply to any foreign national traveling on a diplomatic or diplomatic￾type visa, North Atlantic Treaty Organization visa, C-2 visa for travel to the United Nations, or G-1, G-2, G-3, or G-4 visa; traveling for purposes related to an international organization designated under the IOIA; or traveling for purposes of conducting meetings or business with the United States Government. (b) To the extent permitted by law and subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary of State shall immediately expand the Consular Fellows Program, including by substantially increasing the number of Fellows, lengthening or making permanent the period of service, and making language training at the Foreign Service Institute available to Fellows for assignment to posts outside of their area of core linguistic ability, to ensure that nonimmigrant visa-interview wait times are not unduly affected. Sec. 10. Visa Validity Reciprocity. The Secretary of State shall review all nonimmigrant visa reciprocity agreements and arrangements to ensure that they are, with respect to each visa classification, truly reciprocal insofar as practicable with respect to validity period and fees, as required by sections 221(c) and 281 of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1201(c) and 1351, and other treatment. If another country does not treat United States nationals seeking nonimmigrant visas in a truly reciprocal manner, the Secretary of State shall adjust the visa validity period, fee schedule, or other treatment to match the treatment of United States nationals by that foreign country, to the extent practicable. Sec. 11. Transparency and Data Collection. (a) To be more transparent with the American people and to implement more effectively policies and practices that serve the national interest, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Attorney General, shall, consistent with applicable law and national security, collect and make publicly available the following information: (i) information regarding the number of foreign nationals in the United States who have been charged with terrorism￾related offenses while in the United States; convicted of terrorism-related offenses while in the United States; or removed from the United States based on terrorism-related activity, affiliation with or provision of material support to a terrorism-related organization, or any other national-security￾related reasons; (ii) information regarding the number of foreign nationals in the United States who have been radicalized after entry into the United States and who have engaged in terrorism-related acts, or who have provided material support to terrorism-related organizations in countries that pose a threat to the United States; (iii) information regarding the number and types of acts of gender-based violence against women, including so-called “honor killings,” in the United States by foreign nationals; and (iv) any other information relevant to public safety and security as determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Attorney General, including information on the immigration status of foreign nationals charged with major offenses. (b) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall release the initial report under subsection (a) of this section within 180 days of the effective date of this order and shall include FOIA CBP 001112 DHS-17-0435-B-000409 12 information for the period from September 11, 2001, until the date of the initial report. Subsequent reports shall be issued every 180 days thereafter and reflect the period since the previous report. Sec. 12. Enforcement. (a) The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall consult with appropriate domestic and international partners, including countries and organizations, to ensure efficient, effective, and appropriate implementation of the actions directed in this order. (b) In implementing this order, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall comply with all applicable laws and regulations, including, as appropriate, those providing an opportunity for individuals to claim a fear of persecution or torture, such as the credible fear determination for aliens covered by section 235(b)(1)(A) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1225(b)(1)(A). (c) No immigrant or nonimmigrant visa issued before the effective date of this order shall be revoked pursuant to this order. (d) Any individual whose visa was marked revoked or marked canceled as a result of Executive Order 13769 shall be entitled to a travel document confirming that the individual is permitted to travel to the United States and seek entry. Any prior cancellation or revocation of a visa that was solely pursuant to Executive Order 13769 shall not be the basis of inadmissibility for any future determination about entry or admissibility. (e) This order shall not apply to an individual who has been granted asylum, to a refugee who has already been admitted to the United States, or to an individual granted withholding of removal or protection under the Convention Against Torture. Nothing in this order shall be construed to limit the ability of an individual to seek asylum, withholding of removal, or protection under the Convention Against Torture, consistent with the laws of the United States. Sec. 13. Revocation. Executive Order 13769 of January 27, 2017, is revoked as of the effective date of this order. Sec. 14. Effective Date. This order is effective at 12:01 a.m., eastern daylight time on March 16, 2017. Sec. 15. Severability. (a) If any provision of this order, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this order and the application of its other provisions to any other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby. (b) If any provision of this order, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid because of the lack of certain procedural requirements, the relevant executive branch officials shall implement those procedural requirements. Sec. 16. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: (i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or (ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. DONALD J. TRUMP THE WHITE HOUSE, March 6, 2017. ### Trump’s Revised Travel Ban Spares Iraqis By Glenn Thrush New York Times, March 6, 2017 WASHINGTON — President Trump on Monday signed a revised version of his executive order that would for the first time rewrite American immigration policy to ban migrants from predominantly Muslim nations, removing citizens of Iraq from the original travel embargo and scrapping a provision that explicitly protected religious minorities. The order, which comes about a month after federal judges blocked Mr. Trump’s haphazardly implemented ban in January on residents from seven Middle Eastern and African countries, won’t affect people who had previously been issued visas — a change that the administration hopes will avoid the chaos, protests and legal challenges that followed the first order. But it did little to halt criticism from Democrats and immigrant rights groups, which predicted a renewed fight in the courts. Mr. Trump’s initial, hastily issued order on Jan. 27 prompted protests across the country, leaving tearful families stranded at airports abroad and in the United States. The new measure will be phased in over the next two weeks, according to officials with the Department of Homeland Security. John F. Kelly, the Homeland Security secretary, said the order was “prospective” and applied “only to foreign nationals outside of the United States” who do not have a valid visa. “If you have a current valid visa to travel, we welcome you,” said Mr. Kelly, appearing alongside Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson and Attorney General Jeff Sessions at the Ronald Reagan Federal Building in Washington early Monday — before leaving without taking reporters’ questions. “Unregulated, un-vetted travel is not a universal privilege, especially when national security is at stake,” Mr. Kelly added. FOIA CBP 001113 DHS-17-0435-B-000410 13 The indefinite ban on refugees from Syria also has been reduced to a 120-day ban, requiring review and renewal. Mr. Trump signed the first ban with great fanfare, in front of reporters at the Pentagon. “We don’t want them here,” Mr. Trump said of Islamist terrorists. “We want to ensure that we are not admitting into our country the very threats our soldiers are fighting overseas. We only want to admit those into our country who will support our country, and love deeply our people.” This time, he signed the order in private, with the White House releasing a photo of the seldom-silent president signing the order, alone at his desk in the Oval Office. His staff offered no explanation for the decision to opt for a lower-key rollout this time. But administration officials said the president wanted to emphasize that the rewrite was a collective effort, not like the secretive one by the White House advisers Stephen K. Bannon and Stephen Miller that resulted in the botched implementation of the first order. Justice Department lawyers said the revisions rendered moot legal cases against the original travel ban. But opponents said that the removal of a section that had granted preferential treatment to victims of religious persecution — a provision that immigrant rights attorneys argued was intended to discriminate against Muslims — was a cosmetic change that did nothing to alter the order’s prejudicial purpose. “This is a retreat but let’s be clear — it’s just another run at a Muslim ban,” said Omar Jadwat, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, one of the groups that sued to stop the first order. “At its core, the second order looks very similar to the first and I expect it will run into the same problems from the courts and the public that the first one did. They can’t un-ring the bell.” The Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer of New York, described the new order as a “watered-down ban,” that was still “mean-spirited and un-American.” Margaret Huang, executive director of Amnesty International USA, said in a statement that the new order would “cause extreme fear and uncertainty for thousands of families by, once again, putting anti-Muslim hatred into policy.” Congressional Republicans, who were split over the first travel ban, had a more muted reaction. But House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, who backed the first order, released a statement saying the revised order “advances our shared goal of protecting the homeland.” Citizens of Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Syria and Libya will face a 90-day suspension of visa processing as the administration continues to analyze how to enhance vetting procedures, according to a Homeland Security summary of the order. The removal of Iraq from the list came after talks with security officials in Baghdad, at the urging of State and Defense department officials, who felt the ban would undermine the stability of the United States-allied government. “On the basis of negotiations that have taken place between the Government of Iraq and the U.S. Department of State in the last month, Iraq will increase cooperation with the U.S. Government on the vetting of its citizens applying for a visa to travel to the United States,” Homeland Security officials wrote in a fact sheet given to reporters. The Iraqis agreed to improve the quality of travel documentation and to bolster their sharing of information about potentially dangerous nationals, officials said. The new order was delayed for about a week as the White House sought to better coordinate its activities with federal agencies and to maximize its public relations impact, according to three administration officials. In a conference call with reporters on Monday morning, officials with Homeland Security, the Department of State and Department of Justice defended Mr. Trump’s original order and said the rewrite was intended to address legal concerns quickly so they could deal with what they repeatedly characterized as an urgent national security threat. The timing of the ban seemed intended to reset the White House political narrative, after a tumultuous week that began with a well-received address to a joint session of Congress. That success was quickly overshadowed by the controversies over Attorney General Jeff Sessions’s failure to inform the Senate of his contacts with a Russian diplomat and Mr. Trump’s unsupported accusation that President Barack Obama tried to wiretap Mr. Trump’s phones during the 2016 campaign. Mr. Trump’s pledges to crack down on illegal immigration and prevent terrorist attacks on United States soil were cornerstones of his appeal to white working-class voters. “The vast majority of individuals convicted of terrorism and terrorism-related offenses since 9/11 came here from outside of our country,” the president said last Tuesday, during the address to a joint session of Congress in which he reiterated his promise to build a wall on the border with Mexico and “win” wars against ISIS and “radical Islamic terrorism” — a phrase President Obama avoided in his public utterances. “We cannot allow a beachhead of terrorism to form inside America,” he added. “And we cannot allow our nation to become a sanctuary for extremists.” Critics argue that Mr. Trump’s vow to impose “extreme vetting” on migrants, especially those from war-torn Syria, disregards a stringent screening protocol already in place, and the fact that none of the recent terrorist attacks or mass FOIA CBP 001114 DHS-17-0435-B-000411 14 shootings on American soil were perpetrated by attackers from the nations listed in the ban. Last week, The Associated Press reported that it had obtained a draft Department of Homeland Security assessment concluding that citizenship was an “unlikely indicator” of a threat. Homeland Security officials, speaking to reporters on Monday, pushed back against that news report, arguing that it was culled from public sources and excluded classified information that paints a more dangerous picture. An official, speaking on the call, said that the Justice Department had identified 300 “refugees” who were being investigated for their links to radical Islamic terrorist groups or pro-ISIS positions. Some of those people already have permanent resident status, according to the official. But Homeland Security and Justice Department officials refused to provide any further details, and wouldn’t say how many of the 300 investigation targets came from any of the countries covered by the revised travel ban. Since 2001, 18 of the 36 Muslim extremists who have engaged in attacks inside the United States were born in the United States, while 14 migrated here as children and wouldn’t have been stopped by the new vetting process, according to an analysis by Charles Kurzman, a professor at the University of North Carolina. None came from the banned nations; Muslim extremists have accounted for 16 out of 240,000 murders in the United States since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Democrats Have Few Options On Trump Travel Ban By Bridget Bowman Roll Call, March 6, 2017 Congressional Democrats were quick to condemn President Donald Trump’s new executive order temporarily barring travel from a handful of predominantly Muslim countries, but there isn’t much they can do about it. As the minority party in the House and Senate, they cannot force Congress to take up legislation overturning the ban. And legal and procedural hurdles prevent Democratic lawmakers from taking the order to court themselves. Trump announced Monday that he had issued a new executive order temporarily banning travelers from six countries: Iran, Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, and Syria. The president revised a previous order that also barred visitors from Iraq. Republicans got behind Trump’s new missive as bolstering national security, while Democrats criticized the order as a thinly veiled ban on Muslims. “Despite the administration’s changes, this dangerous executive order makes us less safe, not more, it is mean￾spirited, and un-American,” Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer said. “It must be repealed.” Connecticut Sen. Christopher S. Murphy announced that he would introduce a bill to overturn Trump’s new order. But, with Trump’s party in control of the Senate floor, the Connecticut lawmaker’s bill is not likely to move forward. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell did not immediately comment on the new travel ban, but he previously said the constitutionality of Trump’s earlier order would be worked out through the court system. Speaker Paul D. Ryan, who controls the House floor, said the new action “ advances our shared goal of protecting the homeland.” The previous order had been blocked by a federal appeals court, prompting the rewrite. But some are already clamoring to fight the revision. “President Trump, we’ll see you in court,” David Cole, the American Civil Liberties Union’s legal director, wrote in a post on the group’s website. “The new order will be less catastrophic in its rollout than the first, both because it exempts those who already have visas and because it will not go into effect until March 16,” Cole wrote. “But it’s still religious discrimination in the pre-textual guise of national security. And it’s still unconstitutional.” Democrats could opt to file amicus briefs in support of lawsuits challenging the order. Those briefs are documents filed by people who are not parties in the case. But congressional Democrats do not have many other legal avenues to challenge the order through the court system. So don’t expect to see a lawsuit similar to the one from House Republicans suing President Barack Obama’s administration over the 2010 health care law. That’s because, as members of Congress, Democrats face two major obstacles when it comes to filing a lawsuit: proving their standing in court and overcoming Republicans who have a say in the process. “At this point, it seems that a House Democratic amicus brief would probably be the only option,” said a senior Democratic aide. In the 2014 health care lawsuit, House Republicans directed the general counsel for the House of Representatives to sue the Obama administration. The chamber’s lawyers had to prove that the House as an institution was injured by the administration’s actions in order for the lawsuit to have standing in court. A federal judge sided with Republicans last year, agreeing that the administration had spent funds without congressional approval, violating Congress’ constitutional authority to appropriate funds. Democratic aides noted that in the case of the travel ban, proving injury to the institution would be difficult, so they would likely not have standing in court. But congressional Democrats would also not be able to file a lawsuit in the first place. FOIA CBP 001115 DHS-17-0435-B-000412 15 For the House’s general counsel to file a lawsuit on behalf of the chamber, the office needs the approval of the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group, according to House rules. The five-member group is controlled by Republicans, since it is comprised of the speaker and both parties’ leaders and whips. In the Senate, the Office of Legal Counsel represents the body in lawsuits, and is not typically used for partisan fights. It answers to the Joint Leadership Group, which is made up of the leaders of each party, the president pro tempore, and the chairmen and ranking members of the Judiciary and Rules and Administration committees. Senate rules also require that senators approve a resolution authorizing the office to represent the body or members in court. With few options on the floor and in the courts, Democrats will likely continue to use their platforms to share stories of those affected by the travel ban, and count on other lawsuits to challenge the order. Get breaking news alerts and more from Roll Call on your iPhone or your Android. Trump’s New Travel Ban Will Be Harder To Challenge In Court, But Critics Say It Still Targets Muslims By David G. Savage, Contact Reporter Los Angeles Times, March 6, 2017 President Trump’s new, revised travel ban retreats on nearly every issue that triggered chaos in airports and lawsuits in federal courts across the nation. It will not apply to foreign students, engineers, tourists and relatives who are traveling to this country or temporarily traveling aboard. It is “prospective in nature — applying only to foreign nationals outside of the United States who do not have a valid visa,” said Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly. But many critics of the first order were not declaring victory. Instead, they said they would go back to court and argue the order should still be struck down because it discriminates against Muslims. “This is nothing more than Muslim Ban 2.0,” said Marielena Hincapie, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center in Los Angeles. “No amount of tweaks will change that.” David Cole, the ACLU’s national legal director, said the revised order is “still religious discrimination in the pretextual guise of national security. And it’s still unconstitutional.” But advocates for immigrants face at least three significant hurdles if they sue. First, they must find plaintiffs who have standing to get into court. Usually, foreign citizens outside the country do not have standing to sue and claim a right to be admitted. The right to “due process of law” is limited to people who are within the country. In the challenge to the original travel ban, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decided that the state of Washington may have “third party standing” to sue on behalf of professors and students who were barred from traveling. But because the new order does not restrict foreign nationals who have been in this country “for a continuous period of work, study or other long-term activity,” that path into court may no longer be available. Second, they need to show an immediate and “irreparable harm” from allowing Trump’s order from taking effect. Judges may issue an order to temporarily block a government decree, but to get such an order, lawyers must show that not acting immediately will cause real harm. That is no doubt why Kelly emphasized the impact of the new order is “prospective,” not immediate. Because the new order does not permanently block anyone from entering the country, but only imposes a 90-day freeze on giving out new visas, the standard of “irreparable harm” could be difficult to meet. And third, they must overcome the president’s unusually broad powers to decide who may enter the country. The Immigration and Nationality Act says the president “may by proclamation, and for such period as he shall deem necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or nonimmigrants, or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem appropriate.” Government lawyers defending the first travel ban relied on this provision, but the 9th Circuit did not mention in it in its 29-page opinion rebuking Trump. Civil libertarians say that Trump’s order is based on religious bias, and they say it should be struck down for that reason. Their case relies mostly on comments by Trump, rather than the text of the order. On Dec. 7, 2015, then-candidate Trump issued a news release calling “for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on.” On Jan. 29, 2017, two days after the new president signed the first travel ban, former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani said Trump had called him about the proposed Muslim ban and said, “Show me the right way to do it legally.” One federal judge, citing Trump’s comments, blocked his order on the grounds it may violate the 1st Amendment’s ban on an establishment of religion. It’s hard to ignore what Trump said prior to his election, said U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema. “A person is not made brand new simply by taking the oath of office,” she wrote on Feb. 13. To rebut a possible religious discrimination claim, Justice Department lawyers pushed to get language added to FOIA CBP 001116 DHS-17-0435-B-000413 16 the new order that specifically said the previous version had not been “motivated by animus toward any religion.” They also pushed for a detailed discussion in the new order of the terror threats posed by each of the six countries subject to a temporary travel ban. The new version of the order also drops a preference for people from persecuted minority religious groups, which Trump, in a television interview, had suggested was designed to help Christians from the Mideast. Administration officials say the revised order cannot be described as a “Muslim ban” because it extends to only six countries with Muslim majorities and does not include larger nations, including Pakistan, Egypt, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. Staff Writer Del Quentin Wilber contributed to this report. Revised Executive Order Bans Travelers From Six Muslim-Majority Countries From Getting New Visas By David Nakamura And Matt Zapotosky Washington Post, March 6, 2017 President Trump signed a new travel ban Monday that administration officials said they hope will end legal challenges over the matter by imposing a 90-day ban on the issuance of new visas for citizens of six majority-Muslim nations, authorities said. In addition, the nation’s refu-gee program will be suspended for 120 days, and it will not accept more than 50,000 refugees in a year, down from the 110,000 cap set by the Obama administration. Trump signed the new ban out of public view, according to White House officials. The order will not take effect until March 16. Trump’s first order had been ordered frozen by the courts, but the Justice Department indicated in court filings that — unless told otherwise — they will begin enforcement of the new one when it officially takes hold. The new guidelines mark a dramatic departure from Trump’s original ban. They lay out a far more specific national security basis for the order, block the issuance of only new visas, and name just six of the seven countries included in the first executive order, omitting Iraq. The order also details specific sets of people who would be able to apply for case-by-case waivers to the order, including those previously admitted to the United States for “a continuous period of work, study, or other long-term activity,” those with “significant business or professional obligations” and those seeking to visit or live with family. “This executive order responsibly provides a needed pause, so we can carefully review how we scrutinize people coming here from these countries of concern,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in announcing that the order had been signed. Even before the ink was dry, though, Democrats and civil liberties groups asserted that the new order was legally tainted in the same way as the first one: It was a thinly disguised Muslim ban. That seems to portend more litigation — though how soon remains unclear. Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who had successfully sued to have the ban blocked, said in a statement that the rescinding of Trump’s first ban showed it was “indefensible — legally, constitutionally and morally.” He said the state was reviewing its next legal steps and noted the president had “capitulated on numerous key provisions blocked by our lawsuit.” The Justice Department argued in a court filing that even if the litigation were to move forward, it should do so at a slower place, and with the new ban in place. The government noted that visa applicants typically have to wait months and asserted there was “no imminent harm” from the president’s temporary suspension on the issuance of new visas to certain people. That assertion, though, did little to assuage the concerns of Democrats and civil liberties groups, who said the new ban was just like the old — a thinly veiled attempt to discriminate against Muslims. “While the White House may have made changes to the ban, the intent to discriminate against Muslims remains clear,” said New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman (D), who had joined the legal fight against the first ban. “This doesn’t just harm the families caught in the chaos of President Trump’s draconian policies — it’s diametrically opposed to our values, and makes us less safe.” Said Omar Jadwat, director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project: “The only way to actually fix the Muslim ban is not to have a Muslim ban. Instead, President Trump has recommitted himself to religious discrimination, and he can expect continued disapproval from both the courts and the people.” State Department, Homeland Security and Justice Department officials defended the new order as a necessary measure to improve public safety. They said the countries implicated — Iran, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, Syria and Yemen — were either state sponsors of terrorism, or their territories were so compromised that they were effectively safe havens for terrorist groups. Iraq was omitted, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said, because it is an “important ally in the fight to defeat ISIS,” and its leaders had agreed to implement new security measures. A Department of Homeland Security official, speaking on the condition of anonymity on a call with reporters, said Iraq was “treated differently” in part because the country had agreed to “timely repatriation” of its citizens if they were ordered deported from the United States. FOIA CBP 001117 DHS-17-0435-B-000414 17 The new order provides other exceptions not contained explicitly in previous versions: for travelers from those countries who are legal permanent residents of the United States, dual nationals who use a passport from another country and those who have been granted asylum or refu-gee status. It removes an exception to the refu-gee ban for members of religious minority groups — which critics had pointed to as evidence the first ban was meant to discriminate against Muslims — and it no longer imposes an indefinite prohibition on travelers from Syria. Anyone who holds a visa now should be able to get into the country without any problems, though those whose visas expire will have to reapply, officials said. The order claims that since 2001, hundreds of people born abroad have been convicted of terrorism-related crimes in the United States, and that more than 300 people who entered the country as refugees were the subject of counterterrorism investigations. It cites two specific examples: Two Iraqi nationals who came to the United States as refugees in 2009, it says, were convicted of terrorism-related offenses, and in October 2014, a Somali native brought to the country as a child refu-gee was sentenced to 30 years in prison for plotting to detonate a bomb at a Christmas tree￾lighting ceremony in Oregon. That man became a naturalized U.S. citizen. “We cannot risk the prospect of malevolent actors using our immigration system to take American lives,” Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly said. U.S. officials declined to specify the countries of origin of the 300 refugees now being investigated in terrorism cases, and they declined to detail those people’s current immigration status. Charles Kurzman, a sociology professor who studies violent extremism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said that since the terror attacks of Sept. 11, there have been no fatalities caused by Muslim extremists with family backgrounds in the six countries covered by the new ban. A Department of Homeland Security report assessing the terrorist threat posed by people from the seven countries covered by President Trump’s original travel ban had cast doubt on the necessity of the executive order, concluding that citizenship was an “unreliable” threat indicator and that people from the affected countries have rarely been implicated in U.S.-based terrorism. The Department of Homeland Security official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, criticized the report as being incomplete and not vetted with other agencies, and he asserted that the administration should not be pressed by the judiciary to unveil sensitive national security details to justify the ban. “This is not something that the Department of Justice should have to represent to a federal district court judge,” the official said. The order represents an attempt by the Trump administration to tighten security requirements for travelers from nations that officials said represent a terrorism threat. A more sweeping attempt in January provoked mass protests across the country as travelers en route to the United States were detained at airports after the surprise order was announced. The State Department had provisionally revoked tens of thousands of visas all at once. Officials sought to dismiss the idea that there would be any confusion surrounding the implementation of the new order. They said they delayed implementation so the government could go through the appropriate legal processes and ensure that no government employee would face “legal jeopardy” for enforcing the order. A federal district judge in Washington state first suspended the travel ban Feb. 3, and a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit later upheld that freeze. That setback was a blow to the White House, which was criticized for failing to include lawmakers and stakeholders in its deliberations. The revisions to the order will make it more defensible in court — limiting the number of people with standing to sue — though the changes might not allay all the concerns raised by judges across the country. The three-judge panel with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, for example, said that exempting green-card and current visa holders from the ban would not address their concern about U.S. citizens with an interest in noncitizens’ travel. The administration, too, will have to wrestle with comments by the president and top adviser Rudolph W. Giuliani that seemed to indicate the intent of the order was to ban Muslims from entering the United States, which could run afoul of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. On the campaign trail, Trump called for a “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States.” After the election, Giuliani, a former New York City mayor, said: “So when [Trump] first announced it, he said, ‘Muslim ban.’ He called me up. He said, ‘Put a commission together. Show me the right way to do it legally.’ “ A federal judge in Virginia referenced those comments in ordering the ban frozen with respect to Virginia residents and institutions, calling it “unrebutted evidence” that Trump’s directive might violate the First Amendment. Abigail Hauslohner contributed to this report. Trump Signs New Anti-terror Travel Ban Without New Fanfare By Alicia A. Caldwell And Jill Colvin Associated Press, March 6, 2017 WASHINGTON (AP) – Without fanfare, President Donald Trump signed a scaled-back version of his FOIA CBP 001118 DHS-17-0435-B-000415 18 controversial ban on many foreign travelers Monday, hoping to avoid a new round of lawsuits and outrage while fulfilling a central campaign promise. His order still bars new visas for people from six Muslim-majority countries and temporarily shuts down America’s refugee program. The revised order, signed with none of the flourish of his first version, eliminates some of the most contentious aspects in an effort to surmount the court challenges that are sure to come. Trump’s first order, issued just a week after his inauguration, was halted by federal courts. The new one leaves Iraq off the list of banned countries – at the urging of U.S. military and diplomatic leaders – but still affects would-be visitors and immigrants from Iran, Syria, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen and Libya. It also makes clear that current visa holders will not be impacted, and it removes language that would give priority to religious minorities – a provision some interpreted as a way to help Christians get into the U.S. while excluding Muslims. The order won’t take effect until March 16 despite earlier warnings from Trump and his aides that any delay would put national security at risk by allowing the entry of “bad ‘dudes’” who want to harm the country. The changes underscore the very different position the president finds himself in. Five weeks ago, Trump dropped the first order with a bang, catching lawmakers and members of his administration by surprise. He signed the order in a high-profile ceremony at the Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes as Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis stood by. This time around, the president skipped the usual public ceremony altogether. Instead, the administration chose to have Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Attorney General Jeff Sessions serve as the public faces of the rollout at a brief press announcement. “I think today was about the implementation of it,” said Press Secretary Sean Spicer – at a briefing off camera. Legal experts say the new order addresses some of the constitutional concerns raised by a federal appeals court about the initial ban but leaves room for more legal challenges. “It’s much clearer about how it doesn’t apply to groups of immigrants with more clearly established constitutional rights,” said University of Texas law professor Stephen Vladeck. “That’s a really important step.” Trump officials say the goal hasn’t changed: keeping would-be terrorists out of the United States while the government reviews vetting systems for refugees and visa applicants from certain parts of the world. Tillerson said, “It is the president’s solemn duty to protect the American people, and with this order President Trump is exercising his rightful authority to keep our people safe.” The original travel ban led to instant chaos at airports as Homeland Security officials scrambled to interpret how it was to be implemented and some travelers were detained before being sent back overseas or blocked from getting on airplanes abroad. The order quickly became the subject of several legal challenges and was put on hold last month by a federal judge in Washington state. The president repeatedly insisted he would continue to fight for the original order in court, even as aides worked to craft a new one. In the end, they chose to rescind the old order – though Spicer maintained the first was “100 percent legal and constitutional.” Notably absent from Trump’s revised ban are repeated references to the death toll from the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Critics of the original had noted the president appeared to use those attacks as evidence of danger from certain foreigners despite the fact that none of the men who hijacked jetliners that day were from any of the seven banned countries. House Speaker Paul Ryan commended the administration and Secretary Kelly “for their hard work on this measure to improve our vetting standards.” “This revised executive order advances our shared goal of protecting the homeland,” Ryan said. The White House dropped Iraq from the list of targeted countries following pressure from the Pentagon and State Department, which noted Iraq’s role in fighting the Islamic State group. An Iraqi spokesman said the change marks a “positive step” and shows the countries have a “real partnership.” The new order does not address concerns raised in a Homeland Security intelligence analysis obtained last month by The Associated Press that concluded there was insufficient evidence that citizens of the originally banned countries posed a terror threat to the U.S. The administration has played down the significance of that report. Trump’s new order reinstates his four-month ban on all refugees from around the world and keeps in place his plan to reduce the number of refugees to be let into the United States this budget year to 50,000. Syrians are also no longer subjected to an indefinite ban, despite Trump’s insistence as a candidate that they pose a serious security threat. Removing language that would give priority to religious minorities helps address concerns that the initial ban was discriminatory, but its continued focus on Muslim-majority countries leaves the appearance that the order is a “Muslim ban,” Vladeck said. “There’s still going to be plenty of work for the courts to do,” he said. Lee Gelernt, deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Immigrants’ Rights Project said the group will move “very quickly” to try to block the new order from FOIA CBP 001119 DHS-17-0435-B-000416 19 taking effect, either by amending the existing lawsuits that blocked Trump’s original ban or seeking a new injunction. “The only way to actually fix the Muslim ban is not to have a Muslim ban,” said Omar Jadwat, director of the project. --- Associated Press reporters Julie Pace and Sadie Gurman contributed to this report. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Trump Eases Up On Travel Ban With New Executive Order By Josh Gerstein And Nolan D. McCaskill Politico, March 6, 2017 President Donald Trump on Monday retreated behind closed doors as he re-issued his travel ban executive order with significant concessions adopted after his first directive was halted by a firestorm of controversy and a fusillade of legal actions. The new order exempts existing visa holders from travel limits and removes Iraq from the list of seven Muslim￾majority countries whose citizens Trump barred from entering the U.S. in a hastily signed and chaotically implemented order issued just a week after he took office. Story Continued Below Reporters and press photographers were excluded as Trump signed the new directive Monday, although the White House released a photo on social media. Trump dispatched three members of his Cabinet officials to tout the new ban at a brief appearance before journalists a few blocks away, although no questions were taken there either. “It is the president’s solemn duty to protect the American people and with this order, President Trump is exercising his authority to keep our people safe,” Secretary of State Rex Tillerson declared. “Today’s executive order...will make America more secure and address long overdue concerns about the security of our immigration system,” Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly added. “We must undertake a rigorous review and are undertaking a rigorous review of our immigration vetting programs to increase our confidence in the decisions we make relative to visitors and immigrants that travel to the United States. We cannot risk the prospect of malevolent actors using our immigration system to take American lives.” Many of the changes are designed to help the new order avoid the fate of Trump’s first directive, which was effectively blocked by a series of court rulings. The new order will put a 90-day hold on issuance of visas to citizens of six countries: Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. It also stops refugee admissions worldwide for 120 days. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Justice Department lawyers will vigorously defend the new order, which he insisted is well within Trump’s authority. “The Department of Justice believes that this executive order, just as the first executive order, is a lawful and proper exercise of presidential authority,” Sessions said at the joint appearance with Tillerson and Kelly. The revised directive also removes language that appeared to give priority to Christian refugees applying from predominantly Muslim countries. That passage was part of what courts seized on to conclude that Trump’s original order was a thinly-veiled version of the “Muslim ban” Trump repeatedly discussed on the campaign trail. “This is not a Muslim ban in any way, shape or form,” a senior Homeland Security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Trump’s fresh order also provides a new assertion aimed to satisfy another concern put forward by judges: that the administration presented no evidence of the threat the original travel ban was supposed to address. The new directive claims that the FBI is pursuing 300 terrorism-related investigations of individuals admitted to the U.S. as refugees. “That is not a small number,” the DHS official added. “That’s a tremendous administrative burden of manpower and resources.” However, officials refused to tell reporters Monday what portion of those 300 investigations involve people who came from the six countries targeted in the new order. In addition, officials declined to detail what proportion of the probes were focused on people who recently entered the U.S. and might have been stopped by more aggressive vetting procedures or individuals who may have entered the country decades ago as children. “The salient fact is that there are 300 individuals who were admitted and welcomed to the United States through our refugee admissions program who either infiltrated with hostile intent or radicalized after their admission to the United States,” the DHS official said. “Both factors are very problematic.” Officials also declined to elaborate on how advanced the investigations were. And the assertion that the probes are straining the FBI’s resources also seemed to be in tension with on-the-record statements from FBI Director James Comey who has said publicly that he has the resources FOIA CBP 001120 DHS-17-0435-B-000417 20 needed to investigate people suspected of being inspired by the Islamic State and other terrorist groups. Be the first to know when political news breaks Email Sign Up By signing up you agree to receive email newsletters or alerts from POLITICO. You can unsubscribe at any time. Officials from various agencies who spoke with reporters in advance of the release of the new order Monday declined to answer some of the most sensitive questions about Trump’s handling of the revised order, such as why he was not signing the directive publicly and why an order he said was critical to national security was apparently delayed last week so the president could bask in positive reviews of his speech to Congress. While not conceding any mishandling of the first order, Trump administration officials stressed Monday that the new version was the subject of extensive consultation among government departments. Kelly also said he personally briefed members of Congress so they would not be taken aback by the new directive. While Republicans such as House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) applauded the measure, Democrats argued that the president’s new executive order was merely a “Muslim ban 2.0,” a term that soon began trending on Twitter. “A watered down ban is still a ban,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) tweeted. “Americans need to know that this latest Exec Order has absolutely nothing to do with national security. It is still a ban. #MuslimBan2” His House counterpart, Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), added in a statement that the administration’s “repackaging has done nothing to change the immoral, unconstitutional and dangerous goals of their Muslim and refugee ban.” “This is the same ban, with the same purpose, driven by the same dangerous discrimination that weakens our ability to fight terror,” she said. Immigrant rights advocates who filed about two dozen lawsuits against the earlier travel ban adopted the same framing, arguing that both the new and old orders are legally flawed and the product of anti-Muslim prejudice. “The Trump administration has conceded that its original Muslim ban was indefensible. Unfortunately, it has replaced it with a scaled-back version that shares the same fatal flaws,” said Omar Jadwat of the American Civil Liberties Union, which is involved in many of the legal challenges. “The only way to actually fix the Muslim ban is not to have a Muslim ban. Instead, President Trump has recommitted himself to religious discrimination, and he can expect continued disapproval from both the courts and the people.” A senior Justice Department official said lawyers will be asking that the roughly two dozen lawsuits filed over the old order be dismissed. However, it was unclear whether judges will go along with that. The Justice official said lawyers are bracing for new and revamped legal challenges to the new order, but the official would not say whether those attorneys plan to present judges with any factual support for the new directive. “We will obviously be making the strongest arguments in each case that is brought. We do anticipate challenges. We do not think they will have any merit,” said the Justice official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity. Officials also said that judges had exceeded their role in demanding evidence behind the original order and would be doing so again if they ask for similar information on the new one. “This is not something that the Department of Justice should have to present to a United States district court judge,” a DHS official said. Iraqi officials angrily protested the inclusion of their country on the original travel ban list. In addition, U.S. military personnel, veterans and many U.S. lawmakers complained to the White House that translators who had risked their lives by serving with U.S. troops were caught up in Trump’s original ban. Tillerson appeared to allude to that blowback Monday when he publicly paid tribute to Iraq’s role in the fight against terrorism. “Iraq is an important ally in the fight to defeat ISIS,” he observed. Tillerson and other officials argued that Iraq was not being removed from the list for political reasons, but because the Iraqi government had agreed to share more data and intelligence about their citizens with the U.S. “Iraq is no longer one of those countries because we have received firm commitments from the government of Iraq over the last several weeks since the first executive order was issued about increased cooperation with the United States in terms of information sharing,” a DHS official said. “We have received adequate assurance from the government of Iraq that we will be able to do the kind of vetting a screening of its nationals that the president of the United States has directed.” Another new feature of the revised order: a 10-day delay to allow coordination before the measure kicks in. That should head off some of the confusion that unfolded in late January, when hundreds of travelers were detained, delayed or effectively expelled from the country in the wake of the first order. “You should not see any chaos, so to speak, or alleged chaos, at airports,” a Homeland Security official said, apparently tipping his hat to Trump’s assertion that the rollout of the initial travel ban was “perfect.” “There aren’t going to be folks stopped tonight from coming into the country pursuant to this executive order,” the official added. Nahal Toosi contributed to this report. FOIA CBP 001121 DHS-17-0435-B-000418 21 President Trump’s “Travel Ban 2.0” Is The Closest Thing To Admitting He’s Made A Mistake By Dara Lind Vox, March 6, 2017 On Monday, President Trump took a second swing at his most controversial immigration policy: a temporary ban on allowing people from several majority-Muslim countries, and all refugees, from entering the US. The new order is designed to avoid most of the disruption and chaos that the earlier one created. It won’t put people currently in the US who are planning to travel abroad at risk of being unable to return home at the end of the trip. And it shouldn’t result in the widespread airport detentions that sparked mass protests and several successful lawsuits in the wake of the first order. President Trump is by nature loath to admit a mistake, but it’s hard not to read the changes to the executive order as an admission that the rollout of the original travel ban was a legal and political disaster. What his administration has replaced it with is a policy that’s still liable to disrupt the lives of thousands of aspiring immigrants and travelers from several countries — and tens of thousands of refugees whose resettlement in the US will delayed for months or longer — and sets the stage for an eventual, indefinite ban that could be broader still. But if the order is properly followed by airlines and border agents, it won’t cause visible chaos within America, or for people already here. For 90 days, visas will not be issued to people from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. In the original executive order, Iraq was also on the visa blacklist — but it’s been excluded in the new version, thanks in part to lobbying from top defense officials including Secretary of Defense James Mattis. The new executive order also makes it clear that people from the six affected countries can apply for waivers to enter the US in particularly urgent circumstances. The new executive order will not affect green card holders — or anyone else who already has a visa, either in the US or abroad. The new executive order won’t affect people — either permanent residents or temporary visa holders — who’ve already been admitted to the US. Furthermore, people who haven’t yet come to the US but who have been issued visas already will still be allowed to enter. This means the new order doesn’t authorize the widespread detention of people at airports, and barring of people from boarding US-bound flights, that marked the first executive order — though that doesn’t mean that Customs and Border Protection agents won’t continue to be aggressive in detaining immigrants entering the US. For 120 days, the US won’t bring any new refugees into the country. The new executive order reinstates a 120-day ban on refugee admissions. (The new order, like the original, makes an exception for refugees already “in transit” to the United States.) While the original executive order made an exception for refugees who were members of “persecuted religious minorities” in their home country, saying they could enter the US during the pause, the new order eliminates that loophole. After 120 days, though, refugees will be allowed to enter the US from any country — another change from the original executive order, which banned refugees of Syria’s bloody civil war from entering the US indefinitely. The temporary bans will create space for permanent changes to the refugee and visa process. Like the original executive order, the new order directs the Department of Homeland Security to set new standards for how much information other countries will have to give the US when their citizens apply to come here. Countries that can’t meet that standard will be placed on a permanent blacklist, which will replace the 90-day one. Refugees will also be subject to those higher standards, and the US will accept only 50,000 refugees in the current fiscal year — half of what the government originally planned to accept under the quota set by the Obama administration last fall. All of these provisions were in the original executive order, and they’re not much changed in the new version. The Trump administration might be taking a mulligan on the temporary, immediate measures in its travel ban, but it’s still laying the groundwork for a permanent tightening of visas in the medium term. Donald Trump’s Revised Travel Ban Aimed To Erase ‘Muslim’ Label By S.A. Miller And Andrea Noble Washington Times, March 6, 2017 President Trump’s revised order Monday to hit the pause button on refugees and visitors from terrorist hotbeds was aimed at erasing the perception that it was a “Muslim ban,” but a new round of court challenges appeared unavoidable. The latest version dropped Iraq from the countries targeted in the president’s original Jan. 27 executive order, which was blocked by a federal court injunction. Visitors now will be banned for 90 days from six Muslim-majority countries on the list: Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. During the ban, the administration plans to develop an extreme vetting program for all foreign visitors to the U.S., including a biometric entry/exit system to identify who is arriving and departing the country. It also removed the original order’s exemptions for religious minorities, namely Christians, from the targeted countries, and it eliminated a permanent ban on refugees from Syria. FOIA CBP 001122 DHS-17-0435-B-000419 22 The order supported the designation of terrorist-threat countries, which were previously identified by the Obama administration, by noting the absence of a functioning or reliable government to provide reliable information about travelers, underscoring that Muslims were not targeted. The 90-day ban on visitors and the 120-day halt to refugee resettlement this time will phase in over a 10-day period, taking full effect March 16. The administration hoped to avoid the chaos that occurred when they sprang the original order on the public in January, when travelers were caught by surprise in transit, with some detained at airports and others sent back to their home countries. When the new order takes effect, it will revoke the first order now tied up in litigation. The tweaks were all designed as a bulwark against lawsuits. A federal judge in Seattle blocked Mr. Trump’s first stab at a travel ban. A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco unanimously upheld the injunction, saying the order was too broad and the president had exceeded his national security powers to cause unwarranted headaches for citizens, immigrants and their relatives abroad. Despite taking pains to avoid those pitfalls, Cornell University Law School professor Stephen Yale-Loehr said it was “essentially old wine in a new bottle.” “The revised executive order will not quell litigation or concerns. U.S. relatives will still sue over the inability of their loved ones to join them in the United States. U.S. companies may sue because they cannot hire needed workers from the six countries. And U.S. universities will worry about the impact of the order on international students’ willingness to attend college in the United States,” said the immigration law scholar. Indeed, civil liberties groups and state attorneys general who sued over Mr. Trump’s first executive order immediately prepared round two, unconvinced that the new order addressed their constitutional concerns. Lee Gelernt, deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, said his organization intends to continue challenging the new executive order and will likely amend its current lawsuit rather than file a new one. “We believe the core constitutional problem has not been eliminated — which is religious discrimination,” said Mr. Gelernt, who presented the first legal challenge to the executive order in a case brought in New York. “Certain due process problems may be eliminated with the new ban, but the religious discrimination has not been eliminated.” The Arab American Civil Rights League, which is representing clients in a challenge to the order brought in Michigan, on Monday filed notice that it intends to amend its complaint. Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who brought the lawsuit that resulted in the nationwide ban on enforcement of the original order, said his office is still reviewing the new order to determine the next legal steps. But he said “the intent behind the original order is a concern to us.” “That part of our claim is still an area that will especially be focused on in the next few days,” said Mr. Ferguson, referring to additional interviews and research that lawyers in his office plan to conduct in order to learn how Washington businesses, residents, universities and others could be impacted by the new order. Attorney General Jeff Sessions insisted that the new order, as well as the first, “is a lawful and proper exercise of presidential authority.” “This Department of Justice will defend and enforce lawful orders of the president consistent with core principles of our Constitution,” Mr. Sessions said at a rollout of the new order, joined by Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson and Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly. “The executive is empowered under the Constitution and by Congress to make national security judgments and to enforce our immigration policies in order to safeguard the American public,” he said. He noted that of the 1,000 terrorism-related cases currently under investigation by the FBI, the subjects in 300 investigations are people who entered the U.S. as refugees. “Terrorism is clearly a danger for America and our people,” said Mr. Sessions. Unlike the public signing ceremony for the original order, which involved a personal appearance by Mr. Trump at the Pentagon, the president signed the new immigration order at the White House without press coverage. White House press secretary Sean Spicer said the low￾key events kept the focus on “the implementation of it.” “That’s what we wanted to highlight today — the government getting it done,” he told reporters at the White House. A key issue in the previous litigation was Mr. Trump’s call during the campaign for a temporary “Muslim ban” until the government figures out how to deal with the threat of Islamist terrorism. He backed off that description and embrace of “extreme vetting” later in the campaign. Moving to keep his promise to impose an extreme vetting program, the order called for: • Uniform screening standards for all immigration programs governmentwide; • A biometric entry-exit system for all targeted travelers entering and departing the U.S.; • A review by the State Department of all nonimmigrant visa reciprocity agreements to ensure that they are, with respect to each visa classification, truly reciprocal; and FOIA CBP 001123 DHS-17-0435-B-000420 23 • New restrictions on the Visa Interview Waiver Program and requirements for nonimmigrant visa applicants to undergo in-person interviews. In an attempt to demonstrate that the order was not based on religion, it removed exemptions for religious minorities from the predominantly Muslim countries covered by the ban. It also added exemptions for people who currently have visas or legal “green card” status in the U.S., a carveout that was not included in the original order and added to the confusion. Although religious minority refugee claims will no longer be prioritized, Mr. Gelernt said he is concerned the travel ban as a whole still disfavors Muslims. “I think the courts will recognize that simply changing the words of the order will not eliminate the religious discrimination,” the ACLU attorney said. Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring, who also challenged the original order, called it significant that “President Trump has now revoked his original order and apparently exempted all those persons from his revised order.” “Although the new order appears to be significantly scaled back, it still sends a horrible message to the world, to Muslim-Americans and to minority communities across the country, without any demonstrable benefit to national security,” Mr. Herring said. “We will closely examine this new order to determine its impact, how it may affect our ongoing challenge to the original ban and whether there are any additional steps we need to take to protect Virginia and our residents.” The inclusion of Iraq in the original ban raised objections from some U.S. military officials and the Iraqi government because of special consideration previously given to Iraqis who aided the U.S. in the war effort, including translators. The administration said Iraq was removed form the list, despite the presence of Islamic State fighters in the country, because of extra steps the Iraqi government was taking to share information and assist the U.S. in vetting travelers. “As a result of this increased information sharing, Iraqi citizens are not affected by the Executive Order. Of course, all normal immigration processing requirements continue to apply, including the grounds of inadmissibility that may be applicable,” according to the fact sheet provided by the administration. In another change from the original order, Syrian refugees will not be subject to a permanent ban. Upon resumption of the Refugee Admissions Program, the executive order calls for refugee admissions to not exceed 50,000 for fiscal 2017, cutting by more than half the 110,000 refugees projected to be admitted this year under Obama administration guidelines. Mr. Trump encountered familiar resistance on Capitol Hill. “This isn’t about keeping America safe. Let’s call it what it is. This ban is a racist and anti-Islamic attempt to divide us up,” tweeted Sen. Bernard Sanders, the Vermont independent who emerged as a leading voice for the left after his 2016 run for the Democratic presidential nomination. A who’s who of Democratic lawmakers voiced opposition. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer demanded the repeal of the new order. “A watered-down ban is still a ban. Despite the administration’s changes, this dangerous executive order makes us less safe, not more, [and] it is mean-spirited and un-American,” said the New York Democrat. He also joined in criticism that Mr. Trump delayed the new order because of the positive reception for his speech last week to a joint session of Congress. “Delaying its announcement so the president could bask in the aftermath of his joint address is all the proof Americans need to know that this has absolutely nothing to do with national security,” he said. “Despite their best efforts, I fully expect this executive order to have the same uphill climb in the courts that the previous version had.” • Dave Boyer contributed to this report.Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.blog comments powered by Trump Signs Revised Travel Ban In Bid To Overcome Legal Challenges By Steve Holland And Julia Edwards Ainsley Reuters, March 6, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Trump Signs New Order Blocking Arrivals From 6 Majority-Muslim Countries : The Two￾Way : NPR By CAMILA DOMONOSKE Twitter NPR, March 6, 2017 President Trump has signed a new executive order that temporarily blocks visas from being issued to citizens of six majority-Muslim countries, revoking and replacing a controversial, now-suspended executive order known as the travel ban. Like the initial order signed Jan. 27, the new executive order bars arrivals from specific majority-Muslim countries for 90 days and suspends the entire U.S. refugee program for 120 days. It also caps the total number of refugees admitted this fiscal year at 50,000, instead of 110,000. FOIA CBP 001124 DHS-17-0435-B-000421 24 But there are a series of differences. The ban announced Monday no longer includes Iraq. It explicitly doesn’t apply to lawful permanent residents (green card holders) or existing visa holders. Syrian refugees are not banned indefinitely. Refugees already formally scheduled for travel to the U.S. will be permitted to enter the country. The new order also omits a section about prioritizing refugees from minority religions in their home countries. That’s the part of the initial order that, as NPR’s Domenico Montanaro has reported, “indicates prioritizing Christians,” and was one reason the order was challenged as a form of “Muslim ban.” The order signed Monday will have a delayed implementation — going into effect at 12:01 a.m. ET on March 16 — to avoid the chaotic situation created by the initial order, with people in transit when their visas were nullified. The new order blocks people traveling from Sudan, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. Iraq is no longer included because, the administration says, it has pledged to “increase cooperation with the U.S.” and share more information about its citizens. A senior administration official told reporters about another reason: Iraq has agreed to the “timely repatriation” of Iraqi citizens in the U.S. who are slated for deportation, the official said. As of last summer, Iraq was one of 23 countries considered “recalcitrant” for refusing to cooperate with the U.S. in deporting their citizens. “Recalcitrant countries” were raised as an issue in a separate executive order, but weren’t mentioned in either of the orders on visas and travel. Some “recalcitrant” countries, including Iran and Libya, are affected by the visa ban; most are not. Administration officials left open the possibility that other countries could be added to future visa-issuance bans, or that countries currently on the list could be removed. “Heightened Risks” The White House has consistently said that the travel ban was not and is not a “Muslim ban,” but a policy designed to reduce the threat of a terrorist attack. Critics of the travel ban have challenged the selection of the seven (now six) countries, questioning whether it can be justified on any fact-based national security grounds. The seven countries were on an Obama administration list of “countries of concern” for the Visa Waiver Program, which had nothing to do with blocking travel entirely. As NPR’s Greg Myre has reported, the list “doesn’t include any countries from which radicalized Muslims have actually killed Americans in the U.S. since Sept. 11, 2001” — like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan or Russia. The latest executive order apparently attempts to address this with a paragraph about “conditions” in each targeted country, and the terrorist groups with a presence or connection there. “Each of these countries is a state sponsor of terrorism, has been significantly compromised by terrorist organizations, or contains active conflict zones,” the new order states, alleging that the countries pose “heightened risks” to U.S. security. The suspension of the U.S. refugee program has been similarly criticized. Since the Refugee Act of 1980, there have been no deadly terror attacks by refugees. Nine people were injured in an attack by a Somali refugee last year, which is still under investigation. In Monday’s executive order, the administration offered three examples of people who entered the U.S. as refugees and were convicted of terrorism-related offenses. Two came from Iraq; they are the men who lived in Bowling Green, Ky., and were charged with supporting a terrorist group. Another came from Somalia as a child refugee and was arrested for plotting an attack on a holiday event in Portland, Ore. He was a naturalized U.S. citizen by the time of his arrest. Speaking on Monday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions also said that “people seeking to support or commit terrorist attacks here will try to enter through our refugee program.” He said hundreds of people who arrived as refugees are under FBI investigation for possible terrorism-related crimes, although the Department of Justice has refused to provide any details about these reported investigations. Rounds of litigation The White House insists the first order was legal and appropriate, even though it’s being replaced by the new order. That original order prompted chaos at airports and inspired protests — and dozens of lawsuits. The suits were filed by “doctors, professors, students, people fleeing violence and Iraqis who have worked for the U.S. military,” as NPR’s Joel Rose and journalist Parker Yesko reported last month. They continued: “Some [of the plaintiffs] were detained in American airports for hours over the weekend; others were barred overseas from boarding planes bound for the U.S. Two Syrian brothers with visas to enter the country say they were turned around at Philadelphia International Airport and sent back to Damascus. “Human rights organizations and attorneys general in five states jumped aboard some of the suits, and their lists of legal grievances were long. They alleged violations of the First, Fifth and 14th Amendments, which guarantee religious equality, due process and equal protection under the law, as well as denials of asylum and discriminatory visa processing.” One of the suits, brought by the state of Washington and joined by the state of Minnesota, prompted a federal FOIA CBP 001125 DHS-17-0435-B-000422 25 judge to issue a nationwide temporary stay of Trump’s executive order on Feb. 3. The Department of Justice challenged the stay in a U.S. appeals court, but a panel of three judges upheld the suspension. As a result, the initial executive order has not been in effect for more than a month. The new order, which is twice as long as the original, is meant to “address previous concerns” from the courts, according to Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly. But it’s not likely to be the end of legal challenges. “I think everyone — and I assume the government as well — expects that there will be a new round of litigation,” Omar Jadwat, director of the Immigrants’ Rights Project at the ACLU, told NPR before the new order was released. In a statement Monday, he said the new order is “a scaled-back version that shares the same fatal flaws.” A “dual track” strategy? Meanwhile, the signing of a new executive order doesn’t necessarily spell the end of lawsuits against the old order. White House press secretary Sean Spicer has repeatedly said the administration plans follow a “dual track” strategy of continuing to defend the old order from legal challenges even as a new order replaces it. However, the executive order signed Monday formally revokes the Jan. 27 order as of March 16, and a senior official at the Department of Justice told reporters on Monday that the DOJ believes a majority of the pending cases are now moot. That may well spell the end for many of those suits, especially those brought on more narrow grounds. But whether or not a lawsuit is still valid will be decided case by case. Judges might not necessarily be persuaded by the Justice Department’s arguments that a case is no longer relevant, says Catherine Kim, a law professor at the University of North Carolina Law School. She joined other law professors in signing an amicus brief against Trump’s initial order, and spoke to NPR before the new order was announced. Even for cases where the original complaint is no longer an issue under the new order — like, for instance, a case involving a lawful permanent resident — “the courts may be worried that as soon as the case is dismissed the administration would just go back and reissue the [original] executive order,” Kim says. Other, broader challenges to the original order could apply equally to the new order, she says — such as the allegation that the order was “done in bad faith,” she says. “I don’t think that there is anything that the new executive order could do to address concerns raised by the courts [that] this was really motivated by animus, not by national security concerns,” she says. The Trump administration maintains that it will eventually triumph in the legal battle over the original executive action, based on the president’s broad authority on immigration issues. Some legal scholars, including Alan Dershowitz, believe the administration could win at least a partial victory on those grounds. “I don’t think the ban is unconstitutional as it affects a family in Yemen who has had no contact with the United States and simply applies for a tourist visa to come see the Statue of Liberty,” he told NPR in early February. But, Dershowitz said, other elements of the ban — especially the initial interpretation that it applied to green card holders — are harder to defend. The issue could eventually end up before the U.S. Supreme Court. Trump Signs Revised Travel Ban By Gopal Ratnam Roll Call, March 6, 2017 President Donald Trump signed a new executive order Monday that restricts U.S. entry of nationals from six Muslim￾majority countries for three months and suspends refugees for four months while the Homeland Security, State and Justice departments tighten vetting procedures. The new order will go into effect at midnight on March 16 and will apply to nationals of Iran, Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen who don’t already have a valid U.S. visa to enter the country. A fact sheet on the new order is available here. Iraq, which was included in a Jan. 27 executive order restricting travel, has been removed from the new order after the Iraqi government agreed to step up cooperation and provide more information on its citizens, a senior Homeland Security official told reporters on a conference call. Trump decided to issue the new order because of “complications posed by having to comply with so many temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions and a quagmire of legal action” that halted implementation of the original order, the Homeland Security official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity while briefing reporters. The six countries targeted for travel restrictions were chosen because their residents overstay their U.S. visas at rates “significantly higher than the worldwide average,” the DHS official said. In addition, those countries also refuse to cooperate in taking back their residents on a timely basis, “so that we’re stuck with their nationals.” The new order “is very much prospective in nature and we’re talking about the future entry of individuals into the United States,” the official said. “We’re not talking about lawful permanent residents, and those who have current valid visas, or folks who are already in the United States.” Unlike the Jan. 27 order, Monday’s action does not permanently ban the entry of Syrian refugees. FOIA CBP 001126 DHS-17-0435-B-000423 26 Trump promised during the campaign to cease the flow of certain refugees into the United States and force prospective immigrants from countries linked to terrorism to undergo “extreme vetting.” He proposed a “total and complete shutdown” of immigration by Muslims, a move widely condemned by members of both parties. The rollout of the order sparked protests across the country and left many travelers stranded at airports. The State Department said an estimated 60,000 people from the seven majority-Muslim countries trying to get into the United States had their visas revoked. Lawsuits were filed in federal courts across the country. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit upheld a lower court ruling and refused to reinstate the Jan. 27 order nationwide, which prompted the Trump administration to draft the second order. The visa restrictions imposed by the new order will remain in place for 90 days during which officials from DHS and State will examine gaps in information received from visa applicants not only from the six countries mentioned in today’s order but also from other countries in the world, the Homeland Security official said. At the end of the 90-day period, State and Homeland “will make recommendations about any countries that could be included on a future suspension of entry,” the official said. DHS and Justice Department officials said that the FBI, in addition to the 1,000 ongoing investigations of potential terrorist plots, is also examining 300 refugees for terrorism￾related activities. Officials declined to say how many of those 300 refugees were from the six countries targeted by today’s executive order, and also declined to say whether any of the 300 had become legal permanent residents or citizens since being admitted as refugees. — Dean DeChiaro contributed to this report. Here’s How Trump’s New Order On Refugees And Immigration Differs From The First By Rachel Alexander Spokane (WA) Spokesman-Review, March 6, 2017 President Donald Trump signed a new executive order Monday temporarily banning new visas for citizens of six majority-Muslim countries. Here’s what you need to know.Who’s affected? The order suspends new visas for citizens of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days and halts refugee admissions for 120 days. It’s similar to Trump’s Jan. 27 order, which a federal court suspended after Washington state sued.What’s new? Existing visa holders, green card holders and people who have been admitted to the U.S. and are allowed to travel here can still enter under the new order. It’s narrower in scope to avoid further court challenges. Dual citizens from one of the affected countries also can travel, so long as they use their passport from a non-affected country.Are there exceptions? The order allows Customs and Border Protection officials to make case-by-case exceptions to the ban, and suggests several situations that might warrant them. They include people who have worked for the U.S. government, infants and young children, people needing urgent medical care and people with a previous connections to the U.S. who happen to be outside the country when the ban takes effect.What about Iraq? Iraq was removed from the list of countries included in the ban, in part because its government has agreed to cooperate with additional vetting and security measures.What does it go into effect? The order takes effect March 16 in an attempt to avoid the chaos surrounding the Jan. 27 order’s rollout, which led to green card holders being detained temporarily at airports and some students, doctors and other professionals being stranded outside the U.S.What about refugees? Trump set a cap of 50,000 refugee admissions for 2017, significantly lower than Barack Obama’s 110,000- person cap for 2016. But Obama’s 2016 goal was a historic high: the U.S. has set a refugee cap between 70,000 and 80,000 every year since 2007, according to State Department data. Two of the six countries included in the ban are home to a large number of Spokane refugees. Last year, World Relief resettled 64 Syrian and 48 Somali refugees in Spokane. Iraqis led the list, at 106 resettlements.Ferguson responds Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson said his office was carefully reviewing the order to determine the next step in the federal lawsuit that stopped the original restrictions through a temporary restraining order issued by U.S. District Court Judge James Robart and upheld by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. But Trump “capitulated” on key provisions in the lawsuit, Ferguson said, including bans on Green Card holders, visa holders and dual citizens, an indefinite ban on Syrian refugees and preferences based on religion. Contact the writer: (509) 459-5406 rachela@spokesman.com New Immigration Order Pushes Biometrics But Lacks Deadline – FCW Federal Computer Week, March 6, 2017 President Donald Trump signed a new version of his controversial executive order on immigration, modified to bar travelers from six majority-Muslim Middle Eastern countries. FOIA CBP 001127 DHS-17-0435-B-000424 27 Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Attorney General Jeff Sessions unveiled the new order on March 6 at a Washington, D.C., press conference. The order, which takes effect March 16, will bar entry to foreign nationals from Sudan, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia and Yemen for 90 days. However, citizens from Iraq, which had been included in the previous order, won’t be barred under the new one. Senior White House, Department of Homeland Security and Justice Department officials on a briefing call with reporters in advance of the new order’s announcement said that Iraq had been taken off the list because of its increased cooperation and data sharing in vetting its citizens applying for U.S. visas. Although the officials wouldn’t specify when asked by FCW during the briefing what Iraq specifically did to get removed from the list, they did say improved official travel documents from the country, increased sharing of verified information with the U.S and willingness to accept repatriations from the U.S. when needed were keys to getting Iraq off the list. The remaining six governments, according to the White House official, couldn’t provide data on travelers adequate to make security decisions about their coming into the country. The White House official also said foreign nationals from the six countries in the order have significantly higher visa overstay rates compared to the average and can be difficult to remove because of their home government’s political or bureaucratic disarray. Individuals from those countries who are found to have security concerns while in the U.S. can only be detained for six months under federal law, according to the official. There is no timeline for removing countries from the list and no definitive way to tell when a country might be taken off, the official said. The U.S. will begin assessing all counties’ information sharing capabilities on a case-by-case basis beginning on March 16. That review will last for 90 days. Countries could be dropped or others added after that review period, he said. The new order also told DHS to “expedite the completion and implementation” of a biometric entry-exit system for foreign travelers entering and leaving the U.S. The White House official on the call declined to provide a timeline for the expedited system’s implementation. The order, the officials said, directs DHS to “ramp up as quickly as possible,” on the project. “CBP is working diligently to meet that obligation,” they said. The president’s previous order on immigration was met with public protests and accusations that the document wasn’t vetted or reviewed by more than a handful of senior White House staff. The new order, said the senior officials, won’t be implemented until March 16, allowing time to get all agents and agencies involved up to speed. The order is also forward￾looking; it will not stop travel by current visa holders. “The Executive Order signed today is prospective in nature – applying only to foreign nationals outside of the United States who do not have a valid visa,” said Kelly in a statement on the new order. This time, the White House official said, “there will be no daylight between agencies” involved with implementing the order and a smoother roll out. “It takes effect March 16 at 12:01 am.… You won’t see any chaos at airports,” they said. Justice Department Explains Trump’s Latest Travel Ban By Bart Jansen USA Today, March 6, 2017 President Trump signed an executive order Monday that suspends travel for 90 days for people from six terror hot spots. Here are some questions and answers provided by the Justice Department to clarify the order, which revises an order signed Jan. 27. 1. Who does the order apply to? Citizens and nationals of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen who didn’t have a visa by 5 p.m. on Jan. 27 cannot enter the United States for 90 days. This restriction applies to unaccompanied children. But the order doesn’t apply to legal-permanent residents of the U.S. – so-called green card holders. Dual nationals from those countries who are traveling on a passport from a different country aren’t affected by the order. 2. When does the order take effect? March 16 at 12:01 a.m. 3. How were the countries chosen? Government officials previously identified the six countries as presenting concerns about terrorism. The State Department has designated Iran, Sudan and Syria as state sponsors of terrorism. The Department of Homeland Security has designated Libya, Somalia and Yemen as additional countries of concern. 4. Why isn’t Iraq included, as it was in the Jan. 27 order? The close relationship between the U.S. and the elected government of Iraq, the significant presence of U.S. troops there and Iraq’s commitment to fight the Islamic State justified the different treatment, the Justice Department said. Iraq provides more information about its citizens for U.S. immigration decisions than the other countries, Justice said. 5. Does the order revoke previously approved visas? The order doesn’t revoke visas. But the departments of Homeland Security and State can revoke visas for other reasons in the national interest. FOIA CBP 001128 DHS-17-0435-B-000425 28 6. What about travelers who are already on their way? Travelers who hold valid visas will be allowed into the U.S., but they must continue to demonstrate that they are admissible. 7. Can travelers from the six countries already in the U.S. leave and return? Travelers with a single-entry visa aren’t allowed to leave and return. But travelers with multiple-entry visas are allowed to enter and leave the U.S. within the effective dates of the visa. If the visa expires while the traveler is overseas, the traveler won’t be allowed to return to the U.S. unless he or she obtains a new visa. 8. What about people who have been granted asylum or refugee status? Refugees and people granted asylum aren’t covered by the travel order. Refugees and people granted asylum who haven’t yet arrived in the U.S. will be admitted so long as travel was formally scheduled by the State Department. 9. Are waivers available? The State Department will consider waivers to visas in conjunction with visa applications. Waivers are granted if the traveler can document that his or her arrival is in the national interest, will not pose a threat to national security, and that denying entry during the suspension period will cause undue hardship. 10. Is Customs and Border Protection coordinating with airlines about the latest travel restrictions? CBP says it will remain in continuous communication with airlines to provide guidance and answer questions about the order. Airlines routinely check passenger lists before flights against lists provided by CBP to ensure that travelers aren’t prohibited from the U.S. 5 Differences In Trump’s New Travel Ban By Jessica Durando USA Today, March 6, 2017 Here are major changes in President Trump’s temporary travel ban for a number of majority-Muslim nations to overcome legal challenges that led federal judges to block the original Jan. 27 order. The new order takes effect in 10 days rather than immediately. Trump’s original ban led to chaos at U.S. and international airports, as thousands of visa holders were blocked from entering the country or detained after arriving in the United States. Read more: Iraq, which is working closely with the U.S. military to defeat the Islamic State, is excluded from the new list. Iraq was removed from the order after agreeing to increase cooperation with the U.S. government on vetting of its citizens applying for a travel visa, according to the fact sheet released by the Trump administration. The indefinite ban on Syrians is lifted under the new travel. They will now be subject to same 90-day ban on travelers and 120 days for refugees. “I hereby proclaim that the entry of nationals of Syria as refugees is detrimental to the interests of the United States,” the original order read. Under the original ban, Syrians would have been barred until Trump felt that “sufficient changes” had been made to screening procedures. President Obama had allowed 10,000 refugees fleeing Syria’s civil war to enter the United States in 2016. Nationals of the six countries with legal permanent residence in the U.S. (known as green cards) are not affected, as they were under the Jan. 27 order. Federal judges had expressed concern about barring legitimate visa holders. People with valid visas as of Monday are also exempt. The new ban has no preference for “religious minorities,” such as Christians claiming persecution in mostly Muslim nations. President Trump’s New Travel Ban Is Much Narrower By Dara Lind Vox, March 6, 2017 The first version of President Donald Trump’s refugee and visa ban — the one he signed on January 27, in place for only a week before federal courts put it on hold — was an ambitious disaster. It attempted, literally overnight, to prevent people who had already bought plane tickets from entering America. It posed a substantial problem for people currently living in the US who might want to travel abroad. And it turned preference for “persecuted religious minorities” into a cornerstone of US refugee policy. The latest version of the executive order, signed by Trump Monday, does none of those things. It all but admits that the administration overreached the first time, provoking a legal and political backlash that could have been avoided. What it offers, instead, is a much more narrowly tailored and thoughtfully considered version of the ban — one that’s much more likely to stand up in court. The administration has done basically all it can to judgeproof the new executive order. It was a foregone conclusion that immigration advocates and Democratic prosecutors would sue to stop the 2.0 executive order just as they stopped the first one, but it’s a lot less clear that they’ll succeed this time around. If Trump officials could only make everyone forget that the first version of the executive order existed at all, they’d be golden. Unfortunately for them, they can’t. Between the chaos of the first executive order and the internal tussles over the drafting of the second, “travel ban 2.0” is already associated FOIA CBP 001129 DHS-17-0435-B-000426 29 in the public mind with its more aggressive predecessor. And federal judges may be similarly disinclined either to forgive or forget. The new executive order is more consistent and streamlined — but the long-term effects are likely to be similar The executive order President Trump signed on January 27 had two main parts. It set up a framework to make permanent changes to the way the US admitted visa holders and refugees from other countries: raising the standards for what information countries had to provide about their citizens who wished to come to the US, blacklisting countries that couldn’t provide that information, and halving the number of refugees that the US would admit in the next year. While the government worked on those permanent changes, the executive order also set up temporary ones: a 90-day hold on admitting any national from seven majority￾Muslim countries and a 120-day hold on admitting any refugees who weren’t “religious minorities” (or fit a couple of other exceptions). That’s the part of the ban that caused massive airport chaos and attracted the attention of the public and the courts. The new version of the executive order Trump signed Monday leaves the long-term process to restrict visas and refugee admissions in place. But the temporary measures are much more limited. The original executive order applied to people currently living in the US on visas from blacklisted countries — and even, in the early days of the policy, to green card holders. But the new order applies only to people who haven’t yet been issued visas. In theory, this ought to prevent the sort of chaos the initial executive order produced at airports in the US and around the world, because anyone boarding a plane to enter the US already has a visa. The new version of the order also drops Iraq from the 90-day blacklist — reportedly at the behest of top defense officials including Secretary of Defense James Mattis. As a result, starting on March 16, the federal government will no longer issue new visas to people from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, or Yemen. But the new order doesn’t restrict people from any other country from entering the US. And it doesn’t restrict people from those countries who’ve already received their visas. The 120-day ban on refugees has been streamlined as well. The government will no longer allow members of persecuted religious minorities to settle in the US during the temporary refugee pause. On the other hand, the executive order no longer places an indefinite ban on admitting Syrian refugees — they’ll be allowed to enter the US after 120 days if they pass the screening mechanisms that will presumably be in place by that time, just like any other refugee. For the refugees who are actually affected, this is cold comfort: “There is nothing ‘temporary’ about leaving innocent families stranded and at grave risk while their government￾issued security clearances expire,” Mark Hetfield, the executive director of HIAS, said in response to the new order. The long-term consequences of the executive order — the changes to policy that will be in place 120 days from now — are the same as they were in the January 27 version. The government is still going to produce a list of countries that can’t be trusted to provide needed information to the US, and people from those countries will be indefinitely blacklisted from entry. People hoping to come to the US are still going to be asked to produce more information than they have in the past, and that information is going to be scrutinized more heavily. And the US is still going to admit only half as many refugees as it was planning to under Obama. Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images The new executive order gives the administration a better chance in court — but is it enough? The new executive order is guaranteed to be challenged in court, just like the original was. But the new order is going to be much easier to defend. Advocates now have to decide where they’re going to file a challenge, and are likely to pick a court they think might be skeptical of the ban. “The challengers can pick their best shot, which almost certainly means they will proceed with a Ninth Circuit case,” points out Temple University law professor Peter Spiro, given the skepticism judges there showed the original version of Trump’s ban. Then it’s going to be up to the circuit court to figure out whether the new order requires a separate court case, or whether it can be rolled into the existing lawsuits against the first version of the ban. Either way, the new ban will be easier to defend — because it’s designed to affect immigrants who aren’t already in the US. Noncitizens have some rights in the US, but different groups of noncitizens have different levels of rights. Legal permanent residents have some due process rights under the Constitution, and one of the biggest problems with the first order, legally speaking, was that it deprived those immigrants (as well as visa holders living in the US) of their ability to return to America after traveling abroad. Now, the executive order only applies to people who’ve never been admitted to the US at all. “Prospective visa holders occupy the lowest rung in the constitutional hierarchy,” Temple University professor Peter Spiro says. “There are many precedents saying flat out that they have no constitutional rights at all.” Prospective visa holders can’t even sue on their own behalf; US-based institutions or people, like state universities, have to argue they are being deprived of rights because the immigrants aren’t allowed to enter. If the Trump administration had just written the order this way the first time around, it might never have been struck down. But they didn’t, and it was. FOIA CBP 001130 DHS-17-0435-B-000427 30 The 9th Circuit (and other federal judges) subjected the original ban to a higher level of scrutiny than was strictly necessary. While judges don’t usually get in the habit of second-guessing national security decisions, Josh Blackman of South Texas College of Law says “the 9th Circuit imposed an (unprecedented) burden on the government to justify the ban” — forcing the Department of Justice to offer evidence that the seven countries named in the original ban posed a threat to national security. The judges reacted very badly when the DOJ tried to claim the executive order was outside the scope of judicial review entirely, and they were extremely skeptical of the government’s attempts to “clarify” the scope of the ban after it first came out. A new version of the executive order can’t wipe the judges’ minds clean. And while the kerfuffle over the initial executive order doesn’t necessarily change the constitutionality of the new one, it could provide fuel to the fire for judges who believe the whole thing is just an attempt to put lipstick on a “Muslim ban” — or at least that by singling out six countries, it discriminates on the basis of nationality. “It’s hard to imagine,” Temple’s Spiro told Vox before the text of the new ban was issued, “that it won’t look reverse engineered, if not concocted.” (That’s especially true because leaks out of the federal government, in the weeks before the new ban was signed, made it clear that many federal analysts felt they were being asked to justify the ban retroactively.) Whether it’s appropriate for federal judges to consider this history when they examine the new ban is an open question, constitutionally. (It depends on what standard of review they think is appropriate.) It would be pretty aggressive for federal judges to reject the new ban, despite the changes that have been made, because the history of the ban’s implementation convinced them it was motivated by Islamophobic animus rather than national security concerns. But if the legal battle over the first version of the executive order is any indication, at least some federal judges are ready for a fight. The review process made it easier for Republicans to get on board The latest executive order is almost certainly going to be a lot smoother to implement — and thus a lot easier for Republicans to defend politically. Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images When President Trump signed the original version of the ban, he’d only been in office for a week. Barely anyone in his administration had even been briefed on the executive order — Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly was reportedly in the middle of his briefing when he found out the order was being signed on live TV. No training had been provided to the agents who were supposed to implement the order, and different parts of the federal government disagreed, even after it was signed, about who was supposed to be affected. The administration took pains to develop the second version of the order in a more normal way. As Homeland Security John Kelly put it in the press conference rolling out the new order, this time “there should be no surprises.” This version of the executive order definitely won’t cause the chaos and panic of the first one, because it doesn’t strip visas from anyone who currently has them. People from the blacklisted countries currently applying for visas probably won’t get them, though the executive order implies visas will be issued until March 16. But people who are already to the point of boarding a US-bound airplane, or arriving in an American airport, aren’t supposed to be affected by the new executive order. Since many Republicans expressed their displeasure with the implementation of the first travel ban but not its concept, a smoother rollout of the next version might be a good opportunity to get them lined up behind the president. People still might get detained at airports, just as people were while the original ban was on hold, but it will be because of the discretion and aggression shown by Customs and Border Protection agents under Trump, not because of the order itself. The human cost of making Donald Trump feel better The new version of the executive order is so limited, and so cautious, that it practically raises the question: Why did the Trump administration need to issue a new order at all? People who’ve been following the ongoing soap opera that is the Trump White House probably know the answer. The Trump administration couldn’t simply accept a temporary setback when the courts put the initial ban on hold. Because Donald Trump’s ego wouldn’t have allowed it. There would have been nothing stopping the Trump administration from simply continuing to implement the parts of the original executive order that weren’t put on hold by the courts. By March 6, the Department of Homeland Security would already have provided a list of countries that could be subject to indefinite visa bans; DHS and the State Department could be in the process of designing reforms to the visa application process. But instead, the government rolled out a new executive order to reinstate (in modified form) the temporary measures the courts had struck down. It asked analysts from the Department of Homeland Security to offer evidence supporting its foregone conclusions. Those analysts instead questioned the premise of the ban — one document, drafted by the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis (and leaked to MSNBC last week), pointed out that radicalized immigrants tend to become radicalized after they’ve come to the US, while another DHS report (leaked to the Associated Press) argued that an immigrant’s nationality is a poor predictor of whether he’s likely to become a terrorist. FOIA CBP 001131 DHS-17-0435-B-000428 31 But the White House’s plans weren’t swayed by mere policy concerns. Instead, it planned a rollout based on politics. It delayed the signing of the new order because Donald Trump was having a good press day after his joint address to Congress on February 28, only to schedule it for March 6 after several days of setbacks for the administration. It was the move of a White House that is desperate to win and refuses to admit mistakes. Indeed, according to the Washington Post, plans for the new executive order were used to cheer up a sulking Donald Trump. At a Mar-a-Lago dinner over the weekend. Kelly and Sessions (along with Bannon and Miller) reportedly discussed their plans for the rollout in an attempt to get Trump’s mind off his anger about Sessions’s recusing himself from DOJ investigations of the administration’s ties to Russia, and Trump’s belief that President Obama tapped the phones at Trump Tower. If the White House had simply been willing to accept a temporary setback when the executive order was put on hold in early February, it might still have prevailed (after months or years) at the Supreme Court — and it still would have been able to do most of the things the current order requires. But instead, it reinstated a policy that’s going to put tens of thousands of refugees’ lives on hold for several months (or longer), and could signal the beginning of an indefinite ban on immigration or other arrivals from countries like Syria and Iran. The new version of the executive order isn’t as bold as its predecessor. It won’t make as much of a splash. But by limiting the scope of the “2.0” version of the ban, the White House has inadvertently shown that its motives are even more limited — the protection of the ego of Donald J. Trump. Trump’s Streamlined Travel Ban Still Faces Headwinds By Howard LaFranchi Christian Science Monitor, March 6, 2017 It might be called the kinder, gentler travel ban – but don’t expect the revised version of President Trump’s executive order aimed at keeping Islamist terrorists out of the country to quell opposition and end legal challenges. In the eyes of critics, it’s still an unconstitutional Muslim ban. The new order Mr. Trump signed at the White House Monday now targets six Muslim-majority countries – Iraq was dropped from the list of seven countries in the original order signed Jan. 27 – and still suspends the resettlement of refugees for 120 days. Recommended: Trump’s biggest executive actions, explained “ data￾reactid=”8”>Recommended: Trump’s biggest executive actions, explained But the new executive action specifically exempts US green-card holders and other foreigners in possession of a valid visa. It no longer singles out Syrians for indefinite suspension from entry. And it will not take effect until March 16 – a delay aimed in part at avoiding the mass confusion that ensued at the nation’s international airports when the first order took effect immediately. The revised order also allows immigration officials to issue visas to individuals from the six temporarily banned countries on a case-by-case basis – for example, for students and work-visa holders, or children and individuals requiring urgent medical care. In addition, the new order no longer prioritizes the resettlement of religious minorities – read Christians, by and large – from those six Muslim-majority countries. That prioritization was one of the key features of the original order that had critics and some jurists concluding the travel suspension was actually a Muslim ban that would not pass constitutional muster. “This is not a Muslim ban in any way, shape, or form,” a senior Department of Homeland Security official said Monday on a conference call with reporters. The call also included senior officials from the State Department and Department of Justice. The fact that the ban does not affect the vast majority of the world’s 1.6 billion Muslims is proof the measure is not a Muslim ban, the DHS official said. The six countries carried over from the original 90-day travel ban are Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. AIMING FOR NATIONAL SECURITY What the executive order is, administration officials say, is a legitimate exercise of executive authority to keep Americans safe. And given the very senior level at which administration officials weighed in on the order, it appeared the administration intends to zero in on the president’s prerogative and duty to take steps to enhance national security. “With this order, President Trump is exercising his rightful authority to keep our people safe,” Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Monday morning. “This order is part of our ongoing efforts to eliminate vulnerabilities that radical Islamist terrorists can and will exploit for destructive ends.” Secretary Tillerson appeared on a Washington stage with Attorney General Jeff Sessions and DHS Secretary John Kelly. All three cabinet members gave statements in support of the new executive order but left the stage without answering reporters’ questions. Indeed, in an effort to strengthen the national security justification for the travel ban, the new order specifies that the six countries listed are either failed states where enhanced vetting of visa applicants is problematic and where governments do not have full control of national territory, or are state sponsors of terrorism. FOIA CBP 001132 DHS-17-0435-B-000429 32 Iran and Sudan are listed by the State Department as state sponsors of terrorism. Trump appears to have hinted at this ramped-up national security justification for the travel ban when he said in his speech to Congress last week that it is “not compassionate but reckless to allow uncontrolled entry from places where proper vetting cannot occur.” WHY IRAQ WAS DROPPED Officials said Iraq was dropped from the list of countries subject to a 90-day travel ban because of its strides over the past month to address shortcomings in citizens’ documentation. Tillerson said the government of Iraq had joined with the US in an “intense review” that had identified “multiple security measures” the two countries would take to enhance the vetting of Iraqis seeking entry to the US. At the same time, Tillerson seemed to acknowledge the objections the Pentagon and State Department had raised over inclusion in the original ban of a country whose military is battling the Islamic State alongside US soldiers. “Iraq is an important ally in the fight to defeat ISIS, with their brave soldiers fighting in close coordination with America’s men and women in uniform,” Tillerson said. As justification for the suspension of refugee resettlement, the new order cites 300 FBI cases where individuals who entered the country as refugees are under investigation for terrorist activities. The officials would not specify how long ago those 300 individuals entered the country, whether they still hold refugee status, or how many of the 300 were from the six countries named in the ban. “The salient fact here is that there were 300 individuals admitted and welcomed to the United States as refugees… and either entered with hostile intent or were radicalized in the United States,” the DHS official said. Like the original order, the new executive action suspends the refugee resettlement program for 120 days, while reducing the number of refugees to be accepted by the US this fiscal year from the 110,000 figure set by President Obama last year to 50,000. Trump administration officials have said that about 35,000 refugees have already been admitted since the beginning of the fiscal year in October. Yet if the swift objections raised to the revised immigration order are any indication, its implementation could be as problematic as the previous one, which was suspended by a federal judge Feb. 3. That suspension was subsequently upheld by a federal court of appeals. WILL US BE LESS SAFE? Targeting the administration’s national security justification for the order, many critics say the travel ban would actually make the country less safe. “A watered down ban is still a ban. Despite the Administration’s changes, this dangerous executive order makes us less safe, not more, it is mean-spirited, and un￾American,” said Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer (D) of New York in a statement. “It must be repealed.” Some say the revised travel order will be counterproductive because it will raise tensions with Muslim countries whether or not they are affected by the ban, while playing into the propaganda efforts of terrorists, particularly anti-Western jihadists. “This clear attempt to exclude Muslims from entering our country undermines core American values, opens the door to further discrimination against Muslim-Americans here at home, and provides a recruitment tool for terrorists around the world who seek conflict with the United States and its allies,” says Stephen Miles, director of Win Without War, an advocacy group that promotes a national security based on American values. Critics also question whether the revised order will address the objections of federal courts over the original order. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals noted in upholding the federal court suspension that none of the foreigners found to have carried out terrorist attacks in the country was from the countries subject to the travel ban. Trump’s revised order may smooth over the rough edges of the original version, national security experts say. But some concur with critics who say the tenor of the measures is likely to undermine rather than enhance security. “Even though this order is calmer, more professionally executed, and less likely to cause mass chaos that its predecessor, its issuance marks a sad day for American leadership in the modern world,” says David Schanzer, an expert in domestic radicalization who is a professor at Duke University in Durham, N.C., and director of the Triangle Center on Terrorism and Homeland Security. Combined with other Trump actions taken in the name of national security, Professor Schanzer says the order “symbolizes that America fears engagement with the outside world and believes national security is advanced by building barriers that isolate America. This withdrawal of American leadership,” he adds, “will make the world a more dangerous place.” Justice Dept., With New Order, Will Seek To Dismiss Cases From Previous Travel Ban By Andrea Noble Washington Times, March 6, 2017 Justice Department officials believe lawsuits brought over President Trump’s executive order on visas and refugees will have no practical significance after Monday’s signing of a replacement order and expect that, when appropriate, DOJ attorneys will seek to have those challenges dismissed. After the problematic roll out of a prior order signed Jan. 27 and put on hold by a federal judge three days later, the FOIA CBP 001133 DHS-17-0435-B-000430 33 president signed a new executive order Monday meant to replace the former version. “We anticipate most of the challenges should be mooted by this new executive order and the Department of Justice will be filling the appropriate briefs and letters in those existing cases,” a senior DOJ official said Monday during a background briefing with reporters on the new order. The DOJ had previously stated in court filings that it hoped to end ongoing litigation over the prior order when the Trump administration introduced a substantially revised version. Justice Department officials have continued to defend the legality of the original order — in previous court filings DOJ lawyers said the new version is meant to eliminate what a federal appeals court “erroneously thought were constitutional concerns.” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Monday that the DOJ believes the new order, as well as the first, “is a lawful and proper exercise of presidential authority.” “This Department of Justice will defend and enforce lawful orders of the President consistent with core principles of our Constitution,” Mr. Sessions said. “The executive is empowered under the Constitution and by Congress to make national security judgments and to enforce our immigration policies in order to safeguard the American public.” The original executive order blocked most travel from seven predominantly Muslim nations — Syria, Iraq, Somalia, Iran, Sudan, Libya and Yemen — until stronger vetting could be implemented, indefinitely halted the resettlement of Syrian refugees in the U.S. and blocked other refugees for 120 days, and prioritized refugee claims made by religious minorities. The new order will eliminate several elements of that order that were highlighted as potentially unconstitutional in some of the dozens of lawsuits that challenged the travel ban, according to information provided by senior administration officials. According to State Department and Department of Homeland Security officials, the new order will no longer include Iraq in the travel ban. It will also no longer prioritize refugee claims made by religious minorities from the remaining six majority-Muslim countries, and will not ban Syrian refugees indefinitely. Senior officials said the order would not revoke any currently valid travel visas possessed by citizens of the six affected countries, and therefore would not create any “chaos at airports” when the order takes effect. The signing of the original order sparked nationwide protests, with attorneys and demonstrators gathering at airports across the country to attempt to provide legal aid to affected travelers. Lawyers challenging the original order were not so certain the new executive order would solve all the constitutional questions raised. Lee Gelernt, deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, said his organization intends to continue challenging the new executive order. “We believe the core constitutional problem has not been eliminated — which is religious discrimination,” Mr. Gelernt said Monday. “Certain due process problems may be eliminated with the new ban, but the religious discrimination has not been eliminated.” Although religious minority refugee claims will no longer be prioritized, Mr. Gelernt said he is concerned the travel ban as a whole still disfavors Muslims. “I think the courts will recognize that simply changing the words of the order will not eliminate the religious discrimination,” he said. Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. Trump’s Executive Order Takes Unusual Pains To Explain Itself By Gregory Korte USA Today, March 6, 2017 WASHINGTON — Under pressure from the courts, President Trump has rescinded his executive order instituting a travel ban and replaced it with one that’s more narrowly tailored — but also more than twice as long. Trump’s new, 6,100-word order represents an unusual attempt to have an executive order explain and defend the order itself, both to the courts and to the public. It begins with an extraordinary 19-paragraph section explaining the “policy and purpose” behind the travel ban. “It is the policy of the United States to protect its citizens from terrorist attacks, including those committed by foreign nationals,” Section 1 of the order begins. It then recites the history of the first executive order, addresses specific issues raised by the courts, and gives a country-by-country rationale for the six predominately Muslim countries included in the list of banned countries. It even references specific cases of refugees The previous order signed Jan. 27 contained just four paragraphs of explanation. “Executive orders very often have preambles that explain the rationale for having the executive order in the first place. This is an unusually elaborate one, it seems to me. And in some ways a defensive one,” said William Araiza, a Brooklyn Law School professor. In some places, it even seems to defend parts of the original executive order that Trump has since rescinded. For example: Iraq was dropped from the list of seven majority-Muslim counties the travel ban was applied to. The remaining countries are Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. FOIA CBP 001134 DHS-17-0435-B-000431 34 “Iraq presents a special case,” Trump said in explaining its removal from the list. “Since Executive Order 13769 was issued, the Iraqi government has expressly undertaken steps to enhance travel documentation, information sharing, and the return of Iraqi nationals subject to final orders of removal.” White House aides say the president still stands behind the original executive order. “When you look at how the court adjudicated that, their facts were wrong,” press secretary Sean Spicer told reporters in his office Monday. “I think we recognized that we could have been in litigation for up to a year on this, and that would have left the country exposed. We 100% maintain that the executive order as initially drafted is 100% constitutional and legal.” The new executive order asserts that more than 300 refugees in the United States are currently the target of counterterrorism investigations by the FBI. The Justice Department declined to release more details on those cases. But Trump cited two specific cases as evidence for the need for a travel ban. One was a Somalian arrested in a 2010 FBI sting operation for attempting to bomb a Christmas tree￾lighting ceremony in Portland, Ore. The other case involved two Iraqi refugees convicted in a Kentucky court of trying to kill U.S. soldiers while in Iraq. That’s the case that Trump counselor Kellyanne Conway has referred to as the “Bowling Green massacre.” The examples seem to be a direct response to the the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled last month that the Trump administration failed to make its case. “The government has pointed to no evidence that any alien from any of the countries named in the order has perpetrated a terrorist attack in the United States,” a three-judge panel wrote in a unanimous opinion. “Rather than present evidence to explain the need for the executive order, the government has taken the position that we must not review its decision at all.” Read more: Trump’s order addresses the court directly: “In light of the Ninth Circuit’s observation that the political branches are better suited to determine the appropriate scope of any suspensions than are the courts, and in order to avoid spending additional time pursuing litigation, I am revoking Executive Order 13769 and replacing it with this order, which expressly excludes from the suspensions categories of aliens that have prompted judicial concerns and which clarifies or refines the approach to certain other issues or categories of affected aliens.” “This is a litigation document,” said Elizabeth Goitein of the Brennan Center for Justice, which has opposed the ban. She said there’s little change to the substance of the policy, but rather a new argument for the old executive order. “The attempt here is to essentially get the same result with what the administration feels has the necessary legal bells and whistles to satisfy the courts.” That means a key issue for the courts going forward is whether Trump has corrected any discriminatory intent through a more narrowly tailored order. “You can’t uncook the spaghetti. He’s already tipped his hand about what his intent was,” Goitein said. Trump Signs New Immigration Order Without Fanfare By Eliza Relman Business Insider, March 6, 2017 When President Donald Trump first signed an executive order restricting immigration to the US, he was surrounded by advisers and photographers at the Pentagon. On Monday, however, Trump signed a revised version of the travel ban behind closed doors and without fanfare. Instead of holding a public signing ceremony, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly held a short media briefing to announce the new ban. They did not take any questions from journalists during or after the announcement. The new order is a more limited version of the January 27 travel ban, which ignited protests across the US, caused chaos at airports throughout the world, and was ultimately blocked by federal courts. The new ban temporarily restricts immigration from six, rather than seven, majority-Muslim countries, with exceptions for those already granted a visa or green card, and subjects Syrian refugees to the same 120- day ban as all other refugees. As of early Monday afternoon, Trump had not made any public statement concerning the revised order. The administration did not provide any explanation as to why Trump signed the order in private. The revision of the order is seen by many as a concession by the administration and is reportedly intended to address legal concerns with the original travel ban. Administration officials preempted critiques of the order’s legality at Monday’s press conference. “The Department of Justice believes that this executive order just as the first executive order is a lawful and proper exercise of presidential authority,” Sessions said. Trump Issues Revised Travel Ban For Six Majority-Muslim Countries By Alan Gomez USA Today, March 6, 2017 President Trump took a second swing at his temporary travel ban Monday, this time targeting travelers from six majority-Muslim countries and crafting his executive order in ways intended to survive challenges in U.S. courts. FOIA CBP 001135 DHS-17-0435-B-000432 35 The new ban, which goes into effect March 16, no longer restricts travel from Iraq, one of seven listed in the original order. The 90-day ban now is limited to Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Sudan and Yemen. As before, the order shuts down the U.S. refugee program for 120 days to give the federal government time to develop “extreme vetting” procedures to prevent terrorists from entering the country. However, Syrians are no longer subject to an indefinite ban, as they were under the first order. The White House spent weeks drafting the revised ban, coordinating with the departments of State, Justice and Homeland Security to avoid the chaos that followed the Jan. 27 order. That one took immediate, snarling travel for thousands of people around the world and at U.S. airports. This time, federal agencies will have 10 days to prepare before the order goes into effect. Trump signed his first order during a highly-publicized signing ceremony at the Pentagon. This time, he signed the order in private and sent out Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly to issue brief statements. “It is the president’s solemn duty to protect the American people, and with this order, President Trump is exercising his rightful authority to keep our people safe,” Tillerson said. “As threats to our security continue to evolve and change, common sense dictates that we continually reevaluate and reassess the systems we rely upon to protect our country.” The Department of Justice also filed a letter with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday, explaining that Trump’s new order “revokes” the first one. That means the 9th Circuit may now drop the case against the first ban, leaving Justice to focus on defending expected legal challenges against the new ban. While the goal of the executive order remains the same — keeping terrorists out — the administration made several other big changes to avoid being struck down in court. Nationals of the six countries with legal permanent residence in the U.S. (known as green card holders) are not affected. People with valid visas as of Monday also are exempt. And the order no longer gives immigration preference to “religious minorities,” such as Christians who claim they are persecuted in mostly Muslim countries. Read more: Iraq was dropped from the ban after negotiations with the Iraqi government, which vowed to improve the security of its travel documents, share more information on its citizens with the U.S. government and agreed to accept Iraqi nationals who have been ordered deported from the U.S., according to a senior Homeland Security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to fully discuss the new order ahead of the president’s signing. A federal judge in Seattle issued a nationwide hold on the order after lawyers for travelers detained at U.S. airports filed lawsuits. His ruling was upheld by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Federal judges who blocked Trump’s first executive order cited the lack of a national security justification throughout their opinions. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, in particular, pressed government lawyers to provide any examples of terrorist acts committed by immigrants from the banned countries to justify the ban. The government lawyers could not provide any examples then, but Monday’s new executive order tries to fix that. The new order explains the extensive ties that each of the six countries have with terrorist organizations, from Iran’s support of terrorist groups Hezbollah and Hamas to ISIS activities in Libya to an al-Qaeda offshoot operating in Yemen. The summaries also highlight the active combat ongoing in Syria and Libya to make the case that immigrants from those countries cannot be properly vetted. “In light of the conditions in these six countries ... the risk of erroneously permitting entry of a national of one of these countries who intends to commit terrorist acts or otherwise harm the national security of the United States is unacceptably high,” the order read. But the order provides few details about terrorist acts that refugees and immigrants from those countries carried out in the U.S. It mentions the arrest of a Yemeni man who was convicted in 2014 of planning a Christmas-time bombing in Portland. But it also mentions the arrest of two Iraqi refugees convicted of “terrorism-related offenses” even though Iraq is no longer included by the executive order. The order sums up the danger posed by immigrants from those countries by citing an estimate by the FBI, which states that 300 people who entered the U.S. as refugees are currently being investigated by the bureau on suspicion of terrorism. But a Department of Justice official who briefed reporters earlier in the day could not estimate how many of those refugees were admitted from the six countries listed in the ban. Civil rights and immigration advocacy groups vowed to challenge Trump’s order in court, arguing that the tweaks made by the White House don’t change the underlying problems facing the travel ban. Margaret Huang, executive director of Amnesty International USA, said the new order amounts to “the same hate and fear with new packaging.” And Omar Jadwat, director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, said the only way to fix the “Muslim ban” is to not have one at all. “President Trump has recommitted himself to religious discrimination, and he can expect continued disapproval from both the courts and the people,” Jadwat said. FOIA CBP 001136 DHS-17-0435-B-000433 36 Trump Signs Revised Travel Ban, Exempts Iraqis By Andrew Beatty AFP, March 6, 2017 Washington (AFP) – US President Donald Trump signed a revised ban on travelers from six Muslim-majority nations Monday, scaling back the order to exempt Iraqis and permanent US residents. With his first attempt frozen by federal courts, Trump signed a second order halting new visas for Syrians, Iranians, Libyans, Somalis, Yemenis and Sudanese citizens. The White House said Trump – who is embroiled in controversy over his aides’ links to Russia – signed the order behind closed doors Monday morning. The new order is meant to address legal problems. It explicitly exempts Iraqis, legal permanent residents and valid visa holders. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, one of three cabinet members rolled out to present the order in Trump’s absence, described it as “a vital measure” for strengthening national security. Attorney General Jeff Sessions added that it “provides a needed pause” allowing a review of how America deals with travelers from “countries of concern.” “Three of these nations are state sponsors of terrorism,” Sessions said, referring to Iran, Sudan and Syria. He added that others had served as “safe havens” for terror operatives. Critics questioned the composition of the list, which includes citizens from countries that have never been involved in terror attacks in the United States. They accused Trump of covertly pursuing his controversial and possibly illegal campaign promise of a “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States.” The question of Trump’s intent is likely to dominate new legal challenges that are already being flagged by organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union. “President Trump has recommitted himself to religious discrimination, and he can expect continued disapproval from both the courts and the people,” said Omar Jadwat, director of the ACLU’s Immigrant Rights Project. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said the measure should be repealed, adding: “A watered down ban is still a ban.” – Travel ban, take two – Trump’s first order had sparked a legal, political and logistical furor. There was chaos at major airports and mass protests while several district courts moved to block its implementation and lawmakers expressed opposition. The troubled rollout also dominated the first weeks of the new administration, leaving many with the impression that it was badly planned and badly implemented. Polls show that American public opinion is deeply divided on the issue. Most indicate a slight majority of voters opposed, with strong support among Trump’s political base. The Republican president criticized a court order suspending the ban as “a very bad decision, very bad for the safety and security of our country. The rollout was perfect.” But he has now stepped away from a promise to challenge the matter in the courts. The second order repeals the first, spelling the end of any pending legal proceedings. Whatever the legal outcome, Trump’s new ban is likely to polarize opinion further and be immensely popular with his core supporters. – Shoulder to shoulder – Iraq’s inclusion in the first order prompted outrage in that country, including from Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. It risked scuttling cooperation between Baghdad and Washington in fighting the Islamic State group. The US and Iraqi militaries are currently fighting side￾by-side in northern Iraq, trying to wrest the city of Mosul from jihadist control. The Iraqi foreign ministry on Monday expressed its “deep satisfaction” with the new order, and described it as an “important step” in strengthening relations between Baghdad and Washington. But the revised travel ban is also likely to sow further confusion about US immigration policies. On Monday, Nigeria advised its citizens against all but essential travel to the United States, citing the lack of clarity on new immigration rules. “In the last few weeks, the office has received a few cases of Nigerians with valid multiple-entry US visas being denied entry and sent back to Nigeria,” said special adviser to the president Abike Dabiri-Erewa. According to a report released Monday by travel data firm Forwardkeys, travel from the United States to the Middle East has also fallen sharply, with bookings for departure in the next three months falling 25.4 percent behind the equivalent time last year. – Roiled by Russia – But the ban is likely to help Trump divert attention from rolling crises on his ties with Russia. Since US intelligence publicly accused Russia of trying to swing the November election in Trump’s favor, questions have swirled about whether some in Trump’s campaign colluded with Moscow. The last week has seen his attorney general recuse himself from election-related investigations, after it emerged he met the Russian ambassador in Washington twice during the campaign. FOIA CBP 001137 DHS-17-0435-B-000434 37 It has also seen Trump level unsubstantiated allegations that former president Barack Obama ordered a wiretap on the now president’s phone. Trump’s New Immigration Order Excludes Iraq By Leo Shane III Military Times, March 6, 2017 WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s new executive order on immigration won’t block Iraqis from traveling to the United States but still blocks foreign nationals from six other Middle Eastern and African countries from entering American soil. The new order should allow Iraqi translators and other foreign nationals who helped U.S. troops in overseas war zones to travel to America, although much depends on where they are in existing vetting processes. The revised travel order, which comes six weeks after Trump signed a similar directive that sparked numerous court challenges and nationwide protests, won’t go into effect until March 16. And it still may face legal opposition from human rights groups who say the actions are designed to appeal to Trump’s conservative base and don’t address any real immigration problems. The president signed the statement without fanfare Monday morning, in contrast to the on-camera event he held Jan. 27 for the original travel ban. But three of Trump’s Cabinet members — Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Attorney General Jeff Sessions — appeared in a brief press conference after the signing to defend both the legal basis for the order and the pressing need for action. “We are not immune to terrorist threats, and our enemies often use our own freedoms in generosity against us,” Kelly said. “Today’s executive order … will make America more secure and address long overdue concerns about the security of our immigration system.” Under the new order, foreign nationals from six countries — Sudan, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen — will face a 90-day travel ban into the United States. Individuals with valid visas as of last January will be exempt. Refugees would be banned from entering America for 120 days while a review of the security vetting process is conducted. Tillerson called the move “part of our ongoing efforts to eliminate vulnerabilities that radical Islamic terrorists can and will exploit for destructive ends.” Sessions said FBI officials are monitoring at least 300 refugees in the United States for potential ties to terrorism, and that officials “know that many people trying to commit terrorist attacks are looking at refugee program.” The order also includes a mandate that the State Department publish the number of visas issued to foreign nationals each month, in the interest of better transparency on the rate of immigration into America. Kelly promised that the new ban will be implemented more orderly and clearly than the previous one, rushed out just days after Trump’s inauguration without input from numerous federal agencies. He also pledged that individuals such as Iraqi translators who have already been interviewed for entry into this country won’t be stopped by border officials. “Nothing in the order effects lawful permanent residents or those with authorization to enter the homeland.” The original ban’s lack of an exclusion for non-citizens who helped U.S. troops during war and the inclusion of Iraq — where several thousand U.S. troops are currently deployed in the fight against Islamic State group militants — riled numerous veterans groups. Tillerson said a review of Iraqi security systems for foreign travelers prompted removing that country from the banned list. Whether the new ban sees the same level of opposition remains to be seen. Just moments after Monday’s signing, officials from the left-leaning group VoteVets.org blasted the new travel order as counterproductive to American security. “This misguided executive order undermines the work our troops are currently doing to defeat ISIS, and endangering their lives by once again sending the message that this is a war against Islam, particularly Muslims from the Middle East,” group Director of Government Relations Will Fischer said in a statement. Officials from the American Civil Liberties Union, who referred to the first order as “a Muslim ban,” called the new one “a scaled-back version that shares the same fatal flaws.” The Council on American-Islamic Relations has similarly opposed the idea. Leo Shane III covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He can be reached at lshane@militarytimes.com. Christians Lose Priority In New Trump Order, Raising Worries By Todd Spangler Detroit Free Press, March 6, 2017 WASHINGTON – Even as President Donald Trump’s rewritten travel order was besieged Monday by critics who say it still amounts to a ban on Muslims, at least one Michigan Republican voiced worries that it may now do too little to protect Christians and other religious minorities facing violence in Iraq and Syria. “Yes, I am concerned,” said U.S. Rep. Dave Trott, R￾Birmingham. “There is no doubt that citizens of Iraq and Syria, regardless of their religion, are being persecuted. FOIA CBP 001138 DHS-17-0435-B-000435 38 However, religious minorities in Iraq and Syria are not just being persecuted, they are facing extinction.” In January, Trott led a bipartisan group of congressmen writing Trump to urge his “strong support” for Christians and other religious minorities with civil war consuming the countries – support that appeared evident in the president’s Jan. 27 executive order limiting travel from seven majority Muslim nations. While suspending refugee resettlements worldwide and blocking most new entries into the U.S. from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, the earlier order said that it would be in the “national interest” to make extra effort in the future to help bring in religious minorities facing persecution. But the new order – which also no longer covers Iraq – makes no mention of putting in place a system to prioritize the resettlement of religious minorities. Lawyers who successfully challenged the earlier order had cited the religious minorities provision in arguing that it violated constitutional protections against government establishment of religious preferences. Trump’s order on travel could have a significant impact in southeastern Michigan, with its large and vibrant communities of immigrants, refugees and their descendants from across the Middle East. Both Muslims and Christian adherents, including Chaldeans, are widely represented. In a call with reporters Monday morning, senior administration officials said that the original order was never intended to promote non-Muslims over Muslims but to offer additional protection to religious minorities anywhere, despite critics’ suggestions to the contrary. Trott, who is a co-sponsor of legislation that would prioritize resettlement of religious minorities from Iraq and Syria into the U.S., took issue with the new order, saying, “Any serious refugee policy coming from the United States has to prioritize religious minorities. These minority groups in Iraq and Syria simply have nowhere else to go and are facing complete expulsion.” He added that the U.S. has legal precedent when it comes to making it easier for the most vulnerable to seek refuge in this country, one that should now be used to protect religious minorities in Syria and Iraq. Most of the other Michigan Republicans who signed the earlier letter to Trump, including U.S. Reps. Bill Huizenga of Zeeland, John Moolenaar of Midland and Fred Upton of St. Joseph, didn’t immediately respond to a question from the Free Press about the new order, though Kelli Ford, a spokeswoman for U.S. Rep. Mike Bishop of Rochester, said he was reviewing it. “He is committed to helping Christians and other religious minorities get the refuge they need from ISIS, whether that issue is outlined in this Executive Order or not,” she said in an e-mail to the Free Press. Meanwhile, Democratic members of Michigan’s congressional delegation wasted little time coming out against Trump’s new travel order, saying it was “clearly intended to target Muslims” by including only majority Muslim nations – a contention the Trump White House rejected outright. Trump officials said noted there are many other majority Muslim nations not included in the travel suspensions and that order itself makes clear that additional security is called for because each of the included countries “is a state sponsor of terrorism, has been significantly compromised by terrorist organizations, or contains active conflict zones.” “Any of those circumstances diminishes the foreign government’s willingness or ability to share or validate important information about individuals seeking to travel to the United States,” said the order, which again calls for a review of methods used to vet travelers, immigrants and refugees to better guard against potential terrorists entering the country. Michigan Democrats – including U.S. Reps. John Conyers of Detroit, Debbie Dingell of Dearborn, Dan Kildee of Flint Township, Sander Levin of Royal Oak and Brenda Lawrence of Southfield – argued that the new order changes little. “Some of the details of the executive order may have been repackaged, but the intent and effect remain the same. President Trump has again ordered a Muslim ban that is inconsistent with our values and our Constitution,” they said. “Some tweaks to the text cannot undo President Trump’s well publicized campaign promises to ban Muslims or his damaging rhetoric, nor can it erase the fact that all six countries identified are majority Muslim countries.” Dingell – whose Dearborn-based district includes one of the largest Arab-American communities in the U.S. – said the changes made to the order will do little to convince her constituents that the Trump administration isn’t targeting them and their families based on their faith even though they are patriotic Americans. “Daily, I hear stories from constituents scared to death about what will happen next. Families who have been part of our communities for decades and are second- and third￾generation Americans are terrified that someone will knock on their door in the middle of the night and force them from this country,” she said. “This is not who we are.” The Democrats also noted a draft report by the Department of Homeland Security – obtained and reported on by the Associated Press – which indicated that country of origin was an unreliable indicator of the likelihood of whether a person entering the U.S. could be a potential terrorist. The Trump administration on Monday said that of some 1,000 current terrorism investigators in the U.S., about 300 involve persons who entered the country as refugees – but would not reveal how many, if any, of those people are from the countries targeted in the order. FOIA CBP 001139 DHS-17-0435-B-000436 39 After Trump signed the initial travel order, the Washington, D.C.-based Brookings Institution reported that there were more people born in the affected countries living in metro Detroit than in any American metro area other than greater Los Angeles. With the removal of Iraq from the list, however, that greatly reduces the number of families affected in metro Detroit. Trump’s executive order signed today took Iraq off the list of suspended nations, citing a “close cooperative relationship” between the two nations and its “commitment to combat ISIS.” It also said Iraq had taken steps to improve travel documentation, information sharing and the return of foreign nationals removed from the U.S. Contact Todd Spangler: 703-854-8947 or tspangler@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @tsspangler. Read or Share this story: http://on.freep.com/2mxOGyE Trump Re-issues Order Banning Citizens From Six Majority Muslim Countries By Franco Ordoñez And Anita Kumar McClatchy, March 6, 2017 President Donald Trump on Monday reissued his executive order limiting travel to the United States by citizens of six majority-Muslim nations, softening some of the most objectionable pieces but still leaving the policy vulnerable to legal challenges. The revisions address some of the legal problems that crippled the first order, which prompted more than two dozen lawsuits filed in federal courts from California and Washington state to Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, but others remain. Notably, the new order clarifies that it doesn’t apply to legal U.S. permanent residents and it does not appear to give special consideration to Christians. Clete Samson, an immigration attorney who spent years as a federal trial attorney for the Department of Homeland Security, said he thought the courts would recognize Trump’s authority in signing the ban but still might think the policy failed to address due process and equal protection issues. “It remains to seen whether the court will think this goes far enough,” he said. The revised order remains broader, temporarily banning all people from multiple countries. Previous presidents relied on the same federal law to prevent much smaller groups from entering the United States. “The revised executive order is essentially old wine in a new bottle,” said Stephen Yale-Loehr, a Cornell University Law School professor who is co-author of a 21-volume treatise on immigration law. “It assumes that travelers from the six Muslim-majority countries and all refugees are inherent security risks. . . . The revised executive order will not quell litigation or concerns.” This revised executive order advances our shared goal of protecting the homeland. We will continue to work with President Trump to keep our country safe. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis. The original order Jan. 27 banned admissions to the United States for 90 days of citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The new order no longer includes Iraq after leaders agreed to more vetting conditions but it freezes for 90 days the entry of anyone from the six remaining countries who does not already have a valid visa. It also puts a 120-day moratorium on refugee admissions from other countries. “We must undertake a rigorous review of our visa and refugee vetting programs to increase our confidence in the entry decisions we make for visitors and immigrants to the United States,” Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly said. “We cannot risk the prospect of malevolent actors using our immigration system to take American lives.” Discriminating against people from certain countries with no evidence that they pose any greater risk than those from other countries not affected is more about politics than about safety. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said Monday that other countries could later be exempt from the policy or be excluded later if they, too, took proactive vetting steps like Iraq. But Spicer said each country was different and their actions would need to be examined on a case-by-case basis. Trump’s initial order created chaos at U.S. airports as immigration and customs agents initially blocked the entry of all citizens from the seven countries, including those who had lived in the United States for years. The new order doesn’t go into effect until March 16, to allow for a smoother implementation and to prevent federal employees from potential legal challenges, said a senior administration official. “There are not going to be folks stopped tonight from coming into the country because of this executive order,” said the official, who was knowledgeable of the situation but not authorized to speak publicly. Apart from the removal of Iraq, the new travel ban is “essentially the same as the old travel ban” and has the same fundamental flaws, said Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the top Democrat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. “Its choice of countries is arbitrary, its effect will be counterproductive and its real goal is not improved security but meeting a campaign commitment to ban Muslims,” Schiff said. FOIA CBP 001140 DHS-17-0435-B-000437 40 The United Nations also raised concerns. U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi noted that refugees are people forced to flee war, violence and persecution in their home countries. “The imperative remains to provide protection for people fleeing deadly violence, and we are concerned that this decision, though temporary, may compound the anguish for those it affects,” Grandi said. The judges who have ruled against Trump have cited his rhetoric concerning Muslims and the fact that, as Virginia￾based U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema noted in a ruling last month, “the ‘Muslim ban’ was a centerpiece of the president’s campaign for months.” “President Trump has recommitted himself to religious discrimination, and he can expect continued disapproval from both the courts and the people,” said Omar Jadwat, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Immigrants’ Rights Project. The administration said 300 people who had entered the country as refugees were currently being investigated by the FBI for potential terrorism threats. “That is not a small number,” said an administration official who was knowledgeable of the situation but authorized to speak publicly. The official said the individuals had either infiltrated the United States or were radicalized following entry. To our allies and partners around the world: Please understand this order is part of our ongoing efforts to eliminate vulnerabilities that radical Islamist terrorists can and will exploit for destructive ends. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson The release of the new ban ends weeks of haggling between Homeland Security and Justice department officials over whether to revoke some of the visas of some 60,000 to 100,000 people from the seven countries. Those visas were reinstated after a federal judge in Seattle blocked the initial executive order. Spicer said he did not know how the administration would proceed in the still-pending court case. He said the administration still believed that the first order was constitutional but did not want to wait a year for the issue to be litigated. In issuing his decision blocking the order, U.S. District Judge James Robart sided with the states of Washington and Minnesota, which argued that Trump’s travel ban targeted Muslims and violated the constitutional rights of immigrants and their families. The new order seeks to get around the issue by ending a special carve-out for Christian migrants that some saw as an indication that the ban was discriminatory. It also more clearly exempts green-card and visa holders. While it includes Syria, nationals from the country are no longer banned indefinitely but are part of the 120-day moratorium. In a notice filed Monday in Robart’s court, Justice Department lawyers said the concerns raised by the lawsuit filed by the states of Washington and Minnesota “are no longer at issue.” With restrictions removed on legal permanent residents or anybody with a visa, “no one who is approved for travel into the United States will be denied entry” under the new executive order, said the 17-page brief written by acting Assistant Attorney General Chad A. Readler. The government did not, however, ask Robart to lift the temporary restraining order he imposed Feb. 3 that blocked Trump’s Jan. 27 executive order. It said “any relief sought” by the plaintiffs “should be assessed in a traditional manner, allowing this court a more complete opportunity to assess the provisions of the new executive order, should the states assert a challenge to them.” Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson said in a statement that he was reviewing the order. Ferguson said Trump’s new executive order “makes one thing perfectly clear: His original travel ban was indefensible – legally, constitutionally and morally.” The administration, Ferguson said, “has capitulated on numerous key provisions blocked by our lawsuit,” including bans on legal permanent residents, visa holders, dual citizens, Syrian refugees and “explicit preferences based on religion.” Iraq was removed from the list after Iraqi government officials agreed to increase the level of vetting by its own officials. Senior Trump administration officials said the Iraqi government would share additional information with the United States about its nationals. Iraq also agreed to accept nationals who have been ordered deported by the United States for overstaying their visas and other deportable offenses. The hastily written initial order also, notably, appeared ambiguous in its treatment of legal permanent U.S. residents. Seeking to impose clarity several days after the order was issued, White House Counsel Donald F. McGahn II issued “Authoritative Guidance” asserting that the travel ban did not apply to legal permanent residents. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said in a ruling in early February that that wasn’t enough. “In light of the government’s shifting interpretations of the executive order, we cannot say that the current interpretation by White House counsel, even if authoritative and binding, will persist past the immediate stage of these proceedings,” the appellate panel stated. Criticism from groups that help refugees and immigrants was swift. “This order is essentially religious discrimination masquerading, once again, in the language of national security. The order targets people from Muslim-majority countries and will sharply reduce resettlement of Muslim refugees,” Human Rights First’s Eleanor Acer said. “Legal FOIA CBP 001141 DHS-17-0435-B-000438 41 wordsmithing cannot obscure the discriminatory intent and impact of the order. Not only does this order trample upon U.S. commitments to religious freedom, nondiscrimination and refugee protection, but former national security officials from both sides of the aisle agree that these kinds of bans make our nation less safe.” “The order does nothing to improve our national security and will have painful human consequences: It will separate families and leave tens of thousands of people – mostly women and children – exposed to grave danger and despair,” said Hans van de Weerd, chair of Refugee Council USA. Michael Doyle of McClatchy’s Washington Bureau and Andy Furillo of The Sacramento Bee contributed to this article. How Trump’s New Travel Ban Targets The Whole World The revised order contains provisions that could affect countries beyond the six Muslim-majority states that are singled out. By Nahal Toosi Politico, March 6, 2017 It’s not just a few countries. It’s not just about Muslims. And in some cases, it’s probably won’t be temporary, either. President Donald Trump’s newly revised travel ban may at first seem to be more limited in its reach than his sweeping earlier order suspending refugee admissions and barring entry for citizens of several predominantly Muslim countries. But the new order, signed Monday, still contains provisions that could ultimately slow travel and immigration to the United States from every corner of the globe. The order could ultimately backfire on Americans wishing to travel abroad, and, for some countries, what appear to be temporary bans could effectively prove permanent. The revised order appears to reflect Trump’s “America first” philosophy, one that views immigrants as a threat to the U.S. economy and national security. The order’s specific targeting of six predominantly Muslim countries also underscores the strong influence of Trump advisers Steve Bannon and Stephen Miller, both of whom are bent on limiting immigration in general but who hold hard-line views on Muslims in particular. The administration says the executive order is critical to stopping potential terrorists from infiltrating the United States. But, analysts say, there are already signs the White House’s actions are having a chilling effect on the number of people from around the world who wish to visit the United States. “What this document promises is the beginning, and not the end, of a new and potentially very broad set of immigration restrictions,” said Omar Jadwat of the American Civil Liberties Union, one of several groups that turned to the courts to block Trump’s original executive order. The revised order takes effect on March 16. It imposes a 120-day halt to the admission of all refugees to the United States. It also imposes a 90-day ban on the entry of people from six Muslim-majority countries: Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Both the refugee program and immigration relationships with the six countries are to undergo a review by the administration. The president is also ordering the Department of Homeland Security, in the next 20 days, to “perform a global, country-by-country review of the identity and security information that each country provides to the U.S. government to support U.S. visa and other immigration benefit determinations,” according to a fact sheet provided by the administration. “Countries will then have 50 days to comply with requests from the U.S. government to update or improve the quality of the information they provide.” That raises the possibility that countries beyond the six being singled out could find their citizens barred from reaching U.S. shores either as visitors or immigrants. U.S. officials were coy about what information they would require other countries to provide about their citizens, or what other steps they would expect other capitals to take, and odds are that each country would be treated on a case￾by-case basis. Still, it’s hard to imagine U.S. rivals such as China or Russia acceding to every U.S. demand to help them vet their citizens. In some cases, the administrative burden may be too much for some governments to handle, especially in developing countries that have limited capacity. That being said, political considerations also may play a role. The countries with stronger lobbying networks in Washington, or which are deemed strategically important allies or economic partners, could have an advantage. Critics of the executive order point to the list of the countries whose citizens are banned for 90 days as an example of the questionable standards being applied. Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, whose citizens have been implicated in several terrorist attacks on the United States, were left off the list. But both are considered important partners in the fight against terrorist networks, and the Saudis in particular have a strong lobbying presence in Washington. Separately, the original executive order also included Iraq. But Iraqi officials, pointing to the fact that they are an ally of the United States in the battle against the Islamic State terrorist network, pushed hard for an exemption. Trump aides said the Iraqis pledged to step up their information sharing for the immigration vetting process. Several of the other six countries may not be willing or able to meet new vetting standards demanded by Trump. That means that although the ban on the six is said to be temporary, in some or all the cases it could prove indefinite. FOIA CBP 001142 DHS-17-0435-B-000439 42 Iran could be the hardest hit. Iranian citizens make up the largest number of immigrants or non-immigrant visitors among the six countries, with some 42,500 visas issued in 2015 out of roughly 74,000 for the six countries combined. But Iran doesn’t have diplomatic relations with the United States, and it may balk at new U.S. vetting demands. Even if Iran decides to cooperate, it’s not clear that the Trump administration would trust its government to provide accurate information. The governments of Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen all have other challenges; some are mired in civil wars while others are barely functioning states. And generally speaking, people from the six countries already have a very difficult time obtaining a U.S. visa, as American officials use a range of intelligence and other tools to examine their applications and vet them before granting them entry. A great deal will depend on what standards U.S. officials choose to apply and how stringently and broadly they apply them. The revised order contains a number of provisions granting U.S. officials the ability to give waivers to individuals in unusual situations trying to reach the United States, and how often those waivers are used could also soften the blow. But there are other elements in the executive order that could slow down the visa process, enough so that many people may consider it not worth trying to come to the United States. For one thing, the order requires the State Department to do more in-person interviews of foreigners seeking visas, meaning an extra hurdle for many visitors who in the past were not deemed security risks. The order will have profound implications for a range of U.S. industries, including universities that rely on dollars from international students, hotels that count on foreign tourists and technology companies seeking talent abroad. “The more onerous it becomes to come into the United States, the more Canada starts looking attractive, the more England starts looking attractive,” said Leon Fresco, a prominent immigration attorney. One major question is how the new vetting standards — whatever they are — will apply to the 38 countries that fall under the U.S. Visa Waiver Program. That program allows visitors, many of them from European nations, to visit the United States without having to obtain a visa. Another question is how other countries will decide to treat Americans wishing to travel to their soil. Visa programs are, in theory, supposed to be reciprocal. So if the United States imposes new conditions for vetting, those other countries might do the same, making it harder for Americans to travel there. Travel industry experts say there already is mounting evidence of a drop in international interest in visiting the United States following the issuing of the original executive order on Jan. 27. The U.S. Travel Association on Monday released a statement that said “it doesn’t appear that the administration fully seized the opportunity to differentiate between the potential security risks targeted by the order and the legitimate business and leisure visitors from abroad who support 15.1 million American jobs.” “Reputational fallout is a real thing,” Jonathan Grella, executive vice president of public affairs for the association, recently told POLITICO. “It really boils down to people having choices to make. Price and convenience and efficiency and how welcome you feel all factor into that.” New Travel Ban Eases Some Legal Questions But Not All By Gene Johnson And Sadie Gurman | Ap Washington Post, March 6, 2017 President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban eases some of the legal questions surrounding the previous order, but critics said it does not answer all of them, including accusations that the measure is a thinly veiled attempt to discriminate against Muslims. Opponents promised to challenge the president again in court. The new, narrower ban announced Monday temporarily bars new visas for citizens of six predominantly Muslim countries — one fewer than the original ban, with Iraq removed from the list. It also suspends the entire U.S. refugee program. The measure applies only to refugees who are not already on their way to the United States and people seeking new visas. It removes language that gave priority to religious minorities. Critics said the language was designed to help Christians get into the U.S. and to exclude Muslims. The changes will make the new executive order tougher to fight in court, but they “will not quell litigation or concerns,” Stephen Yale-Loehr, an immigration law professor at Cornell University Law School, said in a written statement. “U.S. relatives will still sue over the inability of their loved ones to join them in the United States,” he said. “U.S. companies may sue because they cannot hire needed workers from the six countries. And U.S. universities will worry about the impact of the order on international students’ willingness to attend college in the United States.” The American Civil Liberties Union promised “to move very quickly” to try to stop the order. New York immigration attorney Ted Ruthizer said this ban will be “much, much tougher” for a federal judge to block. Courts could find it compelling that the order does not cover all Muslims from all countries, he said. And judges have a history of upholding portions of immigration law that discriminate on the basis of race and nationality when national security is an issue. FOIA CBP 001143 DHS-17-0435-B-000440 43 “There’s still the argument that, when you take down all the window dressing, it’s still a religion ban, but these are the kinds of nuances that the courts will look at,” Ruthizer said. Top Republicans welcomed Trump’s changes. Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah said the revised order makes significant progress toward what Hatch called for after the first version: to avoid hindering innocent travels and refugees fleeing violence and persecution. He urged Trump “to continue the difficult work of crafting policies that keep us safe while living up to our best values.” House Speaker Paul Ryan said the order “advances our shared goal of protecting the homeland.” States that challenged the original travel ban claimed victory to an extent, saying the changes amounted to an “incredible concession” that the original order was flawed, as Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring, a Democrat, put it. Herring and Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who successfully sued to stop implementation of the original order after it created chaos at airports around the country, said they were reviewing the new order to determine what legal steps to take next. “Although the new order appears to be significantly scaled back, it still sends a horrible message to the world, to Muslim-Americans, and to minority communities across the country, without any demonstrable benefit to national security,” Herring said. Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, who joined in the court challenge, described the updated ban as “a clear attempt to resurrect a discredited order and fulfill a discriminatory and unconstitutional campaign promise.” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who backed the first ban, said in a statement that the president had the authority to secure the nation’s borders “in light of the looming threat of terrorism.” Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, a sharp critic of the first ban, said the new version was “nothing more than a wolf in sheep’s clothing, different packaging intended to achieve the same result.” A spokesman for the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which upheld a Seattle judge’s restraining order in the Washington case, said the court was evaluating the new executive order’s effect on the existing case. The Justice Department filed papers Monday in federal court in Seattle arguing that the restraining order should not block the new ban from taking effect as scheduled March 16. Critics said the new order failed to address some other concerns, including the notion that the measure attempts to enact the Muslim ban Trump advocated during his campaign. Washington state, joined by Minnesota, argued that the order violated the First Amendment’s separation of church and state. The 9th Circuit’s ruling did not deal with those arguments, but the court said it would evaluate them after further briefing. The states’ claims “raise serious allegations and present significant constitutional questions,” the judges wrote. Larry E. Klayman, a founder of and lawyer for the conservative group Freedom Watch, supported the original ban when it was before the appellate court and called the new version “quite modest.” “Right now, we’re in a state of war with certain countries, and this is a reasonable approach to it,” Klayman said. Additionally, a question remained over whether the new ban conflicted with federal immigration law, said Jorge Baron, executive director of the Seattle-based Northwest Immigrant Rights Project. His organization filed a class-action complaint over the initial ban and said it would amend its arguments in light of the new one. “Our immigration laws specifically say you cannot discriminate on basis of nationality in this process,” Baron said. “The president can’t rewrite the law by executive order.” Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. White House Wants It Both Ways On Revised Travel Ban In rolling out version 2.0—which could come this week—Trump and his team face a crucial test of their willingness to compromise. By By Josh Gerstein, Josh Dawsey And Tara Palmeri Politico, March 6, 2017 The White House has spent more than a month retooling President Donald Trump’s suspended executive order barring travel and immigration from Muslim countries, all along promising the public that the revised version would be substantially the same as the original—while telling courts just the opposite. In rolling out version 2.0—which could come this week—Trump and his team face a crucial test of their willingness to compromise in order to see their policy goals realized, at least in part. About two dozen lawsuits were filed against Trump’s first ban, resulting in a series of court orders blocking the key parts of the directive. The broadest block on Trump’s initial travel ban order came from Seattle-based federal judge James Robart on Feb. 3. The Justice Department asked the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to reverse Robart’s order, at least temporarily, but a three-judge panel chose to leave the injunction in place. Attorneys representing several states, the American Civil Liberties Union and other immigrants’ rights groups are FOIA CBP 001144 DHS-17-0435-B-000441 44 poised to return to court as soon as Monday to challenge whatever new order Trump issues. Robart on Friday highlighted one of the challenges the administration will face in defending the new order: statements of White House officials indulging Trump’s reluctance to cave in under fire are in tension with Justice Department lawyers’ promises that the new directive will be “substantially revised.” “Fundamentally, you’re going to have the same basic policy outcome for the country,” one of the architects of the both the old and new orders, Trump adviser Stephen Miller said on Fox News last month. In a scheduling order, Robart said Justice Department lawyers did not appear to be on the same page as the president and his aides. “The court understands Plaintiffs’ frustrations concerning statements emanating from President Trump’s administration that seemingly contradict representations of the federal government’s lawyers in this and other litigation before the court,” the judge wrote. The White House has invested heavily in preparation for the revised order, including consultation with senior officials at the Justice Department, State Department and the Department of Homeland Security. Trump had dinner Saturday at his Mar-a-Lago resort with top staff and appointees involved in revising the order, including Miller, strategist Steve Bannon, Department of Homeland Security head John Kelly, and Attorney General Jeff Sessions. White House Counsel Don McGahn also attended. McGahn has also been involved in exchanges with lawyers at other agencies about the new order, officials said. Some congressional leaders have also been briefed on the new plan, according to a top administration official. “Everyone will know this time,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. One of the most significant changes expected in the new order: removing Iraq from the list of seven countries targeted for limits on travel to the U.S. Iraq’s inclusion on the original list prompted anger among Iraqi officials at a time when U.S. and Iraqi troops are engaged in delicate operations against the Islamic State terror group. Iraqi officials agreed to new cooperation with the U.S. that will allow for better screening of travelers and refugees from that country, a senior administration official told POLITICO. However, blocking the arrival of refugees who had served as translators for American troops generated significant blowback from U.S. lawmakers, including Republicans sympathetic to other aspects of Trump’s anti￾terror agenda. A State Department memo obtained by POLITICO reported that an Iraqi official called the ban “both surprising and insulting to Iraqis,” while stating that the Iraqi government was willing to pull the plug on GE’s expansion into the region in the health, transportation, and aviation sectors. Aside from Iraq, the original order listed Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. That order prompted protests at airports around the country, led to delays for some travelers and others being turned around and put on flights out of the country. Nevertheless, Trump claimed publicly that roll-out of the earlier ban was “perfect.” Trump first suggested a new order was in the works back on Feb. 10, indicating it would emerge within a few days. Timing of an announcement was repeatedly pushed back for a couple of weeks, undercutting Trump’s claims that the order was initially rushed because of concerns about national security. The most advanced planning for a roll-out came last week, as aides prepared for a signing of the new order at the Justice Department on Wednesday, the day after Trump’s prime-time address to Congress. However, White House aides scuttled the executive order signing event late Tuesday night after positive reviews for Trump’s speech began to roll in. Administration officials told reporters that they wanted to allow Trump to bask in the rare positive publicity rather than immediately confront another round of critical travel ban coverage. It’s unclear whether courts will be more inclined to give the Trump team credit for taking a more deliberate approach the second time around or whether judges’ skepticism will be fueled even further by indications that public relations concerns played a key role in the timing of an order the administration insists was prompted by urgent national security concerns. If the order is “tailored” to previous court rulings, as Trump has pledged, it could fare better in the courts. Still, the legal gauntlet could prove challenging for the administration. Any of the variety of judges handling the cases scattered across the country could block aspects of the new directive. New Travel Ban Decried As Anti-Muslim By Immigrant Advocates Newsday (NY), March 6, 2017 Muslim and immigrant advocates were dismayed at the Trump administration’s issuance of a revised executive order Monday that temporarily restricts U.S. entry for people from countries seen as terror threats and halts refugee programs over national security concerns. The order blocks entry for foreign nationals from Sudan, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia and Yemen for 90 days, while suspending the admittance of refugees for 120 days. Iraq was dropped from the list of banned countries and the administration is clearing the way for travelers who were legal residents or had valid visas as of Jan. 27. FOIA CBP 001145 DHS-17-0435-B-000442 45 But the restrictions, set to take effect March 16, are still seen by immigrant advocates and community leaders as an unjustified ban on countries where most people are Muslims. “It is a Muslim ban, still,” said Habeeb Ahmed, president-elect of the Islamic Center of Long Island in Westbury. The temporary restrictions are “absolutely necessary” to improve security, said Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford). The revised order “should survive all the court challenges” with the new exceptions it makes, he said. “We are talking about countries that are either enemies, such as Iran and Syria, or countries like Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, which have failed governments, and it’s very difficult to determine who’s violent and who’s not and it gives us basically 90 days to make vetting arrangements,” King said. A Feb. 9 ruling by the Ninth U.S. Court of Appeals had denied the administration’s request to reinstate travel restrictions under the original executive order. Eric M. Freedman, professor of constitutional law at Hofstra Law School, said the thrust of the policy doesn’t change. “The court will look to see the real intention of executive actions regardless of their proclaimed intentions.” Even though Long Island’s Muslims are largely unaffected by the order’s direct terms, because they are not new visitors and are largely from countries other than those listed, Ahmed said the policy has had a corrosive effect. He said many people in the community — particularly women wearing hijabs — have postponed travel to avoid getting stuck at ports of entry. “People who are immigrants and citizens are given such a hard time coming through different airports — hours and hours they are being held up and people are watching like you are a culprit,” Ahmed said. “There was no reason . . . to do this.” Immigrant and refugee advocates were mobilizing again Monday to monitor how the revised order is implemented. More legal actions are expected to challenge the policy’s constitutionality. “We consider this to be Muslim ban, version 2.0,” said Ruthie Epstein, senior policy adviser for the New York Civil Liberties Union in Manhattan. “The president has made it clear to the entire world that he wants to ban Muslims, that he thinks this is a strategy worth pursuing, and he’s made that claim based on an assertion that this is the best way to protect our nation from terrorist threats with absolutely zero information.” The Trump administration is linking the policy to serious national security concerns, with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security stating Monday that the order seeks “the proper review and establishment of standards to prevent terrorist or criminal infiltration by foreign nationals.” Nearly 20 metropolitan area advocates had headed to Kennedy Airport on Monday to start monitoring flights from those countries, said Camille J. Mackler, legal initiatives director at the New York Immigration Coalition. One major concern was the refugee program’s halt and the administration’s decision not to exceed 50,000 refugees for the 2017 fiscal year that ends in September. “Yes, there is a need for screening,” said Monsignor Kevin Sullivan, executive director of Catholic Charities of New York, which aids hundreds of refugees each year, “but our approach should be America is a land of immigrants, a land of refugees. We should welcome them and we should be a country that’s open to newcomers.” Malik Nadeem Abid, a Valley Stream businessman who had protested the previous Trump order, called this “the same thing, just different packaging” and said he expects it will be defeated in court. “A Muslim ban cannot be replaced or repealed with a better Muslim ban.” Lawyer Who Sued Trump Over First Travel Ban: “Time To Go To Court” Los Angeles Times, March 6, 2017 Justin Cox, a lawyer at the National Immigration Law Center who took the Trump administration to court over the first travel ban and won a hold almost immediately from a Brooklyn federal judge, said he sees little “substantive” difference between the old ban and the new one. Cox, who represents plaintiffs in Darweesh vs. Trump, a case that is still pending in the courts, said his organization is ready to fight the new ban. “This new ban is just tinkering on the edges of the old one. But the underlying legal claims against it don’t change that much,” said Cox. Cox said his group and others will “absolutely” be able to sue over the new order. “What is more challenging is finding folks who clearly have standing” to sue, he said. That’s because the new order exempts people with green cards from the ban, doesn’t state a preference for refugees who are religious minorities and will not go into effect immediately, leaving fewer chances for the chaos over admission and detention of visa holders at U.S. airports that came with the previous order. Still, Cox said, it’s “time to go to court” over the new order. The Darweesh case was filed in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn, N.Y., on behalf of two Iraqis who had been approved for resettlement in the U.S. but were detained at John F. Kennedy airport because of the first travel ban. Iraqis are not included in the new executive order. Mixed Reviews For Travel Ban In Refugee Friendly Utah By Brady McCombs FOIA CBP 001146 DHS-17-0435-B-000443 46 Washington Times, March 6, 2017 Utah refugee officials and Muslim advocates said Monday that President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban doesn’t alleviate their concerns about an initiative they contend unfairly targets refugees and Muslim countries. But Republican U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch and Rep. Chris Stewart applauded Trump for making improvements. Sen. Mike Lee offered a more lukewarm review. Noor Ul-Hasan, a leader in Utah’s Muslim community, said that federal officials should focus on figuring out if there are ways to strengthen an already strenuous refugee vetting process rather than singling out Muslim countries without providing evidence about why they are more dangerous, Ul￾Hasan said. Utah’s unique political culture, dominated by the Mormon church, puts a premium on personal decency and openness to immigrants and refugees. The embrace of refugees by the religion has roots in the history of the faith, which counted many immigrants among its early members. The revised travel order leaves Iraq off the list of banned countries but still affects would-be visitors from Iran, Syria, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen and Libya. It is also narrower and specifies that a 90-day ban on people from the six countries does not apply to those who already have valid visas or people with U.S. green cards. Trump’s order keeps the entire U.S. refugee program suspended for 120 days, though refugees already formally scheduled for travel by the State Department will be allowed entry. “They’re trying to show they are more considerate and nice, but that’s not enough,” Ul-Hasan said. “Our government is supposed to be above other dictatorship regimes and have humanity.” Aden Batar, director of immigration and refugee resettlement for Catholic Community Services of Utah, said the ban leaves refugees stuck in dangerous countries. He said his organization will likely have to lay off workers because of the temporary halt of refugee entries. The group employs about 65 people, most of them full time. Batar said many are former refugees, including him. Refugee resettlement agencies receive federal money for every refugee they help resettle, which means his group will lose a key source of funding during the temporary halt of refugees entering the U.S. When the suspension is lifted, the number of refugees allowed into the U.S. will be capped at 50,000 for the 2017 fiscal year that ends Sept. 30. “The new Trump administration says it’s going to create new jobs, well he’s cutting a lot of jobs for people who support their families,” Batar said. “This new administration is creating a fear that doesn’t exist. The refugees are not the enemy.” Hatch applauded Trump in a statement that the revised ban makes significant progress toward what Hatch called for after the first version: To avoid burdening innocent travels and refugees fleeing violence and persecution. Rep. Stewart said in a statement that he learned as a member of the House Intelligence Committee that terrorist groups may be using the refugee program to infiltrate the United States. “The top priority of the federal government must be to keep Americans safe, and this executive order is aimed at doing just that,” Stewart said. Sen. Lee said he agrees that national security is the top priority but also is proud of Utah’s proud tradition of welcoming refugees. He said in a statement that he hopes the Trump administration can create a “safe and efficient” vetting system by the time the 120-refugee ban is lifted so the U.S. can continue to “open our hearts and serve those in need.” Gov. Gary Herbert’s staff was still reviewing the revised ban and said the governor had no immediate comment. After the first travel ban was issued, the Republican governor questioned how much the president’s actions could combat terrorism and whether he was targeting the right people. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints did not issue any new comment Monday, only referring back to its statement issued after the first ban. In that statement, the religion said it is concerned about people fleeing violence, war and religious persecution. It urged “all people and governments to cooperate fully in seeking the best solutions to meet human needs and relieve suffering.” It echoed a statement the faith issued in December 2015 when Trump floated the idea of a ban on Muslim immigration. One of the highest ranking current leaders, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, was a refugee as a child when his family fled the Czech Republic amid war and moved to Germany. Ul-Hasan said she will continue to advise Muslim immigrants in Utah, many of who are from Somalia and have green cards or are citizens, to avoid traveling home to visit family because she said federal officials cannot be trusted. New Travel Ban Brings Little Relief, Chicago Activists Say Chicago Tribune, March 6, 2017 While President Donald Trump’s revised executive order banning travel from six majority-Muslim countries and barring refugees from entering the U.S. is a small improvement over his earlier order, it remains an unacceptable ban on Muslims, Chicago immigration and refugee activists said Monday. About a month after federal judges blocked Trump’s temporary ban on citizens of seven Middle Eastern and FOIA CBP 001147 DHS-17-0435-B-000444 47 African countries, a move that Chicago advocates called “a backdoor ban on Muslims,” the president on Monday signed a revised version of the executive order, banning immigrants from six of the seven majority-Muslim nations. “Make no mistake that this is still very much a Muslim ban,” said Ahlam Jbara, a board member of the Arab American Action Network. “Immigrants from six of the original seven Muslim-majority Middle Eastern, Arab and African countries will be targeted and disallowed entry into the U.S., and refugees won’t be accepted here either.” Starting March 16, foreign nationals from Sudan, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia and Yemen who are outside the U.S. and did not have a valid visa when the original ban went into effect Jan. 27 may not enter the U.S. during a 90-day suspension. Iraqi citizens are no longer subject to the ban. The new order maintains a 120-day suspension on refugee admissions and still reduces the total number of refugees to be accepted before Sept. 30 from 110,000 to 50,000 — a cap that quickly will be met after the suspension ends. Syrian refugees, who were barred indefinitely in the previous order, are now part of the four-month moratorium. Mary Meg McCarthy, executive director of the National Immigrant Justice Center, applauded the administration for eliminating some portions of the previous executive order but said the revised order is still rooted in discrimination based on national origin and puts people in danger. “The new order is simply a modified refugee and Muslim ban, and a continuation of the Trump administration’s smear campaign against refugees and asylum seekers,” McCarthy said in a statement. Mayor Rahm Emanuel called the travel ban “nothing more than a wolf in sheep’s clothing.” “It is a betrayal of our nation’s values that our government would slam the door on refugees fleeing war, death and unimaginable conditions, that our government would divide families, and that our government would attempt to exclude people based on their religion,” Emanuel said in a statement. “This executive order runs contrary to the ideas America was founded upon and the ideals that have made America a beacon of hope around the world.” To avoid chaos and confusion at airports on the day the ban goes into effect, the executive order clarifies categories of travelers that will not be admitted to the U.S. and gives federal agents more than a week to address questions about implementation. A day after Trump signed the January executive order, passengers who had been in the air were detained at airports across the nation, including at O’Hare International Airport, causing relatives to panic and drawing crowds of protesters. Still uncertain that the new order will be enforced consistently, the Chicago chapter of the Council on American￾Islamic Relations announced Monday that it had launched the Travelers Assistance Project, an opportunity for Muslims to register their travel plans so they can be matched with lawyers and interpreters on the ground who will track their flights and provide immediate legal assistance. For Othman Alani, 32, a legal permanent resident of the U.S. who arrived from Iraq four years ago, the removal of Iraq from the executive order doesn’t make his family any happier. His older brother has been waiting to join his parents and siblings in the U.S. as a refugee. The temporary ban to strengthen vetting procedures could add years to that wait, he said. “There’s no glimpse of hope,” said Alani, who now works for the immigration legal clinic of the Iraqi Mutual Aid Society. “Don’t let me talk about the security check for everybody arriving in the U.S. I spent four years and three months waiting for security checks. You can’t work. You can’t do anything but wait for a phone call that you are coming to the United States.” Alani’s elderly mother, a green card holder, was detained in February on her way back from visiting his older brother in Egypt. Now, he said, she’s too scared to leave the country again for fear she won’t be able to see her other children. She’s distraught now that it’s unclear when her oldest son will join the rest of the family in the U.S., he said. “This is not a relief for us,” Alani said. New Trump Immigration Order Grants Iraq A Reprieve By Meredith Wadman Science Magazine, March 6, 2017 President Donald Trump today dropped Iraq from a list of countries targeted in a controversial 27 January executive order on immigration. That proclamation caused chaos by blocking nationals of seven largely Muslim countries from entering the United States for 90 days, and indefinitely blocking Syrian refugees. Today, Trump rescinded that order and replaced it with a 90-day ban, effective 16 March, on entry of nationals from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. The new executive order does not apply to those who currently hold a valid visa, or who held one at the time that the 27 January measure went into effect. It also exempts permanent residents, known as green card holders. It reduces the indefinite ban on Syrian refugees to a 120-day hiatus. And it drops preferential treatment for members of religious minorities fleeing persecution, which was widely read as favoring non-Muslims. “It is the president’s solemn duty to protect the American people, and with this order President Trump is exercising his rightful authority to keep our people safe,” Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in announcing the order. The academic community was not appeased by the changes. “During the 2015–16 school year, more than 15,450 FOIA CBP 001148 DHS-17-0435-B-000445 48 students and over 2100 scholars from the six countries targeted in this ban studied and conducted research at U.S. universities,” said Peter McPherson, president of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities in Washington, D.C., in a statement. “The pipeline of new students and scholars from those countries—many of whom are in the midst of the college application process—is now cut off.” “The new order, like its predecessor, poses a fundamental long-term threat to America’s global leadership in higher education, research, and innovation,” added Mary Sue Coleman, president of the Association of American Universities, also in Washington, D.C. Wael Al-Delaimy, an epidemiologist at the University of California, San Diego, who was born in Iraq, says that the exclusion of Iraqis from the new ban brings cold comfort. “It is the whole concept of barring people from traveling because of nationality and religion that is problematic, and this is still there in the new order,” he says. “I am concerned for the interest of other colleagues and for the freedom of science and research. Many scientists and academics will have their careers or plans disrupted.” Donald Trump Signs New Extreme Vetting Order By Dave Boyer, S.A. Miller Washington Times, March 6, 2017 President Trump signed a new executive order Monday that temporarily bans visitors from six Middle East and African countries while the administration creates an extreme vetting program, taking pains to remove the pitfalls of the original order and the perception that it’s a “Muslim ban.” The new order also dropped Iraq from the list of seven predominately Muslim countries covered by the original Jan. 27 executive order that was blocked by federal courts. The ban will be phased in over a 10-day period to avoid the chaos at airports following the original executive order that caught travelers in transit, and the wording has been changed to avoid suspicions that it is a “Muslim ban,” said a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official. “We are going to have a very smooth implementation period,” said the official, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity. “The motivation behind it is a real concern by the American people for their security.” The 90-day halt of visitors from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen will take full effect March 16, according to the official. The official stressed that the Trump administration was confident that the original executive order would have eventually prevailed in court, but for expediency the president opted for a new order that addressed the courts’ concerns. The inclusion of Iraq in the original ban raised objections from some U.S. military officials and the Iraq government because of special consideration previously given to Iraqis who aided in the war effort, including translators. The administration said Iraq was removed form the list, despite the presence of Islamic State fighters in the country, because of extra steps the Iraq government was taking to share information and assist the U.S. in vetting travelers. “As a result of this increased information sharing, Iraqi citizens are not affected by the Executive Order. Of course, all normal immigration processing requirements continue to apply, including the grounds of inadmissibility that may be applicable,” according to the fact sheet. In an attempt to demonstrate that the order is not a “Muslim ban,” which was a chief criticism of the original order based on Mr. Trump’s comments during the campaign, the new order removes language that exempted religious minorities from the targeting predominately Muslim countries. The new order exempts people who currently have visas or legal “green card” status in the U.S., a carveout that was not included in the original order. The modifications did not satisfy Mr. Trump’s critics. “This isn’t about keeping America safe. Let’s call it what it is. This ban is a racist and anti-Islamic attempt to divide us up,” tweeted Sen. Bernard Sanders, the Vermont independent who emerged as a leading voice for the left after his 2016 run for the Democratic presidential nomination. Another court challenge is likely for Mr. Trump’s order. Omar Jadwat, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, said the new order had the “same fatal flaws” as the last one. “The only way to actually fix the Muslim ban is not to have a Muslim ban,” he said. “Instead, President Trump has recommitted himself to religious discrimination, and he can expect continued disapproval from both the courts and the people.” Jon Rainwater, executive director of the liberal activist group Peach Action, said the order was “the same Muslim ban with a fresh haircut, and a botched one at that.” “It still blocks refugees and travelers from six Muslim￾majority countries. It still violates core American values of religious tolerance and providing refuge to those fleeing violence and persecution. It still makes Americans less safe by feeding into the recruitment narratives of violent extremists,” he said. “There’s no evidence that banning travelers based on nationality actually protects anyone.” The administration has delayed the signing as it works with federal agencies that will be responsible for enforcing the new order. The order on tougher vetting of travelers from terror￾prone nations was one of Mr. Trump’s campaign pledges, and he signed the original order shortly after taking office. But FOIA CBP 001149 DHS-17-0435-B-000446 49 a federal judge in Seattle blocked the action, and a panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the injunction. Since then, the administration has been working on a new directive while defending the initial order in court. In an address to Congress last week, Mr. Trump said his actions are justified due to national security concerns. The extreme vetting program will include: • Uniform screening standards for all immigration programs government-wide, as developed by DHS in conjunction with the Director of National Intelligence and State and Justice departments. • A biometric entry-exit system for all targeted travelers entering and departing the U.S. • A review by the State Department of all non-immigrant visa reciprocity agreements to ensure that they are, with respect to each visa classification, truly reciprocal. • New restriction on the Visa Interview Waiver Program and additional non-immigrant visa applicants will have to undergo in-person interview. The executive order also temporarily halts the acceptance of new refugees into the U.S. for 120 days while DHS and other agencies review screening procedures to ensure refugees admitted in the future do not pose a security risk, according to a fact sheet provided by the Trump administration. In another change from the original order, Syrian refugees will not be subject to a permanent ban. Upon resumption of the Refugee Admissions Program, the executive order calls for refugee admissions not exceed 50,000 for fiscal 2017, cutting by more than half the 110,000 refugees projected to be admitted this year under Obama administration guidelines. Supporting claims that the U.S. is at risk because of its refugee policies, administration officials said that of the FBI’s 1,000 ongoing anti-terrorism investigations, 300 cases involved suspected terrorists who came to the country as refugees. Unlike the public signing ceremony for the original order that Mr. Trump attended at the Pentagon on Jan. 27, the president signed the new immigration order at the White House without press coverage. New Travel Ban Garners Same Verdict In Middle East: A Slap At Muslims By Declan Walsh New York Times, March 6, 2017 CAIRO — Lighter, tighter and more carefully worded, the reworked travel ban announced by the Trump administration on Monday aims to pass legal muster in the United States while meeting its stated objective of combating Islamist terrorism. But in the Middle East, where its effects will be most keenly felt, the executive order was seen as boiling down to the same thing: a Muslim ban. In Iraq, where the initial ban had drawn the sharpest criticism, relieved officials welcomed President Trump’s decision to drop their country from the list of nations whose citizens will be barred from entering the United States for 90 days. That decision came after pressure from the State Department and the Pentagon — and as American troops are working closely with Iraqi soldiers in the battle for Mosul. In a minor triumph, there were none of the earlier chaotic scenes of travelers and refugees being turned back at airports. Yet in the other six countries still on Mr. Trump’s list, his decision to push ahead with the ban only stoked their sense of grievance and discrimination. Regional experts repeated earlier warnings that Mr. Trump’s order handed an easy propaganda victory to enemies and might ultimately weaken American security. “The idea that this is a Muslim ban has been reinforced even further,” said Maha Yahya, the director of the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut. “Islamic State will use this ban to say: ‘I told you so. They only mean you harm. They only see you as the enemy.’” The six countries left on the list are among the poorest, most chaotic or most politically isolated in the Middle East, so their inclusion carries ostensibly low costs for the Trump administration. Libya has multiple competing governments. Aid officials warn that Yemen, consumed by civil war, is on the verge of famine. Syria’s vicious six-year conflict has left vast urban landscapes in ruins. Somalia has been in a state of rolling chaos since 1991. Iran does not suffer domestic upheaval, but decades of diplomatic hostility with the West have left it political isolated. Trump administration officials point out that parts of the banned countries have become havens for Al Qaeda, the Islamic State and other groups, largely as a result of war and chronic instability. But by the same token, studies have shown that the citizens of those countries are more likely to be victims than perpetrators of violence, and have historically not posed a major risk to security in the United States. According to the New America Foundation, all 13 jihadist terrorists who have killed people in the United States since Sept. 11, 2001, were American citizens or permanent residents. None had ties to the seven countries first singled out by Mr. Trump in January. A federal appeals court, rejecting that order, said his administration had produced “no evidence” linking citizens from the seven affected nations to terrorist acts in the United States. Among citizens in the banned countries, the sense of injustice is compounded when they look at richer or more powerful neighbors, like Egypt or Saudi Arabia, whose citizens have carried out major attacks in the United States, FOIA CBP 001150 DHS-17-0435-B-000447 50 yet which have escaped Mr. Trump’s censure because their governments are harder to push around. “You know what they say: When the wife commits adultery, hit the maid,” said Abdel Bari Taher, a Yemeni political analyst speaking by telephone from the war-ravaged country’s capital, Sana. “They are punishing Yemen and others because they are the weak ones. Meanwhile, all the Gulf states that funded terrorism carry on as usual.” Mr. Taher said he had little doubt Mr. Trump’s ban was driven by domestic political considerations. “He is going after us just to please his right-wing supporters at home,” he said. Nonetheless, he added, it stung. In Iraq, the initial ban had been taken as a grievous insult from an ally it was supposed to be partnering with in the fight against the Islamic State. When the ban was announced in January, it prompted calls from some officials in Baghdad for Iraq to reciprocate with a ban on Americans entering Iraq, putting the American-backed prime minister, Haider al-Abadi, under political pressure to act. The plight of military translators who had worked for the United States government and been promised resettlement in the United States provided a further focus for popular outrage. Mr. Abadi, however, ultimately decided not to impose any restrictions on Americans and instead worked through back channels to have the ban overturned. On Monday, relieved officials said their approach had been vindicated. “We were hoping for the decision to be reconsidered, and this is what has happened,” said Jasim al-Jaf, Iraq’s minister of migration, in a telephone interview. Still, it was equally likely that pressure from the Pentagon, which feared damage to the Islamic State campaign, played a significant part in Mr. Trump’s decision. In the revised executive order issued Monday, Mr. Trump dropped a provision to bar Syrian refugees from the United States indefinitely, but will still freeze all refugee admissions for 120 days. David Miliband, a former British foreign secretary who leads the International Rescue Committee aid agency, denounced that decision as a “historic assault on refugee resettlement to the United States, and a really catastrophic cut at a time there are more refugees around the world than ever before,” The Associated Press reported. Ms. Yahya, the analyst, said the refugee decision was part of the growing “moral and reputational toll” from Mr. Trump’s actions in the Middle East. Yet there was not much of an immediate outcry in many countries — possibly because, as elsewhere, citizens were becoming slowly used to a steady stream of far-reaching, yet often perishable, decisions from Mr. Trump’s White House. Some have been tickled by American news media coverage of the simmering conflict between Mr. Trump and the “deep state” — a phrase more commonly associated with discussions about the Egyptian security services, or Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence spy agency. Yet Mr. Trump’s assault on the news media as an “enemy of the people” has uncomfortable echoes in many countries, and some have taken the parallels to signify that the United States has entered an unwelcome phase. “Trump has taken America from its ivory tower to the level of a rotten banana republic,” Mohamed Rageh Roweis, a Palestinian analyst, wrote on a Twitter. Even in unaffected countries, the ban has stoked the belief that the true goal of Mr. Trump and senior advisers like Stephen K. Bannon is to pursue a civilizational war against Muslims, rather than to combat terrorism. “It doesn’t make any sense,” said Mustapha Kamel al￾Sayyid, a political-science professor at Cairo University. “These terrorist groups are multinational organizations. If they want to attack the United States, they don’t have to send people from these six countries. They can just find someone from another country.” Iraq Welcomes Removal From Revised US Travel Ban By Qassim Abdul-Zahra And Sinan Salaheddin Associated Press, March 6, 2017 BAGHDAD (AP) – Iraq welcomed its removal from a revised U.S. travel ban on Monday, saying the move would strengthen its alliance with Washington as U.S.-backed Iraqi forces battle the Islamic State group in Mosul. Iraq was among seven Muslim-majority countries whose nationals were temporarily banned from traveling to the United States in an earlier order issued by President Donald Trump in January, which sparked worldwide outrage and was blocked by the courts. The White House says the ban is needed to prevent would-be terrorists from entering the country while stricter vetting measures are put in place. But it removed Iraq from the list under pressure from the State Department and the Defense Department, which had noted the close cooperation between the two countries in battling the IS group. “Today our battle in Mosul is a battle that Iraqis are conducting on behalf of the entire world,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Jamal told The Associated Press, adding that the revision of the travel ban will “enhance” the U.S.-Iraqi partnership in that fight. The original order angered many Iraqis, and prompted parliament to call for a reciprocal ban on Americans entering Iraq. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declined to impose such a measure. The revised U.S. travel order is narrower and specifies that a 90-day ban on people from Sudan, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen does not apply to those who already have valid visas. FOIA CBP 001151 DHS-17-0435-B-000448 51 A fact sheet detailing the order cited negotiations that resulted in Iraq agreeing to “increase cooperation with the U.S. government on the vetting of its citizens applying for a visa to travel to the United States.” Thousands of American forces are in Iraq providing air support and logistical help for a massive operation to drive IS militants from Mosul, the country’s second largest city. Smaller numbers of U.S. special operations forces are embedded with some Iraqi units. Support from a U.S.-led coalition has been critical in the fight against IS, helping Iraqi forces to slowly roll back the militants over the past two and a half years. Iraqi forces are now in the midst of their toughest battle yet against IS as they push to retake Mosul’s west after the eastern half of the city was declared “full liberated” in January. Iraqi troops on the front lines welcomed the revision to the travel ban while still expressing anger over the original order. “To be honest, (the original ban) made me upset and that will not change,” said Sgt. Maj. Asad al-Asadi of Iraq’s special forces, who has been away from home battling IS for nearly three years. “I’ve lost three friends fighting terrorists and Trump calls me a terrorist.” --- Associated Press writer Susannah George in Mosul, Iraq contributed to this report. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Iraq, Excluded From Travel Ban, Praises New White House Executive Order By Mustafa Salim Washington Post, March 6, 2017 IRBIL, Iraq — Iraqi officials on Monday praised the Trump administration’s decision to exclude Iraq from a list of Muslim-majority countries whose citizens will be temporarily banned from entering the United States, calling it an acknowledgment of their nation’s unique role in the struggle against global extremism. A previous ban had prompted widespread anger and disbelief in Iraq, a country destabilized by cycles of conflict since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 and a front-line battlefield in the fight against the Islamic State militant group. A revised executive order signed by President Trump on Monday imposes a 90-day ban on the issuance of new visas to citizens of Iran, Sudan, Yemen, Somalia, Syria and Libya, citing national security concerns, but it called Iraq “a special case.” Despite the continued presence of the Islamic State in the country, the order said, other factors justified Iraq’s exclusion from the list, including close cooperation between Baghdad and Washington, as well as “the significant presence of United States forces in Iraq.” A spokesman for Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said that Trump and the Iraqi leader had discussed the ban in a telephone call several weeks ago and that the U.S. president had promised to review Iraq’s status. The decision on Monday “showed an appreciation for the partnership with Iraq in fighting terrorism” and would speed up the fight against the Islamic State, the spokesman said. The relief in Iraq was in sharp contrast to the criticism of the revised order from human rights groups, which derided it as effectively a ban on Muslims as well as refugees and their advocates. The order suspends the U.S. refugee program for 120 days. The order “heartlessly targets the most vetted and most vulnerable population to enter the United States,” David Miliband, president and chief executive of the International Rescue Committee, which resettles refugees in the United States, said in a statement. “This ban doesn’t target those who are the greatest security risk, but those least able to advocate for themselves. Instead of making us safer, it serves as a gift for extremists who seek to undermine America,” he said. The Trump administration says the ban is critical to public safety, and officials asserted Monday that the revised order would eliminate the chaos at airports worldwide that accompanied the initial executive order issued in January. Mohamed Gabr, a Syrian refugee who lives with his family in Cairo and said he was supposed to be resettled in New Jersey before the initial ban, was still waiting to hear from his resettlement agency about when — and if — his family would be able to travel. “My condition is intolerable. For a year and eight months, we have been stuck here. For two months, I have been told to wait,” he said. Despite the uncertainty about their future, Gabr and his wife, Lamis el-Hamawi, said they were happy that the executive order had been narrowed, if only slightly. “We wish the Iraqis all the best,” Hamawi said. “They are just like us, they faced the same horrors. We don’t see any difference between us and them. We don’t hate or discriminate.” “They do,” she said, referring to U.S. officials. “But we don’t.” The revised executive order comes as the United States is stepping up its involvement in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq, including by sending hundreds of FOIA CBP 001152 DHS-17-0435-B-000449 52 military advisers to front-line positions with Iraqi security forces wrestling for control of the northern city of Mosul. The original White House ban was seen as especially egregious by Iraqi troops and commanders representing units that have suffered heavy losses in the grinding fight for Mosul. “It showed no appreciation at all for the sacrifices of Iraqis in fighting terrorism,” said Lt. Gen. Sami al-Aridhi, commander of the second division of Iraq’s U.S.-trained counterterrorism forces. “It had a negative impact on the psyche and morale of fighters, especially for the special forces, because we deal directly and closely with the Americans,” he said. On Monday, some of the resentment abated, Aridhi said, adding that he hoped to visit the United States someday, when the fight against the Islamic State has ended, “and enter the country with respect: as an Iraqi who fought against terrorism consistently since 2003.” Heba Mahfouz in Cairo and Louisa Loveluck in Beirut contributed to this report. Trump Revises Travel Ban To Address Legal Issues, Exempt Iraqis By Jennifer Epstein And Margaret Talev Bloomberg Politics, March 6, 2017 President Donald Trump signed an order restricting entry into the U.S. by people from six predominantly Muslim countries, reviving a signature initiative of his presidency that stalled in the face of court challenges and sparked global protests. The directive takes effect March 16 and removes Iraq from an initial list of seven countries whose citizens cannot travel to the U.S. for the next 90 days. Its scope was narrowed to address legal questions raised by federal courts, with the new version specifying that people who have already been issued visas, green-card holders and dual citizens won’t be denied entry. The administration said the new order was needed to address urgent security threats. The action “protects the United States from countries compromised by terrorism and ensures a more rigorous vetting process,” a fact sheet released Monday by the administration says. In addition, the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program is being suspended for 120 days while a review of screening procedures is undertaken. When it resumes, the number of refugees admitted to the country will be limited to 50,000 in fiscal 2017, according to an administration fact sheet. That’s less than half the limit set in the final year of the Obama administration amid a humanitarian crisis in Syria. The U.S. took in 10,000 Syrian refugees last year. Unlike with previous executive actions he’s taken, Trump didn’t make a public appearance to sign it. Instead, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly were set to deliver statements outlining the order. Trump and his aides repeatedly have described the travel directive as an urgent national security matter. Administration officials said the FBI is looking into some 300 individuals admitted to the U.S. as refugees as part of counterterrorism probes, but a congressional aide said it’s unclear whether any of those investigations have turned up anything. But the administration has repeatedly delayed issuing a revised order after a federal court blocked his original plan. At the end of January, White House press secretary Sean Spicer described the delay caused by the court in catastrophic terms. “The last thing that you want to do is to say well we could’ve done this Saturday, but we waited one more day. Or we wanted to roll it out differently. And someone’s life got lost,” he said on Jan. 31. The changes reflect a tacit acknowledgment by the White House that the first order, hastily implemented at the end of Trump’s first week in office, was flawed, vulnerable to lawsuits and disruptive to thousands of travelers. The new travel ban is certain to trigger a fresh round of legal challenges, risking another blow to the administration’s prestige as it tries to marshal political capital to win passage of an ambitious legislative agenda, including the repeal and replacement of the Obamacare health law, a rewrite of the tax code and a reordering of federal budget priorities to build up the military at the expense of domestic spending. The administration has been working for weeks to address a federal appeals court’s objections to the original version of the ban. Initial Order The initial Jan. 27 order barred citizens of seven nations from entering the U.S. regardless of their legal status. It set off a weekend of chaos at airports and border crossings as hundreds of immigrants and travelers, including at least one translator who worked with the U.S. military in Iraq, were detained or delayed in being admitted to the country. Companies, international allies and human rights activists assailed the ban and judges quickly blocked it, forcing the administration into retreat. Trump also was lobbied by Defense Secretary James Mattis and National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster to remove Iraq from the list of countries covered by the ban. Both are veterans of the two U.S. wars in Iraq and argued it would hinder joint efforts by the U.S. and Iraqi forces to combat Islamic State. The new order also omits a provision from the original directive that would have prioritized religious minorities in making admission decisions, according to a background telephone briefing arranged by the administration. In a break FOIA CBP 001153 DHS-17-0435-B-000450 53 from traditional practices, the officials speaking weren’t identified to reporters ahead of the briefing. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals last month rejected the administration’s bid to reinstate the initial order after a lower court judge temporarily blocked it. The states of Washington and Minnesota led the successful legal challenge to the ban, arguing it hurt their citizens and economies. The appeals court faulted the administration for an inadequate explanation of why the seven countries were singled out: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The administration says those countries were previously designated by Congress and former President Barack Obama as raising terrorism concerns. Though the administration has denied its travel restrictions are based on religion, its legal defense has been hampered by declarations Trump made in his presidential campaign that he would keep Muslims out of the U.S. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a close Trump ally and informal political adviser, also told Fox News when the order was initially issued that Trump sought to legally enact a Muslim ban. Damaging Statements The administration has argued Trump’s orders should be judged on their own, but the San Francisco-based appeals court judges said that “evidence of purpose beyond the face of the challenged law” can be used to determine its lawfulness. “Those campaign statements and the Giuliani interview will be damaging,” said Danielle McLaughlin, a lawyer at Nixon Peabody and co-author of a book on the conservative legal movement. “It’s almost like the administration had been hamstrung before it was drafted because of what had already been said.” A federal judge in Alexandria, Virginia, who was considering one of the lawsuits against the initial order, cited those statements in issuing a preliminary injunction against the ban’s enactment. U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema said on Feb. 13 that she gave little weight to the administration’s assurances that it wasn’t banning Muslims, considering Trump had in 2015 called for a “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the U.S.” She also cited the Giuliani interview. The initial order banned entry by people from the seven countries for 90 days. It barred Syrian refugees from the U.S. indefinitely, and blocked for 120 days all refugees fleeing their homelands claiming persecution or fear of violence. After the appeals court ruling, Trump initially indicated he would challenge the decision, tweeting “SEE YOU IN COURT, THE SECURITY OF OUR NATION IS AT STAKE!” only to be persuaded by administration lawyers and other aides that a rewrite would better withstand legal scrutiny. Another issue confronting the administration is that his original executive order risked violating the due-process rights of foreigners who have a connection with a U.S. resident or institution. The federal appeals court in San Francisco said a 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision left open the possibility of U.S. citizens suing on behalf of non-American spouses trying to enter the country. The appeals court also said the top court has made it clear that everyone in the U.S., legally or not, is entitled to due process, or the right to fair procedures before being deprived of freedom or property. Trump’s Claim That ‘More Than 300′ Refugees Are The Subject Of Counterterrorism Investigations By Michelle Ye Hee Lee Washington Post, March 6, 2017 “The Attorney General has reported to me that more than 300 persons who entered the United States as refugees are currently the subjects of counterterrorism investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.” — President Trump, executive order on immigration, March 6, 2017 “In fact, today, more than 300 people, according to the FBI, who came here as refugees are under an FBI investigation today for potential terrorism-related activities.” — Attorney General Jeff Sessions, remarks on executive order, March 6, 2017 “The FBI is currently looking and investigating active terrorism-related investigations into approximately 300 individuals who are admitted to the United States as refugees. Not a small number. That’s a tremendous administrative burden of manpower and resources.” — Unidentified senior administration official, news briefing via teleconference, March 6, 2017 “The Federal Bureau of Investigation has reported that approximately 300 persons who entered the United States as refugees are currently the subjects of counterterrorism investigations.” — Question and Answer fact sheet on executive order, March 6, 2017 Clearly, the administration decided this was a key talking point for the roll-out of its new immigration executive order: that more than 300 refugees are subjects of counterterrorism investigations. On March 6, President Trump issued an executive order temporarily banning travelers from six Muslim-majority countries, revising the version that led to massive confusion around the world and a federal court decision that halted the order from going into effect. Administration officials did not provide any information about the investigations, or any context to understand how significant the 300 figure is. In response to our inquiry, the FOIA CBP 001154 DHS-17-0435-B-000451 54 Justice Department declined to provide any additional information. But here’s the problem. Without any context, this 300 figure is meaningless. We will explain three reasons why. The Facts The 300 figure is a tiny fraction of all resettled refugees in the United States. On its own, 300 may seem like a large number of refugees. But since Congress created the Federal Refugee Program through the Refugee Act of 1980, about 3 million refugees have resettled in the United States, according to Pew Research Center. That comes out to an average of about 83,300 refugees per year. That means that even if the 300 refugees all came in to the United States in one year, they would represent less than 1 percent of the total number of refugees accepted on average per year since 1980. When a reporter at the briefing expressed skepticism about the number, in effect asking how the public can trust the administration, an official said: “The salient fact here is that there are 300 individuals who were admitted and welcomed to the United States through a refugees admissions program who either infiltrated with hostile intent or who radicalized after their admission to the United States.” But we have no way to know whether the administration’s claim is accurate. Many of these refugees could now be citizens or legal residents. This 300 figure doesn’t tell us whether the individuals were radicalized in the United States, years after entering the country. Since Sept. 11, 2001, roughly 190,000 refugees were accepted into the United States from the six countries (Syria, Sudan, Iran, Somalia, Libya and Yemen) identified in the new order, according to data from the State Department’s Refugee Processing Center. So 300 represents one-fifteenth of 1 percent of refugees admitted from those six countries since 9/11. In fiscal 2016, 38,901 Muslim refugees entered the United States — comprising 46 percent of nearly 83,5000 refugees admitted in that period, Pew Research analysis shows. The 300 figure may represent 30 percent or 3 percent (or something entirely different) of total open investigations. We don’t know the full universe of open investigations, but previous reports give us a sense of how many investigations the FBI conducts in a given year. There are at least 1,000 open investigations into “homegrown violent extremists,” according to FBI officials interviewed by the New York Times in June 2016. On March 6, congressional sources told Reuters that the investigation of 300 refugees is a part of 1,000 counterterrorism investigations “involving Islamic State or individuals inspired by the militant group.” So that means refugees comprise 30 percent of the open investigations into potential terrorism￾related activities. The FBI has averaged 7,000 to 10,000 preliminary or full investigations involving international terrorism annually in recent years, the Times reported in September 2016. So that means the 300 refugee investigations make up about 3 percent of the total number of assessments per year in recent years. “In addition, the FBI receives tens of thousands of terrorism tips. All of those have to be tracked down. … That does not include information the FBI learns from foreign partners, war zones or American agencies. Most investigations never end in prosecution,” the Times reported. As we reported in May 2016, about 10 terrorism-related cases since 2009 have involved refugees. In 2015, a State Department spokesperson told us that of the nearly 785,000 refugees admitted through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program since 9/11, “only about a dozen — a tiny fraction of one percent of admitted refugees — have been arrested or removed from the U.S. due to terrorism concerns that existed prior to their resettlement in the U.S.” It’s unclear what — if any — counterterrorism charges are involved in these cases. While the Justice Department did not provide any data to support its assertion, they may be deriving data from the Justice Department National Security Division’s list of terrorism and terrorism-related convictions, wrote Shirin Sinnar, an associate law professor at Stanford Law School. Previously, Sessions used this data to claim that hundreds of people convicted of terrorism or terrorism-related activities were foreign-born. Sinnar obtained the division’s list of public or unsealed international terrorism and related convictions from Sept. 11, 2001, to Dec. 31, 2015, through a Freedom of Information Act request. Sinnar found this list to be a misleading source to support the administration’s claims about its travel ban. (For more, read the full, detailed report.) Among the problems is that it lists 627 “terrorism and terrorism-related” convictions through the end of 2015, but it does not include convictions related to domestic terrorism. So this list is not a credible source for assessing threat from foreigners of attacks in the U.S. homeland — or for screening who should enter the United States. In the past, administration officials considered a wide range of charges to mean “terroristic activity.” We previously awarded Three Pinocchios to White House Senior Adviser Stephen Miller’s claim that 72 people from the countries listed in the travel ban were implicated in terroristic activity. Some of the charges involved people convicted of providing material support, such as money or personnel, to groups that are designated as terrorist organizations. But it also included people who were convicted of passport fraud, visa fraud and making fraudulent claims to federal investigators. Regardless of the direct or tangential ties that investigators believe each individual may have to terrorist FOIA CBP 001155 DHS-17-0435-B-000452 55 activities, these charges need to be proven in a court of law. Counterterrorism investigations are not actual charges, noted David Sterman, policy analyst at New America, a think tank that closely monitors jihadist activity in the United States. New America found about 400 individuals charged with or credibly involved in jihad-inspired activity in the U.S. since 9/11, just under half (197) were U.S.-born citizens. An additional 82 were naturalized citizens, and 44 were permanent residents. Twelve of the roughly 400 individuals were refugees — meaning refugees represent 3 percent. That there were 400 terrorism related cases since 9/11 suggests that very few investigations actually turn into full cases, Sterman said. “Far from being foreign infiltrators, the large majority of jihadist terrorists in the United States have been American citizens or legal residents. Moreover, while a range of citizenship statuses are represented, every jihadist who conducted a lethal attack inside the United States since 9/11 was a citizen or legal resident. In addition about a quarter of the extremists are converts, further confirming that the challenge cannot be reduced to one of immigration,” according to the New America report on jihadist activity since 9/11. The Pinocchio Test It’s irresponsible for the administration to tout this number repeatedly without any context or giving the public additional information to understand whether refugees are a threat to the U.S. homeland. The burden of proof is on the speaker, yet administration officials repeatedly declined reporters’ requests for more information. Moreover, the administration’s credibility on factual accuracy is open to question, given the frequent false claims made by the president and other senior officials. This 300 figure, without any context, is problematic for three reasons. It represents a tiny fraction of all resettled refugees in the United States per year (83,380 on average), and since the refugee program began in 1980 (3 million). Since Sept. 11, 2001, roughly 190,000 refugees were accepted into the United States from the six countries listed in the immigration executive order. The 300 figure represents a fraction — though unclear exactly how small or big — of the total open counterterrorism investigations (which could be 1,000 or up to 10,000). And we have no idea what charges are involved, or if these investigations will even result in any charges (or convictions, for that matter). In the absence of any context or additional information from the administration, we find this figure highly misleading, worthy of Three Pinocchios. Should the administration decide to share more information to place this figure into context, we’re happy to reconsider the evidence and the rating. Three Pinocchios 300 Refugees Subjects Of FBI Terror Investigations, U.S. Officials Say Fox News, March 6, 2017 Hundreds of people admitted to the United States as refugees are the subjects of FBI counterterrorism investigations involving ISIS – including some individuals from countries cited on President Trump’s revised travel ban. Trump’s order, which was announced late Monday morning, temporarily bans travel to those without valid visas from Sudan, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. Nearly a third of the 1,000 FBI domestic terrorism cases – 300 – involve those admitted to the U.S. as refugees, a Department of Homeland Security official said Monday. That number was confirmed later in the day by Attorney General Jeff Sessions during a news conference. Officials said some of those 300 came to “infiltrate” the U.S., while others were radicalized once they were in the country. “Like every nation, the United States has a right to control who enters our country and to keep out those who would do us harm,” Sessions said. The officials who spoke Monday morning didn’t detail the current immigration status of those 300 people who were subjects of government terror probes, Reuters reported, citing a source. One official also sought to clarify the apparent conflict with a leaked DHS report that appeared to show no connection between refugees and terrorism. The official said the draft document, which was reported by The Associated Press on Feb. 24, was not complete, had not been vetted through the interagency process and did not reflect classified information. FBI Director James Comey said in late 2015 that some 900 terror investigations were going on, and probes were active in every state. But Monday’s development marked the first official concrete linkage between the refugee program and terrorism. At the time, Comey indicated the bureau was stretched thin by the sheer volume of investigations. “If that becomes the new normal,” Comey said, “that would be hard to keep up.” Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly said the travel ban announced Monday was a key to ansuring the refugee program is conducted safely. “We must undertake a rigorous review of our visa and refugee vetting programs to increase our confidence in the entry decisions we make for visitors and immigrants to the United States,” Kelly said. “We cannot risk the prospect of malevolent actors using our immigration system to take American lives.” Several refugees have already participated in mass attacks in recent years motivated by apparent Islamic radicalism. FOIA CBP 001156 DHS-17-0435-B-000453 56 Somali refugee Abdul Razak Ali Artan rammed his car into a crowd at The Ohio State University in November after posting a message on Facebook warning America not to interfere with Muslim communities. Somali refugee Dahir Adan reportedly yelled “Allahu Akbar” and asked one victim if they were Muslim during a September rampage in which he stabbed and injured nine people at a Minnesota mall. Seddique Mateen, the father of Pulse nightclub shooter Omar Mateen, is an Afghan refugee. Countless other refugees have been convicted of plotting attacks or planning to join ISIS abroad. Though they didn’t enter the nation as refugees, several other terrorists have benefited from inadequate vetting to come to the U.S. Tashfeen Malik, who was born in Pakistan, came to the U.S. on a K-1 “fiancée” visa prior to engaging in a deadly shooting spree with husband Syed Rizwan Farook that killed 14 and injured 22 others in December 2015. Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, the brothers who orchestrated the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, were born in Kyrgyzstan and entered the U.S. when their family filed for asylum. Democrats Condemn Trump’s Revised Travel Order As ‘Still A Muslim Ban’ By Erin Kelly And Eliza Collins USA Today, March 6, 2017 WASHINGTON — Democrats blasted President Trump’s revised immigrant travel restrictions Monday, charging that they remain essentially a “Muslim ban” despite the president’s decision to remove Iraq from the list of six countries covered by his executive order. “A watered down ban is still a ban,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who predicted the latest order would face “the same uphill climb” in court. “Despite the Administration’s changes, this dangerous executive order makes us less safe, not more. It is mean￾spirited and un-American. It must be repealed.” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said he believes Trump’s revised order is better and will “pass legal muster.” “I congratulate the Administration for modifying the original order to ensure that it is prospective in application, protective of those with valid visas and legal status, and exempts Iraqis, as five thousand Americans are currently fighting alongside them against (the Islamic State),” Graham said. “I believe the new order will withstand legal challenges as it’s drafted in a fashion as to not be a religious ban, but a ban on individuals coming from compromised governments and failed states.” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., dismissed the changes as nothing more than “repackaging.” “The Trump Administration’s repackaging has done nothing to change the immoral, unconstitutional and dangerous goals of their Muslim and refugee ban,” she said. “This is the same ban, with the same purpose, driven by the same dangerous discrimination that weakens our ability to fight terror.” Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., who is Muslim, declared on Twitter that “Trump’s Muslim Ban is still a Muslim Ban.” House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said the revised order “advances our shared goal of protecting the homeland.” “I commend the administration and (Homeland Security) Secretary (John) Kelly in particular for their hard work on this measure to improve our vetting standards,” Ryan said. “We will continue to work with President Trump to keep our country safe.” House Homeland Security Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, who criticized the Trump administration’s abrupt, confusing rollout of its original order, said his committee will be overseeing the president’s latest effort to ensure it is handled better. “I have long supported taking bold steps to keep terrorists from entering America,” McCaul said. “I look forward to reading the details of the President’s new executive order and conducting oversight to ensure it is implemented smoothly. This month, I am also launching a bipartisan congressional task force focused on closing security gaps that might be exploited by jihadists to sneak into our country, and I hope the Administration will work closely with us to put in place new security checks to protect our people from the threat of terror.” Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., tweeted that the new travel order still targets Muslims and is “still illegal.” Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, said Trump’s action will “strengthen our immigration and refugee screening process.” “It’s refreshing to see an administration that isn’t ashamed to uphold the most important Constitutional responsibility of the federal government: to protect the American people,” Gosar said. “We can no longer ignore the facts that leaders from the FBI, National Counterterrorism Center and the Department of Homeland Security have testified before Congress that they do not have the necessary resources to thoroughly vet immigrants and refugees from terrorist strongholds. There is no question that the Constitution and federal law grant the president the authority to take these necessary actions, which will not only protect the homeland but also safeguard refugees and legal immigrants.” Corker, Critic Of First Trump Travel Ban Order, Positive On New One By Patricia Zengerle Reuters, March 6, 2017 FOIA CBP 001157 DHS-17-0435-B-000454 57 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. President Trump Signs Revised Executive Order Restricting Travel To The U.S. Travelers holding valid visas will be exempted; Iraq off list of targeted nations By Laura Meckler Wall Street Journal, March 6, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Trump’s New Travel Ban Raises Bar For Legal Challenges By Mica Rosenberg And Dan Levine Reuters, March 6, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Washington State Attorney General That Brought Down First Travel Ban Is Looking At “Next Legal Steps” Los Angeles Times, March 6, 2017 The attorney general of Washington state, whose case against President Trump’s initial travel ban brought that planl to a halt, said Monday that his office is considering its “next legal steps” concerning the administration’s new travel order. “By rescinding his earlier executive order, President Trump makes one thing perfectly clear: His original travel ban was indefensible — legally, constitutionally and morally,” Atty. Gen. Bob Ferguson said in a statement. “The president has capitulated on numerous key provisions blocked by our lawsuit, including bans on Green Card holders, visa holders and dual citizens, an indefinite ban on Syrian refugees, and explicit preferences based on religion,” he said. “We are carefully reviewing the new executive order to determine its impacts on Washington state and our next legal steps.” Ferguson said he would have more to say later Monday. After Washington and Minnesota sued against the first travel ban in a Seattle federal court, U.S. District Judge James L. Robart issued a national restraining order on Feb. 3 blocking its enforcement until the constitutionality of the order could be decided. That restraining order was upheld by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals after the administration challenged it. In response to those rulings, Trump said the new executive order would be “tailored” to the “bad” decisions . The Seattle case is still pending. AG Bob Ferguson: Trump’s Original Travel Ban Was Indefensible, We’re Reviewing The New One Seattle Times, March 6, 2017 Attorney General Bob Ferguson is claiming victory after President Donald Trump rescinded his previous executive order banning travel to the United States from seven Muslim￾majority countries and replaced it with a much narrower ban. Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson is claiming victory after President Donald Trump signed a new, but much narrower, ban on travel to the United States from six Muslim￾majority countries. Ferguson said he still has constitutional and legal concerns about Trump’s new order, but doesn’t know yet whether he’ll file another lawsuit. “I do not take lightly suing the president of the United States,” Ferguson said a news conference Monday in Seattle. He said his office will take time to review the new order, with a decision possible later this week. What does it all mean? Who qualifies as a refugee? How many refugees come here? How are they screened? What is a green card? How do people get green cards? And what about immigrants who enter the country illegally? We help define and explain things you might not know about immigration. Trump’s executive order, signed Monday morning, limits travel to the United States for citizens of the six countries, but only for those seeking new visas. Those with pre-existing visas will be allowed to travel freely, as will those holding dual citizenship. Trump’s new order also explicitly revokes his prior order, which had been on hold following a court challenge from Ferguson. Ferguson called that “capitulation” a vindication of the state’s original lawsuit. He needled Trump for the president’s “SEE YOU IN COURT!” tweet following the state’s initial win blocking enforcement of the travel ban order. “It bears pointing out that the administration since that tweet has done everything in its power to avoid seeing anyone in court,” Ferguson said, pointing to legal delays by the Justice Department, followed by Monday’s withdrawal of the initial travel order. “There is a reason for that: the president was essentially afraid to see us in court be he knew he would lose again,” he said, calling the original order “illegal an unconstitutional.” The new executive order removed several key provisions of the original version, Ferguson said in a news release, including bans on Green Card holders, visa holders FOIA CBP 001158 DHS-17-0435-B-000455 58 and dual citizens, and a preference for religious minorities in the Muslim nations. Trump’s first executive order initially banned green-card holders, but that part of the ban was relaxed days later after it sowed confusion and chaos at airports across the country. The first executive order applied to citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The new order applies to those same countries, except for Iraq, which has been removed. ‘Honor Killings’ Highlighted Under Trump’s New Travel Ban By Nahal Toosi Politico, March 6, 2017 It’s a quick line, but it leaps out like few others in the revised travel ban President Donald Trump issued Monday. The American government, the order says, will start publicizing information about “acts of gender-based violence against women, including so-called ‘honor killings,’ in the United States by foreign nationals.” The statement is part of a broader section that pledges the U.S. government will begin releasing data on terrorism￾related offenses committed by immigrants. “Honor killing” is a label often attached to the murders of girls and women by relatives or loved ones who believe the victims have shamed them in some way, such as by marrying without permission. To some critics of the travel ban, the mention of “honor killings” sounds like a dog whistle. “It’s based on a stereotypical view of Muslims and what their position is toward women,” said Grace Meng, a senior U.S. researcher with Human Rights Watch. The administration strongly denies the new order, which temporarily bars refugees and travelers from six predominantly Muslim countries, targets any particular religious group. “Nothing in this executive order has anything to do with any particular faith, so any story stating or suggesting otherwise would be completely wrong,” said Michael Short, a White House press aide. “This administration strongly believes that gender-based violence in all of its forms has no place in this country.” “Honor killings” are believed to be rare in the U.S. Scholars of Islam say there’s no religious justification for honor killings, and that the roots of the crime are often more about cultural traditions than anything else. Still, far-right conservative activists often focus on honor killings as an example of the potential “Islamization” of America posed by allowing Muslim immigrants into the U.S. Several top Trump aides, including chief White House strategist Steve Bannon, have been labeled as Islamophobes by civil rights groups for making claims that Muslims living in America pose a particular threat. It wasn’t clear how the administration plans to define “gender-based violence” or how it expects to determine what is or isn’t an honor killing. The executive order issued Monday replaces another released in late January. Aside from barring travelers from six Muslim-majority countries for at least 90 days starting in mid￾March, the revised order imposes a 120-day pause on the U.S. admission of refugees from all over the world. Meng noted that many of those refugees now barred from the United States are women trying to escape rapists and others who have targeted them. The order, she said, is “going to harm people fleeing gender-based violence.” Donald Trump’s Executive Order: Officials Must Identify Immigration Applicants Who Support ‘Acts Of Violence’ By Neil Munro Breitbart, March 6, 2017 Senior officials “shall implement a program, as part of the process for [immigration] adjudications, to identify individuals who seek to enter the United States on a fraudulent basis, who support terrorism, violent extremism, acts of violence toward any group or class of people within the United States, or who present a risk of causing harm subsequent to their entry,” said Section 5 of the new Executive Order, which likely will reverse President Barack Obama’s open-door policies to foreign migrants. The anti-extremist language in the new March 6 Executive Order is narrower and more legalistic than the pro￾American language in the judge-blocked Jan. 27 Executive Order, which said: In order to protect Americans, the United States must ensure that those admitted to this country do not bear hostile attitudes toward it and its founding principles. The United States cannot, and should not, admit those who do not support the Constitution, or those who would place violent ideologies over American law. In addition, the United States should not admit those who engage in acts of bigotry or hatred (including “honor” killings, other forms of violence against women, or the persecution of those who practice religions different from their own) or those who would oppress Americans of any race, gender, or sexual orientation. Allied left-wing and Islamic advocates, including Democratic activist Khizr Khan, complained that Trump’s “hostile attitudes” language was intended to exclude immigrants with Islamic beliefs. The language bolsters the often-ignored language in the current N-400 citizenship application document, which asks applicants if they have “EVER advocated (either directly or indirectly) the overthrow of any government by force or FOIA CBP 001159 DHS-17-0435-B-000456 59 violence? Have you EVER persecuted (either directly or indirectly) any person because of race, religion, national origin, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion?” The new memo also directs officials to collect and share information about immigrants and refugees who commit crimes, including the terror and anti-women crimes associated with people from Islamic-majority countries. Section 11 of the new order declares officials should collect information about: (i) information regarding the number of foreign nationals in the United States who have been charged with terrorism￾related offenses while in the United States; convicted of terrorism-related offenses while in the United States; or removed from the United States based on terrorism-related activity, affiliation with or provision of material support to a terrorism-related organization, or any other national-security￾related reasons; (ii) information regarding the number of foreign nationals in the United States who have been radicalized after entry into the United States and who have engaged in terrorism-related acts, or who have provided material support to terrorism-related organizations in countries that pose a threat to the United States; (iii) information regarding the number and types of acts of gender-based violence against women, including so-called “honor killings,” in the United States by foreign nationals. (iv) any other information relevant to public safety and security as determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Attorney General, including information on the immigration status of foreign nationals charged with major offenses. The new Executive Order says it does not “discriminate” against any particular religion, which is likely meant to rebut progressive claims that opposition to Islam’s combined religious and political ideology is similar to legal curbs on the practice of Christianity and other religions which do accept the separation of church from state. Executive Order 13769 did not provide a basis for discriminating for or against members of any particular religion. While that order allowed for prioritization of refugee claims from members of persecuted religious minority groups, that priority applied to refugees from every nation, including those in which Islam is a minority religion, and it applied to minority sects within a religion. That order was not motivated by animus toward any religion, but was instead intended to protect the ability of religious minorities — whoever they are and wherever they reside — to avail themselves of the USRAP in light of their particular challenges and circumstances. The Executive order directs agency heads to quickly establish the new entry rules, saying: The Secretary of Homeland Security, in conjunction with the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the Director of National Intelligence, shall submit to the President an initial report on the progress of the program described in subsection (a) of this section within 60 days of the effective date of this order, a second report within 100 days of the effective date of this order, and a third report within 200 days of the effective date of this order. The president also directs the agencies to toughen routine screening of legal visitors, such as tourists or business executives. “ In the first 20 days, [the Department of Homeland Security] will perform a global, country-by-country review of the identity and security information that each country provides to the U.S. Government to support U.S. visa and other immigration benefit determinations. Countries will then have 50 days to comply with requests from the U.S. Government to update or improve the quality of the information they provide.” Trump’s immigration and visitor rules will likely be very different from former President Obama’s open-door policies. Obama described his globalist policy in a Nov. 2014 speech to Democratic supporters in Chicago: Sometimes we get attached to our particular tribe, our particular race, our particular religion, and then we start treating other folks differently. And that, sometimes, has been a bottleneck to how we think about immigration. If you look at the history of immigration in this country, each successive wave, there have been periods where the folks who were already here suddenly say, ‘Well, I don’t want those folks’ — even though the only people who have the right to say that are some Native Americans. Obama made the same diversity-first claim in September 2015 When I hear folks talking as if somehow these [foreign] kids are different than my kids or less worthy in the eyes of God, that somehow that they are less worthy of our respect and consideration and care, I think that’s un-American. I don’t believe that, I think it is wrong and I think we should do better, because that’s how America was made. Obama’s outside policy is expressed more crudely by the alliance of Islamic and left-wing groups which are protesting Trump’s pro-America immigration policies. Trump’s Travel Ban Contains A Tool That Could Change How The U.S. Conducts Foreign Policy By Brian Bennett, Contact Reporter Los Angeles Times, March 6, 2017 A little-noticed provision in President Trump’s revised restrictions on entry into the country could remake how the U.S. conducts foreign policy, creating leverage for a president FOIA CBP 001160 DHS-17-0435-B-000457 60 who promised to bring his hard-nosed deal-making mind-set to American diplomacy. In his new directive, Trump ordered a global review to determine whether citizens from additional countries should be blocked from coming to the U.S. as well. He asked the departments of State and Homeland Security, along with intelligence agencies, to determine which countries come up short on cooperating with U.S. immigration officials who are vetting travelers who want to enter the country. “We’re looking at an entire — at the rest of the entire world and all of the procedures that we use to address all countries,” White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told reporters Monday. The review gives Trump, who spent his adult life working out real estate transactions, the opportunity to demand concessions from more than 190 countries. At stake is the ability of their citizens and nationals to travel to the United States. For decades, the U.S. has welcomed a relatively free flow of travelers on the assumption that when people visit, they spend money, invest and learn about American culture and values and are able to take those impressions back to their home countries. Negotiating over travel restrictions is risky, warned Stewart Baker, the former head of policy at Homeland Security during the George W. Bush administration. “We have leverage, but it is not leverage you really would want to use in a real way,” Baker said, adding that countries could begin blocking the entry of U.S. citizens. “It is like a nuclear exchange, and nobody comes off better in a nuclear exchange — everyone is weakened,” he said. The Trump administration has already shown signs of being willing to horse-trade. In exchange for excluding Iraq from the new travel restrictions, for example, the Trump administration persuaded officials there to accept Iraqi citizens deported from the United States, a demand U.S. diplomats have fruitlessly been making for years. Iraq had its own room to maneuver to make the deal. When Trump issued the first version of the order in January, including Iraq among the countries whose citizens were banned from entry, Iraqi officials threatened to shut out hundreds of U.S. contractors in the country supporting the American military units and U.S. oil companies. The threat of restrictions won’t be used to press countries on issues unrelated to national security, Spicer said, citing the Iraq negotiations as unique circumstances. “This is a national security issue, plain and simple,” he said. Trump promised during the campaign he would force countries to receive all of their citizens expelled from the U.S. About 22 countries don’t accept deportations from the U.S., including Afghanistan, Algeria, China, Iran, Libya, Somalia and Zimbabwe. Courts have ruled that people from those countries can’t be held indefinitely to await deportation, even if they have a violent criminal conviction. As a result, more than 8,000 immigrants with criminal records have been released from custody in the last three years. But already the discussions are bleeding into other immigration issues. In addition to demanding countries take back citizens being deported, the Trump administration plans to look closely at countries with citizens who frequently stay past the expiration date on their U.S. visa,a senior Homeland Security official said Monday. India, China and Mexico are among the top 10 countries that have high rates of people who overstay their visa. They are also among the top U.S. partners on trade and economic issues. The temporary travel ban applies to six countries that are either state sponsors of terrorism — Iran, Syria and Sudan — or failed states that have terrorist organizations operating in their territory — Libya, Somalia and Yemen — administration officials said. When considering other countries to add to the list, administration officials will look at the integrity of police forces and a country’s ability to give accurate criminal histories, what measures are in place to prevent people from traveling on fake documents, and which countries have high numbers of people who overstay their visas in the U.S., said the Homeland Security official, who would not be named under the ground rules the administration set for the briefing. A list of countries that fail the test is due to be handed to Trump in early April, and countries have until late May to make changes. Trump’s New Travel Ban Still Wouldn’t Have Kept Out Anyone Behind Deadly U.S. Terror Attacks By Mark Berman Washington Post, March 6, 2017 President Trump on Monday signed a new executive order temporarily banning travelers from six Muslim-majority nations due to “heightened concerns about terrorism” coming from those countries. “We cannot risk the prospect of malevolent actors using our immigration system to take American lives,” Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said at a news briefing announcing the new order. This new ban, which came about after the first was frozen by federal courts, has something big in common with the earlier version: It would not have kept out of the United States anyone responsible for a deadly terror attack since 2001. The revised ban keeps out people from six countries that the Trump administration says pose certain “national FOIA CBP 001161 DHS-17-0435-B-000458 61 security risks.” There have been 10 fatal attacks tied to Islamist extremist ideology or otherwise deemed international terrorism since 2001 and the people behind those attacks are from none of the banned countries. In fact, since the Sept. 11 attacks, every deadly jihadist attack inside the United States was carried out by a U.S. citizen or legal resident, according to data collected by New America, a Washington-based nonprofit group. The group issued a report determining that the danger had been posed by people here at home, rather than those looking to sneak into the country. “Far from being foreign infiltrators, the large majority of jihadist terrorists in the United States have been American citizens or legal residents,” the group said. Trump and his aides have repeatedly argued that the travel ban is needed for national security reasons, pointing to the specter of past attacks as well as the threat of future ones to justify the order. However, in doing so, the Trump administration has also repeatedly invoked attacks that the ban would not have prevented had it been in place. After the first ban was signed, Kellyanne Conway, a senior adviser to Trump, and Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, went on television and defended it by pointing to incidents like the Sept. 11 attack, the Boston Marathon bombing or the mass shootings in Orlando and San Bernardino, Calif. This line of argument did not end when the ban was halted in court and Trump officials began working up a new order. Just last week, during his first address to Congress, Trump alluded to the forthcoming new ban and also pointed to San Bernardino, the Boston Marathon and Sept. 11 as reasons why “improved vetting procedures” are needed. These claims do not hold up. None of the Sept. 11 hijackers were from banned countries (most were from Saudi Arabia, while the rest were from Egypt, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates). The two more recent mass shootings cited both involved people born in the United States. Omar Mateen, the Orlando gunman, was born in New York, the son of an immigrant from Afghanistan, a country not among those banned. In San Bernardino, Syed Rizwan Farook, one of the attackers, was born in Illinois. His wife, Tashfeen Malik, who came to the United States on a fiance visa, was born in Pakistan and later moved to Saudi Arabia, two countries not covered by the ban. According to the FBI, Farook had been radicalized and plotting attacks years before he met her. The Boston Marathon bombers — Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev — were brothers born in Russia and Kyrgyzstan. Dzhokhar, the younger of the two, is a naturalized U.S. citizen. Several news outlets and politicians incorrectly reported that their parents were refugees; they instead came to the United States on travel visas and applied for political asylum. Trump’s new ban also suspends refugee resettlement, arguing that “more than 300″ people who came into the country as refugees are the subjects of FBI counterterrorism probes. The FBI referred questions about these probes, along with the countries of origin of these people and their current status, to the Justice Department, which has declined to elaborate. Refugees from the countries included in Trump’s ban weren’t responsible for any attacks in the U.S. between 1975 and 2015, according to a report published by the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank. The report examined 154 people described as foreign-born terrorists who carried out attacks during that period; 20 were found to be refugees, and the only three who successfully carried out deadly attacks were Cubans admitted before the Refugee Act of 1980. That report came before Abdul Razak Ali Artan, a refugee from Somalia, drove his car into a crowd on the Ohio State University campus late last year and injured 11 people before being fatally shot by a police officer. The FBI has said Artan might have been inspired by radical cleric Anwar al￾Awlaki and the Islamic State, which claimed responsibility for the attack. (The chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee later alleged Artan should have received more thorough vetting when his family was seeking refu-gee status in the United States years earlier.) The text of Trump’s new order goes on to argue that the danger is posed not only from those who carried out successful attacks, but also those who were convicted of terrorism-related crimes and may have plotted attacks. “Recent history shows that some of those who have entered the United States through our immigration system have proved to be threats to our national security,” the order states. “Since 2001, hundreds of persons born abroad have been convicted of terrorism-related crimes in the United States.” It offers two examples for this, one of which involves refugees from a country — Iraq — that was on the overall ban list for the original order and removed from the new version. That case — the so-called “Bowling Green massacre” cited by Conway during a widely criticized television appearance — involved two Iraqi citizens living in Bowling Green, Ky., who were sentenced to prison in 2013 after admitting to using makeshift explosive devices in Iraq and trying to send money to fund terrorism. The other example is accurate, and points to Mohamed Osman Mohamud, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Somalia who was convicted of plotting to bomb the Portland Christmas tree lighting in 2010. According to federal officials, he began communicating with a Saudi national to discuss traveling to Yemen for training before undercover FBI operatives reached out and they began corresponding about plotting an attack. FOIA CBP 001162 DHS-17-0435-B-000459 62 Mohamud was arrested after trying to detonate his bomb, which was inert. Trump Immigration Ban Unpopular, Monmouth Poll Finds Just 38 percent of the public was in favor of the president issuing a new executive order revising a ban on travelers from Muslim-majority nations. By Gabrielle Levy, Political Reporter U.S. News & World Report, March 6, 2017 Some are referring to President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban as “Muslim ban 2.0.” (Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA/Pool/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) Ahead of the rollout of President Donald Trump’s new executive order banning people from certain majority-Muslim countries from traveling to the U.S., half of Americans said he should have moved on after courts blocked his original effort, and a similar percentage said the initial ban was a bad idea in the first place. According to a new poll from Monmouth University released Monday, just 39 percent of U.S. adults said they believe the original travel ban was a good idea. Meanwhile, 49 percent said the executive order – which targeted people from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen – was a bad idea. The poll, taken before the White House announced the new version of its executive order on Monday, found that approximately the same number – 50 percent – said Trump should have moved on from the ban to other issues, compared with 38 percent who favored his decision to take a second stab at it. The margin of error for the results was 3.5 percentage points. Unlike the first version of the ban, which touched off widespread confusion and mass protests when it was released with no warning on Jan. 27, the new executive order explicitly exempts legal permanent residents. It also aims to bar only the issuance of new visa permits for travelers from the affected countries, and removes Iraq from the list of nations whose citizens will be restricted from entering the U.S. “The president is exercising his rightful authority to keep our people safe,” Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in prepared remarks Monday. “As threats to our security continue to evolve and change, common sense dictates that we continue to re-evaluate the systems we rely upon to protect our country.” The new order, which is set to take effect on March 16, puts the restrictions in place for 90 days – a period Trump administration officials say is meant to give immigration and national security authorities a chance to review and revise screening procedures to ensure the security of the nation. In a ruling that was unanimously upheld by a three￾judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, Seattle￾based U.S. District Judge James Robart halted the original order. On Monday, opponents to the original quickly responded to the revised executive order, calling it a “Muslim ban 2.0” that would face the same fate as the first in court. “The Trump administration has conceded that its original Muslim ban was indefensible. Unfortunately, it has replaced it with a scaled-back version that shares the same fatal flaws,” said Omar Jadwat, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Immigrants Rights Project, which has been involved in legal challenges to the bans. “The changes the Trump administration has made, and everything we’ve learned since the original ban rolled out, completely undermine the bogus national security justifications the president has tried to hide behind and only strengthen the case against his unconstitutional executive orders.” Tags: Donald Trump, polls, executive orders, national security, immigration reform, immigration For Yale Law Group Fighting Trump’s Travel Ban, Echoes Of 1991 By Clyde Haberman New York Times, March 6, 2017 With President Trump recasting his executive order banning the entry of migrants from certain predominantly Muslim countries, it may be a moment to recall Dick the Butcher. Reaction to the new restrictions seems destined to reprise that to Mr. Trump’s original order in January, and it echoes the Butcher’s oft-quoted line from Shakespeare’s “Henry VI, Part 2.” There is a crucial one-word change, though. This version goes: “The first thing we do, let’s call all the lawyers.” That’s what opponents of the travel ban did in January. In short order, legal teams formed to represent immigrants who were suddenly detained at airports, with nowhere to go. Their challenge to presidential authority was sustained by federal judges, and their motivation underpins this short video from Retro Report, a documentary series that mines the past for guidance as to what may lie ahead. The focus is on a network of current and former students at Yale Law School who helped draft a legal petition that became part of the pushback that stopped the first Trump order in its tracks. For Michael J. Wishnie, a Yale law professor involved in that effort, what happened in January was familiar. “It was very much a replay of what I had seen,” he told Retro Report. As a Yale law student in 1991, Professor Wishnie was part of a team that worked on behalf of Haitians who had fled their country by boat after a coup there. They sought asylum in the United States, but instead were sent to the American naval base in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and held behind FOIA CBP 001163 DHS-17-0435-B-000460 63 barbed wire. Ultimately, a federal judge ordered that more than 150 Haitians be released and allowed to enter the United States. Then, as now, there were fears in this country that the migrants presented a threat. Nonetheless, “there have to be rules, and there have to be limits,” said Lisa Daugaard, a 1992 graduate of Yale Law School who is the director of the Public Defender Association, a nonprofit group based in Seattle. And “if the executive agencies are not willing to observe the limits themselves,” Ms. Daugaard said, it falls to the courts to sort things out. From statements issued on Monday after the president’s new order was announced, it appeared that various groups were prepared to call all the lawyers once again. The members of the Yale group said they were ready. They have support from one of their more prominent professors, Harold Hongju Koh, who was involved in the 1990s effort to help Haitian refugees and who was the State Department’s legal adviser during President Barack Obama’s first term. At stake is the rule of law, Professor Koh told Retro Report. “If you’re a lawyer,” he said, “your goal is to make the law serve justice, not just make the law serve power.” Trump’s New Travel Ban Is As Arbitrary And Senseless As The First Washington Post, March 6, 2017 Such was the urgency of President Trump’s temporary travel ban on citizens of seven mainly Muslim countries that he characterized its suspension by federal courts last month as a grave threat to national security. Then his administration moved rather deliberately in formulating a replacement. Three times Mr. Trump and his spokesmen announced the imminent issuance of a new order; three times they postponed it. Now, three weeks after the president first said a new order was imminent, he has signed it — a watered-down version of the original, tweaked to withstand court challenges but no less arbitrary and misguided as a means of enhancing national security. Fortunately, federal courts had the spine to stand up to Mr. Trump’s verbal assault on the judicial system’s integrity, forcing the administration to strip some blatant excesses from the original ban, such as the exclusion of people holding valid green cards and previously issued visas. In other cases, specific cohorts of immigrants would be granted travel or visa waivers on a case-by-case basis, replacing the original order’s blanket ban. Those are significant changes. The new order also drops Iraq from the targeted list of countries whose citizens are barred from traveling to the United States, not because the administration suddenly deemed them a diminished threat but because alienating Iraq was a grievous diplomatic and military blunder. With U.S. forces fighting alongside Iraqi troops against a common enemy, the Islamic State, it dawned on the White House that it could ill afford to antagonize a critical ally. However, in the case of the six countries that remain on the new temporary travel blacklist — Iran, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, Libya and Syria — the justification for their inclusion remains as flimsy as it was before. It is still the case, as a report last month from the Department of Homeland Security reiterated, that few people from the banned countries have mounted or tried to mount terrorist attacks in the United States. It is still the case that most of those convicted or killed attempting such attacks in recent years were U.S.-born citizens. And it is still the case, as U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema found in regard to Mr. Trump’s first order, that a travel ban “may be counterproductive to its stated goal” of keeping the nation safe. That’s because the ban, while doing virtually nothing to deter terrorist attacks in this country, aids the recruitment efforts of the Islamic State and other extremist groups by substantiating their case that anti-Islamic bigotry thrives in the United States. At least this time, the Trump administration subjected the executive order to careful legal vetting before the president signed it. By limiting the order mainly to people with few personal connections to or roots in the United States, the administration hopes to deter fresh lawsuits by states and others arguing that the order inflicted harm on them. The courts will decide whether the order, which renews the suspension of all refu-gee resettlement for 120 days, passes legal muster. Already clear is that it remains antithetical to American interests, values, tradition and security. Trump’s Travel Ban Mulligan It’s still unnecessary, but this version has some important fixes. Wall Street Journal, March 6, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. The Travel Ban Do-over: Our View USA Today, March 6, 2017 The highly anticipated sequel to President Trump’s Jan. 27 travel ban is an improvement on the original, which spurred mass confusion at airports and was blocked by the courts. But, as with most sequels, the revised plan is still a disappointment. The do-over version, announced Monday, strips away some of the more onerous and legally questionable sections of the hastily prepared original. Legal U.S. residents are now clearly exempt from the ban, along with visitors with existing visas. The White House FOIA CBP 001164 DHS-17-0435-B-000461 64 also excised wording that appeared to require preferential treatment for non-Muslim refugees, and another area of the order that indefinitely banned refugees from Syria, a nation where millions of women and children are aching to flee a brutal civil war. But core restrictions from the original order survive, and the rewrite remains stubbornly arbitrary about who it bans, as if the president and his people remain hellbent on slamming the door on certain nations of people even if there’s no logic to it. The new directive still bans entry into the U.S. for 90 days people from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. (Iraq, a crucial ally for the U.S. in fighting the Islamic State, has been pulled from the list.) The order also continues to bar all refugees for 120 days. The almost leisurely pace with which the second version was rolled out cut the legs out from under the president’s argument that the original needed to be sprung without warning to keep “bad dudes” from rushing in. The sequel allows a 10-day grace period. To be sure, the responsibility of safeguarding the U.S. homeland is Job #1 for any president, and there’s nothing wrong with a review of vetting procedures. But in a global war with radicals who offer twisted interpretations of Islam, much of battle terrain is a struggle over ideas. The military and law enforcement need cooperation from Muslims at home and abroad to uncover terror plots and identify targets. Alienating them with sweeping policies that cast suspicion on entire populations is a dangerous game. That’s especially true when the facts don’t support wholesale bans, even if they’re temporary. Research by the Department of Homeland Security concluded that immigrants from the named countries posed no unique risk of becoming terrorists and that, in any case, “country of citizenship is unlikely to be a reliable indicator of potential terrorist activity,” according to an internal report obtained by the Associated Press. Trump often raises the specter of fear when pushing these policies, telling a joint session of Congress last week that “we have seen the attacks at home, from Boston to San Bernardino to the Pentagon and, yes, even the World Trade Center.” So true, as the president likes to say. But none of those attacks were conducted by emigrants from the countries in his new order. Whether the new order passes legal muster remains to be seen. One man who faced exclusion from the United States because of the original Trump dictate was Asghar Farhadi, an acclaimed Iranian filmmaker who won an Oscar for best foreign language film. Farhadi never made it to the Academy Awards, boycotting last month’s event to protest the travel ban. “Dividing the world into categories of ‘us’ and ‘our enemies’ creates fear,” Farhadi said. That’s what the president’s executive order does, and it’s no way to fight terrorism. USA TODAY’s editorial opinions are decided by its Editorial Board, separate from the news staff. Most editorials are coupled with an opposing view — a unique USA TODAY feature. To read more editorials, go to the Opinion front page or sign up for the daily Opinion email newsletter. To respond to this editorial, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com. President Trump’s Muslim Ban Lite New York Times, March 6, 2017 President Trump was center stage when his administration hastily rolled out a sweeping travel ban targeting Muslims in late January, vowing it would ensure “we are not admitting into our country the very threats our soldiers are fighting overseas.” He was out of sight on Monday as administration officials unveiled a downscaled, but still pernicious, version of the ban, which targets refugees and travelers from six predominantly Muslim nations. It’s not hard to see why. The Muslim Ban Lite is an implicit acknowledgment that the Trump administration stumbled spectacularly in its first major attempt to deliver on a campaign promise. And yet, as administration officials made the case on Monday for the revised measures, there was no hint of contrition and plenty of reckless fearmongering. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the president was exercising his “rightful authority to keep our people safe.” Attorney General Jeff Sessions warned, without providing context or evidence, that more than 300 people admitted to the United States as refugees had been investigated by the F.B.I. for possible terrorism links. Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly, meanwhile, lamented that “our enemies often use our own freedoms and generosity against us.” The administration has failed to make a reasonable — let alone persuasive — case for barring people from the six nations. Intelligence experts at the Department of Homeland Security found that “country of citizenship is unlikely to be a reliable indicator of potential terrorist activity,” according to a memo leaked to The Associated Press. Yet, as Mr. Trump has pressed ahead with this dangerous campaign promise, he has missed his own deadline to unveil a secret plan to defeat ISIS. That plan remains a mystery. The initial ban, which was imposed through an executive order issued on Jan. 27, locked out all travelers from seven predominantly Muslim nations: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. It indefinitely suspended the admission of Syrian refugees and temporarily halted the FOIA CBP 001165 DHS-17-0435-B-000462 65 entrance of all other refugees. The order indicated that Christian refugees would get priority over Muslims. In February, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit blocked key portions of the original travel ban, rejecting the administration’s arguments that the exclusions were lawful and necessary to keep the nation safe. The new order no longer bans citizens of Iraq. It also exempts people from the remaining six countries who have a valid American visa. The revised ban includes no mention of religious preferences and makes the ban on Syrian refugees temporary. Like the initial order, the new one reduces the number of refugees the United States is willing to admit this year to 50,000, down from last year’s ceiling of 110,000. While it may disrupt fewer lives, the new ban, and its justification, conveys the same spurious messages: that Muslims are inherently dangerous and that resettling refugees represents a dire threat. As part of the new order, the government intends to disseminate data on “honor killings” committed by foreigners in the United States. This step, and Mr. Sessions’s unsubstantiated claim about refugees under F.B.I. investigation, can be read only as a cultural smear. Resorting to these bunker mentality tactics, which are being peddled with plenty of innuendo and little convincing evidence, will do lasting damage to America’s standing in the world and erode its proud tradition of welcoming people fleeing strife. While these steps are being sold as a means to make the nation safer, they stand to do the opposite. Trump’s Revised Travel Ban Is No Less Misguided And Self-defeating Than His Previous Version Los Angeles Times, March 6, 2017 The new travel ban President Trump signed Monday is no less misguided and damaging to those trying to travel to the U.S., or to those seeking refuge from war-torn regions of the world, than the original. The two new executive orders implementing the ban also show that Trump learned little from the policy debacle of the first go-round. The courts will decide whether he has fixed all of the legal shortcomings with this new, narrower version (the original was put on hold by several federal judges), but it still will disrupt the lives of thousands of people while doing nothing to advance U.S. national security interests. In fact, it feeds into propaganda by Islamic extremists that the Western world is at war with Islam. None of that has changed with this scaled-back version. The new orders suspend travel to the U.S. from six predominately Muslim nations (Iraq was dropped from the original list) for 90 days and freeze the resettlement of refugees from around the world for 120 days, ostensibly to give the administration time to review vetting procedures. Trump issued the first orders without offering credible evidence or a persuasive argument that there is a problem with the vetting, and he offers none here. Although it is reasonable to expect the government to conduct routine reviews of programs and procedures, that’s no justification for freezing visas and the resettlement of refugees while that review is underway. Even the timing of the new orders suggests how unnecessary they are. Trump said he rushed the original orders into effect because “if the ban were announced with a one week notice, the ‘bad’ would rush into our country during that week.” Yet it’s been more than five weeks since Trump issued the now-enjoined orders, with no indication that terrorists have somehow taken advantage of that window to evade vetting by the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security. And the new ban doesn’t go into effect until March 16, presumably to avoid the kind of disastrous rollout that marked the original ban. So much for urgency. The new orders, like the old ones, are just so much Trumpian showboating. People from Sudan, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia and Yemen who were issued a visa before Jan. 27 — the date of the initial orders — will be let in, but pending and new applications will be frozen for 90 days, the same time frame in the original order. But if the review of the vetting process is so critical to national security, one would presume it is already underway, so why a 90-day suspension for the new orders if the government already has spent more than 30 days on the review? In fact, no one from the six affected countries has been implicated in a fatal terror attack on U.S. soil since 9/11, according to a review by Politifact. The nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute reported two years ago that 784,000 refugees were resettled in the U.S. in the 14 years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, yet only three were later convicted on terrorism-related charges — two of them for plotting against an overseas target, and the third for hatching “plans that were barely credible.” In issuing the new freeze on refugees, the administration cited the case of someone brought here as a child who was radicalized after becoming a naturalized citizen. What kind of vetting could possibly anticipate that? At least the ban will not affect noncitizens with lawful permanent resident status (green-card holders) if they travel abroad. Yet the ban still may run afoul of the courts. Although the new orders drop the exemption for religious minorities suffering persecution in the countries affected by the ban, which raised constitutional questions, they still target nations that are predominantly Muslim, and immigrant-rights groups are poised to renew their legal challenges. Ultimately, much like his proposed database to publicize crimes committed by immigrants in the country illegally, Trump’s aim here is not to improve national security, but to ostracize. And it will be to Americans’ shame if he gets away with it. FOIA CBP 001166 DHS-17-0435-B-000463 66 New Travel Ban Addresses Some Problems, But Not The Most Critical Ones By Dallas Morning News Editorial Connect With Dallas Morning News Editorial Email Dallas Morning News, March 6, 2017 President Donald Trump issued a revised travel ban Monday that attempts to address several of the most glaring errors from the original January executive order. But it does nothing to fix the original’s existential flaws: It attempts to fix a problem that does not exist, while offending American ideals and making the country less safe in the process. Monday’s executive order suspends the U.S. refugee program for 120 days and imposes a 90-day ban on new visas for citizens of six majority-Muslim nations; a seventh, Iraq, was removed from the original plan. The new travel order no longer targets travelers who already have valid visas, people with U.S. green cards, or those who have been granted asylum or refu-gee status. Those are all welcome changes. The executive order was also improved by degrees by the removal of language that explicitly protected religious minorities, which seemed to favor Christians over Muslims in the Middle East. The indefinite ban on Syrian refugees has been reduced to a 120-day ban. And it will avoid some of the chaos that ensued in the sudden implementation in January; this policy won’t go into effect until March 16. Trump travel order targets people seeking visas in six Muslim-majority nations And yet: Trump’s insistence on a travel ban at all is a mistake. Trump lacks compelling evidence that this order will make America safer. Refugees already undergo a vigorous vetting before coming to the U.S. In addition, last month, the Intelligence and Analysis branch of the Department of Homeland Security concluded that citizenship of a specified country itself is an “unlikely indicator” of danger to the United States. The same report also found that very few people from the targeted nations have been linked to terrorism in the U.S. over the past six years. The U.S. intelligence community also notes that the most serious terrorist threats to this nation are from U.S. citizens who have been radicalized by Islamic State propaganda, not new entrants. Obviously, Trump has not let facts get in the way of the new order, which is more a bone thrown to his political base than an effective homeland security strategy. Although Trump wants a global review of immigration and travel safeguards, it is not at all clear what he hopes to accomplish that the high level of vetting already in place has not accomplished. And the president’s insistence on barring refugees is an affront to the ideals of the United States, which has long been a beacon of liberty to the world’s persecuted and oppressed. Trump’s original executive order was frozen by the courts. The president excoriated the move, but Americans should be grateful for a system that pushed this administration to bring a more thoughtful approach to a significant rewrite of immigration policy. Another reason to oppose Trump’s travel ban: Immigrants get the job done We can hope that this experience taught Trump to be more deliberate with policy execution in the future. As misguided as these executive orders are, the botched rollout of the original made the experience all the worse. What they said “This is a retreat, but let’s be clear — it’s just another run at a Muslim ban.” Omar Jadwat, director of the Immigrants’ Rights Project at the American Civil Liberties Union “Even though this new order is far more narrow than the previous order ... the current order does not fully account for the 9th Circuit’s concern.” Leon Fresco, an immigration lawyer at Holland and Knight Trump Just Signed His New Travel Ban. Here’s What It’s Really About. Washington Post, March 6, 2017 Today the administration released the new version of its travel ban, and unlike the first, bumbling time they did it, this time it actually looks as though they put some thought into it, particularly with regard to getting it upheld in court. There is one critical feature it shares with the original version, however: It will do nothing to keep Americans any safer than we already are. Here are the basics of this order and how it differs from the previous one: It bans nationals of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the United States. Iraq has been removed from the list. It bars all refugees from entering the United States for the next 120 days, and no longer bans Syrian refugees indefinitely. It says that the number of refugees who will be admitted once the ban is lifted will be cut by more than half, down below a cap of 50,000 a year. The ban no longer applies to people with green cards or those who have already gotten valid visas to travel to the United States, as the first ban did. It contains language making clear that the preference given to persecuted religious minorities does not only apply to Christians. In short, unlike the first order, this one looks as though it was written by people who know what they’re doing, with an eye to overcoming the legal problems that got the first order FOIA CBP 001167 DHS-17-0435-B-000464 67 blocked by the courts. So it may well survive the inevitable legal challenges. But that doesn’t mean it actually enhances our security. That’s because the terrorism that would be stopped by this new ban is virtually nonexistent. That’s for two reasons. First, experts have noted that there have been no fatal terrorist attacks on U.S. soil perpetrated since 9/11 by anyone from those six countries. Second, as an assessment from Trump’s own DHS has concluded, most foreign-born, U.S.- based violent extremists probably were radicalized years after getting here, rendering screening procedures of limited value in preventing the entry of such potential terror plotters. That doesn’t even mention the fact that terrorism in general is a tiny threat: Fewer than 100 Americans have been killed here since 9/11, or an average of around six per year. I’m pretty sure that if the Trump administration can maintain the record established by Presidents Bush and Obama, they’ll claim that their policies were spectacularly successful at keeping us safe. That brings up something else to keep a close eye on. As this blog has warned before, don’t be surprised if at some point in the future, perhaps after a few months pass and attention fades, the administration starts adding to that list of countries whose nationals will be banned. Just as no one seriously thinks we face a dire threat from nationals of these six countries, no one could think that the administration is worried about those countries and no others. In fact, the best way to understand the travel ban is to see it as part of a broader effort on the part of White House, particularly Trump’s key advisers Stephen K. Bannon and Stephen Miller and Attorney General Jeff Sessions, to wage an assault on the very idea of American diversity. Bannon has long believed that the white, Christian West is embroiled in a clash of civilizations with Islam. We learned this weekend that he often cites “The Camp of the Saints,” a viciously racist French novel from the 1970s about white Europe being overrun by nonwhite immigrants, to describe what he sees in the world today. And as The Post recently reported, “Sessions’s ideology is driven by a visceral aversion to what he calls ‘soulless globalism,’ a term used on the extreme right to convey a perceived threat to the United States from free trade, international alliances and the immigration of nonwhites.” Also, let’s not forget that their boss won the presidency by promising to temporarily ban all Muslims from coming to the United States and build a wall on our southern border. So even if this newest version of the travel ban was written more carefully than the first one, make no mistake about its intent. Like the administration’s immigration crackdown, its stated justification is secondary. What it’s really about is creating a particular kind of America, one that shuts out the “wrong” kind of people and sends a clear message to the world that if you aren’t the right race or the right religion, we don’t want you. That’s what the Trump administration is after, and so far they’re doing a pretty good job of it. Paul Waldman is a contributor to The Plum Line blog, and a senior writer at The American Prospect. Don’t Be Fooled, Trump’s New Muslim Ban Is Still Illegal By Farhana Khera And Johnathan Smith New York Times, March 6, 2017 President Trump’s executive order barring immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries experienced nearly universal defeat in the federal courts. On Monday, he issued a revised version of that order, but it still suffers from a fundamental, and fatal, flaw: It constitutes unlawful religious discrimination. On the surface, this revised order looks different from the first version. It explicitly exempts Iraq from the travel ban, thus reducing the number of affected countries to six, as well as lawful permanent residents (that is, green card holders) and people who have visas. It no longer categorically bars Syrian refugees or includes a religious test to determine which refugees may enter the country. And in a marked departure from the earlier order, it goes into effect in 10 days, so that the chaos that unfolded in airports around the world when the January order became effective presumably won’t happen again. These changes are, no doubt, intended to address the due process concerns that led the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit to affirm a lower-court ruling that put a hold on part of the original order. But while these changes are important, they do not fix the core problem with the executive order: The administration is waging an all-out assault on Islam and Muslims. That’s because anti-Muslim bias and bigotry that characterized the original travel ban remain in this revised version. The order is still limited to only Muslim-majority countries: namely, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Residents of those countries — and only those countries — will be severely restricted in their ability to travel into the United States for 90 days. Left off are the predominately Christian countries that the State Department lists as “Terrorist Safe Havens” like Colombia, the Philippines and Venezuela. The revised order also continues to traffic in bigoted and largely false perceptions: By requiring the government to compile occurrences of “honor killings” by immigrants, it gives official recognition to an inflammatory and misleading trope of Islam that is perpetuated by anti-Muslim hate groups. President Trump has not been subtle in his intentions. We need look no further than his own words to figure them FOIA CBP 001168 DHS-17-0435-B-000465 68 out. On the campaign trail, he constantly conflated the vast majority of peaceful Muslims with the small handful of violent Muslims. After the Paris attacks in November 2015, Mr. Trump said that “we’re going to have no choice” but to close some mosques in the United States, where “some really bad things are happening.” The next month, after the attack in San Bernardino, Calif., he called for a “complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States” and released a factually dubious statement that “large segments of the Muslim population” have “great hatred towards Americans” and favor Shariah law. Astonishingly, that statement is still posted on Mr. Trump’s website. In December, when a reporter asked whether he had reconsidered his stance on Islam, President-elect Trump replied: “You know my plans. All along, I’ve been proven to be right.” This dark and wholly unsubstantiated worldview about Islam and the American Muslim community is shared by several of the president’s senior aides and advisers. Let’s be clear: This revised order is a Muslim ban. All the countries he has excluded are more than 90 percent Muslim. Three of them — Iran, Somalia and Yemen — are more than 99 percent Muslim. Even though Mr. Trump tailored his order to survive legal challenges, as his former adviser Rudolph Giuliani conceded on national television, his objective is clearly to exclude Muslims. The Trump administration argues that the ban protects the country. Yet by excluding Iraq from the order, Mr. Trump has cleared travel from one of the two countries from which Islamic State terrorists operates. Moreover, the Department of Homeland Security concluded last month that “country of citizenship is unlikely to be a reliable indicator of potential terrorist activity.” Former national security officials from Democratic and Republican administrations have made clear that the January order does not make our country safer. Instead, the bigotry that Mr. Trump spews at news conferences and on Twitter have been a boon for terrorists’ recruitment efforts. The twisted worldview does not match reality. Muslims have been part of America for centuries, since the first slave ships arrived in the 17th century. Today, Muslims represent 1 percent of the United States population: They are our teachers, doctors, neighbors and co-workers. American Muslims will suffer a particular harm from this executive order: Those who have ties to the banned countries won’t be able to see their family members and close friends. American Muslims will also be deprived of the instruction from the leading Islamic scholars who are from those countries. Thousands of Muslim men and women serve in the armed forces; many have given their lives defending our nation and our ideals. They contribute to the diversity that has always been our nation’s pride and strength. President George W. Bush paid tribute to this in the weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks when he said, “There are thousands of Muslims who proudly call themselves Americans, and they know what I know — that the Muslim faith is based upon peace and love and compassion.” President Trump and his top advisers would be wise to listen to President Bush. The Muslim ban and President Trump’s relentless attacks on Islam are not just an assault on thousands of patriotic, innocent Americans — they violate our Constitution and our most fundamental American values and beliefs. Uber, Airbnb Slam New Travel Ban By Harper Neidig The Hill, March 6, 2017 Airbnb and Uber called out the Trump administration on Monday over the president’s new executive order temporarily banning people from six Muslim-majority nations from entering the country. “Barring people from entering our country because of where they’re from was wrong the first time around – still wrong,” Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky wrote on Twitter. “Our sentiment has not changed: President Trump’s immigration ban is unjust and wrong,” added an Uber spokesperson in a statement to The Hill. “We will continue to stand up for those in the Uber community affected.” President Trump’s new executive order bans the entry of foreign nationals from Iran, Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. It comes after implementation of the previous order, which blocked entry from all of the above nations plus Iraq, was halted by a federal court. The new order removes Iraq from the list of countries from which travel is temporarily banned and halts all refugee admissions to the U.S. for four months. The previous order also contained that provision, but it indefinitely barred Syrian refugees as well. The administration also struck language that would have given preference to religious minorities — such as Christians from the Middle East — once refugee resettlement resumes. The earlier travel ban was widely condemned among tech companies, a number of whom signed on to a legal filing in support of a lawsuit to put a halt to the executive order. Uber and Airbnb were among the first major tech companies to come out against the new measure in the hours after it was signed Monday morning. Lyft CEO Logan Green piled on later Monday, saying that he and co-founder John Zimmer would be collaborating with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) efforts targeting the order. “Lyft stands firmly against this order,” Green said in a statement. “We will continue to speak out and take action when the values of our community are put at risk. John and I are meeting with the Executive Director of the ACLU on FOIA CBP 001169 DHS-17-0435-B-000466 69 Wednesday to discuss how we can further support their efforts.” Technology Companies Respond To Revised Executive Order Barring Travelers From 6 Majority-Muslim Countries International Business Times, March 6, 2017 Technology companies spoke out in near-unison against the first travel ban issued by the Donald Trump administration. On Monday, following the signing of a second executive order designed to bar travel from six majority￾Muslim countries, top tech firms once again started to voice their opposition. Uber, Airbnb and Lyft were first to issue statements condemning the decision. Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky took to Twitter to respond to the Trump administration’s latest executive order. “Barring people from entering our country because of where they’re from was wrong the first time around — still wrong,” he wrote. Lyft CEO Logan Green told the Verge, “Lyft stands firmly against this order. We will continue to speak out and take action when the values of our community are put at risk.” The head of the ridehailing service said he will meet with the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on Wednesday to discuss how the company can further support the group’s efforts to challenge the ban. In a statement issued to the Hill, a spokesperson for Uber said, “Our sentiment has not changed: President Trump’s immigration ban is unjust and wrong. We will continue to stand up for those in the Uber community affected.” Lyft and Airbnb offered forceful rebukes of the original executive order in January. At the time, Lyft pledged to donate $1 million to the ACLU, while Airbnb offered free housing to anyone affected by the travel ban. Uber’s speedy response to the latest ban may be a reaction to the company being widely criticized in the wake of the first executive order. Company CEO Travis Kalanick was seated on President Trump’s economic advisor board at the time— he has since stepped down — and the company was seen as attempting to break a taxi strike in New York by temporarily removing surge pricing during a travel ban protest at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Those actions led to the #DeleteUber movement across social media. According to a report from the New York Times, the company lost nearly 200,000 users during the backlash. Other major tech firms that led the charge within the tech community against the original travel ban — including companies like Apple, Microsoft, Google and Facebook — have yet to issue statements regarding the latest travel ban and have not responded to requests for comment from International Business Times. DHS Chief: Agency May Separate Parents, Children At Border By Alicia A. Caldwell Associated Press, March 6, 2017 WASHINGTON (AP) – The Homeland Security Department is considering separating children from parents caught crossing the Mexican border illegally, Secretary John Kelly said Monday. Kelly said such a move would be part of a broader effort to discourage families from making the dangerous trek across Mexico to the U.S. border. He confirmed that he’s considering the action during an interview with CNN Monday. The plan had previously been reported by several news outlets. Tens of thousands of parents and children fleeing violence and poverty, mostly from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, have been caught crossing the border illegally in recent years. Generally, the families are detained for a few days or weeks before being released into the United States to wait for an immigration judge to decide their fate. “I would do almost anything to deter the people from Central America getting on this very, very dangerous network ... going through Mexico,” Kelly said during his television interview. Homeland Security officials have been trying to curb the flow of families since 2014 when a flood of both children and families overwhelmed immigration officials. The department launched a public relations campaign in Central America to warn about the dangers and advise families that there would be no free pass into the United States. The Obama administration opened multiple detention centers that year, in part to deter others from crossing, to house families while immigration judges and asylum officers heard their cases But a federal judge in California later ruled that detaining children violated a long-standing agreement that bars the government from detaining children in a jail-like setting, even if they are with their parents. That ruling prompted the government to start releasing families into the U.S. With a backlog of more than half a million cases, it can take years for a case to be completed in federal immigration court. Leon Fresco, who led the Justice Department’s Office of Immigration Ligation under President Barack Obama, said the government has been considering such a move since that federal court ruling. Kelly said if families are separated at the border, the children will be “well-cared for” by government officials. --- © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or FOIA CBP 001170 DHS-17-0435-B-000467 70 redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Homeland Security Chief Admits He’s Considering Splitting Children From Parents At Border Huffington Post, March 6, 2017 Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said Monday that he’s considering splitting children from their parents if they arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border without authorization. “I would do almost anything to deter the people from Central America to getting on this very, very dangerous network that brings them up through Mexico into the United States,” Kelly said on CNN’s “The Situation Room,” confirming a report that the policy shift was under consideration. The government has struggled since 2014 to deal with a larger number of mothers and children coming to the U.S. from Central America without authorization, many of them seeking asylum based on violence in their native countries. Former President Barack Obama attempted to stem the tide in part through detaining mothers and children, a highly controversial practice. President Donald Trump’s administration is considering even harsher measures. The argument Kelly made ― and Obama administration officials did before him ― is that extreme steps are needed to keep women and children from making a dangerous journey to the U.S., where they face an uncertain future. It’s not baseless; Kelly noted that many women and girls are raped on the way. But there aren’t many legal options for people in Central America who fear violence or death to flee, and Kelly earlier Monday announced that the Trump administration was limiting them even further. The new executive order on travel that Trump signed Monday blocks all refugee resettlement for 120 days, beginning March 16, and reduces the overall number of refugees to be admitted this fiscal year. That will include a temporary shutdown of the Central American Minors program, which is part of the refugee resettlement. The idea behind the program was to give parents already lawfully in the U.S. a means to legally bring in their children if they could prove the kids were at risk in their native countries. Thanks to Trump, in an action defended by Kelly, that won’t be an option for four months. At the same time, the Trump administration is cracking down on those who attempt to come to the U.S. without authorization. Kelly announced last month that the administration would pursue deportation or even criminal prosecution for parents who pay to have their children smuggled into the U.S. The administration also seeks to deport people more quickly and end so-called catch and release. The government is required to place undocumented children in the least restrictive setting possible, which has posed a problem when determining what to do with children traveling with their parents. Unaccompanied minors are transferred to the Department of Health and Human Services, which Kelly said does “a very, very good job of putting them in either foster care or linking them up with parents or family members in the United States.” The Obama administration came under fire from Democrats and immigrant advocates and faced lawsuits for long-term detention of children with their mothers, and it began to move most families through the system more quickly ― screening them and releasing most while they waited for court hearings. If the Trump administration splits children from their parents, it will avoid detaining children while still punishing their parents. “I am considering it in order to deter more movement along this terribly dangerous network. I’m considering exactly that,” Kelly said of separating parents and children. “They will be well cared for as we deal with their parents.” “The Situation Room” host Wolf Blitzer asked Kelly if he understands “how that looks to the average person.” “It’s more important to me, Wolf, to try to keep people off of this awful network,” he said. In Trump’s speech to the Republican National Convention as a presidential candidate in July, he discussed families from Central America as if they were a scourge that put Americans in danger. “They are being released by the tens of thousands into our communities,” he said last summer, “with no regard for the impact on public safety or resources.” Homeland Security Chief ‘Considering’ Separating Illegal Immigrant Kids From Parents By Daniel Halper New York Post, March 6, 2017 Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly says he’s considering a proposal to separate children from their parents who cross illegally from Mexico into the US. “Yes, I am considering — in order to deter more movement along this terribly dangerous network — I am considering exactly that,” Kelly said in response to a question on CNN about reports about the possible change in policy. “They will be well cared for as we deal with their parents.” FOIA CBP 001171 DHS-17-0435-B-000468 71 Kelly said the action would be a deterrent to prevent people from entering the US illegally. Homeland Security officials say some people trying to sneak in bring along kids to take advantage of the system, which currently allows adults with children to stay in the US pending disposition of their cases. “We are seeing kids essentially kidnapped and used to get here and stay,” an unnamed official told CNN over the weekend. Tens of thousands of parents and children mostly fleeing violence in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala have been caught crossing the border illegally in recent years. Generally, the families are detained for a few days or weeks before being released to wait for an immigration judge to decide their fate. It can take years for a case to be completed in federal immigration court. Kelly: DHS Is Considering Separating Undocumented Children From Their Parents At The Border By Daniella Diaz CNN, March 6, 2017 Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly confirmed that the department is considering separating children from their parents at the border. “We have tremendous experience of dealing with unaccompanied minors,” he told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on “The Situation Room.” “We turn them over to (Health and Human Services) and they do a very, very good job of putting them in foster care or linking them up with parents or family members in the United States.” He continued: “Yes I’m considering (that), in order to deter more movement along this terribly dangerous network. I am considering exactly that. They will be well cared for as we deal with their parents. ... It’s more important to me, Wolf, to try to keep people off of this awful network.” A senior DHS official had previously told CNN that the department was considering a proposal to separate children from adults when they are trying to enter the country illegally at the southern border. The official told CNN the proposal is meant to deter the exploitation of children. Currently, when adults enter the country accompanied by children, they are generally released into the US and able to stay in the country, pending disposition of their cases, the official said. The proposal would allow US immigration officials to separate children from the adults they came here with. The adults could be kept in detention, and the children could be moved elsewhere under protected status, possibly with family members already in the country or to state protective custody such as child protective services. In a statement to CNN last week, DHS spokesman David Lapan said the agency “continually explores options that may discourage those from even beginning the journey.” “The journey north is a dangerous one, with too many situations where children – brought by parents, relatives or smugglers – are often exploited, abused or may even lose their lives,” Lapan said at the time. Leon Fresco, a former DOJ official in President Barack Obama’s administration, said the previous administration considered, but ultimately rejected, the move. “It was never implemented because the idea was that it was too detrimental to the safety of the children to separate them from their parents, and the thinking was it was always preferable to detain the family as a unit or release the family as the unit,” Fresco said. John Kelly: DHS May Separate Immigrant Children From Parents TIME, March 6, 2017 Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly confirmed he is considering an initiative that would separate immigrant children from their parents if they enter the U.S. illegally. During an interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, Kelly said he would do “almost anything to deter the people from Central America to getting on this very, very dangerous network that brings them up through Mexico and to the United States.” When pressed by Blitzer about whether DHS personnel would separate undocumented immigrant children from their parents, Kelly confirmed he was considering such protocol. “Yes, I am considering, in order to deter more movement along this terribly dangerous network, I am considering exactly that,” he said. “They will be well cared for as we deal with their parents.” Reuters reportedon Saturday that the DHS policy under consideration would permit the government to hold parents in custody and put children in protective custody until they can be put in the care of a U.S. relative or a state-sponsored guardian. Kelly Confirms He’s Considering Program To Separate Migrant Children And Parents By Madeline Conway Politico, March 6, 2017 Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly confirmed Monday that the Trump administration is considering separating migrant parents and children who cross the U.S.-Mexico border together illegally. Speaking to CNN’s Wolf Blitzer late Monday afternoon, Kelly confirmed the gist of a recent Reuters report, saying FOIA CBP 001172 DHS-17-0435-B-000469 72 that he is “considering exactly that” as a way to deter people from Central America from traveling up through Mexico with the goal of entering the U.S. “If you get some young kids who manage to sneak into the United States with their parents, are Department of Homeland Security personnel going to separate the children from their moms and dads?” Blitzer asked. “We have tremendous experience in dealing with unaccompanied minors,” Kelly responded. “We turn them over to HHS, and they do a very, very good job of either putting them in kind of foster care or linking them up with parents or family members in the United States.” He continued: “Yes, I am considering, in order to deter more movement along this terribly dangerous network, I am considering exactly that. They will be well cared for as we deal with their parents.” President Donald Trump campaigned on a promise to take a hard line on illegal immigration. But Kelly’s statement is likely to prompt a rebuke from Democrats and immigrant rights advocates. Responding to Reuters’ initial report on the program, Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Democrat, released a strongly-worded statement. “Bottom line: separating mothers and children is wrong,” Cuellar said, according to Reuters. “That type of thing is where we depart from border security and get into violating human rights.” Kelly Says Considering Separating Women, Children At Mexico Border By Eric Beech Reuters, March 6, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Under Proposed DHS Policy, Detained Immigrant Mothers Would Be Separated From Their Kids. Slate, March 6, 2017 Immigrant mothers and children apprehended after coming north across the U.S.-Mexico border may be separated from one another if a proposed Department of Homeland Security policy goes through. Three government officials told Reuters that DHS is considering changing its current system, wherein families crossing the border are either detained together in family detention centers or allowed to live in the U.S. while applying for asylum or waiting for their court hearings, which could be months or even years away. If DHS adopts the proposal, mothers would remain in the U.S. immigrant detention system and their kids would be removed into protective custody with the Department of Health and Human Services. Children would remain in government custody until a relative in the U.S. or a “state￾sponsored guardian” could take over. Reuters’ sources said that Donald Trump and members of his administration intend the proposed policy to act as a deterrent, making it even less attractive for women to leave their homes with their children to escape the violence and poverty that sends them fleeing across borders. “It’s hard for most Americans to imagine what level of unsafety and insecurity must exist to cause a parent to feel like this is their best option for keeping their family safe,” Avideh Moussavian, a policy attorney at the National Immigration Law Center, told Slate, calling the proposal a “really gratuitous measure of cruelty” toward people who’ve already survived the trauma of a long journey from their home countries. “I think that it’s appalling that we would receive those families, rather than by assuring that they’re O.K. and that we can provide them safety, that we’re subjecting them to this horrific possibility of being separated from their young children. It serves absolutely no policy purpose, and it is potentially in contravention of our international humanitarian obligations.” Moussavian believes the proposed policy shift, which is reportedly under consideration by DHS officials, has raised concerns that Immigration and Customs Enforcement will rapidly increase the number of families it detains. In response to rising numbers of unaccompanied minors coming across the border near the end of his time in office, Barack Obama oversaw the expansion of family detention, which hadn’t been an enforcement tactic for many years, and the opening of new family detention centers. At the time, that, too, was explained as a deterrent measure. To Laura Polstein, a senior staff attorney at the Centro Legal de la Raza in Oakland, the deterrent argument rings false and poses a threat to human rights. “People don’t leave their country and travel through multiple other countries, often really dangerous journeys, with their children just for kicks. People are fleeing because their lives are under threat,” she told Slate. “A lot of our clients, a lot of the stories we hear, are that people … get a threat and within that week, they’re gone. I don’t think people are looking into the details of border patrol policy at the moment when they make that difficult decision to leave their home.” The proposal isn’t just inhumane—it’s logistically untenable. Reuters reports that ICE logged about 54,000 children coming across the border with their guardians in the span of just four months this fall and winter, more than twice as many as were apprehended in those same months the year before. Detention centers and protective custody facilities are not prepared to take on that kind of surge in detainees, so facilities would overcrowd and many other detainees would have to be released. That means this proposed policy, or even just the leaks about its consideration, is more about instilling fear and shame into FOIA CBP 001173 DHS-17-0435-B-000470 73 immigrants—and providing supporters with a perverted sense of victory—than it is about protecting anyone’s safety. If the policy does go through, the detrimental effects on potentially hundreds of thousands of children and families would be enormous. Family separation has been used as a compliance tactic and a method of dehumanizing individuals in almost every system of state-sanctioned forced labor and detention, from slave plantations to concentration camps in Nazi Germany. “If the U.S. starts [separating mothers from their children] on a wide-scale basis … we’re going to see an impact on the people that happened to for years into the future,” Polstein said. “You hear stories now of much older adults who lived through Japanese internment, for example, as children. That experience had a huge impact on who they became. Mentally, emotionally—that kind of experience is really lasting.” Moussavian noted that young children are particularly susceptible to long-term harm from being kept in penal-like conditions, like those of the secured Office of Refugee Resettlement facilities kids would likely enter if the proposed DHS policy comes to pass. For parents who expect their trip to the border to be the most perilous part of their journey, arriving to find the government ready to take away their children would be “cruel and unexpected punishment,” she said. “The idea that they wouldn’t be afforded every protection—and that we wouldn’t ensure that people who are afraid to go back have a chance to stay here—really speaks to [the Trump administration’s] total lack of regard for due process protections, let alone just basic humanity.” IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT Police Allege IT Worker At Washington Post Was Impersonating ICE Officer By Dan Morse Washington Post, March 6, 2017 An IT worker at The Washington Post impersonated a federal law enforcement officer in Northern Virginia and was seen wearing a ballistic vest bearing the label “ICE” across the front, according to police allegations filed in Montgomery County District Court. Itai Ozderman, 35, of Gaithersburg was suspended by The Post on Monday, his attorney Thomas Degonia said. Ozderman has not been charged with impersonating a federal officer, Degonia said. But the FBI continues to probe his actions, according to police officials in Falls Church, Va., and to Maryland court records. As part of the investigation into Ozderman, a Montgomery County SWAT team and FBI agents searched his home two weeks ago just before 6 a.m. They found a cache of guns, including two M4 assault rifles, court records show. Officers also searched a Volkswagen Jetta used by Ozderman and found a loaded Sig Sauer semiautomatic handgun, as well as a Baltimore County police badge, a police radio and tactical vests, court records show. Those alleged discoveries led to two charges against him: transporting a loaded handgun and possession of the police badge while not being a Baltimore County officer, the court files state. Kris Coratti, vice president for communications and events for The Post, said, “We are aware of it and are looking into it.” The case against Ozderman was reported earlier Monday by WJLA-7 in Washington. “At this point, all indications are that the weapons were purchased and possessed legally,” Degonia said. He declined to comment on the police assertions about impersonating law enforcement. “At this point these are allegations, and he enjoys the presumption of innocence,” Degonia said. After his arrest two weeks ago in Montgomery County, Ozderman listed his occupation as an “IT Engineer” at The Post and said he had worked there for two years, according to the court records. Authorities in Northern Virginia became concerned about Ozderman’s alleged activities going back to late last year, according to court records. Susan Finarelli, a spokeswoman for the Falls Church Police Department, said officers there determined Ozderman was impersonating an ICE officer and turned the matter over the FBI. She declined to comment further. An arrest warrant filed Feb. 22 in Montgomery District Court describes some of the events leading to Ozderman’s arrest. In the warrant, a Montgomery detective said his agency was contacted by the FBI, asking for help putting together a search warrant for Ozderman’s residence in Gaithersburg. An “investigation determined that Itai Ozderman was impersonating a federal law enforcement officer and a local law enforcement [officer] in the Falls Church, Va., area,” Montgomery police wrote in court papers. “Ozderman was seen wearing a ballistic vest with an ‘ICE’ placard across the front of his chest. ICE stands for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. . . . Ozderman was also seen with a Baltimore County Police badge. It was also reported that Ozderman was enforcing or attempting to enforce criminal laws.” A Montgomery detective determined Ozderman had never been a Baltimore County officer. Ozderman also told detectives he had never been a law enforcement officer with any agency, court records show. FOIA CBP 001174 DHS-17-0435-B-000471 74 FBI Raids House Of Washington Post Employee Accused Of Impersonating Immigration Agents Washington Examiner, March 6, 2017 Monday. Local law enforcement in Montgomery County, Maryland, served a warrant to Itai Ozderman at his home on Feb. 22 on allegations he pretended to be a federal immigration agent throughout Falls Church, Va., walking around the town with a bullet p FBI and SWAT agents last month raided the house of a Gaithersburg, Maryland, man who is accused of impersonating an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Virginia on multiple occasions, according to a report published Monday. Local law enforcement in Montgomery County, Maryland, served a warrant to Itai Ozderman at his home on Feb. 22 on allegations he pretended to be a federal immigration agent throughout Falls Church, Va., walking around the town with a bullet proof vest, ICE placard and Baltimore County police badge. Ozderman was born in Israel and worked as an IT engineer at the Washington Post at the time of the arrest. Baltimore County police confirmed Ozderman had never worked at the department. During the raid, police recovered 10 weapons, including handguns, assault rifles and a shotgun. The 35-year-old man also had body armor, weapon magazines, bullets and a working police radio on hand at his home, according to a WJLA report. Ozderman was arrested at the scene, but later made bond and was released from custody. Md. Man Charged With Impersonating ICE Agent WUSA-TV Washington, March 6, 2017 A Gaithersburg man pretended to be an ICE officer, Montgomery County Police said Monday evening. According to charging documents, Itai Ozderman, 35, was seen wearing a ballistic vest with the word “ICE” across the front in Falls Church, Va. ICE stands for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He also was seen trying to “enforce the law,” according to investigators. While searching his home, detectives said they found seven handguns, two assault rifles, and a shotgun. They also discovered body armor, tactical vests, and ammunition. They also said found what appeared to be a Baltimore County Police badge inside a vehicle parked at the home. Detectives confirmed Ozderman wasn’t a police officer, wasn’t an ICE agent, never worked for Baltimore County Police. Ozderman has been charged with impersonating a police officer and transporting a handgun in a vehicle. Police believe he might have pretended to be a police officer in other cases that weren’t reported. Investigators are urging anyone who has information related to Ozderman impersonating a law enforcement officer to contact the Major Crimes Division at 240-773-5100. US Army Veteran Faces Deportation To Mexico After Serving Two Tours In Afghanistan The family of Miguel Perez say he is suffering from post traumatic stress disorder By Andrew Buncombe New York Independent (UK), March 6, 2017 A former soldier who served two tours in Afghanistan with the US military and where he suffered serious head injuries, is fighting an order to deport him to Mexico. Military veteran Army Private 1st class Miguel Perez was born in Mexico and grew up in Chicago. He sustained a brain injury on his second tour of duty and suffers from post￾traumatic stress disorder, his family said. But now, Mr Perez faces being sent to Mexico. Four years he left the military, Mr Perez served prison time for a drug offence which sparked the deportation proceedings. Mr Perez, 38, was a legal permanent resident when he joined the army and said he thought he became a legal US citizen when he enlisted, but that was not the case. Mr Perez is one of thousands of green card veterans who face deportation, according to the Ashley’s Memory Project, which was started by the immigrant mother of a deceased veteran, and a local church. They said many enlist with the promise of citizenship. “He’s more American than most of us standing here, because he did pick up arms to defend this country,” his mother, Esperanza Perez, told reporters at Lincoln United Methodist Church in the city’s Pilsen neighbourhood. Mr Perez’s family has claimed that the former soldier did not did not get adequate medical attention when he returned home and turned to self medication with drugs and alcohol. The Chicago Tribune said that a judge is weighing up the case and will issue a written response in weeks. Immigration judge Robin Rosche, is considering Mr Perez’s claim under the United Nations Convention against Torture, a protection that resembles asylum. InsideGov | Graphiq Under that provision, the US agrees not to deport people who are not American citizens or nationals to another country where they could be tortured. Mr Perez told the judge that he fears for his life if he is sent back to Mexico. His lawyer, Chris Bergin, said Mr Perez and other veterans who have been sent back to Mexico are targeted. FOIA CBP 001175 DHS-17-0435-B-000472 75 “Those kind of people are immediately targeted upon entry to Mexico as people who can help criminal gangs, cartels, through their military experience, their weapons training, all that. They are targeted in the sense that, ‘You either work for us or we kill you’,” Mr Bergin said. Mr Perez’s battle follows the issuing of an executive order by Donald Trump who told his administration to step the seizure and deportation of undocumented migrants. While Barack Obama’s administration deported hundreds of thousands, they prioritised people with convictions for serious crimes. Charlotte Student Facing Deportation Was Charged With Embezzling $2,900 From Harris Teeter Store Charlotte (NC) Observer, March 6, 2017 A Charlotte high school student facing deportation was charged last month with embezzling almost $3,000 from a Harris Teeter store. Gustavo “Gus” Zamudio was arrested Feb. 25 on felony larceny by employee, court records show. A Charlotte￾Mecklenburg police report on the incident says Zamudio, 18, took $2,907 from the grocery store at 1015 Providence Road where he worked. Under North Carolina law, a theft becomes a felony when it involves property or services valued at more than $1,000. The thefts at the Myers Park store occurred over a seven-week period, ending with Zamudio’s arrest, the report says. Details were scarce, though the report says Zamudio stole the money by “putting it in his pocket.” Carnell Johnson, the teenager’s immigration attorney, says Zamudio disputes the embezzlement charges. Zamudio is scheduled to graduate in the spring from Northwest School of the Arts. His arrest, however, appears to have made the Mexico native eligible for a stepped-up effort by the Trump administration to deport undocumented aliens with criminal records. Under a federal program known as 287(g), Mecklenburg sheriff’s deputies, in partnership with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, scan the jail population for potential undocumented immigrants or those who have violated their immigration status. During their jail processing, all prisoners are asked where they were born and in what country they are a citizen or naturalized citizen. Depending on the answer, they could face additional scrutiny by deputies trained to work in the 287(g) program to see if the person is unlawfully in the country. In the last fiscal year, 1,241 foreign nationals went through the county program and 100 were deported, according to ICE. Those detained at that center appear before an immigration judge who determines whether they will be released while the deportation process unfolds. Johnson says he hopes to get a judge to agree to hold a bond hearing for Zamudio within the next two weeks in Georgia. He said before his arrest, Zamudio had received protection under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, a renewable two-year program started by the Obama administration that protected certain immigrants from deportation who had come into the country with their parents. DACA participants are also eligible for work permits. Danna Robinson, the company’s communication manager, said Harris Teeter does not discuss personnel matters. But she added that the company “confirms the identity and work authorization of every new hire,” and that the company is enrolled in the federal eVerify program. Under the previous administration, participants would lose DACA protections when convicted of a felony. Johnson said the Trump administration is revoking DACA status at the time of arrest. “Six months ago, Gus would already have been released and he could have been home,” Johnson said. ICE spokesman Bryan Cox said last week that he was unable to immediately comment about Zamudio’s case. But he added, “ICE is focused on identifying, arresting and removing public safety threats, such as criminal aliens and gang members, as well as individuals who have violated our nation’s immigration laws.” Zamudio left the Mecklenburg County Jail on Feb. 27. He is now being held in a federal immigration detention center in southern Georgia, ICE records show. His embezzlement case was scheduled for a preliminary hearing this morning at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse. Zamudio’s criminal attorney, Jonathan Hipps of Charlotte, did not respond to a phone call seeking comment. Friends Start GoFundMe Page To Help Charlotte Teen Detained By I WBTV-TV Charlotte (NC), March 6, 2017 A Charlotte-Mecklenburg School (CMS) student is at an Immigration Detention Center in Georgia on the verge of deportation. Eighteen-year-old Gustavo Zamudio was arrested February 25 on the charge of larceny by employee. Zamudio’s lawyer, Carnell Johnson, said the teen is charged with stealing $2,900 from Harris Teeter and is requesting a bond hearing to address the charges to possibly free him. “We will have a tremendous defense against the criminal charges,” Johnson said. After his arrest, Zamudio was released to Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) officials. Friends said he has been in the United States since he was 5 years old. His family FOIA CBP 001176 DHS-17-0435-B-000473 76 came from Mexico and he has stayed here under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). “All I can think about is how terrified he must feel,” friend Devyn Bauer said. Johnson said under the Obama Administration, Zamudio would not have been a priority for deportation because people under DACA were protected. The lawyer now says under President Donald Trump’s administration, there’s no protection for people under DACA, even though they have been just charged with a crime and not convicted. “When our current administration moved in – we all shared different concerns and fears that we had,” Bauer said. Zamudio’s friends are now doing their part to help their classmate. “I am speechless,” friend Anna Butler said. “It’s terrifying to have someone so close be in such a dangerous situation. We all care about him so much. We are scared for him. We are trying to do whatever we can to help him.” Friends have now set up a GoFund me page with a goal to raise $25,000. “All proceeds will go to legal fees and to Gus and his family to help him out,” Butler said. Friends say Zamudio is a student at Northwest School of the Arts and is set to graduate in May. They believe what their friend is accused of doing is false. “The charges I have seen being brought against him – I have seen no proof of,” Bauer said. “He denies them and I don’t believe it for a second.” Bauer said she talked to Zamudio Sunday night by phone. He told her he is worried if he has to go back to Mexico. “He’s not familiar with anything there,” Bauer said. “He’s lived here practically his whole life. Everything he knows and is familiar with is here.” Friends say they are not going to give up this fight to bring Zamudio back to Charlotte. “We love him and he deserves to be here,” Butler said. “He is a part of our country and we are doing everything we can to help him out and we will be here every step of the way.” ICE Southern Region Spokesman Bryan Cox sent WBTV this statement about the teenager: “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) took Gustavo Zamudio-Aguilar, an unlawfully present Mexican national, into ICE custody Feb. 27 following his arrest by local law enforcement on a felony larceny charge in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. ICE is focused on identifying, arresting and removing public safety threats, such as criminal aliens and gang members, as well as individuals who have violated our nation’s immigration laws.” ICE says a federal immigration judge will determine what’s next for Zamudio, while the teen’s lawyer and friends hope letters from teachers and others on behalf of Zamudio will help with the case. “It’s not every day we get this kind of support, Johnson said. “This goes to his reputation. We hope it will make a difference.” California Sheriffs Say ‘Sanctuary State’ Bill Would Prevent Immigration Officials From Going After Violent Offenders Los Angeles Times, March 6, 2017 County sheriffs on Monday slammed a Senate bill that would prohibit state and local law enforcement agencies from using resources for immigration enforcement, saying it would cause their departments to lose federal funding and allow violent offenders to go free. At a press conference led by Republican lawmakers, the sheriffs said they did not want to enforce immigration laws or target hardworking families and students in the country illegally. But they argued the pending legislation would restrict collaboration between law enforcement agencies at different levels of government when going after crime suspects. “If SB 54 passes, it will allow dangerous, violent career criminals to slip through the cracks and be released back into our communities,” Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones told reporters. Senate Bill 54 , introduced by Senate President pro Tem Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles), would prohibit state and local law enforcement agencies from using resources to investigate, detain, report or arrest persons for the purposes of immigration enforcement. The so-called “sanctuary state” legislation has drawn wide support among immigrant advocates and some law enforcement officials who say the Trump administration’s efforts to ramp up immigration enforcement is harming trust between police and immigrant communities. But it has stirred fierce opposition from sheriffs who argue it would prevent them from leasing jail space to federal immigration officials, and from providing them with information on certain defendants. On Monday, state Sen. Joel Anderson (R-San Diego), said the state should allow federal officials to look for hardened criminals in jails and prisons, not in neighborhoods. “We are talking about rapists and child molesters,” he said. De León has countered that federal immigration officials would be able to obtain information from local and state officials through a court warrant. Sacramento Sheriff Says California ‘sanctuary State’ Bill Invalid Sacramento (CA) Bee, March 6, 2017 FOIA CBP 001177 DHS-17-0435-B-000474 77 Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones said Monday that he believes pending legislation preventing state and local police agencies from using their resources to assist federal immigration authorities would be invalid because it conflicts with federal law. “I have a strong belief that it violates federal law,” Jones told reporters at the Capitol, where opponents of Senate Bill 54 by Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León gathered to denounce the bill. “And federal law reigns supreme.” “Every sheriff is going to be in a very difficult position to decide what they personally are going to do should this pass,” he added. Jones, joined by colleagues from Kern and Kings counties, as well as GOP Sens. Joel Anderson and Jim Nielsen, did not explicitly say he would ignore the state law in favor of the federal statute. Instead, he said he hoped Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown, whom he described as the potential “last line of defense,” “will see that law enforcement has already been hamstrung enough.” “This is just the latest in the ill-conceived basket full of poor public safety legislation,” said Jones, a Republican with a law degree. De León, other Democrats and immigrant rights advocates argue the measure would help build trust between law enforcement and immigrant communities, thus reducing crime. But they’ve acknowledged the powerlessness they feel in halting federal action. Asked how big a problem countywide violent crime committed by undocumented immigrants is, Jones answered, “it’s huge.” “We have a growing violent crime problem,” he said. “I am not going to sit here and say that the undocumented criminals are far worse than the citizen criminals. That’s just not the case. But you have to understand that there’s a percentage of each group, (or) demographic, including undocumented, that commits horrific crimes and preys upon other people.” Jones said his department must be allowed to “passively cooperate” with immigration enforcement agents in his county jail. He added: “We need to have that continue because there are people that the community needs to be protected from.” Police Chiefs Across The Country Support Sanctuary Cities Because They Keep Crime Down By Chuck Wexler Los Angeles Times, March 6, 2017 With an estimated 11 million undocumented people living in the United States, talk of a crackdown on illegal immigration has created tension in cities across the country. For America’s police chiefs, calls for enhanced enforcement of federal immigration laws bring a particular concern. Chiefs are afraid that such efforts will have the unintended consequence of actually increasing crime and making their communities less safe. The reasons for this can be found in recent incidents from some of the country’s so￾called sanctuary cities. In Tucson, for example, an undocumented man confronted and physically struggled with a man who tried to steal a car with children inside. The immigrant held the criminal long enough for local police to arrive, then cooperated with detectives in the follow-up investigation. As a result, the suspect was charged with kidnapping, auto theft and burglary. In Laredo, Texas, Sister Rosemary Welsh runs Casa de Misericordia, which provides shelter to women, many of whom are undocumented immigrants and victims of domestic violence. Because of the trust Sister Rosemary has built with local law enforcement and the women in her facility, more victims are reporting crime, and more offenders are identified and prosecuted. Los Angeles, a city with an estimated 375,000 undocumented immigrants, has had a policy prohibiting police from engaging in enforcement activities based solely on a person’s immigration status since 1979. Last year, LAPD officers had an encounter with a suspected gang member that resulted in a vehicle chase, a foot pursuit and shots being fired. An undocumented immigrant helped police locate the suspect by providing a description and vehicle information. Had these undocumented people, and countless others in cities across America, not stepped forward to report crime and cooperate with the police, we would have more dangerous offenders committing more crime — and more serious crime — against innocent victims. Police chiefs know that today’s unreported domestic violence or sexual assault or robbery can become tomorrow’s reported homicide. This is a special concern in immigrant communities, where many people fear that cooperating with the police may lead to scrutiny and even deportation. It’s why cities have adopted policies like the one in Los Angeles, and it’s why police departments have invested considerable time and resources to build trust and cooperation with all of their communities, including their immigrant communities. They know that when people step forward because they trust their local police, communities are safer. For all these reasons, the label of sanctuary city is a misnomer. The term “sanctuary” dates to classical Greece and Rome, and to Christian traditions in the Middle Ages. Back then, sanctuaries provided certain protections to fugitives in churches or other sacred locations. The details changed over time, but sanctuary generally consisted of FOIA CBP 001178 DHS-17-0435-B-000475 78 limited, temporary protections to people suspected of certain types of crimes, and only in narrow circumstances. The use of the term to describe a set of protections for undocumented immigrants implies that they somehow get a pass to commit crime within those jurisdictions. This is simply not the case. It is the mission of all police departments, including those in so-called sanctuary cities, to go after serious and violent criminal offenders for investigation, arrest, and prosecution, regardless of their immigration status. In reality, sanctuary cities are hardly sanctuaries for any criminals. Because of the trust and cooperation they have developed with undocumented immigrants, police in these cities are often able to identify, arrest and prosecute dangerous offenders who might otherwise still be on the streets victimizing residents — both citizens and undocumented immigrants. The issues of public safety and immigration are too complex to be captured in a catchphrase, and they are not new. In the decade that our organization has spent exploring the role of local police in immigration issues, police chiefs have consistently reported several key points. First, the current system of enforcement is a logical division of labor in which all parties know what is expected of them. Federal agencies, such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), enforce immigration laws, which are federal statutes. Local police agencies enforce state and local criminal laws. These roles are compatible and complementary. Second, local police have their hands full — investigating murders, robberies, sexual assaults, burglaries, thefts and other crimes, and working to prevent these and other crimes from occurring. When local police identify a suspect and have probable cause, they make the arrest, without regard to the suspect’s immigration status. Finally, police chiefs warn that if their agencies are required to enforce federal immigration laws, it will hurt their ability to investigate and solve serious crimes in their communities. If people are afraid to have contact with the local police, they will not report crime, serve as witnesses, or tell police what is going on in their neighborhoods. Without information from the community, investigating crime becomes difficult and crime levels rise. So that we can have a constructive discussion on public safety and immigration, let’s retire the tired misnomer “sanctuary cities” once and for all. Let’s focus on what it really takes to make our communities safer. Chuck Wexler is executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, which works with police departments to improve the policing profession. Under Trump, Cincinnati Immigrant Families Preparing For Separation By Mark Curnutte USA Today, March 6, 2017 In case they are separated under President Donald Trump’s approach to immigration policy, many of Greater Cincinnati’s migrant families are going through wrenching discussions about living apart. The conversation is ongoing around one kitchen table, at least. Mauricio Vivar, 20, will become the guardian of his three U.S.-citizen siblings if their parents are deported to Mexico. His brother is 14 and sisters 11 and 4. “They would be in culture shock if they went there,” said Vivar, who has legal status through Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, known more widely as DACA or as the “Dreamers” program. The Vivars are not alone. Immigrant families across Greater Cincinnati are making separations plans. In fact, advocates and attorneys are encouraging them. A 10-page packet titled “Family Preparedness Plan” was available in English and Spanish during a recent immigrant rights rally and prayer service at San Carlos Borromeo Church in Carthage. “People are trying to figure out the best way of going back,” said Don Sherman, a labor lawyer and chair of civil rights for the Cincinnati League of United Latin American Citizens. Though sending mixed signals at times, the Trump administration promises to increase enforcement and deportations of undocumented immigrants living in the United States. Most are Mexicans or Central Americans who arrived from some of the world’s most violent and impoverished nations. As a result, some families are seriously considering a return to their countries of origin or Canada, according to local immigration lawyers and advocates. Decisions are complicated because, like the family of Mauricio Vivar, some relatives are citizens or have legal immigration documents and others don’t. The Trump administration’s deportation priorities are broader than those in Barack Obama’s second term as president, when only unauthorized immigrants with serious criminal histories were targeted for removal. “President Trump changed how immigrants are viewed and characterized,” said Randy Capps, director of research for U.S. programs at the nonpartisan think tank Migration Policy Institute. “They are now seen as criminals and security threats. This context is new and different, not seen in any recent administration, Republican or Democrat.” Long-term studies of metropolitan areas by criminologists show that immigration does not cause crime to increase and may, in fact, suppress it. ICE vows to honor ‘sensitive’ sites: schools, churches, hospitals FOIA CBP 001179 DHS-17-0435-B-000476 79 Since Trump’s election, immigrant communities have been on edge, crackling with rumors that spread like electricity. Not long after Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportation raids in early February netted 680 arrests in six states, rumor spread via word of mouth and over social media. Immigration agents are parked at the Paddock Road exit of Interstate 75. They are monitoring churches and social service agencies. Not true, said Khalid Walls, spokesman for the Detroit office of immigration enforcement, known widely by the acronym ICE. Detroit ICE has jurisdiction over Ohio. “Our work is targeted … in which specific individuals are sought,” Walls said. ICE officials say its agents continue to conduct operations to arrest “deportable foreign nationals.” Immigration enforcement agents, who do not drive marked vehicles or wear a uniform, are not waiting outside the offices of Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio in Bond Hill or Catholic churches with large Central American immigrant memberships, Walls said. Under the Trump administration, immigrant advocates fear ICE and the Department of Homeland Security would no longer honor the “sensitive locations” policy implemented in 2012 under Obama. In Texas, ICE is detaining an unauthorized immigrant from El Salvador who has a brain tumor. In Virginia, agents arrested two undocumented men as they left a church-run shelter from cold weather. But the ICE spokesman said agents will not start showing up in hospitals, medical clinics, houses of worship and schools. “DHS is committed to ensuring that people seeking to participate in activities or utilize services at any sensitive location are free to do so,” Walls said. Cincinnati Public Schools services 34,000 students, some of them unauthorized immigrants or their children. “We have not received any requests from ICE agents to enter our schools or school property,” said Janet Walsh, director of the district’s public affairs department. “It’s also hard to imagine why they might attempt to do so, given that federal law gives immigrant students the right to a free public education, regardless of their documentation status.” Two weeks ago, officials with Chicago Public Schools said the district would deny access to federal agents unless served with a criminal warrant. Cincinnati, like many major U.S. cities, has a sanctuary congregation movement. One congregation, Christ Church Cathedral, home of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio, has committed to housing and protecting unauthorized immigrants. Capps, the expert on unauthorized immigrant populations and immigrant trends, said he understands the confusion related to enforcement of illegal immigration. In the second Obama term, people with felonies or serious misdemeanors were the removal priority for ICE. The Trump administration has expanded the priority to the parameters of the early Obama years and second half of the George W. Bush administration. The enforcement shift and inconsistencies of Trump’s statements on immigrations — will he protect young Dreamers? — have left many immigrant families considering their options. Even if they don’t have a criminal record, do unauthorized immigrants run the risk of sudden arrest and fast-tracked deportation? Do they leave on their own terms? Where do they go, back to Mexico or Central America or north to Canada, which is perceived to be more immigrant￾friendly? Canada is an option for some local immigrant families, advocate Sherman said. Canada in December lifted a visa requirement and anticipated a likely surge in Mexican and Central American migrants. Data on Canadian immigration applications since Trump’s election is not available. Canada showed increases in temporary residence applications in the first nine months of 2016 (compared to the same period of 2015) from El Salvadoran, Honduran, Guatemalan and Mexican nationals. Increases in numbers of African and Muslim refugees crossing into Canada from North Dakota and Minnesota have been reported. “All applicants who apply to Canada’s immigration programs are treated equally no matter where they are from,” said Remi Lariviere, of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, in the country’s capital of Ottawa. “Anyone can emigrate to Canada provided they meet the qualifications.” Besides weighing migration and legal options, families with undocumented relatives are also relying on their faith. An immigrant rights rally Feb. 25 at San Carlos in Carthage ended in an hour of prayer. The voices of undocumented people mixed that night with pleas for changes to U.S. immigration laws and for Trump’s protection and well-being. We came here to work. …Thank you to Americans who support us. … We didn’t come here to take anything away from anyone. … We pay $12,000 a year in taxes. … Families are terrorized by the news. … We came to educate our children. … It’s only in the hands of God. Mauricio Vivar and his family lean on their Christian faith, even as they work hard every day. “We have a plan for everything,” said Mauricio, who works with his father. Mauricio was 4 and another Mexican-born brother 11 months old when his parents crossed the border illegally in 2000 in search of work. They went first to Los Angeles before migrating to the Cincinnati area. If they return to Mexico, his parents would resettle in the more urban state of Morelos, just south of Mexico City, not in their native rural area of another neighboring state, Puebla. FOIA CBP 001180 DHS-17-0435-B-000477 80 The family is going to invest in dual Mexican-U.S. citizenship of the three U.S.-born children, so if they are forced to return to Mexico, they will not be undocumented there. “My parents don’t want to show us they’re scared,” said Mauricio, who recently renewed his DACA for two more years. It cost him $495. “They have brought us up to be strong,” he said of his parents. “Even in the face of adversity, we have to do our best and keep moving forward.” Dairy Farms Fear Trump’s Immigration Policies By Rick Barrett Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, March 6, 2017 Donald Trump won big in Wisconsin farm country, but now large dairy farms that rely on immigrant labor are threatened by the president’s hardline stance on undocumented workers. The realities of Trump’s presidency are sinking in, said John Rosenow, a Buffalo County dairy farmer who milks about 550 cows and has employees from Mexico. Rosenow has become an outspoken advocate for comprehensive immigration reform nationally because it’s needed to provide a stable, secure dairy workforce. He’s worried about the president’s call to deport millions of undocumented workers. “Trump said in his campaign he was going to do all this stuff,” Rosenow said. By some estimates, up to about 80% of the hired help on large Wisconsin dairy operations is immigrant labor – with a large percentage of those workers being undocumented. Without the foreign-born help, many farmers say, they would be forced to quit milking cows because there aren’t enough other people willing to accept such physically demanding jobs for $13 an hour. “If you remove Mexican labor, farms would go out of business. That’s a given,” Rosenow said. Rosenow said a “significant number” of his western Wisconsin neighbors – who don’t employ immigrants – would probably want the government to deport undocumented workers, citing Trump’s pledge to end illegal immigration. “But it’s not their business on the line,” Rosenow said. Bracing for trouble, he said, one large dairy farm operator in northwest Wisconsin is seriously thinking about closing and selling off a herd of 1,000 cows before the market gets flooded with livestock that nobody wants. “If they get out early, they might be able to salvage something from it,” Rosenow said. Rural meatpacking and food processing plants also are threatened by Trump’s immigration policies, as are furniture factories, although nobody knows for sure how deep the deportations could go. Immigrants, including undocumented workers, play an important role in the U.S. economy because they fill the jobs that most Americans won’t do. Dairy farmers say they get almost “zero response” from native-born job applicants, even when the pay is comparable with nearby factories. They say it’s difficult to find reliable help, even in areas where people were born and raised on farms. And the rural labor shortage isn’t limited to dairy farms. Some manufacturers are running buses from Eau Claire and La Crosse, for instance, in order to attract workers. Wisconsin’s workforce is now shrinking rather than growing, especially in some northern counties, said Mark Tyler, chairman of the Governor’s Council on Workforce Investment, and president of OEM Fabricators in Woodville. A few farmers say they’ve tried recruiting help from cities, thinking that a higher jobless rate in places like Milwaukee would be in their favor. But that hasn’t worked, said Jason Vorpahl, owner of Rockland Dairy near Random Lake. “We need some way to keep our (immigrant) labor force, that’s here, intact. I am OK with deporting the felons. And I am OK with deporting people who are looking for a handout and aren’t working. But I am not OK with deporting the hard-working, tax-paying immigrants who are here right now,” said Vorpahl, who employs about 26 people. Erich Straub, a Milwaukee lawyer who handles immigration law cases, says it’s difficult to glean much from Trump’s statements on deportations and how they will affect the dairy industry. “But if you want to know what the policy is, look at the people surrounding him that are making the policy. They are all adamantly in favor of rounding up people and deporting them,” Straub said. Straub said he’s heard from dairy farmers who are worried that their workers will “just leave now” rather than wait for the government to come and arrest them. “Their workers are terrified, based upon the executive orders that have been released, and the memos that are coming out of the Department of Homeland Security,” he said. One undocumented worker, from Green Bay, said she’s very anxious. She and her husband have been in Wisconsin for 17 years. They’ve bought a home, they have two cars and a comfortable life. “We could lose everything. We have family in Mexico, but no place to stay, no job and no future there. If we have to go back, it will be very bad for us,” she said, speaking on the condition that her identity not be revealed. Some Mexican immigrants say they came here thinking of dairy-farm jobs as temporary work, hoping to make enough FOIA CBP 001181 DHS-17-0435-B-000478 81 money so they could return home and do something like start a business. But once they get to the U.S., they often find that it’s tough to put away much money and pay off their debt from coming here. “Expenses come up that they hadn’t anticipated,” said Julie Keller, an assistant professor of sociology at University of Rhode Island, and co-author of a report titled, “Milking Workers, Breaking Bodies: Health Inequality in the Dairy Industry.” While dairy farm jobs offer some stability as year-round positions, most are far from ideal, according to Keller. “Immigrants are clustered in arduous, entry-level positions with low wages, late shifts, monotonous work, extreme temperatures and constant exposure to manure,” the report notes. These are also some of the most dangerous jobs in America, with many injuries and a few deaths. In 2010, a 17-year-old immigrant from Mexico was crushed while herding animals on a Wisconsin dairy farm and died from his injuries. A year later, a 23-year-old immigrant worker was fatally trampled by a bull on another Wisconsin dairy farm. Although farm safety training is a critical issue for all workers, it is particularly important for immigrants who have a language barrier. Fear of encounters with local law enforcement also nags foreign-born laborers. Keller and her colleagues interviewed dozens of immigrants in rural Wisconsin and upstate New York. “Some workers told us that their fear of law enforcement was so great that they only left the house to go to work and, twice per month, to buy groceries,” the report noted. Some farms discouraged their immigrant laborers from leaving the property at all if there was on-farm housing. “Driving became a double risk. Workers might be viewed as insubordinate, and they risked arrest,” the report said. Keller said she met dairy farmers who were great employers and cared about their immigrant employees. “You can have good bosses and bad bosses, just like in any job,” she said, but most of the employees she spoke with lacked health insurance and basic benefits. Unlike migrant workers who can get a work permit for seasonal agricultural jobs, foreign workers on dairy farms can’t get the H-2A visa because their jobs are year-round rather than temporary. That would change under one dairy industry proposal aimed at getting undocumented workers out of the shadows. “A vast majority of these immigrant people aren’t concerned with becoming citizens. They just want to be able to come here and work,” said Paul Fetzer, a dairy farmer in Elmwood with 26 employees. “Rather than leaving everything in limbo, like it’s been for the last decade at least, let’s just get something done that allows immigrants to come here legally and work. They also should be able to go home, when they want to, and come back again,” Fetzer said. Clamoring for help, some big farms that milk cows 24 hours a day have raised wages to $15 per hour. More typically, it’s between $11 and $13, according to workers. “Not long ago it was closer to $8,” said Scott Gunderson, a University of Wisconsin-Extension agent in Manitowoc County. Some farms now offer health insurance, a 401k retirement plan and perks such as gasoline for employees’ cars and beef for the dinner table. Wages aren’t likely to climb much higher as farmers are under pressure to make ends meet themselves. “If we paid people $20 an hour, we may just price ourselves out of business. In fact, we would,” said Shelly Mayer, a dairy farmer from Slinger and executive director of Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin. Getting to work is a problem for people seeking jobs at big farms located in some of the state’s most rural areas. It’s difficult for some people to get across town for a job, let alone 40 miles to a dairy farm, said James Golembeski, executive director of the Bay Area Workforce Development Board in Green Bay. A low unemployment rate complicates things, too. “Even some of our really good jobs in this area have trouble filling second and third shifts,” Golembeski said. Farmers say many immigrant laborers who come to them have little or no experience milking cows, but they do well if they’ve worked around livestock. “If there isn’t a hint in someone’s resume that they’ve been exposed to agriculture, in some fashion, then it just isn’t a good match,” said Tom Mickelson, president of AgJobs LLC in La Crosse. One largely untapped source for dairy farm workers is an unlikely place: the state Department of Corrections farms near Waupun, Fox Lake and Oregon. Combined, those farms have a herd of 1,093 cows. Inmates in those operations learn valuable skills, including milking and animal health care. Upon release from prison, some of them have found jobs on dairy farms near Elmwood, Eagle River, Bayfield, Marshfield, Greenleaf, Reedsville, Pulaski and Randolph, according to the Department of Corrections. They learn basic employment skills as well. “They learn to get to work, to get through work, and to get work done,” said Wes Ray, director of the Bureau of Correctional Enterprises that oversees the farms. Read or Share this story: https://jsonl.in/2n6dc6m FOIA CBP 001182 DHS-17-0435-B-000479 82 CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION Trump’s Border Wall Is Estimated To Cost $8 Million To $25 Million Per Mile By Stephen Dinan Washington Times, March 6, 2017 NACO, Arizona — The estimates of President Trump’s proposed border wall run anywhere from $8 million to $25 million a mile, White House budget director Mick Mulvaney said in a radio interview Monday — though he said no decisions have been made on exactly what the wall will look like. Mr. Mulvaney, speaking on the “Hugh Hewitt Show,” said the White House will ask for some money in the next couple of weeks but won’t know the details of the cost and construction until it prepares its 2019 budget, which won’t be for another year. The director also raised the possibility that much of the new barrier will be fencing, rather than a complete concrete wall stretching the 1,950 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border. “It just depends on the kind of wall that you want to build, and I don’t think we’ve settled yet on the actual construction,” Mr. Mulvaney said. “You can do steel, you could do concrete, you can do a combination of concrete and steel. You can supplement it with different types of technologies and so forth. So it sort of depends on what you want to build.” He also said the Office of Management and Budget is looking to match the type of fence or wall with the terrain. Mr. Trump made building a wall along the southwest border a major theme of his campaign. But he gave conflicting details. He did, however, insist it would be a wall, not a fence. Some 654 miles of the border currently have a barrier, though just 354 miles are covered by a substantive fence that is designed to keep out people and vehicles. Another 300 miles are covered by vehicle barriers that are easy for those on foot to step over or slide under. The Border Patrol has experimented with different styles of fence and has concluded that those with alternating slats, which allow some visibility through to the Mexican side, are the most effective and the safest. Earlier versions with solid “landing mat” plates proved to be dangerous to agents because they allowed those on the Mexican side to wait in ambush and throw rocks over the fence with impunity. Border Patrol agents said they used to be anxious when they got close to the wall because of the threat of being bombarded. But the new style of fencing has dramatically reduced the number of assaults on agents, they said. The cost of Mr. Trump’s wall has been a major source of contention. Democrats say that building a barrier along the southwestern border would be a waste of money. A recent round of fence building in Naco, Arizona, cost $6 million per mile, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection figures provided to the Government Accountability Office. But the White House is looking at figures higher than that, according to what Mr. Mulvaney told Mr. Hewitt on Monday. “I’ve got, I don’t know, six or seven different papers on my desk. I’ve got one that goes, starts at $8 million per mile. It goes up to about $25 million per mile. So again, it just depends on, when you’re talking about across 2,000 miles or so, what you decide to build in what areas,” he said. The debate about what fencing or wall is appropriate for which areas has raged for years. Congress in 2006 passed the Secure Fence Act, calling for 850 miles of a two-layer fence. But that was reduced to just 700 miles of whatever type of barrier the Homeland Security Department deems necessary. The department is 46 miles short of that goal. In 2013, the Senate approved a bill that would have demanded an additional 350 miles of pedestrian fencing. That bill was approved with the support of every Democrat and about a third of Republicans. Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. Afghan Family, Detained In California Despite Visas, To Be Released: Lawyer Reuters, March 6, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. An Attorney For An Afghan Family Who Traveled To The U.S On Special Visas And Were Detained By Immigration Officials At The L.A. Airport Says The Father Worked For The U.S. Military For More Than A Decade Associated Press, March 6, 2017 The Latest on an Afghan family that was detained after entering the U.S. on special visas (all times local): 4:30 p.m. An attorney for an Afghan family who traveled to the United States on special visas and were detained by immigration officials in Los Angeles says the father worked for the U.S. military for more than a decade. The father, mother and three young sons were detained Thursday after they arrived at the LA airport for a connecting flight to Washington state, where they planned to resettle. They were released Monday. FOIA CBP 001183 DHS-17-0435-B-000480 83 Attorney Rob Blume says the father worked different jobs for the U.S. military in Afghanistan for more than a decade and was assaulted and shot during his time there. Lawyers say the family went through a more than yearlong process to obtain special immigrant visas, which are given to foreigners who work for the U.S. military in their countries. Government officials say the family will be interviewed April 5 to determine if they’re eligible to use the visas to stay in the country. --- 2:40 p.m. The U.S. government says an Afghan family has been released after being detained when they arrived at Los Angeles International Airport on special visas while en route to Washington state. Government officials said Monday in a California federal court that the family was given back their passports and visas and will be interviewed in Seattle on April 5 determine if they are eligible to use those visas to remain in the United States. U.S. District Judge Josephine Staton says she will retain jurisdiction of the case and that the government cannot detain or remove the family from the U.S. without providing 72 hours’ notice to their attorneys. --- A lawyer for an Afghan family of five who traveled to the United States on special visas and was detained in Los Angeles says immigration officials have agreed to release them. Talia Inlender, a senior staff attorney at Public Counsel, says the government agreed to release the family Monday. Messages seeking comment were left for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Justice. The family was detained after arriving at Los Angeles International Airport on Thursday on their way to resettle in Washington state. Lawyers say the father obtained special immigrant visas for his family after working for the U.S. government in Afghanistan. A federal judge ordered a court hearing for Monday on the family’s case after this weekend blocking government officials from removing the family from California. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Afghan Family Detained By Ice In Los Angeles To Be Released, Lawyer Says Immigration authorities agreed to release family of five on Monday, after they were taken into custody at airport on their way to relocate in Washington state By Associated Press The Guardian (UK), March 6, 2017 An Afghan family of five who traveled to the United States on special visas and were detained by immigration officials at the Los Angeles airport will be released on Monday, one of their lawyers said. The mother, father and their three young sons, including a baby, arrived at Los Angeles international airport on Thursday for a connecting flight to Washington state, where they planned to resettle. Instead, they were detained by US immigration officials. Homeland Security officials haven’t said why the family was held, while immigrant advocates asserted in a court petition there was “absolutely no justification whatsoever”. Over the weekend, a federal judge issued a temporary order blocking federal authorities from removing the family from California and calling for a hearing on Monday afternoon on their case. Talia Inlender, senior staff attorney for Public Counsel, said immigration authorities had agreed to release the family from custody. The family will be allowed to remain in the country subject to an immigration review at a later time, said Inlender, one of a team of lawyers representing the family. A spokesman for US Customs and Border Protection, which screens travelers at airports, declined to discuss the case. A justice department spokeswoman also wouldn’t comment on the family’s situation. Earlier Monday, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said in a statement that the agency would comply with the judge’s order “and all other legal requirements”. After being stopped at the airport, the father who worked for the US government in Afghanistan and was able to obtain special immigrant visas for his family after intense vetting was held at a detention center, his lawyers said. His wife and young sons were held at a hotel, they said. In addition to detaining the family, Customs and Border Protection prevented attorneys from communicating with them, lawyers said in court filings. Becca Heller, director of the International Refugee Assistance Project, declined to discuss the type of work the father did for the US government but said he spent years working on US military bases. The family’s names have not been released. The case comes as Donald Trump is stepping up immigration enforcement at US airports, on the border with Mexico and in many local communities. On Monday, Trump signed a reworked order of his previously blocked travel ban barring new visas for citizens from six Muslim-majority countries. Afghanistan is not one of them. Immigrant advocates have decried Trump’s efforts to block visitors from overseas and ramp up deportations of immigrants in the country illegally. On Monday, advocates in Los Angeles called for a rally to support a man who was FOIA CBP 001184 DHS-17-0435-B-000481 84 arrested by immigration agents after dropping off his daughter at school. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. This Family Got U.S. Visas After Risking Their Lives For America. Then Immigration Officials Tried To Deport Them. By Abigail Hauslohner Washington Post, March 6, 2017 An Afghan family with special visas, which they earned for risking their lives working with U.S. forces in Afghanistan, was released from U.S. custody on Monday after immigration authorities arrested them at a U.S. airport and detained them for four days. Each of the family’s five members are recipients of Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) explicitly reserved for Afghans who helped the U.S. mission in Afghanistan. Immigration officials detained the family, including an infant and two young children, on Thursday after their arrival at Los Angeles International Airport. Authorities held them incommunicado and without access to lawyers for more than 40 hours before placing them in deportation proceedings, the family’s lawyers said Monday. Officials with the Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection on Monday agreed under legal pressure to release the family without charge, but provided no justification for the family’s detention. Lawyers representing the family and the International Refugee Assistance Project sought a judge’s injunction over the weekend, after the family had been detained for two days. “The betrayal of this family by the U.S. government shocks the conscience,” the lawyers wrote. Robert C. Blume, one of the family’s pro-bono attorneys, said Monday that none of what the U.S. government did in the case makes sense. “So they’ve held them since Thursday on nothing,” Blume said. “And now today they’ve handed them back their visas and handed them back their passports without so much as a ‘Sorry.’” The family was released on parole, meaning that they are still vulnerable to sudden deportation. Federal immigration authorities agreed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California to process the family’s visas by April 5. Judge Josephine L. Staton also asked the government to confirm that the family does not currently pose any safety or national security threat, Blume said. Staton on Saturday night issued a restraining order to block immigration authorities from moving the mother and children to a facility in Texas. The father — who was identified in court filings only as John Doe I, a man who served the U.S. military in Afghanistan for a decade — had been held in the Los Angeles County Jail since Saturday, said Becca Heller, the director of the International Refugee Assistance Project, which appeared on the petition as the family’s “Next Friend.” The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to questions about the family’s case. Former U.S. President George W. Bush in 2007 authorized a program of Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) for Afghan and Iraqi nationals who helped the U.S. missions in their respective countries. The program, which has enjoyed broad bipartisan support in Congress and in the military during the past decade, has allowed more than 43,000 Iraqis and Afghans to immigrate to the United States. Many of them worked as military interpreters who faced threats or injuries as the result of their service. Successful applicants for the special visas must show that they have experienced or are experiencing “an ongoing serious threat” due to their employment with the U.S. government, and they typically undergo years of intensive vetting by multiple national security agencies. Program advocates have consistently criticized the process for moving too slowly to help some of those living in grave danger. Afghanistan is not one of the majority-Muslim countries included in President Trump’s new travel ban, signed Monday. But Attorney General Jeff Sessions tried as a Senator to block funding for the SIV program, and he spoke in favor of a Muslim ban during Trump’s campaign. Heller, whose organization routinely advocates on behalf of Special Immigrant Visa applicants and recipients, said she believes the family was detained by “rogue” immigration agents acting on prejudice. But she predicted that more Afghans and Muslims from other countries could be subject to similar treatment, regardless of whether their home country appears on the ban list. “I think you’re going to see lots of people profiled and denied entry for these reasons,” she said. This Afghan family, identified in court filings using pseudonyms, waited more than a year for their U.S. visas, documents that, under SIV protocol, were approved by the Departments of State, Homeland Security, CIA and other agencies before they were allowed travel to the United States last week, their advocates said. Heller said the father served the U.S. government for more than a decade at Bagram air base in Kabul, and survived being shot at, as well as numerous other “threats to his life” as a result of that work. His wife, Heller said, is illiterate and speaks no English. Their three children include an infant, a seven-year-old and an eight-year-old. Heller said she was able to speak to the mother, with the help of an interpreter, by telephone, after the family had FOIA CBP 001185 DHS-17-0435-B-000482 85 been detained for more than two days. “She was crying and asking me how to get milk for the baby,” Heller said. Blume said Monday night that the family is “mentally exhausted” after the ordeal and would soon travel to their planned resettlement location in Washington State. $6.9 Million Inspection Station At Los Indios Overdue, Stalled Rio Grande Valley (TX) Morning Star, March 6, 2017 The $6.9 million Border Safety Inspection Facility at the international bridge here sits partially built and virtually abandoned. On one morning last week, a pair of jackrabbits bobbed up and down as they leisurely patrolled the project’s silent grounds. Elsewhere, rusting cable and construction pipe lay askew in random piles along the fresh concrete roadways. Weeds rise up to 4 feet high around the two giant, open-air inspection bays, which are backdropped to the south by a solid section of border wall. Construction on the new inspection facility began in February 2015 and is more than three-quarters complete. It’s now eight months overdue. “The Texas Department of Transportation has an agreement in place with the General Services Administration (GSA) and the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on a concept to re-design the connection between the Border Safety Inspection Facility (BSIF) and the GSA facility,” TxDOT spokesman Octavio Saenz said via email. “Currently, there is a lengthy land donation process that must be completed prior to moving forward,” he added. The land donation involved seems to be an internal issue within the federal government, since the property involved no longer appears to be in private hands. The inspection facilities at border bridges like the Free Trade Bridge at Los Indios aren’t involved with drug interdiction or immigration issues, but they have their own important role in ensuring trucks coming out of Mexico meet U.S. vehicle safety standards. Just up the road on FM 509 sits the old vehicle inspection facility which the new BSIF will replace. Orange and white barrels block off the primary open-air inspection bay, designed to allow Texas Department of Public Safety inspectors to perform work on trucks from Mexico and stay out of the rain. But inspectors say the rusty-red, 30-foot tall metal bay has been deemed too dangerous to work under due to structural problems. Inside the nearby trailer-like offices where inspectors work at the old station, one of them was asked recently when they’d be moving into their new facility. “Maybe by the time I retire,” he grumbled. The problems with the new inspection station appear to involve entry and exit lanes for trucks transiting the station. Behind the facility to the south is the solid border fence and it would seem a hole would need to be punched through it to accommodate a truck entrance ramp from the bridge crossing to the station. Also in question now is just where the trucks would exit, whether out onto FM 509 or some alternative route to reach U.S. 281 to the north. Changes to the project, as always, are expected to push the final price higher. As of now, there is no firm date for when construction on the inspection facility will resume. “There will be a modification to the budget to encompass design changes that were requested by the federal government,” TxDOT’s Saenz said. “Work on the facility was put on hold on September 16, 2016, and a new timetable for construction will be in place as soon as the land donation goes through.” An email seeking comment from GSA officials yesterday was not returned. Gold Star Father Khizr Khan Canceled Speech In Toronto After Being Told His Travel Privileges Were Under Review By Alene Tchekmedyian Los Angeles Times, March 6, 2017 Gold Star father Khizr Khan has canceled a scheduled speech in Toronto after being told his “travel privileges are being reviewed,” according to the event organizer. It was not immediately clear which government agency contacted him or what was under review. Khan has lived in the U.S. since 1980 and is a naturalized U.S. citizen. He was scheduled to speak Tuesday at a luncheon hosted by the Toronto-based organization Ramsay Talks. The two-hour event was slated to include a presentation and question-and-answer session on “what we can do about the appalling turn of events in Washington – so that we don’t all end up sacrificing everything,” according to the organizer. In a statement posted on Facebook, Khan said he was not told why his travel status was under review. “This turn of events is not just of deep concern to me but to all my fellow Americans who cherish our freedom to travel abroad,” he said, according to the statement. “I have not been given any reason as to why. I am grateful for your support and look forward to visiting Toronto in the near future.” Khan, whose family is Muslim, made national headlines after his fiery speech at the Democratic National Convention, during which he blasted Donald Trump’s rigid stance on Muslim immigration. FOIA CBP 001186 DHS-17-0435-B-000483 86 “Donald Trump, you’re asking Americans to trust you with their future. Let me ask you, have you even read the United States Constitution?” Khan said before pulling a pocket Constitution from his jacket. “I will gladly lend you my copy. In this document, look for the words ‘liberty’ and ‘equal protection of law.’” Khan immigrated to the U.S. from Pakistan in 1980. He and his wife, Ghazala, became American citizens six years later. Their son Humayun Khan was killed by a suicide bomber in Iraq in 2004. The Army captain was running toward a taxi cab approaching his troops when a bomb inside exploded. Khan was killed while the other soldiers remained safe. Khan received the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star posthumously. Muslim Gold Star Father Khizr Khan Cancels Trip To Canada, Says His Travel Privileges Are Being Reviewed By Christopher Diamond Military Times, March 6, 2017 Khizr Kahn, the Muslim Gold Star father who made headlines this fall after delivering a powerful speech at the Democratic National Convention, abruptly canceled a trip to Canada on Monday after receiving a warning that his travel privileges are being reviewed. Kahn was scheduled to speak in Toronto on Tuesday at an event coordinated by Ontario-based Ramsay Talks. Kahn planned to talk about his opposition of President Donald Trump and how others can join in in opposition of the new president. Khan reportedly had to cancel his travel plans last minute after being “notified that his travel privileges are being reviewed,” according to a post on Ramsay Talks Facebook page . It’s unclear who notified him of the review. “This turn of events is not just of deep concern to me but to all my fellow Americans who cherish our freedom to travel abroad,” Kahn said in the statement posted by Ramsay Talks. “I have not been given any reason as to why. I am grateful for your support and look forward to visiting Toronto in the near future.” Born in Pakistan, Kahn and his wife, Ghazala Khan, have been U.S. citizens for more than 30 years. Although the White House announced a new Executive Order on Monday limiting travel from six Muslim-majority countries, the order does not affect Pakistani or American citizens. Khizr Kahn, whose son U.S. Army Cpt. Humayun Kahn was killed in Iraq in 2004, stood next to his wife as he gave an impassioned speech at the Democratic National Convention last July on the same night that Hilary Clinton became the first woman to claim the nomination for a major political party. The speech was a rebuke of campaign rhetoric of then￾Republican nominee Donald Trump, who made frequent statements about limiting Muslim immigration into the United States, even suggesting the idea of creating a Muslim registry early on in his campaign. “If it was up to Donald Trump, he never would have been in America,” said Khizr Kahn in reference to his son’s Muslim faith. In a memorable moment from the speech that circulated on social media and throughout the news world, Khzir Kahn pulled out a pocket-size copy of the U.S. Constitution. “Let me ask you: Have you even read the U.S. Constitution? I will gladly lend you my copy. In this document, look for the words ‘liberty’ and ‘equal protection of law,’” said Kahn. Rosa Hwang of CTV Television Network in Canada first tweeted about the cancelled travel plans Monday afternoon . Khizr Khan Travel Privileges Reportedly Under Review By By Nolan D. McCaskill Politico, March 6, 2017 Gold Star father Khizr Khan’s “freedom to travel abroad” is reportedly under review, and he says he doesn’t know why. Khan was scheduled to speak at a luncheon in Toronto on Tuesday “on what we can do about the appalling turn of events in Washington — so that we don’t all end up sacrificing everything.” The two-hour event was to include a presentation and then a question-and-answer session. But Khan was told late Sunday that his traveling privileges were under review, according to Ramsay Talks, which organized the luncheon. “As a consequence, Mr. Khan will not be traveling to Toronto on March 7th to speak about tolerance, understanding, unity and the rule of law,” it said in a statement. “Very regretfully, Ramsay Talks must cancel its luncheon with Mr. Khan. Guests will be given full refunds.” Individual tickets were priced at about $100, while tickets for a table of 10 cost a little more than $1,000. “This turn of events is not just of deep concern to me but to all my fellow Americans who cherish our freedom to travel abroad,” Khan said in a statement. “I have not been given any reason as to why. I am grateful for your support and look forward to visiting Toronto in the near future.” It’s not clear exactly what Ramsay Talks meant by “traveling privileges.” Khan became a national name when he blasted then￾Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump from the stage of the Democratic National Convention, telling the GOP FOIA CBP 001187 DHS-17-0435-B-000484 87 candidate he has “sacrificed nothing” and, as he held up a pocket-size Constitution, asked Trump if he had even read it. Khan has been a U.S. citizen for more than 30 years, and his son, Humayun Khan, a University of Virginia graduate and Muslim American Army captain who died in Iraq in 2004, was posthumously awarded a Bronze Star and Purple Heart. News of Khan’s travel restrictions, first reported by CTV News, followed the release of Trump’s revised executive order banning travel from six Muslim-majority nations, although it won’t go into effect until March 16. Report: Ariz. Official Passed Over To Be CBP Commissioner American Shipper, March 6, 2017 There have been few, if any, signals so far about who President Trump is considering to lead U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the nation’s largest law enforcement agency with almost 60,000 employees. But, we now know someone who won’t get the job. Last week, the CBS News local affiliate in Phoenix confirmed that Frank Milstead, the Arizona director of public safety, was passed over for CBP commissioner by the Trump administration. Arizona Public Media has also reported that former Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu was on the Trump short-list for the job. Babeu, a vocal supporter of Trump during the presidential campaign who lost a recent election for Congress, has been a fierce advocate for securing the southwestern border to prevent illegal immigration, and recently supported the administration’s travel ban from seven Muslim-majority countries. He has also called for expedited deportations of illegal immigrants who have committed criminal acts, according to the Casa Grande Dispatch. The news suggests the first focus of a Trump administration Customs commissioner may be on the border patrol and other aspects of immigration control. The agency is also responsible for efficiently managing the cross-border flow of legitimate imports and exports, while preventing smuggling of dangerous materials, unsafe products and illegal shipments. ‘I Feel Like I’ve Done Something Wrong’; Montreal-born Woman Told She Needs Visa Toronto (CAN) Sun, March 6, 2017 A Montrealer who is a Canadian citizen by birth says she was barred from entering the United States and told to get a valid visa if she ever wants to cross the border. Manpreet Kooner said she was turned away at a crossing along the Quebec-Vermont border on Sunday after a six-hour wait where she was fingerprinted, photographed and questioned before being refused. She said she was told she was an immigrant without a valid U.S. visa. Kooner, 30, is of Indian descent and was born in Montreal to parents who came to Canada from India in the 1960s and have lived in the same LaSalle district duplex for decades. There have been several reports of Canadians encountering issues at the U.S. border, including a Canadian Muslim woman from Quebec who believes she was denied entry because of her religion. Kooner said she’s perplexed given she was travelling on a Canadian passport and has no criminal record. The only issue she had was a computer glitch that prevented her from crossing into New York State for 24 hours in December. Kooner didn’t think much of that snafu until Sunday when she was stopped at Highgate Springs as she was travelling with two white girlfriends. Her friends were not questioned but she was asked about the December incident. “At the end of it, they told me I was not allowed going in and that I would need a visa if I ever went in the States again,” Kooner said. Kooner claims the border agent told her, “I know you might feel like you’re being Trumped,” in reference to U.S. President Donald Trump — a statement she found odd. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokeswoman said Monday the department can’t comment on individual admissibility inspections, but noted that possession of a valid travel document does not guarantee entry to the United States. Asked how she feels, Kooner said, “Just so bad, I feel like I’ve done something wrong, like I’m a criminal or something, but I’m not.” Kooner went to the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa, as suggested at the border, and was told the situation was “odd” and that a visa isn’t necessary for Canadians. “Maybe there is no valid reason, maybe this is something that I can’t shake because I’m born like this,” Kooner said of her skin colour. Her travel plans are up in the air: Kooner is supposed to go to a U.S. music festival at the end of March and her bachelorette in Miami in May. “I’ve never had issues before, that’s the part that kills me,” Kooner said. “Now I’m just debating whether I should cancel.” Her experience came up in the House of Commons on Monday as the NDP peppered the Liberals with questions about her case and about allegations of racial profiling against Canadians at the border. FOIA CBP 001188 DHS-17-0435-B-000485 88 “We are talking about a Canadian citizen, born in Canada, illegally turned back at the U.S. border, and we want a prime minister who knows how to stand up,” NDP Leader Tom Mulcair told Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during question period. Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said each country has the sovereign right to control its own borders. “We also have the high expectation that all of our citizens will be treated respectfully and in a fair manner,” Goodale told reporters. Montreal-area MP Anju Dhillon is looking into the Kooner case to help remedy the situation. Canadian Woman Denied Entry To Vermont WCAX-TV Burlington (VT), March 6, 2017 A Canadian woman taking a day trip to a Vermont spa was denied entry at the border. Federal authorities won’t confirm why, but she claims she was told she needed an “immigrant visa” to enter the United States. A longtime immigration attorney in Vermont says there’s really only two reasons a Canadian would need an immigration visa, for work purposes or as a fiancé preparing for a wedding with a U.S. citizen. The woman in this case says neither applies to her and she’s still wondering why she was turned away. “It’s upsetting. It’s like your being treated like a criminal and you’ve been singled out, even though you haven’t done anything wrong,” said Manpreet Kooner. Kooner says she’s been coming to the U.S. for years, but the 30-year-old says she was denied entry to the U.S. on Sunday despite having a passport. “We had decided to take a road trip to Vermont. We were going to a spa in Stowe,” said Kooner. After more than five hours of questioning and waiting, Kooner says U.S. agents told her she needed a valid immigrant visa typically required only for foreign citizens who want to live in the U.S. permanently. “At one point she even said to me I know you may feel like you’ve been Trumped and she carried on talking. And I was thinking in my head, did she just say that,” said Kooner. Customs and Border Protection would not comment on this case, but in a statement they say applicants must overcome more than 60 grounds of inadmissibility including health-related grounds, criminality, illegal entrants, immigration violations and documentation requirements. Leslie Holman is a Burlington-based immigration lawyer. She says reasons for being turned away are limited, but concerns may heighten based on how often someone travels and where they reside. “Could someone who has no other issues that would make them inadmissible come to the border, to go to a spa for the day, that’s Canadian, there should be no reason that they wouldn’t be permitted and they wouldn’t be required to have a visa,” said Holman. Kooner says she’s been traveling to the U.S. for years and only had trouble entering for the first time last year citing a computer glitch that was later resolved. Future visits planned to the U.S. including a bachelorette party may now be canceled. She’s seeking answers from the U.S. Embassy and reaching out to her member of parliament. “They did assure me that they know that I have no criminal record and that I’m not tagged. But yet, it feels like i am,” said Kooner. Kooner went to the U.S. Embassy Monday morning to ask about getting a visa, but she says they were unsure why she was directed to do so and that it wouldn’t be worth her money. Kooner is the child of Indian parents, but was born and raised in Canada. The U.S. Department of State’s website says citizens of Canada traveling to the United States generally do not need a nonimmigrant visa. Governor Scott’s office says they are reaching out to Customs and Border Protection for a further explanation. He and Vermont’s congressional delegation did that in the past for a similar incident, but there’s no indication they ever received any further information. Border Towns On Edge About Illegal Immigration Traffic KRDK-TV Fargo (ND), March 6, 2017 Some in the northern valley people are concerned about the people trying to get out of the United States. In one year, over 180 people have been caught trying to get into illegally cross into Canada. It’s places where there’s nothing around for miles and the only thing between the U.S. and Canada is a snow covered field. Now, some people in town concerned about who is coming through. “I don’t like it,” said Sheyne Huffman, from Wahalla. Pembina, North Dakota is seeing a little more traffic. “Everybody ought to be going through the process, like everybody else. Do it the legal way,” Huffman said. Their traffic isn’t at the port of entry into Canada. It’s farm fields stretching from the U.S. into Canada. “More you get coming up this way, and where are they coming from? Are they coming from the southern border? Why do they want to get into Canada?” Huffman said. Concerns aren’t bound to this side of the border. “If they’re escaping here they can’t have a very clear conscience if they’re coming into our province,” said Kevin Hradowy, from Winnipeg MB. More than 60 people have been caught this year alone. Emerson, the nearest border town on the Canadian side, is where many fleeing America are going through. FOIA CBP 001189 DHS-17-0435-B-000486 89 Still much is unknown about who is crossing or why they’re leaving which leaves some in town speculating. “There seems to be more theft going on. Whether it’s local or whether it’s these. Who knows?” Huffman said. Troubles some say come with the territory of being a border town. TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION TSA Quietly Launches New ‘Enhanced’ Pat￾down Procedure By Hugo Martin, Contact Reporter Los Angeles Times, March 6, 2017 The Transportation Security Administration has quietly adopted new “enhanced” pat-down searches for screening passengers at U.S. airports, a response to weaknesses in airport security. The TSA on Thursday began using a “universal pat￾down” procedure that includes “enhanced security measures” to replace several pat-down tactics used in the past by TSA screeners that are presumably less invasive. The TSA is standardizing its physical search procedure rather than allow screeners to choose among types of searches to reduce the chance of poor decisions at crucial security checkpoints. “The UPD [universal pat-down] lessens the cognitive burden for our officers and reduces the possibility for confusion with passengers and employees as well,” the agency said. TSA officials declined to detail the new universal procedure or the previous pat-down tactics, but the industry is bracing for passenger unhappiness about more invasive searches. An airport trade group has told its members that TSA screeners will be allowed to use the front of their hands, instead of just the backs of hands, to search passengers if a previous screening indicated the presence of explosives, Bloomberg News reported, based on a “security notice” distributed by the Airports Council International-North America. The TSA is briefing local law enforcement agencies “in case they are notified that a passenger believes a [TSA security screener] has subjected them to an abnormal screening practice,” according to the notice. The TSA said the standardized pat-down process comes in response to a 2015 undercover test of airport security measures by the Department of Homeland Security. The results of the 2015 test are classified but John Roth, the inspector general of the Department of Homeland Security, told a congressional committee that the study “found layers of security simply missing.” According to news reports, the test found that the screening procedures failed to detect handguns and other weapons. The pat-down searches will be used on passengers who decline to go through the full-body screening machine used at most major U.S. airports or for those travelers who trigger a warning from the machine. TSA officers can also use a pat-down search on random travelers. Passengers have the right to request a private pat￾down screening and ask to be accompanied by a companion of their choice. TSA Warns Local Police About Its New Airport Pat-Downs By Justin Bachman Bloomberg News, March 6, 2017 The U.S. Transportation Security Administration has declined to say exactly where—and how—employees will be touching air travelers as part of the more invasive physical pat-down procedure it recently ordered. But the agency does expect some passengers to consider the examination unusual. In fact, the TSA decided to inform local police in case anyone calls to report an “abnormal” federal frisking, according to a memo from an airport trade association obtained by Bloomberg News. The physical search, for those selected to have one, is what the agency described as a more “comprehensive” screening, replacing five separate kinds of pat-downs it previously used. The decision to alert local and airport police raises a question of just how intimate the agency’s employees may get. On its website, the TSA says employees “use the back of the hands for pat-downs over sensitive areas of the body. In limited cases, additional screening involving a sensitive area pat-down with the front of the hand may be needed to determine that a threat does not exist.” Now security screeners will use the front of their hands on a passenger in a private screening area if one of the prior screening methods indicates the presence of explosives, according to a “security notice” that the Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) sent its U.S. members following a March 1 conference call with TSA officials. 1 The TSA informational call was with several airport industry groups. “Due to this change, TSA asked FSDs [field security directors] to contact airport law enforcement and brief them on the procedures in case they are notified that a passenger believes a [TSA employee] has subjected them to an abnormal screening practice,” ACI wrote. 2 Each major airport generally has a single director to oversee federal security operations at that airport. These directors also act as liaisons among the TSA, airports, local law enforcement, and FOIA CBP 001190 DHS-17-0435-B-000487 90 other pertinent entities. An FSD may also oversee multiple airports. The TSA screens about 2 million people daily at U.S. airports. The agency said it doesn’t track how many passengers are subject to pat-down searches. These searches typically occur when an imaging scanner detects one or more unknown objects on a person or if a traveler declines to walk through the machine and opts for the physical screening. “Passengers who have not previously experienced the now standardized pat-down screening may not realize that they did in fact receive the correct procedure, and may ask our partners, including law enforcement at the airport, about the procedure,” TSA spokesman Bruce Anderson wrote March 3 in an email, describing why the agency notified police. The pat-down change, first reported Friday by Bloomberg News, is “intended to reduce the cognitive burden on [employees] who previously had to choose from various pat-down procedures depending on the type of screening lane,” the ACI-NA wrote in its notice. Physical screening has long been one of the public’s strongest dislikes about airport security protocols. The TSA has all pat-downs conducted by an employee of the same gender as the traveler and allows a passenger to request a private area for the screening, as well as to have a witness present. Likewise, the traveler can request that the pat-down occur in public view. The TSA won’t reveal specific procedures on how its pat-downs are conducted beyond the general information on its website. “Knowing our specific procedures could aid those who wish to do travelers harm in evading our measures,” Anderson said. The TSA’s calls to police were an effort to provide local law enforcement “situational awareness” about the new pat￾down method, Christopher Bidwell, ACI-NA’s vice president of security, said in an interview Saturday. U.S. airports have not expressed any reservations or concerns about the pat￾down change, the association said. “We appreciate our partner, the TSA, providing us information about these universal pat-downs and the standardization,” Bidwell said. The TSA informational call was with several airport industry groups. Each major airport generally has a single director to oversee federal security operations at that airport. These directors also act as liaisons among the TSA, airports, local law enforcement, and other pertinent entities. An FSD may also oversee multiple airports. TSA Announces Pat-down Policy For Fliers Who Refuse New Technology Fox News, March 6, 2017 The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has just announced that it will be conducting a potentially more invasive physical pat-down procedure to customers who refuse to be scanned electronically. On Monday, TSA says it decided to inform local police of the new pat-down in case a passenger calls to report “abnormal” federal frisking, Bloomberg reports, but the agency has declined to say exactly where-and how￾employees will be touching air travelers. Previously, if a flier was selected, one of five separate types of pat-downs were used but the new search procedure said is to replace all five of the other pat-downs. According to the agency’s website, “TSA officers use the back of the hands for pat-downs over sensitive areas of the body. In limited cases, additional screening involving a sensitive area pat-down with the front of the hand may be needed to determine that a threat does not exist.” Now, security screeners will use the front of their hands on passengers in a private screening area if one of the prior screening methods indicates the presence of explosives. TSA requires all pat-downs to be conducted an officer of the same sex. Two million people are screened by TSA daily throughout airports nationwide.. The searches normally occur when an imaging scanner detects one or more unknown objects on a person or if a traveler declines to walk through the scanner and instead for the physical screening. Passengers who decline the screening technology are automatically subject to enhanced physical searches. The agency says the new screening procedure is not expected to increase overall airport security delays though TSA pre-check passengers may also receive an enhanced pat-down. The change is partly due to the agency’s study of a 2015 report criticizing different aspects of current agency screening procedures. That particular audit, conducted by the Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector General, reported that airport officers failed to detect handguns and other weapons. Airline pilots, flight attendants and crew members are also subject to receiving the new pat-down but overall number of random searches for airline crews will remain at a very small percentage. Airport employees may also be subject to additional, random screenings. TSA Agents Will Be Touching Passengers In A Way That Would Get Other People Arrested, Report Says. What Else Is New? By Fredrick Kunkle Washington Post, March 6, 2017 FOIA CBP 001191 DHS-17-0435-B-000488 91 The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has already been accused of touching passengers in ways that would land other people in jail. But now passengers who opt out of electronic screening will have to undergo a full pat-down instead of one of five others that were slightly less aggressive. Things may be getting so intrusive at TSA checkpoints these days that the federal agency thinks it is necessary to alert local police about its new method of conducting pat￾downs, according to a Bloomberg News report. The TSA says the full, one-size-fits-all pat-down doesn’t involve any different areas of the body that were frisked under the previous methods. Speaking on background to talk frankly about the change, a TSA official said Monday that although little has changed in the procedures for pat-downs, the agency has taken steps to make the searches more uniform and thorough. On the TSA’s website, the agency stipulates that everyone, including passengers in its Pre✓ program , m ay be required to undergo a pat-down from a person of the same gender. A passenger might be required to undergo a frisk after the TSA’s screening machines trigger an alarm, as part of “random or unpredictable security measures, or as an alternative to machine screening. The agency says its officers use the backs of their hands on sensitive parts of the body but, ‘in limited cases,” may use the front of the hand in “sensitive areas.” The official said the revised measures have been developed in response to a 2015 report by the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Inspector General that found troubling lapses in the TSA’s screening procedures, including the failure by TSA screeners to find a fake explosive taped to the body of an undercover officer who was part of an operation designed to test airport screening measures. “It’s probably the least favorite task they have to do,” the official said. But Bloomberg — citing a security notice sent by the TSA to the Airports Council International-North America, which is a trade organization — says some passengers may be in for a frisking that’s a little friskier than usual. The news agency also says that the TSA will not specify what a “comprehensive” pat-down means, exactly. But the TSA wanted to alert local law enforcement in case anyone calls to report an “abnormal” pat-down, Bloomberg says. And yet American travelers have been complaining about TSA frisk jobs for years now. The TSA security notice cited by Bloomberg talks about replacing five existing methods, but these already range in intensity — using only official classification here — from “Prohibited at Any Strip Club” to “Proctologists Only.” This isn’t news to any airline passenger who’s traveled since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks or anyone following social media. A producer from Martin Scorcese’s movie “Silence” made a wisecrack — the TSA staff mistook “IUD” for “IED” — that led to a body search that included her groin, and CNN commentator Angela Rye raised questions about her pat-down. . GOP, Democrats Blast TSA For Withholding Information Washington Post, March 6, 2017 A hard-hitting, bipartisan congressional oversight hearing is good government at work — especially if you like blood sports. It can be a brutal experience for an agency head in the hot seat when Republicans and Democrats are rightly and mutually disgusted with a bureaucracy’s performance and its leaders. That was the case with Huban A. Gowadia, the acting administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing Thursday. The committee has had petty, partisan, politician￾promoting disputes, but this wasn’t one of them. Outraged members, both red and blue, lambasted TSA’s refusal to provide the independent Office of Special Counsel (OSC) all the documents needed for its whistleblower-retaliation investigations. The hearing pointed to issues beyond the importance of principled, bipartisan oversight — the lack of transparency, whistleblower revenge, collusion to deny employee rights — that stain many agencies. Yet TSA, more than others, uses a fictional claim of attorney-client privilege to thwart the special counsel’s work. And a December report by the Department of Homeland Security inspector general cited TSA’s “unjustifiable and … inconsistent and arbitrary” use of the “sensitive security information” (SSI) designation to avoid release of even innocuous material. Citing reports from “as far back as 2005,” Inspector General John Roth testified that TSA’s “aggressive approach to restricting information from being made public … is deeply rooted and systemic.” He pointed to examples where the agency’s misuse of security information “bordered on absurd,” including when officials attempted to redact this line — “passengers are not required to remove shoes, belts, laptops, liquids or gels” — from a report, while that information was publicly posted on TSA’s website. Similarly, TSA considered the entire, blacked-out page of a document to be privileged, including the date. “There’s simply no basis for federal agencies to assert the attorney-client privilege during an OSC investigation,” Special Counsel Carolyn Lerner said at the hearing. FOIA CBP 001192 DHS-17-0435-B-000489 92 The IG’s December report was blunt, saying the agency “cannot be trusted to administer the (SSI) program in a reasonable manner.” Reading that statement during last week’s committee hearing, a head-shaking Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) said, “That’s about as damning as it gets.” TSA’s sorry history with whistleblowers includes losing a Supreme Court case involving retroactive designation of information as sensitive to justify the 2006 firing of air marshal Robert MacLean. But even now, the record shows it can’t be trusted to treat its employees fairly. Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (Md.), the committee’s ranking Democrat, complained about a now-discontinued policy of “forcing employees to move entirely to … new locations as punishment for raising concerns.” Added Cummings, “it was punishment, punishment.” The whistleblower, attorney-client privilege and SSI issues were bad enough for TSA. Gowadia’s quandary made it worse. Her inability or unwillingness to answer many questions and her reluctance to name another federal official directly involved in the attorney-client dodge left committee members upset and incredulous. “Unfortunately, the TSA is not fulfilling their legal obligation to produce documents, frustrating OSC’s investigative efforts,” Chaffetz said. “And I can tell you with a passion on both sides of this aisle, it is not acceptable to withhold information.” Gowadia was in a tough spot. Essentially, her defense was that the bosses made her do it. When Chaffetz demanded she explain the attorney-client-privilege defense, she blamed the bureaucracy: “I have to say we follow departmental guidance. … My hands are tied by departmental policy.” Chaffetz said he wanted to see this guidance. Gowadia’s answer surprised him. Gowadia: “Sir, to … best of my knowledge, the guidance is not in writing …” Chaffetz: “So wait a second. You don’t have — you just made this up? It’s not in writing?” When he insisted on getting the name of the official preventing her from providing OSC all of the information it needs, she demurred as if that, too, were secret. Chaffetz: “Give me some names. I want to know who to call up here.” Gowadia: “The Office of General Counsel.” Chaffetz: “No, no.” Gowadia: “The general counsel to the secretary.” Chaffetz: “Give me a specific name. That’s a big office, there’s lots of attorneys, tell me the attorneys that are telling you not to provide this information to Congress, and tell me the names of the attorneys that are telling you not to provide this to the OSC. I want names.” Gowadia: “Sir, sir … I will follow up with your — with you and your staff right after this.” Chaffetz then had the TSA staffers attending the hearing — agency heads always come with a crew — raise their hands. He counted seven. “One of these seven people has got to get on the phone, get your butt up out of this committee and go get that information before this hearing’s done,” he demanded. “I want to have names.” Later in the hearing, Gowadia said she had received permission to reveal the name of Joseph Maher, the acting general counsel. After much of the testimony, Chaffetz concluded that TSA whistleblowers “know the deck is stacked against them.” Congress likes whistleblowers. And it doesn’t like it when they are victims of official reprisal, which happens much more than taxpayers realize. “Ladies and gentlemen, if we don’t stand up for whistleblowers, we don’t need to be here,” Cummings told his colleagues. “We must do everything in our power, at all times, to protect them.” FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY 22 Million At Risk For Bad Weather In Central United States Associated Press, March 6, 2017 NORMAN, Okla. — Forecasters say tornadoes are possible from Arkansas and Oklahoma to Minnesota as warm weather reaches well into the nation’s midsection. The area at the greatest risk Monday runs from near Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Joplin, Missouri, into eastern Iowa and northwestern Illinois. Storms should begin late Monday afternoon and continue into the night. Some tornadoes could be strong, with winds above 111 mph. The storm threat covers 22 million people. Isolated storms with the potential to produce tornadoes are forecast to form in eastern Kansas and eastern Oklahoma and move into Missouri. Supercell storms are also possible in the upper Midwest. As a cold front approaches, high winds will be the greater threat. Strong winds from the south will carry a threat into Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin overnight. Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. FOIA CBP 001193 DHS-17-0435-B-000490 93 Feds Spend More Than $300 Million On Louisiana Flood Relief; Here’s Where The Money’s Going By Steve Hardy Baton Rouge (LA) Advocate, March 6, 2017 The federal government has now spent more than $300 million fixing health centers, schools and other public facilities damaged in last summer’s flood. Monday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that the Public Assistance program has obligated $304.3 million in reimbursements to the state and local governments in 26 parishes impacted by floodwaters. Approximately one in every five dollars spent has gone to fix schools in the worst-hit parishes, including East Baton Rouge. At the state level, the Department of Health and Hospitals and the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries each received hundreds of thousands of dollars. The Gonzales wastewater plant alone stands to receive nearly a million, according to a news release. The federal government typically reimburses local agencies for 75 percent of their disaster costs, including clearing debris, fixing roads and replacing damaged vehicles like police cruisers. However, after especially cataclysmic events, including the recent floods, the amount jumps to 90 percent. Agencies continue to haggle with FEMA over what can be claimed for reimbursement. East Baton Rouge officials, for example, have tried to get public assistance to help pay for hauling off debris from demolishing blighted properties that were damaged in the storm. US CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES Trump Puts The Brakes On H-1B Visas San Jose (CA) Mercury News, March 6, 2017 In what could be a blow to Silicon Valley’s ability to import the best and the brightest tech workers to fuel its innovation engine, the Trump Administration’s immigration gatekeepers have announced they are suspending their 15- day “premium processing” program to fast-track applicants of H-1B visas. The visas, which allow companies to recruit foreign nationals for highly skilled jobs in the United States, are prized in a tech world where companies like Google, Facebook and Apple have come to depend heavily on workers holding these coveted passes to America’s workplace. While the program is intended to help tech companies recruit talented immigrants without displacing American workers, it has become a lightning rod for criticism in recent years as politicians on both sides of the aisle push bills to hem in the aggressive use of H-1B visas by outsourcing firms. Trump’s recent executive orders on immigration, including the revised travel ban announced this week, have helped fuel a battle with Silicon Valley’s leaders. And many CEOs are concerned that the new suspension is only a prelude to a broader attack on the H-1B program, which some close to the administration have criticized. The H-1B program currently allows 85,000 per year to enter on the visas, but the process can be painfully slow, and many choose to accelerate it by paying extra for a 15-day expedited process. Under rules announced by the United States Immigration and Customs Services late Friday, known as the USICS, the expedited service, which cost $1,225 per application, will be suspended for any H-1B petition filed on or after April 3. “I’ve seen these applications take anywhere from 8-12 months,” said Tahmina Watson, a Seattle-based immigration lawyer, in an interview. “Even though the advertised processing time is four months, I’ve never seen anything take four months.” This will not only affect new workers coming to the country on the H-1B program, but those who already hold an H-1B visa and are changing jobs within the country too, says Watson. An example would be an engineer who had an H-1B visa with Microsoft taking a new position at Google. The suspension of the premium processing may last up to six months, according to the USICS website. USICS says that it’s making the change in order to catch up on “long-pending petitions” — which the agency says has been difficult because of the large number of H-1B applications and requests for premium processing it receives. The announcement by Trump’s immigration team is not a surprise, considering the well-publicized attacks on America’s immigration policies by his chief strategist, Steve Bannon. Breitbart News, where Bannon served as executive chair before joining the Trump team, published articles last year blasting the H-1B program, alleging that the political establishment in Washington has draped it in secrecy. “Frightened political and business insiders have gone to great lengths to keep the American public from learning about the controversial H-1B guest worker visa program, which helps explain why the Silicon Valley elites and the Republican old guard are coming together to try and destroy Donald Trump,” Lee Stranahan wrote last May. “The lengths the H￾1B advocates have gone to keep their secrets hidden is cause for alarm and shows exactly why the whole rotten immigration system needs to be exposed.” Stranahan said “Silicon Valley’s current business model is based on two things that presumptive GOP nominee Trump has spoken out against: cheap overseas manufacturing and a cheaper, more malleable domestic labor FOIA CBP 001194 DHS-17-0435-B-000491 94 force created through government programs like the H1-B foreign guest-worker program. “Silicon Valley has been used to the Republican political establishment playing nice with them on programs like the H￾1B guest-worker visa program that keeps their cheap labor pipeline rolling.” Expedited H-1B Visa Program Suspended: How This Affects India’s Tech Giants Christian Science Monitor, March 6, 2017 The United States’ decision to temporarily suspend expediting processing of H-1B visas last week could have a significant impact not only on American tech giants, but Indian companies as well. On Friday, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a six-month suspension of the H-1B expedited-service option, effective April 3. The announcement came just hours after India’s Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar and Commerce Secretary Rita Teotia urged top Trump administration officials to view the H￾1B program as a matter of trade and services, rather than immigration. A number of Indian IT firms currently use the expedited service option, which lets companies pay an extra fee to get an H-1B application processed within 15 days, to outsource tens of thousands of professionals for project work in the United States each year. The announcement by USCIS on Friday marked what many saw as the first move in a broader reform effort under President Trump, who in November vowed to crack down on “all abuses of visa programs that undercut the American worker.” As The Christian Science Monitor reported last week: H-1B’s stated purpose is to attract highly educated specialists to US jobs that companies can’t fill, and while it applies to a number of industries, the majority of recipients work in technology. A 2015 USCIS report to Congress found that the previous year, 65 percent of approved petitions were for computer-related jobs. Facebook is classified as an “H-1B dependent” company, with more than 15 percent of its employees relying on the program.... The “premium processing” option, first introduced in 2001, allowed companies to pay an extra $1,225 to have their petitions reviewed in two weeks, rather than the usual two to three months. As of April 3rd, that service is dead, although USCIS says that an expedited option will remain available in special cases such in emergencies and for humanitarian reasons. USCIS claims the measure is necessary to work through a backlog of applications, but this explanation confuses some, who point out that faster processing was cited as a reason for the premium option in the first place. While meeting with Trump cabinet officials and lawmakers last week, Secretary Jaishankar suggested that bringing in skilled Indian workers helps the US economy and keeps companies – and jobs – in America, a primary stated goal of the Trump administration. ‘‘If the Trump Administration’s intention is to bring back American companies to the United States and attract more foreign investment in America, then it is important America remains competitive,” said Mr. Jaishankar at a briefing, as reported by the Times of India. “So, there would actually be [a] growing need for this partnership.” Many experts agree that in order to remain competitive, the US must take a global approach in recruiting professional talent. “In a globalized economy, the best and the brightest want to work in the best places – and if they’re unable work in the United States, or it takes too long or is too difficult, they’ll find a place in Canada or Europe or India where their talents can be appreciated,” Stephen Yale-Loehr, a Cornell University immigration law professor, told NPR last month. This argument, Jaishankar told reporters at the end of the visit, was met with “a degree of understanding.” But, he noted, he saw hope in Mr. Trump’s calls for a “merit-based” immigration system while addressing a joint session of Congress for the first time last week. “Switching away from this current system of lower￾skilled immigration, and instead adopting a merit-based system, we will have so many more benefits,” the president said, according to transcripts. This kind of “points-based system” looks for such factors as education, profession, and linguistic proficiency to determine the usefulness of prospective immigrants, the Monitor reported following the speech. “What I would remind you that the President himself in his address to the Congress preferred a merit-based approach to the subject,” Jaishankar said, as reported by the Times of India. “We heard across the board a lot of respect expressed for Indian skills in the United States.” The U.S. Government Changed H-1B Visa Rules. Here’s What It Means For Tech CNBC, March 6, 2017 U.S. immigration authorities suspended a program last Friday that expedited visas for skilled workers — a darling class of workers in the tech community. Despite stoking tension in tech companies, it’s a relatively routine decision that’s happened under administrations past. But it is missing one key piece of information — a timeline— and that could impact businesses. What has changed? “Premium processing” of H-1B visas, which allowed skilled workers to pay extra to request faster approval to work FOIA CBP 001195 DHS-17-0435-B-000492 95 in the U.S., will no longer be available starting April 3, immigration authorities announced. That basically means all applicants will have to wait the standard period to see if they have won the “lottery,” without the option to pay an extra $1,225 filing fee for guaranteed answer after 15 days. Essentially, the government is shifting around which administrative tasks they’ll tackle first, said said immigration attorney Rajiv Khanna. “This is not new for anybody. Last year they did the same thing,” Khanna said. “It simply means a diversion of resources toward other programs that lack resources.” Indeed, last year immigration authorities said they were delaying premium processing until May 16. But this year’s announcement gives a six-month window, not a specific date, for the premium processing delay. That’s where things get tricky. “At least last year, we knew that by May, the premium track would kick in. It’s fair for them to want a month, because they get this flood of applications and go through the lottery process. Getting a month is reasonable,” said attorney Piyumi Samaratunga. “[Now] we don’t know if it will be implemented in May or at all.” For highly skilled foreign nationals hoping to work in the U.S., the H-1B visa program was already a gamble, as a relatively small number of spots are allocated through a lottery process. Almost all H-1B visa workers start working in October, and that won’t change, Khanna said. H-1B visas applicants must apply six months in advance of their start date — meaning an April 1 application for an Oct.1 start date. Indeed, last year, the H-1B visa program hit its cap for petitions by April 7. What will change is how fast employers and workers get a “yay” or “nay” on whether they were one of the lucky ones. Why is this changing? The change quickly prompted reports that the Trump administration is “dismantling the H-1B visa” and will “leave many people and companies in limbo.” But the H-1B announcement (not to be conflated with an updated travel ban signed Monday) is closer to a supply chain issue, Samaratunga said. U.S. immigration authorities said temporary suspension will free them up to sift through a backlog of long-pending applications. That means the majority of visa applicants won’t face the long wait times they have in years past. “The stated intent of the temporary suspension is to clear the backlog, which is an important step for those companies that have been waiting for months,” Manan Mehta, founding partner of Unshackled Ventures, a venture capital firm that helps immigrant-founded start-ups deal with immigration issues. So while it’s entirely possible that president Donald Trump will upend the skilled immigration program, this announcement is more of a hiring headache than anything. Still, immigration lawyer Greg Siskind suggested in a blog post that the change might be a “slow walk” to make H￾1B visas a less attractive option, especially in the medical field. Tweet: Yes, USCIS has suspended H-1B PPS in the past, but only for a few weeks and only for a few kinds of cases. This is a much different thing. 2 Who is affected? Employers are first and foremost, going to have the toughest time adapting, Samaratunga said. Let’s say an employer extends a job offer, alongside an H-1B visa sponsorship, to a worker, ahead of the April 1 rush. With the fast track option, they could know very soon if their petition was likely to be accepted, and could start planning the onboarding accordingly. If it was likely to be denied, they could begin looking for a new candidate. But now, they’ll have to wait in line, like everyone else. The average wait time is three to six months, Mehta said. So, the employer might not know until September whether their employee will be authorized to work. The suspension could especially be a sticking point for tech companies that are hoping to get to the cutting edge faster than their competitors. The technology community is in the midst of a talent war, poaching each other’s workers and setting up relationships with universities to snare top engineers. Companies like IBM, Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Apple have been among the top recipients of H-1B visas in past years, New York Times data analysis shows, aside from a massive swath of visas issued to consulting firms that are known to outsource. Alphabet chairman Eric Schmidt said last year that H￾1B visa reform was a top policy priority for tech, noting that Google has brilliant engineers who are languishing in condos in Canada waiting to get to work. The new delay does mean a little more uncertainty for some workers. Particularly, workers who are on the verge of losing their current visas, and were hoping to have a quick insight into whether they should sign a new lease or pack their bags. Also affected are H-1B visa applicants that are not subject to the usual cap — especially those working at universities, Khanna said. And a small group of foreign nationals may have to take a break from working while they wait for a visa change to take hold, said Mehta. Then there are practical inconveniences, like getting one’s driver’s license renewed or traveling while immigration status is pending, Siskend wrote. Given all the uncertainty, Samaratunga said, some employers might be more reticint to hire foreign workers — FOIA CBP 001196 DHS-17-0435-B-000493 96 although if they had another choice, hiring a domestic worker is almost always the more practical choice either way, she said. But there are plenty of loopholes to push through the most urgent cases, Khanna said. Severe financial loss to a company, emergencies, non-profit and humanitarian causes can all still merit requests expedited H-1B visas, Khanna said. And students or H-1B workers changing jobs have special protections to cover the gap while they wait for their new visa to kick in. Mehta suggested that workers hoping to change their visa status to another type apply to do so by the end of the month to avoid being affected by the suspension. US Suspension Of Fast Track For H1B Visas Leaves Foreign Workers In Limbo The visas, which allow skilled workers to come to the US temporarily, are in especially high demand in Silicon Valley and the medical sector By Olivia Solon In San Francisco The Guardian (UK), March 6, 2017 The US has temporarily suspended the fast-track processing of H1B visas, leaving many foreign workers in limbo. H1B visas allow skilled workers to come to the US temporarily. They are in high demand, particularly in Silicon Valley and the medical sector, and are allocated by lottery. It can take more than six months for an application to be reviewed. Premium processing allows applicants to pay an extra fee ($1,225) to ensure a response within 15 days. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on Friday that it was putting that facility on hold from 3 April 2017, justifying the move as a means to clear a backlog in processing of H1B visas. However, some fear the suspension – which USCIS said could last up to six months – is a first step towards the Trump administration clamping down on this type of immigration. “Is this something related to the current administration? We don’t know,” said Avinash Conda, a senior manager Shutterfly based in Redwood City, California.. “But the entire mood seems to be slowly moving towards an anti-immigration tone whether it’s the Muslim ban or this.” “I don’t think [UCSIS] would voluntarily take such a massive budget hit,” added Boston-based immigration attorney Matthew Cameron. “The UCSIS is almost exclusively funded by application fees so they are giving up hundreds of millions of dollars.” The H1B visa program currently admits 85,000 immigrants each year. Technology companies have been lobbying to extend the program to allow for more foreign immigration, of which Donald Trump has been a vocal opponent. In the run-up to his election, Trump criticized Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg for pushing for more specialist H1B visas, arguing it was a threat to jobs for American women and minorities. Meanwhile documents obtained by numerous news outlets have offered vague suggestions that White House reforms may seek to prioritize American workers and restrict outsourcing companies that have dominated the program. “Whatever you think of H1 policy and the way it’s being used, it’s unfair to have a sneak attack on the whole system,” said Cameron. “A lot of massive companies rely upon [premium processing] every year for their hiring and budgeting schedules.” For those part-way through the recruitment process, the announcement comes as a major blow. Recruiter Amy Caruso from Grit Matters said that it is having “an extreme impact not only for candidates but also my income”. She told the Guardian she has two candidates for jobs who can no longer proceed as a result of the decision. “I’ll need to cover the legal fees, and the attorneys will only be paid for the work they have completed prior to the suspension thereby affecting their incomes as well,” she said. It’s not just new recruits who will be affected, but those seeking to extend their H1B visas (something required every three years) or those switching from one employer to another. “Most of the big companies file with premium processing,” said Conda. Without the fast-track processing, employees will have to wait six to eight months and they cannot travel during that time. “Switching jobs becomes almost impossible for a lot of people,” he added. He didn’t believe that the measure would have the intended result of cutting down average processing times, because the fast-track option brings the average down. One country that will be disproportionately affected by the decision is India, home of many of the skilled immigrants who come to the US on H1B visas. It is common for Indian IT companies to send workers to the US at short notice to work on projects. According to local news reports, the suspension of fast-track processing will likely hit domestic software exporters hard. The news comes at the same time as Donald Trump signed a revised executive order to reinstate a ban on immigration from certain Muslim-majority countries. IT Services Firm Stocks Dip After Govt Suspends Fast Tech Visas By Noel Randewich Reuters, March 6, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. FOIA CBP 001197 DHS-17-0435-B-000494 97 Visa Change Could Affect Doctors Planning To Serve Neediest Areas Of Illinois Chicago Tribune, March 6, 2017 Just days before President Donald Trump signed a new travel ban Monday, his administration made a separate visa change that could frustrate many workers’ and employers’ plans, including those of foreign doctors hoping to serve Illinois’ neediest areas. On Friday, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced it would temporarily suspend expedited visa processing for all petitions for H-1B visas — visas that allow highly skilled people from other countries to work in the U.S. Those visas are how foreign doctors who train at hospitals in the U.S. are able to stay and work in the U.S. Most doctors who come to the U.S. from other countries for their residencies — periods in which medical school graduates train in hospitals — are required to work in underserved areas, such as rural places or high-need parts of Chicago, for a period of time after their residencies if they want to stay in the U.S. The change announced Friday means doctors from most countries — other than those named in the new travel ban — will still be able to get the visas, but they might not be able to get them quickly enough to start working right after their residencies end this summer. “Some of the most needy areas may lose out if they’re actually recruiting practicing physicians to those areas,” said Dr. Atul Grover, executive vice president of the Association of American Medical Colleges. Grover estimated that at least 1,500 doctors finishing their residencies seek H-1B visas each year across the country. According to the government, petitions for H-1Bs might still be expedited if they’re for “humanitarian” reasons or “emergency situations.” A spokeswoman for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services wasn’t immediately able to comment Monday on whether the exceptions might apply to doctors. Doctors won’t have to leave the country while they’re waiting for their H-1B visas, but they won’t be able to start work either, said Carl Shusterman, a Los Angeles immigration attorney who specializes in medical-related immigration issues. “Without (expedited) processing it could take four or five months, and they’ll just be sitting there not working and not serving the underserved communities,” Shusterman said. The change to the visa approval process might be just one more factor that could drive away foreign doctors, who are needed to ease the nation’s doctor shortage, some say. About 29 percent of Illinois’ licensed practicing doctors graduated from medical schools outside the U.S., and the majority of them were likely born outside the U.S., according to the Federation of State Medical Boards. The Association of American Medical Colleges projects the U.S. will have a shortage of between 46,100 and 90,400 doctors by 2025. “There’s a concern that if the environment is not viewed as welcoming for you as an immigrant ... if the feeling is ‘thanks-but-no-thanks,’ they’re going to look to other countries,” Grover said. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said Friday it was suspending expedited review in order to focus on processing “long-pending petitions” for H-1B visas that it has been unable to get to because it’s been so busy. Some, however, question whether other factors may be at play. Jeanne Batalova, senior policy analyst at the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute, said the suspension may be a response to political pressure to do something about the H-1B system. And it may backfire. “In reality it will affect many employers and probably put the administration at odds with employers of immigrants,” Batalova said. The majority of H-1B visas go to the technology sector, but universities, research institutions, manufacturers and financial services companies also will be affected. Expedited approvals have been suspended before, but those earlier suspensions generally did not apply to most doctors and academic medical center workers, said Chicago immigration attorney Kristen Harris. To Really Reform The H-1B Visa Process Will Take A Lot More Than Friday’s Freeze Fast Company, March 6, 2017 The move by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on Friday to suspend “premium” processing of H-1B visas puts the issue of high-tech worker immigration reform back in sharp focus. Big tech companies routinely pay the $1,225 fee to get a decision on an applicant’s work visa in weeks instead of months. This adds to the thousands in attorneys’ fees that sponsor companies pay to navigate the tricky and unforgiving legal waters of the H-1B application process. The suspension, which takes effect on April 3, appears to be President Trump’s attempt to begin fulfilling his campaign promise to curb H-1B abuse, wherein companies recruit foreign (mostly Indian) skilled workers for lower salaries than they’d have to pay American workers. And it comes just after Senator Dick Durban released a statement calling on the White House to follow through on its H-1B reform campaign promises. But the USCIS’s move on Friday seems more like a small administrative tweak than the precursor to real reform. FOIA CBP 001198 DHS-17-0435-B-000495 98 USCIS says that it’s suspending premium processing for administrative reasons, as a way of speeding up H-1B applications generally. “This on its own makes no sense; the (premium processing) program has been working well, and it’s been effective for the better part of a decade,” says immigration attorney David Leopold, who routinely represents U.S. companies seeking visas for foreign IT workers. “There’s simply no rational reason for it, except for political reasons.” Leopold is former president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. “It’s only because of the agency’s inefficiency that we need this to begin with,” Leopold says. “Companies need this, they need premium processing to get their business done.” Speeding up the application process is important, but it’s just a small part of the problem. The main issue is that companies, foreign and domestic, are gaming the system as a way to hire cheap labor at the expense of U.S. workers. Several bills have already been introduced in the new Congress to reform the H-1B system, two of them from Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) both of whom represent Silicon Valley districts. But there may be no simple legislative fix to H-1B abuse—though increasing funds for enforcement (bigger government) would likely help. The government issues 85,000 H-1B visas each year, with 20,000 of them reserved for foreign grad students studying in the U.S. The number of applications always dwarfs the supply of visas, so the government uses a lottery system to distribute them. But the lion’s share of the H-1B visas get swallowed up by Indian labor outsourcing firms like Tata Consulting Services and Infosys. These companies hire IT and engineering talent in India and send them to the U.S. to work in the U.S., H-1B visas in hand. Lawmakers are concerned that U.S. companies shift work to the outsourcing firm contractors as a way to save money, even as (more expensive) U.S. workers are available. Some lawmakers, like Issa, believe that imposing a minimum yearly salary requirement (in Issa’s bill, $100,000) for the foreign workers might remove the incentive for the skilled labor arbitrage game that some U.S. companies have played using the Indian outsourcing companies. That might do some good in places like New York and San Francisco, one expert tells me, but might do more harm in other places. “If you live in San Francisco or New York, $100,000 might be barely enough to get by,” said work visa expert Theo Negri. “But what if you’re in Nebraska where you can live well on $50,000? It doesn’t seem fair to require that the company to pay twice that much.” Negri runs the Jobsintech.io website, where employers can post H-1B jobs in the U.S. Negri says the key is to make sure that employers, including the outsourcing companies, pay the “prevailing wage” for a given position, or more. In fact, the USCIS requires it. Almost all of the H-1B jobs listed on Jobsintech.io list salaries that are at or above the prevailing wage. The H￾1B jobs posted by U.S. companies like Apple and Facebook are all well above the prevailing wage. The same can also be said of lower-paid job listings by Indian outsourcing companies, which illustrates how the program has been exploited. Those outsourcers use a different way to post jobs with lower salaries, Negri says. Since the “prevailing wage” is based on the job title, the outsourcing companies often make up their own titles for the positions. So a highly skilled software development position might instead be advertised as a “technology lead” role. Using such a generic job title, Negri says, the outsourcers can set the salary at whatever they want. Still, those lower-wage jobs are often snatched up, because for the predominantly Indian workers who take the positions, the salaries are still far more than what they’d make at a similar job in their home country, Negri said. Sounds like a win-win for employers and workers, except for those Americans with similar levels of experience who might be beaten out of a job by foreign workers who will work for less. Or those Americans could be booted out of the jobs they currently have. At least 400 IT workers at Southern California Edison were laid off last year and replaced by workers from India, some of whom they had reportedly trained for their new roles. The Indian outsourcing companies consider H-1B reform a material threat to their businesses. And when Indian leaders met with Trump last week, they expressed their concerns about changes proposed to the program. In its most recent 10-Q filing, Infosys stated: “Anti-outsourcing legislation in certain countries in which we operate, including the United States and the United Kingdom, may restrict companies in those countries from outsourcing work to us, or may limit our ability to send our employees to certain client sites.” Infosys declined to comment for this story. American companies like Apple and Microsoft hire a certain amount of H-1B visa workers every year, but not nearly as many as the outsourcing firms. Those tech giants have a harder time seeing into the future to know how many H-1B workers they might need during the coming year. So they sometimes bring foreign employees to the U.S. on a temporary work visa, Negri says, then gamble that the employee can get an H-1B visa when the lottery opens up again the following April. In comparison, the outsourcing firms know they will need contractors during the year, so they file for thousands of H-1Bs when the application period opens April 1. Demand for the workers recruited by the outsourcing firms to work at U.S. companies is high and fairly predictable. FOIA CBP 001199 DHS-17-0435-B-000496 99 “You should not be able to get 80% of the total number of visas,” Negri says. “In what world should a company that produces nothing—they’re just consulting companies—be able to get that many visas? It’s not like they are Google or Facebook—companies that actually make real products.” And yet, as the outsourcing companies have argued in court, they are not breaking the law by vacuuming up all the H-1B visas. Well, not the letter of the law, in any case. There’s no law saying that U.S. companies must use U.S. natives as employees, and no law prescribing how many H￾1B visas any one sponsor company can receive. Negri believes the outsourcing companies go further than just flooding the system with applications. “People have been cheating the system for a long time,” he told me. The outsourcing companies, for instance, sometimes try to bring employees to the U.S. with the wrong kind of visa, like a J1 temporary visa, Negri says. The J1 is meant to bring researchers, professors, and exchange students to the U.S. to promote “cultural exchange.” But the J1 can get a foreign person into the country for a year while the sponsor company works to get the employee a proper H-1B, which can be used for six years. That’s just one technique. Negri says there are many others. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” Gaming the system is part of the outsourcing companies’ business model, he claims. The potential cost of fines from getting caught is built into their business model as a risk factor. If the outsourcers beat the system more than they lose, they’re happy. David Leopold would not comment on the visa practices of the Indian “job shops” (they are not among his clients), but he would say that it’s often the case that he can’t get one of his client companies an H-1B visa for an employee simply because there are none left. There may be too many ways to game the system to fix it all with a new federal law. And, Leopold points out, H1-B visa are already the most regulated of all the temporary visas. “The Department of Labor has their requirements in it, the USCIS has their requirements in it,” he says. “It’s already company-specific, employee-specific, salary-specific, venue￾specific . . . In many ways it’s not a great visa; it’s expensive and full of red tape.” “What we need is more enforcement,” Negri says. U.S. agencies may need new funding and new powers to monitor H-1B visas on a case by case basis. This isn’t asking too much, Negri notes. When you remove the graduate students, we’re only talking about 65,000 visas. Asking the Labor Department to monitor 65,000 people out of 300 million people living in the U.S. isn’t asking the impossible. “Companies should be made to play it more straight in getting visas,” Negri says. “and if you get caught cheating there should be real consequences.” Nasscom Says H-1B Visa Delay Not A Significant Impediment, But To Affect Indian IT Firms American Bazaar, March 6, 2017 The United States’ decision to temporarily suspend the premium H-1B visa processing is not a “significant impediment” for the IT Industry, the National Association of Software and Services Companies said in a news media statement. But, the trade association cautioned that it would lead to delays Indian IT firms. “The current issue of the temporary suspension of premium H-1B processing will create some process delays for the companies- Indian and American- but is not a significant impediment,” the organization said in a statement. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on Friday its decision to suspend premium H-1B processing from April 3, 2017. This came just days after New Delhi pressed for a fair and rational approach on the matter from a trade and business perspective. The ‘premium processing’ allows companies to get decision on its H-1B petition in 15 days by paying $1,225 as an additional fee for processing their application. Otherwise, the normal time period may take a few months. Nasscom said that it will work with the US embassy in India to ensure that movement of professionals is not hit by such process issues. “This has happened in the past for a couple of months to clear the backlog and we will work with the US embassy in India to enable mobility of skilled talent is not impacted due to process issues,” Nasscom said. Nasscom had recently taken a delegation to Washington DC in a bid to engage with the members of the new US administration. The agency also postponed its annual forecast till May for the first time as it anticipates an overhaul of the visa regime. Led by TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCL and others, the US market contributes about 60 percent of the export revenue for the Indian software sector. Gartner Research Director DD Mishra informed that the move will have an immediate impact on the capability of Indian IT companies to respond to urgency, PTI reported. “There are many projects which often require IT companies to address the requirement immediately and some of them are often planned or unplanned or due to a certain situation very specific to the account or project. Sometimes to address this requirement, Indian IT companies may have to hire expensive resources onsite or it can delay certain time sensitive initiatives driven by urgency” Mishra said. FOIA CBP 001200 DHS-17-0435-B-000497 100 Sanchit Vir Gogia, Cheif analyst and CEO of Greyhound Research told the news agency that the decision shouldn’t be viewed as a “conclusive outcome”. “While the loss of the back of this change will be felt maximum by US companies for skills in urgent projects, it will also rightfully be a step in stopping abuse of the H-1B visa program that is currently rampant,” he said. Tech Industry Hit By Suspension Of Expedited H-1B Visas SiliconANGLE, March 6, 2017 The Trump administration’s decision to halt fast processing of H-1B visas could disrupt the operations of many technology companies and quash the plans of thousands of immigrant workers. The Trump administration said in January that it would make changes to how the visas were issued, which at the time was seen as a cause for concern in Silicon Valley. Around 65 percent of the 85,000 H-1B visas issued each year are for work in the tech industry. Many of these visas are for jobs inside India’s outsourcing firms, but all the biggest names in tech also apply for thousands of visas each year. The main setback for companies that rely on employing skilled staff from abroad is waiting time. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services reminded applicants in a press release on the matter that “petitioners may submit a request to expedite an H-1B petition if they meet the criteria on the Expedite Criteria webpage.” Expediting the application will also cost $1,225, although it will reduce what is normally a three- to six-month waiting time to under 15 days. Even if a visa application is expedited, it still doesn’t mean it will be issued, since all applications, 233,000 in 2015, are put into a lottery. Tahmina Watson of Watson Immigration Law, an immigration lawyer who talked to CNN about the move, said the changes would not be good for American businesses: “The message specifically mentions they want to bring down the backlogged time, but I worry about my clients, employers and individuals who will be affected by these delays.” While President Trump’s immigration crackdown and promise to “bring jobs back to America” slogan were regarded as the main reason for changes to the visa when announced in January, another immigration lawyer speaking to the San Francisco Chronicle said the recent suspension was apolitical and “has everything to do with an understaffed, overworked U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.” Others disputed that reading. Vivek Wadhwa, an adjunct professor at Carnegie Mellon University Engineering at Silicon Valley, said the suspension was a warning to tech companies and foreign workers that you “can’t buy your way into America.” The worst-hit by the suspension could be India’s outsourcing firms. Some 69 percent of the H-1B visas go to Indians, around half of whom will be employed by a tech company in the U.S. “Tier-I Indian IT services firms largely use the premium processing category for H-1B visa for their employees, since they can easily afford the additional $1,225 fee,” said Pareekh Jain, senior vice-president at research firm HfS Research. “But there will be uncertainty, as they will have to wait even for ongoing projects.” Slowly And Surely, The Donald Trump Government Has Begun Dismantling The H1B Visa Quartz, March 6, 2017 After months of anxiety, India’s $150-billion IT outsourcing industry has received a big blow from the Donald Trump government. On March 03, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said it will temporarily suspend premium processing for H-1B visas from April 03. The H-1B visa allows foreign professionals to work in the US for up to six years and India’s outsourcing firms are among its top beneficiaries, often using the fast-track processing option to fill up positions for new projects on short notice. Under the premium processing route, applications for the visa are processed within 15 days following the payment of an additional fee of $1,225; the standard procedure, on the other hand, can take three to six months. “This temporary suspension will help us to reduce overall H-1B processing times. By temporarily suspending premium processing, we will be able to process long-pending petitions, which we have currently been unable to process due to the high volume of incoming petitions and the significant surge in premium processing requests over the past few years,” USCIS said. In a notice on its website, USCIS noted that the suspension could last up to six months but said it may consider some specific H-1B applications for an expedition in cases of severe financial loss to a company or person, an emergency situation, or for humanitarian reasons, among others. India’s IT outsourcing industry, which gets over 60% of its revenue from the US, has been fearing a rise in protectionism in its largest market ever since Trump got elected. The temporary suspension is in line with the US president’s anti-immigration stance and could hint at a tighter H-1B visa policy in the future, according to recruitment experts. “The US government is clearly telling companies to not depend on the H-1B visa going forward,” said Kris Lakshmikanth, chairman of Headhunters India, a boutique FOIA CBP 001201 DHS-17-0435-B-000498 101 executive search firm that works with several Indian IT companies. And that poses a problem, notably for India’s tier-1 IT service companies, such as Infosys and Wipro. “Tier-I Indian IT services firms largely use the premium processing category for H-1B visa for their employees, since they can easily afford the additional $1,225 fee. But, there will be uncertainty, as they will have to wait even for ongoing projects,” Pareekh Jain, senior vice-president at research firm HfS Research, told the Business Standard newspaper. Wipro did not respond to an email from Quartz and Infosys declined to comment. Ironically, the announcement of the temporary suspension on fast-track processing was made just hours after India’s foreign secretary S Jaishankar and commerce secretary Rita Teotia met Trump’s cabinet and lawmakers in the US. After the meetings, Indian officials had said their “forceful presentation” to the US administration “has been met with a degree of understanding.” India’s IT industry lobby, Nasscom, noted that US authorities have temporarily suspended premium processing for H-1B visas before but only for a couple of months at a stretch. “We will work with the US Embassy in India to ensure that mobility of skilled talent is not affected due to process issues,” it said. But the next six months could be particularly difficult for India’s outsourcing industry . “Companies don’t typically keep H-1B visa holders on the bench, so there are no such employees to spare for new projects. That means companies will have to hire H-1B holders from other companies if they get new projects. That will come at a high cost now that H-1B holders are in demand,” Lakshmikanth of Headhunters India said. Firms Fear Worker Shortage After Rule Changes For Seasonal Visas By Deirdre Fernandes Boston Globe, March 7, 2017 Every spring, thousands of workers from Jamaica, the Philippines, and Mexico flood into New England, providing the backbone of the region’s summer economy. They wash dishes in clam shacks on the Cape, clean hotel rooms in Bar Harbor, Maine, and mow lawns from Rhode Island to New Hampshire. But changes to the seasonal worker visa program, a logjam in the federal approval process, and the Trump administration’s sharp rhetoric about immigration have business owners across the region worried that they won’t be able to hire enough workers. “We’re all fearful, based on personnel changes on the federal level, that they’re going to process applications less favorably,” said Sam Bradford, chief financial officer of Mac’s Seafood in Wellfleet. “Without this program, the tourism industry implodes.” The seasonal worker program, called H-2B, has received far less attention in recent weeks than President Trump’s attempt to temporarily ban travelers from seven majority Muslim countries and his executive order expanding deportations of undocumented immigrants. The president also has called for changes to the skilled worker visa program, called H-1B, that supplies engineers and computer programmers to startups and tech firms from Silicon Valley to Kendall Square. Seasonal businesses fear that the H-2B program for unskilled laborers could be next, even though the Trump Organization uses such workers at the president’s Mar-a￾Lago Club in Palm Beach, Fla., and the Trump National Golf Club Westchester in New York. In his postelection video message outlining policy plans for his first 100 days, Trump said he would direct the Department of Labor, “to investigate all abuses of visa programs that undercut the American worker.” While the Obama administration put tighter controls on the H-2B program, businesses worry that the political environment is turning more hostile under Trump. It is not yet clear what Trump’s call to overhaul the visa program might mean for seasonal immigrant workers. “With the administration’s focus on immigration, what concerns me is these valuable workers programs are going to get caught up in the maelstrom of tighter border control,” said Steve Hewins, president of the Maine Innkeepers Association. In a meeting last week of the association’s board, there was little else on everybody’s mind, Hewins said. The uncertainty is exacerbated by changes to the program last year. Following criticism from union leaders and immigration foes that the program was simply a way for employers to import low-wage workers — rather than hiring Americans at a living wage — the Department of Labor implemented changes. Before employers can hire H-2B visa workers, they must now demonstrate that they aggressively recruited US workers first and are paying seasonal foreign workers the prevailing wage in the region for that job. And unlike in years past, when returning workers were not counted in the annual 66,000 visa cap, they are this year after Congress failed to pass an exemption. That means that thousands of companies across the country are competing for the limited number of visas on a first-come, first-serve basis, raising fears that many will be shut out, said Patrick O’Neill, a partner at Public Strategies, a Washington-based lobbying group hired by New England companies to advocate on behalf H-2B issues. In Maine, 10 percent of the 100,000 hospitality-based workers are in the United States on temporary work visas annually, primarily through the H-2B program, Hewins said. A FOIA CBP 001202 DHS-17-0435-B-000499 102 historic 30-room inn in Bar Harbor serves as housing for foreign workers in the area, he said. These jobs may have once been filled by college students, but times have changed. The tourist season now extends into early fall, when many students are back at school, and few of them are interested in scrubbing floors or standing in hot kitchens washing dishes for hours when internships and cashier jobs call, businesses said. On the Cape, businesses are scrambling to come up with back-up plans. Many are worried that they will blow through their overtime budgets this year, be forced to scale back on breakfast and lunch hours, or close earlier because they can’t find enough workers. Mac’s Seafood has been bringing in about 100 foreign seasonal workers through the visa program since 2001 to staff the company’s restaurants, fish markets, and hotel, Bradford said. Many of the workers return annually. Some spend the winter in Vermont ski resorts before traveling south to Mac’s for about seven months to work as cooks, housekeepers, and bartenders, supplementing the 200 American employees that the company hires each year. Mac’s filed four separate applications for H-2B workers at the beginning of January with the Department of Labor. They have to certify the number of workers before applications move to the Department of Homeland Security for review and on to the State Department for issuance of a visa. The Labor Department has certified most of Mac’s workers, but the company still needs approval from the other agencies. Other companies haven’t received any word on their applications, said Jane Bishop, the president of Peak Season Workforce, a Mashpee business that helps companies navigate the visa process. Of the 171 applications that the company has filed for summer workers, only 24 have been certified. “This year is going to be a big problem,” Bishop said. Witham Family Hotels in Maine is among the companies waiting to hear about its 100 temporary workers to staff the company’s nine hotels. Employees are hitting up friends and neighbors to see if they’re interested in filling in and are talking to local colleges about potentially allowing some hospitality students to work into the fall, said Terri Swanson, Witham’s human resources director. “It’s all safety-net things we’re doing,” she said. The situation is further aggravated by the falling unemployment rate nationwide. New England states, in particular, have some of the lowest jobless rates in the country, according to updated numbers from the Labor Department. Unemployment in Massachusetts is at 3.1 percent; Vermont 3.2 percent; and Maine 3.8 percent. Last week, the Labor Department reported that unemployment claims dropped by 19,000 from 242,000 the previous week to the lowest level since March 1973, when Richard Nixon was president. Mic Clark, the executive sous chef at the private Stratton Mountain Club in Vermont, said hiring staff for its three restaurants to work for just a few months a year is a struggle. So, three years ago the club turned to H-2B workers, and now his sushi chef is from Mexico and many of his servers are Jamaican. “There are born and raised Americans who will travel from resort to resort. They’ll work here and go to Alaska,” Clark said. “But it’s getting rarer and rarer to find people who want to do that.” Department of Labor officials acknowledge that they are seeing a surge in applications, with 3,000 requests coming in during the first week in January — a 93 percent increase compared with last year. The agency is putting its available staff and resources toward processing the applications, according to its website. Labor Department officials said they have made no changes to the review process under the Trump administration. The program continues to operate under rules established in April 2015, said Egan Reich, a spokesman for the Labor Department. Representative Bill Keating, a Democrat who represents Cape Cod, said the delays may be due in part to the changes in personnel during the hand-off in presidential administrations. Keating said he expects Congress to try again in April to insert a returning worker exemption to the next funding bill. But its fate remains uncertain. Some worker advocates don’t want to see the program expand by restoring the exemption for returning workers. They say it’s still flawed, leaving foreign workers unprotected. “There are major reforms that are needed to the program” said Daniel Costa, director of immigration law at the Economic Policy Institute in Washington. “I don’t think it’s a smart idea to expand.” And while unemployment is low, there are still millions of Americans looking for work, he said. For now, many foreign workers who rely on the program are in limbo. Neily Bowlin, 42, and his wife Patricia, from Jamaica, are in their final weeks of working at Stowe Mountain Resort as cooks. They had planned to travel down to the Cape in April for the summer season, but haven’t heard back about their visa status. Bowlin has worked on the Cape through the visa program since 1997 and it has helped ensure that his 15- year-old son in Jamaica will have money to go to college. “You have no idea where the chips are going to fall,” Bowlin said. “It’s the biggest fear ever; this is our career, this is our way of life.” FOIA CBP 001203 DHS-17-0435-B-000500 103 Americans Divided On Admitting Refugees Philly (PA), March 6, 2017 Where immigrants are concerned, James Wright is OK with people who are here legally, as well as illegally – if they haven’t committed crimes. But turn the talk specifically to the risks and benefits of admitting refugees to the U.S., and the New Jersey resident gives a fraught sigh. “It’s hard not to be conflicted,” said Wright, 26, an independent who supports President Donald Trump’s proposed travel ban on certain foreigners. “By no means do I want to be cruel and keep people out who need a safe place. But we have to have a better system of thoroughly finding out who they are.” Graphic shows results of AP-NORC poll on attitudes toward immigrants and refugees; 2c x 4 inches; 96.3 mm x 101 mm; Wright is part of a group of Americans a new survey suggests are making distinctions between legal immigrants who choose to be here and refugees – who are legal immigrants, too – fleeing persecution in their home countries. A new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research reflects that divide, with two-thirds of the respondents saying the benefits of legal immigration generally outweigh the risks. But just over half – 52 percent – say refugees pose a great enough risk to further limit their entry into the United States. Interviews with some of the poll’s participants suggest the distinction may be one of perception in an age of religious and politically inspired violence and 4.8 million refugees fleeing war-scarred Syria. “Sometimes the vetting might not be quality,” said Randall Bagwell, 33, a Republican from of San Antonio, Texas, the state second to California in settling refugees between Oct. 1 and Jan. 31, according to the State Department. “Nobody can do quality control when they’re just reacting immediately.” President Donald Trump has long linked tougher immigration limits to a safer country, and on Monday signed a new travel ban that, in part, will suspend refugee travel to the U.S. for four months except for those already on their way to the United States. The new order, which takes effect on March 16, will impose a 90-day ban on entry to the United States for people from Sudan, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia and Yemen – all Muslim-majority nations – who are seeking new visas. It was Trump’s second effort at a travel ban. The first was blocked by the courts. Also reflecting his hard line, Trump last week announced to Congress a new office to aid Americans and their families who are victims of immigrant violence. That’s despite years of studies that have shown that immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than U.S.-born people. Much of Trump’s candidacy and young presidency has been powered by the idea that he will protect Americans from “bad dudes” who want to come here, issuing a mix of tough, if vague, policy – from “extreme vetting” to the travel ban, a border wall with Mexico and more. Americans report conflicting feelings about immigrants just over six weeks into his presidency, the poll suggests. On the one hand, Americans see refugees as a risk apart from other legal immigrants, with a third of Democrats, and 8 in 10 Republicans, say the risks are great enough to place more limits on refugees admitted to the U.S. Despite those fears, Americans still see legal immigration generally as a boon, the poll shows. More than 6 in 10 say a major benefit of legal immigration is that it enhances the reputation of the United States as a land of opportunity. The good and bad of immigration has long been a painful and intensifying national debate. Trump has shown some flexibility – or inconsistency, depending on one’s viewpoint – on his approach. For example, Iraq is no longer on the list of countries whose people are banned. Officials from the Pentagon and State Department had urged the White House to reconsider given Iraq’s key role in fighting the Islamic State group. Also, the new order does not subject Syrians to an indefinite travel ban, as did the original. Trump also has minimized talk of deporting all of the estimated 11 million people in the U.S. illegally and suggested that he could be open to comprehensive immigration reform. That sparked both interest and skepticism on Capitol Hill, where a solution has stymied Congress for years. But Trump’s warnings about refugees in particular apparently have stuck in the American consciousness, according to the poll. Refugees entering the U.S. undergo rigorous background checks, including a search of government databases that list people suspected of having ties to terrorist groups. Processing of refugees can take up to two years – and usually longer for those coming from Syria. After a year in the U.S., refugees are required to check in and obtain green cards. But U.S. officials have acknowledged that information on people coming from Syria, in particular, may be limited. Mandy Gibson, 37, sees the benefits of admitting legal immigrants – but isn’t so sure about refugees. “Maybe it’s the media. They are making refugees sound like they aren’t legal immigrants and I don’t necessarily understand, but they are different to me,” said Gibson, who works in a Greensboro, North Carolina, grocery store. Either way, she said, “anybody who is coming from countries that have ISIS really should have a very thorough background check.” ___ FOIA CBP 001204 DHS-17-0435-B-000501 104 The AP-NORC poll of 1,004 adults was conducted Feb. 16-20, using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 3.9 percentage points. IMMIGRATION It’s Not Just Deportations And The Border: Trump Seeks To Remake The Immigration System By David Nakamura Washington Post, March 6, 2017 President Trump’s challenge to Congress last week to pursue bipartisan immigration reform seemed, at first glance, like a presumptuous request from a president whose hard￾line campaign rhetoric left little room for compromise. But the move reflects the underlying aims of Trump and his top aides to more broadly remake U.S. immigration policy to match a nationalist ideology that views large numbers of foreigners as harmful to U.S. society. The pathway to reform, Trump told lawmakers, is a legislative overhaul of the legal immigration system toward a “merit-based” approach — a move that, if enacted, could significantly reshape the nation’s demographics and have long-lasting economic implications. To Trump, the goal is to protect American workers by slashing immigration levels and limiting competitors he views as taking jobs and suppressing wages. To his opponents, the president is pursuing restrictionist polices that could harm an economy that relies on robust immigration for growth. For half a century, U.S. immigration laws have favored family reunification, allowing immigrants who gain legal permanent residence to bring over their children, spouses, parents and siblings. Critics of the process have argued that so-called chain migration has — along with an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants — fostered an influx of those who are competing with native-born Americans for low-wage, low￾skilled jobs. In Trump’s view, a new immigration system would curtail entry to the country among foreigners who cannot “support themselves financially,” although he did not define what that means. “It will save countless dollars, raise workers’ wages and help struggling families — including immigrant families — enter the middle class,” Trump said in his address to a joint session of Congress. If Trump pushes forward, his gambit will be fraught with political land mines — and the odds are stacked against him. Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush were unsuccessful in enacting comprehensive immigration bills, which included much more limited aspects of the ideas Trump is proposing. Trump seems to be an unlikely candidate to succeed where they failed, given that he has opened his presidency by angering Democrats with sweeping new measures to try to ramp up deportations and ban refugees. But in his speech to Congress, Trump said that “real and positive immigration reform is possible, as long as we focus on the following goals: to improve jobs and wages for Americans, to strengthen our nation’s security, and to restore respect for our laws. If we are guided by the well-being of American citizens, then I believe Republicans and Democrats can work together to achieve an outcome that has eluded our country for decades.” The ideology underlying Trump’s approach is rooted in the worldviews of White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon and senior policy adviser Stephen Miller, as well as Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the former Republican senator from Alabama who was one of the fiercest opponents of comprehensive immigration reform efforts during the Obama administration. All three have pushed restrictionist measures to sharply reduce legal immigration, arguing that foreign workers present a direct threat to Americans in blue-collar industries — the types of people who voted for Trump in large numbers. Of the 1 million foreigners granted permanent legal residence in 2014, 647,000 — about two-thirds — received green cards based on family ties, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Just 152,000 permanent arrivals were employment-based. In addition, 134,000 refugees and asylum seekers received green cards, 54,000 more of which were distributed in an annual diversity lottery for underrepresented countries, many in Africa. “As a matter of federal policy — which can be adjusted at any time — millions of low-wage foreign workers are legally made available to substitute for higher-paid Americans,” Sessions wrote in a 2015 op-ed for The Washington Post. Immigration restrictionist groups have called on Congress to slash the number of green cards by up to half. Their preferences were reflected in legislation introduced last month by Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and David Perdue (R￾Ga.) that would bar immigrants from sponsoring siblings, adult children or other extended family members. That bill also would end the diversity lottery and cap the number of green cards available to refugees at 50,000 per year, down from 120,000 in 2015 — something Trump has already attempted to do through an executive order. Trump “strongly supports the broad concept,” Cotton said. The senator added that the immigration debate too often accounts more for “what’s good for the foreigner, not what’s good for American citizens. What’s good for American citizens is that we have an immigration system that rewards skills and language ability and demonstrated economic potential.” FOIA CBP 001205 DHS-17-0435-B-000502 105 Pro-immigration groups view such measures as anathema to the history of the country and its diverse character. Obama often referred to the United States as a “nation of immigrants,” cautioning the public against policies that shut U.S. borders even as European countries bucked against a wave of refugees and migrants, largely from the Middle East. Businesses also generally have supported high levels of legal immigrants to help bolster both low- and high-skilled industries. “I think legal labor migration has been a huge boon to the economy and the American spirit,” said Tamar Jacoby, president of ImmigrationWorks USA, a small-business organization. Of Trump’s proposals, she said: “I’m very concerned they get that right. Like all countries, we do want to bring the best and brightest. But low-skilled immigration is important, too. You would never have had the housing boom without low-skilled labor; you can’t grow the economy without growing the labor force.” To immigrant rights groups, Trump’s talk of a merit system is code for slashing legal pathways into the country and focusing them on highly educated immigrants from advanced nations — a strategy that harks back to a 1920s backlash against a wave of immigrants who entered the country during the Second Industrial Revolution. Immigration rates plummeted after Congress restricted European Jews, Africans and Asians, rising again only after Congress implemented the family-oriented system in 1965. “Their biggest goal is to end family immigration,” said Leon Fresco, a former aide to Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) who helped write a comprehensive immigration bill approved by the Senate in 2013. The package died in the House amid widespread objections from conservative Republicans. “What they’re trying to do is use this [merit-based system] to curtail the overall number of immigrants in a way that does not appear entirely draconian,” said Fresco, now an immigration lawyer in Washington. The 2013 immigration bill included similar measures to reduce green cards for families and create more slots for high-skilled workers, who would have been ranked on a point system based on education level, language ability and other factors. Yet that bill also included a path to citizenship for the majority of the nation’s estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants, appealing to Democrats and some moderate Republicans. The question is whether Trump would be willing to endorse a similar compromise to broaden support for a merit system. During a private lunch with television news anchors ahead of his speech to Congress, the president said he was considering publicly declaring support for legal status for “dreamers,” who came to the country illegally as children. Trump’s comments drew immediate headlines, but he did not mention such a proposal during his hour-long address. In all, there are more than 1.5 million dreamers, and legalizing them would probably engender strong opposition from conservative Republicans and some of Trump’s base — and still might not win over enough supporters to pass a comprehensive bill through Congress. “Every Democrat of consequence will demand as a price of entry to the room some solution, if not necessarily citizenship, to all the undocumented, or a large portion,” Fresco said. “I don’t think the dreamers alone get Democrats in the room for negotiating.” Cristina Jiménez, executive director of United We Dream, the largest advocacy group for dreamers, scoffed at Trump’s call for a bipartisan reform effort. “It’s outrageous that he’s saying it’s time for a compromise on immigration reform when over the last 20 years Republicans have blocked it every single time,” she said. Besides, Jiménez said, her organization would not support a deal that protects dreamers but leaves their parents and other undocumented immigrants to the whims of Trump’s deportation efforts. “We would never negotiate against ourselves and our community,” she said. Ed O’Keefe contributed to this report. How Trump’s Plan For Legal Immigration Could Boost The U.S. Economy By Steven Malanga, Contributor Connect With Steven Malanga Email Dallas Morning News, March 6, 2017 President Trump has sparked controversy for his plans to build a wall along the Mexican border, for banning travelers from certain countries from entering the U.S., and for stepping up deportations of those here illegally. But in his address to Congress on Tuesday night, Trump spent more time discussing reforms to our legal immigration system, which currently allows some 1 million people a year to enter the country. Most pointedly, Trump pledged to change the current family-based system to one that is skills- or merit￾based, as other developed nations have done. “It is a basic principle that those seeking to enter a country ought to be able to support themselves financially. Yet, in America, we do not enforce this rule, straining the very public resources that our poorest citizens rely upon,” Trump said. It’s an idea likely to spark as much opposition from today’s immigration advocates within the Democratic Party as anything else that Trump is proposing. But if he succeeds, Trump would dramatically transform the flow of newcomers in ways that could boost America’s economic output. FOIA CBP 001206 DHS-17-0435-B-000503 106 Our current legal immigration system is the result of the far-reaching and somewhat unanticipated consequences of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. That law abolished the national quotas that Congress had enacted in 1921 and replaced them with a framework that gave preference to the relatives of American citizens. One of the bill’s chief backers, Senator Ted Kennedy, proclaimed that the changes were modest and that the legislation, “contrary to the charges in some quarters, will not inundate America with immigrants.” He also confidently predicted that immigrants who came here under the new system would not become a “public charge.” But by simultaneously lifting bans on immigration from some regions and giving preference to the relatives of U.S. citizens (including the adult parents and adult siblings of those already living here), the law generated a big increase in the number of people wanting to come, and the waiting list grew enormous. Under pressure, Congress consistently began raising the quotas, and legal immigration rose steadily, from 296,697 in 1965 to 1,051,031 in 2015. The demographics of immigration changed, too. Before the new legislation, those from Europe and Canada made up nearly seven in 10 legal immigrants. In 2015, however, Europeans and Canadians accounted for just 10 percent of new immigrants. By contrast, Asians made up 39 percent of legal newcomers, while immigrants from Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America constituted one-third of new legal arrivals. The 1965 law also unleashed waves of illegal immigration. As newcomers made their way over from countries that had not previously sent many people to the United States, and as waiting lists grew longer, millions of would-be residents simply came without gaining permission, often doing so because they now had relatives or friends here who could accommodate them. Around the rest of the world, countries have moved away from a system based so heavily on family ties. Worried about the influx of unskilled immigrants during an economic recession in the early 1990s, Australia began putting more emphasis on people with needed job skills. From 1996 through 2006, the country dramatically changed its balance of permanent immigrants, with those gaining entry through skills increasing from 29 percent to 70 percent of all newcomers. The Australian Government Productivity Commission laid out the country’s philosophy in a recent study: “While some positive rate of immigration is likely to benefit Australia over the long term, the gains depend on having a system that attracts immigrants who are younger and more skilled,” the report noted. Today, after more than two decades of change, Australia maintains a list of skilled occupations for which practitioners get visa preferences. Applicants for visas must qualify by accumulating points for various characteristics, including competency in English, post-secondary education or certification in a trade, and a history of skilled employment. The emphasis pays off in workers who more quickly integrate into the country’s economy and boost its economic output. According to the Productivity Commission report, the median annual income of Australia’s skilled immigrants is above that of the population in general, while the income of those entering the country under family preferences is below the median. And family-preference immigrants have higher rates of unemployment than the overall population, while skilled migrants are more likely to be employed. Reformers have tried to move America toward such a system, but opponents denigrate the idea as a violation of “family values.” When in 2007 Republican Senator John McCain and Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy proposed reform legislation that would adopt a skills approach, then￾presidential candidate Barack Obama objected, as did Hillary Clinton, claiming that the reforms would separate families. This idea, however, ignores the fact that most immigrants come here willingly, not by force; no other country assumes that when an immigrant arrives, he gains the right to bring over his entire family. Under most skills-based systems, workers who gain entry can bring their spouses and their minor-age children but not adult relatives. Back in 2007, Obama displayed his ignorance of immigration history when he suggested that a merit-based point system would have blocked the ancestors of many Americans from entering the country. “How many of our forefathers would have measured up under this point system? How many would have been turned back at Ellis Island?” he asked. The answer: not many. One reason so many of the immigrants from America’s last Great Migration, the period between 1880 and the mid￾1920s, succeeded is precisely because they were, relative to the American population of the time, well-suited to our economic needs and job market. A 1998 National Research Council report prepared for the so-called Jordan Commission, the special task force on immigration led by former congresswomen Barbara Jordan, noted “that the newly arriving immigrant nonagricultural work force [of the Great Migration] . . . was (slightly) more skilled than the resident American labor force.” According to that study, 27 percent of immigrants were skilled laborers, compared with 17 percent of that era’s native-born workforce. By contrast, many immigrants arriving since 1965 have been less skilled than the average American. Harvard economist George Borjas estimated that while immigration from 1980 through 1995 increased the number of college graduates in America by 4 percent, it boosted the ranks of unskilled workers by 21 percent. The real reason for opposition to skills-based immigration reform is political. Many of the advocacy groups that defend the status quo are primarily composed of FOIA CBP 001207 DHS-17-0435-B-000504 107 immigrants who have come here through family ties. Maintaining that system ensures that the flow of immigrants from parts of the world that dominate our migration streams now, especially Asia and Central America, will continue. It also means that the power of immigration advocacy groups will continue to grow, strengthening political blocs that almost universally support Democrats. Donald Trump, though, is in position to give the country an immigration policy similar to what most other developed nations have adopted. He’s made a good start, framing the argument on Tuesday as a sensible, pro-immigration way to boost America’s economy. Now he’ll need political skills to win the battle. Steven Malanga is the senior editor of City Journal, the George M. Yeager Fellow at the Manhattan Institute, and the author of Shakedown: The Continuing Conspiracy Against the American Taxpayer. This column was adapted from an article first published by City Journal. Here’s The Reality About Illegal Immigrants In The United States New York Times, March 6, 2017 There are 11 million of them, the best estimates say, laboring in American fields, atop half-built towers and in restaurant kitchens, and swelling American classrooms, detention centers and immigration courts. In the public’s mind, the undocumented — the people living here without permission from the American government — are Hispanic, mostly Mexican and crossed the southwestern border in secret. In the eyes of their advocates, they are families and workers, taking the jobs nobody else wants, staying out of trouble, here only to earn their way to better, safer lives for themselves and their children. At the White House, they are pariahs, criminals who menace American neighborhoods, take American jobs, sap American resources and exploit American generosity: They are people who should be, and will be, expelled. Illegal immigrants can be many of these things, and more. Eleven million allows for considerable range, crosshatched with contradictions. There may be no more powerful symbol of how fixedly Americans associate illegal immigration with Mexico than the wall President Trump has proposed building along the southern border. But many of the unauthorized are not Mexican; almost a quarter are not even Hispanic. After Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, the largest number of unauthorized immigrants comes from China (an estimated 268,000), where deportations run aground on a less literal wall: China is one of 23 countries that do not cooperate with deportations. (The Trump administration has pledged to pressure all 23 into doing so.) They tend to be younger — the Pew Research Center has found that adult unauthorized immigrants were, at the median, about a decade younger than American-born adults — and skew slightly more male than the rest of the country. Geography and demography are only two ways to anatomize these 11 million. Circumstance offers another: As he seeks to tighten law enforcement’s grip on unauthorized immigrants, Mr. Trump will grapple with a population of people who arrived in several ways and for myriad reasons, each slice presenting its own challenges. To hear many liberals and immigrant advocates tell it, most undocumented immigrants are productive, law-abiding members of society, deeply rooted in communities all over the country, working hard, living quietly, paying taxes and raising families. Statistics show that many of the undocumented fit this profile. About 60 percent of the unauthorized population has been here for at least a decade, according to the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute. A third of undocumented immigrants 15 and older lives with at least one child who is a United States citizen by birth. Slightly more than 30 percent own homes. Only a tiny fraction has been convicted of felonies or serious misdemeanors. Of course, as the Trump administration has emphasized, merely being here without authorization is a violation of the law. Even the wording of the issue is revealing: conservatives favor the term “illegal immigrants,” which hardliners often truncate to “illegals”; immigrant advocates prefer “undocumented immigrants,” a phrasing that they say prods the conversation back toward the humans in question, but that also has a whiff of euphemism. “Unauthorized” often shows up as a neutral alternative. No matter the label placed on them, people like Lydia, 47, who runs a small jewelry store in Los Angeles, do not think of themselves as lawbreakers. Lydia, who like several undocumented immigrants did not want her last name published for fear of being deported, crossed the border through Tijuana in 1988. She looked for legal help from a notary, mistakenly thinking that a “notario” indicates a legal expert, as it does in many Latin American countries. She was eventually ordered out of the country. But the Obama administration deprioritized deportations of people who had committed no major crimes, and it allowed her to live and work in the United States as long as she checked in with an immigration agent each year. Lydia raised four children, all citizens, and sent them to public schools in Sun Valley, a suburb north of Los Angeles. She and her husband bought a home there, paid off their mortgage and bought a second home nearby. Now she is a candidate for deportation once again, and is anxious each time she steps out of her home. FOIA CBP 001208 DHS-17-0435-B-000505 108 “I am in limbo,” she said. “I am afraid I will go out and never come back.” Criminal Records Few nemeses loomed larger in the narrative of Mr. Trump’s presidential campaign than the figure of the illegal immigrant who threatened Americans — one of the “rapists” and “killers” from Mexico, as Mr. Trump has put it. Such people do exist. The Migration Policy Institute has estimated that 820,000 of the 11 million unauthorized have been convicted of a crime. About 300,000, or less than 3 percent of the 11 million undocumented, have committed felonies. (The proportion of felons in the overall population was an estimated 6 percent in 2010, according to a paper presented to the Population Association of America.) Immigration agents regularly arrest what the government calls “criminal aliens.” At the end of January, agents arrested a 50-year-old Mexican man near Milwaukee who had felony convictions for assault with a deadly weapon, battery against a police officer, car theft and intentionally harming a child, and who had been deported twice before. Last week, they caught an undocumented Honduran man in North Carolina, Francisco Escobar-Orellana, who is wanted in Honduras for allegedly hacking two men to death with a machete in 1993. The Trump administration has said it will continue to prioritize deporting those with serious criminal records, but, in a break from the Obama administration, the new policies also take aim at immigrants whose offenses are limited to living here without permission or minor crimes that enable immigrants to work here, like driving without a license or using a fake Social Security number. The Social Security Administration estimated that in 2010, 1.8 million undocumented immigrants worked under a number that did not match their name. Surrounded by the sugar cane fields of Clewiston, Fla., working backbreaking jobs, Maria and Benjamin took pains to follow the rules, pay taxes and stay out of the way. But now they fear the one rule Benjamin had to break to survive — he used a fraudulent Social Security number to secure a job — may prove their undoing. Benjamin, 42, fixes the hydraulic trucks used for the area’s cane-cutting operation, which means he works 17 hours a day, often at night. “This worries us, but we don’t have an option,” said Maria, 38, who arrived from Mexico when she was 19. “He has always worked and has always had a fake Social Security card. That is the way you get a job.” Overstayed Their Visas Some people endure long journeys by foot, train, boat and smugglers to make it across the border. But for an increasing number of immigrants, illegal status arrives overnight, without a single step. In each year from 2007 to 2014, more people joined the ranks of the illegal by remaining in the United States after their temporary visitor permits expired than by creeping across the Mexican border, according to a report by researchers at the Center for Migration Studies. A partial government estimate released last year said that 416,500 people whose business or tourist visas had expired in 2015 were still in the country in 2016. That does not count people who came here on student visas or temporary worker permits. Numbers like these have convinced some conservatives that the federal government needs to worry more about people who abuse their temporary legal status than about border security. In 2005, tourist visas brought Wei Lee and his parents to San Francisco from Brazil, where Mr. Lee’s parents, who had emigrated from China, ran a restaurant outside São Paulo. They remained in the United States after the visas expired. After being mugged and beaten in 2013, Mr. Lee recently received a U visa, which is reserved for victims of crime. His parents, however, are still undocumented. “Some people misunderstand, they think people come here and overstay their visas intentionally, but there are all these push and pull factors,” said Mr. Lee, 28, a college graduate who now works with Asian undocumented youth. “My parents had to make a decision for their lives.” After the expiration of the tourist visa that Rebeca, a former television reporter from Venezuela, used to enter the United States, she found work as a nanny, then got a job as a designer at a clothing business in Southern California. Rebeca, now 30, said she had left Venezuela after being attacked and receiving death threats for protesting against the government after the death of Hugo Chávez. She has applied for asylum, but it will be years before her case is even considered: In Los Angeles, immigration officials are currently scheduling hearings for people who first applied in 2011. One reason Mr. Trump and many proponents of curbing immigration see the Mexican border as alarmingly porous is that thousands of people each year are convicted of illegally re-entering the country after being previously deported. In the 2015 fiscal year alone, 15,715 were convicted, according to the United States Sentencing Commission. About a quarter of people caught crossing the southwest border that year had done it at least once before, according to a Government Accountability Office report. That said, the number of people convicted of illegal re￾entry has declined by more than a quarter over the last five years. In December 2013, border security agents caught Clemente Armenta-Velasquez trying to return to the United States near Nogales, Ariz. After arriving in the United States FOIA CBP 001209 DHS-17-0435-B-000506 109 in 2000, he had lived and worked in Arizona, where, records show, he was prosecuted on drug charges in 2002. He also served time in prison after being convicted of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, a felony, in 2010. He was deported the following year. Mr. Armenta-Velasquez’s lawyer told a federal judge that his client, who had left school after fifth grade, had tried to come back to support his wife and three children in Mexico. “He couldn’t find a job in Mexico that would give a decent life for his family,” said the lawyer, Ricardo Bours, according to court papers. Before sentencing Mr. Armenta-Velasquez to 57 months in prison, after which he will almost certainly be sent back to Mexico again, the judge suggested that Mr. Armenta￾Velasquez might have been ordered deported as many as six times in the past. “I knew I wasn’t supposed to” return, Mr. Armenta￾Velasquez said in court. “I did it out of great need, but I apologize for that.” On Valentine’s Day, Rogelio Ortiz stopped by the local immigration office in Charlotte, N.C., to update his family’s address. He was seeking asylum in the United States after arriving from Honduras last February, fleeing arms traffickers who threatened him after he asked them to stop storing weapons in his brother’s house. Fifteen minutes later, an officer came out to tell Mr. Ortiz’s wife, Teresa, and daughter, Abigail, that he had been detained. Without realizing it, Mr. Ortiz, 49, had already lost his asylum case: He had been deported 14 years ago after a previous stint working in the United States, and was ineligible. Since 2009, migrants seeking asylum from Mexico and Central America’s Northern Triangle region — Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala — have surged across the border at a relentless pace, fleeing gang violence and poverty. Many of them are children traveling alone or women with children. Nearly 409,000 migrants were caught trying to cross the United States’ southwestern border illegally in the 2016 fiscal year, an increase of 23 percent over the previous year, according to government statistics. Many ask for asylum, but in most cases, the requests are denied. While they wait, a process that can take years to conclude, they are often released to move freely into the country. That can mean disappearing beyond the reach of immigration officials. The system has infuriated those who advocate tougher enforcement, prompting the Trump administration to propose detaining asylum seekers at the border or forcing them to wait it out in Mexico. “I know coming into the country illegally is a crime, but millions of people have done it, and now we come here asking for help,” Teresa said. Now she seeks work to pay for a plane ticket. Teresa plans to renounce her own asylum claims to reunite, once again, with her husband — this time, back in Honduras. My Immigrant’s Tale Began With Apple Pie Reminiscing about the journey from Ethiopia to ringing the Nasdaq opening bell. By Lishan Aklog Wall Street Journal, March 6, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Mexican Mega-billionaire Sees World Of Opportunity In Country Trump Snubs By Paul Imison Washington Times, March 6, 2017 MEXICO CITY — Long vilified here as a corrupt oligarch, mega-billionaire Carlos Slim in recent months has become an unlikely champion of Mexico. The telecommunications mogul has emerged as one of President Trump’s most high-profile antagonists south of the border. As Mr. Trump has cracked down on immigration flows, called for a Mexico-financed wall on the border and blamed Mexico for stealing American jobs, Mr. Slim has trashed the wall and said it’s time for his countrymen to chart their economic future without the U.S. “Mr. Slim believes that the U.S. president is playing a dangerous game by calling for protectionism at a time when the global economy is opening up,” said Slim spokesman Arturo Elias Ayub. “Meanwhile in Mexico, we see greater opportunities in free trade.” The 77-year-old recently announced a partnership to build a Mexican-made electric vehicle with Grupo Bimbo, a Mexican company that is the world’s largest bread maker, one that could challenge the U.S. automakers that have set up extensive operations since the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1994. After Mr. Trump called Mexican immigrants rapists and criminals during the presidential campaign last year, Mr. Slim’s Ora TV network dropped a project with the candidate. Mr. Slim has come under fire for his 17 percent stake in The New York Times, one of the U.S. president’s least-favorite reading options these days. Not too long ago, it wasn’t nearly so acrimonious. Mr. Slim dined with Mr. Trump as president-elect, as well as a small number of aides, in December. After the meeting, the Mexican billionaire said he felt reassured despite the sometimes harsh rhetoric of the presidential campaign. “I think that, to put it in cinematographic terms, Trump is not ‘The Terminator’; he’s a negotiator,” Mr. Slim told reporters, while Mr. Trump described the meeting with his fellow billionaire as “a lovely dinner with a wonderful man.” FOIA CBP 001210 DHS-17-0435-B-000507 110 It’s not clear if Mr. Slim would be so gracious if he sat down with Mr. Trump for dinner now. In a rare January press conference here, Mr. Slim avoided personal attacks but went after the underpinnings of Mr. Trump’s “Make America Great Again” policies, arguing that “returning to a glorious past of American industry that made them the world leader in the 20th century will not work.” The Mexican mogul’s fortune has shrunk by $16 billion since Mr. Trump announced his presidential candidacy, according to a Bloomberg ranking. The sharp decline of the Mexican peso in that period was the main source of the loss. Once ranked as the world’s richest man, Mr. Slim now has a fortune worth $51 billion, the sixth-largest in the world. Surging popularity But as his fortune has contracted, his popularity has increased because of his outspoken criticisms of Mr. Trump at a time when the government has desperately tried to find a way to keep from burning all bridges with the administration in Washington. A poll by leading Mexican daily El Universal found that 20 percent of Mexicans view Mr. Slim as best placed to stand up to Mr. Trump, provoking rumors of a presidential bid in July 2018. The magnate has repeatedly denied that he has political ambitions. Meanwhile, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto’s poll numbers are in the tank. “President Pena Nieto’s unpopularity means he’s been unable to project a sense of national leadership in the face of Trump’s belligerence, while Slim has transformed himself into a kind of statesman who floats above the various political squabbles,” said Diego Enrique Osorno, who wrote a book on the magnate. Mr. Slim hasn’t avoided criticism on the way to the top, of course. Critics say Mr. Slim is a great advocate of the free market but owes his fortune to backroom dealings in his shrewd purchase of communications giant Telmex in the 1990s, said Marco Levario Turcott, editor of the Mexican magazine Etcetera and a prominent Slim critic. The Mexican government at the time was privatizing state-run corporations in sweetheart deals to a handful of magnates. Telmex today controls around 90 percent of Mexican landlines and 80 percent of mobile phone coverage. “There’s a massive contradiction: He owes his monopoly to corruption and government regulation of the Mexican economy,” said Mr. Levario. “He is a hypocrite.” Born in a Lebanese immigrant family, Mr. Slim has not been political in the past. He could have spoken out against Mexico’s problems many times but has not, said Mr. Levario. In a country where 50 percent of citizens live below the poverty line, Mexicans for years paid the highest landline and mobile phone rates in the world thanks to Mr. Slim’s near monopoly. Recent reforms have dropped rates. “He is treated as a rock star by the Mexican media, yet he never addresses the tough issues, such as corruption, human rights or the detrimental impact his monopoly has had on the country,” Mr. Levario said. “Everything is about growing his business.” Mr. Slim’s critics have also charged that he acquired Telmex through corrupt dealings with former Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari. Those accusations have never been proved, however. Both parties have denied them. “Slim was long viewed as a frontman for Carlos Salinas and the administrator of an inefficient and monopolistic company, but more recently he has become a figure whom the majority of Mexicans admire,” said Mr. Osorno. The admiration could stem from the oligarch’s promotion of Mexico abroad and his resistance to conservative American politicians who might want to brush over Mexicans’ cultural influence in the U.S. This year, Slim plans to launch a U.S.-based Spanish￾language television network called Nuestra Vision, or Our Vision. Mr. Slim’s Grupo Carso conglomerate billed the network as “focused on Mexicans, made by Mexicans and transmitted from Mexico.” “From now through 2018, I think Slim will be a prominent player in the Trump-Mexico saga,” said Mr. Osorno. “But I’m not sure it’s good for any democracy that a businessman — however well-intentioned — be held in higher esteem than our elected representatives.” Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. SECRET SERVICE Senators Push Trump To Release White House, Mar-a-Lago Visitor Logs By Julia Harte Reuters, March 6, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Democrats Ask Secret Service About Background Checks At Mar-a-Lago By Niels Lesniewski Roll Call, March 6, 2017 Several Senate Democrats want to know if the Secret Service is running background check on visitors to President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort. The seven Democrats led by Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island are asking Secret Service Deputy Director William J. Callahan about the procedures in place for Trump properties when the president is there and apparently conducting business. FOIA CBP 001211 DHS-17-0435-B-000508 111 The Democrats ask if WAVES (Workers and Visitors Entry System) is being implemented at the resort in Palm Beach or at other properties like Trump Tower in New York City. Visitors to the White House are, as a matter of routine, are required to provide personal information including birthdates and birthplaces, as well as Social Security or foreign ID numbers before getting access to the building and grounds. “If not, what other steps are being taken to conduct background checks people who will be present during President Trump’s trips to Mar-a-Lago?” the senators wrote in a list of questions for the Secret Service. “Is the Secret Service considering extending these systems, or any other security screenings, for Trump Tower, Bedminster, or other Trump properties at which the President may spend time conducting official businesses? If not, why not?” The White House announced that Trump dined Saturday night at Mar-a-Lago with Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, along with White House Counsel Don McGahn and top advisers Stephen Millen and Steven K. Bannon “President Trump’s conduct of official business at private property to which some members of the public have access appears to be unprecedented in recent times,” the seven senators wrote to the Secret Service. “While we appreciate that every President has the right to some privacy when not in the White House, this President has invited members of the public, who in many cases have paid significant amounts of money for access to him, to watch official business be conducted and has in some cases sought their advice during these breaks from Washington.” Along with Whitehouse, Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Thomas R. Carper of Delaware, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Jack Reed of Rhode Island, Tom Udall of New Mexico and Ron Wyden of Oregon signed the letter to Callahan. Joseph Clancy, who had been the director of the Secret Service, retired effective last Friday. In a separate letter to Trump also dated Monday, the same group of Democratic senators also ask whether he plans to continue the Obama administration policy of releasing White House visitor logs. “Continuing President Obama’s transparency policies would help dispel concerns that the wealthy and the well￾connected have unfair access to your White House,” they wrote. Welcome, Airbnb Guest! Your Neighbors Are The Trumps New York Times, March 6, 2017 The apartment has spacious windows, a sleek kitchen and expansive views of Manhattan. It boasts a prime location close to Central Park and Rockefeller Center and promises all the excitement of a luxury apartment in Midtown Manhattan. And it was available for a substantial, but not completely unheard-of, price of about $300 to $450 a night through the home rental website Airbnb. Renters would just need to go through an extensive Secret Service screening downstairs. The rental was inside Trump Tower. The listing was taken down last week hours after The New York Times contacted Airbnb for comment. But the apartment had been available to rent since at least last September — long after the building that helped make Donald J. Trump famous was turned into an operation center for his campaign. And it remained available and, as its Airbnb listing noted, quite popular, for about a month and a half after President Trump’s inauguration. More than 500 people had viewed the listing in the week before it was removed, and the apartment had been booked for much of March, April and May. The listing represented an extraordinary opportunity in American history, one facilitated by both modern technology and a president with a large real estate portfolio: a chance for travelers to book a room in a building housing the president’s family — one of the most secure buildings in New York City, if not the world — with nothing more than the click of a mouse. “It was surreal, to be honest,” said Mike Lamb, a software engineer from England who stayed there with his wife in December. “It was certainly an interesting experience.” Three guests who stayed at the apartment described it in interviews as an uncommonly nice place to crash. One, who stayed there before the election, remembered encountering a delay when he returned about the same time as a fleet of vehicles that most likely carried Mr. Trump. Two guests spoke about the presence of protesters outside. “You can hear them shouting from high up in the building,” Mr. Lamb said. “I remember sitting in bed thinking, ‘I can hear them; I wonder if he can hear them.’” Mr. Lamb said that he caught a glimpse one day of Mike Pence, then the vice president-elect, heading into Trump Tower from his motorcade. The apartment was available through the website’s “instant book” feature, which allows anyone with an Airbnb account to book a stay without so much as a message to the host. A New York Times reporter reserved it this way last month for a weekend stay in April. “Welcome!! Looking forward to meeting you!” the host, Lena Yelagina, wrote back. She said she would meet the guest downstairs and show him around. “Can you please do not tell building staff that it’s Airbnb but that you are rather visiting me,” she wrote. “I will really appreciate it!” FOIA CBP 001212 DHS-17-0435-B-000509 112 But two days later, Ms. Yelagina wrote again to say that she had discovered that the guest was a journalist and that she did not want her apartment to be used to learn anything about Mr. Trump or to be featured in an article. “I apologize for this request but I have to make sure that we have a precise agreement and will not have any problems,” she wrote. After the reporter informed her that he planned to write an article, she canceled the reservation and did not answer any questions. Public records indicate that Ms. Yelagina has owned the apartment since 1998 and is listed as an owner of a condominium on the Upper West Side. How the listing was able to float under the radar in such a high-profile building remains a mystery. It is illegal under state law to advertise and rent most apartments in New York for fewer than 30 days when the host is not present. The Trump Tower listing advertised the entire apartment and said that it could be rented for as few as three nights. It was also unclear whether the Secret Service had known about the listing. “We don’t comment on our protective operations,” a spokeswoman for the agency, Catherine Milhoan, said. The listing did not explicitly advertise that the apartment was in Trump Tower, and Airbnb does not disclose addresses until a stay is reserved. Two guests said they had booked the apartment only to be surprised by the address they received in return: 721 Fifth Avenue. “The host sent me the address, and then I called her and said, ‘I can’t find it; I only see the Trump Tower,’” said Nico Voigtländer, an associate professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, who stayed there in November, just before the election. “She said, ‘It’s in the Trump Tower.’” But those with keen eyes might have been able to pick it out. The listing said the apartment was in “the most secure and unique building.” Photos on the listing showed the building’s jet black exterior and jagged cuts. “Politically neutral please,” the listing said. “It is a specific building, so please — political opinions cannot be shown,” it noted, suggesting that renters not engage in any political displays inside the building. The apartment attracted rave reviews, getting five out of five stars in Airbnb’s rating system, in which guests assess the accuracy of the rental listing, their communication with the host and the home’s cleanliness, location, value and check-in procedure. One reviewer, a student from Mexico who stayed there in February, extolled the apartment’s great views and location. He wrote that the only inconvenience was the Secret Service check, but that “once you go through it the first time, the Secret Service is something you won’t notice anymore.” Both he and Mr. Lamb compared the building’s security procedure to an airport’s. Mr. Lamb said it included scans with a metal detector and another “X-ray”-type machine. In a telephone interview, the student, who requested that his name not be used because he did not want to attract attention, said he had been able to check in without the host being there. She had left instructions and a key on the ground floor. He said that he and his boyfriend had handed over their identification to Secret Service agents and told them they were staying there. “They didn’t ask any more questions,” he said. Airbnb said through a spokesman that it had never been contacted by any law enforcement agency about the listing. The company, which has more than three million listings around the world, said it believed this was the first time a home in a building occupied by a head of state had been available for rent on its site. The spokesman, Nick Papas, said the company was looking into the matter. “This is obviously a unique situation,” he said, “so we’ve removed this listing from our platform.” The apartment’s availability on Airbnb before, during and after the election raises questions about how such a listing was permitted given the heavy security inside and outside Trump Tower. Mark Camillo, who worked three stints at the White House during a 21-year career with the Secret Service, said that it wasn’t the job of security to determine who was or was not allowed into a building — only to screen people for potential threats. “This is the challenge in a free society,” he said. “If we were in countries that were much more heavy-handed, this would be a nonstory. And every phone in the building would be tapped.” Airbnb has been challenged by the issue of regulating illegal listings on its site, engaging in a contentious battle with New York City officials last year. The Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement, which is in charge of enforcing local and state laws, said it would investigate the Trump Tower listing. A spokeswoman for the Trump Organization, which runs the building, said that under condominium rules, listing the units on Airbnb was not permitted. Apartment In US President’s Trump Tower Rented Out On Airbnb Philly (PA), March 6, 2017 A Trump Tower apartment rented out on Airbnb had gotten rave reviews before the listing was taken down last week. The New York Times says the listing was removed after it contacted Airbnb for comment about the rental in the building that’s home to President Donald Trump and his family. FOIA CBP 001213 DHS-17-0435-B-000510 113 FILE – This Nov. 15, 2016, file photo, shows Trump Tower in New York. An apartment in the luxury Trump Tower in Manhattan got rave reviews on the home rental website Airbnb. The New York Times says the listing was removed after it contacted Airbnb for comment about the rental in the building that’s home to President Donald Trump and his family. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File) The Trump Organization says condominium rules prohibit Airbnb listings. Airbnb spokesman Nick Papas said the company was looking into the matter. “This is obviously a unique situation, so we’ve removed this listing from our platform.” The luxury apartment was available since around September for about $300 to $450 nightly. Renters learned the address after they’d booked reservations. Nico Voigtlander, an associate professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, stayed there in November, just before the election. “The host sent me the address, and then I called her and said, ‘I can’t find it, I only see the Trump Tower,’” Voigtlander told the newspaper. “She said, ‘It’s in the Trump Tower.’” Travelers who read between the lines might have guessed, though. The listing noted: “It is a specific building, so please – political opinions cannot be shown.” Renters were instructed to discreetly describe themselves as the apartment owner’s guests. They were admitted after presenting ID and undergoing security screening. The Secret Service declined to comment. Mike Lamb, a software engineer from England, stayed there with his wife in December. “It was surreal to be honest,” Lamb told the paper. “You can hear them (protesters outside) shouting from high up in the building.” He also said he glimpsed then vice president-elect Mike Pence heading into Trump Tower from his motorcade. A Times reporter’s April reservation was canceled after the host learned he planned to write an article. The mayor’s office said it would investigate the Trump Tower listing. A New York state law levies fines against people who rent out their entire living space for less than 30 days. New York City agreed in December to enforce the law only against the hosts and not to fine Airbnb. Small Florida Airport Will Remain Closed During Trump Visits Philly (PA), March 6, 2017 The businesses at a small Florida airport that the Secret Service orders closed each time President Donald Trump visits his Mar-a-Lago resort won’t get any concessions. U.S. Reps. Lois Frankel and Ted Deutch, both Florida Democrats, said Monday that Secret Service officials told Lantana Airport tenants during a closed-door meeting they cannot allow aircraft to take off from the facility. The airport is about 6 miles southwest of Mar-a-Lago and the Secret Service says the small, propeller-driven planes and helicopters based there could be a threat to the president’s security even if the aircraft are directed away from the resort. The flight schools, a banner operation and other businesses at Lantana say they are losing thousands of dollars every time the president visits. Trump has visited Mar￾a-Lago four of the seven weekends he has been president and there have been more than 30 violations of its airspace even with Lantana Airport closed. “It was made very clear to us (Monday) that the Secret Service will not make any changes at this time to the flight restrictions,” Frankel said. The Secret Service didn’t return a call seeking comment. Frankel said it’s unlikely the airport’s 28 businesses could get direct reimbursement from the federal government. She suggested they negotiate rent reductions with Palm Beach County, which owns the airport, and that the county then seek reimbursement. The county is already seeking $1.7 million to pay for extra security costs incurred by Trump’s visits, and that tab is growing. “We do not believe it is fair for one community to have the financial burden of repeated presidential visits,” Frankel said. “We, of course, want the president to be safe when he is here and his family to be safe” but the costs shouldn’t fall disproportionately on Palm Beach County taxpayers. Jonathan Miller, the contractor who runs the airport for the county, said some of his tenants are trying to move more of their business to weekdays to avoid Trump’s visits, but that only goes so far. Many flight students need to take their lessons on weekends, and that’s when the banner company’s customers want to advertise. A helicopter business already moved because of the visits, costing Miller $440,000 in annual rent and fuel sales. “This won’t work for four to eight years,” he said. Man Convicted Of Obama Death Threat Runs For Va. Delegate Seat WUSA-TV Washington, March 6, 2017 Eight years after he emailed the Secret Service and threatened to kill President Barack Obama, a Northern Virginia man is now out of prison, equipped with enough signatures in at least one county to run for the House of Delegates. A federal judge sentenced Nathan Daniel Larson to 16 months in prison with three years of supervised release. After Larson served time behind bars and Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe restored his voting rights, the convicted felon decided early this year to run for a seat in the Commonwealth’s lower chamber. FOIA CBP 001214 DHS-17-0435-B-000511 114 In Virginia, voting rights are lost upon conviction of a felony. Eligibility to vote is a requirement to run for public office in the state. Larson intends to run for Virginia’s 31st House District, an area encompassing Prince William and Fauquier Counties. Fauquier election officials confirmed Monday Larson exceeded the threshold of signatures needed to have his name on the November ballot. Election representatives in Prince William, Virginia’s second largest county, said Larson has submitted signatures, names that are now in the process of being reviewed. But Larson’s past may not be the most unusual or unsettling aspect of his campaign. The self-proclaimed libertarian proposes the suppression of women’s rights, including the right to vote. “I think women want male leadership, and so men have to be strong,” Larson said in an interview Monday. “Men have to take the stances they believe are right, and women will respect that.” The 2003 graduate of George Mason University ran for Congress as a Libertarian in 2008, losing to Republican incumbent Rob Wittman in Virginia’s 1st Congressional District. The Libertarian Party of Virginia is now distancing itself from Larson, with Chairman Bo Brown saying the party plans to expel the candidate during a March 26 meeting. “There’s no chance he’ll be running with this party,” Brown said in a phone interview. “He should be able to run, but if you continue to run, your character will come into question.” Larson confirmed he also advocates the belief that fathers should be able to marry their daughters. In his view, fathers have a greater interest in taking care of their offspring, as opposed to men who marry into the family. When asked about his views on women influencing politics, Larson grew taciturn. On Ivanka Trump, “I don’t really have any strong opinions about her.” On U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, “She’s fine, as far as I know.” On Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, “I haven’t thought about that.” On Hillary Clinton, “I prefer Donald Trump.” Larson plans to run as an independent candidate after state Libertarians expel him later this month. Official certification for candidates without party affiliations happens June 13, with election officials reporting Larson at this point only needs to file financial disclosure forms. “If you’re independent, it just means you’re the one who’s running an experimental campaign,” Larson said. “Sometimes it may mean you’re ahead of your time.” NATIONAL PROTECTION AND PROGRAMS After Jewish Center Bomb Threat, A Resolve For More Equity In Homeland Security Funding NJ News, March 6, 2017 For U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross, D-1st, the effort to keep the Milton and Betty Katz Jewish Community Center safe is personal. “I did two years of nursery school here,” Norcross said with a sheepish grin, standing in front of the sprawling center on a sun-splashed Monday afternoon. “They embrace all children. Not just Jewish children. They took a kid from Pennsauken and turned him into a congressman.” There were laughs, nods and a crowd of several dozen looked on approvingly. Last Monday, it was a starkly different scene. Police were just finishing up a thorough sweep of the center after a bomb threat and those who gathered expressed a range of emotions from anxiety to anger. The Katz Center had been targeted, along with dozens around the nation, by the latest wave of what many regarded as a hate crime and rampant intolerance. This week, Norcross was joined by U.S. Sen. Cory Booker and a group of local political and community officials to call for more federal funding for the security of religious organizations. The congressman began the call last week moments after the Katz center was reopened. He said funds distributed by the federal department of Homeland Security is allotted in a regional formula that favors Philadelphia and does not provide enough resources for New Jersey. Booker made a passionate case for a more equitable split for New Jersey by speaking about an effort in North Jersey to wrest money from a similar budget to protect metro New York. “This congressman over here is a little ticked off,” Booker said, pointing to Norcross. “There’s certain funding based on the number of people who live in the greater Philly region. When it comes to the allocation of that money, we don’t get any of it.” Booker said the region generally gets about 68 cents for every dollar of federal taxes local residents pay. “Don’t ever disrespect South Jersey and say we don’t deserve our fair share,” Booker said. Neither Booker or Norcross provided details of how much Homeland Security money is distributed in the metro￾Philadelphia area. Booker’s speech was so impassioned that some in the crowd shouted, “Run in 2020 Cory.” FOIA CBP 001215 DHS-17-0435-B-000512 115 Rabbi Michah Peltz, 37, who leads Temple Beth Sholom, a nearby synagogue, said he came out to stand with his congressman and senator and others in the community “against hate and antisemitism that seems to be growing in our country and certainly hit home last week.” “We won’t tolerate any sort of hatred or any sort of threats against any sort of community in our country,” Peltz said. N.J. Lawmakers Plead For More Security Funding For Religious Centers Philly (PA), March 6, 2017 Following a recent wave of threats and vandalism against Jewish institutions, New Jersey lawmakers on Monday visited a Jewish community center in Cherry Hill to push for more federal funding for security for religious centers. U.S. Sen. Cory A. Booker and U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross used the backdrop of the Katz Jewish Community Center to plead for more funding for Jewish community centers, synagogues, and schools from the federal Department of Homeland Security. The Cherry Hill center was among several Jewish institutions in the region and more than a dozen nationwide that were evacuated last Monday because of bomb threats. Since January, there have been more than 90 threats against Jewish organizations across the country. “We are gathered here today because hatred cannot go without a response,” Booker (D., N.J.) told about 100 people at an outdoor news conference. “Bigotry cannot be allowed to go without being shouted down by a chorus of love.” Hundreds of people were quickly evacuated from the Katz center last week, including senior citizens participating in water aerobics in the pool and toddlers in day care. Some members said they refuse to let threats keep them away. On Friday, a Missouri man was charged with making at least eight threats against Jewish institutions nationwide as part of a campaign against his ex-girlfriend. The FBI and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are investigating possible civil rights violations in connection with the threats. Last week, Gov. Christie announced that patrols had been increased at houses of worship, community centers, and cemeteries in the wake of the recent bias incidents. The state Attorney General’s Office is offering a $10,000 reward for tips leading to a bias crime conviction. Booker was joined Monday by Norcross (D., N.J.) in calling upon Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly to increase funding for the Homeland Security Grant Program. According to the lawmakers, New Jersey’s share of funding from the grant program has dropped from $61 million in 2010 to $29 million in 2016. The current formula used to distribute funds in the region favors Philadelphia, they contend. “I don’t want to take a dollar away from them,” Booker told a cheering crowd. “But don’t ever disrespect South Jersey.” In Philadelphia, the Mount Carmel Jewish cemetery was recently vandalized and headstones overturned. Gov. Wolf on Thursday requested a federal hate-crimes investigation into acts against Jewish institutions in the state, including the cemetery. Burt Nussbaum, a retired dentist who helps with security at nearby Congregation Beth El in Voorhees, said the additional funding is desperately needed. Jewish institutions have been urged to increase security because of the threats. “Once upon a time, a house of God was a sanctuary. Today it’s not,” said Nussbaum, 68, of Cherry Hill. “You just need to be extremely cautious.” Nussbaum said Beth El, which has about 1,000 families, has an armed security officer, but he said more measures are needed there and at other places due to current anti-Semitism. “We come in to pray for peace and we have to have an armed security guard,” Nussbaum said. “It’s not the way it’s supposed to be.” Said Cherry Hill Mayor Chuck Cahn: “We must remain vigilant.” Norcross noted that the Katz center, the hub of the Jewish community in South Jersey, has a day-care center that enrolls children from diverse backgrounds. He attended the center’s nursery school in its former South Jersey location. “They embrace all children. They took a kid from Pennsauken and turned him into a congressman,” Norcross told the crowd. The wave of anti-Semitism has galvanized communities across the region with an outpouring of support. There have been rallies attended by people of all faiths and races to denounce vandalism and violence against the Jewish community. Monday’s crowd cheered Booker and chanted, “Run in 2020.” He smiled and quipped: “I hate to be honest, but I’m running from the president.” Jennifer Dubrow Weiss, executive director of the Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey, said the threats have created an environment with anxiety for some and fear for others. But she said the group is determined “to not allow terroristic threats to stop us.” Hasidic rabbis are launching a “Cherry Hill Mezuzah Campaign,” and plan to hit the streets to make sure that every Jewish home in the region has a mezuzah — a handwritten parchment scroll mounted on the doorpost. According to the Torah, the mezuzah protects one from harm and hate and prolongs life. If the home has a mezuzah, FOIA CBP 001216 DHS-17-0435-B-000513 116 organizers say, a local scribe will check to make sure that it’s proper; if not, a free replacement will be offered. “It’s heartbreaking to see what’s going on here in Cherry Hill, and in cities across the country,” said Mendel Mangel of Chabad-Lubavitch of Camden and Burlington Counties, one of the local Jewish organizations heading the campaign. “Many people are worried, and want to do something to deal with it. As Jews, one of the things we do is put up mezuzahs and check the ones we have.” Senate Rejects Real ID Measure Over Driver’s Licenses For Undocumented Immigrants By Erin Golden, Star Tribune Minneapolis Star Tribune, March 6, 2017 The Minnesota Senate on Monday voted down a bill meant to put the state in compliance with federal driver’s license standards, as a fight over immigration policy hampers the effort to ensure continued access to air travel for all residents. Five members of the Senate’s Republican majority joined DFLers to reject the Real ID compliance bill on a 38-29 vote, which came after a debate that saw lawmakers from both parties accuse the other side of playing politics on an issue with practical implications for many Minnesotans. “I thought we would have plenty of votes, and we did not,” said Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, R-Nisswa. He called it a “huge disappointment” and put the blame in part on DFL Gov. Mark Dayton. If lawmakers can’t reach agreement before a January 2018 federal deadline, residents will have to use a passport or special enhanced driver’s license to get through airport security or to visit a military facility. Senators from both parties say they want to avoid that situation. But both sides have also tried to use the Real ID legislation as a chance to clarify who should or shouldn’t be able to get a Minnesota driver’s license. The House in February passed a Real ID compliance bill that firmed up a current Department of Public Safety (DPS) practice to not issue driver’s licenses to Minnesotans in the country illegally, making it a law instead of a rule. DFLers say they are prepared to support Real ID compliance, but only if it doesn’t threaten the possibility of undocumented immigrants being able to get licenses in the future. Last week, Dayton encouraged DFL senators to pursue a provision instead to allow the DPS to issue licenses to undocumented immigrants. “I’m disappointed with the governor; he worked with the Senate Democrats last week and it seems like that’s what changed the course of this,” Gazelka said. The Real ID bill in the Senate did not directly address the issue of licenses for those in the country illegally. DFLers, while few addressed immigration directly, said the measure still contained language they found problematic. Sen. Jason Isaacson, DFL-Shoreview, warned that the bill could come with “unintended consequences.” Sen. Melisa Franzen, DFL-Edina, said the bill was “restrictive, counterproductive and borderline offensive” and contributing to divisions emerging around the country. “This bill was supposed to be about compliance,” she said. “It became a bill about restricting individuals in our state.” Senate Republicans said their bill aimed to win support among DFLers by sidestepping the immigration-related provision included in the House bill. Sen. Eric Pratt, R-Prior Lake, the bill’s author, said Minnesotans are already having problems getting into military facilities — and even into the White House — with their noncompliant Minnesota licenses. He said solving that problem has been complicated by a separate debate. “Quite honestly we’ve just again confused these two issues together,” he said. A handful of Republicans concerned about privacy issues also voted against the bill. Sen. Warren Limmer, R￾Maple Grove, warned that Minnesotans could be putting their personal data at risk if they agree to have their information shared across a much larger network. “I think this is giving way too much power to the federal government and I would suggest we hold onto the power we have as delegated by our national Constitution,” he said. Gazelka said that passing a Real ID bill remains a top priority for Republicans during this session, and that they recognize they’ll need DFL support to do it. The Senate could take up the issue again, but lawmakers will have to move quickly as the pace of the session picks up. Rep. Dennis Smith, R-Maple Grove, the author of the House bill, said he expects many legislators may be hearing from people concerned about what the vote means for them — and then motivated to change their votes. “I think pressure is going to be mounted by the citizens of Minnesota,” he said. Minnesota Senate Failure Hands Real ID Effort Big Setback By Kyle Potter Washington Times, March 6, 2017 The long-running effort to upgrade Minnesota driver’s licenses so they pass muster for domestic flights hit a massive snag Monday, as the Senate defeated a bill to comply with the federal Real ID law. A handful of Senate Republicans who view the federal law as government overreach combined with all 33 Senate Democrats to sink the legislation on a 38-29 vote – at least for now. Democrats took issue with part of the bill that would FOIA CBP 001217 DHS-17-0435-B-000514 117 have reiterated an existing state rule against issuing licenses to immigrants living in Minnesota illegally, calling it duplicative and unnecessary. Lawmakers have been racing to finalize a plan to comply with Real ID – a set of uniform ID requirements passed after the Sept. 11 attacks to help prevent terrorism and fraud – ahead of a Jan. 22, 2018 deadline for domestic flights. Minnesota is one of just five states that haven’t adopted the new driver’s licenses. With immigration issues looming large, Monday’s failure in the Senate signals the difficulty Minnesota’s Legislature will face to adopt a compliance plan in time. The Minnesota House passed a Real ID bill last month that put into state law a ban on issuing driver’s licenses to immigrants living in Minnesota illegally. Republican Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka said he and legislative leaders would regroup to find a bill that would pass the Senate. “We can’t get this done without both sides working together,” he said “If Democrats have no desire to pass Real ID, I cannot stop them.” Even if the Legislature doesn’t pass a Real ID bill, Minnesota residents could use a passport or enhanced driver’s license to board domestic flights and enter military bases or other federal facilities. The blame game for its failure started before the final vote, with Republicans accusing Gov. Mark Dayton and fellow Democrats of “politicizing” meant to help prevent potential travel disruptions. Dayton urged Democrats both privately and publicly last week to fight to expand driver’s licenses to all immigrants, deeming it a public safety issue to ensure drivers living in the state illegally are properly trained and insured. On the Senate floor, several Democrats keyed in on a section of the bill that would prohibit the state from expanding ID access while implementing Real ID. “This bill is supposed to be about compliance. It became a bill about restricting individuals in our state,” Democratic Edina Sen. Melisa Franzen said. “We hear the federal rhetoric about our borders, about and our safety. We need to stop that here in Minnesota.” Five Republicans also voted against the bill, including longtime critic Sen. Warren Limmer. The Maple Grove Republican said Minnesota should resist the federal government’s mandate, calling the threat of a disrupted air travel “a club to make the states submit.” “I think this is giving way too much power to the federal government,” Limmer said. TERRORISM INVESTIGATIONS War Court Debates Whether CIA Is Monitoring Medical Care Of Captive It Waterboarded By Carol Rosenberg Miami Herald, March 6, 2017 Lawyers and the judge in the USS Cole case debated Monday whether it would be proper for military jurors to know that the CIA kept tabs on the mental-health care of a captive here, a decade after his torture in a Black Site. The discussion was hypothetical. Defense lawyers want to know with whom the prison has been sharing the Guantánamo mental health care files of Abd al Rahim al Nashiri, 52. He is awaiting a capital tribunal as the alleged orchestrator of al-Qaida’s Oct. 12, 2000 suicide bombing of the warship. Seventeen U.S. sailors died in the attack off Aden, Yemen. A case prosecutor, Army Col. John B. Wells, said there are plenty of legitimate reasons to share his mental health records with intelligence services. Any encounter with a high￾value detainee at Guantánamo is “potentially a container for classified information,” Wells told the judge. “All intelligence apparatus of the U.S. government take a look at what a high￾value detainee is doing during detention.” One of Nashiri’s attorneys, Mary Spears, quoted a yet￾to-be released filing by the prosecution as citing two possible reasons: “Force protection and therapeutic analysis.” Defense lawyers argue that although he’s a prisoner, his psychiatric records are protected. If the CIA is reading his mental health files, she said, both his lawyers and his future jury need to know it, and why. Wells, who is responsible for getting the prison to provide Nashiri’s lawyers with his health records, called the defense supposition a “far-flung flight of imagination,” and suggested that the prison’s intelligence unit, the J-2, was studying his psychiatric records. Either way, the judge, Air Force Col. Vance Spath, asked whether it would be wrong for U.S. agencies to look at Nashiri’s torture to see what they could do better in the future. He also asked whether the defense attorneys should be allowed to know about it, in case Nashiri is convicted. “If you accept the assertion that there was torture and you accept the assertion that that information was provided to the people who did it,” he said, “is that an area or an avenue the defense should be able to investigate to assist in developing a mitigation case?” A declassified portion of the so-called Senate Torture Report on the CIA’s Rendition, Detention and Interrogation program says the Saudi was waterboarded and rectally abused during his 2002-2006 spy agency captivity. He was alternately kenneled like a dog in a cage and hung nude by his arms to the point where a medical officer worried his arms would be dislocated. CIA agents also threatened to rape his mother and held a cocked pistol to his head among other “enhanced interrogation techniques” to break him after his capture in the United Arab Emirates in November 2002. FOIA CBP 001218 DHS-17-0435-B-000515 118 Spears said, if Nashiri is convicted, military jurors ought to be told if the CIA was using “the fruits of its enhanced interrogation techniques, and for what purpose.” Lead defense counsel Rick Kammen said earlier that the trial, which is unlikely to start this year, will be about torture, its effects and, if he’s convicted of the warship bombing, how military jurors “feel about killing somebody who their government tortured.” Monday was the start of a two-week pretrial hearing being observed by five or six crew members who were aboard the ship during the attack. The judge has reserved next week for a hearing on what physical evidence will be eligible for use at trial. Items include some sailors’ uniforms, items from the Cole and pieces of the skiff two suicide bombers exploded alongside it during a fueling stop off Aden. A panel of U.S. military medical experts concluded in 2013 that Nashiri suffered from posttraumatic stress disorder and depression. Defense lawyers have criticized Nashiri’s healthcare at the secret Camp 7 prison for former CIA captives and hired Dr. Sondra Crosby, an expert on treating torture victims, as a consultant. Elvis Redzepagic, Man In Terror Support Case, Threatened To Behead Mom, Prosecutors Claim Associated Press, March 6, 2017 CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) — Prosecutors say a man accused of trying to join militant Islamic extremists in Syria was removed from his home in New York City’s suburbs last week after he tried to cut off his own tattoos with a knife and threatened to behead his mother. The allegation was included in documents prosecutors submitted to a federal judge Monday opposing bail for 26- year-old Elvis Redzepagic. Redzepagic was charged Saturday with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. A lawyer says he has cooperated with law enforcement and needs counseling. A bail hearing was scheduled later Monday. Additional details on Redzepagic’s encounter with police last week at his home in Commack were not immediately available. Prosecutors say Redzepagic is originally from Montenegro, in the Balkans. Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. After Spying On Muslims, New York Police Agree To Greater Oversight By Matt Apuzzo And Adam Goldman New York Times, March 6, 2017 The New York Police Department has agreed to even greater oversight of its intelligence-gathering programs as it tries, for the second time, to settle a lawsuit over its surveillance of Muslims. A federal judge rejected a settlement in October, saying it did not go far enough to address the city’s “systemic inclination” to ignore rules protecting free speech and religion. Judge Charles S. Haight Jr. said the settlement did not sufficiently protect the rights of “law-abiding Muslims and believers in Islam who live, move and have their being in this city.” Lawyers returned on Monday to the Federal District Court in Manhattan with a new proposal that gives more power to a civilian monitor, who would now have the authority to raise questions about continuing investigations and report any possible problems to the court. The monitor, a civilian lawyer to be appointed by the mayor, would also file annual reports to the court describing any objections to investigations. The proposed settlement would restore safeguards that were stripped away after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The city argued that outside oversight of its intelligence￾gathering made the city less safe. At the time, Judge Haight agreed. What followed was a decade of spying on Muslim neighborhoods. With help from the C.I.A., the department built a web of informants around the city and beyond. Detectives compiled files on people who appeared to have changed their names for religious reasons, and designated mosques as potential terrorist organizations, allowing the department to record sermons and watch entire congregations without ever filing charges. As part of that effort, the city created the Demographics Unit, a secret squad of plainclothes officers that eavesdropped on conversations in cafes, making notes about political conversations. They chatted to store owners about their views on drone strikes and international affairs and made a note when they saw Qurans, religious calendars or customers gathering after attending nearby mosques. It was regarded as a “human mapping” program to look for possible signs of radicalization. In 2014, the police commissioner at the time, William J. Bratton, disbanded that squad as unnecessary. The programs were revealed in a series of Associated Press articles, beginning in 2011. The city initially denied that the Demographics Unit existed and said it conducted vigorous oversight. The articles, along with complaints about the use of stop-and-frisk tactics, helped prompt the creation of an inspector general, over the objection of the mayor and the police commissioner. The department’s surveillance programs became the subject of renewed debate during the presidential campaign, FOIA CBP 001219 DHS-17-0435-B-000516 119 when Republican candidates, including Donald J. Trump, lauded them as being effective and vital. Representative Peter T. King, a New York Republican and a staunch supporter of the programs, suggested to Mr. Trump during the transition that he adopt a nationwide program modeled after the Police Department’s. Jethro Eisenstein, one of the lawyers who has worked on the case from the beginning, said: “This agreement shows that we can have effective law enforcement that protects us from extremist violence without demonizing any religion or group. That is a critical lesson in the current political climate.” Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat, has tried to move past the surveillance discussion and forge better relations with Muslim residents. Mr. de Blasio campaigned on promises to rein in police excesses. But his first attempt at a settlement was met with serious skepticism from Judge Haight, who said the proposal was insufficient. In particular, the judge opposed a provision that would have allowed the mayor to eliminate the civilian monitor after five years. Under the revised settlement, the mayor cannot eliminate the position without first asking the court. Judge Haight had also raised concerns about an August report by the Police Department’s inspector general, which found that investigators kept cases open too long and used boilerplate language devoid of specific facts in justifying their use of confidential informers. Though the city played down that report as minor quibbling over administrative errors, the judge said it showed “near systemic failure” of oversight. The inspector general’s report also found that the Police Department’s investigations between 2010 and 2015 were justified and lawful. Police officials said the intelligence division had taken steps to correct the administrative problems before the report was issued. The report did not examine the activities of the Demographics Unit, which had already been disbanded. Lawrence Byrne, the deputy commissioner for legal affairs for the Police Department, said that the proposed settlement “doesn’t make anyone less safe.” “The city will be as safe tomorrow as it was last week,” he said. The lawsuit at the heart of the case dates back nearly a half-century. Filed in 1971, the class-action lawsuit forced the end of the city’s so-called Red Squads and established rules intended to protect First Amendment rights. The rules became known as the Handschu guidelines, after one of the plaintiffs. The lawsuit has remained active for decades, serving as a check against overreaching by the police. “It is a historical fact that as the decades passed, one group or another came to be targeted by police surveillance activity,” Judge Haight wrote in October. The proposed settlement does not explicitly prohibit any investigative tactics that are currently allowed, and the city does not admit any wrongdoing. Many of the provisions of the agreement — such as barring investigations based solely on religion, race or ethnicity — have been in place for the last few years. Judge Haight can choose to accept the settlement or send it back for more changes. A separate lawsuit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, would also be resolved under the proposed settlement. That lawsuit accused the city of violating the constitutional rights of Muslims and Muslim groups. “As religious bigotry rises to a fever pitch nationwide, this settlement sends the message that Muslims and all New Yorkers will have even stronger protections from unconstitutional religious profiling and surveillance,” said Hina Shamsi, the director of the National Security Project at the A.C.L.U. Families Of 9/11 Victims May Soon Get Day In Court Against Saudi Officials By James Rosen McClatchy, March 6, 2017 The pain of Sept. 11, 2001, never goes away for Gina Cayne. When the Boca Raton widow speaks of losing her husband as he worked on the 104th floor of the World Trade Center’s north tower, tears well in her eyes, her voice strains. “They killed my husband,” she says, accusing Saudi officials of having financed the 9/11 attacks. “All I want is my day in court.” She might be within weeks of getting it. For more than 14 years, relatives of the nearly 3,000 people who died Sept. 11, 2001, battled Washington and several federal judges for the right to sue Saudi Arabia and the royal family in Riyadh — suspected by families and senior members of Congress of providing money and other support to the 19 attackers. First, district and appellate courts in New York ruled — repeatedly — that a legal protection called “sovereign immunity” prevented the families from suing Saudi Arabia. Then Republican President George W. Bush and Democratic President Barack Obama stymied one effort after another by Congress to pass legislation that would overcome those court rulings and open a path for a case to proceed. But the 9/11 families’ fortunes changed in September, when during a distracting, raucous 2016 presidential campaign, Congress delivered the only veto override of Obama’s eight-year tenure and made the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, or JASTA, settled law. They killed my husband. All I want is my day in court. Gina Cayne, whose husband in the World Trade Center attacks on 9/11 FOIA CBP 001220 DHS-17-0435-B-000517 120 It has already had an effect: While JASTA was being debated, a federal judge in New York has ordered Iran to pay the families and insurance companies $14 billion for having allowed some of the hijackers to enter and leave the country before Sept. 11 without having transit visas stamped in their passports. Such visas would have made it more difficult for them to enter the United States. Now, the families are heading to court in the coming weeks, seeking a punitive payout that legal experts say could exceed $1 trillion.THE FIGHT TO COME But Saudi Arabia is not done fighting — in court or in Congress. Indeed, Riyadh looks ready to pump unprecedented sums into a lobbying effort to unwind the new law. The Saudis have hired a team of Washington powerbrokers who have held senior White House and congressional posts going back decades, paying at least 17 firms in Washington, Houston, Cleveland, Denver and Alexandria, Virginia, more than $1 million a month to try to turn back the clock. Tony Podesta, one of Washington’s top lobbyists and the brother of Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign manager John Podesta, is among the top figures on the team of influential insiders. “This is one of the biggest lobbying efforts in the history of our country,” James Kreindler, lead attorney for the 9/11 families, told McClatchy. This time, though, the families can boast of an advantage they’ve never had before — a president who supports their right to sue. President Donald Trump, a native New Yorker, vowed on the campaign trail to do everything he could to help the families, and those families believe he will stand by them even if Saudi money succeeds in turning Congress against a law it just passed. “There’s no question Trump would veto that,” said Bill Doyle, a retired Wall Street stockbroker who lost his son. “He lived only 30 blocks from Ground Zero. He was down there constantly after the attacks.” On Sept. 10, 2001, Matthew Sellitto and his 23-year-old son by the same name dropped the younger man’s Jeep 4x4 off at a Morristown, New Jersey, dealership for routine service. They went to their home in Harding, an affluent hamlet 40 miles west of the Hudson River. On a clear day you could look across the river and see the World Trade Center over southern Manhattan. High up in the World Trade Center’s north tower, the younger Sellitto worked at the world headquarters of Cantor Fitzgerald, a financial services firm that handled a quarter of all U.S. Treasury security transactions. And that night, father and son joined mother and brother to celebrate Matthew’s promotion to a permanent position on Cantor’s interest-rate swaps desk. The former Seton Hall Prep School hockey star and University of Vermont economics major, still just 23, was elated. His parents were proud. The next morning, father and son awoke when the alarm went off at 4:20 a.m. Sellitto drove his son to nearby Convent Station to catch the 5:15 a.m. New Jersey Transit train into Manhattan. More than 15 years later, that short car ride still haunts the father. Like many other 9/11 families, Matthew and Loreen Sellitto couldn’t bear to remain in the New York area after the attacks. For the tens of thousands of visitors who pour into Manhattan each day, Ground Zero became a hallowed shrine and a tourist attraction. But for those whose loved ones were murdered there, it was an open sore that never healed no matter the towers or memorials that were built on top of it. Florida drew more of the 9/11 exiles than any other state — at least 100 families, along with relatives of dozens of retired firemen and police who rushed into the doomed towers, according to a government database with the names and contact information for the victims’ relatives. The Sellittos ended up on Florida’s Gulf Coast, in Naples. “I got him to the train on time,” Matthew Sellitto said. “I said ‘goodbye, goodbye,’ as you normally do. ‘I love you, I love you. See you later.’ The retired New Jersey real estate developer paused. “He got out of the car and got on the train. I went home. A little later in the morning, I started to get ready for the day. About five to nine, I get a phone call. I let the answering machine pick it up because I was getting ready to leave. And I hear on the voice message: “‘Dad, Dad, Mom, Dad!’ I hear it’s my son at the World Trade Center. So I pick the phone up. “He said, ‘Dad, dad, a freaking plane just flew through the building!’” “And I’m thinking — a little plane. “So I said, ‘Well, get out of the building.’ He said, ‘No, no, you don’t understand — we can’t get out! I’m just calling to tell you guys I love you.” “He says, ‘I got to go.’ “I even asked: ‘What are you guys doing?’ “He said, ‘We’re saying the Lord’s Prayer.’ “And that was it. The call ended. He hung up the phone. That’s the last time I heard from my son Matthew.”GOVERNMENTS ACCUSED Less than a year after the attacks, 9/11 families filed suit in the U.S. Southern District Court of New York in lower Manhattan. The lawsuit accused almost 150 people, companies and organizations across the Middle East and beyond as having helped carry out the 9/11 attacks. FOIA CBP 001221 DHS-17-0435-B-000518 121 One group of defendants was obvious: Osama bin Laden, Taliban chief Mullah Omar and Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the Pakistani-born head of al Qaeda propaganda and self-professed plotter of the 9/11 attacks. He would be captured March 1, 2003, and is being held with other alleged terrorists at the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. But the families didn’t stop there. Their suit accused officials and government agencies in Iraq, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia as well as Muslim banks, relief groups, youth leagues and charitable organizations around the globe and even groups in Washington state, Minnesota, Massachusetts and elsewhere in the United States. Named too were some of the most prominent Saudis. “Upon information and belief, there were and are a large number of Saudi citizens and members of the Saudi royal family who support bin Laden,” the suit charged. “High￾ranking officials in the Saudi government and Saudi businessmen have provided money to support bin Laden and al Qaeda.” The legal brief zeroed in. “Upon information and belief, Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz al Saud, the Saudi defense minister, and Prince Nayeff bin Abdulaziz al Saud, the Saudi minister of the interior, have provided hundreds of millions of dollars to bin Laden and al Qaida,” it said. (Prince Nayeff bin Abdulaziz al Saud is now crown prince, making him heir to the Saudi throne.) “That funding enabled bin Laden to pursue his terror agenda.” Over the next dozen years, before several suits were consolidated into one, federal judges would rule that it was the president, not the courts, who held authority to designate a foreign country as a terrorist supporter. The Saudi government, the judges decided, had “sovereign immunity” from lawsuits under longstanding U.S. law. During the same period, most 9/11 families accepted large payments — $2.1 million on average — from a special compensation fund established by Congress. In exchange, they gave up their right to sue the U.S. government, American airlines or other companies, while retaining the power to file suit against “knowing participants in the hijacking conspiracy.” But 70 families refused to accept payments. Some felt the money was too little, too late; others didn’t want to limit their legal rights. Gina Cayne was one of the 70. To her, the payments were hush money. She wanted a judge or a jury to determine who is guilty of having murdered her husband. Loreen Sellitto rejected the cash too. She and her husband simmered with anger as they watched Prince Bandar bin Sultan visit Bush’s ranch in Texas and Obama meet with other Saudi leaders. “I want my opportunity to prove that they were co￾conspirators by giving money to al Qaida,” Matthew Sellitto said of these Saudi leaders. Their money killed my son! Who are they that they can get away with it? Are they that much bigger than the rest of the world that they can get away with it? Matthew Sellitto, whose son died in the World Trade Center His voice rose. “Their money killed my son! Who are they that they can get away with it? Are they that much bigger than the rest of the world that they can get away with it?” And then he began to shout. “I don’t play like it’s not about the money. No, it is! I want their money! And I want as much of it as I can get. I want it! Who are they to have that money? I want it! They used that money to murder my son!”DE FACTO LEADER Bill Doyle is one of the de facto leaders of the families group pushing to sue. The retired stockbroker now lives in The Villages, a gated sprawling enclave of 157,000 affluent people spread over thousands of acres 60 miles northwest of Orlando. Like Trump, the man for whom Doyle enthusiastically voted and claims to have been chummy with in the Big Apple, the new Floridian is prone to making brash statements that emphasize his connections in high places and put him in the middle of the action. Except for when he discusses Joseph Doyle, the 25- year-old son he lost on Sept. 11. The younger Doyle was working for Cantor Fitzgerald on the 101st floor when American Airlines Flight 11 struck it between the 93rd and 99th floors. Like Matthew Sellitto, Joseph Doyle had just been promoted. Unlike Sellitto, Doyle was not able to call his parents to say goodbye. “I did get a driver’s license and a credit card,” his father said quietly. “That’s the only part of my son I have.” Bill Doyle threw himself into making the tragedy’s perpetrators pay for their crime. He contacted lawyers and lawmakers, made frequent trips to Washington, and devoured everything he could read about the attacks. Doyle attended frequent sessions in New York, on Monday nights, with then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani, his aides, and several lawyers. Another regular at the meetings with Giuliani was Lee Ielpi, a New York City firefighter who spent nine months digging out bodies at Ground Zero. On Oct. 12, he carried his son, also a firefighter, from the rubble. Now living in Osprey, south of Sarasota, Ielpi is not interested in the Saudis’ money. He wants to see them in court. “I want this brought into the open,” Ielpi told McClatchy last month “People say the families just want money. Bullshit! FOIA CBP 001222 DHS-17-0435-B-000519 122 It’s not about the money. People need to be brought to justice. There were people in Saudi Arabia, whatever positions they were in, who knew the people that committed this crime — who were involved with the people who committed this crime, who met them in California. If in fact it can be proved that the country or higher-ups within the country were involved, we should sue them for everything we can get.” Over the years, Doyle has become a one-man information clearinghouse as the families seek justice. “I’m probably the chief advocate for 9/11 families,” Doyle said. “It started from Day One. All the families were running around in circles,” Doyle said. “I saw the need that those people had to be united.” Doyle painstakingly assembled a database with all their contact information and details of loss, later sharing it with the government. Like others, Doyle concluded that it was impossible for the hijackers — with few independent means, low education and limited English — to have acted alone. And so he focused on the men that he became certain were the hijackers’ sponsors — senior Saudi officials and members of the royal family. Over the next decade, Doyle worked with lawmakers and attorneys to craft legislation that would enable the families to sue the Saudi government. According to Doyle, he and the families’ lawyers had frequent contact with Bush and Obama administration officials in the State and Justice Departments, addressing their concerns over a bill that would eventually be called the Justice Against Sponors of Terorism Act. But that wasn’t his only angle. He wanted the federal government to release the Saudi section of the intelligence committees’ 2003 report on 9/11’s causes. So on Sept. 11, 2011, when Obama traveled to Ground Zero to mark the 10th anniversary of the attack, Doyle was there. At a private lunch afterward, he confronted Obama. “He got up and he said to me, ‘I will get them released,’” Doyle recalls. “And I said, ‘Oh, God bless, thank you.’” “For five years nothing happened.” Beyond making the Saudis pay billions to the families, Doyle has a more visceral goal: He wants to see Prince Bandar punished. While serving as Saudi ambassador to the United States, Bandar became one of the capital’s most prominent diplomats. Bandar smoked cigars, wore Western clothes and spoke English impeccably. He often delighted his U.S. hosts by quoting corny American sayings. Now Crown Prince and retired in Saudi Arabia, Bandar served as head of its intelligence apparatus from 2012 to 2014. The 28 pages suggest that money from Bandar was funneled to two of the Saudi hijackers through an intermediary suspected of being an intelligence agent for Riyadh. “I want my day in court and [to] get his ass in jail,” Doyle said. Doyle holds special contempt for James Baker, who served as secretary of state under President George H.W. Bush and earlier as White House chief of staff for Bush and President Ronald Reagan. Baker Botts, the Houston law firm that his father had helped found, defended the Saudi royal family in the 9/11 families’ lawsuit. And it was that law firm that helped convince federal judges to reject the families’ suit.GRAHAM’S ROLE The federal court rulings that shielded Saudi Arabia sparked a bitter battle on Capitol Hill and at the White House to change the law granting sovereign immunity to foreign governments. The then-chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Florida’s Bob Graham, was at the center of it. Soon after the 9/11 attacks, Graham began to see raw intelligence suggesting that the Saudi hijackers had not acted alone. He learned that before the attacks, some of them had met with senior Saudi officials both in the oil-rich kingdom and in California, where several had lived. Graham would later learn, thanks in part to stories in the Florida Bulldog and the Miami Herald, of a wealthy Saudi family in his home state that had befriended other of the hijackers in Florida, and then fled their Sarasota home just weeks before 9/11. As the coming weeks turned into months, Graham helped lead the first congressional investigation of the attacks, co-authoring a report based on 500 interviews that said communication breakdowns within and among the FBI, the CIA and other federal and local intelligence and law￾enforcement agencies had contributed to the failure to uncover the 9/11 plot. But when the House-Senate Joint Inquiry report was released after a seven-month review by U.S. intelligence agencies, its authors noticed an omission; the final 28-page chapter, examining possible Saudi ties to attacks. That redaction bothered Graham so much that for the next 13 years, while still in Congress and then after he retired in January 2005, he made it his mission to get the missing 28 pages released. “My wife says that I failed at retirement. I would agree with her,” Graham said with a chuckle over a recent lunch on the patio of his Miami Lakes office. “There’s been an injustice to these Americans who suffered so grievously in 9/11. And it has emboldened the Saudis. Since they’ve received not even the mildest form of a complaint from the United States for what they’ve done, they’ve interpreted that as being impunity. They can do whatever they want to do. And they have continued to finance terrorists.” FOIA CBP 001223 DHS-17-0435-B-000520 123 Since they’ve received not even the mildest form of a complaint from the United States for what they’ve done, they’ve interpreted that as being impunity. They can do whatever they want to do. And they have continued to finance terrorists. Former Sen. Bob Graham, referring to Saudi leaders As he pursued his quest to uncover the truth, Graham had some strange encounters. In November 2011, Graham and his wife got off a flight from Florida at Dulles International Airport outside Washington, where they had traveled to enjoy Thanksgiving with their daughter. Although the senator had not informed the government of his itinerary, he said two FBI agents met him at the gate. According to Graham, they handed his wife an FBI manual to read and whisked him away to the agency’s secret office in another part of the airport. Then-Deputy Director Sean M. Joyce was waiting, according to Graham, and delivered an unusually blunt message, especially one directed to a former governor and retired U.S. senator who had held the highest security clearance a lawmaker can hold. “He basically said that everything to be found out about the situation with Saudi Arabia and 9/11 had been learned, that I was wasting my time and I should get a life and do something more productive,” Graham recalled. Graham chuckled again. “Obviously I didn’t accept his information or his suggestion very well,” he said. In another episode, Graham said he learned that an FBI agent in Tampa had done a probe and found many connections between the wealthy Saudi family that had fled Sarasota just before the 9/11 attacks and three Saudi hijackers then living there. Pressed by Graham on why they had never released the findings, the FBI questioned the agent’s competence. “Why did they appoint to what was clearly going to be a very important inquiry someone they didn’t have full confidence in?” Graham asked. The FBI declined multiple requests to respond to Graham’s assertions. The U.S. government released the long-withheld congressional intelligence chapter on possible Saudi ties on July 26, 2016. Although partially redacted, the 28 pages revealed hints but no proof of official Saudi involvement in the terror attacks. Focusing on three hijackers who had lived in Southern California, the section revealed their interaction with two possible Saudi intelligence agents and their friendship in San Diego with a Saudi man, Osama Basnan, who lived across the street from two of them. After the attacks, Basnan told an FBI undercover agent that he had helped the hijackers, was an avid supporter of bin Laden and had cashed a $15,000 check from an account belonging to Saudi Prince Bandar, who at the time was his government’s ambassador to the United States, according to the report. Both the Saudi government and the Obama administration said the secret section showed, as the then￾White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest put it, “no evidence that the Saudi government or senior Saudi individuals funded al Qaida.” Graham disagreed, and still does. “It points a strong finger at Saudi Arabia’s involvement,” he said. “It has been the primary funder of the regional offshoots of al Qaida in Somalia, the Arabian Peninsula and elsewhere,” he said. “It has continued to operate madrassas throughout the Middle East, North Africa and particularly in Pakistan. It has been a key source of money and fresh jihadists. I would not assume that Saudi Arabia is an important ally. I would even say I don’t think it is our ally, period.”HEADING BACK TO COURT A bipartisan group of lawmakers, working with Doyle, crafted the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act. While not mentioning Saudi Arabia by name, it authorizes Americans to sue any government that facilitates or carries out an act of terror on U.S. soil. Bush, whose family has longstanding ties with the Saudi royals, helped block the measure, warning that it threatened to harm relations with a critical Arab ally. Two influential national security lawmakers, Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham, pressed their peers not to take it up. But seven years later, with American sentiment shifting against Middle East entanglements, the legislation’s supporters not only got the bill introduced but saw it passed with overwhelming support in the House and Senate in 2016. Citing similar concerns as Bush and warning the law would not protect Americans, Obama vetoed the measure Sept. 23. Five days later, the House and the Senate overrode that veto in a second set of bipartisan votes. “We must not hold justice for the 9/11 families hostage to imagined fears,” said Rep. Jerrold Nadler, the New York Democrat who lost more constituents on Sept. 11 than any other representative, on the House floor. “If the Saudi government was not complicit in the attack on 9/11, the plaintiffs will fail to prove such complicity in an American court,” he said. “Justice will have been served, and the Saudis will have been vindicated after years of suspicion. But if it is proven in an American court that the Saudi government was complicit in the attacks on 9/11, justice will have been served — and we, not the Saudis, will have justification to be very angry.” In the nearly five months since JASTA became law, the families’ attorneys have been preparing to go back into court. They are tweaking previously filed documents and readying FOIA CBP 001224 DHS-17-0435-B-000521 124 new ones with more recent information related to their claim, starting with details from the 28 pages. They would also like to obtain an un-redacted version of that section of the 2003 congressional intelligence report’s section focusing on possible Saudi ties to 9/11. But even with support from Trump’s White House, the 9/11 families are in for a fight — and an expensive one. The Saudi government hired Washington lobbyists to get the law gutted as the new Congress began in January, paying them some $1.3 million a month. Riyadh is also ramping up pressure on U.S. officials, threatening to retaliate against any suit by selling $750 billion in U.S. assets. In a terse statement a day after JASTA became law, the Saudi Foreign Ministry warned: “The erosion of sovereign immunity will have a negative impact on all nations, including the United States.” The Saudi Embassy declined to comment despite repeated requests from McClatchy. Michael Kellogg, a lead attorney for Saudi Arabia in the case, also declined comment. The Saudis take heart in a strange about-face by 28 senators who supported JASTA. Within hours of voting to override Obama’s veto, they wrote a letter to the bill’s chief sponsors, Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas and Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, expressing second thoughts. “If other nations respond to this bill by weakening U.S. sovereign immunity protections, then the United States could face private lawsuits in foreign courts as a result of important military or intelligence activities,” they wrote. Among the senators were Republicans Graham of South Carolina, Pat Roberts of Kansas, and Jim Risch of Idaho, along with Democrats Bill Nelson of Florida, Dianne Feinstein of California, and Claire McCaskill of Missouri. The senators offered to work with Cornyn and Schumer “in a constructive manner to appropriately mitigate those unintended consequences.” Last month, the Saudi lobbyists brought 20 to 40 veterans for three days of pressuring lawmakers to weaken JASTA, putting them up at Trump’s new luxury hotel in downtown Washington, according to Politico. To counter the Saudis’ lobbying blitz, the families have assembled their own power team. Some of the most prominent plaintiffs’ law firms are representing them, including Kreindler & Kreindler of New York, Motley Rice of South Carolina, and Ethridge Quinn of Maryland. There’s simply no doubt that charities and other institutions associated in one way or another with the Saudi government, and individuals associated with the Saudi government, were providing material support to al Qaida. Jack Quinn, White House chief counsel under President Bill Clinton Jack Quinn, who served as White House chief counsel under President Bill Clinton and retains powerful connections in Washington, is helping the legal team craft strategy. “As far as I’m concerned, there’s simply no doubt that charities and other institutions associated in one way or another with the Saudi government, and individuals associated with the Saudi government, were providing material support to al Qaida, the designated terrorist organization that carried out this attack,” Quinn told McClatchy. “It is inevitable that the time will come, hopefully in the not-too-distant future, when the Saudis will have to answer these allegations in court.” The law firms are working pro bono. Having already donated tens of millions of dollars to the cause, they hope to recoup payment via a large settlement with the Saudi government. Quinn and James Kreindler negotiated the 2003 deal in which Libya agreed to pay $2.7 billion to the families of 270 people killed Dec. 21, 1988, when Pam Am Flight 103 exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland. Gina Cayne is more interested in justice than money. “I just want the people who helped to murder my husband and the other 3,000 people to be held accountable for their actions,” the Boca Raton widow told McClatchy last month. “I just don’t want to see his murder brushed under the rug. Hopefully we can stop them from killing any more Americans.” Sellitto and Cayne have new hope that their court date will come. Doyle does too. Just before Doyle’s wife died in 2012, she beseeched him to continue his quest to get justice for their son and the other Sept. 11 victims. “One of the last things she said to me to me was, ‘Billy, don’t give up.’ And I said, ‘I’ll never give up.’” Then, like so many others who lost loved ones on that horrendous day, Billy Doyle wept. Former Guantanamo Inmate Killed In US Strike In Yemen AFP, March 6, 2017 Washington (AFP) – A former Guantanamo Bay inmate was killed in a US air strike in Yemen last week, the Defense Department said Monday, as part of a stepped-up campaign against Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. “We can confirm the death of a former Guantanamo Bay detainee, Yasir al-Silmi,” Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said. Silmi, also known as Mohammed Tahar, had been incarcerated at the notorious US military prison in Cuba from 2002 to December 2009, when he was repatriated to Yemen. Davis said he was not considered a “high-value” target. FOIA CBP 001225 DHS-17-0435-B-000522 125 His Guantanamo file said the 37-year-old Yemeni was an “Islamic extremist” who had wanted to conduct bomb attacks against US and NATO forces in Afghanistan. Republican lawmakers repeatedly blocked then￾president Barack Obama’s efforts to shut Guantanamo and pointed to former detainees returning to the fight as proof inmates should remain locked up there. Silmi died March 2 in the same strike that killed Usayd al-Adnani, a “long-time explosives expert who served as the organization’s emir within the Abyan governorate,” Davis said. The United States has conducted more than 40 strikes against AQAP in Yemen since ramping up operations five nights ago. None of the strikes have been conducted based on intelligence gathered in a botched US raid in January, the first authorized by President Donald Trump, in which multiple civilians and a Navy SEAL were killed. Two years of civil war in Yemen have allowed AQAP, which the US regards as the extremists’ most dangerous branch, to consolidate its grip on territory in southern and eastern Yemen. U.S. Air Campaign In Yemen Killed Guantánamo Ex-Prisoner By Eric Schmitt New York Times, March 6, 2017 WASHINGTON — For a fifth consecutive night, American warplanes and drones on Monday pummeled suspected Qaeda targets in Yemen as the Pentagon said an earlier attack in the country had killed a former prisoner held at the United States detention center at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, said an airstrike last Thursday — the first night of a larger Pentagon campaign to roll back gains made by Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or A.Q.A.P. — killed the former detainee, who was using the name Yasir Ali Abdallah al Silmi. While at Guantánamo, he was held as Detainee No. 679 and went by the name Mohammed Tahar, according to military records. Including an airstrike overnight on Monday that Captain Davis said killed seven Qaeda fighters, the United States has conducted more than 40 attacks across central and southern Yemen in the past week. By comparison, the military carried out 41 strikes in all of 2012, the most in a single year against the Qaeda affiliate in Yemen. Soon after taking office, President Trump authorized the stepped-up air campaign against the Qaeda branch, one of the deadliest in the world, at the same time he approved the ill-fated Special Operations raid in January that left one member of Navy SEAL Team 6 dead and three others wounded. An estimated two dozen civilians were killed in that raid. “It’s a reflection of growing concern about the reconstitution of A.Q.A.P. in Yemen,” Gerald M. Feierstein, a former United States ambassador to Yemen who is now at the Middle East Institute in Washington, said of the flurry of airstrikes. “The key issue is how they identify targets, the fidelity of the intelligence, and the care they take to maintain the standard of near certainty on no collateral damage,” Mr. Feierstein said, referring to civilian casualties. “I don’t know the answer to those questions.” The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has scheduled a hearing for Thursday on Yemen, the first since the raid in January. Mr. Tahar was imprisoned at Guantánamo Bay from 2002 to 2009. Because Yemen was in chaos at that time, officials were reluctant to repatriate detainees there. But Mr. Tahar was among a small group the Obama administration repatriated in December 2009 as part of an experiment. Later that month, however, after the attempted bombing of a Detroit-bound airliner by Al Qaeda’s Yemen branch, President Barack Obama halted further repatriations to Yemen. Years later, the Obama administration resettled many Yemenis in other countries. Military records show that Mr. Tahar’s brother, who went by the name Ali Abdullah Ahmed, was also a Guantánamo detainee. He was among three detainees who died in June 2006 in what the military said was a coordinated suicide. Captain Davis said that Usayd al-Adnani, whom he described as a “longtime explosives expert who served as the organization’s emir” within Abyan Province, was killed in the same March 2 strike as Mr. Tahar. Yemeni civilians in three provinces where Al Qaeda has strongholds described the American bombing campaign as unrelenting. For three days beginning Friday, American drones and attack planes extensively hit the rugged mountains and valleys in central Baydha Province, where Qaeda military camps have long existed outside the control of the weak central government in Sana, the capital, according to residents reached by phone. “They appear on the sky at nearly the same time and quickly launched heavy fire against Al Qaeda gatherings,” said Nayef, a resident who for security reasons preferred to be identified only by his first name. “The U.S. planes become more aggressive when Al Qaeda militants fire back,” he said. “We can see balls of fire on the sky when the Americans exchange fire with Al Qaeda.” Abdul Aziz Awadh, a resident of Abyan Province in the south, the birthplace of Yemen’s president, Abdu Rabbu FOIA CBP 001226 DHS-17-0435-B-000523 126 Mansour Hadi, said that an American drone struck a taxi carrying a number of Qaeda militants on Thursday afternoon. “The airstrike completely burned the car and killed at least four Al Qaeda,” he said. “We later learned that they came from Aden to Abyan. The U.S. drone chased them until they passed through a farm and hit them.” Families Of Fallen Green Berets Demand Answers In Their Loved Ones’ Shooting Deaths In Jordan By Meghann Myers Army Times, March 6, 2017 The fathers of three Green Berets who were killed in an attack last year while on a mission to train Jordanian troops are calling on the country’s government to take responsibility for the incident. The men will be joined Tuesday at a news conference in Washington, D.C., by Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Missouri, Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, according to a release. They are scheduled to discuss developments in their search for information and their demands that the government of Jordan “account for the incident,” according to the release. Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Lewellen and Staff Sgts. James Moriarty and Kevin McEnroe were killed by gunfire on Nov. 4 while driving into King Faisal Air Base in al-Jafr, Jordan. The men were members of 5th Special Forces Group at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. A Jordanian soldier was responsible for the attack, according to the release. A spokesman for Special Operations Command did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Iran Nuclear Deal Could Be Gateway For Terrorism Legal Claims By Charlie Savage New York Times, March 6, 2017 WASHINGTON — Over the last two decades, since Congress carved out a terrorism case exception to the general rule that people cannot use American courts to sue foreign governments, victims of attacks have racked up more than $50 billion in default judgments against Iran. Those judgments provided symbolic justice but came with little realistic expectation that Iran — which did not bother to contest the evidence — would actually pay all it owed, aside from its limited assets frozen in the United States. But now, those cases are colliding with another major legal and national security event: the Iran nuclear deal. In the first case of its kind, a group of attack victims — including estates of people who were killed — who won one of the default judgments against Iran has gone to a European court to try to enforce it. A judge in Luxembourg has quietly put a freeze on $1.6 billion in assets belonging to Iran’s central bank, according to people familiar with the case. The fight is part of increasing instances in which domestic civil lawsuits against foreign entities over terrorist attacks have raised diplomatic and national security complications. Diplomatic and security specialists said the litigation also has broader significance. The essence of the 2015 deal was that Iran agreed to curb its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of sanctions so it could reintegrate into the world economy. That goal would be undermined if any Iranian￾linked assets in places like Europe were vulnerable to seizure to pay off the default judgments handed down by American courts. Payam Mohseni, the Iran Project director at Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, said that if the victims succeed in seizing the funds, it could be a step toward a new confrontation, strengthening the hands of hard-liners in Iran who were opposed to the deal and are looking for signs of betrayal. Already, he noted, few of the envisioned investments in Iran with Western financing have materialized. “A ruling like this would make Iranian assets vulnerable in Europe which, for Iranians, would violate the spirit of the agreement if not the letter of it,” he said. The maneuvers in Luxembourg have attracted scant attention because the litigation is largely confidential. But a letter detailing the case is now circulating in Washington. Lawyers for the victims sent the letter on Thursday to the prime minister of Luxembourg, seeking his government’s assistance in opposing Iran’s effort to unfreeze its assets, and copied the letter to senior foreign policy officials in the White House. Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, did not respond to an email request to speak with someone in the Trump administration about its thinking regarding the effort. President Trump was a fierce critic of the nuclear accord during the campaign, saying President Barack Obama had negotiated a bad deal. But he has since given no public indication that he intends to follow through on his vow to abrogate it. The embassy of Luxembourg in Washington also did not respond to a request for comment. Complicating matters, the lawsuit that resulted in the default judgment did not stem from one of the attacks by Shiite terrorists that specialists generally agree were sponsored by Iran. Instead, it was brought by victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks by Al Qaeda, the Sunni terrorist group. In 2011, the victims persuaded a federal judge in New York, George B. Daniels, to find that Iran had aided the attacks by providing assistance to Al Qaeda, like facilitating the travel of Qaeda members through its territory. In 2012, he FOIA CBP 001227 DHS-17-0435-B-000524 127 ordered Iran to pay the victims $2 billion in compensatory damages and $5 billion in punitive damages. That judgment stagnated for years because there was no obvious way to collect it. But then it came to light that the Clearstream system in Luxembourg, which facilitates international exchanges of securities, was holding $1.6 billion in Iranian central bank assets that had been blocked under sanctions. Last year, lawyers for the Sept. 11 victims persuaded a judge in Luxembourg to place a new freeze on those assets while they sued over whether they could execute the default judgment against those funds, the letter said. Both Clearstream and the Iranian central bank, Markazi, are now trying to get that freeze lifted. The two lawyers who signed the letter and are leading the effort, Lee S. Wolosky and Michael J. Gottlieb, both partners in the law firm Boies Schiller Flexner, are former Obama administration officials. Mr. Gottlieb was a lawyer in the White House in Mr. Obama’s first term, and Mr. Wolosky served as the special envoy for Guantánamo closure under Secretary of State John F. Kerry, who negotiated the Iran nuclear deal. “The Iran nuclear deal does not include terrorism issues or resolve outstanding legal claims, so you can support that deal and also support the enforcement of lawful, final judgments entered by the federal courts wherever Iranian assets are found,” Mr. Wolosky said. “And that is exactly what we are aggressively pursuing.” Dennis Ross, an Iran adviser to Mr. Obama in his first term, predicted that European leaders who support the Iran deal would try to resist such efforts. But he also said that while some think the deal is fragile, Iran has an incentive to stick with it for at least seven more years — after which sanctions, which are now suspended, will be terminated — even if it decides it cannot do business in Europe for now. Iran “will certainly try to get these assets unfrozen so they aren’t put at risk, but I don’t see them walking away from the deal, even though this is a very novel, very creative use of the legal system to try to get these judgments enforced,” he said. The case joins the growing log of lawsuits that try to assign blame for terrorist ties. In 2014, for example, the Obama administration divided internally about whether to urge the Supreme Court to intervene in a case against Arab Bank, the largest financial institution in Jordan, brought by victims of terrorist attacks in Israel who accused the bank of having processed financial transactions for Hamas. The case was ultimately settled. Last year, the Supreme Court ruled said Iran’s central bank must turn over $2.1 billion in frozen assets held by Citibank to victims of the 1983 Marine Corps barracks bombing in Lebanon. The Obama administration backed the victims in that case, which Iran is now challenging in the International Court of Justice. Also last year, American relations with Saudi Arabia came under strain when Congress, overriding President Obama’s veto, enacted a bill that widened the terrorism exception to foreign sovereigns’ immunity from civil lawsuits, clearing the way for victims of the Sept. 11 attacks to sue the Saudi government too. CYBER NEWS Russian Hackers Are Trying To Shake Down Liberal Groups By Mark Moore New York Post, March 6, 2017 Russian hackers are poaching embarrassing details from the emails of liberal organizations in the US and demanding hush-money payments of up to $150,000, according to a published report. At least a dozen groups — including the Center for American Progress and Arabella Advisors — have been contacted about extortion attempts since the presidential election, Bloomberg reported Monday, citing people familiar with investigations being conducted by the FBI and private security firms. In one instance, a non-profit group discussed with a liberal donor how to pay some of the costs for anti-Trump protesters, the report said. The identities were not disclosed. The hackers are using techniques similar to those used by Cozy Bear, one of the Russian government groups that infiltrated the Democratic National Committee during the presidential election, the report said. The Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank with deep connections to the Clintons and former President Obama, and Arabella, which advises people wanting to invest in progressive causes, have received extortion demands, Bloomberg said. The ransom demands range from about $30,000 up to $150,000 — payable in untraceable bitcoins — and are accompanied by copies of the pilfered data, according to the report. “Arabella Advisors was affected by cyber crime,” said Steve Sampson, a spokesman for the firm, told Bloomberg. “All facts indicate this was financially motivated.” Allison Preiss, a spokeswoman for the Center for American Progress, said the group had no comment, according to the report. Russian Hackers Said To Seek Hush Money From Liberal Groups By Michael Riley Bloomberg News, March 6, 2017 FOIA CBP 001228 DHS-17-0435-B-000525 128 Russian hackers are targeting U.S. progressive groups in a new wave of attacks, scouring the organizations’ emails for embarrassing details and attempting to extract hush money, according to two people familiar with probes being conducted by the FBI and private security firms. At least a dozen groups have faced extortion attempts since the U.S. presidential election, said the people, who provided broad outlines of the campaign. The ransom demands are accompanied by samples of sensitive data in the hackers’ possession. In one case, a non-profit group and a prominent liberal donor discussed how to use grant money to cover some costs for anti-Trump protesters. The identities were not disclosed, and it’s unclear if the protesters were paid. At least some groups have paid the ransoms even though there is little guarantee the documents won’t be made public anyway. Demands have ranged from about $30,000 to $150,000, payable in untraceable bitcoins, according to one of the people familiar with the probe.Cozy Bear Attribution is notoriously difficult in a computer attack. The hackers have used some of the techniques that security experts consider hallmarks of Cozy Bear, one of the Russian government groups identified as behind last year’s attack on the Democratic National Committee during the presidential election and which is under continuing investigation. Cozy Bear has not been accused of using extortion in the past, though separating government and criminal actors in Russia can be murky as security experts say some people have a foot in both worlds. The Center for American Progress, a Washington think tank with strong links to both the Clinton and Obama administrations, and Arabella Advisors, which guides liberal donors who want to invest in progressive causes, have been asked to pay ransoms, according to people familiar with the probes. The Center for American Progress declined a pre￾publication request for comment. “CAP has no evidence we have been hacked, no knowledge of it and no reason to believe it to be true. CAP has never been subject to ransom,” Allison Preiss, a spokeswoman for the center, said in a statement Monday morning. It’s unclear whether Arabella is part of the same campaign as the other dozen groups, according to one of the people familiar with the probes, but the tactics and approach are similar. If the Arabella attack came from a different group, multiple criminals could be lifting a page from Russia’s hacking of the 2016 campaign, attempting to leverage the reputational damage that could be inflicted on political organizations by exposing their secrets. “Arabella Advisors was affected by cyber crime,” said Steve Sampson, a spokesman for the firm, which lists 150 employees operating in four offices. “All facts indicate this was financially motivated.’’Stealing Documents QuickTake U.S. Probe of Russia Hacking During the election Russian hackers heavily targeted the personal email accounts of staffers associated with the Clinton campaign. One of the people who described the current campaign said that in some cases, web-based email accounts are also being targeted because of their heavy use among non-profits. Along with emails, the hackers are stealing documents from popular web-based applications like SharePoint, which lets people in different locations work on Microsoft Office files, one of the people said. The Federal Bureau of Investigation declined to comment when asked about the latest hacks. It is continuing to investigate Russia’s attempts to influence the election and any possible connections to Trump campaign aides. Russian officials have repeatedly denied any attempt to influence the election or any role in related computer break-ins. “I would be cautious concluding that this has any sort of Russian government backing,” said John Hultquist, director of cyber espionage analysis at FireEye Inc., after the outline of the attacks was described to him. “Russian government hackers have aggressively targeted think tanks, and even masqueraded as ransomware operations, but it’s always possible it is just another shakedown.”Left-Leaning Groups The hackers’ targeting of left-leaning groups – and the sifting of emails for sensitive or discrediting information – has set off alarms that the attacks could constitute a fresh wave of Russian government meddling in the U.S. political system. The attacks could be designed to look like a criminal caper or they could have the tacit support of Russian intelligence agencies, the people said. Russia’s intelligence agencies maintain close relationships with criminal hackers in the country, according to several U.S. government investigations. None of the possible explanations for the attacks are particularly comforting to the victimized groups, few of which are household names but are part of the foundation of liberal politics in the U.S. Some of the groups are associated with causes now under attack by the Trump administration. Arabella’s founder, Eric Kessler, and its senior managing director, Bruce Boyd, worked for national environmental groups early in their careers. Arabella declined to make Kessler or Boyd available for comment.Trump Critic The Center for American Progress is a fierce critic of the Trump administration and its policies, and has called for a deeper investigation into contacts by Trump’s inner circle with Russian officials. It’s unclear if Trump or his top aides have been briefed on the investigation. FOIA CBP 001229 DHS-17-0435-B-000526 129 The President has accused liberal groups of sending protesters to congressional town halls, mocking his opponents in a tweet on Feb. 21. “The so-called angry crowds in home districts of some Republicans are actually, in numerous cases, planned out by liberal activists. Sad!,” Trump tweeted from his personal account. Regardless of who is behind the latest round of hacks and ransom requests, there is also indication that state￾sponsored hackers continue a broader targeting of liberal groups in the U.S.Emails Targeted The day after the election, the FSB, Russia’s main intelligence agency, targeted the personal emails of hundreds of people, including national security experts, military officers and former White House officials, according to data provided by cyber security researchers who are tracking the spying and who asked not to be identified because of the risks of retaliation. The list was weighted toward people who have worked in Democratic administrations or who are linked with liberal causes. Among those targets was Kate Albright-Hanna. She worked for Barack Obama in his first presidential campaign in 2008 and then briefly in the White House Office of Health Care Reform. That was eight years ago. Since then she has worked on a documentary about corruption in New York and developed a network of investigative journalists and activists, not the most obvious target for Russian espionage. “I have no idea why I would be targeted,” said Albright￾Hanna, who now lives in New York. “It’s super weird.”Watch Next: NSA Has Moderate Confidence in Russia Hacking Report Pennsylvania Senate Democrats Resist Ransom In Cyberattack Philly (PA), March 6, 2017 Pennsylvania’s top state Senate Democrat said Monday that no ransom has been paid to resolve a cyberattack that shut down the caucus’ network and prompted an FBI investigation. Senate Democrats’ computer network, including their email system, remained inaccessible Monday, three days after the “ransomware” attack was discovered by technology staff who received an alert that the network had been breached. Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa, D-Allegheny, would not say what sort of ransom had been demanded, but he said none had been paid, and he and other Senate Democrats said they were not inclined to do so. “Right now we have no intention of dealing with the demand,” Costa said. A ransomware attack is typically aimed at stealing sensitive information in an attempt to be paid for the data’s return, often in a digital currency. For the time being, Costa said, Senate Democrats were focused on trying to restore access to the network, which contains a wide range of documents, from policy work to constituent case files. Sen. Daylin Leach, D-Montgomery, said the hackers gave a one-week deadline to pay the ransom, or they would destroy the data. Costa said he could not say whether there was a deadline. But he also said that the caucus, as a matter of routine, backs up its emails, documents and data, much of it nightly, and that it could be loaded into the network once it is available and safe. Microsoft was doing a forensic audit to try to figure out who penetrated the network and how, and Costa said the caucus may know more in the next day or two. Senators and staff who tried logging in initially received a message instructing them to click on a link for information on how to recover the data on their network. Costa said the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh offices of the FBI were working on the case. A spokeswoman at the FBI’s Philadelphia office said that, under Department of Justice policy, the agency will not provide any update on an ongoing investigation unless or until charges are filed. Leach said his office has lost access to all of the paperwork on file for constituent requests and the state grants he was trying to get for his district. “In the short-term, we can sort of make do,” Leach said. “There are some problems long-term.” Coast Guard’s Twitter Account Hacked With Sex Invitation Philly (PA), March 6, 2017 A U.S. Coast Guard spokesman says an invitation to meet for sex showed up on the mid-Atlantic region’s Twitter account after it was hacked. Coast Guard spokesman Nate Littlejohn said that the account was compromised Monday morning. He says the profile photo and bio were changed to include an invitation to meet for sex, and that an image of a scantily clad woman was tweeted from the account. Littlejohn says officials were immediately alerted by a member of the news media and regained control of the account in five to 10 minutes. They deleted the tweet and sent an apology “for any unauthorized/offensive tweets.” The Guard’s mid-Atlantic district stretches from South Carolina to New Jersey. Littlejohn says none of the region’s other accounts were affected. FOIA CBP 001230 DHS-17-0435-B-000527 130 France Drops Electronic Voting For Citizens Abroad Over Cybersecurity Fears Reuters, March 6, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Obama’s Cyber Commissioners Nudge Trump On Cybersecurity Policy By Morgan Chalfant The Hill, March 6, 2017 Members of a commission established under former President Barack Obama to examine the federal government’s cybersecurity efforts are nudging the new Trump administration to move forward on its recommendations. Three members of the commission, including former Obama national security adviser Tom Donilon, on Monday reiterated their call for more cooperation between the public and private sector and more leadership in the White House to spearhead efforts on cybersecurity. Sam Palmisano, former president and CEO of IBM and vice chair of the commission, said he has attended meetings at the White House to offer his input on cybersecurity policy. Palmisano told reporters following an event with other members of the commission at the Center for Strategic and International Studies on Monday that he had appeared at the White House that morning to offer advice on how to modernize the government’s technology and management to help it function more like a private sector entity. Obama established the Presidential Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity by executive order in February 2016. The group issued a report laying out 16 recommendations to streamline and strengthen the federal government’s cybersecurity efforts last December, weeks before Obama turned over the White House to President Trump. The commission, for instance, recommended the president appoint an assistant to the president for cybersecurity, who would report through the national security adviser and coordinate efforts on digital security across agencies. “I do think there needs to be the locus in the White House … that can convene the various elements of the United States government that make policy on an interagency basis,” Donilon, who chaired the commission and also served as national security adviser to Obama between 2010 and 2013, said at the event Monday morning. “No one agency is going to make policy on something as complicated as cyber.” Donilon, who is now a partner at law firm O’Melveny & Myers, also encouraged the new administration to develop an “all-of-government deterrence” against cyberattacks by coordinating work across agencies and departments. Trump initially signaled that he would move quickly on cybersecurity reform, announcing the signing of an executive order on cybersecurity in January that was abruptly canceled by the White House. Palmisano, who said he has been asked to give a reaction to the revised order at another meeting at the White House this afternoon, predicted that the new executive order could be announced as soon as the end of this week. The White House did not respond to an email asking for confirmation of Palmisano’s attendance at the meeting. Donilon and other members of the commission seemed pleased that Trump is likely to hold agency heads accountable for the cybersecurity of their own organizations, a point he stressed at a news conference in January before the executive order was canceled. “This insistence by the president that the agency, department heads are responsible for cybersecurity in their agencies and that they be held accountable is a very important piece of this,” Donilon said. “That is a contract, if you will, between the president and the people he hires to run the agencies and departments.” “I agree that they need responsibility, but that responsibility in my mind is a leadership role that will bring to the floor what the real issues are,” said Steven Chabinsky, a commissioner and partner at law firm White & Case, noting that federal agencies alone might not have the resources to secure their systems and procure new technologies. “We’re asking them to assess the environment and bring that up to this place within the White House like you’re talking about and say, here are the real challenges that we’re facing,” Chabinsky said. Cyber Executive Order Nearing Completion – FCW Federal Computer Week, March 6, 2017 The almost-executed, then retracted and repeatedly revised cyber executive order from the Trump administration appears to be nearing completion. Speaking on a panel at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, former IBM CEO Samuel Palmisano said he would soon attend a meeting with Trump officials to discuss and provide feedback on the executive order. “So that means it’s pretty far along if they’re looking for some kind of feedback,” said Palmisano, who added that he thought the order could be finalized “maybe within a week or so.” The order is expected to draw heavily from the recommendations of the Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity, on which Palmisano served along with co￾FOIA CBP 001231 DHS-17-0435-B-000528 131 panelists Steven Chabinsky and Thomas Donilon and panel moderator Kiersten Todt. Karen Evans, who served on the CSIS task force that provided cyber recommendations to the Trump administration in January, also participated in the discussion, and said the new administration should not be bound by history when it comes to cyber positions in the government. “We are looking at this administration through the lens of what has been in the past,” said Evans, who also served on the Office of Management and Budget landing team for the Trump transition. She said that during the CSIS task force process, participants looked at all the “chief” positions in government – information officer, innovation officer, information security officer, etc. – and determined that not all of them are necessary. “It’s an opportunity [for the Trump administration] to be able to say, ‘what do you really want these roles to do and what do you really want these jobs to accomplish?’” she said. “Just because certain positions aren’t filled doesn’t mean that they aren’t working on the issues and that the policies aren’t being discussed,” said Evans. One of the recommendations common to the national commission and the CSIS task force, and that was included in a leaked draft of the executive order, is to empower and task cabinet secretaries with responsibility for cybersecurity in their agencies – just as a CEO would be responsible in a private company. “There’s no doubt that the heads of agencies need to have responsibilities,” Chabinsky said, “but I can’t help but caution that they may be being set up to fail.” He warned that agency heads will never have all the money and manpower truly needed to secure their systems. “So what I would suspect is at the end of the day, what we really mean by saying that the leader is responsible is they’re responsible for assessing the situation, taking this seriously and bringing to the forefront whatever those issues are,” he added. “The proposition that every department, agency in the US government can provide 21st century state of the art cybersecurity, that’s not going to happen,” said Donilon. He said agencies will need to use shared services and rely on expertise, personnel and state-of-the-art capabilities from the “central part of the government.” Evans said it’s not realistic to expect that the government is going to be able to spend the money needed to replace $80 billion in legacy systems, and so agency staffs need to think like corporate staffs that must advise leadership on making investments based on risk assessments and organizational priorities. “You have to be able to articulate this in a way that it has parameters around it that reflects reality,” she said. COUNTERING VIOLENT EXTREMISM Islamic School Walked Away From Nearly $1M In Federal Funding Because Of Trump NBC News, March 6, 2017 Nestled in the beautiful but expensive suburbs of Los Angeles, Islamic theology school Bayan Claremont really could have used $800,000 federal grant money it was awarded from the outgoing Obama administration. But when time came to collect the funds from the Trump administration, the school chose to walk away with nothing. Why? Months before the presidential election, Bayan, part of the larger California-based Claremont School of Theology, spent $20,000 in grant writers and one month of staff time perfecting an application for the Department of Homeland Security’s newly minted Countering Violent Extremism Grant Program aimed at expanding “efforts at the community level to counter violent extremist recruitment and radicalization to violence.” The Homeland Security Department headquarters in Washington is seen in this photo taken June 5, 2015. AP While law enforcement officials have often associated extremism with Islam, the program did not mention any ideology, instead referring to all “violent extremism” — which in theory included radical white supremacist groups The California-based school needed funding for an ambitious two-year capacity building project called “Flourishing Communities,” which would improve inter￾religious cooperation, civic engagement, and social justice,” said Jihad Turk, president of Bayan Claremont. “We had high hopes for that funding,” he added. After a series of bureaucratic delays, the school finally got word they would be getting a nearly one million dollar grant — one of the highest among the 31 groups awarded. The problem is that it happened one week before Donald Trump’s inauguration. While the school netted a hefty sum, “something just didn’t sit right anymore,” said Turk, who called a board meeting where a group of eight people debated over four hours on what they should do about the grant under the new administration. In a 7-1 vote, the school made the decision to decline the money. Claremont School of Theology Courtesy of Claremont School of Theology “We struggled with it, but the context is too acrimonious now, and the rhetoric against Muslims too alarming to work with this administration,” Turk said. “Trump poisoned the well.” FOIA CBP 001232 DHS-17-0435-B-000529 132 One of the nationalistic promises Trump campaigned on was a “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States” — and as president, he has already tried to deliver. Shortly after taking office, Trump signed executive orders barring immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries. He also alluded to a religious test, giving preference to Christian refuges, while suspending others in the interest of “extreme vetting” to “keep radical Islamic terrorists out of the United States of America.” The order was eventually deemed unlawful by a federal appellate court, but the president just signed a second, tweaked, version that preempts the first. Trump also surrounded himself with individuals, such as senior strategist Steve Bannon and Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who some civil rights groups perceive as anti￾Muslim. In the weeks leading up the school’s decision to walk away, discussions erupted on and off campus among students, alumni, and faculty who became increasingly concerned about what it would mean to take the money from this administration. “There was some hesitation about the grant under Obama, but people still felt that we could work together and be productive. But under Trump the idea that we can work together or be productive completely went away,” said Todd Gallinger, a civil rights attorney and graduate student at Bayan. Hadi Qazwini, a board member and Bayan alum, said tension surrounding the grant decision was mounting and students began to feel that they would be required to engage in community surveillance and self-policing, as a condition of the money. The concerns weren’t totally out of bounds. The FBI and New York Police Department were discovered to have engaged in “suspicion-less” mass surveillance of Muslim communities in the not so distant past. “Many students came to me with real fears that they would be surveilled and spied on. It caused a lot of anxiety for students,” Qazwini said. “One student even suggested that she would withdraw from the school.” Those fears were further elevated in early February after Reuters reported, based on anonymous sources, that the new administration would be changing the name of the grant program from ““Countering Violent Extremism,” to “Countering Islamic Extremism” or “Countering Radical Islamic Extremism,” putting the focus solely on Islam — which would be a huge shift from the program’s original stance. The Department of Homeland Security declined requests for comment by NBC News. Kimberly Edwards, director of communications for the Claremont School of Theology, kept a close eye on the discussions taking place on campus. She said many Muslim students told her they “felt indiscriminately targeted” as “the only community being specifically tasked with working against extremism.” But the conversation flowed beyond just Bayan’s Muslim students said Reverend Kah-Jin Jeffrey Kuan, president of the Claremont School of Theology, who stood behind Bayan’s choice. “Rhetoric against any religion has no place American society, and that is not something we still stand for,” he said. Sarah Fiske-Phillips, 26, who is studying at Claremont to be a pastor said her Christian faith guided her to support Bayan’s decision to decline the money. “Eight hundred thousand dollars is huge and would really impact our institution, but holding our values of loving our neighbor is more important than a paycheck,” she said. Claremont School of Theology students and alums march to the local mosque in a show of support. Image: Claremont School of Theology Bayan is currently one of four Muslim-based groups that preemptively declined the Department of Homeland Security Grant. Ka-Joog, a Somali youth organization in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Unity Productions in Potomac Falls, Virginia, and Leaders Advancing and Helping Communities in Dearborn, Michigan, have rejected a combined total of almost $1.4 million in grants, citing the new administration’s anti-Muslim tone. And there are still several other Muslim-based potential recipients of the grant that have not pulled the trigger. The Muslim Public Affairs Counsel, which netted $383,500, said they are waiting for official word on disbursement before making a decision. Bayan Claremont is now trying to make up for the $800,000 deficit by setting up a GoFundMe page as well as soliciting donations from the community, said Turk. “We are already more than halfway to our goal,” he said. NATIONAL SECURITY NEWS U.S. Military Deploys Forces In Syria’s Manbij In New Effort By Idrees Ali And Phil Stewart Reuters, March 6, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. U.S. Troops Play New Role In Syria By Shawn Snow Military Times, March 6, 2017 FOIA CBP 001233 DHS-17-0435-B-000530 133 WASHINGTON — The U.S. military has sent a team of troops to a small city in Syria to prevent the various forces present there from fighting one another. The Pentagon calls its effort in Manbij “reassure and deter.” It’s focused on keeping peace between Syrian Kurdish militias and Turkish military units, both of whom are fighting the Islamic State group but deeply distrustful of one another. “It’s a visible reminder, for anybody who’s looking to start a fight, that the only fight that should be going on right now is with ISIS,” Davis said. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened to “liberate” the city from Kurdish fighters and give it back to local Arabs, according to reports . Meanwhile, Russian military elements, in support of troops loyal to Syrian President Bashar al Assad, also are present on the city’s outskirts. “This is obviously a really complicated situation,” said Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman. Davis declined to detail how many Americans are involved in the operation, saying only that it’s fewer than dozens. They include some conventional forces working in support of a special operations task force that’s been in the area for many months. The U.S. has authorized a force of 500 troops, predominantly Special Forces, to operate in Syria. It’s unclear if this deployment breaches that threshold. A Manbij Military Council female instructor trains a local female MMC student during marksmanship training Feb. 21, 2017, at Sanaa Training Center in Northwest Syria. This is the first cycle of women to graduate and join the MMC. The MMC is a multi-ethnic force that includes Kurds, Arabs, Christians, Turkmen, Yazidis and others. The course is administered by Special Operations Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve trainers. Photo Credit: Master Sgt. Mark Burrell/Army Manbij is controlled by a coalition of Arab and Syrian Kurdish forces. Turkey considers the Kurds, a group known as the YPG, to be allied with extremists responsible for terror attacks on Turkish soil. However, the YPG has been a valuable ally to the U.S. in its fight against ISIS, and the issue has created tension between Ankara and Washington. Operation Euphrates Shield, launched by Turkey in August, has the dual mandate of defeating ISIS and the YPG, according to Al Monitor . This represents a challenge for Washington as it seeks to protect one ally while not provoking another. The new U.S. mission in Manbij falls outside the U.S. military’s train, advise and assist role, possibly foreshadowing the potential for mission creep even as ISIS loses power and territory in Syria. The Pentagon recently sent the White House its plan, ordered by President Trump shortly after taking office, for accelerating the group’s defeat. It appears this deployment, however, is more of a near￾term fix and not necessarily tied to broader strategy. Sending U.S. troops into Manbij is an attempt to make Turkey dial back, said Jennifer Cafarella, an expert on the Syrian conflict at the Institute for the Institute for the Study of War. But the move highlights lingering questions about the Pentagon’s long-term objectives there. “The U.S.,” she said, “still needs a strategy to reach a three-way deal with Erdogan and the YPG that sets mutually agreeable terms for a de-escalation in northern Syria. What that deal would require is unclear, because it hasn’t been explored.” Shawn Snow is a Military Times staff writer and editor of the Early Bird Brief. On Twitter: @SnowSox184 Syrian Government Forces Take Over Positions From U.S.-backed Militia In Northern Syria: Militia Spokesman By Suleiman Al-Khalidi Reuters, March 6, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Mental Health Crisis Among Syria’s Children A Living Nightmare: Save The Children By Ellen Francis Reuters, March 6, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Libya Militias Who Seized Oil Terminals Aim To Take Benghazi By Rami Musa Associated Press, March 6, 2017 BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) – Libyan militias that occupied two key oil terminals last week said Monday they intend to take the eastern city of Benghazi and unseat Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter, who controls the area. Col. Mustafa Alsharksi, leader of the so-called Benghazi Defense Brigades, said more than 3,000 men are poised to continue eastward now that they have taken over the oil terminals of al-Sidra and Ras Lanuf. The move threatens to escalate the conflict between Libya’s two competing parliaments and governments, each backed by a set of militias, tribes and political factions, and potentially damage the contested oil installations. “Our main goal is to return our city,” Alsharksi said at a news conference in Misrata. “Our main goal is to reject and say no to oppression, say no to military rule (of Hifter),” FOIA CBP 001234 DHS-17-0435-B-000531 134 The militias are comprised of Islamic militants and former rebels recently defeated by Hifter’s forces in Benghazi, Libya’s second largest city. They were joined by militiamen from the western city of Misrata. Alsharksi, who described Hifter as a “criminal,” said his forces will continue to ensure oil revenues go to the U.N.- backed government in Tripoli. The Hifter-allied army units say they have deployed more forces in preparation for a counterattack to drive out the militias, describing the militias’ recent advances as “a war against a whole region” that “they will not win.” Hifter’s army is allied to the internationally recognized parliament based in eastern Libya, while the internationally recognized government based in the capital, Tripoli, opposes Hifter. The latter has condemned the fighting and says it has no role in it, according to a statement released by the Presidency Council, the United Nations-brokered body that was given the task of forming the government and that has presidential powers. Libya descended into chaos with its 2011 civil war, which ended with the killing of longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi and led to the current split. The oil terminals have changed hands several times in the past three years, and the latest seizure has hurt production that was finally increasing and had reached 700,000 barrels a day in February. Alsharksi described his forces as “revolutionaries” who took part in the uprising against Gadhafi. He said they attacked the oil terminal areas because Hifter’s side had been using airports there to launch airstrikes against their allies. He said his troops are comprised of “civilians and military officers not affiliated to any political party or groups” who “fight terrorism in Libya.” In a joint statement, the ambassadors from Libya of France, the United Kingdom and the United States condemned the escalation of violence and called for an immediate cease-fire. ?”We recall the urgent need for a unified national military force under civilian command in order to preserve the security and prosperity of all Libyans,” they said. “We reaffirm the need to keep oil infrastructure, production, and export under the exclusive control of the National Oil Corporation acting under the authority? of the Government of National Accord.” © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. East Libyan Forces Mobilizing For Counter Attack At Oil Ports: Officials By Ayman Al-Warfalli Reuters, March 6, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. U.S.-backed Iraqi Forces Capture Mosul Bridge, Close In On State Buildings By Isabel Coles And Maher Chmaytelli Reuters, March 6, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Coalition Forces Make Quick Progress In Mosul, ISIS Defeat Expected Soon By Carlo Muñoz Washington Times, March 6, 2017 It was supposed to be a long hard slog, but top commanders within the U.S.-backed coalition battling the Islamic State now say Mosul, the terrorist group’s last urban stronghold in Iraq, could be back under Baghdad’s control within weeks. Iraqi military units, alongside Shiite militiamen and Kurdish peshmerga fighters, have spent the past four months in grueling urban combat against forces loyal to the Islamic State, also known as ISIS and ISIL, through the eastern half of Mosul. With support from U.S. heavy artillery and air power, the Iraqi-led coalition capped the offensive late last month, seizing Mosul’s main airport and a critical military base before setting its sights on the western side of Iraq’s second-largest city. Then came a flurry of fast-paced developments Monday as the coalitions suddenly closed in on a key provincial government complex in the Dawasa enclave of western Mosul, prompting a wave of optimistic projections from Iraqi commanders. The Islamic State’s “defenses are buckling under the pressure,” said Iraqi Air Force Cmdr. Hamid Maliki. Given the speed and relative success of the Iraqi offensive, Mosul will likely fall to Iraqi forces “within the next six weeks,” Cmdr. Maliki told the Anadolu News Agency. In Washington, Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis would not offer a timeline for Mosul’s recapture, but he did note that Iraqi forces had retaken over 1,500 square miles of territory from Islamic State control. Iraqi forces had closed in on a key provincial government complex in the Dawasa enclave of western Mosul on Monday, with the Interior Ministry’s Rapid FOIA CBP 001235 DHS-17-0435-B-000532 135 Response units and Iraqi Federal Police taking the provincial police headquarters and court building, Reuters reported. Iraqi forces also reportedly secured the second of five bridges spanning the Tigris River that connect eastern and western Mosul. Although all five bridges were destroyed by coalition airstrikes early in the campaign, maintaining control of those bridges on the city’s western banks provides security for advancing Iraqi forces driving into Mosul’s city center. The western Mosul offensive had been delayed for several days because of inclement weather, which prevented American and coalition fighters and surveillance aircraft from providing support to ground forces. But the coalition’s progress through the western half of Mosul has been relatively swift since operations began late last month. Stiff resistance Despite such progress, ground commanders still are confronting stiff resistance by Islamic State cells dug into western Mosul’s bombed-out neighborhoods. Coalition fighters have been met with waves of suicide bombings, sniper and mortar fire and commercial drones armed with grenades and artillery shells. One Iraqi Federal Police unit was swarmed with six suicide car bombs as it moved through Dawasa toward the provincial government complex, Maj. Gen. Haider al-Maturi of the Federal Police Commandos Division told The Associated Press on Sunday. In Dawasa, as well as Shuhada and Mansour neighborhoods in the city’s southwest, Iraqi military and police are battling the Islamic State street by street, block by block. Iraqi forces are trying to clear nests of Islamic State snipers and mortar pits dug into civilian homes and buildings across western Mosul, Iraqi special forces Maj. Ali Talib told the AP. Iraqi commanders are bracing for the most difficult fight of the campaign as coalition forces move toward the old city district of Mosul. The ancient city sector is home to the Mosul’s Grand Nuri Mosque, where Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi notoriously announced the group’s “caliphate” after overrunning Mosul and most of northern Iraq in mid-2014. At the time, units of the regular Iraqi army broke and ran in the face of an advance from a much smaller Islamic State contingent. Among the top concerns among U.S. and coalition commanders is the possible use of chemical weapons against advancing Iraqi troops. Islamic State fighters reportedly deployed mustard gas against Iraqi forces and civilians in western Mosul last week, NBC News reported. Islamic State rockets laden with the chemical weapon were fired from the western Mosul, striking the Al-Zuhur and Al-Mishraq neighborhoods in the eastern portion of the city. Officials from the International Committee of the Red Cross said 15 civilians had been treated for exposure to toxic chemical agents over the past week. “It was certainly [the result of] a toxic chemical agent, because their symptoms were absolutely clear. People had blisters, they vomited. They had irritation in the eyes and coughed,” Iolanda Jaquemet, an ICRC spokeswoman, told NBC. The World Health Organization issued a statement last week over the possible use of chemical weapons in Mosul, saying international aid groups and local health organizations have “activated an emergency response plan” to treat victims of chemical attacks. “WHO is extremely alarmed by the use of chemical weapons in Mosul, where innocent civilians are already facing unimaginable suffering as a result of the ongoing conflict,” according to the statement, which noted that the use of such weapons is a clear violation of the international rules of war. In September, American commanders suspected U.S. and Iraqi forces had been hit with a chemical strike. The attack, which took place near the main American military logistics hub at Qayyara airfield, was supposedly the first use of mustard gas against U.S. troops since World War I. At the time, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford told Congress that U.S. forces had been the target of a “mustard blister agent” attack. Initial tests of two mortar rounds that struck near U.S. positions in Qayyara, about 40 miles south of Mosul, showed evidence of a chemical agent akin to mustard gas, the Pentagon said at the time. However, subsequent tests for mustard gas agents on one of the two mortar rounds proved inconclusive. Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. Chinese Troops Appear To Be Operating In Afghanistan, And The Pentagon Is OK With It By Shawn Snow Military Times, March 5, 2017 WASHINGTON — There is mounting evidence that Chinese ground troops are operating inside Afghanistan, conducting joint counter-terror patrols with Afghan forces along a 50-mile stretch of their shared border and fueling speculation that Beijing is preparing to play a significantly greater role in the country’s security once the U.S. and NATO leave. The full scope of China’s involvement remains unclear, and the Pentagon is unwilling to discuss it. “We know that they are there, that they are present,” a Pentagon spokesman said. Yet beyond a subtle acknowledgement, U.S. military officials in Washington and in Kabul would not respond to several detailed questions submitted by Military Times. This dynamic stands in stark contrast to the two sides’ feisty rhetoric over their ongoing dispute in the South China Sea, and to Washington’s vocal condemnation of Russian FOIA CBP 001236 DHS-17-0435-B-000533 136 and Iranian activity in Afghanistan. One explanation may be that this quiet arrangement is mutually beneficial. Both the Chinese and Afghan governments have disputed reports of joint patrols inside Afghanistan. Those first surfaced late last year when India’s Wion News published photos claiming to show Chinese military vehicles in a region called Little Pamir, a barren plateau near the border. Reuters, an international news agency, also recently documented the development. The vehicles were identified as a Dongfeng EQ 2050, which is the Chinese equivalent of a U.S. Humvee, and a Norinco VP 11a, which are like the mine-resistant MRAPs developed by the U.S. military last decade. China maintains that while its police forces do conduct joint counter-terrorism operations along the border, based on existing bilateral agreements between the two nations, the People’s Liberation Army does not. But then there’s this peculiarity: In January, Chinese media circulated a report about Chinese troops allegedly rescuing a U.S. special forces team that had been attacked in Afghanistan. The story is likely bogus propaganda, and U.S. officials in Afghanistan say no U.S. personnel have been part of any operations involving Chinese forces, but it would seem to underscore the two countries’ shared interest in combating terrorism there. In this screen grab from India’s Wion News, a Chinese Norinco VP 11a mine resistant vehicle patrols in the Afghanistan-China border region. (Screen grab via Wion News) But why is China even interested in Afghanistan? There are two motivators: security and commerce. The first, says Franz-Stefan Gady, a senior fellow at the East-West Institute, centers around China’s desire to eradicate a Uyghur militant group known as the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, which has been active throughout the region for many years. Its feud with the Chinese government dates to 1949. The U.S. State Department designated it a terrorist organization in 2002. More recently, Uyghurs fighting with the Islamic State in Iraq have vowed to wreak havoc back home in China. The U.S. military is not expressly targeting China’s adversary though its continued presence in Afghanistan does further China’s objective by helping to secure the country and deny sanctuary to rogue terror groups. Today, there are about 15,000 U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan, down from nearly 130,000 during the war’s peak. They’re spread across a handful of bases, focused on teaching the Afghans how to fight their enemies independently. A separate U.S-led counter-terror mission is focused on taking out high-profile leaders within al-Qaida and its affiliates. But as coalition forces have pulled back, security has eroded, leaving ripe conditions for militants — be it the Taliban, al-Qaida or Uyghurs — to move in. The top American commander in Afghanistan, Army Gen. John Nicholson, last month called the 15-year war a stalemate, raising the possibility that the U.S. and its allies could once more expand their footprint. Long term, however, the goal is to extract. “Beijing,” Gady said, “has expressed repeated concern over the diminished Western foot print in Afghanistan.” Border security and broader stability are of prime concern to China, said Sung-Yoon Lee, a professor of U.S.- East Asia relations at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. So its “law enforcement actions inside Afghanistan in cooperation with Pakistan, as the U.S. draws down, serve Beijing’s interests quite well.” The U.S. is dependent on this assistance, he said. “Hence, there’s no compelling reason for China not to resort to military force in its unstable western neighbor.” Chinese Gen. Li Zuocheng, left, and U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley review an honor guard at the Bayi Building in Beijing, Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) It’s a unique dilemma for Washington. On the one hand, China’s assistance in war-torn Afghanistan is seen as helpful. All the saber rattling in the South China Sea — to include China’s militarization of several man-made islands — is not. So the U.S. appears willing to cooperate where it can, and confront where it must. “A stable Afghanistan is in the interest of both the United States and China,” Gady said. “I assume there must be a tacit understanding that China’s involvement in Afghanistan is welcome up to a point.” China’s financial interests revolve around Afghanistan’s abundance of natural resources and minerals, and its access to Central Asian markets. Beijing sees Afghanistan as a vital link for its “One Belt, One Road” initiative, an economic policy that seeks to connect Eurasia to China. “China,” Gady said, “has been seen as a ‘free rider’ — gaining economic benefits by exploiting the country’s natural resources while not contributing to the political and military solution of the conflict. So it is not surprising that as Western engagement in the country diminishes, China gradually steps in to fill the void to secure its interests.” In 2015, after the Taliban reclaimed Kunduz, a strategic city in northern Afghanistan, Beijing agreed to cooperate with Kabul. It pledged $73 million to support Afghanistan fledgling security forces. Afghan border police also are being trained in China, and the Chinese government is providing military hardware, including bullet proof jackets, demining equipment and armored police vehicles. Lee does not view this as a softening stance between Beijing and Washington. There are too many other disagreements, he noted. Beyond the South China Sea, the FOIA CBP 001237 DHS-17-0435-B-000534 137 U.S. wants China to do more to keep North Korea in check and to lay off South Korea, which intends to deploy a self￾defense anti-ballistic missile system. And the notion of Chinese forces pushing deeper into Afghanistan, beyond the border region, strikes Gady as unlikely — at least in the near term, while the U.S. and its allies are there in significant numbers. “China’s security footprint,” he said, “will remain small and insignificant in comparison.” Shawn Snow is a Military Times staff writer and editor of the Early Bird Brief. On Twitter: @SnowSox184 . North Korea Leader Kim Supervised Missile Tests: KCNA By Ju-min Park And Jack Kim Reuters, March 6, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Trump Says U.S. Is With Japan ‘100 Percent’ After North Korea Missiles: PM Abe By Kaori Kaneko Reuters, March 7, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Trump Speaks To South Korea Acting President Over North Korea Missiles: South Korea Reuters, March 6, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Tokyo Says North Korea Missile Tests Show ‘new Level Of Threat’ By Guy Taylor Washington Times, March 6, 2017 North Korea’s test launch of four ballistic missiles Monday — three of which crashed into the Sea of Japan — prompted a swift and harsh reaction from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who said the development showed that Pyongyang now represents a “a new level of threat” to Tokyo and the world. In Washington, the Trump administration strongly condemned the launches, with State Department spokesman Mark Toner telling reporters that U.S. officials “are prepared to use the full range of capabilities at our disposal against this growing threat.” While it was not immediately clear exactly what type of ballistic missiles were fired by the North Koreans, both Tokyo and Washington, as well as South Korea, said the launches were another clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions banning the North Koreans from any ballistic missile activity. Japanese and South Korea officials said Monday’s projectiles flew about 620 miles from the North Korean mainland, with three landing in waters that Japan claims as its exclusive economic zone. At least one of the missiles crashed into the sea just 190 miles off Japan’s northwest coast, officials said. The launches came roughly a month after North Korea had test-fired what intelligence officials later described as a new type of intermediate-range ballistic missile its own coast. The Feb. 12 test was the first major provocation by Pyongyang since U.S. President Donald Trump took office, and the test was carried out just as Mr. Trump was meeting with Mr. Abe in Florida. Monday’s launches, meanwhile, appeared to be carried out in retaliation to large and ongoing U.S.-South Korean military drills that Pyongyang insists are an invasion rehearsal. Seoul and Washington call the drills on the Korean Peninsula defensive and routine, although the peninsula technically remains in a state of war because the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice and not a peace treaty. The North hates the drills, which run until late April and which analysts say force Pyongyang’s impoverished military to respond with expensive deployments and drills of their own. An unidentified spokesman for the North’s General Staff of the Korean People’s Army said last week that Pyongyang’s reaction to the southern drills would be the toughest ever but didn’t elaborate. The Associated Press reported Monday that Mr. Trump’s newly appointed national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, had spoken via telephone with his South Korean counterpart, Kim Kwan-jin, about the latest missile launches. The two condemned the action and agreed to boost cooperation to get the North to face more effective sanctions and pressure, according to South Korea’s presidential office. Pyongyang has test-launched a series of missiles of various ranges in recent months, including a new intermediate-range missile in February; it also conducted two nuclear tests last year. The ramped-up tests come as leader Kim Jong-un pushes for a nuclear and missile program that can deter what he calls U.S. and South Korean hostility toward the North. The Obama administration responded to Pyongyang’s nuclear tests last with a wave of economic sanctions that included coordinated participation from South Korea, Japan and — to a lesser degree — China. Then-President Barack Obama also moved toward a significant uptick in the U.S.- South Korean military alliance — most notably with the FOIA CBP 001238 DHS-17-0435-B-000535 138 deployment of a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system to South Korea, where roughly 30,000 U.S. troops are stationed. The New York Times reported over the weekend that despite the Obama administration having also increased cyber and electronic strikes against North Korea’s missile program, Washington lacks an effective counter to Pyongyang’s actions. In addition to the U.S. forces in South Korea, Washington also has roughly 50,000 troops stationed in Japan. While both are seen to be at risk of being targeted by North Korean missiles, there have been widespread worries that Pyongyang will eventually conduct an intercontinental ballistic missile test that — when perfected — could in theory reach the U.S. mainland. Mr. Abe said Monday’s tests were “utterly intolerable” and noted Pyongyang’s accelerating technological advancements. The latest test firing “clearly shows that North Korea is now a new level of threat,” Mr. Abe said during a legislative session in Tokyo. The Japan Times quoted a high-ranking official as saying that that four missiles were apparently fired simultaneously and from the same location, a development that could prove vexing for existing Japanese missile defenses. There were also questions Monday about the timing of the launches. In addition to overlapping with the annual South Korean-U.S. military drills, The Japan Times noted the launches occurred just after the opening of China’s rubber￾stamp parliament in Beijing — a gathering aimed at highlighting President Xi Jinping’s command over foreign and domestic affairs. The Xi government recently triggered a biting reaction from North Korea, which shares a border with China and is Beijing’s traditional ally in the region, by announcing that it was suspending critical coal imports from the isolated nation through the end of the year. • This article is based in part on wire service reports. Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. Missile Tests Add Pressure On Trump Over North Korea By Matthew Pennington Associated Press, March 6, 2017 WASHINGTON (AP) – North Korea’s latest volley of missile tests put new pressure on a preoccupied Trump administration Monday to identify how it will counter leader Kim Jong Un’s weapons development. North Korea’s march toward having a nuclear-tipped missile that could reach the U.S. mainland is among the pressing national security priorities President Donald Trump faces. He has vowed it “won’t happen” but has yet to articulate a strategy to stop it. A wide array of options are on the table, but aggressive behavior by Pyongyang in response to U.S.-South Korean military drills that began last week could further shrink chances for diplomatic engagement. Upheaval in the administration has added to uncertainty in foreign capitals about how Trump’s “America First” mantra will translate into foreign policy, and how a new president with no prior experience in government might handle a security crisis. An administration official told The Associated Press Monday that tougher sanctions, military action and resumption of long-stalled negotiations with North Korea are all under consideration as part of a policy review to provide options for the president within weeks. The official, who demanded anonymity to discuss the private deliberations, did not anticipate an immediate U.S. response to the North’s test-firing of four banned ballistic missiles Monday that South Korean and Japanese officials said flew about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles). Three of the missiles landed in waters that Japan, a close U.S. ally, claims as its exclusive economic zone. North Korea typically reacts during the annual military drills that it considers an invasion rehearsal, although Washington and Seoul say they are routine. This year’s response could be more heated than usual. Victor Cha, a former White House adviser on Asia, said North Korea tends to up the tempo of missile tests during the drills when relations with the U.S. are bad. And next week, the drills shift from table-top exercises to military maneuvers. “I think there are more tests coming,” Cha said. The U.S. and Japan have requested an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council to discuss the latest missile launches. The meeting is likely to take place Wednesday, a U.N. diplomat said, demanding anonymity to speak before the official announcement. North Korea, meanwhile, urged the council to discuss the U.S.-South Korea exercises, asserting the drills are driving the region toward “nuclear disaster.” Ri Song Chol, counsellor at North Korea’s U.N. mission, told AP that supreme leader Kim Jong Un has said as long as there are “military exercises in front of the gate of my country,” the North will continue to strengthen its military forces and “pre-emptive attack capabilities.” Over the seven weeks of last year’s exercises, North Korea conducted nine missile tests, including of submarine￾based and intermediate range missiles, but never more than two missiles at once. Five of the tests failed. Cha said that Trump’s hand could be forced by North Korea’s provocative actions. The Obama administration relied heavily on sanctions, but the moves failed to stop Pyongyang. FOIA CBP 001239 DHS-17-0435-B-000536 139 “Right now they don’t have any choice. I mean they’ve already had two sets of missile tests and then the use of a chemical weapon in an airport,” Cha said. North Korea is the prime suspect in the assassination last month of Kim Jong Un’s estranged half brother in Malaysia, using what authorities say was VX nerve agent. David Wright at the Union of Concern Scientists said the missiles launched Monday were likely either extended￾range Scuds or medium-range Nodong ballistic missiles that have been tested numerous times before – not an intercontinental missile that threatens America. “But the tests naturally will increase political pressure on Trump to take a tough stand,” said Mark Fitzpatrick at the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank. “He has a political imperative to show attention to the North Korean security threat, so as to counter the impression of a White House in disarray.” Trump’s new national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, spoke by phone Monday with his South Korean counterpart Kim Kwan-jin, and they agreed to boost cooperation to get the North to face more effective sanctions and pressure, according to South Korea’s presidential office. “The United States stands with our allies in the face of this very serious threat,” White House press secretary Sean Spicer said in Washington. He said the Trump administration is taking steps to enhance its ability to defend against North Korea’s ballistic missiles, such as through the deployment of a missile defense system. Seoul agreed with the Obama administration to place that system on its soil against the objections of China, which is concerned the system’s radar will range inside its territory. The New York Times reported over the weekend that the Obama administration also tried to conduct cyber and electronic strikes against North Korea’s missile program. Republican Sen. Cory Gardner, who chairs a Foreign Affairs subcommittee on Asia, told AP he has called for the administration to provide a closed briefing to senators. He said he wants clarity on what has been done and under what authorities, and what the U.S. posture toward North Korea will be in the months ahead. He also stressed a need to clamp down on Kim’s sources of foreign revenue and for China to follow through on its promise to suspend imports of North Korean coal. --- Associated Press writers Catherine Lucey in Washington and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report. --- This story has been corrected to correct misplaced attribution in 10th paragraph, now attributing to U.N. diplomat that Security Council meeting likely to take place on Wednesday. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. North Korea Missile Test Stirs Fears Of Capability To Reach The U.S. Launch suggests Pyongyang is pushing toward test of intercontinental ballistic missile, pledged for this year By Jonathan Cheng In Seoul And Alastair Gale In Tokyo Wall Street Journal, March 6, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. North Korea Launch Could Be Test Of New Attack Strategy, Japan Analysts Say By Motoko Rich New York Times, March 6, 2017 TOKYO — The apparent success of four simultaneous missile launchings by North Korea on Monday raised new alarms about the threat to its neighbors and its progress toward developing an ability to overcome their ballistic missile defense systems, including those that have yet to be deployed. According to the South Korean military, North Korea launched four ballistic missiles from its long-range rocket launch site on Monday morning. In Japan, analysts said the launches suggested that North Korea could pose a more serious threat than indicated by previous tests. “That would mean a lot in terms of the defense of Tokyo, because North Korea might have been conducting a simulation of a ‘saturation attack’ in which they launch a number of missiles simultaneously in order to saturate the missile defense that Japan has,” said Narushige Michishita, director of the Security and International Studies Program at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in Tokyo. “It would be difficult for Japan to shoot down four missiles all at the same time because of our limited missile defense.” The missile tests came three weeks after North Korea tested a missile during a visit to the United States by Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe, to meet with President Trump. The launch on Monday happened as the United States and South Korea were conducting their annual joint military exercise. North Korea calls such drills a rehearsal for invasion and has often responded by conducting missile tests. Japan’s Coast Guard sent out navigation warnings and stepped up air and sea patrols on Monday after three of the FOIA CBP 001240 DHS-17-0435-B-000537 140 missiles landed within the country’s so-called exclusive economic zone, where fishing and cargo ships are active. The fourth landed outside it, though nearby. This was not the first time that North Korean test missiles have fallen within that zone. In both August and September last year, missiles came within 125 and 155 miles of the Japanese coastline. Monday’s missiles landed about 185 to 220 miles west of Akita Prefecture, on the northern coast of the main island, Honshu. The September launches involved three missiles fired simultaneously, but this time North Korea set off four missiles at once, all of which seemed to land successfully. During a parliamentary committee session Monday morning, Mr. Abe said that the launches “clearly represent a new threat from North Korea.” The missiles took off from Tongchang-ri, in northwestern North Korea, and flew an average of 620 miles before falling into the sea between North Korea and Japan, said Noh Jae-chon, a South Korean military spokesman. The type of missile fired was not immediately clear, but Mr. Noh said it was unlikely that they were intercontinental ballistic missiles, which the North had recently threatened to test launch. In South Korea, the launch prompted South Korean security officials to call for the early deployment of the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense System, or Thaad, an advanced American antimissile system. China has protested Thaad as a threat to its own nuclear deterrence because its powerful radar would be able to track Chinese missile launches. Mr. Michishita, of the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, said the missile launches could accelerate a discussion within the Japanese government about whether Japan should acquire more missile defense systems, including Thaad. In January, Japan’s defense minister, Tomomi Inada, visited a United States Air Force base on Guam for a briefing on Thaad. After North Korea’s missile test last month, Japan’s governing Liberal Democratic Party formed a committee to discuss the country’s ballistic missile defenses, and it plans to debate various options, including Thaad, early warning satellites and other defense systems that could intercept incoming missiles. North Korea’s provocations could also embolden Mr. Abe in his campaign to raise military spending. “This can be used by the government as a pretty credible reason why we have to spend more on defense at the expense of other budget items,” including social welfare programs, Mr. Michishita said. The Mainichi Shimbun, a newspaper, reported in its evening edition that residents in Akita Prefecture, which sits closest to where the missiles landed in the Sea of Japan on Monday, were concerned by the increasing frequency of the tests. Kazuhiro Asai, director of the Kitaura branch of the Fishermen’s Cooperative of Akita Prefecture, told The Mainichi Shimbun that members of the group were frightened by the launches. The newspaper also quoted Kiyokazu Hatakeyama, director of the Kitaura Community Center, as concerned about a potential decrease in tourists to the area. U.S. Missile Defense System Arrives In South Korea Deployment aimed at North Korea likely to anger China and Russia By Kim Tong-Hyung Washington Times, March 6, 2017 SEOUL, South Korea — U.S. missile launchers and other equipment needed to set up a controversial missile defense system have arrived in South Korea, the U.S. and South Korean militaries said Tuesday, a day after North Korea test-launched four ballistic missiles into the ocean near Japan. The plans to deploy the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, by the end of this year have angered not only North Korea, but also China and Russia, which see the system’s powerful radars as a security threat. Washington and Seoul say the system is defensive and not meant to be a threat to Beijing or Moscow. The U.S. military said in a statement that THAAD is meant to intercept and destroy short and medium range ballistic missiles during the last part of their flights. “Continued provocative actions by North Korea, to include yesterday’s launch of multiple missiles, only confirm the prudence of our alliance decision last year to deploy THAAD to South Korea,” Adm. Harry Harris, head of the U.S. Pacific Command, said in the statement. Some South Korean liberal presidential candidates have said that the security benefits of having THAAD would be curtailed by worsened relations with neighbors China and Russia. China’s condemnation of South Korean plans to deploy THAAD has triggered protests against South Korean retail giant, Lotte, which agreed to provide one of its golf courses in southern South Korea as the site of THAAD. The South Korean government also raised worries about a reported ban on Chinese tour groups visiting the country. An official from South Korea’s Defense Ministry, who didn’t want to be named, citing office rules, said that the equipment that arrived in South Korea included launchers, but didn’t confirm how many. On Monday, North Korea fired four ballistic missiles in an apparent protest against ongoing U.S.-South Korean military drills that it views as an invasion rehearsal. The FOIA CBP 001241 DHS-17-0435-B-000538 141 missiles flew about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) on average, three of them landing in waters that Japan claims as its exclusive economic zone, according to South Korean and Japanese officials. The North’s state media on Tuesday said leader Kim Jong Un supervised a ballistic rocket launching drill, a likely reference to the four launches reported by Seoul and Tokyo. Involved in the drills were artillery units tasked with striking “U.S. imperialist aggressor forces in Japan,” according to the Korean Central News Agency. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said that the missiles fired by the North were believed to be “improved versions” of Scud missiles. South Korean experts say North Korea’s extended-range Scuds and mid-range Rodong missiles are capable of hitting Japan, including U.S. military bases in Okinawa. Kim “ordered the KPA (Korean People’s Army) Strategic Force to keep highly alert as required by the grim situation in which an actual war may break out anytime,” a KCNA dispatch said. Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. North Korea Says It Was Practicing To Hit US Military Bases In Japan With Missiles By Anna Fifield Washington Post, March 6, 2017 TOKYO — North Korea was practicing to strike United States military bases in Japan with its latest barrage of missiles, state media in Pyongyang reported Tuesday, and appears to be trying to outsmart a new American anti-missile battery being deployed to South Korea by firing multiple rockets at once. Kim Jong Un presided over Monday’s launch of the four missiles, “feasting his eyes on the trails of ballistic rockets,” the Korean Central News Agency reported in a statement that analysts called a “brazen declaration” of its intent to strike its enemies with a nuclear weapon if it came under attack. “If the United States or South Korea fires even a single flame inside North Korean territory, we will demolish the origin of the invasion and provocation with a nuclear tipped missile,” the KCNA statement said. The four ballistic missiles fired Monday morning were launched by the elite Hwasong ballistic missile division “tasked to strike the bases of the U.S. imperialist aggressor forces in Japan,” KCNA said. The United States has numerous military bases and about 54,000 military personnel stationed in Japan, the legacy of its post-war security alliance with the country. Three of the four missiles flew about 600 miles over North Korea and landed in the sea, within Japan’s exclusive economic zone off the Oga peninsula in Akita prefecture, home to a Japanese self-defense forces base. The fourth fell just outside the EEZ. North Korea did not say what kind of missiles it had fired, but after poring over photos released by state media, analysts at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in California said they were extended-range Scuds capable to flying more than 600 miles. North Korea has tested these types of missiles before, so the point of Monday’s launches was not to see if the rockets would fly, but to test how quickly the unit could set them up and deploy them — classic training for a wartime situation, said Jeffrey Lewis, director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute. “They want to know if they can get these missiles out into the field rapidly and deploy them all at once,” said Lewis. “They are practicing launching a nuclear-armed missile and hitting targets in Japan as if this was a real war.” [North Korea launches more missiles; 3 land in Japanese waters] North Korea’s extended-range Scud is halfway between a traditional short-range Scud and the medium-range missile that the North Koreans call the Rodong. But they can be produced much more cheaply than the Rodong, Lewis said, meaning that North Korea could fire them with more abandon. KCNA reported that the four missiles were launched simultaneously and that Kim commented they “are so accurate that they look like acrobatic flying corps in formation.” This appeared to be a further challenge to the United States and South Korea, which said Tuesday that they had started deploying the advanced anti-missile battery called Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, designed to protect the region against North Korea’s rockets. The first parts of the THAAD system arrived at the Osan air base south of Seoul Monday, South Korea’s defense ministry said. But THAAD would have difficulty intercepting four missiles launched at the same time, analysts said. Furthermore, the Osan airbase is less than 300 miles from the missile launch site in North Korea — another apparent message to Pyongyang’s enemies. The launches coincided with joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula, drills that take place every year and which North Korea views as preparation for an invasion. After the missiles were launched Monday, the U.S. Strategic Command said it had determined the missile launch “did not pose a threat to North America.” But KCNA reported that the 33-year-old Kim had ordered the strategic forces to be on high alert, “as required by the grim situation in which an actual war may break out anytime, and get fully ready to promptly move.” FOIA CBP 001242 DHS-17-0435-B-000539 142 North Korea has been making clear progress on its missile program and has a declared goal of developing an inter-continental ballistic missile capable of reaching the West Coast of the United States. It has also conducted five nuclear tests and claims to be able to miniaturize a warhead so that it could be fitted onto a missile. However, it has not yet proven the ability to either attach a warhead to a missile or to be able to deliver a missile to a target — something that would involve mastering the difficult step of re-entry. [Did North Korea just test missiles capable of hitting the U.S.? Maybe.] The launches also appeared designed to send a message to both President Trump and the Japanese prime minister, Shinzo Abe, said Joshua Pollack, editor of the Non￾Proliferation Review. “We might infer that the choice of Japan as a target might be based on a desire to do something new compared to last year — raising the stakes of the exercises — but also on Abe’s visit to the U.S. and joint appearances with Trump,” Pollack said. North Korea launched a medium-range missile last month — its first since Trump was elected — while the president was hosting Abe for dinner at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. Trump spoke by phone with Abe and South Korea’s acting president, Hwang Kyo-ahn, Tuesday morning. “Both Japan and the U.S. confirmed that this North Korean missile launch was a clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions and was an obvious challenge to the region and the international community,” Abe told reporters in Tokyo, repeating his assertion that the North Korean threat had “reached a new stage.” In New York, a spokesman for the U.N. Secretary￾General António Guterres said he condemned the actions, which “violate Security Council resolutions and seriously undermine regional peace and stability.” North Korea, Malaysia Each Bar The Others’ Nationals From Leaving By Victor Morton Washington Times, March 6, 2017 Malaysia and North Korea are now effectively in a mutual hostage situation as each nation Tuesday barred the others’ nationals from leaving. The two Asian nations have been in escalating diplomatic feud since North Korean assassins killed their dictator’s estranged half-brother in Kuala Lumpur airport. Matters turned worse Tuesday as, according to the Korean Central News Agency, Pyongyang summoned Malaysia’s ambassador to tell him that none of his countrymen could leave North Korea. It wasn’t immediately clear how many Malaysians are in the reclusive communist dictatorship. The “temporary ban will be kept until the incident in Malaysia is resolved in a fair manner,” KCNA wrote. Malaysia immediately reciprocated Tuesday, despite being one of the few countries in the world to have a diplomatic presence in North Korea and having allowed visa￾free travel to North Koreans (the latter was promptly revoked after the Kim Jong Nam assassination in February). Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told reporters in Kuala Lumpur later Tuesday morning that North Koreans may not leave his country, effective immediately. Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. North Korean Ambassador Leaves Malaysia By Richard C. Paddock New York Times, March 6, 2017 BANGKOK — North Korea’s ambassador left Malaysia on Monday evening after he was ordered expelled for making disparaging remarks about the country and challenging its motives in investigating the killing of Kim Jong-nam, the half brother of North Korea’s ruler. The ambassador, Kang Chol, who had questioned the Malaysian police’s findings and suggested that Mr. Kim had died of heart failure rather than by poison, was declared “persona non grata” on Saturday and given 48 hours to leave. At the airport, Mr. Kang told reporters that the “extreme measures” taken by the Malaysian government were doing “great harm” to relations between the two countries. Earlier Monday, Prime Minister Najib Razak of Malaysia said Mr. Kang had been expelled because he had not apologized for his comments when asked to do so. “Anyone who comes here must respect us,” Mr. Najib said, according to The Star, a Malaysian newspaper. “If they made baseless accusations, they should rightfully apologize and take back what they said. But they didn’t do that, so we have taken action to declare the person as persona non grata.” Mr. Kim was killed on Feb. 13 as he prepared to check in for a flight at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The police said that two women, one from Vietnam and one from Indonesia, had smeared nerve agent on Mr. Kim’s face. The women have been charged with murder. The Malaysian police are seeking seven North Korean men in the case, including a diplomat stationed in Malaysia. The South Korean government has accused North Korea of organizing an assassination. Declaring an ambassador persona non grata is one of the harshest diplomatic measures a nation can take against another country, short of breaking off relations. North Korea announced Monday evening that it had declared Malaysia’s ambassador persona non grata and had FOIA CBP 001243 DHS-17-0435-B-000540 143 ordered him to leave. However, Malaysia had already recalled him for consultations last month. On Monday, Malaysia stopped allowing North Koreans to enter the country without a visa. It also said that its national soccer squad would not be allowed to play in an Asian Cup qualifying match on March 28 against the North Korea team in Pyongyang. While diplomats from North Korea generally keep a low profile, Mr. Kang angered Malaysian officials by saying that his country “cannot trust” the police investigation, and by accusing Malaysia of colluding with outside powers to defame North Korea. Although Mr. Kang had never acknowledged that the deceased man was the half brother of the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, he had sought to have the body handed over to the embassy before the Malaysian authorities could conduct an autopsy. After the autopsy was performed, Mr. Kang questioned Malaysia’s finding that Mr. Kim had been killed with the nerve agent VX, a weapon banned by international conventions but known to be in North Korea’s arsenal. Mr. Najib, in a televised interview that aired on Sunday, said that the use of a banned chemical nerve agent was “totally unacceptable.” The use of VX could have killed many more people than just the intended victim, he said. Mr. Najib did not name either of the Kim brothers or North Korea. “We have to accept the fact that a crime has been committed in Malaysia,” the prime minister said in the interview with Al Arabiya television. “The substance, or the weapon used, is a very, very dangerous chemical weapon, which should not be used at all, because if used in large quantities, many, many people could have been killed, not just one person.” The interview was recorded last week before the two women were charged with murder and before Malaysia ordered Mr. Kang’s expulsion. Mr. Najib noted that VX is classified as a weapon of mass destruction. “We have to take a very serious stance,” Mr. Najib said. “We are very determined to find out the truth and that the people responsible should be brought to justice.” State Dept. Postpones Press Briefings Again, While Rex Tillerson Takes No Questions By Guy Taylor Washington Times, March 6, 2017 The State Department postponed a highly anticipated news briefing Monday, telling reporters it would not be held because Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and other administration officials were appearing before media at the roll out of President Trump’s revised executive order temporarily banning visitors from six Mideast and African countries. While Mr. Tillerson, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly and Attorney General Jeff Sessions appeared at an event broadcast on live television to formally unveil Mr. Trump’s new order, all three ignored questions shouted by reporters in a development that created fresh frustration among news organizations over the administration’s posture toward the the press. The White House has held daily press briefings since just after Mr. Trump was inaugurated in January. But the State Department, which has held such briefings on weekdays for decades, has not had one for more than six weeks. Department officials, who’ve pushed back against criticism over the situation, had told reporters last week that the first Trump-era briefing would be held Monday. SEE ALSO: Trump signs new extreme vetting order The event was anticipated to be a spectacle, with dozens of reporters from the U.S. and international news organizations planning to attend at State Department headquarters before the department’s press office announced the sudden postponement on Monday morning. The office said it now intends to hold the briefing on Tuesday at 2 p.m. Recent weeks have brought heated back-and-forth exchanges, meanwhile, between reporters and department officials over reports that Mr. Tillerson has avoid the press while the Trump administration has made almost no movement toward appointing a senior manager to support the new secretary of state. The Washington Times reported last month that Mr. Tillerson’s visit to Mexico City at the time was occurring at a moment of tremendous uncertainty inside the department, where more than dozen key assistant secretary positions are still without even a proposed nominee from the White House. There is still no deputy secretary of state and no clear sign of when that and other high-level diplomatic positions will be filled. The department’s press office and Mr. Tillerson’s office have declined to comment on the more than 100 management posts and foreign ambassadorships awaiting even a nominee, let alone a Senate confirmation. Just three ambassadors — to China, Israel and Britain — have been named. With that as a backdrop, perhaps the most notable public change at Foggy Bottom has been the halt of the daily press briefings, which, while not as theatrical as the highly publicized and televised White House briefings, have been held on a near-daily basis on weekdays since the 1950s, when John Foster Dulles was secretary of state. Since 2012, the briefings have been live-streamed on the department’s website and are known to be watched closely by allies and adversaries alike as the central public conduit through which official American foreign policy is projected. The daily briefing is also often the first place to hear any changes or subtle adjustments to those policies in FOIA CBP 001244 DHS-17-0435-B-000541 144 the careful answers prepared by the department’s various agencies and embassies. The absence of briefings since Jan. 20 — the day before Mr. Trump was inaugurated — has prompted unease among some of the reporters who regularly cover the department. By comparison, 18 daily press briefings were held in same period after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was sworn in under President Obama in 2009. Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. Putin Spokesman: ‘Hysteria’ Hurting U.S.- Russia Relations By Aidan Quigley Politico, March 6, 2017 A spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, told CNN Monday that “hysteria” in the media and in Washington is hurting the relationship between the two countries. “(It’s) high time for someone in the States to think, ‘Are we that weak that a country can interfere in our domestic affairs and influence our electoral system?’” said Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov. “This is unimaginable and someone has to say, all this is not true. We have to be sober, let’s come to our minds.” American intelligence agencies believe Russia attempted to influence the election in favor of President Donald Trump. In recent weeks, the story has gained momentum: Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn resigned after misleading Vice President Mike Pence about his discussions with Russia ambassador Sergey Kislyak. Last week, Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from any investigation of Russian interactions with the Trump campaign after he acknowledged a previously unpublicized meeting with Kislyak. Peskov said Russia did not have “the slightest intention to interfere.” “The only thing I can tell you is that all this hysteria and public opinion, hysteria in official Washington and hysteria in American media, this is doing lots of harm to the future of our bilateral relations,” he said. Russia wants a “predictable partner” to address world issues, Peskov said. “We’re really sorry about the situation that we are facing now,” he said. “It is emotional extremism, of trying to make a toxic country out of Russia, to make a toxic ... ambassador out of Russia’s ambassador.” Iranian Fast Boats Move Close To US Ship In Strait Of Hormuz By Lolita C. Baldor Associated Press, March 6, 2017 WASHINGTON (AP) – A Navy official says a U.S. ship was forced to change course and move out of the way of Iranian fast boats while moving through the Strait of Hormuz during the weekend, in what has become a frequent occurrence there. No warning shots or flares were fired. The official says the Iranian boats tried to get between the U.S. and other ships, coming within about 600 yards of the USNS Invincible, a supply ship. The U.S. ship was traveling north through the strait into the Persian Gulf. The official says the Navy considers the incidents unprofessional and dangerous, but they have been happening fairly regularly. In previous incidents, U.S. ships have fired warning shots. The official was not authorized to discuss the incident publicly so spoke on condition of anonymity. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. U.S. Navy Ship Changes Course After Iran Vessel Interaction: U.S. Official By Idrees Ali Reuters, March 6, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Pentagon Says Iranian Vessels Harass Navy Ship, As Iran Tests Missile Defense System By Carol Morello Washington Post, March 6, 2017 Swift-moving Iranian vessels came dangerously close to a U.S. Navy surveillance ship in the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend, U.S. officials said Monday. The apparent harassment of the USS Invincible on two occasions, on Thursday and Saturday, came amid Iranian state media reports that Iran had tested its newly acquired S￾300 missile air defense system that is designed to intercept incoming missiles. In addition, Fox News reported that Iran had itself test￾fired a pair of ballistic missiles that destroyed a floating barge over the weekend, but that could not be independently confirmed. Iran fired a medium-range ballistic missile last month, apparent violating a U.N. Security Council Resolution. The administration responded with its first economic sanctions, FOIA CBP 001245 DHS-17-0435-B-000542 145 when it placed 13 people and 12 businesses on a list that prohibits Americans from dealing with them. The February test led President Trump to tweet, “Iran is playing with fire — they don’t appreciate how ‘kind’ President Obama was to them. Not me!” Taken as a whole, the incidents form a pattern suggesting Tehran and Washington could be squaring off for a more direct confrontation. Trump came to office condemning the Obama administration for being what he characterized as weak on Iran, and he has vowed to be tougher. Iran seems to be testing whether Trump means what he says. In the incidents involving the Invincible, an Iranian frigate came within 150 yards of the Navy ship on Thursday, Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis told reporters. On Saturday, a number of smaller boats approached the U.S. ship, closing to within 600 yards, Davis said. Surveillance ships like the Invincible are typically equipped with scientific instruments and radar that allow them to monitor missiles and rockets from their launching to the point that they land. A Navy official condemned the Iranian actions as “unsafe and unprofessional.” British and U.S. warships patrol the regional waters, and three ships from the Royal British Navy were reportedly accompanying the Invincible. State Department officials said they were aware of reports Iran had tested an air defense system, but could provide no further information. But a key Republican called for more than tough words in response to what he described as Iranian provocations. “These provocative tests are just the latest example of Iran’s dangerous actions that demand a coordinated, multifaceted response from the United States,” said Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.). “The administration has already begun to push back in the way that we should, and I look forward to working with them as we prepare to introduce bipartisan legislation to deter Iran’s threatening behavior on all fronts.” UN Atomic Chief Expects US Cooperation On Iran Nuke Pact Associated Press, March 6, 2017 VIENNA (AP) – The head of the U.N. agency monitoring the Iran nuclear deal says he emphasized the benefits of the pact in a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and says he is confident his message was heard. The issue is important because U.S. President Donald Trump promised to “tear up” the pact during campaigning, saying it fell short of the aim of sufficiently crimping Tehran’s nuclear programs. Yukiya Amano of the U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency says he told Tillerson last week that because of the deal the IAEA now has the “strongest verification” tools to monitor Tehran’s atomic activities. As well, he said, “the nuclear activities of Iran are reduced.” He told reporters Monday that he is confident of “very good cooperation” with the United States on Iran. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Fearing U.S. Withdrawal, Europe Considers Its Own Nuclear Deterrent By Max Fisher New York Times, March 6, 2017 BERLIN — An idea, once unthinkable, is gaining attention in European policy circles: a European Union nuclear weapons program. Under such a plan, France’s arsenal would be repurposed to protect the rest of Europe and would be put under a common European command, funding plan, defense doctrine, or some combination of the three. It would be enacted only if the Continent could no longer count on American protection. Though no new countries would join the nuclear club under this scheme, it would amount to an unprecedented escalation in Europe’s collective military power and a drastic break with American leadership. Analysts say that the talk, even if it never translates into action, demonstrates the growing sense in Europe that drastic steps may be necessary to protect the postwar order in the era of a Trump presidency, a resurgent Russia and the possibility of an alignment between the two. Even proponents, who remain a minority, acknowledge enormous hurdles. But discussion of a so-called “Eurodeterrent” has entered the mainstream — particularly in Germany, a country that would be central to any plan but where antinuclear sentiment is widespread. Jana Puglierin of the German Council on Foreign Relations said that a handful of senior European officials had “for sure triggered a public debate about this, taking place in newspapers and journals, radio interviews and TV documentaries.” She added: “That in itself is remarkable. I am indeed very astonished that we discuss this at all.” Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Poland’s former prime minister and now the head of its ruling party, provided the highest￾FOIA CBP 001246 DHS-17-0435-B-000543 146 level call for a European Union nuclear program in a February interview with a German newspaper. But the most important support has come from Roderich Kiesewetter, a lawmaker and foreign policy spokesman with Germany’s ruling party, who gave the nuclear option increased credibility by raising it shortly after President Trump’s election. In an interview in the German Bundestag, Mr. Kiesewetter, a former colonel who served in Afghanistan, calibrated his language carefully, providing just enough detail to demonstrate the option’s seriousness without offering too much and risking an outcry from German voters or encouraging the American withdrawal he is hoping to avoid. “My idea is to build on the existing weapons in Great Britain and France,” he said, but acknowledged that Britain’s decision to leave the European Union could preclude its participation. The United States bases dozens of nuclear warheads in Germany, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands as both a quick-reaction force and a symbol of its guarantee to protect the Continent. Mr. Kiesewetter said his plan would provide a replacement or parallel program. This would require, he said, four ingredients: a French pledge to commit its weapons to a common European defense, German financing to demonstrate the program’s collective nature, a joint command and a plan to place French warheads in other European countries. The number of warheads in Europe would not increase under this plan, and could even decrease if the United States withdraws. “It’s not a question of numbers,” Mr. Kiesewetter said. “The reassurance and deterrence comes from the existence of the weapons and their deployability.” He envisioned a program designed to deter nuclear as well as conventional threats — a clear nod to Russia’s military superiority. This would require a doctrine, he said, allowing Europe to introduce nuclear weapons to a non-nuclear conflict. He compared it to the Israeli program, which is believed to allow for a nuclear strike against an overwhelming conventional attack. “These are political weapons. Their use must be unpredictable,” he said. Smaller nuclear powers often maintain vague doctrines to deter more powerful adversaries. The goal, he said, would be to maintain Europe’s defense, seen as crucial for its internal unity, as well as its international diplomatic standing. German lawmakers across the political spectrum worry that Mr. Trump could strike a grand bargain with Russia that excludes Europe, a potential first step toward Washington and Moscow dictating Europe’s future. Mr. Kiesewetter believes a European nuclear program would allow Europe to preserve its autonomy. Mostly, Mr. Kiesewetter said he hoped to spur Mr. Trump to end doubts over American security commitments to Europe, rendering unnecessary the nuclear “Plan B.” For now, Mr. Kiesewetter’s intention is merely to “trigger a debate” over addressing “this silent, gigantic problem.” It has worked. A small but growing contingent of German analysts and commentators have endorsed versions of a European nuclear program. Mr. Kiesewetter said he had heard interest from officials in the Polish and Hungarian governments, at NATO headquarters in Brussels and within relevant German ministries, though he would not say which. But any European nuclear program would face enormous hurdles. “The public is totally opposed,” Ms. Puglierin said, referring to German antinuclear sentiment, which has at times culminated in nationwide protests against the weapons. In practical terms, the plan would change the flag on Europe’s nuclear deterrent from that of the United States to that of France. But this would risk making an American exit from Europe more permanent. Oliver Thränert, a German analyst with the Switzerland￾based Center for Security Studies, warned in a white paper that any plan “would not only be expensive, but also a political minefield full of undesirable potential political consequences.” The biggest challenge may be who controls the French arsenal and where it is based. The United States currently shares warheads with allies like Germany, whose militaries are equipped to deliver the weapons, granting the program credibility as a Pan-European defense. But France has shown no willingness to share its weapons, much less put them under a joint European command. If Paris maintains final say over their use, this might cause an adversary to doubt whether France would really initiate a nuclear conflict to protect, say, Estonia. These sorts of problems are why Bruno Tertrais of the Foundation for Strategic Research in Paris said, “In other times I would have told you don’t bother, there’s no story here.” Similar proposals have been floated before, including by the French government, and always rejected as politically risky and strategically unnecessary. But, he said, that calculus appears to have a potential to change with Mr. Trump. “There’s already a bit more interest in Berlin and in Paris,” Mr. Tertrais said, though he emphasized that this talk would become action only if there were “a serious loss of trust in the U.S. umbrella.” But a joint European command or funding scheme would most likely be impossible, he warned. The French FOIA CBP 001247 DHS-17-0435-B-000544 147 government would insist on maintaining “the final decision to use nuclear weapons.” That is also United States policy in Europe, which is why Mr. Tertrais believes a more workable plan would be for France to reproduce American-style practices of basing its warheads abroad, while keeping them under French control. While most French warheads are lodged on submarines, a few dozen are fitted to air-launched cruise missiles that could be housed in, for example, German airfields. These are smaller, shorter-range tactical weapons — exactly the American capability that Europe most fears losing. French policy already allows for, though does not require, using nuclear weapons in defense of an ally. With Britain’s exit from the European Union, “the French might feel they have a special responsibility” as Europe’s sole nuclear power. Vipin Narang, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor who studies regional nuclear powers, was initially skeptical but came to see such a plan as both technically and politically feasible. For France, he said, “it extends their frontier,” making it likelier that a nuclear conflict would be fought far from French soil. For Germany and other European states, it would “increase the credibility of the forward deployment against Russian aggression.” Some observers believe that official shows of support are intended only to pressure Mr. Trump into maintaining the status quo, which Mr. Kiesewetter emphasized is his preferred outcome. But Mr. Narang said that, regardless of intentions, there is a blurry line between mere signaling and actually pursuing a fallback nuclear option. Nuclear scholars call this “insurance hedging,” in which a protectee comes to doubt its protector and responds by taking steps toward, but not actually completing, its own nuclear program. This is meant to goad the protector into staying, and to prepare in case it doesn’t. Japan, for instance, has quietly developed latent capabilities that are sometimes figuratively described as a “screwdriver’s turn” away from a bomb. Because Europe’s primary challenges are political rather than technical — France already possesses the warheads — sparking public discussion and exploring options makes those challenges more surmountable and the option more real. “In order for it to be credible there has to be some sort of workable option,” Mr. Narang said. Mr. Kiesewetter hopes the United States will come around. He puts particular faith in Jim Mattis, the defense secretary, whom he met in Afghanistan and Brussels while both were military officers. But Mr. Mattis has echoed Mr. Trump’s warnings that the United States could lessen its support for Europe, saying in a recent speech in Brussels, “I owe it to you to give you clarity on the political reality in the United States.” If Europeans grew more serious about a nuclear program, Mr. Tertrais said, “you would not necessarily see it.” Negotiations would most likely remain secret for fear of giving Mr. Trump an excuse to withdraw — or of triggering a reaction from Russia. Mr. Narang said he was reeling from the seriousness of the discussion, the first since a failed and now-forgotten effort in the 1950s for French-German-Italian nuclear cooperation. “I never thought we would see this again. I never thought there would actually be this concern,” he said. But, he added, “You can see where the debate is surfacing from. There is a logic to it.” E.U. Moves To Create Military Training Headquarters By James Kanter New York Times, March 6, 2017 BRUSSELS — Foreign and defense ministers of European Union members reached a deal on Monday to create a headquarters for military training operations — setting aside, at least for now, concerns that the step might lead to the establishment of a “European army” to rival NATO. France and Germany support the proposal and have pressed the European Union to do more to ensure its own defense and counter the threat of terrorism. Britain has long opposed anything that resembled a European military command — but it has voted to leave the European Union, and that has altered the dynamic of the debate. With the United States appearing to take a step back in its role in the world, the core pair of France and Germany is pushing the European Union to take greater responsibility for its security. The European Union and NATO have overlapping memberships: Of the 28 nations in the European Union, all but six — Austria, Cyprus, Finland, Ireland, Malta and Sweden — also belong to NATO. Albania, Iceland, Norway and Turkey are in NATO but are not part of the European Union, as are Canada and the United States. The creation of the union’s headquarters is specifically intended not to undermine NATO’s role. To placate countries like Poland and the Baltic states that look to NATO as a counterweight to possible Russian aggression, the mandate of the so-called Military Planning and Conduct Capability office is expected to be relatively modest. “The European Union always takes a soft approach to hard security, but we also have some hard power that we are FOIA CBP 001248 DHS-17-0435-B-000545 148 strengthening,” Federica Mogherini, the European Union foreign policy chief, said on Monday. The new office is “not the European army — I know there is this label going around — but it’s a more effective way of handling our military work,” she added. In a second announcement, in the early afternoon, Ms. Mogherini said that ministers had agreed to the step unanimously, without a vote. “It’s a first step,” said Didier Reynders, the Belgian foreign minister. As for “a European army, maybe later,” he said. Michael Fallon, the British defense minister, said he would urge the European Union “to cooperate more closely with NATO to avoid unnecessary duplication and structures.” The Military Planning and Conduct Capability office will be based in a building in Brussels that is already used by European military experts, and it will have a core staff of about 30. Its first job will be to take over the direction of training missions in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali and Somalia that are currently overseen by commanders in the field, an arrangement that European Union officials say poses strategic challenges. Under the existing system, field commanders often must return to Brussels to handle matters like administration and funding. The new structure should ensure more support and guidance from Brussels so that those commanders could remain in the field longer. The three missions are expected to come under new command from Brussels in the next month, European Union officials said. Ministers also discussed a separate initiative that could allow member states to join a permanent structure to develop equipment or even to engage in combat operations. A so￾called Permanent Structured Cooperation was included in the Lisbon Treaty, which went into force in 2009, but the structure was never established. Stepping up efforts to set up the permanent structure is a response to what European Union officials have said are decreasing levels of military cooperation among member states despite repeated promises in recent years to do more together. But the structure would be voluntary, and member states may not qualify if they lack the military capabilities and equipment, or if they are unable to make certain investments. The approach of allowing member countries of the European Union to proceed at different speeds, even in major policy areas like security and defense, is a new reality for the bloc, which is facing enormous internal strains as a result of factors including the unresolved debt crisis in Greece and a large influx of migrants from the Middle East and Africa. Last week, Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm, set out five possible paths for the bloc’s future. Though some of the avenues envision things continuing as they are, or even tighter integration, others acknowledge that Europe can work at different speeds and would roll back powers exercised from Brussels. Germany Rejects Erdogan’s ‘Absurd’ Nazi Comparison, Calls For Calm By Andrea Shalal Reuters, March 6, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Turkish Referendum Has Country Trading Barbs With Germany Over Free Speech By Alison Smale And Patrick Kingsley New York Times, March 6, 2017 BERLIN — Germany and Turkey have been locked in an intensifying war of words over the past week, as campaigning heats up before an April referendum in Turkey on a new Constitution that would expand the powers of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Mr. Erdogan, whose critics cast him as ever more authoritarian, badly wants a victory in the vote. With the referendum on a knife-edge, he and members of his Justice and Development Party, known as A.K.P., are desperate to campaign in Germany among the 1.5 million Turks who are eligible to vote. “There is a need for the A.K.P. to secure as many votes as possible from the Turks living in Germany — that’s the basic ingredient,” said Marc Pierini, a former European Union ambassador to Turkey and a scholar at Carnegie Europe, a Brussels-based think tank. “The yes vote is now in jeopardy, therefore votes in Germany are of course very important,” he added. But the campaign has put Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government in a deeply awkward position. Mr. Erdogan’s opponents in Germany, both Turkish and German, say the president wants to use the freedoms of Western democracy to further consolidate his anti-democratic powers at home, and they accuse him and his men of using their right to free speech in Germany while denying it in Turkey. Of particular concern to Germany is a German-Turkish journalist, Deniz Yucel, who turned himself in last month, was held for 13 days and last week was ordered held indefinitely, with the Turkish authorities — including Mr. Erdogan himself — labeling him a terrorist. Mr. Erdogan and his supporters have jailed tens of thousands of people they claim supported a failed military coup against him last July. Turkey jailed more journalists than any other country in 2016, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. FOIA CBP 001249 DHS-17-0435-B-000546 149 But both sides are now accusing each other of stifling free speech, with Turkish officials charging that they are being blocked from campaigning in Germany. Two Turkish ministers campaigning in Germany on Mr. Erdogan’s behalf scrapped rallies last week after local German authorities said they could not guarantee security. Germany’s federal government has denied intervening in any way. On Sunday, Mr. Erdogan accused Berlin of using Nazi tactics and threatened to stir a revolt if he decided to go to Germany himself and was somehow prevented from entering. (He previously campaigned in Germany in 2008, 2011 and 2014.) “Some friends talked about fascism,” Mr. Erdogan said at a dinner event in Istanbul. “I was thinking that fascism is over in Germany, but it is still ongoing. It is ongoing, obviously.” Then he added: “My brothers, now they think Erdogan is supposed to come to Germany. I would come if I want to. I could come and set the world on fire if you don’t let me come in, or you don’t allow me to talk.” On Monday, Ms. Merkel told reporters, “One can’t even really seriously comment on such misplaced statements.” Ms. Merkel’s chief of staff, Peter Altmaier, said Mr. Erdogan’s language was “absolutely unacceptable” and that the government would relay that message to Turkey. “Concerning the rule of law, tolerance and liberalism, Germany is not to be bested,” Mr. Altmaier said. Analysts and commentators urged calm and noted that the sparring would benefit no one. Germany and Turkey are bound by the NATO alliance, aid from the European Union and an additional European Union agreement, negotiated by Ms. Merkel and worth up to six billion euros, or $6.3 billion, if Turkey keeps refugees from fleeing across the Aegean Sea to Greece and into Central Europe. “The most important thing is that we have no interest in a rising spiral of insults — an insult arms race, or however you want to put it,” said Volker Perthes, the director of the German Institute for Security and International Affairs, a government-funded think tank in Berlin. “That will not help us.” He predicted relations could get back on track after April 16. In the meantime, Mr. Erdogan — labeled the “dictator on the Bosporus” by Andreas Scheuer, a leading politician in Bavaria — has come under fierce attack, and not only in Germany. In Austria, which has a sizable Turkish minority and a strong right-wing opposition, Chancellor Christian Kern said Turkish politicians should not campaign abroad. In the Netherlands, the nationalist Geert Wilders, who leads polls for elections this month but is unlikely to become prime minister, said he would declare all of Turkey’s ministers persona non grata. In Turkey, opposition politicians criticized the decision to block Mr. Erdogan’s allies from speaking to German Turks. The leader of Turkey’s main opposition party, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, accused Germany of hypocrisy. “You teach democracy to the world, but you forbid two ministers from speaking with this or that excuse,” Mr. Kilicdaroglu said on Friday, in comments reported by Hurriyet Daily News. But some of Mr. Erdogan’s opponents noted the irony of the president defending his right to free speech in Europe, while eroding that of citizens at home. Aysun Gezen, one of an estimated 4,000 academics purged from Turkish universities since the failed coup last year, said her case highlighted the Turkish government’s intolerance of dissident voices within its own borders. “It is impossible to say that there is freedom of speech in Turkey,” argued Ms. Gezen, who was a political scientist at Ankara University before being fired last year for signing a petition that criticized the government’s actions toward Kurds. She and her fellow petitioners were accused of creating terrorist propaganda. In addition to academics like Ms. Gezen, more than 120,000 government employees are estimated to have been fired or suspended in recent months for perceived opposition to the government. On the day that Mr. Kilicdaroglu, the opposition leader, defended his opponents’ right to campaign in Germany, he also lamented his side’s inability to campaign freely in Turkey. In an interview last week with The New York Times, he said that the whole Turkish state apparatus was being mobilized behind the yes campaign, while voices in the private news media are stifled. State officials had made it hard for his colleagues to rent spaces for campaign events, Mr. Kilicdaroglu argued, while the police in Istanbul had failed to properly investigate claims that a group of no-campaigners had been shot at. “We repeat the same thing 100 times, but with the problem in the media, we can’t deliver our message to the masses,” Mr. Kilicdaroglu said. Ahead Of Pivotal European Elections, Rightist Websites Grow In Influence By Michael Birnbaum Washington Post, March 6, 2017 AMSTERDAM — On the brand-new political news website, the headlines could have been ripped from a speech by President Trump: Immigrants commit more crime, Syrian refugees are raping girls, and Muslim education is taking over the school system. FOIA CBP 001250 DHS-17-0435-B-000547 150 But the two-month-old Gatestone Europe website is based in the Netherlands; the contributors are Dutch. And their aim, their editor says, is to swing the debate ahead of European elections this year to deliver a tide of anti￾immigrant leaders to office in the Netherlands, France, Germany and elsewhere. Websites that focus on the perils of open borders, immigration and international alliances are expanding in scope and ambition in Europe, seeing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to harness the energy from Trump’s win to drive deep into a continent where traditional political parties are struggling. Some of the websites are registered in Russia. Others, like Gatestone Europe, are being supported by Americans with ties to Trump. In the Netherlands, some online activists are backing a handful of anti-Muslim candidates, including the fiery Geert Wilders, who is running in a dead heat against the ruling party ahead of March 15 elections. In France, news blogs are spreading innuendo about the rivals of the anti-immigrant Marine Le Pen, who is the most popular presidential candidate in the lead-up to the election in April and May. And in Germany, some of the outlets have spread false stories about refugees raping people that were repeated by the Russian foreign minister. Fed by public anger about refugees, the Muslim-bashing Alternative for Germany party is poised to seize seats in Germany’s Parliament in September. “There’s quite a lot of news, quite shocking, often with rape or violence and immigrants,” said Timon Dias, 29, who started Gate-stone Europe last month after several years of writing for a different anti-establishment website in the Netherlands. “We want people to learn what’s happening in Europe and vote accordingly, especially ahead of elections this year.” Although many of the sites are small — the Amsterdam-based Gatestone Europe has only four writers, and no office — they do not need to be well established to score big on Facebook or Twitter. A spicy individual post can go viral with little regard for the history of the outlet. “It’s a crowbar in the system,” Dias said. “The main line is highly vigilant, highly critical about what the effects are of having a significant Muslim minority in the inner cities.” The project is funded by the New York-based Gatestone Institute, which is chaired by former U.N. ambassador John Bolton, who was a finalist in Trump’s search for a new national security adviser. Contacted for comment, the Gatestone Institute made available one of its board members, retired Harvard Law professor Alan Dershowitz, who said that the organization is nonpartisan and that its aim is to “move the debate to the center.” Bolton did not reply to a request for comment. As with other similar sites, many of Gatestone’s posts are based on true events, spun aggressively to feed the narrative that mainstream, pro-European Union politicians are selling out their countries to immigrants. The site does not support any one candidate in the Dutch elections, but the anti-E.U. leader of the small Forum for Democracy party, Thierry Baudet, is a contributor. “We report the news to our readers in a directed way,” Dias said. Although Wilders is likely to face trouble forming a coalition and Le Pen is forecast to lose the second round of France’s presidential election, both candidates have had success in shifting -debate in their nations onto more anti-immigrant, Euroskeptic ground. Far-right websites are often their megaphone. In the Netherlands, similar news outlets have already made successful forays into Dutch political life. A referendum last year on whether the Dutch government should ratify a trade deal with Ukraine was triggered by a far-right news site, GeenStijl. The eventual rejection of the trade deal turned into an embarrassing defeat for the Dutch government, which was forced to backpedal on its commitment to Ukraine. Opponents of the trade deal, including GeenStijl, cited an opposition to E.U. expansion and a desire not to antagonize the Kremlin as reasons to vote it down. Pro-Ukraine-deal campaigners say they suspect that the Kremlin put a finger on the scale by supporting activists and pro-Russian trolls online, although no link has been proved. The activists, including GeenStijl, deny any connection. But even absent ties to Russia, the news sites demonstrated a powerful ability to disrupt the pro-E.U. agenda of the Dutch mainstream, creating a political headache for Dutch leaders and feeding Western disunity that coincides with Kremlin efforts. “The Ukraine referendum has shown what kind of mayhem they can cause,” said Cas Mudde, a Dutch scholar of far-right movements at the University of Georgia. “What impressed a lot of people was their ability to mobilize people who were commenting on websites to go out and actually vote for a cause. People weren’t expecting that.” Now GeenStijl’s political arm, GeenPeil — Dutch for “no poll” — has spun off into a political party and is contesting the parliamentary election on the promise to hold Dutch leaders accountable. “Until my generation, everybody had a better life than their parents. That has stopped,” said Jan Dijkgraaf, 54, a former journalist who is now the leader of GeenPeil. He said he did not consider himself a far-right politician, but he seized on immigration as a major focus for Dutch voters. Dijkgraaf said he could understand if a mother of three needed temporary refuge from war. “But when there are boys of 25 with these kind of muscles, you have to think, are they FOIA CBP 001251 DHS-17-0435-B-000548 151 really victims of a war, or do they have plans to get rich, or to do something like in Brussels or in Paris?” The Ukraine referendum sparked a number of political parties, most of which have struggled to break through Wilders’s lock on anti-immigrant discourse in the Netherlands. Wilders was using Twitter to spark outrage and publicity long before Trump turned to electoral politics. A tweet last month of a leading political opponent, Alexander Pechtold, Photoshopped into a pro-sharia demonstration in London dominated political coverage for days. Wilders later acknowledged that the photo was fake but said Pechtold had recently been to a similar demonstration. “They don’t care about what is really true, what is a little true, or what is fake,” Pechtold said. “And that’s of course what we have seen in the United States.” In the far-right Web universe, the faked picture caused no uproar. “It’s a way of speaking to people,” said Bert Brussen, editor of ThePostOnline, another far-right website where headlines on recent articles have included “Iraqis on Trial for Gang Rape in Vienna” and “Massacre by Islamic terror was again prevented in Germany.” “A lot of what Wilders says, it’s Internet language,” Brussen said. “The Internet makes them stronger, and they make the Internet stronger.” In other countries with elections this year, far-right sites are also thriving, attracting the attention of some of the American outlets that helped propel Trump to victory. Last year, Breitbart News — whose former head, Stephen K. Bannon, is now Trump’s chief strategist — said that it would take the plunge into the French and German markets, although there is so far little sign that it is readying to open. But anti-establishment activists in those countries may need little help. In France, where far-right candidate Le Pen wants to take a hard line against Muslim immigration, hold a referendum on E.U. membership and embrace relations with the Kremlin, far-right news sites have taken aim at whichever candidate appears most likely to challenge her in the final round of the presidential election, due to be held May 7. (Le Pen is expected to win the first round.) For months, that was center-right candidate François Fillon. More recently, a surge from the centrist Emmanuel Macron has drawn a volley of darts from -rumor-mongering websites, some of them branches of Russian state media. Macron recently took on the rumors, joking that his apparent ability to have gay affairs puzzled his wife, who is usually by his side. And in Germany and Austria, experts say roughly 30 German-language “alternative websites” are currently operating. Many have existed for years, but they have transformed into machines to undermine traditional politicians, especially since the start of Europe’s refugee crisis. The majority of them, experts say, tend to have opaque ownership structures, making it difficult to ascertain who is behind them. They are almost universally pro-Russian in tone, and some of the German-language sites are operated from Russian servers, though direct links to the Russian government are hard to find. “They publish stories with a true core, building their own atmosphere around this core, what we call ‘hybrid fake,’ “ said Andre Wolf, a spokesman for Mimikama, an Austria-based fact-checking website. Many stories seem aimed at undermining German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s bid for reelection on Sept. 24. But as a center-left challenger, Martin Schulz, rose in the polls in recent weeks, along surged a flurry of fake reports — including one by the website AnonymousNews.ru falsely claiming that his father once ran a Nazi concentration camp. Across Europe, Dias said, the possibility of change is alive. “People feel the epicness of the times they’re living in,” he said. Annabell Van den Berghe in Amsterdam, Anthony Faiola in Berlin and James McAuley in Paris contributed to this report. France’s Fillon Wins Party Backing After Juppe Rules Out Election Bid By Sophie Louet And Claude Canellas Reuters, March 6, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Scandal In Korea: Botox, And A Horse Called Vladimir Presidential Botox claims raise eyebrows; Samsung probe grips a nation By Timothy W. Martin And Eun-Young Jeong Wall Street Journal, March 6, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. South Korean Prosecutors Say President Colluded In Corruption Scandal By Anna Fifield And Yoonjung Seo Washington Post, March 6, 2017 TOKYO — South Korea’s embattled president colluded with a confidante to extract $37 million from Samsung in return for granting favorable treatment to the corporate behemoth, special prosecutors asserted Monday after a 75- FOIA CBP 001252 DHS-17-0435-B-000549 152 day investigation of the sensational corruption scandal that has been roiling the country. The damning 101-page report recommends five more charges against Park Geun-hye, taking the total to 13 and paving the way for her to be indicted if she is ejected from office. The Constitutional Court is set to announce, perhaps as soon as Friday, whether it will uphold a parliamentary motion to impeach Park, who has been suspended from duties for three months. “The core purpose of this investigation was to shed light on the chronic collusion between private interests and the government, and to expose cases of abuse of state power for personal gain,” Park Young-soo, head of the special prosecution team, told reporters in Seoul on Monday as he released the report. The special prosecutors indicted 30 people in connection with the corruption and influence-peddling scandal, which has ensnared business chiefs, presidential aides and prosecutors. The affair has also brought to light extraordinary tales of million-dollar horses given as bribes and Botox injections administered in the presidential Blue House. The special prosecutors — assigned to investigate the case because the state prosecution was embroiled in the scandal — were unable to complete their inquiry because of Park’s refusal to appear and because the prime minister who is doing her job would not extend the time allowed for the inquiry. “The investigation ended, accomplishing just half of what had to be done due to the limited period and uncooperative attitude of those subject to the investigation,” the head of the special prosecution team said. The president, who issued a 52-page rebuttal through her lawyer Monday, refused to be questioned by the special prosecutors regarding her role in the case or to appear before the Constitutional Court. Although a president can be questioned while in office, the prosecution could not compel her to appear. Nor can Park be indicted while she holds the presidency. The 13 charges that prosecutors would like to press against her, once she becomes a regular citizen again, include abuse of power and receiving bribes. She can be indicted if impeached — or once her term expires in February next year, if she is exonerated in the impeachment case. The Constitutional Court, which set itself a deadline of March 13 to decide whether to uphold the National Assembly’s motion to impeach Park, will announce Tuesday the date it will deliver its verdict. South Korean media have reported that it will most likely be Friday. Park, 65, is the daughter of former military strongman Park Chung-hee, who served as president from 1963 to 1979 and oversaw South Korea’s transformation into an economic powerhouse by supporting conglomerates such as Samsung and Hyundai. Park is South Korea’s first female president and, if she is impeached, would become the first to be forced out of office. In that event, a presidential election would be held within 60 days. If she is exonerated, it would be held as scheduled in December. Even without Park’s cooperation, the special prosecutors still charge that the president colluded with her friend Choi Soon-sil to take a total of $37 million in bribes from Samsung in return for approving a merger that would help Lee Jae-yong, the third-generation head of South Korea’s largest conglomerate, maintain the family’s control. The presidential Blue House instructed the head of the National Pension Service, a major Samsung shareholder, to vote for the merger, even though the fund lost $120 million in the deal, the report said. The president also gave Choi’s associates influential positions, including ambassador to Burma, where the confidante could make money, the report found. It concluded that Park and Choi had 573 phone calls in a six-month period — between April and October 2016, when the scandal broke — on cellphones registered under other people’s names. The report also implicated Park in the blacklisting of almost 9,500 left-leaning artists considered critical of her administration, which would prevent them from receiving government grants for their work. The special investigation team handed over its inquiry to the state prosecutors’ office Monday, which announced it would review the findings. But Park, through her attorney, again strongly denied any wrongdoing. The special prosecutors’ investigation was “unfair and lacking in evidence,” said the lawyer, Yoo Yeong-ha, and the president decided not to appear for questioning because she “could not trust the investigation team” after the date originally scheduled for her appearance was leaked to the media. Park denied knowing anything about Choi’s efforts to extort money from Samsung or to win business favors for the conglomerate, the statement continued. Choi, who is on trial, has also denied all wrongdoing. The report detailed specific allegations against Lee, the Samsung heir apparent who was indicted last month and is being held in a small cell outside Seoul. The special prosecutors concluded that Lee paid $37 million in bribes to Choi and Park, and embezzled $24 million from Samsung units to pay the bribes. Lee also has been accused of transferring almost $7 million abroad to hide the money from prosecutors, and he has been charged with perjury for allegedly lying about it. FOIA CBP 001253 DHS-17-0435-B-000550 153 If Lee is found guilty of hiding more than $5 million abroad, he could face at least 10 years in prison, special prosecutors have said. Samsung again strongly denied the accusations. “We disagree with the special prosecutor’s findings,” a spokeswoman said in a statement Monday. “Samsung has not paid bribes nor made improper requests seeking favors. Future court proceedings will reveal the truth.” Seo reported from Seoul. Prosecutor Pushes For Indictment Of South Korean President In Samsung Scandal By Choe Sang-Hun New York Times, March 6, 2017 SEOUL, South Korea — A special prosecutor in South Korea asked state prosecutors on Monday to indict President Park Geun-hye on bribery charges, saying that Ms. Park and her secretive confidante conspired to take $38 million in bribes from Samsung, one of the world’s largest technology companies. The special prosecutor, Park Young-soo, recommended the indictment as he announced the results of his team’s 90-day investigation into a corruption scandal surrounding Ms. Park, who was impeached by a parliamentary vote in December. The inquiry resulted in the indictments of 30 people, including several former aides to Ms. Park, on criminal charges, including the abuse of official power. But the prosecutor could not bring any charge against Ms. Park because she is protected from indictment while in office. His mandate now over, Mr. Park said he was leaving the task of indicting Ms. Park once she is out of office to state prosecutors. Ms. Park’s presidential powers have been suspended since the impeachment vote in December. The Constitutional Court is expected to rule in the coming weeks on whether she should be reinstated or formally removed from office. Even if she resumes the presidency, her five-year term ends in February, after which she can face criminal charges. On Monday, Ms. Park’s lawyer, Yu Young-ha, rejected the special prosecutor’s findings, saying his investigation was “politically biased” and “lacking in fairness.” He called the bribery allegation “an absurd fiction.” But on Monday, Mr. Park, the special prosecutor, who is not related to Ms. Park, said his team found enough evidence that Ms. Park and her confidante, Choi Soon-sil, conspired to collect bribes from Samsung. On Feb. 28, he indicted Lee Jae-yong, the third￾generation scion of the family that runs Samsung, on charges of giving or promising $38 million in bribes to Ms. Park and Ms. Choi. He also added a bribery charge to the case against Ms. Choi, who is already on trial. Mr. Lee offered the bribes in return for political favors from Ms. Park, most notably government support for a merger of two Samsung affiliates in 2015 that helped him inherit corporate control of the Samsung conglomerate from his incapacitated father, Lee Kun-hee, the prosecutor said. Acting on Ms. Park’s order, her aides forced the government-controlled National Pension Service, a major shareholder at the two Samsung companies, to vote for the merger, though it was opposed by many minority shareholders and devalued the pension fund’s own stocks there, the prosecutor said. On Monday, Samsung denied the special prosecutor’s findings. “Samsung has not paid bribes nor made improper requests seeking favors,” it said in a statement. “Future court proceedings will reveal the truth.” On Monday, Mr. Park, the special prosecutor, said that the president should also face a criminal charge of abusing official power, saying she conspired with aides to blacklist thousands of artists, writers and movie directors deemed unfriendly to her government and exclude them from government-funded support programs. Ms. Park also fired three senior Culture Ministry officials who had been reluctant to discriminate against some of the 9,473 names on the list, the prosecutor said. She demoted and later fired another senior ministry official who had angered Ms. Choi, her friend, by investigating allegations of corruption involving her family, the prosecutor said. While blackballing unfriendly artists, Ms. Park’s office ensured that pro-government civic groups received special favors, he said. It asked the Federation of Korean Industries, which lobbies on behalf of Samsung and other big businesses, to provide $5.9 million for those groups between 2014 and 2016, the special prosecutor said. Some of those groups, like the right-wing Korea Parent Federation, have held noisy protests in downtown Seoul calling the critics of Ms. Park “commies.” Besides Samsung, scores of other South Korean companies were found to have made payments to two foundations controlled by Ms. Choi. But on Monday, the special prosecutor did not recommend further actions against them, and state prosecutors had earlier said that those companies were coerced to donate and were not engaged in bribery. Ms. Park has repeatedly denied any legal wrongdoing, insisting that she was framed by hostile political forces and that she was not aware of any criminal conspiracy by Ms. Choi. She said she only let Ms. Choi edit some of her speeches and run her personal errands. On Monday, the special prosecutor said Ms. Park and Ms. Choi had 573 phone conversations between April and October last year using cellphones issued under borrowed FOIA CBP 001254 DHS-17-0435-B-000551 154 names. Of these calls, 127 took place between September, when Ms. Choi left for Germany, and October, when she returned home to be arrested. The prosecutor accused Ms. Park of impeding his investigation. She refused to be questioned by his investigators and also did not allow them to search her office. As a result, he said his team could not fully determine what she was doing at her residence for seven hours in April 2014, when a ferry loaded with hundreds of schoolchildren sank, killing more than 300. Ms. Park said she was working at the time, getting reports on the disaster. But she has been haunted by lurid rumors, some of them claiming that she was having a romantic encounter or undergoing plastic surgery. On Monday, the prosecutor said a cosmetic surgeon gave Ms. Park at least five simple face-lifting operations at her residence between 2013 and 2016. Even unlicensed people visited her there to give her nutritional shots and help her with kinesiotherapy and reiki, a form of traditional healing. But investigators could not find evidence that such things took place on the day of the ferry disaster. NATIONAL NEWS White House Aides Contort Themselves Trying To Defend Trump Wiretap Claims By Ashley Parker And Jenna Johnson Washington Post, March 6, 2017 The White House Monday attempted to defend President Trump’s unfounded claim that former president Barack Obama wiretapped Trump Tower near the end of the presidential campaign, sending out a series of administration officials — both on and off camera — to reiterate the assertion without providing supporting evidence. In a series of tweets over the weekend, Trump claimed that he had “just learned” that Obama wiretapped his midtown Manhattan skyscraper, where he lives and which housed his presidential campaign — accusing the former president of a potentially illegal act and writing that Obama was a “bad (or sick) guy.” Trump has since provided no concrete facts to back up his assertion, which has been refuted by Obama, FBI Director James B. Comey and former director of national intelligence James R. Clapper Jr. On Monday, senior administration officials contorted themselves trying to defend the president’s claims, which seemed to emanate largely in response to a rant on conservative talk radio and in an article on Breitbart News, the conservative website that Stephen K. Bannon, Trump’s chief strategist, used to lead. Speaking to reporters from the White House briefing room without cameras present, White House press secretary Sean Spicer referred reporters to his weekend statement calling on the House and Senate intelligence committees to investigate the wiretapping charges as part of their broader probe of alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. He refused to add clarity or context to Trump’s Twitter missives, saying neither the president nor the White House would comment further until the congressional investigations are completed. “I’m just going to let the tweet speak for itself,” Spicer said. “I think the president speaks very candidly.” Spicer, citing news reports, said there was sufficient evidence to warrant further investigation at the congressional level. “I think that there’s no question that something happened. The question is, is it surveillance, is it a wiretap or whatever?” Spicer said. “But there’s been enough reporting that strongly suggests that something occurred.” Asked if he could unequivocally say that Trump’s tweet was based on more than a talk radio report and the Breitbart article, Spicer declined, again referring to his calls for the intelligence panels to take the lead. Asked about the specific sourcing behind the president’s tweets, Spicer said there were several options: “It could be FISA, it could be surveillance,” he said, referring to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, a secret court that can issue warrants for electronic surveillance on potential spies or terrorists. If there was a FISA wiretap of Trump during the campaign, it would mean that the court had found there was probable cause to believe he was acting as an “agent of a foreign power” as the law requires. In perhaps the clearest sign of the uncomfortable situation the president’s tweets created for his aides, the normally media-hungry White House went largely dark on Monday. Though several top officials did defend Trump in television interviews, Spicer did not allow cameras into the briefing room for his new conference Monday and Trump signed an executive order for his revamped travel ban in private. Speaking on NBC’s “Meet the Press” Sunday, Clapper did provide the White House with a bit of cover, saying there was “no evidence” of collusion between Trump and Russia during the campaign. But he also undercut the president’s assertion that Obama had wiretapped him, saying, “There was no such wiretap activity mounted against the president￾elect at the time as a candidate or against his campaign.” Spicer urged reporters to note Clapper’s comments about an apparent lack of collusion, but gave less weight to his remarks refuting Trump’s claims of wiretapping. Asked about the difference, Spicer said, “He said that he wasn’t aware of anything. I take him at his word that he wasn’t aware, but that doesn’t mean that it didn’t exist.” This reverse-engineering of evidence has happened before, as when the president declared erroneously that his inauguration crowd was the largest in history and when he FOIA CBP 001255 DHS-17-0435-B-000552 155 claimed without evidence that at least 3 million undocumented immigrants illegally voted for Hillary Clinton in the general election. The public face of this latest effort has mostly been deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders who was dispatched to a Sunday news show — even though Spicer and chief of staff Reince Priebus usually take that task — and to two Monday morning talk shows. Sanders admitted that she had not discussed the matter with the president, and she lacked answers to a series of questions. When asked Monday by ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos if the president accepted that Comey had refuted his tweets, Sanders responded: “You know, I don’t think he does.” Like Spicer, Sanders claimed Trump’s accusations are supported by media reports, even though a list of such articles provided by the White House contained no such evidence. She also attempted to recast the president’s words with a softer tone. “Look, the president firmly believes that the Obama administration may have tapped into the phones at Trump Tower,” Sanders said on the “Today Show” on NBC Monday. “This is something that we should look into. We’d like to know for sure.” Sanders repeatedly urged that the press and others give the president the same benefit of the doubt that they seemed to be giving to those accusing the Trump campaign of coordinating with the Russian government. “Look,” Sanders said on the Today Show, “I haven’t had the chance to have the conversation directly with the president, and he’s at a much higher classification than I am, so he may have access to documents that I don’t know about, but I do know that we take this very seriously.” White House counselor Kellyanne Conway followed a similar script Monday on Fox News’s “Fox and Friends,” saying that there have been numerous media reports that there was “politically motivated activity all during the campaign and suggesting that there may be more there.” “He’s the president of the United States,” Conway said. “He has information and intelligence that the rest of us do not. And that’s the way it should be for presidents.” Asked about that remark, Spicer said he hadn’t talked with Conway about what she meant. “I can’t specifically respond to you in terms of what she was referring to, whether she was referring to the exact nature of this charge or whether generally speaking he is given information,” Spicer said. Ultimately, the White House all but stated that the best person to explain or defend the president’s claims was the president himself. Asked by a reporter how it was appropriate for the president to make an explosive statement and then send out his aides to “clean it up,” Spicer again referred back to Trump’s social media feed. “The president’s tweets,” he said, “speak for themselves.” White House Remains Mum On Source Of Trump’s Wiretap Allegations Press Secretary Sean Spicer said President Trump’s claims on Twitter that his predecessor wiretapped his office were ‘based on numerous things’ By Rebecca Ballhaus Wall Street Journal, March 6, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. White House Rejects Comey’s Assertion That Wiretapping Claim Is False By Michael S. Schmidt New York Times, March 6, 2017 WASHINGTON — The White House on Monday refused to acknowledge reports that James B. Comey, the F.B.I. director, had asked the Justice Department to refute President Trump’s claim that President Barack Obama wiretapped him during the 2016 presidential campaign, and said Mr. Trump still believes he was spied on. Mr. Comey urged the Justice Department this weekend to push back against Mr. Trump’s claims, but the department has not said anything publicly. The New York Times first reported about Mr. Comey’s request to the Justice Department on Sunday, and other news media organizations followed suit. Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, dismissed the stories on Monday. “I have not seen anything, aside from another report based on anonymous sources, that that actually happened,” Mr. Spicer said. “I’m not aware that that occurred. I don’t think that we’re aware that that occurred.” Mr. Spicer did not say why Mr. Trump or other administration officials had not reached out directly to the Justice Department or Mr. Comey to find out whether Mr. Trump’s accusations are true. And Mr. Spicer provided little evidence to back up Mr. Trump’s claim about Mr. Obama. At one point, Mr. Spicer pointed to comments by Michael Mukasey, who served as attorney general in the administration of George W. Bush, as evidence of the eavesdropping. Mr. Mukasey said on television Sunday that based on reports he had read in the press, he believed Mr. Trump was probably right about the surveillance. “There’s no question that something happened,” Mr. Spicer said. “The question is: Is it surveillance, or wiretapping or whatever?” Mr. Spicer said that Mr. Trump still had confidence in the F.B.I. director. “There’s nothing that I have been told by FOIA CBP 001256 DHS-17-0435-B-000553 156 him that would leave me to believe that anything is different than it was prior,” Mr. Spicer said. But the president could be headed for a confrontation with Mr. Comey that would pit the administration against the head of the nation’s leading law enforcement agency, which is conducting an inquiry into links between Mr. Trump’s associates and Russia. Mr. Trump, who has already fired his national security adviser and acting attorney general, could dismiss Mr. Comey, but that would probably lead to significant backlash from lawmakers and federal authorities who would see such a move as an attempt to influence the Russia investigation. Mr. Trump started the controversy early Saturday morning with a series of Twitter posts. “Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my ‘wires tapped’ in Trump Tower just before the victory,” Mr. Trump said. “Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!” Mr. Trump added: “This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!” The White House has not officially said what led Mr. Trump to make the claims. But administration officials have acknowledged that they were primarily prompted by unverified claims by Breitbart News and conservative talk radio hosts that secret warrants were issued authorizing tapping the phones of Mr. Trump and his aides. Mr. Comey was said to be disturbed by Mr. Trump’s claims about Mr. Obama, which insinuated that the F.B.I. had broken the law and raised the public’s expectations about how much evidence federal authorities might have had on Mr. Trump. For the Justice Department to have obtained a warrant to eavesdrop on him, federal authorities would have had to prove to a judge that there was significant evidence that he was breaking the law or was the agent of a foreign power. Along with asking the House and Senate Intelligence Committees to investigate whether Mr. Obama eavesdropped on Mr. Trump, Mr. Spicer called on the committees to investigate what he called a steady stream of national security leaks since Mr. Trump took office. Mr. Spicer said the White House would not commit to accepting the findings of those investigations. “I don’t think you would ever just blanketly say, ‘I’m going to accept any outcome,’” Mr. Spicer said. Some Republicans said on Monday that spying was a hallmark of Mr. Obama’s administration, claiming that during his time in office the Internal Revenue Service targeted conservative groups. Other Republicans defended the impartiality of the Justice Department and F.B.I. “I don’t think the F.B.I. is the Obama team, and I don’t think the men and women who are career prosecutors at D.O.J. belong to any team other than a blindfolded woman holding a set of scales,” Representative Trey Gowdy, Republican of South Carolina, said in an interview on Fox News. “We have certain tools this country needs to keep us safe — and it is great and wise and prudent and legal for those tools to be used lawfully and appropriately,” Mr. Gowdy said, referring to court-approved wiretapping. “If they are not used lawfully and appropriately, there is a paper trail, and we will be able to find it out.” Mr. Gowdy, who headed the committee that investigated the 2012 attacks on American outposts in Benghazi, Libya, said that with the Obama administration out of office, “any information that the current Department of Justice has that suggests the previous Department of Justice acted inappropriately — they are welcome to release it.” Senator Patrick Leahy, Democrat of Vermont, said he had “never seen anything so outlandish, outrageous or incomprehensible” as Mr. Trump’s claims. “I’ve never seen anything like this — ever — since I’ve been here,” Mr. Leahy said. “It is completely unprecedented, and it is destructive of our democracy.” Trump Doesn’t Necessarily Believe Comey, Aide Says By David Jackson And Kevin Johnson USA Today, March 6, 2017 WASHINGTON — President Trump is questioning FBI Director James Comey’s reported assertion that Trump is wrong to claim that predecessor Barack Obama had him wiretapped during last year’s election, aides said Monday. Asked on ABC’s Good Morning America whether the president accepts Comey’s statement that Obama did not authorize any wiretaps, White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders said: “You know, I don’t think he does.” This past weekend, Comey sought a public rebuke from the Justice Department of Trump’s accusation that Obama ordered the surveillance of Trump’s phones prior to the election in connection with an investigation into Russian activities, a U.S. official confirmed Sunday to USA TODAY. White House spokesman Sean Spicer said he doesn’t know whether Comey really made that request because news reports are based on “anonymous sources.” He said the president “wants Congress to look into” his concerns that he was under surveillance during last year’s campaign. Lawmakers and government officials said they are unaware of any Obama-authorized wiretap, and it would be illegal for any president to do that in any case. Read more: James Clapper, who was director of national intelligence last year, told NBC’s Meet The Press that to his knowledge the special court that handles these cases under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) did not FOIA CBP 001257 DHS-17-0435-B-000554 157 authorize surveillance of Trump Tower, the New York office that housed the Republican candidate’s campaign. Clapper also said he saw no evidence of “collusion” between the Trump campaign and Russia during the 2016 election. Democrats said that, in accusing Obama, Trump is either spinning a baseless conspiracy theory or seeking to distract people from the Russia investigation that could involve the president and some of his campaign associates. Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., appearing on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, said that “I think it’s him acting in a pretty crazy way.” Some lawmakers appear to be questioning Trump’s mental state. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, tweeted that “we must accept possibility that @POTUS does not know fact from fiction, right from wrong. That wild claims are not strategic, but worse.” FBI and Justice Department officials did not comment on the flap Monday. Trump made the allegation Saturday morning via Twitter, causing the latest political storm over investigations into whether Russia sought to influence last year’s election by hacking Democrats close to presidential nominee (and Trump opponent) Hillary Clinton. Spicer said Trump’s tweets speak for themselves, and that the president believes “something happened” during the run-up to the November election. “It could be FISA, it could be surveillance,” Spicer said. “Something occurred.” The spokesman said Trump also wants Congress to look into the leaks of classified information surrounding the Russia case. While Spicer criticized the Comey report for using anonymous sources, so, too, did the stories that may have prodded Trump to unleash his weekend outburst on Twitter. USA TODAY policy requires multiple editors to know the identity of an anonymous source and why he or she is speaking on condition of anonymity before the sourcing is approved. During a string of television morning show interviews, Sanders said she doesn’t think that Trump has spoken with Comey. “I don’t know that he has talked directly with the FBI director,” she told ABC. Sanders noted that Trump has requested a congressional investigation of his claims and only wants Congress to “do its job.” The Justice Department had not responded to the request Sunday after Comey’s extraordinary request to discredit claims of a plot to sabotage the president’s campaign. Presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway, appearing on Fox News, called on the FBI director to make his concerns public. “If Mr. Comey has something he’d like to say I’m sure we’re all willing to hear it,” Conway said. “All I saw was a published news report. I didn’t see a statement from him so I don’t know what Mr Comey knows.” By law, presidents do not order wiretaps. Any kind of wiretap in connection with an investigation of Russia would have to be approved by a special court acting under FISA. That law, passed in 1978 to reform the excesses of intelligence surveillance during the Richard Nixon administration and earlier presidencies, requires law enforcement to obtain an order from a special court of federal judges before they conduct telephone surveillance on people in the United States. Trump Maintains Confidence In FBI Head Amid Wiretap Friction By Jeff Mason Reuters, March 6, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. White House Aides Try To Justify Trump’s Explosive Wiretapping Claim By Louis Nelson Politico, March 6, 2017 The White House on Monday pushed back against FBI Director James Comey, with spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders saying President Donald Trump does not accept the assertion from Comey that former President Barack Obama did not order an illegal wiretap of Trump Tower. White House senior adviser Kellyanne Conway, meanwhile, hinted that Trump may have intelligence backing up his explosive claim that Obama had tapped Trump’s phones in the lead-up to the November election. Like Trump, Conway did not provide any specific evidence. Story Continued Below When asked on “Fox and Friends” about how Trump knows his phones were actually tapped, Conway responded, “He’s the President of the United States. He has information and intelligence that the rest of us do not, and that’s the way it should be for presidents.” Neither Conway nor Sanders, the two White House officials who have offered the most prominent defenses of Trump, offered any proof of the president’s claim, nor has any other Trump administration official. Obama, through a spokesman from his post-presidential office, flatly denied Trump’s allegation, as did former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, who appeared Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” FOIA CBP 001258 DHS-17-0435-B-000555 158 Comey’s denial of Trump’s allegation has not yet taken a public form but instead came via multiple media outlets who reported that the FBI director asked the Justice Department to publicly knock down the president’s claim because it insinuated that the bureau had broken the law. At his daily press briefing, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer was unwilling to concede even that Comey had asked the Justice Department to refute Trump’s claim, telling reporters that “aside from anonymous sources... I’m not aware that occurred.” In her interview with ABC’s “Good Morning America,” Sanders said she did not know whether Trump had reached out to Comey, or anyone else within the intelligence community, seeking verification of his claim. But asked by anchor George Stephanopoulos if Trump accepted Comey’s reported denial, Sanders responded, “You know, I don’t think he does, George.” Asked Monday afternoon if Trump has spoken with Comey since leveling the wiretapping allegation, Spicer said, “I’m almost 100 percent certain he has not.” But the press secretary stood behind the president’s accusation, telling reporters that “there’s no question something happened. The question is — is it surveillance, is it a wiretap, or whatever?” It was Sanders’ second appearance on ABC in as many days. When appearing on the network’s “This Week” Sunday morning political talk show, Sanders sought to characterize Trump’s allegation only as an act that may have occurred, a departure from the certainty with which the president leveled the charge on Twitter. On Monday, Sanders said it should be up to a congressional investigation to get to the bottom of it. Rep. Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the House intelligence committee, on Monday morning newly criticized Trump’s accusation. “We must accept possibility that @POTUS does not know fact from fiction, right from wrong. That wild claims are not strategic, but worse,” Schiff wrote in a pinned tweet. He also wrote, “If Director Comey asked Justice Dept to reject @POTUS claim of illegal wiretap, did Attorney General Sessions decline, or recuse himself?” Both Sanders and Conway said the president is the victim of a double standard, in which reporting on ties between individuals close to Trump and the Russian government is allowed but the allegation of illegal wiretapping by Obama is dismissed and criticized. Conway complained that anonymous sources are too often given credence in negative stories about the president and then ignored “when it may be something positive or exculpatory.” Democrats, too, are guilty of imposing a double standard on the president, according to Trump’s aides. Conway equated Trump’s as-of-yet unsubstantiated claim of Trump Tower wiretapping with the widely-reported controversy tying individuals close to the president to the Kremlin and said Democrats should be calling for an investigation into the former just as loudly as they are for the latter. “You have Democrats every single day saying ‘investigate, investigate, special prosecutors, investigate,’” she said. “Well then, what are they afraid of here? Let’s investigate this and see where it leads.” In his own TV appearance Monday morning, House Oversight Committee chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) said his colleagues in the House Intelligence Committee would indeed investigate Trump’s claim but admitted that “thus far I have not seen anything directly that would support what the president has said.” The House Oversight Committee, Chaffetz said, “will play a supporting role.” Chaffetz also acknowledged that as president, Trump has the authority to prove his allegation true by declassifying the FISA court order that presumably would have been needed to authorize a wiretap on Trump Tower. If Trump’s allegation is true, Chaffetz said, “the paper trail should be there.” “Look, it’s a very serious allegation. The president has at his fingertips tens of billions of dollars in intelligence apparatus,” he said. “I’ve got to believe – I think he might have something there, but if not, we’re going to find out.” Kellyanne Conway: Donald Trump Has Info And Intelligence The Rest Of Us Do Not By Dave Boyer, David Sherfinski Washington Times, March 6, 2017 White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said Monday that President Trump has access to information and intelligence others do not and that “credible news sources” suggested there might be more to look into, after Mr. Trump accused former President Barack Obama over the weekend of tapping phones in Trump Tower during last year’s campaign. “Well, let’s get to the bottom of it — that is the president’s entire point,” Ms. Conway said on “Fox & Friends.” “You have a number of various and credible news sources showing that there was politically motivated activity all during the campaign and suggesting that there may be more there.” “The president’s entire point is that the people deserve to know,” she said. “If we don’t know, then let’s find out together.” Mr. Trump had tweeted over the weekend: “Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my ‘wires tapped’ in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!” Asked how he knows that happened to him, Ms. Conway said: “He’s the president of the United States. He has information and intelligence that the rest of us do not, and that’s the way it should be for presidents.” FOIA CBP 001259 DHS-17-0435-B-000556 159 Referring to the wiretap accusation and other Trump tweets, Sen. Bernard Sanders, Vermont independent, said on Twitter: “President Trump cannot continue to lie, lie, lie. It diminishes the office of the president and our standing in the world.” A friend of the president, Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy, said Mr. Trump was “pissed” about the media’s dismissive reaction to his claim of wiretapping when he saw him in Florida on Saturday. A spokesman for Mr. Obama said in response that neither the former president nor his White House ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen. Mr. Ruddy said when he asked the president about Mr. Obama’s denials of wiretapping, Mr. Trump replied, “This will be investigated. This will all come out. I will be proven right.” “I haven’t seen him this pissed off in a long time,” Mr. Ruddy wrote on his news web site. Ms. Conway called for further investigation to see where things go. “Let’s have the House and Senate intelligence committees do their work and think about whether to include this,” she said. “But the president has made clear that he would like there to be an investigation of any possible abuses, and that hopefully that oversight activity will clarify” things, Ms. Conway said. Rep. Adam Schiff, California Democrat and the ranking member on the House Intelligence Committee, said Monday that Mr. Trump simply might not know the difference between what’s correct and incorrect at this point. “We must accept possibility that @POTUS does not know fact from fiction, right from wrong. That wild claims are not strategic, but worse,” Mr. Schiff said on Twitter. Rep. Joaquin Castro, Texas Democrat and another member on the House Intelligence Committee, challenged Mr. Trump Monday to provide proof of wiretapping. “President Trump should back up his wire tapping claim immediately or apologize to President Obama and the nation,” Mr. Castro tweeted. “I’ve seen no evidence.”Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.blog comments powered by Trump’s Wiretapping Claims Puncture Veneer Of Presidential Civility By Peter Baker New York Times, March 6, 2017 WASHINGTON — When last they saw each other six weeks ago after the ceremonial passing of power, President Trump and former President Barack Obama parted with smiles and handshakes. But it did not take long for the surface bonhomie to degenerate into a fierce and public clash unlike any other in modern times. While Mr. Obama has remained quiet for the most part, some of his closest loyalists moved into opposition mode, leading what some only half-jokingly call “the resistance.” Mr. Trump, convinced that Obama holdovers still in government are trying to sabotage his presidency, took the conflict nuclear over the weekend by accusing his predecessor of bugging his telephones last year. Mr. Trump provided no proof, and the charge was quickly dismissed by intelligence veterans and, indirectly, the F.B.I. but that did not make it any less sensational or any less historic. Never in recent generations has the natural friction between current and past presidents spilled over into such a public spectacle. If sustained, it could fray the institution of the presidency, further erode the public’s already low confidence in the nation’s leadership and leave both allies and enemies with the impression of an America at war with itself. Perhaps it should be no surprise that it came to this between the 44th and 45th presidents. During last year’s campaign, Mr. Obama called Mr. Trump a “con artist and a know-nothing” who could not be trusted with the nuclear codes. Mr. Trump called Mr. Obama “the worst president in the history of the United States” after spending years questioning whether he had been born in the United States. They put that rancor aside for a cordial meeting after the election, but that barely veiled the chasm between them in terms of personality, politics and policy. “We’re in a unique period,” said Newt Gingrich, the Republican former House speaker who has been an outside adviser to the new president. “Trump is a genuinely disruptive figure who threatens everything Obama stands for.” Mr. Obama’s camp insisted they are simply defending their legacy. “It takes two people to duel, and only one seems to be aiming his weapon,” said Jennifer Psaki, White House communications director under Mr. Obama. “The uniqueness of the time is the fact that you have one unhinged and misinformed sitting president pointing his gun at a former. That is unprecedented.” Denis R. McDonough, Mr. Obama’s last White House chief of staff, said the former president’s team could not remain silent in the face of false assertions. “What I have witnessed in recent days is former colleagues speaking out against untruths when needed,” he said. “That is best characterized as not backing down from attacks; it is not seeking out conflict.” But inside the Trump White House, it has become an article of faith that people seeded throughout the government by Mr. Obama have been leaking everything they could get their hands on to damage the new president. “I think that President Obama is behind it, because his people are certainly behind it,” Mr. Trump said in a recent interview with “Fox & Friends.” “And some of the leaks possibly come from that group, you know, some of the leaks, FOIA CBP 001260 DHS-17-0435-B-000557 160 which are really very serious leaks, because they’re very bad in terms of national security.” Other presidents have endured fractious relations. After leaving office, Herbert Hoover regularly castigated Franklin D. Roosevelt, who ostracized his predecessor. Harry S. Truman was so estranged from Dwight D. Eisenhower that they did not speak during a frosty ride to the 1953 inauguration. Ronald Reagan publicly blamed his woes on the mess he said Jimmy Carter had left him, just as Mr. Obama from time to time pointed the finger at George W. Bush. But none of those moments compared to what America has seen in recent days. “Trump is on new ground in going after Obama,” said the historian Robert Dallek, who has written acclaimed books on John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard M. Nixon. Most presidents have publicly ignored their predecessors “until we get to Trump,” he added. “He is either ignorant of recent presidential history or simply doesn’t care.” The closest analogue in modern times may have been Johnson and Nixon, both presidents who favored secret wiretapping. In his last days in office, Johnson was furious at Nixon after wiretaps revealed that a Republican intermediary seemed to be trying to undercut possible peace talks before the 1968 election. For his part, Nixon was convinced that Johnson had bugged him. Yet neither Johnson nor Nixon publicly aired those grievances at the time. “The Nixon tapes show that Nixon always thought that Johnson taped his 1968 campaign, and possibly Nixon himself,” said Luke A. Nichter, a leading scholar of Nixon’s secret Oval Office tapes at Texas A&M University. “Nixon said that it was J. Edgar Hoover who told him this. However, based on the available records, the closest to wiretapping Nixon that L.B.J. ever came was monitoring the phone calls out of Spiro Agnew’s campaign plane.” Before last year’s campaign, Mr. Obama told advisers that he was inclined to keep quiet after leaving office to give his successor a chance to govern, much as Mr. Bush did for him. But he expected that successor to be Hillary Clinton or even Jeb Bush or Marco Rubio. Mr. Trump was a different story, and Mr. Obama concluded he would speak out if he felt the nation’s ideals were under threat. Ten days into the new administration, when Mr. Trump issued his first temporary travel ban on visitors from seven largely Muslim countries and cited Mr. Obama’s own actions as precedent, the former president did just that in a statement saying he “fundamentally disagrees with the notion of discriminating against individuals because of their faith or religion.” His team did not wait even that long. The day after the inauguration, former Obama administration officials, including John Kerry, whose tenure as secretary of state had just ended, joined a women’s march in Washington protesting Mr. Trump. Other officials appeared on television talk shows and newspaper op-ed pages to speak out against the new president’s policies. Mr. Trump’s team has been angered by the criticism but even more by what they see as the enemy within. With so few of his own political appointees in place, much of the government is still operating with acting officials, some held over from the Obama administration. Moreover, the federal Civil Service, while officially neutral politically, is not dominated by Trump supporters, judging by vote results in Washington and its suburbs. So when Mark Levin, the conservative radio host, contended that Mr. Obama had targeted Mr. Trump for surveillance in what he called a “silent coup,” an assertion picked up by Breitbart News, the former website of the White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon, it struck a chord. Along with reports that in Mr. Obama’s last days in office his administration changed the rules on distributing intelligence and made a point of spreading information about Mr. Trump’s team and Russia to different parts of the government to “preserve” it, the wiretapping allegation pushed Mr. Trump over the top. “It’s a sign of how deeply frustrated he is,” Mr. Gingrich said. “They have a much bigger assault against them than people have had in the past.” And so, Mr. Gingrich added, Mr. Trump needs to figure out how to get control of his own bureaucracy. “He’s not going to survive,” he said, “unless he profoundly rethinks what they’re doing and how they’re doing it.” DHS Head: Trump Has ‘Convincing’ Wiretap Proof By Mark Hensch The Hill, March 6, 2017 Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly says President Trump possesses credible evidence that former President Barack Obama ordered the wiretapping of Trump Tower in New York City last year. Trump claimed on Twitter last Saturday that Obama had his “wires tapped” in Trump Tower before Election Day last year, making the accusation without offering any evidence. “If the president of the United States said that, he’s got his reasons to say it,” Kelly said Monday on CNN’s “The Situation Room.” “[Trump’s] got some convincing evidence that that took place.” Kelly admitted he had learned about Trump’s claims from watching CNN, adding he would not guess why the Obama administration might have wiretapped a 2016 presidential candidate. “I don’t know anything about it other when I was sitting off-studio here watching CNN,” he told host Wolf Blitzer. FOIA CBP 001261 DHS-17-0435-B-000558 161 “I don’t pretend to even guess what the motivation may have been for the previous administration to do something like that,” the retired Marine Corps general added. “Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my ‘wires tapped’ in Trump Tower just before the victory,” Trump tweeted. “Nothing foundf. This is McCarthyism!” “How low has President Obama gone to tap [sic] my phones during the very sacred election process,” Trump added in a follow-up tweet. “This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!” Kevin Lewis, a spokesman for Obama, said last Saturday that Trump’s claims about the former president are “simply false.” “A cardinal rule of the Obama Administration was that no White House official ever interfered with any independent investigation led by the Department of Justice,” he said in a statement. “As part of that practice, neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen.” White House spokesman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Sunday an investigation of Trump’s wiretapping claims should be included in any probe of ties between the president’s 2016 bid and Russia. FBI director James Comey asked the Department of Justice to disavow Trump’s claims that Obama ordered a wiretap, according to a New York Times report. Kelly On Trump’s Wiretap Accusation: ‘He’s Got His Reasons’ By Daniella Diaz CNN, March 6, 2017 Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly said that President Donald Trump must have “convincing evidence” for his allegation on Twitter that President Barack Obama ordered a wiretap of his phones during the campaign. “I don’t know anything about it,” he told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on the Situation Room. “If the President of the United States said that, he’s got his reasons to say it.” Kelly continued: “He must have some convincing evidence that took place. ... I don’t pretend to even guess as to what the motivation may have been for the previous administration to do something like that.” Trump created an uproar when he took to Twitter on Saturday to declare, without evidence, that Obama had the “wires tapped” in Trump Tower ahead of the election. The White House has declined to substantiate the President’s claims, and a White House official told CNN that the theory reached Trump due to a Brietbart article circulating in the West Wing. White House press secretary Sean Spicer, speaking at the White House on Monday, did not offer evidence to back up the claims, but doubled-down, saying, “There’s no question that something happened.” FBI Director James Comey was ‘incredulous’ over Trump’s tweets Blitzer asked Kelly about CNN’s report that FBI Director James Comey was “incredulous” over the weekend after seeing Trump’s tweets accusing Obama of wiretapping. A source told CNN that Comey felt “institutionally he has to push back on this” because of the magnitude of the allegations that Comey knows not to be true. Kelly responded by saying Comey is his “friend,” and said he doesn’t trust those reports. “With due respect to sources, I have been wrong so many times in the last six, seven weeks,” Kelly responded. “(Sources) that were dead wrong. I don’t go much on single sources anymore.” Kelly said that he would expect Comey to turn Trump’s wiretap allegation over to “an investigative arm, and we can get to the truth or to the bottom line.” “Jim Comey is an honorable guy,” he said. “And so is the President of the United States. And the President must have his reasons.” Former Intelligence Chiefs Dispute Trump Wiretap Allegations By Ben Brody, Jennifer Jacobs Bloomberg Politics, March 6, 2017 Former U.S. intelligence officials continued to dispute President Donald Trump’s explosive allegations that he was subject to wiretapping ordered by his predecessor, saying it never happened, as the controversy continued into a third day. “I can deny it,” James Clapper, the Obama administration’s Director of National Intelligence, said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” when asked whether he could confirm or deny that a court order allowing for eavesdropping at Trump Tower in New York existed. Joining Clapper in knocking down Trump’s assertions was FBI Director James Comey, who asked Department of Justice officials to issue a statement rejecting Trump’s claims, according to a U.S. official who requested anonymity in order to discuss sensitive issues. The agency has not done so. The New York Times first reported Comey’s request. White House deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in an ABC interview Monday, “I don’t think he does,” when asked whether Trump accepts Comey’s denial. “I think he firmly believes this is a story line that has been reported pretty widely by quite a few outlets,” she said. A former director of the CIA and NSA during the George W. Bush administration, General Michael Hayden, said Monday that a president can’t order such wiretapping and that “to set the record straight” the secret court records FOIA CBP 001262 DHS-17-0435-B-000559 162 may need to be provided to Trump in an “unprecedented” move.Breitbart Report There are other ways for Trump to determine the truth, he said. “It looks as if the president just for a moment forgot that he was president,” Hayden told Fox News. “Why didn’t he simply use the powers of the presidency to ask the acting director of national intelligence, the head of the FBI to confirm or deny the story he apparently read from Breitbart, the evening before?” Trump’s claim in a series of Twitter posts Saturday that President Barack Obama had the Republican’s “wires tapped in Trump Tower just before” the 2016 election relied on reports in conservative media, including Breitbart News, for his conclusion, a person familiar with the situation told Bloomberg. “Let’s get to the bottom of it. That is the president’s entire point,” Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway told Fox News Monday without providing evidence of the wiretapping claims. “He has intelligence and information that the rest of us do not.” On Sunday, White House press secretary Sean Spicer called on Congress to investigate the reports. Democrats said the White House was trying to shift focus away from ongoing investigations into possible connections between the Trump campaign and Russia. Trump’s allegations came two days after the top U.S. law enforcement officer, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, removed himself from investigations of Russian interference with the election, including Russian contacts with associates of Trump related to the campaign. For a QuickTake on the Trump-Russia saga, click here. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, a Republican from North Carolina, said in a statement that the panel “will follow the evidence where it leads, and we will continue to be guided by the intelligence and facts as we compile our findings.” “There is one page in the Trump White House crisis management playbook,” former Obama press secretary Josh Earnest said on ABC’s “This Week.” “And that is simply to tweet or say something outrageous to distract from a scandal.” Trump was furious about Sessions’ recusal – a decision the attorney-general came to on his own – because it made the administration look weak, said a person familiar with the situation. The president on Friday yelled at senior staff in the Oval Office, an incident witnessed remotely by reporters with zoom-lens cameras waiting outside the building for Trump to board his Marine One helicopter for Joint Base Andrews and a weekend in Florida.’Nixon/Watergate’ Process Early Saturday, the president kicked off the furor about alleged wiretapping with a series of tweets to his 26 million followers. “Just found out that Obama had my ‘wires tapped’ in Trump Tower just before the victory,’’ Trump wrote on his personal Twitter account. “Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!’’ The president said a “Nixon/Watergate” process was under way, and called Obama a “bad (or sick) guy.” In a statement, Spicer said Trump “is requesting that as part of their investigation into Russian activity, the congressional intelligence committees exercise their oversight authority to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016.” Neither the White House nor the president will comment further “until such oversight is conducted,” Spicer said. Clapper said if a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) court order had been approved to spy on Trump’s home and office complex, he would “absolutely” have known it. “To my knowledge” there was no such order of anything at Trump Tower, he said.’No Such Wiretap Activity’ “For the part of the national security apparatus that I oversaw as DNI, there was no such wiretap activity mounted against the president-elect at the time or as a candidate or against his campaign,” Clapper said. The DNI, the top intelligence official in the U.S. government, oversees the intelligence efforts of more than a dozen civilian and military agencies. “I can’t speak for other authorized entities in the government or a state or local entity,” Clapper said. Hayden said “it would be really unprecedented” to provide classified records from the FISA court to a sitting president, but “we’re off the map here. We are in unprecedented territory, as well, so perhaps at some point in order to set the record straight we may do something unusual.” Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, a Republican member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said on “Fox News Sunday” that the matter will be part of the ongoing inquiry. Asked whether he’s seen any evidence that the Obama administration wiretapped Trump Tower, Cotton said, “I’ve seen no evidence of the allegations we’ve seen in the media.”’Make Inquiries’ Representative Devin Nunes of California, the Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, also said in a statement on Sunday that his panel “will make inquiries into whether the government was conducting surveillance activities on any political party’s campaign officials or surrogates, and we will continue to investigate this issue if the evidence warrants it.” Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said on CNN’s “State of the Union” that if the Trump’s allegations aren’t true, “then, obviously, he’ll have to explain what he meant.’’ Senate Democrats phrased their comments with care. “I am not aware of any FISA court order regarding Trump Tower,” Mark Warner said on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” a reference to the the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that allows warrants for eavesdropping.’Wrap-Up Smear’ FOIA CBP 001263 DHS-17-0435-B-000560 163 Warner of Virginia, top Democrat on the intelligence panel, referred back to the precise wording of Clapper’s comment. “I am not aware, as General Clapper has said, of any kind of FISA order that was somehow, you know, in effect bugging Trump Tower.” The Virginia lawmaker left open the possibility of a FISA order or other surveillance directed outside of Trump Tower or the Trump campaign. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, speaking on CNN, said Trump’s contentions about Obama, and the call for a Congressional inquiry, were an attempt at deflection. “Rather than Russia, we’re talking about, did President Obama do thus and so,” she said. “It’s called a wrap-up smear,” Pelosi said of the wiretapping claims. “You make up something. Then you have the press write about it. And then you say, everybody is writing about this charge. It’s a tool of an authoritarian.” Chuck Schumer, the top Senate Democrat, continued to demand that a special prosecutor be named to look into the Trump campaign’s Russian activity. Leon Panetta, a former secretary of defense and director of the Central Intelligence Agency under Obama, said Trump’s unproven accusations send “a terrible message’’ to other countries. “It makes us vulnerable to our enemies,’’ Panetta said on CBS. That sentiment was echoed by Representative Adam Schiff, top Democrat on the House intelligence committee. “For a president of the United States to make such an incendiary charge – and one that discredits our democracy in the eyes of the world – is as destructive as it was baseless,” he said in a statement. Noted Clapper: “Certainly the Russians have to be chortling about the success of their efforts to sow dissension in this country.” GOP Refuses To Back Trump’s Wiretap Claim Several Republican senators said the president again stepped on his messaging with an unfounded accusation. By Burgess Everett And John Bresnahan Politico, March 6, 2017 President Donald Trump will have to look somewhere besides Republican-controlled Capitol Hill for back-up to his explosive and unsubstantiated charge that former President Barack Obama wiretapped Trump Tower before the election. Trump was reportedly incensed Sunday that Republicans didn’t defend his allegations on the Sunday shows — in fact, several pointedly refused to lend Trump a lifeline when pressed. And more than 48 hours after the initial allegation, Republicans in Congress remained mostly mum as the controversy flared and threatened to create a lingering distraction for the GOP as they try to pass major legislation in the coming weeks. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan offered no comment on the matter. And some of the chief critics of the Obama administration on Capitol Hill said there was simply no evidence they knew of to support Trump’s claim. “Boy. I have no idea,” said No. 3 Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, appearing flummoxed. “I mean, I don’t know what’s behind it. I’m hoping in the next few days we’ll find out.” It was perhaps the most vivid example of Trump’s “tweet first, ask questions later” policy damaging the fortunes of the congressional GOP. Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.) said the lesson for the president should be that some notions are best left unsaid. “There’s something called the unexpressed thought, which would probably aid the president well,” Roskam said. The unsubstantiated allegations are putting the congressional GOP in a box. If Republicans jump in behind Trump wholeheartedly, they risk being proven wrong by congressional probes into Russia’s influence on the election. But they also know all too well that that Trump harbors grudges and values loyalty from his allies. The president is unorthodox, Republicans say, but this one really has them scratching their heads. “I don’t know where Trump is coming from on this,” said one top Republican, who would only speak on the condition of anonymity. “We’re not worried about this. We have to deal with Obamacare and taxes and other legislative issues.” It’s an extraordinarily awkward spot for Republicans, particularly because this is not the typical Trump tweet storm that can blow over after a couple days. Republicans would much rather Trump be helping them on the Herculean task of repealing Obamacare — not adding to the distractions and chaotic atmosphere on Capitol Hill by making GOP lawmakers answer for the president’s accusations. Trump’s allegations were so inflammatory and so widely covered that he also seemed to stomp on the relatively smooth rollout of his new immigration order, which Republicans mostly praised on Monday after bashing the harried implementation of the first order “It does … seem to take away from some pretty good messages that we should be having,” said Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.). “He probably got it right today on the immigration order. The flesh is coming on the bones of Obamacare repeal and replace. It just steps on policy stories.” The chairmen of the House and Senate intelligence committees have agreed to add an investigation of Trump’s allegations to their investigations into Russian influence on the presidential election, as Trump demanded of Congress on Sunday. Senate Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr (R￾N.C.) said he will “follow the evidence where it leads” and House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) “will make inquiries into whether the government was conducting FOIA CBP 001264 DHS-17-0435-B-000561 164 surveillance activities on any political party’s campaign officials or surrogates.” That satisfied some Republican leaders: At least the truth will come out at some point. “It needs to be investigated along with all the other looks at Russian activity,” said Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas). “Most of what you’re hearing from people is just pure speculation. I’d assume [any evidence] would be a classified matter.” The problem for Republicans is that some of their party’s harshest critics of Obama say there’s no evidence they know of to support Trump’s statements — and it could set up the president for an embarrassing rebuke if he’s proven wrong. Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), who ran the Benghazi committee, said he had seen nothing to back up Trump’s claims. And House Oversight Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R￾Utah) said he has “not seen anything directly that would support what the president has said.” Other Republicans agreed, including Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), Tom Cotton (Ark.) and Rob Portman (Ohio). Collins and Cotton receive intelligence briefings. “We just don’t have any evidence. That’s why you’re not hearing members comment on it,” said Sen. Rob Portman (R￾Ohio). “The evidence ought to be brought forward, I agree with that.” Plus, Trump seems to have only given more ammunition to Democrats who are looking for a wide-ranging, independent investigation into Russia’s influence on the election and contact with Trump campaign officials. Democrats say that by requesting a congressional investigation, Trump could get more than he bargained for. “There is no evidence. Not a scintilla, to support his claim that President Obama ordered this wiretapping,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.). “These bizarre and apparently baseless claims add more weight to the need for a special prosecutor.” Natasha Korecki contributed to this report. Trump And Russia: A Clash Of Conspiracy Theories Who’s telling the truth, the president or James Clapper? It’s possible both of them are. By Michael Doran Wall Street Journal, March 6, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Did Obama Spy On Trump? Glenn Reynolds By Glenn Harlan Reynolds USA Today, March 6, 2017 So President Trump set off a firestorm over the weekend with a series of tweets alleging that Obama had tapped Trump Tower. But getting hung up on imprecise language in the president’s tweets isn’t the right way to look at things. What seems to be at true is that the Obama administration spied on some of Trump’s associates and we don’t know exactly how much information was collected under what authority and who was targeted. As former prosecutor Andrew McCarthy summarizes in National Review, the Obama Justice Department considered a criminal investigation aimed at a number of Trump’s associates. When they didn’t find anything criminal, they converted the investigation into an intelligence probe under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Elements of that story have been confirmed by The New York Times, the BBC and McClatchy newspapers. FISA surveillance has to be approved by a special court, which almost always allows the government to spy on people when asked. But when the Justice Department asked to spy on several of Trump’s associates, the court refused permission, according to the BBC. As McCarthy writes, this is notable because “the FISA court is notoriously solicitous of government requests to conduct national security surveillance.” Not taking no for an answer, the Obama administration came back during the final weeks of the election with a narrower request that didn’t specifically mention Trump. That narrower request was granted by the court, but reports from the Guardian and the BBC don’t mention the tapping of phones.. Former Obama officials issued denials that the former president had anything to do with it, which McCarthy calls “disingenuous on several levels.” Others have characterized them as a “non-denial denial.” To the Obama camp’s claim that the president didn’t “order” surveillance of Trump, McCarthy writes: First, as Obama officials well know, under the FISA process, it is technically the FISA court that ‘orders’ surveillance. And by statute, it is the Justice department, not the White House, that represents the government in proceedings before the FISA court. So, the issue is not whether Obama or some member of his White House staff “ordered” surveillance of Trump and his associates. The issues are (a) whether the Obama Justice Department sought such surveillance authorization from the FISA court, and (b) whether, if the Justice Department did that, the White House was aware of or complicit in the decision to do so. Personally, given the explosive and controversial nature of the surveillance request we are talking about — an application to wiretap the presidential candidate of the opposition party, and some of his associates, during the heat of the presidential campaign, based on the allegation that the candidate and his associates were acting as Russian agents — it seems to me that there is less than zero chance that could have happened FOIA CBP 001265 DHS-17-0435-B-000562 165 without consultation between the Justice Department and the White House. And as journalist Mickey Kaus commented on Twitter, there’s a reason why presidents name trusted allies as attorney general. As close as former attorney general Loretta Lynch was to Obama, and as supportive as she was of his political goals, it seems very unlikely that this was some sort of rogue operation. It’s certainly not impossible to believe that the Obama administration spied on Trump. Obama wouldn’t be the first president to engage in illegal surveillance of opposition candidates, and his administration has been noted for its great enthusiasm for domestic spying. In an effort to plug embarrassing leaks, the Obama administration spied on Associated Press reporters and seized the phone records not only of a Fox News reporter but also of his parents. Obama’s political allies even alleged that his CIA spied on Congress. POLICING THE USA: A look at race, justice, media Nor is it unbelievable that under the Obama administration, supposedly non-partisan civil servants would go after political opponents. After all, the notorious IRS scandal was about exactly that. Trump has called for a congressional investigation, but what this really needs is a special prosecutor, someone from outside the politically tainted Justice Department, to look into the political abuse of surveillance laws by the Obama administration. Maybe, upon investigation, it will turn out that nothing improper happened — that this is a lot of smoke, but that there’s no fire. But we can’t know without an investigation, and if there really were political abuses of the Justice Department and the intelligence surveillance process, those guilty should not simply be exposed but go to jail. Such abuse strikes at democracy itself. Note that FISA surveillance is severely limited and requires information from surveillance to be kept very secret or, if not relevant, deleted. If those limits were exceeded, if Obama officials lied to the court, or if the information was — as it appears to have been — excessively shared within the government, or leaked to outsiders, those are all serious crimes, as First Amendment attorney Robert Barnes notes. Watergate brought down a presidency, but if the worst suspicions here are borne out, we’re dealing with something worse. Hopefully not, but there’s no way to tell at this point. As The Washington Post has been saying lately, “Democracy dies in darkness.” Let’s shine some light on what the Obama administration was doing during this election. Glenn Harlan Reynolds, a University of Tennessee law professor and the author of The New School: How the Information Age Will Save American Education from Itself, is a member of USA TODAY’s Board of Contributors. You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @USATOpinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. To submit a letter, comment or column, check our submission guidelines. Trump May Regret Asking For An Investigation Into Wiretapping Washington Post, March 6, 2017 ALL PRESIDENTS enter the White House with a store of credibility that comes with the office, which they can use to press an agenda, move Washington’s policy machinery or lead the nation when crisis strikes. President Trump is burning through his with breathtaking speed. That will ultimately hurt him, the presidency and the country. His latest rash expenditure from his already depleted trust account came in yet another Twitter outburst, in which Mr. Trump accused President Barack Obama of having his phones at Trump Tower tapped during the 2016 campaign. As is so often the case, Mr. Trump offered no substance to back up his charge, which appears to rely on a handful of news stories containing no significant evidence the former president personally ordered any wiretapping, let alone of Mr. Trump. For some time, there have been suggestions that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which operates behind closed doors, issued a warrant allowing federal agents to examine potential contacts between Trumpworld and Russia. But The Post and others have not confirmed these reports, and none of them personally implicate Mr. Obama. Nor would they: The president cannot order wiretaps. According to U.S. officials cited by The Post and others, FBI Director James B. Comey has asked the Justice Department to publicly knock down Mr. Trump’s allegations. Mr. Trump has nevertheless asked Congress to investigate his accusations. To which we say: fine, as long as doing so serves congressional investigators’ larger purpose. The intelligence community has united around the conclusion that the Russian government interfered with the country’s democratic process, and that the interference was tilted toward helping Mr. Trump. The nation must know what methods the Russians used, why they acted, to what extent any Americans wittingly or unwittingly aided them, and how to combat future intrusions. In the process of answering these central questions, it would be only natural for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, many of whose members are committed to conducting a serious investigation, to inquire about any foreign intelligence surveillance relating to Mr. Trump and Russia, as well as the suspicions on which any warrants might have been based. As long as lawmakers see that a judge authorized any direct surveillance of Mr. Trump, his circle or his property, they can quickly discard concerns about improper wiretapping and reassure the public about federal FOIA CBP 001266 DHS-17-0435-B-000563 166 officials’ propriety. After all, Mr. Trump asked. He may not like the answer he gets back. If anything, the “Towergate” episode underlines the importance of a fair and thorough investigation into how and why a hostile foreign power meddled in the most fundamental process of American democracy. As the controversy continued to unfold Monday, Trump spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on “Good Morning America” that the president wants the House Intelligence Committee to examine his allegations against Mr. Obama. This is yet another warning sign about the direction of the House panel’s work, which, under the leadership of Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), already appears to be poisoned with partisanship. It would be better for the House to run no investigation than to conduct a slanted one. Meanwhile, the members of the Senate panel still have the credibility to proceed, even as Mr. Trump and his enablers lose more and more by the hour. The Wild Wiretapping Charge: Our View USA Today, March 6, 2017 When candidate Donald Trump trafficked in reckless rumors and accusations on Twitter, it was troubling but relatively insignificant, except as a measure of his fitness to be president. Now, when President Trump erupts on Twitter in some early morning tantrum, it’s more disturbing and very consequential. If it were true that “Obama had my ‘wires tapped’ in Trump Tower just before the victory,” as Trump tweeted Saturday, it would be a political scandal of historic proportion, and a crime by the former president. Probably not the sort of thing that should be announced to the nation in 140 characters. Especially when followed on Twitter by this news bulletin: Arnold Schwarzenegger “was fired by his bad (pathetic) ratings” from The Apprentice. Since making the explosive charge against President Obama, Trump has offered no evidence to back it up, and none has come to light. The Obama camp denied that the former president or White House officials “ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen.” And FBI director James Comey took the extraordinary step of calling on his Justice Department bosses to publicly reject the assertion as false. It’s possible, of course, that as intelligence agencies were investigating Russian interference into last year’s election, they legally sought an order from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to monitor calls or a computer server at Trump Tower. Trump could easily have read stories about this, which have appeared in several publications, including Breitbart. The president also has intelligence sources inside government. At any rate, even if he found that monitoring occurred, tweeting about an investigation of foreign interference would be at best unwise and at worst a breach of national security. So much is wrong with this entire episode, it’s hard to pinpoint what’s most distressing. Is it that Trump is a master manipulator who turns to ever more inflammatory assertions to change the subject when the news goes against him? Is it that he cares so little about the truth? Or is it that the man with the nuclear codes lacks normal adult impulse control? Trump was reported to be furious on Friday after his well-reviewed speech to Congress was overshadowed by news that his attorney general had misled the Senate about meetings with the Russian ambassador. When his anger overflows, Trump has often turned to Twitter or voiced outrageous claims, each time shedding more of his credibility — credibility he’ll need in moments of external crisis. Recall Trump’s public outrage based on his belief that news reports and photos had somehow underestimated the size of crowds at his inauguration. Or his insistence, after losing the popular vote, that 3 to 5 million people had voted illegally for Hillary Clinton — complete with the promise of an investigation into this massive fraud. And now the congressional intelligence committees have been asked to look into far-fetched allegations of illegal surveillance at Trump Tower ordered by no less than a sitting president. None of this comes cheap. Observers have noted that many of Trump’s most unhinged tweets have come on Friday nights and Saturday mornings, when his daughter Ivanka and her husband, top Trump adviser Jared Kushner, are not working because they are observing the Jewish Sabbath. Perhaps, like children who have to take away dad’s car keys when he becomes a danger to himself and others, the time has come for them to conduct a Twitter intervention. USA TODAY’s editorial opinions are decided by its Editorial Board, separate from the news staff. Most editorials are coupled with an opposing view — a unique USA TODAY feature. To read more editorials, go to the Opinion front page or sign up for the daily Opinion email newsletter. To respond to this editorial, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com. What Happens When Lunacy Comes From The White House? McClatchy, March 6, 2017 Until now, the best way to deal with America’s lunatic fringe was to keep it there – on the fringe. 9/11 truthers? Sandy Hook hoaxers? Just roll your eyes, feel sorry that some people are suckers for conspiracy, and try to ignore it. But what happens when the lunacy comes from the White House? Americans got another disturbing glimpse of its birther/denier/truther president this weekend. Donald Trump, FOIA CBP 001267 DHS-17-0435-B-000564 167 in a three-tweet rant Saturday, accused former president Barack Obama of “tapping my phones” at Trump Tower in October. On Sunday, the president doubled down on the nuttiness by calling for Congress to investigate whether Obama abused the power of federal law enforcement agencies. Never mind that Trump had zero evidence to back up his accusation, just unfounded claims by Breitbart News and conservative talk show hosts that secret warrants were issued authorizing the taps. Never mind that he chooses to believe those outlets over the denials of former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and the FBI, who would know about all wiretaps. The FBI or Justice Department may very well have requested surveillance on someone else as part of investigating Russian ties to the election. But, as Obama spokesman Kevin Lewis said Saturday: “A cardinal rule of the Obama administration was that no White House official ever interfered with any independent investigation led by the Department of Justice. As part of that practice, neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen.” It’s telling – and troubling – that Trump’s tweets show a glib assumption that illegal wiretapping of a presidential candidate is something a sitting president might do. It’s also concerning that Trump has once again widened the fissure between his office and the intelligence community, which needs to trust that it can freely provide the president with critical information about urgent global affairs. What’s additionally disturbing is that this latest trip down Crazy Lane is yet another demolition of presidential norms, another stain on the office Trump occupies. That the leader of our country so casually accuses his predecessor of breaking the law, with no evidence to back it up, is appalling. That most Republicans are silent about it is a tragedy. The strongest defense against fiction, however, has always been the truth, and Trump’s latest foot-stomping oddly could move us in that direction. Most Americans already are concerned about contacts between Russians and Trump campaign associates. Now, with Trump’s attempts to give his wild wiretapping claim equal footing with the Russia affair, Congress has seemingly little option but to at least appoint a special bipartisan committee to examine everything related to Russia and the election. Trump, meanwhile, should produce actual evidence to back up his accusation. We believe an independent special prosecutor would be the better route toward separating truth from conspiracy. Not that we have confidence our president will accept any truth he doesn’t like. How far toward the fringe will Congress let him take the presidency – and our country? Furor Over Russia’s Hacking Puts Congressional Republicans On Hot Seat Can Republicans lead a fair, bipartisan investigation of not only the campaign that brought a GOP president into office, but also of his Democratic predecessor? By Gerald F. Seib Wall Street Journal, March 6, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. It’s The Truth According To Trump. Believe It. By Dana Milbank Washington Post, March 6, 2017 President Trump has no evidence for his incendiary claim that Barack Obama ordered wiretaps on Trump Tower, and denials have come not just from the former president and his director of national intelligence but from Jim Comey — the man Trump has showered with praise and retained as his FBI director. But Trump has something more powerful to him than any evidence, no matter how compelling: He believes. Firmly. “The president firmly believes that the Obama administration may have tapped into the phones at Trump Tower,” Trump spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders declared on NBC’s “Today” show Monday morning. But what about all the credible people saying it didn’t happen? “I think the president firmly believes that it did.” ABC’s George Stephanopoulos tried a more direct question on “Good Morning America” on Monday: “Does President Trump accept the FBI director’s denial?” “You know, I don’t think he does,” Huckabee Sanders said. “I think he firmly believes that this is a story line that has been reported pretty widely.” The reports mostly say that Trump had made a groundless claim, but never mind that. The White House defense isn’t that what Trump said was true. The defense is that “I think he firmly believes” it. The Trump White House is the ultimate faith-based initiative — and The Donald is the deity. Things aren’t true because they can be proven via the scientific method or any other. They are true because Trump believes them to be true. His advisers’ contacts with the Russians? He doesn’t believe it: “I saw one story recently where they said nine people have confirmed. There are no nine people. I don’t believe there was one or two people.” His fabricated claim that 3 million to 5 million people voted illegally, causing him to lose the popular vote? “It was a comment that he made on a long-standing belief,” White House press secretary Sean Spicer explained. An official White House statement called this “a belief he maintains.” He maintains beliefs — herbs in a garden. FOIA CBP 001268 DHS-17-0435-B-000565 168 Among those attempting to bestow the divine power on Trump to declare absolute truths is Ann Coulter, who last year published the book “In Trump We Trust.” She tweeted after a meandering media appearance by Trump: “Trump is already head of state. After that press conference, in my eyes, he’s now head of church.” Trump, in this position as head prelate, directs us to “believe” any number of things: that manufacturers are returning to the United States, there will be a massive military expansion, that he “inherited a mess” from Obama and that his Supreme Court nominee is a “great writer.” Trump asked listeners to “believe me” seven times in a single speech last month, saying, “I will never, ever disappoint you. Believe me.” The Yemen raid was a success because “the president believes” it. The courts may have struck down Trump’s first travel ban, but it’s legal because “we believe” it is. “We are not going to let the fake news tell us what to do, how to live or what to believe,” Trump told supporters at a rally last month. Clearly. When Trump expressed his belief that news organizations weren’t reporting on terrorist attacks, Spicer attempted to document this falsehood with a list of 78 terrorist attacks, most of which had been widely covered. When Trump expressed his belief that 1.5 million people came to his inauguration, he leaned on the National Park Service to find evidence to support the falsehood and dispatched Spicer to furnish what another Trump aide, Kellyanne Conway, called “alternative facts.” It’s not clear, as I’ve written, whether Trump knows the difference between fact and fiction as he makes up statistics about crime and jobs, alleges he never feuded with the intelligence community, alludes to mysterious happenings in Sweden, insists he opposed the Iraq invasion and claims there was bright sunshine during his rainy inaugural address. Survivors of the Bowling Green Massacre know some Trump aides have the same problem. But look closely and you can sometimes see Trump aides squirm when called upon to defend his beliefs. “You said the president believes that there was voter fraud,” Spicer was asked at one news briefing. “I wonder if you believe that?” Spicer explained that saying so wasn’t “my job” and that Trump “believes what he believes based on the information that he’s provided.” That was quite similar to Huckabee Sanders saying on Monday that “the president firmly believes” that Obama wiretapped Trump — without saying she believed it. Likewise, Huckabee Sanders, pressed by ABC’s Martha Raddatz on Sunday about Trump’s wiretap claims, attempted to demur. “I will let the president speak for himself,” she said. “You’re his spokesperson,” Raddatz reminded her. And that could test anybody’s faith. Read more from Dana Milbank’s archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. Can Trump Weather The Storms Of His Own Making? By Eugene Robinson Washington Post, March 6, 2017 Wow, we went from no drama to all drama in the blink of an eye. An embattled President Trump spent the weekend raging in frustration at his inability to control events — and his administration is just in its second month. How will he make it through a year? Let alone four? And how long before Trump campaign insiders whose names have surfaced in reports about Russian contacts start lawyering up? How long before nervous political allies start backing away? How long before Republicans in Congress start putting self-interest — and, one dares to hope, the national interest — above party loyalty? According to widespread news reports, Trump was furious that any momentum he gained from his speech to Congress was halted in its tracks by revelations about Attorney General Jeff Sessions’s meetings with the Russian ambassador. Sessions had testified in his confirmation hearing that “I didn’t have — did not have communications with the Russians,” which turned out to be what my grandmother used to call a lie. The next morning, according to The Post, Trump “exploded” in anger. The day after that he “simmered with rage,” the newspaper reported, as he summoned his senior aides to chew them out. Trump was apparently irate that after he had said publicly that there was no need for Sessions to recuse himself from any investigation into the Russia connection, Sessions had gone before the television cameras to do just that. The attorney general’s recusal was obviously a necessary and proper step, but necessity and propriety do not seem to matter to the president. Sessions had wussed out, in Trump’s view, and he appears to consider wussing out a cardinal sin. What happened is not hard to grasp: Sessions bowed to reality. But Trump won the White House by creating his own reality, built on what adviser Kellyanne Conway called “alternative facts.” He has not learned that actual facts do not just go away, even if the president tries his best to ignore or deny them. I’m assuming here that Trump can tell the difference between real facts and the ones he makes up. If he can’t, then we’re really in trouble. I’d suggest that Trump reflect on this fact: The Post and other news organizations apparently had no trouble getting inside sources to dish about the president’s mood swings. While Trump fumes about leaks from the intelligence FOIA CBP 001269 DHS-17-0435-B-000566 169 community and the entrenched federal bureaucracy, his closest aides are bending journalists’ ears with self-serving narratives. After he and others were taken to the woodshed by Trump on Friday, Chief of Staff Reince Priebus reportedly spent more than an hour calling reporters and trying vainly to convince them — on a not-for-attribution basis, of course — that no woodshedding had taken place. On Saturday morning, at his Mar-a-Lago resort, Trump fired up his Twitter account to make an unprecedented — and apparently wholly unfounded — allegation: that then￾President Barack Obama had ordered wiretapping of the Trump campaign. The White House press office later doubled down by demanding a congressional investigation of this alleged snooping. Trump must be unfamiliar with the adage about being careful what you ask for. A spokesman for Obama denied there was any wiretapping, as did Obama’s director of national intelligence, James R. Clapper Jr., who was in a position to know. FBI Director James B. Comey reportedly pressed Justice Department officials to issue a statement denying the president’s unsupported claim — which Justice has so far declined to do. If Sessions’s recusal was enough to make Trump mad, imagine what a public statement refuting the president’s angry tweets would do to his blood pressure. What if Congress grants Trump’s demand, however, and launches an investigation? Any serious inquiry, it seems to me, would necessarily have to look into the alleged reason for the alleged wiretapping: contacts between the Trump campaign and the Russians. A congressional probe would take as its starting point the consensus of the U.S. intelligence community that the Russian government meddled in our election with the aim of boosting Trump’s prospects of victory. Trump has put himself in a no-win position. If the Republican leadership in Congress denies his request for an investigation, he suffers an embarrassing public rebuke. If the request is granted, however, Trump sets in motion a process he will not be able to control. It is one thing to take office determined to disrupt traditional ways of doing things. It is quite another to flail wildly at imaginary enemies, wounding oneself in the process. What on Earth will the third month of the Trump presidency be like? ‘President For A Day,’ Starring Donald Trump By Richard Cohen Washington Post, March 6, 2017 Donald Trump, clever guy that he is, has come up with a new reality show. It’s called “President for a Day” and the way it works is that, every so often, maybe once a month, Trump acts presidential, gives a speech in which an aide is not standing by with meds, and many in the media and politics hug themselves and roll around on the floor, praising the president for his very presidentialness and cheering the emergence of the man who has been there all along but no one in the media or the creepy “deep state” seemed to notice. Thank God, that’s over. He has arrived! This happened last week after Trump spoke to a joint session of Congress. All over Washington, people fell off their chairs in shock that no one had been insulted, no brazen lies were uttered and no weird conspiracy theories had been advanced. My former Post colleague Ronald Kessler told Newsmax TV that the speech showed “the real Donald Trump.” It was such a relief to learn that whoever it was who had insisted Barack Obama was born in Kenya and who had called Mexicans “rapists” and who had disparaged the heroism of Sen. John McCain was not the guy in the Oval Office. Had he been, I know Kessler and others on the right would not have supported him. At the Wall Street Journal, Peggy Noonan treated the speech like it was a hypodermic: “He normalized himself.” Just like that, roll up your sleeves, Mr. President, this won’t hurt and it will block eruptions of narcissism and self-pity. This allowed Noonan and others to suggest — nay, to hope — that Trump “may have a capacity to grow into the office.” Let us pray. But within days, the normalization drug had worn off. Trump was having Oval Office tantrums. He was furious that Jeff Sessions had recused himself from investigating the relationship between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin. The attorney general would have had a clear conflict of interest, but that is nothing compared with allowing some special prosecutor from within the deep state to get at the truth, which would have been fake news anyway. The ranting and raving was so intense that word of it got to reporters. In many condo communities, this sort of behavior is not allowed. By Saturday morning, the unreal Trump, the un￾normalized one, was back on Twitter. Good morning, America — Barack Obama has had my phone tapped. “This is Nixon/Watergate,” he tweeted. “Bad (or sick) guy!” A still￾sleepy America had trouble taking it all in. The New Trump, Mr. Pivot Man, was saying that the then-president of the United States had, during the campaign, tapped his phone. (This is the way those Kenyans are.) Was it possible? No, said the former president’s spokesman. No, said the director of the FBI. No, said the former director of national intelligence. No, said everyone familiar with the procedures for obtaining a wiretap, such as getting permission from a special judge. In other words, no, no, no and no. But these were some of the same people who denied that 3 million or so illegal immigrants, taking a day off from rampant crime, had somehow cast a ballot for Hillary Clinton, accounting — as anyone can see — for her popular-vote FOIA CBP 001270 DHS-17-0435-B-000567 170 margin. This was the deep state at work again. Ask Stephen K. Bannon. He knows. He was once at Breitbart. I know what’s happening. I’ve been reading a lot lately about the infatuation some leftists once had with communism. Many felt they lived in an either-or world — either you were a communist or you were a fascist. They could not be the latter so they chose the former. Besides, the reds were the only ones around who fought racism and anti-Semitism. Somewhat the same thing is happening now. Many conservatives have gone over to Trump because they hate his enemies more than they do him. They see Trump as the un-liberal, the un-PC person, the un-programmed pol who eschews talking points and identity politics. For too many people, their best and only reason for voting for Trump was that he was not Clinton. They had a point. But being president for a day is not enough. And sticking with Trump out of a refusal to admit a mistake is hardly wise. One day a month or so, America has a decent president. The rest of the time it’s Romper Room in the White House. Recant, Trump supporters. I won’t forgive you, but history might. This Former British Lawmaker Is At The Heart Of The Trump Wiretap Allegations By Karla Adam Washington Post, March 6, 2017 LONDON — A former British legislator is at the heart of the Trump administration’s explosive allegation that President Barack Obama was spying on him during the 2016 campaign. But who exactly is Louise Mensch? For starters, the politician-turned-journalist is the writer behind an article published on the eve of the election titled: “EXCLUSIVE: FBI ‘Granted FISA Warrant’ Covering Trump Camp’s Ties To Russia.” The article, published on the right-leaning, libertarian website Heat Street, did not create much of a stir at the time. But it has come under the spotlight after Trump, in a tweetstorm over the weekend, accused Obama of wiretapping his offices during the election campaign. Trump compared the alleged bugging to the Watergate scandal, but he has not offered any evidence to back up his claims. In tweets on Monday, Mensch emphasized that her reporting does not back up Trump’s wiretapping claim, even though the White House cited her article to justify the allegation. She stressed that her reporting refers to a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) court warrant and does not mention anything about wiretapping. Over the weekend, the White House cited reports “from BBC, Heat Street, New York Times, Fox News, among others” to justify the claims. Former Obama administration officials and aides have denied the accusation. After combing through these news reports, The Washington Post’s Glenn Kessler concluded that the piece by Mensch in Heat Street was “the most important” of the lot. In her report, published Nov. 7, Mensch said the FBI was granted a FISA court warrant in October “giving counter￾intelligence permission to examine the activities of ‘U.S. persons’ in Donald Trump’s campaign with ties to Russia.” She cited “two separate sources with links to the counter-intelligence community” as evidence for those claims. Mensch, who is based in New York, said her sources contacted her because of her outspoken backing for the intelligence community. She has, for instance, called Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor who leaked classified documents, “a loathsome traitor.” “They gave me one of the most closely guarded secrets in intelligence,” she said, referring to her sources. Speaking to the Guardian, a left-leaning British newspaper, she added: “People are speculating why someone trusted me with that. Nobody met me in a darkened alley in a fedora, but they saw me as someone who has political experience and is their friend. I am a pro-national security partisan. I don’t have divided loyalties.” Mensch, 45, is a force on social media and describes herself on Twitter as a “Conservative. Feminist. Optimist. Patriot.” Anyone who follows her on Twitter — and more than 170,000 people do — knows that she is not a Trump supporter and has been probing Trump-Russia links for some time. Her name also appeared in the hacked emails of John Podesta, the former chairman of Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. In an email she sent to the Creative Artists Agency that was forwarded to Podesta, Mensch described herself as a “committed Republican” who was concerned about a Trump presidency and offered a suggestion for a campaign ad for Clinton. In Britain, Mensch is best known for her stint as a Conservative lawmaker and for her work as a successful chick-lit novelist under her maiden name, Louise Bagshawe. She resigned as a lawmaker in 2012, saying it “proved impossible to balance the needs of my family.” The mother of three moved to New York to live with her husband, Peter Mensch, manager of the bands Metallica and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Although she served as a member of Parliament for only two years, she quickly became a high-profile figure, partly because of her leading role in a parliamentary committee investigating phone hacking at Rupert Murdoch’s News of the World tabloid. Mensch was one of four Conservative lawmakers on the committee who refused to endorse the panel’s conclusions. The committee’s description of Murdoch as “not a fit person” to run a major international company, Mensch FOIA CBP 001271 DHS-17-0435-B-000568 171 said, was “partisan” and unjustified. She also apologized to the broadcaster Piers Morgan after falsely accusing him of admitting to phone hacking. Mensch was regularly featured in the news when she was a politician. She was once contacted by an investigative journalist who claimed to have pictures proving that Mensch had taken drugs in a nightclub in the 1990s with the violinist Nigel Kennedy. Mensch responded in a statement by saying it was “highly probable” and apologized for her dancing. “Since I was in my twenties, I’m sure it was not the only incident of the kind; we all do idiotic things when young. I am not a very good dancer and must apologise to any and all journalists who were forced to watch me dance that night at Ronnie Scott’s,” she said. She works as an executive for News Corp., a media company owned by Murdoch. She helped to launch Heat Street last year but left that role in December and is focusing on creating digital media projects for the company. U.S. Senator Calls For Investigation Of DEA Enforcement Slowdown Amid Opioid Crisis By Scott Higham And Lenny Bernstein Washington Post, March 6, 2017 A U.S. senator on Monday called for an investigation into whether the Drug Enforcement Administration slowed enforcement efforts against pharmaceutical companies accused of violating laws designed to prevent pain pills from reaching the black market. U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill (Mo.), the ranking Democrat of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, in a letter asked the inspector general of the Justice Department to investigate. She said she had “serious concerns” about reports of an enforcement slowdown as the opioid epidemic escalated nationwide. “This a matter of life and death and I want to know whether or not we could have done more,” McCaskill said in a statement. A spokesman for Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz declined to comment. A DEA spokesman said the agency would review the senator’s request. McCaskill cited recent reports by The Washington Post that the agency had delayed and blocked enforcement efforts against several large opioid distributors and required field investigators to meet a higher burden of proof before they could take action. Five former supervisors from the DEA’s Diversion Control Division, which regulates the pharmaceutical industry, told The Post in on-the-record interviews that they had become frustrated by the slowdown as overdose deaths soared, particularly in the nation’s rural communities. Their concerns were documented by the DEA’s chief administrative law judge, who said in his quarterly reports to agency supervisors that the number of enforcement actions being approved at headquarters was “stunningly low for the national program.” The Post also reported that enforcement efforts had been questioned by high-ranking Justice Department officials and that key architects of the DEA’s campaign against opioid distributors had been hired away by the pharmaceutical industry. McCaskill noted that 183,000 people have died from overdoses of prescription narcotics over the past 16 years, more than 15,000 in 2015 alone. She said her home state ranked first among Midwestern states in the number of prescription painkillers being sold. The senator said that the DEA had reached financial settlements in several cases against the nation’s largest distributors of narcotic painkillers. But she questioned whether those penalties were sufficient to curb the continuing epidemic and hold the companies accountable. The DEA’s efforts have been “too little, too late,” she said. In October, nine other U.S. senators demanded that the DEA explain why it has slowed enforcement efforts against the pharmaceutical industry. In letters to the agency, those senators said their questions have been “ignored” by the agency or that the answers they received “were totally inadequate.” Trump Taps Giuliani’s Son For WH Job By Jordan Fabian The Hill, March 6, 2017 President Trump has hired the son of former New York City Mayor and trusted campaign adviser Rudy Giuliani to work on his White House staff. Andrew Giuliani, 31, will work as an associate director in the Office of Public Liaison, which is tasked with outreach to outside interest groups. The former Trump campaign volunteer is helping organize the New England Patriots’ upcoming visit to the White House to celebrate their Super Bowl victory, according to Politico, which first reported his hire. The former New York mayor was reportedly considered for secretary of State, before withdrawing his name from consideration for a Cabinet post. The White House announced that three others would join the Office of Public Liaison, which has been understaffed since Trump took office on Jan. 20. George Sifakis, who runs a government relations firm, will lead the office. The former George W. Bush official appears to be a replacement for Anthony Scaramucci, a longtime Trump adviser who was originally tapped for the role. FOIA CBP 001272 DHS-17-0435-B-000569 172 But the sale of Scaramucci’s investment firm, SkyBridge Capital, to a Chinese company reportedly held up his appointment. Scaramucci was known to be close with some members of Trump’s inner circle, including top advisers Jared Kushner and Steve Bannon. But he did not have a relationship with White House chief of staff Reince Priebus. Former Republican National Committee official Jennifer Korn and Texas Republican Party Chairman Steve Munisteri will also work in the office, according to the White House. Trump Hires Rudy Giuliani’s Son For White House Role By Annie Karni Politico, March 6, 2017 A Giuliani is finally joining the Trump administration. President Donald Trump has brought on Andrew Giuliani, the son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, to work in the Office of Public Liaison and Intergovernmental Affairs, two sources familiar with the hire told POLITICO. In his new post, Andrew Giuliani, who once dreamed of becoming a professional golfer, helped organize the Patriots’ upcoming visit to the White House after their come-from￾behind Super Bowl victory, and also assisted First Lady Melania Trump’s staff during Trump’s speech before a joint session of Congress last week. The younger Giuliani has known the Trump family for years. A White House spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Andrew Giuliani’s hire comes as the administration belatedly has started to fill in lower- and mid-level slots in that office — a relief to outside groups who have struggled to communicate with an overwhelmed and understaffed White House. Rudy Giuliani, one of Trump’s earliest and most ardent supporters, was briefly in the running for secretary of state, before withdrawing his name from consideration for a cabinet￾level post. The former mayor, who is the CEO of an international consulting firm Giuliani Partners, was announced during the presidential transition as an adviser to Trump on cybersecurity. He has also credited himself with being the architect of Trump’s “Muslim ban.” Politics has split the Giuliani children. Last summer, POLITICO reported that the former mayor’s daughter, Caroline, was voting for and publicly supporting Hillary Clinton while her father served as a top Trump surrogate and a headliner at the Republican National Convention. Andrew Giuliani is the son of the former mayor and his ex-wife, Donna Hanover. The political scion had hoped for a career as a professional golfer, and made headlines in 2008 when he sued Duke University for cutting him from the varsity golf team after he threw an apple at a teammate and threw and broke a golf club in a parking lot, according to the lawsuit. The suit was eventually dismissed. Andrew Giuliani’s first star turn came in 1994, as his father was sworn in as mayor of New York City: as a kid, he upstaged his father by repeating parts of the oath of office along with him — and then blowing kisses, yawning, and clowning around on stage while his father delivered his inaugural address. At one point, he pushed over a pitcher of cold water that ran down his father’s leg. The shenanigans were lampooned on “Saturday Night Live,” where Andrew Giuliani was played by comedian Chris Farley. Trump Names Sifakis As Public Liaison, Passing Over Scaramucci By Justin Sink, Kevin Cirilli Bloomberg Politics, March 7, 2017 President Donald Trump appointed George Sifakis, founder of information management firm Ideagen Pfc, as his director for the Office of Public Liaison, a job once thought to be reserved for Trump fundraiser Anthony Scaramucci. Sifakis will coordinate for the administration with various interest groups, including outreach to corporations, advocacy organizations, and state and local elected officials. Scaramucci, a hedge fund investor, had been a leading candidate for the position, but that appointment was put on hold because of a delay in the Office of Government Ethics’ review of Scaramucci’s financial disclosures, a senior Trump official said last month. The White House also announced that Andrew Giuliani, the son of former New York mayor and Trump surrogate Rudy Giuliani, also would be working in the Office of Public Liaison as an associate director. Former Republican National Committee deputy political director Jennifer Korn and former Texas Republican Party Chairman Steve Munisteri will serve as Sifakis’s deputies. Scaramucci, 53, was a regular adviser during the Trump transition, appearing almost every day at Trump Tower and regularly defending the president on television. He agreed in January to sell his approximately 45 percent stake in SkyBridge Capital, an investment firm he founded, in a deal that values the company at least $180 million. The buyer group included a subsidiary of HNA Group, a Chinese conglomerate, as well as a little-known company called RON Transatlantic. Scaramucci said on Twitter on Feb. 27 that the sale of his stake was still moving forward. Reached briefly on his mobile phone, Scaramucci declined to comment immediately. The White House didn’t respond to a request for comment on why Scaramucci didn’t receive the job. It’s possible he will still be given another job in the administration. FOIA CBP 001273 DHS-17-0435-B-000570 173 Trump University Lawsuits May Not Be Closed After All By Steve Eder New York Times, March 6, 2017 President Trump’s postelection agreement to pay $25 million appeared to settle the fraud claims arising from his defunct for-profit education venture, Trump University. But a former student is now asking to opt out of the settlement, a move that, if permitted, could put the deal in jeopardy. Lawyers for the student, Sherri Simpson of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Monday asked a federal judge in San Diego to reject the settlement unless former students are given an opportunity to be excluded from the deal so they can sue Mr. Trump individually. If the judge, Gonzalo Curiel, decides that Ms. Simpson and potentially others should have that chance, legal experts say it could disrupt the settlement because Mr. Trump and his lawyers saw the deal as a way to resolve all of the claims, once and for all, to avoid a trial and distractions to his presidency. “If even one person could opt out of the settlement and force a trial, that might, in fact, crater the deal,” said Shaun Martin, a professor at the University of San Diego School of Law. “I’m sure Judge Curiel will be aware of that.” The agreement, announced in November, appeared to resolve years of hotly contested litigation, including two federal class-action cases in San Diego and a separate suit by Eric T. Schneiderman, the New York attorney general. Students maintained that they were cheated out of tuition through high-pressure sales tactics and misleading claims about what they would learn. At one point during the contentious case, Mr. Trump questioned Judge Curiel’s impartiality based on his Mexican heritage. Mr. Trump, who has rejected the claims and did not acknowledge fault in the settlement, posted on Twitter after the settlement announcement that the only downside of his winning the presidency was that it meant he “did not have the time to go through a long but winning trial on Trump U.” Patrick Coughlin, a lawyer representing the class-action plaintiffs, said that it was a “terrific settlement” and that the objection seemed “politically motivated.” He said he feared that the objection could result in delays for students who have waited years to get money back. “She could have excluded herself before and pursued her own litigation,” he said. “That time passed.” Lawyers for Mr. Trump did not respond to messages seeking comment. Monday is the deadline for students to file claims to participate in the settlement, or object to it — as in the case of Ms. Simpson. Her lawyers argue that a notice sent to students about the class-action lawsuits in 2015 left the impression that they could later request to be excluded from a settlement, but that opportunity was not afforded to them in the agreement. “There was precious little reason to exercise the right to opt out at that juncture” in 2015, wrote one of Ms. Simpson’s lawyers, Gary Friedman of New York, in the objection filed on Monday. “The case was barreling towards trial, by all accounts.” Carl Tobias, a professor at the University of Richmond School of Law, said that Judge Curiel would probably give the objection serious consideration, but that he would have to weigh it against “substantial pressure to hold the deal together.” “A lot of work has gone into this, and people are generally satisfied all around,” Mr. Tobias said. Plaintiffs’ lawyers have said that they would waive their fees and that they expected roughly 7,000 former students to recover half to all of what they spent on courses. If they are allowed, it is not clear how many former students may seek to opt out. In 2010, Ms. Simpson — a lawyer who spoke out about her Trump University experience during last year’s campaign — paid $1,495 for a three-day seminar, in which she said instructors pressured her to sign up for the $35,000 “Gold Elite” program under the premise that she would have access to the “resources of Mr. Trump and his real estate organization,” she wrote in a sworn statement. She split the fee with another student, spending about $19,000 in total, Mr. Friedman said. But she soon grew dissatisfied when promises went unfulfilled. She wrote, “The Gold Elite program was a scam.” Former Trump U Student Threatens To Undo Settlement By Maggie Severns And Josh Gerstein Politico, March 6, 2017 A former Trump University student is objecting to the proposed $25 million settlement that would put to bed three years-long lawsuits over President Donald Trump’s defunct real estate education seminars. Ex-student Sherri Simpson is objecting to the settlement because she wants an opportunity to opt out of it and sue Trump individually, her lawyers said in a filing on Monday, which Simpson cannot do under the proposed agreement. The proposed settlement struck last December is expected to pay refunds of about 50 cents on the dollar of what students paid to attend Trump University, which former students allege pushed them to pay up to $35,000 for real estate courses that taught them little from poorly qualified instructors. “If the settlement indeed represents 50 cents on the dollar of loss, as has been reported, it is certainly a beneficial settlement by the standards of class actions. But there is no FOIA CBP 001274 DHS-17-0435-B-000571 174 principle of law or fairness that requires Sherri Simpson to accept 50 cents on the dollar,” Simpson’s lawyer, Gary B. Friedman, wrote in the objection filed in San Diego District Court on Monday. “What Ms. Simpson seeks is her day in court,” including pressing for “full damages plus punitive damages and injunctive relief,” Friedman wrote. If San Diego District Court Judge Gonzalo Curiel heeds the objection, it could delay the settlement or even call the deal into question. The settlement was quickly reached after Trump won the presidency in November. Up until then multiple lawsuits alleging Trump defrauded students with his Trump University courses had been slowly proceeding in court. Curiel has set a hearing on the fairness of the settlement for March 30. The lawsuits became a flashpoint in the 2016 presidential campaign and Trump faced the possibility of having to stand trial as president of the United States. Trump verbally attacked Curiel on the campaign trail, calling him a “hater” who was inclined to rule against him in the case because he is Hispanic. The Trump Organization did not respond to a request for this story and the White House referred questions to the Trump Organization. As part of the proposed settlement reached in December, former Trump University students could object to the terms of the agreement but didn’t have the right to “opt out,” or leave the class all-together. A total of 13 other people have previously opted out of the class-action lawsuits and could still bring separate suits against Trump on their own. But due to statute-of-limitations rules, it’s unclear whether former Trump University students could still press their own lawsuits over the alleged fraud. Trump University essentially shut down in 2010. Jason Forge of Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd, who is among the lawyers representing the class, said in a statement that the document sent to plaintiffs in November 2015 said “that if they decided to stay in the class, rather than pursue their claims individually, they would forever be giving up the right to pursue an individual claim against the defendants.” “Any attempt to delay the payment of this settlement cannot be motivated by what is in the best interests of the class,” Forge added. “As promised, class members had the opportunity to exclude themselves from the settlement. Anyone who chose to submit a claim obviously wanted to be included — and for good reason.” Simpson’s claims about being misled and scammed by Trump University instructors echo the complaints of other former students that grabbed the spotlight multiple times during Trump’s presidential campaign. Simpson attended a three-day real estate seminar in April 2010 that cost $1,495 and expected to learn “secrets” of Trump’s real estate investment success and receive mentoring. At the end of the seminar, attendees were encouraged to increase their credit card limits, Simpson said, and she purchased another Trump University program. But “none of the promised resources were made available,” Simpson said in a signed statement, and the mentor assigned to help her learn how to buy and sell real estate soon disappeared. The last time plaintiffs were given an opportunity to opt out of the lawsuit in November 2015, “the case was barreling towards trial, by all accounts,” Friedman wrote. “The plaintiffs’ lawyers were obtaining excellent results,” and plaintiffs like Simpson assumed they’d get another opportunity to opt out of the class again, which they didn’t. Simpson is the second former Trump University student to lodge a recent complaint with the settlement. Last week another former student, Harold Doe, wrote the court to complain about the amount of money he anticipated receiving out of the settlement. He said he is submitting a claim for $35,000, but that he believes he should be compensated for three times that amount. “I was homeless with my family because of Trump and Trump University,” Doe wrote in the letter. “Although I’m submitting a claim for thirty-five thousand dollars I spent on that so-called class I would appreciate being awarded the three times that amount, for the suffering that my family and I had to endure, as a direct result of Trump and Trump University.” Trump U Student Threatens To Take President To Trial By Carl Campanile And Kaja Whitehouse New York Post, March 6, 2017 A Florida woman is seeking to opt out of a $25 million class action settlement over fraud allegations at Trump University and take President Trump to trial. In a court filing Monday in federal court in San Diego, Calif., Sherri B. Simpson said she doesn’t want to settle for less than the 100 percent she paid for Trump U. courses. Each defendant in the settlement is guarantee 50 percent of the fees they paid for what they claim were sham Trump U. classes. Simpson, of Fort Lauderdale, wants 100 percent. Lawyers for other class action defendants worry that if Simpson is allowed to opt out and go to trial, it could unfairly delay payments to their clients. “The primary basis for this objection is that the settlement deprives me of my constitutionally protected right to opt of out the class,” Simpson said. Simpson said she was deceived and defrauded by the Trump U.. She said she attended a free Trump University seminar in Florida in April 2010. FOIA CBP 001275 DHS-17-0435-B-000572 175 “I was told repeatedly at that program that, if I further enrolled in the Trump University Gold Elite mentorship program, the resources of Donald Trump and his real estate organization… would be made available to me, “ Simpson said. “I was told I would learn the `secrets’ of Trump’s real estate investing success, studying under professionals that Trump himself had personally `hand-picked’ to deliver `Ivy League quality’ instruction at his `university. I was promised that the mentor would be available to me for a full year. After the three-day seminar, she enrolled in the pricey Gold Elite program. “The Gold Elite program was a scam,” Simpson said. Federal Judge Gonzalo Curiel has given preliminary approval to the settlement in January. Trump agreed to settle in November, ten days after winning the presidency. A final approval hearing is scheduled for March 30, which Simpson and her attorney, Gary Friedman intend to plead her case. Other parties to the case said Simpson has an uphill climb to sever herself from the class settlement. “Anyone who chose to give up their individual claim and remain in the class will be rewarded for doing so under the terms of what is an historically beneficial settlement. Any attempt to delay the payment of this settlement cannot be motivated by what is in the best interests of the class. As promised, class members had the opportunity to exclude themselves from the settlement. Anyone who chose to submit a claim obviously wanted to be included — and for good reason,” said class action lawyer Jason Forge. But Simpson’s attorney, argued that the class action notice promised to plaintiffs a “new opportunity” to opt out. “What Ms. Simpson seeks is her day in court, at which she will press for the complete vindication of all her rights, including her full damages plus punitive damages and injunctive relief,” Friedman in a legal memo to the court. Former Trump University Student Objects To Settlement Request, if allowed, could clear way for others to pursue claims individually and could ultimately unravel $25 million settlement By Sara Randazzo Wall Street Journal, March 6, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Trump Asks Congress For Probe Of Leaked Classified Intelligence By Dave Boyer Washington Times, March 6, 2017 The White House said Monday that President Trump is asking Congress to investigate leaks of classified government secrets, in addition to the possibility that President Obama ordered the wiretapping of his campaign operation. White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Mr. Trump wants lawmakers on the House and Senate intelligence committees to look into “pervasive leaks of national security classified information.” “He believes it undermines our national security,” Mr. Spicer said. The White House also said Mr. Trump has not spoken to FBI Director James B. Comey about possible wiretapping of his campaign. The president and his advisers are frustrated by a series of leaked intelligence reports linking his campaign officials to Russia. Mr. Trump on Saturday also demanded a probe into a report that the Obama administration obtained a court order for surveillance of Trump Tower during last year’s presidential campaign. Mr. Obama and his former top aides have refuted the allegation. Mr. Spicer didn’t elaborate on what information the president was basing his claims of wiretapping. But he pointed to former Bush administration Attorney General Michael Mukasey, who said Sunday it was “likely” there was surveillance. Mr. Mukasey said, “The president was not correct in saying President Obama ordered a tap on a server in Trump Tower. However, I think he’s right in that there was surveillance and that it was conducted at the behest of the attorney general — at the Justice Department through the FISA court.” Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. Grassley Probes FBI’s Ties To British Spy Who Investigated Trump By Jonathan Easley The Hill, March 6, 2017 Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) has opened an inquiry into allegations the FBI worked with the British spy who authored a controversial opposition research dossier on President Trump during the 2016 election. In a Monday letter to FBI Director James Comey, Grassley asked for records pertaining to any agreements the agency may have had with Christopher Steele. The MI6 agent wrote an explosive memo on behalf of Trump’s political enemies alleging that the Russians had compromising information on the president. Comey briefed Trump on the existence of the memo in a private meeting in January. FOIA CBP 001276 DHS-17-0435-B-000573 176 Shortly after, several news organizations published the unverified allegations, which the White House denied. In late February, The Washington Post reported that the FBI reached an agreement with Steele whereby the British spy would continue his investigation on behalf of the bureau. “While Trump has derided the dossier as ‘fake news’ compiled by his political opponents, the FBI’s arrangement with Steele shows that the bureau considered him credible and found his information, while unproved, to be worthy of further investigation,” the Post reported at the time. Grassley is pushing back and demanding the FBI provide information pertaining to its use of the British spy, whose salacious allegations have infuriated Trump and his allies. “The idea that the FBI and associates of the Clinton campaign would pay Mr. Steele to investigate the Republican nominee for President in the run-up to the election raises further questions about the FBI’s independence from politics, as well as the Obama administration’s use of law enforcement and intelligence agencies for political ends,” Grassley wrote. “It is additionally troubling that the FBI reportedly agreed to such an arrangement given that, in January of 2017, then-Director Clapper issued a statement stating that ‘the [intelligence community] has not made any judgment that the information in this document is reliable, and we did not rely upon it in any way for our conclusions.’” In his letter, Grassley asks for all records regarding Steele’s investigation, details of the agreement between the FBI and Steele, the FBI’s policies for using outside investigators, and whether the bureau has relied on any of the information Steele has provided in seeking warrants. Ohio Congresswoman Wants To Know What You Saw At The RNC In Cleveland WKSU-FM Kent (OH), March 6, 2017 If you were at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland last summer, Ohio Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur wants to know if you witnessed any meetings between President Donald Trump’s campaign team and Russian officials. Looking for clues on possible connections between President Trump and Russia As investigations into possible connections between Trump presidential campaign officials and the Russians gear up, Kaptur believes there is some evidence in Cleveland. Some meetings at the RNC between the two have been confirmed, and Kaptur wants cab drivers, restaurant and hotel operators and journalists to tell her want they saw or heard. “Unearthing your photos, unearthing your transcripts, unearthing articles you may have written last year. And just innocent citizens who may have been present when some of these individuals were meeting.” Kaptur says any information will be kept confidential. While officials like Attorney General Jeff Sessions have admitted meeting with a Russian diplomat at the RNC, he and President Trump deny there is any conspiracy. Republicans Are Becoming Russia’s Accomplices By Robert Kagan Washington Post, March 6, 2017 It would have been impossible to imagine a year ago that the Republican Party’s leaders would be effectively serving as enablers of Russian interference in this country’s political system. Yet, astonishingly, that is the role the Republican Party is playing. U.S. intelligence services have stated that the Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election with the intention of swinging it to one side. Knowing how cautious the intelligence community is in making such judgments, and given the significance of this particular finding, the evidence must be compelling. At the very least, any reasonable person would have to conclude that there is enough evidence to warrant a serious, wide-ranging and open investigation. Polls suggest that a majority of Americans would like to see such an investigation carried out. It’s important at this time of intense political conflict to remain focused on the most critical issue. Whether certain individuals met with Russian officials, and whether those meetings were significant, is secondary and can eventually be sorted out. The most important question concerns Russia’s ability to manipulate U.S. elections. That is not a political issue. It is a national security issue. If the Russian government did interfere in the United States’ electoral processes last year, then it has the capacity to do so in every election going forward. This is a powerful and dangerous weapon, more than warships or tanks or bombers. Neither Russia nor any potential adversary has the power to damage the U.S. political system with weapons of war. But by creating doubts about the validity, integrity and reliability of U.S. elections, it can shake that system to its foundations. The United States has not been the only victim. The argument by at least one former Obama administration official and others that last year’s interference was understandable payback for past American policies is undermined by the fact that Russia is also interfering in the coming elections in France and Germany, and it has already interfered in Italy’s recent referendum and in numerous other elections across Europe. Russia is deploying this weapon against as many democracies as it can to sap public confidence in democratic institutions. FOIA CBP 001277 DHS-17-0435-B-000574 177 The democracies are going to have to figure out how to respond. With U.S. congressional elections just 20 months away, it is essential to get a full picture of what the Russians did do and can do here, and soon. The longer the American people remain in the dark about Russian manipulations, the longer they will remain vulnerable to them. The longer Congress fails to inform itself, the longer it will be before it can take steps to meet the threat. Unfortunately, the present administration cannot be counted on to do so on its own. There’s no need to ask what Republicans would be doing if the shoe were on the other foot — if the Russians had intervened to help elect the Democratic nominee. They would be demanding a bipartisan select committee of Congress, or a congressionally mandated blue-ribbon panel of experts and senior statesmen with full subpoena powers to look into the matter. They would be insisting that, for reasons of national security alone, it was essential to determine what happened: what the Russians did, how they did it and how they could be prevented from doing it again. If that investigation found that certain American individuals had somehow participated in or facilitated the Russian operation, they would insist that such information be made public and that appropriate legal proceedings begin. And if the Democrats tried to slow-roll the investigations, to block the creation of select committees or outside panels, or to insist that investigations be confined to the intelligence committees whose inquiries and findings could be kept from the public, Republicans would accuse them of a coverup and of exposing the nation to further attacks. And they would be right. But it is the Republicans who are covering up. The party’s current leader, the president, questions the intelligence community’s findings, motives and integrity. Republican leaders in Congress have opposed the creation of any special investigating committee, either inside or outside Congress. They have insisted that inquiries be conducted by the two intelligence committees. Yet the Republican chairman of the committee in the House has indicated that he sees no great urgency to the investigation and has even questioned the seriousness and validity of the accusations. The Republican chairman of the committee in the Senate has approached the task grudgingly. The result is that the investigations seem destined to move slowly, produce little information and provide even less to the public. It is hard not to conclude that this is precisely the intent of the Republican Party’s leadership, both in the White House and Congress. This approach not only is damaging to U.S. national security but also puts the Republican Party in an untenable position. When Republicans stand in the way of thorough, open and immediate investigations, they become Russia’s accomplices after the fact. This is undoubtedly not their intent. No one in the party wants to help Russia harm the United States and its democratic institutions. But Republicans need to face the fact that by slowing down, limiting or otherwise hampering the fullest possible investigation into what happened, that is what they are doing. It’s time for the party to put national security above partisan interest. Republican leaders need to name a bipartisan select committee or create an outside panel, and they need to do so immediately. They must give that committee the mission and all the necessary means for getting to the bottom of what happened last year. And then they must begin to find ways to defend the nation against this new weapon that threatens to weaken American democracy. The stakes are far too high for politics as usual. New Commerce Secretary Was No Friend To Russians At Cyprus Bank By Andrew Higgins New York Times, March 6, 2017 NICOSIA, Cyprus — When Wilbur L. Ross, a billionaire American investor, bought shares in the Bank of Cyprus three years ago, he found himself part owner of a big but failing bank with a vice chairman who used to work with Vladimir V. Putin in the Leningrad K.G.B. and five other Russians on its board. That was enough to raise concerns when President Trump nominated Mr. Ross to be his commerce secretary. The president’s critics wanted to know if Mr. Ross had ever met with Russian intelligence, or if the bank ever gave favorable loans to the new president. They suspected that might be why Mr. Trump had spoken so favorably of Mr. Putin. But while several of Mr. Trump’s closest allies have come under scrutiny for Kremlin ties, Mr. Ross, who was confirmed by the Senate on Monday, was no friend to the Russians in Cyprus — and in fact, he forced them out of the bank. According to bankers, lawyers and others who have worked closely with the Bank of Cyprus, within months of Mr. Ross’s becoming a shareholder in the summer of 2014, all six Russians who were on the board when he arrived, including Mr. Putin’s former K.G.B. colleague, Vladimir Strzhalkovsky, were gone, ousted in a rolling purge of Kremlin influence. “He has not been an accomplice of the Russians but the opposite,” Loizos Hadjicostis, president of the Cyprus Union of Bank Employees, said in an interview. “Ross came in to block the Russians, not to help them,” he added. “The theory that Ross is a Russian Trojan horse does not make any sense to me.” Helping to keep such theories alive, however, has been a refusal by the White House — over Mr. Ross’s objections — to release his written responses to questions posed by United States senators. In a speech in the Senate on FOIA CBP 001278 DHS-17-0435-B-000575 178 Monday, Senator Bill Nelson, a Florida Democrat, complained that the White House was “sitting on” the replies. Mr. Nelson said he had spoken with Mr. Ross about the Bank of Cyprus and had been told that Mr. Ross had one meeting of about an hour with a Russian investor in the lender in 2014. “He knows of no loans or interaction between the bank or anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign or organization,” the senator said. He added that he believed Mr. Ross and that he could not understand the White House’s “secretive behavior.” “Not only is this lack of transparency unsettling, it’s behavior that everyone in this Senate should agree is unacceptable and shouldn’t be tolerated,” Mr. Nelson said. After leading a group of around 30 investors from the United States and elsewhere in a 2014 investment in the Bank of Cyprus worth 400 million euros, Mr. Ross served for a period as co-vice chairman of the bank along with Mr. Strzhalkovsky, Mr. Putin’s old K.G.B. associate. But Mr. Strzhalkovsky, who had no experience in banking, was then forced out. The only Russian with a prominent role in the bank today is Viktor Vekselberg, a billionaire businessman who bought shares in 2014, around the same time as Mr. Ross. Like all wealthy business people still working in Russia, Mr. Vekselberg has maintained good relations with the Kremlin but, unlike Mr. Strzhalkovsky and the Russians ousted from the bank, he has a long record of actually doing real business. A company Mr. Vekselberg controls is now the biggest single Bank of Cyprus shareholder and has a representative on the board, Maksim Goldman, an American-educated Russian lawyer. “Wilbur Ross was kind of a savior,” said Andreas Neocleous, the founder and chairman of the biggest law firm in Cyprus, which bears his name and has many Russian clients. They have included Dmitri Rybolovlev, a Russian billionaire who paid $95 million in 2008 to buy a Florida mansion from Mr. Trump, who had purchased it for less than half that just a few years earlier. For a time, Mr. Rybolovlev, who has had tense and even hostile relations with the Kremlin, was the biggest shareholder in the Bank of Cyprus. But his stake in the bank, which at one point reached close to 10 percent, was mostly wiped out in 2013, when the island’s banking system nearly collapsed. In the process, he lost $600 million, his lawyer said. That 2013 banking crisis, however, opened the way for other Russians, some of whom had close ties to the Kremlin, in contrast with Mr. Rybolovlev, to gain control of the Bank of Cyprus, at least on paper. This happened when the Cypriot authorities, desperate for cash to prop up failing banks, confiscated billions of dollars in deposits held in the Bank of Cyprus and Laiki Bank, also known as Cyprus Popular Bank, which had failed. Many of these seized deposits belonged to Russians who, as partial compensation, received Bank of Cyprus shares. As a result of this highly controversial maneuver, Mr. Strzhalkovsky and other Russians lost billions. But in September 2013, they secured seats on the Bank of Cyprus board, meaning that Russia, for the first time, had effective control of a major European bank. Unfortunately, said Mr. Neocleous, the lawyer, none of them knew anything about banking and they could not agree on ways to save the Bank of Cyprus from ruin. “None of them were bankers,” he said. “They could offer nothing.” With the lender on the edge of bankruptcy, John Hourican, an Irishman who had been brought in as chief executive, insisted that the bank raise capital. Fearful that the bank might go under, the Russians and other shareholders reluctantly agreed to the plan, which would greatly dilute their ownership stakes. The Bank of Cyprus held meetings in New York and London to drum up investor interest, attracting the attention of Mr. Ross, a veteran of investing in distressed assets who had turned a tidy profit rescuing the Bank of Ireland. He then assembled a group of investors who follow his lead in these matters because they view him as having the Midas touch. But the bank conspicuously stayed away from Moscow. Adonis Papaconstantinou, who leads a group of Laiki Bank creditors seeking to recover lost money, and who was once on the Bank of Cyprus board, said that the 2014 share issue was intended to make it difficult for Russians to invest and was skewed in favor of potential investors from the United States and Europe. “Nobody could tell the Russians that they could not invest, but they are proud people and they could see that this was an attempt to keep them out — or at least minimize their influence,” said Mr. Papaconstantinou, who lost his seat on the bank’s board in the purge that started after Mr. Ross’s arrival. Christodoulous Vassiliades, the managing director of a Cypriot legal firm that represented some of the former Russian board members, recalled that the Russians had already lost so much money in the 2013 banking blowout that most of them had little appetite for a fight with Mr. Ross over control of the Bank of Cyprus. It was clear, he said, that “Ross was there to benefit the interests of the U.S. and Britain,” Cyprus’s former colonial master, but the Russians “just wanted their money back” and came around to the view that the American investor was the best hope for keeping the bank afloat. Mr. Ross became vice chairman of the bank in November 2014 and gave up this position after his confirmation as commerce secretary. “The bank is a business, not a geopolitical football,” said Mr. Hourican, the chief executive. FOIA CBP 001279 DHS-17-0435-B-000576 179 In many ways, however, it is much more than just a business. As the biggest bank in the country — a member of the European Union that is on a delicate fault line between East and West — the Bank of Cyprus plays an outsize role not only in the nation’s economy but also in its political and even geopolitical direction. In a June 2013 letter to the European Central Bank pleading for help, the Cypriot president, Nicos Anastasiades, described the Bank of Cyprus as a “mega-systemic bank” on which the future of the island depended. Mr. Anastasiades, in public statements at the time, expressed alarm that the confiscation of deposits, carried out at the behest of the European Union in return for aid, would hand the bank to the Russians by issuing shares as compensation for seized money. This has led to speculation in Cyprus that Mr. Ross came into the bank as part of an operation arranged by Mr. Anastasiades with help from Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., who visited the island in 2014. Mr. Ross declined to comment. Mr. Anastasiades, in an interview, denied having asked Mr. Biden to help line up investors for the Bank of Cyprus so as to break the grip of Russian shareholders. The government, he said, had no business deciding who invests in a private bank, and no interest in expelling the Russians. “We are interested in keeping the Russian business community,” he said. “It is not a matter of Russians or Americans. We want everyone.” The bank, fortified by the 2014 recapitalization and money from the sale of assets in Russia, Serbia and elsewhere, has now stabilized and even managed to pay back nearly $12 billion in emergency loans granted at the height of the crisis by the European Central Bank. But while it is on the way to recovery and is no longer considered a potential beachhead for a Russian presence in Europe’s financial system, the bank has not yet proved to be a good investment for Mr. Ross. Its share price is still lower than what he paid in 2014. Mr. Papaconstantinou, the former board member, said he spoke with Mr. Ross during one of his visits to Cyprus and asked why he had put money into such a troubled bank. “He told me he thought it was a good move because Cyprus had gone down so far it could not get any worse and could only go up,” Mr. Papaconstantinou recalled. In the long run, that is probably a safe bet. But, said Stelios Orphanides, a financial journalist with Cyprus Mail: “It is like owning tickets to a first-class cabin on the Titanic. It is a good investment, so long as the Titanic does not go down. But if the Bank of Cyprus goes down, Cyprus goes down, too.” Attorney General Jeff Sessions: Senate Testimony Was ‘Correct’ By Kevin Johnson USA Today, March 6, 2017 WASHINGTON — Attorney General Jeff Sessions asserted Monday that his January confirmation testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee was “correct,’’ saying that he did not disclose meetings with the Russian ambassador to the United States because he was not specifically asked about them. Sessions, who abruptly recused himself last week from overseeing the ongoing federal inquiry into Russia’s intervention in the U.S. election following the public disclosure of two meetings with Russia envoy Sergey Kislyak, said he always believed that he had answered the committee’s questions “honestly’’ about Trump surrogates’ contacts with Russian officials. “I did not mention communications I had had with the Russian ambassador over the years because the question did not ask about them,’’ Sessions said in a letter to the committee, explaining the disputed testimony. Sessions referred to a question posed by Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., who asked Sessions what he would do if he became aware that “anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government in the course of this campaign.’’ “I’m not aware of any of those activities,’’ Sessions responded at the time. “I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I didn’t have have--did not have communications with the Russians.’’ Democrats seized on Sessions’ response, and a similar answer provided to Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., in a written response, as at least misleading and disqualifying him from managing the FBI’s continuing Russia investigation. Others, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California have called for the former Alabama senator to resign. “I answered the question, which asked about a ‘continuing exchange of information during the campaign between Trump’s surrogates and intermediaries for the Russian government,’ honestly,’’ Sessions maintained. Read more: Sessions letter to the committee largely offered a similar defense of his prior testimony as he provided last week during a news conference at the Justice Department, where he announced his recusal from the Russia investigation. The attorney general said he never sought to clarify his testimony, following last month’s dismissal of former national security adviser Michael Flynn for his separate communications with Kislyak, because he had “considered FOIA CBP 001280 DHS-17-0435-B-000577 180 my answer responsive, and no one having suggested otherwise, there was no need for a supplemented response.’’ Still, the failure to disclose his meetings with Kislyak stoked a political firestorm, prompting Sessions to cede oversight of the ongoing Russia probe to acting Deputy Attorney General Dana Boente. Democrats have called for Sessions to return to the committee to publicly explain his January testimony, but panel Chairman Chuck Grassley, R￾Iowa, said last week that he would not recall the attorney general. The attorney general, who took office just more than three weeks ago, denied discussing campaign-related matters when he encountered Kislyak in July during an event at the Republican National Convention and later during a September meeting in his Senate office in Washington. He said the September meeting was sought by Russian officials and included at least two senior advisers from his Senate staff, both retired Army colonels. Sessions did not specifically recall the purpose of the meeting or whether there was any mention of the then-contentious election campaign, but he recalled some discussion about terrorism and described Kislyak as “a Soviet-type’’ diplomat. Sessions said the conversation “got to be testy’’ when it turned to Russia’s aggression in the Ukraine. It concluded with the ambassador extending Sessions an invitation to lunch, which the attorney general said he did not pursue. In an interview on Fox News last week, Sessions he was “not sure...what was on (the ambassador’s) mind’’ when Kislyak arranged the meeting. Though, he called the news reports disclosing the meetings Wednesday night “hyped beyond measure.” “I do not recall any discussions with the Russian ambassador or any other representative of the Russian government regarding the political campaign on these occasions or any other occasion,’’ Sessions said in the Monday letter to the committee. The same committee Tuesday is set to consider the nomination of Maryland U.S. Attorney Rod Rosenstein for deputy attorney general, who if confirmed, would assume management of the Russia inquiry. Democrats, including Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D￾Conn., have vowed to press Rosenstein to appoint a special prosecutor to oversee the investigation. Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions Defends Russia Testimony And Says He Didn’t Mislead Congress By Del Quentin Wilber, Contact Reporter Los Angeles Times, March 6, 2017 Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions sought Monday to clarify his denial to the Senate about contact with Russian officials during the presidential campaign, a misstatement that led him to recuse himself from overseeing federal investigations into meddling by the Kremlin in the U.S. election. Reports that Sessions met with the Russian ambassador twice during the campaign sparked a storm of demands last week on Capitol Hill for the former U.S. senator from Alabama to recuse himself from the investigations or resign. He announced his recusal on Thursday and promised to send a letter to clarify his January testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee. In the letter, Sessions told his former colleagues that he had correctly answered a question when he said he “did not have communications with Russians” during the campaign. Sessions reiterated what he told reporters last week: that he had focused on part of the question posed by Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) that sought to determine what the attorney general would do about “continuing exchange of information during the campaign between Trump’s surrogates and intermediaries for the Russian government.” Sessions said in the letter that he answered honestly. “I did not mention communications I had had with the Russian ambassador over the years because the question did not ask about them,” Sessions wrote. The FBI and the House and Senate intelligence committees are investigating whether anyone on then￾candidate Donald Trump’s team colluded with Russia’s government while the Kremlin was hacking Democratic Party computers and seeking to disrupt the campaign. The issue has cast a cloud over the fledgling Trump administration, which has denied any improper contacts. President Trump ousted his national security advisor, Michael Flynn, last month for misleading the White House about his contacts with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during the campaign. The Justice Department disclosed last week that Sessions also met twice with Kislyak in 2016, first after a speech at the Republican National Convention in July and then in a private sit-down meeting in Sessions’ Senate office in September. Justice Department officials have said that Sessions had conversations with more than two dozen foreign ambassadors and that his meeting with Kislyak was not unusual. They said he met the Russian diplomat in his capacity as a member of the the Armed Services Committee, not as a representative of the Trump campaign. The day before his sit-down with the Russian, he met the Ukranian ambassador, for example, they said. In comments to reporters, Sessions described his encounters with Kislyak as pro forma discussion. He described Kislyak as an “old-style, Soviet-type ambassador” and added that their conversation grew testy over Russia’s support for separatists fighting in eastern Ukraine. FOIA CBP 001281 DHS-17-0435-B-000578 181 A U.S. intelligence report issued on Jan. 6, before Trump took office, assessed that Russian President Vladimir Putin had ordered the election-related meddling in an effort to hurt Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and help Trump. FBI officials have not publicly discussed their investigation, and no evidence indicates that they have discovered wrongdoing by any Trump associate. Even so, the inquiry has disrupted the early weeks of Trump’s administration. Trump added fuel to the controversy over the weekend by tweeting that President Obama had ordered wiretapping of Trump Tower during the campaign. Neither he nor his aides have offered any proof, and Obama and James R. Clapper, the former director of national intelligence, said the claim was false. FBI Director James B. Comey told fellow law enforcement officials that he is concerned that Trump’s charge could tarnish the bureau by suggesting agents had conducted an illegal wiretapping campaign on a political candidate. Former and current officials have said no such wiretaps were directed at Trump, his campaign or Trump Tower. FBI surveillance of Russian operatives is routine, however, and could have picked up Americans speaking or writing to Russians who were monitored by U.S. counterintelligence agencies. White House Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told ABC News on Monday that Trump was not willing to accept Comey’s denials on the wiretapping allegations. “You know, I don’t think he does,” Sanders said of Trump. “I think he firmly believes that this is a story line that has been reported pretty widely by quite a few outlets.” The fallout from Trump’s tweets came as Democrats continued to seek answers from Sessions about his contacts with Kislyak. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California), the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, last week called on Sessions to answer questions in person from lawmakers and asked the Justice Department’s inspector general to investigate Sessions’ testimony, his contacts with Russian officials and his decision to recuse himself. “He has not explained why he failed to come forward and correct the record before reports of his contacts with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak became public, why there was a delay in recusing himself until those public disclosures, and why he only recused himself with respect to campaign-related investigations and not Russian contacts with the Trump transition team and administration,” Feinstein said. Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) blocked the move to call Sessions to testify, saying that there were no plans to question Sessions until an annual oversight hearing in coming months. Sessions wrote that before he decided to recuse himself, he had consulted with Justice Department officials over the effect of his role as a former Trump campaign surrogate. Justice Department officials recommended that Sessions recuse himself, the attorney general said, because of his connection to Trump and the campaign. “I believe these recommendations are just and right,” he said. Sessions Updates Testimony To Congress, Insists He Was “Correct” To Say He Had No Communication With Russians In Campaign By Matt Zapotosky Washington Post, March 6, 2017 Attorney General Jeff Sessions insisted in a letter to Congress Monday that he was “correct” to say he did not have communications with the Russians as part of the presidential campaign even though he had twice met with the Russian ambassador. He said in the letter that he did not tell legislators sooner about those meetings because he thought he had fully answered the particular question he was asked. In what he framed as a supplement to his testimony during his January confirmation hearing, Sessions acknowledged that he spoke briefly to Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland in July and that he met with Kislyak in his Senate office in September. At his confirmation hearing, Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) had asked Sessions what he would do as attorney general if there was any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government during the course of the campaign. Sessions responded: “Sen. Franken, I’m not aware of any of those activities. I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I didn’t have — did not have communications with the Russians, and I’m unable to comment on it.” “My answer was correct,” Sessions wrote in his letter to Congress. “As I noted in my public statement on March 2, 2017, I was surprised by the allegations in the question, which I had not heard before. I answered the question, which asked about a ‘continuing exchange of information during the campaign between Trump’s surrogates and intermediaries for the Russian government,’ honestly. I did not mention communications I had had with the Russian ambassador over the years because the question did not ask about them.” Last week, Sessions announced he was recusing himself from any Justice Department investigations involving Trump’s campaign, on which he served as an adviser. FOIA CBP 001282 DHS-17-0435-B-000579 182 He did so a day after The Washington Post reported his meetings with Kislyak — though he said he had been talking about doing so with Justice Department ethics officials for some time. He clarified specifically Monday that recusal would include any probes of “Russian contacts with the Trump transition team and administration,” though he said that clarification “should not be taken as any evidence of the existence of any such investigation or its scope.” “Suffice it to say that the scope of my recusal is consistent with the applicable regulations, which I have considered and to which I have adhered,” Sessions wrote. Sessions wrote that he did not disclose his meetings with Kislyak before The Post reported on them because he considered his previous answer to Franken “responsive, and no one having suggested otherwise, there was no need for a supplemented answer.” He said he did “not recall any discussions with the Russian ambassador, or any other representative of the Russian government, regarding the political campaign on these occasions or any other occasion.” Sessions Tells Senate Panel: ‘My Answer Was Correct’ By Nolan D. McCaskill Politico, March 6, 2017 Attorney General Jeff Sessions maintained Monday that his response to a query about contact with Russian officials during his confirmation hearing was “correct.” “My answer was correct,” Sessions wrote in supplemental testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman and ranking member Monday. At his confirmation hearing in January, Sessions, then a Republican senator representing Alabama, testified before the Senate panel, unprompted, that he “did not have communications with the Russians.” But reports emerged last week that Sessions had met with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak twice in 2016, meetings he failed to disclose during his confirmation hearings. In his supplemental testimony, which follows his recusal Thursday from any Justice Department investigation related to presidential campaigns, Sessions said he “honestly” answered a question from Minnesota Sen. Al Franken about contact — as a Trump surrogate. “I did not mention communications I had had with the Russian Ambassador over the years because the question did not ask about them,” he argued. Sessions met with Kislyak on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention following a speech and again in his Senate office in September. “I do not recall any discussions with the Russian Ambassador, or any other representative of the Russian government, regarding the political campaign on these occasions or any other occasion,” he said. Sessions’ No. 2 In Waiting Faces Heat On Russia Probe Democrats will use a confirmation hearing for a deputy attorney general to keep the spotlight on Donald Trump’s Moscow problem. By Seung Min Kim And Burgess Everett Politico, March 6, 2017 Senate Democrats, intent on keeping questions about the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia front and center, are turning to their next target: Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ top deputy. Rod Rosenstein, a veteran U.S. attorney whom President Donald Trump has nominated to become the Justice Department’s No. 2, heads into his confirmation hearing Tuesday squarely in the eye of the firestorm over the Russia controversy that has engulfed the Trump presidency for weeks. Sessions announced last week he would step aside from any federal probe involving the Trump campaign — in which the former Alabama senator was a central and enthusiastic figure. So the weight of the Russia investigation would fall on Rosenstein if he’s confirmed. Democrats are using what would usually be a noncontroversial nomination to extract as many concessions from Rosenstein as possible. The best case for the minority would be getting him to commit to naming a special prosecutor to investigate any collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow. Short of that, they want to eat up time — the most precious commodity in the Senate — and throw the Trump administration back into an uncomfortable, Russia-hued spotlight. “Far and away the No. 1 issue that will face Mr. Rosenstein in his hearing is whether he will appoint a special prosecutor,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said in a Monday interview with POLITICO. “I am strongly urging him to do so. The guidelines of the Justice Department fit this to a T.” Schumer stressed that while “nobody has any concerns about [Rosenstein], his personality, his integrity,” the minority leader nonetheless said that for him, it would be “very difficult” to support Rosenstein if he didn’t commit to appointing an independent counsel outside DOJ’s chain of command to oversee the Russia probe. Democrats argue that last week’s recusal by Sessions, who had not disclosed two previous contacts with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak despite testifying that he “did not have communications with the Russians” during his confirmation hearing in January, was nowhere near sufficient. FOIA CBP 001283 DHS-17-0435-B-000580 183 In addition to pressing Rosenstein on how the Russia probe should be handled, Democrats are demanding more independent probes. Schumer on Monday wrote to the DOJ’s chief watchdog asking him to dig into the Trump administration’s handling of the matter. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), a member of the Judiciary Committee that will question Rosenstein and another top DOJ nominee on Tuesday, said he would use all parliamentary tools at his disposal to block Rosenstein’s nomination until he commits to appoint an independent counsel. “Whatever this nominee’s credentials — and he has, on paper, [an] impressive prosecutorial background — he is a political appointee, which I’m sure he recognizes,” Blumenthal said in an interview on Monday. “And the areas that need to be investigated here and potentially prosecuted involve highly sensitive political overtones and should be pursued without politics involved.” Some committee Democrats, including Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono, had called for the hearings for Rosenstein and the No. 3 Justice official, Rachel Brand, to be delayed due to questions surrounding the Trump DOJ’s handling of the probe. Hirono met privately with Rosenstein and Brand on Monday. “At this point, I feel as though the entire department has been compromised,” Hirono said last week. “I would like to see an independent investigation.” Senate Republicans who will take up the two DOJ nominations say there are deep inconsistencies in the Democrats’ call for a special prosecutor. They note that Democrats didn’t demand one to look into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private e-mail server, even after former attorney general Loretta Lynch met privately with Bill Clinton in an encounter that raised questions about the appearance of impropriety. “That’s ridiculous,” Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) said of the Democrats’ strategy. “He’s a career prosecutor with an outstanding reputation. That’s just politics.” Indeed, Rosenstein — first appointed as U.S. attorney under George W. Bush and held over under Barack Obama — has a top-notch reputation among members of both parties. On Monday, nearly 130 former U.S. attorneys wrote to the committee’s leaders, praising the prosecutor’s “tireless work ethic, unassailable integrity, careful legal thinking and prudent judgment.” “Many of us served alongside Rod, know him personally, and can vouch for his outstanding reputation — both as a fair and extraordinarily effective prosecutor, and as a person of the highest integrity,” the lawyers wrote in the letter. Though Russia will be in the spotlight considering Rosenstein’s role in the federal probe, Democrats also plan to grill the two DOJ nominees on several other hot-button issues. Multiple Democratic sources said the nominee will be asked about voting rights and the Trump administration’s executive orders, including the updated travel ban issued Monday that temporarily halts immigration from six majority￾Muslim nations. Another topic could be Trump’s accusation — which he made without offering evidence — that Obama ordered an illegal wiretap of Trump Tower. Democratic senators, including Blumenthal, are also sure to reiterate their demand for Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley call Sessions back before his panel to clarify the Russia issue — a request that the Iowa Republican has already denied. Republicans, by and large, are satisfied with Sessions’ recusal and the ongoing investigations by the House and Senate intelligence panels into Russian interference in the election. “In his opinion, [recusal] was needed and he’s done that,” Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) said of Sessions. “I don’t know what more could be done on it.” Sessions’s Potential Deputy Faces A Stern Test On Russia Inquiries By Eric Lichtblau New York Times, March 6, 2017 WASHINGTON — Known as a no-nonsense, even￾keeled prosecutor, Rod J. Rosenstein was expected to sail through Senate confirmation to be the Justice Department’s second-in-command. But that process has become enmeshed in the drama surrounding questions about President Trump’s campaign ties to Russia. Mr. Rosenstein faces the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday as the president’s nominee for deputy attorney general. In that post, he would oversee investigations into Mr. Trump’s campaign and Russia, because Attorney General Jeff Sessions removed himself from any such cases after the disclosure last week that he had misled Congress about meeting twice with the Russian ambassador. Democrats who have otherwise expressed confidence in Mr. Rosenstein’s prosecutorial skills said they were skeptical that he — or anyone besides an independent outside counsel — would not be subject to political pressure while overseeing such an investigation. “Rosenstein has a good reputation as a career prosecutor, but this is going to test him, and I worry about the integrity of the Justice Department,” Senator Patrick J. Leahy, a Vermont Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, said in a telephone interview Monday. Through his office, Mr. Rosenstein declined to comment. FOIA CBP 001284 DHS-17-0435-B-000581 184 The F.B.I., which is overseen by the Justice Department, is known to have examined possible contacts between Russia and Trump advisers. The House Intelligence Committee has also opened an inquiry into whether Russia tried to influence the election. Mr. Rosenstein, who received his law degree from Harvard, is nothing if not a survivor after nearly 12 years as the United States attorney for Maryland under both Republican and Democratic presidents. He was one of only three United States attorneys appointed by the administration of President George W. Bush to be kept in the job by President Barack Obama in 2009 — and the only one to last all eight years of Mr. Obama’s administration. His supporters say he has been willing to take on politically charged cases throughout his career. Two decades ago, Mr. Rosenstein worked on Kenneth Starr’s independent counsel investigation into the Whitewater affair, earning three convictions related to President Bill Clinton’s business dealings in Arkansas. In a high-profile leak case last year, Mr. Rosenstein extracted a guilty plea from James E. “Hoss” Cartwright, a retired four-star Marine general and a former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Former Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. had asked Mr. Rosenstein and another prosecutor to handle the investigation after accusations the Obama administration was behind leaks related to a cyberattack and drone strikes. Just last week, Mr. Rosenstein announced the indictments of seven Baltimore police officers on conspiracy and racketeering charges. “He has a reputation for being a straight shooter who plays it right down the middle, and those are important qualities for a deputy attorney general,” said Matthew S. Axelrod, who was the top aide to former Deputy Attorney General Sally Q. Yates and is now in private practice in Washington at the Linklaters law firm. Mr. Trump fired Ms. Yates as the acting attorney general five weeks ago after she refused to defend the initial version of his travel ban in court because she said she was uncertain it was legal. Mr. Leahy, the Vermont senator, said that her firing made the debate over Mr. Rosenstein’s nomination even more important, with “that kind of precedent” hanging over him. Douglas F. Gansler, a former Maryland attorney general, said on Monday, “Rod is about as apolitical a person as you can imagine, which is why he could survive eight years in a Democratic administration after being named by a Republican.” “Would he stand up to the political winds of President Trump?” he said. “I’d think yes.” The Justice Department said Monday that if Mr. Rosenstein was confirmed, he would oversee any investigations related not only to the Trump campaign, but also to the president’s transition after the Nov. 8 election. In announcing on Thursday that he would remove himself from such a case, Mr. Sessions had left open the possibility that he might still oversee matters related to the transition period. But in a letter to leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committee late on Monday, he said that his recusal “would include any such matters,” as well. That question is important because Michael T. Flynn, who served as Mr. Trump’s national security adviser for less than a month, admitted that he had contacts with the Russian ambassador, Sergey I. Kislyak, during the transition. Some Democrats have said that those contacts — which helped force Mr. Flynn’s resignation — might have been illegal. Mr. Sessions also spoke at least twice with Mr. Kislyak: once at the Republican National Convention in July, and again at his Senate office in September, two months before the election. When asked at his confirmation hearing in January about a news article about contacts between the Trump campaign and Russian officials, Mr. Sessions responded, “I didn’t have, did not have communications with the Russians.” Democrats accused him of lying to the committee by not disclosing his conversations with the ambassador, and they called for the Justice Department to open a perjury investigation. In his letter on Monday, Mr. Sessions said that “my answer was correct,” because he said his conversations with the ambassador were not political in nature. In answering the question, Mr. Sessions wrote, “I did not mention communications I had had with the Russian ambassador over the years, because the question did not ask about them.” Senator Charles E. Grassley, the Iowa Republican who leads the Judiciary Committee, said he was satisfied with the attorney general’s explanation. “I appreciate Attorney General Sessions’s quick action to clear up confusion about his statement,” Mr. Grassley said Monday. Schumer’s Rosenstein Extortion Democrats strong-arm a nominee to name a special prosecutor. Wall Street Journal, March 6, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Trump’s Oval Office Eruption Was Aimed At Lawyer McGahn Daily Mail, March 6, 2017 Footage appearing to show the impact of an agitated Donald Trump dressing down top aides Steve Bannon and Reince Priebus on Friday actually depicted fallout from the president directing his ire at White House counsel Don FOIA CBP 001285 DHS-17-0435-B-000582 185 McGahn, according to three sources familiar with the tense meeting. ‘He was chewing out the White House counsel about Sessions,’ a senior administration official told DailyMail.com on Monday, referring to Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ move a day earlier to recuse himself from federal investigations linking Russian officials with Trump campaign personnel. Sessions’ move came hours after Trump said he had ‘total’ confidence in Sessions, and shortly after White House press secretary Sean Spicer pre-recorded a Fox news Channel interview for Friday broadcast in which he said there was no reason for Sessions to step away. McGahn absorbed most of Hurricane Donald’s force after the president found Wednesday’s glowing media coverage – following his well-received speech to a Joint session of Congress – crowded out by the Sessions mini￾scandal. While it is not clear what the discussion was about, Bannon was filmed in an animated conversation and at one point was spotted waving his arms around. Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner and Sean Spicer were spotted in the background of the footage. Trump had accused his staff of fumbling the situations with Sessions after the attorney general recused himself from all FBI investigations regarding Russia on Thursday. The president is said to have then taken it out on his senior staff the following day. Sources said to CNN the Oval Office lecture had a ‘lot of expletives’ and that ‘nobody has seen him that upset’. Earlier reporting described Friday’s shout-fest as a rebuke of Bannon and Priebus. But an official close to McGahn confirmed that the longtime Trump lawyer was one of the aides in the president’s crosshairs. ‘That’s about right,’ the McGahn associate said. ‘He was mad at Don.’ Trump, that source said, complained that the White House counsel’s office should have huddled with Sessions before his announcement to reassure him that the president would stand behind him if he resisted calls to recuse himself. Instead the president was ‘forced to play defense on Thursday instead of offense,’ a third administration official said of the fallout from Sessions’ announcement, ‘and his mood Friday was about as bad as it gets.’ McGahan did not respond to a request for comment. He does not appear in the CNN video, which was shot through an Oval Office window. Bannon is shown in the CNN video yelling at someone and dropping an apparent F-bomb. He did not respond to a request to identify who he was reprimanding. One official said McGahn was standing in a spot that would have put him in Bannon’s line of fire, near first daughter Ivanka Trump. As the video unfolds, Trump adviser Jared Kushner – Ivanka’s husband – also takes up position on that side of the room. Bannon was there to calm the president down on Friday, the first official said. ‘He was on blast mode,’ that source said of the president’s reaction to the attorney general’s unexpected decision, and ‘hitting the White House counsel for not explaining it better.’ The three administration officials were granted anonymity to speak freely about Friday’s events. All of them cast doubt on earlier reports that Bannon and Priebus were both left in the White House’s doghouse when Trump left town for Florida on Friday afternoon. The power pair did remain behind in Washington. But neither man, a second official said, was being put in a corner. In particular, the first official said, ‘this had nothing to do with Reince.’ Priebus, one official said, stayed in D.C. to work Friday night working with White House Budget Director Mick Mulvaney and House Republicans, hammering out details of the coming Obamacare replacement bill. Bannon remained behind along with McGahn to help Sessions connect his recusal decision with what he told the Senate Judiciary Committee during his January confirmation hearing. That hearing saw then-Senator Sessions deny that he had met with Russian officials during the presidential campaign, even though he had at least one meeting with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak. Sessions said later that he took that meeting in his capacity as a senator, not as a campaign aide. But his Justice Department aides later persuaded him to back away from any Russia-related probes that might involve the campaign, which he advised at immigration and homeland security matters. Sessions, McGahn and Bannon flew to Florida together on Saturday afternoon to brief Trump about what one official called ‘the fact pattern’ behind Thursday’s decision. First daughter Ivanka Trump, her husband Jared Kushner, press secretary Sean Spicer and newly minted communications director Mike Dubke were also in the Oval office when sparks flew. This Is What Trump Sees When He Opens His Twitter Feed By Donie O'Sullivan CNN, March 6, 2017 For a man with 26.1 million Twitter followers, President Donald Trump follows back surprisingly few people on his @realdonaldtrump account – a mere 43. (See the full list here) FOIA CBP 001286 DHS-17-0435-B-000583 186 Seven of them are family members (Tiffany Trump, Vanessa Trump, Lara Trump) and nine are family businesses (Trump Organization, Trump Golf, Trump Wakiki). The rest are made up of close advisers (Kellyanne Conway, Reince Priebus), supporters (Sean Hannity, Laura Ingram, Piers Morgan) and other right-leaning personalities (Ann Coulter, Joe Scarborough, Bill O’Reilly). Mainstream news outlets (CNN, New York Times) are absent from the list, as is Breitbart News and Infowars. Also missing: the account belonging to his press secretary Sean Spicer and the official @POTUS account. Rep. Roskam Calls Criticism For Lack Of Town Hall Meetings ‘False Narrative’ By Rick Pearson Barrington (IL) Courier-Review, March 6, 2017 Republican U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam on Monday defended not holding public “town hall” meetings, calling them nonproductive and saying the people he represents long for “civility” in politics. Roskam spoke for nearly 50 minutes and answered questions posed by some of the nearly 300 attendees at a City Club of Chicago lunch at a downtown restaurant. The Wheaton congressman arrived to the event in an alley and left without answering questions from a throng of reporters. Across the street, about 50 protesters waved signs and shouted chants, including, “Where’s Peter? What do we want? A town hall. When do we want it? Now.” Roskam characterized the idea that he has a lack of accountability to his constituents a “false narrative,” and said as an alternative to a public meeting he recently held a telephone town hall that involved 18,000 people. Critics have contended telephone town halls are more controlled than a public meeting. “In 2016, I had 11 telephone town hall meetings in the district, 113 speaking engagements in the district, 147 other meetings events or award presentations, 107 other site visits to local businesses, hospitals and non profits, 21 school visits, 30 roundtable discussions and 74 other meetings,” said Roskam, whose 6th Congressional District includes portions of the west and northwest suburbs. “So there is a false narrative that is running out there and if it’s not that false narrative, it is another false narrative. But the House of Representatives is actually the entity in the United States Congress that is the flattest and easiest to get to,” he said. “But participating in big circuses and other things, I’ve just found not to be productive and I think I represent a constituency that is longing for civility in public life. I mean, longing for it,” he said. “They don’t want to hear judgments. They want to hear solutions and that’s how I’ve tried to present myself.” Speaking on a wide range of subjects at the City Club event, Roskam said there was a “national inflection point” on enacting comprehensive tax reform, including simplifying the tax code and working to make it help encourage business growth. But Roskam, the tax policy chairman on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, also said if tax reform doesn’t happen in 2017, “it doesn’t happen at all.” He called the current tax code an “island disappearing” beneath the public and said taxpayers should “jump (on tax reform) while there’s an opportunity to jump.” Roskam also said that in repealing Obamacare, there should be a “type of transition that makes sense” to the program Republicans will propose, particularly in states like Illinois that have increased health care coverage through federally paid for expansion of Medicaid. “I think we need a lot more discussion” on the Affordable Care Act, instead of just jamming through a GOP￾backed plan, the congressman said. But he also said merely tinkering with Obamacare would be “insincere” since it was a promise Republicans made to voters. As for Congress’ relationship with President Donald Trump, Roskam said he believed the president was counting on the Republican-led House to help enact initiatives such as tax reform and the repeal and replacement of Obamacare. But in noting the president’s Twitter habits, Roskam said he has a better appreciation today for the “unexpressed thought.” rap30@aol.com Twitter @rap30 Trump Political Group Ensnarled In Drama After Launch By Theodore Schleifer CNN, March 6, 2017 A major outside group intended to serve as the political muscle behind Donald Trump’s nascent presidency is sputtering and potentially splintering as tension tears the nonprofit further from its biggest donor, multiple sources close to the group told CNN. America First Policies, a group set up this winter to advocate for the Trump agenda, is treading water at best at a time when other, rival groups are staffing up and pushing them toward the sidelines. If the nonprofit does not regain its footing, several Trump allies fear that it could find itself out￾punched politically as several looming policy battles invite a raft of spending from Democratic interest groups. One group source, granted anonymity to candidly assess the nonprofit’s launch, conceded that “it has been slow.” A month after a splashy group of senior Trump advisers promised “significant” funding, the group has barely lifted a FOIA CBP 001287 DHS-17-0435-B-000584 187 finger to politically bolster the young administration. And as a pricey fight beckons this month over the future of the Supreme Court, the president remains unpopular and seems almost certain to not have the “surround-sound super structure” that the White House once envisioned. Much of the drama stems from an ongoing dispute with the Mercers, a father-daughter set of donors who have become intertwined deeply within the Trump political infrastructure. The Mercers were initially expected to provide much of the funding for the group. Bob and Rebekah Mercer are known for being exceedingly controlling of how their dollars will be spent, but it remains disputed how much sway they will hold over the nonprofit, according to three people briefed on the discussions. Several of the Mercers’ most trusted hands went to work in the West Wing, leaving the nonprofit largely run by a half-dozen aides loyal to either Vice President Mike Pence or to Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law. Part of the dispute, according to one of the people, centers on whether the Mercers will have a seat on the nonprofit’s board of directors. The placement would require a $1 million contribution, the person said, a buy-in that sources described them as uneasy about handing over. “I don’t get the sense that they’re driving the train with this group,” said one person close to the organization. “This is not a personality-driven entity. That shell game has come and gone.” The Mercers did not respond to a request for comment on their support for the group, nor did Brad Parscale, who is in charge of the nonprofit. The Mercers, people familiar with the relationship say, harbor particular dislike for Parscale, who was Trump’s top digital strategist and is close with Kushner. Now, several strategists involved are considering working with multiple rival nonprofits simultaneously, according to a group source, which would be unusual and raise questions about which group they are serving at any given time. The Mercers may choose to form their own group, and it is unclear whether Home Depot founder Bernie Marcus — the other mega-donor expected to provide substantial backing to the group — may go with them. A Marcus aide declined to comment. “There’s a healthy dose of desire to do different things,” said the group source, who said the Mercers’ involvement was “still to be determined.” America First Policies is one of at least three nonprofit groups trying to assert itself as a major player in the new political order — it is set to release its first advertising spot this week as inquires swirl about its future. The groups can accept checks of unlimited sizes and shield their donors’ identities as long as most of the money is focused on policy, not elections. It’s a new challenge for Trump big-money supporters: How can a group support an incumbent president who is far more likely to drive the conversation than their ads might? “Americans seem to trust their friends and communities more than their leaders,” said Ken McKay, who led a pro￾Trump super PAC during the campaign that disbanded after the election and who is no longer involved with the outside groups. “Maintaining and building support horizontally is more important than ever, and those groups can help with that.” But the groups are only as powerful as their donors – and in a twist of irony, some of the likeliest Republican givers are off the board for Trump organizations since Trump named them to his Cabinet. Some of the most reliable Republican givers during the campaign, from Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to Small Business Administration chief Linda McMahon, are settling into their new Washington bureaucracies, not cutting seven-figure checks to big-money groups. Another hurdle: Several group leaders have cited Organizing for America, Barack Obama’s nonprofit, as a model. Yet OFA, which was born directly out of Obama’s reelection campaign, did encounter the same crowded, disputed terrain that awaits the host of Trump nonprofits. Unlike the Democratic group — which clearly had the imprimatur of the president — each of the Republican groups claims some mantle of legitimacy from the administration, even though none of their arguments are convincing enough to dry up the fundraising reserves of the others. That clutter is a remnant and reminder of the general election, when a half-dozen super PACs rose and fell at various points as Trump campaign aides did. No Super PAC ever secured a durable “blessing” from the Republican nominee, and high-wattage donors scattered across different groups, many of which were underfunded and disorganized until the very last weeks of the campaign. But today there is little downside for Republican donors – and some Democrats, even – to financially support the leader of the GOP for at least the next four years. The pool of likely donors has deepened. But while some anti-Trump donors have sought to make amends, a minority has cast their aspersions on the entire party and treated Trump as an infection. Michael Vlock, a longtime GOP financier who grew disgusted by Trump during the primary, recently told the National Republican Senatorial Committee that he wasn’t interested when asked if he’d like to speak by phone with new NRSC chair, Sen. Cory Gardner. “I will no longer support any Republican until and unless they repudiate Trump. The party has been co-opted or has surrendered to the ignorant and dishonest sociopath presumably because, in spite of his policies that are at odds with numerous fundamental conservative principles, they FOIA CBP 001288 DHS-17-0435-B-000585 188 believe that they can achieve much needed legislative changes by holding its nose and accepting him,” Vlock wrote in an email to the NRSC aide, which he shared with CNN. “Until and unless they repudiate Trump,” he continued, “every Republican will find, deservedly, that their legacy is irrevocably stained.” Because nonprofits do not have to disclose fundraising hauls or contributors, it’s unclear just how alone Vlock may find himself. A survey of major conservative givers during the 2016 campaign revealed few who had committed major contributions to the nonprofit, with Republican contributors ranging from Warren Stephens to T. Boone Pickens telling CNN they had no contact with America First Policies. Meanwhile, rival groups are trying to fill the sudden void. Great America Alliance, one such nonprofit, revealed to CNN that this week will announce a $1 million advertising campaign in 2018 Senate states portraying Trump as a promise-keeper. It boasts Trump confidants Rudy GIuliani and Newt Gingrich as chairs. “The difference between us and other organizations is that we have principals,” claimed Eric Beach, the group’s strategist. And one group with a track record of success is run to the wealthy Ricketts family of the Midwest. Future 45, a super PAC which thanks to a half-dozen of the most elite Republican donors spent close to $30 million on Trump’s behalf, and its linked nonprofit has hired a suite of A-list Republican operatives from around Washington as it prepares advertising campaigns on Trump administration priorities. In addition to the money left over from the campaign — a substantial majority of which came from Las Vegas casino titan Sheldon Adelson — the groups are actively fundraising, throwing it into competition with other pro-Trump groups that is all too familiar. GOP Rep. Tom MacArthur Tells Town Hall Audience He Is Not A Trump Clone Philly (PA), March 6, 2017 U.S. Rep. Tom MacArthur sought to mollify unrest from the left as he took questions for two hours at a town-hall meeting Monday night, reminding constituents who filled an Ocean County firehouse that he was “not Donald Trump.” The Republican congressman, who represents New Jersey’s Third District, won applause as he told the crowd that he was among a handful of GOP members of Congress who had most often worked with Democrats, and as he empathized with some of their concerns, like condemning a recent rise in hate crimes. But he drew objections as he maintained it was too soon to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate claims of Russian interference in the recent presidential election, or to force Trump to release his tax returns. “I’m not Donald Trump’s spokesman,” MacArthur said. “Donald Trump actually doesn’t answer to Congress, Donald Trump answers to you.” While “I think he should release his taxes,” that “doesn’t mean I think it’s Congress’ role” to step in, MacArthur said. “If not you, then who?” someone called out. MacArthur assured the crowd he was “always watching” the moves by the new administration, including “to make sure we don’t start breaking up families” with immigration changes. “But he is,” came another response from the crowd. To the dissenters, MacArthur said, “My guess is you weren’t thrilled [Trump] got elected in the first place.” But “I am going to give this administration a chance.” MacArthur is the first lawmaker from the Philadelphia region to host a town-hall meeting since Trump’s election, which has motivated activism and spurred demands for Republicans to address constituents in person. Like a number of other Republicans, MacArthur had rebuffed what he described as meetings co-opted by outside organizers seeking to embarrass lawmakers. He skipped a meeting held two weeks ago in Marlton that drew hundreds of constituents. On Monday in Waretown, Geoff Ginter of Pine Beach told MacArthur that he took “deep, serious offense” to characterizations that meetings were being “taken over by protesters.” “I am your constituent, whether I agree with you or not,” Ginter said. “I assure you, sir, that I cannot be marginalized.” MacArthur, in response, told the crowd that “I know you are my constituents. I know that.” “That doesn’t mean there aren’t paid organizers,” he said to some boos, before adding that he respected protesters and freedom of speech. People lined the perimeter of the firehouse, which has a capacity of 250. Some people waiting outside were let in as others left, though a MacArthur spokeswoman estimated 60 couldn’t get inside. While the crowd appeared mostly left-leaning, there were conservatives in the room, too. On guns, one man thanked MacArthur for sponsoring a concealed-carry reciprocity law, garnering some applause. At times, MacArthur told people his mind wasn’t made up — including on the future of the Affordable Care Act. House Republicans released a replacement bill Monday night, just as MacArthur’s town hall was to begin. MacArthur said he had recently spoken to Gov. Christie about the potential impact to New Jersey — which expanded Medicaid under the health-care law — “if this gets frozen or cut off.” “He gave me pretty dire predictions about what happens,” MacArthur said. FOIA CBP 001289 DHS-17-0435-B-000586 189 While “I don’t know how I’m going to vote,” he said, “if we pull the rug out from under the most vulnerable, I can’t support that.” Voters Think Race Relations Will Worsen Under Trump Raleigh (NC) News & Observer, March 6, 2017 African-Americans, whites and Latinos are united in their pessimism about the current and future state of race relations under President Donald Trump, according to a new McClatchy-Marist poll. More than half of Americans believe race relations in the country have worsened over the last year and will continue to deteriorate under Trump. The poll found that 51 percent of registered voters think relations have gotten worse while only 10 percent think they have improved. And voters don’t have much hope that things will get better with Trump in the White House: Fifty-one percent also said they expect relations to worsen under Trump. This gloomy outlook spans racial lines, according to Lee Miringoff, the director of the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion, which conducted the national survey. Sixty percent of Latinos, 57 percent of African-Americans and 50 percent of whites think relations have gotten worse over the last year. “Usually, it’s a different response from different groups,” Miringoff said. “But it’s practically uniform among blacks, whites and Latinos that it will deteriorate.” There’s little optimism about the future. Among African￾Americans, 73 percent said race relations would worsen under Trump, 9 percent said things would improve and 12 percent said they expected relations to remain the same. “I’m not sure if everything is going to be OK or not,” said Tessie Ross, 70, an African-American Democrat from Overton, Texas. “I got a feeling that (Trump) is a little bit prejudiced. I’m not sure where he’ll stand, if he starts taking away rights. I’m trying to save my judgments and see what he does.” Sixty-four percent of Latinos said race relations would get worse, 19 percent said they would improve and 13 percent think nothing will change. Their grim outlook is fueled in part by Trump’s recent executive orders on immigration and refugees and his campaign vow to build a giant wall along the U.S.-Mexican border, Miringoff said. Forty-eight percent of white voters thought race relations will worsen under Trump, 29 percent said they would improve and 20 percent don’t expect relations to change under Trump. “I think we’ve come a long way, but there’s always room for more understanding on both sides,” said Mary Bailes, 62, a white moderate conservative voter from Boca Raton, Florida. “There definitely has to be more conversations, empathy, definitely.” By political affiliation, 79 percent of Democrats expected race relations to worsen under Trump, only 6 percent said things will improve and 12 percent said things would stay about the same. Republicans voters offered a more optimistic view: Sixty-three percent said race relations would improve under Trump, 22 percent predicted no change and 12 percent think relations will get worse. “I pray that things do get better,” said Sandra Church, a 50-year-old white independent voter from Dillon, South Carolina. “But that’s not saying they will.” Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., told McClatchy that America is “moving in the right direction” when it comes to race relations while also “hitting potholes along the way.” “Obviously, there’s more polarization than we’ve seen in recent decades, probably,” said Scott, whose state has been rocked in recent years by the racially motivated slayings of nine African-American churchgoers in Charleston and a debate over flying the Confederate flag. “That’s probably more the manifestations of the challenges that have been unearthed. . . . I think you’ll see tremendous gains in the years to come. But there’s no question that there’s a certain level of distrust that is palpable that perhaps was not as evident before, and we’re all going to have to be responsible for defusing some of those challenges.” Trump won 8 percent of the African-American vote and 29 percent of the Latino vote in last year’s election, a contest in which race played heavily. He called former President Barack Obama, the nation’s first African-American president, “a great divider” and argued that “race relations now are as bad as they’ve ever been.” Trump riled many African-American voters by calling their neighborhoods “ghettos” and suggesting that cities with large African-American populations, like Philadelphia and Cleveland, were places where large-scale voter fraud would likely occur. He also made overtures to African-American voters, outlining a so-called “New Deal for Black America” in an October campaign speech in Charlotte, North Carolina, and saying he would help strengthen historically black colleges and universities. His pitch to African-American voters: “What the hell do you have to lose?” Samantha Calixtro, 26, an independent voter from Weatherford, Texas, hopes that Trump is able to bridge racial divides. But she also said it was going to take more than the man in the White House to make race relations better. “It’s kind of up to us as people that need to unite,” she said. “Hopefully, we teach our children, just raise them to think that we’re all equal.” FOIA CBP 001290 DHS-17-0435-B-000587 190 Manchin In The Middle – POLITICO Magazine Politico Magazine, March 6, 2017 The first time Manchin ran for governor, in 1996, he was against abortion and for the death penalty and boot camps for juvenile offenders, and he had campaign contributions from the coal industry and endorsements from the state’s biggest bankers and The day before the inauguration of Donald Trump, in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill, Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia was sitting at his desk eating chili out of a paper cup when his cellphone buzzed. He didn’t recognize the number, but he answered anyway, something he almost always does. “Hey, hey—governor!” he said. “How ya doin’, buddy?” It was Jeb Bush. The two have known each other for years. Bush was the governor of Florida at the same time Manchin was the governor of West Virginia, and “governors have a bond,” Manchin mused to Bush on the phone. But Bush had not called to catch up. He had called to lobby. One of Trump’s Cabinet nominees was in trouble—Betsy DeVos, his pick to be education secretary—and she would need help to win confirmation in the Senate. Two moderate Republicans would vote against her, and Manchin, perhaps the most conservative Democrat in Washington, was the likeliest candidate to break from his party and push DeVos over the line. He had already proved his willingness to back other nominees. Could he see his way to getting behind Trump’s education pick as well? The former Republican presidential front-runner is not a voice most Democrats would expect to find on the line, or so clearly take in stride. But most Democrats don’t sit where Joe Manchin sits, in one of the most unusual positions in Washington today. The instant Trump won his surprise victory in November, all eyes turned to Manchin as maybe the most vulnerable senator on the 2018 electoral map. Trump had swept Manchin’s state by an astonishing 42 points. His home￾state voters hadn’t just leaned away from the candidate he endorsed—they had rejected her more convincingly than any voters outside Wyoming. But if Manchin is worried, he isn’t behaving that way. In fact, as Bush’s personal entreaty suggests, Manchin is being courted by both parties: He was tapped for the Senate Democratic leadership within days of the election, but that didn’t prevent him from making a visit to Trump Tower almost a month later, briefly putting his name in the mix for a Cabinet job. Nationally, the party needs him for his 48th vote in the Senate and also as a kind of translator for its ideas to Trump’s America. As for his home state, he seems almost relieved no longer to be tied to the liberal policies of a president his voters hated. And he doesn’t mind the attention from the new one.”I’ve had more personal time with Trump in two months,” he marveled, “than I had with [Barack] Obama in eight years.” Manchin’s comfort working with Trump has infuriated progressives, which have lambasted him as an enemy of party purity—a Democrat in name only—and there’s chatter in West Virginia about a possible primary from his left. Emboldened Republicans, meanwhile, see the seat in red￾shifting West Virginia as theirs for the taking. It’s hard to view his 2018 race as anything other than a referendum on what it means to be a Democrat. Here at the hyperdivisive dawn of the era of Trump, Manchin sits smack in the middle of the unresolved debate over whether rattled Democrats should respond to an angry base by veering harder to the left or instead notch some compromises in an effort to regain the trust of people who aren’t clustered on the coasts or in cities and college towns. Is Manchin, in other words, part of the answer for the Democratic Party, a piece of the future—or is he the end of a line, one of the last of his breed? “If the question is, ‘Is there space for Joe Manchin inside the tent of the Democratic Party?’” said Matt Bennett of Third Way, a group that advocates for center-left Democrats, “the answer is, ‘There better be.’ Or else we’re going to be in the minority forever.” “If you want to have a Democratic Party in places like West Virginia,” said Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut, “you have to be happy about somebody like Joe Manchin, right?” Progressives, though, say extinction is next to inevitable for Democrats who have chosen the route Manchin has. “Our position,” said Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, “is that Democrats in red states are shooting themselves in the foot for the November 2018 election if they are not fighting Trump.” “Not fighting Trump” is a pretty fair description of how Manchin had spent November, December and January. He had chided House Democrats for their decision to boycott the new president’s inauguration. He had supported nearly all of Trump’s Cabinet nominees. He had even introduced Rick Perry, another former governor and Trump’s nominee for energy secretary, at his Senate hearing. DeVos, though, was turning out to be an exception. In his office, in his folksy, meandering way, Manchin displayed no hint of existential fear as he politely explained to Bush the limits of his Trump support. “Jeb,” he said, “I appreciate your call, because that means a lot, but ….” Charter schools, vouchers, the privatization of education—it wasn’t a good fit, Manchin believed, for rural West Virginia. He had heard from constituents, and from the state’s teachers’ union. He assured Bush that he would work with DeVos no matter what, and that she almost certainly was going to get confirmed, even without his vote—eventually she did, albeit barely—but Manchin let him know that on this vote he would stick with his FOIA CBP 001291 DHS-17-0435-B-000588 191 party. “I’ve got people back home who are very much concerned,” he said. He hung up, finished his chili and rested one of his big brown shoes on top of his desk. On one wall in his suite in Hart is a poster with a picture of John F. Kennedy and a quote from the 35th president—”Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer”—and to Manchin’s right in his office is a glass case filled with campaign buttons for Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy, Jimmy Carter and other Democrats from the past half￾century. Next to the glass case is a small bronze statue of a coal miner. And above the coal miner is a flat-screen television, and now it was set on CNN, with the sound back on, showing images of Trump’s arrival in Washington. “I can call Donald Trump now, and he’ll probably pick up,” Manchin said in his office. “He picks up his phone. If you’ve got his number, he’ll talk to you. Damnedest thing I ever seen in my life. And he’ll call me and say, ‘Hey, this is Donald.’” Trump had called him—the first of several conversations—on Thanksgiving weekend. “Just called me out of the clear blue sky,” Manchin said. “And he says, ‘I know you’re a centrist Democrat, and you don’t look at party lines, and you want to work across the aisle and get something done, and I want to work with you.’ I said, ‘Oh, you got no problem with me.’” I’ve had more personal time with Trump in two months than I had with Obama in eight years. … he’ll call me and say, ‘Hey, this is Donald.’” This Trump-friendly stance, of course, comes with risk as well. The extent and durability of Trump’s popularity is impossible to predict. If Trump doesn’t deliver on his promise of coal jobs; if the flashy New Yorker goes down in some kind of self-dealing scandal, he could become a liability for the rural voters who put him in office. But as the clock ticked down on the Obama presidency, Manchin wasn’t holding himself like a man under threat. Outside his office, he walked the halls of the Hill and the streets with the loping, confident gait of the ex-athlete that he is. One man flagged him down, wanting to shake his hand. “You’re a good man,” the man said to Manchin. “I like what you do. And I’m a Republican.” “You’re an American,” Manchin responded. Several people wearing red hats saying MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN asked to have their picture taken with Manchin, and he happily obliged. Was this bipartisan glad-handing a glimpse of the way forward for the Democratic Party, or a quaint anachronism of a less partisan time? On the way back to his office, Manchin was stopped once more, by Buck McKeon, the former California congressman—another Republican. “You’re doing great,” McKeon said. He told Manchin he was in the “sweet spot.” “Well,” Manchin said, as he walked on, mulling over the notion, “it’s either the sweet spot or the hot spot.” He laughed. “It’s some kind of spot.” Regardless, he said, “I like it.” *** Joe Manchin’s ascent as a Democrat in West Virginia is remarkable given that it has coincided with his state’s lurch from being one of the most resolutely blue to one of the most reliably red. Since 2000, West Virginia has voted for only Republicans for president, its congressional delegation has turned from all Democrats to all Republicans except Manchin, and the state legislature in 2014 flipped to GOP control for the first time in 83 years. And during this transformative span, exactly one statewide Democrat won again and again. His many supporters say it’s because Manchin, 69, is skilled and shrewd and pragmatic. His many critics say it’s because he’s politically pliable and driven by instincts of self￾preservation. All of them are right. What Manchin is doing right now vis-à-vis Trump and his administration, this exacting straddling act—a nod to the left and a nod to the right, balancing the preferences of his party with the realities of the state he represents—is a version of something Democrats used to do almost reflexively, blending strains of liberalism and conservatism to create a mixture that appealed to their specific constituents. Zell Miller of Georgia and Ben Nelson of Nebraska personified that ethic in the Senate; representatives like Jane Harman anchored the conservative Blue Dog Democrats in the House. By the time Manchin arrived in the Senate in 2010, filling the seat held for half a century by Robert Byrd, he had been honing his own unique combination of political ideas for decades. The first time Manchin ran for governor, in 1996, he was against abortion and for the death penalty and boot camps for juvenile offenders, and he had campaign contributions from the coal industry and endorsements from the state’s biggest bankers and business leaders. He then lost in the Democratic primary to Charlotte Pritt, a teacher, a daughter of a coal miner and an unabashed liberal who had the enthusiastic backing of union labor. Progressives in West Virginia still fume over what Manchin did next. In October of that year, weeks before the general election, he sent 900 letters to top Democrats around the state saying he wasn’t supporting Pritt because she wasn’t “interested in the concerns of moderate and conservative Democrats.” Instead, Manchin wrote, he would be supporting Cecil Underwood, the Republican candidate. Underwood won. “He’s not a real Democrat and never has been,” Pritt said in a recent interview. Back in 1996, though, the most important Democrats in the state made the same decision he did. Gaston Caperton, the outgoing governor at the time, didn’t actively support Pritt. Neither did Byrd in Washington. And Pritt wasn’t endorsed by a single major newspaper in the state—not even the Democratic-leaning Charleston Gazette. FOIA CBP 001292 DHS-17-0435-B-000589 192 Most Democrats in West Virginia, its editorial pointed out, are “middle-of-the-road folks, not inclined to stray too far from the centerline.” Manchin gauged the political makeup of the state and chose pragmatism over ideological purity. His calculus paid off. By 2005, he was the governor, a tax-cutting, anti-abortion, pro-gun Democrat—an overall political portrait that hasn’t changed. His tax policies earned him an “A” from the libertarian Cato Institute—the sole Democrat to get that grade—and he would slam Obama’s Environmental Protection Agency for “pie-in-the-sky” environmental standards, siding more with the interests of the state’s influential extraction industries. “I’m Governor Joe Manchin,” he said in one of his first speeches in the office, “and I am proud to be a friend of coal.” He talked a lot about wanting to run the government like a business, sounding like a Republican at least as often as he sounded like a Democrat, but he also managed to gain the support of labor groups that had shunned him in 1996. He won in 2004 with 64 percent of the vote. He won in 2008 with just shy of 70 percent of the vote. When he ran for the Senate, to highlight his endorsement from the National Rifle Association while simultaneously distancing himself from the toxic-in-West Virginia Obama, he filmed a theatrical ad titled “Dead Aim,” in which he slowly loaded a rifle, pointed it downfield and fired a bullet through a copy of the president’s cap-and-trade bill. It was a Manchin touch on a GOP template—and it worked. But in Washington, he was willing to cross the NRA crowd as well. After the murder of 20 elementary school students in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012, he partnered with Republican Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania to push for bipartisan legislation to bolster background checks on sales of guns. For this, some Second Amendment crusaders called him a faker and a traitor. The effort with Toomey ultimately failed, but it cemented how Manchin wanted to be seen: as a common-sense conduit between warring political factions, an image he has tried to cultivate throughout his time in the Senate. He has the most conservative voting record of Senate Democrats, according to GovTrack, a congressional analyst. He wishes more of his colleagues would do the same, too, to soften up the party-line lockstep. In Washington, he lives on a houseboat, Almost Heaven, which he keeps docked in Southeast D.C.—”You buy something permanent, they think you like the place, and I sure as hell don’t like the place,” he says—and uses it as a neutral ground for foes from the Hill. Once, he invited Senate colleagues Tom Harkin and Ted Cruz, ideological opposites from Iowa and Texas, respectively. “Tom wasn’t really excited about it, because they come from the yin and the yang,” Manchin recalled. “I thought, ‘Oh, hell, have another glass of wine.’” Liquor is a go-to lubricant. Manchin likes hosting bipartisan happy hours for staffers of senators who are politically combative. “A little moonshine loosens ‘em up,” he said. *** It’s fair to say these matchmaking efforts in Washington haven’t made much of a difference. Congress has gone the opposite way. Rarely have the nation’s political parties been more starkly divided. Regular aisle-crossers like Manchin have been vanishing from both parties. And never has his brand of bipartisanship been more of a tightrope than over the past year and a half. He endorsed Hillary Clinton early in the presidential campaign, in the middle of 2015, almost a year before she said her policies were “going to put a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of business”—and yet he still campaigned with her after that, making sure to label her comment “horrific” but insisting it wasn’t what was “in her heart” and that she was “a friend” to West Virginia. It didn’t work. In the state’s Democratic primary, Bernie Sanders won all 55 counties. In the general election, only 26 percent of the voters in his state voted for Clinton. After that, it didn’t take long for Manchin to toggle toward Trump. If the question is, ‘Is there space for Joe Manchin inside the tent of the Democratic Party?’ the answer is, ‘There better be.’” In November, when exiting Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, with whom Manchin had a frosty relationship, called Trump “a sexual predator who lost the popular vote,” Manchin noisily sided with Trump, saying Reid’s comments were “an absolute embarrassment.” In December, Manchin eagerly accepted the invitation to go to Trump Tower, issuing a statement that he was “honored” to meet with Trump and “humbled” to be considered for secretary of energy. It wasn’t clear at the time whether he was ever in serious contention for the post—Trump went with Perry shortly after meeting with Manchin—but a source familiar with GOP deliberations told Politico there was concerted maneuvering to get Manchin into the Trump administration, blessed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. In a Machiavellian play, McConnell hoped to remove Manchin from the Senate, the source says, believing it would all but guarantee the seat going to a Republican. “There was serious effort to get him into the Cabinet,” a top GOP official said. Manchin pooh-poohed this: “I talked to Mitch a few times, but it was nothing,” he said. “It wasn’t anything about, ‘I want you to do anything.’” Either way, Manchin continued in January with his pro￾Trump activity. He skipped a meeting on the Hill to discuss health care with Obama and fellow Democrats because he couldn’t “in good conscience” talk to “only Democrats.” He announced his support for Trump’s selection to lead the EPA, Scott Pruitt, a climate-change denier who has been an FOIA CBP 001293 DHS-17-0435-B-000590 193 antagonist of the agency he was tapped to lead, by participating in a highly unusual joint news release with Trump’s transition team, in which Manchin was quoted saying he and Pruitt had “a great deal in common.” The day before the inauguration, over a breakfast of oatmeal and berries at the Hay-Adams Hotel a block from the White House, he let loose with some parting shots for Obama. The “redundancies” of his environmental regulations, Manchin said, “broke the will of the businessperson.” Manchin is not in favor of “repealing and replacing” the Affordable Care Act, wanting to fix what needs to be fixed rather than starting over, but he said “Obamacare” was “when everything in the states got crazy—just divided the country.” In West Virginia, he said, Obama is beyond disliked. “There’s hatred.” Manchin voted for Obama in 2008, and for Clinton last year, but he won’t say whether he voted for Obama in 2012—”that’s between me and my ballot.” About the new president, on the other hand, Manchin expressed fairly unfettered optimism. “He’ll correct the trading policies, the imbalance in our trade policies, which are horrible,” he said. “He’ll hold China’s feet to the fire. He’s spot-on on China.” And “hell no,” Manchin said, he didn’t have a problem with Trump calling companies to keep them from moving factories overseas. “Go right ahead and bully them, if we get more jobs in America,” he said. Then he went and introduced Rick Perry—”my friend,” he said—at his confirmation hearing. In the first week of the Trump presidency, he voted to confirm Trump defense secretary General James Mattis, Trump homeland security secretary General John Kelly and Trump ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, which put him in line with most Senate Democrats—but he also objected to his party’s delay tactics on confirming many of Trump’s other, more disputed nominees, which he called “bullshit.” In interviews with Politico, Republicans lobbed compliments his way. “He is certainly someone who’s unafraid of crossing the aisle,” said Senator Susan Collins, the moderate Republican from Maine. “The American people need people like Joe Manchin,” said Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina, who has a Manchin bumper sticker—his only bumper sticker for a Democrat—on his beat-up, semi-notorious Volkswagen Thing. Manchin’s chumminess with Trump, the statements he has made and the stances he has taken, have left some in his own caucus, meanwhile, privately rolling their eyes and shaking their heads. For the most part, though, his Democratic Senate colleagues tacitly have given him latitude based on a resigned understanding of his looming test in 2018. “He will have a very hard reelection, and we know it,” one Senate Democrat told Politico. “We know West Virginia voted overwhelmingly for Donald Trump as president, and he has to represent his state, so it’s not unusual for him to take the positions he does,” said Gary Peters of Michigan. “You can’t really blame Joe,” another Senate Democrat said. “You can blame West Virginia.” “And he really tries, I think, to help when he can,” said Dick Durbin of Illinois. “But there are times when he can’t.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York gave Manchin a leadership role after the election in November, tasking him with, among other things, improving Democrats’ “messaging” to Democrats, or one-time Democrats who voted for Trump in places like West Virginia. And on the sixth day of the Trump presidency, at a retreat for Senate Democrats in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, Manchin hosted a panel of half a dozen such people—people whose families he has known for a long time, people who have voted for Manchin who nonetheless also voted for Trump. Some of Manchin’s colleagues got more out of the session than others—Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut called it “interesting, but certainly not novel”—but the overall takeaway was sufficiently simple: These are the sorts of people Democrats are going to have to win back, at least if they want to win again in areas that are red and getting redder, and they will vote for a Democrat so long as that Democrat looks something like Manchin. “Joe,” Durbin told Politico, “is a reminder to us.” Two days later, in Charleston, the capital of West Virginia, and where Manchin lives when he’s not staying on Almost Heaven in Washington, Manchin attended a small ceremony to recognize eight graduates of a program called Mined Minds to help train blue-collar workers for technology jobs. The venue was the airy, high-ceilinged atrium of the state culture center and history museum, across a courtyard from the capitol’s handsome gold dome. Outside, it was cold and gray and looked like snow. Inside, Manchin shook hands, kissed cheeks and touched shoulders. He is 6-foot-3, but his physical presence is tempered by his soft-featured face and genial, first-name-basis disposition. In his non-politics life, he was a carpet salesman and a coal broker. He’s good at the retail side of the job, and even his critics concur. Manchin congratulated the graduates, concluding his remarks by saying, “Please come to Washington to visit me. I get lonely up there for West Virginians.” As the people filed out, off to the side, Manchin was asked about a story on the bottom of the front page of that day’s local paper. A state legislator from the southern part of the state had dropped his party affiliation, changing from a Democrat to an independent. The legislator was quoted in the article saying the national Democratic Party hadn’t done a good job of being “pro-coal, pro-gun, pro-life and pro-jobs.” FOIA CBP 001294 DHS-17-0435-B-000591 194 “I can understand that,” Manchin said. “My secret sauce is this: It’s just me. I am who I am,” he explained. “My brand is Joe Manchin, and I don’t think they’re looking at the ‘D’ or the ‘R.’ They know me—they knew me as governor, they knew me as secretary of state—and they say, ‘Yeah, but he’s not that type of Democrat.’” Some wonder why he’s still any kind of Democrat. “I’m hanging on to my roots,” Manchin said. *** Manchin is a Democrat because of the Kennedys, and because he was and is Catholic, and because of coal and the unions of workers who pulled it out of mountains, and because of where he grew up, and when—the 1950s and ‘60s, when basically everybody in West Virginia, and especially in Farmington, up by the Pennsylvania border, was a Democrat. Republicans, Manchin thought when he was young, were rich. And he lived “between the crick and the tracks.” He didn’t know anybody who was rich. He is a Democrat because of his grandfather, who came to this country in 1904 as a boy from Italy named Giuseppe Mancini. America made that Joe Manchin. He went to work in the mines when he was 11 and helped organize a union in his 20s and then opened an auto repair shop and finally a grocery store, where he kept what customers owed in a black box of debts he seldom tried to collect. Manchin is a Democrat because of his grandmother, Kathleen Roscoe Manchin, or Mama Kay. She was all but officially Farmington’s largest charity. He watched her take in hobos off the passing trains, giving them a place to stay only if they agreed to dry out. He watched her broker peace between pregnant teenagers and their mothers. He delivered the loaves of bread she baked for neighbors on Saturdays. And he is a Democrat because of his uncle, A. James Manchin, perhaps the most colorful politician in the history of West Virginia, a 5-foot-9, 280-pound “parade of handshakes, kisses and oratory,” in the words of his biographer. There are those who say John F. Kennedy would not have won the presidency without winning the primary in West Virginia, and that he wouldn’t have won the primary without A. James Manchin, and so it would follow that Kennedy would not have been president without the grass-roots help of the man Manchin knew as Uncle Jimmy. Manchin got married in 1967, and he became a father in 1969, but the month he became an adult really was November 1968. His father owned a furniture store, and it burned down, killing three customers and a sales clerk. A week later, the local No. 9 mine blew up, killing 78 miners— including his mother’s brother. Manchin took a semester off from West Virginia University, where he was a business administration major, to help his family regroup. November 1968 was a blur of grief for the Manchins, a before-and-after event. For the country, too, it would prove to be an inflection point, because Richard Nixon’s election as president marked the end of the winning Democratic coalition pieced together in the aftermath of the Depression by Franklin D. Roosevelt— and the beginning of a new political framework in which many people who were white and lived in rural, working-class places peeled away from Democrats and started to vote for Republicans. Looking back, the late ‘60s and early ‘70s were the incubator for the long-arc trends that put Manchin on an island of congressional moderates and Trump in the Oval Office—mechanization and then globalization, the decline of the unions that helped non-college-educated workers earn wages that enabled middle-class existences, and the slow deaths of so many towns like the one in which Manchin was raised. Farmington today is a shell of what it was. St. Peter’s Catholic Church, where Manchin was an altar boy, is still there. So is the smoke-filled pool hall called Sam’s, where the Manchin men played poker. The Manchin clinic, where Manchin’s brother is a doctor, is still open as well. Otherwise, the two-block main drag is mostly vacant. Manchin’s high school is long since closed. The No. 9 mine shut down a decade after the disaster, and other mines in the area have closed or slowed, able to operate with fewer employees. Manchin says people in Farmington were Democrats “because Roosevelt saved ‘em in the Depression.” “But the old FDR Democrats, they’re not alive anymore,” said Ted Boettner, executive director of the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy—and subsequent generations didn’t see the party “working for them the way it did for their parents.” Farmington has been losing population since the ‘50s. And in November, Marion County, a cradle of the candidacy of JFK, voted for Trump just as passionately as the rest of the state. Democrats at this point in a place like this are clinging to pieces of the past. The first week of February, in the house where Manchin grew up, his sister, Paula Manchin Llaneza, plucked from their parents’ chest of drawers photo albums and brittle, yellowed clippings from local newspapers. Later, in a house across town, one of Manchin’s cousins, Theresa Witt, gathered her own collection of Manchin memorabilia. Together they formed a jumbled archive of the life of Senator Joe Manchin—the news of his all-conference exploits (“Versatile QB,” the headline said), of his athletic scholarship to WVU (“strong arm,” the coach said), of his injured knee and finished career (“heartbroken,” his sister said), the coverage of the fire (“the town’s largest business establishment,” the article said), a brief about his first political victory in 1982, a picture of him on election night in 2000 with Uncle Jimmy. And all the obituaries. Of his uncle and his father and his grandfather. Of Mama Kay. “I’m going to call Joe,” Witt announced. “I want him to tell you about Mama Kay.” FOIA CBP 001295 DHS-17-0435-B-000592 195 It was a Thursday, nearing the end of the second hectic week of President Trump, dinner hour, dark now, and Manchin was in Washington. He had votes early the next morning, leading up to the DeVos decision. To that point in the week, Manchin—the West Virginia Democrat, the Farmington Democrat, a Democrat by birth just as much as by choice and therefore this idiosyncratic, iconoclastic mix on display in D.C.—on Tuesday had voted to confirm Trump Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and on Wednesday had voted to confirm Trump Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and met in his office with Trump’s unsurprisingly conservative pick for the Supreme Court. In his statement about Neil Gorsuch, Manchin had urged his colleagues to “put partisan politics aside.” The biggest ongoing story of the week, though, was the furor and nationwide protests over Trump’s immigration ban—and here was another break from Trump for Manchin. It had taken Manchin, conspicuously, three days to say something about it, putting him well behind his peers— his mother-in-law had died over the weekend—and his statement read cautiously compared with many of the other Democrats’ stern rebukes. But Manchin noted that the “scope and execution” of the order “unfortunately” did not in his estimation constitute “a common sense approach” and seemed to be “rushed through before being properly vetted by senior security advisers.” Now Manchin was on speakerphone, his voice filling the kitchen of his cousin’s house in his hometown, and he was talking about the bedtime stories his Mama Kay used to tell him. “She’s 6 years old, and she’s on a ship, she’s in steerage, the cheapest area of the boat, which is the bottom, and I remember her telling the story that she heard people screaming. She couldn’t—she’s down at the bottom of the boat—but she says she remembers when they’re coming into New York Harbor. She didn’t know where she was or what was going on, but all she remembers hearing is people screaming, ‘The lady, the lady, the lady!’ And the lady was the Statue of Liberty. And she wanted to see that lady. She kept running up and they kept chasing her down, she kept running up and they kept chasing her down, and she finally stuck around, to where she could see that lady.” Compared with his statement critiquing Trump’s order, this seemed like a far more intimate, affecting way of discussing immigration. He was asked whether he had thought about the story in the aftermath of Trump’s immigration order. If he had thought about Mama Kay. “Yes,” Manchin said. *** The next day, back in Charleston, fresh off a flight from Washington, Manchin sat shotgun in a big white SUV with signs on the sides saying it was his mobile office. Mara Boggs, his state director, gripped the steering wheel and sped south on Interstate 77, slicing through the brown-blue hills on the way to Beckley, where Manchin was scheduled to drop by a Veterans Affairs hospital before proceeding to a nearby funeral home to help his wife, Gayle, prepare for her mother’s burial. It had been a long two weeks. He was asked in the SUV about Trump’s executive orders, their substance, the pace. “First of all,” Manchin said, pushing back, again sounding almost more like a Republican, “Obama did a lot of executive orders.” He said he was pleased the new president was “moving fast.” He was asked about Gorsuch. Some Democrats were clamoring to block Gorsuch the way Republicans had obstructed Obama’s pick for the court. “It truly was an embarrassment the way Mitch McConnell treated a really accomplished jurist and a decent person in Merrick Garland,” Manchin said. “But I don’t know if two wrongs make a right.” And he was asked about his own seat in 2018. Was he siding with Trump in preparation for the fight he could see coming? The suggestion that he might be operating out of political calculation made him bristle. “What really pisses me off is all anybody thinks is I’m going to vote the way I vote or think the way I think because of getting elected,” he said. “They don’t understand. I don’t give a shit about getting elected.” If he loses, he gets to come home, he said. And if he wins, it’s “meant to be.” In the SUV, there was silence for a spell. Know this, though, Manchin added: “A Democrat that adheres to the Washington Democrat philosophy can’t win,” he said flatly. Not in West Virginia. Not in 2018. “I can tell you that.” He has been right so far. And in spite of its recent voting patterns, West Virginia still has more registered Democrats than Republicans, after all—but the national debate about what it means to be a Democrat and the direction of the party is happening now in Manchin’s state through the prism of his current positioning and his upcoming election. “If Joe Manchin is the answer, we’re doomed,” said Walt Auvil, an attorney in Parkersburg and a member of the state Democratic executive committee. “There’s no future in my mind for this ‘Republican lite,’” said Chris Regan, an attorney in Wheeling considered an up￾and-coming progressive in the state. “If there is going to be a Democratic resurgence in West Virginia and other states that have gone red, it’s going to be as a party that articulates its views and takes the fight to Republicans, not me-too-ism.” “Your new West Virginia Democrat is going to be aligned with a Bernie Sanders type,” said Shawn Fluharty, a left-leaning Democratic member of the state House of Delegates, “and not a Joe Manchin type.” That’s crazy, said Mike Plante, a longtime Democratic strategist based in the state: “Asking Joe Manchin to vote like a progressive Democrat is like asking him to put the noose around his neck and kick the chair out from under his feet.” FOIA CBP 001296 DHS-17-0435-B-000593 196 Republicans see this intraparty sniping and smile. Conrad Lucas, the state GOP leader, thinks Manchin’s practically beaten already, given West Virginia’s political swerve. “I think in 2018,” Lucas said, “he’ll be defeated overwhelmingly.” By? “Whoever our nominee is.” Potential opponents include Patrick Morrissey, the state’s first Republican attorney general since the 1930s; U.S. Representative David McKinley; and U.S. Representative Evan Jenkins, who flipped from Democrat to Republican in 2013 and told Politico he is “very seriously considering” running for Manchin’s seat in the Senate. Conservative groups are expected to hit Manchin with perhaps millions of dollars in ads. His endorsement of Clinton will be fodder. So might one of his three children, Heather Bresch, the CEO of drug company Mylan, tainted by the recent EpiPen price-hike controversy. Manchin is unconcerned. “I think they’ll talk about everything,” he said. *** Back in Washington, in the ensuing days and weeks, in the midst of the chaos of the first month of the Trump presidency, Manchin made good on his pledge to go against DeVos and also voted against Tom Price, Trump’s pick for secretary of Health and Human Services (who was confirmed). But Manchin voted for Jeff Sessions for attorney general and for Steven Mnuchin for Treasury secretary, two of the most contentious nominees. He was the only Democrat to vote for either of them. One evening, at an anti-DeVos rally in Washington, Manchin hugged liberal Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren; three days later, at a luncheon at the White House, he hugged Trump and then sat right next to the president as cameras clicked and rolled; two days after that, he met for an hour-long, off-the-record conversation with reporters and editors from the ethno-nationalist, Trump￾loving, formerly Steve Bannon-run Breitbart website. And then national security adviser Michael Flynn was ousted only 24 days into his new job, and a late-night bombshell broke the news that Trump aides had communicated with Russian intelligence officials throughout the presidential campaign. The next morning, in the Manchin suite in Hart, the headlines of the newspapers on the coffee table in the lobby blared. “Capital Reels Amid Tumult.” “White House in crisis mode.” Manchin, who in December was assigned to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, sat at his desk. Had members of Trump’s staff colluded with top Russian officials to influence the outcome of the most important election in America? Had Trump? “The doggone public needs to know,” Manchin said. Not even a full four weeks beforehand, at breakfast at the Hay-Adams, on the last day of Obama’s presidency, Manchin had talked about the incoming president in optimistic tones that sounded an awful lot like relief. Now? “Wherever the intel takes us is where we’ll go,” he said, decidedly warier. But he stressed he wasn’t “running from” Trump. “I’m not prejudging,” he said. “I’m not prejudging.” And he wasn’t hearing much from constituents, anyway, at least not yet. “It’s too early,” Manchin said. “He’s only been here a month. Democrats who don’t like him still don’t like him. He hasn’t won any of them over. Those who are still, like myself, wanting to work with him, and wanting him to succeed, I think we’re still in that position.” As soon as he figures out he’s not the CEO of the United States, he’s gonna be fine,” Manchin said. Think he will? “I’m hopin’, buddy,” he said. Manchin leaned back in his chair and watched Trump on the TV. “As soon as he figures out he’s not the CEO of the United States, he’s gonna be fine,” he said. Think he will? “I’m hopin’, buddy,” he said. A framed picture that had just been delivered sat outside his office. It showed Senate Democratic leaders— Sanders to Schumer’s far left, Manchin to his far right. Schumer had written a note. “Dear Joe,” it said. “Thanks for being part of the team!” The following week, Manchin would have a cantankerous conference call with political activists in West Virginia in which he called Sanders “not even a Democrat” and dared somebody to challenge him in a primary. “Vote me out!” he said. “I’m not changing!” And before Trump’s late February speech to a joint session of Congress, he would be part of Trump’s official escort to the front of the chamber; after the speech, he would give Trump another hug and laud his “presidential tone.” Now, though, Manchin walked past the Democratic leadership picture on his way to a meeting with Tom Perez, the soon-to-be-elected Democratic National Committee chairman, to discuss the party’s future. Bound for the offices of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, he stepped outside onto the sidewalk on Maryland Avenue and then bolted to a slim median. For a second, it looked like Manchin was going to make a break and run the rest of the way across. But he thought better of it, catching himself and retreating, opting instead to stay in the middle of the road as a cold wind whipped and traffic raced around him. Michael Kruse is a senior staff writer for Politico. Burgess Everett is a congressional reporter at Politico. House Democrats Identify Vulnerable Incumbents For 2018 Cycle By Cristina Marcos The Hill, March 6, 2017 FOIA CBP 001297 DHS-17-0435-B-000594 197 The House Democratic campaign arm on Monday announced the 19 members considered most vulnerable in the 2018 election cycle who will benefit from its incumbent protection program. More members could be added or removed from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s (DCCC) “Frontline Program,” which provides candidates with extra fundraising and campaign infrastructure support. Democrats need to win 24 seats to win back the House in 2018, which will mean they need to protect virtually all of their incumbents in addition to flipping GOP-held districts. It’s a tall order after House Democrats flipped only nine seats in 2016, with a net gain of just six. The list includes most of the 12 Democrats who represent districts won by President Trump in November. But four such lawmakers are notably absent: Reps. Tim Walz (Minn.), Ron Kind (Wis.), Matt Cartwright (Pa.) and Collin Peterson (Minn.). Kind, Cartwright and Peterson are considered strong incumbents who generally haven’t faced particularly tough general election challenges in recent years, despite representing districts won by Trump. Kind ran unopposed in last year’s election. Walz, meanwhile, is considering a run for Minnesota governor in 2018 after narrowly winning reelection to the House last year. He said last month that he expects to make a decision about a possible gubernatorial bid by April. The other eight Democrats in Trump districts are on the DCCC’s list: Reps. Rick Nolan (Minn.), Sean Patrick Maloney (N.Y.), Cheri Bustos (Ill.), Josh Gottheimer (N.J.), Tom O’Halleran (Ariz.), Jacky Rosen (Nev.), Carol Shea-Porter (N.H.) and Dave Loebsack (Iowa). The rest are in districts won by Democrat Hillary Clinton but still considered competitive next year: Reps. Ami Bera (Calif.), Salud Carbajal (Calif.), Charlie Crist (Fla.), Elizabeth Esty (Conn.), Ruben Kihuen (Nev.), Ann McLane Kuster (N.H.), Stephanie Murphy (Fla.), Scott Peters (Calif.), Raul Ruiz (Calif.), Brad Schneider (Ill.) and Tom Suozzi (N.Y.). “Each of these Democrats knows how to win tough races — proven by their success in a difficult national environment in 2016,” DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Luján (D￾N.M.) said in a statement. “Incumbent protection is a critical part of the DCCC’s offensive strategy, and will allow us to maximize our gains in 2018.” The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) released an initial list of 36 Democratic targets last month that includes most of the lawmakers in the DCCC’s Frontline Program. Democrats have indicated they’re targeting 59 GOP seats, focusing on Republicans representing districts carried by Clinton or narrowly won by Trump. A total of 23 GOP lawmakers represent Clinton districts, nearly the number of seats Democrats need to win the House majority. The NRCC so far has named 10 members, most of whom represent districts won by Clinton, to its incumbent protection program. Democrats Identify Vulnerable Members For 2018 By Simone Pathé Roll Call, March 6, 2017 The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee on Monday is naming 19 members to the Frontline Program for its most vulnerable incumbents in 2018. The initial Frontline roster, obtained first by Roll Call, is about half freshman members. Eight members won in districts President Donald Trump carried last fall. And all of them, save for one, are National Republican Congressional Committee initial targets. Seven of the members on this year’s list were also on the DCCC’s initial 2016 Frontline list. Out of the 12 Frontline members on the 2016 list who sought re-election last fall only Nebraska Rep. Brad Ashford lost. “Each of these Democrats knows how to win tough races — proven by their success in a difficult national environment in 2016,” DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Luján said in a statement. “The Frontline Program will help these members again build strong campaigns, maximize resources and take advantage of the energy from the grassroots, so that they can continue to fight on behalf of the hardworking people in their districts,” Luján added. Democrats need to gain 24 seats to win control of the House next year, which makes protecting their incumbents a high priority during a midterm year when turnout is typically less favorable for the party. The NRCC named 10 members to its incumbent protection program last month. Here are the 19 members on the Frontline roster, which is subject to change as the cycle develops: California Rep. Ami Bera was one of just a handful of Republican targets last cycle. He won re-election by 2 points against a challenger who faced allegations of unwanted sexual advances. Hillary Clinton won the 7th District comfortably, but Bera’s vulnerability will likely stem from his father’s guilty plea for making illegal contributions to his campaigns. California Rep. Salud Carbajal, a freshman, won by 7 points in a district Clinton carried by 20 points. California Rep. Raul Ruiz won by 24 points in a district Clinton won by 9 points. President Barack Obama won this district, too, but by narrower margins in 2012 and 2008. California Rep. Scott Peters also sits in a Clinton district, which he won by 13 points. Like his fellow California FOIA CBP 001298 DHS-17-0435-B-000595 198 representatives Bera and Ruiz, Peters was in the 2016 Frontline program. Illinois Rep. Cheri Bustos, another 2016 Frontline member, won re-election by 21 points last fall. But Trump narrowly carried her district, and it represents the kind of rural seat Republicans would like to pick off. Florida Rep. Charlie Crist, a freshman, only won by 4 points in a seat redistricted in Democrats’ favor. The former Republican governor has earned some negative press in his first few months and has already emerged as a favorite target of the NRCC. Florida Rep. Stephanie Murphy won her first term by 3 points last fall, defeating long-time Republican John Mica, who was caught unprepared to run a serious re-election campaign. She’ll likely be vulnerable against a different Republican. Connecticut Rep. Elizabeth Esty won a third term by 16 points last fall, but Clinton won less than 50 percent of the vote here. New Jersey Rep. Josh Gottheimer was one of Democrats’ success stories last fall, when he knocked off long-term GOP Rep. Scott Garrett after he ran afoul of national Republicans. But Gottheimer could have a tougher race in this Trump district against a Republican who’s not Garrett. Nevada Rep. Ruben Kihuen, another freshman, and Clinton both won the 4th District by low single digits. Nevada Rep. Jacky Rosen will likely have the tougher race of the two Silver State freshmen. She and Trump both narrowly won the 3rd District. New Hampshire Rep. Carol Shea-Porter is in her fourth non-consecutive term representing this swing district, which Trump carried in November. New Hampshire Rep. Ann McLane Kuster, who chairs the Frontline program, was also on the incumbent-protection program in 2016, when she won by about 4 points. She represents the more Democratic of the two Granite State districts. Iowa Rep. Dave Loebsack won a fifth term by 7 points last fall, but Trump carried his 2nd District by 4 points. New York Rep. Tom Suozzi’s Long Island district was a GOP target in 2016, but the Democrat won the open seat by 6 points. Clinton also won here, but with less than 55 percent of the vote. New York Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney won re-election by 11 points but sits in a Trump district. Minnesota Rep. Rick Nolan, who’s considering a gubernatorial bid in 2018, was one of Republicans’ top targets in 2016. He won by less than a point, while Trump carried the 8th District by 16 points. Arizona Rep. Tom O’Halleran, a freshman, represents a district that Trump — and Mitt Romney and John McCain before him — won. The former GOP state lawmaker won by 7 points last fall but that was against a scandal-plagued Republican who lost national support. Illinois Rep. Brad Schneider returned to Congress this year after defeating former GOP Rep. Robert J. Dold. His 10th District routinely flips parties in the midterms, but this is the one seat of the 19 that the NRCC has not included in its initial target list. Spotted on the House floor last month, Dold told Roll Call he hadn’t talked to the committee yet about running again. Republicans have identified 36 targets for 2018, a third of which are in Trump districts. But several of those members are absent from the initial Frontline roster. Trump carried Minnesota Rep. Collin C. Peterson’s 7th District by more than 30 points, which led Peterson to have a closer-than-expected re-election against an underfunded challenger. The same was true for fellow Democratic-Farmer￾Labor Rep. Tim Walz, who won re-election by less than one point. Both seats could be strong pick-up opportunities for Republicans if open. But Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales currently rates them both Lean Democrat. Republicans also have their sights set on Pennsylvania Rep. Matt Cartwright, whose 17th District Trump won by 10 points. Inside Elections rates his seat Democrat Favored. Trump more narrowly won Wisconsin Rep. Ron Kind’s district. His seat is also rated Democrat Favored but could present a stronger opening for Republicans if Kind runs for governor. David Samson, A Christie Ally, Sentenced To Home Confinement By Patrick McGeehan New York Times, March 6, 2017 David Samson, a former attorney general of New Jersey and longtime friend of Gov. Chris Christie, avoided prison time during his sentencing on Monday for pressuring executives of United Airlines into operating a weekly flight to South Carolina for his personal convenience. Instead, he was ordered to serve one year of home confinement. Mr. Samson, 77, pleaded guilty to bribery in July, admitting that he had used his power as chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to coerce United into running the route even though it was not profitable. He had threatened to block the construction of a hangar that United needed at Newark Liberty International Airport if the airline did not provide the service. The route ended in Columbia, near one of Mr. Samson’s homes. Mr. Samson is the fourth one-time ally of Mr. Christie to be convicted or to plead guilty to charges that arose from investigations into the closing of access lanes to the George Washington Bridge in 2013. Another of Mr. Christie’s appointees to the Port Authority, Bill Baroni, and one of the governor’s aides, Bridget FOIA CBP 001299 DHS-17-0435-B-000596 199 Anne Kelly, were convicted last year for their roles in the lane closings. They are scheduled to be sentenced later this month. Mr. Baroni’s top deputy at the agency, David Wildstein, pleaded guilty to running the scheme. Judge Jose L. Linares of United States District Court in Newark also ordered Mr. Samson to serve four years of probation and pay a $100,000 fine. Mr. Samson’s lawyers had argued that he should be given probation and ordered to perform community service because he was in such poor physical and mental shape. But federal prosecutors countered that Mr. Samson was “the highest-ranking appointed public official who has been convicted in this district in many years” and should be sent to prison. In a memorandum to the court last week, they wrote that Judge Linares had the chance to send the message “that violating the public trust is unacceptable and must be met with stiff penalties.” Mr. Christie, in a statement, said, “This is a sad day for David and his family and friends. The court has ruled and this chapter is now behind us. David will now pay the price for his bad judgment.” The sentencing was a long fall for Mr. Samson after many years of wielding influence in New Jersey. A founding partner of one of the state’s most powerful law firms, he had served as attorney general under former Gov. Jim McGreevey, a Democrat, and as a mentor to Mr. Christie, a Republican. Mr. Christie appointed him in 2010 to be chairman of the Port Authority, which operates the three major airports in the New York metropolitan area, as well as the bridges and tunnels that link New Jersey and New York City. He resigned from that position in 2014. Three days later, United stopped operating the flights between Newark and Columbia, S.C. Supreme Court Won’t Decide Transgender Bathroom Case By Richard Wolf USA Today, March 6, 2017 WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court will not decide the hot-button issue of transgender bathroom rights after all. The justices on Monday sent the case of Gavin Grimm, a 17-year-old Virginia high school senior, back to a federal appeals court because the Trump administration withdrew guidance to schools that had instructed them to grant transgender students’ bathroom preferences. The case had been scheduled for oral argument later this month. By rescinding the Obama administration’s policy, the Departments of Justice and Education eliminated the basis for the appeals court’s earlier decision in Grimm’s favor. While the Supreme Court could have decided the case on other grounds, it decided instead to give the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit another chance. Lawyers for Grimm and the Gloucester County School Board had urged the court to decide the case despite the sudden change in the federal government’s position on the issue. But the justices likely reasoned that they could deadlock 4-4 on the case while federal appeals court Judge Neil Gorsuch’s nomination to the ninth seat is pending, rendering their decision moot. The lawyers had said the high court still could decide whether a 1972 prohibition against sex discrimination in education requires that students can use sex-separated facilities based on their gender identity. “The school board believes the better course is for the court to proceed with argument and a decision on the merits, after receiving the current views of the United States,” Kyle Duncan, the board’s lawyer, wrote. Delaying action, he said, could lead to “enormous litigation costs as well as needless and divisive political controversy.” Joshua Block, the American Civil Liberties Union lawyer representing Grimm, had said the court should hear the case without delay. “Delaying resolution would provide no benefit to the court and would needlessly prolong harm to transgender students across the country awaiting this court’s decision,” he wrote. Missing from both letters was Gorsuch’s pending nomination. With hearings slated to begin March 20, the Senate could confirm the 49-year-old judge in time to hear April’s oral arguments, and certainly those lined up for the 2017 term beginning in October. Supreme Court Sends Virginia Transgender Case Back To Lower Court By Robert Barnes Washington Post, March 6, 2017 The Supreme Court on Monday vacated a lower court’s ruling in favor of a Virginia transgender student after the Trump administration withdrew the federal government’s guidance to public schools about the controversial bathroom policy. The justices were scheduled to hear the case later this month. But after the federal government’s position changed, the court said the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit should reconsider the dispute between the Gloucester County school board and 17-year-old Gavin Grimm. The 4th Circuit had relied on the federal government’s guidance that school should let transgender students use the bathroom that corresponds with the student’s gender identity. The Trump administration withdrew that guidance, which was issued by the Obama administration. Both the school board and Grimm’s attorneys had asked the Supreme Court to let the case proceed, saying it presented a reading of the civil rights law Title IX that the court ultimately will have to settle. FOIA CBP 001300 DHS-17-0435-B-000597 200 Grimm, whose birth gender was female, has become a celebrated figure in the transgender-rights community because of his lawsuit, with profiles in national media. His case was thought to be an important milestone on the issue. While the Obama administration said anti-discrimination laws required allowing transgender students to use the bathroom of their choice, the Trump administration said it needs more time to study the issue and put forward its own view of the law. The delay in Supreme Court consideration of the issue most likely means that it will do so with a full nine-member court. Trump has nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch to fill the seat left empty for more than a year after the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. Grimm began attending Gloucester High School as a boy during his sophomore year. He has changed his name and has a birth certificate identifying him as a boy. The case is Gloucester County School Board v. G. G. Transgender Bathroom Showdown Canceled By U.S. Supreme Court By Greg Stohr Bloomberg Politics, March 6, 2017 The U.S. Supreme Court canceled a scheduled showdown over the bathroom rights of transgender students in public schools, sending the case back to a lower court after the Trump administration changed a pivotal federal policy. The justices were planning to hear arguments March 28 in the case of Gavin Grimm, a transgender Virginia high school student seeking access to school restrooms that align with his gender identity. A federal appeals court had said the school district was probably violating U.S. civil rights law by reserving the boys’ bathrooms for “biological” males. The appellate court based its decision on an Obama administration letter that, until the new administration revoked it in February, interpreted federal law as protecting the bathroom rights of transgender students. The new Supreme Court order throws out the appeals court ruling. The lower court will now reassess the case by directly considering what’s required by Title IX, the 1972 law that bars discrimination in schools. It briefly appeared that the earlier appeals court ruling would give Gavin access to the boys’ bathroom for his final year at Gloucester High School in eastern Virginia. The Supreme Court, however, put the appeals court decision on hold before the school year began. Gavin, who was born with female genitals, has become the face of the transgender-rights movement because of his suit against the Gloucester County School Board. The move gives President Donald Trump’s administration more time to formulate its approach toward transgender students and potentially shape the case’s outcome. Although Trump’s Education Department rescinded President Barack Obama’s interpretation of Title IX, the new administration hasn’t put forward its own view of what the law requires.Judge Gorsuch Both Gavin’s lawyer and the school board urged the Supreme Court to go ahead and decide the case, though the board suggested postponing arguments until the new administration had a chance to weigh in. The board’s approach might have delayed the case long enough for the Senate to confirm Judge Neil Gorsuch to fill the vacancy on the shorthanded court. Gloucester County officials argued that the lower court ruling upended a decades-old understanding that schools could have separate restrooms based on physiological gender. Gavin, now 17, came out as transgender to his parents during his freshman year and has been attending school as a male since he was a sophomore. He’s legally changed his name, amended his birth certificate to identify him as male, and developed facial hair and a deep voice as a result of hormone therapy. He says he always uses boys’ or men’s restrooms elsewhere. The school let Gavin use the boys’ restroom for several weeks in 2014 before the board intervened and voted to change the policy. Since then, Gavin has generally used the nurse’s restroom, though the school has since installed three single-user bathrooms. His case involves only bathrooms, not locker rooms. The case is Gloucester School Board v. G.G., 16-273. Supreme Court Won’t Hear Major Case On Transgender Rights By Adam Liptak New York Times, March 6, 2017 WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court announced on Monday that it would not hear a major case on transgender rights after all, acting after the Trump administration changed the federal government’s position on whether public schools must allow transgender youths to use bathrooms that match their gender identities. In a one-sentence order, the Supreme Court vacated an appeals court decision in favor of a Virginia transgender boy, Gavin Grimm, and sent the case back for further consideration in light of the new guidance from the administration. The Supreme Court had agreed in October to hear the case, and the justices were scheduled to hear arguments this month. The case would have been the court’s first encounter with transgender rights, and it would probably have been one of the biggest decisions of a fairly sleepy term. FOIA CBP 001301 DHS-17-0435-B-000598 201 Proponents of transgender rights said they were disappointed that the court had not taken the chance to decide a pressing national issue. “Thousands of transgender students across the country will have to wait even longer for a final decision from our nation’s highest court affirming their basic rights,” said Sarah Warbelow, the legal director of the Human Rights Campaign. Kerri Kupec, a lawyer with Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian group, welcomed Monday’s development. “The first duty of school districts is to protect the bodily privacy rights of all of the students who attend their schools and to respect the rights of parents who understandably don’t want their children exposed in intimate changing areas like locker rooms and showers,” she said. There are other cases on transgender rights in lower courts, including a challenge to a North Carolina law that, in government buildings, requires transgender people to use bathrooms that correspond with the gender listed on their birth certificates. The law has drawn protests, boycotts and lawsuits. The question in the Virginia case was whether Mr. Grimm could use the boys’ bathroom in his high school. The Obama administration said yes, relying on its interpretation of a federal regulation under a 1972 law, Title IX, that bans discrimination “on the basis of sex” in schools that receive federal money. The Department of Education said in 2015 that schools “generally must treat transgender students consistent with their gender identity.” Last year, the department went further, saying that schools could lose federal money if they discriminated against transgender students. The Trump administration withdrew that guidance last month. Mr. Grimm attends Gloucester High School in southeastern Virginia. For a time, school administrators allowed him to use the boys’ bathroom, but the local school board later adopted a policy that required students to use the bathrooms and locker rooms for their “corresponding biological genders.” The board added that “students with gender identity issues” would be allowed to use private bathrooms. The American Civil Liberties Union, which represents Mr. Grimm, told the justices that requiring Mr. Grimm to use a private bathroom had been humiliating and had, quoting him, “turned him into ‘a public spectacle’ before the entire community, ‘like a walking freak show.’” After Mr. Grimm challenged the school board’s bathroom policy in court in 2015, a divided panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, in Richmond, Va., ruled the policy unlawful. A trial judge then ordered school officials to let Mr. Grimm use the boys’ bathroom. A 1975 regulation adopted under Title IX allowed schools to provide “separate toilet, locker rooms and shower facilities on the basis of sex.” The Fourth Circuit said that the rule was ambiguous and that the Education Department’s interpretation of it was entitled to “controlling weight.” Both sides had hoped the Supreme Court would decide the case, Gloucester County School Board v. G.G., No. 16- 273, even after the Trump administration withdrew its guidance on the meaning of the regulation. In a letter to the justices last week, Joshua A. Block, a lawyer with the A.C.L.U., said the administration’s change in position did not render the case moot, as the basic question of what Title IX meant remained. “The underlying principle that discrimination against transgender individuals is a form of discrimination on the basis of sex has been widely accepted in the lower courts for years,” he wrote. “Delaying resolution would provide no benefit to the court and would needlessly prolong harm to transgender students across the country awaiting this court’s decision,” Mr. Block wrote. In a second letter, S. Kyle Duncan, a lawyer for the school board, agreed that the case should proceed, though he suggested a brief delay to allow the Trump administration to weigh in. A ruling on the meaning of Title IX, Mr. Duncan wrote, “will save the parties — as well as public and private parties involved in similar disputes throughout the nation — enormous litigation costs as well as needless and divisive political controversy.” The Supreme Court rejected those requests, apparently preferring to wait for a cleaner presentation of the issues in a different case. Supreme Court Won’t Say If Trans Teen Can Pick Bathroom By Mark Sherman Associated Press, March 6, 2017 WASHINGTON (AP) – The Supreme Court is leaving the issue of transgender rights in schools to lower courts for now after backing out of a high-profile case Monday of a Virginia high school student who sued to be able to use the boys’ bathroom. The court’s order in the case of teenager Gavin Grimm means that attention now will turn to lower courts around the country that are grappling with rights of transgender students to use school bathrooms that correspond to their chosen gender, not the one assigned at birth. The appeals court in Richmond, Virginia, and other appellate panels handling similar cases around the country will have the first chance to decide whether federal anti￾discrimination law or the Constitution protects transgender students’ rights. FOIA CBP 001302 DHS-17-0435-B-000599 202 Monday’s action by a court that has been short-handed for more than a year comes after the Trump administration pulled back federal guidance advising schools to let students use the bathroom of their chosen gender, not the one assigned at birth. The justices rejected a call from both sides to decide the issue in a case that was dramatically altered by the election of President Donald Trump. Grimm’s case had been scheduled for argument in late March. Instead, a lower court in Virginia will be tasked with evaluating the federal law known as Title IX and the extent to which it applies to transgender students. Lawsuits involving transgender students are making their way through the courts in at least five other states: Illinois, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. For Grimm, the order means that he probably will graduate with the issue unresolved. Now, his wish to use the boys’ bathroom is blocked by a policy of the Gloucester County school board. Although he won a court order allowing him to use the boys’ bathroom at Gloucester High School, the Supreme Court put it on hold last August, before the school year began. Talking to reporters by telephone Monday, Grimm said the situation has added stress to the usual senior year worries of applying to college because the “school board has sent this direct message ... that there is something about you that deserves to be segregated from the rest of the student body.” The court case has drawn attention from all over the world. Apple, IBM and Microsoft were among the 53 companies that signed onto a brief filed last week urging the court to rule in his favor. In Gloucester, a small, conservative Tidewater town, the issue has divided residents and fellow students. Fellow senior Shaelyn McNeil said Grimm should be free to make changes, but she thinks his lawsuit has “gone a little too far.” Shelbi Stackler, a graduate of Gloucester High School, said Grimm should be allowed to use the boys’ bathroom because “he doesn’t want to feel different. He just wants to feel like a normal boy.” Joshua Block, the American Civil Liberties Union attorney who represents Grimm, said he remains persuaded that courts ultimately will side with transgender students. But, Block said, “This is disappointing for trans kids across the country and for Gavin, who are now going to be held in limbo for another year or two. But Title IX means the same thing today as it meant yesterday. Lower courts already have held that it protects trans kids.” In a statement relayed by school board lawyer Kyle Duncan, the board said it “looks forward to explaining why its commonsense restroom and locker room policy is legal under the Constitution and federal law.” The high court action follows the administration’s recent decision to withdraw a directive issued during Barack Obama’s presidency that said which bathroom to use should be based on students’ gender identity. The administration action triggered legal wrangling that ended with Monday’s order. In essence, the federal appeals court in Richmond, Virginia, had relied on the Obama administration’s interpretation of Title IX to side with Grimm. The appeals court accepted the administration’s reading of the law without deciding for itself what the law and a related regulation on same-sex bathrooms and locker rooms mean. No appeals court has yet undertaken that more independent analysis, and the Supreme Court typically is reluctant to do so without at least one appellate opinion to review, and usually more than one. Another possible explanation for Monday’s order is that the court might want more of a societal consensus to develop before it issues a ruling in favor of transgender rights, said John Neiman, an Alabama lawyer who served as a law clerk to Justice Anthony Kennedy. “What happened today feels a lot like 2013, when the court used a procedural ruling to temporarily duck the same￾sex marriage issue,” Neiman said. By 2015, same-sex marriage was back before the court and Kennedy’s opinion gave same-sex couples the right to marry nationwide. The court’s reluctance to take on transgender rights now may have been underscored by the high court vacancy caused by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia nearly 13 months ago and the refusal of Senate Republicans to consider Obama’s nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to fill the seat. Eleven days after taking office, Trump nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch for the court. Senate Republicans, who hold a slim majority, have scheduled hearings on Gorsuch’s nominations to begin on March 20 and hope to vote to confirm him by the second week in April. The justices did not comment on the case beyond their one-sentence order returning it to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. --- Associated Press writers Ben Finley in Norfolk, Virginia, and Sarah Rankin in Richmond, Virginia, contributed to this report. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. FOIA CBP 001303 DHS-17-0435-B-000600 203 U.S. High Court Action Leaves Transgender Students In Legal Limbo By Lawrence Hurley Reuters, March 6, 2017 Full-text stories from Reuters currently cannot be included in this document. You may, however, click the link above to access the story. Supreme Court Tells Lower Court To Reconsider Transgender Bathroom Case In Light Of Trump Position Previous court decision deferred to Obama administration’s interpretation of antidiscrimination law By Jess Bravin Wall Street Journal, March 6, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Gavin Grimm Will Graduate Without Justice Washington Post, March 6, 2017 IT WAS always sad that a simple request by Virginia transgender student Gavin Grimm to use a bathroom matching his gender identity ended up on the docket of the nation’s highest court. After all, as Mr. Grimm once so eloquently wrote, this was a matter of common sense that should have been resolved “quietly and privately.” But even sadder than the prejudice and ignorance that turned this into a federal case is the fact that Mr. Grimm will graduate from high school still waiting for the justice that he and other transgender people need to protect them. The Supreme Court had been set to hear arguments March 28 in Mr. Grimm’s case against the Gloucester County School Board. Monday, in a one-sentence order, the court announced it would not hear the case but instead was sending it back to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit in Richmond. The order comes on the heels of the Trump administration’s decision to change the federal government’s position by rescinding school guidance protecting transgender students. In withdrawing the directive issued during the Obama administration advising schools to allow students to use the bathroom of their gender identity and not biological birth, Education and Justice department officials said they needed to “further and more completely consider the legal issues involved.” Never mind, as was spelled out in an amicus brief filed by former members of the Obama administration, that there was painstaking review and analysis over several years before the conclusion was reached that federal anti￾discrimination laws apply to transgender students. Never mind, either, the real-life experiences of schools and states that followed the guidance: Allowing students to use bathrooms aligned with their gender identity has not caused problems . Mr. Grimm in fact was first permitted to use the boys’ bathroom at his high school and did so for almost two months without incident until adults made political hay of the issue and a cowardly school board abandoned common sense. Forcing transgender students to use facilities based on the sex listed on their birth certificates subjects them to teasing, bullying and worse. Lawyers for Mr. Grimm are disappointed in the Supreme Court’s decision, but they don’t view it as a final defeat; they plan to press the case in the appeals court. Hopefully the process will not lose sight of the real people whose lives are at stake and who, as one transgender man wrote in a brief supporting Mr. Grimm, “just want to live in peace as who we are.” Yelp Starts Tracking Gender-Neutral Bathrooms For Transgender Users By Niraj Chokshi New York Times, March 6, 2017 Yelp, the crowdsourced website that offers reviews of everything from restaurants to stores to churches, is adding a new way to filter its results: by the availability of gender￾neutral bathrooms. The new feature was announced on Friday, just one week after it was proposed, and represents Yelp’s latest foray into the fight for transgender rights. On Thursday, the company joined dozens of others, including Amazon, Gap, Intel and Yahoo, in signing on to a Supreme Court brief on behalf of Gavin Grimm, a transgender boy seeking the right to use school bathrooms that correspond to his gender identity. “This isn’t the first time that we’ve spoken out about social issues, but this is the first time that we have married doing something on our platform around the social justice support of the L.G.B.T.Q. community,” said Rachel Williams, who leads the company’s diversity and inclusion efforts. The gender-neutral bathroom filter is aimed at helping people who are transgender, who often report facing challenges in finding safe and suitable bathrooms to use. In its 2015 National School Climate Survey, the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network, an advocacy group, interviewed about 1,600 transgender students and reported that 70 percent had reported avoiding school bathrooms because they felt unsafe or uncomfortable. For now, Yelp is inviting users and business owners to identify establishments that offer locking, single-stall bathrooms that are available to individuals of any gender, with plans in the coming weeks to let users filter results based on that data, once enough is collected. The idea was first proposed by the mother of an employee. The employee then passed it along to the company on Feb. 24, days after President Trump rescinded Obama-era protections that had allowed transgender FOIA CBP 001304 DHS-17-0435-B-000601 204 students to use bathrooms corresponding to their gender identity. Motivated in part by that decision, Yelp’s product team prioritized the feature, piecing it together in four to five days, with the announcement coming just one week after the idea was proposed, Ms. Williams said. “This administration is moving pretty fast and so this happened, the Gavin Grimm case came up, and we wanted to capture the moment,” she said. Yelp settled on the “gender-neutral” label — instead of alternatives such as “all-gender” or “gender-inclusive” — after consulting with the Human Rights Campaign, which advocates for gay rights, and others, she said. With its platform, the company may ultimately be able to assemble the largest directory of transgender-friendly bathrooms, but it is not the first to try. Refuge Restrooms, an open-source directory, claims to have thousands of such entries. Another listing, Safe Bathrooms Club, was introduced last March in response to a North Carolina law passed that month that required transgender people to use the bathrooms and locker rooms that corresponded to the gender on their birth certificate. That directory was created by Emily Waggoner and her male transgender partner River Luck, who are North Carolina natives who now live in Boston. Inspired by a series of photos of transgender-friendly businesses shared by a friend online, the pair decided to create Safe Bathrooms Club. “We saw this via Instagram and thought ‘Wouldn’t it be cool to see those businesses on a map?’” said Ms. Waggoner, a user interface and user experience designer. The directory addresses a problem Mr. Luck faced most acutely during his transition over the last several years. With his gender identity at times ambiguous as he underwent hormone therapy, he found himself thrust into what felt like uncomfortable and dangerous situations. “On several occasions, we would have to leave where we were because it wasn’t safe for me to use the bathroom there, and that was terrifying,” he said. While Yelp’s effort may overlap with theirs, Mr. Luck and Ms. Waggoner said they don’t feel threatened. “The more ways that people can find a safe bathroom, the better,” Ms. Waggoner said. Racial Bias In The Jury Room Can Violate A Defendant’s Right To A Fair Trial, Supreme Court Says By Robert Barnes Washington Post, March 6, 2017 Accusations that a juror made racially biased statements about a defendant may require judges to break through the usual secrecy that surrounds jury deliberations, the Supreme Court ruled Monday. “A constitutional rule that racial bias in the justice system must be addressed — including, in some instances, after the verdict has been entered — is necessary to prevent a systemic loss of confidence in jury verdicts,” Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote in a 5-to-3 decision. “The Nation must continue to make strides to overcome race-based discrimination,” wrote Kennedy, who sided with the court’s four liberal members. “The progress that has already been made underlies the Court’s insistence that blatant racial prejudice is antithetical to the functioning of the jury system.” The court’s decision came in the case of Coloradan Miguel Angel Peña Rodriguez, who found out after his 2007 conviction that a juror said he thought that Peña Rodriguez was guilty of sexual assault because he was Mexican and that “Mexican men take whatever they want.” The premise that jury deliberations should be confidential is older than the Constitution, and Kennedy noted that in other cases, the court has declined to probe behind the jury room door. But charges of racial and ethnic animus provide a limited exception to the rule, he wrote, necessary “to ensure that our legal system remains capable of coming ever closer to the promise of equal treatment under the law that is so central to a functioning democracy.” Kennedy was joined by Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen G. Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr. dissented. They said even comments as objectionable as those in the Peña Rodriguez case did not justify such a change. Alito wrote that “with the admirable intention of providing justice for one criminal defendant,” the court “rules that respecting the privacy of the jury room, as our legal system has done for centuries, violates the Constitution.” Peña Rodriguez was challenging federal rules and those employed in Colorado and elsewhere that forbid challenging statements made during jury deliberations. He was convicted of groping two teenage girls in a bathroom at a Colorado racetrack where he worked. He denied it and said it was a case of mistaken identity. The jury acquitted him of a felony charge and convicted him of misdemeanors. He was sentenced to probation and required to register as a sex offender. After the verdict, two jurors told defense attorneys that another juror, identified in court papers as H.C., had made the comments about Mexicans and said that as a former law enforcement officer, he had seen numerous similar cases. He said that “nine times out of 10 Mexican men were guilty of being aggressive toward women and young girls” in his experience, the jurors said, adding that H.C. called the defendant “an illegal.” (Peña Rodriguez was a legal resident, his lawyers said.) FOIA CBP 001305 DHS-17-0435-B-000602 205 Peña Rodriguez’s lawyers wanted the judge to investigate the comments to decide whether they had deprived their client of a fair trial. But the judge said he was barred from conducting such a review, and his decision was upheld by a 4-to-3 vote of the Colorado Supreme Court. Colorado Solicitor General Frederick R. Yarger told the justices during oral arguments that the alleged comments from the juror were “no doubt reprehensible.” But he added that the “citizen jury system requires safeguards to ensure full and fair debate in the jury room and prevent harassment and tampering after verdicts are handed down.” Kennedy conceded that the Supreme Court has ruled previously — when there were allegations of jurors abusing drugs or alcohol or having a pro-defendant bias — that the confidentiality of the jury process was too important to allow a judge’s investigation. “The same cannot be said about racial bias, a familiar and recurring evil that, if left unaddressed, would risk systemic injury to the administration of justice,” Kennedy wrote. (The parties in the case and the justices agreed that the ethnic bias in the Peña Rodriguez case was the same as racial bias.) Kennedy said there must be a “clear statement” that indicates a juror “relied on racial stereotypes or animus to convict a criminal defendant” before the judge could consider a defendant’s claim. He said it has not been shown to occur very often in states that already allow such inquiry. But Alito said the court’s constitutional finding was a “startling development” that would only expand in the future. “At a minimum, cases involving bias based on any suspect classification — such as national origin or religion — would merit equal treatment,” Alito wrote. “So, I think, would bias based on sex . . . or the exercise of the First Amendment right to freedom of expression or association.” Alito said that the court’s decision “seeks to remedy a flaw in the jury trial system, but as this Court said some years ago, it is questionable whether our system of trial by jury can endure this attempt to perfect it.” The case is Peña Rodriguez v. Colorado. Jury Secrecy Doesn’t Apply If Bias Taints Deliberations, Justices Rule By Adam Liptak New York Times, March 6, 2017 WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that courts must make an exception to the usual rule that jury deliberations are secret when evidence emerges that those discussions were marred by racial or ethnic bias. “Racial bias implicates unique historical, constitutional and institutional concerns,” Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote for the majority in the 5-to-3 decision. The case arose from statements made during jury deliberations in a 2010 sexual assault trial. “I think he did it because he’s Mexican, and Mexican men take whatever they want,” a juror said of the defendant, according to sworn statements from other jurors submitted by defense lawyers after the trial was over. The juror, identified in court papers as H.C., was a former law enforcement officer. After the trial was over, two other jurors submitted sworn statements describing what he had said during deliberations. “He said that where he used to patrol, nine times out of 10 Mexican men were guilty of being aggressive toward women and young girls,” one juror recalled. Those statements, Justice Kennedy wrote, warranted an investigation by the trial judge into deliberations that are ordinarily secret. Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen G. Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan joined the majority opinion. In dissent, Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., joined by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Clarence Thomas, wrote that the majority opinion was a well intentioned but ill￾considered intrusion into jurors’ privacy. “This is a startling development,” Justice Alito wrote, “and although the court tries to limit the degree of intrusion, it is doubtful that there are principled grounds for preventing the expansion of today’s holding.” Justice Kennedy wrote that the usual tools to root out biased jurors — questioning during jury selection and reports from jurors before they render a verdict — are less effective when race is at issue. Pointed questions about racism may exacerbate tensions, he wrote. And jurors may be reluctant, he added, to accuse one another of insensitivity. “Not every offhand comment indicating racial bias or hostility will justify” an investigation into jurors’ deliberations, Justice Kennedy wrote. “For the inquiry to proceed, there must be a showing that one or more jurors made statements exhibiting overt racial bias that cast serious doubt on the fairness and impartiality of the jury’s deliberations and resulting verdict.” In dissent, Justice Alito countered that it would be difficult to limit the sweep of the court’s ruling. He added that the court’s constitutional analysis was flawed. “The real thrust of the majority opinion is that the Constitution is less tolerant of racial bias than other forms of juror misconduct, but it is hard to square this argument with the nature of the Sixth Amendment right on which petitioner’s argument and the court’s holding are based,” Justice Alito wrote. “What the Sixth Amendment protects is the right to an ‘impartial jury,’” he wrote. “Nothing in the text or history of the amendment or in the inherent nature of the jury trial right suggests that the extent of the protection provided by the FOIA CBP 001306 DHS-17-0435-B-000603 206 amendment depends on the nature of a jury’s partiality or bias.” In earlier cases, the Supreme Court has said that even egregious misconduct in the jury room cannot be used to challenge a conviction if it would require jurors to testify about what was said there. Until Monday, though, the court had never squarely confronted whether racial or ethnic prejudice requires an exception to the general rule. In 1987, in Tanner v. United States, the Supreme Court let stand convictions in a mail fraud case in Florida even though the jury had treated the trial as “one big party” fueled by “rampant drug and alcohol abuse,” as one juror described it. During recesses, jurors drank pitchers of beer and liters of wine, and they used marijuana and cocaine. Afterward, in the courtroom, some jurors slept. One was “in a sort of giggly mood.” Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, writing for the majority, said there were good reasons to ignore “irresponsible or improper juror behavior” if it was based on jurors’ accounts of what had gone on in the jury room. After-the-fact challenges based on jurors’ testimony, she wrote, would make it less likely that jurors would speak candidly during deliberations. Allowing such challenges would encourage lawyers to harass former jurors, she said, and undermine the finality of verdicts. In 2014, in Warger v. Shauers, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that jurors may not testify about what went on during deliberations, even to expose dishonesty during jury selection. But Justice Sonia Sotomayor, writing for the court, suggested that cases involving racial bias might require a different result. “There may be cases of juror bias so extreme that, almost by definition, the jury trial right has been abridged,” she wrote. “If and when such a case arises, the court can consider whether the usual safeguards are or are not sufficient to protect the integrity of the process.” Monday’s decision addressed the question the court had deferred in 2014. Miguel Angel Peña Rodriguez, who maintains that he is innocent, was convicted of harassing and trying to grope two teenage sisters in a racetrack bathroom. A defense witness testified that Mr. Peña Rodriguez was elsewhere at the time of the assault. H.C., the juror said to have made the biased statements, was not persuaded by that testimony, according to a fellow juror. “He said he did not think the alibi witness was credible because, among other things, he was ‘an illegal,’” the fellow juror said. The jury deadlocked on the most serious charge, a felony, but convicted Mr. Peña Rodriguez of three misdemeanors. He was sentenced to two years’ probation. In Monday’s decision in Peña Rodriguez v. Colorado, No. 15-606, Justice Kennedy said the justice system must root out racial bias. “The progress that has already been made,” he wrote, “underlies the court’s insistence that blatant racial prejudice is antithetical to the functioning of the jury system and must be confronted in egregious cases.” Justice Alito responded that the majority’s motives were admirable but misguided, citing the 1987 decision. “The court’s decision is well-intentioned,” he wrote. “It seeks to remedy a flaw in the jury trial system, but as this court said some years ago, it is questionable whether our system of trial by jury can endure this attempt to perfect it.” Supreme Court Says Jury Secrecy Not Guaranteed If Racial Bias Exists Case involved Colorado juror who made biased statements about Mexican defendant By Jess Bravin Wall Street Journal, March 6, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. Big Airlines Hire Big Lobbyists In Push To Upend Nation’s Air Traffic Control System By Curtis Tate And Alex Daugherty McClatchy, March 6, 2017 Big airlines spent more than $16 million to lobby Congress and federal agencies last year. The city of Wichita spent $80,000 and its allies spent some more, but their combined firepower was nowhere near that of the airlines. The airlines’ lineup included three former U.S. senators, one of them a former Republican leader. Wichita’s mayor joined other city officials across the country and wrote Congress a letter. Yet Wichita and its friends aren’t down and out. This little guy/big guy fight is classic Washington power politics, as the two sides spar over a proposal from the big airlines and their trade groups to remove air traffic control from the Federal Aviation Administration, where it’s been for decades. Small cities and general aviation manufacturing hubs oppose the effort to transfer that responsibility to a private corporation governed largely by the industry. The airlines are eager to change the system because they’ll have more control over the nation’s airspace. The Wichitas of America fear they’ll end up paying higher costs in fees for takeoffs and landings – and have less control over a system dominated by major airlines. “There’s hundreds of communities that feel the same way we do,” said Victor White, the director of Wichita’s Dwight D. Eisenhower Airport. FOIA CBP 001307 DHS-17-0435-B-000604 207 Wichita, the nation’s leading manufacturer of small airplanes, is the largest city whose mayor signed a letter to congressional leaders opposing the plans to change who oversees U.S. airspace. “On behalf of the tens of thousands of communities around the country, we are concerned about the very real and dire ramifications of eliminating congressional oversight of this public air transportation infrastructure,” said the letter, dated Monday and signed by Wichita’s Republican mayor, Jeff Longwell, and 117 other mayors nationwide. Wichita and some of its aviation manufacturers have lobbyists in Washington, but they’re up against well-paid and well-connected former members of Congress and their staffs. Among the Washington heavyweights pulling for the big airlines: former Senate Republican leader Trent Lott of Mississippi and former Sens. John Breaux, D-La., and Christopher “Kit” Bond, R-Mo. The commercial carriers that serve Wichita – including American, United and Southwest – paid Washington firms a combined $10 million for lobbying last year to push, in part, for the change in air traffic control. Southwest paid $120,000 to Kit Bond Strategies, the former senator’s firm. Airlines for America, an industry trade association, spent another $6.4 million on lobbying last year, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan Washington watchdog group. It paid $350,000 to Squire Patton Boggs, where Lott and Breaux are senior counsel. Vaughn Jennings, a spokesman for the group, said “modernizing our nation’s ATC infrastructure in the sky is every bit as critical to our economy as roads, rail and bridges — thus we are urging Congress to deliver the world-class ATC system that the traveling and shipping public deserves.” The city of Wichita, by contrast, paid one lobbyist at the Washington firm of Alcalde & Fay $80,000 to do all its advocacy work last year, including opposition to the plan to place air traffic control in the airline industry’s hands. It did get help from some other interests. The system is already safe and efficient, White said. “The users are saying it’s not broken,” he said. “Let’s not throw it out.” The big airlines want to upend the air traffic control system to speed up implementation of NextGen, a long￾stalled project to replace 1950s ground-based radar technology with GPS systems capable of moving more planes more closely together through the sky. The FAA estimates that it will cost the federal government and the airline industry $35.8 billion to complete the system by 2030. The airlines think their plan can make it happen faster. At an aviation conference last week in Washington hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, current and former airline executives talked up a bill sponsored by Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Pa., the chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, to change who controls the skies. “It’s sort of like having a gravel highway when you need a highway,” United CEO Oscar Munoz said of the air traffic control system. “You just talk with Boeing and you talk with Airbus, they are building Ferraris. You could never drive a Ferrari on a gravel road.” Bob Crandall, former CEO of American Airlines, said other countries, including Canada, had removed control of their airspace from the government with satisfactory results. “This concept has been adopted by more than 50 other countries in one form or another,” he said. “No country that has made the change has ever sought to change back.” But to Selena Shilad, the executive director of the Alliance for Aviation Across America, an advocacy group for general aviation and local airports, improving air traffic control technology is a shared goal that can be accomplished without changing who runs it. “There’s a lot of ideas on modernization,” she said. “We have concerns about the conflation of modernization with privatization.” Shilad and White reject the comparisons with Canada and other countries. “The amount of air traffic that uses their system is minuscule,” White said. “We’re so much larger and more diverse,” Shilad said. Shilad’s group, which does not employ a lobbying firm, has some notable allies that do, including Textron, a leading manufacturer of general aviation and business aircraft that employs thousands of workers in Wichita. Delta Air Lines is the notable among major air carriers in opposing the privatization proposal. Kansas Republican Sen. Jerry Moran and Sen. Bill Nelson, a Florida Democrat, are members of the Senate Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over aviation policy, and are vocal opponents of the Shuster bill. While the measure never got a floor vote in the House of Representatives or the Senate, it’s likely to resurface. Congress must reauthorize the FAA by Sept. 30. “It’s far from over,” White said. About 88 percent of the airports that are eligible for federal improvement funds do not have scheduled air service. Though Wichita does have commercial service, its economy depends heavily on general aviation. “There’s a real concern here, particularly among small and midsize communities,” Shilad said. “We’re thrilled that Wichita joined.” Inquiry Opens Into How 30,000 Marines Shared Illicit Images Of Female Peers By Dave Philipps New York Times, March 6, 2017 FOIA CBP 001308 DHS-17-0435-B-000605 208 Some photographs show female Marines posing topless in their dress uniform slacks, or with their camouflage blouses open, in pictures they thought would forever be secret. Others show private moments swiped from their personal social media sites. In one photograph, surreptitiously taken in February, a female corporal from Camp Lejeune, in North Carolina, is shown bent over from behind. The image, once posted online, was flooded with derogatory comments, including suggestions that she should be raped. Now the Defense Department has opened a criminal investigation and the Marine Corps is facing its latest unwanted controversy after it was revealed over the weekend that a secret online Facebook group of active-duty and veteran Marines shared thousands of naked and private photos of Marine Corps women. The invitation-only group, called Marines United and made up of more than 30,000 active-duty Marines and veterans, built online dossiers on Marine women without their knowledge or consent, listing dozens of women’s names, ranks, social media handles and where they are stationed. The Marine Corps quickly condemned the all-male group, saying in a statement on Sunday that Marines United’s conduct “destroys morale, erodes trust and degrades the individual.” The Naval Criminal Investigation service has opened an investigation, and the Marine Corps said that any Marine who “directly participates in, encourages, or condones” illicit activity could face court-martial. The Marine Corps declined to say how many Marines were being investigated. The news of the group’s existence was first reported by a veteran’s news organization, The War Horse, on Saturday. One of the victims of the group was Marisa Woytek, a Marine Lance corporal serving at Camp Pendleton, who had photos taken from her Instagram account and posted to the group. She was alerted by friends and sent a screen shot. “They were nothing scandalous, just me saying good morning,” said Corporal Woytek in an interview. “But the comments went just as far toward sexual assault and rape and degrading as your imagination can go.” “I love the Marine Corps,” she added. “But after seeing that, I wouldn’t re-enlist.” Several Marines said the Marines United postings are an evolution of a retaliatory practice called “make her famous.” Marines would share nude photographs of girlfriends or spouses they believed were cheating through text messages to a broad swath of people, encouraging them to forward the photos. Jason Elsdon, a Marine in his early 40s, who said he was a member of Marines United and said he played no role in posting, organizing or disseminating the photographs, argued that people were overreacting. “It was just nudes,” he said, “I scrolled past it.” He added: “I don’t feel that it’s right, but I don’t feel that people should be utterly surprised that it is happening. There are other groups, and many are civilians, that are the same way.” He defended the larger mission of the group and the web page, which is a grab bag of military news and humor, saying it provided needed support. He cited instances in which servicemen were contemplating suicide and the page would “light up” with people who wanted to help. Though all military branches face problems with integrating women, the Marine Corps has perhaps the toughest challenge. Not only does it have the smallest proportion of women of all the services — 7 percent, compared with 14 percent in the Army — it also has the highest rate of sexual assault reports. Reforms also continually collide with a culture of ground-pounding infantry fighters that despite the efforts of some in the leadership, embraces a tradition of brawling, hard-drinking and sexual exploits. “As Marines, we revel in all of it,” one online poster said in a debate on Reddit about the group, posted months before its existence was publicly revealed. “As a whole, Marines are a rough and tumble group of war dogs with a taste for the carnal things in life.” But many Marines have pushed back against the idea that crude behavior is intrinsic to their identity. “That is absolute nonsense,” said Maj. Clark Carpenter, a Marine Corps spokesman. “A true warrior carries himself with a sense of decency and compassion, but is always ready for the fight,” he said. “Those who hide in the dark corners of the internet with a shield of anonymity and purport to be warriors are nothing of the sort — they are nothing more than cowards.” Still, the Marine Corps leadership has never fully rid the Corps of its rough ethos, and in recent years it has been hit with a number of scandals when this mentality broke into the open, including allegations that commanders retaliated against women who reported sexual assaults and recent reports that drill instructors hazed recruits, especially Muslims. The Marine Corps is also the military branch that has put up the stiffest resistance to opening combat jobs to women, with several high-ranking Marines saying the move could hurt combat effectiveness. A small group of women joined combat units in January. Women in the Marine Corps say the culture has been hostile to them for years. “When I was in Iraq, I always carried a can of black spray paint to cover up what was written about me in the port￾a-johns,” said Kate Hendricks Thomas, a Marine veteran who is now a professor of behavioral health at Charleston Southern University. “I tried to laugh it off, but the harassment is so pervasive that it can have a real effect.” FOIA CBP 001309 DHS-17-0435-B-000606 209 Marines United collected thousands of photos that appeared to be a mix of private photos shared by former partners and images taken from personal accounts. Some were photos of women clothed, and others in various states of undress, in civilian and military clothing, and often accompanied by a blizzard of lewd comments. In September, a Marine veteran named John Albert was invited to join the site, and, disgusted by what he found, alerted Facebook. “I have tons of friends who got killed in Afghanistan and have died since they came home. These types of actions dishonor their names and the entire Marine Corps,” Mr. Albert said in an interview. Facebook took down the page temporarily for violating a ban on nudity after the complaint, Mr. Albert said, but the group apparently got around restrictions on nudity by shifting photos to a shared Google file. Then on Saturday, a Marine veteran named Thomas Brennan, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he was wounded by a rocket-propelled grenade, and later founded the nonprofit news site The War Horse, wrote about the group. Marine Corps officials, alerted to the site by Mr. Brennan, contacted Google and had the files removed. Since publishing the story, Mr. Brennan said he and his family had received death threats from members of the group. He charged that one member was offering “500 bucks for nudes” of Mr. Brennan’s wife and said he was “cooperating with multiple law enforcement agencies” regarding threats to him and his family. “I’m no angel, I have deployed just like these Marines. I’ve sat around a fire in Afghanistan and shared that dark, dark Marine humor. In ways that humor has healing properties. But this is different. It has gone too far,” he said. “We are hurting other Marines.” The Army Could Let Soldiers Grow Beards. No, Seriously. By Meghann Myers Army Times, March 5, 2017 The old adage is true: Ask (and ask and ask and ask) and you shall receive. The Army is in the midst of a study to determine whether it can safely allow soldiers to wear beards, multiple officials have confirmed to Army Times. Soldiers have been discussing the idea behind closed doors and in open forums for years, but the push to research the possibilities and make a decision really picked up earlier this year, according to the Army G-1 uniform policy sergeant major. “It’s more driven from the religious accommodations group,” said Sgt. Maj. Anthony Moore, referring to a working group that made the recommendations that informed the Army’s authorization of beards for Sikh men in uniform. “Soldiers would ask here and there, but it’s gained traction since the Army directive for religious accommodations,” he said in a Feb. 28 phone interview. When the working group convened last year to talk beards and turbans, officials expanded the conversation to include hijabs and dreadlocks, Sergeant Major of the Army Dan Dailey told Army Times earlier this year. Those accommodations were all later authorized in a new directive. “They said, okay, if we’re going to do religious accommodations, we have to be inclusive,” Dailey said in a January interview. That discussion led to the idea of allowing beards in general. “I’m not opposed to having a beard,” Dailey said. “I’ve socialized this with several people, including [Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley] — how do we do that to maintain standards? I think that we have to continue that study.” Once the study is complete, the results will be discussed by Dailey’s senior enlisted counsel and briefed to the chief of staff of the Army. If leadership decides to go forward, an update to AR 670-1 would eventually have to be signed off by the secretary of the Army. “Authorizing the wear of beards in the Army, in addition to approved religious accommodations policy, is a topic that soldiers have inquired about recently across the force,” Dailey said March 2 in a follow-up statement. “As of now, there are no plans to change the policy. Army leaders and researchers are currently reviewing the wear of beards by soldiers in the Army. Any potential change in policy will be made with careful consideration to the professionalism, standards, discipline, readiness and safety of all of our soldiers.” Why, or why not? Dailey likened the popularity of beards to tattoos, jokingly calling it “a trending phenomenon.” Tattoos, along with women’s hairstyles, have been at the center of major uniform shifts in the past few years, largely based on demand from soldiers themselves. Beards, the next frontier, have been banned in all but a few corners of the military since the dawn of chemical warfare and issued gas masks during World War I. For most of the 20th century, clean-shaven faces were preferred in the civilian world as well, so it wasn’t much of an issue. When facial hair made a comeback in the 1970s, then￾Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Elmo Zumwalt changed the Navy’s regulations to reflect the times. The other services held fast, however. In fact, the Army went in the opposite direction, doing away with its facial hair exemption for Sikh soldiers in 1984, the same year the Navy re-banned beards. FOIA CBP 001310 DHS-17-0435-B-000607 210 That was that until the Global War on Terror, when leadership discovered that special operations forces could blend in better with the local population while deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan if they sported full beards. But as that image of the terrorist-crushing operator took hold in a big way, popular culture in the civilian world once again also embraced a full face of hair. The Army earlier this year approved religious accommodations for Sikh soldiers to maintain their beards and turbans. Here, a coalition service member maintains security during a patrol with Afghan National Army Special Forces. Photo Credit: Sgt. Pete Thibodeau/Marine Corps Both Dailey and his predecessor routinely fielded questions at town hall meetings about bringing back the beard, but there was always a catch — the gas mask. “A lot of it has been driven by the fact that the mask has been shown, through tests, not to seal properly with facial hair,” Moore said. “Right now they’re still running more tests to see how much facial hair an individual can have before the mask gets impeded for safety.” The other piece is tradition, or, specifically, the iconic image of the clean-shaven American service member. “I’m not against beards, but I do have what I believe should be the perception of the American people of the United States Army soldier,” Dailey said. “I believe we should represent, in their eyes, what they think their soldiers should represent.” That feeling is shared among a lot of old-school soldiers. “Younger soldiers may see no problem with beards. More traditional soldiers like myself may have issues with them,” Moore said. “I’m sure that will play some part in it, but that won’t be the overwhelming factor.” The research The Army has studied beards and gas masks more than once in recent years, but the test last fall for the religious accommodations working group came to the same conclusion as its predecessors. “Our findings were that the articles of faith degraded the negative pressure respirators,” said Lamar Garrett, field element chief at the Army Research Laboratory. “When the mask is designed, it’s designed to fit the individual without any obstruction.” Back in October, ARL gathered up 90 men and women — mostly civilians, with a few airmen — and divided them into five groups for testing. One group wore personal protective gear with their hair in regs, while another did a wear test with a beard, with long hair tied up in an under-turban, with a hijab, and with hair that had more than two inches of bulk when measured from the scalp. The tests included wearing the standard issue M50 Joint Service General Purpose Mask and the Army Combat Helmet, as well as the top from the Joint Service Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology kit. They also tested out the Level A protection equipment worn by chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosives soldiers. In the end, no one with a beard could get a good seal, Garrett said. “The baseline folks passed,” he said. “Everyone else degraded in some form or another.” But the religious accommodations group still pushed through with the Sikh beard exemption, with the caveat that soldiers will have to be clean shaven if they want to serve in a CBRNE unit. “If we really wanted to do some serious analysis, we could look at what was the degradation of an individual with a beard that’s an inch-and-a-half, two inches, etc.,” Garrett said. Now, that research has moved on to the Natick Soldier Research Development & Engineering Center, where a team is testing beards and religious headgear as well. “We are investigating the feasibility of wearing the Advanced Combat Helmet with beards, along with hijabs, bulk hair, and turbans, in the context of religious accommodation,” said Shalli Sherman, who manages Integrated Protection Test Methods at NSRDEC. The team is currently testing the helmet’s fit to determine whether its inner padding needs to be altered for a good fit, then test that new configuration for performance under impact. “The helmet fit assessment is nearly complete, and the blunt/ballistic testing is set to begin within the next few weeks and expected to run through June,” Sherman said. There’s also a possibility that the Army could field new masks that work better with some facial hair. A mask like that is currently issued to Army special operators, Moore said, but its high cost isn’t feasible for issuing to conventional troops. “The assistant secretary of the Army (acquisition, logistics and technology) will conduct additional testing of existing equipment to determine whether any product alternative exists and provide a plan to acquire protective masks for bearded individuals,” Army spokesman Wayne Hall told Army Times. What if In his travels, Dailey said, he’s asked members of scruffier militaries how they reconcile gas masks and beards. The top enlisted soldier in Norway had a bit of a hack. “I said, ‘so what do you do?’ He said, ‘I have to be able to seal my mask. So if you look at my beard, it’s all shaved under here,’” Dailey said, explaining that the soldier kept his beard closely shaven to his jawline to leave enough bare skin for the mask to cling to. He asked the same question of an Israeli soldier. FOIA CBP 001311 DHS-17-0435-B-000608 211 “He said, ‘I’m required to shave it when I go into combat,’ “ Dailey recalled. If leadership approves of the wear-test results, the next steps would be to determine length, bulk and shape of facial hair, along with — for example — whether it would need to be shaved on deployment. “That’s a probability,” Moore said. “While they’re doing the test, they’re also looking at some of those options. If you decided to allow beards, could we have people shave them if we needed to? All that’s under review right now.” No decisions are imminent, he added, but beards are on a list of soldier requests the uniform office is considering right now, along with nail polish and earrings in the Army Combat Uniform. “There’s a large desire for soldiers now to want to grow beards,” Dailey said. “And we’re not avoiding the conversation. I think we’re going to get to it.” Army Explores Changing Rules To Allow Beards: ‘There’s A Large Desire’ By Douglas Ernst Washington Times, March 6, 2017 The U.S. Army is conducting tests to see if regulations can be safely changed to grant soldiers a specific wish: beards. Modern troops are not fond of the clean-shaven look traditionally associated with Army life, but as of now the only personnel that have them were granted religious exceptions or part of elite forces who must blend in with local populations. Multiple officials have confirmed that ongoing tests surrounding various gas masks and helmets may change the equation. Army Sgt. Maj. Dan Dailey and Army G-1 uniform policy Sgt. Maj. Anthony Moore recently spoke with Army Times about troops’ regular requests to allow beards. “There’s a large desire for soldiers now to want to grow beards,” Sgt. Maj. Dailey said, the newspaper reported Sunday. “And we’re not avoiding the conversation. I think we’re going to get to it.” “Soldiers would ask here and there, but it’s gained traction since the Army directive for religious accommodations,” Sgt. Maj. Moore said during a Feb. 28 phone interview. The biggest obstacle appears to be figuring out how long beards can grow before they become a liability during nuclear, biological or chemical attacks. A test conducted in October by the Army Research Laboratory did not fare well for those sporting beards. “The baseline folks [without beards] passed. Everyone else degraded in some form or another,” Lamar Garrett, field element chief with ARL, told the newspaper. “If we really wanted to do some serious analysis, we could look at what was the degradation of an individual with a beard that’s an inch-and-a-half, two inches, etc.” Further testing at the Natick Soldier Research Development & Engineering Center in Massachusetts are expected to conclude in late June. Sgt. Major of the Army Dan Dailey noted that troops in countries such as Norway strategically shave to allow for a proper seal of their gas masks, while other nations require personnel to shave beards on deployment. “As of now, there are no plans to change the policy,” Sgt. Major Dailey said. “Army leaders and researchers are currently reviewing the wear of beards by soldiers in the Army. Any potential change in policy will be made with careful consideration to the professionalism, standards, discipline, readiness and safety of all of our soldiers.” Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. On ‘Day Without Women,’ Two Districts Cancel School By Matthew Haag New York Times, March 6, 2017 School districts in Virginia and North Carolina are telling students to stay home on Wednesday, on a nationwide day of protest called “A Day Without Women,” because so many staff members do not plan to show up for work. In Alexandria Public Schools in Northern Virginia, more than 300 staff members have asked for the day off, prompting district officials to take the extraordinary step of canceling class. In a note on its website, the superintendent said its 18 schools would not have enough teachers on Wednesday. “This is not a decision that was made lightly,” the superintendent, Alvin L. Crawley, said, adding that “it is not based on a political stance or position.” In the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools in North Carolina, a “significant” number of teachers have said they will skip work on Wednesday, the district said. The roughly 12,300 students are to stay home, and the day will be an optional teacher workday. “It is my determination that we will not have enough staff to safely run our school district,” the interim superintendent, Jim Causby, said in a letter on the district’s website. Both school districts cited the observance of International Women’s Day as the reason for the staffing shortages. Nationwide, more than three-quarters of all teachers are women, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics. The leaders of the Women’s March on Washington, which drew more than a million demonstrators the day after the inauguration of President Trump, have encouraged women to strike on Wednesday to highlight their economic FOIA CBP 001312 DHS-17-0435-B-000609 212 importance and power. The movement, which grew out of concerns about Mr. Trump and has spawned protests around the world, has emerged as a vocal champion of women’s rights. The protest on Wednesday comes a few weeks after another protest, “Day Without Immigrants,” had a similar effect on businesses. Immigrant workers displayed their contribution to the labor force by staying home, forcing businesses to close. Students in some schools districts also stayed home and others walked out during class. Virginia School District To Close For ‘A Day Without A Woman’ By Moriah Balingit Washington Post, March 6, 2017 A Northern Virginia school system is canceling classes for all students Wednesday after numerous teachers requested the day off to join a national day of protest called “A Day Without a Woman,” in which organizers urge female workers to stay home. School officials in Alexandria announced Monday that about 300 staff members were seeking to take Wednesday off, too many to be able to open schools. The officials attributed the high number of requests to the demonstration, which was organized in conjunction with International Women’s Day and intended to show the importance of women in the labor force. The majority of the 300 are teachers, officials said, comprising a sizeable share of the 1,400 teachers in the school workforce. The system has about 15,000 students. “This is not a decision that was made lightly. We have been closely monitoring requests for leave on March 8, including communicating with school leaders and our education association,” Alexandria Superintendent Alvin L. Crawley said in a statement on the school system’s website. “The decision is based solely on our ability to provide sufficient staff to cover all our classrooms, and the impact of high staff absenteeism on student safety and delivery of instruction. It is not based on a political stance or position.” More than three-quarters of public school teachers were women in the 2011-2012 school year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. The National Education Association and the American Federation for Teachers, which represent school teachers across the country, were both partners for the Women’s March, which drew more than 1 million into the streets around the country and the world for demonstrations on the day after President Trump took office. But most school systems in the Washington region appear to be largely unaffected by the upcoming protest. Officials in Maryland, the District and Northern Virginia — except for Alexandria – said they had not received a deluge of requests for days off and planned to open normally. At least one school system elsewhere — Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools in North Carolina — announced last week that it would close because teachers there wanted to join the protest. In some school systems, officials were urging teachers and principals to come to school Wednesday. “While some may plan to attend this week’s walk out on International Women’s Day, all students and staff are expected to be in school throughout the day so that teaching and learning can continue. We respect the right to self￾expression and peaceful protest in support of gender equality,” John Davis, chief of schools for D.C. Public Schools, wrote in a note to principals Monday morning. Parents in Alexandria were left scrambling to find childcare, and some teachers worried about how low-income families would manage. Nearly 60 percent of the city’s students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. The system said it would open six schools so that children who rely on school meals would still be able to eat. “We’re actually probably causing a lot of working women to scramble for childcare and some of them are minimum wage workers,” said one teacher, who declined to be named because she did not have permission to speak to a reporter. Tracy Kennedy, an independent consultant whose son is the fourth grade at Lyles-Crouch Traditional Academy in Alexandria, said the decision to cancel classes would mean she could lose nearly a full day’s pay because she bills by the hour and gets no paid time off. She said she is disappointed the school system permitted teachers to take the day off, though officials said they had little choice in the matter. “We have shown our teachers that they can basically rip the rug out from underneath our educational system and that its permissible,” Kennedy said. The protesters “are trying to support women,” she said, “but women are the ones who are suffering.” Other parents, while mindful of the struggles some would have in finding childcare, were supportive of the teachers who decided to take the day off. Julia Sylla, who works at an international education nonprofit, said she was still working out childcare for her daughter Madeline, a kindergartner at Cora Kelly School for Math, Science and Technology. She said it was inconvenient but the cause was worthwhile. “My husband and I both work full time so we are scrambling, but I feel like they have a right to stand up for equal pay and for equal treatment overall just as much as any other citizen,” Sylla said. The protest, assembled by the organizers of the Women’s March on Washington, is intended to draw attention to the role women play in the labor force and to press for equal pay and family leave policies. FOIA CBP 001313 DHS-17-0435-B-000610 213 It follows last month’s “Day Without Immigrants,” when many restaurants, stores and businesses shuttered in solidarity with immigrants who took the day off work to join protests against Trump’s restrictive policies on immigration. Emma Brown and Donna St. George contributed to this story. Rapper Gives $1 Million To Chicago Schools, Blasts Governor By Sophia Tareen Associated Press, March 6, 2017 CHICAGO (AP) – Chance the Rapper’s unusual intervention into Chicago Public Schools’ funding crisis took an even more curious turn Monday when the Grammy-winner presented a $1 million check to city schools and urged Gov. Bruce Rauner to use his executive powers to help the nation’s third-largest district. The Republican governor, a former venture capitalist, responded by noting his own philanthropy and floating Chicago school funding ideas that would face tough odds in the Democratic-controlled Legislature. Illinois has gone two years without a budget, the longest such stalemate of any state in nearly a century. The back-and-forth came after a meeting Friday between Rauner and the artist – whose real name is Chancelor Bennett – that left the rapper visibly agitated. Chance asked for the meeting after he won three Grammys last month, including best new artist, and Rauner tweeted congratulations. The Chicago native stopped at an elementary school near where he grew up to announce the donation to a schools’ foundation, calling himself a “public school kid.” He also accused Rauner of failing to present solutions without “caveats or ultimatums.” “This isn’t about politics. This isn’t about posturing. This is about taking care of the kids,” he said. “Everybody and their mama knows what’s going on in Chicago. We’re about to enhance the conversation on supporting and funding the education of the kids in Chicago.” At the heart of rapper’s beef with Rauner is $215 million in teacher pension relief for Chicago schools that he vetoed last year. Rauner said a broader pension overhaul was needed, part of his push for pro-business and long-term reforms. However, the school district of roughly 400,000 students had factored the money into its roughly $5.4 billion budget and had to make mid-year cuts. The district has also proposed ending the school year early to save money. Rauner, who called the meeting a “good exchange of views,” circulated plans before Chance’s public appearance for ways to recover the $215 million; both require state legislation. One option calls for using up most of Chicago’s special taxing district funds, set aside for capital projects, for a one-time infusion. The other would attach the funding to broader pension reform. Chicago officials rejected both, saying Illinois’ school funding formula is fundamentally unfair to the largely minority and poor school district. CPS has sued the state over the calculation and argues the district is further penalized since it’s the only one in Illinois where local taxpayers, not the state, help pay teacher pension costs. Chance also dismissed the plans, saying he wasn’t a politician. “It’s not my job to propose any policy or be behind anything but the kids,” he said. Rauner’s office issued a statement detailing his history of giving: roughly $7 million over 20 years to organizations benefitting Chicago students. “While the Rauners are passionate donors to our schools, individual contributions will never be enough to address the financial challenges facing CPS,” the statement said. “It would be helpful if CPS officials came to Springfield and joined in serious good faith discussions about the long￾term stability of all of our schools.” Rauner has blamed Chicago’s fiscal woes on years of financial mismanagement and argues that Chicago receives hundreds of millions in block grants other schools don’t. Meanwhile, Chance deemed his donation – from the concert ticket proceeds – a “call to action” and asked other artists and corporations to follow suit. The rapper has family ties to prominent Democrats. His father worked in former President Barack Obama’s Cabinet and for Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Chance has been civically engaged before, leading a march to the polls in November and serving on the board of Chicago’s DuSable Museum of African American History. --- Follow Sophia Tareen on Twitter at https://twitter.com/sophiatareen. --- This story has been corrected to reflect that Chicago Public Schools is the nation’s third-largest district, not second-largest. © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Chance The Rapper Writes $1 Million Check To CPS As A ‘Call To Action’ By Juan Perez Jr. And Monique Garcia Chicago Tribune, March 6, 2017 FOIA CBP 001314 DHS-17-0435-B-000611 214 Hours after Gov. Bruce Rauner offered two options to provide $215 million to Chicago Public Schools, Chance the Rapper cut the district a $1 million check that the Grammy￾winning musician described as a “call to action” for the city’s business and philanthropic community. Chance was critical of the Republican governor’s efforts to fix the city’s schools during a news conference in West Chatham on the South Side, not far from the musician’s old neighborhood. “Gov. Rauner still won’t commit to give Chicago’s kids a chance without caveats or ultimatums,” Chance told students and reporters at Westcott Elementary School. “Gov. Rauner, do your job.” Chance’s comments quickly spread among his millions of social media followers and brought a dash of celebrity to a long-running fight over education funding. But they did little to resolve differences between politicians and school officials over how to dig the district out of a budget hole that could bring an early end to the school year for some 400,000 students. The rapper had promised via Twitter to present a plan for CPS. But at an afternoon news conference, Chance said it wasn’t his job to propose policy and instead promoted a fundraising campaign while urging Rauner to act. “Gov. Rauner can use his executive power to give Chicago’s children the resources they need to fulfill their God￾given right to learn,” the artist said. The $1 million donation, which Chance presented in a novelty-sized check, will come from ticket sales from an upcoming tour and will go to CPS’ fundraising arm. The musician also announced a series of $10,000 donations to 10 individual city schools. After Chance the Rapper met with Gov. Bruce Rauner, the rapper donated $1 million March 6, 2017, to support arts programming for Chicago Public Schools. Getting CPS the $215 million it had banked on to help balance this year’s budget will be more complicated. The two proposals pitched by Rauner’s office Monday require action from lawmakers, but the governor has spent nearly two years deadlocked with Democrats who control the General Assembly. One option includes passing legislation that would allow Mayor Rahm Emanuel to tap into the city’s tax increment financing funds. The other once again ties the money to a larger overhaul of the state’s pension retirement program. Both proposals were rejected by city and CPS officials. Rauner’s office did not respond to specific criticisms from the hip-hop star, instead noting the governor and wife Diana have long supported CPS with donations of $7 million through either personal contributions or the Rauner Family Foundation in the last few decades. But it’s not possible to dig CPS out of its financial hole through that kind of philanthropy, Rauner’s office said. “While the Rauners are passionate donors to our schools, individual contributions will never be enough to address the financial challenges facing CPS,” said Rauner spokeswoman Eleni Demertzis. “It would be helpful if CPS officials came to Springfield and joined in serious, good-faith discussions about the long-term stability of all of our schools.” CPS officials have quietly welcomed Chance’s recent use of his celebrity and a savvy social media strategy to highlight the district’s financial plight. Born Chancelor Bennett, the musician has a history of criticizing government and speaking out against politicians including Emanuel. Chance’s father has worked for Emanuel at City Hall. The artist’s comments on Monday at times resembled talking points used by Emanuel and school officials in their long-running battle with Rauner. The governor in December vetoed legislation that would’ve sent the district $215 million to ease its enormous pension burden. “Gov. Rauner broke his promise to Chicago’s children a few months ago as a result of an admitted emotional reaction, when he vetoed the $215 million in funding that Chicago schools were counting on to close out the school year,” Chance said. “Our kids should not be held hostage because of political positioning.” Chance and Rauner met in Chicago on Friday to discuss CPS funding, a session the musician on Monday described as “unsuccessful.” The options presented by Rauner on Monday were both a response to public pressure from Chance and an opportunity to place the onus on CPS’ financial ills elsewhere. The TIF district idea mimics proposals promoted by the Chicago Teachers Union and makes coming up with the money the problem of state lawmakers, Emanuel and potentially aldermen. The pension idea, if executed, would get Rauner a long-sought item from his legislative and economic wish list while requiring Democrats who control the General Assembly to go against union allies who oppose the changes to the retirement system. Michael Mahoney, Rauner’s deputy chief of staff for policy and legislative affairs, wrote in a memo that “given the extraordinary mismanagement of both the city and CPS budgets, legislation could be enacted to authorize a one-time mayoral transfer of $215 million from Chicago TIF funds to CPS.” Mahoney said the city should revise its policy and allow TIF districts to collect dollars for education funding, saying the idea “represents a compromise that both attracts business investment and supports public schools.” Alternatively, the administration wants to tie broader statewide pension changes to the $215 million pension pick￾up for CPS. The school district, which has sued the state over its education funding system, quickly rejected the governor’s plan. FOIA CBP 001315 DHS-17-0435-B-000612 215 “Yet again, Gov. Rauner is perpetuating a racially discriminatory state funding system and his so-called plan actually demands that Chicago students do more to get the same funding that every other student in the state of Illinois is entitled to receive — a gross disparity that has no place in 2017,” CPS spokeswoman Emily Bittner said in a statement. Mayoral spokesman Adam Collins characterized Rauner’s latest proposals as “no solution at all.” “His plan to fix the fact that Chicago taxpayers pay twice for teacher pensions is to have them pay three times instead,” Collins said in a statement. “It’s past time for the governor to step up, as Chicago’s taxpayers already have, and end the state’s separate and unequal funding for Chicago students.” Emanuel was in New York on Monday making an announcement about participants in this year’s Chicago Architecture Biennial. Monday’s pension plan from the governor is one he first pushed last year, but ultimately vetoed after Democratic Senate President John Cullerton publicly suggested there had never been a deal linking the $215 million in CPS aid to pension reform. Rauner later acknowledged he was “a little emotional” when he vetoed the legislation not long after Cullerton made his comments. CPS moved to cut costs after the veto, furloughing employees and freezing school budgets. Last week, the district announced it may make cuts to summer school and shorten the school year by about three weeks — for a savings of about $96 million — if the state or the courts don’t intervene. While Senate lawmakers are already weighing the pension changes, they are tied to a larger effort to pass sweeping legislation to end the state’s unprecedented budget impasse. Those efforts hit a roadblock last week amid lagging support from Republicans, which Cullerton blamed on interference from Rauner. Rauner’s office now says the pension changes should be considered separately from the broader budget deal, a move that could be seen as him acknowledging those efforts won’t go anywhere. Schools waiting for an outcome include Westcott, the site of the musician’s news conference and a highly rated campus in the West Chatham neighborhood that educates students who are almost exclusively black and poor. In addition to the $1 million donation, Chance presented a $10,000 check to Westcott. “This isn’t about politics, this isn’t about posturing. This is about taking care of the kids. Everybody and their momma knows about what’s going on in Chicago, it’s constantly talked about. But we’re about to enhance the conversation,” the rapper said. Westcott, with roughly 400 students, was set to lose $96,840 in funding this year, part of a $46 million budget freeze that hit hundreds of buildings but landed hard on schools with mostly poor and minority students. CPS reversed course last month and refunded some $15 million of the frozen funds. Westcott now stands to lose about $75,000, according to the district. Westcott’s principal, Monique Dockery, said that cut means the school will have to drop a variety of after-school programs, math and reading tutoring as well as professional development. “I don’t have a lot of nickel and dime kind of people working,” Dockery told reporters. “They love the children. That’s first and foremost within Westcott, you have to love the children here in order to do the work that we do.” Chicago Tribune’s John Byrne contributed. jjperez@chicagotribune.com mcgarcia@chicagotribune.com Illinois Is Prepared—for Zombies By Gerald Skoning Wall Street Journal, March 6, 2017 Full-text stories from the Wall Street Journal are available to Journal subscribers by clicking the link. White Supremacists Step Up Recruiting On Campus, Report Says By Tamara Best New York Times, March 6, 2017 At Vanderbilt University in Nashville, a printer, suspected to have been hacked, spurted out anti-Semitic fliers in January. At the Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, Mich., an Adolf Hitler-themed Valentine’s Day card, unauthorized by the school’s College Republicans, made its way into a bag at one of the group’s meetings in February. And at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, a vendor was discovered to be selling items with swastika symbols before being asked to leave. The three incidents are among more than 100 since the school year started in September that the Anti-Defamation League lists in a new report tracking efforts by white supremacists to recruit students on college campuses. Most of the incidents — 65 of them — have occurred since January, the report found. Jonathan A. Greenblatt, the chief executive of the Anti￾Defamation League, said in a telephone interview on Monday that hate groups have increased their presence at schools through visits, rallies, speeches and alt-right online spaces. However,the seemingly antiquated approach of distributing fliers, often touting messages of white supremacy, has been a focus for increasing their physical presence on campuses. “Fliers allow them to not only recruit but get public attention,” Mr. Greenblatt said, adding, “it’s not only part of FOIA CBP 001316 DHS-17-0435-B-000613 216 the way they can identify sympathizers but terrorize marginalized communities. “Social media allows them to go to very targeted audiences in specific ways. Fliers starting to show up saying that any one of these organizations is here and present will not only raise eyebrows but I think really heighten concerns among organizations of students and that’s what they want.” The fliers have been a common tactic for hate groups, one that allows them to spread their message without requiring a large amount of resources or energy and that allows for a level of anonymity. According to the report, racist, anti-Semitic and anti￾Muslim fliers have been spotted in 32 states at 66 campuses since September. The list included a speaking engagement in December by the white nationalist leader Richard Spencer. The appearance, at Texas A&M University in College Station, ended in violent protests. The report identified several groups, including Identity Evropa, American Vanguard and American Renaissance, that have made concerted efforts to distribute their fliers on campuses. Identity Evropa and American Vanguard were both founded in 2016, it said. Mr. Greenblatt said the groups were emboldened by a sort of middle-of-the-road acceptance in recent months. “In a political environment where white supremacists have felt more welcome than any time in recent memory, we saw them move from their margins to the mainstream,” Mr. Greenblatt said. “We saw their language and images really penetrate the political process and to a large degree the public conversation,” he said adding, “so what we see is people like Richard Spencer and other organizations try to exploit this newfound idea of legitimacy to grow their ranks.” Is Trump’s ‘Made In America’ Push Healthy For Your Wallet? Bloomberg News, March 6, 2017 Jenny and Lindsey explore what Trump’s campaign to revive domestic manufacturing means at the mall. Some companies, including Knot Standard, the custom suit-maker that dressed the younger male Trumps for the inauguration, say the U.S. doesn’t have the technological infrastructure or employee knowhow to get the job done. Others, such as hoodie-maker American Giant, say that’s baloney. Either way, after a decade of plummeting prices, shoppers may need to prepare themselves to spend more on the clothes they’ve been coveting. Bloomberg Radio +1-212-617-5560 Before it’s here, it’s on the Bloomberg Terminal. LEARN MORE GM To Lay Off 1,100 At Michigan Plant, Move Acadia By Alexander Alusheff USA Today, March 6, 2017 LANSING, Mich. — General Motors Co. will lay off as many as 1,100 workers at its Lansing Delta Township Assembly plant when it phases out production of the first generation GMC Acadia in May. Lansing Delta Township Assembly plant will lose its third shift and about a third of its workers as the automaker shifts production of the next generation of the SUV to Spring Hill, Tenn., Erin Davis, GM’s Lansing spokeswoman, said in a statement. The Michigan workers were given a 60-day notice of the layoffs Monday. The plant employs roughly 3,000 hourly workers and 250 salaried workers. The plant also manufactures two crossover SUVs, the Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave, which AutoTrader.com describes as “twins under the skin” even though their exteriors are vastly different and the Enclave is marketed with upscale styling and materials. GM (GM) chose the Lansing-area plant to make the new generation Traverse this year. Davis’ statement also confirmed that the new generation Buick Enclave will be made at the plant as well. “The new Buick Enclave and Chevrolet Traverse enter the market at a time when crossovers have become the most vibrant, dynamic and fast-growing models of the industry,” Davis said in the statement. In early February, GM announced it would build the 2018 Holden Acadia, the Australian version of the GMC Acadia, at its Spring Hill plant about 40 miles south of Nashville and quit making cars in Australia this year. The Spring Hill plant also operates under a United Auto Workers union contract. That plant opened in 1990 to manufacture Saturns but made the Chevrolet Traverse for a year in 2009 when the crossover debuted. Traverse production was shifted to the Lansing Delta Township Assembly plant for the 2010 model year. Bill Reed, president of UAW Local 602, which represents the hourly workers at the Michigan plant, said the layoffs were expected. “This was a major vehicle change,” he said. “It was kind of expected this was going to happen. I believe it’s going to be for a short time.” Reed said the union has been advocating for a third product to replace the Acadia. Analysts predict that the plant could make a Cadillac crossover. “I know (GM) wants to utilize the plant at full capacity,” he said. GM has invested $583 million in the Lansing Delta Township plant since 2014 to prepare for new vehicle production. Alex Hernandez is a UAW member who works first shift at the plant as a global customer auditor. FOIA CBP 001317 DHS-17-0435-B-000614 217 “Of course I’m upset about losing third shift. These young people need their jobs,” said Hernandez, who has worked for GM for 35 years. “The younger guys are concerned. Nobody wants to go down to two shifts. We want as many vehicles as we can get in that place.” GM stock briefly spiked before the New York Stock Exchange’s open to $38.42 but has trended lower so far Monday, opening at $37.98 and falling 2.2% to $37.39 at mid￾day. GM sold 116,701 Traverses last year, a 2.7% decrease from 2015. The Enclave sold 52,028 units last year, a 16% decrease from 2015. In January, GM cut the third shift at Lansing Grand River Assembly as car sales declined and the popularity of trucks and SUVs increased. Initially, up to as many as 832 people could have been laid off at the plant. Davis said the final number was 500. GM is investing $211 million at the Lansing Grand River plant for new tooling and equipment as well as a 32,000- square-foot expansion of its body shop. The investment is for a future product that has yet to be announced. Contributing: Lizzy Alfs, The Tennessean. Follow Alexander Alusheff on Twitter: @alexalusheff GM To Cut Third Shift At Lansing Delta Township By Ian Thibodeau And Melissa Burden Detroit News, March 6, 2017 General Motors Co. said Monday it will cut the third shift at its Lansing Delta Township assembly plant, effective May 12. Monday’s move follows two other shift reductions in recent months at GM assembly plants in Michigan, bringing the total workers affected by the changes to some 3,200 hourly and salaried employees. A number of those workers will be laid off, while others may have been transferred to other plants. The shift reduction will affect about 1,100 hourly and salaried employees at the plant, GM spokeswoman Erin Davis said. GM expects the number who will be laid off will be less than that figure after it places eligible workers into open positions at other plants. A WARN notice filed with the Michigan Workforce Development Agency put that number at up to 1,171. The plant will employ 2,368, including 2,137 hourly workers represented by UAW Local 602, following the shift reduction. The decision comes as GM plans in May to stop building the old-generation GMC Acadia, called the Acadia Limited, at the Lansing plant. GM moved production of the new-generation GMC Acadia to its Spring Hill Assembly Plant in Tennessee. “The Buick Enclave and Chevrolet Traverse will continue to be built at Lansing Delta Township as part of GM’s $583 million in investments in the facility since 2014,” GM said in a statement. “All-new versions of both models will be built at LDT this year.” In November, GM announced it would cut the third shifts in January at its Lansing Grand River plant and its Lordstown car plant in northeastern Ohio to help meet falling customer demand for small cars. It also will ax the second shift at its Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Plant this month, cutting some 1,300 jobs. Those layoffs are slated to begin this week. Congressman Tim Walberg, R-Tipton, in a statement issued Monday, said he is disappointed by GM’s decision to eliminate the shift at Lansing Delta Township. “This is a very difficult day for many of the workers and their families,” he said. “I have visited the GM Delta Township Plant on numerous occasions, and the dedicated and hardworking men and women who work there represent the best of what Michigan has to offer. The auto industry is critical to our state’s economy, and I will continue fighting for more jobs and opportunity for the workers who form the backbone of Michigan manufacturing.” ithibodeau@detnews.com Read or Share this story: http://detne.ws/2mwzOR2 Why GM Could Not Make Money In Europe By Thomas Heath Washington Post, March 6, 2017 With General Motors Co.’s decision to abandon the European car market by selling its Opel brand, chief executive Mary Barra is making good on her vow to refashion the 109-year-old goliath’s sell-everywhere-to-everyone ethic into one driven by share price. “They want to change the culture, get out of a money￾losing business . . . and send a message they they really want to focus on places they think that on the long-term￾basis, they can generate a return,” said Matthew Stover, an analyst with Susquehanna Financial Group. The largest U.S. car company by sales said Monday that it had agreed to sell its Opel and Vauxhall brands to Peugeot in a $2.3 billion deal, exiting a European market that has not produced a profit in nearly 20 years. PSA, the maker of Peugeot and Citroën cars, is 14 percent owned by the French government. “It’s very smart,” said former GM vice chairman Bob Lutz in an email. “GM gets rid of a perennial loser.” GM’s exit from Western Europe to concentrate elsewhere doesn’t come without risk, including giving up market share and expertise. GM sold 1.2 million cars in Europe last year. And Germany, where Opel is headquartered, is considered the industry’s birthplace and a primary source for engineering and design innovation. FOIA CBP 001318 DHS-17-0435-B-000615 218 “The risk is that they will need that volume in Europe to absorb investment costs for vehicles they also sell around the world,” Stover said. “The Cruze here in North America shares a common platform with products in Europe.” Another risk: They are leaving one of the world’s biggest markets. Barr is under pressure to improve the stock price, which was trading at more than $37 a share on Monday, below the $40 when she took over in January 2014. It has jagged above $30 for most of her tenure, but hasn’t climbed back to $40. “By immediately improving General Motors’ overall business profile, the transaction will enable us to increase our returns to shareholders,” GM President Dan Ammann said at a news conference early Monday in Paris, according to Automotive News. The U.S. auto manufacturer said it would take a $4 billion charge on the Opel sale, which also frees up cash that it will use to help buy back its shares and invest in new initiatives. The company said it plans to buy back $4 billion of its stock this year. The company is also spending money on a line of electric cars including the Chevrolet Bolt as well as investments like its $500 million interest in the popular Lyft ride-sharing service. Analysts called the sale a welcome course correction for GM, whose 2009 federal bailout was justified on the grounds that the car manufacturer’s bankruptcy could help drag the United States into a second Great Depression. Once referred to as a health-care company on wheels because of its enormous pension and health care obligations, GM has since reconstituted itself into a profitable business built around strong North American and China sales. “We are disrupting ourselves, so we’re not trying to preserve a model of yesterday,” Barra told Business Insider in November 2016. “The history behind GM has always been slow to respond to anything,” said analyst Bill Selesky of Argus Research. “Mary Barra is saying we are going to be more proactive.” The company had revenue of $166 billion last year on record sales of 9.97 million vehicles. China sales topped the list with 3.87 million units sold, while North American sales were 3.6 million. The company has $27 billion in unfunded pension obligations and nearly $80 billion in debt. “GM is doing phenomenally well,” said Ivan Feinseth, chief investment officer at Tigress Financial Partners. Feinseth has a “strong buy” rating on the company. “They have the best lineup of cars in the history of the company.” GM has owned Opel, headquartered near Frankfurt and widely seen as a German brand, since 1929. If the deal goes through later this year, GM will have all but rolled out of Europe, where rival Ford Motor Company has thrived. GM sells Chevrolet Corvette sports cars in Europe, but has been unable to establish a beachhead with its Chevrolet brand. “Ford enjoys a huge and wildly profitable commercial vehicle business in Europe,” said Lutz, one-time chief executive of Ford of Europe. “GM has never been able to penetrate that market. They missed the boat on that over 30 years ago. It would require several billions” to match Ford. European drivers prefer diesel motors over conventional gasoline-powered vehicles. They also do not share Americans’ love for pickup trucks and SUVs — the strongest anchors of GM’s lineup. GM had justified its Opel investment over many years of losses on the grounds that it provided engineering that could be used to develop small cars in other markets — a line of business it thought had great growth potential. But with gas plentiful and cheap, sport-utility vehicles and pickup trucks — not small cars — driving much of GM’s North American sales. Amman echoed that at the Monday news conference, saying the European auto market had changed so dramatically that only one in five Opels could be sold in other regions. Lutz said GM kept Opel for so long on the expectation that the company was ready to turn around. “The next ‘five-year business plan’ always showed a great hockey stick with profits just around the corner,” Lutz said in an email. FOIA CBP 001319 DHS-17-0435-B-000616 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20229 Released via FOIAonline account. March 29, 2019 CBP-2018-005705 Austin Evers American Oversight Washington, DC 20005 Dear Mr. Evers: As agreed to in American Oversight v. U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Case No. 1: 18-cv-01337, this is the third interim response to your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), on behalf of American Oversight, in which you are seeking: 1.) All electronic mail containing any of the following terms: a. Catch of the Day b. #CatchOfTheDay c. Keeping America Safe d. #KeepingAmericaSafe 2.) All electronic mail containing the word “hashtag” and any of the following words or phrases: a. S1 b. S2 c. Secretary d. Deputy Secretary e. DepSec f. Kelly g. Duke 3.) All electronic mail containing any hashtags (“#”) and any of the following words or phrases: a. Illegal b. Illegals c. Alien U.S. Customs and Border Protection d. Aliens e. Felon f. Felons g. Criminal h. Criminals A search of CBP databases has identified records responsive to your request, 35 pages of which are now being produced. CBP has determined that 35 pages of the records are partially releasable, pursuant to Title 5 U.S.C. § 552 (b)(6), (b)(7)(C). Uploaded to your FOIAonline account are 35 pages with certain information withheld as described below: FOIA Exemption (b)(6) exempts from disclosure personnel or medical files and similar files the release of which would cause a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. This requires a balancing of the public’s right to disclosure against the individual’s right privacy. The types of documents and/or information that we have withheld may consist of birth certificates, naturalization certificates, driver license, social security numbers, home addresses, dates of birth, or various other documents and/or information belonging to a third party that are considered personal. The privacy interests of the individuals in the records you have requested outweigh any minimal public interest in disclosure of the information. Any private interest you may have in that information does not factor into the aforementioned balancing test. FOIA Exemption (b)(7)(C) protects records or information compiled for law enforcement purposes that could reasonably be expected to constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. This exemption takes particular note of the strong interests of individuals, whether they are suspects, witnesses, or investigators, in not being unwarrantably associated with alleged criminal activity. That interest extends to persons who are not only the subjects of the investigation, but those who may have their privacy invaded by having their identities and information about them revealed in connection with an investigation. Based upon the traditional recognition of strong privacy interest in law enforcement records, categorical withholding of information that identifies third parties in law enforcement records is ordinarily appropriate. This completes CBP’s third interim response to your request. If you have questions or concerns regarding this interim response, you may contact Assistant United States Attorney Denise M. Clark at (202) 252-6605. AMERICAN PVERSIGHT Please notate file number CBP-2018-005705 on any future correspondence to CBP related to this request. Sincerely, Jodi Drengson FOIA Analyst, FOIA Division U.S. Customs and Border Protection AMERICAN PVERSIGHT From: FRIEL, MICHAEL J To: FLANAGAN, PATRICK S; Cc: Subject: NPR story update Date: Thursday, September 21, 2017 2:32:51 PM Update: NPR story is gaining a lot of traction via twitter. Below is CMDR Padilla’s statement, which we will also tweet. R/S Mike “U.S. Customs and Border Protection was notified by the Harlingen, Texas, hospital that there was a child with undocumented parents in need of urgent medical care and that the family would have to go through a checkpoint to get to the Corpus Christi hospital. To get the child to the care it urgently needed, Border Patrol agents did everything in their power to assist the family, including escorting the ambulance, unimpeded, through the checkpoint. As required by law, the agents stayed with the family but deferred processing until after the child’s procedure. We’re happy to have been able to help as human life and safety always come first. We have a job to do, but we do that job as humanely as possible.” From: Sent: Thursday, September 21, 2017 1:49 PM To: FRIEL, MICHAEL J Cc: Subject: RE: Tweets crossing 600 threshold FYSA, I sent proposed tweets for review as well. From: Sent: Thursday, September 21, 2017 1:08 PM To: FRIEL, MICHAEL J Subject: FW: Tweets crossing 600 threshhold FYSA: Border Patrol arrests couple with sick baby is trending right now. ProPublica and NPR tweets driving the spike. From: Sysomos Mailer Sent: Thursday, September 21, 2017 1:03 PM To Subject: Tweets crossing 600 threshhold CBP FOIA 001320 (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b) (7)(E) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000001 VERSIGHT New Content in Heartbeat US Customs and Border Protection More than 100 new since the last check on September 21, 2017 at 12:00PM EDT 1 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:55AM on twitter.com/Skrellnik ID:58861.299078 2 MIL DTL 3628/207-99 Badge, Identification, Hono... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI MIL DTL 3628/207-99 Badge, Identification, Honor Guard, U.S. Border Patrol - Freestd - Military specifications(MIL) https://t.co/s3POnjyubs 21 September 11:55AM on twitter.com/Gadgets_Gear1 ID:58861.299079 3 RT @otraletra: This is next level: Border Patro... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @otraletra: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/FB3tyKQULq 21 September 11:55AM on twitter.com/Romo4Hire ID:58861.299080 4 RT @TexasSierraClub: Send a public comment to @... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @TexasSierraClub: Send a public comment to @CustomsBorder by MONDAY 9/25 to say #noborderwall + increased transparency for #RGV. https://t.co/Vc5STYmWQ5 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/LoriSums ID:58861.299081 5 RT @SarahLSmith677: Border Patrol Arrests Paren... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @SarahLSmith677: Border Patrol Arrests Parents While Infant Awaits Serious Operation https://t.co/F6DgZ4jVpt 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/pyowac1 ID:58861.299082 6 Border patrol arrests undocumented parents whil... CBP FOIA 001321 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000002 LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ VERSIGHT View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Border patrol arrests undocumented parents while two-month old undergoes surgery https://t.co/OUy1wfF8Nz September 21, 2017 at 10:54PM 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/blitzkriegradio ID:58861.299083 7 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/syleisw ID:58861.299084 8 RT @TexasSierraClub: Send a public comment to @... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @TexasSierraClub: Send a public comment to @CustomsBorder by MONDAY 9/25 to say #noborderwall + increased transparency for #RGV. https://t.co/Vc5STYmWQ5 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/GetSolarAndSave ID:58861.299085 9 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/biotech_seel ID:58861.299086 10 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/beluga73 ID:58861.299087 11 QT @ProPublica: Heard about this on @NPR. How d... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ProPublica: Heard about this on @NPR. How does ICE sleep at night? https://t.co/A8WAEhoA2U ; This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/two4jun ID:58861.299088 12 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in CBP FOIA 001322 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000003 LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ VERSIGHT his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/GonzaloFanjul ID:58861.299089 13 RT @SarahLSmith677: Border Patrol Arrests Paren... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @SarahLSmith677: Border Patrol Arrests Parents While Infant Awaits Serious Operation https://t.co/F6DgZ4jVpt 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/326JMR ID:58861.299090 14 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/siemonespirit ID:58861.299091 15 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/thekleptocracy ID:58861.299092 16 QT @ProPublica: Shameful. "Officers followed th... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ProPublica: Shameful. "Officers followed the father to the bathroom & the cafeteria & asked the mother to leave the door open when she breast-fed." https://t.co/n0vXYsLQyK ; This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/emmawebsta ID:58861.299093 17 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/G_L_Shaman ID:58861.299094 18 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/jwowboo ID:58861.299095 CBP FOIA 001323 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000004 LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ 19 QT @otraletra: .@realdonaldtrump @sendavidperdu... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @otraletra: .@realdonaldtrump @sendavidperdue @johnisakson NOT our America. Shame on you for promoting this evil. @aclu @ICEgov @repjohnlewis #DACA https://t.co/ZqCS3dgR8b ; This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying... 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/janicenall ID:58861.299096 20 RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Bord... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Border Patrol Arrests parents seeking life saving surgery for their newborn baby. https://t.co/qP9oSRYrKC 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/ozaed ID:58861.299097 21 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/puregirlny ID:58861.299098 22 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/bo38637 ID:58861.299099 23 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/MissesBun ID:58861.299100 24 RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Bord... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Border Patrol Arrests parents seeking life saving surgery for their newborn baby. https://t.co/qP9oSRYrKC 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/jopheir ID:58861.299101 25 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... CBP FOIA 001324 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000005 LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ VERSIGHT View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/jenkimtwitty ID:58861.299102 26 RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Bord... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Border Patrol Arrests parents seeking life saving surgery for their newborn baby. https://t.co/qP9oSRYrKC 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/Tboo1012 ID:58861.299103 27 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/beth_andrus ID:58861.299104 28 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:59AM on twitter.com/sassafrassco ID:58861.299105 29 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:59AM on twitter.com/grandmalaurie ID:58861.299106 30 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:55AM on twitter.com/PaulinaTwiggs ID:58861.299108 31 RT @SarahLSmith677: Border Patrol Arrests Paren... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @SarahLSmith677: Border Patrol Arrests Parents While Infant Awaits Serious Operation https://t.co/F6DgZ4jVpt 21 September 11:55AM on twitter.com/GabyDore ID:58861.299109 CBP FOIA 001325 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000006 LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ 32 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:55AM on twitter.com/ShadyBob ID:58861.299110 33 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/zstavely ID:58861.299111 34 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/hopijoy ID:58861.299112 35 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/MarianHolling ID:58861.299113 36 Border Patrol Arrests Parents While Infant Awai... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Border Patrol Arrests Parents While Infant Awaits Serious Operation https://t.co/IpoHV06sDL 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/GregortheMendel ID:58861.299114 37 QT @ProPublica: Nauseating! https://t.co/9hGK2H... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ProPublica: Nauseating! https://t.co/9hGK2HzbzW ; This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/AmatyaKautilya ID:58861.299115 38 RT @SarahLSmith677: Border Patrol Arrests Paren... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI CBP FOIA 001326 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000007 L........J LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ VERSIGHT RT @SarahLSmith677: Border Patrol Arrests Parents While Infant Awaits Serious Operation https://t.co/F6DgZ4jVpt 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/atatatstat ID:58861.299116 39 RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Bord... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Border Patrol Arrests parents seeking life saving surgery for their newborn baby. https://t.co/qP9oSRYrKC 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/ThomasHall17 ID:58861.299117 40 RT @SarahLSmith677: Border Patrol Arrests Paren... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @SarahLSmith677: Border Patrol Arrests Parents While Infant Awaits Serious Operation https://t.co/F6DgZ4jVpt 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/SharonWillow54 ID:58861.299118 41 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/G_L_Shaman ID:58861.299119 42 RT @otraletra: This is next level: Border Patro... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @otraletra: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/FB3tyKQULq 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/kenkircher1 ID:58861.299120 43 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/HCandler ID:58861.299121 44 RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Bord... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Border Patrol Arrests parents seeking life saving surgery for their newborn baby. https://t.co/qP9oSRYrKC 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/JohnnyDeMayo ID:58861.299122 CBP FOIA 001327 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000008 LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ 45 Here in the Deplorable States of America: Borde... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Here in the Deplorable States of America: Border Patrol Arrests Parents While Infant Awaits Serious Operation https://t.co/cbq7zOvYAB 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/Sr0bi ID:58861.299123 46 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/SandyPaws ID:58861.299124 47 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/EliasBartholomw ID:58861.299125 48 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/jenn_theflower ID:58861.299126 49 RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Bord... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Border Patrol Arrests parents seeking life saving surgery for their newborn baby. https://t.co/qP9oSRYrKC 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/cannibaldiet ID:58861.299127 50 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/Kimgtrue2me ID:58861.299128 51 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in CBP FOIA 001328 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000009 LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ VERSIGHT his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/Kwagstaff ID:58861.299129 52 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/Dragonwing913Z ID:58861.299130 53 @MLS_Jose @freuddude56 @sassygayrepub Funny thi... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @MLS_Jose @freuddude56 @sassygayrepub Funny thing is it's your family that's fucked lol.. that big white border patrol bus will be bringing y'all back home.. FOR FREE!! 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/Mistre222 ID:58861.299131 54 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/kakempen ID:58861.299132 55 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/joshspickler ID:58861.299133 56 RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Bord... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Border Patrol Arrests parents seeking life saving surgery for their newborn baby. https://t.co/qP9oSRYrKC 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/MajestyJames1 ID:58861.299134 57 RT @SarahLSmith677: Border Patrol Arrests Paren... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @SarahLSmith677: Border Patrol Arrests Parents While Infant Awaits Serious Operation https://t.co/F6DgZ4jVpt 21 September 11:59AM on twitter.com/wizardofogg2 ID:58861.299135 58 Border patrol arrests undocumented parents whil... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI CBP FOIA 001329 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000010 LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ VERSIGHT Border patrol arrests undocumented parents while two-month old undergoes surgery https://t.co/ejlX8NvxkL 21 September 11:59AM on twitter.com/LibsFor ID:58861.299136 59 Border Patrol Arrests Near Safe Zones Worry Imm... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Border Patrol Arrests Near Safe Zones Worry Immigrant Advocates : NPR https://t.co/zKhHf0cYfD 21 September 12:00PM on twitter.com/stephinlala ID:58861.299137 60 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/AnimalPragmatsm ID:58861.299138 61 QT @otraletra: This is just plain nasty https:/... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @otraletra: This is just plain nasty https://t.co/knAzU96d3E ; This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/FB3tyKQULq 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/HudsonRiverCroc ID:58861.299139 62 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/basic_chores ID:58861.299140 63 RT @otraletra: This is next level: Border Patro... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @otraletra: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/FB3tyKQULq 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/janicenall ID:58861.299141 64 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/carotroyalajes ID:58861.299142 CBP FOIA 001330 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000011 LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ 65 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/dvd2585 ID:58861.299143 66 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/AaronBrynen ID:58861.299144 67 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/DirtyDucko ID:58861.299145 68 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/jshawhan ID:58861.299146 69 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/dizzyeyes ID:58861.299147 70 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:59AM on twitter.com/jeffstrabone ID:58861.299148 71 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed CBP FOIA 001331 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000012 L........J LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ VERSIGHT ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:59AM on twitter.com/ErnabelD ID:58861.299149 72 RT @otraletra: This is next level: Border Patro... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @otraletra: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/FB3tyKQULq 21 September 11:59AM on twitter.com/BrianKirsch1 ID:58861.299150 73 RT @SarahLSmith677: Border Patrol Arrests Paren... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @SarahLSmith677: Border Patrol Arrests Parents While Infant Awaits Serious Operation https://t.co/F6DgZ4jVpt 21 September 12:00PM on twitter.com/mimix3 ID:58861.299151 74 QT @ProPublica: This is @realDonaldTrump lookin... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ProPublica: This is @realDonaldTrump looking for "criminals" in ambulances. https://t.co/zkXNVnUQHE ; This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 12:00PM on twitter.com/SudySAS ID:58861.299152 75 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 12:00PM on twitter.com/ajmeader ID:58861.299153 76 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 12:00PM on twitter.com/janicenall ID:58861.299154 77 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et CBP FOIA 001332 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000013 LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ VERSIGHT 21 September 12:00PM on twitter.com/SuzetteHidalgo ID:58861.299155 78 QT @ProPublica: So tired of stories like this. ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ProPublica: So tired of stories like this. This is not my America. https://t.co/6a96cNqOfw ; This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https 21 September 12:00PM on twitter.com/FlyingGaPeanut ID:58861.299156 79 QT @ProPublica: I know it's none of my business... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ProPublica: I know it's none of my business but I can't help but wonder what does @LindseyGrahamSC pray for? Family, health, peace.....or winning a bet? https://t.co/876P5Yd8HP ; This is next level: Border Patrol followed... 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/Ishnala_ ID:58861.299157 80 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/darwinwoodka ID:58861.299158 81 RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Bord... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Border Patrol Arrests parents seeking life saving surgery for their newborn baby. https://t.co/qP9oSRYrKC 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/ChrisJLMcDonald ID:58861.299159 82 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/JankyJordan ID:58861.299160 83 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et CBP FOIA 001333 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000014 LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ n VERSIGHT 21 September 11:59AM on twitter.com/ModernHG ID:58861.299161 84 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 12:00PM on twitter.com/ArchyDiego ID:58861.299162 85 QT @ProPublica: .@ICEgov @sendavidperdue @TomBo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ProPublica: .@ICEgov @sendavidperdue @TomBossert45 @johnisakson @realdonaldtrump GOP's disgusting family values. Shame on you. #impeachtrumppence https://t.co/e5dPgeUpDG ; This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV 21 September 12:00PM on twitter.com/janicenall ID:58861.299163 86 QT @ProPublica: "At long last, have you left no... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ProPublica: "At long last, have you left no sense of decency?" https://t.co/AHA31o6yp6 ; This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/MaxHailperin ID:58861.299164 87 QT @ProPublica: What, exactly, is the point of ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ProPublica: What, exactly, is the point of all this cruelty? How does this help assuage the WWC's "economic anxiety"? https://t.co/XUJpNFKo3U ; This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/VBX2010 ID:58861.299165 88 RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Bord... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Border Patrol Arrests parents seeking life saving surgery for their newborn baby. https://t.co/qP9oSRYrKC 21 September 11:59AM on twitter.com/lgib15 ID:58861.299166 89 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in CBP FOIA 001334 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000015 LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ VERSIGHT his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 12:00PM on twitter.com/Brovfefe ID:58861.299167 90 QT @otraletra: Disgusting, dishonorable...the b... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @otraletra: Disgusting, dishonorable...the border patrol. https://t.co/V9EwPfElNi ; This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/FB3tyKQULq 21 September 12:00PM on twitter.com/24Sass ID:58861.299168 91 RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Bord... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Border Patrol Arrests parents seeking life saving surgery for their newborn baby. https://t.co/qP9oSRYrKC 21 September 12:01PM on twitter.com/twilson39786853 ID:58861.299169 92 QT @EFF: RT @torproject: "It's not about having... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @EFF: RT @torproject: "It's not about having nothing to hide" https://t.co/sTMNLPPg40 ; NASA engineer Sidd Bikkannavar with help from @EFF, @ACLU is suing CBP for searching his phone without a warrant https://t.co 21 September 12:01PM on twitter.com/jajapump ID:58861.299170 93 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/bookfairiecymru ID:58861.299171 94 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:59AM on twitter.com/sfjw ID:58861.299172 95 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et CBP FOIA 001335 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000016 LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ n VERSIGHT 21 September 12:00PM on twitter.com/kenkircher1 ID:58861.299173 96 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 12:00PM on twitter.com/adamwinkler ID:58861.299174 97 RT @otraletra: This is next level: Border Patro... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @otraletra: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/FB3tyKQULq 21 September 12:00PM on twitter.com/BellwetherLV ID:58861.299175 98 QT @FrankSharry: This seems excessive. https://... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @FrankSharry: This seems excessive. https://t.co/wUOPj1jzz5 ; Your tax dollars at work. Border Patrol Arrests parents seeking life saving surgery for their newborn baby. https://t.co/qP9oSRYrKC 21 September 12:01PM on twitter.com/JustinKollar ID:58861.299176 99 Their newborn son needed emergency surgery. Bor... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Their newborn son needed emergency surgery. Border patrol followed the ambulance then arrested them at the hospital. https://t.co/W1BKwflTzc https://t.co/qRBdAALuJ1 21 September 12:00PM on twitter.com/karinjr ID:58861.299177 100 RT @otraletra: This is next level: Border Patro... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @otraletra: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/FB3tyKQULq 21 September 12:00PM on twitter.com/jamesonstarship ID:58861.299178 sysomos.com @sysomos support unsubscribe CBP FOIA 001336 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000017 LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ VERSIGHT From: FLANAGAN, PATRICK S To: FRIEL, MICHAEL J; Cc: Subject: RE: NPR story update Date: Thursday, September 21, 2017 3:49:30 PM Good tweet. V/R Patrick Patrick Flanagan Notice: FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY - this transmission contains material covered by the Privacy Act of 1974 and should be viewed only by personnel having an official "need to know." If you are not the intended recipient, be aware that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of the content of this information is prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify me immediately by email and delete the original message. From: FRIEL, MICHAEL J Sent: Thursday, September 21, 2017 2:33 PM To: FLANAGAN, PATRICK S Cc: Subject: NPR story update Update: NPR story is gaining a lot of traction via twitter. Below is CMDR Padilla’s statement, which we will also tweet. R/S Mike “U.S. Customs and Border Protection was notified by the Harlingen, Texas, hospital that there was a child with undocumented parents in need of urgent medical care and that the family would have to go through a checkpoint to get to the Corpus Christi hospital. To get the child to the care it urgently needed, Border Patrol agents did everything in their power to assist the family, including escorting the ambulance, unimpeded, through the checkpoint. As required by law, the agents stayed with the family but deferred processing until after the child’s procedure. We’re happy to have been able to help as human life and safety always come first. We have a job to do, but we do that job as humanely as possible.” From: Sent: Thursday, September 21, 2017 1:49 PM To: Cc: CBP FOIA 001337 CBP FOIA 001337 (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C)(b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000018 VERSIGHT Subject: RE: Tweets crossing 600 threshold FYSA, I sent proposed tweets for review as well. From: Sent: Thursday, September 21, 2017 1:08 PM To: FRIEL, MICHAEL J Subject: FW: Tweets crossing 600 threshhold FYSA: Border Patrol arrests couple with sick baby is trending right now. ProPublica and NPR tweets driving the spike. From: Sysomos Mailer Sent: Thursday, September 21, 2017 1:03 PM To: Subject: Tweets crossing 600 threshhold New Content in Heartbeat US Customs and Border Protection More than 100 new since the last check on September 21, 2017 at 12:00PM EDT 1 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:55AM on twitter.com/Skrellnik ID:58861.299078 2 MIL DTL 3628/207-99 Badge, Identification, Hono... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI MIL DTL 3628/207-99 Badge, Identification, Honor Guard, U.S. Border Patrol - Freestd - Military specifications(MIL) https://t.co/s3POnjyubs 21 September 11:55AM on twitter.com/Gadgets_Gear1 ID:58861.299079 3 RT @otraletra: This is next level: Border Patro... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @otraletra: This is next level: Border Patrol followed CBP FOIA 001338 CBP FOIA 001338 (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C)(b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b) (7)(E) DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000019 LJ LJ VERSIGHT ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/FB3tyKQULq 21 September 11:55AM on twitter.com/Romo4Hire ID:58861.299080 4 RT @TexasSierraClub: Send a public comment to @... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @TexasSierraClub: Send a public comment to @CustomsBorder by MONDAY 9/25 to say #noborderwall + increased transparency for #RGV. https://t.co/Vc5STYmWQ5 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/LoriSums ID:58861.299081 5 RT @SarahLSmith677: Border Patrol Arrests Paren... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @SarahLSmith677: Border Patrol Arrests Parents While Infant Awaits Serious Operation https://t.co/F6DgZ4jVpt 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/pyowac1 ID:58861.299082 6 Border patrol arrests undocumented parents whil... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Border patrol arrests undocumented parents while two-month old undergoes surgery https://t.co/OUy1wfF8Nz September 21, 2017 at 10:54PM 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/blitzkriegradio ID:58861.299083 7 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/syleisw ID:58861.299084 8 RT @TexasSierraClub: Send a public comment to @... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @TexasSierraClub: Send a public comment to @CustomsBorder by MONDAY 9/25 to say #noborderwall + increased transparency for #RGV. https://t.co/Vc5STYmWQ5 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/GetSolarAndSave ID:58861.299085 9 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/biotech_seel ID:58861.299086 10 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... CBP FOIA 001339 CBP FOIA 001339 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000020 LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ VERSIGHT View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/beluga73 ID:58861.299087 11 QT @ProPublica: Heard about this on @NPR. How d... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ProPublica: Heard about this on @NPR. How does ICE sleep at night? https://t.co/A8WAEhoA2U ; This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/two4jun ID:58861.299088 12 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/GonzaloFanjul ID:58861.299089 13 RT @SarahLSmith677: Border Patrol Arrests Paren... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @SarahLSmith677: Border Patrol Arrests Parents While Infant Awaits Serious Operation https://t.co/F6DgZ4jVpt 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/326JMR ID:58861.299090 14 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/siemonespirit ID:58861.299091 15 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/thekleptocracy ID:58861.299092 16 QT @ProPublica: Shameful. "Officers followed th... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ProPublica: Shameful. "Officers followed the father to the bathroom & the cafeteria & asked the mother to leave the CBP FOIA 001340 CBP FOIA 001340 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000021 LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ VERSIGHT door open when she breast-fed." https://t.co/n0vXYsLQyK ; This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/emmawebsta ID:58861.299093 17 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/G_L_Shaman ID:58861.299094 18 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/jwowboo ID:58861.299095 19 QT @otraletra: .@realdonaldtrump @sendavidperdu... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @otraletra: .@realdonaldtrump @sendavidperdue @johnisakson NOT our America. Shame on you for promoting this evil. @aclu @ICEgov @repjohnlewis #DACA https://t.co/ZqCS3dgR8b ; This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying... 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/janicenall ID:58861.299096 20 RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Bord... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Border Patrol Arrests parents seeking life saving surgery for their newborn baby. https://t.co/qP9oSRYrKC 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/ozaed ID:58861.299097 21 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/puregirlny ID:58861.299098 22 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed CBP FOIA 001341 CBP FOIA 001341 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000022 LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ VERSIGHT ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/bo38637 ID:58861.299099 23 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/MissesBun ID:58861.299100 24 RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Bord... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Border Patrol Arrests parents seeking life saving surgery for their newborn baby. https://t.co/qP9oSRYrKC 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/jopheir ID:58861.299101 25 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/jenkimtwitty ID:58861.299102 26 RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Bord... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Border Patrol Arrests parents seeking life saving surgery for their newborn baby. https://t.co/qP9oSRYrKC 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/Tboo1012 ID:58861.299103 27 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/beth_andrus ID:58861.299104 28 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:59AM on twitter.com/sassafrassco ID:58861.299105 CBP FOIA 001342 CBP FOIA 001342 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000023 LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ 29 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:59AM on twitter.com/grandmalaurie ID:58861.299106 30 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:55AM on twitter.com/PaulinaTwiggs ID:58861.299108 31 RT @SarahLSmith677: Border Patrol Arrests Paren... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @SarahLSmith677: Border Patrol Arrests Parents While Infant Awaits Serious Operation https://t.co/F6DgZ4jVpt 21 September 11:55AM on twitter.com/GabyDore ID:58861.299109 32 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:55AM on twitter.com/ShadyBob ID:58861.299110 33 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/zstavely ID:58861.299111 34 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/hopijoy ID:58861.299112 35 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in CBP FOIA 001343 CBP FOIA 001343 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000024 LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ VERSIGHT his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/MarianHolling ID:58861.299113 36 Border Patrol Arrests Parents While Infant Awai... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Border Patrol Arrests Parents While Infant Awaits Serious Operation https://t.co/IpoHV06sDL 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/GregortheMendel ID:58861.299114 37 QT @ProPublica: Nauseating! https://t.co/9hGK2H... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ProPublica: Nauseating! https://t.co/9hGK2HzbzW ; This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/AmatyaKautilya ID:58861.299115 38 RT @SarahLSmith677: Border Patrol Arrests Paren... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @SarahLSmith677: Border Patrol Arrests Parents While Infant Awaits Serious Operation https://t.co/F6DgZ4jVpt 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/atatatstat ID:58861.299116 39 RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Bord... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Border Patrol Arrests parents seeking life saving surgery for their newborn baby. https://t.co/qP9oSRYrKC 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/ThomasHall17 ID:58861.299117 40 RT @SarahLSmith677: Border Patrol Arrests Paren... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @SarahLSmith677: Border Patrol Arrests Parents While Infant Awaits Serious Operation https://t.co/F6DgZ4jVpt 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/SharonWillow54 ID:58861.299118 41 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/G_L_Shaman ID:58861.299119 42 RT @otraletra: This is next level: Border Patro... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI CBP FOIA 001344 CBP FOIA 001344 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000025 LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ VERSIGHT RT @otraletra: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/FB3tyKQULq 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/kenkircher1 ID:58861.299120 43 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/HCandler ID:58861.299121 44 RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Bord... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Border Patrol Arrests parents seeking life saving surgery for their newborn baby. https://t.co/qP9oSRYrKC 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/JohnnyDeMayo ID:58861.299122 45 Here in the Deplorable States of America: Borde... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Here in the Deplorable States of America: Border Patrol Arrests Parents While Infant Awaits Serious Operation https://t.co/cbq7zOvYAB 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/Sr0bi ID:58861.299123 46 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/SandyPaws ID:58861.299124 47 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/EliasBartholomw ID:58861.299125 48 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et CBP FOIA 001345 CBP FOIA 001345 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000026 LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ n VERSIGHT 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/jenn_theflower ID:58861.299126 49 RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Bord... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Border Patrol Arrests parents seeking life saving surgery for their newborn baby. https://t.co/qP9oSRYrKC 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/cannibaldiet ID:58861.299127 50 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/Kimgtrue2me ID:58861.299128 51 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/Kwagstaff ID:58861.299129 52 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/Dragonwing913Z ID:58861.299130 53 @MLS_Jose @freuddude56 @sassygayrepub Funny thi... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @MLS_Jose @freuddude56 @sassygayrepub Funny thing is it's your family that's fucked lol.. that big white border patrol bus will be bringing y'all back home.. FOR FREE!! 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/Mistre222 ID:58861.299131 54 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/kakempen ID:58861.299132 55 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI CBP FOIA 001346 CBP FOIA 001346 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000027 LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ VERSIGHT RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/joshspickler ID:58861.299133 56 RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Bord... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Border Patrol Arrests parents seeking life saving surgery for their newborn baby. https://t.co/qP9oSRYrKC 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/MajestyJames1 ID:58861.299134 57 RT @SarahLSmith677: Border Patrol Arrests Paren... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @SarahLSmith677: Border Patrol Arrests Parents While Infant Awaits Serious Operation https://t.co/F6DgZ4jVpt 21 September 11:59AM on twitter.com/wizardofogg2 ID:58861.299135 58 Border patrol arrests undocumented parents whil... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Border patrol arrests undocumented parents while two-month old undergoes surgery https://t.co/ejlX8NvxkL 21 September 11:59AM on twitter.com/LibsFor ID:58861.299136 59 Border Patrol Arrests Near Safe Zones Worry Imm... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Border Patrol Arrests Near Safe Zones Worry Immigrant Advocates : NPR https://t.co/zKhHf0cYfD 21 September 12:00PM on twitter.com/stephinlala ID:58861.299137 60 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/AnimalPragmatsm ID:58861.299138 61 QT @otraletra: This is just plain nasty https:/... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @otraletra: This is just plain nasty https://t.co/knAzU96d3E ; This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/FB3tyKQULq 21 September 11:56AM on twitter.com/HudsonRiverCroc ID:58861.299139 CBP FOIA 001347 CBP FOIA 001347 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000028 LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ 62 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/basic_chores ID:58861.299140 63 RT @otraletra: This is next level: Border Patro... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @otraletra: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/FB3tyKQULq 21 September 11:57AM on twitter.com/janicenall ID:58861.299141 64 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/carotroyalajes ID:58861.299142 65 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/dvd2585 ID:58861.299143 66 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/AaronBrynen ID:58861.299144 67 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/DirtyDucko ID:58861.299145 68 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in CBP FOIA 001348 CBP FOIA 001348 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000029 LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ VERSIGHT his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/jshawhan ID:58861.299146 69 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/dizzyeyes ID:58861.299147 70 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:59AM on twitter.com/jeffstrabone ID:58861.299148 71 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:59AM on twitter.com/ErnabelD ID:58861.299149 72 RT @otraletra: This is next level: Border Patro... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @otraletra: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/FB3tyKQULq 21 September 11:59AM on twitter.com/BrianKirsch1 ID:58861.299150 73 RT @SarahLSmith677: Border Patrol Arrests Paren... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @SarahLSmith677: Border Patrol Arrests Parents While Infant Awaits Serious Operation https://t.co/F6DgZ4jVpt 21 September 12:00PM on twitter.com/mimix3 ID:58861.299151 74 QT @ProPublica: This is @realDonaldTrump lookin... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ProPublica: This is @realDonaldTrump looking for "criminals" in ambulances. https://t.co/zkXNVnUQHE ; This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 12:00PM on twitter.com/SudySAS ID:58861.299152 CBP FOIA 001349 CBP FOIA 001349 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000030 LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ 75 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 12:00PM on twitter.com/ajmeader ID:58861.299153 76 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 12:00PM on twitter.com/janicenall ID:58861.299154 77 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 12:00PM on twitter.com/SuzetteHidalgo ID:58861.299155 78 QT @ProPublica: So tired of stories like this. ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ProPublica: So tired of stories like this. This is not my America. https://t.co/6a96cNqOfw ; This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https 21 September 12:00PM on twitter.com/FlyingGaPeanut ID:58861.299156 79 QT @ProPublica: I know it's none of my business... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ProPublica: I know it's none of my business but I can't help but wonder what does @LindseyGrahamSC pray for? Family, health, peace.....or winning a bet? https://t.co/876P5Yd8HP ; This is next level: Border Patrol followed... 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/Ishnala_ ID:58861.299157 80 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/darwinwoodka ID:58861.299158 CBP FOIA 001350 CBP FOIA 001350 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000031 LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ VERSIGHT 81 RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Bord... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Border Patrol Arrests parents seeking life saving surgery for their newborn baby. https://t.co/qP9oSRYrKC 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/ChrisJLMcDonald ID:58861.299159 82 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/JankyJordan ID:58861.299160 83 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:59AM on twitter.com/ModernHG ID:58861.299161 84 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 12:00PM on twitter.com/ArchyDiego ID:58861.299162 85 QT @ProPublica: .@ICEgov @sendavidperdue @TomBo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ProPublica: .@ICEgov @sendavidperdue @TomBossert45 @johnisakson @realdonaldtrump GOP's disgusting family values. Shame on you. #impeachtrumppence https://t.co/e5dPgeUpDG ; This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV 21 September 12:00PM on twitter.com/janicenall ID:58861.299163 86 QT @ProPublica: "At long last, have you left no... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ProPublica: "At long last, have you left no sense of decency?" https://t.co/AHA31o6yp6 ; This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/MaxHailperin ID:58861.299164 CBP FOIA 001351 CBP FOIA 001351 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000032 LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ VERSIGHT 87 QT @ProPublica: What, exactly, is the point of ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ProPublica: What, exactly, is the point of all this cruelty? How does this help assuage the WWC's "economic anxiety"? https://t.co/XUJpNFKo3U ; This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/VBX2010 ID:58861.299165 88 RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Bord... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Border Patrol Arrests parents seeking life saving surgery for their newborn baby. https://t.co/qP9oSRYrKC 21 September 11:59AM on twitter.com/lgib15 ID:58861.299166 89 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 12:00PM on twitter.com/Brovfefe ID:58861.299167 90 QT @otraletra: Disgusting, dishonorable...the b... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @otraletra: Disgusting, dishonorable...the border patrol. https://t.co/V9EwPfElNi ; This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/FB3tyKQULq 21 September 12:00PM on twitter.com/24Sass ID:58861.299168 91 RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Bord... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FrankSharry: Your tax dollars at work. Border Patrol Arrests parents seeking life saving surgery for their newborn baby. https://t.co/qP9oSRYrKC 21 September 12:01PM on twitter.com/twilson39786853 ID:58861.299169 92 QT @EFF: RT @torproject: "It's not about having... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @EFF: RT @torproject: "It's not about having nothing to hide" https://t.co/sTMNLPPg40 ; NASA engineer Sidd Bikkannavar with help from @EFF, @ACLU is suing CBP for searching his phone without a warrant https://t.co 21 September 12:01PM on twitter.com/jajapump ID:58861.299170 CBP FOIA 001352 CBP FOIA 001352 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000033 LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ VERSIGHT 93 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:58AM on twitter.com/bookfairiecymru ID:58861.299171 94 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 11:59AM on twitter.com/sfjw ID:58861.299172 95 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 12:00PM on twitter.com/kenkircher1 ID:58861.299173 96 RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ProPublica: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/ZsSuJ3G4Et 21 September 12:00PM on twitter.com/adamwinkler ID:58861.299174 97 RT @otraletra: This is next level: Border Patro... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @otraletra: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/FB3tyKQULq 21 September 12:00PM on twitter.com/BellwetherLV ID:58861.299175 98 QT @FrankSharry: This seems excessive. https://... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @FrankSharry: This seems excessive. https://t.co/wUOPj1jzz5 ; Your tax dollars at work. Border Patrol Arrests parents seeking life saving surgery for their newborn baby. https://t.co/qP9oSRYrKC 21 September 12:01PM on twitter.com/JustinKollar ID:58861.299176 99 Their newborn son needed emergency surgery. Bor... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Their newborn son needed emergency surgery. Border patrol CBP FOIA 001353 CBP FOIA 001353 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000034 LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ LJ VERSIGHT followed the ambulance then arrested them at the hospital. https://t.co/W1BKwflTzc https://t.co/qRBdAALuJ1 21 September 12:00PM on twitter.com/karinjr ID:58861.299177 100 RT @otraletra: This is next level: Border Patro... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @otraletra: This is next level: Border Patrol followed ambulance carrying (2mo old) Isaac w/ IV in his arm & tube in his stomach https://t.co/FB3tyKQULq 21 September 12:00PM on twitter.com/jamesonstarship ID:58861.299178 sysomos.com @sysomos support unsubscribe CBP FOIA 001354 CBP FOIA 001354 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-C-000035 LJ LJ VERSIGHT From : To: Cc: Bee: Subject: Date : Attachments : Teammates, (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) (b) (7)(E) Arizona DMR Input for 11/28 (View in HTML) Tue Nov 28 2017 18:06:45 EST Our DMR input is below. Feedback is always welcome. CBP FOIA 001368 Page 1 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000001 *** SOCIAL MEDIA: @CBPArizona 11/28: #CBP Yuma Sector #USBP agents involved in a shooting early this morning while assisting @Arizona_DPS and @LCountySheriff on I-10 MP 51 west of Phoenix. Details: bit.ly/2hYXh9q. Updates to follow. 11/28: Ajo #USBP agents arrest illegal alien smuggler with firearm as he was smuggling three others near Gila Bend #CBP is always #KeepingAmericaSafe bit.ly/2BibaqR SOUTHWEST BORDER: 11/27: Reporter Molly Peterson of WGBH Boston-NPR has requested an interview with TCA Border Lands Liaison, pertaining to CBP stewardship of public lands along the Arizona-Mexico border. She previously travelled to our area in 2005, when she talked with TCA about the ways that DHS/CBP considers environmental values, while also maintaining the primary responsibility of national security. Deadline is 12/1 for a 1/1 air date. Coverage is expected to be balanced, highlighting the negative environmental issues illegal migrants cause as well as allowances given to Border Patrol that may frustrate environmentalist and/or land owners. Ms. Peterson’s 2005 report can be heard here: http://www.loe.org/shows/shows.html?programID=05- P13-00019 “The Department of Homeland Security will be free of any environmental constraints in border control under a little-noticed provision just passed by Congress. Molly Peterson reports from the Arizona border what the change could mean. (07:00)” Lead: *** -30- Page 2 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001369 (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000002 Respectfully, Public Affairs Specialist Joint Task Force West, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office Cell Email www.CBP.gov Website @CBPArizona Twitter Page 3 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001370 (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) - DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000003 From : To : Cc: Bee: Subject: Date : Attachments : Sysomos Tweets cross ing 600 threshho ld Wed Nov 22 2017 16:06 :09 EST New Content in Heartbeat US Customs and Border Protect ion More than 100 new since the last check on November 22, 2017 at 3:00PM EST 1 RT @GregAbbott_ TX : I'm offer ing a rewa rd to hel. .. View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GregAbbott_ TX : I'm offering a rewa rd to help solve this murder of a Border Patrol Agent in Texas . Help us catch this killer. #txlege #tcot #BorderPatrol https://t.co/jYzy8uNs7y Twitter22 November 2:55PM on twitter .com/T recaYLDS ID:58861.765292 2QT @FAIRlmm igration: #ILLEGALa liens are the pro ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @FAIRlmmigration: #ILLEGALaliens are the problem #Bu ildTheWa ll https ://t.co/a2q0XHYqAH ; Illegal Alien Assaults Borde r Patrol Agent in Arizona https ://t.co/g0T iqjn8Kt via @Bre itbartTexas @BobPr iceBBTX Twitter22 November 2:55PM on twitter .com/Patriot_MM ID:5886 1.765293 3RT @FAIRlmmigration: Illegal Alien Assaults Bor. .. View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FA IRlmmigrat ion: Illegal Alien Assau lts Border Patrol Agent in Arizona https ://t.co/g0T iqjn8Kt via @BreitbartT exas @BobP riceBBTX Twitter22 November 2:55PM on twitter .com/Patriot_MM ID:5886 1.765294 4RT @hrkbenowen : Retweet if you agree with Laura ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @hrkbenowen : Retweet if you agree with Laura Ingraham that the killing of border patrol agent Rogelio Martinez proves there needs to be a border wall . @lngrahamAng lehttps ://t.co/UqmTNavxMN Twitter22 November 2:55PM on twitter .com/rocknocke r53 ID:58861 .765295 SRT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent R. .. View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Caro lde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agen t Rogilio Martinez . He lost his life protec ting Amer ica's southern border . He was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. The little boy in the picture wil l. .. Twitter22 November 2:56PM on twitter .com/T imCrise ID:58861 .765296 6QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter : It's unan imo ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wan ts a wall, excep t @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & Wh ite House staff . (Who hired those idiots?) h ... ; Jose Martfnez says death of son, Border Patrol Agen t Roge lio Martfnez , has led him ... Twitter22 November 2:57PM on twitter .com/camaro201088 ID:58861.765297 ?RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent R. .. View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Caro lde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agen t Rogilio Martinez . He lost his life protec ting Amer ica's CBP FOIA 001371 Page 4 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000004 southern border. He was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. The little boy in the picture will... Twitter22 November 2:58PM on twitter.com/mmlanz333 ID:58861.765298 8RT @FoxNews: .@jessebwatters on @POTUS's Mexico... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FoxNews: .@jessebwatters on @POTUS's Mexico border wall plans: "When someone is killed w/ a gun, the left wants gun control, but when a border patrol agent is killed, you'd think that they'd want border Twitter22 November 2:58PM on twitter.com/schiffer1_karen ID:58861.765299 9QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wants a wall, except @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & White House staff. (Who hired those idiots?) h… ; José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him... Twitter22 November 2:55PM on twitter.com/sasquatchpatrol ID:58861.765302 10RT @TexasGrannannie: FBI Thinks Border Patrol A... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @TexasGrannannie: FBI Thinks Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez May Have Fallen to His Death https://t.co/r1IVjNVWOC Again Trump is talking without all the facts. Nothing unusual in that, the man is amazingly stupid! Twitter22 November 2:55PM on twitter.com/fredsgarden ID:58861.765303 11QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wants a wall, except @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & White House staff. (Who hired those idiots?) h… ; José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him... Twitter22 November 2:55PM on twitter.com/loriann2639 ID:58861.765304 12RT @foxandfriends: .@michellemalkin: Dumb, agin... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @foxandfriends: .@michellemalkin: Dumb, aging infrastructure technology at our border is endangering the lives of our border patrol agents https://t.co/hLvokdvhrf Twitter22 November 2:55PM on twitter.com/mxzp ID:58861.765305 13RT @PinkBelgium: We Must #BuildTheWall Now... I... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @PinkBelgium: We Must #BuildTheWall Now... It Became A Major Priority For The Country @POTUS @realDonaldTrump #MAGA - Texas Governor Offers $20,000 for Info on 'Murder' of Border Patrol Agent https://t.co/gHotP1H85L Twitter22 November 2:55PM on twitter.com/RexMyers8 ID:58861.765306 14RT @USAHellfire: EXCLUSIVE: Illegal Aliens Kill... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @USAHellfire: EXCLUSIVE: Illegal Aliens Killed Border Patrol Agent by Crushing in His Skull with Rocks, Says NBPC https://t.co/lpY9xjQd2M via @BreitbartTexas Twitter22 November 2:56PM on twitter.com/USAHellfire ID:58861.765307 15RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer kill... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and must, build the Wall! Twitter22 November 2:56PM on twitter.com/francosfalbo ID:58861.765308 16RT @EntheosShines: FLASHBACK 2014: Border Patro... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @EntheosShines: FLASHBACK 2014: Border Patrol Agent Defies "Gag Order" to Expose Obama Agenda @AnnCoulter @SwampFoxSr @JustinMossi https://t.co/2duGuhKewP Twitter22 November 2:56PM on twitter.com/Tbradshaw15 ID:58861.765309 17RT @Skipowski: @AP @APklug In North Korea, bord... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Skipowski: @AP @APklug In North Korea, border patrol shoots defectors. In America, drug Page 5 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001372 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000005 smugglers shoot border patrol. Twitter22 November 2:56PM on twitter.com/thomasj17431826 ID:58861.765310 18QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wants a wall, except @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & White House staff. (Who hired those idiots?) h… ; José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him... Twitter22 November 2:56PM on twitter.com/ALWAYSPsalm91 ID:58861.765311 19RT @thehill: Authorities believe border patrol ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @thehill: Authorities believe border patrol agent who died in Texas may have fallen https://t. co/91Osjha95R https://t.co/mphPgEPBBf Twitter22 November 2:57PM on twitter.com/CmsrMata ID:58861.765312 20QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wants a wall, except @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & White House staff. (Who hired those idiots?) h… ; José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him... Twitter22 November 2:57PM on twitter.com/EdSmigel ID:58861.765313 21RT @Greg_6551: #REDHolidays Show your support @... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Greg_6551: #REDHolidays Show your support @POTUS @DeptofDefense @USArmy @Navy @AFPAA @USMC @USCG @NationalGuard @USNationalGuard @USPS @DHSgov @FBI @ICEgov @CustomsBorder @StateDept @... Twitter22 November 2:57PM on twitter.com/chan070463 ID:58861.765314 22QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wants a wall, except @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & White House staff. (Who hired those idiots?) h… ; José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him... Twitter22 November 2:57PM on twitter.com/ChrisLad15 ID:58861.765315 23Yes, I am a US Citizen. (@ Hwy 86 Border Patrol... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Yes, I am a US Citizen. (@ Hwy 86 Border Patrol Inspection Station) https://t.co/QQkLDyrJkH Twitter22 November 2:57PM on twitter.com/AthVol ID:58861.765316 24QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wants a wall, except @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & White House staff. (Who hired those idiots?) h… ; José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him... Twitter22 November 2:58PM on twitter.com/ElaineFox ID:58861.765317 25RT @OohFa: National Border Patrol Council Presi... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @OohFa: National Border Patrol Council President: Border Patrol Agent's Death Is An Example of Why We Need a Wall - Breitbart https://t.co/wRfKocFLZn Twitter22 November 2:58PM on twitter.com/DesiSholl ID:58861.765318 26RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter22 November 2:55PM on twitter.com/FlutterbyXOX ID:58861.765320 27QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wants a wall, except @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & White House staff. (Who hired those idiots?) h… ; José Martínez says Page 6 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001373 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000006 death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him... Twitter22 November 2:56PM on twitter.com/PsychicTimo ID:58861.765321 28RT @hrkbenowen: Retweet if you agree with Laura... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @hrkbenowen: Retweet if you agree with Laura Ingraham that the killing of border patrol agent Rogelio Martinez proves there needs to be a border wall. @IngrahamAngle https://t.co/UqmTNavxMN Twitter22 November 2:58PM on twitter.com/AbbyWixon ID:58861.765322 29RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protecting America's southern border. He was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. The little boy in the picture will... Twitter22 November 2:55PM on twitter.com/BigBank64 ID:58861.765324 30@FoxNews @michellemalkin yes, we need to heavil... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @FoxNews @michellemalkin yes, we need to heavily patrol the border with increased border agents, armed, equipped, & fully backed by our govt...the border patrol needs more agents, vehicles, & aircraft!!!! Twitter22 November 2:56PM on twitter.com/korn_kernel ID:58861.765325 31QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wants a wall, except @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & White House staff. (Who hired those idiots?) h… ; José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him... Twitter22 November 2:56PM on twitter.com/pinkletter ID:58861.765326 32RT @CloydRivers: RIP U.S. Border Patrol agent R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CloydRivers: RIP U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. While on patrol, he was murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. This little boy no longer has a dad. Build that fcking Wall. Merica. https Twitter22 November 2:57PM on twitter.com/0liviaPeterson ID:58861.765327 33RT @AntonioArellano: Authorities believe border... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @AntonioArellano: Authorities believe border patrol agent who died in #Texas may have fallen (not attacked, like @realDonaldTrump claims) https://t.co/4CGI23olvv https://t.co/lapsUJMLrx Twitter22 November 2:57PM on twitter.com/CmsrMata ID:58861.765328 34RT @brandondarby: Some are accusing Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @brandondarby: Some are accusing Border Patrol agents of jumping to conclusions on latest death in Texas ... No wonder the agents feel as they do. Twitter22 November 2:58PM on twitter.com/PennyStory1 ID:58861.765329 35QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wants a wall, except @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & White House staff. (Who hired those idiots?) h… ; José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him... Twitter22 November 2:58PM on twitter.com/wandoo1955 ID:58861.765330 36RT @FoxNews: .@jessebwatters on @POTUS's Mexico... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FoxNews: .@jessebwatters on @POTUS's Mexico border wall plans: "When someone is killed w/ a gun, the left wants gun control, but when a border patrol agent is killed, you'd think that they'd want border Twitter22 November 2:58PM on twitter.com/MrsAutonomous ID:58861.765331 37QT @FAIRImmigration: RT @LizCrokin: There's muc... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @FAIRImmigration: RT @LizCrokin: There's much more than meets the to this story. Or shud I say Page 7 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001374 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000007 ? Dig on this one‼ https://t.co/G7LoKPA5md ; Border Patrol agent appeared to be ambushed by illegal aliens, bashed with rocks Twitter22 November 2:59PM on twitter.com/Si1Steve ID:58861.765332 38QT @Carolde: .@KamalaHarris @chuckschumer @Bill... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @Carolde: .@KamalaHarris @chuckschumer @BilldeBlasio @RepMa... your hands. #BuildTheWall @POTUS https://t.co/YEaLs0RDNS ; This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protecting America's southern border. He... Twitter22 November 2:59PM on twitter.com/liberalismental ID:58861.765333 39QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wants a wall, except @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & White House staff. (Who hired those idiots?) h… ; José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him... Twitter22 November 2:59PM on twitter.com/DddSense ID:58861.765334 40RT @foxandfriends: .@David_Bossie: A border wal... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @foxandfriends: .@David_Bossie: A border wall is just common sense for our border security and security of our border patrol agents https://t.co/jDPdMYl1os Twitter22 November 2:59PM on twitter.com/PamelaSallustio ID:58861.765335 41Was Border Patrol agent beaten to death by immi... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Was Border Patrol agent beaten to death by immigrants in Texas? Or did he fall? The FBI is not sure - Los Angeles Times https://t.co/jdA8f5C9Xw Twitter22 November 3:00PM on twitter.com/WkndGirl ID:58861.765336 42RT @brandondarby: Reminder: Border Patrol Agent... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @brandondarby: Reminder: Border Patrol Agent Robert Rosas was lured, trapped, and murdered by 5 illegal immigrants on the border. He fought for his life to the last breath. https://t.co/0M25DwTHks Twitter22 November 2:58PM on twitter.com/imalilr ID:58861.765337 43RT @realKenOliver: José Martínez says death of ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realKenOliver: José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him to support @realdonaldtrump on need to #BuildTheWall https://t.co/xb8OVfc6OK Twitter22 November 2:59PM on twitter.com/Hoischel ID:58861.765338 44QT @Carolde: RT @liberalismental: .@KamalaHarri... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @Carolde: RT @liberalismental: .@KamalaHarris @chuckschumer @BilldeBlasio @RepMaxineWaters @JerryBrownGov @AdamSchiffCA he was murdered by your poten… ; This is U. S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protecting America's southern... Twitter22 November 3:00PM on twitter.com/ImmoralReport ID:58861.765339 45RT @DHSgov: ICYMI: Remembering Border Patrol Ag... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @DHSgov: ICYMI: Remembering Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez https://t.co/QnA1K6xEFh Twitter22 November 3:00PM on twitter.com/USBPChief ID:58861.765340 46QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wants a wall, except @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & White House staff. (Who hired those idiots?) h… ; José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him... Twitter22 November 3:01PM on twitter.com/Robert_Harmon_ ID:58861.765341 47QT @chrisnelson1963: Just a regular old America... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @chrisnelson1963: Just a regular old American guy advocating the CBP kill people crossing the border. https://t.co/wN7Tf7VtiM ; Build the wall or let CBP shoot on sight. EXCLUSIVE: Illegal Aliens Killed Border Patrol Agent by Crushing in Page 8 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001375 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000008 Twitter22 November 3:01PM on twitter.com/rottsbot ID:58861.765342 48QT @realDonaldTrump: ..and then brick it all ar... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realDonaldTrump: ..and then brick it all around and put you in the middle...you are the ultimate idiot but a very dangerous one. @Morning_Joe https://t.co/pp8jXvQ4Ia ; Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly... Twitter22 November 2:59PM on twitter.com/attridgj ID:58861.765343 49Border Patrol agents along the Rio Grande River... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Border Patrol agents along the Rio Grande River seized more than $4 million in drugs last week. https: //t.co/fdfYRUAFio Twitter22 November 3:00PM on twitter.com/ksatnews ID:58861.765344 50RT @GeorgWebb: Mattis is Watching CBP. It will ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GeorgWebb: Mattis is Watching CBP. It will hit you like a ton of Masonic bricks. Keep up the intimidation killings. The blackberries are secure, dopes. Twitter22 November 3:01PM on twitter.com/AlanJac10051970 ID:58861.765345 51RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protecting America's southern border. He was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. The little boy in the picture will... Twitter22 November 3:01PM on twitter.com/cchef2 ID:58861.765346 52https://t.co/fyAgxmVREo Dulles CBP Seizes 1,200... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI https://t.co/fyAgxmVREo Dulles CBP Seizes 1,200 Tubes of Unapproved Topical Dermatological Steroid Twitter22 November 3:02PM on twitter.com/prpnews ID:58861.765347 53https://t.co/0VwM4L6gXJ Brownsville CBP Seizes ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI https://t.co/0VwM4L6gXJ Brownsville CBP Seizes $58,500 in Heroin at Gateway International Bridge Twitter22 November 2:59PM on twitter.com/prpnews ID:58861.765350 54QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wants a wall, except @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & White House staff. (Who hired those idiots?) h… ; José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him... Twitter22 November 2:59PM on twitter.com/BigHockeyPuck ID:58861.765351 55RT @UrgentNews911: ALERT: @FBI is offering a $2... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @UrgentNews911: ALERT: @FBI is offering a $25,000 reward for information on the death of U.S. @CustomsBorder Patrol agent in Texas. Rogelio Martinez died Sunday. He is the 39th border agent since 2003 to die Twitter22 November 3:00PM on twitter.com/STARING_KRYSTAL ID:58861.765352 56RT @ksatnews: Border Patrol agents along the Ri... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ksatnews: Border Patrol agents along the Rio Grande River seized more than $4 million in drugs last week. https://t.co/fdfYRUAFio Twitter22 November 3:00PM on twitter.com/ContingencyGirl ID:58861.765353 57RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protecting America's southern border. He was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. The little boy in the picture will... Twitter22 November 3:00PM on twitter.com/Constan80605153 ID:58861.765354 58RT @CBPArizona: Brian A. Terry #USBP agents arr... Page 9 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001376 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000009 View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CBPArizona: Brian A. Terry #USBP agents arrest previously deported Suerno Gang member near Naco, Arizona #CBP is #KeepingAmericaSafe #HonorFirst Details:https://t.co/5Jce3xOAP3 https://t. co/ihbV53UNMg Twitter22 November 3:02PM on twitter.com/USBPChief ID:58861.765355 59@JosephLocus @NYPDnews @us_navyseals @FDNY @FBI... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @JosephLocus @NYPDnews @us_navyseals @FDNY @FBI @usairforce @USMC @ODMP @USArmy @CustomsBorder @DeptVetAffairs Thankyou Joe Have a Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving and a big hug for gorgeous Jinky ❤ Twitter22 November 3:02PM on twitter.com/lee88828880 ID:58861.765356 60RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer kill... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and must, build the Wall! Twitter22 November 3:02PM on twitter.com/RickyVaughn_II ID:58861.765357 61RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to hel... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to help solve this murder of a Border Patrol Agent in Texas. Help us catch this killer. #txlege #tcot #BorderPatrol https://t.co/jYzy8uNs7y Twitter22 November 3:02PM on twitter.com/Glaivester ID:58861.765358 62QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wants a wall, except @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & White House staff. (Who hired those idiots?) h… ; José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him... Twitter22 November 3:03PM on twitter.com/Glaivester ID:58861.765359 63RT @brandondarby: Reminder: Border Patrol Agent... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @brandondarby: Reminder: Border Patrol Agent Robert Rosas was lured, trapped, and murdered by 5 illegal immigrants on the border. He fought for his life to the last breath. https://t.co/0M25DwTHks Twitter22 November 2:59PM on twitter.com/MaddRoot ID:58861.765362 64RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer wa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Investigators say it might have been an accidental fall in the dark: https://t.co/7po9y8KHny Twitter22 November 3:00PM on twitter.com/Jackianne31 ID:58861.765363 65RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protecting America's southern border. He was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. The little boy in the picture will... Twitter22 November 3:00PM on twitter.com/Carolyn62845727 ID:58861.765364 66Was Border Patrol agent beaten to death by immi... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Was Border Patrol agent beaten to death by immigrants in Texas? Or did he fall? The FBI is not sure - Los Angeles Times https://t.co/wztClxOPzw Twitter22 November 3:00PM on twitter.com/SisterEboga ID:58861.765365 67QT @realDonaldTrump: RT @WilDonnelly: FBI says ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realDonaldTrump: RT @WilDonnelly: FBI says the injuries sustained by the border patrol agent who died is more consistent with a fall than an attack, but ano… ; Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt Twitter22 November 3:00PM on twitter.com/Tracy801 ID:58861.765366 68The Star on the Mountain will be lit in honor o... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Page 10 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001377 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000010 The Star on the Mountain will be lit in honor of fallen U.S. Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez on Saturday and Sunday. https://t.co/Wm68k8vkmJ Twitter22 November 3:01PM on twitter.com/KFOX14 ID:58861.765367 69RT @PoliticalShort: Border Patrol agent appeare... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @PoliticalShort: Border Patrol agent appeared to be ambushed by illegal immigrants, bashed with rocks before death https://t.co/gHhGK7T09i Twitter22 November 3:02PM on twitter.com/Cyn_Hitch ID:58861.765368 70QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wants a wall, except @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & White House staff. (Who hired those idiots?) h… ; José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him... Twitter22 November 3:02PM on twitter.com/doc_espy ID:58861.765369 71QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wants a wall, except @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & White House staff. (Who hired those idiots?) h… ; José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him... Twitter22 November 3:00PM on twitter.com/ezenc0re ID:58861.765370 72RT @WilDonnelly: A border patrol supervisor for... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @WilDonnelly: A border patrol supervisor for the region said Monday night that reports it was an attack were "speculation." That didn't stop Trump, and other Republicans from calling it an attack. https: //t.co/jE421mYbFw Twitter22 November 3:01PM on twitter.com/TinaJac22661258 ID:58861.765371 73RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angl... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angle: we'll update you on the attack on two Border Patrol agents that left one of them dead. CNN is now saying it may have just been an accident. Two insiders will Twitter22 November 3:01PM on twitter.com/amjustfree ID:58861.765372 74RT @KFOX14: The Star on the Mountain will be li... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @KFOX14: The Star on the Mountain will be lit in honor of fallen U.S. Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez on Saturday and Sunday. https://t.co/Wm68k8vkmJ Twitter22 November 3:02PM on twitter.com/LouTEPminer ID:58861.765373 75QT @realDonaldTrump: RT @TranslateRealDT: In La... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realDonaldTrump: RT @TranslateRealDT: In Las Vegas, 58 killed, another 546 badly hurt at the hands of a white gunman. We will give the @NRA a pass, and keep… ; Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border... Twitter22 November 3:02PM on twitter.com/peacegalaxy ID:58861.765374 76RT @foxandfriends: .@michellemalkin: Dumb, agin... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @foxandfriends: .@michellemalkin: Dumb, aging infrastructure technology at our border is endangering the lives of our border patrol agents https://t.co/hLvokdvhrf Twitter22 November 3:02PM on twitter.com/bornon4ofjuly ID:58861.765375 77Fox Attacks Trump Again?! Juan Williams Just Do... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Fox Attacks Trump Again?! Juan Williams Just Downplayed Murder Of Border Patrol Agent, Said ‘NOBODY WANTS TRUMP’S WALL’ https://t.co/ZXFOufA3x4 Twitter22 November 3:03PM on twitter.com/Smokyjo1 ID:58861.765376 78https://t.co/cVjb1mJsEE CBP Travel Tips to Redu... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI https://t.co/cVjb1mJsEE CBP Travel Tips to Reduce Holiday and “Black Friday” Traffic Delays At Border Page 11 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001378 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000011 https://t.co/uechFlIcI7 Twitter22 November 3:03PM on twitter.com/londoncleaners2 ID:58861.765377 79RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to hel... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to help solve this murder of a Border Patrol Agent in Texas. Help us catch this killer. #txlege #tcot #BorderPatrol https://t.co/jYzy8uNs7y Twitter22 November 3:03PM on twitter.com/josephbenning ID:58861.765378 80Border Patrol agent who Trump said was attacked... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Border Patrol agent who Trump said was attacked may have fallen to his death https://t. co/LlVgR8YUVZ Twitter22 November 3:03PM on twitter.com/XyraIs ID:58861.765379 81QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wants a wall, except @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & White House staff. (Who hired those idiots?) h… ; José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him... Twitter22 November 3:04PM on twitter.com/SallyAmerica100 ID:58861.765380 82[https://t.co/N9JIaTQpu4] AP source: Border pat... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI [https://t.co/N9JIaTQpu4] AP source: Border patrol agent may have fallen https://t.co/NueJ3PMkU6 Twitter22 November 3:04PM on twitter.com/Zicutake ID:58861.765381 83@dejesuscarbajal Ya lol I seen my uncle do it w... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @dejesuscarbajal Ya lol I seen my uncle do it when I was like 12 and I was wondering why no one here does that. Border Patrol be taking hella bribes though lol especially when they find mules. Twitter22 November 3:00PM on twitter.com/jodypicaso ID:58861.765382 84@MLB_Roundup I think he averages 5 HR per 3 gam... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @MLB_Roundup I think he averages 5 HR per 3 game trip to CBP. Hope Phillies get him! Twitter22 November 3:01PM on twitter.com/froggy_robby ID:58861.765383 85RT @FBIElPaso: #FBI Statement on death of US Bo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FBIElPaso: #FBI Statement on death of US Border Patrol: https://t.co/hQiKrbkbDR Twitter22 November 3:01PM on twitter.com/USBPChief ID:58861.765384 86Paul Manafort Sprung From House-Jail For Thanks... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Paul Manafort Sprung From House-Jail For Thanksgiving! FYI, BORDER PATROL. https://t. co/V2n8UuDBmi #StopRush #UniteBlue #p2 #Resist Twitter22 November 3:02PM on twitter.com/Glicklich_Facts ID:58861.765385 87RT @realKenOliver: José Martínez says death of ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realKenOliver: José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him to support @realdonaldtrump on need to #BuildTheWall https://t.co/xb8OVfc6OK Twitter22 November 3:03PM on twitter.com/Glaivester ID:58861.765386 88@zachbernard @CharlieDaniels Anything Can Be Cu... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @zachbernard @CharlieDaniels Anything Can Be Cut!!! Bombed But Not Likely. Let All Who Want To Come Come n At Least Double Border Patrol Officers n Build Watchtowers To Twitter22 November 3:04PM on twitter.com/LavernMoana ID:58861.765387 89RT @FBIElPaso: FBI El Paso and CBP/Border Patro... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FBIElPaso: FBI El Paso and CBP/Border Patrol press conference regarding Agent Rogelio Martinez. #FBI offering $25,000 for any information leading to the arrest and conviction on individual(s) involved in this tragic incident. Call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324). https://t.co/7rQpifCQoB Twitter22 November 3:01PM on twitter.com/USBPChief ID:58861.765394 Page 12 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001379 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000012 90RT @ksatnews: Border Patrol agents along the Ri... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ksatnews: Border Patrol agents along the Rio Grande River seized more than $4 million in drugs last week. https://t.co/fdfYRUAFio Twitter22 November 3:03PM on twitter.com/laurape00486139 ID:58861.765395 91RT @WilDonnelly: A border patrol supervisor for... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @WilDonnelly: A border patrol supervisor for the region said Monday night that reports it was an attack were "speculation." That didn't stop Trump, and other Republicans from calling it an attack. https: //t.co/jE421mYbFw Twitter22 November 3:03PM on twitter.com/SMacMillanMD ID:58861.765396 92RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer kill... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and must, build the Wall! Twitter22 November 3:04PM on twitter.com/debra_bonanno ID:58861.765397 93QT @realDonaldTrump: @CantStopTheHop https://t.... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realDonaldTrump: @CantStopTheHop https://t.co/8YVKM5KWWd ; Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and must, build the Wall! Twitter22 November 3:04PM on twitter.com/mrusedtowas ID:58861.765398 94QT @KFOX14: REST IN PEACE https://t.co/lJcu4Kk8... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @KFOX14: REST IN PEACE https://t.co/lJcu4Kk8kx ; The Star on the Mountain will be lit in honor of fallen U.S. Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez on Saturday and Sunday. https://t.co/Wm68k8vkmJ Twitter22 November 3:05PM on twitter.com/diana18serrano ID:58861.765399 95RT @realKenOliver: José Martínez says death of ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realKenOliver: José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him to support @realdonaldtrump on need to #BuildTheWall https://t.co/xb8OVfc6OK Twitter22 November 3:05PM on twitter.com/tbeaux29 ID:58861.765400 96RT @KFIAM640: FBI Offering $25K Reward For Info... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @KFIAM640: FBI Offering $25K Reward For Information In Border Patrol Agent Death https://t. co/ELFmwfM7Eo Twitter22 November 3:05PM on twitter.com/CoronachsAxe ID:58861.765401 97RT @KFOX14: The Star on the Mountain will be li... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @KFOX14: The Star on the Mountain will be lit in honor of fallen U.S. Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez on Saturday and Sunday. https://t.co/Wm68k8vkmJ Twitter22 November 3:05PM on twitter.com/Galvatron302 ID:58861.765402 98RT @hrkbenowen: Retweet if you agree with Laura... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @hrkbenowen: Retweet if you agree with Laura Ingraham that the killing of border patrol agent Rogelio Martinez proves there needs to be a border wall. @IngrahamAngle https://t.co/UqmTNavxMN Twitter22 November 3:06PM on twitter.com/AdamoN4 ID:58861.765403 99Border Patrol Agents Reveal Horrifying News As ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Border Patrol Agents Reveal Horrifying News As Obama-Era Policies Reinstated https://t. co/clAAnG8Xcs Twitter22 November 3:06PM on twitter.com/SharronTrump ID:58861.765404 100RT @KFIAM640: FBI Offering $25K Reward For Info... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @KFIAM640: FBI Offering $25K Reward For Information In Border Patrol Agent Death https://t. co/ELFmwfM7Eo Page 13 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001380 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000013 Twitter22 November 3:06PM on twitter.com/ryanthewriter ID:58861.765405 sysomos.com @sysomos support unsubscribe Page 14 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001381 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000014 From : To : Cc: Bee: Subject: Date : Attachments : Sysomos Tweets cross ing 600 threshho ld Wed Nov 22 2017 16:06 :09 EST New Content in Heartbeat US Customs and Border Protect ion More than 100 new since the last check on November 22, 2017 at 3:00PM EST 1 RT @GregAbbott_ TX : I'm offer ing a rewa rd to hel. .. View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GregAbbott_ TX : I'm offering a rewa rd to help solve this murder of a Border Patrol Agent in Texas . Help us catch this killer. #txlege #tcot #BorderPatrol https://t.co/jYzy8uNs7y Twitter22 November 2:55PM on twitter .com/T recaYLDS ID:58861.765292 2QT @FAIRlmm igration: #ILLEGALa liens are the pro ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @FAIRlmmigration: #ILLEGALaliens are the problem #Bu ildTheWa ll https ://t.co/a2q0XHYqAH ; Illegal Alien Assaults Borde r Patrol Agent in Arizona https ://t.co/g0T iqjn8Kt via @Bre itbartTexas @BobPr iceBBTX Twitter22 November 2:55PM on twitter .com/Patriot_MM ID:5886 1.765293 3RT @FAIRlmmigration: Illegal Alien Assaults Bor. .. View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FA IRlmmigrat ion: Illegal Alien Assau lts Border Patrol Agent in Arizona https ://t.co/g0T iqjn8Kt via @BreitbartT exas @BobP riceBBTX Twitter22 November 2:55PM on twitter .com/Patriot_MM ID:5886 1.765294 4RT @hrkbenowen : Retweet if you agree with Laura ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @hrkbenowen : Retweet if you agree with Laura Ingraham that the killing of border patrol agent Rogelio Martinez proves there needs to be a border wall . @lngrahamAng lehttps ://t.co/UqmTNavxMN Twitter22 November 2:55PM on twitter .com/rocknocke r53 ID:58861 .765295 SRT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent R. .. View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Caro lde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agen t Rogilio Martinez . He lost his life protec ting Amer ica's southern border . He was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. The little boy in the picture wil l. .. Twitter22 November 2:56PM on twitter .com/T imCrise ID:58861 .765296 6QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter : It's unan imo ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wan ts a wall, excep t @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & Wh ite House staff . (Who hired those idiots?) h ... ; Jose Martfnez says death of son, Border Patrol Agen t Roge lio Martfnez , has led him ... Twitter22 November 2:57PM on twitter .com/camaro201088 ID:58861.765297 ?RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent R. .. View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Caro lde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agen t Rogilio Martinez . He lost his life protec ting Amer ica's CBP FOIA 001382 Page 15 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000015 southern border. He was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. The little boy in the picture will... Twitter22 November 2:58PM on twitter.com/mmlanz333 ID:58861.765298 8RT @FoxNews: .@jessebwatters on @POTUS's Mexico... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FoxNews: .@jessebwatters on @POTUS's Mexico border wall plans: "When someone is killed w/ a gun, the left wants gun control, but when a border patrol agent is killed, you'd think that they'd want border Twitter22 November 2:58PM on twitter.com/schiffer1_karen ID:58861.765299 9QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wants a wall, except @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & White House staff. (Who hired those idiots?) h… ; José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him... Twitter22 November 2:55PM on twitter.com/sasquatchpatrol ID:58861.765302 10RT @TexasGrannannie: FBI Thinks Border Patrol A... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @TexasGrannannie: FBI Thinks Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez May Have Fallen to His Death https://t.co/r1IVjNVWOC Again Trump is talking without all the facts. Nothing unusual in that, the man is amazingly stupid! Twitter22 November 2:55PM on twitter.com/fredsgarden ID:58861.765303 11QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wants a wall, except @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & White House staff. (Who hired those idiots?) h… ; José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him... Twitter22 November 2:55PM on twitter.com/loriann2639 ID:58861.765304 12RT @foxandfriends: .@michellemalkin: Dumb, agin... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @foxandfriends: .@michellemalkin: Dumb, aging infrastructure technology at our border is endangering the lives of our border patrol agents https://t.co/hLvokdvhrf Twitter22 November 2:55PM on twitter.com/mxzp ID:58861.765305 13RT @PinkBelgium: We Must #BuildTheWall Now... I... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @PinkBelgium: We Must #BuildTheWall Now... It Became A Major Priority For The Country @POTUS @realDonaldTrump #MAGA - Texas Governor Offers $20,000 for Info on 'Murder' of Border Patrol Agent https://t.co/gHotP1H85L Twitter22 November 2:55PM on twitter.com/RexMyers8 ID:58861.765306 14RT @USAHellfire: EXCLUSIVE: Illegal Aliens Kill... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @USAHellfire: EXCLUSIVE: Illegal Aliens Killed Border Patrol Agent by Crushing in His Skull with Rocks, Says NBPC https://t.co/lpY9xjQd2M via @BreitbartTexas Twitter22 November 2:56PM on twitter.com/USAHellfire ID:58861.765307 15RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer kill... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and must, build the Wall! Twitter22 November 2:56PM on twitter.com/francosfalbo ID:58861.765308 16RT @EntheosShines: FLASHBACK 2014: Border Patro... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @EntheosShines: FLASHBACK 2014: Border Patrol Agent Defies "Gag Order" to Expose Obama Agenda @AnnCoulter @SwampFoxSr @JustinMossi https://t.co/2duGuhKewP Twitter22 November 2:56PM on twitter.com/Tbradshaw15 ID:58861.765309 17RT @Skipowski: @AP @APklug In North Korea, bord... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Skipowski: @AP @APklug In North Korea, border patrol shoots defectors. In America, drug Page 16 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001383 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000016 smugglers shoot border patrol. Twitter22 November 2:56PM on twitter.com/thomasj17431826 ID:58861.765310 18QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wants a wall, except @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & White House staff. (Who hired those idiots?) h… ; José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him... Twitter22 November 2:56PM on twitter.com/ALWAYSPsalm91 ID:58861.765311 19RT @thehill: Authorities believe border patrol ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @thehill: Authorities believe border patrol agent who died in Texas may have fallen https://t. co/91Osjha95R https://t.co/mphPgEPBBf Twitter22 November 2:57PM on twitter.com/CmsrMata ID:58861.765312 20QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wants a wall, except @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & White House staff. (Who hired those idiots?) h… ; José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him... Twitter22 November 2:57PM on twitter.com/EdSmigel ID:58861.765313 21RT @Greg_6551: #REDHolidays Show your support @... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Greg_6551: #REDHolidays Show your support @POTUS @DeptofDefense @USArmy @Navy @AFPAA @USMC @USCG @NationalGuard @USNationalGuard @USPS @DHSgov @FBI @ICEgov @CustomsBorder @StateDept @... Twitter22 November 2:57PM on twitter.com/chan070463 ID:58861.765314 22QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wants a wall, except @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & White House staff. (Who hired those idiots?) h… ; José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him... Twitter22 November 2:57PM on twitter.com/ChrisLad15 ID:58861.765315 23Yes, I am a US Citizen. (@ Hwy 86 Border Patrol... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Yes, I am a US Citizen. (@ Hwy 86 Border Patrol Inspection Station) https://t.co/QQkLDyrJkH Twitter22 November 2:57PM on twitter.com/AthVol ID:58861.765316 24QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wants a wall, except @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & White House staff. (Who hired those idiots?) h… ; José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him... Twitter22 November 2:58PM on twitter.com/ElaineFox ID:58861.765317 25RT @OohFa: National Border Patrol Council Presi... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @OohFa: National Border Patrol Council President: Border Patrol Agent's Death Is An Example of Why We Need a Wall - Breitbart https://t.co/wRfKocFLZn Twitter22 November 2:58PM on twitter.com/DesiSholl ID:58861.765318 26RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter22 November 2:55PM on twitter.com/FlutterbyXOX ID:58861.765320 27QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wants a wall, except @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & White House staff. (Who hired those idiots?) h… ; José Martínez says Page 17 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001384 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000017 death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him... Twitter22 November 2:56PM on twitter.com/PsychicTimo ID:58861.765321 28RT @hrkbenowen: Retweet if you agree with Laura... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @hrkbenowen: Retweet if you agree with Laura Ingraham that the killing of border patrol agent Rogelio Martinez proves there needs to be a border wall. @IngrahamAngle https://t.co/UqmTNavxMN Twitter22 November 2:58PM on twitter.com/AbbyWixon ID:58861.765322 29RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protecting America's southern border. He was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. The little boy in the picture will... Twitter22 November 2:55PM on twitter.com/BigBank64 ID:58861.765324 30@FoxNews @michellemalkin yes, we need to heavil... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @FoxNews @michellemalkin yes, we need to heavily patrol the border with increased border agents, armed, equipped, & fully backed by our govt...the border patrol needs more agents, vehicles, & aircraft!!!! Twitter22 November 2:56PM on twitter.com/korn_kernel ID:58861.765325 31QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wants a wall, except @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & White House staff. (Who hired those idiots?) h… ; José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him... Twitter22 November 2:56PM on twitter.com/pinkletter ID:58861.765326 32RT @CloydRivers: RIP U.S. Border Patrol agent R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CloydRivers: RIP U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. While on patrol, he was murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. This little boy no longer has a dad. Build that fcking Wall. Merica. https Twitter22 November 2:57PM on twitter.com/0liviaPeterson ID:58861.765327 33RT @AntonioArellano: Authorities believe border... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @AntonioArellano: Authorities believe border patrol agent who died in #Texas may have fallen (not attacked, like @realDonaldTrump claims) https://t.co/4CGI23olvv https://t.co/lapsUJMLrx Twitter22 November 2:57PM on twitter.com/CmsrMata ID:58861.765328 34RT @brandondarby: Some are accusing Border Patr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @brandondarby: Some are accusing Border Patrol agents of jumping to conclusions on latest death in Texas ... No wonder the agents feel as they do. Twitter22 November 2:58PM on twitter.com/PennyStory1 ID:58861.765329 35QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wants a wall, except @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & White House staff. (Who hired those idiots?) h… ; José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him... Twitter22 November 2:58PM on twitter.com/wandoo1955 ID:58861.765330 36RT @FoxNews: .@jessebwatters on @POTUS's Mexico... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FoxNews: .@jessebwatters on @POTUS's Mexico border wall plans: "When someone is killed w/ a gun, the left wants gun control, but when a border patrol agent is killed, you'd think that they'd want border Twitter22 November 2:58PM on twitter.com/MrsAutonomous ID:58861.765331 37QT @FAIRImmigration: RT @LizCrokin: There's muc... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @FAIRImmigration: RT @LizCrokin: There's much more than meets the to this story. Or shud I say Page 18 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001385 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000018 ? Dig on this one‼ https://t.co/G7LoKPA5md ; Border Patrol agent appeared to be ambushed by illegal aliens, bashed with rocks Twitter22 November 2:59PM on twitter.com/Si1Steve ID:58861.765332 38QT @Carolde: .@KamalaHarris @chuckschumer @Bill... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @Carolde: .@KamalaHarris @chuckschumer @BilldeBlasio @RepMa... your hands. #BuildTheWall @POTUS https://t.co/YEaLs0RDNS ; This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protecting America's southern border. He... Twitter22 November 2:59PM on twitter.com/liberalismental ID:58861.765333 39QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wants a wall, except @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & White House staff. (Who hired those idiots?) h… ; José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him... Twitter22 November 2:59PM on twitter.com/DddSense ID:58861.765334 40RT @foxandfriends: .@David_Bossie: A border wal... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @foxandfriends: .@David_Bossie: A border wall is just common sense for our border security and security of our border patrol agents https://t.co/jDPdMYl1os Twitter22 November 2:59PM on twitter.com/PamelaSallustio ID:58861.765335 41Was Border Patrol agent beaten to death by immi... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Was Border Patrol agent beaten to death by immigrants in Texas? Or did he fall? The FBI is not sure - Los Angeles Times https://t.co/jdA8f5C9Xw Twitter22 November 3:00PM on twitter.com/WkndGirl ID:58861.765336 42RT @brandondarby: Reminder: Border Patrol Agent... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @brandondarby: Reminder: Border Patrol Agent Robert Rosas was lured, trapped, and murdered by 5 illegal immigrants on the border. He fought for his life to the last breath. https://t.co/0M25DwTHks Twitter22 November 2:58PM on twitter.com/imalilr ID:58861.765337 43RT @realKenOliver: José Martínez says death of ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realKenOliver: José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him to support @realdonaldtrump on need to #BuildTheWall https://t.co/xb8OVfc6OK Twitter22 November 2:59PM on twitter.com/Hoischel ID:58861.765338 44QT @Carolde: RT @liberalismental: .@KamalaHarri... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @Carolde: RT @liberalismental: .@KamalaHarris @chuckschumer @BilldeBlasio @RepMaxineWaters @JerryBrownGov @AdamSchiffCA he was murdered by your poten… ; This is U. S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protecting America's southern... Twitter22 November 3:00PM on twitter.com/ImmoralReport ID:58861.765339 45RT @DHSgov: ICYMI: Remembering Border Patrol Ag... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @DHSgov: ICYMI: Remembering Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez https://t.co/QnA1K6xEFh Twitter22 November 3:00PM on twitter.com/USBPChief ID:58861.765340 46QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wants a wall, except @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & White House staff. (Who hired those idiots?) h… ; José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him... Twitter22 November 3:01PM on twitter.com/Robert_Harmon_ ID:58861.765341 47QT @chrisnelson1963: Just a regular old America... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @chrisnelson1963: Just a regular old American guy advocating the CBP kill people crossing the border. https://t.co/wN7Tf7VtiM ; Build the wall or let CBP shoot on sight. EXCLUSIVE: Illegal Aliens Killed Border Patrol Agent by Crushing in Page 19 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001386 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000019 Twitter22 November 3:01PM on twitter.com/rottsbot ID:58861.765342 48QT @realDonaldTrump: ..and then brick it all ar... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realDonaldTrump: ..and then brick it all around and put you in the middle...you are the ultimate idiot but a very dangerous one. @Morning_Joe https://t.co/pp8jXvQ4Ia ; Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly... Twitter22 November 2:59PM on twitter.com/attridgj ID:58861.765343 49Border Patrol agents along the Rio Grande River... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Border Patrol agents along the Rio Grande River seized more than $4 million in drugs last week. https: //t.co/fdfYRUAFio Twitter22 November 3:00PM on twitter.com/ksatnews ID:58861.765344 50RT @GeorgWebb: Mattis is Watching CBP. It will ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GeorgWebb: Mattis is Watching CBP. It will hit you like a ton of Masonic bricks. Keep up the intimidation killings. The blackberries are secure, dopes. Twitter22 November 3:01PM on twitter.com/AlanJac10051970 ID:58861.765345 51RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protecting America's southern border. He was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. The little boy in the picture will... Twitter22 November 3:01PM on twitter.com/cchef2 ID:58861.765346 52https://t.co/fyAgxmVREo Dulles CBP Seizes 1,200... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI https://t.co/fyAgxmVREo Dulles CBP Seizes 1,200 Tubes of Unapproved Topical Dermatological Steroid Twitter22 November 3:02PM on twitter.com/prpnews ID:58861.765347 53https://t.co/0VwM4L6gXJ Brownsville CBP Seizes ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI https://t.co/0VwM4L6gXJ Brownsville CBP Seizes $58,500 in Heroin at Gateway International Bridge Twitter22 November 2:59PM on twitter.com/prpnews ID:58861.765350 54QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wants a wall, except @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & White House staff. (Who hired those idiots?) h… ; José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him... Twitter22 November 2:59PM on twitter.com/BigHockeyPuck ID:58861.765351 55RT @UrgentNews911: ALERT: @FBI is offering a $2... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @UrgentNews911: ALERT: @FBI is offering a $25,000 reward for information on the death of U.S. @CustomsBorder Patrol agent in Texas. Rogelio Martinez died Sunday. He is the 39th border agent since 2003 to die Twitter22 November 3:00PM on twitter.com/STARING_KRYSTAL ID:58861.765352 56RT @ksatnews: Border Patrol agents along the Ri... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ksatnews: Border Patrol agents along the Rio Grande River seized more than $4 million in drugs last week. https://t.co/fdfYRUAFio Twitter22 November 3:00PM on twitter.com/ContingencyGirl ID:58861.765353 57RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protecting America's southern border. He was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. The little boy in the picture will... Twitter22 November 3:00PM on twitter.com/Constan80605153 ID:58861.765354 58RT @CBPArizona: Brian A. Terry #USBP agents arr... Page 20 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001387 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000020 View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CBPArizona: Brian A. Terry #USBP agents arrest previously deported Suerno Gang member near Naco, Arizona #CBP is #KeepingAmericaSafe #HonorFirst Details:https://t.co/5Jce3xOAP3 https://t. co/ihbV53UNMg Twitter22 November 3:02PM on twitter.com/USBPChief ID:58861.765355 59@JosephLocus @NYPDnews @us_navyseals @FDNY @FBI... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @JosephLocus @NYPDnews @us_navyseals @FDNY @FBI @usairforce @USMC @ODMP @USArmy @CustomsBorder @DeptVetAffairs Thankyou Joe Have a Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving and a big hug for gorgeous Jinky ❤ Twitter22 November 3:02PM on twitter.com/lee88828880 ID:58861.765356 60RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer kill... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and must, build the Wall! Twitter22 November 3:02PM on twitter.com/RickyVaughn_II ID:58861.765357 61RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to hel... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to help solve this murder of a Border Patrol Agent in Texas. Help us catch this killer. #txlege #tcot #BorderPatrol https://t.co/jYzy8uNs7y Twitter22 November 3:02PM on twitter.com/Glaivester ID:58861.765358 62QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wants a wall, except @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & White House staff. (Who hired those idiots?) h… ; José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him... Twitter22 November 3:03PM on twitter.com/Glaivester ID:58861.765359 63RT @brandondarby: Reminder: Border Patrol Agent... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @brandondarby: Reminder: Border Patrol Agent Robert Rosas was lured, trapped, and murdered by 5 illegal immigrants on the border. He fought for his life to the last breath. https://t.co/0M25DwTHks Twitter22 November 2:59PM on twitter.com/MaddRoot ID:58861.765362 64RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer wa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Investigators say it might have been an accidental fall in the dark: https://t.co/7po9y8KHny Twitter22 November 3:00PM on twitter.com/Jackianne31 ID:58861.765363 65RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protecting America's southern border. He was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. The little boy in the picture will... Twitter22 November 3:00PM on twitter.com/Carolyn62845727 ID:58861.765364 66Was Border Patrol agent beaten to death by immi... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Was Border Patrol agent beaten to death by immigrants in Texas? Or did he fall? The FBI is not sure - Los Angeles Times https://t.co/wztClxOPzw Twitter22 November 3:00PM on twitter.com/SisterEboga ID:58861.765365 67QT @realDonaldTrump: RT @WilDonnelly: FBI says ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realDonaldTrump: RT @WilDonnelly: FBI says the injuries sustained by the border patrol agent who died is more consistent with a fall than an attack, but ano… ; Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt Twitter22 November 3:00PM on twitter.com/Tracy801 ID:58861.765366 68The Star on the Mountain will be lit in honor o... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Page 21 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001388 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000021 The Star on the Mountain will be lit in honor of fallen U.S. Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez on Saturday and Sunday. https://t.co/Wm68k8vkmJ Twitter22 November 3:01PM on twitter.com/KFOX14 ID:58861.765367 69RT @PoliticalShort: Border Patrol agent appeare... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @PoliticalShort: Border Patrol agent appeared to be ambushed by illegal immigrants, bashed with rocks before death https://t.co/gHhGK7T09i Twitter22 November 3:02PM on twitter.com/Cyn_Hitch ID:58861.765368 70QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wants a wall, except @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & White House staff. (Who hired those idiots?) h… ; José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him... Twitter22 November 3:02PM on twitter.com/doc_espy ID:58861.765369 71QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wants a wall, except @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & White House staff. (Who hired those idiots?) h… ; José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him... Twitter22 November 3:00PM on twitter.com/ezenc0re ID:58861.765370 72RT @WilDonnelly: A border patrol supervisor for... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @WilDonnelly: A border patrol supervisor for the region said Monday night that reports it was an attack were "speculation." That didn't stop Trump, and other Republicans from calling it an attack. https: //t.co/jE421mYbFw Twitter22 November 3:01PM on twitter.com/TinaJac22661258 ID:58861.765371 73RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angl... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angle: we'll update you on the attack on two Border Patrol agents that left one of them dead. CNN is now saying it may have just been an accident. Two insiders will Twitter22 November 3:01PM on twitter.com/amjustfree ID:58861.765372 74RT @KFOX14: The Star on the Mountain will be li... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @KFOX14: The Star on the Mountain will be lit in honor of fallen U.S. Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez on Saturday and Sunday. https://t.co/Wm68k8vkmJ Twitter22 November 3:02PM on twitter.com/LouTEPminer ID:58861.765373 75QT @realDonaldTrump: RT @TranslateRealDT: In La... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realDonaldTrump: RT @TranslateRealDT: In Las Vegas, 58 killed, another 546 badly hurt at the hands of a white gunman. We will give the @NRA a pass, and keep… ; Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border... Twitter22 November 3:02PM on twitter.com/peacegalaxy ID:58861.765374 76RT @foxandfriends: .@michellemalkin: Dumb, agin... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @foxandfriends: .@michellemalkin: Dumb, aging infrastructure technology at our border is endangering the lives of our border patrol agents https://t.co/hLvokdvhrf Twitter22 November 3:02PM on twitter.com/bornon4ofjuly ID:58861.765375 77Fox Attacks Trump Again?! Juan Williams Just Do... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Fox Attacks Trump Again?! Juan Williams Just Downplayed Murder Of Border Patrol Agent, Said ‘NOBODY WANTS TRUMP’S WALL’ https://t.co/ZXFOufA3x4 Twitter22 November 3:03PM on twitter.com/Smokyjo1 ID:58861.765376 78https://t.co/cVjb1mJsEE CBP Travel Tips to Redu... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI https://t.co/cVjb1mJsEE CBP Travel Tips to Reduce Holiday and “Black Friday” Traffic Delays At Border Page 22 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001389 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000022 https://t.co/uechFlIcI7 Twitter22 November 3:03PM on twitter.com/londoncleaners2 ID:58861.765377 79RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to hel... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to help solve this murder of a Border Patrol Agent in Texas. Help us catch this killer. #txlege #tcot #BorderPatrol https://t.co/jYzy8uNs7y Twitter22 November 3:03PM on twitter.com/josephbenning ID:58861.765378 80Border Patrol agent who Trump said was attacked... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Border Patrol agent who Trump said was attacked may have fallen to his death https://t. co/LlVgR8YUVZ Twitter22 November 3:03PM on twitter.com/XyraIs ID:58861.765379 81QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realKenOliver: RT @AnnCoulter: It's unanimous! Everyone wants a wall, except @realDonaldTrump's cabinet & White House staff. (Who hired those idiots?) h… ; José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him... Twitter22 November 3:04PM on twitter.com/SallyAmerica100 ID:58861.765380 82[https://t.co/N9JIaTQpu4] AP source: Border pat... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI [https://t.co/N9JIaTQpu4] AP source: Border patrol agent may have fallen https://t.co/NueJ3PMkU6 Twitter22 November 3:04PM on twitter.com/Zicutake ID:58861.765381 83@dejesuscarbajal Ya lol I seen my uncle do it w... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @dejesuscarbajal Ya lol I seen my uncle do it when I was like 12 and I was wondering why no one here does that. Border Patrol be taking hella bribes though lol especially when they find mules. Twitter22 November 3:00PM on twitter.com/jodypicaso ID:58861.765382 84@MLB_Roundup I think he averages 5 HR per 3 gam... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @MLB_Roundup I think he averages 5 HR per 3 game trip to CBP. Hope Phillies get him! Twitter22 November 3:01PM on twitter.com/froggy_robby ID:58861.765383 85RT @FBIElPaso: #FBI Statement on death of US Bo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FBIElPaso: #FBI Statement on death of US Border Patrol: https://t.co/hQiKrbkbDR Twitter22 November 3:01PM on twitter.com/USBPChief ID:58861.765384 86Paul Manafort Sprung From House-Jail For Thanks... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Paul Manafort Sprung From House-Jail For Thanksgiving! FYI, BORDER PATROL. https://t. co/V2n8UuDBmi #StopRush #UniteBlue #p2 #Resist Twitter22 November 3:02PM on twitter.com/Glicklich_Facts ID:58861.765385 87RT @realKenOliver: José Martínez says death of ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realKenOliver: José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him to support @realdonaldtrump on need to #BuildTheWall https://t.co/xb8OVfc6OK Twitter22 November 3:03PM on twitter.com/Glaivester ID:58861.765386 88@zachbernard @CharlieDaniels Anything Can Be Cu... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @zachbernard @CharlieDaniels Anything Can Be Cut!!! Bombed But Not Likely. Let All Who Want To Come Come n At Least Double Border Patrol Officers n Build Watchtowers To Twitter22 November 3:04PM on twitter.com/LavernMoana ID:58861.765387 89RT @FBIElPaso: FBI El Paso and CBP/Border Patro... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FBIElPaso: FBI El Paso and CBP/Border Patrol press conference regarding Agent Rogelio Martinez. #FBI offering $25,000 for any information leading to the arrest and conviction on individual(s) involved in this tragic incident. Call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324). https://t.co/7rQpifCQoB Twitter22 November 3:01PM on twitter.com/USBPChief ID:58861.765394 Page 23 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001390 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000023 90RT @ksatnews: Border Patrol agents along the Ri... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ksatnews: Border Patrol agents along the Rio Grande River seized more than $4 million in drugs last week. https://t.co/fdfYRUAFio Twitter22 November 3:03PM on twitter.com/laurape00486139 ID:58861.765395 91RT @WilDonnelly: A border patrol supervisor for... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @WilDonnelly: A border patrol supervisor for the region said Monday night that reports it was an attack were "speculation." That didn't stop Trump, and other Republicans from calling it an attack. https: //t.co/jE421mYbFw Twitter22 November 3:03PM on twitter.com/SMacMillanMD ID:58861.765396 92RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer kill... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and must, build the Wall! Twitter22 November 3:04PM on twitter.com/debra_bonanno ID:58861.765397 93QT @realDonaldTrump: @CantStopTheHop https://t.... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realDonaldTrump: @CantStopTheHop https://t.co/8YVKM5KWWd ; Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and must, build the Wall! Twitter22 November 3:04PM on twitter.com/mrusedtowas ID:58861.765398 94QT @KFOX14: REST IN PEACE https://t.co/lJcu4Kk8... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @KFOX14: REST IN PEACE https://t.co/lJcu4Kk8kx ; The Star on the Mountain will be lit in honor of fallen U.S. Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez on Saturday and Sunday. https://t.co/Wm68k8vkmJ Twitter22 November 3:05PM on twitter.com/diana18serrano ID:58861.765399 95RT @realKenOliver: José Martínez says death of ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realKenOliver: José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him to support @realdonaldtrump on need to #BuildTheWall https://t.co/xb8OVfc6OK Twitter22 November 3:05PM on twitter.com/tbeaux29 ID:58861.765400 96RT @KFIAM640: FBI Offering $25K Reward For Info... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @KFIAM640: FBI Offering $25K Reward For Information In Border Patrol Agent Death https://t. co/ELFmwfM7Eo Twitter22 November 3:05PM on twitter.com/CoronachsAxe ID:58861.765401 97RT @KFOX14: The Star on the Mountain will be li... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @KFOX14: The Star on the Mountain will be lit in honor of fallen U.S. Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez on Saturday and Sunday. https://t.co/Wm68k8vkmJ Twitter22 November 3:05PM on twitter.com/Galvatron302 ID:58861.765402 98RT @hrkbenowen: Retweet if you agree with Laura... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @hrkbenowen: Retweet if you agree with Laura Ingraham that the killing of border patrol agent Rogelio Martinez proves there needs to be a border wall. @IngrahamAngle https://t.co/UqmTNavxMN Twitter22 November 3:06PM on twitter.com/AdamoN4 ID:58861.765403 99Border Patrol Agents Reveal Horrifying News As ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Border Patrol Agents Reveal Horrifying News As Obama-Era Policies Reinstated https://t. co/clAAnG8Xcs Twitter22 November 3:06PM on twitter.com/SharronTrump ID:58861.765404 100RT @KFIAM640: FBI Offering $25K Reward For Info... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @KFIAM640: FBI Offering $25K Reward For Information In Border Patrol Agent Death https://t. co/ELFmwfM7Eo Page 24 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001391 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000024 Twitter22 November 3:06PM on twitter.com/ryanthewriter ID:58861.765405 sysomos.com @sysomos support unsubscribe Page 25 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001392 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000025 From : To: Cc: Bee: Subject: Date: Attachments : Sysomos Tweets cross ing 600 threshho ld Wed Nov 22 2017 11 :06:32 EST New Content in Heartbeat US Customs and Border Protect ion More than 100 new since the last check on November 22, 2017 at 1 0:00AM EST 1RT@T rumpTra in45Pac: Well said! .@jessebwatters ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT@TrumpTra in45Pac : Well said! .@jessebwatters on @POTUS 's Mexico border wall plans: "When someone is killed w/ a gun, the left wants gun control , but when a border patrol agent is killed, you'd think that they'd Twitter22 November 9:54AM on twitter .com/EsquinaMirabal ID:58861 .760817 2RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent R. .. View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Caro lde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protecting Amer ica's southern border . He was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. The little boy in the picture wil l. .. Twitter22 November 9:55AM on twitter .com/PamlnF LToo ID:58861 .7608 18 3RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer wa ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten ," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Investigato rs say it might have been an accidental fall in the dark : https ://t.co/7po9y8KHny Twitter22 November 9:56AM on twitter .com/realbradadk ins ID:5886 1.760819 4FBI : Border Patrol agent's death a 'potent ial a ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI FBI: Border Patrol agent's death a 'potential assault' https://t.co/gAoSVpylkm via @billballent ine #lawenforcement https ://t.co/6Ww5VbVuq3 Twitter22 November 9:56AM on twitter .com/billballentine ID:58861 .760820 5QT @SenSchumer : RT @travlr009 : Says a man who h ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @SenSchumer: RT @travlr009 : Says a man who has the blood of every dead Border Patrol officer on his hands https ://t.co/AQFhll3KHd ; Another heartless decision by the Trump Adm inistration, this time ending temporary protected status for Twitter22 November 9:57AM on twitter .com/jdltek ID:5886 1.760821 6RT @realDona ldTrump: Border Patrol Officer kill. .. View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realDona ldTrump : Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsib le. We will, and must, build the Wall! Twitter22 November 9:57AM on twitter .com/KatDub leux ID:58861.760822 ?RT @brandondarby : Five men from Mexico jumped t... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @brandondarby : Five men from Mexico jumped the 4-5 ft tall flimsy border fence and intentionally CBP FOIA 001393 Page 26 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000026 set off a sensor to lure Border Patrol Agent Rosas. Twitter22 November 9:58AM on twitter.com/rodica1948 ID:58861.760823 8RT @LifeZette: The spokesman for the union that... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @LifeZette: The spokesman for the union that represents Border Patrol agents says CNN has the story wrong. https://t.co/B0bs3SbUV3 Twitter22 November 9:58AM on twitter.com/Susan40370948 ID:58861.760824 9I feel Was Border Patrol agent beaten to death ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI I feel Was Border Patrol agent beaten to death by immigrants in Texas Twitter22 November 9:58AM on twitter.com/trstdtravlr ID:58861.760825 10QT @FoxNews: Border Agent Death Latest: •FBI in... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @FoxNews: Border Agent Death Latest: •FBI investigating “potential assault” on federal officers •Border Patrol union: Appears agents were struck in head with rocks •Injured agent has no memory of incident •Martinez is 39th Border Patrol agent to... Twitter22 November 9:58AM on twitter.com/FoxNewsResearch ID:58861.760826 11RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer wa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Investigators say it might have been an accidental fall in the dark: https://t.co/7po9y8KHny Twitter22 November 9:59AM on twitter.com/Mimariesa ID:58861.760827 12RT @CBPArizona: Mexican man facing assault char... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CBPArizona: Mexican man facing assault charges after attacking Tucson #USBP agent Friday morning near Sasabe #CBP #AlwaysVigilant Details:https://t.co/3JxHr3JHdw https://t.co/sck8GjQ6P5 Twitter22 November 9:59AM on twitter.com/MarcosG65 ID:58861.760828 13RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protecting America's southern border. He was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. The little boy in the picture will... Twitter22 November 9:55AM on twitter.com/jneuen ID:58861.760829 14QT @ddale8: This is "waiting for facts", accord... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ddale8: This is "waiting for facts", according to #Trump. https://t.co/MJ6K6ix4DP ; Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Investigators say it might have been an accidental fall in the Twitter22 November 9:55AM on twitter.com/GreenGenii ID:58861.760830 15RT @joey_girardi: If this glad offends you, you... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @joey_girardi: If this glad offends you, you might be a Democrat. Pipeline Kellyanne Conway Keystone XL Border Patrol https://t.co/HP8AnRQeDM Twitter22 November 9:57AM on twitter.com/RobieRobotJr ID:58861.760831 16QT @senyorreporter: Glad I have the filter of a... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @senyorreporter: Glad I have the filter of a relative working on the border. I’m told AZMedia is crap. https://t.co/WgUhHsXwhy ; The man threw dirt in the agent..., it's rare that @CustomsBorder puts out a release on an event this... Twitter22 November 9:57AM on twitter.com/noprezzie2012 ID:58861.760832 17RT @CBattle1134: @KarlKirchner1 @brandondarby @... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CBattle1134: @KarlKirchner1 @brandondarby @AnnCoulter The fence is a joke. Why do you think a wall will work? We need better pay for Border Patrol agents to help gross under staffing and better tech out Twitter22 November 9:57AM on twitter.com/craig_adamson ID:58861.760833 Page 27 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001394 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000027 18RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer wa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Investigators say it might have been an accidental fall in the dark: https://t.co/7po9y8KHny Twitter22 November 9:57AM on twitter.com/Beantownump ID:58861.760834 19RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angl... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angle: we'll update you on the attack on two Border Patrol agents that left one of them dead. CNN is now saying it may have just been an accident. Two insiders will Twitter22 November 9:57AM on twitter.com/DavidFeketeHun ID:58861.760835 20FBI examining Border Patrol agent's death as a ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI FBI examining Border Patrol agent's death as a 'potential assault' - https://t.co/P9w3ctVqel #tklinik Twitter22 November 9:59AM on twitter.com/TKlinik ID:58861.760836 21RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer kill... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and must, build the Wall! Twitter22 November 9:57AM on twitter.com/Sherry4trump678 ID:58861.760837 22RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer wa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Investigators say it might have been an accidental fall in the dark: https://t.co/7po9y8KHny Twitter22 November 9:57AM on twitter.com/erinresists ID:58861.760838 23Border Patrol Agent Assaulted in Arizona https:... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Border Patrol Agent Assaulted in Arizona https://t.co/RbBYKaSefv https://t.co/9cs6ewrQNc Twitter22 November 9:57AM on twitter.com/EagleStarNET ID:58861.760839 24A U.S.BORDER PATROL OFFICER AND HIS ...FAMILY..... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI A U.S.BORDER PATROL OFFICER AND HIS ...FAMILY.... WILL NOT HAVE A THANGSGIVING DAY TOGETHER!! https://t.co/Zlgc6w590C Twitter22 November 9:58AM on twitter.com/BusheyDan ID:58861.760840 25QT @Carolde: @FOX4 @tryanfox4 this is why our P... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @Carolde: @FOX4 @tryanfox4 this is why our President “politicized” the border tragedy to build the wall https://t.co/iWJ60v2FNi ; This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protecting America's southern border... Twitter22 November 9:58AM on twitter.com/TexanAlan ID:58861.760841 26RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer kill... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and must, build the Wall! Twitter22 November 9:58AM on twitter.com/MLuc4TrumpJobs ID:58861.760842 27RT @hrkbenowen: Retweet if you agree with Laura... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @hrkbenowen: Retweet if you agree with Laura Ingraham that the killing of border patrol agent Rogelio Martinez proves there needs to be a border wall. @IngrahamAngle https://t.co/UqmTNavxMN Twitter22 November 9:59AM on twitter.com/roger_mace ID:58861.760843 28RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer wa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Investigators say it might have been an accidental fall in the dark: https://t.co/7po9y8KHny Twitter22 November 9:59AM on twitter.com/rjakes65 ID:58861.760844 29RT @CBPArizona: Brian A. Terry #USBP agents arr... Page 28 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001395 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000028 View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CBPArizona: Brian A. Terry #USBP agents arrest previously deported Suerno Gang member near Naco, Arizona #CBP is #KeepingAmericaSafe #HonorFirst Details:https://t.co/5Jce3xOAP3 https://t. co/ihbV53UNMg Twitter22 November 9:59AM on twitter.com/MarcosG65 ID:58861.760845 30@kalinga Hahaha in the middle of nowhere, so do... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @kalinga Hahaha in the middle of nowhere, so don't even think I'll share the CBP with you Twitter22 November 9:59AM on twitter.com/Shailendree ID:58861.760846 31RT @HispanicsTrump: Yesterday two illegal immig... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @HispanicsTrump: Yesterday two illegal immigrants ambushed and killed a Border Patrol Agent. Yet another American death that could've been prevented with a border wall... #BuildTheWall Twitter22 November 9:59AM on twitter.com/Ronnysgirl46 ID:58861.760847 32RT @kristinamcaruso: @KTSMPatrick @KTSMtv They ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @kristinamcaruso: @KTSMPatrick @KTSMtv They are ILLEGAL!!! Saying otherwise contributes to the assault against our border patrol. Stop the propaganda and report the facts. Twitter22 November 10:00AM on twitter.com/Hortense076 ID:58861.760848 33FBI: Border Patrol agent's death a 'potential a... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI FBI: Border Patrol agent's death a 'potential assault ' https://t.co/GHyjPjsz7l Twitter22 November 9:58AM on twitter.com/dpd508 ID:58861.760849 34RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to hel... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to help solve this murder of a Border Patrol Agent in Texas. Help us catch this killer. #txlege #tcot #BorderPatrol https://t.co/jYzy8uNs7y Twitter22 November 9:58AM on twitter.com/LoJ5678 ID:58861.760850 35RT @brandondarby: Reminder: Border Patrol Agent... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @brandondarby: Reminder: Border Patrol Agent Robert Rosas was lured, trapped, and murdered by 5 illegal immigrants on the border. He fought for his life to the last breath. https://t.co/0M25DwTHks Twitter22 November 9:59AM on twitter.com/Teach410 ID:58861.760851 36QT @ATLairport: RT @CBPSoutheast: #ATL @ATLairp... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ATLairport: RT @CBPSoutheast: #ATL @ATLairport a great #CBP partner welcoming travelers from across the globe. https://t.co/LSB3mL77GT ; We're welcoming international travelers to Atlanta & Georgia with new iconic images in @CustomsBorder arrival Twitter22 November 9:59AM on twitter.com/CBPFlorida ID:58861.760852 37QT @CBPFlorida: RT @CBPCaribbean: Vea cómo las ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations secures the maritime border. For breaking news and regional updates follow us @CustomsBorder @CBPFlorida @CBPSoutheast Twitter22 November 9:59AM on twitter.com/CBPFlorida ID:58861.760853 38RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter22 November 10:00AM on twitter.com/kaye_vx ID:58861.760854 39FBI seeking info on border patrol agent's death... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI FBI seeking info on border patrol agent's death https://t.co/DOFFUuDoPp https://t.co/8kZaaq1rYw Twitter22 November 10:00AM on twitter.com/ABQJournal ID:58861.760855 40RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer wa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Page 29 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001396 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000029 RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Investigators say it might have been an accidental fall in the dark: https://t.co/7po9y8KHny Twitter22 November 9:59AM on twitter.com/TallyAnnaE ID:58861.760856 41Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants... https://t. co/XGs1Y7dcT3 by #pmcg via @c0nvey Twitter22 November 10:00AM on twitter.com/CEO_Jnr ID:58861.760857 42RT @GenAugustoP: Border Patrol Union Blasts CNN... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GenAugustoP: Border Patrol Union Blasts CNN Report Saying Brutally Murdered Agents "Fell" https://t.co/S2dGxLsZ5d via @LifeZette Twitter22 November 10:00AM on twitter.com/MightyNitin22 ID:58861.760858 43RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angl... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angle: we'll update you on the attack on two Border Patrol agents that left one of them dead. CNN is now saying it may have just been an accident. Two insiders will Twitter22 November 9:59AM on twitter.com/dahl_kennedy ID:58861.760859 44RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer wa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Investigators say it might have been an accidental fall in the dark: https://t.co/7po9y8KHny Twitter22 November 10:00AM on twitter.com/mblueisland5667 ID:58861.760860 45RT @JessicaV_CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Re... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @JessicaV_CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Request for more ICE officers, says only Border Patrol should get more agents. Classic. Pound chest about border security, ignore critical interior enforcement need. https://t.co/jO8Y70uiH1 via @govexec Twitter22 November 10:00AM on twitter.com/TerryDi60 ID:58861.760861 46QT @realDonaldTrump: RT @MooreSenate: Doug Jone... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realDonaldTrump: RT @MooreSenate: Doug Jones in the Senate = NO WALL No Wall = more senseless bloodshed We must build the wall to protect Americans NOW! h… ; Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We... Twitter22 November 10:00AM on twitter.com/gringaloca11 ID:58861.760862 47Senate Panel Funds Border Wall, But Continues '... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Senate Panel Funds Border Wall, But Continues 'Catch and Release' - Breitbart https://t. co/nQyrChy9GX Catch and release is STILL happening. Trump needs to listen to border patrol agents, not Gen Kelly. The new head of DHS is going to Twitter22 November 10:00AM on twitter.com/marie_michigan ID:58861.760863 48QT @LifeZette: More blatant lies from CNN. http... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @LifeZette: More blatant lies from CNN. https://t.co/msy9RPxa8T ; The spokesman for the union that represents Border Patrol agents says CNN has the story wrong. https://t.co/B0bs3SbUV3 Twitter22 November 9:59AM on twitter.com/Happybyrdie ID:58861.760864 49RT @MAGr8A_: @Greg_6551 @POTUS @DeptofDefense @... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @MAGr8A_: @Greg_6551 @POTUS @DeptofDefense @USArmy @navY @AFPAA @USMC @USCG @NationalGuard @USNationalGuard @USPS @DHSgov @FBI @ICEgov @CustomsBorder @StateDept @DeptVetAffairs @VFWHQ... Twitter22 November 9:59AM on twitter.com/Helenak416 ID:58861.760865 50The FBI – Federal Bureau of Investigation is no... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI The FBI – Federal Bureau of Investigation is now investigating the death of United States Border Patrol Page 30 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001397 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000030 Agent... https://t.co/GlMCKj73Y8 Twitter22 November 10:00AM on twitter.com/jeffkatzshow ID:58861.760866 51@Greg_6551 @POTUS @DeptofDefense @USArmy @navY ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @Greg_6551 @POTUS @DeptofDefense @USArmy @navY @AFPAA @USMC @USCG @NationalGuard @USNationalGuard @USPS @DHSgov @FBI @ICEgov @CustomsBorder @StateDept @DeptVetAffairs @VFWHQ @ConcernedVets @... Twitter22 November 10:01AM on twitter.com/Helenak416 ID:58861.760867 52RT @RepublicanChick: . @POTUS declares United S... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RepublicanChick: . @POTUS declares United States must build the wall after @CustomsBorder death #MakeAmericaSafeAgain https://t.co/E4WBqlji0T Twitter22 November 10:00AM on twitter.com/DeplorableAsian ID:58861.760868 53TRUMP MOURNS WITH AMERICA OVER THE HORRIBLE MUR... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI TRUMP MOURNS WITH AMERICA OVER THE HORRIBLE MURDER OF A BORDER PATROL AGENT BY ILLEGAL ALIENS https://t.co/YeBjYL9F6I Twitter22 November 10:02AM on twitter.com/NextNewsNet ID:58861.760869 54RT @Dianestraley: Border Patrol Union Blasts CN... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Dianestraley: Border Patrol Union Blasts CNN Report Saying Agents Fell https://t.co/sOq9cfU5Zd via @LifeZette Twitter22 November 10:02AM on twitter.com/gennut ID:58861.760870 55QT @FoxNews: RT @FoxNewsResearch: Border Agent ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @FoxNews: RT @FoxNewsResearch: Border Agent Death Latest: •FBI investigating “potential assault” on federal officers •Border Patrol union: Appears ag… ; Border agent's death being investigated as 'potential assault' https://t.co/h0wpBmRN6M Twitter22 November 10:02AM on twitter.com/TruthSoldierz ID:58861.760871 56@Greg_6551 @POTUS @DeptofDefense @USArmy @navY ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @Greg_6551 @POTUS @DeptofDefense @USArmy @navY @AFPAA @USMC @USCG @NationalGuard @USNationalGuard @USPS @DHSgov @FBI @ICEgov @CustomsBorder @StateDept @DeptVetAffairs @VFWHQ @ConcernedVets @... Twitter22 November 10:02AM on twitter.com/twistedhumor63 ID:58861.760872 57Border Patrol Union VP Reacts to Agent Murdered... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Border Patrol Union VP Reacts to Agent Murdered by an Illegal https://t.co/9UQCvZE0QZ via @truthfeednews Twitter22 November 10:00AM on twitter.com/kylie_oneil75 ID:58861.760873 58RT @kristinamcaruso: @KTSMPatrick @KTSMtv They ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @kristinamcaruso: @KTSMPatrick @KTSMtv They are ILLEGAL!!! Saying otherwise contributes to the assault against our border patrol. Stop the propaganda and report the facts. Twitter22 November 10:01AM on twitter.com/rnsr4u ID:58861.760874 59RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter22 November 10:02AM on twitter.com/vegod_jean ID:58861.760875 60RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer kill... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and must, build the Wall! Twitter22 November 10:00AM on twitter.com/KRAMERFILE ID:58861.760876 Page 31 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001398 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000031 61RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer wa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Investigators say it might have been an accidental fall in the dark: https://t.co/7po9y8KHny Twitter22 November 10:02AM on twitter.com/KyleLaSante ID:58861.760877 62RT @brandondarby: Five men from Mexico jumped t... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @brandondarby: Five men from Mexico jumped the 4-5 ft tall flimsy border fence and intentionally set off a sensor to lure Border Patrol Agent Rosas. Twitter22 November 10:00AM on twitter.com/antiponywiseman ID:58861.760878 63RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer wa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Investigators say it might have been an accidental fall in the dark: https://t.co/7po9y8KHny Twitter22 November 10:00AM on twitter.com/BenSnozzzy ID:58861.760879 64RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer wa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Investigators say it might have been an accidental fall in the dark: https://t.co/7po9y8KHny Twitter22 November 10:01AM on twitter.com/handsfl58 ID:58861.760880 65Customs and Border Protection caught off-guard ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Customs and Border Protection caught off-guard by travel ban https://t.co/lyLZq47BuX Twitter22 November 10:01AM on twitter.com/BuyBuildHybrid ID:58861.760881 66RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protecting America's southern border. He was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. The little boy in the picture will... Twitter22 November 10:02AM on twitter.com/ScottStolberg ID:58861.760882 67QT @brandondarby: RT @eladsinned: And the BP sp... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @brandondarby: RT @eladsinned: And the BP spokesman describing it called the foreign nationals responsible "undocumented immigrants" https://t.co/7PhosaVB… ; Reminder: Border Patrol Agent Robert Rosas was lured, trapped, and murdered by 5 illegal immigrants on the... Twitter22 November 10:00AM on twitter.com/juanderful3 ID:58861.760883 68QT @LifeZette: RT @Happybyrdie: More blatant li... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @LifeZette: RT @Happybyrdie: More blatant lies from CNN. https://t.co/msy9RPxa8T ; The spokesman for the union that represents Border Patrol agents says CNN has the story wrong. https://t. co/B0bs3SbUV3 Twitter22 November 10:01AM on twitter.com/krfanatic ID:58861.760884 69@DailyCaller Google & Face Book need to identif... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @DailyCaller Google & Face Book need to identify CNN as FAKE NEWS based on BORDER PATROL UNION incident reporting and documentation! Clearly, not reporting ALL THE FACTS! Twitter22 November 10:01AM on twitter.com/Big_Chill53 ID:58861.760885 70FBI investigating "potential assault" on Border... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI FBI investigating "potential assault" on Border Patrol agents #RT https://t.co/llUMSOfeqs https://t. co/8ucFo1ODDt Twitter22 November 10:02AM on twitter.com/Info24US ID:58861.760886 71RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer wa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Investigators say it might have been an accidental fall in the dark: https://t.co/7po9y8KHny Page 32 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001399 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000032 Twitter22 November 10:02AM on twitter.com/Most_Nquisitive ID:58861.760887 72RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer wa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Investigators say it might have been an accidental fall in the dark: https://t.co/7po9y8KHny Twitter22 November 10:01AM on twitter.com/countwolfgang ID:58861.760888 73RT @brandondarby: Five men from Mexico jumped t... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @brandondarby: Five men from Mexico jumped the 4-5 ft tall flimsy border fence and intentionally set off a sensor to lure Border Patrol Agent Rosas. Twitter22 November 10:01AM on twitter.com/AC33333333 ID:58861.760889 74RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter22 November 10:01AM on twitter.com/Tea_Party_Chris ID:58861.760890 75RT @brandondarby: Reminder: Border Patrol Agent... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @brandondarby: Reminder: Border Patrol Agent Robert Rosas was lured, trapped, and murdered by 5 illegal immigrants on the border. He fought for his life to the last breath. https://t.co/0M25DwTHks Twitter22 November 10:01AM on twitter.com/agrammy49 ID:58861.760891 76RT @NextNewsNet: TRUMP MOURNS WITH AMERICA OVER... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @NextNewsNet: TRUMP MOURNS WITH AMERICA OVER THE HORRIBLE MURDER OF A BORDER PATROL AGENT BY ILLEGAL ALIENS https://t.co/YeBjYL9F6I Twitter22 November 10:02AM on twitter.com/dianaprince1942 ID:58861.760892 77TRUMP MOURNS WITH AMERICA OVER THE HORRIBLE MUR... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI TRUMP MOURNS WITH AMERICA OVER THE HORRIBLE MURDER OF A BORDER PATROL AGENT BY ILLEGAL ALIENS https://t.co/T7Gco47LCU -NextNewsNet Twitter22 November 10:03AM on twitter.com/SMadScientistS ID:58861.760893 78Its tough but everyday in our nation we see fab... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Its tough but everyday in our nation we see fabulous work from the US CBP Team protecting the USA. They are stopping dangerous drugs, arresting bad thugs, and helping people. Good Job CBP Team. US Customs and Border Protection Twitter22 November 10:01AM on twitter.com/ekellytaylor ID:58861.760894 79RT @hectorgarza2455: Thank you @realDonaldTrump... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @hectorgarza2455: Thank you @realDonaldTrump for supporting Border Patrol Agents. Build the Wall to finally secure the border! https://t.co/mJsEAcktXB Twitter22 November 10:02AM on twitter.com/jared2455 ID:58861.760895 80RT @thehill: Authorities believe border patrol ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @thehill: Authorities believe border patrol agent who died in Texas may have fallen https://t. co/8grJbhFHmc https://t.co/xI2o3oqIWP Twitter22 November 10:02AM on twitter.com/BillieO2 ID:58861.760896 81RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer kill... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and must, build the Wall! Twitter22 November 10:02AM on twitter.com/AdamCullenn ID:58861.760897 82RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer wa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Page 33 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001400 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000033 Investigators say it might have been an accidental fall in the dark: https://t.co/7po9y8KHny Twitter22 November 10:02AM on twitter.com/Kevin_Mannix ID:58861.760898 83National Border Patrol Council President: Borde... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI National Border Patrol Council President: Border Patrol Agent's Death Is An Example of.. https://t. co/mvJDBFKndi https://t.co/XAxlJ29C5u Twitter22 November 10:03AM on twitter.com/EagleStarNET ID:58861.760899 84RT @eissolomon11: Illegal Aliens Killed Border ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @eissolomon11: Illegal Aliens Killed Border Patrol Agent by Crushing in His Skull with Rocks, Says NBPC https://t.co/yeXhdY64wz via @BreitbartNews https://t.co/ZdI21hkJLi Twitter22 November 10:03AM on twitter.com/davidradiowntp ID:58861.760900 85RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer wa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Investigators say it might have been an accidental fall in the dark: https://t.co/7po9y8KHny Twitter22 November 10:04AM on twitter.com/europajp8 ID:58861.760901 86@Greg_6551 @POTUS @DeptofDefense @USArmy @navY ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @Greg_6551 @POTUS @DeptofDefense @USArmy @navY @AFPAA @USMC @USCG @NationalGuard @USNationalGuard @USPS @DHSgov @FBI @ICEgov @CustomsBorder @StateDept @DeptVetAffairs @VFWHQ @ConcernedVets @... Twitter22 November 10:02AM on twitter.com/twistedhumor63 ID:58861.760902 87RT @brandondarby: Five men from Mexico jumped t... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @brandondarby: Five men from Mexico jumped the 4-5 ft tall flimsy border fence and intentionally set off a sensor to lure Border Patrol Agent Rosas. Twitter22 November 10:03AM on twitter.com/GrandmaM16 ID:58861.760903 88RT @PatriotLexi: Manhunt Underway After US Bord... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @PatriotLexi: Manhunt Underway After US Border Patrol Agent Killed In Line of Duty TrumpMy respect to the families that were so badly hurt yesterday, they were devastated‼We have to stop the massive drug flow‼ https://t.co... Twitter22 November 10:04AM on twitter.com/DonnaOceans ID:58861.760904 89RT @CBPJobs: #CBP is #hiring chemists to help a... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CBPJobs: #CBP is #hiring chemists to help analyze imported goods, enforce trade laws, perform #forensicscience, & more. Accepting applications starting 11/27! https://t.co/2qFmWqEuox https://t. co/Obgdyi8Vio Twitter22 November 10:05AM on twitter.com/TruthSoldierz ID:58861.760905 90TRUMP MOURNS WITH AMERICA OVER THE HORRIBLE MUR... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI TRUMP MOURNS WITH AMERICA OVER THE HORRIBLE MURDER OF A BORDER PATROL AGENT BY ILLEGAL ALIENS https://t.co/cTnjFlkph0 Twitter22 November 10:03AM on twitter.com/conspiracydup ID:58861.760907 91RT @brandondarby: Five men from Mexico jumped t... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @brandondarby: Five men from Mexico jumped the 4-5 ft tall flimsy border fence and intentionally set off a sensor to lure Border Patrol Agent Rosas. Twitter22 November 10:04AM on twitter.com/mikeytapia ID:58861.760908 92RT @brandondarby: The illegal immigrants hid an... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @brandondarby: The illegal immigrants hid and waited for Border Patrol Agent Rosas after luring him. They surrounded him on the open border and attacked. Twitter22 November 10:05AM on twitter.com/jared2455 ID:58861.760909 93Ken Paxton says he suspects assault in the kill... Page 34 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001401 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000034 View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Ken Paxton says he suspects assault in the killing, injury of Border Patrol agents - https://t. co/pQQsg8N1wd - @washtimes Twitter22 November 10:05AM on twitter.com/1ClickBiz ID:58861.760910 94RT @RonBurling: @RealMAGASteve @BreitbartNews W... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RonBurling: @RealMAGASteve @BreitbartNews When the wall is built, it should be dedicated as a memorial to all Border Patrol agents killed in the line of duty. Twitter22 November 10:03AM on twitter.com/BumbleVEEMe ID:58861.760911 95RT @brandondarby: Reminder: Border Patrol Agent... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @brandondarby: Reminder: Border Patrol Agent Robert Rosas was lured, trapped, and murdered by 5 illegal immigrants on the border. He fought for his life to the last breath. https://t.co/0M25DwTHks Twitter22 November 10:04AM on twitter.com/Debrah38249436 ID:58861.760912 96Former ICE Agent: Expect 'Mass Exodus' From ICE... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Former ICE Agent: Expect 'Mass Exodus' From ICE, Border Patrol If DHS Imposes Obama-Era Policies https://t.co/VtfZbwH72k Twitter22 November 10:04AM on twitter.com/RAJANVAIRAWANAT ID:58861.760913 97RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer wa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Investigators say it might have been an accidental fall in the dark: https://t.co/7po9y8KHny Twitter22 November 10:05AM on twitter.com/Dennis_vdo ID:58861.760914 98QT @LifeZette: Leave it to @CNN to try to prote... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @LifeZette: Leave it to @CNN to try to protect illegals crossing our borders. Shame on them. Fake News channel. https://t.co/GgyQ66cyIg ; The spokesman for the union that represents Border Patrol agents says CNN has the Twitter22 November 10:05AM on twitter.com/nanjmay6478 ID:58861.760915 99RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter22 November 10:05AM on twitter.com/Farm_Granny ID:58861.760916 100RT @LifeZette: The spokesman for the union that... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @LifeZette: The spokesman for the union that represents Border Patrol agents says CNN has the story wrong. https://t.co/B0bs3SbUV3 Twitter22 November 10:02AM on twitter.com/silverbulletguy ID:58861.760917 sysomos.com @sysomos support unsubscribe Page 35 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001402 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000035 From : To: Cc: Bee: Subject: Date: Attachments : Sysomos Tweets cross ing 600 threshho ld Wed Nov 22 2017 11 :06:32 EST New Content in Heartbeat US Customs and Border Protect ion More than 100 new since the last check on November 22, 2017 at 1 0:00AM EST 1RT@T rumpTra in45Pac: Well said! .@jessebwatters ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT@TrumpTra in45Pac : Well said! .@jessebwatters on @POTUS 's Mexico border wall plans: "When someone is killed w/ a gun, the left wants gun control , but when a border patrol agent is killed, you'd think that they'd Twitter22 November 9:54AM on twitter .com/EsquinaMirabal ID:58861 .760817 2RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent R. .. View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Caro lde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protecting Amer ica's southern border . He was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. The little boy in the picture wil l. .. Twitter22 November 9:55AM on twitter .com/PamlnF LToo ID:58861 .7608 18 3RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer wa ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten ," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Investigato rs say it might have been an accidental fall in the dark : https ://t.co/7po9y8KHny Twitter22 November 9:56AM on twitter .com/realbradadk ins ID:5886 1.760819 4FBI : Border Patrol agent's death a 'potent ial a ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI FBI: Border Patrol agent's death a 'potential assault' https://t.co/gAoSVpylkm via @billballent ine #lawenforcement https ://t.co/6Ww5VbVuq3 Twitter22 November 9:56AM on twitter .com/billballentine ID:58861 .760820 5QT @SenSchumer : RT @travlr009 : Says a man who h ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @SenSchumer: RT @travlr009 : Says a man who has the blood of every dead Border Patrol officer on his hands https ://t.co/AQFhll3KHd ; Another heartless decision by the Trump Adm inistration, this time ending temporary protected status for Twitter22 November 9:57AM on twitter .com/jdltek ID:5886 1.760821 6RT @realDona ldTrump: Border Patrol Officer kill. .. View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realDona ldTrump : Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsib le. We will, and must, build the Wall! Twitter22 November 9:57AM on twitter .com/KatDub leux ID:58861.760822 ?RT @brandondarby : Five men from Mexico jumped t... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @brandondarby : Five men from Mexico jumped the 4-5 ft tall flimsy border fence and intentionally CBP FOIA 001403 Page 36 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000036 set off a sensor to lure Border Patrol Agent Rosas. Twitter22 November 9:58AM on twitter.com/rodica1948 ID:58861.760823 8RT @LifeZette: The spokesman for the union that... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @LifeZette: The spokesman for the union that represents Border Patrol agents says CNN has the story wrong. https://t.co/B0bs3SbUV3 Twitter22 November 9:58AM on twitter.com/Susan40370948 ID:58861.760824 9I feel Was Border Patrol agent beaten to death ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI I feel Was Border Patrol agent beaten to death by immigrants in Texas Twitter22 November 9:58AM on twitter.com/trstdtravlr ID:58861.760825 10QT @FoxNews: Border Agent Death Latest: •FBI in... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @FoxNews: Border Agent Death Latest: •FBI investigating “potential assault” on federal officers •Border Patrol union: Appears agents were struck in head with rocks •Injured agent has no memory of incident •Martinez is 39th Border Patrol agent to... Twitter22 November 9:58AM on twitter.com/FoxNewsResearch ID:58861.760826 11RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer wa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Investigators say it might have been an accidental fall in the dark: https://t.co/7po9y8KHny Twitter22 November 9:59AM on twitter.com/Mimariesa ID:58861.760827 12RT @CBPArizona: Mexican man facing assault char... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CBPArizona: Mexican man facing assault charges after attacking Tucson #USBP agent Friday morning near Sasabe #CBP #AlwaysVigilant Details:https://t.co/3JxHr3JHdw https://t.co/sck8GjQ6P5 Twitter22 November 9:59AM on twitter.com/MarcosG65 ID:58861.760828 13RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protecting America's southern border. He was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. The little boy in the picture will... Twitter22 November 9:55AM on twitter.com/jneuen ID:58861.760829 14QT @ddale8: This is "waiting for facts", accord... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ddale8: This is "waiting for facts", according to #Trump. https://t.co/MJ6K6ix4DP ; Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Investigators say it might have been an accidental fall in the Twitter22 November 9:55AM on twitter.com/GreenGenii ID:58861.760830 15RT @joey_girardi: If this glad offends you, you... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @joey_girardi: If this glad offends you, you might be a Democrat. Pipeline Kellyanne Conway Keystone XL Border Patrol https://t.co/HP8AnRQeDM Twitter22 November 9:57AM on twitter.com/RobieRobotJr ID:58861.760831 16QT @senyorreporter: Glad I have the filter of a... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @senyorreporter: Glad I have the filter of a relative working on the border. I’m told AZMedia is crap. https://t.co/WgUhHsXwhy ; The man threw dirt in the agent..., it's rare that @CustomsBorder puts out a release on an event this... Twitter22 November 9:57AM on twitter.com/noprezzie2012 ID:58861.760832 17RT @CBattle1134: @KarlKirchner1 @brandondarby @... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CBattle1134: @KarlKirchner1 @brandondarby @AnnCoulter The fence is a joke. Why do you think a wall will work? We need better pay for Border Patrol agents to help gross under staffing and better tech out Twitter22 November 9:57AM on twitter.com/craig_adamson ID:58861.760833 Page 37 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001404 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000037 18RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer wa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Investigators say it might have been an accidental fall in the dark: https://t.co/7po9y8KHny Twitter22 November 9:57AM on twitter.com/Beantownump ID:58861.760834 19RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angl... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angle: we'll update you on the attack on two Border Patrol agents that left one of them dead. CNN is now saying it may have just been an accident. Two insiders will Twitter22 November 9:57AM on twitter.com/DavidFeketeHun ID:58861.760835 20FBI examining Border Patrol agent's death as a ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI FBI examining Border Patrol agent's death as a 'potential assault' - https://t.co/P9w3ctVqel #tklinik Twitter22 November 9:59AM on twitter.com/TKlinik ID:58861.760836 21RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer kill... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and must, build the Wall! Twitter22 November 9:57AM on twitter.com/Sherry4trump678 ID:58861.760837 22RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer wa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Investigators say it might have been an accidental fall in the dark: https://t.co/7po9y8KHny Twitter22 November 9:57AM on twitter.com/erinresists ID:58861.760838 23Border Patrol Agent Assaulted in Arizona https:... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Border Patrol Agent Assaulted in Arizona https://t.co/RbBYKaSefv https://t.co/9cs6ewrQNc Twitter22 November 9:57AM on twitter.com/EagleStarNET ID:58861.760839 24A U.S.BORDER PATROL OFFICER AND HIS ...FAMILY..... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI A U.S.BORDER PATROL OFFICER AND HIS ...FAMILY.... WILL NOT HAVE A THANGSGIVING DAY TOGETHER!! https://t.co/Zlgc6w590C Twitter22 November 9:58AM on twitter.com/BusheyDan ID:58861.760840 25QT @Carolde: @FOX4 @tryanfox4 this is why our P... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @Carolde: @FOX4 @tryanfox4 this is why our President “politicized” the border tragedy to build the wall https://t.co/iWJ60v2FNi ; This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protecting America's southern border... Twitter22 November 9:58AM on twitter.com/TexanAlan ID:58861.760841 26RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer kill... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and must, build the Wall! Twitter22 November 9:58AM on twitter.com/MLuc4TrumpJobs ID:58861.760842 27RT @hrkbenowen: Retweet if you agree with Laura... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @hrkbenowen: Retweet if you agree with Laura Ingraham that the killing of border patrol agent Rogelio Martinez proves there needs to be a border wall. @IngrahamAngle https://t.co/UqmTNavxMN Twitter22 November 9:59AM on twitter.com/roger_mace ID:58861.760843 28RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer wa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Investigators say it might have been an accidental fall in the dark: https://t.co/7po9y8KHny Twitter22 November 9:59AM on twitter.com/rjakes65 ID:58861.760844 29RT @CBPArizona: Brian A. Terry #USBP agents arr... Page 38 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001405 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000038 View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CBPArizona: Brian A. Terry #USBP agents arrest previously deported Suerno Gang member near Naco, Arizona #CBP is #KeepingAmericaSafe #HonorFirst Details:https://t.co/5Jce3xOAP3 https://t. co/ihbV53UNMg Twitter22 November 9:59AM on twitter.com/MarcosG65 ID:58861.760845 30@kalinga Hahaha in the middle of nowhere, so do... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @kalinga Hahaha in the middle of nowhere, so don't even think I'll share the CBP with you Twitter22 November 9:59AM on twitter.com/Shailendree ID:58861.760846 31RT @HispanicsTrump: Yesterday two illegal immig... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @HispanicsTrump: Yesterday two illegal immigrants ambushed and killed a Border Patrol Agent. Yet another American death that could've been prevented with a border wall... #BuildTheWall Twitter22 November 9:59AM on twitter.com/Ronnysgirl46 ID:58861.760847 32RT @kristinamcaruso: @KTSMPatrick @KTSMtv They ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @kristinamcaruso: @KTSMPatrick @KTSMtv They are ILLEGAL!!! Saying otherwise contributes to the assault against our border patrol. Stop the propaganda and report the facts. Twitter22 November 10:00AM on twitter.com/Hortense076 ID:58861.760848 33FBI: Border Patrol agent's death a 'potential a... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI FBI: Border Patrol agent's death a 'potential assault ' https://t.co/GHyjPjsz7l Twitter22 November 9:58AM on twitter.com/dpd508 ID:58861.760849 34RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to hel... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to help solve this murder of a Border Patrol Agent in Texas. Help us catch this killer. #txlege #tcot #BorderPatrol https://t.co/jYzy8uNs7y Twitter22 November 9:58AM on twitter.com/LoJ5678 ID:58861.760850 35RT @brandondarby: Reminder: Border Patrol Agent... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @brandondarby: Reminder: Border Patrol Agent Robert Rosas was lured, trapped, and murdered by 5 illegal immigrants on the border. He fought for his life to the last breath. https://t.co/0M25DwTHks Twitter22 November 9:59AM on twitter.com/Teach410 ID:58861.760851 36QT @ATLairport: RT @CBPSoutheast: #ATL @ATLairp... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ATLairport: RT @CBPSoutheast: #ATL @ATLairport a great #CBP partner welcoming travelers from across the globe. https://t.co/LSB3mL77GT ; We're welcoming international travelers to Atlanta & Georgia with new iconic images in @CustomsBorder arrival Twitter22 November 9:59AM on twitter.com/CBPFlorida ID:58861.760852 37QT @CBPFlorida: RT @CBPCaribbean: Vea cómo las ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations secures the maritime border. For breaking news and regional updates follow us @CustomsBorder @CBPFlorida @CBPSoutheast Twitter22 November 9:59AM on twitter.com/CBPFlorida ID:58861.760853 38RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter22 November 10:00AM on twitter.com/kaye_vx ID:58861.760854 39FBI seeking info on border patrol agent's death... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI FBI seeking info on border patrol agent's death https://t.co/DOFFUuDoPp https://t.co/8kZaaq1rYw Twitter22 November 10:00AM on twitter.com/ABQJournal ID:58861.760855 40RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer wa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Page 39 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001406 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000039 RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Investigators say it might have been an accidental fall in the dark: https://t.co/7po9y8KHny Twitter22 November 9:59AM on twitter.com/TallyAnnaE ID:58861.760856 41Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants... https://t. co/XGs1Y7dcT3 by #pmcg via @c0nvey Twitter22 November 10:00AM on twitter.com/CEO_Jnr ID:58861.760857 42RT @GenAugustoP: Border Patrol Union Blasts CNN... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GenAugustoP: Border Patrol Union Blasts CNN Report Saying Brutally Murdered Agents "Fell" https://t.co/S2dGxLsZ5d via @LifeZette Twitter22 November 10:00AM on twitter.com/MightyNitin22 ID:58861.760858 43RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angl... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angle: we'll update you on the attack on two Border Patrol agents that left one of them dead. CNN is now saying it may have just been an accident. Two insiders will Twitter22 November 9:59AM on twitter.com/dahl_kennedy ID:58861.760859 44RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer wa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Investigators say it might have been an accidental fall in the dark: https://t.co/7po9y8KHny Twitter22 November 10:00AM on twitter.com/mblueisland5667 ID:58861.760860 45RT @JessicaV_CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Re... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @JessicaV_CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Request for more ICE officers, says only Border Patrol should get more agents. Classic. Pound chest about border security, ignore critical interior enforcement need. https://t.co/jO8Y70uiH1 via @govexec Twitter22 November 10:00AM on twitter.com/TerryDi60 ID:58861.760861 46QT @realDonaldTrump: RT @MooreSenate: Doug Jone... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realDonaldTrump: RT @MooreSenate: Doug Jones in the Senate = NO WALL No Wall = more senseless bloodshed We must build the wall to protect Americans NOW! h… ; Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We... Twitter22 November 10:00AM on twitter.com/gringaloca11 ID:58861.760862 47Senate Panel Funds Border Wall, But Continues '... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Senate Panel Funds Border Wall, But Continues 'Catch and Release' - Breitbart https://t. co/nQyrChy9GX Catch and release is STILL happening. Trump needs to listen to border patrol agents, not Gen Kelly. The new head of DHS is going to Twitter22 November 10:00AM on twitter.com/marie_michigan ID:58861.760863 48QT @LifeZette: More blatant lies from CNN. http... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @LifeZette: More blatant lies from CNN. https://t.co/msy9RPxa8T ; The spokesman for the union that represents Border Patrol agents says CNN has the story wrong. https://t.co/B0bs3SbUV3 Twitter22 November 9:59AM on twitter.com/Happybyrdie ID:58861.760864 49RT @MAGr8A_: @Greg_6551 @POTUS @DeptofDefense @... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @MAGr8A_: @Greg_6551 @POTUS @DeptofDefense @USArmy @navY @AFPAA @USMC @USCG @NationalGuard @USNationalGuard @USPS @DHSgov @FBI @ICEgov @CustomsBorder @StateDept @DeptVetAffairs @VFWHQ... Twitter22 November 9:59AM on twitter.com/Helenak416 ID:58861.760865 50The FBI – Federal Bureau of Investigation is no... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI The FBI – Federal Bureau of Investigation is now investigating the death of United States Border Patrol Page 40 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001407 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000040 Agent... https://t.co/GlMCKj73Y8 Twitter22 November 10:00AM on twitter.com/jeffkatzshow ID:58861.760866 51@Greg_6551 @POTUS @DeptofDefense @USArmy @navY ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @Greg_6551 @POTUS @DeptofDefense @USArmy @navY @AFPAA @USMC @USCG @NationalGuard @USNationalGuard @USPS @DHSgov @FBI @ICEgov @CustomsBorder @StateDept @DeptVetAffairs @VFWHQ @ConcernedVets @... Twitter22 November 10:01AM on twitter.com/Helenak416 ID:58861.760867 52RT @RepublicanChick: . @POTUS declares United S... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RepublicanChick: . @POTUS declares United States must build the wall after @CustomsBorder death #MakeAmericaSafeAgain https://t.co/E4WBqlji0T Twitter22 November 10:00AM on twitter.com/DeplorableAsian ID:58861.760868 53TRUMP MOURNS WITH AMERICA OVER THE HORRIBLE MUR... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI TRUMP MOURNS WITH AMERICA OVER THE HORRIBLE MURDER OF A BORDER PATROL AGENT BY ILLEGAL ALIENS https://t.co/YeBjYL9F6I Twitter22 November 10:02AM on twitter.com/NextNewsNet ID:58861.760869 54RT @Dianestraley: Border Patrol Union Blasts CN... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Dianestraley: Border Patrol Union Blasts CNN Report Saying Agents Fell https://t.co/sOq9cfU5Zd via @LifeZette Twitter22 November 10:02AM on twitter.com/gennut ID:58861.760870 55QT @FoxNews: RT @FoxNewsResearch: Border Agent ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @FoxNews: RT @FoxNewsResearch: Border Agent Death Latest: •FBI investigating “potential assault” on federal officers •Border Patrol union: Appears ag… ; Border agent's death being investigated as 'potential assault' https://t.co/h0wpBmRN6M Twitter22 November 10:02AM on twitter.com/TruthSoldierz ID:58861.760871 56@Greg_6551 @POTUS @DeptofDefense @USArmy @navY ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @Greg_6551 @POTUS @DeptofDefense @USArmy @navY @AFPAA @USMC @USCG @NationalGuard @USNationalGuard @USPS @DHSgov @FBI @ICEgov @CustomsBorder @StateDept @DeptVetAffairs @VFWHQ @ConcernedVets @... Twitter22 November 10:02AM on twitter.com/twistedhumor63 ID:58861.760872 57Border Patrol Union VP Reacts to Agent Murdered... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Border Patrol Union VP Reacts to Agent Murdered by an Illegal https://t.co/9UQCvZE0QZ via @truthfeednews Twitter22 November 10:00AM on twitter.com/kylie_oneil75 ID:58861.760873 58RT @kristinamcaruso: @KTSMPatrick @KTSMtv They ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @kristinamcaruso: @KTSMPatrick @KTSMtv They are ILLEGAL!!! Saying otherwise contributes to the assault against our border patrol. Stop the propaganda and report the facts. Twitter22 November 10:01AM on twitter.com/rnsr4u ID:58861.760874 59RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter22 November 10:02AM on twitter.com/vegod_jean ID:58861.760875 60RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer kill... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and must, build the Wall! Twitter22 November 10:00AM on twitter.com/KRAMERFILE ID:58861.760876 Page 41 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001408 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000041 61RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer wa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Investigators say it might have been an accidental fall in the dark: https://t.co/7po9y8KHny Twitter22 November 10:02AM on twitter.com/KyleLaSante ID:58861.760877 62RT @brandondarby: Five men from Mexico jumped t... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @brandondarby: Five men from Mexico jumped the 4-5 ft tall flimsy border fence and intentionally set off a sensor to lure Border Patrol Agent Rosas. Twitter22 November 10:00AM on twitter.com/antiponywiseman ID:58861.760878 63RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer wa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Investigators say it might have been an accidental fall in the dark: https://t.co/7po9y8KHny Twitter22 November 10:00AM on twitter.com/BenSnozzzy ID:58861.760879 64RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer wa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Investigators say it might have been an accidental fall in the dark: https://t.co/7po9y8KHny Twitter22 November 10:01AM on twitter.com/handsfl58 ID:58861.760880 65Customs and Border Protection caught off-guard ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Customs and Border Protection caught off-guard by travel ban https://t.co/lyLZq47BuX Twitter22 November 10:01AM on twitter.com/BuyBuildHybrid ID:58861.760881 66RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protecting America's southern border. He was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. The little boy in the picture will... Twitter22 November 10:02AM on twitter.com/ScottStolberg ID:58861.760882 67QT @brandondarby: RT @eladsinned: And the BP sp... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @brandondarby: RT @eladsinned: And the BP spokesman describing it called the foreign nationals responsible "undocumented immigrants" https://t.co/7PhosaVB… ; Reminder: Border Patrol Agent Robert Rosas was lured, trapped, and murdered by 5 illegal immigrants on the... Twitter22 November 10:00AM on twitter.com/juanderful3 ID:58861.760883 68QT @LifeZette: RT @Happybyrdie: More blatant li... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @LifeZette: RT @Happybyrdie: More blatant lies from CNN. https://t.co/msy9RPxa8T ; The spokesman for the union that represents Border Patrol agents says CNN has the story wrong. https://t. co/B0bs3SbUV3 Twitter22 November 10:01AM on twitter.com/krfanatic ID:58861.760884 69@DailyCaller Google & Face Book need to identif... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @DailyCaller Google & Face Book need to identify CNN as FAKE NEWS based on BORDER PATROL UNION incident reporting and documentation! Clearly, not reporting ALL THE FACTS! Twitter22 November 10:01AM on twitter.com/Big_Chill53 ID:58861.760885 70FBI investigating "potential assault" on Border... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI FBI investigating "potential assault" on Border Patrol agents #RT https://t.co/llUMSOfeqs https://t. co/8ucFo1ODDt Twitter22 November 10:02AM on twitter.com/Info24US ID:58861.760886 71RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer wa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Investigators say it might have been an accidental fall in the dark: https://t.co/7po9y8KHny Page 42 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001409 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000042 Twitter22 November 10:02AM on twitter.com/Most_Nquisitive ID:58861.760887 72RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer wa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Investigators say it might have been an accidental fall in the dark: https://t.co/7po9y8KHny Twitter22 November 10:01AM on twitter.com/countwolfgang ID:58861.760888 73RT @brandondarby: Five men from Mexico jumped t... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @brandondarby: Five men from Mexico jumped the 4-5 ft tall flimsy border fence and intentionally set off a sensor to lure Border Patrol Agent Rosas. Twitter22 November 10:01AM on twitter.com/AC33333333 ID:58861.760889 74RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter22 November 10:01AM on twitter.com/Tea_Party_Chris ID:58861.760890 75RT @brandondarby: Reminder: Border Patrol Agent... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @brandondarby: Reminder: Border Patrol Agent Robert Rosas was lured, trapped, and murdered by 5 illegal immigrants on the border. He fought for his life to the last breath. https://t.co/0M25DwTHks Twitter22 November 10:01AM on twitter.com/agrammy49 ID:58861.760891 76RT @NextNewsNet: TRUMP MOURNS WITH AMERICA OVER... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @NextNewsNet: TRUMP MOURNS WITH AMERICA OVER THE HORRIBLE MURDER OF A BORDER PATROL AGENT BY ILLEGAL ALIENS https://t.co/YeBjYL9F6I Twitter22 November 10:02AM on twitter.com/dianaprince1942 ID:58861.760892 77TRUMP MOURNS WITH AMERICA OVER THE HORRIBLE MUR... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI TRUMP MOURNS WITH AMERICA OVER THE HORRIBLE MURDER OF A BORDER PATROL AGENT BY ILLEGAL ALIENS https://t.co/T7Gco47LCU -NextNewsNet Twitter22 November 10:03AM on twitter.com/SMadScientistS ID:58861.760893 78Its tough but everyday in our nation we see fab... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Its tough but everyday in our nation we see fabulous work from the US CBP Team protecting the USA. They are stopping dangerous drugs, arresting bad thugs, and helping people. Good Job CBP Team. US Customs and Border Protection Twitter22 November 10:01AM on twitter.com/ekellytaylor ID:58861.760894 79RT @hectorgarza2455: Thank you @realDonaldTrump... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @hectorgarza2455: Thank you @realDonaldTrump for supporting Border Patrol Agents. Build the Wall to finally secure the border! https://t.co/mJsEAcktXB Twitter22 November 10:02AM on twitter.com/jared2455 ID:58861.760895 80RT @thehill: Authorities believe border patrol ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @thehill: Authorities believe border patrol agent who died in Texas may have fallen https://t. co/8grJbhFHmc https://t.co/xI2o3oqIWP Twitter22 November 10:02AM on twitter.com/BillieO2 ID:58861.760896 81RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer kill... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and must, build the Wall! Twitter22 November 10:02AM on twitter.com/AdamCullenn ID:58861.760897 82RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer wa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Page 43 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001410 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000043 Investigators say it might have been an accidental fall in the dark: https://t.co/7po9y8KHny Twitter22 November 10:02AM on twitter.com/Kevin_Mannix ID:58861.760898 83National Border Patrol Council President: Borde... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI National Border Patrol Council President: Border Patrol Agent's Death Is An Example of.. https://t. co/mvJDBFKndi https://t.co/XAxlJ29C5u Twitter22 November 10:03AM on twitter.com/EagleStarNET ID:58861.760899 84RT @eissolomon11: Illegal Aliens Killed Border ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @eissolomon11: Illegal Aliens Killed Border Patrol Agent by Crushing in His Skull with Rocks, Says NBPC https://t.co/yeXhdY64wz via @BreitbartNews https://t.co/ZdI21hkJLi Twitter22 November 10:03AM on twitter.com/davidradiowntp ID:58861.760900 85RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer wa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Investigators say it might have been an accidental fall in the dark: https://t.co/7po9y8KHny Twitter22 November 10:04AM on twitter.com/europajp8 ID:58861.760901 86@Greg_6551 @POTUS @DeptofDefense @USArmy @navY ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @Greg_6551 @POTUS @DeptofDefense @USArmy @navY @AFPAA @USMC @USCG @NationalGuard @USNationalGuard @USPS @DHSgov @FBI @ICEgov @CustomsBorder @StateDept @DeptVetAffairs @VFWHQ @ConcernedVets @... Twitter22 November 10:02AM on twitter.com/twistedhumor63 ID:58861.760902 87RT @brandondarby: Five men from Mexico jumped t... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @brandondarby: Five men from Mexico jumped the 4-5 ft tall flimsy border fence and intentionally set off a sensor to lure Border Patrol Agent Rosas. Twitter22 November 10:03AM on twitter.com/GrandmaM16 ID:58861.760903 88RT @PatriotLexi: Manhunt Underway After US Bord... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @PatriotLexi: Manhunt Underway After US Border Patrol Agent Killed In Line of Duty TrumpMy respect to the families that were so badly hurt yesterday, they were devastated‼We have to stop the massive drug flow‼ https://t.co... Twitter22 November 10:04AM on twitter.com/DonnaOceans ID:58861.760904 89RT @CBPJobs: #CBP is #hiring chemists to help a... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CBPJobs: #CBP is #hiring chemists to help analyze imported goods, enforce trade laws, perform #forensicscience, & more. Accepting applications starting 11/27! https://t.co/2qFmWqEuox https://t. co/Obgdyi8Vio Twitter22 November 10:05AM on twitter.com/TruthSoldierz ID:58861.760905 90TRUMP MOURNS WITH AMERICA OVER THE HORRIBLE MUR... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI TRUMP MOURNS WITH AMERICA OVER THE HORRIBLE MURDER OF A BORDER PATROL AGENT BY ILLEGAL ALIENS https://t.co/cTnjFlkph0 Twitter22 November 10:03AM on twitter.com/conspiracydup ID:58861.760907 91RT @brandondarby: Five men from Mexico jumped t... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @brandondarby: Five men from Mexico jumped the 4-5 ft tall flimsy border fence and intentionally set off a sensor to lure Border Patrol Agent Rosas. Twitter22 November 10:04AM on twitter.com/mikeytapia ID:58861.760908 92RT @brandondarby: The illegal immigrants hid an... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @brandondarby: The illegal immigrants hid and waited for Border Patrol Agent Rosas after luring him. They surrounded him on the open border and attacked. Twitter22 November 10:05AM on twitter.com/jared2455 ID:58861.760909 93Ken Paxton says he suspects assault in the kill... Page 44 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001411 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000044 View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Ken Paxton says he suspects assault in the killing, injury of Border Patrol agents - https://t. co/pQQsg8N1wd - @washtimes Twitter22 November 10:05AM on twitter.com/1ClickBiz ID:58861.760910 94RT @RonBurling: @RealMAGASteve @BreitbartNews W... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RonBurling: @RealMAGASteve @BreitbartNews When the wall is built, it should be dedicated as a memorial to all Border Patrol agents killed in the line of duty. Twitter22 November 10:03AM on twitter.com/BumbleVEEMe ID:58861.760911 95RT @brandondarby: Reminder: Border Patrol Agent... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @brandondarby: Reminder: Border Patrol Agent Robert Rosas was lured, trapped, and murdered by 5 illegal immigrants on the border. He fought for his life to the last breath. https://t.co/0M25DwTHks Twitter22 November 10:04AM on twitter.com/Debrah38249436 ID:58861.760912 96Former ICE Agent: Expect 'Mass Exodus' From ICE... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Former ICE Agent: Expect 'Mass Exodus' From ICE, Border Patrol If DHS Imposes Obama-Era Policies https://t.co/VtfZbwH72k Twitter22 November 10:04AM on twitter.com/RAJANVAIRAWANAT ID:58861.760913 97RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer wa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ddale8: Trump said Border Patrol officer was "brutally beaten," suggested illegal immigrants did it. Investigators say it might have been an accidental fall in the dark: https://t.co/7po9y8KHny Twitter22 November 10:05AM on twitter.com/Dennis_vdo ID:58861.760914 98QT @LifeZette: Leave it to @CNN to try to prote... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @LifeZette: Leave it to @CNN to try to protect illegals crossing our borders. Shame on them. Fake News channel. https://t.co/GgyQ66cyIg ; The spokesman for the union that represents Border Patrol agents says CNN has the Twitter22 November 10:05AM on twitter.com/nanjmay6478 ID:58861.760915 99RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter22 November 10:05AM on twitter.com/Farm_Granny ID:58861.760916 100RT @LifeZette: The spokesman for the union that... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @LifeZette: The spokesman for the union that represents Border Patrol agents says CNN has the story wrong. https://t.co/B0bs3SbUV3 Twitter22 November 10:02AM on twitter.com/silverbulletguy ID:58861.760917 sysomos.com @sysomos support unsubscribe Page 45 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001412 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000045 From : To: Cc: Bee: Subject: Date: Attachments : Sysomos Tweets cross ing 600 threshho ld Wed Nov 22 2017 01 :06: 11 EST New Content in Heartbeat US Customs and Border Protect ion More than 100 new since the last check on November 22, 2017 at 12:00AM EST 1RT@N ickMiroff : Trump, Ted Cruz, Gov Abbott all. .. View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @NickMiroff : Trump , Ted Cruz, Gov Abbott all have said Border Patrol agent Rogelio Martinez was killed/murdered in an attack over the wee kend . But new FBI statement does not confirm they were attacked, and sheriff says Martinez and Twitter22 November 12:00AM on twitter.com/regrettrump ID:58861.754375 2RT @blazeband it2015 : A Border Patrol Agent has ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @blazeband it2015: A Border Patrol Agent has been killed, Another Border Agent injured (serious condition ) while Patrolling the Big Bend Sector of Texas along the southern border with Mexico. We need that DAMN WALL!! DEPORT ILLEGALS!! #BuildTheWall Twitter22 November 12:00AM on twitter .com/LiliMoM ID:58861 .754377 3Border Patrol Counci l president reacts to agent.. . View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Border Patrol Counci l president reacts to agent's death https://t.co/k7qMoDoz1f Twitter22 November 12:00AM on twitter .com/distressedvol lD:58861 .754378 4RT@Alantharp22 : BREAKING : RIGHT After Border P ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Alantharp22 : BREAKING: RIGHT After Border Patrol Agent Killed, Obama Appo inted Judge ... https://t.co/AC4AB9IPLh via @You Tube #vets #Chr istian #scifi #writer #trump Twitter22 November 12:00AM on twitter .com/CowboySciFiBot ID:58861 .754379 5RT @lngrahamAng le: Tonight on The Ingraham Angl. .. View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @lngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angle: we'll update you on the attack on two Border Patrol agents that left one of them dead. CNN is now saying it may have just been an accident. Two insiders will Twitter22 November 12:00AM on twitter .com/romanticampe r ID:58861.754380 6RT @Gov Abbott : Announcing a reward of up to $20 ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Gov Abbott : Announcing a reward of up to $20,000 for information lead ing to arrest of those respons ible for death of Border Patrol agent. https ://t.co/CnsMU9zB 1 U Twitter22 November 12:00AM on twitter .com/ChiefFabulous ID:58861 .754381 7RT@Jess icaV_CIS : Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Re ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Jess icaV _CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Request for more ICE officers, says only Border Patrol should get more agents . Classic. Pound chest about border security, ignore critical interior CBP FOIA 001413 Page 46 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000046 enforcement need. https://t.co/jO8Y70uiH1 via @govexec Twitter22 November 12:01AM on twitter.com/Hazna_Nanna78 ID:58861.754382 8RT @MsDuhMeanor: Was border patrol agent who di... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @MsDuhMeanor: Was border patrol agent who died this week a victim of beating by immigrants? The FBI isn't so sure of that. https://t.co/E2wjLRM251 Twitter22 November 12:01AM on twitter.com/CaseyM99 ID:58861.754383 9QT @RealSaavedra: RT @AnnCoulter: Today's BORDE... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @RealSaavedra: RT @AnnCoulter: Today's BORDER WALL CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: Miles completed yesterday-Zero; Miles completed since Inauguration-- Zero. NEXT UP… ; This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life today while protecting America's southern border... Twitter22 November 12:01AM on twitter.com/NYPolJunkie ID:58861.754384 10QT @IngrahamAngle: RT @kelliwardaz: What do you... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @IngrahamAngle: RT @kelliwardaz: What do you think really happened? https://t.co/T96rbBTTEb ; Tonight on The Ingraham Angle: we'll update you on the attack on two Border Patrol agents that left one of them dead. CNN is... Twitter22 November 12:02AM on twitter.com/FilipDobi ID:58861.754385 11RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angl... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angle: we'll update you on the attack on two Border Patrol agents that left one of them dead. CNN is now saying it may have just been an accident. Two insiders will Twitter22 November 12:00AM on twitter.com/jeffy202020 ID:58861.754386 12RT @FoxNewsInsider: .@IngrahamAngle: Border Pat... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FoxNewsInsider: .@IngrahamAngle: Border Patrol Agent's Murder 'Better Be the Final Straw for Congress' https://t.co/wFWSLHS54O Twitter22 November 12:00AM on twitter.com/Toni_Price ID:58861.754387 13RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angl... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angle: we'll update you on the attack on two Border Patrol agents that left one of them dead. CNN is now saying it may have just been an accident. Two insiders will Twitter22 November 12:02AM on twitter.com/Ann34304939 ID:58861.754388 14RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to hel... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to help solve this murder of a Border Patrol Agent in Texas. Help us catch this killer. #txlege #tcot #BorderPatrol https://t.co/jYzy8uNs7y Twitter22 November 12:00AM on twitter.com/idk_u82 ID:58861.754389 15QT @CBPArizona: Good work! https://t.co/qafDJwQ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @CBPArizona: Good work! https://t.co/qafDJwQREa ; Brian A. Terry #USBP agents arrest previously deported Suerno Gang member near Naco, Arizona #CBP is #KeepingAmericaSafe #HonorFirst Details:https://t.co/5Jce3xOAP3 https://t.co/ihbV53UNMg Twitter22 November 12:01AM on twitter.com/brandondarby ID:58861.754390 16RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter22 November 12:00AM on twitter.com/Jsue2U ID:58861.754391 17Border Patrol Council president reacts to agent... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Border Patrol Council president reacts to agent’s death https://t.co/WyDjWPVNPu https://t. Page 47 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001414 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000047 co/6snjJqOI3P Twitter22 November 12:01AM on twitter.com/WhyWebsCoM ID:58861.754392 18RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to hel... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to help solve this murder of a Border Patrol Agent in Texas. Help us catch this killer. #txlege #tcot #BorderPatrol https://t.co/jYzy8uNs7y Twitter22 November 12:02AM on twitter.com/CreacyPaula ID:58861.754393 19RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter22 November 12:03AM on twitter.com/GNGowan ID:58861.754394 20QT @StockMonsterVIP: Sickening that democrats a... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @StockMonsterVIP: Sickening that democrats and liberals continue to fight for open borders as illegals are killing America citizens. Dems only wan.../lpPuK9to9X ; Border Patrol agents are being used as Piñatas & beaten to death by... Twitter22 November 12:00AM on twitter.com/OwnYourWallet ID:58861.754395 21"Border Patrol Council president reacts to agen... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI "Border Patrol Council president reacts to agent's death" https://t.co/7N6kH8Y6w0 #freedomfamily #beshoyboy2 @SlimmyisTaken @realDonaldTrump #brakingnews https://t.co/Tqdr2GgqsM Twitter22 November 12:00AM on twitter.com/beshoyboy2 ID:58861.754396 22QT @GregAbbott_TX: RT @Altamont97: A war is beg... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @GregAbbott_TX: RT @Altamont97: A war is beginning to rage on the #USA southern border. Americans are being injured or killed for protecting us from invasi… ; Our prayers are with the families of this Border Patrol... Twitter22 November 12:01AM on twitter.com/scoutman73 ID:58861.754397 23@FoxBusiness @GuyChicago5151 @Harlan Two border... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @FoxBusiness @GuyChicago5151 @Harlan Two border patrol officers killed how? Twitter22 November 12:01AM on twitter.com/earthskywater43 ID:58861.754398 24RT @sarah_devorah: @Carolde @DrSharonKing @greg... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @sarah_devorah: @Carolde @DrSharonKing @greggutfeld @KazmierskiR @grammy620 @michaelbickle @kwilli1046 @ThomasWictor @FL4TRUMPDOTCOM Thank you Agent Rogilio for your brave...... Border Patrol, Police, etc. If we gave $5 or $10, it... Twitter22 November 12:02AM on twitter.com/EversFam ID:58861.754399 25RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angl... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angle: we'll update you on the attack on two Border Patrol agents that left one of them dead. CNN is now saying it may have just been an accident. Two insiders will Twitter22 November 12:03AM on twitter.com/Millie36805384 ID:58861.754400 26RT @Josh4Trump: Hey @CNN so illegals bashing th... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Josh4Trump: Hey @CNN so illegals bashing the head in and murdering a border patrol agent was just an accident? You clowns really need to go off the air. Nothing like backing illegals killing hard working Americans Twitter22 November 12:00AM on twitter.com/briondahill ID:58861.754401 27RT @UncleSamsChild: Big Bend, Texas – Border Pa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @UncleSamsChild: Big Bend, Texas – Border Patrol Agent Killed in the Line of Duty https://t. co/9jqzDPJEsI https://t.co/KEVDLMrWIo Page 48 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001415 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000048 Twitter22 November 12:00AM on twitter.com/SidneyPowell1 ID:58861.754402 28RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer kill... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and must, build the Wall! Twitter22 November 12:01AM on twitter.com/adeancarey ID:58861.754403 29RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter22 November 12:03AM on twitter.com/Mrknd64AZ ID:58861.754404 30RT @FoxNewsResearch: Assaults on U.S. Customs a... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FoxNewsResearch: Assaults on U.S. Customs and Border Protection law enforcement personnel are up 48% this year (compared to the same time period last year). Assaults on Border Patrol agents specifically are up 67%. Twitter22 November 12:04AM on twitter.com/Dennyontheblock ID:58861.754405 31Juan Williams: Death of Border Patrol Agent ‘No... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Juan Williams: Death of Border Patrol Agent ‘Not a Reason’ to Build Wall https://t.co/g6Zt6KoMBW Twitter22 November 12:00AM on twitter.com/realJohnnyZipp ID:58861.754406 32QT @IngrahamAngle: RT @kelliwardaz: What do you... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @IngrahamAngle: RT @kelliwardaz: What do you think really happened? https://t.co/T96rbBTTEb ; Tonight on The Ingraham Angle: we'll update you on the attack on two Border Patrol agents that left one of them dead. CNN is... Twitter22 November 12:00AM on twitter.com/JamesGaryDean ID:58861.754407 33RT @LouDobbs: #LDTPoll: Are you outraged that t... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @LouDobbs: #LDTPoll: Are you outraged that the border patrol has not explained the murder of one of its agents near the Mexican border? Twitter22 November 12:01AM on twitter.com/yeritzalisbeth ID:58861.754408 34RT @CarolHLN: Border Patrol Council Pres. says ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CarolHLN: Border Patrol Council Pres. says the killed border agent was *following footprints* when he was fatally injured. https://t.co/rAq2aO8td0 Twitter22 November 12:02AM on twitter.com/Grtowner59Gary ID:58861.754409 35RT @SenDuckworth: Not only did @DHSgov @Customs... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @SenDuckworth: Not only did @DHSgov @CustomsBorder violate 2 federal court orders during the chaotic rollout of the ban, but the Trump Admin now appears to be attempting to hide that info from Congress & the American Twitter22 November 12:02AM on twitter.com/thequianafulton ID:58861.754410 36RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to hel... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to help solve this murder of a Border Patrol Agent in Texas. Help us catch this killer. #txlege #tcot #BorderPatrol https://t.co/jYzy8uNs7y Twitter22 November 12:03AM on twitter.com/Staceyl49984883 ID:58861.754411 37Border Patrol Council president reacts to agent... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Border Patrol Council president reacts to agent’s death https://t.co/VgKF76wAEo https://t. co/lrb82mCAn9 Twitter22 November 12:04AM on twitter.com/VeoUSA_ ID:58861.754412 38RT @JessicaV_CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Re... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Page 49 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001416 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000049 RT @JessicaV_CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Request for more ICE officers, says only Border Patrol should get more agents. Classic. Pound chest about border security, ignore critical interior enforcement need. https://t.co/jO8Y70uiH1 via @govexec Twitter22 November 12:04AM on twitter.com/krlstenshaexo ID:58861.754413 39QT @StockMonsterVIP: RT @OwnYourWallet: Sickeni... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @StockMonsterVIP: RT @OwnYourWallet: Sickening that democrats and liberals continue to fight for open borders as illegals are killing America citizens. Dems… ; Border Patrol agents are being used as Piñatas & beaten to death by Mexican Cartels Etc... Twitter22 November 12:05AM on twitter.com/ImmoralReport ID:58861.754414 40RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to hel... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to help solve this murder of a Border Patrol Agent in Texas. Help us catch this killer. #txlege #tcot #BorderPatrol https://t.co/jYzy8uNs7y Twitter22 November 12:02AM on twitter.com/BHonest2Self ID:58861.754423 41RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angl... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angle: we'll update you on the attack on two Border Patrol agents that left one of them dead. CNN is now saying it may have just been an accident. Two insiders will Twitter22 November 12:02AM on twitter.com/weldon_r ID:58861.754424 42RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to hel... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to help solve this murder of a Border Patrol Agent in Texas. Help us catch this killer. #txlege #tcot #BorderPatrol https://t.co/jYzy8uNs7y Twitter22 November 12:03AM on twitter.com/Muthofmany ID:58861.754425 43RT @realKenOliver: José Martínez says death of ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realKenOliver: José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him to support @realdonaldtrump on need to #BuildTheWall https://t.co/xb8OVfc6OK Twitter22 November 12:04AM on twitter.com/MaVictoriaMVV ID:58861.754426 44QT @thehill: But certainly Rump waited for all ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @thehill: But certainly Rump waited for all the info before commenting? No? https://t. co/5Q6Wq1P11q ; Authorities believe border patrol agent who died in Texas may have fallen https://t. co/aj3eURelwX https://t.co/0UGImf2h9P Twitter22 November 12:04AM on twitter.com/CathyMcG2 ID:58861.754427 45RT @GovAbbott: Announcing a reward of up to $20... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GovAbbott: Announcing a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to arrest of those responsible for death of Border Patrol agent. https://t.co/CnsMU9zB1U Twitter22 November 12:04AM on twitter.com/IheartEastTexas ID:58861.754428 46RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer kill... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and must, build the Wall! Twitter22 November 12:05AM on twitter.com/NfgKeK ID:58861.754429 47RT @realKenOliver: José Martínez says death of ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realKenOliver: José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him to support @realdonaldtrump on need to #BuildTheWall https://t.co/xb8OVfc6OK Twitter22 November 12:02AM on twitter.com/silentgroyper ID:58861.754431 48QT @CBPArizona: RT @brandondarby: Good work! ht... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @CBPArizona: RT @brandondarby: Good work! https://t.co/qafDJwQREa ; Brian A. Terry #USBP agents arrest previously deported Suerno Gang member near Naco, Arizona #CBP is Page 50 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001417 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000050 #KeepingAmericaSafe #HonorFirst Details:https://t.co/5Jce3xOAP3 https://t.co Twitter22 November 12:02AM on twitter.com/hiscity ID:58861.754432 49Authorities investigating if Border Patrol agen... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Authorities investigating if Border Patrol agent fell to his death: report https://t.co/UzNC7SLWbq Twitter22 November 12:03AM on twitter.com/SusieOden ID:58861.754433 50QT @IngrahamAngle: RT @kelliwardaz: What do you... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @IngrahamAngle: RT @kelliwardaz: What do you think really happened? https://t.co/T96rbBTTEb ; Tonight on The Ingraham Angle: we'll update you on the attack on two Border Patrol agents that left one of them dead. CNN is... Twitter22 November 12:03AM on twitter.com/Raihan__Abhari ID:58861.754434 51RT @GovAbbott: Announcing a reward of up to $20... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GovAbbott: Announcing a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to arrest of those responsible for death of Border Patrol agent. https://t.co/CnsMU9zB1U Twitter22 November 12:03AM on twitter.com/DMAN0853 ID:58861.754435 52Was Border Patrol agent beaten to death by immi... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Was Border Patrol agent beaten to death by immigrants in Texas? Or did he fall? The FBI's not sure https://t.co/51K4cAbceR Twitter22 November 12:05AM on twitter.com/JohnBadger41 ID:58861.754436 53RT @thehill: Authorities believe border patrol ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @thehill: Authorities believe border patrol agent who died in Texas may have fallen https://t. co/aj3eURelwX https://t.co/0UGImf2h9P Twitter22 November 12:05AM on twitter.com/Tillytoo2 ID:58861.754437 54RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angl... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angle: we'll update you on the attack on two Border Patrol agents that left one of them dead. CNN is now saying it may have just been an accident. Two insiders will Twitter22 November 12:05AM on twitter.com/Cross_L_Bar ID:58861.754438 55RT @MediaJuggernaut: BREAKING: Arizona Border P... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @MediaJuggernaut: BREAKING: Arizona Border Patrol Arrests 2 PREVIOUSLY Deported CHILD MOLESTERS... #StupidQuestionsForPOTUS: Would A Wall Help? Answer: Yup https://t.co/7b9cBsl8op #BuildTheWall https://t.co/1NEl30j7Tb Twitter22 November 12:03AM on twitter.com/donhum47 ID:58861.754439 56QT @StockMonsterVIP: RT @OwnYourWallet: Sickeni... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @StockMonsterVIP: RT @OwnYourWallet: Sickening that democrats and liberals continue to fight for open borders as illegals are killing America citizens. Dems… ; Border Patrol agents are being used as Piñatas & beaten to death by Mexican Cartels Etc... Twitter22 November 12:05AM on twitter.com/TheSteveKon ID:58861.754440 57QT @StockMonsterVIP: RT @OwnYourWallet: Sickeni... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @StockMonsterVIP: RT @OwnYourWallet: Sickening that democrats and liberals continue to fight for open borders as illegals are killing America citizens. Dems… ; Border Patrol agents are being used as Piñatas & beaten to death by Mexican Cartels Etc... Twitter22 November 12:04AM on twitter.com/poodbit499 ID:58861.754442 58RT @StockMonsterVIP: Border Patrol agents are b... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @StockMonsterVIP: Border Patrol agents are being used as Piñatas & beaten to death by Mexican Cartels Etc yet Marshawn Lynch bows to the Mexican Flag but won’t respect ours! What a terrible example he is sending our... Page 51 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001418 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000051 Twitter22 November 12:05AM on twitter.com/TheSteveKon ID:58861.754443 59QT @RealSaavedra: RT @AnnCoulter: Today's BORDE... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @RealSaavedra: RT @AnnCoulter: Today's BORDER WALL CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: Miles completed yesterday-Zero; Miles completed since Inauguration-- Zero. NEXT UP… ; This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life today while protecting America's southern border... Twitter22 November 12:06AM on twitter.com/drmdbc_pb ID:58861.754444 60RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer kill... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and must, build the Wall! Twitter22 November 12:07AM on twitter.com/teresa_terlyna ID:58861.754445 61RT @JessicaV_CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Re... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @JessicaV_CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Request for more ICE officers, says only Border Patrol should get more agents. Classic. Pound chest about border security, ignore critical interior enforcement need. https://t.co/jO8Y70uiH1 via @govexec Twitter22 November 12:04AM on twitter.com/Street__Things ID:58861.754446 62RT @Kimbraov1: EXCLUSIVE: Illegal Aliens Killed... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Kimbraov1: EXCLUSIVE: Illegal Aliens Killed Border Patrol Agent by Crushing in His Skull with Rocks, Says NBPC https://t.co/QBhoC8Mf08 via @BreitbartTexas Twitter22 November 12:04AM on twitter.com/yeritzalisbeth ID:58861.754447 63RT @NightwriterMl5: @IngrahamAngle @FoxNews CNN... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @NightwriterMl5: @IngrahamAngle @FoxNews CNN covering for illegals who murdered border patrol agent. Always covering for illegals and radical islamists. Always covering for criminals and violent BLM and Antifa. Twitter22 November 12:05AM on twitter.com/fo95072282_usa ID:58861.754448 64RT @FoxNews: .@jessebwatters on @POTUS's Mexico... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FoxNews: .@jessebwatters on @POTUS's Mexico border wall plans: "When someone is killed w/ a gun, the left wants gun control, but when a border patrol agent is killed, you'd think that they'd want border Twitter22 November 12:05AM on twitter.com/realtrumpcousin ID:58861.754449 65RT @StockMonsterVIP: Border Patrol agents are b... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @StockMonsterVIP: Border Patrol agents are being used as Piñatas & beaten to death by Mexican Cartels Etc yet Marshawn Lynch bows to the Mexican Flag but won’t respect ours! What a terrible example he is sending our... Twitter22 November 12:05AM on twitter.com/greeneyeshj ID:58861.754450 66QT @FoxNewsInsider: RT @RealMGrimm: What a desp... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @FoxNewsInsider: RT @RealMGrimm: What a despicable act of violence. My prayers go out to Rogelio Martinez's family & I hope this tragedy serves as a call to… ; .@IngrahamAngle: Border Patrol Agent's Murder 'Better Be the Final Twitter22 November 12:06AM on twitter.com/theblacks4Trump ID:58861.754451 67QT @realDonaldTrump: The wall won't do shit, di... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realDonaldTrump: The wall won't do shit, dipshit. https://t.co/MICjx8CTbt ; Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and must, build the Wall! Twitter22 November 12:07AM on twitter.com/memokhodr ID:58861.754452 68Dumb Sensors, Deadly Consequences: The circumst... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Dumb Sensors, Deadly Consequences: The circumstances of U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogel.. https://t. Page 52 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001419 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000052 co/mMUZDYSHTw https://t.co/2Ek8UdvdsV Twitter22 November 12:07AM on twitter.com/WeTheOutraged ID:58861.754453 69RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter22 November 12:07AM on twitter.com/Surfernicole1 ID:58861.754454 70RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angl... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angle: we'll update you on the attack on two Border Patrol agents that left one of them dead. CNN is now saying it may have just been an accident. Two insiders will Twitter22 November 12:07AM on twitter.com/slm2009 ID:58861.754455 71RT @SenDuckworth: Not only did @DHSgov @Customs... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @SenDuckworth: Not only did @DHSgov @CustomsBorder violate 2 federal court orders during the chaotic rollout of the ban, but the Trump Admin now appears to be attempting to hide that info from Congress & the American Twitter22 November 12:07AM on twitter.com/pauladrake ID:58861.754456 72RT @JessicaV_CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Re... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @JessicaV_CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Request for more ICE officers, says only Border Patrol should get more agents. Classic. Pound chest about border security, ignore critical interior enforcement need. https://t.co/jO8Y70uiH1 via @govexec Twitter22 November 12:03AM on twitter.com/mcconnell221 ID:58861.754457 73RT @SwampyTrump: One border patrol agent killed... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @SwampyTrump: One border patrol agent killed today, trump tweets for wall across southern border. 75 dead and 500 injured in shootings by white guys with assault rifles in Vegas and Texas￾trump silent with thump up his Twitter22 November 12:04AM on twitter.com/Tammy_Hunt ID:58861.754458 74QT @IngrahamAngle: RT @kelliwardaz: What do you... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @IngrahamAngle: RT @kelliwardaz: What do you think really happened? https://t.co/T96rbBTTEb ; Tonight on The Ingraham Angle: we'll update you on the attack on two Border Patrol agents that left one of them dead. CNN is... Twitter22 November 12:04AM on twitter.com/PA4TAXPAYERS ID:58861.754459 75RT @TheStelian: This is U.S. Border Patrol agen... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @TheStelian: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogelio Martinez. He lost his life today while protecting America's southern border when he was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens. That little boy no longer has a dad. We cannot... Twitter22 November 12:04AM on twitter.com/SidneyPowell1 ID:58861.754460 76RT @JessicaV_CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Re... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @JessicaV_CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Request for more ICE officers, says only Border Patrol should get more agents. Classic. Pound chest about border security, ignore critical interior enforcement need. https://t.co/jO8Y70uiH1 via @govexec Twitter22 November 12:06AM on twitter.com/beck__billy ID:58861.754461 77Authorities investigating if Border Patrol agen... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Authorities investigating if Border Patrol agent fell to his death: report - The Hill https://t. co/9eAcPqNTN9 via @nuzzel Twitter22 November 12:07AM on twitter.com/BarbaraRacek ID:58861.754462 78RT @blazebandit2015: A Border Patrol Agent has ... Page 53 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001420 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000053 View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @blazebandit2015: A Border Patrol Agent has been killed, Another Border Agent injured (serious condition) while Patrolling the Big Bend Sector of Texas along the southern border with Mexico. We need that DAMN WALL!! DEPORT ILLEGALS!! #BuildTheWall Twitter22 November 12:07AM on twitter.com/MrSteigmeyer ID:58861.754463 79@GeorgWebb Overview of the inner workings at CB... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @GeorgWebb Overview of the inner workings at CBP. Still fighting the #DeepState https://t. co/7YFKUMXwdc Twitter22 November 12:07AM on twitter.com/AnnaQuentana ID:58861.754464 80RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protecting America's southern border. He was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. The little boy in the picture will... Twitter22 November 12:08AM on twitter.com/VPICSMANIA ID:58861.754465 81QT @IngrahamAngle: RT @kelliwardaz: What do you... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @IngrahamAngle: RT @kelliwardaz: What do you think really happened? https://t.co/T96rbBTTEb ; Tonight on The Ingraham Angle: we'll update you on the attack on two Border Patrol agents that left one of them dead. CNN is... Twitter22 November 12:06AM on twitter.com/dyerc2012 ID:58861.754468 82QT @realDonaldTrump: RT @davidwferrell: Just re... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realDonaldTrump: RT @davidwferrell: Just returned from beautiful 3-day cruise to Ensenada, Mexico. So wonderful that we're able to visit that enchanting la… ; Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out... Twitter22 November 12:08AM on twitter.com/IdeeClaire0111 ID:58861.754469 83QT @AMike4761: Sadly, they probably are sending... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @AMike4761: Sadly, they probably are sending their best. https://t.co/X08FkcKRtS ; Report: Murdered Border Patrol agent’s skull crushed with rocks by illegal aliens. They’re not sending their best! #ma4t https://t.co/cxWDvBeIuO Twitter22 November 12:08AM on twitter.com/theheebingnews ID:58861.754470 84RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter22 November 12:09AM on twitter.com/wileycoyote80 ID:58861.754471 85RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter22 November 12:10AM on twitter.com/Smokeydog62 ID:58861.754472 86RT @JessicaV_CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Re... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @JessicaV_CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Request for more ICE officers, says only Border Patrol should get more agents. Classic. Pound chest about border security, ignore critical interior enforcement need. https://t.co/jO8Y70uiH1 via @govexec Twitter22 November 12:04AM on twitter.com/jodlkatts ID:58861.754473 87RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer kill... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and must, build the Wall! Page 54 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001421 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000054 Twitter22 November 12:05AM on twitter.com/djslyd01 ID:58861.754474 88RT @SwampyTrump: One border patrol agent killed... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @SwampyTrump: One border patrol agent killed today, trump tweets for wall across southern border. 75 dead and 500 injured in shootings by white guys with assault rifles in Vegas and Texas￾trump silent with thump up his Twitter22 November 12:06AM on twitter.com/DbAshby ID:58861.754475 89RT @MediaJuggernaut: BREAKING: Arizona Border P... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @MediaJuggernaut: BREAKING: Arizona Border Patrol Arrests 2 PREVIOUSLY Deported CHILD MOLESTERS... #StupidQuestionsForPOTUS: Would A Wall Help? Answer: Yup https://t.co/7b9cBsl8op #BuildTheWall https://t.co/1NEl30j7Tb Twitter22 November 12:06AM on twitter.com/staffpit16 ID:58861.754476 90RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter22 November 12:07AM on twitter.com/JoanneW2017 ID:58861.754477 91RT @CloydRivers: RIP U.S. Border Patrol agent R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CloydRivers: RIP U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. While on patrol, he was murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. This little boy no longer has a dad. Build that fcking Wall. Merica. https Twitter22 November 12:08AM on twitter.com/BenAdzigirey ID:58861.754478 92RT @JessicaV_CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Re... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @JessicaV_CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Request for more ICE officers, says only Border Patrol should get more agents. Classic. Pound chest about border security, ignore critical interior enforcement need. https://t.co/jO8Y70uiH1 via @govexec Twitter22 November 12:08AM on twitter.com/cameronsgirls52 ID:58861.754479 93RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angl... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angle: we'll update you on the attack on two Border Patrol agents that left one of them dead. CNN is now saying it may have just been an accident. Two insiders will Twitter22 November 12:08AM on twitter.com/phunchicky ID:58861.754480 94Border Patrol Council president reacts to agent... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Border Patrol Council president reacts to agent’s death https://t.co/hwFje919Cf #NewInVids https://t. co/NYnggrejEZ Twitter22 November 12:08AM on twitter.com/NewsInVids ID:58861.754481 95RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protecting America's southern border. He was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. The little boy in the picture will... Twitter22 November 12:09AM on twitter.com/house_cc ID:58861.754482 96Was Border Patrol agent beaten to death by immi... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Was Border Patrol agent beaten to death by immigrants in Texas? Or did he fall? The FBI is not sure Twitter22 November 12:09AM on twitter.com/trustdtravelr ID:58861.754483 97Slain Border Patrol agent was ambushed in Texas... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Slain Border Patrol agent was ambushed in Texas, union says Twitter22 November 12:09AM on twitter.com/trustdtravelr ID:58861.754484 Page 55 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001422 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000055 98RT @GovAbbott: Announcing a reward of up to $20... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GovAbbott: Announcing a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to arrest of those responsible for death of Border Patrol agent. https://t.co/CnsMU9zB1U Twitter22 November 12:09AM on twitter.com/jessnatmom ID:58861.754485 99RT @JessicaV_CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Re... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @JessicaV_CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Request for more ICE officers, says only Border Patrol should get more agents. Classic. Pound chest about border security, ignore critical interior enforcement need. https://t.co/jO8Y70uiH1 via @govexec Twitter22 November 12:09AM on twitter.com/UBdatgirl65 ID:58861.754486 100RT @thehill: Authorities believe border patrol ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @thehill: Authorities believe border patrol agent who died in Texas may have fallen https://t. co/aj3eURelwX https://t.co/0UGImf2h9P Twitter22 November 12:10AM on twitter.com/lainla ID:58861.754487 sysomos.com @sysomos support unsubscribe Page 56 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001423 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000056 From : To: Cc: Bee: Subject: Date: Attachments : Sysomos Tweets cross ing 600 threshho ld Wed Nov 22 2017 01 :06: 11 EST New Content in Heartbeat US Customs and Border Protect ion More than 100 new since the last check on November 22, 2017 at 12:00AM EST 1RT@N ickMiroff : Trump, Ted Cruz, Gov Abbott all. .. View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @NickMiroff : Trump , Ted Cruz, Gov Abbott all have said Border Patrol agent Rogelio Martinez was killed/murdered in an attack over the wee kend . But new FBI statement does not confirm they were attacked, and sheriff says Martinez and Twitter22 November 12:00AM on twitter.com/regrettrump ID:58861.754375 2RT @blazeband it2015 : A Border Patrol Agent has ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @blazeband it2015: A Border Patrol Agent has been killed, Another Border Agent injured (serious condition ) while Patrolling the Big Bend Sector of Texas along the southern border with Mexico. We need that DAMN WALL!! DEPORT ILLEGALS!! #BuildTheWall Twitter22 November 12:00AM on twitter .com/LiliMoM ID:58861 .754377 3Border Patrol Counci l president reacts to agent.. . View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Border Patrol Counci l president reacts to agent's death https://t.co/k7qMoDoz1f Twitter22 November 12:00AM on twitter .com/distressedvol lD:58861 .754378 4RT@Alantharp22 : BREAKING : RIGHT After Border P ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Alantharp22 : BREAKING: RIGHT After Border Patrol Agent Killed, Obama Appo inted Judge ... https://t.co/AC4AB9IPLh via @You Tube #vets #Chr istian #scifi #writer #trump Twitter22 November 12:00AM on twitter .com/CowboySciFiBot ID:58861 .754379 5RT @lngrahamAng le: Tonight on The Ingraham Angl. .. View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @lngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angle: we'll update you on the attack on two Border Patrol agents that left one of them dead. CNN is now saying it may have just been an accident. Two insiders will Twitter22 November 12:00AM on twitter .com/romanticampe r ID:58861.754380 6RT @Gov Abbott : Announcing a reward of up to $20 ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Gov Abbott : Announcing a reward of up to $20,000 for information lead ing to arrest of those respons ible for death of Border Patrol agent. https ://t.co/CnsMU9zB 1 U Twitter22 November 12:00AM on twitter .com/ChiefFabulous ID:58861 .754381 7RT@Jess icaV_CIS : Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Re ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Jess icaV _CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Request for more ICE officers, says only Border Patrol should get more agents . Classic. Pound chest about border security, ignore critical interior CBP FOIA 001424 Page 57 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000057 enforcement need. https://t.co/jO8Y70uiH1 via @govexec Twitter22 November 12:01AM on twitter.com/Hazna_Nanna78 ID:58861.754382 8RT @MsDuhMeanor: Was border patrol agent who di... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @MsDuhMeanor: Was border patrol agent who died this week a victim of beating by immigrants? The FBI isn't so sure of that. https://t.co/E2wjLRM251 Twitter22 November 12:01AM on twitter.com/CaseyM99 ID:58861.754383 9QT @RealSaavedra: RT @AnnCoulter: Today's BORDE... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @RealSaavedra: RT @AnnCoulter: Today's BORDER WALL CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: Miles completed yesterday-Zero; Miles completed since Inauguration-- Zero. NEXT UP… ; This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life today while protecting America's southern border... Twitter22 November 12:01AM on twitter.com/NYPolJunkie ID:58861.754384 10QT @IngrahamAngle: RT @kelliwardaz: What do you... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @IngrahamAngle: RT @kelliwardaz: What do you think really happened? https://t.co/T96rbBTTEb ; Tonight on The Ingraham Angle: we'll update you on the attack on two Border Patrol agents that left one of them dead. CNN is... Twitter22 November 12:02AM on twitter.com/FilipDobi ID:58861.754385 11RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angl... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angle: we'll update you on the attack on two Border Patrol agents that left one of them dead. CNN is now saying it may have just been an accident. Two insiders will Twitter22 November 12:00AM on twitter.com/jeffy202020 ID:58861.754386 12RT @FoxNewsInsider: .@IngrahamAngle: Border Pat... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FoxNewsInsider: .@IngrahamAngle: Border Patrol Agent's Murder 'Better Be the Final Straw for Congress' https://t.co/wFWSLHS54O Twitter22 November 12:00AM on twitter.com/Toni_Price ID:58861.754387 13RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angl... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angle: we'll update you on the attack on two Border Patrol agents that left one of them dead. CNN is now saying it may have just been an accident. Two insiders will Twitter22 November 12:02AM on twitter.com/Ann34304939 ID:58861.754388 14RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to hel... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to help solve this murder of a Border Patrol Agent in Texas. Help us catch this killer. #txlege #tcot #BorderPatrol https://t.co/jYzy8uNs7y Twitter22 November 12:00AM on twitter.com/idk_u82 ID:58861.754389 15QT @CBPArizona: Good work! https://t.co/qafDJwQ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @CBPArizona: Good work! https://t.co/qafDJwQREa ; Brian A. Terry #USBP agents arrest previously deported Suerno Gang member near Naco, Arizona #CBP is #KeepingAmericaSafe #HonorFirst Details:https://t.co/5Jce3xOAP3 https://t.co/ihbV53UNMg Twitter22 November 12:01AM on twitter.com/brandondarby ID:58861.754390 16RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter22 November 12:00AM on twitter.com/Jsue2U ID:58861.754391 17Border Patrol Council president reacts to agent... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Border Patrol Council president reacts to agent’s death https://t.co/WyDjWPVNPu https://t. Page 58 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001425 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000058 co/6snjJqOI3P Twitter22 November 12:01AM on twitter.com/WhyWebsCoM ID:58861.754392 18RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to hel... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to help solve this murder of a Border Patrol Agent in Texas. Help us catch this killer. #txlege #tcot #BorderPatrol https://t.co/jYzy8uNs7y Twitter22 November 12:02AM on twitter.com/CreacyPaula ID:58861.754393 19RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter22 November 12:03AM on twitter.com/GNGowan ID:58861.754394 20QT @StockMonsterVIP: Sickening that democrats a... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @StockMonsterVIP: Sickening that democrats and liberals continue to fight for open borders as illegals are killing America citizens. Dems only wan.../lpPuK9to9X ; Border Patrol agents are being used as Piñatas & beaten to death by... Twitter22 November 12:00AM on twitter.com/OwnYourWallet ID:58861.754395 21"Border Patrol Council president reacts to agen... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI "Border Patrol Council president reacts to agent's death" https://t.co/7N6kH8Y6w0 #freedomfamily #beshoyboy2 @SlimmyisTaken @realDonaldTrump #brakingnews https://t.co/Tqdr2GgqsM Twitter22 November 12:00AM on twitter.com/beshoyboy2 ID:58861.754396 22QT @GregAbbott_TX: RT @Altamont97: A war is beg... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @GregAbbott_TX: RT @Altamont97: A war is beginning to rage on the #USA southern border. Americans are being injured or killed for protecting us from invasi… ; Our prayers are with the families of this Border Patrol... Twitter22 November 12:01AM on twitter.com/scoutman73 ID:58861.754397 23@FoxBusiness @GuyChicago5151 @Harlan Two border... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @FoxBusiness @GuyChicago5151 @Harlan Two border patrol officers killed how? Twitter22 November 12:01AM on twitter.com/earthskywater43 ID:58861.754398 24RT @sarah_devorah: @Carolde @DrSharonKing @greg... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @sarah_devorah: @Carolde @DrSharonKing @greggutfeld @KazmierskiR @grammy620 @michaelbickle @kwilli1046 @ThomasWictor @FL4TRUMPDOTCOM Thank you Agent Rogilio for your brave...... Border Patrol, Police, etc. If we gave $5 or $10, it... Twitter22 November 12:02AM on twitter.com/EversFam ID:58861.754399 25RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angl... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angle: we'll update you on the attack on two Border Patrol agents that left one of them dead. CNN is now saying it may have just been an accident. Two insiders will Twitter22 November 12:03AM on twitter.com/Millie36805384 ID:58861.754400 26RT @Josh4Trump: Hey @CNN so illegals bashing th... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Josh4Trump: Hey @CNN so illegals bashing the head in and murdering a border patrol agent was just an accident? You clowns really need to go off the air. Nothing like backing illegals killing hard working Americans Twitter22 November 12:00AM on twitter.com/briondahill ID:58861.754401 27RT @UncleSamsChild: Big Bend, Texas – Border Pa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @UncleSamsChild: Big Bend, Texas – Border Patrol Agent Killed in the Line of Duty https://t. co/9jqzDPJEsI https://t.co/KEVDLMrWIo Page 59 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001426 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000059 Twitter22 November 12:00AM on twitter.com/SidneyPowell1 ID:58861.754402 28RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer kill... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and must, build the Wall! Twitter22 November 12:01AM on twitter.com/adeancarey ID:58861.754403 29RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter22 November 12:03AM on twitter.com/Mrknd64AZ ID:58861.754404 30RT @FoxNewsResearch: Assaults on U.S. Customs a... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FoxNewsResearch: Assaults on U.S. Customs and Border Protection law enforcement personnel are up 48% this year (compared to the same time period last year). Assaults on Border Patrol agents specifically are up 67%. Twitter22 November 12:04AM on twitter.com/Dennyontheblock ID:58861.754405 31Juan Williams: Death of Border Patrol Agent ‘No... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Juan Williams: Death of Border Patrol Agent ‘Not a Reason’ to Build Wall https://t.co/g6Zt6KoMBW Twitter22 November 12:00AM on twitter.com/realJohnnyZipp ID:58861.754406 32QT @IngrahamAngle: RT @kelliwardaz: What do you... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @IngrahamAngle: RT @kelliwardaz: What do you think really happened? https://t.co/T96rbBTTEb ; Tonight on The Ingraham Angle: we'll update you on the attack on two Border Patrol agents that left one of them dead. CNN is... Twitter22 November 12:00AM on twitter.com/JamesGaryDean ID:58861.754407 33RT @LouDobbs: #LDTPoll: Are you outraged that t... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @LouDobbs: #LDTPoll: Are you outraged that the border patrol has not explained the murder of one of its agents near the Mexican border? Twitter22 November 12:01AM on twitter.com/yeritzalisbeth ID:58861.754408 34RT @CarolHLN: Border Patrol Council Pres. says ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CarolHLN: Border Patrol Council Pres. says the killed border agent was *following footprints* when he was fatally injured. https://t.co/rAq2aO8td0 Twitter22 November 12:02AM on twitter.com/Grtowner59Gary ID:58861.754409 35RT @SenDuckworth: Not only did @DHSgov @Customs... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @SenDuckworth: Not only did @DHSgov @CustomsBorder violate 2 federal court orders during the chaotic rollout of the ban, but the Trump Admin now appears to be attempting to hide that info from Congress & the American Twitter22 November 12:02AM on twitter.com/thequianafulton ID:58861.754410 36RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to hel... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to help solve this murder of a Border Patrol Agent in Texas. Help us catch this killer. #txlege #tcot #BorderPatrol https://t.co/jYzy8uNs7y Twitter22 November 12:03AM on twitter.com/Staceyl49984883 ID:58861.754411 37Border Patrol Council president reacts to agent... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Border Patrol Council president reacts to agent’s death https://t.co/VgKF76wAEo https://t. co/lrb82mCAn9 Twitter22 November 12:04AM on twitter.com/VeoUSA_ ID:58861.754412 38RT @JessicaV_CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Re... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Page 60 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001427 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000060 RT @JessicaV_CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Request for more ICE officers, says only Border Patrol should get more agents. Classic. Pound chest about border security, ignore critical interior enforcement need. https://t.co/jO8Y70uiH1 via @govexec Twitter22 November 12:04AM on twitter.com/krlstenshaexo ID:58861.754413 39QT @StockMonsterVIP: RT @OwnYourWallet: Sickeni... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @StockMonsterVIP: RT @OwnYourWallet: Sickening that democrats and liberals continue to fight for open borders as illegals are killing America citizens. Dems… ; Border Patrol agents are being used as Piñatas & beaten to death by Mexican Cartels Etc... Twitter22 November 12:05AM on twitter.com/ImmoralReport ID:58861.754414 40RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to hel... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to help solve this murder of a Border Patrol Agent in Texas. Help us catch this killer. #txlege #tcot #BorderPatrol https://t.co/jYzy8uNs7y Twitter22 November 12:02AM on twitter.com/BHonest2Self ID:58861.754423 41RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angl... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angle: we'll update you on the attack on two Border Patrol agents that left one of them dead. CNN is now saying it may have just been an accident. Two insiders will Twitter22 November 12:02AM on twitter.com/weldon_r ID:58861.754424 42RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to hel... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to help solve this murder of a Border Patrol Agent in Texas. Help us catch this killer. #txlege #tcot #BorderPatrol https://t.co/jYzy8uNs7y Twitter22 November 12:03AM on twitter.com/Muthofmany ID:58861.754425 43RT @realKenOliver: José Martínez says death of ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realKenOliver: José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him to support @realdonaldtrump on need to #BuildTheWall https://t.co/xb8OVfc6OK Twitter22 November 12:04AM on twitter.com/MaVictoriaMVV ID:58861.754426 44QT @thehill: But certainly Rump waited for all ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @thehill: But certainly Rump waited for all the info before commenting? No? https://t. co/5Q6Wq1P11q ; Authorities believe border patrol agent who died in Texas may have fallen https://t. co/aj3eURelwX https://t.co/0UGImf2h9P Twitter22 November 12:04AM on twitter.com/CathyMcG2 ID:58861.754427 45RT @GovAbbott: Announcing a reward of up to $20... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GovAbbott: Announcing a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to arrest of those responsible for death of Border Patrol agent. https://t.co/CnsMU9zB1U Twitter22 November 12:04AM on twitter.com/IheartEastTexas ID:58861.754428 46RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer kill... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and must, build the Wall! Twitter22 November 12:05AM on twitter.com/NfgKeK ID:58861.754429 47RT @realKenOliver: José Martínez says death of ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realKenOliver: José Martínez says death of son, Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martínez, has led him to support @realdonaldtrump on need to #BuildTheWall https://t.co/xb8OVfc6OK Twitter22 November 12:02AM on twitter.com/silentgroyper ID:58861.754431 48QT @CBPArizona: RT @brandondarby: Good work! ht... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @CBPArizona: RT @brandondarby: Good work! https://t.co/qafDJwQREa ; Brian A. Terry #USBP agents arrest previously deported Suerno Gang member near Naco, Arizona #CBP is Page 61 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001428 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000061 #KeepingAmericaSafe #HonorFirst Details:https://t.co/5Jce3xOAP3 https://t.co Twitter22 November 12:02AM on twitter.com/hiscity ID:58861.754432 49Authorities investigating if Border Patrol agen... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Authorities investigating if Border Patrol agent fell to his death: report https://t.co/UzNC7SLWbq Twitter22 November 12:03AM on twitter.com/SusieOden ID:58861.754433 50QT @IngrahamAngle: RT @kelliwardaz: What do you... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @IngrahamAngle: RT @kelliwardaz: What do you think really happened? https://t.co/T96rbBTTEb ; Tonight on The Ingraham Angle: we'll update you on the attack on two Border Patrol agents that left one of them dead. CNN is... Twitter22 November 12:03AM on twitter.com/Raihan__Abhari ID:58861.754434 51RT @GovAbbott: Announcing a reward of up to $20... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GovAbbott: Announcing a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to arrest of those responsible for death of Border Patrol agent. https://t.co/CnsMU9zB1U Twitter22 November 12:03AM on twitter.com/DMAN0853 ID:58861.754435 52Was Border Patrol agent beaten to death by immi... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Was Border Patrol agent beaten to death by immigrants in Texas? Or did he fall? The FBI's not sure https://t.co/51K4cAbceR Twitter22 November 12:05AM on twitter.com/JohnBadger41 ID:58861.754436 53RT @thehill: Authorities believe border patrol ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @thehill: Authorities believe border patrol agent who died in Texas may have fallen https://t. co/aj3eURelwX https://t.co/0UGImf2h9P Twitter22 November 12:05AM on twitter.com/Tillytoo2 ID:58861.754437 54RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angl... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angle: we'll update you on the attack on two Border Patrol agents that left one of them dead. CNN is now saying it may have just been an accident. Two insiders will Twitter22 November 12:05AM on twitter.com/Cross_L_Bar ID:58861.754438 55RT @MediaJuggernaut: BREAKING: Arizona Border P... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @MediaJuggernaut: BREAKING: Arizona Border Patrol Arrests 2 PREVIOUSLY Deported CHILD MOLESTERS... #StupidQuestionsForPOTUS: Would A Wall Help? Answer: Yup https://t.co/7b9cBsl8op #BuildTheWall https://t.co/1NEl30j7Tb Twitter22 November 12:03AM on twitter.com/donhum47 ID:58861.754439 56QT @StockMonsterVIP: RT @OwnYourWallet: Sickeni... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @StockMonsterVIP: RT @OwnYourWallet: Sickening that democrats and liberals continue to fight for open borders as illegals are killing America citizens. Dems… ; Border Patrol agents are being used as Piñatas & beaten to death by Mexican Cartels Etc... Twitter22 November 12:05AM on twitter.com/TheSteveKon ID:58861.754440 57QT @StockMonsterVIP: RT @OwnYourWallet: Sickeni... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @StockMonsterVIP: RT @OwnYourWallet: Sickening that democrats and liberals continue to fight for open borders as illegals are killing America citizens. Dems… ; Border Patrol agents are being used as Piñatas & beaten to death by Mexican Cartels Etc... Twitter22 November 12:04AM on twitter.com/poodbit499 ID:58861.754442 58RT @StockMonsterVIP: Border Patrol agents are b... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @StockMonsterVIP: Border Patrol agents are being used as Piñatas & beaten to death by Mexican Cartels Etc yet Marshawn Lynch bows to the Mexican Flag but won’t respect ours! What a terrible example he is sending our... Page 62 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001429 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000062 Twitter22 November 12:05AM on twitter.com/TheSteveKon ID:58861.754443 59QT @RealSaavedra: RT @AnnCoulter: Today's BORDE... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @RealSaavedra: RT @AnnCoulter: Today's BORDER WALL CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: Miles completed yesterday-Zero; Miles completed since Inauguration-- Zero. NEXT UP… ; This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life today while protecting America's southern border... Twitter22 November 12:06AM on twitter.com/drmdbc_pb ID:58861.754444 60RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer kill... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and must, build the Wall! Twitter22 November 12:07AM on twitter.com/teresa_terlyna ID:58861.754445 61RT @JessicaV_CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Re... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @JessicaV_CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Request for more ICE officers, says only Border Patrol should get more agents. Classic. Pound chest about border security, ignore critical interior enforcement need. https://t.co/jO8Y70uiH1 via @govexec Twitter22 November 12:04AM on twitter.com/Street__Things ID:58861.754446 62RT @Kimbraov1: EXCLUSIVE: Illegal Aliens Killed... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Kimbraov1: EXCLUSIVE: Illegal Aliens Killed Border Patrol Agent by Crushing in His Skull with Rocks, Says NBPC https://t.co/QBhoC8Mf08 via @BreitbartTexas Twitter22 November 12:04AM on twitter.com/yeritzalisbeth ID:58861.754447 63RT @NightwriterMl5: @IngrahamAngle @FoxNews CNN... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @NightwriterMl5: @IngrahamAngle @FoxNews CNN covering for illegals who murdered border patrol agent. Always covering for illegals and radical islamists. Always covering for criminals and violent BLM and Antifa. Twitter22 November 12:05AM on twitter.com/fo95072282_usa ID:58861.754448 64RT @FoxNews: .@jessebwatters on @POTUS's Mexico... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FoxNews: .@jessebwatters on @POTUS's Mexico border wall plans: "When someone is killed w/ a gun, the left wants gun control, but when a border patrol agent is killed, you'd think that they'd want border Twitter22 November 12:05AM on twitter.com/realtrumpcousin ID:58861.754449 65RT @StockMonsterVIP: Border Patrol agents are b... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @StockMonsterVIP: Border Patrol agents are being used as Piñatas & beaten to death by Mexican Cartels Etc yet Marshawn Lynch bows to the Mexican Flag but won’t respect ours! What a terrible example he is sending our... Twitter22 November 12:05AM on twitter.com/greeneyeshj ID:58861.754450 66QT @FoxNewsInsider: RT @RealMGrimm: What a desp... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @FoxNewsInsider: RT @RealMGrimm: What a despicable act of violence. My prayers go out to Rogelio Martinez's family & I hope this tragedy serves as a call to… ; .@IngrahamAngle: Border Patrol Agent's Murder 'Better Be the Final Twitter22 November 12:06AM on twitter.com/theblacks4Trump ID:58861.754451 67QT @realDonaldTrump: The wall won't do shit, di... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realDonaldTrump: The wall won't do shit, dipshit. https://t.co/MICjx8CTbt ; Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and must, build the Wall! Twitter22 November 12:07AM on twitter.com/memokhodr ID:58861.754452 68Dumb Sensors, Deadly Consequences: The circumst... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Dumb Sensors, Deadly Consequences: The circumstances of U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogel.. https://t. Page 63 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001430 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000063 co/mMUZDYSHTw https://t.co/2Ek8UdvdsV Twitter22 November 12:07AM on twitter.com/WeTheOutraged ID:58861.754453 69RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter22 November 12:07AM on twitter.com/Surfernicole1 ID:58861.754454 70RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angl... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angle: we'll update you on the attack on two Border Patrol agents that left one of them dead. CNN is now saying it may have just been an accident. Two insiders will Twitter22 November 12:07AM on twitter.com/slm2009 ID:58861.754455 71RT @SenDuckworth: Not only did @DHSgov @Customs... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @SenDuckworth: Not only did @DHSgov @CustomsBorder violate 2 federal court orders during the chaotic rollout of the ban, but the Trump Admin now appears to be attempting to hide that info from Congress & the American Twitter22 November 12:07AM on twitter.com/pauladrake ID:58861.754456 72RT @JessicaV_CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Re... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @JessicaV_CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Request for more ICE officers, says only Border Patrol should get more agents. Classic. Pound chest about border security, ignore critical interior enforcement need. https://t.co/jO8Y70uiH1 via @govexec Twitter22 November 12:03AM on twitter.com/mcconnell221 ID:58861.754457 73RT @SwampyTrump: One border patrol agent killed... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @SwampyTrump: One border patrol agent killed today, trump tweets for wall across southern border. 75 dead and 500 injured in shootings by white guys with assault rifles in Vegas and Texas￾trump silent with thump up his Twitter22 November 12:04AM on twitter.com/Tammy_Hunt ID:58861.754458 74QT @IngrahamAngle: RT @kelliwardaz: What do you... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @IngrahamAngle: RT @kelliwardaz: What do you think really happened? https://t.co/T96rbBTTEb ; Tonight on The Ingraham Angle: we'll update you on the attack on two Border Patrol agents that left one of them dead. CNN is... Twitter22 November 12:04AM on twitter.com/PA4TAXPAYERS ID:58861.754459 75RT @TheStelian: This is U.S. Border Patrol agen... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @TheStelian: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogelio Martinez. He lost his life today while protecting America's southern border when he was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens. That little boy no longer has a dad. We cannot... Twitter22 November 12:04AM on twitter.com/SidneyPowell1 ID:58861.754460 76RT @JessicaV_CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Re... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @JessicaV_CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Request for more ICE officers, says only Border Patrol should get more agents. Classic. Pound chest about border security, ignore critical interior enforcement need. https://t.co/jO8Y70uiH1 via @govexec Twitter22 November 12:06AM on twitter.com/beck__billy ID:58861.754461 77Authorities investigating if Border Patrol agen... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Authorities investigating if Border Patrol agent fell to his death: report - The Hill https://t. co/9eAcPqNTN9 via @nuzzel Twitter22 November 12:07AM on twitter.com/BarbaraRacek ID:58861.754462 78RT @blazebandit2015: A Border Patrol Agent has ... Page 64 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001431 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000064 View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @blazebandit2015: A Border Patrol Agent has been killed, Another Border Agent injured (serious condition) while Patrolling the Big Bend Sector of Texas along the southern border with Mexico. We need that DAMN WALL!! DEPORT ILLEGALS!! #BuildTheWall Twitter22 November 12:07AM on twitter.com/MrSteigmeyer ID:58861.754463 79@GeorgWebb Overview of the inner workings at CB... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @GeorgWebb Overview of the inner workings at CBP. Still fighting the #DeepState https://t. co/7YFKUMXwdc Twitter22 November 12:07AM on twitter.com/AnnaQuentana ID:58861.754464 80RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protecting America's southern border. He was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. The little boy in the picture will... Twitter22 November 12:08AM on twitter.com/VPICSMANIA ID:58861.754465 81QT @IngrahamAngle: RT @kelliwardaz: What do you... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @IngrahamAngle: RT @kelliwardaz: What do you think really happened? https://t.co/T96rbBTTEb ; Tonight on The Ingraham Angle: we'll update you on the attack on two Border Patrol agents that left one of them dead. CNN is... Twitter22 November 12:06AM on twitter.com/dyerc2012 ID:58861.754468 82QT @realDonaldTrump: RT @davidwferrell: Just re... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realDonaldTrump: RT @davidwferrell: Just returned from beautiful 3-day cruise to Ensenada, Mexico. So wonderful that we're able to visit that enchanting la… ; Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out... Twitter22 November 12:08AM on twitter.com/IdeeClaire0111 ID:58861.754469 83QT @AMike4761: Sadly, they probably are sending... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @AMike4761: Sadly, they probably are sending their best. https://t.co/X08FkcKRtS ; Report: Murdered Border Patrol agent’s skull crushed with rocks by illegal aliens. They’re not sending their best! #ma4t https://t.co/cxWDvBeIuO Twitter22 November 12:08AM on twitter.com/theheebingnews ID:58861.754470 84RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter22 November 12:09AM on twitter.com/wileycoyote80 ID:58861.754471 85RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter22 November 12:10AM on twitter.com/Smokeydog62 ID:58861.754472 86RT @JessicaV_CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Re... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @JessicaV_CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Request for more ICE officers, says only Border Patrol should get more agents. Classic. Pound chest about border security, ignore critical interior enforcement need. https://t.co/jO8Y70uiH1 via @govexec Twitter22 November 12:04AM on twitter.com/jodlkatts ID:58861.754473 87RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer kill... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and must, build the Wall! Page 65 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001432 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000065 Twitter22 November 12:05AM on twitter.com/djslyd01 ID:58861.754474 88RT @SwampyTrump: One border patrol agent killed... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @SwampyTrump: One border patrol agent killed today, trump tweets for wall across southern border. 75 dead and 500 injured in shootings by white guys with assault rifles in Vegas and Texas￾trump silent with thump up his Twitter22 November 12:06AM on twitter.com/DbAshby ID:58861.754475 89RT @MediaJuggernaut: BREAKING: Arizona Border P... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @MediaJuggernaut: BREAKING: Arizona Border Patrol Arrests 2 PREVIOUSLY Deported CHILD MOLESTERS... #StupidQuestionsForPOTUS: Would A Wall Help? Answer: Yup https://t.co/7b9cBsl8op #BuildTheWall https://t.co/1NEl30j7Tb Twitter22 November 12:06AM on twitter.com/staffpit16 ID:58861.754476 90RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter22 November 12:07AM on twitter.com/JoanneW2017 ID:58861.754477 91RT @CloydRivers: RIP U.S. Border Patrol agent R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CloydRivers: RIP U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. While on patrol, he was murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. This little boy no longer has a dad. Build that fcking Wall. Merica. https Twitter22 November 12:08AM on twitter.com/BenAdzigirey ID:58861.754478 92RT @JessicaV_CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Re... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @JessicaV_CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Request for more ICE officers, says only Border Patrol should get more agents. Classic. Pound chest about border security, ignore critical interior enforcement need. https://t.co/jO8Y70uiH1 via @govexec Twitter22 November 12:08AM on twitter.com/cameronsgirls52 ID:58861.754479 93RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angl... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @IngrahamAngle: Tonight on The Ingraham Angle: we'll update you on the attack on two Border Patrol agents that left one of them dead. CNN is now saying it may have just been an accident. Two insiders will Twitter22 November 12:08AM on twitter.com/phunchicky ID:58861.754480 94Border Patrol Council president reacts to agent... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Border Patrol Council president reacts to agent’s death https://t.co/hwFje919Cf #NewInVids https://t. co/NYnggrejEZ Twitter22 November 12:08AM on twitter.com/NewsInVids ID:58861.754481 95RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protecting America's southern border. He was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. The little boy in the picture will... Twitter22 November 12:09AM on twitter.com/house_cc ID:58861.754482 96Was Border Patrol agent beaten to death by immi... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Was Border Patrol agent beaten to death by immigrants in Texas? Or did he fall? The FBI is not sure Twitter22 November 12:09AM on twitter.com/trustdtravelr ID:58861.754483 97Slain Border Patrol agent was ambushed in Texas... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Slain Border Patrol agent was ambushed in Texas, union says Twitter22 November 12:09AM on twitter.com/trustdtravelr ID:58861.754484 Page 66 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001433 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000066 98RT @GovAbbott: Announcing a reward of up to $20... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GovAbbott: Announcing a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to arrest of those responsible for death of Border Patrol agent. https://t.co/CnsMU9zB1U Twitter22 November 12:09AM on twitter.com/jessnatmom ID:58861.754485 99RT @JessicaV_CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Re... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @JessicaV_CIS: Senate GOP Rejects Trump's Request for more ICE officers, says only Border Patrol should get more agents. Classic. Pound chest about border security, ignore critical interior enforcement need. https://t.co/jO8Y70uiH1 via @govexec Twitter22 November 12:09AM on twitter.com/UBdatgirl65 ID:58861.754486 100RT @thehill: Authorities believe border patrol ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @thehill: Authorities believe border patrol agent who died in Texas may have fallen https://t. co/aj3eURelwX https://t.co/0UGImf2h9P Twitter22 November 12:10AM on twitter.com/lainla ID:58861.754487 sysomos.com @sysomos support unsubscribe Page 67 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001434 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000067 From : To: Cc: Bee: Subject: Date: Attachments : Sysomos Tweets cross ing 600 threshho ld Tue Nov 21 2017 20:05:39 EST New Content in Heartbeat US Customs and Border Protect ion More than 100 new since the last check on November 21, 2017 at 7:00PM EST 1 RT @PinkBelgium : We Must #BuildTheWa ll Now ... I. .. View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @PinkBelgium: We Must #BuildTheWall Now ... It Became A Major Priority For The Country @POTUS @realDonaldTrump #MAGA - Texas Governor Offers $20,000 for Info on 'Murder' of Border Patrol Agent https://t.co/gHotP1 H85L Twitter21 November 6:54PM on twitter .com/m_lonz ID:58861.748953 2RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer kill. .. View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realDona ldTrump: Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsib le. We will, and must, build the Wall! Twitter21 November 6:55PM on twitter .com/cap8787 ID:58861.748954 3RT @ReaINewsX2: Border Patrol Agent Killed: Wil. .. View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Rea INewsX2: Border Patrol Agent Killed: Will OHS Pick Kill Trump 's Border Agenda: https ://t. co/sSlksxE6hB via @YouTube Twitter21 November 6:55PM on twitter .com/Trump48_62 ID:58861.748955 4QT @Doodisg irl: RT@AmericanRos ie: .@realDona ld ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT@Doodisgir l: RT @AmericanRosie: .@realDonaldTrumphttps: //t.co/lwv8oowqXQ ; The Mexican born family of our slain Border Patrol Agent says emphat ically, "SECURE OUR BORDERS! How many more have to die?! #BuildTheWa ll!!" #illega ls #LEGALlmm igration # Twitter21 November 6:55PM on twitter .com/Doodisgirl ID:58861.748956 5RT @GregAbbott_ TX: I'm offering a reward to hel. .. View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GregAbbott_ TX: I'm offering a reward to help solve this murder of a Border Patrol Agent in Texas . Help us catch this killer. #txlege #tcot #BorderPatrol https://t.co/jYzy8uNs7y Twitter21 November 6:55PM on twitter .com/billready4fun ID:58861.748957 6RT@TishaWa8: Juan Williams stated nobody in Am ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @TishaWa8: Juan Williams stated nobody in America wants the border wall. What rock has he been hiding behind. Over 700 assaults this yr on border patrol by illega ls and this wk one killed. Border wall funding tide Twitter21 November 6:55PM on twitter .com/Melissa1opinion ID:58861.748958 ?QT @thehill: Of course Trump tweeted about his ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @thehill : Of course Trump tweeted about his stupid wall before he was even briefed about what CBP FOIA 001435 Page 68 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000068 happened. https://t.co/5MBywvvH31 ; Authorities believe border patrol agent who died in Texas may have fallen https://t.co/bZKOqhDqGV https://t.co Twitter21 November 6:56PM on twitter.com/mamajello ID:58861.748959 8RT @Doodisgirl: The Mexican born family of our ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Doodisgirl: The Mexican born family of our slain Border Patrol Agent says emphatically, “SECURE OUR BORDERS! How many more have to die?! #BuildTheWall!!” #illegals #LEGALImmigration #RIPAgentMartinez #SecureTheBorder https://t.co/r532OaiBPA Twitter21 November 6:56PM on twitter.com/GodSaveAmerica1 ID:58861.748960 9DHS OIG issued a report after investigating the... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI DHS OIG issued a report after investigating the attempt to force twitter to disclose identifiable information about this account. OIG: "Gov may have misused its authority" "CBP internal affairs unite regularly misused its subpoena power to get information" https Twitter21 November 6:56PM on twitter.com/ALT_uscis ID:58861.748961 10QT @KTLAMorningNews: I find it strange no one m... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @KTLAMorningNews: I find it strange no one mentions that this is nowhere “close” to the border. The surviving officer was in radio contact... https://t.co/IS6JumTrtK ; Border Patrol Agents in Texas Had Traumatic Head Injuries, But... Twitter21 November 6:56PM on twitter.com/JLP20 ID:58861.748962 11RT @1trump2016fan99: Border Bloodbath: a @Speak... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @1trump2016fan99: Border Bloodbath: a @SpeakerRyan Illegal Alien jumps Border Patrol Agent & crushes his skull with Boulders as Ryan's Illegals continue to Kill for access to American Welfare & other Freebies https://t.co/gLaadF2XKc Charlie Rose Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/ArthurSteller ID:58861.748963 12RT @StevenTDennis: Aside from Medicare, the mos... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @StevenTDennis: Aside from Medicare, the most interesting automatic spending cut if the tax bill passes without a waiver might be the Border Patrol. Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/jckthesword ID:58861.748964 13RT @eissolomon11: Illegal Aliens Killed Border ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @eissolomon11: Illegal Aliens Killed Border Patrol Agent by Crushing in His Skull with Rocks, Says NBPC https://t.co/yeXhdY64wz via @BreitbartNews https://t.co/ZdI21hkJLi Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/85EJones ID:58861.748965 14@CustomsBorder we are so sorry to hear that :( ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @CustomsBorder we are so sorry to hear that :( my sympathy for your tragic loss, you all protect us we must never forget that Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/TruthWarrior4DT ID:58861.748966 15RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to hel... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to help solve this murder of a Border Patrol Agent in Texas. Help us catch this killer. #txlege #tcot #BorderPatrol https://t.co/jYzy8uNs7y Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/ThorHammerRadio ID:58861.748967 16RT @ALT_uscis: DHS OIG issued a report after in... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ALT_uscis: DHS OIG issued a report after investigating the attempt to force twitter to disclose identifiable information about this account. OIG: "Gov may have misused its authority" "CBP internal affairs unite regularly misused its subpoena power to... Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/TabbyChaps ID:58861.748968 17RT @FoxNews: .@jessebwatters on @POTUS's Mexico... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FoxNews: .@jessebwatters on @POTUS's Mexico border wall plans: "When someone is killed w/ Page 69 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001436 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000069 a gun, the left wants gun control, but when a border patrol agent is killed, you'd think that they'd want border Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/ThaKota ID:58861.748969 18RT @DHSgov: ICYMI: Remembering Border Patrol Ag... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @DHSgov: ICYMI: Remembering Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez https://t.co/QnA1K6xEFh Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/american_im ID:58861.748970 19RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/RastelliMichael ID:58861.748971 20RT @ABCWorldNews: The FBI revealing details of ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ABCWorldNews: The FBI revealing details of the investigation into an incident involving two border patrol agents in South Texas--one has dead and the other in critical condition. @marcusmoore has details. https://t.co/Mb1Pp6OH5f https://t.co Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/billh445 ID:58861.748972 21RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/alan_no1 ID:58861.748973 22@ODMP @NYPDnews @laker477 @ojsf2884 @lonestarex... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @ODMP @NYPDnews @laker477 @ojsf2884 @lonestarexile @altai_gear @BackThePolice @dallasgoingblue @kissimmeepolice @CustomsBorder Yes, Brazil is one of the most difficult to police. It's war! Twitter21 November 6:58PM on twitter.com/JosephLocus ID:58861.748974 23QT @UnfilteredSE: @AndyLevy is back for another... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @UnfilteredSE: @AndyLevy is back for another fill-in for @secupp. Come and join the gang in two minutes... https://t.co/YsZqbSNfP2 ; Toni... and @SabrinaSiddiqui. We'll cover: Congressional misconduct, the death of a border patrol... Twitter21 November 6:58PM on twitter.com/RedEyeAlerts ID:58861.748975 24RT @NBCNightlyNews: One US Border Patrol agent ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @NBCNightlyNews: One US Border Patrol agent dead. Another seriously injured. What happened? @KerryNBC has the latest now on @NBCNightlyNews. Twitter21 November 6:58PM on twitter.com/MFreema94364816 ID:58861.748976 25Brian A. Terry #USBP agents arrest previously d... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Brian A. Terry #USBP agents arrest previously deported Suerno Gang member near Naco, Arizona #CBP is #KeepingAmericaSafe #HonorFirst Details:https://t.co/5Jce3xOAP3 https://t.co/ihbV53UNMg Twitter21 November 6:59PM on twitter.com/CBPArizona ID:58861.748977 26RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protecting America's southern border. He was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. The little boy in the picture will... Twitter21 November 6:54PM on twitter.com/blynsinop ID:58861.748979 27QT @Doodisgirl: .@realDonaldTrump https://t.co/... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @Doodisgirl: .@realDonaldTrump https://t.co/lwv8oowqXQ ; The Mexican born family of our slain Page 70 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001437 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000070 Border Patrol Agent says emphatically, “SECURE OUR BORDERS! How many more have to die?! #BuildTheWall!!” #illegals #LEGALImmigration #RIPAgentMartinez #SecureTheBorder Twitter21 November 6:54PM on twitter.com/AmericanRosie ID:58861.748980 28RT @mofa_kr: 한국인 85명이 애틀란타 입국 거부로 한국으로 송환되었다는 보... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @mofa_kr: 한국인 85명이 애틀란타 입국 거부로 한국으로 송환되었다는 보도 관련, 주애틀랜타총영 사관은 상기 통보 접수 즉시, 미국 방문을 기획한 단체관계자 및 연방세관국경보호국(CBP) 관계자를 접 촉, 우리국민들의 미국 방문 및 입국 거부 경위를 파악하였습니다.(1) Twitter21 November 6:55PM on twitter.com/b3a52b557f8f405 ID:58861.748981 29QT @RealSaavedra: RT @denlusk13: The responsibi... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @RealSaavedra: RT @denlusk13: The responsibility is on the the heads of Obama and the democrat crime syndicate. Murderers! https://t.co/xEmf6u9Mxt ; This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life today while protecting... Twitter21 November 6:55PM on twitter.com/mrwndrflxoxo ID:58861.748982 30QT @RealSaavedra: RT @AnnCoulter: Today's BORDE... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @RealSaavedra: RT @AnnCoulter: Today's BORDER WALL CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: Miles completed yesterday-Zero; Miles completed since Inauguration-- Zero. NEXT UP… ; This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life today while protecting America's southern border... Twitter21 November 6:56PM on twitter.com/solos4242 ID:58861.748983 31RT @ALT_uscis: DHS OIG issued a report after in... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ALT_uscis: DHS OIG issued a report after investigating the attempt to force twitter to disclose identifiable information about this account. OIG: "Gov may have misused its authority" "CBP internal affairs unite regularly misused its subpoena power to... Twitter21 November 6:56PM on twitter.com/Sisu_Eagle ID:58861.748984 32RT @Doodisgirl: The Mexican born family of our ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Doodisgirl: The Mexican born family of our slain Border Patrol Agent says emphatically, “SECURE OUR BORDERS! How many more have to die?! #BuildTheWall!!” #illegals #LEGALImmigration #RIPAgentMartinez #SecureTheBorder https://t.co/r532OaiBPA Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/cheaptrickone ID:58861.748985 33RT @CloydRivers: RIP U.S. Border Patrol agent R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CloydRivers: RIP U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. While on patrol, he was murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. This little boy no longer has a dad. Build that fcking Wall. Merica. https Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/madison_ryndak ID:58861.748986 34RT @kev4congress: Disappointing that Leftists p... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @kev4congress: Disappointing that Leftists protest at event honoring fallen Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry who was killed protecting Americans from heavily armed drug smugglers entering the country. Terry's killer Osorio-Arellanes had been deported 7 times prior to Twitter21 November 6:58PM on twitter.com/lenaluckylou ID:58861.748987 35RT @1trump2016fan99: Border Bloodbath: a @Speak... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @1trump2016fan99: Border Bloodbath: a @SpeakerRyan Illegal Alien jumps Border Patrol Agent & crushes his skull with Boulders as Ryan's Illegals continue to Kill for access to American Welfare & other Freebies https://t.co/gLaadF2XKc Charlie Rose Twitter21 November 6:58PM on twitter.com/JAGHUNTERS ID:58861.748988 36RT @mrntweet2: Bring Law & Order Back To Americ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @mrntweet2: Bring Law & Order Back To America EXCLUSIVE: Illegal Aliens Killed Border Patrol Agent by Crushing in His Skull with Rocks, Says NBPC https://t.co/IyPGrfH3EC Twitter21 November 6:58PM on twitter.com/papadeero ID:58861.748989 Page 71 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001438 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000071 37Brian A.Terry #USBP agents arrest previously de... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Brian A.Terry #USBP agents arrest previously deported Suerno Gang member near Naco, Arizona #CBP is #KeepingAmericaSafe #HonorFirst Details:https://t.co/5Jce3xOAP3 https://t.co/LTca99PFIX Twitter21 November 6:58PM on twitter.com/CBPArizona ID:58861.748990 38RT @CNNnewsroom: Brandon Judd, President of the... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CNNnewsroom: Brandon Judd, President of the National Border Patrol Council, says he "absolutely approves" of the President's tweet pushing for a border wall after agent's killing https://t. co/DqSDay1vwG Twitter21 November 6:58PM on twitter.com/ene3112 ID:58861.748991 39RT @mrntweet2: Bring Law & Order Back To Americ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @mrntweet2: Bring Law & Order Back To America EXCLUSIVE: Illegal Aliens Killed Border Patrol Agent by Crushing in His Skull with Rocks, Says NBPC https://t.co/IyPGrfH3EC Twitter21 November 6:58PM on twitter.com/MeedgeKnowsBest ID:58861.748992 40RT @DHSgov: ICYMI: Remembering Border Patrol Ag... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @DHSgov: ICYMI: Remembering Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez https://t.co/QnA1K6xEFh Twitter21 November 6:56PM on twitter.com/CarolAnnLemon1 ID:58861.748995 41@bradheath @CustomsBorder https://t.co/xQCMcdAUII View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @bradheath @CustomsBorder https://t.co/xQCMcdAUII Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/ALT_uscis ID:58861.748996 42RT @MarcoGutierrez: #RIP Rogelio Martinez, you ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @MarcoGutierrez: #RIP Rogelio Martinez, you served America with honor! #CBP #RogelioMartinez #SB54REFERENDUM @SB54Referendum @BBergquam @LaCasaBlanca @Harlan @simi510 @ArthurCSchaper https://t.co/Z6DHCSeH4d Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/jancanmanage ID:58861.748997 43RT @NBCNightlyNews: One US Border Patrol agent ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @NBCNightlyNews: One US Border Patrol agent dead. Another seriously injured. What happened? @KerryNBC has the latest now on @NBCNightlyNews. Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/Hood318Lahood ID:58861.748998 44RT @DHSgov: ICYMI: Remembering Border Patrol Ag... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @DHSgov: ICYMI: Remembering Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez https://t.co/QnA1K6xEFh Twitter21 November 6:59PM on twitter.com/DanWell62287730 ID:58861.748999 45@segalmr Sad a foreign flag carrier shows more ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @segalmr Sad a foreign flag carrier shows more deference to the law (court order). I wonder if CBP retaliation against U.S. flag carriers influenced their decision to comply with the illegal designation. Twitter21 November 6:59PM on twitter.com/mccauley_liz ID:58861.749000 46RT @CBPArizona: Douglas and Brian A. Terry Stat... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CBPArizona: Douglas and Brian A. Terry Station #USBP agents arrest registered sex offenders after they illegally entered the U.S. in southeast Arizona #CBP is #KeepingAmericaSafe #HonorFirst Details: https://t.co/oNpWBN3GrR https://t.co/Mg6XJZKfcJ Twitter21 November 6:59PM on twitter.com/ArizonaNewsnet ID:58861.749001 47QT @Carolde: RT @realOBF: American hero. Died d... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @Carolde: RT @realOBF: American hero. Died defending the homeland. https://t.co/4M0u5ik50r https://t.co/piXz9Vnb0i ; This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protecting America's southern border. He was reportedly murdered by... Twitter21 November 7:00PM on twitter.com/veroniqueUS ID:58861.749002 Page 72 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001439 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000072 48RT @mofa_kr: 한국인 85명이 애틀란타 입국 거부로 한국으로 송환되었다는 보... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @mofa_kr: 한국인 85명이 애틀란타 입국 거부로 한국으로 송환되었다는 보도 관련, 주애틀랜타총영 사관은 상기 통보 접수 즉시, 미국 방문을 기획한 단체관계자 및 연방세관국경보호국(CBP) 관계자를 접 촉, 우리국민들의 미국 방문 및 입국 거부 경위를 파악하였습니다.(1) Twitter21 November 7:00PM on twitter.com/jraljazzboy ID:58861.749003 49QT @BreitbartTexas: RT @THETXEMBASSY: 22-year-o... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @BreitbartTexas: RT @THETXEMBASSY: 22-year-old Mexican Dreamer, runs into America, throws dirt in our agent’s face. #NotMyResident The agent managed to sub… ; Illegal Immigrant Assaults Border Patrol Agent in Arizona https://t.co/J2z2H9WxPj Twitter21 November 7:00PM on twitter.com/2Aorigin ID:58861.749004 50RT @CBPArizona: Brian A. Terry #USBP agents arr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CBPArizona: Brian A. Terry #USBP agents arrest previously deported Suerno Gang member near Naco, Arizona #CBP is #KeepingAmericaSafe #HonorFirst Details:https://t.co/5Jce3xOAP3 https://t. co/ihbV53UNMg Twitter21 November 7:00PM on twitter.com/amMsBehavin ID:58861.749005 51QT @Trumpsignguy: RT @Trumpsignguy: @MarkRay198... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @Trumpsignguy: RT @Trumpsignguy: @MarkRay1980 https://t.co/pRuIMI8M09 ; ILLEGAL ALIENS are ambushing and killing with rocks our HOPELESS BORDER PATROL AGENTS! Please America! It's time to do something NOW! Innocent Americans are being killed at the Twitter21 November 7:00PM on twitter.com/MarkRay1980 ID:58861.749006 52RT @ALT_uscis: DHS OIG issued a report after in... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ALT_uscis: DHS OIG issued a report after investigating the attempt to force twitter to disclose identifiable information about this account. OIG: "Gov may have misused its authority" "CBP internal affairs unite regularly misused its subpoena power to... Twitter21 November 7:00PM on twitter.com/chadglasn ID:58861.749007 53RT @Sidesho30042785: @JosephLocus @boykin_doug ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Sidesho30042785: @JosephLocus @boykin_doug @ODMP @NYPDnews @laker477 @ojsf2884 @lonestarexile @altai_gear @BackThePolice @dallasgoingblue @kissimmeepolice @CustomsBorder Here in Brazil 180 police officers killed. Just in state of Rio Twitter21 November 7:00PM on twitter.com/boykin_doug ID:58861.749008 54RT @david_thomp: EXCLUSIVE: Illegal Aliens Kill... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @david_thomp: EXCLUSIVE: Illegal Aliens Killed Border Patrol Agent by Crushing in His Skull with Rocks, Says NBPC @BreitbartTexas Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell where the H*ll is the money for the Wall! Twitter21 November 7:01PM on twitter.com/BFISA ID:58861.749009 55Speculation but few answers after Border Patrol... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Speculation but few answers after Border Patrol agent’s death https://t.co/kxUSDosXTr Twitter21 November 7:01PM on twitter.com/SpammersNotMe ID:58861.749010 56RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/sofiaelpidagapi ID:58861.749014 57RT @CloydRivers: RIP U.S. Border Patrol agent R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CloydRivers: RIP U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. While on patrol, he was murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. This little boy no longer has a dad. Build that fcking Wall. Page 73 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001440 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000073 Merica. https Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/ZeltricRblx ID:58861.749015 58RT @ALT_uscis: DHS OIG issued a report after in... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ALT_uscis: DHS OIG issued a report after investigating the attempt to force twitter to disclose identifiable information about this account. OIG: "Gov may have misused its authority" "CBP internal affairs unite regularly misused its subpoena power to... Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/fabricationista ID:58861.749016 59QT @GregAbbott_TX: RT @SykesforSenate: There ar... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @GregAbbott_TX: RT @SykesforSenate: There are more deaths due to armed conflict in Mexico than Iraq or Afghanistan each year. #BuildTheWall and stop violen… ; I... Border Patrol Agent in Texas. Help us catch this killer. #txlege #... Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/Necolodian ID:58861.749017 60RT @DHSgov: ICYMI: Remembering Border Patrol Ag... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @DHSgov: ICYMI: Remembering Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez https://t.co/QnA1K6xEFh Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/UniverseatLarge ID:58861.749018 61QT @Carolde: #RIP #BlueLivesMatter https://t.co... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @Carolde: #RIP #BlueLivesMatter https://t.co/Lm0jm4PaER ; This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protecting America's southern border. He was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks... Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/DBZDoll ID:58861.749019 62RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to hel... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to help solve this murder of a Border Patrol Agent in Texas. Help us catch this killer. #txlege #tcot #BorderPatrol https://t.co/jYzy8uNs7y Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/lholmberg2010 ID:58861.749020 63RT @mrntweet2: Bring Law & Order Back To Americ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @mrntweet2: Bring Law & Order Back To America EXCLUSIVE: Illegal Aliens Killed Border Patrol Agent by Crushing in His Skull with Rocks, Says NBPC https://t.co/IyPGrfH3EC Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/LeahR77 ID:58861.749021 64QT @SusieBWakeland: @realDonaldTrump @POTUS @Wh... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @SusieBWakeland: @realDonaldTrump @POTUS @WhiteHouse @mike_pence @VP @SenateMajLdr @SenateGOP @SpeakerRyan @HouseGOP @SenTedCruz @JohnCornyn @MickMulvaneyOMB @GOPLeader @WaysandMeansGOP @NSAGov @ICEJofficial @USBorderSec @GovAbbott @DanPatrick https://t.co/snD6mQnmrj ; This is absolutely the way ... Twitter21 November 6:58PM on twitter.com/SusieBWakeland ID:58861.749022 65RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protecting America's southern border. He was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. The little boy in the picture will... Twitter21 November 6:58PM on twitter.com/musicgirl77 ID:58861.749023 66RT @RealSaavedra: This is U.S. Border Patrol ag... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealSaavedra: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life today while protecting America's southern border when he was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. That little boy no... Twitter21 November 6:58PM on twitter.com/stephen_gonella ID:58861.749024 67RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, Page 74 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001441 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000074 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter21 November 6:58PM on twitter.com/bjdunniw001 ID:58861.749025 68QT @VCorozzo: RT @oktobwhite: My condolences, I... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VCorozzo: RT @oktobwhite: My condolences, I'm sorry for your loss An honorable service and sacrafice to America, much respect. -We need to get… ; @SKYRIDER4538 @DrSchmalz @jasoninthehouse This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio... Twitter21 November 6:59PM on twitter.com/VCorozzo ID:58861.749026 69RT @1trump2016fan99: Border Bloodbath: a @Speak... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @1trump2016fan99: Border Bloodbath: a @SpeakerRyan Illegal Alien jumps Border Patrol Agent & crushes his skull with Boulders as Ryan's Illegals continue to Kill for access to American Welfare & other Freebies https://t.co/gLaadF2XKc Charlie Rose Twitter21 November 6:59PM on twitter.com/Matthew71693270 ID:58861.749027 70Border Patrol agent appeared to be ambushed by ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Border Patrol agent appeared to be ambushed by illegal immigrants, bashed with rocks before death - Fox News https://t.co/BnMrdQNc6N Twitter21 November 6:59PM on twitter.com/ColumnistDC ID:58861.749028 71@dormulc @a_armstrong13 @kylegriffin1 @CanBorde... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @dormulc @a_armstrong13 @kylegriffin1 @CanBorder @CustomsBorder Go ahead, Lucy, tell me all about it. Twitter21 November 6:59PM on twitter.com/DeepwaterPierat ID:58861.749029 72QT @JimboTaylor3: Just watched @ABC say they we... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @JimboTaylor3: Just watched @ABC say they were not sure what happened and it could have been a accident. Failed to mention his skull.... #WednesdayWisdom https://t.co/dqbi5Jmwo9 ; Media mostly ignores border patrol agent stoned to... Twitter21 November 6:59PM on twitter.com/RickLRoss ID:58861.749030 73RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer kill... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and must, build the Wall! Twitter21 November 6:59PM on twitter.com/melanieevas ID:58861.749031 74RT @StacyLStiles: Let’s not get carried away & ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @StacyLStiles: Let’s not get carried away & build a wall, though. When will they learn, @realDonaldTrump is ALWAYS right!? #BuildTheWall EXCLUSIVE: Illegal Aliens Killed Border Patrol Agent by Crushing in His Skull with Rocks, Says Twitter21 November 7:00PM on twitter.com/SusanChance2 ID:58861.749032 75RT @FoxNews: .@jessebwatters on @POTUS's Mexico... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FoxNews: .@jessebwatters on @POTUS's Mexico border wall plans: "When someone is killed w/ a gun, the left wants gun control, but when a border patrol agent is killed, you'd think that they'd want border Twitter21 November 7:00PM on twitter.com/RandyMcHenry ID:58861.749033 76FBI investigating Border Patrol agent's death a... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI FBI investigating Border Patrol agent's death as 'potential assault' - https://t.co/DAy8MaPWx4 Twitter21 November 7:00PM on twitter.com/AMartinez31 ID:58861.749034 77RT @DHSgov: ICYMI: Remembering Border Patrol Ag... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @DHSgov: ICYMI: Remembering Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez https://t.co/QnA1K6xEFh Twitter21 November 7:00PM on twitter.com/MarkShort65 ID:58861.749035 Page 75 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001442 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000075 78RT @BorderNarcotics: Statement by FBI El Paso o... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @BorderNarcotics: Statement by FBI El Paso on the death of Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez near Van Horn, Texas Twitter21 November 7:01PM on twitter.com/cali_polly ID:58861.749036 79RT @CNNnewsroom: Brandon Judd, President of the... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CNNnewsroom: Brandon Judd, President of the National Border Patrol Council, says he "absolutely approves" of the President's tweet pushing for a border wall after agent's killing https://t. co/DqSDay1vwG Twitter21 November 7:01PM on twitter.com/geewhiz1988 ID:58861.749037 80RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter21 November 7:01PM on twitter.com/RobertWalcutt ID:58861.749038 81RT @Doodisgirl: The Mexican born family of our ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Doodisgirl: The Mexican born family of our slain Border Patrol Agent says emphatically, “SECURE OUR BORDERS! How many more have to die?! #BuildTheWall!!” #illegals #LEGALImmigration #RIPAgentMartinez #SecureTheBorder https://t.co/r532OaiBPA Twitter21 November 7:01PM on twitter.com/imsure ID:58861.749039 82RT @MEL2AUSA: .@jessebwatters on @POTUS's Mexic... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @MEL2AUSA: .@jessebwatters on @POTUS's Mexico border wall plans: "When someone is killed w/ a gun, the left wants gun control, but when a border patrol agent is killed, you'd think that they'd want border Twitter21 November 6:58PM on twitter.com/Frankie27036530 ID:58861.749041 83QT @RealMAGASteve: RT @Shirley70974074: R.I.P R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @RealMAGASteve: RT @Shirley70974074: R.I.P Rogelio as God carries You home I send a prayer with you Thank you and your family for sharing your caring https… ; Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio... Twitter21 November 6:59PM on twitter.com/Shirley70974074 ID:58861.749042 84QT @hrkbenowen: RT @fredsgarden: You think a wa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @hrkbenowen: RT @fredsgarden: You think a wall through Big Bend is going to stop violent, black market drug business? Shouldn’t we just legalize drugs…... border patrol agent Rogelio Martinez proves there needs to be a border wall... Twitter21 November 6:59PM on twitter.com/maegan_laporte ID:58861.749043 85RT @DHSgov: ICYMI: Remembering Border Patrol Ag... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @DHSgov: ICYMI: Remembering Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez https://t.co/QnA1K6xEFh Twitter21 November 6:59PM on twitter.com/SteveDavidMikeV ID:58861.749044 86Manhunt on after apparent ambush leaves border ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Manhunt on after apparent ambush leaves border patrol agent dead https://t.co/pi4BO5Cplw Twitter21 November 7:00PM on twitter.com/blueapexdigital ID:58861.749045 87QT @CelesteKatzNYC: RT @SpyTalker: Lotsa doubts... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @CelesteKatzNYC: RT @SpyTalker: Lotsa doubts about that border patrol 'attack' now. Local sheriff, FBI still calling it an 'accident' and investigating. htt… ; ICYMI, spoke with @BPUnion about deadly #borderpatrol attacks in Texas on @... Twitter21 November 7:00PM on twitter.com/redboybroken ID:58861.749046 88QT @CelesteKatzNYC: RT @SpyTalker: Lotsa doubts... Page 76 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001443 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000076 View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @CelesteKatzNYC: RT @SpyTalker: Lotsa doubts about that border patrol 'attack' now. Local sheriff, FBI still calling it an 'accident' and investigating. htt… ; ICYMI, spoke with @BPUnion about deadly #borderpatrol attacks in Texas on @... Twitter21 November 7:00PM on twitter.com/ravenmatters ID:58861.749047 89RT @DHSgov: ICYMI: Remembering Border Patrol Ag... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @DHSgov: ICYMI: Remembering Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez https://t.co/QnA1K6xEFh Twitter21 November 7:00PM on twitter.com/PANYGAFLgirl ID:58861.749048 90RT @ALT_uscis: DHS OIG issued a report after in... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ALT_uscis: DHS OIG issued a report after investigating the attempt to force twitter to disclose identifiable information about this account. OIG: "Gov may have misused its authority" "CBP internal affairs unite regularly misused its subpoena power to... Twitter21 November 7:01PM on twitter.com/JirwemTheGreat ID:58861.749049 91RT @Doodisgirl: The Mexican born family of our ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Doodisgirl: The Mexican born family of our slain Border Patrol Agent says emphatically, “SECURE OUR BORDERS! How many more have to die?! #BuildTheWall!!” #illegals #LEGALImmigration #RIPAgentMartinez #SecureTheBorder https://t.co/r532OaiBPA Twitter21 November 7:01PM on twitter.com/jwelsh75 ID:58861.749050 92RT @Doodisgirl: The Mexican born family of our ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Doodisgirl: The Mexican born family of our slain Border Patrol Agent says emphatically, “SECURE OUR BORDERS! How many more have to die?! #BuildTheWall!!” #illegals #LEGALImmigration #RIPAgentMartinez #SecureTheBorder https://t.co/r532OaiBPA Twitter21 November 7:01PM on twitter.com/rkcqp ID:58861.749051 93RT @Trumpsignguy: ILLEGAL ALIENS are ambushing ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Trumpsignguy: ILLEGAL ALIENS are ambushing and killing with rocks our HOPELESS BORDER PATROL AGENTS! Please America! It's time to do something NOW! Innocent Americans are being killed at the hands of ILLEGAL EVIL ANIMALS! https://t.co/LbkSjqLpwn Twitter21 November 7:01PM on twitter.com/USA_Samaritan ID:58861.749052 94RT @TheStelian: This is U.S. Border Patrol agen... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @TheStelian: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogelio Martinez. He lost his life today while protecting America's southern border when he was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens. That little boy no longer has a dad. We cannot... Twitter21 November 7:01PM on twitter.com/Happyheart411 ID:58861.749053 95RT @CloydRivers: RIP U.S. Border Patrol agent R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CloydRivers: RIP U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. While on patrol, he was murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. This little boy no longer has a dad. Build that fcking Wall. Merica. https Twitter21 November 7:01PM on twitter.com/mtori10 ID:58861.749054 96RT @PinkBelgium: We Must #BuildTheWall Now... I... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @PinkBelgium: We Must #BuildTheWall Now... It Became A Major Priority For The Country @POTUS @realDonaldTrump #MAGA - Texas Governor Offers $20,000 for Info on 'Murder' of Border Patrol Agent https://t.co/gHotP1H85L Twitter21 November 7:01PM on twitter.com/redlipstckkiss ID:58861.749055 97RT @Sidesho30042785: @JosephLocus @boykin_doug ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Sidesho30042785: @JosephLocus @boykin_doug @ODMP @NYPDnews @laker477 @ojsf2884 @lonestarexile @altai_gear @BackThePolice @dallasgoingblue @kissimmeepolice @CustomsBorder Here in Brazil 180 police officers killed. Just in state of Rio Page 77 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001444 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000077 Twitter21 November 7:01PM on twitter.com/SusieCa00964694 ID:58861.749056 98RT @AMartinez31: FBI investigating Border Patro... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @AMartinez31: FBI investigating Border Patrol agent's death as 'potential assault' - https://t. co/DAy8MaPWx4 Twitter21 November 7:01PM on twitter.com/AaronBrac ID:58861.749057 99RT @1trump2016fan99: Border Bloodbath: a @Speak... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @1trump2016fan99: Border Bloodbath: a @SpeakerRyan Illegal Alien jumps Border Patrol Agent & crushes his skull with Boulders as Ryan's Illegals continue to Kill for access to American Welfare & other Freebies https://t.co/gLaadF2XKc Charlie Rose Twitter21 November 7:01PM on twitter.com/AmericanRising ID:58861.749058 100QT @realDonaldTrump: RT @kelliwardaz: We must #... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realDonaldTrump: RT @kelliwardaz: We must #BuildTheWall! https://t.co/BR47tlqHGr https://t. co/q6iu4UR4oo ; Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and Twitter21 November 7:02PM on twitter.com/smaddiebird ID:58861.749059 sysomos.com @sysomos support unsubscribe Page 78 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001445 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000078 From : To: Cc: Bee: Subject: Date: Attachments : Sysomos Tweets cross ing 600 threshho ld Tue Nov 21 2017 20:05:39 EST New Content in Heartbeat US Customs and Border Protect ion More than 100 new since the last check on November 21, 2017 at 7:00PM EST 1 RT @PinkBelgium : We Must #BuildTheWa ll Now ... I. .. View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @PinkBelgium: We Must #BuildTheWall Now ... It Became A Major Priority For The Country @POTUS @realDonaldTrump #MAGA - Texas Governor Offers $20,000 for Info on 'Murder' of Border Patrol Agent https://t.co/gHotP1 H85L Twitter21 November 6:54PM on twitter .com/m_lonz ID:58861.748953 2RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer kill. .. View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realDona ldTrump: Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsib le. We will, and must, build the Wall! Twitter21 November 6:55PM on twitter .com/cap8787 ID:58861.748954 3RT @ReaINewsX2: Border Patrol Agent Killed: Wil. .. View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Rea INewsX2: Border Patrol Agent Killed: Will OHS Pick Kill Trump 's Border Agenda: https ://t. co/sSlksxE6hB via @YouTube Twitter21 November 6:55PM on twitter .com/Trump48_62 ID:58861.748955 4QT @Doodisg irl: RT@AmericanRos ie: .@realDona ld ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT@Doodisgir l: RT @AmericanRosie: .@realDonaldTrumphttps: //t.co/lwv8oowqXQ ; The Mexican born family of our slain Border Patrol Agent says emphat ically, "SECURE OUR BORDERS! How many more have to die?! #BuildTheWa ll!!" #illega ls #LEGALlmm igration # Twitter21 November 6:55PM on twitter .com/Doodisgirl ID:58861.748956 5RT @GregAbbott_ TX: I'm offering a reward to hel. .. View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GregAbbott_ TX: I'm offering a reward to help solve this murder of a Border Patrol Agent in Texas . Help us catch this killer. #txlege #tcot #BorderPatrol https://t.co/jYzy8uNs7y Twitter21 November 6:55PM on twitter .com/billready4fun ID:58861.748957 6RT@TishaWa8: Juan Williams stated nobody in Am ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @TishaWa8: Juan Williams stated nobody in America wants the border wall. What rock has he been hiding behind. Over 700 assaults this yr on border patrol by illega ls and this wk one killed. Border wall funding tide Twitter21 November 6:55PM on twitter .com/Melissa1opinion ID:58861.748958 ?QT @thehill: Of course Trump tweeted about his ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @thehill : Of course Trump tweeted about his stupid wall before he was even briefed about what CBP FOIA 001446 Page 79 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000079 happened. https://t.co/5MBywvvH31 ; Authorities believe border patrol agent who died in Texas may have fallen https://t.co/bZKOqhDqGV https://t.co Twitter21 November 6:56PM on twitter.com/mamajello ID:58861.748959 8RT @Doodisgirl: The Mexican born family of our ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Doodisgirl: The Mexican born family of our slain Border Patrol Agent says emphatically, “SECURE OUR BORDERS! How many more have to die?! #BuildTheWall!!” #illegals #LEGALImmigration #RIPAgentMartinez #SecureTheBorder https://t.co/r532OaiBPA Twitter21 November 6:56PM on twitter.com/GodSaveAmerica1 ID:58861.748960 9DHS OIG issued a report after investigating the... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI DHS OIG issued a report after investigating the attempt to force twitter to disclose identifiable information about this account. OIG: "Gov may have misused its authority" "CBP internal affairs unite regularly misused its subpoena power to get information" https Twitter21 November 6:56PM on twitter.com/ALT_uscis ID:58861.748961 10QT @KTLAMorningNews: I find it strange no one m... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @KTLAMorningNews: I find it strange no one mentions that this is nowhere “close” to the border. The surviving officer was in radio contact... https://t.co/IS6JumTrtK ; Border Patrol Agents in Texas Had Traumatic Head Injuries, But... Twitter21 November 6:56PM on twitter.com/JLP20 ID:58861.748962 11RT @1trump2016fan99: Border Bloodbath: a @Speak... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @1trump2016fan99: Border Bloodbath: a @SpeakerRyan Illegal Alien jumps Border Patrol Agent & crushes his skull with Boulders as Ryan's Illegals continue to Kill for access to American Welfare & other Freebies https://t.co/gLaadF2XKc Charlie Rose Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/ArthurSteller ID:58861.748963 12RT @StevenTDennis: Aside from Medicare, the mos... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @StevenTDennis: Aside from Medicare, the most interesting automatic spending cut if the tax bill passes without a waiver might be the Border Patrol. Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/jckthesword ID:58861.748964 13RT @eissolomon11: Illegal Aliens Killed Border ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @eissolomon11: Illegal Aliens Killed Border Patrol Agent by Crushing in His Skull with Rocks, Says NBPC https://t.co/yeXhdY64wz via @BreitbartNews https://t.co/ZdI21hkJLi Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/85EJones ID:58861.748965 14@CustomsBorder we are so sorry to hear that :( ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @CustomsBorder we are so sorry to hear that :( my sympathy for your tragic loss, you all protect us we must never forget that Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/TruthWarrior4DT ID:58861.748966 15RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to hel... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to help solve this murder of a Border Patrol Agent in Texas. Help us catch this killer. #txlege #tcot #BorderPatrol https://t.co/jYzy8uNs7y Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/ThorHammerRadio ID:58861.748967 16RT @ALT_uscis: DHS OIG issued a report after in... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ALT_uscis: DHS OIG issued a report after investigating the attempt to force twitter to disclose identifiable information about this account. OIG: "Gov may have misused its authority" "CBP internal affairs unite regularly misused its subpoena power to... Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/TabbyChaps ID:58861.748968 17RT @FoxNews: .@jessebwatters on @POTUS's Mexico... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FoxNews: .@jessebwatters on @POTUS's Mexico border wall plans: "When someone is killed w/ Page 80 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001447 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000080 a gun, the left wants gun control, but when a border patrol agent is killed, you'd think that they'd want border Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/ThaKota ID:58861.748969 18RT @DHSgov: ICYMI: Remembering Border Patrol Ag... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @DHSgov: ICYMI: Remembering Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez https://t.co/QnA1K6xEFh Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/american_im ID:58861.748970 19RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/RastelliMichael ID:58861.748971 20RT @ABCWorldNews: The FBI revealing details of ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ABCWorldNews: The FBI revealing details of the investigation into an incident involving two border patrol agents in South Texas--one has dead and the other in critical condition. @marcusmoore has details. https://t.co/Mb1Pp6OH5f https://t.co Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/billh445 ID:58861.748972 21RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/alan_no1 ID:58861.748973 22@ODMP @NYPDnews @laker477 @ojsf2884 @lonestarex... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @ODMP @NYPDnews @laker477 @ojsf2884 @lonestarexile @altai_gear @BackThePolice @dallasgoingblue @kissimmeepolice @CustomsBorder Yes, Brazil is one of the most difficult to police. It's war! Twitter21 November 6:58PM on twitter.com/JosephLocus ID:58861.748974 23QT @UnfilteredSE: @AndyLevy is back for another... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @UnfilteredSE: @AndyLevy is back for another fill-in for @secupp. Come and join the gang in two minutes... https://t.co/YsZqbSNfP2 ; Toni... and @SabrinaSiddiqui. We'll cover: Congressional misconduct, the death of a border patrol... Twitter21 November 6:58PM on twitter.com/RedEyeAlerts ID:58861.748975 24RT @NBCNightlyNews: One US Border Patrol agent ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @NBCNightlyNews: One US Border Patrol agent dead. Another seriously injured. What happened? @KerryNBC has the latest now on @NBCNightlyNews. Twitter21 November 6:58PM on twitter.com/MFreema94364816 ID:58861.748976 25Brian A. Terry #USBP agents arrest previously d... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Brian A. Terry #USBP agents arrest previously deported Suerno Gang member near Naco, Arizona #CBP is #KeepingAmericaSafe #HonorFirst Details:https://t.co/5Jce3xOAP3 https://t.co/ihbV53UNMg Twitter21 November 6:59PM on twitter.com/CBPArizona ID:58861.748977 26RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protecting America's southern border. He was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. The little boy in the picture will... Twitter21 November 6:54PM on twitter.com/blynsinop ID:58861.748979 27QT @Doodisgirl: .@realDonaldTrump https://t.co/... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @Doodisgirl: .@realDonaldTrump https://t.co/lwv8oowqXQ ; The Mexican born family of our slain Page 81 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001448 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000081 Border Patrol Agent says emphatically, “SECURE OUR BORDERS! How many more have to die?! #BuildTheWall!!” #illegals #LEGALImmigration #RIPAgentMartinez #SecureTheBorder Twitter21 November 6:54PM on twitter.com/AmericanRosie ID:58861.748980 28RT @mofa_kr: 한국인 85명이 애틀란타 입국 거부로 한국으로 송환되었다는 보... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @mofa_kr: 한국인 85명이 애틀란타 입국 거부로 한국으로 송환되었다는 보도 관련, 주애틀랜타총영 사관은 상기 통보 접수 즉시, 미국 방문을 기획한 단체관계자 및 연방세관국경보호국(CBP) 관계자를 접 촉, 우리국민들의 미국 방문 및 입국 거부 경위를 파악하였습니다.(1) Twitter21 November 6:55PM on twitter.com/b3a52b557f8f405 ID:58861.748981 29QT @RealSaavedra: RT @denlusk13: The responsibi... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @RealSaavedra: RT @denlusk13: The responsibility is on the the heads of Obama and the democrat crime syndicate. Murderers! https://t.co/xEmf6u9Mxt ; This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life today while protecting... Twitter21 November 6:55PM on twitter.com/mrwndrflxoxo ID:58861.748982 30QT @RealSaavedra: RT @AnnCoulter: Today's BORDE... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @RealSaavedra: RT @AnnCoulter: Today's BORDER WALL CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: Miles completed yesterday-Zero; Miles completed since Inauguration-- Zero. NEXT UP… ; This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life today while protecting America's southern border... Twitter21 November 6:56PM on twitter.com/solos4242 ID:58861.748983 31RT @ALT_uscis: DHS OIG issued a report after in... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ALT_uscis: DHS OIG issued a report after investigating the attempt to force twitter to disclose identifiable information about this account. OIG: "Gov may have misused its authority" "CBP internal affairs unite regularly misused its subpoena power to... Twitter21 November 6:56PM on twitter.com/Sisu_Eagle ID:58861.748984 32RT @Doodisgirl: The Mexican born family of our ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Doodisgirl: The Mexican born family of our slain Border Patrol Agent says emphatically, “SECURE OUR BORDERS! How many more have to die?! #BuildTheWall!!” #illegals #LEGALImmigration #RIPAgentMartinez #SecureTheBorder https://t.co/r532OaiBPA Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/cheaptrickone ID:58861.748985 33RT @CloydRivers: RIP U.S. Border Patrol agent R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CloydRivers: RIP U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. While on patrol, he was murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. This little boy no longer has a dad. Build that fcking Wall. Merica. https Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/madison_ryndak ID:58861.748986 34RT @kev4congress: Disappointing that Leftists p... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @kev4congress: Disappointing that Leftists protest at event honoring fallen Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry who was killed protecting Americans from heavily armed drug smugglers entering the country. Terry's killer Osorio-Arellanes had been deported 7 times prior to Twitter21 November 6:58PM on twitter.com/lenaluckylou ID:58861.748987 35RT @1trump2016fan99: Border Bloodbath: a @Speak... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @1trump2016fan99: Border Bloodbath: a @SpeakerRyan Illegal Alien jumps Border Patrol Agent & crushes his skull with Boulders as Ryan's Illegals continue to Kill for access to American Welfare & other Freebies https://t.co/gLaadF2XKc Charlie Rose Twitter21 November 6:58PM on twitter.com/JAGHUNTERS ID:58861.748988 36RT @mrntweet2: Bring Law & Order Back To Americ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @mrntweet2: Bring Law & Order Back To America EXCLUSIVE: Illegal Aliens Killed Border Patrol Agent by Crushing in His Skull with Rocks, Says NBPC https://t.co/IyPGrfH3EC Twitter21 November 6:58PM on twitter.com/papadeero ID:58861.748989 Page 82 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001449 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000082 37Brian A.Terry #USBP agents arrest previously de... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Brian A.Terry #USBP agents arrest previously deported Suerno Gang member near Naco, Arizona #CBP is #KeepingAmericaSafe #HonorFirst Details:https://t.co/5Jce3xOAP3 https://t.co/LTca99PFIX Twitter21 November 6:58PM on twitter.com/CBPArizona ID:58861.748990 38RT @CNNnewsroom: Brandon Judd, President of the... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CNNnewsroom: Brandon Judd, President of the National Border Patrol Council, says he "absolutely approves" of the President's tweet pushing for a border wall after agent's killing https://t. co/DqSDay1vwG Twitter21 November 6:58PM on twitter.com/ene3112 ID:58861.748991 39RT @mrntweet2: Bring Law & Order Back To Americ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @mrntweet2: Bring Law & Order Back To America EXCLUSIVE: Illegal Aliens Killed Border Patrol Agent by Crushing in His Skull with Rocks, Says NBPC https://t.co/IyPGrfH3EC Twitter21 November 6:58PM on twitter.com/MeedgeKnowsBest ID:58861.748992 40RT @DHSgov: ICYMI: Remembering Border Patrol Ag... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @DHSgov: ICYMI: Remembering Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez https://t.co/QnA1K6xEFh Twitter21 November 6:56PM on twitter.com/CarolAnnLemon1 ID:58861.748995 41@bradheath @CustomsBorder https://t.co/xQCMcdAUII View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @bradheath @CustomsBorder https://t.co/xQCMcdAUII Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/ALT_uscis ID:58861.748996 42RT @MarcoGutierrez: #RIP Rogelio Martinez, you ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @MarcoGutierrez: #RIP Rogelio Martinez, you served America with honor! #CBP #RogelioMartinez #SB54REFERENDUM @SB54Referendum @BBergquam @LaCasaBlanca @Harlan @simi510 @ArthurCSchaper https://t.co/Z6DHCSeH4d Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/jancanmanage ID:58861.748997 43RT @NBCNightlyNews: One US Border Patrol agent ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @NBCNightlyNews: One US Border Patrol agent dead. Another seriously injured. What happened? @KerryNBC has the latest now on @NBCNightlyNews. Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/Hood318Lahood ID:58861.748998 44RT @DHSgov: ICYMI: Remembering Border Patrol Ag... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @DHSgov: ICYMI: Remembering Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez https://t.co/QnA1K6xEFh Twitter21 November 6:59PM on twitter.com/DanWell62287730 ID:58861.748999 45@segalmr Sad a foreign flag carrier shows more ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @segalmr Sad a foreign flag carrier shows more deference to the law (court order). I wonder if CBP retaliation against U.S. flag carriers influenced their decision to comply with the illegal designation. Twitter21 November 6:59PM on twitter.com/mccauley_liz ID:58861.749000 46RT @CBPArizona: Douglas and Brian A. Terry Stat... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CBPArizona: Douglas and Brian A. Terry Station #USBP agents arrest registered sex offenders after they illegally entered the U.S. in southeast Arizona #CBP is #KeepingAmericaSafe #HonorFirst Details: https://t.co/oNpWBN3GrR https://t.co/Mg6XJZKfcJ Twitter21 November 6:59PM on twitter.com/ArizonaNewsnet ID:58861.749001 47QT @Carolde: RT @realOBF: American hero. Died d... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @Carolde: RT @realOBF: American hero. Died defending the homeland. https://t.co/4M0u5ik50r https://t.co/piXz9Vnb0i ; This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protecting America's southern border. He was reportedly murdered by... Twitter21 November 7:00PM on twitter.com/veroniqueUS ID:58861.749002 Page 83 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001450 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000083 48RT @mofa_kr: 한국인 85명이 애틀란타 입국 거부로 한국으로 송환되었다는 보... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @mofa_kr: 한국인 85명이 애틀란타 입국 거부로 한국으로 송환되었다는 보도 관련, 주애틀랜타총영 사관은 상기 통보 접수 즉시, 미국 방문을 기획한 단체관계자 및 연방세관국경보호국(CBP) 관계자를 접 촉, 우리국민들의 미국 방문 및 입국 거부 경위를 파악하였습니다.(1) Twitter21 November 7:00PM on twitter.com/jraljazzboy ID:58861.749003 49QT @BreitbartTexas: RT @THETXEMBASSY: 22-year-o... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @BreitbartTexas: RT @THETXEMBASSY: 22-year-old Mexican Dreamer, runs into America, throws dirt in our agent’s face. #NotMyResident The agent managed to sub… ; Illegal Immigrant Assaults Border Patrol Agent in Arizona https://t.co/J2z2H9WxPj Twitter21 November 7:00PM on twitter.com/2Aorigin ID:58861.749004 50RT @CBPArizona: Brian A. Terry #USBP agents arr... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CBPArizona: Brian A. Terry #USBP agents arrest previously deported Suerno Gang member near Naco, Arizona #CBP is #KeepingAmericaSafe #HonorFirst Details:https://t.co/5Jce3xOAP3 https://t. co/ihbV53UNMg Twitter21 November 7:00PM on twitter.com/amMsBehavin ID:58861.749005 51QT @Trumpsignguy: RT @Trumpsignguy: @MarkRay198... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @Trumpsignguy: RT @Trumpsignguy: @MarkRay1980 https://t.co/pRuIMI8M09 ; ILLEGAL ALIENS are ambushing and killing with rocks our HOPELESS BORDER PATROL AGENTS! Please America! It's time to do something NOW! Innocent Americans are being killed at the Twitter21 November 7:00PM on twitter.com/MarkRay1980 ID:58861.749006 52RT @ALT_uscis: DHS OIG issued a report after in... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ALT_uscis: DHS OIG issued a report after investigating the attempt to force twitter to disclose identifiable information about this account. OIG: "Gov may have misused its authority" "CBP internal affairs unite regularly misused its subpoena power to... Twitter21 November 7:00PM on twitter.com/chadglasn ID:58861.749007 53RT @Sidesho30042785: @JosephLocus @boykin_doug ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Sidesho30042785: @JosephLocus @boykin_doug @ODMP @NYPDnews @laker477 @ojsf2884 @lonestarexile @altai_gear @BackThePolice @dallasgoingblue @kissimmeepolice @CustomsBorder Here in Brazil 180 police officers killed. Just in state of Rio Twitter21 November 7:00PM on twitter.com/boykin_doug ID:58861.749008 54RT @david_thomp: EXCLUSIVE: Illegal Aliens Kill... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @david_thomp: EXCLUSIVE: Illegal Aliens Killed Border Patrol Agent by Crushing in His Skull with Rocks, Says NBPC @BreitbartTexas Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell where the H*ll is the money for the Wall! Twitter21 November 7:01PM on twitter.com/BFISA ID:58861.749009 55Speculation but few answers after Border Patrol... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Speculation but few answers after Border Patrol agent’s death https://t.co/kxUSDosXTr Twitter21 November 7:01PM on twitter.com/SpammersNotMe ID:58861.749010 56RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/sofiaelpidagapi ID:58861.749014 57RT @CloydRivers: RIP U.S. Border Patrol agent R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CloydRivers: RIP U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. While on patrol, he was murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. This little boy no longer has a dad. Build that fcking Wall. Page 84 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001451 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000084 Merica. https Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/ZeltricRblx ID:58861.749015 58RT @ALT_uscis: DHS OIG issued a report after in... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ALT_uscis: DHS OIG issued a report after investigating the attempt to force twitter to disclose identifiable information about this account. OIG: "Gov may have misused its authority" "CBP internal affairs unite regularly misused its subpoena power to... Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/fabricationista ID:58861.749016 59QT @GregAbbott_TX: RT @SykesforSenate: There ar... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @GregAbbott_TX: RT @SykesforSenate: There are more deaths due to armed conflict in Mexico than Iraq or Afghanistan each year. #BuildTheWall and stop violen… ; I... Border Patrol Agent in Texas. Help us catch this killer. #txlege #... Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/Necolodian ID:58861.749017 60RT @DHSgov: ICYMI: Remembering Border Patrol Ag... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @DHSgov: ICYMI: Remembering Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez https://t.co/QnA1K6xEFh Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/UniverseatLarge ID:58861.749018 61QT @Carolde: #RIP #BlueLivesMatter https://t.co... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @Carolde: #RIP #BlueLivesMatter https://t.co/Lm0jm4PaER ; This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protecting America's southern border. He was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks... Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/DBZDoll ID:58861.749019 62RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to hel... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GregAbbott_TX: I’m offering a reward to help solve this murder of a Border Patrol Agent in Texas. Help us catch this killer. #txlege #tcot #BorderPatrol https://t.co/jYzy8uNs7y Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/lholmberg2010 ID:58861.749020 63RT @mrntweet2: Bring Law & Order Back To Americ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @mrntweet2: Bring Law & Order Back To America EXCLUSIVE: Illegal Aliens Killed Border Patrol Agent by Crushing in His Skull with Rocks, Says NBPC https://t.co/IyPGrfH3EC Twitter21 November 6:57PM on twitter.com/LeahR77 ID:58861.749021 64QT @SusieBWakeland: @realDonaldTrump @POTUS @Wh... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @SusieBWakeland: @realDonaldTrump @POTUS @WhiteHouse @mike_pence @VP @SenateMajLdr @SenateGOP @SpeakerRyan @HouseGOP @SenTedCruz @JohnCornyn @MickMulvaneyOMB @GOPLeader @WaysandMeansGOP @NSAGov @ICEJofficial @USBorderSec @GovAbbott @DanPatrick https://t.co/snD6mQnmrj ; This is absolutely the way ... Twitter21 November 6:58PM on twitter.com/SusieBWakeland ID:58861.749022 65RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protecting America's southern border. He was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. The little boy in the picture will... Twitter21 November 6:58PM on twitter.com/musicgirl77 ID:58861.749023 66RT @RealSaavedra: This is U.S. Border Patrol ag... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealSaavedra: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life today while protecting America's southern border when he was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. That little boy no... Twitter21 November 6:58PM on twitter.com/stephen_gonella ID:58861.749024 67RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, Page 85 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001452 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000085 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter21 November 6:58PM on twitter.com/bjdunniw001 ID:58861.749025 68QT @VCorozzo: RT @oktobwhite: My condolences, I... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VCorozzo: RT @oktobwhite: My condolences, I'm sorry for your loss An honorable service and sacrafice to America, much respect. -We need to get… ; @SKYRIDER4538 @DrSchmalz @jasoninthehouse This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio... Twitter21 November 6:59PM on twitter.com/VCorozzo ID:58861.749026 69RT @1trump2016fan99: Border Bloodbath: a @Speak... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @1trump2016fan99: Border Bloodbath: a @SpeakerRyan Illegal Alien jumps Border Patrol Agent & crushes his skull with Boulders as Ryan's Illegals continue to Kill for access to American Welfare & other Freebies https://t.co/gLaadF2XKc Charlie Rose Twitter21 November 6:59PM on twitter.com/Matthew71693270 ID:58861.749027 70Border Patrol agent appeared to be ambushed by ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Border Patrol agent appeared to be ambushed by illegal immigrants, bashed with rocks before death - Fox News https://t.co/BnMrdQNc6N Twitter21 November 6:59PM on twitter.com/ColumnistDC ID:58861.749028 71@dormulc @a_armstrong13 @kylegriffin1 @CanBorde... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @dormulc @a_armstrong13 @kylegriffin1 @CanBorder @CustomsBorder Go ahead, Lucy, tell me all about it. Twitter21 November 6:59PM on twitter.com/DeepwaterPierat ID:58861.749029 72QT @JimboTaylor3: Just watched @ABC say they we... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @JimboTaylor3: Just watched @ABC say they were not sure what happened and it could have been a accident. Failed to mention his skull.... #WednesdayWisdom https://t.co/dqbi5Jmwo9 ; Media mostly ignores border patrol agent stoned to... Twitter21 November 6:59PM on twitter.com/RickLRoss ID:58861.749030 73RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer kill... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @realDonaldTrump: Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and must, build the Wall! Twitter21 November 6:59PM on twitter.com/melanieevas ID:58861.749031 74RT @StacyLStiles: Let’s not get carried away & ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @StacyLStiles: Let’s not get carried away & build a wall, though. When will they learn, @realDonaldTrump is ALWAYS right!? #BuildTheWall EXCLUSIVE: Illegal Aliens Killed Border Patrol Agent by Crushing in His Skull with Rocks, Says Twitter21 November 7:00PM on twitter.com/SusanChance2 ID:58861.749032 75RT @FoxNews: .@jessebwatters on @POTUS's Mexico... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @FoxNews: .@jessebwatters on @POTUS's Mexico border wall plans: "When someone is killed w/ a gun, the left wants gun control, but when a border patrol agent is killed, you'd think that they'd want border Twitter21 November 7:00PM on twitter.com/RandyMcHenry ID:58861.749033 76FBI investigating Border Patrol agent's death a... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI FBI investigating Border Patrol agent's death as 'potential assault' - https://t.co/DAy8MaPWx4 Twitter21 November 7:00PM on twitter.com/AMartinez31 ID:58861.749034 77RT @DHSgov: ICYMI: Remembering Border Patrol Ag... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @DHSgov: ICYMI: Remembering Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez https://t.co/QnA1K6xEFh Twitter21 November 7:00PM on twitter.com/MarkShort65 ID:58861.749035 Page 86 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001453 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000086 78RT @BorderNarcotics: Statement by FBI El Paso o... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @BorderNarcotics: Statement by FBI El Paso on the death of Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez near Van Horn, Texas Twitter21 November 7:01PM on twitter.com/cali_polly ID:58861.749036 79RT @CNNnewsroom: Brandon Judd, President of the... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CNNnewsroom: Brandon Judd, President of the National Border Patrol Council, says he "absolutely approves" of the President's tweet pushing for a border wall after agent's killing https://t. co/DqSDay1vwG Twitter21 November 7:01PM on twitter.com/geewhiz1988 ID:58861.749037 80RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember Unit... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RealMAGASteve: Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36. He was K.I.A. November 19, 2017. Our thought & prayers are with his family, friends and fellow USBP agents. R.I.P. Rogelio, You Are Gone But Twitter21 November 7:01PM on twitter.com/RobertWalcutt ID:58861.749038 81RT @Doodisgirl: The Mexican born family of our ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Doodisgirl: The Mexican born family of our slain Border Patrol Agent says emphatically, “SECURE OUR BORDERS! How many more have to die?! #BuildTheWall!!” #illegals #LEGALImmigration #RIPAgentMartinez #SecureTheBorder https://t.co/r532OaiBPA Twitter21 November 7:01PM on twitter.com/imsure ID:58861.749039 82RT @MEL2AUSA: .@jessebwatters on @POTUS's Mexic... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @MEL2AUSA: .@jessebwatters on @POTUS's Mexico border wall plans: "When someone is killed w/ a gun, the left wants gun control, but when a border patrol agent is killed, you'd think that they'd want border Twitter21 November 6:58PM on twitter.com/Frankie27036530 ID:58861.749041 83QT @RealMAGASteve: RT @Shirley70974074: R.I.P R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @RealMAGASteve: RT @Shirley70974074: R.I.P Rogelio as God carries You home I send a prayer with you Thank you and your family for sharing your caring https… ; Please help me remember United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio... Twitter21 November 6:59PM on twitter.com/Shirley70974074 ID:58861.749042 84QT @hrkbenowen: RT @fredsgarden: You think a wa... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @hrkbenowen: RT @fredsgarden: You think a wall through Big Bend is going to stop violent, black market drug business? Shouldn’t we just legalize drugs…... border patrol agent Rogelio Martinez proves there needs to be a border wall... Twitter21 November 6:59PM on twitter.com/maegan_laporte ID:58861.749043 85RT @DHSgov: ICYMI: Remembering Border Patrol Ag... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @DHSgov: ICYMI: Remembering Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez https://t.co/QnA1K6xEFh Twitter21 November 6:59PM on twitter.com/SteveDavidMikeV ID:58861.749044 86Manhunt on after apparent ambush leaves border ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Manhunt on after apparent ambush leaves border patrol agent dead https://t.co/pi4BO5Cplw Twitter21 November 7:00PM on twitter.com/blueapexdigital ID:58861.749045 87QT @CelesteKatzNYC: RT @SpyTalker: Lotsa doubts... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @CelesteKatzNYC: RT @SpyTalker: Lotsa doubts about that border patrol 'attack' now. Local sheriff, FBI still calling it an 'accident' and investigating. htt… ; ICYMI, spoke with @BPUnion about deadly #borderpatrol attacks in Texas on @... Twitter21 November 7:00PM on twitter.com/redboybroken ID:58861.749046 88QT @CelesteKatzNYC: RT @SpyTalker: Lotsa doubts... Page 87 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001454 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000087 View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @CelesteKatzNYC: RT @SpyTalker: Lotsa doubts about that border patrol 'attack' now. Local sheriff, FBI still calling it an 'accident' and investigating. htt… ; ICYMI, spoke with @BPUnion about deadly #borderpatrol attacks in Texas on @... Twitter21 November 7:00PM on twitter.com/ravenmatters ID:58861.749047 89RT @DHSgov: ICYMI: Remembering Border Patrol Ag... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @DHSgov: ICYMI: Remembering Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez https://t.co/QnA1K6xEFh Twitter21 November 7:00PM on twitter.com/PANYGAFLgirl ID:58861.749048 90RT @ALT_uscis: DHS OIG issued a report after in... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ALT_uscis: DHS OIG issued a report after investigating the attempt to force twitter to disclose identifiable information about this account. OIG: "Gov may have misused its authority" "CBP internal affairs unite regularly misused its subpoena power to... Twitter21 November 7:01PM on twitter.com/JirwemTheGreat ID:58861.749049 91RT @Doodisgirl: The Mexican born family of our ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Doodisgirl: The Mexican born family of our slain Border Patrol Agent says emphatically, “SECURE OUR BORDERS! How many more have to die?! #BuildTheWall!!” #illegals #LEGALImmigration #RIPAgentMartinez #SecureTheBorder https://t.co/r532OaiBPA Twitter21 November 7:01PM on twitter.com/jwelsh75 ID:58861.749050 92RT @Doodisgirl: The Mexican born family of our ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Doodisgirl: The Mexican born family of our slain Border Patrol Agent says emphatically, “SECURE OUR BORDERS! How many more have to die?! #BuildTheWall!!” #illegals #LEGALImmigration #RIPAgentMartinez #SecureTheBorder https://t.co/r532OaiBPA Twitter21 November 7:01PM on twitter.com/rkcqp ID:58861.749051 93RT @Trumpsignguy: ILLEGAL ALIENS are ambushing ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Trumpsignguy: ILLEGAL ALIENS are ambushing and killing with rocks our HOPELESS BORDER PATROL AGENTS! Please America! It's time to do something NOW! Innocent Americans are being killed at the hands of ILLEGAL EVIL ANIMALS! https://t.co/LbkSjqLpwn Twitter21 November 7:01PM on twitter.com/USA_Samaritan ID:58861.749052 94RT @TheStelian: This is U.S. Border Patrol agen... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @TheStelian: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogelio Martinez. He lost his life today while protecting America's southern border when he was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens. That little boy no longer has a dad. We cannot... Twitter21 November 7:01PM on twitter.com/Happyheart411 ID:58861.749053 95RT @CloydRivers: RIP U.S. Border Patrol agent R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CloydRivers: RIP U.S. Border Patrol agent Rogilio Martinez. While on patrol, he was murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. This little boy no longer has a dad. Build that fcking Wall. Merica. https Twitter21 November 7:01PM on twitter.com/mtori10 ID:58861.749054 96RT @PinkBelgium: We Must #BuildTheWall Now... I... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @PinkBelgium: We Must #BuildTheWall Now... It Became A Major Priority For The Country @POTUS @realDonaldTrump #MAGA - Texas Governor Offers $20,000 for Info on 'Murder' of Border Patrol Agent https://t.co/gHotP1H85L Twitter21 November 7:01PM on twitter.com/redlipstckkiss ID:58861.749055 97RT @Sidesho30042785: @JosephLocus @boykin_doug ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Sidesho30042785: @JosephLocus @boykin_doug @ODMP @NYPDnews @laker477 @ojsf2884 @lonestarexile @altai_gear @BackThePolice @dallasgoingblue @kissimmeepolice @CustomsBorder Here in Brazil 180 police officers killed. Just in state of Rio Page 88 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001455 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000088 Twitter21 November 7:01PM on twitter.com/SusieCa00964694 ID:58861.749056 98RT @AMartinez31: FBI investigating Border Patro... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @AMartinez31: FBI investigating Border Patrol agent's death as 'potential assault' - https://t. co/DAy8MaPWx4 Twitter21 November 7:01PM on twitter.com/AaronBrac ID:58861.749057 99RT @1trump2016fan99: Border Bloodbath: a @Speak... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @1trump2016fan99: Border Bloodbath: a @SpeakerRyan Illegal Alien jumps Border Patrol Agent & crushes his skull with Boulders as Ryan's Illegals continue to Kill for access to American Welfare & other Freebies https://t.co/gLaadF2XKc Charlie Rose Twitter21 November 7:01PM on twitter.com/AmericanRising ID:58861.749058 100QT @realDonaldTrump: RT @kelliwardaz: We must #... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @realDonaldTrump: RT @kelliwardaz: We must #BuildTheWall! https://t.co/BR47tlqHGr https://t. co/q6iu4UR4oo ; Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and Twitter21 November 7:02PM on twitter.com/smaddiebird ID:58861.749059 sysomos.com @sysomos support unsubscribe Page 89 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001456 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000089 From : To: Cc: Bee: Subject: Date : Attachments : Sysomos Tweets cross ing 600 threshho ld Tue Nov 21 2017 19:04:59 EST New Content in Heartbeat US Customs and Border Protect ion More than 100 new since the last check on November 21, 2017 at 6:00PM EST 1 RT @ScottThuman: The FBI offers a $25,000 rewar. .. View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ScottThuman : The FBI offers a $25,000 reward for information leading to a "reso lution" in the case of 1 @CustomsBorder agent killed & another wounded by Mexico border . Twitter21 November 6:00PM on twitter .com/lkstewart8716 ID:58861.747601 2CNN: Border Patrol agents had head injuries htt ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI CNN: Border Patrol agents had head injuries https://t.co/pUceorlF4o Twitter21 November 6:00PM on twitter .com/fbbenhurr ID:58861 .747604 3RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patrol agent R. .. View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Carolde: This is U.S. Border Patro l agent Rogilio Martinez. He lost his life protect ing Amer ica's southern border . He was reportedly murdered by illegal aliens who crushed his skull with rocks. The little boy in the picture will. .. Twitter21 November 6:00PM on twitter .com/CPA_ Tommy ID:58861.747608 4RT @mofa_kr : e!-~<2.! 85~01 OH~ @E~ ~~ 71¥£ e!-~ 0 £ 8~£ 1~1q := ~ --· View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT@mofa_kr: e!-~<2.! 85~0 1 oH~@E~ ~~ 71¥£ e!-~ 0 £ 8~£1 ~1q:= ~~ £1-ic!, ~ oH~ic.!!E~8~ N£1-g -hl7 I ~~~*~.A. I, DI~~~~ 7l~e!- 8x~l£'-l-JIA~ 1;.) To: Cc: Subject: Tweets crossing 600 threshhold Sysomos New Content in Heartbeat US Customs and Border Protection More than 100 new since the last check on October 27, 2017 at 11:00AM EDT 1QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:54AM on twitter.com/Bec_Engel ID:58861.489879 2QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:54AM on twitter.com/priscillaavala ID:58861.489880 3QT @nytimes: RT @SenSchumer: It is shocking tha... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @SenSchumer: It is shocking that CBP would pursue & detain a 10 yr old girl w CP after a surgery. She should be released to her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been... Twitter27 October 10:55AM on twitter.com/N2wishn ID:58861.489881 4QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:55AM on twitter.com/natttwild ID:58861.489882 5QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elem... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elementary student poses absolutely no threat to national security. We are outraged that… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get Twitter27 October 10:55AM on twitter.com/SustainableFred ID:58861.489883 6The Undersec. @CarlosMSada met with the Dir. Of... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI The Undersec. @CarlosMSada met with the Dir. Of Field Ops. Of CBP, David P. Higgerson; and the Director of the Laredo Port, Gregory Alvarez. https://t.co/4Qj7M2wFva Twitter27 October 10:55AM on twitter.com/ConsulMexLar ID:58861.489884 7QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Date: Fri Oct 27 2017 12:06:10 EDT Attachments: Bcc: Page 195 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001561 (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000194 QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter27 October 10:56AM on twitter.com/lovelyyvane ID:58861.489885 8QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:56AM on twitter.com/kennylynny ID:58861.489886 9QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:56AM on twitter.com/NoelElMagnifico ID:58861.489887 10QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who wou... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who would stop an ambulance to detain a 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy on her way to get surgery has l… ; A 10-y... Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t.co... Twitter27 October 10:56AM on twitter.com/evilyn1971 ID:58861.489888 11QT @P_Danny13: This is fucking disgraceful. Thi... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @P_Danny13: This is fucking disgraceful. This is not America https://t.co/ezZNGcmLFf ; to agree to have the girl transferred to a Mexican hospital, pressing t..., several armed Border Patrol agents stood outside her hospital room"... Twitter27 October 10:57AM on twitter.com/unkeptrevived ID:58861.489889 12QT @TIME: RT @RepDonBeyer: Under President Obam... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @TIME: RT @RepDonBeyer: Under President Obama, ICE and CBP focused on criminals. Under Trump, the focus seems to be on grandparents, mothe… ; 'Mom, where are you?' Girl with cerebral palsy detained by immigration officials cries for Twitter27 October 10:57AM on twitter.com/BSPfitness16 ID:58861.489890 13QT @lexi4prez: RT @pattonoswalt: Keeping Americ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @lexi4prez: RT @pattonoswalt: Keeping America Safe. This is stone-cold sickening. https://t. co/cRuP7BNYIq ; Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her after her surgery Twitter27 October 10:57AM on twitter.com/michelleneutim ID:58861.489891 14QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:57AM on twitter.com/michelleneutim ID:58861.489892 15QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:57AM on twitter.com/J_estinval ID:58861.489893 16QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been Page 196 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001562 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000195 detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:57AM on twitter.com/syddlermm ID:58861.489894 17Border patrol says agents had no choice but to ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Border patrol says agents had no choice but to enforce law in case of ill immigrant girl - San Antonio Express-News https://t.co/pkeSRSLc8N Twitter27 October 10:58AM on twitter.com/mommydonelostit ID:58861.489895 18QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin say... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin says they focus limited resources on violent criminals. So why did @CustomsBorder agents target & arres… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration authorities after Twitter27 October 10:58AM on twitter.com/etelvyn ID:58861.489896 19QT @ACLU: RT @H_Combs: This is nothing but inhu... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ACLU: RT @H_Combs: This is nothing but inhumane. She is 10 years old. @realDonaldTrump @IvankaTrump https://t.co/xWUjCUaSGZ ; Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery... Twitter27 October 10:58AM on twitter.com/Ask_I_Mon ID:58861.489897 20QT @2008Philz: RT @LONG_DRIVE: more days like t... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @2008Philz: RT @LONG_DRIVE: more days like these are coming soon to a CBP near you https: //t.co/kkfgMN40Tr ; Good morning. Your Philadelphia Phillies are one win away. #WorldSeries https://t. co/2TfNFZYIUF Twitter27 October 10:58AM on twitter.com/Sora_212 ID:58861.489898 21QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:58AM on twitter.com/Kath3rine_M ID:58861.489899 22QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:58AM on twitter.com/TsunamiKourtney ID:58861.489900 23QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin say... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin says they focus limited resources on violent criminals. So why did @CustomsBorder agents target & arres… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration authorities after Twitter27 October 10:59AM on twitter.com/omgmonicaa_ ID:58861.489901 24QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:59AM on twitter.com/KevinTMason ID:58861.489902 25QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:55AM on twitter.com/NotSoRatchet ID:58861.489904 26En reunión con autoridades de @CustomsBorder y ... Page 197 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001563 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000196 View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI En reunión con autoridades de @CustomsBorder y @SATMX conversamos sobre modernización de infraestructura fronteriza y programas conjuntos https://t.co/hWchZpwKOI Twitter27 October 10:55AM on twitter.com/CarlosMSada ID:58861.489905 27QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin say... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin says they focus limited resources on violent criminals. So why did @CustomsBorder agents target & arres… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration authorities after Twitter27 October 10:55AM on twitter.com/unlewis ID:58861.489906 28RT @RoseAnnDeMoro: Border Patrol followed 10-ye... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @RoseAnnDeMoro: Border Patrol followed 10-year-old Rosamaria's ambulance, stood outside her room and detained her after surgery: https://t.co/cj7ArLeJ4v https://t.co/iBTaqVe286 Twitter27 October 10:55AM on twitter.com/socialAk47 ID:58861.489907 29QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:55AM on twitter.com/unkeptrevived ID:58861.489908 30@weareoversight @CustomsBorder Break it down ha... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @weareoversight @CustomsBorder Break it down hashtag=twitter, they caught an ILLEGAL=catch, and it was a Day #CatchOfTheDay how is this bad? Report real news #fakenews Twitter27 October 10:56AM on twitter.com/firedog124 ID:58861.489909 31QT @lexi4prez: Smh https://t.co/9pAM0QUJF7 ; Bo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @lexi4prez: Smh https://t.co/9pAM0QUJF7 ; Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her after her surgery. https://t. co/kfRrCvCiPH Twitter27 October 10:57AM on twitter.com/5starblvd ID:58861.489910 32QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:57AM on twitter.com/latinaloser_ ID:58861.489911 33QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:57AM on twitter.com/27_KingS ID:58861.489912 34QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elem... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elementary student poses absolutely no threat to national security. We are outraged that… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get Twitter27 October 10:57AM on twitter.com/llseylind ID:58861.489913 35QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:57AM on twitter.com/mayonaka324 ID:58861.489914 Page 198 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001564 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000197 36RT @jonfavs: @CustomsBorder And then Republican... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @jonfavs: @CustomsBorder And then Republicans run ads pretending immigration is about violent gangs? When we’re deporting 10 year old Americans with cerebral palsy? Twitter27 October 10:57AM on twitter.com/dgrassmuck ID:58861.489915 37QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter27 October 10:57AM on twitter.com/DonavynJoseph ID:58861.489916 38RT @jonfavs: @CustomsBorder And then Republican... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @jonfavs: @CustomsBorder And then Republicans run ads pretending immigration is about violent gangs? When we’re deporting 10 year old Americans with cerebral palsy? Twitter27 October 10:57AM on twitter.com/siobhanryan26 ID:58861.489917 39RT @CarlosMSada: I met with @CustomsBorder and ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CarlosMSada: I met with @CustomsBorder and @SATMX officials. We discussed border infrastructure modernization and joint programs https://t.co/5i9MIrPsNW Twitter27 October 10:58AM on twitter.com/ConsulMexLar ID:58861.489918 40QT @ACLU_SoCal: RT @ImmortalTech: Smh https://t... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ACLU_SoCal: RT @ImmortalTech: Smh https://t.co/PnHyQxc6xv ; While a 10-year-old girl was on the way to surgery, Border Patrol tried to divert her ambulance, then posted outside her hospital room as she recovered. https://t.co Twitter27 October 10:58AM on twitter.com/wholeeawn ID:58861.489919 41RT @jonfavs: @CustomsBorder And then Republican... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @jonfavs: @CustomsBorder And then Republicans run ads pretending immigration is about violent gangs? When we’re deporting 10 year old Americans with cerebral palsy? Twitter27 October 10:58AM on twitter.com/HimynameisNickd ID:58861.489920 42QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who wou... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who would stop an ambulance to detain a 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy on her way to get surgery has l… ; A 10-y... Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t.co... Twitter27 October 10:58AM on twitter.com/renobie ID:58861.489921 43QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:58AM on twitter.com/alovessandra ID:58861.489922 44Legal News: "Border patrol says agents had no c... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Legal News: "Border patrol says agents had no choice but to enforce law in case of ill immigrant girl" https://t.co/Ry1wkApnct #LI … Twitter27 October 10:58AM on twitter.com/AJBlackston ID:58861.489923 45QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:58AM on twitter.com/Nebby_99 ID:58861.489924 46QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... Page 199 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001565 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000198 View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:58AM on twitter.com/IAmWeston ID:58861.489925 47RT @PennyHicks13: @EricHolder Did you tell Bria... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @PennyHicks13: @EricHolder Did you tell Brian Terry’s family that you were gunrunning 2K firearms to drug cartels while arming Border Patrol with bean bag launchers? Twitter27 October 10:59AM on twitter.com/hillarys_corpse ID:58861.489926 48QT @nytimes: RT @SenSchumer: It is shocking tha... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @SenSchumer: It is shocking that CBP would pursue & detain a 10 yr old girl w CP after a surgery. She should be released to her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been... Twitter27 October 10:59AM on twitter.com/kathorpe1 ID:58861.489927 49QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who wou... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who would stop an ambulance to detain a 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy on her way to get surgery has l… ; A 10-y... Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t.co... Twitter27 October 10:57AM on twitter.com/RichardMSchmitz ID:58861.489930 50QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter27 October 10:57AM on twitter.com/TheMark_93 ID:58861.489931 51QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:57AM on twitter.com/healspls ID:58861.489932 52QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:57AM on twitter.com/JasmineBianca13 ID:58861.489933 53QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:58AM on twitter.com/TraceSkywalker ID:58861.489934 54RT @SenKamalaHarris: A 10-year-old child in an ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @SenKamalaHarris: A 10-year-old child in an ambulance was stopped by Border Patrol Agents & detained for deportation. https://t.co/qM4ixURlI9 Twitter27 October 10:58AM on twitter.com/CarlafromtheSTL ID:58861.489935 55QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:58AM on twitter.com/jojoartist_ ID:58861.489936 Page 200 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001566 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000199 56QT @yournewswire: RT @TrishaDishes: #ThursdayTh... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @yournewswire: RT @TrishaDishes: #ThursdayThoughts Wow. That's really amazing. Shot with a high-powered rifle & never required treatment. Does he… ; According to a Customs & Border Patrol report, Jesus Campos traveled to Mexico after the #LasVegasShooting massacre Twitter27 October 10:58AM on twitter.com/toddalee1 ID:58861.489937 57QT @nytimes: RT @SenSchumer: It is shocking tha... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @SenSchumer: It is shocking that CBP would pursue & detain a 10 yr old girl w CP after a surgery. She should be released to her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been... Twitter27 October 10:58AM on twitter.com/Kathlee14137265 ID:58861.489938 58@ACLU @CustomsBorder Listening to B. Amiri on R... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @ACLU @CustomsBorder Listening to B. Amiri on Rachel M. You may not always agree w/ACLU but without them, we would be up s##t creek. Everyone should donate now. Twitter27 October 10:58AM on twitter.com/LindaPr51394557 ID:58861.489939 59RT @BradReason: US Border Patrol Texas arrested... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @BradReason: US Border Patrol Texas arrested a 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy on her way to hospital for emergency surgery. https://t.co/wlJCfF1KaQ Twitter27 October 10:58AM on twitter.com/Merilynjune ID:58861.489940 60@Patroit15 @FoxNews @Jali_Cat @LisaMarieBoothe ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @Patroit15 @FoxNews @Jali_Cat @LisaMarieBoothe @CustomsBorder If that was actually the American flag Twitter27 October 10:58AM on twitter.com/zManwee ID:58861.489941 61QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who wou... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who would stop an ambulance to detain a 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy on her way to get surgery has l… ; A 10-y... Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t.co... Twitter27 October 10:58AM on twitter.com/SundayStars ID:58861.489942 62QT @ACLU: RT @BitsieTulloch: “Whoever welcomes ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ACLU: RT @BitsieTulloch: “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” (Matthew 18:5) Attn: @GOP @HouseGOP- Here’s a better “Hea… ; Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as... Twitter27 October 10:59AM on twitter.com/TantaLois ID:58861.489943 63RT @CBSNews: A 10-year-old girl with cerebral p... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CBSNews: A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy faces deportation after border patrol agents took her into custody following emergency surgery: https://t.co/suHcqELRMs Twitter27 October 10:59AM on twitter.com/jsbishop1 ID:58861.489944 64QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:59AM on twitter.com/trekkerteach12 ID:58861.489945 65QT @lexi4prez: RT @pattonoswalt: Keeping Americ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @lexi4prez: RT @pattonoswalt: Keeping America Safe. This is stone-cold sickening. https://t. co/cRuP7BNYIq ; Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her after her surgery Twitter27 October 10:59AM on twitter.com/gjmihalek ID:58861.489946 66QT @ACLU_SoCal: RT @Zooladie: DEPLORABLE again ... Page 201 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001567 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000200 View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ACLU_SoCal: RT @Zooladie: DEPLORABLE again :( https://t.co/yGlqmTme2g ; While a 10-year￾old girl was on the way to surgery, Border Patrol tried to divert her ambulance, then posted outside her hospital room as she recovered. https Twitter27 October 10:59AM on twitter.com/KariannHart ID:58861.489947 67QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:59AM on twitter.com/_Georgia_MH ID:58861.489948 68QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin say... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin says they focus limited resources on violent criminals. So why did @CustomsBorder agents target & arres… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration authorities after Twitter27 October 10:59AM on twitter.com/etherealdean ID:58861.489949 69QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elem... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elementary student poses absolutely no threat to national security. We are outraged that… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get Twitter27 October 11:00AM on twitter.com/jenlindner ID:58861.489950 70QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who wou... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who would stop an ambulance to detain a 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy on her way to get surgery has l… ; A 10-y... Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t.co... Twitter27 October 11:00AM on twitter.com/mysterybookss ID:58861.489951 71QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter27 October 11:00AM on twitter.com/SMOPZILLA ID:58861.489952 72RT @jodi_mohrmann: #WATCH time-lapse #video: @C... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @jodi_mohrmann: #WATCH time-lapse #video: @CustomsBorder completes construction of border wall prototypes in San Diego. #CBP testing & evaluation to begin https://t.co/O9hzrCOjoB Twitter27 October 10:57AM on twitter.com/Redbaylie ID:58861.489955 7310-Year-Old Girl Is Detained By Border Patrol A... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI 10-Year-Old Girl Is Detained By Border Patrol After Emergency Surgery https://t.co/vCbERngHaN This is Trump's America. Is it your's ? https://t.co/78hWRikzO3 Twitter27 October 10:57AM on twitter.com/rl93930 ID:58861.489956 74QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:57AM on twitter.com/Iced_Coffey72 ID:58861.489957 75QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Page 202 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001568 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000201 Twitter27 October 10:58AM on twitter.com/rrxch04 ID:58861.489958 76RT @CarlosMSada: En reunión con autoridades de ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @CarlosMSada: En reunión con autoridades de @CustomsBorder y @SATMX conversamos sobre modernización de infraestructura fronteriza y programas conjuntos https://t.co/hWchZpwKOI Twitter27 October 10:58AM on twitter.com/ConsulMexLar ID:58861.489959 77QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:58AM on twitter.com/Tril_Milo ID:58861.489960 78QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:58AM on twitter.com/neddafcm ID:58861.489961 79QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:58AM on twitter.com/kendraaacurry ID:58861.489962 80QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:59AM on twitter.com/alanysx0 ID:58861.489963 81QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:59AM on twitter.com/jamieizgone ID:58861.489964 82QT @DreamAct: are u fuckin serious ☹ https://t... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: are u fuckin serious ☹ https://t.co/zoTCU5dFnL ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right outside her room waiting to deport her Sign&Share https://t. co/IYVjAkF37w https://t.co/bIkRJzYwSa Twitter27 October 10:59AM on twitter.com/jordanmariefi ID:58861.489965 83QT @nytimes: RT @SenSchumer: It is shocking tha... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @SenSchumer: It is shocking that CBP would pursue & detain a 10 yr old girl w CP after a surgery. She should be released to her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been... Twitter27 October 10:59AM on twitter.com/MeganDole09 ID:58861.489966 84QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:59AM on twitter.com/spicy_alapeno ID:58861.489967 85QT @nytimes: RT @SenSchumer: It is shocking tha... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @SenSchumer: It is shocking that CBP would pursue & detain a 10 yr old girl w CP Page 203 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001569 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000202 after a surgery. She should be released to her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been... Twitter27 October 10:59AM on twitter.com/HT4Real ID:58861.489968 86QT @julito77: RT @CosechaMovement: Rosamaria's ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @julito77: RT @CosechaMovement: Rosamaria's doctor ordered her return to her family & doctor at home. CPB took her 150 miles away and has let no fa… ; This press conference. Cops show up at end: Border Patrol Detains... Twitter27 October 10:59AM on twitter.com/DmeshOnPS3 ID:58861.489969 87QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 11:00AM on twitter.com/BrazilBarrow ID:58861.489970 88QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter27 October 11:00AM on twitter.com/KoKoObsessed ID:58861.489971 89QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:59AM on twitter.com/etherealdean ID:58861.489973 90QT @CBSThisMorning: This is the Americans @real... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @CBSThisMorning: This is the Americans @realDonaldTrump Not mine or most I know #sad https: //t.co/kzj2in72fh ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy faces deportation after border patrol agents took her into custody following emergency Twitter27 October 10:59AM on twitter.com/bccdny ID:58861.489974 91QT @FoxNews: RT @DonaldJTrumpJr: #MAGA https://... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @FoxNews: RT @DonaldJTrumpJr: #MAGA https://t.co/CO3BRJOLeE ; .@LisaMarieBoothe: "Acting Chief of @CustomsBorder says that illegal immigration at the Southwest border will hit a 45- year low." https://t.co/SzctuH9VaD Twitter27 October 10:59AM on twitter.com/TrumpRevoluti0n ID:58861.489975 92QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 10:59AM on twitter.com/vpinkyvernon ID:58861.489976 93QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who wou... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who would stop an ambulance to detain a 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy on her way to get surgery has l… ; A 10-y... Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t.co... Twitter27 October 10:59AM on twitter.com/pepperliker ID:58861.489977 94#CBP officers’ consistent vigilance + the Z Por... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI #CBP officers’ consistent vigilance + the Z Portal system = detection of $406K of illegal narcotics https: //t.co/mCsbHj2APD https://t.co/U9m9yTW3W9 Twitter27 October 11:00AM on twitter.com/ase_detects ID:58861.489978 95QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... Page 204 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001570 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000203 View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 11:00AM on twitter.com/growingfiercely ID:58861.489979 96QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 11:00AM on twitter.com/LilyMuVGC ID:58861.489980 97QT @ACLU: RT @H_Combs: This is nothing but inhu... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ACLU: RT @H_Combs: This is nothing but inhumane. She is 10 years old. @realDonaldTrump @IvankaTrump https://t.co/xWUjCUaSGZ ; Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery... Twitter27 October 11:00AM on twitter.com/DeAvondSter ID:58861.489981 98QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who wou... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who would stop an ambulance to detain a 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy on her way to get surgery has l… ; A 10-y... Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t.co... Twitter27 October 11:00AM on twitter.com/southiekitkat ID:58861.489982 99QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 11:01AM on twitter.com/michelleb_914 ID:58861.489983 100QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 11:01AM on twitter.com/CissyClifford ID:58861.489984 sysomos.com @sysomos support unsubscribe Page 205 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001571 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000204 From : To: Cc: Bee: Subject: Date: Attachments : Sysomos Tweets cross ing 600 threshho ld Fri Oct 27 2017 04:06:24 EDT New Content in Heartbeat US Customs and Border Protect ion More than 100 new since the last check on October 27, 2017 at 3:00AM EDT 1 QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez : Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status , followed her to the hospital, and deta ined her ... ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebra l palsy has been detained by federa l immigrat ion Twitter27 Octobe r 2:52AM on twitter.com /ditxha ID:5886 1.478971 2QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez : Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status , followed her to the hospital, and deta ined her ... ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebra l palsy has been detained by federa l immigrat ion Twitter27 Octobe r 2:52AM on twitter.com /gcrums ID:58861.478972 3QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez : Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status , followed her to the hospital, and deta ined her ... ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebra l palsy has been detained by federa l immigrat ion Twitter27 Octobe r 2:53AM on twitter.com /Sdxnuts ID:58861.478973 4QT@VivianHYee: RT@RepDonBeyer: Anyone who wou ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee : RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who would stop an ambu lance to detain a 10-year-old girl with cerebra l palsy on her way to get surgery has I. .. ; A 10-y ... Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https ://t.co ... Twitter27 Octobe r 2:53AM on twitter.com /Kenikewah ine78 ID:58861.478974 SQT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez : Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status , followed her to the hospital, and deta ined her ... ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebra l palsy has been detained by federa l immigrat ion Twitter27 Octobe r 2:53AM on twitter.com /jessie_oden ID:58861.478975 6QT@VivianHYee: RT@RepDonBeyer: Anyone who wou ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee : RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who would stop an ambu lance to detain a 10-year-old girl with cerebra l palsy on her way to get surgery has I. .. ; A 10-y ... Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https ://t.co ... Twitter27 Octobe r 2:53AM on twitter.com /Jeremy_Cummings ID:58861.478976 CBP FOIA 001572 Page 206 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000205 7QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 2:54AM on twitter.com/_SalmansBae ID:58861.478977 8RT @NatashaBertrand: Oh my god. Border patrol a... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @NatashaBertrand: Oh my god. Border patrol agents stopped an ambulance carrying a 10-year-old in need of emergency gall bladder surgery & later detained her. https://t.co/sdHXmE1uE8 Twitter27 October 2:53AM on twitter.com/dr4sue ID:58861.478978 9QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 2:54AM on twitter.com/ghostsmilk ID:58861.478979 10QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 2:53AM on twitter.com/LeslieDaHomie ID:58861.478980 11RT @ACLU: This is Trump's deportation force in ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ACLU: This is Trump's deportation force in action. Rosa Maria needs to recover from surgery with her family. Instead, @CustomsBorder has taken her miles away from her home, where her family cannot see her. https://t.co Twitter27 October 2:54AM on twitter.com/osfa_11 ID:58861.478981 12QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 2:53AM on twitter.com/victoriadonelda ID:58861.478982 13QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elem... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elementary student poses absolutely no threat to national security. We are outraged that… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get Twitter27 October 2:54AM on twitter.com/KittyPus ID:58861.478983 14QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 2:53AM on twitter.com/sandyy_mtnz ID:58861.478984 15QT @SenKamalaHarris: "Medicaid paid for her dau... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @SenKamalaHarris: "Medicaid paid for her daughter’s treatment, which included home visits from therapists." https://t.co/OFTjkochf7 ; A 10-year-old child in an ambulance was stopped by Border Patrol Agents & detained for deportation. https://t.co/qM4ixURlI9 Twitter27 October 2:54AM on twitter.com/eaparkstweet ID:58861.478985 16QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl Page 207 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001573 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000206 recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter27 October 2:53AM on twitter.com/BolandHayles ID:58861.478986 17RT @Sifill_LDF: 10-Year-Old Girl Is Detained By... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Sifill_LDF: 10-Year-Old Girl Is Detained By Border Patrol After Emergency Surgery : The Two￾Way : NPR https://t.co/ZIXCkkGtb9 Twitter27 October 2:55AM on twitter.com/DaylightEternal ID:58861.478987 18QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter27 October 2:53AM on twitter.com/tamisbae_ ID:58861.478988 19QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin say... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin says they focus limited resources on violent criminals. So why did @CustomsBorder agents target & arres… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration authorities after Twitter27 October 2:54AM on twitter.com/decsondunigan ID:58861.478989 20QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who wou... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who would stop an ambulance to detain a 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy on her way to get surgery has l… ; A 10-y... Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t.co... Twitter27 October 2:56AM on twitter.com/DrBennyB ID:58861.478990 21QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 2:54AM on twitter.com/mannysanny ID:58861.478991 22QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 2:56AM on twitter.com/ColinWolin_ ID:58861.478992 23QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter27 October 2:54AM on twitter.com/BranchBroken ID:58861.478993 24QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who wou... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who would stop an ambulance to detain a 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy on her way to get surgery has l… ; A 10-y... Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t.co... Twitter27 October 2:56AM on twitter.com/hawgcaller ID:58861.478994 25QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 2:54AM on twitter.com/pincheceleste ID:58861.478995 Page 208 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001574 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000207 26QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter27 October 2:56AM on twitter.com/sxfiyah_ ID:58861.478996 27QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin say... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin says they focus limited resources on violent criminals. So why did @CustomsBorder agents target & arres… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration authorities after Twitter27 October 2:55AM on twitter.com/mininurse ID:58861.478997 28QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 2:57AM on twitter.com/samsonrobynn ID:58861.478998 29QT @nytimes: RT @SenSchumer: It is shocking tha... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @SenSchumer: It is shocking that CBP would pursue & detain a 10 yr old girl w CP after a surgery. She should be released to her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been... Twitter27 October 2:55AM on twitter.com/isab_concept ID:58861.478999 30QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter27 October 2:58AM on twitter.com/ImGrrrr8 ID:58861.479000 31QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elem... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elementary student poses absolutely no threat to national security. We are outraged that… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get Twitter27 October 2:55AM on twitter.com/RickiAdoroIV ID:58861.479001 32QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter27 October 2:58AM on twitter.com/TBOFMAMB ID:58861.479002 33QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin say... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin says they focus limited resources on violent criminals. So why did @CustomsBorder agents target & arres… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration authorities after Twitter27 October 2:55AM on twitter.com/_SalmansBae ID:58861.479003 34QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin say... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin says they focus limited resources on violent criminals. So why did @CustomsBorder agents target & arres… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration authorities after Twitter27 October 2:58AM on twitter.com/HmooreMoore ID:58861.479004 35RT @DaveNYviii: MUST WATCH: Border Patrol discu... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @DaveNYviii: MUST WATCH: Border Patrol discusses wall prototype construction and evaluation. Page 209 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001575 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000208 #BuildTheWall #BuildThatWall https://t.co/ipE5w8Yibt Twitter27 October 2:55AM on twitter.com/SWEETPEACE3 ID:58861.479005 36QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter27 October 2:56AM on twitter.com/Nightpwner ID:58861.479006 37QT @ACLU: RT @Gill1104: What a SICK gov we have... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ACLU: RT @Gill1104: What a SICK gov we have,Turnbull would you have allowed this to happen 2your grandchild??? UNBELIEVABLE CHILD ABUS… ; Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers... Twitter27 October 2:59AM on twitter.com/janice_martin5 ID:58861.479007 38QT @SenKamalaHarris: I have sympathy for the gi... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @SenKamalaHarris: I have sympathy for the girl, but US taxpayers should not be forced to pay for this. Be generous with you own $, not taxp... was stopped by Border Patrol Agents & detained for deportation. https://t.co/qM4ixURlI9... Twitter27 October 2:56AM on twitter.com/eaparkstweet ID:58861.479008 39QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who wou... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who would stop an ambulance to detain a 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy on her way to get surgery has l… ; A 10-y... Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t.co... Twitter27 October 2:56AM on twitter.com/BearWhoTweetz ID:58861.479009 40QT @VivianHYee: RT @Khanoisseur: If you’re wond... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @Khanoisseur: If you’re wondering why private prisons biz, which @SallyQYates shut down before the election, is booming https://t.co/q0P… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol Twitter27 October 2:56AM on twitter.com/PoliticalSteve2 ID:58861.479010 41QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 2:57AM on twitter.com/Paolaakings ID:58861.479011 42QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 2:58AM on twitter.com/mermaidirish ID:58861.479012 43QT @VivianHYee: RT @Khanoisseur: If you’re wond... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @Khanoisseur: If you’re wondering why private prisons biz, which @SallyQYates shut down before the election, is booming https://t.co/q0P… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol Twitter27 October 2:59AM on twitter.com/Uberficker ID:58861.479013 44QT @reganmorris1: When the elected leader has a... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @reganmorris1: When the elected leader has a lack of humanity it spreads https://t.co/tfwoCllje5 ; Texas detains disabled migrant girl, 10. Border Patrol stopped her ambulance as she was on way for surgery. https://t.co/jC64djE9Lk Twitter27 October 2:56AM on twitter.com/LH_NFFC ID:58861.479026 Page 210 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001576 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000209 45QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 2:56AM on twitter.com/Marcellav_12 ID:58861.479027 46RT @jonfavs: What the hell is the @CustomsBorde... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @jonfavs: What the hell is the @CustomsBorder patrol doing pulling over ambulances in the first place? Twitter27 October 2:56AM on twitter.com/LovelyAB8 ID:58861.479028 47QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who wou... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who would stop an ambulance to detain a 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy on her way to get surgery has l… ; A 10-y... Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t.co... Twitter27 October 2:57AM on twitter.com/sandraeliset ID:58861.479029 48QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 2:57AM on twitter.com/mindling04 ID:58861.479030 49QT @weareoversight: RT @KrisParonto: Really, th... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @weareoversight: RT @KrisParonto: Really, this hashtag offends you American Oversight??? But the laws the criminals broke don’t??You have way too muc… ; ICYMI: @CustomsBorder has been using the hashtag #catchoftheday to describe people Twitter27 October 2:57AM on twitter.com/ctsudd ID:58861.479031 50QT @ACLU: RT @Gill1104: What a SICK gov we have... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ACLU: RT @Gill1104: What a SICK gov we have,Turnbull would you have allowed this to happen 2your grandchild??? UNBELIEVABLE CHILD ABUS… ; Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers... Twitter27 October 2:57AM on twitter.com/Jim_Pembroke ID:58861.479032 51QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter27 October 2:58AM on twitter.com/Sorceress_Keiya ID:58861.479033 52QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin say... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin says they focus limited resources on violent criminals. So why did @CustomsBorder agents target & arres… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration authorities after Twitter27 October 2:58AM on twitter.com/Wardhiigley92 ID:58861.479034 53QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 2:58AM on twitter.com/Nxthvly ID:58861.479035 54QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl Page 211 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001577 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000210 recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter27 October 2:58AM on twitter.com/kyotojoe1 ID:58861.479036 55QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 2:58AM on twitter.com/notIshan ID:58861.479037 56QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 2:59AM on twitter.com/_nxxcole ID:58861.479038 57QT @VivianHYee: RT @Kiriska: Armed guards outsi... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @Kiriska: Armed guards outside her surgery & recovery room. Keeping Amurica safe from disabled children. https://t.co/1ThmhtpYYq ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get Twitter27 October 2:59AM on twitter.com/mayhugs ID:58861.479039 58QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin say... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin says they focus limited resources on violent criminals. So why did @CustomsBorder agents target & arres… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration authorities after Twitter27 October 2:59AM on twitter.com/SheriLK62 ID:58861.479040 59QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin say... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin says they focus limited resources on violent criminals. So why did @CustomsBorder agents target & arres… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration authorities after Twitter27 October 2:59AM on twitter.com/ginadwalsh ID:58861.479041 60QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 2:59AM on twitter.com/jordaan_osunaa ID:58861.479042 61QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who wou... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who would stop an ambulance to detain a 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy on her way to get surgery has l… ; A 10-y... Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t.co... Twitter27 October 3:00AM on twitter.com/KchrisKristin ID:58861.479043 62QT @VivianHYee: RT @Khanoisseur: If you’re wond... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @Khanoisseur: If you’re wondering why private prisons biz, which @SallyQYates shut down before the election, is booming https://t.co/q0P… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol Twitter27 October 3:00AM on twitter.com/pmeadep ID:58861.479044 63QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Page 212 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001578 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000211 Twitter27 October 3:00AM on twitter.com/lexi_chaves ID:58861.479045 64QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin say... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin says they focus limited resources on violent criminals. So why did @CustomsBorder agents target & arres… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration authorities after Twitter27 October 3:00AM on twitter.com/KchrisKristin ID:58861.479046 65QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 3:00AM on twitter.com/Cali_Love1416 ID:58861.479047 66QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 3:01AM on twitter.com/BRIANTHEFILMER ID:58861.479048 67QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 2:56AM on twitter.com/_lisettetorres_ ID:58861.479049 68QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 2:56AM on twitter.com/aliyyatafolabi ID:58861.479050 69QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 2:56AM on twitter.com/_britneyherrera ID:58861.479051 70QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 2:57AM on twitter.com/sabrinamina123 ID:58861.479052 71QT @ACLU: RT @BitsieTulloch: “Whoever welcomes ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ACLU: RT @BitsieTulloch: “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” (Matthew 18:5) Attn: @GOP @HouseGOP- Here’s a better “Hea… ; Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as... Twitter27 October 2:57AM on twitter.com/PoliticalBee ID:58861.479053 72RT @IWillRedPillYou: Border Patrol Agents Crack... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @IWillRedPillYou: Border Patrol Agents Crackdown on Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) Gang Members in Ohio #RedPill #Goldwater https://t.co/lVpSA2PFyc Twitter27 October 2:57AM on twitter.com/IWillRedPillYou ID:58861.479054 73RT @MalcolmNance: I’m sorry but CBP is out of c... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Page 213 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001579 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000212 RT @MalcolmNance: I’m sorry but CBP is out of control. DHS is turning into a Stasi-like organization. This MUST stop. https://t.co/RfR9091hxw Twitter27 October 2:57AM on twitter.com/archdukej ID:58861.479055 74QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin say... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin says they focus limited resources on violent criminals. So why did @CustomsBorder agents target & arres… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration authorities after Twitter27 October 2:57AM on twitter.com/v1ennettta ID:58861.479056 75QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who wou... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who would stop an ambulance to detain a 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy on her way to get surgery has l… ; A 10-y... Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t.co... Twitter27 October 2:57AM on twitter.com/notmyautocrat ID:58861.479057 76QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter27 October 2:57AM on twitter.com/angelicaxpaola ID:58861.479058 77QT @SenKamalaHarris: Democrats are always gener... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @SenKamalaHarris: Democrats are always generous with other people's money. Forced "charity" is theft. https://t.co/OFTjkochf7 ; A 10-year-old child in an ambulance was stopped by Border Patrol Agents & detained for deportation. https://t.co/qM4ixURlI9 Twitter27 October 2:57AM on twitter.com/eaparkstweet ID:58861.479059 78QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 2:57AM on twitter.com/meggerzglitterz ID:58861.479060 79RT @MalcolmNance: I’m sorry but CBP is out of c... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @MalcolmNance: I’m sorry but CBP is out of control. DHS is turning into a Stasi-like organization. This MUST stop. https://t.co/RfR9091hxw Twitter27 October 2:58AM on twitter.com/rjr6864 ID:58861.479061 80QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 2:58AM on twitter.com/Dre__Wilcox ID:58861.479062 81QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 2:58AM on twitter.com/CALLMELORDTJ ID:58861.479063 82QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 2:58AM on twitter.com/nitewinq ID:58861.479064 Page 214 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001580 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000213 83QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter27 October 2:59AM on twitter.com/ItsUribe ID:58861.479065 84QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 2:59AM on twitter.com/lucixsalinas ID:58861.479066 85QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter27 October 2:59AM on twitter.com/zozoestbelle ID:58861.479067 86QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 2:59AM on twitter.com/chryssa_rose ID:58861.479068 87QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 2:59AM on twitter.com/annaaya_ ID:58861.479069 88QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 2:59AM on twitter.com/DADDYKAlS ID:58861.479070 89QT @ACLU: RT @Gill1104: What a SICK gov we have... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ACLU: RT @Gill1104: What a SICK gov we have,Turnbull would you have allowed this to happen 2your grandchild??? UNBELIEVABLE CHILD ABUS… ; Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers... Twitter27 October 3:00AM on twitter.com/gregtv1 ID:58861.479071 90QT @VivianHYee: RT @Khanoisseur: If you’re wond... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @Khanoisseur: If you’re wondering why private prisons biz, which @SallyQYates shut down before the election, is booming https://t.co/q0P… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol Twitter27 October 3:00AM on twitter.com/NoQuarter4Nazis ID:58861.479072 91QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 3:00AM on twitter.com/JTriniiii ID:58861.479073 92QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Page 215 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001581 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000214 QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter27 October 3:01AM on twitter.com/HiItsFozia ID:58861.479074 93QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 3:01AM on twitter.com/flouerpetal ID:58861.479075 94QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who wou... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who would stop an ambulance to detain a 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy on her way to get surgery has l… ; A 10-y... Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t.co... Twitter27 October 2:57AM on twitter.com/HarperiteBGone ID:58861.479081 95QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 2:58AM on twitter.com/kxbxbxk ID:58861.479082 96@DreamAct @CustomsBorder brought to you by @rea... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @DreamAct @CustomsBorder brought to you by @realDonaldTrump! Twitter27 October 2:58AM on twitter.com/MoonDawgzTwit ID:58861.479083 97QT @VivianHYee: Armed guards outside her surger... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: Armed guards outside her surgery & recovery room. Keeping Amurica safe from disabled children. https://t.co/1ThmhtpYYq ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Twitter27 October 2:59AM on twitter.com/Kiriska ID:58861.479084 98QT @VivianHYee: RT @Khanoisseur: If you’re wond... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @Khanoisseur: If you’re wondering why private prisons biz, which @SallyQYates shut down before the election, is booming https://t.co/q0P… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol Twitter27 October 2:59AM on twitter.com/nikimcglynn ID:58861.479085 99RT @IWillRedPillYou: Border Patrol Agents Taked... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @IWillRedPillYou: Border Patrol Agents Takedown MS-13 Leaders in Tucson, Arizona #RedPill #Goldwater https://t.co/QPaACy9txC Twitter27 October 2:59AM on twitter.com/IWillRedPillYou ID:58861.479086 100QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 2:59AM on twitter.com/nololxx ID:58861.479087 sysomos.com @sysomos support unsubscribe Page 216 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001582 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000215 From : To: Cc: Bee: Subject: Date : Attachments : Sysomos Tweets cross ing 600 threshho ld Fri Oct 27 2017 01 :08:04 EDT New Content in Heartbeat US Customs and Border Protect ion More than 100 new since the last check on October 27 , 2017 at 12:00AM EDT 1 QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patro l STOPP ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nyt imes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status , followed her to the hosp ital, and deta ined her ... ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebra l palsy has been detained by federa l immigrat ion Twitter27 Octobe r 12:00AM on twitter.com /holydun ID:58861.474839 2QT @VivianHYee: RT@Boston_DSA: ABOLISH ICE htt ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @Viv ianHYee: RT @Boston_DSA: ABOLISH ICE https ://t.co/AGJbKBdnCj ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was deta ined by Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t. co/ptCN9gAkYO Twitter27 Octobe r 12:00AM on twitter.com /jesuisallie ID:58861.474840 3QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU : Borde r Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU : Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hosp ital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking .. . ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hosp ital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter27 Octobe r 12:00AM on twitter.com /suejohnston56 ID:58861.474841 4QT @VivianHYee: RT@ACLU: This 10-year-old elem ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @Viv ianHYee: RT @ACLU : This 10-yea r-old elementary student poses abso lutely no threat to nationa l secur ity. We are outraged that. .. ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebra l palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get Twitter27 Octobe r 12:00AM on twitter.com /ashliennis ID:58861.474842 SQT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patro l STOPP ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nyt imes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status , followed her to the hosp ital, and deta ined her ... ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebra l palsy has been detained by federa l immigrat ion Twitter27 Octobe r 12:00AM on twitter.com /XXXRoCKSTARR ID:58861.474843 6QT @nytimes: RT@SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin say ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nyt imes: RT @Senato rDurbin: Trump Adm in says they focus limited resources on violent crimina ls. So why did @CustomsBorde r agents target & arres .. . ; A 10-yea r-old girl with cerebral palsy has been deta ined by federal imm igration autho rities after Twitter27 Octobe r 12:00AM on twitter.com /jminer137 ID:58861.474844 CBP FOIA 001583 Page 217 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000216 7RT @nbcbayarea: U.S. Border Patrol agents detai... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @nbcbayarea: U.S. Border Patrol agents detain 10-year-old immigrant girl with cerebral palsy after she undergoes surgery. https://t.co/dGRj4jY2DC Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/Miguel12345 ID:58861.474845 8QT @weareoversight: RT @KrisParonto: Really, th... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @weareoversight: RT @KrisParonto: Really, this hashtag offends you American Oversight??? But the laws the criminals broke don’t??You have way too muc… ; ICYMI: @CustomsBorder has been using the hashtag #catchoftheday to describe people Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/jrent777_james ID:58861.474846 9QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/trap_lord_jason ID:58861.474847 10QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elem... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elementary student poses absolutely no threat to national security. We are outraged that… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/FeedMeHoney ID:58861.474852 11QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/curtiscgilbert ID:58861.474853 12QT @ACLU: RT @BitsieTulloch: “Whoever welcomes ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ACLU: RT @BitsieTulloch: “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” (Matthew 18:5) Attn: @GOP @HouseGOP- Here’s a better “Hea… ; Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as... Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/1demapples ID:58861.474854 13QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/matttuman1843 ID:58861.474855 14QT @VivianHYee: RT @rabiasquared: She's IN A DE... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @rabiasquared: She's IN A DETENTION CENTER https://t.co/K58EjlCE9u ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t.co/ptCN9gAkYO Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/richdanielson ID:58861.474856 15QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/AlfredoCone ID:58861.474857 16New post added at https://t.co/vBhz2SnJ8a - Tex... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI New post added at https://t.co/vBhz2SnJ8a - Texas Holds Disabled Migrant Girl, 10 US Border Patrol's Page 218 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001584 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000217 arrest of... https://t.co/WeDZnLTEFG Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/YeOldeJournalis ID:58861.474858 17QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/ErikaFigueroa99 ID:58861.474859 18QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/kaileymackenzi ID:58861.474860 19QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/cindyyriveraa ID:58861.474861 20QT @lexi4prez: RT @pattonoswalt: Keeping Americ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @lexi4prez: RT @pattonoswalt: Keeping America Safe. This is stone-cold sickening. https://t. co/cRuP7BNYIq ; Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her after her surgery Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/lono87 ID:58861.474862 21QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/lantonmay ID:58861.474863 22QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 12:01AM on twitter.com/ctkappel ID:58861.474864 23RT @paolamendoza: I tweeted this story yesterda... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @paolamendoza: I tweeted this story yesterday.This lil girl was detained by border patrol as she went into surgery.Lets raise her $ https://t.co/PEUO3kGqGZ Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/MandaCollins ID:58861.474867 24RT @VivianHYee: A 10-year-old girl with cerebra... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @VivianHYee: A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t.co/ptCN9gAkYO Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/TheStacksCat ID:58861.474868 25QT @VivianHYee: RT @maramcewin: When we have lo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @maramcewin: When we have lost our humanity That truly begins the end #Maddow #Inners https://t.co/YBxB804TKJ ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/sotightwitit ID:58861.474869 26QT @ACLU: That shining city on a hill or someth... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Page 219 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001585 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000218 QT @ACLU: That shining city on a hill or something.......we can do so much better than this. https://t. co/2jaIzj0UxG ; Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and... Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/KikoPeriko ID:58861.474870 27QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/trippyerick ID:58861.474871 28QT @juliovega79: This government is full of cra... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @juliovega79: This government is full of crap so sad https://t.co/sHdmdp0uvz ; Look @POTUS @FLOTUS you guys think that's ok what border patrol did I'm American and proud but this is a joke what is Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/juliovega79 ID:58861.474872 29QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/finesegawd ID:58861.474873 30QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/damian_keena ID:58861.474874 31QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 12:01AM on twitter.com/_GiovannaReyess ID:58861.474875 32QT @juliovega79: So disappointed in the United ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @juliovega79: So disappointed in the United States you have real criminals out there and tgey target a 10 yr old sick girl against doctors orders https://t.co/sHdmd... ok what border patrol did I'm American and proud but this is a... Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/juliovega79 ID:58861.474876 33@mtngranny17 @SenatorDurbin @CustomsBorder Beca... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @mtngranny17 @SenatorDurbin @CustomsBorder Because she is an illegal alien. Period. End of story. Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/Sickofpolitics8 ID:58861.474877 34QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/hovse0fgold ID:58861.474878 35QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Page 220 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001586 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000219 Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/ayahstyles ID:58861.474879 36QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/__arod07 ID:58861.474880 37QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/Ayeeitsjeeny ID:58861.474881 38QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 12:01AM on twitter.com/Comodelatte ID:58861.474882 39QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 12:01AM on twitter.com/lilaccx ID:58861.474883 40QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter27 October 12:01AM on twitter.com/peter10__ ID:58861.474884 41RT @EusebiaAq: DREAM Activist: CBP Wants to Dep... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @EusebiaAq: DREAM Activist: CBP Wants to Deport This 10 Year Old From Hospital Bed! https://t. co/1nFrmJkEzX Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/19Dolphin39 ID:58861.474892 42QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/KateyWilliams1 ID:58861.474893 43QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/cyananextdoor ID:58861.474894 44QT @ACLU: RT @BitsieTulloch: “Whoever welcomes ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ACLU: RT @BitsieTulloch: “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” (Matthew 18:5) Attn: @GOP @HouseGOP- Here’s a better “Hea… ; Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as... Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/watmoralcompass ID:58861.474895 45QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Page 221 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001587 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000220 QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/abby_ruff ID:58861.474896 46RT @Rompess: @mcgboye He looks &sound terribly ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @Rompess: @mcgboye He looks &sound terribly like those kids america likes 2 deport. @ICEgov @CustomsBorder @DHSgov @USCIS @POTUS @realDonaldTrump @GOP #MAGA https://t. co/4rQm9zWWst Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/Croala ID:58861.474897 47RT @MalcolmNance: I’m sorry but CBP is out of c... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @MalcolmNance: I’m sorry but CBP is out of control. DHS is turning into a Stasi-like organization. This MUST stop. https://t.co/RfR9091hxw Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/mcfslaw ID:58861.474898 48QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/Viviana_2616 ID:58861.474899 49QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin say... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin says they focus limited resources on violent criminals. So why did @CustomsBorder agents target & arres… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration authorities after Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/friskeyp ID:58861.474900 50QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/BasedJay38 ID:58861.474901 51QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elem... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elementary student poses absolutely no threat to national security. We are outraged that… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get Twitter27 October 12:01AM on twitter.com/BoffleSpoffle ID:58861.474902 52RT @NBCNews: 10-year-old Mexican girl with cere... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @NBCNews: 10-year-old Mexican girl with cerebral palsy detained by Border Patrol after emergency surgery in Texas https://t.co/zTPcaOSv4J https://t.co/2VmjaPncXH Twitter27 October 12:01AM on twitter.com/abelfield0518 ID:58861.474903 53QT @VivianHYee: Regardless of your politics, th... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: Regardless of your politics, this is some repugnant shit. https://t.co/JlMvVWvUgo ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t.co/ptCN9gAkYO Twitter27 October 12:01AM on twitter.com/RearAdBsBlog ID:58861.474904 54RT @jonfavs: @CustomsBorder And then Republican... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @jonfavs: @CustomsBorder And then Republicans run ads pretending immigration is about violent gangs? When we’re deporting 10 year old Americans with cerebral palsy? Twitter27 October 12:01AM on twitter.com/JoannaConn3lly ID:58861.474905 55QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... Page 222 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001588 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000221 View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/__ashhyyy ID:58861.474906 56RT @jonfavs: @CustomsBorder And then Republican... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @jonfavs: @CustomsBorder And then Republicans run ads pretending immigration is about violent gangs? When we’re deporting 10 year old Americans with cerebral palsy? Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/FindingTruths ID:58861.474907 57QT @VivianHYee: RT @rabiasquared: She's IN A DE... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @rabiasquared: She's IN A DETENTION CENTER https://t.co/K58EjlCE9u ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t.co/ptCN9gAkYO Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/1982JJessin ID:58861.474908 58QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/lizzieaiko ID:58861.474909 59QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/__yunnababy ID:58861.474910 60QT @juliovega79: RT @juliovega79: So disappoint... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @juliovega79: RT @juliovega79: So disappointed in the United States you have real criminals out there and tgey target a 10 yr old sick girl agains… ; Look @POTUS ... border patrol did I'm American and proud but this is a joke what... Twitter27 October 12:01AM on twitter.com/juliovega79 ID:58861.474911 61QT @juliovega79: RT @juliovega79: This governme... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @juliovega79: RT @juliovega79: This government is full of crap so sad https://t.co/sHdmdp0uvz ; Look @POTUS @FLOTUS you guys think that's ok what border patrol did I'm American and proud but this is a Twitter27 October 12:01AM on twitter.com/juliovega79 ID:58861.474912 62QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 12:01AM on twitter.com/mattifying ID:58861.474913 63QT @VivianHYee: RT @rabiasquared: She's IN A DE... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @rabiasquared: She's IN A DETENTION CENTER https://t.co/K58EjlCE9u ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t.co/ptCN9gAkYO Twitter27 October 12:01AM on twitter.com/BoffleSpoffle ID:58861.474914 64QT @MalcolmNance: We are going to vote against ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @MalcolmNance: We are going to vote against the @GOP from now until the sun burns out? RIGHT?! https://t.co/k6nMmzFDtN ; I’m sorry but CBP is out of control. DHS is turning into a Stasi-like Page 223 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001589 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000222 organization... Twitter27 October 12:01AM on twitter.com/realshawkofgawd ID:58861.474915 65QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter27 October 12:02AM on twitter.com/brookequast ID:58861.474916 66QT @paolamendoza: #DreamActNow https://t.co/Crv... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @paolamendoza: #DreamActNow https://t.co/CrvmfgyYME ; What have we become?Deporting a sick child after surgery.Border patrol stopping ambulances? This is our country. If u do nothing u r guilty https://t.co/zfGsqXYX6u Twitter27 October 12:02AM on twitter.com/AndreaAbern ID:58861.474917 67QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 12:02AM on twitter.com/odaallysss ID:58861.474918 68QT @VivianHYee: RT @rabiasquared: She's IN A DE... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @rabiasquared: She's IN A DETENTION CENTER https://t.co/K58EjlCE9u ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t.co/ptCN9gAkYO Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/nastygingermke ID:58861.474935 69RT @VivianHYee: A 10-year-old girl with cerebra... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @VivianHYee: A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t.co/ptCN9gAkYO Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/RearAdBsBlog ID:58861.474936 70QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/jennna_mariie ID:58861.474937 71RT @SenKamalaHarris: A 10-year-old child in an ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @SenKamalaHarris: A 10-year-old child in an ambulance was stopped by Border Patrol Agents & detained for deportation. https://t.co/qM4ixURlI9 Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/Doreen_Wren ID:58861.474938 72QT @ACLU: RT @BitsieTulloch: “Whoever welcomes ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ACLU: RT @BitsieTulloch: “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” (Matthew 18:5) Attn: @GOP @HouseGOP- Here’s a better “Hea… ; Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as... Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/RichardJr54 ID:58861.474939 73QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/LOVEnver_fails ID:58861.474940 74QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Page 224 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001590 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000223 QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/emilytamayo_ ID:58861.474941 75QT @VivianHYee: RT @Boston_DSA: ABOLISH ICE htt... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @Boston_DSA: ABOLISH ICE https://t.co/AGJbKBdnCj ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t. co/ptCN9gAkYO Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/canesugarsoda ID:58861.474942 76QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 12:01AM on twitter.com/mrrager98 ID:58861.474943 77QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 12:01AM on twitter.com/H0ESTRULY ID:58861.474944 78RT @MalcolmNance: I’m sorry but CBP is out of c... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @MalcolmNance: I’m sorry but CBP is out of control. DHS is turning into a Stasi-like organization. This MUST stop. https://t.co/RfR9091hxw Twitter27 October 12:01AM on twitter.com/juliadharte ID:58861.474945 79QT @VivianHYee: RT @Billbrowder: Absolutely app... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @Billbrowder: Absolutely appalling story. After my minor mishap w... is g… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t.co/ptCN9gAkYO... Twitter27 October 12:01AM on twitter.com/debilu2 ID:58861.474946 80QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 12:01AM on twitter.com/Mira_Yasuki ID:58861.474947 81QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elem... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elementary student poses absolutely no threat to national security. We are outraged that… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get Twitter27 October 12:01AM on twitter.com/lsfarmer311 ID:58861.474948 82RT @MalcolmNance: I’m sorry but CBP is out of c... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @MalcolmNance: I’m sorry but CBP is out of control. DHS is turning into a Stasi-like organization. This MUST stop. https://t.co/RfR9091hxw Twitter27 October 12:01AM on twitter.com/pegaphen ID:58861.474949 83QT @ACLU: RT @BitsieTulloch: “Whoever welcomes ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ACLU: RT @BitsieTulloch: “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” (Matthew 18:5) Attn: @GOP @HouseGOP- Here’s a better “Hea… ; Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as... Twitter27 October 12:01AM on twitter.com/country1013 ID:58861.474950 Page 225 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001591 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000224 84QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elem... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elementary student poses absolutely no threat to national security. We are outraged that… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get Twitter27 October 12:02AM on twitter.com/ferrell_alina ID:58861.474951 85QT @DreamAct: RT @paolamendoza: What have we be... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @paolamendoza: What have we become?Deporting a sick child after surgery. Border patrol stopping ambulances? This is our country. If… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right outside her... Twitter27 October 12:02AM on twitter.com/AndreaAbern ID:58861.474952 86QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 12:02AM on twitter.com/jazmoooon ID:58861.474953 87QT @VivianHYee: RT @rabiasquared: She's IN A DE... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @rabiasquared: She's IN A DETENTION CENTER https://t.co/K58EjlCE9u ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t.co/ptCN9gAkYO Twitter27 October 12:02AM on twitter.com/Gaia8000 ID:58861.474954 88QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who wou... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who would stop an ambulance to detain a 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy on her way to get surgery has l… ; A 10-y... Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t.co... Twitter27 October 12:02AM on twitter.com/DorotheaMassey7 ID:58861.474955 89QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 12:03AM on twitter.com/_gomezsilv ID:58861.474956 90QT @nytimes: RT @SenSchumer: It is shocking tha... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @SenSchumer: It is shocking that CBP would pursue & detain a 10 yr old girl w CP after a surgery. She should be released to her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been... Twitter27 October 12:04AM on twitter.com/persistwithme ID:58861.474957 91QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 12:04AM on twitter.com/jjkgiggles ID:58861.474958 92QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 12:04AM on twitter.com/LadyL31786 ID:58861.474959 93RT @MalcolmNance: I’m sorry but CBP is out of c... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @MalcolmNance: I’m sorry but CBP is out of control. DHS is turning into a Stasi-like organization. Page 226 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001592 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000225 This MUST stop. https://t.co/RfR9091hxw Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/bagglo ID:58861.474960 94QT @SenatorDurbin: RT @jpc268: Fascism is perpe... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @SenatorDurbin: RT @jpc268: Fascism is perpetual terrorization of the... Admin says they focus limited resources on violent criminals. So why did @CustomsBorder agents target & arrest 10 year old Rosamaria? https://t.co/5orFKB4wCC... Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/SueMayerNH ID:58861.474961 95QT @DreamAct: RT @paolamendoza: What have we be... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @paolamendoza: What have we become?Deporting a sick child after surgery. Border patrol stopping ambulances? This is our country. If… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right outside her... Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/Emm_Azua ID:58861.474962 96QT @VivianHYee: RT @maramcewin: When we have lo... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @maramcewin: When we have lost our humanity That truly begins the end #Maddow #Inners https://t.co/YBxB804TKJ ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/DarmokJaladTana ID:58861.474963 97QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/ahsilek_ ID:58861.474964 98RT @MalcolmNance: I’m sorry but CBP is out of c... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @MalcolmNance: I’m sorry but CBP is out of control. DHS is turning into a Stasi-like organization. This MUST stop. https://t.co/RfR9091hxw Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/randomsomewhere ID:58861.474965 99QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who wou... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who would stop an ambulance to detain a 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy on her way to get surgery has l… ; A 10-y... Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t.co... Twitter27 October 12:00AM on twitter.com/spicepirate00 ID:58861.474966 100QT @nowthisnews: RT @juliovega79: Look @POTUS @... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nowthisnews: RT @juliovega79: Look @POTUS @FLOTUS you guys think that's ok what border patrol did I'm American and proud but this is a joke wha… ; Border agents followed this 10-year-old girl with cerebral Twitter27 October 12:01AM on twitter.com/juliovega79 ID:58861.474967 sysomos.com @sysomos support unsubscribe Page 227 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001593 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000226 From : To : Cc: Bee: Subject: Date : Attachments : Sysomos Tweets cross ing 600 threshho ld Thu Oct 26 2017 19:06:35 EDT New Content in Heartbeat US Customs and Border Protect ion More than 100 new since the last check on October 26 , 20 17 at 6:00PM EDT 1 QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patro l STOPP ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nyt imes : RT @lexi4prez : Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to chec k her status , followed her to the hosp ital, and deta ined her ... ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebra l palsy has been detained by federa l immigrat ion Twitter26 Octobe r 6:00PM on twitter.com /obv iousvanessa ID:5886 1.467076 2QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU : Borde r Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @AC LU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hosp ital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking ... ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hosp ital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter26 Octobe r 6:00PM on twitter.com /LunaticMar ilyn ID:58861.467077 3QT @nytimes: RT@SenatorDurbin : Trump Admin say ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nyt imes : RT @Senato rDurbin: Trump Adm in says they focus limited resources on violent crimina ls. So why did @CustomsBorde r agents target & arres ... ; A 10-yea r-old girl with cerebral palsy has been deta ined by federal imm igration autho rities after Twitter26 Octobe r 6:00PM on twitter.com /bhopserve r ID:58861.467078 4QT @lexi4prez : RT @pattonoswalt: Keep ing Amer ic ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @lexi4prez: RT @pattonoswa lt: Keep ing America Safe . Th is is stone-co ld sicken ing. https://t. co/cRuP7BNY lq; Border patro l STOPPED THE AMBU LANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospita l, and detained her after her surgery Twitter26 Octobe r 6:00PM on twitter.com /AshburnAnne ID:58861.467080 SQT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patro l STOPP ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nyt imes : RT @lexi4prez : Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status , followed her to the hosp ital, and deta ined her ... ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebra l palsy has been detained by federa l immigrat ion Twitter26 Octobe r 6:00PM on twitter.com /ultmomoh ime ID:58861.46708 1 6RT @jonfavs : What the hell is the @CustomsBorde ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @jonfavs : What the hell is the @CustomsBorde r patrol doing pull ing over ambu lances in the first place? Twitter26 Octobe r 6:00PM on twitter.com /bwt ibbitts ID:5886 1.467082 ?RT @P _Danny 13: to agree to have the girl transf ... CBP FOIA 001594 Page 228 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000227 View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @P_Danny13: to agree to have the girl transferred to a Mexican hospital, pressing the family to sign a voluntary departure form for her. They decl... in recovery, several armed Border Patrol agents stood outside her hospital room"... Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/TropicCoralFire ID:58861.467083 8QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin say... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin says they focus limited resources on violent criminals. So why did @CustomsBorder agents target & arres… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration authorities after Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/vxnusadrian ID:58861.467084 9QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elem... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elementary student poses absolutely no threat to national security. We are outraged that… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/realEthanWolfe ID:58861.467085 10QT @ACLU: Absurd and cruel. Go after some bad g... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ACLU: Absurd and cruel. Go after some bad guys, not a sick child. https://t.co/MJgVbd5PeW ; Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking her... Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/Pghgrl52 ID:58861.467086 11QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/messaggeman ID:58861.467087 12QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/Pete_Geller ID:58861.467088 13QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/Gabyy_Anais ID:58861.467089 14QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/1CNTRL ID:58861.467090 15QT @ACLU: Deplorable @POTUS https://t.co/gEoQFm... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ACLU: Deplorable @POTUS https://t.co/gEoQFmIqEv ; This 10-year-old elementary student poses absolutely no threat to national security. We are outraged that @CustomsBorder would go after a vulnerable child like this. Rosa Maria shouldn’t... Twitter26 October 6:01PM on twitter.com/debkruk ID:58861.467091 16@SenatorDurbin @CustomsBorder They didnt fought... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @SenatorDurbin @CustomsBorder They didnt fought against abortion to not have sadistic fun at a girl Page 229 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001595 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000228 expense #yesmypointstands Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/Fuckingjews2 ID:58861.467094 17RT @ACLU: This is Trump's deportation force in ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @ACLU: This is Trump's deportation force in action. Rosa Maria needs to recover from surgery with her family. Instead, @CustomsBorder has taken her miles away from her home, where her family cannot see her. https://t.co Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/DianeEllenC ID:58861.467095 18QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/Farvayo9 ID:58861.467096 19QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/Bfraza_2 ID:58861.467097 20@weareoversight @CustomsBorder this is oversigh... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @weareoversight @CustomsBorder this is oversight,wow..♂♀ https://t.co/akpcwR4csc Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/ShootingCountry ID:58861.467098 21RT @saychieeef: ICE and CBP have been sadistic,... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @saychieeef: ICE and CBP have been sadistic, unconstitutional white nationalists under Trump. Think the military wont? Other law enforcement? Tuh... Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/caffbev86 ID:58861.467099 2210-Year-Old Mexican Girl With Cerebral Palsy De... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI 10-Year-Old Mexican Girl With Cerebral Palsy Detained by Border Patrol After Surgery in… https://t. co/TMr0lffDE3 Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/cickonthelink ID:58861.467101 23RT @VivianHYee: A 10-year-old girl with cerebra... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @VivianHYee: A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t.co/ptCN9gAkYO Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/katdivney ID:58861.467102 24QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/Thug_Life42 ID:58861.467103 25QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/evphorix ID:58861.467104 26QT @BuzzFeedNews: @BarackObama @TheEllenShow @M... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @BuzzFeedNews: @BarackObama @TheEllenShow @MichelleObama @JoeBiden @RepJoeKennedy no politician should allow this to happen. https://t.co/z3e50FKs5h ; Border Patrol detained a 10-year-old undocumented girl with cerebral palsy after her surgery https://t.co Page 230 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001596 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000229 Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/Oxnard805Agueda ID:58861.467105 27QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/mariamunguia28 ID:58861.467106 28QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/baseddonut_ ID:58861.467107 29QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/gennzz_ ID:58861.467108 30QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/ravngsofamadman ID:58861.467109 31QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin say... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin says they focus limited resources on violent criminals. So why did @CustomsBorder agents target & arres… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration authorities after Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/Yanniiixo ID:58861.467110 32QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/KMsus4add9 ID:58861.467111 33QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/tayywurrr_ ID:58861.467112 34QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/AlysPopTown ID:58861.467113 35QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/Perlaairvm ID:58861.467114 36RT @MalcolmNance: I’m sorry but CBP is out of c... Page 231 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001597 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000230 View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @MalcolmNance: I’m sorry but CBP is out of control. DHS is turning into a Stasi-like organization. This MUST stop. https://t.co/RfR9091hxw Twitter26 October 6:01PM on twitter.com/Martha15642 ID:58861.467115 37QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:01PM on twitter.com/jh4hunnid ID:58861.467116 38RT @jonfavs: @CustomsBorder And then Republican... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @jonfavs: @CustomsBorder And then Republicans run ads pretending immigration is about violent gangs? When we’re deporting 10 year old Americans with cerebral palsy? Twitter26 October 6:02PM on twitter.com/Bernade97386460 ID:58861.467117 39QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:02PM on twitter.com/yoabbs_ ID:58861.467118 40QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elem... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elementary student poses absolutely no threat to national security. We are outraged that… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/NewWhirrledOdor ID:58861.467120 41QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elem... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elementary student poses absolutely no threat to national security. We are outraged that… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/wadjet225 ID:58861.467121 42@weareoversight @CustomsBorder View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @weareoversight @CustomsBorder Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/jimmylme ID:58861.467122 43RT @DreamAct: 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a ho... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @DreamAct: 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right outside her room waiting to deport her Sign&Share https://t.co/IYVjAkF37w https://t.co/bIkRJzYwSa Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/210liljay ID:58861.467123 44QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/Blittle_17 ID:58861.467124 4510-Year-Old Girl Is Detained By Border Patrol A... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI 10-Year-Old Girl Is Detained By Border Patrol After Emergency Surgery https://t.co/8KGpJT3nGK Twitter26 October 6:01PM on twitter.com/heretictrance ID:58861.467125 46QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin say... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin says they focus limited resources on violent criminals. So why did @CustomsBorder agents target & arres… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy Page 232 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001598 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000231 has been detained by federal immigration authorities after Twitter26 October 6:01PM on twitter.com/heyykaye ID:58861.467126 47QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elem... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elementary student poses absolutely no threat to national security. We are outraged that… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get Twitter26 October 6:01PM on twitter.com/SherriW78530644 ID:58861.467127 48RT @SenKamalaHarris: A 10-year-old child in an ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @SenKamalaHarris: A 10-year-old child in an ambulance was stopped by Border Patrol Agents & detained for deportation. https://t.co/qM4ixURlI9 Twitter26 October 6:01PM on twitter.com/JeffHodder ID:58861.467128 49QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:01PM on twitter.com/madelynn_oc ID:58861.467129 50QT @VivianHYee: RT @Boston_DSA: ABOLISH ICE htt... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @Boston_DSA: ABOLISH ICE https://t.co/AGJbKBdnCj ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t. co/ptCN9gAkYO Twitter26 October 6:01PM on twitter.com/thebro88 ID:58861.467130 51QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elem... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elementary student poses absolutely no threat to national security. We are outraged that… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get Twitter26 October 6:02PM on twitter.com/sezirat ID:58861.467131 52QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:02PM on twitter.com/majokasai ID:58861.467132 53QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elem... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elementary student poses absolutely no threat to national security. We are outraged that… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get Twitter26 October 6:02PM on twitter.com/its_jerez ID:58861.467133 54QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/TsundereJ ID:58861.467134 55QT @lexi4prez: what the fuck? there’s rapists a... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @lexi4prez: what the fuck? there’s rapists and drug dealers on our streets but no worry about the illegal disabled child https://t.co/hSguospSTC ; Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed... Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/vakimixx ID:58861.467135 56QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin say... Page 233 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001599 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000232 View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin says they focus limited resources on violent criminals. So why did @CustomsBorder agents target & arres… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration authorities after Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/SecretGamerGrrl ID:58861.467136 57QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/imabritiot ID:58861.467137 58RT @GrombarSmash: @NotReallyABear2 @jgfleet661 ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @GrombarSmash: @NotReallyABear2 @jgfleet661 @atomflower @DanielBoswell @laquialene69 @DreamAct @CustomsBorder @DHSgov you can even start the application process. That's why DACA recipients are so screwed now that DACA's been repealed; there's Twitter26 October 6:01PM on twitter.com/laquialene69 ID:58861.467138 59QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who wou... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who would stop an ambulance to detain a 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy on her way to get surgery has l… ; A 10-y... Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t.co... Twitter26 October 6:02PM on twitter.com/unhipcat ID:58861.467139 60QT @lexi4prez: Just wow. https://t.co/gSNowvSPn... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @lexi4prez: Just wow. https://t.co/gSNowvSPnX ; Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her after her surgery. https://t. co/kfRrCvCiPH Twitter26 October 6:02PM on twitter.com/kenzmanthei ID:58861.467140 61QT @ACLU: RT @AltHomelandSec: I wonder how many... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ACLU: RT @AltHomelandSec: I wonder how many times the USBP and ICE have attempted to get hospital workers to break HIPAA laws...maybe that sh… ; Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this... Twitter26 October 6:02PM on twitter.com/joe_kidder2 ID:58861.467141 62QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:02PM on twitter.com/naaranja_ ID:58861.467142 63QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:02PM on twitter.com/rosy51200 ID:58861.467143 64QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:02PM on twitter.com/colleenonmars ID:58861.467144 65DREAM Activist: CBP Wants to Deport This 10 Yea... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI DREAM Activist: CBP Wants to Deport This 10 Year Old From Hospital Bed! https://t.co/leHx6sO0JL Page 234 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001600 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000233 Twitter26 October 6:02PM on twitter.com/ZariFoster ID:58861.467145 66QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:02PM on twitter.com/Jessica_ccortez ID:58861.467146 67RT @EdKrassen: Border Patrol is waiting at the ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @EdKrassen: Border Patrol is waiting at the Hospital to deport 10yr old Maria Rosa once she recovers from Surgery. She suffers from cerebral palsy. Don't let the Trump administration do this to this wonderful little girl. Let's... Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/MsPaulineMac ID:58861.467147 68@weareoversight @CustomsBorder lol catch of the... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @weareoversight @CustomsBorder lol catch of the day is great! Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/jbm1171991 ID:58861.467148 69@CustomsBorder FUCK YOU View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI @CustomsBorder FUCK YOU Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/210liljay ID:58861.467149 70QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/repunxel ID:58861.467150 71BREAKING NEWS: Border Patrol Announces the Comp... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI BREAKING NEWS: Border Patrol Announces the Completion of the Border Wall Prototypes & take Questions: https://t.co/0omprXC9Vl via Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/GST_Politics ID:58861.467151 72QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:01PM on twitter.com/keyareuh__ ID:58861.467152 73RT @VivianHYee: A 10-year-old girl with cerebra... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @VivianHYee: A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t.co/ptCN9gAkYO Twitter26 October 6:01PM on twitter.com/BrieCallahan ID:58861.467153 74RT @BreitbartTexas: Whataburger Employee Refuse... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @BreitbartTexas: Whataburger Employee Refuses Border Patrol Agents Returning from Puerto Rico Hurricane Relief https://t.co/KIfm3HQib2 Twitter26 October 6:01PM on twitter.com/EFrazier512 ID:58861.467154 75QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who wou... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who would stop an ambulance to detain a 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy on her way to get surgery has l… ; A 10-y... Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t.co... Twitter26 October 6:01PM on twitter.com/cardinalsfan192 ID:58861.467155 76QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI Page 235 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001601 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000234 QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:01PM on twitter.com/RenataServulo ID:58861.467156 77QT @nytimes: RT @SebiSalazarFUT: 'armed Border ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @SebiSalazarFUT: 'armed Border Patrol agents stood outside her hospital room'. 10 yr old w/cerebral palsy. If you voted for current… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration authorities Twitter26 October 6:01PM on twitter.com/captkriegs ID:58861.467157 78QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elem... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elementary student poses absolutely no threat to national security. We are outraged that… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get Twitter26 October 6:01PM on twitter.com/momakeen ID:58861.467158 79QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who wou... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @RepDonBeyer: Anyone who would stop an ambulance to detain a 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy on her way to get surgery has l… ; A 10-y... Border Patrol on her way to get emergency surgery in Texas https://t.co... Twitter26 October 6:01PM on twitter.com/penjanecookies ID:58861.467159 80QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:01PM on twitter.com/vanesuuhh ID:58861.467160 81QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:01PM on twitter.com/RochesterIrish ID:58861.467161 82QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:02PM on twitter.com/changliii ID:58861.467162 83QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:02PM on twitter.com/MysticMous ID:58861.467163 84QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:02PM on twitter.com/BVDavids ID:58861.467164 85QT @ACLU: RT @BitsieTulloch: “Whoever welcomes ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @ACLU: RT @BitsieTulloch: “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” (Matthew 18:5) Attn: @GOP @HouseGOP- Here’s a better “Hea… ; Border Patrol has been waiting Page 236 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001602 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000235 outside of the hospital as... Twitter26 October 6:02PM on twitter.com/faith_true ID:58861.467165 86QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin say... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @SenatorDurbin: Trump Admin says they focus limited resources on violent criminals. So why did @CustomsBorder agents target & arres… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration authorities after Twitter26 October 6:02PM on twitter.com/yung_cleo_jones ID:58861.467166 8710-Year-Old Girl Is Detained By Border Patrol A... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI 10-Year-Old Girl Is Detained By Border Patrol After Emergency Surgery https://t.co/ftYu1MuDnt Twitter26 October 6:02PM on twitter.com/dani_npe ID:58861.467167 88QT @lexi4prez: RT @pattonoswalt: Keeping Americ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @lexi4prez: RT @pattonoswalt: Keeping America Safe. This is stone-cold sickening. https://t. co/cRuP7BNYIq ; Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her after her surgery Twitter26 October 6:02PM on twitter.com/AnneScheer ID:58861.467168 89QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:02PM on twitter.com/pssycH0Tic ID:58861.467169 90QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:03PM on twitter.com/basedmickey1017 ID:58861.467170 91QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter26 October 6:03PM on twitter.com/StaySweetNarry ID:58861.467171 92RT @KTLA: Border Patrol agents followed undocum... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI RT @KTLA: Border Patrol agents followed undocumented girl to Texas hospital, took her into custody after surgery, lawyer says https://t.co/zXK0paNO4k Twitter26 October 6:03PM on twitter.com/W1SHKA ID:58861.467172 93QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/aaliyah_white ID:58861.467173 94QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/CherChezLaJay ID:58861.467174 95QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPP... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @nytimes: RT @lexi4prez: Border patrol STOPPED THE AMBULANCE she was in to check her Page 237 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001603 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000236 status, followed her to the hospital, and detained her… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has been detained by federal immigration Twitter26 October 6:00PM on twitter.com/alykumor ID:58861.467175 96DREAM Activist: CBP Wants to Deport This 10 Yea... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI DREAM Activist: CBP Wants to Deport This 10 Year Old From Hospital Bed! https://t.co/rNtdNTBSSL Twitter26 October 6:01PM on twitter.com/HypnoKelly ID:58861.467176 97QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter26 October 6:01PM on twitter.com/katrine_ignacio ID:58861.467177 98QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elem... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @VivianHYee: RT @ACLU: This 10-year-old elementary student poses absolutely no threat to national security. We are outraged that… ; A 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy was detained by Border Patrol on her way to get Twitter26 October 6:01PM on twitter.com/nancypreuss ID:58861.467178 99QT @julito77: RT @CosechaMovement: Rosamaria's ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @julito77: RT @CosechaMovement: Rosamaria's doctor ordered her return to her family & doctor at home. CPB took her 150 miles away and has let no fa… ; This press conference. Cops show up at end: Border Patrol Detains... Twitter26 October 6:01PM on twitter.com/Uswnt1354 ID:58861.467179 100QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been ... View in Heartbeat or Heartbeat New UI QT @DreamAct: RT @ACLU: Border Patrol has been waiting outside of the hospital as this little girl recovers from surgery and is now taking… ; 10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right Twitter26 October 6:01PM on twitter.com/Melxodia47 ID:58861.467180 sysomos.com @sysomos support unsubscribe Page 238 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001604 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000237 From: To: Cc: Bee: Subject: RE: SOCIAL MEDIA REFERENCES Date: Thu Oct 26 2017 15:05:24 EDT Attachments : image001 .jpg image002.jpg image003.jpg image004.jpg image005.jpg image006.jpg Ouch, double ugh. IWfP Public Affairs Officer U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office - (b )(6 );(b )(7)(C) : Mobile - (b )(6 );(b )(7)(C) (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) Follow me on Twitter @CBPMidAtlantic Sign up for e-mail updates from www .CBP.gov 'Catch of the day' was actually being used in reference to people by more than one PAO .. . Sadder still, an NGO has FOIA'd all such references to it...Ugh! CBP FOIA 001605 Page 239 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000238 Why did you have to send this? Did one of us Tweet something inapprop riate? IWfP Public Affairs Officer U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office - (b )(6 );(b )(7)(C) : Mobile - (b )(6 );(b )(7)(C) (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) Follow me on Twitter @CBPMidAtlan tic Sign up for e-mail updates from www .CBP.gov All, It is CBP's and OPA's policy to treat everyone with whom we interact with dignity and respect. Whether an illegal alien or alleged (or even convicted) criminal, all are human, and should be treated humane ly. In our job as commun icators , we must reinforce that message in every form of commun ication, from social media to the web , from print to broadcast media, we must guard against using language that detrac ts from that inherent dignity and respect. I understand that social media is far more conversationa l than traditional media and often uses creative word play to attract readers or followers, or better, re-tweets of our messages . However , this is where we need to ensure we're not making light of an individuals ' circumstance. I cite as an example the use of 'catch of the day' which is appropriate for fish, or substances interdicted, but not in reference to people. CBP FOIA 001606 Page 240 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000239 There is no way to create a list of appropriate or inappropriate terms, so I rely on your judgmen t as PAOs to ensure we maintain the highest standa rds in all our forms of commun ication. Very respectfully , (b )(6);(b )(7)( C) Director, Media Division Office of Public Affairs U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office: (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) iPhone : (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) CBP FOIA 001607 Page 241 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000240 From: To: Cc: Bee: Subject: Date: Attachmen ts: FYSA. All, FRIEL MICHAEL J (b )(6)·(b )(7)(C) FW: SOC IAL MEDIA REFERENCES Thu Oct 26 2017 14:53:5 1 EDT image001 .jpg image002.jpg image003.jpg image004.jpg image005.jpg image006.jpg It is CBP's and OPA's policy to treat everyone with whom we interact with dignity and respect. Whether an illegal alien or alleged (or even convicted) criminal, all are human, and should be treated humane ly. In our job as commun icators , we must reinforce that message in every form of commun ication, from social media to the web , from print to broadcast media, we must guard against using language that detrac ts from that inherent dignity and respect. I understand that social media is far more conversationa l than traditional media and often uses creative word play to attract readers or followers, or better, re-tweets of our messages . However, this is where we need to ensure we're not making light of an individuals ' circumstance. I cite as an example the use of 'catch of the day' which is appropriate for fish, or substances interdicted, but not in reference to people. There is no way to create a list of appropriate or inappropriate terms, so I rely on your judgmen t as CBP FOIA 001608 Page 283 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000241 PAOs to ensure we maintain the highest standa rds in all our forms of commun ication. Very respectfully , (b )(6);(b )(7)( C) Director, Media Division Office of Public Affairs U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office iPhon (b )(6);(b )(7)(C ): ) ~ (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) CBP FOIA 001609 Page 284 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000242 From : To: Cc: Bee: Subject: Date: Attachments : 2 of 2. All, (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) FW: SOC IAL MEDIA REFERENCES Thu Oct 26 2017 14:53:38 EDT image001 .jpg image002.jpg image003.jpg image004.jpg image005.jpg image006.jpg It is CBP's and OPA's policy to treat everyone with whom we interact with dignity and respect. Whether an illegal alien or alleged (or even conv icted) criminal, all are human, and should be treated humane ly. In our job as commun icators , we must reinforce that message in every form of commun ication, from socia l media to the web , from print to broadcast media, we must guard against using language that detracts from that inherent dignity and respect. I understand that socia l media is far more conversationa l than traditional media and often uses creative word play to attract readers or followers, or better, re-tweets of our messages . However , this is where we need to ensure we're not making light of an individuals ' circumstance. I cite as an example the use of 'catch of the day' which is appropriate for fish, or substances interdicted , but not in reference to people. There is no way to create a list of appropriate or inappropriate terms, so I rely on your judgment as CBP FOIA 001610 Page 297 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000243 PAOs to ensure we maintain the highest standards in all our forms of communication. Very respectfully, Director, Media Division Office of Public Affairs U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office: iPhone: Page 298 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001611 (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) - DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000244 From: To: Cc: Bee: Subject: Date: Attachments : Thanks ■ Understood RE: SOCIAL MEDIA REFERENCES Thu Oct 26 2017 14:53:13 EDT image001 .jpg image002.jpg image003.jpg image004.jpg image005.jpg image006.jpg rli"J J ,staW hief Patrol Agent CBP-OPA JTF-W Arizona JG Cell: (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) ~~n~ :--\?! 6, 2017 11:38:31 AM To: CBPPAO Cc: FRIEL, MICHAEL J; Subject: SOCIAL MEDIA: All, It is CBP's and OPA's policy to treat everyone with whom we interact with dignity and respect. Whether an illegal alien or alleged (or even convicted) criminal, all are human, and should be treated humane ly. CBP FOIA 001612 Page 311 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000245 In our job as commun icators , we must reinforce that message in every form of commun ication, from socia l media to the web , from print to broadcast media, we must guard against using language that detrac ts from that inherent dignity and respec t. I understand that socia l media is far more conversationa l than traditional media and often uses creative word play to attract readers or followers, or better, re-tweets of our messages . However , this is where we need to ensu re we're not mak ing light of an individuals ' circumstance. I cite as an example the use of 'catch of the day' which is appropriate for fish, or substances interdicted, but not in reference to people. There is no way to create a list of appropriate or inapp ropriate terms, so I rely on your judgmen t as PAOs to ensure we maintain the highes t standa rds in all our forms of commun ication. Very respectfully , (b )(6);(b )(7)( C) Director, Media Division Office of Public Affairs U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office iPhon (b )(6);(b )(7)(C )::: ) ,. (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) CBP FOIA 001613 Page 312 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000246 From: To: Cc: Bee: Subject: FW: SOCIAL MEDIA REFERENCES Date: Thu Oct 26 2017 14:53:05 EDT Attachments : image001 .jpg Here's AZ! From: Sent: To: image002.jpg image003.jpg image004.jpg image005.jpg image006.jpg Subject: RE: SOCIAL MEDIA REFERENCES Understood (b )(6 );(b )(7)(C) Assistant Chief Patrol Agent CBP-OPA JTF-W Arizona JG Cell (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) From: (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) Sent: Thursday, October 26, 2017 11 :38:31 AM To: CBPPAO Cc: FRIEL, MICHAEL J; Subject: SOCIAL MEDIA: All, It is CBP's and OPA's policy to treat everyone with whom we interact with dignity and respect. Whether CBP FOIA 001614 Page 325 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000247 an illegal alien or alleged (or even conv icted) crimina l, all are human , and shou ld be treated humane ly. In our job as commun icators , we must reinfo rce that message in every form of commun ication, from socia l media to the web , from print to broadcast media, we must guard against using language that detrac ts from that inherent dignity and respec t. I understand that socia l media is far more conversationa l than traditional media and often uses creative word play to attract readers or followers, or better, re-tweets of our messages . However , this is where we need to ensu re we're not mak ing light of an individuals ' circumstance. I cite as an example the use of 'catch of the day' which is appropriate for fish, or substances interdicted, but not in reference to people. There is no way to create a list of appropriate or inapp ropriate terms, so I rely on your judgmen t as PAOs to ensure we maintain the highes t standa rds in all our forms of commun ication. Very respectfully , (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) Director, Media Division Office of Public Affairs U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office iPhon (b )(6);(b )(7)(C )~) : (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) CBP FOIA 001615 Page 326 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000248 From: To: Cc: Bee: Subject: Date: Attachments: RE: (No Subject) Thu Oct 26 2017 14:45:4 1 EDT image001.jpg image002.jpg image003.jpg image004.jpg image005.jpg image006.jpg Me too. Not sure the last time I used it for people. So I thought this was resolved ..... . All, It is CBP's and OPA's policy to treat everyone with whom we interact with dignity and respect. Whether an illegal alien or alleged (or even conv icted) criminal, all are human, and should be treated humane ly. In our job as commun icators , we must reinforce that message in every form of commun ication, from socia l media to the web , from print to broadcast media, we must guard against using language that CBP FOIA 001616 Page 353 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000249 detrac ts from that inherent dignity and respec t. I understand that social media is far more conversationa l than traditional media and often uses creative word play to attract readers or followers, or better, re-tweets of our messages . However , this is where we need to ensu re we're not mak ing light of an individuals ' circumstance. I cite as an example the use of 'catch of the day' which is appropriate for fish, or substances interdicted, but not in reference to people. There is no way to create a list of appropriate or inapp ropriate terms, so I rely on your judgmen t as PAOs to ensure we maintain the highes t standa rds in all our forms of commun ication. Very respectfully , (b )(6 );(b )(7)( C) Director, Media Division Office of Public Affairs U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office iPhon (b )(6);(b )(7)(Cf::) ~ (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) CBP FOIA 001617 Page 354 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000250 From: To: Cc: Bee: (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) (b )(b );(b ---- )(/ )(C) Subject: RE: SOCIAL MEDIA REFERENCES Date: Thu Oct 26 2017 14:39:55 EDT Attachments : image007 .png Good catch! 1Wi891 Branch Chief image008.jpg image009.jpg image01 0.jpg image011.jpg image012.jpg image013.jpg Strategic Media Engagement Office of Public Affairs U.S. Customs and Border Protection Department of Homeland Security (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) @CBPLosAngeles All, CBP FOIA 001618 Page 367 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000251 It is CBP's and OPA's policy to treat everyone with whom we interact with dignity and respect. Whether an illegal alien or alleged (or even convicted) crimina l, all are human, and should be treated humane ly. In our job as commun icators , we must reinforce that message in every form of commun ication, from social media to the web , from print to broadcast media, we must guard against using language that detrac ts from that inherent dignity and respec t. I understand that social media is far more conversationa l than traditional media and often uses creative word play to attract readers or followers, or better, re-tweets of our messages . However , this is where we need to ensu re we're not mak ing light of an individuals ' circumstance. I cite as an example the use of 'catch of the day' which is appropriate for fish, or substances interdicted, but not in reference to people. There is no way to create a list of appropriate or inapp ropriate terms, so I rely on your judgmen t as PAOs to ensure we maintain the highes t standa rds in all our forms of commun ication. Very respectfully , (b )(6);(b )(7)( C) Director, Media Division Office of Public Affairs U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office : (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) iPhone : l(b )(6);(b )(7)(C) CBP FOIA 001619 Page 368 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000252 From: To: Cc: Bee: Subject: DRAFT EMAIL FOR CONSIDERAT ION Date: Thu Oct 26 2017 14:34:03 EDT Attachments : image001 .jpg (b )(6);(b )(7)( C) image002.jpg image003.jpg image004.jpg image005.jpg ima e006.· image001.jpg image002.jpg image003.jpg image004.jpg image005.jpg image006.jpg Director, Media Division Office of Public Affairs U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office: (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) iPhone: (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) CBP FOIA 001620 Page 411 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000253 CBP FOIA 001621 Page 425 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000254 From: (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) To: (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) Cc: Bee: Subject: 10/26 8:30 Meeting Date: Thu Oct 26 2017 10:35:50 EDT Attachments: Notes OCA Prepping for call with Sen. Brown at 5 today INA B5/M5 breakthroughs- UK open to adopting ATSG, and AC Ley was able to get Fentanyl and forced labor issues added to the deep dive topics at the upcom ing February meeting OPA - Prototype announcement today POTUS interview w/Lou Dobbs last night- Lots of talk about wall and Trump's optim ism for it Growing coverage of story about 10 year old girl who was detained after her gallbladder surgery. FOY A request from NGO upset about twitter account referring to drug bust as "Catch of the Day" Continuing to work on Executive Travel tasker CBP FOIA 001622 Page 438 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000255 Tasks/Follow-ups · OPA- Craft C1 message regarding CBP suicides (emphasize that this problem isn’t going away, follow up on union videos, set up possible townhalls) - U.S Customs and Border Protection Office of the Commissioner Cell: Page 439 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001623 (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b) (5) DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000256 From: To: Cc: Bee: Subject: Date: Attachmen ts: CBP Central Texas Tweeted : Welcome to the team! Mon Oct 02 2017 17:43:00 EDT USBPCh ief, CBP Florida, FBI, CBP, CBP Buffalo also Tweeted . Your Highligh ts avatar CBP Central Texas @CBPCen tralTX Welcome to the team ! twitter.com/USBPCh ief/stat. .. reply retweet 2 favorite 4 CBP Florida liked avatar USBPCh ief @USBPCh ief Excited to welcome 44 bright individuals to #USBP . They made a great decision to serve their country w/#HonorFi rst bit.ly/2xVYfg4 reply 2 retweet 16 favo rite CBP FOIA 001624 Page 440 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000257 64 avatar CBP Florida @CBPFlorida U.S. Border Patrol Search, Trauma, and Rescue(BORSTAR)on the ground in Puerto Rico supporting response and recovery efforts. #HurricaneMaria twitter.com/CustomsBorder/… reply retweet 4 favorite 4 avatar FBI @FBI Correction: Please call 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) with videos & photos from the Las Vegas shooting on 10/1/17. twitter.com/FBILasVegas/st… reply 45 retweet 970 favorite 600 avatar CBP @CustomsBorder #CatchOfTheDay Great example of the vigilance of our officers and agents, keeping drugs off our streets. #KeepingAmericaSafe twitter.com/CBPArizona/sta… reply retweet 21 favorite 34 avatar CBP Buffalo @CBPBuffalo Page 441 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001625 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000258 RT @RobFireCapt: Nice to be a part of Humanitarian missions as #DHS @CustomsBorder & others reaching #Maria survivors https://t.co/qapQpwLx… reply retweet favorite See more on Twitter Settings | Help | Unsubscribe We sent this email to @CBPJobs Twitter, Inc. 1355 Market Street, Suite 900 San Francisco, CA 94103 Page 442 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001626 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000259 From : To: Cc: Bee: Subject: Date: Attachments : (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) FW: OPA Activ ity for Hurricane Irma - Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017 Thu Sep 14 2017 13:00:20 EDT image001 .jpg image003. jpg image004. jpg image006. jpg Still standing Florida Keys flyover shows damage but no disaster following Hurricane lrma.mp4 In addition, CSP.gov was updated with a web story by (b )(6 );(b )(7)(C) OPA Activ ity for Hurricane Irma - Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017 Office of Public Affairs distributing content documenting response efforts for Post-Irma via a centralized repository on CSP.gov. Airports and seaports in Florida have reopened while recovery and cleanup efforts in the Florida Keys and parts of the Caribbean continue. Items of Interest Facilitated an overview flight for ABC News Radio's Jim Ryan and Fox News Adam Housley conducted live hits at Miami Air and Marine Branch Wednesday evening following a flight into the Florida Keys. Distributed content of FEMA Administrat ion William B "Brock" Long landing in Marathon Wednesday evening aboard a AMO DHC-8 through CBP Flickr and the Defense Video Imagery Distribut ion Sytem. America Teve's Rene Pedrosa reported on operations from Homestead Air Reserve Base and utilized footage from Air and Marine Operations radar-equipped unmanned aircraft system . Pedrosa is up the air today for a new package featuring agency operations. USA Today produced a video on Air and Marine Operat ions aircrews efforts in the Caribbean and Florida Keys . See attached or VIEW here. CBP FOIA 001627 Page 443 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000260 Photo from Washington Post: Office of Public Affairs · OPA VisComms returning from deployment after gathering multimedia. PAO on the ground for media embeds and to document U.S. Border Patrol recovery efforts. U.S. Customs and Border Protection Response Efforts for Irma on Flickr U.S. Customs and Border Protection Response Efforts for Irma on DVIDS (Imagery released of U.S. Border Patrol conducting welfare checks in Marathon, Florida) OPA Products: · Post-Irma: CBP Miami/Tampa Field Office Operational Update (Wednesday Evening) · CBP Deploys Resources to Florida, Assesses Damage, Conducts Search, Rescue, Recovery efforts · CBP Miami/Tampa Field Office Operational Update for Irma as Airports and Seaports Reopen (Wednesday Afternoon) Twitter: Twitter: @CustomsBorder @CBPCaribbean @CBPFlorida @CBPSoutheast Page 444 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001628 (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000261 U.S. Border Patrol Agents in Marathon assisting with recovery efforts in the Florida Keys after sustaining extensive property damage #Irma Photo of the Day: U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations aircrew above the Florida Keys http://bit.ly/2wMvrpQ #Irma #PuertoRico based #AMO crew flew with @weatherchannel @davemalkoff for #Irma relief efforts in #Florida Keys. Photo of the Day: U.S. Customs and Border Protection response team in Fort Myers as ports of entry across the state resume operations #CBP CBP's Air and Marine Operations with FEMA Director William B “Brock” Long flying to meet those supporting recovery efforts in the Keys #Irma CBP Air and Marine Operations flew FEMA Director William B “Brock” Long into Marathon to meet with those on the ground in Florida Keys #Irma Fox News @adamhousley with CBP Air and Marine Operations crew in Miami learning more about Hurricane #Irma response efforts in Florida Keys Watch after 6pm EST @FoxNews see #CBP along with our #DHS #FEMA partners responding to #IrmaRecovery #KeepingAmericaSafe #CBP personnel processing passengers, crew and cargo at airports and seaports Operational Update (As of 5 p.m.) http://bit.ly/2wq4unM U.S. Border Patrol staged personnel and equipment outside of the hurricane’s path to initiate response and recovery operations #Irma #USBP U.S. Border Patrol Agents across Florida working with local, state and federal partners as part of recovery effort #Irma #USBP Page 445 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001629 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000262 Public Affairs Specialist U.S. Customs and Border Protection @CBPFlorida Media Division, Office of Public Affairs Mobile Page 446 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001630 (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000263 image001.jpg for Printed Item: 130 ( Attachment 1 of 5) Page 448 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001631 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000264 pg for Printed I Page 450 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001632 : l' , 1 Am ri an in lud m ...... . t• ,.__ lra rt . al r l DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000265 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000266 image006.jpg for Printed Item: 130 ( Attachment 4 of 5) Page 454 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001634 for in e DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000267 From: To: Cc: Bee: Subject: Date: Attachmen ts: (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) OPA Activity for Hurricane Irma - Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017 Thu Sep 14 2017 12:57:23 EDT image002 .jpg image005.jpg image009.jpg image01 0.jpg Still standing Florida Keys flyover shows damage but no disaster following Hurricane lrma.mp4 OPA Activity for Hurricane Irma - Thursday , Sept. 14, 2017 Office of Public Affairs distributing content document ing response efforts for Post-Irma via a centralized repository on CSP.gov. Airports and seaports in Florida have reopened while recovery and cleanup efforts in the Florida Keys and parts of the Caribbean continue. Items of Interest Facilitated an overview flight for ABC News Radio's Jim Ryan and Fox News Adam Housley conducted live hits at Miami Air and Marine Branch Wednesday evening following a flight into the Florida Keys. Distributed content of FEMA Administration William B "Brock" Long landing in Marathon Wednesday CBP FOIA 001635 Page 457 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000268 evening aboard a AMO DHC-8 through CBP Flickr and the Defense Video Imagery Distribution Sytem. America Teve’s Rene Pedrosa reported on operations from Homestead Air Reserve Base and utilized footage from Air and Marine Operations radar-equipped unmanned aircraft system. Pedrosa is up the air today for a new package featuring agency operations. USA Today produced a video on Air and Marine Operations aircrews efforts in the Caribbean and Florida Keys. See attached or VIEW here. Photo from Washington Post: Office of Public Affairs · OPA VisComms returning from deployment after gathering multimedia. PAO on the ground for media embeds and to document U.S. Border Patrol recovery efforts. U.S. Customs and Border Protection Response Efforts for Irma on Flickr U.S. Customs and Border Protection Response Efforts for Irma on DVIDS (Imagery released of U.S. Border Patrol conducting welfare checks in Marathon, Florida) OPA Products: · Post-Irma: CBP Miami/Tampa Field Office Operational Update (Wednesday Evening) · CBP Deploys Resources to Florida, Assesses Damage, Conducts Search, Rescue, Recovery efforts · CBP Miami/Tampa Field Office Operational Update for Irma as Airports and Seaports Reopen (Wednesday Afternoon) Page 458 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001636 (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000269 Twitter: Twitter: @CustomsBorder @CBPCaribbean @CBPFlorida @CBPSoutheast U.S. Border Patrol Agents in Marathon assisting with recovery efforts in the Florida Keys after sustaining extensive property damage #Irma Photo of the Day: U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations aircrew above the Florida Keys http://bit.ly/2wMvrpQ #Irma #PuertoRico based #AMO crew flew with @weatherchannel @davemalkoff for #Irma relief efforts in #Florida Keys. Photo of the Day: U.S. Customs and Border Protection response team in Fort Myers as ports of entry across the state resume operations #CBP CBP's Air and Marine Operations with FEMA Director William B “Brock” Long flying to meet those supporting recovery efforts in the Keys #Irma CBP Air and Marine Operations flew FEMA Director William B “Brock” Long into Marathon to meet with those on the ground in Florida Keys #Irma Fox News @adamhousley with CBP Air and Marine Operations crew in Miami learning more about Hurricane #Irma response efforts in Florida Keys Watch after 6pm EST @FoxNews see #CBP along with our #DHS #FEMA partners responding to #IrmaRecovery #KeepingAmericaSafe Page 459 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001637 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000270 #CBP personnel processing passengers, crew and cargo at airports and seaports Operational Update (As of 5 p.m.) http://bit.ly/2wq4unM U.S. Border Patrol staged personnel and equipment outside of the hurricane’s path to initiate response and recovery operations #Irma #USBP U.S. Border Patrol Agents across Florida working with local, state and federal partners as part of recovery effort #Irma #USBP Public Affairs Specialist U.S. Customs and Border Protection @CBPFlorida Media Division, Office of Public Affairs Mobile Page 460 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001638 (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000271 image002.jpg for Printed Item: 136 ( Attachment 1 of 5) Page 462 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001639 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000272 pg for Printed I Page 464 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001640 9:34P I ., ....... , ..... 4~•.!.1', .... American Airline expand tra el wai er to in lud mor than 5 airp rt DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000273 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000274 image010.jpg for Printed Item: 136 ( Attachment 4 of 5) Page 468 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001642 CBP Florida @CBPFlorida · Um U.S. Border Patrol Agents in Marathon assisting with recovery efforts in the Florida Keys after sustaining extensive property damage #lrma DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000275 From: To: Cc: Bee: Subject: Date: Attachmen ts: Wed Sep 13 2017 17:10:05 EDT FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx image001.png image002.png image003.png image004.png image005.png image006.png image007.png (b )(6);( b )(7)(C) Office of Public Affairs U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) I Cell (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) CBP FOIA 001643 Page 471 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000276 Tweet id Tweet permTweet text time impressionengageme 301382000https://twi#CBP remembers those who lost their lives 15 yrs ag 2016-09-11 87442 1203 220650000https://twiSmugglers put marijuana in the coconut instead of l2016-05-13 43303 5472 071590000https://twi#CBP mourns the loss of #USBP Agent Manuel Alvar 2016-08-12 32946 1308 463419000https://twi s Our thoughts are with the families, friends and fello 2016-07-1 37499 1417 397010000https://twi#CBP officers in Chicago have seized 16K counterfeit 2016-01-2 55676 3103 576518000https://twiWe honor all who serve in law enforcement & 2016-05-15 32031 976 153440000https://twiToday we said a final goodbye to #USBP Agent Barra 2016-04-22 25184 1351 062225000https://twiHappy #NationalDogDay and THANK YOU to our #CB 2016-08-26 25334 995 462506000https://twi#CBP K9 Webster looking for prohibited items at #A 2016-08-22 103938 5952 902684000https://twiHappy Birthday to the U.S. #BorderPatrol—establis 2016-05-28 92934 1604 389577000https://twiCBP mourns the loss of USBP Agent Jose Barraza— 2016-04-19 28515 1118 831435000https://twiFrom sniffing out pests to search & rescue to fi 2016-03-23 27577 1003 372339000https://twi#CBP seize 164 #hoverboards w/fake batteries, whic 2015-12-15 38196 3435 716369000https://twiHow smugglers attempt to get drugs & other c 2016-09-22 18552 1020 260013000https://twi227 years ago today—Pres. Washington signed the 2016-07-31 21787 425 987747000https://twiWe salute all who serve on this National Law Enforc 2016-01-09 44895 972 903728000https://twiHome of the free because of the brave. We honor th 2016-05-30 69140 483 578306000https://twi Today and every day. With honor and integrity, we will safeguard the American people, our homeland, and our values. https://t.co/9SB08BAuWl 2016-05-11 39731 1138 600623000https://twiREMINDER—As of April 1 all Visa Waiver Program t 2016-03-29 24383 416 884113000https://twiHappy #LaborDay! Thanks to the men and women o 2016-09-05 18137 1039 459876000https://twi#TravelTuesday tip—starting November 1, 2016, y 2016-09-2 21721 1039 291124000https://twiWith 1400+ teams, #CBP K9 program is the largest, 2016-08-2 20319 705 461649000https://twiHappy retirement to Jasper! Jasper has been a #CBP 2016-09-30 24914 531 026013000https://twiThe K9s are Belgian Malinois—a breed known for it 2016-09-22 36436 797 385144000https://twiTruckloads of beer, potato chips and more have bee 2016-02-0 36014 1846 040722000https://twi#CBP officers, on average, arrest 23 wanted persons 2016-07-09 19683 589 019474000https://twiOn a typical day in FY15, #CBP seized 9,435lbs of dru 2016-04-05 14115 886 972945000https://twiThe #CBP #ValorMemorial, honoring the fallen of CB 2016-05-13 38539 765 716706000https://twi#AMO agents led a multi-agency anti-terrorism host 2016-07-24 23553 1057 616871000https://twi8 #AMO aircraft are securing the airspace & en 2016-02-0 22856 895 857077000https://twiFeds, LE partners dismantle 1 of longest tunnels fou 2016-04-21 22099 798 805747000https://twi#CBP & local law enforcement have scanned n 2016-02-0 30358 1053 083944000https://twiWe will never forget them and honor them by upho 2016-05-13 20270 420 947426000https://twi#CBP officers arrest @FBI Top Ten #mostwanted fug 2016-05-30 84105 3529 050095000https://twiHISTORY MAKING DRUG SEIZURE—#CBP officers se 2016-02-09 17229 1515 835183000https://twiDon’t use this to wash your hair—#CBP officers 2016-04-04 12534 595 648907000https://twi#CBP @DEANEWS & @ICEgov arrest 151 after 2015-10-15 30358 797 436678000https://twiTucson #USBP agents investigated an incomplete tu st 2016-04-03 29789 1169 097414000https://twiBuilt for the Border! Apply for a career as a #Border 2016-01-0 37601 1042 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 473 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001644 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000277 683060000https://twiK9s are vital to #CBP ops—assisting w/ rescues, tra 2016-08-26 19743 719 449053000https://twiICYMI—Smugglers put marijuana in the coconut in 2016-05-15 22313 1038 688366000https://twi#CBP officers stopped 3 attempts to smuggle 91lbs 2016-03-1 34646 1667 190738000https://twiNogales #CBP officers seize $603K+ in drugs incl. me 2016-06-29 14157 1207 410496000https://twiA look at outbound customs and immigration inspec o 2016-06-09 29308 434 732424000https://twi#HappyThanksgiving! Thank you to the men and wo 2015-11-26 20141 776 718613000https://twiStarting TODAY—Visa Waiver Program travelers tr 2016-04-01 14471 337 783282000https://twiAt today's #BlueMass, we honored #CBP, #USBP and 2016-05-03 20135 475 990254000https://twi#USBP agents were 1st called Immigration Patrol Ins 2016-05-29 63551 980 950995000https://twi#CBP officers intercepted an int'l parcel containing $ 2016-06-03 42617 1163 086903000https://twiJasper’s most memorable finds are rhino skin, a 2016-09-30 38309 606 372852000https://twiAfter a K9 alert, #CBP officers find 14K lbs of drugs c 2016-04-26 18483 906 303242000https://twiA K9's nose is 1 of best law enforcement tools—#C 2016-04-29 17937 489 142859000https://twi#CBP arrested a traveler trying to smuggle 9 live bird 2016-01-26 14687 629 294782000https://twi#AMO and @USCG, working together, stop 2.3K+ lb 2016-02-09 24082 428 443324000https://twiThank you to #CBP’s ag specialists for protecting 2016-04-23 22052 672 356102000https://twi Join America’s Frontline! APPLY #CBP officer https://t.co/gjSXeUgKAP #USBP agent https://t.co/3TNJABoGe3 #AMO agent https://t.co/vowGFjJlIk https://t.co/vdmBJBVAvD 2016-09-26 13533 401 739398000https://twiUse this chart to help you decide which #CBP #Trust 2016-03-21 26032 827 778422000https://twi#SB50 is here & so are the Black Hawks! #CBP t 2016-02-02 17405 431 070809000https://twiAPPLY to be a CBP officer—Entry level position OPE er 2016-06-14 23099 598 832080000https://twi#MobilePassport expands to @Dulles_Airport! US c 2016-07-12 21307 460 912207000https://twi#CBP finds a different leafy product within a produc 2016-03-24 26635 993 064702000https://twi.@RDUAirport makes 15! US citizens & Canadia 2016-07-16 20677 480 121828000https://twiTrying to evade #USBP agents—a drug smuggler dr 2016-08-03 12536 383 139616000https://twi#CBP is the 2nd largest revenue-collection agency in 2016-04-11 11938 269 279427000https://twi#CBP officers seize $1.3M in meth at Laredo Port of 2015-10-09 9891 284 777378000https://twi#CBP officers are riding to DC as part of #PoliceUnity 2016-05-09 21049 540 869770000https://twi#AMO & @USCG efforts lead to 4 arrests and t 2016-03-25 20312 488 312283000https://twi#USBP Honor Guard Drill Team took FIRST PLACE at 2016-05-1 19262 481 136271000https://twiLast night fallen officers & agents were remem 2016-05-14 15344 301 771735000https://twiThis is Carol Ann Fetty. She became the first woman 2016-03-31 13016 507 055836000https://twi#TBT 1920's postcard view of the earliest U.S. borde 2016-01-14 30916 502 215669000https://twiPHOTO OF THE WEEK—#CBP was honored to grant 2016-07-31 17601 825 553164000https://twi70lbs of opium—that’s what #CBP officers foun 2016-05-11 16046 884 090284000https://twi#USBP canine detection team finds 40lbs of meth hi 2016-08-14 15801 475 592669000https://twiWith the help of a K9's nose, #CBP officers found 27 2016-05-06 13405 376 855507000https://twi#CBP officers in CA foiled 2 heroin smuggling attemp 2016-04-25 18658 837 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 474 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001645 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000278 008427000https://twi#CBP honors fallen officers & agents by particip 2016-05-14 14494 455 317453000https://twiWhen is a spare tire worth $380K+? When #CBP offi 2016-01-23 11745 655 661444000https://twi#BorderPatrol agents in NY arrested 3 people who w 2016-04-01 9440 361 052255000https://twiUsing an x-ray and a #CBP K9’s nose, #CBP office 2016-09-30 7900 309 399007000https://twiThank you @twitter for allowing us to share #CBP†2016-03-22 33031 1126 326226000https://twiCustoms patrol boats from Company "D" fly the ens 2016-07-22 18624 354 433556000https://twi$865K worth of meth and heroin—that’s what 2016-04-03 10441 231 192697000https://twi#CBP K9 sniffs out drugs hidden in a foosball table in 2016-01-25 10002 509 049094000https://twi53lbs of meth and heroin were found in a smuggling 2016-05-18 13875 553 726625000https://twiThese cakes had more than just seeds in them—#C 2016-03-11 9843 618 323004000https://twiYou don’t expect to see 267lbs of marijuana whe 2015-11-18 9617 559 349369000https://twi#CBP officers discover a man hidden inside a partial 2016-03-0 9397 692 392850000https://twiThese salad dressings looked thicker than usual to # 2015-10-16 8426 814 119341000https://twi#CBP and @ICEgov report $1.35B+ of Intellectual Pr 2016-04-15 30818 908 136465000https://twi#CBP is proud to work w/ @NFL,@SantaClaraCity & 2016-02-0 30460 779 402541000https://twiHOMECOMING—Read about #CBP’s return to t 2016-09-13 25873 369 180521000https://twiCan you spot the counterfeit? #CBP import specialis 2016-05-04 23413 1244 639609000https://twi#CBP officers arrested a woman in AZ for attempting 2016-04-25 18655 445 304699000https://twiHappy #MothersDay! Celebrating all moms and thos 2016-05-08 15213 229 503834000https://twiMarijuana hidden in carrot-like packages were part 2016-01-24 11379 591 953184000https://twi#CBP officers seized 24lbs of cocaine during a cabin 2016-01-26 10396 215 870542000https://twiThese bags weren’t filled with candy—#CBP off 2016-02-10 9919 403 596370000https://twi#AMO aircrews detected a vessel carrying 1.2K+ of c 2016-03-14 8889 205 901824000https://twi#CBP officers in Puerto Rico seized 910lbs of cocaine 2016-03-0 8704 260 627120000https://twiIt’s #SuperBowlSunday! All week #CBP & @ 2016-02-0 18934 1186 188046000https://twi#CBP joined other LE agencies for the procession of 2016-05-16 18167 345 100296000https://twiStolen 28 years ago, #CBP seizes classic 1981 Ferrar 2016-04-15 13371 629 576495000https://twiDYK: US Customs Service was the primary source of 2016-07-31 13129 261 080281000https://twi#CBP officers arrested a 14-year-old for trying to sm 2016-06-29 12967 1013 278394000https://twiCars don’t run on liquid meth, but #CBP officers 2016-04-09 10231 437 522588000https://twiCan’t get past a K9’s nose—#CBP officers se 2016-03-30 10109 470 567067000https://twiPicture of the Week—Surveillance under the stars! 2015-10-19 8117 263 094713000https://twiRESCUED—Laredo Sector #USBP agents jump into 2016-07-26 7683 210 410729000https://twiWe are America's frontline. Apply to be a #CBP offic 2016-04-03 7291 410 895892000https://twiUK citizens can begin applying for #GlobalEntry on D 2015-11-04 28326 375 514912000https://twiSharp #CBP officers at Del Rio POE this week seize $ 2016-05-23 22449 534 967443000https://twi#CBP is a proud protector of intellectual property rig 2016-04-2 17242 568 494653000https://twi#TBT A U.S Immigration Service Border Patrol pilot & 2016-01-22 11411 230 571447000https://twi#CBP, @USFWS and @WildAid launched a national 2016-09-0 9825 458 372058000https://twiU.S. Immigration Service #BorderPatrol inspectors in 2015-12-04 9206 281 314188000https://twi#CBP's proud to announce that Yana—1 of the spe 2016-09-22 24309 360 547315000https://twi#TBT A look at the US border inspection station &am 2016-04-29 18931 460 263240000https://twi u #AMO rescued passengers off the coast of San Juan 2016-08-1 18026 1016 599481000https://twiNogales #CBP officers found drugs in a car, taped to 2016-05-19 16845 380 272123000https://twiEven aviator Charles Lindbergh & his wife Anne 2016-06-30 14544 205 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 475 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001646 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000279 956375000https://twiIt’s a girl! 🎀 #CBP officers in Laredo helped de 2016-03-15 13179 357 841953000https://twiCelebrating the anniversary of 1 of the 1st federal ag2016-07-28 12757 185 882869000https://twi#USBP agents arrested a woman for attempting to s 2016-07-1 12551 602 480344000https://twi$4M DRUG SEIZURE—#USBP agents in CA find 38lb 2016-08-16 9930 485 330913000https://twiA traveler at JFK tried to ‘sneak’ past #CBP off 2016-03-08 9222 630 713321000https://twiIt takes all of us to put an end to #humantrafficking. 2016-01-05 8932 191 549739000https://twi#USBP K9 sniffs out 69lbs of liquid meth in horse sha 2016-07-2 7079 276 192623000https://twi#USBP agents arrest a couple traveling with an infan 2016-06-02 71602 6938 103492000https://twi#CBP is the 2nd largest revenue-collection agency in 2015-11-04 22725 348 454194000https://twiIn the '30s, US Customs began using biplanes—in a 2016-08-18 18754 188 043340000https://twi#CBP is a proud protector of intellectual property rig 2016-07-0 15651 655 138734000https://twi#CBP officers arrested 2 women for smuggling 150lb 2016-05-02 14217 427 636086000https://twi#CBP K9 Ukey sniffs out $763K worth of drugs in a s 2016-01-23 12332 594 141607000https://twi#CBP officers found $880K worth of Ecstasy hidden 2015-11-24 10241 493 134094000https://twi15 years later #CBP returns to the former Customho 2016-09-16 9421 171 655425000https://twiPhoto of the Week: Lightning lights up the sky abov 2015-10-25 9253 238 345684000https://twi#CBP officers seize $1.6M in hard drugs in Nogales, 2015-10-01 9015 353 778941000https://twi#CBP officers found 2,500+ lbs of marijuana in a ship 2016-08-05 8949 273 505591000https://twi#CBP officers discovered $2.5M worth of drugs in bo 2015-11-20 8905 299 491942000https://twi#CBP officers seized $375K+ worth of drugs, incl. 45 2016-02-03 8714 216 285159000https://twi#USBP agents seized 109lbs+ of hard drugs, incl. 80l 2016-03-13 8251 309 175057000https://twiStopping drugs from getting to US—#CBP officers a 2016-03-16 8019 189 116907000https://twi#CBP officers seized $522K worth of cocaine, meth a 2015-12-01 7791 230 772167000https://twiRT @CBPSanDiego: Checkout load of drugs #ElCentr 2015-12-21 26798 1832 600154000https://twiAs #NPW2016 comes to a close, we take a look at h 2016-05-21 26303 266 074217000https://twi#BorderPatrol technology detects marijuana smugg 2016-03-29 24231 212 892173000https://twi#CBP will accept applications for the FY 2016 Reimb 2016-02-01 18374 146 973083000https://twi#CBP officers found a special surprise inside a travel 2016-04-24 15709 848 921827000https://twiCBP salutes 104th anniversary of ag inspections at p 2016-09-02 15232 183 791296000https://twi#USBP agents arrested a woman who had 20 bundle 2016-07-25 12826 682 407842000https://twi#AMO P3 crew detected 3 go-fast vessels & w/ 2016-05-02 12807 249 402797000https://twi#USBP agents stop 2 men from being smuggled into 2016-08-1 12051 538 687059000https://twi#CBP was proud to welcome home @TeamUSA and 2016-08-24 11867 863 761124000https://twi#USBP K9 alerts to 14lbs of meth, 2lbs of black tar h 2015-10-28 11081 240 049055000https://twi#CBP officers discover cocaine in a traveler’s bac 2016-02-26 10629 536 798203000https://twi#CBP announces the expansion of #GlobalEntry to U 2015-11-03 10489 206 050969000https://twi#CBP honors the 125th anniversary of the U.S. Immi t 2016-03-04 9634 240 356412000https://twiPhoto of the Week: Even our K9s fly! K9s play a vita 2015-10-11 9037 465 781469000https://twiICYMI: #CBP officers found 4,600 lbs of marijuana in 2015-10-1 7390 285 174835000https://twiQuestions about bringing food into US? @USDA_AP 2016-07-11 27398 247 246849000https://twiOffice of Field Operations is a force of 23K #CBP offi 2016-05-20 23302 565 209707000https://twi#CBP officers @ Port Douglas #Arizona seize $99K in 2016-05-23 19954 716 156508000https://twi#CBP #agriculture specialists find 470 pests and 4K i 2016-04-20 16632 293 531650000https://twiCBP processing systems are back online after a brief 2015-10-15 16032 211 760968000https://twi#BORSTAR practices rescue exercises in preparation 2016-07-2 14834 527 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 476 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001647 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000280 165785000https://twi#CBP officers stopped a woman in AZ who was wear 2016-05-10 14407 573 340144000https://twi#USBP agents arrest a man for smuggling after 5 me 2016-08-16 13574 169 318454000https://twi#CBP officer's observation of an unusually thick suit 2016-07-20 13189 371 261947000https://twi#CBP joins in mourning with @DallasPD & @da 2016-07-10 12856 124 804074000https://twi#CBP officers find 4 packages of US currency hidden 2016-04-14 11398 512 713035000https://twiCBP officers in OH have found drugs in toy Ferris Wh 2016-03-29 10457 509 774032000https://twi#CBP seized $35K in counterfeit smart wristbands in 2016-01-13 10310 421 944863000https://twi#CBP officers found 55 seahorses hidden in a travele 2016-03-1 9396 629 447603000https://twiWith the help of a #CBP K9—#CBP officers find $98 2016-04-09 9269 270 324818000https://twi#CBP officers found handguns, automatic weapons 2016-02-08 9140 479 717119000https://twi#USBP K9 alerts to 53lbs of meth and cocaine in a ve 2015-11-18 8752 475 721355000https://twiInterested in a career in law enforcement? Become 2016-04-04 8616 273 299662000https://twi#CBP officers at LAX seized 11lbs of meth hidden in 2016-07-2 7535 384 895981000https://twi#USBP agent discovers a cross border tunnel during 2016-04-19 14231 627 489397000https://twiWe honor the 229 fallen men & women who g 2016-05-13 13302 220 084838000https://twi#ValorMemorial is a tribute to our fallen officers &a 2016-05-13 12737 262 999946000https://twi#CBP officers in El Paso stopped 530lbs of drugs from 2016-04-21 12198 404 484577000https://twiAnother team effort—#AMO and @ICEgov seized 8 2016-02-09 10870 253 798834000https://twi#TBT A child watches anxiously as a Customs baggag 2016-01-29 10441 367 618767000https://twiWith the help of a K9, #CBP officers seized 11.55lbs 2016-07-14 8379 259 149294000https://twi#CBP officers in Laredo had a busy weekend—seizi 2016-08-10 8186 217 628625000https://twi#CBP seized 7,800 pairs of counterfeit “Salvatore 2016-09-08 8106 329 196173000https://twi#USBP agents discover 1,133lbs of marijuana in a tru 2016-04-05 7674 388 850105000https://twiI'm proud that CBP is the largest sponsor of Explorin 2016-07-13 38211 1172 104009000https://twiWe’re committed to earning the public’s trus 2016-08-10 19692 715 017776000https://twi#TBT to 1915 w/ U.S. Immigration Service mounted 2016-04-21 16943 379 569183000https://twi#CBP officers found 739lb of marijuana hidden in a c2016-07-15 13753 523 648929000https://twi#CBP Comm #Kerlikowske visited the #BorderPatrol o 2016-07-20 13404 510 061879000https://twi#CBP developed the Ivory & Narcotics Detectio a 2016-09-22 11365 218 323299000https://twi#DYK #AMO ops in FY15 resulted in the interdiction 2016-04-09 11328 159 913371000https://twi#USBP agents arrested a man after they found 9lb o 2016-04-26 11326 301 434250000https://twi#CBP seizes hoverboards containing counterfeit and 2016-01-06 10611 255 198257000https://twiUS citizens and Canadian visitors can use the #Mobi 2016-07-06 10052 121 709871000https://twi#USBP agents seized 55lbs of meth and 18lbs of coc 2016-05-10 13287 297 163225000https://twiAn open-office concept from 1915! A look inside an 2016-07-14 12759 214 251979000https://twi#USBP K9 sniffs out 76lbs of cocaine hidden in a fals 2016-04-24 12067 513 271548000https://twi#USBP agents arrest a mom attempting to smuggle 2016-08-13 11739 589 098554000https://twi#CBP ag spec. are first line of defense in protecting U 2016-04-0 10714 349 358886000https://twiTransitioning out of the military? #CBP has hiring ev 2016-09-02 10603 362 607041000https://twiOn a typical day in 2015, #CBP welcomed more than 2016-03-29 10510 304 357494000https://twi#AMO agents from St. Thomas Marine Unit—w/ @ 2015-10-10 10077 316 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 477 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001648 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000281 310991000https://twi Roses are red, Violets are blue, #CBP saw your flowers before you. Happy Valentine's Day! https://t.co/TqiHc6qFPf 2016-02-15 9793 381 203985000https://twiCan a traveler bring a lemon from Italy into the US? 2016-01-2 9589 243 621450000https://twiHappy #LeapDay! https://t.co/uJVV4IIENb 2016-02-29 8893 368 111267000https://twi#CBP officers seized 450 prohibited pork meat tama 2015-11-19 8826 515 684151000https://twi#TBT 2010 #CBP & @ICEgov return ancient sar 2015-12-1 8443 200 589720000https://twi#CBP officers discovered 72 lbs of meth hidden in a 2016-07-29 7507 374 744503000https://twi#CBP officers find 24lbs of meth hidden in the tire fe 2016-03-09 7248 142 165655000https://twi#AMO agents, responding to a distress call, rescue 2 2016-09-30 23844 429 010761000https://twi#CBP @DHSgov & @USDOT train airline person 2015-11-10 21130 157 180285000https://twi#GlobalEntry is an airport hack anyone who loves to 2016-04-23 13532 244 596441000https://twiDoesn’t happen every day—#CBP officers find c 2016-04-20 11614 285 144718000https://twiTravelers can use the Mobile Passport Control app a 2016-03-03 11244 131 720906000https://twiDon’t be fooled by counterfeits this holiday seas 2015-11-26 10301 326 532553000https://twiNot the rings @NFL champs would be wearing—#C 2016-07-15 10046 306 623863000https://twi#USBP agents arrested a previously deported gang m 2016-01-26 9728 248 209359000https://twi#CBP officers seized 28lbs of cocaine hidden in a bo 2016-08-01 9154 218 727311000https://twi#CBP officers find cocaine hidden in the shoes of a w 2016-09-0 8646 452 046221000https://twiWith a new name comes a new patch and a new ba 2015-10-02 8570 303 469405000https://twi#CBP officers seized 5,500+ rounds of ammunition a 2016-03-23 7946 347 530796000https://twiArriving traveler had more than a sweet tooth—#C 2015-10-11 7455 329 154963000https://twi#USBP agents apprehend 1 of Texas’ top 10 mos 2016-09-06 6691 153 810465000https://twi#CBP issues detention order on stevia produce in Ch 2016-06-01 64130 630 245628000https://twiWe are America's frontline! APPLY to be a CBP office 2016-05-20 17475 381 793296000https://twi#CBP is a proud protector of intellectual property rig 2016-09-09 13375 646 638860000https://twiDYK #CBP seized 28K+ shipments w/ IPR violations i 2016-09-2 11755 321 451520000https://twiDid you know #CBP agriculture specialists inspected 2016-02-15 9787 252 310628000https://twi#CBP K9 leads officers to 12lbs of cocaine hidden in 2016-05-16 9604 300 983522000https://twiToday’s aerial coverage is brought to you by #CB 2016-02-0 9330 275 494596000https://twiCBP reminds travelers to apply for ESTA at least 72 h 2016-04-03 8196 191 417518000https://twi#AMO uses the Cessna C-550 Citation aircraft for ae 2015-10-12 8079 245 678830000https://twiIt was a busy holiday weekend for #CBP officers—i 2016-09-09 7948 205 527205000https://twi#CBP officers at Gateway Int’l Bridge sezied $26K 2016-04-0 6350 227 756467000https://twi#CBP officers weren’t tricked on Halloween whe 2015-11-02 5716 310 919052000https://twi#TBT to that time #CBP crushed a #MiniCooper - fin 2015-12-31 32385 768 451334000https://twiI’ve dedicated my career to public service in law 2016-07-13 26435 96 822226000https://twiA smuggler attempted to hide 26lbs of cocaine in un 2016-05-18 12108 295 317136000https://twi#USBP agents discover fake irrigation truck loaded w 2015-11-24 11554 216 499864000https://twiA sock & a laptop bag—that’s how a trave 2016-05-05 11366 639 949405000https://twiJoin #CBP! Apply to be a #CBP officer https://t.co/CA 2016-04-19 10576 345 347110000https://twi#CBP officers seized 53lbs of crystal meth hidden in 2016-05-06 10265 82 489876000https://twiWhat does #humantrafficking look like? It could be 2015-11-10 10175 182 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 478 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000282 909941000https://twi#CBP officers seized 13lbs of crystal meth inside a tr 2016-08-16 9831 193 587478000https://twiRT @CBPArizona: #TCA #USBP Agents conducting #l 2016-01-03 9729 321 296352000https://twi#CBP K9 sniffs through broccoli and finds $400K of d 2016-01-05 9558 246 144337000https://twi#CBP officers found 27lbs of meth hidden in the gas 2016-08-13 9070 273 329980000https://twi#CBP officers find 927lbs of marijuana concealed in 2016-08-02 8766 337 379568000https://twiThe #StanleyCup enjoys the benefits of #GlobalEntry 2015-10-26 8728 333 898082000https://twiEligible travelers can submit their info to #CBP via # 2016-07-16 8507 201 849327000https://twiThese bottles contained 61lbs of meth—#CBP offic 2015-11-24 8368 330 908438000https://twiDownload Mobile Passport app for free from @Goo 2016-03-03 8336 210 726535000https://twiThat won’t get your car moving—#CBP officers 2015-11-18 7657 464 762934000https://twi#USBP agents in AZ seized 1.4K lbs of marijuana toss 2015-10-18 7626 304 246651000https://twiICYMI a look at Air and Marine Operations new badg 2015-10-05 7235 251 575723000https://twiUS citizens can apply for the UK’s trusted travele 2015-11-04 6769 131 822505000https://twi#CBP begins a pilot program allowing commercial tr 2016-06-08 22406 81 817686000https://twi“Know Before You Go― video provides advice fo 2016-05-24 21226 88 558461000https://twiCBP welcomed 112M int'l travelers at US airports in 2016-05-03 15698 317 984979000https://twi#CBP's at the forefront of using pollen as a new fore 2016-07-01 12037 206 038422000https://twi#CBP officers seized 109lbs+ of cocaine and meth ov 2015-10-21 11281 928 947169000https://twi#CBP ag specialists found live wood-boring insects in 2016-04-21 10949 357 075615000https://twi#CBP thanks its brave men and women who protect 2016-01-09 10863 121 570623000https://twiWe are America's frontline. Apply to be a #CBP offic 2015-11-10 10699 325 054486000https://twiAll 10 Centers of Excellence and Expertise are fully o2016-03-30 9904 82 777706000https://twi#TBT to the first female INS immigrant inspectors as 2016-03-1 9837 130 886145000https://twiThe first females appointed as customs collectors ga 2016-03-24 9768 158 842902000https://twi#CBP officers arrested 2 undoc migrants found insid 2016-01-26 9661 287 927166000https://twiBuilt for the Border! Apply for a career as a #Border 2015-11-10 8930 196 367976000https://twi#CBP officers find an undoc. Chinese man hidden in 2016-08-10 8857 479 431559000https://twiWildlife trafficking is a problem in the US too. Visit h2016-09-0 8466 128 784253000https://twi#CBP officers at Hidalgo Int'l Bridge find $382K in m 2016-04-12 8222 195 690931000https://twi Who’s a good #dog? #CBP canines are trained using positive reinforcement. #canine #k9 https://t.co/7c3F2OcRkA 2015-12-1 7397 190 685062000https://twi#CBP ag spec. in TX intercepted a rare FIRST-IN-NAT 2016-04-0 7160 386 130450000https://twi#CBP officers seize dead king cobras snakes and end 2015-12-06 6973 552 544229000https://twi#AMO uses these Tethered Aerostat Radar Systems 2015-10-06 6841 168 097100000https://twiNot your average cup of joe—#CBP officers found 2015-10-11 6492 360 609727000https://twiPhoto of the week: #AMO helicopter hovers above t 2015-10-04 5736 151 201864000https://twi#USBP Acting Chief Ronald Vitiello meets with Serva 2016-05-25 43553 225 741826000https://twiStop and say hi to #CBP ag spec. Sullivan & K9 T 2015-11-04 24676 227 349099000https://twiJoin the 2.8M+ members experiencing no processing m 2016-03-18 23417 257 125383000https://twi#CBP enrolls 5 MILLION Trusted Travelers! #GlobalE 2016-06-21 19387 269 186261000https://twi#CBP has a complex and important mission. Watch t 2016-04-19 15628 203 342615000https://twi#TravelTuesday tip—DL #MPC app & set up p 2016-07-06 15553 351 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 479 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001650 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000283 013850000https://twi#USBP works w/ Mexican officials to apprehend a w 2015-11-23 12733 229 873121000https://twiAs the busy travel weekend approaches, read Comm 2016-06-29 12172 94 095836000https://twiTwo of the 1st Collectors of Customs appointed by P 2016-07-31 11380 118 497733000https://twiRemember to apply for an #ESTA at least 72 hrs bef 2016-08-02 11241 238 476032000https://twiSummer travel season is coming! Become a #Truste o 2016-05-10 11047 128 293907000https://twiREMINDER—Travelers can’t bring fresh eggs &a 2015-11-18 10550 411 019310000https://twiA look at the U.S. Custom House at Sand Point on Po 2016-07-08 10235 158 159010000https://twiToday #USBP agents remembered Agent Valencia w r 2016-01-2 9916 208 234162000https://twi#CBP ag specialists in TX seized an elephant skull tha 2016-06-28 9731 412 800694000https://twiOn #NationalCookieDay, #CBP reminds you that gen 2015-12-04 9587 189 226281000https://twiThanks to our 100K followers for tweeting along as w 2016-04-13 9313 202 248819000https://twiThe value of merchandise that an individual may im 2016-03-15 8782 89 982187000https://twi#AMO agents in PR & other law enforcement a 2015-10-19 7962 332 205743000https://twi#CBP officers find 20lbs of cocaine behind an access 2015-12-09 7529 254 086458000https://twi#CBP officers found 360lbs of marijuana concealed w 2015-10-25 7235 331 355890000https://twi#USBP agents found 4 people hiding underneath ora 2015-11-05 7038 303 374298000https://twi#CBP K9 sniffs through shipment of scrap metal and 2015-10-26 6931 302 755386000https://twi#CBP officers seized 615lbs of cocaine worth $8.4M 2015-10-03 5401 233 697476000https://twi#CBP is the 2nd largest revenue-collection agency in 2015-12-14 5353 59 246272000https://twi#CBP officers stop 2 teenage girls from smuggling in 2015-10-1 4977 93 753035000https://twi#CBP uses Non-Intrusive Inspection vehicles which c 2016-02-0 28393 230 114805000https://twiComm #Kerlikowske spoke to Law Enforcement Exp 2016-07-13 23994 293 139646000https://twiPrepare ahead if you are crossing the border for the 2015-10-09 22154 368 521334000https://twiIt’s National Travel and Tourism Week—perfect 2016-05-03 13112 139 034183000https://twi#AMO's marine program dates to 1789 when US Cus 2016-09-15 12153 101 857051000https://twi3.1M+ #GlobalEntry members now have 62 airports 2016-08-01 11615 340 216470000https://twiWe are America's frontline. Apply to be a #CBP offic 2015-10-19 9900 343 818863000https://twi#CBP seized 1,975 counterfeit hoverboards in Miam 2016-01-24 9673 369 845166000https://twi#CBP officers seized $561,340 in cocaine in 2 unrela 2016-07-14 9574 180 111242000https://twiThis traveler tried to hide drugs in all their items inc 2015-11-1 9445 634 023826000https://twi#DYK some travelers can use an app for their entry i 2016-03-03 8882 161 212082000https://twi#TBT In 1894 the Superintendent of Immigration de 2016-03-10 7779 188 786397000https://twi#CBP officers find 13lb of cocaine in luggage after no 2016-07-06 7677 323 046179000https://twi#CBP officers in Puerto Rico seized 10K counterfeit d 2016-01-04 7597 198 501649000https://twi#USBP K9 alerts to the undercarriage of a truck in CA 2016-02-09 7240 252 322501000https://twi#USBP agents apprehend 3 people who were within 2015-12-06 7146 281 145994000https://twi#CBP officers found 30lbs of opium powder hidden 2016-03-09 6824 180 843648000https://twi#USBP and @PoliciasPR seize 1,744 lbs of cocaine an 2016-08-10 6744 122 887613000https://twiICYMI: #AMO and @USCG offloaded $41 million in d 2015-10-03 6342 242 433973000https://twi#CBP K9 sniffs out 5.7K lbs of marijuana in an Italian 2016-03-08 6336 199 398253000https://twi#CBP officers seize 5 packages of cocaine weighing 1 2016-07-06 6136 83 510100000https://twiLooking for a career in #lawenforcement? #CBP’ 2016-07-05 5574 124 482818000https://twiJasper had 17,167 total seizures—intercepting 23,4 2016-09-30 5272 40 051530000https://twi#GlobalEntry members, enter your 9-digit PASS ID in 2016-06-01 79455 1852 289308000https://twi#TBT to the #CBP Officer Basic Training Session 393â 2016-05-20 25039 1097 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 480 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001651 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000284 184667000https://twi#CBP will be in London for #GlobalEntry interviews h2016-07-28 24777 209 710056000https://twiStandard issue to customs inspectors in 1898—just 2016-05-05 15792 269 780621000https://twi#CBP supports e-boarding pass program at @Nassau2016-05-1 13501 403 276067000https://twi#CBP and @ICEgov intercept marijuana in Tampa de 2015-11-2 11555 388 904476000https://twiNoticing a fire on Canadian shoreline—#USBP agen 2016-08-26 11420 200 136557000https://twi #USBP agents arrested a man in CA after finding 20lbs of meth hidden inside an AC unit. https://t.co/jgnJuYOiJJ https://t.co/dZDDYJOTJj 2016-07-08 11031 339 598929000https://twiA look at the U.S. Customhouse at 6 World Trade Ce 2016-09-16 10746 242 298228000https://twi#CBP reminds travelers that you can carry any amou t 2015-11-21 9770 88 816982000https://twi#AMO @USCG & military partners thwart attem 2015-11-2 9711 192 716019000https://twiMost #ValentinesDay flowers arrive pest free. Of the 2016-02-15 9520 128 419057000https://twiGetting ready for tomorrow! #CBP Pipes and Drums 2016-03-16 9344 124 156275000https://twi#CBP arrests 4 after separate tries to smuggle 130lb 2016-08-11 8926 346 706046000https://twiFIRST IN NATION PEST DISCOVERY—#CBP ag specia 2016-08-01 8831 311 803548000https://twiFind out more about #MobilePassport here: https://2016-07-12 8730 201 858169000https://twiCommercial Targeting & Analysis Center initiat 2016-03-04 8550 145 056289000https://twi#USBP agents intercept 2 men with 47lbs of meth w 2015-12-08 8484 208 256216000https://twi#CBP officers seized more than $45K in unreported 2015-11-21 8298 279 615499000https://twiFor more tips to expedite your cross-border travel t 2016-03-26 8161 138 105173000https://twi#CBP at #Boston #LoganAirport find more than 6 lbs 2015-12-13 8074 334 168663000https://twi#AMO seizes $145K from a vessel near St. Thomas a 2016-01-05 7853 229 274924000https://twi#CBP announced today the expansion of #GlobalEnt 2016-07-28 7689 265 111829000https://twiA trailer full of horses can't mask the smell of drugs 2015-11-06 7584 323 898369000https://twiProtect America’s borders from a bird’s-eye v2015-10-02 7242 211 876109000https://twiKeeping drugs off our streets—#CBP officers find $ 2015-11-18 7161 152 742392000https://twiHelicopter Rope Suspension Techniques are vital for 2015-10-03 7136 162 540644000https://twiYou wouldn’t bring this produce to Grandma’ 2015-12-0 6921 406 263388000https://twiFind out more about #CBP’s 10 Centers of Excell 2016-03-30 6760 187 849265000https://twi#AMO contributed to 84K+ apprehensions and arres 2015-10-04 6725 188 562819000https://twiDownload Mobile Passport app for free from @Goo 2016-07-06 6637 200 477793000https://twiThis shipment of charcoal wasn't meant for the grill a 2015-12-02 6605 198 819226000https://twiNecesita una I94? Puede solicitar y prepagar por int 2016-09-29 6513 139 212963000https://twiWant a career protecting & securing US? Join # 2016-04-0 6407 145 465838000https://twi#CBP officers seized 935 fake NY Vehicle Safety/Emi 2015-10-10 6224 249 454022000https://twi#CBP officers seize 37lbs pounds of meth hidden in t 2015-10-0 5720 159 787566000https://twiICYMI: It’s a new day for #OAM who is now #AM 2015-10-04 5559 106 643544000https://twiThere was more to this spare tire than met the eyeâ 2015-10-03 5508 198 020928000https://twi#CBP officers at Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas Bridges se 2015-10-1 5154 138 823922000https://twi#CBP and @dhsscitech will host a Homeland Securit 2016-04-08 24582 153 261807000https://twiTONIGHT catch #CBP on "Money Laundry" episode o 2015-10-0 20572 246 067245000https://twiHave a good question for the Customs Broker Exam 2016-06-10 19354 108 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 481 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001652 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000285 186217000https://twiTraveling soon? WATCH this video for advice on trav 2016-05-19 16176 80 270252000https://twiCustoms Collector Benjamin Lincoln was responsible 2016-05-12 14755 90 740299000https://twi C FIRST PLACE—#CBP Pipes and Drums won the Stev 2016-05-1 14197 265 845150000https://twiNear @ReaganITCDC? Stop by Woodrow Wilson Pla 2016-09-14 14134 202 333731000https://twiTraveling to see the Pope in Mexico? Follow @CBPW 2016-02-16 10905 276 799736000https://twi#TBT in honor of #VeteransDay, Maj. Gen. Joshua Ch2015-11-13 10189 241 878364000https://twiFollow @CBPSoutheast and @CBPCaribbean for loc 2016-03-19 10188 254 798688000https://twiThank you to all our #CBP veterans and all veterans 2015-11-11 10150 60 266625000https://twiAfter a 2-day effort, #AMO agents located & re 2016-03-21 9815 970 244351000https://twi#CBP welcomed more than 112M int’l travelers 2016-03-04 9805 102 790460000https://twi#GlobalEntry kiosks are available at 50 airports worl 2016-03-18 9615 100 549158000https://twiA #CBP K9's alert to a car’s gas tank leads to a 94 2016-08-01 9203 540 948403000https://twi#USBP agents arrested a woman found with 6.65lbs 2016-05-03 7987 70 984831000https://twiPHOTO OF THE WEEK: #AMO conducts joint fast rop 2015-11-22 7878 156 039026000https://twiAnother option is the Mobile Passport app. Availabl 2016-03-26 7854 237 235444000https://twiHave your documents ready for #CBP processing. Fi 2016-03-25 7713 275 616136000https://twiWith the help of a K9, #CBP officers find $215K of he 2015-12-06 7625 270 964841000https://twi#CBP K9 sniffs out 91lbs of marijuana hidden in the 2015-10-16 7392 212 433074000https://twi Border Patrol agents use all-terrain vehicles to cover large areas quickly. #CBP #USBP #ATV #BorderPatrol https://t.co/uTnfbx7BYt 2015-12-21 7386 202 695731000https://twi#CBP K9 Freddy sniffs out 10lbs of cocaine hidden in 2016-08-10 7321 188 802528000https://twi#DYK an insect infestation initially derailed Japan’ 2016-03-30 7300 120 293097000https://twi#CBP ag specialists identified a suspicious bag leadin 2016-03-24 7267 402 949125000https://twiICYMI: #CBP officers find 1.3Klbs of marijuana mixed 2015-10-19 7101 208 827856000https://twiA mother attempted to smuggle meth under her ba 2016-08-10 6959 256 609505000https://twi#AMO has 283 marine vessels operating from locati 2015-10-11 6516 187 737012000https://twi#GlobalEntry traveler outfoxed by #CBP ag K9 Aubu 2015-10-1 6467 322 161190000https://twiA look at Air & Marine Ops Center—AMOC— 2015-10-05 5633 136 441498000https://twi#USBP agents discover packages of meth hidden in a 2015-10-04 5579 139 804817000https://twiKeeping drugs off the streets—#CBP officers in TX s 2015-11-03 5375 201 923497000https://twi#CBP officers seized “date rape― drug ingredien 2015-10-16 5149 169 928495000https://twi#BORSTAR Dive Team member enters the waters of 2016-05-25 43236 394 796853000https://twi#ICYMI: READ Dep Comm McAleenan’s blog abo 2016-09-05 23526 116 801192000https://twiRead #CBP Commissioner #Kerlikowske’s blog ab 2016-05-21 18310 102 908484000https://twiHere’s the answer: The right one was #counterfe 2016-05-05 14930 506 392694000https://twi#USBP agents rescued a Honduran national drownin 2015-11-25 12307 393 018040000https://twi#CBP and @dhsscitech were in #SiliconValley today 2016-07-29 12116 86 801628000https://twiREAD Dep. Comm. McAleenan’s blog about trans 2016-09-01 11357 90 817607000https://twiToday Commissioner #Kerlikowske announced the w 2015-11-13 11116 87 566225000https://twiAPC kiosks are located at 40+ airports to speed up t 2016-09-20 10567 124 734569000https://twiI want to thank all of my fellow veterans for their se 2015-11-11 10198 300 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 482 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001653 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000286 949323000https://twi#CBPTrade initiatives discussed at the 3rd North Am 2015-11-24 9822 72 314489000https://twi#CBP #BORSTAR dive team recovers wreckage from 2015-12-13 8913 206 497944000https://twi#CBP officers discover $59K worth of cocaine hidden 2015-10-23 8877 389 962195000https://twiBusy weekend for #USBP agents in CA with 4 arrests s 2016-08-15 8714 321 389909000https://twiOn a typical day, #CBP screens more than 70,000 ca 2016-01-06 8641 102 568815000https://twiMore than 900 #APC kiosks are deployed at 35+ airp 2016-04-06 8382 219 305043000https://twi#CBP ag spec. in Miami intercept an unusual wood-b 2016-01-20 8301 216 820873000https://twi#CBP officer in #Atlanta renders med. assistance, sa 2015-12-31 7889 317 635484000https://twiVeterans—continue serving your country w/ a care 2016-09-02 7801 232 093709000https://twi#CBP ag specialists discovered Khapra Beetle larvae 2016-03-24 7545 255 786983000https://twi#CBP has a complex and important mission. Watch t 2016-07-0 7297 146 368886000https://twi#CBP officers—w/ help of a #CBP K9—find 42lbs o 2016-09-09 7281 195 349248000https://twiCan’t locate your I-94 online? https://t.co/eXf9E 2016-03-02 7216 50 832199000https://twi#CBP officers find 38lbs of meth worth $535K hidde 2015-12-03 6805 217 432234000https://twi#USBP agents arrest a couple w/ 4 people locked in 2015-11-06 6790 291 250913000https://twi#CBP collected $46B in duties, taxes, and other fees 2016-03-04 6520 57 039224000https://twiREAD about #CBP’s crucial role in the search for 2 r015-12-04 6069 352 214271000https://twi#CBP officers in TX arrested 2 people attempting to 2016-04-09 5689 81 809384000https://twi#CBP officers saw signs of tampering on a car’s g 2015-10-02 5398 272 505477000https://twi#BorderPatrol agents arrest 7, including suspected s 2015-12-16 5308 61 390667000https://twiREAD about #AMO’s last remaining Bell UH-1H h2016-06-02 68203 2484 235359000https://twiKEEPING OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE—#USBP agents 2016-08-10 22047 143 668985000https://twiComm Kerlikowske & Maria Odom discuss #Blu 2015-11-10 21684 153 752175000https://twiDiscover #CBP special operations to protect intellect 2016-05-25 18564 269 936020000https://twiAt the Naturalization Ceremony, Comm #Kerlikowsk 2016-07-30 14635 169 265105000https://twiIn honor of #NTTW16—Comm #Kerlikowske shares 2016-05-06 11412 60 632535000https://twi#CBP continues to work w/ @dhsscitech in seeking 2016-09-01 11349 78 698726000https://twi#CBP reminds travelers to apply for #ESTA through o 2016-04-15 9658 123 396336000https://twi4 Tanzanian K9 handlers trained w/ their K9 partner 2016-09-22 9544 250 213068000https://twi#CBP officers arrested a woman for trying to smugg 2015-11-18 9423 445 191415000https://twiWondering which kiosk to use upon arriving in the U 2016-02-10 9295 93 979908000https://twiOn #InternationalCustomsDay, we thank all the men 2016-01-2 9158 75 811227000https://twi#USBP agents from Wellton Station seized $700K+ in 2016-07-1 9147 84 351163000https://twiWhether you’re traveling #BacktotheFuture or t 2015-10-21 9000 252 757144000https://twiHow to Use a Selfie to Coast Through Immigration v 2015-11-06 8481 157 415191000https://twiWhat food can I bring in to the US from abroad? Fin 2016-01-04 8433 150 634047000https://twiAfter a K9 alert, #CBP officers seize $1.5M worth of 2015-11-26 8022 76 466674000https://twiWant to expedite your entry into the US? Join #Glob e 2016-02-09 7817 112 437646000https://twi#CBP officers seized almost 150lbs of liquid meth fro 2015-11-12 7580 324 852731000https://twiFind out what it takes to be a #BorderPatrol agent, a 2016-07-05 7557 418 371224000https://twi.@DHSgov simplifies regulation regarding flights bet 2016-03-18 7413 117 097154000https://twi#BorderPatrol arrests 11, seizes more than $500K in 2015-12-21 7396 66 217028000https://twi#CBP will be in London for #GlobalEntry interviews h2016-07-2 7272 158 446226000https://twiLast week in 2 incidents hours apart—#USBP agent 2016-03-08 7213 244 730724000https://twiNEXUS card holder arrested for illegal drugs at Peac 2015-11-25 7136 145 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 483 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001654 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000287 320131000https://twi#CBP makes online I-94 application and payment av 2016-09-29 7094 101 540973000https://twi s #CBP screens 70K+ truck, rail & sea cargo conta 2015-11-19 6743 164 483950000https://twiWatch and read about how wild horses are trained 2016-03-09 6641 74 170811000https://twiFind out what it takes to be an #AMO Air Interdictio 2015-10-11 6635 104 646295000https://twi#CBP K9 alerts to nearly 96lbs of meth hidden within 2016-03-15 6318 201 513465000https://twi#CBP officers seized 2Klbs of marijuana worth $1.7M 2015-10-14 6087 210 413276000https://twiCBP’s latest ACE development & deployme 2016-03-15 5955 79 082503000https://twi#BorderPatrol agents rescue 2 men lost in the deser 2016-04-0 5796 304 446284000https://twi#CBP officers seized $3.8M worth of meth at Pharr I 2016-04-08 5499 68 940610000https://twiFind out more about the #AMO Tethered Aerostat R 2015-10-06 5209 130 227184000https://twiStatement from Commissioner #Kerlikowske on the 2015-10-02 4807 82 908489000https://twiACE is critically important for streamlining the suppl 2016-05-18 15210 102 573344000https://twi#CBP officers intercepted $23K of drugs from 2 cars 2016-01-08 12131 244 194214000https://twiI want to recognize the families of the fallen who ar 2016-05-13 11902 119 521295000https://twi#CBP announces 2016 #Preclearance expansion ope 2016-05-1 10998 122 217686000https://twiIn 2013, 1.7% of inbound travelers to US interacted 2016-04-29 10014 163 660832000https://twiREAD #Frontline's new stories—BSI’s aim to sav 2016-08-01 9945 144 991062000https://twiLearn more about how CBP is bringing you your #Va 2016-02-15 9686 273 187111000https://twi#CBP reminds travelers to apply for #GlobalEntry, #N 2016-03-21 8788 98 679305000https://twiContinue serving our country as #CBP officer https:/2016-08-11 8732 251 756182000https://twi#CBP ag specialists find pork belly meat & saus 2015-11-22 8348 437 473865000https://twiFind out what it takes to be a #USBP agent https://t2015-10-29 8158 455 478488000https://twi#USBP arrested a man for trying to smuggle 34lbs o 2016-08-11 8008 355 555510000https://twi#CBP officers arrested Walter Edward Fauntroy on a 2016-06-28 7870 122 136035000https://twi#USBP agents find $667K worth of meth hidden insi 2015-10-21 7678 389 868644000https://twi#CBP proposes rule expanding the definition of Imp 2016-07-11 7073 56 152558000https://twiCan’t locate your I-94 online? https://t.co/eXf9E 2016-01-25 7070 41 905118000https://twiNew Quarterly #TradeEnforcement Bulletin released 2016-07-25 7055 119 251525000https://twiRemember to apply for an #ESTA at least 72 hrs bef 2015-11-20 6968 90 142981000https://twiCrossing the border after the long weekend? #CBP h 2015-10-12 6935 229 401391000https://twiIt’s #NatlPrep month—read Comm #Kerlikowsk o 2016-09-0 6861 103 743964000https://twiProtect America’s borders from a bird’s-eye v2015-10-11 6741 160 744940000https://twiWatch as #USBP agents rescue a man attempting su 2016-03-08 6717 106 515969000https://twi#USBP and Mississippi Highway Patrol seized 6+ lbs 2015-10-05 6701 180 219025000https://twiFor #CBP’s cybersecurity team there’s never 2016-03-09 6655 54 177873000https://twiAirbus Helicopters EC120 is used by #AMO for light s 2015-10-10 6565 91 509000000https://twi#CBP intercepted a cocaine courier traveling with $3 2016-03-14 6303 188 323783000https://twi#CBP reminds travelers that you can carry any amou t 2016-04-14 6286 52 898326000https://twi#CBP debuts Apparel, Footwear & Textiles Cen 2015-12-16 6152 71 688039000https://twi#BorderPatrol Agents patrol along a shoreline in #Pu 2015-12-23 5884 124 121469000https://twiTravelers arriving at airports will see 2 sets of kiosks 2016-03-26 5869 105 605997000https://twi#GlobalEntry, a #CBP Trusted Traveler Program, allo 2015-11-04 5781 118 251045000https://twi#CBP officers in #Nogales arrest 7 in separate attem 2015-12-20 5724 65 751137000https://twi#CBP officers intercept 1st in nation destructive bee 2015-12-05 5689 271 266134000https://twi#USBP agents arrested a woman for smuggling a Me 2016-04-01 5660 84 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 484 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001655 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000288 354381000https://twiCessna C-550 Citation aircraft are medium range, fix 2015-10-08 5521 132 036847000https://twi#CBP released its Fiscal Year 2015 Trade and Travel 2016-03-04 5468 157 477737000https://twiThe #CBP trade symposium just started with openin 2016-05-25 23005 62 754587000https://twiPHOTO OF THE WEEK: #CBP celebrated Bring Your C 2016-05-01 15335 358 460721000https://twi#CBP, @icegov & @rcmpgrcpolice prevent a se 2016-05-10 14309 528 727409000https://twiCBP is on Instagram! Follow https://t.co/ww0qrsreZ 2016-05-0 11835 213 888492000https://twiRead Comm #Kerlikowske’s remarks from the US 2015-12-09 10291 60 601322000https://twiComm #Kerlikowske proudly welcomed 370 #newUS 2016-07-28 9479 135 418625000https://twiJoin the ranks of #CBP Trusted Traveler. This chart e 2016-01-26 9419 69 783149000https://twiKeeping our communities safe—#USBP agents arre s 2016-04-25 8923 45 173910000https://twi#CBP reminds travelers to apply for #GlobalEntry, #N 2016-05-11 8883 102 310040000https://twiCBP announces Electronic Visa Update System—Ch 2016-03-15 8715 56 548538000https://twi r 3 arests, an impostor, & ag penalties mean a b 2015-12-08 8714 202 381396000https://twiIn the past month, #USBP agents with Del Rio Secto 2015-11-24 8316 176 358444000https://twiPublic-Private partnerships allow #CBP to better sup 2015-11-06 8202 81 568065000https://twiBellingham Air and Marine agents on the job near S 2015-10-21 7986 327 235349000https://twiBinational collaboration leads to arrest of suspected 2015-12-10 7663 303 311732000https://twiIn FY14, #AMO’s ops resulted in 4K+ arrests, 79K 2015-10-28 7549 174 454417000https://twiLearn about who to contact if you suspect merchan 2016-08-01 7166 33 366733000https://twi#CBP announces Top 10 seizures of 2015 https://t.c2015-12-25 6893 164 978234000https://twiIt’s Oct.! In honor of the best month for basebal 2015-10-02 6793 170 407989000https://twiAfter tracking footprints, #USBP agents apprehend 4 2016-09-09 6771 165 323434000https://twi#CBP joined Law Enforcement Exploring in 1983. Sev 2016-07-13 6764 29 058045000https://twiICYMI #CBP @DEANEWS & @ICEgov arrest 151 2015-10-18 6726 237 076437000https://twi#CBP officers seized firearm components from a Me 2016-03-10 6668 343 000179000https://twi#USBP agents apprehend car thief and seize 600lbs+ 2015-10-2 6554 149 601526000https://twi#AMO marine crew from Tampa RESCUED 2 people 2016-07-28 6547 86 576529000https://twiDL the #BorderWaitTime app before crossing the bo 2016-07-08 6395 153 932981000https://twi#CBP is also looking for K9 wearables https://t.co/U2016-07-29 6364 58 629012000https://twiInterested in becoming a trusted traveler? Learn mo 2015-12-31 6278 75 118821000https://twiOn average #CBP arrests 22 wanted persons every d 2015-12-24 6238 86 703099000https://twi#USBP agents found 60lbs of meth hidden in the sea 2016-03-02 6031 130 538386000https://twiLaredo Sector #USBP agents disrupt 155lb drug smu B 2015-11-04 5938 220 515281000https://twi#CBP ag spec. are first line of defense in protecting U 2015-12-05 5877 290 807568000https://twiTracking at night - age-old skill passed along each ge 2015-12-1 5752 78 403514000https://twiInterested in CBP’s #ADCVD enforcement efforts 2016-07-05 5715 50 313254000https://twiComm #Kerlikowske signed Reimbursable Services A 2016-07-2 5709 98 202047000https://twi#CBP officers seized $696K in narcotics at South Tex 2015-10-18 5498 171 613298000https://twiRT @CBPGreatPlains: #TBT U.S. #BorderPatrol Wint 2015-12-24 5488 218 578300000https://twiEC120 provides a highly-effective aerial surveillance 2015-10-10 5423 128 392679000https://twi#AMO and #USBP agents locate lost undoc migrants 2015-10-01 5272 183 160369000https://twi#CBP issues reminder to report currency when trave 2015-12-18 5241 44 753637000https://twi#BorderPatrol agents in TX arrest a man wanted for 2015-10-05 5149 64 399713000https://twi#BorderPatrol arrested 16 people and seized more t 0 2015-10-1 4888 63 688027000https://twiIn FY14 #AMO P-3s flew 6K hrs in drug transit zone b 2015-10-02 4884 78 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 485 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001656 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000289 690227000https://twiAs the holiday season approaches, #CBP & @U 2015-11-02 4786 143 767125000https://twiInside these food items, #CBP officers found 10lbs o 2015-10-06 4716 259 556845000https://twiA joint operation between #AMO and #USBP agents 2015-10-08 4543 57 666095000https://twiThe next #CBPBrokerLicensing Examination will be h 2016-06-1 16302 55 984099000https://twi#CBP signs Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement w 2016-05-24 13768 36 969067000https://twiQuestions about bringing food into US? @USDA_AP 2016-04-19 13384 113 091131000https://twiOn #CollegeSigningDay we celebrate all the student 2016-04-26 11901 184 060964000https://twi.@ICEgov and #CBP worked with int’l authorities 2016-03-02 10920 173 202189000https://twi#CBP agriculture specialists in Miami processed the 2016-02-15 10032 194 995333000https://twiTravelers have more options than ever to expedite t t 2016-05-03 9558 38 224900000https://twiICYMI #CBP ag K9 Auburn outfoxes #GlobalEntry tra2015-10-19 8903 278 818745000https://twi#CBP rescued and apprehended 12 Cuban migrants e 2016-07-16 8660 254 432998000https://twiPlanning on traveling internationally? #CBP's “Kn 2015-12-09 8244 68 506356000https://twi#CBP & @dhsscitech w/ @PlugandPlayTC enga 2016-09-01 8210 42 174145000https://twi#USBP arrested a man for smuggling 34lbs of meth i 2016-08-13 8159 337 843706000https://twiACE #APHIS Animal Products webinar happens Febr 2016-01-2 8144 33 794563000https://twiBuilt for the Border! Apply for a career as a #Border 2015-10-19 8109 155 892890000https://twiWhat happens to the inadmissible items that Linus s 2016-01-06 8087 84 612851000https://twi#CBP cleared @GoodyearBlimp Spirit of Innovation 2016-07-13 8072 116 666258000https://twiDYK #USBP agents must complete a 58-day resident 2016-07-20 8005 102 463594000https://twiProtect yourself from online scams, read these tips 2015-11-2 8001 183 377929000https://twi#CBP is on Instagram! Follow https://t.co/ww0qrsIQ 2016-07-09 7918 181 630963000https://twi o (2/2) of human smuggling in addition to seizing 35lb 2016-07-16 7379 80 155821000https://twiFor #CBP’s cybersecurity team there’s never 2016-01-24 7327 87 057783000https://twiSince inception of the RSP, #CBP has provided an ad 2016-07-2 7248 31 153693000https://twi#CBP #agriculture specialists at Dulles intercept first 2016-04-12 7156 184 602754000https://twiRead #CBP Commissioner #Kerlikowske’s remark 2016-09-20 7095 37 446909000https://twi#CBP's up bright and early talking about the #Single 2015-11-05 7062 94 296055000https://twiFind out more about #AMO’s Airbus Helicopters 2015-10-10 6973 167 699396000https://twi#FF for local #CBP info @CBPSoutheast @CBPCaribb 2016-07-08 6871 60 475337000https://twi#CBP reminds pleasure boaters of reporting require r 2016-03-21 6811 184 428313000https://twiREMINDER: Broker User Fee payments for 2016 are 2016-02-02 6698 43 010004000https://twi#USBP agents intercepted 6 people being smuggled 2015-10-29 6673 121 302433000https://twi#CBP ag spec. are first line of defense in protecting U 2015-10-23 6655 224 384120000https://twiAll Systems Go! Read Comm #Kerlikowske’s blog 2016-04-01 6655 91 811977000https://twiNeed an I-94? You can now apply and prepay online 2016-09-29 6617 173 655378000https://twiWant to learn more about how you can help #CBP f 2016-06-2 6588 58 326944000https://twiCheck out the latest info on policy and business pro 2016-03-03 6557 38 500773000https://twiRGV #USBP agents saved the life of a man who was 2015-10-26 6424 162 389063000https://twiRT @DHSgov: Traveling this weekend? If you see so 2015-12-24 6347 33 311504000https://twiBlythe #USBP agents donated 1Klbs+ of rice, beans, 2015-10-25 6308 151 976452000https://twiCBP statement on officer involved shooting at the C 2015-10-21 6278 173 903432000https://twi450 prohibited pork meat tamales discovered inside 2015-12-2 6203 163 441474000https://twiNew Quarterly #TradeEnforcement Bulletin released 2016-08-10 6067 92 511924000https://twi#CBP revela escalofriante video de un joven centroa 2016-08-10 6067 112 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 486 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001657 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000290 485071000https://twiC-206/210 provide better range & endurance t 2015-10-14 6022 63 522037000https://twiCBP officers located 3 missing children at Detroit-W 2016-03-1 5812 36 367601000https://twi#CBP & partner #lawenforcement agencies nap 2015-12-28 5780 107 646596000https://twiIt’s a new day for #OAM who is now #AMO or Ai 2015-10-01 5498 131 154880000https://twiFrom San Diego to Miami to the Great Lakes & 2015-10-08 5456 105 046075000https://twiICYMI: These 82 packages of marijuana were found 2015-10-18 5288 173 367261000https://twiDel Rio Sector #USBP agents apprehended 2 convict 2016-03-15 5254 168 878969000https://twi.@TSA offers tips for spring break travel here https:/2016-03-25 5217 101 677230000https://twiLooking for a career in #lawenforcement? #CBP’ 2016-07-28 5207 192 212244000https://twi#AMO consists of 1.2K federal agents 267 aircraft & 2015-10-03 5111 144 559134000https://twi#AMO pilot does a pre-flight check on a Cessna C55 2015-10-03 5036 119 247903000https://twiOpen a drawer find packages of drugs—repeat for 2015-10-16 5020 213 086731000https://twi#AMO Bombardier DHC-8 is a multi-role patrol aircr 2015-10-09 4971 78 999240000https://twiThe next Customs Broker Exam will be on April 4, 20 a 2015-10-1 4912 80 380334000https://twiA #CBP Officer at #Montreal airport was recently re 2015-12-14 3257 118 720332000https://twi#ECTS2015 provides a critical opportunity to interac 2015-11-04 21133 56 222532000https://twiComm #Kerlikowske gives opening remarks on the f 2015-11-04 19992 85 840274000https://twiComm #Kerlikowske was at @flyLAXairport to discus 2016-05-03 10981 119 643337000https://twiComm #Kerlikowske signed an agreement today wit 2016-08-23 9278 27 325091000https://twi#CBP announces test to submit #EPA #TSCA certifica 2016-02-12 9243 49 400312000https://twi s #CBP establishes a Trade Enforcement Task Force to 2016-05-03 9225 43 237298000https://twiWant to learn more about CBP’s Trade Enforcem 2016-05-03 9023 118 886993000https://twiFind out what you can and cannot bring into US at h2016-01-06 8995 64 470046000https://twiQuestions about international travel for #Thanksgiv r 2015-11-25 8936 66 352578000https://twi#FF for local info @CBPArizona @CBPFlorida @CBPS 2016-04-15 8933 129 849948000https://twi#USBP encounter in Vermont leads to apprehension 2016-07-05 8748 219 728341000https://twiEarlier this month, Deputy Comm. Kevin McAleenan 2016-03-29 8537 129 292599000https://twiDL #CBP's #travel apps—Mobile Passport Control h2016-04-19 8386 91 886292000https://twi#CBP announced 29 new reimbursable services agre 2016-06-29 7999 64 991567000https://twiThe #CBP Info Center can help answer your question 2015-12-10 7963 82 871953000https://twiComm #Kerlikowske announces #GlobalEntry eligibi 2016-06-28 7807 112 168111000https://twiComm #Kerlikowske discusses @DHSgov efforts to c 2015-11-10 7764 95 091441000https://twi#USBP & #AMO in AZ had a busy weekend seiz 2015-12-08 7560 124 408346000https://twiThis agreement will enable #CBP to provide addition 2016-07-2 7309 32 137431000https://twiFind out more about #AMO’s UH-60 Black Hawk 2015-12-21 7038 147 977992000https://twiNY #USBP agents arrested 2 people illegally present 2016-08-10 7015 160 749735000https://twiFacilitating trade. U.S. & Dominican Republic si 2015-12-08 6930 75 322533000https://twiAn importer & @USDA inspectors examine a sh 2015-11-20 6794 127 190895000https://twi#ICYMI - #CBP in #Norfolk #Virginia seize counterfeit 2015-12-23 6540 197 965563000https://twiComm #Kerlikowske & Administrator General T 2015-11-04 6509 87 105567000https://twi#USBP agents prevent 22 people from being smuggl 2016-09-08 6230 60 860282000https://twiThat's a boatload. #CBP #AMO agents recently stopp 2015-12-15 6199 287 361293000https://twi#BorderPatrol agents & #AMO pilots located & 2016-01-05 6131 52 850677000https://twi#CBPTrade announces ACE Protest Module as sole C2016-07-29 6117 41 624267000https://twiMore than 965K people enrolled in #CBP Trusted Tr 2016-03-04 6097 54 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 487 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001658 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000291 445675000https://twiPlan for extra time or an alternate route if crossing d 2016-03-25 6073 15 471028000https://twiYou—as newly minted citizens—are giving us som 2016-07-28 6065 24 926424000https://twiThe Use of Force Policy Handbook has been availabl 2016-06-30 6042 50 037876000https://twi#USBP agent rendered aid to a 6-year-old child chok 2016-03-28 6014 93 881863000https://twi#CBP offers 10 #travel tips for upcoming #holiday tr 2015-12-1 5995 44 415787000https://twi#AMO uses the UH-60 to conduct search and rescue 2015-10-0 5933 154 005783000https://twi#CBP officers arrested a woman in connection with 2015-10-19 5897 59 886124000https://twiCan’t locate your I-94 online? https://t.co/eXf9E 2016-03-22 5863 67 501942000https://twi#BorderPatrol reported 337,117 apprehensions nati 2015-12-29 5860 80 706514000https://twiUH-60 Black Hawk helicopters are medium-range ta 2015-10-0 5817 217 045450000https://twi#CBP officers find meth concealed in a hollowed out 2016-08-09 5787 289 269793000https://twi#CBP officers arrest a Maryland man wanted on ass 2016-07-09 5781 91 694246000https://twi#USBP agents seized nearly $400K in drugs and arre 2015-10-2 5780 63 942558000https://twi#CBP officers discover other green leafy items in pro 2015-10-1 5767 170 798542000https://twi#CBP officers in TX arrested a woman in connection 2015-10-30 5636 63 839766000https://twi.@CBPRGV #USBP agents provided medical care to t 2016-08-10 5617 241 408480000https://twi#CBP is on #Instagram! Follow https://t.co/ZJhX5SA 2015-12-31 5551 80 326075000https://twiMO man wanted for child pornography taken into c 2016-03-15 5393 145 991783000https://twiThis could be you! Find out what it takes to be an #A 2016-04-0 5383 122 905174000https://twiFind out more about the #AMO Cessna C-550 Citatio 2015-10-08 5189 103 096352000https://twiLifesaving knowledge is taught at National Air Traini 2015-10-0 5148 183 416434000https://twi#CBP is looking for small UAS capabilities https://t.c2016-07-29 5030 29 689341000https://twi#USBP agent Chris Voss was honored at the Federal s 2015-11-03 4853 85 275459000https://twi#AMO uses Citation to intercept & track drug s 2015-10-08 4845 35 228516000https://twiWhat travelers need to know before traveling to the 2015-12-30 4836 58 085697000https://twi o Centr de Información de #CBP, responsable por co 2015-12-29 4782 47 450027000https://twiIt was a successful few days for #CBP K9s in AZ—al 1 2015-10-16 4621 260 009287000https://twi#AMO conducts law enforcement ops between port 2015-10-06 4593 94 634639000https://twi#CBP arrested 2 people trying to travel w/ an altere 2015-10-15 4405 219 701054000https://twiThere are 85+ #GlobalEntry enrollment centers to c 2016-03-18 20160 70 612111000https://twiComm. #Kerlikowske spoke at #SupplyChain16 at @ at 2016-05-18 12006 59 663554000https://twiAgriculture specialists in Federal Horticultural Board 2016-04-15 10826 80 387461000https://twiATS-G will enable both countries to share important 2016-08-23 10516 43 564782000https://twiIf you were by @LBJohnsonNPS today, you might ha 2016-09-15 10372 268 358453000https://twiREAD about inaugural meeting of the newly rename 2016-05-12 10251 90 515844000https://twiAs part of #CampaignEasternFront, #USBP agents ha 2016-07-16 9734 75 123097000https://twiRead Comm #Kerlikowske’s blog about his tour o 2016-02-15 9657 130 502395000https://twiFind out more about #GlobalEntry https://t.co/Wmq 2016-05-03 9063 56 860317000https://twi#TBT US Customs Collector for Newport, VT district 2016-01-0 8866 102 047933000https://twi#CBP releases family unit and unaccompanied childr 2016-04-22 8339 54 374166000https://twiAvoid the lines this holiday season, both in stores an 2015-12-08 8219 61 275147000https://twiCBP ag specialists inspect a shipment of Asters—a 2016-02-09 8183 238 798483000https://twi#CBP and @dhsscitech are seeking smart innovation 2016-04-15 8098 68 952284000https://twiInterested in #CBPTrade’s #ADCVD enforcement 2016-09-19 7940 37 003784000https://twiComm #Kerlikowske visited Repatriation Center at # 2016-08-22 7914 14 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 488 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001659 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000292 897120000https://twiJoin the more than 2M members experiencing no pr 2015-10-24 7896 173 099556000https://twiFollow @CBPRGV for local information about #CBP 2016-08-02 7883 53 365410000https://twi#CBP reminds travelers that you can carry any amou t 2016-05-18 7851 44 117197000https://twiWe mourn #USBP Agent Barraza’s loss 3 weeks a 2016-05-13 7811 32 589558000https://twiRegistration for April 4, 2016 Customs Broker Exam 2016-01-25 7789 85 487913000https://twiExplorers are the future leaders of LE. I salute your w 2016-07-13 7753 34 134877000https://twiDYK with #GlobalEntry, members bypass lines and a 2016-04-12 7703 124 392450000https://twiFollow for local #CBP info @CBPBuffalo @CBPChicag 2015-11-2 7584 125 190380000https://twiThere was a 25% increase in total number of produc 2016-04-15 7562 23 980176000https://twiCBP sends its sympathy to the family & friends 2016-01-20 7514 52 973228000https://twiLast day to apply for #AMO Air Interdiction Agent†2015-10-16 7410 83 625271000https://twiUse https://t.co/jZv6QoILus to find out what fruit & 2016-03-25 7393 64 451272000https://twi#ECTS2015 will be held next week Nov 4-5 in Baltim 2015-10-28 7386 45 509899000https://twiDYK with #GlobalEntry, members bypass lines and a 2015-11-16 7357 133 079449000https://twiAssistant Comm. Linda Jacksta and @SenatorHeitka 2015-10-23 7310 87 340411000https://twi#CBP captures giant African snails at #Oakland airpo 2015-12-18 7166 275 830070000https://twiMore than 900 #APC kiosks are deployed at 36 airpo 2015-10-30 7162 199 877348000https://twi#CBP continues to improve our ability to facilitate th 2016-03-04 7100 25 627560000https://twiLearn more about CBP’s #ForcedLabor procedur 2016-08-11 7038 28 716317000https://twiWorking w/ #AMO aviation assets, the Midnight Exp 2015-10-14 6997 115 907136000https://twi#CBP began testing new biometric technology at the 2015-12-13 6972 84 829206000https://twiThese packages contained $965K worth of meth—# 2015-10-29 6816 117 442932000https://twi#CBP reminds travelers that you can carry any amou t 2015-11-06 6797 41 913322000https://twi#FF for local info @CBPArizona @CBPFlorida @CBPS 2016-07-08 6632 64 204418000https://twiREGISTER for the ACE Protest Trade Webinar happe 2016-08-03 6495 55 192551000https://twiFind out more about #AMO’s UH-60 Black Hawk 2015-10-0 6493 204 963498000https://twi#DYK Victoria Ferry crossing on #Canada - U.S. bord 2015-12-1 6435 218 431537000https://twi#TBT Chief #chemist Walter Howell stands in a labor 2015-12-1 6194 76 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 489 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001660 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000293 503223000https://twi For eligible travelers, #APC kiosks: ✔︕ Eliminate paper customs form ✔︕ Free-to-use ✔︕ Reduce wait times ✔︕ Available at 36 airports 2015-10-30 6192 46 229263000https://twiWe processed $2.4T in imports, while enforcing trad 2016-03-04 6117 30 196351000https://twiQuestions about visiting US? This video has the basi 2016-04-11 6101 70 136372000https://twi#USBP agents assisted by #AMO arrested 18 people 2016-01-22 6033 186 714539000https://twiThe next COAC meeting will be Wednesday, April 27 2016-04-14 6013 36 659496000https://twiDo you recognize this skyline? Hint: #AMO establish 2015-10-14 5952 266 496984000https://twi#USBP agents take convicted sex offenders off the s 2015-10-26 5880 42 425994000https://twi#BorderPatrol agents apprehended a man in AZ ove 2016-03-29 5877 68 506816000https://twiRGV #USBP agents arrested 6 dangerous criminals in 2016-03-1 5838 153 311959000https://twiCan’t locate your I-94 online? https://t.co/eXf9E 2015-11-20 5832 45 967168000https://twiCBP's hiring #AMO air interdiction agents http://t.co r 2015-10-14 5804 145 719494000https://twi#MPC ✈︕⠀”@ATLairport @DENAirport @DFWA r 2016-07-06 5600 52 156596000https://twiThree #CBP employees presented the 2015 #Preside 5 2015-12-15 5551 45 558963000https://twi#CBP seizes illegal and unsafe motor vehicle in Puer 2015-10-26 5535 328 869626000https://twi#CBP in #Aruba seized >$20K from traveler. Rem 2015-12-29 5454 65 775049000https://twiAnnouncement aligns w/ #CBP’s effort to streng 2016-03-30 5428 31 646678000https://twiCan’t locate your I-94 online? https://t.co/eXf9E 2015-10-23 5360 42 432099000https://twiReligion, faith, or spiritual beliefs of Int'l traveler are 2015-12-23 5301 68 223870000https://twiTip for packing—1.3Klbs of marijuana shouldn’t 2015-10-08 5285 374 438279000https://twi Bienvenido, Willkommen, Huanying, Bienvenue, Dobro Pozhalovat, Hwan-yeong! Welcome to the U.S. https://t.co/Occgwnmuri 2016-04-0 5247 35 850408000https://twi#CBP first employed the Predator B in support of law 2015-10-09 5212 136 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 490 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001661 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000294 107004000https://twiKeeping our communities safe—#USBP agents arre s 2015-12-06 5183 106 453257000https://twiMarine Interdiction Agents not only stop smuggling, 2015-11-03 4866 138 024650000https://twi#CBP officers at the Hidalgo Int’l Bridge arrested 2015-12-04 4843 44 176219000https://twiUS Customs Service began the aerostat program in 1 2015-10-06 4824 26 907773000https://twiKeeping our communities safe—#CBP officers at th s 2015-10-16 4551 42 573677000https://twi#DYK EC120 assists in sign-cutting—the skill of det 2015-10-02 4357 71 493416000https://twi#CBP officer at #HartsfieldJackson Airport in #Atlant 2015-12-31 4114 50 585253000https://twiAt the event tech startups & investors will mee 2016-04-08 24133 70 262094000https://twiComm #Kerlikowske addressed concerns from Char 2016-06-1 18440 103 050631000https://twiRead #CBP Commissioner #Kerlikowske’s blog ab 2016-05-23 12321 36 776180000https://twiI see tech community becoming an ally & advis 2016-04-29 10571 25 180767000https://twiPosting the results of #CBP’s review of these cas 2016-06-30 9730 35 028665000https://twiCBP, @dhsscitech will engage w/ startups to discuss 2016-04-29 9293 42 368254000https://twiComm #Kerlikowske spoke today at @aisisteel &am 2016-05-03 8939 33 896834000https://twiBut every pest can cause millions in damages. #CBP 2016-02-15 8514 29 019659000https://twiAttendance was up by over 15% for the April custom 2016-05-05 8150 58 699732000https://twiYour sweetheart wouldn’t be happy if they got 1 2015-10-28 8043 141 726818000https://twi#MELOA has a significant number of members from 2016-08-10 7969 50 450714000https://twiThe United States of America welcomes you. We are 2016-07-28 7878 38 941874000https://twiLast week, Comm #Kerlikowske gave the opening re 2016-08-02 7635 72 173087000https://twi#GlobalEntry goes to Germany—@Airport_FRA Oc 2015-10-2 7371 100 317815000https://twi#FF for local #CBP info @CBPSoutheast @CBPCaribb 2016-04-15 7316 61 983986000https://twiTODAY is the ACE mandatory date. Review full detai 2016-07-23 7177 96 320226000https://twi970LBS OF COCAINE—that’s how much #AMO 2015-11-05 7111 132 790396000https://twiFollow for local #CBP info @CBPArizona @CBPNorth 2015-11-2 7104 176 625247000https://twiAn ACE #SingleWindowUSA webinar will be conduct 2016-04-08 7086 20 109220000https://twi s This rescue is another reminder of the risks & d 2016-04-0 6819 41 873375000https://twiCBP is on Instagram! Follow https://t.co/ww0qrsIQo 2015-10-23 6773 134 412794000https://twiNotice announcing ACE as sole CBP-authorized EDI s 2016-02-29 6660 37 025429000https://twiRT @CBPSanDiego: #ElCentro #BorderPatrol agents 2016-01-04 6618 85 002669000https://twiTraveling with holiday food to the U.S.? Make sure y 2015-12-21 6515 54 975478000https://twiComm #Kerlikowske signed a Mutual Recognition Ar 2015-12-09 6500 51 683799000https://twiThis powerful vessel and the crews that operate it a 2015-10-14 6314 156 554505000https://twiACE accounts and #Census vetting webinar TOMORR 2016-03-1 6163 22 305394000https://twi#TBT to 2 of the first officers of the US Customs Serv 2015-10-30 6142 146 469281000https://twiUntil Nov 29 travelers can travel to US without #EVU 2016-09-30 5941 60 700046000https://twiCan’t locate your I-94 online? https://t.co/eXf9E 2016-03-30 5931 38 722940000https://twiStart off the New Year by following #CBP on #Instag 2016-01-01 5895 39 853945000https://twiDAC John Wagner was honored on @SenateFloor fo 2016-04-08 5830 53 969970000https://twi#USBP agents looks over edge of Anzalduas Dam ne 2015-12-14 5828 398 334259000https://twiAfter being confirmed as #CBP Commissioner in 201 2016-06-30 5788 21 720956000https://twi#ICYMI - #CBP: Spanish-language service now avail @ 2016-01-02 5690 46 285980000https://twiCessna C-206/210 are short-range, piston powered 2015-10-14 5550 62 093831000https://twi#USBP works hard to keep our communities safe— o 2015-10-18 5498 47 070047000https://twiThe ACE Pilot Schedule for agencies with electronic 2015-12-01 5450 26 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 491 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001662 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000295 120358000https://twi#GlobalEntry members, @askTSA shared what to do 2016-04-05 5387 84 940151000https://twi#CBP ap spec. intercept dangerous Leafhopper pest 2015-10-26 5379 69 770179000https://twiCBP ag specialists in Phila made 5 notable intercepti 2015-10-23 5371 102 106530000https://twi#AMO C-206/210 aircraft—flying w/ 2 person crew 2015-10-14 5320 21 133353000https://twiI’m proud of the #CBP employees honored w/ #D 2015-11-03 4787 42 396751000https://twi#CBP implements agency-wide national standards o 2015-10-05 4711 39 110619000https://twi#CBP identified & targeted high-risk express co 2015-10-15 4519 34 581474000https://twiThink twice before buying diamonds with prices tha 2015-10-0 4133 164 932063000https://twiICYMI A traveler attempted to smuggle 11lbs of liqu 2015-10-18 3966 245 327262000https://twiWho doesn't know about #ACE, #CBP's Automated C 2016-05-25 30176 30 867063000https://twiApril 2016 Customs Broker Exam appeals must be p 2016-06-10 17339 53 469584000https://twiTechnology is the foundation of our trade facilitatio 2016-05-18 17050 30 114345000https://twiRegistration for the 2015 East Coast Trade Symposiu 2015-10-22 12186 138 330604000https://twiEl Centro Sector #USBP agents rescued four men los 2016-05-19 11194 26 978178000https://twiThe large increase in the number of IPR seizures ref 2016-04-15 9295 30 747940000https://twi#CBP plans to share trade facilitation and customs e 2016-08-22 8844 20 861120000https://twiCongrats to #CBP Chicago Field Office for being reco 2016-05-05 8815 61 704376000https://twi#AMO Marine Interdiction Agents will operate the C 2016-09-15 8678 28 371323000https://twiCan’t locate your I-94 online? https://t.co/eXf9E 2016-02-10 8647 55 303507000https://twiAvailable on illegitimate websites and underground 2016-09-09 8467 31 220600000https://twiTOMORROW—ACE Reconciliation Webinar from 1 2016-08-18 8092 42 136129000https://twiLIVE: #CBP #ValorMemorial to honor those who hav 2016-05-13 7869 85 908209000https://twiAccording to @USTravel, int’l travelers spent $1 2016-05-03 7598 16 820244000https://twiComm #Kerlikowske stops by a recruiting event at @ 2015-11-10 7452 170 295710000https://twiACE #APHIS Animal Products webinar happens Febr 2016-01-29 7066 30 912896000https://twiCan’t locate your I-94 online? https://t.co/eXf9E 2016-01-05 6773 45 825245000https://twi#AMO uses AS350 A-Star Light Enforcement Helicop 2015-10-23 6742 96 458451000https://twiuse of force policies and review, release of use of fo 2016-06-30 6710 17 196070000https://twiFollow for local #CBP info @CBPBuffalo @CBPChicag 2016-01-01 6678 117 547472000https://twiRead the rest of Comm #Kerlikowske's Remarks to t 2016-08-10 6258 29 495528000https://twi#CBP ag specialists in MN had a successful summer 2015-10-18 6207 254 306458000https://twi#CBP as part of the Border Safety Initiative seeks to 2016-07-2 6142 21 758831000https://twiShort-field capabilities include take-off in 2,300ft &a 2015-10-13 5960 128 023936000https://twiTODAY: National PGA ACE Status Update Webinar fr 2016-07-0 5866 32 374457000https://twiICYMI: A joint operation between #AMO and #USBP 2015-10-12 5851 97 991944000https://twiHappening NOW: The East Coast Trade Symposium 2015-11-04 5807 42 588722000https://twiInnovators invited! @dhsscitech & #CBP is host 2016-07-28 5750 36 922212000https://twi#CBP issues rule in #FederalRegister to update Freed 2015-11-1 5727 44 156498000https://twi#CBP is also looking for K9 wearables https://t.co/U 2016-09-01 5636 37 701166000https://twiCBP officers at #Preclearance locations in Ireland an 2015-10-18 5597 172 359705000https://twi#CBP announces the tuna tariff-rate quota for calen 2016-03-31 5491 20 342472000https://twi#CBP is looking for small UAS capabilities https://t.c2016-09-01 5396 42 877107000https://twi#ICYMI - #CBP & #Canada Border Services Agen 2016-01-03 5352 68 261118000https://twiPHOTO OF THE WEEK: #CBP's Border Patrol Search, 2015-12-0 5306 171 696765000https://twiLatest Automated Commercial Environment #ACE D 2016-01-02 5275 35 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 492 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001663 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000296 502909000https://twi#ICYMI - #CBP: Spanish-language service now avail @ 2015-12-30 5107 75 357901000https://twiFind out more about #AMO’s Bombardier DHC-8 2015-10-09 4993 56 558693000https://twiMissed an ACE Pilot Webinar? Don’t worry, you 2016-04-04 4903 28 078052000https://twi#USBP seized 35lbs of meth hidden in a car’s roc 2015-10-1 4890 53 838759000https://twi#BorderPatrol agents in #RioGrandeValley Sector m 2015-12-29 4632 46 754982000https://twi#AMO uses 38ft SAFE boat for missions in rough sea 2015-10-05 4554 63 323933000https://twiflow of goods across our shared border, enhancing t 2015-10-16 4534 34 542186000https://twiRead about how Peru links w/ CBP adviser program 2015-10-01 4531 70 890063000https://twi#CBP announces additional details about #EVUS incl 2016-09-30 4513 46 090574000https://twiCargo Pre-Inspection allows #CBP officers & M 2015-10-16 4405 21 948038000https://twiThis could be you! Find out what it takes to be an #A 2015-10-16 4011 60 942981000https://twi#CBP announces intent to distribute #CDSOA in #Fe 2016-06-02 38833 827 172645000https://twi#CBP announces Quarterly Interest Rates in #Federa 2016-05-19 9907 24 717006000https://twi#CBP Trusted Travelers can also use #TSAprecheck l 2016-05-05 9353 32 339769000https://twi#CBP and @forestservice issue Joint Notice to prepa 2016-05-04 8217 23 209401000https://twi#USBP agents arrested a previously deported convic 2015-10-22 8158 52 457743000https://twiCBP is on Instagram! Follow https://t.co/ww0qrsIQo 2015-11-20 8147 124 915089000https://twi 2nd ACE Reconciliation Webinar to be held on August 24(12:30pm – 1:30pm EDT). Register at https://t.co/neLHqE1gcm #CBPTrade #SingleWindowUSA 2016-08-23 7838 25 896985000https://twiAssisting our partners in keeping our communities s2016-08-11 7817 49 476713000https://twiCome visit #AMO at the Pensacola Airshow today an 2015-11-06 7537 93 275483000https://twiPayments for the 2016 Customs Broker User Fees (p 2015-11-25 7284 37 445190000https://twi#CBP seizes $28K in unreported currency at Washing 2016-05-18 7270 48 774538000https://twi#CBP and the Swinomish Tribe signed an agreement 2016-04-04 7178 73 754047000https://twiBSI’s bi-national strategy has made efforts since 2016-07-2 7132 19 827179000https://twiYou can read Comm #Kerlikowske’s full remarks er 2016-07-30 6760 63 970190000https://twiUp first: Comm #Kerlikowske and #CBPTrade officia 2015-11-10 6545 58 085632000https://twi#CBP to host live webinar 3-5PM EST Oct. 21, on Do 2015-10-21 6542 26 588940000https://twiKeeping our communities safe—#USBP agents app s 2015-11-19 6420 46 298497000https://twiCenters of Excellence and Expertise (CEE) were est. t 2015-11-10 6395 22 854161000https://twiRegister for #HSDAY via https://t.co/LpNvLhgqau. Fo 2016-04-08 6275 31 334432000https://twiRead Comm. #Kerlikowske’s remarks from the C 2016-04-08 6270 32 555269000https://twiDeputy Commissioner McAleenan released the find 2016-06-30 6253 46 609948000https://twiCan a traveler bring a lemon from Italy into the US? 2015-10-2 6243 160 471072000https://twi#CBP announces changes to the ACE Document Ima e 2015-10-19 6061 19 564655000https://twiTraveling for Sukkot? #CBP provides guidance for tra 2016-09-30 5933 35 539572000https://twiWant to run reports using ACE? Check out the new s 2016-06-28 5885 48 709200000https://twi#CBP was awarded the 2016 @IIPCIC Award for our 2016-09-2 5811 41 044845000https://twiTo help you prepare for the upcoming busy travel w 2016-03-25 5772 21 870855000https://twiRT @CBPSouthTexas: #CBP officers in Pharr thwart a 2016-01-05 5762 49 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 493 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001664 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000297 519358000https://twiWeren’t able to attend the ACE TSN Conference 2016-04-0 5739 26 406408000https://twiRT @CBPCentralTX: #CBP proud to join 1st Respond 2016-01-03 5682 43 688321000https://twi#CBP #Agriculture specialists inspect a food storage 2015-12-23 5659 263 929255000https://twi#TBT - #Customs cutter at U.S. Custom House dock i 2015-12-31 5609 86 035523000https://twiRegister for the ACE @US_FDA Pilot webinar held o 2015-12-08 5566 15 435718000https://twiPara recibir respuestas a preguntas, en inglés y es 2015-12-29 5454 28 813811000https://twiRegistration for April 4, 2016 Customs Broker Exam 2016-01-22 5423 68 116144000https://twiSupervisory #agriculture specialist in #Texas retires e 2015-12-23 5378 49 675433000https://twiFor the other 17 locations, eligible travelers can use 2016-09-30 5343 73 446685000https://twiMcFly would not approve - #CBP seize counterfeit #2015-12-22 5305 43 037967000https://twiBombardier DHC-8 is 1 of the most fuel-efficient airc 2015-10-09 5182 16 684192000https://twi#AMO’s Midnight Express interceptor vessel has 2015-10-14 5155 30 095735000https://twiThe MRA—1st signed w/ a Caribbean nation—allo 2015-12-09 5055 17 273048000https://twiREAD Comm #Kerlikowske’s blog about how the 2016-09-30 4955 58 277664000https://twi#USBP agents in TX arrest convicted sex offender ht2015-11-03 4947 51 246297000https://twiBusy week in #Tucson, #Arizona ends with #CBP offi 2015-12-16 4797 45 775425000https://twiACE #FDA #MedicalDevices Pilot Webinar on March 2016-03-14 4779 18 776121000https://twi#BorderPatrol agents assigned to #NewOrleans Sect 2015-12-28 4777 61 799197000https://twi o Centr de Información de #CBP, responsable por co 2015-12-30 4752 26 992072000https://twi#USBP agents in El Paso Sector had a busy weekend 2015-10-0 4619 45 881917000https://twi#AMO mission sets fall into 4 broad categories: inte 2015-10-10 4532 23 456826000https://twi#AMO and #USBP assisted a woman suffering from s 2015-10-0 4524 161 823126000https://twiComm #Kerlikowske at the launch of int’l flights 2015-10-15 4463 41 676609000https://twiPublic Advisory Committee on Commercial Operatio 2015-10-05 3987 21 314407000https://twiThe ACE Development and Deployment Schedule ha 2016-05-24 13148 40 405666000https://twiImprove your ACE vocab, review the updated ACE C o 2016-01-08 8761 34 659406000https://twiWant to learn more about #CBP’s role in combat 2016-04-2 8719 28 332944000https://twiComm #Kerlikowske toured airport ops and met w/ 2016-08-22 8151 24 678430000https://twiAdvisory Committee on Commercial Ops to #CBP (C 2016-01-11 8024 35 959645000https://twiNeed an Automated Broker Interface (ABI) software 2016-01-0 7905 32 039827000https://twiI'd like to congratulate & thank Deputy Comm 2016-03-29 7752 29 977526000https://twi#CBP works to prevent goods manufactured by forc 2016-09-16 7719 41 540554000https://twiFind out how a #CBPTrade entry specialist applies th 2016-08-11 7125 24 953236000https://twiC-TPAT is the world’s standard in supply chain se 2015-11-04 6955 54 165052000https://twiDownload the @FEMA app for safety tips and weath 2016-09-0 6915 41 776857000https://twiExhibiting professional responsibility is how #CBP m 2016-06-30 6858 17 630707000https://twi#CBP has undertaken progressive efforts to increase 2016-06-30 6850 17 616000000https://twi#CBP issues proposed rule in #FederalRegister to mo 2016-09-14 6506 39 914640000https://twiAMO AS350 combines small size & flexibility of 2015-10-23 6400 148 369699000https://twi#CBP Port of Atlanta Honor Guard led the way at th 2015-12-0 6378 96 427162000https://twi#AMO's AS-350 A-Star flies with a crew of two—pi 2015-10-23 6323 88 786212000https://twiACE Protest Webinar held TOMORROW 12:30-1:00p 2016-08-15 6138 24 383712000https://twi#CBP announces Quarterly Interest Rates in Federal 2015-10-28 6113 18 654150000https://twiComm #Kerlikowske and #CBPTrade officials are in D 2015-11-10 6107 23 585500000https://twiRemember to apply for an #ESTA at least 72 hrs bef 2015-10-28 6060 63 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 494 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001665 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000298 957482000https://twiThinking not only as a region, but as North America e 2015-11-04 6004 24 300760000https://twiCan’t locate your I-94 online? https://t.co/eXf9E 2016-03-11 5918 40 730171000https://twi#AMO PC-12s are capable of high-altitude detection 2015-10-13 5874 65 274453000https://twi#CBP and @usgsa announce open period for Donati 2015-10-20 5854 65 277236000https://twiTake the 2016 Trade ACE User Satisfaction Survey at 2016-09-0 5734 11 530208000https://twiRegister for ACE @US_FDA Animal & Veterinar 2016-02-08 5720 31 516382000https://twiRead Comm #Kerlikowske’s blog on how #CBP is 2015-11-19 5692 24 135777000https://twiCan’t locate your I-94 online? https://t.co/eXf9E 2015-10-28 5639 23 058617000https://twi#CBP #agriculture specialists discover #Khapra #Bee 2016-01-02 5615 159 534259000https://twi#EVUS is the system used by nationals of the People 2016-09-30 5545 28 238282000https://twiI encourage you to use ACE as soon as possible to fil 2015-11-04 5539 28 092762000https://twi#DYK #CBP officers welcome more than 1M people 2015-10-19 5475 154 309396000https://twi.@BostonLogan makes 18! US citizens and Canadian 2016-09-30 5452 64 579276000https://twiMore information about EVUS is available at https:/2016-03-15 5402 76 497773000https://twi#CBP announces #COAC meeting in #Federal registe 2015-12-24 5361 40 012178000https://twiour commitment to strengthen #CBP’s culture o 2016-06-30 5356 12 870699000https://twiRT @TSA: Airports may be busy during #holiday trav s 2015-12-24 5335 35 459904000https://twiRecently, the Office of Internal Affairs was renamed 2016-06-30 5320 10 380378000https://twiAll weekend long we’ll be highlighting our Top 1 5 2015-12-25 5193 33 193568000https://twi#CBP has made updates to ACE’s fall 2015 Capab 2015-11-23 5172 29 927819000https://twi#FederalRegister rule makes ACE a #CBP authorized 2015-10-13 5062 28 132054000https://twiPort of #Blaine issues #holidaytravel advisory https:/2015-12-19 5050 44 703125000https://twiRegister for the ACE @EPA Pilot webinar held on De 2015-12-05 4528 20 469797000https://twiToday Comm #Kerlikowske, Amb. @MatthewBarzun 2015-11-04 4433 23 184478000https://twi#FederalRegister released extending import restrict 2015-10-08 3999 16 196943000https://twiThe ACE Trade Update for August-September is now 2015-10-01 3987 26 668905000https://twiDL the #CBP Border Wait Time app for the latest po 2016-03-25 3978 27 030914000https://twi@DHSgov releases End of Fiscal Year 2015 statistics 2015-12-24 2213 30 720039000https://twi@mpls_jayhawk @TravelGov For a renewed passpo 2016-06-16 15625 73 315594000https://twiREGISTER for the ACE #NMFS Software Developer W 2016-05-19 11215 20 168589000https://twi#CBP announces the 2015 East Coast Trade Sympos 2015-10-22 10910 69 092531000https://twiListen to #CBP Comm #Kerlikowske discuss body wo 2016-01-06 8867 22 754698000https://twiAs travel to the US continues to increase, #CBP has t 2016-05-03 8829 10 342489000https://twiWe’re seeing the results, with approx. 97% of en 2016-05-18 8750 16 012917000https://twiReminder: The ACE Trade Satisfaction Survey will clo r 2015-11-0 8599 70 822273000https://twiCommissioner Kerlikowske visits #LAX to greet work 2015-12-2 8172 307 031500000https://twiACE Software Developer Webinar – PGA Correctio 2016-05-1 7420 13 024313000https://twi#CBP is extremely mindful of the vital part we play i 2016-05-03 7047 10 143562000https://twiACE #APHIS #ExpressCourier webinar happens Janu 2016-01-25 6942 17 858008000https://twiACE Liquidation Webinar held Aug. 17 12:30–1:00 2016-08-15 6678 46 722970000https://twi#CBP officers seized $27K in unreported currency fr 2015-11-06 6434 81 503472000https://twiThe new CIV brings tech advances to the hull design 2016-09-15 6184 17 769144000https://twiTONIGHT at 9pm ET catch #CBP on a special Hallowe 2015-10-29 5881 26 780276000https://twiThe ACE Fall 2015 Capabilities notice is now availabl 2015-10-21 5855 34 090027000https://twi#CBP & #Canada Border Services Agency work 2016-01-02 5725 94 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 495 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001666 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000299 107995000https://twi#CBP & 1st responders will be part of @dallasc 2016-01-03 5335 33 628697000https://twiCBP adviser program trains, supports Peruvian custo 2015-10-09 5043 58 473074000https://twiAdvisory Committee on Commercial Ops to #CBP (C 2016-01-04 5033 16 698473000https://twiFollow for local #CBP info @CBPArizona @CBPNorth 2016-01-01 5027 86 237955000https://twi o Leafhppers are threats to crop plants—they rob p 2015-10-26 4652 7 190245000https://twiThere will be an ACE @USDA_APHIS Pilot webinar h 2015-12-0 4463 25 471914000https://twi#ICYMI - #CBP announces #COAC meeting in #Feder 2015-12-29 4366 13 536996000https://twiThree #CBP employees presented the 2015 #Preside 2015-12-16 4211 40 689224000https://twiCan’t locate your I-94 online? https://t.co/EWqw 2016-04-0 4133 26 171086000https://twiCamin Cargo Control Inc. approved to gauge and be 2015-10-02 3982 17 759570000https://twi@Pistolaa Yes, Canadian citizens' passports must on 2016-05-03 961 27 763390000https://twi.@NOAAFisheries ITDS/ACE Proposed Rule Webinar 2016-02-10 7537 19 208543000https://twiRegister for TOMORROW’s ACE #APHIS Pilot web 2016-01-05 6092 25 630533000https://twi#CBP hosts the 5th Annual CTAC OpsExpo to plan fo 2016-09-08 5850 53 913493000https://twiMandatory date for filing post release capabilities in 2016-09-08 5799 25 570521000https://twiACE #APHIS #ExpressCourier webinar happens Janu 2016-01-22 5639 13 760681000https://twiRT @CBPSouthTexas: Elige Paisano Ready Lane vide 2016-01-05 5631 29 587726000https://twiPC-12s have enhanced effectiveness & efficien e 2015-10-13 5471 17 799137000https://twiThe 2015 Trade ACE User Satisfaction Survey is now 2015-10-26 4865 30 439803000https://twi#CBP Marks 10 Year Anniversary of the #Ysleta #SEN 2015-12-15 4777 22 860076000https://twi#CBP officers at Eagle Pass International Bridge arre 2015-12-28 4530 46 202408000https://twi#AMO mission sets fall into 4 broad categories: inte 2015-10-03 4381 10 181202000https://twi#CBP’s proud to have worked with @Southwest 2015-10-15 3877 19 752320000https://twi@TravelGov @Consult_Ling You need to wait until y 2016-08-11 2167 58 218953000https://twi@AskTSA @Pedro_F_Abreu Here are 2 additional lin 2016-01-05 1309 22 972730000https://twi@GreatGovTweets Thanks! 2015-12-15 1134 16 041225000https://twi@aoifemcardle Please call (202) 344-3710 for help w 2016-07-14 1124 36 156817000https://twi@brookieb12 Good afternoon, what do you need he 2016-07-13 971 37 100309000https://twi@EAngelaBradford Good afternoon, Global Entry co 2016-03-21 765 7 508879000https://twi@pett_d @TravelGov You can update on GOES as lo 2016-06-16 5605 31 455322000https://twiLatest Automated Commercial Environment #ACE D 2016-01-01 4930 29 306179000https://twi@AskTSA @nmhfarb You can find out more on our w 2015-12-23 1512 18 971547000https://twi@IAmNotFacetious @TravelGov Yes, for a renewed 2016-06-30 1328 35 509378000https://twi@TravelGov @alextdevine Since it's a name change 2016-07-06 1223 14 047822000https://twi@brookieb12 Can you follow for a DM? o 2016-07-14 1062 46 800652000https://twi@joshuahoggan Hello! These links should help: http2016-05-16 901 19 316504000https://twi@WilliamsSharrie Good afternoon, can you please f 2016-07-0 822 51 811105000https://twi@Stryfe132 Good morning, you'll have to check wit 2016-07-0 802 10 515491000https://twi@forall_ksa Good morning, this link should help: htt2016-07-08 725 13 112836000https://twi@mariatucker3 Try these https://t.co/ORLW3dFx432015-12-1 692 5 187413000https://twi@StewartNial Good morning, can you please follow 2016-07-0 689 13 700497000https://twi@BobVillanueva Good morning! You can apply using 2016-07-0 657 9 342063000https://twi@V_V_G Hello, what do you need help with? 2016-07-0 648 30 182906000https://twi19 yrs later - #Philadelphia #CBP arrests fugitive from 2015-12-22 432 5 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 496 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001667 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000300 engageme retweets replies likes user profile url clicks hashtag clidetail expapermalink app opens 0.01376 201 10 450 46 15 20 151 2 0 0.12637 179 7 150 118 211 9 2213 2 0 0.03970 145 6 169 72 19 98 223 0 0 0.03779 141 5 275 33 25 31 98 0 0 0.05573 126 14 112 128 118 11 1385 5 0 0.03047 122 3 162 16 21 15 77 0 0 0.05365 116 6 163 43 54 28 139 0 0 0.03928 110 3 143 21 94 16 73 0 0 0.05726 109 4 299 137 233 42 405 0 0 0.01726 103 7 158 33 60 13 162 0 0 0.03921 103 16 132 59 16 48 281 0 0 0.03637 92 3 123 16 78 4 90 1 0 0.08993 88 6 66 72 248 11 397 2 0 0.05498 85 7 50 21 221 0 84 0 0 0.01951 78 4 94 20 11 0 78 0 0 0.02165 77 5 151 28 39 0 124 0 0 0.00699 65 6 124 13 23 8 137 0 0 0.02864 65 8 128 37 71 0 86 1 0 0.01706 65 3 35 33 8 25 85 0 0 0.05729 65 5 132 17 49 8 39 0 0 0.04783 63 4 30 20 47 32 64 0 0 0.03470 63 1 126 16 33 12 47 0 0 0.02131 62 7 142 14 47 17 62 0 0 0.02187 61 5 127 17 33 0 75 0 0 0.05126 61 8 83 46 81 11 212 0 0 0.02992 59 7 113 18 11 5 112 0 0 0.06277 59 1 70 32 37 5 130 0 0 0.01985 57 6 60 29 73 10 53 0 0 0.04488 57 4 116 12 40 23 87 0 0 0.03916 57 2 67 30 35 30 182 2 0 0.03611 56 1 48 20 130 0 52 0 0 0.03469 55 3 61 33 45 3 99 0 0 0.02072 55 3 84 13 6 0 42 0 0 0.04196 54 10 106 138 65 120 421 0 0 0.08793 53 8 79 46 153 2 668 0 0 0.04747 53 1 32 17 28 2 43 0 0 0.02625 52 5 47 36 101 3 132 0 0 0.03924 52 6 49 20 171 2 72 0 0 0.02771 50 2 49 40 185 8 135 0 0 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 497 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001668 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000301 0.03642 50 3 97 6 33 1 23 0 0 0.04652 48 4 48 28 123 3 109 0 0 0.04812 46 5 55 39 94 2 299 0 0 0.08526 46 4 41 13 86 3 153 0 0 0.01481 45 1 55 21 26 6 36 0 0 0.03853 44 6 65 14 54 1 117 0 0 0.02329 44 3 20 14 103 0 71 2 0 0.02359 43 2 75 9 22 9 30 0 0 0.01542 42 4 92 25 59 15 93 0 0 0.02729 42 11 47 34 114 10 385 2 0 0.01582 42 7 121 22 29 0 57 0 0 0.04902 42 10 57 32 152 5 379 0 0 0.02726 42 4 75 13 29 7 25 0 0 0.04283 42 0 27 13 111 2 87 0 0 0.01777 41 6 77 26 83 8 75 0 0 0.03047 41 1 96 16 42 1 24 0 0 0.02963 41 2 34 7 115 21 37 0 0 0.03177 40 3 33 13 157 6 92 0 0 0.02476 40 3 41 22 30 7 61 0 0 0.02589 39 0 27 33 147 0 93 0 0 0.02159 39 3 47 16 12 79 52 0 0 0.03728 38 6 57 27 181 1 124 0 0 0.02321 38 1 52 23 12 111 41 0 0 0.03055 38 2 43 13 58 1 31 1 0 0.02253 38 0 32 13 20 0 28 1 0 0.02871 38 2 38 16 32 0 44 0 0 0.02565 37 4 69 27 11 18 45 0 0 0.02403 37 1 52 19 102 3 69 0 0 0.02497 37 1 68 4 19 11 20 0 0 0.01962 37 2 84 23 6 7 25 0 0 0.03895 36 3 60 3 5 5 23 0 0 0.01624 35 5 48 13 21 1 89 0 0 0.04687 35 1 71 19 54 10 23 0 0 0.05509 35 1 33 30 108 2 182 0 0 0.03006 35 6 57 24 80 3 50 0 0 0.02805 35 2 31 11 42 0 51 1 0 0.04486 34 3 59 17 22 5 23 0 0 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 498 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001669 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000302 0.03139 34 1 44 9 21 5 35 0 0 0.05577 34 3 42 11 64 0 65 0 0 0.03824 34 3 38 5 97 2 38 0 0 0.03911 34 5 47 6 32 1 29 0 0 0.03409 33 2 86 47 59 7 95 0 0 0.01901 33 3 60 18 12 2 24 0 0 0.02212 33 4 38 12 37 1 31 0 0 0.05089 33 2 43 14 68 0 75 0 0 0.03986 32 2 49 7 47 1 39 0 0 0.06279 32 1 27 16 74 0 58 0 0 0.05813 32 3 22 20 20 1 102 0 0 0.07364 32 2 27 10 114 0 111 2 0 0.09661 32 3 32 20 9 2 251 0 0 0.02946 31 3 45 24 124 2 98 0 0 0.02557 31 4 65 19 63 1 83 0 0 0.01426 31 0 53 13 69 6 40 1 0 0.05313 31 17 41 34 85 34 215 0 0 0.02385 31 7 45 18 3 2 39 0 0 0.01505 31 1 54 6 5 2 46 0 0 0.05194 31 1 45 12 65 0 46 0 0 0.02068 31 2 29 13 114 1 25 0 0 0.04063 31 2 31 9 74 2 51 0 0 0.02306 31 1 26 3 61 0 32 0 0 0.02987 31 1 21 9 53 0 56 0 0 0.06264 30 3 42 20 66 6 377 0 0 0.01899 30 1 65 6 10 1 17 0 0 0.04704 30 3 34 15 130 1 120 0 0 0.01988 30 1 46 6 3 0 18 0 0 0.07812 30 3 34 13 75 0 46 0 0 0.04271 30 2 31 5 48 1 30 0 0 0.04649 30 2 33 9 42 0 40 0 0 0.03240 30 0 27 9 10 0 35 0 0 0.02733 30 3 54 5 44 1 34 1 0 0.05623 30 2 28 12 101 0 36 0 0 0.01324 29 4 21 28 131 19 70 0 0 0.02379 29 5 32 11 69 2 37 0 0 0.03294 29 0 37 6 27 0 34 0 0 0.02016 29 3 35 7 15 1 17 0 0 0.04662 29 2 37 8 35 11 28 0 0 0.03052 29 1 42 8 17 7 26 0 0 0.01481 28 2 53 8 24 2 38 0 0 0.02430 28 3 37 8 28 1 20 0 0 0.05636 28 0 48 18 88 24 55 0 0 0.02256 28 1 24 5 58 2 44 0 0 0.01410 28 0 44 10 6 5 16 0 0 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 499 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001670 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000303 0.02709 28 4 60 15 14 0 46 0 0 0.01450 28 2 49 2 6 1 5 0 0 0.04796 28 3 30 9 123 1 85 0 0 0.04884 28 5 44 5 87 1 37 1 0 0.06831 28 1 32 13 48 0 120 0 0 0.02138 28 2 13 8 31 3 22 1 0 0.03899 28 4 26 10 35 1 39 0 0 0.09690 27 45 52 69 742 23 1488 2 0 0.01531 27 3 23 19 29 1 46 0 0 0.01002 27 2 41 16 7 2 8 0 0 0.04185 27 1 43 19 16 5 43 0 0 0.03003 27 4 31 12 65 3 42 0 0 0.04817 27 1 31 10 63 0 124 0 0 0.04814 27 0 26 12 60 0 40 1 0 0.01815 27 2 44 4 20 1 14 0 0 0.02572 27 2 39 6 12 1 44 0 0 0.03916 27 0 23 14 57 0 29 1 0 0.03051 27 2 40 9 46 0 37 0 0 0.03358 27 1 18 11 16 1 59 0 0 0.02479 27 3 28 9 20 0 22 0 0 0.03745 27 3 30 8 51 0 37 0 0 0.02357 27 1 31 3 29 0 17 0 0 0.02952 27 2 29 9 47 0 24 0 0 0.06836 26 5 39 61 101 4 170 0 0 0.01011 26 1 32 12 0 3 20 0 0 0.00875 26 2 32 12 87 2 48 1 0 0.00795 26 0 8 5 76 3 28 0 0 0.05398 26 6 33 10 137 1 78 0 0 0.01201 26 2 43 5 7 0 20 0 0 0.05317 26 5 48 11 66 3 27 0 0 0.01944 26 1 40 4 61 0 23 0 0 0.04464 26 3 31 9 58 2 46 0 0 0.07272 26 3 54 14 117 5 55 0 0 0.02166 26 1 28 17 50 0 51 0 0 0.05043 26 2 35 7 28 2 52 0 0 0.01964 26 4 13 9 84 3 44 0 0 0.02491 26 0 30 9 3 0 138 0 0 0.05146 26 2 41 9 31 3 34 0 0 0.03857 26 1 18 8 24 0 33 0 0 0.00902 25 2 25 6 39 0 37 0 0 0.02425 25 0 41 13 41 1 31 0 0 0.03588 25 1 28 6 79 0 57 0 0 0.01762 25 1 21 12 11 2 9 0 0 0.01316 25 3 11 46 0 0 117 3 0 0.03553 25 4 73 10 16 15 37 0 0 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 500 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001671 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000304 0.03977 25 4 31 12 38 5 43 0 0 0.01245 25 1 28 8 34 3 17 0 0 0.02813 25 2 39 11 71 2 36 0 0 0.00965 25 3 37 17 0 1 41 0 0 0.04492 25 1 27 24 102 1 171 4 0 0.04868 25 0 20 7 67 0 20 0 0 0.04083 25 3 22 18 44 0 41 0 0 0.06694 25 3 15 16 108 0 111 0 0 0.02913 25 2 18 5 42 0 23 0 0 0.05241 25 5 26 2 60 1 69 0 0 0.05427 25 2 30 17 37 0 31 0 0 0.03169 25 1 26 10 82 4 53 0 0 0.05096 25 1 29 6 49 3 40 0 0 0.04406 24 2 32 16 105 2 63 0 0 0.01654 24 1 51 12 5 1 25 0 0 0.02057 24 0 49 4 3 2 15 0 0 0.03312 24 2 29 6 63 0 24 0 0 0.02328 24 1 31 18 32 4 50 0 0 0.03515 24 1 43 9 14 0 43 0 0 0.03091 24 4 28 2 28 0 23 0 0 0.02651 24 3 40 7 32 0 22 0 0 0.04059 24 3 30 6 36 1 37 0 0 0.05056 24 5 37 7 74 0 52 0 0 0.03067 23 4 70 21 64 0 73 0 0 0.03631 23 5 56 17 39 0 58 0 0 0.02237 23 3 39 6 12 2 25 0 0 0.03803 23 1 28 6 100 1 44 0 0 0.03805 23 4 47 16 20 16 39 0 0 0.01918 23 0 45 2 3 0 16 0 0 0.01404 23 4 25 7 9 5 36 0 0 0.02658 23 0 29 11 39 2 20 0 0 0.02403 23 4 19 4 46 0 38 0 0 0.01204 23 2 26 10 1 31 27 0 0 0.02235 22 6 30 18 65 1 30 0 0 0.01677 22 2 24 8 6 7 17 0 0 0.04251 22 1 30 4 50 0 32 0 0 0.05017 22 7 37 9 80 3 27 0 0 0.03257 22 2 25 7 32 2 6 0 0 0.03414 22 1 28 0 8 9 11 0 0 0.02892 22 0 30 9 8 2 23 0 0 0.03136 22 4 29 10 21 2 72 0 0 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 501 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001672 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000305 0.03891 22 3 24 15 7 2 203 0 0 0.02534 22 0 16 2 35 0 27 0 0 0.04138 22 2 46 3 15 3 33 0 0 0.05835 22 1 16 16 77 0 192 1 0 0.02369 22 0 27 10 4 2 29 0 0 0.04982 22 3 17 7 51 1 41 0 0 0.01959 22 1 25 6 23 0 20 0 0 0.01799 21 2 52 10 27 10 23 2 0 0.00743 21 0 25 10 13 1 38 0 0 0.01803 21 2 21 7 70 5 43 0 0 0.02454 21 1 23 5 50 0 23 1 0 0.01165 21 0 13 18 0 0 79 0 0 0.03165 21 0 15 4 54 0 27 0 0 0.03046 21 0 10 4 38 1 20 0 0 0.02549 21 0 33 9 40 3 55 0 0 0.02381 21 2 32 10 55 2 31 0 0 0.05228 21 3 33 8 59 1 29 0 0 0.03536 21 4 32 16 7 9 95 0 0 0.04367 21 1 33 7 54 0 20 0 0 0.04413 21 3 9 9 51 0 37 0 0 0.02287 21 0 46 2 37 0 15 0 0 0.00982 20 4 20 23 77 6 215 0 0 0.02180 20 3 24 5 104 0 48 0 0 0.04830 20 1 41 25 22 4 48 0 0 0.02731 20 3 17 6 13 1 13 0 0 0.02575 20 2 18 13 2 0 52 0 0 0.03124 20 0 21 7 44 0 28 0 0 0.02947 20 0 34 7 45 4 34 0 0 0.02330 20 0 12 8 53 0 33 0 0 0.03033 20 2 23 9 14 3 18 0 0 0.02579 20 4 34 6 34 2 20 0 0 0.03575 20 0 26 5 26 0 16 0 0 0.05423 20 1 14 11 62 0 37 0 0 0.02371 19 1 24 24 299 9 142 0 0 0.00363 19 3 40 11 0 0 23 0 0 0.02436 19 2 21 10 27 0 29 0 0 0.01869 19 1 18 3 33 1 31 2 0 0.05622 19 2 24 5 116 0 22 0 0 0.03262 19 3 21 12 105 1 30 0 0 0.00799 19 3 14 5 28 1 12 0 0 0.01789 19 2 13 8 38 2 28 0 0 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 502 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001673 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000306 0.01963 19 3 24 5 24 1 20 0 0 0.03299 19 1 23 11 17 4 48 0 0 0.02574 19 3 24 9 60 0 85 0 0 0.03010 19 5 30 6 25 1 18 0 0 0.03844 19 4 31 6 26 0 14 0 0 0.03815 19 1 14 6 6 5 158 1 0 0.02363 19 3 11 1 63 23 15 0 0 0.03944 19 1 16 4 37 0 52 0 0 0.02519 19 0 21 8 71 0 30 0 0 0.06060 19 0 14 9 46 0 50 0 0 0.03986 19 5 25 16 24 0 61 0 0 0.03469 19 2 36 15 9 0 50 0 0 0.01935 19 1 11 3 24 2 30 0 0 0.00362 18 0 14 5 12 0 32 0 0 0.00415 18 0 19 4 31 0 15 0 0 0.02019 18 1 21 8 11 0 13 0 0 0.01711 18 0 15 16 35 15 21 0 0 0.08226 18 2 19 8 42 1 87 0 0 0.03261 18 2 16 4 54 0 14 0 0 0.01114 18 2 33 9 0 1 55 1 0 0.03038 18 1 13 19 75 1 47 0 0 0.00828 18 1 17 9 2 6 17 0 0 0.01322 18 0 29 3 4 0 5 0 0 0.01618 18 0 31 8 9 0 17 0 0 0.02971 18 1 20 5 55 2 47 0 0 0.02195 18 1 11 4 88 2 34 0 0 0.05408 18 3 20 8 77 1 37 0 0 0.01512 18 2 20 2 14 0 20 0 0 0.02372 18 5 16 7 17 0 17 0 0 0.02569 18 0 27 10 5 2 18 0 0 0.05391 18 0 20 2 78 0 11 0 0 0.07916 18 2 17 10 69 0 83 0 0 0.02456 18 2 14 3 1 6 26 0 0 0.05545 18 5 7 9 47 0 44 0 0 0.02632 18 1 12 9 8 3 30 0 0 0.00517 17 0 27 9 10 2 33 0 0 0.00920 17 3 27 13 20 5 52 0 0 0.01097 17 2 18 13 85 9 44 0 0 0.01388 17 3 23 17 56 17 41 0 0 0.01299 17 0 9 9 10 3 23 0 0 0.02257 17 2 26 6 8 83 29 0 0 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 503 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001674 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000307 0.01798 17 1 20 5 56 0 37 0 0 0.00772 17 0 21 6 22 3 12 0 0 0.01037 17 1 38 2 5 0 10 0 0 0.02117 17 0 18 10 77 27 20 0 0 0.01159 17 1 14 5 23 9 18 0 0 0.03896 17 0 8 16 44 0 57 0 0 0.01544 17 0 35 3 6 3 15 0 0 0.02098 17 1 28 2 22 1 26 0 0 0.04234 17 1 24 4 36 0 12 0 0 0.01971 17 6 19 20 18 2 101 0 0 0.02169 17 2 24 23 6 2 53 0 0 0.01013 17 0 10 2 37 3 20 0 0 0.04170 17 4 14 7 3 2 47 0 0 0.03374 17 2 13 6 73 0 43 0 0 0.04575 17 3 20 10 34 0 28 0 0 0.04305 17 0 19 10 45 0 36 0 0 0.04357 17 0 17 12 30 0 29 0 0 0.04314 17 1 14 9 53 0 32 0 0 0.01102 17 2 10 7 0 0 23 0 0 0.01869 17 0 15 8 39 0 14 0 0 0.00810 16 4 40 11 76 0 82 0 0 0.01221 16 0 25 13 28 10 20 0 0 0.01661 16 0 8 14 39 0 50 0 0 0.01060 16 0 8 1 22 4 18 2 0 0.00831 16 1 28 9 2 7 7 0 0 0.02927 16 0 23 11 56 21 172 0 0 0.03465 16 0 15 5 46 1 52 0 0 0.03815 16 1 20 9 53 0 56 0 0 0.01880 16 5 21 4 26 1 19 1 0 0.06713 16 0 12 9 79 0 52 0 0 0.01813 16 0 12 7 77 0 20 0 0 0.02417 16 0 20 6 5 0 17 0 0 0.04207 16 1 22 4 51 0 15 0 0 0.02606 16 3 15 4 36 0 28 0 0 0.03481 16 0 18 3 27 1 15 0 0 0.03932 16 1 16 5 38 0 22 0 0 0.02638 16 0 17 7 34 0 23 0 0 0.01809 16 1 16 9 24 2 8 0 0 0.03816 16 2 13 6 4 4 30 0 0 0.03141 16 2 20 6 27 0 16 0 0 0.01353 16 1 15 3 9 0 6 0 0 0.02225 16 4 13 6 43 10 32 0 0 0.00759 16 0 21 1 0 0 2 0 0 0.02331 15 94 20 73 0 75 1571 4 0 0.04381 15 3 55 20 65 7 108 0 0 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 504 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001675 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000308 0.00844 15 0 20 13 44 11 30 0 0 0.01703 15 2 29 10 8 2 18 0 0 0.02985 15 2 26 22 13 14 20 0 0 0.03358 15 4 19 20 48 3 75 0 0 0.01751 15 2 39 3 55 4 20 0 0 0.03073 15 4 24 3 41 7 15 0 0 0.02252 15 0 36 3 8 2 10 0 0 0.00901 15 0 10 11 28 1 18 0 0 0.01977 15 1 13 4 37 3 24 0 0 0.01345 15 0 14 9 5 0 29 0 0 0.01327 15 0 27 8 4 1 18 0 0 0.03876 15 0 17 5 31 1 22 0 0 0.03522 15 2 14 6 66 1 23 0 0 0.02302 15 1 20 4 101 33 16 0 0 0.01696 15 3 9 10 4 0 20 0 0 0.02452 15 3 25 4 33 0 25 0 0 0.03362 15 1 14 8 16 3 45 0 0 0.01691 15 0 24 1 40 0 18 0 0 0.04137 15 1 26 4 41 1 18 0 0 0.02916 15 1 16 3 41 2 22 0 0 0.03446 15 1 18 8 51 9 136 0 0 0.04259 15 2 16 3 89 2 34 0 0 0.02914 15 3 15 6 65 0 33 0 0 0.02123 15 2 25 3 34 1 29 0 0 0.02270 15 0 18 10 8 4 32 0 0 0.05866 15 1 15 8 63 0 30 0 0 0.02766 15 0 11 3 26 2 28 0 0 0.02796 15 0 18 7 1 3 34 0 0 0.03013 15 2 19 13 91 0 22 0 0 0.02998 15 1 19 3 62 0 25 0 0 0.02134 15 1 8 9 45 0 23 0 0 0.02263 15 0 18 9 38 1 16 0 0 0.04001 15 0 14 7 43 1 31 0 0 0.02780 15 1 13 7 21 1 23 0 0 0.01907 15 1 16 2 4 2 29 0 0 0.03595 15 0 10 3 28 1 57 0 0 0.02678 15 0 21 3 17 0 18 0 0 0.00622 14 1 18 3 32 0 36 0 0 0.01196 14 0 19 11 22 2 56 0 0 0.00558 14 1 17 11 0 12 53 0 0 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 505 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001676 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000309 0.00495 14 0 9 1 12 0 29 0 0 0.00610 14 1 23 5 4 4 13 0 0 0.01867 14 2 37 4 7 3 23 0 0 0.01429 14 1 42 6 5 9 15 0 0 0.02531 14 2 13 31 8 14 76 0 0 0.02365 14 2 19 5 22 2 21 0 0 0.02493 14 1 19 49 5 6 78 0 0 0.00591 14 0 21 6 0 1 18 0 0 0.09883 14 0 42 15 85 10 467 1 0 0.01040 14 0 15 7 9 0 22 1 0 0.01040 14 0 14 7 4 11 19 0 0 0.05868 14 2 28 19 25 2 300 0 0 0.00876 14 1 14 2 25 1 13 0 0 0.01980 14 2 29 8 10 1 31 0 0 0.03018 14 2 26 6 115 0 39 1 0 0.03565 14 0 12 2 76 2 26 0 0 0.03541 14 1 21 8 45 0 33 0 0 0.02868 14 4 13 2 27 0 54 0 0 0.02735 14 2 30 4 5 2 16 0 0 0.02568 14 1 27 2 27 0 25 0 0 0.01644 14 0 20 4 17 0 22 0 0 0.05532 14 1 18 6 37 1 23 0 0 0.02929 14 1 16 1 23 0 18 1 0 0.03679 14 1 12 5 45 0 53 0 0 0.02870 14 2 11 4 1 3 19 0 0 0.04979 14 0 17 6 29 1 40 0 0 0.02414 14 1 9 5 15 0 21 0 0 0.02491 14 1 8 1 25 0 24 0 0 0.03740 14 2 19 5 27 0 83 0 0 0.03282 14 1 17 1 29 0 21 0 0 0.00911 13 2 33 7 10 12 28 0 0 0.00493 13 1 13 4 30 2 26 0 0 0.00557 13 0 21 5 11 11 9 0 0 0.03389 13 1 26 31 26 8 51 0 0 0.03193 13 1 14 9 39 2 29 0 0 0.00710 13 2 22 5 2 2 10 0 0 0.00792 13 1 11 2 28 0 23 0 0 0.00783 13 0 8 7 41 2 13 0 0 0.01173 13 0 13 4 38 4 14 1 0 0.02942 13 1 16 7 3 0 57 0 0 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 506 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001677 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000310 0.00733 13 0 9 6 9 0 8 1 0 0.02311 13 1 20 12 7 10 37 0 0 0.04382 13 3 10 7 54 0 62 0 0 0.03684 13 0 25 5 41 1 15 0 0 0.01180 13 0 14 6 2 1 13 0 0 0.02613 13 0 12 6 41 7 23 0 0 0.02602 13 2 16 8 27 0 20 0 0 0.04018 13 3 24 12 25 1 30 0 0 0.02974 13 3 18 9 40 14 28 0 0 0.03380 13 0 12 3 53 0 17 0 0 0.02001 13 2 16 4 7 0 11 0 0 0.02678 13 0 27 4 37 0 21 0 0 0.00693 13 0 9 3 17 0 8 0 0 0.03189 13 0 17 5 25 0 23 0 0 0.04286 13 0 12 2 44 1 31 0 0 0.00874 13 0 8 2 0 0 17 0 0 0.05800 13 0 15 2 66 4 47 0 0 0.01424 13 1 12 2 38 0 15 0 0 0.05039 13 0 9 5 14 0 25 0 0 0.01149 13 2 10 2 24 2 7 0 0 0.03642 12 83 31 65 224 28 1247 2 0 0.00649 12 1 22 14 36 2 56 0 0 0.00706 12 0 15 10 2 3 54 0 0 0.01449 12 1 12 3 35 12 13 0 0 0.01155 12 2 23 6 3 10 28 0 0 0.00526 12 2 11 3 8 5 7 0 0 0.00687 12 2 15 10 1 0 14 0 0 0.01274 12 3 12 7 39 4 17 0 0 0.02619 12 1 27 6 5 2 17 0 0 0.04722 12 0 13 9 70 0 56 0 0 0.01001 12 3 6 3 26 0 26 0 1 0.00819 12 0 29 6 0 3 25 0 0 0.00918 12 1 25 2 25 1 18 0 0 0.028 12 0 5 6 30 3 30 0 0 0.01851 12 3 11 6 54 1 28 0 0 0.01779 12 1 8 3 56 4 27 0 0 0.00947 12 1 12 9 29 0 12 0 0 0.01433 12 3 9 3 35 9 13 0 0 0.04274 12 2 17 13 45 0 26 0 0 0.05531 12 0 26 7 51 6 33 1 0 0.01578 12 0 9 4 46 0 26 0 0 0.00892 12 0 17 4 21 3 9 0 0 0.02173 12 2 12 6 38 8 19 0 0 0.03383 12 2 28 7 36 0 21 0 0 0.02032 12 1 8 6 60 0 37 0 0 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 507 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001678 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000311 0.01424 12 1 6 4 38 0 17 1 0 0.02432 12 0 15 3 13 0 9 0 0 0.01114 12 0 11 3 33 0 13 0 0 0.01567 12 0 8 0 36 2 18 0 0 0.03181 12 1 22 4 35 0 18 0 0 0.03450 12 0 23 7 21 1 27 0 0 0.01327 12 0 5 2 21 2 6 0 0 0.05245 12 0 23 1 43 4 19 0 0 0.01237 12 0 12 4 27 1 12 0 0 0.02496 12 2 11 7 33 3 14 0 0 0.01706 12 1 9 9 39 0 12 0 0 0.00671 11 0 14 5 6 8 6 0 0 0.02011 11 1 14 13 37 0 89 0 0 0.01000 11 0 44 2 3 0 11 0 0 0.01109 11 1 9 3 58 10 16 0 0 0.01628 11 2 13 6 21 3 13 0 0 0.01448 11 0 15 4 17 5 12 1 0 0.02819 11 1 14 9 40 0 20 0 0 0.01115 11 4 13 1 23 9 9 0 0 0.02874 11 0 21 3 42 10 22 0 0 0.05235 11 3 13 11 86 0 67 0 0 0.05577 11 3 25 8 122 5 57 0 0 0.04433 11 2 16 5 25 2 22 0 0 0.01550 11 2 13 5 76 0 15 0 0 0.05066 11 2 14 3 40 0 53 0 0 0.00792 11 2 9 3 17 4 10 0 0 0.00580 11 0 7 2 14 0 7 0 0 0.01687 11 1 16 3 20 8 9 0 0 0.01292 11 3 8 4 34 0 12 0 0 0.03302 11 0 12 4 45 4 15 0 0 0.01501 11 1 10 3 9 3 9 0 0 0.02374 11 1 9 3 40 1 24 0 0 0.01578 11 0 14 8 49 0 24 0 0 0.02686 11 1 12 2 23 0 26 0 0 0.00811 11 0 12 1 13 2 7 0 0 0.01386 11 0 19 3 9 2 11 0 0 0.02983 11 0 11 8 30 0 15 0 0 0.00827 11 0 9 3 14 0 15 0 0 0.01154 11 2 9 8 23 0 17 0 0 0.02107 11 2 24 5 4 3 21 0 0 0.01789 11 1 12 2 39 4 23 0 1 0.02041 11 0 11 6 8 7 25 0 0 0.01136 11 2 11 6 15 0 20 0 0 0.04764 11 1 16 2 46 0 22 0 0 0.01484 11 1 11 5 36 0 20 0 0 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 508 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001679 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000312 0.02391 11 1 9 4 5 7 20 0 0 0.02871 11 0 7 4 32 0 8 0 0 0.00270 10 0 10 4 15 7 16 0 0 0.02335 10 1 29 9 27 0 21 0 0 0.03690 10 3 17 25 109 2 30 1 0 0.01800 10 1 13 11 119 13 22 0 0 0.00583 10 2 11 5 22 1 5 0 0 0.01424 10 1 18 7 2 10 24 0 0 0.00733 10 0 11 3 21 2 22 0 0 0.00504 10 0 16 2 10 0 7 0 0 0.01148 10 0 3 4 25 11 22 0 0 0.00643 10 1 7 7 7 0 7 0 0 0.02318 10 1 11 5 81 1 19 0 0 0.02116 10 1 11 6 24 0 7 0 0 0.00988 10 1 9 1 43 0 17 0 0 0.04095 10 2 21 3 22 0 27 0 0 0.03954 10 1 9 8 30 3 31 0 0 0.02305 10 0 21 3 8 1 31 0 0 0.00461 10 1 6 3 4 2 7 0 0 0.02379 10 2 8 2 107 0 35 0 0 0.02503 10 0 13 5 0 2 22 0 0 0.02437 10 0 29 5 25 2 18 0 0 0.00429 10 0 9 3 0 0 7 0 0 0.03524 10 0 11 10 28 0 34 0 0 0.05144 10 0 14 10 46 0 34 0 0 0.02273 10 0 13 5 15 0 10 0 0 0.01314 10 0 26 1 10 1 6 0 0 0.02392 10 0 10 7 30 9 23 0 0 0.00911 10 0 8 1 32 0 7 0 0 0.01195 10 0 5 3 43 0 14 0 0 0.01379 10 2 14 15 23 0 21 0 0 0.02156 10 1 16 5 28 0 12 0 0 0.03705 10 1 14 5 33 0 35 1 0 0.04934 10 1 19 10 14 0 32 0 0 0.01356 10 1 13 2 26 2 24 0 0 0.00875 10 1 16 1 12 6 4 0 0 0.01717 10 0 8 4 10 3 13 0 0 0.03110 10 1 18 2 26 0 12 0 0 0.03972 10 1 19 6 7 0 12 0 0 0.02360 10 1 18 0 9 0 14 0 0 0.03471 10 0 16 7 11 1 25 0 0 0.00840 10 1 9 3 16 2 3 0 0 0.01243 10 0 9 2 28 0 15 0 0 0.01289 10 1 17 3 15 0 16 0 0 0.01597 10 0 7 0 3 0 9 0 0 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 509 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001680 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000313 0.02988 10 0 3 7 22 0 29 0 0 0.05492 10 0 7 7 24 1 21 1 0 0.01255 10 1 8 4 16 4 14 0 0 0.00337 9 2 12 4 11 8 9 0 0 0.00261 9 0 4 3 11 1 7 0 0 0.00844 9 0 7 1 18 0 15 0 0 0.01546 9 1 19 7 1 8 57 0 0 0.01584 9 2 13 4 21 0 58 0 0 0.01934 9 1 6 6 12 0 14 0 0 0.00398 9 0 11 1 0 9 8 0 0 0.03123 9 3 16 2 28 0 44 0 0 0.02933 9 0 13 1 30 6 15 0 0 0.00825 9 1 6 6 35 0 5 0 0 0.00512 9 0 9 6 7 0 10 0 0 0.04130 9 1 22 6 29 0 13 0 0 0.00405 9 0 5 4 1 1 13 0 0 0.01911 9 1 16 8 45 0 28 0 0 0.01039 9 0 9 3 30 0 23 0 0 0.01437 9 0 16 4 27 4 20 0 0 0.01274 9 2 16 6 40 3 26 0 0 0.02287 9 0 7 7 28 2 23 0 0 0.02286 9 1 13 5 94 11 27 0 0 0.01084 9 1 11 5 20 15 19 0 0 0.01187 9 0 11 1 27 3 23 0 0 0.00428 9 1 8 6 0 1 6 0 0 0.02571 9 3 11 4 33 2 32 0 0 0.00521 9 0 8 5 10 1 4 0 0 0.01331 9 0 9 15 7 18 19 0 0 0.02395 9 1 16 3 23 0 29 0 0 0.00873 9 0 8 22 0 6 15 0 0 0.02702 9 0 15 5 44 0 18 0 0 0.00642 9 0 6 3 11 5 8 0 0 0.01813 9 0 16 2 27 1 10 0 0 0.03366 9 0 8 2 14 0 19 0 0 0.01367 9 0 7 3 19 0 6 0 0 0.02614 9 2 8 7 87 0 24 0 0 0.00880 9 0 7 4 5 16 17 0 0 0.00580 9 0 5 2 9 1 12 0 0 0.02522 9 0 10 4 27 1 22 0 0 0.00520 9 0 7 3 0 0 13 0 0 0.02394 9 0 19 7 14 1 17 0 0 0.02756 9 0 6 2 96 0 59 0 0 0.02628 9 5 8 7 76 5 53 0 0 0.01516 9 1 10 1 17 2 4 0 0 0.01846 9 0 8 1 9 0 6 0 0 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 510 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001681 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000314 0.01046 9 0 14 1 11 0 11 0 0 0.00619 9 0 8 0 15 0 4 0 0 0.01851 9 2 17 5 53 1 20 0 0 0.02383 9 1 17 5 3 4 40 0 0 0.01924 9 1 15 4 1 2 18 0 0 0.03272 9 0 14 3 25 0 18 1 0 0.03198 9 1 26 7 22 0 24 0 0 0.01936 9 0 14 5 11 0 20 0 0 0.03687 9 1 10 7 73 11 79 0 0 0.02817 9 0 14 1 0 4 21 0 0 0.02363 9 0 8 3 7 1 12 0 0 0.04243 9 0 16 5 29 0 30 0 0 0.01569 9 0 10 2 3 1 18 0 0 0.01629 9 0 6 6 0 20 39 0 0 0.03623 9 0 7 1 7 0 18 0 0 0.00265 8 1 13 6 0 8 20 0 0 0.00425 8 0 10 1 7 5 20 0 0 0.01084 8 1 13 5 10 2 3 0 0 0.00291 8 0 9 3 0 1 6 0 0 0.00530 8 0 4 4 12 3 18 0 0 0.00466 8 3 5 1 17 1 8 0 0 0.01308 8 0 11 3 18 0 7 0 0 0.00712 8 0 9 0 22 0 19 0 1 0.00739 8 0 6 4 12 3 12 0 0 0.01444 8 1 11 34 0 2 73 0 0 0.02503 8 2 30 3 51 4 27 0 0 0.01511 8 1 27 6 4 0 17 0 0 0.01085 8 0 11 3 43 1 10 0 0 0.00800 8 2 12 6 24 0 12 0 0 0.01030 8 0 12 6 26 1 19 0 0 0.01435 8 0 11 4 14 4 9 0 0 0.01224 8 1 11 4 2 0 35 0 0 0.01640 8 0 20 4 20 0 15 0 0 0.00438 8 0 9 5 0 3 7 0 0 0.02089 8 1 16 6 28 2 13 0 0 0.02281 8 3 18 3 19 1 13 0 0 0.01082 8 1 10 0 20 0 7 0 0 0.01869 8 1 10 2 16 0 16 0 0 0.03012 8 1 6 11 37 3 46 0 0 0.01337 8 1 8 6 3 5 30 0 0 0.00963 8 1 15 2 25 0 9 0 0 0.04630 8 0 17 9 19 2 90 0 0 0.00848 8 1 9 6 13 2 13 0 0 0.00670 8 0 7 3 6 4 13 0 0 0.00886 8 0 5 1 3 2 6 0 0 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 511 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001682 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000315 0.00247 8 0 4 1 0 0 2 0 0 0.00396 8 0 8 3 0 0 5 0 0 0.00828 8 1 9 4 14 1 13 0 0 0.01546 8 0 17 4 35 2 27 0 0 0.00734 8 2 8 1 12 1 11 0 0 0.02596 8 0 7 3 3 2 11 0 0 0.01001 8 2 8 4 25 0 11 0 0 0.01143 8 0 16 2 27 2 12 0 0 0.01365 8 3 13 2 20 0 34 0 0 0.03730 8 2 15 7 5 0 35 0 0 0.04994 8 0 18 4 21 0 23 0 0 0.01574 8 0 13 8 33 1 28 0 0 0.01090 8 2 13 3 24 1 12 0 0 0.02948 8 2 11 4 23 0 19 0 0 0.01118 8 0 9 2 24 0 20 0 0 0.04291 8 0 13 9 24 1 20 0 0 0.01441 8 2 10 1 45 3 11 0 0 0.02689 8 0 15 1 39 1 8 0 0 0.02266 8 0 25 7 31 0 2 0 0 0.01985 8 1 10 6 31 0 10 0 0 0.03555 8 0 15 2 10 0 22 0 0 0.00577 8 1 5 0 11 0 4 0 0 0.01751 8 0 13 2 4 0 9 0 0 0.00722 8 0 7 4 0 3 12 0 0 0.01199 8 1 4 6 25 1 12 0 0 0.00983 8 0 4 8 0 1 26 0 0 0.05626 8 1 14 1 19 0 16 0 0 0.02047 8 0 6 2 0 0 7 1 0 0.04972 8 1 5 10 44 0 21 0 0 0.00347 7 0 14 5 18 3 22 0 0 0.00491 7 0 8 3 12 6 8 0 0 0.00739 7 0 16 1 4 2 6 0 0 0.00409 7 0 11 10 0 0 15 0 0 0.02584 7 2 22 9 23 6 21 0 0 0.00878 7 0 6 5 31 4 8 0 0 0.00770 7 4 14 9 0 20 21 0 0 0.01346 7 1 12 4 17 1 10 0 0 0.00618 7 1 8 3 18 5 14 0 0 0.01150 7 3 15 5 6 0 11 0 0 0.00648 7 0 5 4 26 0 12 0 0 0.00742 7 1 12 4 21 2 9 0 0 0.02908 7 0 13 7 12 1 23 0 0 0.00840 7 0 7 3 9 1 4 0 0 0.00466 7 0 6 2 11 5 6 0 0 0.00177 7 0 3 1 1 0 2 0 0 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 512 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001683 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000316 0.02191 7 0 7 7 36 3 25 0 0 0.00672 7 0 15 10 0 8 13 0 0 0.00560 7 1 11 3 8 0 14 0 0 0.00410 7 0 19 2 0 0 4 0 0 0.01091 7 0 10 9 28 15 16 0 0 0.00439 7 0 10 1 0 0 16 0 0 0.01610 7 1 10 6 55 2 28 0 0 0.01648 7 1 6 18 0 0 93 0 0 0.00304 7 0 10 1 0 0 5 0 0 0.00692 7 1 11 9 0 0 23 0 0 0.01120 7 0 6 2 32 2 15 0 0 0.00866 7 2 8 4 17 0 12 0 0 0.00609 7 1 4 3 9 2 14 1 0 0.01808 7 0 2 10 51 7 28 0 0 0.01190 7 1 7 1 2 0 44 0 0 0.03838 7 2 12 6 39 3 36 0 0 0.02779 7 3 11 4 47 1 15 0 0 0.00352 7 3 6 4 0 0 5 0 0 0.00398 7 0 5 1 12 2 1 0 0 0.01644 7 0 21 6 4 0 31 0 0 0.01205 7 1 10 3 44 1 17 1 0 0.01717 7 0 18 2 26 0 14 1 0 0.00603 7 1 3 1 15 0 14 0 0 0.00965 7 0 8 23 0 7 19 0 0 0.00847 7 2 9 2 11 10 14 0 0 0.03142 7 0 9 2 39 5 82 0 0 0.03388 7 1 6 5 12 5 30 0 0 0.01227 7 2 12 4 4 0 12 1 0 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 513 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001684 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000317 0.00743 7 1 9 5 0 5 19 0 0 0.00490 7 0 7 3 0 2 11 0 0 0.01147 7 0 9 7 15 1 27 0 0 0.03083 7 2 20 3 29 7 29 0 0 0.00599 7 0 3 5 8 1 12 0 0 0.04469 7 6 13 11 8 4 93 0 0 0.00714 7 0 9 1 18 0 7 0 0 0.01157 7 1 16 2 27 1 14 0 0 0.02621 7 0 9 1 24 0 20 0 0 0.00772 7 1 4 3 24 0 6 0 0 0.02498 7 0 7 6 95 1 29 0 0 0.00929 7 0 8 7 0 13 16 0 0 0.00811 7 1 12 4 0 2 19 0 0 0.05926 7 3 8 2 103 0 16 0 0 0.01192 7 0 8 7 16 1 25 0 0 0.00571 7 0 6 2 7 0 9 0 0 0.00784 7 0 7 5 16 0 6 0 0 0.01283 7 1 8 7 24 0 21 0 0 0.07077 7 1 6 7 50 0 83 0 0 0.00667 7 0 7 4 7 0 8 0 0 0.02609 7 0 12 2 11 0 19 0 0 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 514 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001685 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000318 0.02045 7 2 24 4 18 0 23 0 0 0.02836 7 1 18 4 17 0 36 0 0 0.00909 7 1 11 1 13 0 11 0 0 0.00539 7 0 8 2 0 0 9 0 0 0.00923 7 0 11 2 10 0 12 0 0 0.01630 7 0 11 6 4 0 16 0 0 0.01215 7 1 10 2 15 2 13 0 0 0.00290 6 2 15 5 0 6 36 0 0 0.00559 6 1 11 8 12 1 29 0 0 0.00292 6 0 8 4 10 1 7 0 0 0.00236 6 1 9 2 0 0 6 0 0 0.00360 6 0 8 7 0 2 12 0 0 0.00452 6 1 7 4 10 1 13 0 0 0.00369 6 0 3 7 6 0 4 0 0 0.00341 6 1 11 2 0 0 9 0 0 0.00712 6 0 7 5 17 8 15 0 0 0.01753 6 0 4 5 34 0 39 0 0 0.00627 6 1 10 2 0 15 16 0 0 0.00482 6 2 11 9 0 0 10 0 0 0.00943 6 0 8 1 16 6 14 0 0 0.01357 6 1 6 6 8 3 34 0 0 0.00834 6 1 7 11 0 0 36 0 0 0.01338 6 0 14 3 33 21 19 0 0 0.01856 6 0 16 6 46 2 23 0 0 0.02477 6 1 9 50 0 0 108 0 0 0.00282 6 1 4 2 3 0 4 0 0 0.00601 6 0 13 9 0 0 13 0 0 0.01978 6 0 8 8 75 1 27 0 0 0.00556 6 0 6 4 7 0 14 0 0 0.01284 6 0 7 9 36 0 26 0 0 0.00829 6 2 11 0 24 0 11 0 0 0.00785 6 0 9 6 8 0 8 0 0 0.02471 6 0 15 5 4 1 17 0 0 0.00357 6 0 4 3 3 0 6 0 0 0.02377 6 0 9 3 33 0 24 0 0 0.01010 6 0 8 4 0 34 8 0 0 0.00641 6 1 8 1 13 1 8 0 0 0.00662 6 0 8 3 13 3 6 0 0 0.00909 6 0 10 2 22 0 13 0 0 0.06829 6 0 13 6 19 1 94 0 0 0.00363 6 0 7 4 0 2 2 0 0 0.00808 6 0 9 2 16 0 13 0 0 0.01117 6 0 13 2 4 1 6 0 0 0.00855 6 2 10 2 16 0 11 0 0 0.00477 6 0 1 0 9 2 7 0 0 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 515 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001686 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000319 0.01559 6 0 11 6 41 7 13 0 0 0.01283 6 1 6 5 11 0 13 0 0 0.01899 6 0 5 2 14 0 13 0 0 0.00395 6 0 7 2 0 1 5 0 0 0.00877 6 1 6 5 0 8 16 0 0 0.00828 6 0 5 1 23 0 4 0 0 0.00752 6 0 8 4 0 3 13 0 0 0.03968 6 0 7 5 46 2 7 0 0 0.06178 6 1 5 3 18 0 35 0 0 9.94E-04 5 0 4 1 3 5 12 0 0 0.00306 5 0 8 1 15 9 15 0 0 0.00176 5 1 10 6 0 0 8 0 0 0.01132 5 1 4 4 19 2 103 0 0 0.00232 5 1 6 1 8 3 2 0 0 0.00323 5 0 12 1 0 0 11 1 0 0.00226 5 0 9 3 0 1 2 0 0 0.00692 5 1 12 4 17 0 22 0 0 0.00323 5 0 10 2 0 5 6 0 0 0.00636 5 0 8 4 32 0 6 0 0 0.00366 5 0 11 2 0 4 8 0 0 0.00519 5 0 4 0 15 3 4 0 0 0.01080 5 0 12 2 22 2 5 0 0 0.00211 5 1 4 2 0 0 4 0 0 0.02281 5 0 8 7 15 5 32 0 0 0.00425 5 0 6 2 7 3 7 0 0 0.00664 5 0 4 2 19 2 13 0 0 0.01424 5 2 14 2 1 0 16 0 0 0.00253 5 0 6 3 0 0 3 0 0 0.01752 5 1 8 15 0 0 88 0 0 0.00463 5 0 6 4 7 1 5 1 0 0.04092 5 2 9 5 15 0 23 0 0 0.00342 5 0 12 2 0 0 2 0 0 0.02148 5 0 14 6 27 0 28 1 0 0.00546 5 0 8 1 10 3 5 0 0 0.01658 5 2 8 7 32 0 43 0 0 0.00723 5 1 3 0 3 7 13 0 0 0.00626 5 0 6 4 3 1 5 1 0 0.00768 5 1 4 3 23 1 7 0 0 0.00656 5 0 7 1 18 0 6 0 0 0.03073 5 0 9 0 4 1 15 0 0 0.00364 5 0 4 1 3 2 5 0 0 0.00778 5 0 8 3 20 0 6 0 0 0.01271 5 1 11 3 37 1 10 0 0 0.03223 5 1 11 6 19 1 15 0 0 0.00664 5 0 4 2 8 2 14 0 0 FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 516 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001687 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000320 0.01469 5 3 4 10 25 0 28 0 0 0.01122 5 0 5 3 17 0 6 0 0 0.00571 5 0 3 2 9 2 7 0 0 0.01084 5 0 11 5 19 0 13 0 0 0.00993 5 0 7 3 19 1 11 0 0 0.01383 5 0 9 2 8 4 12 0 0 0.00750 5 0 1 0 13 0 15 0 0 0.01545 5 0 18 3 9 0 14 0 0 0.01019 5 0 6 2 24 4 2 0 0 0.00477 5 0 2 3 0 1 10 0 0 0.01496 5 1 6 0 20 0 16 0 0 0.02130 4 26 8 35 75 58 619 2 0 0.00242 4 0 2 4 8 2 4 0 0 0.00342 4 0 8 3 2 8 7 0 0 0.00280 4 5 7 1 1 0 5 0 0 0.00637 4 1 5 2 14 1 25 0 0 0.01522 4 2 11 5 75 3 15 2 0 0.00319 4 0 8 2 6 2 3 0 0 0.00627 4 3 12 4 10 2 14 0 0 0.01234 4 0 7 5 9 1 12 0 0 0.00508 4 0 6 2 0 11 14 0 0 0.00660 4 1 6 2 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- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FY16 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 1 of 9) Page 545 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001716 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000349 Tweet id Tweet permTweet text time impressionengageme engageme 848793000https://twi#CBP Blackhawk aircrew rescues #HurricaneHarve 2017-08-28 254876 9992 0.03920 480689000https://twiFrom January to February, the flow of illegal bord 2017-03-09 150101 4463 0.02973 089444000https://twiHappy 93rd Birthday to the US #BorderPatrol! Tha 2017-05-28 99783 2551 0.02557 267321000https://twiA UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter #AMO & BOR 2017-08-29 96518 5174 0.05361 422344000https://twiWe offer our condolences to Alonso Guillen’s 2017-09-04 236669 15674 0.06623 838540000https://twiI am pleased to announce the appointment of Ron 2017-01-31 111086 9130 0.08219 112249000https://twi e Illgal Border crossings are down. Check out this c 2017-04-05 100317 6270 0.06250 994066000https://twi#TBT to last year's litter of CBP #K9s. These babies 2017-03-23 85589 3269 0.03819 311040000https://twiYou can help #KeepAmericaSafe. Report suspiciou 2017-08-06 42960 1338 0.03115 747483000https://twiAll airports are back on line after a temporary out 2017-01-03 214575 3503 0.01633 296836000https://twiYou can help #KeepAmericaSafe. Report suspiciou 2017-04-30 64021 1200 0.01874 833478000https://twiEl estatus migratorio no es, ni será un factor en c 2017-09-09 261248 1759 0.00673 769111000https://twiInfo and Q&As about the Executive Order: Pr 2017-01-31 59230 3038 0.05129 269180000https://twiWe honor and thank all #veterans who gave their 2017-05-29 50664 1107 0.02185 351588000https://twiNo words adequately convey our gratitude & 2017-05-14 46971 1214 0.02585 716788000https://twiYou can help #KeepAmericaSafe. Report suspiciou 2017-05-21 33114 1010 0.03050 692046000https://twiCBP mourns the loss of USBP Agent Isaac Morales 2017-05-25 35324 1472 0.04167 787396000https://twiLearn how you can help combat human trafficking 2017-06-25 28075 838 0.02985 792551000https://twiA contraception interception! #CBP, @ICEgov, and 2017-03-24 58840 2173 0.03693 211628000https://twi@adrianflorido As we have stated numerous time 2017-09-03 69916 8331 0.11916 575994000https://twiMigration at our Southwest border is down for an 2017-05-09 61210 1120 0.01830 316695000https://twiLast month #CBP, #NYPD & @ICEgov’s jo 2017-07-26 31310 1395 0.04455 719076000https://twiOn the 16th anniversary of 9/11, CBP remembers 2017-09-11 31914 993 0.03111 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 594 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001717 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000350 996589000https://twi Greeting card- $6 Heroin-$500 Postage-$20 #CBP intercepting your international smuggling attempt-priceless! https://t.co/4NM7kXsrH6 https://t.co/2I9fdVZD1H 2017-05-10 34029 1133 0.03330 616852000https://twi #NationalDogDay is Aug 26, so this week we are recognizing some of our #K9 teams. #CBP's K9's are vital to our mission. #KeepingAmericaSafe https://t.co/FhZ01jtbLr 2017-08-23 51129 1372 0.02683 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 595 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001718 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000351 938621000https://twiDo you have what it takes to be a #BorderPatrol a 2017-05-01 57564 1395 0.02423 561096000https://twiWhether you're a @patriots fan or rooting for @A2017-02-05 85270 1839 0.02157 151075000https://twi#CBP Requests Proposals for #BorderWall Prototy 2017-03-18 31883 1817 0.05699 706724000https://twi#Catchoftheday Great work by #CBP officers in Sa 2017-04-10 31317 425 0.01357 315148000https://twiGoing Underground! Criminals will try anything to 2017-05-03 55439 1578 0.02846 399715000https://twiCBP solicited industry for wall designs w/intent to 2017-06-2 36062 838 0.02324 208374000https://twiThank you so much to all our agents & office 2017-09-01 21017 804 0.03825 456889000https://twiWe salute all who serve on #LawEnforcementApp2017-01-09 34750 740 0.02129 342877000https://twiRonald D. Vitiello takes the oath of office today, b 2017-03-14 27131 908 0.03347 198385000https://twiWhile our #K9’s are working dogs and not pets 2017-04-11 26438 1426 0.05394 258711000https://twi Thank you to our #BorderPatrol agents for your tireless efforts to protect the American people. #KeepAmericaSafe #PublicServants #psrw https://t.co/H7Z49me5cD 2017-05-10 24257 1049 0.04325 798345000https://twiThe #CBP family mourns the loss of #USBP Agent 2016-11-1 23337 894 0.03831 382717000https://twiDel Rio sector Border Patrol agents arrest convict 2017-02-15 18160 610 0.03359 254552000https://twiIt's all about the Benjamins! #CBP officers seize $3 s 2017-03-15 34764 1098 0.03158 507537000https://twiThe Black Hawks have arrived! #CBP prepares to p 2017-02-01 46486 1010 0.02173 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 596 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001719 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000352 015535000https://twi RGV Sector #USBP Special Operations Agents assist a disaster survivor trapped on the 2nd floor of his home in Rockport, TX #Harvey @CBPRGV https://t.co/gxtspAlzon 2017-08-2 27337 2020 0.07389 990665000https://twi / 24 hours/day, 365 days/year #CBP protects Amer 2017-04-19 63380 8160 0.12875 703695000https://twi#KeepingAmericaSafe @CBPArizona #USBP agent 2017-06-16 17539 587 0.03347 872574000https://twiWhen it comes to rescuing people in the wake of 2017-09-0 20214 719 0.03557 135198000https://twiAgent Javier Vega Jr.- End of Watch, August 3, 201 2017-05-14 20488 710 0.03465 893453000https://twiAgent Jose Barraza- End of Watch, April 18, 2016. 2017-05-14 18317 765 0.04176 016918000https://twi#CBP has seen lots of attempts to get drugs & 2016-10-02 23888 1215 0.05086 268403000https://twiBusted! #CBP officers in El Centro Sector intercep 2017-04-20 50422 1219 0.02418 058860000https://twiUnsure whether border infrastructure, technology 2017-02-1 19994 752 0.03761 101771000https://twiDiscover a rewarding & meaningful #career p 2017-08-18 44932 910 0.02025 312230000https://twiDo you have what it takes to be a #BorderPatrol a 2017-02-25 17712 1438 0.08119 141966000https://twiLooking for an exciting, challenging, and rewardin 2017-04-12 22650 1005 0.04437 300783000https://twiPhenomenal feline find! But seriously, importing e 2017-08-24 45407 455 0.01002 598501000https://twiDYN: #CBP Air and Marine Operations will have 8 2017-02-02 32442 1260 0.03884 269782000https://twi#CBP celebrates International Customs Day—ho a 2017-01-26 107460 958 0.00891 524746000https://twiIn FY16 #AMO actions resutled in seizures of more 2017-02-15 18019 458 0.02542 523481000https://twi#Catchoftheday! Great work by Toronto #Preclea 2017-04-1 28971 2196 0.07580 012992000https://twiAs history has shown in places like CA & AZ†2017-06-2 31609 1015 0.03211 021985000https://twiMeet the Mustangs and #USBP agents who travel 2017-01-20 27451 936 0.03410 009424000https://twiLive in AZ and looking for a great career? CBP has 2017-02-2 15564 522 0.03354 134059000https://twiThe President has announced his intent to nomin 2017-03-31 22584 391 0.01731 462600000https://twiAgent Manuel A. Alvarez- End of Watch, August 1 2017-05-14 19863 836 0.04209 555652000https://twi#CBP will construct border wall systems in areas p 2017-06-2 28784 880 0.03057 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 597 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001720 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000353 922424000https://twiIn FY16 #AMO efforts led to 4,303 arrests, appreh 2017-02-22 16062 557 0.03468 801223000https://twi#CBP & @ICEgov protect businesses & c 2017-04-26 35492 1430 0.04029 536691000https://twiHoly mole! Non-traditional ingredients (narcotics) 2017-04-26 23484 233 0.00992 006098000https://twiAre you interested in #KeepingAmericaSafe? #CBP 2017-04-28 25469 698 0.02741 227124000https://twiSanta, his reindeer and all of the presents have be 2016-12-25 33597 690 0.02054 796550000https://twiWe care about our K9 partners—that’s why # 2017-03-28 21828 660 0.03024 626958000https://twiWoof! Our tail wagging witnesses stole the show t 2017-05-18 25199 903 0.03583 654959000https://twiNEW EPISODE of #BORDERWARS airs TONIGHT at 2016-11-1 36099 493 0.01366 397735000https://twi#CBP joins the @hiringourheroes Transition Summ 2017-03-15 34395 613 0.01782 239889000https://twiHappy birthday America! 241 looks good on you! 2017-07-04 16672 583 0.03497 502183000https://twiAgent David Gomez- End of Watch, November, 15 2017-05-14 16951 555 0.03274 710699000https://twiTHANK YOU #veterans, especially #CBP veterans, 2016-11-11 40565 687 0.01694 293332000https://twi10—Bugs Bunny would've turned these down†2017-01-01 37852 5587 0.14760 515076000https://twiThe border infrastructure will be an important pa 2017-06-2 28716 489 0.01703 072926000https://twi#Veterans wanted for open #BorderPatrol Agent 2017-08-01 12663 375 0.02961 355542000https://twi#KeepingAmericaSafe #BorderPatrol arrests man 2017-02-22 13398 622 0.04642 800855000https://twiWATCH #BorderPatrol Chief Vitiello's swearing in 2017-03-14 31826 652 0.02049 842059000https://twi Rhinoceros Beetle tries to chew its way through packaging, turned over to @USDA. Learn about prohibited agriculture: https://t.co/JmnEg2T81d https://t.co/fy2Q6PKffd 2017-07-25 31262 1304 0.04171 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 598 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001721 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000354 919788000https://twi Rhinoceros Beetle tries to chew its way through packaging, turned over to @USDA. Learn about prohibited agriculture: https://t.co/JmnEg2T81d https://t.co/cfGlaNFWPC 2017-07-30 23125 4697 0.20311 963176000https://twi#BorderPatrol agents arrest sex offenders in El Ce 2017-02-06 19020 597 0.03139 966125000https://twi#CBP officers in AZ catch one woman, hook, line a 2017-02-06 18840 807 0.04283 358775000https://twi10—Bugs Bunny would've turned these down†2017-01-08 18901 2524 0.13354 226240000https://twi#CBP was proud to honor three @USMC veterans 2017-04-03 21900 298 0.01361 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 599 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001722 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000355 965901000https://twi CBP provides first response aid for #Harvey. RGV deploys 50 agents to support @USCG, #AMO has 6 aircraft assisting. https://t.co/nL8F9bEWl2 https://t.co/W8gj475ryj 2017-08-2 15615 736 0.04713 746193000https://twi#Catchoftheday #CBP and @USCG interdict vesse 2017-07-06 10982 339 0.03087 666527000https://twi#USBP agents and #CBP officers—who were dep 2017-01-20 23554 929 0.03944 149139000https://twiPre-clearance strikes again! This time in Nassau. T 2017-05-31 23805 1425 0.05986 949335000https://twiFun fact: #CBP has the largest canine program in t 2017-07-31 16458 360 0.02187 785163000https://twiWould you be able to spot a fake on #CyberMond 2016-11-28 38578 2019 0.05234 060986000https://twiCongrats Tex Alles on being named Director of @S2017-04-25 17424 549 0.03151 485394000https://twiWe lay a wreath at a secluded memorial honoring 2017-05-15 17514 358 0.02044 498852000https://twiAMO Black Hawk from AZ lands in TX. #CBP is focu 2017-08-26 17182 931 0.05418 938995000https://twiHappy #Thanksgiving! We are thankful for the me 2016-11-24 23510 801 0.03407 156231000https://twi7—You’re supposed to put the lime in the co2017-01-01 32975 1759 0.05334 204804000https://twiWhoa! You won't get into @NRGParkfan stadium 2017-02-04 38441 1055 0.02744 113710000https://twi#BorderPatrol agents in Buffalo make arrest of sev 2017-02-16 14943 1324 0.08860 270787000https://twiICYMI: Illegal border crossings are down, for trend 2017-03-11 14305 494 0.03453 440266000https://twi#Veterans in demand! #DHS is looking to #hirevet 2017-07-1 13294 326 0.02452 468817000https://twi.@CBPRGV Sector #USBP marine assets en route t 2017-08-29 13984 377 0.02696 152542000https://twiWe’re hiring pilots! Learn about #CBPcareers a 2017-02-2 13642 468 0.03431 246789000https://twiCommissioner's statement on the departure of U. 2017-01-26 51874 2890 0.05571 890291000https://twiToday, more than 60K #CBP employees work tirel 2017-03-01 19993 808 0.04041 157712000https://twi#CBP publishes #BorderEnforcement data on app 2017-03-2 17027 579 0.03400 501976000https://twi#CatchOfTheDay #BorderSecurity https://t.co/8Hy2017-02-0 15214 212 0.01393 589103000https://twiExcellent work! @CBPArizona #USBP agents arres 2017-03-21 13374 369 0.02759 380515000https://twiToday, we add four more names to CBP’s Valo 2017-05-16 20861 466 0.02234 936946000https://twiOn behalf of CBP, I thank ADM Ortega Siu & 2017-04-20 25493 609 0.02389 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 600 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001723 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000356 980425000https://twiHECHO: CBP NO está llevando a cabo operativos 2017-08-31 33468 777 0.02322 989041000https://twiCongratulations Chief Vitiello. May you lead the w 2017-03-15 15782 626 0.03967 903451000https://twiMigration at our Southwest border during March 2017-04-05 18003 196 0.01089 456694000https://twiGood dog! #USBP K9 deflates one smuggler's plan 2017-04-18 10847 447 0.04121 409161000https://twiNearly 1M federal, state, & local #lawenforc 2017-05-1 18756 235 0.01253 999301000https://twiYou guessed it! There were fake watermelons con 2017-01-25 34588 1894 0.05476 872980000https://twiToday we thank our #CBPTrade specialists, #CBP o 2017-01-26 118554 5478 0.04621 539391000https://twiGreat work by #CBP officers, @TorontoPearson , 2017-04-06 25497 1604 0.06291 745105000https://twiCatchOfTheDay #AMO agents intercept boat carry 2017-05-12 15741 280 0.01779 888030000https://twiOur most solemn duty as law enforcement leader 2017-05-16 20521 328 0.01598 274075000https://twi8—With #AMO as the eyes in the sky—#CBP & 2017-01-08 16065 1142 0.07109 166746000https://twi#CatchOfTheDay Stolen vehicles, stopped by #No s 2017-02-10 15955 941 0.05898 634099000https://twiYuma, AZ #BorderPatrol agents arrest U.S. citizen 2017-02-21 12107 747 0.06170 585496000https://twiCBP officers intercept alleged child sex offender. R 2017-02-23 18755 478 0.02549 085767000https://twi14 years ago today, the men & women of #C 2017-03-01 19488 466 0.02391 149969000https://twiSeven days, 28 fugitives. #CBP officers arrest seve 2017-04-1 12422 454 0.03655 523215000https://twi#LawEnforcement men and women show remark 2017-05-1 18820 328 0.01743 493966000https://twiFor FY18, CBP has prioritized areas in Rio Grande V 2017-06-2 26182 435 0.01661 164046000https://twi Over the weekend @CBPSanDiego officers stop 700lbs of narcotics,13 fugitives & 2 illegal aliens from entering the US https://t.co/IK2ExlnECY https://t.co/bn876CUlal 2017-07-06 9708 300 0.03090 581522000https://twiDiscover a job where the sky's the limit. Air Interd 2017-08-10 38475 681 0.01770 811201000https://twiThanks to #USBP Agents who work tirelessly to se 2016-11-24 14205 741 0.05216 367008000https://twi1—Catching more than dreams! #CBP officers fo 2017-01-01 42241 2939 0.06958 491940000https://twiFor #BorderPatrol agents on the northern border, 2017-02-25 19147 465 0.02429 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 601 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001724 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000357 781498000https://twi#AMO aircrews and #CBP detect and interdict go- 2017-03-22 16398 253 0.01543 711098000https://twiPirated/counterfeit goods aren't a bargain. They s 2017-06-0 27317 251 0.00919 090097000https://twiOur success depends on the vigilant & dedic 2017-06-2 14616 384 0.02627 397234000https://twiFACT: CBP is NOT conducting routine non-crimina 2017-08-31 13111 796 0.06071 646662000https://twiIt's almost time! Santa is packing up his sleigh. It's 2016-12-22 34014 718 0.02111 472067000https://twi#AMO agents will be in the air providing live video 2017-01-19 20057 559 0.02787 993049000https://twiIt's unique & exciting work and #BorderPatro 2017-03-03 13972 716 0.05125 321238000https://twi#Catchoftheday #USBP agents arrest convicted se 2017-04-19 14835 315 0.02123 548624000https://twiExcellent work by #USBP agents to keep dangerou 2017-05-04 15031 191 0.01271 435709000https://twi#BorderPatrol is representing at the #PoliceWeek 2017-05-13 15503 604 0.03896 594630000https://twiWith Operation Team Player @ICEgov and #CBP s 2017-02-04 36661 626 0.01708 518970000https://twiCatchoftheday #CBP officers at #Dulles seize fake 2017-05-19 17654 650 0.03682 866635000https://twiOn #WoofWednesday our hats are off to Grizz! De 2017-06-14 14808 597 0.04032 908642000https://twi#DYK counterfeit goods can impact your health, w 2017-06-16 25630 399 0.01557 259584000https://twi#HurricaneHarvey is approaching and #CBP's high 2017-08-25 19903 581 0.02919 662061000https://twiICYMI: #CBP K9 Joey admires the whole pig he sni 2016-12-04 22029 1444 0.06555 090554000https://twi8—With #AMO as the eyes in the sky—#CBP & 2017-01-01 29625 1450 0.04895 567873000https://twiGreat work by #CBP officers in ID and MT leads to 2017-03-10 11872 392 0.03302 516125000https://twi#Catchoftheday #USBP agents in Odessa, TX inter 2017-05-05 14511 438 0.03018 117068000https://twiTwo convicted sex offenders arrested by #USBP at 2017-06-20 8375 156 0.01863 450609000https://twiPirated/counterfeit goods aren't a bargain. They s 2017-07-11 16249 220 0.01354 083909000https://twiWhen it comes to rescuing people in the wake of 2017-09-10 11842 263 0.02221 014998000https://twi#CBP K9 sniffs out 260lb of drugs hidden througho 2016-11-01 12556 539 0.04293 939969000https://twiTheir work led to seizures of vast amounts of cash 2017-02-11 14737 318 0.02158 690619000https://twiWomen are vital to CBP's mission. Learn more ab 2017-06-11 15092 563 0.03730 255716000https://twiEver wonder how much #CBP really seizes? Find o 2017-07-19 10552 556 0.05269 175079000https://twi#USBP Chief Morgan selects Carla Provost as Dep 2016-10-26 18940 529 0.02793 263276000https://twiIt's unique & exciting work and #BorderPatro 2017-03-21 15022 352 0.02343 075946000https://twiWe honor their valor, courage and bravery and ar 2017-05-16 20230 357 0.01765 010948000https://twihttps://t.co/ie59W2uGDC 2017-08-31 13758 866 0.06295 222457000https://twi u 5—No Gooooaaaallll! #CBP officers block 55lbs o 2017-01-01 30696 1602 0.05219 842042000https://twi390M+ travelers entered the US last year. Top po 2017-01-18 23286 526 0.02259 093308000https://twiThe Inaugural Parade marked a significant milesto 2017-01-24 30394 455 0.01497 950109000https://twiLove day, week away. #CBP inspects millions of bo 2017-02-0 57708 566 0.00981 806077000https://twi#BeagleBrigade does it again! The dynamic duo in 2017-03-20 17710 504 0.02846 270861000https://twiThis nose knows! #CBP K9 detects plants in luggag 2017-03-2 18179 914 0.05028 150623000https://twiAt today’s #BlueMass we honored 243 fallen # 2017-05-03 17383 380 0.02186 459993000https://twiReady for a career in #law enforcement? #CBP is h 2017-05-0 13491 508 0.03765 866984000https://twiA slithering seizure! #CBP officers seize five baby 2017-07-12 9158 293 0.03199 013150000https://twiDYK: @ICEgov and #CBP seized more than $20M d 2017-02-03 23231 495 0.02131 269920000https://twiHappy #retirement K9 Kale! This #Buffalo ag. dog 2017-05-03 14371 248 0.01726 279255000https://twi#USBP agents rescue disaster survivors in the wak 2017-08-31 13892 714 0.05140 855323000https://twiCBP granted Alonso Guillen’s mother’s req 2017-09-05 10985 548 0.04989 490291000https://twi#CBP officers in TX unraveled 648lbs of marijuana 2016-10-12 14846 759 0.05112 684590000https://twiFind the latest info on Florida port operations and 2017-09-09 10207 565 0.05535 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 602 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001725 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000358 694050000https://twiThanks to #CBP Officers for their unwavering ded 2016-11-24 36455 993 0.02724 972646000https://twi #CBP has arrested thousands of illegal aliens previously convicted of crimes. For more info: https://t.co/SJ0nTVZkfH #KeepingAmericaSafe https://t.co/5qSOsvCoZl 2017-07-10 10343 438 0.04235 397731000https://twiThank you for all your hard work Jasper! You were 2016-10-05 15585 765 0.04909 916557000https://twi17—#CBP officers used jack hammers to remove 2016-12-31 26231 2363 0.09008 725129000https://twi12—These won’t be on the menu at your loc 2016-12-31 29804 1553 0.05211 392567000https://twiDo you exhibit #USBP’s core values? Apply to 2017-01-06 15436 579 0.03751 847910000https://twiLive like a #Superbowl kick off. #CBP and @Houst 2017-02-05 52619 815 0.01549 641128000https://twiGreat work by #BorderPatrol agents in El Centro. 2017-02-14 12768 224 0.01754 602899000https://twiAEA Deborah Hall is our eye in the sky above Jacks 2017-03-10 13248 262 0.01978 679592000https://twiSmugglers are ramping up efforts to get drugs int 2017-05-19 18492 565 0.03055 946590000https://twi#CBP officers find drugs hidden in multiple spots o 2016-10-30 15737 784 0.04982 546719000https://twi#Dulles #CBP officers arrest 3 wanted fugitives on 2017-03-30 16557 298 0.01800 630898000https://twiThank you to our Air Interdiction and Enforcemen 2017-05-09 13073 372 0.02846 549288000https://twiSneaky, yes. Able to get passed #CBP #K9, no. Sm 2017-05-30 19920 578 0.02902 823279000https://twiEver wonder how much drugs #CBP intercepts? Fi 2017-07-14 9719 511 0.05258 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 603 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001726 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000359 329754000https://twi UPDATE: Border Patrol Checkpoint Operations During #HurricaneHarvey https://t.co/yrRIB3DEJO https://t.co/s32d3X0Uap 2017-08-25 12088 990 0.08190 646313000https://twi . PERISCOPE will be live at 4pm EST: CBP to announ 2017-08-31 10962 177 0.01615 283148000https://twi When you watch videos of the rescues, â €œthank you― just doesnâ €™t seem like enough—KM https://t.co/Tva05T3bVb https://t.co/u7b91nxWXl 2017-09-0 10070 394 0.03913 839864000https://twi4—Maybe the chirping gave him away? #CBP fou 2017-01-01 31960 1728 0.05407 076799000https://twi3—My bologna has a 1st name its C-O-N-T-R-A-B - 2017-01-01 31633 1948 0.06158 246183000https://twi#CBP seized $1.1M in counterfeit electronics—in 2017-01-04 17241 375 0.02175 874854000https://twiAre you a #veteran looking for that next adventur 2017-02-08 14851 232 0.01562 108231000https://twiAttacks on CBP agents/officers and uses of force h 2017-02-28 10344 361 0.03490 230254000https://twiAny cost estimates of the border wall are prematu 2017-03-29 20530 285 0.01388 917953000https://twiDYK: #USBP adopts mustangs helping @BLMNatio 2017-04-26 15233 382 0.02508 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 604 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001727 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000360 092496000https://twiCounterfeit & pirated goods threaten US inn 2017-04-26 17160 507 0.02955 316994000https://twiDoes the price of those new headphones sound to 2017-06-18 23597 394 0.01670 381436000https://twiThanks to #CBP Agriculture Specialists whose dilig 2016-11-24 36283 1078 0.02971 235184000https://twiLAX, @CBPLosAngeles, and @USFWS launched th 2017-03-03 11522 286 0.02482 279442000https://twiDeadly drug kept off the street. #CBP officers nab e 2017-04-06 16935 439 0.02592 073616000https://twiWant to learn more about #CBP careers? Follow u 2017-05-25 15258 324 0.02123 377350000https://twi#CBP officers find 354lbs of drugs hidden in PVC p 2016-10-28 9985 490 0.04907 696934000https://twiThanks to #CBP Import Specialists who protect th 2016-11-25 37032 840 0.02268 913510000https://twiAdditional info about the Executive Order: Protec 2017-02-02 16937 1026 0.06058 833474000https://twiThis wraps up our salute to some of #CBP's femal 2017-03-11 13466 304 0.02258 563922000https://twi#CBP officers/agents work hard to #KeepAmericaS 2017-04-12 18195 241 0.01325 682485000https://twiThank you to our Office of Field Operations office 2017-05-11 12704 491 0.03865 883405000https://twi#USBP busts a move! Seizes $1.5M in cocaine from 2017-06-15 13478 405 0.03005 681980000https://twiAs #HurricaneIrma approaches FL #AMO agents re 2017-09-10 12440 391 0.03143 506803000https://twi#CBP is well represented in the Inaugural Parade t 2017-01-20 26804 797 0.02973 625082000https://twiDYK: #CBP is the 2nd largest $$ collecting source i 2017-03-30 14437 150 0.01039 617695000https://twi"Everyday agents kiss their families goodbye, not 2017-05-1 17489 243 0.01389 226852000https://twiGreat work by our agents in Ajo to help #KeepAm 2017-06-12 11190 150 0.01340 286054000https://twi #CBP #K9 alerts on passenger bag, finds snakeskin drum. The US prohibits importing many animal products. More info: https://t.co/hdLKFwkuBB https://t.co/KNbMQ5rQTH 2017-07-10 12275 431 0.03511 395814000https://twi#Veterans wanted for open Border Patrol Agent r 2017-08-02 8937 239 0.02674 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 605 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001728 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000361 309456000https://twi Ohio Border Patrol agents arrests two MS-13 gang members. https://t.co/Nnu7RJvHQY #HonorFirst #KeepingAmericaSafe https://t.co/F7oxOSA8Im 2017-09-06 6890 295 0.04282 960820000https://twi CBP awards contracts for 'other materials' border wall prototypes. https://t.co/hVTcl6yy9w https://t.co/JiRvybSZwo 2017-09-0 12429 370 0.02977 735605000https://twiHappy #NationalChocolateDay 🕫Chocolate is ge 2016-10-28 20847 252 0.01209 809734000https://twiREAD Deputy Comm McAleenan’s blog—Hon 2016-11-12 40281 281 0.00698 188057000https://twiCan you spot what #CBP officers found in this wat 2017-01-25 36244 1659 0.04577 050383000https://twi#CatchOfTheDay CBP seizes children's toys contai 2017-02-08 15402 482 0.03129 884833000https://twiIt may be #NationalGardenMonth but you still ne 2017-04-01 22452 515 0.02294 665019000https://twiOur hearts are with Officer Garcia's family. Thank 2017-05-08 12307 192 0.01560 821888000https://twi#USBP agent & Deputy #USMarshal—both 2016-11-15 11819 433 0.03664 541952000https://twi#CBP officers arrested a smuggler after hospital x- 2016-12-02 12188 396 0.03249 855507000https://twi11—Traveling w/ her baby, a woman tried to sm 2016-12-31 26213 1051 0.04009 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 606 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001729 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000362 155303000https://twi#CBP officers intercepted another shipment of toy 2017-03-0 9371 291 0.03105 075432000https://twi#LAX officers contribute to arrest of exotic bird sm 2017-05-04 12125 205 0.01691 487838000https://twiEveryday #CBP processes more than 1 million pas 2017-05-0 12999 425 0.03269 327890000https://twi#DYK: For the first 1/2 of FY2017, #CBP seized 821 2017-05-22 16024 196 0.01223 828191000https://twiAn operation by CBP officers led to discovery of h 2017-05-25 14798 264 0.01784 790932000https://twiFor all the #CBP #TravelTips, go to https://t.co/W 2017-06-05 32056 229 0.00714 261914000https://twiMigration at our Southwest Border is up as summ 2017-06-08 14688 215 0.01464 309810000https://twiCBP is #hiring #BorderPatrol agents now - discove 2017-08-15 9378 229 0.02442 541224000https://twiEl estatus migratorio no es, ni será un factor en c 2017-09-0 14686 274 0.01866 621756000https://twi2—This little piggy should have stayed home! #C 2017-01-01 36050 2249 0.06239 004892000https://twiExtremely proud of the officers & agents wh 2017-01-24 29453 858 0.02913 015425000https://twi@brittontaylor @annediego Please view our state 2017-02-23 14547 2502 0.17199 019008000https://twiThe latest data for Southwest Border Security is a 2017-03-09 11846 306 0.02583 368389000https://twiReady for a career with #CBP ? We are #hiring! Le 2017-05-28 19060 366 0.01920 000389000https://twiStarting a #jobsearch and seeking meaning in you 2017-07-22 10081 357 0.03541 305170000https://twiCBP is #hiring pilots, engineers, & mission cr 2017-08-03 11304 370 0.03273 288599000https://twi#CBP officers ended first 7 days of Nov w/ 7 arres 2016-11-15 11029 506 0.04588 437442000https://twiUSBP agent Christopher Voss was awarded Meda 2016-11-23 9420 535 0.05679 763799000https://twi#CBP salutes guardians of #wildlife. Our #K9 prog 2017-03-03 10685 303 0.02836 968553000https://twiThink you have what it takes to be a #CBP Officer? 2017-05-05 12846 304 0.02366 200942000https://twiAt today's #CBP valor memorial we gather to hon 2017-05-16 17298 290 0.01676 485517000https://twiThat's baloney! #CBP officers seize 30 rolls of Mex 2017-05-26 14594 392 0.02686 962677000https://twiEnjoy sun, sand & the sights but before you g 2017-05-30 60922 319 0.00524 792445000https://twi#CBP officers in Seattle nab man wanted on child 2017-06-05 8333 157 0.01884 098329000https://twiJoin our live #webinar NOW to learn about how # 2017-07-20 14349 225 0.01568 866466000https://twiPara más información visite la página de Contr 2017-08-31 31583 218 0.00690 029638000https://twiWith people in need, #CBP answers the call—RE 2017-09-06 17264 426 0.02468 439132000https://twiLIVE on #Periscope: Mark Morgan is sworn in as t 2016-10-11 15285 301 0.01969 625557000https://twiSmugglers tried to use a fake road service vehicle 2016-11-03 12994 405 0.03117 837079000https://twi#CBP ranked as SECOND best company for #veter 2016-11-14 28206 252 0.00893 786459000https://twiVeterans—continue serving your country with a 2016-11-14 12989 220 0.01694 533575000https://twiThanks to #AMO Agents who work around the clo 2016-11-24 12651 439 0.03470 257769000https://twiHere's an extra dose of cuteness for your afternoo 2017-03-23 15914 494 0.03104 734009000https://twiIn FY17, Congress provided #CBP funding for repla 2017-06-2 23300 360 0.01545 958691000https://twiCBP is #hiring now for a variety of roles, including t 2017-08-20 9219 335 0.03634 300616000https://twi o Our gal was simple—make our community netw 2016-10-18 19652 1078 0.05485 711674000https://twi#CBP and #AMO would like to salute and honor o 2017-03-06 11306 254 0.02247 201173000https://twiAIA Zoe Cunningham protects the skies over McA 2017-03-08 12588 384 0.03051 431789000https://twi#ADayInTheLife https://t.co/6X9G6DTtFR 2017-03-31 16799 274 0.01631 924672000https://twi#CBP is ever vigilant, working 24 hours a day to ke 2017-05-20 15715 251 0.01597 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 607 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001730 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000363 606535000https://twi Since Oct. #CBP has protected the interests of American people & industry, seizing $14M worth of inferior goods: https://t.co/toUtQyDnSp https://t.co/WYzWjWF9I7 2017-05-23 13444 228 0.01696 284406000https://twi#CBP Executive Assistant Commissioner Smith led 2017-05-24 15504 193 0.01245 293460000https://twiWhen life gives you lemons...make sure to declare 2017-05-26 32047 701 0.02187 825407000https://twiIt's all fun & games until someone gets sick. 2017-06-12 38798 514 0.01325 161415000https://twiStarting a #jobsearch and seeking meaning in you 2017-07-20 9173 303 0.03303 606938000https://twiShipment of "vases" determined to contain live ee 2017-07-22 17435 828 0.04749 775224000https://twiWe are #hiring CBP Officers now! Discover an exc 2017-08-08 9305 351 0.03772 514511000https://twiWhen it comes to rescuing people in the wake of 2017-09-0 7645 211 0.02760 583732000https://twi#USBP and @USCG find $300K+ in drugs washing 2016-10-1 13580 397 0.02923 411045000https://twiHelp #CBP fight the trade of items made with dog 2016-10-21 9235 144 0.01559 519301000https://twiWith a few more hours until 2017, #CBP's countin 2016-12-31 23337 283 0.01213 225489000https://twi#USBP rescues four from drowning in Rio Grande 2017-02-06 17070 394 0.02308 061803000https://twi#CBP Air and Marine Operations crew rescues a lo 2017-02-09 13220 277 0.02095 752742000https://twi#BorderPatrol protected James Meredith while re 2017-02-09 14134 366 0.02590 143533000https://twiSmugglers beware! #CBP trains canines to sniff ou 2017-03-03 9881 173 0.01751 425896000https://twiCock-a-doodle-DON'T! One motorist tried to bring 2017-03-04 10936 632 0.05779 309173000https://twiAssist. Director of trade urges people of Puerto Ri 2017-04-13 17420 99 0.00568 216644000https://twiCBP #TravelTip 9: All arriving passengers/belongin 2017-06-01 15085 266 0.01763 665756000https://twiSave yourself money and time. Know the prohibit 2017-07-09 8723 267 0.03061 767557000https://twiAttn #Veteran job seekers: CBP is #hiring Customs 2017-08-01 8671 180 0.02076 862532000https://twiReady for a career with #CBP ? We are #hiring! Le 2017-08-06 14794 378 0.02555 145329000https://twiCBP is #hiring now for many exciting roles and pos 2017-08-11 9268 286 0.03086 737361000https://twiLa máxima prioridad para CBP es el rescate, asist 2017-08-31 29666 178 0.00600 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 608 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001731 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000364 084646000https://twiToday, Jasper turned in his collar, badge and vest 2016-10-05 9303 366 0.03934 485749000https://twi s Good job at spotting the fake (left)! #CBP reminds 2016-11-29 12580 718 0.05707 901888000https://twi#CBP K9 Joey admires the whole pig he sniffed ou 2016-11-30 10925 594 0.05437 043136000https://twi9—A dog’s nose can’t be fooled! #USBP K 2017-01-01 27583 809 0.02933 701448000https://twi u 5—No Gooooaaaallll! #CBP officers block 55lbs o 2017-01-08 11912 540 0.04533 468441000https://twi#Catchoftheday #USBP agents in El Centro Sector 2017-04-0 14059 231 0.01643 444852000https://twiWhat's Operation Super Fake III? LEARN more: htt2017-05-21 18105 326 0.01801 784378000https://twiYou can help victims of human trafficking. Learn t 2017-06-30 8280 241 0.02911 183607000https://twi#Veterans in demand! DHS is looking to #hirevets 2017-07-20 8965 163 0.01818 352006000https://twi Calling all #veterans! #DYK #CBP is ranked the 2nd best company for veterans by @Monster & @Militarydotcom. https://t.co/aovfKT3HMA 2017-07-20 11790 101 0.00857 086328000https://twiCBP's Air and Marine Operations is #hiring pilots n 2017-08-16 10406 223 0.02143 696202000https://twi16—What a sticky mess! #CBP discovered a straw 2016-12-31 20762 838 0.04036 000518000https://twi15—This is called a yola vessel and #AMO agents 2016-12-31 21885 867 0.03962 911151000https://twi#CBP has a vast & complex mission, including 2017-02-1 10735 157 0.01463 613760000https://twi#CBP is proud to work with our partners @USFWS 2017-03-03 9936 271 0.02727 572038000https://twiAIA Nora MacNamee keeps the Buffalo area safe. 2017-03-09 10534 345 0.03275 691204000https://twi19M travelers were precleared last year, leading t 2017-04-0 16129 271 0.01680 057553000https://twiThis is how we #KeepAmericaSafe! #USBP agents 2017-05-30 17324 197 0.01137 427539000https://twi2 days. 2 busts. $270K in meth intercepted. READ 2017-06-0 7249 240 0.03311 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 609 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001732 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000365 840420000https://twi Calling all #veterans! #DYK #CBP is ranked the 2nd best company for veterans by @Monster & @Militarydotcom. https://t.co/aovfKTljba 2017-07-16 11291 112 0.00992 411768000https://twi #CatchOfTheDay #CBP Officers in #Miami seize $2.2M in cocaine. @CBPFlorida #KeepingAmericaSafe https://t.co/xZ1xSs1cBd https://t.co/c5f8FAH6EA 2017-07-19 9186 231 0.02515 823105000https://twiJuly 31, 1975, #BorderPatrol class 107 was the 1st 2017-07-31 12412 336 0.02707 968956000https://twiThe latest migration stats for the Southwest Bord 2017-08-08 9721 264 0.02716 284219000https://twiLearn about what it takes to protect America's bo 2017-08-12 11561 365 0.03157 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 610 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001733 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000366 149948000https://twi #USBP agents rescue 60 illegal aliens locked in a refrigerated truck at TX checkpoint. #HonorFirst https://t.co/QN9XQ4Nfh6 https://t.co/wKOTJ7xtP9 2017-08-21 9369 594 0.06340 384581000https://twiFor more information please see @Fema's Rumor 2017-08-31 12525 239 0.01908 468385000https://twiWhen it comes to rescuing people in the wake of 2017-09-09 7375 477 0.06468 502215000https://twiTONIGHT—TUNE IN to the season premiere of #2016-10-12 9663 195 0.02018 163817000https://twi#CBP is honored to be a part of the #veterans list, 2016-11-10 13677 413 0.03020 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 611 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001734 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000367 166091000https://twi Built for the border! Apply to be #BorderPatrol agent. Entry-level: https://t.co/BWriJylG5o Mid-level: https://t.co/ZM4HumWplP @USAJOBS https://t.co/Zvspcgb10D 2016-11-15 10457 464 0.04437 924024000https://twi#CBP will help secure and participate in the 58th P 2017-01-19 13452 564 0.04193 607653000https://twi#GlobalEntry speeds up processing at 67 airports 2017-02-16 12794 303 0.02368 135004000https://twi e Elctronic media search happens to <1% of arri 2017-03-12 10159 368 0.03622 278951000https://twiWe appreciate you. #CBP officers offer free hugs 2017-04-06 17810 473 0.02656 584673000https://twiA juicy find! Can you tell which one is real? #CBP's 2017-04-25 11460 498 0.04346 192495000https://twiCBP #TravelTip 1: Take all the travel documents re 2017-05-24 17304 173 0.01000 881381000https://twiWomen are vital to CBP's mission. Learn more ab 2017-06-18 10194 232 0.02276 922643000https://twiDYK #CBP enforces over 400 laws on behalf of 40 2017-07-23 8173 414 0.05065 008013000https://twiShipment of "vases" determined to contain live ee 2017-07-2 15938 500 0.03137 357360000https://twiAttn #Veteran job seekers: CBP is #hiring Customs 2017-08-02 7608 219 0.02879 145786000https://twiCBP is #hiring pilots to patrol America's skies now 2017-08-13 11617 246 0.02118 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 612 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001735 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000368 437096000https://twi Agent Tyler is training the next generation of #CBP #K9's & handlers in Front Royal, VA. #BestJobInTheWorld #KeepingAmericaSafe https://t.co/NTdBNUDKPl 2017-08-23 11261 369 0.03277 947737000https://twi#AMO crews in a UH-1N complete a high priority 2017-08-29 11371 326 0.02867 341132000https://twiUS and Kuwait signed a Customs Mutual Assistanc 2017-09-08 6397 255 0.03986 698362000https://twi#USBP agents pulled a truck driver from his burnin 2016-10-02 9273 187 0.02017 955747000https://twiPHOTO OF THE DAY: A #BORSTAR Diver from Blain 2016-10-12 12658 282 0.02228 126866000https://twiWant a career protecting and securing the US? Jo 2016-11-16 12743 297 0.02331 333759000https://twi#CBP Commissioner and @ICEgov return a page f 2016-12-09 33624 374 0.01112 391191000https://twi20—PWNED! #CBP officers found 3lbs of meth in 2016-12-31 14505 1097 0.07563 954251000https://twiIt's peak bloom day for the #cherryblossoms, but 2017-03-25 15365 282 0.01835 115415000https://twi#ADayInTheLife https://t.co/GjeqgFcf7X 2017-03-2 14742 290 0.01967 113408000https://twiDon't think Mama approves of this! @CBPSanDieg 2017-05-18 14611 155 0.01061 547050000https://twi#CBP FL #K9 detects undeclared fruits/conch shel 2017-05-22 14335 367 0.02560 931903000https://twiPoachers have killed 60% of Tanzania’s elepha 2017-06-22 7007 144 0.02055 813773000https://twiTo achieve operational control of the border, #CB 2017-06-2 8946 299 0.03342 286718000https://twiCalling their bluffs! #CBP and @TxDPS revoke 47 C 2017-08-10 7532 169 0.02244 578851000https://twiCBP will remain vigilant against efforts by crimina 2017-08-25 8051 192 0.02385 970710000https://twiLast year, #CBP and @ICEgov recorded more than 2016-11-29 14489 773 0.05335 182977000https://twi“We are honored to assist returning these mag 2016-12-09 35960 239 0.00665 613097000https://twi6—Now that’s a different kind of padding! #C 2017-01-01 29114 2089 0.07175 105812000https://twi2—This little piggy should have stayed home! #C 2017-01-09 16230 902 0.05558 445058000https://twiJOIN the fight to #endtrafficking and SHARE #Blue 2017-01-11 11723 182 0.01553 311673000https://twiCommissioner's statement on the departure of U. 2017-01-26 39179 494 0.01261 750950000https://twiReal or Fake? Doesn't this look like authentic #sb5 2017-02-03 30043 931 0.03099 671648000https://twiWant to make traveling easier? A #GlobalEntry en 2017-02-1 15262 229 0.01500 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 613 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001736 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000369 343324000https://twiCome fly with #CBP! Visit us at @EmbryRiddle Ae 2017-03-01 10314 240 0.02327 402416000https://twi#ADayInTheLife https://t.co/3CFlzVLLh7 2017-03-28 14113 506 0.03585 867128000https://twiYou won't win a #masters like #Sergio using inferi 2017-04-10 13382 363 0.02713 505357000https://twi#CBP protects American people from inferior goo 2017-05-10 13202 335 0.02537 614071000https://twiAll in a days work! #CBP officers nab 2 suspected 2017-05-18 15364 204 0.01328 282490000https://twiA risky move, that can result in death/injury. @CB 2017-06-20 6928 68 0.00982 065746000https://twi #KeepingAmericaSafe #USBP agents arrest man suspected in connection with Texas homicide. https://t.co/j9WTkTpj76 https://t.co/LSyersD9RZ 2017-07-03 9695 227 0.02341 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 614 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001737 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000370 022397000https://twi #CBP was on the case of the sneaky sausage smuggler, finds 88 lbs of disguised pork. Find entry do's/dont's here: https://t.co/oZEOjkj2sz https://t.co/WReiTwh42E 2017-07-03 12782 733 0.05735 867555000https://twiLearn why Border Patrol Agents love their job pro 2017-08-09 9934 400 0.04027 149945000https://twi "Harry" & Officer Polliard search pax arriving to #Dulles for ag. products that could be harboring invasive species. #CBP #NationalDogDay https://t.co/DGx1G95TUP 2017-08-24 8491 191 0.02249 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 615 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001738 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000371 293460000https://twiInterested in CBPs Explorer Program? If you're bt 2017-09-0 6268 335 0.05345 498735000https://twi#CBP’s the perfect place for veterans as our co 2016-11-14 14307 483 0.03376 881431000https://twiKEEPING OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE—Del Rio Sec 2016-11-15 8504 168 0.01976 806031000https://twi#CBP officers seized $35K worth of cocaine hidde 2016-11-15 7924 192 0.02423 299835000https://twi7—You’re supposed to put the lime in the co2017-01-08 12696 617 0.04860 441896000https://twiVW will pay a $1.45B civil penalty—LARGEST pen 2017-01-12 14339 246 0.01716 331825000https://twiMeet Diesel & Maverick—local school child m 2017-01-24 38639 586 0.01517 462309000https://twi#CBP's the eyes in the sky for #SB51! #AMO will u 2017-02-02 14388 286 0.01988 680859000https://twiViolent Gang Conspiracy Group 43 received a HID s 2017-02-11 14161 259 0.01829 866552000https://twi#CBP's Air and Marine Operations interdiction age 2017-02-20 10534 143 0.01358 318859000https://twiThe latest data for Southwest Border Security is a 2017-03-01 10053 197 0.01960 748852000https://twiRead Comm. #McAleenan's new blog to learn how 2017-04-05 16974 182 0.01072 961922000https://twiIf you love the high seas, open oceans and lakes/r 2017-04-13 15450 100 0.00647 222212000https://twi Why should you join #CBP? LEARN why others have answered the call to protect America's frontline. https://t.co/BownDA9cBb 2017-04-23 12172 164 0.01347 391730000https://twiFind the latest data on drug seizures, criminal alie r 2017-08-08 9714 446 0.04591 116213000https://twiWe are America's frontline. APPLY to be a #CBP o 2016-11-14 10842 277 0.02555 602611000https://twiSt. Thomas Unit #AMO agents were awarded Med 2016-11-23 11867 368 0.03101 364700000https://twiBuilt for the border & #BorderPatrol Academ 2016-12-03 14823 672 0.04533 695043000https://twiStay on your toes @NoradSanta because #Santa w 2016-12-25 15680 768 0.04898 745035000https://twiWe're looking for men & women who really 2017-01-06 16073 552 0.03434 764918000https://twi9—A dog’s nose can’t be fooled! #USBP K 2017-01-08 10529 293 0.02783 241111000https://twiRESCUED—#AMO & #USBP agents w/ @Ari 2017-01-11 11762 174 0.01479 729605000https://twiMoths, thrips, and flies oh my! Just a few of the h 2017-02-11 15735 358 0.02275 312750000https://twiLove is in the air. #Valentinesday is almost here, b 2017-02-13 13970 243 0.01739 791547000https://twi#HappyValentines day. Our ag specialists have be t 2017-02-14 12590 261 0.02073 745053000https://twiA slimy interception! #CBP and @USDA find live, 2017-02-23 12735 247 0.01940 858632000https://twiBeing a member of BORSTAR's dive team is hard, 2017-02-26 15555 353 0.02269 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 616 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001739 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000372 890420000https://twiYou can report suspected trade violations on our 2017-03-22 14396 119 0.00827 139789000https://twiHow much do you know about CBP's mission? Kee 2017-03-2 13119 273 0.02081 992802000https://twiDYK: In FY16 #CBPTrade initiated 205 seizures of u 2017-03-31 13896 159 0.01144 572064000https://twi#ADayInTheLife https://t.co/V8jOVellXz 2017-04-02 14190 357 0.02516 054340000https://twiThese searches have contributed to national secu 2017-04-11 16663 135 0.00810 681168000https://twiLand, sea and air, #CBP is everywhere. #DKY we p 2017-04-18 8657 178 0.02056 890978000https://twi#ICYMI CBP works w/@USFWS to hold #wildlife #t 2017-05-0 11988 224 0.01869 415994000https://twi#NBAplayoffs are full of nail biting moments &am 2017-05-10 11456 227 0.01981 577765000https://twiActing #CBP Commissioner #McAleenan meets wi 2017-06-09 13552 194 0.01432 652267000https://twiRead why #Philadelphia #CBP seized $39k from a 2017-06-21 8986 246 0.02738 495059000https://twiNewark #CBP officers & @USDA seize $35K i 2017-08-12 8225 374 0.04547 381454000https://twiAttn #Veteran job seekers: CBP is #hiring Customs 2017-08-1 7334 136 0.01854 526516000https://twi#CatchoftheDay #USBP enforcing no-fly zone. Arr 2017-08-21 12654 90 0.00711 326359000https://twiSmugglers plans go up in smoke! In three moves # 2017-08-25 7160 169 0.02360 350947000https://twi Joint statement from ICE and CBP regarding #HurricaneHarvey Spanish translation: https://t.co/BWf3XJLZm3 https://t.co/Sw5JApXI7Q 2017-08-26 7848 261 0.03326 440624000https://twiFind the latest info on Florida port operations and 2017-09-10 7901 268 0.03392 596128000https://twiThis aloe vera wouldn’t ease your sunburn— 2016-10-01 7809 286 0.03662 166648000https://twi#CBP officers in Norfolk, VA seize stolen vehicles a 2016-10-03 10243 329 0.03212 934044000https://twiIn 30 minutes WATCH the premiere of #BORDERW 2016-10-13 22841 274 0.01200 502795000https://twiFrom San Diego to Miami to the Great Lakes and P 2016-11-16 9825 319 0.03247 169368000https://twi#USBP Agent Voss’ extraordinary courage in th 2016-11-23 9947 167 0.01679 491279000https://twiE-commerce is changing the way we do business a 2016-12-02 13452 120 0.00892 757611000https://twiTraveling to Mexico for #SpringBreak? This page h 2017-03-14 10229 201 0.01965 845577000https://twiCheck out this story on @CNN at 4:50 EST regardi 2017-03-1 14183 88 0.00620 857270000https://twi#CBP is proud to continue and grow our partnersh 2017-03-28 14421 246 0.01706 899030000https://twi#ADayInTheLife https://t.co/gq44FucRUx 2017-03-29 13908 315 0.02265 097559000https://twi#CatchOfTheDay Great work by #CBP officers in C 2017-04-11 11243 104 0.00925 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 617 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001740 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000373 926375000https://twi#CatchoftheDay Great work @CBPMidAtlantic! Pr 2017-05-26 15850 95 0.00599 674404000https://twiThe US has been & continues to be a welcom 2017-05-26 17377 161 0.00927 265849000https://twi#CBP officers arrest alleged child molester at #Du 2017-06-0 7430 133 0.01790 101573000https://twiThere is no limit to the creative ways smugglers w 2017-06-14 8998 93 0.01034 850248000https://twi#CBP relies on these 4 interdependent master cap 2017-06-2 7188 99 0.01377 637177000https://twiSave yourself money and time. Know the prohibit 2017-07-12 7887 143 0.01813 667956000https://twiWhich airports have Automated Passport Control 2017-07-1 8868 130 0.01466 545142000https://twi Check out Comm. #McAleenan's latest blog on #CBP's hiring efforts. https://t.co/Z8pMncTPlX #SearchingForTheBest #KeepingAmericaSafe https://t.co/njvj1jtD2y 2017-07-19 9553 359 0.03758 516883000https://twiDYK 15% of int’l air travelers clear #CBP before 2017-07-26 7386 157 0.02126 368124000https://twi#CBP and #NYPD’s partnership has led to safe 2017-07-26 10391 309 0.02974 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 618 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001741 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000374 081982000https://twi #CatchofTheDay suspected murderer apprehended at #USBP checkpoint: https://t.co/vgDfSexKSU #KeepingAmericaSafe #HonorFirst https://t.co/FCVUqWYFUp 2017-07-28 8178 228 0.02788 270953000https://twi You can make a difference too: citizen tip leads to #BorderPatrol arrest of three In #Buffalo https://t.co/Id4GZI8lQm https://t.co/c9wTsw815F 2017-08-0 8925 233 0.02611 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 619 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001742 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000375 028767000https://twi 2 days, 4 rescues. Heat continues to pose a threat as #USBP and #AMO rescue 4 illegal immigrants lost in brush. https://t.co/y0HK0N3RUv https://t.co/hqmTLgLhxQ 2017-08-14 9256 275 0.02971 476585000https://twi WATCH & learn how the Unified Cargo Processing program helps save shippers time & money. https://t.co/QzjrjZYH5a #Trade #Imports #CBPTrade https://t.co/2M8NqgYlmf 2017-08-16 6816 164 0.02406 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 620 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001743 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000376 534923000https://twiOctober is National #CybersecurityAwarenessMon 2016-10-25 11911 63 0.00529 656782000https://twiCounterfeits are often made of inferior materials 2016-11-29 11025 889 0.08063 518952000https://twi14—A pepper shipment set a record in Feb when 2016-12-31 21053 956 0.04541 860472000https://twi#CBP officers processed 390M+ travelers last year 2017-01-1 14029 359 0.02559 745022000https://twi#AMO was created on this day 11yrs ago—TODA 2017-01-18 14838 473 0.03188 767461000https://twiFollow @USBPChief for the latest news and event 2017-01-20 19615 177 0.00902 468269000https://twiOn an average day, #CBP ag. specialists intercept 2017-02-14 17699 267 0.01509 062786000https://twi#CBP will be at the @WomenInAviation conferen 2017-03-02 10222 110 0.01076 269039000https://twiWant to learn about #BorderPatrol's mission?? Sig 2017-03-31 14945 264 0.01766 399754000https://twiVisiting the US during #Easter? You can now prep 2017-04-02 17067 258 0.01512 784503000https://twiIn FY16 #CBP deployed Mobile Passport Control a 2017-04-04 52633 312 0.00593 128662000https://twiNo one likes waiting in line! #CBP Trusted Travele 2017-04-25 11842 276 0.02331 329190000https://twi s #DYK there is no limit to $$ that can be brought in 2017-04-28 14884 96 0.00645 850336000https://twiThe memorial is housed at the @EPA HQ in DC. Th 2017-05-15 13391 250 0.01867 279392000https://twiDespite what comics taught us, radiation won't gi 2017-06-06 6410 267 0.04165 800755000https://twiThe latest #CBP enforcement actions, incl arrests, 2017-06-19 7518 212 0.02820 169810000https://twiHappy #FirstDayofSummer: Find travel tips & 2017-06-21 7114 130 0.01827 055745000https://twiGlobal Entry is now avail to Indian citizens. India's 2017-07-05 9863 376 0.03812 190585000https://twi Check out Comm. #McAleenan's latest blog on #CBP's hiring efforts. https://t.co/Z8pMncTPlX #SearchingForTheBest #KeepingAmericaSafe https://t.co/5UBQKEXwub 2017-07-21 6792 241 0.03548 263152000https://twiCurious about what it's like working for America's 2017-08-0 8084 266 0.03290 801830000https://twiAre you gearing up for the #SolarEclipse🌕ðŸŒ2017-08-19 8126 64 0.00788 548388000https://twiThe tiger cub @CBPSanDiego officers rescued a fe 2017-09-11 5779 85 0.01471 840809000https://twiJasper is already adjusting well to retirement w/ t 2016-10-05 12816 509 0.03972 003630000https://twiFalfurrias USBP Station awarded IACP/Cisco Comm 2016-10-18 14091 166 0.01178 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 621 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001744 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000377 629755000https://twiLearn about the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enfo 2016-10-18 8232 110 0.01336 343042000https://twi#CBP named SECOND best company for #veterans 2016-11-10 10759 293 0.02723 724359000https://twi#CBP reminds travelers that you can carry any am t 2016-11-15 10046 63 0.00627 590026000https://twiIt’s one of the busiest travel days of the year†2016-11-23 10151 272 0.02680 164292000https://twiREAD the new #CBPFrontline—incl. articles on a 2016-12-15 13297 117 0.00880 862925000https://twi18—#DYK #CBP K9s can sniff out cash? One #US 2016-12-31 18327 928 0.05064 754986000https://twi13—Not the bling @MLB @NHL or @NFL Champ 2016-12-31 21505 967 0.04497 951463000https://twiOps like this keep counterfeit goods out of the su 2017-01-04 18156 329 0.01812 309486000https://twi#Importers beware! Scam alert. Email offers solut 2017-03-13 8341 205 0.02458 011289000https://twiDYK: Only .006% of arrivals underwent electronic 2017-03-16 13344 191 0.01431 752405000https://twiDYK: #CBP welcomes more than 100 million intern 2017-03-19 14709 195 0.01326 366572000https://twi#CBP joins the @hiringourheroes Transition Summ 2017-03-21 12039 107 0.00889 553400000https://twiToday Comm #McAleenan toured Polish Border G 2017-03-28 13976 202 0.01445 291225000https://twiSome Bunny still has to clear customs for Easter! 2017-04-12 17304 135 0.00780 499082000https://twi#Laredo making a difference as #CBP officers chee 2017-04-2 15520 206 0.01327 707160000https://twi#GlobalEntry is coming to Argentina! The program 2017-05-01 13016 220 0.01690 551895000https://twiNot this thyme! #CBP officers in partnership with 2017-05-08 11874 321 0.02703 298128000https://twiCBP #TravelTip 5: Be aware of U.S. prohibited me 2017-05-28 17782 336 0.01890 719963000https://twiCBP #TravelTip 8: Bringing food to the US? Check 2017-05-31 16383 124 0.00757 648263000https://twiUnauthorized emblem extravaganza! #CBP Savan 2017-06-13 7599 151 0.01987 767346000https://twi Migration has increased at the Southwest border. Find the newest data here: https://t.co/qWETw9NDSV https://t.co/Bssac2lg7u 2017-07-0 8254 210 0.02544 310245000https://twiLearn which airports have Mobile Passport Contro 2017-07-13 5742 93 0.01620 731931000https://twiDHS seeks #veterans for mission critical & su 2017-07-1 8184 142 0.01735 355111000https://twi.@DHSgov also recognizes #Tucson Sector #USBP 2017-07-28 26910 225 0.00836 154983000https://twiICYMI: Mighty Morphin counterfeit seizure! #Cha 2017-07-30 8884 162 0.01824 662867000https://twiCBP's highest priorities are life-saving & life-s 2017-08-31 9436 86 0.00911 763581000https://twiAir and Marine Operations crews in Conroe, Texas 2017-09-11 6835 238 0.03482 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 622 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001745 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000378 499739000https://twi #Veterans, continue serving as: #CBP officer https://t.co/xqk2KeS0Sb #USBP agent https://t.co/BWriJylG5o #AMO agent https://t.co/C79de5afZ1 https://t.co/REGg3e4Bgz 2016-11-10 9204 176 0.01912 748182000https://twiJoey’s fellow #CBP Ag K9 Candie also had som 2016-12-01 9237 170 0.01840 191638000https://twiAs part of #ECTS2016, attendees are learning how 2016-12-01 13006 96 0.00738 253765000https://twiOn this day in 1934, 34 trainees attended the first 2016-12-03 13876 252 0.01816 620272000https://twiWelcome! #CBP is committed to improving the tr 2017-03-1 13145 235 0.01788 847717000https://twiThrough their music, Rockers Behind the Badge p 2017-03-18 14686 111 0.00756 243668000https://twiI’m proud of #CBP’s collaboration w/ @Fro 2017-03-29 15413 173 0.01122 411821000https://twiComm #McAleenan’s in Estonia today to obse 2017-03-31 14551 77 0.00529 546890000https://twi#ADayInTheLife https://t.co/vz4RHZRdKO 2017-04-01 14450 351 0.02429 097883000https://twiVisiting the US during #Easter? You can now prep 2017-04-12 21199 251 0.01184 943290000https://twiCBP #TravelTip 6: Many foreign-made meds are n 2017-05-29 16669 86 0.00516 789772000https://twiCBP and @USCG working together to make #SailB 2017-06-18 9247 215 0.02325 547144000https://twiTwo years ago today, a BORTAC agent assisting @ 2017-06-26 6261 244 0.03897 515084000https://twi#CBPJobs is now @ your fingertips! Our new #Mo 2017-07-13 11557 214 0.01852 624406000https://twiJoin our live #webinar NOW to learn about how # 2017-07-1 6861 129 0.01880 432717000https://twiDYK #CBP enforces over 400 laws on behalf of 40 2017-07-26 7066 206 0.02915 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 623 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001746 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000379 356167000https://twi #CBP officers arrest Mexican national for identity fraud & false statements to Federal officer. @CBPNewEngland https://t.co/M0A8zELo2V https://t.co/fjbZJrpxSo 2017-08-15 6737 156 0.02316 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 624 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001747 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000380 393423000https://twi How does Preclearance enhance national security & facilitate growing international travel/commerce? https://t.co/eWSguxG6Mm #TravelTuesday https://t.co/3Zui7qbIAO 2017-08-22 7219 157 0.02175 731978000https://twiThose evacuating storm-affected areas will not tra 2017-08-25 8665 185 0.02135 639270000https://twiWhen it comes to rescuing people in the wake of 2017-09-08 6708 139 0.02072 854878000https://twiThanks to this MOU, the U.S. and Ghana will work 2016-10-25 23741 146 0.00615 578097000https://twi#USBP agents working with the Govt of Mexico re 2016-10-31 10364 125 0.01206 357758000https://twiWith #Preclearance travelers undergo #CBP inspe 2016-11-08 10336 194 0.01877 176108000https://twiMissed #BORDERWARS tonight? WATCH clips at h2016-12-01 9744 215 0.02206 493578000https://twi3—My bologna has a 1st name its C-O-N-T-R-A-B - 2017-01-09 11487 604 0.05258 555757000https://twi1—Catching more than dreams! #CBP officers fo 2017-01-09 12272 364 0.02966 240970000https://twi#CBP Comm. McAleenan talks behind the scenes 2017-02-03 16328 188 0.01151 144263000https://twiCBP's Air and Marine Operations has 300 marine v 2017-02-10 13441 159 0.01183 116431000https://twi#DYK #CBP inspects millions of roses, daisies, tulip 2017-02-10 14162 289 0.02041 320014000https://twiThe 4th quarterly Commercial Customs Operation 2017-02-28 8422 131 0.01555 975912000https://twiDYK: #CBP welcomes more than 100 million intern 2017-03-13 7150 104 0.01455 749349000https://twi#CBP reminds travelers to apply for #ESTA throug 2017-05-02 12639 141 0.01116 995412000https://twi#CBP participates in the #PoliceWeek2017 5K run 2017-05-13 11208 299 0.02668 561611000https://twiCBP #TravelTip 3: Be cautious when buying from s 2017-05-26 15952 183 0.01147 180870000https://twiCBP #TravelTip 5: Be aware of U.S. prohibited me 2017-06-30 7118 226 0.03175 751462000https://twiCBP signs Mutual Assistance Agreements with Bo 2017-07-06 7492 122 0.01628 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 625 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001748 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000381 260019000https://twi Check out Comm. #McAleenan's new @LinkedIn blog on #CBP's humanitarian aid and rescue mission. https://t.co/6pzE6hRtw6 https://t.co/zNXSgd5cAB 2017-07-0 11645 244 0.02095 994822000https://twiWhich airports have Automated Passport Control 2017-07-12 7097 99 0.01395 778146000https://twi#CBPJobs is now @ your fingertips! Our new #Mo 2017-07-16 6955 209 0.03005 965369000https://twiI want to thank @NYPDONeill & the #NYPD f 2017-07-26 9916 193 0.01946 479342000https://twiLooking for a meaningful #career? CBP is tasked w 2017-08-14 6801 244 0.03588 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 626 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001749 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000382 075226000https://twi Belgian Malinois, Ferro & Officer Stone help keep #Dulles airport safe! They search all areas for prohib. items. #CBP #KeepingAmericaSafe https://t.co/5VzyJtU9LL 2017-08-25 7065 164 0.02321 229991000https://twiAt this point, anyone travelling through a USBP ch 2017-08-25 7662 81 0.01057 918874000https://twiCheckpoints located in the Rio Grande Valley, alth 2017-08-25 7498 131 0.01747 880967000https://twiTX evacuation routes leading the public away from 2017-08-25 8932 110 0.01232 093328000https://twiEach year 22M containers arrive at our land/seap 2017-09-08 5557 150 0.02699 787919000https://twiFIRST IN NATION—#CBP ag specialist intercept fi 2016-10-05 6315 124 0.01964 838742000https://twiIn 1 year, the community policing approach has re 2016-10-16 7305 133 0.01821 775258000https://twiRESCUE—#AMO aircrew provide life-saving med 2016-10-29 9833 473 0.04810 339272000https://twi#USBP agent RESCUED a hunter on Sunday who h 2016-11-22 8349 355 0.04252 499496000https://twiProtect you, your loved ones & the economy 2016-11-29 9021 190 0.02106 476039000https://twiCBP K9s play a vital role in preventing drugs from 2017-01-24 25910 505 0.01949 710629000https://twiDuring the #valentinesday season in FY16 #CBP in 2017-02-09 11532 189 0.01639 499547000https://twiHeading out for #SpringBreak? Find all the info yo 2017-03-15 13046 168 0.01288 309657000https://twi#ADayInTheLife https://t.co/8lOeX2hYRq 2017-03-30 14849 296 0.01993 751665000https://twiPassenger tries to smuggle Mongolian beef in juic 2017-04-03 17198 342 0.01989 092084000https://twiTravelers, if bringing live plants/food for the Easte 2017-04-13 15409 122 0.00792 855210000https://twiYou can help too! You can report trade and evasio 2017-04-25 10087 81 0.00803 913428000https://twiYak meat, dung pods, and seeds oh my! A tip from 2017-04-25 10069 332 0.03297 848159000https://twiThe last Customs Broker Exam was given national 2017-05-31 15536 178 0.01146 717155000https://twiCBP #TravelTip 11: Trusted Traveler programs exp 2017-06-02 13611 214 0.01572 981112000https://twi#TravelTip 12: Visiting the US? You can now prepa 2017-06-05 7479 191 0.02554 406183000https://twiGreat info! New Study Shows US Immigration Exp 2017-06-09 15451 245 0.01586 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 627 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001750 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000383 657690000https://twiActing Dep. Comm. Vitiello and Sec. Kelly meet w/2017-06-21 8918 286 0.03207 749363000https://twiPirated/counterfeit goods aren't a bargain. They s 2017-06-22 6628 71 0.01071 254674000https://twiDEAC Wager will be testifying before @senjudicia 2017-07-12 6368 81 0.01272 116870000https://twi#USBP #KeepingAmericaSafe. Arrest sex offender 2017-08-01 8141 93 0.01142 754933000https://twi #USBP check point makes $250K drug bust! https://t.co/ELMVQTJZb4 #KeepingAmericaSafe https://t.co/EOeCiEt7yu 2017-08-02 8968 241 0.02687 171285000https://twiNewark #CBP officers & @USDA seize $35K i 2017-08-08 7249 357 0.04925 611497000https://twi Clone vs K9.... Clone- 0︕⠃£ K9- 1︕⠃£ https://t.co/WZLGhsLye1 #HonorFirst #KeepingAmericaSafe @CBPArizona 🕶 https://t.co/B8PEAP6fWf 2017-08-15 8902 619 0.06953 635134000https://twi#AMO seized 283lbs of cocaine after intercepting 2016-10-25 8682 142 0.01636 344006000https://twiTONIGHT—TUNE IN to a new episode of #BORDE 2016-10-2 9836 199 0.02023 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 628 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001751 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000384 190822000https://twi#CBP & @CanBorder will hold a Trusted Trav 2016-11-02 13653 255 0.01868 349010000https://twiMore than 28% of #CBP’s workforce are #vete 2016-11-10 7677 60 0.00782 214243000https://twiREAD Deputy Comm. McAleenan’s @LinkedIn 2016-11-28 7495 348 0.04643 976528000https://twi#CBP officers and K9s didn’t take Thanksgiving 2016-12-02 11067 216 0.01952 398958000https://twiToday, the #BorderPatrol Academy—located in A 2016-12-03 15016 359 0.02391 638657000https://twi4—Maybe the chirping gave him away? #CBP fou 2017-01-09 10969 569 0.05187 290397000https://twiCBP denies entry based on grounds of inadmissibi 2017-01-23 19974 200 0.01001 596468000https://twi#Importers, guidance on IRS interest rates on ove 2017-02-24 8968 113 0.01260 952217000https://twiA pair of parakeets! #CBP ag specialists seize fruit 2017-03-09 8718 337 0.03866 436523000https://twiDisappointed cold weather threatens the #Cherry 2017-03-1 13133 143 0.01089 063608000https://twiBringing back swag from #SpringBreak? Don't forg 2017-03-1 15164 149 0.00983 859911000https://twiREAD Comm. #McAleenan's latest blog on how #C 2017-03-18 15176 139 0.00916 526996000https://twiInteresting #NPR read on why recent #SXSW-boun 2017-03-20 12359 266 0.02152 711113000https://twiREAD Comm #McAleenan’s @LinkedIn blog ab 2017-03-25 14767 218 0.01476 390599000https://twiCBP searches electronic devices of less than .01% 2017-04-11 18707 159 0.00850 832068000https://twiCBP stopped processing while the IED was tested, 2017-04-1 11295 253 0.02240 627593000https://twi#CBP Acting Deputy Comm. Ron Vitiello discussed 2017-05-12 12896 161 0.01248 409705000https://twiCBP #TravelTip 7: Traveling to Cuba? Check the fu 2017-05-30 17460 159 0.00911 028903000https://twiDon't miss #CBP on @SmithsonianChan's #AerialA 2017-06-04 9249 128 0.01384 225342000https://twiDoes the price of those new headphones sound to 2017-06-09 10910 91 0.00834 550572000https://twi#CBP lab services help keep tunnel detection team 2017-06-16 10745 171 0.01591 114265000https://twiDep Comm Vitiello briefs media on status of imple 2017-06-2 7290 113 0.01550 432295000https://twiOnline shopping is supposed to make life easier b 2017-07-10 7167 100 0.01395 095415000https://twiDuring #AmericanHeroesWeek @DHSgov recogni 2017-07-29 6287 101 0.01606 496443000https://twiWe do more than you might think. Learn about al 2017-08-11 7261 104 0.01432 309371000https://twi#CBP encourages mixed-nationality couples to im 2017-09-01 8132 213 0.02619 453110000https://twiEl estatus migratorio no es, ni será un factor en c 2017-09-10 6888 84 0.01220 451905000https://twi#TravelTuesday tip: DL #MobilePassport app! US c 2016-10-18 8469 162 0.01913 846316000https://twiComm #Kerlikowske signed a Memorandum of Un 2016-10-25 27690 109 0.00394 079544000https://twiNew Quarterly #TradeEnforcement Bulletin releas 2016-11-09 7996 251 0.03139 529881000https://twiStarting TODAY—Chinese National 10-yr visa hol 2016-11-29 8456 93 0.01100 959156000https://twi16 years ago today, the 1st US Customs Trade Sym 2016-11-30 8150 81 0.00994 991873000https://twiKEEPING OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE—#CBP office 2016-11-30 6926 146 0.02108 052184000https://twiTUNE IN to @CNBC’s Where the Jobs Are toda 2017-01-06 12905 218 0.01689 726279000https://twi#CBPTrade announces the postponement of the J 2017-01-13 13026 163 0.01251 888146000https://twi#CBPTrade is committed to protecting businesses u 2017-01-25 30882 467 0.01512 712383000https://twiThe newest issue of FRONTLINE is available NOW: 2017-02-24 9010 172 0.01909 947826000https://twi#CBP 💕s the Earth too! We partner w/ @EPA ta 2017-04-22 12368 365 0.02951 277576000https://twiFind out which Trusted Traveler Program is right f 2017-04-24 10805 64 0.00592 974962000https://twiThe summer #travel season is almost here! Check 2017-05-02 14356 122 0.00850 650324000https://twi@CBPRGV #USBP agents rescue 18 immigrants lo 2017-05-04 2909 91 0.03128 530326000https://twiOn a typical day #CBP welcomes nearly 400,000 in 2017-05-08 11403 226 0.01982 994678000https://twi#TBT. The Robert C. McEwen U.S. Custom House i 2017-05-11 11421 102 0.00893 480411000https://twiDon't miss the #CBP Honor Guard presenting the 2017-05-15 13593 172 0.01265 385323000https://twi#DYK with #GlobalEntry, members bypass lines an o 2017-05-23 12348 125 0.01012 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 629 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001752 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000385 329039000https://twiFor all the #CBP #TravelTips, go to https://t.co/W 2017-06-09 29687 105 0.00354 670726000https://twi#HappyFathersDay to all of #CBP's #1 dads. Than 2017-06-18 9991 141 0.01411 470053000https://twiActing EAC Perez is testifying TODAY @11am befo 2017-06-2 5513 142 0.02576 853648000https://twiTraveling this summer? Check out live border wait 2017-07-08 7210 112 0.01553 444302000https://twi#DKY #CBP's Air and Marine Operations has 240 a 2017-07-14 6777 146 0.02154 500240000https://twiLearn which airports have Mobile Passport Contro 2017-07-24 7278 133 0.01827 834494000https://twi#DYK on a typical day #CBP discovers 404 pests at 2017-08-11 8738 249 0.02850 122222000https://twi8 questions #pilots are asking CBP's Air and Marin 2017-08-19 5695 117 0.02054 882793000https://twi#DYK on a typical day #CBP discovers 404 pests at 2017-08-21 6700 156 0.02328 936230000https://twiTwo checkpoints, one along Hwy 77 and one alon 2017-08-25 7442 96 0.01290 101496000https://twiEl estatus migratorio no es, ni será un factor en c 2017-09-0 6387 92 0.01440 032944000https://twi#CBP officers at @Dulles_Airport seized $52K from 2016-11-15 7662 194 0.02532 519791000https://twiComm #Kerlikowske recognized #CBP personnel l 2016-11-23 7822 145 0.01854 250206000https://twiCommissioner Awards recognize & honor hig 2016-11-23 7159 213 0.02975 635216000https://twiDeputy Commissioner McAleenan and Sen. Wyde 2016-12-14 13622 137 0.01006 697741000https://twi.@TheJusticeDept announced that Volkswagen w 2017-01-12 10979 138 0.01257 653561000https://twi#DrummondIsland Ice Bridge open for business Fe 2017-02-14 11428 151 0.01321 388948000https://twiIn FY16 the P3's disrupted 145 drug seizure events 2017-03-02 9156 171 0.01868 132771000https://twiLaredo Mayor Saenz, staff met w. #CBP Comm. #M 2017-03-0 9852 153 0.01553 291256000https://twiRegistration for the West Coast Trade Symposium 2017-03-22 15420 76 0.00493 145202000https://twi#DragonBoats helped one CBP officer rebuild afte 2017-03-26 13535 92 0.00680 233528000https://twiIn FY16, 55M travelers used APC kiosks to electro 2017-04-11 10605 105 0.00990 939586000https://twiIf you're in the Oshkosh, WI area July 24 -July 30 2017-04-19 12177 73 0.00599 066534000https://twi#Customs #Brokers! #CBP wants your input on inf 2017-04-19 12962 112 0.00864 203671000https://twiHave questions about moving to the U.S., about y 2017-04-24 9922 66 0.00665 909017000https://twi#CBP Comm. #McAleenan discusses collaboration 2017-04-25 13272 145 0.01093 550339000https://twiHow many cigars or cigarettes can I bring into the 2017-05-05 14685 122 0.00831 396707000https://twiOn an average day #CBP welcomes more than 50, 2017-05-09 10545 124 0.01176 379253000https://twiMake your arrival in the Grand Canyon State a bre 2017-05-20 15663 156 0.00996 122885000https://twi#CBP provided an overview of plans to continue in 2017-05-24 14087 88 0.00625 985892000https://twiJewelry with a dark secret! #CBP scientist discove 2017-06-01 13728 226 0.01646 698400000https://twi✋︕𠟚«ðŸ• ˆðŸ• ‹#CBP and @USDA prevent in 2017-06-12 7734 122 0.01577 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 630 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001753 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000386 193149000https://twi Interested in a career with CBP analyzing fingerprints? We #KeepAmericaSafe by identifying persons of interest. https://t.co/boV5qAakpM https://t.co/TQzx9CeafR 2017-06-1 8843 190 0.02149 932025000https://twi#TravelTip 12: Visiting the US? You can now prepa 2017-06-20 5993 111 0.01852 742203000https://twiCBP seizes primate skull. We are protectors of #w 2017-06-22 6274 163 0.02598 715697000https://twiTraveling this summer? Check out live border wait 2017-07-06 9218 107 0.01161 906568000https://twiWATCH NOW: Comm #McAleenan and @thepoin 2017-07-26 30958 286 0.00924 671758000https://twiFind the latest information on Southwest Border m 2017-09-11 4872 129 0.02648 354527000https://twiOn a typical day, #CBP ag specialists inspect millio 2016-10-05 6331 178 0.02812 522594000https://twiThanks to #CBP ag specialists this pest won’t d 2016-10-28 8498 319 0.03754 085178000https://twiUS, Sweden signed an agreement on Friday to ope 2016-11-08 8245 179 0.02171 974239000https://twiDOWNLOAD the #BorderWaitTime app to plan yo 2016-11-23 6666 117 0.01755 076986000https://twiThis traveler packed more than just clothes—#C 2016-11-30 6876 397 0.05774 528236000https://twi#ECTS2016 Learn how US agencies and partners in 2016-12-01 10167 57 0.00561 647696000https://twi19—Shell game was no match for #CBP officers i 2016-12-31 13476 899 0.06671 583328000https://twi6—Now that’s a different kind of padding! #C 2017-01-08 10733 659 0.06140 928591000https://twiThe COAC will deliver recommendations from thr 2017-02-28 8145 58 0.00712 671982000https://twiThe Global Entry Enrollment Center in #Richmond 2017-03-0 8729 139 0.01592 139648000https://twi#CBP’s mission is to protect the American peo 2017-04-11 17854 93 0.00521 422878000https://twiDon't miss our pollen expert on the @weathercha 2017-04-21 12849 108 0.00841 090685000https://twiGreat work by Ag. specialists in Brownsville, for in 2017-04-2 14211 202 0.01421 183869000https://twi@CBPArizona officers seize 23 lbs of fentanyl. This 2017-05-01 1708 46 0.02693 091592000https://twi#Sammies2017 are awarded to fed. employees w 2017-05-09 10700 60 0.00561 109112000https://twiProud 2 of CBP’s finest, Brenda Smith & P 2017-05-09 10592 296 0.02795 736036000https://twiKnow the do's and don'ts #5WordVacationTips ht2017-05-1 15175 69 0.00455 274477000https://twiCBP #TravelTip 2: Declare everything you bring in 2017-05-25 13977 93 0.00665 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 631 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001754 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000387 332681000https://twiDon't miss #CBP on @SmithsonianChan's #AerialA 2017-06-03 9778 127 0.01299 115341000https://twiLearn more about how to protect yourself and ou 2017-06-08 11370 82 0.00721 487266000https://twiActing #CBP Comm. #McAleenan spoke at the Inte 2017-06-13 8749 82 0.00937 959387000https://twi#KeepingAmericaSafe. Excellent job by #USBP to k 2017-06-14 6888 54 0.00784 477662000https://twiWATCH #USBP Chief Provost & #OFO Dep. Ex 2017-06-14 9836 155 0.01576 385767000https://twiThe partnership initiatives we’ve undertaken w 2017-06-14 10698 75 0.00701 198342000https://twiWhat type of documents do you need if taking a c 2017-06-19 6569 78 0.01187 043938000https://twiCBP is working to make the trade entry process in 2017-06-21 7476 88 0.01177 878998000https://twiEnrollment on Arrival is here! If you have been co 2017-07-10 7575 129 0.01703 084682000https://twiPatrol our nation's sky with a new #career at CBP 2017-07-28 6677 157 0.02351 016485000https://twi B Visiting the US via land border? You can now pay I-94 fees, up to 7 days in advance, online. #TravelTuesday https://t.co/nlzFCkEkwN https://t.co/BYQQByyjLS 2017-08-08 5943 136 0.02288 082238000https://twiFOLLOW our new account @CBPJobs for the lates 2017-08-1 6310 83 0.01315 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 632 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001755 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000388 534784000https://twi WATCH & learn how the Unified Cargo Processing program helps save shippers time & money. https://t.co/QzjrjZYH5a #Trade #Imports #CBPTrade https://t.co/PVddUFlC6j 2017-08-19 7599 161 0.02119 780410000https://twi ICYMI: Clone vs K9.... K9- 1 Clone- 0 https://t.co/WZLGhsLye1 #HonorFirst #KeepingAmericaSafe @CBPArizona https://t.co/OYCODaEKag 2017-08-20 6244 383 0.06134 001928000https://twiTravelers leaving the lower RGV to the north- if tr 2017-08-25 6599 76 0.01152 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 633 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001756 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000389 880231000https://twiOn a typical day, #CBP ag specialists inspect millio 2016-10-01 6783 314 0.04629 636594000https://twiTwo Del Rio Sector #USBP agents were honored w 2016-10-02 7397 201 0.02717 319264000https://twi#USBP apprehension statistics for FY16 along the 2016-10-1 6973 52 0.00746 310684000https://twiInterested in learning more about the current ACE a 2016-10-25 8062 59 0.00732 655465000https://twiProtect America’s borders from a bird’s-ey 2016-11-16 9329 143 0.01533 516669000https://twi#CBP releases Southwest Border migration statist 2016-12-15 11556 98 0.00848 574211000https://twi Through their music, Rockers Behind the Badge promote PTSD/wellness awareness. CBP officers/agents #NeverOffDuty! https://t.co/bZVyEGsYlX 2017-03-08 8068 59 0.00731 700294000https://twiDYK: You may not need a visa to visit the U.S. with 2017-03-16 14591 210 0.01439 847954000https://twiCheck out @TSA #SpringBreak travel blog for pack 2017-03-16 14106 123 0.00872 696076000https://twiBeing a good business partner for the travel indus 2017-03-26 12805 96 0.00750 811850000https://twiBorder Patrol agents in Laredo rescue 59 illegal al 2017-06-13 6756 199 0.02946 977101000https://twi #CBP is hiring #chemists! Several locations available. https://t.co/SmLdwcfVoG https://t.co/J9QYB10pgq 2017-06-14 6160 32 0.00519 325416000https://twiActing #CBP Comm. #McAleenan talks trade prote 2017-06-15 12041 85 0.00706 844211000https://twiThe new FRONTLINE magazine is available now: T 2017-06-20 6362 65 0.01022 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 634 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001757 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000390 894093000https://twiTestifying NOW: @USBPChief Provost before @se 2017-06-21 5933 70 0.01180 629797000https://twiCBP #TravelTip 2: Declare everything you bring in 2017-06-2 6004 85 0.01416 437509000https://twi#DYK CBP is the 2nd largest revenue collecting so 2017-07-13 6218 77 0.01238 599879000https://twiAt @iah, @HobbyAirport, @AUStinAirport, @flyS 2017-07-23 5566 76 0.01365 208168000https://twiDuring #AmericanHeroesWeek @DHSgov recogni 2017-07-28 5864 60 0.01023 753886000https://twiConditionally approved? You can NOW complete 2017-07-30 8989 185 0.02058 437892000https://twi Voting is now open for the #Sammies2017. You can vote for CBP's nominees here: https://t.co/lKjp0ZUn6B https://t.co/MSaYDc5tHr 2017-08-03 8534 62 0.00727 806276000https://twiAre you gearing up for the #SolarEclipse🌕ðŸŒ2017-08-18 7952 41 0.00516 496548000https://twiWhat happens BEFORE the pics w/loads of drugs 2017-09-01 8051 430 0.05341 646265000https://twi#CBP ag specialists in Miami seized dozens of figs 2016-10-01 6047 172 0.02844 517025000https://twiTODAY at 2PM—#CBP will live stream #USBP Ch 2016-10-11 7163 188 0.02625 009364000https://twiRead Comm. #Kerlikowske’s blog about a prog 2016-11-01 9875 501 0.05073 482107000https://twiNEW #CBPTrade Announcement: Enforce & 2016-12-03 14425 171 0.01185 614228000https://twiEach #USBP agent completes 58-days of instructio o 2016-12-03 13839 311 0.02247 747473000https://twiLearn more about the role #BorderPatrol played i 2017-02-09 13139 400 0.03044 608225000https://twiRead how #CBP is transforming #trade processes 2017-02-24 10618 184 0.01733 849106000https://twiREAD Comm #McAleenan’s @LinkedIn blog ab 2017-02-28 7849 134 0.01707 020133000https://twiPlanning a trip to the U.S. soon? Check out "Know 2017-03-14 8164 94 0.01151 751000000https://twiLooking for a #globalentry appointment? #Fargo h 2017-03-21 11584 49 0.00423 883455000https://twiComm #McAleenan's visiting the EU’s eastern 2017-03-28 12451 54 0.00434 429856000https://twiVisitará EEUU durante la #Pascua? Pre-pague su 2017-04-02 17601 100 0.00568 052529000https://twiTraveling to the US for Easter? Check border wait 2017-04-14 13825 116 0.00839 300668000https://twiWhat do #pollen & #CBP have in common? C 2017-04-20 12888 86 0.00667 060457000https://twiThe 2017 West Coast Trade Symposium has been 2017-04-28 14856 76 0.00512 850434000https://twiHonored to receive @DHLUS Partnership Award. T 2017-05-11 12434 93 0.00748 511941000https://twiNew at the #2017WCTS, come prepared to provid 2017-05-24 12891 82 0.00636 994298000https://twi#CBP welcomes participants at this year's #2017W 2017-05-24 12783 83 0.00649 584998000https://twiCBP #TravelTip 4: Items bought abroad for person 2017-05-2 13944 116 0.00832 659052000https://twiCBP #TravelTip 10: For more information read the 2017-06-02 10688 39 0.00365 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 635 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001758 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000391 030008000https://twiOur friends at @TravelGov have made it easy to r 2017-06-16 12355 132 0.01068 764132000https://twiCould you handle the cold? Learn more about the 2017-06-1 8963 141 0.01573 743315000https://twiCould you handle the cold? Learn more about the 2017-06-23 5701 98 0.01719 421944000https://twi The US prohibits importation of many animal products because of their protected status. Find more info here: https://t.co/hdLKFwkuBB https://t.co/Zcq4f8vAXA 2017-06-24 5882 96 0.01632 508152000https://twiInterested in serving on the next COAC? Find info 2017-06-28 7443 119 0.01599 329916000https://twi Learn how your internet purchases may cost you more than you bargained for https://t.co/lOCtcAtoED #CBPTrade https://t.co/HycbmijDhl 2017-07-06 6338 83 0.01310 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 636 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001759 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000392 390923000https://twi Learn how your internet purchases may cost you more than you bargained for https://t.co/lOCtcAtoED #CBPTrade https://t.co/GpMdJ1MUAb 2017-07-13 5861 61 0.01041 691464000https://twiIt's #AmericanHeroesWeek! @DHSgov honors #La 2017-07-29 5741 122 0.02125 954721000https://twiComm #McAleenan spoke at #NOBLEATL17 abou 2017-07-29 7178 61 0.00850 532777000https://twiHow does changing my name affect my Global En 2017-08-01 6937 86 0.01240 931551000https://twiGreat example of how counterfeits can hurt your 2017-08-18 7837 54 0.00689 072960000https://twiLooking for a port of entry? Find what you're look 2017-08-24 6641 238 0.03584 388282000https://twiEl estatus migratorio no es, ni será un factor en c 2017-09-08 5368 109 0.02031 320912000https://twiKEEPING OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE—#USBP agen 2016-10-02 7658 108 0.01410 915021000https://twiPartnerships allows us to share priority targets of 2016-10-05 7925 60 0.00757 423981000https://twi ust #CBP will host the 2016 East Coast Trade Symposi 2016-10-06 7134 56 0.00785 319015000https://twi#CBP expands online payment option for commer 2016-11-28 6606 64 0.00969 054000000https://twiAttention #CustomsBrokers: The 2017 user fee pa 0 2016-11-29 7148 58 0.00811 235603000https://twiTonight’s episode of #BORDERWARS featured 2016-12-01 8493 215 0.02531 743281000https://twiEntering the Top 10 of the #CBPTop20! What cou 2017-01-01 25002 2088 0.08351 397595000https://twiWith one week down in 2017, we’ll be highligh 2017-01-08 9226 125 0.01355 634228000https://twiOf the 100K+ travelers processed, 95 were refuse 2017-01-23 19817 196 0.00989 121664000https://twiToday at #COAC, we collaborated with trade partn 2017-03-01 7974 128 0.01605 200091000https://twiWATCH #BorderPatrol Chief Vitiello's swearing in 2017-03-14 7854 199 0.02534 110086000https://twiBeing a good business partner for the travel indus 2017-03-22 13776 55 0.00399 603243000https://twiThis welcome sign was commissioned for the U.S. 2017-03-23 13607 244 0.01793 008188000https://twiVisitará EEUU durante la #Pascua? Pre-pague su 2017-04-12 15722 103 0.00655 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 637 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001760 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000393 590798000https://twi #ICYMI: Watch this @weatherchannel segment with our palynologist to learn how #CBP solves crimes using #pollen. https://t.co/PfWNGpYBlr 2017-04-21 10631 57 0.00536 997445000https://twi#ICYMI: This tiny bug could have a big economic im 2017-04-29 13723 193 0.01406 021233000https://twiDon’t forget to register for the 2017 West Coa 2017-05-02 11178 64 0.00573 931990000https://twiWe’re thoroughly committed to partnerships 2017-05-18 14315 72 0.00503 373211000https://twiLearn more about ACE and how #CBP is streamlin 2017-06-15 10779 61 0.00566 699168000https://twiLearn more about how to protect yourself and ou 2017-06-19 6020 68 0.01130 705807000https://twiWhat weighs 7 lbs. and poses a significant threat t d 2017-06-20 6964 133 0.01910 553154000https://twiCBP #TravelTip 1: Take all the travel documents re 2017-06-26 6498 114 0.01754 500742000https://twi#Customsbrokers read #FederalRegister notice ch2017-07-0 6153 55 0.00894 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 638 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001761 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000394 046608000https://twi Check out Comm. #McAleenan's new @LinkedIn blog on #CBP's humanitarian aid and rescue mission. https://t.co/6pzE6hRtw6 https://t.co/4PDIhmgbHb 2017-07-09 6128 129 0.02105 282039000https://twiStay up to date on your #CBP job application statu 2017-07-19 7236 76 0.01050 977878000https://twiWhat is ESTA and how does it affect my travels to 2017-07-19 6974 119 0.01706 451868000https://twiPaperless travel? It’s in the realm of possible a 2017-07-26 5439 124 0.02280 368253000https://twiComm #McAleenan & DFO Hayward welcom 2017-07-2 7418 153 0.02063 350751000https://twi.@DHSgov also recognizes #Tucson Sector #USBP 2017-07-29 5944 164 0.02759 187220000https://twiStay up to date on your #CBP job application statu 2017-08-16 6561 134 0.02042 032410000https://twiAre you gearing up for the #SolarEclipse🌕ðŸŒ2017-08-21 9150 57 0.00623 638660000https://twiEAC Todd Owen testifies TODAY @ 2pm for @GO 2017-09-0 4324 63 0.01457 731787000https://twi#USBP Falfurrias has put forth a tremendous effor 2016-10-16 12102 151 0.01248 406063000https://twi#AMOC's a multi LE ops center that detects, track 2016-11-02 8669 73 0.00842 116725000https://twi#CBPTrade launches ACE Availability Dashboard! C 2016-11-18 7411 92 0.01241 717987000https://twi#USBP agent located a man from a Silver Alert— 2016-12-01 9545 108 0.01131 735997000https://twiIt’s a NEW ERA for exports—Automation will or 2016-12-02 11518 65 0.00564 782398000https://twi@brittontaylor @annediego CBP has not impleme 2017-02-23 3857 596 0.15452 215085000https://twiSign up for the EAPA Workshop on March 14 in D 2017-03-0 8331 92 0.01104 184093000https://twi#CBP is proud to be a national sponsor of #Sparta 2017-03-1 14365 258 0.01796 370831000https://twi#CBP officers in Blaine assist roll over victims. REA 2017-03-24 11509 160 0.01390 743297000https://twiThe West Coast Trade Symposium is happening M 2017-03-24 13104 43 0.00328 089994000https://twi#CBP is proud to be a national sponsor of #Sparta 2017-04-0 14458 105 0.00726 562258000https://twi#CBP officers will offer #GlobalEntry interviews at 2017-05-03 11997 223 0.01859 216513000https://twiOnly a few spaces left, sign up now! Registration f 2017-05-11 10761 51 0.00474 932160000https://twiMaybe it was for the kiss cam 💋? #CBP seizes p 2017-05-24 12430 210 0.01689 476619000https://twi#DYK CBP employs lab scientists? Here a scientist 2017-05-30 15607 140 0.00897 077385000https://twi#CBP publishes #forcedlabor amendment in #Fed2017-06-15 9293 78 0.00839 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 639 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001762 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000395 412717000https://twiCBP’s vital security and facilitation roles positi a 2017-06-22 6210 66 0.01063 995307000https://twiCBP #TravelTip 3: Be cautious when buying from s 2017-06-28 7457 156 0.02092 966288000https://twi#Trade partners, #CBP is looking for applicants for 2017-06-29 6792 88 0.01296 616275000https://twiCBP #TravelTip 4: Items bought abroad for person 2017-06-29 6486 90 0.01388 071619000https://twiCBP #TravelTip 6: Many foreign-made meds are n 2017-07-01 6664 77 0.01155 132517000https://twiCBP #TravelTip 8: Bringing food to the US? Check 2017-07-02 7187 112 0.01558 295967000https://twi The US prohibits importation of many animal products because of their protected status. Find more info here: https://t.co/hdLKFwkuBB https://t.co/yQWq7Js0hw 2017-07-05 6805 85 0.01249 842139000https://twiWhat is ESTA and how does it affect my travels to 2017-07-15 5803 183 0.03154 702571000https://twiIt's time for #GlobalEntry 2.0. Comm #McAleenan 2017-07-26 6508 149 0.02289 026145000https://twiGrounded and not cleared to fly! Shipment of toy 2017-08-09 6708 273 0.04070 554931000https://twi#DYK on an average day #CBP welcomes more tha 1 2017-08-09 6228 150 0.02408 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 640 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001763 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000396 311427000https://twi Voting is now open for the #Sammies2017. You can vote for CBP's nominees here: https://t.co/lKjp0ZUn6B https://t.co/MSaYDc5tHr 2017-08-14 6892 41 0.00595 172381000https://twi Visiting the US via land border? You can now pay I-94 fees, up to 7 days in advance, online. #TravelTuesday https://t.co/nlzFCkEkwN https://t.co/9XYarosbRn 2017-08-29 6150 121 0.01967 689176000https://twi#CBPTrade reschedules transition—targets Jan 2 2016-10-19 7499 42 0.00560 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 641 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001764 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000397 266300000https://twi On #TravelTuesday read more about: APC https://t.co/u6ScyF4FAp MPC https://t.co/nNkvrqrAVM Trusted Traveler Programs https://t.co/PI7UBlGuoX https://t.co/j6YOWhQ8OC 2016-11-22 6331 84 0.01327 004400000https://twiStop by the ACE Booth at #ECTS2016 to learn abo 2016-12-01 10128 50 0.00494 614333000https://twiACE is the system that enables #SingleWindowUS2016-12-02 11865 70 0.00590 828582000https://twi.@usnistgov has developed a National Software R a 2016-12-16 11218 91 0.00811 787679000https://twiREAD Comm #McAleenan’s @LinkedIn blog ab 2017-03-23 11676 63 0.00540 010797000https://twiInterested in serving on the next COAC? Find info 2017-06-08 11533 98 0.00850 776663000https://twiJuly 8 will be the effective date for drawback and 2017-06-12 7377 89 0.01206 608006000https://twiComm #McAleenan spoke about CBP’s efforts 2017-06-22 6083 38 0.00625 840278000https://twiCBP searches for the best! Hear first-hand from ag2017-06-23 5594 210 0.03754 068588000https://twiAD/CVD is a top priority for #CBPTrade. Learn mo 2017-06-26 8514 174 0.02044 637517000https://twiFine out about the latest in the AD/CVD enforcem 2017-07-06 5771 53 0.00918 542765000https://twiTrusted Traveler programs make processing a sna 2017-07-0 7038 84 0.01194 112404000https://twiConditionally approved? You can NOW complete 2017-07-18 5830 78 0.01338 894496000https://twi#DKY #CBP's Air and Marine Operations has 240 a 2017-07-26 5463 95 0.01739 646682000https://twiIt's #AmericanHeroesWeek! @DHSgov honors #La 2017-07-28 22859 78 0.00341 001035000https://twiVote NOW! #CBP's SingleWindowTeam is in the ru 2017-07-28 8091 74 0.00915 005285000https://twiRegistration for the October #CustomsBroker exa 2017-07-31 6226 62 0.00996 223879000https://twiWhat do I do if the Global Entry enrollment cente 2017-07-31 6936 107 0.01543 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 642 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001765 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000398 112755000https://twi Voting is now open for the #Sammies2017. You can vote for CBP's nominees here: https://t.co/lKjp0ZUn6B https://t.co/MSaYDc5tHr 2017-08-09 6317 29 0.00459 211512000https://twi#ICYMI: Grounded & not cleared to fly! Shipm 2017-08-13 6115 90 0.01472 043225000https://twiGot #trade on the brain? The next #COAC is comin 2017-08-21 5151 43 0.00835 021421000https://twiMoving to the US? #DYK you can import many ho 2017-08-28 5155 101 0.01959 547008000https://twiMed. fruit fly is 1 of the most destructive ag pests 2016-10-01 6718 30 0.00447 089746000https://twiLISTEN—Dep. Comm. McAleenan was on @BusO2016-10-12 6637 55 0.00829 188617000https://twiInterested in #CBPTrade’s #ADCVD enforceme 2016-10-18 6879 44 0.00640 900688000https://twi#ICYMI: #AMO broke ground last week on its 22K- 2016-11-02 7201 183 0.02541 593433000https://twiSpeed up your entry into the US by applying and p 2016-11-23 5847 72 0.01231 069048000https://twiCARS, CASH AND STASH—#BORDERWARS is new 2016-12-01 7794 111 0.01424 090023000https://twiWATCH throughout the day as @CNBC’s @Kat2017-01-06 11816 218 0.01845 516175000https://twiThe P3's are #CBP's eyes over the ocean and critic 2017-03-01 7170 74 0.01032 381792000https://twiViajará hacia EEUU durante la Pascua? Verifique 2017-04-14 12933 122 0.00943 765599000https://twiWhat do I do if my ESTA is denied? Find answers 2017-04-2 14666 77 0.00525 714400000https://twiDEAC Whittenburg discusses the use of data to dr 2017-05-25 14408 108 0.00750 686475000https://twiI submitted my Trusted Traveler application for re 2017-06-2 7132 71 0.00996 890142000https://twi#CBP announces new date for October 2017 #cust2017-06-28 6675 48 0.00719 065803000https://twiFine out about the latest in the AD/CVD enforcem 2017-07-01 6415 85 0.01325 506483000https://twiAt @iah, @HobbyAirport, @AUStinAirport, @flyS 2017-07-15 5562 121 0.02175 287759000https://twi#DYK CBP is the 2nd largest revenue collecting so 2017-07-18 4472 46 0.01029 206721000https://twi#CBP relies on international cooperation - as dem 2017-07-31 6559 37 0.00564 556011000https://twiEnrollment on Arrival is here! If you have been co 2017-08-10 5270 86 0.01632 428638000https://twiGot #trade on the brain? The next #COAC is comin 2017-08-18 5055 32 0.00633 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 643 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001766 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000399 780443000https://twi How does Preclearance enhance national security & facilitate growing international travel/commerce? https://t.co/eWSguxG6Mm #TravelTuesday https://t.co/jBfGnhw0Ew 2017-09-12 2634 32 0.01215 878218000https://twiWhat happens BEFORE the pics w/loads of drugs 2017-09-12 2612 103 0.03943 094927000https://twiThe theme for #ECTS2016 is “Trade’s Impa 2016-10-06 7506 40 0.00533 638619000https://twiREAD Deputy Comm. McAleenan’s blog about 2016-10-11 6782 77 0.01135 324730000https://twi#CBP is proud to announce that Falfurrias #Borde 2016-10-16 7048 83 0.01178 654931000https://twiDYK #CBP officers in Buffalo processed 20% more 2017-01-23 17210 120 0.00697 285397000https://twi#CBPTrade IN BRUSSELS—#CBP & @WCO_ 2017-01-24 26499 178 0.00672 128788000https://twiSugar, oh honey, honey! A #CBP lab scientist ana 2017-06-13 5408 93 0.01720 474142000https://twiTrusted Traveler programs make processing a sna 2017-07-11 5623 58 0.01031 586928000https://twiAt @iah, @HobbyAirport, @AUStinAirport, @flyS 2017-07-11 6493 92 0.01417 567600000https://twiVoting is now open for the #Sammies2017. You ca o 2017-07-13 5398 48 0.00889 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 644 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001767 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000400 490847000https://twi Voting is now open for the #Sammies2017. You can vote for CBP's nominees here: https://t.co/lKjp0ZUn6B https://t.co/MSaYDc5tHr 2017-07-19 5602 33 0.00589 109523000https://twiWhat do I do if the Global Entry enrollment cente 2017-07-21 5649 116 0.02053 037896000https://twiProductive meeting w/ @NYNJFFFBA @LIIEAINFO 2017-07-2 5227 73 0.01397 712392000https://twiStay up to date on your #CBP job application statu 2017-07-29 6007 102 0.01698 040297000https://twi Get familiar navigating the automated brokers exam here: https://t.co/mDJHC6lk8O Click on Sample Custom Broker Electronic Exam #CBPTrade https://t.co/khnEqTrmiU 2017-08-08 4907 67 0.01365 554264000https://twi#CBP reminds travelers to apply for #ESTA throug 2017-08-15 5211 86 0.01650 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 645 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001768 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000401 272799000https://twi My package is lost or missing, does #CBP have it? Get answers to questions like these and more at our info center. https://t.co/ptk8DepL6q https://t.co/Hd1ihlm5XV 2017-08-23 5366 116 0.02162 159265000https://twiAir and Marine Operation agents rescue three dis 2017-08-23 6569 123 0.01872 106440000https://twi#CBP Deputy Comm. Kevin McAleenan spoke abo 2016-10-05 7030 96 0.01366 500097000https://twiThe award honors Falfurrias #USBP Station’s e 2016-10-16 8814 124 0.01407 253657000https://twiMore than 1,700 flights from @Arlanda carrying n 2016-11-08 10802 176 0.01629 460426000https://twi#CBPTrade’s in Brussels to co-chair @WCO_O 2017-01-23 17525 59 0.00337 604728000https://twiCBP holds the User Fee Advisory Committee meet 2017-03-15 11981 49 0.00409 049988000https://twiWhat is changing with drawback simplification? F 2017-05-05 10322 61 0.00591 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 646 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001769 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000402 301754000https://twi In this CBPeople, meet John Griffiths. He shares what made him interested in becoming a Civil War re-enactor. https://t.co/1YMRbYVHJ1 2017-07-05 6232 44 0.00706 082732000https://twiAs State & Local LE work on threats in your c2017-07-29 6532 47 0.00720 308215000https://twiOnline shopping is supposed to make life easier b 2017-08-0 4687 51 0.01088 192260000https://twi Get familiar navigating the automated brokers exam here: https://t.co/mDJHC6lk8O Click on Sample Custom Broker Electronic Exam #CBPTrade https://t.co/vg4c40rm0P 2017-08-22 5447 50 0.00918 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 647 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001770 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000403 087281000https://twi Voting is now open for the #Sammies2017. You can vote for CBP's nominees here: https://t.co/lKjp0ZUn6B https://t.co/MSaYDc5tHr 2017-08-30 9892 71 0.00718 107777000https://twi My package is lost or missing, does #CBP have it? Get answers to questions like these and more at our info center. https://t.co/ptk8DeHmv0 https://t.co/pfsjKHUgyR 2017-09-03 6665 227 0.03406 259991000https://twiGet the latest Forced Labor news with the #CBP R 2017-09-06 4319 26 0.00602 502211000https://twiAG @LorettaLynch thanked the men and women 2017-01-12 10589 119 0.01124 306377000https://twiThanks @MexicoInstitute for today’s engagem 2017-06-14 8948 43 0.00481 758456000https://twiOnline shopping is supposed to make life easier b 2017-07-14 5020 37 0.00737 561401000https://twiMoving to the US? #DYK you can import many ho 2017-09-05 4781 118 0.02468 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 648 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001771 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000404 184471000https://twi@jimkoford James, if you'd like apply, just list you 2017-03-08 1697 44 0.02593 565218000https://twi@NoahKoch We take all complaints seriously. You 2017-06-12 468 17 0.03632 186870000https://twi#CBP announces Quarterly Interest Rates in #Fede 2017-08-03 5884 49 0.00833 590112000https://twi@maxairways We take all complaints seriously. Yo 2017-04-26 1252 17 0.01358 086952000https://twi@RichardvDev Sorry you had trouble. DHS recom 2017-04-2 1125 19 0.01689 546227000https://twi@chezzaholt working on our end. Try now. https:/2017-06-01 684 29 0.04240 335145000https://twi r @fedamoon Info on bringing meat into the US ca 2017-06-09 467 4 0.00857 335230000https://twi @fredamoon For specific information you need to reach out to @USDAAphis Customer Service Call Center 1-844-820-2234 Monday-Friday/8:30am to 5:00pm ET 2017-06-09 435 0 0 945473000https://twi@sdotglass Please find more info here: https://t.c2017-07-19 763 11 0.01442 199930000https://twi@ArtooSwickToo @cnnbrk @ArtooSwickToo CBP 2017-08-02 1150 64 0.05565 608134000https://twi@WillGriffith91 Apply now. 2017-08-08 621 39 0.06280 081044000https://twi @aeronautic1 Tips on illegal activity can be reported here: https://t.co/dIM6y2NUkR 2017-08-15 560 7 0.0125 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 649 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001772 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000405 retweets replies likes user profile url clicks hashtag clidetail expapermalink app opens app installs 1226 99 2364 365 40 56 1168 6 0 0 859 83 1402 500 0 58 1546 3 0 0 508 41 1034 122 58 22 289 3 0 0 494 30 1042 138 25 36 603 2 0 0 492 81 883 359 192 0 2243 2 0 0 467 83 1011 396 62 80 2113 11 0 0 387 46 546 161 310 0 934 0 0 0 326 33 761 66 166 50 373 1 0 0 323 50 435 68 11 12 281 1 0 0 297 30 201 563 0 165 2227 11 0 0 257 50 335 75 18 19 276 0 0 0 253 8 515 59 42 0 213 0 0 0 237 19 217 144 1334 0 781 1 0 0 221 10 506 28 17 5 109 1 0 0 219 12 417 52 25 15 169 1 0 0 204 24 230 50 7 5 393 2 0 0 202 29 270 84 57 0 297 1 0 0 184 13 204 38 11 0 129 1 0 0 176 23 152 61 596 9 588 0 0 0 173 234 429 1145 0 0 6343 5 0 0 153 27 194 36 140 0 221 2 0 0 150 27 343 39 26 7 326 0 0 0 146 5 331 35 17 5 59 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 650 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001773 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000406 139 12 148 20 82 1 109 1 0 0 137 14 363 31 89 19 101 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 651 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001774 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000407 131 23 179 41 198 19 162 0 0 0 127 18 421 187 59 24 400 0 0 0 123 15 158 112 515 28 864 0 0 0 121 12 206 19 0 17 49 0 0 0 119 35 141 38 146 0 311 1 0 0 119 16 221 33 24 0 123 0 0 0 118 13 264 28 5 5 117 0 0 0 116 2 211 43 27 35 98 0 0 0 116 10 260 29 4 12 81 1 0 0 113 14 217 14 114 9 98 0 0 0 111 11 220 34 42 11 77 1 0 0 109 9 143 41 37 56 141 0 0 0 107 12 167 33 63 10 64 0 0 0 104 13 207 45 89 0 140 0 0 0 103 7 185 57 38 25 212 1 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 652 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001775 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000408 101 3 178 61 83 13 201 1 0 0 99 896 336 371 78 75 4359 37 0 0 93 8 177 23 73 7 54 0 0 0 91 3 116 32 53 0 130 0 0 0 90 8 216 25 11 7 65 0 0 0 90 7 217 35 11 11 100 0 0 0 89 4 71 41 219 2 167 0 0 0 87 16 175 36 112 4 138 0 0 0 85 9 95 40 152 0 249 0 2 0 84 39 187 47 92 8 191 0 0 0 83 34 113 29 179 11 278 0 0 0 83 9 76 8 146 13 112 0 0 0 83 12 206 28 7 7 110 2 0 0 82 4 158 43 58 7 254 0 0 0 80 18 172 87 18 32 454 1 0 0 80 7 110 25 15 25 84 0 0 0 80 27 92 122 156 56 928 14 0 0 78 4 144 24 42 0 112 0 0 0 77 12 195 54 10 5 157 0 0 0 77 5 88 27 83 0 128 1 0 0 76 3 107 48 0 0 156 1 0 0 76 4 198 34 8 17 74 0 0 0 74 7 161 50 64 9 128 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 653 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001776 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000409 72 9 146 30 5 34 86 0 0 0 72 5 112 21 78 9 145 0 0 0 71 8 72 16 2 6 56 0 0 0 71 3 83 6 102 7 79 0 0 0 69 5 107 45 97 10 300 0 1 0 68 3 154 22 57 1 72 0 0 0 68 1 131 14 87 7 105 0 0 0 67 2 91 27 81 23 90 1 0 0 67 3 138 28 29 5 54 0 0 0 67 10 187 19 15 6 63 0 0 0 66 3 171 24 3 6 72 0 0 0 65 4 151 19 19 16 38 0 0 0 65 3 75 135 210 24 1288 1 0 0 65 13 156 24 8 0 71 0 0 0 65 0 84 5 34 3 22 0 0 0 64 13 153 34 72 17 123 0 0 0 64 13 134 30 105 15 96 1 0 0 64 16 96 38 178 0 194 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 654 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001777 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000410 64 11 76 123 239 0 1324 1 0 0 63 8 105 21 119 8 100 0 0 0 63 9 99 16 166 3 138 0 0 0 62 8 81 74 162 26 383 1 0 0 62 3 92 12 7 4 19 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 655 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001778 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000411 62 3 114 26 43 6 67 0 0 0 61 6 82 17 59 4 38 0 0 0 60 2 132 27 16 19 203 0 0 0 60 4 84 31 153 0 102 2 0 0 60 4 111 11 36 1 52 0 0 0 59 41 56 80 131 26 411 2 0 0 59 5 118 27 50 0 47 0 0 0 59 4 123 14 4 0 59 0 0 0 59 2 114 34 63 1 70 0 0 0 58 4 102 14 81 3 35 0 0 0 58 4 67 49 105 6 309 0 0 0 58 5 96 79 32 8 249 0 0 0 58 18 107 51 200 32 188 0 0 0 58 9 71 10 59 0 78 0 0 0 58 3 68 15 19 4 46 0 0 0 58 2 114 6 3 1 44 1 0 0 57 5 78 39 7 17 52 0 0 0 56 8 39 33 188 22 473 1 0 0 56 11 107 16 79 0 59 1 0 0 56 3 58 5 62 2 61 1 0 0 55 3 77 12 4 8 53 0 0 0 55 7 80 10 41 4 41 0 0 0 55 3 95 9 20 0 35 0 0 0 54 1 140 30 34 0 113 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 656 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001779 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000412 54 6 85 32 38 0 120 1 0 0 53 1 126 16 53 3 43 0 0 0 53 5 61 11 21 0 45 0 0 0 53 5 94 9 31 4 30 1 0 0 53 5 98 6 7 1 19 1 0 0 52 9 69 47 174 0 302 1 0 0 52 64 155 133 115 108 1998 8 0 0 52 8 62 83 138 7 372 4 0 0 52 5 79 10 34 16 35 0 0 0 52 1 87 12 1 0 40 0 0 0 51 4 72 45 54 27 198 0 0 0 51 6 87 28 147 14 78 0 0 0 51 12 97 29 95 4 147 0 0 0 51 7 116 22 104 20 62 0 0 0 51 11 106 13 20 3 63 0 0 0 51 12 99 14 40 2 44 1 0 0 51 3 106 6 6 3 23 0 0 0 51 5 115 14 11 0 94 0 0 0 51 5 97 10 21 0 38 0 0 0 51 7 130 42 95 0 107 0 0 0 50 5 100 19 31 7 53 0 0 0 50 6 40 41 368 48 525 1 0 0 50 9 104 14 57 4 98 1 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 657 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001780 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000413 50 6 73 9 36 9 24 0 0 0 50 2 68 11 20 0 75 0 0 0 50 4 91 8 26 0 39 0 0 0 50 5 59 45 32 0 149 0 0 0 49 4 73 19 3 20 70 0 0 0 49 0 72 12 9 9 202 0 0 0 49 6 93 28 146 5 169 0 0 0 49 1 78 12 40 7 51 0 0 0 49 6 101 5 0 3 26 1 0 0 49 1 109 13 15 14 36 0 0 0 48 7 105 41 2 1 108 1 0 0 48 5 56 14 61 5 67 0 0 0 48 5 118 4 27 3 52 0 0 0 48 5 58 13 40 1 54 0 0 0 48 2 54 21 51 8 134 1 0 0 47 11 84 44 127 8 330 0 0 0 47 4 66 11 89 30 181 0 0 0 47 4 104 13 44 11 46 0 0 0 47 11 78 18 65 14 83 0 0 0 47 4 74 2 1 2 26 0 0 0 47 7 70 10 13 0 44 0 0 0 47 1 50 13 12 0 26 0 0 0 46 0 53 11 84 0 33 0 0 0 46 2 63 21 97 0 88 0 0 0 46 2 95 7 26 0 156 0 0 0 46 7 52 8 89 1 50 0 0 0 45 0 72 23 52 6 50 0 0 0 45 4 67 9 74 3 48 1 0 0 45 1 92 15 14 2 31 0 0 0 45 6 65 31 77 0 166 2 0 0 44 5 51 49 134 20 318 2 0 0 44 3 36 19 121 4 85 0 0 0 44 2 103 13 4 17 49 1 0 0 44 4 110 44 24 11 89 0 0 0 44 3 91 17 64 9 49 1 0 0 44 4 109 11 101 2 119 0 0 0 44 1 90 8 14 5 46 0 0 0 44 5 57 12 89 0 47 1 0 0 44 4 50 11 73 2 39 0 0 0 43 7 69 28 8 17 187 0 0 0 43 1 90 3 8 4 32 0 0 0 43 6 92 16 32 6 81 0 0 0 43 21 131 50 0 0 299 3 0 0 42 1 47 14 64 1 64 0 0 0 42 0 50 22 29 4 35 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 658 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001781 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000414 41 5 135 24 59 3 140 0 0 0 41 7 71 9 55 8 51 0 0 0 40 6 119 9 59 0 31 0 0 0 40 6 80 24 282 29 322 1 0 0 40 6 53 44 87 12 208 0 0 0 40 2 46 18 158 6 158 0 0 0 40 8 150 53 15 21 160 0 0 0 40 7 105 12 3 4 52 0 0 0 40 3 79 6 9 3 13 0 0 0 40 3 54 17 61 1 59 2 0 0 39 5 65 13 87 2 38 0 0 0 39 5 83 7 51 2 35 0 0 0 39 3 102 15 9 2 32 0 0 0 39 4 58 9 25 7 53 1 0 0 39 2 53 8 105 0 38 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 659 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001782 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000415 39 9 46 16 353 69 291 2 0 0 39 5 40 17 0 0 74 0 0 0 39 6 124 16 8 0 48 0 0 0 38 2 39 20 121 6 330 0 0 0 38 6 53 48 163 20 401 0 0 0 38 1 39 13 54 5 54 0 0 0 38 3 40 16 41 3 80 0 1 0 38 10 51 12 74 0 62 0 0 0 38 9 45 6 107 0 80 0 0 0 38 2 69 10 25 9 38 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 660 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001783 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000416 38 6 43 6 40 9 74 0 0 0 38 6 71 13 68 0 83 0 0 0 37 3 112 20 63 4 66 0 0 0 37 2 48 13 8 5 44 0 0 0 37 5 70 9 67 2 28 1 0 0 37 5 48 8 27 0 49 1 0 0 36 1 37 11 49 2 33 0 0 0 36 5 107 20 42 2 71 0 0 0 36 6 38 18 321 0 177 3 0 0 36 0 80 6 16 9 36 0 0 0 36 5 64 7 6 2 27 0 0 0 36 4 95 8 31 6 29 0 0 0 36 4 73 20 62 7 28 1 0 0 36 4 87 18 5 8 65 0 0 0 35 7 98 22 53 26 86 1 0 0 35 3 41 2 29 1 18 0 0 0 35 1 68 5 25 5 38 0 0 0 35 5 72 10 0 1 27 0 0 0 35 6 89 6 30 2 49 0 0 0 35 8 57 6 22 0 37 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 661 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001784 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000417 35 5 89 6 61 1 28 0 0 0 35 2 56 8 96 0 101 0 0 0 34 2 52 9 5 7 52 0 0 0 34 2 62 22 31 2 66 0 0 0 34 5 54 26 59 20 197 0 0 0 34 5 60 14 45 3 72 0 0 0 34 5 41 8 50 5 55 0 0 0 34 4 93 13 4 0 42 2 0 0 33 0 53 14 196 14 72 0 0 0 33 0 36 4 57 0 31 0 0 0 33 2 39 25 124 10 96 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 662 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001785 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000418 33 7 49 6 41 2 32 0 0 0 33 9 45 1 24 1 27 0 0 0 33 4 61 8 22 5 45 0 0 0 33 2 47 5 28 1 18 0 0 0 33 4 32 9 8 0 53 0 0 0 33 9 47 30 27 4 47 0 0 0 33 2 29 5 35 0 30 0 0 0 33 4 53 6 20 4 11 0 0 0 33 2 38 11 15 0 67 0 0 0 32 8 48 35 236 27 493 1 0 0 32 1 98 22 68 3 69 1 0 0 32 37 23 107 315 0 703 1 0 0 32 1 37 7 159 0 70 0 0 0 32 4 52 10 112 5 52 1 0 0 32 3 49 18 43 1 52 0 0 0 32 4 41 9 63 4 56 0 0 0 31 5 49 9 67 0 23 0 0 0 31 2 63 5 33 0 30 0 0 0 31 3 81 11 12 13 42 0 0 0 31 5 44 10 29 9 39 1 0 0 31 1 75 9 54 1 25 0 0 0 31 4 40 6 25 1 66 0 0 0 31 4 65 32 47 0 75 1 0 0 31 2 56 5 24 6 17 0 0 0 31 2 55 9 33 7 28 0 0 0 31 6 39 34 23 0 84 1 0 0 31 2 78 14 26 12 59 0 0 0 30 2 27 7 21 6 76 0 3 0 30 6 40 8 110 3 33 0 0 0 30 0 28 10 28 10 59 0 0 0 30 0 22 7 42 10 26 0 0 0 30 3 64 10 30 10 32 0 0 0 30 2 116 3 19 10 39 0 0 0 30 6 77 11 11 2 48 0 0 0 30 1 59 3 75 0 42 0 0 0 29 1 53 15 9 3 43 0 0 0 29 2 67 6 9 8 19 0 0 0 29 5 96 13 14 3 54 0 0 0 29 2 44 5 5 3 13 0 0 0 29 3 71 7 5 1 24 1 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 663 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001786 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000419 29 3 49 4 18 2 24 0 0 0 29 2 36 8 7 10 35 0 0 0 29 5 61 12 77 0 90 0 0 0 29 2 90 18 20 0 69 0 0 0 29 1 53 9 32 1 43 0 0 0 29 7 53 15 67 0 63 0 0 0 29 2 55 11 61 1 72 0 0 0 29 6 47 7 15 0 46 0 0 0 28 0 20 11 115 4 62 0 0 0 28 2 25 5 36 7 15 0 0 0 28 2 35 31 0 114 73 0 0 0 28 3 48 14 54 7 117 0 0 0 28 2 65 3 50 1 76 0 0 0 28 2 71 13 8 6 95 0 0 0 28 3 68 7 12 7 41 0 0 0 28 2 45 21 71 0 78 1 0 0 28 1 35 7 0 0 27 1 0 0 28 3 54 8 6 2 47 1 0 0 28 1 45 10 54 0 29 0 0 0 28 0 41 5 24 2 42 0 0 0 28 3 45 11 125 6 72 0 0 0 28 4 45 7 52 5 49 0 0 0 28 0 45 29 0 0 76 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 664 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001787 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000420 27 4 80 5 13 0 29 0 0 0 27 3 30 21 74 3 59 0 0 0 27 6 62 18 67 1 50 2 0 0 27 0 34 17 75 10 201 0 0 0 27 4 50 14 63 10 79 0 0 0 27 5 56 10 36 9 24 0 0 0 27 5 26 3 130 30 46 0 0 0 27 3 29 5 35 0 22 0 0 0 27 0 27 8 19 6 18 0 0 0 27 2 36 8 4 4 20 0 0 0 27 0 44 3 17 3 50 0 0 0 26 8 33 7 79 12 58 0 0 0 26 2 30 7 57 14 59 0 0 0 26 3 47 9 19 0 46 0 0 0 26 1 76 7 5 0 25 0 0 0 26 2 85 10 16 3 18 0 0 0 26 8 35 5 40 0 35 0 0 0 26 3 58 7 33 2 21 1 0 0 26 5 48 10 42 7 34 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 665 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001788 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000421 26 0 40 5 7 3 28 0 0 0 26 8 61 4 3 2 29 0 0 0 26 0 63 12 3 3 107 0 0 0 26 2 30 6 36 0 44 0 0 0 26 1 66 10 21 9 34 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 666 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001789 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000422 26 5 45 12 58 5 45 0 0 0 26 2 26 25 91 0 69 0 0 0 26 6 40 14 16 0 58 0 0 0 25 2 26 7 21 6 24 0 0 0 25 0 49 5 5 1 14 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 667 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001790 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000423 25 1 27 8 115 10 41 0 0 0 25 0 59 12 53 6 67 0 0 0 25 1 31 8 61 10 46 0 0 0 25 6 21 9 138 0 137 0 0 0 25 7 81 6 26 2 21 1 0 0 25 3 22 7 30 7 57 0 0 0 25 3 39 8 3 4 26 0 0 0 25 2 47 9 15 0 33 0 0 0 25 2 67 12 24 2 34 0 0 0 25 1 35 16 53 0 29 1 0 0 25 1 37 5 53 6 44 0 0 0 25 3 65 12 30 1 43 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 668 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001791 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000424 25 4 86 19 0 3 65 0 0 0 25 0 65 8 21 5 19 0 0 0 25 1 22 10 34 8 70 0 0 0 24 1 49 0 37 1 19 1 0 0 24 1 46 11 15 10 10 0 0 0 24 3 27 13 58 7 33 0 0 0 24 7 41 22 29 1 73 0 0 0 24 3 37 23 98 13 118 0 0 0 24 0 50 11 55 6 41 0 0 0 24 3 35 7 11 2 28 1 0 0 24 2 48 11 23 0 25 0 0 0 24 2 63 6 35 1 34 0 0 0 24 6 40 4 8 3 13 0 0 0 24 0 50 8 30 1 25 0 0 0 24 2 40 6 39 1 28 0 0 0 24 2 64 21 0 0 81 0 0 0 23 4 23 14 58 2 102 0 0 0 23 4 52 21 11 0 39 0 0 0 23 3 23 15 85 11 257 1 0 0 23 5 40 51 89 5 235 1 0 0 23 2 20 3 9 8 29 0 0 0 23 2 9 19 260 23 157 1 0 0 23 11 44 30 18 11 166 1 0 0 23 3 35 15 39 17 39 1 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 669 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001792 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000425 23 3 55 13 5 1 36 0 0 0 23 0 61 13 14 7 41 0 0 0 23 1 40 7 42 4 33 0 0 0 23 2 34 8 12 2 45 0 0 0 23 4 49 12 30 12 35 1 0 0 23 1 22 2 2 0 18 0 0 0 23 4 73 7 34 2 24 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 670 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001793 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000426 23 4 34 12 136 3 86 1 0 0 23 10 66 13 31 0 51 0 0 0 23 1 52 4 1 4 18 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 671 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001794 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000427 23 0 37 1 50 1 19 0 0 0 22 2 30 5 8 4 14 0 0 0 22 2 53 14 27 2 13 0 0 0 22 1 34 4 40 3 12 0 0 0 22 3 23 17 42 7 112 0 0 0 22 5 22 13 15 4 76 1 0 0 22 3 52 11 28 5 78 0 0 0 22 2 44 11 2 9 40 0 0 0 22 4 46 10 8 5 69 0 0 0 22 1 46 4 36 4 23 0 1 0 22 0 31 6 109 0 29 0 0 0 22 0 38 5 38 11 35 0 0 0 22 3 21 5 28 0 18 0 0 0 22 1 40 10 31 2 51 0 2 0 22 4 55 9 60 0 43 0 0 0 21 0 18 10 72 2 22 0 0 0 21 6 53 8 19 19 19 0 0 0 21 1 39 8 124 11 30 0 0 0 21 1 53 44 36 47 145 0 0 0 21 5 54 21 35 8 71 0 0 0 21 1 30 9 34 9 57 0 0 0 21 0 34 7 12 0 25 1 0 0 21 2 51 23 21 2 93 0 0 0 21 1 60 6 4 7 45 0 0 0 21 4 64 6 8 2 56 0 0 0 21 6 39 9 13 8 56 0 0 0 21 3 59 11 50 0 51 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 672 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001795 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000428 21 0 26 1 16 0 11 0 0 0 21 1 43 5 25 16 33 0 0 0 21 0 26 7 21 6 31 1 0 0 21 0 43 2 9 5 31 0 0 0 21 2 55 17 0 0 40 0 0 0 21 5 24 3 7 5 24 0 0 0 21 2 75 4 17 4 21 0 0 0 21 3 27 4 4 2 48 0 0 0 21 2 24 4 31 5 38 1 0 0 21 6 33 9 69 3 21 0 0 0 21 6 28 12 25 4 89 1 0 0 21 3 26 3 20 0 28 0 0 0 21 1 41 6 0 4 17 0 0 0 21 2 43 8 21 4 21 0 0 0 21 3 26 20 86 10 40 0 0 0 21 0 23 7 17 5 16 0 0 0 20 2 39 3 25 0 33 1 0 0 20 2 34 6 43 1 23 0 0 0 20 2 48 12 34 9 28 0 0 0 20 1 33 7 14 4 13 0 0 0 20 5 35 3 7 9 12 0 0 0 20 2 20 4 4 17 12 0 0 0 20 1 24 3 68 7 30 0 0 0 20 4 28 10 0 0 26 0 0 0 20 4 47 5 15 0 32 0 0 0 20 3 43 10 10 4 35 1 0 0 20 1 45 6 3 6 23 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 673 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001796 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000429 20 4 32 4 0 3 32 0 0 0 20 2 25 2 20 0 35 0 0 0 20 0 32 1 32 8 21 0 0 0 20 1 30 8 1 3 30 0 0 0 20 0 18 4 2 1 9 0 0 0 20 0 27 5 38 0 14 0 0 0 20 3 23 1 40 0 20 0 0 0 20 0 49 11 52 18 30 0 0 0 20 12 41 5 5 9 29 0 0 0 20 4 76 5 6 2 28 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 674 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001797 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000430 20 2 65 9 46 9 25 0 0 0 20 3 43 5 41 1 45 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 675 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001798 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000431 20 4 46 13 26 5 24 0 0 0 20 0 29 8 28 9 21 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 676 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001799 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000432 19 1 16 2 8 4 5 0 0 0 19 1 17 9 130 0 26 0 0 0 19 1 28 23 107 13 64 0 0 0 19 0 23 8 70 3 50 0 0 0 19 2 36 11 17 28 81 0 0 0 19 1 31 58 2 11 55 0 0 0 19 3 43 17 19 1 59 1 0 0 19 1 38 13 2 2 11 0 0 0 19 3 30 9 41 3 35 0 0 0 19 4 21 12 57 3 32 1 0 0 19 1 37 20 11 33 80 0 0 0 19 5 31 7 19 17 27 0 0 0 19 3 23 3 4 2 27 0 0 0 19 0 48 6 21 1 15 1 0 0 19 4 30 3 2 1 21 0 0 0 19 0 20 6 45 0 28 0 0 0 19 1 33 6 17 0 25 0 0 0 19 5 34 14 82 0 103 0 0 0 19 1 32 3 42 9 18 0 0 0 19 1 58 8 35 0 57 0 0 0 19 0 27 2 2 1 13 0 0 0 19 1 44 1 2 3 15 0 0 0 18 3 63 8 33 0 20 0 0 0 18 1 19 5 9 0 31 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 677 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001800 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000433 18 0 8 7 27 7 11 0 0 0 18 0 26 7 24 0 23 0 0 0 18 1 19 3 0 2 20 0 0 0 18 1 23 5 32 1 16 0 0 0 18 0 13 8 33 8 18 0 0 0 18 0 37 8 124 10 73 1 0 0 18 0 23 8 104 6 68 0 0 0 18 3 42 14 19 0 43 1 0 0 18 1 19 6 38 1 25 0 0 0 18 5 20 4 53 0 76 0 0 0 18 9 25 8 6 4 123 0 1 0 18 2 26 9 5 0 15 0 0 0 18 0 32 4 9 7 23 0 0 0 18 3 41 2 23 0 36 0 0 0 18 0 28 4 14 0 21 0 0 0 18 1 21 6 24 5 42 0 0 0 18 4 28 4 66 0 100 1 0 0 18 2 31 6 13 0 39 1 0 0 18 1 19 6 4 6 27 0 0 0 18 5 21 6 24 0 28 0 0 0 18 1 16 3 42 0 39 0 0 0 18 0 17 2 18 0 14 0 0 0 18 1 22 4 14 1 24 0 0 0 18 2 43 9 5 2 21 0 0 0 18 5 24 3 34 0 28 0 0 0 18 1 30 10 0 0 27 0 0 0 18 0 36 1 9 0 24 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 678 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001801 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000434 17 0 22 6 33 7 14 0 0 0 17 1 35 1 6 0 20 0 0 0 17 0 24 5 3 16 7 1 0 0 17 1 38 4 12 3 18 0 0 0 17 3 35 7 59 0 39 0 0 0 17 4 33 8 24 1 23 0 0 0 17 1 44 29 5 2 37 0 0 0 17 0 23 6 0 6 24 0 0 0 17 3 41 6 7 2 24 0 0 0 17 3 21 8 53 8 32 0 0 0 17 1 27 5 0 1 22 1 0 0 17 1 57 8 0 2 30 0 0 0 17 2 58 2 10 1 14 0 0 0 17 1 26 10 41 9 35 0 0 0 17 2 23 2 13 2 25 0 0 0 17 2 36 3 21 0 16 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 679 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001802 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000435 17 1 45 6 32 4 19 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 680 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001803 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000436 17 4 27 7 22 3 25 0 0 0 17 5 23 45 0 0 95 0 0 0 17 1 32 5 7 0 23 0 0 0 16 2 22 9 6 0 28 0 0 0 16 1 39 1 20 3 13 0 0 0 16 2 19 6 16 19 17 0 0 0 16 0 19 6 40 5 16 0 0 0 16 2 29 28 59 6 100 0 0 0 16 1 27 13 37 7 76 0 0 0 16 0 20 7 31 6 45 0 0 0 16 0 47 8 22 0 32 0 0 0 16 3 36 3 5 7 52 0 0 0 16 0 27 3 4 0 26 0 0 0 16 4 21 6 3 0 54 0 0 0 16 5 20 11 27 13 26 0 0 0 16 2 70 11 6 7 11 0 0 0 16 1 32 4 12 0 21 1 0 0 16 1 28 3 20 0 23 0 0 0 16 1 24 4 10 0 15 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 681 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001804 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000437 16 2 33 11 49 6 26 0 0 0 16 1 19 0 33 0 22 0 0 0 16 0 26 8 32 8 36 1 0 0 16 1 48 18 2 0 41 0 0 0 16 1 36 5 49 5 39 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 682 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001805 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000438 16 0 42 7 0 0 20 0 0 0 16 2 25 13 0 0 25 0 0 0 16 2 33 25 0 0 55 0 0 0 16 1 25 22 0 5 41 0 0 0 16 2 46 5 6 0 9 0 0 0 15 0 10 1 46 0 13 0 0 0 15 1 16 4 14 0 13 0 0 0 15 4 32 1 45 7 23 0 0 0 15 3 55 5 65 2 26 0 0 0 15 1 15 5 57 0 18 0 0 0 15 6 49 5 49 0 46 0 0 0 15 1 35 6 9 0 40 1 0 0 15 0 23 2 24 0 16 0 0 0 15 3 44 8 7 4 33 0 0 0 15 1 20 8 60 0 33 0 0 0 15 0 15 4 18 0 28 0 0 0 15 1 17 3 6 0 14 0 0 0 15 3 24 7 73 1 43 0 0 0 15 1 30 5 84 0 25 0 0 0 15 9 27 11 11 4 26 1 0 0 15 0 22 5 47 4 23 0 0 0 15 3 22 18 69 0 118 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 683 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001806 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000439 15 0 54 5 13 0 25 0 0 0 15 1 26 4 8 0 10 0 0 0 15 0 24 3 21 0 9 0 0 0 15 1 37 1 0 2 37 0 0 0 15 2 71 5 41 6 35 0 0 0 15 3 30 12 15 3 69 0 0 0 15 2 44 6 58 7 91 0 0 0 14 2 19 3 33 1 13 0 0 0 14 3 19 8 30 6 21 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 684 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001807 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000440 14 0 21 31 59 2 22 1 0 0 14 0 15 6 0 1 17 0 1 0 14 1 12 12 59 2 28 0 0 0 14 0 35 4 26 0 24 0 0 0 14 3 48 13 16 7 35 0 0 0 14 0 30 14 53 4 74 0 0 0 14 4 31 39 0 0 112 0 0 0 14 0 25 5 17 2 30 0 0 0 14 2 25 5 41 0 45 0 0 0 14 1 30 7 19 2 26 0 0 0 14 1 23 4 19 1 23 0 0 0 14 1 24 5 22 7 29 0 0 0 14 2 19 10 159 13 48 1 0 0 14 3 19 11 30 5 68 0 0 0 14 8 21 4 35 0 56 0 0 0 14 1 33 72 0 0 129 4 0 0 14 2 32 1 5 0 20 0 0 0 14 2 19 19 16 7 30 1 0 0 14 1 35 4 3 6 21 0 0 0 14 1 10 1 7 0 16 0 0 0 14 1 36 2 4 0 16 0 0 0 14 0 23 5 5 0 19 0 0 0 14 4 14 2 20 1 34 0 0 0 14 2 44 5 7 1 15 0 0 0 14 0 34 3 14 1 30 0 0 0 14 4 41 4 58 5 63 0 0 0 14 1 12 3 6 0 27 0 0 0 13 1 14 10 81 12 19 0 0 0 13 3 21 3 5 2 23 0 0 0 13 2 14 6 34 6 23 0 0 0 13 2 8 7 36 0 22 1 0 0 13 1 13 6 6 21 15 0 0 0 13 1 27 2 23 0 11 0 0 0 13 1 30 6 7 3 43 0 0 0 13 8 6 11 47 18 39 0 0 0 13 2 28 3 66 1 58 0 0 0 13 6 25 4 67 0 35 0 0 0 13 3 29 7 15 4 47 0 0 0 13 1 20 4 0 0 25 0 0 0 13 2 25 7 8 6 12 0 0 0 13 1 14 3 17 0 16 0 0 0 13 7 44 6 10 6 23 1 0 0 13 1 24 6 10 0 13 0 0 0 13 1 45 8 5 3 25 1 0 0 13 2 19 3 47 7 15 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 685 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001808 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000441 13 3 16 11 19 1 18 0 0 0 13 3 74 5 5 1 13 0 0 0 13 1 23 5 29 0 19 0 0 0 13 1 17 5 21 0 33 0 0 0 13 1 32 2 13 1 26 0 0 0 13 4 24 6 39 0 27 0 0 0 13 1 37 2 29 0 37 0 0 0 13 0 33 2 20 4 8 0 0 0 13 2 28 4 18 1 15 0 0 0 13 0 27 16 0 0 40 0 0 0 13 0 14 3 8 0 22 0 0 0 12 2 22 5 36 0 25 0 0 0 12 1 10 0 25 1 11 0 0 0 12 0 23 2 8 0 3 0 0 0 12 1 15 7 5 0 24 0 0 0 12 3 16 4 25 0 46 0 0 0 12 1 27 9 26 6 32 1 0 0 12 1 46 2 20 0 27 0 0 0 12 3 30 4 4 6 25 0 0 0 12 0 12 6 10 7 17 0 0 0 12 0 22 4 22 9 21 0 0 0 12 1 25 1 5 2 24 0 0 0 12 1 13 5 1 7 34 0 0 0 12 3 11 6 29 2 29 0 0 0 12 0 12 4 20 0 13 0 0 0 12 2 17 4 32 4 34 0 0 0 12 3 15 5 32 0 41 1 0 0 12 3 31 4 0 4 23 0 0 0 12 1 20 9 29 0 19 0 0 0 12 1 18 3 3 6 15 0 0 0 12 4 24 3 54 1 35 1 0 0 12 0 24 5 16 0 13 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 686 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001809 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000442 12 2 32 7 43 9 21 0 0 0 12 1 12 3 17 3 15 0 0 0 12 1 29 4 10 3 15 0 0 0 12 0 19 7 29 0 30 0 0 0 12 2 49 26 55 9 57 0 0 0 12 1 10 3 17 0 17 0 0 0 11 1 14 3 20 1 18 0 0 0 11 1 15 3 52 0 21 0 0 0 11 1 18 10 26 13 27 0 0 0 11 2 12 2 27 2 14 0 0 0 11 0 17 10 41 0 16 0 0 0 11 0 9 5 0 18 14 0 0 0 11 1 19 10 98 4 67 0 0 0 11 3 19 11 32 5 57 0 0 0 11 1 22 4 0 3 17 0 0 0 11 1 27 5 24 3 33 0 0 0 11 0 16 4 27 2 23 0 0 0 11 0 13 5 7 0 14 0 0 0 11 4 25 19 35 0 31 0 0 0 11 1 10 2 8 0 9 0 0 0 11 4 21 0 12 3 8 1 0 0 11 3 45 7 39 5 76 0 0 0 11 2 17 4 7 7 19 0 0 0 11 0 18 4 3 2 19 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 687 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001810 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000443 11 1 32 8 1 1 23 0 0 0 11 2 12 3 16 0 17 0 0 0 11 1 21 5 2 7 20 0 0 0 11 3 31 0 0 2 7 0 0 0 11 1 20 5 38 3 10 0 0 0 11 1 16 5 5 0 15 0 0 0 11 1 18 1 27 0 10 0 0 0 11 3 29 7 14 0 13 0 0 0 11 1 19 5 54 4 19 0 0 0 11 0 31 1 21 1 21 0 0 0 11 0 12 2 15 0 17 0 0 0 11 0 21 29 1 1 20 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 688 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001811 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000444 11 1 24 7 21 5 30 0 0 0 11 1 55 9 34 4 25 0 0 0 11 2 19 15 0 0 29 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 689 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001812 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000445 10 1 32 5 19 0 21 0 0 0 10 1 33 1 25 3 13 0 0 0 10 1 4 4 24 0 9 0 0 0 10 1 2 6 18 10 4 0 0 0 10 2 13 6 26 5 51 0 0 0 10 0 6 6 59 3 14 0 0 0 10 1 25 1 10 1 9 0 0 0 10 0 21 4 58 5 23 0 0 0 10 1 20 7 23 0 18 0 0 0 10 0 15 8 26 5 16 0 0 0 10 3 27 5 42 0 32 0 0 0 10 0 8 0 8 1 4 0 0 0 10 2 9 1 0 2 14 0 0 0 10 1 17 2 17 0 15 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 690 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001813 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000446 10 1 23 3 20 0 13 0 0 0 10 0 15 5 1 4 15 0 0 0 10 5 19 2 19 0 17 0 0 0 10 0 11 9 16 2 14 0 0 0 10 0 32 3 3 0 8 0 0 0 10 2 19 6 64 7 53 0 0 0 10 1 18 2 10 1 20 0 0 0 10 1 15 4 1 1 9 0 0 0 10 0 22 1 20 0 28 0 0 0 9 1 22 1 24 0 11 0 0 0 9 1 23 13 5 17 9 0 0 0 9 1 10 4 25 4 22 0 0 0 9 0 11 4 17 3 11 0 0 0 9 3 32 9 69 3 49 0 0 0 9 3 22 6 42 8 66 0 0 0 9 3 29 7 22 3 65 0 0 0 9 0 17 8 15 6 30 0 0 0 9 1 31 6 14 11 19 0 0 0 9 2 11 5 0 8 14 0 0 0 9 2 23 4 0 4 12 0 0 0 9 0 11 8 11 3 14 0 0 0 9 0 21 8 23 0 17 0 0 0 9 2 11 5 3 1 39 0 0 0 9 0 15 0 5 0 27 0 0 0 9 1 26 7 2 0 18 0 0 0 9 1 13 5 4 14 21 0 0 0 9 0 19 2 4 8 13 0 0 0 9 0 13 2 5 0 21 0 0 0 9 1 15 2 3 0 8 1 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 691 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001814 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000447 9 0 15 11 11 0 78 0 0 0 9 0 25 2 14 3 15 0 0 0 9 0 25 2 10 0 9 0 0 0 9 2 25 5 19 0 15 0 0 0 9 3 16 3 33 18 23 0 0 0 9 1 17 3 17 3 26 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 692 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001815 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000448 9 1 9 3 20 0 17 0 0 0 9 1 30 1 13 1 11 0 0 0 9 1 19 6 0 3 11 0 0 0 9 0 13 4 27 0 24 0 0 0 9 2 20 1 8 0 14 0 0 0 9 4 21 3 56 0 40 0 0 0 9 0 13 7 6 0 22 0 0 0 8 4 24 1 10 1 15 0 0 0 8 0 8 2 1 0 16 0 0 0 8 0 6 5 16 6 8 0 0 0 8 0 13 7 12 0 9 0 0 0 8 1 8 5 12 12 12 0 0 0 8 0 15 5 16 6 25 0 0 0 8 3 14 14 268 40 115 0 0 0 8 2 19 12 0 36 48 0 0 0 8 1 20 37 8 0 122 0 0 0 8 1 26 3 7 6 13 0 0 0 8 1 36 4 53 1 39 0 0 0 8 0 11 3 10 2 15 0 0 0 8 2 23 4 16 2 44 0 0 0 8 0 13 3 19 3 7 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 693 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001816 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000449 8 1 18 3 5 0 20 0 0 0 8 5 23 7 30 1 44 0 0 0 8 2 12 3 16 0 13 0 0 0 8 2 20 2 0 4 22 1 0 0 8 1 14 0 4 0 6 0 0 0 8 0 19 0 11 0 13 0 0 0 8 5 8 5 58 0 31 0 0 0 8 1 25 3 1 2 29 0 0 0 8 0 11 3 9 5 16 0 0 0 FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 694 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001817 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000450 8 0 14 4 7 1 14 0 0 0 8 0 8 1 11 0 17 0 0 0 8 1 9 2 34 0 16 0 0 0 8 0 18 1 17 0 8 0 0 0 8 2 21 1 8 3 20 0 0 0 8 3 34 3 14 2 15 0 0 0 8 0 22 4 26 3 21 0 0 0 8 0 28 3 0 0 18 0 0 0 8 0 11 3 19 0 5 0 0 0 7 2 24 8 6 2 14 0 0 0 7 1 7 4 13 3 25 0 0 0 7 0 6 2 36 5 19 0 0 0 7 1 19 6 11 1 11 0 0 0 7 2 10 5 0 9 12 0 0 0 7 8 9 73 0 0 497 1 0 0 7 0 11 3 9 4 16 0 0 0 7 4 31 5 15 10 39 1 0 0 7 0 18 7 27 0 9 0 0 0 7 0 8 6 8 2 6 0 0 0 7 2 26 7 6 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0 0 0 0- - - - - 0 0 0 7 7- - - - - 0 0 0 0 0- - - - - 0 0 0 0 0- - - - - 0 0 0 0 0- - - - - 0 0 0 0 0- - - - - 0 0 0 0 0- - - - - 0 0 0 0 0- - - - - FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 761 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001884 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000517 promoted promoted promoted promoted promoted promoted promoted promoted promoted promoted - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FY17 Tweets 09.12.17.xlsx for Printed Item: 142 ( Attachment 2 of 9) Page 762 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001885 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000518 From: To: Cc: Bee: Subject: Date: Attachments : > FW: K9 IPT social media Fri Sep 01 2017 09:53:45 EDT image001 .png image002.png image003.png image004.jpg image005.png image006.png image007.jpg image008.png image009.png image01 0.png image011.png image012.jpg image015.jpg k9ipt.xlsx This is the result of the Nation Dog Day effort that the IPT work hard on. Thank you - for the great work! Let's be mindful of the takeaways below. And keep in mind, animals selrr-- Thank you, (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) Public Affairs Specialist - Media Division U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) CBP FOIA 001886 Page 888 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000519 Office of Public Affairs (OPA) 1300 Pennsy lvania Ave, NW Wash ington, DC 20229 Office: Ronald Reagan BLDv \Wf e Phone : (b )(6) ;(b )(7)(C) Email: (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) 9 IPT socia l media - I pulled some stats from the K9 IPT effort (attached) Key take aways: The videos performed very strongly , over 4000 views of the videos on Twitter, more than 10,000 views on lnstagram Lessons learned : One video did not get posted to Twitter as it was too large a file. Twitter can only take a 15MB size video file. These videos were not uploaded to YouTu be so there was not an alternative way to post. Request smaller compressed video files for the future. Great effort. CBP FOIA 001887 Page 889 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000520 Fantastic content. Office of Public Affairs – Media Division U.S. Customs and Border Protection 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Washington, D.C. 20229 Office: Cell: Email: For more info about CBP click the following www.cbp.gov, http://www.cbp.gov/newsroom Page 890 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001888 (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) (b)(6);(b)(7)(C) DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000521 k9ipt.xlsx for Printed Item 152 ( Attachment 14 of 14) !rweet permalink~weet text TWITTER ~mpressions bngagements bngagement rate https: / / twitte r.co https: / / twitte r.co https: / / twitte r.co https: / / twitte r.co Belgian Malinois, Ferro & Officer Stone help keep #Dulles airport safe! They search all areas for pro hib. items. #CBP #KeepingAmericaSafe htt ps:/ / t.co/ 5VzyJtU9LL " Harry " & Officer Polliard search pax arriving to #Dulles for ag. prod ucts that could be harboring invasive species. #CBP #National DogDay htt ps:/ / t.co/ DGx1G95TUP Agent Tyler is t raining t he next generat ion of #CBP #K9's & handlers in Fro nt Royal, VA. #BestJobl n The Wor ld #KeepingAmericaSafe htt ps:/ / t.co/ NTdBNUDKPI #NationalDogDay is Aug 26, so t his week we are recognizing some of our #K9 teams. #CBP's K9's are vita l to our mission. #KeepingAmericaSafe htt ps:/ / t.co/ FhZ0lj tb lr I I g CBPO ":,.- @CustomsBorder 6554 8031 10609 49086 742801 V #NationalDogDay is Aug 26, so this week we are recogn izing some of our #K9 teams. #CBP's K9's are vital to our mission . #KeepingAmericaSafe 146 179 331 1333 19891 ~ CBPO 2.23% 2.23% 3.12% 2.72% 10.29 %1 -""= @CustomsBorder Agent Tyler is tra #CBP #K9 's & ha #BestJ ob In The W< #KeepingAmeriec CBP FOIA 001889 Page 918 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000522 k9ipt.xlsx for Printed Item 152 ( Attachment 14 of 14) 2:58 PM - 23 Aug 2017 10:00 AM - 23 Aug 2017 25 Retweets 85 LJkes e 136 Retweets 357 likes INSTAGRAM Date Mes sage Link Views Likes Today is #NationalDogDay, and we are recognizing some of our #K9 tea ms. Our K9's are able to sniff out dr ugs, people, pro hibited agricu lt ure, and some protect our off icers and agent s. Nikki and Officer Dowl ing, working to #KeepAmericaSafe, have already fo und over $4 milli on dollars in curre ncy and fi rearms! #tea mwork #bromanc e See a longer version of t his video on https :/ /www .inst our Tw itter : @customsborder agram.com / p/ BY 8/ 26/ 17 10:47 QsnHelp-e/ 3074 553 #Nat ionalDogDay is Aug 26, and we are recognizing some of our #K9 teams . Our K9's are able to sniff out dr ugs, people, pro hibited agricu lt ure, and some protect our off icers and agent s. Belgian Malinois, Ferro and Officer Stone help keep #Dulles airport safe ! #CSP #KeepingAmericaSafe https :/ /www .inst agram.com / p/ BY 8/ 25/ 17 9:25 N-chBld76/ 2691 521 CBP FOIA 001890 Page 919 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000523 8/24/17 10:24 #NationalDogDay is Aug 26, and we are recognizing some of our #K9 teams. Our K9's are able to sniff out drugs, people, prohibited agriculture, and some protect our officers and agents. Beagle Harry and Officer Polliard search passengers arriving to #Dulles for agriculture products that could be harboring invasive species. Without these #agriculture dogs, invasive pests and seeds could do billions of dollars in damage to American ag. #CBP #KeepingAmericaSafe See a longer version of this video on our Twitter: @customsborder https://www.inst agram.com/p/BY LgYu7l09N/ 2366 491 8/23/17 14:48 #NationalDogDay is Aug 26, and we are recognizing some of our #K9 teams. Our K9's are able to sniff out drugs, people, prohibited agriculture, and some protect our officers and agents. Agent Karl Tyler is training #CBP's next generation of #K9's and handlers in Front Royal, VA. Tyler helps to ensure our officers and agents are equipped to find the things they are looking for. #BestJobInTheWorld #KeepingAmericaSafe See an extended version of this video on our Twitter: @CustomsBorder https://www.inst agram.com/p/BY JZyf4lCCz/ 2664 498 10795 2063 k9ipt.xlsx for Printed Item: 152 ( Attachment 14 of 14) Page 920 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001891 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000524 k9ipt.xlsx for Printed Item 152 ( Attachment 14 of 14) fetweets !replies ~ikes ~ser profillurl clicks ~ashtag clicks ~edia Views 15 0 41 7 23 1 52 4 25 4 85 17 136 13 357 31 ining the next generation of ndlers in Front Royal, VA. ::>rid 3Safe V 0 1 0 83 0 945 4 1189 2 1995 19 41291 g CBP$ ---- @CustomsBorder "Harry" & Officer Polliard searcl to #Dulles for ag. products that harboring invasive species . #CBP #NationalDogDay b CBP FOIA 001892 Page 921 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000525 k9ipt.xlsx for Printed Item 152 ( Attachment 14 of 14) I Tyler ,,_ - nine Handler/Trainer • Canine .Center, Front Royal VA ~ • o, CommentTotal Eng,Follower sEngagement 1 554 19,196 2.89% 6 527 19,122 2.76% Donald Polliard , ~ - CBP Agriculture Specialist"- ~ -r 9:00 AM - 24 Aug 2017 23 Retweets 52 likes & - CBP FOIA 001893 Page 922 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000526 5 496 18,933 2.62% 8 506 18,906 2.68% 20 2083 10.95% k9ipt.xlsx for Printed Item: 152 ( Attachment 14 of 14) Page 923 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001894 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000527 k9ipt.xlsx for Printed Item 152 ( Attachment 14 of 14) h pax arriving : could be V g CBPe ':!..'":: @CustomsBorder Belgian Malinois , Ferro & Officer Stone help keep # Dulles airport safe! They search all areas for prohib. items. #CBP # KeepingAmer icaSafe CBP FOIA 001895 Page 924 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000528 k9ipt.xlsx for Printed Item 152 ( Attachment 14 of 14) - . ~ .... Dulles Airport . .. W '41a 9:09 AM - 25 Aug 2017 15 Retweets 41 Likes @ • CBP FOIA 001896 Page 925 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000529 From : To: Cc: Bee: Subject: Date: Attachments : Tue Aug 29 2017 07:15:42 EDT tweet_activity_metrics_CustomsBorder_20170823_20170830_en .csv CBP FOIA 001897 Page 930 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000530 "Tweet id","Tweet permalink","Tweet text","time","impressions","engagements","engagement rate","retweets","replies","likes","user profile clicks","url clicks","hashtag clicks","detail expands","permalink clicks","app opens","app installs","follows","email tweet","dial phone","media views","media engagements","promoted impressions","promoted engagements","promoted engagement rate","promoted retweets","promoted replies","promoted likes","promoted user profile clicks","promoted url clicks","promoted hashtag clicks","promoted detail expands","promoted permalink clicks","promoted app opens","promoted app installs","promoted follows","promoted email tweet","promoted dial phone","promoted media views","promoted media engagements" "902293317848793090","https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/status/902293317848793090","#CBP Blackhawk aircrew rescues #HurricaneHarvey survivor from rooftop. https://t.co/UIWkXkX0j8","2017-08- 28 22:14 +0000","62822.0","3344.0","0.053229760275062876","361.0","25.0","652.0","111.0","9.0","18.0","435.0"," 3.0","0","0","6","0","0","17686","1724","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-" "902153810021421056","https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/status/902153810021421056","Moving to the US? #DYK you can import many household goods for your personal use free of duty? Learn more at https://t.co/s4kNCzOfbs https://t.co/b2ca6odUWc","2017-08-28 13:00 +0000","4144.0","89.0","0.021476833976833976","6.0","0.0","9.0","0.0","13.0","0.0","9.0","0.0","0","0","0", "0","0","52","52","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-" "901881106965901314","https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/status/901881106965901314","CBP provides first response aid for #Harvey. RGV deploys 50 agents to support @USCG, #AMO has 6 aircraft assisting. https://t.co/nL8F9bEWl2 https://t.co/W8gj475ryj","2017-08-27 18:56 +0000","13236.0","707.0","0.05341492898156543","59.0","3.0","113.0","25.0","39.0","6.0","62.0","0.0","0", "0","0","0","0","400","400","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-" "901833138015535104","https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/status/901833138015535104","RGV Sector #USBP Special Operations Agents assist a disaster survivor trapped on the 2nd floor of his home in Rockport, TX #Harvey @CBPRGV https://t.co/gxtspAlzon","2017-08-27 15:45 +0000","20066.0","1860.0","0.09269410943885178","95.0","3.0","164.0","51.0","62.0","13.0","165.0","1.0" ,"0","0","1","0","0","1305","1305","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-" "901548171498852354","https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/status/901548171498852354","AMO Black Hawk from AZ lands in TX. #CBP is focused on search & rescue efforts, stand ready if requested by local law enforcement to assist https://t.co/Z5MG3xy7KZ","2017-08-26 20:53 +0000","15285.0","893.0","0.058423290807981684","57.0","2.0","106.0","31.0","60.0","1.0","60.0","0.0","0 ","0","0","0","0","576","576","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-" "901474188350947329","https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/status/901474188350947329","Joint statement from ICE and CBP regarding #HurricaneHarvey Spanish translation: https://t.co/BWf3XJLZm3 https://t.co/Sw5JApXI7Q","2017-08-26 15:59 +0000","7253.0","256.0","0.035295739693919755","19.0","3.0","25.0","20.0","84.0","10.0","40.0","0.0","0", "0","0","0","0","55","55","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-" "901228862578851844","https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/status/901228862578851844","CBP will remain vigilant against efforts by criminals to exploit suspended operations caused by the storm. (7/7)","2017-08-25 23:44 +0000","7610.0","190.0","0.024967148488830485","23.0","2.0","63.0","21.0","0.0","0.0","81.0","0.0","0","0 ","0","0","0","0","0","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-" "901228840936230912","https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/status/901228840936230912","Two checkpoints, one along Hwy 77 and one along Hwy 4, have been temporarily closed. (6/7)","2017-08-25 23:44 +0000","7027.0","92.0","0.013092358047530952","12.0","0.0","26.0","16.0","0.0","0.0","38.0","0.0","0","0", "0","0","0","0","0","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-" "901228817229991936","https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/status/901228817229991936","At this point, anyone travelling through a USBP checkpoint would be traveling directly into storm-affected and/or evacuated areas. (5/7)","2017-08-25 23:44 +0000","7246.0","81.0","0.011178581286226884","16.0","2.0","25.0","13.0","0.0","0.0","25.0","0.0","0","0", "0","0","0","0","0","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-" "901228794001928192","https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/status/901228794001928192","Travelers tweet_activity_metrics_CustomsBorder_20170823_20170830_en.csv for Printed Item: 167 ( Attachment 1 of 1) Page 932 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001898 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000531 leaving the lower RGV to the north- if traveling along Hwy 77 or U.S. 281- may encounter checkpoints that are operational. (4/7)","2017-08-25 23:44 +0000","6226.0","76.0","0.012206874397687119","11.0","2.0","19.0","15.0","0.0","0.0","29.0","0.0","0","0", "0","0","0","0","0","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-" "901228770731978753","https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/status/901228770731978753","Those evacuating storm-affected areas will not travel through a U.S. Border Patrol Checkpoint. (3/7)","2017-08- 25 23:44 +0000","8124.0","183.0","0.022525849335302807","17.0","5.0","23.0","45.0","0.0","0.0","93.0","0.0","0","0 ","0","0","0","0","0","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-" "901228740918874112","https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/status/901228740918874112","Checkpoints located in the Rio Grande Valley, although located along evacuation routes, are well south of the storm & affected areas. (2/7)","2017-08-25 23:44 +0000","7112.0","130.0","0.01827896512935883","16.0","2.0","32.0","25.0","0.0","0.0","55.0","0.0","0","0", "0","0","0","0","0","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-" "901228709880967169","https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/status/901228709880967169","TX evacuation routes leading the public away from areas most directly impacted by #HurricaneHarvey aren't affected by checkpnts in RGV (1/7)","2017-08-25 23:44 +0000","8392.0","111.0","0.013226882745471878","17.0","1.0","25.0","22.0","0.0","5.0","41.0","0.0","0","0 ","0","0","0","0","0","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-" "901151236329754625","https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/status/901151236329754625","UPDATE: Border Patrol Checkpoint Operations During #HurricaneHarvey https://t.co/yrRIB3DEJO https://t.co/s32d3X0Uap","2017-08-25 18:36 +0000","11255.0","974.0","0.08653931585961795","37.0","9.0","44.0","15.0","347.0","68.0","289.0","2.0"," 0","0","0","0","0","163","163","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-" "901129488259584001","https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/status/901129488259584001","#HurricaneHa rvey is approaching and #CBP's highest priorities are to promote life-saving and life-sustaining activities and safe evacuation. https://t.co/t8vN4jAJo4","2017-08-25 17:09 +0000","19165.0","560.0","0.02921993216801461","48.0","2.0","54.0","20.0","51.0","7.0","123.0","1.0","0", "0","0","0","0","254","254","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-" "901111967326359552","https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/status/901111967326359552","Smugglers plans go up in smoke! In three moves #USBP seizes $1M in narcotics from checkpoints in TX. https://t.co/Fo3TJ5iJJc #HonorFirst https://t.co/nhIS2zywM6","2017-08-25 16:00 +0000","6773.0","165.0","0.02436143510999557","21.0","2.0","43.0","8.0","20.0","4.0","20.0","0.0","0","0", "0","0","0","47","47","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-" "901068933075226624","https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/status/901068933075226624","Belgian Malinois, Ferro & Officer Stone help keep #Dulles airport safe! They search all areas for prohib. items. #CBP #KeepingAmericaSafe https://t.co/5VzyJtU9LL","2017-08-25 13:09 +0000","6688.0","150.0","0.02242822966507177","15.0","0.0","41.0","7.0","0.0","0.0","20.0","0.0","0","0"," 0","0","0","956","67","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-" "900781332300783619","https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/status/900781332300783619","Phenomenal feline find! But seriously, importing endangered species is illegal w/out permit from @USFWS #protectwildlife https://t.co/jFC2jk4ukD","2017-08-24 18:06 +0000","43914.0","426.0","0.009700778794917339","82.0","11.0","206.0","24.0","5.0","7.0","89.0","2.0","0 ","0","0","0","0","0","0","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-" "900749604072960000","https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/status/900749604072960000","Looking for a port of entry? Find what you're looking for with our interactive map. https://t.co/XsUTAOOV5Z https://t.co/W3irriSVr3","2017-08-24 16:00 +0000","6311.0","236.0","0.037395024560291555","9.0","4.0","21.0","3.0","56.0","0.0","39.0","0.0","0","0", "0","0","0","104","104","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-" "900704405149945860","https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/status/900704405149945860","""Harry"" & Officer Polliard search pax arriving to #Dulles for ag. products that could be harboring invasive species. #CBP #NationalDogDay https://t.co/DGx1G95TUP","2017-08-24 13:00 +0000","8152.0","182.0","0.022325809617271836","23.0","1.0","52.0","4.0","1.0","4.0","18.0","0.0","0","0", "0","0","0","1201","79","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-" tweet_activity_metrics_CustomsBorder_20170823_20170830_en.csv for Printed Item: 167 ( Attachment 1 of 1) Page 933 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001899 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000532 "900477771159265280","https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/status/900477771159265280","Air and Marine Operation agents rescue three distressed boaters. https://t.co/1VaG9shr1o #KeepingAmericaSafe @CBPCentralTX https://t.co/iGiP5QtrTw","2017-08-23 22:00 +0000","6297.0","121.0","0.01921549944417977","4.0","1.0","36.0","7.0","12.0","3.0","25.0","0.0","0","0"," 0","0","0","33","33","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-" "900432128437096449","https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/status/900432128437096449","Agent Tyler is training the next generation of #CBP #K9's & handlers in Front Royal, VA. #BestJobInTheWorld #KeepingAmericaSafe https://t.co/NTdBNUDKPl","2017-08-23 18:58 +0000","10767.0","346.0","0.03213522801151667","25.0","4.0","85.0","18.0","0.0","3.0","62.0","0.0","0","0 ","0","0","0","2022","149","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-" "900356986616852485","https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/status/900356986616852485","#NationalDog Day is Aug 26, so this week we are recognizing some of our #K9 teams. #CBP's K9's are vital to our mission. #KeepingAmericaSafe https://t.co/FhZ01jtbLr","2017-08-23 14:00 +0000","49484.0","1338.0","0.027039042922965","136.0","13.0","357.0","31.0","83.0","19.0","90.0","0.0"," 0","0","1","0","0","608","608","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-" "900341873272799232","https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/status/900341873272799232","My package is lost or missing, does #CBP have it? Get answers to questions like these and more at our info center. https://t.co/ptk8DepL6q https://t.co/Hd1ihlm5XV","2017-08-23 13:00 +0000","5161.0","115.0","0.022282503390815733","4.0","1.0","7.0","4.0","13.0","0.0","22.0","0.0","0","0"," 0","0","0","64","64","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-","-" tweet_activity_metrics_CustomsBorder_20170823_20170830_en.csv for Printed Item: 167 ( Attachment 1 of 1) Page 934 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001900 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000533 From: To: Cc: Bee: Subject: Date: Attachments : (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) RE: C1 Call Prep Mon Aug 28 201715 :01:11 EDT Harvey 3pm.pdf Update of update: <> u Ject: a rep (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) When : Mon :1,;1ust 2m 017 3:00 PM-3:30 PM (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada). Where: IOJO, pin~flQB Prepare to brie- on the Harvey-re lated OPA activities/plans for next 24. Moderator: WJIQB CBP FOIA 001901 Page 935 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000534 Harvey 3pm pdf for Printed Item: 169 ( Attachment 1 of 1) Generated At: 8/28/2017 2:58 PM Page number : 1 of 4 Activity on social media has dropped significantly. As compared to 4K mentions on Friday at 2pm, the highest peak on Sunday was 424 mentions. LAlEST ACTMTY cu.-Range-Aug 'ZJ. 2017 -Aug 28. 2011 ( English } 400 'l)tl 100 TWITTER 100.0 % 6,677 Mentions l'l'ITTERREAOI eu.-Range-Aug v. 2011. 1wg 28. 2011 ( English } 31.4M reach and 48.9M impressions from 6,677 mentions by 5,710 users Mentions and Users haw dec:rNSed 6-om 46K on Frid.iy to 6,600 todolY. WOAOCLOUO cu.-Range-Aug 'ZJ. 2017. Aug 28. 2011 ( English } ©Hour 0 #sandiego arrest arresting visited mex icans #cbP. tru m n qt @reportbw.i'lson oeople--mex,can t @d y~ a• I K ~ . , .. tuesclaYaclu freaksg I y QS @break Ing911@cbpcent raltx @dhsgov border patrol @tonyROSnansk1 @cbpsandiego pople h d dozens t home I h Jll!~neharvey @icegov &uOr er pa ro. searc a,,,p • women • • colonias @ Id ldt 2nd floor t b d t I 11 I t rea ona rump exas o_r er pa ro I ega 1mm1gran S mexicoborder @cjwerleman chenshrOcKporth'II tli h "bl . . . incredible qt @abc I ary uncoverP 8 orn e Illegal Imm1grants arrested CSP FOIA 001902 ~ GENERA-rroBV sysomos Page 937 oV1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000535 Harvey 3pm pdf for Printed Item: 169 ( Attachment 1 of 1) BUZZGIW'H eu.-Range-Aug v. 2011 -Aug 28. 2011 ( English } --... ,."~. ·~::,:~.:,:~~~.::.:: .. -· :::::··->, , ., •• This buzz gapl shows there are 2 separate OOf'l'Wf"Sation ~ at'Ol.Fld Border Patrol. (Left) inmgrants fleeirQ the storm (Right) the 30 i~ b.nd in Sa, ();ego. l'l'ITTER1191JNG cu.-Range-Aug 'ZJ. 2017. Aug 28. 2011 ( English } Top 10 hashtags used in Tweets with estimated numbe r of me ntions. #hurricaneharvey #usbp #harvey #cbp #sandiego 10.4% #maga - 49% #borderpatrol - 46% #amo - 45% #trump 3.7% #keepingamericasafe - 3.2% 19.9% 19.8% 14.7% 14.3% Generated At: 8/28/2017 2:58 PM Page number : 2 of 4 Top10 CSP FOIA 001903 ~ GENERA-rroBV sysomos Page 938 oV1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000536 Harvey 3pm pdf for Printed Item: 169 ( Attachment 1 of 1) Generated At: 8/28/2017 2:58 PM Page number : 3 of 4 MOST RE1WEETED eu.-Range-Aug v. 2011. ,wg 28. 2011 ( English} @tr~;.!lf) on;.11c1Tnunp On Ttu~~ay. I visited Wtth lht~ inr.n~1ihk: men & Wl)llW~n of '~ C:l!JOV F.. (i'l0 ·1SfJml non1,ir P;rtro l in Yunu . A7 Th;mk you !~ u~~pcr.l P. A1q :>-1 /01 / 11:\ ~R PM · T...«"I . , 12436 est. retweets @HVAwonk <~1 (i_!)~~xuthyA'l l~on IJmlor.I11rw.ntet1 111111119I..inls in the flilfh ol H111r1<.iin~ H;uvey w,>n't l)e tihl~ to g~t tn ~lely w/o fear ot c1~1en111Wl Pt~opl~ Aug 2!>. ~01/ U !>1 :,1 AM •r-,.,, 6861 est. retweets Recent retw eets by: @tonyposnanskl u 1 @OallyKos: ~ you sa,a HIiiary ana 1 rump were Dom .. equally nornDJe .... t-ucK you nttps 1n.cotu t1ex1ao:iof.'; t1oraer f.'a1ro1Is trying to ... Aug 25. 2017 G 4 7 4G PM • ,.,.,. •, 3225 est. retweets Recent retwccb by: ~ctmlyko"' B,u,11~ P,,hnl 1•:, trymg to mrt~!-.1 tmclt)(.l11nt:ntec1 1111111191.inls flt*.1rk_) l l11rnc.an~ llnr~ https ,'II r.n/11Nvml9v-<¥. if\ AU;J 1!:.l ~01 / 1 03 02 PM • T""'-d ~t 1051 est. retweets g Il l! TWITTER USERS WITH J«)ST MENTICWS MATDI NG qJERV eu.-Range-Aug v. 2011. 1wg 28. 2011 ( English} 2495 Results r e ABC News NEWS @ABC -. 11.7M Following 742 T￾2 See the whole picture with @ABC News. Facebook: https1lwww.facebook.com/abcneWs .. 9 • r AIJTI«lRITY TWITTER~L http://twitter.oomlABC ~lit« http:/IABCNews .com 10/10 Border Patrol agents find smugg ling tunne l near Mexico border after 30 peop .. Aug 28. 2017 More Tweets ,,, a Fol'°""' 1.5M @flr·,-,ikm!f.)11 R1u1for P,l lml cfr~ov,!I!~ 11nc1,~ffJIOIHl(1 hinnol in S.m lxt~JU .d1r~, .ur, ~~linil :\0 ith~J;11 inuni~Jr,infl.- ht1p!.-;/1 r.nli11x0 d )/\4V n Aun :>/ ?fl1/410 flh PM · WN't ,,. 297 es t. retweets @CAl-'SanD ,ecJO kl 1~ 1-'1 ,,g~nts Ill #S;-,nl) ~iJ > ,mt'.sl ;-\() f>Pl1l or 1);1ngl.:-H1t~~h ht>rt1t'r IMlrnl denying rt"fug~ ltl t1r.siw--r;,,tr. Rotungy.1 M11sl1ns Wht) ,11r. ~ln(J l\1111n.:i 'S m1ht;-,ry Au~ ~/ ;:o1/34329AM · •=· ,, 11 S est. re tweets .. .. .. Change. org CllCharQe r - 30,000 ARM .•. llil ftW aoc2TheMcwie F~ 348 Fol"'-' 831 .7K Following 863 .1K Top 10 @rA IRlmm,i:ir,,hon l';)n11~1 r>.~n)I :~,n ~ ls 1;, iltt~Jaj ,iliens .ift,~r l)f>.~>-m ,l<.h shnn ! in S.m Ok~l•l h"'lr:-:. ,',1 (1),:lr 'M l\ 1H •"°:) \,1,) @)s 1111l @) ~.!V nH l''IT"I.Hlt1r~." .:\1.xJ ' i ?01 .l i ()('I f)'l PM • 1..-v 1 ,,,. 107 est. retweets @AAC nlm~, P,,tml ~Jellf;" l1"1t1 '.--1"\Hl!Jgllll!J t11n11t'.I nr .-'l1 l..~ll< .) t>nrc1f'I ,1ltf'1 :\t) ~~opl~ --M~x1<.,m. l .. hmr~ IMflt>n.-ilS--t~t.-'J1n~1 hi ps ., rn -t, rM mlrl Prlt,1 A..>9 ..:\)_ ~01/ 30933M1 • l-.l-11( ~2 est. retweets 1-12 012495 Sample Size 3000 r -. 634.3K Following 751 ♦ T￾3 ., .. .. r The world's leading civic organizing hub. We empower people evecywhere to create .. Award-Winning • WARx2 Movie· 30,000 us Mi itary Suicides & Arab Terrorisls Recr .. KTLA has been keeping Southern Gafifornia informed since 1947. Have great vide. A~ITY TWITTER URL http://tMtt er.oomfChange WEBLIN< http:/fwww .change .org RT @compatibi lism : Petit ion: 10/10 ICE/CSP/Reps/Gov , let everyo ne shelter from Hu .. Aug 27. 2017 More Tweets 9 • AUTHORfTY lWITTERURL http://twitter.com/Warx2TheMovie WEBUNK http:/1www.ebay.oorn/irn/\N AAx2.~- /26303408545 6 ? ssPageName=AOME:l: LCA:US: 1123 10/10 RT @real OonaldTnxnp : On Tuesday . I visited with the incredible men & : wo .. Aug 27. 2017 More Tweets 9 • AIJTI«lRITY TWITTER URL htlp:/11.witer.oomlKTLA >'S!Ut« http://ktla .com 10/ 10 Border Patrol Discovers Sroogg ling Tunne l in San Diego County After Arrest in .. Aug 27, 2017 CSP FOIA 001904 ~ GENERA-rroBV sysomos Page 939 oV1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000537 Harvey 3pm pdf for Printed Item: 169 ( Attachment 1 of 1) ae Tariq Rama ••• Ilk? I QTan,Ramadan -. Following 613.8K 30 r Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies at the University of Oxford, @UniofOxf .. 9 56 AIJTI«lRITY 10/10 TWITTER~L http ://twitte r.com/T ariqRa madan ~lit« http://www .tariqramada n.com QT @.KateAronoff: RT @NaomiAK lein: This is climate barbarism. Ifs why we ne .. Aug 27. 20 17 More Tweets Im The Washin ... @Wash T mes -. Following T￾324.3K 1,779 1 r Official Twitter Account for The Washington Times 9 • AIJTI«lRITY TWITTER~L http ://twitte r.com/Wa.shTimes ~lit« http://www .wa shi ngto ntimes .com Borde r Patro l agents discove r people￾smugg i ng tun nel on U.S.-Me.xico border .. 10/10 Aug 27. 2017 More Tweets C NE\\'S II @ABC - 13.3% @Change . 6.7% @Warx2TheMovie . 6.7% @KTLA 20.0% @TariqRamadan . 6.7% @TravelGov . 6.7% @TirWOl!dWidellc . 6.7% @aiww . 6.7% @WashTimes 6.7% @jasoninthehouse . 6.7% @TrealOaisyOuke . 6.7% @euronews . 6.7% 13 Travel -S ... - C!ITrawlG°" Fol'°""' 559.8K F~ 515 r Official Twitter for U.S. Oepartment of State Bureau or Consular Affairs. Corren . 9 • A~ ITY 10/10 TWITTER URL http ://twit er.com1Trave1Gov WEBLIN< http://travel.state .gov @:am yncQO This is a good questio n for our friends at @CustomsBorde r - they h .. Aug 28 . 20 17 More Tweets r-. · Jason Char ... Qia.soninthehoose Fol'°""' F~ r-. 297.2K 1,445 1 r Former Chairman, Oversight & Government Reform in the Un~ed States House or Rep .. 9 • A~ ITY TWITTER URL http:Jltwitte r.comr,a.sonW'lthehouse WEBLIN< http://www.chaffetz.house.gov 10/10 RT @CBPSa nOiego : #USBP agents in #San();ego arrest 30 people and uncover a s Aug 27. 2017 More Tweets ~ MalibuSelf ... Q TWlottd\'Vi:lellc r Folio..... Following Twee1s 433K 299 .2K 1 Share your selfies, photos and videos using a social media app that connects wit .. 9 • AUTHORfTY 10110 lWITTERURL http ://twitter.com/TlrWorld'Wide llc WEBUNK http:// malibu seffies.com RT @:realOonaldTnxnp : On Tuesday . I visited with the incredible men &: wo .. Aug 27 . 20 17 More Tweets Kristin ft TreaOaisyOuke Folio..... Following Twee1s 294 .4K 47.6K 1 Cherokee Patriot .. daughter or a r King .. acting name Klistin Hill..future dentista 9 • AUTHORfTY lWITTERURL http://twitter .oomfTrealOaisyOuke WEBUNK http:1/ch arl iesangelsoutreach.org 10110 RT @real OonaldTnxnp : On Tuesday . I visited with the incred ible men & : wo .. Aug 28. 20 17 More Tweets Ge nerated At: 8/28/2017 2:58 PM Page number : 4 of 4 -. 31:ll!;ll!;AiWe ... Qaiww Following 357.7K 19.8K lnsta!T,lm: http://instagram.com/aiww r AUTHORITY 10/ 10 TV'JITTER URL http://twitter.com/aiww >'SIU~ http://www .aiweiwei .com RT @cjwer leman: Shock ing photo of Bangladesh border patrol denyi ng re-fuge t .. Aug 27, 20 17 Men Tweets II euronews r @etiro news -. Following T￾265.2K 716 1 Most watclled news channel in Europe. We tweet in 12 languages. Choose yours: hit .. AIJTI«lRITY TV'JITTERURL http://twitte r.com/e uronews >'SIU~ http://www .euronews .com/ (no comme nt) A tiger cub. seized by U.S. Borde r Patrol agents on Aug 22. ha .. 10/ 10 Aug 27. 2017 More Tweets ••u ro news \ / •A C • Tru .lDals yDuke ~ •J u onlnt hohouH ""' ~ .,,,. •C hango • wuhT l mu --- .Wa rx2T hM ovl• ·•1- --:1 i •rlrWorldW::~: .. IGov ,,r--- •mA • Tar iq l am ad an CSP FOIA 001905 ~ GENERA"EDBV sysomos Page 940 oV1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000538 From: To: Cc: Bee: Subject: Date: Attachments : (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) RE: C1 Call Prep Mon Aug 28 2017 14:46:29 EDT Harvey Mon_3pm.pdf Harvey Monday .xlsx Updated reports <> <> u Ject: a rep (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) When : Mon :1,;1ust 2m 017 3:00 PM-3:30 PM (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada). Where: IOJO, pin~flQB Prepare to brief- on the Harvey-re lated OPA activities/plans for next 24. Moderator: WJIQB CBP FOIA 001906 Page 941 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000539 Harvey Mon_3pm pdffor Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 1 of 2) Generated At: 8/28/20 I 7 2:07 PM Page number : 1 of 4 LAlEST ACTMTY cu.-Range-Aug 'ZJ. 2017 -Aug 28. 2011 ( English } l)tl 000 200 lt>U TWITTER 100.0 % 6,534 Mentions TYITTERREAOI eu.-Range-Aug v. 2011. 1wg 28. 2011 ( English } WOAOCLOOO cu.-Range-Aug 'ZJ. 2017 - Aug 28. 2011 ( English } 31.7M reach and 48.9M impressions from 6,534 mentions by 5,614 users @cbpsand1ego 59arC amn ©Hour p~ope--mexican h &coloniastrump #.usbp agents qt@al:5c clozens t @d • 1 I~ . . texas border patrol a 1 "OS ti illar acli.JfreaKsche~~~ floor fleeing bur'% ckport #cbppeopl ~ b dyuma y t home I . Ymex1co borderincredible @tonyposnanski Or er pa ro @1cegov & #sandiego arrest mexicans ·111 e ugncoaver I 1· mm 1•wgomrena n ts @realdonaldtrump tuesdaY@break ing911 qt @reportbyw, son @dhsgov border patro1arresting visitedpatn horrible illegal immigrants arrested CSP FOIA 001907 ~ GENERA-rroBV sysomos Page 943 oV1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000540 Harvey Mon_3pm pdffor Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 1 of 2) BUZZGIW'H eu.-Range-Aug v. 2011. ,wg 28. 2011 ( English } -- l'l'ITTER1191JNG cu.-Range-Aug 'ZJ. 2017. Aug 28. 2011 ( English } ------------- ....... .. _·:; .. Top 10 hashtags used in Tweets with estimated number of mentions. #usbp #hurricaneharvey #harvey #cbp #sandiego #amo 56% #maga - 4.7% #borderpatrol - 4.0% #trump 3.4% #keepingamericasafe . 3.3% 20.6% 20.4% 14.0% 133% 10.6% Generated At: 8/28/20 I 7 2:07 PM Page number : 2 of 4 Top10 CSP FOIA 001908 ~ GENERA-rroBV sysomos Page 944 oV1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000541 Harvey Mon_3pm pdffor Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 1 of 2) MOST RE1WEETED eu.-Range-Aug v. 2011. ,wg 28. 2011 ( English} @tr~;.!lf) on;.11c1Tnunp On Ttu~~ay. I visited Wtth lht~ inr.n~1ihk: men & Wl)llW~n of '~ C:l!JOV F.. (i'l0 ·1SfJml non 1,ir P;rtro l in Yunu . A7 Th;mk yo u V✓!~ u~~pcr.l P. A1q :>-1 /01 / 11:\ ~R PM · T...«"I . , 12433 est. retweets @HVAwonk <~1 (i_!)~~xuthyA'l l~on IJm lor.I11rw.ntet1 111111 119I ..inls in the flilf h ol H111r1<.iin~ H;uvey w,>n't l)e tihl~ to g~t tn ~lely w/o fear ot c1~1en111Wl Pt~opl~ Aug 2!>. ~01/ U !>1 :,1 AM •r-,.,, 6861 est. retweets Recent retweets by: @tonyposnanskl u 1 @OallyKos: ~ you sa,a HIiiary ana 1 rump were Dom .. equally nornDJe ..... t-ucK you nttps 1n.cotu t1ex1ao:iof.'; t1oraer f.'a1ro11s trying to ... Aug 25. 2017 G 4 7 4G PM • ,.,.,. •, 3225 est. retweets Recent retwccb by: ~llrrakmcf.111 ,,, B,u,11~ P,,hn l ti ?fl1 / 10 4:> :-t:, µ,M • T......vt .,. 26.8 es t. retweets @l'homa,;1 T T~Pame. " /\.l1 l l HP.,tks /\llt-'f lex-,ts H1lrt1~ µ,iihnl K~ ,,:-. Chff "i )oint s l}pen nunntJ Hwm:,m~ ht1ps •tt <.i>-'Kl.1111.f'/'/n ll1.; I\ Ug ~ / ~01//400~ Pf-A· ·.-.::• . 'c 237 est. retweets Recent re-tweets by: @CJWeneman snornng pnoto or llang1aaesn Doraer pa1ro1 aeny1ng reruge to aesperate Roningya MuS11ms wno are 11ee1ng tlurma·s 1r1~ary . ... Aug 27 2017 0 40 29A M · ·= . ·, 117 est. retweets Recc:nt rctw ec.b by: @I All~lmm,qmhon fltllt1t ~r P,,tm l ,Hn-":---ts 1:> dl«!,q;-11 .,11t~ns ,,1tn ho,-tl~ n~'1rh ~OIP Ill !;,111 l)c~JU ht1ps ,'lt r.1>-1:\I lM MI H l g V1'1 @Sl1.Jf ('P0-1Vl(")l lr.mrtnc 1e; Au~~/ ;:011 ! 00 0-t PM · ·-• •, 10 7 est. re tweets .. .. .. Change. org CllCharQe r - 30,000 ARM .•. llil ftWaoc2TheMcwie F~ 348 Fol"'-' 831.7K Following 863.1K Generated At: 8/28/20 I 7 2:07 PM Page number : 3 of 4 Top 10 @/\Ar (;)ff 'k~I r>.~n)I :~:)l~nl~ r,,,1 ~, 11p9lill!l tunnt~I l"lt~U I.A~Xi(~) hnn1PI .dh~ :\0 JM!OplD MPrir.,m. Chil"l~ ' n.11i1>n.llls. i1t~tlliru~1 h"lr',;. :,1 r ,\;l)T7T0 ~/ ,t1A .:\J.XJ ' i :>fl1.l 1 1 11.J\f\l • T .. ..,.,I •r 106 est. retwee ts @AflC nlm~, P,,tml ~:,e nf;" ln1 '.-J)Hl!Jgllllg tunn~ I nr,-,i1 l..~x-1< .)hnn1f'1 r1ltf'1 :\t) ~~opl~ --M~x1r.,m. l .. hmr~ IMflt>n.-ilS--t~t,-,i1n~1 hi ps ., rn-t, rM mlrlPrlt,1 A.>9 ..:\). :::01/ 30933M1 • l-.l..11( ~2 est. retweets o Eli .. .:. 1-12 012520 Sample Size 3000 r -. 634.3K Following 751 ♦ T￾3 ., .. .. r See the whole picture with @ABC News. Facebook: https1lwww.facebook.com/abcneWs .. The world's leading civic organizing hub. We empower people evecywhere to create .. Award-Winning - WARx2 Movie - 30,000 us Mi itary Suicides & Arab Terrorisls Recr .. KTLA has been keeping Southern Galifomia informed since 1947. Have great vide. 9 • AIJTI«lRITY TWITTER~ L http ://twitter .ooml ABC ~lit« htt p:/IABC N ews .com Border Patrol agents find smuggling tunne l near Mexico border after 30 peop .. 10/10 A~ ITY TWITTER URL htt p://tMtt er.oomfC hange WEBLIN< http:/fwww .change .org RT @compatibi lism : Petition: 10/10 ICE/CSP/Reps/Gov, let everyone shelter from Hu .. 9 • AUTHORfTY lWITTERURL http ://twitter .com/Warx2TheMovie WEBUNK http :/1www.ebay .oorn/irn/\N AAx2.~- /26303408545 6 ? ssPageName=AOME:l: LCA:US: 1123 10/10 RT @realOonaldTnxnp : On Tuesday . I visited with the incredible men & : wo .. 9 "' AIJTI«lRITY TWITTER URL htlp:/11.witer.oomlKTLA >'SIU~ http://ktla .com 10/ 10 Border Patrol Discovers Sroogg ling Tunnel in San Diego County After Arrestin .. CSP FOIA 001909 ~ GENERA-rroBV sysomos Page 945 oV1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000542 Harvey Mon_3pm pdffor Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 1 of 2) Aug 28. 20 17 More Tweets I,. Tariq Rama ••• r I @Tan,Ramadan -. Following T￾613.8K 30 1 Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies at the University of Oxford, @UniofOxf .. \l!i l! AIJTI«lRITY 10/10 TV'JITTER~L http ://twitte r.com/TariqRa madan ~lit« htt p://www .tariqramada n.com QT @.KateAronoff: RT @NaomiAK lein: This is climate barbarism. Ifs why we ne .. Aug 27. 2017 More Twee ts EID The Washin ... @W>sl>Tomes -. Following T￾324.3K 1,779 1 r Official Twitter Account for The Washington Times 9 • AIJTI«lRITY TWITTER~L http ://twitte r.com/Wa.shTimes ~lit« htt p://www .wa shi ngto ntimes .com Border Patrol agents drs<:over people￾smugg i ng tunnel on U.S.-Mex ico border .. 10/10 Aug 27. 20 17 More Tweets C NE\\'S @ABC - 13.3% @Change . 6.7% @Warx2TheMovie . 6.7% @KTLA 20.0% I ~ @TariqRamadan al' , . 6.7% II @TravelGov . 6.7% @TirWOl!dWidellc . 6.7% @aiww . 6.7% @WashTimes 6.7% @jasoninthehouse . 6.7% @TrealDaisyOuke . 6.7% @euronews . 6.7% Aug 27 . 20 17 More Tweets ■ Travel-S ... @Traw!G°" r Fol'°""' F~ r-. 559.8K 515 1 Official Twitter for U.S. Department of State Bureau or Consular Affairs. CUrren . 9 • A~ITY 10/10 TWITTER URL http ://lwiter .com1Trave1Gov WEBLIN< http://trave l.state.gov @:amyncllO This is a good question f0t our friends at @CustomsBorder - they h .. Aug 28 . 20 17 More Tweets r,· Jason Char ... . Qia.soninthehoose Fol'°""' F~ r-. 297.2K 1,445 1 r Former Chairman, Oversight & Government Reform in the Un~ed States House or Rep .. 9 • A~ITY TWITTER URL http:Jltwitte r.comfjason i-lth eh oose WEBLIN< http://www .chaffetz .house .gov 10/10 RT @CBPSanO iego : #USBP agents in #San();ego arrest 30 people and uncover a s Aug 27 . 20 17 More Tweets Aug 27 . 20 17 More Tweets ~ MalibuSelf ... ftllWcwtdW'i:le llc r Folio..... Following T￾433K 299.2K 1 Share your selfies, photos and videos using a social media app that connects wit .. 9 • AUTHORfTY 10/10 lWITTERURL http ://twi tter.com/TlrWo rldWide l~ WEBUNK http:// malibu seffi es.com RT @realOonaldTnxnp : On Tuesday . I visited with the incred ible men & : wo .. Aug 27 . 20 17 More Tweets Kristin OTreaOaisyOuke Folio..... Following T￾294.4K 47.6K Cherokee Patriot .. daughter or a r King .. acting name Klistin Hill..future dentista 9 • AUTHORfTY lWITTERURL htlp :Jltwitter .oom/TrealOaisyOuke WEBUNK http:// charl iesangelsoutreac h.org 10110 RT @realOonaldTnxnp : On Tuesday . I visited with the incred ible men & : wo .. Aug 28 . 20 17 More Tweets Generated At: 8/28/20 I 7 2:07 PM Aug 27, 20 17 Pag@, .nu.mJ:l er: 4 of 4 -. 31:ll!;ll!;AiWe ... (laiww Following 357.7K 19.8K lnsla!T,lm: http://instagram.com/aiww r AUTHORITY 10/ 10 TWITTER URL http ://twitter.com/aiww >'S!Ut« htt p://www .aiwe iwei .com RT @cjwerleman: Shock ing photo of Bangladesh border patrol denying re-fuge t .. Aug 27, 2017 Men Tweets II euronews r @etiro news -. Following T￾265.2K 716 1 Most watclled news channel in Europe. We tweet in 12 languages. Choose yours: hit .. AIJTI«lRITY TWITTER URL htt p://twitte r.com/e uronews >'S!Ut« htt p://www .euronews .com/ (no commen t) A tiger cub . seized by U.S. Border Patrol agents on Aug 22. ha .. 10/ 10 Aug 27, 20 17 Mor e Tweets CSP FOIA0019 10 ~ GENERA"EDBV sysomos Page 946 oV1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000543 Date Name Link Message Clicks 8/27/17 20:22@CBPArizona https://twi #CBP #AMO Aircrews deployed to south Texas for #HurricaneHarvey rig UH-60 Blackhawk for hoist #rescue operations… https://twitter.com/i/web/status/90 1963232004284416 0 8/27/17 19:07@CBPArizona https://twi #CBP #AMO Tucson Air Branch conducting risk assesment of upcoming #HurricaneHarvey #rescue operations. https://twitter.com/CBPArizona/stat us/901944202048675840/photo/1 0 8/26/17 17:28@CBPArizona https://twi #CBP #AMO Tucson Air Branch deploys UH-60 Blackhawk to San Angelo, TX for #HurricaneHarvey Relief https://twitter.com/CBPArizona/stat us/901556941519953921/photo/1 0 8/27/17 16:56@CBPCentralTX https://twi #USBP agents help evacuate disaster survivors in Rockport, TX after #HurricaneHarvey. #KeepingAmericaSafe https://twitter.com/CBPCentralTX/st atus/901911246697582593/photo/1 0 8/27/17 16:54@CBPCentralTX https://twi #USBP agents conduct search & rescue efforts in Rockport, TX in the wake of #HurricaneHarvey #KeepingAmericaSafe https://twitter.com/CBPCentralTX/st atus/901910765107589121/photo/1 0 8/27/17 16:59@CBPFlorida https://twi U.S. Customs and Border Protection supporting first response efforts in southeastern Texas. #Harvey Learn More: http://bit.ly/2iBecSI #CBP 2 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 948 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001911 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000544 8/26/17 17:32@CBPRGV https://twi #CBP #RGV #USBP Border Patrol Search, Trauma and Rescue (BORSTAR) render aid alongside Kenedy Co EMS at rollover accident in Kingsville, Tx. https://twitter.com/CBPRGV/status/ 901557908198105089/photo/1 0 8/25/17 19:11@CBPRGV https://twi #CBP #Brownsville Emergency Operations Center is visited by Congressman @RepFilemonVela Vela with #USBP #Harvey2017 #HonorFirst https://twitter.com/CBPRGV/status/ 901220466223968256/photo/1 0 8/25/17 18:58@CBPRGV https://twi #CBP #RGV Horse Patrol Unit horses safely stalled in anticipation of #Harvey2017 in Dimmit County, Texas #HonorFirst https://twitter.com/CBPRGV/status/ 901217241496260608/photo/1 0 8/25/17 18:00@CBPRGV https://twi #CBP #USBP Fort Brown Agents assist city officials filling sand bags near #Brownsville ,Texas in anticipation of #Harvey2017 #HurricanHarvey https://twitter.com/CBPRGV/status/ 901202651307581440/photo/1 0 8/25/17 17:40@CBPRGV https://twi #CBP #RGV #USBP riverine units moved to secure facilities in anticipation of Hurricane Harvey #HonorFirst #Harvey2017 https://twitter.com/CBPRGV/status/ 901197727421386758/photo/1https ://t.co/JNwSUw0TMAhttps://twitter. com/CBPRGV/status/901197727421 386758/photo/1https://t.co/JNwSU w0TMAhttps://twitter.com/CBPRGV /status/901197727421386758/phot o/1 0 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 949 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001912 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000545 8/27/17 18:50@CBPSoutheast https://twi #CBP officers Port of New Orleans welcomed & cleared nearly 8K cruise passengers. Ships diverted to #NOLA #Harvey #TexasFlood #txwx https://twitter.com/CBPSoutheast/s tatus/901940024681390085/photo/ 1https://t.co/WszyX4cMlYhttps://tw itter.com/CBPSoutheast/status/9019 40024681390085/photo/1https://t.c o/WszyX4cMlYhttps://twitter.com/C BPSoutheast/status/9019400246813 90085/photo/1 0 8/27/17 17:06@CBPSoutheast https://twi Lets Stay Alert to Stay Safe with #SCWX & #NCWX along the East Coast 0 8/27/17 16:21@CBPSoutheast https://twi #CBP on the ground at #TexasFlood to help disaster survivor. Learn more http://bit.ly/2izkaU2 #USBP #Harvey https://twitter.com/CBPSoutheast/s tatus/901902407642251265/photo/ 1 7 8/27/17 15:10@CBPSoutheast https://twi #CBP taking care of those in need #Harvey #txwx 0 8/27/17 11:59@CBPSoutheast https://twi #USBP #Finest on the job taking good care of #Harvey disaster survivor. 'Its What We Do' #CBP #txwx 0 8/27/17 11:40@CBPSoutheast https://twi #USBP #Finest on the job taking care of #Harvey victims 'Its What We Do' #CBP #txwx https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/ status/901830708519424001 0 8/27/17 11:40@CBPSoutheast https://twi #USBP #Finest on the job taking care of #Harvey victims 'Its What We Do' #CBP #txwx 0 8/26/17 18:10@CBPSoutheast https://twi 'it's what we do' on the job with #CBP #Finest 0 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 950 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001913 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000546 8/26/17 16:45@CBPSoutheast https://twi As #Harvey2017 continues to impact #Texas our #CBP officers & equipment in #Louisiana ready to support the #DHS #FEMA mission https://twitter.com/CBPSoutheast/s tatus/901546258480943105/photo/ 1https://t.co/tS6Drl9zInhttps://twitt er.com/CBPSoutheast/status/90154 6258480943105/photo/1https://t.co /tS6Drl9zInhttps://twitter.com/CBPS outheast/status/9015462584809431 05/photo/1 0 8/26/17 14:00@CBPSoutheast https://twiStay Alert to Stay Safe #Harvey2017 0 8/25/17 18:45@CBPSoutheast https://twi 'Its What We Do' as #CBP ready to #KeepAmericaSafe #Harvey2017 0 8/25/17 18:43@CBPSoutheast https://twi Working ahead of #Harvey to support our #Finest as #Explores 'Doing the Right Thing' #TXWX 0 8/25/17 16:04@CBPSoutheast https://twiValuable #Harvey information 0 8/25/17 12:52@CBPSoutheast https://twi Stay Alert, Stay Safe, Stay Alive ahead of #Harvey 0 8/27/17 19:06@CBPSouthTexas https://twi #USBP RGV Sector Border Patrol agents provide assistance to #HurricaineHarvey disaster survivors in Rockport, TX https://twitter.com/CBPSouthTexas/ status/901944115016990722/photo /1 0 8/25/17 17:49@CBPSouthTexas https://twi Brownsville #CBP Explorers fill sandbags to help protect homes of officers currently on duty https://twitter.com/CBPSouthTexas/ status/901199870563946497/photo /1 0 8/25/17 15:47@CBPSouthTexas https://twi #CBP officers at Hidalgo POE prepare trailers for deployment to support Hurricane Harvey emergency response efforts. https://twitter.com/CBPSouthTexas/ status/901169139284398080/photo /1 0 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 951 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001914 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000547 8/27/17 14:56@CustomsBorder https://twi CBP provides first response aid for #Harvey. RGV deploys 50 agents to support @USCG, #AMO has 6 aircraft assisting. http://bit.ly/2gghqu7 https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/ status/901881106965901314/photo /1https://t.co/W8gj475ryjhttps://twi tter.com/CustomsBorder/status/901 881106965901314/photo/1 16 8/27/17 11:45@CustomsBorder https://twi RGV Sector #USBP Special Operations Agents assist a disaster survivor trapped on the 2nd floor of his home in Rockport, TX #Harvey @CBPRGV https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/ status/901833138015535104/photo /1https://t.co/gxtspAlzonhttps://twi tter.com/CustomsBorder/status/901 833138015535104/photo/1https://t. co/gxtspAlzonhttps://twitter.com/C ustomsBorder/status/901833138015 535104/photo/1 0 8/26/17 16:53@CustomsBorder https://twi AMO Black Hawk from AZ lands in TX. #CBP is focused on search & rescue efforts, stand ready if requested by local law enforcement to assist https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/ status/901548171498852354/photo /1https://t.co/Z5MG3xy7KZhttps://t witter.com/CustomsBorder/status/9 01548171498852354/photo/1 0 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 952 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001915 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000548 8/26/17 11:59@CustomsBorder https://twi Joint statement from ICE and CBP regarding #HurricaneHarvey Spanish translation: https://www.ice.gov/sites/default/fil es/documents/Document/2017/Hurr icane%20Harvey%20Statement%20S panish.docx https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/ status/901474188350947329/photo /1 0 8/25/17 19:44@CustomsBorder https://twi CBP will remain vigilant against efforts by criminals to exploit suspended operations caused by the storm. (7/7) 0 8/25/17 19:44@CustomsBorder https://twi Two checkpoints, one along Hwy 77 and one along Hwy 4, have been temporarily closed. (6/7) 0 8/25/17 19:44@CustomsBorder https://twi At this point, anyone travelling through a USBP checkpoint would be traveling directly into storm-affected and/or evacuated areas. (5/7) 0 8/25/17 19:44@CustomsBorder https://twi Travelers leaving the lower RGV to the north- if traveling along Hwy 77 or U.S. 281- may encounter checkpoints that are operational. (4/7) 0 8/25/17 19:44@CustomsBorder https://twi Those evacuating storm-affected areas will not travel through a U.S. Border Patrol Checkpoint. (3/7) 0 8/25/17 19:44@CustomsBorder https://twi Checkpoints located in the Rio Grande Valley, although located along evacuation routes, are well south of the storm & affected areas. (2/7) 0 8/25/17 19:44@CustomsBorder https://twi TX evacuation routes leading the public away from areas most directly impacted by #HurricaneHarvey aren't affected by checkpnts in RGV (1/7) 0 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 953 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001916 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000549 8/25/17 14:36@CustomsBorder https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/status/901151236329754625 UPDATE: Border Patrol Checkpoint Operations During #HurricaneHarvey http://bit.ly/2wvvYN7 https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/ status/901151236329754625/photo /1 433 8/25/17 13:09@CustomsBorder https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/status/901129488259584001 #HurricaneHarvey is approaching and #CBP's highest priorities are to promote life-saving and life￾sustaining activi… https://twitter.com/i/web/status/90 1129488259584001 0 458 Instagram Date Link Name Message Link 8/27/17 16:50https://www.instagram.com/p/BYT67DRlno6/ customsborder #BorderPatrol agents visit with disaster survivors in Rockport, TX after #HurricaneHarvey. They also helped to evacuate some residents in need of assistance. #harvey #texas #KeepingAmericaSafe #firstresponders https://www.instagram.c Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 954 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001917 Top lnstagram Posts @customsborder 1139 Engagements @customsborder 1075 Engagements ~cu: 882 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000550 8/27/17 16:47https://www.instagram.com/p/BYT6l1KFBbF/ customsborder #BorderPatrol agents conduct search and rescue operations in Rockport, TX in the wake of #hurricaneharvey #harvey #KeepingAmericaSafe #firstresponders https://www.instagram.c 8/27/17 10:00https://www.instagram.com/p/BYTMDhMlKCN/ customsborder ICYMI: CBP officers in Otay Mesa rescued an illegally-trafficked tiger cub from a traveler who attempted to bring it into California from Mexico this week. On August 23 an 18-year-old man arrived at the port of entry driving a 2017 Chevy Camaro, with a 21-year￾old man in the passenger seat. The CBP officer conducting the inspection referred the vehicle and occupants for further inspection. Officers searched the vehicle and discovered the tiger cub lying on the floor of the front passenger side. The tiger cub was removed from the vehicle and placed in an animal crate until agents from the @USFWS responded to the border crossing. The driver was arrested and later transported to Metropolitan Correctional Center to await arraignment. Agents from U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service took custody of the tiger cub and are working with the @SanDiegoZoo Global to ensure its well-being. We don't just #KeepAmericaSafe, we #ProtectWildlife as well. #CBP https://www.instagram.c Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 955 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001918 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000551 Total Reach Retweets Replies Likes Impressions 77,409 29 2 38 3,038 185,441 26 1 57 6,967 56,608 18 2 43 3,109 220,080 36 2 70 7,555 213,882 36 2 67 7,356 34,627 9 0 14 1,478 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 956 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001919 CustomsBorder CBP prov ides 1rs #Harvey . RGV de suppo #USCG . assisting. bit.ly /2gghqu7 pic.tw itter.comN gj475ry jpic.twittE (Twee ) by c nstia rn All Clicks: Likes : Respo nses : Re 11eets : Rep lies : Poe tial Reach: lmp ress io s: CustomsBorder #HurricaneHarvE #CBP 's ighest p life-saving and lif twitter.com /i/ wel (Twee ) b, ch s ,arn All Clicks: Likes : Respo nses : DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000552 201,816 22 4 32 6,619 20,002 7 0 21 3,016 14,560 6 0 16 1,790 14,456 14 3 32 2,910 13,183 12 0 26 2,619 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 957 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001920 Re ,ee ts: Rep lies : Poe tial Reac h: lmp ress io s: CBPSouth T e.xas Brownsv ille #Cm to he lp pro ect c on duty pic.tw itte (Twee) Augus 25. ~ All Clicks: li kes : Respo ses : Retw eets : Rep lies : Pote r al Reac h: lmp ress io s: DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000553 204,440 19 0 44 7,300 2,649 2 0 2 213 6,416 9 0 8 1,337 1,654 1 0 6 707 3,367 3 0 9 1,172 1,950 1 0 0 192 1,950 1 0 0 192 1,951 1 0 3 241 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 958 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001921 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000554 203,377 28 2 53 7,917 1,227 1 0 2 388 5,444 5 0 4 1,152 2,550 1 0 4 724 986 0 0 0 431 2,616 1 0 3 564 101,092 36 0 54 4,816 432,970 38 5 87 10,333 307,085 34 3 65 9,646 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 959 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001922 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000555 443,611 54 3 101 11,179 388,510 94 3 156 17,018 311,073 55 2 106 13,074 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 960 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001923 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000556 192,675 19 3 26 6,974 184,435 23 2 63 7,388 177,300 12 0 30 6,852 181,823 16 2 28 7,111 164,762 11 2 20 6,107 180,869 17 5 23 7,888 170,039 16 2 32 6,987 192,746 17 1 25 8,227 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 961 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001924 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000557 265,137 37 9 44 10,978 823,777 48 2 55 18,804 6010545 815 62 1469 222369 Likes Comments Total Engagements Engagement 1,060 15 1,075 5.58% Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 962 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001925 stomsborder Engagements DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000558 870 12 882 4.58% 1,114 25 1,139 5.91% 3,044 52 3,096 0 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 963 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001926 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000559 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) ,t response aid fo r ?ploys 50 agents to #AMO has 6 aircraft V8gj475ry j https J/tco/W8 ir.com/W8gj475ry j a c. August 27. 2017 2:56 pm 16 102 57 54 3 443 .611 11,201 ?Y is approaching and 1riorities are to promote e-susta ining activ i... :>/ status /9 ... a c. August 25. 20171:09 pm 55 50 443 .6k 823.Sk 57 16 50 CBP FOIA 001927 Page 964 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000560 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) 48 2 823 ,777 18,812 > Explore rs fill sandbags >mes of officers currently •r.com 'gpclhGkHAJ !017 5:49 pm 87 43 38 5 432,970 10,339 433.01.: 43 CBP FOIA 001928 Page 965 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000561 Date Name Link Message Clicks Total Reach 8/27/17 20:22@CBPArizohttps://twi #CBP #AMO Aircrews deployed to south Texas for #HurricaneHarvey rig UH-60 Blackhawk for hoist #rescue operations… https://twitter.com/i/web/status/90 1963232004284416 0 78,621 8/27/17 19:07@CBPArizohttps://twi #CBP #AMO Tucson Air Branch conducting risk assesment of upcoming #HurricaneHarvey #rescue operations. https://twitter.com/CBPArizona/stat us/901944202048675840/photo/1 0 191,995 8/26/17 17:28@CBPArizohttps://twi #CBP #AMO Tucson Air Branch deploys UH-60 Blackhawk to San Angelo, TX for #HurricaneHarvey Relief https://twitter.com/CBPArizona/stat us/901556941519953921/photo/1 0 56,608 8/28/17 8:57@CBPCaribhttps://twi Mensaje conjunto por parte de ICE y CBP sobre el Huracán Harvey en #español 0 78,896 8/28/17 13:02@CBPCenthttps://twi A look at U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel supporting #Harvey response efforts with local, state and federal partners #CBP https://twitter.com/CBPCentralTX/st atus/902214864667627520/photo/1 0 75,545 8/28/17 12:31@CBPCenthttps://twi #CBP's Harvey Response Page. See central repository on http://CBP.gov for updates, articles and information http://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/hurr icane-harvey-response https://twitter.com/CBPCentralTX/st atus/902206921066807296/photo/1 0 1,623 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 972 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001929 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000562 8/28/17 12:27@CBPCenthttps://twi Dozens of U.S. Border Patrol Agents with 18 vessels/supplies head to Houston. Supporting response missions. #Harvey http://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/hurr icane-harvey-response https://twitter.com/CBPCentralTX/st atus/902206093581066240/photo/1 https://t.co/GPpt7KfTEFhttps://twitt er.com/CBPCentralTX/status/902206 093581066240/photo/1https://t.co/ GPpt7KfTEFhttps://twitter.com/CBPC entralTX/status/90220609358106624 0/photo/1https://t.co/GPpt7KfTEFhtt ps://twitter.com/CBPCentralTX/statu s/902206093581066240/photo/1 0 25,419 8/28/17 11:06@CBPCenthttps://twi U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel in Texas actively assisting state and local agencies as well as our partners @FEMARegion6 #CBP https://twitter.com/CBPCentralTX/st atus/902185622676361216/photo/1 https://t.co/CKBRsALZE8https://twitt er.com/CBPCentralTX/status/902185 622676361216/photo/1https://t.co/ CKBRsALZE8https://twitter.com/CBP CentralTX/status/9021856226763612 16/photo/1 0 246,576 8/28/17 10:23@CBPCenthttps://twi MULTIMEDIA Visit U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Flickr for photos from CBP's response effort in Texas #Harvey http://bit.ly/2xG902o https://twitter.com/CBPCentralTX/st atus/902174767507271680/photo/1 18 202,826 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 973 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001930 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000563 8/28/17 9:45@CBPCenthttps://twi #CBP's Response Effort. Air and Marine Operations aircrews with U.S. Border Patrol BORSTAR Unit to perform search and rescue ops #Harvey https://twitter.com/CBPCentralTX/st atus/902165235813023744/photo/1 0 56,690 8/28/17 9:42@CBPCenthttps://twi #CBP Focuses on Community Support as #Harvey Rages On http://bit.ly/2iAoPFa https://twitter.com/CBPCentralTX/st atus/902164519736115200/photo/1 7 427,824 8/28/17 9:35@CBPCenthttps://twi U.S. Border Patrol Agents arrive in Houston with water rescue equipment for search and rescue efforts #Harvey http://CBP.gov #CBP https://twitter.com/CBPCentralTX/st atus/902162842576617472/photo/1 https://t.co/9Ig6huMvzihttps://twitt er.com/CBPCentralTX/status/902162 842576617472/photo/1https://t.co/ 9Ig6huMvzihttps://twitter.com/CBPC entralTX/status/90216284257661747 2/photo/1 0 437,161 8/28/17 9:32@CBPCenthttps://twi #CBP's Air and Marine Operations supporting search and rescue efforts as part of mission to serve and protect the American people #Harvey https://twitter.com/CBPCentralTX/st atus/902161862955069440/photo/1 https://t.co/3cU8K65D3chttps://twitt er.com/CBPCentralTX/status/902161 862955069440/photo/1https://t.co/ 3cU8K65D3chttps://twitter.com/CBP CentralTX/status/9021618629550694 40/photo/1https://t.co/3cU8K65D3c https://twitter.com/CBPCentralTX/st atus/902161862955069440/photo/1 0 427,323 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 974 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001931 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000564 8/28/17 9:28@CBPCenthttps://twi #CBP Air and Marine Operations aircrews support local/state/federal partners with search and rescue efforts #Harvey http://bit.ly/2vkmSms https://twitter.com/CBPCentralTX/st atus/902160843344883716/photo/1 3 432,295 8/27/17 16:56@CBPCenthttps://twi #USBP agents help evacuate disaster survivors in Rockport, TX after #HurricaneHarvey. #KeepingAmericaSafe https://twitter.com/CBPCentralTX/st atus/901911246697582593/photo/1 0 228,199 8/27/17 16:54@CBPCenthttps://twi #USBP agents conduct search & rescue efforts in Rockport, TX in the wake of #HurricaneHarvey #KeepingAmericaSafe https://twitter.com/CBPCentralTX/st atus/901910765107589121/photo/1 0 216,532 8/28/17 11:16@CBPFlorihttps://twi CBP to the Rescue: Protecting the Homeland, Saving Lives #Wh 0 6,802 8/28/17 9:54@CBPFlorihttps://twi Difference Makers! Add @CBPCentralTX for updates on U.S. Customs and Border Protection efforts to support local com… 0 8,615 8/27/17 16:59@CBPFlorihttps://twi U.S. Customs and Border Protection supporting first response efforts in southeastern Texas. #Harvey Learn More: http://bit.ly/2iBecSI #CBP 2 41,424 8/28/17 12:50@CBPGreahttps://twi A @CustomsBorder Northern Region Air and Marine Operations #BlackHawk has departed Selfridge ANGB on its way to Texas to help with #Harvey https://twitter.com/CBPGreatLakes/s tatus/902211818810171392/photo/1 0 159,131 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 975 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001932 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000565 8/26/17 17:32@CBPRGV https://twi #CBP #RGV #USBP Border Patrol Search, Trauma and Rescue (BORSTAR) render aid alongside Kenedy Co EMS at rollover accident in Kingsville, Tx. https://twitter.com/CBPRGV/status/ 901557908198105089/photo/1 0 201,816 8/25/17 19:11@CBPRGV https://twi #CBP #Brownsville Emergency Operations Center is visited by Congressman @RepFilemonVela Vela with #USBP #Harvey2017 #HonorFirst https://twitter.com/CBPRGV/status/ 901220466223968256/photo/1 0 20,002 8/25/17 18:58@CBPRGV https://twi #CBP #RGV Horse Patrol Unit horses safely stalled in anticipation of #Harvey2017 in Dimmit County, Texas #HonorFirst https://twitter.com/CBPRGV/status/ 901217241496260608/photo/1 0 14,560 8/25/17 18:00@CBPRGV https://twi #CBP #USBP Fort Brown Agents assist city officials filling sand bags near #Brownsville ,Texas in anticipation of #Harvey2017 #HurricanHarvey https://twitter.com/CBPRGV/status/ 901202651307581440/photo/1 0 14,456 8/25/17 17:40@CBPRGV https://twi #CBP #RGV #USBP riverine units moved to secure facilities in anticipation of Hurricane Harvey #HonorFirst #Harvey2017 https://twitter.com/CBPRGV/status/ 901197727421386758/photo/1https: //t.co/JNwSUw0TMAhttps://twitter.c om/CBPRGV/status/90119772742138 6758/photo/1https://t.co/JNwSUw0T MAhttps://twitter.com/CBPRGV/stat us/901197727421386758/photo/1 0 13,183 8/28/17 13:52@CBPSouthttps://twi A glimpse into how #CBP partners W #DHS #FEMA & others to support #Texas in need as #Harvey affects so many. #KeepingAmericaSafe 0 1,002 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 976 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001933 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000566 8/27/17 18:50@CBPSouthttps://twi #CBP officers Port of New Orleans welcomed & cleared nearly 8K cruise passengers. Ships diverted to #NOLA #Harvey #TexasFlood #txwx https://twitter.com/CBPSoutheast/st atus/901940024681390085/photo/1 https://t.co/WszyX4cMlYhttps://twitt er.com/CBPSoutheast/status/901940 024681390085/photo/1https://t.co/ WszyX4cMlYhttps://twitter.com/CBP Southeast/status/901940024681390 085/photo/1 0 211,243 8/27/17 17:06@CBPSouthttps://twi Lets Stay Alert to Stay Safe with #SCWX & #NCWX along the East Coast 0 2,649 8/27/17 16:21@CBPSouthttps://twi #CBP on the ground at #TexasFlood to help disaster survivor. Learn more http://bit.ly/2izkaU2 #USBP #Harvey https://twitter.com/CBPSoutheast/st atus/901902407642251265/photo/1 7 6,416 8/27/17 15:10@CBPSouthttps://twi #CBP taking care of those in need #Harvey #txwx 0 1,654 8/27/17 11:59@CBPSouthttps://twi #USBP #Finest on the job taking good care of #Harvey disaster survivor. 'Its What We Do' #CBP #txwx 0 3,367 8/27/17 11:40@CBPSouthttps://twi #USBP #Finest on the job taking care of #Harvey victims 'Its What We Do' #CBP #txwx https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/ status/901830708519424001 0 1,950 8/27/17 11:40@CBPSouthttps://twi #USBP #Finest on the job taking care of #Harvey victims 'Its What We Do' #CBP #txwx 0 1,950 8/26/17 18:10@CBPSouthttps://twi 'it's what we do' on the job with #CBP #Finest 0 1,951 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 977 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001934 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000567 8/26/17 16:45@CBPSouthttps://twi As #Harvey2017 continues to impact #Texas our #CBP officers & equipment in #Louisiana ready to support the #DHS #FEMA mission https://twitter.com/CBPSoutheast/st atus/901546258480943105/photo/1 https://t.co/tS6Drl9zInhttps://twitter .com/CBPSoutheast/status/90154625 8480943105/photo/1https://t.co/tS6 Drl9zInhttps://twitter.com/CBPSouth east/status/901546258480943105/p hoto/1 0 209,923 8/26/17 14:00@CBPSouthttps://twi Stay Alert to Stay Safe #Harvey2017 0 1,227 8/25/17 18:45@CBPSouthttps://twi 'Its What We Do' as #CBP ready to #KeepAmericaSafe #Harvey2017 0 5,444 8/25/17 18:43@CBPSouthttps://twi Working ahead of #Harvey to support our #Finest as #Explores 'Doing the Right Thing' #TXWX 0 2,550 8/25/17 16:04@CBPSouthttps://twiValuable #Harvey information 0 986 8/25/17 12:52@CBPSouthttps://twi Stay Alert, Stay Safe, Stay Alive ahead of #Harvey 0 2,616 8/28/17 14:11@CBPSouthttps://twi Del Rio Sector #USBP continues to send assets & personnel to assist with rescue efforts in the Houston area in the wake of Hurricane #Harvey https://twitter.com/CBPSouthTexas/s tatus/902232292537577472/photo/1 0 0 8/27/17 19:06@CBPSouthttps://twi #USBP RGV Sector Border Patrol agents provide assistance to #HurricaineHarvey disaster survivors in Rockport, TX https://twitter.com/CBPSouthTexas/s tatus/901944115016990722/photo/1 0 103,021 8/25/17 17:49@CBPSouthttps://twi Brownsville #CBP Explorers fill sandbags to help protect homes of officers currently on duty https://twitter.com/CBPSouthTexas/s tatus/901199870563946497/photo/1 0 432,970 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 978 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001935 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000568 8/25/17 15:47@CBPSouthttps://twi #CBP officers at Hidalgo POE prepare trailers for deployment to support Hurricane Harvey emergency response efforts. https://twitter.com/CBPSouthTexas/s tatus/901169139284398080/photo/1 0 307,085 8/25/17 11:24@CBPSouthttps://twi #USBP Del Rio Sector Observes Family Heritage Month. #CBP Diversity and Inclusion Program. https://twitter.com/CBPSouthTexas/s tatus/901102942299803648/photo/1 0 6,044 8/28/17 11:24@CBPWesthttps://twi #CBP AMO aircraft from El Paso and Tucson forward deployed to Kelly AFB, San Antonio for Hurricane #Harvey response missions. https://twitter.com/CBPWestTexas/s tatus/902190138498920449/photo/1 0 7,559 8/27/17 14:56@Customshttps://twi CBP provides first response aid for #Harvey. RGV deploys 50 agents to support @USCG, #AMO has 6 aircraft assisting. http://bit.ly/2gghqu7 https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/ status/901881106965901314/photo/ 1https://t.co/W8gj475ryjhttps://twitt er.com/CustomsBorder/status/90188 1106965901314/photo/1 16 449,156 8/27/17 11:45@Customshttps://twi RGV Sector #USBP Special Operations Agents assist a disaster survivor trapped on the 2nd floor of his home in Rockport, TX #Harvey @CBPRGV https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/ status/901833138015535104/photo/ 1https://t.co/gxtspAlzonhttps://twitt er.com/CustomsBorder/status/90183 3138015535104/photo/1https://t.co /gxtspAlzonhttps://twitter.com/Cust omsBorder/status/901833138015535 104/photo/1 0 388,510 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 979 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001936 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000569 8/26/17 16:53@Customshttps://twi AMO Black Hawk from AZ lands in TX. #CBP is focused on search & rescue efforts, stand ready if requested by local law enforcement to assist https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/ status/901548171498852354/photo/ 1https://t.co/Z5MG3xy7KZhttps://twi tter.com/CustomsBorder/status/901 548171498852354/photo/1 0 317,889 8/26/17 11:59@Customshttps://twi Joint statement from ICE and CBP regarding #HurricaneHarvey Spanish translation: https://www.ice.gov/sites/default/fil es/documents/Document/2017/Hurri cane%20Harvey%20Statement%20Sp anish.docx https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/ status/901474188350947329/photo/ 1 0 192,675 8/25/17 19:44@Customshttps://twi CBP will remain vigilant against efforts by criminals to exploit suspended operations caused by the storm. (7/7) 0 184,435 8/25/17 19:44@Customshttps://twi Two checkpoints, one along Hwy 77 and one along Hwy 4, have been temporarily closed. (6/7) 0 177,300 8/25/17 19:44@Customshttps://twi At this point, anyone travelling through a USBP checkpoint would be traveling directly into storm-affected and/or evacuated areas. (5/7) 0 181,823 8/25/17 19:44@Customshttps://twi Travelers leaving the lower RGV to the north- if traveling along Hwy 77 or U.S. 281- may encounter checkpoints that are operational. (4/7) 0 164,762 8/25/17 19:44@Customshttps://twi Those evacuating storm-affected areas will not travel through a U.S. Border Patrol Checkpoint. (3/7) 0 180,869 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 980 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001937 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000570 8/25/17 19:44@Customshttps://twi Checkpoints located in the Rio Grande Valley, although located along evacuation routes, are well south of the storm & affected areas. (2/7) 0 170,039 8/25/17 19:44@Customshttps://twi TX evacuation routes leading the public away from areas most directly impacted by #HurricaneHarvey aren't affected by checkpnts in RGV (1/7) 0 192,746 8/25/17 14:36@Customshttps://twi UPDATE: Border Patrol Checkpoint Operations During #HurricaneHarvey http://bit.ly/2wvvYN7 https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/ status/901151236329754625/photo/ 1 433 265,137 8/25/17 13:09@Customshttps://twi #HurricaneHarvey is approaching and #CBP's highest priorities are to promote life-saving and life￾sustaining activi… https://twitter.com/i/web/status/90 1129488259584001 0 823,777 486 8664847 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 981 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001938 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000571 Retweets Replies Likes Impressions 30 2 41 3,583 27 1 61 7,672 18 2 43 3,227 3 0 0 670 11 0 10 1,159 2 0 3 338 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 982 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001939 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000572 14 0 12 1,441 22 1 33 3,362 10 0 12 4,446 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 983 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001940 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000573 6 0 7 886 17 0 28 5,191 23 0 49 5,012 14 0 46 4,976 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 984 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001941 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000574 16 0 33 4,792 39 2 78 8,577 40 2 71 8,385 0 0 0 45 1 0 3 545 11 0 17 1,853 4 1 10 1,386 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 985 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001942 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000575 22 4 33 6,755 7 0 22 3,152 6 0 16 1,817 14 3 33 3,027 12 0 27 2,774 0 0 0 159 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 986 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001943 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000576 20 0 50 8,102 2 0 2 246 10 0 10 1,584 1 0 7 804 3 0 9 1,374 1 0 0 208 1 0 0 208 1 0 3 265 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 987 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001944 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000577 29 2 53 8,261 1 0 2 395 5 0 5 1,177 1 0 4 729 0 0 0 432 1 0 3 567 1 0 2 140 38 0 65 5,961 38 5 89 10,494 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 988 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001945 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000578 34 3 67 9,807 4 0 11 1,172 4 0 9 776 59 3 112 12,217 94 3 163 18,320 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 989 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001946 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000579 57 2 109 14,128 19 3 26 7,097 23 2 63 7,462 12 0 30 6,919 16 2 28 7,164 11 2 20 6,160 17 5 23 7,982 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 990 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001947 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000580 16 2 32 7,037 17 1 25 8,278 37 9 44 11,075 48 2 55 18,982 990 64 1809 270753 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 171 ( Attachment 2 of 2) Page 991 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001948 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000581 From : (b )(6) ;(b )(7)(C) To: (b )(6) ;(b )(7)(C) (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) Cc: Bee: Subject: Monday Harvey reports Date: Attachments : Mon Aug 28 2017 09:51 :31 EDT Harvey Monday .xlsx Harvey monday .pdf image001.png image002.png image003.png image004.jpg image005.png image006.png (b )(6);(b )(7)(C) Office of Public Affairs - Media Division U.S. Customs and Border Protection 1300 Pennsy lvania Ave., NW Wash ington, D.C. 20229 Office: (b )(6 );(b )(7 )(C ) Cell: (b )(6 );(b )(7)(C) Email: (b )(6) ;(b )(7)(C) For more info about CBP click the following www .cbp .gov , http://www .cbp.gov/newsroom CBP FOIA 001949 Page 992 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000582 Date Name Link Message Clicks 8/27/17 20:22@CBPArizona https://twi #CBP #AMO Aircrews deployed to south Texas for #HurricaneHarvey rig UH-60 Blackhawk for hoist #rescue operations… https://twitter.com/i/web/status/90 1963232004284416 0 8/27/17 19:07@CBPArizona https://twi #CBP #AMO Tucson Air Branch conducting risk assesment of upcoming #HurricaneHarvey #rescue operations. https://twitter.com/CBPArizona/stat us/901944202048675840/photo/1 0 8/26/17 17:28@CBPArizona https://twi #CBP #AMO Tucson Air Branch deploys UH-60 Blackhawk to San Angelo, TX for #HurricaneHarvey Relief https://twitter.com/CBPArizona/stat us/901556941519953921/photo/1 0 8/27/17 16:56@CBPCentralTX https://twi #USBP agents help evacuate disaster survivors in Rockport, TX after #HurricaneHarvey. #KeepingAmericaSafe https://twitter.com/CBPCentralTX/st atus/901911246697582593/photo/1 0 8/27/17 16:54@CBPCentralTX https://twi #USBP agents conduct search & rescue efforts in Rockport, TX in the wake of #HurricaneHarvey #KeepingAmericaSafe https://twitter.com/CBPCentralTX/st atus/901910765107589121/photo/1 0 8/27/17 16:59@CBPFlorida https://twi U.S. Customs and Border Protection supporting first response efforts in southeastern Texas. #Harvey Learn More: http://bit.ly/2iBecSI #CBP 2 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 174 ( Attachment 1 of 8) Page 995 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001950 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000583 8/26/17 17:32@CBPRGV https://twi #CBP #RGV #USBP Border Patrol Search, Trauma and Rescue (BORSTAR) render aid alongside Kenedy Co EMS at rollover accident in Kingsville, Tx. https://twitter.com/CBPRGV/status/ 901557908198105089/photo/1 0 8/25/17 19:11@CBPRGV https://twi #CBP #Brownsville Emergency Operations Center is visited by Congressman @RepFilemonVela Vela with #USBP #Harvey2017 #HonorFirst https://twitter.com/CBPRGV/status/ 901220466223968256/photo/1 0 8/25/17 18:58@CBPRGV https://twi #CBP #RGV Horse Patrol Unit horses safely stalled in anticipation of #Harvey2017 in Dimmit County, Texas #HonorFirst https://twitter.com/CBPRGV/status/ 901217241496260608/photo/1 0 8/25/17 18:00@CBPRGV https://twi #CBP #USBP Fort Brown Agents assist city officials filling sand bags near #Brownsville ,Texas in anticipation of #Harvey2017 #HurricanHarvey https://twitter.com/CBPRGV/status/ 901202651307581440/photo/1 0 8/25/17 17:40@CBPRGV https://twi #CBP #RGV #USBP riverine units moved to secure facilities in anticipation of Hurricane Harvey #HonorFirst #Harvey2017 https://twitter.com/CBPRGV/status/ 901197727421386758/photo/1https ://t.co/JNwSUw0TMAhttps://twitter. com/CBPRGV/status/901197727421 386758/photo/1https://t.co/JNwSU w0TMAhttps://twitter.com/CBPRGV /status/901197727421386758/phot o/1 0 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 174 ( Attachment 1 of 8) Page 996 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001951 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000584 8/27/17 18:50@CBPSoutheast https://twi #CBP officers Port of New Orleans welcomed & cleared nearly 8K cruise passengers. Ships diverted to #NOLA #Harvey #TexasFlood #txwx https://twitter.com/CBPSoutheast/s tatus/901940024681390085/photo/ 1https://t.co/WszyX4cMlYhttps://tw itter.com/CBPSoutheast/status/9019 40024681390085/photo/1https://t.c o/WszyX4cMlYhttps://twitter.com/C BPSoutheast/status/9019400246813 90085/photo/1 0 8/27/17 17:06@CBPSoutheast https://twi Lets Stay Alert to Stay Safe with #SCWX & #NCWX along the East Coast 0 8/27/17 16:21@CBPSoutheast https://twi #CBP on the ground at #TexasFlood to help disaster survivor. Learn more http://bit.ly/2izkaU2 #USBP #Harvey https://twitter.com/CBPSoutheast/s tatus/901902407642251265/photo/ 1 7 8/27/17 15:10@CBPSoutheast https://twi #CBP taking care of those in need #Harvey #txwx 0 8/27/17 11:59@CBPSoutheast https://twi #USBP #Finest on the job taking good care of #Harvey disaster survivor. 'Its What We Do' #CBP #txwx 0 8/27/17 11:40@CBPSoutheast https://twi #USBP #Finest on the job taking care of #Harvey victims 'Its What We Do' #CBP #txwx https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/ status/901830708519424001 0 8/27/17 11:40@CBPSoutheast https://twi #USBP #Finest on the job taking care of #Harvey victims 'Its What We Do' #CBP #txwx 0 8/26/17 18:10@CBPSoutheast https://twi 'it's what we do' on the job with #CBP #Finest 0 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 174 ( Attachment 1 of 8) Page 997 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001952 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000585 8/26/17 16:45@CBPSoutheast https://twi As #Harvey2017 continues to impact #Texas our #CBP officers & equipment in #Louisiana ready to support the #DHS #FEMA mission https://twitter.com/CBPSoutheast/s tatus/901546258480943105/photo/ 1https://t.co/tS6Drl9zInhttps://twitt er.com/CBPSoutheast/status/90154 6258480943105/photo/1https://t.co /tS6Drl9zInhttps://twitter.com/CBPS outheast/status/9015462584809431 05/photo/1 0 8/26/17 14:00@CBPSoutheast https://twiStay Alert to Stay Safe #Harvey2017 0 8/25/17 18:45@CBPSoutheast https://twi 'Its What We Do' as #CBP ready to #KeepAmericaSafe #Harvey2017 0 8/25/17 18:43@CBPSoutheast https://twi Working ahead of #Harvey to support our #Finest as #Explores 'Doing the Right Thing' #TXWX 0 8/25/17 16:04@CBPSoutheast https://twiValuable #Harvey information 0 8/25/17 12:52@CBPSoutheast https://twi Stay Alert, Stay Safe, Stay Alive ahead of #Harvey 0 8/27/17 19:06@CBPSouthTexas https://twi #USBP RGV Sector Border Patrol agents provide assistance to #HurricaineHarvey disaster survivors in Rockport, TX https://twitter.com/CBPSouthTexas/ status/901944115016990722/photo /1 0 8/25/17 17:49@CBPSouthTexas https://twi Brownsville #CBP Explorers fill sandbags to help protect homes of officers currently on duty https://twitter.com/CBPSouthTexas/ status/901199870563946497/photo /1 0 8/25/17 15:47@CBPSouthTexas https://twi #CBP officers at Hidalgo POE prepare trailers for deployment to support Hurricane Harvey emergency response efforts. https://twitter.com/CBPSouthTexas/ status/901169139284398080/photo /1 0 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 174 ( Attachment 1 of 8) Page 998 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001953 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000586 8/27/17 14:56@CustomsBorder https://twi CBP provides first response aid for #Harvey. RGV deploys 50 agents to support @USCG, #AMO has 6 aircraft assisting. http://bit.ly/2gghqu7 https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/ status/901881106965901314/photo /1https://t.co/W8gj475ryjhttps://twi tter.com/CustomsBorder/status/901 881106965901314/photo/1 16 8/27/17 11:45@CustomsBorder https://twi RGV Sector #USBP Special Operations Agents assist a disaster survivor trapped on the 2nd floor of his home in Rockport, TX #Harvey @CBPRGV https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/ status/901833138015535104/photo /1https://t.co/gxtspAlzonhttps://twi tter.com/CustomsBorder/status/901 833138015535104/photo/1https://t. co/gxtspAlzonhttps://twitter.com/C ustomsBorder/status/901833138015 535104/photo/1 0 8/26/17 16:53@CustomsBorder https://twi AMO Black Hawk from AZ lands in TX. #CBP is focused on search & rescue efforts, stand ready if requested by local law enforcement to assist https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/ status/901548171498852354/photo /1https://t.co/Z5MG3xy7KZhttps://t witter.com/CustomsBorder/status/9 01548171498852354/photo/1 0 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 174 ( Attachment 1 of 8) Page 999 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001954 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000587 8/26/17 11:59@CustomsBorder https://twi Joint statement from ICE and CBP regarding #HurricaneHarvey Spanish translation: https://www.ice.gov/sites/default/fil es/documents/Document/2017/Hurr icane%20Harvey%20Statement%20S panish.docx https://twitter.com/CustomsBorder/ status/901474188350947329/photo /1 0 8/25/17 19:44@CustomsBorder https://twi CBP will remain vigilant against efforts by criminals to exploit suspended operations caused by the storm. (7/7) 0 8/25/17 19:44@CustomsBorder https://twi Two checkpoints, one along Hwy 77 and one along Hwy 4, have been temporarily closed. (6/7) 0 8/25/17 19:44@CustomsBorder https://twi At this point, anyone travelling through a USBP checkpoint would be traveling directly into storm-affected and/or evacuated areas. (5/7) 0 8/25/17 19:44@CustomsBorder https://twi Travelers leaving the lower RGV to the north- if traveling along Hwy 77 or U.S. 281- may encounter checkpoints that are operational. (4/7) 0 8/25/17 19:44@CustomsBorder https://twi Those evacuating storm-affected areas will not travel through a U.S. Border Patrol Checkpoint. (3/7) 0 8/25/17 19:44@CustomsBorder https://twi Checkpoints located in the Rio Grande Valley, although located along evacuation routes, are well south of the storm & affected areas. (2/7) 0 8/25/17 19:44@CustomsBorder https://twi TX evacuation routes leading the public away from areas most directly impacted by #HurricaneHarvey aren't affected by checkpnts in RGV (1/7) 0 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 174 ( Attachment 1 of 8) Page 1000 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001955 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000588 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 174 ( Attachment 1 of 8) UPDATE: Border Patro l Checkpoint Operat ions During #HurricaneHar vey http: / / bit. ly/ 2ww YN7 https: / /twitter.com /CustomsBorder / status / 901151236329754625 / photo 8/ 25/ 17 14:36@Cu stomsBorder https: / / twi/1 #HurricaneHarve y is approach ing and #CBP's highest priorit ies are to promote life-saving and life￾susta ining act ivia€: https: / /twitter.com /i/w eb/status / 90 8/ 25/ 17 13:09@Cu stomsBorder https: / / twi1129488259584001 Top lnstagra m Posts Date t;,customsborder 1139 Engagements Link Name @customsborder 1075 Engagements Message #BorderPatrol agents visit with disaster survivors in Rockport, TX after #HurricaneHar vey. They a lso helped to evacuate some residents in need of assistance. #har vey #texas #KeepingAmericaSafe Link 433 0 ~cw 882 8/ 27 / 17 16:50 https: / /www .instagcustomsb o#firstresponders https :/ /www .instagram .c CBP FOIA 001956 Page 1001 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000589 8/27/17 16:47https://www.instagcustomsbo #BorderPatrol agents conduct search and rescue operations in Rockport, TX in the wake of #hurricaneharvey #harvey #KeepingAmericaSafe #firstresponders https://www.instagram.c 8/27/17 10:00https //www instagram c m/p customsbo ICYMI: CBP officers in Otay Mesa rescued an illegally-trafficked tiger cub from a traveler who attempted to bring it into California from Mexico this week. On August 23 an 18-year-old man arrived at the port of entry driving a 2017 Chevy Camaro, with a 21-year￾old man in the passenger seat. The CBP officer conducting the inspection referred the vehicle and occupants for further inspection. Officers searched the vehicle and discovered the tiger cub lying on the floor of the front passenger side. The tiger cub was removed from the vehicle and placed in an animal crate until agents from the @USFWS responded to the border crossing. The driver was arrested and later transported to Metropolitan Correctional Center to await arraignment. Agents from U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service took custody of the tiger cub and are working with the @SanDiegoZoo Global to ensure its well-being. We don't just #KeepAmericaSafe, we #ProtectWildlife as well. #CBP https //www instagram c Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 174 ( Attachment 1 of 8) Page 1002 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001957 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000590 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 174 ( Attachment 1 of 8) iTotal Reach Retweets Replies Likes 77,409 29 2 38 185,441 26 1 57 56,608 18 2 43 220,080 36 2 70 213,882 36 2 67 34,627 9 0 14 Impressions 3,038 6,967 3,109 7,555 7,356 1,478 CustomsBorder CBP provides firs #Harvey . RGV dE support #USCG . assisting . bit.ly / 2gghqu7 pic.tw itter.comN gj475ryj pic.twittE (Tweet) by ch istiam All Clicks: Likes: Responses: Re tweets : Replies: Potential Reach: Impressions: CustomsBorder #HurricaneHarvE #CBP 's highest F life-saving and lif twitter.com /i/ wel (TweetJ bychnstiam All Clicks: Likes: Responses: CBP FOIA 001958 Page 1003 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000591 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 174 ( Attachment 1 of 8) Retw eets: Replies: Potentia l Reach: Imp ress ions : 201,816 22 4 32 6,619 ~ CBPSouth Texas Brownsville #CBF to he lp prote ct he on duty pic.tw itte 20,002 7 0 21 3,016 14,560 6 0 16 1,790 (TWQ'1t) August 25, : All Clicks : 14,456 14 3 32 2,910 Likes : Responses: Retweets : Replies: Poten tia Reach: Impress ions : 13,183 12 0 26 2,619 CBP FOIA 001959 Page 1004 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000592 204,440 19 0 44 7,300 2,649 2 0 2 213 6,416 9 0 8 1,337 1,654 1 0 6 707 3,367 3 0 9 1,172 1,950 1 0 0 192 1,950 1 0 0 192 1,951 1 0 3 241 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 174 ( Attachment 1 of 8) Page 1005 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001960 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000593 203,377 28 2 53 7,917 1,227 1 0 2 388 5,444 5 0 4 1,152 2,550 1 0 4 724 986 0 0 0 431 2,616 1 0 3 564 101,092 36 0 54 4,816 432,970 38 5 87 10,333 307,085 34 3 65 9,646 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 174 ( Attachment 1 of 8) Page 1006 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001961 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000594 443,611 54 3 101 11,179 388,510 94 3 156 17,018 311,073 55 2 106 13,074 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 174 ( Attachment 1 of 8) Page 1007 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001962 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000595 192,675 19 3 26 6,974 184,435 23 2 63 7,388 177,300 12 0 30 6,852 181,823 16 2 28 7,111 164,762 11 2 20 6,107 180,869 17 5 23 7,888 170,039 16 2 32 6,987 192,746 17 1 25 8,227 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 174 ( Attachment 1 of 8) Page 1008 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001963 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000596 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 174 ( Attachment 1 of 8) 265,137 823,777 stomsborder Engagemer.ts 37 48 9 44 10,978 2 55 18,804 Likes Comment s Total Engag1Engagement 1,060 15 1,075 5.58% CBP FOIA 001964 Page 1009 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000597 870 12 882 4.58% 1,114 25 1,139 5.91% 3,044 52 3,096 0 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 174 ( Attachment 1 of 8) Page 1010 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001965 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000598 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 174 ( Attachment 1 of 8) ,t response aid fo r ?ploys 50 agents to #AMO has 6 aircraft V8gj475ry j https J/tco/W8 ir.com/W8gj475ry j a c. August 27. 2017 2:56 pm 16 102 57 54 3 443 .611 11,201 ?Y is approaching and 1riorities are to promote e-susta ining activ i... :>/ status /9 ... a c. August 25. 20171:09 pm 55 50 443 .6k 823.Sk 57 16 50 CBP FOIA 001966 Page 1011 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000599 Harvey Monday .xlsx for Printed Item: 174 ( Attachment 1 of 8) 48 2 823 ,777 18,812 > Explore rs fill sandbags >mes of officers currently •r.com 'gpclhGkHAJ !017 5:49 pm 87 43 38 5 432,970 10,339 433.01.: 43 CBP FOIA 001967 Page 1012 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000600 Harvey monday pdf for Printed Item 17 4 ( Attachment 2 of 8) Generated At: 8/28/2017 9:25 AM Page number: 1 of 5 Harvey Activity Sun-Mon Activity on social media has dropped significantly. As compareCLOUO cu.-Range-Aug 'ZJ. 2017. Aug 28. 2011 ( English} (?)Hour @tony d1spa8 esnanski tru m ppaht~llsearch & @cbpsandiego #h urncane arve1 ozens 1~ · . h d t @d · 1 Kl ar\/ @realdonaldtrump tx#harvey@cbprgv colonias 81 OS @1c~ av & . d.bl @breaking9~ b d home Y t cherishl mex1~ol bo rder smuggljng tunnelread mere I e Or er pa ro peop e people--mex1can . texas border atrol - #sand1ego arrest P.11 uncover 1 ■ women yuma tot @reportbyw1 lso11 tuesdayac u freaks I e g a I m m I g ra n s #cbp officers qt @abc rockport . visited migrants @customsborder · meXICans horr1"ble arrest1·ng cllsaster surv vor trapped #cbp #amo 2nd floor 0 CSP FOIA 001968 ~ GENERA'l:DBV sysomos Page 1020 oV1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000601 Harvey monday pdf for Printed Item 17 4 ( Attachmen t 2 of 8) BUZZGIW'H eu.-Range-Aug v. 2011 -Aug 28. 2011 ( English } ~ ~ i™ _;: -·------- ·.-\·.-:~._._._._._:: :·:-.-.·. ... .. ......... ·~-.,--.. ·.::.-_ -.. : .. _ -.. '~ ' ' / ::~>-.-.•-.-.->-.-:·· ·····:·dJ w II kfr ■ --.... .::~~:_:_ ., ,,~; .... Generated At: 8/28/2017 9:25 AM Page number: 2 of 5 1if.iiMi The buzz "'1C)hs shows that two main separa 001'1Yersations are hafflering aroi.nd Bonier Patrol (connected n the middle). The conwrsation on the left is the i~ W'ying to flee the storm. the one on the ,vit is the .,......-ants feud in the tunnel in SO. l'l'ITTER1191JNG cu.-Range-Aug 'ZJ. 2017. Aug 28. 2011 ( English } Top 10 hashtags used in Tweets with estimated number of mentions . #usbp #hurricaneharvey #sandiego #harvey #cbp #amo 56% #maga 56% #borderpatrol - 4.4% #trump 3.9% 11.4% 10.4% 10.1% #keepingamericasafe - 3.6% MOST RE1WEETED cu.-Range-Aug 'ZJ. 2017. Aug 28. 2011 ( English } @rr.;,lf)on;,lc !Trump 23.1% 21.9% Tl ~AtJK YOU lo ;)II 1)r the~ fJft~•rt men ;u)(l lll'Offl(:r 1 ;it Uu~ lJ ~ t,w;.touY.:. ;mc1 11on1c:r Pmf1X'.lior1 f;,rili ty in Yuma . Ari1orli-1 R ;irrnmrl the: ll r1ikfJ Auq 22 201 / 8 20 02 PM • r-..«1 ·, 20244 est. retwee ts " ~nnp ,, Ol 11Je5da'f, , _ealllllll h! n:,- .-t & - ·oenor @ICE!Jl"'& @IJHS!J:Wllllrl1erPamll @Thoma~ 177 4P;, inr. Al J ll rn!,lkS Afti~ Tex.is n,>ri1i~r rt;dro l Kc~•pr~ C:hi!<"point s Open 0 11riO!J H1111i<.,HIP http::. :,11 r.1\.1Kkt1;i7V'/nnc. Aug~/ 201/ .14000PM · wc:e1-·c 224 es t . retweets .., 8aidl..__.,i ,, Banllerpatrollo Chetk peqlle'S papers, as they evatualP. hl.w11r:ane :mne tt 1l!x3S. l.ta@IIA" Top10 Top 10 @KT I A TI11.; ,lm~J ,1f :\() 111i :1r,u1t,; in s.,,1Jlh1~ n S; 1n Oii~1t) 11.~1 f°l1)fl1f'!f r,1 hn l ,l:Jf'!ll1'$. In (1is.t.1)\'(!f ,l !-.m11:191iri:1 t11nnl~1 ,m S,1l1J1i1,JV h1r~ ,r,1 ( 1)>7fi.l\iAfrv•L)\,' Aug 2 .i 201 1 1 12 29 ;\ M • 1A'QC:1..,1c 57 est. retweets " CSP FOIA 001969 ~ GENERA'l:DBV sysomos Page 1021 of 1649 DHS-(CBP)-17-0435-D-000602 Generated At: 8/28/2017 9:25 AM Page number: 3 of 5   Harvey monday.pdf for Printed Item: 174 ( Attachment 2 of 8) Page 1022 of 1649 CBP FOIA 001970 WI nana, AL . I nan< you. vve respea"' . Aug24 , 20171 :13:38PM •-- 12409est.rebllfeels --by: @andreagr1mes QT @reportbywIlson : Chhst almighty . Undocumented Texans won't be able to get north or storm w/out threat or detention . Aug 24. 2017 9 57 25 PM • T•-• Lie 9066 est. retweets Recent retweets by: @RVAwonk QT @reportbywllso n: Undocumented immigrants in the path or Hurricane Harvey won't be able to get to safety w/o rear or detention . People . Aug 25 . 2017 9 5151 AM 'T•-tl,fe 6850 est. retweets Recent retweets by: @tonyposnanski QT @dailyKos: If you said Hillary and Trump were both "equally horrible " ... Fuck you https//1 co/QBeX7a035P ; Border Patrol is trying to . Aug 25 . 2017 64746 PM • T,_, Ufe 3222 est. retweets Recent retweets by: @DonnaWR8 Border Patrol PRASES President #Trump 'What we've seen is nothing short of MIRACULOUS ... We've NEVER seen such a drop!" @POTUS #MAGA #USA . Jul 18. 2017 63127 PM · T,-tlfe 1435 est. retweets Recent retweets by: @dailykos Border Patrol is trying to arrest undocumented immigrants fleeing Hurricane Harvey https//lco/uNw nt9v9BB Aug 25 . 2017 1:0302 PM 'T•-• ue 1048 est. retweets Recent retweets by: .:. • · 11• @Breaking911 Border Patrol discovers underground tunnel in San Diego atter arresting 30 illegal immigrants - https//1 co/d1xOe9A4V n . Aug 27 2017 4 10 06 PM • T.-I Lfe 285 est. retweets Recent retweets by: 0 J fl @CBPSanDiego #USBP agents in #SanDiego arrest 30 people and uncove r a smuggling tunnel. Read : https//1 co/zxABJIQMQ0 https //1 co/c hfl2DC9IT Aug 26 . 2017 10 42 53 PM • ,,_, ue 251 est. retweets Recent retweets by: ,,, ,,, ,,, ,,, ,,, ,,, ,,, Aug 26 , 201711 :44 :08 PM •-Life 121est.rebllfeels @cjwer1eman ShocKing photo or Bangladesh border patrol denying refuge to desperate Rohingya Muslims who are fleeing Burma"s military ... Aug27 201784829AM · T.-tl'e 112 est. retweets Recent retweets by: @ABC Border Patrol agents find smuggling tunnel nea r Mexico border aner 30 people-Mexican . Chinese nationals---